Morpho-Physiological Changes in Roots of Rice Seedling upon Submergence

Submergence is a serious environmental condition that causes large loss in rice production in rain fed lowland and flood affected area. This study evaluated morphological and physiological responses of rice roots to submergence using two tolerant rice genotypes FR13A and Swarna-Sub 1 and two sensitive ones Swarna and IR42. The tolerant genotypes had higher survival rate and less shoot elongation but greater root elongation during submergence than the sensitive ones. After submergence,the tolerant genotypes also had higher root dry weight and more active roots than the sensitive ones.Tolerant genotypes exhibited less root injury, with less malondialdehyde production and slower electrolyte leakage after submergence. Tolerant genotypes also maintained higher concentrations of soluble sugar and starch in roots and shoots and higher chlorophyll retention after submergence than the sensitive ones.Our data showed that root traits such as root activity and root growth are associated with survival rate after submergence. This is probably accomplished through higher energy supply, and membrane integrity is necessary to preserve root function and reduce injury during submergence. These root traits are important for submergence tolerance in rice.     

K You 48-2 Developed by Rice and Sorghum Res Inst,Sichuan Acad of Agri Sci

K You 48-2 is a new combination of early hybrid rice with good grain quality and high yield, developed by combining male sterile line K-Qing A having japonica cytoplasm and indica genome and restorer line Ce 48-2. In the regional trial of Hubei Province in 1991, its yield was 4.4% higher than that of the CK Weiyou 48-2, being significant at 0.05 level. In the same year, in another regional trial of Sichuan Province, its yield was 8.9% higher than that of the CK Weiyou 48-2, being significant at 0.01 level. It has the highest yield among all tested varieties in both provincial trials. It has shown good grain quality with 60% head rice recovery and moderate resistance to rice blast.     

Difference in Grain Yield and Quality among Tillers in Rice Genotypes Differing in Tillering Capacity

A japonica variety and its iso-allelic mutant with high tillering ability were used to investigate the differences in grain yield and quality among different tillers. There was a distinct difference in panicle weight among tillers during grain filling for both genotypes, with Xiushui 11 having a greater increase rate in panicle weight, and being earlier in reaching the maximum panicle weight than the mutant. There was a great significant difference between the two genotypes in grain yield and its components, with Xiushui 11 having higher grain yield, more grains per panicle, higher filled grain percentage and grain weight than the mutant for each type of tiller. Moreover, a significant difference was found in grain yield and yield components among different tillers for both genotypes, with grain number per panicle showing the greatest variation over tillers among all yield components. Compared with Xiushui 11, the mutant had higher brown rice rate and greater ratio of length to width of brown rice, and lower chalky rice rate, amylose content, and protein content of rice. Furthermore, there was a significant difference in grain quality among tillers within a plant for both genotypes, with later initiated tillers being lower in chalky rice rate, amylose and protein contents than early initiated ones. The variation of most quality parameters among tillers within a plant was markedly larger for the mutant than for Xiushui 11.     

Evaluation and Bulked Segregant Analysis of Major Yield QTL qtl12.1 Introgressed into Indigenous Elite Line for Low Water Availability under Water Stress

Near isogenic lines carrying large-effect QTL (qtl12.1), which has a consistent influence on grain yield under upland drought stress conditions in a wide range of environments, were evaluated under water stress in the fields. The line which gave higher yield under drought was crossed with a local elite line, PMK3, and forwarded to F2:3 generation. Significant variation was found among the F2:3 lines for agronomic traits under water stress in the fields. Low to high broad sense heritability (H) for investigated traits was also found. Water stress indicators such as leaf rolling and leaf drying were negatively correlated with plant height, biomass and grain yield under stress. Bulked segregant analysis (BSA) was performed with the markers in the vicinity of qtl12.1, and RM27933 was found to be segregated perfectly well in individual components of drought resistant and drought susceptible bulks which were bulked based on yield under water stress among F2:3 lines. Hence, this simple and breeder friendly marker, RM27933, may be useful as a potentially valuable candidate marker for the transfer of the QTL qtl12.1 in the regional breeding program. Bioinformatic analysis of the DNA sequence of the qtl12.1 region was also done to identify and analyze positional candidate genes associated with this QTL and to ascertain the putative molecular basis of qtl12.1.     

