Identification of QTLs for fruit quality traits in Japanese apples: QTLs for early ripening are tightly related to preharvest fruit drop

Many important apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) fruit quality traits are regulated by multiple genes, and more information about quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for these traits is required for marker-assisted selection. In this study, we constructed genetic linkage maps of the Japanese apple cultivars ‘Orin’ and ‘Akane’ using F₁ seedlings derived from a cross between these cultivars. The ‘Orin’ map consisted of 251 loci covering 17 linkage groups (LGs; total length 1095.3 cM), and the ‘Akane’ map consisted of 291 loci covering 18 LGs (total length 1098.2 cM). We performed QTL analysis for 16 important traits, and found that four QTLs related to harvest time explained about 70% of genetic variation, and these will be useful for marker-assisted selection. The QTL for early harvest time in LG15 was located very close to the QTL for preharvest fruit drop. The QTL for skin color depth was located around the position of MYB1 in LG9, which suggested that alleles harbored by ‘Akane’ are regulating red color depth with different degrees of effect. We also analyzed soluble solids and sugar component contents, and found that a QTL for soluble solids content in LG16 could be explained by the amount of sorbitol and fructose.     

The infrared absorption spectra of soil components

In the preceding paper (1), the authors had determined the infrared absorption spectra of humic acids obtained from various soils of different origin, and concluded that they were, according to their infrared characteristics, classified into four groupes, i.e., A,B,Rp, and P types. After that, the authors conducted some experiments of the infrared spectra of soil components in order to get some information on the nature of so-called humin, and forms of soil clay and clay humus complex. The infrared spectra of silica, sesquioxides, clay minerals and humates of aluminium, iron and calcium were also determined for comparison. These experimental results will be given in this paper.     

Effects of organic matter application on microbial biomass and available nutrients in various types of paddy soils

Abstract

The effect of the addition of bromacil (pesticide) or/and a sewage sludge on the urease, phosphatase and dehydrogenase activities of soil was studied. Urease and phosphatase activities increased initially with the addition of bromacil. This effect disappeared after 28 d of soil incubation. The increase in the urease and phosphatase activities caused by the addition of sewage sludge was more pronounced than that of bromacil. The combined addition of sewage sludge and bromacil also led to an increase in the activity of both hydrolases. Dehydrogenase activity was affected negatively by the addition of bromacil and positively by the sewage sludge addition. When sewage sludge and bromacil were added simultaneously, dehydrogenase activity was higher than when sewage sludge alone was added.     

Factors Influencing the Determination of Microbial Biomass-Nitrogen in Submerged Soil

In a previous paper (1), a modification of the chloroform fumigation method (2) was proposed for estimating microbial biomass-nitrogen (N) in submerged soil. It was found that a large part of the living bacteria in the submerged soil was killed within about 12 h of the fumigation and was actively mineralized by subsequent anaerobic incubation.

In this paper, the following factors which influence the estimated amount of microbial biomass-N were examined: a) inoculation to fumigated soil, b) duration of anaerobic incubation, c) storage and sieving pretreatments of soil, and d) effect of fumigation on soil organic matter.     

稻田控释氮肥的施用效果与合理施用技术

选用新型控释氮肥(LP)5个类型,采用其不同用量和组合,在南方典型双季稻区第四纪红壤发育的水稻土上进行早稻和晚稻的一次性基肥试验。结果表明,施用不同控释氮肥,稻田表层土和表面水的NH4+-N含量极显著地低于常规氮肥(尿素);控释肥的氮素释放过程与水稻吸氮过程基本一致。控释氮肥用量以N75kg/hm2较适宜,其用量比尿素N150kg/hm2相比仍可维持高产;早稻施用控释氮肥,可成功地实现施肥、播种、抛秧的一次性技术配套与结合,减轻劳动强度,适当提高种植密度有利于高产;晚稻采用条施的方法可显著地提高产量。与尿素N150kg/hm2比较,早稻选用控释氮肥LPS40或LPS60较好;晚稻选用LP70和LPS80并按LP70(50%)+LPS80(50%)的比例搭配,有利于水稻生长发育和维持高产。控释氮肥具有缓释作用,其供应氮素持久;LPS40和LPS60用量N150kg/hm2且高密度栽培时有一定的后效,可分别提高再生稻产量10%和16%。     

Emissions of nitrous oxide and methane from rice field after granulated urea application with nitrification inhibitors and zeolite under different water managements

Paddy and Water Environment - A field experiment was carried out to determine the emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4) and yield of rice grains under water management of continuously...     

