The embryogenic development of Rolylenchulus borealis, at 24-26 C, was completed on corn, in 12-15 days, and the life-cycle of the nematode from egg to egg required 35-40 days at 20-25 C. Juveniles remained in the soil as preinfective stages for 17-19 days before becoming adults. Only immature vermiform and swollen egg-laying females were found attached to corn roots. Eggs were laid in a gelati...

BACKGROUND Trichoderma sp. SL2 has been previously reported to enhance rice germination, vigour, growth and physiological characteristics. The use of Potato Dextrose Agar as carrier of Trichoderma sp. SL2 inoculant is not practical for field application due to its short shelf life and high cost. This study focuses on the use of corn and sugarcane bagasse as potential carriers for Trichoderma sp...

Seeds and young seedlings often encounter high soluble salt levels in the upmost soil layers, impeding vigorous growth by affecting root establishment. Computed tomography (CT) scanning used at low X-ray doses can help study root development in such conditions non-destructively, because plants are allowed to grow throughout the experiment. Using a high-resolution Toshiba XVision CT scanner, we ...

A 2 yr field study was conducted to determine how a blend of entomopathogens interacted with Bt maize to affect mortality of Diabrotica spp. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), root injury to maize (Zea maize L.) and yield. The blend of entomopathogens included two entomopathogenic nematodes, Steinernema carpocapsae Weiser and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Poinar, and one entomopathogenic fungus, Meta...

Cucurbitacins are feeding stimulants for corn rootworm used in baits to control the adults of this insect pest. Corn rootworm larvae also feed compulsively on cucurbitacins. Cucurbitacins are reported to be gibberellin antagonists that may preclude their use as seed treatments for these soil-dwelling insects. The crude extract of a bitter Hawkesbury watermelon containing cucurbitacin E-glycosid...

Root activity can modify the chemistry of the rhizosphere and alter phosphorus (P) availability and uptake. However, until recently, relatively little was known about the dynamics of soil solution P at the root surface because of our inability to measure in situ changes in solution P at the plant root. A mini-rhizotron experiment with corn (Zea mays L. cv. Stine 2250), soybean [Glycine max (L.)...

Field plots of Tifton loamy sand were treated with phenamiphos for control of root-knot nematodes in a multiple-crop system of turnips, field corn, and southern peas. Preplant applications of phenamiphos protected roots of turnips and corn from damage by root-knot nematodes. Concentrations of phenamiphos at application in the 0-15-cm soil layer were near 6 mug/g on turnips and near 4 mug/g on c...

The Corn Belt of the Midwestern United States is among the most productive grainproducing regions of the world. Yet the development of the Corn Belt has been accompanied by a suite of environmental concerns. Alternative systems have been proposed that remediate environmental quality while relying on fewer external inputs (e.g., synthetic nitrogen fertilizer) than dominate cropping systems of co...

Two cDNAs encoding Ca(2+)-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs), CRPK1 and CRPK2 (corn root protein kinase 1 and 2), were isolated from the root tip library of corn (Zea mays L., cv. Merit) and their nucleotide sequences were determined. Deduced amino acid sequences of both the clones have features characteristic of plant CDPKs, including all 11 conserved serine/threonine kinase subdomains, a junct...