Density-dependent germination and the role of seed leachate

Abstract While density dependence is a central issue in much of plant ecology, it is often overlooked during the crucial seed germination period of the plant life-cycle. Here, patterns of germination in relation to initial seed density for 12 phylogenetically-diverse perennial plant species are described from laboratory experiments. When each of the 12 species was analysed individually, seeds of Alysicarpus rugosus, Callistemon citrinus, Eragrostis curvula and Panicum miliaceum showed a significant decrease in the proportion of seeds germinating at high densities of conspecifics. A meta-analysis carried out by grouping 11 of the 12 species together revealed an overall significant effect for a decrease in the proportion of seeds germinating at high conspecific densities compared with low con-specific densities. Significant decreases in the proportion of seeds germinating are interpreted as risk reappraisal by seeds through dormancy in response to potentially hazardous conditions imposed by high density clusters of seeds all germinating at once. The four species that responded significantly to high densities individually were each treated at low densities with a leachate solution obtained from high density conspecifics. For Alysicarpus rugosus and Panicum miliaceum, this resulted in a significant decrease in the proportion of seeds germinating at simulated high densities implicating the leachate as a causative agent. Heterospecific effects were investigated similarly for A. rugosus and E. curvula by the addition of leachate from high density clusters of seeds of one species upon the other. Only A. rugosus decreased germination significantly through the addition of leachate. These results demonstrate the ability of seeds to predict environmental conditions of the habitat into which they will emerge in terms of potential competitive interactions from neighbouring seedlings.     

混合盐碱胁迫对小白菜种子萌发的影响

用不同浓度的NaCl、Na₂SO₄、NaHCO₃和Na₂CO₃混合液对小白菜(Brassica chinensis L.)种子进行种子萌发试验,观察小白菜种子在不同浓度盐碱胁迫下的发芽率和发芽指数。结果表明,在混合盐碱胁迫下,小白菜种子的发芽率、发芽势、发芽指数和活力指数均随pH值增大和盐浓度的升高呈下降趋势,且各萌发指标与盐浓度的相关系数明显大于pH值,可见小白菜种子发芽受盐浓度的影响更大。低浓度(50mmol·L^-1)盐碱胁迫对小白菜种子萌发影响不大,高浓度(200mmol·L^-1)盐碱胁迫下小白菜的种子萌发受到严重影响。     

Confirmation of QTL controlling seed yield in spring canola (Brassica napus L.) hybrids

Allelic effects observed in QTL discovery experiments must be confirmed to be useful in subsequent breeding efforts. Two QTL affecting seed yield of spring hybrid canola (Brassica napus L.) were previously identified in two populations of inbred backcross lines (IBLs) containing germplasm introgressed from a winter cultivar. The effects of favorable alleles at these QTL were retested by crossing two selected IBLs (M5 and M31) to three spring canola lines having different genetic backgrounds. Doubled haploid (DH) lines derived from each F₁ were genotyped with RFLP markers flanking the QTL and grouped into the four possible QTL genotypes. For the first field experiment, DH lines derived by crossing the M5 line to one spring line were crossed to two female testers and evaluated as individual testcross progenies in one environment. QTL genotypes had large variances and were not significantly different. A second field experiment was conducted using the DH lines from the first experiment and two other sets of DH lines derived from the M31 line crossed to two different spring canola lines. Individual lines within each QTL genotype of each set were bulked and crossed to the same testers used in Experiment 1. Bulked hybrid seeds of each QTL genotype were planted in a split-split plot randomized block design and 12 replicates. QTL genotypes had smaller variances in this experiment, and the effects of one QTL were confirmed in some genetic backgrounds. These results suggest that bulking of QTL genotypes and use of an appropriate experimental design with many replicates are needed to detect small differences between QTL genotypes.     

