Nodular granulomatous glossitis as the sole clinical sign in canine leishmaniosis

A 5.5‐year‐old, intact male Rottweiler dog was admitted with a history of multifocal nodular tongue lesions which progressively deteriorated during the previous year. Physical examination revealed several reddish nodules with central depression on the surface of the tongue in an otherwise healthy dog. Clinicopathologic abnormalities included eosinophilia and hyperproteinemia. Lingual nodule cytopathology, histopathology, and immunohistochemistry revealed Leishmania spp. amastigotes and a severe granulomatous glossitis. The dog was also seroreactive to L infantum antigens by an indirect immunofluorescence assay. Clinical reevaluation 3 months after the institution of treatment with allopurinol and miltefosine indicated that the nodular lesions had completely regressed. In endemic areas, lingual nodular lesions may rarely be the sole clinical sign of canine leishmaniosis. Standard medical treatment may provide an excellent prognosis.     

Involvement of Bradyrhizobium japonicum denitrification in symbiotic nitrogen fixation by soybean plants subjected to flooding

Denitrification by Bradyrhizobium japonicum bacteroids contributes to nitric oxide (NO) production within soybean nodules in response to flooding conditions. However, the physiological relevance of NO production by denitrification in B. japonicum-Glycine max symbiosis is still unclear. In this work, soybean plants were inoculated with B. japonicum strains lacking the nirK or norC genes which encode the copper-containing nitrite reductase and the c-type nitric oxide reductase enzymes, respectively. 14 days flooding increased nodule number of plants inoculated with the WT and norC strains, but not of plants inoculated with the nirK mutant. However, nodule dry weight was not affected by 14 days flooding regardless of the strain used for inoculation. Supporting this observation, individual nodule growth was significantly higher in plants inoculated with nirK than those inoculated with WT or norC after 14 days flooding. Nodule functioning was strongly inhibited by flooding since leghemoglobin content of the nodules induced by any of the strains was significantly decreased after 7 or 14 days flooding compared to control plants. However, this effect was more relevant in nodules of plants inoculated with the WT or norC mutant than in those inoculated with the nirK mutant. Nitrogen fixation was also estimated by analyzing nitrogen content derived from biological nitrogen fixation in shoots, using the ¹⁵N isotope dilution technique. By using this approach, we observed that the negative effect of 14 days flooding on nitrogen fixation was more pronounced in plants inoculated with the norC mutant. However, nitrogen fixation of plants inoculated with nirK showed the highest tolerance to 14 days flooding. These findings allowed us to demonstrate the previously proposed hypothesis which suggests that NO formed by copper-containing nitrite reductase in soybean nodules, in response to flooding, has a negative effect on nitrogenase activity. We propose that inoculation of soybeans with a B. japonicum nirK mutant, which does not produce NO from nitrate, increases the tolerance of symbiotic nitrogen fixation to flooding.     

Nodulation and root growth increase in lower soil layers of water‐limited faba bean intercropped with wheat

Below‐ground niche complementarity in legume–cereal intercrops may improve resource use efficiency and root adaptability to environmental constraints. However, the effect of water limitation on legume rooting and nodulation patterns in intercropping is poorly understood. To advance our knowledge of mechanisms involved in water‐limitation response, faba bean (Vicia faba L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were grown as mono‐ and intercrops in soil‐filled plexiglass rhizoboxes under water sufficiency (80% of water‐holding capacity) and water limitation (30% of water‐holding capacity). We examined whether intercropping facilitates below‐ground niche complementarity under water limitation via interspecific root stratification coupled with modified nodulation patterns. While no significant treatment effects were measured in intercropped wheat growth parameters, water limitation induced a decrease in shoot and root biomass of monocropped wheat. Likewise, shoot biomass and height, and root length of monocropped faba bean significantly decreased under water limitation. Conversely, water limitation stimulated root biomass of intercropped faba bean in the lower soil layer (15–30 cm soil depth). Similarly, total nodule number of faba bean roots as well as nodule number in the lower soil layer increased under intercropping regardless of water availability. Under water limitation, intercropping also led to a significant increased nodule biomass (48%) in the lower soil layer as compared to monocropping. The enhanced nodulation in the lower soil layer and the associated increase in root and shoot growth provides evidence for a shift in niche occupancy when intercropped with wheat, which improves water‐limited faba bean performance.     

先锋植物沙棘Ⅰ--共生体是实现先锋作用的根本因素之一

沙棘被誉为先锋植物,是因为它是放线菌结瘤植物。放线菌结瘤植物最重要的特点是以共生体结构与功能的完美组合,固定大气中N2,使生命赖以生存的光合C循环和代谢N循环有机的连接起来,从而实现了生命的生长与发育。并解决了贫瘠土质的缺肥,地球氮循环的补充。其次,放线菌植物和Frankia菌,它们遗传上的双重多样性结合,赋予了共生生物生态上的广泛适应性和抗逆性。为荒漠化条件下的生态重建、绿化河山、植被生存和演替,创造了生存条件。     

