Decoupling of impact factors reveals the response of German winter wheat yields to climatic changes

Yield development of agricultural crops over time is not merely the result of genetic and agronomic factors, but also the outcome of a complex interaction between climatic and site‐specific soil conditions. However, the influence of past climatic changes on yield trends remains unclear, particularly under consideration of different soil conditions. In this study, we determine the effects of single agrometeorological factors on the evolution of German winter wheat yields between 1958 and 2015 from 298 published nitrogen (N)‐fertilization experiments. For this purpose, we separate climatic from genetic and agronomic yield effects using linear mixed effect models and estimate the climatic influence based on a coefficient of determination for these models. We found earlier occurrence of wheat growth stages, and shortened development phases except for the phase of stem elongation. Agrometeorological factors are defined as climate covariates related to the growth of winter wheat. Our results indicate a general and strong effect of agroclimatic changes on yield development, in particular due to increasing mean temperatures and heat stress events during the grain‐filling period. Except for heat stress days with more than 31°C, yields at sites with higher yield potential were less prone to adverse weather effects than at sites with lower yield potential. Our data furthermore reveal that a potential yield levelling, as found for many West‐European countries, predominantly occurred at sites with relatively low yield potential and about one decade earlier (mid‐1980s) compared to averaged yield data for the whole of Germany. Interestingly, effects related to high precipitation events were less relevant than temperature‐related effects and became relevant particularly during the vegetative growth phase. Overall, this study emphasizes the sensitivity of yield productivity to past climatic conditions, under consideration of regional differences, and underlines the necessity of finding adaptation strategies for food production under ongoing and expected climate change.     

植物病媒昆虫的翅型分化

翅多型现象是昆虫非遗传多型性的一种表现,包括不具飞行能力的短翅型或无翅型,以及可以进行长距离迁飞的长翅型或有翅型。翅多型现象常发生在可以携带病原并将其传播给植物宿主的媒介昆虫中,对植物病害的时空分布与暴发有重要影响。本文从翅型分化的遗传规律、诱导因素、分子机制和伴随翅型分化的其他生理表现4个方面,对植物病原主要传播媒介蚜虫和飞虱的翅型分化研究进行综述和梳理。昆虫翅型分化的诱导因素主要包括温度、湿度和光周期等非生物因素以及虫口密度、宿主营养、病毒等生物因素;而其内在的分子机制大多是通过胰岛素/胰岛素样生长因子信号(IIS)通路、c-Jun氨基末端激酶(c-Jun NH₂-terminal kinase, JNK)信号通路、Wingless和嗅觉受体SaveOrco等调控。翅型分化的同时伴随着生理状态的变化,表现为短翅型具有更强的繁殖能力和长翅型含有更丰富的飞行肌结构成分。目前,昆虫翅型分化的研究尚不够完善,有许多需要解答的问题,如找到胰岛素/胰岛素样生长因子信号通路中真正发挥功能的靶基因,JNK如何调控翅型分化以及虫媒病毒影响媒介昆虫翅型的分子机理。本综述可为控制虫...     

Larger Triticum aestivum plants do not preempt nutrient-rich patches in a glasshouse experiment

Plant competition belowground generally appears to be size-symmetric, i.e. larger plants only obtain a share of belowground resources proportional to their size, and therefore do not suppress smaller individuals. The experimental evidence for size-symmetric belowground competition comes primarily from experiments with homogenous soil conditions. It has been hypothesized that the presence of high nutrient patches that can be pre-empted by larger plants can make competition belowground size-asymmetric. We tested this hypothesis by growing Triticum aestivum individuals singly and in pairs in containers with aboveground dividers so that competition occurred only belowground. Plants grew in either a homogenous soil mixture, or in the same mixture with a band of enriched soil between them. Initial size differences were generated by a seven day difference in sowing date. There was no evidence of size-asymmetric competition with or without soil heterogeneity. Large plants did not have a disproportionate effect on smaller plants, nor did they perform disproportionately better when paired with a small neighbor. Our results suggest that in heterogeneous soil conditions, roots of larger plants that reach nutrient patches first are not able to prevent roots of smaller plants that arrive later from obtaining resources from the patch. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The usefulness of the chlorophyll fluorescence parameters in harvest prediction in 10 genotypes of winter triticale under optimal growth conditions

The aim of the experiment was to detect differences in the activity of the photosynthetic apparatus in 10 genotypes of winter triticale. Measurements of gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence were performed. Among the tested genotypes, the photosynthetic apparatus of Timbo and Piano was the most active, while the photosynthesis of both Babor and Boreas was highly reduced. Additionally, we have found significant correlations between the yield and some parameters of chlorophyll fluorescence and leaf gas exchange. Parameters of chlorophyll fluorescence are useful for estimation of the functional state of the photosynthetic apparatus and could become selection criteria in plant breeding. Moreover, such parameters permit definition of the effectiveness of the utilization of chlorophyll a excitation energy and co‐operation of the light phase reactions, with reactions occurring during the dark phase of photosynthesis.     