Response of broomcorn millet(Panicum miliaceum L.)genotypes from semiarid regions of China to salt stress

Salt tolerance of crops is becoming more and more important, owing to the constant increase of salinity in arid and semi-arid regions. Broomcorn millet(Panicum miliaceum L.),generally considered tolerant to salinity, can be an alternative crop for salt affected areas.To assess genotypic variation for vegetative-stage salinity tolerance, 195 broomcorn millet accessions from a core collection were evaluated for germination percentage, shoot length,and root length during germination in 8 m L of deionized water(control) or 8 m L of a120 mmol L-1salt solution(treatment). Six genotypes with different levels of salt tolerance were selected based on the growth parameters and ion concentrations in plant at the seedling stage and used for confirmation of the initial salinity response. Substantial variation for salinity tolerance was found on the basis of salt damage index [(germination percentage under control- germination percentage under salinity) / germination percentage under control × 100, SDI] and 39 accessions exhibited strong salt tolerance with SDI lower than 20%. The salt tolerance performance of the genotypes was generally consistent across experiments. In the seedling growth study, seedling number, root length and belowground biomass were adversely affected(showing more than 70%, 50%, and 32%reduction, respectively) in sensitive genotypes compared to tolerant genotypes(35%, 31%,and 3% reduction, respectively) under 160 mmol L-1Na Cl treatment. In general,whole-plant salinity tolerance was associated with increased Na+concentration and Na+/K+ratio, and salt-tolerant genotypes often had higher root and lower shoot Na+concentration than sensitive ones. Na+concentration in root was closely related to salt tolerance and may be considered as a selection criterion for screening salt tolerance of broomcorn millet at the seedling or vegetative stages.     

Determination of Heterotic Groups and Heterosis Analysis of Yield Performance in indica Rice

To compare the heterosis levels among various groups of parental lines used extensively in China, identify foundational heterotic groups in parental pools and understand the relationship between genetic distance and heterosis performance, 16 parental lines with extensive genetic variation were selected from various sub-groups, and 39 hybrid combinations were generated and evaluated in Fujian and Hainan Provinces of China. The main results were as follows:(1) The 16 parental lines can be grouped into 7 sub-groups consisting of 1 maintainer sub-group and 6 restorer sub-groups;(2) Mean grain yield of the restorer lines was higher than that of the maintainer lines, and mean yield of parental lines was higher than that of the hybrid combinations;(3) The two best heterotic patterns were II-32A × G5 and II-32A × G6, moreover, the order of restorer sub-groups according to grain yield, from the highest to lowest, was G7, G6, G5, G4, G3 and G2; High specific combining ability values were observed for combinations of II-32A × G5, II-32A × G6 and Tianfeng A × G7;(4) Hybrid combinations derived from II-32A crossed with 13 restorer lines had higher yield trait values(mid-parent heterosis, better-parent heterosis, standard heterosis over check and specific combining ability) than any other combinations;(5) Genetic distance was positively correlated with panicle number, grain length and length-to-width ratio(P 0.05) and negatively correlated with grain width, grain yield, seed-setting rate, as well as mid-parent heterosis, standard heterosis over check, and specific combining ability for grain yield(P 0.01). These heterotic groups and patterns and their argonomic traits will provide useful information for future hybrid rice breeding programs.     

Practices and Prospects of Super Hybrid Rice Breeding

The great progress in super rice breeding both in China and other countries has been made in recent years. However, there were three main problems in super rice breeding: 1) the super rice varieties were still rare; 2) most super rice varieties exhibited narrow adaptability; and 3) current breeding theories emphasized too much on the rice growth model, but they were unpractical in guidance for rice breeding. According to the authors’ experience on the rice breeding, the breeding strategies including three steps (super parent breeding, super hybrid rice breeding and super hybrid rice seed production) were proposed, and the objectives of each step and the key technologies to achieve the goals were elucidated in detail. The super parent of hybrid rice should exhibit excellent performance in all agronomic traits, with the yield or sink capacity reached the level of the hybrid rice control in regional trials. The super hybrid rice combination should meet the following criteria: good rice quality, wide adaptation, lodging resistance, resistance to main insects and diseases, and the yield exceeded above 8% over the control varieties in the national and provincial regional trials. To achieve the goal, the technical strategies, such as selecting optimal combination of the parents, increasing selection pressure, paying more attention to harmony of ideal plant type, excellent physiological traits and all the agronomic traits, should be emphasized. The yield of seed production should reach 3.75 t/ha and 5.25 t/ha for the super hybrid rice combinations derived from early-season and middle-season types of male sterile lines, respectively. The main technologies for raising seed production yield included selecting optimum seed production site, using the male sterile line with large sink capacity and good outcrossing characteristics, and improving the amount of the pollen by intensive cultivation of the male parent. According to the technologies of the three-step breeding on super hybrid rice, two super rice parents, including a male parent 996 and a thermo(photo)-genic male sterile [T(P)GMS] line C815S, were bred. Furthermore, a super early hybrid rice combination, Luliangyou 996, which could be used as a double-season early rice variety in middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China, was bred by using the super rice variety 996 as the male parent, and several hybrid rice combinations with higher yield than control variety in regional trials both of Hunan Province and state were bred with the T(P)GMS line C815S as the female parent.     

