Dynamics of nitrogen translocation from mature leaves to new shoots and related gene expression during spring shoots development in tea plants (Camellia sinensis L.)

The contribution of N remobilization is crucial for new shoots growth and quality formation during spring tea shoots development. However, the translocation mechanism of N from source leaves to sink young shoots is not well understood. In the present study, ¹⁵N urea was applied to mature tea leaves one week before bud break to track N remobilization in a field experiment. The dynamic changes in plant ¹⁵N abundance, contents of amino acids, and the expression levels of genes related to N metabolism and translocation were followed during the 18‐d development of new spring shoots until three expanding young leaves. The results showed that during the growth of new shoots the amount of ¹⁵N in the shoots increased, whereas the N_dff (N derived from ¹⁵N‐urea) in mature leaves decreased, showing that the foliar‐applied N in mature leaves was readily exported to new shoots. This process was found to be accompanied by decline of chlorophylls. In the mature leaves, expression CsATG18a and CsSAG12 involved in autophagy was dramatically induced (> 4‐fold) at approximately nine days after the bud breaking. The genes involved in the transformation of amino acids, including primarily CsGDH2, CsGDH4, CsGLT3, CsGS1;3, and CsASN2 were upregulated by > 3‐fold after bud breaking. The expression levels of CsATG8A, CsATG9, CsSAG12, CsGS1;1, CsGDH1, and CsAAP6 correlated negatively with the N_dff in mature leaves, but positively with ¹⁵N amount and total N amount in new shoots, suggesting these genes played important roles in N export from mature leaves. In the new shoots, the expression of most genes showed two defined peaks, one on six days and one on 12 days after bud breaking. The expression of CsGS2, CsASN3, CsGLT1, and CsAAP4 positively correlated with the ¹⁵N amount and total N amount in new shoots. These genes might be involved in the transport and re‐assimilation of N from mature leaves. The overall results demonstrated that the translocation of ¹⁵N from mature leaves to new spring shoots was regulated by the genes involved in autophagy, protein degradation, amino acid transformation and transport.     

Modern wheat cultivars have greater root nitrogen uptake efficiency than old cultivars

The availability of nitrogen (N) contained in crop residues for a following crop may vary with cultivar, depending on root traits and the interaction between roots and soil. We used a pot experiment to investigate the effects of six spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars (three old varieties introduced before mid last century and three modern varieties) and N fertilization on the ability of wheat to acquire N from maize (Zea mays L.) straw added to soil. Wheat was grown in a soil where ¹⁵N‐labeled maize straw had been incorporated with or without N fertilization. Higher grain yield in three modern and one old cultivar was ascribed to preferred allocation of photosynthate to aboveground plant parts and from vegetative organs to grains. Root biomass, root length density and root surface area were all smaller in modern than in old cultivars at both anthesis and maturity. Root mean diameter was generally similar between modern and old cultivars at anthesis but was greater in modern than in old cultivars at maturity. There were cultivar differences in N uptake from incorporated maize straw and the other N sources (soil and fertilizer). However, these differences were not related to variation in the measured root parameters among the six cultivars. At anthesis, total N uptake efficiencies by roots (total N uptake per root weight or root length) were greater in modern than in old cultivars within each fertilization level. At maturity, averaged over fertilization levels, the total N uptake efficiencies by roots were 292?336 mg N g^?1 roots or 3.2?4.0 mg N m^?1 roots for three modern cultivars, in contrast to 132?213 mg N g^?1 roots or 0.93?1.6 mg N m^?1 roots for three old cultivars. Fertilization enhanced the utilization of N from maize straw by all cultivars, but root N uptake efficiencies were less affected. We concluded that modern spring wheat cultivars had higher root N uptake efficiency than old cultivars.     

System for quasi‐continuous simultaneous measurement of oxygen diffusion rate and redox potential in soil

Oxygen diffusion rate (ODR) and redox potential (E_H) are quantitative indices representing oxygen availability and redox status in soils, which is valuable information for better understanding causes and effects of soil aeration. Because these indices are spatially and temporally highly variable, continuous measurements and adequate numbers of repetitions are essential for accurate in situ monitoring. Here, we present a new, fully automated recording system for in situ measurements where ODR and E_H are measured at the same platinum electrode. The conflict between electrode polarization for ODR and the resulting biased E_H readings is solved by reducing the polarization time and introducing a recovery interval between two consecutive measurement cycles. The shorter polarization time ensures accurate E_H readings. It also results in moderately overestimated ODR readings, but this can be corrected before data analysis. The recovery interval restricts temporal resolution of the E_H‐ODR data pairs to 8 h. We illustrate the use of the system with measurements in a field experiment in Zürich, Switzerland. ODR curves at different depths ran roughly parallel to the corresponding curves of O₂ concentration in soil air but ODR was much more sensitive to precipitation. Low ODR was a necessary but not a sufficient condition for declining E_H. E_H ran parallel to O₂ concentration in soil air rather than to ODR. The fully automated system allows for time series of replicate measurements in multifactorial field studies with reasonable labor requirements. It may be particularly suitable for studies examining the effects of soil tillage, compaction, and irrigation, where structure‐related soil properties such as porosity, gas permeability, and soil aeration play a dominant role.     

