Spraying exogenous synthetic cytokinin 6‐benzyladenine following the waterlogging improves grain growth of waterlogged maize in the field

6‐Benzyladenine (6‐BA, a synthetic cytokinin) could improve the ability to resist adversity. However, very little attention has been given to its role in alleviating waterlogging damages on grain growth. A field experiment was performed to investigate effects of exogenous 6‐BA after waterlogging for 6 days at the third leaf stage (V3‐WL + 6‐BA) or the sixth leaf stage (V6‐WL + 6‐BA) on grain filling, and endogenous hormone of summer maize hybrids DengHai605 (DH605) and ZhengDan958 (ZD958), which were planted popularly in China. Exogenous 6‐BA alleviated waterlogging damages on grain filling by improving grain weight and volume, which was beneficial to yield increase. Grain yield of DH605 under V3‐WL + 6‐BA and V6‐WL + 6‐BA increased by 16% and 12%, respectively, compared with that of V3‐WL (waterlogging at the third leaf stage) and V6‐WL (waterlogging at the sixth leaf stage), while the corresponding values for ZD958 increased by 20% and 15%, respectively. Moreover, exogenous 6‐BA alleviated waterlogging damages on grain endogenous hormone content by increasing levels of endogenous indole‐3‐acetic acid, zeatin riboside, and gibberellic acid, and decreasing level of abscisic acid in grain of waterlogged summer maize during grain‐filling periods. Clearly, exogenous 6‐BA improved grain‐filling characteristics, and endogenous hormone, resulting in a significant yield increase of waterlogged summer maize.     

Comparisons of Three Recurrent Selection Methods in the Improvement of Maize Populations

The maize population Csyn 4 was improved for three cycles with three recurrent selection methods MS1, MS1-HS, and MHSRRS in northern China. A total of 40 NC Ⅱ testcrosses were made by four testers with Csyn 4 and 10 improved populations, which were evaluated in four environments in the cropping season of 2005. Analysis of variance indicated a significant progress （P〈 0.05） in yield and other chief agronomic traits in the improved populations and testcrosses, demonstrating that the three recurrent selection methods were effective for increasing grain yield of testcrosses and improvement of general combining ability in maize population. The average grain yield increase of population Csyn 4 in MS1, MS1-HS, and MHSRRS recurrent selections was 266.7 kg ha^-1 （5.3%）, 288.0 kg ha^-1 （5.7%）, and 231.3 kg ha^-1 （4.6%） per cycle, while the grain yield of S 1 progeny of population for Csyn 4 was increased by 420.0 kg ha^-1 （10.9%）, 376.0 kg ha^-1 （9.8%）, and 414.7 kg ha^-1 （10.8%） per cycle in MS1, MS1-HS, and MHSRRS recurrent selections, respectively. Linear responses （b） in the MS1, MS1-HS, and MHSRRS recurrent selections were the same as the realized responses of the selection （G） for grain yield increase of Csyn 4 and S1 progeny of the populations. The grain yield of testcrosses increased by 3.3-5.2% on average per cycle. The value of heterosis did not display any differences amongst the different cycles of selections. The GCA for yield component traits of population Csyn 4 was improved significantly by means of three selection methods, whereas the GCA for plant height, ear height, days to silking, and days to pollen did not show significant increase in the recurrent selections. GCA for the number of tassel branches were decreased in the selections, while GCA for the number of plant leaves were increased, but the difference was not significant.     

花期干旱和灌溉条件下植物生长调节剂对玉米茎流和光合生理的影响

采用池栽和干旱棚模拟花期干旱胁迫,试验研究植物生长调节剂对玉米旱害和正常植株不同时期茎流和光合性能的影响.结果表明:在干旱胁迫条件下,外源CaCl2、ABA、6-BA、KT-30处理10 d显著抑制植株茎流强度,减少植株失水.还促进干旱影响植株的叶绿素含量(SAPD)、光化学效率(Fv/Fm)、光系统潜在活性(Fv/Fo)显著提高或者保持相对稳定,减缓干旱对植株光合作用的影响.在充分灌溉条件下,植物生长调节剂也使植株茎流强度下降,SAPD、Fv/Fm和Fv/Fo增加,但其作用强度弱于干旱胁迫处理.随着生育进程(处理20 d),植物生长调节剂还能增强玉米灌浆后期的植株茎流强度,使SPAD、Fv/Fm、Fv/Fo显著增加或者保持相对稳定,延缓干旱导致的植株衰老,但外源ABA具有双重作用,这与水分条件密切相关.研究还发现,Fv/Fm和Fv/Fo可作为植株衰老诊断指标.     

