Bulk pollen pollination in maize for efficient construction of introgression populations with high genome coverage

Introgression populations consist of a set of introgression lines or families, constructed by continuous backcrossing to the recurrent parent, while carrying a limited number of chromosome segments from a donor parent in their genomes. Increasing the genome coverage is an important aim when constructing introgression population. In this study, we proposed bulk pollen pollination (BPP) method and used it to increase the genome coverage of a maize introgression population. The results showed that the genome coverage of the introgression population constructed using BPP method reached 100% at BC₃ generation, which accorded with the simulation result. The BPP‐based BC₃F_1:2 population could identify most quantitative trait loci (QTL) detected using the F_2:3 population, especially major QTL. Simulation analysis showed that the genome coverage of introgression population increased with the increase of population size and the number of bulked plants, and decreased with the increase of backcross generation. Our results proved the reliability of the BPP‐based introgression population in increasing genome coverage and detecting QTL, and provided references for constructing high‐coverage introgression populations.     

Quantitative trait loci analysis for root traits in synthetic hexaploid wheat under drought stress conditions

Synthetic hexaploid wheat(SHW), possesses numerous genes for drought that can help breeding for drought-tolerant wheat varieties. We evaluated 10 root traits at seedling stage in 111 F9 recombinant inbred lines derived from a F2 population of a SHW line(SHW-L1) and a common wheat line, under normal(NC) and polyethylene glycol-simulated drought stress conditions(DC). We mapped quantitative trait loci(QTLs) for root traits using an enriched high-density genetic map containing 120 370 single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs), 733 diversity arrays technology markers(DArT) and 119 simple sequence repeats(SSRs). With four replicates per treatment, we identified 19 QTLs for root traits under NC and DC, and 12 of them could be consistently detected with three or four replicates. Two novel QTLs for root fresh weight and root diameter under NC explained 9 and 15.7% of the phenotypic variation respectively, and six novel QTLs for root fresh weight, the ratio of root water loss, total root surface area, number of root tips, and number of root forks under DC explained 8.5–14% of the phenotypic variation. Here seven of eight novel QTLs could be consistently detected with more than three replicates. Results provide essential information for fine-mapping QTLs related to drought tolerance that will facilitate breeding drought-tolerant wheat cultivars.     

小麦秸秆长度、覆盖量对坡面产流产沙的影响

为定量研究小麦秸秆覆盖对坡面产沙产流过程及减水减沙效益的影响,采用室内人工模拟降雨试验,研究在降雨强度为90 mm/h时,不同秸秆长度和秸秆覆盖量下的坡面产流产沙特征和产流产沙过程规律,结果表明:(1)在相同秸秆长度下,随秸秆覆盖量增加,产流量产沙量极显著减少(p0.01)。相同覆盖量水平下随秸秆长度增加,产流量显著增加(p0.05),在4.5 t/hm~2覆盖量下产沙量极显著增加(p0.01)。(2)秸秆覆盖坡面的初始产流时间较裸露坡面延迟6.23倍,产流量平均下降19.5%,产沙量下降31.6%。覆盖措施通过保护土壤的结构有效抑制了细沟侵蚀过程向切沟侵蚀发展。产流产沙过程受秸秆长度和覆盖量的交互作用影响,交互效应对产流过程的影响更突出。(3)随覆盖量增加,减水减沙效益极显著增加(p0.01);随长度增加,减水减沙效益分别减少为17.26%,27.97%。不同覆盖条件下的坡面产流量、产沙量和减水、减沙效益均与秸秆长度、秸秆覆盖量呈二元线性关系。(4)在当前试验条件下,当秸秆长度为3～5 cm,覆盖量为4.5 t/hm~2时达到最优减水减沙效益。     

Intensive organic vegetable production increases soil organic carbon but with a lower carbon conversion efficiency than integrated management

Intensive vegetable production in greenhouses has rapidly expanded in China since the 1990s and increased to 1.3 million ha of farmland by 2016, which is the highest in the world. We conducted an 11‐year greenhouse vegetable production experiment from 2002 to 2013 to observe soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics under three management systems, i.e., conventional (CON), integrated (ING), and intensive organic (ORG) farming. Soil samples (0–20 and 20–40 cm depth) were collected in 2002 and 2013 and separated into four particle‐size fractions, i.e., coarse sand (> 250 µm), fine sand (250–53 µm), silt (53–2 µm), and clay (< 2 µm). The SOC contents and δ¹³C values of the whole soil and the four particle‐size fractions were analyzed. After 11 years of vegetable farming, ORG and ING significantly increased SOC stocks (0–20 cm) by 4008 ± 36.6 and 2880 ± 365 kg C ha^?1 y^?1, respectively, 8.1‐ and 5.8‐times that of CON (494 ± 42.6 kg C ha^?1 y^?1). The SOC stock increase in ORG at 20–40 cm depth was 245 ± 66.4 kg C ha^?1 y^?1, significantly higher than in ING (66 ± 13.4 kg C ha^?1 y^?1) and CON (109 ± 44.8 kg C ha^?1 y^?1). Analyses of ¹³C revealed a significant increase in newly produced SOC in both soil layers in ORG. However, the carbon conversion efficiency (CE: increased organic carbon in soil divided by organic carbon input) was lower in ORG (14.4%–21.7%) than in ING (18.2%–27.4%). Among the four particle‐sizes in the 0–20 cm layer, the silt fraction exhibited the largest proportion of increase in SOC content (57.8% and 55.4% of the SOC increase in ORG and ING, respectively). A similar trend was detected in the 20–40 cm soil layer. Over all, intensive organic (ORG) vegetable production increases soil organic carbon but with a lower carbon conversion efficiency than integrated (ING) management.     

