C-banded wheat chromosomes in wheat and triticale

Summary The C-banding patterns of wheat chromosomes in 7 hexaploid triticale and 7 wheat genotypes are described and compared. All 14 wheat chromosome pairs were individually identified in the triticales and a tetraploid wheat, and all the B and two A genome chromosome pairs in the hexaploid wheat genotypes. Little variation was found between genotypes in the distribution of C-bands but considerable variation was found in their size, total number and total length.     

Influence of aFusarium culmorum inoculation of wheat onin sacco dry matter degradation of wheat straw and wheat chaff

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of aFusarium culmorum inoculation of wheat on thein sacco dry matter degradation (DG) of wheat straw and wheat chaff in dairy cows. The ruminal disappearance of dry matter was measured with thein situ nylon bag technique. Samples of wheat straw and wheat chaff from non-inoculated andFusarium-inoculated wheat were used to examine the ruminal dry matter degradability. Samples were subjected to ruminal incubation in two dairy cous fitted with a permanent rumen fistula and incubated for 4, 8, 16, 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 h. To describe the degradation kinetics, the equation by Ørskov and McDonald (1979) was used. DG rates obtained for contaminates straw and chaff were higher compared to the corresponding rates of the non-contaminated samples, which is assumed to be due to the activity of fungal enzymes. It can be concluded that an infection of wheat withF. culmorum may have an influence on the dry matter degradation of straw and chaff.     

小麦叶片气孔性状与产量和抗旱性的关系

以小麦旱选10号/鲁麦14 DH群体为试材,对干旱胁迫和正常灌溉条件下花后10 d和20d旗叶中部气孔密度、气孔大小、气孔导度、光合速率、蒸腾速率与产量和抗旱系数的关系进行相关和通径分析.结果表明:在两种水分条件下,花后10 d气孔密度、气孔大小、气孔导度、光合速率、蒸腾速率与产量和抗旱系数的相关性大多不显著;但花后20 d与千粒重呈极显著正相关,与穗粒数、单株产量和抗旱系数的相关性仍大多不显著.气孔导度、光合速率和蒸腾速率是影响单株产量和抗旱系数的主要因素,不仅对单株产量和抗旱系数的直接作用较大,间接作用也较大;气孔密度与气孔大小对单株产量和抗旱系数的直接作用和间接作用均较小.在两种水分条件下,花后10 d和20 d,气孔密度与气孔长度之间,气孔长度与气孔宽度、气孔导度、光合速率和蒸腾速率之间的相关性均显著或极显著,但气孔密度、气孔长度与气孔导度、光合速率和蒸腾速率间的相关性在不同水分条件和不同生育阶段存在差异,表明水分条件、生长发育阶段对这些性状之间的相关性影响较大.通过育种手段以叶片气孔密度和气孔大小为选择目标,来改善小麦气孔导度、光合速率和蒸腾速率,进而提高产量并不总是一种有效手段.     

Inoculationin vitro of wheat seedlings and wheat straw cultures withBacillus azotofixans

Bacillus azotofixans is a recently described species capable of fixing molecular nitrogen efficiently.Ecological studies performed in monoxenic wheat cultures, both in 0.7% agar and in vermiculite-sand mixture, showed that no acetylene reduction occurred and that this bacteria did not grow when supplied only with the wheat plant root exudates. However, after glucose addition to the 0.7% agar cultures, acetylene reduction ability (ARA) was detected. Comparing ARA for media with glucose both with and without plants, it was observed that the plants supply some component leading to the increase of the nitrogenase activity, since the ARA doubled in the samples containing plants.In wheat straw cultures a fast growth of the bacteria was observed in the first 24 hours after inoculation, but no acetylene reduction was detected. After glucose addition to the media with and without straw, nitrogenase activity was detected.     

Microsatellite-based molecular diversity of bread wheat germplasm and association mapping of wheat resistance to the Russian wheat aphid

