Digital imaging approaches for phenotyping whole plant nitrogen and phosphorus response in Brachypodium distachyon

This work evaluates the phenotypic response of the model grass(Brachypodium distachyon(L.) P. Beauv.) to nitrogen and phosphorus nutrition using a combination of imaging techniques and destructive harvest of shoots and roots.Reference line Bd21-3 was grown in pots using 11 phosphorus and 11 nitrogen concentrations to establish a dose–response curve. Shoot biovolume and biomass, root length and biomass,and tissue phosphorus and nitrogen concentrations increased with nutrient concentration. Shoot biovolume, estimated by imaging, was highly correlated with dry weight(R2 0.92) and both biovolume and growth rate responded strongly to nutrient availability. Higher nutrient supply increased nodal root length more than other root types. Photochemical efficiency was strongly reduced by low phosphorus concentrations as early as1 week after germination, suggesting that this measurement may be suitable for high throughput screening of phosphorus response. In contrast, nitrogen concentration had little effect on photochemical efficiency. Changes in biovolume over time were used to compare growth rates of four accessions in response to nitrogen and phosphorus supply. We demonstrate that a time series image-based approach coupled with mathematical modeling provides higher resolution of genotypic response to nutrient supply than traditional destructive techniques and shows promise for high throughput screening and determination of genomic regions associated with superior nutrient use efficiency.     

Rice root growth in relation to size,quantity, and rigidity of pores

Summary Experiments were conducted to study the influence of porosity, pore size and pore rigidity of sands, developed in tubes and culture vessels, on rice root growth. The root growth parameters included: number of penetrating roots, length, length of radicle above sand surface, depth of penetration, diameter near the tip and base, volume and fresh weight. The relationships between porosity, pore size of sand and root growth parameters were found to be nonlinear. A porosity of 51.6% was most favourable to rice root growth and penetration. The root tips could expand an average macropore size of 75 μ for their penetration. In fine sand (150−50 μ), though the pore size was very narrow, roots were able to penetrate because of low rigidity of pores. The increasing pore rigidity of sand abridged root penetration. The critical rigidity in terms of penetration pressure was measured to be 435 kg cm⁻² with coarse sand (400−320 μ). The rigidity of pore structure depended largely on particle size and porosity of sands. The penetration pressure was reduced with decrease in particle size of sand. Contribution from the Department of Agricultural Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, West Bengal, India. Junior Soil Physicist and formerly Assistant Professor of Soil Science (now Head and Professor of Soil Science, U.P. Agricultural University, Pantnagar, Nainital, U.P., India), Agricultural Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, West Bengal, India.     

盐分和母树大小对黑松海防林种子萌发和幼苗早期生长的影响

研究了盐度(0、0.02、0.04和0.08 mol·L~(-1))和黑松母树大小对山东半岛北部海防林的主要造林树种黑松种子萌发和幼苗早期生长的影响.结果表明:盐度对黑松种子的发芽率有显著影响,随着NaCl浓度的升高,种子萌发率逐渐下降;盐分抑制黑松幼苗的早期生长,随着盐浓度升高,黑松幼苗的根长、芽长及根干质量均显著降低;母树大小在总体上对种子萌发率没有影响,但显著影响黑松幼苗的根长、芽长和芽干质量;盐度和母树大小的相互作用显著影响黑松幼苗的根长和芽长.而对黑松种子萌发率、幼苗根干质量和芽干质量的影响不显著.

Abstract：

Pinus thunbergii is the main forestation tree species of coastal protection forests in northern Shandong Peninsula of China. Its seed germination and seedling early growth were stud-ied under the conditions of different water salinity (0, 0. 02, 0. 04, and 0. 08 mol·L~(-1)) and mother tree sizes. With increasing sea water salinity, the seed germination rate, root-and plu-mule length, and the dry weights of root and plumule decreased significantly. Mother tree size had little effects on the seed germination rate, but affected the root-and plumule length and the plumule dry weight significantly. The interaction of sea water salinity and mother tree size affect-ed the root-and plumule length significantly, but less affected the germination rate and the dry weights of root and plumule.     

