Impacts of Defoliation on Morphological Characteristics and Non-Structural Carbohydrates of Populus talassica × Populus euphratica Seedlings

Leaves are important‘source’organs that synthesize organic matter,providing carbon sources for plant growth.Here,we used Populus talassica×Populus euphratica,the dominant species in ecological and timber forests,to simulate carbon limitation through artificial 25%,50%,and 75%defoliation treatments and explore the effects on root,stem,and leaf morphology,biomass accumulation,and carbon allocation strategies.At the 60th d after treat-ment,under 25%defoliation treatment,the plant height,specific leaf weight,root surface area and volume,and concentrations of non-structural carbohydrates in stem and root were significantly increased by 9.13%,20.00%,16.60%,31.95%,5.12%,and 9.34%,respectively,relative to the control.There was no significant change in the growth indicators under 50%defoliation treatment,but the concentrations of non-structural carbohydrates in the leaf and stem significantly decreased,showing mostly a negative correlation between them.The opposite was observed in the root.Under 75%defoliation treatment,the plant height,ground diameter,leaf number,single leaf area,root,stem,and total biomass were significantly reduced by 14.15%,10.24%,14.86%,11.31%,11.56%,21.87%,and 16.82%,respectively,relative to the control.The concentrations of non-structural carbohydrates in various organs were significantly reduced,particularly in the consumption of the starch concentrations in the stem and root.These results indicated that carbon allocation strategies can be adjusted to increase the con-centration of non-structural carbohydrates in root and meet plant growth needs under 25%and 50%defoliation.However,75%defoliation significantly limited the distribution of non-structural carbohydrates to roots and stems,reduced carbon storage,and thus inhibited plant growth.Defoliation-induced carbon limitation altered the carbon allocation pattern of P.talassica×P.euphratica,and the relationship between carbon reserves in roots and tree growth recovery after defoliation was greater.This study provides a theoretical basis for the comprehen-sive management of P.talassica×P.euphratica plantations,as well as a reference for the study of plantation car-bon allocation strategies in the desert and semi-desert regions of Xinjiang under carbon-limitation conditions.

The legacy effects of rubber defoliation period on the refoliation phenology,leaf disease,and latex yield

The leaf phenology of trees has received particular attention for its crucial role in the global water and carbon balances,ecosystem,and species distribution.However,current studies on leaf phenology have mainly focused on temperate trees,while few studies including tropical trees.Little attention has been paid to globally extensive industrial plantations.Rubber plantations are important to both the local and global economies.In this study,we investigated the legacy effects of defoliation phenology on the following year’s leaf flushing,leaf disease,and also latex yield of rubber trees,an economically important tree to local people and the world.Results show that extended duration of defoliation increased the subsequent duration of refoliation and rates of infection by powdery mildew disease,but led to reduced latex yield in March.This legacy effect of rubber defoliation may relate to the carbohydrate reserved in the trees.A longer duration of defoliation would consume more reserved carbohydrates,reducing available reserves for disease defense and latex production.Extended duration of defoliation period was associated with either a lower temperature before the cessation of latex tapping in October-November and/or a higher temperature after the cessation of latex tapping in December-January.Leaf falling signals the end of photosynthetic activities in deciduous trees.Thus,the leaf falling phenology will impact ecological processes involving rubber trees.Our findings indicated that the inclusion of defoliation periods in future rubber trees’ research,will be crucial to furthering our understanding of leaf flushing,powdery mildew disease,and latex yield.

Attenuation of ethylene signaling increases cotton resistance to a defoliating strain of Verticillium dahliae

The severity of Verticillium wilt on cotton caused by defoliating strains of Verticillium dahliae has gradually increased and threatens production worldwide. Identification of the molecular components of leaf defoliation may increase cotton tolerance to V. dahliae. Ethylene, a major player in plant physiological processes, is often associated with senescence and defoliation of plants. We investigated the cotton–V.dahliae interaction with a focus on the role of ethylene in defoliation and defense against V. dahliae.Cotton plants inoculated with V. dahliae isolate V991, a defoliating strain, accumulated more ethylene and showed increased disease symptoms than those inoculated with a non-defoliating strain. In cotton with a transiently silenced ethylene synthesis gene(GhACOs) and signaling gene(GhEINs) during cotton–V. dahliae interaction, ethylene produced was derived from cotton and more ethylene increased cotton susceptibility and defoliation rate. Overexpression of AtCTR1, a negative regulator in ethylene signaling, in cotton reduced sensitivity to ethylene and increased plant resistance to V. dahliae.Collectively, the results indicated precise regulation of ethylene synthesis or signaling pathways improve cotton resistant to Verticillium wilt.

