Soil sodicity as a result of periodical drought

Soil sodicity development is a process that depends nonlinearly on both salt concentration and composition of soil water. In particular in hot climates, soil water composition is subject to temporal variation due to dry–wet cycles. To investigate the effect of such cycles on soil salinity and sodicity, a simple root zone model is developed that accounts for annual salt accumulation and leaching periods. Cation exchange is simplified to considering only Ca/Na exchange, using the Gapon exchange equation. The resulting salt and Ca/Na-balances are solved for a series of dry/wet cycles with a standard numerical approach. Due to the nonlinearities in the Gapon equation, the fluctuations of soil salinity that may be induced, e.g. by fluctuating soil water content, affect sodicity development. Even for the case that salinity is in a periodic steady state, where salt concentrations do not increase on the long term, sodicity may still grow as a function of time from year to year. For the longer term, sodicity, as quantified by Exchangeable Sodium Percentage (ESP), approaches a maximum value that depends on drought and inflowing water quality, but not on soil cation exchange capacity. Analytical approaches for the salinity and sodicity developing under such fluctuating regimes appear to be in good agreement with numerical approximations and are very useful for checking numerical results and anticipating changes in practical situations.     

盐胁迫对‘南林895’杨组培再生芽生根及抗氧化能力的影响

以‘南林895’杨经组培获得的2 cm长再生芽为试验材料,研究不同浓度NaCl处理下再生芽不定根发生能力及其耐盐能力。结果表明:‘南林895’杨再生芽在75 mmol/L以下能够正常产生不定根,100 mmol/L完全抑制不定根的形成。25～50 mmol/L盐处理能够促进‘南林895’杨再生芽不定根的伸长,增加根数,提高叶绿素a及总叶绿素的含量。25 mmol/L处理的SOD、CAT、POD、GR 4种保护酶与对照之间没有显著性差异,MDA含量和电导率也低于对照;而在高浓度盐处理下(75～100 mmol/L),SOD、CAT、GR保护酶活性下降,导致膜透性加大,MDA含量增加,POD和AsA-POD酶活性的提高有助于缓解盐胁迫对‘南林895’杨造成的氧化损伤。     

Suppression of Meloidogyne javanica by Pseudomonas aeruginosa IE-6S in tomato: the influence of NaCl, oxygen and iron levels

Understanding the environmental factors that influence the suppression of disease-suppressive strains of Pseudomonas fluorescens is an essential step toward improving the level and reliability of their biocontrol activity. A 0.8 M NaCl concentration was optimal for in vitro survival and growth of IE-6S⁺ while, nematicidal activity by IE-6S⁺ was maximal when the bacterium was exposed to 0.4 M NaCl. The bacterium was highly sensitive to high (1.6 M) NaCl concentration. Culture filtrate of the bacterium resulting from the medium supplemented with 0.2 or 0.4 M NaCl showed the presence of secondary metabolite, hydrogen cyanide (HCN). Soil amendment with IE-6S⁺ alone or in conjunction with up to 0.8 M NaCl enhanced bacterial efficacy towards Meloidogyne javanica, the root-knot nematode. Soil amendment with NaCl up to 0.8 M also resulted in enhanced bacterial rhizosphere colonization and growth of tomato seedlings. Protein content of the shoot was reduced when soil was amended with 1.6 M NaCl. Inner root establishment of the bacterium was greatly affected in the soils treated with 1.6 M NaCl. Under in vitro conditions, IE-6S⁺ showed enhanced growth when kept at ambient oxygen conditions while the growth of bacterium affected when incubated at low oxygen conditions. Culture filtrate of the bacterium resulting from low oxygen level caused greater mortality of M. javanica juveniles in vitro compared with the filtrates obtained from ambient oxygen conditions. Culture filtrate from low oxygen conditions also showed the presence of hydrogen cyanide while those from ambient oxygen condition did not. Under glasshouse conditions, regardless of bacterial application, nematode penetration rate was greater when the pots were watered from the top; nematode penetration was lowered in bacterized pots compared with non-bacterized controls. IE-6S⁺ applied in the pots either watered from the top or bottom had no significant impact on growth of tomato but protein contents of the leaves increased after treatment with the bacterium. Rhizosphere and inner root colonization of the bacterium increased when the pots were watered from the top. Under in vitro conditions, with an increased iron concentration in the form of FeEDDHA, growth of IE-6S⁺ and its nematicidal activity increased. Culture filtrate of IE-6S⁺ obtained from liquid King's B medium supplemented with 0.5 or 1.0 mM FeEDDHA showed the presence of HCN. Under glasshouse conditions, soil treated with FeEDDHA alone did not reduce nematode penetration rates but did reduce greatly when applied in conjunction with IE-6S⁺. FeEDDHA applied at 0.5 mg/kg of soil in combination with IE-6S⁺ significantly enhanced plant growth and leaf protein contents. FeEDDHA at 1 mg/kg of soil increased bacterial populations both in the rhizosphere and inner root tissues of tomato.     

Effects of temperature, salinity and pH on larval growth, survival and development of the sea cucumber Holothuria spinifera Theel

For large-scale seed production of sea cucumbers through a hatchery system, it is imperative to know the effects of environmental parameters on larval rearing. Auricularia larvae (48 h post-fertilization) were obtained from induced spawning of Holothuria spinifera and used in experiments to ascertain the effects of temperature, salinity and pH on the growth and survivorship of the larvae. The larvae were reared for 12 days at temperatures of 20, 25, 28 and 32 °C; salinities of 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 ppt; and pH of 6.5, 7.0, 7.5, 7.8, 8.0, 8.5 and 9.0. The highest survivorship and growth rate and fastest development of auricularia indicated that water temperature of 28–32 °C, salinity of 35 ppt and pH of 7.8 were the most suitable conditions for rearing larvae of H. spinifera.     

