Effect of Wood Vinegar on Seed Germination and Water Implantation of Corn

To analyze the effect of wood vinegar on seed germination and seedling growth, the seeds of corn are dipped in wood vinegar of different densities. The results showed that significant effects were found through all the treatments on the seed germination rate, the seed germinating energy and the germinating index. The regress CUBICS curves were developed to describe the relation. The reasonable parameters range was obtained. At the same time, the corn was cultivated by wood vinegar of different densities, aiming to study the effect of wood vinegar on biomass. It showed that all treatments had obvious effects on the seedling length and dry weight aboveground, the chlorophyll and dry weight underground were not included. The research results could be used to direct the wood vinegar deeply refining process and product development.     

Advances on Seed Vigor Physiological and Genetic Mechanisms

Seed vigor is a more promising seed quality character reflecting potential seed germination, field emergence and seed storage ability under different conditions than standard germination. Standard germination is influenced by genetic background and environmental effects during seed development and storage conditions. The latest research on physiological mechanism in seed vigor showed that at the late stage of seed development, the development of seed vigor involves some stress-resistant substances including late embryogenesis abundant （LEA） protein, oligosaccharides and abscisic acid （ABA）. Whereas the loss of seed vigor, or seed aging and deterioration, could be attributed to lipid peroxidation, chromosome deformation and genes aberrance, and embryo protein degradation, etc. Seed vigor is a quantitative character controlled by multi-genes. Genetic and quantitative trait locus （QTL） analyses on seed-vigor trait in model plants, such as Arabidopsis and rice, are mostly concentrated on related morphology traits, whereas few physiological traits have been researched. It was concluded that, all of the QTL genetic characteristics of seed vigorincluding QTL quantities, its locus on chromosome, genetic effects, and interaction effects between genetic and environment, differed with plant species and used seed-vigor traits.     

Evaluation of Germplasm Using SSR Markers of Functional Genes in Rice

16 SSR (Simple sequence repeats) primers of functional genes in rice were used to detect genetic diversity among 23 accessions of rice germplasm from 5 countries in the world. The average number of alleles per SSR locus was 5.2 with a range from 2 to 10. Genetic similarities among the 23 rice accessions ranged from 0.13 to 0.64. UPGMA cluster analysis showed that the 23 rice accessions could be classified into two distinct classes at similarities with a coefficient of 0.13. The Japonicas from Brazil, Japan and China were classified into Class I, along with upland rice from Brazil. The Indicas from Pakistan and Korea were classified into Class Ⅱ. Consequently, the function of genes SSR markers could be used as a useful tool for measuring genetic diversity, assigning rice to geographical distribution, ecotype, and pedigree relationship.     

Pre-seed Treatment Effects on Avocado （Persea americana L.） Seedlings Health and Growth before Side-Grafting in Ghana

Studies were conducted to detennine the effects of hot water （50 ℃） and fungicide （contizeb ‘5＇） treatments on avocado seeds in terms of seed health, germination and seedling growth before side-grafting. The leathery coverings or seed coat were removed and either 1 cm or 1.5 cm of the narrow top of the seeds was removed before sowing. There were six treatments arranged in a randomized complete block and rephcated three times. In a six week period after germination when side grafting could be done, it was found out that the earliest germination came from the ＇no hot water or fungicide-treated＂ seeds cut at 1 cm but most seeds germinated from the fungicide-treated seeds at 1 cm cut. Most fungi including Fusarium andAspergillus spp found to either delay germination or reduce seedling vigour were minimized in number through the fungicide treatment compared to the hot water-treated seeds. Seedlings performance in terms of shoot extension and canopy development was significantly better in the fungicide-treated seeds than from either the hot water or the non-treated seeds. The study concluded that avocado seed treatment prior to sowing enhanced germination.     

