玉米植株形态和穗部性状的遗传特性及育种的选择方法

本研究选用６个不同来源、各具特点的玉米自交系及其组成的双列杂交组合为供试材料，选择了１７个农艺性状进行了配合力和广义遗传力分析。提出了在选育优良玉米自交系、组配高产杂交组合时各性状的选择方法。     

玉米植株形态和穗部性状的遗传特性及育种的选择方式

本研究选用６个不同来源、各具特点的玉米自交系及其组成的双列杂交组合为供试材料，选择了１７个农艺性状进行了配合力和广义遗传力分析。提出了在选育优良玉米自交系、组配高产杂交组合时各性状的选择方式。     

高寒山区几个玉米自交系数量性状配合力分析

利用9个玉米自交系,按 Griffing完全双列杂交方法4组配成36个杂交组合进行试验。对主要数量性状的一般配合力、特殊配合力、配合力总效应以及各自交系的特殊配合力方差进行估算和分析。结果表明,自交系411的一般配合力最高,自交系405和琼180具有较高的一般配合力和特殊配合力方差,其配制的组合配合力总效应高,系组配强优势杂交组合的优良自交系。     

几个玉米自交系主要性状的配合力分析

用19个玉米自交系按不完全双列杂交配成90个组合，对其主要数量性状的GCA、SCA进行估算和分析。结果表明，各自交系的GCA、SCA方差均达极显著水平。168^s、024、169^S、166^S、H6-34、31412等5个自交系综合性状较优，为组配强优势杂交组合的优良自交系。     

几个玉米骨干自交系杂交优势利用研究

利用15份玉米自交系组配试验，对其主要数量性状的GCA、SCA、TCA以及各自交系的SCA方差进行估算和分析。结果表明，各自交系的GCA、SCA方差均达极显著水平。P6C1－2－1、Y65－941－1、6166、中黄6441等4个自交系综合性状较优，是组配强优势杂交组合的优良自交系。     

15份玉米自交系数量性状配合力分析

利用15份玉米自交系组配试验,对其主要数量性状的GCA、SCA、TCA以及各自交系的SCA方差进行估算和分析。结果表明,各自交系的GCA、SCA方差均达极显著水平。P6C1-2-1、Y65-941-1、6166、中黄6441等4个自交系综合性状较优,系组配强优势杂交组合的优良自交系。     

十个玉米自交系主要数量性状配合力和遗传参数分析

利用10份玉米自交系按不完全双列杂交配成25个组合,对其主要数量性状的GCA、SCA和遗传变量进行估算和分析.结果表明,除穗位高、千粒重、出籽率和子粒产量的SCA外,其余各性状的GCA和SCA都达到显著或极显著差异.H504、同系和82-2A等3个自交系综合性状较优,可组配强优势杂交组合的优良自交系。     

12个玉米自交系主要农艺性状的配合力分析

12个自选玉米自交系按griffing4双列杂交模式设计,组配66个单交组合,采用完全随机区组排列进行试验,分析了株高、穗位高、产量、穗长、穗粗、穗行数、行粒数等7个性状的配合力和遗传参数.结果表明,桂99、桂422、桂517、桂A200等4个自交系综合性状较优,系组配强优势杂交组合的优良自交系.桂340综合性状最差,需进一步改良方能利用.其它自交系也有各自突出某一性状的优势,在育种工作中应注意到有目的地选择利用.桂9804产量特殊配合力方差最大,其次是桂A200、桂422和桂517,它们均有可能选育出极端高产杂交组合。     

玉米自交系对灰斑病抗性配合力及遗传参数分析

以6个灰斑病抗性不同的玉米自交系为亲本,按Griffing双列杂交试验设计方法Ⅱ组配15个杂交组合,对叶片病斑覆盖度进行配合力分析,并估算遗传参数。结果表明,6个自交系一般配合力(GCA)效应差别较大,齐319表现高抗;其次是鲁9801、B84和8112;9046和掖478表现感病。结合杂交组合实际表现与特殊配合力效应进行分析,齐319所组配的各组合抗性表现均较好;掖478与8112、9046、B84组配的各组合抗性差;由9046所组配的组合特殊配合力效应好。进一步对遗传参数的分析表明,该性状广义遗传力为64.49%,性状的遗传以加性效应为主,同时存在一定的非加性效应,性状表现受环境影响较大。     

