Morphological differentiation in four species of the genus Lolium

Three hundred and sixteen accessions belonging to four species of the genus Lolium were analysed for morphological differentiation following field trials. Principal component analysis (PCA) was shown to explain over 74% of the variation with the date of ear emergence, spike height and flag leaf length and width being responsible for the major differentiation. L. perenne separated into two groups following PCA, cluster analysis and k-means clustering, as a result of floral initiation in the sowing year. Those accessions that did not attain floral initiation until the second year were found to be from northern Europe. The inbreeder L. temulentum was separated from the three outbreeding species, L. perenne, L. multiflorum and L. rigidum, which are themselves distinct from each other although there is some introgression between them, especially between L. multiflorum and L. rigidum. The results are discussed in relation to selection of a core collection of Lolium accessions.     

A phenetic analysis of morphological variation in Citrullus lanatus in Namibia

Morphological data recorded from field trials using Citrullus lanatus germplasm collected in Namibia were used to analyse and compare the various morphotypes of this species. The experiment comprised wild types and local landraces as well as commercial cultivars. Cluster analysis supported the indigenous classification system used in Namibia, in which Citrullus types are distinguished based on gross morphology, ecology and usage and grouped into seed, cooking and fresh-eating (watermelon) types. Commercial watermelon cultivars formed a distinct cluster. Wide variation was found within the local types whereas the genetic basis of the commercial type appears to be narrow. The commercial cultivars were most closely related to local watermelon types and more distantly related to the wild types, whereas the cooking melons form an intermediate group.     

Taxonomic relationships and interspecific hybridization in the genus Lolium (grasses)

Phylogenetic trees of the 8 species of the genus Lolium and of Festuca pratensis have been derived from frequency data at 13 isozyme loci using different distance algorithms. The best tree was obtained by the distance-Wagner method with the Cavalli-Sforza and Edwards chord distance. This tree appears robust when tested by bootstrap resampling of loci. This confirmed previous knowledge on species relationships in the genus Lolium, with supplementary data on the taxonomic position of the less studied L. persicum and L. canariense. Attempts were made to hybridize 4 Lolium species and F. pratensis. True interspecific hybrids, as confirmed by isozyme markers, were obtained for L. perenne x L. temulentum, L. temulentum x L. rigidum, L. temulentum x L. canariense and L. canariense x F. pratensis. This is the first report of this new form of Festulolium, which was obtained at a fairly high frequency, giving argument to a possible genetic proximity between L. canariense, an endemic species restricted to Atlantic islands, and F. pratensis, which has a more widespread, northern distribution. However, chromosome pairing analysis at meiosis did not support this conclusion, as the F1 L. canariense x F. pratensis definitely showed a higher level of asynapsis compared to that reported for L. perenne x F. pratensis. The apparently close relation between L. canariense and F. pratensis seen on the tree is therefore postulated to be an artefact, due to the low number of loci studied.     

Carbon flows in the rhizosphere of ryegrass (Lolium perenne)

This study addresses the issue of carbon (C) fluxes through below ground pools within the rhizosphere of Lolium perenne using the ¹⁴C pulse labeling. Lolium perenne was grown in plexiglas chambers on topsoil of a Haplic Luvisol under controled laboratory conditions. ¹⁴C‐CO₂ efflux from soil, as well as ¹⁴C content in shoots, roots, soil, dissolved organic C (DOC), and microbial biomass were monitored for 11 days after the pulsing. Lolium allocates about 48 % of the total assimilated ¹⁴C below the soil surface, and roots were the primary sink for this C. Maximum ¹⁴C content in the roots was observed 12 hours after the labeling and it amounts to 42 % of the assimilated C. Only half of the ¹⁴C amount was found in the roots at the end of the monitoring period. The remainder was lost through root respiration, root decomposition, and rhizodeposition. Six hours after the ¹⁴C pulse labeling soil accounted for 11 %, DOC for 1.1 %, and microbial biomass for 4.9 % of assimilated C. ¹⁴C in CO₂ efflux from soil was detected as early as 30 minutes after labeling. The maximum ¹⁴C‐CO₂ emission rate (0.34 % of assimilated ¹⁴C h^—1) from the soil occurred between four and twelve hours after labeling. From the 5^th day onwards, only insignificant changes in carbon partitioning occurred. The partitioning of assimilated C was completed after 5 days after assimilation. Based on the ¹⁴C partitioning pattern, we calculated the amount of assimilated C during 47 days of growth at 256 g C m^—2. Of this amount 122 g C m^—2 were allocated to below ground, shoots retained 64 g C m^—2, and 70 g C m^—2 were lost from the shoots due to respiration. Roots were the main sink for below ground C and they accounted for 74 g C m^—2, while 28 g C m^—2 were respired and 19 g C m^—2 were found as residual ¹⁴C in soil and microorganisms.     

