Effects of Soil Temperature on Growth and Root Function in Rice

Abstract

The objective of this study was to clarify the effects of soil temperature in the stage from late tillering to panicle initiation (SI) and during the grain-filling stage (SII) on grain setting, dry matter production, photosynthesis, non-structural carbohydrate (NSC), xylem exudation and abscisic acid (ABA) levels in rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Koshihikari). Rice plants were exposed to four different soil temperatures during SI or SII: 17.5, 25, 31.5 and 36.5°C (ST18, ST25, ST32 and ST37, respectively). The yield, yield components, grain filling and quality in SI were negatively influenced by high soil temperature of 37°C. On the other hand, there was no significant difference in those characters among temperature treatments in SII. The root/shoot ratio was smallest in the ST37 plants in both SI and SII, mainly due to their lighter root weight. At 7 days after initiation of treatment (DAT) in both SI and SII, the photosynthetic and xylem exudation rate tended to increase slightly as soil temperature increased up to 32°C. At 21 DAT, however, the photosynthetic rate was lowest in ST37, with concurrent decrease of diffusion conductance and SPAD value. In addition, decrease of NSC concentration in stem and xylem exudation rate, and increase of ABA level in leaves and xylem exudate were observed in ST37 plants at 21 DAT. These results suggested that high soil temperature before heading especially influenced yield, grain quality and plant growth. Possible mechanisms of the effect of soil temperature are discussed.     

Pigeonpea Nutrition and Its Improvement

Abstract

Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan [L.] Millsp.), known by several vernacular and trade names such as red gram, tuar, Angola pea, Congo pea, yellow dhal and oil dhal, is one of the major grain legume crops of the tropics and sub-tropics. It is a favorite crop of small holder dryland farmers because it can grow well under subsistence level of agriculture and provides nutritive food, fodder, and fuel wood. It also improves soil by fixing atmospheric nitrogen. India by far is the largest pigeonpea producer where it is consumed as decorticated split peas, popularly called as ‘dhal’ In other countries, its consumption as whole dry seed and green vegetable is popular. Its foliage is used as fodder and milling by-products form an excellent feed for domestic animals. Pigeonpea seeds contain about 20-22% protein and appreciable amounts of essential amino acids and minerals. Dehulling and boiling treatments of seeds get rid of the most antinutritional factors such as tannins and enzyme inhibitors. Seed storage causes considerable losses in the quality of this legume. The seed protein of pigeonpea has been successfully enhanced by breeding from 20-22% to 28-30%. Such lines also agronomically performed well and have acceptable seed size and color. The high-protein lines were found nutritionally superior to the cultivars because they would provide more quantities of utilizable protein and sulfur-containing amino acids.     

Effects of Inhibition of Different Rumen Microbial Activity on Rumen Fermentation and Fatty Acid Metabolism in Buffaloes

This study was aimed to evaluate the effects of inhibiting rumen bacteria,fungi and protozoa with adding linoleic acid and linolenic acid on in vitro rumen fermentation and fatty acid metabolism in buffaloes.Both fatty acids were supplemented with substrate and roughage (3:7) at the rate of 3% on dry matter (DM) basis in an in vitro batch culture system,there were 5 repetitions for each group.At the same time,four groups were set up:Control group and inhibition groups of protozoa,bacteria and fungi.After 24 h of incubation,total gas production,CH₄,pH,VFA,NH₃-N,MCP and LFA concentrations were measured.The results showed that:①With the addition of linolenic acid,compared with control group,the gas production decreased significantly after inhibition the growth of bacteria and protozoa,CH₄ production increased significantly after inhibition of the growth bacteria and fungi,and CH₄ production decreased significantly after inhibition of the growth protozoa (P<0.05).With the addition of linoleic acid,compared with control group,the gas production decreased significantly after inhibiting the growth of bacteria,fungi or protozoa,and CH₄ production was significantly lower than other groups after inhibition of protozoa (P<0.05).② After inhibiting the growth of bacteria,fungi or protozoa,the pH and MCP concentration were affected significantly with the addition of linolenic acid (P<0.05),there was no significant effect on NH₃-N concentration with the addition of linoleic acid (P>0.05).③ Compared with control group,the content of acetic acid and propionic acid was reduced significantly after inhibiting the growth of bacteria,fungi or protozoa (P<0.05).The butyric acid was reduced significantly after inhibiting the growth of bacteria with the addition of linolenic acid (P<0.05).The butyric acid was reduced significantly after inhibiting the growth of bacteria,fungi or protozoa with the addition of linoleic acid (P<0.05).④ Compared with control group, the concentrations of C11:0, C12:0, C13:0, C14:0, C14:1n5, C15:1n5, C16:1n7, C16:0, C18:3n3, C18:2n6c, C18:0, C20:2n6, C20:3n6, C20:1, C20:3n3, C20:0, C21:0, C22:6n3, C22:2n6, C22:0 was reduced significantly after inhibiting the growth of bacteria with the addition of linolenic acid, the concentrations of C12:0, C13:0, C14:0, C15:0, C16:1n7, C16:0, C17:0, C18:3n6, C18:3n3, C18:2n6c, C18:1n9t, C18:0, C18:2(cis-9,trans-11), C18:2(trans-10,cis-12), C20:2n6, C20:1, C20:0, C21:0, C22:6n3, C22:0, C23:0, C24:1n9, C24:0 was reduced significantly after inhibiting the growth of bacteria with the addition of linoleic acid (P<0.05).The results revealed that the addition of linoleic acid and linolenic acid could significantly manipulate in vitro rumen fermentation parameters,CH₄ yield and fatty acid composition after inhibiting the growth of bacteria,fungi or protozoa.Protozoa greatly contributed to total gas and CH₄ production while bacteria significantly affected rumen fatty acid metabolism.     

