Sublethal effects of sulfoxaflor on the fitness of two species of wheat aphids,Sitobion avenae(F.) and Rhopalosiphum padi(L.)

Sitobion avenae(F.) and Rhopalosiphum padi(L.) are two important pests of wheat in China. They typically coexist in fields during the late period of wheat growth. Sulfoxaflor is a novel sulfoximine insecticide that demonstrates broad-spectrum efficacy, especially in targeting sap-feeding insects. This study was carried out to investigate the sublethal effects of sulfoxaflor on the development, longevity, and reproduction of two species of wheat aphids. Our results showed that sublethal concentrations of sulfoxaflor did not cause significant effects on the fecundity or the longevity of the parent generation(F_0 generation) of either S. avenae or R. padi. However, it caused transgenerational sublethal effects. For S. avenae, adult longevity of F_1 generation was significantly decreased. No significant differences were observed on the population parameters of S. avenae in the F_1 generation. For R. padi, the adult preoviposition period(APOP) and the total preoviposition period(TPOP) of F_1 generation were significantly reduced. The mean generation time(T) was significantly reduced in the R. padi F_1 generation. What's more, the intrinsic rate of increase(r_m) and the finite rate of increase(λ) were significantly increased in the R. padi F_1 generation. Taken together, these results suggest that exposure to the LC_(25) of sulfoxafl had no effects on the parent generation of S. avenae or R. padi, but it reduced adult longevity of S. avenae as a negative effect and increased the r_m and λ of R. padi in the first progeny generation, which may have an impact on the population dynamics of R. padi.     

Foliar spraying of aqueous garlic bulb extract stimulates growth and antioxidant enzyme activity in eggplant(Solanum melongena L.)

Recently,botanical extracts are gaining popularity as biostimulants in vegetable production.In present study,the effect of aqueous garlic bulb extract(AGE)was studied on the growth and physiology of eggplant grown in plastic tunnel.AGE was foliage sprayed with various frequencies,i.e.,0,S1(once),S2(twice)and S3(three times)at two independent growth stages,pre-and post-transplant.The results showed that the treated plants exhibited stimulatory responses in growth and physiology in accord with the repetition of AGE spray and growth stages of the plants,respectively.A single foliage sprayed pre-transplant resulted in improved growth,i.e.,plant morphology and biomass,and enhanced antioxidants enzymes(superoxide dismutase,SOD;peroxidase,POD),photosynthesis and chlorophyll abundance observed at vegetative,first flowering and fruit setting stages,respectively.However,thrice application inhibited the plant growth and development and resulted in lipid peroxidation,i.e.,increased malondialdehyde(MDA)content.In addition,the post-transplant application also showed growth stimulation and interestingly,an overall positive influence was observed with respect to the AGE application and no significant increase in the MDA content indicated the post-transplant seedlings responded well.Our findings demonstrate that AGE can act as a biostimulant to enhance the eggplant growth in plastic tunnel production.     

Mapping and genetic validation of a grain size QTL qGS7.1 in rice(Oryza sativa L.)

Grain size is a major determinant of grain weight, which is one of the components of rice yield. The objective o this study was to identify novel, and important quantitative trait loci(QTLs) for grain size and weight in rice. QTLs were mapped using a BC_4F_4 population including 192 backcross inbred lines(BILs) derived from a backcross between Xiaolijing(XLJ) and recombinant inbred lines(RILs). The mapping population was planted in both Lingshui(Hainan, 2015) and Fuyang(Zhejiang, 2016), with the short-and long-day conditions, respectively. A total of 10 QTLs for grain length, four for grain width, four for the ratio of grain length to width, and 11 for grain weight were detected in at least one environment and were distributed across 11 chromosomes. The phenotypic variance explained ranged from 6.76–25.68%, 14.30–34.03%, 5.28–26.50%, and 3.01–22.87% for grain length, grain width, the ratio of grain length to width, and thousand grain weight, respectively. Using the sequential residual heterozygotes(SeqRHs) method, qGS7.1, a QTL for grain size and weight, was mapped in a 3.2-Mb interval on chromosome 7. No QTLs about grain size and weight were reported in previous studies in this region, providing a good candidate for functional analysis and breeding utilization.     