黑麦草对土壤中Pb的富积作用及耐受性研究

通过土培实验研究了在单一因素影响下,不同浓度的Pb对黑麦草种子萌发及幼苗生长的影响,同时测定了其抗性生理指标的改变以及地上部分和根系对Pb的富集作用.实验结果表明,低浓度的Pb(＜500 mg/kg)单一污染时,对黑麦草种子萌发及幼苗生长有促进作用.高浓度时有显著的抑制作用.且随着浓度的升高(500～2 000 mg/kg),抑制作用和毒害作用都加强,各项指标均出现显著降低.同时,随Pb浓度增加,丙二醛(MDA)和可溶性糖含量显著增加,呈极显著正相关.叶片光合色素含量先增后减,呈负相关.黑麦草对Pb有一定的富集能力,当Pb浓度为500 mg/kg时,地上部分相对累计量达到最大.     

Potassium uptake of rye-grass (Lolium perenne) and red clover (Trifolium pratense) as related to root parameters

Summary Rye-grass (Lolium perenne) is known to be a strong competitor to red clover (Trifolium pratense) for soil K⁺ under conditions of low K availability in the soil. The objective of this study was to clarify whether this competitive behaviour of the two species can be explained by root morphology. Total K⁺ uptake ofL. perenne andT. pratense was studied under field conditions in relation to root fresh weight, root density, root cation exchange capacity, root surface and root length. The soil was an Alfisol, Udalf. All root parameters, when calculated per unit soil surface (M²), were higher inL. perenne than inT. pratense. In addition,L. perenne had longer root hairs and a denser root hair system thanT. pratense. The greatest difference in root morphology between species was root length, withL. perenne roots averaging 4–6 times longer than those ofT. pratense.Significant correlations were found between the total K⁺ uptake and all root parameters examined, with highest correlationsforroot fresh weight (r,0.92***T. pratense; 0.94***L. perenne) and root length (r, 0.91***T. pratense;r, 0.93***L. perenne). Potassium uptake per unit root fresh weight, root surface and root length were all significantly higher forT. pratense than for L. perenne. Differences in the rate of K⁺ uptake between species were particularly high when expressed per unit root length. Because of its greater root length and surface area,L. perenne can take up more soil K⁺ thanT. pratense, particularly where there is a low K^– supply in the soil. Under such conditionsL. perenne will be a particularly strong competitor toT. pratense.     

Electrophoretic variation as a measure of speciesdifferentiation between four species of the genus Lolium

Isozyme electrophoresis was carried out on 423 accessionsbelonging to four species of the genus Lolium toassess the genetic variation within and between the species. Fourenzyme systems (acid phosphatase, glutamate oxaloacetatetransaminase, phospho-gluco isomerase and superoxidedismutase) were used to array allelic diversity at fivepolymorphic loci. Nei's genetic distance analysis andmultivariate analyses were computed and the taxonomic position ofeach species is discussed as a result of these computations.Electrophoresis is shown to clearly differentiate the inbreedingspecies, L. temulentum fromthe outcrossing species, L.perenne, L.multiflorum and L.rigidum, and to separate the species within theout-breeding group. The taxonomic results are discussed inrelation to an earlier paper on morphological variation, concludingthat electrophoresis is a valid taxonomic tool showing distinctseparations between the species, but that current plant breeding andagricultural practises may be increasing the amount of hybridisationbetween the species than occurred in the past.     