略阳乌鸡体重和产蛋数性状遗传参数估计

【目的】略阳乌鸡是陕西省特有的家禽品种,该品种具有体型大、肉质好、氨基酸含量丰富、对林地散养适应性强的优点,但也存在生长缓慢,产蛋性能差的不足。为此,在系统测定略阳乌鸡生产性能的基础上,开展对体重和产蛋性状遗传参数的估计,阐明遗传效应对上述性状的调控作用及性状间的遗传关系,期望为这些性状的选育奠定理论基础。【方法】对略阳乌鸡蛋用系一世代71个半同胞家系799只公鸡和804只母鸡6、10、14、20周龄和开产日龄体重进行测定,以个体为单位记录从开产到31、35和40周龄产蛋数,以四分位数±1.5倍四分位距为界删除异常值,更正性别记录错误。以性别为固定效应,育种值为随机效应用单变量动物模型估计各性状遗传力,用双变量动物模型估计性状间遗传相关,用逆伽玛分布指定育种值和残差项方差先验分布,用贝叶斯算法执行130 000次迭代,弃去前30 000次迭代结果,以100为间隔抽取1 000个估计值获得方差和协方差后验分布,计算各性状遗传力和性状间遗传相关。用R语言PerformanceAnalytics软件包chart.Correlation命令计算性状间表型相关。【结果】略阳乌鸡6、10、14、20周龄公鸡体重为（0.56±0.07）、（1.07±0.13）、（1.56±0.19）、（1.97±0.21）kg,母鸡体重为（0.47±0.06）、（0.86±0.12）、（1.18±0.16）、（1.48±0.19）kg,开产体重为（1.68±0.23）kg;31、35和40周产蛋数为（31.2±11.5）、（42.5±16.7）和（54.7±20.4）枚。体重遗传力随年龄逐渐减小,分别为0.74、0.76、0.63、0.54和0.52,置信区间在0.25—0.33之间。产蛋数遗传力为0.27、0.25和0.26,置信区间在0.35—0.42之间。10、14、20周龄体重间维持中等偏上（0.52—0.68）的遗传相关性,但6周龄体重（0.21—0.52）和开产体重（0.21—0.46）与各时间点体重遗传相关性较弱。体重间遗传相关系数置信区间在0.13—0.34之间。在3个时间点产蛋数间遗传相关系数趋近于1,置信区间在0.03—0.06之间。体重和产蛋数间遗传相关系数均不显著。在时间维度上,各体重性状间表型相关系数在0.43—0.90之间（P<0.001）,产蛋数性状间表型相关系数在0.79—0.94之间（P<0.001）。6—20周龄体重与产蛋数间维持了弱（0.023—0.15）正相关关系,但开产体重与产蛋数存在弱负相关关系（-0.17—-0.14）。【结论】首次估计了略阳乌鸡品种特异性的遗传参数,发现略阳乌鸡体重性状主要受遗传效应调控,而产蛋数性状受环境影响更大,阐明了早期与晚期性状间、体重与产蛋数间的遗传关系,为早期选种和多性状育种奠定了理论基础。这些结果建议在略阳乌鸡群体中对体重性状表型选择有望取得良好效果,但对产蛋数性状应建立纯系利用杂种优势;体重和产蛋数间不存在负遗传相关关系,可同时对两个性状选育提高。     

寿光1961—2015年初、终霜日、无霜期变化特征 及对农业的影响

笔者利用寿光市1961—2015年的气候资料，通过对初、终霜日期、无霜期观测资料，利用现代气候诊断分析方法，分析寿光市初、终霜日期、无霜期变化特征，科学评估初、终霜日变化对冬小麦和棉花产量的影响，为寿光农业生产防灾减灾提供参考依据。结果表明，（1）初霜日总体呈推迟趋势,终霜日呈提早趋势,无霜期延长。（2）初霜日呈推迟趋势，气候倾向率为2.23 d/10 a，1991年初霜日发生突变；（3）终霜日呈提前趋势，气候倾向率为-1.35 d/10 a。（4）无霜期日数呈增多趋势，气候倾向率为3.58 d/10 a，1994年无霜期日数发生突变。（5）初霜日和无霜期与小麦和棉花产量呈正相关，终霜日与小麦和棉花产量呈负相关，初霜日推迟比终霜日提前对小麦和棉花的产量贡献大。     

