Prediction of near-term climate change impacts on UK wheat quality and the potential for adaptation through plant breeding

Wheat is a major crop worldwide, mainly cultivated for human consumption and animal feed. Grain quality is paramount in determining its value and downstream use. While we know that climate change threatens global crop yields, a better understanding of impacts on wheat end-use quality is also critical. Combining quantitative genetics with climate model outputs, we investigated UK-wide trends in genotypic adaptation for wheat quality traits. In our approach, we augmented genomic prediction models with environmental characterisation of field trials to predict trait values and climate effects in historical field trial data between 2001 and 2020. Addition of environmental covariates, such as temperature and rainfall, successfully enabled prediction of genotype by environment interactions (G × E), and increased prediction accuracy of most traits for new genotypes in new year cross validation. We then extended predictions from these models to much larger numbers of simulated environments using climate scenarios projected under Representative Concentration Pathways 8.5 for 2050–2069. We found geographically varying climate change impacts on wheat quality due to contrasting associations between specific weather covariables and quality traits across the UK. Notably, negative impacts on quality traits were predicted in the East of the UK due to increased summer temperatures while the climate in the North and South-west may become more favourable with increased summer temperatures. Furthermore, by projecting 167,040 simulated future genotype–environment combinations, we found only limited potential for breeding to exploit predictable G × E to mitigate year-to-year environmental variability for most traits except Hagberg falling number. This suggests low adaptability of current UK wheat germplasm across future UK climates. More generally, approaches demonstrated here will be critical to enable adaptation of global crops to near-term climate change.     

Cover crops do not increase soil organic carbon stocks as much as has been claimed: What is the way forward?

When compared to virgin land (forest and grassland), croplands store significantly lower amounts of organic carbon (OC), mainly as a result of soil tillage, and decreased plant inputs to the soil over the whole year. Doubts have been expressed over how much reduced and zero tillage agriculture can increase OC in soils when the whole soil profile is considered. Consequently, cover-crops that are grown in-between crops instead of leaving soils bare appear as the “last man standing” in our quest to enhance cropland OC stocks. Despite the claim by numerous meta-analyses of a mean carbon sequestration rate by cover crops to be as high as 0.32 ± 0.08 ton C ha⁻¹ year⁻¹, the present analysis showed that all of the 37 existing field studies worldwide only sampled to a depth of 30 cm or less and did not compare treatments on the basis of equivalent soil mass. Thirteen studies presented information on OC content only and not on OC stocks, had inappropriate controls (n = 14), had durations of 3 years or lower (n = 5), considered only one to two data points per treatment (n = 4), or used cover crops as cash crops (i.e., grown longer that in-between two crops) instead of catch crops (n = 2), which in all cases constitutes shortcomings. Of the remaining six trials, four showed non-significant trends, one study displayed a negative impact of cover crops, and one study displayed a positive impact, resulting in a mean OC storage of 0.03 ton ha⁻¹ year⁻¹. Models and policies should urgently adapt to such new figure. Finally, more is to be done not only to improve the design of cover-crop studies for reaching sound conclusions but also to understand the underlying reasons of the low efficiency of cover crops for improved carbon sequestration into soils, with possible strategies being suggested.     

中国优质水果资源的分布与适宜生态环境

根据农业部在80年代两次组织评选出的全国189个优质水果产地的生态环境资料,用微型电子计算机系统建立数据库,统计分析柑桔、苹果和梨优质产品的构成比例、产区分布地域及其适宜的环境指标和主栽品种的生态适应性,为果树良种区域化栽培与选育提供依据。     

6个猕猴桃品种的果实贮藏与品质评价

为了选育耐贮藏且风味品质优异的猕猴桃(Actinidia)新品种,对美味猕猴桃(A.deliciosa)的3个野生品种‘kvf54’、‘kvf6’、‘鑫美’和3个栽培种‘秦美’、‘华美’、‘徐香’的品质和贮藏特性等进行比较分析。结果表明,常温和1℃贮藏下‘kvf54’和‘徐香’的硬度下降趋势相近,优于其他品种,且‘kvf54’的维生素C (V_C)含量最高。而在相同贮藏条件下,‘鑫美’可溶性固形物含量积累速度最快,淀粉和可滴定酸含量最少,贮藏性能不佳。‘kvf54’相比于其他品种的贮藏性更好,V_C、糖类物质等含量高,是可用于培育耐贮藏新品种的优质材料。     

Ecological aspects of water quality regulation in England and Wales

The paper describes the regulatory functions of a new body set up in England and Wales for the management of water pollution, the National Rivers Authority. It outlines proposals for a new water quality classification scheme incorporating biological monitoring as an integral part, and describes other areas of pollution control where biology could be used with advantage. The derivation of statutory water quality objectives as a new concept in the management of natural waters is described, together with an indication of some of the legal mechanisms available to the NRA to ensure that the objectives are met.     