Evaluation of the early defoliation trait and identification of resistance genes through a comprehensive transcriptome analysis in pears

Early defoliation,which usually occurs during summer in pear trees,is gradually becoming a major problem that poses a serious threat to the pear industry in southern China.However,there is no system for evaluating the responses of different cultivars to early defoliation,and our knowledge of the potential molecular regulation of the genes underlying this phenomenon is still limited.In this study,we conducted field investigations of 155 pear accessions to assess their resistance or susceptibility to early defoliation.A total of 126 accessions were found to be susceptible to early defoliation,and only 29 accessions were resistant.Among them,19 resistant accessions belong to the sand pear species(Pyrus pyrifolia).To identify the resistance genes related to early defoliation,the healthy and diseased samples of two sand pear accessions,namely,the resistant early defoliation accession‘Whasan’and the susceptible early defoliation accession‘Cuiguan’,were used to perform RNA sequencing.Compared with‘Cuiguan’,a total of 444 genes were uniquely differentially expressed in‘Whasan’.Combined with GO and KEGG enrichment analyses,we found that early defoliation was closely related to the stress response.Furthermore,a weighted gene co-expression network analysis revealed a high correlation of WRKY and ethylene responsive factor(ERF)transcription factors with early defoliation resistance.This study provides useful resistant germplasm resources and new insights into potentially essential genes that respond to early defoliation in pears,which may facilitate a better understanding of the resistance mechanism and molecular breeding of resistant pear cultivars.

Impact of Three Isolates of Cercosporidium personatum (Berk. Et M.A Curt.), a Pathogen of Late Leaf Spot, on Defoliation and Yield in Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) under Controlled Conditions

Late leaf spot caused by Cercosporidium personatum is one of the most widespread groundnut leaf diseases. Along with early leaf spot and rust, it is one of the main fungal diseases hampering groundnut production worldwide. Late leaf spot accounts for significant yield losses throughout the world where groundnuts are grown. This reduction in yield caused by the disease could result in yield losses of between 50% and 70%. In Burkina Faso, the disease is present throughout the country, with incidence varying according to region and season. Could the variability in the incidence of the disease be linked to the nature of the isolates or to the conditions from each agro-ecological zone? In this study, the aim was to assess the capacity of three isolates from three agroclimatic zones of the country to defoliate and reduce groundnut yield. To this end, three isolates of Cercosporidium personatum (Berk. Et M.A Curt.) were collected in these zones and evaluated on three contrasting groundnut varieties. A split-splot design was used for the experiment. Isolates were prepared from samples collected in farmers’ fields. After incubation in the laboratory, leaf spots showing good sporulation were scraped off with a scalpel after immersing the leaves in distilled water. Inoculations were carried out under controlled environment. After inoculation with the isolate, the percentage of defoliation and the reduction in yield of these varieties were then evaluated. Inoculation was carried out from the 30th day after sowing with Cercosporidium personatum spore suspensions at 105 spores/ml. The study showed that the percentage of defoliation (P = 0.0001) and the reduction in yield (P = 0.0001) were significant. The study revealed that, whatever the variety, isolate I3TF from the Upper Basins region in the South Sudanese zone caused the greatest defoliation and the greatest reduction in yield. The variety TS32-1, regardless of the isolate used for the treatment, recorded the best yield. The variety PC79-79, regardless of the isolate used for the treatment, recorded the lowest percentage of defoliation. The highest defoliation recorded under the effect of the isolates was of the order of 72.20%;the highest yield reduction was of the order of 87.20% compared with the water control.

