大麦白化颖壳突变体的转录组学分析

为了探究大麦白化颖壳突变体形成机理,以白化颖壳突变体(AL)和野生型植株(WT)为试验材料,对2份材料抽穗期的颖壳进行转录组测序分析,通过Illumina Hi SeqTM2500高通量转录组测序技术分别从WT和AL中获得2.7 Gb和4.1 Gb有效数据,拼接组装后得到64 634条通用基因(unigenes),其中长度大于1 kb的有23 696条。通过对2份材料间差异基因的筛选,共得到672个差异表达基因(DEGs),其中139个上调表达,533个下调表达。GO功能富集分析发现,在分子功能类型中注释的差异基因主要与叶绿体相关;KEGG显著富集分析发现差异基因广泛涉及碳代谢、光合作用等调控途径。对其中6个相关基因进行了RT-qPCR验证,表达趋势与RNA-Seq测序结果一致。表明AL的形成可能是由于叶绿体形成和发育相关基因的表达受到抑制,进一步导致了光合作用的下降,该研究结果对深入探究大麦的白化形成机理具有重要的参考价值。     

温度对水稻突变体W1叶色及叶绿素生物合成的影响

本文研究了温度对水稻突变体W1叶色及叶绿素 (Chl)生物合成的影响。W1是温敏型叶色突变体 ,叶色转变的临界温度约为 2 3℃。在高温下 ,突变体W1的Chl和类胡萝卜素 (Caro)含量与对照无显著的差异 ,幼苗呈绿色 ;低温 (1 5～ 2 0℃ )下W1的Chl和类胡萝卜素 (Caro)含量明显较低 ,表现白化。突变体W1白化苗中的Chla和Chlb含量同时下降 ,Caro Chl的比值增大 ,说明该突变体属于不是由Caro降低而导致的总叶绿素缺陷型。白化苗中Chl生物合成的中间产物原叶绿素 (酸 ) (Pchl)、镁原卟啉 (Mg proto)、原卟啉IX(ProtoIX)含量减少 ,而δ 氨基酮戊酸 (ALA)和胆色素原(PBG)大量积累 ,证明突变体W1低温下Chl生物合成卟啉原形成部位受阻     

春兰与大花蕙兰杂交种红花呈色机理初探

为探究兰属杂交种红花的呈色机理,选择绿花春兰和黄花大花蕙兰的红花杂交种黄金梅为试验材料,通过小花蕾期和始花期花瓣的转录组测序分析,筛选影响花色的关键结构基因及调节基因,实时荧光定量PCR(qPCR)验证基因的差异表达,分光光度计法检测花瓣色素(类黄酮、叶绿素A、叶绿素B、花青苷)的含量。结果表明,通过测序共获得113 780条单基因(Unigene),其中200~300 bp的Unigene占比42.68%;44 088 个Unigene获得注释信息;与小花蕾期花瓣比较,始花期花瓣上调基因有1 855个,下调基因有2 494 个;差异表达基因(DEGs)被GO数据库注释划分为47个功能组;1 219个DEGs被KEGG数据库注释,涉及166条代谢途径;根据KEGG代谢通路及基因注释结果,筛选出与花色相关的54个关键结构基因和21个转录因子;花青苷合成基因DFR、ANS、3,5GT及转录因子Zm1、Hv1、MYB305表达量在始花期上调, 在NCBI库BLAST同源基因发现黄金梅DFR、ANS、3GT基因与大花蕙兰的基因同源性最高,5,3GT、3,5GT、Zm1基因与蝴蝶兰和石斛兰的基因同源性最高,转录因子Hv1、MYB305与建兰的基因同源性最高。qPCR参试基因表达量变化与转录组测序结果趋势一致。各阶段花瓣总黄酮的含量显著高于类胡萝卜素和叶绿素含量;始花期花瓣中花青苷含量升高。本研究结果为兰属杂交种花色基因的功能分析提供了参考。     

