Oxygen use from solution by wheat genotypes differing in tolerance to waterlogging

Inadequate availability of oxygen to theroots is a major growth-limiting factor forplants exposed to waterlogging stress. Spring bread wheat genotypes (Triticumaestivum L.) have been found to differ intheir tolerance to waterlogging. Threespring wheat genotypes tolerant towaterlogging (Ducula, Prl/Sara, andVee/Myna) and two sensitive spring wheatgenotypes (Seri-82, and Kite/Glen) wereevaluated for differences in root anatomyand O₂ depletion rates from nutrientsolution in growth chamber experimentsconducted under both aerobic and hypoxicconditions. Plants in the aerobictreatment were grown for four to five weeksunder continuous aerobic conditions. Plantsin the hypoxic treatment were initiallygrown aerobically for two to three weeksfollowed by two to three weeks of hypoxicconditions. The percent root porosityranged from 12 to 20% (v/v) for tolerantgenotypes and from 6 to 8% for sensitivegenotypes grown under hypoxic conditions.Decreasing O₂ supply increased therate of O₂ uptake in waterloggingtolerant cultivars. Anatomical differencesin root structure between tolerant andsensitive genotypes could not be related toobserved differences in O₂ use. Although inconclusive, the results suggestthat in addition to oxygen transport, themovement of photosynthate to the rootsunder waterlogged conditions may also beimportant in conferring tolerance.     

Differential root responses in two cultivars of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to elevated ozone concentration under fully open‐air field conditions

The effect of elevated tropospheric ozone concentration [O₃] on root processes in wheat systems of different O₃ sensitivity is not well understood. Two wheat cultivars (cv. Y15 and YN19) with contrasting O₃ tolerance were grown in a fully open‐air O₃ enrichment platform for one season. We found that elevated O₃ (EO₃) (50% above the ambient O₃) significantly decreased the total biomass at all key growth stages and the yield of the O₃‐sensitive cultivar YN19 but did not affect those of the O₃‐tolerant cultivar Y15. EO₃ significantly decreased the root biomass of two wheat cultivars at the jointing and grain‐filling stages. EO₃ significantly decreased the root length, length density, surface area and volume of the two cultivars at the jointing stage but increased those of YN19 at the grain‐filling stage. EO₃ significantly increased the root activities (specific root respiration rates) of Y15 and YN19 at the jointing, heading and grain‐filling stages. EO₃ significantly decreased the contribution of fresh root respiration to soil respiration (CRS) of YN19 at the jointing stage but increased it at the heading stage; however, it did not change the CRS of Y15 at any growth stages. This study indicates that the effects of EO₃ on root morphology and activity varied among wheat cultivars, and suggest that we can breed O₃‐tolerant cultivars to maintain crop yield under higher [O₃] scenarios.     

氮素对花铃期短期渍水棉花根系生长的影响

于2005—2006年在江苏南京农业大学卫岗试验站进行盆栽试验,设置正常灌水(土壤含水量为田间持水量的75%左右)和棉花花铃期土壤短期渍水处理(将正常灌水的棉花增加灌水至盆内有可见明水,持续8 d,然后用导管排除表面水层,使盆内土壤含水量逐渐恢复到田间持水量的75%左右),每个水分处理设置3个氮素水平(0、3.73、7.46 g N pot^-1,分别相当于大田0、240、480 kg N hm^-2),研究氮素对花铃期短期渍水棉花根系生长的影响。结果表明,在渍水处理结束时,与正常灌水处理相比,根干重和根冠比(R∶S)均降低;根系可溶性蛋白含量、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)和过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性降低,过氧化物酶(POD)活性升高,丙二醛(MDA)含量升高;棉花根系活力和单株光合速率(CAP)显著降低。增加施氮可降低渍水棉花根系SOD活性,提高POD和CAT活性,以3.73 g N pot^-1(240 kg N hm^-2)施氮水平下的棉花根干物重最大,根系MDA含量最低,根系活力最强,单株光合速率(CAP)最高,相应籽棉产量最高。渍水停止15 d后,渍水棉花根系抗氧化酶活性和MDA含量与正常灌水处理的差异较小;施氮仍可提高棉花根系POD与CAT活性,降低MDA含量,增强根系活力,提高CAP。     

