Thermal and pressure stability of myrosinase enzymes from black mustard (Brassica nigra L. W.D.J Koch. var. nigra), brown mustard (Brassica juncea L. Czern. var. juncea) and yellow mustard (Sinapsis alba L. Subsp Maire) seeds

This study investigates the effects of temperature and pressure on inactivation of myrosinase extracted from black, brown and yellow mustard seeds. Brown mustard had higher myrosinase activity (2.75 un/mL) than black (1.50 un/mL) and yellow mustard (0.63 un/mL). The extent of enzyme inactivation increased with pressure (600-800 MPa) and temperature (30-70 °C) for all the mustard seeds. However, at combinations of lower pressures (200-400 MPa) and high temperatures (60-80 °C), there was less inactivation. For example, application of 300 MPa and 70 °C for 10 minutes retained 20%, 80% and 65% activity in yellow, black and brown mustard, respectively, whereas the corresponding activity retentions when applying only heat (70 °C, 10min) were 0%, 59% and 35%. Thus, application of moderate pressures (200-400 MPa) can potentially be used to retain myrosinase activity needed for subsequent glucosinolate hydrolysis.

转基因油菜和野芥菜杂交种的适合度

转基因植物与野生亲缘种间的基因流动是目前生物安全的研究热点。甘蓝型油菜（Brassica napus 以下简称油菜）及其亲缘种是基因流研究中的模式植物体系，油菜的亲缘种之一野芥菜(B. juncea)在中国分布广泛，是常见的农田杂草。本文以转基因抗虫油菜和野芥菜为研究材料，分别用综合适合度(基于生长和生殖)和适合度(仅基于种子产量)的指标来评估其杂交种在模拟农田情况下的适合度，揭示转基因在自然环境中的命运，以期为中国的油菜基因流的管理和控制提供参考。主要结果如下： 由于杂种优势和亲本效应的影响，转基因杂交种在不同的种植季节的生长与长势较好的亲本相近。因而转基因杂交种的综合适合度介于双亲之间，或与表现较好的亲本相似。因结实较差，从种子产量上来看，转基因杂交种的适合度较低。杂交种的后代因母本效应保留了一定的休眠特性，这有助于杂交种在种子库中持续存在。野芥菜和杂交种秋播时在冬季覆大棚条件下的适合度较高，在全球变暖的情况下，野芥菜和杂交种有可能在原先较冷不适宜的地区生长，从而促进转基因的散布。 杂交实验表明，转基因花粉与野芥菜的亲和性略高于非转基因花粉，但不显著；在两种花粉发生竞争时，转基因花粉的亲和性显著较高。混合花粉授粉的结实率高于单种花粉的结实率。可见在转基因花粉在授粉阶段不存在适合度代价。同时两季秋播田间实验表明，转基因油菜与非转基因油菜的适合度没有明显差异，即在植株的生长结实阶段，当没有竞争和虫害选择压力时，转基因没有适合度代价。也证明转基因散布的潜在可能性较大。此外，转基因杂交种的开花量很大，而回交实验中转基因杂交种花粉的育性高于胚珠的育性。转基因有可能通过持续的回交逃逸。 油菜的种子较大，野菜芥的种子较小，转基因油菜与野芥菜的杂交种基本都是小种子，其种子直径低于双亲。种子大小影响了发芽率、出苗率和营养生长期。小种子出苗率和发芽率较低，营养生长期较长。在没有竞争的条件下，春播实验中，种子大小对植物的适合度及综合适合度没有影响。秋播实验中种子大小对除转基因油菜外的所有植物基因型的综合适合度有显著影响。但对于依据种子产量计算的适合度指标来说，种子大小仅对野芥菜有影响，而对其它基因型影响不大。竞争扩大了种子大小之间生长表现的差异。竞争条件下，不同种子级别间的生长变异系数大于无竞争的情况。 总之，转基因花粉较强的竞争能力和其与野芥菜的亲和性使转基因杂交种的产生成为可能。来自母本的休眠特性有助于杂种种子在种子库中存在并在条件适宜时萌发、开花，有助于转基因的进一步扩散。转基因杂交种具有较高的综合适合度，虽然结实率很低，但其开花量比较大，可能会产生大量可育的花粉，在与野生亲本的持续回交过程中，转基因有可能逃逸。同时，转基因杂交种的种子级别偏小有可能会加剧这种逃逸。

