Lignins and ferulate-coniferyl alcohol cross-coupling products in cereal grains

Plant cell walls containing suberin or lignin in the human diet are conjectured to protect against colon cancer. To confirm the existence of authentic lignin in cereal grain dietary fibers, the DFRC (derivatization followed by reductive cleavage) method was applied to different cereal grain dietary fibers. By cleavage of diagnostic arylglycerol-beta-aryl (beta-O-4) ether linkages and identification of the liberated monolignols, it was ascertained that lignins are truly present in cereal grains. From the ratios of the liberated monolignols coniferyl alcohol and sinapyl alcohol, it is suggested that lignin compositions vary among cereals. Furthermore, dimeric cross-coupling products, comprising ferulate and coniferyl alcohol, were identified in most cereal fibers investigated. These ferulate 4-O-beta- and 8-beta-coniferyl alcohol cross-coupled structures indicate radical cross-coupling of polysaccharides to lignin precursors via ferulate.     

Identification of insulin-like growth factor I gene polymorphisms using high-resolution melting and its effect on growth traits in sinipercid species

The aim of this study is to screen single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) gene and analyze the potential association between IGF-I gene polymorphisms and growth traits in a crossing sinipercid population. Two SNPs (g.A321G, g.A537G) within five exons of the IGF-I gene were tested for association with four growth traits in 250 individuals using the high-resolution melting method. The association analysis of SNPs of IGF-I gene with the four growth traits was carried out using General Linear Model estimation. Results indicated that SNP1 in exon3 of the IGF-I gene was significantly associated with body weight (P < 0.05), body length (P < 0.05) and body width (P < 0.05), and SNP2 in exon5 of the IGF-I gene was significantly associated with body weight (P < 0.05), body depth (P < 0.05) and body width (P < 0.05) in a sinipercid population. The individuals of genotype AA or AG in loci SNP1 and SNP2 grew faster than those of genotype GG. Diplotypes did not show significant effects on growth traits. These findings implied that the two SNPs of the IGF-I gene affecting growth traits could be potential quantitative trait nucleotides and would be useful genetic markers in the selection of some growth traits for developing improved culture lines of sinipercid species in China.     

Responses of soil dissolved organic matter to long-term plantations of three coniferous tree species

Tree species have significant effects on the availability and dynamics of soil organic matter. In the present study, the pool sizes of soil dissolved organic matter (DOM), potential mineralizable N (PMN) and bio-available carbon (C) (measured as cumulative CO₂ evolution over 63 days) were compared in soils under three coniferous species — 73 year old slash (Pinus elliottii), hoop (Araucaria cunninghamii) and kauri (Agathis robusta) pines. Results have shown that dissolved organic N (DON) in hot water extracts was 1.5–1.7 times lower in soils under slash pine than under hoop and kauri pines, while soil dissolved organic C (DOC) in hot water extracts tended to be higher under slash pine than hoop and kauri pines but this was not statistically significant. This has led to the higher DOC:DON ratio in soils under slash pine (32) than under hoop and kauri pines (17). Soil DOC and DON in 2 M KCl extracts were not significantly different among the three tree species. The DOC:DON ratio (hot water extracts) was positively and significantly correlated with soil C:N (R² = 0.886, P < 0.01) and surface litter C:N ratios (R² = 0.768, P < 0.01), indicating that DOM was mainly derived from litter materials and soil organic matter through dissolution and decomposition. Soil pH was lower under slash pine (4.5) than under hoop (6.0) and kauri (6.2) pines, and negatively correlated with soil total C, C:N ratio, DOC and DOC:DON ratio (hot water extracts), indicating the soil acidity under slash pine favored the accumulation of soil C. Moreover, the amounts of dissolved inorganic N, PMN and bio-available C were also significantly lower in soils under slash pine than under hoop and kauri pines. It is concluded that changes in the quantity and quality of surface litters and soil pH induced by different tree species largely determined the size and quality of soil DOM, and plantations of hoop and kauri pine trees may be better in maintaining long-term soil N fertility than slash pine plantations.     