氮素对花铃期短期渍水棉花根系生长的影响

于2005—2006年在江苏南京农业大学卫岗试验站进行盆栽试验,设置正常灌水(土壤含水量为田间持水量的75%左右)和棉花花铃期土壤短期渍水处理(将正常灌水的棉花增加灌水至盆内有可见明水,持续8 d,然后用导管排除表面水层,使盆内土壤含水量逐渐恢复到田间持水量的75%左右),每个水分处理设置3个氮素水平(0、3.73、7.46 g N pot^-1,分别相当于大田0、240、480 kg N hm^-2),研究氮素对花铃期短期渍水棉花根系生长的影响。结果表明,在渍水处理结束时,与正常灌水处理相比,根干重和根冠比(R∶S)均降低;根系可溶性蛋白含量、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)和过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性降低,过氧化物酶(POD)活性升高,丙二醛(MDA)含量升高;棉花根系活力和单株光合速率(CAP)显著降低。增加施氮可降低渍水棉花根系SOD活性,提高POD和CAT活性,以3.73 g N pot^-1(240 kg N hm^-2)施氮水平下的棉花根干物重最大,根系MDA含量最低,根系活力最强,单株光合速率(CAP)最高,相应籽棉产量最高。渍水停止15 d后,渍水棉花根系抗氧化酶活性和MDA含量与正常灌水处理的差异较小;施氮仍可提高棉花根系POD与CAT活性,降低MDA含量,增强根系活力,提高CAP。     

Interactions amongst Mycorrhiza,Azotobacter chroococcum and Root Characteristics of Wheat Varieties

A field experiment was conducted in a randomized block design with three replications over 2 years to evaluate the effect of wheat cultivar and dual inoculation of Azotobacter chroococcum (Azc) and arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF, Glomus fasciculatum) on root characters and AMF infection in three crosses of wheat. The experimental material comprised four wheat parents, WH‐147, WH‐157, WH‐542 and PBW‐175, and three F₁ crosses, WH‐147 ×WH‐157, WH‐147 × WH‐542 and WH‐147 × PBW‐175. Comparison of treatment averages, i.e. control (mineral nutrients 60 kg N + 30 kg P₂O₅ + 12.5 kg ZnSO₄ ha^?1, as in other two treatments), AMF and AMF + Azc, revealed that inoculation of Azc led to an increase in AMF infection in roots. Maximum root biomass was obtained in F₁ hybrids WH‐147 × WH‐157 in the AMF treatment and in WH‐147 × PBW‐175 receiving AMF + Azc. Total root length and AMF infection of roots was maximum in WH‐147 × PBW‐175 for all the treatments during both years. A positive association between AMF infection in roots and Azotobacter survival in the rhizosphere was apparent. Similarly, maximum A. chroococcum counts were observed 80 and 120 days after sowing in the AMF + Azc treatment in cross WH147 × PBW175.     

Waterlogging tolerance of pea at germination

Peas (Pisum sativum L.) are exposed to waterlogging at germination when grown as relay in rice‐based cropping. Ninety‐one germplasm accessions were evaluated in relay (sown in waterlogged soil), and subsequently 10 diverse genotypes compared under relay and sole cropping (conventional tillage sowing) over two seasons in Bangladesh. Contrasting genotypes, BM‐3, NL‐2 and Kaspa, were further evaluated in three waterlogging treatments (drained control, 4 and 8 days waterlogging) in the glasshouse. Conspicuous variation in waterlogging tolerance at germination was observed in the field and confirmed under controlled conditions. In relay sowing in 2011, emergence of a few genotypes was affected by waterlogging. In 2012, emergence in relay was severely affected (12 plants/m²) compared to sole sowing (37 plants/m²). Among genotypes BM‐3 had 6 plants/m² emerge, which all subsequently died, in contrast to NL‐2 in which emergence was 13 plants/m² with all plants surviving. In the glasshouse, there was 14% emergence in BM‐3, 40% in NL‐2 and 55% in Kaspa after 8 days of waterlogging. Such marked differences in waterlogging tolerance at germination in the model pea are the first reported and illustrate prospects for selection to improve adaptation to relay sowing in South Asia.     

