Hard seed breakdown patterns of unprocessed forage legume seed sown into dry soil in summer in southern Australia

The patterns and extent of hard seed breakdown of dormant seeds and pods following burial in the soil in February (summer) varied for up to 19 accessions of 12 species of annual forage legumes. The experiments, at six sites across southern Australia, were designed to identify legumes whose patterns of hard seed breakdown would suit them to agronomic evaluation in a summer sowing research program. For a subset of accessions, sufficient hard seed breakdown was demonstrated between February and April to allow a high proportion of seed to germinate in late autumn—a desirable pattern for summer sowing. Although there was a large G x E interaction, some cultivars of Ornithopus sativus Brot., O. compressus L. and Trifolium spumosum L. had a pattern that was reproducible at all sites. The experiments also identified accessions of Biserrula pelecinus L. and T. glanduliferum Boiss., which had the desirable pattern in regions of south‐eastern Australia, but not Western Australia. A pragmatic approach for selection of forage legume accessions in situ for evaluation within a summer sowing program was demonstrated.     

Effect of Sulfur on the Yield and Essential and Nonessential Element Composition of Alfalfa Determined by Polarized Energy Dispersive X‐ray Fluorescence

Alfalfa crops were grown in the field at the University of Ankara (473939 E, 4385149 N), over two seasons between 2001 and 2003 with sulfur (S) supplied at two different rates. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with five replicates and three cutting dates in each season. Sulfur was applied at rates of 0 (control), 160 (S₁), and 240 (S₂) kg ha^?1 as gypsum. Alfalfa hay was harvested three times each year, and the concentrations of elements in the hay were measured by polarized energy dispersive x‐ray fluorescence (PEDXRF). Sulfur fertilization increased S concentrations and improved alfalfa hay yield for both years. Applied S slightly reduced phosphorus (P) and magnesium (Mg) concentrations in the first year and had no significant effect on the potassium (K) and calcium (Ca) concentrations of alfalfa hay for either year. The highest S (240 kg ha^?1 S) level increased sodium (Na) concentrations in the first year but decreased them in the second year. Sulfur application also decreased chloride (Cl) concentration in the first year. Molybdenum (Mo) concentration of the alfalfa was significantly reduced by S₁ treatment in year 1. Iron (Fe) concentration was increased by S₂ treatment in the second year, and zinc (Zn) concentration was increased by S₁ treatment in the first year. However, applied S had no effect on manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), titanium (Ti), vanadium (V), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), barium (Ba), uranium (U), and lead (Pb) concentrations for either year. Applied S decreased aluminum (Al) and silicon (Si) and increased bromine (Br) and rubidium (Rb) concentrations of alfalfa in the first year. In addition, strontium (Sr) concentration was increased by S₂ treatment in the first year but was decreased in the second year. The stage of cutting greatly affected mineral concentrations. Compared with the first cutting, S concentrations were higher in the second and third harvest for both years. In general, the concentrations of P, Mg, Na, Cl, Mo, Ti, V, Br, Co, Ba, Sr, Rb, U, and Pb were increased, whereas the concentrations of Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, and Ni were decreased with later cutting. The concentrations of K and Ca did not vary between cuts.     

杂交相思组织培养研究初报

【目的】筛选杂交相思组织培养不同培养阶段的培养基配方,为实现杂交相思工厂化育苗提供技术参考。【方法】用杂交相思嫩茎为外植体,探究生长调节剂6-BA、NAA、IBA对其诱导出芽、继代增殖和诱导生根的效果。【结果】在不添加6-BA的情况下,添加0.2mg/LNAA时芽诱导率为60.0%,当添加0.2mg/L的6-BA后,诱导率为42.0%。当NAA为0~0.5mg/L时,随着6-BA的增加,增殖系数随之增加,6-BA为0.8mg/L时,增殖系数为4.2;当6-BA为1.0mg/L以上时,继代苗的增殖系数为1.0。以改良MS为基本培养基,在NAA1.0mg/L的条件下添加0.5、1.0mg/L的IBA生根诱导率分别为17.5%、24.0%;以改良1/2MS为基本培养基,在NAA1.0mg/L的条件下,添加0.5mg/L的IBA生根率为91.7%,当添加IBA为1.0mg/L时,生根率降到50.0%;生根苗移栽基质以黄心土与河沙或蛭石混合较好,移栽成活率在85.0%以上。【结论】改良MS＋NAA0.2mg/L培养基是较适宜芽诱导的培养基;改良MS＋6-BA0.8mg/L＋NAA0.5mg/L培养基较利于继代苗的生长;改良1/2MS＋NAA1.0mg/L＋IBA0.5mg/L培养基较改良MS培养基有利于诱导生根。     

