Maize harvest index and water use efficiency can be improved by inhibition of gibberellin biosynthesis

Possibilities to improve maize harvest index and nutrient utilization efficiency by application of plant growth regulators were investigated. In container experiments, the effects of different growth regulators on the development of the maize (Zea mays L.) cultivars Pioneer 3906 and Fabregas were tested. Paclobutrazol (PAC) and chlorocholine chloride (CCC), two inhibitors of gibberellin biosynthesis, as well as gibberellic acid (GA₃) were applied at growth stage V5. Three weeks after application of PAC, shoot growth of both maize cultivars was strongly affected with a significant decrease in plant height in the PAC treatment by 44% and 36% for Pioneer 3906 and Fabregas, respectively. The growth‐retarded plants had higher leaf areas and reduced transpiration rates. The higher shoot growth after GA₃ application was accompanied by a reduction in leaf area and an increase in transpiration rate during 1 week before anthesis. CCC treatment showed no significant effects on plant height, leaf area and transpiration rate. The PAC‐treated cultivar Pioneer 3906 produced several cobs per plant, which were mainly barren at maturity. However, PAC application to Fabregas resulted in just one cob per plant with good kernel development and a grain yield, which was not significantly reduced in comparison with the control. With this similar grain yield in combination with a straw yield decrease of 32%, the harvest index was significantly improved by 12%. In addition, with PAC‐treated Fabregas plants, a 19% increased water use efficiency of the grain (WUE_grain) during the critical period of kernel setting was achieved. In this maize cultivar, CCC application also improved harvest index by 5%, but no effect on WUE_grain occurred. GA₃ treatment decreased harvest index of both maize cultivars, and it either reduced WUE_grain (Pioneer 3906) or showed no effect (Fabregas). Utilization efficiencies of N, P and K were not increased with growth regulator application, even in the PAC‐treated Fabregas plants with a significantly improved allocation of assimilates to the grain, mirrored by the higher harvest index. The results indicate that fertilizer applications must be adjusted to the reduced demand of growth‐retarded plants, most likely leading to higher nutrient utilization efficiencies.     

木霉耐盐突变菌株的紫外诱变选育

为了获得高效耐盐木霉突变菌株，以盐碱土中分离的一株深绿木霉T-YM作为原始菌株进行紫外诱变处理，并筛选了突变菌株的最佳诱变条件，利用NaCl溶液模拟盐胁迫条件测定了突变菌株耐盐指标生长速率、产孢量和菌丝生长量。结果表明，与对照(野生型菌株)相比，当诱变时间为3 min时能够显著提高深绿木霉T-YM突变菌株菌落生长速度和产孢量，分别增加17.69%和28.82%；诱变时间为0.5 min和5 min时能够显著提高突变菌株菌丝生长量，分别增加42.22%和46.67%。利用10 mg·mL^-1 NaCl溶液模拟盐胁迫条件时，与对照相比突变菌株菌落生长速度、产孢量和菌丝干重整体高于野生型菌株，尤其当诱变时间为3 min时，不同浓度盐胁迫下其产孢量平均增加51.18%，诱变时间为0.5 min时其菌丝干重平均增加23.65%；NaCl胁迫(10 mg·mL^-1)下，诱变处理0.5 min获得的正突变菌株经传代接种培养后其耐盐性较为稳定。因此，紫外诱变可作为一种选育高效耐盐木霉突变菌株的有效方法。     

播期对夏玉米生长发育及产量的影响

2018年在湖南省桃源县木塘垸乡,以临奥1号、湘农玉27号和郑单958为材料,设置5个播期处理,T1(5月8日)、T2(5月16日)、T3(5月24日)、T4(6月4日)、T5(6月14日),研究不同播期对夏玉米生长发育和产量形成的影响。结果表明:播期延后,玉米的生育期缩短,湘农玉27号、郑单958和临奥1号全生育期分别缩短5、5、4d;从吐丝期至成熟期,早播处理(T1、T2)的干物质积累量大于晚播处理(T3、T4、T5)的,各品种均以T1处理的最大;至成熟期,湘农玉27号、临奥1号、郑单958的干物质积累量分别为24576.2、25087.7、26367kg/hm~2;3个品种的叶面积指数在吐丝期最大,播期推迟,叶面积指数逐渐下降;3个品种T3、T4、T5处理的倒伏倒折率均高于T1、T2处理的,倒伏倒折率从高至低依次为湘农玉27号、临奥1号、郑单958;空秆率各处理间无显著差异,品种间差异也较小,空秆率从高至低依次为临奥1号、郑单958、湘农玉27号;3个品种的产量均以T1处理的最高,播期推迟,3个品种的产量均下降,且播种日期越晚,产量降低幅度越大;在本试验区域宜在5月上旬或中旬播种玉米。     

