Primary Growth Parameters of Three Alfalfa Cultivars Adapted to Highland Climatic Conditions

An irrigated field study was conducted to determine the relative importance and inter‐relationships of growth parameters of three dormant alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) cultivars grown in the highlands of Eastern Anatolia, Turkey, in 2000–2003. The fast‐growing cultivar Savas had the greatest dry matter (DM) yield at the final sampling date with the greatest mean crop growth rate. In addition to a greater relative growth rate (RGR), this cultivar had more stem branching and greater leaf area in the canopy, which resulted in greater leaf area index (LAI) and greater leaf area duration. Despite the considerable increase in leaf area ratio (LAR: leaf area per unit shoot DM), the reduction in RGR of all cultivars over time was the result of a large decline in net assimilation rate (NAR) due to increasing specific leaf area (SLA). Intracultivar variation in the RGR of alfalfa is mainly determined by NAR and SLA, and both were significantly higher for Savas than the other two cultivars. The relative importance of NAR and SLA to RGR changed due to increasing self‐shading as the LAI of the canopy increased, creating a trade‐off between NAR and SLA.     

Growth and Physiological Characteristics of Rice Seedlings Raised with Long Mat by Hydroponics: —Comparison with young seedlings raised in soil—

Summary

Growth and physiological characteristics of rice seedlings raised with long mat by hydroponics (SLH) were compared with those of young seedlings raised in soil (YSS). When SLH and YSS were raised under the similar environmental conditions, the dry weight of shoot in SLH was significantly lighter than that in YSS at the time of seedling harvest, whereas the shoot in SLH was as long as that in YSS. The increase of dry weight of shoot and the decrease of dry weight of grain were smaller in SLH than in YSS during the raising of seedlings. In addition, the content of soluble sugars in the grain of SLH was apparently lower than that of YSS, indicating that the supply of carbohydrates from endosperm to shoot was less in SLH than in YSS. Crop growth rate and mean leaf area index of SLH were lower than those of YSS, while net assimilation rate of SLH was similar to that of YSS. The size of leaf blades in SLH was markedly smaller than that in YSS, whereas no significant difference was observed in the rates of photosynthesis and dark respiration in leaf blades between SLH and YSS. The results suggest that the leaf growth of SLH is reduced by the insufficient supply of carbohydrates from endosperm, and this is the major cause of lower levels of dry matter production in SLH as compared with that in YSS.     

水稻颖花自然开放过程中茉莉酸(JA)生物合成的变化

外源茉莉酸(JA)及其甲酯(MeJA)对水稻、小麦、黑麦和高粱等禾本科植物颖花开放具有强烈的诱导效应，然而内源JA是否参与颖花开放的调控目前还缺乏充分的证据。本研究应用高效液相色谱-串联质谱(HPLC-MS/MS)系统检测了粳稻武运粳7号和籼稻明恢63颖花自然开放过程中JA水平变化，并以实时定量反转录PCR (real-time RT-PCR)技术分析了武运粳7号颖花开放过程中JA生物合成途径关键基因表达变化。结果发现，水稻颖花JA水平的变化与开颖进程相一致。JA水平在上午颖花开颖前较平稳，开颖时急剧上升至峰值，闭颖后又下降。开颖时JA水平的峰值比开颖前1 h提高4~5倍。与JA水平变化相对应，催化JA生物合成途径关键步骤同工酶的编码基因OsDAD1-3、OsLOX-RCI1、OsAOS1、OsAOC和OsOPR7的表达在开颖时会有不同程度的上调，闭颖后又下调。同一稻穗上正在开放的颖花JA含量及上述JA生物合成途径基因的表达水平也比已开放和未开放的颖花高。颖花开放时JA水平及其生物合成基因表达的上升和闭颖后的下降有力地表明内源JA参与水稻颖花开放的调控。     

Potential for the alleviation of arsenic toxicity in paddy rice using amorphous iron-(hydr)oxide amendments