城市污泥对作物种子发芽及幼苗生长影响的初步研究

不同类型污泥及其堆肥对通菜、菜心种子发芽和幼苗生长影响的研究表明 ,深圳生污泥、佛山生污泥和广州生污泥及其堆肥对通菜种子的发芽率有明显的影响 ,前者仅为73% ,其余的在 85%左右 ,均低于对照处理 ( 93% ) .而它们对菜心种子的发芽率 ,除了深圳生污泥有抑制作用外 ( 75% ) ,其余均表现为促进作用 ( 90 % ) ,均高于对照处理 ( 85% ) .它们对于两种作物幼苗的生长则均表现为不同程度的抑制作用甚至是损害作用 .污泥及其堆肥中抑制作物种子发芽和幼苗生长的物质主要是有机酸和醛类等有机物 .生污泥经过消化作用或适当的堆沤作用可降解这些有机物 ,从而减弱或消除这种抑制作用 .因此 ,生污泥经过消化作用或适当的堆沤作用后用于农业生产更为安全 .但对刚施用污泥或污泥堆肥的耕地最好不要直接播种 .     

Hydrolysis products of glucosinolates in Brassica napus tissues as inhibitors of seed germination

Enzymatic hydrolysis of glucosinolates, a class of compounds found in Brassica species, results in a number of products with potential to inhibit seed germination. To investigate the impact of both volatile and water-soluble allelochemicals, germination bioassays using Lactuca sativa seeds were conducted with root and combined leaf and stem tissues of Brassica napus. Tissues in which glucosinolates were hydrolyzed to remove volatile glucosinolate degradation products were compared with intact tissues and water controls. Only tissues containing glucosinolates produced volatiles that inhibited germination. Volatiles were trapped and identified using GC-MS. Volatiles produced in greater quanitity from intact tissues than from tissues without glucosinolates were almost exclusively glucosinolate hydrolysis products. Water-soluble components also inhibited germination. Chemical analysis of extracts confirmed the presence of glucosinolate hydrolysis products, but indicated the involvement of additional allelochemicals, especially in leaf and stem tissues. Results support the proposal that glucosinolate-containing plant tissues may contribute to reductions in synthetic pesticide use if weed seeds are targeted.Abbreviations ITC isothiocyanates - CN organic cyanides - OZT oxazolidinethione - iRoot intact root tissue - iL&S intact leaf and stem tissue - hRoot hydrolyzed root tissue - hL&S hydrolyzed leaf and stem tissue     

白菜和白菜型油菜角果相关性状遗传分析

以种荚差异显著的白菜自交不亲和系（P1）和白菜型油菜自交系（P2）为亲本及杂交获得的4个基本世代（P1、P2、F1、F2）为材料,应用植物数量性状主基因+多基因混合遗传模型对其种荚相关性状进行遗传分析。结果表明,芸薹种作物的种荚长度(SPL)性状及喙长（SBL）性状均受加性-显性-上位性多基因控制（C-0模型）,多基因遗传率分别为83.16%和68.67%;种荚宽度(SPW)性状受2对加性-显性-上位性主基因+加性-显性-上位性多基因控制（E-0模型）,其主基因遗传率为20.40%,多基因遗传率为78.34%。种荚相关各性状均以多基因遗传为主,种荚宽度性状受环境因素影响较小,为1.26%;种荚长度、喙长受环境因素影响较大,分别达16.89%和25.36%。针对芸薹种作物种荚性状的改良要以多基因为主,并注意环境条件影响。以种荚差异显著的白菜自交不亲和系（P1）和白菜型油菜自交系（P2）为亲本及杂交获得的4个基本世代（P1、P2、F1、F2）为材料,应用植物数量性状主基因+多基因混合遗传模型对其种荚相关性状进行遗传分析。结果表明,芸薹种作物的种荚长度(SPL)性状及喙长（SBL）性状均受加性-显性-上位性多基因控制（C-0模型）,多基因遗传率分别为83.16%和68.67%;种荚宽度(SPW)性状受2对加性-显性-上位性主基因+加性-显性-上位性多基因控制（E-0模型）,其主基因遗传率为20.40%,多基因遗传率为78.34%。种荚相关各性状均以多基因遗传为主,种荚宽度性状受环境因素影响较小,为1.26%;种荚长度、喙长受环境因素影响较大,分别达16.89%和25.36%。针对芸薹种作物种荚性状的改良要以多基因为主,并注意环境条件影响。     