Cadmium Accumulation and Its Toxicity in Brittle Culm 1(bc1),a Fragile Rice Mutant

Cadmium (Cd) accumulation and toxicity in rice plants were characterized and identified by using brittle culm 1 (bc1), a fragile rice mutant and its wild type (Shuangkezao, an indica rice) as materials by hydroponics. The low Cd level didn't obviously affect the growth parameters in both rice genotypes, but under high Cd levels (1.0 and 5.0 μmol/L), the growth of both rice plants were substantially inhibited. Moreover, bc1 tended to suffer more seriously from Cd toxicity than Shuangkezao. Cd accumulation in both rice plants increased with the increase of Cd levels. There was a significant difference in Cd accumulation between the two rice genotypes with constantly higher Cd concentration in bc1, which also accumulated more Cd at 0, 0.1, and 1.0 μmol/L Cd levels. The same case was found in the two rice plants grown on Cd-contaminated soil. This suggested that cell wall might play an important role in Cd accumulation in rice plants by the physiological mechanisms. The malondialdehyde (MDA) content, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) activities in rice plants were affected differently under Cd treatments, and which implied that POD might play the main role in detoxifying active oxygen free radical. A significant difference in antioxidative system between the two rice genotypes was found with constantly higher MDA content, SOD and POD activities in bc1. In summary, bc1 accumulated more Cd and appeared to be more sensitive to Cd stress compared with its wild type.     

Cadmium Accumulation and Its Toxicity in Brittle Culm 1 （bcl）, a Fragile Rice Mutant

Cadmium （Cd） accumulation and toxicity in rice plants were characterized and identified by using brittle culm 1 （bcl）, a fragile rice mutant and its wild type （Shuangkezao, an indica rice） as materials by hydroponics. The low Cd level didn＇t obviously affect the growth parameters in both rice genotypes, but under high Cd levels （1.0 and 5.0 μmol/L）, the growth of both rice plants were substantially inhibited. Moreover, bcl tended to suffer more seriously from Cd toxicity than Shuangkezao. Cd accumulation in both rice plants increased with the increase of Cd levels. There was a significant difference in Cd accumulation between the two rice genotypes with constantly higher Cd concentration in bcl, which also accumulated more Cd at 0, 0.1, and 1.0 μmol/L Cd levels. The same case was found in the two rice plants grown on Cd-contaminated soil. This suggested that cell wall might play an important role in Cd accumulation in rice plants by the physiological mechanisms. The malondialdehyde （MDA） content, superoxide dismutase （SOD） and peroxidase （POD） activities in rice plants were affected differently under Cd treatments, and which implied that POD might play the main role in detoxifying active oxygen free radical. A significant difference in antioxidative system between the two rice genotypes was found with constantly higher MDA content, SOD and POD activities in bcl. In summary, bcl accumulated more Cd and appeared to be more sensitive to Cd stress compared with its wild type.     

Analysis of nutritional components of eight famine foods of the Republic of Niger

In the western Sahel, indigenous plants become important staples when cereal harvests are inadequate to support populations inhabiting that region of Africa. The purpose of this study was to assess the nutrient content of several of these edible wild plants. The leaves of the following seven plant foods were analyzed: Ziziphus mauritiana, Cerathotheca sesamoides, Moringa oleifera, Leptadenia hastata, Hibiscus sabdarifa, Amaranthus viridi, and Adansonia digitata. The fatty acid, vitamin E, carotenoid, selected mineral and amino acid contents of these plant foods were determined. These same analyses were performed on the fruit of the Adansonia digitata. In quantitative and qualitative terms, Amaranthus viridis was found to be an excellent source of protein. Its amino acid composition compared favorably to that of a World Health Organization (WHO) protein standard. It also contained considerable amounts of the two fatty acids that are essential in humans (linoleic and -linolenic) and a number of minerals including iron, magnesium, calcium and zinc. The leaves of Hibiscus sabdarifa contained an appreciable quantity of protein the composition of which was comparable to the WHO standard. The mineral content of the leaves of this plant was also exceptionally high; noteworthy was its high zinc content. H. sabdarifa also contained significant quantities of the two essential fatty acids. Ziziphus mauritiana was an excellent source of the essential fatty acid linoleic acid and several of the metals including iron, calcium, magnesium and zinc. Its content of other essential nutrients, however, was rather low. In general, Adansonia digitata leaves were nutritionally superior to the fruit of the tree; however, the fruit did contain useful quantities of potassium, phosphorus, zinc and -linolenic acid. The Leptadenia hastata leaves were an especially good source of lutein and -carotene. These data should be useful to the people who inhabit the western Sahel in helping them devise healthy diets during times when cereal staples are in short supply.     

