Morphological and AFLP diversity in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Thaumatococcus daniellii</Emphasis>, the source of the protein sweetener thaumatin

Thaumatococcus daniellii is a perennial African wild edible plant. Fruit arils from natural populations are the source of the protein sweetener, thaumatin. There are relatively few documented examples of its cultivation, however it has great potential as an intercrop for cultivation under rubber or cocoa. Across the species range there is notable diversity in leaf and fruit morphology. In this study, T. daniellii populations from four provenances in Ghana and Cameroon (separated by the Dahomey Gap) were compared for leaf and fruit morphology in situ and in an experiment using plants grown from sampled rhizomes planted under rubber in a single location in Cameroon. When collected rhizomes from four provenances were planted at one location, the samples from the local provenance produced the largest plants and fruits, and there was less morphological variation between samples from different provenances than was recorded in situ. In situ morphological differences were notable between north–south separated provenances in each country. Fruit collected in situ was analysed for aril thaumatin content and significant variation was found between provenances (1.08–2.00%). Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) was used to assess genetic diversity among the four provenances and 54% of loci were polymorphic. Cluster analysis of AFLP data separated samples of T. daniellii according to geographical origin. Maximum genetic diversity was found between provenances separated across the Dahomey Gap.     

喀斯特地区烟田土壤养分的空间变异特征

以我国典型的喀斯特地区—贵州省毕节地区为研究区域,利用地统计学和地理信息系统(GIS)相结合的方法对烟田土壤养分的空间变异特征进行研究,皆在为喀斯特地区烟草种植的平衡施肥及生态环境保护提供依据。描述性统计结果表明,研究区烟田土壤各养分指标均属中等程度变异。半方差函数分析表明,研究区烟田土壤全氮、全钾、速效磷变异函数的最适模型是球状模型,全磷和速效钾的最适模型是线性模型,碱解氮、pH和有机质的最适模型为指数模型;速效磷表现为强烈的空间自相关性,主要受结构性因素影响,而全氮、全磷、全钾、碱解氮、速效钾、pH和有机质表现为中等空间相关性,受结构性因素和随机性因素共同影响。普通克里格插值的土壤养分空间分布图表明,研究区域内烟田土壤全氮、全钾、速效磷和速效钾含量分布呈现空间连续分布的特点,而全磷、碱解氮和pH、有机质含量没有明显的分布规律,这主要与喀斯特地区复杂的立地因子和人为影响有关。     

玉树地区农机安全监督管理刍议

文章重点介绍了农机安全生产管理过程中存在的问题,并提出了安全生产管理的对策,为玉树州的农机的安全生产提供技术指导.     

Effect of whole-crop pea (Pisum sativum L.) silages differing in condensed tannin content as a substitute for grass silage and soybean meal on the performance, metabolism, and carcass characteristics of lambs

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of inclusion of whole-crop pea (WCP) silages, differing in condensed tannin content, as a substitute for grass silage (GS) and soybean meal on lamb metabolism, performance, plasma metabolites, digestibility, and carcass characteristics. In both experiments lambs were offered either solely GS or a 50:50 mix on a DM basis of GS with either low-tannin (LTPS) or high-tannin (HTPS) pea silage ad libitum. Each forage mix was fed with either 400 g/d of low-protein (LP) concentrate or 400 g/d of LP with an additional 200 g/d of pelletized soybean meal (HP), resulting in 6 dietary treatments. Experiment 1 examined the effects of the diets on metabolism, digestibility, and N balance using 6 lambs in 4 periods of 21 d in an incomplete crossover design. Experiment 2 used 48 lambs and examined the effects of the diets on ADG, plasma metabolites, and carcass characteristics over 56 d. Both experiments were analyzed using a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. In Exp. 1, lambs offered the LTPS diets had a greater (P < 0.05) digestibility of DM and OM than those offered the GS diets. Lambs offered the WCP silages had an increased (P < 0.05) N intake, N output, and digestibility of GE compared with those offered GS. Mean N digestibility was greatest (P < 0.05) in lambs offered LTPS. Lambs offered HP diets had increased (P < 0.001) digestibility of DM, OM, GE and N, and N- intake, output, retention, and digestibility compared with those offered the LP diets. In Exp. 2, there was no effect (P > 0.05) of forage type on intake, slaughter BW, or feed conversion efficiency (FCE). However, lambs offered the LTPS had a greater (P < 0.05) ADG than those offered the GS diets. Feeding diets containing HP increased (P < 0.001) total DMI, slaughter BW, ADG, and FCE. Lambs offered the WCP had a greater (P < 0.05) plasma β-hydroxybutyrate and urea concentration compared with those offered the GS diets. Feeding lambs HP diets increased (P < 0.05) plasma urea and total protein. Forage mix had no effect (P > 0.05) on carcass composition except for fat depth, which was greater (P < 0.05) in lambs offered WCP silage. Diets containing the HP increased (P < 0.05) carcass weight, hind leg circumference, chop dimensions, and kidney weight. It was concluded that lambs offered LTPS performed better than those offered GS and that LTPS has a concentrate sparing effect. Additionally, the increased tannin concentration in HTPS did not increase performance over lambs offered either GS or LTPS.     

