Pelargonium flower-break and pelargonium line pattern viruses in the Netherlands; purification,antiserum preparation,serological identification,and detection in pelargonium by ELISA

Two viruses, detected frequently in the Netherlands in pelargonium, were identified by serology and test plant reactions. Antisera were prepared and an ELISA procedure was developed to detect the viruses in pelargonium.One of the viruses, PFBV-N, proved to be pelargonium flower-break virus. With the antiserum to PFBV-N, it could be detected reliably throughout the year inPelargonium zonale Springtime Irene.The other virus, PLPV-N, was serologically closely related to pelargonium line pattern virus (PLPV) and to pelargonium ring pattern virus (PRPV), as were an old virus isolate from Saturnus, collected in the Netherlands in 1971 (L128), and PLPV isolates from Yugoslavia (PLPV-Y) and Denmark (PLPV-D). There were only minor differences in host-plant reactions between the virus isolates. Based on these tests, PLPV and PRPV are considered as isolates of the same virus, for which, for practical reasons, the name pelargonium line pattern virus is proposed.PLPV could be reliably detected by ELISA inP. zonale Springtime Irene and Amanda throughout the year with only a few exceptions. InPelargonium peltatum Tavira, however, reslts were erratic due to uneven distribution of virus in the plant. Best results were obtained when petioles of fully expanded leaves were tested.     

Effects of Latent Infection of Stock Plants and Abundance of Thrips on the Occurrence of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tomato spotted wilt virus </Emphasis>in Chrysanthemum Fields

DAS-ELISA proved to be reliable enough to detect a latent infection by Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) in asymptomatic stock plants of chrysanthemum. A high density of Frankliniella occidentalis, the predominant vector, in the presence of latently infected stock plants resulted in a high incidence of disease in the chrysanthemum production field. The incidence of disease was low when the vector thrips were not abundant in spite of the presence of latently infected stock plants. These results suggest that an infestation of the vector thrips causes severe secondary spread of TSWV originating from latently infected stock plants in chrysanthemum production fields. Received 27 July 2001/ Accepted in revised form 27 November 2001     

Landscape patterns as habitat predictors: building and testing models for cavity-nesting birds in the Uinta Mountains of Utah,USA

The ability to predict species occurrences quickly is often crucial for managers and conservation biologists with limited time and funds. We used measured associations with landscape patterns to build accurate predictive habitat models that were quickly and easily applied (i.e., required no additional data collection in the field to make predictions). We used classification trees (a nonparametric alternative to discriminant function analysis, logistic regression, and other generalized linear models) to model nesting habitat of red-naped sapsuckers (Sphyrapicus nuchalis), northern flickers (Colaptes auratus),tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor), and mountain chickadees (Parus gambeli) in the Uinta Mountains of northeastern Utah, USA. We then tested the predictive capability of the models with independent data collected in the field the following year. The models built for the northern flicker, red-naped sapsucker, and tree swallow were relatively accurate (84%, 80%, and 75% nests correctly classified,respectively)compared to the models for the mountain chickadee (50% nests correctly classified). All four models were more selective than a null model that predicted habitat based solely on a gross association with aspen forests. We conclude that associations with landscape patterns can be used to build relatively accurate, easy to use, predictive models for some species. Our results stress, however, that both selecting the proper scale at which to assess landscape associations and empirically testing the models derived from those associations are crucial for building useful predictive models. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

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.     

根区滴灌对干旱山地苹果树生长发育和结实的影响

根区滴灌是将雨水促渗管与传统滴灌相结合而组装集成的一项节水灌溉新技术。为了探讨根区滴灌在山地果园的应用效果,为山地果园的栽培管理提供依据,本文以陕北米脂县6 a生山地红富士苹果树为研究对象,以世界公认的最佳苹果优生区洛川县的降雨量和土壤贮水量为灌水依据,分析了不同灌溉方式对苹果树萌芽、坐果、枝叶生长、果实发育和水分利用效率的影响,以及山地果园土壤水分达到优生区标准后与优生区苹果树生长结果的差异。结果表明,采用根区滴灌能有效提高苹果树的萌芽率和坐果率,萌芽率比传统滴灌提高了2.14%~2.76%,坐果率比传统滴灌提高了0.80%~1.42%;能有效促进苹果树新稍和叶片的生长,新稍长度比传统滴灌提高了1.44%~4.94%,百叶鲜质量比传统滴灌提高了2.13%~4.16%;能显著促进苹果树果实的生长,单果重比传统滴灌增大了7.05~14.99 g,优果率比传统滴灌提高了9.4%~14.7%;能显著提高水分利用效率,灌水量比传统滴灌节约了8.09%,水分利用效率比传统滴灌提高了10.62%~15.30%。可见,根区滴灌技术在陕北黄土丘陵区山地苹果生产中具有广阔的应用效果,但是,单纯依靠人为限量补水,山地苹果还不能达到优生区的生产水平。     