Multivariate analysis of morphological variation in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) germplasm from Ethiopia and Eritrea

Multivariate methods, including principal component, cluster and discriminant analyses, were used to assess the patterns of morphological variation and to group 415 sorghum accessions for 15 quantitative characters. The first five principal components explained 79% of the total variation with plant height and days to 50% flowering being the most important characters in the first principal component. Cluster analysis grouped the accessions into ten clusters. A greater proportion of accessions of similar adaptation zones and accessions from regions of origin with similar agro-climatic conditions were grouped together. Moreover, discrimination of accessions was more pronounced when discriminant analysis was based on zone of adaptation rather than regions of origin. Based on the observed patterns of variation, it is concluded that the morphological variation in the material studied is structured by environmental factors. The implications of the results for plant breeding and germplasm conservation programmes arediscussed.     

Different methods for the evaluation of species of the genus Mesaphorura (Collembola, Tullbergiinae)

Field studies and laboratory investigations based upon cultures, isoenzyme electrophoresis and RAPD-PCR were carried out to get a better understanding of the value of morphospecies within the genus Mesaphorura.Culturing of seven Mesaphorura species under constant as well as variable conditions provided a basis for evaluation of morphological characters, but did not yield any statistically supportable evidence that intraspecific variability reached interspecific delimitations.In enzyme tests, esterases gave the best results. The search for species-specific band patterns is, however, time and material consuming. DNA investigations using RAPD-PCR resulted in band patterns that appeared to be species specific. Nevertheless, these require further investigations.None of the studies carried out gave any conclusive evidence for invalidation of the morphologically defined species of the genus Mesaphorura.     

A phylogenetic analysis of the genus Carica L. (Caricaceae) based on restriction fragment length variation in a cpDNA intergenic spacer region

The phylogenetic relationships among twelve wild and cultivated species of Carica (Caricaceae) were analyzed using restriction fragment length variation in a 3.2-kb PCR amplified intergenic spacer region of the chloroplast DNA. A total of 138 fragments representing 137 restriction sites accounting for 5.8% of the amplified region were examined. Both parsimony and neighbor joining cluster analyses confirmed the close association among South American wild Carica species. However, cpDNA data did not support the traditional monophyly hypothesis for the evolution of Carica. Further, cpDNA analyses showed two basic evolutionary lineages within the genus Carica, one defined by cultivated C. papaya and another consisting of the remaining wild species from South America in a well resolved but poorly supported monophyletic assemblage. This evolutionary split in Carica strongly suggests that C. papaya diverged from the rest of the species early in the evolution of the genus and evolved in isolation, probably in Central America.     

Partitioning of ryegrass residue sulphur between the soil microbial biomass,other soil sulphur pools and ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.)

Summary Ryegrass shoot residues, labelled with ³⁵S, were added to an S-deficient soil. The transfer of S to the microbial biomass, to the soil S pool extractable by NaHCO₃ and to growing ryegrass when present was followed over 34 weeks. After 2 weeks 16% and 15% of the S residue was found in the biomass and in the extractable S pool, respectively. Where plants were grown, they became S-deficient (shoot S <0.2%) simultaneously with the biomass showing a marked increase in C:S ratio. This eventually reached 262 from an initial value of 59. Concurrently, the extractable S pool, which included some labile organic S, decreased to <0.2 g g^–1 soil. After 34 weeks 27% of the S residue was found in the growing plant, 7% in the biomass and 2% in the extractable S pool. Some mineralization of unlabelled soil organic S was observed during the period of greatest plant growth (8–14 weeks), but not in the absence of plants. A second phase of mineralization occurred between weeks 22 and 34, concurrent with a rise in mean temperature, which was unaffected by the presence of plants or by the size of the microbial biomass. This may have been due to biochemical mineralization of ester sulphate. The amount of unlabelled soil S involved in active cycling was estimated to be 11%–13% of the total soil S.     

