Genistein and Daidzein Concentrations and Contents in Seedling Roots of Three Soybean Cultivars Grown under Three Root Zone Temperatures

Daidzein and genistein are plant-to-bacterium signal compounds involved in soybean nodule formation. They can induce nod gens expression in Bradyrhizobium japonicum. The objective of this study was to determine whether the production of signal molecules was affected by low root zone temperatures (RZTs) in a manner that varied among soybean cultivars. Daidzein and genistein concentrations of soybean seedling roots were measured at three RZTs by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results indicated that daidzein content and concentration per plant were higher at 15 and 17.5°C than those at 25°C. AC Bravor had higher daidzein contents and concentrations than did Maple Glen and KG20. At 17.5°C. KG20 had higher genistein content and concentration levels than Maple Glen, and no difference existed for the two cultivars at 15 and 25 C. Daidzein contents and concentrations of Maple Glen and AC Bravor increased with harvest time. However, for cultivar KG20, the content and concentration decreased at 19 days after inoculation. Genistein contents and concentrations of the three cultivars increased under each RZT up to the last harvest. There was an interaction between soybean cultivar and RZT for root genistein and daidzein contents and concentrations. The content and concentration of daidzein in soybean seedling roots were much higher (more than five times) than those of genistein.     

Plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria and kinetin as ways to promote corn growth and yield in a short-growing-season area

The base temperature for germination of corn is approximately 10°C, which results in slow germination and emergence of corn crops sown into cool soils. The effects of plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and kinetin on grain and sweet corn emergence, plant growth and yield were studied under short season conditions in 1996 and 1997. Two PGPR strains (Serratia proteamaculans 1-102 and Serratia liquefaciens 2-68) were used. The kinetin concentrations were 0, 1 and 5 μM. The experiment was structured as a randomized complete block design with four replicates. The plant growth responses were variable and depended on the PGPR strain, harvest date and growth parameters evaluated. There were interactions among PGPR, kinetin and corn hybrid. PGPR provided a greater stimulation of seedling emergence than kinetin. PGPR strain 1-102 was best at promoting emergence. One month after planting, both PGPR and kinetin increased plant growth, and PGPR strain 2-68 resulted in a greater growth than that of strain 1-102. PGPR strain 2-68 plus 1 μM kinetin was the best treatment for promoting plant growth. The plant height and root dry weight of sweet corn were less affected than those of grain corn. The effects of PGPR on plant growth decreased as the plants developed. Two months after planting, there were no effects of kinetin on plant growth, however, PGPR still had positive effects on the leaf area of grain corn, but they decreased the leaf area of sweet corn. The plant dry weight of grain corn was increased by PGPR strain 2-68. The grain corn yield was increased by PGPR strain 2-68 in both years. In 1997, PGPR strain 2-68 increased the sweet corn yield. Kinetin alone had no effects on yields in either year for the two cultivars studied.     

Mineral Nitrogen Availability and Isoflavonoid Accumulation in the Root Systems of Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.)

Isoflavonoids, as plant-to-bacteria signal molecules, play an important role in the establishment of the soybean ( Glycine max (L.) Merr.)– Bradyrhizobium japonicum nitrogen (N) fixing symbiosis. They are essential to the development of effective root nodules and responsible for inducing the nod genes of B. japonicum . Because N affects a broad range of infection events, especially the symbiotic events occurring within 18 h of inoculation, it is reasonable to hypothesize that mineral N disrupts the interorganismal signal exchange between soybean host plants and B. japonicum . High performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) analysis of root extracts of soybean, inoculated with B. japonicum or not, grown with various levels of mineral N in the rooting medium were performed to test this hypothesis. The results of these studies indicated that: (1) at early plant growth stages (before the onset of N fixation), a strong negative relationship between N application and soybean root isoflavonoid (genistein and daidzein) concentrations existed; (2) although isoflavonoid (genistein and daidzein) concentrations in both inoculated and non-inoculated soybean root systems were generally decreased by N application, at very low N levels (10 mg N l⁻¹) genistein in the non-inoculated plant roots was not decreased relative to the 0 N plants; (3) averaged over all mineral N treatment levels and sampling times, inoculation of soybean with B. japonicum increased root daidzein concentrations (P > 0.05), but did not affect genistein. Overall, N application reduced the isoflavonoid concentration of soybean root systems, which probably plays a part in the regulation of soybean nodule formation by available N.     

