Fine-root dynamics in a young hinoki cypress (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Chamaecyparis obtusa</Emphasis>) stand for 3 years following thinning

Fine roots play a key role in carbon and nutrient dynamics in forested ecosystems. Fine-root dynamics can be significantly affected by forest management practices such as thinning, but research on this topic is limited. This study examined dynamics of fine roots <1 mm in diameter in a 10-year-old stand of hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa) for 3 years following thinning (65% in basal area). Fine-root production and mortality rates were estimated using a minirhizotron technique in combination with soil coring. In both thinned and un-thinned control plots, fine-root elongation occurred from early spring to winter (March to December) and fluctuated seasonally. In the thinned and the control plots, the annual fine-root production rates were estimated to be 101 and 120 g m⁻² year⁻¹, respectively, whereas the estimated annual fine-root mortality rates were 77 and 69 g m⁻² year⁻¹, respectively. At 3 years after thinning, live fine-root biomass was significantly smaller in the thinned plot (143 g m⁻²) than in the control plot (218 g m⁻²), whereas dead fine-root biomass was not (147 and 103 g m⁻², respectively). Morphological and physiological indices of fine roots such as diameter, specific root length, and root tissue density of the live fine roots was similar in both plots. These results suggested that thinning tended to decrease biomass and production of fine roots, but the effects on characteristics of fine roots would be less evident.     

Feasibility of improved slotted bolted connection for timber moment frames

This note examines the feasibility of an improved slotted bolted connection for timber moment frames. In the improved connection, steel tubes are inserted into drill holes in glulam and fixed to the glulam with resin injection. Aluminum splice plates with curved slots, or curved elongated holes, are fastened mechanically by using high-strength bolts that go through the steel tubes. Since the compression due to bolt tension is fully supported by the steel tubes, the reduction of bolt tension due to shrinkage of the glulam can be avoided. The use of slotted aluminum splice plates allows stable energy dissipation due to smooth sliding between the aluminum splice plates and the end surfaces of the steel tubes within the specified range of rotation angle. Through quasistatic cyclic loading tests of two connection specimens, it was demonstrated that stable and nearly rigid-plastic hysteresis loops were obtained whose equivalent viscous damping ratio was more than 30% in the range of rotation angle close to or greater than 1/50 radian. Although further improvement is necessary, the experimental results demonstrate the feasibility and potential of the present connection.     

Availability of culture filtrate protein-10 (CFP-10) secreted from Mycobacterium pseudoshottsii for mycobacteriosis diagnosis in ginbuna crucian carp Carrasius auratus langsdorfii

Mycobacteriosis in cultured fish is a challenge for the aquaculture industry worldwide. Treatment by chemical administration is difficult and no effective vaccine has been developed. Therefore, detection and isolation by early diagnosis are important for prevention of the spread of the disease. In mammals, interferon gamma release assays have been established for detection of tuberculosis; these tests are based on the delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) response against culture filtrate protein-10 (CFP-10) and the 6-kDa early secreted antigen target (ESAT-6) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. On the other hand, little is known about the fish immune response against the ESAT-6 and CFP-10 proteins of mycobacteria, although these responses should find application in the diagnosis of mycobacteriosis in fish. In the present study, we identified ESAT-6 and CFP-10 from Mycobacterium pseudoshottsii and cloned the corresponding genes. Intraperitoneal injection of the corresponding DNA plasmid constructs in ginbuna crucian carp yielded increased expression of the fish interferon-γ1-1-encoding gene (IFN-γ1-1). In contrast, IFN-γ1-1 expression accompanied by DTH response was observed only in the CFP-10-DNA plasmid-injected fish. Furthermore, fish that had been prophylactically injected with CFP-10-DNA plasmid exhibited increased survival of M. pseudoshottsii infection. Taken together, these results suggested that CFP-10 may facilitate diagnosis of mycobacteriosis.     

