The mechanical roles of the clasping leaf sheath in cereals: Two case studies from oat and wheat plants

Stem lodging is a common problem in cereal crop production and a main constraint for grain yield improvement. The leaf sheath that surrounds and protects the hollow internodes of stem could provide the plants with a great physical support. However, this biomechanical function has been ignored for several decades in cereal crops. This study aimed to examine the biomechanical properties of basal stem internodes and lodging susceptibility of the whole plants with or without the clasping leaf sheath in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and oat (Avena sativa L.) among different genotypes and agronomic practices (including planting densities and nitrogen application rates). The main objective was to quantify the mechanical role of the leaf sheath in oat and wheat crops by a “safety factor” method. On average, the leaf sheath contributed 40%, 68% and 38% of the overall stem bending strength, flexural rigidity and safety factor, in oat, while it accounted for 11%, 24% and 10%, respectively, in wheat plants. The significant contribution of the leaf sheath is due to its vital role in enlarging the peripheral position (i.e., second moment of area) and stiffness (i.e., Young's modulus). The contribution ratios (%) were found to be higher in oat than in wheat plants, due to the greater mass density of leaf sheath and more proficient/prevailing stay-green capability in oat genotypes. This study emphasizes the important mechanical role of clasping leaf sheath on stem internodes of cereals and indicates that the stay-green trait of the leaf sheath can be exploited to design appropriate varieties with improved lodging resistance and great yield potential.     

Identification of a phytoplasma associated with pomegranate little leaf disease in Iran

During 2012–2014 surveys for the presence of phytoplasma diseases in Fars province (Iran), pomegranate little leaf symptoms were observed in several orchards in Khafr and Neyriz areas. Samples collected from symptomatic plants positively reacted in nested PCR assays using P1/P7 followed by R16F2n/R16R2 primer pairs producing the expected 1,250 bp DNA fragments. Real and virtual RFLP analysis showed that the sequences of phytoplasma strains from Khafr and Neyriz (KPLL and NPLL strains, respectively) were identical to each other and belong to 16SrII phytoplasma group, subgroup D. Phylogenetic analysis of the R16F2n⁄R16R2 DNA region confirmed that KPLL and NPLL phytoplasmas were enclosed in the same clade as other 16SrII-D subgroup phytoplasmas. This is the first reported occurrence of a 16SrII phytoplasma infecting pomegranate trees.     

氮肥与密度互作对单粒精播花生根系形态、植株性状及产量的影响

为明确花生单粒精播适宜的氮肥水平和种植密度,本研究于2018年和2019年以‘花育22’为供试花生品种,设置3个氮肥水平(0 kg hm~(–2), N0; 60 kg hm~(–2), N1; 120 kg hm~(–2), N2), 3个种植密度(7.93万株hm~(–2), D1; 15.86万株hm~(–2),D2; 23.79万株hm~(–2), D3),采用二因素裂区试验设计,研究氮肥、密度及其互作对单粒精播花生根系形态、植株性状及产量的影响。氮肥对花生根长、根表面积、根体积、根干重的影响不显著,而密度的影响显著。单株根长、根表面积、根体积及根系干重随密度的增加而降低, D1显著高于D2和D3, D2、D3处理间差异不显著;单位面积根长、根表面积、根体积及根系干重随密度的增加而增加, D1显著低于D2和D3, D2、D3处理间差异不显著。氮肥和密度互作对2019年收获期单位面积根长、根表面积的影响显著,与D1相比, N1处理下D3的增幅显著高于N0和N2处理。氮肥及氮肥与密度互作对植株性状的影响存在年度和时期间的差异,主茎叶片数、侧枝数和主茎第一节间粗随密度增加有降低趋势。氮肥对荚果产量的影响不显著,荚果产量随密度的增加呈增加的趋势。产量与根体积、根干重、主茎叶片数、主茎高及侧枝长呈显著正相关。综上所述,在本试验条件下,花生单粒精播适宜的氮肥(N)水平为60 kg hm~(-2),种植密度为18.8万株hm~(-2)。     

