大果中晚熟甜樱桃新品种‘春雷’

‘春雷’是从‘红灯’ב先锋’杂交后代中选育出的大果中晚熟优质甜樱桃新品种。树势极强,树体分枝能力中等。果实大,肾形,平均单果质量8.5 g,果顶凹,果柄粗短。果实紫红色,有光泽,可溶性固形物16.5%,总糖10.11%,可滴定酸0.74%,维生素C 0.089 mg·g~(-1)。果肉脆硬,酸甜适口,品质上等,畸形果极少或无,耐贮运。自花不实,S基因型是S3S9。以中短果枝和花束状果枝结果为主,耐花期高温和夏季高温高湿天气,坐果率高,具有较好的早果性、丰产性和稳产性,盛果期产量在18 000kg·hm~(-2)以上。在郑州地区,5月25—30日果实成熟,果实发育期55~60 d。     

Accumulation of Glucosamine in the Methanolic Extract Of Corn Shoots Grown without Zinc Supply

Cadmium levels were determined in rice grains of Japonica, Indica, Javanica, and Indica-Japonica hybrid-bred varieties that were produced in the same plot of a non-polluted field in 1983 and 1985, using nameless atomic absorption spectrophotometry.

Cadmium levels in the brown rice grains harvested in 1983 and 1985 ranged from 2.1 to 27 0 ppb Cd for 28 Japonica varieties, 4.1 to 55.5 for 23 Indica varieties, 4.4 to 16.5 for 5 Javanica varieties, and 24.5 to 73.6 for 4 hybrid varieties.

The significant correlation of the cadmium levels between the 1983 and 1985 products may indicate the possible occurrence of varietal differences in the natural abundance of cadmium in rice grains. There was no correlation between the cadmium levels and the duration of ripening in each variety, suggesting that these differences could be partly attributed to some physiological characteristics of the rice varieties.     

BORON UPTAKE AND DISTRIBUTION IN FIELD GROWN CITRUS TREES

In low fertility tropical soils, boron (B) deficiency impairs fruit production. However, little information is available on the efficiency of nutrient application and use by trees. Therefore, this work verified the effects of soil and foliar applications of boron in a commercial citrus orchard. An experiment was conducted with fertigated 4-year-old ‘Valencia’ sweet orange trees on ‘Swingle’ citrumelo rootstock. Boron (isotopically-enriched ¹⁰B) was supplied to trees once or twice in the growing season, either dripped in the soil or sprayed on the leaves. Trees were sampled at different periods and separated into different parts for total B contents and ¹⁰B/¹¹B isotope ratios analyses. Soil B applied via fertigation was more efficient than foliar application for the organs grown after the B fertilization. Recovery of labeled B by fruits was 21% for fertigation and 7% for foliar application. Residual effects of nutrient application in the grove were observed in the year after labeled fertilizer application, which greater proportions derived from the soil supply.     

EFFECT OF DELAYED EMERGENCE ON CORN GRAIN YIELDS

Variable corn emergence results in decreased yields. This study was conducted to determine corn (Zea mays L.) by-plant yield reduction arising from delayed emergence. Treatments included delayed planting of 0, 2, 5, 8, and 12 days at two nitrogen (N) rates. Corn was planted by hand to maintain 17.8 cm plant-to-plant competition. Fifteen plants within a row were divided into five 3-plant sequences (middle plant delayed and 2-adjacent non-delayed plants). Under irrigation, grain yields decreased when the middle plant was delayed 2, 5, 8, and 12 days, by 3, 10, 19, and 25%, respectively. At the rainfed site, grain yields decreased when the middle plant was delayed 2, 5, 8, and 12 days, by 14, 25, 23, and 11%, respectively. Over all sites and years, for each day delay in emergence (one out of every 3 plants), corn grain yields decreased 0.225 to 1.379 Mg ha^?1 day^?1.     

A REFLECTANCE-BASED METHOD FOR ESTIMATING TRANSPIRATIONAL WATER USE EFFICIENCY IN MAIZE EXPOSED TO DROUGHT STRESS

A novel measurement technique was developed to remotely sense transpirational water use efficiency (WUE_T). Maize (Zea mays) crop was grown under three water regimes of 0.75, 1.00, and 1.25 times of water surface evaporation (Ep). WUE_T was evaluated and compared with leaf reflectance. Our data showed that drought stress significantly decreased leaf area, leaf water content and WUE_T. Leaf reflectance near the red edge spectrum varied with water regimes and growth stages. Importantly, WUE_T was negatively correlated (P < 0.01) with reflectance near the 760-nm. At the V9 and V12 stages and compared with those of well irrigated treatments, the first derivative reflectance peak of 0.75 Ep was left-shifted to shorter wavelengths. Our study provides an experimental evidence for the red edge - WUE_T relationship, and suggests that reflectance at the 760-nm could be used as a rapid and instant physiological tool to quantitatively assess WUE_T at the leaf level.     

INFLUENCE OF CORN (ZEA MAYS L.) CULTIVAR DEVELOPMENT ON RESIDUE PRODUCTION

The amount and composition of crop residues added to soil in agroecosystems can influence decomposition processes and soil organic matter levels. This study aimed to evaluate residues (quantity and quality) of different corn cultivars commonly used in Brazilian cropping systems. The experiment was conducted for two seasons (2005/2006 and 2006/2007) in Rolândia, Paraná State, Brazil. Ten corn cultivars that represent five degrees of breeding development (i.e., landrace, commercial variety, double cross, triple cross, and single cross hybrids) were evaluated. At harvest, carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) of non-yield residue and grain were determined. Except for grain C, other measures (grain N concentration, residue C and N concentration, and C:N ratio) varied among cultivars. In general, the hybrids had higher residue C and lower residue N concentrations than the landraces and commercial varieties. Findings suggest that breeding selection may have altered residue production and composition, which may influence soil C dynamics.     

