Distribution analyses of Meloidogyne spp. and Pratylenchus coffeae sensu lato in coffee plots in Costa Rica and Guatemala

The distribution of the plant-parasitic nematodes Pratylenchus coffeae sensu lato and Meloidogyne spp. were studied in two plots, one in Guatemala ( P. coffeae and M. paranaensis ) and the other in Costa Rica ( P. coffeae and M. exigua ). The quantity of nematodes per g fresh weight root were counted for each coffee tree sampled. The distributions were aggregated, and generally fitted well to negative binomial distributions. Population aggregation was greater when a smaller number of nematodes were involved, suggesting that initial colonization develops in foci. Analyses of the relationships between population levels of the species suggested that there was competition between Pratylenchus coffeae and Meloidogyne spp. This competition was expressed differently depending on the relative population density of the different species.     

The role ofPseudomonas spp. and competition for carbon,nitrogen and iron in the enhancement of appressorium formation byColletotrichum coccodes on velvetleaf

Colletotrichum coccodes is currently being investigated as a mycoherbicide against the weed velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti). Two isolates ofPseudomonas spp. (Ps2 and Ps5) reduced the percentage of germ tubes and increased appressorial formation ofC. coccodes on detached leaves of velvetleaf. A study was conducted to see whether this effect could be attributed to competition for nutrients or iron betweenC. coccodes andPseudomonas spp. Ps2 and Ps5 had no effect on early spore germination, but reduced the percentage of germ tubes at 24 and 30 h, compared to the nontreated control. This reduction was diminished by the addition of nutrients but not Fe³⁺. Ps2 and Ps5 stimulated the formation of dark-coloured appressoria without germ tubes (AWGT), but this stimulation was diminished by the addition of nutrients or Fe³⁺. Germ tube branching at 30 h was also inhibited by the bacteria, but was not diminished by the addition of nutrients or iron. EDTA stimulated conidial germination at 10 h, which was reduced by the addition of Fe³⁺. However, EDTA did not stimulate the formation of appressoria (AWGT). These results suggest that the reduction in the percentage of germ tubes and the increase in the percentage of appressoria induced by the bacteria may be due to the competition for carbon or nitrogen. Iron competition may also be involved in the stimulation of appressorial formation, but not in the reduction in germ tube percentage and branching. Phylloplane bacteria may compete for carbon, nitrogen and iron, limiting the saprophytic phase of the pathogen on the phylloplane and accelerating the development of the parasitic phase. This may enhance the field efficacy ofC. coccodes as a biocontrol agent against velvetleaf.     

高寒地区多年生禾草混播草地种间竞争效应分析

从高寒地区3组分禾草混播草地群落的种问竞争机制出发,建立了适合高寒地区3组分禾草混播草地群落种间竞争机制的Lotka—Volterra竞争效应模型,并对该模型所描述的竞争进行了计算机模拟试验。模拟结果表明,试验所选的3种高寒地区3组分禾草混播草群的种间相容性分为两种类型,即不稳定的群落：多叶老芒麦 无芒雀麦 垂穗披碱草和垂穗披碱草 多叶老芒麦 扁穗冰草,其竞争结局是：群落内多叶老芒麦和垂穗披碱草二者共同表现为优势种群,无芒雀麦或扁穗冰草与优势植物的竞争结果将导致其从群落中消失,多叶老芒麦和垂穗披碱草种群将能稳定共存;不稳定-稳定过渡群落：无芒雀麦 多叶老芒麦 扁穗冰草,在没有多叶老芒麦种群的时候,无芒雀麦和扁穗冰草种群可以共存,但是如果多叶老芒麦种群加入无芒雀麦和扁穗冰草所占的区域,它将导致无芒雀麦和扁穗冰草种群趋于灭绝。通过对3个混播试验组计算机模拟竞争模型的竞争效应分析,其结果与方法对科学建植同类型的多年生混播人工草地具有一定的指导意义。     

Characterization and quantitative assessment of interspecific and intraspecific penetration of below-ground vegetation by cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv.) rhizomes

Cogongrass ( Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv.), an invasive C4 perennial grass, negatively influences native plant communities by forming dense monotypic stands that alter ecosystem properties and lower local species diversity. A hypothesized mechanism by which cogongrass achieves competitive dominance is a novel use of below-ground vegetative disturbance of neighboring vegetation (i.e. puncturing). However, very little empirical evidence is found in the peer-reviewed literature to quantify this phenomenon, much less establish it as a true form of competitive interaction. The present field study was conducted to quantify the occurrence of rhizome-mediated, below-ground vegetative penetration, both interspecifically and intraspecifically, document how this phenomenon is influenced by spatial location relative to the cogongrass stand, and determine the role that above-ground and below-ground biomass might have in the process. Analyses of 100 sod samples indicated that rhizome-mediated, below-ground vegetative penetration is a much larger intraspecific phenomenon than an interspecific one. The data also strongly suggested spatial location as a significant factor, with most penetrations occurring in the interior of a cogongrass stand as opposed to the advancing border. Significant correlations between rhizome-mediated, below-ground vegetative penetration and above-ground cogongrass biomass were found in the overall plot analysis and most strongly in the advancing border of the cogongrass stands.     