Valine partitioning and kinetics between the gastrointestinal tract and hind limbs in lambs with an adult Trichostrongylus colubriformis burden

Intestinal parasitic infection increases the demand for AA because of increased protein synthesis in the intestine and increased luminal losses of AA, and these increased demands may be supported by increased mobilization of AA from the skeletal muscles. Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of parasitic infection on valine kinetics within the gastrointestinal tract and hind limbs of lambs fed fresh forages. On d 1, lambs were given 6,000 stage-3 Trichostrongylus colubriformis larvae per day for 6 d (n = 6) or kept as parasite-free controls (n = 6) and fed fresh lucerne (Medicago sativa; Exp. 1) or fresh sulla (Hedysarum coronarium; Exp. 2). On d 48, valine kinetics within the mesenteric- (MDV) and portal-drained viscera (PDV) and hind limbs were obtained by carrying out concurrent infusions of para-amminohippuric acid into the mesenteric vein and indocyanin green into the abdominal aorta (for blood flow), and [3,4-(3)H]valine into the jugular vein and [1-(13)C]valine into the abomasum for 8 h (for kinetics). During the infusions, blood was collected from the mesenteric and portal veins and from the mesenteric artery and vena cava, and plasma was harvested. After the 8-h infusion, lambs were euthanized, ileal digesta were collected, and tissues were sampled from the intestine and muscle (biceps femoris). Tissues, digesta, and plasma were analyzed for valine concentration, specific radioactivity, and isotopic enrichment. In both experiments, intestinal worm burdens on d 48 were greater in parasitized lambs (P = 0.0001 and 0.003). In Exp. 1, parasitic infection increased (P = 0.03) the total valine irreversible loss rate (ILR) in the MDV and PDV. In Exp. 2, luminal ILR of valine in the MDV was reduced (P = 0.01); however, ILR of valine in the PDV was unaffected. Despite these changes within the MDV and PDV, parasitic infection did not affect the ILR of valine within the hind limbs, and valine transport rates were largely unchanged. We suggest that the increased mobilization of AA from the hind limbs that might have occurred in the early phase of inflammation was no longer required when the parasitic infection was established. The MDV and PDV data may indicate that the non-MDV parts of the PDV play an important role in this adaptation, which warrants further study.     

Resting metabolic rates increase with elevation in a mountain‐dwelling lizard

Individuals that inhabit broad elevational ranges may experience unique environmental challenges. Because temperature decreases with increased elevation, the ectotherms living at high elevations have to manage limited activity time and high thermoregulatory effort. The resting metabolic rate (RMR) of a postabsorptive animal is related to its total energy requirements as well as many other fitness traits. Mesquite lizards (Sceloporus grammicus) living on La Malinche Volcano, Mexico, inhabit a wide elevational range with some populations apparently thriving above the tree line. We measured the RMR of lizards from different elevations (i.e., 2,600, 3,200, and 4,100 m) at four ecologically relevant temperatures (i.e., 15, 25, 30, and 35 °C) and found that RMR of mesquite lizards increased with temperature and body mass. More importantly, lizards from the high‐elevation population had mass specific RMR that was higher at all temperatures. While the higher RMRs of high‐elevation populations imply higher metabolic costs at a given temperature these lizards were also smaller. Both of these traits may allow these high elevation populations to thrive in the face of the thermal challenges imposed by their environment.     

Influence of Plant Phosphorus and Iron Concentrations on Growth of Soybean

Growth responses to phosphorus (P) and iron (Fe) are commonly assessed based on element concentrations to which plants are exposed. Such data offer little insight about responses to the concentration of P and Fe actually accumulated in plants. In this study, soybean (Glycine max Merr., cv. ‘Biloxi’) was grown on nutrient solutions to induce varying P and Fe concentrations in plant tissues. Leaf P and Fe concentrations were correlated at lower concentrations. However, under high P treatments there was an apparent excess of accumulated P based on plant response. These results were interpreted to indicate that these plants could accumulate P in excess of the amount required for normal physiological activity. There appeared to be no excess accumulation of Fe so that correlations between leaf Fe concentration and leaf area and plant mass were significant for all data. Root mass did not correlate significantly with either leaf P or Fe concentration.     

Genetic variability of transpiration response to vapor pressure deficit among soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) genotypes selected from a recombinant inbred line population

Limited observations of soybean plant response of transpiration rate (TR) to vapor pressure deficit (VPD) have indicated the existence of genotypes with nearly constant TR at high VPD. The range of expression of this trait in a given population within a species has not been explored. To initiate study of this possibility, 22 genotypes from a RIL population derived from a cross of PI 416937 and Benning were characterized for their VPD response. Genotype PI 416937 has been shown to reach a maximum TR at a VPD as low as 2 kPa. Surprisingly, Benning was not found to have a continually increasing TR with VPD, but rather it had a two-segment TR response very similar to PI 416937. Unexpectedly, only one of the studied RILs had a TR response similar to the parents. Thirteen RILs had a continually increasing TR with increasing VPD. Eight RILs reached a maximum TR occurring at VPD of about 1.3 kPa, significantly lower value than that of the parents. While the inheritance of the maximum TR trait is clearly complex, these results offer encouragement that the VPD at which plants limit TR might vary so that the trait can be tailored to maximize potential yield increase in different water-deficit environments.     

华南乡土树种在松杉林下生长及林下植物多样性研究

研究了11种华南乡土阔叶树种幼树在广东增城市林科所松杉人工林林下的生长表现,结果表明:4种壳斗科植物黎蒴、米锥、甜锥和槟榔青冈在移植后5 a均具有较高的树高和冠幅生长量,可作为人工林改造优良树种;香椿在前期生长表现良好,而移植后45 a生长速度有所下降,反映该树种随着年龄增长,其需光性加强,该树种仅适用于低密度人工林的改造;石笔木生长虽然稍慢,但其耐荫性较强,在林下生长良好,可作为次生林改造树种;樟树、枫香和火力楠等树种在林下生长不良.样方调查结果表明:松杉林下植物以耐荫性和鸟播植物为主.     

中国美利奴羊育种信息管理系统开发

以提高育种资料管理和利用效率为目的,提出基于Visual FoxPro6.0软件开发中国美利奴羊育种信息管理系统的设计思路,阐述了系统的结构和所具备的基本功能.