MeJA regulates enzymes involved in ascorbic acid and glutathione metabolism and improves chilling tolerance in loquat fruit

This study investigated the regulation of ascorbate acid (AsA) and glutathione metabolism and chilling tolerance by methyl jamonate (MeJA) in loquat fruit. The results showed that application of MeJA to loquat fruit inhibited the incidence of chilling injury manifested as internal browning (IB) and increased AsA and reduced glutathione (GSH) contents due to the inhibition of ascorbate oxidase activity and enhancement of monodehydroascorbate reductase, dehydroascorbate reductase and glutathione reductase activities. Meanwhile, MeJA also enhanced activities of ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione-S-transferase. Our results suggested that MeJA can regulate the ascorbate and glutathione metabolism and has important roles in alleviating oxidative damage and enhancing chilling tolerance in loquat fruit.     

科研院所科技成果转化存在的问题及对策

科研院所科技成果转化情况是科研院所科研水平的重要标志。分析目前科研院所在科技成果转化过程中存在的科研评价体系、收益分配制度、服务体系、政策环境等现状，提出改革科技成果评价和激励机制、建立合理的收益分配制度、加强科技成果转化研发平台建设、大力发展科技服务业、改变政府引导和支持模式、加强财政金融对产学研合作项目的支持等对策。     

农业科研单位青年科技人员思想政治工作初探

思想政治工作是党的建设工作的重要法宝，充分体现了党组织的统领全局作用和凝聚作用。随着农业体制机制改革的日益深入，农业科研单位正经历着复杂而又深刻的改革，同时，青年科技人员的思想也在悄然变化。农业科技创新归根到底取决于青年科技人员，面对青年科技工作者新的思想动态、精神状态的变化，必须开展有效的思想政治工作，以帮助青年科技人员树立正确的思想信念，克服错误的思想倾向，为深入推进农业科研单位健康、协调发展提供强大的精神正能量。     

澳大利亚、中国和泰国的热带地区的土壤化学退化的量化及修复

Soil and land degradation in the tropics can be identified and described in terms of physical,chemical,and biological changes from its pristine state brought about by natural and anthropogenic influences.A characteristic of these ecosystems is their capacity to recycle nutrients through soil organic matter(SOM). Following disturbance through changed land management.SOM is rapidly mineralized and there is a cor responding decline in fertility and the variable charge component of the cation exchange capacity.As these ecosystems are strongly dependent on SOM for their functionality,changed land use can have irreversible impacts on the productivity of these systems.The paper focuses on quantifying chemical degradation throughbenchmaking using data from paried sites in tropical China and Thailand using surface charge finger printing.Using values taken from the fingerprint of an undistubed soil,an index of chemical degradation from ideality was calculated.Various management stratgeies that attempt to reverse degradative trends or improve poor quality soils in their natural condition are discussed.such as the ddition of natural clays and silicated materials.Results are present to whow the effect of each of the aforementional strategies on surface charge characteristics and associated increases in plant productivity.     

蒙古羊Hoxd11基因CpG位点分布特征分析

蒙古羊的Hoxd11基因全长1 772 bp。其中exon-1为778 bp,exon-2为236 bp,内含子为758 bp(Gen-Bank Accession No.GU059862)。Hoxd11 exon-1序列共有120个CpG,其中位于密码第1～2位的CpG共8个,全都编码精氨酸。位于密码第2～3位的CpG共47个,占所有CpG的39.17%(47/120),分别编码5个丝氨酸,18个脯氨酸,2个苏氨酸,22个丙氨酸。Hoxd11 exon-1的CpG数量明显高于第2外显子(12个)。Hoxd11exon-1序列中的高密度CpG,提示这个序列有可能是甲基化的高发区。这对于进一步分析这个基因对调控腰椎发育的作用,具有重要意义。     

Phenotypic variation in Azospirillum brasilense Sp7 does not influence plant growth promotion effects