Nitrogen Partitioning in Entire Plants of Different Spring Wheat Cultivars

The aim of this study was to investigate nitrogen partitioning in entire plants, including roots, of spring wheat in two temperature regimes during grain filling. Six cultivars, genetically different and with varying grain protein concentration, were grown in solution culture to full maturity. After anthesis, half the plants were grown in high temperature (23/17 °C, day/night) and half in low temperature (18/12 °C). Root nitrogen concentration was genetically influenced. The roots had ability to redistribute nitrogen to aboveground plant parts. At maturity the roots contained 10–20 % of the total nitrogen amount in the plants. Harvest index (HI) and harvest index for the entire plant (HI_tot) for cv. Heta were significantly higher at low temperature than at high. Cv. Heta had a rapid development rate from planting to maturity. Due to slow senescence at low temperature, cv. Kärn II showed lower HI and nitrogen harvest index (NHI) at low, compared with high, temperature. Cvs Kärn II and Sport showed higher nitrogen amount in the roots and shoots at low, compared with high, temperature. A negative correlation was found between NHI and NHI_tot vs. root weight, total shoot weight and root N amount. Because of the latter correlation, breeding for low root N concentration is suggested.     

剪根与水分胁迫对小麦单根和细胞导水率及TaPIP基因表达的影响

剪去小麦部分根系能瞬间打破其水分平衡,研究根系导水特性对剪根的响应有助于解释静水压对作物根系吸水的调节机制。通过对苗期小麦(Triticum aestivum)剪根与水分胁迫处理,用压力探针技术测定单根和细胞两种尺度上的根导水特性变化,以及根中TaPIP1;2和TaPIP2;5的转录调节变化。结果显示,剪根处理或水分胁迫处理使叶片蒸腾速率和气孔导度均显著低于对照,而单根导水率和细胞导水率均与对照无显著差异。剪根处理的叶片蒸腾速率、气孔导度、叶水势、单根导水率和细胞导水率均显著高于水分胁迫处理,而剪根且水分胁迫处理的各参数均显著低于其他处理。各处理的单根导水率与细胞导水率显著正相关。各处理根中TaPIP1;2和TaPIP2;5相对mRNA含量的变化规律与单根和细胞导水率的变化规律相似。剪根处理显著上调了TaPIP1;2和TaPIP2;5转录,水分胁迫处理显著下调了其转录,但TaPIP1;2和TaPIP2;5在剪根且水分胁迫处理中的转录水平最低。这些结果表明,小麦的根导水特性在单根尺度和细胞尺度上具有一致性;剪根短期内能够增加小麦幼苗的水分敏感性。推测TaPIP1;2和TaPIP2;5参与了静水压对小麦根导水特性的调节过程。     

Selection of wheat genotypes for biomass allocation to improve drought tolerance and carbon sequestration into soils

The biomass allocation pattern of plants to shoots and roots is a key in the cycle of elements such as carbon, water and nutrients with, for instance, the greatest allocations to roots fostering the transfer of atmospheric carbon to soils through photosynthesis. Several studies have investigated the root to shoot ratio (R:S) biomass of existing crops but variation within a crop species constitutes an important information gap for selecting genotypes aiming for increasing soil carbon stocks for climate change mitigation and food security. The objectives of this study were to evaluate agronomic performance and quantify biomass production and allocation between roots and shoots, in response to different soil water levels to select promising genotypes for breeding. Field and greenhouse experiments were carried out using 100 genotypes including wheat and Triticale under drought‐stressed and non‐stressed conditions. The experiments were set‐up using a 10 × 10 alpha lattice design with two replications under water stress and non‐stress conditions. The following phenotypic traits were collected: number of days to heading (DTH), number of productive tillers per plant (NPT), plant height (PH), days to maturity (DTM), spike length (SL), kernels per spike (KPS), thousand kernel weight (TKW), root biomass (RB), shoot biomass (SB), root to shoot ratio (R:S) and grain yield (GY). There was significant (p < 0.05) variation for grain yield and biomass production because of genotypic variation. The highest grain yield of 247.3 g/m² was recorded in the genotype LM52 and the least was in genotype Sossognon with 30 g/m². Shoot biomass ranged from 830 g/m² (genotype Arenza) to 437 g/m² (LM57), whilst root biomass ranged between 603 g/m² for Triticale and 140 g/m² for LM15 across testing sites and water regimes. Triticale also recorded the highest R:S of 1.2, whilst the least was 0.30 for wheat genotype LM18. Overall, drought stress reduced total biomass production by 35% and R:S by 14%. Genotypic variation existed for all measured traits useful for improving drought tolerance, whilst the calculated R:S values can improve accuracy in estimating C sequestration potential of wheat. Wheat genotypes LM26, LM47, BW140, LM70, LM48, BW152, LM75, BW162, LM71 and BW141 were selected for further development based on their high total biomass production, grain yield potential and genetic diversity under drought stress.     