Effects of the severity and timing of basal leaf removal on the amino acids profiles of Sauvignon Blanc grapes and wines

The effects of the severity and timing of leaf removal(LR) on the amino acids of Sauvignon Blanc grapes and wines were studied during the 2017 growing season. High-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) was used to analyze the amino acids profiles of grape berries and wines. The basal leaves were removed at three time points(40, 56 and 72 days after flowering, named LR40, LR56 and LR72, respectively) at two severity levels(one at which the first, third, and fifth basal leaves of each shoot were removed(50% level); and another at which the first six basal leaves were removed(100% level)). The results showed that leaf removal had little impact on total soluble solids(°Brix), titratable acidity, pH or berry weight. The LR72-50% treated grapes had higher berry weight, titratable acidity and °Brix than those of the other treatments. The highest concentrations of total amino acids and of total amino acids except proline were detected in LR72-50% treated grapes(2 952.58 and 2 764.36 mg L~(-1), respectively); the lowest were detected in LR72-100% treated grapes(2 172.82 and 2 038.71 mg L~(-1), respectively). LR72-50% treatment significantly promoted the synthesis of aspartic acid, serine, arginine, alanine, aminobutyric acid and proline at both severity levels for grapes, the concentrations of all of these amino acids were increased relative to the control concentrations. The LR72-50%, LR40-100% and LR72-100% treated wines had higher total amino acids concentrations and higher concentrations of some individual amino acids, such as arginine, alanine and serine, than did the control wines. Of all the amino acids studied, glycine, tyrosine, cysteine, methionine and lysine were not significantly influenced by the timing or severity basal defoliation in grapes and wines. The present study reveals the effects of the timing and severity of leaf removal on the amino acids profiles of grapes and wines.     

Field effect of Cnaphalocrocis medinalis granulovirus (CnmeGV) on the pest of rice leaffolder

Rice leaffolder, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis(Guenée), has become a major pest throughout the rice cultivating areas of China and caused severe damage to rice production. Cnaphalocrocis medinalis granulovirus(CnmeGV), a naturally occurring baculovirus, is revealed as a potential microbial agent for the pest control. Field applications of CnmeGV were conducted against rice leaffolder larvae in rice paddies. CnmeGV infected the larvae not only in the current generation but also in the successive generation, resulting in a sustained infection in the larva population for at least 48 days. Under diferent concentrations of CnmeGV(7.5×10~(11) and 1.125×10~(12) occlusion body(OB) ha~(-1)) at 30 days after spraying, larval population reduced up to 76.32% and rice leaf rolled rate kept in 15.42%. Simultaneously, CnmeGV had no impact on arthropod predators of C. medinalis, with abundances ranging from 2.39 to 3.79 per ten hills. These results revealed that CnmeGV is suitable as a bio-pesticide for rice leaffolder management in rice paddies.     

Field identification of morphological and physiological traits in two special mutants with strong tolerance and high sensitivity to drought stress in upland rice(Oryza sativa L.)

