Growth variations and stability analyses of seven poplar clones at three sites in northeast China

Growth characteristics have complex inheritance patterns and genotype(G) by environment(E) interaction make predicting tree response to environmental changes difficult.In this study,the growth of seven poplar clones at three different sites was taken as the research focus,and heights and basal diameters were investigated in the second growing season.An ANOVA showed that all main effects,site,clone number and their interactions were highly significant in the overall F-tests.The coefficients of variation and repeatability of different traits ranged from 15.5 to 43.9%and from 0.549 to 0.912,respectively.AMMI(Additive Main Effects and Multiplicative Interaction) analysis results showed that genotype,environment and G × E interaction were significantly highly correlated.The stability analysis indicated that different clones showed different growth traits on different sites,which suggests that elite clones should be selected separately for different sites.Based on the growth traits,under a 10% selection rate,three clones were selected for different sites and the genetic gains of growth traits ranged from 4.7 to 11.2%.The three selected clones could be used to establish plantations in the future in different sites.     

Evaluation of early growth performance of 41 clones of teak(Tectona grandis Linn. f.) at four microsites in Purwakarta,Indonesia

Teak(Tectona grandis Linn. f.), one of the mostvalued tree species in the world, is slow-growing with a long period until it can be harvested;therefore, ensuring that only high-quality seedlings or clones are selected for planting is critical. The main objective was to determine performance and repeatability of selected clones in terms of growth and survival rates in different micro-environments. A 2-year clonal trial using 41 clones and a local seedling of teak as a control were grown at 4 microsites differing in spacing, soil fertility and alley crops to assess tree height, diameter and survival rate that was evaluated in Purwakarta, West Java, Indonesia using a randomized complete block design with four replicates of each clone at each microsite. Teak growth was influenced by clone(p < 0.01), microsite(p < 0.05) and clone 9 micrositeinteraction(p<0.01). The interaction clone 9 microsite resulted in several potential superior clones that differed in terms of growth rates at each microsite. On the basis of diameter only, superior clones(nos. 14, 18, 24, 30 and 37)were identified. Repeatability estimated was Rc2= 0.84 for diameter and Rc2= 0.77 for height. Growth performance of teak trees varied among microsites. Repeatability values for diameter and height characters were high. The effect of variable growth on each clone was influenced by genetic factors, environmental factors and the interaction of genetics 9 environment. Microsite significantly affected growth of teak clones. Clone 9 microsite interaction significantly affected growth of clones and led to the growth of superior clones at each microsite.     

Effects of Planting Density on Growth of New Clones in Populus tomentosa

Effects of seven planting densities on the growth and tree form of nine 5-year-old new clones in Populus tomentosa were studied. The plantations, arranged with completely random block design, were located in Wuzhi County, Henan Province.Results indicated that effects of planting density on the diameter at breast height (DBH), individual volume and growing stock increment of all new clones in P. tomentosa were significant at the 1% level of probability, effects of planting density on the tree height increment of new clones B2 and B31 and on the live branches height (LBH) increment of new clones B5 and B30 were significant at the 5% level of probability, while the interaction between planting density and clone was not significant at the 5% level of probability. It was concluded that the degree of differences among new clones within the same planting density was different with different planting densities and traits. For short rotation industrial timber, clones B 1, B3, B4, B5, B7, B9, B31 were suitable with the density of 1 000-2 500 trees per hectare, while for bigger diameter timber, clones B1, B3, B4, B7, B9, B31 could be used with the planting density of 660-833 trees per hectare. Clonal repeatability was also different in different planting densities.     

Characterization and identification of leaf morphology of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Populus deltoides</Emphasis> Bartr. clones

Leaves are of fundamental importance to plants, representing their facility to generate power and are the sensing units of plants towards the environment. An attempt was made to characterize and compare the variations of leaf morphology of various Populus deltoides Bartr. clones by studying the winter buds and other leaf parameters of fully developed leaves. To achieve these objectives, forty-three exotic and indigenous clones of P. deltoides Bartr. were evaluated for different parameters. On the basis of various morphological characteristics the results reveal that each clone has a distinct color pattern of leaves. Different colors observed in these clones varied from light green through green to dark green. Two distinct lengths of the leaf apex were found, i.e., short and long; as well both acuminate and acute apex types were found. Erratic distribution of serration of leaves was also found. In this study, the morphological traits of leaves provided discriminatory grounds for separating various populations of P. deltoides Bartr. clones. Winter bud studies indicate that different clones vary considerably with regard to shape, color, shape of leaf scars and exudation.     

Competition effects in an afrotemperate forest

Background： Information about competition responses is mainly available for monospecific stands or mixed stands with a small number of species. Studies on complex multi-species and highly structured forest ecosystems are scarce. Accordingly, the objective of this study was to quantify competition effects and analyse competition responses in a species-diverse afrotemperate forest in South Africa, based on an observational study with mapped tree positions and long-term diameter increment records. Methods： The sensitivity to competition was analysed for individual species and involved the calculation of the slope of the linear relation between the value of a competition index （CI） and diameter growth as a measure of sensitivity. In a next step different competition indices were combined and tree diameters were grouped in three classes as surrogates for canopy status and ontogenetic stage. Results： Five competition indices were found to be effective in showing sensitivity to competition for a number of canopy and sub-canopy species. Significant linear regressions were fitted for 18 of a total of 25 species. Species reactions varied significantly in their sensitivity to the different CIs. The indices were classified as belonging to two groups, those that responded more to local crowding and those that are more sensitive to overtopping, which revealed species-specific sensitivities to both factors. The analysis based on diameter classes revealed that species clearly changed their sensitivity to crowding or overtopping depending on diameter. Canopy and sub-canopy species showed distinct differences in their reactions. Conclusions： The application of multiple CIs brought novel insights relating to the dynamics of afrotemperate forests. The response patterns to different competition indices that focus on crowding and overtopping are varied and tree diameter dependent, indicating that oversimplified assumptions are not warranted in the interpretation of Cl- growth relations.     

