Leaf and canopy photosynthetic CO2 uptake of a stand of Echinochloa polystachya on the Central Amazon floodplain

The C₄ grass Echinochloa polystachya, which forms dense and extensive monotypic stands on the Varzea floodplains of the Amazon region, provides the most productive natural higher plant communities known. The seasonal cycle of growth of this plant is closely linked to the annual rise and fall of water level over the floodplain surface. Diurnal cycles of leaf photosynthesis and transpiration were measured at monthly intervals, in parallel with measurements of leaf area index, canopy light interception and biomass. By artificial manipulation of the light flux incident on leaves in the field light-response curves of photosynthesis at the top and near to the base of the canopy were generated. Fitted light-response curves of CO₂ uptake were combined with information of leaf area index, incident light and light penetration of the canopy to estimate canopy rates of photosynthesis. Throughout the period in which the floodplains were submerged photosynthetic rates of CO₂ uptake (A) for the emergent leaves were high with a mean of c. 30 mol m^-2 s^-1 at mid-day and occasional values of 40 mol m^-2 s^-1. During the brief dry phase, when the floodplain surface is uncovered, there was a significant depression of A, with mid-day mean values of c. 17 mol m^-2 s^-1. This corresponded with a c. 50% decrease in stomatal conductance, and a c. 35% depression in the ratio of the leaf inter-cellular to external CO₂ concentration (c _i/c _a). During the dry phase, a midday depression of rates of CO₂ assimilation was observed. The lowest leaf area index (F) was c. 2 in November–December, when the flood plain was dry, and again in May, when the rising floodwaters were submerging leaves faster than they were replaced. The maximum F of c. 5 was in August when the floodwaters were receding rapidly. Canopy light interception efficiency varied from 0.90 to 0.98. Calculated rates of canopy photosynthesis exceeded 18 mol C m^-2 mo^-1 throughout the period of flooding, with a peak of 37 mol C m^-2 mo^-1 in August, but declined to 13 mol C m^-2 mo^-1 in November during the dry phase. Estimated uptake of carbon by the canopy from the atmosphere, over 12 months, was 3.57 kg C m^-2. This was insufficient to account for the 3.99 kg C m^-2 of net primary production, measured simultaneously by destructive harvesting. It is postulated that this discrepancy might be accounted for by internal diffusion of CO₂ from the CO₂-rich waters and sediments via the roots and stems to the sites of assimilation in the leaves.     

Test of agronomic characteristics and amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis of new rice germplasm developed from transformation of genomic DNA of distant relatives

New rice lines, restorer line RB207 and maintainer line Yewei B, with better agronomic traits were separately developed from variant progeny of R207 (rice restorer line) and V20B (rice maintainer line) through transformation of genomic DNA ofEchinochloa crusgalli (C₄ plant) andOryza minuta, respectively. The phenotypes of the variant lines were apparently different from those of the receptors. Yewei B had stronger tolerance to high temperature than did V20B. The number of spikelets per panicle and the 1000-grain weight of RB207 increased by 40% over those of R207. The results of amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis indicated that the polymorphism rates were both 4.4% between genomes of the variant lines and their receptors. Results demonstrated that special DNA segments fromE. crusgalli andO. minuta might integrate into the genome of cultivated rice and could be stably passed on. The study further shows that transformation of genomic DNA of distant relatives is an effective approach for creating new rice germ plasm. These authors contributed equally to this work.     

