Genetic diversity and population structure analysis of Grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) accessions collected from North-Western Ethiopia using SSR markers

Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution - Grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) is a legume crop known to be an excellent source of protein, tolerant to drought, waterlogging, and salinity. The crop is used...     

Growth,dry matter production,phenotypic plasticity,and nutritive value of three natural populations of Dactylis glomerata L. under various shading treatments

Dactylis glomerata L. is a widespread perennial grass species, which has been reported to be adapted to shaded conditions. Its populations thrive in a variety of environments. However, little information is available concerning the comparative response of its natural populations from contrasting environments under the reduced light intensity conditions that exist in silvopastoral systems. The objective of the present study was to estimate the comparative ability of three populations of D. glomerata from northern, central and southern Greece to grow under full sun, 60 % shade and 90 % shade in terms of their growth characteristics, phenotypic plasticity, dry matter production and nutritive value. Shade reduced tillering and dry matter production, increased tiller height and modified leaf characteristics. Under shade fewer leaves were grown simultaneously on the same tiller, but these were longer and thinner compared to full sun. Differentiation in response to shade among the populations examined of D. glomerata was observed mainly for leaf characteristics. The population from Pertouli (central Greece) responded better, particularly to moderate shade as it had a higher leaf area, longer leaf and higher dry matter production, compared to the others. Evidence for adaptive phenotypic plasticity to moderate shade was suggested only for this population. Additionally, Pertouli had higher nutritive value compared to Taxiarchis (northern Greece) and Crete (southern Greece) under shade. The divergent responses of natural populations of D. glomerata could justify breeding germplasm with enhanced shade tolerance.     

论我国花卉产业发展瓶颈及应对措施

为了推动我国花卉产业健康迅速发展,文章对我国花卉产业发展现状进行了数据统计分析,研究阻碍花卉产业健康发展的主要瓶颈,并探讨突破此瓶颈的积极对策.结果显示我国花卉产业发展的主要瓶颈包括缺乏具有自主知识产权的新品种、花卉流通体系不健全、花卉信息匮乏、协会职能不完善等.目前,有针对性地逐个突破、积极地采取措施是推动我国花卉产业蓬勃发展的重要一步.     

Tree species affect atmospheric CH4 oxidation without altering community composition of soil methanotrophs

Plant species exert strong effects on ecosystem functions and one of the emerging, and difficult to test hypotheses, is that plants alter soil functions through changing the community structure of soil microorganisms. We tested the hypothesis for atmospheric CH₄ oxidation by using soil samples from a Siberian afforestation experiment and exposing them to ¹³C-CH₄. We determined the activity of the soil methanotrophs under different tree species at three levels of initial CH₄ concentration (30, 200 and 1000 ppm) thus distinguishing the activities of low- and high-affinity methanotrophs. Half of the samples were incubated with ¹³C-enriched CH₄ (99.9%) and half with ¹²C-CH₄. This allowed an estimation of the amount of ¹³C incorporated into individual PLFAs and determination of PLFAs of methanotrophs involved in CH₄ oxidation at the different CH₄ concentrations. Tree species strongly altered the activity of atmospheric CH₄ oxidation without appearing to change the composition of high-affinity methanotrophs as evidenced by PLFA ¹³C labeling. The low diversity of atmospheric CH₄ oxidizers, presumably belonging to the UCSα group, may explain the lack of tree species effects on the composition of soil methanotrophs. We submit that the observed tree species effects on atmospheric CH₄ oxidation indicate an effect on biomass or cell-specific activities rather than by a community change and this may be related to the impact of the tree species on soil N cycling.     

Environmental and chemical control of growth and flowering of Chamelaucium uncinatum Schauer

The main factor affecting floral initiation of Geraldton Wax-Flower (Chamelaucium uncinatum) is the photoperiod, while temperature is the major factor affecting flower development. Four weeks of short days (SD) are generally required for obtaining full flowering. The number of flowers produced per plant increases with increasing the number of SD. Under mild temperatures of $\text{20}\text{14°}\text{C}$ (day/night), plants initiated flowers even in long days (LD). However, fewer flowers were produced and on higher nodes as compared to SD plants. Chlormequat promoted flowering under prevailing summer conditions of high temperatures and LD. Under prevailing autumn conditions favourable for flower initiation, LD treatment or weekly sprays with gibberellic acid (GA) reduced the number of flowers per plant. Combined treatment of LD and GA reduced both the flowering percentage and the number of flowers per plant. Discontinuing the LD or the GA treatments caused a resumption of full flower initiation.     

