Effects of the severity and timing of basal leaf removal on the amino acids profiles of Sauvignon Blanc grapes and wines

The effects of the severity and timing of leaf removal(LR) on the amino acids of Sauvignon Blanc grapes and wines were studied during the 2017 growing season. High-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) was used to analyze the amino acids profiles of grape berries and wines. The basal leaves were removed at three time points(40, 56 and 72 days after flowering, named LR40, LR56 and LR72, respectively) at two severity levels(one at which the first, third, and fifth basal leaves of each shoot were removed(50% level); and another at which the first six basal leaves were removed(100% level)). The results showed that leaf removal had little impact on total soluble solids(°Brix), titratable acidity, pH or berry weight. The LR72-50% treated grapes had higher berry weight, titratable acidity and °Brix than those of the other treatments. The highest concentrations of total amino acids and of total amino acids except proline were detected in LR72-50% treated grapes(2 952.58 and 2 764.36 mg L~(-1), respectively); the lowest were detected in LR72-100% treated grapes(2 172.82 and 2 038.71 mg L~(-1), respectively). LR72-50% treatment significantly promoted the synthesis of aspartic acid, serine, arginine, alanine, aminobutyric acid and proline at both severity levels for grapes, the concentrations of all of these amino acids were increased relative to the control concentrations. The LR72-50%, LR40-100% and LR72-100% treated wines had higher total amino acids concentrations and higher concentrations of some individual amino acids, such as arginine, alanine and serine, than did the control wines. Of all the amino acids studied, glycine, tyrosine, cysteine, methionine and lysine were not significantly influenced by the timing or severity basal defoliation in grapes and wines. The present study reveals the effects of the timing and severity of leaf removal on the amino acids profiles of grapes and wines.     

不同水肥浓度对涌泉根灌枣树叶面积和产量的影响

以陕西榆林山地矮化密植梨枣树为研究对象,分析了不同水肥浓度对涌泉根灌枣树生育期内叶面积指数、果实发育和产量的影响。结果表明,不同水肥处理叶面积指数在枣树果实膨大期达到高峰,且稳定持续至果实成熟期末期,随后叶面积指数开始下降。叶面积指数随着萌芽展叶期灌水量的增加而增加,所有水肥处理下,枣数叶面积指数最大的是高水中肥处理(W1N2)；所有处理中,高水、低水处理与低肥相组合,果实体积最大,中灌水处理为不施肥时果实的体积最大。单位枝长的果实数目最高的是中水中肥处理(W2N2),最低的是低水处理(W3),在一定范围内,适当施肥能促进枣果单位枝长的果实数目的增加,但肥液浓度过大,反而会抑制其增加。在一定条件下,所有处理中产量最高的是中水中肥处理(W2N2),产量超过2000kg/亩,最低的是低水高肥处理(W3N1),产量不到1000kg/亩。因此可以选择中水中肥处理(W2N2),能获得最高的产量。     

Trx-1 over-expression attenuates oxidative stress injury in MPP+ -induced PC12 cells by regulating NF-κB signaling pathway