Lipoxygenases during Brassica napus seed germination

The peroxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids is mostly catalyzed by members of the lipoxygenase enzyme family. Lipoxygenase products can be metabolized further in the oxylipin pathway and are known as signalling substances that play a role in plant development as well as in plant responses to wounding and pathogen attack. Apart from accumulating data in model plants like Arabidopsis, information on the relevance of lipid peroxide metabolism in the crop plant oilseed rape is scarce. Thus we aimed to analyze lipoxygenases and oxylipin patterns in seedlings of oilseed rape. RNA isolated from 3 day etiolated seedlings contains mRNAs for at least two different lipoxygenases. These have been cloned as cDNAs and named Bn-Lox-1fl and Bn-Lox-2fl. The protein encoded by Bn-Lox-2fl was identified as a 13-lipoxygenase by expression in Escherichia coli. The Bn-Lox-1fl yielded an inactive protein when expressed in E. coli. Based on Bn-Lox-1fl active site determinants and on sequence homology the Bn-Lox-1fl is most likely a 9-lipoxygenase. Both genes are expressed in light-grown and etiolated cotyledons as well as in leaves. Bn-Lox-2fl protein is more abundant in cotyledons of etiolated seedlings than in cotyledons of green seedlings. Both 13- and 9-lipoxygenase-derived hydroperoxides can be detected during germination. Etiolated seedlings contain more lipoxygenase-derived hydroperoxides in non esterified fatty acids than green seedlings. The 13-lipoxygenase derivatives are 6-8-fold more abundant than the 9-derivatives. Lipoxygenase-derived hydroperoxides in esterified lipids are almost not present during germination. These results suggest that 13-lipoxygenases acting on free fatty acids dominate during B. napus seed germination.     

Intersubgenomic heterosis in seed yield potential observed in a new type of Brassica napus introgressed with partial Brassica rapa genome

This paper reports the observation on the intersubgenomic heterosis for seed yield among hybrids between natural Brassica napus (AⁿAⁿCⁿCⁿ) and a new type of B. napus with introgressions of genomic components of Brassica rapa (A^rA^r). This B. napus was selected from the progeny of B. napus × B. rapa and (B. napus × B. rapa) × B. rapa based on extensive phenotypic and cytological observation. Among the 129 studied partial intersubgenomic hybrids, which were obtained by randomly crossing 13 lines of the new type of B. napus in F₃ or BC₁F₃ to 27 cultivars of B. napus from different regions as tester lines, about 90% of combinations exceeded the yield of their respective tester lines, whereas about 75% and 25% of combinations surpassed two elite Chinese cultivars, respectively. This strong heterosis was further confirmed by reevaluating 2 out of the 129 combinations in a successive year and by surveying hybrids between 20 lines of the new type of B. napus in BC₁F₅ and its parental B. napus in two locations. Some DNA segments from B. rapa were identified with significant effects on seed yield and yield components of the new type of B. napus in BC₁F₅ and intersubgenomic hybrids in positive or negative direction. It seems that the genomic components introgressed from B. rapa contributed to improvement of seed yield of rapeseed.     

Seed yield,seed size and germination behaviour in the annualPogogyne abramsii

Summary Models of the evolution of seed dormancy reveal that dormancy is favoured either when opportunities for establishment vary over time and when there is wide variation in the probability of success, or when the probability of success is limited by frequency dependence. Empirical evidence supporting the temporal heterogeneity hypothesis exists, but there is scant evidence for dormancy being favoured by frequency dependent competition among seedlings. We test the hypothesis that the intensity of between-sib competition should favour a positive relationship between maternal fecundity and seed dormancy. This hypothesis is supported for the rare, vernal pool annual,Pogogyne abramsii: the proportion of dormant offspring was significantly higher among high fecundity mothers than among other mothers. Dormancy inP. abramsii is controlled by the seed coat, a maternal tissue, so delaying germination favours the inclusive fitness of mothers by reducing the potential for competition among siblings. Seed weight and time to first germination varied significantly amongP. abramsii plants and mean seed weight increased linearly with plant biomass. Seed weight and seed number are independently regulated by plant size. Overall, seed weight varied 10-fold and variability in seed weight within mothers was not explained by plant biomass, seed yield or mean seed weight. GerminableP. abramsii seeds were significantly heavier than dormant seeds, and germinable seeds heavier than 0.20 mg germinated more rapidly than those smaller than 0.20 mg.     

