黄土旱塬区土壤水分状况与作物生长、降水的关系

土壤水分研究是统筹农业生产和生态环境建设的关键环节.本研究结合4年田间定位试验,通过对黄土高原南部长武旱塬冬小麦和春玉米2012—2015年土壤水分状况的研究,分析农田土壤干层形成情况、土壤水分对作物生长的影响、降水对土壤水库的影响以及作物对土壤水分状况的影响.结果表明: 降水年型是冬小麦地土壤干层形成的主导因素,年内降水分布不均是春玉米地土壤干层形成的主导因素.长武旱塬区冬小麦和春玉米一年一季的种植制度不会导致永久性干层的产生;相较于春玉米,冬小麦根系生长习性更符合黄土旱塬区土壤水分循环特征,黄土旱塬区土壤水分有效性可保证作物产量稳定;降水作用下,冬小麦土壤水库充、放水过程呈现收获期、休闲期和苗期连续充水、缓慢消耗期和大量消耗期连续失水相互交替的特点.0～300和300～600 cm土层土壤水库不一致性现象明显,以最大根深作为野外监测试验中土壤含水量的取样深度时,由于深层土壤水库负反馈作用,不同降水年型下,休闲期和苗期的蒸散均会被高估,缓慢消耗期和大量消耗期的蒸散均会被低估.冬小麦田间过渡层存在的范围为140～360 cm;作物生长的时间跨度影响土壤水库效应的发挥,土壤水库对冬小麦供水表现为年际间的调节作用,土壤水库对春玉米供水表现为季节间的调节作用.     

Characterization and fine mapping of <Emphasis Type="Italic">RppQ</Emphasis>, a resistance gene to southern corn rust in maize

Southern corn rust (SCR) is a fungal disease caused by Puccinia polysora Underw, which can infect maize and may result in substantial yield losses in maize production. The maize inbred line Qi319 carries the SCR resistance gene RppQ. In order to identify molecular markers linked to the RppQ gene, several techniques were utilized including random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), simple sequence repeat (SSR), and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP). In addition, sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) techniques combined with bulked segregant analysis (BSA) were used. Seven RAPD markers, eight SSR markers, and sixty-three AFLP primer combinations amplified polymorphisms between two parents and two bulk populations. A large F₂ population was used for genetic analysis and for fine mapping of the RppQ gene region. One AFLP polymorphic band, M-CAA/E-AGC₃₂₄, was converted to a SCAR marker, MA7, which was mapped to a position 0.46 cM from RppQ. Finally, the RppQ gene was mapped between the SCAR marker MA7 and the AFLP marker M-CCG/E-AGA₁₅₇ with distances of 0.46 and 1.71 cM, respectively.     

玉米秸秆还田对黑土微生物群落功能多样性的影响

为了解玉米秸秆还田对土壤微生物群落功能多样性的影响,采用ECO-Biolog微平板法,分析了以无玉米秸秆还田为对照(CK),6000 kg·hm^-2(S1)、9000 kg·hm^-2(S2)、12000 kg·hm^-2(S3)和15000 kg·hm^-2(S4)四个秸秆还田量的土壤微生物碳源代谢特征。结果表明:随着玉米秸秆还田量的增加,土壤微生物平均颜色变化率(AWCD)也随之增加,24~96 h的AWCD值变化迅速,96 h后进入平稳期,S4处理AWCD值始终大于其他处理;秸秆还田对Shannon指数与Simpson指数没有显著影响(P>0.05),但与CK相比,S4处理McIntosh指数显著增加了57.5%(P<0.05);主成分分析结果显示,秸秆还田影响着土壤微生物群落碳代谢能力,S1、CK、S2和S3处理在PC1和PC2上出现显著的分异,糖类、多聚物类、羧酸类碳源是研究区域内土壤微生物利用的主要碳源。因此,在东北黑土区增加玉米秸秆还田量能够提高土壤微生物对碳源的利用能力,提升黑土肥力。     

A comparison of soil quality in adjacent cultivated,forest and native grassland soils

