低温胁迫对不同基因型玉米种子萌发特性的影响

以不同基因型玉米生产品种郑单958、先玉335、京科968和京农科728为试验材料,研究适温和低温胁迫下玉米种子萌发过程中发芽势、发芽率、芽长、根长、种子a-淀粉酶及保护酶活性等的变化,探讨低温胁迫对不同基因型玉米品种种子萌发特性的影响。结果表明,在25℃适温和10℃低温胁迫条件下,京科968和京农科728的发芽势和发芽率均高于郑单958和先玉335;在10℃低温胁迫下,京科968、京农科728的发芽势、发芽率显著高于郑单958和先玉335。10℃低温胁迫条件下,京科968和京农科728的芽长和根长显著高于郑单958和先玉335;在25℃适温条件下4个参试玉米品种的芽长和根长差异不显著。2个温度处理条件下,京科968和京农科728种子的α-淀粉酶、过氧化物酶(POD)和过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性均高于郑单958和先玉335,在10℃低温胁迫条件下优势更明显;丙二醛(MDA)含量在品种间呈相反趋势。在低温胁迫下,京科968和京农科728表现出较强的耐低温萌发能力。     

温度升高对玉米种子萌发的影响

选用两个不同玉米品种先玉335和郑单958, 研究温度升高4℃范围内对玉米种子萌发的影响。在人工气候箱中模拟3个温度处理(对照温度、对照温度+2℃、对照温度+4℃), 分析播种后不同天数温度变化梯度值对玉米种子萌发的发芽指数、α-淀粉酶活力和相对离子渗透率的影响。结果表明, 在温度升高4℃范围内, 两个玉米种子发芽势、发芽指数和萌发率均升高;温度升高2℃和4℃时玉米种子α-淀粉酶活力最大值分别提前1 d和2 d, 且温度越高, 最高值越大;相对离子渗漏率略有下降, 但下降趋势不明显。说明在适度增温条件下, 玉米种子萌发将提前和加速。     

低温胁迫下不同类型玉米品种萌发的生理响应

以耐低温玉米品种吉单89与低温敏感型玉米品种吉单50为材料,研究在适温(25℃)与低温(10℃)条件下,种子萌发过程中内源激素、淀粉代谢以及氧化代谢和抗氧化酶活性的变化。结果表明,低温胁迫下,吉单89与吉单50发芽势较适温条件下分别降低3.6%和83.3%,萌发过程中丙二醛含量显著高于适温处理。不同类型品种比较发现,耐低温品种吉单89中GA含量、GA/ABA值以及α-淀粉酶和β-淀粉酶活性显著高于低温敏感型品种吉单50,MDA含量显著低于吉单50,抗氧化酶SOD、POD活性显著高于吉单50。耐低温玉米品种可以通过内源激素调节以及提高淀粉分解代谢共同提高低温萌发能力。     

4个玉米品种种子耐老化能力的模糊隶属函数法分析

以农大108、中农大4号、先玉335和郑单958玉米种子为试验材料,研究其人工老化后的生理特性和萌发特性,采用模糊数学隶属函数法综合评价其耐老化能力。结果表明,随着老化时间的延长,4个玉米品种的种子浸出液电导率和MDA(丙二醛)含量增加,脱氢酶活性、发芽率、发芽势、发芽指数和活力指数降低。通过模糊隶属函数法综合评价分析,4个玉米品种的耐老化能力为郑单958>先玉335>中农大4号>农大108。     

高温胁迫对不同热敏型玉米品种雌雄穗生理特性的影响

以郑单958(ZD958)和先玉335(XY335)为材料,模拟增温处理,探索玉米穗发育对高温逆境生理响应机制。结果表明,高温胁迫下,玉米雄穗、雌穗抗氧化生理在品种及处理间均有较大差异,雄穗细胞中超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性呈升-降-升的变化,ZD958雄穗上部小穗SOD活性低于下部小穗,XY335雄穗上部小穗SOD活性高于下部小穗。过氧化物酶(POD)活性在高温处理初期下降,而后持续升高;过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性在高温胁迫初期增加,而后下降甚至低于对照;丙二醛(MAD)含量均呈增加趋势。ZD958雄穗中可溶性糖和脯氨酸含量较高,XY335雄穗中可溶性蛋白含量较高。XY335雌穗SOD、POD和CAT酶活性降低或显著降低,MDA含量较高;ZD958雌穗SOD、POD和CAT酶活性升高或显著升高,MDA含量较低。随高温胁迫持续,ZD958和XY335雌穗中可溶性糖、可溶性蛋白和脯氨酸含量均呈增加趋势,ZD958雌穗具有较高的可溶性糖含量、较高的花丝水势和p H值。     

