Variation in the development of secondary dormancy in oilseed rape genotypes under conditions of stress

Summary A substantial amount of seed is left in the fields before and during harvest of oilseed rape. Although this crop exhibits little or no primary dormancy, the absence of certain environmental cues that promote germination of imbibed seeds induces secondary dormancy. The work reported investigated the extent to which environmental stress conditions, including osmotic stress, low oxygen stress and anaerobiosis, induce secondary dormancy in oilseed rape, and examined the variation in development of secondary dormancy between and within genotypes. Osmotic stress was most effective in inducing dormancy. Anaerobic treatment produced very few dormant seeds, as did an atmosphere low in oxygen and high in nitrogen. The development of secondary dormancy under osmotic stress varied considerably between and within genotypes. Dormancy ranged from almost zero to about 60% for winter genotypes and about 85% for spring types. Within genotypes, variations occurred between seed lots and years of harvest. Temperature variations affected the percentage of dormant seeds. More dormant seeds were likely to be produced with incubation under water stress at 20 °C than at 12 °C. In winter genotypes, fewer dormant seeds were produced when incubation temperature and germination test temperatures differed. Thus, incubating at 20 °C and 12 °C, followed by germination tests at 20 °C and 12 °C, respectively, produced most dormant seeds. Also, in the winter genotypes, the potential development of secondary dormancy was positively correlated with the pattern and speed of germination of untreated seeds.     

Movement of Xanthomonas campestris pv. vitians in the stems of lettuce and seed contamination

Xanthomonas campestris pv. vitians , the causal agent of bacterial leaf spot of lettuce (BLS), can be seedborne, but the mechanism by which the bacteria contaminates and/or infects lettuce seed is not known. In this study, the capacity of X. campestris pv. vitians to enter and translocate within the vascular system of lettuce plants was examined. The stems of 8- to 11-week-old lettuce plants were stab-inoculated, and movement of X. campestris pv. vitians was monitored at various intervals. At 4, 8, 12 and 16 h post-inoculation (hpi), X. campestris pv. vitians was recovered from 2 to 10 cm above (depending on stem length) and 2 cm below the inoculation site. Xanthomonas campestris pv. vitians was also recovered from surface-disinfested stem sections of spray-inoculated plants. Together, these results are consistent with X. campestris pv. vitians invading and moving systemically within the vascular system of lettuce plants. To investigate the mechanism of seed contamination, lettuce plants at the vegetative stage of growth were spray-inoculated with X. campestris pv. vitians and allowed to develop BLS. Seed collected from these plants had a 2% incidence of X. campestris pv. vitians external colonization, but no bacteria were recovered from within the seed.     

离体条件下水稻种衣剂对串珠镰刀菌生长及形态毒理影响

 检测了黑龙江水稻主产区4个当地主栽品种的种子内部镰刀菌寄藏情况,测定了20%克福甲和20%克多甲种衣剂对种子带菌消毒处理效果及对水稻串珠镰刀菌(Fusarium moniliforme)的抑菌作用和联合毒力,并借助扫描电镜观察了上述2种混配种衣剂对串珠镰刀菌的形态毒理影响。结果表明,种子内部镰刀菌的分离频率高达56.7%~96.0%,其中串珠镰刀菌的分离频率为32.6%~48.2%,2种种衣剂对带菌种子具有显著的消毒处理效果。20%克福甲和20%克多甲种衣剂对镰刀菌F.moniliforme的毒力指数分别为457.11和802.04,增效倍数分别为6.53和0.13。20%克多甲种衣剂(多菌灵:甲基立枯磷为5:5,W/W)对串珠镰刀菌的抑菌作用优于20%克福甲种衣剂(福美双:甲基立枯磷为8:6,W/W),增效作用低于20%克福甲种衣剂。电镜观察表明,种衣剂低浓度至高浓度处理下均可引起串珠镰刀菌菌丝不同程度的异常生长,表现为主菌丝局部膨大或形成菌丝束,菌丝顶端异常膨大、缢缩或形成穗状和花絮状分枝。     

玉米疯顶病种子传播研究

连续3a对不同来源的玉米种子,利用显微镜镜检和试种观察植株发病显症的方法,检测其携带玉米疯顶病病菌状况。结果表明,病株病穗籽粒、病株健穗籽粒、病田健株籽粒都有较高的带菌率。因此,病菌随种子调运远距离传播是造成各地病害突发的主要原因。     

Variation of Parthenium hysterophorus in response to soil quality: implications for invasiveness

