Effects of genes increasing the number of spikelets per panicle,TAW1 and APO1, on yield and yield-related traits in rice

The genes TAWAWA1 (TAW1) and ABERRANT PANICLE ORGANIZATION1 (APO1) increase the number of spikelets per panicle (SN). In the present study, we examined the effects of these genes on morphological traits, yield, and yield-related traits including yield components using the near-isogenic lines (NILs) in the genetic background of a japonica rice variety, Koshihikari – NIL-taw1, NIL-apo1-D3, and NIL-apo1-D4 – in a field experiment. The SN and total number of spikelets per area of the three NILs were larger than those of Koshihikari. However, the yield of the three NILs did not exceed that of Koshihikari due to their low filling ability. Interestingly, our field experiments indicated that TAW1 did not affect the diameter of internodes and the PN, whereas APO1 decreased the PN and increased the diameter of internodes. These results suggest that TAW1 and APO1 differently affect yield-related traits.     

草地贪夜蛾对小麦和玉米的产卵选择性及其种群生命表

为明确草地贪夜蛾对小麦的产卵选择性及其是否对小麦安全生产构成威胁,本研究以玉米和小麦作为测试寄主,比较分析了草地贪夜蛾对两种作物不同部位的产卵选择性,并利用两性生命表方法研究了取食小麦、玉米对其生命参数的影响。结果表明:草地贪夜蛾更喜欢在玉米上产卵,其在玉米、小麦叶片、玉米和小麦茎秆上的产卵量存在显著差异(df=102,F=15.593,P<0.05),以玉米叶片背面卵块数量(7.11±1.55)块/笼最高;草地贪夜蛾取食小麦可以完成生活史,但幼虫存活率、化蛹率、羽化率和世代存活率低于取食玉米。取食玉米的幼虫发育历期为(16.31±0.15)d,显著高于取食小麦的(14.66±0.12)d,蛹期、蛹重、产卵前期、成虫寿命和世代周期无显著差异。取食小麦羽化出的雌虫寿命、平均单雌产卵量显著高于取食玉米,分别为(16.39±0.40)d、(976.31±57.21)粒和(14.64±0.32)d、(831.57±30.55)粒。生命表参数显示取食玉米的净增殖率为363.14,显著高于小麦的258.63,但内禀增长率、周限增长率和平均世代周期无显著差异。研究结果为草地贪夜蛾在小麦上的预测预报和有效防控提供了基础数据。     

Determination of critical nitrogen dilution curve based on leaf area index for winter wheat in the Guanzhong Plain,Northwest China

Excessive use of nitrogen(N) fertilizers in agricultural systems increases the cost of production and risk of environmental pollution. Therefore, determination of optimum N requirements for plant growth is necessary. Previous studies mostly established critical N dilution curves based on aboveground dry matter(DM) or leaf dry matter(LDM) and stem dry matter(SDM), to diagnose the N nutrition status of the whole plant. As these methods are time consuming, we investigated the more rapidly determined leaf area index(LAI) method to establish the critical nitrogen(N_c) dilution curve, and the curve was used to diagnose plant N status for winter wheat in Guanzhong Plain in Northwest China. Field experiments were conducted using four N fertilization levels(0, 105, 210 and 315 kg ha-1) applied to six wheat cultivars in the 2013–2014 and 2014–2015 growing seasons. LAI, DM, plant N concentration(PNC) and grain yield were determined. Data points from four cultivars were used for establishing the N_c curve and data points from the remaining two cultivars were used for validating the curve. The N_c dilution curve was validated for N-limiting and non-N-limiting growth conditions and there was good agreement between estimated and observed values. The N nutrition index(NNI) ranged from 0.41 to 1.25 and the accumulated plant N deficit(N_(and)) ranged from 60.38 to –17.92 kg ha~(-1) during the growing season. The relative grain yield was significantly affected by NNI and was adequately described with a parabolic function. The N_c curve based on LAI can be adopted as an alternative and more rapid approach to diagnose plant N status to support N fertilization decisions during the vegetative growth of winter wheat in Guanzhong Plain in Northwest China.     

