农业科学家们培育出一种新的几乎完全不用求助于杀虫剂的马铃薯。这种马铃薯能够通过自身的力量杀死落在其叶子上的害虫。这一品种是康奈尔大学遵照一项育种规划,通过使用一种国内的马铃薯与一种野生的玻利维亚马铃薯杂交培育出来的,其防卫能力的关键是不可食的叶和茎上的两套流体分泌茸毛的相互作用。一套茸毛不停地分泌一种清澈、粘滞的流体,害虫一接触马铃薯植株就会被这种流体粘住嘴和足。单是这种流体还不会怎么伤害害虫。等到害虫再涉足到第二套、更短的茸毛上时,茸毛末端的膜便破裂,致害虫于死地。“破裂的膜释放出一种酶,酶与害虫身上带的流体混合”,昆虫学家沃德·廷吉说。“混合物很快变黑、凝结、变硬。害虫被粘在叶子上慢慢死掉”。 Agricultural scientists have developed a new potato that requires almost no help from pesticides. This potato can kill pests that fall on its leaves by its own power. This breed, which Cornell University follows a breeding program by using a domestic potato cross-bred with a wild Bolivian potato, the key to its defensive ability is the ineffective flow of two fluids on leaves and stems Secretion of hairy interactions. A set of velvet hair constantly secretes a clear, viscous fluid that, as soon as the pest contacts the potato, sticks to the mouth and foot by the fluid. The fluid alone will not hurt pests yet. Wait until the pests and then set foot in the second set, shorter hair, hairy end of the membrane will burst, causing pests to death. “The ruptured membrane releases an enzyme that mixes with the fluid in the pests,” said entomologist Ward Tingji. “The mixture quickly blackens, condenses, hardens, and pests stick to the leaves and die slowly.”