Subspecies-specific intron length polymorphism markers reveal clear genetic differentiation in common wild rice （Oryza rufipogon L.） in relation to the domestication of cultivated rice （O. sativa L.）

It is generally accepted that Oryza rufipogon is the progenitor of Asian cultivated rice （O. sativa）. However, how the two subspecies of O. sativa （indica and japonica） were domesticated has long been debated. To investigate the genetic differentiation in O. rufipogon in relation to the domestication of O. sativa, we developed 57 subspecies-specific intron length polymorphism （SSILP） markers by comparison between 10 indica cultivars and 10 japonica cultivars and defined a standard indica rice and a standard japonica rice based on these SSILP markers. Using these SSILP markers to genotype 73 O. rufipogon accessions, we found that the indica alleles and japonica alleles of the SSILP markers were predominant in the O. rufipogon accessions, suggesting that SSILPs were highly conserved during the evolution of O. sativa. Cluster analysis based on these markers yielded a dendrogram consisting of two distinct groups： one group （Group I） comprises all the O. rufipogon accesions from tropical （South and Southeast） Asia as well as the standard indica rice; the other group （Group II） comprises all the O. rufipogon accessions from Southern China as well as the standard japonica rice. Further analysis showed that the two groups have significantly higher frequencies of indica alleles and japonica alleles, respectively. These results support the hypothesis that indica rice and japonica rice were domesticated from the O. rufipogon of tropical Asia and from that of Southern China, respectively, and suggest that the indica-japonica differentiation should have formed in O. rufipogon long before the beginning of domestication. Furthermore, with an O. glaberrima accession as an outgroup, it is suggested that the indica-japonica differentiation in O. ruffpogon might occur after its speciation from other AA-genome species.     

Root morphology in response to nitrogen supply in mid-season indica rice cultivars released in different decades

正Dear Editor,Roots,as a major organ of plants,are involved in nutrient and water acquisition,and might play a vital role in yield increase and efficient N absorption with genetic improvement.Because of the great differences in growth period and pattern between the old and new rice cultivars,it is difficult to clarify how genetic improvements contribute to root growth in rice.For example,for a solution culture system,Wu et al.suggested that total root length increased with increasing year of release for maize hybrids,while shoot dry weight,     

Single-seeded InDel fingerprints in rice:An effective tool for indica-japonica rice classification and evolutionary studies

Asian cultivated rice(Oryza sativa L.),an important cereal crop worldwide,was domesticated from its wild ancestor 8000 years ago.During its long-term cultivation and evolution under diverse agroecological conditions, Asian cultivated rice has differentiated into indica and japonica subspecies.An effective method is required to identify rice germplasm for its indica and japonica features,which is essential in rice genetic improvements.We developed a protocol that combined DNA extraction from a single rice seed and the insertion/deletion(InDel) molecular fingerprint to determine the indica and japonica features of rice germplasm.We analyzed a set of rice germplasm,including 166 Asian rice varieties,two African rice varieties,30 accessions of wild rice species,and 42 weedy rice accessions,using the single-seeded InDel fingerprints(SSIF).The results show that the SSIF method can efficiently determine the indica and japonica features of the rice germplasm.Further analyses revealed significant indica and japonica differentiation in most Asian rice varieties and weedy rice accessions.In contrast,African rice varieties and nearly all the wild rice accessions did not exhibit such differentiation.The pattern of cultivated and wild rice samples illustrated by the SSIF supports our previous hypothesis that indica and japonica differentiation occurred after rice domestication under different agroecological conditions.In addition,the divergent pattern of rice cultivars and weedy rice accessions suggests the possibility of an endoferal origin(from crop)of the weedy rice included in the present study.     

