A Review on Options for Management of Cowpea Pests: Experiences From Uganda

More than 100 field pests of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) can be found in most of the crop production agroecologies in Africa, but four of these – aphids (Aphis craccivora Koch), flower thrips (Megalurothrips sjostedti Trybom), the legume pod borer (Maruca vitrata Fab. Syn. Maruca testulalis Geyer) and pod sucking bugs – are commonly encountered and are of economic importance in Uganda. The diverse cowpea pest complex dictates that a single control strategy is unlikely to produce satisfactory control.Earlier field studies done in eastern and northern parts of Uganda demonstrated that close spacing (30 × 20cm) effectively reduces aphid infestation (early season pest) but seems to promote thrips, legume pod borers and pod bugs infestation. The other option for management of early season pests and nematodes is seed dressing, especially with carbofuran (Furadan 5G). Late season pests are more effectively controlled by the use of foliar sprays, the type of pesticide depending on the pest profile. Intercropping also offers remedial control, but the crop combination must consider the pest profile, cowpea/sorghum intercrop being effective against aphids and thrips, and cowpea/greengram against legume pod borers and pod sucking bugs. Selected combinations of agronomic, chemical and cultural control measures (Integrated Pest Management), especially when combined with early planting, offer better management options than the use of sole treatments. The success of these packages is highly dependent on the degree and level of farmer involvement and to what extent they are tailored to meet his/her production goals.     

吉林省大豆新品种(系)对大豆食心虫抗性分析

2002～2004年,采用田间自然诱发鉴定方法,对吉林省新育成的91份大豆新品种(系)进行了抗大豆食心虫鉴定。鉴定结果表明,表现高抗品种16份,占17.6%;抗虫品种15份,占16.5%;中抗品种24份,占26.4%;感虫品种29份,占31.9%;高感品种7份,占7.7%。参试品种整体抗性水平呈逐年上升趋势。     

一种南方小花蝽产卵基质的高效利用方法

南方小花蝽(Orius strigicollis)是一类应用前景广阔的捕食性天敌。以芸豆豆荚作为南方小花蝽的产卵基质,研究了南方小花蝽在该产卵基质上产卵部位选择的偏好性,并以此为基础探讨了一种该产卵基质的高效利用方法。结果表明,90%以上的南方小花蝽卵被产在豆荚的荚缝线处,而且50%以上的卵被产在豆尖的荚缝处。斜45°切取豆荚的豆尖部分,并对切口处进行上蜡包裹,放置5 d切口处密封性仍保持完好,荚果保持新鲜,并且不影响卵的孵化。研究明确了该产卵基质高效利用方法的可行性,能为后期南方小花蝽室内扩繁和产品创制提供科学依据。     

冬油菜适宜绿色面积指数动态设计的知识模型

在分析和提炼油菜栽培理论与技术研究资料的基础上，通过定量描述冬油菜绿色面积指数动态与品种类型、生态环境和生产技术水平之间的动态关系，运用系统工程与动态建模的方法，以基于生理发育时间的动态生长度日为主线，建立了系统化和广适性的冬油菜适宜绿色面积指数动态设计的知识模型，它包括群体叶面积指数动态和角果面积指数动态。利用不同生态点的常年逐日气象资料以及不同品种类型、不同产量目标资料对所建知识模型进行了实例分析，结果表明知识模型对不同条件下冬油菜适宜绿色面积指数的设计具有较好的可靠性和适用性。     

禾本科植物落粒机理研究进展

落粒性是野生植物为有效繁衍后代、扩大种群而形成的一种适应特性,但对种子生产可造成不利影响。离区的形成、发育和降解是植物落粒的直接原因,植物激素产生促进或抑制脱落的信号,细胞壁水解酶可引起离区细胞的降解,这些过程的发生受多个基因调控,且调控网络复杂。对于种子落粒的相关研究已在水稻、小麦等农作物中深入开展,而牧草领域则相对较少。综述禾本科植物落粒研究的最新进展,以期为禾本科牧草落粒机理深入挖掘以及品种选育提供理论参考。     

小麦抗根腐病突变体抗病机理的探讨

以离体筛选获得的小麦抗根腐病突变体及其亲本为材料,在根腐病菌毒素作用下,研究了过氧化物酶、超氧化物歧化酶和苯丙氨酸解氨酶等防御酶系的变化。结果表明,毒素可使上述酶活性、同工酶谱带发生改变。突变体酶的变化比亲本显著,这些变化与它们的抗病性强弱相一致。可以认为,突变体在毒素作用下具有较强的防御酶活性是产生较强抗性的原因。     

