Heterosis and inbreeding depression in forage rape (Brassica napus L.)

Summary Heterosis and inbreeding depression for total fresh and dry weights were studied over two seasons in 15 crosses of six cultivars of forage rape (Brassica napus L.). Some of the hybrids exhibited considerable heterosis over both mid-parent and better parent; followed by depression in the F₂. The cross Windal × Canard had 62% and 25% greater dry matter yield over the best cultivar used in this experiment in 1978 and 1979, respectively. Possibilities of the utilization of this hybrid superiority are discussed.     

南方白菜型油菜自交衰退和杂种优势利用方式的研究

以连续自交三代的南方白菜型油菜品种为材料进行自交、兄妹交、姐妹系间交和开放授粉，观察自交后代衰退程度及杂交后代优势程度。结果表明南方白菜型油菜自交严重衰退、连续自交四代，其主要农艺性状与开放授粉或与姐妹系间的后代差异达显著或极显著水平。自交后代纯合性越好，则杂交Ｆ１优势率越大。同一种繁殖方式，杂交Ｆ１优势率与亲本的一般配合力有关。     

海湾扇贝自交家系的建立和自交效应

以1992年12月从加拿大引种到中国、以群体交配的方式在中国繁养了7代的海湾扇贝(Argopecten irradians)为材料，随机选取15个性腺发育成熟的个体，分为A、B、C3组，分别通过自体受精建立15个自交家系，每组设各自混群对照。结果表明，海湾扇贝自体交配家系的受精率较高，并与对照组相近；但孵化率变化较大，15个自交系的孵化率变化范围为1．35％～68．23％，平均为31．44％。自交家系F。面盘幼虫的生长速率明显低于对照组，附着变态时间也迟于对照。在15个自交家系中有14个获得成体子代，共1311个个体，但各家系间差异很大，从13个到186个不等。自交家系子代个体可以发育到性成熟并可繁殖F2，证明通过自交培育海湾扇贝家系在技术上可行。方差分析表明，除A组自交家系体重与其对照差异不显著(P≥0．05)外，其余绝大多数自交家系和对照组相比，在壳长、壳高和体重方面的差异显著(P≤0．05)或极显著(P≤0．01)。本研究还表明，海湾扇贝的自交可导致自交衰退，表现为发育迟缓和个体小型化。在面盘幼虫阶段自交衰退率为25．9％，成体阶段平均为12．7％。     

光合产物累积对大豆光合午休的影响

研究了大豆在开花期、结荚期和鼓粒期的光合日变化及叶片中淀粉和可溶性糖含量的日变化。结果表明,结荚期和鼓粒期大豆的光合作用有午休产生,而在开花期没有发现午休现象。但是在这三个不同生育期中叶片的可溶性糖和淀粉含量的日变化却表现出相同的趋势,它们的变化与大豆光合午休之间没有必然联系。用去荚和去叶方法改变大豆植株库源比后,对大豆光合午休产生与否没有影响。实验结果表明,大豆叶片中碳水化合物的累积不是造成光合午休的原因。     

Causal relationships between inbreeding, seed characteristics and plant performance in leek (Allium porrum L.)

Leek (Allium porrum L.) is an important outdoor vegetable in West Europe, where it is cultivated on about 30,000 ha. Most commercial cultivars of leek are open pollinated. One of the major problems with the crop is poor uniformity. Leek is an outbreeding species with up to 20% self-fertilisation. Much of the variation of open pollinated cultivars is explained by the strong sensitivity to in breeding depression after selfing. In this study we attempt to analyse in a systematic way the relationship between degree of selfing and agricultural performance in leek. The results obtained confirm a negative correlation between selfing and somea gricultural aspects important for vigour such as seedling emergence, plant growth and plant fresh yield. Also negative correlations between degree of selfing and seed individual weight and between selfing and seed individual size were found. The negative relationship between inbreeding and plant weight at harvest is further confirmed in an experiment in which the origin (cross-pollination orself-pollination) of each individual offspring plant analysed was determined using AFLP-markers. Finally, the correlation between chlorophyll deficiency genes and the loss of vigour that follows selfing was investigated. The results obtained demonstrate a significant decrease of pigment content in two generations of selfing. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Components of genetic variation for cut-flower yield in the Davis Population of Gerbera

Summary Genetic variances for cut-flower yield in Gerbera hybrida were partitioned into additive and dominance components. Mean additive variance was 37.3 with a standard error of 12.9. Mean dominance variance was 12.7 with a standard error of 32.6. The dominance ratio was 0.34. Narrow sense heritability, estimated from these components of variance, averaged 0.42 with a standard error of 0.13. Heritabilities estimated from parent-offspring regression averaged 0.25. Gain from selection was less then expected; realized heritabilities were approximately 0.20.     