Evaluation of the Effect of SoyaSignal Technology on Soybean Yield [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] under Field Conditions Over 6 Years in Eastern Canada and the Northern United States

Previous studies showed that inoculation of soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merr] with Bradyrhizobium japonicum preactivated with plant-to-bacteria signal molecules increased nodule number, particularly at low root zone temperatures, thereby improving plant seasonal nitrogen fixation and final grain and protein yield under cool spring conditions. Two products carrying this technology, SoyaSignal^TM and Affix+^TM, were designed and tested at 127 locations in Canada and the United States from 1994 to 1999. A summary of the field test results shows that preincubation of B. japonicum with genistein and daidzein, as well as directly increasing the genistein and daidzein concentration in the soybean root rhizosphere, gave an average final grain yield increase of 7 %. The success of SoyaSignal technology was temperature dependent. The plants responded better to the SoyaSignal products when grown under cool soil conditions. Application of SoyaSignal to early planted soybean (before the soil temperature rose above 17.5 °C) increased yields by an average of 10 %. The responses declined with delayed planting dates. Soybean genotypes with high yield potential had greater yield increases than those with low yield potential. As the ratio of return to cost for SoyaSignal technology was 5.3 : 1 over the 127 site-years, SoyaSignal technology can be used as a tool to improve soybean yield in production areas with cool springs.     

小麦/玉米/大豆三熟套作体系中小麦根系分泌特性及氮素吸收研究

为探讨小麦/玉米/大豆多熟套作体系下小麦根系分泌物的分泌特性及其对根系生长环境和植株氮素吸收的影响,2006-2008年连续两个生长季采用田间定位试验,研究了小麦-大豆、小麦-甘薯、小麦/玉米/大豆和小麦/玉米/甘薯4种种植模式下小麦根系分泌物的数量与种类、小麦根系生长、土壤水分、土壤氮含量及植株吸氮量的变化特性。结果表明,与小麦-大豆和小麦-甘薯两种净作模式及小麦/玉米/甘薯套作模式相比,小麦/玉米/大豆套作降低了开花期和成熟期小麦生长区的土壤湿度、pH值及NO₃^--N和NH₄⁺-N的含量,提高了小麦植株地上部总吸氮量、根系活力、根干重及土壤总氮含量,并且,开花期小麦根系分泌有机酸总量和可溶性糖含量增加,表现为套作>净作,大豆茬口>甘薯茬口,边行>中行,其中以小麦边行处理的分泌量最高。拔节期根系分泌的有机酸,净作处理以乙酸含量较高,占总量的47.8%~51.6%,套作处理以柠檬酸含量较高,占总量的31.7%~55.1%;开花期根系分泌的有机酸,净作和套作处理均以乙酸含量较高,占总量的33.3%~78.3%。小麦/玉米/大豆套作对小麦根系分泌有机酸和可溶性糖有促进作用,从而改善了根系生长环境,提高了小麦对氮素的吸收。     

根际促生菌的生防机理及用作生防制剂的潜能

植物根际促生菌是一类可以显著提高植物生活力或植物抗病害能力的天然土壤细菌,除可经由多种途径促进植物的营养吸收与物质积累、提高植物的各项生长参数与生理生化指标外,其还可通过多种途径对植物病害加以防治。根际促生菌的生物防治活性依赖于其在植物根际的定殖,并经由特定生防活性物质的分泌、对植物系统抗性的诱导来加以实现。利用根际促生菌在植物根际的定殖,可对植物病害病原菌的生长造成抑制,这对于一些难以使用化学药剂进行防治的植物病害十分关键。本文论述了根际促生菌的生物防治机理,并探讨了将根际促生菌用作植物病害的生物防治剂的可能性,可为生态农业的发展提供了新思路。     

