Strawberry cultivar identification based on hypervariable SSR markers

We genotyped strawberry cultivars by two newly selected and two previously reported SSR markers. All four markers produced interpretable electropherograms from 75 accessions consisting of 72 Fragaria × ananassa cultivars or lines and three octoploid Fragaria species accessions. These SSR markers were highly polymorphic; in particular, one of the newly developed markers, FxaHGA02P13, was capable of distinguishing all of the accessions except for a mutant strain that was derived from another accession in the set. When two markers were combined, all 48 full-sib individuals could be distinguished. Fingerprinting patterns were reproducible between multiple samples, including the leaves, sepals, and fruit flesh of the same accession. Principal-coordinate analysis of the 75 accessions detected several groups, which reflect taxon and breeding site. Together with other available markers, these SSR markers will contribute to the management of strawberry genetic resources and the protection of breeders’ rights.     

Growth and Leaf Gas Exchange in Three Birch Species Exposed to Elevated Ozone and CO2 in Summer

We examined the effects of ozone and elevated CO₂ concentration in summer on the growth and photosynthetic traits of three representative birch species in Japan (mountain birch, Monarch birch, and white birch). Seedlings of the three birch species were grown in 16 open-top chambers and were exposed to two levels of ozone (6 and 60?nmol?mol^?1 for 7?h per day) in combination with two levels of CO₂ (370?C380 and 600???mol?mol^?1 for daytime) from July to October. No adverse effects of ozone were found in the Monarch birch or the white birch, but elevated ozone in summer reduced branch biomass and net photosynthesis, and accelerated leaf abscission, in the mountain birch. Elevated CO₂ promoted root development and thereby reduced the ratio of shoot dry mass (stem + branch) to root dry mass (S/R ratio) in the mountain birch and white birch. In contrast, there was no difference in dry mass between ambient and elevated CO₂ for the Monarch birch, due to downregulation of photosynthesis. Studies of the combined effect of CO₂ and ozone revealed that elevated CO₂ did not ameliorate the effect of ozone on mountain birch in late summer. In considering the ameliorating effect of CO₂ on ozone damage, it is necessary to take account of the species and the season.     

Development of an air-injection press for preventing blowout of particleboard I: effects of an air-injection press on board properties

An air-injection press was developed to prevent particleboard from blowing out during the manufacturing process. The air-injection press, which has holes punched in the heating plates, injects high-pressure air into the board through the holes of one plate and releases the air through the holes of the other plate. The high-pressure air forces out vapor trapped within the board, thus preventing blowout. The newly developed press reduced the pressing time required for manufacturing board from high-moisture-content particles. However, the manufactured boards exhibited mechanical properties and dimensional stability inferior to conventionally manufactured boards.     

Effect of tree size on time of each work element and processing productivity using an excavator-based single-grip harvester or processor at a landing

We studied the effect of tree diameter at breast height (DBH) on the time required for the work elements in processing trees and on overall processing productivity at a landing. The times required for swinging with the tree, determining the butt-end cut, cutting the butt end, feeding and measuring, and cross-cutting were affected by the DBH of harvested trees. The time needed to process each tree was significantly longer for larger trees. However, the piece volume of trees increased as the diameter increased, and the rate of increase in volume was greater than the rate of increase in the time required to process one tree. Thus, processing productivity increased with increasing DBH (or piece volume) of harvested trees.     

Climatic responses of tree-ring widths of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Larix gmelinii</Emphasis> on contrasting north-facing and south-facing slopes in central Siberia

An analysis was performed on the climatic responses of the radial growth of Larix gmelinii (Rupr.) Rupr. on contrasting north-facing and south-facing slopes in Tura, central Siberia. We developed chronologies of tree-ring width for four plots, designated as north-upper, northlower, south-upper, and south-lower. Both residual and standard chronologies of tree-ring widths exhibited a significant positive correlation with temperature from the end of May until early June in all four plots. The chronologies of ring width did not reveal any major difference in the response to temperature among the four plots. The standard chronologies of ring widths on the north-facing slope were negatively correlated with precipitation during the winter (October–April) and in early and mid-May, whereas the residual chronologies did not reveal clear relationships with precipitation during the winter and May. The significant correlation between ring width and temperature from the end of May until early June indicates that temperatures in springtime play a significant role in the radial growth of L. gmelinii. The negative correlations between standard chronologies of tree-ring width and precipitation in the winter and in May on the north-facing slope indicate that lowfrequency fluctuations in snowfall have negative effects on the radial growth. However, these effects vary and depend on the microscale topography. Part of this report was presented at the 55th Annual Meeting of the Japan Wood Society, March 2005, Kyoto     

Interspecific variation of photosynthesis and leaf characteristics in canopy trees of five species of Dipterocarpaceae in a tropical rain forest