Inheritance of waterlogging tolerance in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)

Flooding of vegetable crop fields along the Yangtze River basin in China has been an annual occurrence; therefore the cultivation of tolerant varieties has become one of the most promising control strategies. Our objective was to investigate the inheritance of waterlogging tolerance of cucumber at the early stage of growth with two cucumber parents consisting of PW0832 (tolerant) and PW0801 (susceptible). In 2006, 4-weeks-old potted plants of P₁, P₂, F₁, F₂, B₁ and B₂ generations were subjected to one week waterlogged stress, control plants were not flooded. The simple additive model explained the variations of tolerance score (TOL) adventitious root formation (ARF) and waterlogged root dry weight (RDW) while the additive-dominance model explained the control treatment of RDW. Non-allelic interactions were detected for waterlogged vine length (VLH) and root length (RLH). Complementary epistasis occurred in waterlogged VLH while additive × additive, additive × dominance and dominance × dominance epistastic effects were significant for waterlogged RLH. Transgressive segregation was also observed in most of the traits in the F₂ generation indicating some alleles are dispersed in the parents used in this study. The estimates of narrow-sense heritabilities for TOL and ARF were moderately high. Backcross of F₁ to both parents in ARF, waterlogged SDW and waterlogged RDW showed good convergence of genes in the B₂. These results suggest that it should be possible to develop varieties with high levels of tolerance by selecting transgressive segregants in this cross.     

Deep Roots are Pivotal for Regulating Post‐Anthesis Leaf Senescence in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Root activity plays a dominant role in grain filling in cereal crops. However, the importance of deep roots for regulating post‐anthesis leaf senescence is not clearly understood in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). In this study, we used ³²P tracing to estimate the difference in wheat root activity at soil depths of 30 and 70 cm and the root restriction method to investigate the effects of vertical distribution of deep roots on leaf senescence, with non‐restricted plants as controls. Recovery of radioactive ³²P indicated that deep roots had significantly higher activity than upper roots in wheat. Root restriction at a soil depth of 50 cm caused significant decreases in the activities of superoxide dismutase (EC 1.15.1.1), peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.7), catalase (EC 1.11.1.6) and ascorbate peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.11) at 16 days after anthesis and thereafter resulting in an increase in malondialdehyde. As a result, chlorophyll levels and net photosynthesis decreased. Ultimately, the root‐restricted wheat produced a significantly lower grain yield than the non‐restricted controls. These data suggest that deep roots are pivotal for regulating plant senescence, duration of grain filling, and yield formation.     

