胰岛素和葡萄糖对水牛体外受精早期胚胎发育的影响

探讨了不同浓度的胰岛素和葡萄糖对水牛体外受精早期胚胎体外发育的影响。结果表明,添加胰岛素浓度为5μg/mL时,水牛早期胚胎的囊胚发育率、囊胚细胞数及冷冻-解冻后胚胎的孵化率都显著高于对照组及其他浓度组(P<0.05);加入葡萄糖的浓度大于6 mm o l/L时显著影响水牛早期胚胎发育到囊胚及孵化囊胚的阶段(P<0.05);联合添加胰岛素和葡萄糖时能显著提高水牛早期胚胎的孵化囊胚率、总囊胚率和囊胚细胞数(P<0.05)。实验证实,浓度为5μg/mL胰岛素能促进水牛体外受精早期胚胎的发育;在TCM-199中单独添加葡萄糖是不必要的,联合添加葡萄糖和胰岛素能促进水牛体外受精早期胚胎的发育。     

供体细胞不同性别和处理方式对异种克隆牦牛胚胎发育的影响

以黄牛(Bos taurus)卵母细胞为受体,牦牛(Bos grummiens)耳成纤维细胞为核供体进行体细胞核移植,研究供体细胞性别、细胞周期同期化处理方式及冷冻对异种克隆牦牛胚胎发育的影响.结果显示,雄性供体细胞的异种克隆牦牛囊胚发育率显著高于雌性供体细胞(56.6% vs 39.5%,P<0.05),但卵裂率和囊胚细胞数差异不显著;血清饥饿和接触抑制提供的供体细胞对异种克隆牦牛胚胎发育率和胚胎质量的影响没有明显差别;供体细胞冷冻-解冻组的克隆胚胎卵裂率明显低于新鲜消化组(54.5% vs 78.2%,P<0.05),但两组之间的囊胚率和囊胚细胞数没有显著差异.说明供体细胞的性别对异种克隆牦牛囊胚发育有影响,而同期化处理和细胞冷冻对异种克隆牦牛囊胚发育影响很小.     

农业生物技术学报

研究了生物频谱辐射对小鼠桑椹胚玻璃化冷冻后体内外发育的影响，并采用荧光染色法对经生物频谱辐射前后的胚胎进行囊胚细胞计数，以评估生物频谱对冷冻损伤的恢复程度。结果表明在EFS40 玻璃化溶液中处理1min一步法冷冻保存的胚胎，解冻后经生物频谱辐射，其发育率由对照组的54％提高到98％，差异极显著（P< 0.01）。冷冻胚胎辐射后移植于同期化处理的受体子宫中，妊娠率和产仔率与对照组相比差异均不显著（40％∶56％；50％∶42％）（P> 0.05）。将新鲜胚、经辐射的新鲜胚、冷冻胚、冷冻后经生物频谱照射共四组胚胎，用 H33342 染色，证实冷冻后胚胎的囊胚细胞数与对照组（新鲜胚）相比显著减少（24±3.4∶52±5.4）（ P< 0.01）。解冻后的胚胎经生物频谱辐射后，其囊胚细胞数显著高于不加辐射组（35±5.624±3.4）（P< 0.01）。另外，新鲜胚胎用生物频谱辐射后，其囊胚细胞数（49±3.1） 与对照组相比无显著差异（P> 0.05）。     

氧分压、培养基及微孔对小鼠胚胎体外发育的影响

通过小鼠(Mus musculus)胚胎体外培养,研究了培养基与不同氧分压环境之间是否存在偏好性;同时利用人体呼出的生理混合气体(肺气)对小鼠胚胎体外培养的可行性进行了探索;还比较了微孔(well of the well,WOW)培养法和成组培养法对胚胎发育的影响.结果表明:①在4%CO2+16%O2+78%N2+2%H2O(肺气)、5%CO2+5%O2+90%N2(5%O2,低氧)和5%CO2+20%O2+75%N2(20%O2,高氧)三种气相条件下,CZB和mKSOM两种培养基之间的胚胎卵裂率及囊胚率均差异不显著(P>0.05),但是,在肺气组中,CZB组的囊胚平均总细胞数明显高于mKSOM组(P<0.05);②低氧条件下,mKSOM组的囊胚率(22.6%)显著高于高氧和肺气条件下mKSOM组的囊胚率(P<0.05);③CZB培养基在低氧条件下获得的囊胚率与高氧或肺气条件下所获囊胚率差异不显著(P>0.05);④WOW培养法的囊胚发育率(74.6±5.1%)和囊胚平均总细胞数(76±2)显著高于成组培养法(分别为38.2±6.6%和58±4)(P<0.05).结果提示:培养基mKSOM和CZB在支持胚胎发育时对氧分压具有偏好性;肺气能有效支持胚胎的正常发育;WOW培养法有利于提高胚胎体外发育能力和囊胚质量.     