一个新的玉米黄化突变体的初步研究

对新发现的玉米黄化突变体的形态特征进行观察,发现突变体茎秆纤细,叶片细长。光合色素含量测定结果表明,突变体叶绿素a(cla),叶绿素b(clb),类胡萝卜素(caro)和总叶绿素(chl)含量均极显著低于正常自交系,caro/chl显著高于正常自交系,推测突变体为总叶绿素缺乏型突变。用透射电镜对叶绿体超微结构进行观察,发现突变体叶绿体内部有较多嗜锇颗粒,叶绿体结构松散紊乱,基质片层间隙大,有扩张趋势,但基粒数目及垛叠层数在突变体与正常自交系间无明显差异,叶绿体数目在突变体与正常自交系间无显著差异。说明该突变体叶色改变可能与光合色素含量的减少及叶绿体基质片层的结构有关或与叶绿体内大量嗜锇颗粒的存在有关。     

大豆芽黄新突变体vl-1的光合特性与基因定位

为发掘大豆叶色新基因资源,探讨叶绿素合成及光合作用机理,本研究以南农99-6芽黄新突变体vl-1和野生型(WT)品种南农99-6为试验材料,分析突变体与野生型形态、叶绿体结构、色素含量及光合特性,并进行遗传和基因定位研究。结果表明,突变体vl-1幼叶呈黄色,其类胡萝卜素、总叶绿素、叶绿素a、叶绿素b含量均极显著低于野生型,叶绿体内基质片层排列疏松且减少,原片层体居多;突变体vl-1成熟叶片的叶色转绿,其光合色素含量、叶净光合速率、气孔导度、蒸腾速率与野生型均无显著差异,但胞间CO2浓度显著低于野生型。突变体vl-1与2个正常叶色亲本杂交衍生遗传群体叶色分离比例分析表明,芽黄受1对隐性核基因控制。利用科丰1号×突变体vl-1 F2群体将芽黄基因vl1定位于第8号染色体顶端SSR标记BARCSOYSSR_08_0037和BARCSOYSSR_08_0073之间,物理距离为628 kb,该区段未见大豆叶色基因定位的报道,共包含76个预测基因。本研究结果为揭示大豆芽黄的遗传机制奠定了理论基础。     

一个水稻黄绿叶突变体ygl14(t)的鉴定及基因定位

为通过叶色相关基因的定位与克隆解析叶色变异的分子机制,本研究以从早熟晚粳稻品系鉴定出的一个黄绿叶自然突变体ygl14(t)为试验材料,利用ygl14(t)/9311的F2群体进行精细定位、候选基因预测、cDNA测序以及Real-time PCR。结果表明,ygl14(t)整个生育期均表现出黄绿叶;与野生型相比,ygl14(t)的色素含量显著下降,叶绿体发育异常,类囊体结构较松散、片层数目减少,净光合速率下降;株高和单株有效穗数显著降低,抽穗显著延迟。遗传分析及基因定位表明,ygl14(t)受1对隐性核基因控制,定位于第11条染色体短臂上的标记D-6和W1之间,两者相距40.8 kb,有6个候选基因。进一步序列分析发现,编码叶绿体信号识别颗粒cpSRP54基因Os11g0153600的第1个内含子与第2个外显子交界处的第2个碱基A变为T。cDNA测序证实,该基因第1个内含子未发生剪切,突变体ygl14(t)的编码区序列比野生型多了119 bp,造成第47位氨基酸开始错译。叶绿体发育、叶绿素合成及光合系统相关基因表达分析表明,除rpoC2表达下调,HEME表达无变化外,其他基因全部表达上调。综上所述,YGL14(t)影响叶绿体发育,可能反馈调控色素代谢及光合作用的结果,这为进一步开展高光效的分子育种研究奠定了理论基础。     

