Growth and development of Cuscuta chinensis Lam. and its impact on selected crops

The growth and development of Cuscuta chinensis Lam., and the effects of the holoparasite on the growth and yield of tomato ( Lycopersicon esculentum ), chilli ( Capsicum annuum ) and rice ( Oryza sativa ) were investigated in pot experiments under glasshouse conditions. 'Mature' and 'immature' seeds of C. chinensis showed 15 and 47% germination, respectively. The independent life duration of seedlings from 'immature' seeds was 6 days shorter than 'mature' seeds (19 days). Cuscuta chinensis formed haustoria on chilli and tomato, but not on rice seedlings. Infection with three C. chinensis seedlings per host plant reduced leaf area, dry weight, carbon and nitrogen content by 78–84% and 27–44% in tomato and chilli plants, respectively. Dry weight of C. chinensis was 0.63 g per pot in tomato, and 0.24 g per pot in chilli. Carbon and nitrogen content of C. chinensis was 0.189 and 0.028 g per pot, respectively, when grown with tomato. When it was grown with chilli, the carbon and nitrogen content of C. chinensis was 0.001 and 0.007 g per pot, respectively. Cuscuta chinensis reduced the fruit yield of tomato and chilli by 72 and 29%, respectively. The results indicated that tomato is a preferred host of C. chinensis compared with chilli, and rice is not preferred. In the host–parasite associations, C. chinensis suppressed growth and yield of chilli and tomato by diverting the elaborated products of metabolism of the hosts.     

Impact of crop rotation and minimum tillage on water use efficiency of irrigated cotton in a Vertisol

Crop water use efficiency of irrigated cotton was hypothesized to be improved by a combination of minimum tillage and sowing a wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) rotation crop. This hypothesis was evaluated in a Vertisol near Narrabri, Australia from 1997 to 2003. The experimental treatments were: continuous cotton sown after conventional or minimum tillage and minimum-tilled cotton–wheat. Soil water content was measured with a neutron moisture meter, and runoff with trapezoidal flumes. Application efficiency of irrigation water was estimated as the amount of infiltrated water/total amount applied. Plant available water was estimated using the maximum and minimum soil water storage during the growing season. Evapotranspiration was estimated with the water balance method using measured and simulated soil water data. Seasonal evapotranspiration was partitioned into that coming from rainfall, irrigation and stored soil water. Crop water use efficiency was calculated as cotton lint yield per hectare/seasonal evapotranspiration. Rotation of cotton with wheat and minimum tillage improved water use efficiency in some years and application efficiency in all years. Average seasonal evapotranspiration was higher with minimum tillage than with conventional tillage. In years when cotton was sown in all plots, average cotton crop water use efficiencies were 0.23, 0.23 and 0.22 kg (lint)/m³ for minimum-tilled cotton–wheat and continuous cotton, and conventionally tilled continuous cotton, respectively. In-season rainfall efficiency, transpiration and soil evaporation were unaffected by cropping system.     

Comparative Study on Growth Performance of Transgenic(Over-Expressed OsNHX1) and Wild-Type Nipponbare under Different Salinity Regimes

Transgenic Nipponbare which over-expressed a Na+/H+ antiporter gene OsNHX1 was used to compare its growth performance, water status and photosynthetic efficiency with its wild type under varying salinity regimes. Chlorophyll content, quantum yield and photosynthetic rate were measured to assess the impact of salinity stress on photosynthetic efficiency for transgenic and wild-type Nipponbare. Effects of salinity on water status and gas exchange to both lines were studied by measuring water use efficiency, instantaneous transpiration rate and stomatal conductance. Dry shoot weight and leaf area were determined after three months of growth to assess the impacts of salinity on the growth of those two lines. Our study showed that both lines were affected by salinity stress, however, the transgenic line showed higher photosynthetic efficiency, better utilization of water, and better growth due to low transpiration rate and stomatal conductance. Reduction of photosynthetic efficiency exhibited by the wild-type Nipponbare was correlated to its poor growth under salinity stress.     

Photosynthesis in co-occurring invasive Acacia spp. and native Bornean heath forest trees at the post-establishment invasion stage

Seedlings of invasive species often exhibit superior physiological traits that facilitate their spread at early stages of invasion, although it is unclear whether these traits persist at the post-establishment stage. To determine whether mature exotic Acacia spp. possess superior traits over mature native plants, we compared foliar gas exchange and chlorophyll a fluorescence of Acacia auriculiformis and Acacia mangium coexisting with tropical heath forest tree species Buchanania arborescens and Dillenia suffruticosa in Brunei Darussalam. The CO₂ assimilation rates of Acacia spp. were significantly higher than those of heath species at current prevailing conditions of ~400 ppm ambient CO₂, 1,500 µmol m^?2 s^?1 photosynthetically active radiation and 30°C leaf temperature. The photosystem II of Acacia spp. exhibited significantly higher maximum quantum yield of primary photochemistry at comparable temperatures, and was more sensitive to an elevated temperature (42°C for 1 h). Better photosynthetic performance of Acacia spp., due to larger stomatal openings, better light harvesting efficiency, and greater plasticity in photosystem II, may enable adult Acacia trees to sustain a competitive growth advantage and suppress native tropical heath forest species. The competitive advantage maintained by Acacia spp. in post-establishment stage likely facilitates the establishment of monospecific Acacia stands in invaded heath forests.     