玉米播期推迟与生长发育、有效积温关系研究

试验选用先玉335、郑单958和浚单20为供试品种,从5月6日至6月7日共设7个播期,研究春旱条件下玉米播期推迟与生长发育、有效积温的关系。结果表明,随播种期推迟各阶段生育进程加快,播种期推迟30 d,播种至出苗天数缩短4 d;出苗至抽雄天数各品种间表现不同,先玉335缩短11 d,郑单958缩短8 d,浚单20缩短3 d。随播期的推迟株高和穗位高增高,总叶片数和穗上叶片数不变;秃尖增长,行粒数减少,穗长、穗粗和穗行数不变;子粒长度减小,宽度不变,千粒重和容重降低,播期对千粒重的影响大于容重。产量与玉米生长期有效积温呈正相关,浚单20的相关系数最大,其次是先玉335,郑单958最小。研究结果表明,浚单20播期最迟为5月16日(有效积温2752.9℃.d),先玉335播期最迟为5月23日(有效积温2624.4℃.d),郑单958播期最迟可至5月27日(有效积温2560.9℃.d)。     

不同施氮水平下郑单958和先玉335产量特征比较研究

以玉米品种郑单958和先玉335为试验材料,对不同施氮水平下超高产玉米产量及产量构成因素的比较研究。结果表明,郑单958的百粒重高于先玉335,产量和穗粒数低于先玉335。郑单958和先玉335产量随施氮量的增加均呈单峰曲线变化,拟合系数达极显著水平(P<0.01);不同施氮水平下先玉335产量高于郑单958,差异均达显著水平(P<0.05)。     

郑单958与先玉335子粒脱水特征研究

以目前我国种植面积最大的玉米品种郑单958和先玉335为试验材料,对其子粒脱水情况及相关因素进行初步分析。研究结果表明,子粒含水率与脱水速率均随生育进程的推进不断降低,但两个品种差异明显。生理成熟时,郑单958子粒含水率为27.19%~30.51%,先玉335为24.61%~26.78%,较郑单958低2.58~3.73个百分点。含水率稳定时,郑单958和先玉335的子粒含水率分别为21.77%和16.96%,先玉335较郑单958低4.81个百分点。郑单958的子粒脱水速率低于先玉335,调查范围内该品种子粒含水率均高于先玉335。相关分析显示,子粒含水率变化与苞叶、穗轴的含水率变化呈极显著正相关,与穗柄含水率变化无相关性,苞叶和穗柄的含水率品种间差异不显著,穗轴含水率则有明显的品种间差异。     

玉米种子萌发抗冷鉴定指标的研究

对抗冷性不同的玉米品种郑单958、铁单18进行5℃、10℃低温处理,测定低温对玉米种子萌发时的相对电导率、游离脯氨酸、可溶性糖和丙二醛(MDA)含量变化的影响。结果表明,随温度降低,抗冷性不同的两品种细胞膜透性增大,MDA含量增加,游离脯氨酸的含量先增加后下降,而可溶性糖含量却呈下降趋势。在相同低温条件下,郑单958品种种子萌发过程中与铁单18相比,能保持更好的细胞膜完整性,相对电导率和MDA含量增幅小,可溶性糖含量明显高于铁单18,说明郑单958品种具有较强的抗冷性。根据测定结果,5℃低温处理下相对电导率和游离脯氨酸含量品种间差异显著,可作为测定抗冷性的生理指标。     