Occurrence Regularity and Control Research of Apple Early Defoliation Disease in West Sichuan Plateau

[ Objective ] The research aimed to discuss the occurrence regularity of apple early defoliation disease and control effects of fungicides in west Sichuan plateau. [ Method ] Apple early defoliation disease in west Sichuan plateau was systematically investigated during 2009 and 2011, and the control effects of different fungicides during different spraying periods were studied. [ Result] The species of pathogen mainly was Marssonina ma/i （ P. Henn）, accounting for 32.5%, Phyl-losticta Pirina Sa accounted for 29.9%, and Alternaria mali Roberts accounted for 25.7%. The field fluctuation regularity was as follows ： the disease generally be- gan in the mid-May and ended in early and middle October with only one damage peak during the whole year, the fluctuation had positive correlation with rainfall （ R2 =0.891 8 ＊ ＊ ）. Control test showed that 40% flusilazole had the best control effect （86.5%）, which was best to apply after anthesis. [ Conclusion ] The paper provided theoretical basis for the effective control against apple early defoliation disease.

Compensatory Growth Responses to Defoliation of Peony under Different Intensity and Frequency Conditions

[Objective] It aimed to find an optimum condition for compensatory growth of peony.[Method] The different defoliation intensies and frequencies of penoy were implemented to observe accumulated aboveground biomass, regenerated bud number,stem-leaf ratio and the chlorophyll concentration change in residual leaves.[Result] When the defoliation frequency was conducted every 20 d once and defoliaton intensity was from 40%-60%,the accumulated biomass was biggest, when the defoliation frequency was conducted every 10 d once and defoliation intensity was from 60%-80% the regenerated bud number was maximum.The stem-leaf ratio of mild and moderate defoliation intensities(20%-60%) was significantly lower than that of control group.When the defoliation frequency was conducted every 20 d once and defoliation intensity was from 40%-60%,the chlorophyll concentration in residual leaves was obviously higher than that of control group.[Conclusion] The proper defoliation intensity(60%) and lower defoliation frequency(defoliation was conducted every 20 d once) were most favorable to the growth and regenerated of peony which was the compensatory growth.

Toxicity and antifeedant activity of essential oils from three aromatic plants grown in Colombia against Euprosterna elaeasa and Acharia fusca(Lepidoptera:Limacodidae)

Objective:To determine the biological effects of essential oils(EOs) isolated from Cymbopogon iiardus,Cymbopogon Jlexuosus and Cvrnbopogon marlinii grown in Colombia against two Lepidoptera larvae,common pests in the oil palm.Methods:Specimens were captured in the field and the antifeedant activity and dermal contact lethality of EOs were measured against Acharia fusca and Euprosterna elaeasa(Lepidoptera:I.imacodidae) at various concentrations 0.002-0.600 μL/cm^3 and 0.002-8 μL/g,respectively.Results:All EOs exhibited strong antifeedant and toxicity activity toward Acharia fusca and Euprosterna elaeasa larvae.Cymbopogon marlinii oil was llie most active againsl both pest insect species,although all tested EOs were better than the synthetic;repellent IR535 on both insects.Conclusions:Colombian EOs have potential for integrated pest management programs in the oil palm industry.

Effects of planting patterns on yield, quality, and defoliation in machine-harvested cotton

