Improvement in winter wheat productivity through regulating PSⅡ photochemistry,photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence under deficit irrigation conditions

Deficit irrigation is critical to global food production, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions with low precipitation. Given water shortage has threatened agricultural sustainability under the dry-land farming system in China, there is an urgent need to develop effective water-saving technologies. We carried out a field study under two cultivation techniques:(1) the ridge and furrow cultivation model(R); and(2) the conventional flat farming model(F), and three simulated precipitation level...     

Study on the in vitro culture of cut plants in wheat haploid embryo induction by a wheat × maize cross

The wheat × maize system is one of the most effective ways to produce haploids in wheat. Whether and how it could be successfully applied in practical breeding mostly depends upon the efficiency of haploid embryo production. To perfect the protocols of haploid embryo induction, the efficiency of haploid embryo production between in vitro culture of cut plant and intact plant growth for hybrid spikes with two F₁ wheat hybrids and two maize varieties was compared. Effects of different cutting plant times and formulas of nutrient solutions for cut plant culture on haploid embryo formation were also studied. Results indicated that the embryo rate of in vitro culture was 3.29 times that of intact plant growth, with the figures of 31.6% vs 9.6%, respectively. The optimal time for cut plant culture was 24 h after pollination. Formulas of nutrient solutions significantly affected the efficiency of haploid embryo induction. With an embryo rate of 0–35.5%, adding calcium phosphate in the culture solution at 3 g·L⁻¹ could raise the caryopsis and embryo rates. According to this study, the best medium for cut plant culture was: 100 mg·L⁻¹ 2,4-D+ 40 g·L⁻¹ sucrose + 10 mg·L⁻¹ silver nitrate + 8 mL·L⁻¹ sulfurous acid + 3 g·L⁻¹ calcium phosphate, with which a caryopsis rate of 95% and an embryo rate of about 30% could be obtained. __________ Translated from Journal of Triticeae Crops, 2008, 28(1): 1–5 [译自: 麦类作物学报]     

Use of two-stage dough mixing process in improving water distribution of dough and qualities of bread made from wheat–potato flour

The two-stage dough mixing process was innovated to improve the qualities of bread made from potato flour (PF) and wheat flour at a ratio of 1:1 (w/w). The final dough was first prepared from wheat flour before being added with PF. The effects of the method on enhancing the dough qualities were verified, and the distribution of water in gluten-gelatinized starch matrix of the doughs was investigated. We observed that the bread qualities were improved, as reflected by the increase of specific volume from 2.26 to 2.96 mL g^–1 and the decrease of crumb hardness from 417.93 to 255.57 g. The results from rheofermentometric measurements showed that the dough mixed using the developed mixing method had higher maximum dough height value, time of dough porosity appearance, and gas retention coefficient, as well as enhanced gluten matrix formation compared to that mixed by the traditional mixing method. The results from low-field nuclear magnetic resonance confirmed that the competitive water absorption between gluten and gelatinized starch could restrict the formation of gluten network in the dough mixed using the traditional mixing process. Using the novel mixing method, gluten could be sufficiently hydrated in stage 1, which could then weaken the competitive water absorption caused by gelatinized starch in stage 2; this could also be indicated by the greater mobility of proton in PF and better development of gluten network during mixing.     

QTL effects and epistatic interaction for flowering time and branch number in a soybean mapping population of Japanese×Chinese cultivars

Flowering time and branching type are important agronomic traits related to the adaptability and yield of soybean. Molecular bases for major flowering time or maturity loci, E1 to E4, have been identified. However, more flowering time genes in cultivars with different genetic backgrounds are needed to be mapped and cloned for a better understanding of flowering time regulation in soybean. In this study, we developed a population of Japanese cultivar(Toyomusume)×Chinese cultivar(Suinong 10) to map novel quantitative trait locus(QTL) for flowering time and branch number. A genetic linkage map of a F_2 population was constructed using 1 306 polymorphic single nucleotide polymorphism(SNP) markers using Illumina Soy SNP8 ki Select Bead Chip containing 7 189(SNPs). Two major QTLs at E1 and E9, and two minor QTLs at a novel locus, qFT2_1 and at E3 region were mapped. Using other sets of F_2 populations and their derived progenies, the existence of a novel QTL of qFT2_1 was verified. qBR6_1, the major QTL for branch number was mapped to the proximate to the E1 gene, inferring that E1 gene or neighboring genetic factor is significantly contributing to the branch number.     