Inbreeding Depression and Other Genetic Effects in Populations of Maize Containing Highland Tropical Germplasm

A variety cross diallel of five populations of maize (Zea mays L.) was evaluated in a cool, temperate environment. Two of the parental populations were Corn Belt Dent synthetics (AS3 and BS22), one was developed from selected lines from a CIMMYT population developed for highland regions of the tropics and four Corn Belt Dent inbred lines (NZS3), and the other two had the pedigrees ‘Criollo de Toluca’× AS3² (NZS1) and ‘San Gerónimo’× BS222 (NZS2). ‘Criollo de Toluca’ is from the highlands of Mexico and ‘San Gerönimo’ is from the highlands of Peru. The objective was to study the influence of introgressing highland tropical germplasm into elite Corn Belt Dent synthetics on genetic effects, especially inbreeding depression, and to develop recommendations for the utilization of the introgressed populations. Inbreeding depression explained the greatest proportion of the variation among entries for grain yield, days to silking and plant height, but not for grain moisture at harvest and root lodging. For grain yield, NZS1, NZS2, and NZS3 had high levels of inbreeding depression and the difference between NZS1 and AS3 was statistically significant. High levels of root lodging were associated with NZS1 and high grain moisture at harvest with NZS2. These results indicate that a recurrent selection method, such as S₁ selection, which effectively reduces inbreeding depression, should be used in early cycles of selection with introgressed populations containing highland tropical germplasm.     

Variable effectivity of three vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal endophytes in Hedysarum coronarium and Medicago sativa

Summary Plants of Hedysarum coronarium L. and Medicago sativa L., inoculated with Glomus caledonium, were grown for 6 weeks in soils with increasing amounts of available phosphorus (P). H. coronarium showed no or very low levels of infection even at very low soil P content (4 ppm), while in M. sativa the highest soil P level (20 ppm) was associated with the lowest percentage of infection. Medicago sativa and H. coronarium grown for 16 weeks in a sandy soil showed clear effects of Glomus inoculation on shoot growth and P uptake. In M. sativa inoculation increased shoot growth and P uptake in all treatments considerably, while the P concentration in the shoot was depressed by G. caledonium. In H. coronarium inoculation with G. mosseae and G. occultum had only a modest impact on shoot growth; G. caledonium even depressed shoot growth significantly. Glomus inoculation had a positive impact on the P concentrations in the shoots of H. coronarium. The growth-depressing effect of G. caledonium on H. coronarium is discussed.     

Workplace stress, mental health, and burnout of veterinarians in Australia

Objective To determine the frequency of the states of depression, anxiety, stress and burnout using internationally validated methods and to relate these to the demographic characteristics of veterinarians in Australia. Methods A postal survey of registered veterinarians with at least one year's experience and whose address was available; 1947 returned the questionnaire providing data for analysis. Results Overall, veterinarians describe higher levels of depression, anxiety, stress and burnout than the general population. The severity of these states was determined by gender, background, type of practice and years after graduation. Conclusions Modifying the curricula of veterinary schools to include the teaching of personal cognitive and coping skills to undergraduate veterinary students, the provision of the opportunity to enhance these skills throughout their veterinary career and changes in the veterinary workplace could result in improved mental health, increased job engagement and work satisfaction.     

兔出血症病毒形态学的研究

用氯仿抽提、PEG沉淀、Scpharosc 4B柱层析、超离及蔗糖密度梯度离心等方法纯化了兔出血症病毒。电镜下观察到兔出血症病毒粒子为无囊膜,大小为32～34nm。外观呈现独特的结构。正二十面体对称,髓蕊直径15～17nm,衣壳厚8～9nm。由内、外衣壳组成。外衣壳上按T=3排列着32个壳粒,壳粒呈中空的管状,长5～6nm,直径约4～5nm。中心孔径约2nm。有一环状呈不连续的内衣壳,厚2～3nm,内环上不连续每段约4nm,与壳粒相连。在5、3和2次轴对称时,病毒表面有大的、3个以上特征性的表面凹陷(Surfacc dcpression),这种表面凹陷呈一定的分布。呈五次轴对称时,病毒表周有10个向外管状突起。病毒表周不规则,表面含丰富的突起和大、小的凹陷(dcpression and small indentation)是兔出血症病毒形态学特点之一,其大小和形态,在动物病毒中比较类似于嵌杯样病毒。