Genotypic variation in salinity tolerance and its association with nodulation and nitrogen uptake in soybean

Saline soils hamper various physiological functions in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. One example is the reduction in nitrogen (N) uptake capacity, a major dysfunction that limits soybean growth and yield under saline conditions. Previous studies have revealed that tolerance to salinity varies with cultivar; however, the cultivars used in these studies were selected solely based on agro-morphological traits. In this study, we examined genotypic variation in salinity tolerance among 85 soybean genotypes which were selected based on an assessment of both single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) markers and agro-morphological traits. Additionally, we examined whether salt tolerance is associated with nodulation and N uptake. We used a subset of the world soybean mini-core collection (80 cultivars) and an additional five cultivars/genetic lines (NILs72-T, NILs72-S, Enrei, En-b0-1, and En1282). All plants were grown in pots and treated with saline (final concentration of 150 mM NaCl) during the vegetative growth stage. To evaluate salinity tolerance, we used the ratio of saline-treated (S) to control (C) plant total dry weight [DW (S/C)]. The ratio differed markedly according to genotype. Furthermore, salinity-tolerant genotypes exhibited superior nodulation, leaf greenness, and N uptake under saline conditions. These results indicate that there is a marked genotypic variation in salinity tolerance, and that the tolerant genotypes exhibit greater nodulation and N uptake, although further studies are needed to clarify whether the superior nodulation and N uptake of salinity-tolerant genotypes are responsible for the observed tolerance.     

Influence of Nitrogen Supply of Potato Plantlets on In Vitro Tuberization Pattern under Inductive and Non-inductive Conditions

The effects of nitrogen supply of in vitro plantlets on subsequent in vitro tuberization were examined in three potato varieties. In vitro plantlets were raised on MS media with varying amounts of ammonium nitrate, resulting in 70, 80, 100, 120 and 160% of the standard N content in MS medium and various nitrate : ammonium ratios. Tuberization was induced by adding an 8% sucrose solution to 4-week old plantlets and keeping them 2 weeks under short or long days (8 and 16 h illumination per day, respectively), followed by darkness for 9 weeks. Under long days, a lower nitrogen content in the medium and higher nitrate : ammonium ratio were favourable for the development of large tubers (>6 mm). Under short days, the total number of tubers increased with an increase in nitrogen content of the medium in cultivars Gülbaba and Désirée but not in cultivar Boró, while the number of large tubers was not significantly influenced by nitrogen supply. The tuber weight per plantlet was strongly influenced by genotype. Nitrogen supply of the in vitro plantlets had a prolonged effect on in vitro tuberization. Because the optimum nitrogen treatment is genotype specific, the quantity of large in vitro tubers could be increased by adjusting the nitrogen content of the medium.     

Yield and Quality Response of Two Potato Cultivars to Nitrogen Fertilization

Potatoes require high nitrogen (N) fertilizer rates because of their poor N efficiency. Better understanding of N dynamic in potato crops could improve N efficiency and thus enhance crop profitability and reduce N losses. A similar field experiment was conducted in Switzerland in 3 years, from 2009 to 2011, to investigate the yield and quality response to N fertilization of two commercial potato cultivars with different tuber qualities, Bintje and Laura. Five doses of ammonium nitrate were tested: 0, 80, 120, 160 and 200 kg N ha^?1. Aboveground and belowground biomass evolution, total yield, starch concentration and tuber sizes were measured annually. In 2011, the total N uptake and the soil mineral N content were also measured during the growing season and at harvest.The study showed that N fertilization had a positive effect on yield and the percentage of large tubers (>?70 mm) and a negative effect on starch concentration. Both cultivars presented the same potential yield, although cv. Laura’s yield was more affected by N fertilization deficiency and more responsive to the late N fertilizer application. At harvest, both cultivars had a similar N uptake efficiency and N utilization efficiency. However, they differed with respect to N uptake dynamics. Nitrogen uptake was slower for cv. Laura than for cv. Bintje due to a longer period required for the development of the belowground biomass. The results provide useful recommendations for improvement of N fertilization practices (e.g. rate and time of application) of these two cultivars in Swiss conditions.     

