Influence of the root endophyte Piriformospora indica on the plant water relations,gas exchange and growth of Chenopodium quinoa at limited water availability

This study aimed to evaluate the ability of Piriformospora indica to colonize the root of Chenopodium quinoa and to verify whether this endosymbiont can improve the growth, performance and drought resistance of this species. The study delivered, for the first time, evidence for successful colonization of P. indica in quinoa. Hence, pot experiment was conducted in the greenhouse, where inoculated and non‐inoculated plants were subjected to ample (40%–50% WHC) and deficit (15%–20%WHC) irrigation treatments. Drought adversely influenced the plant growth, leading to decline the total plant biomass by 74%. This was linked to an impaired photosynthetic activity (caused by lower g_s and C_i/C_a ratio; stomatal limitation of photosynthesis) and a higher risk of ROS production (enhanced ETR/A_gross ratio). P. indica colonization improved quinoa plant growth, with total biomass increased by 8% (controls) and 76% (drought‐stressed plants), confirming the growth‐promoting activity of P. indica. Fungal colonization seems to diminish drought‐induced growth hindrance, likely, through an improved water balance, reflected by the higher leaf ψ_w and g_s. Additionally, stomatal limitation of photosynthesis was alleviated (indicated by enhanced C_i/C_a ratio and A_net), so that the threat of oxidative stress was minimized (decreased ETR/A_gross). These results infer that symbiosis with P. indica could negate some of the detrimental effects of drought on quinoa growth, a highly desired feature, in particular at low water availability.     

宛氏拟青霉提取物对盐胁迫下水稻幼苗的生理适应性

为探讨沙棘内生菌提取物作为生物刺激素对盐胁迫下水稻幼苗生长的影响，于沙棘内生菌宛氏拟青霉（Paecilomyces variotii）中提取了生物刺激素PVE（Paecilomyces variotii extracts），并经液相色谱对PVE的活性物质进行了富集纯化。通过水稻液培试验，设无盐（CK）、添加NaCl（NS）、添加PVE和NaCl（PN1）、添加PVE纯化物和NaCl（PN2）4个处理，研究生物刺激素对水稻的耐盐效应。结果表明，施用生物刺激素能够缓解盐胁迫对水稻生长造成的严重抑制。PN1、PN2处理较NS处理提高了叶片与根系的干质量，减少了植株体内的水分流失，增加了根系的直径和吸收面积，但根长相较于CK处理无显著差异；PN2处理叶片鲜质量、叶片含水量、根系含水量较PN1处理分别增加了12.44%、1.13%和0.42%。与NS处理相比，PN1和PN2处理叶片光合速率分别提高了34.08%和40.82%，蒸腾速率分别提高了23.90%和18.86%，PN1和PN2处理还显著提高了叶片中的超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）和过氧化物酶（POD）活性，使丙二醛（MDA）含量分别降低了28.36%和20.97%。PN2处理叶片和根系中的Na⁺含量较NS处理分别降低了36.31%和10.85%，从而降低了Na⁺/K⁺，保证了植株体内的离子平衡。研究表明，PVE及PVE纯化物在极低的浓度下具有较高的生理活性，并通过减少水分流失、促进根系生长、提高光合速率来减轻氧化损伤，同时以降低Na⁺流入的方式缓解盐胁迫对水稻幼苗的影响。     

Induction of Drought Tolerance in Maize (Zea mays L.) due to Exogenous Application of Trehalose: Growth,Photosynthesis, Water Relations and Oxidative Defence Mechanism

The present investigation was conducted to assess the ameliorative effects of foliar‐applied trehalose on growth, photosynthetic attributes, water relation parameters and oxidative defence mechanism in two maize cultivars under field water deficit conditions. Various components of the experiment comprised two maize cultivars (EV‐1098 and Agaiti‐2002), two water‐stress levels (irrigation after 2 weeks and irrigation after 3 weeks during the entire period of growth), and two levels of trehalose (0 and 30 mm ) and four replicates of each treatment. Water stress significantly reduced the plant biomass production, photosynthetic attributes and water relation parameters in both maize cultivars. In contrast, water stress considerably increased the leaf malondialdehyde (MDA) contents, the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), and the levels of non‐enzymatic compounds such as ascorbic acid and tocopherols. In contrast, water stress caused a marked reduction in leaf phenolic contents. Foliar‐applied trehalose significantly increased plant biomass production, and improved some key photosynthetic attributes and plant–water relation parameters. The ameliorative effect of exogenously applied trehalose was also observed on the activities of some key antioxidant enzymes (POD and CAT) and non‐enzymatic compounds (tocopherols and phenolics). Overall, exogenously applied trehalose considerably improved drought tolerance of maize plants by up‐regulating photosynthetic and water relation attributes as well as antioxidant defence mechanism.     

