柱花草种质遗传多样性的SSR和SRAP分析

应用SSR和SRAP标记,对20份柱花草种质的遗传多样性进行研究。从113对SSR引物中筛选出41对多态性较好的引物,共扩增出229个位点,多态性比率达76.86%,平均每个引物扩增多态性位点4.29个。从224对SRAP引物中筛选出25对多态性较好的引物,共扩增出359个位点,平均每个引物扩增多态性10.72个,多态性比率达74.65%。综合SSR和SRAP两种标记对20份材料计算出的遗传相似系数(GS)为0.65~0.90,表明柱花草种质遗传多样性比较丰富;通过UPGMA聚类分析,把这20份材料聚为3个类群,其中类群Ⅰ又分为4个亚类。     

大麦亲本材料性状鉴定及多样性分析

为了给大麦育种亲本组配提供理论依据,对44个大麦亲本进行SSR标记分析并鉴定其农艺性状,结果表明,44个大麦材料的农艺性状存在不同程度差异,株高最高的为苏盐3号,最矮的为E14;SCAR-LETT的穗型较理想。SSR分析结果表明,分布于大麦1H～7H染色体的32个SSR位点有23个位点(71.88%)具有多态性。这32个位点共检测到127个等位变异,每个SSR位点能检测到1～6个,平均为3.9个。品种间遗传相似系数(GS)变幅为0.457～0.984,平均值为0.720。聚类分析表明,这32个SSR标记能将44个亲本材料相互区分开,在GS值0.610水平上可以聚为2个大类。     

中国部分优质小麦品种(系)遗传多样性的SSR分析

为明确中国优质小麦品种(系)间的遗传关系,利用21对SSR引物对75份优质小麦品种(系)进行了遗传多样性分析.结果表明,21对引物共检测到135个等位位点,每对引物等位位点数在2～13之间,平均为6.4个.位点多态性信息含量(PIC)变幅为0.49～0.90,平均为0.76.品种间遗传相似系数(GS)变幅为0.46～0.96,平均为0.66.SSR标记能将75份优质小麦品种(系)分成五大类.聚类分析结果与品种系谱来源及地域比较吻合.     

乌龙茶品种（系）遗传多样性与亲缘关系的SSR分析

利用40对具有多态性的SSR引物对我国46份乌龙茶品种（系）的遗传多样性和亲缘关系进行了研究。结果表明,40对引物在供试材料中共检测到179个等位基因,329个基因型,平均检测4.48个等位基因,8.23个基因型,平均多态性信息量（PIC）为0.52。46份供试品种（系）的基因多样性指数（H）为0.57,观测杂合度（Ho）为0.40,遗传距离为0.59。按照地理来源分组分析表明,地区间乌龙茶品种（系）的遗传多样性以广东最高,其次为福建,最低的为台湾。亲缘关系分析表明,大部分品种（系）都按照其地理来源和遗传背景进行了聚类。根据育种方式分组的分析表明,杂交选育的品种（系）遗传多样性水平较其他方式选育的品种（系）低。     

小偃6号及其衍生品种(系)遗传多样性的SSR分析

为深入了解小偃6号及其衍生品种(系)的遗传特性,为育种工作中合理利用小麦育种骨干亲本提供理论依据,利用22对SSR引物分析了小偃6号及其衍生品种(系)共54份材料的遗传多样性。在54份材料中共检测到133个等位变异,等位变异数目在3~15个之间,每个位点上平均有6.05个等位变异。22对引物多态性信息含量(PIC)变化幅度为0.2606~0.8579,平均为0.6529。54份材料间的遗传相似性系数(GS)在0.549~0.962之间,平均为0.747,表明品种间遗传差异较小。用非加权配对算术平均法UPGMA将54份材料分为四类,聚类结果较好地反映了品种(系)间的亲缘关系。     

小麦育种亲本材料遗传多样性的SSR分析

为了明确目前中国小麦育种亲本材料间的遗传关系,为育种工作提供有益信息,利用74对SSR引物对103份小麦主要亲本材料进行了遗传多样性分析,共检测出298个等位位点,每对引物等位位点数在2～14之间,平均为4.03个.位点多态信息含量(PIC)变幅为0.020～0.899,平均为0.429.品种(系)间遗传相似系数(GS)变幅为0.369～0.948,平均值为0.636.74对SSR标记能将103份小麦品种(系)分为五大类.聚类分析结果与品种系谱来源及地域比较吻合.     