The aim of this study was to elucidate the effects of different machine-harvested cotton-planting patterns on defoliation,yield,and fiber quality in cotton and to provide support for improving the quality of machine-harvested cotton.In the 2015 and 2016 growing seasons,the Xinluzao 45(XLZ45)and Xinluzao 62(XLZ62)cultivars,which are primarily cultivated in northern Xinjiang,were used as study materials.Conventional wide-narrow row(WNR),wide and ultra-narrow row(UNR),wide-row spacing with high density(HWR),and wide-row spacing with low density(LWR)planting patterns were used to assess the effects of planting patterns on defoliation,yield,and fiber quality.Compared with WNR,the seed cotton yields were significantly decreased by 2.06–5.48%for UNR and by 2.50–6.99%for LWR,respectively.The main cause of reduced yield was a reduction in bolls per unit area.The variation in HWR yield was–1.07–1.07%with reduced bolls per unit area and increased boll weight,thus demonstrating stable production.In terms of fiber quality indicators,the planting patterns only showed significant effects on the micronaire value,with wide-row spacing patterns showing an increase in the micronaire values.The defoliation and boll-opening results showed that the number of leaves and dried leaves in HWR was the lowest among the four planting patterns.Prior to the application of defoliating agent and before machine-harvesting,the numbers of leaves per individual plant in HWR were decreased by 14.45 and 25.00%on average,respectively,compared with WNR,while the number of leaves per unit area was decreased by 27.44 and 36.21%on average,respectively.The rates of boll-opening and defoliation in HWR were the highest.Specifically,the boll-opening rate before defoliation and machine-harvesting in HWR was 44.54 and 5.94%higher on average than in WNR,while the defoliation rate prior to machine-harvesting was 3.45%higher on average than in WNR.The numbers of ineffective defoliated leaves and leaf trash in HWR were the lowest,decreased by 33.40 and 32.43%,respectively,compared with WNR.In conclusion,the HWR planting pattern is associated with a high and stable yield,does not affect fiber quality,promotes early maturation,and can effectively decrease the amount of leaf trash in machine-picked seed cotton,and thus its use is able to improve the quality of machine-harvested cotton.

Evaluation of Harvest Aid Chemicals for the Cotton-Winter Wheat Double Cropping System

Timing of harvest is critical for mechanical picking in cotton production, especially in those regions with double cropping system. Appropriate and safe harvest aids will improve timing and facilitate harvest of cotton in the double cropping system. Three defoliants （dimethipin, thidiazuron, and thidiazuron-diuron） and one boll opener （ethephon） were included in this research. They were evaluated for their effects on defoliation, boll opening, seedcotton yield, seed quality, and fiber quality of field grown cotton when used alone or as a mixture in 2009 and 2010. Defoliation and/or boll opening were increased by all three defoliants and ethephon, especially by mixtures of a defoliant and ethephon. First harvest of seedcotton was significantly increased with defoliant-ethephon mixtures. No significant adverse effects were observed on boll weight, lint percentage, seed quality, and fiber properties. It was estimated that tank mixes of ethephon and one of the three defoliants can improve the adjusted gross revenue. Boll opening can be used as an alternative indicator for the adjusted gross revenue, because, it was linearly and positively correlated with the relative adjusted gross revenue and convenient in measurements. Wheat seedling growth was not affected by thidiazuron, whereas its seedling emergence, root dry weight, relative water content, and electrolyte leakage were adversely affected by dimethipin and thidiazuron- diuron when concentration was above 340 and 100 g （a.i.） ha-1, respectively. 90% defoliation and 80% boll opening were observed with the high rate of thidiazuron-ethephon mixture, but no adverse effects on winter wheat. The results suggested that tank mixes of ethephon with thidiazuron can be used effectively and safely in the cotton-winter wheat double cropping system to improve yield without adverse effects on seed quality and fiber quality.

Laboratory testing and molecular analysis of the resistance of wild and cultivated soybeans to cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera(Hübner)

Identifying a superior soybean variety with high defoliator resistance is important to avoid yield loss. Cotton bollworm(Helicoverpa armigera Hübner) is one of the major defoliators of soybean(Glycine max [L.] Merr.) worldwide. In this study, we evaluated the effect of H. armigera larvae on ED059, a wild soybean(Glycine soja Sieb. et Zucc.), and three cultivated soybean varieties: Tianlong 2, PI 535807, and PI 533604, in choice and no-choice assays. The percentage of ED059 leaflets consumed by H. armigera was lower than that of the three cultivated soybeans. Larvae that fed on ED059 exhibited low weight gain and high mortality rate.Waldbauer nutritional indices suggested that ED059 reduced the growth, consumption, and frass production of H. armigera larvae. Larvae that fed on ED059 showed lower efficiency of conversion of ingested and of digested food than those that fed on Tianlong 2 and PI 533604.However, they showed statistically similar consumption index and approximate digestibility compared with those fed on the three cultivated soybeans. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis revealed that 24 h after insect attack, ED059 had higher transcript levels of Kunitz trypsin inhibitor 3, Cysteine proteinase inhibitor 2, and Nerolidol synthase 1 but a lower transcript level of Pathogenesis-related protein 1 than Tianlong 2. The gene expression results were consistent with the presence of higher levels of jasmonic acid(JA) and transcript levels of the JA biosynthesis enzyme allene oxide cyclase 3 in ED059 than in Tianlong 2. Our findings indicate that ED059 is a superior soybean line with strong insect resistance that may be mediated via the JA pathway.