Plant development and yield components under a tropical environment in soybean cultivars with temperate and tropical origins

Cultivar tests under tropical environments could be an approach to explore soybean productivity under high temperature. Twenty-nine soybean cultivars divided into five groups with temperate origin (Japanese and US) and tropical origin (Indonesian-old, Indonesian-modern and other tropical) were grown for two years in a tropical environment at Banten, Indonesia, with minimal season-to-season variation in air temperature and day-length. Temperate cultivars were earlier in flowering and shorter in duration from R1 to R5. Temperate cultivars had a seed yield of 157 g m^?2 (mean temperate cultivars) compared to 249 g m^?2 (tropical cultivars), which was due to having lower values of pods, seed number and TDW. In addition, the occurrence of shriveling and smaller seed size compared to plants grown in their region of origin was considerably evident in Japanese cultivars. To account for the difference of growth duration, a maturity-corrected index for yield and relevant variables was calculated to consider the amount of incident solar radiation. The yield index for all tested cultivars ranged from .49 to 1.48, and Japanese cultivars showed the lowest yield index (.67), followed by US cultivars (.87), whereas tropical cultivars had index means from 1.05 to 1.20. Although they were both of temperate origin, Japanese cultivars tended to show a lower index than US cultivars. The tendency was similar for TDW and node number. The poor performance of temperate cultivars even after correction suggests that there is a genetic variation of adaptation to a tropical environment independent of growth duration. Additionally, there was considerable performance variation within temperate cultivars.     

氮高效水稻品种苗期耐低磷种质的筛选与鉴定

以先前通过田间试验筛选出来的36个氮高效水稻品种为供试材料,在苗期进行了耐低磷筛选,并对获得的3个耐低磷和2个低磷敏感品种响应磷素胁迫的生理机制进行了初步研究。结果表明:1)正常供磷和低磷条件下,所有调查性状的相对值(低磷/正常供磷)中,相对根系干质量、相对地上部干质量、相对根冠比和相对分蘖数均具有较大的品种间变异(变异系数分别为16.9%、10.9%、11.4%、16.3%)。相关分析表明,它们呈显著或极显著正相关。因此,这4个性状可以作为水稻苗期耐低磷筛选的评价指标。2)在低磷条件下,筛选出的3个耐低磷品种比2个低磷敏感品种的根系生长旺盛且活力强,P吸收动力学参数中Km、Cmin小,而Vmax大,酸性磷酸酶(APase)活性升幅大,磷效率在两者之间也存在显著差异。同时,不同耐低磷品种适应低磷胁迫的调节机制也有所不同。表明筛选氮磷双高效的水稻品种是可行的,同时也为后续基因定位和遗传机制的研究提供了材料和生理学依据。     

不同夏玉米品种氮积累和利用效率差异的研究

以当地8个主推夏玉米高产品种为材料,分别在施氮与不施氮两个水平下进行氮利用效率和丰产性综合比较。结果表明,在两个施氮水平下,不同基因型玉米品种间的产量、氮累积量、耐低氮指数和氮利用效率存在显著差异。登海605和金海604在施氮和不施氮水平下均能保证高产,耐低氮指数较高,氮响应度较低,即耐低氮能力强,可作为低氮丰产高效玉米品种在当地应用推广。     

小麦苗期叶片碳氮平衡与低氮诱导的叶片衰老之间的关系

为了解小麦叶片衰老与缺氮诱导及碳氮平衡之间的关系,以两个缺氮衰老响应敏感品种(周麦24和运旱618)和两个缺氮衰老响应不敏感小麦品种(衡观35和西农979)为材料,分析了小麦苗期低氮诱导下表征叶片衰老的叶绿素含量、F_v/F_m、净光合速率,以及表征碳氮平衡的全氮和非结构性碳水化合物(可溶性糖、淀粉)比值。结果表明,低氮胁迫后,4个小麦品种叶片的净光合速率、叶绿素含量和F_v/F_m显著降低,说明低氮诱导和加速了小麦叶片的衰老,而缺氮衰老响应敏感品种的衰老程度显著高于不敏感品种。缺氮衰老响应敏感和不敏感小麦品种叶片氮含量在低氮胁迫后均显著降低,同时碳累积量(可溶性糖和淀粉含量)均显著升高。进一步分析表明,缺氮诱导的小麦叶片衰老可能并非受独立的氮缺乏和碳累积调控,而可能与碳氮平衡(碳氮比例)有关,即碳氮平衡可能参与了低氮诱导的叶片衰老调控,而缺氮下耐衰老品种的叶片维持碳氮代谢平衡的能力较强。     

