水分和CO2对玉米光合性能及水分利用率的影响

利用环境生长室探讨不同CO₂浓度和土壤水分亏缺处理下玉米植株生物量、气孔形态与分布特征、叶片气体交换参数、叶绿素荧光参数等生长及生理指标的变化规律。以‘郑单958’ 玉米品种为试材,利用环境生长室设置2个CO₂浓度和4个土壤水分梯度对玉米进行CO₂浓度和水分处理。结果表明：1）不同程度土壤水分亏缺均显著降低玉米地上生物量（P<0.05）,但CO₂浓度升高增加了轻度水分亏缺条件下玉米地上生物量（P<0.01）和总生物量（P<0.01）。2）大气CO₂浓度升高导致轻度和中度水分亏缺条件下玉米的净光合速率（P_n）分别提高15.8%（P<0.05）和25.7%（P=0.001）,而CO₂浓度升高却降低了玉米叶片蒸腾速率（P<0.001）和气孔导度（P<0.001）,最终导致玉米瞬时水分利用效率均显著提高（P<0.001）。3）不同水分处理对玉米叶片气孔密度和单个气孔形态特征均造成显著影响（P<0.01）。因此,大气CO₂浓度升高可以增加轻度水分亏缺条件下玉米叶片氮含量、叶片非结构性碳水化合物含量和光合电子传递速率,从而提高玉米植株的生物量累积以及叶片碳同化能力和水分利用效率。研究结果将为深入理解气候变化背景下玉米对大气CO₂浓度升高和土壤水分亏缺的生理生态响应机制提供科学依据。     

精氨酸对绵羊胴体品质、肉质特性及瘤胃细菌组成的影响

瘤胃细菌在绵羊骨骼肌脂肪酸沉积中起着重要作用。为研究精氨酸对绵羊胴体品质、肉质特性和瘤胃细菌组成的影响，探究瘤胃细菌变化与脂肪酸沉积之间的关系，利用宏基因组测序、气相色谱技术分析绵羊补饲精氨酸后瘤胃细菌组成和肌肉脂肪酸谱的变化，建立两者间的关联性。选取16只健康且体质量相近的3月龄绵羊，随机分为对照组（基础饲粮）和精氨酸组（基础饲粮+1%精氨酸），进行90 d的饲养试验。结果表明，与对照组相比，精氨酸组绵羊的背膘厚显著降低（P<0.05），背最长肌的亮度（L^*）值、黄度（b^*）值及剪切力值均显著减小（P<0.05），红度（a^*）值显著增加（P<0.05）。精氨酸组背最长肌十五烷酸、十七烷酸和十七碳烯酸的含量显著低于对照组（P<0.05），二十四碳烯酸、α-亚麻酸、二十二碳六烯酸和n-3多不饱和脂肪酸的含量显著高于对照组（P<0.05）；精氨酸组n-6/n-3多不饱和脂肪酸的比值显著降低（P<0.05）。宏基因组分析显示，补充精氨酸显著提高了瘤胃中梭菌属、月形单胞菌属、瘤胃球菌属和密螺旋体属的丰度（P<0.05），降低了丁酸弧菌属、副拟杆菌属、解琥珀酸菌属、甲烷短杆菌属和Butyrivibrio proteoclasticus的丰度（P<0.05）。此外，精氨酸组瘤胃中丁酸的含量显著增加（P<0.05）。关联性分析显示，丁酸弧菌属与n-3多不饱和脂肪酸呈显著负相关（P<0.05）与饱和脂肪酸呈显著正相关（P<0.05）；脂肪酸含量对肉的色泽和pH值有较大的影响。综上所述，精氨酸通过降低瘤胃氢化菌的数量，减少氢化的发生，促进肉中有益脂肪酸沉积，进而改善羊肉品质。研究结果为今后通过饲粮营养干预靶向调控瘤胃细菌提高羊肉品质提供参考。     

