The effects of ‘gibberellin-insensitive’ dwarfing alleles in wheat on grain weight and protein content

Summary Three series of near-isogenic wheat lines differing in dwarfing alleles, in the varietal backgrounds of Maris Huntsman, Maris Widgeon and Bersee, and the F₂ grain on intravarietal F₁ hybrids, produced with a chemical hybridising agent, were examined for grain size and protein content. Individual F₂ grains from Rht1/rht, Rht2/rht and Rht3/rht F₁ spikes were classified for Rht genotype by assaying embryo half grains in a gibberellic acid seedling response test, while the remaining half was used for protein determination. Mean grain weight and protein percentage were lower in all homozygous isogenic lines and the Rht/rht F₁ hybrids than in the respective tall lines, in an allele dose-dependent manner. In all the hybrids, the Rht genotype of individual F₂ grains, which segregated within the spikes of F₁ plants, had no significant effects on grain weight or protein. Consequently, the pleiotropic effects of the Rht alleles on these yield and quality components must be attributed to their presence in maternal plant tissues rather than in the endosperm or embryo tissues of individual grains.     

Halophytic crops for cultivation at seawater salinity

Summary Several hundred halophytes from salt marshes and salt deserts of the world have been evaluated in our laboratory at various degrees of intensity, and a few have been selected for development as crops. The development of the cultivars and the basic biology of the plants is being studied in Delaware in the United States. Agronomic testing, feeding trials, and development of the best agronomic practices are taking place in the saline desert at the American University in Cairo research station in Sadat City. Our present efforts focus primarily on three forages, one grain, and one vegetable.Sporobolus virginicus cultivars for both hay and pasture are being tested. ADistichlis spicata cultivar for hay has been identified, andSpartina patens is being evaluated as a hay as well. Although we do not yet have the data for a full year's growth in Egypt, forage yields of these various cultivars, when harvested as hay crops, range to 6.9 or more tons per acre, depending on the salinity and other environmental conditions, and the crude protein content as indicated by the nitrogen content ranges from 6 to 10%. Cultivars having the most useful agronomic qualities have been identified and are being increased in quantity. The grain cropKosteletzkya virginica is a perennial, producing a seed which resembles millet; its whole seeds contain approximately 25% protein and 15% oil. The yields of one of our better cultivars are about 1460 kg/ha (1300 lb/acre) when grown under 25 salinity. The vegetableAtriplex triangularis (similar to spinach) has been under mass selection for four years; a cultivar has been identified and seed is now being increased for this species.     

Simultaneous selection for grain yield and protein percentage in backcross populations fromAvena sterilis ×A. sativa matings by using the independent culling levels procedure

Summary The method of independent culling levels was applied for simultaneous improvement in grain yield, protein percentage, and protein yield in a population of oat lines from the BC₀–BC₅ of the interspecific matingAvena sativa ×A. sterilis. Grain yield and protein percentage were subjected to selection with various combination of culling levels to give samples with 2% of the lines from the original population. — Intense selection for grain yield resulted in samples with high grain and protein yields but low protein percentage. Intense selection for protein percentage resulted in samples with high protein percentage but low grain and protein yields. The sample selected for protein yield only showed no significant difference from the recurrent parent for any trait. The recommended regime for improving protein percentage and grain and protein yields simultaneously was one that initially saved approximately 25–50% of the original population on the basis of protein percentage, and then provided intense selection for grain yield on the lines that remained. At least three backcrosses were necessary to obtain lines with high protein percentage and acceptable agronomic traits.Journal Paper No. J-11439 of the Iowa Agric. and Home Econ. Exp. Stn., Ames, IA 50011. Project No. 2447     

维生素A酸诱导小鼠F9-1胚胎性癌细胞分化过程中蛋白质的变化

本文报道了用双向凝胶电泳和彩色银染技术,分析小鼠F9-1胚胎性癌细胞在维生素A酸诱导分化过程中蛋白质的变化。发现维生素A酸处理细胞72小时后,全细胞蛋白质中有9种蛋白质消失,而新出现11种蛋白质。对细胞核蛋白质进行了双向电泳分析,观察到诱导分化后新出现8种蛋白质,其中有一些与全细胞蛋白质图谱上出现的变化完全对应。对核内低迁移率非组蛋白的分析发现,经维生素A酸处理后,一些低迁移率非组蛋白消失。蛋白质的这些变化可能与维生素A酸诱导细胞分化过程中基因活性的变化有关。     

不同色光和激素配比对石刁柏茎试管苗物质积累的影响

在相同辐照度的不同色光及相同浓度比的不同组合激素的培养条件下,我们比较了石刁柏茎段培养过程中愈伤组织生长发育的情况。实验结果表明,茎段培养后的出芽数、芽长、发根等形态学指标以及生物重量、叶绿素、总糖、还原糖、蛋白质、核酸的含量等生理生化指标都不同程度地受到色光组合激素的交互作用。     

Biomass carbon storages and carbon sequestration potentials of the Grain for Green Program‐Covered Forests in China

