Boric acid-phenolic relationships within the Pinus echinata-Pisolithus tinctorius ectomycorrhizal association

At germination, container-grown shortleaf pine seedlings were inoculated with Pisolithus tinctorius (Pers.) Coker & Couch or left uninoculated, and both groups were fertilized semiweekly with a modified Hoagland's solution supplemented with 0 or 0.4 mM boric acid. After 12, 16 and 24 weeks, seedling root tissue was analyzed for ectomycorrhizal colonization, phenolic concentration and phenoloxidase activity. In addition, phenoloxidase activity was assayed in P. tinctorius that had been cultured in a liquid medium containing boric acid. Inoculation with P. tinctorius increased the root phenolic concentration of 16- and 24-week-old seedlings, and increased root phenoloxidase activity in 12-, 16- and 24-week-old seedlings. Fertilization with boric acid reduced the phenolic concentration of P. tinctorius ectomycorrhizae after 24 weeks. Although boric acid fertilization did not affect the phenoloxidase activity of 12-, 16- and 24-week-old inoculated roots, or that of 16- and 24-week-old uninoculated roots, it increased the phenoloxidase activity of P. tinctorius grown in vitro and 12-week-old uninoculated roots. We conclude that boric acid fertilization influences the phenolic relations of the shortleaf pine-P. tinctorius ectomycorrhizal association, possibly through a boric acid-induced increase in phenoloxidase activity.     

Residential natural gas consumption: evidence that conservation efforts to date have failed

A new short-term natural gas consumption model is developed, tested against American Gas Association sales data, and applied to the question of the effectiveness of conservation efforts. The results indicate that unit residential gas-heating sales per heating degree-day have remained constant in four major gas-consuming regions during the period 1974 to 1976 and that heating sales have not been affected by the recent sharp changes in price.     

SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE FAMILY GENES IN WATERMELON AND THEIR RESPONSES TO DIFFERENT ABIOTIC STRESSES

• A total of 8 SOD genes from watermelon were identified and bioinformatically analyzed. • The SOD proteins from watermelon and other different plant species can be classified into five groups consistent with their metal cofactors. • ClSOD genes exhibited distinctive tissue-specific and abiotic stress responsive expression patterns. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is an important enzyme in the antioxidant system of plants and plays a vital role in stress responses by maintaining the dynamic balance of reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentrations. Genome-wide analysis of the SOD gene family in various plant species has been conducted but little is known about this gene family in watermelon (Citrullus lanatus). Here, eight SOD genes were identified in the watermelon genome and are designated ClCSD1-5, ClFSD1-2 and ClMSD according to their metal cofactors. Phylogenetic analysis shows that SOD proteins from various plant species can be classified into five groups and members in the same group possess the same metal cofactor and similar subcellular localizations. Expression analysis of the ClSOD genes indicates that they had tissue-specific expression patterns with high expression in different tissues including the leaves, flowers and fruit. In addition, the expression of ClSOD genes differed appreciably under salinity, drought and abscisic acid (ABA) treatments, indicating that they may be involved in ROS scavenging under different abiotic stresses via an ABA-dependent signaling pathway. These results lay the foundation for elucidating the function of ClSOD genes in stress tolerance and fruit development in watermelon.     

小鹅瘟的诊治

小鹅瘟(GP)又称鹅细小病毒病、雏鹅病毒性肠炎,是由小鹅瘟病毒(GPV)引起的雏鹅的一种急性或亚急性败血性传染病,对养鹅业造成严重威胁和损失。2012年5月,思南县胡家湾乡某鹅场的部分雏鹅发生精神委顿,严重下痢,头触地,两腿麻痹,抽搐而死。采样经实验室诊断为小鹅瘟,现将诊治情况介绍如下。     

TRANSFORMATION OF AGRICULTURE ON THE LOESS PLATEAU OF CHINA TOWARD GREEN DEVELOPMENT

● Agriculture on Loess Plateau has transformed from food shortage to green development. ● Terracing and check-dams are the key engineering measures to increase crop yields. ● Agronomic measures and policy support greatly increased crop production. ● Increasing non-agricultural income is a key part of increasing farmers’ income. ● Grain for Green Program had an overwhelming advantage in protecting environment. Loess Plateau of China is a typical dryland agricultural area. Agriculture there has transformed from food shortage toward green development over the past seven decades, and has achieved world-renowned achievements. During 1950–1980, the population increased from 42 to 77 million, increasing grain production to meet food demand of rapid population growth was the greatest challenge. Engineering measures such as terracing and check-dam were the crucial strategies to increase crop production. From 1981 to 2000, most of agronomic measures played a key role in increasing crops yield, and a series of policy support has benefited millions of smallholders. As expected, these measures and policies greatly increased crop production and basically achieved food security; but, low per capita GDP (only about 620 USD in 2000) was still a big challenge. During 2001–2015, the increase in agricultural and non-agricultural income together supported the increase in farmer income to 5781 USD·yr^–1. Intensive agriculture that relies heavily on chemicals increased crop productivity by 56%. Steadfast policy support such as “Grain for Green Program” had an overwhelming advantage in protecting the natural ecological environment. In the new era, the integration of science and technology innovations, policy support and positive societal factors will be the golden key to further improve food production, protect environment, and increase smallholder income.     

猪胸膜肺炎放线杆菌血清1型信号标签诱导突变体库的构建

本研究以自杀性质粒pUT携带含有信号标签的Mini-Tn5转座子对猪胸膜肺炎放线杆菌血清1型菌进行转座诱变,构建了带有12对特异性信号标签的Mini-Tn5转座子的pUT自杀质粒,转化到供体菌E.coliβ2155后,利用双亲本滤膜杂交法与受体猪胸膜肺炎放线杆菌血清1型菌(APP1)进行接合转移,构建并优化了接合转移体系.利用抗性和营养缺陷培养平板筛选得到接合突变体,通过抗性通用引物与12个特异标签引物和胸膜肺炎放线杆菌毒素IV(ApxIV)鉴定引物分别对这些突变体进行了PCR鉴定和测序验证.结果表明,经过加入标签的MinI-Tn5转座子可以通过接合转移的方式从供体菌E.COliβ2155中插入到APP1基因组当中,并成功构建了12个含有特异信号标签的重组质粒,获得了APP1的12个转座突变体库,经筛选鉴定后得到561个突变株.这为研究APP1的功能基因和筛选特定突变株提供了必要的基础.     

猪链球菌病的诊治

近几年，随着现代养猪业的规模化、集约化发展，猪链球菌病已成为1种常见的疾病，其发生与流行严重威胁着养猪业生产和发展，给养猪业造成较大的经济损失。现将1例猪链球菌病的诊治情况介绍如下，供参考。     

Current status and trends of wheat genetic transformation studies in China

More than 20 years have passed since the first report on successful genetic transformation of wheat. With the establishment and improvement of transformation platform, great progresses have been made on wheat genetic transformation both on its fundamental and applied studies in China, especially driven by the National Major Project for Transgenic Organism Breeding, China, initiated in 2008. In this review, wheat genetic transformation platform improvement and transgenic research progresses including new techniques applied and functional studies of wheat quality, yield and stress tolerant related genes and biosafety assessment are summarized. The existing problems and the trends in wheat transformation with traditional methods combined with genomic studies and genome editing technology are also discussed.