Inheritance of the light intensity response in spring cultivars of common wheat

The effects of low/high light intensities and day length on ear emergence time in climatic chambers were studied in 12 common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars of different ecogeographical origin. Low light intensity (LI) affected the time to ear emergence in all the wheat cultivars of both the photoperiod sensitive and insensitive genotypes, increasing the number of days to ear emergence (DEE). Based on the increase in DEE, we chose samples with different light intensity responses among the cultivars and analyzed their F2 hybrids to see if they were segregating. Taken together, the data for the F2 plants and test cross showed that the strong response to light intensity is a recessive trait and that the parental cultivars differ by the two genes controlling the LI response in common wheat. Besides heading time, low LI increased the number of days to tillering in all the cultivars except Pitic 62, but short day affected the period to tillering less than low LI. The symbol Rli (the response to light intensity) is suggested to designate the genetic control of the response to LI in wheat. Thus, the response to LI may influence the adaptability to changing environmental conditions and yield of wheat cultivars.     

黄河中游地区节节麦抗穗发芽的鉴定与分析

小麦穗发芽是小麦生产中的主要灾害和重要问题,在普通小麦中缺乏抗穗发芽的品种资源。本试验通过对35份黄河中游地区节节麦、14份国外节节麦及部分小麦品种的发芽率的测定及抗性多样性分析,综合评价了黄河中游地区节节麦的穗发芽抗性状况。结果表明,节节麦穗发芽抗性普遍高于小麦品种,黄河中游地区节节麦的抗穗发芽能力优于国外材料,其中以T005、T007、T008、T016、T030、T062、T065、T068、T069、T072和T085等11个材料的抗穗发芽能力最强,是小麦穗发芽改良优异的抗源材料。     

不同小麦品种对低温胁迫的反应及抗冻性评价

以济麦19、济麦21、济南17等15个冬小麦品种为材料,对其在低温胁迫条件下功能叶和叶鞘超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性、过氧化物酶(POD)活性、过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性、丙二醛(MDA)含量与可溶性蛋白含量等生理指标进行测定,以功能叶各项指标的抗冻系数作为衡量抗冻性的指标,利用主成分分析、聚类分析对其抗冻性进行综合评价。低温胁迫条件下,不同冬小麦品种起身拔节期功能叶和叶鞘中SOD活性、POD活性和CAT活性均不同程度地上升,MDA含量和可溶性蛋白含量均下降。通过主成分分析和聚类分析,将15个冬小麦品种划分为3类:济麦19、山农8355属强抗冻类型;山农664、泰山9818、济麦21、济麦22、烟农24、烟农19、烟农21、汶农6号、鲁麦21、济南17属中度抗冻类型;其余3个品种(泰山23、聊麦18、临麦2号)属弱抗冻类型。     

Respiration of maleic hydrazide treated and untreated onion bulbs during storage

Respiration rates were determined at a range of temperatures on onion bulbs cv. Rijnsburger sampled from a cool-stored bulk over a period of 8 months. In the first 5 months of storage, respiration rates were low and showed a small increase with temperature. During this period there was little or no difference between untreated bulbs and those treated with maleic hydrazide (MH) prior to harvest. Subsequently there was a rise in respiration rates, which preceded sprouting, but this was not evident in MH-treated bulbs. A relationship between respiration and dormancy was suggested by the correlation between respiration rate in January and sprouting in June for four cultivars.     

转反义trxs基因小麦株系00T89分子鉴定及抗穗发芽特性研究

以皖麦48为受体导入反义trxs基因已获得00T89第4代(T4)转基因株系,对其进行反义基因的PCR鉴定、相对定量RT-PCR基因表达检测以及抗穗发芽特性研究。结果表明,18个T4代转基因株系中,13个株系目的基因检测呈阳性;成熟期籽粒萌发过程中,8个株系转录水平上mRNA丰度极显著降低(P<0·01),mRNA丰度与穗发芽指标呈显著和极显著的相关性(r=0·7181)。其中6个株系在开花后30d至成熟后10d表现出明显的抗穗发芽特性。与非转基因对照相比,平均穗开始发芽时间推迟2·7d(P<0·01),穗粒发芽率和穗发芽度分别降低35·5%(P<0·01)和47·5%(P<0·01),成熟后25d这些株系又逐渐恢复发芽特性,无显著差异(P>0·05)。     

