The Relationship between the Traits of the Two-Row Spike,the High Number of Thillers,and the High Regeneration Capacity in in vitro Culture in Barley

In barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), the traits of the two-row spike, the high rate of plant tillering, and the high capacity for multiple plant regeneration (MPR) in a callus culture of immature embryos were shown to correlate. When a dihaploid line (DH) obtained from cv. Golden Promise (two-row spike, high number of thillers) was crossed to a DH line from cv. Bruce (six-row spike, low number of thillers), the two-row trait dominated the F₁ generation, whereas, in F₂, the segregation ratio was 3 : 1. From F₃ progeny, we isolated the families comprising two-row homo- and heterozygotes and six-row homozygotes. In an F₃ hybrid population, the two-row plants manifested higher tillering and MPR rates as compared to the six-row plants. The correlation between the traits of the two-row spike, the high tillering, and the high MPR capacity may depend on the pleiotropic V gene, which controls the general mechanisms of meristem functioning essential for the development of these three traits.     

水稻主茎节位分蘖及生产力补偿能力

本研究选用两个籼稻杂交品种西农优1号和冈优725,采用人工去蘖形成分蘖初期的早发、中发、迟发三个处理,在群体条件下研究分蘖和生产力的补偿能力。本研究发现,迟发处理高节位群的分蘖补偿能力最明显,但绝对补偿量小。迟发处理高节位群的生长势、有效分蘖倍数增加,抽穗期单茎叶面积有增加的趋势,但抽穗期有效穗数、叶面积系数降低;迟发处理冠层光分布增加,叶绿素、蛋白质含量提高,叶片细胞内保护酶类(Superoxide dismutase, SOD、catalase,CAT)活性下降慢,叶片衰老慢,但是漏光率增加,截光率下降;迟发处理净光合生产率（Net assimulation rate, NAR）增加,同化物分配合理,经济系数有增加的趋势,但物质积累速度（Crop growth rate ,CGR）和干物质生产量减少。在本实验条件下,早发与中发处理的经济产量差异不显著,但早发与迟发处理的经济产量差异达极显著。本研究结果表明大苗秧对生物、非生物因素胁迫,如本田前期一定程度的人工去蘖,具有一定的分蘖补偿能力。     

Genetic Analysis and Molecular Tagging on a Novel Excessive Tillering Mutant in Rice

A rice (Oryza sativa L.) mutant with an excessive tiller number, designated ext-M1B, was found in the F₂ progenies generated from the cross between M1B and GMS-1 (a genetic male sterile), whose number of tillers was 121. The excessive tillering mutant also resulted in significant changes in plant height, flag leaf, stem, filled grains per panicle, and productive panicles per plant. The inbreeding progenies of ext-M1B exhibited the same mutant phenotype. The crosses from ext-M1B/M1B, M1B/ext-M1B, 2480B/ext-M1B, D62B/ext-M1B, G46B/ext-M1B, and G683B/ext-M1B expressed normal tillering in F₁, and segregated into two different phenotypes of normal tillering type and excessive tillering type in a ratio of 3:1 in F₂. Inheritance analysis indicated that the excessive tillering character was controlled by a single recessive nucleic gene. By BSA (bulked segregants analysis) and microsatellite makers with the F₂ population of 2480B/ext-M1B as the mapping population, RM197, RM584, and RM225, all of which were located on the short arm of rice chromosome 6, were identified to be linked with the excessive tillering gene with genetic distance of 3.8 cM, 5.1 cM, and 5.2 cM, respectively. This gene is probably a new excessive tillering gene in rice and is designated tentatively ext-M1B (t).     

