Date Palm DNA Mini-Preparation without Liquid Nitrogen

We have developed a new mini-procedure for isolation of total cellular DNA from date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.). The procedure, which does not use liquid nitrogen, has proved useful due to temporary disruptions in supplies of liquid nitrogen that occur in countries where date palm trees are cultivated. DNA suitable for RFLP and PCR analyses is obtained.     

Recent origin,active speciation and dispersal for the lichen genus Nephroma (Peltigerales) in Macaronesia

Aim We reconstructed the phylogeny of the lichen genus Nephroma (Peltigerales) to assess the relationships of species endemic to Macaronesia. We estimated dates of divergences to test the hypothesis that the species arose in Macaronesia (neo‐endemism) versus the oceanic archipelagos serving as refugia for formerly widespread taxa (palaeo‐endemism). Location Cosmopolitan with a special focus on the archipelagos of the Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands. Methods DNA sequences were obtained from 18 species for three loci and analysed using maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian inferences. Divergence dates were estimated for the internal transcribed spacer (ITS)‐based phylogeny using a relaxed molecular clock. Reconstruction of the ancestral geographical range was conducted using the Bayesian 50% majority rule consensus tree under a parsimony method. Results The backbone phylogenetic tree was fully supported, with Nephroma plumbeum as sister to all other species. Four strongly supported clades were detected: the Nephroma helveticum, the N. bellum, the N. laevigatum and the N. parile clades. The latter two share a common ancestor and each includes a widespread Holarctic species (N. laevigatum and N. parile, respectively) and all species endemic to Macaronesia. The data suggest a neo‐endemic origin of Macaronesian taxa, a recent range expansion from Macaronesia of both widespread species, a range expansion limited to the Mediteranean Basin and south‐western Europe for another taxon, and a long dispersal event that resulted in a speciation event in the western parts of North America. Main conclusions The Macaronesian endemic species belong to two sister clades and originated from a most recent common ancestor (MRCA) shared with one widely distributed taxon, either N. parile or N. laevigatum. Estimates of the mean divergence dates suggest that the endemics originated in the archipelagos after the rise of the volcanic islands, along with the ancestor to the now widespread species, which probably expanded their range beyond Macaronesia via long‐distance dispersal. This study provides the first phylogenetic evidence of Macaronesian neo‐endemism in lichenized fungi and provides support for the hypothesis that oceanic islands may serve as a source for the colonization of continents. However, further data are needed to properly assess the alternative hypothesis, namely colonization from western North America.     

Decline in the frequency and benefits of multiple brooding in great tits as a consequence of a changing environment

For multiple-brooded species, the number of reproductive events per year is a major determinant of an individual''s fitness. Where multiple brooding is facultative, its occurrence is likely to change with environmental conditions, and, as a consequence, the current rates of environmental change could have substantial impacts on breeding patterns. Here we examine temporal population-level trends in the proportion of female great tits (Parus major) producing two clutches per year (‘double brooding’) in four long-term study populations in The Netherlands, and show that the proportion of females that double brood has declined in all populations, with the strongest decline taking place in the last 30 years of the study. For one of the populations, for which we have data on caterpillar abundance, we show that the probability that a female produces a second clutch was related to the timing of her first clutch relative to the peak in caterpillar abundance, and that the probability of double brooding declined over the study period. We further show that the number of recruits from the second clutch decreased significantly over the period 1973–2004 in all populations. Our results indicate that adjustment to changing climatic conditions may involve shifts in life-history traits other than simply the timing of breeding.     

DELAYED HEADING DATE1 interacts with OsHAP5C/D,delays flowering time and enhances yield in rice

Heading date is an important agronomic trait affecting crop yield. The GRAS protein family is a plant‐specific super family extensively involved in plant growth and signal transduction. However, GRAS proteins are rarely reported have a role in regulating rice heading date. Here, we report a GRAS protein DHD1 (Delayed Heading Date1) delays heading and enhances yield in rice. Biochemical assays showed DHD1 physically interacts with OsHAP5C/D both in vitro and in vivo. DHD1 and OsHAP5C/D located in the nucleus and showed that rhythmic expression. Both DHD1 and OsHAP5C/D affect heading date by regulating expression of Ehd1. We propose that DHD1 interacts with OsHAP5C/D to delay heading date by inhibiting expression of Ehd1.     

樟树(Cinnamomum camphora)幼苗细根形态对氮磷添加和幼苗密度的响应

全球氮沉降对森林生态系统结构和功能的影响已成为现代生态学研究热点之一,我国华南地区氮沉降的增长引起了土壤酸化和磷限制加剧等一系列生态问题。密度制约着植物个体对环境资源的吸收利用,是自然界中十分重要的选择压力之一。因此研究樟树(Cinnamomum camphora)幼苗的细根形态对氮磷添加和密度的响应,有利于了解亚热带树木根系对氮沉降和磷添加与林分密度的响应过程和机制,并为全球变化背景下樟树林生态系统的管理提供依据。本研究以1年生樟树幼苗为试验材料,选择氯化铵(NH_4Cl)作为氮肥以模拟大气氮沉降,并且以二水合磷酸二氢钠(NaH_2PO_4·2H_2O)模拟磷添加,氮磷处理设置4个水平,即对照、施N、施P和施N+P;种植密度设置10、20、40和80株/m~2 4个水平。测定各处理樟树幼苗细根的根长、表面积、体积和根尖数,分析氮磷添加、密度和两者交互作用对樟树幼苗细根的影响。研究结果表明,与对照处理相比,N、P和N+P处理促进了幼苗细根长度、表面积、体积以及根尖数的增加。低密度条件下的N添加对幼苗根系形态的促进效果强于P添加。N+P处理对10、20、40株/m~2幼苗根系形态的促进效果最佳,而各处理对80株/m~2幼苗根系形态的促进效果均无显著性差异。随着种植密度的增大,幼苗细根长度、表面积、体积和根尖数均减少。樟树幼苗的细根长度、表面积、体积和根尖数在各密度间和不同氮磷添加处理间均有显著性差异,密度和氮磷处理间的交互作用对根系形态各指标均无显著影响。     