Some reflections on the relationship between endogenous hormones and light-mediated seed dormancy

The relationships between phytochrome and endogenous hormones in the light-mediated control of seed dormancy are discussed. It is concluded that gibberellins are primarily involved in post-dormancy metabolic processes leading to embryo growth and radicle emergence, such as food reserve mobilisation and endosperm softening. Evidence is considered that germination inhibitors, particularly abscisic acid, are involved in the establishment and maintenance of primary dormancy. The role of cytokinins not fully elucidated but there is considerable evidence to suggest that phytochrome control may involve cytokinin effects on transmembrane ion fluxes. In terms of hormonal control, phytochrome mediated dormancy is a complex phenomenon. There is a need for molecular studies of processes controlled by phytochrome, GAs, CKs and ABA during dormancy and germination to unravel the complexities of the dormancy mechanisms. Such studies would be facilitated by the availability of CK-deficient mutants of classical light-sensitive species.     

甘蓝型油菜籽粒着生密度及其相关性状全基因组关联分析

油菜角果内籽粒着生密度影响每果粒数,对油菜产量有直接或间接影响。本研究以不同遗传背景和地理来源的213份甘蓝型油菜品种(系)构成的自然群体为研究对象,利用芸薹属60 K Illumina Infinium SNP芯片进行群体结构、亲缘关系以及连锁不平衡分析;然后基于最优模型对籽粒着生密度及其相关性状进行全基因组关联(GWAS)分析。通过GWAS分析,共检测到10个SNP位点与籽粒着生密度及其相关性状关联。其中与籽粒着生密度关联的标记有2个,表型贡献率分别为9.49%和11.17%;与角果有效长关联的标记有6个,单个位点可解释9.81%~12.17%的表型变异;与每果粒数相关联的标记有2个,分别解释10.44%和10.87%的表型变异。通过分析关联SNP位点的LD区间的基因信息,筛选出16个与籽粒着生密度及其相关性状有关的候选基因,其中KMD4和UGT76C2基因与细胞分裂素的调控有关;AGL104和ADC2基因参与种子的形成过程;MCCB、NGA2和MATE等基因参与侧生器官的生长发育过程,它们的异常表达会导致一些侧生器官的变异。ADC2和UGT76C2两个候选基因可能对籽粒着生密度和每果粒数一因多效性。     

Morpho‐colorimetric analysis and seed germination of Brassica insularis Moris (Brassicaceae) populations

Brassica insularis is a perennial plant growing on both coastal and inland cliffs. Three seed lots from Sardinia were analysed using an image analysis system to detect differences in seed morphology, both within and among populations. Germination requirements at constant (5–25 °C) and alternating temperatures (25/10 °C), both in light and in darkness, were evaluated for all populations. In addition, the effect of a dry after‐ripening period (90 days at 25 °C) was also investigated. Morpho‐colorimetric analysis clearly identified seeds from different populations and discriminated three chromatic categories for seeds belonging to the Isola dei Cavoli coastal population, but not for the inland Masùa and the coastal Planu Sartu. Inter‐population variability was also observed in germination behaviour. B. insularis seeds germinated, with percentages up to 60%, in a wide range of temperatures (5–25 °C), and neither light nor dry after‐ripening affected final germination percentages. Moisture content measurements were made for seeds of each colour, but there were no particular differences among colours. Inter‐populational variability in germination behaviour may be a survival strategy for species growing under unpredictable environmental conditions, such as under Mediterranean climate, while heteromorphy may be due to independent evolutionary divergence processes of the Isola dei Cavoli population.     

