Allelopathic plants. 7. Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)

Sunflower is an annual dicotyledonous plant, herbaceous, erect and native of North America. It is thermo- and photo-insensitive, hence, can be grown round the year in sub-tropical and tropical countries. Only two spp. H. annuus and H. tuberosum are cultivated for food, remaining spp. are ornamentals, weeds and wild plants. However, H. annuus is allelopathic and inhibit the growth and development of other plants thus reducing their productivity. Much information is available about the allelopathic effects of sunflower crop on following crops in crop rotations. Although it is harmful to all crops, but, is less harmful to crops of Graminae family than other families. It seems that the harmful effects of sunflower in crop rotations are due to release and accumulation of root exudates during crop growth in soil. Soil incorporation of its fresh (green manure) or dry biomass in soil is inhibitory to both crops and weed spp. Several allelochemicals have been characterized from the H. annuus, which inhibit the seed germination and seedling growth of A. albus, A. viridis, Agropyron repens (Elymus repens), Ambrosia artemsiifolia, Avena fatua, Celosia crustata, Chenopodium album, Chloris barbara, Cynodon dactylon, D. sanguinalis, Dactyloctenium ageyptium, Digitaria ciliaris, Echinochloa crus-galli, Flaveria australasica, Parthenium hysterophorus, Portulaca oleracea, Sida spinosa, Trianthema portulacastrum, Veronica perisca the inhibitory effects of this crop may be used for weed management with less herbicides for sustainable agriculture.

Comunidade infestante e sua interferência no feijoeiro implantado sob plantio direto, na safra de primavera

O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar os períodos críticos de interferência das plantas daninhas no feijoeiro no sistema de plantio direto, na safra de primavera. A cultura antecessora ao feijoeiro foi a de milheto, que gerou 2 t ha-1 de massa seca. Os tratamentos foram constituídos por períodos crescentes (0, 10, 17, 24, 31, 45 e 66 dias após a emergência) de convivência ou de controle das plantas daninhas. O delineamento experimental adotado foi o de blocos ao acaso, com os tratamentos dispostos no esquema fatorial 2 x 6, com quatro repetições, mais duas testemunhas: uma limpa durante todo o ciclo da cultura e outra suja, ausente de controle. A comunidade infestante foi composta por 16 espécies, sendo dez eudicotiledôneas. A espécie de maior importância foi a losna-branca (Parthenium hysterophorus). O período anterior à interferência (PAI) ocorreu até o estádio fenológico V2, e o período total de prevenção à interferência (PTPI), até o estádio V4; assim, o período crítico de prevenção à interferência (PCPI) ficou entre os estádios V2 e V4 do feijoeiro. A safra de primavera mostrou-se alternativa viável de produção. O acúmulo médio de massa e o número médio de indivíduos das plantas daninhas foram pequenos, ocasionando menor interferência na cultura e, consequentemente, um curto PCPI. Houve redução de 19% na produtividade média do feijoeiro quando a cultura conviveu durante todo o seu ciclo com a comunidade infestante.

Weed interference on coffee fruit production during a four-year investigation after planting

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

The status of weed biological control in Vanuatu

Biological control of weeds in Vanuatu began in 1935, with the introduction of the tingid Teleonemia scrupulosa to control Lantana camara. To date, nine biological control agents have been intentionally introduced to control eight weed species. Seven of these agents have established on their respective hosts while an eighth, Zygogramma bicolorata, an agent for Parthenium hysterophorus has only recently been released and establishment is unlikely. The fate of a ninth agent, Heteropsylla spinulosa, released for the control of Mimosa diplotricha is unclear. Six other biological control agents, including Epiblema strenuana which was first detected in 2014 on P. hysterophorus on Efate have spread into the country unintentionally. Control of the target weeds range from inadequate to very good. By far the most successful agent has been Calligrapha pantherina which was introduced to control Sida acuta and Sida rhombifolia. The beetle was released on 14 islands and managed to spread to at least another 10 islands where it has effectively controlled both Sida spp. Control of the two water weeds, Eichhornia crassipes by Neochetina bruchi and N. eichhorniae and Pistia stratiotes by Neohydronomus affinis, has also been fairly good in most areas. Two agents, T. scrupulosa and Uroplata girardi, were released on L. camara, and four other agents have been found on the weed, but L. camara is still not under adequate control. The rust Puccinia spegazzinii was first released on Mikania micrantha in 2012 and successfully established. Anecdotal evidence suggests that it is having an impact on M. micrantha, but detailed monitoring is required to determine its overall impact. Future prospects for weed biological control in Vanuatu are positive, with the expected greater spread of recently released agents and the introduction of new agents for P. hysterophorus, L. camara, Dolichandra unguis-cati and Spathodea campanulata.