苗期甜菜根系分泌物的分布特征研究

根系分泌物的量及分布特征直接影响着根际微生物的种群、结构和功能,进而间接影响着根际养分的有效性和作物的生长。本研究通过砂培盆栽培养,收集得到甜菜苗期的根系分泌物,利用高效液相色谱测定了根系分泌物中的3大类物质,包括土壤中常见的17种氨基酸、10种有机酸和4种糖类物质,并分析得到了到甜菜根表面不同距离的各种氨基酸、有机酸和糖类物质的含量及其分布特征。结果表明：总的来看,有机氮高效品种‘KWS8138’根系分泌物含量普遍高于有机氮低效品种‘Beta176’,距离根表面0~5 mm范围内降幅较大,随后逐渐趋于平缓。总氨基酸含量、甘氨酸、丙氨酸、丝氨酸、精氨酸和酪氨酸变化趋势相似。各种糖类物质的含量变化顺序为：葡萄糖>果糖>蔗糖>半乳糖。有机酸中草酸和甲酸的含量变化也是距离根表面越远越低缓。因此,沿甜菜根表面形成了根系分泌物的分布梯度,在为根际微生物提供能源和碳源的同时,对植物根际养分的有效吸收利用提供理论参考。     

Effect of Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Soil Compaction on Shoot and Root Growth of Field Bean and Soybean

The study was done to observe the effects of soil compaction on field bean and soybean growth in greenhouse. Plastic cylindrical tubes of 58 cm height and 12 cm diameter were filled with silty loam soil with three bulk densities i.e., low (1.25 g/cm³), medium (1.45 g/cm³) and high (1.65 g/cm³) either separately or in combination of low/medium (level 1), low/high (level 2) and medium/high (level 3) as top and sub-soil densities.
General effect of compaction was a reduction in shoot and root growth and in yield of both the legumes; probable reason seemed to be mechanical impedance. At homogeneous compaction throughout the soil profile high bulk density decreased the root dry matter from 6 to 32 % and total root length from 30 to 57% but total root volume was not much affected due to thickening of the roots. From 4 to 31% reductions were also observed in shoot dry matter. Increase in only subsoil density from medium to high (level 2) decreased shoot and root dry matters (8 to 36% and 16 to 39%, respectively) but not the total root length. Plant growth was more hampered when both top and subsoil densities were increased (level 3) but the total root length was not highly affected in the upper (0 to 20 cm) and middle (20 to 40 cm) layer.     

不同密度对棉花根系生长与分布的影响

 利用根钻挖掘法研究了大田条件下6个种植密度对棉花根系生长分布的影响。结果表明：1.5万～8.7万株·hm^-2密度水平根干物质质量密度、根长密度在吐絮之前持续增加,而10.5万株·hm^-2处理在盛铃期后出现下降。在盛蕾期至初花期,棉花根干物质质量密度、根长密度均随种植密度的增加而增大;在盛花期至吐絮初期,根干物质质量密度以3.3万株·hm-2处理最高,3.3万～10.5万株·hm^-2处理根长密度显著高于1.5万株·hm^-2。根系垂直分布结果表明,0～30 cm土层内的根干物质质量和根长分别占所测土体中根量的67.80%～97.44%和54.01%～93.33%。低密度处理（1.5万株·hm^-2、3.3万株·hm^-2）的浅层（0～20 cm）根干物质质量密度和根长密度在盛蕾期均低于其它处理,深层（30～60 cm）根干物质质量密度和根长密度在初花期至盛铃期低于其它处理。吐絮初期,各密度处理根长密度在深层土壤有显著差异。     

