Cultural discernment as an ethics framework: An Indigenous Fijian approach

The praxis of an Indigenous Fijian researcher who is both an insider/outsider offers some valuable lessons for ethnographic work. This paper introduces ‘cultural discernment’ as a concept used to ensure that the research process is culturally ethical within the research setting. An insider will always require a sense of cultural discernment, recognising that actions taken have implications that are critical and remain with the researcher for life. The paper contextualises the concept of cultural discernment in relation to Fijian epistemology. Although there are risks within any research project with regard to ethics processes and the conduct of research, this paper will illustrate how Western paradigms associated with ‘expert knowledge’ and the ‘lay knowledges’ of an Indigenous population group produce competing understandings about ethical practice. The paper draws on a doctoral research project exploring the cultural conceptualisation of health and well‐being, conducted in Fiji and New Zealand. The research process and steps carried out in this study ensured those actions were culturally appropriate and ethically sound from an Indigenous Fijian perspective.     

Decolonising Pacific research,building Pacific research communities and developing Pacific research tools: The case of the talanoa and the faafaletui in Samoa

In building Samoan academic researcher capacity in Samoa, we argue that there is a need to first establish the kind of researcher community advocated by Linda Tuhiwai Smith, and to do so through developing research tools, such as the talanoa and faafaletui, in partnership with researcher capacity‐building initiatives such as the applied postgraduate social and health research methods course (coded PUBX731‐HSA505) run by the Centre for International Health, University of Otago, in partnership with the National University of Samoa. This paper offers a commentary on the talanoa and faafaletui as Pacific research methodologies, and asks what its value might be for researchers in Samoa. It reflects on the learning experiences of staff and students of the applied social and health research methods course in relation to the talanoa and faafaletui as Pacific research methodologies or methods. It concludes that developing Pacific research and researcher capacity in Pacific Island countries, such as Samoa, must include opening up spaces within these communities to critically engage what is Pacific or Samoan or indigenous about these research tools, methods or methodologies, and how they might differ in form or substance from other methods or methodologies.     

Sensitivity of Two Quinoa (ChenopodiumquinoaWilld.) Varieties to Progressive Drought Stress

Quinoa (ChenopodiumquinoaWilld.) is a highly nutritious Andean seed crop which shows great potential to grow under a range of hostile environments. The objective of this study was to investigate the differences of drought tolerance of a Bolivian (Achachino) and a Danish (Titicaca) variety, and especially drought‐related adaption strategies. Soil water status was expressed as the fraction of transpirable soil water (FTSW). Relative stomatal conductance (RSC), relative transpiration (RT) and relative leaf water potential (RLW) were calculated by determining stomatal conductance, transpiration rate and leaf water potential of the drought‐treated plants relative to those of fully irrigated plants. The responses of RSC, RT and RLW to decreasing FTSW were described by a linear‐plateau model. The critical value of FTSW was the threshold of FTSW where the parameters studied decreased. The thresholds increased C_S for stomatal conductance, C_T for transpiration and C_Lfor leaf water potential. Achachino showed significantly lower C_T and C_L when compared with Titicaca, implying that transpiration and leaf water potential were less affected under mild drought conditions in the Bolivian variety. C_S in Achachino was significantly higher than C_L and C_T, which indicated that stomatal conductance declined before transpiration and leaf water potential were reduced. Such difference was found in Titicaca where reduction of leaf area had more effect on transpiration than stomatal closure. Slower growth rate and smaller leaf area in combination with a lower stomatal conductance was found to contribute to drought resistance in Achachino. ABA concentration in the xylem sap tended to increase in both varieties after 2 days onset of drought, prior to decline in leaf water potential. Titicaca showed significantly (P < 0.05) higher ABA concentration when compared with Achachino under both fully irrigated and drought conditions. Titicaca had higher xylem nutrient concentration in comparison with Achachino in both fully‐watered and drought plants at day 2 after onset of soil drying. It was concluded that Titicaca was more sensitive to progressive drought than Achachino which avoided water loss by means of lower growth rate and smaller leaf area.     

The effect of VRN1 genes on important agronomic traits in high‐yielding Canadian soft white spring wheat

For reproductive success, flowering time must synchronize with favourable environmental conditions. Vernalization genes play a major role in accelerating or delaying the time to flowering. We studied how different vernalization (VRN1) gene combinations alter days to flowering and maturity and consequently the effect on grain yield and other agronomic traits. The study focussed on the effect of the VRN1 gene series (Vrn‐A1, Vrn‐B1 and Vrn‐D1) and their combinations. The Vrn gene group Vrn‐A1a, Vrn‐B1, vrn‐D1 was the earliest to flower and mature, while Vrn‐A1b, Vrn‐B1, vrn‐D1 was the latest to flower. Spring wheat lines with vrn‐A1, Vrn‐B1, Vrn‐D1 were the highest yielding and matured at a similar time as those having vernalization genes Vrn‐A1a, Vrn‐B1 and Vrn‐D1. The findings of this study suggest that the presence of Vrn‐D1 has a direct or indirect role in producing higher grain yield. We therefore suggest the introduction of Vrn‐D1 allele into higher‐yielding classes within Canadian spring wheat germplasm.     

Development and characterization of a new set of 164 polymorphic EST‐SSR markers for diversity and breeding studies in rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis Müll. Arg.)

