Melatonin reduces apoptotic cells,SOD2 and HSPB1 and improves the in vitro production and quality of bovine blastocysts

Effects of adding different concentrations of melatonin (10^?7, 10^?9 and 10^?11 M) to maturation (Experiment 1; Control, IVM  + 10^?7, IVM  + 10^?9, IVM  + 10^?11) and culture media (Experiment 2; Control, IVC  + 10^?7, IVC  + 10^?9, IVC  + 10^?11) were evaluated on in vitro bovine embryonic development. The optimal concentration of melatonin (10^?9 M) from Experiments 1–2 was tested in both maturation and/or culture media of Experiment 3 (Control, IVM  + 10^?9, IVC  + 10^?9, IVM /IVC  + 10^?9). In Experiment 1, maturated oocytes from Control and IVM  + 10^?9 treatments showed increased glutathione content, mitochondrial membrane potential and percentage of Grade I blastocysts (40.6% and 43%, respectively). In Experiment 2, an increase in the percentage of Grade I blastocysts was detected in IVC  + 10^?7 (43.5%; 56.7%) and IVC  + 10^?9 (47.4%; 57.4%). Moreover, a lower number and percentage of apoptotic cells in blastocysts were observed in the IVC  + 10^?9 group compared to Control (3.8 ± 0.6; 3.6% versus 6.1 ± 0.6; 5.3%). In Experiment 3, the IVC  + 10^?9 treatment increased percentage of Grade I blastocysts with a lower number of apoptotic cells compared to IVM /IVC  + 10^?9 group (52.6%; 3.0 ± 0.5 versus 46.0%; 5.4 ± 1.0). The IVC  + 10^?9 treatment also had a higher mRNA expression of antioxidant gene (SOD 2) compared to the Control, as well as the heat shock protein (HSPB 1) compared to the IVM  + 10^?9. Reactive oxygen species production was greater in the IVM /IVC  + 10^?9 treatment group. In conclusion, the 10^?9 M concentration of melatonin and the in vitro production phase in which it is used directly affected embryonic development and quality.     

The Situation for Quinoa and Its Production in Southern Bolivia: From Economic Success to Environmental Disaster

In Bolivia, one of the world’s most important centres of plant domestication, there is growing awareness of the value of native Andean crops, both for domestic consumption and for market sale – notably the virtually boom‐like consumer demand for quinoa around the world. The southern altiplano of Bolivia, south of Oruro, relies almost purely on the production of quinoa and breeding of llamas, which have also been selected as the two commodities of priority to the government to increase the income of the country. Presently, however, quinoa is facing increasing problems in production, owing to its increasing export market and price. The flat areas around the salt desert of the southern altiplano, previously characterized by natural vegetation fed by the llamas, are being increasingly sown with quinoa, hence transformed into deserts, because intensive cultivation methods make the soil loose its fertility. Possible solutions to these problems will require extensive efforts in the south, in addition to various strategies, which also include other parts of the Bolivian altiplano and a strengthened focus on other Andean crops.     

5‐Aminolevulinic Acid Activates Antioxidative Defence System and Seedling Growth in Brassica napus L. under Water‐Deficit Stress

The present study assesses the effects of 5‐aminolevulinic acid (ALA, 0, 0.1, 1 and 10 mg l^?1) on the growth of oilseed rape (Brassica napus L. cv. ZS758) seedlings under water‐deficit stress induced by polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000, 0 and ?0.3 MPa). Water‐deficit stress imposed negative effects on seedling growth by reducing shoot biomass, cotyledon water potential, chlorophyll content and non‐enzymatic antioxidants (glutathione and ascorbic acid) levels. On the other hand, water‐deficit stress enhanced the malondialdehyde (MDA) content, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, enzymatic antioxidants activities, reduced/oxidized glutathione ratio (GSH/GSSG) and reduced/oxidized ascorbic acid (ASA/DHA) ratio in seedlings. Application of ALA at lower dosages (0.1 and 1 mg l^?1) improved shoot weight and chlorophyll contents, and decreased MDA in rape seedlings, whereas moderately higher dosage of ALA (10 mg l^?1) hampered the growth. The study also indicated that 1 mg l^?1 ALA improved chlorophyll content, but reduced MDA content and ROS production significantly under water‐deficit stress. Lower dosages of ALA (0.1 and 1 mg l^?1) also enhanced GSH/GSSG and ASA/DHA as compared to the seedlings under water‐deficit stress. The antioxidant enzymes (ascorbate peroxidase, peroxidase, catalase, glutathione reductase and superoxide dismutase) enhanced their activities remarkably with 1 mg l^?1 ALA treatment under water‐deficit stress. It was also revealed that 1 mg l^?1 ALA treatment alone induced the expression of APX, CAT and GR substantially and under water‐deficit stress conditions ALA treatment could induce the expression of POD, CAT and GR to a certain degree. These results indicated that 0.1–1 mg l^?1 ALA could enhance the water‐deficit stress tolerance of oilseed seedlings through improving the biomass accumulation, maintaining a relative high ratio of GSH/GSSG and ASA/DHA, enhancing the activities of the specific antioxidant enzymes and inducing the expression of the specific antioxidant enzyme genes.     