Evaluation of Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) populations naturalized in the flooding pampa of Argentina: I – Morphological and physiological characters at the juvenile stage

Twenty populations of Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) naturalized in the flooding pampa of Argentina and a commercial cultivar were evaluated in two representative soils of the region (environments). Seeds were sown individually in pots and maintained outdoors to evaluate seedling emergence, growth habit, tillering and leaf characters at the juvenile stage, to determine the degree of genetic determination (DGD) and resource allocations. Variability in final emergence, growth habit, tiller number, tillering index, leaf width and leaf area per plant was detected among entries, while (soil × entry) interaction or differences between soils were observed for characters related to emergence and number and size of leaves. The DGD could not be estimated for some characters due to the variance of (soil × entry) interaction component exceded the genetic component, but it ranged from 14 to 72 for the other attributes. To improve DGD estimations in future experiments, modification of experimental design by increasing the number of environments, replications or plants was discussed for each character.     

New data on the Zygentoma (Insecta, Apterygota) from Italy

The fauna of Zygentoma from Italy is reviewed and extended by new data. Ctenolepisma guadianica and Allacrotelsa kraepelini are new to Italy (the second one is also a new genus for this country). Neoasterolepisma crassipes is new to continental Italy and Atelura formicaria is new to Sicily. Neoasterolepisma angustothoracica (Grassi & Rovelli, 1890) n. comb., is redescribed.The Zygentoma fauna of Italy is composed of 24 species, 2 of Ateluridae (Atelura formicaria and Proatelurina pseudolepisma), 16 of Lepismatidae (Allacrotelsa kraepelini, Ctenolepisma algharbica, C. ciliata, C. guadianica, C. lineata, C. longicaudata, C. targionii, Lepisma chlorosoma, L. saccharina, Neoasterolepisma angustothoracica, N. balcanica, N. crassipes, N. wasmanni, Thermobia domestica, Tricholepisma aurea and T. gyriniformis) and 6 of Nicoletiidae (Coletinia maggi, C. setosula, C. subterranea, Coletinia sp. III, Lepidospora sp. and Nicoletia phytophila). A key to the identification of all these species is given.     

Effects of soil bulk density on seminal and lateral roots of young maize plants (Zea mays L.)

It is well established that increasing soil bulk density (SBD) above some threshold value reduces plant root growth and thus may reduce water and nutrient acquisition. However, formation and elongation of maize seminal roots and first order lateral (FOL) roots in various soil layers under the influence of SBD has not been documented. Two studies were conducted on a loamy sand soil at SBD ranging from 1.25 g cm^–3 to 1.66 g cm^–3. Rhizotrons with a soil layer 7 mm thick were used and pre‐germinated plants were grown for 15 days. Over the range of SBD tested, the shoot growth was not influenced whereas total root length was reduced by 30 % with increasing SBD. Absolute growth rate of seminal roots was highest in the top soil layer and decreased with increasing distance from the surface. Increasing SBD amplified this effect by 20 % and 50 % for the top soil layer and lower soil layers, respectively. At the end of the experiment, total seminal roots attributed to approximately 15 % of the total plant root length. Increasing SBD reduced seminal root growth in the lowest soil layer only, whereas FOL root length decreased with SBD in all but the uppermost soil layer. For FOL, there was a positive interaction of SBD with distance from the soil surface. Both, increasing SBD and soil depth reduced root length by a reduction of number of FOL roots formed while the length of individual FOL roots was not influenced. Hence, increasing SBD may reduce spatial access to nutrients and water by (i) reducing seminal root development in deeper soil layers, aggravated by (ii) the reduction of the number of FOL roots that originate from these seminal roots.     

额定流量与毛管位置对纽扣式滴头堵塞的影响及机理分析

为探究引用高含沙水滴灌时额定流量与毛管位置对纽扣式滴头堵塞风险的影响及相应机理,该研究对3种不同额定流量（2、4、8 L/h）的纽扣式滴头按照不同的毛管安装位置（毛管进水口处的支管长度分别为：w、2w、3w,毛管间距w=204 mm;依次为内侧、中间和外侧）进行浑水堵塞试验。试验结果表明：滴头额定流量与毛管位置会影响毛管与支管内的断面平均流速,从而对管中沉积泥沙的起动产生影响,影响滴头堵塞进程。额定流量为4 L/h的滴头,其平均相对流量和灌水均匀度系数下降速率最慢,即抗堵塞性能最优,且其有效灌水次数最多,平均使用寿命比2和8 L/h的滴头分别提高了11.84%和49.11%。滴头额定流量越小,毛管位置对滴头使用寿命影响越明显,其毛管内滞留泥沙质量越大、沉积的大颗粒泥沙占比越多,大颗粒泥沙相对小颗粒泥沙更容易被滞留在毛管中。滴头额定流量越大、在单根毛管上的安装位置越靠近前段,其排出的泥沙粒径越大。毛管中沉积泥沙的起动是导致大流量滴头更快堵塞的主要原因。试验为滴灌系统堵塞机理的研究提供了思路,为实际应用中滴头额定流量的选用与滴头堵塞的预防提供了参考。     