调亏灌水和分蘖干扰对冬小麦生长的补偿效应

为探索抑制个体功能的生长冗余以实现群体性能优化并挖掘作物高产潜力的途径,通过桶栽试验,选择分蘖能力中等的小偃22号和分蘖能力较强的郑麦7698,对比研究2种灌水模式（全生育期充分灌水和分生育期调亏灌水）和3种分蘖干扰（从拔节期开始去除所有小分蘖,仅保留主茎和1个大分蘖;抽穗期去除所有无效分蘖;以不作任何干扰为对照）,来模拟不同水分供应和不可预测干扰对冬小麦生理生长、产量和水分利用效率的补偿机制.结果表明： 2个冬小麦品种均存在生长冗余.与小偃22号相比,郑麦7698有效分蘖数较高,但穗部性状较差.调亏灌水和抽穗期去除无效分蘖均可减少生长冗余,弱化竞争能力,改变源 库关系,提高资源分配.但冗余消除过度（拔节期干扰）则会破坏植株固有的根冠平衡和功能结构,导致生长的不足补偿.与对照相比,调亏灌水联合抽穗期去除无效分蘖可在时空尺度上充分开发和利用作物自身调控潜力实现补偿生长,在不显著影响籽粒产量的同时可提高水分利用效率20.4%～25.4%,是适宜的减冗增效措施.     

稻鱼系统中田鱼对资源的利用及对水稻生长的影响

稻田为鱼类等水产生物提供生境,稻田养鱼在提高水稻产量的同时,通过控制病虫害的暴发以及充分利用养分来降低化肥农药的使用.但田鱼对稻田资源的摄食(浮游植物、杂草、浮萍、田螺)及利用后转化成养分对水稻生长发育的促进作用尚缺乏研究.本研究设计了2个田间试验,通过摄像观察稻鱼系统中田鱼的活动,采用稳定性同位素分析田鱼对稻田资源的摄食,并测定水稻的生长发育进程和水稻产量.结果表明: 与鱼单养处理相比,稻田养鱼显著地促进了田鱼的活动频率并扩大了田鱼的活动范围.在稻鱼共作不投喂饲料处理下,稻田中3类水生生物(浮萍、浮游植物、田螺)对田鱼食谱的贡献率分别为22.7%、34.8%和30.0%;而投喂饲料处理下,这3种水生生物对田鱼食谱的贡献率分别为8.9%、5.9% 和1.6%,饲料的贡献率为71.0%.与水稻单作比较,稻鱼共作处理显著增加水稻分蘖期和灌浆期的叶片氮含量,延长分蘖期10~12 d,并显著提高成穗率和产量.表明稻鱼系统通过田鱼摄食稻田资源并转化为水稻可利用养分,促进了水稻生长,实现了水稻产量的提升.     

秧苗平面分布对水稻群体动态、冠层透光率及穗部性状的影响

以分蘖能力较强的水稻品种D优527为材料,研究秧苗平面分布对水稻群体动态、冠层透光率及穗部性状的影响.结果表明:平面分布无序不等距程度越大,群体茎蘖数越多,差异在栽后34 d达显著水平,但齐穗期差异不显著.移栽后水稻不同平面分布群体逐渐呈平面分布无序不等距程度越大茎蘖数变异系数越大的趋势,至拔节期以后达到显著或极显著水平.与均匀分布相比,水稻秧苗不等距平面分布有利于改善群体冠层透光性和成穗质量.     

Roles of BdUNICULME4 and BdLAXATUM‐A in the non‐domesticated grass Brachypodium distachyon

In cultivated grasses, tillering, spike architecture and seed shattering represent major agronomical traits. In barley, maize and rice, the NOOT‐BOP‐COCH‐LIKE (NBCL) genes play important roles in development, especially in ligule development, tillering and flower identity. However, compared with dicots, the role of grass NBCL genes is underinvestigated. To better understand the role of grass NBCLs and to overcome any effects of domestication that might conceal their original functions, we studied TILLING nbcl mutants in the non‐domesticated grass Brachypodium distachyon. In B. distachyon, the NBCL genes BdUNICULME4 (CUL4) and BdLAXATUM‐A (LAXA) are orthologous, respectively, to the barley HvUniculme4 and HvLaxatum‐a, to the maize Zmtassels replace upper ears1 and Zmtassels replace upper ears2 and to the rice OsBLADE‐ON‐PETIOLE1 and OsBLADE‐ON‐PETIOLE2/3. In B. distachyon, our reverse genetics study shows that CUL4 is not essential for the establishment of the blade–sheath boundary but is necessary for the development of the ligule and auricles. We report that CUL4 also exerts a positive role in tillering and a negative role in spikelet meristem activity. On the other hand, we demonstrate that LAXA plays a negative role in tillering, positively participates in spikelet development and contributes to the control of floral organ number and identity. In this work, we functionally characterized two new NBCL genes in a context of non‐domesticated grass and highlighted original roles for grass NBCL genes that are related to important agronomical traits.     