Summary The performance of Parthenium hysterophorus , native to the tropical Americas and invasive to several countries, was evaluated for response to soil quality. Phenological (six stages) and quantitative growth variables [relative growth rates in height (R_h) and diameter (R_d)] were measured every fortnight. Based on harvest data, the variables, root:shoot (R:S) ratio, specific leaf area (SLA), relative growth rate in biomass (R_w), net assimilation rate (NAR) and dry matter allocation to plant components, were determined. High clay content in soils prolonged the rosette stage, enhanced R_h and R_d and hampered root growth, but promoted biomass allocation to shoots. The extreme degree of plant mortality was observed, with only 33.3% individuals surviving to reproduce in the soils with highest clay contents. This appears to be one of the most important findings that certainly has a major bearing on the range of adaptation of the weed. Seed mass declined whereas seed production increased in relatively coarser soils with the exception of nearly pure sand. In soils rich in clay, plants produced a smaller number of larger seeds. These data suggest that variation in fundamental functional traits would enable P. hysterophorus to adjust to a variety of habitat conditions.     

Leaf, floret and seed infection of wheat by Pyrenophora semeniperda

Infection processes of Pyrenophora semeniperda on seedling and adult wheat leaves and wheat ears were investigated. Almost 100% germination of conidia occurred on seedling leaves, compared with 20–30% on adult leaves. Appressoria formed over the anticlinal epidermal cell walls and haloes always accompanied infection. Sometimes papillae formed within the leaves as a resistance mechanism. Infection hyphae ramified through the intercellular spaces of the mesophyll resulting in cellular disruption. The infection processes on floral tissues were similar to those observed on leaves; however, no infection occurred on anther, stigmatic or stylar tissues. Infection of ovarian tissue occurred both with and without appressoria formation. Hyphae grew mainly in the epidermal layers and appeared unable to breach the integumental layer as no growth was observed in endosperm or embryo tissues. The optimum dew period temperature for conidial germination was 23·6°C, compared with 19·9°C for lesion development, 20·4°C for the production of infection structures on seedling leaves and 23·7°C for floret infection. Leaf disease development occurred in a logistic manner in response to dew period, with maximum infection observed after 21 h compared with > 48 h in seeds. An initial dark phase during the dew period was necessary for infection and temperature after the dew period had an effect, with significantly more numerous and larger lesions being formed at 15°C compared with 30°C. Seedling leaves were found to be more susceptible than older leaves, under both field and controlled environment conditions. Infection of wheat seeds following inoculation of ears, or after harvest burial of inoculated disease-free seeds, was demonstrated. In the latter, 3-week-old seedlings were slightly stunted, whereas older plants were unaffected. The apparent unimportance of this plant pathogen as a cause of leaf disease in relation to its poor adaptation to dew periods and dew period temperature is discussed, along with the importance of its seed borne characteristics.     

两系稻制种穗期病害发生较重的原因及防治措施

调查分析稻粒黑粉病、穗颈稻瘟等两系杂交稻制种穗期主要病害的发生原因,提出了清除菌源、轮换制种、健身栽培、对口药剂防治等防治措施。     

The effect of populations of Xanthomonas campestris pv. phaseoli in bean reproductive tissues on seed infection of resistant and susceptible bean genotypes

Surface and internal populations of Xanthomonas campestris pv. phaseoli, causal agent of common bacterial blight of bean, on and in flower buds, blossoms and pods of seven bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) genotypes were studied. Bean plants were grown in the field and artificially inoculated at the seedling stage (18 days old). The pathogen was recovered in high numbers from flower buds, blossoms, pods and seed of both resistant and susceptible bean genotypes. Significant differences (P = 0.05) in population levels of X. c. pv. phaseoli between stages of reproductive tissue development were observed. Infected seed from resistant bean genotypes had no visible symptoms. Such seed may play an important role in the epidemiology of common bacterial blight because they are difficult to detect and may occur at low frequency in seed lots, as was the case in the current study.     

Biological and molecular characterization of Tomato spotted wilt Virus in Israel

Received April 24, 1997; received in final form June 29, 1997. Symptoms resembling tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) infections were documented among ornamental and vegetable crops in commercial greenhouses and open fields in Israel. Plants exhibiting these symptoms were collected from January 1992 to December 1996. Among cultivated plants analyzed for TSWV by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), 19 species representing five families were found to be infected; natural infection was also recorded in six plant species of weeds. Virus identity was characterized by host range, serology and electron microscopy. Serological reaction with the isolates, found in Israel, using antisera from different sources as well as the sequence analysis of the nucleocapsid gene, demonstrated that the Israeli isolates of TSWV are a member of tospovirus serogroup I, type I (BR-01 strain). No virus transmission was found in seeds collected from virus-infected vegetable and ornamental crops. A non-radioactive molecular probe derived from the cloned nucleocapsid isolate enables specific detection of the virus in crude sap from infected plants. The detection of TSWV in Israel constitutes a severe potential threat to the ornamental and vegetable industry.