Combined use of gliadins and SSRs to analyse the genetic variability of the Spanish collection of cultivated diploid wheat (Triticum monococcum L. ssp. monococcum)

This work studied the combined use of gliadins and SSRs to analyse inter- and intra-accession variability of the Spanish collection of cultivated einkorn (Triticum monococcum L. ssp. monococcum) maintained at the CRF-INIA. In general, gliadin loci presented higher discrimination power than SSRs, reflecting the high variability of the gliadins. The loci on chromosome 6A were the most polymorphic with similar PIC values for both marker systems, showing that these markers are very useful for genetic variability studies in wheat. The gliadin results indicated that the Spanish einkorn collection possessed high genetic diversity, being the differentiation large between varieties and small within them. Some associations between gliadin alleles and geographical and agro-morphological data were found. Agro-morphological relations were also observed in the clusters of the SSRs dendrogram. A high concordance was found between gliadins and SSRs for genotype identification. In addition, both systems provide complementary information to resolve the different cases of intra-accession variability not detected at the agro-morphological level, and to identify separately all the genotypes analysed. The combined use of both genetic markers is an excellent tool for genetic resource evaluation in addition to agro-morphological evaluation.     

The use of a water budget model and yield maps to characterize water availability in a landscape

Crop yield maps may contain substantial corollary information regarding the distribution of yield related soil properties across a landscape. One of these properties is water holding capacity (WHC). Since WHC is an important parameter for crop models and is also critical for crop yield, our objective was to determine if WHC could be estimated by matching simulated yield with yield map data. We collected soil cores for water retention measurements and recorded plant phenological stages from 60 plots on four transects over two growing seasons (1997 and 1998). Soil cores were also sampled on 40 other locations set out on a grid pattern. We utilized a simple water budget model that uses the relative transpiration ratio to calculate relative yield from available water in the soil profile. Rainfall, potential evapotranspiration and soil water holding capacity are input. An optimization program varies the WHC to produce a grain yield similar to the one from the yield map at a particular location. This analysis was carried out over several scales by averaging yields over 55 m×71 m, 27 m×35 m, and 11 m×14 m areas. Yield data from 2 years were used. Yields from the transects in both years were significantly related to measured WHC in the surface 0–10 cm of soil. The calculated stress indices from the water budget model and estimated available WHC calculated for the 1997 data were similar to those calculated for the 1998 data where data were aggregated in 27 by 35 m or larger blocks. The contour map of estimated WHC was similar to the map of measured WHC for some features though there were also some differences. Use of multiple years of yield data are required to give stable results for estimated water holding capacities.. This information could be used in a farm management plan by allowing a producer to classify a field into areas that are buffered against drought and areas more susceptible to drought.     

Seed chemical variation in Prosopis chilensis from Argentina

Ten Prosopis chilensis populations from different phytogeografic areas of Argentina were analyzed chemically in their proximate and fatty acid composition. Oil and protein contents varied between 2.5–6.6% and 29.2–38.6%, respectively. Ash content ranged from 3.1 to 4.6%. The seed lipids contained a relatively large proportion of unsaturated fatty acids with linoleic acid as predominant. The results showed that: (a) There was a significant variation among populations in their chemical components, (b) moisture, ash and protein contents, and saturated fatty acids had not significant correlation with geographic parameters analyzed; (c) some unsaturated fatty acids correlated significantly with altitude. The variability observed might indicate that there is sufficient intraspecific differences to permit improvement by selection and breeding.     

黄河三角洲土壤盐分空间变异性与合理采样数研究

以黄河三角洲地区一块约520hm^2的田块为研究区，采用经典统计学和地统计学方法进行不同层次土壤盐分（0～20cm，20～60cm，60～100cm，100～140cm）的空间变异及其合理采样数量研究。结果表明：研究区土壤盐分普遍较高且表聚作用明显；各层土壤盐分均属于中等变异强度;受结构性因素和随机性因素的共同作用，各土层盐分均具有中等的空间相关性。对Kriging插值结果分析表明，土壤盐分的空间分布受微地形和气候条件的影响较大．且研究区各土层盐分分布存在着空间上的相似性。应用Cochran公式和分层采样方法对合理采样数量进行了分析，发现采用分层采样方法可以有效降低采样数量，且采用最适分配法可以获得最为理想的采样数量，该方法较比重分配法采样数降低幅度最大达35％左右。该研究为黄河三角洲地区盐渍土地的科学管理、改良以及利用提供一定的理论依据和技术参考。     

Neural network ensemble residual kriging application for spatial variability of soil properties

High quality, agricultural nutrient distribution maps are necessary for precision management, but depend on initial soil sample analyses and interpolation techniques. To examine the methodologies for and explore the capability of interpolating soil properties based on neural network ensemble residual kriging, a silage field at Hayes, Northern Ireland, UK, was selected for this study with all samples being split into independent training and validation data sets. The training data set, comprised of five soil properties: soil pH, soil available P, soil available K, soil available Mg and soil available S,was modeled for spatial variability using 1) neural network ensemble residual kriging, 2) neural network ensemble and 3) kriging with their accuracies being estimated by means of the validation data sets. Ordinary kriging of the residuals provided accurate local estimates, while final estimates were produced as a sum of the artificial neural network (ANN) ensemble estimates and the ordinary kriging estimates of the residuals. Compared to kriging and neural network ensemble,the neural network ensemble residual kriging achieved better or similar accuracy for predicting and estimating contour maps. Thus, the results demonstrated that ANN ensemble residual kriging was an efficient alternative to the conventional geo-statistical models that were usually used for interpolation of a data set in the soil science area.     