Analysis of cationic elements in liquid samples by x‐ray

Abstract

Plant analyses methods have expanded immensely to document plant mineral element deficiency and toxicity disorders and to note mineral element interactions. Experiments were conducted to determine the feasibility of using cation exchange papers for the extraction of cationic elements from solutions to be analyzed by x‐ray fluorescence. The cationic elements Al, Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu were effectively extracted from solutions by one exchange resin paper disk if solutions were passed several times through the exchange resin paper. Calcium and Mg were extracted from solutions if two or three separate exchange papers were used, and K was not extracted from solutions with the use of up to five separate exchange papers. The relatively high concentrations of K in solutions and the relatively low exchange capacity of ion exchange resin papers apparently prevented the effective removal of K from solution. The detectability limits on the exchange resin disks by this technique were <2.8 μg Al, 0.5 μg Fe, 0.10 μg Mn, 0.10 μg Zn, and 0.08 μg Cu. Extraction of cationic elements from solutions for x‐ray analysis appeared practical and relatively rapid for Al, Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu, less practical for Ca and Mg, and impractical for K.     

Management of strawberry anthracnose by choice of irrigation system,mulching material and host resistance

We studied, by means of field experiments, the combined effects of irrigation system, mulching material and genetic resistance on the incidence of strawberry anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum acutatum. All trials involved artificial inoculation with fruits colonized by the pathogen. One experiment examined the effects of drip irrigation, overhead sprinkler irrigation, and localized low-pressure tape irrigation, and the effects of grass (Brachiaria sp.) and plastic (polyethylene) mulches, in a split plot, randomized complete block design with four replicates. Lower disease incidence, indicating lower pathogen dispersal, was verified with low-pressure tape and drip irrigation. Flower blight and fruit rot incidence in drip-irrigated plots was minimal (ca. 2% of the disease levels in the plots otherwise irrigated). Grass mulch reduced flower blight in the sprinkler system (up to 80%), but had no significant effect when disease levels were already low due to use of other irrigation systems. A second experiment compared the effects of grass mulch, pine (Pinus elliotti) mulch, and plastic mulch with overhead sprinkler irrigation on strawberry cultivars partially resistant (‘Dover’) and susceptible (‘Campinas’) to the disease in a factorial completely randomized design (CRD). Both organic mulches reduced flower blight and diseased fruit incidence by up to 76% compared to the plastic mulch treatment, especially in the early stages of the epidemics. ‘Dover’ had 70% lower incidence of flower blight than ‘Campinas’, and the effects of organic mulches were more pronounced in ‘Campinas’. A third experiment, with all three irrigation systems combined with inoculated and non-inoculated plots, estimated yield effects due to disease and irrigation system. All plots were covered with plastic mulch in a CRD with six treatments. This experiment clearly confirmed the higher flower blight and fruit rot incidences when sprinkler irrigation was used. In inoculated treatments, fruit yield was significantly reduced in tape-irrigated plots, and more so in sprinkler-irrigated plots. In drip-irrigated plots yield was reduced by only 1%. Overall, our results confirm the importance of cultural and genetic factors as valuable means of strawberry anthracnose management. Adoption of localized irrigation systems, the use of organic mulches and choice of a partially resistant cultivar significantly reduced disease levels in field plots. The importance of water splash for C. acutatum dispersal and its dependency on the soil mulch characteristics are the likely causes for the results observed.     

