Selection efficiency of high inorganic phosphorus-low stachyose lines from soybean breeding populations of different genetic backgrounds

Reducing the antinutritional components of soybean (Glycine max) seed is necessary for producing animal feed with increased metabolizable energy and nutrient availability. The objective of this study was to evaluate marker-assisted and phenotypic selection for the high inorganic phosphorus (Pi) and low stachyose traits controlled by the Lpa and MIPS1 mutations in six breeding populations. Phenotypic selection for low phytate individuals carrying Lpa mutations using Pi was reliable, but the assay should include parental genotypes to construct thresholds before performing selections, as the effect of Lpa on Pi depends on genetic background. Phenotypic selection for low phytate individuals carrying MIPS1 using Pi should be complemented with sugar data because selection based solely on Pi may be inefficient, as this trait is not environmentally stable in MIPS1 germplasm. Marker-assisted selection for simple sequence repeat (SSR) linked to Lpa2 (Satt527, Satt561) depended on the pedigree of the population suggesting that perfect markers (e.g., single nucleotide polymorphism) should become the molecular tool for screening a large number of progenies with high efficiency.     

Characterization and PCR-based Typing of Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria from Peppers and Tomatoes in Serbia

During the last two decades bacterial strains associated with necrotic leaf spots of pepper and tomato fruit spots were collected in Serbia. Twenty-eight strains isolated from pepper and six from tomato were characterized. A study of their physiological and pathological characteristics, and fatty acid composition analysis revealed that all of the strains belong to Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria. Being non-amylolytic and non-pectolytic, pathogenic on pepper but not on tomato, containing lower amounts of fatty acid 15 : 0 ante–iso, the pepper strains were designated as members of the A group of X. campestris pv. vesicatoria. However, the tomato strains hydrolyzed starch and pectate, caused compatible reactions on tomato but not on pepper, had higher percent of 15 : 0 ante–iso fatty acid, and were classified into B phenotypic group and identified as X. vesicatoria. PCR primers were developed which amplified conserved DNA regions related to the hrp genes of different strains of X. campestris pv. vesicatoria associated with pepper and tomato. Restriction analysis of the PCR product resulted in different patterns and enabled grouping of the strains into four groups. When xanthomonads isolated from pepper and tomato in Serbia were analyzed, they clustered into two groups corresponding to the grouping based on their physiological and pathological characteristics. According to the reaction of pepper and tomato differential varieties, the strains from pepper belong to races P7 and P8 and tomato strains belong to the race T2. All strains were sensitive to copper and streptomycin. Advantages and disadvantages of various bacterial spot management practices are discussed.     

北川白山羊基因组与表型性状相关的多态性RAPD标记

北川白山羊是在特定生态条件下未经系统繁育而形成的优良地方山羊品种,在生长发育、繁殖和抗逆等性状方面具有突出优势。通过对122只北川白山羊个体基因组的扩增,结果从80条RAPD引物中选出12条多态引物,北川白山羊群体平均遗传相似率和遗传多样性指数分别为0.859 8±0.077 6和0.919 8,表明北川白山羊品种具有一定的遗传分化和较丰富的遗传多样性。在12条多态性引物中,SBS06同时对体质量（P=0.028）、体高（P=0.017）和体长（P=0.037）具有显著影响,SBS02对体质量（P=0.033）和体高（P=0.034）具有显著效应,所以推断影响体质量和体高性状的QTL基因座可能与RAPD标记SBS06和SBS02相连锁,可以应用于北川白山羊体质量和体高性状的标记辅助选择以及相应主效基因的进一步研究。     

Phenotypic plasticity of two invasive alien plant species inside a deciduous forest in a strict nature reserve in Italy

ABSTRACT

Invasive alien plant species (IAPs) represent one of the main biological threats to biodiversity worldwide. Information about their phenotypic plasticity are needed to increase awareness about their future invasive potential. A study about phenotypic plasticity in response to contrasting light regimes and its quantification by a plasticity index (PI) of two IAPs (Ailanthus altissima and Robinia pseudoacacia) inside a Strict Nature Reserve was conducted. R. pseudoacacia showed a 70% higher PI, with a strongly greater value at morphological leaf level, associated with a greater ability to survive and grow in forest understory, explaining its greater widespread. Otherwise, A. altissima showed its highest PI at physiological level, which was associated with the ability to colonize and grow in environments with high-light regimes. Based on these results, the conservative management has limited the presence of A. altissima by its lower ability to grow in forest understory. In fact, the small-scale gaps in the forest infrastructure, that could allow its recruitment, are originated only from the death of a single tree or small group of trees. Regarding R. pseudoacacia, it is critical to maintain this type of management because any disturbances resulting in large openings could further promote its presence inside the Reserve.     