不同年代推出的冬小麦品种叶片气体交换日变化的差异

选择 6 0年来北京地区广泛种植的 3个冬小麦 (TriticumaestivumL .)品种 ,在相同的环境条件下种植。为了研究它们的产量与单位叶面积的净光合速率 (Pn)的关系 ,测定了不同生育期Pn、蒸腾速率 (Tr)的日变化 ,并用Pn/Tr计算叶片瞬时的水分利用率 (WUE)。结果表明 :单位叶面积净光合速率与产量之间的关系随生育期不同而变化。在拔节期高产品种“京冬 8号”(九十年代推出 )的光合速率和蒸腾速率在一天中总是最高 ,一天中差异最大时 ,分别比低产品种“燕大 1817”(四十年代推出 )高 77%和 6 9%。而其水分利用率却小于低产品种。这种差异随小麦的生长发育而变化 ,一般上午 10 :0 0前“京冬 8号”的光合速率较高 ,而 10 :0 0后“燕大 1817”的光合速率较高。到腊熟期 ,低产品种“燕大 1817”的光合速率在一天中始终最高。蒸腾速率的变化规律与光合速率相似 ,然而“燕大1817”叶片的水分利用率一般最高。与现代推出的品种不同 ,老品种“燕大 1817”叶片的光合作用午休现象不明显 ,说明它可能具有一定的抗光氧化性。我们认为 ,在品种改良的过程中 ,叶片光合作用的潜力可能有所提高 ,但它的抗光氧化性可能减弱。     

Genetic variation of Vp1 in Sichuan wheat accessions and its association with pre-harvest sprouting response

Pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) in bread wheat is a major abiotic constraint reducing yield and influencing the production of high quality grain. In China both spring and winter wheat regions are affected by PHS. Sichuan lies in southwest China, where the most of rainfall occurs during April to September when wheat is harvested. The present investigation was conducted to identify the allelic variability of Vp1, a gene that plays a role in maintenance and induction of dormancy, among Sichuan landraces and recent cultivars with different dormancy levels and to find potential sources of PHS resistance for breeding. Sichuan landrace and cultivar wheat accessions had a wide range of dormancy levels. The average germination index (GI) of Sichuan landrace accessions was 0.232, whereas at 0.674 it was much higher for cultivars. The different dormancy levels between landraces and cultivars indicated that pre-harvest sprouting resistance might have been neglected in recent Sichuan wheat breeding programs. The average GI of white grained accessions was higher than for red grained accessions. Particular Vp-1B gene fragments were specific in landraces or cultivars and in white or red grained accessions. The results indicated that Vp-1B markers could be used to distinguish cultivars and landraces. Significant relationships between certain Vp-1B allelesand GI of Sichuan wheat accessions were shown by Spearman’s rank correlation analysis.     

Light as an environmental filter in fen vegetation

Questions: 1. To what extent does light availability differ among fen plant communities? 2. To what extent does light coincide with productivity and moisture gradients? 3. Does light act as an important environmental filter in natural and transformed riparian landscapes? Location: Current data from the Biebrza Valley, NE Poland; literature data from the T?eboň area, Czech Republic and four sites in the western and southern Netherlands. Methods: Relative light intensity (RLI) was measured in vertical profiles, next to vegetation relevés accompanied by measurements of above‐ground biomass, summer groundwater level, N and P content in vegetation, pH and soil redox potential. Data derived from literature included profiles of RLI, biomass and vegetation records. Relationships between RLI and biomass and between species distribution, RLI and other variables were examined by regression analysis and CCA. Four traits were analysed: ability to spread clonally, seed weight, maximum height of adults and time of commencement of flowering. Results: RLI at ground level varied from < 1% in reed beds and tall herb meadows to > 60% in sedge‐moss communities and litter meadows. RLI was largely determined by the standing crop and explained a large part of variation in species occurrence. The combinations of analysed functional traits were constrained by the communities’ light profiles. Conclusion: Light availability is related more closely to site fertility than to hydrological regime. This confirms that hydrological regime and productivity should be analysed separately with regard to their effect on species distribution in wetlands. Limited light availability seems the major environmental control of the distribution of low growing and late flowering species.     

Dynamics of genetic variation of Sartov cultivars of common wheat Triticum aestivum L. (from the gliadin-coding locus) after a an 80-year period of scientific selection

Based on analysis of gliadin patterns in common wheat cultivars developed at the Research Institute of Agriculture of the Southeast, profile dynamics in gliadin loci has been surveyed for the period of over eight decades. It was shown that long-term breeding of the wheat cultivars involved gradual replacement of alleles characteristic of ancient cultivars for those widely spread in the world, which are probably linked with alleles that currently confer advantage to their carriers. The process of reduction of inter-population genetic diversity in wheat (with special reference to the allele frequency dynamics at gliadin loci) is discussed. This process is responsible for genetic erosion of the species.     

