Resistant Rice Plants Research Articles

Evidence of Duck Activity Induced Anatomical Structure Change and Lodging Resistance of Rice Plant

The system of rice cultivation associated with duck raising is known as an integrated rice-duck (RD) farming system and has a long history in China and Asia. However, the roles of duck activities on rice physiological characteristics are unknown. Field and laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate mechanical stimulations of duck activities on rice physiological characteristics, and hence on morphology and anatomy. Here, we found that there were substantial variations in anatomical structure of the rice culm internodes and in lodging resistance of rice plants with and without the duck activities. Anatomical analysis showed a distinct difference between the RD and rice-no-duck (RND) treatments in culm wall thickness of the rice internodes. For internode N4, the culm wall from the RD treatment was more than 35% thicker than that from the RND treatment. In general, the epidermal layer of the rice culm was significantly denser for the internodes and the thickness of the culm walls increased from N1 to N4 under the RD farming system. Additionally, the areas of vascular bundles were larger and were better organized and structured in the RD treatment. Our results further revealed that the breaking-resistant strength increased whereas the lodging index of the rice culm decreased with duck activities.

A rice lectin receptor‐like kinase that is involved in innate immune responses also contributes to seed germination

Seed germination and innate immunity both have significant effects on plant life spans because they control the plant's entry into the ecosystem and provide defenses against various external stresses, respectively. Much ecological evidence has shown that seeds with high vigor are generally more tolerant of various environmental stimuli in the field than those with low vigor. However, there is little genetic evidence linking germination and immunity in plants. Here, we show that the rice lectin receptor-like kinase OslecRK contributes to both seed germination and plant innate immunity. We demonstrate that knocking down the OslecRK gene depresses the expression of α–amylase genes, reducing seed viability and thereby decreasing the rate of seed germination. Moreover, it also inhibits the expression of defense genes, and so reduces the resistance of rice plants to fungal and bacterial pathogens as well as herbivorous insects. Yeast two-hybrid and co-immunoprecipitation experiments revealed that OslecRK interacts with an actin-depolymerizing factor (ADF) in vivo via its kinase domain. Moreover, the rice adf mutant exhibited a reduced seed germination rate due to the suppression of α–amylase gene expression. This mutant also exhibited depressed immune responses and reduced resistance to biotic stresses. Our results thus provide direct genetic evidence for a common physiological pathway connecting germination and immunity in plants. They also partially explain the common observation that high-vigor seeds often perform well in the field. The dual effects of OslecRK may be indicative of progressive adaptive evolution in rice.

Effects of triazophos on biochemical substances of transgenic Bt rice and its nontarget pest Nilaparvata lugens Stål under elevated CO2

The brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens Stål, is a serious rice pest throughout Asia. Recent outbreaks of N. lugens populations were mainly associated with the overuse of pesticides and resistance to insecticides. Warmer global temperatures that are associated with anthropogenic climate change are likely to have marked ecological effects on terrestrial ecosystems. However, the effects of elevated CO2 concentrations on the biochemical, physiological and nutrient quality of transgenic Bt rice that has been treated with pesticides and on the control efficacy of the pesticides are not understood. The present study investigated changes in soluble sugar content, free amino acid levels, oxalic acid levels, flavonoids levels, and triazophos residues in transgenic Bt rice (TT51) and the control efficacy of triazophos for N. lugens following triazophos foliar spray under conditions of elevated CO2 (eCO2). Our findings showed that the soluble sugar content of TT51 treated with triazophos under eCO2 was significantly higher than that under ambient CO2 (aCO2) and also higher than that of the non-transgenic parent (MH63) under aCO2. However, the results for free amino acid levels were the opposite of those for soluble sugar levels. The oxalic acid and flavonoid contents of rice plants significantly decreased with increases in triazophos concentration, CO2 concentration, and days after treatment (DAT). The oxalic acid and flavonoid contents of TT51 treated with triazophos under eCO2 were significantly lower than those under aCO2 and also lower than those of MH63 under aCO2. The residue concentration of triazophos varied with CO2 concentration, rice variety, and DAT. The residues in TT51 treated with 80ppm of trizaopos under eCO2 were significantly lower than those under aCO2 and those in MH63 under aCO2. The survival rate of nymphs N. lugens in TT51 under eCO2 was significantly higher than that under aCO2 and that in MH63 under aCO2 at 1 DAT or 15 DAT after the release of 2nd instars nymphs. These findings indicated that (1) for TT51, triazophos reduced the resistance of rice plants to N. lugens with an elevated CO2 concentration, as N. lugens consumed more phloem sap on TT51 plants; (2) triazophos dissipation in TT51 under eCO2 was significantly faster than that under aCO2 and that in MH63 under aCO2; (3) the control efficacy of triazophos for N. lugens significantly decreased under eCO2. The present findings provide important information for integrated pest management among transgenic varieties.