The two mutants idr1-1 and 297-28, which were obtained from the radiation mutation of HD297 and IAPAR9, were used as experimental materials in this study for a 2-year(2012 and 2013) experiment about field drought resistance identification in Beijing, China. Key agronomic traits and water-related physiological indexes were observed and measured, including the leaf anti-dead level(LADL), days to heading, plant height, setting percentage, aboveground biomass, leaf water potential(LWP), net photosynthetic rate(Pn) and transpiration rate. The results showed that the mutant idr1-1 that was under drought stress(DS) conditions for 2 years had the highest LADL grades(1.3 and 2.0) among all the materials, and they were 2–3 grades stronger than the wild-type IAPAR9 with an average that was 21.4% higher for the setting percentage than the wild type. Compared with the IAPAR9 for the 2-year average delay in the days to heading and the reduction rates in the plant height, setting percentage, and aboveground biomass under DS compared with the well-watered(WW) treatment, idr1-1 showed 3.2% less delay and 19.1, 16.4, and 6.1% less reduction, respectively. The idr1-1 in the LWP always exhibited the highest performance among all the materials. The Pn of idr1-1 under severe and mild DS comparing with that under WW was slightly decreased and even slightly increased, respectively, leading to an average reduction rate of only 0.92%, which was 26.93% less than that of IAPAR9. Under the severe DS, idr1-1 still showed the highest value of 16.88 μmol CO2 m–2 s–1 among all the materials and was significantly higher than that of IAPAR9(11.66 μmol CO2 m–2 s–1). Furthermore, only idr1-1 had the increased and the highest transpiration rate values(7.6 and 6.04 mmol H2 O m–2 s–1) under both mild and severe DS compared with the values under WW, when the transpiration rate of all the other materials significantly decreased. By contrast, the 297-28 in terms of the LADL grade under DS was the lowest(7.0), and it was four grades weaker than its wildtype HD297 and even one grade weaker than the drought-sensitive paddy rice SN265. For the 2-year average reduction rates in aboveground biomass and plant heights under DS compared with those under the WW, 297-28 was 31.6 and 31.8% higher than HD297, respectively. Meanwhile, 297-28 showed the worst performance for the LWP, Pn, and transpiration rate. These results suggest that idr1-1 might be a superior drought tolerant mutant of upland rice found in China. It has a strong ability to maintain and even enhance leaf transpiration while maintaining a high plant water potential under DS, thus supporting a high Pn and alleviating the delay in agronomic trait development and yield loss effectively. 297-28 is a much more highly drought-sensitive mutant that is even more sensitive than paddy rice varieties. The two mutants could be used as drought tolerance controls for rice germplasm identification and the drought resistant mechanism studies in the future. idr1-1 is also suitable for breeding drought-tolerant and lodging-resistant high-yield rice varieties.     

Investigating seed mineral composition in Korean landrace maize(Zea mays L.) and its kernel texture specificity

Mineral malnutrition affects billions of people all over the world and biofortification of staple crops provides a potential way to alleviate dietary mineral deficiencies. For example, nutritional quality is an important breeding target for fresh waxy maize(Zea mays L.), which is widely consumed in Asian countries. Successful improvement of mineral composition will require comprehensive profiling of the mineral composition of maize varieties and an understanding of the capacity for maize grains to accumulate minerals. Here, using inductively coupled plasma absorption emission spectrometry, we quantified 12 minerals from the seeds of 47 maize varieties, including 25 Korean landraces. We also compared the mineral contents in varieties with different seed starch profiles: waxy maize(which contains 100% amylopectin), dent maize(roughly 75% amylopectin and 25% amylose), and flint maize(similar to dent maize). The amounts of potassium, phosphorus, and sulfur were correlated with seed texture, waxy maize having higher amounts of phosphorus and potassium than dent maize and lower amounts of sulfur than flint maize or dent maize. In addition, a positive relationship was detected between the amount of phosphorus and that of potassium, magnesium, and manganese. These results provide information on maize seed mineral composition and indicate that it could be affected by starch composition. Furthermore, the landraces that exhibit high mineral contents could be used as germplasm materials for breeding programs aimed at producing biofortified maize cultivars.     

Molecular identification and enzymatic properties of laccase2 from the diamondback moth Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae)

