GABA Control of GnRH Release from the Ewe Hypothalamus In Vitro: Sensitivity to Oestradiol

The present study examines the involvement of GABA_{A or B} receptors in gonadotrophin‐releasing hormone (GnRH) release in vitro and determines whether oestradiol modulates γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA)–GnRH interaction. Within 10 min after ewe killing, hypothalamic slices were dissected and placed in oxygenated Minimum Essential Media (MEM)‐α at 4°C; within 2 h, slices were singly perifused at 37°C with oxygenated MEM‐α (0.15 ml/min), with or without oestradiol (24 pg/ml). After 4 h equilibration, fractions were collected for 4 h interposed with a 10 min exposure to specific GABA_{A or B} receptor ligands (0.1–10 mm ). The GABA_{A or B} agonists (muscimol or baclofen) did not greatly influence GnRH release. However, GnRH increased (p < 0.05) after exposure to 10 mm GABA_{A or B} antagonists (bicuculline or CGP52432, respectively). The GABA_A antagonist stimulated greater sustained GnRH release (p < 0.05) in the absence of oestradiol than in its presence. The bioactivity of the released GnRH was studied using a hypothalamus‐pituitary sequential double‐chamber perifusion. Only after exposure of hypothalamic slices to the GABA_A antagonist, did the hypothalamic eluate stimulate luteinizing hormone release from pituitary fragments (p < 0.05) confirming that the GABA_A antagonist stimulated release of biologically active GnRH. In summary, GnRH release from the hypothalamus is predominantly under GABA_A receptor inhibitory control and this is attenuated in the presence of oestradiol.     

Orobanche aegyptiaca control in tomato fields with sulfonylurea herbicides

Field experiments were conducted from 1994 to 1997 at two locations to study the effectiveness of chlorsulfuron and triasulfuron applied through different irrigation methods (chemigation) for control of Orobanche aegyptiaca Pers. in tomato ( Lycopersicon esculentum Mill). Three split applications of chlorsulfuron at 2.5 g a.i. ha⁻¹ and of triasulfuron at 7.5 g a.i. ha⁻¹, through conventional sprinkler irrigation systems, 10–14 days apart followed immediately by sprinkling with water, controlled O. aegyptiaca by about 90% and 80% and increased crop yield 25–47% and 30%, respectively, without any crop injury symptoms. Repeated applications of the same herbicides at half rates resulted in slightly higher O. aegyptiaca control and crop yield than only one herbicide application at double rate. Chemigation by the sprinkler systems (microsprinklers, 60 m³ ha⁻¹) slightly increased the herbicide efficiency as compared with the high volume spray (800 m³ ha⁻¹). O. aegyptiaca control from sulfonylureas applied by drip chemigation was poor, as this probably requires very accurate timing and the herbicide distribution in the soil was not uniform.     

行距对棉花生长发育、产量及早熟性指数的影响的研究(英文)

棉花窄行密植生产是缩短棉花生长季节实现棉花早熟的主要举措,并且窄行密植对棉花的产量无显著影响。田间试验于2006年6月到2007年1月在巴基斯坦费萨拉巴德农业大学试验田进行,以确定行距对不同品系棉花的生长、生产和早熟性指数的影响。试验选取NIAB-111,CIM-496和FH-901 3个棉花品种,设置了60、75和90 cm 3种行距进行试验研究。结果表明:行距对棉花生长发育、产量和早熟性指数具有极显著影响;行距75 cm的处理产量最高达到2603 kg·hm-2,其次是行距60 cm的处理,产量为2541 kg·hm-2,但二者间差异不显著;行距60 cm的处理早熟性指数达到50.92%,显著大于其它处理;行距75 cm的处理次之。子棉产量最高的品种是FH-901,同时其早熟性指数也最高,达到54.34%。     

Identification of the vascular plants of Churchill,Manitoba, using a DNA barcode library

Background

Using phylogenies in community ecology is now commonplace, but typically, studies assume and test for a single common phylogenetic signal for all species in a community, at a given scale. A possibility that remains little-explored is that species differing in demographic or ecological attributes, or facing different selective pressures, show different community phylogenetic patterns, even within the same communities. Here I compare community phylogenetic patterns for fire-killed and fire-resistant Banksia species in the fire-prone shrublands of southwest Australia.

