Effect of Heat Stress on Grain Growth, Starch Synthesis and Protein Synthesis in Grains of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Varieties Differing in Grain Weight Stability

The effect of heat stress on the components of grain weight was analysed in wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) varieties differing in grain weight stability. The wheat varieties PBW154, Sonalika and Hindi62 were raised in the field (New Delhi, India; 77°12' E, 28°40' N, 228.6 m a.s.l.) at three dates of sowing: 19 November 1992 (DOS I), 14 December 1992 (DOS II) and 18 January 1993 (DOS III). The late-sown crop (DOS III) experienced 6–8 °C warmer temperatures during grain development than the crop sown at the normal time (DOS I). The heat susceptibility index (S) revealed that grain weight was less susceptible to heat in Sonalika and PBW154 than in Hindi62. Heat stress reduced both the grain growth duration (GGD) and the grain growth rate (GGR). The grain weight reduction in PBW154 and Sonalika was mainly due to a reduction in GGR, while that of Hindi62 was due to a reduction in GGD. In vivo studies on starch and protein synthesis in excised endosperm at 15, 25 and 35 °C revealed that both processes were more thermotolerant in Hindi62 than in PBW154. The grain starch content was stable in Hindi62 while that in PBW154 was significantly reduced under heat stress. The grain nitrogen content at maturity increased in both varieties under heat stress. It was concluded that the heat susceptibility of grain weight in Hindi62 was mainly due to a reduction in GGD, although GGR, starch and protein synthesis were more thermotolerant in developing grains of Hindi62 than in those of PBW154.     

Effects of Benzyl Adenine and Abscisic Acid on Grain Yield and Yield Components in Triticale and Wheat

Grain yield and yield components (grains per ear, grain weight, 1000-grain weight, ear weight, ear seed ratio and dry matter partitioning between ear and seed) were examined in a wheat genotype (PBW-343) with well-filled grains and a Triticale genotype (DT-46) with poorly filled grains (showing grain shrivelling) grown in pots. Six days after anthesis (DAA), benzyladenine (BA) @2 µg ear⁻¹ and abscisic acid (ABA) @4 µg ear⁻¹ were injected at the base of the mother shoot ear in both species. It was observed that, in both wheat and Triticale , BA increased the grain weight, grain number and partitioning of dry matter between ear and seed, whereas ABA decreased the grain weight, grain number and dry matter partitioning between ear and seed. However, these decreases were slower in Triticale than in wheat. BA treatment increased the grain dry matter accumulation, which in turn resulted in better filling of grains and increased the grain weight in both wheat and Triticale . The average grain weight of Triticale was lower than that of wheat. Thus, it appears that variation in grain weight between wheat and Triticale might be due to different availabilities of growth-promoting phytohormones such as cytokinins and assimilates.     

Narbon Vetch (Vicia narbonensis L.): A Potential Feed Legume Crop for Dry Areas in West Asia

Provision of feed supplies for the rapidly growing livestock population is essential in West Asia. Shortages can be alleviated by growing forage crops in the existing fallow lands.
Narbon vetch (Vicia narbonensis L.) is a leguminous species with high yield potential, drought tolerance and cold resistance. It could be used for grain and straw production as source for animal feed in dry areas. It is good source of protein with seeds contain 28 % protein yielding 364 kg per hectare protein, whilst straw contains 9 % protein and yields a similar amounts of digestible protein per hectare.
Nine promising lines of Narbon vetch developed at ICARDA were tested at two sites over four years under rainfed conditions. Since climatic conditions were considered to be of considerable importance, each site in each year was treated as a separate environment to give eight environments with annual rainfall varied from 195 to 504 mm.
Narbon vetch possessed high seedling vigour with rapid winter growth and negligible cold damage. Grain yield varied form 0.47 to 1.90 t/ha, with a harvest index varying from 30 to 40 %. The data indicated that below 300 mm rainfall the grain yield varied from 0.47 t/ha when rain fall was 195 mm to 1.4 t/ha when rainfall was 245 mm. Most of the lines had wide adaptation to dry areas in terms of both grain yield and stability. Climate, except early spring rains had little effect on biological and grain yields.     