Waterlogging Affects Leaf and Tillering Dynamics in Wheat and Barley

The aim of this study was to analyse (i) the crop attributes that determine flowering time (i.e. final leaf number, FLN; and phyllochron, Phy), (ii) the dynamics of tiller appearance and (iii) the synchrony between leaf and tiller appearance in wheat and barley plants exposed to waterlogging. Two experiments were carried out in pots, in which wheat and barley cultivars were exposed to five waterlogging treatments, during different periods throughout the crop cycle, from emergence to maturity. The appearance of leaves and tillers on the main stem was measured twice a week in labelled plants. Waterlogging from emergence to flag leaf appearance significantly delayed time to flowering. The delay was greater when waterlogging occurred at the beginning of tillering, lengthening the period from emergence to flowering 24 % (13–15 days) in barley and 10–15 % (6–10 days) in wheat, as compared to control. Phy was the main attribute explaining the delay in flowering, as FLN was not altered. Waterlogging during the early stages of development reduced tiller appearance rate (TAR) in both species, but this effect was partially counterbalanced by a lengthening of the tillering phase, so the effect on final tiller number at maturity was limited. In conclusion, the exposure of wheat and barley to waterlogging during early stages of development delayed time to flowering and reduce TAR in both species. Waterlogging during more advanced crop stages produced slight effects on tillering dynamics, which would indicate that waterlogging affected structure generation more than mortality.     

Leaf carbohydrates assimilation and metabolism affect seed yield of rapeseed with different waterlogging tolerance under the interactive effects of nitrogen and waterlogging

Waterlogging is a main factor causing rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) yield loss, and reasonable nitrogen (N) applications can compensate for this loss. To investigate the effects of N rates on seed yield of waterlogged rapeseed, the waterlogging-tolerant rapeseed variety ZS 9 and sensitive variety GH01 were waterlogged for 0 and 10 days with five leaves at the seedling stage under four N rates (0, 90, 180 and 270 kg/ha). Waterlogging significantly decreased seed yield, while N application can alleviate the yield loss. The yield decrease rate of waterlogged GH01 was greater than that of ZS 9 under the same N rate. During the seedling and bolting stage, the leaf photosynthetic rate (Pn) and ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) activity increased, while activities of adenosine diphosphate glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase), sucrose synthase (SuSy) and sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) decreased with more N under the same watering conditions. Compared to the plants without waterlogging, the leaf Pn and Rubisco activity, starch and sucrose contents of waterlogged rapeseed decreased at the two stages; activities of AGPase, SuSy and SPS of waterlogged rapeseed decreased at the seedling while increased at the bolting stage for both the two varieties. At the flowering stage, the Pn, the activities of Rubisco, AGPase, SuSy, SPS and contents of sucrose, starch increased with more N application for both ZS 9 and GH01. Compared to the plants without waterlogging, the Pn and Rubisco activity for waterlogged plants of the two varieties increased; the waterlogged plants of tolerant variety had higher activities of AGPase, SuSy and SPS, while those of sensitive variety was significantly lower. However, the decreased starch and sucrose content were found in both tolerant and sensitive varieties. The activities of AGPase, SuSy and SPS at flowering were highly positively correlated with yield under the interactive effects of N and waterlogging. These results suggested that the flowering stage is the most important stage that N had the positive regulation on waterlogged rapeseed growth. The carbohydrates translocation from leaves to seeds of the tolerant variety were enhanced after waterlogging, while that of the sensitive variety was still inhibited. This was the main reason for the difference in yield between the two waterlogged varieties.     

Incorporation of Crotalaria spectabilis Grown at a High Seeding Rate Inhibits the Growth of the Succeeding Wheat Crop

The effect of the seeding rate of Crotalaria spectabilis grown as green manure on the growth and nitrogen uptake of the succeeding wheat crop was examined in a pot experiment. No significant differences in the dry weight (g m^?2) or nitrogen content (mg m^?2) of C. spectabilis among three seeding rates [low density (LD), 1 g m^?2; medium density (MD), 5 g m^?2 and high density (HD), 10 g m^?2] were found at 110 days after seeding. There was no significant difference in the total carbon and nitrogen contents of the incorporated material between LD plants and MD plants, values for which were both slightly higher than those for the HD plants. The C/N ratio was 20–21 in all groups of plants. Material was incorporated at a rate of 100 g fresh weight per pot filled with virgin soil. This incorporation significantly increased wheat dry weight and nitrogen uptake. However, values for HD plant incorporation were significantly lower than those for LD and MD plant incorporation at 80 and 120 days after seeding. A reduction of the dry weight and total root length of wheat grown with aqueous extracts of HD plants was found in a growth pouch experiment.     