小麦杂交品种衡9966苗期耐盐性分析

以小麦杂交品种衡9966及其亲本良星99和良星66、济麦22为试验材料,分别设置盐胁迫浓度为0、0.3%、0.5%、1.0% NaCl对幼苗进行处理,15d后测定各项生理指标。结果表明,随着盐浓度的升高,4个小麦品种整株鲜重呈逐步下降趋势;叶片叶绿素含量在0.3%、0.5% NaCl浓度下上升,1.0% NaCl浓度下有所下降,但仍高于对照;丙二醛（MDA）含量及游离脯氨酸含量随盐浓度的增大逐步升高;抗氧化酶超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、过氧化物酶（POD）和过氧化氢酶（CAT）活性与对照相比均增大,但不同品种的变化趋势有所不同。隶属函数值分析结果表明,杂交后代衡9966耐盐性最好。     

吉林省西部新开稻田要走环境友好型发展之路

针对吉林省增产50亿kg商品粮的战略任务而进行的西部水田大开发的实际,提出了西部新开稻田生产技术要走环境友好型可持续发展之路,对其可行性进行了论证;同时,对新开水田在发展有机水稻过程中存在的不利因素和趋弊措施进行了阐述。     

杨树MYB基因应答非生物胁迫的表达特性

MYB转录因子以其含有的保守MYB结构域为特征,是植物转录因子中数量最多的家族之一,广泛参与植物生长发育和代谢的调节。利用生物信息学分析获得222条杨树MYB基因,用实时定量PCR筛选出8条对盐胁迫有强烈应答的基因,研究其在盐、干旱、ABA等非生物胁迫下的表达模式;结果表明:这8条MYB基因虽然在杨树根、茎、叶组织中均有表达,但是在不同胁迫条件和不同组织中的表达水平明显不同。在盐和干旱胁迫条件下,8个基因在根、茎、叶中均被诱导表达,表现为相似的表达模式。在ABA处理条件下,而多数基因无明显应答。说明杨树MYB基因在应答环境变化与激素调节中具有不同的作用,并且在不同组织中的作用有所差异。     

Prognosis of iron chlorosis in apple trees by floral analysis

In populations of apple trees (Malus pumila Mill) affected by iron (Fe) chlorosis, the floral analyses permit to establish relationships between the Fe concentration in flowers and the chlorophyll content in leaves at 60 and 120 days after full bloom. The relationships between both parameters were highly significant with correlation coefficients of 0.603*** and 0.872***, respectively. As from previous research with peach trees, these high correlations permitted us to predict at a very early stage, the appearance of the Fe deficiency and its intensity. In our experimental conditions, the first visual symptoms of the Fe chlorosis appear in apple leaves with floral Fe concentrations below 310 ppm in dry matter.     

EFFECT OF MIXED-SALT SALINITY ON GROWTH AND ION RELATIONS OF A QUINOA AND A WHEAT VARIETY

ABSTRACT

Salinity is among the most widespread and prevalent problems in irrigated agriculture. Many members of the family Chenopodiaceae are classified as salt tolerant. One member of this family, which is of increasing interest, is quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) which is able to grow on poorer soils. Salinity sensitivity studies of quinoa were conducted in the greenhouse on the cultivar, “Andean Hybrid” to determine if quinoa had useful mechanisms for salt tolerant studies. For salt treatment we used a salinity composition that would occur in a typical soil in the San Joaquin Valley of California using drainage waters for irrigation. Salinity treatments (EC_i ) ranging from 3, 7, 11, to 19?dS?m^?1 were achieved by adding MgSO₄, Na₂SO₄, NaCl, and CaCl₂ to the base nutrient solution. These salts were added incrementally over a four-day period to avoid osmotic shock to the seedlings. The base nutrient solution without added salt served as the non-saline control solution (3?dS?m^?1). Solution pH was uncontrolled and ranged from 7.7 to 8.0. For comparative purposes, we also examined Yecora Rojo, a semi-dwarf wheat, Triticum aestivum L. With respect to salinity effects on growth in quinoa, we found no significant reduction in plant height or fresh weight until the electrical conductivity exceeded 11?dS?m^?1. The growth was characteristic of a halophyte with a significant increase in leaf area at 11?dS?m^?1 as compared with 3?dS?m^?1 controls. As to wheat, plant fresh and dry weight, canopy height, and leaf area did not differ between controls (3?dS?m^?1) and plants grown at 7?dS?m^?1. Beyond this threshold, however, plant growth declined. While both quinoa and wheat exhibited increasing Na⁺ accumulation with increasing salinity levels, the percentage increase was greater in wheat. Examination of ion ratios indicated that K⁺:Na⁺ ratio decreased with increasing salinity in both species. The decrease was more dramatic in wheat. A similar observation was also made with respect to the Ca²⁺:Na⁺ ratios. However, a difference between the two species was found with respect to changes in the level of K⁺ in the plant. In quinoa, leaf K⁺ levels measured at 19?dS?m^?1 had decreased by only 7% compared with controls. Stem K⁺ levels were not significantly affected. In wheat, shoot K⁺ levels had decreased by almost 40% at 19?dS?m^?1. Correlated with these findings, we measured no change in the K⁺:Na⁺ selectivity with increasing salinity in quinoa leaves and only a small increase in stems. In wheat however, K⁺:Na⁺ selectivity at 3?dS?m^?1 was much higher than in quinoa and decreased significantly across the four salinity levels tested. A similar situation was also noted with Ca²⁺:Na⁺ selectivity. We concluded that the greater salt tolerance found in quinoa relative to wheat may be due to a variety of mechanisms.