Effects of foliar applications of fungicides during plant growth on grain development and grain germinability in spring barley

In 1990 and 1991 grain samples of spring barley were obtained from plots in which fungal diseases were controlled until ear emergence using fungicide sprays, and from comparable plots which had received no fungicide applications. The grain was stored at 10^oC, and tested for germination at intervals during storage. Grain from plots treated with fungicide consistently exhibited more dormancy than grain from untreated plots. In 1992, grain development was monitored from anthesis to harvest-ripeness in treated and untreated plots of cvs Blenheim, Camargue and Tyne. In cvs Blenheim and Camargue, grains in fungicide-treated plots had a greater dry weight at harvest-ripeness, and dehydrated later in development than grains in untreated plots. Neither of these differences was observed in cv. Tyne. Possible interpretations of the effects of fungicide treatment of the parent plant on the physiology of the grain are discussed.     

向日葵籽实产量预测数学模型的研究

根据2年10个点次的田间试验结果建立了由数粒法、盘重法和盘径法预测向日葵籽实产量的回归数学模型,并根据1994年4个点次的产量实测结果对各模型的可靠性进行了验证．结果表明,三种方法建立的模型均有效、可靠．但在我国向日葵科研和生产实践中,以盘径法最为实用,建议推广应用．     

Interactions between panicle size, insect density, and environment for genotypic resistance in sorghum to head bug,Calocoris angustatus

Studies were undertaken on interactions between panicle size, insect density, host plant, and the environment for sorghum head bug,Calocoris angustatus Lethiery on five sorghum genotypes in terms of bug population increase, grain damage and loss in grain mass across four panicle sizes (5, 10 or 20 branches/panicle and whole panicle), and three infestation levels (5, 10 and 15 pairs of bugs/panicle). Head bug numbers increased and grain damage decreased with an increase in panicle size in the head bug susceptible cultivars, CSH 1 and CSH 5. However, the increase in bug numbers or decrease in grain damage was not significant in head bug resistant genotypes, IS 17610 and IS 17645. Head bug numbers increased with an increase in infestation level in CSH 1 and CSH 5, however, such an increase was not substantial in IS 17610 and IS 17645. Grain damage was significantly lower in IS 17610 and IS 17645 compared with CSH 1 and CSH 5 across infestation levels. Head bug population increased at a greater rate during the rainy season compared with the dry season. Panicle size and infestation levels accounted for greater variation in grain damage and percentage loss in grain mass during the rainy season than in the dry season. To identify reliable sources of resistance to insects, it is important to study insect host plant-interactions across panicle sizes (levels of food availability), infestation levels and seasons.     

大血藤科植物的分类学研究

作者对大血藤科植物的花性、叶片内部结构形态、花粉形态、染色体核型及过氧化物酶和脂酶同工酶进行了比较研究,结果表明：１）大血藤科植物外形上的两性花,其雄蕊的形态退化、花药始终不开裂,为功能上的雌花,因此其花为单性,同株,同序或异序;１２）首次指出大血藤属植物的染色体数为２ｎ＝２ｘ＝２２,属小型染色体,与木通科植物２ｎ＝２ｘ＝３２、３０、２８的染色体数明显不同,支持Ｓｔａｐｆ（１９２６）将其从木通科分出另立为科的观点;３）单叶和复叶可出现于同一植株上,而且在叶片内部结构、花粉形态、染色体核型、过氧化物酶及脂酶同工酶等性状上,大血藤与单叶血滕间均无实质性的差异,因此将单叶血藤归并于大血藤中。     

氮肥和底墒对小麦籽粒灌浆过程的调节效应分析

以氮肥和底墒为决策变量,采用最优二次Ｄ饱和设计,用Ｌｏｇｉｓｔｉｃ方程拟合各水肥处理的籽粒充实过程,并推导出一系列次级参数,分别建立了小麦籽粒灌浆强度与持续时间参数的数学模型。结果表明：生长在氮肥或底墒逆境条件下的小麦受精子房的生长潜势（Ｃｏ）较大,并随逆境条件的改善而降低;千粒重（Ｙｏ）与灌浆快增期（Ｔ）的长短、最大灌浆速率（Ｒ＿（ｍａｘ））和平均灌浆速率（Ｒ）无明显相关性,却与起始生长势、灌浆系数（Ｔ·Ｒ＿（ｍａｘ））高度正相关,并且千粒重与灌浆系数的相关性明显大于千粒重与起始生长势的相关性;氮肥和底墒对籽粒灌浆特性具有显著的调节作用。同时还阐述了调节这些参数的水肥栽培途径。     

Spatial distribution of root activity and nitrogen fixation in sorghum/pigeonpea intercropping on an Indian Alfisol

A medium-duration pigeonpea cultivar (ICP 1–6) and a hybrid sorghum (CSH 5) were grown on a shallow Alfisol in monocropping and intercropping systems. Using a monolith method, spatial distribution of nodulation, acetylene reduction activity (ARA) and root respiration were measured.The number, mass and ARA of nodules decreased exponentially with distance from the plant base except at the late reproductive stage. Nodulation and ARA tended to be higher in the intercrop than in the monocrop.Respiration rate of roots increased with distance from the plant base and reached a maximum value at about 20–30 cm. The rate was higher in pigeonpea than in sorghum and also higher in intercrop than in monocrop.This study suggests that pigeonpea roots are physiologically more active than sorghum roots, implying that pigeonpea may become a strong competitor for nutrients in the soil when intercropped. The nitrogen-fixing ability of pigeonpea may be enhanced by intercropping because the sorghum rapidly absorbed inorganic N which would otherwise inhibit N₂ fixation.     

