Development of colchicine‐induced tetraploid St. Augustinegrass (Stenotaphrum secundatum) lines

St. Augustinegrass is well suited for lawns and commercial landscapes. While many genotypes are cross‐fertile, all cultivars are propagated vegetatively in sod production. To ensure varietal purity, development of sterile triploid hybrids by crossing tetraploid and diploid genotypes has been successfully used in other warm‐season turfgrasses. Applying this model in St. Augustinegrass would be beneficial to sod producers and turf managers who require purity for certification and uniformity for performance, respectively. This study was conducted to develop colchicine‐induced tetraploid lines of St. Augustinegrass. Seeds of cultivar ‘Raleigh’ were treated with four colchicine concentrations at four exposure times. A non‐treated control was included among the treatments. Seedlings that germinated were screened for genome size changes using flow cytometry. Line DSA 13005 and two progeny lines derived through selfing, DSA 16001 and DSA 16016, were corroborated as tetraploids (2n = 4x = 36) through chromosome counts. These lines will be used in future breeding efforts to attempt development of sterile triploid cultivars of St. Augustinegrass.     

宁夏地区荷斯坦牛乳房性状的遗传参数估计和主成分分析

旨在评估宁夏地区荷斯坦牛乳房性状的遗传水平。本研究使用DMU（v6.0）软件的AI-REML模块结合EM算法并配合多性状动物模型对宁夏地区12 415头荷斯坦牛，包括111 735个观察值的9个乳房性状进行遗传参数估计，运用主成分分析法（PCA）探讨构象性状之间的关系。结果表明，宁夏地区荷斯坦牛乳房性状遗传力处于中等偏低水平，乳房深度遗传力值为0.242，乳房质地为0.080，悬韧带为0.183，前乳房附着为0.230，前乳头位置为0.231，前乳头长度为0.173，后乳房高为0.272，后乳房宽为0.378，后乳头位置为0.169。各性状遗传相关范围为-0.277~0.706，表型相关范围为-0.084~0.316。研究共筛选出特征值≥1的4个主成分，占总方差的64.19%，且9个乳房性状在前3个主成分中已全部体现，荷载系数均在0.4以上。本研究通过对宁夏地区奶牛DHI数据的深入挖掘和遗传参数估计，准确地把握了宁夏奶牛群体的结构特征，对于奶牛的选种选配和育种规划具有重要意义。     

翻心型大白菜新品种连狮1 号的选育

连狮1 号是以连云港地区菜农提供的中狮头自留种为原始种，经4 代自交提纯选育成的大白菜新品种。株型紧凑， 整齐度较好，叶球为长筒翻心形，叶片呈长倒卵形，叶表面具有较深核桃纹并带稀疏茸毛。株高35 cm，外叶数约10 片， 叶球高28～32 cm、横径22～27 cm，单个叶球质量3.5～4.0 kg，每667 m² 叶球产量4 700 kg 左右，净菜率达83%。生育期 为90～95 d（天），田间抗病毒病、霜霉病、根肿病能力优于对照中狮头，适合在江苏、安徽、山东等地及其相近气候条件 地区秋季种植。     

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.     

苦瓜新品种淮农青1号的选育

为了选育早熟、产量高、抗病性强、微苦的苦瓜新品种,以B19强雌系为母本,以B118苦瓜自交系为父本,进行杂交、分离后,经系统选育,培育出苦瓜新品种——淮农青1号。其早熟,果皮翠绿色,长纺锤形,口感脆嫩;前期平均667 m2产量1 126.2 kg,比对照增产25.5%,平均667 m~2总产量达2 740.8 kg,比对照增产26.3%;中抗白粉病,适合江苏省春季大棚栽培。     

肉制品发色剂研究进展

色泽是肉制品评定的一个重要因素。在肉制品中加入发色剂可使产品色泽良好,提高产品品质。传统肉制品中通常添加亚硝酸盐等作为发色剂,其严重威胁人体健康。通过综述肉制品发色剂的使用现状、新型肉制品的研发状况,展望肉制品发色剂的开发方向与前景。     

凉山半细毛羊新品种的选育技术与经验

凉山半细毛羊新品种的育成,是采用表型选择和基因型选择相结合产生的结果。在初生期、断奶期、育成期和成年期采取表型鉴定、逐步选择淘汰的制度。根据羔羊断奶期性状与育成期性状之间的显著相关性对羔羊单性状进行早期选择。应用同期发情与后裔测验相结合的方法,对种公羊基因型值用BLUP法进行选择。同时,加强育种工作的组织领导,组建独具特色的三级繁育体系,改善育种羊群的饲养管理条件,圆满完成了国家下达的半细毛羊新品种选育的任务,填补了国内粗档半细毛羊品种的空白。     

菜用加工兼用栗永荆3号选育

一般认为我国南方栗仅宜于菜用，加工极易开瓣和糊化，经过几年的筛选和加工试剂，永荆3号品种可生产B－E级标准的糖水栗子罐头。     

杏种质资源评价及遗传育种研究进展

在简要介绍杏的起源、分布及种质资源收集保存的基础上，着重对杏品种资源的分类、授粉生物学、孢粉学及分子生物学评价以及杏杂种后代遗传变异特点、育种目标及育种技术进行了综述，并提出了今后的研究方向。     

Adverse impact of industrial animal agriculture on the health and welfare of farmed animals

Industrial animal agriculture is grounded in the concept of maximizing productivity and profit. Selective breeding for maximum productivity in one characteristic of the animal (e.g. milk yield in cows, or breast meat in broiler chickens) has resulted in genotypes and phenotypes that may predispose the animals to poor health and welfare. The conditions in which these individuals are kept may also frustrate many inherited behaviors that they are strongly motivated to perform. In order to curb the resulting harmful aberrant behaviors, such as feather‐pecking in chickens, we sometimes resort to mutilating the animals. In many places chickens are routinely de‐beaked by means of a hot metal guillotine. Compassion in World Farming (an international organization that promotes the humane treatment of farm animals) believes that it is unethical to treat sentient beings in such ways. We have a duty to respect farm animals' sentience by providing them with housing conditions that take their needs and wants into account, and by reverting to the use of dual‐purpose, slower‐growing breeds that have the potential for good welfare. Alternatives to current farming practices are available, and we owe it to the animals, and to our consciences, to pursue them.