Transformation of recalcitrant turfgrass cultivars through improvement of tissue culture and selection regime

Tissue culture techniques, medium composition, pH value and targeted tissues, agroinfection and co-culture conditions, selection process were optimized for efficient turfgrass transformation. A highly regenerable callus lines were produced in callus induction medium modified from N6 basal medium. Six-week-old calluses were cultured on Pre-regeneration medium I for 4 days and then subjected to Agrobacterium tumefaciens. After co-cultivation at 20±1 °C in a 16 h light/8 h darkness for 3 days, the calluses were cultured on non-selective Pre-regeneration medium II supplemented with 400 mg l⁻¹ l-cysteine for 7 days. Plantlets were regenerated on the Regeneration medium without selection pressure. A selection pressure was given to the regenerated plantlets when they were rooted on the Plantlet rooting medium. Roots appeared within 8–12 days in putative transformed plantlets. Resistant plants obtained were phenotypically normal and fully fertile. Chemical and molecular analyses confirmed that foreign genes were successfully introduced into the genome of perennial ryegrass or tall fescue. The transformation efficiency can attain 23.3% in perennial ryegrass.     

高羊茅草对盐碱地原油污染土壤微生物的影响

采用常规土壤理化分析和Biolog-Eco微孔板鉴定系统,研究了松嫩平原盐碱土地区高羊茅草的生长对原油污染土壤pH、总盐含量和微生物群落的影响.结果表明: 石油污染导致表征土壤微生物代谢活性的平均颜色变化率(AWCD)、物种多样性指数和碳源利用数增加, 微生物碳源利用模式发生改变.高羊茅草对石油污染土壤有较好的修复作用,降低了土壤pH和石油烃(TPH)含量,提高了土壤含水率.高羊茅草根际土壤的AWCD和碳源利用丰富度指数明显高于裸地土壤,为其根际微生物的生长发育提供了适宜的环境.     

Using plant traits to compare sward structure and composition of grass species across environmental gradients

Abstract. Plant traits which may give an indication of a plant's strategy for nutrient acquisition and regeneration are known for numerous grassland species. This study aimed to establish whether there is any relationship between two plant traits: specific leaf area (SLA) and number of reproductive tillers, and sward structural characteristics which influence herbage intake by grazers (bulk density and digestibility, leaf:stem ratio). Comparison is made for nutrient‐rich (Dactylis glomerata) and nutrient‐poor (Festuca rubra) grass species. We hypothesized that these traits are responsive to environmental gradients and also act on the processes of the ecosystem. Both grasses were compared with two P‐fertilizer rates in two localities (200 and 1300 m a.s.l.) which differed in their temperature:radiation ratios. For the vegetative phase SLA was well correlated with sward characteristics: D. glomerata, which has the higher SLA, has the lower bulk density and higher digestibility. The values of SLA and vegetation bulk density varied according to growing conditions (P‐rate and temperature:radiation ratio), but the ranking of the species remained the same because the phenotypic plasticity that exists for plant traits was also observed for sward structure and composition. That suggested the possibility of grouping natural grassland species for their relevant characteristics for grazers according to SLA values. Over the reproductive phase, the proportion of stems was well correlated to the percentage of reproductive tillers. However, the percentage of reproductive tillers was a very plastic trait for both species, depending on the growing conditions, and resulting in a density‐dependent effect, particularly for F. rubra. The species studied were too plastic and too similar in their regenerative strategy so that there is no unique relationship between percentage of reproductive tillers and stem proportion, regardless of the species and the growing conditions. The number of reproductive tillers is not a suitable plant trait which could be used to rank species for leaf and stem proportions in the sward.     