气升式光生物反应器培养海洋微藻的中试研究

采用自行设计的600 L气升式光生物反应器对两种海洋微藻湛江叉鞭金藻和盐藻进行了中试实验，重点研究了设备中安装内置光源和补充CO₂对于微藻生长和氮、磷含量的影响。结果表明：不同光质的内部光源对微藻作用不同，叉鞭金藻在蓝光和红光下生长最好，盐藻生长最快为红光组和白光组，而且补充内置光源使两种微藻氮含量升高，但对藻体磷含量影响不大；补充高浓度CO₂(700 μL·L^-1以上)能明显提高两种微藻生物量，并使藻体氮、磷含量有所增加。用该技术培养的微藻生长速度快，产量稳定，中试实验结果可为进一步推广应用奠定基础。     

扰流风机降温对奶牛泌乳性能和免疫功能的影响

为研究奶牛舍采用扰流风机降温对奶牛泌乳性能和免疫功能的影响,该研究选择结构和饲养管理相同的两栋泌乳牛舍,检测安装风机（风机舍）和不安装风机（对照舍）对不同时期奶牛泌乳性能、淋巴细胞凋亡率、血液理化指标及免疫相关基因mRNA表达的影响,并分析奶牛泌乳性能、免疫性能指标与等温指数（equivalent temperature index for cattle,ETIC）之间的相关性。结果表明：1）安装风机改善了舍内温热环境,整个试验期风机舍的平均ETIC较对照舍降低了3.52 ℃,有效缓解了奶牛的热应激。2）风机舍的产奶量和4%标准乳在试验中、后期均显著高于对照舍（P<0.05）,且风机舍的乳脂率较对照舍也表现出显著性提高（P<0.05）。3）安装风机改善了热应激条件下奶牛的免疫功能。与对照舍相比,风机舍奶牛血液中淋巴细胞数量在试验中、后期显著增加（P<0.05）,并降低了淋巴细胞的早期凋亡率（P<0.05）,淋巴细胞中促凋亡因子Bax的mRNA表达量及其血清浓度在试验后期均表现出显著性降低（P<0.05）,抗凋亡因子Bcl-xl的mRNA表达量（P<0.01）及其血清浓度（P<0.10）在试验中、后期表现出增加趋势。此外,风机舍的血清白细胞介素-12（Interleukin-12, IL-12）和免疫球蛋白G（Immunoglobulin G, IgG）浓度较对照舍也表现出显著性增加（P<0.05）。4）从各项指标之间的相关分析得出,乳蛋白率、淋巴细胞数量与ETIC均呈显著负相关关系（P<0.05）,淋巴细胞BAK mRNA表达、血清IL-6浓度与ETIC呈显著正相关关系（P<0.05）。 可见,安装扰流风机可改善舍内温热环境,有效缓解夏季奶牛的热应激,提高奶牛生产性能和免疫功能。     