黎塘岩溶区铁锰结核背景下的土壤研究

对黎塘岩溶区铁锰结核背景下的土壤进行了分析。结果表明：研究区土壤以硅质土为主,土壤发育呈幼年性。土壤多呈中性,对土壤肥力的发挥及旱地作物的生长较为有利;有机质含量A层多为中等（Ⅲ级）或丰富（Ⅳ级）,B层为缺乏（Ⅱ级）;全N含量A层多为中等（Ⅲ级）,B层多为缺乏（Ⅱ级）,有效N含量A层多为丰富（Ⅳ级）或甚丰富（V级）,B层多为中等（Ⅲ级）或缺乏（Ⅱ级）,A、B层养分含量的差异说明农耕区土壤受表层耕作、施肥影响较为显著。土壤有效P整体表现为缺乏或甚缺乏,可能已成为旱地作物生长的主要限制因子,阳离子交换量多表现为保肥力中等。     

Erythrina brucei: Propagation attributes, leaf nutrient concentration and impact on barley grain yield

Erythrina brucei Schweinf. emend. Gillett (Papilionaceae),a tree species that is endemic to Ethiopia, is known to possess useful agroforestry attributes, but these attributes have not been quantified. To achieve this, propagation of the species, growth rate of young trees and their impact on barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), and leaf-nutrient concentrations were examined. Germination of seeds planted in plastic pots varied from 73 to 93%, and direct seeding in the field yielded 83%germination. Branch cuttings obtained from 2 to 3-year-old stock plants (n =150) resulted in 70 to 80% rooting within 8 to 12 weeks after setting cuttings into the rooting medium. Considerable nodulation occurred on leaves one year after planting out seedlings and stecklings. Leaf concentrations of Mg, N,P, and S were significantly lower in nodulated than in the non-nodulated leaves. On the other hand, leaf Fe concentration was higher in nodulated than in the non-nodulated leaves. There was no significant difference in Ca and K contentsbetween the nodulated and non-nodulated leaves. E. brucei-treatment significantly increased tiller and seed numbers, as well as seed weight. However, thousand-grain weight and grain size were similar in harvests from E. brucei-treated and the control plots. The results indicate that the species is easy to propagate by seed and vegetative means, grows fast, is desirable for intercropping, and has relatively high leaf-nutrient concentration.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The vertical distribution of fine roots of five tree species and maize in Morogoro,Tanzania

In order to assess the possibility of root competition in agroforestry, the vertical distribution of fine roots (< 2 mm in diameter) of five tree species in pure two-year-old stands was compared to that of mature maize.Cassia siamea, Eucalyptus tereticornis, Leucaena leucocephala andProsopis chilensis had a rooting pattern similar to that of maize, i.e. a slow decline in fine root mass from 0–100 cm soil depth.Eucalyptus camaldulensis had its roots evenly distributed down to 100 cm. On an average, the fine root biomass of the tree species was roughly twice as that of the maize. We conclude that the studied tree species are likely to compete with maize and other crops with a similar rooting pattern for nutrients and water.     

土壤中铁锰结核的研究进展

通过对国内外近几十年关于土壤铁锰结核研究的文献进行系统梳理,总结了土壤中铁锰结核的成因、物质组成、形态构造及其与环境变化的关系等方面研究成果。发育于土壤中的铁锰结核形成过程受到环境条件的严格限制,因此各种理化性质都是环境的产物,是反映环境变化信息的良好载体。然而,目前对土壤铁锰结核的研究尚存在如空间分异的规律及机理不清、年代学薄弱等不足。     

花生硝酸还原酶与根瘤中固氮酶活性的研究

花生品种间根瘤量的变化有显著差异,但每克根瘤中固氮酶活性则差异不显著。固氮酶活性在全生育期出现两次高峰,分别在下针期和结荚期,而单株根瘤中固氮酶活性和单株根瘤量均在结荚期出现一次高峰。花生主茎复叶硝酸还原酶活性(NRA)在生育前期出现一次高峰,其活性的高低与品种耐肥性呈负相关。NRA 和根瘤中固氮酶活性有正相关     

Light-stimulated 14CO2 uptake and acetylene reduction by bacteriochlorophyll containing stem nodule isolate BTAi 1

Summary Bradyrhizobial strain BTAi 1 nodulates both stems and roots of Aeschynomene spp. Previous work has shown that it contains bacteriochlorophyll a and forms photosynthetic reaction centers, and has provided indirect evidence of photosynthesis by bacteroids within stem nodules. Here we report physiological and biochemical characteristics of BTAi 1 ex planta, which also suggest the presence of photosynthetic activity. Light-stimulated uptake of ¹⁴CO₂ by BTAi 1 was detected at all stages of growth. Inhibitors of photosynthesis, 1,10-orthophenanthroline and 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU), and the uncoupler NH₄Cl, immediately suppressed light-driven ¹⁴CO₂ uptake and increased O₂ uptake. BTAi 1 is strictly aerobic and was unable to grow without organic C even in the light; also, it was unable to grow chemoautotrophically in an atmosphere enriched with H₂ and CO₂. In micro-aerobic conditions, strain BTAi 1 expressed acetylene reducing activity ex planta in an N-free medium. The highest rates of light-stimulated ¹⁴CO₂ uptake and acetylene-reducing activity occurred during the exponential and early stationary phases of growth. Acetylene-reducing rates at a low glucose concentration were increased following a light-dark cycle in comparison with continuous dark conditions.