Selection for high quality pepper seeds by machine vision and classifiers

This research aimed to improve selection of pepper seeds for separating high-quality seeds from low-quality seeds.Past research has shown that seed vigor is significantly related to the seed color and size,thus several physical features were identified as candidate predictors of high seed quality.Image recognition software was used to automate recognition of seed feature quality using 400 kernels of pepper cultivar 101.In addition,binary logistic regression and a neural network were applied to determine models with high predictive value of seed germination.Single-kernel germination tests were conducted to validate the predictive value of the identified features.The best predictors of seed vigor were determined by the highest correlation observed between the physical features and the subsequent fresh weight of seedlings that germinated from the 400 seeds.Correlation analysis showed that fresh weight was significantly positively correlated with eight physical features:three color features(R,a*,brightness),width,length,projected area,and single-kernel density,and weight.In contrast,fresh weight significantly negatively correlated with the feature of hue.In analyses of two of the highest correlating single features,germination percentage increased from 59.3 to 71.8% when a*≥3,and selection rate peaked at 57.8%.Germination percentage increased from 59.3 to 79.4%,and the selection rate reached 76.8%,when single-kernel weight≥0.0064 g.The most effective model was based on a multilayer perceptron(MLP)neural network,consisting of 15 physical traits as variables,and a stability calculated as 99.4%.Germination percentage in a calibration set of seeds was 79.1% and the selection rate was 90.0%.These results indicated that the model was effective in predicting seed germination based on physical features and could be used as a guide for quality control in seed selection.Automated systems based on machine vision and model classifiers can contribute to reducing the costs and labor required in the selection of pepper seeds.     

Western blot detection of PMI protein in transgenic rice

Phosphomannose isomerase(PMI)encoding gene manA is a desirable selective marker in transgenic research.Understanding of its expression patterns in transgenic plant and establishing highly sensitive detection method based on immunoassay have great impacts on the application of PMI.In this study,PMI-specific monoclonal antibodies were generated using recombinant protein as immunogen,and could be used in Western blot to detect as little as 0.5 ng His-tagged PMI protein or rice expressed PMI protein in sample accounted for 0.4%of single rice grain(about 0.08 mg).PMI protein driven by CaMV-35S promoter was detected in dozens of tested tissues,including root,stem,leaf,panicle,and seed at all developmental stages during rice growing,and PMI protein accounted for about 0.036%of total protein in the leaves at seedling stage.The established method potentially can be used to monitor PMI protein in rice grains.     

Factors influencing seed reserve utilization during seedling establishment in maize inbred lines

Strong seedlings are essential for high yield. To explore the foundation of strong seedlings, we investigated various factors influencing the conversion and distribution of seed storage reserves during seedling establishment in maize inbred lines. Three maize inbred lines were used to explore the effects of seed size, seed vigor, illumination duration, temperature, water content, and salt concentration of the seedling medium on the utilization of seed storage reserves during seedling establishme...     

Relationship between Protein Accumulation Regulation and Yield Formation in Soybean

Three different genotypes soybeans were adopted in this experiment under three fertilizer levels. The object of this study was to investigate protein accumulation regulation of soybean cultivars under the condition of different nutrient levels, and their effects on soybean yield and quality, and to provide theoretical evidence for breed, cultivation and agricultural production, also man-powered controllable locations. The concentration of N in the leaves declined after seedling stage, then increased again at stage of early flowering, and started to decrease up to leaf senescence, declined rapidly from seed-filling season to stage of yellow ripeness. The concentration of N in the stems and pod walls declined with growth stage. High seed protein genotypes exhibited higher N assimilating and partitioning during whole growth stages. Pod walls were media of N partitioning. Protein was accumulated mainly during the later period of reproductive growth stage up to harvest, so plant growth after stage of yellow ripeness could not be neglected.     