Anti-metabolic effects of Galanthus nivalis agglutinin and wheat germ agglutinin on nymphal stages of the common brown leafhopper using a novel artificial diet system

The common brown leafhopper, Orosius orientalis (Matsumura) (Homoptera: Cicadellidae), previously described as Orosius argentatus (Evans), is an important vector of several viruses and phytoplasmas worldwide. In Australia, phytoplasmas vectored by O. orientalis cause a range of economically important diseases, including legume little leaf (Hutton & Grylls, 1956), tomato big bud (Osmelak, 1986), lucerne witches broom (Helson, 1951), potato purple top wilt (Harding & Teakle, 1985), and Australian lucerne yellows (Pilkington et al., 2004). Orosius orientalis also transmits Tobacco yellow dwarf virus (TYDV; genus Mastrevirus, family Geminiviridae) to beans, causing bean summer death disease (Ballantyne, 1968), and to tobacco, causing tobacco yellow dwarf disease (Hill, 1937, 1941). TYDV has only been recorded in Australia to date. Both diseases result in significant production and quality losses (Ballantyne, 1968; Thomas, 1979; Moran & Rodoni, 1999). Although direct damage caused by leafhopper feeding has been observed, it is relatively minor compared to the losses resulting from disease (P Tr E bicki, unpubl.).

EPG monitoring of the probing behaviour of the common brown leafhopper Orosius orientalis on artificial diet and selected host plants

The common brown leafhopper Orosius orientalis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) is a polyphagous vector of a range of economically important pathogens, including phytoplasmas and viruses, which infect a diverse range of crops. Studies on the plant penetration behaviour by O. orientalis were conducted using the electrical penetration graph (EPG) technique to assist in the characterisation of pathogen acquisition and transmission. EPG waveforms representing different probing activities were acquired from adult O. orientalis probing in planta, using two host species, tobacco Nicotiana tabacum and bean Phaseolus vulgaris, and in vitro using a simple sucrose-based artificial diet. Five waveforms (O1–O5) were evident when O. orientalis fed on bean, whereas only four waveforms (O1–O4) and three waveforms (O1–O3) were observed when the leafhopper fed on tobacco and on the artificial diet, respectively. Both the mean duration of each waveform and waveform type differed markedly depending on the food substrate. Waveform O4 was not observed on the artificial diet and occurred relatively rarely on tobacco plants when compared with bean plants. Waveform O5 was only observed with leafhoppers probing on beans. The attributes of the waveforms and comparative analyses with previously published Hemipteran data are presented and discussed, but further characterisation studies will be needed to confirm our suggestions.

Vocalizations of the North Island Brown Kiwi (Apteryx mantelli)

Few studies have investigated the vocal communication of ratites, and none has investigated the spectral and temporal structure of vocalizations of Apteryx, the only extant ratite genus in New Zealand. We describe the long-range vocalization (whistle call) and vocal behavior of male and female North Island Brown Kiwi (Apteryx mantelli). Spontaneous calling by seven pairs was recorded in the field over a one-year period. Call notes produced by males were tonal in nature; the fundamental frequency was ~1.5 kHz, with overtones reaching up to ~13.0 kHz. Call notes produced by females contained a series of tightly packed, poorly defined harmonics and consisted of a fundamental frequency of ~0.1 kHz, with overtones reaching ~7.0 kHz. The amplitude within notes of females was concentrated into two prominent formants. Some individuals of pairs exhibited duetting behavior that resulted in alteration of the inter-note interval after the onset of the call of their mate. Our findings draw attention to the uniqueness of the North Island Brown Kiwi's vocalizations, and we uncovered some unexpected structural features that call for further investigation.