不同氮效率小麦品种苗期相关指标的杂种优势

为探究不同氮效率小麦品种氮代谢相关指标的遗传差异,选用了5个不同氮效率的小麦品种及其组配的6个杂交F₁,设置低氮（LN,0.4 mmol·L^-1 ）和正常供氮（CK,4.0 mmol·L^-1）两个氮水平,研究不同氮处理下小麦苗期形态、抗氧化酶和氮代谢相关酶活性的差异,并对其杂种优势进行了分析。结果表明,5个品种的根鲜重在低氮水平下明显高于正常氮水平,6个F₁的杂种优势表现为超中亲或偏低亲优势;苗鲜重在低氮水平下低于正常供氮水平,其F₁杂种优势表现为中亲优势。两种氮水平下,氮高效品种的硝酸还原酶（NR）、谷氨酰胺合成酶（GS）、谷氨酸脱氢酶（GDH）、超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、过氧化物酶（POD）和过氧化氢酶（CAT）活性均高于氮低效品种,6个杂交F₁的上述6种酶活性大多表现出正向杂种优势。正常氮水平下,小麦叶片MDA含量低于低氮水平;低氮水平下,6个F₁的MDA含量杂种优势表现为超中亲或偏低亲优势。两种氮水平下,6个F₁叶片可溶性蛋白含量表现为正向杂种优势,其中低氮水平下,表现为超亲优势。综上所述,低氮条件下,氮高效品种较氮低效品种表现出较好的生长潜力;利用氮高效品种作为亲本能提高杂交F₁的氮利用效率,可用于小麦氮高效育种。     

Different Nitrogen Sources Affect Biomass Partitioning and Quality of Potato Production in a Hydroponic System

Crop production systems should reduce nitrogen application costs and assure that the appropriate form of nitrogen is used. Thus, three potato cultivars in a hydroponic system were supplied with two different nitrogen sources to determine the effect on biomass accumulation and partitioning, and total plant nitrogen content. Cultivars Agata, Atlantic and Bintje received, on alternate days, nutritive solutions differing only in either calcium nitrate or urea. Urea stimulated biomass accumulation and total nitrogen in shoots. Moreover, urea reduced the ratios tuber:shoot and tuber:root, and increased the ratio shoot:root, indicating competition for biomass partitioning between shoots and tubers. Urea stimulated greater tuber volume in the Atlantic cultivar, and increased tuber protein content, which is undesirable for industry. These results suggested that salts containing nitrate could be more appropriate for hydroponic potato cultivation, since urea compromised tuber quality and biomass partitioning in all cultivars studied.     

Varying Nitrogen Concentrations to Optimize Basic Seed Potato Minitubers Production in a Three-Phase Hydroponic System

In hydroponics, nutrient management is the limiting factor to obtaining optimal production, and nitrogen (N) is the key component to consider when optimizing nutrient management in these types of systems. The objective of this study is to evaluate different combinations of N fertilizer concentrations in order to optimize the yield of basic seed potato minitubers in a three-phase hydroponic system. Treatments consisted of five combinations of N concentrations, applied before and after 21 days after plant transplant as follows, respectively: 1) 13 and 13, 2) 13 and 0, 3) 13 and 7.8, 4) 13 and 16, and 5) 13 and 26 mmol L^?1. Propagation was performed by transplanting 3–4 cm potato plantlets cv. Agata from sprouts. There were significant effects of N treatments on all measured variables (root, leaf, stem, and plant dry weight and minituber number and weight). To obtain the maximum minituber number yield, 9.51 minitubers/plant, corresponding to 67 minitubers/m², post 21-day adjusted N concentration was 18.4 mmol/L. Treatment 4 promoted higher basic seed potato minituber yield in a three-phase hydroponic system.     