高油脂产率微藻的筛选及发酵条件的优化

本研究旨在从自然水域分离、筛选出高油脂产率的微藻藻株,对其生产油脂的发酵条件进行优化,以期为用微藻制备生物柴油的工业化生产打下基础.从不同淡水环境中分离纯化了17株微藻,根据形态特征对这些微藻进行了初步鉴定.比较了其中11株微藻的生物量、油脂含量及油脂产率.从中选取生物量和油脂含量都较高的椭圆栅藻(Scenedesmus ovalternus)、雷氏衣藻(Chlamydomonas reinhardii)和蛋白核小球藻(Chlorella pyrenoidosa)3株微藻,研究了光照、温度、pH、碳源、氮源及不同水平碳氮源组合对其比生长速率和油脂产率的影响,结果表明,添加葡萄糖作为碳源时3株微藻生长较快,油脂产率较高;其最适发酵温度为28(2;椭圆栅藻和蛋白核小球藻最适pH为7,而雷氏衣藻最适pH为9;葡萄糖和尿素分别为这3种微藻的最适碳源和氮源.从油脂产率方面考虑,椭圆栅藻的最佳碳、氮源组合为:30g/L葡萄糖和2.1 g/L尿素;蛋白核小球藻的最佳碳、氮源组合为:40 g/L葡萄糖和2.1g/L尿素;雷氏衣藻则为:30/L葡萄糖和1.2g/L尿素.雷氏衣藻和蛋白核小球藻的5 L发酵试验表明,与摇瓶培养相比,发酵培养时间由7 d缩短为5 d,OD540nm分别可达61.2和59.9,而且2株微藻生物量干重分别由11.2 g/L和8.8 g/L提高到26.58 g/L和20.19 g/L,油脂含量分别由20.3%和17.2%提高到23.2%和20.1%,油脂产率分别由0.3248 g/L/d和0.2162 g/L/a提高到1.2333 g/L/d和0.8112 g/L/a.本研究结果表明,从天然水域分离、筛选得到的两株微藻雷氏衣藻(Y7)、蛋白核小球藻(Y9)经过发酵条件优化控制油脂产率分别可达1.2333 g/L/a和0.8112 g/L/a,有望应用于利用微藻制备生物柴油的工业化生产.     

氮肥和品种及种植密度对春玉米机械化收获性状及产量的影响

机械化收获是提高农业生产效率的重要措施，但机械化收获受倒伏、籽粒脱水特性和收获籽粒含水率等的影响。为探讨春玉米形态结构与抗倒伏性之间的关系、籽粒脱水进程和收获籽粒含水率对品种、施氮量和种植密度的响应，该研究以先玉335和陕单609为试验材料，设置0、180和225 kg/hm² 三个氮肥水平、6.5×10⁴和8.5×10⁴ 株/hm² 两个种植密度，通过2 a大田试验研究品种、种植密度和氮肥对株高、茎粗、穗位系数、抗折强度、弯曲力矩、倒伏系数、灌浆末期籽粒脱水速率、收获籽粒含水率、产量和生物量等的影响。结果表明：不施氮条件下，株高和茎粗对倒伏系数影响较大；施氮条件下，倒伏系数主要受弯曲力矩、抗折强度和株高影响。施氮显著降低陕单609的倒伏系数（P<0.05），施氮处理下陕单609的株高和茎粗较不施氮处理分别增加8%～21%和26%～45%，抗折强度和弯曲力矩分别增加157%～277%和72%～114%，倒伏系数降低30%～47%。施氮可降低籽粒脱水速率，推迟脱水进程，显著增加收获籽粒含水率（P<0.05）。施氮处理籽粒含水率较不施氮处理提高7%～9%。高密度处理收获籽粒含水率比低密度处理低3%（P<0.05）。先玉335的籽粒脱水速率快，收获籽粒含水率比陕单609低7%（P<0.05）。与不施氮处理相比，施氮处理产量和生物量分别显著提高92%和63%（P<0.05）。与低密度处理相比，高密度处理产量显著增加12%（P<0.05）。综上所述，春玉米的倒伏性、灌浆后期籽粒脱水速率及收获籽粒含水率受品种特性影响，也受施肥、栽培措施和气候条件的显著影响。选育籽粒脱水快的品种、适当增加种植密度并合理统筹氮肥施用量可以提高春玉米机械化收获适宜性。     