稗草潜在化感物质的排查

针对已报道属于羟基肟酸(丁布)、酚酸和酞酸酯类的稗草潜在的化感物质,本文以水稻、稗草和莴苣为试验材料,对2,4-二叔丁基酚、对羟基扁桃酸2种酚酸以及3种酞酸酯类物质的化感活性进行了研究.采用高效液相色谱法( HPLC)研究了上述5种物质以及丁布在稗草组织、根区土壤和种子萌发液的含量.结果表明:在100μg·ml-1作用浓度下,对羟基扁桃酸对莴苣、水稻以及稗草的种子萌发和幼苗生长的综合抑制活性最弱,2,4-二叔丁基酚化感抑制活性相对最强.酞酸二甲酯、酞酸二异辛酯和2,4-二叔丁基酚这3种物质对稗草的抑制活性大干水稻.通过HPLC只在稗草苗期叶、根和种子萌发液中检测出对羟基扁桃酸,其含量分别为9.72 μg·g-1、7.29 μg·g-1和0.24 μg·ml-1,而其他生长期组织以及根区土壤中均未检出.所有样品均未检测出2,4-二叔丁基酚、丁布和3种酞酸酯类物质.对羟基扁桃酸的浓度-效应试验显示,接近实测浓度(20 μg·g-1)时其对3种受试植物没有显著的化感抑制效应.本研究表明,对羟基扁桃酸不是稗草中主要的化感物质;通过HPLC-标准物质比对方法可以准确分析上述6种化合物,并证实了稗草不含有2,4-二叔丁基酚、丁布和酞酸酯类物质.     

Allelochemicals from Stauranthus perforatus, a Rutaceous tree of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

Aqueous leachates and a CHCl3-MeOH (1:1) extract of roots of Stauranthus perforatus showed a significant phytotoxic effect on Amaranthus hypochondriacus and Echinochloa crus-galli. Bioassay-directed fractionation of the active organic extract led to the isolation and characterization of ten secondary metabolites, which included two pyranocoumarins [xanthyletin (1) and 3-(1',1'-dimethylallyl)-xanthyletin (2)], four furanocoumarins [chalepensin (3), ammirin (4), chalepin (5) and 2'-isopropyl-psoralene (6)], two lignans [asarinin (7) and fargesin (8)], one sesquiterpene [4,5-epoxi-beta-caryophyllene (9)], and one alkamide [pellitorine (10)]. From these compounds, 2'-isopropyl-psoralene (6) or anhydromarmesin, is reported for the first time as a natural product, whereas compounds 4-10 are now reported as being present in S. perforatus. Metabolites 1, 3-5 and 10 caused significant inhibition of radicle growth of A. hypochondriacus and E. crus-galli. Furthermore, in a greenhouse experiment the decomposition of the leaves and roots in the soil had a significant inhibitory effect on the growth of weeds. The allelopathic action of the decomposition of roots was evident up to the sixth week of the experiment. The effect of leaves was comparable to that of DPCA (dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate), a commercial herbicide. Finally different concentrations of Stauranthus root powder were combined with maize kernels and used to feed corn weevil. The treatments resulted in high mortality of this insect.     

储藏方式和时间对三峡水库消落区一年生植物种子萌发的影响

为了明确不同储藏方式和储藏时间对三峡水库消落区4种1年生植物稗(Echinochloa crusgalli)、苍耳(Xanthium sibiricum)、合萌(Aeschynomene indica)和水蓼(Polygonum hydropiper)种子萌发能力的影响,筛选出有利于其萌发的最佳储藏方式及时间,采取5种储藏方式(室温、冷藏、冷冻、干沙、湿沙)、8个储藏时间段(30、60、90、120、150、180、210、240d)对种子进行储藏实验。在光照培养箱昼25℃/夜20℃和周期性光照(昼12h/夜12h,光强100μmol·m-·2s-1)条件下进行种子萌发,每次萌发持续时间为30d。结果显示:(1)稗、苍耳和水蓼的种子在湿沙储藏条件下萌发起始时间缩短,种子萌发率、萌发指数高于其它储藏方式;湿沙储藏条件下,稗的种子储藏90-180d萌发率达到80%以上,苍耳的种子储藏180d萌发率达(64±2)%,水蓼的种子储藏30-240d萌发率均超过90%。(2)冷冻储藏能有效地解除合萌种子休眠,显著提高其种子萌发率和发芽指数;冷冻储藏90-180d合萌的种子萌发率均超过80%,之间没有显著差异。(3)果皮是限制苍耳种子萌发的主要因素之一,而去除果皮对合萌种子萌发没有显著影响。研究结果建议:采用种子来进行消落区植被恢复和重建时,稗、苍耳和水蓼的最佳储藏方式是湿沙储藏,合萌的最佳储藏方式是冷冻储藏。结合三峡水库水位调度原则,在适宜的储藏方式下,本实验中储藏120-180d的种子能够应用于消落区实地播种中。     