欧洲玉米种质BRC选系主要农艺性状的配合力及杂种优势分析

采用NCⅡ遗传交配设计,以分属于5个杂种优势群的自交系昌7-2、DH34、Mo17、郑58和丹988为测验种,与5个欧洲玉米种质BRC选系组配25个杂交组合,分析5个欧洲玉米种质BRC选系的主要农艺性状的配合力及杂种优势。结果表明,自交系BRC-1和BRC-5单株产量及相关性状一般配合力表现较好,在玉米育种中有较大的利用潜力;组合BRC-5×Mo17、BRC-6×DH34和BRC-1×丹988是产量及相关性状特殊配合力综合表现优良的组合;BRC-5×DH34、BRC-1×DH34、BRC-1×丹988、BRC-6×DH34和BRC-1×昌7-2是单株产量总配合力和杂种优势表现突出的组合。BRC种质选系或BRC改良自交系可与旅大红骨、塘四平头、PN78599类群的玉米自交系杂交组配出强优势玉米杂交种。     

Studies on natural repellents against potato tuber moth (Phthorimaea operculella Zeller) in country stores

Summary The effects of the leaves of five plant species, one from each of the generaAmbrosia, Anemone, Eupatorium, Eucalyptus andLantana, on potato tuber moth were investigated under indigenous storage conditions at the Central Potato Research Station, Shillong (1800 m above sea level). Their action was compared with that of a biological insecticide (spores ofBacillus thuringiensis), a chemical insecticide (carbaryl), and an untreated control. The data collected after six months storage on tuber damage, sprout damage and the rotting indicated that the leaves ofLantana aculeata provided most protection to the tubers, reducing damage from over 70% in the check to below 5%, and sprout damage from over 45% to below 3%. Next best wasEucalyptus globulus followed byB. thuringiensis. They may be used on tubers stored for table use or for seed as they had no adverse effect on germination or on the yield of a subsequent crop.     

Comparative Assessment of the Efficacy of Various Nitrogen Fertilizers

Summary

The efficiency of N fertilizers is usually poor; often less than 50% of the applied N is taken up by the crop. This review focuses on various N fertilizers with respect to the significance of different N loss pathways, namely (i) ammonia volatilization, (ii) dinitrogen and nitrogen oxide emissions, and (iii) nitrate leaching. Further, the significance of biological N immobilization, ammonium fixation and, finally, the impact of nitrate vs. ammonium uptake on crop yield are also discussed. The reviewed literature shows that N fertilizers may differ markedly in their susceptibility to losses. There is, however, considerable scope to improve N efficiency of each N source by proper N management practices.     

In vitro antimicrobial activity of different accessions ofSolanum commersonii Dun. from Uruguay

Summary The in vitro antimicrobial activity of extracts from accessions ofSolanum commersonii Dun. collected in the south of Uruguay was investigated against five microorganisms including the pathogenRalstonia solanacearum. A total of 30 extracts corresponding to organic and aqueous extracts were studied. Interestingly, most of the positive results for growth inhibition were againstR. solanacearum. The extracts were also analyzed for the presence of glycoalkaloids and lectins. Six of the ten aqueous extracts showed lectin presence and a wide variation in the type and amounts of glycoalkaloids, was found. Results indicate that there is no clear relationship between the antimicrobial activity against the five microorganisms screened and the presence or amounts of lectins and glycoalkaloids, traditionally regarded as possible antimicrobial metabolites in theSolanum genus, which indicates the presence of as yet unidentified antimicrobial compounds.     

Novel food and non-food uses for sorghum and millets

Sorghum and millets have considerable potential in foods and beverages. As they are gluten-free they are suitable for coeliacs. Sorghum is also a potentially important source of nutraceuticals such antioxidant phenolics and cholesterol-lowering waxes. Cakes, cookies, pasta, a parboiled rice-like product and snack foods have been successfully produced from sorghum and, in some cases, millets. Wheat-free sorghum or millet bread remains the main challenge. Additives such as native and pre-gelatinised starches, hydrocolloids, fat, egg and rye pentosans improve bread quality. However, specific volumes are lower than those for wheat bread or gluten-free breads based on pure starches, and in many cases, breads tend to stale faster. Lager and stout beers with sorghum are brewed commercially. Sorghum's high-starch gelatinisation temperature and low beta-amylase activity remain problems with regard to complete substitution of barley malt with sorghum malt . The role of the sorghum endosperm matrix protein and cell wall components in limiting extract is a research focus. Brewing with millets is still at an experimental stage. Sorghum could be important for bioethanol and other bio-industrial products. Bioethanol research has focused on improving the economics of the process through cultivar selection, method development for low-quality grain and pre-processing to recover valuable by-products. Potential by-products such as the kafirin prolamin proteins and the pericarp wax have potential as bioplastic films and coatings for foods, primarily due to their hydrophobicity.     