AIM:To investigate the inhibitory effect of thioredoxin 1 (Trx-1) over-expression on oxidative stress injury in 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP⁺)-induced rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells by regulating NF-κB signaling pathway.METHODS:The PC12 cells were damaged by treatment with MPP⁺ at 1, 3 and 5 mmol/L, and the optimal concentration of 3 mmol/L was selected. The cell viability was measured by MTT assay. The oxidative stress indexes lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content in the cell culture supernatant were detected, and the protein expression of Trx-1 was determined by Western blot. Lentiviral infection with Ad-Trx-1-GFP sequence was used to establish a model of MPP⁺-treated PC12 cells with Trx-1 over-expression. The effects of Trx-1 over-expression on the cell viability, oxidative stress responses and NF-κB signaling pathway were determined by MTT assay, commercial kits and Western blot. The effects of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), an activator of NF-κB signaling pathway, on the viability and oxidative stress of PC12 cells were observed. The NF-κB signaling pathway inhibitor pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) was used in MPP⁺-treated PC12 cells with Trx-1 over-expression, and the cell viability and oxidative stress responses were measured. RESULTS:The viability of PC12 cells, SOD activity in the supernatant and protein expression of Trx-1 were decreased, while LDH activity and MDA content in the supernatant were increased significantly by treatment with MPP⁺ at 1, 3 and 5 mmol/L. The effect of MPP⁺ at 3 mmol/L and 5 mmol/L was significantly greater than that at 1 mmol/L (P<0.05), and no significant difference between 3 mmol/L and 5 mmol/L was observed (P>0.05). The inhibitory effect of MPP⁺ on the viability of PC12 cells, and the oxidative stress injury and activation of NF-κB signaling pathway induced by MPP⁺ were significantly attenuated by over-expression of Trx-1. The inhibitory effect of MPP⁺ on the viability of PC12 cells and the oxidative stress injury induced by MPP⁺ were promoted by the activation of NF-κB signaling pathway, while the protective effects of Trx-1 over-expression on the MPP⁺-treated PC12 cells were enhanced by the inhibition of NF-κB signaling pathway. CONCLUSION:Over-expression of Trx-1 protects MPP⁺-treated PC12 cells from oxidative stress injury by regulating NF-κB signaling pathway.     

食用型紫心甘薯新品种湘紫薯174 的选育

湘紫薯174 是以浙紫薯1 号为母本、浙紫薯3 号为父本杂交选育而成的食用型紫心甘薯新品种，薯块纺锤形，薯皮 紫红色，薯肉紫色，结薯较集中整齐，单株结薯4～5 个，大中薯率82.7% 以上，熟食味好，抗黑斑病，中抗根腐病、茎线 虫病和薯瘟病；每667 m² 鲜薯产量1 913～2 359 kg，薯干产量549～736 kg；花青素含量为714.5 mg · kg^-1（FW）。适宜在湖 南、湖北、江西、江苏、浙江等地春夏薯区种植。     

Exogenous application of allelopathic water extracts helps improving tolerance against terminal heat and drought stresses in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L. Em. Thell.)

The allelopathic water extracts (AWEs) may help improve the tolerance of crop plants against abiotic stresses owing to the presence of the secondary metabolites (i.e., allelochemicals). We conducted four independent experiments to evaluate the influence of exogenous application of AWEs (applied through seed priming or foliage spray) in improving the terminal heat and drought tolerance in bread wheat. In all the experiments, two wheat cultivars, viz. Mairaj‐2008 (drought and heat tolerant) and Faisalabad‐2008 (drought and heat sensitive), were raised in pots. Both wheat cultivars were raised under ambient conditions in the wire house till leaf boot stage (booting) by maintaining the pots at 75% water‐holding capacity (WHC). Then, managed drought and heat stresses were imposed by maintaining the pots at 35% WHC, or shifting the pots inside the glass canopies (at 75% WHC), at booting, anthesis and the grain filling stages. Drought stress reduced the grain yield of wheat by 39%–49%. Foliar application of AWEs improved the grain yield of wheat by 26%–31%, while seed priming with AWEs improved the grain yield by 18%–26%, respectively, than drought stress. Terminal heat stress reduced the grain yield of wheat by 38%. Seed priming with AWEs improved the grain yield by 21%–27%; while foliar application of AWEs improved the grain yield by 25%–29% than the heat stress treatment. In conclusion, the exogenous application of AWEs improved the stay green, accumulation of proline, soluble phenolics and glycine betaine, which helped to stabilize the biological membranes and improved the tolerance against terminal drought and heat stresses.     