Ribosomal RNA integrity and rate of seed germination

The integrity of ribosomal RNA (the percentage of complete, un-nicked molecules) in seeds was studied by electrophoresis under denaturing conditions. Two batches of carrot seed, harvested at different stages of maturity, and four batches ofNicotiana seed stored for various times were used. Within each species, there was a correlation between the integrity of the rRNA of the dry seed and the rate of germination of that seed. In carrot seed, there was extensive degradation of existing rRNA in both the embryo and endosperm during the first two days of imbibition.     

芥菜型多室油菜与甘蓝型油菜的种间远缘杂交

通过对芥菜型多室油菜与甘蓝型油菜种间杂交 以下简写为芥×甘或甘×芥 的结实性、交配性以及不同甘蓝型油菜对交配性的影响等研究发现:芥、甘正反交形成的饱满种子数较少,其形成种子的能力弱,但是芥×甘与甘×芥杂交相比,芥×甘形成饱满种子的能力较强,受精能力以及杂种胚胎的发育能力也强,在授粉后的子房发育上二者无显著差异.所以,芥菜型多室油菜与甘蓝型油菜种间杂交创建新资源时宜采用芥×甘杂交方式;不同甘蓝型油菜品种与芥菜型多室油菜正反交的结角率、受精指数、结籽指数和可交配指数均不相同,但可交配指数的变异系数最大.因此,筛选可交配性强的甘蓝型基因型应着眼于可交配指数高的甘蓝型油菜亲本材料,根据本试验结果,芥菜型多室油菜与甘蓝型油菜93-221-1杂交形成的杂种胚具有较强的可发育性.     

Nitric oxide accelerates seed germination in warm-season grasses

The nitric oxide (NO) donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) significantly promoted germination of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L. cv Kanlow) in the light and in the dark at 25°C, across a broad range of concentrations. SNP also promoted seed germination in two other warm-season grasses. A chemical scavenger of NO inhibited germination and blocked SNP stimulation of seed germination. The phenolic (+)-catechin acted synergistically with SNP and nitrite in promoting seed germination. Acidified nitrite, an alternate NO donor also significantly stimulated seed germination. Interestingly, sodium cyanide, potassium ferricyanide and potassium ferrocyanide at 200 μM strongly enhanced seed germination as well, whereas potassium chloride was without effect. Ferrocyanide and cyanide stimulation of seed germination was blocked by an NO scavenger. Incubation of seeds with a fluorescent NO-specific probe provided evidence for NO production in germinating switchgrass seeds. Abscisic acid (ABA) at 10 μM depressed germination, inhibited root elongation and essentially abolished coleoptile emergence. SNP partially overcame ABA effects on radicle emergence but did not overcome the effects of ABA on coleoptile elongation. Light microscopy indicated extension of the radicle and coleoptiles in seeds maintained on water or on SNP after 2 days. In contrast, there was minimal growth of the radicle and coleoptile in ABA-treated seeds even after 3–4 days. These data indicate that seed germination of warm-season grasses is significantly influenced by NO signaling pathways and document that NO could be an endogenous trigger for release from dormancy in these species.     

RAPD markers on seed bulks efficiently assess the genetic diversity of a Brassica oleracea L. collection

 The concept of a core collection was elaborated to fit the necessity of optimizing the management, for both conservation and use, of genetic resources in sizeable collections. This approach requires an analysis of how the genetic variability is structured among the accessions. The large number of heterogeneous populations in our collection of Brassica oleracea makes genetic diversity studies based on plant-to-plant analysis impracticable. To overcome this limitation, the variability analysis by RAPD on seed bulks was investigated for its efficiency in assessing the structure of the genetic diversity of this collection. The optimal bulk size and the bulking or sampling variation were evaluated with bulks of different size and with replicated samples. A mixture of known genotypes was also used to characterise the band detection in bulks, and to compare the plant-to-plant and the bulk methods. Forty seeds were chosen to represent each population. In such a bulk, the detection of bands depended on the proportion of the genotype they were derived from in the mixture. Intense and frequent bands were detected in the bulk with a 15% detection limit. The observed bulking or sampling variation within populations was smaller than the variation between populations, leading to an efficient separation of populations with a clustering of all samples of the same population. The distances calculated from bulk data were highly correlated with the distances based on the plant-to-plant analysis. We demonstrated that RAPD on seed bulks can be used to describe the genetic diversity between populations. Received: 27 August 1998 / Accepted: 29 September 1998     