Secretome analysis of the rice bacteriumXanthomonas oryzae(Xoo) using in vitro and in planta systems

Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) causes bacterial blight disease in rice, and that severely affects yield loss (upto 50%) of total rice production. Here, we report a proteomics investigation of Xoo (compatible race K3)-secreted proteins, isolated from its in vitro culture and in planta infected rice leaves. 2DE coupled with MALDI-TOF-MS and/or nLC-ESI-MS/MS approaches identified 139 protein spots (out of 153 differential spots), encoding 109 unique proteins. Identified proteins belonged to multiple biological and molecular functions. Metabolic and nutrient uptake proteins were common up to both in vitro and in planta secretomes. However, pathogenicity, protease/peptidase, and host defense-related proteins were highly or specifically expressed during in planta infection. A good correlation was observed between protein and transcript abundances for nine proteins secreted in planta as per semiquantitative RT-PCR analysis. Transgenic rice leaf sheath (carrying PBZ1 promoter::GFP cell death reporter), when used to express a few of the identified secretory proteins, showed a direct activation of cell death signaling, suggesting their involvement in pathogenicity related with secretion effectors. This work furthers our understanding of rice bacterial blight disease, and serves as a resource for possible translation in generating disease resistant rice plants for improved seed yield.

Gene expression responses to Rice tungro spherical virus in susceptible and resistant near-isogenic rice plants

Rice cultivar Taichung Native 1 (TN1) is susceptible to Rice tungro spherical virus (RTSV). TW16 is a backcross line developed between TN1 and RTSV-resistant cultivar Utri Merah. RTSV accumulation in TW16 was significantly lower than in TN1, although both TN1 and TW16 remained asymptomatic. We compared the gene expression profiles of TN1 and TW16 infected by RTSV to identify the gene expression patterns accompanying the accumulation and suppression of RTSV. About 11% and 12% of the genes in the entire genome were found differentially expressed by RTSV in TN1 and TW16, respectively. About 30% of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected commonly in both TN1 and TW16. DEGs related to development and stress response processes were significantly overrepresented in both TN1 and TW16. Evident differences in gene expression between TN1 and TW16 instigated by RTSV included (1) suppression of more genes for development-related transcription factors in TW16; (2) activation of more genes for development-related peptide hormone RALF in TN1; (3) TN1- and TW16-specific regulation of genes for jasmonate synthesis and pathway, and genes for stress-related transcription factors such as WRKY, SNAC, and AP2-EREBP; (4) activation of more genes for glutathione S-transferase in TW16; (5) activation of more heat shock protein genes in TN1; and (6) suppression of more genes for Golden2-like transcription factors involved in plastid development in TN1. The results suggest that a significant number of defense and development-related genes are still regulated in asymptomatic plants even with a very low level of RTSV, and that the TN1- and TW16-specific gene regulations might be associated with regulation of RTSV accumulation in the plants.