控释掺混肥对麦玉轮作体系农田温室气体排放和硝态氮残留的影响

为阐明控释肥对冬小麦-夏玉米轮作体系作物产量、温室气体排放和硝态氮残留的影响,该研究以郑单958（夏玉米）和济麦22（冬小麦）为供试材料,设不施氮对照（CK）、常规施氮（FFP）、优化施氮（OPT）、含30%控释尿素的控释掺混肥（夏玉米）和含50%控释尿素的控释掺混肥（冬小麦）（CRBF1）、含50%控释尿素的控释掺混肥（夏玉米）和含70%控释尿素的控释掺混肥（冬小麦）（CRBF2）共5个处理,对比分析了不同处理的冬小麦、夏玉米及周年产量、温室气体排放和土壤硝态氮残留的差异。结果表明,施氮可显著提高麦玉轮作系统单季和周年作物产量（P<0.05）。与FFP相比,CRBF1和CRBF2处理的夏玉米、冬小麦和周年产量分别提高了1.4%～3.0%、1.9%～3.4%和1.6%～3.1%（P>0.05）。施氮显著增加了麦玉轮作体系的土壤N₂O和CO₂的周年排放（P<0.05）。CRBF1和CRBF2处理的土壤N₂O周年排放总量较FFP处理显著降低了27.7%～34.6%（P <0.05）。施氮显著增加了麦玉轮作体系的周年全球增温潜势（GWP）（P<0.05）。CRBF1和CRBF2处理的周年GWP较FFP处理降低了4.2%和5.7%,其中CRBF2处理差异显著（P<0.05）。施氮降低了麦玉轮作体系的周年温室气体排放强度（GHGI）。CRBF1和CRBF2处理的周年GHGI较FFP处理降低了5.6%～8.6%（P>0.05）。与FFP相比,CRBF1和CRBF2处理的100~200 cm土层硝态氮残留降低30.6%～34.3%（P<0.05）,减少了硝态氮淋失风险。综上所述,控释掺混肥在稳定作物产量、减少温室气体排放和土壤硝态氮残留方面具有积极作用,研究结果可为麦玉轮作体系的轻简高效氮肥管理提供数据支持和理论支撑。     

低温对高浓度人尿液废水培养小球藻的影响

针对寒区气温低，微藻培养过程加热能耗大的问题，以蛋白核小球藻Chlorella pyrenoidosa和普通小球藻 Chlorella sp为试验藻种，利用人工气候培养箱，在人尿液废水添加比例40%条件下，研究2种小球藻在15.0、17.5、20.0、22.5、25.0 ℃较低温度下的生长特性和小球藻蛋白质含量，以及培养液中营养物质的利用情况。结果表明，2种小球藻均可以在高浓度尿液废水中生长，蛋白核小球藻Chlorella pyrenoidosa对各试验组培养液中总氮、氨氮、总磷和化学需氧量（Chemical Oxygen Demand, COD）的平均去除率分别达到78.02%、79.59%、79.31%、20.11%，最大生物量达到0.502 g/L；普通小球藻 Chlorella sp对培养液中总氮、氨氮、总磷和COD的去除效果更好，平均去除率分别达到87.90%、89.55%、89.29%、68.66%，最大生物量达到1.007 g/L。2种小球藻对低温的响应均呈现随温度的升高生物量和培养液中相关指标的去除率也随之增大的趋势，但不同温度区段的变化率存在差异，温度为20.0 ℃及以上时变化较小，温度低于20.0 ℃时变化较大。并且在微藻培养各指标中，微藻的生物量和蛋白含量，以及培养液中的COD含量变化较大，而培养液中的总氮、氨氮、总磷的变化规律差别较小。普通小球藻Chlorella sp对低温的耐受特性明显优于蛋白核小球藻Chlorella pyrenoidosa，普通小球藻 Chlorella sp更适合在低温条件下用于高浓度尿液废水的处理和资源化。该研究为寒区微藻的低耗高效培养和尿液废水的资源化利用提供理论支持。     

