Aboveground productivity and soil carbon storage of biofuel crops in Ohio

Biofuel crops may help achieve the goals of energy‐efficient renewable ethanol production and greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation through carbon (C) storage. The objective of this study was to compare the aboveground biomass yields and soil organic C (SOC) stocks under four crops (no‐till corn, switchgrass, indiangrass, and willow) 7 years since establishment at three sites in Ohio to determine if high‐yielding biofuel crops are also capable of high levels of C storage. Corn grain had the highest potential ethanol yields, with an average of more than 4100 L ha^?1, and ethanol yields increased if both corn grain and stover were converted to biofuel, while willow had the lowest yields. The SOC concentration in soils under biofuels was generally unaffected by crop type; at one site, soil in the top 10 cm under willow contained nearly 13 Mg C ha^?1 more SOC (or 29% more) than did soils under switchgrass or corn. Crop type affected SOC content of macroaggregates in the top 10 cm of soil, where macroaggregates in soil under corn had lower C, N and C : N ratios than those under perennial grasses or trees. Overall, the results suggest that no‐till corn is capable of high ethanol yields and equivalent SOC stocks to 40 cm depth. Long‐term monitoring and measurement of SOC stocks at depth are required to determine whether this trend remains. In addition, ecological, energy, and GHG assessments should be made to estimate the C footprint of each feedstock.     

玉米叶片依赖焦磷酸的磷酸果糖激酶两种分子型动力学特性的研究

从玉米叶片中部分纯化了依赖焦磷酸的磷酸果糖激酶(PPi-PFK),对果糖2,6-二磷酸具有很高的敏感性(K_a≈15nmol/L)。纯化过程中酶的生糖方向活性对酵解方向活性的比值逐渐增加。F2,6-P_2的参与使这一比值下降,并且解除高浓度PPi对酶FBP形成活性的抑制。 用胰蛋白酶限制酶解,90min使80％酶的酵解方向活性丧失而仍然保持几乎全部的酶的生糖方向活性。胰蛋白酶修饰的酶的动力学结果表明F6P饱和曲线呈明显S型而且V_(max)大大下降。在F2,6-P_2存在下修饰酶的K_m(F6P)值比天然酶约大4倍。 酶的生糖方向活性动力学特性的比较说明天然酶和胰蛋白酶修饰酶几乎具有相同的催化能力和底物(F6P)亲合力。 实验支持植物PPi-PFK存在两种可以相互转化的酶分子型的调节酶的活性和作用方向的模型。     

西北干旱区玉米对气候变暖的响应

摘要: 利用地面观测资料,就西北干旱区河西走廊绿洲作物玉米(Zea mays L.)对变暖的响应进行了初步的探讨。结果表明:近二十多年来,西北干旱区作物玉米对变暖的响应以生长季提前和生长期缩短为主要方式。但是,存在一个临界温度,当玉米生长期间平均气温小于临界温度时,增温使玉米生长期缩短;当玉米生长期间平均温度大于临界温度时,增温使玉米生长期有不再减小的趋势。未来的持续增温可能导致玉米生长期平均气温超过临界温度,从而可能使西北干旱区玉米生长期延长。西北干旱区作物玉米对变暖的响应还表现出一定的阶段差异,增温使玉米拔节期以前的营养生长阶段缩短,抽雄-槭乳熟期的生殖生长阶段延长, 乳熟-成熟期的生殖生长阶段缩短。西北干旱区作物玉米对变暖响应的这种特点可能与绿洲的气候特点、作物的生理特性及增温的季节差异有关,而其响应的生物学机制可能与变暖使自然植被秋季生长季延长的生物学机制不同。     

蒸汽爆破玉米秸秆酶解动力学

为了掌握蒸汽爆破玉米秸秆的酶解特性,研究了不同底物浓度、酶浓度、温度对反应速率的影响。运用米氏方程对酶解动力学过程进行拟合,结果表明,纤维素酶对该玉米秸秆的水解反应在反应前3 h符合一级反应,可用米氏方程对其进行拟合。在转速为120 r/min、酶浓度为1.2 FPU/mL、pH 5.0、温度为45 ℃时米氏常数Km为11.71 g/L,最大反应速率Vm为1.5 g/(L·h)。确立了包括底物浓度、酶浓度、温度在内的酶解动力学模型,该模型适合温度为30 ℃~50 ℃。     

Binding analyses of Cry1Ab and Cry1Ac with membrane vesicles from Bacillus thuringiensis-resistant and -susceptible Ostrinia nubilalis

The binding properties of Bacillus thuringiensis toxins to brush border membrane vesicles of Dipel-resistant and -susceptible Ostrinia nubilalis larvae were compared using ligand-toxin immunoblot analysis, surface plasmon resonance (SPR), and radiolabeled toxin binding assays. In ligand-toxin immunoblot analysis, the number of Cry1Ab or Cry1Ac toxin binding proteins and the relative toxin binding intensity were similar in vesicles from resistant and susceptible larvae. Surface plasmon resonance with immobilized activated Cry1Ab toxin indicated that there were no significant differences in binding with fluid-phase vesicles from resistant and susceptible larvae. Homologous competition assays with radiolabeled Cry1Ab and Cry1Ac toxin and vesicles from resistant and susceptible larvae resulted in similar toxin dissociation constants and binding site concentrations. Heterologous competition binding assays indicated that Cry1Ab and Cry1Ac completely competed for binding, thus they share binding sites in the epithelium of the larval midguts of O. nubilalis. Overall, the binding analyses indicate that resistance to Cry1Ab and Cry1Ac in this Bt-resistant strain of O. nubilalis is not associated with a loss of toxin binding.     