Digital imaging approaches for phenotyping whole plant nitrogen and phosphorus response in Bracbypodium distacbyon

This work evaluates the phenotypic response of the model grass （Brachypodium distacbyon （L.） P. Beauv.） to nitrogen and phosphorus nutrition using a combination of imaging techniques and destructive harvest of shoots and roots. Reference line Bd21-3 was grown in pots using 11 phosphorus and 11 nitrogen concentrations to establish a dose-response curve. Shoot biovolume and biomass, root length and biomass, and tissue phosphorus and nitrogen concentrations increased with nutrient concentration. Shoot biovolume, estimated by imaging, was highly correlated with dry weight （R2 〉 0.92） and both biovolume and growth rate responded strongly to nutrient availability. Higher nutrient supply increased nodal root length more than other root types. Photochemical efficiency was strongly reduced by low phosphorus concentrations as early as 1 week after germination, suggesting that this measurement may be suitable for high throughput screening of phosphorus response. In contrast, nitrogen concentration had little effect on photochemical efficiency. Changes in biovolume over time were used to compare growth rates of four accessions in response tonitrogen and phosphorus supply. We demonstrate that a time series image-based approach coupled with mathematical modeling provides higher resolution of genotypic response to nutrient supply than traditional destructive techniques and shows promise for high throughput screening and determina- tion of genomic regions associated with superior nutrient use efficiency.     

Arsenic tolerance, uptake and translocation by seedlings of three rice cultivars

By simulating the anaerobic conditions with agar nutrient solutions, effect of arsenic (As) on the growth and As uptake by hybrid, conventional and glutinous rice cultivars were studied. It showed insignificant effect of As on the root dry weights of three rice cultivars when treated by As of different concentrations. The shoot dry weights of hybrid and glutinous decreased with As concentrations increasing, while low concentrations of As (0.5 mg L^?1) could enhance the growth of conventional rice. Generally, As concentrations in roots and shoots increased as As concentrations of treatment solutions increasing. The root system had strong ability to uptake and accumulate As. The root As concentrations ranged from 156 to 504 mg kg^?1, representing 63.40%–81.90% of the total As concentrations in rice, which were much higher than shoot As concentrations. The fact that the glutinous rice had higher biomass, higher tolerance, and lower As concentrations in its roots and shoots than the other two rice cultivars proved that the glutinous rice was more applicable to As-polluted soils.     

ABA-Mediated Inhibition of Germination Is Related to the Inhibition of Genes Encoding Cell-Wall Biosynthetic and Architecture： Modifying Enzymes and Structural Proteins in Medicago truncatula Embryo Axis

Radicle emergence and reserves mobilization are two distinct programmes that are thought to control germination. Both programs are influenced by abscissic acid （ABA） but how this hormone controls seed germination is still poorly known. Phenotypic and microscopic observations of the embryo axis of Medicago truncatula during germination in mitotic inhibition condition triggered by 10 μM oryzalin showed that cell division was not required to allow radicle emergence. A suppressive subtractive hybridization showed that more than 10% of up-regulated genes in the embryo axis encoded proteins related to cell-wall biosynthesis. The expression of α-expansins, pectin-esterase, xylogucan-endotransglycosidase, cellulose synthase, and extensins was monitored in the embryo axis of seeds germinated on water, constant and transitory ABA. These genes were overexpressed before completion of germination in the control and strongly inhibited by ABA. The expression was re-established in the ABA transitory-treatment after the seeds were transferred back on water and proceeded to germination. This proves these genes as contributors to the completion of germination and strengthen the idea that cell-wall loosening and remodeling in relation to cell expansion in the embryo axis is a determinant feature in germination. Our results also showed that ABA controls germination through the control of radicle emergence, namely by inhibiting cell-wall loosening and expansion.     

Herbicidal Activity of Toxin from Fusarium avenaceum GD-2 against Wild Oats (Avena fatua L.)