Results

Using new Bayesian phylogenies of Banksia, together with ecological trait data and abundance data from 24 field sites, I find that fire regeneration mode influences the phylogenetic and phenotypic signal of species co-occurrence patterns. Fire-killed species (reseeders) show patterns of phylogenetic and phenotypic repulsion consistent with competition-driven niche differentiation, but there are no such patterns for fire-resistant species (resprouters). For pairs of species that differ in fire response, co-occurrence is mediated by environmental filtering based on similarity in edaphic preferences.

Conclusions

These results suggest that it may be simplistic to characterize an entire community by a single structuring process, such as competition or environmental filtering. For this reason, community analyses based on pairwise species co-occurrence patterns may be more informative than those based on whole-community structure metrics.     

Mapping quantitative trait loci associated with starch paste viscosity attributes by using double haploid populations of rice(Oryza sativa L.)

The paste viscosity attributes of starch, measured by rapid visco analyzer(RVA), are important factors for the evaluation of the cooking and eating qualities of rice in breeding programs. To determine the genetic roots of the paste viscosity attributes of rice grains, quantitative trait loci(QTLs) associated with the paste viscosity attributes were mapped, using a double haploid(DH) population derived from Zhongjiazao 17(YK17), a super rice variety, crossed with D50, a tropic japonica variety. Fifty-four QTLs, for seven parameters of the RVA profiles, were identified in three planting seasons. The 54 QTLs were located on all of the 12 chromosomes, with a single QTL explaining 5.99 to 47.11% of phenotypic variation. From the QTLs identified, four were repeatedly detected under three environmental conditions and the other four QTLs were repeated under two environments. Most of the QTLs detected for peak viscosity(PKV), trough viscosity(TV), cool paste viscosity(CPV), breakdown viscosity(BDV), setback viscosity(SBV), and peak time(PeT) were located in the interval of RM6775–RM3805 under all three environmental conditions, with the exception of pasting temperature(PaT). For digenic interactions, eight QTLs with six traits were identified for additive×environment interactions in all three planting environments.The epistatic interactions were estimated only for PKV, SBV and PaT. The present study will facilitate further understanding of the genetic architecture of eating and cooking quality(ECQ) in the rice quality improvement program.     

水稻耐盐性的机理

Shaheen Basmati was evolved as a salt tolerant fine rice variety by the Soil Salinity Research Institute,Pindi Bhattian, Pakistan. Water culture studies were conducted to investigate the physiological mechanism exercised by this variety in particular and rice plant in general to face the saline environment. Performance of this rice variety and the concentration and uptake of ions were studied under stress of three salinity levels(30, 60 and 90 mmolL^-1) created with NaC1. Recorded data indicated that shoot dry matter was not significantly affected by all the three levels of salinity. However, NaC1 levels of 60 and 90 mmol L^-1 affected the root dry matter significantly. Sodium concentration and uptake was enhanced significantly in root and shoot at the first level of salinity (30 mmol L^-1) but thereafter the differences were non-significant, indicating the preferential absorption of this cation. The K concentration decreased significantly in shoots at all the levels. The impact was less pronounced in roots as far as K absorption was concerned. The effect on Ca and Mg concentrations was not significant. The values of K:Na, Ca:Na and (Ca Mg):Na ratios in shoot and root were comparatively low under stress conditions, indicating that selective ion absorption may be the principal salt tolerance mechanism of variety Shaheen Basmati when grown in a saline medium.     

Effects of UV-B treatment on controlling lignification and quality of bamboo (Phyllostachys prominens) shoots without sheaths during cold storage

For evaluating the effects of UV-B treatment on lignification and quality of bamboo(Phyllostachys prominens) shoots during postharvest, fresh bamboo shoots without sheaths were irradiated with UV-B at a dose of 8.0 kJ m~(–2) and then stored at(6±1)℃ along with 85–90% relative humidity(RH) for 15 d. The results showed that UV-B treatment apparently slowed down the increase rates of flesh firmness, weight loss, and contents of cellulose and lignin. It also decreased the activities of 4-coumarate CoA ligase(4CL), peroxidase(POD), cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase(CAD) and phenylalanine ammonialyase(PAL) and the expression of their encoding genes during cold storage. It was suggested that these effects of UV-B treatment on decreases in these enzymatic activities and the expression of encoding genes might collectively regulate lignin synthesis and accumulation in the flesh of bamboo shoots and consequently benefit in maintaining the edible quality of bamboo shoots during cold storage.