不同成熟度玉米叶片抗氧化生理对高温胁迫的响应

以郑单958(ZD958)和先玉335(XY335)为试验材料,研究高温胁迫下玉米叶片膜透性、抗氧化酶活性以及渗透调节物质的动态变化。结果表明,高温胁迫下,玉米叶片相对电导率、MDA含量增加,ZD958成熟叶的增幅大于幼嫩叶,XY335成熟叶增幅小于幼嫩叶。处理早期阶段,ZD958成熟叶SOD、POD和CAT活性均增加并高于对照,后期阶段增幅放缓,甚至低于对照;幼嫩叶3种酶活性在处理前期大多与对照无明显差异,后期则明显升高。XY335成熟叶CAT活性均大于或显著大于对照,SOD和POD活性多低于或显著低于对照;幼嫩叶3种酶活性均大于或显著大于对照;可溶性蛋白含量无显著性变化。ZD958成熟叶和幼嫩叶可溶性糖含量均呈先升后降的趋势,XY335成熟叶表现为升高趋势,幼嫩叶则呈升-降-升-降的变化;脯氨酸在两个品种成熟叶中呈降-升-降的变化。     

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.     

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.     

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.     

La pourriture fongique des tubercules de pomme de terre en atmosphère contrôlée

Résumé Fusarium culmorum et, dans une moindre mesure,F. avenaceum, F. sambucinum, Colletotrichum coccodes etCylindrocarpon sp. ont été isolés de tubercules entreposés en atmosphère contr?lée (AC) et atteints de pourriture grave. Des expériences d'inoculation de tubercules avec 10 espèces ou variétés fongiques et conservation en AC à 8 et 10°C ont montré que: 1) les champignons non pathogènes en atmosphère normale (ex.:Cylindrocarpon sp.) le devenaient en AC, 2) ceux qui étaient faiblement pathogènes en atmosphère normale étaient nettement plus virulents en AC (ex.:F. culmorum), 3) les espèces ou variétés virulentes en conditions d'air normales (Fusarium sulphureum etPhoma exigua var.foveata) ne provoquaient pas de pourriture plus grave en AC et leur activité pouvait même être légérement freinée.

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Summary The extensive rotting of tubers which occurred during storage trials in controlled atmospheres has led to a mycological and pathological study of the rots. The most frequently isolated species wasFusarium culmorum althoughF. avenaceum, F. Sambucinum, Coletotrichum coccodes and aCylindrocarpon sp. were also present. Tubers of cvs Bintje and Ulla were inoculated with 19 isolates of 10 fungal species or varieties associated with rotting of stored tubers (Table 1). The tubers were incubated at 8 or 10°C in normal or controlled (2% O₂:1% CO₂, 2% O₂:6% CO₂, 2% O₂:12% CO₂, 6% O₂:6% CO₂) atmospheres and the extent of rotting was determined a month later (Tables 2 and 3 and Fig. 2). Species which were weakly virulent in a normal atmosphere (variousFusarium spp. andPhoma exigua var.exigua) were clearly more aggressive in the controlled atmosphere and this was especially evident in the case ofF. culmorum. Species ot pathogenic in a normal atmosphere under experimental conditions (Colletotrichum coccodes, Cylindrocarpon sp.,Phoma eupyrena) caused rotting in the controlled atmosphere. The two species which were virulent in a normal atmosphere (F. sulphureum andP. exigua var.foveata) were also virulent in the controlled atmosphere and in some cases the extent of rotting was even less. As a general rule, rotting caused by weakly virulent fungi was greater in both cultivars in the controlled than in a normal atmosphere.