玉米杂交种氮效率遗传相关与通径分析

玉米过量施用氮肥可导致经济效益下降和硝酸盐向地下水淋失,因而受到人们越来越多的重视.选育氮高效杂交种可以降低生产成本和减少环境污染.本试验选用8个玉米杂交种,在高氮(纯N 200 kg/hm²)、低氮(不施氮)条件下分析了农艺性状决定氮效率高低的作用.结果表明:在氮高效杂交种选育中,高氮条件下选育高产品种,应注意对穗行数、行粒数、百粒重、吐丝期生物量、穗三叶面积的选择,而对其它性状的要求放宽;低氮条件下选育耐低氮的高效品种,更应注重选择大穗型、穗行数多,且有较大成熟期生物量、大的穗三叶叶面积的品种。     

Photosynthetic response and nitrogen use efficiency of sugarcane under drought stress conditions with different nitrogen application levels

Drought stress which often occurs during early growth stage is one constraint in sugarcane production. In this study, the response of sugarcane to drought and nitrogen application for physiological and agronomical characteristics was investigated. Two water regimes (well-watered and drought stress from 60 to 120 day after transplanting) and four nitrogen levels (0, 4.4, 8.8 and 13.2 g pot^?1 equivalent to 0, 90, 180 and 270 kg ha^?1, respectively) were assigned in a Split-plot design with three replications. The results showed that photosynthetic responses to light intensity and intercellular CO₂ concentrations of sugarcane were different between fertilized and non-fertilized treatments. Photosynthetic rates of 180 and 270 N treatments, normally, were significantly higher than that of 90 N, but not significant at drought conditions. Photosynthetic rates of 0 N treatment were the lowest under both conditions. Higher nitrogen application supported higher photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and chlorophyll content because of higher nitrogen concentration accumulated into the leaf. Drought significantly reduced the potential photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, SPAD, leaf area, and biomass production. Higher nitrogen applications with larger root system could support higher photosynthetic activities to accumulate more dry mass. Strong positive coefficient between photosynthetic and biomass nitrogen use efficiency and drought tolerance index may suggest that higher nitrogen use efficiency could help plants have higher ability to tolerate drought stress.     

氮肥对辽宁春玉米品种氮素吸收利用的影响

选择辽宁春玉米区3个主推品种铁研58(TY58)、良玉99(LY99)、郑单958(ZD958)进行3个氮素水平的试验,梯度设N0(不施入氮肥)、N1(施入纯氮112 kg/hm~2),N2(施入纯氮225 kg/hm~2)。研究表明,不同品种氮反应有差异,施入氮肥后植株主要通过提高穗粒数而获得产量,TY58为氮反应敏感品种;施入氮肥植株氮积累量增加,成熟期达最大,吐丝前后的氮素积累品种间存在差异,成熟时氮素分配比例由高到低为子粒叶片茎鞘穂轴苞叶雄穂;氮肥亏缺条件下,植株加大氮素由茎叶器官向子粒的供应比例,叶片对子粒氮贡献率最高,达28.0%~51.3%。     

The Effect of Nitrogen Rate on Vine Kill,Tuber Skinning Injury,Tuber Yield and Size Distribution,and Tuber Nutrients and Phytonutrients in Two Potato Cultivars Grown for Early Potato Production