Genetic diversity of a set of 71 wheat accessions, including 53 biotype 2 Russian wheat aphid (RWA2)-resistant landraces and 18 RWA2 susceptible accessions, was assessed by examining molecular variation at multiple microsatellite (SSR) loci. Fifty-one wheat SSR primer pairs were used, 81 SSR loci were determined, and 545 SSR alleles were detected. These SSR loci covered all the three genomes, 21 chromosomes, and at least 41 of the 42 chromosome arms. Diversity values averaged over SSR loci were high with mean number of SSR alleles/locus = 6.7, mean Shannon’s index (H) = 1.291, and mean Nei’s gene diversity (He) = 0.609. The three wheat genomes ranked as A > D > B and the homoeologous groups ranked as 7 > 3  > 1 > 2 > 6 > 5 > 4 based on the number of alleles per locus. Xgwm136 on chromosome arm 1AS is the most polymorphic SSR locus with the largest number of observed and effective alleles and the highest H and He. Among all 2485 pairs of wheat accessions, genetic distance (GD) ranged from 0.054 to 1.933 and averaged 0.9832. A dendrogram based on GD matrix showed that all the wheat accessions could be grouped into distinct clusters. Most of the susceptible cultivars (13/18) were clustered into groups that contains all or mostly susceptible accessions. Most of the U.S. cultivars belong to a group that is distinguishable from all the different RWA2 resistant groups. Diversity analysis was also conducted separately for subgroups containing 53 RWA2-resistant accessions and 18 RWA2-susceptible accessions. Association mapping revealed 28 SSR loci significantly associated with leaf chlorosis, and 8 with leaf rolling. New chromosome regions associated with RWA2 resistance were detected, and indicated existence of new RWA resistance genes located on chromosomes of all other homoeologous groups in addition to the groups 1 and 7 in bread wheat. This information is helpful for development of mapping populations for RWA2 resistance genes from different phylogenetic groups, and for wise utilization of the RWA-resistant germplasm in wheat breeding programs.     

An analysis of frequencies of chromosome configurations in wheat and wheat hybrids

Presynaptic association of homologous chromosomes is a prerequisite to the sequence of events that lead to chiasma formation. This association of homologous chromosomes, as entire units, occurs with probability a, and chiasma formation occurs independently in opposite chromosome arms with probability c. a and c have been estimated from frequencies of different chromosome configurations at metaphase I of euhexaploid wheat and several derived lines. In the euploid, a is essentially unity and c is of the order of 95%. All changes in the aneuploidy studied involved c rather than a, whereas the change induced by colchicine application primarily involved a.—Observed and expected frequencies of configurations were compared in wheat hybrids in which only homoeologues were present. The expected frequencies of configurations were estimated from the data, based on a being unity for entire groups of homoeologues and c being the probability of chiasma formation between random homoeologous arms. Observed and expected frequences of configurations were in general agreement; however, an excess of observed closed bivalents at the expense of multivalents is interpreted to mean that not all homoeologues are effectively associated in all cells.—In euhexaploid wheat, we suggest that homologues associate with almost certainty, whereas homoeologous pairs of chromosomes associate less efficiently. The aneuploidy examined in this study does not appear to affect the association of chromosomes, but rather the number of chiasmata that eventuate and, in the case of deficiency of chromosome 5B, the distribution of chiasmata within homoelogues, perhaps by way of rendering sites for chiasma formation of homoelogues more similar.     

Decomposition and nitrogen dynamics of wheat residues and impact on wheat growth stages

N mineralisation and immobilisation were quantified in field conditions in the presence or in the absence of wheat residues. The incubation study was conducted in cylinders placed in microplots (no plants were grown in cylinders), and the rest of each microplot was sowed with the wheat crop (Triticum durum var. Massa). N mineralisation and immobilisation depend on the presence or the absence of wheat residues. In absence of residues, a linear model of regression was developed to follow the clear nitrogen mineralisation at different soil levels. Nitrogen mineralisation (mg kg-1), during the five months of wheat development, showed the following decreasing order: 0-15 cm (132.6) > 15-30 cm (120.6) > 30-45 cm (91.3). The mineralisation rate was 24.1, 22.9 and 18.9 mg kg-1 d-1 for 0-15, 15-30 and 30-45 cm levels, respectively. The supply of wheat residues resulted in a five months N immobilisation process. At level 0-15 cm the immobilisation (mg kg-1) showed the following decreasing order: (61.6) > (46.4) > (30.0) for the supply of wheat residues at seeding time, and 15 and 30 d before seeding respectively. At the other levels, the same decreasing order was recorded. The supply of 8 t ha-1 of wheat residues at seeding time, and 15 or 30 d before seeding, decreased the dry matter yield and N accumulation in wheat crop. In consequence, there was no synchronism between the nitrogen liberated by wheat residues decomposition and the wheat growth.     

