Economic Valuation of Varieties and Breeding Objectives

Breeding planning and variety valuation can be supported only if weighting factors for the economically relevant performance traits are available. In plant breeding they are necessary for the calculation of selection indices as well as for the comparison of varieties and for quantifying the monetary impact of breeding progress. In this article the economic weights for the most important performance traits of sugar beet are calculated from the farmer's, the sugar factory's, and the national economy's point of view. Based upon economic weights for beet yield, sugar content, potassium, sodium, and ammo nitrogen content, a total of 19 varieties was compared with regard to physical and economic performance. The investigation shows that “best” and “worst” varieties differ in gross margin per ha by 270.— to 330.— DM. Indications were given for possibilities and limitations of the application of economic weights in breeding planning.     

病原侵染早期小麦抗白粉病性状的构成因素剖析和QTL定位分析

以国际小麦作图组织提供的W7984×Opata85重组近交群体为材料,将白粉病抗性分解为互作早期不同时间点的乳突指数、乳突级别、吸器指数和二级菌丝指数等成分性状,在成分性状鉴定和统计的基础上,进行遗传分析和相关QTL定位。白粉菌侵染早期乳突指数和吸器指数随时间的变化趋势均受主效单基因的调控。数量性状分析共找到34个与抗白粉病相关的QTL (21个主效QTL),分布于小麦1B、1D、2B、3A、3B、3D、4A、4B、4D、5B、6A、6B、6D、7B和7D染色体上。位于7B染色体上的QTL(QPmPI16.tn-7B)对乳突形成的影响极为显著,贡献率达48.7%,促进乳突形成的等位变异来自Opata85。不同成分性状存在共定位的QTL。成分性状的特异QTL提供了更多的有关抗白粉病遗传机制信息。     

Variation in phenology and height increment of northern Ulmus glabra populations: Implications for conservation

Abstract

Variation in budburst, height increment and growth cessation within and among five Norwegian Ulmus glabra (Huds.) populations was recorded in an experimental trial during the fourth and fifth growing seasons. Budburst occurred first in inland populations and last in coastal populations, and latitude of origin was less important for timing of budburst than distance from the coast. Height increment and date of growth cessation were correlated to latitude, height increment decreased with increasing latitude of origin, whereas growth cessation occurred first in northern populations and later with increasing southern origin. Thus, the phenological traits vary in accordance with the climate from where the populations have been derived. There was a general large within-population variation in phenological traits. The results are discussed in relation to conservation of adaptive trait variation of the species.     

银杏半同胞家系种苗性状变异及苗期选择

为探讨银杏家系主要性状的遗传变异规律，为苗期选择提供依据，对40个银杏半同胞家系的种苗性状进行了研究。结果表明：银杏半同胞家系种苗性状遗传力较高，不同家系间存在着不同程度的变异，家系内变异较小，种苗性状作为苗期选择的指标是可行的。随苗龄的增长，家系间在生长性状上的变异和分化有加大的趋势，银杏分枝类型的数量比例也会发生变化，由幼龄时长枝占优势会逐渐转变为成龄短枝占优势。银杏家系种子大小能反映该家系在苗期的生长表现，种子愈大，苗期生长量愈大。     

Automated image analysis as a tool to quantify the colour and composition of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss W.) cutlets

