Electroculture of tomato plants in a commercial hydroponics greenhouse

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of air ion treatment on tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum P. Miller) in terms of: (1) growth and health; (2) fruit yield and quality; and (3) economic factors. The plants were grown by a commercial greenhouse (G.H.) grower employing soilless culture techniques. An air ion generator and emitters were installed in such fashion that 864 plants were exposed to a high negative air ion density flux, while 576 plants grew in an area which received relatively few ions. Normal operational procedures, with certain modifications, were employed for plant culture, feed/irrigation, and environmental control. Plants responded vigouously to air ion stimulation, which equated to shortening of the seeding-to-harvest time period by two weeks as measured by vine growth, main stem height, time to blossoming, fruit set, and fruit yield. Throughout the first four-month growth period plant growth was good and no serious physiological disorders nor insect damage were observed. During the sixth harvest week a virus infection appeared in both control and ion-treated plants, but was not of sufficient severity to ruin the experimnent. Foliage and fruit samples were subjected to laboratory analyses. In general, the stimulated plants contained higher percentages of mineral elements than those of the controls. Fruit from ion-treated plants has more ascorbic and citric acid than that from control plants. Although there were no wide differences in fruit texture or flavor, a taste panel verdict indicated that fruit from the stimulated plants tasted better. An unexpected benefit was marked decrease in white fly infestation. All these factors combined with the low cost of air-ion treatment suggest that this modality offers potential for greenhouse cultivation of garden crops.     

Very high CO2 reduces photosynthesis, dark respiration and yield in wheat

Although terrestrial CO2 concentrations, [CO2] are not expected to reach 1000 micromoles mol-1 for many decades, CO2 levels in closed systems such as growth chambers and glasshouses, can easily exceed this concentration. CO2 levels in life support systems in space can exceed 10000 micromoles mol-1 (1%). Here we studied the effect of six CO2 concentrations, from ambient up to 10000 micromoles mol-1, on seed yield, growth and gas exchange of two wheat cultivars (USU-Apogee and Veery-l0). Elevating [CO2] from 350 to 1000 micromoles mol-1 increased seed yield (by 33%), vegetative biomass (by 25%) and number of heads m-2 (by 34%) of wheat plants. Elevation of [CO2] from 1000 to 10000 micromoles mol-1 decreased seed yield (by 37%), harvest index (by 14%), mass per seed (by 9%) and number of seeds per head (by 29%). This very high [CO2] had a negligible, non-significant effect on vegetative biomass, number of heads m-2 and seed mass per head. A sharp decrease in seed yield, harvest index and seeds per head occurred by elevating [CO2] from 1000 to 2600 micromoles mol-1. Further elevation of [CO2] from 2600 to 10000 micromoles mol-1 caused a further but smaller decrease. The effect of CO2 on both wheat cultivars was similar for all growth parameters. Similarly there were no differences in the response to high [CO2] between wheat grown hydroponically in growth chambers under fluorescent lights and those grown in soilless media in a glasshouse under sunlight and high pressure sodium lamps. There was no correlation between high [CO2] and ethylene production by flag leaves or by wheat heads. Therefore, the reduction in seed set in wheat plants is not mediated by ethylene. The photosynthetic rate of whole wheat plants was 8% lower and dark respiration of the wheat heads 25% lower when exposed to 2600 micromoles mol-1 CO2 compared to ambient [CO2]. It is concluded that the reduction in the seed set can be mainly explained by the reduction in the dark respiration in wheat heads, when most of the respiration is functional and is needed for seed development.     

Silicone rubber membrane bioreactors for bacterial cellulose production

Cellulose production byAcetobacter pasteurianus was investigated in static culture using four bioreactors with silicone rubber membrane submerged in the medium. The shape of the membrane was flat sheet, flat sack, tube and cylindrical balloon. Production rate of cellulose as well as its yield on consumed glucose by the bacteria grown on the flat type membranes was approximately ten-fold greater than those on the non-flat ones in spite of the same membrane thickness. The membrane reactor using flat sacks of silicone rubber membrane as support of bacterial pellicle can supply greater ratio of surface to volume than a conventional liquid surface culture and is promising for industrial production of bacterial cellulose in large scale.     