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Zusammenfassung Eine starke F?ulnis von in Kontrotrollierter Atmosph?re gelagerten Kartoffelknollen veranlasste eine mykologische und pathologische Untersuchung. Der am h?ufigsten isolierte Pilz warFusarium culmorum. F. avenaceum, F. sambucinum, Colletotrichum coccodes undCylindrocarpon sp. wurden ebenfalls bestimmt. Neunzehn St?mme von 10 Pilzsorten oder-Arten welche bei Lagerf?ulnis vorkommen (Tab. 1) wurden auf Knollen der Sorten Bintje und Ulla inokuliert. Die Lagerung wurde bei 8 oder 10°C under Normalbedingungen oder kontrollierter Atmosph?re durchgeführt (2% O₂:1% CO₂, 2% O₂:6% CO₂, 2% O₂:12% CO₂, 6% O₂:6% CO₂). Der F?ulnisgrad (Abb. 1) wurde nach einem Monat bonitiert. Die Ergebnisse sind in den Tabellen 2 und 3 dargestellt und in der Abb. 2 illustriert. Unter in Normalbedingungen nur schwach virulente Arten (verschiedeneFusarien undPhoma exigua var. exigua) waren deutlich aktiver in kontrollierter Atmosph?re. Dies was besonders der Fall fürF. culmorum. Pilze, die im Versuch unter Normalbedingungen nicht pathogen waren (Colletotrichum coccodes, Cylindrocarpon sp., Phoma eupyrena), haben unter kontrollierter Atmosph?re Sch?den verursacht. Hingegen werden die beiden unter Normalbedingungen sehr pathogenen Arten (F. sulphureum undP., exigua var.foveata), durch kontrollierte Atmosph?re wenig beeinflusst. Es wurde sogar in einigen F?llen eine gewisse Verringerung des F?ulnisbefalls beobachtet. Ganz allgemein haben die getesteten kontrollierten Bedingungen die Entwicklung der Pilzf?ulnis an beiden Kartoffelsorten gef?rdert, speziell durch Pilzarten, welche unter Normal-bedingungen wenig Sch?den verursachen.

     

Marine Pharmacology in 2016–2017: 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 review of the 2016–2017 marine pharmacology literature was prepared in a manner similar as the 10 prior reviews of this series. Preclinical marine pharmacology research during 2016–2017 assessed 313 marine compounds with novel pharmacology reported by a growing number of investigators from 54 countries. The peer-reviewed literature reported antibacterial, antifungal, antiprotozoal, antituberculosis, and antiviral activities for 123 marine natural products, 111 marine compounds with antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory activities as well as affecting the immune and nervous system, while in contrast 79 marine compounds displayed miscellaneous mechanisms of action which upon further investigation may contribute to several pharmacological classes. Therefore, in 2016–2017, the preclinical marine natural product pharmacology pipeline generated both novel pharmacology as well as potentially new lead compounds for the growing clinical marine pharmaceutical pipeline, and thus sustained with its contributions the global research for novel and effective therapeutic strategies for multiple disease categories.     

Effects of Micronutrient Deficiencies on Human Health: Its Status in South Asia

SUMMARY

Vitamin A, iodine, and iron deficiencies affect large numbers of people worldwide. A deficiency of one or more of these micronutrients adversely affects the physical and mental abilities of humans. South Asia contains a high percentage of these individuals, not just because of its large population, but also the prevalence of deficiency is higher there than in many other parts of the world. The reasons for the high rates of deficiency in South Asia are many, but they include inadequate availability of micronutrient-rich foods, sub-optimal dietary habits, and high rates of infection. Across the region, national plans vary from (a) increasing availability of appropriate foods, (b) introducing new dietary behaviors, (c) improving health status, and (d) directly addressing deficiency through intervention programs. The extent to which each of the countries is making progress toward the goals of these plans can help in understanding the priorities for future efforts to address micronutrient malnutrition. This article discusses the adverse effects of micronutrient deficiencies in humans with special reference to South Asia.     

Citrus Flavonoids in Fruit and Traditional Chinese Medicinal Food Ingredients in China

Flavonoids-enriched tissues of citrus such as peel, immature fruit and flower are consumed as culinary seasonings, tea ingredients in China for centuries. This HPLC quantitative study on the five citrus flavonoids, naringin, hesperidin, neohesperidin, sinensetin and nobiletin on a wide range of Chinese citrus fruits and several Traditional Chinese Medicinal food ingredients in East China, revealed a great diversity in flavonoid composition. Huyou peel (C. paradisi cv. Changshanhuyou) was found to be the best naringin (3.25%) and neohesperidin (2.76%) source; C. aurantium, a major ingredient of several citrus-related TCM, is also a suitable source of naringin and neohesperidin, and a good juice source for flavanone glycosides; the peel of Wenzhoumiju (C. unshiu) is one of the richest local species in hesperidin (up to 6.25%); Zaoju (C. subcompressa) has the highest content of nobiletin (0.59%), a polymethoxylated flavone. LC-ES-MS analysis of Zanthoxylum genus for flavonoids revealed for the first time the presence of significant amounts (0.74%) of hesperidin in the root of Liangmianzhen (Z. nitidum (Roxb.) DC), a relative of Sichuan pepper, which is a spice widely used in China.     

