Participatory varietal selection in rice in Nepal in favourable agricultural environments – A comparison of two methods assessed by varietal adoption

Two participatory approaches to varietal selection were compared in February-sown (Chaite) rice and main-season rice in high potential production systems in Nepal. One method, called farmer managed participatory research (FAMPAR), was researcher intensive, while the other, called informal research and development (IRD), demanded fewer resources. The trials were conducted in 18 villages in high potential production systems in Chitwan and Nawalparasi districts of Nepal. Six new varieties of Chaite rice and 16 of main-season rice were tested in over 300 trials of Chaite rice and nearly 1100 trials of main-season rice over two years in 1997 and 1998. Surveys were done in 1997, 1998 and 1999 to record the extent of adoption and spread of the new rice varieties in the study villages. In many cases, farmers tested varieties for two years before deciding whether to adopt or drop them. Varieties were quite widely accepted, adopted for niches in a few villages, or rejected. The two participatory approaches identified the same varieties, but FAMPAR, which used formal survey methods, was more useful for diagnosing reasons for adoption or rejection. However, IRD used much cheaper anecdotal methods of evaluation, so it was more cost-effective. Moreover,farmer-to-farmer seed dissemination was higher in IRD villages, probably because farmers in FAMPAR villages felt that the project would re-supply seed if needed. The benefits from both approaches are considerable, but to adopt them substantial policy changes in varietal testing, release and extension systems will be required. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A rapid chromatographic method for determining the glucosinolate content in crambe seed

Crambe abyssinica is becoming a reliable source of industrial oil with good technical characteristics because of its high erucic acid content. The possibility of using the industrial defatted meal of crambe as a feed could further promote the interest in this crop, but is prevented by the high glucosinolate content (70‐150 μmol/g). Therefore the possibility of reducing this parameter by selection was evaluated and a search for a new quick analytical procedure begun. When hydrolysed by myrosinase (thioglucoside glucohydrolase EC 3.2.3.1.), at pH 6.5 or higher, epiprogoitrin, the main glucosinolate in crambe seed (>90% of total glucosinolates), gives (5R)‐5‐vinyl‐1,3‐oxazolidine‐2‐thione quantitatively. The latter can be easily estimated by high‐performance liquid chromatography. This is the background of the proposed analytical procedure that permits rapid analysis of about 100 samples per day using about 25 mg of crambe meal (five seeds) for assay. The method can also be used to select for glucosinolate content in rapeseed and, probably with some adjustment, all crops that have a 2‐hydroxy‐glucosinolate as the main glucosinolate.     

干旱胁迫下斑茅消减文库的构建及分析

以干旱胁迫下斑茅(Saccharum arundinaceum Retz.)叶片组织的cDNA为Tester，正常生长条件下斑茅叶片组织cDNA为Driver，利用抑制性消减杂交技术（Suppression Subtractive Hybridization, SSH）构建斑茅干旱胁迫消减文库。文库克隆总量约为30 000个，克隆重组率为99.2%；随机从文库中挑取3500个克隆分析表明，插入片断长度主要集中在200~1 000 bp之间，500 bp以上的有463个克隆，500 bp以下的有3 037个克隆，平均长度约450 bp; 通过随机对16个文库阳性克隆的测序及分析，3个克隆与ATP-NAD kinase、Aldo/keto reductase和锌指蛋白高度同源，3个克隆没有同源性，10个与逆境相关，是功能未知的EST。选择编号为EL0149和EL0145两个克隆进行Northern杂交验证，结果表明EL0149克隆为干旱胁迫上调表达的EST序列，而EL0145在正常供水和干旱条件下均无明显的的杂交信号。说明本研究克隆的SSH文库质量较高，可以进一步利用SSH文库结合芯片表达谱分析解析作物水分胁迫下的相关抗旱基因网络。     

香烟中铜和锌含量的分析研究

用原子吸收光谱法测定多种香烟中的锌、铜含量,结果表明,不同种类香烟中所含的金属元素有一定的差异。低档香烟中的金属元素含量比高档、中档香烟的含量高;烤烟型香烟中的金属元素含量比外香型香烟低。该结果为烟草栽培、烟草加工、香烟配方、生产工艺,以及探讨香烟中金属元素对人体的危害提供了可靠的依据。     

南瓜水溶性粗多糖提取工艺的优化

报导了南瓜水溶性多糖的水提醇沉优化工艺。在单因素试验的基础上,选取南瓜水溶性多糖提取时间、提取温度和水料比3个因素进行Box-Benhnken中心组合设计,利用响应面分析法对其提取工艺参数进行优化研究。利用Design-Expert软件对南瓜水溶性多糖得率的二次多项数学模型解逆矩阵分析表明,在提取温度为72.41℃,提取时间为3.02h,水料比为33.48∶1时,南瓜水溶性多糖得率最高,最大得率预测值为2.463%,与实测值2.447%相符。利用优化工艺参数提取南瓜水溶性多糖时,具有最大的提取效果。     

Indica-japonica differentiation in Chinese rice landraces

Summary Ninety Chinese rice landraces were examined with special reference to the indica-japonica differentiation in terms of traditional criteria, isozyme analysis and PCR analysis of the chloroplast DNA (cpDNA). Cultivars were separated into indica and japonica defined by a discriminant function (Z) based on key characters, as well as by isozyme genotypes. Most indica landraces had chloroplast DNAs with a deletion at the Pst-12 fragment, while most japonica landraces had cpDNAs without the deletion. Two traditionally recognized varietal groups in China, keng and hsien, corresponded largely to the respective japonica and indica revealed in our study. The results obtained in this study showed good agreement for classification of indica and japonica types by the three methods: discriminant analysis by Z value, isozyme analysis, and PCR analysis for cpDNA.     