Initiation of early breeding in a population of Microtus townsendii (Rodentia) with the secondary plant compound 6-MBOA

Summary Feeding the secondary plant compound 6-Methoxybenzoxazolinone (6-MBOA) during winter to a free living population of Microtus townsendii accelerated breeding in females. Both the recruitment of young and sexual maturation of these young were advanced by four weeks in comparison with a control population. Overwintered females supplied with 6-MBOA matured at a lower body weight than control females. But there was no such weightat-maturity difference between the grids for males. During April and May 72% of all juveniles captured came from the experimental population. Winter reproduction and early recruitment of young stimulated by 6-MBOA could have important population consequences for these voles.     

Effect of photoperiod on winter and summer diapause of the soybean pod borer Leguminivora glycinivorella (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

To understand the geographical differences between diapause systems and synchronization of adult occurrence in the soybean pod borer Leguminivora glycinivorella (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), we examined the timing of winter diapause termination and intensity of summer diapause using univoltine and potentially bivoltine individuals in Iwate, Japan. In laboratory rearing experiments of mature larvae maintained at constant temperature (20 °C), winter diapause intensity weakened by January without photoperiodic responses. Meanwhile, summer diapause was maintained by the long day length and presumably terminated with the photoperiodic transition from long to short day length. The intensity of summer diapause was stronger for cocoons that transitioned from a 16 h light to 8 h dark (LD 16:8) to a LD 15:9 photoperiod than for those that transitioned from LD 15:9 to LD 14:10. These results suggest that populations distributed in relatively low-latitude areas, with partly or potentially bivoltine individuals, would have a weaker summer diapause or none at all. Moreover, sexual differences in the number of days to emergence were not detected when individuals experienced a photoperiodic transition from long to short day length, suggesting that the summer diapause system may function to synchronize the emergence of males and females in the population examined.     

内蒙古森林—草原交错带中野生东北马鹿冬季食物组成模式

分布于内蒙古森林—草原交错带的东北马鹿(Cervus elaphus xanthopygus)种群,受冬季低温和雪被的影响,对营养和能量的需求发生变化,同时,交错带内植物区系复杂,草本植物覆盖率高,而野生东北马鹿冬季主要以木本植物的嫩枝为食,因此分布于该地区的野生东北马鹿种群将面临食物资源短缺、营养缺乏的潜在威胁。本研究于2019年和2020年冬季,在内蒙古高格斯台罕乌拉国家级自然保护区内,采集野生东北马鹿粪便样本共98份。采用粪便显微分析法了解内蒙古森林—草原交错带中东北马鹿冬季的食物组成,结合去趋势分析法揭示了东北马鹿冬季食物组成模式。对东北马鹿粪便残渣分析发现,东北马鹿冬季共采食22种(科)植物,其中2020年冬季发现东北马鹿大量采食云杉(Picea asperata,9.88%)为其新食物。对东北马鹿食物组成进行去趋势分析发现,两年冬季中多数东北马鹿呈现出以蒙古栎(Quercus mongolica)、山杏(Armeniaca sibirica)、细叶沼柳(Salix rosmarin? ifolia)和家榆(Ulmus pumila)等落叶乔木和灌木为主要食物,同时采食高比例禾本科(Poaceae spp.)植物的食物组成模式;少数个体因食物短缺而呈现出以云杉为主要食物的特殊组成模式。禾本科和云杉是引起东北马鹿冬季食物组成变化的主因。本研究揭示了内蒙古森林—草原交错带中东北马鹿冬季的食物组成模式,为该地区东北马鹿营养生态学的进一步研究与保护管理提供参考依据。     

Protoplast Culture and Plant Regeneration of Winter Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Suspension cultures were established from embryogenic calli derived from cultured anthers of cv. Jinghua No.1 and mature embryos of cv. Youmangbai No. 7, respectively. After being isolated and cultured in WPMI, protoplasts began to form cell walls within 1 day post-isolation, followed by cell division observed between 2–3 days. A division frequency of 22.0% was estimated on the 7th day of culture, and 43.7% on the 14th day. During 10–15 days after the initiation of culture, a large number of cell aggregates emerged, with 0.5–0.8% of plating efficiency. Protoplast-derived calli grew up to lmm or more in diameter when cultured for 4 weeks, and eventually gave rise to green plants through embryogenesis and organogenesis after being transferred to differentiation media. Plant regeneration from protoplasts was already obtained from Jinghua No.l, and protoplast-derived calli from Youmangbai No.7; an experiment on organ differentiation for the latter is under way. A few factors affecting the protoplast cultures were also studied.