水稻镁原卟啉Ⅸ甲基转移酶突变对光系统Ⅱ的影响

镁原卟啉Ⅸ甲基转移酶(Chl M)是叶绿素合成途径中的关键限速酶之一,在植株生长发育过程中发挥着重要作用。为研究Chl M对植物光合特性的影响,以水稻突变体chlm及其野生型为材料,对叶片中的叶绿素含量、叶绿体超微结构、叶绿素荧光特性及光合系统相关基因的表达进行分析。结果表明,突变体chlm叶片中叶绿素a和叶绿素b的含量显著下降,基粒类囊体发育异常,叶绿素荧光强度降低,单位面积上PSⅡ的光能吸收、光能捕获、电子传递、热耗散等光合能量流减少,PSⅡ反应中心的数量和性能降低,以单位面积为基础的PSⅡ性能指数随之下降;但突变体chlm中PSⅡ相关的放氧复合体、电子传递链等有效光合机构未受到明显损伤,能量流的各量子产额也未受到明显影响,IP相最大幅度和基于吸收光能的PSⅡ性能指数均有所提升。此外,突变体chlm中PSⅡ相关基因的表达调控并无异常。综上,突变体chlm叶片中光合作用的能量流降低了,但其光系统Ⅱ机构仍能较高效地将所吸收的光能用于光合作用。本研究结果为突变体chlm的进一步应用提供了一定的理论依据。     

大猿叶甲转录组测序及生物学信息分析

大猿叶甲(Colaphellus bowringi)是一种常见的蔬菜害虫,由于目前其全基因组尚未公布,各种相关基因信息无法得知,导致大猿叶甲基因功能研究进展缓慢。本研究利用新一代高通量测序技术结合生物信息学分析,获得了大猿叶甲完整的转录组数据,并将获得的原始数据上传至NCBI获得ID号:SRP125298。共获得40 489条Unigenes,利用Blast X比对NCBI蛋白数据库(NCBI Non-redundant Protein Sequences,NR)、京都基因与基因组百科全书(Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes,KEGG)、Swiss-Prot蛋白质序列数据库(Manually Annotated and Reviewed Protein Sequence Database,Swiss-Prot)、蛋白质家族的集合数据库(Protein Family,Pfam)、NCBI核酸序列数据库(NCBI Nucleotide Sequences,NT)、基因本体数据库(Gene Ontology,GO)、真核生物蛋白质同源簇数据库(eu Karyotic Ortholog Groups,KOG),对所有Unigenes进行注释,结果显示共计19 955个Unigenes得到注释。分别有17 437、4 158、6 817、12 129、15 890、8 641、11 416个Unigenes注释到上述公共数据库。对所有Unigenes进行SSR分析发现,共计2 992个SSR存在于2 692条Unigenes上,平均长度14.61 bp。其中单核苷酸和三核苷酸所占比例最大,分别为65.51%和21.76%,二者分别以A/T和TTA/TAA重复基元为主(分别占94.95%和8.45%)。研究发现共有115种重复基元,其中二、三、四核苷酸重复基元分别有12、60、38种;基序重复频率介于5~50次,基序长度主要分布于10~20 bp。本研究通过对大猿叶甲转录组原始数据的获得,为种属鉴定及遗传多样性的分析提供基础资料。     

大豆孢囊线虫大豆和烟草群体的转录组比较分析

大豆孢囊线虫(Heterodera glycines,soybean cyst nematode,SCN)为植物专性内寄生线虫,主要危害大豆(Glycine max)等豆科植物,烟草(Nicotiana tabacum)是其非寄主。但近年来,本课题组在山东地区发现一个特殊的SCN群体(简称SCN_T),其可以寄生烟草,但对大豆的致病性很差。为揭示SCN_T与普通大豆孢囊线虫群体(SCN)对同一寄主致病性存在显著差异的分子机制,本研究采用Illumina平台Hi Seq~(TM)2500高通量测序技术对两个群体的2龄幼虫(second stage juvenile,J2)进行转录组测序和生物信息学分析,并采用q RT-PCR对转录组测序结果进行验证。结果表明,SCN和SCN_T共检测出1 628个差异表达基因(differentially expressed genes,DEGs),其中1 347个基因在SCN_T中上调表达,281个下调表达。对DEGs进行基因本体(Gene Ontology,GO)分析发现,被注释到分子功能的核糖体结构组成的DEGs数目最多,高达284个;其次是生物学进程的翻译过程,为211个;京都基因与基因组百科全书(Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes,KEGG)富集分析表明,639个DEGs定位到277个代谢途径分支,其中参与到核糖体和氧化磷酸化途径的差异基因最多。另外,与线虫生长发育和寄生相关的代谢途径以及一些编码食道腺细胞分泌蛋白的DEGs同样被显著富集。q RT-PCR分析数据与转录组测序结果相关性较好(R~2=0.98),说明转录组测序数据可靠。本研究首次研究了不同致病力群体SCN和SCN_T在转录水平上的差异,为进一步解析SCN致病性差异形成的分子机制提供科学依据。     

