Examining disadoption of gum arabic production in Sudan

Gum arabic production in Sudan has developed over the years in a well-established traditional bush-fallow system in which the gum tree (Acacia senegal) is rotated with annual crops. Following the Sahel drought, the gum area has suffered from deforestation and gum production has declined. Several programs have been developed to stimulate gum production; however, many original adopters have disadopted gum production and the bush-fallow system. In this paper we apply a logit model to study the decision-making behavior of farmers in west Sudan and to identify the socio-economic factors influencing disadoption of gum production and gum agroforestry system. Variables that measure farmer’s wealth were found significant in explaining the disadoption behavior. Off-farm work was also found to positively influence the disadoption decision. Results show that a higher level of income from annual crops decreases the probability of disadoption, which suggests that annual crops and gum production do not compete but rather complement each other within the farm household economy. Therefore, policy measures aiming to boost the production of annual crops in the region might reduce seasonal labor migration and accordingly stimulate gum production.

Effects of the interaction between drought and shade on water relations, gas exchange and morphological traits in cork oak (Quercus suber L.) seedlings

The combined effect of drought and light on different physiological and biochemical traits was assessed in cork oak (Quercus suber L.) seedlings grown under two levels of light availability and submitted to a long-standing drought. Watering was withdrawn after germination and seedlings were allowed to dry to a water content of ca. 50% of field capacity. At this point, water-stressed seedlings were grown under moderate drought and two light regimes: high light (HL—50%) and low light (LL—2%). Soil water in control plants was kept close to field capacity (90–100%) for both light environments. Water-relations parameters derived from P–V curves, gas exchange and water status at predawn (Ψ_pd) were evaluated at twice during the experiment. Nitrogen and chlorophyll contents were determined in the same leaves used for the gas exchange measurements. In addition, maximum rate of carboxylation (V_cmax) and electronic transport (J_max) were derived from A–C_i curves in well-watered seedlings.

The variation on moisture availability during the experiment was the same under both light environments. In control plants, Ψ_pd was over −0.3 MPa at the two harvests, while stressed seedlings decreased to −0.9 MPa, with no differences between light treatments. Water stress decreased osmotic potentials at full (Ψπ₁₀₀) and zero turgor (Ψπ₀). The regressions between both potentials and Ψ_pd showed a higher intercept in shade grown seedlings. This fact will point out the higher osmoregulation capacity in sun seedlings whatever water availability.

Nitrogen investment on a per leaf mass (N_mass), chlorophyll content (Chl_mass) and SLA tended to show a typical pattern of sun-shade acclimation. Thus, the three parameters increased with shade. Only for N_mass there was a significant effect of watering, since water stress increased N_mass.

LL plants showed a lower photosynthetic capacity in terms of maximum net photosynthesis at saturating light (A_max), which was related to a decrease in V_cmax and J_max. Both parameters varied with specific leaf area (SLA) in a similar way. The low-light environment brought about a higher nitrogen investment in chlorophyll, while under high-light environment the investment was higher in carboxylation (V_cmax) and electronic transport (F_max).

Stomatal conductance to water vapour (g_wv) and A_max were lower in low-light seedlings independently of watering. In addition, there was a trend to keep higher intrinsic water use efficiency (IWUE) under high light environment. The increase of IWUE under water stress was higher in HL seedlings. This was as consequence of the steeper decline in g_wv as Ψ_pd decreased. The decrease of A_max with Ψ_pd occurred in a similar way in LL and HL seedlings. Thus, the HL seedlings tended to sustain a higher ability to increase IWUE than LL seedlings when they were submitted to the same water stress.     