Contribution of Different Organs to Grain Filling in Durum Wheat under Mediterranean Conditions I. Contribution of Post‐Anthesis Photosynthesis and Remobilization

Under Mediterranean conditions, drought affects cereals production principally through a limitation of grain filling. In this study, the respective role of post‐anthesis photosynthesis and carbon remobilization and the contribution of flag leaf, stem, chaff and awns to grain filling were evaluated under Mediterranean conditions in durum wheat (Triticum turgidum var. durum) cultivars. For the purpose, we examined the effects of shading and excision of different parts of the plant and compared carbon isotope discrimination (Δ) in dry matter of flag leaf, stem, chaff, awns and grain at maturity and in sap of stem, flag leaf, chaff and awns, this last measurement providing information on photosynthesis during a short period preceding sampling. Source–sink manipulations and isotopic imprints of different organs on final isotope composition of the grain confirmed the high contribution of both carbons assimilated by ears and remobilized from stems to grain filling, and the relatively low contribution of leaves to grain filling. Grain Δ was highly and significantly associated with grain yield across treatments, suggesting the utilization of this trait as an indicator of source–sink manipulations effects on grain yield. Chaff and awns Δ were better correlated with grain Δ than stem and leaf Δ, indicating that chaff were more involved in grain filling than other organs. Moreover, in chaff, sap Δ was highly significantly correlated with dry matter Δ. These results suggest the use of Δ for a rapid and non‐destructive estimation of the variation in the contribution of different organs to grain filling.     

Physiological Response of Multiple Contrasting Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Cultivars to Suboptimal Temperatures

The physiological response of multiple rice cultivars, eighteen initially and eight cultivars later on, to suboptimal temperatures (ST) conditions was investigated in laboratory and outdoor experimental conditions. Treatment with ST decreased growth in different extents according to the cultivar and affected the PSII performance, determined by chlorophyll fluorescence fast‐transient test, and stomatal conductance, regardless the experimental condition. Two groups of cultivars could be distinguished on the base of their growth and physiological parameters. The group of cultivars presenting higher growths displayed optimal JIP values, and higher instantaneous water use efficiency (WUE_i), due to a lower Gs under ST, unlike cultivars showing lower growth values, which presented worse JIP values and could not adjust their Gs and hence their WUE_i. In this work, we detected at least two cultivars with superior tolerance to ST than the cold tolerant referent Koshihikari. These cultivars could be used as parents or tolerance donors in breeding for new crop varieties. On other hand, positive and significant correlations between data obtained from laboratory and outdoor experiments suggest that laboratory measurements of most of the above mentioned parameters would be useful to predict the response of rice cultivars to ST outdoor.     

花后早期增温对小麦旗叶光合和抗氧化特性及籽粒发育的影响

为探究小麦花后早期增温对其旗叶和籽粒生长发育的影响，以黄淮海南片主栽小麦品种安农0711和烟农19为试验材料，通过在小麦花后0～10 d搭棚覆盖PO薄膜方式进行人工模拟增温（增温1~ 3 ℃），测定分析了花后早期增温后小麦旗叶光合参数、叶绿素含量、抗氧化酶活性、MDA含量和籽粒性状的变化。结果表明，与常温对照相比，增温显著降低了旗叶净光合速率、叶绿素含量及 CAT和POD活性，增加了旗叶胞间CO₂浓度和MDA含量，加速了旗叶衰老，使籽粒长度、宽度、厚度和千粒重均下降，安农0711和烟农19的粒重降幅分别为5.43%和7.34%。这说明在本试验条件下，花后早期增温不利于小麦旗叶光合和抗氧化作用，加速旗叶衰老，抑制籽粒发育。     

Physiological characteristics of high yield under cluster planting: photosynthesis and canopy microclimate of cotton

Cotton produces more biomass and economic yield when cluster planting pattern (three plants per hole) than in a traditional planting pattern (one plant per hole), even at similar plant densities, indicating that individual plant growth is promoted by cluster planting. The causal factors for this improved growth induced by cluster planting pattern, the light interception, canopy microclimate and photosynthetic rate of cotton were investigated in an arid region of China. The results indicated that the leaf area index and light interception were higher in cluster planting, and significantly different from those in traditional planting during the middle and late growth stages. Cotton canopy humidity at different growth stages was increased but canopy temperatures were reduced by cluster planting. In the later growth stage of cluster planting, the leaf chlorophyll content was higher and the leaf net photosynthetic rate and canopy photosynthetic rate were significantly increased in comparing with traditional planting pattern. We concluded that differences in canopy light interception and photosynthetic rate were the primary factors responsible for increased biomass production and economic yield in cluster planting compared with the traditional planting of cotton.     

