Effects of two sex steroid hormones on early oogenesis in Japanese huchen (Hucho perryi)

The present study was carried out to investigate whether several sex steroid hormones are able to induce oogonial proliferation or initiation of meiotic division I in vitro. The results showed that 17β-estradiol (E2) and 17α, 20β-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (17α, 20β-DHP) were able to induce the DNA synthesis of ovarian germ cells. The percentage of oocytes in 17α, 20β-DHP treated fragments was significantly higher than that in the other treatments. From these results, we conclude that endogenous E2 and 17α, 20β-DHP synthesized in ovary play significant roles in the proliferation of oogonia and the initiation of meiotic division I in early oogenesis, respectively.     

Introgression of unique characteristics of floral initiation under 24 hour day-length of Fragaria chiloensis ‘CHI-24-1’ into F. × ananassa

A unique flower initiation of the wild Junebearing strawberry strain ‘CHI-24-1’ in Fragaria chiloensis occurs under 24 h DL and high temperature conditions. To introduce the floral initiation characteristics of ‘CHI-24-1’ into cultivated strawberries of F. × ananassa, a cross pollination was conducted between ‘CHI-24-1’ and the Japanese short-day type strawberry cultivar ‘Nyoho’. The floral initiation of ‘CHI-24-1’ was induced in both parent and daughter plants linked with runners under a 24 h DL and 23/20 ^∘C, but not 8 and 16 h DLs at the same temperatures. Of the 21 F1 hybrids grown under the 24 h DL, 12 showed flower truss production in the parent and/or daughter plants linked with runners. Among 64 F1 hybrids, 26 exposed to 8, 16 and 24 h DLs for 30 days produced no flower trusses. However, 32, one and five F1 hybrids produced flower trusses under the 24 h DL alone, 8 h DL alone and both the 8 and 24 h DLs, respectively. The results of the experiments indicated that none of the F1 hybrids were day-neutral plants, but approximately 60% had the characteristics of floral initiation under 24 h DL, which was inherited from the pollen parent of ‘CHI-24-1’. The importance of the unique floral initiation characteristics under 24 h DL with high temperature for strawberry breeding was discussed.     

Detection of an earliness per se quantitative trait locus in the proximal region of wheat chromosome 5AL

A homoeologous quantitative trait locus to that of eps5L on barley chromosome 5H was identified in a syntenic region of wheat chromosome 5A. Wheat single chromosome recombinant lines (SCRs) were developed from a cross between ‘Chinese Spring’(‘Cappelle-Desprez’ 5A) and ‘Chinese Spring’(Triticum spelta 5A), these were grown together with the parental controls under different vernalization and photoperiod regimes. The variation for ear emergence time accelerated heading induced by the T. spelta segment indicated an effect associated with the Xcdo412-Xbcd9 interval. Since no differences between the SCRs and controls in responses to vernalization and photoperiod treatments were detected, this effect was identified as an earliness per se gene, Q Eetocs-5 A.2, which may be homoeologous to the eps5L quantitative trait locus of barley. Xbcd926 has been found to be closely linked to the rice flowering time quantitative trait loci, QHd9a or FLTQ2, on chromosome 9, suggesting possible relationships among the quantitative trait loci across wheat, barley and rice genomes.     

Significance of litter layer in enhancing mesofaunal abundance and microbial biomass nitrogen in sweet corn-white clover living mulch systems

Living mulch is a type of sustainable farming system that consists of cover crops planted either before or with a main crop; a living mulch is maintained as a living ground cover throughout the growing season of the main crop. Microbial biomass and abundance of mesofauna (microarthropods and enchytraeids) are important soil biological parameters in relation to soil function, plant productivity, and nutrient cycling; however, the effects of living mulch on these parameters are not fully understood. In this study we examined the effects of living mulch treatment with nitrogen fertilizer (0, 40, 160, or 200?kg?ha^?1) on the abundance of soil microarthropods (Oribatida, Mesostigmata, Prostigmata, and Collembola) and the effects of living mulch treatment on the dynamics of the soil biota (mesofauna, microarthropods, enchytraeids, and microbial biomass nitrogen) from spring to autumn. Our results showed that living mulch treatment significantly (p?p?相似文献   

Development of a Novel Staining Procedure for Visualizing the Gluten–Starch Matrix in Bread Dough and Cereal Products

A novel staining procedure has been developed to visualize the gluten– starch matrix in wheat flour dough. Dough samples mixed to the final stage were stained with 26 fluorescent reagents, and each stained sample was observed with three sets of fluorescence filters (blue, green, and red). Of all the combinations of reagents and filters, the combination of acid magenta and the blue fluorescent filter set was the most effective in distinguishing starch granules from gluten network structure. Its effectiveness was further demonstrated with gluten and starch granule samples, in which the contrast was clearer when observed with the blue fluorescent filter set than without any fluorescent filter. Visualizing the gluten–starch matrix in dough samples at four mixing stages with the same procedure resulted in clear identification of the changes in gluten network structure because of the differences in mixing stages. The same procedure also enabled us to distinguish starch from gluten in white salted noodles, baked cookies, and flour particles. The proposed procedure is quicker, simpler, and has a lower risk of altering the sample than other conventional ones, and it is expected to become a useful tool in cereal studies.     