Abstract

A pot culture experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of amorphous iron-(hydr)oxide (Am-FeOH) amendments on arsenic (As) availability and its uptake by rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. BR28) irrigated with As-contaminated water. A rhizobag system was established using 3.5 L plastic pots, each containing one central compartment for plant growth, a middle compartment and an outside compartment. Three levels of laboratory-synthesized Am-FeOH (0, 0.1 and 0.5% w/w) were used to amend samples of the As-free sandy loam paddy soil placed into each compartment of the rhizobag system. The soils were submerged with a solution containing 5 mg L^?1 As(V). Two-week-old rice seedlings were planted in the central compartments and cultured for 9 weeks under greenhouse conditions. The addition of 0.1% Am-FeOH to the soil irrigated with As-contaminated water improved plant growth, reduced the As concentration in the plants and enhanced Fe-plaque formation on the root surfaces. Analysis of soil solution samples collected during the experiment revealed higher pH levels and lower redox potentials in the soils amended with Am-FeOH at the onset of soil submergence, but later the soil solution collected from the 0.1% Am-FeOH treatment was slightly acidic and more oxidized than the solution from the 0% treatment. This indicated active functioning of the roots in the soil treated with 0.1% Am-FeOH. The concentrations of As(III) in the soil solution collected from the central compartment were significantly reduced by the Am-FeOH amendments, whereas in the soil treated with 0% Fe, As(III) accumulated in the rhizosphere, particularly during the late-cultivation period. The improvement in plant growth and reduction in As uptake by plants growing in the Am-FeOH treated soil could be attributed to the reduction of available As in the soil solution, mainly as a result of the binding of As to the Fe-plaque on the root surfaces.     

Increased grain yield and biomass allocation in rice under cool night temperature

Abstract

The effects of different night temperatures on grain yield were examined in rice (Oryza sativa L. Akita-63) during the ripening period. Plants were grown under two different night temperatures (22 and 27°C) from anthesis to harvesting. The day temperature was maintained at 27°C in both treatments. Although the final biomass at harvest did not differ between the treatments, the dry weight of the panicles was significantly greater in the cool night temperature treatment. This increase in panicle weight was associated with increases in the 1000-kernel weight and the ratio of filled spikelets. Although panicle respiration in the high night temperature treatment decreased to almost zero just after the cessation of grain filling, the net CO₂ fixation rate per day in the whole plant in this treatment tended to be higher, and this was associated with a higher level of starch accumulation. After grain filling, the starch content decreased and the final dry weight of other plant parts, including dead organs and new tillers, was greater in the high night temperature treatment. Thus, the noted decline in yield at the high night temperature led to changes in carbon allocation to new sinks for vegetative reproduction at the whole plant level. From these results, we considered the possibility that a cool night temperature tends to favor carbon allocation to panicles, resulting in higher yield.     

,黑龙江野生燕麦与栽培燕麦的核型分析及其比较研究

对黑龙江野生燕麦和栽培燕麦的染色体组型观察分析，绘制核型模式图，并进行比较研究，结果表明：黑龙江野生燕麦与栽培燕麦的六倍体染色体数目皆为２ｎ＝６ｘ＝４２。ＮＯ．１、ＮＯ．３、ＮＯ．６染色体黑龙江野生麦皆为“ｍ”型而栽培燕麦皆为“ｓｍ”型之外，蓁的１８对染色体尖型皆一一对应一致。黑龙江野生燕麦的核型公式为２ｎ＝６ｘ＝４２＝２８ｍ（２ＳＴＡ０＋１４ｓｍ，栽培燕麦的核型分析中未发现有随体染色体。另外，黑     

枣粘虫性行为时辰节律的研究

本文利用腺体提取、瓶内收集、触角电位和田间试验等方法对枣粘虫产生和释放性信息素时辰节律进行了研究。其中瓶内收集性信息素的方法,在研究昆虫释放性信息素时辰节律方面报道很少,更重要的是,此法在我们的实验中取得了比较满意的效果。研究结果表明:(1)羽化后1—6天的提取物产生的触角电位无明显差异,说明性信息素在此期间的产生与日龄无关(2)腺体中性信息素的含量高峰在凌晨4点,而从体内往体外释放的高峰在早晨7点。(3)利用处女雌蛾不同时辰的诱蛾量的田间试验也进一步证明了枣粘虫产生和释放性信息素与交配行为在时辰节律上的同步性。     