氮素用量对设施韭菜气体交换及叶绿素荧光参数的影响

【目的】研究不同氮素用量对设施韭菜气体交换及叶绿素荧光参数的影响。【方法】以1年生韭菜作为材料,通过U₁(CK,0)、U₂9.2 kg/(667m²·y)、U₃18.4 kg/(667m²·y)、U₄27.6 kg/(667m²·y)、U₅36.8 kg/(667m²·y)、U₆46.0 kg/(667m²·y)、U₇55.2 kg/(667m²·y)、U₈64.4 kg/(667m²·y)8个处理,测定气体交换参数(净光合速率、胞间CO₂浓度、蒸腾速率、气孔导度)、叶绿素荧光动力学参数(光下稳态荧光、电子传递速率、光适应下PSII反应中心激发能捕获效率、CO₂同化的量子效率、非光化学淬灭系数和光化学淬灭系数)。【结果】韭菜叶片气体交换及叶绿素荧光动力学参数均随着氮素浓度的增加均表现出先增加后减少的趋势,光合参数的最施氮素用量为13.40~33.73 kg/(667m²·y),叶绿素荧光参数的最施氮素用量在27.72~40.76 kg/(667m²·y)。【结论】综合光合参数与叶绿素荧光参数,宁夏地区设施韭菜氮素用量为27.72~33.73 kg/(667m²·y)(即尿素施用量为60.25~73.33 kg/(667m²·y)。     

Productive and biochemical responses of durum wheat to UV filtration

A UV exclusion experiment was conducted on durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf. var. Claudio) grown in pots. Plants were grown under three different radiative treatments in greenhouses covered with plastic filters: Teflon, transparent to the entire region of natural UV‐visible sunlight (TEF); polyester, transparent above 312 nm (MYL, excluding UVB) and Lee, transparent above 400 nm (LEE, excluding both UVA and UVB). Analyses have been carried out to determine the concentration of photosynthetic pigments in leaves, UV‐absorbing compounds, nitrogen and carbon in leaves, culms and spikes and proteins and gluten in grains. In particular, plants grown under UV exclusion showed a reduction in protein and dry gluten content (consequently without variation in the ratio dry gluten/protein), but at the same time, a significant increase of gluten index, which is a parameter to define the quality of gluten, was observed. The results highlighted the influence played by UV radiation on some biochemical parameters, mainly UV‐absorbing compounds, leaf nitrogen and grain protein characteristics of durum wheat cultivated under Mediterranean conditions. In particular, natural level of UV in the Mediterranean improves the characteristics of durum wheat flour important for pasta production (high dry gluten level), while the UV exclusion could improve characteristics of flour important for bread production (high gluten index).     

施磷对紫花苜蓿光合作用及抗蓟马的影响

为了明确施磷对苜蓿抗蓟马的影响及其相关的光合机制,本试验以西北广泛种植的感蓟马苜蓿品种‘甘农3号’和抗蓟马苜蓿品种‘甘农9号’为材料,在大田蓟马为害高峰期,调查评价了不同施磷水平下苜蓿的受害指数、生长指标和蓟马虫口数量,测定了不同施磷水平下苜蓿的光合气体交换参数、可溶性糖含量。结果表明:施磷后,‘甘农3号’和‘甘农9号’苜蓿的受害指数均显著降低,株高和产量显著增加,蓟马虫口数量无显著变化;净光合速率(Pn)和水分利用率(WUE)显著升高,蒸腾速率(Tr)和气孔导度(Gs)显著降低;苜蓿心叶可溶性糖含量显著升高,但可溶性糖含量与蓟马虫口密度间无相关性,而与受害指数之间存在极显著的负相关关系。施磷有效地增强了苜蓿的光合作用,进而增强了苜蓿对蓟马的耐害性。在大田条件下,通过增施磷肥来控制苜蓿蓟马的危害是一种经济有效的绿色防控措施。