圆果大赤螨对桑树害虫的捕食功能反应

在室内条件下研究了圆果大赤螨对桑树害虫朱砂叶螨、桑蓟马和桑粉虱的捕食作用。结果表明,圆果大赤螨对3种猎物的捕食功能反应均符合HollingⅡ功能反应模型,经χ2检验,理论值与观测值差异不显著。捕食功能反应参数表明圆果大赤螨对桑蓟马、朱砂叶螨和桑粉虱捕食量差异显著,其最大日捕食量理论值分别为:416.67、222.22、97.09头。圆果大赤螨对猎物的搜寻效应均随猎物密度的增加而呈线性下降,且取食桑蓟马的搜寻效应明显高于朱砂叶螨和桑粉虱。HollingⅢ型功能反应新模型拟合得出,1头圆果大赤螨对桑蓟马、朱砂叶螨、桑粉虱的最佳寻找密度分别为77.54头、70.49头和27.27头。研究表明,圆果大赤螨对桑树害虫捕食能力依次为桑蓟马朱砂叶螨桑粉虱,且对3种害虫均具有较强捕食能力,是桑园害虫的重要天敌资源。     

朱砂叶螨抗性品系不同温度下的相对适合度

为研究朱砂叶螨抗性品系不同温度下的适合度,在抗性选育基础上,通过组建朱砂叶螨相对敏感品系（S）、抗阿维菌素品系（AbR）和抗甲氰菊酯品系（FeR）在不同温度（15 ℃、20 ℃、25 ℃、28 ℃、31 ℃、34 ℃和36 ℃）下的生命表,比较相对敏感品系和抗性品系在不同温度下的发育历期、生殖力和内禀增长率等种群特征参数.结果表明：朱砂叶螨AbR和FeR品系的发育历期在15 ℃时较S品系明显延长,在20 ℃～28 ℃下生殖力较S品系有所下降;两个抗性品系的相对适合度（以r_m值表示）在15 ℃时低于敏感品系,存在一定适合度代价,在20 ℃～31 ℃时,适合度与敏感品系相似,适合度代价不明显,但在高温下（≥34 ℃）,FeR品系适合度代价明显,而AbR品系存在抗性适合度优势.     

朱砂叶螨体内感染的Wolbachia的wsp基因序列测定与分析

应用Wolbachia的wsp基因特异引物,通过PCR扩增法对我国朱砂叶螨Tetranychus cinnabarinus7个地理种群进行了检测。在采自黑龙江佳木斯、安徽安庆、江苏镇江和浙江慈溪的4个地理种群中扩增出了596bp左右的Wolbachia的wsp基因片段,而在河北威县、山东滨州和湖北赤壁3个地理种群中未发现这个Wolbachia特征基因片段,表明 Wolbachia在我国朱砂叶螨中的侵染较为普遍。通过对我国朱砂叶螨体内感染的 Wolbachia的wsp基因序列进行系统发育分析,得出它们全部与B大组的Ori组的Wolbachia株十分相近或完全相同,提示它们可能是相近或相同的株。     

朱砂叶螨热激蛋白HSP70基因TCHSP70-4的克隆与表达

为了研究朱砂叶螨Tetranychus cinnabarinus(Boisduval)热激蛋白HSP70的表达与其适应高温和低温胁迫的关系,我们利用物种的同源性及RACE 技术,获得朱砂叶螨热激蛋白HSP70基因1个,命名为TCHSP70-4（GenBank 登录号为EU977182）。该基因全长2 182 bp,包含1 959 bp的开放阅读框,编码653个氨基酸,理论分子量为70.9 kDa,等电点为5.4,含有HSP70家族高度保守的基序。运用real-time PCR分析冷激（4℃）和热激（40℃）1 h后TCHSP70-4在朱砂叶螨体内的表达量。结果显示冷激后TCHSP70-4表达量明显下降,而热激后TCHSP70-4表达量却明显上升。这些结果一方面表明该基因属于诱导型HSP70基因,另一方面揭示了朱砂叶螨分别受到冷和热胁迫后体内TCHSP70-4的表达及所起的保护作用是不同的。     

