Genotypic variations in activities of phospho<Emphasis Type="Italic">enol</Emphasis>pyruvate carboxylase and correlations with leaf photosynthetic characteristics and crop productivity of cassava grown in low-land seasonally-dry tropics

Field trials with a large group of cassava germplasm were conducted at the seasonally-dry and hot environments in southwest Colombia to investigate photosynthetic characteristics and production under drought conditions. Measurement of net photosynthetic rate (P _N), photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency (PNUE), mesophyll conductance to CO₂ diffusion (g _m), and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) activity of upper canopy leaves were made in the field. All photosynthetic characteristics were significantly correlated with final dry root yield (Yield). Correlations among the photosynthetic traits were also significant. PEPC activity was highly significantly correlated with P _N and PNUE, indicating the importance of the enzyme in cassava photosynthesis and productivity. Among a small selected group from the preliminary trial for yield performance, the second year Yield was highly significantly correlated with P _N measured on the first year crop. Thus variations in the measured photosynthetic traits are genetically controlled and underpin variations in yield. One short-stemmed cultivar M Col 2215 was selected for high root dry matter content, high harvest index, and tolerance to drought. It was tested under the semi-arid conditions of the west coast of Ecuador; participating farmers evaluated cultivar performance. This cultivar was adopted by farmers and officially released in 1992 under the name Portoviejo 650.     

新疆石榴品种的RAPD分析

利用RAPD技术对23个石榴品种进行亲缘关系鉴定和品种分类研究.从50条10 bp随机引物中筛选出7条扩增效果较好的引物进行扩增,共扩增出88条带,其中多态性带为61条,多态率达69%.根据扩增结果进行UPGMA聚类分析,聚类结果将23个品种分为5大类群,第1类包括库尔勒市甜石榴与喀什市大籽甜石榴等甜石榴品种;第2类是阿图什市酸石榴;第3类包括喀什市阿奇克阿娜尔、叶城酸石榴等酸石榴品种;第4类包括吐鲁番市甜石榴、库车酸甜石榴等种间杂交和来源不详品种;第5类包括皮亚曼石榴和策勒1号等新疆优质石榴品种.研究结果表明:石榴品种间的遗传多态性有明显差异,即使父母本相同的品种也能区别.     

Comparison of soybean cultivars for enhancement of the polyamine contents in the fermented soybean natto using Bacillus subtilis (natto)

Polyamines have beneficial properties to prevent aging-associated diseases. Raw soybean has relatively high polyamine contents; and the fermented soybean natto is a good source of polyamines. However, detailed information of diversity of polyamine content in raw soybean is lacking. The objectives of this study were to evaluate differences of polyamines among raw soybeans and select the high polyamine-containing cultivar for natto production. Polyamine contents were measured chromatographically in 16 samples of soybean, which showed high variation among soybeans as follows: 93–861 nmol/g putrescine, 1055–2306 nmol/g spermidine, and 177–578 nmol/g spermine. We then confirmed the high correlations of polyamine contents between raw soybean and natto (r = 0.96, 0.95, and 0.94 for putrescine, spermidine, and spermine, respectively). Furthermore, comparison of the polyamine contents among 9 Japanese cultivars showed that ‘Nakasen-nari’ has the highest polyamine contents, suggesting its suitability for enhancement of polyamine contents of natto.     

不同栽培条件对优质冬小麦“河农341”农艺及品质性状的影响

通过不同栽培措施对优质冬小麦品种“河农341”农艺及品质性状影响的研究,表明冬小麦适当晚播可显著增加籽粒的蛋白质和湿面筋含量;早播增加面团的断裂时间,减少软化度,提高评价值,同时能增加单位面积穗数和小区产量;播期对沉降值的影响不大。适当减少氮肥施肥量能改变面团的流变学特性,延长面团的形成时间和稳定时间,提高评价值;不同种植密度比较,在早播情况下,无论氮肥施肥量大小都是中等密度处理的小区产量最高,而在晚播情况下,无论施肥量大小,都是较高密度的产量最高。     

Relationship between Contents of Chlorophyll (a+b) (SPAD values) and Nitrogen of Some Temperate Grasses