Dynamics of Genetic Variation at Gliadin-Coding Loci in Saratov Cultivars of Common Wheat Triticum aestivum L. over Eight Decades of Scientific Breeding

Based on analysis of gliadin patterns in common wheat cultivars bred at the Research Institute of Agriculture of the Southeast, allele composition dynamics in gliadin loci has been surveyed for the period of over eight decades. It was shown that long-term breeding of the wheat cultivars involved gradual replacement of alleles characteristic of ancient cultivars for those widely spread in the world, which are probably linked with alleles that currently confer advantage to their carriers. The process of reduction of interpopulation genetic diversity in wheat (with special reference to the allele frequency dynamics at gliadin loci) is discussed. This process is responsible for genetic erosion of the species.     

Combined agronomic and physiological aspects of nitrogen management in wheat highlight a central role for glutamine synthetase

In wheat the period of grain filling is characterized by a transition for all vegetative organs from sink to source status. To study this transition, the progression of physiological markers and enzyme activities representative of nitrogen metabolism was monitored from the vegetative stage to maturity in different leaf stages and stem sections of two wheat (Triticum aestivum) cultivars grown at high and low levels of N fertilization. In the two cultivars examined, we found a general decrease of the metabolic and enzyme markers occurred during leaf ageing, and that this decrease was enhanced when plants were N-limited. Both correlation studies and principal components analysis (PCA) showed that there was a strong relationship among total N, chlorophyll, soluble protein, ammonium, amino acids and glutamine synthetase (GS) activity. The use of a marker such as GS activity to predict the N status of wheat, as a function of both plant development and N availability, is discussed with the aim of selecting wheat genotypes with better N-use efficiency.     

Increased ABA sensitivity results in higher seed dormancy in soft white spring wheat cultivar ‘Zak’

As a strategy to increase the seed dormancy of soft white wheat, mutants with increased sensitivity to the plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) were identified in mutagenized grain of soft white spring wheat “Zak”. Lack of seed dormancy is correlated with increased susceptibility to preharvest sprouting in wheat, especially those cultivars with white kernels. ABA induces seed dormancy during embryo maturation and inhibits the germination of mature grain. Three mutant lines called Zak ERA8, Zak ERA19A, and Zak ERA19B (Zak ENHANCED RESPONSE to ABA) were recovered based on failure to germinate on 5 μM ABA. All three mutants resulted in increased ABA sensitivity over a wide range of concentrations such that a phenotype can be detected at very low ABA concentrations. Wheat loses sensitivity to ABA inhibition of germination with extended periods of dry after-ripening. All three mutants recovered required more time to after-ripen sufficiently to germinate in the absence of ABA and to lose sensitivity to 5 μM ABA. However, an increase in ABA sensitivity could be detected after as long as 3 years of after-ripening using high ABA concentrations. The Zak ERA8 line showed the strongest phenotype and segregated as a single semi-dominant mutation. This mutation resulted in no obvious decrease in yield and is a good candidate gene for breeding preharvest sprouting tolerance.     

基于生理指标与籽粒产量关系的小麦品种抗冻性分析

以20个冬小麦品种为材料进行盆栽试验,对其在低温胁迫条件下功能叶超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、过氧化物酶（POD）、过氧化氢酶（CAT）活性,丙二醛（MDA）、可溶性蛋白、可溶性糖含量以及籽粒产量、千粒重和籽粒形态性状进行测定.结果表明：拔节初期麦苗经-4 ℃低温胁迫后,不同品种冬小麦籽粒形态性状和产量性状均发生变化,绝大多数小麦品种籽粒长宽比、圆度和不育小穗数均增加,籽粒等效直径和面积及千粒重和籽粒产量均下降.通径分析表明,拔节初期低温处理后,功能叶SOD活性和可溶性糖含量是影响籽粒产量的主导因素,其中SOD活性对籽粒产量的直接影响较大,直接通径系数为-0.578.以籽粒产量下降的百分数作为小麦抗冻性评价的标准,可将20个小麦品种划分为3类：强抗冻类型的济麦19、济麦20、良星99、山农1135、山农8355、泰山23、泰山9818、汶农6号和烟农21,弱抗冻类型的临麦2号、潍麦8号、烟农19和淄麦12号,而其余7个品种属中度抗冻类型.苗期综合评价值（D值）与籽粒产量下降的百分数之间呈显著负相关(r=-0.512*),说明小麦苗期抗冻性强有利于获得较高的籽粒产量.苗期是小麦抗冻性鉴别选择的重要时期.     