用单叶鲜重速测青贮玉米地上生物量

研究了苗期（４叶期）、拔节期和灌浆期的白马牙玉米每层叶鲜重与单地上生物量（鲜重或干重的）回归方程。结果表明，按人上至下的顺序排叶序，则苗期的第２－３层叶、拔节期的第４层叶和灌浆期的第４－６层叶的叶鲜民相应生育时期的单株地上生物量呈极显著的正相关，可分别用以快速估测该生育时期的单地上生物量。     

基于宿主诱导的基因沉默技术创制抗拟轮枝镰孢玉米自交系

【目的】拟轮枝镰孢（Fusarium verticillioide）是一种主要的病原真菌,侵染玉米可以导致穗粒腐病、茎腐病、苗期根腐病及引起种子腐烂。由拟轮枝镰孢引起的病害不仅影响玉米的产量和品质,而且其病原菌代谢过程中产生的伏马菌素等多种真菌毒素严重威胁了人畜安全。通过宿主诱导的基因沉默（host-induced gene silencing,HIGS）技术创制抗拟轮枝镰孢的玉米种质,为玉米抗病育种提供新的优异抗源。【方法】通过同源克隆方法克隆可能与拟轮枝镰孢生长发育相关的关键基因,并通过体外转录获得相应的dsRNA片段;将不同基因的dsRNA与拟轮枝镰孢的分生孢子悬浮液预混后,用于后续的体外RNA沉默试验;对感病玉米自交系西502的种子进行消毒与接种,在培养皿中28℃避光培养48 h,调查种子的发病程度;在混有dsRNA的孢子悬浮液中加入葡萄糖,25℃培养24 h后,在显微镜下观察孢子萌发与菌丝生长情况;将三叶期的西502幼苗转移至预混dsRNA的孢子悬浮液中进行培养,7 d后观察苗期根腐病发病状况;通过种子鉴定与苗期鉴定体系,逐步筛选具有显著抑制效果的沉默靶标基因;合成筛选出的重点靶标基因片段,构建沉默载体并转化感病玉米自交系西502;对转基因株系的种子接种鉴定,验证转化玉米株系的抗性;提取接种后转基因种子的总RNA,对拟轮枝镰孢的靶标基因进行荧光定量分析,确定HIGS株系的沉默效果。【结果】从拟轮枝镰孢中克隆出18个与其生长发育相关的候选基因;通过种子接种鉴定,发现11个候选基因被沉默后,种子的发病等级极显著降低;进一步筛选出6个沉默后影响拟轮枝镰孢的孢子萌发和菌丝生长的候选靶标基因deo、Ras2、Dpdc、Hsp90、Frp1和Atg15;通过苗期接种鉴定,最后筛选出3个在体外具有显著抑制效果的沉默靶标基因deo、Atg15和Frp1;进而将3个靶标基因的特异区段人工融合成一段序列并构建沉默载体,获得转基因植株;鉴定发现转基因植株的T₂代种子对拟轮枝镰孢的抗性显著增强,且3个靶标基因的表达量均显著下降。【结论】拟轮枝镰孢基因deo、Atg15、Frp1与其生长发育密切相关,且沉默后能够显著提升玉米对拟轮枝镰孢的抗性。     

幼苗期玉米叶片表皮细胞和气孔量化指标的研究

以九单48和松玉656两个玉米品种为材料,对幼苗期不同时期各叶片表皮细胞和气孔的量化指标进行较系统的研究。结果表明,在试验范围内,各叶片上下表皮细胞和气孔的长与宽均表现为随着叶片的生长而逐渐增大;各叶片在初次取样时其上下表皮细胞和气孔长与宽的数值是相近的;上表皮细胞短而宽,下表皮细胞长而窄;上表皮气孔长小于下表皮的气孔长、上表皮气孔宽大于下表皮的气孔宽;各叶片上下表皮细胞和气孔的面积均表现为随叶面积增加而逐渐增大;上表皮细胞面积小于下表皮细胞面积,而上表皮气孔面积大于下表皮气孔面积;上下表皮细胞和气孔的密度均随叶面积增加而逐渐减小。     

Changes in grain-filling characteristics of single-cross maize hybrids released in China from 1964 to 2014