Optimizing the application of a novel harvest aid to improve the quality of mechanically harvested cotton in the North China Plain

Defoliation is an indispensable step in cotton production with mechanical harvesting,especially in the North China Plain(NCP)where mechanical harvesting is limited by a large proportion of green leaves and unopened bolls at harvest time due to insufficient thermal resources.It is essential to quantify the optimal use of defoliation products while minimizing yield and quality loss in China.The objective of this study was to test the effect of a new defoliant Xinsaili(XSL,a compound of 10% thidiazuron and 40% ethephon)on the spatial distribution of cotton leaves and bolls,yield and quality in the NCP.There were four treatments:XSL 1800 m L ha^(-1),XSL 2700 m L ha^(-1),XSL splitted into two equal applications(1350 m L ha^(-1) for each),and XSL-free(water)control.Field experiments were conducted in Hebei,China in 2016-2017.All the defoliant treatments did not significantly affect cotton yield and fiber quality compared with the water control.At harvest time,the rate of open bolls under XSL 2700 m L ha^(-1) was 13.5% higher than that under XSL-free control,while the other two treatments showed no significant difference,across the two years.Defoliation percentage of the three XSL treatments showed no difference,but they were on average 42.2% higher than that of XSL-free control.The year-round effect of the defoliant XSL was significant,indicating that climate factors would affect its application.It was concluded that the optimal dose of XSL in the NCP was 2700 m L ha^(-1),and it was unnecessary to split it into two applications.These results would promote cotton mechanical harvesting and reduce the labor cost of cotton production in China.

Effects of meteorological factors on the defoliation dynamics of the larch caterpillar(Dendrolimus superans Butler)in the Great Xing’an boreal forests

Larch caterpillars are widely distributed in the Great Xing’an boreal forests;however,the relationship between caterpillar defoliation dynamics and climatic factors is poorly understood.The aims of this study are to investigate the primary weather conditions that might influence forest defoliation and to identify the most important life stage of the larch caterpillar at which forest defoliation might be mitigated by incorporating more inhibitory influences from climatic factors.The life cycle of the larch caterpillar was partitioned into four stages and multiple linear regression and mixed effect models were combined with a relative weight analysis approach to evaluate the importance and influence of meteorological variables on defoliation dynamics.The results show that warmer temperatures in growing seasons and overwintering periods can increase the defoliation area,while rainy and humid growing seasons decrease the defoliation area.Total precipitation during the early instar larval period had the greatest power to explain the variance in defoliation dynamics and had a very strong inhibitory effect,followed by the accumulative temperatures of the late instar larval period which had a positive impact,and precipitation during the middle instar larval period which had a negative impact.Weather conditions during the early instar larval period had the greatest influence on the area defoliated and accounted for 40%of the explained variance.This study demonstrates that climatic warming and drying will increase the risk of larch caterpillar outbreaks in the Great Xing’an Mountains.

