Genes conferring low seedling reaction to Mexican pathotypes of Puccinia recondita f. sp. tritici,and adult-plant responses of recent wheat cultivars from the former USSR

Fifty-five spring bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars, mostly released between 1975 and 1991 in eight leaf rust-prone spring wheat growing regions of the former USSR, were tested in the seedling growth stage for reaction to 15 Mexican pathotypes of Puccinia recondita f. sp. tritici. In total, seven known and at least two unknown genes were identified, either singly or in combinations: Lr3 (7 cultivars), Lr10 (14), Lr13 (5), Lr14a (1), Lr16 (1), Lr23 (3); the unknown genes were identified in 14 cultivars. The first unknown gene could be either Lr9, Lr19, or Lr25; however, the second unknown gene in 9 cultivars was different from any named gene. Twelve of the 15 pathotypes are virulent for this gene, hence its use in breeding for resistance will be limited. The cultivars were also evaluated at two field locations in Mexico with two pathotypes in separate experiments. The area under the disease progress curve and the final disease rating of the cultivars indicated genetic diversity for genes conferring adult plant resistance. based on the symptoms of the leaf tip necrosis in adult plants, resistance gene Lr34 could be present in at least 20 cultivars. More than half of the cultivars carry high to moderate levels of adult plant resistance and were distributed in each region.     

Growth Responses of Twelve Wheat Cultivars and their Phosphorus Utilization from Rock Phosphate

Growth responses of 12 wheat cultivars and their phosphorus utilization were studied in a greenhouse. They were grown for 18 days in a solution containing rock phosphate as the phosphorus (p) source. Biomass of 26 day old plants of all the cultivars varied significantly whereas their shoot to root ratio stayed constant. The dry matter yield of all the 12 cultivars was significantly correlated with the p uptake (r = 0.74). Whereas the higher p uptake by all the cultivars was significantly (P < 0.01) related to the drop in the root medium pH, which was presumably owing to the H⁺ efflux from their roots. The wheat cultivar Blue Silver proved to be the most efficient p user and therefore seems to have the highest potential of making best growth in soils with poor p availability among the 12 wheat cultivars under investigation.     

The Experimental and Commercial Release of Transgenic Crop Plants

With advances in recombinant DNA methods and transformation procedures, it is possible to transfer genes into crop plants from unrelated plants, microbes and animals. Many of the modifications being carried out, or envisaged, are for disease and pest resistance, product quality and tolerance to environmental stress, but there are additional opportunities to modify crops to give specialized products for industrial or pharmaceutical use. Some of the characteristics of transgenic plants are considered, including: transgene copy number, position, expression, stability, pleiotropy, selectable marker genes and somaclonal variation. There have been several hundreds of field trials with transgenic plants, and the first transgenic varieties are likely to be approved for commercial production in 1993. Before releasing transgenic plants, it is necessary to carry out a risk assessment to determine whether the transgenic variety will behave differently from a conventionally bred variety. Assessment procedures are being harmonized internationally by various organizations. There is a growing commitment to apply these genetic modification methods to crops in developing countries, as genes relevant to their crops and environments become available.     

In vitro conservation of tropical plant germplasm — a review

Summary In vitro medium term conservation of tropical plant germplasm is used routinely in many laboratories. Growth reduction is achieved by modifying various parameters, such as temperature, culture medium, gaseous environment. For long term conservation, cryopreservation (i.e. storage in liquid nitrogen, –196°C) is the only current method available. Each successive step of the process requires precise conditions which have to be defined for each material. Cryopreservation protocols have been set up for more than 40 tropical species. Results obtained with various culture systems such as cell suspensions, protoplasts, calluses, meristems and embryos are discussed. The first example of the large scale application of cryopreservation (oil palm somatic embryos) is presented.     

Inheritance of slow rusting to stem rust in wheat

Summary The inheritance of the slow rusting character was studied on F₅ progenies from seven spring wheat cultivars (Triticum aestivum) crossed in all possible combinations without reciprocals. The cultivars and their progenies were evaluated for slow rusting in 1974 and 1975 in epidemics of Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici, races 15 and 151, and traces of other races. Slow rusting varied significantly among the parents and among the F₅ progeny of each cross. Transgressive segregation occurred in each cross, i.e. some progeny rusted more slowly than the parents and some faster. In crosses with both Idaed 59 and Kenya 58 the progeny distributions were skewed towards slow rust development but the distributions in the other crosses were normal. The genetic control of slow rusting was predominantly additive, and narrow sense heritability was approximately 80 percent. The number of segregating genes having an effect on slow rusting was estimated to be 2 to 12 pairs depending on the cross. Correlation between slow rusting and maturity was usually negative but in most crosses the relationship was small.Contribution No. 9624 from the Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108.     