大麦基因型间SSR标记的多态性及其亲缘关系分析

为了解大麦种质资源的遗传多样性,利用位于大麦7条染色体上的42对SSR引物对42个大麦种质多态性及其亲缘关系进行了分析,结果表明,42对SSR引物在42个大麦品种间均有多态性,共检测到112个等位基因,每一对引物的等位基因个数在2～5之间,平均为2.591个。42对SSR引物的多态性信息含量(PIC)变幅为0.321～0.857,平均为0.433。聚类结果表明,这些大麦基因型间的遗传相似系数分布范围较小,为0.321～0.857,在遗传相似系数值0.550水平上,这些品种聚成4大类。SSR标记揭示多数二棱啤酒大麦和多棱饲料大麦品种分别聚在不同类群中,表明其遗传距离较远,遗传基础较广泛;同一类品种(系)间的分布范围相对较近,表明其遗传基础较狭窄;大麦地方品种遗传背景相对复杂。     

SSR标记马铃薯育成品种的遗传多样性分析

分析65份马铃薯(Solanum tuberosum L.)育成品种的遗传关系,为主食化马铃薯新品种选育中亲本的选配提供理论依据。采用轮筛法从100对马铃薯SSR引物中筛选出条带清晰、重复性好、多态性较高的引物。利用筛选出的25对SSR引物对65份马铃薯品种的遗传多样性进行扩增分析,用NTSYS-pc 2.1软件分析供试材料的遗传关系。25对SSR引物共扩增出145个位点,其中多态性位点145个,占总扩增位点的100%。供试材料间的遗传相似系数为0.60～0.93,表明供试材料间遗传差异相对较大。UPGMA聚类结果表明,在遗传相似系数为0.60时,供试材料被分为两大类,‘华恩1号’单独聚为第一类,其余64份材料聚为第二类;在遗传相似系数为0.61时,第二类又分为两个亚类,‘农天1号’、‘甘谷紫’、‘天薯9号’、‘五龙洋芋’、‘天薯10号’聚为第一亚类;其余59份材料聚为第二亚类;在相似系数为0.64时,第二亚类又分为2个亚亚类:第1亚亚类为‘天薯11号’、‘青薯10号’、‘青薯6号’、‘甘谷红’和‘秦州红’,其余54份材料聚为第2亚亚类。结果表明,供试材料中部分品种间亲缘关系较远,但同一育种单位育成的品种遗传差异较小,育种中可以充分利用遗传关系较远的马铃薯品种作为亲本材料。     

甘啤系列啤酒大麦品种(系)与国外引进品种间遗传多样性的SSR分析

为了解甘啤系列啤酒大麦品种(系)与国外引进品种间的遗传关系,利用SSR标记技术对10个甘啤系列啤酒大麦品种(系)和25个国外引进品种的遗传背景进行了遗传多样性分析.结果表明,所用49对SSR引物中,有32对有多态性.这些品种遗传相似系数(GS)的分布范围较小,处于0.0500～0.6667之间.通过聚类分析,在GS值为0.26的水平上,这些品种被聚为4大类,大多数甘啤系列品种(系)分在同一类中,表明其遗传距离较近,遗传基础较狭窄;国外引进品种的分布范围相对较宽,表明其遗传基础较广泛.     

利用SSR引物分析西藏青稞种质资源的遗传多样性

为了评价西藏青稞种质资源的遗传多样性,用260对SSR引物对来自青藏高原主要农区的75份青稞育成品种、17份野生大麦、39份青稞地方品种和44份国外大麦材料的遗传多样性进行了分析.结果表明,从260对SSR引物中筛选出23对多态性高的引物,占筛选引物的8.1％.23对SSR引物在西藏野生大麦中共扩增出稳定、清晰的条带92条,多态性条带为81条,其比例为88.04％;在西藏青稞地方品种中共扩增出稳定、清晰的条带89条,多态性条带为78条,其比例为87.6％;在青稞育成品种中共扩增出稳定、清晰的条带109条,多态性条带98条,其比例为89.9％;在引进材料中共扩增出稳定、清晰的条带64条,多态性条带53条,其比例为82.8％.遗传多样性分析结果为青稞育成品种(0.9882)＞西藏野生大麦(0.8033)＞西藏青稞地方品种(0.5820)＞国外大麦材料(0.4218).聚类与主坐标分析表明,实验材料可以清楚的分为4类,西藏野生大麦分在两个类群,西藏青稞地方品种分在两个类群,引进大麦材料分在一个类群,青稞育成品种分在四个类群.同一来源地区的青稞育成品种遗传基础较为狭窄,不同地区间的青稞育成品种遗传差异较大.以上结果说明,在西藏青稞新品种选育和遗传改良中,在发掘和利用西藏野生大麦资源、西藏青稞地方品种资源的同时,更应该加强不同地区青稞育成品种资源的交换和配合使用.     