Development of Triticale and soft wheat forms with substituted wheat and rye chromosomes

During hybridization between winter forms of hexaploid (6x) triticale and soft wheat varieties the intergenomic substitution of alian chromosomes occurs. As a result of these crosses the forms of 6x-triticale with D(R)-substitution of chromosomes in R-rye genome by wheat ones of D-genome and wheat revertants with rye chromosomes replacing the wheat ones are originated. This is the simplest and the most effective technique for developing of selected lines of triticale and soft wheat with alien substituted chromosomes and valuable genes transfer.     

Immunocytochemical localization of wheat germ agglutinin in wheat

Immunocytological techniques were developed to localize the plant lectin, wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), in the tissues and cells of wheat plants. In a previous study we demonstrated with a radioimmunoassay that the lectin is present in wheat embryos and adult plants both in the roots and at the base of the stem. We have now found, using rhodamine, peroxidase, and ferritin-labeled secondary antibodies, that WGA is located in cells and tissues that establish direct contact with the soil during germination and growth of the plant In the embryo, WGA is found in the surface layer of the radicle, the first adventitious roots, the coleoptile, and the scutellum. Although found throughout the coleorhiza and epiblast, it is at its highest levels within the cells at the surface of these organs. In adult plants, WGA is located only in the caps and tips of adventitious roots. Reaction product for WGA was not visualized in embryonic or adult leaves or in other tissues of adult plants. At the subcellular level, WGA is located at the periphery of protein bodies, within electron-translucent regions of the cytoplasm, and at the cell wall-protoplast interface. Since WGA is found at potential infection sites and is known to have fungicidal properties, it may function in the defense against fungal pathogens.     

Searching for wheat resistance to aphids and wheat bulb fly in the historical Watkins and Gediflux wheat collections

Insect pests can reduce wheat yield by direct feeding and transmission of plant viruses. Here we report results from laboratory and field phenotyping studies on a wide range of wheat, including landraces from the Watkins collection deriving from before the green revolution, more modern cultivars from the Gediflux collection (north‐western Europe) and modern UK Elite varieties, for resistance to the bird cherry‐oat aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi (Homoptera: Aphididae) and the English grain aphid, Sitobion avenae (Homoptera: Aphididae). A total of 338 lines were screened for R. padi and 340 lines for S. avenae. Field trials were also conducted on 122 Watkins lines to identify wheat bulb fly, Delia coarctata, preference on these landraces. Considerable variation was shown in insect performance among and within different wheat collections, with reduced susceptibility in a number of varieties, but phenotyping did not identify strong resistance to aphids or wheat bulb fly. Field trials showed within collection differences in aphid performance, with fewer aphids populating lines from the Watkins collection. This differs from development data in laboratory bioassays and suggests that there is a pre‐alighting cue deterring aphid settlement and demonstrates differences in aphid preference and performance on older plants in the field compared with seedlings in the laboratory, highlighting the need for phenotyping for aphid resistance at different plant growth stages. No association was identified between performance of the different insect species on individual varieties, potentially suggesting different nutritional requirements or resistance mechanisms.     

燕麦/小麦间作对小麦生长和锰营养的影响

通过根系分隔的盆栽试验,研究了燕麦,小麦间作对小麦生长及其锰营养的影响。结果表明：根系不分隔处理,小麦地上部干重和植株吸锰量都高于其他两种分隔方式;而根系完全分隔处理,小麦地上部植株锰含量高于其他两种分隔方式;根系不同分隔方式对川麦28土壤DTPA-Mn含量几乎没有影响,小麦9023土壤DTPA-Mn含量则以完全分隔处理高于另外两种分隔方式。推测在该间作体系中,燕麦可能通过根系分泌物来活化土壤难溶性的锰氧化物,从而促进了小麦的生长,改善了小麦的锰营养,但因其竞争能力不如小麦而消弱了自身的生长。具体原因有待于进一步试验验证。试验还发现,种植燕麦后土壤的DTPA-Mn含量要高于种植小麦后的土壤,而且燕麦地上部植株锰含量也比小麦高,表明燕麦活化、吸收土壤锰的能力强于小麦。不同间作组合时,小麦各项研究指标无一致的规律性,说明在促进小麦生长、改善小麦锰营养的能力方面,本试验采用的3个燕麦品种之间无明显差异。     

Bioconversion of wheat straw and wheat straw components into single-cell protein.

