Revisiting rice breeding methods – evaluating the use of rapid generation advance (RGA) for routine rice breeding

Rice production needs to increase in the future in order to meet increasing demands. The development of new improved and higher yielding varieties more quickly will be needed to meet this demand. However, most rice breeding programmes in the world have not changed in several decades. In this article, we revisit the evidence in favour of using rapid generation advance (RGA) as a routine breeding method. We describe preliminary activities at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) to re-establish RGA on a large scale as the main breeding method for irrigated rice breeding. We also describe experiences from the early adoption at the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute. Evaluation of RGA breeding lines at IRRI for yield, flowering time and plant height indicated transgressive segregation for all traits. Some RGA lines were also higher yielding than the check varieties. The cost advantages of using RGA compared to the pedigree method were also empirically determined by performing an economic analysis. This indicated that RGA is several times more cost effective and advantages will be realized after 1 year even if facilities need to be built. Based on our experience, and previous independent research empirically testing the RGA method in rice, we recommend that this method should be implemented for routine rice breeding in order to improve breeding efficiency.     

河北省棉田绿盲蝽绿色防控技术体系构建

为了构建科学合理、可操作性强的河北省棉田绿盲蝽绿色防控技术体系，于2011－2015年在河北省沧州植棉区开展了棉田绿盲蝽绿色防控技术研究，包括色板诱杀、性信息素、频振式杀虫灯和高效生物农药应用等，并逐步构建了针对棉田绿盲蝽的绿色防控技术体系。根据相关研究发现，该绿色防控技术对棉田绿盲蝽有较好的防治效果，与常规防治区相比，减药控害成果显著。     

化学打顶剂在甘肃棉花上的应用效果

2015年在甘肃敦煌植棉区，应用2种化学打顶剂进行不同施用时间和剂量的田间试验表明，土优塔化学打顶剂在6月28日前后、以900 mL·hm^－2的剂量使用，对棉花有较好的封顶效果，对产量及产量构成因子和纤维长度影响不大。2016年示范结果与2015年试验一致     

Embodied Resources in Fish and Shrimp Feeds

Global averages were obtained for amounts of energy, land, water, wildfish, nitrogen, and phosphorus embodied in aquaculture feed ingredients. These data allowed amounts of these embodied resources to be calculated for typical feed formulations for channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus; hybrid catfish, I. punctatus♀ × I. furcatus♂; Vietnamese catfish, Pangasius spp.; Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar; rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss; tilapia, Oreochromis spp.; whiteleg shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei; and black tiger shrimp, Penaeus monodon. Embodied resource use per m.t. of feed varied among species: energy, 4.90–12.48 GJ/m.t.; land, 0.082–0.312 ha/m.t.; water, 502–1227 m³/m.t.; wildfish, 0–2880 kg/m.t.; nitrogen, 3.08–8.63 kg/m.t.; phosphorus, 1.16–5.62 kg/m.t. These calculations did not account for variations in site‐specific factors related to embodied resources and feed composition and use. But they suggest that reducing feed conversion ratio (FCR) by 0.1 unit for the seven species (species groups) could potentially reduce feed use by around 1.1 million tonne (Mt) while conserving 9.8 million GJ of energy, 270,000 ha of agricultural land, 1.4 billion m³ of freshwater, and 1.24 Mt of wildfish. Reduction of the FCR is a powerful means of lessening farm‐level production costs and negative impacts of feed production and use.     

苗后除草剂喷施时期对杂草防治及冬油菜产量和品质的影响

为了探究苗后除草剂不同施用时期对北方冬油菜田间杂草的防控效果及其对冬油菜生长、产量和品质的影响,以当地主栽甘蓝型冬油菜天油2266和白菜型冬油菜天油H614为试验材料,选用对冬油菜安全的苗后除草剂高效氟吡甲禾灵,设置4个喷施时期处理,于2018-2019年开展大田试验。结果表明,越冬后不同时期喷施苗后除草剂,甘蓝型冬油菜田间杂草总数较对照减少57.54%~92.56%,杂草总鲜重较对照降低75.40%~97.48%,第2时期（3月25日）处理产量较对照增加354.50kg/hm²;白菜型冬油菜田间杂草株防效和鲜重防效分别为55.91%~92.02%和37.17%~97.46%,产量较对照增加2.29%~16.77%。因此,在冬油菜大量返青但未封行前施用苗后除草剂,可显著防控田间杂草并增加冬油菜籽粒产量。     

优质国审棉品种——ZHM19

概述了ZHM19的选育过程、特征特性、产量、纤维品质和抗病性等特点及主要栽培技术措施。     

Screening of antagonistic Trichoderma strains and their application for controlling stalk rot in maize

Maize is one of the major crops in China, but maize stalk rot occurs nationwide and has become one of the major challenges in maize production in China. In order to find an environment-friendly and feasible technology to control this disease, a Trichoderma-based biocontrol agent was selected. Forty-eight strains with various inhibition activities to Fusarium graminearum, and Fusarium verticillioides were tested. A group of Trichoderma strains(DLY31, SG3403, DLY1303 and GDFS1009) were found to provide an inhibition rate to pathogen growth in vitro of over 70%. These strains also prevented pathogen infection over 65% and promoted the maize seedling growth for the main root in vivo by over 50%. Due to its advantage in antifungal activity against pathogens and promotion activity to maize, Trichoderma asperellum GDSF1009 was selected as the most promising strain of the biocontrol agent in the Trichoderma spectrum. Pot experiments showed that the Trichoderma agent at 2–3 g/pot could achieve the best control of seedling stalk rot and promotion of maize seedling growth. In the field experiments, 8–10 g/hole was able to achieve over 65% control to stalk rot, and yield increased by 2–11%. In the case of natural morbidity, the control efficiency ranged from 27.23 to 48.84%, and the rate of yield increase reached 11.70%, with a dosage of Trichoderma granules at 75 kg ha~(-1). Based on these results, we concluded that the Trichoderma agent is a promising biocontrol approach to stalk rot in maize.     

棉花叶枝数与种植密度对单株结铃数的影响

为了探明棉花叶枝数和密度对单株结铃的影响规律，试验设置5种留叶枝方式：不留叶枝（CK）、留1叶枝、留2叶枝、留3叶枝、留全部叶枝；5个种植密度（万株·hm^－2）：2.25，3.00，3.75，4.50，5.25。研究结果表明：在同一密度条件下，随叶枝的增多，单株铃数增加；留1叶枝单株铃数较对照增加10%左右，留2、3叶枝单株铃数较对照增加15%左右，保留全部叶枝较对照增加25%左右。在同一叶枝处理下，随密度的增加，单株铃数减少；密度每增加7500株·hm^－2，5种留叶枝方式的单株结铃分别减少2.60个、3.04个、3.06个、3.44个和3.71个。总铃数随叶枝和密度的增加而增加，当总成铃为88.24万个·hm^－2时产量最高。