The herbicidal activity potential of toxin from Fusarium avenaceum GD-2 was evaluated against wild oats (Avena fatua L.) in this study. The toxin was assayed in vitro to evaluate its inhibition against seed germination of A. fatua. The toxin of F. avenaceum GD-2 was shown to have an inhibitory effect of around 77.54% at 5 mg/mL against germination of A. fatua seeds. The inhibitory effect shown by the toxins against radicle had higher activity than plumule under the same concentration. The toxin of F. avenaceum GD-2 significantly diminished the plant length the part on the ground with various treatments when treated with the toxin under greenhouse conditions. However, there were no significantly different reductions in plant length and the weed fresh weight with different treatments. In detached leaf injection bioassay, the toxic metabolite was characterized after the culture filtrates crude extraction with petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate and n-butanol. The residues left after solvent evaporation were evaluated separately for their toxicity against the target weed. Residue (5 mg/mL) obtained from n butanol fraction showed the highest toxic activity when compared with others. Moreover, a host range experiments on the sensitivity of 10 plant species revealed that barnyard grasses and goosefeet were more sensitive to the toxin of the culture filtrate. Three herbicidal active compounds were isolated and purified from cultural filtrate with the same UV absorption peak. The recent results showed potential for the development of the toxins produced by F. avenaceum GD-2 as a bio herbicidal source to control and eliminate A. fatua weed.     

Thermal Hardening: A New Seed Vigor Enhancement Tool in Rice

In a laboratory study, indica and japonica rice (Oryza sativa L.) seeds were exposed to thermal hardening (heating followed by chilling followed by heating; chilling followed by heating followed by chilling; heating followed by chilling or chilling followed by heating). In indica rice, heating followed by chilling followed by heating resulted in decreased mean germination time, time to start germination, electrical conductivity of seed leachates, and time to 50% germination, as well as increased germination index, energy of germination, radicle and plumule length, root length, root/shoot ratio, root fresh and dry weight, radicle and plumule growth rate, and shoot fresh weight. In japonica rice, chilling followed by heating followed by chilling performed better than all other treatments, including control.     

Effect of liquid seaweed extracts on growth of tomato seedlings (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

Seaweed extracts are used as nutrient supplements, biostimulants, or biofertilizers in agriculture and horticulture to increase plant growth and yield. In this study, we examined the effect of liquid seaweed extracts (LSEs) made from Ulva lactuca, Caulerpa sertularioides, Padina gymnospora, and Sargassum liebmannii as biostimulants on the germination and growth of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) under laboratory and greenhouse conditions using foliar and soil drench applications of LSEs. We assessed LSEs at different concentrations (0.2, 0.4, and 1.0 %) on germination parameters (percentage, index, mean time, energy, and seedling vigor index) and growth parameters (plumule length, radical length, shoot length, root length, fresh weight, and dry weight) of tomato seedlings. Our results indicate that seeds treated with LSEs of U. lactuca and P. gymnospora at lower concentrations (0.2 %) showed enhanced germination (better response in germination rate associated with lower mean germination time, high germination index and germination energy, and consequently greater seedling vigor and greater plumule and radicle length). Application as a soil drench was found to be more effective in influencing the height of the plant (up to 79 cm) than the foliar spray application (75 cm). Plants receiving LSEs of U. lactuca and P. gymnospora showed increased shoot length, root length, and weight. Furthermore, U. lactuca and P. gymnospora were found to be more successful and better candidates for developing effective biostimulants to improve the growth of tomato plants. This study provides important information on the identification and utilization of Mexican seaweed resources for agriculture and is the first study to report on the uses of these seaweeds as a source of liquid extracts as biostimulants in agriculture.     

亚精胺浸种对渗透胁迫下白三叶子萌发及淀粉代谢的影响

以‘拉丁诺’白三叶为材料,用0、10％、15％、20％（W/V）即的聚乙二醇（PEG-6000）溶液模拟干旱条件,研究亚精胺fSpd）浸种对渗透胁迫下白三叶种子萌发和淀粉代谢的影响。结果表明,在PEG渗透胁迫下,白三叶种子的发芽率、发芽势、发芽指数、胚芽及胚根鲜重和胚根长度均显著（P〈0．05）降低,淀粉水解为糖类的速率减慢;与蒸馏水浸种相比,0．05mmol．L-1 Spd浸种处理显著（P〈0．05）提高了在渗透胁迫条件下种子的发芽率、发芽势、发芽指数、胚芽及胚根鲜重、干重和胚根长度,同时大幅提高了α-淀粉酶、β-淀粉酶及（α＋β）．淀粉酶总活性,降低了淀粉含量,增加了还原糖和葡萄糖含量。说明Spd浸种提高了白三叶种子在渗透胁迫下的萌发能力和幼苗生长的环境适应性,这可能与增强种子体内淀粉酶活性,加速淀粉水解为还原糖和葡萄糖,为种子萌发和幼苗早期生长及时提供充足能量有关。     

