Moth sex-pheromone biosynthesis is inhibited by the herbicide diclofop

Pheromones of nocturnal moths are derived from fatty acids produced as a result of the activity of acetyl-CoA carboxylase. This timely production is initiated in nocturnal moths by a tropic peptide, pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide released into the hemolymph. In monocotyledonous plants, specific plastid acetyl-CoA carboxylase is inhibited by herbicides that target the eukaryotic form of the enzyme. We report evidence that these herbicides can also target pheromone biosynthesis by a moth, thereby implicating the acetyl-CoA carboxylase as a key regulatory enzyme in the pheromone biosynthetic pathway. These findings, whilst indicating the possible action of such herbicides on non-target organisms, also suggest a novel alternative method of insect pest management, which precludes sex-pheromone production and mating success, thereby reducing insect population growth.     

Comparison of an in vitro and a damping-off assay to test soils for suppressiveness to Pythium aphanidermatum

Testing of soil samples in greenhouse assays for suppressiveness to soilborne plant pathogens requires a considerable investment in time and effort as well as large numbers of soil samples. To make it possible to process large numbers of samples efficiently, we compared an in vitro growth assay with a damping-off assay using Pythium aphanidermatum as the test organism on tomato seedlings. The in vitro test compares the radial growth or relative growth of the fungus in soil to that in autoclaved soil and reflects suppressiveness of soils to the pathogen. We used soils from a field experiment that had been farmed either organically or conventionally and into which a cover crop (oats and vetch in mixture) had been incorporated 0, 10, 21, and 35 days previously. We obtained a significant, positive correlation between damping-off severities of tomato seedlings in damping-off assays and both relative and radial growth in vitro. In addition, radial and relative growth of P. aphanidermatum in the in vitro assay were positively correlated with several carbon and nitrogen variables measured for soil and incorporated debris. We did not find differences between the two farming systems for either growth measures of P. aphanidermatum or disease severities on tomato at different stages of cover crop decomposition. The in vitro assay shows potential for use with any fungus that exhibits rapid saprophytic growth, and is most suitable for routine application in suppressiveness testing.     

蝴蝶兰花粉活力及柱头可授性研究

蝴蝶兰花粉和柱头具有较高的活性,是确保其杂交成功的关键。为获得蝴蝶兰人工授粉的最佳时间参数,通过电镜扫描和TTC（氯化三苯基四氮唑）染色,对蝴蝶兰品种‘天香公主’的花粉活力进行研究,并用联苯胺-过氧化氢法测定其柱头可授性。结果表明,蝴蝶兰花粉块随着开放时间的延长,体积减小,颜色加深,质地变硬,活力减弱。TTC染色法检测表明,花粉活力率（染色率）大小为：开放1 天＜花蕾期＜花蕾展开期。柱头可授性测定显示,蝴蝶兰开花10~30 天内进行人工杂交能获得较高的成功率,其中10~15天授粉率最高。     

GA3不同浓度和施用时期对‘灿烂’兔眼蓝莓花期和生殖能力的影响

本研究以5年生‘灿烂’兔眼蓝莓为试材,以清水为对照,开展 GA₃ 不同浓度和不同施用时期的喷施处理,调查与分析各处理对开花物候期、结果枝比率、平均每枝花朵数、花粉活力、柱头可授性和胚囊活力等参数的影响,以此评价GA₃不同浓度和不同施用时期对蓝莓花期和生殖能力调节的效果,以期探索适用的蓝莓花期延迟技术,为生产栽培花期管理提供科学依据。研究结果表明,GA₃不同浓度和不同时期的处理对‘灿烂’兔眼蓝莓的开花物候期有着明显的影响,随施浓度的增加开花物候期延迟的时间逐渐延长,但同时其结果枝比率、平均每枝的花朵数、花粉活力、柱头可授性和胚囊活力等雌雄器官的生殖能力均逐渐降低。此外,在采果后不同时期第一次喷施500 mg/L GA₃的处理对成花和生殖能力的影响更为显著,整体上呈现为施用时期越早,成花效果越差,雌雄性器官的生殖能力亦越低。综合分析表明,施用GA₃可以延迟其花期7 d左右,但第一次施用时期过早,或施用浓度过高均不同程度地影响蓝莓的成花效果和生殖能力,在采果后第30 d施用500 mg/L的GA₃效果较好。     

花龄对蓝莓柱头可授性及花粉活力的影响

以 南高丛蓝莓‘蓝雨’为试材,研究了花龄对柱头可授性和花粉活力的影响。结果表明：‘蓝雨’蓝莓雌雄性器官的育性具有同步性,有利于自然授粉结实。从花后第1d-5d花粉活力都较高,特别是花后第2d-4d,花粉活力保持在50%以上,是人工辅助授粉花粉的良好收集期;从花后第2d-4d柱头分泌黏液较多,此期柱头具有强可授性,是开展人工辅助授粉的最佳时期。     

兜兰花粉活力及柱头可授性探究

本研究以‘绿肉饼’兜兰为试验材料,用扫描电子显微镜对其花粉块进行研究分析。结果显示,花粉块可分为两半,表面光滑呈现紧密网状结构。为获得‘绿肉饼’人工授粉最佳时间,采用TTC (氯化三苯基四氮唑)染色和联苯胺-过氧化氢法进行花粉活力及柱头可授性的研究。TTC染色法结果表明,‘绿肉饼’的花粉活力呈现从弱到强再到弱的趋势,其中开花15~20 d的花粉活力最大,授粉率较高;联苯胺-过氧化氢法结果表明,‘绿肉饼’的柱头可授性随开花时间先弱后强再变弱,其中开花10~20 d的柱头可授性最高。     

甘蔗开花生物学特性及花粉活力研究

在温室内观察甘蔗开花动态,用TTC法测定甘蔗花粉活力,联苯胺-过氧化氢法测定柱头可授性。结果表明:花穗上小蠡花开放顺序,一般是自上而下,由外至内;ROC22和科五花粉活力于开花第1天达到80%以上,第2天有小幅度上升,之后迅速降低,第7天仅采到少许花粉,但活力仍在32%左右。甘蔗雌蕊柱头开花前1天具有可授性,自交授粉后的1~2 d内保持强可授性,之后柱头迅速变黑枯萎;未授粉柱头花开后的9 d内一直保持靓丽的艳红色,具强可授性。柱头可授性的最佳时期为开花后第1~9天,甘蔗的最佳授粉期为母本开花2 d后再授以父本花粉,4 d内即可完成杂交过程。     

膜荚黄芪繁殖系统的研究

观察膜荚黄芪的花部特征,用亚甲基兰法测定花粉活力变化,用联苯胺-过氧化氢法测定了其柱头的可授性,并用杂交指数（OCI）、花粉-胚珠比（P／O）方法测定了其有性繁育系统类型。结果表明,从开花当日开始,花粉活力不断下降,在开花后五天,花粉活力几乎为零。在花后1天柱头有较高的可授性,花后4天失去可授性。膜荚黄芪的杂交指数（OCI）=3,繁育系统为自交亲和,有时需要传粉者;花粉-胚珠比（P／O）=3850-4300,为专性异交。     

高性能耐磨纸的研究

探索了不同的涂布量、胶粘剂的种类和用量对耐磨纸的耐磨转数、吸水高度和湿强度的影响，通过优化涂布工艺配方使耐磨纸的耐磨转数提高到7000转以上。