桃果实发育阶段肉色形成与类胡萝卜素的变化分析

为了分析不同肉色类型桃果实发育过程中类胡萝卜素成分的变化特点及其颜色差异形成的因素,选择‘半斤桃’(红肉)、‘图八德’(黄肉)、‘正姬’(白肉)桃品种为试材,采用紫外分光光度计和高效液相色谱法(HPLC)对桃果实类胡萝卜素及其组分含量进行定性定量分析.结果显示:(1)桃果实的主要类胡萝卜素成分为叶黄素、玉米黄素、β-隐黄质、α-胡萝卜素和β-胡萝卜素.(2)随着果实的发育,‘半斤桃’和‘正姬’的类胡萝卜素总含量逐渐降低,而‘图八德’则是先降低后上升,且明显高于前二者;3种类型桃果实的叶黄素均逐渐降低,果实成熟时接近0;玉米黄素呈先降后升的趋势,果实成熟时达到最大值;‘半斤桃’和‘正姬’的β-隐黄质、α-胡萝卜素和β-胡萝卜素呈逐渐下降的趋势,而‘图八德’的β-隐黄质含量先升后微降最后上升、α-胡萝卜素和p-胡萝卜素含量则逐渐增加,且均在果实成熟时达到最大值.(3)‘图八德’成熟果实中的类胡萝卜素总含量达到最大值,其中β-胡萝卜素含量最高,占5个成分之和的75.99％.研究表明,桃果实肉色形成与类胡萝卜素的含量与成分有着紧密的联系,尤其是其中的β-胡萝卜素含量.     

黄土丘陵区生物结皮对土壤可蚀性的影响

在采样分析生物结皮对土壤理化属性影响的基础上,采用EPIC模型估算与模拟降雨试验相结合的方法,研究了黄土丘陵区不同生物量、不同土壤质地和不同季节的生物结皮对土壤可蚀性(K值)的影响.结果表明： 生物结皮显著降低了土壤可蚀性,生物结皮层土壤可蚀性较下层土壤降低17%;土壤可蚀性随生物结皮生物量的增加呈降低趋势,藓结皮土壤可蚀性K值较藻结皮土壤降低21%;生物结皮土壤可蚀性在不同季节因其生物活性不同而存在差异,雨季中显著高于雨季前和雨季末;不同质地土壤上生物结皮对可蚀性的影响不同,可蚀性K值为砂壤>粉壤>砂土;模拟降雨条件下测定表明,生物结皮的发育使土壤可蚀性较对照（下层5~10 cm土壤）降低约90%.
     

Texture of Cooked Rice Prepared from Aged Rice and Its Improvement by Reducing Agents

The textures of cooked rice prepared from aged rice grains and their improvement by reducing agents were investigated. For aged rice that was stored for 5 months without air by the operation of a vacuum packing machine, the stickiness/hardness ratio of cooked rice was as low as that of aged rice stored in air. The results of electrophoresis showed that oxidation of proteins in the former was advanced to the same degree as in the latter. The stickiness/hardness ratios of the aged rice were increased by the addition of sodium sulfite, cysteine, and dithiothreitol to the cooking water. Sodium sulfite, cysteine, and dithiothreitol cleave disulfide bonds to sulfhydryl groups. Therefore, cleaving disulfide bonds to sulfhydryl groups improved the texture. The addition of them to the cooking water also increased the extractable solids at the time of heating. Hence cleaving disulfide bonds to sulfhydryl groups must increase extractable solids. Consequently, the gelatinized paste layer thickened and the thick paste layer softened the cooked rice.     

Rats Generate Vibrissal Sensory Evidence until Boundary Crossing Triggers a Decision

1. Download high-res image (130KB)
2. Download full-size image

     

Effects of plant hedgerows on soil erosion and soil fertility on sloping farmland in the purple soil area

Effect of using plant hedgerows on controlling soil and water losses has received wide recognition and this technology has been applied in many areas in the world. Yet, studies on the effect of using plant hedgerows on soil fertility on sloping lands are rare. Carrying out an eight-year fixed field experiment, the authors investigated the effect of two different hedgerows against the control treatment on soil fertility. Results showed that clay particles tended to accumulate in front of the plant hedgerows and began to erode downward below the hedgerows along the contour lines across the field. Distribution of soil organic matter and all plant nutrients except potassium (K) showed the same pattern as the clay particles. Potassium, however, was evenly distributed in the field without any noticeable influence from the hedgerows. Since the fixed experiment started, soil phosphorus (P) kept accumulating, while soil organic matter and K were in depletion. The results accordingly suggested better nutrient management practices on the sloping lands by using properly reduced rates of P and increased rates of farm manure and K. Taking the sloping field as a whole, special attention in nutrient management should be given to the soil strips —the portions below the plant hedgerows suffering from more serious soil erosion.     