毒死蜱亚致死剂量对朱砂叶螨实验种群动态的影响

采用Jackknife统计推断技术和生存分析Wilcoxon (Gehan)技术,对寄主为桑树的朱砂叶螨种群水平上的亚致死效应进行了研究.结果表明, 在30 ℃±1 ℃、RH (70±15)%、16L∶8D条件下,朱砂叶螨卵受毒死蜱亚致死剂量LC₃₅处理后,雌成螨寿命、子代卵孵化率、性比与对照组无显著差异,而处理组每雌总产卵量(42.37±2.270)显著低于对照组(52.50±2433);处理组内禀增长率(0.3279±0.0033)显著低于对照组(0.3717±0.0043)     

阿维菌素和哒螨灵亚致死剂量对土耳其斯坦叶螨实验种群生命表的影响

为了了解阿维菌素和哒螨灵对土耳其斯坦叶螨Tetranychus turkestani Ugarov et Nikolski实验种群的亚致死效应, 为新疆土耳其斯坦叶螨的综合防治提供理论依据, 我们在室内通过叶碟饲养的方法, 利用生命表技术研究了阿维菌素和哒螨灵亚致死剂量对土耳其斯坦叶螨实验种群成螨和卵的影响。结果表明: 阿维菌素和哒螨灵LC₂₀、LC₁₀剂量处理成螨后, 可使成螨的产卵量、平均寿命和卵孵化率显著降低; 卵期、幼螨期、若螨期和产卵前期明显延长, 而成螨期和雌螨寿命又明显低于对照; 对次代种群的影响表现在净生殖率(R₀)、 周限增长率(λ)降低、生存率和平均每雌日产卵率明显降低, 内禀增长率（r_m）由0.37降低至0.17～0.29, 平均世代历期(T)除阿维菌素LC₂₀处理时长于对照外, 其他处理均低于对照, 种群倍增时间(Dt)延长。两种药剂亚致死剂量处理卵后, 内禀增长率（r_m）由0.32降低至0.11～0.22, 净生殖率(R₀)降低, 平均世代历期(T)和周限增长率(λ)降低, 而种群加倍时间(Dt)增长; 幼螨期、若螨期和产卵前期明显长于对照, 成螨期和雌螨寿命显著低于对照; 生存率和平均每雌日产雌率明显降低。这些结果证明, 在亚致死剂量下, 阿维菌素和哒螨灵能够降低土耳其斯坦叶螨种群的发育速率, 这对土耳其斯坦叶螨的综合防治策略的制定有积极意义。     

土耳其斯坦叶螨和截形叶螨生殖力比较

在25±0.5℃的条件下,应用岛屿法观察比较了土耳其斯坦叶螨Tetranychus turkestani和截形叶螨Tetranychus truncatus实验种群的存活率、产卵量,组建了土耳其斯坦叶螨和截形叶螨生殖力表特定年龄生命表,比较了2种群净增殖率(R0)、内禀增长率(γm)、周限增长率(λ)和种群翻倍时间(t)等生殖力参数以及种群增长指数(I).从结果看,截形叶螨的生殖能力和种群增长指数低于土耳其斯坦叶螨.因此,可以判断截形叶螨在新疆部分棉田取代土耳其斯坦叶螨种群爆发成灾,并非其物种本身生殖潜能形成,而是由其它生态因子造成.由于截形叶螨存活时间长于土耳其斯坦叶螨,其一旦进入棉田,则造成更大危害.     

取食不同寄主植物桑天牛的虫粪挥发物对桑天牛卵啮小蜂的引诱活性及其组分分析

为了深入理解桑天牛Apriona germari虫粪挥发物在桑天牛卵啮小蜂Aprostocetus prolixus寄主定位中的作用, 本研究通过嗅觉生测比较分析了取食不同寄主植物（桑树Morus alba、 柘树Cudrania tricuspidata和构树Broussonetia papyrifera）的雌雄两性桑天牛成虫的虫粪挥发物对桑天牛卵啮小蜂的引诱活性, 并利用热脱附-气相色谱-质谱联用仪（TCT-GC-MS）对不同桑天牛虫粪挥发物的组分进行了分析鉴定。结果表明: 取食不同寄主植物的雌性或雄性桑天牛虫粪挥发物对该寄生蜂均具有显著的引诱作用, 而不同处理间的桑天牛虫粪挥发物对该寄生蜂的引诱活性无显著差异, 这说明寄主植物的种类和桑天牛性别对于桑天牛虫粪引诱该寄生蜂的活性并无显著影响。桑天牛虫粪挥发物主要包括炔类、 酮类、醛类、酯类和萜类等化合物; 取食柘树和构树的桑天牛虫粪挥发物组分相同, 但取食桑树桑天牛的虫粪挥发物组分明显多于取食柘树和构树桑天牛的虫粪。取食同一寄主植物的两性桑天牛的虫粪挥发物的组分及其含量大致相同, 表明寄主植物对桑天牛虫粪挥发物的组分有重要影响, 而桑天牛性别对其虫粪挥发物组分无显著影响。     

