Direct N2O emission factors for synthetic N‐fertilizer and organic residues applied on sugarcane for bioethanol production in Central‐Southern Brazil

The production and use of biofuels have increased rapidly in recent decades. Bioethanol derived from sugarcane has become a promising alternative to fossil fuel for use in automotive vehicles. The ‘savings’ calculated from the carbon footprint of this energy source still generates many questions related to nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions from sugarcane cultivation. We quantified N₂O emissions from soil covered with different amounts of sugarcane straw and determined the direct N₂O emission factors of nitrogen fertilizers (applied at the planting furrows and in the topdressing) and the by‐products of sugarcane processing (filter cake and vinasse) applied to sugarcane fields. The results showed that the presence of different amounts of sugarcane straw did not change N₂O emissions relative to bare soil (control). N‐fertilizer increased N₂O emissions from the soil, especially when urea was used, both at the planting furrow (plant cane) and during the regrowth process (ratoon cane) in relation to ammonium nitrate. The emission factor for N‐fertilizer was 0.46 ± 0.33%. The field application of filter cake and vinasse favored N₂O emissions from the soil, the emission factor for vinasse was 0.65 ± 0.29%, while filter cake had a lower emission factor of 0.13 ± 0.04%. The experimentally obtained N₂O emission factors associated with sugarcane cultivation, specific to the major sugarcane production region of the Brazil, were lower than those considered by the IPCC. Thus, the results of this study should contribute to bioethanol carbon footprint calculations.     

Harvest management affects biomass composition responses of C4 perennial bioenergy grasses in the humid subtropical USA

Elephantgrass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) and energycane (Saccharum spp. hybrid) are high‐yielding C4 grasses that are attractive biofuel feedstocks in the humid subtropics. Determining appropriate harvest management practices for optimal feedstock chemical composition is an important precursor to their successful use in production systems. In this research, we have investigated the effects of harvest timing and frequency on biomass nutrient, carbohydrate and lignin composition of UF1 and cv. Merkeron elephantgrasses and cv. L 79‐1002 energycane. Biomass properties under increased harvest frequency (twice per year) and delayed harvest (once per year after frost) were compared with a control (once per year prior to frost). There were no differences between elephantgrass entries in structural carbohydrates; however, elephantgrasses had greater structural hexose concentration than energycane for single‐harvest treatments (avg. 398 vs. 366 mg g^?1), a trait that is preferred for biofuel production. Delayed harvest of energycane decreased structural hexose compared with the control (374 vs. 357 mg g^?1) because nonstructural components accumulated in energycane stem as harvest was delayed. Frequent defoliation (2X) increased N, P, and ash concentrations (75% for N and P and 58% for ash) in harvested biomass compared with single‐harvest treatments. We conclude that multiple harvests per year increase the harvest period during which feedstock is available for processing, but they do not result in optimal feedstock composition. In contrast, extending the period of feedstock supply by delaying a single harvest to after first freeze did not negatively affect cell wall constituent properties, while it increased length of the harvest period by ~30 days in the southeast USA.     

甘蔗杂交后代蔗汁品质性状的遗传分析

以4×3不完全双列杂交(NCⅡ)选配的12个杂交组合后代为材料,对蔗汁锤度、旋光读数、转光度、蔗汁蔗糖分、视纯度和重力纯度等6个品质性状进行配合力和遗传力分析。结果表明,品质性状的遗传主要由基因加性效应引起,其中蔗汁锤度、旋光读数、转光度、蔗汁蔗糖分主要由父本基因加性效应引起。CP72-330、HoCP93-750、桂糖91-116和粤糖92-1287等4个亲本的品质性状一般配合力(gca)为正值且较大,是配合力较好的高糖亲本。CP72-330×桂糖91-116及HoCP93-750×粤糖92-1287的品质性状特殊配合力(sca)相对效应值均为正值且较大,杂交后代品质性状平均值也较高,为较好的高糖杂交组合。品质性状父本gca方差大于母本gca方差,亲本gca方差为组合sca方差的7-28倍,广义遗传力(hB2)为58%-68%,狭义遗传力(hN2)为56%-60%,属于遗传能力较强的品质性状。     