包膜尿素不同用量对黄瓜幼苗生长及氮平衡的影响

为确定合理的包膜尿素用量以指导黄瓜育苗施肥,采用生产中常用的草炭:蛭石(2:1)为育苗基质,研究了包膜尿素不同用量对黄瓜幼苗生长、养分吸收及氮平衡的影响。结果表明:包膜尿素用量在125~375 mg N/株的情况下,可协调黄瓜幼苗地上部和地下部的生长,促进幼苗对磷、钾的吸收;移栽时,基质中的氮素残留总量90.5~250.3 mg N/株,其中,残留的包膜氮素占75.4%~82.3%,可实现带肥移栽;育苗期间可产生31.9~121.5 mg N/钵的氮素表观损失。     

控释尿素水氮耦合对夏玉米产量和光合特性的影响

采用旱棚盆栽试验,以郑单958为材料设置3个水分水平(正常水分W3、轻度水分胁迫W2、重度水分胁迫W1)和高氮N3(施纯氮315 kg hm–2)、中氮N2(施纯氮210 kg hm–2)、低氮N1(施纯氮105 kg hm–2)、不施氮N0四个控释尿素施氮水平,探讨控释尿素水氮耦合对夏玉米产量和光合特性的影响。结果表明,控释尿素水氮耦合对夏玉米产量和光合特性具有显著影响。相同水分条件下,夏玉米产量随施氮量增加而增加,W1条件下增产13.17%~20.96%,W2条件下增产13.93%~32.48%,W3条件下增产14.37%~21.83%。相同施氮水平下,产量也随水分增加而增加,W2N3、W3N2和W3N3的产量在所有处理中较高。水氮耦合对夏玉米穗位叶净光合速率的影响显著,W1条件下N3、N2和N1处理间差异不显著,均显著高于N0,W2、W3各施氮处理的净光合速率随施氮量增加而增加,W3各处理的平均净光合速率高于其他2个水分处理,W2N3比W3N3和W3N2前期略低,后期无显著差异。水氮耦合效应能有效减缓穗位叶的实际光化学效率ΦPSII、叶片光化学猝灭系数qP以及PSII反应中心的最大光能转换效率的下降速率,提高光能利用率。控释尿素水氮耦合能有效提高夏玉米花后穗位叶净光合速率,保证籽粒对营养物质的需求,提高穗位叶实际和最大光化学效率,从而提高夏玉米的产量,产量构成因素中增加千粒重和穗粒数的优势较大。综合产量与光合特性、荧光特性的表现,在田间持水量为75%±5%的土壤条件下,控释尿素施氮量以纯氮210 kg hm–2为最佳;在田间持水量为55%±5%的土壤条件下,控释尿素施氮量以纯氮315 kg hm–2为宜。     

Application of Triticum monococcum for the improvement of triticale resistance to leaf rust (Puccinia triticina)

The aim of this work was to evaluate the leaf rust resistance introduced into introgressive triticale lines with Triticum monococcum genes, and to study the expression of these genes at the hexaploid level. The introgressive lines were developed by incorporating diploid wheat (T. monococcum s.s.) genes into hexaploid triticale LT 522/6 using the synthetic allotetraploid T. monococcum/Secale cereale (A^mA^mRR) as a bridging form. A group of 44 those lines, parental stocks and check cultivars were inoculated at the seedling stage (in a greenhouse) and at the adult‐plant stage (in the field) with four pathotypes of Puccinia triticina. At the seedling stage the assessment of infection type showed that four lines had resistance to all pathotypes as high as in the T. monococcum donor. Adult plant examinations showed some introgressive lines with complete resistance and also lines with partial resistance, expressed in area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) calculations as slow rusting. Some lines comprise low AUDPC with complete resistance at seedling stage.     

控释氮肥对棉花产量的影响及光合特性的研究

在大田条件下,以普通尿素常规施肥量(N 150 kg.hm-2)为对照,研究了控释氮肥不同用量和不同施用方法对棉花光合特性和产量的影响,结果表明:控释氮肥处理可提高中后期棉叶叶肉细胞PSⅡ实际光化学效率(ФPSⅡ)和PSⅡ潜在光化学活性(Fv/Fo),改善叶肉细胞的光合能力,提高叶片光合效率,从而提高群体光合效率,增加单株结铃数和铃重。和对照比,控释氮肥各处理子棉产量和肥效表现:(1)等氮量(施N 150 kg.hm-2)基施处理极显著增产10.3%,肥效提高10.2%;(2)等氮量(施N 150 kg.hm-2)1∶1基追施处理极显著增产22.5%,肥效提高22.4%;(3)施氮120 kg.hm-21∶1基追施处理极显著增产12.3%,肥效提高40.3%;(4)施N 120 kg.hm-2基施处理增产3.2%,肥效提高29.4%。