红壤和风沙土添加不同化学结构有机碳对外源碳去向及累积贡献的影响

植物凋落物碳输入显著影响陆地生态系统土壤CO₂排放和有机碳(SOC)形成,然而,针对不同质地土壤添加不同化学结构外源碳去向依然不清楚。本研究将¹³C标记的葡萄糖、淀粉和纤维素添加至红壤和风沙土,比较2种质地土壤添加不同化学结构外源碳在土壤释放的CO₂、SOC、可溶性有机碳(DOC)和微生物生物量碳(MBC)库的净累积量、回收率及贡献比例上的差异。结果表明: 添加外源有机碳显著提高了CO₂、SOC、DOC和MBC的δ¹³C值,且随着外源有机碳化学结构复杂性的增加,CO₂的δ¹³C峰值依次延迟出现;外源有机碳种类、土壤类型和培养时间均显著改变外源碳去向及其在各碳库的贡献比例;在风沙土中,外源有机碳更多被矿化为CO₂,且CO₂库的外源碳净累积量和回收率大小依次为葡萄糖>淀粉>纤维素;红壤添加外源碳转变为SOC的累积量和回收率显著高于风沙土,且红壤SOC库的外源碳净累积量和回收率大小顺序也为葡萄糖>淀粉>纤维素。可见,外源有机碳化学结构和土壤质地共同调控外源碳去向及累积贡献。     

Host plants and edaphic factors influence the distribution and diversity of ectomycorrhizal fungal fruiting bodies within rainforests from Tshopo,Democratic Republic of the Congo

Ectomycorrhizal fungi constitute an important component of forest ecosystems that enhances plant nutrition and resistance against stresses. Diversity of ectomycorrhizal (EcM) fungi is, however, affected by host plant diversity and soil heterogeneity. This study provides information about the influence of host plants and soil resources on the diversity of ectomycorrhizal fungal fruiting bodies from rainforests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Based on the presence of fungal fruiting bodies, significant differences in the number of ectomycorrhizal fungi species existed between forest stand types (p < 0.001). The most ectomycorrhizal species‐rich forest was the Gilbertiodendron dewevrei‐dominated forest (61 species). Of all 93 species of ectomycorrhizal fungi, 19 demonstrated a significant indicator value for particular forest stand types. Of all analysed edaphic factors, the percentage of silt particles was the most important parameter influencing EcM fungi host plant tree distribution. Both host trees and edaphic factors strongly affected the distribution and diversity of EcM fungi. EcM fungi may have developed differently their ability to successfully colonise root systems in relation to the availability of nutrients.     

Sequence boundary and related sedimentary and diagenetic facies formed on Middle Permian mid-oceanic carbonate platform: Core observation of Akiyoshi Limestone,Southwest Japan

Detailed core observation of the Akiyoshi Limestone, Southwest Japan, reveals a sequence boundary and related sedimentary and diagenetic facies formed on a late Murgabian (Middle Permian) mid-oceanic carbonate platform. The sequence boundary lies upon karstified bioclastic grainstone and is overlain by peritidal lime- and dolo-mudstone. The karstified bioclastic grainstone, which had been affected by subaerial exposure and early diagenetic processes, is characterized by crystal silts, prismatic, bladed and dogtooth cements, blackened limestone features, and alveolar textures. The overlying peritidal lime- and dolo-mudstone is 8 m thick and exhibits fenestrae, fissures, laminations, black pebbles, and low-diversity biota composed exclusively of ostracodes and calcispherids. The sequence boundary almost coincides with a major fusulinoidean biostratigraphic boundary. A sea-level fall in the late Murgabian resulted in a biotic turnover and formed the sequence boundary and the karst textures. The following relatively slow transgression resulted in the deposition of the thick transgressive peritidal unit.     

Puroindolines: the molecular genetic basis of wheat grain hardness

The variation in grain hardness is the single most important trait that determines end-use quality of wheat. Grain texture classification is based primarily on either the resistance of kernels to crushing or the particle size distribution of ground grain or flour. Recently, the molecular genetic basis of grain hardness has become known, and it is the focus of this review. The puroindoline proteins a and b form the molecular basis of wheat grain hardness or texture. When both puroindolines are in their `functional' wild state, grain texture is soft. When either one of the puroindolines is absent or altered by mutation, then the result is hard texture. In the case of durum wheat which lacks puroindolines, the texture is very hard. Puroindolines represent the molecular-genetic basis of the Hardness locus on chromosome 5DS and the soft (Ha) and hard (ha) alleles present in hexaploid bread wheat varieties. To date, seven discrete hardness alleles have been described for wheat. All involve puroindoline a or b and have been designated Pina-D1b and Pinb-D1b through Pinb-D1g. A direct role of a related protein, grain softness protein (as currently defined), in wheat grain texture has yet to be demonstrated.