Mollusc herbivory influenced by endophytic clavicipitaceous fungal infections in grasses

Clavicipitaceous fungi of the genus Neotyphodium occur widely as mutualistic, systemic, seed‐borne infections in festucoid grasses. Grass infection by these fungi is associated with the presence of a range of secondary metabolites (SM), several of which have been demonstrated to confer to the plant resistance against herbivorous vertebrates and insects. An initial experiment demonstrated that endophytic infection by Neotyphodium can influence the utilisation of grasses by Deroceras, with feeding preferences and impact on plant yields affected differentially by endophytes with different SM profiles. The role of Neotyphodium SM in feeding preferences of Deroceras slugs were then evaluated in artificial diets. Among the indole diterpenoids tested, lolitrem B was demonstrated to reduce feeding, while diets containing paxilline, lolitriol, α‐paxitriol and β‐paxitriol tended to be preferred over that of untreated diet. The pyrrolopyrazine alkaloid peramine had no effect. Among the ergopeptine alkaloids tested in the diets, ergotamine and ergovaline were demonstrated to be phagostimulatory. These results with artificial diets were generally consistent with Deroceras reticulatum preferences among plants of known Neotyphodium endophyte strain and SM profile. Deroceras slugs obtained from sites containing contrasting frequencies of Neotyphodium‐infected grasses, exhibited differential responses to Neotyphodium SM incorporated into artificial diet. This study demonstrates that infection of grasses by different isolates of Neotyphodium endophytes differentially influence herbivory by molluscs, reflecting their SM profile. These results offer an explanation for variable acceptability of grasses to molluscs and their importance in the diet of molluscs in the field reported in previous studies in both natural and agricultural systems. Neotyphodium endophytes potentially offer novel approaches to management of mollusc pests in agricultural gramineous crops.     

Cu2+与Zn2+递进胁迫下高羊茅的初期生长效应及生态阈限研究

通过重金属 Cu2 +、Zn2 +递进胁迫高羊茅初期生长效应及生态阈限的研究 ,结果表明 :在 Cu2 +与 Zn2 +递进胁迫作用下 ,高羊茅生长在各处理浓度均不同程度上受到抑制作用 ,其抑制效应随重金属浓度的增加而增强 ,各项测定指标与胁迫浓度呈极显著负线性关系 ,并各相关系数均达到极显著水平 ( r>-0 .90 0 0 * * ) ;生长综合效应分析比较 ,Cu2 +比 Zn2 +的负向效应为明显。根与茎叶对 Cu2 +与 Zn2 +的富集状况分析采用 ICP-AES法 ,分析结果表明 ,随着重金属 Cu2 +与 Zn2 +胁迫浓度的增加 ,高羊茅根系和茎叶的重金属含量均随之增加 ,根系对 Cu2 +与 Zn2 +的富集系数均明显大于茎叶。从绿度分析看 ,本实验条件下的 Cu2 +与 Zn2 +胁迫 ,均未出现草坪草绿度的明显变化。     

DasFestuca vivipara-Problem in den Alpen

The differences betweenFestuca vivipara (tetraploid) andF. ovina subsp.supina (diploid), two often confused taxa, are demonstrated in regard to morphology, leaf anatomy, ecology and distribution. New maps illustrate the distribution ofF. vivipara in the Alps and the Northern Hemisphere. The development of different polyploidy levels withinF. vivipara as a consequence of occasional sexual processes is discussed. (English Summary on p. 39.)

     

紫羊茅重金属抗性和敏感品种中类金属硫蛋白基因的鉴定及表达初探

重金属对生命机体的作用具有双重性。一方面,作为多数辅酶的辅助因子对细胞的正常代谢必不可少;另一方面,当重金属超过一定的浓度时对细胞有较大的毒性。在长期的进化过程中,生物可能形成一种调节细胞内重金属浓度的机制。这种机制在动物和真菌中被认为同金属硫蛋白(metallothionein,MT)的作用密切相关。植物中也存在类似的与重金属结合的低分子量蛋白(heavy metal binding pep-tide)。最近对拟南芥菜和水稻中类金属硫蛋白(MT-like)基因的研究证实其作用与动物MT相似。紫羊茅品种“Merlin”是一种从锌铅矿区的重金属污染地采集的单子叶草种,对镉和铜的抗性都较高,分别达到50mg/L和30mg/L,而5mg/L Cd~(2 )或2mg/L Cu~(2 )便可抑制敏感品种“S59”的正常生长。目前     

亚热带中山地区草芦无性系种群的密度制约

亚热带中山立地条件下草芦无性种群密度制约的定量分析结果表明,不同时期草芦无性系种的平均蘖重,平均蘖叶重和平均蘖茎重均随着密度的增加呈函数下降。