供体细胞不同来源和处理方式对牦牛异种克隆胚胎发育的影响

本文以黄牛卵母细胞胞质为受体,牦牛耳成纤维细胞为核供体进行体细胞核移植,研究供体细胞性别、细胞周期同期化处理方式及冷冻对牦牛异种克隆胚胎发育的影响。结果显示：雄性供体细胞的牦牛异种克隆囊胚发育率显著高于雌性供体细胞（56.6% vs 39.5％,P﹤0.05）,但卵裂率和囊胚细胞数差异不显著;血清饥饿和接触抑制提供的供体细胞对牦牛异种克隆胚胎发育率和胚胎质量的影响没有明显差别;供体细胞冷冻后解冻组的克隆胚胎卵裂率明显低于新鲜消化组（54.5％ vs 78.2％,P﹤0.05）,但两组之间的囊胚率和囊胚细胞数没有显著差异。说明供体细胞的性别对牦牛异种克隆囊胚发育有影响,而同期化处理和细胞冷冻对牦牛异种克隆囊胚发育影响很少。     

牛体外胚胎质量检测与评价

来源于体外成熟和体外受精的牛早期胚胎与不同细胞的单层细胞共同培养，以检测不同阶段胚胎的细胞数。本研究共检测了３１５３枚桑椹胚和囊胚。通过体外培养４～１０ｄ，不同阶段的胚胎，早期桑椹胚、紧凑型桑椹胚、早期囊胚、囊胚、待扩展囊胚、扩展囊胚、待孵化囊胚和孵化囊胚，经检测其细胞数分别为：４５，６９，７０，８８，１０３，１２７，１３９和１５１。第９ｄ的囊胚细胞数比第７ｄ或第８ｄ的囊胚细胞数无显著差异，然而，不同等级的囊胚的细胞数差异显著（Ｐ＜０．０５）；同时，细胞数少的胚胎发育也慢。通过囊胚免疫法检测，第７ｄ、第８ｄ和第９ｄ回收的扩展囊胚的细胞数分别为６６，６０和５２。此外，虽然在子宫内膜细胞或输卵管细胞－子宫内膜细胞的单层细胞上的囊胚发育慢，且发育率低，但其细胞数与在其它单层细胞上发育的囊胚相比无显著差异。试验结果表明，通过体外化培养出来的囊胚细胞数也能达到体内囊胚的水平。     

山羊卵母细胞无血清体外成熟培养

为研究无血清培养系统对山羊卵母细胞体外成熟及孤雌激活胚胎早期发育力的影响,分别以0.3%牛血清蛋白(BSA)(mV)、1%聚乙烯醇(PVA)(mV)和1%胰岛素转铁蛋白亚硒酸钠(ITS)(VV)代替成熟培养液中胎牛血清(FBS),以添加5?S的OM为对照组,对来源于屠宰场的卵巢卵母细胞复合体(COCs)进行体外培养。成熟率PVA添加组(50.00%)显著低于FBS组(83.23%)(P<0.01)、BSA组(71.19%)和ITS组(76.79%),与FBS组无显著差异(P>0.05);成熟卵母细胞用离子霉素联合6-DMAP激活,在SOFaa中进行孤雌胚培养,BSA、PVA、ITS及FBS各组的卵裂率依次为61.90%、46.97%、79.07%和83.58%,囊胚率分别为25.00%、19.70%、55.81%和60.45%。结果表明:在OM基础培养液中添加BSA或PVA,卵母细胞的成熟率明显低于添加FBS,且卵裂率和囊胚发育率也低于对照组(P<0.05或P<0.01);添加ITS,卵母细胞成熟率虽低于对照组,但孤雌胚卵裂率和囊胚发育率与对照组接近(P>0.05)。表明以ITS代替FBS,可用于山羊卵母细胞体外成熟培养。     

丁内酯-Ⅰ对绵羊卵母细胞体外成熟和受精的影响

绵羊(Ovis arise)卵母细胞经丁内酯-Ⅰ(BL-Ⅰ)抑制培养,然后转入成熟培养液培养不同时间,进行体外受精并观察胚胎发育情况.结果表明,解除8 h抑制再培养8 h组处于MⅡ期卵母细胞率6.38%,显著低于其它组(P<0.01).继续培养16和20 h的卵母细胞成熟率与对照组(常规培养24 h)差异不显著,培养24 h组卵母细胞成熟率(70.83%)稍高于对照组(66.18%),但差异不显著(P>0.05).培养16和20 h组囊胚率分别为2.99%和13.64%与对照组24.39%差异显著(P<0.05),培养24 h组的囊胚率20.33%与对照组差异不显著(P>0.05).表明BL-Ⅰ对绵羊卵母细胞的体外成熟有明显抑制作用,但其抑制作用是可逆的,而经BL-Ⅰ处理后未能提高绵羊卵母细胞体外受精和胚胎的整体发育能力.     

