First Report of 'Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris'-Related Strains Infecting Lily in Mexico.

In recent years, lily (Lilium spp.) has become an important ornamental crop in diverse regions of Mexico. Since 2005, unusual symptoms have been observed on lily plants grown from imported bulbs in both greenhouse and production plots at San Pablo Ixayo, Boyeros, and Tequexquinauac, Mexico State. Symptoms included a zigzag line pattern on leaves, dwarfism, enlargement of stems, shortened internodes, leaves without petioles growing directly from bulbs, air bulbils, death of young roots, atrophy of flower buttons, and flower abortion. Symptoms were experimentally reproduced on healthy lily plants by graft inoculation. Total DNA was extracted from 50 diseased, 10 symptomless, and 10 graft-inoculated plants by the method of Dellaporta et al. (2). DNA samples were analyzed for phytoplasma presence by two different nested PCR assays. One assay employed ribosomal RNA gene primer pair P1/P7 followed by R16F2n/R16R2 (1), whereas ribosomal protein (rp) gene primer pairs rpF1/rpR1 and rp(I)F1A/rp(I)R1A (4) were used in a second assay. A DNA fragment approximately 1.2 kb long was consistently amplified from all symptomatic plant samples only by both assays. A comparative analysis of 16S rDNA sequences (Genbank Accession Nos. EF421158-EF421160 and EU124518-EU124520) and rp gene sequences (EU277012-EU277014), derived from PCR products, revealed that phytoplasma infecting lily were most similar (99.9% to 16S rDNA and 99.7% to rp) to carrot phytoplasma sp. ca2006/5 and also were similar (99.8% to 16SrDNA and 99.2% to rp) to broccoli phytoplasma sp. br273. Both carrot and broccoli phytoplasmas were classified as members of aster yellow 16S rDNA restriction fragment length polymorphism subgroup 16SrI-B (3). Although infection of lilies by aster yellows ('Ca. phytoplasma asteris') subgroup 16SrI-B and 16SrI-C was reported from the Czech Republic and Poland, to our knowledge, this is the first report of 'Ca. phytoplasma asteris'-related strains associated with lily plants in Mexico. References: (1) R. F. Davis et al. Microbiol. Res. 158:229, 2003. (2) S. L. Dellaporta et al. Plant Mol. Biol. Rep. 1:19, 1983. (3) B. Duduk et al. Bull. Insectol. 60 2:341, 2007. (4) I.-M. Lee et al. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 54:337, 2004.

Studies onPaecilomyces marquandii from nematode suppressive chinampa soils.

Two applications of isolates ofPaecilomyces marquandii from suppressive chinampa soils or P. lilacinus from Peru, fungi that parasitize nematode eggs, generally gave better control of tomato root-knot due toMeloidogyne incognita than did a single application. The effects on root galling by each of thePaecilomyces isolates varied between experiments; however, the ovicidal potential of the three isolates did not differ significantly. Proteins specific for each of the isolates were demonstrated by SDS gel electrophoresis. The results indicate thatP. marquandii is one of the natural soil organisms that contribute to nematode suppression in the chinampa agricultural soils.

Suppression of plant parasitic nematodes in the chinampa agricultural soils.

Soil from the chinampa agricultural system in the Valley of Mexico suppressed damage by plant-parasitic nematodes to tomatoes and beans in greenhouse and growth chamber trials. Sterilization of the chinampa soil resulted in a loss of the suppressive effect, thereby indicating that one or more biotic factors were responsible for the low incidence of nematode damage. Nine organisms were isolated from chinampa soil, which showed antinematodal properties in culture. Naturally occurring populations of plant-parasitic nematodes were of lower incidence in chinampa soil than in Chapingo soil.

Control of Root-knot Nematodes on Tomato by Lectins.

Significant control of tomato root knot was achieved by applications of the lectins Concanavalin A (Con A) and Limax flavus agglutinin in greenhouse, growth chamber, and microplot trials. Four consecutive weekly applications at lower concentrations of Con A yielded better control than single applications at a higher total concentration. The present state of knowledge on binding of Con A to soil nematodes and the in vitro effect of this lectin in chemotactic behavior are discussed. The mode of action of Con A on root-knot control is unknown.