根际温度胁迫对小麦根系形态及生理影响的研究进展

小麦根系既是水分和养分吸收的主要器官，又是多种激素、有机酸和氨基酸合成的重要场所，其生长发育关系到小麦最终产量和品质。全球气候变化下频发极端高温或低温灾害，极端气温导致极端根际温度，直接作用小麦根系并影响其生长。根据近年来国内外关于根际温度胁迫对小麦根系生长影响的研究成果，重点阐述根际温度胁迫对小麦根系形态及生理指标的影响，并针对当前小麦根系研究的主要问题和未来研究方向与前景进行了讨论，以期为小麦抗逆栽培根系调控提供理论依据。     

不同施氮量对套作大豆根系形态与生理特性的影响

在小麦/玉米/大豆套作模式中,利用挖掘法研究了施氮量在不同生育时期对套作大豆（贡选1号）一些根系形态与生理特性的影响。结果表明,在V3~R5时期,根干重、根瘤数、一级侧根长、伤流量均以低氮（纯氮45、90 kg hm^-2）处理最优;在R7时期,高氮（纯氮180、225 kg hm^-2）处理能够延缓大豆根系衰老,根干重、伤流量与施氮量呈正相关。根冠比与施氮量在V3~R5时期呈二次曲线关系,在生育末期呈直线递增关系。伤流量冠比(y)与三节期后天数(x)呈极显著负指数函数关系y=ae^-bx。伤流液氮素内含物中NO₃^-高于NH₄⁺,并随着施氮量增加而增加。在套作大豆整个生育时期中根系活力呈单峰曲线,低氮处理的套作大豆根系活力明显增强,高氮处理促使根系活力的峰值推迟至R3出现,并在生育末期（R7）保持高水平（＞116.00 μg g^-1 FW h^-1）。     

幼苗期不同节位摘心对高产春大豆根系生长和产量的影响

为揭示幼苗期不同节位摘心对高产春大豆根系生长和产量的影响规律,设置了覆膜条件下第一片复叶全展后子叶节摘心（SP₁）、真叶节摘心（TP₁）、复叶节摘心（CP₁）和不覆膜条件下于复叶节摘心（CP₂）4个处理,并设置了不摘心对照组(CK₁和CK₂),系统研究了2种模式下摘心后根系形态和根系活力时空分布特征以及产量构成。结果表明,与对照相比,不同摘心处理的总侧根干重和根系活力均显著增加,且复叶节摘心处理的根系增量高于子叶节摘心处理和真叶节摘心处理,覆膜摘心处理高于不覆膜摘心处理;0~20cm根系增量高于20~40cm根系增量;摘心后第60天（始粒期）CP₁处理的最大总侧根干重、总侧根长度和总侧根表面积分别较对照提高了57.48%、54.03%和55.43%,CP₂处理分别提高了17.95%、10.57%和11.22%,CP₁处理0~20cm和20~40cm根系活力分别较对照提高了29.28%和24.01%,CP₂处理分别提高了31.65%和9.50%;CP₁处理群体荚数和群体粒数分别较CK₁提高了22.05%和18.52%,CP₂处理分别较CK₂下降了1.71%和4.61%（P > 0.05）,但CP₁百粒重和籽粒产量分别较对照提高了4.88%和21.00%,CP₂处理分别提高了9.01%和3.98%。由此认为,复叶节摘心对高产春大豆根系生长、单株荚粒数、百粒重和籽粒产量均有显著促进作用,可以为大豆高产育种及冰雹灾后管理提供理论依据。     

大豆根边缘细胞的发育及其影响因子

根边缘细胞是由根冠游离并大量积累在根尖上的一群细胞,具有保护根尖免受生物和非生物的胁迫的作用。本文研究结果表明大豆（8157毛豆）根边缘细胞(BC)游离发育的启动与初生根发育几乎同步,并且在初生根长至15 mm时,BC的数目达到最大值,约5 300个左右。与25℃、35℃相比,15℃低温更容易对初生根生长及BC的发育产生胁迫作     