Karakterisasi fenotip kultivar padi tahan dan rentan wereng coklat, Nilaparvata lugens Stål. (Hemiptera: Delphacidae)

The brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens Stal. is a destructive and widespread insect pest throughout the rice areas in Indonesia. Rice plant resistance is an effective method in controlling N. lugens. However, the resistance sources and how their mechanism for imparting induced resistance against brown planthopper remains to be nderstood. This research was aimed to identify plant hair and protein banding patterns, as a genetic expression, of resistant and susceptible varieties. Identification of the variation of number of plant hair were carried out by using binocular microscope, while the protein banding patterns was detected by separation on SDS-Page. Co-variants analysis was adopted to identify the groups of resistant cultivars based on protein banding patterns. The results showed that plant hair on resistant rice cultivars are different with susceptible cultivars (resistance to Pelita I/1). The plant hair on resistant cultivars are larger/longer, more abudant and grew tighter than on susceptible cultivar. However the number of plant hair have no correlation with resistance level. In the absence of brown plant hopper infestation, the expression of protein total of resistant and susceptible cultivars are not clearly separated. Pelita I/1 varieties showed a similar banding pattern to IR 26 (biotype 1), IR 42 (resistance to biotype 2) and IR IR 74 (resistance to biotype 3), but the four cultivars are not similar to the resistant cultivar IR 36 varieties (resistance to biotype 2). Our research showed that both plant hair and protein banding patterns can not be used to identify the plant resistance.

Marker‐free, tissue‐specific expression of Cry1Ab as a safe transgenic strategy for insect resistance in rice plants

Rice is the major food resource for nearly half of the global population; however, insect infestation could severely affect the production of this staple food. To improve rice insect resistance and reduce the levels of Bt toxin released into the environment, the Cry1Ab gene was conjugated to the rice rbcS promoter to express Bt toxin in specific tissues of transgenic plants. Eight marker-free, T(2) lines were separated from the T(0) cotransformants. Using RT-PCR, high levels of Cry1Ab expression were detected in the leaf but not in the seed. The Cry1Ab protein level ranged from 1.66 to 3.31 µg g(-1) in the leaves of four transgenic lines, but was barely detectable in their seeds by ELISA. Bioassays showed that the mortality rate of silkworm larvae feeding on mulberry leaves dipped in transgenic rice flour and pollen was less than that of the positive control (KMD), and that their average weight was higher than that of KMD, suggesting that the Cry1Ab protein was not expressed in the seed and pollen. The transgene conferred a high level of resistance to insects and biosafety to the rice plants, which could be directly used in rice breeding.

Brassinosteroid action in flowering plants: a Darwinian perspective.

The year 2012 marks the 150th anniversary of the publication of Charles Darwin's first botanical book, on the fertilization of orchids (1862), wherein he described pollen grains and outlined his evolutionary principles with respect to plant research. Five decades later, the growth-promoting effect of extracts of Orchid pollen on coleoptile elongation was documented. These studies led to the discovery of a new class of phytohormones, the brassinosteroids (BRs) that were isolated from rapeseed (Brassica napus) pollen. These growth-promoting steroids, which regulate height, fertility, and seed-filling in crop plants such as rice (Oryza sativa), also induce stress- and disease resistance in green algae and angiosperms. The origin and current status of BR-research is described here, with reference to BR-action and -signal transduction, and it is shown that modern high-yield rice varieties with erect leaves are deficient in endogenous BRs. Since brassinosteroids induce pathogen resistance in rice plants and hence can suppress rice blast- and bacterial blight-diseases, genetic manipulation of BR-biosynthesis or -perception may be a means to increase crop production. Basic research on BR activity in plants, such as Arabidopsis and rice, has the potential to increase crop yields further as part of a 21th century 'green biotech-revolution' that can be traced back to Darwin's classical breeding experiments. It is concluded that 'Nothing in brassinosteroid research makes sense except in the light of Darwinian evolution' and the value of basic science is highlighted, with reference to the genetic engineering of better food crops that may become resistant to a variety of plant diseases.