白鹭作为无锡太湖地区环境污染指示生物的研究

2000年4—6月对分布在无锡太湖地区的4种要鸟中的白鹭(Egretta garzetta)行为生态学及其生境污染状况进行了调查研究．调查地白鹭主要栖息树种包括马尾松(Pnus masson±ana)、香樟树(C±nnamomum hupehanum)、麻砾树(Quercus acut±ssema)、榆树(Ulmus prm±la)和杨梅树（Myr±ca rubra)．栖息地总面积为7hm^2,白鹭总巢数为4200个,每棵树平均0．38个．白鹭的孵化期为19—21d,卵重23．9±4．0g(n=41),平均卵大小(44．5±4．1)mm×(32．6±4．9)mm(n＝41),平均窝卵数5．02(2—8)枚,平均窝雏数3．86(2—7)只,孵化成功率为84．25％．对白鹭雏鸟左右跗Zhe的测量分析表明不对称性不显著(P>0．05)．白鹭雏鸟食物较小,繁殖期间主要以小型鱼类和虾类为食．污染物分析结果表明,白鹭卵中除例外,六氯苯、六六六、环二烯类、DDTs、DDE、PCBs、Cr、Hg和Pb均检测到．食物链(底泥-食物-白鹭雏鸟)中,有机杀虫剂和重金属都逐级富集．通过与相对无污染的鄱阳湖地区比较,太湖地区和鄱阳湖地区卵样品中的DDs(包括DDT、DDE和DDD)浓度最高(超过2μg·g^1),其它污染物浓度均较小．太湖地区白鹭卵中的DDTs、Cd和Cr浓度低于鄱阳湖地区,其它污染物浓度鄱阳湖地区均低于太湖地区．经比较分析,两地样品中有机氯杀虫剂、PCBs和各种重金属浓度都未达到影响白鹭繁殖成功率的阈值．     

Fiber yields inSansevieria interspecific hybrids

Fiber yields are reported for the interspecific hybrid ‘ Florida H-13’ (Sansevieria trifasciata Prain × S. deserti 2V. E. Brown), subjected to various harvesting cycles at three locations in southern Florida. Yields of ‘Florida H-13’ are compared with those of other F₁F₂triploid, and backcross hybrids and the parental species, S. trifasciata. Fiber yields were higher from plants grown on peat soil at Belle Glade than on sandy soil at Lake Worth or Immokalee, in spite of the significantly colder winters encountered at the former location. Average annual fiber yields at first harvest increased up to 30 months of age at Belle Glade and Lake Worth and up to 66 months of age at Immokalee. Re-growth yields were higher than original yields front plants grown at Belle Glade, sometimes higher from those grown at Lake Worth, but significantly lower from those grown at Immokalee. Annual harvests of ‘Florida H-13’ were neither feasible nor necessary, even though plants sustained frost damage each winter at Belle Glade and lmmokalee. None of the other hybrids yielded significantly more fiber than ‘Florida H-13’, but one F₁, clone, H52-151, and two triploid clones, H54-4 and H54-5, sometimes yielded as much. Results suggest that ‘Florida H-13’ could be grown successfully as a fiber crop in southern Florida, particularly on peat soils, where high yields would be associated with low fertilizer costs.     

太湖藻型富营养化对水生高等植物的影响及植被的恢复

太湖的五里湖是典型的藻型富营养化湖泊,水质污染严重,水生高等植物消失。在该湖的物理生态工程围区内外,用盆吊繁殖试验、壮芽直播试验及人工水生植物群落套种栽培试验,研究藻型富营养化湖泊中影响水生高等植物生长、繁殖的主要水环境因子。结果表明,水体透明度是制约沉水植物和浮叶植物幼苗成活及生长的主要因子。在水体透明度较低、水下光照不足时,沉水植物生长受水下光照的影响大于浮叶植物,水下光照严重不足时,沉水植物的幼苗大量死亡。１９９５～１９９７年,在围区内成功地组建了包括漂浮植物、浮叶植物及沉水植物的１５个不同的水生高等植物群落。恢复和重建的水生高等植物群落能够有效地净化富营养化水体。     

