Increase in DNA fragmentation and the role of ethylene and reactive oxygen species in petal senescence of Osmanthus fragrans

In sweet osmanthus (Osmanthus fragrans Lour.) flowers, petal browning, partial abscission and wilting are the visible symptoms of senescence, 4–5 days after flowering, which seriously affect its ornamental and economic value. In the present study, DNA fragmentation was used as a marker to investigate the role of ethylene and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in flower senescence of O. fragrans ‘Liuye Jingui’. In intact plants, nuclear shrinkage and DNA fragmentation occurred at the late full flowering stage when senescence symptoms became visible. This coincided with a rapid increase in ethylene production, ROS generation and lipid peroxidation. To further determine the role of ethylene and ROS in flower senescence, cut flowers were treated with ethephon, silver thiosulphate (STS), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), and vitamin C (Vc). The vase life of cut flowers was significantly prolonged by 0.2 mM STS and 2.5 mM Vc treatments, but reduced by 0.03% H₂O₂ and 500 mg L⁻¹ ethephon treatments, compared to distilled water. The percentage of DNA fragmentation was dramatically increased by ethephon but reduced by STS treatment throughout vase life. In contrast, the dramatic increase of DNA fragmentation in the H₂O₂ treated samples was only observed at day three, and clear petal abscission and rapid petal wilting occurred only with ethephon. Compared with the distinguishable nuclei and complete vacuoles in both STS treatment and distilled water, ethephon treatment caused substantial damage to large central vacuoles and other organelles, and many petal cells twisted out of shape due to a loss of cytoplasm, resulting in rapid petal wilting. Thus, it is concluded that ethylene plays an important role in flower senescence of sweet osmanthus, enhancing DNA fragmentation, damaging cellular structure, and leading to petal abscission and wilting. In addition, ROS is also involved in the regulation of late DNA degradation and lipid peroxidation.     

Natural variation in fruit abscission-related traits in apple (Malus)

Abscission or retention of ripening fruit is a major component of seed dispersal strategies and also has important implications for horticultural production. Abscission-related traits have generally not been targeted in breeding efforts, and their genetic bases remain mostly unknown. We evaluated 144 Malus accessions representing wild species, domestic cultivars, and hybrids for abscission-related traits. We found that seasonal timing of fruit abscission in wild species and hybrids showed a broad distribution similar to that seen for domestic cultivars, and that internal ethylene concentration at the time of abscission varied by over three orders of magnitude. Wild species, domestic cultivars, and hybrids all included representatives that showed abscission of fruit prior to substantial production of ethylene, as well as accessions that retained fruit for a significant period of time following ethylene production. For all accessions that retained fruit, fruit removal resulted in abscission of the pedicel, and exogenous ethylene promoted abscission, suggesting that the abscission zone was functional. Our results suggest important roles for mechanisms independent of fruit ethylene production in abscission.     

乙烯及1-MCP处理对不同开花指数牡丹切花开放衰老进程和水分平衡的影响

[目的]研究乙烯及1-MCP对不同开放阶段‘洛阳红’牡丹切花开放及衰老进程中切花品质及水分平衡的影响。[方法]以开花指数为1、2、3级的‘洛阳红’牡丹切花为试材,测定了其开放及衰老进程中花径增大率、开花指数、水分平衡及瓶插寿命对不同处理的响应。[结果]采用10.0μl/L外源乙烯处理6 h加快了切花的开放进程,缩短了切花的瓶插寿命及最佳观赏期持续时间,而采用1.0μl/L1-MCP处理6 h则延缓了切花的开放进程,延长了切花的瓶插寿命,但抑制了切花的正常开放。对水分平衡值的研究表明,水分平衡值的动态变化是影响‘洛阳红’牡丹切花衰老的重要因素,1-MCP处理改善了切花的水分平衡,使水分平衡值为0的时间延后。[结论]1-MCP主要通过延缓‘洛阳红’牡丹切花的开放进程来延长切花的瓶插寿命。     

Organic matter and seed survival of Striga hermonthica – Mechanisms for seed depletion in the soil