Gene dosage effect of the wheat Wx alleles and their interaction on amylose synthesis in the endosperm

To find out gene dose effect of each of the three homoeologous Wx genes and their interaction on the production of granule-bound starch synthase (GBSS I) and amylose biosynthesis in the endosperm, Chinese Spring and its near-isogenic waxy types were crossed reciprocally and, obtained a plant population with varying doses of each Wx gene. The amount of GBSSI was increased linearly with increasing gene dose of either of Wxloci. In each of the three Wx loci, the change in amylose content was linear up to 3 doses, with a more potent capacity ofWx-B1a at any dose. Higher level of amylose production was observed in the reciprocal F₁ grains than the expected effect of dose/s of each gene or additive effect of different allelic combination by artificially blend starches which have amylose produced by equivalent number ofWx alleles to that of relevant F₁ cross. When Wx-B1a and Wx-A1a were combined, increase in amylase content was not in proportion to increase in gene dosage. The enhanced amylase synthesis was shown by 2-gene and 3-geneinteraction, indicating that not only type of the three Wx genes and its dose but the interaction among them have significant roles in determining the amylose content. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Control of ear emergence time by chromosome 3A of wheat

Chromosome 3A of wheat is known to carry earliness per se genes. To determine the number of genes and their arm location, ear emergence time under a controlled environment was nvestigated using ditelosomic lines and homozygous recombinant substitution lines developed between chromosome 3A homologues from (Timstein) and (Chinese Spring) (CS) in a CS genetic background. Because the ear emergence distribution was discontinuous and two separate modes were produced, the 86 recombinant lines could be divided into 21 lines as the early ‘Timstein’3A type and 65 lines as the late CS type. This agrees with the 1:3 independent segregation of two genes both located on chromosome 3A. Therefore, two hypotheses can be proposed, either CS(‘Timstein’ 3A) carries two genes and both are necessary to give early ear emergence, or one gene for early ear emergence is present on (Timstein) 3A, but a suppressor is on CS 3A. The behaviour of ditelosomic 3AL and 3AS lines, with an ear emergence time identical to that of CS, suggested that one gene is located on the long arm and the other is on the short arm.     

Light quality of continuous illuminating at night to induce floral initiation of Fragaria chiloensis L. CHI-24-1

A wild strawberry strain, Fragaria chiloensis CHI-24-1, produced inflorescences from both parent and asexually propagated daughter plants linked with runners when grown at 23 °C/20 °C (day/night) under a 24 h day-length (DL) of daylight plus nightly lighting by an incandescent lamp, but not under 8 or 16 h DLs. In the present study, the effect of light quality for continuous illuminating at night on floral initiation of CHI-24-1 plants grown under a 24 h DL was examined. The CHI-24-1 plants were grown under a 24 h DL consisting of natural daylight and continuous lighting at night by an incandescent, a blue fluorescent, a red fluorescent or a far-red fluorescent lamp for 40 days in summer and autumn. Also, the CHI-24-1 plants were grown for 40 days in a growth chamber at 25 °C/20 °C (day/night) with natural daylight and continuous lighting at night by red- and four types of far-red light-emitting-diodes (LEDs with peak wavelengths of 660, 700, 735, 780 and 830 nm). In both experiments, floral initiation of the parent and daughter plants was observed under a stereomicroscope. Although more than 50% of the parent and daughter plants initiated flower buds under the incandescent and far-red fluorescent lamps, about 15% and 0% of those initiated flower buds under blue and red fluorescent lamps, respectively. Floral initiation of the parent and daughter plants occurred under the far-red LED light source whose peak wavelength was 735 nm, but not under the red or the other far-red LEDs. From these results, it can be concluded that the effective light wavelength range of nightly continuous illuminating for floral induction in the CHI-24-1 plants is 735 nm in the far-red light region. Hence, the induction of floral initiation by nightly continuous far-red light (735 nm) appeared to be a response mediated by phytochrome.     

Effect of photoperiods before,during and after vernalization on flower initiation and development and its varietal difference in Japanese bunching onion (Allium fistulosum L.)

Summary

To control the bolting of Japanese bunching onion (Allium fistulosum L.) photoperiodically, the effect of photoperiods before, during and after vernalization on flower initiation and development and the varietal differences were investigated using the two mid-season flowering cvs Kincho and Asagi-kujo, and a late-season flowering cv. Cho-etsu. A long-day photoperiod (LD, 16 h) given before vernalization inhibited flower initiation. Especially, the bolting rate of ‘Asagi-kujo’ decreased by about a half, compared with the short-day photoperiod (SD, 8 h). The interaction between the effect of night temperature (3°C, 7°C, 11°C or 15°C) and the effect of the photoperiod (SD and LD) during vernalization was also investigated. In ‘Kincho’, LD did not affect flower initiation at 3°C, but inhibited flower initiation at 7°C, 11°C and 15°C. In ‘Asagi-kujo’, flower initiation was significantly inhibited by LD under all temperature conditions. This inhibitory effect was stronger at 11°C and 15°C than at 3°C and 7°C. In ‘Cho- etsu’, LD significantly inhibited flower initiation at 3°C and 7°C, and flower initiation rarely occurred at 11°C and 15°C. In this study, generally, LD during vernalization inhibited flower initiation in all cultivars. Thus Japanese bunching onion required a short-day photoperiod in flower initiation, which was stronger in ‘Asagi-kujo’ and ‘Cho-etsu’ than in ‘Kincho’. From these results, we conclude that low temperature and a short-day photoperiod complementarily induce flower initiation in Japanese bunching onion. Varietal differences exist in the requirement of low temperature and a short-day photoperiod: the primary requirement in ‘Kincho’ is low temperature and that in ‘Asagi-kujo’ is a short-day. After flower initiation, the early stage of flower development is day-neutral, and after the floret formation stage, a long-day photoperiod promotes flower development and elongation of the seedstalk.