Phenotypic Changes in Grain Sorghum Over the Last Five Decades

Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is a drought‐tolerant crop, and its productivity in rain fed environments has increased since the 1950s. This increase is due to changes in agronomic practices and hybrid improvement. The objective of this study was to determine what aspects of grain sorghum morphology, physiology and water use have changed with hybrid improvement and might have contributed to this yield increase. A 2‐year greenhouse experiment was conducted with one hybrid from each of the past five decades. The hybrids were studied in well‐watered and pre‐ and post‐flowering water deficit conditions. Total water use, transpiration, stomatal conductance and photosynthesis were measured during the growing period. Biomass and biomass components were measured at harvest. There was no consistent change in the leaf physiological parameters resulting from hybrid advancement. In contrast, total water use increased in rate of 8.5 cm³ kg soil^?1 year^?1 from old to new hybrids in the well‐watered treatments. Root biomass also increased in rate of 0.2 g plant^?1 year^?1. Leaf biomass and panicle length also was greater for the newest compared with the older hybrids. Hybrid advancement was related to increase in panicle length but decrease in peduncle length. Results indicated that hybrid development programmes created hybrids with improved drought avoidance, due to better root density of newly released hybrids, or hybrids with better resource use which ultimately increased yield under rain fed conditions.     

Rhynchosporium leaf scald disease incidence: seed source and spatial pattern

A programme of field trials for the study of the winter barley–Rhynchosporium commune pathosystem is reported. The associated seedborne disease rhynchosporium leaf scald is regarded as having an important impact on barley yields. The analysis in this study relates to the impact of the seed source (commercial or farm-saved seed) on disease incidence and to the spatial pattern of rhynchosporium leaf scald disease incidence. Disease incidence data were calculated from field data recorded as disease severity. Mean disease incidence was higher in the crops grown from farm-saved seed than in those grown from commercial seed, although great agronomic significance cannot be attached to this result. The spatial pattern of rhynchosporium leaf scald disease incidence was characterized in terms of the binary power law (BPL) and was indicative of an aggregated pattern. Programme-wide BPL results were described using a novel phytopathological application of a random coefficients model. These results have application in field sampling for rhynchosporium leaf scald disease.     

不同供磷水平对辣椒根系形态和根际特征的影响

以辣椒品种线椒王为试验材料，采用盆栽方式，通过分析不同施磷水平下辣椒根系形态和根系生理的变化，探究辣 椒磷高效利用的主要根系及根际过程。结果表明，辣椒地上部和根系生物量随供磷水平的增加呈现先增加后下降的趋势，整 株磷浓度以及整株磷累积量呈增加趋势。随供磷水平增加，根系总根长呈先增加后下降趋势，根系平均直径、根冠比呈逐渐 降低趋势；辣椒根系菌根侵染率和土壤酸性磷酸酶活性呈现先增加后下降的趋势。相关分析结果表明，土壤有效磷浓度和整 株磷浓度与根系平均直径、菌根侵染率呈极显著负相关，与总根长可用一元二次方程拟合，表明辣椒根系适应低磷的根际特 征可能是通过增加根系生物量及总根长，同时降低根系平均直径来实现的。     

温室内赤苞花和黄虾花叶片解剖结构及光合特性研究

为研究温室内两种爵床科植物叶片解剖结构及光合特性,本试验选取青岛世界园艺博览会植物馆内的两种爵床科植物,赤苞花(Megaskepasma erythrochlamys Lindau)、黄虾花(Pachystachys lutea Nees)为研究对象,用石蜡包埋法对两种植物的叶片进行解剖分析,使用CIRAS-3便携式光合仪测定其光合特性。结果表明,爵床科的两种植物在相同的环境中,叶片的内部结构相似,上表皮均厚于下表皮,海绵组织均厚于栅栏组织。光合指标存在差异,赤苞花的蒸腾速率、气孔导度、细胞间CO₂浓度均大于黄虾花,但黄虾花的水分利用率、净光合速率大于赤苞花。     

Phenotypic plasticity of two invasive alien plant species inside a deciduous forest in a strict nature reserve in Italy

ABSTRACT

Invasive alien plant species (IAPs) represent one of the main biological threats to biodiversity worldwide. Information about their phenotypic plasticity are needed to increase awareness about their future invasive potential. A study about phenotypic plasticity in response to contrasting light regimes and its quantification by a plasticity index (PI) of two IAPs (Ailanthus altissima and Robinia pseudoacacia) inside a Strict Nature Reserve was conducted. R. pseudoacacia showed a 70% higher PI, with a strongly greater value at morphological leaf level, associated with a greater ability to survive and grow in forest understory, explaining its greater widespread. Otherwise, A. altissima showed its highest PI at physiological level, which was associated with the ability to colonize and grow in environments with high-light regimes. Based on these results, the conservative management has limited the presence of A. altissima by its lower ability to grow in forest understory. In fact, the small-scale gaps in the forest infrastructure, that could allow its recruitment, are originated only from the death of a single tree or small group of trees. Regarding R. pseudoacacia, it is critical to maintain this type of management because any disturbances resulting in large openings could further promote its presence inside the Reserve.     