Analysis of Genetic Similarity for Improved Japonica Rice Varieties from Different Provinces and Cities in China

To provide a genetic basis for japonica rice breeding, the genetic similarity and cluster of 139 accessions of improved japonica rice varieties from 12 provinces and cities of China were analyzed using 34 SSR markers. Totally 198 alleles were detected among these improved japonica rice varieties with the average number of alleles per pair of primers was 5.3235. RM320, RM531, RM1, RM286, and RM336 showed more alleles, which were 15, 12, 11, 9, and 9, respectively. RM320, RM336, RM286 and RM531 showed higher genetic diversity indexes; which were 2.3324, 2.0292, 1.8996, and 1.7820, respectively. The range of genetic similar index among improved japonica rice varieties from different provinces was from 0.321 to 0.914, with the average of 0.686. There was a high genetic similarity among improved japonica rice varieties from Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Ningxia, and Yunnan, which were located in similar latitude or similar ecological environment, while there was a low genetic similarity between improved japonica rice varieties from Guizhou and Jiangsu, and other provinces which were located in more different latitudes and ecological environments. The markers of RM320, RM531, RM1, RM286, and RM336 fit to be used in analysis of genetic diversity for improved japonica rice variety. The genetic similarity among improved japonica rice varieties from different provinces was closely associated with genetic basis of parents, and was also correlated with latitude and ecological environment where the varieties were bred.     

The breeding of japonica rice in northern China: An 11-year study(2006–2016)

The world's population is facing food shortages due to climate change and the competition for arable land between food and energy crops. Many national and international projects to develop "super rice" cultivars were established in recent decades to attain a ‘third leap forward' in rice production. In order to evaluate the breeding process in northern China, an 11-year tracking survey of japonica rice breeding, which involved a total of 520 rice accessions and 67 test plots, was completed in this study. The results showed that the yields of these accessions had increased stably, which was similar to control check varieties(CKs). The breeding strategy reduced the panicle number and increased the grain number per panicle through an increase of spikelet density(number of grains per centimeter on the panicle). This high spikelet density benefits not only the yield but also the blast resistance and amylose content. At higher latitudes, the preferred rice accessions had slim grain shape and extended growth period. In the middle latitudes among the test plots, the breeders focused on reducing the amylose content to improve the cooking quality of the rice accessions. Yield and blast resistance were the two highest priorities during the breeding selection process. The present study evaluated the breeding process in northern China during the last decade, which may lead to new insights into the future of rice breeding.     

Screening Method for Transgenic Maize with Kanamycin Resistance

[Objective]The paper was to establish simple and effective method to screen marker gene in maize with kanamycin resistance.[Method]Using inbred line "Chang 7-2" and hybrid "Zhengdan 958" of maize as test materials,their seeds were soaked with different concentrations and volumes of kanamycin for3 and 4 d,respectively,the rate of albino seedlings and average seedling height after sowing for10 d were investigated.[Result]The rate of albino seedlings not only was related to kanamycin concentration,but also had relationship with solution volume during soaking process.The difference between inbred line and hybrid was no significant.When 100 ml of kanamycin solution with concentration of 200 mg/L was used to soak seeds for 3 d,the rate of albino seedlings basically could reach 100%.When 100 ml of kanamycin solution with concentration of 100 mg/L was used to soak 20 seeds for 3 d to carry out resistance screening,the accuracy was up to 84.8% after verifying the screening test of T1 transgenic maize plants.[Conclusion]The method was feasible,which could be used as a simple method for screening transgenic gene maize with kanamycin resistance.     

Analysis of Indica-Japonica Differentiation in Rice Parents and Derived Lines Using ILP Markers

Revealing the indica-japonica differentiation in parents of hybridization between indica and japonica rice and their derived lines can provide theoretical and practical bases for the breeding of practical inter-subspecific hybrid rice. Using subspeciesspecific molecular markers ILP （intron length polymorphism） and Cheng＇s index, the indica-japonica differentiation was analyzed with special materials including 18 indica-japonica hybrid parents and 39 derived lines, which accumulated different wide compatibility and restoring genes by convergent cross method in 21 years spanning four breeding phases. The indica-japonica differentiation was detected on all tested loci in 57 materials. Among the 18 parental lines, 4 were japonica type, 5 japonicaclinous type, 8 indicaclinous type and one indica type. The japonica proportion indexes in indica restorer lines Minghui 63 and 9308 were 12.50 and 33.33 %, respectively, while that in japonica restorer line C418 was only 31.25%. Among the 39 derived lines from indica-japonica hybridization, one was japonica type, 11 japonicaclinous type, 20 indicaclinous type and 7 indica type. The japonica proportion index in Minghui 502 was only 10.42%. The results of indica and japonica classification by ILP molecular markers and Cheng＇s index were relatively consistent. The correlation coefficient between the japonica proportion index and morphology index was 0.794＊＊, while that between the indica proportion index and morphology index was -0.7662＊＊. ILP markers could be used to accurately detect the proportion of indica/japonica content in the genome of a rice variety. The results of indica-japonica differentiation analysis could make reasonable explanation for that the hybrids obtained from indica-japonica type restorer lines had obvious heterosis. This conclusion would provide important guidance in efficient use of beneficial genes of inter-subspecific hybrid rice.     

