Free Radical Cascade Carbochloromethylations of Activated Alkenes.

Free radical carbochloromethylations of ortho-cyanoarylacrylamides and N-(arylsulfonyl)acrylamides have been developed by employing simple alkyl chlorides as the chloromethyl source. The transformations are characterized by wide functional group compatibility and utilizing readily available reagents, thus providing efficient methods for constructing polychloromethyl-substituted quinoline-2,4-diones and α-aryl-ß-polychloromethylated amides.

Dynamics of Bemisia tabaci biotypes and insecticide resistance in Fujian province in China during 2005-2014.

The whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) is an important agricultural insect pest worldwide. The B and Q biotypes are the two most predominant and devastating biotypes prevalent across China. However, there are few studies regarding the occurrence of the Q biotype in Fujian Province, China, where high insecticide resistance has been reported in the B biotype. Differences in some biological characteristics between the B and Q biotypes, especially insecticide resistance, are considered to affect the outcome of their competition. Extensive surveys in Fujian revealed that the B biotype was predominant during 2005-2014, whereas the Q biotype was first detected in some locations in 2013 and widely detected throughout the province in 2014. Resistance to neonicotinoids (that have been used for more than 10 years) exhibited fluctuations in open fields, but showed a continual increasing trend in protected areas. Resistance to lambda-cyhalothrin, chlorpyrifos, and abamectin exhibited a declining trend. Resistance to novel insecticides, such as nitenpyram, pymetrozine, sulfoxaflor, and cyantraniliprole, in 2014 was generally below a moderate level. A decline in insecticide resistance in the B biotype and the rapid buildup of protected crops under global temperature increase may have promoted the establishment of the Q biotype in Fujian.

The L-type Ca(2+) Channel Blocker Nifedipine Inhibits Mycelial Growth, Sporulation, and Virulence of Phytophthora capsici.

The oomycete vegetable pathogen Phytophthora capsici causes significant losses of important vegetable crops worldwide. Calcium and other plant nutrients have been used in disease management of oomycete pathogens. Calcium homeostasis and signaling is essential for numerous biological processes, and Ca(2+) channel blockers prevent excessive Ca(2+) influx into the fungal cell. However, it is not known whether voltage-gated Ca(2+) channel blockers improve control over oomycete pathogens. In the present study, we compared the inhibitory effects of CaCl2 and the extracellular Ca(2+) chelator EDTA on mycelial growth and found that calcium assimilation plays a key role in P. capsici mycelial growth. Next, we involved the voltage-gated Ca(2+) channel blockers verapamil (VP) and nifedipine (NFD) to analyze the effect of Ca(2+) channel blockers on mycelial growth and sporulation; the results suggested that NFD, but not VP, caused significant inhibition. Ion rescue in an NFD-induced inhibition assay suggested that NFD-induced inhibition is calcium-dependent. In addition, NFD increased P. capsici sensitivity to H2O2 in a calcium-dependent manner, and extracellular calcium rescued it. Furthermore, NFD inhibited the virulence and gene expression related to its pathogenicity. These results suggest that NFD inhibits mycelial growth, sporulation, and virulence of P. capsici.

Phosphite-induced reactive oxygen species production and ethylene and ABA biosynthesis, mediate the control of Phytophthora capsici in pepper (Capsicum annuum).

Phytophthora capsici is an oomycete pathogen with a broad host range that inflicts significant damage in vegetables. Phosphite (Phi) is used to control oomycete diseases, but the molecular mechanisms underlying Phi-induced resistance to P. capsici are unknown. Thus, Phi-inhibited mycelial growth on strain LT1534 and primed host defence were analysed. We demonstrated that Phi (>5µgmL-1) had a direct antibiotic effect on mycelial growth and zoospore production, and that mortality and DNA content were significantly reduced by pre-treatment with Phi. In addition, elevated hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) promoted callose deposition and increased the levels of soluble proteins and Capsicum annuum L. pathogenesis-related 1 (CaPR1) expression. Furthermore, Phi (1gL-1) significantly increased the transcription of the antioxidant enzyme genes, and the genes involved in ethylene (ET) and abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis, as well as mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades. However, pre-treatment with reactive oxygen species (ROS), ABA and ET biosynthesis inhibitors decreased Phi-induced resistance and reduced the expression of ABA-responsive 1 (CaABR1) and lipoxygenase 1 (CaLOX1). In addition, the decreased ROS and ABA inhibited Phi-induced expression of CaMPK17-1. We propose that Phi-induced ROS production, ET and ABA biosynthesis mediate the control of P. capsici, and that ABA functions through CaMPK17-1-mediated MAPK signalling.