Photosynthetic response of different pea cultivars to low and high temperature treatments

The thermo-sensitivity of two new pea (Pisum sativum L.) cultivars—Afila (mutant in the gene transforming leaves into mustaches) and Ranen (mutant for early ripening)—as compared to the control cultivar Pleven-4 to either low (4 °C, T₄) or high temperature (38 °C, T₃₈) was investigated by means of chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence kinetics. The low temperature treatment decreased the photosynthetic activity, measured via a decline of the Chl fluorescence decrease ratios R_Fd690 and R_Fd735, and this was mainly due to a decline of the Chl fluorescence decrease parameter F_d and maximum Chl fluorescence F_m. In the new cv. Ranen the R_Fd ratios at first decreased and increased again after 24-h exposure to 4 °C, indicating its good acclimation ability to low temperature. The cold-induced changes in the photosynthetic performance of all cultivars were reversed after transferring plants back to 23 °C for 48 h. In the Chl and carotenoid (Car) contents no or little changes occurred during the T₄ treatment, except for a slight but clear increase of the ratio Chl a/b and a decrease in the ratio Chl/Car. In contrast to this, the T₃₈ treatment for 72 h decreased the R_Fd ratios more strongly than the T₄ exposure did. In fact, an irreversible injury of the photosynthetic apparatus was caused in the control pea cv. Pleven-4 by a 48-h T₃₈ exposure and for the new cv. Afila after a 72-h T₃₈ exposure. In contrast, the cv. Ranen was less and little sensitive to the T₃₈ exposure. In the heat-sensitive cvs. Pleven-4 and Afila, the decrease in R_Fd values at T₃₈ was associated with a strong decline of the Chl a+b and total Car contents. The Chl a+b decline could also be followed via an increase of the Chl fluorescence ratio F₆₉₀/F₇₃₅. Parallel to this, a strong decline of Chl a/b from ca. 3.0 (range 2.85–3.15) to ca. 1.9 (range 1.85–1.95) occurred indicating a preferential decline of the Chl a-pigment proteins but not of the Chl a/b-pigment protein LHC2. In the relatively heat-tolerant cv. Ranen, however, the ratio Chl a/b declined only partially. After the T₄ treatment the stress adaptation index Ap was higher in cv. Ranen than in controls and reached in heat-treated Ranen plants almost the starting value indicating a cold and heat stress hardening of the treated plants. The Chl fluorescence parameters and pigment contents were influenced by T₃₈ and T₄ treatments in various ways indicating that the mechanisms of low and high temperature injury of the photosynthetic apparatus are different. The new cv. Ranen exhibited a cross tolerance showing a fairly good acclimation ability to both T₄ and T₃₈, hence it is a very suitable plant for outdoor growth and for clarification of the acclimation mechanisms to unfavourable temperatures.     

Genetic variability in Brazilian wheat cultivars assessed by microsatellite markers

Wheat (Triticum aestivum) is one of the most important food staples in the south of Brazil. Understanding genetic variability among the assortment of Brazilian wheat is important for breeding. The aim of this work was to molecularly characterize the thirty-six wheat cultivars recommended for various regions of Brazil, and to assess mutual genetic distances, through the use of microsatellite markers. Twenty three polymorphic microsatellite markers (PMM) delineated all 36 of the samples, revealing a total of 74 simple sequence repeat (SSR) alleles, i.e. an average of 3.2 alleles per locus. Polymorphic information content (PIC value) calculated to assess the informativeness of each marker ranged from 0.20 to 0.79, with a mean of 0.49. Genetic distances among the 36 cultivars ranged from 0.10 (between cultivars Ocepar 18 and BRS 207) to 0.88 (between cultivars CD 101 and Fudancep 46), the mean distance being 0.48. Twelve groups were obtained by using the unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic means analysis (UPGMA), and thirteen through the Tocher method. Both methods produced similar clusters, with one to thirteen cultivars per group. The results indicate that these tools may be used to protect intellectual property and for breeding and selection programs.     

