Publications
NIBIOs employees contribute to several hundred scientific articles and research reports every year. You can browse or search in our collection which contains references and links to these publications as well as other research and dissemination activities. The collection is continously updated with new and historical material.
2003
Authors
M. Persson J. Lönnquist Bo Långström Halvor Solheim M. Kyto Anna-Karin Borg-KarlsonAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Abstract
No abstract has been registered
2002
Authors
Guro BrodalAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Abstract
The effect of cold acclimation and defence activators on snow mould resistance and expression of pathogenesis-related (PR-) genes were investigated in winter cereals and perennial ryegrass. Cold acclimation, known to induce snow mould resistance, had apotentiating effect on snow mould-induced PR-gene expression in winter wheat. Chitosan treatment induced chitinase expression and in some cases also snow mould resistance in winter wheat. Bion treatment reduced snow mould resistance in perennial ryegrass.
Abstract
No abstract has been registered
Abstract
One of our main interests is to learn about the molecular basis of host defense responses, using the coniferous host Norway spruce infected with the pathogen Heterobasidion parviporum as the experimental system. This basidiomycete and the closely related pathogen H. annosum are the major root rot causing pathogens in conifers.To screen host material for differential resistance towards H. parviporum, it is a necessity to quantify the fungal colonization of the host tissues. Therefore, we aimed to develop and compare the sensitivity of a real-time PCR to an ergosterol based method for determining the rate of colonization. We developed a quantitative multiplex real-time PCR procedure that reliably detecting down to 1pg H. parviporum DNA and 1ng host DNA.There was a very high correlation between the fungal-biomass/total-biomass and fungal-DNA/total-DNA rankings obtained with ergosterol and real-time PCR, strengthening the credibility of both methods. The results indicate that this real-time procedure can be a useful method to screen different spruce material for their relative resistance to the pathogen H. parviporum.
Abstract
Determining the level of pathogenic fungi and other microorganisms during colonization of the host is central in phytopathological studies. A direct way is to monitor fungal hyphae by microscopic examination, but indirect chitin and ergosterol-based assays have been among the most applied methods in determining fungal biomass within host tissues. Recently real-time technology is increasingly receiving attention as a way to follow infection agents in host tissues.We study the molecular basis of host defense responses, using the coniferous host Norway spruce (Picea abies) infected with the basidomycete Heterobasidion annosum as the experimental system. This basidiomycete is the major root rot causing pathogens in conifers of all age classes.In order to screen host material for differential resistance towards H.annosum for both scientific and commercial reasons, it is a necessity to reliably quantify the fungal colonization of the host tissues. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop and compare the sensitivity of a real-time PCR assay to an ergosterol based method for determining the rate of colonization by H.annosum in inoculated spruce material. We also applied the methods to rank the infection level of the pathogen on the spruce tissue culture clones.We were able to develop a quantitative multiplex real-time PCR procedure that reliably detecting down to 1pg H.annosum DNA and 1ng host DNA in DNA extracted from infected tissues. There was a very high correlation between the fungal-biomass/total-biomass and fungal DNA-total DNA rankings obtained with ergosterol and real-time PCR respectively, strengthening the credibility of both methods.Based on both ergosterol and real-time PCR, it was clear that some spruce clones were faster and more heavily infected than others. These results indicate that both ergosterol and this real-time procedure can be useful methods to screen different spruce material for their relative resistance to the pathogen H.annosum.
Authors
Dan AamlidAbstract
Extended summary and conclusions The Pechenganikel combine in the Nikel-Zapolyarny area was established in 1933. During the first 30 years of production, 100 000 tons of sulphur dioxide (SO2) were emitted annually. Since 1971, nickel from the Norilsk ores in Siberia have been processed in the smelters. The Norilsk ore contains more sulphur than the Nikel ore. As a result of the processing of this sulphur-rich ore, emissions of SO2 increased rapidly, reaching 400 000 tons in 1979. Current annual emissions are much lower, about 150 000 tons. However, the present emission is still above the critical level for sensitive biota in the Nikel-Pasvik area. Investigations of soils show that the soil layers are contaminated by heavy metals (nickel and copper). The results also indicate an influence on soil fertility expressed as changes in base saturation (BS), cation exchange capacity (CEC) and soil acidity. According to the calculations (critical loads) future sulphur deposition has to be reduced to very low levels in order to stop the ongoing soil acidification. Air pollution influence has had severe effects on forest vegetation in the Nikel-Pasvik area. Trees, vascular plants, mosses and lichens are all affected. In the close vicinity of the smelters forests are dead or severely damaged. Visible injuries to vegetation caused by SO2 have some years been frequent. Symptoms are recognised on Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and downy birch (Betula pubescens), which are the dominant tree species in the region, and on other plants, e.g. dwarf birch (Betula nana) and bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus). The species composition of the ground vegetation in the forest has been influenced, and epiphytic lichen vegetation has been severely influenced over large areas. Critical levels are exceeded on more than 3200 square kilometres of Russian and Norwegian territory. Air pollution has reduced invertebrate and animal diversity due to lack of forest vegetation and contamination of surface soils in the vicinity of the nickel smelters. Small vertebrates are impacted by an increased heavy metal content in the liver. However, no negative health effects to reindeer are foreseen. Long-term monitoring of water chemistry in lakes and rivers has revealed that extensive surface water acidification has taken place, particularly on the Norwegian side of the border. Critical loads are exceeded in large areas of Sør-Varanger municipality, especially in the Jarfjord area, and in areas situated around Nikel and Zapolyarny. However, on the Russian side, the contamination of lakes by the heavy metals (nickel and copper) is more severe than acidification, especially in the vicinity of the smelters, where damage to fish populations as well as phytoplankton and invertebrate communities are observed. Studies of human health in the Nikel-Pasvik area revealed no major health effects that can be ascribed to the air pollution by nickel and sulphur dioxide in the Nikel-Zapolyarny area or in the Pasvik valley. The most severe effects of air pollution in the border areas between Norway and Russia, caused by sulphur dioxide emission from Nikel and Zapolyarny, on the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems seem to be on vegetation, surface water and soils, and thus also on other compartments of the ecosystem.
Authors
Halvor Solheim Jan-Ole SkageAbstract
In a greenery trial of Noble fir in western Norway, most branches had good quality until 1994 when 31 % of the branches were discarded. Since then a high level of losses has been noted and 87 % were discarded in 2000. A survey in 1998 revealed that the needle blight fungus Delphinella abietis was the main cause. It seems that frost did not initiate or maintain the disease in the stand, but generally low temperatures may have been important. Discarded branches with the fungus have been left on the ground and have probably been important in maintaining a high level of attack.
Authors
Wim de Vries Gert Jan Reinds H.F. van Dobben D. de Zwart Dan Aamlid P. Neville M. Posch J. Auée J.C.H. Voogd E.M. VelAbstract
No abstract has been registered