近十年太湖生态系统服务功能价值变化评估

理解和把握近年来湖泊生态系统服务功能退化规律的最佳手段是评估其生态系统服务功能价值的变化。以太湖为例,基于近十年来太湖生态系统的科学调查数据,综合运用生态学及经济学方法,对太湖生态系统的四大类功能和11个亚类的服务价值进行了综合评估。研究结果表明,2000年、2003年、2007年和2009年太湖生态系统服务总价值分别为1627.98亿元、1908.68亿元、1503.99亿元和3528.73亿元,保持逐渐升高的趋势,但是在2007年却意外降低。从2000年到2009年太湖生态系统服务功能价值构成发生了一些变化,2000年以供水功能为主体,约占总价值的43%,2003年和2007年变为以航运功能为主体,分别占总价值的41.31%和38.73%,而2009年又变为以旅游功能为主体,约占总价值的52.52%,总体上由供给功能向文化功能转变。航运功能和旅游功能急剧上升而供水功能急剧下降不利于长远发挥的太湖生态服务功能。蓝藻水华的发生可能降低太湖供给功能、支持服务功能和文化服务功能,进而对太湖生态服务的总价值产生负面影响。研究认为太湖生态系统对支持和保护人类社会具有重要的作用,为管理者和决策者有效的保护和管理湖泊生态系统提供了重要的信息。     

Enhancement of plant growth by Zygorrhynchus moelleri

Cucumber, tomato, two flowering annuals and a flowering perennial produced plants of greater weight in soilless compost infested with Zygorrhynchus moelleri than in uninfested compost. In Z. moelleri -infested compost the annuals commenced flowering 4 to 10 days earlier, cucumbers produced mature fruits more rapidly and a greater weight (20%) of fruit was harvested from 15-wk-old tomato plants. Leaves of 11 and 15-wk-old tomato plants grown in infested compost contained more chlorophyll than leaves from plants in uninfested compost. Z. moelleri was isolated from 99% of segments cut from roots of tomato plants grown in infested compost and it suppressed the growth of Trichoderma spp. at the root surface. Propagules of Z. moelleri remained viable in air-dried compost for at least 12 months. In axenic culture, Z. moelleri enhanced lateral root development in tomato and cucumber seedlings.     

Manganese nutrition effects on tomato growth, chlorophyll concentration, and superoxide dismutase activity

The effects of Mn nutrition of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) seedlings on Mn-, Fe- and CuZn-superoxide dismutase (SOD, EC 1.15.1.1) enzymatic activities, metal translocation, chlorophyll concentration, and plant growth were tested using a bioassay system consisting of chelator-buffered nutrient culture with Mn2+ activities set to pMn (-log activity of Mn2+) of 6.6, 7.6, 8.6, and 9.6. The two middle levels resulted in optimal plant growth, whereas the two extreme levels resulted in a gradual decrease in chlorophyll concentration and slower plant growth. At the end of the experiment, 26 days after transfer to the Mn treatments, significant differences in shoot Mn concentration were manifested, from 10.5 mg kg(-1) in plants grown in pMn 9.6 to 207.4 mg kg(-1) in plants grown in pMn 6.6. Other element concentrations in the leaf suggest that growth inhibition and chlorophyll synthesis were affected primarily by manganese deficiency and excess. Twenty days after transfer of plants to the Mn treatments Mn-, Fe- and CuZn-SOD activities were assayed in young expanded leaf tissues by electrophoresis running gel. Whereas chloroplastic CuZn-SOD activity did not differ among Mn treatments, the cytosolic CuZn-SOD and mitochondrial Mn-SOD activities increased in both Mn-excess and Mn-deficient plants.     

