Seed Priming Increases Crop Yield Possibly by Modulating Enzymes of Sucrose Metabolism in Chickpea

The number of seeds and seed yield per plant were higher in chickpea crops raised from water and mannitol (4 %) primed seeds in comparison with the control non-primed crops. In primed plants, an enhanced acid invertase activity in the apical part of the main stem and the part immediately below it at 100 and 130 days after sowing (DAS) might result in an increased availability of hexoses to these plant parts. In addition, decreased acid invertase activity at the point of initiation of branches and in the internodes of stem observed in primed plants indicated restricted hydrolysis of sucrose during its transport through the stem, resulting in its more supply to the actively growing sinks. The activities of sucrose-cleaving enzymes, i.e. invertase and sucrose synthase (SS) in podwall of primed plants were higher at 110 DAS. At 140 DAS, a stage of rapid seed filling, increased activities of SS and sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) were observed in seeds of primed plants. Increased SPS activity in seeds of primed crop could meet the increased assimilate requirements of the developing seeds. Higher activity of SS in seeds of primed crop may facilitate seed filling. These data suggest that enzymes of sucrose metabolism play an important role in increasing the yield of chickpea crops raised from primed seeds.     

Aluminum toxicity in plant cells: Mechanisms of cell death and inhibition of cell elongation

Aluminum (Al) ions are a major constraint for crop productivity in acidic soils. The root apex is the most sensitive plant part to Al, which inhibits root elongation and causes cell death. To elucidate the mechanisms of these toxic events, Al responses have been investigated in cultured cell lines of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), SL and BY-2. These cells at the logarithmic growth phase serve as a model system of meristematic cells at the root apex. Our research group has revealed three types of cell death mechanisms triggered by Al: (i) Enhancement of iron (Fe)-mediated lipid peroxidation leading to a loss of plasma membrane integrity (plasma membrane pathway); (ii) dysfunction of mitochondria accompanied by ROS production (mitochondria pathway); and (iii) upregulation of NtVPE1 encoding a vacuolar processing enzyme (VPE), which leads to vacuolar collapse and the loss of plasma membrane integrity (vacuole pathway). Mechanisms (ii) and (iii) have been confirmed in root systems of pea and tobacco seedlings, respectively. The inhibition of elongation (expansion) in SL cells was detected as a decrease in water content, together with decreased osmolality and soluble sugar content, which was partly due to the inhibition of sucrose uptake by Al. The inhibition of root elongation by Al due to the inhibition of the sucrose transporter (SUT) NtSUT1 localized at the plasma membrane was confirmed in tobacco seedlings, in which overexpression of NtSUT1 mitigated both the inhibition of elongation and cell death at the root apex under Al stress.     

施氮量对不同类型花生蔗糖合成及产量的影响

以白沙1016和花育17为材料,在大田高产栽培条件下,研究了不同施氮量对不同类型花生叶片蔗糖合成及产量的影响。结果表明,在一定施氮量范围内,增加施氮量花生叶片磷酸蔗糖合成酶活性提高,蔗糖含量增加,过量施氮磷酸蔗糖合成酶活性下降,蔗糖含量降低,适量施氮有利于花生叶片蔗糖的合成。增施氮肥提高花生荚果产量主要是通过提高花生的生物产量而获得的,过多施氮经济系数降低,而导致荚果产量下降。适当增施氮肥提高花生产量,主要是通过提高单株有效结果数和荚果饱满程度而实现的。不同类型花生品种对氮肥的响应不同,珍珠豆型花生品种的适宜施氮量较普通型花生品种的为低。本试验条件下,珍珠豆型花生品种的适宜施氮量为N 90 kg/hm2左右;普通型花生品种的适宜施氮量为N 135 kg/hm2左右。     

A flood-free period combined with early planting is required to sustain yield of pre-rice sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench)