Several fungi (Aspergillus niger, A. terreus, Cochliobolus specifer, Myrothecium verrucaria, Rhizoctonia solani, Spicaria fusispora, Penicillium sp., and Gliocladium sp.) were isolated from decomposing wheat straw and tested for their ability to utilize whole straw and its components, holocellulose (hemicellulose and cellulose) and cellulose, for the production of single-cell protein (SCP). It was found that C. specifer was the most efficient fungus for protein synthesis with the three substrates. Using potassium nitrate as N source in mixtures of 0.04 g N/g substrate (0.04% wt./vol.) at pH 4.5, it was found that incubation periods of 3, 4, and 5 days were optimal for protein production on cellulose and holocellulose fractions, and whole straw, respectively. Whole native straw was found to be the most recalcitrant to bioconversion into SCP; however, protein production was almost doubled when the lignin component was removed using a mixture of sodium chlorite and acetic acid.     

七种杀虫剂对小麦吸浆虫和麦蚜防治效果研究

【目的】明确25%吡蚜酮SC、3%甲氨基阿维菌素苯甲酸盐ME、25%噻虫嗪WG、14%氯虫·高氯氟ZC、15%高氯·毒死蜱EC、2.5%高效氯氟氰菊酯EW和40%毒死蜱EC 7种杀虫剂对小麦吸浆虫和蚜虫的防治效果,为科学、合理用药防治小麦害虫提供参考。【方法】采用喷雾法和剥穗调查法,研究它们对小麦吸浆虫成虫和麦蚜的防效,及防后对小麦吸浆虫幼虫危害损失的影响。【结果】参试药剂药后1 d对小麦吸浆虫成虫防效均高于90%,药后3~5 d防效为84.81%~93.93%,防后挽回损失76%以上;对麦蚜药后1、3、5 d防效分别高于75%、80%和85%。在供试的7种药剂中,15%高氯·毒死蜱EC药后3~5 d对两种害虫防效、挽回吸浆虫危害均超过90%,应用效果最好;其次为25%噻虫嗪WG和40%毒死蜱EC,药后3~5 d对吸浆虫防效高于90%、对麦蚜防效分别高于86%和90%,挽回吸浆虫危害损失88%以上。【结论】供试药剂对小麦吸浆虫和麦蚜防效存在显著差异,15%高氯·毒死蜱EC对两种害虫防治效果最好。     

Genome-wide linkage disequilibrium analysis in bread wheat and durum wheat.

Bread wheat and durum wheat were examined for linkage disequilibrium (LD) using microsatellite markers distributed across the genome. The allele database consisted of 189 bread wheat accessions genotyped at 370 loci and 93 durum wheat accessions genotyped at 245 loci. A significance level of p < 0.001 was set for all comparisons. The bread and durum wheat collections showed that 47.9% and 14.0% of all locus pairs were in LD, respectively. LD was more prevalent between loci on the same chromosome compared with loci on independent chromosomes and was highest between adjacent loci. Only a small fraction (bread wheat, 0.9%; durum wheat, 3.2%) of the locus pairs in LD showed R2 values > 0.2. The LD between adjacent locus pairs extended (R2 > 0.2) approximately 2-3 cM, on average, but some regions of the bread and durum wheat genomes showed high levels of LD (R2 = 0.7 and 1.0, respectively) extending 41.2 and 25.5 cM, respectively. The wheat collections were clustered by similarity into subpopulations using unlinked microsatellite data and the software Structure. Analysis within subpopulations showed 14- to 16-fold fewer locus pairs in LD, higher R2 values for those pairs in LD, and LD extending further along the chromosome. The data suggest that LD mapping of wheat can be performed with simple sequence repeats to a resolution of <5 cM.     

Male sterility systems in wheat and opportunities for hybrid wheat development

The common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a poly(hexa)ploid, derived from an amphi-diploidization process involving the donor species—Triticum urartu, Aegilops speltoides, Triticum turgidum, and Aegilops tauschii. The genetic diversity of the autogamous wheat is narrow, which is a major reason for lesser rate of yield gain in wheat, in contrast to rice and maize. It is desirable to encourage hybrid breeding, i.e., combining different lines into genetically divergent heterotic pools. Thus, hybrid plants are a unique combination of desired alleles produced by crossing between genetically different parental lines. Hybrid seed production in a crop requires male-sterile female parents along with a reliable outcrossing system. The male-sterile female parent prevents pollen shedding and self-fertilization, maintaining the purity of hybrid seeds. An outcrossing system enhances hybrid seed production. This article emphasizes the biological relevance of crossbreeding and self-pollination in wheat, and reviews different male sterility systems which could be utilized for the development of hybrid wheat. Several biotechnological approaches and their practical utility in generating cross-compatible male-sterile female parent lines have been discussed.     

