密度与环境因子对蒙古黄芪育苗影响研究

为了明确育苗时密度与环境因子对蒙古黄芪生长特征影响,本试验以蒙古黄芪为研究对象,通过单因素田间随机区组试验,测定蒙古黄芪株高、茎粗、根粗和根长4个指标。结果表明,密度对蒙古黄芪影响最大,其次是湿度,最后是光照和电导率。密度与蒙古黄芪株高、茎粗、根粗呈现负相关性,与根长呈正相关性(P<0.05),密度为400株/m ²时,株高、茎粗及根粗最大,密度为1000株/m ²时根长最大。     

不同密度紧凑型油菜的源库特征及与收获指数的相关研究

旨在为油菜株型育种和机械化栽培提供理论和技术依据。选用3个不同类型的紧凑型油菜常规品种,以松散型油菜杂交种‘秦优7号’为对照,研究了在15万、30万、45万、60万、75万、90万株/hm²密度下各品系的库源特征及其与收获指数的关系。结果表明,紧凑型油菜单株在不同密度下的库源特征与对照松散型相同,单株根、茎、枝、壳干重,角粒数和单株角果数随种植密度的增加而降低,且低密度显著高于高密度;千粒重随密度的变化不大。紧凑型油菜的生物学产量和经济产量随种植密度的增加而增加,松散型油菜随种植密度的增加而下降。说明紧凑型油菜适宜密植和机械化收获。收获指数对密度的响应在两类型品种表现一致,最低密度15万株/hm²增加到30万株/hm²时达到峰值,以后随着种植密度的继续增加而降低。收获指数与茎+枝+壳干重之和,与库性状角粒数、角果数、千粒重、单株产量,与库源关系的粒根比、粒茎比、粒枝比、粒壳比显著正相关,说明要提高收获指数不仅要扩“源”增“库”,还要协调库源的合理分配比例。     

Connectivity and habitat type shape divergent dispersal behavior in a desert-dwelling fish

Context

Dispersal has important fitness consequences for individuals, populations, and species. Despite growing theoretical insights into the evolution of dispersal, its behavioral underpinnings remain empirically understudied, limiting our understanding of the extent and impact of responses to landscape-level heterogeneity of environments, and increasing the risk of inferring species-level responses from biased population sampling.

Objectives

We asked if predictable ecological variation among naturally fragmented arid waterbodies is correlated with disparate dispersal responses of populations of the desert goby Chlamydogobius eremius, which naturally inhabits two habitat “types” (permanent springs, ephemeral rivers), and different levels of hydrological connectivity (high and low) that potentially convey different costs and benefits of dispersal.

Methods

To test for possible behavioral divergence between such populations, we experimentally compared the movement behaviors (correlates of emigration and exploration) of wild-caught fish. We used two biologically relevant spatial scales to test movement relevant to different stages of the dispersal process.

Results

Behavior differed at both spatial scales, suggesting that alternative dispersal strategies enable desert gobies to exploit diverse habitat patches. However, while emigration was best predicted by the connectivity (flood risk) of fish habitats, exploration was linked to their habitat type (spring versus river).

Conclusions

Our findings demonstrate that despite a complex picture of ecological variation, key landscape factors have an overarching effect on among-population variation in dispersal traits. Implications include the maintenance of within-species variation, potentially divergent evolutionary trajectories of naturally or anthropogenically isolated populations, and the direction of future experimental studies on the ecology and evolution of dispersal behavior.

     

The delay of flowering time in almond: a review of the combined effect of adaptation,mutation and breeding

Regulation of flowering time in almond, as in other Prunus species, is a complex process involving both chill and heat requirements. Following exposure to appropriate consecutive periods of cold and warm temperatures, the buds break dormancy and sprout or flower depending on bud type. To maximize flowering and subsequent vegetative growth and fruit set, chilling and ensuing warm temperature requirements have to be fully satisfied. Because of its potential for very early flowering, flowering time in almond is a major determinant of its adaptation to new environments. In colder regions, Late-flowering is often necessary to avoid frost damage during and just after flowering. Consequently, the selection of delayed flowering times remains an important objective in almond improvement programs. Flowering time is considered a quantitative though highly heritable trait. In addition, a dominant gene (Late flowering, Lb), originally identified in a spontaneous mutation of the Californian almond cultivar ‘Nonpareil’, was also described. The objective of this review is a comparative analysis of the effects of regional adaptation, breeding and mutation on the delay of flowering time in new almond cultivars. Findings indicate that the adaptation of almonds from the Mediterranean basin to colder regions in Northern Europe and America has been mainly achieved through delayed flowering. These adapted late-flowering cultivars have usually been developed by selecting desired quantitative genes within each regional germplasm. Additional progress thus appears achievable with a more comprehensive understanding of the quantitative and qualitative genetics controlling this trait. The use of molecular markers for the early selection of genes conferring late flowering, including both spontaneous mutations as well as unique regional germplasm, should allow development of even later cultivars including ultra-late cultivars flowering as into April.     

Evaluation of potato clones for their adaptation to medium altitude conditions in the tropics

Potato is one of the most important crops in the world, including in the tropics. Potato requires low temperatures or cool climate for optimum tuber yield, which in the tropics, can be obtained mostly in high altitude growing areas. The limitation of land availability for potato production in highland areas of some tropical countries has steered the recent development of potato production to medium altitude areas. The objective of our study is to identify potato accessions with promising levels of heat resistance in laboratory and with good adaptation to medium altitude in the field. We used in vitro assay to screen a number of potato clones with possible resistance to heat stress on the basis literature and database of the International Potato Center, supplemented with the collection of Bogor Agricultural University. We then continued with verification of selected clones using field test in high altitude (1300 m above sea level) and medium altitude (700 m above sea level) areas. Our result showed that there is considerable variation of S. tuberosum for their adaptation to medium altitude areas in the tropics that can be exploited in breeding programs. We identified one genotype PKHT 2013-06 that was superior for its ability to produce tubers under extreme conditions. Thus, it might be very suitable to be used in a breeding program to develop tolerant varieties of potato to medium altitude areas in the tropics.     

Using landscape graphs to delineate ecologically functional areas

Context

Landscape graphs are widely used to model connectivity and to support decision-making in conservation planning. Compartmentalization methods applied to such graphs aim to define clusters of highly interconnected patches. Recent studies show that compartmentalization based on modularity is suitable, but it applies to non-weighted graphs whereas most landscape graphs involve weighted nodes and links.

Objectives

We propose to adapt modularity computation to weighted landscape graphs and to validate the relevance of the resulting compartments using demographic or genetic data about the patches.

Methods

A weighted adjacency matrix was designed to express potential fluxes, associating patch capacities and inter-patch distances. Eight weighting scenarios were compared. The statistical evaluation of each compartmentalization was based on Wilks’ Lambda. These methods were performed on a grassland network where patches are documented by annual densities of water voles in the Jura massif (France).

Results

The scenarios in which patch capacity is assigned a small weight led to the more relevant results, giving high modularity values and low Wilks’ Lambda values. When considering a fixed number of compartments, we found a significant negative correlation between these two criteria. Comparison showed that compartments are ecologically more valid than graph components.

Conclusions

The method proposed is suitable for designing ecologically functional areas from weighted landscape graphs. Maximum modularity values can serve as a guide for setting the parameters of the adjacency matrix.