狗牙根诱变后代抗寒性评价

通过电解质外渗法和匍匐茎恢复试验对‘阳江’狗牙根及其12个通过形态鉴定选出的坪用价值高且花序密度低的诱变后代进行抗寒性鉴定。电解质外渗法结果表明:诱变后代间的抗寒性具有较大差异,其叶片半致死温度(LT₅₀)的变异范围为-7.6～-0.2℃(最低值与最大值相差7.4℃);参试材料抗寒性由强到弱依次为M18>M4>M26>M28> M22>阳江>M29>M31>M10>M37>M16>M1>M25,其中,有5个诱变后代抗寒性优于亲本,分别是M18、M4、M26、M28、M22。匍匐茎恢复实验结果表明:诱变后代M1、M22、M26、M31、M25在0℃和-5℃低温胁迫后的恢复生长率都高于亲本,恢复能力均优于亲本;M10、M37、M28在-5℃低温胁迫下,恢复生长能力低于亲本,抗寒性相对较弱,M16和M4在0℃和-5℃低温胁迫下,恢复生长率都低于亲本,抗寒性明显弱于亲本。综合2种方法鉴定结果显示:诱变后代M1、M25的恢复能力较强;M4、M28的叶片抗寒性较好,青绿期较长;M22、M18、M26的叶片抗寒性和匍匐茎恢复能力均较强;M29,M31的叶片抗寒性和匍匐茎恢复能力与亲本相似;M10、M16、M37的叶片抗寒性和匍匐茎恢复能力均较弱,整体抗寒性较弱。     

芦笋枯萎病病原鉴定

对造成福建省漳州市东山县的芦笋枯萎病病原菌进行分子鉴定,以期确定病原菌的属、种名,为防治该病害寻求理论依据。试验对分离纯化的病原菌核糖体DNA的ITS区进行测序,在Genbank中搜索其同源性并构建它们的系统发育树,结果表明：引起芦笋枯萎病的病原菌是镰刀属中的尖孢镰刀菌(Fusarium oxysporum),且病原菌之间的同源性高达89%,遗传差异不显著。     

Size and frequency of occurrence of pre-roost gatherings of starlings

One hundred and fifty-six pre-roost gatherings of starlings were observed at 28 sites around a roost in west Norfolk during winter. Pre-roost gatherings occurred more frequently at individual farmyards compared with individual fields, but 82% of the sites where gatherings occurred were on fields. The size of gatherings was greater, the closer to the roost. Birds in pre-roost gatherings on fields of autumn-sown winter wheat spent most of the time feeding and had a diet composed almost exclusively of wheat seeds. Birds in gatherings on grass fields also fed intensively whereas only 31% of birds at farmyards were feeding. The implications that these results have with regard to potential damage to fields of winter wheat and around farmyards are discussed.     

橡胶树丛枝病病原的抗血清制备与应用

以感染橡胶树丛枝病病原的长春花为材料,制备得到橡胶丛枝病病原菌抽提液,以抽提液为抗原免疫家兔,制备抗血清,经微量沉淀测定,抗血清效价为１：２０４８。应用橡胶丛枝病抗血清检测橡胶褐皮病,无症苗木检出率达３０％－３７％,可疑的褐皮病树检出率达８５．７％。     

农杆菌注射法瞬时转化荔枝果实组织的研究

为了寻找一种高效的荔枝果实瞬时基因表达方法,本研究以荔枝品种‘新球蜜荔’（Litchi chinensis Sonn. var. ‘Xinqiumili’）为试材,利用农杆菌注射法对荔枝果实组织进行转化,研究了果实发育时期、菌株种类、注射部位、取样时间、菌液浓度等对转化效率的影响。结果表明：选择果肉已完全包裹种子的Ⅱb期果实进行连体注射,在果柄、果皮、种子、果肉分别注入OD₆₀₀值为2.4的农杆菌菌株GV3101,4 d后取样进行检测,4个组织的GUS染色率较高。本研究成功建立了适用于荔枝果实的基因瞬时表达系统,为今后快速鉴定荔枝果实相关基因功能提供了基础。     

《生物安全法》实施背景下基因编辑技术的安全评价与监管

2020年10月17日,《中华人民共和国生物安全法》(以下简称《生物安全法》)通过全国人大常委会的审议,自2021年4月15日起施行.生物技术的研究与应用安全是《生物安全法》涉及的主要内容之一,基因编辑作为近几年生物技术领域的研究热点,其安全性评价和监管备受关注.本文概述了基因编辑技术的应用现状,比较了不同国家对基因编...     