Despite its economic importance and recent genome release, the need for molecular tools for Hevea brasiliensis is high. In the frame of a disease resistance study, EST sequences were retrieved from public database or generated by sequencing SSH libraries. Sequences were trimmed and microsatellite motifs searched using an ad hoc bioinformatic pipeline, and pairs of primers for the amplification of candidate markers were generated. We found a total of 10 499 unigenes from both sources of sequences, and 673 microsatellites motifs were detected using the default parameters of the pipeline. Two hundred sixty‐four primer pairs were tested and 226 (85.6%) successfully amplified. Out of the amplified candidate markers, 164 exhibited polymorphism. Relationships based on dendrograms using simple matching index and diversity statistics based on EST‐SSRs were compared with Genomic SSRs, showing the potentialities of EST‐derived microsatellites for resistance studies but also for population genetics approaches.     

Identification of quantitative trait loci with main and epistatic effects for plant architecture traits in Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Plant architecture is important for cotton cultivation and breeding. In this study, two mapping generations/populations F₂ and F_2:3 in Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), derived from ‘Baimian1’ and TM‐1, were used to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for 10 plant architecture traits. A total of 55 main‐effect QTLs (M‐QTLs) were detected. Four common M‐QTLs, qTFB‐10(F₂/F_2:3) for total fruit branches, qFBL‐26b(F₂)/qFBL‐26(F_2:3) for fruit branch length, qFBA‐5(F₂/F_2:3) for fruit branch angle and qFBN‐26b(F₂)/qFBN‐26(F_2:3) for fruit branch nodes, were found. The synergistic alleles and the negative alleles can be utilized in cotton plant architecture breeding programmes according to specific breeding objectives. Altogether 54 pairs of epistatic QTLs (E‐QTLs) exhibiting the interactions of additive‐by‐additive (AA), additive‐by‐dominant (AD), dominant‐by‐additive (DA) and dominant‐by‐dominant (DD) were detected. The epistasis appeared to be an important contributor to genetic variation in cotton plant architecture traits. Therefore, the identified markers associated with E‐QTLs as well as M‐QTLs will be of importance in future breeding programmes to develop cotton cultivars exhibiting desirable plant architecture.     

Modelling approach for the quantitative variation of sex expression in monoecious hemp (Cannabis sativa L.)

Sex expression is of primary importance for the genetic improvement and production of monoecious hemp: masculinized phenotypes are associated with higher fungal sensitivity, and feminized phenotypes with higher seed yields. However, sex expression varies quantitatively among plants and nodes and with time. Here, we developed eight variables that characterize the sex expression in monoecious hemp to dissect its genetic determinism. The monoecy degree (MD), ranging from 1 (mostly male flowers) to 5 (mostly female flowers), was recorded for each node of 167 plants, at 6 times at 1‐week intervals. Two types of longitudinal variables were constructed: ‘synthesis’ (mean MD and percentages of nodes of each MD) and ‘structure’. The latter consisted of the parameters of a logistic curve describing MD as a function of the node position. An r‐square of 0.97 was obtained between the estimated and observed MD values, and the logistic parameters were weakly correlated with each other and with the synthesis variables. Therefore, we conclude that the present modelling approach is relevant for characterizing the sex expression in monoecious hemp.     

广东省农地边际化特征及其影响因素的地理探测

为了明确经济发达地区广东省农地边际化现象及其主要影响因素。本研究采用"单位成本纯收益指标""、农地利用集约度指标"和"农作物播种面积指标"三大主要指标,对广东省2000—2015年农地边际化特征进行提取。选择影响农地边际化特征的19个因子,利用地理探测器方法对农地边际化现象的核心影响因素进行挖掘。结果表明:2000—2015年广东省共发生3次比较明显的农地边际化现象,分别在2001—2002年、2005—2006年、2010—2013年,且第3次边际化持续时间最长,情况最严重。社会经济发展水平与结构指标和农户家庭资源要素结构变化指标对农地边际化的影响程度较大,其中第三产业产值比重、农村农户固定资产投资、粮食总播种面积对农地边际化现象有较强的解释力,q值分别为0.8067、0.8055、0.7916。任何两因子相互交互作用都能增强对农地边际化现象的解释力。     

马鬃岭自然保护区土壤有机碳分布的研究

以安徽省金寨县马鬃岭自然保护区为研究对象,选取56个样点采集土样,分析该区域森林土壤有机碳的时空分布状况。结果表明,该研究区域的土壤有机碳含量随土壤深度、海拔高度、季节的变化而变化。0~20 cm土层有机碳碳平均含量为3.07%,变幅0.94%~15.67%;30~40 cm平均含量为1.98%,变幅0.17%~8.54%;50~60 cm平均含量为1.68%,变幅0.46%~7.81%。有机碳含量随海拔高度升高有增加的趋势,高海拔处有机碳含量稳定,低海拔处变化大,这是由于人类活动影响造成。有机碳含量季节变化显著,秋季含量高于春季,表层季节变化比深层显著。该林区0~20 cm土层碳蓄积量为（8.28~8.31）×105 t,30~40 cm土层碳蓄积量为（5.46~5.73）×105 t,50~60 cm土层碳蓄积量为（4.68~5.33）×105 t。     

猪生长激素ELISA检测体系的建立

本文分别以自制猪生长激素单克隆抗体及兔抗猪生长激素IgG就影响检测elisa(酶联免疫吸附法)体系因素进行探讨,建立了检测猪生长激素的elisa方法。猪生长激素单克隆抗体的最适操作参考值为：单抗最佳包被浓度为3μg/mL,包被条件为4℃过夜,5%羊血清封闭1h,兔抗猪生长激素IgG 最佳工作浓度为2μg/mL。