The contribution of ear photosynthesis to grain filling in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

The contribution of ear photosynthesis to grain filling in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is not well known. The main objective of this work was to evaluate this contribution through three different experimental approaches: (1) ear photosynthesis was reduced by removing awns or shading the ears (in combination with a defoliation treatment), (2) grain weight per ear was compared in an ‘all shaded’ crop versus plants where only the vegetative parts were shaded (‘ear emerging’), and (3) ear photosynthesis was reduced with DCMU (3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea), a specific inhibitor of photosystem II.     

In vitro pullulanase activity of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) limit-dextrinase type starch debranching enzyme is modulated by redox conditions

Expression of a limit-dextrinase (LD) type starch debranching enzyme (EC 3.2.1.41) was observed in developing wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) endosperm and germinating grains, indicating a role for the enzyme in both biosynthesis and degradation of starch. A full-length cDNA, TaLD1, encoding LD in wheat developing kernels was isolated and predicted to encode a 98.6 kDa mature protein active in amyloplasts. Isolated cDNA was expressed in Escherichia coli to produce a recombinant His-tagged LD, which mainly accumulated in inclusion bodies as an inactive enzyme. Extraction of His-tagged LD from the inclusion bodies followed by dialysis under thiol/disulphide redox conditions allowed partial refolding of the protein and detection of pullulanase specific activities by zymogram analysis and enzyme assays. Several active conformations were demonstrated by the recombinant TaLD1 and pullulanase activity could be modulated by redox conditions in vitro. The results suggest that cellular redox conditions may regulate the level of LD activity in wheat tissues.     

种植密度对小麦胚乳淀粉粒度分布特征及产量的影响

为研究种植密度对小麦胚乳淀粉粒度分布特征的调控效应,选用2个冬小麦品种(京冬8号和京冬11号),设计4个密度水平(210、300、390、480株·m-2),利用激光衍射粒度分析仪(LS13320)测试分析了提纯淀粉粒的数目、体积和表面积分布特征.结果表明,京冬8号在基本苗390株·m-2的条件下,胚乳淀粉粒度分布呈3峰曲线变化,其他3个密度处理呈双峰曲线变化;京冬11号在低密度(210株·m-2)情况下胚乳淀粉粒度分布呈双峰曲线变化,密度提高后则呈3峰曲线变化.随着种植密度的提高,小麦胚乳淀粉中A型淀粉粒的含量、淀粉粒的平均粒径和中位粒径均呈增大趋势,但当密度增大到一定程度后上述参数降低.     

Influence of environmental temperature during grain filling period on granule size distribution of rice starch and its relation to gelatinization properties

High temperature (HT) is the major environmental factor affecting grain starch properties of cooking rice cultivars. However, little information has been available on the effect of environmental temperature on the starch granule size distribution of rice grains. In this paper, five indica rice genotypes, including the wild type (9311) and its four mutants differing in amylose content (AC), were used to investigate the effect of environmental temperature on the starch granule size distribution, as well as its relation to AC and gelatinization properties of rice starch. Two temperature treatments (HT and NT) at filling stage were imposed to rice plants under the controlled temperature chambers. The result showed that HT increased the average diameter of starch granules and enhanced the proportion of large starch granules (LSG, D > 2.6 μm) by number, volume and surface area, respectively. However, influence of HT on GT and starch granule size distribution was relatively independent of their alteration in AC level for different rice genotypes. Therefore, HT-induced increase in the average diameter of starch granules and LSG percentage was strongly responsible for the higher starch gelatinization temperature and inferior cooked palatability of HT-ripening rice grains, which be not inherently associated with their varying AC level.     

Bioavailability of ferulic acid is determined by its bioaccessibility

Epidemiological studies have linked whole grain consumption to prevention of several chronic diseases. Whole grain is a source of important phytochemicals, such as ferulic acid (FA). FA is the most abundant phenolic and major contributor to the in vitro antioxidant capacity of wheat grain. Several studies have reported highly variable results on FA bioavailability (0.4–98%). The binding of FA to polysaccharides may limit its bioavailability. Therefore, our study aimed at monitoring release features of FA during gastrointestinal (GI) transit. This was termed bioaccessibility. The bioaccessibility of FA was studied from different wheat fractions and breads with the use of a dynamic in vitro system that simulates the upper GI transit and digestion. The results showed low bioaccessibility of FA from the wheat fractions and breads (<1%). However, the bioaccessibility was high when free FA was added to flour (∼60%). The bioaccessibility of FA appeared to be determined by the percentage of free FA. In wheat grain, most of FA is bound to arabinoxylans and other indigestible polysaccharides restricting its release in the small intestine. New processing developments should be considered to increase free FA in the cereal matrix in order to improve its bioavailability and systemic health effect.     