Comparing rice germplasm groups for growth, grain yield and weed-suppressive ability under aerobic soil conditions

Germplasm and cultivars need to be selected as parents for breeding weed‐competitive aerobic rice in the tropics. Forty rice (Oryza sativa) cultivars belonging to the aus, indica and tropical japonica germplasm groups, or derived from crosses among them, were evaluated in adjacent weed‐free and weedy trials in aerobic soil conditions during the wet seasons of 2001–2003. The objectives of this study were to assess vegetative growth, grain yield under weed‐free (Y_F) and weedy (Y_W) conditions, and weed‐suppressive ability (WSA) of different germplasm groups. In the first 4 weeks after sowing, indica cultivars had faster growth in height, tillering and crop biomass than other groups. They also had high Y_F, Y_W and strong WSA. Aus cultivars were similar to the indica types in early growth and WSA, but were poor in Y_F. Tropical japonica groups and the group derived from indica/tropical japonica crosses were generally inferior to aus and indica groups in early growth and WSA. Both of their Y_F and Y_W were lower than that of the indica group. Therefore, indica germplasm seemed to be most suitable for breeding high‐yielding and weed‐suppressive aerobic rice for the tropics. The relationship of WSA with various traits within tropical japonica germplasm revealed that fast early growth, rather than plant erectness, is crucial to WSA.     

Does soil nitrogen affect early competitive traits of annual weeds in comparison with maize?

Soil nitrogen (N) is considered an important driver of crop‐weed interactions, yet the mechanisms involved have been only partially explored, especially with respect to early‐season growth, when competitive hierarchies are formed. This study characterises the effects of different N levels on biomass accumulation and plant morphology for maize (Zea mays), and four important weed species (Amaranthus retroflexus, Abutilon theophrasti, Setaria faberi, and Chenopodium album). Under glasshouse conditions, plants were grown in separate pots and irrigated with nutrient solution at four N concentrations (0.2, 0.5, 2, 5 μm L⁻¹) until 57 days after emergence. Except for S. faberi, which was unresponsive to N, the relative biomass growth rates (RGR) of maize and the broad‐leaved weeds were positively and similarly affected by increasing nitrogen. At all N levels, maize had a height advantage by virtue of its larger seed size, which conferred early growth benefits independent of RGR. At low N, biomass growth was instrumental to S. faberi’s improved competitive position, whereas height development per unit biomass improved the competitive position of A. theophrasti, C. album and A. retroflexus. The approach presented could be applied to other crop‐weed systems to evaluate environmental impacts on competitive outcomes.     

不同种昆虫病原线虫对同一寄主个体的竞争及对线虫繁殖的影响

采用注射侵染和自然侵染法，测试了长尾斯氏线虫X-7品系、小卷蛾斯氏线虫All品系和嗜菌异小杆线虫H06品系对同一寄主大蜡螟幼虫的相互作用，及其对线虫繁殖的影响。结果表明，无论是注射侵染还是自然侵染法，对大蜡螟幼虫个体的致死竞争能力最强的是长尾斯氏线虫，其次是小卷蛾斯氏线虫，嗜菌异小杆线虫的致死能力最弱。在同一大蜡螟幼虫体内时。异小杆线虫的繁殖受斯氏线虫的不利影响较大，而两种斯氏线虫的繁殖受异小杆线虫的不利影响较小。两种斯氏线虫对各自的繁殖影响不大。     

管道工程环境与力学行为

长输管道所处的环境比较复杂，主要包括所输送介质的环境，运行操作环境、管道周边环境、沿线自然环境与灾害环境以及管道的施工制造环境。在这些环境的作用下，管道将产生相应的力学行为，主要有承载行为，变形行为，断裂行为，疲劳行为和腐蚀行为，为保证管道工程的经济合理性，使管道长期平稳运行，就要在设计阶段将管道所处环境与相应产生的力学行为有机地结合起来，从这一角度出发，提出合理选择线路，正确选用选材，腐蚀控制、管道保护、施工控制和管理维护等6项措施。     

基于空间自相关构建树木生长模型

2004—2008年，在日本九州地区宫崎县田野天然次生林内设置的一块100 m×100 m固定标准地中，通过每木调查，测量了固定标准地内树木的种类、空间位置、生长等数据。为了便于理解，以固定标准地中优势树种蚊母树为主要研究对象，在考虑周边所有树木的影响的同时，利用贝叶斯统计方法分析了空间自相关及树木间的对称竞争、非对称竞争对树木生长过程的影响，并比较了忽略空间自相关的情况。结果表明:在构建研究对象树种的生长模型时，树木个体间的竞争是不可缺少的参数，尤其是个体间的对称竞争。在利用空间自相关参数建模时，最终模型的决定系数R2＝0.83；而忽略空间自相关参数的模型，其决定系数R2＝0.74。通过其他主要树种的分析也表明了导入空间自相关参数的优越性，因此可以认为，考虑空间自相关的随机效应模型能更精确地预测树木的生长。本研究所采用的空间自相关模型不仅可以利用树木个体的分布信息推测其生态学特征，还为树木生长模拟提供了理论与方法上的借鉴。      

Tolerance of four spring barley (Hordeum vulgare) varieties to weed harrowing

We investigated the tolerance to weed harrowing of four spring barley varieties and examined the possible interactions between varietal weed suppressive ability and two nutrient levels. Tolerance was defined as the combined effect of crop resistance (ability to resist soil covering) and crop recovery (the ability to recover in terms of yield). The weed harrowing strategy was a combination of one pre‐ and one post‐emergence weed harrowing. In terms of yield, the four varieties responded significantly differently to weed harrowing and the response depended on nutrient level. At the lower nutrient level, weed harrowing caused an increase in yield of 4.4 hkg ha⁻¹ for a strong competitor (cv. Otira), while there was no effect on yield at the higher nutrient level. For a weaker competitor (cv. Brazil), weed harrowing caused no change in yield at the lower nutrient level, whereas yield decreased by 6.0 hkg ha⁻¹ at the higher nutrient level. There were marked differences between the weed suppressive ability of the four varieties when not harrowed, with less pronounced but significant differences when harrowed. Weed harrowing did not change the weed suppressive ability of a variety. Varieties that are tall at post‐emergence harrowing and have increased density after pre‐emergence harrowing, are the ones that benefit most from weed harrowing.