重离子束辐照对绵羊卵母细胞及体外受精卵早期发育的影响

试验探索重离子束辐照对绵羊卵母细胞的体外成熟及体外受精卵早期胚胎发育的影响。用不同剂量的重离子束辐照绵羊卵母细胞和精液,观察卵母细胞体外成熟率及体外受精后早起胚胎的卵裂率、桑椹胚率及囊胚率。试验结果显示:与对照组相比,1.0、1.5Gy辐射可以明显提高绵羊卵母细胞的体外成熟率(p0.01);重离子辐照绵羊精液和卵母细胞并做体外受精后,早期胚胎发育有着显著变化。当用0.5、1.0Gy剂量辐照精液时,绵羊早期胚胎的卵裂率和桑葚胚率显著升高(p0.05),囊胚率无显著变化,1.5 Gy剂量,卵裂率显著提高(p0.05),2.0 Gy剂量,卵裂率、桑葚胚率、囊胚发育率均极显著降低(p0.01);当重离子束辐照卵母细胞时,0.5、1.0Gy剂量组的卵裂率、桑葚胚率和囊胚发育率显著升高(p0.05),而2.0Gy剂量组的卵裂率和桑葚胚发育率极显著降低(p0.01),而囊胚发育率为0。结果表明低剂量的重离子辐照绵羊精液、卵母细胞,对体外受精和早期胚胎发育具有明显的促进作用,而高剂量辐照则抑制细胞的生长发育。     

OPS法玻璃化冷冻牛卵母细胞和囊胚

本文报道了利用拉细开口型细管 (Open Pulled Straw,OPS)方法进行玻璃化冷冻保存体外成熟(IVM)的牛卵母细胞及体外生产 (IVP)的牛囊胚的实验结果。实验 1的牛卵母细胞冷冻处理分 2组 ,组 1(G1 )是将卵母细胞在 IVM2 1 h时去除部分卵丘细胞后马上进行冷冻处理。组 2 (G2 )卵母细胞在 IVM6h时去除部分卵丘细胞 ,然后继续培养至 2 2 h冷冻 ;冷冻后的卵母细胞在液氮中保存 0 .5～ 2 h后解冻再继续 IVM1 h后与正常 IVM2 4h的对照组卵母细胞一起进行体外受精 (IVF)处理。实验 2则冷冻了来自IVP的 6、 7日龄的牛囊胚。结果显示 ,G1的卵母细胞 IVF后 8d的囊胚率 (2 2 .8% ,2 6/1 1 4)和孵化囊胚率 (1 4.9% ,1 7/1 1 4)都极显著地高于 G2 (分别为 2 .9% ,5 /1 71和 0 .5 % ,1 /1 71 ,P<0 .0 0 1 ) ;但两处理组的受精卵裂率差别不大 (分别为 48.2 %和 41 .5 % ,P>0 .3 )。冷冻第 6d和第 7d的体外囊胚 ,其冻后存活率和囊胚孵化率分别为 92 .7%、 89.2 %和 83 .6%、 66.7%。结果表明 ,利用 OPS法玻璃化冷冻经体外培养成熟的牛卵母细胞及体外生产的牛囊胚均能获得良好的效果     

“绿色革命”以来大气CO2浓度升高对C3作物营养品质的影响

自20世纪60年代"绿色革命"以来,育种技术和农耕技术的发展促进了农作物产量的大幅提升,然而作物的营养品质出现下降趋势。在相似的遗传背景下,大气CO_2浓度升高会使单位体积农作物产品的营养元素含量下降,因此"绿色革命"至今,农作物产品的营养元素下降可能受大气CO_2浓度升高影响。通过植物生长箱模拟"绿色革命"初期和目前的大气CO_2浓度水平(310μmol/mol和400μmol/mol),针对主要C_3作物水稻、小麦和大豆,研究"绿色革命"以来大气CO_2浓度升高对其籽粒的C、N、Fe、Zn元素含量的影响,结果表明:CO_2浓度升高对3种作物籽粒的C元素含量几乎没有影响,变化幅度在±1.5%之间;籽粒的N、Fe、Zn元素含量普遍呈现下降趋势,但均未达到显著水平。     