Early potatoes are typically produced using less nitrogen than a full season potato crop as high rates of nitrogen may delay tuber set and lead to excessive vine growth that is difficult to terminate prior to harvest. Bintje and Ciklamen potato cultivars were grown with preplant soil nitrogen levels of 34 to 38, 67, and 101 kg N ha^-1 in 2013 and 2014 near Paterson, Washington. Nitrogen rate had little impact on the number of tubers and stems per plant of both cultivars, but increasing nitrogen rate tended to increase leaf area of both cultivars. Vine desiccation of Bintje with diquat was less complete as nitrogen rate increased, while Ciklamen vine kill was reduced by higher nitrogen in 1 of 2 years. Tuber skinning injury, tuber weight loss, and tuber size distribution were not affected by nitrogen rate. Tuber skinning injury and tuber weight loss were reduced in both cultivars by harvesting at 4 weeks after initial vine kill compared to harvesting at 2 weeks after vine kill. Total tuber yield was lower for both Bintje and Ciklamen in 1 of 2 years at the 34 to 38 kg N ha^-1 rate. Tuber nitrogen and zinc levels tended to increase with increasing nitrogen rates, while most other nutrients, vitamin C, total phenolics, and antioxidant capacity showed little response. It appears that 67 kg N ha^-1 provides adequate nitrogen to produce a good tuber set and yield of small tubers while not producing excessive vine growth that may be more difficult to kill.     

两种灌水条件下4种氮源对小麦籽粒淀粉含量及其特性的影响

为明确不同水分条件下氮源类型对小麦籽粒淀粉含量及其特性的影响,以郑麦366(强筋)和百农207(中筋)两个小麦品种为试验材料,分别在全生育期不灌水和灌拔节期+抽穗期2水条件下,研究了4种氮源(硝酸钙、硝酸铵钙、尿素和氯化铵)对小麦籽粒淀粉含量及其特性的影响。结果表明,灌2水条件下,小麦籽粒总淀粉含量、淀粉糊化特性及小淀粉粒占比均高于不灌水处理。灌水和氮源类型对淀粉含量、糊化特性及淀粉粒度分布有交互作用。在不灌水条件下,施用尿素籽粒淀粉含量和支链淀粉含量较高。在灌2水条件下,百农207以硝酸钙处理的淀粉峰值粘度、小淀粉粒表面积和体积占比最高;而郑麦366淀粉峰值粘度和小淀粉粒数量则分别以施用硝酸钙和硝酸铵钙最高。郑麦366在两种水分条件下均以施用硝酸铵钙淀粉失水率最低。品种对水分和氮肥类型的响应存在差异,总体而言,灌2水条件下,施用硝酸钙有利于淀粉糊化特性的改善;不灌水条件下,施用尿素有利于淀粉含量和支/直比提高。     

Nitrogen loss and its health risk in paddy fields under different drainage managements

Subsurface drainage is a prerequisite for year-round crop production in a large area of northern Iran^, s paddy fields. Minimizing environmental and health issues related to nitrogen (N) losses through subsurface drainage systems provides suitable condition for sustainable agriculture in these fields. A field study was conducted to evaluate nitrogen loss and its health risk in the conventional and subsurface-drained paddy fields. Ammonium, nitrate, and total N concentrations of subsurface drainage effluents, surface runoff, and leachates were monitored during three successive rice-canola-rice growing seasons from July 2011 to August 2012. Different components of N balance and health risk of nitrate leaching to groundwater were also investigated. Ammonium in drainage effluents collected during the experimental period ranged from approximately zero to 1.72 mg L^?1, while nitrate fluctuated from 0.5 to 28.6 mg L^?1. Average nitrate concentration in leachates of subsurface-drained area was 7.7–81.4 % higher than that in subsurface drainage effluents, while it was 126.8 % higher than that in surface runoff for the conventional field. Subsurface drainage provided a better utilization of soil N through providing winter cropping and reduced the potential for non-carcinogenic risks of nitrate leaching to groundwater. The results are encouraging for producers engaged in rice-canola production in the study area with respect to the environment and human health quality.     

Differences in dry matter production,grain production,and photosynthetic rate in barley cultivars under long-term salinity