几种添加物对蛋清蛋白热诱导不可逆凝胶性质的影响

以蛋清蛋白为原料,制备热诱导制取不可逆性凝胶,在单因素试验基础上,采用三因素二次正交旋转组合设计研究了三聚磷酸钠(X1)、瓜尔胶(X2)、酪蛋白酸钠(X3)对蛋清蛋白热诱导不可逆性凝胶性质的影响,建立了二次回归模型。结果表明,X12,X22在0.01水平上差异极显著,X32在0.05水平上差异显著;最佳配比为三聚磷酸钠质量分数0.100%,瓜尔胶质量分数0.100%,酪蛋白酸钠质量分数0.250%,此时蛋清蛋白凝胶强度预测值为550 g/cm2,实际值为542 g/cm2,二次正交旋转组合设计法可信度强,具有很好的预测意义。     

鸡无尾性状的分子机制研究进展

动物的尾巴具有改变方向、控制升降、调整速度、支撑身体、防御、攻击、保温、示警、逃生和捕食等作用。鸟类的尾巴在飞行过程中起到平衡身体的关键作用，但在进化过程中尾部却出现了缩短和融合现象，如中国的瓢鸡及智利的Araucana鸡。作者简述了近年来关于鸡无尾性状的解剖学研究成果，发现无尾鸡在胚胎发育HH19期（Hamburger和Humilton标准分期）就已经出现无尾现象，而在结构上无尾鸡缺乏尾脂腺、尾羽、镰羽、尾椎骨和尾综骨。同时作者分析了导致尾部体节停止发育的分子遗传机制，包括周期性表达基因的转录调控影响尾部延伸过程、后端化因子梯度诱导尾部形成、Hox基因影响体节特化过程及基因突变有可能导致的无尾现象等，从而提出了可能导致家禽无尾性状的胚胎发育时期的关键分子及信号通路，包括Irx1和Irx2基因、Notch信号通路、Wnt信号通路、Fgf信号通路、RA信号通路等。研究鸡无尾性状的分子机制不仅可深入了解脊椎动物胚胎发育中尾部发育机制，更有利于揭示鸟类在进化过程中发生的尾部缩短及融合的机理。     

Unravelling the relationship between a seasonal environment and the dynamics of forage growth in grazed swards

It is well reported in the scientific literature that pastures can have similar net forage accumulation when managed with contrasting structures. However, we hypothesized that the dynamics of forage accumulation in grazed swards is linked to seasonal-environmental conditions. Marandu palisadegrass (Brachiaria brizantha [Hochst. ex A. Rich.] was used as the forage species model. The experimental treatments were four grazing heights (10, 20, 30 and 40 cm) allocated to experimental units according to a randomized complete block design with four replicates and evaluated throughout four contrasting environmental seasons (summer, autumn, winter–early spring and late spring). Under rainy and warm periods, greater net forage accumulation was observed in pastures maintained taller; on the contrary, during the mild and dry periods, net forage accumulation rate reduced as grazing height increased. Such patterns of responses were related to compensations between tiller population density and tissues flows during summer and late spring and the reduced capacity of taller canopies to compensate lower population with greater growth rates during autumn and winter–early spring. Grazed swards changed their patterns of forage growth as they transitioned from favourable to more abiotic stressful conditions, suggesting that seasonal adjustments in grazing intensities are necessary in order to maximize forage production.     

Effects of main cereal type and feed form on production performance,egg quality and egg sanitary indices of laying hens

ABSTRACT

1. The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of cereal types (maize or wheat) and feed forms (pelleted or mash feed) on production performance, egg quality and egg sanitary indices in laying hens.

2. Three hundred and sixty hens (Jinghong No. 1) at 18 weeks of age were randomly assigned to four treatments with six replicates of 15 hens per replicate according to a 2 × 2 factorial design with two cereal types (maize or wheat) and two feed forms (pelleted or mash feed).

3. Compared with the wheat-based diet, the maize-based diet improved (P < 0.05) average egg weight of laying hens. Yolk colour of hens fed with the maize-based diet was higher (P < 0.05) in comparison to those fed the wheat-based diet, while Haugh units were lower (P < 0.05) for the maize-based treatment. Egg mass and average daily feed intake of hens fed the pelleted diet were higher (P < 0.05) than of those fed the mash diet. However, the mash diet improved (P < 0.05) yolk colour compared with the pelleted diet. The percentage of dirty eggs for the wheat-based diet was higher (P < 0.05) than for the maize-based diet. The percentage of dirty eggs was higher (P < 0.05) in birds fed the pelleted diet compared with those fed the mash diet. There were interactions (P < 0.05) between cereal type and feed form, with regard to average egg weight and shell thickness.

4. In conclusion, dietary cereal type affected average egg weight, yolk colour and Haugh units in eggs, while feed form influenced egg mass, average daily feed intake and yolk colour.