连续两年UV-B辐射增强对割手密叶绿素含量的影响

研究了大田栽培和自然光条件下,连续两年模拟紫外辐射(UV-B,280~315 nm)增加对92-11和93-25两个割手密无性系叶绿素含量的影响。结果表明,割手密92-11在UV-B辐射的影响下,叶绿素含量降低,而割手密93-25抗性很强,在增加了5 kJ/m2UV-B辐射下,其叶绿素含量增加。割手密叶绿素含量对UV-B辐射的响应具有种内差异。割手密92-11对紫外辐射的抗性在2004年比2003年强,而割手密93-25则相反。生育期中开花期受UV-B辐射影响最大,然后是分蘖期,伸长期抗性较强。     

Changes in photosynthetic rates and gene expression of leaves during a source-sink perturbation in sugarcane

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: In crops other than sugarcane there is good evidence that the size and activity of carbon sinks influence source activity via sugar-related regulation of the enzymes of photosynthesis, an effect that is partly mediated through coarse regulation of gene expression. METHODS: In the current study, leaf shading treatments were used to perturb the source-sink balance in 12-month-old Saccharum spp. hybrid 'N19' (N19) by restricting source activity to a single mature leaf. Changes in leaf photosynthetic gas exchange variables and leaf and culm sugar concentrations were subsequently measured over a 14 d period. In addition, the changes in leaf gene response to the source-sink perturbation were measured by reverse northern hybridization analysis of an array of 128 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) related to photosynthetic and carbohydrate metabolism. KEY RESULTS: Sucrose concentrations in immature culm tissue declined significantly over the duration of the shading treatment, while a 57 and 88% increase in the assimilation rate (A) and electron transport rate (ETR), respectively, was observed in the source leaf. Several genes (27) in the leaf displayed a >2-fold change in expression level, including the upregulation of several genes associated with C(4) photosynthesis, mitochondrial metabolism and sugar transport. Changes in gene expression levels of several genes, including Rubisco (EC 4.1.1.39) and hexokinase (HXK; EC 2.7.1.1), correlated with changes in photosynthesis and tissue sugar concentrations that occurred subsequent to the source-sink perturbation. CONCLUSIONS: These results are consistent with the notion that sink demand may limit source activity through a kinase-mediated sugar signalling mechanism that correlates to a decrease in source hexose concentrations, which, in turn, correlate with increased expression of genes involved in photosynthesis and metabolite transport. The signal feedback system reporting sink sufficiency and regulating source activity may be a potentially valuable target for future genetic manipulation to increase sugarcane sucrose yield.     

Characteristics of ATPase from sugarcane protoplast and vacuole membranes

Characteristics of membrane-associated ATPase from commercial Hawaiian varieties of sugarcane ( Saccharum spp. hybrids) were investigated in preparations from sugarcane cell suspension culture and from stalk tissues of the intact plant. In order to examine comparable preparations, protoplasts and vacuoles, in turn, were obtained from both sources. ATPase from preparations of crude protoplast membranes and tonoplast had a pH optimum of 6 to 6.5. The relative effectiveness of divalent cations in stimulating ATPase was Mg²⁺ > Mn²⁺≥ Co²⁺ > Ca²⁺≥ Zn²⁺. Enzyme activity was not stimulated by K⁺, nor by other monovalent cations. Protoplasts and vacuoles from both sources showed significant acid phosphatase activity. Acid phosphatase activity was inhibited by molybdate, but ATPase activity was unaffected. Membrane preparations from protoplasts contained inorganic pyrophosphatase, but enzyme activity was low or not present in tonoplast preparations. Cell suspension and stalk tissue preparations hydrolyzed a large number of nucleoside di- and triphosphates. The hydrolysis is most likely due to a series of enzymes rather than a single enzyme. ATPase from protoplast and tonoplast preparations was inhibited 30–50% by diethylstilbestrol and sodium ortho-vanadate and was unaffected by ionophores. This study illustrates the complexity of phosphohydrolase activities in membrane preparations from sugarcane. The study, however, also illustrates substantial similarity in the behavior of these enzymes, whether they are derived from the plant itself or from cell cultures originating from comparable tissues of the plant.     

