Differential growth responses of agaves to nitrogen,phosphorus, potassium,and boron applications

Nutrient effects on the growth of Crassulacean acid metabolism plants have received little attention. Agave deserti and A. lechuguilla were therefore selected for study because their rate of leaf unfolding from the central spike relates closely to growth, thus providing a convenient means for monitoring the effect of nutrient applications. The greater fractional influence of nitrogen fertilization on leaf unfolding for A. deserti can be explained by its lower soil level of N than for A. lechuguilla; high application levels of N near 500 kg ha^‐1 proved slightly inhibitory compared with 100 kg N ha^‐1 during the first year after application but not during the second year for A. deserti. Agave deserti occurred in soils much higher in phosphorus, potassium, and boron than for A. lechuguilla; consistent with this, application of these three nutrients in the field had little influence on the rate of leaf unfolding for A. deserti tut could significantly increase the leaf unfolding rate for A. lechuguilla. Applications of nutrient levels that greatly stimulated leaf unfolding for A, lechuguilla, such as 100 kg N ha^‐1 or 500 kg P ha^‐1 , led to large increases in net COg uptake over 2k h; applications of 500 kg K ha‐¹ or 100 kg B ha"¹ led to lower enhancements in CO₂ uptake and in the leaf unfolding rate, but again prevented any major decrease in net COg rate during the night. In agreement with studies on other CAM plants, the macronutrients N, P, and K and the micronutrient B can enhance the growth of agaves, depending on the relative level of these nutrients in the soil.     

水翁花提取物的PPARγ配体活性鉴定

[目的]鉴定水翁花提取物2,4-二羟基-6-甲氧基-3,5-二甲基查耳酮(DMC)的PPARγ配体结合活性及其特点。[方法]用GAL4嵌合体报告基因试验检测DMC的PPARγ配体结合活性;用油红O染色法检测DMC对3T3-L1前脂肪细胞分化的影响;用[3H]-2-脱氧葡萄糖摄取试验检测DMC对3T3-L1脂肪细胞葡萄糖摄取的影响;用荧光实时定量PCR检测经DMC处理的3T3-L1脂肪细胞中PPARγ靶基因的表达情况。[结果]DMC能以剂量依赖型的方式对PPARγ产生激活作用,促进脂肪细胞的分化,显著提高脂肪细胞的葡萄糖摄取率,并且提高脂肪细胞中一些PPARγ靶基因的表达量。[结论]DMC能通过激活PPARγ促进脂肪细胞的葡萄糖摄取。     

Interactions Between Sulfur and Selenium Uptake by Corn in Solution Culture

Interactions between sulfur (S) and selenium (Se) uptake and accumulation in corn (Zea mays) plants were investigated in solution culture. Two concentrations (5 and 10 μ M) of Se (as selenate) and three concentrations of S (as sulfate) (0.5, 1.5, and 2.5 mM) were used. Results showed that shoot and root biomass were affected significantly by different S concentrations in solution, but not affected by Se application when S concentrations in solution were lower than 1.5 mM. Selenium concentrations as well as Se accumulation in shoots and roots on a dry weight basis increased dramatically with increasing Se concentrations in solution. At a constant Se level, increasing S in solution reduced Se concentrations. Selenium accumulation in plants was not affected by S application, except in nutrient solution with Se at a concentration of 10 μ M. Sulfur concentrations and S accumulation in shoots increased significantly with increasing Se concentrations in solution, while those in roots were unaffected by Se addition. Solution-to-shoot transfer factors and shoot-root distribution coefficients of Se and S were also discussed. These data suggest that it is necessary to manage carefully both S and Se levels in solution or in soils for supplementation of Se in plants. Results from this study indicate that human Se nutrition can be improved by supplementation of Se in crops.     

Nitrogen Uptake and Allocation in Sweet Viburnum During a Root Growth Flush

Most woody ornamentals exhibit episodic growth flushes and nitrogen (N) uptake has also been demonstrated to be seasonal. However, there is little information on N uptake in relationship to plant growth cycle. In this study, N uptake and allocation of sweet viburnum during periods of low and high root elongation rates were studied. Plants were fertilized with ammonium nitrate (¹⁵NH₄ ¹⁵NO₃) and after 6 d N absorption was determined. Significantly more N was absorbed by plants with low root elongation rate compared with plants with high root elongation rate. About 70% of the N absorbed by plants with low root elongation rate was allocated to the mature leaves compared to 35% on plants with high root elongation rate. It was evident that root growth activity influenced N absorption and allocation. Although only a small amount of the N absorbed by plants with low root elongation rates was allocated to the immature leaves, significantly more N was allocated to the immature leaves by plants with high root elongation rates. It is possible that the N necessary to support immature leaf growth, when root elongation rate is low, is provided by mobilization from other parts, possibly mature leaves.     

Phosphorous accumulation and distribution of two ecotypes of Pilea sinofasciata grown in phosphorous-enriched soils

Water eutrophication and poultry manure require an efficacious remediation technology to decrease phosphorous (P) concentration. In this study, the P phytoremediation potential of a mining (ME) and nonmining ecotype (NME) of Pilea sinofasciata were analyzed by pot experiments employing different concentrations of P treatments (CK, P100, P200, P400, P800 and P1600) in tested soil. Growth, P accumulation and P-relevant enzyme activities of P. sinofasciata in ME and NME were assessed after 10 weeks’ plantation. The results showed that there was no significant difference between the shoot biomass of the ME and NME. Higher P concentration and accumulation were observed in the ME than NME for all treatments. Stem P concentration of the ME were 117%, 189%, 152%, 153%, 140% and 139% higher than the NME, and leaf P concentration were 122%, 146%, 138%, 144%, 137% and 113%. Maximum P uptake and phytoextraction was observed at P400 for the ME of P. sinofasciata. Elevated activities of acid phosphatase and phytase in roots were examined in P-enriched soil, and the ME presented higher activities compared with the NME. The results in this paper provide a theoretical basis for the use of ME of P. sinofasciata for phosphorus accumulators and suggest that ME of P. sinofasciata is a promising species for the excess P phytoextraction of P-enriched soils.     

钙对盐胁迫水稻生长和营养元素吸收的影响

为揭示Ca对盐胁迫水稻的生长和营养元素吸收的影响,以日本晴水稻为材料,采用水培方式,设置不同浓度Ca和Na处理以及正常营养液处理开展对比试验,结果表明:盐胁迫水稻地上部的生长损害较为严重,外界供应5 mmol/L Ca能够修复25 mmol/L Na造成的生长损害。Ca对盐胁迫水稻的修复作用不是通过提高根系活力,而是通过降低水稻Na的吸收同时恢复根系K的吸收从而扩大根冠比实现的。水稻根系Ca含量对外界Ca和Na浓度的变化反应顿感,但地上部变化与Ca浓度成正相关。Na和Ca对Mg吸收的竞争作用主要表现在地上部的差异,根系几乎不受影响,但高Na能显著抑制水稻体内N的累积。