Time‐lapse monitoring of soil water content using electromagnetic conductivity imaging

The volumetric soil water content (θ) is fundamental to agriculture because its spatiotemporal variation in soil affects the growth of plants. Unfortunately, the universally accepted thermogravimetric method for estimating volumetric soil water content is very labour intensive and time‐consuming for use in field‐scale monitoring. Electromagnetic (EM) induction instruments have proven to be useful in mapping the spatiotemporal variation of θ. However, depth‐specific variation in θ, which is important for irrigation management, has been little explored. The objective of this study was to develop a relationship between θ and estimates of true electrical conductivity (σ) and to use this relationship to develop time‐lapse images of soil θ beneath a centre‐pivot irrigated alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) crop in San Jacinto, California, USA. We first measured the bulk apparent electrical conductivity (EC_a – mS/m) using a DUALEM‐421 over a period of 12 days after an irrigation event (i.e. days 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 and 12). We used EM4Soil to generate EM conductivity images (EMCIs). We used a physical model to estimate θ from σ, accounting for soil tortuosity and pore water salinity, with a cross‐validation RMSE of 0.04 cm³/cm³. Testing the scenario where no soil information is available, we used a three‐parameter exponential model to relate θ to σ and then to map θ along the transect on different days. The results allowed us to monitor the spatiotemporal variations of θ across the surveyed area, over the 12‐day period. In this regard, we were able to map the soil close to field capacity (0.27 cm³/cm³) and approaching permanent wilting point (0.03 cm³/cm³). The time‐lapse θ monitoring approach, developed using EMCI, has implications for soil and water use and management and will potentially allow farmers and consultants to identify inefficiencies in water application rates and use. It can also be used as a research tool to potentially assist precision irrigation practices and to test the efficacy of different methods of irrigation in terms of water delivery and efficiency in water use in near real time.     

Biochar has little effect on soil dissolved organic carbon pool 5 years after biochar application under field condition

Biochar application can improve soil properties, such as increasing soil organic carbon content, soil pH and water content. These properties are important to soil dissolved organic carbon (DOC); however, the effects of biochar on DOC concentration and composition have received little research attention, especially several years after biochar application under field conditions. This study was conducted in a long‐term experimental field where the biochar was only applied once in 2009. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of different biochar application rates (0, 30, 60 and 90 t ha^?1) on the dynamics of soil water content, DOC concentration and DOC compositions (reducing sugar, soluble phenol and aromatics) over nine samplings during a 12‐month period in 2014. Our results showed that soil water content and DOC concentration varied from 7.1% to 14.5% and 59 to 230 mg C kg^?1 soil during the 12 months, respectively. However, the biochar application rates did not significantly (p > 0.05) affect soil water content, DOC concentration and DOC composition at the same sampling period. The DOC concentration across the biochar treatments was positively correlated to soil water content. Moreover, the DOC composition (reducing sugar, soluble phenol or aromatics) and their concentrations were positively correlated to the total DOC concentration. In addition, biochar did not affect soil bulk density, pH, saturated hydraulic conductivity and crop yields. The results indicated that some benefits of biochar to soil may not persist 5 years after the application of biochar under a field condition.     

转MsLEA4-4基因拟南芥株系的耐盐性分析

为了深入研究紫花苜蓿（Medicago sativa）MsLEA4-4基因的抗逆性，本试验对前期获得的转MsLEA4-4基因的拟南芥（Arabidopsis thaliana）株系进行不同浓度盐胁迫处理，以验证MsLEA4-4基因在拟南芥植株体内的耐盐性。试验结果表明：盐胁迫后转基因株系的发芽率达到55%，比对照植株（Control plant，CK）高81%；转基因株系的鲜重、叶绿素含量均高于CK（P<0.05）；盐胁迫后转基因株系的存活率比CK提高75.0%~81.3%；盐胁迫明显抑制根系生长，但转基因植株的侧根数量比CK多4~5根（P<0.05）；盐胁迫后转基因株系体内的可溶性糖含量（P<0.05）和超氧化物歧化酶（P<0.01），过氧化氢酶（P<0.01），过氧化物酶（P<0.05）活性均高于CK，脯氨酸（P<0.01）和丙二醛（P<0.05）含量均低于CK。综上可得，MsLEA4-4基因参与了拟南芥体内的耐盐性调控，提高了转基因拟南芥对盐胁迫的耐受性。本研究为进一步探索MsLEA4-4在转基因紫花苜蓿盐胁迫中的功能及培育耐盐性紫花苜蓿品种提供依据。     

