Identification of natural variants affecting chlorophyll content dynamics during rice seedling development

Seedling vigour is an important characteristic in relation to crop growth and yield. Traits such as photosynthetic capacity and chlorophyll content contribute significantly to seedling establishment at the early growth stage in various crop species, including rice. A diverse panel of 227 rice varieties from several countries was evaluated to determine chlorophyll contents at multiple time points during the seedling stage using a soil–plant analysis development (SPAD) meter, a non‐destructive portable device. Using new statistical approaches, several chromosomal regions associated with variations in chlorophyll content in the third leaf at 13, 16 and 19 days after imbibition were detected. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) cluster on the end of chromosome 11 was significantly associated with the onset of leaf senescence. This region was enriched with genes related to cell death and the stress response. We have identified rice germplasm showing delayed‐senescence phenotypes, these could be suitable donors and genetic resources for breeding, and the use of significant SNP markers associated with these traits could enhance the efficiency of their selection in breeding programmes.     

Development of a Research Platform for Dissecting Phenotype–Genotype Associations in Rice (Oryza spp.)

We present an overview of a research platform that provides essential germplasm, genotypic and phenotypic data and analytical tools for dissecting phenotype–genotype associations in rice. These resources include a diversity panel of 400 Oryza sativa and 100 Oryza rufipogon accessions that have been purified by single seed descent, a custom-designed Affymetrix array consisting of 44,100 SNPs, an Illumina GoldenGate assay consisting of 1,536 SNPs, and a suite of low-resolution 384-SNP assays for the Illumina BeadXpress Reader that are designed for applications in breeding, genetics and germplasm management. Our long-term goal is to empower basic research discoveries in rice by linking sequence diversity with physiological, morphological, and agronomic variation. This research platform will also help increase breeding efficiency by providing a database of diversity information that will enable researchers to identify useful DNA polymorphisms in genes and germplasm of interest and convert that information into cost-effective tools for applied plant improvement.     

Effect of dietary protein and temperature on the growth and health of juvenile New Zealand black‐footed abalone (Haliotis iris)

The protein requirements for optimal growth and health of juvenile New Zealand black‐footed abalone (Haliotis iris) under different water temperatures were investigated. Six diets with different crude protein amounts (0, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 45%) and two temperature regimes (13–21 and 8–16 °C) were used to culture juvenile abalone over a 4‐month period. Growth (shell lengths and animal weights) and health (survival, activity and mucous production) parameters were recorded for animals within all protein and temperature combinations. Proximate analyses and amino acid profiles were also performed on the diets, soft bodies (including gonad), and shells to evaluate the overall nutrient contents (diet and animal) and requirements (animal). The results indicate that the protein requirements for juvenile H. iris are higher when the environmental temperatures are low. Thus, increasing the dietary protein level results in better growth [i.e. increase in soft body (including gonad) crude protein and mean protein gain] and health (i.e. more goblet cells and thicker epithelial layers). Results from amino acid profiles in abalone soft bodies (including gonad) and shells show that these parameters did not change considerably with different dietary protein levels, but temperature did affect the concentration of several amino acids in both soft bodies (including gonad) and shells.     

Initial Attachment,Metamorphosis, Settlement,and Survival of Black‐footed Abalone,Haliotis iris,on Microalgal Biofilms Containing Different Amino Acid Compositions

Microalgal biofilms with different amino acid profiles were investigated for their ability to induce abalone, Haliotis iris, attachment, metamorphosis, shell stage, and survival. Twenty microalgal strains, isolated from rocky shores and sandy estuaries, were grown in the laboratory to produce young and matured monospecific biofilms. Abalone larvae were exposed to the different biofilm treatments and controls (no biofilms) for 7 (attachment and metamorphosis) and 14 (shell stage and survival) d. The larvae performed significantly better in biofilms compared with controls across microalgal strains, but attachment, metamorphosis, shell stage, and survival were generally less than about 50, 35, 25, and 25%, respectively. Some microalgal strains belonging to the same species but collected from different sites had different effects on the larvae, likely due to variations in biochemical composition and activity among strains. Although no clear relationship was found between the microalgal amino acid profiles and larval processes, percentage biofilm cover and total amino acids were positively correlated with some of these processes. In addition, abalone performed significantly better when exposed to mature compared with young biofilms. These results may be due to the greater amounts of microalgal cells and their extracellular polymers within older biofilms, which may cue larvae toward more nutritionally favorable environments.     

Studies on egg shell strength,shell stiffness,shell quantity,egg size and shape

Physical properties which included shell stiffness, egg weight, width and length, shell weight and thickness, percentage shell, shell weight per unit area, shape index and roundness were studied in relation to maximum force and energy absorbed at failure in 2733 eggs produced by sixty SCWL pullets. Pooled‐egg, bird‐average and individual‐bird bases were used for correlation and regression analyses.

All physical properties in combination accounted for 61.9 and 88.2 per cent of the variation in force and 19.6 and 59.5 per cent of energy absorbed at failure in pooled‐egg and bird‐average analyses respectively. The non‐destructive measurements of shell stiffness, egg size and shape gave R ² values of 60.5 and 86.9 per cent with force and 16.2 and 55.0 per cent with energy in corresponding analyses.

Shell stiffness proved to be the most important predictor of force at failure. Analyses in which variation of shell stiffness was explained by other physical properties supported the conclusion based on theories of elasticity applied to shell structures that shell stiffness was largely an indirect measurement of egg shell quantity together with lesser effects of egg size and shape.