Seed germination of medicinal sage is affected by gibberellic acid,magnetic field and laser irradiation

Proper priming techniques are among the most important methods for increasing seed germination and seedling growth. Three experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of plant hormone (500 and 1000 mg/L gibberellic acid (GA)), magnetic field (3, 15, 30 mili Tesla (mT)) and laser irradiation at 650 nm (200 mW) on the germination and the growth of Salvia officinalis. We examined the plumule and radical length, plumule and radical fresh weight, plumule and radical dry weight, germination percentage, germination rate and seed vigor. The two concentrations of GA significantly increased seed germination and seedling growth. The magnetic field at 15 mT significantly increased radical length. The effect of laser irradiation was also significant on plumule length, and fresh and dry weight, radicle fresh weight, germination percentage and rate and seed vigor. Such results may be of practical use in the field, especially in arid and semiarid areas, but more research must determine the response of medicinal sage, treated with the priming techniques tested in our experiments, under stress conditions.     

Allelopathic effects of nicotine on maize I. Its possible importance in crop rotation

Nicotine adversely affected the germination, germination relative index (GRI), radicle and plumule length, and seedling vigour of rice but affected favourably the growth of maize. Also, inin vivo conditions nicotine increased height, specific leaf weight and chlorophyll content of the maize plant.     

Germination, seedling morphology and establishment of Cotnbretum bauchiense Hutch. & Dalz. (Combretaceae)

ONYEKWELU, S. S. C, 1990. Germination, seedling morphology and establishment of Cotnbretum bauchiense Hutch. & Dalz. (Combretaceae). Cotnbretum bauchiense is a suffrutex with short, erect, usually herbaceous stems arising from a woody root stock. It appears in savanna soon after fire and (lowers within a few weeks. The fruits germinate in 5–6 days. The germination is cryptogeal. On germination the true radicle and the apparent radicle formed by fused cotyledon stalks push down into the soil, carrying the plumule with them. The cotyledon lamina and part of the fused cotyledon stalks remain above the soil. Both the apparent radicle and the true radicle produce roots. Below the soil at the joint of the apparent radicle and the true radicle the plumule produces 1–3 shoots which grow out to the surface of the soil. The underground portion of the shoot bears scale leaves, from which the plant regenerates when the aerial shoot is damaged by fire. This type of germination is an adaptation that ensures successful establishment in an environment that is subjected to fire.     

Allelopathic effects of switchgrass on redroot pigweed and crabgrass growth

Non-native invasive plant species influence plant community composition and competitively eradicate native species. However, there is doubt regarding how global invasive species increase and explosively interfere with native plants. Invasive plants always have strong allelopathic potential. In this study, allelopathic effects of switchgrass on redroot pigweed and crabgrass growth were investigated by field and laboratory experiments. Within a 0.4-m distance of switchgrass, density and shoot biomass of native species were significantly suppressed in the field, with 95.1% and 93.0% inhibition on density of redroot pigweed and crabgrass and with 99.0% and 97.7% inhibition on shoot biomass, respectively, during the third growing season. Significant inhibitory effects on shoot and root biomass were observed at the 5:5 (switchgrass–native species) proportion in glass bottles, by 41.57% and 51.21% for shoot and root biomass of redroot pigweed and by 33.42% and 56.95% for shoot and root biomass of crabgrass, respectively. Results of a glass bottle experiment showed that shoot and root biomass of redroot pigweed and crabgrass could be significantly inhibited by contact with switchgrass root. Results of a Petri dish experiment showed that aqueous extracts of switchgrass significantly inhibited germination process of both species at high concentrations, with 90.74% and 18.62% inhibition on germination rate and plumule length of redroot pigweed and with 63.59%, 16.38%, and 19.92% inhibition on germination rate, plumule, and radicle lengths of crabgrass, respectively, at the concentration of 0.1 g·mL^?1. This report demonstrated that switchgrass had allelopathic effects on redroot pigweed and crabgrass growth.