低氮和干旱胁迫对富士和秦冠生长及氮素利用的影响

【目的】以富士（Fuji）、 秦冠（Qinguan）嫁接在平邑甜茶（Malus hupehensis Rehd.）上的当年生盆栽苗为试验材料,采用砂培方法,研究了缺氮胁迫和干旱对富士和秦冠生长情况、 光合参数、 植株各部位氮磷钾含量及氮素利用效率的影响,分析比较了低氮干旱条件下富士和秦冠生长及氮素利用的差异,以期为果树生产高效肥水利用提供理论指导。【方法】试验共设四个处理: 正常氮正常水（ZZ）、 低氮正常水（DZ）、 正常氮干旱（ZG）、 低氮干旱（DG）。氮素和水分均设置两个水平,分别为正常氮（6 mmol/L NO-3-N）、 低氮（0.3 mmol/LNO-3-N）、 正常供水（保持盆中砂子相对含水量为饱和含水量的80%~85%）、 干旱处理（保持盆中砂子相对含水量为饱和含水量的60%~65%）。【结果】富士和秦冠的生物量（茎和叶）、 株高茎粗等生长指标以及光合速率、 气孔导度、 蒸腾速率均为正常氮正常水（ZZ）＞低氮正常水（DZ）＞正常氮干旱（ZG）＞低氮干旱（DG）,并且相对应处理下秦冠的以上指标均高于富士;正常供水下,缺氮处理使富士、 秦冠的根冠比比正常氮处理均有所增加,富士提高了2.05%,秦冠提高了22.40%。富士和秦冠的氮、 磷、 钾含量均表现出正常氮正常水（ZZ）＞低氮正常水（DZ）＞正常氮干旱（ZG）＞低氮干旱（DG）; 氮、 钾元素含量在植株各部位的分布顺序依次是叶＞根＞茎,磷元素则是根＞叶＞茎;光合氮素利用效率（PNUE）和氮素利用效率表现为秦冠处理之间差异极显著,富士处理之间差异不显著;秦冠的PNUE和NUE明显高于富士,在低氮正常水（DZ）处理下,秦冠氮肥利用率比富士高42.07%,在低氮干旱（DG）处理下高64.14%;低氮胁迫下富士和秦冠的NUE显著提高,并且秦冠提高的幅度高于富士。【结论】施用氮肥能够显著提高富士与秦冠的干物质量,同等水肥条件下,秦冠生长优于富士;水分亏缺会减少叶片对氮的吸收,干旱条件下适度增施氮肥,可提高果树的抗旱能力;低氮干旱胁迫下秦冠的生长指标、 光合指标及氮素利用效率指标均优于富士,表现出较强的抗低氮干旱胁迫的能力。     

Pasture Vegetation Elemental Analysis by Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a new technique for the analysis of plant material. This study investigates the application of LIBS to pasture-based plant samples. The LIBS measurements were obtained from pelletized pasture samples (100 samples) that had been also analyzed by inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) following microwave digestion for calibration and comparison purposes. Comparisons for elements sodium (Na), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), boron (B), phosphorus (P), and sulfur (S) showed that LIBS could be used for almost all the standard profile total elements with concentrations down to low mg/kg levels (observed error of Na: 0.024 percent, K: 0.18 percent, Mg: 0.016 percent, Ca: 0.073 percent, P: 0.017 percent, Mn: 31 mg/kg, Fe: 150 mg/kg, Zn: 6.6 mg/kg, and B: 1.1 mg/kg). Elemental analysis at less than mg/kg levels was not possible using LIBS. The elements S and Cu were particularly difficult to analyze with reliability using LIBS at the concentration levels found in the plant samples. Replacing microwave digestion and subsequent ICP analysis with a direct analysis of dried plant samples using LIBS has the potential to improve the productivity and reduce the cost of testing.     