The Grain for Green Program (GGP) was the most all‐embracing program of ecological reconstruction implemented in China. To estimate carbon storages and carbon sequestration potentials of the GGP forests, the study presented in the paper collected data spanning from 1999 to 2010, such as tree species, tree planting area relevant to the GGP, empirical growth curves suitable for different planted tree species in China, as well as wood density (WD), biomass expansion factor (BEF), carbon fraction (CF) of different trees species, and estimated the carbon storages of the biomasses of GGP forests from 1999 to 2050. It showed that the total carbon storage of the biomass of GGP forests was 320.29 Tg upon the GGP completion in 2010; the total carbon sequestration is higher during the early GGP‐implementation stage than at the late GGP‐implementation stage, and the annual mean carbon sequestration of GGP forests was 26.69 Tg/year. The potential of GGP forests as carbon sink presented an increasing increment. In China, the potential increments of GGP forests as carbon sinks were estimated to be 397.34, 604.00, 725.53, and 808.90 Tg in 2020, 2030, 2040, and 2050, respectively, and the carbon sequestration rates were 1.72, 0.89, 0.52, and 0.36 Mg ha^?1 year^?1, respectively, corresponding to 2010s, 2020s, 2030s, and 2040s. Therefore, the GGP forests had bigger carbon sequestration capacities and potentials in China.     

Aroma in rice: genetic analysis of a quantitative trait

A new approach was developed which succeeded in tagging for the first time a major gene and two QTLs controlling grain aroma in rice. It involved a combination of two techniques, quantification of volatile compounds in the cooking water by gas chromatography, and molecular marker mapping. Four types of molecular marker were used (RFLPs, RAPDs, STSs, isozymes). Evaluation and mapping were performed on a doubled haploid line population which (1) conferred a precise character evaluation by enabling the analysis of large quantities of grains per genotype and (2) made possible the comparison of gas chromatography results and sensitive tests. The population size (135 lines) provided a good mapping precision. Several markers on chromosome 8 were found to be closely linked to a major gene controlling the presence of 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (AcPy), the main compound of rice aroma. Moreover, our results showed that AcPy concentration in plants is regulated by at least two chromosomal regions. Estimations of recombination fractions on chromosome 8 were corrected for strong segregation distortion. This study confirms that AcPy is the major component of aroma. Use of the markers linked to AcPy major gene and QTLs for marker-assisted selection by successive backcrosses may be envisaged.     

Unidirectionality of floral colour changes

Many angiosperms have arranged their flowers in inflorescences forming a distinct signalling unit to flower visitors. In some species, the flowers of inflorescences undergo a temporal colour change corresponding exactly to a change in the reward status. Based on information obtained from the spectral reflection curves of pre-change and postchage colours of flower corollas and/or floral guides, it was possible to demonstrate that the colour phase associated with reward closely corresponds to the visual stimuli which trigger behavioural responses of inexperienced flower visitors, and that the colour phase associated with less reward corresponds to visual stimuli less attractive to naïve flower visitors. Reciprocal colour changes were not observed. It is to be assumed that the unidirectionality of floral colour changes is an adaptation of angiosperms aimed at the guidance of first-time flower visitors. Signalling reward to inexperienced flower visitors is an additional function of floral colour changes. The main function of floral colour changes, however, is to provide cues with which the flower visitors can learn to associate one colour phase with reward.     

中国退耕还林工程温室气体排放与净固碳量

基于退耕还林工程建设期(2000—2010年)营造林过程边界内碳成本和边界外碳泄漏的计算,分析退耕还林工程及各区域碳成本和碳泄漏的年际变化、碳成本和碳泄漏的组成特征以及净固碳量的变化特征.结果表明: 退耕还林工程建设期内,西北地区、西南地区、东北地区、华北地区、中南华东地区的碳成本分别为3.38、3.64、1.03、1.66、4.38 Tg C,合计14.09 Tg C;碳泄漏分别为21.33、4.60、5.50、1.32、3.78 Tg C,合计36.53 Tg C.退耕还林工程及各区域工程措施碳成本组成特征较为一致,造林引起的碳排放是各区域最大的工程措施碳成本,其中退耕地造林是主要的造林碳成本来源.在各种物资消耗中,肥料引起的碳排放是各区域最大的物资碳成本,其次为建材,而燃油、灌溉和药剂产生的碳排放占各区域碳成本总量的比例仅为10%左右.退耕还林工程的实施在工程边界内外共产生温室气体50.62 Tg C,抵消了工程固碳效益的19.9%;在西北地区、西南地区、东北地区、华北地区和中南华东地区的抵消作用分别为38.9%、10.4%、26.1%、8.9%和15.5%.退耕还林工程建设期内的净固碳量为203.50 Tg C,年均净固碳量为18.50 Tg C·a^-1.碳成本和碳泄漏对退耕还林工程固碳的抵消较小,退耕还林工程在我国温室气体减排和全球气候变暖减缓上做出了巨大贡献.经济林营造采用精准施肥和为退耕还林工程区农户提供可替代的维持生存的方法是分别减少碳成本和碳泄漏的可能措施.