Nepenthes pitchers: surface structure,physical property,anti-attachment function and potential application in mechanical controlling plague locust

Pitchers plants of Nepenthes specie growing in infertile habitats have developed highly specialized apparatus for trapping and digesting arthropods to obtain suf- ficient growing nutrients. Nepenthes pitchers are generally recognized by several distinguishably morphological zones, and different districts exhibit distinct functions in prey capturing, combined effect of the several zones results in great trapping efficiency. This prey ability of Nepenthes pitchers potentially inspires an idea for biomimetic development of slippery trapping plate used in controlling agricultural pests, especially plague locust. In this paper, we reviewed the recent researches of Nepenthes pitchers, including surface structures, physical properties, and antiattachment functions. Apart from this, combined with our latest studies on mechanical controlling plague locust, the potential application of Nepenthes pitchers as establishing biomimetic models utilized in creating trapping plate was addressed, and several corresponding aspects requiring to be paid attention to in near future were also highlighted.     

“吃”老鼠的猪笼草

所有的猪笼草都是肉食性植物,它们通过捕获动物（主要是一些昆虫）为自己提供营养。科学家最近在菲律宾发现了一种新的猪笼草,它能长到1米多高,堪称“巨型猪笼草”。这种猪笼草外表色彩鲜艳,容积更大,它们通过分泌花蜜引诱昆虫甚至一些啮齿类动物前来觅食。     

食虫植物奇观

绿色植物依靠自己的绿叶、通过光合作用来制造养料,以维持生命。因此,绿色植物是自然界的生产者,而动物是消费者,因为它不能自己制造养料。不过,植物世界也有奇事,一些特殊的植物虽然有绿叶,也能进行光合作用,但除此以外,它们还要靠吃部分功能性食物——昆虫,以增加所缺的营养,因而被称为食虫植物。 根据植物学家统计,全世界共有食虫植物500多种,隶属于几个科。     

猪笼草设下的陷阱

大自然是一本我们一辈子也读不完的书。许多生命的奥秘就隐藏在一些看似平常的表象后面。猪笼草是一种植物,静静地长在那里,看起来也没什么特别,可它却能抓住蚂蚁和会飞会跳的昆虫,并为它们设下了一个个绝妙的陷阱,使它们一步步走向死亡……     

猪笼草离体培养及植株再生研究

以猪笼草的幼嫩茎段为外植体进行离体组织培养及植株再生,研究结果表明：以液体培养基1／2MS＋6-BA1．0mg／I．＋NAA0．1mg／L对芽的初始诱导以及固体培养基1／2MS＋6-BA2．0mg／L＋NAA0．1mg／L对不定芽的增殖效果最好,增殖率达419％;生根培养基以1／4MS＋IBA0．5mg／L＋活性碳（0．01％）为最佳,生根率可达100％．     

探寻猪笼草与蚂蚁的协同进化关系

一只蚂蚁匆匆忙忙地沿着一枚叶片爬行，不时停下脚步四下张望，然后似乎发现了什么，又急匆匆地继续赶路。来到一个巨大“瓶子”的顶部时，这只长途跋涉的蚂蚁终于停下脚步，开始贪婪地吃起来，原来这个“瓶子”的瓶口处布满了香甜的蜜汁。然而，就在饱餐后的蚂蚁打算踏上归途时，突然脚下一滑，掉进瓶底，再也没能爬上来。这顿甜蜜的大餐竟成了蚂...     

北美沼泽寻访食虫植物

来美国之前,我就了解到这片新大陆上有很多特有的食虫植物,其中与主要分布于亚洲热带地区的猪笼草最相似的要算是瓶子草科的成员。我对瓶子草向往已久,这次随系里参观了位于密歇根州下半岛（密歇根州由滨湖的东西向的上半岛和南北向的下半岛组成）北部的密歇根大学生物站,并走进一片温带沼泽,终于目睹了紫瓶子草和两种茅膏菜的风采。     

工程仿生领域猪笼草叶笼研究现状及发展趋势

猪笼草叶笼能够捕集昆虫并将其消化成生长所需的营养元素,依据宏/微观形貌结构差异可划分为盖子、口缘、滑移区与消化区等区域。口缘密布楔形盲孔的辐射状沟脊结构可使液膜产生定向移动,滑移区形貌结构呈现抑制昆虫附着、低黏附超疏水等特性,受到学者普遍关注并逐步成为研究热点。从口缘与滑移区在工程仿生领域的研究现状入手,介绍其形貌结构特征与功能特性,重点关注以其为仿生原型制备液膜定向传输、昆虫滑移捕集、超疏水等功能表面的研究进展,并对未来需要关注的研究内容进行分析,从而进一步加深人们对叶笼形貌结构与功能特性的认识,为功能表面仿生研制提供新思路。     

Composite structure and properties of the pitcher surface of the carnivorous plant Nepenthes and its influence on the insect attachment system

Pitchers of the carnivorous plant Nepenthes have evolved specialized organs serving the purpose of attracting,capturing,retaining and digesting small animals,mostly insects.They consist of several well distinguishable zones,including a leaf-like lid,a collar-like peristome,a slippery zone and a digestive zone,differing in morphology,microstructure,chemical composition and physical properties.Discriminating zones display different functions,and the combined effects of several zones result in great trapping efficiency.The principal aim of this review is to introduce the structure and physiochemical properties of the pitcher surface,as well as the interaction between the pitcher surface and the insect attachment systems.Combining with our present study,the potential application of the pitcher surface being utilized in bionics to manufacture insect slippery trapping plates is discussed,and the original research direction of the pitcher surface and its application on agricultural pest control is highlighted.     

菲律宾发现巨型食肉猪笼草

最近生物学家在菲律宾一处山峰发现一种罕见的巨型“食肉”植物。这种植物是以前从未发现的猪笼革新品种，其形状体态宛如一个诱捕昆虫的陷阱。它的瓶状叶可以捕食昆虫等动物，甚至可以把老鼠给“吃”掉。发现的巨型食肉猪笼草是处于山峰的顶部。海拔大约1600m处。周围森林变得稀少，出现了灌木丛和大石头。