In a field experiment the chlorophyll (a+b) (SPAD readings) and nitrogen contents of three grass species (Festuca arundinacea Schreb., Lolium perenne L., and Lolium multiflorum Lam.) and three intergeneric hybrids of Festuca pratensis Huds. × Lolium multiflorum Lam. and Festuca arundinacea Schreb. × Lolium multiflorum Lam. were measured. Close relationships were found between SPAD readings and nitrogen leaf content (r ² = 0.873^** 0.491^** and 0.938^**) for the 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd cut, respectively. SPAD readings and N contents were closely correlated (r = 0.836^**) confirming that SPAD measurements could be used in grass selection and/or breeding for high N concentration in herbage. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

毛木耳‘昊阳黄背1号’的选育报告

‘昊阳黄背1号’是黄背木耳新品种,适宜工厂化液体菌种扩繁和农法固体菌种生产。该品种是从上海引进的SH0072号菌株,经组织分离纯化、系统选育而成。成熟新鲜子实体为单片簇生型,有明显耳基,耳片有明显荷叶边;鲜耳子实体背面和腹面灰褐色,背面有短绒毛。菌丝生长适宜温度16-25℃,出耳适宜温度15-32℃;原基分化至第一潮耳采摘41-55d,一般可采3潮耳,出耳转化率达20.6%;抗毛木耳柱霉。适宜四川省成都市、德阳市和简阳市等地及相似生态区棚栽,冬季制袋,春夏季出耳。     

Responses of some Asian and European barley cultivars to UK and Chinese isolates of soil-borne barley mosaic viruses

In field plots at Yancheng, Jiangsu, China, a range of European and Asian barley cultivars was grown in soil from three sites in China infested with barley yellow mosaic virus (BaYMV). Most of the cultivars resistant to the common European strain of BaYMV were susceptible to the Chinese isolates but cv. Energy remained disease-free. Barley mild mosaic virus (BaMMV) was also detected in one of these soils but affected only one Chinese cultivar and not those susceptible to BaMMV in Europe. This is the first report of BaMMV in China. Inoculation experiments confirmed the different cultivar response to UK and Chinese isolates of BaYMV and showed that resistance was to the virus and not to the vector. A range of Chinese cultivars selected for resistance to BaYMV were also resistant to a UK isolate of BaMMV.     

Direct somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration from ray florets of chrysanthemum

Direct somatic embryogenesis from ray floret explants of five chrysanthemum cultivars has been obtained within 12 – 15 d on Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 6-benzyladenine (BA). Scanning electron microscopic observation also confirmed the direct origin of somatic embryos from explants. Somatic embryos developed asynchronously on the adaxial surface of explants. Among the five cultivars tested, Birbal Sahani was best responding (40 % explants responded on 4 mg dm^–3 2,4-D and 2 mg dm^–3 BA supplemented medium). Precocious germination of somatic embryos was noticed on the same medium. The best sucrose concentration in the medium was found to be 60 g dm^–3 where 70 % explants responded while 55 % embryogenic response was obtained on medium supplemented with 400 mg dm^–3 inositol. Plants developed from somatic embryos were transferred to soil and produced true-to-type flowers.     

Breeding the hyperaccumulator Noccaea caerulescens for trace metal phytoextraction: first results of a pure-line selection

Abstract

To initiate the creation of phytoextraction cultivars, plants were selected from 60 populations of N. caerulescens for their high shoot biomass or Cd, Ni, and Zn concentrations. They were self-pollinated, and the selection and fixation were continued for three generations in greenhouse conditions. Selected plants showed a potential to produce 5–10 t dry matter ha^?1, which is required to decontaminate soils which have been moderately contaminated with Cd. However, the high biomass genotypes could not be fixed, probably both because of their complexity and to the sensitivity of this trait to environmental conditions, and plant density in particular. The selection led to an improvement to the Cd and Zn accumulation capacities of the plants, yet caused a decrease in their Ni accumulation. This is most likely due to a decline in Ni availability in soil, rather than to a deleterious effect of inbreeding. Metal accumulation appeared to be more heritable than biomass production and fixation for the former trait should be quicker than for the latter. The accumulation capacities of the selected plants permitted offtakes representing around 25% of the soil Cd in a single cropping. This potential has to be confirmed in field conditions.