Application of microsatellites from maize to teosinte and other relatives of maize

Teosinte comprises different Zea species (Zea mays, Zea diploperennis, Zea perennis, Zea luxurians) that can be crossed with cultivated maize (Z. mays ssp. mays). Nine microsatellites from maize were applied to different teosinte species in order to evaluate their usefulness in markerbased exploitation of these genetic resources. The same microsatellites were tested with rye, barley, and sorghum as potential molecular markers for these species. Almost all microsatellite × teosinte combinations yielded polymerase chain reaction (PCR) fragments in the range of cultivated maize. Using an F₂ population of a cross between maize inbred A188 and an individual of Zea mays ssp. mexicana, amplification products for maize and teosinte originated from the same genomic location for each of nine microsatellites investigated. PCR fragments of reduced intensity were generally obtained by applying maize microsatellites to rye, barley and sorghum. Polymorphisms among accessions within teosinte (sub)species occurred frequently. In contrast, no polymorphisms were obtained within rye, barley, and sorghum. Hence, application of maize microsatellites to teosinte for fingerprinting or marker-assisted introgression of genomic regions from teosinte into cultivated maize appears promising.     

Osmotic Adjustment in Maize (Zea mays L.): Changes with Ontogeny and its Relationship with Phenotypic Stability

Genetic variation for osmotic adjustment was examined in a group of maize hybrids during vegetative and silking stages. Estimates of osmotic adjustment were derived from measurements of leaf relative water content (RWC) and osmotic potential (Ψ o ) before day-break. The degree of adjustment was estimated from the In RWC/In Ψ o relationship. All cultivars examined showed some degree of osmotic adjustment and significant differences (P < 0.05) were found among them. The utility of measurements in early vegetative stages as a mean of selection for osmotic adjustment in silking stage was established. A positive tendency was observed between osmotic adjustment and phenotypic stability.     

用单叶鲜重速测青贮玉米地上生物量

研究了苗期（４叶期）、拔节期和灌浆期的白马牙玉米每层叶鲜重与单地上生物量（鲜重或干重的）回归方程。结果表明，按人上至下的顺序排叶序，则苗期的第２－３层叶、拔节期的第４层叶和灌浆期的第４－６层叶的叶鲜民相应生育时期的单株地上生物量呈极显著的正相关，可分别用以快速估测该生育时期的单地上生物量。     

Intercropping field crops between rows of Leucaena leucocephala under rainfed conditions in northern India

A field study was conducted for six years (1981–1986) on sandy loam soil on intercropping hedgerows of Leucaena leucocephala (Lam) de Wit. with three field crops viz. maize (Zea mays L), black gram (Vigna mungo L) and cluster bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba L Taub.). In treatments 1 and 2 Leucaena hedges were planted as pure crops at close (25 cm × 75 cm) and wide (25 cm × 375 cm) spacings. In treatments 3, 4 and 5 the three field crops were intercropped between the hedgerows of Leucaena at the wide spacing, and in treatments 6, 7 and 8 the field crops were raised as pure crops. Leucaena was topped to 75 cm each time it attained a height of 175 cm. The pure crop of Leucaena at close spacing produced an average, over the six years, of 34 t ha⁻¹a⁻¹ of green fodder and 9.4 t ha⁻¹a⁻¹ of air dry fuelwood. The Leucaena at wide spacing produced 18.9 t ha⁻¹a⁻¹ of green fodder and 6.3 t ha⁻¹a⁻¹ of fuelwood. Intercropping with field crops decreased the yield of green fodder and fuelwood. The yield of all the field crops was less when raised as intercrops than as pure crops. Mean maximum net returns were obtained from intercrops of Leucaena and cluster bean (Rs 3540 ha⁻¹a⁻¹) which were significantly higher than the returns from pure crop of Leucaena at wide spacing but similar to the returns from pure crops of cluster bean. Leucaena with maize (Rs 3273 ha⁻¹a⁻¹) and black gram (Rs 3125 ha⁻¹a⁻¹) gave significantly higher net returns over pure crops of Leucaena at wide spacing, maize and black gram. ICRISAT = International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics- Hyderabad, India. CIAT = Centro International de Agricultura Tropical - Cali - Columbia     