Assessing the effectiveness of conservation measures: Resolving the “wicked” problem of the Steller sea lion

“Wicked” problems are those that are complex and that change when solutions are applied. Many conflicts in conservation fall into this category. The study approached the problem of how to constrain the apparent wickedness of a problem in the conservation management of a species by using simple empirical indicators to carry out iterative assessment of the risk to a population and to document how this risk evolves in relation to the addition of new data and the implementation of management actions. Effects of high levels of uncertainty within data and also concerning population structure were examined through stochastic simulation and by exploration of scenarios. Historical trends in the example used, the Steller sea lion, showed rapid declines in abundance in some regions during the 1980s. The current total population is 130,000-150,000 Steller sea lions through Alaska and British Columbia and this number has been stable since about 1990 in spite of regional differences in population dynamics. Regional differences in the sequence of changes in the number of pups and non-pups, suggested that an internal re-distribution of juveniles could have happened between 1980 and 1990. Current productivity also appears close to the long-term mean. Stochastic population projection using various scenarios showed that, based upon this history, the risk of extinction for the population has declined and is below reasonable thresholds for considering the population to be endangered. The trends in risk suggest that management actions taken since 1990 have probably been effective. Consequently, the conservation management objectives for the Steller sea lion are probably being met. The approach provides a mechanism, based upon experience and scenario analysis, for exploring future policy options and may help to constrain the debate amongst stakeholders about the cost-benefit trade-offs associated with different options.     

Soil-profile distribution of primary and secondary plant-available nutrients under conventional and no tillage

Nutrient distributions under no tillage (NT) compared with conventional disk-and-bed tillage (CT) management in the warm, humid region of the southeastern USA need to be assessed so that future placement, quantity, and type of fertilizers can be altered, if necessary, to efficiently match crop demands. We determined soil-profile distributions of pH, N, P, S, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu to a depth of 0.9 m at the end of 8.5 years of continuous CT and NT management on a Weswood silty clay loam (fine, mixed, thermic Fluventic Ustochrept) in southcentral Texas. Most dramatic changes occurred within the 0–0.05 m depth, where soil under NT had lower pH, Fe, and Cu than under CT, but greater P, K, Zn, and Mn. Greater P and K under NT than under CT also occurred below the till-zone (0.15–0.3 m). At a depth of 0–0.3 m, soil under NT contained greater amounts of extractable P, K, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu than under CT. Nitrogen fertilization had little effect on nutrient distributions, except resulting in greater extractable K at 0–0.05 m and greater nitrate at 0–0.15 m. Few changes in soil-profile distributions were observed for extractable S, Ca, Mg, and Na. Long-term continuous use of NT on this fine-textured, high-fertility (except for N) soil had no apparent adverse effects on nutrient distributions relative to CT, but enhanced conservation and availability of P, K, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu near the soil surface where crop roots proliferate.     

Faculty positions:Center for Agricultural Resources Research,Chinese Academy of Sciences

正The Center for Agricultural Resources Research(CARR),the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology(IGDB),Chinese Academy of Sciences,invites applicants for several research group leader positions.CARR is one of the research organizations in Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS).We seek nominations and applications from individuals who have expertise and a record of accomplishment in research areas related to ecology,agro-hydrology,     

Macroinvertebrates in North American tallgrass prairie soils: effects of fire, mowing, and fertilization on density and biomass