亚致死浓度除虫脲对朱砂叶螨生长和繁殖的影响

【目的】除虫脲属于苯甲酰脲类杀虫剂,本研究旨在探讨亚致死浓度除虫脲对朱砂叶螨Tetranychus cinnabarinus生长发育和繁殖的影响,为除虫脲的合理使用提供一定的理论依据。【方法】本文采用叶碟浸渍法测定了除虫脲对朱砂叶螨的毒力,生命表技术探讨亚致死剂量除虫脲对朱砂叶螨实验种群生长发育和繁殖的影响。【结果】结果表明除虫脲对朱砂叶螨卵的LC50、LC30、LC10分别是15.825、6.089、1.534mg/L。和对照组相比,亚致死剂量(LC10和LC30)除虫脲处理朱砂叶螨卵后,幼螨期、前若期、后若期历期无显著差异,卵期、静息期却显著延长;卵的孵化率、幼螨存活率、若螨存活率、每雌日均产卵量、平均每雌产卵量、雌螨平均寿命均降低;各处理组产卵前期显著延长;产卵期缩短,其中LC30处理组产卵期显著缩短;各处理组的净生殖率(R0)显著降低,LC30组最低;内禀增长率(rm)、周限增长率(λ)均降低,而LC30组显著降低;种群倍增时间(Dt)延长,其中LC30组显著延长;平均世代历期(T)、性比例各处理组均无显著差异。【结论】亚致死剂量(LC10和LC30)除虫脲能够抑制朱砂叶螨的寿命和繁殖力。     

应用实验种群生命表评价巴氏新小绥螨对西花蓟马的控制能力

以西花蓟马Frankliniella occidentalis（Pergande）（Thysanoptera,Thripidae）一龄若虫为猎物组建巴氏新小绥螨Neoseiulus barkeri（Hughes）（Acari：Phytoseiidae）实验种群生命表,获得净生殖力Ro=27．37,世代平均历期T=22．17天,内禀增长率rm=0．15,周限增长率λ=1．16,种群倍增所需时间t=4．64天等参数。将获得参数值与西花蓟马的相关参数值进行比较,巴氏新小绥螨瞬间增长率大于西花蓟马的瞬间增长率（0．14）,雌成螨日取食7～12头西花蓟马一龄若虫,表明巴氏新小绥螨可以作为控制西花蓟马种群数量的有效天敌。     

Effects of Pepper (Capsicum annuum) Cultivars on the Biology and Life Table Parameters of Myzus persicae (Sulz.) (Hemiptera: Aphididae)

Green peach aphids, Myzus persicae (Sulz.) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), obtained from pepper fields, were colonized on susceptible pepper plants in a growth chamber. The development, survivorship, and life table parameters of the green peach aphid were evaluated on nine peppers cultivars as follows: Almuden, Bilano, Bird, Cabezo, de la Sierra, Eppo, Jaen, Raza, and Yatasto at controlled conditions (20?±?1°C; about 70% RH; 14h photophase). The development times of immatures ranged from 6.1 days on Yatasto to 11.4 days on Jaen, whereas immature survival was close to 100% on all cultivars. The intrinsic rate of increase (r _m ) for green peach aphid on Bilano and Yatasto were the highest. Jackknife estimates of r _m varied from 0.281 to 0.174 females/female/day on Yatasto and Jaen, respectively. The mean population generation times (T) on these hosts ranged from 13.7 to 22.7 days. The highest net reproductive rates (R ₀ ) were on Bird and Bilano (63.8 and 62.89 females/female/generation, respectively) and the lowest on De la Sierra and Almuden (34.1 and 38.7, respectively). Because of the high coefficient of determination (R ²) values in Gompertz and Weibul models, survival data from different cultivars had a good fit to both models. The results pointed Jaen, Almuden, and Raza cultivars as the least suitable host plants, indicating that they were the most resistant to M. persicae among the cultivars we tested.     

