Relative susceptibilities of eleven potato cultivars and breeders' clones toGlobodera pallida pathotype Pa 3, with a discussion of the interpretation of data from pot experiments
Curves according to the equationPf=M′ (1-e−aPi/M′) fitted well to the relations according to Seinhorst's (1993) modelPf=yeyhM(1-e−aPi/M) between initial egg densities of potato cyst nematodes (Globodera rostochiensis, G. pallida)Pi up to 5Th (Th=the tolerance limit of haulm weight) andPf at the end of the growing season (a=maximum rate of reproduction,M, M′=different theoretical maximum egg densities). Variation of estimates ofM′, due to variation of the parameters of the submodelsye andyh for the effect of weight reduction of haulms (and, therefore, of roots) on cyst production and damage to root tissue on egg production, respectively, was small enough to be ignored relative to experimental error. Therefore, ratios of values ofM′, determined in simultaneous pot experiments with different potato cultivars, are reliable measures of the relative host status of these cultivars at initial egg densitiesPi of these nematodes up to about 5Th. Variation between potato cultivars of growth reduction and damage to root tissue by the nematodes reduces the reliability of ratios of rates of relative susceptibility of these cultivars.The ratios between the maximum rates of reproduction ofG. pallida, pathotype Pa 3, on 8 out of 9 cultivars and one breeder's clone of potatoes and this rate on the susceptible cvs Bintje and Irene (relative susceptibilitiesrsa) could be considered to be equal to the ratios of maximum population densitiesM′ on these cultivars (relative susceptibilitiesrsM′) (relative susceptibilities independent of initial egg density). The latter ratios were 0.59 times the first (relative susceptibilities negatively correlated with initial egg density) in one cultivar and one breeder's clone. Relative susceptibilitiesrsa andrsM′ of the tested cultivars and breeders clones suggest the existence of continuous ranges of both relative susceptibilities between 0.50 and 0.15 with, in a great majority of cases,rsa=rsM′.
Estimation of partial resistance in potato genotypes against Meloidogyne chitwoodi
Three new potato genotypes, designated AR 04-4107, AR 04-4096 and AR 04-4098, with resistance towards Meloidogyne chitwoodi, and the susceptible cv. Desiree were grown at a range of population densities of M. chitwoodi in a climate-controlled glasshouse in order to establish the presence and degree of partial resistance. Tuber parts of about 12 g were planted at densities (Pi) of 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128 and 256 second-stage juveniles (J2) (g dry soil)-1. The plants were allowed to grow for a period of 105 days. Tomato cv. Moneymaker was included and inoculated at Pi = 2 J2 (g soil)-1 to verify the quality of the inoculum by measuring the multiplication rate. Plant height was measured weekly over 11 weeks. At harvest, fresh shoot, root and tuber weights, and number of tubers were measured to express yield. Final population densities (Pf) were calculated as the total number of nematodes found in soil and roots. Tubers were scored for visible symptoms and a root-knot index was calculated. The relation between pre-plant population densities (Pi) and nematode densities at harvest (Pf) was fitted using R. The multiplication rate a of M. chitwoodi on AR 04-4107, AR 04-4096, AR 04-4098 and cv. Desiree was 0.55, 0.27, 0.91 and 32, respectively. Partial resistance rsa of AR 04-4107, AR 04-4096 and AR 04-4098 was 1.7%, 0.8% and 2.8%, respectively. Partial resistance expressed as rsM was 0.2%, 0.2% and 0.1%, respectively. It can be concluded that AR 04-4107, AR 04-4096 and AR 04-4098 are strongly partially resistant to M. chitwoodi. Also, the population dynamics curves run almost parallel between both the tested genotypes and the reference cultivar, indicating that a simple and cheap partial resistance test is feasible. When tuber yields were fitted to the Seinhorst model for yield reduction, cv. Desiree showed a minimum yield (m) of 0.86, while all three resistant genotypes suffered no yields losses at all (m = 1), which indicates that the observed resistance was associated with tolerance. As a result of the remarkably high partial resistance, quality damage was low compared with cv. Desiree. The root-knot index, which takes into account internal quality damage of the potato tuber, was below 10 for all genotypes with partial resistance, the lower damage threshold used for industrial processing of consumption potatoes. Visible symptoms on the tuber skin were absent up to densities of 32 J2 (g soil)-1 for genotypes AR 04-4098 and AR 04-4096 and 2 J2 (g soil)-1 for AR 04-4107, and significantly reduced at higher densities when compared with the susceptible cv. Desiree. However, when tuber peels were investigated, egg masses were detected in tubers at almost all initial population densities.
Inhibition of Root Growth and Polyamine Metabolism in Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) Seedlings Under Cadmium and Copper Stress
Although sunflower is usually regarded as a highly tolerant crop, impairment of root growth at initial stages of plant development may result in poor crop establishment and higher susceptibility to pathogen attack. In order to evaluate if Cd2+ and Cu2+ may impact on sunflower germination and initial root development, a pot experiment under controlled conditions was carried out. Possible involvement of polyamine metabolism in sunflower response to these stressors was also investigated. Although Cd2+ and Cu2+ treatments affect neither seed germination nor radicle emergence, sunflower seedlings grown in the presence of these heavy metals showed significant inhibition of root growth, being this inhibition greater for Cd2+. Both metals caused significant increases in proline contents at the highest concentrations tested (0.5 and 1 mM), and these increments were more pronounced for Cd2+ treatments, especially between days 3 and 10. Metals also increased putrescine (Put) contents at all concentrations assayed from the seventh day onward, causing no variations on this polyamine time-course pattern. Spermine and spermidine contents, however, were increased only by 1 mM Cd2+. Arginine decarboxylase seems to have been the enzyme responsible for Put increases under both metal treatments. This work demonstrates that initial root growth of sunflower seedlings may be significantly impaired in Cd2+ or Cu2+ contaminated soils. It also shows that polyamines are key biological compounds, which are probably involved in signaling pathways triggered under stress environmental conditions.