Comparative evolution of pulse crops

Summary Patterns of apparently homologous variation are to be seen over the whole range of pulse crops. These are most apparent in those pulses which originated from climbing, twining or trailing ancestors and have produced domesticates of erect growth form. The most remarkable homologous series can be seen in the genera Phaseolus (American) and Vigna (sens lat. i.e. including Asiatic Phaseolus spp.) The changes under domestication are typically loss of seed dormancy and pod dehiscence mechanisms, a change from perennial to the annual life form and a great change in seed size correlated with modified shoot architecture. Stems tend to be thicker, leaves larger, branches fewer, the number of nodes may be reduced and internode length is shortened. This process culminates in the evolution of self-supporting plants well-adapted to monocrop husbandry systems.     

达乌里胡枝子四株耐盐碱根际促生菌的鉴定及其促生作用

挖掘耐盐碱菌种和研发生物改良制剂是治理退化盐碱草地和开发利用盐碱荒地的重要途径。本研究通过形态学、生理生化和分子生物学手段对菌株进行鉴定,测定不同盐碱浓度下液体培养基其菌株浓度,功能性培养基测定其促生特性,定量测定其促生产物;纸培养基法验证菌株对达乌里胡枝子(Lespedeza daurica)、燕麦(Avena sativ)、紫花苜蓿(Medicago Sativa)及小黑麦(Triticum aestivum)种子生长的影响,旨在对DP12,DP15,DP28和DP29进行促生性分析。DP12,DP29初步鉴定为Enterobacter hormaechei,DP15为Serratia fonticola,可在7%盐浓度或pH12条件下生长。4株菌有溶磷、产IAA和有机酸能力;DP15,DP29有解钾能力;DP12,DP15,DP29可固氮和分泌铁载体。DP12,DP15,DP29可促进达乌里胡枝子、小黑麦和燕麦生长及鲜重的增加;DP28可促进达乌里胡枝子和燕麦生长和鲜重的增加;DP12和DP28对苜蓿具有促生作用。4株根际细菌为中度耐盐菌,兼具多重促生特性,为后期开发牧草专用生物...     

施秉云台山白云岩喀斯特地区豆科植物资源调查

对贵州省施秉县白云岩喀斯特地区豆科植物资源进行了调查,结果表明,施秉县豆科植物含3亚科24属40种,用途包括药用、食用、蜜源、油料、园林等方面。开发施秉县喀斯特地区特有的种质资源,需开展相应的本地调查、采取野生资源保护等措施。     

Alkaloids from Sophora flavescens Aition

Although the quinolizidine alkaloids and flavonoids, the main active components of the traditional Chinese medicine Sophora flavescens, have been largely investigated, a new matrine alkaloid derivative 9α-hydroxy-7,11-dehydromatrine (1) and a rare 1,4-diazaindan-type alkaloid flavascensine (17), together with 15 known alkaloids, were isolated from S. flavescens. The structures were established on the basis of spectroscopic techniques.     

Improvement of legumes by exploring extra-specific genetic variation

Summary Genetic improvement of legumes is a major on-going challenge for plant breeders. Outlined in this review are the main reasons why such increased extra-specific genetic variation is required, particularly in the developing world. With the development of new methods of plant genetic manipulation it is necessary to assess the relative merits of all approaches now available. To help the plant breeder in this respect we have in this review comprehensively described these conventional and unconventional procedures with particular reference to economically important legumes.supported by the Royal Society Commonwealth Bursary.     

Proteinase inhibitor polymorphism in the genus Vigna subgenus Ceratotropis and its biosystematic implications

The diversity of components for fourproteinase inhibitors found in species ofthe genus Vigna subgenus Ceratotropis are described. Trypsin,chymotrypsin, subtilisin and cysteineproteinase inhibitors were analyzedby isoelectric focusing followed by thegelatin replica method. Of these proteinaseinhibitors, trypsin inhibitors showedmost polymorphism both within and betweenspecies. Many trypsin inhibitor componentswere also active to chymotrypsin. Severalaccessions had very low levels or absenceof some inhibitors, such as very low levelsof trypsin inhibitor in two accessions ofthe V. tenuicaulis and absence ofchymotrypsin inhibitors in V.grandiflora and V. subramaniana.Proteinase inhibitor polymorphism broadlyagreed with the taxonomic system for thesubgenus Ceratotropis. Based oninhibitor variation species analyzed couldbe divided into three groups whichcorresponding to sections Aconitifoliae, Angulares and Ceratotropis. Some species have verylittle variation in trypsin inhibitorsdespite wide distribution, such as, V.radiata and V. reflexo-pilosa.Accessions of other species showedconsiderable intraspecific variation fortrypsin inhibitors, such as, V.grandiflora, V. aconitifolia andV. stipulacea. Proteinase inhibitorpolymorphism provides an indication of thespecies that may have contributed a genometo the tetraploid species, V. reflexo-pilosa.     

