Identification and quantification of anthocyanins in different coloured cultivars of ornamental kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala DC)

Anthocyanins are responsible for the colour of many fruits, vegetables, flowers, and coloured-leaved trees. Ornamental kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala DC) is widely cultivated for its colourful inner leaves. To investigate the relationship between the degree of colouration and anthocyanin distribution, content, and composition in ornamental kale, the authors studied the pigment characteristics of five cultivars with different coloured leaves (white, pink, red, purple, and purple-black). Microscopy observation, spectrophotometer, and high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) analysis of fresh inner leaves revealed that pink, red, and purple colourations were associated with high levels of anthocyanin, while purple-black was the result of the combination of anthocyanins and chlorophyll. In the coloured cultivars, anthocyanins were abundant mainly in the first and second cell layers below the epidermis in both the hypocotyls and inner leaves. No anthocyanin was found in the white-leaved phenotype cultivar. Anthocyanin content increased as leaf colour deepened from pink, red, to purple cultivars, which had little chlorophyll and carotenoid. The authors identified eight anthocyanins in the four coloured cultivars, including one non-acylated, four monoacylated, and three diacylated cyanidin glycosides. Cyanidin-3-(sinapoyl)(feruloyl)-diglucoside-5-glucoside was the most abundant anthocyanin in the four coloured cultivars followed by cyanidin-3-(sinapoyl)-diglucoside-5-glucoside. The analysis of anthocyanin accumulation characterisation provides important information on evaluating colouration patterns in coloured plants, and will be helpful for breeding desired leaf colours in ornamental kale.     

Mapping the spatial distribution of shade provision of street trees in Boston using Google Street View panoramas

Street trees provide shade and increase human thermal comfort during hot summer. In this study, we investigated the spatial distribution of shade provision of street trees in Boston, Massachusetts. The sky view factor (SVF), which influences the solar radiation to the ground and affects human thermal comfort, was used to indicate the contribution of street trees on shade provision. Google Street View (GSV) panoramas were used to calculate the photographic method based SVF (SVF_P), with the consideration of all kinds of obstructions within street canyons. A building height model was used to calculate the simulation based SVF (SVFs), with consideration of obstruction of building blocks only. Considering the fact that street trees and building blocks are the two major obstructions of radiation within street canyons, therefore, the difference between the two SVF estimation results can be considered as the shade provision of street trees. The results show that street trees help to decrease the SVF by 24.61% in Boston, Massachusetts. The shading level varies spatially in the study area. Generally, the southwestern area has much higher shading level than the north and the east. We further explored the shading variation among different socioeconomic groups in the study area. Result shows that Hispanics tend to live in neighborhoods with lower shading level. This study can help to provide a reference for future urban greening projects for global climate change adaption.     

果蔬型甜玉米新品种京科甜191的选育

京科甜191是以超甜玉米自交系T68为母本,自交系T6302为父本,通过杂交选育而成的果蔬型甜玉米品种。果穗筒型,穗长19.0 cm,穗粗5.3 cm,穗行数16~18行,行粒数36~38粒,粒行整齐。籽粒亮黄色,外观漂亮。平均每667 m2鲜果穗产量900 kg左右,出籽率约67.4%。鲜籽粒含粗蛋白2.98%,粗脂肪1.37%,总糖6.7%,口感甜脆清爽,皮薄无渣。播种至采收平均85.4 d(天),适宜京津冀及类似生态区种植。     

品种间大豆脂肪氧化酶活性差异及β-胡萝卜素漂白性研究

为了解东北地区大豆品种间大豆脂肪氧化酶(LOX)活性差异规律,整理适于东北地区种植的大豆种质资源307份(6份半野生品种,17份地方品种及4份国外品种,其余为栽培品种),统一种植,秋季收获后,测定各品种成熟籽粒脂肪氧化酶总活性。分析品种间脂肪氧化酶总活性分布规律、大豆脂肪氧化酶总活性与β-胡萝卜素漂白性之间关系。结果表明,307份大豆品种间脂肪氧化酶总活性差异极显著,平均值为21.68 U·mL~(-1),最小值为2.51 U·mL~(-1),最大值为42.38 U·mL~(-1)。根据脂肪氧化酶总活性差异,通过聚类分析将307份大豆品种分为3类。低活性品种占总量43.65%,脂肪氧化酶总活性平均值为15.25 U·mL~(-1);中等活性品种占总量43.97%,脂肪氧化酶活性平均值为24.64 U·mL~(-1);高活性品种占总量12.38%,脂肪氧化酶总活性平均值为33.87 U·mL~(-1)。脂肪氧化酶总活性与油分含量呈正相关,与蛋白含量呈负相关,与漂白性呈正相关。     

