Characterization of ethylene biosynthesis and its regulation during fruit ripening in kiwifruit,Actinidia chinensis ‘Sanuki Gold’

Ethylene biosynthesis in kiwifruit, Actinidia chinensis ‘Sanuki Gold’ was characterized using propylene, an ethylene analog, and 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), an inhibitor of ethylene perception. In fruit harvested between a young stage (66 days after pollination) (DAP) and an early commercial harvesting stage (143 DAP), 2 days of exposure to propylene were sufficient to initiate ethylene biosynthesis while in fruit harvested at commercial harvesting stage (154 DAP), 4 days of propylene treatment were required. This observation suggests that response of ethylene biosynthesis to propylene treatment in kiwifruit declined with fruit maturity. Propylene treatment resulted in up-regulated expression of AC-ACO1, AC-ACO2, AC-SAM1 and AC-SAM2, prior to the induction of AC-ACS1 and ethylene production, confirming that AC-ACS1 is the rate limiting step in ethylene biosynthesis in kiwifruit. Treatment of fruit with more than 5 μL L^?1 of 1-MCP after the induction of ethylene production subsequently suppressed ethylene production and expression of ethylene biosynthesis genes. Treatment of fruit with 1-MCP at harvest followed with propylene treatment delayed the induction of ethylene production and AC-ACS1 expression for 5 days. These observations suggest that in ripening kiwifruit, ethylene biosynthesis is regulated by positive feedback mechanism and that 1-MCP treatment at harvest effectively delays ethylene production by 5 days.     

Measuring consumer response to ‘Gala’ apples treated with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP)

Post-harvest apple treatment with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) was previously found to inhibit fruit ripening but also to inhibit the production of volatile compounds that contribute to apple flavor. The first objective of this study was to determine if consumers could distinguish 1-MCP treated and untreated Gala apples [Malus sylvestris L. (Mill.) var. domestica Borkh. Mansf.] following long-term storage. Chemical analysis showed 1-MCP treated fruit had reduced flavor volatiles compared to untreated fruit. Consumer difference tests showed they could distinguish between 1-MCP treated and untreated fruit. A second objective was to compare consumers’ acceptance for 1-MCP treated to untreated apples. Both 1-MCP treated and untreated apples received high overall liking scores that were not significantly different. Equal numbers of consumers indicated preference for 1-MCP treated and untreated fruit and there was no difference in purchase intent. However, subsets of consumers who eat Gala, Fuji or Red Delicious apples showed preference for untreated over 1-MCP treated fruit compared to consumers who do not eat these varieties.     

汾河流域下游不同土地利用方式下优先流区与基质流区土壤团聚体稳定性分析

优先流是水分和溶质在土壤中非均质性运移的普遍现象,但对其形成的优先流区和基质流区土壤团聚体稳定性的研究还较少。为了阐明土壤团聚体破碎机制的差异,研究以汾河流域下游农田、撂荒地和果园3种土地利用方式为对象,采用野外染色示踪法与Le Bissonnais(LB)法分析了土壤染色区分下优先流区与基质流区土壤团聚体稳定性特征。结果表明:土壤染色率主要分布在0—30 cm土层,在10—30 cm土层果园显著高于撂荒地。LB处理的>0.25 mm团聚体含量和平均重量直径(MWD)在不同土地利用方式下表现为果园>农田>撂荒地,相对消散指数(RSI)和相对机械破碎指数(RMI)则有相反的趋势。优先流区在10—20 cm土层比基质流区具有更强的团聚体稳定性以及抵抗消散作用和机械破坏能力。土壤染色率与快速湿润的MWD呈显著负相关,与RSI呈显著正相关。研究表明果园比农田和撂荒地具有更好的优先流特征和团聚体稳定性,并且优先流区抗团聚破碎能力比基质流区更强,这将有利于维持优先流途径稳定性。     

Molecular cloning and expression of a novel eukaryotes elongation factor1A gene (ZjeEF-1α) from Chinese jujube in response to phytoplasma infection

Eukaryotic translation elongation factor 1A (eEF1A) in plant is a multifunctional protein. In our previous study, we identified a 651-bp EST sequence of eEF-1α from a suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) library of Chinese jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.), which was established under jujube witches' broom (JWB) phytoplasma stress. Here we isolated the eEF1A gene (ZjeEF-1α, JF488063) from Chinese jujube by single oligonucleotide nested (SON)-PCR and rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). ZjeEF-1α contains an open reading frame (ORF) of 1344 bp, encoding a polypeptide of 447 amino acids with an estimated molecular mass of 49.29 kDa and a theoretical pI of 9.10. ZjeEF-1α shared over 92% similarity with eEF-1α proteins from other 24 eukaryotes including plants and animals. Search Pfam predicted that ZjeEF-1A contains three typical eEF1A functional domains. Moreover, the corresponding genomic sequence of ZjeEF-1α was also sequenced, in which a 115-bp intervening sequence with splicing site GT-AG was found. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and western blotting assays revealed that the expression of ZjeEF-1α was enhanced in resistant cultivar ‘Xingguang’ and decreased in sensitive cultivar ‘Zanhuangdazao’ at early stages of phytoplasma infection. It is proved that ZjeEF-1A expression is early response to phytoplasma infection and its possible functions in resistant process to JWB phytoplasma are discussed.     

