Effects of genes increasing the number of spikelets per panicle,TAW1 and APO1, on yield and yield-related traits in rice

The genes TAWAWA1 (TAW1) and ABERRANT PANICLE ORGANIZATION1 (APO1) increase the number of spikelets per panicle (SN). In the present study, we examined the effects of these genes on morphological traits, yield, and yield-related traits including yield components using the near-isogenic lines (NILs) in the genetic background of a japonica rice variety, Koshihikari – NIL-taw1, NIL-apo1-D3, and NIL-apo1-D4 – in a field experiment. The SN and total number of spikelets per area of the three NILs were larger than those of Koshihikari. However, the yield of the three NILs did not exceed that of Koshihikari due to their low filling ability. Interestingly, our field experiments indicated that TAW1 did not affect the diameter of internodes and the PN, whereas APO1 decreased the PN and increased the diameter of internodes. These results suggest that TAW1 and APO1 differently affect yield-related traits.     

沼液浸种增强早稻秧苗耐冷效应─—叶肉细胞超微结构动态观察

经沼液浸种的早稻秧苗比对照组秧苗，具有较强的耐冷性，通过电镜对叶肉细胞超微结构动态观察证实，在低温（５°／５℃）下，叶绿体结构和细胞核结构，随着冷害天数的延长，伤害在不断加重，叶绿体结构会出现空洞，基质片断裂，直至崩溃。细胞核染色体凝集，核膜破裂，核内容物丧失等现象出现。而经沼液浸种的秧苗伤害程度有较明显的减轻。     

华北驼绒藜雨季移栽成活率研究

本文是不同季节移栽华北驼绒藜(Ceratoides arborescens)系列研究之一。干旱区春季生态建植有补水之苦,雨季移栽表明,不需坐水或补水,成活率可高达60%,浸根可提高成活率至90%;说明雨季移栽是可行的。移栽植株数日内叶片含水量和叶绿素含量急剧下降、脯氨酸含量骤然升高,含量恢复过程则较缓慢,说明移栽使植株突然损伤,但终能恢复至正常生理状态。     

Acquired Thermo‐Tolerance and Trans‐Generational Heat Stress Response at Flowering in Rice

In rice, pre‐exposure to sublethal treatment followed by harsh lethal treatment is known to improve tolerance of different abiotic stresses at the vegetative stage within and across generations. Our major aim was to test the phenomenon of thermo‐tolerance at flowering across (trans)‐generations and within generation using rice cultivars contrasting for heat stress tolerance at flowering. To test trans‐generational response, plants were exposed to higher temperature at flowering stage and seeds obtained from previous generations were exposed to heat stress during flowering, which recorded significantly lower fertility when exposed to the same degree of stress in their subsequent generations. A pre‐acclimation to moderately high acclimating temperatures imposed over three different durations during the vegetative and initial reproductive stage showed positive response in the tolerant N22, particularly under severe heat stress (40 °C). This finding indicates the possibility of acquiring ameliorative thermo‐tolerant mechanisms at anthesis, restricted to tolerant genetic backgrounds to combat subsequent harsh conditions within the same generation. However, trans‐generational memory was ineffective in mitigating spikelet sterility losses in both tolerant and susceptible backgrounds. Rice is extremely sensitive to heat stress during flowering; hence, similar exercise across other crops of interest needs to be carried out before generalizing conclusions.     

Frequency and fertility restoration efficiency of Rf3 and Rf4 genes in Indian rice

Identification of new parental lines is crucial for developing ecology‐specific hybrids with ideal agronomic performance. We screened a total of 570 different ecology‐specific Indian rice varieties for the presence of fertility restorer genes, Rf3 and Rf4 using tightly linked markers DRRM Rf3‐10 and RM6100, respectively. Among these varieties, 13% carried Rf3Rf3/Rf4Rf4, 31% carried rf3rf3/rf4rf4, 6% carried Rf3Rf3/rf4rf4 and remaining 50% carried Rf4Rf4/rf3rf3 allelic combinations. A mini set of 40 varieties with variable allelic combinations of fertility restorer genes were testcrossed with WA and Kalinga‐based CMS lines. All the 80 F₁s were evaluated for spikelet fertility and fertility restoration ability. Rf3Rf3/rf4rf4 genotypes mostly behaved as partial maintainers or partial restorers. In contrast, rf3rf3/Rf4Rf4 genotypes were partial or effective restorers. However, double dominant genotypes showed better fertility restoration than the genotypes containing Rf3 or Rf4 individually. Some of the genotypes showed unexpected restoration pattern implying occurrence of other fertility restorer(s) apart from Rf3 and Rf4. The perfect restorers and maintainers identified in this study can be directly used in hybrid rice breeding.     

药剂浸种对菜心增产效果的研究初报

采用OPAL HA202和“保得”对菜心进行浸种处理,可以促进菜心地上部分生长,增加干物质的积累,提早抽薹,有明显的增产作用,其中以OPAL HA202 200倍液处理增产效果最为显著。     

Convenient Estimation of Unfertilized Grains in Rice

Abstract

Failure of fertilization in rice is a critical yield-determining factor in plants subjected to temperature or water stress at the early-reproductive stage and in high-yield cultivars bearing heavy spikelets. Although it is important to identify quickly the unfertilized spikelets for research and selection of stress-resistant or high-ripening cultivars from bulksamples, the identification takes time because unfertilized spikelets are usually determined by visual and manual procedures. Our objective was to develop a convenient method to identify unfertilized spikelets in rice. Takanari spikelets at maturity grown in the paddy field were separated into floating and sinking spikelets by different specific gravity solutions of ethanol/water mixture. The unfertilized spikelets were identified by checking the grains inside the spikelets by light penetration and examining the spikelets manually. The percentage of floating spikelets decreased with the increase in ethanol concentration, and that of floating spikelets approximately coincided with the percentage of unfertilized spikelets when the specific gravity was below 0.90×10>³ kg m-³, corresponding to over 70% -ethanol. In a practical range of temperature the specific gravity scarcely changed. In an 80%-ethanol solution, the percentages of floating spikelets in Takanari grown under different nitrogen applications and in rice cultivars having different spikelet size approximately coincided with percentages of unfertilized spikelets, though the percentages of floating spikelets was 5 to 7% higher than the unfertilized spikelets. The use of 70%-ethanol solution increased the difference in some rice cultivars. We concluded that the gravitation method would be convenient for identification of unfertilized spikelets in bulk samples of rice.     

竹材防腐防霉处理研究

本文论述了三种处理方法和七种防腐剂配方处理毛竹(片材)和浙江淡竹(竹竿)。气干材用热冷槽法和常压浸渍法,生材采用竹液置换法。这些方法很适合我国的国情。热冷槽法采用1.5小时热煮,48小时冷浸;常压浸渍20天左右;竹液置换法约8天,均能达到预期的药剂吸收量和透入度。此外,还进行了防腐处理竹材的室内抗霉试验和力学强度试验。野外抗腐试验正在进行中。