不同密度樟树(Cinnamomum camphora)幼苗生长和叶片性状对氮磷添加的响应

人类活动改变了氮素从大气向陆地生态系统输入的方式和速率,进而导致森林生态系统养分变化和失衡。研究氮磷添加对不同密度樟树(Cinnamomum camphora)幼苗生长和叶片性状的影响,可以为全球氮磷沉降背景下亚热带地区樟树人工林的经营管理提供依据。本试验以1年生樟树幼苗为试验材料,选择氯化铵(NH_4Cl)作为氮肥模拟大气氮沉降,以二水合磷酸二氢钠(NaH_2PO_4·2H_2O)模拟磷添加。氮磷处理设置CK、施N、施P和施N+P 4个水平,种植密度设置10、20、40和80株·m~(-2 )4个水平。实验数据表明:N、P和N+P处理对樟树幼苗的苗高和地径均有促进作用,且N+P处理对幼苗生长的促进效果最好。N、P和N+P处理在整体上均能增加幼苗叶片的SPAD值,N和N+P处理均增加了幼苗叶片的比叶面积(SLA),而P处理减少了幼苗的SLA。随着种植密度的增大,N、P和N+P处理下樟树平均单株幼苗的苗高、地径、SPAD值呈现下降的趋势,各施肥处理下叶片的SLA变化规律不明显。密度和氮磷添加对叶片的SPAD值产生显著的交互作用。     

不同定植期和摘心方案下5个品种(系)茶用菊生长和产量性状的变化

为了比较5个茶用菊新品种(系)的产量水平,并筛选出获得高产的定植期和摘心方案,以 ‘苏菊10号’、‘苏菊12号’、‘苏菊13号’、‘CH1-44’、‘CH5-13’ 为试材,采用三因素裂区试验设计,主区为早、中、晚3个定植期,裂区为5个新品种(系),裂裂区为4种摘心方案,比较不同栽培措施下植株生长和产量的差异.结果表明: 5个新品种(系)中,‘CH5-13’和‘苏菊13号’产量相对较高,‘CH1-44’和‘苏菊10号’产量次之,‘苏菊12号’产量最低;5月27日中期定植、二次摘心措施下5个新品种(系)的株高、冠幅、单株花数、花径、单花鲜质量、单株产量和单位面积产量均显著优于其他处理,较5月7日和6月13日定植分别提高16.0%和19.0%、18.0%和22.8%、36.7%和42.2%、11.1%和2.3%、13.0%和4.0%、47.8%和36.6%、48.5%和36.7%.随着摘心时间的推迟,株高显著降低,二次摘心株高较不摘心降低50.2%;二次摘心处理的冠幅、单株花数、单花鲜质量、单株产量和单位面积产量最高,较不摘心依次提高17.0%、29.1%、5.5%、34.0%和34.8%.品种(系)、定植期、摘心方案3个因素对茶用菊生长性状和产量影响作用的大小依次为:定植期>品种>摘心.     

深畦栽培对干旱胁迫下葡萄叶幕微气候和光合作用的影响

试验以‘京亚’和‘红地球’葡萄品种2年生苗木为材料,在田间遮雨棚内考察了自然干旱胁迫下深畦栽植和平畦栽植葡萄根际土壤湿度、叶幕微气候因子、光合作用参数变化特征,探讨根际土壤湿度与叶幕气候互作对葡萄光合作用的影响。结果显示:(1)在干旱逆境下,葡萄根际土壤湿度和叶幕微气候因子交互作用能通过影响水分条件来影响葡萄的光合作用;土壤湿度阀值是葡萄进行光合作用时水分利用最有效的土壤湿度点值,土壤湿度阀值存在“阀值漂移”现象,与叶幕空气湿度呈明显负相关关系,维持较高的叶幕空气湿度有利于实现在较低的土壤湿度下达到更高的光合效率。(2)在干旱逆境下,与平畦栽植相比,深畦栽植在改善葡萄根际土壤水分和叶幕微气候方面具有明显的优势,在该模式下葡萄具有更强的保水能力和更高的水分利用效率,从而具有更强的光合效率。(3)采用深畦栽植模式时,根际土壤相对含水量30%~50%是显著影响葡萄光合作用的土壤湿度区间;根际土壤相对含水量分别在43.32%~50.00%和40.19%~50.00%是‘京亚’和‘红地球’光合作用适宜的土壤湿度范围,在43.32%和40.19%时分别为2种葡萄光合作用水分利用效率达到最高的最适土壤湿度。研究发现,干旱逆境条件下,葡萄根际土壤湿度和叶幕微气候因子交互作用能改善葡萄的光合作用效率;深畦栽植葡萄光合作用对土壤湿度的需求较低,在相对较低的土壤湿度即可达到相对较高的光合能力;深畦栽植模式可以协调葡萄光合作用和水分消耗之间的关系,具有较高的水分利用效率和光合能力,是干旱地区进行葡萄抗旱节水生产的理想模式。