NB-LRR-encoding genes conferring susceptibility to organophosphate pesticides in sorghum

Organophosphate is the commonly used pesticide to control pest outbreak, such as those by aphids in many crops. Despite its wide use, however, necrotic lesion and/or cell death following the application of organophosphate pesticides has been reported to occur in several species. To understand this phenomenon, called organophosphate pesticide sensitivity (OPS) in sorghum, we conducted QTL analysis in a recombinant inbred line derived from the Japanese cultivar NOG, which exhibits OPS. Mapping OPS in this population identified a prominent QTL on chromosome 5, which corresponded to Organophosphate-Sensitive Reaction (OSR) reported previously in other mapping populations. The OSR locus included a cluster of three genes potentially encoding nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat (NB-LRR, NLR) proteins, among which NLR-C was considered to be responsible for OPS in a dominant fashion. NLR-C was functional in NOG, whereas the other resistant parent, BTx623, had a null mutation caused by the deletion of promoter sequences. Our finding of OSR as a dominant trait is important not only in understanding the diversified role of NB-LRR proteins in cereals but also in securing sorghum breeding free from OPS.

The Effect of Oryza Sativa L. Subsp. Japonica Cultivar Yukihikari on The Immune System

Oryza sativa L. subsp. japonica cultivar Yuhikikari is proposed to alleviate atopic dermatitis, although its mechanism is unclear. To clarify this issue, we evaluated the effect of Yukihikari on the immune system in vitro and in vivo by comparison with another Japanese cultivar Kirara397. A DNA microarray analysis of mouse spleen cells cultured with either Yukihikari or Kirara397 showed that Yukihikari-added spleen cells exhibited significantly reduced expression of pro-inflammatory genes. Furthermore, another transcriptome analysis of the cultivars by RNA sequencing showed a similar result to the DNA microarray analysis. Mice fed with Yukihikari had less germinal center B cells, fewer autoantibodies, and less weight than those fed with Kirara397. These results suggest that Yukihikari has immune-regulatory functions and accounts for its allergy-ameliorating effects.

Comparison of Biochemical Constituents and Contents in Floral Nectar of Castanea spp.

Pollination is essential for efficient reproduction in pollinator-dependent crops that rely on the attraction of pollinators to flowers. Especially, floral nectar is considered to be an important factor attracting pollinator like honey bees, but differences among major chestnut species (Castanea crenata, C. mollissima, C. dentata, and C. sativa) are still little explored. This study aims to evaluate the value of honey source by analyzing floral nectar characteristics and comparing the composition of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that mediate plant-pollinator interaction. In this study, we analyzed nectar samples obtained from male flowers using HPLC and HS-SPME/GC–MS. The five chestnuts showed significant differences between the volume of secreted nectar, free sugar composition, amino acid content and VOCs composition. Furthermore, C. crenata (Japanese cultivar ‘Ungi’) was revealed to emit the highest total amounts of VOCs and high levels of benzenoid compounds that are generally associated with flower-visiting insects. The sugar content per catkin, which is used to determine the honey yield, was the highest in C. crenata, suggesting that C. crenata ‘Ungi’ can be highly valued as a honey tree. Therefore, a better understanding of the relationship between pollinator and nectar characteristics of C. crenara could contribute to a prospective honey plant.

Differential Influences of Leaf Tip Trimming on Light Interception and Dry Matter Production in Tomato Dutch Cultivar Gourmet and Japanese Cultivar Momotaro York

To investigate the influence of morphological changes in individual leaves of tomato on light interception and dry matter (DM) production, we altered leaf shape by trimming leaflets of young or mature leaves of the Dutch cultivar Gourmet and the Japanese cultivar Momotaro York. Young leaves 5-cm long were trimmed of their first and second leaflets from the leaf apex. Mature leaves were similarly trimmed at ≥71 days after transplanting (DAT). The individual leaf area (LA) of intact ‘Momotaro York’ leaves was significantly larger than that of ‘Gourmet’. Light–photosynthesis curves of the cultivars were almost identical. Mature-trimmed plants of both cultivars had a smaller individual LA and a smaller leaf area index (LAI), and a greater light-extinction coefficient (LEC). Although there was no significant difference in light-use efficiency (LUE) (i.e., DM production per unit intercepted solar radiation) in ‘Gourmet’ between trimming stages, LUE of ‘Momotaro York’ was decreased significantly by young-leaf trimming. Trimming of young leaves significantly decreased the LEC in ‘Gourmet’ but increased it in ‘Momotaro York’. Although leaf trimming would be impractical for commercial cultivation, these results may provide with a clue for breeding for yield improvement.

Sweetpotato cultivar susceptibility to infection by Ceratocystis fimbriata

The fungus Ceratocystis fimbriata causes a disease of the sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas) plant commonly known as black rot This study evaluated sweetpotato cultivar susceptibility to C fimbriata infection During crop production infection of sweetpotato storage roots may take place by transmission from contaminated transplants but generally the pathogen is introduced directly through openings in the periderm These openings may take the form of damaged secondary lateral roots lenticels or wounds In a laboratorybased bioassay storage roots were punctured then pointinoculated with the pathogen Following incubation under warm humid conditions the dimensions of black rot lesions were compared The predominant New Zealand cultivar Owairaka Red was demonstrably less susceptible to C fimbriata than the Japanese cultivar Beniazuma but significantly more susceptible than Beauregard from the United States of America (P

Physiological and Morphological Changes Over the Past 50 Years in Yield Components in Tomato

Greenhouse tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) yield in The Netherlands has increased tremendously over the past 50 years. The effects of breeding during this period were investigated. Eight Dutch cultivars and one typical current Japanese cultivar that were released over the past 50 years were compared in a short-term experiment conducted from summer to fall in The Netherlands. Fresh fruit yield of the Dutch cultivars significantly increased ≈0.9% per year with the year of release from 1950 to 2000. Dry weight fruit yield of the Dutch cultivars also increased with the year of release, whereas the fruit dry matter content was not correlated with the year of release. Total dry matter production of plants increased with the year of release, and the dry matter partitioning to fruit was not correlated with the year of release. An increase in dry matter production was caused not by an increase in fraction of intercepted light, but by light use efficiency based on correlations between each of them and the year of release. The light extinction coefficient in the plant canopy decreased, whereas leaf photosynthetic rate increased significantly with the year of release. Although fresh fruit yield of the Japanese cultivar was lower than that of the modern Dutch cultivars, fruit dry matter content of the Japanese cultivar was higher than that of the Dutch cultivars. An increase in yield over the past 50 years in Dutch tomato was caused by an increase in light use efficiency resulting from a decrease in light extinction coefficient (a morphological change) and an increase in leaf photosynthetic rate (a physiological change).