Long-term fertilizer management in NERICA cultivated upland affects on soil bio-chemical properties

ABSTRACT

This study aims to characterize soil chemical properties and microbial biomass, greenhouse gas production, and organic matter dynamics in upland rice field as affected by the long-term fertilizer managements in Uganda. Soil total C (TC) and N (TN) contents were in the relatively smaller range under different fertilizer treatments, even after 20 crop seasons. However, available phosphate contents showed positive correlation with average yield of upland rice. Incubation experiments were conducted under aerobic or under flooding conditions to measure CO₂, methane, and nitrous oxide productions. After the incubation, soil samples were extracted to quantify nitrification rate for aerobic condition and ammonification rate for flooding condition. Soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and nitrogen were measured. Stable isotope ratio of ¹³C and ¹⁵N were also determined for the soil samples. CO₂ production potential under aerobic condition was higher than the flooding condition. The qCO₂ (CO₂/MBC) in the treatment applied with compost tended to be higher than the other treatments. Positive correlation between nitrous oxide production and nitrification was found. The delta ¹³C values of the soil samples indicated that the effect of C4 plants before rice cultivation still remained, while the contribution of biological N₂ fixation was little according to delta ¹⁵N values. These results indicate that soil microbial biomass in upland rice field of the long-term fertilizer experiment in Uganda was characterized with higher qCO₂. Greenhouse gas production was affected by fertilizer management, while soil organic C before the long-term experiment still remained in the experiment.     

盐生植物海蓬子对不同形式的氮源的响应

Salt-affected soils are agricultural and environmental problems on a global scale. Plants suffer from saline stresses in these soils and show nitrogen (N) deficiency symptoms. However, halophytes grow soundly under saline conditions. In order to clarify the N nutrition of the halophyte Salicornia bigelovii, it was grown at several N levels (1, 2, 3, and 4 mmol L^-1), supplied in the form of NO₃^- or ammonium (NH₄⁺), under high NaCl conditions (200 mmol L^-1). NH₄⁺-fed plants showed better growth than NO₃^--fed plants at 1-3 mmol L^-1 N, and plants in both treatments showed the same growth at 4 mmol L^-1 N. Nitrogen contents in NO₃^--fed plants increased with the N concentrations in solution; competitive inhibition of NO₃^- absorption by Cl^- was observed under lower N conditions. In addition, shoot dry weight was significantly correlated only with shoot N content. Therefore, growth of NO₃^--fed plants was regulated by N absorption. Inc ontrast, N contents of shoots in NH₄⁺-fed plants did not change with N concentration. Shoot Na content decreased with increasing N concentration, while K content increased. Dry weight was highly correlated only with K content in NH₄⁺-fed plants. These observations indicated that growth of NH₄⁺-fed plants was mainly regulated by K absorption.     

Detection of thyroid hormone receptors in the olfactory system and brain of wild masu salmon,Oncorhynchus masou (Brevoort), during smolting by in vitro autoradiography

Thyroid hormone regulates a number of physiological functions during smolting in salmonids. However, the target sites and roles of thyroid hormone in the central nervous system (CNS) are not known in detail. We detected thyroid hormone-specific binding sites (i.e. thyroid hormone receptors) in the olfactory epithelium and the brain (the olfactory bulb, the telencephalon, the mid-brain and the cerebellum) of wild masu salmon, Oncor- hynchus masou (Brevoort), during smolting by means of in vitro autoradiography with frozen sections. A saturation experiment with the brain indicated the presence of a single class of binding sites of high affinity. T3-specific binding was detected in the olfactory epithelium and in all regions of the brain except the olfactory bulb. The T3-specific binding value in the olfactory epithelium was higher than in all other regions of the brain. This binding value in the olfactory epithelium increased at the full-smolt stage. The presence of thyroid hormone receptors in various regions of the CNS suggests that thyroid hormone plays an important role in the functional change in the brain and the olfactory epithelium during smolting.