Response of Plant Hormone bioassay to Paclobutrazol

Quantitative estimation of a known or suspected biologically active substance (such as a hormone or drug) by measuring its effect on a living organism in standard conditions is known as bioassay. The interaction of gibberellic acid (GA3) and paclobutrazol (PBZ) in lettuce hypocotyl bioassay and 6-benzyl aminopurine (BAP) and paclobutrazol in radish cotyledon enlargement test that paclobutrazol counteracts gibberellin activity when applied exogenously. The radish cotyledon enlargement at low concentration without counteracting BAP action. The reduction of growth to be counteracting of gibberellin activity by paclobutrazol as well as its cytokinin well activity at lower concentration which indicate concentration of gibberellins activity as evidence by their respective bioassay in the present investigation. Paclobutrazol slightly increased radish cotyledon growth at low concentration (up to 0.01 ppm) and could not counteract the growth caused by 1.0 ppm BAP at its 0.001 to 1.0 ppm concentrations suggesting independent effect of paclobutrazol to that of BAP. Furthermore, the activity of paclobutrazol was tested in corn root curvature test and it was found that PBZ concentrations from 0.001 to 10.0 ppm linearly increased the percentage of corn roots showing more than 90° curvature. Therefore, suggession that PBZ conutracted GA3, induced growih and also as IAA and cytokinin at lower concentration0.001 to 100ppm.

Characterization of Corn Root Factors to Improve Artificial Diet for Western Corn Rootworm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) Larvae

The western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), is an important economic pest of maize (Zea mays L.) in North America and Europe. Previous efforts to formulate an artificial diet for western corn rootworm larvae highlighted an important role of corn root powder, which had a significant positive impact on several larval developmental traits. Unfortunately, this ingredient is not available for purchase. Toward the goal of developing an artificial diet for western corn rootworm larvae with all ingredients readily accessible, we conducted research to isolate essential growth factors for larval development from corn root powder to improve the performance of diet without corn root powder. For all experiments, multiple life history parameters (survival, weight, and molting) were recorded from 15-d diet bioassays. Corn roots may contain factors that assist in larval growth, but some of these factors were not fully extracted by methanol and remained in the extracted root. Methanolic extracts significantly increased molting to second instar, but did not significantly increase survival, dry weight, or molting to third instar, suggesting the primary corn root substituents affecting these factors cannot be extracted or other extraction methods may be required to extract the essential factors from corn roots. We showed that whole corn root powder was best when used in combination with all the other nutrient sources in the published western corn rootworm formulation. Corn root powder made from proprietary seed and Viking seed has similar value.

Evaluation of InSeq to Identify Genes Essential for Pseudomonas aeruginosa PGPR2 Corn Root Colonization

The reciprocal interaction between rhizosphere bacteria and their plant hosts results in a complex battery of genetic and physiological responses. In this study, we used insertion sequencing (INSeq) to reveal the genetic determinants responsible for the fitness of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PGPR2 during root colonization. We generated a random transposon mutant library of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PGPR2 comprising 39,500 unique insertions and identified genes required for growth in culture and on corn roots. A total of 108 genes were identified as contributing to the fitness of strain PGPR2 on roots. The importance in root colonization of four genes identified in the TnSeq screen was verified by constructing deletion mutants in the genes and testing them for the ability to colonize corn roots singly or in competition with the wild type. All four mutants were affected in corn root colonization, displaying 5-to 100-fold reductions in populations in single inoculations, and all were outcompeted by the wild type by almost 100-fold after seven days on corn roots in mixed inoculations of the wild type and mutant. The genes identified in the screen had homology to genes involved in amino acid catabolism, stress adaptation, detoxification, signal transduction, and transport. INSeq technology proved a successful tool to identify fitness factors in P. aeruginosa PGPR2 for root colonization.

Draft Genome Sequences of Two Novel Pseudomonas Strains Exhibiting Differential Hypersensitivity Reactions on Tobacco and Corn Seedlings

Two novel Pseudomonas strains (S1E40 and S3E12) isolated from corn roots are antagonistic to Rhizoctonia solani and exhibit differential hypersensitivity reactions on tobacco and corn seedlings. We report here the draft genome sequences of strains S1E40 and S3E12, consisting of 6.98 and 7.06 Mb with 6,150 and 6,129 predicted protein-coding sequences, respectively.