Floating mats: their occurrence and influence on shoreline distribution of emergent vegetation

1. A study was conducted on the northern shore of Lake Victoria (Uganda) to determine the factors controlling the occurrence of floating root mats and the influence of the floating mats on the distribution of emergent vegetation. 2. Environmental conditions within 78 bays in the study area were characterised using bay size, wave exposure, water depth, littoral slope, sediment characteristics and water level fluctuations. Emergent plants that form floating root mats occur along the shores of these bays. The way in which commonly occurring shoreline vegetation was distributed across a wave‐exposure gradient was compared with their distribution across a water level fluctuation gradient. 3. Results suggested that wind–wave action and water level fluctuations are important factors determining the occurrence of floating mats. Mat‐forming plants occur in the most sheltered locations along the shore and in waterbodies with modest water level fluctuations. 4. The ability to form mats facilitated the lakeward expansion of emergent plants. Plants forming floating root mats had a larger depth range than non‐mat forming plants. 5. The initiation mechanisms for the floating mats of emergent vegetation in Lake Victoria appear to be: (i) invasion of mats of free‐floating plants by emergent vegetation; and (ii) detachment of emergent plants from the lake bed following flooding. 6. The formation of floating mats comes with a cost and benefit to emergent plants. The cost is increased vulnerability to damage by water level fluctuations or wind–wave action, leading to reduced horizontal distribution. The benefit is that deep flooding is avoided, thus increasing vertical distribution. The net effect may be to lead to dominance of mat‐forming plants in low‐energy environments and non‐mat‐forming plants in high‐energy environments.     

不同基质中水鳖对共存的穗花狐尾藻和金鱼藻的影响

研究设置了营养水平不同的3种基质,在有或无浮水植物水鳖共存的情况下,混合种植营养吸收方式不同的两种沉水植物（仅从水中吸收营养的金鱼藻和从水和基质都能吸收营养的穗花狐尾藻）,探讨在不同的基质中浮水植物对沉水植物的影响。结果显示:实验中水鳖的存在均未对共存的两种沉水植物的生长产生抑制作用。当水鳖覆盖水面时,与无根的金鱼藻竞争光照和水体营养,促使其增加分枝数和茎长,并增加叶生物量的分配,最终导致水鳖的共存促进了金鱼藻的生物量积累。但与金鱼藻不同,有根的穗花狐尾藻可通过基质吸收营养,与共存的水鳖之间只存在光照竞争,使穗花狐尾藻仅以改变植株形态来适应浮水植物的表层覆盖,生物量积累并未发生显著变化。与沙处理相比,水鳖在营养水平较高的泥处理和泥沙混合处理中生长更旺盛,基质没有显著影响沉水植物的生物量和分株数。因此,在退化湿地生态系统中恢复水生植物时,为了提高群落的物种多样性,可以将沉水植物与少量的浮水植物组合配置,少量的浮水植物不会对沉水植物的生长带来负面影响。     

Plant regeneration from protoplasts of cytoplasmic male sterile lines of rice (Oryza sativa L.)

This study compared plant regeneration from protoplasts isolated from suspension cultures of threeJaponica rice (Oryza sativa L.) lines with different male sterile cytoplasms. More than 180 green plants were regenerated from protoplasts from 5–8 month old suspensions of IR58024A, a line with the WA type of cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS). About 40% of the calli recovered from protoplasts produced green plants. ShuangbaiA (BT type of CMS) and Tai2A (Dian I type of CMS), both from Zhejiang province of China, responded less well in culture. ShuangbaiA produced green plants from 6.6% of calli, although initial protoplast yield per gram fresh weight was higher than for IR58024A. Tai2A showed lower protoplast yield, and only 1.1% of the calli produced green plants. Flow cytometric analyses of nuclear DNA content indicated that many of the regenerated plants were tetraploid. The percentage of tetraploids varied in the different lines. The male sterile characteristics of the original lines were maintained in the regenerated plants. Pollen abortion occured earliest in IR58024A and latest in Tai2A. IR58024A is a promising rice genotype for use as a recipient in direct gene transfer experiments.Abbreviations BAP 6-benzylaminopurine - CMS cytoplasmic male sterility - 2,4-D 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid - IRRI International Rice Research Institute - LS Linsmaier and Skoog's (1965) medium - MS Murashige and Skoog's (1962) medium - NAA -naphthaleneacetic acid - WA wild abortive     