Spring wheat response to timing of water deficit through sink and grain filling capacity

Water and nitrogen (N) availability are the main factors influencing crop growth globally. Poorly distributed or insufficient water for crop growth requirements decreases yields in drought-prone areas such as those with a Mediterranean type environment. Cereal grain yield is a complex trait of interrelated components: plants per unit land area, spikes per plant, spikelets per spike, grains per spikelet, and single grain weight (SGW). The effect of water limitation and timing on development of yield components was studied in detail at the spike level in spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivar Amaretto. An experiment with three watering treatments (control watering, CONT; drought prior to pollination, DR1 and terminal drought, DR2) was arranged in a large greenhouse (20 m × 30 m), with the use of standard field-trial machinery. Automated blackout curtains were used to control day length, which was set to correspond to that at 40°N. With watering treatments, two N application rates (60 and 120 kg N ha⁻¹) were used to investigate the N effect and potential watering × N interaction on yield formation and realisation. The water deficit effect exceeded the effect of N on fertile floret and grain number and SGW. DR1 strongly reduced the number of fertile florets and grains, whereas terminal drought reduced the number of grains per spike. Resuming the watering at pollination markedly enhanced photosynthesis, and hence grain filling capacity, resulting in the highest SGW in DR1. Enhancement in availability of key resources was associated with reduced rate of fertile floret and grain abortion, which resulted in higher grain to fertile floret ratio in DR1. Spikelets in the mid-section of the spike dominated yield formation in all treatments. In DR1 this was especially emphasised as 53% of the grain yield was produced in spikelets 4–6, whereas in DR2 and CONT this was 45 and 41%, respectively. Grains in proximal position in the spikelets produced about 80% of the spike grain yield, the proportion being slightly higher in stressed plants and plants receiving 60 kg N. No marked N × water deficit treatment interaction occurred for any of the measured parameters.     

小麦铭贤169休眠解除期间种子结构与主要成分的变化

为探究小麦种子休眠解除期间的成分变化对发芽率的影响,了解种子休眠解除机制,以铭贤169为材料,在收获后不同储藏时间(间隔20 d)取样,通过显微设备观察了种子后熟期间的结构变化,测定了相关生理指标和成分,以探究铭贤169种子休眠性原因。结果表明,铭贤169种子休眠解除过程中,种皮细胞结构、组织结构、淀粉粒结构、蛋白基质等均发生变化,淀粉含量、粒径、糊化特性、热稳定性随贮藏时间延长变化显著。铭贤169的离体胚在花后25 d就具有发芽能力,但种子在花后35 d仍处于休眠。收获后熟期间,种胚活性、种子吸水率、含水量、淀粉含量、淀粉糊化谷值粘度和峰值时间、热稳定性逐步上升,与发芽率正相关。A型淀粉粒表面破损,淀粉粒与蛋白质结合紧密,种皮结构松散;淀粉粒径、淀粉酶活性、可溶性糖含量和沉降值减小;面筋和粗蛋白含量变化不大。推测铭贤169种子的休眠性与种子母体成分有关,休眠解除期间发芽率变化受种皮结构、淀粉的分解程度、淀粉粒与蛋白质的结合方式、可溶性糖含量、淀粉含量和性质以及淀粉酶活性等因素影响。     

冬小麦叶茎粒可溶性糖含量变化及其与籽粒淀粉积累的关系

在池栽条件下研究了鲁麦22和鲁麦14两个冬小麦品种旗中、倒二茎、籽粒糖含量及籽粒淀粉积累速率的变化。结果表明，小麦叶片可溶性糖和蔗糖含量在开花后15－20d出现高峰；茎可溶性总糖、蔗糖和果聚糖含量变化呈单峰曲线，最高含量亦出现在花后15－20d，而籽粒可溶性总糖和蔗糖含量在灌浆期呈下降趋势，花后20d至成熟期各器官糖含量与籽粒淀粉积累密切相关。     