Photosynthetic rate, nitrogen concentration and morphological properties of canopy leaves were studied in 18 trees, comprising five dipterocarp species, in a tropical rain forest in Sarawak, Malaysia. Photosynthetic rate at light saturation (Pmax) differed significantly across species, varying from 7 to 18 micro mol m(-2) s(-1). Leaf nitrogen concentration and morphological properties, such as leaf blade and palisade layer thickness, leaf mass per area (LMA) and surface area of mesophyll cells per unit leaf area (Ames/A), also varied significantly across species. Among the relationships with leaf characteristics, Pmax had the strongest correlation with leaf mesophyll parameters, such as palisade cell layer thickness (r2 = 0.76, P < 0.001) and Ames/A (r2 = 0.73, P < 0.001). Leaf nitrogen concentration and Pmax per unit area also had a significant but weaker correlation (r2 = 0.46, P < 0.01), whereas Pmax had no correlation, or only weakly significant correlations, with leaf blade thickness and LMA. Shorea beccariana Burck, which had the highest P(max) of the species studied, also had the thickest palisade layer, with up to five or more layers. We conclude that interspecific variation in photosynthetic capacity in tropical rain forest canopies is influenced more by leaf mesophyll structure than by leaf thickness, LMA or leaf nitrogen concentration.     

Effects of elevated CO2 concentration on growth, annual ring structure and photosynthesis in Larix kaempferi seedlings

We evaluated the effects of elevated carbon dioxide concentration ([CO2]) and two nutrient regimes on stem growth rate, annual ring structure and temporal variations in photosynthetic characteristics of seedlings of Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi (Lamb.) Carr.). Seedlings were grown in phytotron chambers in an ambient (360 ppm) or an elevated (720 ppm) [CO2] in two nutrient regimes for one growing season. Elevated [CO2] reduced stem height and increased stem basal diameter compared with ambient [CO2]. The effect of elevated [CO2] on growth tended to be greater at high-nutrient supply than at low-nutrient supply. Elevated [CO2] had no significant effect on ring width or the number of tracheids per radial file. There was no obvious difference in cell wall thickness or the relative area of the cell wall between seedlings grown in ambient or elevated [CO2]. Although growth in elevated [CO2] resulted in a slight increase in cell diameter, the increase had a relatively minor effect on the relative area of the cell wall. Net assimilation rate increased in response to elevated [CO2]; however, the increase in whole-crown photosynthetic rate (Total Agrowth) in seedlings in the elevated [CO2] treatment was minimal because of the smaller specific needle area and acclimation of the photosynthetic characteristics of the needles to the growth [CO2]. In conclusion, we observed no obvious enhancement in the capacity for carbon fixation in Japanese larch seedlings grown in the presence of elevated [CO2] that might be attributable to changes in stem growth. However, elevated [CO2] caused changes in the temporal pattern of stem growth and in some anatomical features of the tracheids.     

Characterization of new thioacidolysis products of sinapyl aldehyde and coniferyl aldehyde

To elucidate the chemical structure ofp-hydroxycinnamyl aldehyde moieties of abnormal angiosperm lignins of cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase down-regulated plants, sinapyl and coniferyl aldehydes were subjected to thioacidolysis. and the products were analyzed by gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC-MS). The chromatograms indicated that two pairs of new isomeric compounds were released during thioacidolysis of sinapyl and coniferyl aldehydes, respectively, together with the previously found products. These products were also found in the thioacidolysis products of dehydrogenation polymer incorporatingp-hydroxycinnamyl aldehydes. The new compounds had the novel indane structure in that they position of the side chain was linked to an aromatic ring. In the case of sinapyl aldehyde, these isomer compounds were the main products, which indicated different reactivities of sinapyl and coniferyl aldehydes during thioacidolysis.Part of this paper was presented at the TAPPI Pulping Conference. Nashville, October 1996; and the 41st Lignin Symposium, Nagoya. October 1996     

Look back over the studies of lignin biochemistry

The role of the cinnamate pathway in monolignol biosynthesis based on feeding experiments with lignifying plant stems and characterization of the enzymes in the pathway, O-methyltransferase (OMT), cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD), etc. is discussed. Monolignol biosynthesis via metabolic grids according to newly characterized enzymes in the pathway is also reviewed and discussed. The cleavage mechanisms of side chains and aromatic rings by lignin peroxidase and laccase elucidated by using ¹⁸O, ²H, and ¹³C labeled lignin substructure dimers and DHP with ¹⁸O₂ and H₂ ¹⁸O are reviewed. Finally, the prospects of lignin biochemistry in the wood and paper industries are discussed according to the recent progress on gene technology on wood formation and microbial degradation of lignin.     

Ethylenediurea (EDU) spray effects on willows (Salix sachalinensis F. Schmid) grown in ambient or ozone?enriched air: implications for renewable biomass production

Ground-level ozone -(O3) is a widespread air pollutant causing extensive injuries in plants. However, its effects on perennial energy crops remain poorly under-...