Botryosphaeriaceae species associated with blueberry dieback and sources of primary inoculum in propagation nurseries in New Zealand

Sampling at blueberry farms found Botryosphaeriaceae fungi in five of seven farms sampled; overall incidence was 41.4%, with Neofusicoccum australe (79.0%), N. luteum (8.0%), N. ribis (8.0%) and N. parvum (5.0%). Sampling of nursery plants found infections in all four nurseries with 45% incidence in mainly asymptomatic plants, which were infected with N. australe (66.0%), N. parvum (31.5%) and N. ribis (2.5%). Asymptomatic propagation cuttings from one nursery were found to have external contamination of Botryosphaeriaceae DNA (90.0%) and internal infection (65.0%) by the four main species found in the blueberry farms and nurseries. For propagation media nested PCR showed that out of the 98 samples received, 43 samples were positive for the presence of Botryosphaeriaceae DNA (44.0%). Results from the SSCP indicated that N. australe, N. luteum, N. parvum/ N. ribis and Diplodia mutila were present in the propagation media received. Isolates of the four main species recovered from farms and nurseries were pathogenic on blueberry stems but pathogenicity differed significantly between species and isolates within a species, with N. ribis being the most pathogenic, then N. parvum, N. luteum and N. australe. Overall, the high rate of infection in nursery plants indicated that nurseries can be a major source of infection for blueberry farms. Since propagating cuttings are the likely sources of infection for nurseries, these should be targeted in the control strategies.     

Impact of Cuscuta australis infection on the photosynthesis of the invasive host,Mikania micrantha,under drought condition

Cuscuta species (dodders) are widespread stem holoparasites that depend on host plants for their entire mineral and water and most carbohydrate requirements. Dodders negatively affect host photosynthesis but precise information on their impact on hosts in the presence of environmental stress factors (i.e. drought) is little known. In a pot experiment, the leaf traits, gas exchange and chlorophyll a fluorescence of the invasive climber, Mikania micrantha, parasitized by Cuscuta australis, were investigated in order to study variations of host photosynthesis in response to parasitism and drought. The results showed that the concomitant presence of C. australis infection and drought significantly impacted the leaf traits (i.e. increased leaf dry mass content), gas exchange (i.e. decreased stomatal conductance and transpiration rates and increased water‐use efficiency) and quantum yield of chlorophyll a fluorescence of M. micrantha. The presence of a single stress factor (C. australis infection or drought), however, only significantly affected the leaf traits and gas exchange of M. micrantha. These results suggested that the combined additive effects of C. australis parasitism and drought significantly suppressed the photosynthesis of M. micrantha in relation to both stomatal and non‐stomatal limitation of host photosynthesis. This study provides insights into Cuscuta–host interactions under drought conditions in the tropics.     

Factors affecting <Emphasis Type="Italic">Neofuscicoccum ribis</Emphasis> infection and disease progression in blueberry

Botryosphaeria stem blight is an economically important disease of blueberry worldwide. In this study, factors affecting inoculum production, infection and disease progression of Neofusicoccum spp. in blueberries were investigated. Under laboratory conditions conidia of the main three Neofusicoccum species (N. australe, N. parvum and N. ribis) were released from pycnidia at 15–30 °C and under relative humidities (RHs) of 80–100%, with greatest numbers released by N. parvum. The greatest numbers of oozing pycnidia and conidial release occurred at higher temperatures (25–30 °C) and RHs (92–100%). Inoculation of green shoots with different N. parvum and N. ribis conidial concentrations (50 μL of 5 × 10⁴?5 × 10⁶ conidia/ mL) caused 100% incidence but lesion lengths increased with increasing concentrations. Wound age affected N. ribis lesion development, with lesions only observed for 0–7-day-old wounds in soft green shoots and 0–4-day-old wounds for both hard green shoots and trunks. Colonisation length decreased with increasing wound age. Lesions developed on wounded shoots when plants were exposed to 20 or 25 °C and 90 or 100% RH during the early infection processes; and in non-wounded shoots spot-like lesions were observed although N. ribis colonised the stem tissue. Seasons (summer, autumn and winter) had no effect on susceptibility of wounded plants to N. ribis. External lesions only developed in summer-inoculated plants and colonisation length was lower in winter-inoculated plants. Information on host and environmental factors that affect disease development determined by the study will be used to inform the development of control strategies.