Amylose synthesis capacity of the three Wx genes of wheat cv. Chinese Spring

The Wx locus controls amylose synthesis in the cereal endosperm. Hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) has the three Wx loci on chromosomes 7A ( Wx-A1), 4A (Wx-B1) and 7D (Wx-D1). To verify the effects of null alleles on reducing amylose content and determine the amylose synthesis capacity of each Wx gene independently and accurately, we produced eight possible types of recombinant lines carrying different null alleles at the Wx loci under the ‘Chinese Spring’ genetic background. Amylose content varied from 0% of the waxy ‘Chinese Spring’ to 25% of the ‘Chinese Spring’ normal type. The reducing effect of the single null alleles was the largest in Wx-B1b, and there was no significant difference between Wx-A1b and Wx-D1b. More than 3% reductions in amylose content were detected in the double null types. The results of the double null lines further demonstrated that for the capacity of amylose synthesis, Wx-B1a predominates and produces 21–22% amylose, followed by Wx-D1a (20–21%) and Wx-A1a (15–18%). These significant differences were partly correlated with variation in the amounts of the Wx proteins produced by different Wx genes. However, comparisons of the double null lines with the single null or normal lines indicated that amylose content was not linearly proportional to the number of the Wx genes, suggesting that the Wx genes act in an epistatic manner. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Windthrow resistance of apple trees grafted in an orchard

Pull-down tests were conducted for apple trees grafted in an orchard and for support posts in order to discuss the failure mode in windthrow damage, the effect of rootstock types on the uprooting strength, and the reinforcing effect of support posts on young trees. The test samples were ten mature trees (20–23 years old) of three varieties grafted on two types of rootstocks, three young trees (7 years old) grafted on dwarf rootstocks, and nine support posts of larch logs and steel pipes. The failure modes were found to be uprooting for mature trees and rootstock breakage for young trees. The uprooting strength of apple trees was considerably smaller than the uprooting strength of forest trees reported in previous studies. However, the windthrow resistance of the apple trees with respect to the critical wind velocity was estimated to be sufficient despite their low uprooting strength because of their small height. Young trees should be supported with wooden posts for a few years after grafting so that they acquire sufficient windthrow resistance. Part of this study was published in the report for the Grant-in-Aid for Collaborative Research by NOASTEC (No. H17-kyo-048)     

Effect of High β-Glucan Barley on Serum Cholesterol Concentrations and Visceral Fat Area in Japanese Men—A Randomized,Double-blinded,Placebo-controlled Trial

This study investigated whether the consumption of a diet in which high-β-glucan barley replaced rice would reduce the visceral fat area as well as the serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and total cholesterol (TC) in hypercholesterolemic Japanese men. A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled intervention study was conducted in 44 hypercholesterolemic Japanese men with a body mass index (BMI) >22 kg/m². The subjects were randomly assigned to groups consuming either rice (placebo group) or a mixture of rice and pearl barley with a high β-glucan content (test group, 7.0 g β-glucan per day) for 12 weeks. Blood samples were taken, and CT scan obtained before the trial and every four weeks during the trial. The pearl barley intake significantly reduced serum concentrations of LDL-C (P = 0.041) and TC (P = 0.037) during the trial. Significant differences between the test and placebo groups were found for the visceral fat (P = 0.039), BMI (P = 0.015), and waist circumference (P = 0.011) at the end point. The consumption of pearl barley with a high β-glucan content reduces not only LDL-C but also visceral fat area.     

Poor grain filling induced by waterlogging is similar to that in abnormal early ripening in wheat in Western Japan