Decrease of rice plant resistance and induction of hormesis and carboxylesterase titre in brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) by xenobiotics

The brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) is a serious threat to the rice production throughout Asia. The indiscriminate application of various xenobiotics in rice ecosystem is perceived as one of the factors for the frequent outbreak of BPH. The present study has critically analysed the secondary effects of some xenobiotics used in rice field on certain plant and insect parameters that subsequently favour BPH outbreak. Application of 2,4-D, carbendazim, deltamethrin and urea reduced the innate BPH resistance of PTB 33 rice variety due to favourable alterations in rice free amino acid and sucrose content. Similarly, these chemicals also induced hormesis and enhanced feeding in BPH. Alternatively, soil amendment with neem seed powder and Calotropis gigantea leaves improved plant innate resistance and showed no sign of hormesis or enhanced feeding in BPH. In addition, deltamethrin has the ability to stimulate BPH carboxylesterase titre. Native PAGE analysis of esterases from whole body homogenate of BPH revealed at least five esterase isozyme bands, prominent being E1 and E2. However, no difference in BPH esterase banding pattern was observed between different xenobiotic treatments. All these esterase bands are classified under carboxylesterase based on their inhibition by class specific esterase inhibitors.

Differential expression of vitellogenin mRNA and protein in response to rice resistance genes in two strains of Nilaparvata lugens (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) with different levels of virulence

Controlling the brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens (Stal) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), is a difficult task in rice (Oryza sativa L.) production. We focused on vitellogenins (Vg), which are the major yolk protein precursors of vitellins and play an important role in the reproduction of oviparous species, including insects. We studied the accumulation of Vg mRNA and protein in a virulent BPH strain, Nagasaki-03, and a nonvirulent strain, Hatano-66, after rearing them on four rice lines. The rice lines used were two single resistance gene introgression lines, Norin-PL3 (Bph1 carrier) and Norin-PL4 (bph2 carrier), a pyramided line in which both genes were combined, and a susceptible japonica recurrent parent Tsukushibare. RT-PCR and quantitative RT-PCR analyses showed that the Vg mRNA level decreased greatly in Hatano-66 on the resistant lines. In contrast, the level of reduction on the resistant lines was much less in Nagasaki-03. Immunoblot analysis showed that Nagasaki-03 retained comparable levels of 175 kDa Vg protein on both the susceptible and resistant lines, whereas in Hatano-66, no Vg protein was detected on the resistant lines. Our results showed that BPH resistance genes caused differential reduction in the accumulation of Vg mRNA and protein, leading to the retardation of BPH reproduction on the resistant host rice plants.

Identification and Characterization of 2′-Deoxyuridine from the Supernatant of Conidial Suspensions of Rice Blast Fungus as an Infection-Promoting Factor in Rice Plants

We previously detected infection-promoting activity in the supernatant of the conidial suspension (SCS) of the rice blast fungus. In the present study, a molecule carrying the activity was purified and identified as 2'-deoxyuridine (dU). The infection-promoting activity of dU was strictly dependent on its chemical structure and displayed characteristics consistent with those of the SCS. Notably, the activity of dU was exclusively detected during interactions between rice and virulent isolates of the fungus, the number of susceptible lesions in leaf blades was increased by dU, and nonhost resistance in rice plants was not affected by treatment with dU. In addition, the expression of pathogensis-related genes, accumulation of H(2)O(2), and production of phytoalexins in rice in response to inoculation with virulent fungal isolates was not suppressed by dU. The infection-promoting activity of dU was not accompanied by elevated levels of endogenous abscissic acid, which is known to modify plant-pathogen interactions, and was not detected in interactions between oat plants and a virulent oat blast fungus isolate. Taken together, these results demonstrate that dU is a novel infection-promoting factor that acts specifically during compatible interactions between rice plants and rice blast fungus in a mode distinct from that of toxins and suppressors.

