Quantitative trait loci for fruit size and flowering time-related traits under domestication and diversifying selection in cucumber (Cucumis sativus)

In cucumber, the genetic basis of traits under domestication and/or diversifying selection is not well understood. Here, we reported QTL mapping for flowering time and fruit size-related traits with segregating populations derived from a cultivated × wild cross. Phenotypic data of flowering time (FT), fruit size (FS), fruit number (FN) and fruit weight per plant (FW) were collected in multiple environments. QTL analysis identified 19 QTL for these traits. We found that the major-effect QTL FT1.1 played an important role in regulating flowering time in cultivated cucumber, whereas the minor-effect QTL FT6.3 contributed to photoperiod sensitive flowering time during domestication. Two novel consensus FS QTL, FS1.4 and FS2.3, seem to be the targets of selection during breeding for the US processing cucumber. All other FS QTL were co-localized with previously detected QTL using populations derived from cultivated cucumbers, suggesting that they were under selection during both initial domestication and subsequent improvement. Results from this study also suggested that the wild cucumber is a useful resource for capturing positive transgressive segregation and novel alleles that could be explored in cucumber breeding.     

High night-time temperature during flowering and pod filling affects flower opening,yield and seed fatty acid composition in canola

Winter canola (Brassica napus L.) is highly sensitive to increasing temperatures during the reproductive and pod-filling stages. Although the impact of high day-time temperature stress on yield and quality has been documented in canola, similar information under high night-time temperature (HNT) stress is not available. Using six hybrids and four open-pollinated cultivars, we observed a marked shift in peak flowering towards earlier, cooler hours of the morning under HNT. Averaged across two independent experiments, the photochemical efficiency of photosystem II was significantly decreased (3%), with a significant increase in thylakoid membrane damage (13%) in the leaves of susceptible cultivars under HNT stress. Similarly, the susceptible cultivars also recorded significant reduction in biomass (34%), pod number (22%), pod weight (37%) and total seed weight (40%) per plant while the same set of agronomic traits were not affected among the tolerant cultivars. Quantitative impact of heat stress was confirmed with increased sensitivity to HNT exposure from gametogenesis until maturity resulting in a significantly higher yield loss compared to stress exposure from post-flowering till maturity. HNT significantly decreased oil concentration, but increased protein concentration and saturated fatty acid levels in seeds of the susceptible cultivars. However, HNT had no impact on the unsaturated fatty acids in both hybrids and the open-pollinated cultivars. Breeding targets based on fatty acid composition for enhancing canola seed quality may not be easily amenable due to the inconsistency documented with the compositional changes under heat stress. In summary, our findings conclude that canola hybrids are better suited to regions experiencing heat stress, compared to open-pollinated cultivars, indicating the possibility of a complete shift to hybrid canola cultivation under predicted hotter climates in the future.     

Evaluation of WARM for different establishment techniques in Jiangsu (China)

WARM is a model for rice simulation accounting for key biotic and a-biotic factors affecting quantitative and qualitative (e.g., amylose content, chalkiness) aspects of production. Although the model is used in different international contexts for yield forecasts (e.g., the EC monitoring and forecasting system) and climate change studies, it was never explicitly evaluated for transplanting, the most widespread rice establishment method especially in tropical and sub-tropical Asia. In this study, WARM was tested for its ability to reproduce nursery growth and transplanting shock, using data on direct sown and transplanted (both manual and mechanical) rice collected in 24 dedicated field experiments performed at eight sites in Jiangsu in 2011, 2012 and 2013. The agreement between measured and simulated aboveground biomass data was satisfactory for both direct sowing and transplanting: average R² of the linear regression between observed and simulated values was 0.97 for mechanical transplanting and direct sowing, and 0.99 for manual transplanting. RRMSE values ranged from 5.26% to 30.89%, with Nash and Sutcliffe modelling efficiency always higher than 0.78; no notable differences in the performance achieved for calibration and validation datasets were observed. The new transplanting algorithm – derived by extending the Oryza2000 one – allowed WARM to reproduce rice growth and development for direct sown and transplanted datasets (i) with comparable accuracy and (ii) using the same values for the parameters describing morphological and physiological plant traits. This demonstrates the reliability of the proposed transplanting simulation approach and the suitability of the WARM model for simulating rice biomass production even for production contexts where rice is mainly transplanted.     