不同空间尺度的景观格局对流溪河水质的影响

为探究不同空间尺度的景观格局对流溪河水质的影响,于2020年6月和2021年1月在流溪河干流15个采样点进行了水样的采集,测定了水温、溶解氧、pH、氨氮、硝态氮、硫酸盐和氯化物等水质指标。结合遥感解译所得的土地利用数据,提取了不同空间尺度(子流域和河岸带缓冲区)的景观格局指数,采用Bioenv分析、Mantle检验、方差分解和层次分割理论等方法揭示了景观格局对水质变化的影响。研究结果表明：氨氮是流溪河的主要污染物。土地利用结构与空间格局特征对水质的影响存在空间尺度效应。在100 m河岸带缓冲区,水域是影响水质的主要贡献源;而在其他空间尺度建设用地是影响水质的主要贡献源。在子流域尺度,林地和建设用地的斑块密度(PD指数)是影响水质变化的核心特征;而在河岸带缓冲区尺度,水域和建设用地的连通性(CONTAG指数)和林地的多样性(SHDI指数)是影响水质变化的关键特征。在各个空间尺度,土地利用与空间格局的交互作用对驱动水质变化起主导作用,尤其在1000 m河岸带缓冲区对水质的贡献率最高。因此,加强1000 m缓冲区尺度土地利用的管理和减少建设用地成片建设规划等对保护流域水质具有重要意义。     

宁夏银川平原沙化土地不同人工林土壤质量评价

沙化土地土壤贫瘠、生产力低,人工植被恢复是重要的土壤改良措施。为研究宁夏银川平原沙地不同人工林栽植对土壤的影响,以银川腹部沙地银川植物园沙化土壤恢复区的2017年3月种植的文冠果(Xanthoceras sorbifolium)和欧李(Cerasus humilis)人工林地为研究对象,以邻近的长期撂荒地为对照,对土壤质量进行了研究。2020年7—8月采集土样并测定了土壤物理、化学、生物学等20个指标作为土壤质量评价的总数据集,方差分析筛选出差异显著性的9个指标作为重要数据集指标,采用主成分分析法和Norm值建立土壤质量评价指标最小数据集(MDS),利用线性和非线性两种评分方法计算土壤质量指数(SQI)。结果表明：与长期撂荒地相比,银川平原沙化土壤恢复区人工文冠果、欧李林地的土壤理化性质较好,土壤砂粒百分比减少、粉粒和黏粒百分比有所增加,pH降低;有机质、全氮、全磷、全钾等主要养分指标提高,蔗糖酶、脲酶、纤维素酶等主要生物酶活性也高于撂荒地,筛选出的研究区土壤质量评价MDS指标为土壤粉粒百分比和全磷。2种评价方法下,文冠果和欧李人工恢复林地的SQI高于撂荒地,但提高不显著(P>0...     

基于土地利用变化的东海区大陆海岸带生境质量时空演变研究

人类活动对生态环境的影响主要表现为土地利用方式的变化。土地利用变化影响下的生境质量时空格局演变,对优化区域国土生态布局具有重要意义。利用DEM数据、气象数据、社会经济数据与1980、1990、2000、2010、2018年5期土地利用数据,通过InVEST模型、景观格局指数、地理探测器评估、描述、分析东海区大陆海岸带生境质量时空演变特征。结果表明：(1)1980—2018年东海区大陆海岸带陆地面积增加,土地利用中林地所占比重最大,耕地、建设用地面积变化最明显,2000—2010年土地利用转化最显著。土地变化北部大于南部、东侧大于西侧。(2)1980—2018年生境质量均值为0.75,总体生境质量较好,但呈下降趋势,2000—2010年生境质量下降最明显,2010年后下降速度减缓。生境质量斑块趋于破碎化、多样化、均匀化。(3)生境质量总体上从沿海向内陆下降,受岸线性质与围垦影响,北部生境质量由陆向海退化,南部生境退化沿海向陆推进。低等生境质量区呈现点—面—带的扩张趋势。(4)建设用地指数、高程、夜间灯光亮度、土壤类型、坡度为影响生境质量分布的主要因素,38年间主导因素由高程变为建设用地指...     

放牧对祁连山高寒典型草原土壤质量的影响

土壤质量是维持陆地生态系统稳定性与功能多样性的基础。放牧作为草地资源最广泛的利用方式之一,其对草地土壤质量的影响却缺乏量化标准,且两者之间的作用机理尚不明确。以祁连山高寒草原两个季节性牧场为研究对象,结合生态系统耦合与生态系统多功能性,探究了放牧对高寒草原土壤质量的影响与潜在机制。试验结果表明：基于最小数据集,不同放牧率下土壤质量指数差异显著(P<0.05),冬季牧场和春秋季牧场放牧率分别在2.45头月^-1 hm^-2和0.80头月^-1 hm^-2时土壤质量指数最高。土壤速效磷、有机碳、氮磷比和土壤pH是决定冬季牧场土壤质量的关键因子,而春秋季牧场中则是土壤有机碳、碳氮比和土壤pH;两个季节性牧场土壤质量指数与物种丰富度指数(P<0.05)和香浓维纳多样性指数(P<0.0001)呈显著正相关。高寒草原季节性牧场放牧地植物群落物种多样性与土壤因子耦合度在0.67—0.81之间,平均耦合度为0.74,属于中度协调;随着放牧率的增加,生态系统多功能性指数逐渐减低且与土壤质量指数变化趋势相似,...     

Fertile plant regeneration from protoplasts of meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis Huds.)

Suspension cultures from mature embryo-derived compact callus were initiated in seven meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis Huds.) cultivars. Four to six months after initiation, embryogenic suspension cultures with a moderate growth rate were established from three of them (cvs. Barmondo, Belimo and Leopard). These suspension cultures showed the capacity, maintained over six months, to regenerate green plants which could be grown to maturity under greenhouse conditions.Morphogenic suspension cultures from single genotypes of three F. pratensis cultivars (cvs. Barmondo, Belimo and Leopard) yielded large numbers of protoplasts, which upon culture in agarose beads using nurse cells formed microcalli with an overall plating efficiency in the range of 10^-3 to 10^-4. Mature plants were reproducibly regenerated and established in soil, from such protoplasts during a period of six months. The regeneration of fertile plants from protoplasts derived from suspension cultures of meadow fescue and its implications on gene transfer technology for this species are discussed.Abbreviations 2,4-D 2,4-dichlorophenoxy-acetic acid.