Dry-season sesbania fallows and their influence on nitrogen availability and maize yields in Malawi

Nitrogen deficiency is widespread in southern Africa, but inorganic fertilizers are often unaffordable for smallholder farmers. Short-duration leguminous fallows are one possible means of soil fertility restoration. We monitored preseason topsoil (0 to 20 cm) ammonium and nitrate, fallow biomass production and grain yields for three years in a relay cropping trial with sesbania [Sesbania sesban (L.) Merr.] and maize (Zea mays L.). Sesbania seedlings were interplanted with maize during maize sowing at 0, 7400 or 14,800 trees ha^–1, in factorial combination with inorganic N fertilizer at 0 or 48 kg N ha^–1 (half the recommended rate). After maize harvest, fallows were allowed to grow during the seven-month dry season, and were cleared before sowing the next maize crop. Both sesbania fallows and inorganic N fertilizer resulted in significantly greater (P < 0.01 to 0.05) preseason topsoil nitrate-N than following unfertilized sole maize. In plots receiving no fertilizer N, preseason topsoil inorganic N correlated with maize yield over all three seasons (r ² = 0.62, P < 0.001). Sesbania fallows gave significantly higher maize yields than unfertilized sole maize in two of three years (P < 0.01 to 0.05). Sesbania biomass yields were extremely variable, were not significantly related to sesbania planting density, and were inconsistently related to soil N fractions and maize yields. Short-duration fallows may offer modest yield increases under conditions where longer duration fallows are not possible. This gain must be considered against the loss of pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L. Millsp) harvest in the similarly structured maize-pigeonpea intercrop common in the region.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

First results on synchrony between seasonal pattern of pheromone trap captures of cotton bollworm, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Helicoverpa armigera</Emphasis> and appearance of freshly emerged larvae on developing cobs of corn hybrids

Synchrony between development of five corn hybrid varieties of various seasonal growing rates (FAO numbers), seasonal flight pattern of male cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera Hb. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), as monitored by pheromone traps, and the subsequent appearance of newly hatched larvae on developing cobs were studied at Mezőhegyes, South-Hungary, in 2003 and 2004. The phenological stages of corn hybrids were evaluated using the Iowa State University Scale (R₁–R₅), the flight of male moths was monitored by large capacity, funnel type of pheromone traps and the appearance of freshly hatched larvae on developing cobs were counted by visual inspection. The synchrony between the flight peak of male moths and the peak apperance of L₁ larvae on cobs was investigated by cross-correlation. In 2003 (average daily temperatures 20.7°C, average daily relative humidity 59.9% for the period of 4–18 July) “DK 391”, “DK 443” and “Maraton” hybrid varieties already reached silking stage (R₁) by the time when pheromone traps indicated a peak, at 7 July (peak capture at 3-day intervals 755.5 males/traps). The number of L₁ larvae peaked on developing cobs of these varieties also at 7 July (7.0, 4.0 and 3.8 larvae/50 cobs, respectively). The synchrony between the flight peak of male moths and the peak appearance of L₁ larvae on cobs was proven (LAG = 0). A rather similar trend was observed in “Vilma” hybrid variety: it reached R₁ stage at 7 July, and L₁ larvae appeared only a few days later (11 July, 3.8 larvae/50 cobs) (LAG = −1). However, “Maxima” hybrid variety reached R₁ stage 1 week later (14 July) than the time of peak captures. Here L₁ larvae peaked as late as at 18 July (0.8 larvae/50 cobs), i.e., only after the cob had reached R₁ stage (LAG = −3). A reverse order of dates of R₁ stage and peak capture was observed in “Maxima” in 2004 (average daily temperatures; 22.5°C, average daily relative humidities 72.6% for the period of 15 July–6 August): it reached R₁ stage at 19 July, while peak trap captures were recorded at 6 August (peak capture at 3-day intervals 20.5 males/traps). L₁ larvae were found in the highest numbers on 2 August (1.5 larvae/50 cobs), practically in synchrony with peak caputres (LAG = 0). “Káma” reached R₁ stage in 16 July, and L₁ larvae peaked at 2 August (1.3 larvae/50 cobs) (LAG = 0). On the rest of the corn varieties larvae were found only in too numbers for performing statistical analysis. We conclude that in order to predict the appearance of L₁ larvae, the phenological stage of the corn variety and the seasonal flight pattern of moths, as measured by large capacity pheromone traps, should be considered in combination. If the corn variety already reached R₁ stage, L₁ larvae appear on cobs as early as the time of peak flight of moths. However, no young larvae appear on cobs despite of high trap captures, until the corn reaches the R₁ stage. These findings are discussed in the view of specifying optimal timing of a pesticide application.     

