Response of wheat restricted‐tillering and vigorous growth traits to variables of climate change

The response of wheat to the variables of climate change includes elevated CO₂, high temperature, and drought which vary according to the levels of each variable and genotype. Independently, elevated CO₂, high temperature, and terminal drought affect wheat biomass and grain yield, but the interactive effects of these three variables are not well known. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of elevated CO₂ when combined with high temperature and terminal drought on the high‐yielding traits of restricted‐tillering and vigorous growth. It was hypothesized that elevated CO₂ alone, rather than combined with high temperature, ameliorates the effects of terminal drought on wheat biomass and grain yield. It was also hypothesized that wheat genotypes with more sink capacity (e.g. high‐tillering capacity and leaf area) have more grain yield under combined elevated CO₂, high temperature, and terminal drought. Two pairs of sister lines with contrasting tillering and vigorous growth were grown in poly‐tunnels in a four‐factor completely randomized split‐plot design with elevated CO₂ (700 µL L^?1), high day time temperature (3 °C above ambient), and drought (induced from anthesis) in all combinations to test whether elevated CO₂ ameliorates the effects of high temperature and terminal drought on biomass accumulation and grain yield. For biomass and grain yield, only main effects for climate change variables were significant. Elevated CO₂ significantly increased grain yield by 24–35% in all four lines and terminal drought significantly reduced grain yield by 16–17% in all four lines, while high temperature (3 °C above the ambient) had no significant effect. A trade‐off between yield components limited grain yield in lines with greater sink capacity (free‐tillering lines). This response suggests that any positive response to predicted changes in climate will not overcome the limitations imposed by the trade‐off in yield components.     

The Genetics of Evolutionary Change in Senecio vulgaris L.: A QTL Mapping Approach

Abstract: The cosmopolitan weed Senecio vulgaris var. vulgaris is likely to have originated from the non-weedy S. vulgaris ssp. denticulatus from which it differs by showing no seed dormancy, by completing its life cycle from germination to seed formation much faster and by lacking ray florets. An F2 generation of 120 individuals obtained through selfing of one hybrid individual between var. vulgaris and ssp. denticulatus was used to construct a linkage map based on RAPD polymorphisms and the presence or absence of ray florets. This linkage map was used for a QTL analysis of 12 characters distinguishing the two taxa. For seven of these 12 characters, three significant QTLs could be found. One of these QTLs controls the speed of development, height of plants, leaf number, number of lateral branches and number of outer involucral bracts. A second QTL, located in the same linkage group, coincides with the ray floret locus and controls the number of disc florets. Plant height and leaf number are controlled by a third QTL in a different linkage group. Considering earlier evidence on the genetics of seed dormancy, it is argued that probably only three chromosomal regions, or even genetic loci, control seed dormancy, speed of development and presence or absence of ray florets as the ecologically most important differences between var. vulgaris and ssp. denticulatus. These findings have important implications for the genetics of evolutionary change and speciation.     

Development of distylous flowers and investment of biomass in male and female function in Palicourea padifolia (Rubiaceae)

Knowledge of developmental pathways for achieving differences in style and anther heights, in concert with those of ancillary features accompanied with data in regard to biomass investment to male and female function, provide an excellent opportunity for examining the developmental correlations between primary and ancillary floral traits so as to understand the evolution of heterostyly. The ontogenetic relationships between bud length and anther height and between bud length and style height, and between bud length versus bud width, anther length, and number of pollen grains per anther for long-styled (LS) and short-styled (SS) morphs of P. PADIFOLIA are described. We also described the ontogenetic biomass allocation to male and female function and to corolla with elongation of buds harvested at regular intervals. We observed an early termination of stylar growth in SS buds, whereas LS styles steadily increased in size. Morph differences for relative growth rates were significant for anther height, anther length, and pollen number but not for bud width. Bud width and anther length had a negative allometric relationship with bud elongation. The relationship between bud length and number of pollen grains per anther was positive and morph differences in pollen number were detected at later stages of development. An increase in corolla mass involved a disproportionate allocation to the female function in SS flowers and male allocation was similar for the two morphs over the course of development. Our results are consistent with theoretical and empirical data for distylous species with an approach herkogamous ancestor, and with the more general hypothesis of ontogenetic lability of heterostyly, in which morph differences in style and anther heights are achieved in various ways. Variations observed in sexual investment between floral morphs suggest differences in sex expression during flower development.     