长期保护性耕作对坡耕地黑土有机碳组分的影响

为对比长期保护性耕作模式与传统耕作模式对黑土有机碳组分的差异化,揭示长期保护性耕作对侵蚀退化黑土质量的恢复作用。基于典型黑土坡耕地连续15 a保护性耕作长期定位田间试验,设置免耕保护性耕作（NT）和旋耕传统耕作（CT）2个田间耕作试验,并实行玉米-大豆轮作模式,测定并分析了两种耕作措施下土壤有机碳及其不同碳组分随土壤剖面的垂直分布及变化特征。结果表明：连续实施15 a的NT与CT相比分别显著提高0～5和>5～10 cm土层的土壤有机碳质量分数（29.54%和22.38%）（P<0.05）,碳储量（31.11%和27.34%）（P<0.05）,全氮质量分数（53.74%和37.60%）（P<0.05）,表层土壤碳氮质量分数提升显著（P<0.05）,深层土壤碳氮质量分数变化不显著;以>5～10 cm土层土壤颗粒有机碳（69.85%）、0～5 cm土层的土壤轻组有机碳（130.81%）和0～5、>5～10 cm土层土壤微生物量碳（85.59%和59.53%）的提升为主,并且对深层土壤有机碳组分也产生一定的积极影响;耕作效应对于土壤团聚体稳定性指标影响显著（P<0.05）,并且土壤团聚体稳定性指标对于SOC质量分数提升也起到了关键作用。研究表明,与传统耕作相比,连续实施15 a保护性耕作,增加的有机碳以活性有机碳为主。长期的保护性耕作对恢复退化农田黑土质量及土壤固碳均具有重要意义。     

三氯异氰尿酸对马铃薯连作障碍土壤微生物群落组成的影响

采用盆栽试验，选择三氯异氰尿酸(TCCA)为土壤消毒剂，研究不同施用量TCCA对马铃薯连作障碍土壤微生物群落组成的影响。TCCA施用量设置分别为：0(CK)，30 kg/hm²(S₃₀)，60 kg/hm²(S₆₀)和120 kg/hm²(S₁₂₀)。结果表明：与CK处理相比，S₆₀和S₁₂₀处理显著提高土壤pH(P<0.05)，分别提高0.15个和0.26个单位；显著增加土壤可溶性有机碳含量 (P<0.05)，增幅分别为30.4% 和83.5%；显著提高土壤铵态氮含量(P<0.05)，分别提高3.3倍和9.7倍。同时，S₆₀和S₁₂₀处理显著影响了土壤微生物优势菌属的相对丰度(P<0.05)。与CK处理相比，在门水平上，S₆₀和S₁₂₀处理下土壤变形菌门(Proteobacteria)的增幅达55.3% 和85.9%，子囊菌门(Ascomycota)的增幅达16.7% 和35.1%；在属水平上，S₆₀和S₁₂₀处理下显著降低马铃薯致病菌链霉菌属(Streptomyces)的相对丰度(P<0.05)，降幅达35.7% 和57.1%。主坐标(PCoA)分析表明，S₆₀和S₁₂₀处理与CK处理的细菌和真菌的群落结构截然不同。除了TCCA直接杀菌的影响，冗余分析(RDA)显示，土壤pH和铵态氮含量亦是影响微生物群落组成变化的关键因子。     

Agricultural potential of Mediterranean grain and forage legumes: Key differences between and within Vicia species in terms of phenology, yield, and agronomy give insight into plant adaptation to semi-arid environments

