Seed growth of three perennial ryegrass cultivars sown on two dates and treated with trinexapac ethyl straw shortener

First‐year crops of diploid perennial ryegrass (cvs. Meridian, Bronsyn and Grasslands Impact) were sown on 1 April and 14 May 2008. Applications of trinexapac ethyl (TE) plant growth regulator at 0, 200 and 400 g a.i. ha^?1 were used to shorten stems to examine the impact of seed growth. Seed filling followed a consistent sigmoidal growth pattern with a lag phase of 127°C days, and linear duration of 390°C days. Time to 95% of final seed weight was 517°C days. Seed yield increases from TE were from higher numbers of first‐grade seeds m^?2, achieved by a higher rate of seed filling during the linear phase of 0·115 mg per °C day per spike. For all cultivars, the maximum stem dry weight occurred at 310–400°C days post‐anthesis, which suggest the stem was a strong sink. As seeds developed, their demand for assimilate increased and they drew more from the stem. At harvest, stem weights from TE treatments were 25% heavier than at anthesis, while untreated ‘Bronsyn’ and ‘Grasslands Impact’ stems were similar to those at anthesis. Thus, stems treated with TE contributed assimilates to increase seed yield but were still a net sink with assimilates in the stem at harvest. Trinexapac ethyl rate induced an inverse relationship between seed yield and stem height. This showed that competition for assimilate between stems and growing seeds limited the seed yield. Management or genetic factors that reduce stem height are likely to increase seed yields of perennial ryegrass.     

Breeding for increased grain protein and micronutrient content in wheat: Ten years of the GPC-B1 gene

To provide food and nutrition security for a growing world population, continued improvements in the yield and nutritional quality of agricultural crops will be required. Wheat is an important source of calories, protein and micronutrients and is thus a priority to breed for improvements in these traits. The GRAIN PROTEIN CONTENT-B1 (GPC-B1) gene is a positive regulator of nutrient translocation which increases protein, iron and zinc concentration in the wheat grain. In the ten years since it was cloned, the impacts of GPC-B1 allelic variation on quality and yield traits have been extensively analyzed in diverse genetic backgrounds in field studies spanning forty environments and seven countries. In this review, we compile data from twenty-five studies to summarize the impact of GPC-B1 allelic variation on fifty different traits. Taken together, the results demonstrate that the functional copy of the GPC-B1 gene is associated with consistent positive effects on grain protein, Fe and Zn content with only marginally negative impacts on yield. We conclude that the GPC-B1 gene has the potential to increase nutritional and end use quality in a wide range of modern cultivars and environments and discuss the possibilities for its application in wheat breeding.     

Effects of the dietary protein to energy ratio on growth,feed utilization and body composition in Macrobrachium nipponense

Oriental river prawn (Macrobrachium nipponense) has been widely cultured in Asian countries. However, its nutritional studies are very limited. In the present 8‐week study, we investigated the effects of dietary protein to energy ratio (P/E ratio) on the growth, feed utilization and body composition in juvenile M. nipponense (initial weight 0.302 ±0.03 g). Two‐factor experiment was designed and nine semi‐purified diets were formulated to contain three lipid levels (20, 80 and 140 g kg^?1) and three protein levels (330, 380 and 430 g kg^?1), producing P/E ratios from 16.5 to 23.4 mg KJ^?1 protein. The results indicated that the growth, survival rate and protein efficiency were dose dependently improved by the increased dietary lipid, but not dietary protein content. Increased dietary lipid content and/or protein content increased lipid accumulation in whole body, hepatopancreas and muscle, but did not change the feed intake and hepatopancreas weight. In conclusion, our present study indicated that M. nipponense is a species with relatively high‐energy requirement. It could utilize dietary lipid content up to 140 g kg^?1, while the dietary protein with more than 330 g kg^?1 would not promote growth and protein efficiency. Taken together, 330 g kg^?1 dietary protein and 140 g kg^?1 dietary lipid level with P/E ratio 16.49 could be optimum for M. nipponense.     

Effects of dietary protein to energy ratios on growth,body composition and digestive enzyme activities in Chinese mitten‐handed crab,Eriocheir sinensis

This study aimed to determine the optimal protein to energy ratio (P/E ratio) and evaluate the effect of dietary protein and lipid levels on growth performance, body composition and digestive enzymes activities in Chinese mitten‐handed crab, Eriocheir sinensis. Nine practical diets containing three levels both for protein (DP 30%, 35% and 40%) and lipid (DL 2%, 7% and 12%) with P/E ratios ranging from 13.69 to 19.79 mg KJ^?1 were fed to four replicates of crabs (3.39 ± 0.10 g) for 10 weeks. Weight gain increased significantly with the increase in DP level at each DL level. Moreover, weight gain increased in crabs fed with diets containing DL level from 2% to 12% and DP level from 30% to 35%. However, the diet containing 40% DP and 12% DL levels significantly decreased the growth performance and protein efficiency of the crabs. The whole crab and hepatopancreas lipid contents also increased as dietary lipid increased, but not dietary protein. The total protease activity increased significantly with the increase in dietary protein at each lipid level. The lipase activity was statistically comparable among different DL levels at each DP level. Taken together, the crab fed the diet containing 35% protein and 12% lipid levels with P/E 15.77 mg KJ^?1 revealed optimal growth, feed utilization efficiency and digestive enzymes activities. Moreover, our study indicated that the higher dietary lipid level at a relatively lower dietary protein level could provide protein sparing effect in Eriocheir sinensis.     