冬春低温雨雪天气设施蔬菜防灾减灾技术Disaster prevention and reduction technology of vegetables grown in facilities in winter and spring cold weather 凌丽云 凌彬青 程艳

近年来,屯溪区冬春季低温寒潮、大雪、霜冻等极端灾害性气候频繁发生,对农业生产特别是设施蔬菜造成损失尤为严重,要密切关注天气情况,及早采取科学预防措施和灾后处理等管理措施,可以最大限度减少因灾给设施蔬菜生产带来的经济损失。     

Identification and expression of the CEP gene family in apple (Malus×domestica)

Plant peptide hormones play important roles in plant growth and development. Among these hormones, the C-TERMINALLYENCODED PEPTIDE(CEP) belongs to a newly found peptide family that regulates root development in Arabidopsis as well as in other species. However, nothing is known about the CEP genes in apple(Malus×domestica, MdCEP). In this study, a total of 27 apple CEP genes were identified through a genome-wide analysis and were phylogenetically divided into three classes(Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ). The predicted MdCEP genes were distributed across 10 of 17 chromosomes with different densities. Next, the gene structures and motif compositions of the MdCEP genes were analyzed. Subsequently, the expression analysis suggested that the MdCEP genes were highly activated in roots and that MdCEP23 may play an important role in regulating the growth and development of roots. Moreover, all of the MdCEP genes were responsive to multiple abiotic stresses, indicating that MdCEP genes may be involved with various aspects of physiological processes in apple. Nearly one-third of MdCEP genes had a significant response to low nitrogen treatment. Most of the MdCEP genes were up-regulated under stress, including mannitol, polyethylene glycol(PEG) and abscisic acid(ABA), suggesting that MdCEP genes may be involved in the drought stress response. This study provides insight into the putative functions of the MdCEP genes using a genome-wide analysis of the CEP gene family.     

Estimating daily actual evapotranspiration of a rice–wheat rotation system in typical farmland in the Huai River Basin using a two-step model and two one-step models

The objective of this study is to evaluate the performance of three models for estimating daily evapotranspiration(ET) by employing flux observation data from three years(2007, 2008 and 2009) during the growing seasons of winter wheat and rice crops cultivated in a farmland ecosystem(Shouxian County) located in the Huai River Basin(HRB), China. The first model is a two-step model(PM-K_c); the other two are one-step models(e.g., Rana-Katerji(R-K) and advection-aridity(AA)). The results showed that the energy closure degrees of eddy covariance(EC) data during winter wheat and rice-growing seasons were reasonable in the HRB, with values ranging from 0.84 to 0.91 and R2 of approximately 0.80. Daily ET of winter wheat showed a slow decreasing trend followed by a rapid increase, while that of rice presented a decreasing trend after an increase. After calibrating the crop coefficient(K_c), the PM–K_c model performed better than the model using the K_c recommended by the Food and Agricultural Organization(FAO). The calibrated key parameters of the R-K model and AA model showed better universality. After calibration, the simulation performance of the PM-K_c model was satisfactory. Both the R-K model and AA model underestimated the daily ET of winter wheat and rice. Compared with that of the R-K model, the simulation result of the AA model was better, especially in the simulation of daily ET of rice. Overall, this research highlighted the consistency of the PM-K_c model to estimate the water demand for rice and wheat crops in the HRB and in similar climatic regions in the world.     

Quantification of the expression of chitinolytic enzyme encoding genes ech30, ech42 and nag1 in Trichoderma atroviride P1 under varying growth conditions using a real-time RT-PCR assay

The quantitative expression and the regulation of chitinase-encoding genes ech30, ech42 and nag1 in Trichoderma atroviride P1 under varying growth conditions were investigated using real-time RT-PCR, principle component and multivariate analyses. Twelve media combinations including 0.1% and 3% glucose as carbon source and no (0 mmol/L), low (10 mmol/L) and high (100 mmol/L) ammonium acetate as nitrogen source combined with or without colloidal chitin at 3 time intervals and 2 replicat…     

Genome-wide identification of the radiation sensitivity protein-23(RAD23)family members in apple(Malus×domestica Borkh.)and expression analysis of their stress responsiveness

Radiation sensitivity proteins-23(RAD23)are DNA repair factors participate in the ubiquitin/proteasome system(UPS). Although the genome-wide analysis of RAD23 family members has been conducted in some species,little is known about RAD23 genes in apple(Malus×domestica Borkh.). We analyzed this gene family in M. domestica in terms of genomic locations,protein and promoter structures,and expressions in response to stresses. Various members showed a ubiquitous pattern of expression in all selected apple parts. Their expressions were altered under chilling,heat,and hydrogen peroxide treatments,as well as abscisic acid(ABA)treatment and water deficiency,suggesting their possible roles in plant stress responses. These results provide essential information about RAD23 genes in apple and will contribute to further functional studies.