Soil salinity is a major environmental stress causing significant loss of crop productivity. Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is one of the few field crops that can grow in salt-affected fields and varietal differences in productivity under salinity conditions were known. To clarify the trait most responsible for grain production under salt stress, barley cultivars that were salt tolerant (OUE812) or salt sensitive (OUC613) were grown from seedling to harvest stage in vermiculite containing various concentrations of NaCl. Dry weight of aboveground parts and grain weight decreased significantly with increasing NaCl concentration. The dry weight of the aboveground parts and grain weight decreased more significantly in OUC613 than in OUE812 for plants treated with 150 mM and 200 mM NaCl. A marked reduction in ripening percentage caused significantly decreased grain production in OUC613 as compared with OUE812. In plants treated with 200 mM NaCl, the photosynthetic rate decreased three weeks after starting the NaCl treatment, but a significant difference between cultivars in photosynthetic rate did not appear until seven weeks of NaCl treatment. OUE812 kept a higher photosynthetic rate during ripening than did OUC613 and dry matter production during the period from ripening to harvest was significantly larger in OUE812 than in OUC613. Keeping a higher photosynthetic rate might have contributed to higher grain production in OUE812. Higher ripening percentage and higher rate of photosynthesis during ripening might be target traits in breeding to improve the tolerance of barley to long-term salt stress.     

不同芥蓝品种硝酸盐含量的差异及聚类分析

在水培条件下研究27个芥蓝品种的生物量及硝酸盐含量.结果表明,芥蓝的生物量与成熟期成显著的正相关性,晚熟品种的生物量大,早熟品种的生物量较小.芥蓝不同品种间硝酸盐含量差异显著,薹茎和叶片都易积累硝酸盐,总体上薹茎硝酸盐含量高于叶片.聚类分析将27个芥蓝品种划分为硝酸盐含量低、中、高3个类群,硝酸盐含量低的类群(9个品种)生物量小,硝酸盐含量高的类群(5个品种)生物量大,硝酸盐含量中等的类群(13个品种)生物量中等.芥蓝丰富的硝酸盐积累类型及其与生物量的密切相关性,为低硝酸盐品种选育及分子机理研究奠定了基础.     

Cd Toxicity and Accumulation in Rice Plants Vary with Soil Nitrogen Status and Their Genotypic Difference can be Partly Attributed to Nitrogen Uptake Capacity

Two indica rice genotypes, viz. Milyang 46 and Zhenshan 97B differing in Cd accumulation and tolerance were used as materials in a hydroponic system consisting of four Cd levels (0, 0.1, 1.0 and 5.0 μmol/L) and three N levels (23.2, 116.0 and 232.0 mg/L) to study the effects of nitrogen status and nitrogen uptake capacity on Cd accumulation and tolerance in rice plants. N-efficient rice genotype, Zhenshan 97B, accumulated less Cd and showed higher Cd tolerance than N-inefficient rice genotype, Milyang 46. There was consistency between nitrogen uptake capacity and Cd tolerance in rice plants. Increase of N level in solution slightly increased Cd concentration in shoots but significantly increased in roots of both genotypes. Compared with the control at low N level, Cd tolerance in both rice genotypes could be significantly enhanced under normal N level, but no significant difference was observed between the Cd tolerances under normal N (116.0 mg/L) and high N (232.0 mg/L) conditions. The result proved that genotypic differences in Cd accumulation and toxicity could be, at least in part, attributed to N uptake capacity in rice plants.     

Nitrate-Induced Inhibition of Root Nodule Formation and Nitrogenase Activity in the Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

Summary

The effect of nitrate in the culture solution (0.7, 3.5, 7.0, and 14.0 mM N) on the growth, root nodule formation and nitrogenase activity of the peanut (cv. chico) inoculated with Bradyrhizobium sp. was examined at early developmental stages. The amount of nitrogen derived from fixation and its percentage to total nitrogen in the nitrate-fed plant were evaluated using ¹⁵N labeled nitrate. The dry weight and total nitrogen content of the plant at 40 days after transplanting (day 40) varied with the concentration of nitrate in the culture solution. Both of them were higher in the plants grown in the presence of nitrate at the concentrations above 0.7 mM. On the other hand, the number and fresh weight of nodules, and acetylene reduction activity per plant were the lowest in the presence of nitrate at 14.0 mM, relatively high at 0.7 mM, and the highest at 3.5 mM. The proportion of N derived from atmosphere to total nitrogen in the plants examined at days 18 and 33 was 23–31% in the presence of nitrate at 3.5 and 14.0 mM. However, the proportion examined at day 48 was as high as 57–58% at 3.5 mM, and it was only 22–24% at 14.0 mM.