渭北旱原大官杨水分生理综合分析

由P—V技术推广得到的P—SD、P—ND曲线法在林木组织水分状况动态监测中有较大价值。主成分分析表明:渭北旱原大官杨水分关系的主要环节是组织水分状况、蒸腾耗水、土壤供水三方面,三者呈良好的线性关系。回归分析表明:影响大官杨蒸腾强度作用大小的次序是照度、气温、湿度、风速、土壤含水量。渭北旱原大官杨在7～8月耗水最大、6～7月土壤供水最差,但其在渭北旱原上仍可以良好生长。     

Genotype × environment interaction for resistance to the white potato cyst nematode (Globodera pallida,pathotype E) in Solanum vernei x S. Tuberosum hybrids

Summary The standard root-ball test for assessing quantitative resistance of Globodera pallida in host material derived from Solanum vernei has produced variable results. This study of two sets of clones shows that genotype x environment interactions are responsible and that linear regressions (b) of phenotypic means on environments may enable good predictions to be made of the effects of the interactions. A relationship between the regression value (b) and phenotypic mean is shown for this material. The implication of this for a screening procedure in a potato breeding programme aimed at increasing potato cyst nematode resistance in adapted cultivars of S. tuberosum is discussed.     

Combining ability for yield and plant phenology in plantain-derived populations

Genetic enhancement of Musa spp. has aimed at producing hybrids with high yield, short stature, fast crop cycling, and disease resistance through interspecific and interploidy crosses. Progeny testing for parental selection has seldom been carried out in Musa and little is known on combining ability and heterosis in this species. A 5 × 5 factorial mating design was used to estimate components of phenotypic variance in 4 x-2 x hybrid populations and to determine the combining ability of their progenitors for yield and associated traits. General combining ability was much greater than specific combining ability for these traits, and, therefore, only little recombinative heterosis could be expected upon crossing. Thus, the 4 x-2 x breeding scheme should aim to accumulate favourable alleles in 4 x and 2 x clones through recurrent selection. Such clones could be used per se or in crosses aimed at restoring the seedlessness character in the progeny due to female sterility in a triploid background. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

杨树油菜素内酯合成基因DET2的克隆与功能分析

[目的]DET2基因编码一个5α-还原酶,是油菜素内酯(BRs)合成过程中的关键限速基因。研究DET2基因在杨树生长发育中的作用,对于进一步研究油菜素内酯在木本植物中的调控机制有重要意义。[方法]从银腺杨84K(Populus alba×P. glandulosa,‘84K’)克隆得到拟南芥AtDET2同源基因PagDET2,利用生物信息学对其进行序列比对、生化特征分析、构建系统发育进化树。通过RT-PCR分析其在杨树中的表达模式。构建由CaMV 35S强启动子驱动的过表达载体,通过农杆菌介导的叶盘转化法转化84K杨,得到PagDET2-OE转基因植株。分析过表达DET2基因对于转基因植株内源BRs含量、植株生长和抗逆的影响。[结果]克隆了包含全长编码区PagDET2基因全长,可编码一个长度为257个氨基酸的蛋白质。其蛋白序列与毛果杨、拟南芥、水稻、棉花、大豆、番茄DET2蛋白同源性较高,说明该基因在进化过程中相对保守。PagDET2在84K杨不同组织中均检测到表达,其在茎中的表达较高。通过ELISA检测植物BRs含量发现,过量表达DET2可以显著提高杨树内源BRs含量。过量表达DET2基因,可以导致转基因植株的高生长,但对盐胁迫更加敏感。[结论]DET2基因作为BRs合成的关键基因,在杨树中过量表达可以显著提高内源BRs含量,促进植株增高。DET2转基因植株的获得为进一步分析BR参与木本植物生长发育的调控机制奠定了基础。     

杂种榛子不同方位叶片光合作用的日变化

以平欧110号和平欧349号为试材,研究了榛子不同方位叶片的光合特性,并对影响光合作用的因子进行了分析, 结果表明:榛子南、北面叶片光合速率(Pn)的日变化为双峰曲线,西面叶片为单峰曲线,高峰出现在上午的7:00-8:00,东面叶片的光合速率的变化较平稳,无明显的高峰,不同方位叶片光合速率午间变化主要受到非气孔的限制作用; 不同方位叶片的平均光合速率和CO2同化量有一定的差异,以南面叶片为最高,其次为西、北面叶片,以东面叶片为最低; 平欧110号和平欧349号的光饱和点大约分别为691～724 μmol·m-2s-1和464～505 μmol·m-2s-1,其光补偿点分别为10～26 μmol·m-2s-1和8～21 μmol·m-2s-1,均较常见的落叶果树低; 采用逐步回归分析表明,水汽饱和差(VPD)和光量子通量密度(PFD)是影响光合速率的主导因子.