The goal of this paper is to propose and evaluate automated image analysis methods for describing muscle cutlets in rainbow trout. The proposed automated image analysis methods were tested on a total of 983 scanned images of trout cutlets, and included quality traits such as fat percentage, flesh colour and the size of morphologically distinguishable subparts of the cutlet. A sub-sample of 50 images was randomly selected for manual segmentation of the cutlet, the dorsal fat depot and the red muscle and regions. The identification of these regions by manual and automatic image analysis correlated strongly (r = 0.97, r = 0.95 and r = 0.91, respectively). The estimated fat percentage obtained from image analysis, based on the area of visible fat and the colour of the cutlet flesh, correlated well with chemical fat percentage measured by mid-infrared transmission spectroscopy (MIT) (r = 0.78). The automated image analysis methods are therefore a reliable means of predicting the fat percentage of trout cutlets. Principal component analysis (PCA) loading plots were used to identify subsets of variables from the image analysis of special significance for further studies; cutlet area, dorsal fat depot area, red muscle area, back height, cutlet width, and width of left and right abdomen wall were among the variables selected. PCA loading plots of different colour variables indicated that simple statistical coefficients such as percentiles and mean values can be used to quantify different aspects of flesh colour. In conclusion, the methods presented here provide a powerful toolbox for describing important morphological structures and quality traits of trout cutlets.     

Effect of triploidy on quality traits of shi drum (Umbrina cirrosa L.) until the second rearing year

Carcass and flesh morphometric, reological and chemical traits of triploid (3n) and diploid (2n) shi drum (Umbrina cirrosa L.) were evaluated through 7 months. Three age groups, 17‐, 21‐ and 24‐month‐old fish, were investigated. The effects of ploidy were statistically evaluated and the weight of fish was included in the model as a covariate because triploids grew less than diploids. As expected, fish weight was found to be significantly correlated with all the investigated morphometric traits, but showed a negative correlation with some chemical (pH) and colour traits (lightness) of raw fillet. In comparison with controls, triploid shi drums were characterized by different morphological traits that involved a slender body shape. In triploids, a reduction in condition factor, backbone weight, dressing index and an increase in the agility index were also recorded. When the commercial size (i.e. over 300 g) was achieved, triploids exhibited larger coelomatic and fillet (dorsal white muscle) fat deposition than diploids. Among reological traits, colour and texture were affected by ploidy; raw fillet lightness and cooked flesh tenderness were higher among triploids in all the investigated age groups. As fish were fed with a restricted feeding regimen, fillet fat deposition was supposed to be limited. Thus, the effects of ploidy on reological traits may be only partially explained by lipid fillet amount and are supposed to be more related to different fibre muscle architecture.     

Are survival and reproduction of Enchytraeus albidus (Annelida: Enchytraeidae) at risk by feeding on Bt-maize litter?

Enchytraeids are saprophagous soil organisms, appearing in high abundances and contributing to ecological processes within the soil. For decades they have been used as model species for biological research. In the framework of research on genetically modified plants, however, they have not been considered to date. Following the ISO/DIS guideline, survival and reproduction of Enchytraeus albidus, fed with diets containing Bt-maize (N4640Bt Cry1Ab, DKC5143Bt Cry3Bb1) leaf material were analysed. For comparison, diets with the corresponding untransformed near-isolines (N4640, DKC5143) were examined. Additionally a high quality control diet (oat flakes) was included. Survival and reproduction showed no significant differences between the Cry3Bb1 treatment and the treatment with the untransformed counterpart. For the Cry1Ab treatment survival was significantly higher than for the treatment with the corresponding near-isoline. In contrast, reproduction was significantly lower for the Cry1Ab treatment compared to that for the isoline. For the Cry3Bb1 treatment, no effect was shown on survival or reproduction. For the Cry1Ab variety and its untransformed counterpart, a contrasting result was detected, which is unlikely to be caused by the Bt-protein but rather by differences in other plant components. Overall survival and reproduction were highest for the control.     

水稻白转绿突变体的特性、遗传及其育种应用

对通过辐射诱变获得的具有白化转绿特性的水稻光温敏核不育突变体的遗传及其生物学特性进行了研究。结果表明,这些突变体可分为3种类型：白化转绿类型(W2、W3、W4和W10),白化转黄绿类型(W9)和白化转绿后期转白复绿类型(W1和W7)。这些突变体的白转绿特性都是受一对隐性基因控制,具有与原不育系“培矮64S”相似的农艺性状和育性转换特性,它们的杂种具有与原杂交稻相似的株叶形态,分蘖和株高生长动态,但是它们的产量构成因素依不同的突变系而表现不同,其中W1、W2和W3的杂种具有与原杂交稻相似的产量潜力,具有较好的育种应用价值。     