Identification of differentially expressed genes associated with bud dormancy release in tree peony （Paeonia suffruticosa） by suppression subtractive hybridization

A subtractive cDNA library was developed to study genes associated with bud dormancy release in tree peonies.In order to identify genes that are highly expressed in buds released from dormancy,588 clones were examined by differential screening.Of these,185 clones were selected to be sequenced.A total of 37 unique sequences were obtained of which only 31 sequences have matches in the NCBI database or the Arabidopsis thaliana protein database.Semi-quantitative RT-PCR was used to confirm further the expression...     

The minimum temperature for budburst in Betula depends on the state of dormancy

Vegis has put forward the theory that the range of growth-promoting temperatures changes during the induction and the release of dormancy. We have tested the response of buds of Betula pubescens Ehrh. and B. pendula Roth. on temperature during the induction and release of dormancy. Betula seedlings were exposed to dormancy-inducing high-temperature and short-day conditions and subsequently to dormancy-releasing chilling conditions in darkness. To monitor the dormancy status of the seedlings, subsets of them were transferred to five forcing temperatures and their budburst was observed. The results show that the expression of dormancy was temperature dependent, so that the minimum temperature for 100% budburst rose during the induction and dropped during the release of dormancy. These responses may explain previous contradictions between experimental and modelling studies, but that needs to be verified with more extensive experiments, some of which are identified in this study. The results provide further evidence for the concept of gradual change in bud dormancy. They also suggest that global change studies modelling budburst phenology should address the changing expression of bud dormancy.     

Molecular cloning of two classes of Em-like proteins from the seeds of the leguminous tree Robinia pseudoacacia

To check for the presence of Em-like proteins in seeds of the leguminous tree Robinia pseudoacacia L. (black locust), a cDNA library constructed from mRNA isolated from developing seeds was screened using radiolabeled cDNA encoding the Em protein from Vigna radiata as a probe. Sequence analysis of the identified cDNA clones revealed two classes of Em proteins in Robinia. The nucleotide sequence data for each class have been submitted to Genbank/EMBL Data library and are available under the accession numbers U40820 and U40821. Northern blot analysis demonstrated that the Robinia Em proteins are translated from mRNAs of approximately 800 nucleotides, which are abundant in the seed but are not expressed in the bark. Southern blot analysis indicated that the Em proteins in Robinia are encoded by at least two genes. The Robinia Em proteins have a high degree of sequence homology with previously characterized Em-like proteins from both monocots and dicots.     

Climatic control of bud burst in young seedlings of nine provenances of Norway spruce

Detailed knowledge of temperature effects on the timing of dormancy development and bud burst will help evaluate the impacts of climate change on forest trees. We tested the effects of temperature applied during short-day treatment, duration of short-day treatment, duration of chilling and light regime applied during forcing on the timing of bud burst in 1- and 2-year-old seedlings of nine provenances of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.). High temperature during dormancy induction, little or no chilling and low temperature during forcing all delayed dormancy release but did not prevent bud burst or growth onset provided the seedlings were forced under long-day conditions. Without chilling, bud burst occurred in about 20% of seedlings kept in short days at 12 degrees C, indicating that young Norway spruce seedlings do not exhibit true bud dormancy. Chilling hastened bud burst and removed the long photoperiod requirement, but the effect of high temperature applied during dormancy induction was observed even after prolonged chilling. Extension of the short-day treatment from 4 to 8 or 12 weeks hastened bud burst. The effect of treatments applied during dormancy development was larger than that of provenance; in some cases no provenance effect was detected, but in 1-year-old seedlings, time to bud burst decreased linearly with increasing latitude of origin. Differences among provenances were complicated by different responses of some origins to light conditions under long-day forcing. In conclusion, timing of bud burst in Norway spruce seedlings is significantly affected by temperature during bud set, and these effects are modified by chilling and environmental conditions during forcing.     

美洲黑杨雄性花芽cDNA克隆测序及表达序列标签(ESTs)特性分析

采用SMART技术构建美洲黑杨雄性花芽cDNA文库.随机挑选4 200个克隆进行序列测定,获得原始序列3 092个ESTs,去除插入片段短于150 bp的序列和污染序列后,获得有效ESTs序列3 087个,平均长度515 bp.对聚类后的416个Clusters分别进行单独拼接,得到相应的Contigs和Singletons分别为451和1 104个,并通过与NCBI等核酸数据库进行比对、查询和注释,获得已知功能和未知功能的基因1 015个,无序列相似性的新基因540个.这些数据为进一步研究高等植物花发育提供了一个极有价值的资源.     

油茶EST文库中不饱和脂肪酸合成关键酶基因的序列分析

采用生物信息学方法,从随机测序而构建的油茶优良无性系湘林1号种子EST文库中初步鉴定了与茶油脂肪酸形成相关的大部分关键酶基因,并对其中几个直接控制不饱和脂肪酸的形成与转化的基因进行了相应的序列分析．