Bird‐to‐bird variation in relations between physical properties and shell strength was evident from individual bird analyses. Coefficients of determination from force at failure regressed on shell stiffness had a mean value of 0.455 with a standard deviation of 0.178 (n = 60).     

玉米不同生育期遭受螟害对产量损失的影响

1963年在北京防蛾网室的条件下,在盆栽春玉米上分期用人工接种螟卵,試驗螟害对产量损失的影响,得出如下的結果: 玉米产量的损失与玉米螟为害当时玉米的生育时期有密切的关系。在螟虫数量相同或接近的情况下,心叶期(心叶中期、心叶末期)被害较穗期(灌浆期)影响产量显著为大;心叶末期孵化的螟虫,其为害所造成的損失又显著较心叶中期为大。心叶期被害的处理,产量較对照区显著減低,但穗期被害的处理,每株平均虫数为3.5—15.1时,产量仍与对照差异不显著。同一接种时期,处理間平均虫数的差异大部分是显著的,但产量間的差异則不显著。玉米受害时期对产量的影响远較同一时期不同虫量的影响为明显。虫数与心叶中期和穗期接种的两个处理的产量有显著的負相关,相关系数分別为-0.89和-0.88;虽然产量随着虫数的增加而递減的趋势是明显的,但每株虫数在1—12头的范围內,产量间差异不一定显著。虫数与心叶末期接种的处理的产量,相关不显著,这可能是由于供試株数太少的原因。应用迴归方程式計算时,每增加一虫产量的損失,心叶中期为3.17％,穗期为1.84％。接种后被害玉米发育受到影响,心叶期遭受螟害植株高度減低17％。作者等指出心叶末期孵化为害的螟虫影响玉米产量特别严重的原因,可能是由于玉米抽雄时,这批幼虫尚未成熟,大量轉移蛀入茎稈或为害正在成长中的雌穗,妨碍营养物的輸送和雌穗的正常受粉所致。本文試驗所得的結果,初步指出当前用颗粒剂防治玉米螟,提倡在心叶末期施药的措施,不仅从減少虫数上看是适当的,从保証产量的角度来看也是有利的。     

颗粒剂防治玉米螟的研究

1960—61连续二年在河北衡水施用颗粒剂防治玉米螟:春、夏玉米心叶末期用5% DDT 颗粒剂,不仅前期的螟虫减少了80—90%左右,穗期的螟害也适当地被控制。1次施药能减少整个春玉米生育期的虫数65—77.4%,夏玉米60—71.9%。防治效果似与玉米后期虫口密度有关。心叶期防治以在心叶末期为最理想,提早施药不能获得最高效果。心叶期防治2次与防治1次的效果没有差异。心叶末期与穗期各防治1次,收获时检查,防治效果春玉米上可达85.8—88.6%,夏玉米90.6—91%。因此,在螟害较轻的年分,防治1次即能解决大部分的螟害问题,大发生年分,可以在穗期再防治1次。试验证明不同载体、不同加工方法配制的颗粒剂、不同用量和不同施用方法的防治效果差异都不显著。虽然含5% DDT 或0.5—1f6的颗粒剂的残效能维持1个月以上,但由于田间植株上残存的颗粒剂损失很快,1个月后的残存量仅为12—15%,因此1次防治的效果受到限制。由于防治效果与施药时螟卵发生的情况关系不大,而心叶未期是防治最适时期,因此作者建议可以玉米生育阶段作为施药时期的标准。     

In Vitro Suppression of Growth of Murine WEHI-3 Leukemia Cells and in Vivo Promotion of Phagocytosis in a Leukemia Mice Model by Indole-3-carbinol

Indole-3-carbinol (I3C), a potential anticancer substance, can be found in cruciferous (cabbage family) vegetables, mainly cauliflower and Chinese cabbage. However, the bioactivity of I3C on the apoptotic effects of murine leukemia WEHI-3 cells and promotion of immune responses in leukemia mice model are unclear. In this study, we investigated the effect of I3C on cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis in vitro and immunomodulation in vivo. I3C decreased the viable WEHI-3 cells and caused morphological changes in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. I3C also led to G0/G1 phase arrest, decreased the levels of cyclin A, cyclin D, and CDK2, and increased the level of p21(WAF1/CIP1). Flow cytometric analyses further proved that I3C promoted ROS and intracellular Ca(2+) production and decreased the levels of ΔΨ(m) in WEHI-3 cells. Cells after exposure to I3C for 24 h showed DNA fragmentation and chromatin condensation. Comet assay also indicated that I3C induced DNA damage in examined cells. I3C increased the levels of cytochrome c, FADD, GADD153, GRP78, and caspase-12 as well as induced activities of caspase-3, -8, and -9. Moreover, I3C attenuated NF-κB DNA binding activity in I3C-treated WEHI-3 cells as shown by EMSA and Western blotting analyses. In the in vivo study, we examined the effects of I3C on WEHI-3 leukemia mice. Results showed that I3C increased the level of T cells and decreased the level of macrophages. I3C also reduced the weights of liver and spleen, and it promoted phagocytosis by macrophages as compared to the nontreated leukemia mice group. On the basis of our results, I3C affects murine leukemia WEHI-3 cells both in vitro and in vivo.