不同温光型专用小麦品种花后旗叶生理与籽粒淀粉积累特性

为探索不同温光型专用小麦籽粒淀粉的积累规律及其与植株生长状况的关系,在大田条件下,以2类温光型和3种筋型的小麦品种为材料,研究花后旗叶的生理特性和籽粒淀粉及组分积累情况。结果表明,旗叶中叶绿素含量在灌浆前期(0~21d)维持较高,后期迅速下降,但2个弱筋型品种下降速度缓慢;半冬性品种旗叶中可溶性蛋白含量均大于弱春性品种,而丙二醛(MDA)含量小于弱春性品种,差异均达极显著水平(P0.01)。不同筋型籽粒淀粉组分和总淀粉的积累动态以弱筋型品种最具优势,其直链淀粉含量均在花后14d进入快速增长期,支链淀粉和总淀粉含量在花后28d仍在持续增加,最终以半冬性弱筋品种的籽粒产量和淀粉产量最高(P0.01)。灌浆前期(0~21d),叶绿素、可溶性蛋白含量与直链淀粉、支链淀粉和总淀粉含量呈显著和极显著的相关性(P0.01,P0.05);灌浆后期(21~28d),与直链淀粉的相关性不显著,而叶绿素含量与支链淀粉含量的相关性增大。由此可见,旗叶维持较高的叶绿素、可溶性蛋白含量,较低的丙二醛含量在灌浆前期有利于直链淀粉的积累,后期有利于支链淀粉的积累。     

Fast separation and characterization of water-soluble proteins in wheat grains by reversed-phase ultra performance liquid chromatography (RP-UPLC)

Water-soluble proteins account for about 10% of total grain proteins in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and have specific functions in plant growth and development. In this study, a reversed-phase ultra performance liquid chromatography (RP-UPLC) method was trialed and the experimental conditions were optimized for rapidly separating and characterizing water-soluble proteins in wheat grains, and a comparative analysis with traditional RP-HPLC was performed. Under optimized separation conditions, fast, high resolution and reproducible RP-UPLC separation for water-soluble proteins could be obtained by gradually increasing eluting gradient from 21% to 47% in 30 min at 0.6 ml/min and 60 °C. Using this method, separation and characterization of water-soluble protein in wheat grains could be completed in less than 20 min for one sample, and the resolution and efficiency were significantly higher than those obtained with RP-HPLC. In addition, RP-UPLC consumed smaller amounts of samples and reagents as well. The optimized RP-UPLC could be used as an effective and alternative method for rapid separation and characterization of water-soluble proteins in wheat cultivar and germplasm evaluation, genetic and biochemical studies on grain proteins, and environmental influence analysis of water-soluble proteins.     

种植密度对小麦籽粒淀粉含量和晶体特性的影响

为探究种植密度对小麦籽粒淀粉品质的调控效应,以2个小麦品种(轮选987和济麦22)为材料,分析了3个不同种植密度(150、300、450万株·hm-2)下小麦籽粒淀粉含量和晶体特性。结果表明,种植密度影响小麦籽粒淀粉的积累和组成。随种植密度的增大,直链淀粉含量呈先降后升的趋势,而支链淀粉和总淀粉含量表现为先升后降。淀粉晶体呈典型的A型特征,且不受种植密度影响。种植密度明显影响淀粉颗粒内部的结晶程度,表现为随种植密度的增大,相对结晶度先升后降。同时,种植密度改变了淀粉X-衍射图谱中各峰的精细位置和相对强度,说明种植密度对淀粉颗粒内部结晶区的晶胞结构或微晶排列也存在一定影响。淀粉的相对结晶度与直链淀粉含量呈负相关,与支链淀粉含量呈正相关。     

Influence of high temperature during filling period on grain phytic acid and its relation to spikelet sterility and grain weight in non-lethal low phytic acid mutations in rice

Low phytic acid (lpa) crop is considered as an effective strategy to improve crop nutrition. However, the inferior agronomic performance of lpa crops and their environmental growth adaptation have not yet been fully understood. Three rice lpa lines and their corresponding wild-types were used to compare their differences in grain phytic acid (PA) in response to high temperature (HT) and its relation to spikelet sterility and grain weight at a controlled temperature at the filling stage. Results showed that HT caused an increase in grain PA and inorganic phosphate contents, with more substantial increase of PA content for lpa lines compared with corresponding wild-types. This increase in PA content in high temperature-ripened grains was not simply attributed to the reduction in grain weight and relatively enhanced proportion of aleurone-layer fraction to whole grains. Significant increase in PA contents was also detected in milled rice. Moreover, spikelet sterility and grain plumpness of lpa lines were more susceptible to HT stress than those of wild-types. Exogenous PA spraying with an appropriate concentration could increase grain PA content, but it had only a slight contribution to the enhancement of heat-tolerance and injury alleviation for rice exposed to stressful HT.     