Evolutionary aspects of the trade-off between seed size and number in crops

Whereas the concept that availability of resources drives seed production is sound in principle, it is incomplete as there are many solutions to the allocation of resources that derive from the trade-off between number and size. This paper examines evolutionary aspects of this trade-off in annual grain crops. The analysis is centred on the working hypotheses that, for a given species and environment, allocation of resources to reproduction involves (H1) high plasticity in seed number, which allows for variable resource availability, and (H2) a relatively narrow range of seed size that results from evolutionary and agronomic selection. Comparisons between crops and fish are used to highlight common evolutionary elements in taxa where parents provide little or no care to their offspring, with the consequence that both number and early survival of offspring, hence fitness of parents, are partially related to embryo size and reserves.

The plasticity of seed number in relation to availability of resources is analysed against the established relationship between offspring number and parent growth rate during critical stages. The notion that seed size is under stabilising selection is analysed against three conditions: (1) mean seed size is conservative for a given species and environment, (2) seed size affects fitness, and (3) seed size is heritable. Databases from published papers were compiled to analyse the relative variability of seed size and number, and the heritability of seed size. Evidence for and against the link between seed size and parental fitness is revised using the Smith–Fretwell model as framework (Am. Nat., 108, 499–506).

The proposal of high plasticity of seed number and narrow variability of seed size resulting from stabilising natural selection is generally consistent with evolutionary and genetic considerations. Agronomic selection may have reinforced natural selection leading to relatively narrow seed size in species such as wheat and soybean, where cultivated types retained high plasticity for seed number. In contrast, selection for one or few inflorescences in crops like sunflower and maize may have morphologically reduced seed number plasticity and increased variability of seed size and its responsiveness to resource availability in relation to their wild ancestors.     

Management of Soil Micronutrient Deficiencies in the Rice-Wheat Cropping System

Summary

Within the last three decades, the rice-wheat cropping system has triggered, and with time, aggravated soil micronutrient deficiencies in the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP). This has largely been due to the shift from an earlier rice and wheat monoculture with low yielding, long duration indigenous varieties, to an intensive rice-wheat rotation cropping system with short duration modern high yielding varieties on the same piece of land. The problems related to micronutrient deficiency in the IGP are more due to the size of its available pools in the soil rather than its total contents and are greatly influenced by crop management, or rather its mismanagement. Deficiency of zinc is widespread in the IGP, but with the extensive use of zinc sulfate, zinc deficiency has reduced in some areas of the region. Meanwhile, the deficiency of Fe, Mn and B has increased in the IGP. Deficiency of Cu and Mo is location specific and can limit rice and wheat yields. The adoption and spread of the rice-wheat system in permeable coarse textured soils, particularly in the western IGP, not only caused iron deficiency in rice but also resulted in the emergence of manganese deficiency in wheat. In highly calcareous and acidic soils, boron is the next limiting micronutrient in crop production after zinc. Bumper rice and wheat harvests in the past decade, the declining use of organic manures in the region and except for the widespread use of zinc sulfate, a general lack of awareness amongst farmers on micronutrient deficiency problems has contributed to micronutrients limiting rice and wheat yields in the IGP. Approaches to alleviating micronutrient deficiencies include matching the crop removals of the micronutrients with its replenishments through their respective external carriers, supplementation through organic sources and mobilization/utilization through cultivation of micronutrient efficient crop cultivars. Identification of efficient micronutrient carriers and finding the optimum rate, mode and time of its application is important in ameliorating the micronutrient deficiencies. This article reviews the extent of micronutrient deficiency and discusses various management options available to reduce micronutrient deficiency induced crop yield reduction for rice and wheat in the Indo-Gangetic Plains.