Grain filling is the physiological process for determining the obtainment of yield in cereal crops.  The grain-filling characteristics of 50 maize brand hybrids released from 1964 to 2014 in China were assayed across multiple environments.  We found that the grain-filling duration (54.46%) and rate (43.40%) at the effective grain-filling phase greatly contributed to the final performance parameter of 100-kernel weight (HKW).  Meanwhile, along with the significant increase in HKW, the accumulated growing degree days (GDDs) for the actual grain-filling period duration (AFPD) among the selected brand hybrids released from the 1960s to the 2010s in China had a decadal increase of 23.41°C d.  However, there was a decadal increase of only 19.76°C d for GDDs of the days from sowing to physiological maturity (DPM), which was also demonstrated by a continuous decrease in the ratio between the days from sowing to silking (DS) and DPM (i.e., from 53.24% in the 1960s to 49.78% in the 2010s).  In contrast, there were no significant changes in grain-filling rate along with the release years of the selected hybrids.  Moreover, the stability of grain-filling characteristics across environments also significantly increased along with the hybrid release years.  We also found that the exotic hybrids showed a longer grain-filling duration at the effective grain-filling phase and more stability of the grain-filling characteristics than those of the Chinese local hybrids.  According to the results of this study, it is expected that the relatively longer grain-filling duration, shorter DS, higher grain-filling rate, and steady grain-filling characteristics would contribute to the yield improvement of maize hybrids in the future.       

MS1与MS1-HS两种选择方法的比较研究Ⅱ.遗传方差、配合力及杂种优势

对ZZ4完成了4轮MS1-HS和MS1选择.结果表明,经4轮选择的群体,两种方法均有效地保留了各主要性状的遗传方差.MS1-HS选择的群体遗传方差下降速率更慢,C4群体的单株籽粒产量的遗传方差仅减少3.7%.穗长、穗粗、粒行数、行粒数、出籽率、百粒重的遗传方差的变化与单株籽粒产量一致,MS1C4的遗传方差减少了8%～15%,MS1-HSC4的遗传方差仅减少了4%～15%.株高、穗位高、抽丝期、植株保绿度、抗倒性等相关选择性状的遗传方差的变化与产量性状基本一致.MS1-HS法对改良玉米群体籽粒产量与测验种间的特殊配合力十分有效,呈逐轮上升的趋势;改良群体与测验种综系140间的杂交后代产量平均每轮提高6%,杂种优势平均每轮提高6.9%.两种方法在改良群体产量性状一般配合力方面,均得到了良好的效果.同时,穗部性状及株高、穗位、抽丝期、散粉期、抗性等田间农艺性状的一般配合力也获得了同步改良.通过ZZ4改良群体与6个测验种间杂交组合产量及杂种优势的比较研究,得出ZZ4与黄早四类种质为杂种优势模式对.     

田间条件下控制玉米开花前后根系性状的QTL定位

在田间原位条件下,利用根系形态差异显著的自交系掖478和武312为亲本构建的BC4F3群体,采用改进的PLABQTL软件中的复合区间作图法对抽雄期（开花前10 d）和灌浆初期（开花后15 d）玉米根系性状的变化和地上部生物量进行QTL定位。并分析其遗传机制。结果表明,花前花后对根干重、总根长、侧根长、轴根长、轴根数等根系性状共检测出27个QTL,单个QTL贡献率为52%157%,其中在染色体臂602和1004区域同时检测到控制着地上部生物量、总根长、侧根长和轴根数等性状的QTLs,两个不同生育时期检测到的共同QTL共有8个。玉米花前花后控制根系生长的QTL因生长发育阶段不同而存在着特异性,而且对地上部生物量形成有重要贡献,这为了解田间条件下根系的生长发育和进一步进行遗传改良奠定了遗传基础。     

N-utilization by maize (Zea mays L.) as influenced by crop rotation and field pea (Pisum sativum L.) residue management

Abstract. A five year field experiment was conducted to assess the influence of crop rotation and field pea residue incorporation into the soil on maize yield. The data indicated a 30% increase in maize yield grown in rotation with field pea compared to when it was grown after wheat and a further increase of 35% when field pea residues were incorporated into the soil. The effect of field pea and residue incorporation was greater in the presence of fertilizer nitrogen indicating the enhanced capacity of the crop to utilize N from the residue. Legume residue management in sub-tropical regions of the world, having coarse textured soils low in organic matter, could help to increase the yield of cereals besides saving some of the expensive fertilizer input.