植物根际促生菌的研究进展及其应用现状

为了解植物根际促生菌(PGPR)的作用机理及定殖动态,综述了植物促生菌的种类和研究进展、影响微生物在植物根部定殖的主要因素、定殖微生物的检测方法、植物促生菌的促生机制包括产生铁载体、固氮、解磷、产生植物生长素等。得出结论应加强PGPR菌株的筛选及适应能力的研究,并将分子生物学技术应用到PGPR的研究中,充分利用传统培养方法与分子生物学技术相结合,跟踪植物根际菌群的变化、演替规律,对今后研究方向进行了分析和展望。     

玉米和大豆根系吸收土壤磷的模型验证研究

为了验证养分吸收机制模型对作物根系磷吸收模拟的适用性和有效性,以玉米和大豆为研究对象,通过盆栽试验获取15个与土壤、根形态、根生理和水分相关的模型参数,采用NST 3.0软件对玉米和大豆地上磷吸收进行模型模拟和验证。结果表明,随着培养时间的延长,玉米和大豆磷吸收模拟值呈现指数曲线增长的趋势。在45 d的培养期间,玉米具有比大豆更高的磷吸收。对模拟值和实测值进行比较发现,NST模型能够较好地模拟玉米对土壤磷的吸收,但对大豆磷吸收的模拟值偏低。回归分析结果表明,磷吸收模拟值和实测值存在显著的回归关系(P0.05),模拟磷吸收解释了实测磷吸收70.22%的信息,说明模拟的磷吸收在很大程度上能够代表2个种类的磷吸收。总体来说,NST模型能够很好地模拟玉米和大豆的磷吸收。     

华南超级稻根系特点和根系活力研究

为了研究华南地区生产上主推的超级稻根系分布特点以及各层次根的根系活力等生理生态特征及其对地上部的影响,以超级稻‘粤香占’、‘桂农占’,‘天优998’、‘中早22’为材料,通过对4个超级稻品种在土壤中不同深度根的生长量及其根系活力、单株根系活力、根冠比进行研究。结果表明,在整个生育期,根系活力从强到弱依次为‘粤香占’、‘桂农占’,‘天优998’、‘中早22’;生育前期下层根系活力 > 中层 > 上层,后期相反;根系分布主要集中于上层,其次是中层,下层最少。‘天优998’和‘桂农占’具有较高的根冠比,‘天优998’在整个生育期群体根系活力强,‘粤香占’群体根系活力的优势在于生育前中期,‘桂农占’群体根系活力的优势在于生育中后期。供试的4个超级稻品种（组合）的根系分布主要集中在上层(0~8 cm)占总根系生物量的60%以上,以单株根系活力作为衡量指标更能充分反映植株的整体根系活力以及与地上部生长的紧密关系。     

保水剂施用方式对杨树苗根系特性和土壤酶活性及生长的影响

为探讨在减量灌溉条件下保水剂不同施用方式对杨树根系特性与生长的作用效果,以一年生杨树苗为试材,通过盆栽试验研究了在仅有常规灌溉量60%的条件下不施肥和保水剂(CK)、单施尿素(U)、单施保水剂(S)、保水剂-尿素混施(SUM)与保水剂-尿素凝胶(SUG)等处理对杨树苗根系特性、根际土壤酶活性及生长的影响。结果表明：同U处理相比,SUG处理显著提高了杨树苗的根系活力、根系总吸收面积与活跃吸收面积及根系分泌物含量,其中根系总吸收面积分别比CK、U、S与SUM处理显著高出189.73%、26.44%、34.97%与15.56%;同时,SUG处理亦明显增强了根际土壤脲酶、脱氢酶、多酚氧化酶和蔗糖酶活性。此外,SUG处理还显著促进了杨树苗株高与地径的生长,其中株高相比CK、U、S与SUM处理分别提高42.96%、14.67%、26.42%与7.72%,地径分别提高41.86%、17.88%、24.31%与10.37%。与SUG处理相比,S、SUM处理对杨树苗根系特性与生长的影响作用较小。综上,在减量灌溉条件下(60%常规灌溉量)施用保水剂的3种不同方式中,保水剂-尿素凝胶方式更利于改善杨树苗根系特性和增强土壤酶活性,并促进生长。这对于干旱、半干旱地区杨树人工林的节水高产栽培具有重要参考价值。     