小麦不同品种上麦蚜及其天敌的数量变动

试验结果表明小麦品种 (系 )的抗性对麦蚜种群数量影响很大 ,百株蚜量随着小麦品种抗性增强而下降。而同一小麦品种对不同种蚜虫的抗性存在质的差异 ,铭贤 1 69品种 ,蚜高峰期百株蚜量麦长管蚜 63 0头 ,禾谷缢管蚜只有 1 1 5头 ,两者相差 5 5倍。另一方面 ,小麦品种抗性对麦田天敌的种群数量影响不大 ,而对天敌的发生期有些影响。因此 ,小麦品种抗性、天敌对麦蚜的自然控制能力 ,可把小麦中后期的蚜虫虫口密度控制在经济损失允许水平之下。     

Cellulase production using different streams of wheat grain- and wheat straw-based ethanol processes

Pretreatment is a necessary step in the biomass-to-ethanol conversion process. The side stream of the pretreatment step is the liquid fraction, also referred to as the hydrolyzate, which arises after the separation of the pretreated solid and is composed of valuable carbohydrates along with compounds that are potentially toxic to microbes (mainly furfural, acetic acid, and formic acid). The aim of our study was to utilize the liquid fraction from steam-exploded wheat straw as a carbon source for cellulase production by Trichoderma reesei RUT C30. Results showed that without detoxification, the fungus failed to utilize any dilution of the hydrolyzate; however, after a two-step detoxification process, it was able to grow on a fourfold dilution of the treated liquid fraction. Supplementation of the fourfold-diluted, treated liquid fraction with washed pretreated wheat straw or ground wheat grain led to enhanced cellulase (filter paper) activity. Produced enzymes were tested in hydrolysis of washed pretreated wheat straw. Supplementation with ground wheat grain provided a more efficient enzyme mixture for the hydrolysis by means of the near-doubled β-glucosidase activity obtained.     

Behavioural responses of wheat stem sawflies to wheat volatiles

1 Adult wheat stem sawflies Cephus cinctus, pests of cultivated cereals that also infests wild grasses, migrate into wheat fields where they oviposit in elongating, succulent stems.
2 Volatiles released by wheat plants at susceptible stages were analyzed to determine potential semiochemical compounds. Seven major compounds were identified and quantified.
3 A Y-tube bioassay was developed to evaluate upwind orientation of adult sawflies in response to an airstream that passed over elongated wheat plants. The bioassay was also conducted with synthetic volatile compounds. The compounds were tested using a range of concentrations spanning those identified in the airstream passing over wheat plants.
4 A significant number of adult females were attracted to wheat plants when given a choice of either purified air or the air passing over plants.
5 A significant number of female C. cinctus were attracted to ( Z )-3-hexenyl acetate, β-ocimene, and ( Z )-3-hexen-1-ol, but were repelled by 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one. Females did not respond to ( E )-2-hexenal, or ( E )-2-hexenyl acetate. The behavioural responses were concentration dependent; the highest tested concentration of ( Z )-3-hexenyl acetate was repellent to females of this species.
6 Adult males did not discriminate between air passing over wheat plants and air from a purified airstream. Males did not respond to any tested synthetic compound at any concentration.
7 The present study demonstrates for the first time that adult females of wheat stem sawfly display innate behaviours in response to synthetic volatiles. These results provide a basis for the potential development of resistant wheat varieties and for the development of semiochemically-based pest management.     

Distribution of wheat germ agglutinin in young wheat plants

A liquid phase, competition-binding radioimmunoassay for wheat germ agglutinin, with a detection limit of 10 nanograms, was developed in order to determine the distribution of this lectin in young wheat plants. Affinity columns for wheat germ agglutinin removed all antigenically detectable activity from crude extracts of wheat tissue; thus, the antigenic cross-reactivity detected by the assay possesses sugar-binding specificity similar to the wheat germ-derived lectin. The amount of lectin per dry grain is approximately 1 microgram, all associated with the embryo. At 34 days of growth, the level of lectin per plant was reduced by about 50%, with approximately one-third in the roots and two-thirds in the shoot. The data also indicate that actively growing regions of the plant (the bases of the leaves and rapidly growing adventitious roots) contain the highest levels of lectin. Half of the lectin associated with the roots could be solubilized by washing intact roots in buffer containing oligomers of N-acetylglucosamine, whereas the remainder is liberated only upon homogenization of the tissue.