Ammonium and nitrate uptake by barley genotypes in diurnally fluctuating root temperatures simulating till and no-till conditions

The morphological development and N uptake patterns of spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) genotypes of Northern European (Nordic) and Pacific Northwest US (PNW) origin were compared under two diurnally fluctuating root temperature regimes in solution culture. The two regimes, 15/5°C and 9/5°C day maximum/night minimum temperatures, simulated soil temperature differences between tilled vs. heavy-residue, no-till conditions, respectively, observed during early spring in eastern Washington. Previous field experiments indicated that some of the Nordic genotypes accumulated more N and dry matter than the PNW cultivars during early spring under no-till conditions. The objective of this experiment was to determined whether these differences 1) are dependent on the temperature of the rooting environment, and 2) are correlated with genotypic differences in NH₄ ⁺ and NO₃ ^– uptake. Overall, shoot N and dry matter accumulation was reduced by 40% due to lower root temperatures during illumination. Leaf emergence was slowed by 14 to 22%, and tiller production was also inhibited. All genotypes absorbed more ammonium than nitrate from equimolar solutions, and the proportion of total N absorbed as NH₄ ⁺ was slightly higher in the 9/5°C than the 15/5°C regime. A Finnish genotype, HJA80201, accumulated significantly more shoot N than the PNW cultivars, Clark and Steptoe, and also more than a Swedish cultivar, Pernilla, in the 9/5°C regime. In the 15/5°C regime Steptoe did not differ in shoot N from the Nordic genotypes, while Clark remained significantly lower. These differences were not correlated to relative propensity for N form. Root lengths of the Nordic genotypes were significantly greater than the PNW genotypes grown under the 9/5°C regime, while the root lengths in the warmer root temperture regime were not significantly different among genotypes. Higher root elongation rates under low soil temperature conditions may be an inherent adaptive mechanism of the Nordic genotypes. Overall, the data indicate that lower maximum daytime temperatures of the soil surface layer likely account for a significant portion of the growth reductions and lower N uptake observed in no-till systems.     

Effects of the fungal endophyte, Neotyphodium lolii, on net photosynthesis and growth rates of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) are independent of In Planta endophyte concentration

• Background and Aims Neotyphodium lolii is a fungal endophyteof perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), improving grass fitnessthrough production of bioactive alkaloids. Neotyphodium speciescan also affect growth and physiology of their host grasses(family Poaceae, sub-family Pooideae), but little is known aboutthe mechanisms. This study examined the effect of N. lolii onnet photosynthesis (P_n) and growth rates in ryegrass genotypesdiffering in endophyte concentration in all leaf tissues. • Methods Plants from two ryegrass genotypes, Nui D andNui UIV, infected with N. lolii (E+) differing approx. 2-foldin endophyte concentration or uninfected clones thereof (E–)were grown in a controlled environment. For each genotype xendophyte treatment, plant growth rates were assessed as tilleringand leaf extension rates, and the light response of P_n, darkrespiration and transpiration measured in leaves of young (30–45d old) and old (>90 d old) plants with a single-chamber openinfrared gas-exchange system. • Key Results Neotyphodium lolii affected CO₂-limited ratesof P_n, which were approx. 17 % lower in E+ than E– plants(P < 0·05) in the young plants. Apparent photon yieldand dark respiration were unaffected by the endophyte (P >0·05). Neotyphodium lolii also decreased transpiration(P < 0·05), but only in complete darkness. There wereno endophyte effects on P_n in the old plants (P > 0·05).E+ plants grew faster immediately after replanting (P < 0·05),but had approx. 10 % lower growth rates during mid-log growth(P < 0·05) than E– plants, but there was noeffect on final plant biomass (P > 0·05). The endophyteeffects on P_n and growth tended to be more pronounced in NuiUIV, despite having a lower endophyte concentration than NuiD. • Conclusions Neotyphodium lolii affects CO₂ fixation,but not light interception and photochemistry of P_n. The impactof N. lolii on plant growth and photosynthesis is independentof endophyte concentration in the plant, suggesting that theendophyte mycelium is not simply an energy drain to the plant.However, the endophyte effects on P_n and plant growth are stronglydependent on the plant growth phase.