Environmental factors affecting the life-tables ofTetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) III. Host-plant nutrition

First, the literature of the last two decades on nutritional effects of host plants on spider mites is briefly reviewed. Second, experiments are described that subjected micro-propagated apple trees to four different levels of each macronutrient N, P and K. Spider mites (Tetranychus urticae Koch) feeding on leaf disks of these plants were checked for their developmental time, egg production and longevity. Plant analysis revealed that the concentration of N, P and K corresponded to the respective treatments. The content of phenolic compounds in the leaves increased with N and P deficiency. In the N experiment, spider-mite preimaginal developmental rate and oviposition rate were both positively correlated with leaf N. Often, fecundity was positively correlated with N and carbohydrate content of the leaves, and negatively with the phenolic content. Longevity of the two-spotted spider mite was not significantly affected by any treatment. The K experiments yielded only minor differences in plant contents as well as in spider-mite biology.From these mite data, file-tables were constructed and statistically analyzed by the Jackknife technique. The life-table analysis showed a gradual decline in the intrinsic rate of natural increase (r _m) with N and P deficiency. With all experiments pooled,r _m was clearly correlated to leaf N and particularly to the content of phenolic compounds in the leaves. Nitrogen shortage had the most distinct influence on mite population growth: in a range of 1.5–3.0% leaf N,r _m increased by a factor of 4, the number of multiplications per generation (R ₀) by 11, and the doubling time of the population was prolonged 4-fold on severely N deficient leaves.     

稻鸭共作对甲烷排放的影响

利用密闭箱技术,于2006和2007年研究了稻鸭复合系统CH₄的排放规律及影响因素.结果表明：与常规淹水稻田（CK）相比,由于鸭子的活动,养鸭稻田（RD）的田面水溶解氧浓度(DO)增加,CH₄的排放显著减少.2006年RD的平均CH₄排放通量为（6.84±1.49） mg·m^-2·h^-1,比CK的（10.17±1.25）mg·m^-2·h^-1降低32.7%,CH₄排放总量为（19.34±1.15） g·m^-2,比CK的（26.25±2.17） g·m^-2减少26.3%; 2007年RD的平均CH₄排放通量为(7.68±0.74) mg·m^-2·h^-1,比CK的（9.53±0.40）mg·m^-2·h^-1降低19.0%, CH₄排放总量为（18.41±1.05）g·m^-2,比CK的（22.81±0.75） g·m^-2减少19.3%.在水稻全生育期,各处理CH₄的排放通量分别在分蘖期和抽穗期出现2个排放高峰;CH₄排放通量的季节变化与土壤温度和土壤水溶性有机碳含量呈显著正相关,但与土壤总有机碳含量相关不显著.     

Thermal Kinetics of Glutathione Reductase and their Relation to Thermotolerance in Diverse Cultivars of Maize

The characteristics of glutathione reductase from a number ofmaize cultivars with contrasting thermotolerance have been investigated.The apparent K_m (Michaelis constant) for oxidised glutathione(GSSG) was measured between 10 and 45°C at constant pH.The enzyme from highland cultivars adapted to cool environmentshad a slightly lower apparent K_m for GSSG than that from lowlandtropical cultivars at low assay temperatures. Similarly theenzyme from lowland tropical cultivars had a lower apparentK_m for GSSG at high assay temperatures. However these effectswere small and regression lines plotted through the data werenot significantly different in slope or intercept. There wasa strong correlation (r = 0·939) between apparent K_mand V_max (maximum initial velocity) as assay temperature wasvaried. The interpretation of apparent K_m/temperature relationshipsis discussed with hypothetical examples of the effects of temperatureon enzyme activity/substrate concentration plots. It is demonstratedthat an increase in apparent K_m at higher assay temperaturesneed not necessarily reflect any temperature-dependent impairmentof enzyme function. The apparent K_m for GSSG of glutathionereductase from maize increased over four-fold when the temperaturewas raised from 10 to 45°C, but it is concluded that invivo rates of reaction are likely to be increased rather thandecreased by this same change in temperature. Glutathione reductasewould thus appear to be equally well adapted to function atall these temperatures. This suggests that the potential ofenzyme thermal kinetics to predict thermotolerance may be limited.Copyright1994, 1999 Academic Press Zea mays L., maize, glutathione reductase, thermal kinetics, thermotolerance     

The Influence of Temperature on Photosynthesis and Transpiration in ten Temperate Grass Varieties Grown in four Different Environments

