Norway Spruce Needles (norway + spruce_needle)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Co-occurrence of the ascomycete Lophodermium piceae and the rust fungus Chrysomyxa abietis in Norway spruce needles

FOREST PATHOLOGY, Issue 1 2001
A. Lehtijärvi
The frequency of needles and the proportion of needle segments infected by Lophodermium piceae were compared in symptomless and Chrysomyxa abietis- infected, 1-year-old needles of Picea abies. In late spring, symptomless needles from both rust-infected and healthy saplings were sampled. In addition, rust-infected, totally chlorotic needles and needles with chlorosis along about half their length from the diseased trees were examined. In all three stands, the proportion of segments infected by L. piceae was larger in the rust-infected half of the needle than in the symptomless half; but the difference was statistically significant in only one of the stands. The proportion of L. piceae -infected segments among the nonrust-infected needles was the same as that found for the uninfected half of rust-infected needles (after correction for size differences). No differences in the proportion of L. piceae -infected segments were found between the totally chlorotic, rust-infected needles and the green needles of diseased or healthy trees. [source]


Diversity of endophytic fungi of single Norway spruce needles and their role as pioneer decomposers

MOLECULAR ECOLOGY, Issue 7 2001
Michael M. Müller
Abstract The diversity of endophytic fungi within single symptomless Norway spruce needles is described and their possible role as pioneer decomposers after needle detachment is investigated. The majority (90%) of all 182 isolates from green intact needles were identified as Lophodermium piceae. Up to 34 isolates were obtained from single needles. Generally, all isolates within single needles had distinct randomly amplified microsatellite (RAMS) patterns. Single trees may thus contain a higher number of L. piceae individuals than the number of their needles. To investigate the ability of needle endophytes to act as pioneer decomposers, surface-sterilized needles were incubated on sterile sand inoculated with autoclaved or live spruce forest humus layer. The dry weight loss of 13,17% found in needles after a 20-week incubation did not significantly differ between the sterilized and live treatments. Hence, fungi surviving the surface sterilization of needles can act as pioneer decomposers. A considerable portion of the needles remained green during the incubation. Brown and black needles, in which the weight loss had presumably taken place, were invaded throughout by single haplotypes different from L. piceae. Instead, Tiarasporella parca, a less common needle endophyte, occurred among these invaders of brown needles. Needle endophytes of Norway spruce seem thus to have different abilities to decompose host tissues after needle cast. L. piceae is obviously not an important pioneer decomposer of Norway spruce needles. The diversity of fungal individuals drops sharply when needles start to decompose. Thus, in single needles the decomposing mycota is considerably less diverse than the endophytic mycota. [source]


Reduction of proteins during sample preparation and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of woody plant samples

PROTEINS: STRUCTURE, FUNCTION AND BIOINFORMATICS, Issue 5 2006
Cristina-Maria Vâlcu
Abstract Protein extraction procedure and the reducing agent content (DTT, dithioerythritol, tributyl phosphine and tris (2-carboxyethyl) phosphine (TCEP)) of the sample and rehydration buffers were optimised for European beech leaves and roots and Norway spruce needles. Optimal extraction was achieved with 100,mM DTT for leaves and needles and a mixture of 2,mM TCEP and 50,mM DTT for roots. Performing IEF in buffers containing hydroxyethyldisulphide significantly enhanced the quality of separation for all proteins except for acidic root proteins, which were optimally focused in the same buffer as extracted. [source]