Structural changes in the innercortex cells of soybean root nodules are induced by short-term exposure to high salt or oxygen concentrations

After a 2 h exposure of intact soybean nodules to high concentrations of NaCl (100mol m_?3) or oxygen (8OkPa O₂), morphometric computations carried out using an image analysis technique on semi-thin sections showed that both treatments induced a decrease in the area of the inner-cortex cells, which were then characterized by a tangential elongation. In contrast, no significant change in area occurred in the middle-cortex cells although their elongation decreased. Electron microscopic observations showed that in the inner-cortex cells changes included the presence of wall infoldings, an enlarged periplasmic space and a lobate nucleus whose chromatin distribution differed from that of the control. Structural changes also occurred in the endoplasmic reticulum, microbodies, mitochondria and plastids. From several of these changes, which are similar to those noted in osmocontractil cells in response to external stimuli, it can be hypothesized that the inner cortex may provide a potential mechanism for the control of oxygen diffusion through the nodules.     

Biomass estimation models and allocation patterns of 14 shrub species in Mountain Luya,Shanxi, China

Aims Shrub species have evolved specific strategies to regulate biomass allocation among various organs or between above- and belowground biomass and shrub biomass model is an important approach to estimate biomass allocation among different shrub species. This study was designed to establish the optimal estimation models for each organ (leaf, stem, and root), aboveground and total biomass of 14 common shrub species in Mountain Luya, Shanxi Province, China. Furthermore, we explored biomass allocation characteristics of these shrub species by using the index of leaf biomass fraction (leaf to total biomass), stem biomass fraction (stem to total biomass), root biomass fraction (root to total biomass), and root to shoot mass ratio (R/S) (belowground to aboveground biomass).
Methods We used plant height, basal diameter, canopy diameter and their combination as variables to establish the optimal biomass estimation models for each shrub species. In addition, we used the ratios of leaf, stem, root to total biomass, and belowground to aboveground biomass to explore the difference of biomass allocation patterns of 14 shrub species.
Important findings Most of biomass estimation models could be well expressed by the exponential and linear functions. Biomass for shorter shrub species with more stems could be better estimated by canopy area; biomass for taller shrub species with less stems could be better estimated by the sum of the square of total base diameter multiply stem height; and biomass for the rest shrub species could be better estimated by canopy volume. The averaged value for these shrub species was 0.61, 0.17, 0.48, and 0.35 for R/S, leaf biomass fraction, stem biomass fraction, and root biomass fraction, respectively. Except for leaf biomass fraction, R/S, stem biomass fraction, and root biomass fraction for shrubs with thorn was significantly greater than that for shrubs without thorn.     

R-Loop Mediated trans Action of the APOLO Long Noncoding RNA

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黄土丘陵区撂荒群落演替序列种根系对氮素施肥方式和水平的形态响应

采用盆栽试验,研究了黄土丘陵区撂荒群落演替序列种(即,黄土丘陵区摞荒群落演替主要阶段的优势种)根系对氮素施肥方式和水平的形态响应,对了解我国氮沉降增加背景下的群落生态效应及人为施肥干扰促进植被恢复具有较好的理论和实践意义。测试并分析了6个演替序列种在不同施氮方式(匀质和异质施氮)和水平(高、低和无氮对照)条件下植株个体生物量指标(地上及地下生物量和根冠比)、根系形态指标(根长、直径、表面积、比根长和比表面积)的变化及其差异显著性;并且利用根钻法和单样本T检验比较了异质施氮方式下施氮斑块与不施氮斑块根系形态指标的差异。结果表明:1)6种演替序列种地上、地下生物量和根冠比存在种间固有差别,施氮方式和水平整体上对三者无显著影响;施氮方式和植物种类对根冠比存在显著交互作用,说明个别种的根冠比对施氮方式响应明显,其中猪毛蒿根冠比在异质施氮方式下显著高于匀质施氮。2)6种演替序列种根系塑形指标包括比根长、比表面积和直径存在种间差别,并且施氮水平对比根长影响显著,高、低施氮水平下比根长都显著低于不施氮对照。3)狗尾草和铁杆蒿分别在异质高氮和异质低氮条件下施氮斑块根系生物量密度显著高于未施氮斑块;猪毛蒿在异质高氮条件下施氮斑块发生了更多的伸长生长,其根长、根表面积、比根长和比表面积在施氮斑块中的密度显著高于未施氮斑块;猪毛蒿和狗尾草在异质高氮条件下,以及白羊草在异质低氮条件下,其根系直径在施氮斑块显著小于未施氮斑块。从根系形态变化敏感性和施氮对促进植物生长来看,演替过程中演替序列种对施氮响应的敏感性总体上呈降低趋势,前期种对施氮响应更敏感,从施氮获利也更多,因而恢复前期进行人为干扰促进植被恢复效果也会更好。     

干旱条件下钙离子对一氧化氮诱导黄瓜不定根发生的影响

以黄瓜品种‘新春4号’为材料,研究干旱胁迫下一氧化氮(NO)和钙离子(Ca²⁺)处理下黄瓜的生根指标、内源Ca²⁺荧光强度以及抗氧化酶(超氧化物歧化酶SOD、过氧化氢酶CAT、抗坏血酸过氧化物酶APX)活性,分析干旱条件下黄瓜不定根发生过程中NO和Ca²⁺之间的关系.结果表明: 200 μmol·L^-1 氯化钙(CaCl₂)和0.05%聚乙二醇(PEG)共处理显著提高了干旱条件下黄瓜不定根的根长和根数;添加Ca²⁺螯合剂(EGTA)和通道抑制剂(BAPTA/AM)处理显著降低了干旱条件下NO诱导的不定根根数和根长.干旱条件下,NO和CaCl₂处理提高了黄瓜下胚轴内源Ca²⁺荧光强度;而NO清除剂(cPTIO)处理的Ca²⁺荧光强度显著低于NO处理.干旱条件下,NO和CaCl₂处理显著提高了黄瓜下胚轴抗氧化酶活性;而Ca²⁺抑制剂或螯合剂处理显著降低了NO诱导的抗氧化酶活性.由此可见,干旱条件下Ca²⁺参与了NO调控黄瓜抗氧化酶活性,缓解了干旱胁迫对不定根形成产生的伤害,进而促进了不定根的发生.