The influence of temperature on photosynthesis and transpirationwas studied in ten varieties of Lolium perenne, L. multiflorum,Dactylis glomerata, and Festuca arundinacea from three climaticorigins grown in three different controlled environments (15?C, 72 W m^-2 visible irradiation, 16-h photoperiod; 25 ?C, 72W m^-2 visible irradiation, 16-h photoperiod; and 25 ?C, 180W m^-2 visible irradiation, 16-h photoperiod) and in the glasshousein July/August. The optimum temperature for photosynthesis was influenced primarilyby growth environment; growth at low temperature (15 ?C) resultedin a low optimum temperature, which differed little from varietyto variety. The maximum CO₂-exchange rate was influenced bygrowth environment and by variety. Within a variety, plantsgrown at higher light intensity or lower temperature had a greaterCO₂-exchange rate. Seven varieties showed a negative correlationbetween the optimum leaf temperature and the maximum CO₂-exchangerate. Activation energies for photosynthesis were influencedby growth environment only. There were marked varietal differences in the values of leafresistances (r_a + r_t) obtained from transpiration data at theoptimum leaf temperature for CO₂ exchange. In Lolium, and Dactylisthe Mediterranean varieties had higher leaf resistances thanthe Northern varieties with the maritime varieties intermediate.In general the Dactylis varieties had higher resistances thanthe corresponding Lolium and Festuca varieties. Only at highgrowth temperatures was (r_a+r_l) insensitive to temperature;otherwise an activation energy of about 10 kcal/mole was observed.A negative correlation was found between mean varietal diffusionresistances (r_a+r_l), and corresponding maximum CO₂-exchangerates.     

In vivo validation of whole body composition estimates from dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry

Prior, Barry M., Kirk J. Cureton, Christopher M. Modlesky,Ellen M. Evans, Mark A. Sloniger, Michael Saunders, and Richard D. Lewis. In vivo validation of whole body composition estimates fromdual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. J. Appl.Physiol. 83(2): 623-630, 1997.We validated wholebody composition estimates from dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA)against estimates from a four-component model to determine whetheraccuracy is affected by gender, race, athletic status, ormusculoskeletal development in young adults. Measurements of bodydensity by hydrostatic weighing, body water by deuterium dilution, andbone mineral by whole body DEXA were obtained in 172 young men(n = 91) and women(n = 81). Estimates of body fat(%Fat) from DEXA (%Fat_DEXA)were highly correlated with estimates of body fat from thefour-component model [body density, total body water, and totalbody mineral (%Fat_d,w,m);r = 0.94, standard error of theestimante (SEE) = 2.8% body mass (BM)] with no significantdifference between methods [mean of the difference ± SD ofthe difference = 0.4 ± 2.9 (SD) % BM,P = 0.10] in women and men. Onthe basis of the comparison with%Fat_d,w,m, estimates of%Fat_DEXA were slightly moreaccurate than those from body density(r = 0.91, SEE = 3.4%; mean of the difference ± SD of the difference = 1.2 ± 3.4% BM).Differences between %Fat_DEXA and%Fat_d,w,m were weakly related tobody thickness, as reflected by BMI (r = 0.34), and to the percentage of water in the fat-free mass(r = 0.51), but were notaffected by race, athletic status, or musculoskeletal development. Weconclude that body composition estimates from DEXA are accuratecompared with those from a four-component model in young adults whovary in gender, race, athletic status, body size, musculoskeletaldevelopment, and body fatness.

     

Resistance to Water Loss from the Mesophyll Cell Surface in Plant Leaves

A method is described for the accurate measurement of the apparentresistance to water loss from the mesophyll cell walls of plantleaves (r_w), and for studying the mechanism underlying thisresistance. The method for distinguishing possible mechanismsinvolves a comparison of the calculated values of r_w at differentrates of evaporation. The value of r_w remained below 50 s m^–1at relative water contents greater than 11 ± 3% and 7± 2% for Pelargonium hortorum Bailey and Vicia faba L.respectively. Therefore r_w is relatively insignificant at normalphysiological water contents in these species. When r_w did increaseit was not sensitive to evaporation rate, suggesting that alowering of the vapour pressure at the evaporating sites wasnot involved. This contrasted with the results for cellulosefilter paper, where r_w was more sensitive to evaporative flux.     