免耕抛栽水稻源库特性研究

近些年来,水稻免耕抛秧栽培在中国广西等部分地区发展迅速。为了探讨免耕抛栽水稻产量形成特点,以金优253(OryzasativaL.)为试验材料,以常耕抛栽水稻为对照,从叶面积大小、剑叶光合速率与衰老、库的大小及源库比率等方面研究了免耕抛栽水稻的源库特性。结果表明,免耕抛栽水稻早、晚季产量分别为5.97t/hm2和7.53t/hm2,常耕抛栽水稻分别为6.19t/hm2和7.63t/hm2,其产量差异在早季和晚季均不显著。与常耕抛栽水稻相比,免耕抛栽水稻的每穗总粒数和单位面积上的总粒数较多,各生育期的叶面积指数较大,灌浆期剑叶光合速率、蒸腾速率、气孔导度、叶绿素含量较高,而过氧化物酶和过氧化氢酶活性及丙二醛的含量较低,在生理上存在一定的优势。但是,免耕抛栽水稻的源库协调能力较差,粒叶比和结实率下降,致使免耕抛栽水稻在产量上表现出一定的劣势。免耕抛栽水稻粒叶比和结实率的下降是由于其生产的干物质更多地分配在叶片中、贮藏在茎鞘中的干物质在抽穗后向穗部运转的能力较差造成的。     

Enhanced anther culture efficiency of indica rice (Oryza sativa L.) through modification of the culture media

The production of microspore-derived green plants from anther culture of indica rice is generally very low compared with japonica cultivars. A modified anther culture medium, consisting of a higher KNO₃ content (31 mm ) and casein hydrolysate (CH, 500 mg/1) but without ammonium salts, was tested in comparison with a medium consisting of the widely-used N6 medium nitrogen background, using four indica × indica F₁ hybrids as test materials. Green plant regeneration frequency was at least three-fold higher in the microspore-calli derived from the former medium than in those derived from the modified N6 medium. More than 700 microspore-derived plants were raised in the field. Another study was carried out using indica × japonica and indica × javanica F₁ hybrids. The results indicated that a medium with higher (3.5 mm ) ammonium sulphate may induce a higher frequency of anthers with microspore-calli but not necessarily lead to a larger number of green-plant regenerating calli. Subsequently, using the indica cv. ‘IR-43’ as the test material, use of a lower level (1.75 mm ) of (NH₄)₂SO₄, in addition to KNO₃ (31 mm ), was found to be better than CH (500 mg/l) for anther-response as well as green plant regenerability of the derived microspore-calli. Nitrate-nitrogen or ammonium-nitrogen alone elicited poor response. Twenty-five media involving combinations of KNO₃ (20–34 mm ) and (NH₄)₂SO₄ (1–3 mm ) were tested for their effects on anther response. Combinations involving KNO₃ (31–34 mM) and (NH₄)₂SO₄ (2.0–2.5 mm ) were found superior not only for achieving greater anther response but also, for subsequent green-plant regeneration. This contrasts with the 28 mm of KNO₃ and 3.5 mm of (NH₄)₂SO₄ in the widely-used N6 medium developed for japonica rice. Other than potassium nitrate and ammonium sulphate, and potassium phosphate to some extent, the levels of other inorganic salts tested did not make any significant difference to the process of anther response. Based on these results, modified media with three levels of ammonium sulphate were tested for anther culture efficiency of indica × japonica and indica × javanica derivatives (F₃s). Microspore-calli derived from a medium of a lower (1.75 mm ) level of (NH₄)₂SO₄ showed a higher regeneration potential overall than those derived from a higher (3.5 mm ) level. A revised medium has been suggested, on the basis of these results, for the realization of improved anther culture efficiency and, consequently, improved feasibility of using doubled haploids in genetic and breeding research with indica rice.     

Morphology, Cytology and Fertility of Avena sativa L. ×A. magna Murph. et Terrell Amphiploids

The genotypes of Avena sativa were crossed to A. magna Murph. et Terrell, from the sterile pentapliod F₁ amphiploids were successfully developed after colchicine treatment. The C₁ plants were observed for their morphology, cytology and fertility. These plants were characterized by longer and broader glumes, swollen pedicel attachment, pubescent lemmas, bold seeds and persistent spikelets. Other characters, viz., final plant height, rachis length, peduncle length and spikelets per panicle were intermediate. All plants hail the chromosome number 2n = 70 or close to. 7C. Due to stickiness of chromosomes, meiosis of only two decaploid plants could be studied in detail. The average chromosome Association was 1.3 I + 28.56 II + 1.4 III + 1.77 IV + 0.07 VI and 0.13 I + 28.7 II + 0.14 III + 2.09 IV + 0.59 VI; but in some cells up to 35 bivalents were observed. Seed set as well as pollen fertility and size exhibited great variation.