Potential of wild species for genetic enhancement of some semi-arid food crops

Discovery and incorporation of genes from wild species provide means to sustain crop improvement, particularly when levels of resistance in the cultigens are low and virulent strains of pests and pathogens overcome the host plant resistance. The extent of utilization and the potential of the wild genepool for genetic enhancement were reviewed in five important food crops viz. sorghum, pearl millet, chickpea, pigeonpea and groundnut grown in the semi-arid tropics. Introgression from compatible wild germplasm in the primary gene pool resulted in transfer of new cytoplasmic male sterility systems in pearl millet and pigeonpea, development of high protein, cleistogamous flower and dwarf pigeonpea lines and foliar disease resistant groundnut cultivars. Utilization of wild species in secondary and tertiary gene pools has been generally limited due to sterility, restricted recombination or cross incompatibility. Nevertheless, these species are extremely important as they contain high levels of resistance to several important biotic and abiotic stresses. Several of them, like those belonging to the Parasorghum section and the rhizomatous Arachis species are sources of multiple resistances and hold great promise to sustain crop productivity.     

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     

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.     

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.     

Collection and preliminary evaluation of native turfgrass accessions in Italy

Despite a raising interest on turfs in Italy, all theavailable varieties of this kind in the Country are of foreign origin, and areoften poorly adapted to the prevailing climatic conditions. This prompted tobegin a collection activity of indigenous turfgrass species, with the ultimategoal of identifying promising materials for future breeding based on localgenetic resources. The collection was carried out in three areas of Italy, viz.the northern Po Plain, the coastal region of Liguria, and the island of Sardiniathat are characterised, respectively, by subcontinental, warm temperate, andtypical Mediterranean climate. Altogether, 141 sites were visited, yielding 226accessions belonging to eight species of potential interest for turfs:Poa pratensis, Poa trivialis,Festuca rubra, Festuca arundinacea,Lolium perenne, Agrostis stolonifera,Agrostis tenuis, and Cynodon dactylon,this last being a warm-season grass. Poa pratensis andCynodon dactylon were mostly collected in northern Italyand Sardinia, respectively, whereas Festuca arundinacea andLolium perenne were rather ubiquitous. The collection sitesranged from 0 to 1040 m asl, but sites over 750 m wereonly visited in the inner part of Sardinia. All the accessions, collected aswhole plants, were transplanted at Lodi, northern Italy, where they are beingevaluated. Their preliminary evaluation for traits of importance for turf use,such as sward colour and overall quality, highlighted the great variation andthe occurrence of interesting accessions in all species. Other characters wererecorded, bearing specific importance in individual species, and in all casespromising accessions were identified. The germplasm of Festucarubra, Festuca arundinacea, and Loliumperenne proved highly infected by endophytic (symbiotic) fungi of thegenus Neotyphodium.     

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.     

Effect of some fungicide seed treatments on the survival of Bradyrhizobium japonicum and on the nodulation and yield of soybean [Glycine max. (L) Merr.]

Several commercial fungicide seed treatments were evaluated for their possible effect on the survival of Bradyrhizobium japonicum on seeds and on the nodulation and yield of soybeans in a greenhouse and a field experiment. quinolate Pro (carbendazim and oxine copper), Vitavax 200FF (carboxin and thiram), and Monceren (pencycuron) had a small effect or no effect on the survival of B. japonicum and on the nodulation and yield of soybeans. They can thus be considered compatible with soybean seed inoculation. Germipro UFB (carbendazim and iprodione), Apron 35J (metalaxyl), and Tachigaren (hymexazol) decreased B. japonicum survival and the nodulation and yield of soybeans and thus cannot be considered compatible with soybean seed inoculation.     

Leaf position and genotype differences for mineral element concentrations in sorghum grown on tropical acid soil 1

Mineral element deficiencies and toxicities are common problems associated with sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] production on acid soils. To better understand some of the mineral element problems and the analysis of plant tissue of sorghum plants grown on acid soils, four sorghum genotypes were grown on an acid Oxisol at Carimagua, Colombia limed with dolomite at 2 and 6 Mg ha^‐1.

Samples for mineral element analyses were obtained from leaves at different positions on the four genotypes. Concentrations of P and Mg were highest in the flag leaf (Leaf No. 1) and decreased as the position on the plant declined from the top of the plant for plants grown at 2 Mg lime ha^‐1. Similar decreases in P, Mg, K, and Zn concentrations occurred in plants grown with 6 Mg lime ha^‐1. Concentrations of Ca, S, Si, Mn, Fe, Cu, and Al increased as leaf position declined from the flag leaf for plants grown at 2 and 6 Mg lime ha^‐1. The higher lime supply enhanced Ca and reduced Mn and Fe concentrations in leaves. Differences in mineral element concentrations for the four genotypes used were fairly extensive. The elements to show the greatest range among genotypes were Al and Si and the elements to show the least range among genotypes were P, K, and S. Care should be used in collecting leaf samples for plant analysis and genotypic differences for accumulation of mineral elements should be considered in interpretation of results.