Plant Biology Commons^™

Condition Of Green Ash, Incidence Of Ash Yellows Phytoplasmas, And Their Association In The Great Plains And Rocky Mountain Regions Of North America, J. A. Walla, W. R. Jacobi, N. A. Tisserat, M. O. Harrell, J. J. Ball, G. B. Neil, D. A. Reynard, Y. H. Guo, L. Spiegel

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

About 50% of 1,057 green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) systematically sampled in the Great Plains and Rocky Mountain regions had substantial dieback (>10% of crown branches with dieback), and the average growth ring width during the last 20 years was 2.9 mm. The overall condition of the population was rated fair. Ash yellows phytoplasmas were identified at 102 of 106 sites throughout six U.S. states (North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas) and three Canadian provinces (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba). These phytoplasmas had not previously been known in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Wyoming, Colorado, or Kansas. Incidence of phytoplasmal …

The Pseudomonas Syringae Hrp Pathogenicity Island Has A Tripartite Mosaic Structure Composed Of A Cluster Of Type Iii Secretion Genes Bounded By Exchangeable Effector And Conserved Effector Loci That Contribute To Parasitic Fitness And Pathogenicity In Plants, James R. Alfano, Amy O. Charkowski, Wen-Ling Deng, Jorge L. Badel, Tanja Petnicki- Ocwieja, Karin Van Dijk, Alan Collmer

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty Publications

The plant pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas syringae is divided into pathovars differing in host specificity, with P. syringae pv. syringae (Psy) and P. syringae pv. tomato (Pto) representing particularly divergent pathovars. P. syringae hrp/hrc genes encode a type III protein secretion system that appears to translocate Avr and Hop effector proteins into plant cells. DNA sequence analysis of the hrp/hrc regions in Psy 61, Psy B728a, and Pto DC3000 has revealed a Hrp pathogenicity island (Pai) with a tripartite mosaic structure. The hrp/hrc gene cluster is conserved in all three strains and is flanked by a unique exchangeable …

Basic Biotechnology, Jennifer Flak, Julie Albrecht

Plant and Soil Sciences eLibrary

An introduction to traditional cross-breeding and genetic engineering of plants, and to biotechnology.

Objectives - Basic Biotechnology

After completing Nutrition Basic Biotechnology, participants should be able to:

• Describe one similarity between traditional cross-breeding and genetic engineering of plants.
• Give two limitations that are encountered with traditional cross-breeding of plants.
• Explain why genetic engineering is not limited in the same way as traditional cross-breeding.
• Define biotechnology in broad terms.
• List three plant applications of biotechnology.
• List the three areas of nutritional profiles that have been improved with biotechnology.

Modules:

• Lesson home
• Objectives - Basic Biotechnology
• Historical Uses of Biotechnology
• Basic Understanding …

Soybean Cyst Nematode Reproduction In The North Central United States, J. Wang, P. A. Donald, T. L. Niblack, G. W. Bird, J. Faghihi, J. M. Ferris, C. Grau, D. J. Jardine, P. E. Lipps, A. E. Macguidwin, H. Melakeberhan, G. R. Noel, P. Pierson, P. M. Riedel, P. R. Sellers, W. C. Stienstra, T. C. Todd, G. L. Tylka, T. A. Wheeler, D. S. Wysong

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

An experiment was conducted in Heterodera glycines–infested fields in 40 north central U.S. environments (21 sites in 1994 and 19 sites in 1995) to assess reproduction of this nematode. Two resistant and two susceptible soybean cultivars from each of the maturity groups (MG) I through IV were grown at each site in 6.1 m by 4 row plots. Soil samples were collected from each plot at planting and harvest and processed at Iowa State University to determine H. glycines initial (Pi) and final (Pf) population densities as eggs per 100 cm3 of soil. Overall, reproduction (Pf/Pi) of H. glycines …

Phylogeny Of Calostoma, The Gelatinous-Stalked Puffball, Based On Nuclear And Mitochondrial Ribosomal Dna Sequences, Brandi D. Hughey, Gerard C. Adams, Tom D. Bruns, David S. Hibbett