新疆阿拉尔垦区抗铃病棉花品种筛选

调查和研究新疆阿拉尔垦区棉花不同品种的抗性,在棉花育种材料中筛选出对铃病抗性较高的品种（品系）。选择30个供试材料,设计小区试验,田间调查烂铃数计算烂铃率,利用SPSS 13.0软件的离差平方和法进行聚类分析。结果显示：在30个供试品种（品系）中,根据铃病发生轻重程度分为3大类：第一类发病较轻,发病率为19.5%～41.9％;第二类为发病中等类型,发病率为48.9%～68.9%;第三类为发病较重类型,发病率为75.8%～99.8%。由此可知,不同的棉花品种对铃病抗性差异显著,棉花育种中应结合产量和品质选择抗性较好的品种保留,三大类别可保留的品种（品系）分别为KS1、KS2、KS21（第一类）,KS3、KS6、石惠9号（第二类）和KS22（第三类）。     

优质籼稻育种中F1代生理优势的研究

对优质／优质、优质／非优质、非优质／非优质１０个不同籼稻组合杂种Ｆ１与其亲本植株生理特性进行了研究。结果表明：分蘖期Ｆ１植株叶片硝酸还原酶活性超中亲值,并与穗数呈正相关。始穗期Ｆ１植株剑叶叶绿素含量和光合速率超中亲值或近中亲值;呼吸速率低于中亲值或近中亲值;乙醇酸氧化酶活性超中亲值或低于中亲值,但以低于中亲值的组合居多。所有Ｆ１植株剑叶的呼吸速率和乙醇酸氧化酶活性都低于高亲值。试验结果还表明,七桂早／新丝苗、七桂早／早优占和七桂早／金占可以作为优质高产稻育种的最佳组合。     

基于最小二乘估计的数量性状基因座的复合区间定位法

数量性状基因座（ＱＴＬ）的复合区间定位法是区间定位法的１种改进方法，它大大提高了ＱＴＬ定位的准确性，但计算上比较复杂和费时．由于其似然比统计量的联合分布未知，故准确的显著性测验临界值必须采用排列测验法或模拟抽样法进行估计，但其复杂费时的计算使得这些经验方法显得不实用．本文给出基于最小二乘估计的复合区间定位法，它保持了复合区间定位的基本性质，但在计算上要比基于最大似然估计的方法简单和快速得多．由于它对性状的分布无需特殊的要求，因而有更广的适用范围．通过消除模型中冗余的标记，可使数值计算速度进一步提高．这样，用经验方法估计显著临界值就变得可行了．另外，消除冗余标记还可提高ＱＴＬ定位的准确性，改进ＱＴＬ效应的估值．文中最后提出了复合区间定位的实用程序     

Effectiveness of crop straws,and swine manure in ameliorating acidic red soils: a laboratory study

Purpose

Crop straws and animal manure have the potential to ameliorate acidic soils, but their effectiveness and the mechanisms involved are not fully understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of two crop (maize and soybean) straws, swine manure, and their application rates on acidity changes in acidic red soils (Ferralic Cambisol) differing in initial pH.

Materials and methods

Two red soils were collected after 21 years of the (1) no fertilization history (CK soil, pH 5.46) and (2) receiving annual chemical nitrogen (N) fertilization (N soil, pH 4.18). The soils were incubated for 105 days at 25 °C after amending the crop straws or manure at 0, 5, 10, 20, and 40 g kg^?1 (w/w), and examined for changes in pH, exchangeable acidity, N mineralization, and speciation in 2 M KCl extract as ammonium (NH₄⁺) and nitrate plus nitrite (NO₃^??+?NO₂^?).

