Glomalin in aggregate size classes from three different farming systems

Glomalin was measured in soil from farming systems managed for 8 years by chisel tillage (CT), more intensive tillage for organic (ORG) production, and no tillage (NT) on Acrisols (FAO Soil Units) in the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. Whole soil and aggregate size classes of >2.00, 0.50–2.00 and 0.21–0.50 mm (macroaggregates), 0.05–0.21 mm (microaggregates), and <0.05 mm (fine material) were examined. Glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP) was extracted from 1-g samples (four plots per treatment) with 100 mM sodium pyrophosphate, pH 9.0, at 121 °C in three extraction cycles. Extracts were pooled and quantified by using the Bradford protein assay. Concentrations of GRSP and total carbon (C) in aggregates were linearly related across aggregate size classes for all treatments (GRSP = 0.101C + 0.56, r² = 0.95). No tillage had significantly greater whole soil GRSP than did CT or ORG (P = 0.01). Mean values for GRSP in aggregates of NT were higher than for CT or ORG aggregates by 0.53 and 0.66 mg g⁻¹ aggregates, respectively. There were no differences among treatments in GRSP concentrations in fine material. In NT the concentration of GRSP increased as aggregate size increased in contrast to the disturbed treatments, CT or ORG, where there were no differences in GRSP concentration across aggregate size fractions. Larger proportions of GRSP were distributed in macroaggregates of NT compared to CT and ORG in contrast to larger proportions in microaggregates of CT and ORG than in NT. Although soil disturbance in ORG farming is greater than for CT farming, both treatments had similar GRSP concentrations and distributions.     

Correlation analysis of mineral element contents and quality traits in milled rice (Oryza stavia L.)

The relationships among potassium (K), calcium (Ca), sodium (Na), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and manganese (Mn) contents in milled rice (Oryza stavia L.) of 274 genotypes and the relationships between these mineral element contents and other rice quality traits including 3 cooking quality traits, 17 amino acid contents, and protein content were investigated. The results showed that there were significant correlations among most of mineral element contents. Mg, Fe, and Mn contents were significantly correlated with most of the other mineral element contents, while Cu content had significantly negative associations with the K and Mg contents of rice. The relationships between mineral element contents and cooking quality traits showed that gel consistency (GC) was significantly correlated with K, Cu, and Mn contents of rice. Amylose content (AC) was significantly associated with K, Na, Mg, Cu, and Mn contents. The alkali spreading value (ASV) had closely positive relationships with Ca, Mg, and Mn contents. In addition, 8 mineral element contents had obvious correlations with different amino acid contents. Mg, Ca, and Zn contents were significantly correlated with most of the 17 amino acid contents, but Na content did not correlate with amino acid contents except aspartic acid of rice. Furthermore, significant associations were found between protein content and Na, Mg, Zn, Cu, or Mn content. Six principal components were extracted to explain 84.50% of the total variances and contained the information provided by the original 29 variables according to the principal component analysis.     

Genetic diversity in Cynara cardunculus revealed by AFLP markers: comparison between cultivars and wild types from Sicily*

Genetic diversity in 49 plants of 16 accessions representing one wild and two cultivated taxa of Cynara cardunculus L. (wild cardoon, cultivated cardoon and globe artichoke) was investigated using amplified fragment length polymorphic (AFLP) analysis. Four pairs of primers identified a total of 264 scorable loci, 196 of which were polymorphic. The number of markers scored per primer combination ranged from 41 to 107, with an average of 66 markers per primer combination. All the primer combinations detected polymorphism. The data were used for cluster analysis and AMOVA. The clusters obtained are in agreement with the current botanical classification and the differences among the taxa were substantial. The eco‐geographical groups within wild cardoon are clearly separated in relative subclusters, and reflect the geography of the collection areas. The six clones of the four cultivated artichoke varieties were clearly separated into four subclusters, corresponding to the current classification which is based on morphological traits. The results obtained may have a direct and important bearing on plant genetic resource conservation and management and on breeding.     

SNP Markers Discovery in Soybean with Use of Degenerate Oligolucleotide Primed PCR

There are several strategies that can be applied in SNP discovery, as for example the locus-specific amplification of target genome regions （Primmer et al., 2002; Van et al., 2004） or simultaneous assembly of anonymous sequences which are the product of whole genome shotgun sequencing （Webber and Myers, 1997） or reduced representation shotgun sequencing （Altshuler et al., 2000）. The majority of these methods are highly cost-prohibitive, however, and there is a necessity for development of new strategies that would be more suitable for small and medium-scale laboratories.     