Influence of Pruning Measures on Recovery of Bois Noir‐infected Grapevines

In recent years, visual and analytical observations revealed a significant increase of ‘Bois noir’ (BN) in Austrian vineyards. Removing infected parts by pruning can prevent or reduce spread of the pathogen within the vines. Knowledge about the effect of pruning practices on recovery rates is essential for grapevine growers. Vines showing BN for the first time were visually categorized into classes of symptoms according to disease severity. In the ensuing winter, plants were pollarded 15 cm above the graft union (511 vines), cane pruned (529 vines) or spur pruned (heavy pruning of canes leaving spurs only; 31 vines). Pollarding resulted in significantly higher recovery rates (yearly average 62–84%) in the next growing season and significantly lower recurrence rates in the following years than cane pruning (yearly average 29–49% in the next growing season). Spur pruning was statistically indistinguishable from cane pruning. Our data allowed the conclusion that extensive removal of infected wood is crucial for immediate and persistent success of pruning measures. Recovery was significantly influenced by the severity of BN, by the cultivar and by the observation year. With pollarding treatments, a significant correlation between recovery and plant age was noticed.     

中国桑树选育品种ISSR指纹图谱的构建及遗传多样性分析

利用ISSR标记构建了24个选育桑品种的指纹图谱,用3种独立的方法（特殊的标记;特异的谱带类型;不同引物提供的谱带类型组合）可以有效地鉴别桑树选育品种,证明ISSR标记在桑树品种的鉴别方面是一个有效的工具和方法。17个ISSR引物共扩增出80条带,40条带具有多态性,占50．0％。24份选育桑树品种间平均遗传相似系数、Nei’S基因多样性（gene diversity）和Shannon’S信息指数分别为0．8731,0．1210和0．1942。桑树选育品种间的遗传多样性较低,说明中国选育桑品种间遗传距离较小,亲缘关系较近,。遗传基础较狭窄。UPGMA法聚类和PCA分析都清楚地显示了24个桑树选育品种的亲缘关系,聚类结果与桑树品种的系谱基本一致。     

Preference and Performance of the Polymorphic Flea-beetle, Alagoasa extrema, on Selected, Weedy Lantana camara Varieties

The possible preference that the leaf-feeding flea-beetle, Alagoasa extrema Jacoby (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Alticinae), might have for different South African naturalized varieties of its host plant, Lantana camara L. (Verbenaceae), was studied under quarantine laboratory conditions. Studies included adult choice trials, larval no-choice trials and multi-generation no-choice trials using five L. camara varieties. Results indicated that A. extrema exhibited a degree of varietal preference under laboratory conditions. Variety 029 White Pink proved to be the most suitable host, although the other four tested varieties were able to support viable populations of A. extrema for three consecutive generations. Should A. extrema be released as biocontrol agent for L. camara in South Africa, all five of the tested varieties should be able to support viable populations of A. extrema in the field.     

中国桂花的研究历史、现状与桂花品种国际登录

简要回顾了中国桂花(Osmanthus fragrans Lour．)的研究历史,对桂花品种研究的现状和存在的问题进行了评述,介绍了申报桂花品种国际登录工作的意义和目前的工作进展。桂花品种的现代分类始于20世纪80年代,除了传统的形态分类以外,同工酶、分子标记等技术已用于桂花品种亲缘关系的研究中,但目前仍缺乏合理的品种分类原则和分类系统,品种调查、记载和命名比较混乱,因此应加强桂花品种形态学的基础研究。     

Canopy development and tillering of field-grown crops of two contrasting cultivars of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) in response to CO2 and temperature