Rapid Non-destructive Detection for Molds Colony of Paddy Rice Based on Near Infrared Spectroscopy

Near infrared spectrometer technology under a wavelength range of 918-1045 nm was used to rapidly detect paddy rice that was stored at 5℃, 15℃ and 25℃. A total of 121 paddy rice samples were collected from artificial infection with moulds to build the calibration models to calculate the total number colony of moulds based on the principal component regression method and multiple linear regression method. The results of statistical analysis indicated that multiple linear regression method was applicable to the detection of the total number colony of moulds. The correlation of calibration data set was 0.943. The correlation of prediction data set was 0.897. Therefore, the result showed that near infrared spectroscopy could be a useful instrumental method for determining the total number colony of moulds in paddy rice. The near infrared spectroscopy methodology could be applied for monitoring mould contamination in postharvest paddy rice during storage and might become a powerful tool for monitoring the safety of the grain.     

Study on Environmental Sensitivity of Variety in Rice

According to sensitivity to environment, rice varieties can be classified into a strong environmentally sensitive variety, a weak environmentally sensitive variety and an environmentally insensitive variety.The general method that was used to evaluate the environmental sensitivity (ES) of rice variety was put forward in this paper. ESs of varieties were evaluated as follows: (1)ES of indica-japonica hybird rice was more sensitive than that of japonica rice. (2)The order of ESs of japonica type varieties was medium-maturing late japonica variety ＞ early-maturing late japonica variety ＞ late-maturing medium japonica variety ＞ medium-maturing medium japonica variety. (3)There was a significant difference in ESs among varieties of the same japonica type rice, too. Some problems, such as the principles of rather late-maturing rice planted northward,were also discussed at the end of this paper.     

Temperature and solar radiation utilization of rice for yield formation with different mechanized planting methods in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River,China

Several studies have demonstrated the effect of planting methods on rice yield, but information on the climate resources is limited. This study aims to reveal the effects of planting methods on climate resources associated with rice yield in a rice-wheat rotation system in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China. Field experiments were conducted in 2014 and 2015 with two japonica, two indica hybrid, and two japonica-indica hybrid varieties grown under three mechanized planting methods: carpet seedling of mechanical transplanting(CT), mechanical direct seeding(DS), and pot-hole seedling of mechanical transplanting(PT). The rice yield and total dry matter under PT were greater than those under CT and DS methods. Besides, the entire growth duration and daily production showed significant positive relations with rice yield. Compared with CT and DS, the effective accumulated temperature and cumulative solar radiation of rice under PT were higher in phenological phases. In addition, the dry matter/effective accumulated temperature and solar energy utilization of rice under CT and DS were higher during vegetative phase and lower during reproductive and grain filling phases in contrast to PT. The mean daily temperature and mean daily solar radiation in the entire growth duration showed significant positive correlation with rice yield, total dry matter, and harvest index. This study demonstrated that when the mean daily temperature is 25.1°C in vegetative phase and 20.1°C in grain filling phase, rice yield could be increased by selecting mechanized planting methods. Most varieties under PT method exhibited high yield and climate resources use efficiency compared with CT and DS. In conclusion, the PT method could be a better cultivation measure for high rice yield, accompanied with high temperature and solar radiation use efficiency in a rice-wheat rotation system in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China.     