How many herbarium specimens are needed to detect threatened species?

The distribution, ecology and conservation status of the majority of plant species are poorly known. One of the challenges ahead is to address this knowledge gap and give more emphasis to this important group of species that represents a critical component of earth’s biodiversity. Full conservation assessments require expert knowledge of the group concerned, but for the majority of plant species, especially those from the tropics, the best source of knowledge is specimens housed within herbaria. Digitisation projects are underway to render information from this important global biodiversity resource more accessible; the next step is to assemble and utilise these data to make better informed conservation decisions. One crucial question is: how many herbarium specimens are needed to detect threatened species? Such information would inform and help to prioritise digitisation efforts. Using 11,461 herbarium records we assessed species geographic range to determine a preliminary conservation status of 661 endemic species of Leguminosae and Orchidaceae from Madagascar, following the IUCN criteria. By capturing 15 georeferenced specimens per species we produced range estimates for use in conservation assessments consistent with estimates based on all known specimens, for more than 95% of species. None of the threatened species were misclassified as not threatened, and less than 3% of species would receive conservation support as a result of being falsely identified as threatened. This approach can therefore help progress towards the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation target of a conservation assessment for each plant species, while reducing digitisation effort by up to half.     

两型豆种子硬实特性及其休眠破除方法(英文)

[目的]了解两型豆(Amphicarpaea edgeworthii Benth.)种子硬实特性,探讨破除种子休眠的方法。[方法]以两型豆种子为材料,观察种子形态特征,并采用浓硫酸处理、热水烫种、机械损伤等方法处理两型豆地上种子,探讨了两型豆地上种子的硬实特性和破除种子休眠的方法,同时探讨了两型豆种子萌发的适宜温度。[结果]两型豆地上种子为扁圆形,长3.38mm,宽3.02mm,厚1.88mm,千粒重为15.32g,自然成熟后硬实率高达98%,地下种子近扁球形,最大直径可达15mm,百粒重50.08～58.26g;破除硬实方法中,以划破种皮和浓硫酸处理20min效果最好,热水烫种处理效果最差;20℃～30℃恒温条件下萌发是两型豆地上种子萌发的最适温度,而30/20℃变温为两型豆地下种子萌发的最适温度。[结论]破除两型豆种子硬实效果最好的方法是划破种皮和浓硫酸处理20min。     

两型豆种子硬实特性及其休眠破除方法

[目的]了解两型豆(Amphicarpaea edgeworthii Benth.)种子硬实特性,探讨破除种子休眠的方法。[方法]以两型豆种子为材料,观察种子形态特征,并采用浓硫酸处理、热水烫种、机械损伤3种方法处理两型豆地上种子,探讨两型豆地上种子的硬实特性和破除种子休眠的方法,同时探讨两型豆种子萌发的适宜温度。[结果]两型豆地上种子为扁圆形,长3.38 mm,宽3.02 mm,厚1.88 mm,千粒重为15.32 g,自然成熟后硬实率高达98%,地下种子近扁球形,最大直径可达15 mm,百粒重50.08～58.26 g;破除硬实方法中,以划破种皮和浓硫酸处理20 min效果最好,热水烫种处理效果最差;20～30℃恒温条件是两型豆地上种子萌发的最适温度,而30/20℃变温为两型豆地下种子萌发的最适温度。[结论]破除两型豆种子硬实效果最好的方法是划破种皮和浓硫酸处理20 min。     

Improvement and validation of a pea crop growth model to simulate the growth of cultivars infected with Ascochyta blight (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Mycosphaerella pinodes</Emphasis>)

A model simulating the growth of a pea crop infected with Ascochyta blight was improved and validated using 6 spring pea cultivars, all equally susceptible to Ascochyta blight, but differing in architectural features (stem height, branching ability, standing ability). This model takes into account the spatial distribution of the disease, including the contribution of each layer of the canopy to the radiation interception efficiency (RIE) and the radiation use efficiency (RUE) of the crop. The decreasing contribution of each layer due to the disease was estimated by the relationship between the photosynthesis of a layer and its disease score. The effect of disease on photosynthesis was assessed in controlled conditions as a means of evaluating the effect of disease on each cultivar. All cultivars were affected equally. In field conditions, cultivars with different canopy architectures displayed differences in the profile of disease on leaves. Cultivar Aladin reached higher disease levels at the top of the plant. Epidemics affected crop growth, and the cultivars tested differed in the magnitude of the decrease in growth. Observed and simulated data were compared. The disease-coupled crop growth model gave satisfactory predictions of crop growth for the six cultivars tested.