Maize harvest index and water use efficiency can be improved by inhibition of gibberellin biosynthesis

Possibilities to improve maize harvest index and nutrient utilization efficiency by application of plant growth regulators were investigated. In container experiments, the effects of different growth regulators on the development of the maize (Zea mays L.) cultivars Pioneer 3906 and Fabregas were tested. Paclobutrazol (PAC) and chlorocholine chloride (CCC), two inhibitors of gibberellin biosynthesis, as well as gibberellic acid (GA₃) were applied at growth stage V5. Three weeks after application of PAC, shoot growth of both maize cultivars was strongly affected with a significant decrease in plant height in the PAC treatment by 44% and 36% for Pioneer 3906 and Fabregas, respectively. The growth‐retarded plants had higher leaf areas and reduced transpiration rates. The higher shoot growth after GA₃ application was accompanied by a reduction in leaf area and an increase in transpiration rate during 1 week before anthesis. CCC treatment showed no significant effects on plant height, leaf area and transpiration rate. The PAC‐treated cultivar Pioneer 3906 produced several cobs per plant, which were mainly barren at maturity. However, PAC application to Fabregas resulted in just one cob per plant with good kernel development and a grain yield, which was not significantly reduced in comparison with the control. With this similar grain yield in combination with a straw yield decrease of 32%, the harvest index was significantly improved by 12%. In addition, with PAC‐treated Fabregas plants, a 19% increased water use efficiency of the grain (WUE_grain) during the critical period of kernel setting was achieved. In this maize cultivar, CCC application also improved harvest index by 5%, but no effect on WUE_grain occurred. GA₃ treatment decreased harvest index of both maize cultivars, and it either reduced WUE_grain (Pioneer 3906) or showed no effect (Fabregas). Utilization efficiencies of N, P and K were not increased with growth regulator application, even in the PAC‐treated Fabregas plants with a significantly improved allocation of assimilates to the grain, mirrored by the higher harvest index. The results indicate that fertilizer applications must be adjusted to the reduced demand of growth‐retarded plants, most likely leading to higher nutrient utilization efficiencies.     

外源调节物质对盐胁迫下植物生长调控研究进展

为了探究外源物质对植物耐盐性的调控机理及进一步利用外源调节物质提高作物耐盐性,归纳了五大类传统植物激素（生长素、赤霉素、乙烯、脱落酸、细胞分裂素）以及褪黑素、水杨酸、多胺、油菜素类固醇、茉莉酸类等外源生长调节物质对盐胁迫下植物生长的调控情况。同时总结了硅、钙等离子类外源调节物对盐胁迫下植物生长的调节作用,多种外源调节物质可通过增强光合作用、提高渗透势、增加抗氧化酶活性及减少离子毒害等方式来减轻盐害。本文为进一步利用单一或复合外源调节物质来缓解作物盐害盐提供理论依据。     

植物生长调节剂、基质对三个品种费约果扦插生根的影响

选取五年生健壮费约果树为母株，采用L9(33)正交设计法研究植物生长调节剂、基质对三个品种费约果半木质化枝条扦插生根的影响。本试验结果表明：不同品种、植物生长调节剂和基质处理的生根的影响呈显著性水平。影响费约果扦插枝条生根率因素的主次顺序为品种>植物生长调节剂>基质；影响根长因素的主次顺序为基质>植物生长调节剂>品种；影响插穗根数的因素主次顺序品种>基质>植物生长调节剂。Gemini品种经1000 mg/L ABT浸泡两分钟，以腐叶土+珍珠岩为基质，生根效果最好，生根率为70.00%，平均根长为8.85 cm，平均根数为10.22条/穗；Unique品种经1000 mg/L ABT浸泡两分钟，以腐叶土+蛭石为基质，生根效果较好，生根率为56.67%，平均根长为9.32 cm，平均根数为12.33条/穗；Coolidge品种生根率低，均≤20 %。     

施用冷杉针叶三萜酸对水稻产量和品质的影响

以镇稻8号为材料,研究了不同用量冷杉针叶三萜酸对水稻产量和品质的影响。结果表明,与喷清水对照相比较,施用冷杉针叶三萜酸后能够提高水稻千粒重和产量,并能提高稻米的糙米率、整精米率、直链淀粉含量和蛋白质含量,改善稻米碾磨品质和营养品质。10%冷杉针叶三萜酸水乳液最适施药方法为:播种前拌种剂量80 mL/t、分蘖期和抽穗期喷施剂量80 mL/hm~2,能使水稻增产16.60%。     

植物生长调节剂GGR8在寒富苹果栽培上的应用

通过对绿色植物生长调节剂GGR8号在寒富苹果栽培上的应用进行的试验研究,结果表明:GGR8能够提高寒富苹果的品质,20、40、60 mg·kg-1等3种施用浓度在新梢生长量、含糖量、硬度方面均比对照有所提高,尤以60 mg·kg-1的施用浓度应用效果最好,其新梢生长量达到了36.7 cm,比对照增加9.3 cm;单果质量达到了240 g,比对照增加了95 g;含糖量达到了15%,比对照提高3个百分点;硬度达到了9.5 kg·cm-2,比对照增加了1.1 kg·cm-2。     