Laccase(EC 1.10.3.2)is known to oxidize various aromatic and nonaromatic compounds via a radical-catalyzed reaction,which generally includes two types of laccase,Lac1 and Lac2.Lac1 oxidizes toxic compounds in the diet,and Lac2 is known to play an important role in melanizing the insect exoskeleton.In this study,we cloned and sequenced the cDNA of the diamondback moth,Plutella xylostella Lac2(PxLac2),from the third instar larvae using polymerase chain reaction(PCR)and rapid amplification of cDNA ends techniques.The results showed that the full-length PxLac2 cDNA was 1 944 bp long and had an open reading frame of 1 794 bp.PxLac2 encoded a protein with 597 amino acids and had a molecular weight of 66.09 kDa.Moreover,we determined the expression levels of PxLac2 in different stages by quantitative PCR(qPCR).The results indicated that PxLac2 was expressed differently in different stages.We observed the highest expression level in pupae and the lowest expression level in fourth instar larvae.We also investigated the enzymatic properties of laccase,which had optimal activity at pH 3.0 and at 35°C.Under these optimal conditions,laccase had a Michaelis constant(K_m)of 0.97 mmol L~(-1),maximal reaction speed(V_m)of 56.82 U mL~(-1),and activation energy(E_a)of 17.36 kJ mol~(-1) to oxidize2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid ammonium salt).Type II copper enhanced laccase activity below 0.8mmol L~(-1) and reduced enzyme activity above 0.8 mmol L~(-1) with an IC_(50) concentration of 1.26 mmol L~(-1).This study provides insights into the biological function of laccase.     

Distribution pattern and titer of Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus in periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus)

Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CaLas), an uncultured Gram-negative alphaproteobacterium, is the causal agent of Huanglongbing (HLB) in citrus. CaLas resides in phloem sieve tubes and has been shown to be unequally distributed in different tissues. Although HLB is a disease of citrus plants, it has been demonstrated that periwinkle can serve as an experimental host of CaLas, which can be transmitted from citrus to periwinkle via the parasitic plant dodder (Cuscuta spp.). To investigate the distribution of CaLas in various periwinkle tissues, the bacteria were transmitted from an infected periwinkle plant to healthy periwinkles by top-grafting. The movement of the inoculum and associated titer changes were observed over time in various tissues. CaLas could be detected in the leaves, main stems, and roots of infected periwinkle by conventional PCR, and in all three tissues a clear time-dependent change in CaLas titer was observed, with titer increasing soon after inoculation and then decreasing as disease symptoms became severe. The highest titer was found at 25, 35 and 35 days after inoculation in leaves, main stems and roots, respectively. The titer in leaves was much higher than in the main stems and roots at the same time point, and the spatial distribution of CaLas in the leaves, main stems and roots of infected periwinkle was uneven, similar to what has been shown in citrus. The results provide guidance for selecting the proper periwinkle tissues and sampling times for early detection of CaLas.     

The synergistic advantage of combining chloropicrin or dazomet with fosthiazate nematicide to control root-knot nematode in cucumber production

The highly-damaging root-knot nematode(Meloidogyne spp., RKN) cannot be reliably controlled using only a nematicide such as fosthiazate because of increasing pest resistance. In laboratory and greenhouse trials, we showed that chloropicrin(CP) or dazomet(DZ) synergized the efficacy of fosthiazate against RKN. The combination significantly extended the degradation half-life of fosthiazate by an average of about 1.25 times. CP or DZ with fosthiazate reduced the time for fosthiazate to penetrate the RKN cuticle compared to fosthiazate alone. CP or DZ combined with low or medium rate of fosthiazate increased the total cucumber yield, compared to the use of each product alone. A low-dose fosthiazate with DZ improved total yield more than a low dose fosthiazate with CP. Extending the half-life of fosthiazate and reducing the time for fosthiazate or fumigant to penetrate the RKN cuticle were the two features that gave the fumigant-fosthiazate combination its synergistic advantage over these products used singularly. This synergy provides the opportunity for farmers to use a low dose of fosthiazate which lowers the risk of RKN resistance. Farmers could combine DZ at 30 g m~(-2) with fosthiazate at a low rate of 0.375 g m~(-2) to control RKN and adequately control two major soil-borne diseases in cucumber greenhouses.     