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Nucleotide sequence of the nuclear small and large subunit and the mitochondrial small and large ribosomal genes of Calostoma were used to investigate evolutionary relationships with other Basidiomycetes. In separate analyses with each gene, Calostoma was placed within the Boletales and outside the clades containing most gilled mushrooms, puffballs, stalked puffballs, earthstars, stinkhorns, and nonboletalean Gasteromycetes. This contradicted previous taxonomic hypotheses. Calostoma was most closely related to Gyroporus, Pisolithus, and Scleroderma based on maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood analysis of the mitochondrial large ribosomal gene database, which contained several representatives of most genera of the Boletales. In three …

Biological Control Of Bipolaris Sorokiniana On Tall Fescue By Stenotrophomonas Maltophilia Strain C3, Z. Zhang, G. Y. Yuen

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia strain C3 was evaluated for control of leaf spot on tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana. In growth chamber experiments, C3 inhibited conidial germination on leaf surfaces and reduced lesion frequency and percent diseased leaf area compared with nontreated controls. The amount of leaf spot suppression was related to the C3 dose applied. The highest dose tested, 10⁹ CFU/ml, prevented nearly all B. sorokiniana conidia from germinating on treated leaf surfaces and provided nearly complete suppression of lesion development. When colloidal chitin was added to C3 cell suspensions of 10⁷ or …

The Avr (Effector) Proteins Hrma (Hoppsya) And Avrpto Are Secreted In Culture From Pseudomonas Syringae Pathovars Via The Hrp (Type Iii) Protein Secretion System In A Temperature- And Ph-Sensitive Manner, Karin V. Van Dijk, Derrick E. Fouts, Amos H. Rehm, Angela R. Hill, Alan Collmer, James R. Alfano

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty Publications

We present here data showing that the Avr proteins HrmA and AvrPto are secreted in culture via the native Hrp pathways from Pseudomonas syringae pathovars that produce these proteins. Moreover, their secretion is strongly affected by the temperature and pH of the culture medium. Both HrmA and AvrPto were secreted at their highest amounts when the temperature was between 18 and 22°C and when the culture medium was pH 6.0. In contrast, temperature did not affect the secretion of HrpZ. pH did affect HrpZ secretion, but not as strongly as it affected the secretion of HrmA. This finding suggests that …

Agriculture Western Australia's Centre For Cropping Systems - Northam, Agriculture Western Australia

Grain and other field crops published reports

Agriculture Western Australia's Centre for Cropping Systems in York Road, Northam, was established as a centre of excellence for research, development and extension into cropping systems.

Its role is to stimulate the contribution of ideas from individuals, groups and organisations with an interest in research, development, and extension relating to innovative, profitable and sustainable crop-based farming systems.

The Centre for Cropping Systems is part of a regional network with strong links to Agriculture Western Australia's Crop Improvement Institute based at South Perth, the Dryland Research Institute at Merredin and the Avondale Research Fann at Beverley. It also links with universities …

Dnak And The Heat Stress Response Of Pseudomonas Syringae Pv. Glycinea, Lisa M. W. Keith, James E. Partridge, Carol L. Bender

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

The dnaK gene from Pseudomonas syringae pv. glycinea PG4180 was cloned and sequenced. The dnaK coding region was 1,917 bp and contained a putative O³² heat shock promoter 86 bp upstream of the translational start site. grpE, another heat shock gene, was found immediately upstream of the putative dnaK promoter. The predicted amino acid sequence of dnaK showed relatedness to the ATPase and substrate binding domains commonly found in heat shock proteins, as well as the highly conserved signature sequence motifs belonging to the Hsp70 protein family. Furthermore, the PG4180 dnaK gene complemented an Escherichia coli dnaK mutant …

An Engineered Closterovirus Rna Replicon And Analysis Of Heterologous Terminal Sequences For Replication, Satyanarayana Tatineni, Siddarame Gowda, V. P. Boyko, Maria R. Albiach-Marti, Munir Mawassi, J. Navas-Castillo, Alexander V. Karasev, V. Dolja, Mark E. Hilf, D. J. Lewandowski, P. Moreno, Moshe Bar-Joseph, S. M. Garnsey, William O. Dawson