渭干河灌区土壤水盐空间变异性研究

根据直线和网格布点法布置的150个取样点的测定资料,应用经典统计分析方法．探讨了垦荒地土壤电导率和重量含水率的空间变异性,并给出了不同置信水平及精度要求下两者的合理取样数目。应用自相关和半方差分析方法进一步讨论了土壤电导率及土壤重量含水率的空间变异结构和半方差函数模型。结果表明,垦荒地土壤电导率和重量含水率的空间变异都是有结构的,土壤电导率的最大相关域为9m,土壤重量含水率的最大相关域为6．4m。两者的半方差函数可用有基台的线型模型拟合。     

人工神经网络在冻土水盐空间变异与条件模拟中的应用比较

该文利用人工神经网络的BP模型建立了具有类似普通Kriging(OK)法和条件模拟(CS)运算目标的人工神经Kriging(NK)方法，在黄河河套平原进行了耕地和盐荒地初冻期、最大冻深期和融通期土壤水盐时空变异性的模拟和估值，通过NK法与OK法、CS法模拟、估值、检验结果及3种方法的理论变异函数、统计参数与实验变异函数的对比，结果表明NK法在消除滑动平均影响方面优于OK法，并以类似于CS法的空间变异性进行模拟，而且NK法有自身独特的优点，它不需要协方差函数的估计和变异函数的推求，对于含有一定特异值和一维到三维空间的扩展有更强的适应性，是对空间变异性应用研究方法的一种补充，同时拓宽了ANN的应用领域，具学科融合的优势。     

Genetic variability in Turkmen populations of Pistacia vera L.

Seedlings of Pistacia vera L. developed from seeds of two separate populations in Turkmenistan, Kepele and Agachli, were evaluated for their growth potential and genetic polymorphism. Plant growth rate as well as random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis showed distinct differences between the two populations. In plant height growth rate, 17 Agachli accessions were 1.3 times higher on average than that of 10 accessions of Kepele (significant at p = 0.046) and 1.2 times higher for trunk diameter growth rate (p = 0.062). Cluster analysis divided most accessions into two main genetic groups according to their geographic origin. The Agachli group was further divided into two subgroups. One Kepele accession (K4), was genetically different from the rest and clustered on a separate outgroup. Two Agachli accessions (A12 and A17) were outside the two main populations clusters. Accessions K9 and K10 from Kepele were exceptional and were clustered in each of the two Agachli's subgroups, indicating a close genetic relationship between the two populations. In addition, high similarity values (0.58–1.00) and small genetic distances reflect plausible gene flow between Kepele and Agachli, which are 100 Km apart. Mantel test revealed significant relationship between the RAPD and the morphological traits matrices, pointing to the genetic basis for the measured differences in the growth rate. Growing the accessions on the same plot, under similar conditions enabled the evaluation of genotypic differences. The combination of morphological traits and molecular markers will further assist in preservation of genetic variability and cultivation of useful genotypes of P. vera L.     

黄土丘陵区退耕地植被景观时空变异特征

对黄土丘陵区退耕地植被特征的时空变异性进行了研究.结果表明,不同植被类型区植被特征之间差异不是很显著,仅延安与安塞在物种丰富度之间和安塞与吴旗在物种多样性之间存在较显著的差异(0.01＜p＜0.05),其它的两两之间的差异并不明显.延安森林带北缘→安塞森林草原带植被指数呈下降趋势,降幅最大为17.65%,变异系数呈增大趋势,增幅最大为21.49%;安塞森林草原带→吴旗草原带物种丰富度指数及其变异系数都呈增大趋势,而物种多样性和均匀度指数呈减小趋势,其变异系数呈增大趋势.植被指数随退耕年限的变化趋势图都有两个明显的峰值,并在退耕20年左右后植被群落逐渐稳定.     

Differences in phagocytosis susceptibility in Haemophilus parasuis strains

Haemophilus parasuis is a colonizer of the upper respiratory tract of healthy pigs, but virulent strains can cause a systemic infection characterized by fibrinous polyserositis, commonly known as Glässer’s disease. The variability in virulence that is observed among H. parasuis strains is not completely understood, since the virulence mechanisms of H. parasuis are largely unknown. In the course of infection, H. parasuis has to survive the host pulmonary defences, which include alveolar macrophages, to produce disease. Using strains from different clinical backgrounds, we were able to detect clear differences in susceptibility to phagocytosis. Strains isolated from the nose of healthy animals were efficiently phagocytosed by porcine alveolar macrophages (PAM), while strains isolated from systemic lesions were resistant to this interaction. Phagocytosis of susceptible strains proceeded through mechanisms independent of a specific receptor, which involved actin filaments and microtubules. In all the systemic strains tested in this study, we observed a distinct capsule after interaction with PAM, indicating a role of this surface structure in phagocytosis resistance. However, additional mechanisms of resistance to phagocytosis should be explored, since we detected different effects of microtubule inhibition among systemic strains.