Abstract

Understanding the responses of sweet sorghum to flooding and the characters associated with flooding tolerance may be a useful strategy for pre-rice production and help meet demand for biofuel feedstock. Three sweet sorghum genotypes (Bailey, Keller and Wray) and five flooding treatments including non-flooding control, continuous flooding extended from 30, 45, 60 and 75 days after emergence to harvest were conducted under greenhouse conditions. Flooding decreased leaf dry weight (22–60%), leaf area (10–70%), number of node per stalk (1–5%), shoot dry weight (5–20%) and stalk yield (2–22%) with highest reduction in 30 days after emergence flooding treatment. Flooding later than 30 days after emergence did not significantly affect shoot growth, yield and yield components. Brix value, sucrose content and total sugar content were not significantly affected. All studied cultivars had similar shoot growth response. Flooding induced development of roots in water; root length, root dry weight, nodal root and lateral root number and interconnection of aerenchyma spaces from roots in flooded soil to stalk base above water level but suppressed root growth in flooded soil. The acclimation traits were highest in Keller, flooding from 30 days after emergence but there was a lack of root development in 75 days after emergence flooding treatments. These findings indicate the effect of waterlogging on sweet sorghum growth and yield strongly depends on the growth stage at which it occurs. There were genetic variations in root morphological and anatomical responses to flooding of sweet sorghum. The development of nodal and lateral roots and aerenchyma formation from flooded plant parts to stalk bases above water level may distribute to flooding tolerance in sweet sorghum. Based on the results, a flood-free period of at least 30 days after emergence is required to sustain yield of pre-rice sweet sorghum and early planting is highly recommended.     

FLOWER ABSCISSION IN PEPPER PLANTS GROWN UNDER DIFFERENT REGIMES OF NITROGEN FERTILIZATION AND PHOTOSYNTHETICALLY ACTIVE RADIATION

The effect of nitrogen fertilization on flower abscission in pepper was studied under different growth regimes. The pepper plants were irrigated with 4, 9, and 14 meq L^?1of nitrate (N4, N9, and N14). The plants were grown in winter under a low level (639 mol m^?2) of cumulative photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) (L_PAR), and in spring under a high level (1074 mol m^?2) of cumulative PAR (H_PAR). The number of flowers and flower abscission were higher under H_PAR than under L_PAR. Flower abscission was higher in response to treatment N4, than in response to treatments N9 and N14, while the flower number was significantly lower. Flower abscission was strongly correlated with growth-related parameters as well as with the carbon or nitrogen contents in plants. Neither the sucrose fluxes nor the amino acid fluxes through the flower pedicels were affected by nitrogen supply. The sucrose fluxes were strongly correlated with air temperature.     

植物蔗糖转化酶及其基因表达调控研究进展

 糖是植物体的能源物质,也是基因表达的重要调节物质。在植物蔗糖代谢过程中,特别是果实发育的过程当中转化酶起到了很重要的作用,催化蔗糖水解成为己糖,直接影响蔬菜和水果的品质。蔗糖转化酶分为酸性转化酶和中性/碱性转化酶,两者在植物体中的作用不同。由于转化酶种类不同,其表达方式也比较复杂,同时能够调控转化酶基因表达的因素也较多,主要有器官和发育特异性、糖、胁迫以及激素等。尽管目前对于植物转化酶已经有了一定程度的了解,但是还存在许多未知的问题需要探究。     

In vitro tuberisation of potato: the interaction of ancymidol and photoperiod

Summary Ancymidol-induced in vitro tuberisation under different photoperiodic regimes (dark, SD=8 h, LD=16 h) and sucrose concentrations (2, 4, 6 and 8%) in cv. Jaerla (early) and cv. Baraka (late) was studied. Tuberisation was scored after 4 (dark) or 8 (light) weeks. Ancymidol significantly increased tuberisation under LD-SD for any sucrose concentration in both cultivars. Ancymidol also significantly increased tuberisation under LD-dark for 6% sucrose in both cultivars. Tuberisation in cv. Jaerla was significantly higher than in cv. Baraka for any photoperiodic treatment in the presence or absence of ancymidol with 4, 6 or 8% sucrose. The photoperiod SD-SD resulted in the higher level of tuberisation for any combination of sucrose, cultivar and ancymidol. The possible role of ancymidol is discussed.     