Seed survival of Striga hermonthica is influenced by amendments of organic matter; however, the role of organic matter quality (C:N ratio) and mechanisms for enhanced seed decay are inadequately understood. In a field experiment, plots received a single dose of 6 t organic matter per hectare but with large differences in quality in terms of C:N ratio. Soil moisture, soil temperature and soil ethylene concentrations were measured, while buried nylon seed bags were periodically withdrawn from the soil and assayed for seed viability and germination. Organic matter amendments incorporated in the soil significantly depressed S. hermonthica seed survival. The effect was strongest with organic matter of high quality. Organic matter of low-quality enhanced soil water content during the first five days after a rainfall event and resulted in a 0.5 °C lower soil temperature. The highest observed ethylene concentrations in the soil were between 2 and 3 ppm, high enough to stimulate S. hermonthica seed germination. Maximal seed germination in vitro was obtained after 48 h of exposure to 1 ppm ethylene. However, observed changes in seed germination and viability of retrieved seed batches (seed survival) did not correlate with soil ethylene concentrations. The latter in turn did not differ between qualities of the applied organic matter. Seed survival decreased with increasing time of burial, especially after 4–8 weeks. As S. hermonthica attachment mainly occurs during the first four weeks of the cropping season the observed effect of seed decay may hardly be beneficial for the on-going cropping season. Nutrient release through decomposition of organic matter, enhancing decay of S. hermonthica seeds, is proposed as the probable cause of seed depletion in the soil.     

苹果果实发育及成熟软化过程中LOX的活性特点

研究了脂氧合酶(LOX)在富士苹果果实不同发育时期及采后乙烯调控下的活性变化。结果表明,LOX活性在果实生长发育阶段呈"V"字型变化,在盛花后1月及采收时表现出较高的活性,说明LOX不仅与果实成熟衰老有关,还极有可能在果实的细胞分裂和膨大过程中起重要作用;采后经1-甲基环丙烯(乙烯抑制剂)处理的果实,其LOX活性明显受到抑制;乙烯利处理则促进了LOX活性。相关性分析表明,1-甲基环丙烯、乙烯利、对照果实的LOX活性均与乙烯释放速率呈极显著(P0.01)正相关,即LOX活性受乙烯调控,参与果实成熟软化。     

用计算机手段探测晚芦基因20h连续表达趋势

以岩溪晚芦(Citrus reticulata Blanco)为试材,在果实成熟期用乙烯诱导果蒂的离层,分时段应用探针组(Probe Set ID)总数至少30302的基因芯片研究了离层基因表达情况,且同步进行了无乙烯诱导的对照实验,得到芯片两两比较结果。4h、12h和24h样品处理同样品对照的两两比较结果表明:4h、12h和24h样品处理分别至少有650个、500个和2200个探针组比样品对照显著下调表达,分别占探针组总数的2.15%、1.65%和7.26%;4h、12h和24h样品处理分别至少有550、600和1200个探针组比样品对照显著上调表达,分别占探针组总数的1.82%、1.98%和3.96%。研究首次证实了Affymetrix公司的柑橘基因表达检测芯片可应用于中国岩溪晚芦,首次发现了至少500条基因连续20h的表达趋势。     

Temperature,ethylene and the postharvest performance of cut snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus)

The effects of temperature and ethylene on the quality of snapdragon flowers (Antirrhinum majus L. cvs. ‘Potomac Pink’ and ‘Rocket’) after harvest were investigated. The flowers were stored dry or wet at 6 temperatures ranging from 0 to 12.5 °C for 5 days. Vase life and gravitropic bending were measured at 20 °C after storage. Respiration rates of flowers at 8 different temperatures (0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15 and 20 °C) were measured continually using a computerized system. The respiration of cut snapdragon flowers increased exponentially as the temperature increased from 0 to 20 °C, with a mean Q₁₀ of 2.6. The vase life of flowers of the ‘Potomac Pink’ cultivar stored dry at 0 °C was 10.8 days, similar to that of freshly harvested controls (10.6 days), and 4.4 days longer than that of flowers stored at 7.5 °C. When spikes were placed horizontally at 20 °C, growth became negatively gravitropic within 20 min. Bending was significantly higher than controls (stored vertically) in all flowers stored horizontally at temperatures above 5 °C. Vase life of flowers stored for 5 days at a range of temperatures then placed in an interior environment was directly correlated with respiration rate at the storage temperature. Wet storage of cut snapdragon flowers reduced the loss of quality at storage temperatures above 5 °C but the vase life of flowers stored in water at 12.5 °C was less than half that of flowers stored dry at 0 °C. Ethylene treatment caused 100% floret abscission which was prevented by pre-treatment either with 1-methycyclopropene (1-MCP) or with silver thiosulfate (STS), but neither of these inhibitors prevented gravitropic bending.     