In order to identify key adaptive traits which affect productivity in Mediterranean grain and forage legumes and simultaneously determine the agricultural potential of a wide range of Vicia species, germplasm collected from the wild throughout the eastern Mediterranean was grown under semi-arid conditions in Tel Hadya, Syria (313 mm growing season rainfall). These included species currently in use in Mediterranean agriculture, such as V. sativa L., as well as those more widely used in the past-such as V. ervilia L., but also a broad selection from Section Narbonensis (B. Fedtsch. ex Radzhi) Maxted, including V. narbonensis L, V. johannis Tamamsch., V. hyaeniscyamus Mout., V. serratifolia Jacq., and V. kalakhensis Khattab et al. V. faba, a near relative of the taxa in Section Narbonensis, was included as a domesticated control. Where applicable, a representative range of subspecies was used. Accessions were chosen from a wide range of habitats in terms of latitude (31.02–40.72 decimal^o), longitude (27.1–43.17 decimal^o), altitude (20–1510 m), rainfall (180–1700 mm/yr) and soil depth (5–50 cm) in order to maximise diversity within species. Agricultural potential was determined by measuring seed, hay and biological yield, as well as agronomic traits such as harvest index, standing crop height, and seed size. The comparative influence of phenology and key agronomic traits such as plant habit and seed size on productivity varied tremendously between species, depending on their reproductive strategies. In V. sativa and V. ervilia, the smaller seed species which rely on long vegetative phases and growing seasons to accumulate sufficient biomass to set seed, and in which there was comparatively little agronomic variation, phenology had a large impact on yield. In early emerging taxa such as V. ervilia and V. s. subsp. sativa, with built-in long vegetative phases and growing seasons, seed yield was negatively correlated with flower ing (r = –0.86 to –0.88), whereas the opposite was the case for later emerging taxa such as V. s. subsp. nigra (L.) Ehrh. (r = 0.95). Within V. narbonensis and relatives, the larger seeded Vicia species which rely on more conservative reproductive strategies where high seedling vigour associated with large seeds enables the species to enter reproductive phases relatively early, phenology had a much smaller impact on yield than did variation of key traits such as seed weight, plant habit and pod shattering. Among the undomesticated germplasm harvest indices ranged from 0.09–0.31, hay yields from 0.1–3.4 t/ha, seed yield from 0–2.0 t/ha, and dry matter at maturity from 1.6–6.5 t/ha. Sub-specific taxonomy was crucial in determining agronomic potential. V. narbonensis var. aegyptiaca Kornhuber ex Asch. et Schweinf. showed the most potential, combining an upright habit, large seeds (212 mg) and tendency to retain intact pods after maturity, with the highest yield, harvest index and crop height of all the wild Vicia species. V. sativa subsp. sativa, V. ervilia and V. narbonensis var. narbonensis were less productive, but still showed agricultural potential. The smaller seeded V. narbonensis, var. affinis, var. jordanica H. Schäf. and var. salmonea (Mout.) H. Schäf., and their close relatives V. johannis, V. hyaeniscyamus, V. serratifolia and V. kalakhensis have little to offer Mediterranean agriculture on the basis of poor agronomy.     

On the Taxonomy of the Members of ‘Saccharum Complex’

The difficulty and problems encountered in the study of cultivated plants, in general and sugarcane, in particular has been indicated. In order to understand these problems, a brief review on the taxonomy of Saccharum and closely related taxa, namely, Erianthus, Sclerostachya, Narenga and Miscanthus (generally known as ‘Saccharum complex’) has been given. A short account on the important morphological features that are specific to sugarcane has also been stated as classification is commonly based on such morphological characters. A note has been added on the chromosome number, origin, and distribution of the species of ‘Saccharum complex’ members. Taxonomic keys have been devised for identification of the genera of Saccharinae and for the species of Saccharum and Erianthus occurring in India. A new combination, Sclerostachya fallax (Balansa) Amalraj et Balasundaram, has also been proposed.     

Polymorphism of high molecular weight glutenin subunits in three species of Aegilops

A collection of 136 accessions of Aegilops umbellulata (39), Ae. comosa (75) and Ae. markgrafii (22) was analysed for high-molecular-weight (HMW) glutenin subunits composition. The homogeneity of the accessions was studied and 55.1% of the collection was homogeneous for HMW glutenin subunits (29 Ae. umbellulata, 33 Ae. comosa and 14 Ae. markgrafii). The HMW glutenin subunits of Ae. umbellulata are encoded by the Glu-U1 locus; in Ae. comosa results showed that this proteins are encoded at the 1M chromosome, and the locus was named Glu-M1. In Ae. markgrafii it was assumed that HMW glutenin subunits were encoded by an homoeologous locus and it was named Glu-C1. All the accessions of Ae. umbellulata and Ae. markgrafii expressed both, x-type and y-type subunits. Among the Ae. comosa accessions, only one expressed an x-type subunit alone. All the accessions of Ae. umbellulata and some of Ae. comosa had x-type glutenins of higher molecular weights than those commonly present in bread wheat. A total of 8 alleles were detected at the Glu-U1 locus, 11 at the Glu-M1 and 4 at the Glu-C1. The new HMW glutenin variation found in this work suggests their possible utilisation in breeding for wheat quality.     