生长调节物质对小豆豆芽营养成分影响和功能性评价

为筛选最适合芽菜培养的小豆品种,以‘白红8号’为试材,设置3种生长调节物质(乙酰水杨酸、乙烯利和6-苄氨基腺嘌呤(6-BA))的各6个浓度(0.0、0.1、0.2、0.3、0.4、0.5 mmol/L;0、20、30、40、50、60 mg/L和0、2、3、4、5、6 mg/L)喷施处理,测定其生物特性(上胚轴长度、上胚轴直径、萌发率、鲜重、干重和产出比)、营养成分(可溶性蛋白和可溶性糖)及抗氧化等特性。结果表明:3种生长调节物质喷施处理都能够提升其营养价值,在乙烯利喷施浓度为50 mg/L,‘白红8号’小豆芽苗菜中各营养成分、酶活性及抗氧化性等均可达到最大值,显著提高了其营养价值。因此,为提高生产中小豆芽苗菜的产量和营养价值,最终确定乙烯利喷施浓度为50 mg/L效果最佳。     

科尔沁草甸湿地土壤碳氮剖面分布及生长季动态特征

采用定位观测的试验方法,于2016年5-10月及2017年8月对科尔沁草甸湿地0~100 cm土层土壤有机碳、全氮剖面分布及生长季动态特征进行了实验分析,旨在为科尔沁草甸湿地保护提供科学指导并为干旱半干旱地区湿地土壤碳氮储量估算提供借鉴。结果表明:1)科尔沁草甸湿地土壤有机碳、全氮含量整体随土层深度下降,0~20 cm土层间下降显著,20 cm以下趋于相对稳定,范围分别为11.9~23.5 g·kg^-1和0.66~1.50 g·kg^-1。2)各土层土壤碳氮含量月间差异显著(全氮40~60 cm土层除外),变化幅度随土层深度先减小后增大;土壤碳氮密度(100 cm)生长季变化大于年际变化,有机碳密度全生长季呈上升趋势,范围为15.44~20.82 kg·m^-2,全氮密度生长初期明显下降,之后趋于相对稳定,范围为1.01~1.16 kg·m^-2。3)土壤有机碳含量与全氮含量呈极显著正相关;植被和水文是影响其分布、变化的关键因子。科尔沁草甸湿地生长季土壤有机碳、全氮密度变化较大,且表现为潜在的碳汇和氮源,但年际间碳汇潜力未充分发挥,本研究建议禁牧力度应加大并增加氮肥投入以提高科尔沁草甸湿地生态系统功能。     

施用锌肥和遮阴互作对花生生长发育、抗病性及产量的影响

采用大田裂区试验，研究了施用锌肥和不同遮阴程度互作对花生生长发育、抗病性及产量的影响。结果表明，与不施锌肥相比，施用锌肥能提高花生不同部位锌含量、增加叶片SPAD值，提高花生叶片中可溶性糖、蛋白质和生长素含量，减少花生病害的发生，平均降低7.1个百分点，花生产量平均增加19.4%。相同施锌水平下，随着遮阴程度的增加，花生不同部位锌的含量和不同生育期叶片SPAD值以及花生叶片中可溶性糖、蛋白质和生长素含量呈增加趋势，花生的发病率比不遮阴对照增加4.8、10.2个百分点，花生产量平均降低16.5%、10.0%。在30%、70%的遮阴条件下，施用锌肥的花生产量比不施锌的分别提高21.1%、25.0%。本试验条件下，施用七水硫酸锌30 kg/hm2，使花生具有较强的抗低温寡照能力及抗病性能，增产显著，可在花生产区推广应用。     