蝉拟青霉疏水蛋白PChyd基因表达模式分析及敲除载体构建

为深入研究昆虫病原真菌蝉拟青霉疏水蛋白PChyd基因的功能,根据蝉拟青霉基因组信息克隆疏水蛋白PChyd基因,对该基因序列进行生物信息学分析,使用qRT-PCR技术对其在不同培养条件或阶段下的表达模式进行分析,并通过酶切酶连的方法构建了该基因的敲除载体。结果表明：PChyd基因的开放阅读框序列全长303 bp,编码100 aa,包含22 aa的信号肽序列和70 aa疏水蛋白功能区域。系统发育分析显示该基因与粗糙虫草菌亲缘关系最近。qRT-PCR结果显示PChyd基因在PDA培养的菌丝体、诱导的附着胞、诱导的芽生孢子中表达量显著高于另外2个样品,其中芽生孢子表达量最高,暗示该基因在蝉拟青霉侵染初期和在昆虫血腔中定殖阶段可能具有重要作用。凝胶电泳结果表明,成功构建了该基因的敲除载体,扩增出含有上臂、HPH、下臂的3356 bp左右的片段。本研究为进一步探究蝉拟青霉疏水蛋白PChyd基因的致病机理、生防工程菌的改造奠定了基础。     

波罗蜜叶片突变体叶绿素含量测定和超微结构观察

波罗蜜（Artocarpus heterophyllus）是一种热带果树,至今对其突变体的研究少有报道。本研究以波罗蜜叶片为试验材料,探究其叶片出现白化和返绿现象的可能原因。（1）用分光光度计法、比色法测定波罗蜜叶片突变体和正常绿叶的叶绿素及叶绿素前体物质含量;（2）用叶绿素酶Elisa试剂盒测定叶绿素酶活性;（3）用透射电子显微镜对叶绿体的超微形态结构进行观察。研究结果表明：（1）不同叶色所产生的叶绿素a含量、叶绿素b含量、叶绿素总含量、类胡萝卜素含量均存在显著差异;（2）波罗蜜叶片突变体和正常绿叶的叶绿素合成前体物质含量之间并没有出现显著性差异;（3）对波罗蜜叶片的叶绿素酶活性进行测定时,发现其活性出现显著差异,但对其叶绿素含量的差异性并没有产生较大影响;（4）观察波罗蜜叶片内叶绿体超微形态结构时,发现正常绿叶的叶绿体形态完好且数量较多,白化叶和返绿叶的叶绿体内部结构存在缺陷,其原因是叶绿体基粒构建阶段受阻;基于测定波罗蜜叶片中的叶绿素、叶绿素前体物质含量和叶绿素酶活性,并观察波罗蜜叶片内叶绿体的超微形态结构,对得到的数据结果进行比较分析。本研究推测是在叶绿素合成阶段,原脱植基叶绿素合成叶绿素时受阻及叶绿体发不良导致波罗蜜出现白化和返绿现象,为今后进一步综合研究波罗蜜突变体提供理论依据。     

Mechanism of action of insecticidal secondary metabolites of plant origin

Insect pest management is facing the economic and ecological challenge worldwide due to the human and environmental hazards caused by majority of the synthetic pesticide chemicals. Identification of novel effective insecticidal compounds is essential to combat increasing resistance rates. Botanicals containing active insecticidal phytochemicals appear to be promising to address some of these problems. Therefore, there is a continuous need to explore new active molecules with different mechanisms of action. Secondary metabolites present in plants apparently function as defense (toxic), which inhibits reproduction and other processes. The phytochemical biomolecules could be used for maximizing the effectiveness and specificity in future insecticide design with specific or multiple target sites, while ensuring the economic and ecological sustainability. In this article, the current state of knowledge on phytochemical sources and insecticidal activity, their mechanism of action in insects, resistance, and promising advances made in phytochemical research are reviewed.