Comparative Assessment of the Efficacy of Various Nitrogen Fertilizers

Summary

The efficiency of N fertilizers is usually poor; often less than 50% of the applied N is taken up by the crop. This review focuses on various N fertilizers with respect to the significance of different N loss pathways, namely (i) ammonia volatilization, (ii) dinitrogen and nitrogen oxide emissions, and (iii) nitrate leaching. Further, the significance of biological N immobilization, ammonium fixation and, finally, the impact of nitrate vs. ammonium uptake on crop yield are also discussed. The reviewed literature shows that N fertilizers may differ markedly in their susceptibility to losses. There is, however, considerable scope to improve N efficiency of each N source by proper N management practices.     

Studies on natural repellents against potato tuber moth (Phthorimaea operculella Zeller) in country stores

Summary The effects of the leaves of five plant species, one from each of the generaAmbrosia, Anemone, Eupatorium, Eucalyptus andLantana, on potato tuber moth were investigated under indigenous storage conditions at the Central Potato Research Station, Shillong (1800 m above sea level). Their action was compared with that of a biological insecticide (spores ofBacillus thuringiensis), a chemical insecticide (carbaryl), and an untreated control. The data collected after six months storage on tuber damage, sprout damage and the rotting indicated that the leaves ofLantana aculeata provided most protection to the tubers, reducing damage from over 70% in the check to below 5%, and sprout damage from over 45% to below 3%. Next best wasEucalyptus globulus followed byB. thuringiensis. They may be used on tubers stored for table use or for seed as they had no adverse effect on germination or on the yield of a subsequent crop.     

Novel food and non-food uses for sorghum and millets

Sorghum and millets have considerable potential in foods and beverages. As they are gluten-free they are suitable for coeliacs. Sorghum is also a potentially important source of nutraceuticals such antioxidant phenolics and cholesterol-lowering waxes. Cakes, cookies, pasta, a parboiled rice-like product and snack foods have been successfully produced from sorghum and, in some cases, millets. Wheat-free sorghum or millet bread remains the main challenge. Additives such as native and pre-gelatinised starches, hydrocolloids, fat, egg and rye pentosans improve bread quality. However, specific volumes are lower than those for wheat bread or gluten-free breads based on pure starches, and in many cases, breads tend to stale faster. Lager and stout beers with sorghum are brewed commercially. Sorghum's high-starch gelatinisation temperature and low beta-amylase activity remain problems with regard to complete substitution of barley malt with sorghum malt . The role of the sorghum endosperm matrix protein and cell wall components in limiting extract is a research focus. Brewing with millets is still at an experimental stage. Sorghum could be important for bioethanol and other bio-industrial products. Bioethanol research has focused on improving the economics of the process through cultivar selection, method development for low-quality grain and pre-processing to recover valuable by-products. Potential by-products such as the kafirin prolamin proteins and the pericarp wax have potential as bioplastic films and coatings for foods, primarily due to their hydrophobicity.     

In vitro antimicrobial activity of different accessions ofSolanum commersonii Dun. from Uruguay

Summary The in vitro antimicrobial activity of extracts from accessions ofSolanum commersonii Dun. collected in the south of Uruguay was investigated against five microorganisms including the pathogenRalstonia solanacearum. A total of 30 extracts corresponding to organic and aqueous extracts were studied. Interestingly, most of the positive results for growth inhibition were againstR. solanacearum. The extracts were also analyzed for the presence of glycoalkaloids and lectins. Six of the ten aqueous extracts showed lectin presence and a wide variation in the type and amounts of glycoalkaloids, was found. Results indicate that there is no clear relationship between the antimicrobial activity against the five microorganisms screened and the presence or amounts of lectins and glycoalkaloids, traditionally regarded as possible antimicrobial metabolites in theSolanum genus, which indicates the presence of as yet unidentified antimicrobial compounds.     

Extreme resistance to infection by potato virus X in genotypes of wild tuber-bearingSolanum species

Summary Clones derived from thirty-one different accessions (nineteen of Argentine origin) belonging to eightSolanum species were screened for resistance to infection by potato virus X strain cp (PVX cp) by mechanical inoculation of plantlets that had been micropropagated in vitro. Estimates of PVX multiplication obtained by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and slot blot nucleic acid hybridization allowed the identification of resistant clones derived from five accessions belonging toS. commersonii S. oplocense, S. sparsipilum andS. tuberosum andigena. Resistant genotypes supported PVX concentrations 5 to 15 times smaller than did the susceptible control cultivar Spunta. Graft inoculation test confirmed the presence of extreme resistance similar to that conferred by the ‘immunity’ gene X¹ (also called RX_act).     