Effects of Shading Densities on the Agronomic and Physiological Characters of Two Sugarbeet Cultivars

This study was carried out at the Agricultural Experiment Station of King Saud University near Riyadh (26° N, 46° E) during the 1984/85 season to study the effect of shading densities on the agronomic and growth parameters of sugarbeet. Two cultivars were grown under three shading nets with densities of 37, 50 and 70 % in addition to the control (0 % shading = normal sunlight condition).
The results indicated that shading affected the growth and the weight of sugarbeet plants and the effects were function of shading density. Root weights were drastically reduced by increasing shading density, whereas top weights were less affected.
Increasing shading density resulted in a significant increase in specific leaf area, leaf area ratio while it decreased leaf area index, root weight ration, net assimilation rate and crop growth rate for both cultivars. The interaction between shading densities and sampling dates was significant for most of the studied characters, while that between cultivars and shading densities was significant for root weight and crop growth rates only.     

Effect of Spatial Soil Moisture Stress on Cotton Root Architecture

[Objective] This study aimed to explore the effects of spatial soil moisture stress on cotton root growth, and to analyze the corresponding changes in cotton root architecture. [Method] To produce soil moisture spatial stress, cotton spacing was set at 30 cm. The cotton was all irrigated on one side of the pole (the side sampling point). By excavating the cotton root, analysis of the main root bifurcation, which was cultivated away from the irrigation point, could be undertaken. [Result] The analyses of the cotton A (the nearest plant to the irrigation location) root system showed that soil moisture near the irrigation point was distributed uniformly. The root system architecture of the cotton cultivated near the irrigation point mostly presented a symmetrical "umbrella" pattern; the difference in root diameter between the main and lateral roots was 5–6 mm, and the average angle between them was 70°–80°, which decreased with the increase in cotton growth stage. Soil moisture spatial stress influenced the cotton plant C, which was cultivated away from the irrigation point, such that the root system architecture was asymmetrical. The roots of cotton plant C grew towards the high soil moisture zone; 48.15% of the lateral roots became thicker, which acted as a bifurcated main root. The difference in diameter between the bifurcated roots was 1–4 mm, and the average angle of the bifurcated roots along the vertical direction was between 20°–37°, which increased with the increase in cotton growth stage. [Conclusion] The results provide important information on the physiological responses of the cotton root system to the soil moisture environment.     

Effects of Root Zone Temperature on Root Activity of Two Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Clones with Different Adaptation to High Temperature

Under controlled environmental conditions, the effect of optimal (20 °C) and supraoptimal (30 °C) root-zone temperature on root activity (respiration, soluble sugar content, ethylene release, nitrogen uptake and translocation) was studied in water culture with two potato clones differing in the heat tolerance of their root systems. Root respiration was little affected by raising temperature from 20 °C to 30 °C. However, in both clones assimilate allocation to the roots was strongly depressed. In the heat sensitive clone LT-1 exposed to 30 °C root-zone temperature, concentrations of soluble sugars in the apical root zone (0–10 mm) increased with time, presumably as a result of the cessation of root growth. The rate of nitrate absorption was not significantly affected by root-zone temperature. However, the export of nitrogen (xylem exudate) was depressed in the heat tolerant clone whereas in the heat sensitive clone the export of total nitrogen and the proportion of nitrate increased. No effect of root-zone temperature on ethylene release was observed in our experiments.