冠菌素对玉米抗倒伏能力及产量的影响

在田间条件下，以玉米品种先玉335和郑单958为材料，在八展叶时于叶面喷施不同浓度 (0、0.01、0.1、1和10 μmol/L) 冠菌素 (COR)，研究了COR对玉米抗倒伏能力及产量的影响。结果表明:经10 μmol/L COR处理后，先玉335的株高和穗位高分别比对照降低了7.0%和19.9%，郑单958分别降低了20.8%和18.2%，单株叶面积、节间抗折断力、穗下第8~14节间长度和节间最大直径与对照间亦差异显著。且随着COR浓度的增加，先玉335和郑单958的株高、穗位高、单株叶面积和穗下第8~14 节间长度均逐渐降低；第8~14节间最大直径和节间抗折断力逐渐增大。经1 μmol/L COR处理后，2个供试玉米品种的产量、穗数、穗粒数和千粒重较对照均有所增加，其中先玉335的产量较对照增加了9.9%，郑单958增加了4.3%。综上所述，COR可以提高玉米的抗倒伏能力，不同品种玉米对COR的敏感性不同，其中先玉335抗倒伏的最适COR浓度为10 μmol/L，郑单958抗倒伏的最适COR浓度为1 μmol/L。     

Identification of novel juvenile-hormone signaling activators via high-throughput screening with a chemical library

Juvenile hormone (JH) is an insect-specific hormone that regulates molting and metamorphosis. Hence, JH signaling inhibitors (JHSIs) and activators (JHSAs) can be used as effective insect growth regulators (IGRs) for pest management. In our previous study, we established a high-throughput screening (HTS) system for exploration of novel JHSIs and JHSAs using a Bombyx mori cell line (BmN_JF&AR cells) and succeeded in identifying novel JHSIs from a chemical library. Here, we searched for novel JHSAs using this system. The four-step HTS yielded 10 compounds as candidate JHSAs; some of these compounds showed novel basic structures, whereas the others were composed of a 4-phenoxyphenoxymethyl skeleton, the basic structure of several existing JH analogs (pyriproxyfen and fenoxycarb). Topical application of seven compounds to B. mori larvae significantly prolonged the larval period, suggesting that the identified JHSAs may be promising IGRs targeting the JH signaling pathway.     

复混型植物生长调节剂对骏枣光合特性及品质构成因素的影响

为了研究复混型植物生长调节剂对骏枣光合特性和品质构成因素的影响,选用4年生密植骏枣为对象,以5-ALA、GA3和CPPU为材料进行复配7个配方,调查分析其在盛花初期喷施后对果实发育过程中光合特性以及品质特征的影响.结果表明:①5 μg/g5-ALA+ 10 μg/gGA3+ 15 μg/gCPPU较GA3显著提高叶片净光合速率和水分利用率.②5 μg/g5-ALA+ 10 μg/gGA3+ 15 μg/gCPPU和20μg/g 5-ALA处理的产量分别较对照提高了38.00％和43.85％;降低了总糖和总酸的含量,但糖酸比分别较对照提高了19.13％和19.31％.故在枣树盛花初期间隔7d喷施2次5μg/g,5-ALA+10 μg/gGA3+ 15 μg/gCPPU或20μg/g5-ALA均有增加产量和改善果实品质的作用.     

Effects of phytosterol ester on aortic aging and expression of related genes in rats

AIM: To explore the protective effect of phytosterol ester (PSE) on aortic aging in rats. METHODS: The female SD rats (12 months old, n=42) were randomly divided into control group, model group and PSE group. During the experiment, the rats in control group, model group and PSE group were treated with basic feed, high-fat diet (HFD) and HFD with 2% PSE (W/W) for 6 months, respectively. The morphological changes of the aorta were observed by HE staining and Masson staining, and the absolute area of smooth muscle cells and collagen fiber in the vascular wall were measured by image analysis. The levels of advanced glycosylation end products (AGEs), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in the plasma were detected. The expression of silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) at mRNA and protein levels in the vascular tissue was determined by real time PCR and Western blot, respectively. RESULTS: PSE significantly lowered plasma TC and LDL-C, and increased plasma HDL-C level (P<0.05), but had no effect on plasma TG level. PSE significantly attenuated the thickening of intima and media of aging aortic, and decreased the migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) and the amount of VSMC and collagen fiber in the aorta (P<0.05). PSE significantly reduced the contents of AGEs and MDA (P<0.05), but had no effect on the activity of SOD and CAT in the plasma. PSE also down-regulated the expression of PPARγ and up-regulated the expression of SIRT1 (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: PSE is able to attenuate the senescence process in the aorta by reducing the production of reactive oxygen species in plasma, and activating SIRT1, or inhibiting the expression of PPARγ in vascular tissues.