Functional characterization of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase-type C4 leaf anatomy: immuno-, cytochemical and ultrastructural analyses

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Species having C4 photosynthesis belonging to the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEP-CK) subtype, which are found only in family Poaceae, have the most complex biochemistry among the three C4 subtypes. In this study, biochemical (western blots and immunolocalization of some key photosynthetic enzymes) and structural analyses were made on several species to further understand the PEP-CK system. This included PEP-CK-type C4 species Urochloa texana (subfamily Panicoideae), Spartina alterniflora and S. anglica (subfamily Chloridoideae), and an NADP-ME-type C4 species, Echinochloa frumentacea, which has substantial levels of PEP-CK. KEY RESULTS: Urochloa texana has typical Kranz anatomy with granal chloroplasts scattered around the cytoplasm in bundle sheath (BS) cells, while the Spartina spp. have BS forming long adaxial extensions above the vascular tissue and with chloroplasts in a strictly centrifugal position. Despite some structural and size differences, in all three PEP-CK species the chloroplasts in mesophyll and BS cells have a similar granal index (% appressed thylakoids). Immunolocalization studies show PEP-CK (which catalyses ATP-dependent decarboxylation) is located in the cytosol, and NAD-ME in the mitochondria, in BS cells, and in the BS extensions of Spartina. In the NADP-ME species E. frumentacea, PEP-CK is also located in the cytosol of BS cells, NAD-ME is very low, and the source of ATP to support PEP-CK is not established. CONCLUSIONS: Representative PEP-CK species from two subfamilies of polyphyletic origin have very similar biochemistry, compartmentation and chloroplast grana structure. Based on the results with PEP-CK species, schemes are presented with mesophyll and BS chloroplasts providing equivalent reductive power which show bioenergetics of carbon assimilation involving C4 cycles (PEP-CK and NAD-ME, the latter functioning to generate ATP to support the PEP-CK reaction), and the consequences of any photorespiration.     

Isolation and characterization of microsatellites in Echinochloa (L.) Beauv. spp.

Five primer pairs were developed that amplify microsatellite loci in three agronomically important Echinochloa (L.) Beauv. species: E. colona (L.) Link, E. crus‐galli (L.) Beauv. and E. crus‐pavonis (Kunth) Schultes. The microsatellites were tested on 24 individuals representing three species collected in rice fields from different geographical regions and revealed 3–7 alleles per microsatellite. Gene diversity [1 ? Σp_ij²] for four polymorphic loci within E. crus‐galli ranged from 0.12 to 0.61. Alleles at a fifth locus were useful in discriminating the species. The microsatellites should provide useful markers for intraspecific diversity studies and aid classification of species within this complex genus.     

Synthesis of Optically Active N-(2-Pyridyloxiran-2-ylmethyl) benzenesulfonamide Derivatives and Their Herbicidal Activity

Novel herbicidally active sulfonamide compounds having a 2-arylsubstituted oxiranylmethyl structure are racemates due to a chiral carbon in the oxirane moiety. To clarify the stereochemical structure-activity relationship, we synthesized each enantiomer of 4-chloro-N-[2-(6-chloropyridin-2-yl)-2-oxiran-2-ylmethyl]-3,N-dimethylbenzenesulfonamide and N-[2-(6-chloropyridin-2-yl)-2-oxiran-2-ylmethyl]-N-methyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydronaphthalene-2-sulfonamide by chemical methods including Sharpless asymmetric chlorohydroxylation. The results of herbicidal tests indicated that the (S)-isomers were the active forms.     

二种薏苡的核型和C-带带型的研究

川谷和薏苡的核型极为相似,2n=20=18m(2SAT)+2sm,属较为对称的核型。它们的C-带带型也极为相似,多数为端带,少数为弱近端带,没有着丝点带,薏苡的带比川谷的带要丰富些。川谷的C_-带带型可表示为:2n=20=6T_++2T_+~++2T_+S+10,薏苡的C_-带带型为:2n=20=6T_++6T~++6T_+~++2S。