Major ascaroside pheromone component asc-C5 influences reproductive plasticity among isolates of the invasive species pinewood nematode

Pheromones are communication chemicals and regulatory signals used by animals and represent unique tools for organisms to mediate behaviors and make “decisions” to maximize their fitness. Phenotypic plasticity refers to the innate capacity of a species to tolerate a greater breadth of environmental conditions across which it adapts to improve its survival, reproduction, and fitness. The pinewood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, an invasive nematode species, was accidentally introduced from North America into Japan, China, and Europe; however, few studies have investigated its pheromones and phenotypic plasticity as a natural model. Here, we demonstrated a novel phenomenon, in which nematodes under the condition of pheromone presence triggered increased reproduction in invasive strains (JP1, JP2, CN1, CN2, EU1, and EU2), while it simultaneously decreased reproduction in native strains (US1 and US2). The bidirectional effect on fecundity, mediated by presence/absence of pheromones, is henceforth termed pheromone-regulative reproductive plasticity (PRRP). We further found that synthetic ascaroside asc-C5 (ascr#9), the major pheromone component, plays a leading role in PRRP and identified 2 candidate receptor genes, Bxydaf-38 and Bxysrd-10, involved in perceiving asc-C5. These results suggest that plasticity of reproductive responses to pheromones in pinewood nematode may increase its fitness in novel environments following introduction. This opens up a new perspective for invasion biology and presents a novel strategy of invasion, suggesting that pheromones, in addition to their traditional roles in chemical signaling, can influence the reproductive phenotype among native and invasive isolates. In addition, this novel mechanism could broadly explain, through comparative studies of native and invasive populations of animals, a potential underlying factor behind of the success of other biological invasions.     

云南籽粒苋种质资源的表型多样性分析

为了系统分析云南籽粒苋种质资源的表型遗传多样性。采用遗传多样性指数、主成分分析、相关分析和聚类分析对104份云南籽粒苋种质资源的30个表型性状进行研究。结果表明,遗传多样性指数最高的质量性状和数量性状分别是主花序形状(1.68)和主花序长度(2.07)。前10个主成分累计贡献率达到73.944%,单株鲜体重与第3、第6、第9主成分极显著正相关,单株粒重与第9主成分极显著正相关。聚类分析将104份种质划分为5类,第Ⅰ类群可为间套种亲本材料,第Ⅱ和Ⅲ类群可为大粒亲本材料,第Ⅳ类群可为优质饲用亲本材料,第Ⅴ类群可为观赏类亲本材料。云南籽粒苋种质资源表型性状具有丰富的遗传多样性,有较大的开发利用潜力。     

Morphological variability of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar and brown trout Salmo trutta in different river environments

Abstract – The morphologies of sympatric juvenile Atlantic salmon Salmo salar parr and brown trout Salmo trutta parr were compared between Irish rivers with contrasting hydraulic environments – a high‐gradient and a low‐gradient tributary from the River Barrow catchment, south‐east Ireland and a high‐gradient river from the Burrishoole catchment, west of Ireland. The two catchments differ markedly in mean annual precipitation (849.0 mm year^?1 and 1370.3 mm year^?1 for the Barrow and Burrishoole catchments, respectively). Parr of both species demonstrated morphological variation between and within catchments. Changes in metrics such as pectoral fin length, body depth and body length between and within catchments suggest that hydraulic forces were a major determinant of morphological variation. Both species from the Burrishoole catchment had relatively larger pectoral fins, longer heads, larger eyes and shallower bodies than conspecifics from the Barrow catchment. In rivers subject to frequent rainfall‐driven high discharges, such as those in the Burrishoole catchment, a more fusiform body and head shape coupled with larger pectoral fins may reduce the energetic cost of maintaining position in the water column, as well as increase stability and manoeuvrability. The larger eyes in both parr species in the Burrishoole catchment could further be a response to the lower visibility of the more turbid and peat‐stained waters or to the reduced prey availability. The results of this study demonstrate that local adaptation to flow conditions can yield morphologically distinct populations and that multiple species can exhibit parallel phenotypic responses to changing environmental conditions.     

桑细菌性青枯病病原及其生化型鉴定

为有效治理浙江省杭州地区桑树上严重发生的新病害,开展了病原及其特性研究。从临安市和桐庐县的青枯桑树上分离出15株致病细菌,经25项主要细菌学特性、菌落形态、致病性、Bi-olog、脂肪酸分析、RAPD-PCR鉴定及与4株标准菌株比较,证实了这种桑青枯病是由Ralstoniaso-lanacearum引起,属于生化型Ⅴ和Ⅳ,它们在15株分离菌中分别占73.3%和26.7%。同时,在该病原细菌的鉴定中,建立了简便易行的桑青枯病病原细菌致病性测定新方法。     

干旱胁迫下‘宁玉’草莓生长发育及相关基因表达特点

为分析基因诊断草莓在干旱逆境条件下生长状态的可行性,以‘宁玉’草莓为试材,调查了不同干旱胁迫条件下的生长特点以及与生长素合成、脱落酸合成、花果发育、色素合成相关的10个基因的表达情况。研究结果表明:在不同干旱条件下草莓均可完成从营养生长到生殖生长的生命周期,所选基因也都行使并完成了其调控功能。与对照植株相比,在轻度和中度干旱胁迫(50%~65%土壤持水量)条件下,草莓植株的物候期较对照(80%土壤持水量)提早,而在严重干旱胁迫(35%土壤含水量时)条件下延缓,随着干旱胁迫条件的加重,草莓植株、叶片、果实明显变小,果实着色加深。每个基因在不同干旱条件下表达水平的变化趋势基本一致,且都与相应的物候期以及生长发育时间长短的变化情况相一致,但所选基因在几种干旱条件下其表达开始的早晚、表达水平的高低以及表达相应程度持续时间的长短存在不同。在轻度和中度干旱条件下,这些基因的表达时间提早,但持续时间较短,表达水平高于对照;而在重度干旱条件下,这些基因的表达开始的时间较对照延缓,表达水平较低但持续时间拉长。上述研究结果表明,利用基因的表达信息可以提前推断草莓植株在不同干旱条件下的生长发育状态,了解干旱胁迫对草莓生长发育的影响以及为是否需要提早采取管理措施等提供重要依据。