Phytochrome regulation of seed germination

Seed germination of many plant species is influenced by light. Of the various photoreceptor systems, phytochrome plays an especially important role in seed germination. The existence of at least five phytochrome genes has led to the proposal that different members of the family have different roles in the photoregulation of seed germination. Physiological analysis of seed germination ofArabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. with phytochrome-deficient mutants showed for the first time that phytochrome A and phytochrome B modulate the timing of seed germination in distinct actions. Phytochrome A photo-irreversibly triggers the photoinduction of seed germination after irradiation with extremely low fluence light in a wide range of wavelengths, from UV-A, to visible, to far-red. In contrast, phytochrome B mediates the well-characterized photoreversible reaction, responding to red and far-red light of fluences four orders of magnitude higher than those to which PhyA responds. Wild plants, such asA. thaliana, survive under ground as dormant seeds for long periods, and the timing of seed germination is crucial for optimizing growth and reproduction. It therefore seems reasonable for plants to possess at least two different physiological systems for sensing the light environment over a wide spectral range with exquisite sensitivity of different phytochromes. This redundancy seems to enhance plant survival in a fluctuating environment.     

Plant regeneration from peduncle segments of oil seed Brassica species: Influence of silver nitrate and silver thiosulfate

Cultured peduncle segments of B. juncea, B. campestris, B. napus, B. nigra and B. carinata produced shoot buds on Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with benzyladenine and 1-naphthalene acetic acid. Supplementation of the media with 30 μm silver nitrate or silver thiosulfate enhanced the frequency of shoot regeneration. The regenerated shoots could be rooted at a frequency of 95% and transferred to soil where 75% survived and set seed. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

铅与对二氯苯复合污染对小麦和大白菜种子发芽及幼苗期生长的毒性

在草甸棕壤条件下,测定了铅(Pb2 )与对二氯苯(PDB)的单一及复合污染对小麦和大白菜种子发芽率、幼苗生物量(鲜重、干重)、芽伸长抑制率和根伸长抑制率的影响。结果表明,对外源污染物的敏感顺序为根伸长抑制率>芽伸长抑制率>幼苗鲜重>发芽率和幼苗干重。Pb2 与PDB复合污染的条件下,Pb2 的浓度为500 mg.kg-1时,Pb2 与PDB处于协同效应。Pb2 的浓度为2 000 mg.kg-1时,Pb与PDB联合毒性比较复杂。但不论对于小麦还是大白菜,Pb与PDB的联合作用更多的是依靠Pb2 的作用而不是PDB的作用。     

氯苯胁迫对大豆种子萌发的伤害

在实验室人工控制条件下 ,研究了不同浓度 1,2 ,4 三氯苯胁迫对大豆种子萌发和幼苗生长的影响 .结果表明 ,5 0～ 2 0 0 μg·g-1的 1,2 ,4 三氯苯胁迫对大豆种子的发芽率影响甚小 ,但延迟大豆种子的出苗速率 ;30 0 μg·g-1的 1,2 ,3 三氯苯胁迫使种子停止发芽 .在正常条件下 ,大豆种子播种后第 4天其下胚轴超氧化物歧化酶 (SOD)活性达到高峰 ,之后趋于稳定 .不同浓度 1,2 ,4 三氯苯处理使大豆下胚轴SOD活性下降 ,丙二醛 (MDA)、蛋白质含量及下胚轴直径增加 ;幼苗的生长受抑制 ,干重、鲜重有一定程度的下降 ;而鲜重 /干重的比值变化不大 .受害程度随着 1,2 ,4 三氯苯浓度的增加而加重 .初生根比下胚轴对 1,2 ,4 三氯苯胁迫较为敏感 .