Subcellular distribution and chemical forms of chromium in rice plants suffering from different levels of chromium toxicity

AbstractThe subcellular distribution and chemical forms of different heavy metals in rice are correlated with their bio‐toxicity. An experiment was conducted to investigate the subcellular distribution and chemical forms of chromium (Cr) in two rice genotypes (Oryza sativa L. cv. Xiushui 113 and cv. Dan K5) differing in Cr accumulation, to understand the mechanisms of Cr toxicity and resistance in rice plants. The results show that Cr in the roots of rice plants exposed to Cr stress was mainly localized in cell walls, whereas Cr in leaves and stems was mainly present in both cell walls and vacuoles, suggesting that both compartments act as important protective barriers against Cr toxicity in rice plants. Although Cr ions in all plant tissues exist predominantly in the forms extracted by 80% ethanol and distilled water, the amount of Cr in the chemical forms extracted by 2% HAc, 0.6 M HCl, and in residues was significantly increased under the highest Cr level (100 μM Cr) compared to the plants grown under lower Cr levels. These results indicate that excess Cr accumulated in rice plants under Cr stress is bound to undissolved or low‐bioavailable compounds, such as undissolved phosphate and oxalate, being beneficial for rice plants to alleviate Cr toxicity. In addition, under the highest Cr level (100 μM), Dan K5 had a higher percentage of Cr in the chemical forms extracted by 2% HAc, 0.6 M HCl, and in residues compared to Xiushui 113 in both stems and leaves, indicating that more Cr ions in shoots of Dan K5 were bound to undissolved or low‐bioavailable compounds, in comparison with those of Xiushui 113. It is evident that the low bioavailability of Cr in the shoots of Dan K5 is related to a high Cr accumulation.

Level of protoporphyrinogen oxidase activity tightly correlates with photodynamic and defense responses in oxyfluorfen-treated transgenic rice

Transgenic rice systems involving the plastidal expression of Arabidopsis protoporphyrinogen oxidase (Protox) (AP line) and the dual expression of Myxococcus xanthus Protox in chloroplasts and mitochondria (TTS line) were used to investigate the effect of Protox levels on photodynamic stress and defense responses imposed by peroxidizing herbicide oxyfluorfen. The oxyfluorfen-treated TTS line showed less photodynamic stress and antioxidant responses than AP and wild-type lines, indicating that sustained Protox activity in the TTS line during oxyfluorfen action prevented the accumulation of photodynamic protoporphyrin IX. This study suggests evidence of a tight correlation of Protox activity with herbicidal resistance in rice plants.

Transgenic rice plants expressing cry1Ia5 gene are resistant to stem borer (Chilo agamemnon)

The stem borer, Chilo agamemnon Bles., is the most serious insect pest in rice fields of the Egyptian Nile Delta. To induce rice plant resistance to Chilo agamemnon, the cry1Ia5 gene was introduced to rice plants (Oryza sativa L.). The integration of the cry1Ia5 gene into the plant genome was confirmed using PCR and Southern blot analyses. The obtained plantlets were transferred to the greenhouse until seeds were collected. Northern blot analysis of the T1 plants confirmed the expression of the cry1Ia5 gene. The insecticidal activity of the transgenic plants against the rice stem borer Chilo agamemnon were tested. The third larval instars were fed on stem cuts from three transgenic lines (L1, L2 and L3) as well as cuts from the control (gfp-transgenic) plants for one week and the mortality percentage was daily recorded. Transgenic line-3 showed the highest mortality percentage after one day (50%) followed by L2 (25%) then L1 (0%). Two days post treatment the mortality percentage increased to 70, 45 and 25% for transgenic lines 1, 2 and 3 respectively. Mortality of 100% was recorded four days post treatment, while those fed on the gfp-transgenic rice (control) showed 0% mortality. Thus, transgenic plants showed high resistance to stem borers and can serve as a novel genetic resource in breeding programs. Transgenic plants expressing BT protein were normal in phenotype with as good seed setting as the nontransgenic control plants.