不同无花果品种品质分析及加工特性的研究

为了筛选品质优良、适宜加工的无花果品种，以8个无花果品种为试材，对其外观品质、营养成分及加工特性进行测定。结果表明：外观品质方面，供试品种果实为近圆球形，呈黄绿色、紫红色及黑紫色等多种颜色，波姬红和玛斯义陶芬单果质量较大，分别为62.10 g和52.67 g，紫色波尔多果孔直径最小，有利于贮藏和抵御病虫害。营养成分方面，供试品种含糖量为10.78%～14.86%，含酸量为0.06%～0.43%，其中斯特拉具有最高含糖量和最低含酸量，属于浓甜型品种；可溶性固形物含量紫色波尔多最高，为21.43%；不同无花果品种可溶性蛋白质含量接近，为6.21～7.14 mg/kg。加工特性方面，供试无花果品种含水率为17.60%～29.30%，出汁率为28.19%～41.00%，波姬红出汁率最高、含水率最低；果胶含量为64.63～91.50 mg/kg，单宁含量为89.81～160.10 ?滋g/kg，紫色波尔多及斯特拉果胶及单宁含量较高，会加大果汁加工澄清护色处理难度；POD活性明显高于PPO活性，说明无花果中引起酶促褐变的主要因素是过氧化物酶POD；加热后颜色变化?驻E*为2.41～17.83，波姬红、芭劳内、斯特拉和玛斯义陶芬果汁色泽变化较小。     

不同施肥处理对枳及柠檬容器苗生长的影响

研究9个不同施肥处理对枳及柠檬容器苗生长的影响。结果表明:不同施肥处理对枳容器苗的苗高、地径、分枝高度及嫁接后柠檬苗的发芽率、株高、茎粗、分枝数及生物量都存在显著差异;不同施肥处理对枳及柠檬容器苗综合表现最好的为T4(撒施柠檬专用肥1.6 g)处理,其次是T2(撒施尿素0.6 g)、T3(撒施柠檬专用肥0.8 g)处理,表现最差的是T8(浇施5%柠檬专用肥)和T7(浇施3%柠檬专用肥)处理。在一定施肥浓度范围内,施肥对嫁接后柠檬容器苗的生物量积累有明显促进作用。柠檬容器苗培育时建议采用在基质中撒施柠檬专用肥1.6 g。     

青霉菌发酵液对大豆幼苗生长及生理特性的影响

采用室内生理检测及生物化学方法,研究了青霉菌发酵液对大豆幼苗生长及生理特性的影响。结果表明:用一定浓度的青霉菌发酵液对大豆浸种和茎叶处理,大豆幼苗的生长呈明显上升趋势,处理后大豆的株高、根长、株鲜重和根鲜重均明显得到了提高,且生长状态好于对照,不同浓度处理间具有明显差异,在发酵液浓度为5 g·L-1时,效果最佳。尤其是对根鲜重的影响,促进率最高可达56.21%,同时增强了幼苗根系活力,最大可以提高57.82%,浸种和茎叶处理后,分别提高了叶绿素含量41.25%和15.40%;超氧化物歧化酶活性12.20%和11.70%;过氧化物酶31.33%和29.95%;过氧化氢酶活性42.8%和20.0%,这为发酵液在大豆田推广应用、提高大豆产量提供了重要理论依据。     

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.     

Compatibility of root growth and tuber production of potato cultivars with dynamic and static water‐saving irrigation managements

The important root characteristics of root length density (RLD) and root mass density (RMD) generally differ among irrigation managements and potato cultivars. The objective of this study was to investigate the RLD and RMD variations and their functional relationships with gross potato tuber yield for two commercial potato cultivars, Agria and Sante, under different irrigation strategies. Full irrigation and water‐saving irrigation strategies, deficit and partial root drying irrigations, were applied statically (S) and dynamically (D) based on daily crop evapotranspiration. Results showed that SPRD had significantly greater RLD (3.64 cm/cm³) and RMD (132.7 μg/cm³) than other irrigation treatments. Between the potato cultivars, Agria had significantly larger values of RLD (3.50 cm/cm³) and RMD (138.7 μg/cm³) than Sante. The functional relationship between the root growth characteristics and tuber yield showed that under water‐saving irrigations, Agria increased root mass at the expense of gross tuber yield but Sante increased root mass to maintain larger gross tuber yields. However, Agria produced more roots and gross tuber yield than Sante, and it is concluded that Agria is a more drought‐tolerant potato cultivar, which is recommended for tuber production in regions where water might be scarce. It was shown that larger root production in potatoes was associated with improved tolerance to water stress.