Changes in Nutrient-Homeostasis and Reserves Metabolism During Rice Seed Priming： Consequences for Seedling Emergence and Growth

In this study influence of different seed priming treatments on the nutrient-homeostasis and reserve metabolism during seedling emergence and growth of rice were determined. Seed priming treatments included pre-germination, hydropriming for 48 h, osmohardening with KCl and CaCl2, ascorbate priming and hardening. All treatments shortened the emergence time and enhanced the energy and index of seedling emergence. Seedlings from primed seeds had greater length, number of roots and fresh and dry mass than control. Among the treatments, CaCl2, ascorbate and KCl proved better in enhancing emergence and seedling growth. Seed priming changed the pattern of N and Ca^2＋ homeostasis both of the seeds and seedlings, which were associated to enhancing s-amylase activity and reducing sugars content. Positive correlations of seedling attributes with nutrient content suggested that as a result of seed priming, most of N and Ca^2＋ were partitioned to embryo, which enhanced seedling emergence and subsequent growth of rice seedlings.     

Identification of Cold Tolerance of Rice Germplasm Resource at Germinating Stage in Cold Region

Total 75 rice varieties （lines） in Heilongjiang Province （or cold region） as germplasm resources were identified for cold tolerance at germinating stage by controlling temperature in artificial incubator. The results showed that the shooting seed rate at the germinating stage could be used as the evaluation index of cold tolerance. The cold tolerance was recorded on 1-9 scale and could be identified by the criteria of five indexes such as highly tolerant （HT）, tolerant （T）, moderately tolerant （MT）, susceptible （S）, highly susceptible （HS）.     

Varietal Difference in Leaf Nitrogen Content and Leaf Area and Their Effects to Ripening Rate During Mature Period of japonica Rice

Employing the pot experiment of the complete random block design with 6 replications,four varieties of japonica rice (Fujisaka 5,Honenwase,Akitakomachi and Taichung 65) were used to study the varietal differences in leaf nitrogen content (LNC) and leaf area during mature period,their relation and effects to the ripening rate.The results showed that (1) thee were varietal differences in LNC at the heading stage and the LNC decrease rate during the matur period,the high LNC at the heading stage was related to the rapid LNC decrease.(2) There were two phases of the leaf area changing process during the mature period,first was the stable,and second was the decreased phase.There was varietal difference in the critical time of phase 1 and phase 2.The hign leaf area in the phase 1 was in relation to the rapid leaf area decrease in the phase 2.It was not found that there was relation between the leaf quality and quantity.(2)It wa unfavorable to the ripening rate for the high leaf area at the heading stage and the rapid decrease of the leaf area during the mature period.(4)It was put forward that the super high yield rice variety should possess the not very high leaf area and high LNC at the heading stage,slow senescence in the leaf area during the mature period.     

Performance of autoregulatory Senescence-inhibition Gene in Rice

The Performance of autoregulatory senescence - inhibition gene PSAG12 - IPT in rice has been investigated in the study. 422 transgenic plants from 134 independent resistant calli were ohmined from 4 rice varieties through Agrobacterium -mediated transformation. Among them, 233 were positive PSAG12 - IPT transgenic plants identified by GUS histochemical assay and PCR analysis.Southern analysis shorted the transgene was randomly integrated into rice genome, of which 42.29% was single copy. Investigations on photmynthesis function and agronomic characters R1 generation shorted that chlorophy Ⅱ content and photmynthesis rate of flag leaves in transgenic plants, were 41.23% and 50.24% higher than the control wild-type rice, respectively. The growth duration and plant height of the transgenic plants were similar to the control. Variations of other characters were dependent on the varieties. For the variety Millin with significant aging phenomenon in China, its total grains per hill, its seed setting rate and 1000-grain wdght were increased by 40.44%, 8.05% and 8.32% respectively. The results indicated that after leaf senesomce of varieties liable to age was delayed, the seed setting rate and the filling degree of seeds were improved, which finally resulted in significantly increased seed yield and biomass per hill. The new variety Wuyujing 2 without serious aging problem, was also increased in the panicles per hill, the totslgrains per hill, the seed yidd per hill and biomass in different degrees.