Results and discussion

All three organic materials significantly decreased soil acidity (dominated by aluminum) as the application rate increased. Soybean straw was as effective (sometimes more effective) as swine manure in raising pH in both soils. Soybean straw and swine manure both significantly reduced exchangeable acidity at amendment rate as low as 10 g kg^?1 in the highly acidic N soil, but swine manure was more effective in reducing the total acidity especially exchangeable aluminum (e.g., in the N soil from initial 5.79 to 0.50 cmol₍₊₎ kg^?1 compared to 2.82 and 4.19 cmol₍₊₎ kg^?1 by soybean straw and maize straw, respectively). Maize straw was less effective than soybean straw in affecting soil pH and the acidity. The exchangeable aluminum decreased at a rate of 4.48 cmol₍₊₎ kg^?1 per pH unit increase for both straws compared to 6.25 cmol₍₊₎ kg^?1 per pH unit from the manure. The NO₃^??+?NO₂^? concentration in soil increased significantly for swine manure amendment, but decreased markedly for straw treatments. The high C/N ratio in the straws led to N immobilization and pH increase.

Conclusions

While swine manure continues to be effective for ameliorating soil acidity, crop straw amendment has also shown a good potential to ameliorate the acidity of the red soil. Thus, after harvest, straws should preferably not be removed from the field, but mixed with the soil to decelerate acidification. The long-term effect of straw return on soil acidity management warrants further determination under field conditions.

     

Effects of practical dietary protein to lipid levels on growth,digestive enzyme activities and body composition of juvenile rice field eel (Monopterus albus)

A 10-week feeding experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary protein to lipid ratios (P/L) on growth, intestinal digestive enzyme activities and body composition in juvenile rice field eel (Monopterus albus) (initial mean body weight of 65.76 ± 1.07 g, mean ± SEM). Nine test diets were formulated in a 3 × 3 factorial design to contain three protein levels (350, 400 and 450 g kg^?1) for each of three lipid levels (40, 80 and 120 g kg^?1), respectively. Each diet was randomly assigned to triplicate groups of 60 fish per net cage (1.5 × 2.0 × 1.5 m). Results showed the survival was above 96 % and was not affected by dietary treatments. Fish fed the diet with 450 g kg^?1 protein and 40 g kg^?1 lipid showed the best weight gain (WG) (103.95 %) and feed conversion ratio (1.60) (P < 0.05). WG, protein efficiency ratio and energy retention increased with the increasing in lipid at 350 g kg^?1 protein level (P < 0.05). However, WG showed a little decline with increasing dietary lipid when fish fed the diets with 400 and 450 g kg^?1 protein level, but no significant difference was observed (P < 0.05). Hepatosomatic index, visceralsomatic index and intestinal lipase activity increased with the increasing of dietary lipid level irrespective protein level. Intestinal trypsin activity increased with the increasing of dietary lipid level when fish fed the diets with 350 g kg^?1 protein, but showed converse trend when fish fed the diets with 400 and 450 g kg^?1 protein. Serum triglyceride, body lipid and energy were positively correlated with the dietary lipid. Results of the present study showed that the dietary protein/lipid ratio of 450/40 g kg^?1 is considered optimum for rice field eel under culture conditions, and the increase in dietary lipid level has no efficient protein-sparing effect when fish fed the diets with 400 and 450 g kg^?1 protein level.     

sch蚕胚胎期温敏性的mRNA差异显示研究

采用mRNA差异显示技术对不同催青处理的伴性赤蚁sch系统进行研究 ,并以普通黑蚁系统夏芳作为对照。实验中分别抽提高温和常温催青处理 36h后的sch蚕卵和夏芳蚕卵的总RNA进行DDRT -PCR分析 ,其产物于变性聚丙烯酰胺凝胶上电泳展示 ,得到大量的差示片段。对高温催青处理后在夏sch蚕卵中特异表达的 2条能稳定重复的带进行了克隆 ,得到了长度分别为 2 73和 199bp的cDNA片段 ,并对其进行了序列分析。Northern杂交证实HAP82 80仅在高温催青处理的夏sch蚕卵中有转录 ,表明其为sch蚕卵经高温催青处理后特异表达的产物