Grain number and grain weight in wheat lines contrasting for stem water soluble carbohydrate concentration

In wheat, the ability to store and remobilise large amounts of stem water soluble carbohydrates (WSC) to grain constitutes a desirable trait to incorporate into germplasm targeted to regions with frequent terminal drought. The main aim of this paper was to examine the relationships between WSC storage, grain number and grain weight across several environments. A small set of recombinant inbred lines (2–4) contrasting in stem WSC were grown in six field trials where water availability, sowing date and/or N level were manipulated, with line yields ranging from 400 to 850 g m⁻² across experiments. Biomass, N and WSC concentration (WSCc, mg g⁻¹ dry weight) and amount (WSCa, g m⁻²) were monitored. A resource-oriented area-based model [Fischer, R.A., 1984. Growth and yield of wheat. In: Smith, W.H., Bante, S.J. (Eds.), Potential Productivity of Field Crops Under Different Environments. International Rice Research Institute, Los Baños, pp. 129–154] and intrinsic rates of organ growth were used to investigate the consequences on grain number of potential competition between spike and stem around flowering.     

小麦籽粒营养品质及品质产量的边际效应

为阐明小麦籽粒营养品质及品质产量的边际效应,以黄淮麦区不同品质类型的4个小麦品种为材料,于2010-2012年度对不同麦行籽粒蛋白质、淀粉、可溶性糖含量等营养品质指标和品质产量进行了系统研究。结果表明,不同行次间籽粒蛋白质含量和可溶性糖含量差异达显著水平,其中边1行、边2行、边3行和边4行的籽粒蛋白质含量分别为136.79、131.02、129.50、126.58 mg·g^-1,可溶性糖含量分别为113.08、91.61、93.55、87.91 mg·g^-1;不同行次间籽粒淀粉含量差异达显著水平;不同行次间籽粒蛋白质产量和淀粉产量的差异达显著水平,其中,边1行、边2行、边3行和边4行的籽粒蛋白质产量和淀粉产量分别为1 543.3、995.7、987.1、930.9 kg·hm^-2和6 480.6、4 284.9、4 383.6、4 126.3 kg·hm^-2,边际效应显著。本研究表明,小麦营养品质和品质产量具有显著的边际效应,生产中可通过改革种植方式、合理选用品种等加以充分利用。     

Hormonal changes are related to the poor grain filling in the inferior spikelets of rice cultivated under non-flooded and mulched condition

Non-flooded plastic mulching cultivation (PM) of rice can save much irrigation but usually exhibits a poor grain filling and low grain weight when compared to traditional flooding cultivation (TF). This study measured the variations of plant hormones during grain filling and investigated whether they were related to the grain-filling problem under mulching in a field experiment. Hormonal levels in the grains and the grain development of both superior (early flowered) and inferior spikelets (later flowered) were monitored continuously during the grain filling period. The contents of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), zeatin riboside (ZR) and abscisic acid (ABA) were higher in superior grains than in inferior ones at early grain-filling stage. For individual spikelets, the peaks of IAA and ZR contents appeared just before the peak grain-filling rate but the peak ABA content matched it. The earlier flowered superior spikelets did not show much difference in grain filling characteristics and hormonal changes under the two cultivation treatments. Distinctively with the inferior spikelets in a panicle, PM led to lower grain weight, higher grain-filling rate at early stage and shorter active grain-filling period than the TF. PM also resulted in less IAA and ZR but more ABA contents in the grains than TF at early and middle grain filling stages in these inferior spikelets. Peaks of these hormone contents in the PM inferior grains usually appeared earlier and also disappeared more quickly than those in TF inferior grains. When exogenous IAA was applied to plants at the initial grain-filling stage, IAA and ZR were increased and ABA was reduced in the inferior grains. The treatment prolonged the active grain-filing period and reduced the peak grain-filling rate of inferior grains, similarly as the case with TF. As a result, IAA spraying enhanced the weight of PM inferior grains but reduced that of TF ones. Exogenous ABA spraying led to the opposite effects to those of IAA. The results suggest that the shortened grain-filling period in the inferior grains under PM is related to the increased ABA and reduced IAA and ZR in the grains. Regulation of the ratio of ABA to IAA in grains could potentially increase the weight of inferior grains under the water-saving cultivation with film mulching.     

Effect of nitrogen application rate on content of glutenin macropolymer and high molecular weight glutenin subunits in grains of two winter wheat cultivars

Two winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars differing in grain protein content were selected to study the effect of N application rate on changes in contents of glutenin macropolymer (GMP) and high molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GS) during grain filling. Contents of GMP and HMW-GS were much higher in the high GPC cultivar, Xuzhou 26, than those in low GPC cultivar, Ningmai 9. N increased contents of GMP and HMW-GS in Xuzhou 26 with N rate between 0 and 300 kg ha⁻¹, while at the very high N rate of 300 kg ha⁻¹ the contents of GMP and HMW-GS in Ningmai 9 decreased. The high contents of GMP and HMW-GS at maturity were closely related to the rapid increase in contents of GMP and HMW-GS during the initial period of their synthesis. HMW-GS and GMP content were closely correlated. The total HMW-GS content was important in determining GMP content than the content of any HMW-GS pair or any individual HMW-GS present in the selected cultivars. The pattern of response of GMP content to N application rate was closely related to the regulatory effect of N on HMW-GS synthesis.     