耐盐抗旱优质高产棉花新品种‘衡棉1670’的选育研究

抗逆优质丰产棉花新品种的培育及应用是当前棉花生产节水提质增效的关键。‘衡棉1670’是河北省农林科学院旱作农业研究所以中早熟陆地棉品种资源材料‘衡棉210’为母本,以‘衡棉4号’为父本杂交,后代多年南繁北育,经旱棚盐池鉴定选择,在枯黄萎病混生重病地、不防治棉铃虫的高压胁迫下,经过多年连续定向选择育成。其突出表现为抗枯黄萎病、丰产优质、耐盐抗旱节水,适宜在河北省及黄河流域同类生态春播棉区推广种植,2019年8月通过河北省农作物品种审定委员会审定（审定编号为冀审棉20190013）。     

Three SNPs within exons of INHA and ACVR2B genes are significantly associated with litter size in Dazu black goats

The aim of this study was to analyse the association between single-nucleotide polymorphisms within INHA and ACVR2B and litter size in Dazu black goats. In total, twenty-two SNPs were genotyped in 190 individuals by SNaPshot and resequencing. The results showed that three SNPs (SNP_1, SNP_12 and SNP_13 in this study) were detected to have significant additive genetic effect on the recorded goat litter size (p < .05). The SNP_1 (NC_030809.1), a non-synonymous substitution of G for T at chr2-g. 28314990 in the exon 2 of INHA gene (NM_001285606.1), resulted in homozygote 2 (HOM2) contributed 0.25 and heterozygote (HET) contributed 0.12 larger litter than homozygote 1 (HOM1). Meanwhile, SNP_12 (Chr22-g. 11721225 A > T) and SNP_13 (Chr22-g. 11721227 A > C) (NC_030829.1) simultaneously mutated at the first and third position of a triplet AAA (lysine, K) in the exon 4 of ACVR2B gene (XM_018066623.1) had estimated genetic effects of HOM1 (0.00) and HOM2 (0.03) larger than HET (−0.12). In conclusion, one SNPs (chr2-g. 28314990 T > G) within the exon 2 of INHA and two SNPs (Chr22-g. 11721225 A > T and Chr22-g. 11721227 A > C) i n the exon 4 of ACVR2B gene were highly recommended as candidate markers of litter size in Dazu black goats. A large-scale association study to assess the impact of these variants on litter size is still necessary.     

粪肠球菌生长曲线的测定及其对小鼠脑组织的影响

为测定致羔羊脑炎粪肠球菌（Enterococcus faecalis）的生长曲线，寻求一种快速而准确的方法测定不同生长时期粪肠球菌数量，并客观评价其毒性强弱及其对小鼠脑组织的影响，试验采用平板菌落计数法和OD-Monitor振荡比浊法（D_λ值法）测定粪肠球菌的生长曲线，探究该菌在合适时间段内的吸光值（D_{600 nm}）与平板菌落计数法测定的活菌数（CFU）的关系。用粪肠球菌感染小鼠，观察记录小鼠的死亡情况，最后采用Karber法计算粪肠球菌感染小鼠的半数致死量（LD₅₀）。用LD₅₀的剂量感染小鼠，及时采集死亡小鼠脑组织，未死亡的小鼠72 h后全部剖杀取脑组织，一部分做涂片染色，制作病理切片，观察病理变化；一部分进行培养，用于PCR方法进行细菌的回收鉴定。结果显示，用两种方法测定此株粪肠球菌的生长曲线基本一致，在2~8 h生长迅速，为对数生长期，8~14 h生长缓慢，为稳定期，14 h之后死亡数增加，进入衰亡期；对12 h粪肠球菌D_{600 nm}与CFU的关系进行探讨，成功建立回归方程：y=20.769x-1.3422，R²=0.997；其感染小鼠的LD₅₀为7.77×10¹¹个活菌。以此剂量感染小鼠，脑组织涂片染色和培养染色，均能看到革兰氏阳性球菌；PCR结果显示，均出现了大小为112 bp的条带。对脑组织进行病理学观察发现该菌可导致脑组织充血、出血、形成微血栓，脑膜充血。通过生长曲线和其D_{600 nm}与CFU关系的建立，可实时监测粪肠球菌数量，为后期更深入研究粪肠球菌穿越血脑屏障的机制奠定重要的理论基础。