Effect of Integration of Fertilizer and Green Manure Nitrogen on Yield Attributes, Nitrogen Uptake and Yield of Lowland Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Field experiments were conducted at Tamil Nadu Rice Research Institute, Aduthurai, India, during the wet seasons of 1992 and 1993 to study the effect of full and partial substitution of fertiliser N with green manure N (Sesbania rostrata) on nitrogen uptake, yield attributes and yield of rice. The experiment consisted of eight treatments with two levels of N (100 and 200 kg ha⁻¹) and three sources of N application viz., fertilizer, integrated (1:1 fertilizer and green manure N) and green manure N compared to the recommended practice (150 kg fertilizer plus 6.25 t ha⁻¹ (72 kg N) green manure) and a no N control. Nitrogen application markedly increased the N uptake. Combined use of the two N sources at 200 and 222 kg N ha⁻¹ and of single fertilizer N at 200 kg N ha⁻¹ recorded the maximum N uptake, increased the yield attributes such as number of panicles per unit area, weight per panicle, number of total and filled grains per panicle and test weight. At 200 kg N ha⁻¹ full substitution of N by green manure reduced the grain yield but only partial substitution of N by green manure resulted in almost similar yield as single fertilizer N. Thus 200 kg N ha⁻¹ applied in equal proportions of fertilizer and green manure N can be recommended for medium duration rice cultivars.     

Differences in Wheat Cultivar Response to N Supply. I: Differences in Grain Yield Formation

Two-year field trials with winter wheat cultivars Batis and Toronto were conducted in Southern Bavaria, Germany, to investigate the possible causes of cultivar differences in response to N supply varying in total amount and time of application. Cultivar-related differences in grain yields were observed in treatments with low and medium N supply. High doses of N supply resulted in grain yield adjustment or grain yield advantage for cv. Toronto. The results of this study revealed a consistent, genotypic pattern in response to N fertilization in spite of strong seasonal effects. Systematic modifications in canopy growth rates in response to N supply were of particular relevance and a main factor for differences in tillering intensity resulting in modified stand densities. In the present study, cultivar differences in spike development and interactions with N supply related more to abortion than to initiation processes for number of spikelets and number of flowers per spikelet. High grain density (grains per m²) of cv. Toronto was evident during reproduction stages even under conditions of medium N supply. However, decreased growth rates during the later part of grain filling in combination with low 1000 grain weight, which was barely modified by N fertilization, allowed only partial utilization of this potential. It is assumed that sink limitations were of particular relevance for grain yield development in cv. Toronto, while cv. Batis combined a less intense response to N supply with more stability in the development of grain yield components.     

米饭粒流变特性的试验

通过米饭粒的双面剪切及松弛试验,获得了与米饭粒质构特性相关的流变特性,如硬度、最大剪切力、剪切能、松弛力及松弛时间等,并研究了影响不同品种稻米的米饭粒流变特性的因素。通过多元逐步回归建立了回归方程,同时进行了米饭粒的力学指标与食味值之间的相关性分析,得到了米饭粒流变性质与食味值之间的回归方程,并用于预测稻米的食用品质及进行稻米的食用品质评定。     

