Stoichiometry for the decrease in the amount of phosphate-induced negative charges of clay fractions of andisols

Abstract

It is well-known that the amount of negative charges increases with phosphate (P) sorption on soils or soil constituents (Mekaru and Uehara 1972; Schalscha et al. 1972). The increase in the amount of negative charges could be considered as one of the beneficial aspects of P dressing for the retention of cationic nutrients.     

Dilute acid-soluble phosphorus in fresh air-borne tephras and fixation with an increase in active aluminum and iron

Fresh rhyolite-to-andesite tephras ground to less than 0.15 mm particles contained dilute acid-soluble phosphorus (P) as in the case of cultivated upland soils in Japan. The amount of P determined by Truog extraction (Truog P) ranged between 119 and 784 mg P₂O₅ kg^-1 in 12 rhyolite-to-andesite tephras, and that determined by a modified Bray P₂ extraction method (modified Bray P₂) ranged between 133 and 812 mg P₂O₅ kg^-1. In contrast, the Truog P-content in fresh basaltic andesite-to-basalt tephras was only 3.4–23 mg P₂O₅ kg^-1, and the modified Bray P₂-content was in the range of 41–185 mg P₂O₅ kg^-1, although the total P-content of the two tephra groups was in almost the same range.

Among 12 rhyolite-to-andesite tephras, those from Mt. Usu that erupted in 1977 and from Mt. Pinatubo that erupted in 1991 were selected for detailed studies. Fine particle size fractions of these tephras showed higher Truog P values than the coarse ones. The Truog P values further increased in the heavy fraction with a particle density of 2.8 or greater. In this heavy fraction, apatite was detected by energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, indicating the contribution of the mineral to the high Truog P. Dilute sulfuric acid treatment of the tephras at 80°C for 15 d followed by neutralization increased the amount of active Al and Fe and decreased the Truog P values of these tephras. These results suggested that the amount of apatite rapidly decreased with weathering in volcanic ash soils.     

Changes in levels of endogenous plant hormones in cambial regions of stems ofLarix kaempferi at the onset of cambial activity in springtime

The total amounts of endogenous indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), cytokinins, and abscisic acid (ABA) were quantified by gas chromatography-selected ion monitoring-mass spectrometry (GC-SIM-MS) in cambial regions of the main stems ofLarix kaempferi during the spring season. During the sampling period, cambium in the dormant state entered the active meristematic state. The total amount of IAA did not change at the onset of cambial reactivation but increased when the active division of cambial cells became apparent. Four cytokinins —trans- andcis-ribosylzeatin (RZ),N ⁶-isopentenyladenine (iP),N ⁶-isopentenyladenosine (iPA) — were quantified, but no zeatin (Z) was detected. The total amount of the four cytokinins together and the total amount of isopentenyl-type cytokinins (iP and iPA) varied during the sampling period but did not appear to be specifically associated with cambial activity. The total amounts oftrans- andcis-RZ remained relatively constant during the sampling period, as did the total amount of ABA. The results suggest that there is little correlation between total amounts of endogenous plant hormones in the cambial region and reactivation of the cambium during the spring.     

Response of transgenic cucumber expressing a rice class I chitinase gene to two fungal pathogens with different infectivities

A transgenic cucumber line (CR32) over-expressing the rice class I chitinase gene exhibited resistance to Phytophthora rot (Phytophthora nicotianae var. parasitica) but not to Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum). The infection behavior of these fungi on CR32 and nontransgenic plants was examined with an optical microscope. In zoosporangia of P. nicotianae var. parasitica, the rates of germination and penetration on leaves of both CR32 and nontransgenic plants were almost equal. After infection, however, the growth of infection hyphae was markedly suppressed in CR32 compared with their growth in the nontransgenic plants. In F. oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum, the infection hyphae localized in petiole vessels of both CR32 and nontransgenic plants, and growth did not differ in the two plants. We investigated the antifungal activity of a high-molecular-weight fraction (HF) and a low-molecular-weight fraction (LF) of crude leaf extracts from CR32 and from the nontransgenic line. CR32 HF, which included the rice chitinase, had antifungal activity only against F. oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum. In contrast, CR32 LF, which did not have the rice chitinase, had strong antifungal activity against the two fungi. These results suggested that a low-molecular-weight antifungal substance(s) was induced in CR32 and might function as a factor of resistance to P. nicotianae var. parasitica, which has cell walls that almost never contain chitin. Because rice chitinase has already been demonstrated not to localize in vessels of CR32, the infection localization of F. oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum in vessels might enable the fungus to avoid antifungal substance(s), resulting in Fusarium wilt in transgenic cucumber.     

Effect ofl-phenylalanine on rooting of shoots from axillary buds of adultLarix leptolepis

Rooting of shoots derived from axillary buds was examined to establish an efficient shoot culture system of clonal micropropagation in adult tree ofLarix leptolepis Gord. (Japanese larch). Nine out of ten shoots induced calli (90%) on their shoot bases, and the two of them formed root primordia with a red pigment (20%) on the calli surface within 5 weeks after culturing on modified Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 1.5 μM of indolebutyric acid (IBA) and 1.5 μM of naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). However, the primordia did not elongate actively. The addition of 10 mMl-phenylalanine in the MS medium with the auxins resulted in the formation of roots at high frequency, about 80%, and they elongated actively. Although callus was formed in all the shoots cultured on the medium withl-phenylalanine, it appeared that the callus development was less as compared to the medium withoutl-phenylalanine. Consequently, the rooting might be associated with the suppression of the induced callus.     

日本果梅育种(英文)

该文从改良历史、遗传特征、育种目标、育种成果及前景展望等几个方面,综述了日本果梅育种的状况