不同栽培模式下冬小麦籽粒糖及淀粉累积的动态研究

以冬小麦小偃22为试验材料,在120 kg/hm2施氮水平和基本苗为130~150万hm2下,研究常规栽培(CK)、覆草栽培、地膜覆盖3种不同栽培模式灌浆期小麦籽粒可溶性总糖含量、蔗糖含量及淀粉累积的动态变化。试验结果表明,不同栽培模式小麦籽粒可溶性总糖含量、蔗糖含量、淀粉含量存在差异。与常规栽培相比较,在覆草栽培条件下,可溶性总糖含量、蔗糖含量在灌浆前期高于常规栽培,在成熟期低于常规栽培;而淀粉含量始终高于常规栽培,且籽粒的饱满指数和产量均显著高于常规栽培。地膜覆盖栽培条件下,可溶性总糖含量、蔗糖含量在灌浆前期高于常规栽培,在成熟期低于常规栽培;而淀粉含量始终高于常规栽培,且籽粒的饱满指数和产量均高于常规栽培。在覆草和地膜覆盖栽培条件下冬小麦器官中可溶性总糖、蔗糖的合成代谢旺盛,可溶性总糖含量、蔗糖积累量高,"库"器官中可溶性总糖、蔗糖供应充足,可溶性总糖、蔗糖的降解代谢旺盛,具有较强的同化物利用能力,为籽粒中淀粉的快速积累以及最终实现较高的粒重和产量奠定了基础。     

山药SuSy基因全长cDNA序列的结构、进化和表达

 【目的】阐明山药蔗糖合成酶（SuSy,EC 2.4.1.13）基因家族的成员及其功能。【方法】利用RT-PCR和RACE技术从大薯（Dioscorea alata ）地下块茎中分离到1个SuSy基因（DaSuSy1）全长cDNA序列,并用DANSTAR和Clastal W等软件分析该序列的结构特征和分子进化,采用RT-PCR和Northern杂交对该基因的时空表达进行分析。【结果】DaSuSy1全长cDNA序列大小为2 673 bp,其中最大开放阅读框（ORF）、5′端和3′端的非翻译区分别含有2 445 bp、7 bp和221 bp,而且3′端的非翻译区含1个24 nt的Poly（A+）尾;最大ORF可编码814个氨基酸,分子量为92.76 kD,等电点为6.42,含有蔗糖合成酶和葡糖基转移酶两个保守功能域及两个磷酸化位点,即N端的Ser10和C端的SNLDRRET781 RR(Ser774～Thr781)。该基因在全长cDNA序列、编码区cDNA序列及其编码氨基酸序列的水平上与GenBank中所选已知物种SuSy基因相应序列的同源性分别达45.3%～71.3%、45.8%～74.8%和50%～84.7%,与禾本科植物SuSy基因家族中一些成员亲缘关系最近。DaSuSy1在非光合器官中表达,其中地下块茎表达最为强烈,而且从块茎形成初前期开始表达一直增强至盛中期,此后逐渐减弱。【结论】DaSuSy1是山药SuSy基因家族成员,归为单子叶植物SuSy基因的组别,仅在非光合器官中表达编码负责蔗糖-淀粉转化功能的SuSy同工型。     

培养基大量元素、蔗糖、琼脂对草莓试管苗生长的影响

采用正交设计方法研究了培养基中的大量元素浓度、蔗糖浓度和琼脂浓度对草莓试管苗生长的影响,结果表明:3个因素中大量元素浓度对草莓试管苗增殖作用最显著,其次为琼脂浓度,蔗糖浓度作用不明显;大量元素各浓度水平中,以MS为最好,琼脂浓度以10 g/L水平为最好.对丛芽生长高度的影响,3个因素都有显著的作用(P＜0.05);蔗糖、大量元素浓度对丛芽根生长的作用达极显著水平(P＜0.01);蔗糖浓度以60 g/L水平最有利于根的发生,大量元素浓度以1/2MS水平为好.