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) populations in citrus trees are unusually complex mixtures of viral genotypes and defective RNAs developed during the long-term vegetative propagation of the virus and by additional mixing by aphid transmission. The viral replication process allows the maintenance of minor amounts of disparate genotypes and defective RNAs in these populations. CTV is a member of the Closteroviridae possessing a positive-stranded RNA genome of ≈20 kilobases that expresses the replicase-associated genes as an ≈400-kDa polyprotein and the remaining 10 3' genes through subgenomic mRNAs. A full-length cDNA clone of CTV was generated from which RNA transcripts capable of …

Identification And Characterization Of Genes Required For Hyphal Morphogenesis In The Filamentous Fungus Aspergillus Nidulans, Steven D. Harris, Amy F. Hofmann, Hugo W. Tedford, Maurice P. Lee

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

In the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans, germination of an asexual conidiospore results in the formation of a hyphal cell. A key feature of spore germination is the switch from isotropic spore expansion to polarized apical growth. Here, temperature-sensitive mutations are used to characterize the roles of five genes (sepA, hypA, podB–podD) in the establishment and maintenance of hyphal polarity. Evidence that suggests that the hypA, podB, and sepA genes are required for multiple aspects of hyphal morphogenesis is presented. Notably, podB and sepA are needed for organization of the cytoskeleton at sites of …

The Pseudomonas Syringae Pv. Tomato Hrpw Protein Has Domains Similar To Harpins And Pectate Lyases And Can Elicit The Plant Hypersensitive Response And Bind To Pectate, Amy O. Charkowski, James R. Alfano, Gail Preston, Jing Yuan, Sheng Yang He, Alan Collmer

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty Publications

The host-specific plant pathogen Pseudomonas syringae elicits the hypersensitive response (HR) in nonhost plants and secretes the HrpZ harpin in culture via the Hrp (type III) secretion system. Previous genetic evidence suggested the existence of another harpin gene in the P. syringae genome. hrpW was found in a region adjacent to the hrp cluster in P. syringae pv. tomato DC3000. hrpW encodes a 42.9-kDa protein with domains resembling harpins and pectate lyases (Pels), respectively. HrpW has key properties of harpins. It is heat stable and glycine rich, lacks cysteine, is secreted by the Hrp system, and is able to elicit …

A Sensitive Elisa For Pythium Ultimum Using Polyclonal And Species-Specific Monoclonal Antibodies, G. Y. Yuen, J. Q. Xia, C. L. Sutula

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

A double-antibody sandwich indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for the detection and quantification of Pythium ultimum. A polyclonal antibody produced to cell walls of P. ultimum was used as the capture antibody, while a P. ultimum-specific monoclonal antibody (MAb E5) was used for recognition of the fungus. In the ELISA, culture extracts of 7 isolates of P. ultimum exhibited strong positive reactions, whereas none of the 37 isolates of other Pythium spp. and fungal genera had positive reactions. P. ultimum was detected by ELISA in roots of bean, cabbage, and sugar beet seedlings grown in pathogen-infested …

A Partial Host Range Of The High Plains Virus Of Corn And Wheat, Dallas L. Seifers, Tom L. Harvey, T. J. Martin, Stanley G. Jensen

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Barley (Hordeum vulgare), cheat (Bromus secalinus), corn (Zea mays), oat (Avena sativa), rye (Secale cereale), and wheat (Triticum aestivum) were infected by a Kansas isolate of the High Plains virus (HPV) in greenhouse experiments, but several other grass species were not. Infection of a host was dependent upon wheat curl mite numbers. Although both green foxtail (Setaria viridis) and yellow foxtail (S. glauca) are found naturally infected by HPV, only yellow foxtail could be infected in greenhouse experiments. Field sampling (1994 to 1996) of …

Physiologic Specialization Of Puccinia Recondita F. Sp. Tritici In Nebraska During 1995 And 1996, J. E. Watkins, S. S. Rutledge, P. Stephen Baenziger, W. Youngquist