苏南太湖流域水稻经济生态适宜施氮量研究

针对苏南太湖流域无机体,高氮量施肥方式,造成氮肥利用率下降、水环境污染日益严重这种现象,研究了不同氮肥施用水平下水稻的产量、氮肥利用率及氮肥水环境损失。并在以下研究结果的基础上,引入环境经济学的Ｃｏａｓｅ原理和主效益比较合理的水稻施肥量,相应的经济、生态２适宜产量为７３７９．５～７５４８．６ｋｇ／ｈｍ＾２。     

Physiological factors limiting growth and yield ofOryza sativa under unflooded conditions

Summary Rice grown under flooded conditions consistently produces better vegetative growth and higher grain yields than when grown in unflooded culture. Physiological and nutritional differences in rice grown under these two conditions were determined. Growth observations showed that plants under unflooded culture made an initial vigorous start, but soon showed poor tillering, depressed leaf growth, delayed flowering, low moisture content, foliar chlorosis, and 52.6 per cent lower yield than flooded plants.Chemical analysis emphasized the higher manganese content of plants grown under unflooded culture with no significant differences in other elements. Plants grown in nutrient cultures and under field conditions gave evidence that nitrate nitrogen nutrition, as exists for plants under unflooded conditions, favored manganese accumulation.Growth responses suggest differences in auxin metabolism. Since auxins could not be estimated directly, some factors affecting auxin degradation were investigated. It was found that plants grown under unflooded conditions had: 1) a low catalase activity, and: 2) a high peroxidase activity, which favor accelerated auxin degradation. It is proposed that high manganese levels in plants grown under unflooded conditions affects the indoleacetic acid oxidase mechanism resulting in retarded growth and depressed grain yields.     

The influence of humic acids derived from earthworm-processed organic wastes on plant growth

Some effects of humic acids, formed during the breakdown of organic wastes by earthworms (vermicomposting), on plant growth were evaluated. In the first experiment, humic acids were extracted from pig manure vermicompost using the classic alkali/acid fractionation procedure and mixed with a soilless container medium (Metro-Mix 360), to provide a range of 0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 500, 1,000, 2,000, and 4,000 mg of humate per kg of dry weight of container medium, and tomato seedlings were grown in the mixtures. In the second experiment, humates extracted from pig manure and food wastes vermicomposts were mixed with vermiculite to provide a range of 0, 50, 125, 250, 500, 1,000, and 4,000 mg of humate per kg of dry weight of the container medium, and cucumber seedlings were grown in the mixtures. Both tomato and cucumber seedlings were watered daily with a solution containing all nutrients required to ensure that any differences in growth responses were not nutrient-mediated. The incorporation of both types of vermicompost-derived humic acids, into either type of soilless plant growth media, increased the growth of tomato and cucumber plants significantly, in terms of plant heights, leaf areas, shoot and root dry weights. Plant growth increased with increasing concentrations of humic acids incorporated into the medium up to a certain proportion, but this differed according to the plant species, the source of the vermicompost, and the nature of the container medium. Plant growth tended to be increased by treatments of the plants with 50-500 mg/kg humic acids, but often decreased significantly when the concentrations of humic acids derived in the container medium exceeded 500-1,000 mg/kg. These growth responses were most probably due to hormone-like activity of humic acids from the vermicomposts or could have been due to plant growth hormones adsorbed onto the humates.     

Leaf life span of floating-leaved plants

Photosynthetic capacity of floating-leaved plants is relatively high comparable with terrestrial herbaceous plants, though floating-leaved plants have a much smaller biomass with a leaf area index seldom exceeding 2m²m^-2. Their rather small biomass accumulation is related to higher turnover of leaf biomass or shorter leaf life span. Life span of floating leaves reported in the literature ranged mostly from 13 to 35 days, shorter than that of any other groups of herbaceous macrophytes. Floating-leaved plants are known to show considerably high plasticity in their leaf form. Leaf life span could be prolonged for Nymphoides peltata (Gmel.) O. Kuntze grown in a terrestrial environment and for emergent leaves of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. Their short leaf life span seems to be closely related to the fact that old leaves covered by newly formed ones are inevitably compelled to be submerged and lose their function as a photosynthetic apparatus.Abbreviations LAI leaf area index - PFD photosynthetic photon flux density     