基于状态变换法的车辆悬架系统时滞反馈控制

为了提高车辆行驶平顺性和稳定性,研究悬架系统中时滞补偿控制效果,本文以赛欧轿车悬架系统为基础,建立2自由度车辆半主动悬架系统模型,设计了时滞反馈控制器,采用理论与试验相结合的方法对系统时滞反馈控制特性进行研究。首先建立含时滞的悬架系统动力学方程,采用常微分理论和多项式判别方法分析系统稳定性,并通过时域与频域仿真对结果进行验证。研究表明:采用传统二次型最优控制律对含时滞的悬架系统进行控制,当系统控制时滞较大时,系统定性特性可能会发生改变,甚至会失稳发散。为保证系统的稳定性,采用状态变换方法设计时滞反馈最优控制律,仿真表明采用该控制律不仅可以保证系统稳定性,系统的减振特性亦有改善。最后搭建了悬架时滞反馈控制平台,基于时域辨识方法测得系统固有时滞为0.065 s,通过对相同工况下仿真结果与试验结果进行对比,发现两者具有较好的一致性,误差在15%以内,满足业内使用要求,表明研究可信,结果可为主动/半主动车辆悬架控制器实际设计应用提供参考。     

Early interspecific dynamics,dry matter production and nitrogen use in Kernza (Thinopyrum intermedium) – alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) mixed intercropping

ABSTRACT

The global interest in growing perennial grain crops such as intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium) (Kernza) for production of food and feed is increasing. Intercropping Kernza with legumes may be a sustainable way of supplying nitrogen to soil and associated intercrop. We determined the competitive interactions between intercropped Kernza (K) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) (A) under three inorganic nitrogen (N) rates N0, N1, N2 (0, 200, 400 kg ha^?1) and five species relative frequencies (SRF) (100%K:0%A, 75%K:25%A, 50%K:50%A, 25%K:75%A and 0% K:100%A) in mixed intercrops (MI) in a greenhouse pot experiment. After 11 weeks of growth. Kernza dry matter yield (DM) and N accumulated (NACC) were low, but alfalfa DM and NACC high at 0 kg N ha^?1. 200 and 400 kg N ha^?1 fertiliser application increased the competitive ability (CA) of Kernza and reduced the CA of alfalfa. SRF had large impacts on alfalfa DM, NACC and NFIX only at 0 kg N ha^?1 fertiliser, and insignificant impacts on Kernza at all N fertiliser levels, indicating that adjustment of SRF may not be an effective way to modulate the interspecific competition of Kernza. Further research on the other factors that influence the interspecific competition are warranted.     

Serum amyloid A (SAA) mRNA expression in chicken and quails in response to bacterial stress

Monitoring of acute phase proteins such as serum amyloid A at gene expression level may provide quick information about immune status of the host and its susceptibility towards common infections. Present study was carried out to evaluate and compare the mRNA expression of SAA gene in Rhode Island Red chicken (RIR) and Japanese quails using real time PCR analysis in response to inactivated Salmonella gallinarum culture. The results showed that expression of SAA gene was approximately 17–33 folds higher in case of birds administered with bacterial culture when compared to un-inoculated controls and expression was higher and quicker in case of quails than RIR chicken. The SAA genes from chicken and quail were cloned and upon sequence analysis it was observed that deduced amino acid sequence of SAA from chicken and quails were having approximately seven percent variation which might have significance in function of this protein in these species.     