Mitochondrial DNA diversity and origin of indigenous pigs in South China and their contribution to western modern pig breeds

Indigenous pigs in South China are valuable genetic resources with many specific and unique characters, which have played an important role in the establishment of some western modern pig breeds. However, the origin and genetic diversity of indigenous pigs in South China have not been fully understood. In the present study, we sequenced 534 novel mitochondrial DNA(mt DNA) D-loop and assembled 54 complete mitogenome sequences for all 17 indigenous pig breeds from Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan in South China. These data were analyzed together with previously published homologous sequences relevant to this study. We found that all 13 coding genes of the mitogenomes were under purifying selection, but ND1 had the most variable sites and CYTB contained the most non-synonymous SNPs. Phylogenetic analysis showed that all indigenous pigs in South China were clustered into the D haplogroup with D1 a1, D1 b, D1 c and D1 e sub-haplogroups found to be dominant. Haplotype and nucleotide diversities of D-loop sequences ranged from 0.427 to 0.899 and from 0.00342 to 0.00695, respectively, among which all pigs in Guangdong had the lowest diversity. The estimates of pairwise FST, gene flow(Nm) and genetic distance(Da) indicated that most of these indigenous pig breeds differentiated from each other significantly(P0.05). Among the western modern breeds, Berkshire and Yorkshire had significant Asian matrilineal footprints from indigenous pigs in South China, especially the Spotted pigs distributed in Guangdong and Guangxi. The neutrality test(Fu's F_S) indicated that indigenous pigs from Fujian and Guangxi had gone through recent population expansion events(P0.05). It is concluded that indigenous pigs in South China were most likely derived from the Mekong region and the middle and downstream regions of Yangtze River through Guangxi and Fujian. Our findings provide a complete and in-depth insight on the origin and distribution pattern of maternal genetic diversity of indigenous pigs in South China.     

Molecular,serological and biological characterization of a novel Apple stem pitting virus strain from a local pear variety grown in China

Apple stem pitting virus (ASPV) is an important causal agent of pear diseases. Nowadays, the infection status and molecular characteristics of the virus in old pear trees have never been investigated. In this study, we provide the first complete genome sequence of an ASPV isolate LYC from an over 300-year-old tree of a local Pyrus bretschneideri cultivar ‘Chili’ specifically grown at Laiyang area in China. ASPV-LYC possesses a chimeric genome consisting of 9 273 nucleotides excluding a poly(A) tail at its 3’ end and harboring a recombination region in its open reading frame (ORF1) with Aurora-1 and KL9 identified as the major and minor parents. Western blot analysis with antisera against recombinant coat proteins (CPs) of three ASPV isolates from pear indicates that ASPV-LYC is serologically related to these ASPV isolates, but with differential activities. Further biological tests on indicator plants of Pyronia veitchii show that ASPV-LYC can induce serious leaf and stem symptoms as other ASPV isolates. The results provide an important information for understanding molecular evolution of ASPV and suggest a need to prevent dissemination of the isolate among pear trees.     

Soil macroaggregates and organic-matter content regulate microbial communities and enzymatic activity in a Chinese Mollisol

The formation and turnover of macroaggregates are critical processes influencing the dynamics and stabilization of soil organic carbon (SOC). Soil aggregate size distribution is directly related to the makeup and activity of microbial communities. We incubated soils managed for >30 years as restored grassland (GL), farmland (FL) and bare fallow (BF) for 60 days using both intact and reduced aggregate size distributions (intact aggregate distribution (IAD)<6 mm; reduced aggregate distribution (RAD)<1 mm), in treatments with added glucose, alanine or inorganic N, to reveal activity and microbial community structure as a function of aggregate size and makeup. Over a 60-day incubation period, the highest phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) abundance was on day 7 for bacteria and fungi, on day 15 for actinomycete. The majority of the variation in enzymatic activities was likely related to PLFA abundance. GL had higher microbial abundance and enzyme activity. Mechanically reducing macroaggregates (>0.25 mm) by 34.7% in GL soil with no substrate additions increased the abundance of PLFAs (average increase of 15.7%) and activities of β-glucosidase (increase of 17.4%) and N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase (increase of 7.6%). The addition of C substrates increased PLFA abundance in FL and BF by averages of 18.8 and 33.4%, respectively, but not in GL soil. The results show that the effect of habitat destruction on microorganisms depends on the soil aggregates, due to a release of bioavailable C, and the addition of substrates for soils with limited nutrient availability. The protection of SOC is promoted by larger size soil aggregate structures that are important to different aggregate size classes in affecting soil C stabilization and microbial community structure and activity.     