Immunocytochemical localization of indole-3-acetic acid in primary roots of Zea mays

Colloidal gold-labelled antibody was used to localize indole-3-acetic acid in caps of primary roots of Z. mays cv. Kys. Gold particles accumulated on the nucleus, vacuoles, mitochondria, and some dictyosomes and dictyosome-derived vesicles. This is the first localization of indole-3-acetic acid in dictyosomes and dictyosome-derived vesicles and indicates that dictyosomes and vesicles constitute a pathway for indole-3-acetic acid movement in and secretion from root cap cells. Our findings provide cytochemical evidence to support the hypothesis that indole-3-acetic acid plays an important role in root gravitropism.     

Factors Influencing Emergence of Juveniles from Cysts of Heterodera zeae

Several factors were studied to determine their effects on hatch and emergence of second-stage juveniles (J2) from cysts of Heterodera zeae. The optimum temperature for emergence of J2 from cysts of H. zeae was 30 C. No juveniles emerged from cysts at 10 or 40 C. Immersion of cysts in 4 mM zinc chloride solution stimulated 10% greater emergence of J2 than occurred in tap water controls during 28 days. Fresh corn rhizosphere leachates from 25-day and older plants growing in sand or sandy field soil stimulated 22-24% greater emergence of J2 from cysts than occurred in tap water after 28 days. Rhizosphere leachates stored for 30 days at 4 C and leachates of sand, sandy field soil, and silty field soil inhibited emergence of J2 from cysts by 7-12% compared to tap water. Rhizosphere leachates from corn plants aged 20, 30, 40, 50, or 60 days growing in sandy field soil stimulated emergence of J2 from cysts. Similar numbers of J2 emerged from cysts regardless of whether the source of cysts was field microplot cultures, greenhouse cultures, or growth chamber cultures. Fertilizing growth chamber cultures of H. zeae on corn plants resulted in a doubling of the numbers of cysts produced in the cultures, and those cysts yielded 2-3 times as many emerged J2 in hatching tests compared to cysts from similar unfertilized cultures.     

转植酸酶基因玉米种植对土壤线虫群落的影响

土壤是生态系统中物质循环和能量转化的重要场所,转基因作物外源基因对土壤非靶标生物的影响已经引起人们的广泛关注.我国转植酸酶基因玉米(即自交系BVLA430101)于2009年9月27日获得了生物安全证书,该转植酸酶基因玉米可提高饲料利用效率,减少动物粪便造成的环境污染.本文以转植酸酶基因玉米(简称转基因玉米)和常规对照亲本玉米(简称对照玉米)为试验材料,通过大田试验研究了转基因玉米和对照玉米种植对土壤线虫群落组成与生态指标的影响.结果表明： 转基因玉米和对照玉米大田土壤分别分离出29个属和26个属的线虫.与对照玉米相比,转基因玉米种植田食细菌线虫相对多度与数量、捕/杂食线虫数量和土壤线虫总数,以及群落多样性指数等都有升高的趋势,而植食线虫相对多度与线虫总成熟度指数呈降低趋势.重复测量方差分析表明,整个生长季节内转基因玉米与对照玉米田间不同营养类群土壤线虫相对多度与数量及生态指标均无显著差异;而T检验分析表明,玉米乳熟期转基因玉米田食细菌线虫、捕/杂食线虫数量和土壤线虫总数显著高于对照玉米田,这可能与乳熟期转基因玉米田土壤总氮含量显著升高有关.     

Effects of artificial and natural diets on success in tip recording and on galeal chemosensillum morphology of European Corn Borer larvae

Abstract. Larvae of Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) were reared on artificial diet, fresh cut corn, or switched from diet to corn for 5 days prior to tip recording. Electrophysiological responses to a standard mixed chemical stimulus were obtained from the galeal uniporous chemosensilla of the early fifth-stadium larvae. Mouthparts of some larvae were briefly treated with protease, then recorded again. Larvae were then processed for scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of chemosensilla terminal pores. Spike:noise ratios were significantly higher for corn-reared, switched-to-corn, and protease- treated larvae, relative to diet-reared larvae. Morphology of the chemo- sensilla terminal pores, as assessed by SEM, reveals that apparent occlusion of the pore tip is significantly greater for diet-reared larvae relative to the other groups. The data suggest an association between quality of the electrophysiological recordings and physical blockage of the terminal sensillum pore. These data should serve as a caveat for those engaged in chemosensory studies of insect herbivores.     

Description of Males of Heterodera zeae

The male ofHeterodera zeae, the corn cyst nematode, is described and illustrated for the first time. Specimens were obtained from a culture originating from cysts collected in Kent County, Maryland, at the site of the first known infestation of H. zeae in the United States.