Cyanobacteria Secondary Metabolites as Biotechnological Ingredients in Natural Anti-Aging Cosmetics: Potential to Overcome Hyperpigmentation,Loss of Skin Density and UV Radiation-Deleterious Effects

The loss of density and elasticity, the appearance of wrinkles and hyperpigmentation are among the first noticeable signs of skin aging. Beyond UV radiation and oxidative stress, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) assume a preponderant role in the process, since their deregulation results in the degradation of most extracellular matrix components. In this survey, four cyanobacteria strains were explored for their capacity to produce secondary metabolites with biotechnological potential for use in anti-aging formulations. Leptolyngbya boryana LEGE 15486 and Cephalothrix lacustris LEGE 15493 from freshwater ecosystems, and Leptolyngbya cf. ectocarpi LEGE 11479 and Nodosilinea nodulosa LEGE 06104 from marine habitats were sequentially extracted with acetone and water, and extracts were analyzed for their toxicity in cell lines with key roles in the skin context (HaCAT, 3T3L1, and hCMEC). The non-toxic extracts were chemically characterized in terms of proteins, carotenoids, phenols, and chlorophyll a, and their anti-aging potential was explored through their ability to scavenge the physiological free radical superoxide anion radical (O₂^•−), to reduce the activity of the MMPs elastase and hyaluronidase, to inhibit tyrosinase and thus avoid melanin production, and to block UV-B radiation (sun protection factor, SPF). Leptolyngbya species stood out for anti-aging purposes: L. boryana LEGE 15486 presented a remarkable SPF of 19 (at 200 µg/mL), being among the best species regarding O₂^•− scavenging, (IC₅₀ = 99.50 µg/mL) and also being able to inhibit tyrosinase (IC₂₅ = 784 µg/mL), proving to be promising against UV-induced skin-aging; L. ectocarpi LEGE 11479 was more efficient in inhibiting MMPs (hyaluronidase, IC₅₀ = 863 µg/mL; elastase, IC₅₀ = 391 µg/mL), thus being the choice to retard dermal density loss. Principal component analysis (PCA) of the data allowed the grouping of extracts into three groups, according to their chemical composition; the correlation of carotenoids and chlorophyll a with MMPs activity (p < 0.01), O₂^•− scavenging with phenolic compounds (p < 0.01), and phycocyanin and allophycocyanin with SPF, pointing to these compounds in particular as responsible for UV-B blockage. This original survey explores, for the first time, the biotechnological potential of these cyanobacteria strains in the field of skin aging, demonstrating the promising, innovative, and multifactorial nature of these microorganisms.     

Marine Pharmacology in 2009–2011: Marine Compounds with Antibacterial,Antidiabetic, Antifungal,Anti-Inflammatory,Antiprotozoal, Antituberculosis,and Antiviral Activities; Affecting the Immune and Nervous Systems,and other Miscellaneous Mechanisms of Action ?

The peer-reviewed marine pharmacology literature from 2009 to 2011 is presented in this review, following the format used in the 1998–2008 reviews of this series. The pharmacology of structurally-characterized compounds isolated from marine animals, algae, fungi and bacteria is discussed in a comprehensive manner. Antibacterial, antifungal, antiprotozoal, antituberculosis, and antiviral pharmacological activities were reported for 102 marine natural products. Additionally, 60 marine compounds were observed to affect the immune and nervous system as well as possess antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory effects. Finally, 68 marine metabolites were shown to interact with a variety of receptors and molecular targets, and thus will probably contribute to multiple pharmacological classes upon further mechanism of action studies. Marine pharmacology during 2009–2011 remained a global enterprise, with researchers from 35 countries, and the United States, contributing to the preclinical pharmacology of 262 marine compounds which are part of the preclinical pharmaceutical pipeline. Continued pharmacological research with marine natural products will contribute to enhance the marine pharmaceutical clinical pipeline, which in 2013 consisted of 17 marine natural products, analogs or derivatives targeting a limited number of disease categories.     

Recent Modifications of Chitosan for Adsorption Applications: A Critical and Systematic Review

Chitosan is considered to be one of the most promising and applicable materials in adsorption applications. The existence of amino and hydroxyl groups in its molecules contributes to many possible adsorption interactions between chitosan and pollutants (dyes, metals, ions, phenols, pharmaceuticals/drugs, pesticides, herbicides, etc.). These functional groups can help in establishing positions for modification. Based on the learning from previously published works in literature, researchers have achieved a modification of chitosan with a number of different functional groups. This work summarizes the published works of the last three years (2012–2014) regarding the modification reactions of chitosans (grafting, cross-linking, etc.) and their application to adsorption of different environmental pollutants (in liquid-phase).