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.     

大豆对大豆胞囊线虫侵染的应答机制研究

大豆胞囊线虫病(Heterodera glycines,soybean cyst nematode,SCN)是大豆生产上的重要病害,其特点为危害重、分布广、难防治,每年对大豆生产造成极大的损失。种植大豆抗性新品种是防治SCN目前最为有效的措施,研究大豆对SCN侵染的应答机制,是培育大豆持久抗病品种的前提,对加快抗线虫品种选育及SCN的防控具有重要的意义。本文综述了大豆对SCN侵染的组织细胞学应答机制;介绍了大豆在SCN侵染后酶系变化及酚类代谢的生理生化应答机制;从分子水平阐明了SCN侵染后大豆的基因转录变化,差异蛋白及DNA甲基化的应答机制,以期为大豆胞囊线虫病害的进一步研究与防治提供参考。     

十里香茶离体培养及再生体系研究

为了保护珍贵的十里香茶树资源,掌握利于十里香茶的最优组培条件,本研究对十里香茶组培过程中外植体类型、消毒时间、培养基添加物及培养条件进行了筛选。结果表明,采用轻微木质化的带腋芽茎段经升汞消毒15 min,接种后暗培养5 d,MS+0.2 mg·L^-1 NAA培养基中添加3 mg·L^-1 PVP+2000 mg·L^-1 Vc或者6 mg·L^-1 PVP+3000 mg·L^-1 AC,可在低污染率的前提下将褐化率降为10%左右,一定程度上解决了茶树组培中褐化率高的难题;采用1/8 MS+1 mg·L^-1 IBA培养基有利于外植体生根且增殖迅速。本研究建立了十里香茶的无菌苗离体培养及再生体系,可通过组培手段对其进行大量繁殖。     

Differential regulation on C5 expression in goose versus mammals by glucose/palmitate provides a potential protection for goose fatty liver

Goose fatty liver is a specific type of nonalcoholic fatty liver that is protected from harmful effects associated with severe steatosis. Our previous findings suggest that suppression of the complement C5 may be relevant, but the mechanism is unclear. Therefore, in this study, we first verified the expression pattern of complement genes (including C5) during goose fatty liver formation and then determined the liver fat content and fatty acid composition by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), followed by selecting the differential metabolites to treat HepG2, goose and mouse primary hepatocytes, aiming to explore the mechanism of C5 and inflammation suppression in goose fatty liver. The data confirmed the suppression of complement genes (including C5) in goose fatty livers. Moreover, fat content was significantly higher in fatty liver versus normal ones, with oleic acid and palmitic acid dominantly accounting for the difference. In line with this, high concentration of palmitate led to down regulation of C5 expression in goose primary hepatocytes whereas upregulation in mouse primary hepatocytes and HepG2 cells. In conclusion, regulation on C5 expression by fatty liver related factors including high level of palmitic acid may contribute to the protection of goose liver from severe hepatic steatosis.     

Establishing an eyeball-weight relationship for Litopenaeus vannamei using machine vision technology

This study aimed to establish a shrimp eyeball-weight relationship model for Litopenaeus vannamei using machine vision technology. A total of 295 shrimp were sampled from a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS). The long-axis length (d), body length (L), and body weight (W) of each individual was measured. The long axis length of the shrimp eyeball was identified and measured using machine vision technology. Continuous fitting and piecewise fitting models were used to construct the eyeball-weight relationship model for L. vannamei. The continuous fitting relationship model was described as: W = 38.865d^2.7914, while the piecewise model was described as: d < 2 mm, W = 0.0326d^3.7363, R² = 0.9288; 2 mm ≤ d < 3.9 mm, W = 0.0401d^3.104, R² = 0.9629; 3.9 mm ≤ d < 5.8 mm, W = 0.0421d^3.0311, R² = 0.9216; 5.8 mm < d, W = 0.103d^2.6226, R² = 0.9457. The root mean square error (RMSE) of the piecewise fitting model (0.0244, 0.1575, 0.5034, 0.7072) was smaller than the continuous fitting model (0.8229). The correlation coefficient (R²) of the piecewise model (0.9288, 0.9629, 0.9216, and 0.9457) was similar to that of the continuous fitting model (R² = 0.9621). The results indicated that the piecewise fitting model is suitable for calculating the biomass of L. vannamei in RAS and provides a novel way of estimating the biomass of L. vannamei cultured in RAS. The piecewise fitting model can also provide the foundation of evaluating the production of shrimp using underwater image recognition in intelligent aquaculture systems.     