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Field samples of Puccinia recondita f. sp. tritici, collected from four wheat-growing regions in Nebraska in 1995 and from three in 1996, were characterized for virulence. Twenty virulence phenotypes were identified in 1995 and 18 in 1996. Virulence phenotypes MBR-10,18 (virulent on Lr genes, 1, 3, 3ka, 10, 11, 18, and 30) and MDR-10,18 (virulent on Lr genes 1, 3, 3ka, 10, 11, 18, 24, and 30) were the most prevalent, with each phenotype comprising 21.6% of the isolates characterized in 1995. Of the 1995 isolates, 24% were virulent on 10 or more host genes. No virulence to Lr16 and …

Polymerase Chain Reaction Detection And Phylogenetic Characterization Of An Agent Associated With Yellow Vine Disease Of Cucurbits, Francisco J. Avila, Benny D. Bruton, Jacqueline Fletcher, J. L. Sherwood, Sam D. Pair, Ulrich Melcher

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Diagnosis of yellow vine disease (YVD) in cucurbits, an important disease in the south-central United States, relies on external symptom appearance, phloem discoloration, and the presence of bacterium-like organisms (BLOs) in phloem. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of BLO nucleotide sequences was explored as a means to improve diagnostic techniques. PCR, using a primer pair based on sequences of the citrus-greening BLO, amplified a 0.15-kilobase (kb) fragment from the DNA of symptomatic plants, but not from that of asymptomatic plants. Its nucleotide sequence suggested that the DNA amplified was of prokaryotic origin. A primer pair, designed to amplify nonspecific prokaryotic …

Studies On The Biology Of Striga Aspera (Scrophulariaceae) In Nigeria, Emmanuel Izaka Aigbokhan

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Studies on Striga aspera are few and little information exists on its relationship with the morphologically similar and much studied S. hermonthica. Both species are sympatric in West Africa and if they hybridize, may serve as virulent gene reservoirs for each other.

The primary focus of this study was on the biology of S. aspera in Nigeria. The research focussed on its distribution, phenology, cytology, hybridization, seed dormancy, viability and germination in relation to S. hermonthica. Related studies involving the hybrids include genetic and morphological variability, pathogenicity and the simultaneous dual infection of a maize plant by both species.

In …

Characterization Of The Large (L) Rna Of Peanut Bud Necrosis Tospovirus, S. Gowda, Satyanarayana Tatineni, R. A. Naidu, A. Mushegian, W. O. Dawson, D. V. R. Reddy

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

The nucleocapsids purified from peanut plants systemically infected with peanut bud necrosis virus (PBNV), a member of the genus Tospovirus, contained both viral(v) and viral complementary(vc) sense L RNAs. Defective forms of L RNA containing ‘core polymerase region’ were observed. The full length L RNA of PBNV was sequenced using overlapping cDNA clones. The 8911 nucleotide L RNA contains a single open reading frame (ORF) in the vc strand, and encodes a protein of 330 kDa. At the 50 and 30 termini of the v sense RNA there were 247 and 32 nt untranslated regions, respectively, containing an 18 …

Peanut Yellow Spot Virus Is A Member Of A New Serogroup Of Tospovirus Genus Based On Small (S) Rna Sequence And Organization, Satyanarayana Tatineni, S. Gowda, K. Lakshminarayana Reddy, S. E. Mitchell, W. O. Dawson, D. V. R. Reddy

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Peanut yellow spot virus (PYSV) represents a distinct tospovirus species based on serology and nucleic acid hybridization. The sequence of the S RNA was 2 970 nucleotides with 22 nucleotide long inverted repeats (with three mismatches) at the termini. The coding was ambisense with a long open reading frame (ORF) in each strand. The 5'-large ORF (1 440 nucleotides in the viral sense (v) strand) encoded a protein with a predicted size of 53.2 kDa that was identified as the nonstructural (NSs) protein based on 16–21% sequence identity and 42– 48% sequence similarity with other tospoviruses. A 3' ORF (741 …

Identification Of The Wheat Curl Mite As The Vector Of The High Plains Virus Of Corn And Wheat, Dallas L. Seifers, Tom L. Harvey, T. J. Martin, Stanley G. Jensen