Phenotypic characterization and genetic mapping of the dwarf mutant m34 in maize

Plant height is one of the most important agronomic traits associated with yield in maize.In this study,a gibberellins(GA)-insensitive dwarf mutant,m34,was screened from inbred line Ye478 by treatment with the chemical mutagen ethylmethanesulfonate(EMS).Compared to Ye478,m34 showed a dwarf phenotype with shorter internodes,and smaller leaf length and width,but with similar leaf number.Furthermore,m34 exhibited smaller guard cells in internodes than Ye478,suggesting that smaller cells might contribute to its dwarf phenotype.Genetic analysis indicated that the m34 dwarf phenotype was controlled by a recessive nuclear gene.An F2 population derived from a cross between m34 and B73 was used for mutational gene cloning and this gene was mapped to a chromosome region between umc2189 and umc1553 in chromosome 1 bin1.10,which harbored a previously identified dwarf gene Zm VP8.Sequencing analysis showed a nucleotide substitution(G1606 to A1606)in the sixth exon of ZmVP8,which resulted in an amino acid change(E531 to K531)from Ye478 to m34.This amino acid change resulted in anα-helix changing to aβ-sheet in the secondary protein structure and the‘SPEC’domain changed to a‘BOT1NT’domain in the tertiary protein structure.Taken together,these results suggested that m34 is a novel allelic mutant originally derived from Ye478 that is useful for further ZmVP8 functional analysis in maize.     

Genetic dissection of hexanol content in soybean seed through genome-wide association analysis

Hexanol is a major compound contributing to the off-flavors(the bean-like odor) of soybean derived soymilk. The most effective way to reduce the off-flavors of soymilk is the screening and utilization of soybean cultivars with improved hexanol content. However, no genome-wide genetic analysis for this particular trait has been conducted to date. The objective of the present study was to dissect the genetic basis of hexanol content in soybean seed through genome-wide association analysis(GWAS). A total of 105 soybean accessions were analyzed for hexanol content in a three-year experiments and genotyped by sequencing using the specific locus amplified fragment sequencing(SLAF-seq) approach. A total of 25 724 single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs) were obtained with minor allele frequencies(MAF)5%. GWAS showed that 25 quantitative trait nucleotides(QTNs) were significantly associated with the hexanol concentration in soybean seed. These identified QTNs distributed on different genomic regions of the 15 chromosomes. A total of 91 genes were predicted as candidate genes underlying the seed hexanol level and six candidates were predicted possibly underlying the seed hexanol by gene based association. In this study, GWAS has been proven to be an effective way to dissect the genetic basis of the hexanol concentration in multiple genetic backgrounds. The identified beneficial alleles and candidate genes might be valuable for the improvement of marker-assisted breeding efficiency for low hexanol level and help to explore possible molecular mechanisms underlying hexanol content in soybean seed.     

Morphological diversity and correlation analysis of phenotypes and quality traits of proso millet(Panicum miliaceum L.)core collections