不同施氮量下覆膜滴灌玉米相对根长密度模型研究

为探明施氮量对宁夏引黄灌区覆膜滴灌玉米根长密度(RLD)的影响,设置5个施氮水平和1个对照(CK,不施氮与不覆膜)进行试验,测定玉米RLD,建立不同施氮量下相对根长密度(NRLD)模型,并加以检验。结果表明:不同施氮处理的玉米RLD分布区域均随土层深度的增加而减小,且大部分集中在0～20 cm土层;随着施氮量的增加,RLD分布区域明显扩大; NRLD分布满足三阶多项式函数模型,模拟曲线的决定系数R2为0.951,模型检验结果R2为0.845,均方根误差(RMSE)为0.248,拟合效果好,但该多项式模型不能保证NRLD在相对取样深度Zr为1时达到0,故对玉米NRLD分布多项式模型进行优化。优化模型验证结果显示,各施氮处理RMSE不大于0.308,CK、N0、N1、N2、N3和N4处理的标准化均方根误差分别为0.242、0.193、0.184、0.226、0.208和0.273,R2分别为0.903、0.953、0.920、0.944、0.962和0.898,具有较高的拟合度,解决了NRLD在Zr=1时达到0的问题。本研究可为宁夏引黄灌区膜下滴灌玉米NRLD分布拟合、根系养分吸收和施肥管理提供理论参考。     

Sorghum extrusion process combined with biofortified sweet potato contributed for high iron bioavailability in Wistar rats

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of sorghum and sweet potato on the bioavailability of iron, gene expression of proteins involved in iron metabolism and the plasma antioxidant capacity in animals fed with whole sorghum grains processed by dry heat or extrusion, combined or not with sweet potato flour with high content of carotenoids. Five experimental groups were tested (n = 7): dry heat sorghum flour (DS); extruded sorghum flour (ES); whole sorghum flour + sweet potato flour (DS + SP); extruded sorghum flour + sweet potato flour (ES + SP) and positive control (FS). The evaluations included: hemoglobin gain, hemoglobin regeneration efficiency, gene expression of divalente metal transporter 1 (DMT-1), duodenal citochroma B (DcytB), ferroportin, hephaestin, transferrin and ferritin and total plasma antioxidant capacity (TAC). The ES + SP group showed higher (p < 0.05) expression of DcytB, ferroportin and hephaestin when compared to the control group. The DS group showed high (p < 0.05) expression of DMT-1 and the ES showed high mRNA expression of transferrin and ferritin. The changes in the sorghum physicochemical properties from extrusion process reduced the iron and phytate content, and increased the gene expression of proteins involved in iron metabolism, improving iron bioavailability. The combination of sweet potato and sorghum flour (dry or extruded) improved the iron capture and total antioxidant capacity, probably due to the presence of β-carotene and antioxidant compounds.     

Quantitative trait loci analysis for root traits in synthetic hexaploid wheat under drought stress conditions

Synthetic hexaploid wheat(SHW), possesses numerous genes for drought that can help breeding for drought-tolerant wheat varieties. We evaluated 10 root traits at seedling stage in 111 F9 recombinant inbred lines derived from a F2 population of a SHW line(SHW-L1) and a common wheat line, under normal(NC) and polyethylene glycol-simulated drought stress conditions(DC). We mapped quantitative trait loci(QTLs) for root traits using an enriched high-density genetic map containing 120 370 single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs), 733 diversity arrays technology markers(DArT) and 119 simple sequence repeats(SSRs). With four replicates per treatment, we identified 19 QTLs for root traits under NC and DC, and 12 of them could be consistently detected with three or four replicates. Two novel QTLs for root fresh weight and root diameter under NC explained 9 and 15.7% of the phenotypic variation respectively, and six novel QTLs for root fresh weight, the ratio of root water loss, total root surface area, number of root tips, and number of root forks under DC explained 8.5–14% of the phenotypic variation. Here seven of eight novel QTLs could be consistently detected with more than three replicates. Results provide essential information for fine-mapping QTLs related to drought tolerance that will facilitate breeding drought-tolerant wheat cultivars.     

施用锌肥和遮阴互作对花生生长发育、抗病性及产量的影响

采用大田裂区试验，研究了施用锌肥和不同遮阴程度互作对花生生长发育、抗病性及产量的影响。结果表明，与不施锌肥相比，施用锌肥能提高花生不同部位锌含量、增加叶片SPAD值，提高花生叶片中可溶性糖、蛋白质和生长素含量，减少花生病害的发生，平均降低7.1个百分点，花生产量平均增加19.4%。相同施锌水平下，随着遮阴程度的增加，花生不同部位锌的含量和不同生育期叶片SPAD值以及花生叶片中可溶性糖、蛋白质和生长素含量呈增加趋势，花生的发病率比不遮阴对照增加4.8、10.2个百分点，花生产量平均降低16.5%、10.0%。在30%、70%的遮阴条件下，施用锌肥的花生产量比不施锌的分别提高21.1%、25.0%。本试验条件下，施用七水硫酸锌30 kg/hm2，使花生具有较强的抗低温寡照能力及抗病性能，增产显著，可在花生产区推广应用。     

鄂托克前旗近50年降水变化特征分析

本文利用鄂托克前旗1967-2018年气象观测站近50年的气象资料,对鄂托克前旗降水特征进行分析。结果表明：整体来说，鄂托克前旗的年降水量变化呈现微弱降低趋势，每10a大约减少1.2mm；28a时间尺度决定的主周期控制着该地区的年降水变化特征，通过周期和突变分析，预计未来三年左右降水高于多年平均值，随后的14年左右时间内降水量呈现减少趋势，逐渐低于多年平均降水量。