Effect of agroforestry woody species on earthworm activity and physicochemical properties of worm casts

The effects of five agroforestry woody species (Dactyladenia barteri, Gliricidia sepium, Leucaena leucocephala, Senna siamea andTreculia africana) on the surface aasting activity ofHyperiodrilus africanus were studied in an Alfisol (Oxic Paleustalf) in southwestern Nigeria. Casting activity under the woody species decreased in the following order:Dactyladenia sp. (26.4 Mg ha^-1 year^-1)>Gliricidia sp. (24.4 Mg ha^-1 year^-1)>Treculia sp. (22.9 Mg ha^-1 year^-1)>Leucaena sp. (18.6 Mg ha^-1 year^-1)>Senna sp. (18.3 Mg ha^-1 year^-1). These differences in casting activity were partly explained by microclimatic effects. Irrespective of the woody species, the worm casts were higher in clay and silt contents, bulk density, water-stable aggregates, pH, organic C, exchangeable cations, effective cation exchange capacity, and extractable P levels than the corresponding surface soils. The woody species did affect the physicochemical properties and P sorption of the worm casts. The content of water-stable aggregates of worm casts decreased in the following order:Dactyladenia sp.>Treculia sp.>Senna sp.>Leucaena sp.>Gliricidia sp. Large differences in extractable P levels were observed.Senna sp. was associated with the highest extractable P level (11.5 mg kg^-1) andTreculia sp. the lowest (4.9 mg kg^-1). P sorption was highest on worm casts underDactyladenia sp. and lowest on those underTreculia sp. Without fertilizer application, there were no significant differences in the dry weight of maize grown in the different worm casts. With NPK applications, the dry weight of maize grown in worm casts associated withTreculia sp. was significantly lower than that of maize grown in the other worm casts, mainly due to the low extractable P level. Despite a high organic C and exchangeable K status, maize grown in the worm casts still responded significantly to N and K applications. The N uptake by maize grown in worm casts associated withTreculia sp. was lower than that in the other treatments.     

Genetic diversity of rhizobia associated with indigenous legumes in different regions of Flanders (Belgium)

We investigated the diversity of rhizobia isolated from different indigenous legumes in Flanders (Belgium). A total of 3810 bacterial strains were analysed originating from 43 plant species. Based on rep-PCR clustering, 16S rRNA gene and recA gene sequence analysis, these isolates belonged to Bradyrhizobium, Ensifer (Sinorhizobium), Mesorhizobium and Rhizobium. Of the genera encountered, Rhizobium was the most abundant (62%) and especially the species Rhizobiumleguminosarum, followed by Ensifer (19%), Bradyrhizobium (14%) and finally Mesorhizobium (5%). For two rep-clusters only low similarity values with other genera were found for both the 16S rRNA and recA genes, suggesting that these may represent a new genus with close relationship to Rhodopseudomonas and Bradyrhizobium. Primers for the symbiotic genes nodC and nifH were optimized and a phylogenetic sequence analysis revealed the presence of different symbiovars including genistearum, glycinearum, loti, meliloti, officinalis, trifolii and viciae. Moreover, three new nodC types were assigned to strains originating from Ononis, Robinia and Wisteria, respectively. Discriminant and MANOVA analysis confirmed the correlation of symbiosis genes with certain bacterial genera and less with the host plant. Multiple symbiovars can be present within the same host plant, suggesting the promiscuity of these plants. Moreover, the ecoregion did not contribute to the separation of the bacterial endosymbionts. Our results reveal a large diversity of rhizobia associated with indigenous legumes in Flanders. Most of the legumes harboured more than one rhizobial endosymbiont in their root nodules indicating the importance of including sufficient isolates per plant in diversity studies.     