Evaluation of some systems for classifying soil sensitivity to acid deposition in the South African highveld

Abstract. The Skokloster and Stockholm Environmental Institute (SEI) approaches were applied to the assessment of 145 soils of the South African highveld region in terms of sensitivity to acid deposition. The critical load class calculated by variants of these methods was compared with the acid neutralizing capacity (ANC) determined by pH measurement of soil suspended in a dilute acetate buffer solution. This rapid index of ANC correlates well both with ANC determined by an established but more laborious method which involves titration and equilibration of soil with HCl, and with a number of soil properties related to base status. The correlation between Skokloster or SEI critical load classes and ANC was weak. It was concluded that ANC determination would be a preferable basis for classifying these soils in terms of their sensitivity to acid deposition, since the method is direct and integrates the contribution of various soil properties to acid sensitivity instead of requiring the relative contribution to be calculated according to somewhat arbitrary weightings given to broadly defined classes of soil properties.     

热水溶出茧层丝胶蛋白的结构变化

对不同时间热水溶出的茧层丝胶的氨基酸组成、热分解温度和分子结构等进行了测定分析．结果表明，随着热水溶出时间的延长，茧层丝胶蛋白中的酸性氨基酸因易溶于水而略有下降，热分解温度因受取向性、结晶性的影响而有所增高，分子结构也由无规则卷曲转化为β构象．丝胶蛋白被降解而成分子大小不一的混合类型     

午潮山常绿阔叶林气候生态效应定位研究

午潮山常绿阔叶林气候生态效应，经过８年（１９８８￣１９９５）定位观测研究，取得了若干规律性数据，加深了对常绿阔叶林生态系统气候生态学特征的认识，为持续经营、保护、利用和发展常绿阔叶林，提供了一定的科学依据。文中较系统地论述了午潮山常绿阔叶林的日照、温度、湿度，林内降水量再分配，酸雨等问题。     

Chloroacetic acids—Degradation intermediates of organic matter in forest soil

Chloroacetic acids (CAA), especially trichloroacetic acid (TCA), were considered phytotoxic secondary air pollutants of anthropogenic origin affecting conifers and were therefore intensively studied. However, another source of CAA has been then found: a forest soil in which humic substances are degraded by microbial processes to CAA and chloroform. This new aspect—formation of CAA in the soil—means that CAA are continuously produced and also biodegraded by other microorganisms in the soil and contribute thereby to the degradation of soil organic matter (SOM). Here we show for the first time the formation of dichloroacetic acid (DCA) and TCA in the forest soil by chlorination of SOM using ³⁶Cl labeled chloride. We suggest that CAA are both formed and biodegraded in the forest soil and thus represent intermediates in one of the processes of SOM decay.     

含N三臂类肽的合成

利用胺分子中氮原子成键的空间特征，接上3个含有S，N杂原子的氨基酸侧链从而合成了穴醚状含N三臂类肽，其独特的分子结构对客体识别具有重要的实践价值．     

Effect of pollination on cell division,cell enlargement,and endogenous hormones in fruit development in a gynoecious cucumber

To study the effect of pollination on fruit development in gynoecious and parthenocarpic cucumbers (Cucumis sativus L. cv. NK × AN8), the number of cells, cell size, mitotic index, histone H4 gene expression, and concentrations of endogenous cytokinins and auxin were compared in fruits that had developed from pollinated and non-pollinated flowers. Fresh weight was more in the pollinated group 4–12 days after anthesis (DAA) in both winter and spring, and 2–6 DAA in the summer. In winter, mitotic index increased from anthesis to 2 DAA and then decreased gradually in the pollinated group but immediately after anthesis in the non-pollinated group. Histone H4 gene in the pericarp zone was expressed more strongly during the period from pre-anthesis to 2 DAA in the pollinated group in summer. Concentrations of zeatin, isopentenyladenine, and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) were higher in the non-pollinated group 2 and 4 DAA and peaked 4 DAA in spring whereas isopentenyladenine and IAA showed no distinct peaks in the pollinated group. These results are incompatible with the idea that pollination activates cell division by stimulating the synthesis of cytokinins and auxin in cucumber fruits.     

植物中γ-亚麻酸合成关键酶——△^6-脂肪酸脱氢酶

γ-亚麻酸作为人体必需的不饱和脂肪酸，对人体的激素调节及脂肪酸代谢发挥着重要的生理作用。△^6-脂肪酸脱氢酶是多不饱和脂肪酸合成途径中的限速酶。本文介绍了不饱和脂肪酸γ-亚麻酸代谢途径中的关键酶△^6-脂肪酸脱氢酶的结构功能与目前△^6-脂肪酸脱氢酶的基因工程研究进展，并对其应用进行了展望，以期为利用基因工程手段生产γ-亚麻酸提供参考。