桃沙红果实α-甘露糖苷酶基因(α-man)克隆及其在软化过程中的表达分析

α-甘露糖苷酶(α-man)是植物体内N聚糖加工的关键酶,在控制果实软化和延长货架期方面起重要作用.明确α-man在桃果实软化中的生理功能及其调控机制对进一步阐明桃果实的成熟软化机理具有重要意义.以商业成熟期桃(Prunus persica)沙红果实为材料,采用RT-PCR和RACE相结合的方法,克隆桃果实中α-man基因全长cDNA,并利用实时荧光PCR定量技术,检测了采后乙烯利和1-methylcyclo-propene(1-MCP)处理沙红果实软化过程中α-man基因的表达差异.结果表明:桃果实α-man基因的cDNA全长长3 491 bp,包含一个3 075 bp完整的开放阅读框,编码1 024个氨基酸(Genbank登录号:JX310861),N端含有NXT/S的糖基化位点,属糖基水解酶38家族.实时荧光PCR定量技术检测发现对照果实在贮藏第2天出现α-man的表达高峰;外源乙烯处理α-man基因表达高峰提前ld出现,且峰值显著高于对照果实;而1-MCP处理可使α-man基因的表达高峰延迟1d,且后期α-man基因的表达受到极显著抑制.据此推断桃果实α-man基因可能受乙烯生成和乙烯信号转导途径的调控,参与桃果实的软化过程.     

采后果蔬贮藏过程中多胺与乙烯的关系

综述了多胺与乙烯对采后果蔬的生理效应及相关研究进展,介绍了多胺的生物合成与氧化分解途径,分析了多胺与乙烯生物合成的关系,讨论了果蔬贮藏过程中多胺与乙烯二者的相互作用,并对其研究前景进行了展望。     

结实期土壤水分和灌溉方式对水稻产量与品质的影响及其生理原因

以水稻品种武育粳3号(粳稻)和扬稻6号(籼稻)为材料, 研究了结实期土壤水分和灌溉方式对产量、米质、籽粒中淀粉合成关键酶活性和内源乙烯释放速率的影响及它们之间的关系。结果表明, 与WW(保持水层, well-watered)或CI(常规灌溉, conventional irrigation)相比, 土壤轻度落干(MD, moderate soil-drying, 土壤水势保持在–10 ~ –30 kPa)和轻干湿交替灌溉(W-MD, alternate wetting and moderate-drying irrigation, 土壤落干至土水势为–25 kPa时复水)显著提高了千粒重、稻米的最高黏度和崩解值, 显著降低了垩白度和消减值; 土壤干旱(SD, severe soil-drying, 土壤水势保持在– 40~ – 60 kPa)和重干湿交替灌溉(W-SD, alternate wetting and severe-drying irrigation, 土壤落干至土水势为– 50 kPa时复水)则使稻米品质变劣。MD和W-MD处理显著降低了籽粒乙烯释放速率, 增加了灌浆中后期籽粒中蔗糖合酶(SuS)、腺苷二磷酸葡萄糖焦磷酸化酶(AGP)、淀粉合酶(StS)和淀粉分支酶(SBE)活性, SD和W-SD处理则提高了籽粒内源乙烯释放速率, 降低了上述各酶的活性。说明结实期土壤轻度落干或轻干－湿交替灌溉可以改善稻米品质, 籽粒SuS、AGP、StS和SBE活性的增强和内源乙烯水平的降低是稻米品质改善的重要生理原因。