Exogenous 6‐benzyladenine improves antioxidative system and carbon metabolism of summer maize waterlogged in the field

A field experiment was performed to study the effects of spraying exogenous 6‐benzyladenine (6‐BA) after waterlogging for 6 days at the third leaf stage and the sixth leaf stage on the activities of key enzymes in carbon metabolism, leaf gas exchange parameters, fluorescent characteristic, antioxidant enzymes activities and MDA content of summer maize hybrids Denghai605 (DH605) and Zhengdan958 (ZD958), in order to illuminate the regulations of exogenous spraying 6‐BA to antioxidative system and carbon metabolism of waterlogged summer maize. Results showed that exogenous application of 6‐BA effectively alleviated the adverse effects of waterlogging on carbon metabolism by improving photosynthetic characteristics and the activities of RuBPCase (in the range of 48%–81%) and PEPCase (in the range of 14%–46%). Treatments with spraying exogenous 6‐BA resulted in significant and substantial increases in net photosynthetic rate (around 49%) and Φ_PSII (around 16%) compared to those of waterlogging treatments. In addition, spraying 6‐BA effectively alleviated waterlogging damages on antioxidative enzyme activity and decreased MDA content, delaying leaf senescence, resulted in significant and substantial (around 19%) increases in grain yield. Visibly, spraying exogenous 6‐BA effectively alleviated waterlogging damages on antioxidative system and carbon metabolism of summer maize, resulting in yield increase in waterlogged maize.     

Waterlogging differentially affects yield and its components in wheat,barley, rapeseed and field pea depending on the timing of occurrence

Waterlogging on croplands is increasing in various areas of the world. This study evaluated the yield penalty by early and late waterlogging on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) and field pea (Pisum sativum L.). Plants cultivated outdoors were exposed to a 14-day waterlogging during vegetative (at 65 days after sowing (DAS)) or reproductive (at 85/87 DAS) stages, followed by drained conditions until maturity. Yield (seed weight per plant) and its components (number of spikes/siliques/pods per plant, number of grains per spike/silique/pod and 1,000 grain weight) were assessed at maturity, along with morphological (number of tillers/branches) and shoot and root dry weight responses after waterlogging and during recovery. Wheat was the most tolerant species achieving 86% and 71% of controls in yield with early and late waterlogging, related to fewer grains per spike. Barley and rapeseed tolerated early waterlogging (yields 85% and 79% of controls) as compared to late waterlogging (32% and 26% of controls), mainly due to fewer spikes per plant (barley) or reductions in seeds per silique (rapeseed). Field pea was greatly affected by waterlogging at both timings, attaining a yield of only 6% of controls on average due to much fewer pods and fewer seeds per pod. So, wheat could be an option for areas facing either winter or spring transient waterlogging (i.e. early or late stages); barley and rapeseed are recommended only with if water excess occurs in early stages and field pea is intolerant to waterlogging.     

不同基因型小麦初生根和次生根生长及生理差异

通过盆载和管栽小麦试验分析，总根系１初生根和次生根的生长及根中呼吸存在基因型差异。早硎一根前期发育快，后期衰退也快；晚熟基因型则相反，但极量的多少并不直接影响产量。     

Effect of Deep Placement of N Fertilizers and Different Inoculation Methods of Bradyrhizobia on Growth,N2 Fixation Activity and N Absorption Rate of Field‐grown Soybean Plants