灌浆初期高温胁迫对水稻籽粒活性氧积累及产量形成的影响

【目的】研究灌浆初期高温胁迫对水稻籽粒活性氧积累及产量形成的影响,为耐热水稻种质资源的筛选和鉴定提供理论依据。【方法】以长江中下游地区普遍推广种植的8个水稻品种为材料,在灌浆初期进行高温胁迫（38 ℃/32 ℃,昼/夜）,研究各水稻品种在灌浆初期高温胁迫下的ROS含量、抗氧化酶活性、淀粉合成相关酶活性、产量及其构成要素以及稻米品质的差异。【结果】与对照相比,灌浆初期高温胁迫导致水稻籽粒O^-₂·和H₂O₂含量及抗氧化酶活性显著增加。在不同水稻品种中,淀粉合成相关酶活性对灌浆初期高温胁迫的响应具有差异性。高温胁迫下,产量损失较大水稻品种的O^-₂·和H₂O₂含量增幅较大,淀粉合成酶活性受高温胁迫影响也较大。灌浆初期高温胁迫导致水稻结实率、千粒质量、收获指数和产量显著下降,其中黄华占和湘两优900的产量损失较小,在灌浆初期的耐热性较强;粤王丝苗、泰优390和湘两优2号的产量损失较大,在灌浆初期的耐热性弱。灌浆初期高温胁迫导致糙米率、精米率和淀粉含量显著下降,垩白粒率和垩白度增加。高温胁迫下,产量损失较大水稻品种的淀粉含量下降幅度较大,稻米品质受高温胁迫影响也较大。在高温胁迫下,水稻产量与ROS含量显著负相关,而与抗氧化酶活性显著正相关。产量、籽粒加工指标、淀粉含量和淀粉合成酶活性的抗逆系数与ROS含量的抗逆系数显著负相关,而与抗氧化酶活性的抗逆系数显著正相关。【结论】灌浆初期高温胁迫导致水稻籽粒ROS过量积累是降低淀粉合成酶活性和淀粉含量,进而导致产量和稻米外观加工品质下降的重要因素。ROS的增加量可作为灌浆初期水稻耐热性评价的参考指标。     

外源硅钝化稻田土壤重金属Cd有效性及降低稻谷Cd含量研究

【目的】利用两种外源硅肥材料开展试验,研究外源硅对土壤重金属Cd有效性以及稻谷Cd含量的影响。【方法】以硅胶（分子式mSiO2.nH2O,含量98%以上）、液体硅肥（SiO2浓度≥23%）作为外源硅肥材料,通过在重金属镉Cd超标稻田土壤施用硅胶,在水稻分蘖期、孕穗期喷施液体硅肥,研究硅钝化稻田土壤重金属Cd有效性及降低稻谷Cd含量。【结果】施用硅胶达到100kg/667m2对降低土壤有效Cd含量有极显著效果,表明稻田施用硅胶可以钝化土壤重金属Cd有效性;施用硅胶达到100kg/667m2对降低稻谷Cd含量有显著效果,施用硅胶再配合喷施液体硅肥时,对降低稻谷Cd含量有极显著效果;施用硅胶、液体硅肥对提高稻谷产量有显著作用。【结论】基施硅胶配合喷施液体硅肥,对钝化土壤重金属Cd有效性,降低稻谷Cd含量,提高稻谷产量具有显著效果。     

巨胚杂交稻的农艺及产量性状

以2个巨胚不育系及其相应的2个非巨胚不育系,3个巨胚恢复系、2个非巨胚恢复系为材料,配制一套共20个半双列杂交组合,研究巨胚(ge)基因对杂交稻的若干生物学特性的影响。结果表明:ge基因对杂交稻主要农艺性状和部分产量性状没有显著影响,但ge基因使杂交稻的千粒重、容重、理论产量和实际产量下降,且只有在纯合时才有显著表达。含杂合geGE基因也使其上述性状有所下降,但幅度明显小于gege纯合基因。     

水稻物质生产特性及其与产量的关系研究

以汕优63、Ⅱ优162、Ⅱ优419、K18A/149和65002为材料,在云南省涛源乡、宾川县和杭州市富阳县进行试验,分析了水稻高产的物质生长特性,并比较了不同环境下物质生长特性的差异及原因。结果表明:云南涛源和宾川产量分别比杭州高80%和66%,导致云南产量较高的主要原因是生物产量较高。生物产量差异主要在幼穗分化以后,尤其是灌浆结实期。在云南生态条件下,中后期能容纳较高的叶面积系数(LAI),群体生长速率(CGR)较高,使花后物质生产量大,且花后物质运转量也较高。