Environmental technologies, intellectual property and climate change (2013) edited by Abbe Brown

Abbe Brown from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, is one of the leading international researchers on intellectual property and climate change. She is an intellectual dynamo. Her work brings together a mastery of intellectual property, with a strong interest in innovation theory and practice, and an engagement with public policy issues surrounding human rights, competition policy, and access to knowledge. Abbe Brown has shown a particular aptitude for tackling big ideas and wicked global problems, with intelligence, gusto, insight, and formidable wisdom.

Phylogeographical relationships of Sicilian brown trout and the effects of genetic introgression on morphospace occupation

Genetic introgression of aquaculture stocks in local forms is well documented in many fish species but their evolutionary consequences for the local populations have not been thoroughly explored. Due to its wide geographical range, the existence of many locally adapted forms and the frequent occurrence of introgression of aquaculture stocks in local forms, brown trout represents the ideal system to study the effects of such introgressions. Here, we focus on a group of rivers and streams in Sicily (Italy), and, by using molecular tools, we show that autochthonous populations are probably derived from the Southern Atlantic clade, which is present in the Iberian peninsula and North Africa. Three out of the four studied rivers reveal signs of genetic introgression of domestic stocks. Finally, by using advanced geometric morphometric analyses, we show that genetic introgression produces a higher degree of morphological variability relative to that observed in non-introgressed populations.

Chemical Characterization of Urinary Pheromones in Brown Antechinus, Antechinus stuartii

In the small dasyurid marsupial, Antechinus stuartii, males exhibit scent-marking in the form of cloacal marking of nesting areas during the breeding season. Females of this species show no such behavior. To characterize the potential male pheromonal scent signal, urine-derived volatiles from sexually active males were analyzed by GC-MS and compared to that of females and a castrated male. More than 10 urinary compounds were identified. A series of homologous methylketones was observed in both males and females, whereas aldehydes were present only in female urine. Urine from the castrate was virtually compound-free except for minute concentrations of a compound tentatively identified as 2,4-dithiapentane. This compound was also found in one of the sexually active males. The GC profiles of the sexually active males contained high concentrations of two pyrazine derivatives and four methylketones that were not detected in the profiles of either females or the castrate. These compounds may influence social communication in the brown antechinus, Antechinus stuartii.

Field evaluation of a plant activator, captan, chlorothalonil, copper hydroxide, iprodione, mancozeb and strobilurins for the control of citrus brown spot of mandarin

Brown spot (caused by Alternaria alternata) is a major disease of citrus in subtropical areas of Australia. A number of chemicals, the strobilurins azoxystrobin, trifloxystrobin, pyraclostrobin and methoxycrylate, a plant activator (acibenzolar), copper hydroxide, mancozeb, captan, iprodione and chlorothalonil/pyrimthanil were tested in the field for its control. Over three seasons, trees in a commercial orchard received 16, 14 and 7 fungicide sprays, respectively, commencing at flowering in the first season, and petal fall in the later seasons. In all experiments, the strobilurins used alone, or incorporated with copper and mancozeb, were as effective as, or better than the industry standard of copper and mancozeb alone. The only exception was trifloxystrobin, which when used alone was less effective than the industry standard. Acibenzolar used alone was ineffective. Applying a mixture of azoxystrobin and acibenzolar was found to reduce the incidence of brown spot compared with applying azoxystrobin alone but, in either case, disease levels were not found to be significantly different to the industry standard. Captan, iprodione and chlorothalonil/pyrimthanil were as effective as the industry standard. The incidence and severity of rind damage were significantly lowest in the azoxystrobin, methoxycrylate, iprodione and chlorothalonil/pyrimthanil treatments. Medium and high rates of trifloxystrobin (0.07 g/L, 0 .15 g/L) and pyraclostrobin (0.8 g/L, 1.2 g/L) applied alone were the only treatments found to be IPM-incompatible as shown by the elevated level of scale infection on fruit.