Improving remote sensing-based net primary production estimation in the grazed land with defoliation formulation model

Remote sensing(RS) technologies provide robust techniques for quantifying net primary productivity(NPP) which is a key component of ecosystem production management. Applying RS, the confounding effects of carbon consumed by livestock grazing were neglected by previous studies, which created uncertainties and underestimation of NPP for the grazed lands. The grasslands in Xinjiang were selected as a case study to improve the RS based NPP estimation. A defoliation formulation model(DFM) based on RS is developed to evaluate the extent of underestimated NPP between 1982 and 2011. The estimates were then used to examine the spatiotemporal patterns of the calculated NPP. Results show that average annual underestimated NPP was 55.74 gC·m^(-2)yr^(-1) over the time period understudied, accounting for 29.06% of the total NPP for the Xinjiang grasslands. The spatial distribution of underestimated NPP is related to both grazing intensity and time. Data for the Xinjiang grasslands show that the average annual NPP was 179.41 gC·m^(-2)yr^(-1), the annual NPP with an increasing trend was observed at a rate of 1.04 gC·m^(-2)yr^(-1) between 1982 and 2011. The spatial distribution of NPP reveals distinct variations from high to low encompassing the geolocations of the Tianshan Mountains, northern and southern Xinjiang Province and corresponding with mid-mountain meadow, typical grassland, desert grassland, alpine meadow, and saline meadow grassland types. This study contributes to improving RS-based NPP estimations for grazed land and provides a more accurate data to support the scientific management of fragile grassland ecosystems in Xinjiang.

Cotton maturity and responses to harvest aids following chemical topping with mepiquat chloride during bloom period

Early maturity, complete defoliation and boll opening are essential for the efficient machine harvesting of cotton. Chemical topping, involving one extra application of mepiquat chloride(MC) in addition to its traditional multipleapplication strategy, may be able to replace manual topping. However, it is not known whether this chemical topping technique will influence maturity or cotton responses to harvest aids. In this 2-yr field study, we determined the effects of the timing of chemical topping using various rates of MC on boll opening percentage(BOP) before application of harvest aids(50% thidiazuron··ethephon suspension concentrate, referred to as TE), and the defoliation percentage(DP) and BOP 14 days after TE application. The results indicated that late chemical topping(near the physiological cutout, when the nodes above white flower is equal to 5.0) significantly decreased BOP before TE by 5.9–11.2% compared with early(at peak bloom) or middle(seven days after peak bloom) treatments in 2019, which was a relatively normal year based on crop condition. Also, a high MC rate(270 g ha) showed a significantly lower(22.0%) BOP before TE than low(90 g ha) or medium(180 g ha) rates. In 2020, which was characterized by stronger vegetative growth in the late season, the late chemical topping reduced the number of leaves before TE application relative to early or middle treatments, but had lower DP(23.2–27.2%) 14 days after TE application. The high MC rate showed a leaf count before TE application that was similar to the low and medium rates, but it showed the most leaves after TE and much lower(15.0–21.7%) DP in 2020. These results suggest that late timing of chemical topping and a high MC rate decreased the sensitivity of leaves to harvest aids. Further analysis indicated that the late chemical topping mainly affected the leaf drop from the mainstem and fruiting branches where the late regrowth occurred, and the high MC rate reduced leaf shedding from these parts and also from the vegetative branches. In conclusion, chemical topping with MC during the bloom period affected cotton maturity and responses to harvest aids in different ways according to the crop condition. To avoid the risks of delayed maturity and poor defoliation after the application of harvest aids, chemical topping should not be performed too late(i.e., near the physiological cutout) by using MC at more than 180 g ha. The optimum timing of chemical topping probably varies from peak bloom to around seven days later, and the safest MC rates for chemical topping should be less than 180 g ha.