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Wheat with virus-like symptoms (extracts containing a 33-kDa protein in sodium dodecyl sulfate- polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, negative in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to wheat streak mosaic virus, and not infectious in a backassay to other wheat) reacted positively to antiserum made against a protein purified from symptomatic corn infected with the High Plains virus (HPV), indicating a serological relationship between the corn and wheat pathogens. The wheat curl mite (WCM, Aceria tosichella Keifer) was identified as the vector of the virus and caused persistent infection of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in greenhouse experiments. The …

Comparison Of Avrd Alleles From Pseudomonas Syringae Pv. Glycinea, Lisa Wolfson Keith, Carol Boyd, Noel T. Keen, J. E. Patridge

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Avirulence gene D alleles resided on indigenous plasmids in races 0, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 of Pseudomonas syringae pv. glycinea (Psg), but the allele in race 1 appeared to be chromosomal. These were all nonfunctional avirulence genes because they neither induced the avirulence phenotype on Rpg4 soybean cultivars nor directed the production of syringolide elicitors when expressed in Escherichia coli cells. The predicted proteins encoded by the seven Psg avrD genes were very similar to that of a functional class II allele from P. syringae pv. phaseolicola G50 race 2, but contained mutations collectively …

Genetic Variability Among Maize Inbred Lines For Resistance To The High Plains Virus–Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus Complex, A. Marçon, S. M. Kaeppler, S. G. Jensen

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

High plains virus (HPV) is a pathogen that causes a severe disease, especially in susceptible corn genotypes. The virus is transmitted by the eriophyid mite Aceria tosichella, which also transmits wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV). This often results in a mixed infection by these two viruses. Genetic variability for resistance to the HPV exists among maize inbred lines but has not been characterized. The disease reaction of 30 maize inbred lines to the mixed infection and to WSMV alone was characterized in this study. Evaluation was based on symptom expression and virus titer (HPV and WSMV), as measured by …

Cross-Polarized Magic-Angle Spinning 13c Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Characterization Of Soil Organic Matter Relative To Culturable Bacterial Species Composition And Sustained Biological Control Of Pythium Root Rot, Michael J. Boehm, Tianyun Wu, Alex G. Stone, Bart Kraakman, Donna A. Iannotti, G. Edwin Wilson, Laurence V. Madden, Harry A.J. Hoitink

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

We report the use of a model system that examines the dynamics of biological energy availability in organic matter in a sphagnum peat potting mix critical to sustenance of microorganism-mediated biological control of pythium root rot, a soilborne plant disease caused by Pythium ultimum. The concentration of readily degradable carbohydrate in the peat, mostly present as cellulose, was characterized by cross-polarized magic-angle spinning 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. A decrease in the carbohydrate concentration in the mix was observed during the initial 10 weeks after potting as the rate of hydrolysis of fluorescein diacetate declined below a critical threshold level …

Promoters From Chlorellavirus Genes Providing Expression Of Genes In Prokaryotic And Eukaryotic Hosts, Amitava Mitra, James L. Van Etten

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

The invention is directed to novel promoters or mutants thereof from Chlorella virus DNA methyltransferase genes. A Chlorella virus gene promoter is operably linked to a first and/or second DNA sequence encoding a gene that is different from the Chlorella virus gene to form an expression cassette. An expression cassette can be introduced into prokaryotic and/or eukaryotic cells and can provide for a high level of expression of the gene encoded by the first and/or second DNA sequence. The invention also provides a method for screening other Chlorella virus genes for promoters that can function to express a heterologous gene …

The Complete Nucleotide Sequence And Genome Organization Of The M Rna Segment Of Peanut Bud Necrosis Tospovirus And Comparison With Other Tospoviruses, Satyanarayana Tatineni, S. E. Mitchell, D. V. R. Reddy, S. Kresovich, R. Jarret, R. A. Naidu, S. Gowda, J. W. Demski

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

The M RNA of peanut bud necrosis virus (PBNV; synonym groundnut bud necrosis virus) is 4801 nucleotides in length. It comprised two ORFs in an ambisense organization and terminal inverted repeats. The 3' large ORF (3363 nucleotides in the virus-complementary strand) encoded a protein with a predicted size of 127.2 kDa which was identified as the glycoprotein precursor (GP) of the G1 and G2 glycoproteins. A comparison of the deduced amino acid sequence of GP revealed 37 % identity and 58-59% similarity with that of tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV, serogroup I) and impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV, serogroup III), …