雌雄异株植物生长释放/抑制判定及其气候解释

利用树轮学方法,以长白山雌雄异株植物红豆杉、山杨和水曲柳为研究对象,通过判定雌雄异株树种生长释放/抑制事件及其与气候因子的关系,以期揭示物种属性和性别因素对树木生长释放/抑制事件的影响及其对气候响应机制的差异性。结果表明:3种雌雄植株的生长释放事件大多发生在幼龄阶段,生理特征差异也可能导致不同雌雄植株发生生长释放事件的时间和频率存在一定差异性。性别因素对山杨和红豆杉雌雄植株的生长释放存在显著影响,山杨雌株和红豆杉雄株对外界环境干扰更为敏感,水曲柳雌雄株对环境干扰的响应差异不明显;山杨更易受到外界环境干扰发生生长释放事件;水曲柳植株发生生长释放/抑制事件可能与林窗干扰有关。红豆杉和山杨的生长释放事件与气候因子具有显著相关关系,红豆杉雄株与温度、降水则存在显著正相关关系(P0.05),山杨雄株与温度、降水则存在显著负相关关系(P0.05),山杨雌株与降水呈显著负相关关系(P0.05),植株的生长释放/抑制事件对气候的响应与树木径向生长--逐月气候因子的关系有所不同。因此应当考虑生长--气候因子之间的非线性关系以及物种和性别因素对生长--气候关系的影响,以期完善植株生长对气候的响应机制。      

黑龙江烟草病害种类鉴定及发生情况

为了明确黑龙江主要烟区目前病害发生和危害情况，于2010-2013年对黑龙江烟草主产区病害进行普查。鉴定结果表明，黑龙江烟草病害26种，其中真菌病害11种，细菌病害2种，病毒病害7种，寄生性种子植物1种，非侵染性病害5种；发生普遍且危害重的病害主要是烟草普通花叶病、角斑病。     

北京水系中腐霉和疫腐霉种类调查

为研究北京地区水系中腐霉和疫腐霉种类分布,采用叶饵法从北京水系中诱集菌株,共分离到腐霉、疫腐霉182株,利用Single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP)进行分析,筛选出不同基因型的代表菌株,并依据形态学特征及ITS序列对这些菌株进行种类鉴定。结果共发现6个已知种和3个可能的新种,其中:湖滨疫腐霉Phytopythium litorale和果胶裂解腐霉Pythium pectinolyticum为国内新记录种;旋柄疫腐霉Pp.helicoides、异丝腐霉P.diclinum、簇囊腐霉P.torulosum和袋囊腐霉P.marsipium为北京地区新记录种。研究结果可为未来监测北京地区水系中病原菌的分布情况提供基础数据。     

CITES公约中云南濒危管制木材树种资源概述

根据CITES公约附录保护与管制木材种类名录，对云南处于濒危管制的木材树种资源现状进行研究。结果表明，全省被列入CITES公约的木材共有8种（类），其中附录Ⅱ有5种（类），附录Ⅲ有3种（类）。     

内蒙古桦木沟林场不同地貌野生花卉资源分布

内蒙古桦木沟林场地形地貌类型广泛,野花资源丰富,尚未得到有效开发。为了解野生花卉资源习性和生物学特征,开发利用野花资源,在路径调查的基础上,采用典型样地调查法,调查分析了其野花资源分布。共调查野花资源177种,隶属于40科129属,菊科、豆科、毛茛科等种类和种群数量较丰富。不同地貌Margalef丰富度指数1.35~8.28,Shannon-Wiener指数变异范围1.42~2.59,Simpson指数为0.59~0.96,湿地草甸、疏林草地物种多样性丰富,沙地多样性最低。湿度、光照等是影响野花多样性分布的重要因素。林场分布着丰富而有较大开发价值的喜光、耐荫、耐涝、喜湿、耐旱等不同生态型野生花卉。部分野生花卉资源濒危,亟需保护。     

东北“三大硬阔”叶片和叶轴质量分配比较

以3个树种健康复叶为试材,研究了叶内光合构件和支撑构件的生物量投资的种内种间变化规律。结果表明:水曲柳、胡桃楸和黄檗叶轴质量占复叶质量的比例分别为0.18、0.26和0.17,胡桃楸显著大于其它2个树种。跨物种尺度上,复叶大的树种需要更多的叶内支撑结构投资。但物种水平上,水曲柳叶片投资随叶增大而增大,胡桃楸则降低,黄檗基本稳定,表现出与跨物种水平上的叶片投资随叶增大而降低的普遍规律不同。今后需要加深物种水平上叶内生物量分配的异速生长的了解。     

海口主要公园香花植物资源调查与分析

香花植物在园林景观中满足了人们视觉感官与嗅觉感官的双重要求，有着独特的应用价值。本文对海口市5所大型综合性公园的香花植物进行调查，为推动其在海口市园林景观中的应用提供参考。研究发现，所调查的公园有香花植物45种（含1变种，2栽培品种），隶属于29科39属，以乡土植物为主，木本植物居多；多集中于夏季开花，花色以白色为主；花香从微香型到浓香型，以芳香型为主；主要有闻香主景式、点缀配景式两种配置形式。另外，香花植物种类偏少、种植面积小、花色单调等问题突出，针对以上问题提出相应对策。