Are seeding densities an opportunity to increase grain yield of winter wheat in a living mulch of white clover?

Optimum plant densities are a key to maximise yields in most crops. However, such information is often lacking for more environmentally sound cropping systems, such as living mulches (LM) for small grains. In 2004 and 2005, three trials were conducted in the Swiss Midlands on fields managed in accordance with the Swiss organic farming guidelines. The objective of the study was to determine whether seeding density of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a relevant factor for determining grain yield in a white clover (Trifolium repens L.) living mulch. The winter wheat cv. Titlis was directly sown in wide spaced rows (0.375 m) at densities of 300 (LM300), 450 (LM450) or 600 (LM600) viable grains m⁻² in a white clover living mulch established at a seeding rate of 15 kg ha⁻¹. A bare soil control treatment with a wheat density of 450 viable grains m⁻² (BS450) was also included in the trials. Mean grain yields of LM300, LM450, and LM600 never reached the values observed in BS450. This was mainly due to a lower ear density, which, nevertheless, increased linearly with the seeding density within the living mulch in all trials, but the rate of increase depended on the environment. The decrease of the grain weight brought about by the increasing seeding density had only a marginal impact on the grain yield, which was increased from 1.31, 1.98, and 4.09 Mg ha⁻¹ (LM300) to 1.97, 2.64, and 4.75 Mg ha⁻¹ (LM600) for each of the three trials in the study. Significantly higher protein contents were observed for LM300 compared to the higher densities in the living mulch and to BS450. Our research showed that an increase of the seeding density is an effective mean to increase the grain yield in living mulch systems with white clover. However, it is likely that the control of the living mulch to reduce competition with the main crop is a more relevant factor.     

长江中下游麦区小麦地方品种幼苗耐镉性的差异

为了明确不同小麦地方品种耐镉（Cd）性的差异,采用水培方法,测定了长江中下游麦区32个小麦地方品种的苗期生长指标、叶绿素含量、荧光参数和光合参数,并对参试品种的Cd耐性进行了比较和聚类分析。结果表明,32个小麦地方品种镉耐性指数变异系数为10.4%～49.4%,耐Cd性差异较大。根据耐性指数可将参试品种分成耐镉型（7个）、较耐镉型（4个）、中间型（6个）、镉较敏感型（8个）、镉敏感型（7个）5组。     

节水灌溉条件下不同施磷量对冬小麦磷素吸收利用的影响

为提高节水灌溉条件下小麦磷素利用效率,以济麦22和石优20为材料,设置60、120和180 kg P₂O₅·hm^-2三个磷素供应水平（分别用P₆₀、P₁₂₀和P₁₈₀代表）研究了节水栽培下磷素（P）用量对小麦P吸收和利用特性的影响。结果表明,供试小麦品种在各生育时期植株干重均随施P水平增高而提高;低P（P₆₀）水平下石优20植株干重较大,在高P（P₁₈₀）水平下济麦22则植株干重较大。两小麦品种各生育时期植株P含量均以高P处理下较高,且石优20高于济麦22。随施P水平的增高,小麦植株P累积量增多, P累积速率增大,以开花至成熟期P累积速率较高,且施P水平对P累积速率有正向调控作用。成熟期,植株各器官的干重、P累积量和P分配比例均以籽粒最高,茎秆和叶鞘及叶片次之,颖壳和穗轴最低;各器官P含量以籽粒最高,茎秆、叶鞘、颖壳和穗轴次之,叶片最低,表明生育后期植株体内P素主要向籽粒转运、积累。低P和中P（P₁₂₀）处理下,石优20产量显著高于济麦22;高P处理下,石优20的产量较济麦22低。随供P水平的提高,植株花前的P转运量和P转运效率增大,但P贡献率、P利用效率和P肥偏生产力下降。不同品种相比,石优20植株的花前P转运量和营养器官P贡献率与济麦22相近,但石优20的P收获指数、花前P转运效率、P利用效率和P肥偏生产力较济麦22低。研究表明,节水条件下,小麦养分高效品种石优20在低P水平下具有较高P吸收能力和籽粒产量,适当施P可增强济麦22植株生育后期P的吸收、利用能力和高产潜力。