蛹虫草CmKexin基因克隆和菌丝体中表达检测

为了探讨蛹虫草类枯草杆菌蛋白酶(Subtilisin-like protease)的表达特性,以真菌蛹虫草菌丝体为研究对象,通过RT-PCR获得蛹虫草CmKexin基因的ORF序列,并进行序列分析。应用Northern杂交和Real-time PCR方法,检测蓝光照射后蛹虫草菌丝体中CmKexin基因的转录情况。结果获得蛹虫草CmKexin基因的ORF序列。对翻译蛋白质产物CmKexin进行生物信息学分析,表明该蛋白质含1个属蛋白转化酶的肽酶S8家族功能域(143~429)和1个前体蛋白转化酶P功能域(514~600),符合真菌类枯草杆菌蛋白酶的特征。蛹虫草菌丝体在黑暗预培养4 d后再蓝光照射,Northern Blotting和Real-time PCR检测均可得到相同的结果,即在持续的蓝光照射48~50 h时,出现CmKexin基因的瞬时大量转录。而其他时间内均未检测到该基因的大量转录。试验结果将为蛹虫草类枯草杆菌蛋白酶的利用提供理论依据。     

Soil organic carbon stock variability in the Northern Gangetic Plains of India: interaction between agro‐ecological characteristics and cropping systems

Soil organic carbon (SOC) content and its spatial distribution in the Northern Gangetic Plain (NGP) Zone of India were determined to establish the cause–effect relationship between agro‐ecological characteristics, prevailing crop management practices and SOC stock. Area Spread Index (ASI) approach was used to collect soil samples from the NGP areas supporting predominant cropping systems. Exponential ordinary kriging was found most suitable geo‐statistical model for developing SOC surface maps of the NGP. Predicted surface maps indicated that 43.7% area of NGP had 0.5–0.6% SOC, while the rest of the area was equally distributed with high (0.61–0.75%) and low (< 0.5%) SOC content levels. Averaged across cropping systems, maximum SOC content was recorded in Bhabar and Tarai Zone (BTZ), followed by Central Plain Zone (CPZ), Mid‐Western Plain Zone (MWPZ), Western Plain Zone (WPZ) and South‐Western Plain Zone (SWPZ) of the NGP. The SOC stock was above the optimum threshold (> 12.5 Mg/ha) in 97.8, 57.6 and 46.4% areas of BTZ, CPZ and MWPZ, respectively. Only 9.8 and 0.4% area of WPZ and SWPZ, respectively, had SOC stock above the threshold value. The variation in SOC stock was attributed largely to carbon addition through recycling of organic sources, cropping systems, tillage intensity, crop or residue cover and land‐use efficiency, nutrient‐use pattern, soil texture and prevailing ecosystem. Adoption of conservation agriculture, balanced use of nutrients, inclusion of legumes in cropping systems and agro‐forestry were suggested for enhancing SOC stock in the region.     

不同生理时期梅花鹿血液GSH-Px含量测定及其纯化

研究不同生理时期梅花鹿全血中GSH-Px含量变化及其纯化技术,为开发鹿血抗衰老资源奠定理论基础.用DINB法测定梅花鹿的溶血液、血细胞内容物、血浆和血细胞细胞膜中GSH-Px含量并计算全血GSH-Px含量；利用10％～100％饱和度的(NH4)2SO4盐析和柱层析技术纯化GSH-Px;用SDS-聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳测定其亚基相对分子质量.试验结果表明:全血GSH-Px含量以生茸期最高为(1 973.07士25.43)U·mL-1,与配种期的(1 727.74士12.46)U·mL-1差异极显著(P＜0.01),与生茸前期的(1 961.83士16.54)U·mL-1差异不显著(P＞0.05)；GSH-Px的初始比活力为24.9 U·mg-1,经纯化后得到GSH-Px 0.37 mg· mL-1,最终比活力1 347.7U·mg-1,纯化倍数为54.1倍,回收率25.00％；鹿血GSH-Px亚基的相对分子质量为17.2 ku.结果提示生茸期鹿血的GSH-Px含量最高,开发利用价值最大,GSH-Px含量与生理特性相关；鹿血GSH-Px盐析条件为40％～80％饱和度的(NH4)2SO4,此时所得GSH-Px纯化倍数较高.     

Yield performance and pest resistance among peanut genotypes when grown without fungicides or insecticides

Yield trials without fungicides or insecticides were conducted four consecutive years (2007–10) at the University of Georgia, Coastal Plain Experiment Station, Tifton Campus to evaluate for peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) pest resistance. The most endemic diseases in the southeast U.S. are tomato spotted wilt (TSW) caused by Tomato spotted wilt virus, white mold (WM) caused by Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc, and both early and late leaf spot caused by Cercospora arachidicola Hori and Cercosporidium personatum (Berk & Curt.) Deighton, respectively. The most endemic insects are tobacco thrips (Frankliniella fusca Hinds) and potato leafhopper (Empoasca fabae Harris). Results from these replicated field tests showed significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) among advanced Georgia breeding lines and cultivars. Three Georgia cultivars ‘Georgia-01R’, ‘Georgia-05E’, and ‘Georgia-10T’ consistently produced among the best yields with high levels of resistance to TSW, white mold, leafhoppers, and leaf spot each year. Georgia-01R is a multiple-pest-resistant, runner-type cultivar with late maturity; whereas, Georgia-05E is a multiple-pest-resistant, virginia-type cultivar with medium-late maturity. Georgia-10T is a new runner-type cultivar with high level of TSWV and white mold resistance and late-maturity, similar to Georgia-01R, one of its parents. However, Georgia-10T does not appear to have the high level of leaf spot and leafhopper resistance as Georgia-01R, but it still had high yields in the absence of fungicides or insecticides.