Extreme resistance to infection by potato virus X in genotypes of wild tuber-bearingSolanum species

Summary Clones derived from thirty-one different accessions (nineteen of Argentine origin) belonging to eightSolanum species were screened for resistance to infection by potato virus X strain cp (PVX cp) by mechanical inoculation of plantlets that had been micropropagated in vitro. Estimates of PVX multiplication obtained by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and slot blot nucleic acid hybridization allowed the identification of resistant clones derived from five accessions belonging toS. commersonii S. oplocense, S. sparsipilum andS. tuberosum andigena. Resistant genotypes supported PVX concentrations 5 to 15 times smaller than did the susceptible control cultivar Spunta. Graft inoculation test confirmed the presence of extreme resistance similar to that conferred by the ‘immunity’ gene X¹ (also called RX_act).     

Marine Pharmacology in 2009–2011: Marine Compounds with Antibacterial,Antidiabetic, Antifungal,Anti-Inflammatory,Antiprotozoal, Antituberculosis,and Antiviral Activities; Affecting the Immune and Nervous Systems,and other Miscellaneous Mechanisms of Action ?

The peer-reviewed marine pharmacology literature from 2009 to 2011 is presented in this review, following the format used in the 1998–2008 reviews of this series. The pharmacology of structurally-characterized compounds isolated from marine animals, algae, fungi and bacteria is discussed in a comprehensive manner. Antibacterial, antifungal, antiprotozoal, antituberculosis, and antiviral pharmacological activities were reported for 102 marine natural products. Additionally, 60 marine compounds were observed to affect the immune and nervous system as well as possess antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory effects. Finally, 68 marine metabolites were shown to interact with a variety of receptors and molecular targets, and thus will probably contribute to multiple pharmacological classes upon further mechanism of action studies. Marine pharmacology during 2009–2011 remained a global enterprise, with researchers from 35 countries, and the United States, contributing to the preclinical pharmacology of 262 marine compounds which are part of the preclinical pharmaceutical pipeline. Continued pharmacological research with marine natural products will contribute to enhance the marine pharmaceutical clinical pipeline, which in 2013 consisted of 17 marine natural products, analogs or derivatives targeting a limited number of disease categories.     

Recent Modifications of Chitosan for Adsorption Applications: A Critical and Systematic Review

Chitosan is considered to be one of the most promising and applicable materials in adsorption applications. The existence of amino and hydroxyl groups in its molecules contributes to many possible adsorption interactions between chitosan and pollutants (dyes, metals, ions, phenols, pharmaceuticals/drugs, pesticides, herbicides, etc.). These functional groups can help in establishing positions for modification. Based on the learning from previously published works in literature, researchers have achieved a modification of chitosan with a number of different functional groups. This work summarizes the published works of the last three years (2012–2014) regarding the modification reactions of chitosans (grafting, cross-linking, etc.) and their application to adsorption of different environmental pollutants (in liquid-phase).     

Pharmacokinetics of Marine-Derived Drugs

Marine organisms represent an excellent source of innovative compounds that have the potential for the development of new drugs. The pharmacokinetics of marine drugs has attracted increasing interest in recent decades due to its effective and potential contribution to the selection of rational dosage recommendations and the optimal use of the therapeutic arsenal. In general, pharmacokinetics studies how drugs change after administration via the processes of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME). This review provides a summary of the pharmacokinetics studies of marine-derived active compounds, with a particular focus on their ADME. The pharmacokinetics of compounds derived from algae, crustaceans, sea cucumber, fungus, sea urchins, sponges, mollusks, tunicate, and bryozoan is discussed, and the pharmacokinetics data in human experiments are analyzed. In-depth characterization using pharmacokinetics is useful for obtaining information for understanding the molecular basis of pharmacological activity, for correct doses and treatment schemes selection, and for more effective drug application. Thus, an increase in pharmacokinetic research on marine-derived compounds is expected in the near future.