Diversity of native rice (Oryza Poaceae:) species of Costa Rica

We found several populations of wild Oryza species in the lowlands of Costa Rica. The plants showed extensive morphological variation, suggesting the presence of several species. In the morphologic study, 33 traits were scored for plants of all the species. A principal component analysis revealed the significant morphological separation of the different species. The analyses indicated that there are three species, O. grandi­glumis, O. latifolia and O. glumaepatula. Two putative hybrid types were found, both significantly differing in their morphology from the known species and intermediate at several traits. O. grandi­glumis is a new record for Costa Rican flora. Its main population is located in Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge, Los Chiles, Alajuela. O. latifolia is distributed throughout the lowlands of the country and the plants of the Atlantic slope are significantly bigger in general habit than those of the Guanacaste area. During this study a population of O. glumaepatula of hundreds of thousands of plants was discovered in the Medio Queso River wetland, Los Chiles, Alajuela. This population is the most important source of genes for cultivar's improvement from the primary gene pool of rice in Costa Rica. The small ligule and the wide flag leaf characteristic of the two CCDD species separated them from the AA diploid O. glumaepatula. Seed size, ligule size, number of branches in the panicle, plant height and sterile lemma length are all bigger in O. grandi­glumis, and influenced the second factor that separated the CCDD species in two discrete clusters. The species found offer great possibilities for the improvement of rice cultivars and they should be thoroughly studied and appropriately protected.     

Phylogenetic relationships of Actinidia and related genera based on micromorphological characters of foliar trichomes

The phylogenetic relationships within the genus Actinidia and among 3 allied genera Clematoclethra, Saurauia, and Sladenia have been very controversial. In order to understand the systematic implication of foliar trichomes in those genera, the micromorphological characteristics of foliar trichomes from 34 taxa were examined by means of light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The observed micromorphological characteristics were classified into eight main types. A phylogenetic analysis of Actinidia and related genera based on 15 micromorphological characters of foliar trichomes was conducted using Wagner parsimony method and Sladenia celastrifolia, Rhododendron hybridum and R. simsii as a complex outgroup. In the resulting phylogenetic tree, Actinidia is shown to be a monophyletic group, and Clematoclethra and Saurauia form another monophyletic group. This study also presents the phylogenetic relationships among 4 sections within the genus Actinidia: the monophyly of sect. Leiocarpae and of sect. Strigosae, and polyphyly of sect. Maculatae and of sect. Stellatae.     

Powdery Mildew Resistance in a Collection of Chinese Barley Varieties

One hundred and forty-seven Chinese barley varieties maintained at the Gene Bank of the National Barley Improvement Centre, Zhejiang, and 84 progenies from these varieties were tested at the seedling stage for their reaction to 32 selected pathotypes of Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei. Eighteen resistance spectra were identified comprising single or combined resistances from eight known (Ml(Bw), Ml(Ch), Mla7, Mla8, Mla9, Mla13, MlaRu4 and Mlg) and six unknown resistance genes. The most frequent gene was Ml(Bw), which was found in 69 varieties and previously detected in only a few European winter barley varieties. The genes Mla8 and Ml(Ch) were also often present, but other resistance genes were rare. After inoculation, considerably fewer pathogen colonies were observed in ‘Aiganqi’ and one line of ‘Tong5’. Twenty varieties were composed of lines with different resistance genes. China is likely to be a region of origin of the genes Ml(Bw), Mla7, as well as three unknown genes found in original landraces and perhaps another three unknown genes detected in cultivars bred in China. The resistances of varieties from the Zhejiang province and those originating from 11 other Chinese provinces were quite different. Unfortunately, none of the varieties are promising sources of resistance to powdery mildew and China does not seem to be a region suitable for identifying such sources.