The severity of field pea diseases depending on sowing rate and variety

ABSTRACT

Six varieties of field pea (Pisum sativum L.) were sown at two sowing rates over two years to assess the impact on disease occurrence in a Baltic climate. The varieties used were Bruno (Latvia), Capella (Sweden), Clara (Sweden), Kirke (Estonia), Onward (Greece), and Vitra (Latvia). The two sowing rates were 120 seeds per m² and 144 seeds per m². The increase in sowing rate by 20% did not influence field pea diseases. Variety influenced the incidence of disease in field pea. The varieties most damaged by pod spot (Ascochyta blight caused by Ascochyta spp.) were Vitra and Onward and least damaged were Bruno and Clara. The variety most damaged by downy mildew (caused by Peronospora viciae) was Vitra and least damaged was Bruno. The variety most damaged by white mould (or Sclerotinia rot caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary) was Onward. The varieties that had the most disease damage were Vitra and Onward, while least susceptible were Clara and Bruno. Therefore, Clara and Bruno are recommended for field pea production in a Baltic climate.     

Backcross breeding to increase seed retention in cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.)

Summary The objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of the backcross breeding method to improve an existing variety (Hallmark) for higher seed retention.The recurrent parent was cv. Hallmark (H) and the donor parent was cv. Marta (M). Marta is an Italian cultivar with a high degree of seed retention. Two cycles of backcrossing with selection for higher seed retention were conducted. In each cycle, 1200 plants were grown. In both BC₁ F₁ and BC₂ F₁, 20 plants were selected for general features of H and for a high degree of seed retention. The 20 plants of BC₂ F₁ were intercrossed in 1989. The bulked population thus obtained (HS) was evaluated in 1989–90 together with H and M as spaced plants in a randomized complete block design with 4 replicates. Regarding seed retention, H had a score of 7.9, M of 1.7 and HS of 2.8, LSD (0.05)=0.8, on a scale from 1 to 9. Consequently HS had similar seed retention to M but similar ear emergence date, plant height and panicle morphology to H. The results confirm that seed shattering is under control of a single partially or completely dominant gene.     

Simple sequence repeat markers linked to a major QTL controlling pod shattering in soybean

Shattering of soybean pods prior to harvest leads to a reduction in yield. In order to identify simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers linked to quantitative trait loci (QTLs) conditioning pod shattering, QTL analysis was conducted using an recombinant inbred line (RIL) population segregating for this trait. The degrees of pod‐shattering resistance were evaluated by heat treatment applied to pods harvested from plants in the field and in a growth chamber. Composite interval mapping identified one major QTL between SSR markers Sat_093 and Sat_366 on linkage group J for both environments. The position and the effect of this QTL were confirmed in an F₂ population derived from a cross between the pod shattering‐susceptible parental cultivar and a pod shattering‐resistant RIL. The SSR markers linked to the major QTL will be useful for marker‐assisted selection in soybean‐breeding programmes.     

Antibiosis mechanism of resistance to pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera in wild relatives of chickpea

The pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera, is one of the major constraints to chickpea production worldwide. The levels of resistance to pod borer in the cultivated chickpea germplasm are moderate, and therefore, we studied the reaction of 32 accessions of wild relatives of chickpea for resistance to H. armigera under greenhouse conditions. Accessions ICC 17257, IG 70002, IG 70003, IG 70012, (Cicer bijugum), IG 69948 (C. pinnatifidum), IG 69979 (C. cuneatum), IG 70032, IG 70033, IG 70038, and IG 72931 (C. judaicum) showed lower leaf feeding, a drastic reduction in larval weight, and poor host suitability index at the vegetative and/or flowering stages of crop growth as compared to the cultivated chickpeas. Based on percentage pods damaged by 5th day (< 52% pods damaged compared to 90% pods damaged in Annigeri), and percentage weight gain by the larvae (< 35% weight gain compared to 366% weight gain on ICCV 2); accessions IG 69979 (C. cuneatum), IG 70003, IG 70022, IG 70016, IG 70013, IG 70012, IG 70010, IG 70001, IG 70018, and IG 70002 (C. bijugum), and IG 72953 (C. reticulatum) showed high levels of resistance to H. armigera. Larvae of H. armigera weighed < 50 mg when reared on C. pinnatifidum (IG6 9948 and IG 70039), and C. judaicum (IG 72931) compared to 301.95 mg on C. arietinum (ICCC 37 – the cultivated chickpea). Larval weights on many accessions of the wild relatives of chickpea were much lower than those on the cultivated chickpeas, indicating the existence of different mechanisms of resistance to H. armigera. There was no pupation and adult emergence when the larvae were reared on accessions of C. pinnatifidum (IG 69948 and IG 70039), and C. judaicum (IG 69980, IG 70032, IG 70033 and IG 72931). The wild relatives of chickpea showing high levels of antibiosis to H. armigera can be used to introgress diverse resistance genes into cultivated chickpea to increase the levels and diversify the basis of resistance to this insect. An erratum to this article is available at .