Equine recurrent airway obstruction does not alter airway muscarinic acetylcholine receptor expression and subtype distribution

In recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) or heaves, bronchospasm has been attributed to enhanced cholinergic activity. However, the expression and function of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChR) and their signaling components are not yet known. Thus, we examined the expression, subtype distribution and postreceptor signaling pathways of mAChR in the peripheral lung, bronchial and tracheal epithelia with the underlying smooth muscle from nine horses with RAO and 11 healthy control horses. In RAO horses, no significant segment-dependent alteration in mAChR density and subtype distribution (assessed by [N-methyl-3H]-scopolamine binding; ([3H]-NMS)), was found, except a trend in receptor down-regulation in some peripheral parts of the lung. The total number of high mAChR binding sites (assessed by carbachol-displacement experiments in the presence or absence of guanosine 5'-triphosphate) was not changed in RAO, suggesting that the functional coupling of mAChR to the corresponding G-proteins is intact. The M2-mediated inhibition of adenylate cyclase (AC) as well as the M3-receptor-G(q/11)-phospholipase C (PLC) activity was not different between RAO and control airway tissues. In conclusion, in equine RAO airways, mAChR expression and function were not altered, and thus appear not to account for the enhanced cholinergic activity in RAO.     

Effect of cytoplasmic male-sterility in sorghum on host plant interaction with sorghum midge,Contarinia sorghicola

Summary Sorghum midge, Contarinia sorghicola Coq. (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) is one of the most important pests of grain sorghum worldwide. We studied the reaction of midge-resistant and midge-susceptible genic-cytoplasmic male-sterile (A-lines) and their maintainers (B-lines), and the effect of resistant and susceptible restorers on sorghum midge. Midge damage and adult emergence were significantly lower on the B-lines of midge-resistant genotypes (PM 7061 and PM 7068) than their corresponding A-lines, while the reverse was true for the midge-susceptible genotypes (296A and ICSA 42). Differences in midge damage and the number of midges emerged were not significant between the midge-resistant and midge-susceptible A-lines when infested without pollination (except midge emergence on PM 7061A). Pollination with a midge-resistant restorer (DJ6541) reduced midge emergence significantly in one of two seasons. Source of pollen did not influence midge emergence on the highly-resistant A-line, PM 7061A. The implications of these observations in the development of midge-resistant hybrids were discussed.     

Seed set and seedling variation in greater yam (Dioscorea alata L.)

Summary A high degree of fruit and seed set was obtained in Dioscorea alata L. by hand pollination. The sexual progeny was studied in comparison with the clonal plants. In general, the seedlings were poor in growth vigour, flowering and tuber production but the variations observed in the different characters were unprecedented, indicating scope for efficacious genetic improvement in this vegetatively propagated crop.     

Effect of Selenium on Mineral Content and Nutritive Value of Melilotus officinalis L.

Plants of Melilotus officinalis L. were subjected to two different treatments: a) no selenium (Se), and b) addition of 3 mg Se L^?1 irrigation water for 45 days and samples of leaves, stems and roots were analyzed for Se, potassium (K), sodium (Na), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), calcium (Ca), manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn). Crude protein (CP) content, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) were also estimated for the aerial plant tissues. In Se-treated plants Se mainly accumulated in leaf tissues, various changes in macronutrient concentrations were detected, while the micronutrient content decreased significantly. In addition, leaf CP, NDF and ADF content decreased, while IVOMD increased, possibly indicating ameliorated nutritive value. According to our findings, M. officinalis could be used either as a dietary supplement, in mixture with non-accumulator species, for livestock feed deficient in Se or for restoration of grasslands in seleniferous soils.