Cyanide, a Coproduct of Plant Hormone Ethylene Biosynthesis, Contributes to the Resistance of Rice to Blast Fungus

Rice (Oryza sativa) plants carrying the Pi-i resistance gene to blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae restrict invaded fungus in infected tissue via hypersensitive reaction or response (HR), which is accompanied by rapid ethylene production and formation of small HR lesions. Ethylene biosynthesis has been implicated to be important for blast resistance; however, the individual roles of ethylene and cyanide, which are produced from the precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid, remain unevaluated. In this study, we found that Pi-i-mediated resistance was compromised in transgenic rice lines, in which ethylene biosynthetic enzyme genes were silenced and then ethylene production was inhibited. The compromised resistance in transgenic lines was recovered by exogenously applying cyanide but not ethephon, an ethylene-releasing chemical in plant tissue. In a susceptible rice cultivar, treatment with cyanide or 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid induced the resistance to blast fungus in a dose-dependent manner, while ethephon did not have the effect. Cyanide inhibited the growth of blast fungus in vitro and in planta, and application of flavonoids, secondary metabolites that exist ubiquitously in the plant kingdom, enhanced the cyanide-induced inhibition of fungal growth. These results suggested that cyanide, whose production is triggered by HR in infected tissue, contributes to the resistance in rice plants via restriction of fungal growth.

Transcriptional analysis of molecular interactions between Pseudomonas fluorescens strain TDK1, Oryza sativa and Cnaphalocrocis medinalis

AbstractRice leaffolder Cnaphalocrocis medinalis is a devastating insect pest posing major threat to rice cultivation. Plant growth‐promoting rhizobacteria Pseudomonas fluorescens strain TDK1 was found to induce high degree of resistance in rice plants against leaffolder insect through Induced Systemic Resistance in our previous studies. Thus the present study was aimed to understand the molecular mechanisms involved in P. fluorescens TDK1‐mediated host plant resistance against leaffolder infestation on rice. Transcript profiling was done through DD‐RT‐PCR method in leaffolder‐infested rice plants that were treated with and without Pf TDK1. A total of 3500 transcripts were displayed, of which 165 transcripts exhibited differential expression during rice–Pf TDK1–leaffolder interactions. The differential transcripts were 58 in Pf TDK1‐treated + leaffolder‐challenged, 51 in leaffolderinfested and 56 in Pf TDK1‐treated rice leaf sheath tissues. Annotation and mapping of differentially expressed genes onto metabolic pathways revealed the interaction of leaffolder and Pf TDK1 in rice plant at the molecular level. Furthermore, Pf TDK1 induced over‐expression of genes found to regulate the diverse metabolic processes by the selective integration of defensive signals in rice plants.

Revealing Different Systems Responses to Brown Planthopper Infestation for Pest Susceptible and Resistant Rice Plants with the Combined Metabonomic and Gene-Expression Analysis

Brown planthopper (BPH) is a notorious pest of rice plants attacking leaf sheaths and seriously affecting global rice production. However, how rice plants respond against BPH remains to be fully understood. To understand systems metabolic responses of rice plants to BPH infestation, we analyzed BPH-induced metabolic changes in leaf sheaths of both BPH-susceptible and resistant rice varieties using NMR-based metabonomics and measured expression changes of 10 relevant genes using quantitative real-time PCR. Our results showed that rice metabonome was dominated by more than 30 metabolites including sugars, organic acids, amino acids, and choline metabolites. BPH infestation caused profound metabolic changes for both BPH-susceptible and resistant rice plants involving transamination, GABA shunt, TCA cycle, gluconeogenesis/glycolysis, pentose phosphate pathway, and secondary metabolisms. BPH infestation caused more drastic overall metabolic changes for BPH-susceptible variety and more marked up-regulations for key genes regulating GABA shunt and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites for BPH-resistant variety. Such observations indicated that activation of GABA shunt and shikimate-mediated secondary metabolisms was vital for rice plants to resist BPH infestation. These findings filled the gap of our understandings in the mechanistic aspects of BPH resistance for rice plants and demonstrated the combined metabonomic and qRT-PCR analysis as an effective approach for understanding plant-herbivore interactions.