Zn胁迫对黑麦草幼苗生长、生理生化及Zn吸收的影响

采用营养液培养法,研究了不同Zn浓度(0,0.25,0.50,1.00,2.00 mmol/L)对黑麦草幼苗生长、过氧化物酶活性、脯氨酸、根系活力及Zn吸收的影响。结果表明,低锌胁迫对黑麦草幼苗生长无抑制,过度锌胁迫(Zn≥2 mmol/L)将降低黑麦草地上部干质量。幼苗叶内游离脯氨酸含量随锌胁迫时间、锌浓度增加而增加。随Zn胁迫时间增加幼苗POD活性先降后升、根系活力先升后降,锌处理的植株地上部POD活性随锌浓度增加先降低,然后增加,而根系活力随锌浓度增加而增加。黑麦草幼苗地上部和根系Zn含量随Zn浓度的增加而增加,当Zn浓度为2.00 mmol/L时,地上部Zn含量最大值为775.0 mg/kg。     

不同水分环境下玉米叶形相关性状与SSR标记的关联分析

玉米的叶形结构与其抗旱性紧密相关,挖掘不同水分环境下调控玉米叶形相关性状的显著关联分子标记位点,可为揭示玉米叶形结构的分子遗传机理、克隆相关调控基因并进行抗旱理想株型育种提供参考。本研究在不同水分环境下分析187份玉米自交系叶长、叶宽、叶夹角、叶向值、叶面积、叶形系数及叶片卷曲度等7个叶形相关性状的变化,采用SSR标记对这些材料进行全基因组扫描并分析其遗传多样性,采用一般线性模型(GLM)寻找不同水分环境下与玉米7个叶形相关性状关联的分子标记。结果表明:1)干旱环境下187份玉米自交系的叶长、叶宽、叶夹角、叶面积均显著降低,而叶向值、叶形系数及叶片卷曲度均明显升高,且干旱环境下这7个叶形相关性状的变异比率为30.53%～198.31%。2)145对SSR标记共检测出652个等位变异,变异范围在2～13个;多态性信息量(PIC)变异范围为0.201～0.966,平均0.478。采用UPGMA聚类及群体遗传结构分析均将供试材料分为旅大红骨(LRC)、唐四平头(TSPT)、兰卡斯特(Lan)、P及瑞德(Reid)等5大类群。3)采用GLM模型,在不同水分环境下共检测到15个SSR标记与玉米的7个叶形相关性状在P0.01水平下关联,各标记对表型的解释率为2.25%～27.30%,72.97%的标记可在干旱环境下被检测到;其中umc1124、umc2363、umc2214、umc1742、phi331888、umc1378、bnlg1863、umc2134和umc1345标记同时与不同水分环境下的多个叶形相关性状连锁,表现出明显的"一因多效"现象。这些研究结果将为玉米叶形结构的遗传改良及抗旱理想株型分子标记辅助选择育种提供参考。     

Influence of soluble carbohydrates,free amino acids,and protein content on the decomposition of Lolium multiflorum shoots