Changes in soil quality after 45 years of continuous production of corn (Zea mays L.) by the conventional tillage method (C) compared with adjacent poplar forest (F) and native grassland (G) sites were examined. The investigated parameters were: total and humified organic C, total N, light fraction content and composition, water-soluble organic C (WSOC), water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC), phenolic substances, biomass C, cumulative CO₂-C (soil respiration) (C _m), enzyme activities (alkaline phosphatase, protease, -glucosidase, urease, catalase and dehydrogenase). Empirical indexes of soil quality were also calculated: biomass C/organic C, specific respiration of biomass C (qCO₂), death rate quotient (qD), metabolic potential (MP), biological index of fertility (BIF), enzyme activity number (EAN) and hydrolysing coefficient (HC). Results indicate that long-term corn production at an intensive level caused a marked decline in all examined parameters. Between the undisturbed systems, native grassland showed higher values of soil quality parameters than forest site. The indexes most responsive to management practices that may provide indications of the effects of soil cultivation, as well as of the differently undisturbed ecosystems were: organic C, WSC, C _m, protease, -glucosidase, urease and HC. Soil enzyme activities were well related with, and not more sensitive than organic carbon.     

Occurrence of Aspergillus section Flavi and aflatoxin B1 in corn genotypes and corn meal in Argentina

A study has been carried out in Argentina on samples of corn genotypes from a breeding station as well as in commercially available corn meal. All samples were analyzed for fungal infection and aflatoxin B₁.Mycological analysis of corn genotypes showed the presence of three principal genera of filamentous fungi Fusarium (100%), Penicillium (67%) and Aspergillus (60%). In the genus Fusarium three species were identified, F. moniliforme (42%), F. nygamai (56%) andF. proliferatum (1.8%). Eight species ofPenicillium were identified, the predominant species isolated were P. minioluteum, P. funiculosum and P. variabile. In the genus ranked third in isolation frequency, two species were identified, A. flavus and A. parasiticus, the percentage of infection was 78% and 21%, respectively. Only one corn genotype was contaminated with aflatoxin B₁ at a level of 5 ppb. The cornmeal samples showed great differences in fungal contamination, the values ranging from 1 × 10¹ to 7 × 10⁵ cfu g^–1. Fusarium (68%), Aspergillus (35%) and Penicillium (21%) were the most frequent genera isolated. Among the genus, Aspergillus, A. parasiticus (38%) was the most frequent species isolated. All the samples of corn meal were negative to aflatoxin B₁. These results indicate a low degree of human exposure to aflatoxins in Argentina through the ingestion of maize or corn meal.This revised version was published online in October 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on phytoextraction by corn (Zea mays) of lead-contaminated soil

The role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in lead (Pb) uptake by corn (Zea mays) grown in soil supplemented with Pb was examined. Plants were subjected to four Pb levels: 0 (control); 10 (low); 100 (medium); and 500 mg L(-1) (high). At each Pb level, plants were grown in soil without and with fungicide (benomyl) (20 mg kg(-1)) to suppress AMF activity. Benomyl significantly reduced AMF colonization at high. medium, and zero Pb exposures. Benomyl application resulted in significantly lower concentrations of phosphorus in leaves at low and medium Pb exposures. The benomyl-treated plants had higher Pb and manganese concentrations in leaves than plants not treated with benomyl. In addition, benomyl-treated plants had generally lower concentrations of zinc and copper in leaves than plants not treated with benomyl. These results suggest that the role of AMF in heavy metal uptake is metal specific. Based on this work, the use of benomyl on soils contaminated with Pb can be recommended in phytoextraction.     

The monarch butterfly controversy: scientific interpretations of a phenomenon

The future development and use of agricultural biotechnology has been challenged by two preliminary studies indicating potential risk to monarch butterfly populations by pollen from corn engineered to express proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis. Likewise, these studies have also challenged the way in which science should be performed, published in scientific journals and communicated to the public at large. Herein, we provide a history of the monarch controversy to date. We believe a retrospective view may be useful for providing insights into the proper roles and responsibilities of scientists, the media and public agencies and the consequences when they go awry.     