辽西地区主要造林树种抗旱性的研究

辽西地区属于半干旱季风气候区,年平均温度为7.1—8.2℃,年降水量为400—600mm,年蒸发量为1600mm,为降水量的3—4倍。干燥是该区总的气候特点。该区的植物群落主要为旱生的森林灌丛或草本植物群落,针叶树建群种为油松,阔叶树为蒙古栎,元宝槭,黄榆;灌木主要为荆条和酸枣。土壤是在各种岩石风化物残积母质上,以及黄土、红土母质上发育的淋溶褐土和褐色性土,土壤干旱瘠薄。水分是这一地区限制造林树种成活及生长的主要因子,本文试图通过对树种抗旱性的测定和分析,确定树种的抗旱能力,从而为辽西地区的造林提供树种选择的依据。     

岷江干旱河谷几种乔木抗旱性研究

岷江上游干旱河谷地区是我国西部生态环境最恶劣的地区之一,也是我国最困难的造林地区之一。本试验以生理研究为基础,选择干旱河谷区造林地内具有相对较高成活率和保存率的针叶树种岷江柏(Cupressus chen-giana)、辐射松(Pinus radiata)和阔叶树种臭椿(Ailanthus altissima)、榆树(Ulmus pumilaL.)、刺槐(Robinia pseu-doacacia),分别采用主成分分析法和综合评价法对影响其抗旱性的主要生理指标和试验树种的抗旱性进行了分析研究。结果表明:①影响该地区试验树种抗旱性的主要生理指标为:可溶性糖含量、SOD活性、游离脯氨酸含量、水分饱和亏缺度、叶片含水量和24h失水率;②5个试验树种的抗旱性表现为岷江柏最高,其次榆树>刺槐>臭椿,辐射松的抗旱性最差。     

阿坝州干旱河谷区自然植被及生长调查

2005年7月20日至10月15日,对阿坝州6个县干旱河谷地区的自然植被进行了调查。结果表明:干旱河谷区主要植物物种有26种,以小叶羊蹄甲分布范围最广,其次是野花椒、虎榛子、三颗针、白刺花。同一区域不同树种的生长状况差异显著,即使是相同树种,在不同地区的生长差异也很明显。综合各项生长指标,金川县虎榛子是干旱河谷区同类树种中生长状况最优的,其植株平均高度、平均冠幅占有相同树种不同地区的绝对优势。同样,茂县的小叶羊踢甲、黑水县的三颗针等也是干旱河谷区同类树种的最优树。     

Phenotypic,physiological and malt quality analyses of US barley varieties subjected to short periods of heat and drought stress

Drought and heat are major abiotic stresses that significantly reduce crop yield and seed quality. In this study, we examined the impact of heat, drought and combined effect of heat and drought stress imposed during the grain filling stage in 18 US spring barley varieties. These impacts were assessed based on dry biomass, seed yield and six important malting quality traits, namely, beta-glucan, free amino nitrogen, soluble protein, refractive index, diastatic power and alpha-amylase activity. Singly applied heat or drought stress evoked a diverse set of responses among these varieties with respect to biomass, seed yield and malt quality traits suggesting these varieties can be exploited for enhancing barley production based on local conditions. Majority of the tested varieties performed poorly with reference to seed yield when the stresses were applied in combination, suggesting a lack of genetic diversity in the currently grown spring barley varieties to overcome co-occurring episodic drought and heat regimes, especially during heading stages. In the wake of global climate change, enhancing adaptive capacity of barley varieties by introducing novel germplasm into breeding programs or via new technologies is vital to sustain US barley production and meet the demands of the rapidly growing brewing industry.     

水分胁迫下马铃薯基因组DNA甲基化水平变化分析

DNA甲基化是表观遗传学修饰的重要研究内容之一,在植物生长发育和响应逆境胁迫等过程中起重要作用,其中水分胁迫是对植物生长发育最具危害的逆境胁迫之一。为探索马铃薯DNA甲基化与水分胁迫之间的关系,本研究采用PEG-6000模拟水分胁迫处理两个马铃薯品种‘青薯9号’和‘大西洋’,在PEG0%(对照),5%和10%浓度下,利用MSAP技术检测‘青薯9号’和‘大西洋’甲基化水平变化情况。结果表明:在相同条件下,抗旱型品种‘青薯9号’甲基化水平高均于干旱敏感型品种‘大西洋’。在0%(对照)、5%和10%PEG胁迫下,‘青薯9号’MSAP比率为42.49%、38.14%、49.21%,甲基化水平与对照相比先降低后升高,‘大西洋’MSAP比率29.17%、22.92%、17.58%,甲基化水平逐渐降低。经统计,5%PEG和10%PEG胁迫下,‘青薯9号’和‘大西洋’均出现甲基化和去甲基化现象,其中‘青薯9号’甲基化和去甲基化比率分别为10.92%、6.43%和11.98%、15.36%,‘大西洋’分别为1.59%、8.22%和42.18%、24.34%,甲基化变异模式以去甲基化为主。‘青薯9号’和‘大西洋’均能发生CNG、CG和CG/CNG位点的甲基化和去甲基化,在水分胁迫下会产生较多的CNG和CG/CNG位点。本研究结果为探究马铃薯抗旱机制提供了理论基础。     