The aim of the present investigation was to determine how the chemical composition of L. multiflorum (var. Imperial) shoots influences the initial dynamic decomposition phase. Decomposition in soil was monitored by taking semicontinuous respiration measurements with a resolution of 1 h. Shoots with six different total N contents(2.0–5.2%) were compared. The carbohydrate content of the shoots decreased with increasing total N content, whereas the free amino acid and protein contents increased. Two respiration peaks were observed during the 1-week-long incubation. Comparisons of C mineralisation curves for water-extracted and whole shoots showed that the first peak was derived from water-soluble plant components. Lengths of lag phases and values of specific microbial growth rates obtained from respiration curves of sugars and amino acids implied that these substances were mineralised during the time of the first respiration peak. Amounts of CO₂-C evolved from the shoots during the first peak increased linearly as a function of the sum of the content of glucose, fructose, sucrose, fructans, and free amino acids in the shoots. The shoots with two highest N contents showed net N mineralisation during the first respiration peak, whereas at a lower N content there was net immobilisation. It was concluded that soluble carbohydrates and free amino acids were important C and energy sources for the decomposers during the time encompassed by the first respiration peak. The second peak was derived from both water-soluble and water-insoluble plant components, and the amount of C respired increased with an increasing protein content.     

柴油机侧卷流和分卷流燃烧系统性能测试与分析

侧卷流燃烧系统（Lateral Swirl Combustion System,LSCS）和分卷流燃烧系统（Separated Swirl Combustion System,SSCS）均是利用特殊设计的燃烧室壁面导流结构来引导缸内喷雾形成卷流运动,达到改善油气混合质量的目的。两种燃烧系统在缸内的布油策略不同,为对比研究两种燃烧系统的性能,该研究利用模拟增压单缸柴油机进行了侧卷流燃烧系统和分卷流燃烧系统在不同负荷和过量空气系数下的燃烧性能试验;采用AVL Fire软件探究了两种燃烧系统改善油气混合过程的机理。试验结果表明：不同工况下,侧卷流燃烧系统的燃油消耗率和碳烟排放均低于分卷流燃烧系统;相比于分卷流燃烧系统,侧卷流燃烧系统在不同负荷下的燃油消耗率降低了2.4～7.8 g/(kW·h),碳烟排放降低了2.7～3.9 FSN（Filter Smoke Number,滤纸式烟度单位）;在不同过量空气系数下的燃油消耗率降低了3.2～9.8 g/(kW·h),碳烟排放降低了2.3～3.8 FSN,燃油消耗率最大降幅为4.3%,碳烟排放最大降幅为87.0%。仿真结果表明：侧卷流燃烧系统中,油束在分流造型的导流作用下形成侧向卷流运动,相邻两束卷流在流出分流造型时产生壁射流干涉作用,进一步提高了燃烧室内的空气利用率;而分卷流燃烧系统在活塞下行时,油束触壁位置的改变导致了燃油聚集现象,不利于油气混合过程。相较于分卷流燃烧系统,侧卷流燃烧系统的空气卷吸量增加了9.3%,在当量比为2～4区间内的燃油质量比例较小,在当量比<1～2区间内的燃油质量比例较大,表明侧卷流燃烧系统的油气混合均匀性较好。因此,侧卷流燃烧系统对油气混合过程的改善作用更为显著,明显提升了直喷式柴油机的燃烧性能,减少碳烟生成。研究结果可为直喷式柴油机燃烧室结构设计和优化提供技术参考。     

Evaluation of denitrification losses by the acetylene inhibition technique in a permanent ryegrass field (Lolium perenne L.) fertilized with animal slurry or ammonium nitrate

In a field experiment, the effect of animal slurry, (with and without the nitrification inhibitor dicyandiamide on total denitrification losses estimated by the C₂H₂ inhibition technique was measured over 2 years (1989–1990). During this period, four different plots (each with four replicates) were fertilized six times with 150 kg N ha^-1 in the form of cattle-pig slurry or NH₄NO₃. Soil samples (0–20 cm) were analysed at regular intervals for NH _inf4 ^sup+ and NO _inf3 ^sup– concentrations. The soil water content was determined gravimetrically. During the first year (1989) total denitrification losses from unfertilized, mineral-fertilized, and animal slurry-amended plots (with or without dicyandiamide) were estimated as 0.2, 3.1, 0.7, and 0.6 kg N ha^-1, respectively. During the second year (1990) the denitrification losses were 0.4, 1.3, 0.7, and 0.7 kg N ha^-1, respectively. There was a clear relationship between the NO _inf3 ^sup– concentration or soil water content and the denitrification rate. The results are siteund experiment-specific and cannot be generalized so far.