山东近海口虾蛄单位补充量渔获量评估

为完善口虾蛄的基础生物学资料,并为口虾蛄资源的管理提供科学指导和理论依据,本研究根据2016至2017年山东近海渔业资源底拖网调查获得的口虾蛄体长、体质量数据,估算了口虾蛄的生长、死亡参数,构建了基于体长结构的单位补充量渔获量(YPR)模型,研究口虾蛄的资源动态和管理策略。采集调查口虾蛄样品共5028尾,体长—体质量关系的表达式为W=0.0145L2.88,为负异速生长;使用ELEFAN方法估算出口虾蛄的渐进体长L∞为19.87 cm,生长速率K为0.62 a−1。口虾蛄的生长表现出明显的季节性变化规律,生长参数的季节振幅C为0.76,10月份生长最快,4月份生长最慢。通过体长转换的渔获曲线估算出口虾蛄的总死亡系数Z为3.24 a−1,根据不同方法估算自然死亡系数M的范围为0.75~1.27 a−1,捕捞死亡系数F的估算范围为1.96~2.49 a−1,开发率的均值为0.67。YPR模型结果显示,随着F增大,YPR值呈现先上升后下降的趋势,生物学参考点F0.1和Fmax的值分别为0.92a−1和1.88a−1。口虾蛄资源处于过度开发的状态,应降低捕捞压力,同时调整开捕体长,以维持口虾蛄渔业资源量和渔获量。     

High-throughput screening reveals small molecule modulators inhibitory to Acidovorax citrulli

Acidovorax citrulli is a seed-transmitted gram-negative bacterium that can cause substantial economic yield loss in watermelon and melon production worldwide. Four small-molecule libraries containing 4,952 compounds were selected for high-throughput screening against A. citrulli wild-type strain Xu3-14 by evaluation of growth inhibition. One hundred and twenty-seven molecules (2.5% hit rate) were identified as bactericidal or bacteriostatic against A. citrulli at 100 μM. Secondary screens indicated that 27 candidate compounds were more effective against A. citrulli Group II strains than Group I strains (classified using repetitive element PCR). Several compounds were inhibitory to other pathogenic bacteria, including Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis and Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris, but did not affect the growth of plant beneficial bacteria Pseudomonas fluorescens and Bacillus subtilis. More than half of the compounds did not inhibit germination of Arabidopsis or watermelon seeds. The effect of small molecules on A. citrulli seed-to-seedling transmission was evaluated by applying each compound to inoculated watermelon seeds and assessing seedling infection. Nine compounds were chosen for further investigation based on their reduction of percentage seedling infection and compiling scores on their specificity, sensitivity, and phytotoxicity obtained in the secondary screens. The five best compounds were selected (thiamphenicol, nadifloxacin, pipemidic acid, ciclopirox, and zinc pyrithione) for greenhouse tests and were found to effectively reduce the seed-to-seedling transmission of A. citrulli in both artificially and naturally infested seeds. These top five compounds provide a basis for future development of an A. citrulli-specific bactericide.     

Phenological and physiological evaluation of first and second cropping periods of sorghum and maize crops

Environmental conditions influence phenology and physiological processes of plants. It is common for maize and sorghum to be sown at two different periods: the first cropping (spring/summer) and the second cropping (autumn/winter). The phenological cycle of these crops varies greatly according to the planting season, and it is necessary to characterize the growth and development to facilitate the selection of the species best adapted to the environment. The aim of this study was to characterize phenological phases and physiological parameters in sorghum and maize plants as a function of environmental conditions from the first cropping and second cropping periods. Two parallel experiments were conducted with both crops. The phenological characterization was based on growth analyses (plant height, leaf area and photoassimilate partitioning) and gas exchange evaluations (net assimilation rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration and water-use efficiency). It was found that the vegetative stage (VS) for sorghum and maize plants was 7 and 21 days, respectively, longer when cultivated during the second cropping. In the first cropping, the plants were taller than in the second cropping, regardless of the crop. The stomatal conductance of sorghum plants fluctuated in the second cropping during the development period, while maize plants showed decreasing linear behaviour. Water-use efficiency in sorghum plants was higher during the second cropping compared with the first cropping. In maize plants, in the second cropping, the water-use efficiency showed a slight variation in relation to the first cropping. It was concluded that the environmental conditions as degree-days, temperature, photoperiod and pluvial precipitation influence the phenology and physiology of both crops during the first and the second cropping periods, specifically cycle duration, plant height, leaf area, net assimilation rate, stomatal conductance and water-use efficiency, indicating that both crops respond differentially to environmental changes during the growing season.