Induction of defense responses by extracts of spent mushroom substrates in rice.

We investigated the effect of treatment with hot water extracts from the spent mushroom substrates (SMSs) of Lentinula edodes and Hypsizygus marmoreus on the resistance of rice leaves to Pyricularia oryzae infection. The spraying of the SMS extracts clearly suppressed the development of lesions caused by Py. oryzae infection. The accumulation of phytoalexins momilactones A and B, oryzalexin A, and sakuranetin was markedly induced by the spraying of extracts. The enhanced expression of defense related genes PR1b and PBZ was also found in leaves sprayed with the extracts. Treatments with the extracts also affected phytohormone levels. The levels of N 6-(Δ2-isopentenyl)adenine and trans-zeatin markedly increased in response to treatment, whereas the levels of salicylic and jasmonic acids were largely unchanged.

Ultra-widely tunable mid-infrared (6-18 µm) optical vortex source.

We demonstrate the generation of an ultra-widely tunable mid-infrared (6-18 µm) optical vortex output with a moderate pulse energy from a AgGaSe2 difference frequency generator pumped by an optical vortex parametric oscillator. The handedness of the vortex output can be controlled/selected by swapping the lasing frequencies of the signal and idler outputs and rotating the AgGaSe2 crystal by 90 deg.