Hydrology in a patterned landscape is co-engineered by soil-disturbing animals and biological crusts

Water redistribution has a profound influence on dryland ecosystem function. This hydrological function is largely regulated by ecosystem engineers including biological soil crusts (biocrusts) which produce run-off, and burrowing animals, such as the greater bilby, whose pits capture water. We estimated the relative importance of these two ecosystem engineers in determining infiltration rates in a system where dune slopes shed water to adjacent interdune swales to maximize overall productivity. Also, we determined which biocrust property was most hydrologically important: total cover, composition, patch aggregation or spatial heterogeneity. While both biocrusts and burrowing animals equally affected the overall infiltration through macro- and micropores (under ponding), only biocrusts were important for the infiltration specifically via micropores (under tension). Of the studied biocrust properties, community composition was the strongest influence such that the greater the prevalence of early successional biocrust patches, the greater the infiltration rate. Greater total cover of biocrusts reduced infiltration, and the spatial properties were relatively unimportant. Although bilbies and biocrusts comparably influenced infiltration under ponding at the microscale, realistic cover of bilby pits at the landscape scale is unlikely to strongly impair the hydrological function of dunes. Reintroduction of the endangered bilby may enhance nutrient cycling and plant recruitment via its seed and resource capturing pits, without a concomitant disruption of hydrological function. In contrast, removal of biocrusts caused by, e.g., livestock trampling, is expected to strongly enhance infiltration in the run-off areas, strongly reducing ecosystem productivity at the landscape scale.     

Distribution and plant community associations of the understory bamboo <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fargesia qinlingensis</Emphasis> in the Foping National Nature Reserve,China

• Introduction  

Fargesia qinlingensis is the primary food source for the endangered giant panda during the summer months in the Qinling Mountains, but little is known about its spatial distribution and plant community associations.     

八角枝叶的化学成分研究

【目的】研究八角枝叶中的化学成分。【方法】采用质谱法（MS）和核磁共振法(NMR),对从八角枝叶中分离到的化合物进行结构鉴定。【结果】从八角枝叶中分离到了7种化合物,分别为Nortrachelogenin-8′-O-β-D-glucopyranoside(1)、Dihydrobuddlenol B(2)、Naringenin-4′-O-β-Dglucopyranoside(3)、槲皮素-3-O-L吡喃鼠李糖(4)、Benzeneethanol-4-O-β-D-glucopyranoside(5)、3,5-二甲氧基-4-羟基-苯甲酸甲酯(6)和莽草酸(7)。【结论】从八角枝叶中分离得到7种化合物,化合物1～6为首次从该植物中分离得到。     

中华蟾蜍蝌蚪变态过程中甲状腺的组织学变化

【目的】研究中华蟾蜍(Bufo gargarizans)蝌蚪在不同发育阶段甲状腺的组织学变化。【方法】以处于变态高峰前后5期（28,33,38,42,46期）的中华蟾蜍蝌蚪为试验材料,用Motic BA300光学显微镜对各个发育时期蝌蚪的甲状腺进行组织学观察,测定蝌蚪的全长、体质量和肝质量等形态指标,并分析这些形态指标与甲状腺直径、滤泡平均直径及最大直径的线性相关性。【结果】在28期时,中华蟾蜍蝌蚪甲状腺出现但无分泌甲状腺激素的功能;33期时,甲状腺具备了分泌甲状腺激素的能力;此后甲状腺进一步发育,在蝌蚪前肢展开期甲状腺活性达到最强;至尾完全吸收期,甲状腺机能减弱。蝌蚪全长、体质量及肝质量与甲状腺直径及滤泡直径呈正线性相关。【结论】具有分泌机能的甲状腺出现的发育时期,与两栖动物变态类型相关;分泌高峰期出现的发育时期与幼体持续时间密切相关。中华蟾蜍蝌蚪的全长可以直观地反映其甲状腺的机能活性。     

间作模式下大白茶净光合速率的影响因子分析

为分析间作模式下大白茶(Koilodepas hainanense)净光合速率的影响因子,在生长初期(5月)、生长盛期(6月)和生长末期(10月)分别对大白茶茶树的净光合速率和对其影响的相关指标进行测量.结果表明,间作模式下3个时期茶树净光合速率变化均为单峰曲线.在影响净光合速率的指标中,光合有效辐射是主导因素,并和气温、胞间CO2浓度和气孔导度共同作用影响净光合速率.     

Cd胁迫下绿豆幼苗根部对K·Ca·Mg含量的影响

[目的]研究Cd胁迫下绿豆(Phaseolus raditus L.)幼苗根部矿质元素的代谢。[方法]用1μmol/L Cd2+模拟Cd污染,通过火焰原子吸收分光光度仪(FAAS)对矿质营养元素K、Ca、Mg含量进行测定。[结果]Cd胁迫下,根中的Mg含量降低,K含量先升高后降低,Ca含量却有所升高。[结论]Cd间接影响植物的生长发育。