Evaluation of Metarhizium anisopliae (Deuteromycota: Hyphomycetes) for control of broad mite Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Acari: Tarsonemidae) in mulberry

A study on 12 entomopathogenic fungi for controlling broad mite (Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks)) in mulberry found that Metarhizium anisopliae CKM-048 was the most virulent strain in controlling both larvae and adult broad mites at the concentration of 2 x 10(8) conidia/ml. There was no ovicidal effect when tested with broad mite eggs. Median lethal concentrations (LC(50)) of M. anisopliae in killing larvae and adults were 8.7 x 10(6) and 1.3 x 10(7 )conidia/ml, respectively. Median lethal times (LT(50)) of larvae and adults were 2.4 and 3.8 days, respectively, at the concentration of 2 x 10(8) conidia/ml. The fungus was found to produce protease and chitinase. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) studies were done to monitor the infection steps of the fungus on broad mites. A greenhouse test on mulberry trees revealed that M. anisopliae could reduce the broad mite population within 4 days after treatment. However, after 7 days, its efficacy was decreased significantly.     

Asymmetrical introgression between two Morus species (M. alba, M. rubra) that differ in abundance

Asymmetrical introgression is an expected genetic consequence of hybridization when parental taxa differ in abundance; however, evidence for such effects in small populations is scarce. To test this prediction, we estimated the magnitude and direction of hybridization between red mulberry (Morus rubra L.), an endangered species in Canada, and the introduced and more abundant white mulberry (Morus alba L.) using nuclear (randomly amplified polymorphic DNA) and cytoplasmic (chloroplast DNA sequence) markers. Parentage of 184 trees (n = 42 using cpDNA) from four sympatric populations was estimated using a hybrid index and related to six morphological characters and population frequencies of the parental classes. Overall, the frequency of nuclear hybrids was 53.7% (n = 99) and ranged from 43% to 67% among populations. The parental and hybrid taxa differed with respect to all of the morphological traits. Sixty-seven percent of all hybrids contained more nuclear markers from M. alba than M. rubra (hybrid index x = 0.46); among populations, the degree of M. alba bias was correlated with the frequency of M. alba. In addition, the majority of hybrids (68%) contained the chloroplast genome of white mulberry. These results suggest that introgression is bidirectional but asymmetrical and is related, in part, to the relative frequency of parental taxa.     

A comparison of nitrate transport in four different rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars

As rice can use both nitrate (NO₃^-) and ammonium (NH₄⁺), we have tested the hypothesis that the shift in the pattern of cultivars grown in Jiangsu Province reflects the ability of the plants to exploit NO₃^- as a nitrogen (N) source. Four rice cultivars were grown in solution culture for comparison of their growth on NO₃^- and NH₄⁺ nitrogen sources. All four types of rice, Xian You 63 (XY63), Yang Dao 6 (YD), Nong Keng 57 (NK) and Si You 917 (SY917), grew well and produced similar amounts of shoot biomass with 1 mmol/L NH₄⁺ as the only N source. However, the roots of NK were significantly smaller in comparison with the other cultivars. When supplied with 1 mmol/L NO₃^-, YD produced the greatest biomass; while NK achieved the lowest growth among the four cultivars. Electrophysiological measurements on root rhizodermal cells showed that the NO₃^--elicited changes in membrane potential (ΔE_m) of these four rice cultivars were significantly different when exposed to low external NO₃^- (<1 mmol/L); while they were very similar at high external NO₃^- (10 mmol/L). The root cell membrane potentials of YD and XY63 were more responsive to low external NO₃^- than those of NK and SY917. The ΔE_m values for YD and XY63 rhizodermal cells were almost the same at both 0.1 mmol/L and 1 mmol/L NO₃^-; while for the NK and SY917 the values became larger as the external NO₃^- increased. For YD cultivar, ΔE_m was measured over a range of NO₃^- concentrations and a Michaelis-Menten fit to the data gave a K_m value of 0.17 mmol/L. Net NO₃^- uptake depletion kinetics were also compared and for some cultivars (YD and XY63) a single-phase uptake system with first order kinetics best fitted the data; while other cultivars (ND and SY917) showed a better fit to two uptake systems. These uptake systems had two affinity ranges: one had a similar K_m in all the cultivars (0.2 mmol/L); the other much higher affinity system (0.03 mmol/L) was only present in NK and SY917. The expression pattern of twelve different NO₃^- transporter genes was tested using specific primers, but only OsNRT1.1 and OsNRT2.1 expression could be detected showing significant differences between the four rice cultivars. The results from both the physiological and molecular experiments do provide some support for the hypothesis that the more popular rice cultivars grown in Jiangsu Province may be better at using NO₃^- as an N source.