不同产量水平旱地冬小麦品种干物质累积和转移的差异分析

旱地小麦高产栽培中品种起着重要作用,研究不同产量水平旱地冬小麦品种干物质累积和转移的差异,对黄土高原旱区作物高产稳产有重要意义。以9个旱地冬小麦品种为材料,通过田间试验研究了不同产量水平旱地冬小麦品种的生物量、花前花后干物质累积量、干物质转移量、转移率及转移干物质对籽粒的贡献率、叶面积、SPAD值以及光合速率的差异。结果表明,不同小麦品种的生物量、花前花后干物质累积量、干物质转移量、转移率及转移干物质对籽粒的贡献率均存在明显差异。与不施肥相比,高、中、低3个产量水平小麦品种在低养分投入时,成熟期生物量分别提高29%,22%和6%,高水平时分别提高46%,39%和23%,高产品种的生物量及其对养分投入的敏感程度明显高于低产品种。不同品种的花后干物质累积量随养分投入水平提高而增加,但花前营养器官中储存物质的转移量、转移率和对籽粒的贡献率却明显随之下降。功能叶(旗叶)在灌浆期高、中、低3个产量水平品种的SPAD值在低养分投入条件下分别为20.7、17.5和13.7;高养分投入时,分别为35、26.1和16.8。高产品种西农88的光合速率为6.0μmolCO.2m-.2s-1),中产和低产品种的平均光合速率分别为4.3μmolCO.2m-.2s-1和4.0μmolCO.2m-.2s-1,高产品种功能叶(旗叶)在灌浆期能保持较高的SPAD值和光合速率,因而花后能生产较多的干物质,但其花前干物质转移量、转移率及转移干物质对籽粒的贡献率均没有明显优势。可见,花后较高的叶绿素水平、光合速率和干物质累积是旱地小麦品种高产的重要原因。选择优良品种,采取合理的栽培措施,特别是通过养分调控保持花后具较高的干物质累积量是西北旱地进一步提高冬小麦产量的重要途径。     

Importance of dormancy and sink strength in sprouting of onions (Allium cepa) during storage

In onion ( Allium cepa L.) postponement of sprouting is necessary to achieve long term storage. We studied the factors determining sprouting during dry storage at 16°C. The period to visible sprouting depends on the length of the dormancy period, if present, and on the growth rate of the sprout. In the three cultivars tested, sprouts were initiated within 2 weeks after harvest indicating the absence of a real dormancy period. Sprout length increased linearly during storage. The mitotic activity of the apex decreased before harvest, was low at the transition from scale to leaf formation, and increased again when the sprout was initiated. From a few weeks before harvest, the initially high fructan content of the scales decreased, leading to a large increase in fructose. The sprout always contained enough carbohydrates for growth (between 50 and 60 mg g⁻¹ dry weight, of which 30% was fructan). The activity of sucrose synthase (EC 2.4.1.13) increased as the sprout grew, indicating an increase in sink strength. Invertase (EC 3.2.1.26) was absent in all bulb organs, during the various developmental stages. Although carbohydrates and enzymes were available for fast sprouting, sprout growth was still linear instead of exponential during dry storage at temperatures favorable for growth (16°C). The relative importance of factors determining sprouting are discussed.     

A major QTL controlling seed dormancy and pre-harvest sprouting resistance on chromosome 4A in a Chinese wheat landrace

Wheat pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) can cause significant reduction in yield and end-use quality of wheat grains in many wheat-growing areas worldwide. To identify a quantitative trait locus (QTL) for PHS resistance in wheat, seed dormancy and sprouting of matured spikes were investigated in a population of 162 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross between the white PHS-resistant Chinese landrace Totoumai A and the white PHS-susceptible cultivar Siyang 936. Following screening of 1,125 SSR primers, 236 were found to be polymorphic between parents, and were used to screen the mapping population. Both seed dormancy and PHS of matured spikes were evaluated by the percentage of germinated kernels under controlled moist conditions. Twelve SSR markers associated with both PHS and seed dormancy were located on the long arm of chromosome 4A. One QTL for both seed dormancy and PHS resistance was detected on chromosome 4AL. Two SSR markers, Xbarc 170 and Xgwm 397, are 9.14 cM apart, and flanked the QTL that explained 28.3% of the phenotypic variation for seed dormancy and 30.6% for PHS resistance. This QTL most likely contributed to both long seed dormancy period and enhanced PHS resistance. Therefore, this QTL is most likely responsible for both seed dormancy and PHS resistance. The SSR markers linked to the QTL can be used for marker-assisted selection of PHS-resistant white wheat cultivars. Shi-Bin Cai and Cui-Xia Chen contributed equally to this work.     