川南地区1989—2019年农业干旱危险性特征分析

旨在研究川南地区近30年农业干旱危险性特征。基于川南地区（内江市、自贡市、宜宾市、泸州市）1989—2019年夏季（6—8月）降水数据,组成了降水距平百分率和农业干旱危险性等级之间的模糊隶属函数,通过引入区间平均隶属度,将信息扩散理论与之结合,研究了川南经济区的农业干旱危险性特征。结果显示：轻、中度农业干旱危险性水平最大的都是泸州市,危险性水平分别达21.47%、15.32%;重度农业干旱危险性水平最大的是自贡市,其危险性水平达7.58%;严重农业干旱危险性水平最大的是宜宾市,其危险性水平达7.47%。     

干旱胁迫下外源油菜素内酯对玉米幼苗光合作用和D1蛋白的调控效应

为了揭示干旱胁迫下外源油菜素内酯对玉米幼苗光合作用的保护机制,采用溶液培养的方法,以驻玉309为试验材料,研究外源油菜素内酯(BR)预处理及20% PEG-6000模拟干旱胁迫后玉米幼苗的生长参数、叶绿素含量、光合参数、叶绿素荧光参数及D1蛋白含量的变化。结果表明,与干旱胁迫处理(PEG)相比,BR+PEG处理的玉米苗株高增加45.87%,根长增加20.56%,总干物质积累增加8.01%,叶片相对含水量提高4.50%,叶绿素a含量增加26.32%,光合参数(Pn、Gs、Ci、Tr)分别提高9.57%,38.23%,30.19%,28.12%,光合系统Ⅱ(ΦPSⅡ)活性提高了20.48%,最大光化学效率提高了0.66%,光合系统Ⅱ绝对电子传递速率(ETR(Ⅱ)和相对电子传递速率r ETR(Ⅱ))分别提高20.40%和31.02%;D1蛋白含量增加37.34%(P0.05)。说明在干旱胁迫条件下叶片喷施BR可以改善玉米幼苗的生长发育,减缓光合系统的损伤,促进D1蛋白质的稳定,从而提高玉米幼苗对干旱胁迫的适应性。     

How do timing,duration, and intensity of drought stress affect the agronomic performance of winter rye?

Winter rye (Secale cereale L.) will be especially affected by drought induced yield losses in Central and Eastern Europe in the future because it is predominantly cultivated on low-fertile soils with a poor water-holding capacity. In order to examine the performance of winter rye under different drought conditions, field experiments were carried out during the years 2011, 2012, and 2013 near Braunschweig, Germany. Two sets of genotypes were tested under severe, mild, pre-anthesis, and post-anthesis drought stress in rain-out shelters as well as under rainfed and well-watered conditions. The grain, straw, and total above ground biomass yields, harvest index, grain yield components, leaf area index (LAI), and phenological characteristics were examined, as well as phenotypic correlations between grain yield and further characteristics. Drought induced grain yield reduction ranged from 14 to 57%, while straw yield and harvest index were lesser affected by drought than the grain yield. Under drought conditions, fully ripe was reached up to twelve days earlier than under non water-limited conditions. Pre-anthesis drought mainly reduced spikes m⁻² and kernels spike⁻¹ while drought during grain filling reduced the 1000-kernel weight (TKW) only. The grain yield was positively associated with straw yield, spikes m⁻², and kernels spike⁻¹ under water limited conditions while the TWK was only positively associated with grain yield under drought during grain filling. Consequently, high pre-anthesis biomass as well as high numbers of spikes m⁻² and kernels spike⁻¹ are especially important for obtaining high grain yields under water-limited conditions. Focusing on these traits is, therefore, recommendable for developing drought tolerant rye genotypes.