High‐oil residue camelina meal,a viable source of protein at low levels in diets for juvenile salmonids

The oilseed Camelina sativa has been studied as a lipid source for farmed salmonids, but recommended inclusion as a protein source has not been determined. This study evaluated low inclusion of camelina high‐oil residue meal (HORM) at 20, 40 and 60 g/kg of the diet, to determine an adequate level for Atlantic salmon parr (Salmo salar) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Salmon and trout were fed experimental diets containing up to 60 g/kg HORM for 16 weeks. At 40 g/kg HORM, trout and salmon growth performance were similar to those fed a control diet. However, at 60 g/kg HORM, trout showed lower final weight, weight gain and feed intake than those fed the control diet. Rainbow trout fed 40 and 60 g/kg HORM showed significantly lower whole body ash (p = .005), slightly lower whole body protein levels and higher fat than the control. In salmon fed 60 g/kg HORM diets, whole body ash (p = .024), and the submucosal layer of the intestine was thicker than the control (p = .007). Current results indicate that up to 40 g/kg HORM can be included in diets for rainbow trout and salmon juveniles.     

春季低温对小麦颖果发育的影响

为了探明春季低温（倒春寒）导致小麦减产的细胞学机理，以扬麦15为材料，在小麦幼穗处于雌雄蕊分化期至药隔期之间时，设置-3 ℃低温处理，通过树脂半薄切片对颖果不同发育时期的形态结构进行观察。结果表明：（1）在颖果发育早期，低温促进了颖果的长度生长，抑制了宽度生长；与对照相比，低温处理组小麦颖果发育进程缩短；（2）低温处理组颖果果皮发育早，中果皮降解速度快；（3）低温处理增加了胚乳淀粉体的积累量，降低了蛋白体的积累量，发育后期胚乳充实度显著低于对照组；（4）与对照相比，低温处理后颖果韧皮部面积和珠心突起传递细胞面积增大。以上结果表明，春季低温处理更有利于养分运输组织的发育，使得灌浆时间缩短，最终导致淀粉积累量增加及颖果早熟。     

环境与摄食对山东省近海鱼礁区不同体长许氏平鲉分布的影响

为研究环境与摄食因素对人工鱼礁区不同体长许氏平鲉分布的影响,采用2017—2018年山东省近岸3处鱼礁区环境和渔业资源的调查数据,利用变异系数CV均值将样本的体长分为10组,每组体长间隔为33 mm,并使用Bray-Curtis相似性指数比较不同海域许氏平鲉体长组成的相似性;运用去趋势对应分析(DCA)、典范对应分析(CCA)分析各环境要素对不同体长组许氏平鲉分布的影响;运用胃含物分析法分析许氏平鲉的食物组成。结果显示,西霞口与长岛鱼礁区样本体长组成相似性指数为70.66%,前三岛鱼礁区与西霞口鱼礁区、长岛鱼礁区的相似性指数较低,分别为54.94%和59.46%;大体长(299～365mm)许氏平鲉的分布与水深、水质指数(WQI)和化学需氧量(COD)相关性较大,喜好水深较深、营养丰富的水域;小体长(35～200 mm)许氏平鲉喜好水深较浅,水质好的水域。大体长(200～365 mm),高龄(2～3龄)的个体主要摄食鱼类、虾类和蟹类,优势饵料为鱼类(IRI为65.94%);小体长(35～200 mm),低龄(0～1龄)的个体主要摄食虾类和蟹类,优势饵料为虾类(IRI为45.69%)。研究表明,在浅水区域投放幼鱼保护型鱼礁,为幼鱼提供庇护所;将捕捞作业集中在深水区,减少对许氏平鲉小体长个体的兼捕,可以达到针对性增殖、保护许氏平鲉资源的目的。     

福瑞鲤选育家系不同养殖阶段的生长差异分析

为了进一步观察最佳线性无偏预测(best linear unbiased prediction,BLUP)家系选育方法在福瑞鲤(Cyprinus carpio)继代选育中的潜力,该研究测量了继续选育第2代家系群体不同养殖阶段的体质量和形态性状。结果表明,生长快速家系群福瑞鲤早期(4月龄)生长速度较慢,到后期则生长加快,其体质量增长表现出明显的优势。在体型方面,随着养殖时间的延长,福瑞鲤各选育家系群的体厚/体长增加,体高/体长降低,逐渐呈现其体型修长的特征;同时2个越冬期的成活率均达到了94%以上。结果表明通过BLUP家系选育对福瑞鲤长期选育是可行的。在此基础上,通过主成分分析发现,福瑞鲤生长性状第一主成分是体质量;对不同生长时期的体质量进行相关性分析,发现9月龄、14月龄、21月龄鱼的体质量与24月龄的相关系数均达到极显著水平(P0.01),分别为0.851、0.897和0.957。因此,在福瑞鲤继续选育过程中,进行早期个体选择值得尝试。     

不同密肥条件下通粳981产量构成因子分析

[目的]探明不同生产条件下穗数、粒数、粒重对产量的影响。[方法]对通粳981在不同密度和肥料条件下形成的产量及其构成因子进行回归、相关和通径分析。[结果]穗数、粒数和粒重对产量均有极显著的增产效应,其增产效应从大到小依次为穗数、粒数、粒重,其中穗数对产量起主要作用;但在基本苗较多或施N量较大的情况下,穗数和粒数的增产作用都很重要。[结论]农业生产中可针对不同生产栽培条件,从产量构成因子中明确主攻目标,合理制定栽培技术措施,提高产量。