Peanut Bud Necrosis Virus: Purification Of Nucleocapsids And Sequence Homology Of Nucleocapsid Protein And Glycoprotein Precursor With Other Tospoviruses, Satyanarayana Tatineni, S. E. Mitchell, D. V. R. Reddy, S. Brown, S. Kresovich, R. Jarret, S. Gowda, R. A. Naidu, J. W. Demski

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

A procedure for the purification of peanut bud necrosis virus (PBNV) nucleocapsids was developed. Virus particles were treated with nonionic detergent to disrupt the envelope membrane and free nucleocapsids were separated. into three lightscattering zones after sucrose gradient centrifogation. Nucleocapsids from the top zone contained S RNA and traces ofM RNA; whereas, nucleoplasids from the middle zone contained M RNA with detectable levels of S RNA and those from the bottom zone contained L RNA with traces of M and S RNAs. Clones from a cDNA library made from the purified PBNV Sand M RNAs were characterized and sequenced. Comparison …

Diagnosis And Resistance Breeding Of Peanut Bud Necrosis Virus, D. V. R. Reddy, Satyanarayana Tatineni, S. L. Dwivedi, A. S. Ratna, A. A. M. Buiel, G. V. Ranga Rao, S. N. Nigam, R. A. Naidu, H. T. Hsu, J. W. Demski

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

The occu!fence of peanut bud necrosis (PBN) disease in India was first reported in 1968. The high incidence ofPBN disease during the 1960s coincided with largescale imports of the peanut cultivars Asiria Mwitundae and Spanish Improved, both of which are highly susceptible to PBN. Since then, a number of reports have been published in India describing bud necrosis under at least seven different names (Reddy 1988). Crop losses due to PBN have been estimated at USD89 million per year in India during 1976-1986. The disease is also currently recognized as economically important in Nepal (Sharma 1996), in Sri Lanka, and …

Molecular Diagnostics Of Three Diabrotica (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) Pest Species, Allen L. Szalanski, Thomas O. Powers

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

A 257 bp region of the mitochondrial ND4 gene was analyzed for genetic variation in three species of corn rootworm, southern corn rootworm (Diabrotica undecim punctata howardi Barber, SCR), northern corn rootworm (D. barberi Smith and Lawrence, NCR), and western corn rootworm (D. virgifera virgifera LeConte, WCR). Nucleotide sequencing revealed 26 polymorphic sites. Genetic distances averaged 8% for all pair-wise comparisons among the three species. Restriction maps were constructed from sequence data and compared to potential species specific restriction sites. Polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) revealed three restriction enzymes (Alu I, Apo I …

Identification And Characterization Of Aspergillus Nidulans Mutants Defective In Cytokinesis, Steven D. Harris, Jennifer L. Morrell, John E. Hamer

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Filamentous fungi undergo cytokinesis by forming crosswalls termed septa. Here, we describe the genetic and physiological controls governing septation in Aspergillus nidulans. Germinating conidia do not form septa until the completion of their third nuclear division. The first septum is invariantly positioned at the basal end of the germ tube. Block-and-release experiments of nuclear division with benomyl or hydroxyurea, and analysis of various nuclear division mutants demonstrated that septum formation is dependent upon the third mitotic division. Block-and-releasee xperiments with cytochalasin A and the localization of actin in germlings by indirect immunofluorescence showed that actin participated in septum formation. In …

Effect Of Organic Matter Decomposition Level On Bacterial Species Diversity And Composition In Relationship To Pythium Damping-Off Severity, Michael J. Boehm, L.V. Mdden, H.A.J. Hoitink

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Rhizosphere bacteria were isolated from root tip segments of cucumber seedlings grown in a suppressive, slightly decomposed light-colored peat mix, a conducive, more decomposed dark-colored peat mix, and a suppressive dark peat mix amended with composted hardwood bark. The bacteria were identified by a gas chromatographic fatty acid methyl ester analysis. The total number of taxa recovered from a single root tip segment ranged from 9 to 18. No single taxon predominated on all root tip segments harvested from any of the mixes. The highest relative population density reached by a given taxon on any root tip segment was 45%. …