Abnormal early ripening (AER), a major constraint on wheat production in Western Japan, manifests as sudden leaf senescence shortly after anthesis and results in poor grain filling; this leads to smaller grains and reduced grain yield. It is suggested that overwetting of the soil may be related to AER. We conducted field experiments over 2 seasons (2008-2009 and 2009-2010) in Yamaguchi, Western Japan, with waterlogging treatment using 2 Japanese wheat cultivars, Daichinominori (Western Japanese cultivar) and Haruyutaka (Hokkaido cultivar), which differ in terms of grain growth in the environment of Western Japan. We imposed pre-anthesis waterlogging for 2 weeks in 2008-2009 and post-anthesis waterlogging throughout the grain-filling period in 2009-2010. Pre-anthesis waterlogging had no significant effect on grain yield or grain filling irrespective of cultivar. Post-anthesis waterlogging severely reduced the grain yield by 44% and 36% in Haruyutaka and Daichinominori, respectively. The yield loss was attributable to the smaller grain weight that was a result of slower grain growth rate later in the shortened grain-filling period. Post-anthesis waterlogging induced sudden leaf senescence 1 and 2 weeks after anthesis in Haruyutaka and Daichinominori, respectively, and drastically reduced the photosynthesis and ultimately dry mass accumulation. It also depressed the remobilization of water-soluble carbohydrates (WSCs) from culms to grains leaving more residual WSCs in the culms at harvest (149 and 65 mg g⁻¹ DW in waterlogging and controls, respectively). The results indicate that the reduced grain growth due to waterlogging was attributable to decreased current assimilation and poor remobilization of culm WSCs to grain similar to that in AER plants. These results suggest that injured root function after anthesis might induce early leaf senescence and poor grain filling similar to AER wheat.     

Development of microsatellite markers in cultivated and wild species of sections <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cepa</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phyllodolon</Emphasis> in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Allium</Emphasis>

The potential of microsatellite markers for use in genetic studies has been evaluated in Allium cultivated species (Allium cepa, A. fistulosum) and its allied species (A. altaicum, A. galanthum, A. roylei, A. vavilovii). A total of 77 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primer pairs were employed, 76 of which amplified a single product or several products in either of the species. The 29 AMS primer pairs derived from A. cepa and 46 microsatellites primer pairs from A. fistulosum revealed a lot of polymorphic amplicons between seven Allium species. Some of the microsatellite markers were effective not only for identifying an intraspecific F₁ hybrid between shallot and bulb onion but also for applying to segregation analyses in its F₂ population. All of the microsatellite markers can be used for interspecific taxonomic analyses among two cultivated and four wild species of sections Cepa and Phyllodolon in Allium. Generally, our data support the results obtained from recently performed analyses using molecular and morphological markers. However, the phylogeny of A. roylei, a threatened species with several favorable genes, was still ambiguous due to its different positions in each dendrogram generated from the two primer sets originated from A. cepa and A. fistulosum.     

Development of introgression lines of an Indica-type rice variety, IR64, for unique agronomic traits and detection of the responsible chromosomal regions

A total of 334 introgression lines (INLs: BC₃-derived lines) derived from crosses between a recurrent parent of Indica rice cultivar IR64 and 10 donor parents, including new plant type (NPT) lines IR65600-87-2-2-3, IR65598-112-2, IR65564-2-2-3, IR69093-41-2-3-2, IR69125-25-3-1-1, Hoshiaoba, IR66215-44-2-3, IR68522-10-2-2, IR71195-AC1, and IR66750-6-2-1, have been developed. These INLs with IR64 genetic background were characterized for eight agronomic traits: days to heading, culm length, leaf width, leaf length, panicle length, panicle number, 100-grain weight, and total spikelet number per panicle at the International Rice Research Institute from 2005 to 2007. To identify introgressed segments from the donor parents, genotypes of the 334 INLs were detected using more than 200 polymorphic simple sequence repeat markers. These segments detected on chromosomes 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 were commonly introgressed across the INLs from more than four donor varieties. Based on the data of phenotype and genotype for the 334 INLs, associations between agronomic traits and introgressed chromosomal segments in the 334 INLs were investigated. A total of 54 regions for the eight traits were detected: seven regions for days to heading, eight regions for culm length, eight regions for leaf width, four regions for leaf length, six regions for panicle length, three regions for panicle number per plant, seven regions for 100-grain weight, and 11 regions for total spikelet number per panicle. Among them, the region on the long arm of chromosome 4 was associated with characteristics of the NPT such as long leaf, broad leaf, and high spikelet number. The developed 334 INLs with the IR64 genetic background will be useful materials for genetic analysis of agronomic traits.