A rapid, simple, and highly efficient method for VIGS and in vitro-inoculation of plant virus by INABS applied to crops that develop axillary buds and can survive from cuttings

Background Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) is one of the most convenient and powerful methods of reverse genetics. In vitro-inoculation of plant virus is an important method for studying the interactions between viruses and plants. Agrobacterium-based infiltration has been widely adopted as a tool for VIGS and in vitro-inoculation of plant virus. Most agrobacterium-based infiltration methods applied to VIGS and virus inoculation have the characteristics of low transformation efficiencies, long plant growth time, large amounts of plant tissue, large test spaces, and complex preparation procedures. Therefore, a rapid, simple, economical, and highly efficient VIGS and virus inoculation method is in need. Previous studies have shown that the selection of suitable plant tissues and inoculation sites is the key to successful infection. Results In this study, Tobacco rattle virus (TRV) mediated VIGS and Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) for virus inoculation were developed in tomato plants based on the agrobacterium tumefaciens-based infiltration by injection of the no-apical-bud stem section (INABS). The no-apical-bud stem section had a “Y- type” asymmetric structure and contained an axillary bud that was about 1–3 cm in length. This protocol provides high transformation (56.7%) and inoculation efficiency (68.3%), which generates VIGS transformants or diseased plants in a very short period (8 dpi). Moreover, it greatly reduces the required experimental space. This method will facilitate functional genomic studies and large-scale disease resistance screening. Conclusions Overall, a rapid, simple, and highly efficient method for VIGS and virus inoculation by INABS was developed in tomato. It was reasonable to believe that it can be used as a reference for the other virus inoculation methods and for the application of VIGS to other crops (such as sweet potato, potato, cassava and tobacco) that develop axillary buds and can survive from cuttings.

Density and wood biomass development in whole-tree analyses of Scots pine, and aspects on heritability estimates

Twelve trees in a 36 year old full-sib progeny plantation, testing a part of the Scots pine breeding population, were analysed for wood density and the width of the earlywood and latewood sections in each annual ring. Wood samples (stem discs) were taken with 1 m intervals along the stem and the analyses covered thus the whole stem. Based on these data, the biomass of the earlywood and latewood of each annual ring in each 1 meter stem section was estimated. Latewood density increased from pith to bark while it decreased from stem base to top. Earlywood density was of similar size both radially and vertically. The biomass in each annual ring increased until around ring number 10 from pith for both wood types. For earlywood it then decreased while it remained quite constant for latewood. Latewood biomass decreased more rapidly towards the top of the tree than earlywood biomass. Heritabilities for earlywood and latewood in each annual ring at breast height (estimated in the same material in a previous study) were related to the corresponding biomasses to indirectly estimate overall heritability for wood density valid for the whole stem. The analyses indicate that the decrease in heritability for latewood density and increase for earlywood density, from the pith to bark, is compensated by the increase in latewood biomass in relation to earlywood biomass. Thus, the heritability of the latewood density and earlywood density seems to have the same influence on the overall heritability for density in the whole stem.

Evaluation of an Infrared Camera Technique for Detecting Mechanically Induced Internal Voids in Syzygium grande

In order to evaluate a proposed tree diagnostic technique employing infrared cameras, research was conducted to evaluate the effect of internal voids on surface temperature using a thermal photographic instrument. Three axial cylindrical voids of increasing size (Void A, 327 cm3; Void B, 745 cm3; Void C, 1159 cm3) were introduced mechanically in 45 cm long stem sections and exposed to direct sunlight. Subsequently, infrared images were collected from two diametrically opposed sides of the stem sections at regular 30-minute intervals over 150 minutes. The collected images were evaluated visually to compare stem features with observed temperature anomalies, and temperature data was extracted from a vertical transect in the infrared images. The data extracted were compared against a control stem section without defects to determine the independent and combined effects of void size and internal position on surface temperature. Mean relative temperature revealed a significant temperature change in the stems containing mechanical voids compared to the control stem. Significant increases in mean relative temperature were recorded on the stems containing Void A and Void B compared to the control. However, there was no significant change in mean relative temperature on the stem section containing Void C.