Molecular mapping and characterization of traits controlling fiber quality in cotton

Cotton (Gossypium spp) is the world's leading natural fiber crop. Genetic manipulation continues to play a key role in the improvement of fiber quality properties. By use of DNA-based molecular markers and a polymorphic mapping population derived from an inter specific cross between TM-1 (G. hirsutum) and 3-79 (G. barbadense), thirteen quantitative trait loci (QTLs) controlling fiber quality properties were identified in 3-79, an extra long staple (ELS) cotton. Four QTLs influenced bundle fiber strength, three influenced fiber length, and six influenced fiber fineness. These QTLs were located on different chromosomes or linkage groups and collectively explained 30% to 60%of the total phenotypic variance for each fiber quality property in the F₂ population. The effects and modes of action for the individual QTLs were characterized with 3-79 alleles in TM-1 genetic background. The results indicated more recessive than dominant, with much less additive effect in the gene mode. Transgressive segregation was observed for fiber fineness that could be beneficial to improvement of this trait. Molecular markers linked to fiber quality QTLs would be most effective in marker-assisted selection (MAS) of these recessive alleles in cotton breeding programs. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

7个籼型水稻细胞质雄性不育系异交性能的研究

以7个籼型水稻细胞质雄性不育系D62A、D63A、D64A、D23A、G46A、金23A珍汕97A为材料,视珍汕97A为对照,在海南对它们的异交性能进行了研究.结果表明:7个细胞质雄性不育系的颖花开花率从高到低依次为D23A、D63A、D62A、D64A、珍汕97A、金23A、G46A;D62A等6个细胞质雄性不育系的柱头外露率均高于对照珍汕97A;除G46A、金23A外,其余4个的午前花率均比对照珍汕97A高;D62A、D63A、D64A等3个细胞质雄性不育系的平均张颖时间均比对照珍汕97A长,其余三个短于对照珍汕97A.柱头生活力系数大小依次是:对照珍汕97A、D62A、G46A、D63A、D23A、D64A、金23A.异交结实率从高到低的顺序是D62A、D63A、D23A、金23A、D64A、G46A、珍汕97A.     

Electronegativity Scale of Elements Calculated by Density Functional Theory and Related Methods

In chemistry and many related fields, electronegativity (EN) is an important fundamental concept and its scale is a useful physcochemical parameter. Here, calculations of both ionization potentials and electron affinities are extended toward 107 elements and done by density functional theory at the local density approximation(LDA) level and the LDB level, i.e., the local density approximation level with further non-local corrections for exchange and correlation included self-consistently as well as the modified Slater transition-state method. The definite-differentiation method is employed into calculations of the electronegativity scale and the related parameters of 107 elements with very good results due to the consideration of relativistic effects. The calculation presented is to examine both the LDA and LDB approximations in calculations for the ionization potential and electron affinity of the elements with an improved or modified Slater transition-state method, and relativistic effects have also been taken into account for 107 elements compared with 103, 86 or less in the previous report under a spin polarized density function theory with some approximations to the exchange-correlation function. The calculation results for the various quantities represent an obviously improvement over some previous calculations. It is shown that the results calculated by the extended technique and the improved Slater transition-state method in general agree well with experimental values presented by Pearson, and are better than the reported values in many previous literatures. The developed new electronegativity scale will widely be applicable in many fields such as molecular structural parameterization expression, chemobiological activity optimization prediction, structure-activity quantitation modeling, functional chemical adaptization designing, and so on.     

转基因及常规水稻幼苗对潮霉素敏感性的研究

研究了转基因及常规水稻幼苗叶面喷施潮霉素B溶液后的反应。结果发现,常规水稻吸收潮霉素B后,叶片会出现以褐斑为特征的中毒症状。在50～100mgL浓度范围内,褐斑的数目和面积随时间和浓度的增加而增加,溶液中滴加DMSO可提高潮霉素对稻苗的毒性。浓度在75mgL及以上时,喷后第7天,处理的所有幼苗都出现症状。而浓度在50mgL时,个别幼苗经处理后未出现中毒症状。在上述浓度范围内,带潮霉素磷酸转移酶基因(hpt)的Bt转基因水稻(克螟稻)幼苗均未出现中毒症状。苗期鉴定与抽穗前后成株期鉴定的结果相一致。讨论了叶面喷施潮霉素B溶液在转基因水稻育种和筛选潮霉素敏感转基因水稻突变体中的可能应用。