甘蔗乙烯合成酶基因家族三个成员的克隆与序列分析

ACC（1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid）合成酶是高等植物乙烯生物合成途径中的限速酶.根据已克隆的植物ACS（1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid synthase）基因同源序列,设计简并引物,以甘蔗叶片总DNA为模板,通过PCR扩增,得到3条特异性强的扩增片段：Sc-ACS1为1 041 bp、Sc-ACS2为1 345 bp和Sc-ACS3为1 707 bp.将序列在GenBank核酸数据库进行同源性搜索,结果表明,3个片段均为ACS基因,推导编码的蛋白质序列分别包含326、242和310个氨基酸.其中,Sc-A CS1和Sc-ACS3同源性最高,核苷酸序列和蛋白质氨基酸序列分别有98%和96%同源,与禾本科植物玉米Zm ACS6、水稻OS-ACS2、毛竹等ACS基因家族也有很高的同源性,核苷酸序列同源性为88%-98%,蛋白质氨基酸序列同源性为73%-81%.甘蔗Sc-ACS2与水稻OS-ACS5在核苷酸和氨基酸序列上分别有91%和79%同源性,但与甘蔗Sc-ACS1和Sc-ACS3基因成员之间,氨基酸同源性分别只有45%和49%.系统进化分析表明,Sc-ACS1和Sc-ACS3基因与玉米Zm ACS6基因亲缘关系最近,而Sc-ACS2基因与水稻OS-ACS5基因亲缘关系最近.Southern杂交表明三基因在基因组中确实存在而且是多拷贝基因.三个片段已在GenBank数据库中注册,注册号分别为AY620985、AY620986和AY788919.     

甘蔗叶乙酸乙酯部位化学成分研究

甘蔗是糖类加工产业主要的经济作物,甘蔗叶作为广西特色瑶药,在广西民间及瑶族地区具有悠久的药用历史。该课题组前期发现甘蔗叶乙酸乙酯部位具有抗肿瘤活性,为进一步明确其乙酸乙酯部位的化学成分,,该文采用硅胶柱色谱、Sephadex LH-20柱色谱、制备型高效液相色谱等多种分离纯化的方法对甘蔗叶乙酸乙酯部位进行研究。结果表明:从甘蔗叶乙酸乙酯萃取部位分离且鉴定了20个化合物,分别为原儿茶醛(1)、3,4-二羟基-苯甲酸甲酯(2)、3, 4-二羟基苯甲酸(3)、3-羟基-4-甲氧基苯甲酸(4)、对羟基苯甲酸(5)、对羟基苯甲醛(6)、对羟基肉桂酸(7)、丁香酸(8)、3, 5-二甲氧基对苯二酚(9)、1-hydroxy-benzoyl-4-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside(10)、对羟基苯甲酸-β-D-吡喃葡萄糖酯苷(11)、槲皮素(12)、小麦黄素(13)、异柽柳素(14)、异鼠李素(15)、5, 3'', 4''-三羟基-7-甲氧基二氢黄酮(16)、7-O-甲基圣草酚(17)、[(E)-4-(1S,3R,4R)-1-hydroxy-4,5,5-trimethyl-7-oxabicyclo [4.1.0]heptan-1-yl]but-1-en-3-o-ne(18)、blumenol A(19)和胸腺嘧啶脱氧核苷(20)。其中,化合物1-4、6、9-11、13-16、18和20均为首次从甘蔗叶中分离得到。该研究结果为日后甘蔗叶乙酸乙酯部分的进一步开发提供了依据     

Target enrichment sequencing of 307 germplasm accessions identified ancestry of ancient and modern hybrids and signatures of adaptation and selection in sugarcane (Saccharum spp.), a ‘sweet’ crop with ‘bitter’ genomes

Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) is a highly energy‐efficient crop primarily for sugar and bio‐ethanol production. Sugarcane genetics and cultivar improvement have been extremely challenging largely due to its complex genomes with high polyploidy levels. In this study, we deeply sequenced the coding regions of 307 sugarcane germplasm accessions. Nearly five million sequence variations were catalogued. The average of 98× sequence depth enabled different allele dosages of sequence variation to be differentiated in this polyploid collection. With selected high‐quality genome‐wide SNPs, we performed population genomic studies and environmental association analysis. Results illustrated that the ancient sugarcane hybrids, S. barberi and S. sinense, and modern sugarcane hybrids are significantly different in terms of genomic compositions, hybridization processes and their potential ancestry contributors. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis showed a large extent of LD in sugarcane, with 962.4 Kbp, 2739.2 Kbp and 3573.6 Kbp for S. spontaneum, S. officinarum and modern S. hybrids respectively. Candidate selective sweep regions and genes were identified during domestication and historical selection processes of sugarcane in addition to genes associated with environmental variables at the original locations of the collection. This research provided an extensive amount of genomic resources for sugarcane community and the in‐depth population genomic analyses shed light on the breeding and evolution history of sugarcane, a highly polyploid species.