降水、灌溉和品种对玉米产量和水分利用效率的影响

8年田间试验结果表明,玉米产量明显受降水和灌溉的影响。玉米苗期灌溉最为关键,是保证高产的基础。在只灌溉苗水而没有其他灌溉条件下,夏玉米产量与7、8月份降水密切相关,而与生长季节的降水总量关系不明显。除了极干旱年份(季节降雨量小于200 mm)外,随着灌溉量增加,玉米水分利用效率(WUE)降低。玉米最优灌溉制度为:干旱年份,除了苗期的1次灌溉外,在拔节和扬花期分别实施2次灌溉;常年和湿润年份,除了出苗水外,在抽穗到扬花期的8月初实施1次灌溉。3年的田间试验结果表明,当地种植的不同玉米品种之间产量最大相差20%,水分利用效率差异在12%~19%。因此,将适宜的品种与优化的灌溉制度相结合,是提高华北平原夏玉米产量和水分利用效率的有效途径。     

葡萄枝条中淀粉粒形态结构与抗寒力的关系

扫描电镜观察结果表明,越冬期间葡萄枝条组织细胞中淀粉粒的大小、积累数量和转化动态规律与抗寒力密切相关,主要表现为抗寒种类或品种的淀粉粒小,积累早而数量多,水解晚但速度快而较彻底;同一品种采用嫁接栽培可明显增加枝条中淀粉的积累数量,有利于枝芽成熟和越冬。     

干湿交替灌溉对抗旱性不同水稻品种产量的影响及其生理原因分析

【目的】旨在阐明全生育期干湿交替灌溉对抗旱性不同水稻品种产量的影响。【方法】以抗旱性差异显著的4个水稻品种(籼稻扬稻6号和两优培九,粳稻旱优8号和镇稻88)为材料,以常规水层灌溉(CI)为对照,在盆栽条件下研究了轻干湿交替灌溉(WMD)和重干湿交替灌溉(WSD)对水稻产量、根系、叶片及籽粒部分生理特性的影响。【结果】与CI相比,WMD处理下抗旱性较强品种扬稻6号和旱优8号产量分别提高6.90%和7.45%,抗旱性较弱品种两优培九和镇稻88产量分别降低7.28%和8.10%。WSD处理下,4个水稻品种的产量均显著下降,抗旱性较弱的品种产量降幅远高于抗旱性较强的水稻品种。WMD处理下,扬稻6号和旱优8号复水后根系氧化力、根系与叶片细胞分裂素(玉米素+玉米素核苷)含量、叶片光合速率和籽粒中蔗糖-淀粉代谢途径关键酶的活性均较CI有不同程度提高,而两优培九和镇稻88上述指标则与CI持平或有不同程度降低。WSD处理下,4个品种上述指标均较CI不同程度降低。【结论】轻干湿交替灌溉条件下,根系活性强、叶片细胞分裂素含量和光合速率高、籽粒中蔗糖-淀粉代谢途径关键酶活性强是抗旱性较强水稻品种的基本生理特征。     

2016年我国审定的水稻品种及基本特性分析

分析了2016年我国水稻品种的审定情况及通过省级以上审定水稻品种的基本特性.结果表明,2016年我国通过省级以上审定的水稻品种共有492个次(有13个品种通过两个及以上省份审定),其中,籼型常规稻36个、籼型两系杂交稻137个、籼型三系杂交稻166个、粳型常规稻87个、粳型杂交稻25个(其中19个为籼粳杂交稻)、 不育系41个.区试平均产量籼型常规稻为501.36 kg/667 m2,比区试对照增产3.86%;籼型两系杂交稻为592.54 kg/667 m2,比区试对照增产5.46%;籼型三系杂交稻为552.96 kg/667 m2,比区试对照增产5.16%;粳型常规稻为624.94 kg/667 m2,比区试对照增产7.48%;粳型杂交稻为651.96 kg/667 m2,比区试对照增产8.91%.品种品质表现是粳稻好于籼稻,常规稻好于杂交稻,优质达标率粳稻为51.79%、籼稻为43.95%,常规稻为56.91%、杂交水稻为41.77%.并列举了一些对单个病害抗性表现较好的品种.     

Agronomic traits of soybean cultivars released in different decades after grafting record‐yield cultivar as rootstock

Breeders have seldom considered the selection for root traits during the genetic improvement in soybean. It is hypothesized that grain yield would be increased by the root function improvement, especially for the current cultivars. The objective of this grafting experiment was to determine the effect of record‐yield cultivars L14 or Z35 as rootstocks on agronomic traits of cultivars released in different decades. A total of 11 cultivars, released in different decades, were used to graft onto L14 or Z35 rootstocks. The agronomic traits were measured in the pot‐culture experiments. Grafting cultivars released in different decades onto L14 or Z35 rootstocks resulted in higher yield, 100‐seed mass and apparent harvest index as compared with those of non‐grafted or self‐grafted plants. Grain yield gain of cultivars grafted onto record‐yield cultivar rootstocks was 0.40 g/plant/year from 1966 to 2006, which was larger than that of non‐grafts and self‐grafts (0.27 g/plant/year). The yield of current cultivars should increase more if their root functions were improved.     