Elevated CO₂ (691 cf. 371 /miol CO₂ mol^-1 air) and warmer temperatures (over the range 1.0^UC below to 1.6^oC above ambient) increased light interception by crops of two contrasting cultivars (Hereward and Soissons) of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) during winter growth in the field. The fractional interception of light by the canopy increased more rapidly initially in Soissons than in Hereward, but Hereward showed a much greater response to CO₂ (35% increase in Hereward but only 7% in Soissons) at 500^oCd after sowing. By terminal spikelet formation, in contrast, fractional interception was greater in Hereward than in Soissons, while the effect of CO₂ was the same in both cultivars (9%). Thus, although differences in the relative response of canopy development to CO₂ were detected between cultivars initially, differences were negligible during later development. The greater interception of light by the canopy in elevated CO₂, at any one temperature, resulted from increased tillering. The number of tillers plant“‘ at terminal spikelet was a linear function of main stem dry mass at this developmental stage but with a greater response in elevated CO₂, viz 2.3 and 3.8 tillers g^-1 main stem dry mass at 371 and 691 /μmol CO₂ mol^-1 air, respectively; these relations were unaffected by cultivar.     

Transgenic rice plants: Characterization of two generations of seed progeny

Transgenic rice plants have been regenerated from kanamycin-resistant callus of Oryza sativa (cv. Taipei 309) derived from protoplasts electroporated with pCaMVNEO carrying the neomycin phosphotransferase II ( nptII ) gene. Of 6 randomly selected plants, all contained the nptll gene, but only 2 plants expressed NPTII activity. The transgenic plants were significantly shorter, produced fewer tillers, took longer to flower and had reduced fertility compared to non-transformed protoplastderived plants. Fifty-six seeds collected from one transgenic plant expressing NPTII activity germinated on medium containing kanamycin sulphate to give 16 green, first seed generation (R₁) plants. The latter could be divided into 3 groups: (i) Plants which set seed, had normal floret morphology and produced a total of 76 seeds; (ii) Plants which flowered, but which failed to set seed; (iii) Plants which failed to flower, were shorter and had significantly fewer tillers than plants of groups (i) and (ii). The nptII gene was present in all transgenic R₁ plants, but only 8 plants expressed the gene. Phenotypic characteristics, observed in transgenic R₁ plants were also seen in the transforned R₂ plants. These included reduced stature, a longer vegetative phase and reduced fertility compared to non-transformed plants.     

加工番茄丰产品种模式化选择的研究

以20个制酱专用型番茄品种（系）为试材,对产量及其构成因素、生育期性状、形态性状进行了典型相关分析;针对新疆自治区的生态条件、栽培技术和品种资源现状,提出了制酱专用型番茄丰产品种的模式;并对丰产品种的生育期因子和形态性状进行了优化,以期为加工番茄的品种选择提供理论依据．     

单花、有侧花牡丹品种花芽分化特点及内源激素变化

为比较单花牡丹品种‘梨花粉’、有侧花牡丹品种‘姊妹游春’和‘云鄂粉’的花芽分化进程、形态特征差异及花芽分化期内源激素的变化,该研究通过解剖和石蜡切片,观察‘梨花粉’‘姊妹游春’和‘云鄂粉’的花芽分化过程,采用酶联免疫吸附分析法测定不同分化阶段‘梨花粉’和‘姊妹游春’的生长素(IAA)、脱落酸(ABA)、赤霉素(GA₃)及玉米素核苷(ZR)的含量。结果表明：(1)‘梨花粉’花芽分化仅6个时期;有侧花品种‘姊妹游春’和‘云鄂粉’花芽分化为11个时期,顶花原基先分化,侧花原基后分化。(2)叶原基分化期至苞片原基分化期,‘姊妹游春’和‘梨花粉’花芽中ABA、GA₃及ZR的含量均升高,IAA含量降低;‘姊妹游春’侧花原基分化起始阶段,ABA、GA₃含量降低,ZR、IAA含量升高。(3)‘梨花粉’ABA/IAA比值在形态分化期时最低。综上认为,有侧花牡丹品种花芽分化比单花牡丹品种早,分化时间长,顶花和侧花部分花器官分化期重叠;较高水平的ZR、IAA以及较低的ABA、GA₃有利于启动侧花原基分化。该研究结果为牡丹...