Genetic diversity and comprehensive performance are the basis for the discovery and efficient use of proso millet(Panicum miliaceum L.) core collections. In this study, 386 proso millet core collections were used as materials to observe inflorescence color, leaf phase, inflorescence density, axis shape, branched spike length, panicle type, trichome, measured area of the top3 leaves, and chlorophyll content of the top3 leaves at filling stage. These core collections were also used to record growth period, plant height, diameter of main stem, plant tiller number, branch number, panicle length, panicle number per plant, and panicle weight per plant at the maturation stage. Starch, fat, protein, and yellow pigment contents in the grain and 1 000-seed weight were also measured after harvest. Then, quantitative traits were used for diversity analysis and comprehensive evaluation of each collection. Correlations between all traits were also analyzed. Results showed that among the 8 quality traits, the Shannon index(H′) of hull color was the highest(1.588) followed by the H′ of inflorescence density(0.984). However, inflorescence color and axis shape were lower. The H′ of 16 quantitative traits were significantly higher than the quality traits with the following traits having the highest indices: fat content(2.092), 1 000-seed weight(2.073), top3 leaves area(2.070), main stem diameter(2.056), and plant height(2.052). Furthermore, all other traits had a diversity higher than 1.900. After a comprehensive evaluation of phenotypic traits, plant height, diameter of main stem, plant tiller number, leaf area of top3 leaves, and 1 000-seed weight were the biggest contributors to the principal components. Six high-fat and high-protein cultivars, including Nuoshu, A75-2, Zhiduoaosizhi, Panlonghuangmi, Xiaobaishu, and Xiaohongshu were also screened. Correlations between the quantitative traits were significant, including the correlation between quality traits and quantitative traits. In conclusion, the core collections can be used as basis for discriminating among proso millet cultivars based on related traits and for further studies on millet with rich genetic diversity, good representation, and significant collection between traits.     

Estimates on nitrogen uptake in the subsequent wheat by above-ground and root residue and rhizodeposition of using peanut labeled with 15N isotope on the North China Plain

Leguminous crops play a vital role in enhancing crop yield and improving soil fertility. Therefore, it can be used as an organic N source for improving soil fertility. The purpose of this study was to (i) quantify the amounts of N derived from rhizodeposition, root and above-ground biomass of peanut residue in comparison with wheat and (ii) estimate the effect of the residual N on the wheat-growing season in the subsequent year. The plants of peanut and wheat were stem fed with ¹⁵N urea using the cotton-wick method at the Wuqiao Station of China Agricultural University in 2014. The experiment consisted of four residue-returning strategies in a randomized complete-block design: (i) no return of crop residue (CR0); (ii) return of above-ground biomass of peanut crop (CR1); (iii) return of peanut root biomass (CR2); and (iv) return of all residue of the whole peanut plant (CR3). The 31.5 and 21% of the labeled ¹⁵N isotope were accumulated in the above-ground tissues (leaves and stems) of peanuts and wheat, respectively. N rhizodeposition of peanuts and wheat accounted for 14.91 and 3.61% of the BG¹⁵N, respectively. The ¹⁵N from the below-ground ¹⁵N-labeled of peanuts were supplied 11.3, 5.9, 13.5, and 6.1% of in the CR0, CR1, CR2, and CR3 treatments, respectively. Peanut straw contributes a significant proportion of N to the soil through the decomposition of plant residues and N rhizodeposition. With the current production level on the NCP, it is estimated that peanut straw can potentially replace 104 500 tons of synthetic N fertilizer per year. The inclusion of peanut in rotation with cereal can significantly reduce the use of N fertilizer and enhance the system sustainability.     

First detection and complete genome of Soybean chlorotic mottle virus naturally infecting soybean in China by deep sequencing

Soybean chlorotic mottle virus (SbCMV) was first detected from soybean plants in Jiangxi Province of China by high throughput sequencing and was confirmed by PCR. The complete nucleotide sequence of NC113 was determined to be 8 210 nucleotides, and shared the highest similarity (91.7%) with sequences of SbCMV that was only reported in Japan. It encodes nine putative open reading frames (ORFs Ia, Ib and II–VIII), and contains a large intergenic region located at nucleotide 5 976–6 512 between ORFs VI and VII. Sequence analysis and phylogenetic tree indicated that NC113 is an isolate of SbCMV, and is more related to the soymoviruses Blueberry red ringspot virus (BRRSV), Peanut chlorotic streak virus (PCSV) and Cestrum yellow leaf curling virus (CmYLCV) than to other representative members in the Caulimoviridae family. Field survey of 472 legume plants from Jiangxi and Zhejiang provinces showed SbCMV was only detected from soybean in Nanchang City with a low incidence rate. This is the first report of Soybean chlorotic mottle virus identified in China.