Screening of Ethiopian sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) landraces for their performance under Striga hermonthica ‐infested conditions

Striga hermonthica is a major constraint to sorghum production and productivity in sub‐Saharan Africa, Ethiopia, in particular. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the performance of 49 sorghum genotypes based on their reaction to S. hermonthica and investigate the relationships among yield and Striga resistance traits, including the Striga emergence count, area under Striga number progress curve, area under Striga severity progress curve, grain yield under infested, grain yield under non‐infested conditions and relative yield loss. The genotypes differed significantly in all measured parameters under Striga‐infested and non‐infested conditions. The genotypes ‘Birhan’, ‘Gubiye’, Wolegie, Zegerie, Nechmashila I, Woftel, Tetron and Eyssa were identified as promising ones based on grain yield and Striga‐related traits. On the other hand, the genotypes Jamyo, Bobie, Gedido, Mankebar and Zengada had moderate Striga numbers with low relative yield loss as compared with susceptible checks. The most promising variety, Zegerie, Mankebar and Zengada, out yielded the standard resistant checks ‘Birhan’ and ‘Gubiye’ under Striga infestation. Ward cluster analysis grouped the 49 sorghum genotypes in to four distinct clusters under Striga‐infested conditions. All members of clusters II and III showed the highest yielding group with the lowest to moderate Striga number, while cluster IV supported the lowest yield with the highest Striga number. Significant negative correlations were observed between yield‐ and Striga‐related traits. Highly significant and strong correlations were observed among Striga resistance indices, indicating that any of the Striga resistance parameters can be used as an indicator of resistance. The wide variations in grain yield among genotypes under Striga‐infested conditions would be invaluable genetic resources for production in Striga endemic areas of Ethiopia.     

Breeding for increased grain protein and micronutrient content in wheat: Ten years of the GPC-B1 gene

To provide food and nutrition security for a growing world population, continued improvements in the yield and nutritional quality of agricultural crops will be required. Wheat is an important source of calories, protein and micronutrients and is thus a priority to breed for improvements in these traits. The GRAIN PROTEIN CONTENT-B1 (GPC-B1) gene is a positive regulator of nutrient translocation which increases protein, iron and zinc concentration in the wheat grain. In the ten years since it was cloned, the impacts of GPC-B1 allelic variation on quality and yield traits have been extensively analyzed in diverse genetic backgrounds in field studies spanning forty environments and seven countries. In this review, we compile data from twenty-five studies to summarize the impact of GPC-B1 allelic variation on fifty different traits. Taken together, the results demonstrate that the functional copy of the GPC-B1 gene is associated with consistent positive effects on grain protein, Fe and Zn content with only marginally negative impacts on yield. We conclude that the GPC-B1 gene has the potential to increase nutritional and end use quality in a wide range of modern cultivars and environments and discuss the possibilities for its application in wheat breeding.     

Carbohydrate and crude protein fractions in perennial ryegrass as affected by defoliation frequency and nitrogen application rate

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of defoliation frequency (either at two‐ or three‐leaf stage) and nitrogen (N) application rate (0, 75, 150, 300, 450 kg N ha^?1 year^?1) on herbage carbohydrate and crude protein (CP) fractions, and the water‐soluble carbohydrate‐to‐protein ratio (WSC:CP) in perennial ryegrass swards. Crude protein fractions were analysed according to the Cornell carbohydrate and protein system. Carbohydrate fractions were analysed by ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography. Sward defoliation at two‐leaf stage increased the total CP, reduced the buffer‐soluble CP fractions and decreased carbohydrate fractions of herbage (P < 0·001). The effect of defoliation frequency was less marked during early spring and autumn (P < 0·001) than for the rest of the seasons. An increase in N application rate was negatively associated with WSC, fructans and neutral detergent fibre (P < 0·001), and positively associated with CP and nitrate (N‐NO₃) contents of herbage. Nitrogen application rate did not affect CP fractions of herbage (P > 0·05). The fluctuations in CP and WSC contents of herbage resulted in lower WSC:CP ratios during early spring and autumn (0·45:1 and 0·75:1 respectively) than in late spring (1·11:1). The herbage WSC:CP ratio was greater (P < 0·001) at the three‐leaf than the two‐leaf defoliation stage and declined as the N application increased in all seasons (P < 0·001). The results of this study indicate that CP and carbohydrate fractions of herbage can be manipulated by sward defoliation frequency and N application rate. The magnitude of these effects, however, may vary with the season.     

Polymerisation of gluten proteins in developing wheat grain as affected by desiccation

The breadmaking quality of wheat is affected by the composition of gluten proteins and the polymerisation of subunits that are synthesised and accumulated in developing wheat grain. The biological mechanisms and time course of these events during grain development are documented, but not widely confirmed. Therefore, the aim of this study was to monitor the accumulation of gluten protein subunits and the size distribution of protein aggregates during grain development. The effect of desiccation on the polymerisation of gluten proteins and the functional properties of gluten were also studied. The results showed that the size of glutenin polymers remained consistently low until yellow ripeness (YR), while it increased during grain desiccation after YR. Hence, this polymerisation process was presumed to be initiated by desiccation. A similar polymerisation event was also observed when premature grains were dried artificially. The composition of gluten proteins, the ratios of glutenin to gliadin and high molecular weight-glutenin subunits to low molecular weight-glutenin subunits, in premature grain after artificial desiccation showed close association with the size of glutenin polymers in artificially dried grain. Functional properties of gluten in these samples were also associated with polymer size after artificial desiccation.