Characterization of acid catalytic domains for cellulose hydrolysis and glucose degradation

Cellulolytic enzymes consist of a catalytic domain, a linking peptide, and a binding domain. The paper describes research on carboxylic acids that have potential as catalytic domains for constructing organic macromolecules for use in cellulose hydrolysis that mimic the action of enzymes. The tested domains consist of the series of mono-, di-, and tricarboxylic acids with a range of pK(a)'s. This paper systematically characterizes the acids with respect to hydrolysis of cellobiose, cellulose in biomass, and degradation of glucose and compares these kinetics data to dilute sulfuric acid. Results show that acid catalyzed hydrolysis is proportional to H+ concentration. The tested carboxylic acids did not catalyze the degradation of glucose while sulfuric acid catalyzed the degradation of glucose above that of water alone. Consequently, overall yields of glucose obtained from cellobiose and cellulose are higher for the best carboxylic acid tested, maleic acid, when compared to sulfuric acid at equivalent solution pH.     

Ethanol production from corn cob hydrolysates by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis> KO11

Corn cob hydrolysates, with xylose as the dominant sugar, were fermented to ethanol by recombinant Escherichia coli KO11. When inoculum was grown on LB medium containing glucose, fermentation of the hydrolysate was completed in 163 h and ethanol yield was 0.50 g ethanol/g sugar. When inoculum was grown on xylose, ethanol yield dropped, but fermentation was faster (113 h). Hydrolysate containing 72.0 g/l xylose and supplemented with 20.0 g/l rice bran was readily fermented, producing 36.0 g/l ethanol within 70 h. Maximum ethanol concentrations were not higher for fermentations using higher cellular concentration inocula. A simulation of an industrial process integrating pentose fermentation by E. coli and hexose fermentation by yeast was carried out. At the first step, E. coli fermented the hydrolysate containing 85.0 g/l xylose, producing 40.0 g/l ethanol in 94 h. Baker's yeast and sucrose (150.0 g/l) were then added to the spent fermentation broth. After 8 h of yeast fermentation, the ethanol concentration reached 104.0 g/l. This two-stage fermentation can render the bioconversion of lignocellulose to ethanol more attractive due to increased final alcohol concentration. Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology (2002) 29, 124–128 doi:10.1038/sj.jim.7000287 Received 20 February 2002/ Accepted in revised form 04 June 2002     

Impact of cysteine proteinase inhibition in midgut fluid and oral secretion on fecundity and pollen consumption of western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera)

Cysteine proteinases predominate in the midgut fluid (MF) and oral secretion (OS) of adult western corn rootworm (WCR) based on their mild acidic pH optima (pH 6.0), enhanced activities after treatment with thiol reducing agents, and inhibition by selective cysteine proteinase inhibitors (PIs). Four cysteine PIs including E-64, calpeptin, calpain inhibitor II, and leupeptin (also a serine PI) strongly inhibited azocaseinolytic activity in a dose-dependent manner in both the MF and OS. The most significant effect on adult female WCR of cysteine PI consumption with corn pollen was the reduction in fecundity, but female survival was not apparently affected. Mean fresh weights for all PI-fed females were also lower than control groups. All PI-fed groups [E-64, calpain inhibitor I (Cal I) and leupeptin] had a significantly lower daily egg production than respective corn pollen-fed controls. E-64 was more potent than leupeptin and Cal I on inhibiting fecundity, which correlates with their relative anti-proteinase potency in vitro. E-64, Cal I, and leupeptin at 1.5-2 nmol/beetle/day reduced fecundity down to 25-45% of control values. Reduced egg production by PI-fed beetles results from a combination of the direct inhibition of protein digestion and a post-ingestive negative feedback mechanism, which reduces food intake. The supplement of ten essential amino acids into the E-64-treated pollen enhanced up to 3.7-fold the number of eggs laid compared to the E-64-fed group without these amino acids, suggesting that egg production is dependent on the supply of essential amino acids from corn pollen proteolysis.