Ascorbic acid level of Belgian apple genetic resources

With the help of the public, a wide collection of old apple cultivars (cvs) was established progressively at our Department from 1975 onwards. Currently, more than 1400 apple accessions are being maintained and three quarters of them are subjected to field evaluation for disease resistance and agronomic characters. This paper presents results of the ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) contents of old cvs combining interesting disease resistance and agronomic features in order to promote them as cvs adapted to production systems which are more environmentally friendly or to be used as parents in breeding programmes. First, a methodological study shows the importance of the variability of ascorbic acid content depending on fruit position in the trees, fruit size, fruit skin colour and maturity stage. Statistical analyses show that the sample size of six fruits per cv is sufficient to detect a difference of 20% between cvs. Old apple cvs such as Grenadier^RGF, Transparente de Croncels, Bramley’s Seedling, Reinette des Capucins, Reinette Libotte and Reinette de Waleffe contain three and seven times more ascorbic acid than the commercial cvs Gala and Elstar, respectively. The paper highlights the need to evaluate the rich potential in our genetic resources.     

Contribution of insulin to the ascorbate recycling system in the chicken liver

The effect of insulin on the ascorbate recycling system in the chicken liver was examined. First, insulin was injected subcutaneously into the chicken, and liver glutathione‐dependent dehydroascorbate reductase (GSH‐DHAR) activity was determined. Insulin increased liver GSH‐DHAR activity, but did not affect plasma and liver ascorbate concentration. Dehydroascorbate increased plasma and liver ascorbate levels, and liver GSH‐DHAR activity. However, distinct changes in plasma insulin level were not observed by dehydroascorbate injection. In addition, reduction of external dehydroascorbate in cultured chicken hepatocytes could not be observed in an insulin‐deprived culture, although the cells reduced external dehydroascorbate in a serum‐free culture with insulin. We concluded that insulin affects the ascorbate recycling system as an essential factor in the chicken liver.     

Expression of the tobacco β-1,3-glucanase gene, PR-2d, following induction of SAR with Peronospora tabacina

Systemic acquired resistance (SAR) is induced following inoculation of Peronospora tabacina sporangia into the stems of Nicotiana tabacum plants highly susceptible to the pathogen. Previous results have shown that accumulation of acidic β-1,3-glucanases (PR-2's) following induction of SAR by P. tabacina may contribute to resistance to P. tabacina. We showed that up-regulation of the PR-2 gene, PR-2d, following stem inoculation with P. tabacina, is associated with SAR. Studies using plants transformed with GUS constructs containing the full length promoter from PR-2d or promoter deletions, provided evidence that a previously characterized regulatory element that is involved in response to salicylic acid (SA), may be involved in regulation of PR-2d following induction of SAR with P. tabacina. This work provides evidence that regulation of PR-2 genes during P. tabacina-induced SAR may be similar to regulation of these genes during infection of N-gene tobacco by TMV or following exogenous application of SA, and provides further support for the role of SA in regulation of genes during P. tabacina-induced SAR.     

施磷和接种根瘤菌对黄河三角洲紫花苜蓿生长及品质的影响

田间试验研究了施磷肥和接种根瘤菌对黄河三角洲地区紫花苜蓿生长及品质的影响.结果表明,播种前施磷肥能明显提高紫花苜蓿的出苗和成苗率,显著提高紫花苜蓿的叶茎比、叶面积指数、叶绿素含量,并提高干物质产量12.9%～85.5%.施磷肥还显著提高了紫花苜蓿地上部可溶性碳水化合物和粗蛋白质的含量,降低了中性洗涤纤维含量,使饲草体外干物质消化率增加0.73%～8.49%.播种时接种根瘤菌能显著增加紫花苜蓿单株根瘤结瘤数和平均根瘤重,并能改善苗期的生长,但对干物质产量影响不明显.试验结果显示,黄河三角洲地区种植紫花苜蓿施用过磷酸钙750 kg/hm2,并接种根瘤菌可获得较好的提高产量和改善品质的效果.     

HBV/HAV复合抗原基因在CHO细胞中的表达

为探讨HBV／HAV复合疫苗的可行性，利用DNA重组技术将HBsAg与HAW复合多表位抗原基因VPX进行融合，插入到真核表达质粒pVAX1多克隆位点，构建成核酸表达疫苗pVAX1／SVPX，将其转染CHO细胞。转染细胞培养48h后，进行RTPCR、Western-blot、ELISA分析，结果表明HBV／HAV复合抗原基因SVPX能够在CHO细胞内转录、表达，融合蛋白具有HBV和HAV抗原的特性。     

0～3周龄北京鸭氨基酸理想模式的研究

依据扣除法原理，根据现有氨基酸需要量标准和目前的研究结果规划出一种氨基酸模式，依次将模式中赖氨酸、蛋氨酸、色氨酸、苏氨酸、异亮氨酸扣除20％，而非扣除的氨基酸量保持不变，来确定扣除某一种氨基酸后对育雏期北京鸭生产性能和血液生化指标的影响，确定出理想的氨基酸比例。试验共设6个处理组，为6种氨基酸模式，每个处理设4个重复。结果表明：北京鸭育雏期氨基酸理想模式为赖氨酸：蛋氨酸：色氨酸：苏氨酸：异亮氨酸=100：42：22：38：48。     

核酸疫苗研究进展(下)

Sato等报道，在质粒载体上引入大肠杆菌Amp^ 抗性基因(内含有6核苷酸片段的ISS免疫增强序列)，真皮免疫小鼠后ISS增强CTL和Th1细胞的免疫反应。有人提出利用含有病毒免疫原性基因的基因大片段进行基因免疫，以弥补单基因免疫活性的不足。将协同因子如IL-2、IL-12、TCA等的表达质粒与抗原表达质粒混合注射可使Th1型细胞免疫增强，而GMcsf能明显加强体液免疫，     

耕作方式与长期定位施肥对雨养农田冬小麦产量的调控效应

为了明确西北黄土高原半湿润偏旱区耕作方式与长期定位施肥对冬小麦产量的调控效应,以设在半湿润偏旱区连续12年的耕作与肥料长期定位试验为平台,采用裂区设计,以传统耕作和免耕耕作为主处理,不施肥(CK)、单施无机氮肥(N)、单施无机磷肥(P)、单施有机肥(M)、无机氮磷肥配施(NP)、有机无机肥配施(NMP)为副处理,栽培制度为1年春玉米-3年冬小麦轮作,研究耕作及施肥措施对冬小麦产量的影响及其在生产年型间的变化关系。结果表明,不同年型及耕作方式均以有机无机配施冬小麦产量最高,有机肥单施高于化肥单施,磷肥单施高于氮肥单施。耕作方式间表现为传统耕作高于免耕耕作,年型间表现为丰水年>平水年>干旱年,耕作和施肥方式的增产效果以干旱年最好,平水年和丰水年差异不显著。有机无机配施与传统耕作结合优化了冬小麦冠层温度、叶绿素相对含量等生理指标,提高了光合速率、气孔导度及蒸腾速率,因而改善了有效穗、穗粒数和千粒重等产量性状而使冬小麦增产。在550 mm左右降水量的陇东旱塬雨养农业区,无论何种耕作方式及生产年型,长期采用有机无机或无机氮磷肥配施均表现出持续提高冬小麦产量的良好作用。因此,有机无机配施结合传统耕作是提高陇东半湿润偏旱区冬小麦产量的最佳耕作栽培模式。