The Azospirillum genus comprises free-living, plant growth-promoting, nitrogen-fixing bacteria found in the rhizosphere of plant roots. Azospirilla are able to promote plant growth mainly through improvement of root development. Bacterial surface components, such as extracellular polysaccharides and proteins, are involved in root colonization. Phase variation – or phenotypic variation – is one of the mechanisms by which microorganisms adapt to environmental changes. This phenomenon is characterized by the presence of a sub-population of the bacteria presenting a different phenotype relative to the major population. In this study we characterized phenotypic variation of Azospirillum brasilense Sp7. When plated on solid media, some A. brasilense colonies were shown to possess a much more mucoid morphology, producing 7.5–8 times more exopolysaccharide with different monosaccharide composition than the parental strain Sp7. The rate of appearance of this kind of variant colonies was 1 in 5000, in agreement with the accepted rate for the phase/phenotypic variation phenomenon. The variants were significantly more resistant to heat and UV-exposure than the parental strain and displayed genomic changes as seen by the different band patterns following ERIC-PCR, BOX-PCR and RAPD analyses. In plant inoculation experiments under greenhouse conditions, with maize, wheat, soybean and peanuts, the EPS overproducing variants performed as similar as the parental strain. Therefore, EPS overproduction did not confer an apparent advantage to A. brasilense in terms of induction of plant growth promotion.     

蒙古羊Hoxc8基因甲基化与胸椎数量的关系

为了研究蒙古羊Hoxc8基因的甲基化与胸椎数的关系,试验采用亚硫酸氢盐测序PCR方法进行检测。结果表明:蒙古羊的14枚胸椎个体(T14)占26.1%,7枚腰椎个体(L7)占69.5%,其中Hoxc8 exon-1含27个CpG。T13型个体的甲基化CpG分别为6,3,6;T14型个体的甲基化CpG分别为23,20,21。T13和T14的甲基化比例平均值分别为(18.500±0.064)%和(79.030±0.056)%(P=0.002)。T14蒙古羊Hoxc8 exon-1的甲基化功能区(120～142个碱基)的CpG胞嘧啶全部甲基化,而T13则相反。说明蒙古羊Hoxc8 exon-1甲基化CpG的密度和数量影响Hoxc8基因的表达,并且调控胸椎的发育。     

Pig manure vermicompost (PMVC) can improve phytoremediation of Cd and PAHs co-contaminated soil by Sedum alfredii

Purpose

A major challenge to phytoremediation of co-contaminated soils is developing strategies for efficient and simultaneous removal of multiple pollutants. A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the potential for enhanced phytoextraction of cadmium (Cd) by Sedum alfredii and dissipation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in co-contaminated soil by application of pig manure vermicompost (PMVC).

Materials and methods

Soil contaminated by Cd (5.53?mg?kg^?1 DW) was spiked with phenanthrene, anthracene, and pyrene together (250?mg?kg^?1 DW for each PAH). A pot experiment was conducted in a greenhouse with four treatments: (1) soil without plants and PMVC (Control), (2) soil planted with S. alfredii (Plant), (3) soil amended with PMVC at 5?% (w/w) (PMVC), and (4) treatment 2?+?3 (Plant?+?PMVC). After 90?days, shoot and root biomass of plants, Cd concentrations in plant and soil, and PAH concentrations in soil were determined. Abundance of PAH degraders in soil, soil bacterial community structure and diversity, and soil enzyme activities and microbial biomass carbon were measured.

Results and discussion

Application of PMVC to co-contaminated soil increased the shoot and root dry biomass of S. alfredii by 2.27- and 3.93-fold, respectively, and simultaneously increased Cd phytoextraction without inhibiting soil microbial population and enzyme activities. The highest dissipation rate of PAHs was observed in Plant?+?PMVC treatment. However, neither S. alfredii nor PMVC enhanced PAH dissipation when applied separately. Abundance of PAH degraders in soil was not significantly related to PAH dissipation rate. Plant?+?PMVC treatment significantly influenced the bacterial community structure. Enhanced PAH dissipation in the Plant?+?PMVC treatment could be due to the improvement of plant root growth, which may result in increased root exudates, and subsequently change bacterial community structure to be favorable for PAH dissipation.

Conclusions

This study demonstrated that remediation of Cd and PAHs co-contaminated soil by S. alfredii can be enhanced by simultaneous application of PMVC. Long-term evaluation of this strategy in co-contaminated field sites is needed.     

Interactive effects of Cd and PAHs on contaminants removal from co-contaminated soil planted with hyperaccumulator plant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sedum alfredii</Emphasis>

Purpose  

Soil contamination by multiple organic and inorganic contaminants is common but its remediation by hyperaccumulator plants is rarely reported. The growth of a cadmium (Cd) hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii and removal of contaminants from Cd and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) co-contaminated soil were reported in this study.