Variation of chemical composition and antioxidant activity of essential oils of Mentha x rotundifolia (L.) Huds. (Lamiaceae) collected from different bioclimatic areas of Tunisia

The variation of the essential oils composition of 10 Tunisian Mentha x rotundifolia (L.) Huds. Populations and their antioxidant activity were assessed. Essential oils showed high percentages of oxygenated monoterpenes and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons. Rotundifolone, p-menthane-1,2,3-triol, β-caryophyllene and germacrene D were identified as main compounds at the species level. A variation in the essential oil composition was observed according to the populations and ecological factors. The populations 7, 8, 9 and 10 from the upper semi-arid bioclimatic zone and situated at high altitudes, exhibited the highest amount of rotundifolone. The populations 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 from the lower humid showed a rotundifolone/β-caryophyllene/germacrene D chemotype. The population 6, situated at the lowest altitude, was characterized by the highest amount of p-menthane-1,2,3-triol. The level of antioxidant activity of the populations was linked to their chemical composition difference. The highest scavenging activity and the best ability to reduce ferric ions were recorded for the population 10. The most important capacity to inhibit β-carotene bleaching was revealed for the population 8. For all populations, the antioxidant activities were substantial but lower than antioxidant standards used (Trolox and BHT).The populations (7, 8, 9 and 10) from the upper semi-arid showed the best yields of essential oils and the highest contents of rotundifolone. Chemotypes within these populations could be selected for improvement programs.     

64份淮山种质资源品质性状分析

对64份淮山种质资源品质性状进行了分析,结果表明:铁、氨基酸、总皂甙、锌含量的变异系数较大,分别为66.2%、59.9%、44.09%、42.77%;3种类型的淮山种质资源,其淀粉含量差异较大,褐苞薯蓣(23.52%)参薯(20.48%)薯蓣(12.93%);因子分析结果显示,淀粉和蛋白质含量累计贡献率达66.786%,可用这2个主成分较好地代替6个品质特性来评价与评判淮山品质;相关性分析表明,淀粉含量与总皂甙含量呈显著正相关,蛋白质含量与总皂甙含量呈极显著正相关,淀粉、蛋白质含量这2个主成分与总皂甙含量之间存在相互促进的效用;聚类分析表明,整个淮山资源可分为3大类,分别为高淀粉型、低淀粉型、高铁型。淮山种质资源品质性状分析,可为日后进行淮山种质资源的创新利用、新品种的选育提供可靠的依据。     

西昆仑、西喀喇昆仑和西北喜马拉雅地区植被的地域分异及其指示意义

 在青藏高原的西北部,喜马拉雅山、喀喇昆仑山和昆仑山汇聚成一个高大山系组。中国-巴基斯坦公路横跨这个山系组,沿线植被的组成及分布显示出极其明显的地域分异：西昆仑山和喀喇昆仑山以荒漠为主,西北喜马拉雅山以山地森林为主;西昆仑山前平原上是暖温带灌木、半灌木荒漠,西北喜马拉雅山前印度河平原上是亚热带稀树草原;山系组腹地谷坡明显较外部山坡干燥,西昆仑山东北坡有完整的山地草原和高山草甸带,以及断续的山地云杉（Picea）和刺柏（Juniperus）疏林灌丛,而西南坡山地荒漠海拔高达3600～4000 m,草原和草甸带     