文山辣椒成熟期不同颜色果实的色素含量

为揭示云南文山州辣椒成熟期果色多样性和独特性的化学基础,用分光光度法研究了该州辣椒成熟期紫色、红色、金色和杂色果实的叶绿素(chlorophylls,Chls)、类胡萝卜素(Car)和总花色苷含量。结果表明:文山辣椒成熟期不同颜色果实的叶绿素a(Chl a)和总叶绿素[Chl(a+b)]含量和叶绿素a/b(Chl a/b)及总叶绿素/类胡萝卜素[Chl(a+b)/Car]特征均为紫色杂色红色金色,叶绿素b(Chl b)含量特征为紫色杂色金色红色,Car含量特征为金色红色杂色紫色,总花色苷含量(TAC)特征为紫色红色金色杂色,此外,4种颜色果实Chl a、Chl b和Chl(a+b)含量间的差异均达到极显著水平,但Car含量和TAC间的差异则均未达到显著水平。因此,文山辣椒成熟期果实颜色差异主要决定于Chl含量,叶绿素和花色苷共同贡献于果实的紫色,Car含量则决定了果实的金色和红色。本研究可为文山州辣椒果色呈现机理的研究和新奇果色品种的选育提供参考。     

Salinity tolerance of wild barley Hordeum vulgare ssp. spontaneum

Salinity tolerance of 47 wild barley genotypes and six barley cultivars was evaluated under control and salinity stress (300 mM NaCl) conditions. Shoot and root dry weight (DW), plant height, membrane stability index (MSI), relative water content, survival rate, leaf malondialdehyde (MDA) and proline contents, root and leaf Na, K, Ca and K/Na ratio, and chlorophyll a fluorescence were measured. Salinity stress caused significant increase in the MDA, proline content, Na and Ca concentrations of the roots and leaves, but resulted in a decrease in the other traits. H. spontaneum genotypes were considerably less affected by the salinity than the genotypes of H. vulgare. Plant survivability was negatively correlated with the Na concentration (r =−.66) but positively correlated with the leaf K/Na ratio (r = .67) and MSI (r = .68). Tolerance mechanisms such as ion exclusion (Na) were likely to be present in the wild barley causing K/Na homeostasis as well as the much lower root and shoot Na, resulting in the higher survival rate.     

3,5-二硝基水杨酸法与酶法测定甜玉米还原糖和蔗糖含量的比较

针对目前测定甜玉米还原糖和蔗糖含量的3,5-二硝基水杨酸法和酶法进行比较研究,分析两者在育种中的应用。结果显示:酶法的测量准确度比3,5-二硝基水杨酸法高,且其稳定性和重现性都优于3,5-二硝基水杨酸法。通过两种方法对10个甜玉米杂交种种子的还原糖和蔗糖含量的测定,证实了两种方法在甜玉米还原糖和蔗糖含量的检测上是一致的。从育种实践考虑,酶法适于样品数较小的检测,3,5-二硝基水杨酸法更适合于大批量样品的检测。     

不同品种和地区对稻米镉含量与品质的耦合影响

为了研究不同水稻品种在不同种植地区的稻米镉含量及其与品质的关系,以分别种植在湖南长沙和广东惠州的‘齐丰占’、‘湘直粳’、‘玉香油占’等46个不同遗传背景的水稻品种(系)为研究对象,采用原子吸光光谱法测定稻米镉含量和FOSS全自动流动注射仪测定米质各性状指标。结果表明:(1)不同基因型水稻品种的镉积累存在极显著水平的品种间差异,在长沙地区种植稻米平均镉含量大约是惠州地区的两倍。(2)不同水稻品种(系)在惠州地区种植的稻米品质明显优于长沙地区。(3)不同水稻品种(系)在长沙地区种植的精米镉含量与胶稠度、蛋白质含量间具显著相关性;而在惠州地区主要与糙米率、精米率呈显著水平的负相关;与其他米质性状的相关性均未达显著水平。惠州地区稻田环境更利于种植水稻,‘湘晚12选32’、‘湘晚籼12号’、‘湘晚6选31’等为低镉积累品种,可推广;‘佳福占’、‘9311选’、‘R云育90’等镉含量已超过国标,不可作为生产推广品种。     