     

Changes in Germination and Seedling Traits of Sesame under Simulated Drought

Drought is considered one of the leading abiotic constraints to agricultural crop production globally. Present study was conducted to assess the effects of different drought treatments (viz. Control, 10% PEG, and 20% PEG) on seed germination, germination indices, seedling traits, and drought tolerance indices of sesame. Our results showed that maximum reduction in the studied parameters was observed at higher PEG concentration (i.e., 20% PEG). As compared to control, the drought treatments viz. 10% and 20% PEG decreased the values for germination indices, such as germination percentage, coefficient of variation of germination time, germination index, and seedling vigor index. Similarly, for seedling traits, the values were decreased for root length, shoot length, root shoot ratio, root fresh weight, shoot fresh weight, root dry weight and shoot dry weight under 10% and 20% PEG treatments significantly in comparison with control. Furthermore, relative to control, the values for drought tolerance indices, such as germination drought tolerance index, root length drought tolerance index, shoot length drought tolerance index, total seedling length drought tolerance index, root fresh weight drought tolerance index, shoot fresh weight drought tolerance index, total fresh weight drought tolerance index, root dry weight drought tolerance index, shoot dry weight drought tolerance index and total dry weight drought tolerance index were also reduced under 10% and 20% PEG treatments, respectively. Our results confirms that drought impact on seed germination and seedling traits could be quantified by using different indices which can further help to design drought adaptation and mitigation strategies. Based on these results it can be concluded that germination indices, seedling traits, and drought tolerance indices have great potential to simulate drought stress impacts on different crop traits thus they should be used in all kinds of stress related studies.     

Differences in the Effects of Dehusking during Formation of Seeds on the Germination of Seeds of Indica and Japonica Rice (Oryza sativaL.)

Differences in germination of intact and dehusked seeds of two japonica and two indica cultivars of rice (Oryza sativaL.) were examined during the development and maturation of seeds both under high-temperature (30/23°C) and low-temperature (20/13°C) regimes and a 14-h photoperiod in growth cabinets. As described previously for seeds grown in the paddy fields, germination of freshly harvested japonica rice seeds that developed and matured in growth cabinets was inhibited by dehusking. We observed a roughly consistent triphasic pattern with respect to the germination of intact and dehusked seeds during the development and maturation of seeds of indica and japonica rice. The triphasic pattern consisted of: (a) an initial phase, during which germination was stimulated by dehusking both in indica and japonica rice; (b) a second phase during which almost no dehusked seeds of indica or japonica rice germinated; and (c) a third phase during which intrinsic differences between indica and japonica rice were observed, with dehusking stimulating germination of indica rice but inhibiting that of japonica. Temperature regimes did not affect this triphasic pattern, but the time from the day of anthesis to mass maturity was affected by temperature regimes, and the effect was more pronounced in indica than in japonica rice.     

水稻资源芽期和苗期耐盐碱性综合评价及耐盐基因分析

培育耐盐碱水稻品种是应对全球人口日益增长的重要途径之一。文中以21份耐盐碱性不同的水稻品种(系)为材料,在芽期和苗期设置6个不同盐碱浓度处理,测定了发芽势、发芽率、芽长、根长、根数、芽鲜重和苗鲜总重等指标,以各指标盐害率的平均值作为耐盐碱性的综合评价标准。结果表明随着盐碱浓度的提升,对种子萌发和生长的抑制越明显。在1%NaCl加0.25%NaHCO3溶液处理下,发芽率盐害率变异最大,为0%–89.80%。在所有浓度处理下,各性状指标的盐害率都具有相似的变化趋势。筛选到4份综合耐盐碱能力强(大酒谷、日本晴、魔王谷和02428)和7份弱的种质资源。比较了4份耐盐碱强和3份耐盐碱弱的资源耐盐基因序列:OsHAL3和OsRR22基因在7份材料中没有差异,SKC1和DST基因在耐盐碱强和耐盐碱弱的品种之间有明显的变异。研究结果为进一步挖掘水稻耐盐碱基因和培育耐盐碱水稻新品种提供了种质资源和理论基础。