关税和补贴对国企国有股份最优占比的影响——基于混合寡占理论分析

通过建立理论模型，并用2014年湖南省5县区20个城乡社区的调查数据，从家务劳动时间的视角分析湖南劳动力市场的性别工资差异及其影响因素。结果发现，家务劳动时间是影响湖南劳动力市场性别工资差异的重要因素，同时其他影响因素还有月工资收入、受教育程度、行业等，但职务职称对性别工资差异的影响存在不确定性。因此，政府应大力发展家庭服务业，建立健全覆盖城乡的家庭服务体系，基本满足家庭的服务需求，使女性从家务劳动中解脱出来，同时应通过政策倾斜确保女性培训比例，增强就业竞争实力；规范劳动合同，维护私有及民营企业女性从业者在劳动就业、社会保障等方面的合法权益。     

自动施肥系统开发与性能测试

目的 开发一种适应于以固态水溶肥为原料的自动施肥系统,测试分析自动施肥系统性能。方法 主控机采用ARM9电路控制模块可实现对轮灌编组、预搅拌时长、施肥开始与结束时间、施肥持续时长、施肥量等参数的设置;选择以蠕动泵为注肥装置,通过变频器控制注肥泵电机功率的方式控制注肥速率,控制施肥量。对装置核心部件搅拌器额定功率、计量方式、溶肥搅拌参数、排肥速度及固液相比例等主要参数等进行设计与测试。结果 电感脉冲计量方式标准误差最大值1.26%,误差小、性价比好,确定其为本装置采用的计量方式;搅拌器以1.5 Kw额定功率、38 r/min转速搅拌、肥液浓度在1.1~1.3 g/mL、预搅拌时间30 min时,罐内各液位输出肥液浓度值差异不显著(P< 0.05),达到对肥料浓度均匀性的设计要求。结论 将施肥开始前的预搅拌时间设为30 min、搅拌转速设为38 r/min、肥液浓度不高于1.3 g/mL,输出肥液浓度有较好的均匀性,实现精准施肥。     

云南籼稻小苗机插技术研究

为了降低机插稻育秧、运秧劳动强度,在云南籼稻地区探索籼稻小苗机插技术。以吉优716为材料,设置160 g/盘（T1 ）和180 g/盘（T2）2个播种量处理,秧龄9 d,每667 m²大田用秧6盘。以常规播种量70 g/盘,15 d秧龄,每667 m²用秧15盘为对照,比较分析了不同处理间秧苗素质、栽插质量、茎蘖动态和产量的差异。结果表明,虽然密播小苗处理秧苗素质不如对照,并且缺丛率较高,但每丛基本苗数、各时期的茎蘖数和有效穗数均显著高于对照,最终产量均高于对照。较高的有效穗数是机插密播小苗技术增产的主要原因。其中,T1处理用种量比对照减少了8.57%,秧盘数比对照减少60%,但产量比对照增加了9.0%,节本增效的效果明显,具有较大的推广潜力。     

Impact of High Night‐Time and High Daytime Temperature Stress on Winter Wheat

High temperature is a major environmental factor that limits wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) productivity. Climate models predict greater increases in night‐time temperature than in daytime temperature. The objective of this research was to compare the effects of high daytime and high night‐time temperatures during anthesis on physiological (chlorophyll fluorescence, chlorophyll concentration, leaf level photosynthesis, and membrane damage), biochemical (reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentration and antioxidant capacity in leaves), growth and yield traits of wheat genotypes. Winter wheat genotypes (Ventnor and Karl 92) were grown at optimum temperatures (25/15 °C, maximum/minimum) until the onset of anthesis. Thereafter, plants were exposed to high night‐time (HN, 25/24 °C), high daytime (HD, 35/15 °C), high daytime and night‐time (HDN, 35/24 °C) or optimum temperatures for 7 days. Compared with optimum temperature, HN, HD and HDN increased ROS concentration and membrane damage and decreased antioxidant capacity, photochemical efficiency, leaf level photosynthesis, seed set, grain number and grain yield per spike. Impact of HN and HD was similar on all traits. Greater impact on seed set, grain number and grain yield per spike was observed at HDN compared with HN and HD. These results suggest that HN and HD during anthesis cause damage of a similar magnitude to winter wheat.