The responses of tallgrass prairie plant communities and ecosystem processes to fire and grazing are well characterized. However, responses of invertebrate consumer groups, and particularly soil-dwelling organisms, to these disturbances are not well known. At Konza Prairie Biological Station, we sampled soil macroinvertebrates in 1994 and 1999 as part of a long-term experiment designed to examine the effects and interactions of annual fire, mowing, and fertilization (N and P) on prairie soil communities and processes. For nearly all taxa, in both years, responses were characterized by significant treatment interactions, but some general patterns were evident. Introduced European earthworms (Aporrectodea spp. and Octolasion spp.) were most abundant in plots where fire was excluded, and the proportion of the total earthworm community consisting of introduced earthworms was greater in unburned, unmowed, and fertilized plots. Nymphs of two Cicada genera were collected (Cicadetta spp. and Tibicen spp.). Cicadetta nymphs were more abundant in burned plots, but mowing reduced their abundance. Tibicen nymphs were collected almost exclusively from unburned plots. Treatment effects on herbivorous beetle larvae (Scarabaeidae, Elateridae, and Curculionidae) were variable, but nutrient additions (N or P) usually resulted in greater densities, whereas mowing usually resulted in lower densities. Our results suggest that departures from historical disturbance regimes (i.e. frequent fire and grazing) may render soils more susceptible to increased numbers of European earthworms, and that interactions between fire, aboveground biomass removal, and vegetation responses affect the structure and composition of invertebrate communities in tallgrass prairie soils.     

Variation in quality parameters between and within 14 Nordic tree fruit and berry species

Abstract

A 3-year study was carried out to investigate quality parameters in 14 tree fruit and berry species grown in southern Norway. The species were blueberry, apple, aronia, sour cherry, sweet cherry, red raspberry, strawberry, blackcurrant, gooseberry, red currant and elderberry, harvested along with wild bilberry, cloudberry and lingonberry. Significant differences between species were identified for all quality parameters. The coefficient of variation between species was lowest for pH (12.5%), dry matter (18.9%) and soluble solids (25.3%), followed by titratable acids (59.3%), total phenolics (83.8%), antioxidant capacity FRAP (85.7%) and antiradical power by the DPPH-assay (97.8%), total monomeric anthocyanins (132%) and ascorbic acid (137%). Average coefficient of variation within species were lower and ranged from 4 (pH) to 62% (ascorbic acid). Only the FRAP values were significantly affected by harvesting year with lower levels in 2004 than in 2005 and 2006. There were significant interactions between species and harvesting year for dry matter, soluble solids, pH, ascorbic acid and FRAP. The results indicate generic ranges in composition within species independent upon growing location and climate, and the composition of the tree fruits and berries is not likely to deviate from these ranges. It is concluded that desirable composition of tree fruits and berries and their products should primarily be achieved by selection among species rather than searching fors broadened variation within individual species.     

Enhanced establishment and growth of giant cardon cactus in an eroded field in the Sonoran Desert using native legume trees as nurse plants aided by plant growth-promoting microorganisms and compost

To evaluate the feasibility of long-term desert reforestation technology of mixed vegetation, cardon cactus (Pachycereus pringlei) seedlings from indoor and outdoor nurseries were planted in the field adjacent to one seedling of potential legume nurse trees: mesquite amargo (Prosopis articulata), yellow palo verde (Parkinsonia microphylla), and blue palo verde (Parkinsonia florida). Some of the planting holes were also supplemented with common dairy compost. Additionally, the combinations of legume tree–cactus were inoculated with either a consortium of desert arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB; the diazotroph Azospirillum brasilense Cd, and the phosphate solubilizer Paenibacillus sp.), or a mixture of all. The field experiments were evaluated periodically during 30 months for survival and growth. Cardons reared in an outdoor screen house survived better in the field than those reared in a controlled growth chamber and hardened later outdoors. Association with any legume nurse tree increased survival and enhanced growth of untreated cardons. For cardons growing alone, application of either compost, AM fungi, and all the treatments combined increased survival. For these plants, no treatment affected plant growth during the first 3 months after transplanting. Later, all treatments, except for AM fungi, enhanced plant growth. However, only 2 years after transplanting the enhanced growth effect of AM fungi was also significant. In the presence of the legume nurse trees, transient positive effects on cardon growth were recorded. General evaluation after 30 months of cultivation showed that the treatments positively affected cardon growth when growing alone or in combination only with mesquite amargo but not with the other two legume trees. This study proposes that young legume trees have the capacity to enhance survival and growth of cardon cactus, depending on the legume cactus combination. Additional treatments such as compost or PGPB can either amplify the effect or else attenuate it.     