The effects of deep placement (supplied at 20 cm depth from soil surface below plants) of 100 kg N ha^?1 of N fertilizers, urea, coated urea or calcium cyanamide (lime nitrogen) on the growth, nitrogen fixation activity, nitrogen absorption rate and seed yield of soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) plants were examined by comparing them with control plots without deep placement of N fertilizer in sandy dune field. In addition, three different inoculation methods of bradyrhizobia were used for each N treatment: (1) transplantation of 10‐day‐old seedling in a paper pot with vermiculite inoculated with Bradyrhizobium japonicum USDA110, (2) direct transplantation of inoculated 10‐day‐old seedlings, and (3) transplantation of 10‐day‐old seedlings in a non‐inoculated paper pot. The deep placement of N fertilizers, especially calcium cyanamide and coated urea, markedly increased the growth and total N accumulation in shoot, roots and nodules, which resulted in an increase in seed yield. Daily N₂ fixation activity and N absorption rate were estimated by relative abundance of ureide‐N analysed from the concentration of N constituents (ureide‐N, amide‐N and nitrate‐N) in root bleeding xylem sap and increase in total N accumulation in whole plants at R1, R3, R5 and R7 stages. The total amount of N₂ fixation was about 50 % higher in the plants with calcium cyanamide and coated urea deep placements compared with control plants. Deep placement of slow release fertilizers kept nodule dry weight higher in the maturing stage of seed, possibly through abundant supply of photoassimilate to the nodules by supporting leaf area and activity until late reproductive stages. The results indicate that deep placement of calcium cyanamide or coated urea enhances N₂ fixation activity, which ultimately increases the seed yield. The promotive effect was observed with the seedlings transplanted in paper pot with inoculum of bradyrhizobia within any treatments, although nodulation by indigenous rhizobia was observed in the plants transplanted with non‐inoculated paper pot.     

Root-mediated Allelopathic Interference of Nettle-leaved Goosefoot (Chenopodium murale) on Wheat (Triticum aestivum)

A study was conducted to determine the potential and nature of root‐mediated allelopathic interference of Chenopodium murale on wheat. Early growth of wheat reduced significantly in agar medium where C. murale seedlings were previously growing as well as in rhizosphere soil of C. murale. The reduction in wheat growth was due to the presence of inhibitory metabolites released by roots of C. murale in the growth media. Even the soil incorporation of root residues also reduced the wheat growth in terms of seedling length and seedling dry weight. Only a partial amelioration in growth inhibition occurred upon charcoal supplementation or nitrogen fertilization in these amended soils. Root residues did not reduce the available nutrients in the soil, which was rather nutrient rich. These results indicated the definite role of allelopathy of C. murale roots in retarding wheat growth. Root amended soils contained significantly higher amount of phytotoxic phenolics as the putative allelochemicals, which were ferulic acid, vanillic acid, p‐coumaric acid and benzoic acid. The study concluded that C. murale roots and their exudates exerted allelopathic effects on wheat by releasing water‐soluble phenolic acids as putative allelochemicals in soil.     

Spermidine Enhances Waterlogging Tolerance via Regulation of Antioxidant Defence,Heat Shock Protein Expression and Plasma Membrane H+‐ATPase Activity in Zea mays

Polyamines (PAs) are ubiquitous biogenic amines that play important roles in the environmental stress tolerance of crops. However, the relationship between PAs and plant waterlogging (WL) tolerance has received little attention. In this study, the protective effects of spermidine (Spd) against WL stress were investigated by Zea mays. WL treatment inhibited root growth and caused a significant increase in lipid peroxidation, membrane permeability and DNA damage in maize roots. Pre‐soaking seeds with Spd markedly alleviated these effects caused by WL. Spd pre‐soaking also significantly increased the endogenous Spd content in both control and waterlogged maize roots. In addition, the activity of antioxidant enzymes (catalase, CAT; glutathione reductase, GR; superoxide dismutase, SOD; peroxidase, POD) was enhanced in Spd‐pre‐soaked maize roots under WL stress. Thus, hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and superoxide‐radical () accumulation were reduced. Spd treatment also enhances the expression and protein abundance of heat shock protein (HSP) 70 and 90 during the period of WL stress. Furthermore, Spd pre‐soaking reversed the inhibition effect of WL on H⁺ efflux and K⁺ influx in maize roots. The PM H⁺‐ATPase activity in Spd‐pre‐treated seedlings exhibited less inhibitory under WL conditions. In conclusion, this study suggests that WL stress could be alleviated by priming seeds with Spd in maize species. This alleviative effect was partially attributable to (i) up‐regulated activity of antioxidant enzymes; (ii) maintained PM H⁺‐ATPase activity; and (iii) increased Hsp70 and Hsp90 gene expression and protein abundance.