Effect of microwave radiation on seed mortality of rubber vine (Cryptostegia grandiflora R.Br.), parthenium (Parthenium hysterophorous L.) and bellyache bush (Jatropha gossypiifolia L.)

A trial was undertaken to evaluate the effect of microwaves on seed mortality of three weed species. Seeds of rubber vine (Cryptostegia grandiflora R.Br.), parthenium (Parthenium hysterophorous L.) and bellyache bush (Jatropha gossypiifolia L.) were buried at six depths (0, 2.5, 5, 10, 20 and 40 cm) in coarse sand maintained at one of two moisture levels, oven dry or wet (field capacity), and then subjected to one of five microwave radiation durations of (0, 2, 4, 8 and 16 min). Significant interactions between soil moisture level, microwave radiation duration, seed burial depth and species were detected for mortality of seeds of all three species. Maximum seed mortality of rubber vine (88%), parthenium (67%) and bellyache bush (94%) occurred in wet soil irradiated for 16 min. Maximum seed mortality of rubber vine and bellyache bush seeds occurred in seeds buried at 2.5 cm depth whereas that of parthenium occurred in seeds buried at 10 cm depth. Maximum soil temperatures of 114.1 and 87.5°C in dry and wet soil respectively occurred at 2.5 cm depth following 16 min irradiation. Irrespective of the greater soil temperatures recorded in dry soil, irradiating seeds in wet soil generally increased seed mortality 2.9-fold compared with dry soil. Moisture content of wet soil averaged 5.7% compared with 0.1% for dry soil. Results suggest that microwave radiation has the potential to kill seeds located in the soil seed bank. However, many factors, including weed species susceptibility, determine the effectiveness of microwave radiation on buried seeds. Microwave radiation may be an alternative to conventional methods at rapidly depleting soil seed banks in the field, particularly in relatively wet soils that contain long lived weed seeds.

Managing parthenium weed across diverse landscapes: prospects and limitations

Parthenium is a weed of global significance affecting many countries in Asia, Africa, and the Pacific Islands. Parthenium causes severe human and animal health problems, agricultural losses as well as serious environmental problems. Management options for parthenium include chemical, physical, legislative, fire, mycoherbicides, agronomic practices, competitive displacement and classical biological control. The ability of parthenium to grow in a wide range of habitats, its persistent seed bank, and its allelopathic potential make its management difficult. No single management option would be adequate to manage parthenium across all habitats, and there is a need to integrate various management options (e.g. grazing management, competitive displacement, cultural practices) with classical biological control as a core management option.

The combined effect of acupuncture and Tanacetum parthenium on quality of life in women with headache: randomised study

Background The aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy and tolerability of acupuncture (AC), Tanacetum (TAN) or combined treatment on quality of life in women with chronic migraine (CM). Methods A total of 69 women volunteers were randomly divided into 3 groups: AC, acupuncture administered in 20 sessions over 10 weeks (n=22); TAN, at 150 mg/day (n=23); and AC+TAN (n=23). The primary outcome was Short-Form 36 (SF-36) quality of life assessment score. Secondary outcomes included the Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) and visual analogue scale (VAS) score experienced after randomisation. Results AC+TAN was statistically significantly more effective than AC or TAN alone in overall health-related quality of life (SF-36; p<0.05), on MIDAS score (-35.1 (10.6) AC vs -24.8 (11.7) TAN vs -42.5 (9.8) AC+TAN; p<0.05) and in reducing the mean score of pain on VAS (-5.6 (2.4) AC vs -3.7 (2.1) TAN vs -6.4 (3.1) AC+TAN; p<0.05). Conclusions The present work shows an improvement of the quality of life and better analgesic effect of acupuncture combined with TAN treatment on migraine pain in women when compared with acupuncture or TAN alone.

Enthronisticum parthenium, sive gloria et honor neo-inauguratae augustissimae coelorum reginae Mariae in thaumaturga effigie sua, portentoso angelorum famulatu allata, toto orbe germano celeberrimae; prope metropolim Olomucensem in Marchionatu Moraviae integra saeculi serie in Monte Sancto suo miraculose Pramonstrato ... Pro anniversaria coronationis die ... obtulit Canonia Gradicena.

Contains documents relative to and history of the shrine, and description of the centenary celebration with texts of the sermons delivered.

Research on guayule (Parthenium argentatum), 1942-1959 /

Includes bibliographical references (p. 144-157).