东北“三大硬阔”叶片和叶轴质量分配比较

以3个树种健康复叶为试材,研究了叶内光合构件和支撑构件的生物量投资的种内种间变化规律。结果表明:水曲柳、胡桃楸和黄檗叶轴质量占复叶质量的比例分别为0.18、0.26和0.17,胡桃楸显著大于其它2个树种。跨物种尺度上,复叶大的树种需要更多的叶内支撑结构投资。但物种水平上,水曲柳叶片投资随叶增大而增大,胡桃楸则降低,黄檗基本稳定,表现出与跨物种水平上的叶片投资随叶增大而降低的普遍规律不同。今后需要加深物种水平上叶内生物量分配的异速生长的了解。     

桃若干重要特异性状的遗传趋向分析

为了明确桃树菊花花形、窄叶形、白化与黄化叶色及盘龙形与垂枝形树形等6个性状的遗传特性,以‘粉菊花桃’ב红根甘肃桃1号’、‘红花重瓣垂枝桃’(简称‘红垂枝’)ב粉菊花桃’、‘S9’ב粉菊花桃’、‘粉菊花桃’ב瑞光2号’、‘红珊瑚’×(‘粉菊花桃’ב瑞光2号’)为组合配制F_1和F_2代,研究菊花花形、叶片白化及垂枝树形的遗传特性;以‘98-4-32’ב金蜜狭叶桃’、‘99-7-14’ב金蜜狭叶桃’及‘99-7-15’ב金蜜狭叶桃’为组合配制F_1和F_2代,研究窄叶形遗传趋向;以‘北京2-7’ב白花山碧桃’为组合配制F_1和F_2代,研究叶片黄化遗传特点;以‘红垂枝’ב帚形山桃’及‘96-7-56’ב帚形山桃’为组合配制F_1和F_2代,研究盘龙形树形的遗传。结果表明:在蔷薇花形与菊花花形组合中,"蔷薇形/菊花形"表现出2对等位基因(Ch/ch及Ch_2/ch_2)控制的遗传特性,且蔷薇形对菊花形为显性;在铃形花形与菊花花形组合中,F_1代蔷薇形表现为二者的中间类型。在‘98-4-32’ב金蜜狭叶桃’及‘99-7-14’ב金蜜狭叶桃’组合中,"宽叶/窄叶"表现出2对等位基因(Nl/nl及Nl_2/nl_2)控制的遗传特性,且宽叶对窄叶为显性;在‘99-7-15’ב金蜜狭叶桃’组合中,"宽叶/窄叶"表现出1对等位基因控制的遗传特性。叶片"正常/白化"表现出1对等位基因(Wl/wl)控制的遗传特性,且正常对白化为显性,白化基因可能来自‘粉菊花桃’;叶片"正常/黄化"表现出2对等位基因(Yl/yl及Yl_2/yl_2)控制的遗传特性,其中1对为显性时对另一对具有抑制作用,黄化基因可能来自‘白花山碧桃’。直立树形同时表现为盘龙形与垂枝形及盘龙形与开张形的中间类型;"开张形/垂枝形"表现出1对等位基因(We/we)控制的遗传特性,且开张对垂枝为显性。结论:菊花花形由2对隐性基因(chchch_2ch_2)控制;窄叶形可能由2对隐性基因(nlnlnl_2nl_2)控制;叶片白化由1对隐性基因(wlwl)控制;叶片黄化可能由2对等位基因(Yl_yl_2yl_2或Yl_2_ylyl)控制;仅盘龙形与直立形由1对等位基因(Br_2/br_2)控制,其中盘龙形基因型为br_2br_2;垂枝形由1对隐性基因(wewe)控制。