Shading effects on canopy and tillering characteristics of continuously stocked palisadegrass in a silvopastoral system in the Amazon biome

In silvopastoral (SP) systems, forage responses depend on the microenvironment in which the plants develop. Our objective was to evaluate canopy and tillering characteristics of shaded 'Marandu' palisadegrass [Brachiaria brizantha (Hochst A Rich) Stapf, syn. Urochloa brizantha] under continuous stocking in a SP system. Treatments were one full sun (FS) and three shaded systems (silvopasture, SP) corresponding to distances from tree groves: 7.5 m north (SP1), and 15 m (SP2) and 7.5 m south (SP3) studied during two rainy seasons (Year 1 and Year 2). The tree in the SP system was Eucalyptus urograndis (hybrid of Eucalyptus grandis W. Hill ex Maiden × Eucalyptus urophylla S. T. Blake). The photosynthetic active radiation was greater in FS (923 μmol m^-2 s^-1), followed by SP2 (811 μmol m^-2 s^-1), SP1 (727 μmol m^-2 s^-1) and SP3 (673 μmol m^-2 s^-1). Forage accumulation in FS was 15% greater than the mean of SP1, SP2 and SP3 (10,663 kg DM/ha). There was no difference in net accumulation of leaf, stem and dead material, averaging 3,302, 3,420 and 4,063 kg DM/ha respectively. Leaf accumulation and accumulation rate were greater in Year 2, and leaf accumulation rate was similar among treatments (19 kg DM ha⁻¹ day⁻¹). Leaf proportion increased 14% from Year 1 to Year 2. Specific leaf area was greater for treatments SP1 and SP3 (193 cm²/g). Tiller population density was similar across treatments in Year 1. Shaded palisadegrass maintains leaf productivity similar to FS under continuous stocking in an SP system.     

车前子提取物抑制扑热息痛诱导小鼠肝损伤的作用研究

【目的】研究车前子提取物干预扑热息痛(Acetaminophen,APAP)引起小鼠肝损伤的作用,并探究其潜在作用机制。【方法】运用半仿生酶法提取车前子活性成分,采用液相色谱-质谱联用(LC-MS)检测其主要成分。体内研究车前子提取物对APAP肝损伤的保护作用,将60只雌性昆明小白鼠随机分为正常对照组(NC)、APAP肝损伤模型组(LD)、车前子对照组(PA)以及APAP干预的车前子提取物高、中、低剂量组(HPA+LC、MPA+LD、LPA+LD)。其中NC组和LD组小鼠灌胃生理盐水、PA组小鼠灌胃200μg/mL车前子提取物,HPA+LD,MPA+LD和LPA+LD组小鼠分别灌胃车前子提取物200,100,50μg/mL,每天2次,连续6 d;末次给药12 h后,采血并分离肝脏,检测血清谷丙转氨酶(ALT)和谷草转氨酶(AST)活性,评价肝脏损伤程度;检测肝脏中超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性及谷胱甘肽(GSH)、过氧化氢(H_2O_2)和丙二醛(MDA)含量,评价肝脏的氧化应激程度;检测CYP2E1 mRNA和蛋白表达,并通过细胞色素P450酶2E1(Cytochrome 2E1,CYP2E1)法体外筛选车前子抗APAP肝损伤可能的有效成分。【结果】LC-MS检测发现,车前子提取物有37种主要成分;血清生化指标检测发现,不同剂量的车前子提取物明显减少APAP诱导的氧化产物,增强抗氧化防御能力,减轻肝脏损伤且呈剂量依赖性;车前子提取物显著降低CYP2E1 mRNA和蛋白表达,说明车前子抑制CYP2E1的活性;车前子提取物中抗APAP肝损伤的有效成分为车前草苷D、车前草苷E、高车前素和高车前苷。【结论】车前子提取物的有效成分为车前草苷D、车前草苷E、高车前素和高车前苷。车前子提取物对APAP诱导的肝损伤具有保护作用,其潜在作用机制可能与抑制肝脏CYP2E1的表达和活性有关。     

Food resources and cyprinid diet in permanent and temporary Mediterranean rivers with natural and regulated flow