Fructan contents and dry matter deposition in different tissues of the wheat grain during development

The role of fructan metabolism in the assimilate relations of the grain of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was investigated by determination of the dry matter and fructan content of grain components at short intervals during grain filling. During the initial phase of rapid expansion, most of the assimilates entering the grain were partitioned to the outer pericarp. A large fraction of these assimilates were used for the synthesis of fructan. Dry matter deposition and fructan synthesis in the outer pericarp ceased at about 5d after anthesis. At the same time, the endosperm and the inner pericarp and testa started to accumulate dry matter at a fast rate. This was also associated with significant fructan synthesis in the latter tissues. The outer pericarp lost about 45% of its former maximum dry weight between 9 and 19 d after anthesis. This loss was due almost entirely to the near complete disappearance of water-soluble carbohydrates, most of which was fructan. The inner pericarp and testa accumulated dry matter until about mid-grain filling. The fructan contents of the inner pericarp and testa and the endosperm decreased slowly towards the end of grain filling. Most of the fructans in the inner pericarp and testa and the endosperm had a low molecular weight, whereas higher molecular weight fructans predominated in the outer pericarp. The embryo did not contain fructan. The presence of low molecular weight fructans in the endosperm cavity at mid-grain filling was confirmed. It is suggested that fructan synthesis is closely linked to growth-related water deposition in the different tissues of the wheat grain and serves to sequester the surplus of imported sucrose.     

Effect of Watering Regimen on Injury to Corn and Grain Sorghum by Pratylenchus Species

The effect of simulated rainfall frequency on the pathogenicity of Pratylenchus zeae and P. brachyurus was studied in four greenhouse experiments. Corn and grain sorghum were watered at different intervals during predetermined cycles to create a gradient of water-stressed plants. Each experiment included nematode and uninoculated treatments. Growth reaction of plants to different frequencies of watering was significant but was not affected by the presence of nematodes. Pratylenchus zeae numbers differed among watering regimens on corn but not on sorghum. Numbers of P. brachyurus did not differ among watering regimens on corn or sorghum. Both lesion nematode species were harmful to corn, but sorghum increased plant growth in response to P. brachyurus. It is concluded that water stress is not the only environmental factor that influences the pathogenicity of these two species on corn and sorghum.     

Prediction of near-term climate change impacts on UK wheat quality and the potential for adaptation through plant breeding

Wheat is a major crop worldwide, mainly cultivated for human consumption and animal feed. Grain quality is paramount in determining its value and downstream use. While we know that climate change threatens global crop yields, a better understanding of impacts on wheat end-use quality is also critical. Combining quantitative genetics with climate model outputs, we investigated UK-wide trends in genotypic adaptation for wheat quality traits. In our approach, we augmented genomic prediction models with environmental characterisation of field trials to predict trait values and climate effects in historical field trial data between 2001 and 2020. Addition of environmental covariates, such as temperature and rainfall, successfully enabled prediction of genotype by environment interactions (G × E), and increased prediction accuracy of most traits for new genotypes in new year cross validation. We then extended predictions from these models to much larger numbers of simulated environments using climate scenarios projected under Representative Concentration Pathways 8.5 for 2050–2069. We found geographically varying climate change impacts on wheat quality due to contrasting associations between specific weather covariables and quality traits across the UK. Notably, negative impacts on quality traits were predicted in the East of the UK due to increased summer temperatures while the climate in the North and South-west may become more favourable with increased summer temperatures. Furthermore, by projecting 167,040 simulated future genotype–environment combinations, we found only limited potential for breeding to exploit predictable G × E to mitigate year-to-year environmental variability for most traits except Hagberg falling number. This suggests low adaptability of current UK wheat germplasm across future UK climates. More generally, approaches demonstrated here will be critical to enable adaptation of global crops to near-term climate change.     

TaTPP-7A positively feedback regulates grain filling and wheat grain yield through T6P-SnRK1 signalling pathway and sugar–ABA interaction

Grain size and filling are two key determinants of grain thousand-kernel weight (TKW) and crop yield, therefore they have undergone strong selection since cereal was domesticated. Genetic dissection of the two traits will improve yield potential in crops. A quantitative trait locus significantly associated with wheat grain TKW was detected on chromosome 7AS flanked by a simple sequence repeat marker of Wmc17 in Chinese wheat 262 mini-core collection by genome-wide association study. Combined with the bulked segregant RNA-sequencing (BSR-seq) analysis of an F₂ genetic segregation population with extremely different TKW traits, a candidate trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase gene located at 135.0 Mb (CS V1.0), designated as TaTPP-7A, was identified. This gene was specifically expressed in developing grains and strongly influenced grain filling and size. Overexpression (OE) of TaTPP-7A in wheat enhanced grain TKW and wheat yield greatly. Detailed analysis revealed that OE of TaTPP-7A significantly increased the expression levels of starch synthesis- and senescence-related genes involved in abscisic acid (ABA) and ethylene pathways. Moreover, most of the sucrose metabolism and starch regulation-related genes were potentially regulated by SnRK1. In addition, TaTPP-7A is a crucial domestication- and breeding-targeted gene and it feedback regulates sucrose lysis, flux, and utilization in the grain endosperm mainly through the T6P-SnRK1 pathway and sugar–ABA interaction. Thus, we confirmed the T6P signalling pathway as the central regulatory system for sucrose allocation and source–sink interactions in wheat grains and propose that the trehalose pathway components have great potential to increase yields in cereal crops.