400克/升氯氟醚菌唑悬浮剂对香蕉叶斑病的防治效果

通过大田试验研究了400克/升氯氟醚菌唑悬浮剂防治香蕉叶斑病效果及其对香蕉产量的影响。研究结果表明,分别以20毫升、13.3毫升、10毫升400克/升氯氟醚菌唑悬浮剂兑水60公斤分3次喷雾施药,第二次施药后14d后对香蕉叶斑病防治效果在60.43-66.52%,第三次施药后14d后对香蕉叶斑病防治效果在75.72-80.72%,并对香蕉的单株产量有明显增产效果。其中尤以20毫升400克/升氯氟醚菌唑悬浮剂兑水60公斤剂量喷雾处理的效果最好。     

Performance and uncertainty analysis of a short-term climate reconstruction based on multi-source data in the Tianshan Mountains region,China

Short-term climate reconstruction, i.e., the reproduction of short-term(several decades) historical climatic time series based on the relationship between observed data and available longer-term reference data in a certain area, can extend the length of climatic time series and offset the shortage of observations. This can be used to assess regional climate change over a much longer time scale. Based on monthly grid climate data from a Coupled Model Inter-comparison Project phase 5(CMIP5) dataset for the period of 1850–2000, the Climatic Research Unit(CRU) dataset for the period of 1901–2000 and the observed data from 53 meteorological stations located in the Tianshan Mountains region(TMR) of China during the period of 1961–2011, we calibrated and validated monthly average temperature(MAT) and monthly accumulated precipitation(MAP) in the TMR using the delta, physical scaling(SP) and artificial neural network(ANN) methods. Performance and uncertainty during the calibration(1971–1999) and verification(1961–1970) periods were assessed and compared using traditional performance indices and a revised set pair analysis(RSPA) method. The calibration and verification processes were subjected to various sources of uncertainty due to the influence of different reconstructed variables, different data sources, and/or different methods used. According to traditional performance indices, both the CRU and CMIP5 datasets resulted in satisfactory calibrated and verified MAT time series at 53 meteorological stations and MAP time series at 20 meteorological stations using the delta and SP methods for the period of 1961–1999. However, the results differed from those obtained by the RSPA method. This showed that the CRU dataset produced a low degree of uncertainty(positive connection degree) during the calibration and verification of MAT using the delta and SP methods compared to the CMIP5 dataset. Overall, the calibrated and verified MAP had a high degree of uncertainty(negative connection degree) regardless of the dataset or reconstruction method used. Therefore, the reconstructed time series of MAT for the period of 1850(or 1901)–1960 based on the CRU and CMIP5 datasets using the delta and SP methods could be used for further study. The results of this study will be useful for short-term(several decades) regional climate reconstruction and longer-term(100 a or more) assessments of regional climate change.     

China's alfalfa market and imports: Development,trends, and potential impacts of the U.S.–China trade dispute and retaliations

This study examines the development and trends of China's alfalfa market and imports, identifies key factors for the rapid increase in China's alfalfa imports, and discusses potential impacts of the U.S.–China trade dispute and retaliations on the alfalfa markets and trade in both nations. China's rapid transition toward larger-scale commercial dairy production, with enhanced feed and cost management as well as quality and safety control, and its limited resources for high-quality alfalfa production are key factors for the dramatic increase in its alfalfa imports, from 19 601 metric tons in 2008 to 1.38 million metric tons (mmt) in 2018. While the United States dominated China's alfalfa imports with an average share of 97.01% from 2007 to 2017, the share dropped to 83.76% in 2018 and 63.28% in January 2019 due to the trade dispute and retaliations started in 2018. China will likely remain a large importer of alfalfa because of both its growing demand and the comparative advantages of imported alfalfa in quality and price, but the imports from the United States will be highly affected by the ongoing trade dispute and negotiations. China is also expected to make more efforts to reduce its dependence on U.S. alfalfa through increased investment in domestic alfalfa production and identification of alternative sources of alfalfa and other hay imports.     

山西省襄垣县有机旱作农业发展研究

襄垣县是山西省有机旱作试点县,根据其自然条件,通过总结该县有机旱作发展现状、制约因素及潜力分析,提出适宜的对策措施,为今后有机旱农业的发展提供一定的参考。