采砂活动影响下鄱阳湖水陆交错带形态及景观格局变化

自长江干流限制无序采砂后,大量采砂船涌入鄱阳湖区作业导致水陆交错带形态与景观均发生明显的改变,人类活动深刻影响着鄱阳湖水陆交错带的稳定性。基于Landsat TM/OLI遥感影像数据,定量测算采砂活动对鄱阳湖水陆交错带形态和景观格局产生的影响,结果表明：(1)草滩与滩涂之间转化最为频繁,水域面积缩小,水陆交错带范围扩大;(2)东岸线和西岸线呈侵蚀状态,湖心岸线快速收缩;(3)鄱阳湖水陆交错带形状逐渐变得简单,而入江通道形状复杂化程度提高,其几何形态不规则化;(4)景观类型层次上,滩涂的破碎度最大,形状最为复杂,农田的破碎度和形状复杂程度最小,集聚性最强,草滩的连通性最好,沙地的景观指数幅度变化最大;(5)鄱阳湖水陆交错带破碎化程度逐渐降低,景观形状越来越复杂,景观多样性减少,整体连通性和集聚性增强;(6)采砂规模与鄱阳湖水陆交错带的形态指数呈负相关,与景观形状指数和入江通道的形态指数呈正相关,其均通过显著检验。     

长江中下游四个湖泊鱼类与渔业研究

选择长江中下游的牛山湖、东汤逊湖、龙感湖和黄湖作为研究地点,调查了这些湖泊鱼类区系组成、鱼种放养量、渔获物组成、渔产量和渔产值,现已查明牛山湖鱼类有64种,东汤逊湖53种,黄湖76种,龙感湖80种。这些湖泊的鱼类区系组成相似,鲤科鱼类最多,占总种数的60.4%-65.6%。牛山湖主要放养草鱼,东汤逊湖主要放养鲢和鳙,黄湖除鱼类外重点放养河蟹。这三个湖泊年均鱼种放养量分别为9.5kg/hm2、36.8kg/hm2、8.1kg/hm2;年均鱼产量分别为128kg/hm2、126kg/hm2、88kg/hm2;年均每公顷渔产值分别为623元、680元、1202元。龙感湖为非放养型湖泊,年均鱼产量为64kg/hm2,其中鲫、红鳍原泊和小杂鱼占有较高的比例;年均每公顷渔产值183元。文中分析了各湖泊鱼产量构成特征,讨论了未来湖泊渔业可持续发展的对策,为合理利用鱼类资源,发展可持续渔业提供重要依据。       

Na+和Cl- 在小麦叶肉细胞超微结构中的分布

小麦经200mmol NaCl溶液培养3天后,采用改进的焦锑酸钾方法对叶肉细胞中Na~+及Cl~-进行超微结构定位。电镜观察及电子探针X-射线显微分析表明,Cl~-主要分布在细胞间隙、细胞壁及细胞质膜中。用电子探针X~-射线能谱仪在这些部位中未探测出Na~+,提示Cl~-比Na~+更多地进入小麦的叶肉细胞。此外,在叶肉细胞的细胞核、线粒体及叶绿体中也可见到离子沉淀颗粒。经氯化钠溶液培养的小麦幼苗,其叶肉细胞的叶绿体、线粒体的超微结构受损,植株生长受到抑制。     

The response of anther culture to culture temperature varies with growth conditions of anther-donor plants

The response of anther culture to culture temperature was tested using anther from wheat (Triticum aestivumL.)(3 spring varieties and 1 semi-winter variety) grown under two different conditions, in the field in spring and summer and in the greenhouse in winter and spring in Beijing. The results showed that the most suitable culture temperature for anther culture of field-grown materials was about 2°C higher than that of the greenhouse-grown materials, no matter what genotype was used. For example, in anther culture of the variety Jinghong 5, the highest yield of green pollen plantlets appeared at a culture temperature of 30°C when the anther-donor plants had been grown in the greenhouse, but was at 32°C when the donor plants were grown in the field. It was noticed that the anther of the greenhouse-grown material did not develop as well as those of the field-grown material.