高含固率木质纤维素厌氧发酵物总DNA的4种提取方法比较

不同的样本特性和提取方法对获得微生物总DNA的质量有重要影响。文章基于高含固率木质纤维素厌氧发酵物腐殖酸、酚类物质含量高、质地均一性差、微生物浓度低的特点,研究了4种方法提取不同高含固率粪秸厌氧发酵物中微生物总DNA的效果。结果表明,常规的十二烷基磺酸钠法(sodium dodecyl sulfate,SDS)、十二烷基磺酸钠和溴化十六烷基三甲铵结合法(sodium dodecyl sulfate and cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide,SDS-CTAB)和商业的粪便试剂盒法提取的DNA质量均较差,SDS法和试剂盒法未能获得聚合酶链式反应(polymerase chain reaction,PCR)扩增目的条带,SDS-CTAB法得到的条带较模糊;改进SDS-CTAB法获得的DNA杂质少、纯度高,具有较好的稳定性,A260/A280和A260/A230值分别为1.74~1.86和1.65~1.86,每克样品的DNA浓度在50 ng·μL^-1以上,电泳条带单一齐整、清晰明亮,PCR扩增的目的条带清晰度高,适宜后续分子生物学技术的分析。林格氏液洗脱、聚乙烯吡咯烷酮-40(Polyvinyl Pyrrolidone-40,PVP-40)洗涤液除杂以及裂解液和多种酶联合破壁是改进SDS-CTAB法获得该类专一性样本高质量微生物总DNA的关键步骤。     

富硒区茶树鲜叶中硒累积与土壤因子的相关性分析

茶树是富硒植物,饮用富硒茶是一种安全、有效的补硒途径之一。茶叶的硒含量受多种环境因素影响,但有关富硒茶区茶树硒积累特性及主要影响因子的研究还鲜有报道。以高硒茶区湖北恩施、陕西安康不同地点生产茶园成龄茶树和根际土壤为研究对象,结合土壤及植物样品全硒含量等多种指标,明确了根际土壤硒含量对茶树硒分布特性的影响,分析了富硒区土壤pH、硒含量等9个重要土壤特性相关因子的数值分布规律。通过对186组具有代表性的土壤样品和附生茶树新梢组织检测数据进行分组和整体相关性分析,证实了富硒区茶叶全硒含量与土壤硒含量之间存在极显著相关（相关系数r=0.59,P<0.01）,揭示了茶叶全硒含量与土壤有机质含量、水解性氮、锌含量以及茶叶中硫、锌含量的显著相关,同时对安康和恩施地区的土壤和茶叶硒含量相关因素进行了深入分析。提出了茶叶硒含量对土壤有机质含量、硫含量、硒含量和锌含量的数学模型,模型拟合优度为0.512 6,达极显著水平（P<0.01）。     

不同因素影响下层状土壤水分入渗特征及水力学参数估计

层状土壤是自然界常见的土体结构,其水分运移规律不同于均质土;大气降水、灌溉水等水分的入渗是土壤水文过程的一个重要环节,同时它也与地下水补给、污染物运移等过程紧密相关。土壤初始含水量、土体构型及供水强度等因素均会影响水分的入渗过程。为探究积水深度、土体构型、初始含水量三种因素对层状土壤水分运移的影响,通过室内积水入渗试验对湿润锋、累积入渗量、土壤剖面压力水头进行观测,并利用Hydrus-1D模型反演水力参数并对相应条件下的水分运移规律进行模拟和分析。结果表明,层状土壤中湿润锋随时间的推进方式由非线性过渡至线性,入渗率逐渐减小。三种因素作用下,层状土壤水分运移特征有明显差异:积水深度、土壤初始含水量增加时,湿润锋运移速率和入渗率均增大,且各观测点压力水头升高加快,土壤不饱和程度降低;上砂壤下粉砂壤构型较上粉砂壤下砂壤构型而言,整体湿润锋推进速率和入渗率较大,出流快,且入渗后期界面处的压力水头高于其他观测点。且结果表明,反演的水力学参数较拟合实测的参数更适用于层状土壤入渗的模拟和预测。该研究旨在揭示和掌握层状土壤水分运移规律和影响因素的作用机制,并进一步为农田灌溉措施的合理制定提供科学依据。