Growth responses of Picea mongolica seedlings to defoliation rate

Picea mongolica W. D. Xu. is an endemic species in China. The spruce forest is only found in semi-arid habitat in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China. Based on the simulative defoliation experiment, it was proved that Picea mongolica seedlings had the compensatory and overcompensatory effects under the certain defoliation rate. The results of variance analysis on growth indexes showed that in PM Ⅰ(natural regeneration seedlings under Picea mongolica forest), the differences of H 1(height in June 23) and H 2(height in September 3) were extremely significant, and the difference of D(diameter at the breast height) were not significant. In PM Ⅱ(artificial regeneration seedlings under Betula platyphylla Suk. forest), the difference of H 1 was significant, the difference of H 2 was not significant, and the difference of D was extremely significant. The regression equations were established and the compensatory and overcompensatory points were obtained. In PM Ⅰ, the compensatory points of H 1, H 2, and D were 0.7628, 0.7436, 0.5725, and the overcompensatory points were 0.6056, 0.5802 and 0.2909 respectively. In PM Ⅱ, the compensatory points of H 1, H 2, and D are 0.5012, 0.3421, 0.2488, and the overcompensatory points are 0.4137, 0.2633 and 0.0747 respectively. These results suggested that the induction of compensatory growth mechanisms in spruce seedlings required a threshold level of defoliation, and the insects in Picea mongolica forest could be controlled in a certain degree.

The effect of leaf presence on the rooting of stem cutting of bitter melon and on changes in polyamine levels

The study was conducted to investigate the optimal hormone treatment for rooting in bitter melon and the effect of defoliation on rooting and polyamine levels. Commercial preparation (diluted 1:10 and 1:20) gave extensive rooting within five days after treatment. The presence of leaf with the stem cutting was necessary for optimal rooting as defoliation drastically reduced rooting even when the rooting time was extended from 5 to 10 days. The presence of leaf also promoted the levels of putrescine three days after the hormone treatment just at the time of root emergence. Cuttings that did not have leaf did not show an increase in putrescine levels and did not produce roots. Spermidine levels also increased in the cuttings that rooted but there was no change in the levels of spermine in the cuttings that rooted. It appears that putrescine and spermidine play a role in regulating rooting in bitter melon cuttings. The vegetative propagation conditions described show that it is a practically viable technique for small growers to produce large number of plantlets at the farm for selection and cultivation.

RAPD Patterns Characteristic for VCGs of Cotton Verticillium Wilt Pathogen,Verticillium dahliae

Nine primers were employed to detect molecular polymorphisms in 103 Verticillium dahliae isolates that represent diverse groups of Vegetative Compatibility (VC). Our results showed that these isolates confer two distinctive RAPD groups (RPGs). RPG1, consists of isolates belonging to vegetative compatibility group I (VCG I ), while RPG2 encompasses VCGⅢ and VCGⅣ . The genetic diversity associated with VCGⅢ was greater than that associated with VCG1. Five RAPD fragments, with frequencies more than 0.96 in VCG I but less than 0.1 in VCGⅢ, produced characteristic fragments for VCG I (defoliating type), suggesting strong correlation between RPGs and VCGs.

Linking forest diversity and tree health： preliminary insights from a large-scale survey in Italy

Forest health is currently assessed in Europe （ICP Forests monitoring program）. Crown defoliation and dieback, tree mortality, and pathogenic damage are the main aspects considered in tree health assessment. The worsening of environmental conditions （i.e., increase of temperature and drought events） may cause large-spatial scale tree mortality and forest decline. However, the role of stand features, including tree species assemblage and diversity as factors that modify environmental impacts, is poorly considered. The present contribution reanalyses the historical dataset of crown conditions in Italian forests from ] 997 to 2014 to identify ecological and structural factors that influence tree crown defoliation, highlighting in a special manner the role of tree diversity. The effects of tree diversity were explored using the entire data set through multivariate cluster analyses and on individual trees, analysing the influence of the neighbouring tree diversity and identity at the local （neighbour） level. Preliminary results suggest that each tree species shows a specific behaviour in relation to crown defoliation, and the distribution of crown defoliation across Italian forests reflects the distribution of the main forest types and their ecological equilibrium with the environment. The potentiality and the problems connected to the possible extension of this analysis at a more general level （European and North American） were discussed.

EFFECTIVENESS COMPARISON OF BIOCONTROL AGENTS TO CONTROL FOREST PESTS

Fungi and bacteria as insecticides have been tested to control forest pests for more than ten years, they are the saine kind of biocontrol agent with the different conentrations. thesame kind of the biocontrol agent with the different origin areas, and the mixtures of the different kinds of biocontrol agents. The infection mechanism of virus was discussed. moreover. the mfluence of these biocontrol agents on the small animals was also evaluated.