SUSTAINABLE NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT PACKAGE FOR COST-EFFECTIVE BIOENERGY BIOMASS PRODUCTION

Commercial fertilizer (particularly nitrogen) costs account for a substantial portion of the total production costs of cellulosic biomass and can be a major obstacle to biofuel production. In a series of greenhouse studies, we evaluated the feasibility of co-applying Gibberellins (GA) and reduced nitrogen (N) rates to produce a bioenergy crop less expensively. In a preliminary study, we determined the minimum combined application rates of GA and N required for efficient biomass (sweet sorghum, Sorghum bicolor) production. Co-application of 75 kg ha^?1 (one-half of the recommended N rate for sorghum) and a modest GA rate of 3 g ha^?1 optimized dry matter yield (DMY) and N and phosphorus (P) uptake efficiencies, resulting in a reduction of N and P leaching. Organic nutrient sources such as manures and biosolids can be substituted for commercial N fertilizers (and incidentally supply P) to further reduce the cost of nutrient supply for biomass production. Based on the results of the preliminary study, we conducted a second greenhouse study using sweet sorghum as a test bioenergy crop. We co-applied organic sources of N (manure and biosolids) at 75 and 150 kg PAN ha^?1 (representing 50 and 100% N rate respectively) with 3 g GA ha^?1. In each batch of experiment, the crop was grown for 8 wk on Immokalee fine sand of minimal native fertility. After harvest, sufficient water was applied to soil in each pot to yield ～1.5 L (～0.75 pore volume) of leachate, and analyzed for total N and soluble reactive P (SRP). The reduced (50%) N application rate, together with GA, optimized biomass production. Application of GA at 3 g ha^?1, and the organic sources of N at 50% of the recommended N rate, decreased nutrient cost of producing the bioenergy biomass by ～$375 ha^?1 (>90% of total nutrient cost), and could reduce offsite N and P losses from vulnerable soils.     

CHANGES IN ENDOGENOUS HORMONAL STATUS IN CORN (ZEA MAYS) HYBRIDS UNDER DROUGHT STRESS

Corn has several mechanisms that allow it to perceive the incoming water deficit and rapidly regulate its growth and physiology to cope with this stress. Among these regulated physiological responses, phytohormones, such as abscisic acid (ABA), gibberellin (GA₃), indole acetic acid (IAA), and zeatin (ZT) have important roles. To evaluate changes in hormonal status of corn hybrids under different drought stress levels, a greenhouse study was conducted at the College of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Iran, during summer 2010. Treatments consisted of drought stress in five levels: 100% field capacity (F.C.) as control, 80, 60, 40, and 20% F.C. and three corn hybrids, including single cross 704 (SC704), Maxima, and double cross 370 (DC370). Results showed that drought stress significantly affected phytohormones concentration, ABA concentration was increased and GA₃, IAA and ZT concentrations were decreased. Indeed, there was an initial increase (about 13.5% more than control) in IAA concentration. In severe drought condition, ABA concentration was eventually decreased (37.8% less than the first drought level, i.e., 80% F.C.). The ratios of GA₃, IAA and ZT to ABA concentration were also decreased. Among hybrids, SC704 showed the highest phytohormone concentrations and DC370 had the highest ratios of GA₃, IAA, and ZT to ABA concentrations. Overall, the results of this study suggest that although mild drought stress was associated with greater ABA concentration, it had negative impact on GA₃, IAA, and ZT concentrations. Furthermore, SC704 hybrid appeared to be more resistant to drought stress than the other hybrids.     

The Path of Carbon in Photosynthesis. XXV. Plant and Algal Growth Responses to Glycopyranosides

Substituted glycopyranosides were applied to various plant species as foliar and root treatments, with and without nutrient supplements, and growth was compared to untreated or nutrient controls. When formulated with specific fertilizers, particularly available nitrogen, methyl and ethyl glycopyranosides significantly enhanced the overall growth of vascular plants compared to controls provided with the same nutrients. In contrast, vascular plants treated with alkylglycopyranosides without nutrients showed growth equivalent to that of untreated controls. Nitrogen-supplemented alkylglycopyranosides provided as foliar applications of 100 mM, or as root treatments between 35 and 50 mM, consistently enhanced root and shoot productivity. In addition to the vascular plant species tested, the brown alga Laminaria saccharina exhibited significant growth enhancement over nutrient controls when treated with alkylglycopyranosides supplemented with nutrients, especially under low irradiance. Overall, these results indicate that growth of photosynthetic organisms is enhanced by exogenous alkylglycopyranosides supplemented with nitrogen and micronutrients, but not by alkylglycopyranosides alone.     

Screening of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi for Symbiotic Efficiency with Sweet Potato

A greenhouse study was conducted to study the efficiency of 14 isolates of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi isolated from a local agricultural soil on the productivity of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas). The different AM fungi enhanced the biomass and nutritional status of sweet potato seedlings to different extents. The genus Glomus was more effective than Acaulospora or Scutellospora. Efficiency also varied among isolates of Glomus irrespective of individual host plant or location of origin. Intraspecific differences were sometimes greater than interspecific differences. Benefits deriving from fungal isolates were positively correlated with the root-colonization rate and the abundance of extraradical propagules of the AM fungi. Taking plant yield parameters, nutritional status of the plants, and fungal attributes into consideration, GEGM (Glomus etunicatum together with Glomus mosseae) and GE6 (Glomus etunicatum) were the most effective AM symbionts for sweet potato under the experimental conditions.