Caenorhabditis elegans: comparisons of chemotactic behavior from monoxenic and axenic culture.

Significant differences in chemotactic response of Caenorhabditis elegans were demonstrated for nematodes from monoxenic culture as compared to nematodes from axenic culture. These results support those of a previous study in which large differences in growth, development, behavior, and longevity were shown for C. elegans in comparative assays of the monoxenic and axenic regimes.

Fluorescent and Ferritin Labelling of Cuticle Surface Carbohydrates of Caenorhabditis elegans and Panagrellus redivivus.

Caenorhabditis elegans and Panagrellus redivivus were investigated for surface carbohydrates using fluorescent-labelled and ferritin-labelled lectins. Rhodamine-labelled Concanavalin A was specifically located in the cephalic region of both species. Rhodamine-labelled wheat germ agglutinin was located over the entire cuticle of P. redivivus but was absent on C. elegans. Rhodamine-labelled peanut agglutinin and Limax flavus agglutinin did not label nematodes of either species. Galactose and sialic acid were not detected on either species, whereas mannose-glucose residues were specifically localized in the head areas of both species. No detectable N-acetylglucosamine occurred on C. elegans, but it was evenly distributed over the cuticle surface of P. redivivus.

Caenorhabditis elegans: lectin-mediated modification of chemotaxis.

Binding of the lectins concanavalin A (Con A) and limulin to Caenorhabditis elegans wild type resulted in consistent, reproducible, partial inhibition of chemoattraction to sterile filtrates of Escherichia coli. Normal chemotaxis resumed within 8 hr following treatment with these lectins. Competitive displacement of Con A or limulin by flooding with the specific sugars resulted in rapid resumption of normal chemotactic behavior. The experimental protocol for Con A applied to three age groups (newly hatched larvae, young adults, and old adults) showed the same response for all groups tested. Two mutant C. elegans with morphological defects in the cephalic chemosensilla showed the same inhibition of chemotactic response after exposure to Con A, and rapidly resumed normal behavior after competitive displacement of the lectin. Limulin and Con A did not affect nematode growth, development, or longevity, demonstrating that the observed results were not attributable to toxic effects. These results and other experimental evidence support the premise that behavioral modification was caused by functional impairments caused by Con A and limulin to chemoreceptors located on sensory dendrites of the cephalic sensilla.

Behavioral Effects of Carbofuran and Phenamiphos on Pratylenchus vulnus. I. Motility and Dispersion.

The motility and dispersion of Pratylenchus vulnus was affected by lower concentrations of phenanliphos (an organophosphate) than of carbofuran (a carbamate). At the higher concentrations in the active ranges, somatic musculature activity was inhibited while the activity of internal-organ muscnlature persisted. Treated nematodes recovered when placed in aerated distilled water, but recovery decreased as treatment concentrations increased. Second-stage larvae dispersed more slowly than later stages or adults. Dispersion from a point source followed a natural log pattern under ideal conditions, similar to a diffusion pattern.

Behavioral Effects of Carbofuran and Phenamiphos on Pratylenchus vulnus. II. Attraction to Bean Roots.

Pratylenchus vulnus (L, L, adults) are attracted to the roots of growing bean seedlings. The attraction is inhibited by treating the nematodes with solutions of carbofuran or phenamiphos at concentrations below those necessary to inhibit motility and dispersion. Nematicide treatments of plants without treatment of nematodes are ineffectual because nematodes are attracted equally well to treated and untreated seedlings.

Behavioral Effects of Carbofuran and Phenamiphos on Pratylenchus vulnus. III. Penetration and Development.

Penetration of bean roots by Pratylenchus vulnus was inhibited by continuous exposure of the nematode to carbofuran and phenamiphos and by drenches of higher concentrations of these chemicals. The inhibition was explicable by inhibition of motility, dispersion, and attraction. If incubated in aerated distilled water, nematodes treated with carbofuran and phenamiphos recovered and reproduced as well as untreated nematodes. Foliar treatments were ineffective. Apparently, no basipetal transport of carbofuran and phenamiphos occurs in beans. Both nematicides arrested nematode development by interfering with egg production and transitions between life stages.