Effects of Torreya grandis Root Rot on Seedling Growth and Screening of Its Chemical Control Agents

[Objectives]This study was conducted to prevent the occurrence of root rot disease in Torreya grandis and improve the yield and quality of T.grandis.[Methods]One-year-old and two-year-old seedlings of Torreya grandis‘Xifei’and‘Cufei’were inoculated with the root rot pathogen Fusarium fujikuroi,and the changes in photosynthesis,chlorophyll content,malondialdehyde,and defense enzyme system(superoxide dismutase,peroxidase,and catalase)activity in leaves of T.grandis seedlings were investigated using water as a control.Meanwhile,the control effects of 80%carbendazim wettable powder,64%metalaxyl·mancozeb wettable powder,430 g/L tebuconazole suspension and 30%difenoconazole·cyproconazole EC on root rot in T.grandis were investigated.[Results]After inoculation with the pathogen F.fujikuroi,the net photosynthetic rates and transpiration rates in leaves of T.grandis‘Xifei’and‘Cufei’decreased,and the contents of chlorophyll decreased,while the contents of malondialdehyde increased,and the contents of superoxide dismutase and catalase increased with time.However,peroxidase showed a high activity in T.grandis‘Cufei’only,but a trend of"increasing-decreasing-increasing"in T.grandis‘Xifei’.Among the four chemical control agents,64%metalaxyl·mancozeb wettable powder had the best control effect on root rot of T.grandis caused by the pathogenic fungus F.fujikuroi.[Conclusions]The net photosynthetic rate,transpiration rate,chlorophyll content,malondialdehyde content,superoxide dismutase activity and catalase activity could all be used as screening indicators for T.grandis varieties resistant to root rot.Meanwhile,64%metalaxyl·mancozeb wettable powder could be used as a control agent for root rot on T.grandis.

Heritability of growth traits in the Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer)

Growth is an economically important trait in aquaculture.To improve growth trait of the Asian seabass(Lates calcarifer)we have been carrying out,since 2004,a selective breeding program.This study focuses on growth traits in the F2 fish generation,comprised of offspring from 23 mass crosses from 383 F_(1) brooders.Using genotyping analysis for 10 microsatellites from both brood stock and progeny we have reconstructed the pedigree of each mass-cross.For F_(2) generation at 90 days post hatch(dph),we have recorded body weight(BW)for 12,117 individuals and total length(TL),standard length(SL)and condition factor(K_(tl) and K_(sl))for 3530 individuals;and all five traits for 2136 individuals at 270 dph.At 90 dph the average BW was 46.88±20.95 g.Combining pedigree information,recorded growth traits and Restricted Maximum Likelihood method,we have estimated that the narrow sense heritability(h^(2))in F_(1) fish for BW,TL,SL,K_(tl) and K_(sl) was at,90 dph,0.12±0.03,0.11±0.03,0.10±0.03,0.20±0.04 and 0.11±0.03,respectively and,at 270 dph,0.34±0.07,0.32±0.07,0.30±0.06,0.13±0.04 and 0.11±0.04,respectively.At 90 dph the realised heritability for BW was 0.13.Comparing with F_(1) generation,the growth performance of F_(2) fish was increased by 14.4%.Heritability of growth traits will be useful for future genetic improvement programmes of the Asian seabass.