형질전환 벼에서 Protoporphyrinogen Oxidase의 발현 위치가 제초제 저항성에 미치는 영향

The effect of Protox expression site on herbicidal resistance was investigated in wild-type and transgenic rice plants imposed by peroxidizing herbicide oxyfluorfen. The transgenic rice systems involved the plastidal expression of Arabidopsis protoporphyrinogen oxidase (Protox; AP line) and the dual expression of Myxococcus xanthus Protox in chloroplasts and mitochondria (TTS line). The oxyfluorfen-treated TTS4 line showed the lower levels of cellular leakage and malonyldialdehyde and the sustained capacity of 5-aminolevulinic acid synthesis, compared to the oxyfluorfen-treated AP and wild-type lines. During oxyfluorfen action, the TTS4 line had greater herbicide resistance than the AP1 line, indicating that the dual expression of M. xanthus Protox in chloroplasts and mitochondria prevented the accumulation of photodynamic protoporphyrin IX more effectively than the expression of Arabidopsis Protox only in chloroplasts. These results suggest that the ectopic expression of Protox in mitochondria greatly contributes to the herbicidal resistance in rice plants.

Profundidade de localização do herbicida imazetapir + imazapique no solo sobre a fitotoxicidade em de plantas de arroz não resistente

Os herbicidas imazetapir e imazapique, usados em cultivares de arroz Clearfield®, possuem alta persistência e mobilidade no solo, ocasionando danos em genótipos de arroz não resistentes cultivados em rotação. Tais herbicidas podem lixiviar e atingir maiores profundidades ao longo do perfil. Esse posicionamento em profundidade pode ser um fator de seletividade e explicar parcialmente os diferentes resultados encontrados na literatura sobre o efeito residual do herbicida no solo. O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar o efeito da profundidade de localização no solo e da mistura formulada pelos herbicidas imazetapir e imazapique (75 e 25g e.a. L-1) na fitotoxicidade em genótipos de arroz não resistentes. Nesse sentido, foram conduzidos dois experimentos em solo com 15% de argila e 1,2% de matéria orgânica, em casa-de-vegetação, no campus da Universidade Federal de Pelotas (UFPel), em Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul (RS). O experimento I consistiu de estudo preliminar visando a determinar a profundidade máxima de localização do herbicida no solo que causa danos ao arroz não resistente, e o herbicida foi alocado nas profundidades de 0, 5, 10, 20, 30, 50 e 70cm. O experimento II também consistiu na alocação do herbicida em profundidades ao longo do perfil do solo de 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 e 18cm. As variáveis analisadas foram fitotoxicidade, massa da matéria seca e estatura das plantas. O herbicida resultante da mistura formulada de imazetapir com imazapique localizado próximo à superfície do solo causa danos intensos em plantas de arroz não resistente, porém, quando alocado em profundidades maiores que 20cm da superfície do solo, não prejudica o desenvolvimento de genótipos de arroz não resistentes a essa mistura de herbicidas.

Silicon-Mediated Rice Plant Resistance to the Asiatic Rice Borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae): Effects of Silicon Amendment and Rice Varietal Resistance

The Asiatic rice borer, Chilo suppressalis (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), is one of the most destructive pests in rice, Oryza sativa L., throughout Asian countries. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of applied silicon in mediating rice plant resistance to C. suppressalis in a susceptible (Shanyou63) and a moderately resistant (Yanfeng47) rice cultivar. Silicon-treated plants showed significant increases in silicon content compared with the control. Silicon addition significantly decreased borer penetration, weight gain, and stem damage, and it prolonged penetration duration and larval development; some of the effects were manifested more strongly in the susceptible rice cultivar compared with the moderately resistant cultivar. Therefore, silicon amendment may contribute to the suppression of C. suppressalis directly through reduced feeding damage and performance and indirectly through increased exposure time of young larvae to natural enemies and control measures.