Starch Content and Granule Size Distribution in Grains of Wheat in Relation to Post-Anthesis Water Deficits

Post-anthesis soil moisture condition is closely associated with grain yield and quality in wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.). To investigate the effect of post-anthesis water deficit (WD) on starch content and granule size distribution, pot-experiments were conducted in 2006–2007 and 2007–2008 growing seasons, using five wheat cultivars with different amylose content. The result showed that the grain starch granules had a bimodal curve in the volume and surface area distribution, and a unimodal curve was found in number distribution. Post-anthesis WD reduced the B-granules (<10 μm in diameter) volume % and surface area % in Nuomai50206 and Gaocheng8901, increased the proportion in Weimai10, whereas the effect on those in Jinan17 and Shannong15 was not significant. Post-anthesis WD decreased the number % of <2 μm starch granules, significantly in all cultivars. The amylose content was negatively correlated with the volume of <10 μm and positively correlated to >15 μm starch granules, respectively, suggesting that small starch granules (<10 μm) are low in amylose content, whereas, big starch granules (>15 μm) are high. The results indicate that the grain starch granule size distributions of Jinan17 and Shannong15 with high amylose content were less affected by WD, than those of Nuomai50206 and Gaocheng8901 with low amylose content.     

A QTL controlling low temperature induced spikelet sterility at booting stage in rice

Low temperature is a major abiotic stress for rice cultivation, causing serious yield loss in many countries. To identify QTL controlling low temperature induced spikelet sterility in rice, the progeny of F2, BC1F1 and BC2F1 populations derived from a Reiziq × Lijiangheigu cross were exposed to 21/15°C for 15 days at the booting stage, and spikelet sterility was assessed. For genotyping, 92 polymorphic markers from 373 SSR and 325 STS primer pairs were used. A major QTL was initially indentified on the short arm of chromosome 10 by selective genotyping using highly tolerant and susceptible progeny from F2 and BC1F1 populations. The QTL (qLTSPKST10.1) was validated and mapped by genotyping the entire F2 (282 progeny) and BC1F1 (84 progeny) populations. The results from the F2 population showed that qLTSPKST10.1 could explain 20.5% of the variation in spikelet sterility caused by low temperature treatment with additive (a = 14.4) and dominant effect (d = −7.5). From the analysis of 98 selected BC2F1 progeny, the QTL located in the 3.5 cM interval between S10010.9 and S10014.4 was further confirmed. Based on the studies of 3 generations in 2 years, it was clear that the QTL on chromosome 10 is a major determinant of the control of low temperature induced spikelet sterility at booting stage.     

Genetic mapping of loci determining long glumes in the genus Triticum

Elongated glumes are present in thetetraploid wheat species T.polonicum, T. turanicum, T.durum convar. falcatum and in thehexaploid species T. petropavlovskyi.Inheritance of glume length was studiedwith the aim to map the respective lociusing wheat microsatellite markers. In T. polonicum and T. petropavlovskyiloci conferring long glume were mapped nearthe centromere on chromosome 7A. These twoloci are designated P-A ^pol 1 andP-A ^pet 1, respectively. It isshown that both are probably homoeoallelicto each other and to the P gene ofT. ispahanicum on chromosome 7B. The loci determining elongated glumes in T. turanicum and T. durum conv. falcatum are not homoeologous to the P loci in the centromeric region of thegroup 7 chromosomes.     

Cytogenetical studies in wheat. XVIII. Gene Yr24 for resistance to stripe rust

A new gene, Yr24, for resistance to stripe rust was transferred from a durum accession to common wheat via an amphiploid (synthetic wheat) with Aegilops tauschii. Yr24 was located in chromosome 1B by monosomic analysis. Its genetic linkage of 4 cM with Yr15 indicated its localization to the short arm.     

基于代码生成的电控空气悬架系统电子控制单元

为提高某型SUV车辆的行驶平顺性、通过性等,对其进行空气悬架改装,并设计了由最小系统、车速信号调理模块、电动气泵控制模块、组合电磁阀控制模块、车身高度检测模块、CAN总线模块、车身加速度测量模块等组成的以Freescale XDP512为核心芯片的电控空气悬架系统电子控制单元,利用Real-Time Workshop(RTW)代码生成技术将所制定电控空气悬架系统控制策略转化为ANSI C代码并下载至电子控制单元,然后对安装电控空气悬架系统的试验车辆进行了车身高度与车速耦合试验、转向试验、急加速试验、急减速试验、平顺性试验,结果表明所设计的电控空气悬架系统控制单元能够实现车速信号调理、车身高度与车速耦合、电动气泵控制及组合阀控制等功能。     

番茄采摘机器人机械臂避障路径规划

以关节型机械臂避开垂直茎秆或撑杆采摘番茄为研究对象,提出了一种基于构形空间的关节型机械臂避障路径规划方法.利用空间映射原理,将关节型机械臂工作空间的三维避障问题转换为平面R-R机械臂避开障碍圆的问题,用临界碰撞关节角建立C-障碍空间的映射计算模型,将工作空间的位置避障转换为构形空间连杆关节角的计算.以能量最优函数优选避障规划的关节终点角度,利用A*算法计算平面R-R机械臂的避障关节角路径,获得一系列表示空间连杆位置的相交竖直面,并在竖直面内进行其余关节角的规划.避障采摘番茄的试验表明,机械臂带动夹持器能成功绕过直线状障碍物,引导夹持器到达果实目标位置,证明对平面R-R机械臂的空间映射建模是正确的,验证了提出的避障路径规划方法是可行的,可以应用于番茄的自动收获.