Revealing hereditary variation of winter hardiness in cereals

A set of cereal crops and differentiating cultivars was shown to be of utility for identifying the major abiotic factors that limit the survival of winter crops in the cold season of a particular year. With this approach, the season was identified (1997-1998, Belgorod) when the survival of cereals depended on the tolerance to anaerobiosis rather than on the frost resistance. Differentiation of common wheat cultivars with respect to this property was attributed to a locus designated Win1 (Winter hardiness 1) and localized 3.2-5.8% recombination away from the B1 (awnlessness) gene. Winter barley (cultivar Odesskii 165) displayed the highest tolerance to anaerobiosis in the cold season; low and intermediate tolerance was established for winter durum wheat (cultivar Alyi Parus) and winter common wheat, respectively. Frost resistance and winter hardiness type 1 proved to be determined by different genetic systems, which showed no statistical association. Correlation analysis revealed significant positive associations of frost resistance in the field (1996-1997, Belgorod) with productivity, sedimentation index, plant height, and vegetation period in wheat. Statistical analysis associated frost resistance with gliadin-coding alleles of homeologous chromosomes 1 and 6 of the A, B, and D wheat genomes.     

Gene markers for grain polyphenol oxidase activity in common wheat

Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) in grain is regarded as a major factor resulting in time-dependent darkening of wheat end products, particularly for Asian noodles and steamed bread. Breeding wheat cultivars with low PPO activity using efficient and reliable markers is one of the best ways to reduce the undesirable darkening. In the present study, we developed a gene-specific marker (PPO05) for low PPO activity from the sequence AY515506. This marker detected double PCR fragments (<750 and >750 bp) in the cultivars with low PPO activity and a single PCR fragment (<750 bp) in the cultivars with high PPO activity. Screening of this marker on 235 Chinese wheat micro-core collections showed that the double fragments were present in 113 genotypes and the single fragments in the remaining 122 genotypes. Statistic analysis revealed that the cultivars with the double fragments had significantly lower mean PPO activity than those with single fragments. Through sequence analysis and blast search in NCBI, we found that the cultivars with the double fragments contained the PPO-2Ab allele, while the cultivars with the single fragments contained the PPO-2Aa allele. The PPO-2Ab and PPO-2Da alleles were associated with the low grain PPO activity and the PPO-2Aa and PPO-2Db alleles associated with the high PPO activity. The genotypes carrying both PPO-2Ab and PPO-2Da showed the lowest PPO activity, while the genotypes carrying both PPO-2Aa and PPO-2Db showed the highest PPO activity. Comparison of PPO05 and STS01 with the STS markers PPO18 and PPO29 showed that the larger and small fragments of PPO05 were equivalent to the 876- and 685-bp fragments of PPO18, respectively, and that STS01 was the complementary marker of PPO29. Thus, the STS markers PPO05 and STS01 along with PPO18 and PPO29 are the efficient and reliable markers for the evaluation of PPO activity and can be used in wheat breeding programs to improve the quality of noodles and other end products.     

冠层温度多态性小麦的性状特征

冷型小麦的冠层温度 (体温 )和对照品种相比具有持续偏低 (或相当 )的特征 ,暖型小麦的冠层温度则具有持续偏高的特征。一般小麦材料和生产上使用的大多数品种与上述特征有异 ,其冠层温度突出地表现为多态性 ,即有的年份温度高低不一 ,有明显波动 ;有的年份温度持续偏低 ,似冷型小麦 ;有的年份温度持续偏高 ,似暖型小麦。与此类小麦的温度多态性相伴随 ,其它一些重要性状也有较明显的多态性表现 ,即在环境优良、环境指数较高时 ,它们的叶片功能期、蒸腾速率、净光合速率和籽粒饱满指数等重要性状趋向于代谢功能较好的冷型小麦 ;在环境恶劣、环境指数较低时 ,它们的上述性状则趋向于代谢功能较差的暖型小麦。这类小麦性状随环境条件的明显摆动构成了长期以来小麦产量不稳的生态生理基础。欲使小麦产量稳步上升 ,转换小麦温度型 ,逐步实现品种冷性化是条有希望的途径。