Morphological and genetic analysis of a cleistogamous mutant in rapeseed (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Brassica napus</Emphasis> L.)

Cleistogamy, the trait of non-opening flowers, is considered to be beneficial as it reduces the threat of genetic contamination and gene flow from genetically modified varieties into other crops or native species. A cleistogamous mutant Zhong9-Clg obtained in the rapeseed cultivar Zhongshuang 9 population (Brassica napus L.) treated by ethylmethanesulfonate were investigated. Mutation had pronounced effect on petal and sepal epidermal cells resulting in the inhibition or delay of petal development, forming folded petals which ultimately resulted in cleistogamous flowers. Genetic investigation revealed that this trait was monogenic and the allele for cleistogamy was dominant. Most of the eight agronomic traits tested, including seed yield per plant, were not significantly different between the mutant and wild type plants. Fertility of the cleistogamous mutant Zhong9-Clg was not significantly affected by mutation. Our research findings will lay the foundation for the development of the cleistogamous varieties that could be used in controlling the gene flow in rapeseed in combination with other means of containment strategies.     

Effect of Mixture of Nitrogen from Poultry Manure and Urea on Mineral Profile of Tomato Grown in KPK-Pakistan

Nitrogen has a role in plant mineral nutrition, and so a better way of supplying nitrogenous fertilizers is demanded to promote plant nutrition and clean environment. The present study was, therefore, designed to maintain plant mineral requirements and control environmental pollution. Tomato cultivars, that is, Falcon and Rio Grande, were supplied with a mixture of poultry manure (PM) and urea in various proportions in 2009 and 2010. All tested factors (N source, cultivar, and year) alone and in combination significantly (P ≤ 0.05) affected the mineral profile of tomato fruit. Treatment 75:25 resulted in highest uptake of calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu) in cultivar Rio Grande during 2010. Similarly, highest concentration of boron (B) was recorded in Rio Grande fed with 50:50 of PM and urea, respectively. It was concluded that a combination of PM and urea in ratios of 75:25 and 50:50 performed well in achieving the optimal mineral contents in the tomato fruits.     

Phosphorous and beneficial microorganism influence yield and yield components of wheat under full and limited irrigated conditions

Field experiment was conducted to investigate the impact of phosphorus (P) and beneficial microorganism (BM) on the yield and yield components wheat (Triticum aestivum L., cv. Siren-2010). The experiment was conducted under full (five irrigations) and limited (two) irrigation conditions at the Research Farm of The University of Agriculture Peshawar during winter 2012–13. The experiment under both full and limited irrigated conditions was laid out in randomized complete block design using three replications. The results showed that irrigated plots produced more spikes m^?2 (254), grains spike^?1 (55.5), heavier thousand grains weight (39.4 g), and higher grain yield (3612 kg ha^?1 than limited irrigated condition. Application of P at the highest rate (90 kg P ha^?1) produced more spikes m^?2 (260) and grains spike^?1 (52.4), and increased maximum thousand grain weight (39.1 g) and grain yield (3617 kg ha^?1). Application of BM at the highest rate (30 L ha^?1) resulted in maximum number of spikes m^?2 (257) and grains spike^?1(51.7), highest thousand grains weight (39.1 g) and grain yield (3765 kg ha^?1). The results confirmed that under full irrigated condition the increase in both P and BM levels (90 kg P ha^?1 and 30 L ha^?1, respectively) and under limited irrigated condition the intermediate levels of both P and BM (60 kg P ha^?1 and 20 L ha^?1, respectively) could increase wheat productivity under semi-arid conditions.     

Growth and physiological characterization of low nitrogen responses in Tibetan wild barley (Hordeum spontaneum) and cultivated barley (Hordeum vulgare)

Development of crop cultivars with high yield under low nitrogen (N) supply is a basic approach for the enhancement of agricultural sustainability. The previous studies showed that Tibetan wild barley shows wider genetic diversity in abiotic stress and poor fertility tolerance. In this study, four barley genotypes (two Tibetan wild and two cultivated), differing in N use efficiency (NUE), were characterized for their growth and physiological responses to low N stress. The genotypes ZD9 (cultivated) and XZ149 (wild) with high NUE performed better in terms of shoot dry weight (DW) and photosynthetic parameters under both low and normal N levels and had higher antioxidative enzyme activities, N concentration, and accumulation in both shoots and roots under low N stress. The current results showed the substantial difference among barley genotypes in low N tolerance and verified the significance of Tibetan wild barley in the genetic improvement of cultivated barley in NUE.     

Evaluating the performance of mungbean genotypes for grain yield,phosphorus accumulation and utilization efficiency

Ten mungbean (Vigna radiata R. Wilczek) genotypes were evaluated for grain yield and phosphorus (P) efficiency at adequate and deficient P in soil. Genotypes differed significantly in plant height, grain yield, P accumulation (PA), and other P-efficiency parameters at both P levels. The genotype “AEM-40/30” had maximum plant height, grain yield, and phosphorus physiological efficiency index (PPEI) under P deficiency. The genotypes were distributed into nine groups based on their relationship between total PA and grain yield at deficient P level. Moreover, genotypes were categorized into low, medium, or high efficient for each parameter by allotting index score (1, 2, or 3). Maximum cumulative index score (25) was attained by the genotypes “AEM-40/30 and AEM-20/3/87”, and genotype “AEM-30/5/8/90” scored least total index (14). The significant differences among mungbean genotypes for PA, phosphorus harvest index (PHI), PPEI, and grain yield can be exploited to select or identify P-efficient mungbean genotypes.     

鱼类磷脂营养研究进展

<正>近年来,作为脂肪成分之一的磷脂是鱼类营养研究十分活跃的领域。由于磷脂营养具有明确的营养价值,因此已经广泛的用于饲料生产。但是对于不同的鱼类以及鱼类发育的不同阶段,磷脂应用的原理和方法仍是近年来相关人士普遍关心的问题。