滴灌下氮盐交互对加工番茄荧光特性及产量品质的影响

【目的】新疆有着全中国最大面积的盐碱地和加工番茄的种植基地。在新疆开展两年试验以研究加工番茄在氮盐交互下生长、生理、产量和品质的变化规律,获得适宜新疆盐碱地种植加工番茄的合理施氮量和土壤盐分范围,为新疆扩大加工番茄种植面积和合理施氮提供科学的理论依据及技术途径。【方法】试验于2017和2018年在石河子大学现代节水灌溉兵团重点实验基地进行,以当地主栽品种3166为试验材料,2017年试验共设置4个土壤含盐量水平：1.5、4.0、7.0和10.0 g·kg ^-1及4个氮素水平：201、166、131和96 kg·hm ^-2,2018年在2017年的基础上去除10.0 g·kg ^-1的土壤含盐量,增加5.0 g·kg ^-1的土壤含盐量和不施氮量处理。试验测定和分析加工番茄的荧光叶绿素参数、产量和品质指标。【结果】在氮盐交互下,加工番茄荧光参数及产量等指标均呈现出复杂的变化规律。绝大多数的荧光参数及产量受土壤盐分的主导作用较氮素强,在同等氮素水平下,7.0 g·kg ^-1和10.0 g·kg ^-1的土壤盐分对加工番茄荧光指标抑制程度最大;低盐分水平下,166 kg·hm ^-2的中等偏高的施氮量对加工番茄的荧光指标促进作用最大,其次是施氮201 kg·hm ^-2的处理;在中等偏高的盐分水平下,96 kg·hm ^-2的低氮对加工番茄的最好,其次为不施氮水平。加工番茄的鲜果产量总体上符合“盐高产低”的规律,但低氮高盐处理的产量明显高于其他同盐度的氮素水平下的产量。可溶性固形物、VC、可溶性糖和可滴定酸均随着土壤含盐量的增大逐渐增大,糖酸比的最大值均出现在低盐处理,盐分对加工番茄品质的影响远高于氮素,二者交互对加工番茄的品质并无显著性影响。通过图形叠加分析方法,得出了加工番茄获得相对最优产量和品质的合理施氮范围和土壤含盐量区间。【结论】在盐碱程度偏高的土壤可通过少施氮素来提高加工番茄产量;加工番茄获得相对最优产量和品质的合理施氮范围和土壤含盐量区间为N：98.12—119.60 kg·hm ^-2,S：3.57—5.58 g·kg ^-1。     

Role of chlorogenic acid in endothelial dysfunction in db/db mice

AIM: To explore the effects of chlorogenic acid (CGA) on endothelial dysfunction in db/db mice and the possible mechanism. METHODS: Male db/db mice (n=12) were divided into control group and CGA group, with 6 mice in each group. The mice in CGA group were treated with diet containing 0.02% CGA, while the mice in control group were given normal diet only. The observation period was 12 weeks. Fasting blood glucose level, tail blood pressure and the body weight were analyzed each week. At the end of the 12th week, the mice were anesthetized and blood was taken from carotid artery. The plasma levels of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), catalase (CAT), NAD(P)H dehydrogenase quinone 1 (NQO1) and glutathione peroxidase-1 (GPx-1) were measured by ELISA. The mouse aortas were isolated, and the superoxide anion and nitric oxide (NO) levels were measured by DHE and DAF-2 DA staining, respectively. Wire Myograph System was used to detect the vasorelaxation of db/db mouse aorta. The protein levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα), nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), phosphorylated AMP-activated protein kinase (p-AMPK), phosphorylated endothelial NO synthase (p-eNOS), P22^phox and P47^phox were determined by Western blot. RESULTS: Dietary CGA decreased fasting blood glucose and body weight in db/db mice as compared with control group (P<0.01 or P<0.05). The plasma levels of HO-1, CAT, NQO1 and GPx-1 in CGA group were higher than those in control group (P<0.01 or P<0.05). Administration of CGA for 12 weeks attenuated superoxide anion level, increased NO level in the mouse endothelium and improved endothelium-dependent relaxation of the db/db mouse aorta. CGA also increased the protein levels of PPARα, Nrf2, p-AMPK and p-eNOS, and decreased P22^phox and P47^phox levels (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Dietary CGA improves db/db mouse endothelium-dependent relaxation. This effect may be related to the increases in the levels of antioxidant molecules PPARα, Nrf2 and p-AMPK, and the up-regulation of antioxidant capacity, thus decreasing the oxidative stress, promoting eNOS phosphorylation, and increasing NO level.     

三唑酰草胺在不同类型土壤中的降解特性

为科学评价除草剂三唑酰草胺在土壤环境中的生态风险，采用室内模拟方法，研究了三唑酰草胺在吉林黑土、江西红土和安徽水稻土中的降解特性。结果表明:三唑酰草胺在土壤中的降解符合一级动力学方程。好氧条件下三唑酰草胺在3种土壤中的降解半衰期分别为86.5、106和91.4 d；厌氧条件下半衰期分别为106、130和127 d；水稻田厌氧条件下半衰期分别为162、219和188 d。研究表明，三唑酰草胺在水稻田厌氧条件下的降解速率明显慢于其他2种试验条件下。     

棉籽壳中除草活性物质提取及鉴定

为了开发利用棉籽壳中的除草活性物质，分别以无水乙醇、正丁醇、石油醚和乙酸乙酯为溶剂，采用索氏提取法对棉籽壳中的活性物质进行了提取，并对各溶剂粗提物进行了除草活性测定。结果发现:用无水乙醇提取的粗提物对稗草生长的抑制活性最高，经气相色谱-质谱(GC-MS)联用分析，发现该粗提物中主要含有甘油、三环己基3-烯-6-辛酮、4-乙烯基-2-甲氧基苯酚、(邻甲基苯酚)-2-溴-2氯-乙酰酯、十四酸、十四酸乙酯、十六烷酸、辛酸异戊酯和亚油酸9种化合物。进一步的除草活性测定结果表明，亚油酸、辛酸异戊酯、4-乙烯基-2-甲氧基苯酚和(邻甲基苯酚)-2-溴-2氯-乙酰酯4种化合物对稗草表现出一定的除草活性，其中亚油酸活性最强，其IC₅₀值为14.5 mg/L。