This study addresses the differences in food availability, diet and feeding activity of the Iberian barbel, between permanent and temporary nonregulated rivers, and the effect of flow regulation on feeding parameters. A total of 267 adult barbels were seasonally collected in four nonregulated and regulated rivers from permanent and temporary basins, and their gut content was analysed. Locally available food sources were evaluated across sites and seasons. Barbels from the permanent nonregulated river exhibit a more variable and diversified diet in which invertebrates assumed a large importance, especially during high flows. Barbels from the temporary nonregulated river presented a more uniform diet composed of plant material and detritus, particularly in drought seasons. Flow regulation affected different flow components in both systems, but the effects on food resources and barbels' diet were similar, resulting in an intra‐annual stabilisation of resource availability and fish diet, with a higher consumption of plants and detritus. Changes in fish diet and feeding activity in both nonregulated and regulated rivers were strongly associated with the seasonal variability of streamflow components, particularly between low‐ and high‐flow periods, and with the reduction in flow variability in the case of dam regulation. Results from this study can be used to improve guidelines for flow requirement implementation.     

Aboveground biomass,transpiration and water use efficiency in eucalypt plantation fertilized with KCl,NaCl and phonolite rock powder

Potassium has important physiological functions in eucalypt plantations, increasing their productivity when applied to soil via mineral fertilizers. There is interest in identifying alternative sources to KCl owing to its high cost and limited reserves. The aim of the study was to test the effect of replacing KCl with NaCl and phonolite rock powder. Two comparisons were made: (1) application of 283 kg ha^?1 of KCl compared with that of 2125 kg ha^?1 of phonolite rock powder (equivalent to 170 kg ha^?1 of K₂O in both treatments); (2) application of 139 kg ha^?1 of NaCl compared with that of 183 kg ha^?1 of KCl (equivalent to 2.33 kmol Na and K, respectively). Radial growth, soil water content, leaf water potential (Ψ), accumulated transpiration, stem volume and biomass increment, as well as water use efficiency (WUE) were evaluated. In the first comparison, both fertilizations presented equal values for all characteristics evaluated. In the second, the accumulated transpiration in trees fertilized with KCl was 17% higher than that in plants fertilized with NaCl. In contrast, the WUE was 20% higher in the trees fertilized with NaCl than in those fertilized with KCl, reflecting the lower water consumption for the same increment in stem volume and biomass. We conclude that phonolite rock powder and NaCl are possible substitutes for conventional K fertilization performed with KCl.

     

Association mapping reveals loci associated with multiple traits that affect grain yield and adaptation in soft winter wheat

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are useful to facilitate crop improvement via enhanced knowledge of marker-trait associations (MTA). A GWAS for grain yield (GY), yield components, and agronomic traits was conducted using a diverse panel of 239 soft red winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) genotypes evaluated across two growing seasons and eight site-years. Analysis of variance showed significant environment, genotype, and genotype-by-environment effects for GY and yield components. Narrow sense heritability of GY (h ²  = 0.48) was moderate compared to other traits including plant height (h ²  = 0.81) and kernel weight (h ²  = 0.77). There were 112 significant MTA (p < 0.0005) detected for eight measured traits using compressed mixed linear models and 5715 single nucleotide polymorphism markers. MTA for GY and agronomic traits coincided with previously reported QTL for winter and spring wheat. Highly significant MTA for GY showed an overall negative allelic effect for the minor allele, indicating selection against these alleles by breeders. Markers associated with multiple traits observed on chromosomes 1A, 2D, 3B, and 4B with positive minor effects serve as potential targets for marker assisted breeding to select for improvement of GY and related traits. Following marker validation, these multi-trait loci have the potential to be utilized for MAS to improve GY and adaptation of soft red winter wheat.     

First report on the Dutch elm disease pathogen Ophiostoma novo‐ulmi from Latvia

During 2017, Dutch elm disease was investigated on 67 Ulmus glabra and 29 Ulmus laevis samples from 28 sites in Latvia. The presence of Ophiostoma novo‐ulmi was detected in 61.2% of the samples from U. glabra and in 34.5% of the samples from U. laevis. In 11% of cases, hybrids between subsp. novo‐ulmi and subsp. americana were identified, particularly in the sites in the southern part of Latvia. This study presents the first verified record of Ophiostoma novo‐ulmi and its subspecies in Latvia.