Anti-Inflammatory and antiosteoclastogenic activities of parthenolide on human periodontal ligament cellsIn vitro

Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease that causes osteolysis and tooth loss. It is known that the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signalling pathway plays a key role in the progression of inflammation and osteoclastogenesis in periodontitis. Parthenolide (PTL), a sesquiterpene lactone extracted from the shoots of Tanacetum parthenium, has been shown to possess anti-inflammatory properties in various diseases. In the study reported herein, we investigated the effects of PTL on the inflammatory and osteoclastogenic response of human periodontal ligament-derived cells (hPDLCs) and revealed the signalling pathways in this process. Our results showed that PTL decreased NF-κB activation, I-κB degradation, and ERK activation in hPDLCs. PTL significantly reduced the expression of inflammatory (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α) and osteoclastogenic (RANKL, OPG, and M-CSF) genes in LPS-stimulated hPDLCs. In addition, PTL attenuated hPDLC-induced osteoclastogenic differentiation of macrophages (RAW264.7 cells), as well as reducing gene expression of osteoclast-related markers in RAW264.7 cells in an hPDLC-macrophage coculture model. Taken together, these results demonstrate the anti-inflammatory and antiosteoclastogenic activities of PTL in hPDLCs in vitro. These data offer fundamental evidence supporting the potential use of PTL in periodontitis treatment.

Tobacco Streak Virus in cotton-scoping study

In 2006, Tobacco streak virus (TSV) was identified as the causal agent of the devastating sunflower necrosis disease in central Queensland (CQ), and subsequently in 2007 as the cause of major losses in mungbeans in the same area. It has been a major factor in the recent downturn in the sunflower industry in CQ. Surveys in 2007/2008 as part of a one year scoping study (project 03DAQ005) found TSV in cotton in CQ. The symptoms were mostly confined to the feeding sites of the thrips and appeared as reddish spots and rings, but only occasionally the plants were systemically infected and showed a chlorotic mosaic and leaf deformation. The major objectives of this project (DAQ0002) were to determine: the incidence and distribution of TSV in cotton and its likely effect on yield; the thrips vector species associated with TSV infections in cotton; and the factors that may lead to systemic infections. In contrast to the extensive damage observed in sunflower and mungbean crops from the same region, TSV has caused no measurable damage in commercial cotton crops surveyed in CQ over the seasons 2008/9 to 2010/11. No TSV infected cotton was found in regions outside of CQ and the geographical distribution of TSV disease in cotton (and other susceptible hosts) appears to be closely related to the distribution of the major alternative host, parthenium weed. The most likely thrips species responsible for transmission of TSV into cotton is the tomato thrips (Frankliniella schultzei) and onion thrips (Thrips tabaci). Systemically infected plants are rarely seen in commercial crops and have also been rarely produced in controlled tests. It appears that systemic infection may be transient with only mild symptoms being produced intermittently. With current cultivars and conditions, it appears likely that TSV will continue to cause only minor levels of mild local lesions with no impact on yield in cotton crops. It appears that no specific control strategies are required to limit the impact of TSV in cotton. However, general farm hygiene to minimise the presence of the major alternative host of TSV, parthenium weed, is advised and may be of vital importance if TSV susceptible rotational crops such as mung beans are grown.

Field evaluation of tolerance to Tobacco streak virus in sunflower germplasm, and observations of seasonal disease spread

Strong statistical evidence was found for differences in tolerance to natural infections of Tobacco streak virus (TSV) in sunflower hybrids. Data from 470 plots involving 23 different sunflower hybrids tested in multiple trials over 5 years in Australia were analysed. Using a Bayesian Hierarchical Logistic Regression model for analysis provided: (i) a rigorous method for investigating the relative effects of hybrid, seasonal rainfall and proximity to inoculum source on the incidence of severe TSV disease; (ii) a natural method for estimating the probability distributions of disease incidence in different hybrids under historical rainfall conditions; and (iii) a method for undertaking all pairwise comparisons of disease incidence between hybrids whilst controlling the familywise error rate without any drastic reduction in statistical power. The tolerance identified in field trials was effective against the main TSV strain associated with disease outbreaks, TSV-parthenium. Glasshouse tests indicate this tolerance to also be effective against the other TSV strain found in central Queensland, TSV-crownbeard. The use of tolerant germplasm is critical to minimise the risk of TSV epidemics in sunflower in this region. We found strong statistical evidence that rainfall during the early growing months of March and April had a negative effect on the incidence of severe infection with greatly reduced disease incidence in years that had high rainfall during this period.