甜瓜果实糖含量相关性状QTL分析

以高糖栽培亲本自交系‘0246’为母本,低糖野生亲本自交系‘Y101’为父本,通过杂交得到了含135个单株的甜瓜远缘F2群体,分别测定甜瓜果实果糖、葡萄糖和蔗糖含量,将三者之和作为总糖含量,进行遗传连锁图谱构建及QTL分析。结果表明:(1)构建的甜瓜果实遗传图谱包含14个连锁群,覆盖基因组长度726.30cM,标记间平均距离为12.74cM。(2)检测到与总糖含量和果糖含量相关的QTL位点各1个,分别命名为Ts3.1和Fru4.1,贡献率分别为14.89%和13.02%,分布于第3、4连锁群,LOD值分别为3.60和3.10。2个QTL位点均为正向加性遗传,分别对增加总糖和果糖含量表现为增效累加效应。研究结果为开展甜瓜糖含量相关基因精细定位和克隆研究奠定了基础。     

Trait‐based approach confirms the importance of propagule limitation and assembly rules in old‐field restoration

Community assembly theory is suggested as a guiding principle for ecological restoration to help understand the mechanisms that structure biological communities and identify where restoration interventions are needed. We studied three hypotheses related to propagule limitation, stress‐dominance, and limiting similarity concepts in community assembly in a restoration field experiment with a trait‐based null model approach. The experiment aimed to assist the recovery of sand grassland on former arable land in the Kiskunság, Pannonian biogeographic region, Europe. Treatments included initial seeding of five grassland species, carbon amendment, low‐intensity mowing, and combinations in 1 m by 1 m plots in three old fields from 2003 to 2008. The distribution of 10 individual plant traits was compared to the null model and the effect of time and treatments were tested with linear mixed effect models. Initial seeding had the most visible impact on species and trait composition confirming propagule limitation in grassland recovery. Reducing nutrient availability through carbon amendment strengthened trait convergence for length of flowering as expected based on the stress‐dominance hypothesis. Mowing changed trait divergence to convergence for plant height with a strengthening impact with time, supporting our hypothesis of increasing dominance of limiting similarity with time. Our results support the idea that community assembly is simultaneously influenced by propagule limitation and multiple trait‐based processes that act through different traits. The limited impact of manipulating environmental filtering and limiting similarity compared to seeding, however, supports the view that only targeting the dispersal and environmental filters in parallel would improve restoration outcome.     

Ecological species groups of landform-level ecosystems dominated by jack pine in northern Lower Michigan,USA

A combination of field and tabular methods and multivariate analyses were used to develop groups of ground flora species (i.e., ecological species groups) that characterize and distinguish highly disturbed, landform-level ecosystems dominated by jack pine in northern Lower Michigan. The endangered Kirtland's warbler formerly or currently occupied the large glacial landforms for which species groups were developed. Eight such ecological species groups were created using 31 woody and herbaceous species sampled in 144 plots within a 20,000 km² geographic region of uniform climate and regional physiography. The groups were initially constructed using subjective, observation-based groupings of species with similar presence and abundance along soil moisture and fertility gradients. Species groups were corroborated using TWINSPAN and detrended correspondence analysis, and the environmental conditions indicated by each were described and contrasted based upon field observations and canonical correspondence analysis. Two of the eight species groups indicated very dry, infertile sites, and one was indicative of a very broad range of sites dominated by jack pine. The remaining five groups reflected a relatively gentle environmental gradient within the set of ecosystems we sampled, indicating small differences along a soil moisture gradient and less so along a soil fertility and light availability gradient. The groups were applied successfully for the majority of an area that had been repeatedly logged and/or burned for at least 120 years. In addition, the groups were successful when tested on sites with highly disturbed upper soil strata furrowed for the establishment of plantations between the 1960s and 1980s. Within the boundaries of the regional ecosystems for which they were developed, ecological species groups reflect the integrated effects of multiple site factors that control the height growth rates of jack pine trees that, in turn, determine the duration of Kirtland's warbler occupancy. While usually applied at the scale of ecosystem types, our results demonstrate that ecological species groups may also provide the ecological basis for distinguishing ecosystems at broader scales. When examined simultaneously in the field with physiography, microclimate, and soil factors, the groups are therefore useful in identifying and classifying ecosystem units at the scale of landforms, the appropriate scale of management for the Kirtland's warbler.