CO2浓度升高和磷素亏缺对黑麦草气孔特征及气体交换参数的影响

为深入理解未来大气CO2浓度升高背景下草地生态系统结构与功能响应土壤磷亏缺的潜在机理,该研究利用可精准控制CO2浓度的大型人工气候室,探讨了正常CO2浓度400 μmol/mol、升高CO2浓度800 μmol/mol和磷素供应水平（0.004、0.012、0.02、0.06、0.1和0.5 mmol/L）对黑麦草气孔特征及其气体交换过程的影响。结果表明,CO2浓度升高使供磷水平0.1和0.5 mmol/L的气孔密度增加约35%（P=0.012）和25%（P<0.001）,但却减小气孔开度13%（P=0.002）和12%（P=0.005）,且导致供磷水平为0.06 mmol/L的黑麦草气孔分布更加规则。同时,CO2浓度升高还导致供磷水平0.1和0.5 mmol/L的净光合速率显著增加8.6%（P=0.002）和15.8%（P<0.001）,从而提高黑麦草的水分利用效率。另外,不同供磷水平明显改变了植株生物量及其分配,且高浓度CO2对较高磷水平时地上生长产生更强的施肥效应。研究结果将为深入理解草地生态系统对大气CO2浓度升高和土壤磷素亏缺的响应机理提供理论依据和数据支撑。     

鹰爪虾形态性状和体重的通径分析及灰色关联分析

为探究鹰爪虾(Trachypenaeus curvirostirs)形态性状和体重的关系,本研究测定了体重(Y)及全长(X₁)、体长(X₂)、头胸甲长(X₃)、头胸甲宽(X₄)、头胸甲高(X₅)、第1腹节长(X₆)、第1腹节宽(X₇)、第1腹节高(X₈)、第6腹节长(X₉)、第6腹节宽(X₁₀)、第6腹节高(X₁₁)、尾节长(X₁₂)、尾扇长(X₁₃)13个形态性状,通过通径分析和灰色关联分析等方法研究了各性状之间的关系。结果显示,雌性鹰爪虾各生物学指标均大于雄性,雌、雄群体各性状之间均呈极显著正相关关系(P<0.01),体长(X₂)与体重的相关系数均最大(分别为0.972和0.969);通径分析和决定系数分析发现,雌、雄群体体长(X₂)对体重的直接影响和直接决定系数均最大(通径系数分别为0.443和0.519),雌、雄群体对体重间接作用最大的形态性状分别为第1腹节宽(X₇)(作用系数之和为0.750)和尾节长(X₁₂)(作用系数之和为0.887),雌性群体体长(X₂)和头胸甲高(X₅)的共同决定系数最大(0.167),雄性群体全长(X₁)和体长(X₂)的共同决定系数最大(0.248)。采用逐步回归法建立雌、雄群体形态性状与体重的多元回归方程分别为Y₁=–14.563+0.133X₂+0.374X₇+0.282X₅+0.225X₁₃(R₂=0.978)、Y₂=–7.947+0.092X₂+0.309X₄+0.203X₁₀+0.036X₁–0.087X₁₂(R₂=0.980)。雌性群体形态性状与体重的关联系数平均值在0.868~0.941之间,雄性群体的平均值在0.793~0.906之间,从同一形态性状来看,雌性群体与体重关联系数的平均值均大于雄性群体。雌、雄群体体长(X₂)与体重的关联度均为最高。通径分析结果和灰色关联分析结果并不完全相同,综合比较分析得出,在进行鹰爪虾选育时,雌、雄群体以体长(X₂)作为主要选择性状,雌性群体辅助选择头胸甲高(X₅)和第1腹节宽(X₇);雄性群体辅助选择头胸甲宽(X₄)和全长(X₁)。