利用“永久F2”群体剖析玉米产量及其相关性状的遗传机制

利用RIL群体构建了一套包含441个杂交组合的玉米“永久F₂”群体,通过253个SSR标记的等位基因频率分析,发现“永久F₂”群体的遗传组成与基因频率与F₂群体相似,理论上可以代替F₂群体进行相关遗传研究。通过两年一点的田间试验,利用复合区间作图法对玉米产量及其3个主要构成因子进行了遗传分析。结果表明,玉米产量与穗长、穗行数及百粒重呈显著或极显著正相关,而穗长与穗行数和百粒重显著负相关。共定位3个产量QTL、8个穗长QTL,11个穗行数QTL和5个百粒重QTL。     

玉米秃尖与内源激素的关系

玉米果穗顶部不能形成种子或部分种子败育而导致秃尖,秃尖受遗传影响较大,并对光合作用的依赖性很强。本文以20个玉米杂交组合雌穗顶部穗轴为材料,对光合作用的"源"和"库"起调控作用的顶部穗轴内源激素与其秃尖长度的关系进行了研究。结果表明,在快速灌浆期,玉米雌穗顶部穗轴GA3I、AA、CTK含量较高,而ABA含量很低;ABA含量与玉米秃尖长度呈极显著的正相关;(GA3+IAA+CTK)/ABA含量与玉米秃尖长度呈极显著的负相关。说明顶部穗轴ABA含量的高低与玉米秃尖长度存在密切关系。     

氮肥后移及间作对玉米光合特性的耦合效应

【目的】针对绿洲灌区覆膜玉米氮素需求前移,后期脱肥问题,通过探讨氮肥后移对间作玉米光合生理特性及产量的影响,以期揭示间作玉米产量形成的光合机制。【方法】2019—2021年,在河西绿洲灌区以玉米为试验材料,采用裂区试验设计,主因素为种植模式,设玉米间作豌豆和单作玉米2个水平,副因素为3个施氮制度（氮肥后移20%,氮肥后移10%,常规施氮不后移）,研究氮肥后移及间作模式下,玉米的光合生理特性和产量表现。【结果】与常规施氮不后移相比,氮肥后移20%和氮肥后移10%处理下间作玉米籽粒产量分别提高28.5%、13.8%,生物产量分别提高23.8%、12.5%;单作玉米籽粒产量分别提高29.7%、13.3%,生物产量分别提高19.6%、10.3%。相同占地面积下,间作较单作玉米籽粒产量增加33.2%—35.1%,生物产量增加26.8%—31.5%。同时,氮肥后移20%和氮肥后移10%处理较常规施氮不后移提高了间作群体籽粒产量27.2%、12.9%。说明,间作较单作模式可提高玉米产量,且氮肥后移处理较常规施氮促进了间作产量的提高。与单作模式相比较,间作玉米可保持较高的净光合速率、气孔导度和蒸腾速率,较低的胞间CO₂浓度,且氮肥后移处理具有促进作用。氮肥后移20%、氮肥后移10%较常规施氮不后移处理玉米净光合速率分别提高12.8%、6.0%;气孔导度分别提高14.0%、6.9%;蒸腾速率分别提高20.5%、9.5%;胞间CO₂浓度分别降低29.8%、13.1%。间作模式下,氮肥后移20%、氮肥后移10%处理玉米全生育期叶片相对叶绿素含量（SPAD值）较常规施氮不后移处理分别提高7.5%、3.7%。主成分分析结果表明,氮肥后移和间作主要通过提高净光合速率、气孔导度、蒸腾速率、叶片相对叶绿素含量和降低胞间CO₂浓度来增加玉米产量。【结论】氮肥后移20%（玉米拔节期追肥36 kg·hm^-2+吐丝后15 d追肥108 kg·hm^-2）有利于间作玉米光合特性提高,从而促进玉米增产。