Karyotypic and genome size variation in Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. (pigeonpea) and some wild relatives

Detailed karyotypes and 4C DNA amounts have been studied in five cultivars of Cajanus cajan and 20 species belonging to Cajanus, Rhynchosia, Dunbaria, Flemingia and Paracalyx. C. cajan shows intraspecific variability and its karyotype is most similar to that of C. cajanifolius (sect. Cajanus) in the morphology and number of satellite chromosomes and the lack of any correlation between chromosome size within the complement and asymmetry. Karyotypes of C. lineatus and C. sericeus belonging to sect. Atylia are similar with respect to maximum r-index and the ratio of longest and shortest chromosomes in their respective complements. C. acutifolius (sect. Frutocosa) is distinct in having a very low ratio (1.44) between the longest and the shortest chromosomes, while in C. albicans, C. goensis, C. scarabaeoides (sect. Cantharospermum) there is no chromosome pair with r-index >2.0. C. mollis and C. volubilis (sect. Volubilis) show similarity with regard to ratio between the longest and the shortest chromosomes and a distinct chromosome pair with an arm ratio of 2.7 and C. platycarpus is distinct (sect. Rhynchosoides) in having the smallest ratio (1.36) between the longest and the shortest chromosomes. 4C DNA amounts in Cajanus and Rhynchosia vary between 3.28 pg to 11.69 pg and 4.92 pg to 11.13 pg respectively, while in Dunbaria, Flemingia and Paracalyx these vary between 4.70 and 7:06 pg. In the genus Cajanus karyotypic features and 4C DNA amounts agree with the sectional classification and bring out a close relationship between C. cajan and C. cajanifolius. This is supported by studies based on seed protein patterns, isozyme analysis, trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitor patterns, RFLP and RAPD data and crossability relationships. A clear relation between DNA amount and abnormalities effecting the extent of pairing and recombination in interspecific hybrids shows the importance of this study in developing future breeding programme involving C. cajan and its wild relatives that are of potential value.     

Potassium Fixation and Release Characteristics in Rhizosphere and Nonrhizosphere Soils for a Rapeseed–Rice Cropping Sequence

Potassium (K) fixation and release in soil are important factors in the long-term sustainability of a cropping system. Changes in K concentration and characteristics of K fixation and release in rhizosphere and nonrhizosphere soils in the rapeseed (Brassica napus L.)–rice (Oryza sativa L.) rotation were investigated using a rhizobox system. The concentrations of different forms of K in both rhizosphere and nonrhizosphere soils decreased with plants compared to without plants, regardless of K fertilizer application. Potassium uptake by crops mainly came from the rhizosphere soil. In the treatment without K fertilizer (–K), the main form of K supplied by the soil to the crops was 1.0 mol L^?1 nitric acid (HNO₃) nonextractable K, followed by nonexchangeable K, and then exchangeable K. In the treatment with K fertilizer (+K), the main K forms supplied by the soil to the crops were exchangeable K and nonexchangeable K. The amount and rate of K fixation after one cycle of the rapeseed–rice rotation was greater in rhizosphere soil than in nonrhizosphere soil. The amount and rate of K fixation of soil in the +K treatment were significantly less than in the –K treatment. The cumulative amounts of K released with 1.0 mol L^?1 ammonium acetate (NH₄OAc) and 1.0 mol L^?1 HNO₃ extraction increased with the increasing numbers of extractions, but the K-releasing power of soil by successive extraction decreased gradually and finally became almost constant. The release of K was less in rhizosphere soil than in nonrhizosphere soil. The release of K in the +K treatment was similar to that in the –K treatment in rhizosphere soil, but the K release in nonrhizosphere soil was greater with the +K than the –K treatment. Overall, the information obtained in this study will be helpful in formulating more precise K fertilizer recommendations for certain soils.