Relationship between Frost Tolerance and Cold-Induced Resistance of Spring Barley, Meadow Fescue and Winter Oilseed Rape to Fungal Pathogens

Plants exposed to one stress factor may become more tolerant to another. Cold is the most often documented factor inducing plant resistance to pathogens. The aim of this work was to investigate whether resistance of spring barley and meadow fescue to Bipolaris sorokiniana and resistance of winter oilseed rape to Phoma lingam induced at 5 °C for 2, 4 or 6 weeks are associated with frost tolerance, water potential and soluble carbohydrate content. Cold‐acclimated plants of each species showed increased resistance to the studied pathogens. Barley, fescue and rape plants demonstrated higher frost tolerance after hardening, but only in the case of fescue a correlation between resistance to frost and resistance to B. sorokiniana was found. A significant decrease in the water potential of leaf cells was observed in cold‐acclimated barley and fescue. In these two species, water potential greatly affected resistance to B. sorokiniana. However, only in barley did accumulation of fructose, glucose and sucrose correlate as well with changes in water potential as with cold‐induced resistance to the pathogen. In the case of hardened rape, no correlation between the studied parameters was found. The results obtained indicated that the temperature of 5 °C used during cold acclimation was not favourable for hardening of this plant species.     

Improvement of durum wheat-plant type,yield potential,and adaptation

Summary Improvement of durum wheat at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) was achieved by exploiting the variability of the tetraploid species in large numbers of combinations, and multi-location testing of germplasm on a world wide base. High yielding, widely adapted durums with short straw, good fertility, and adequate earliness were selected for distribution to major durum growing countries. Present attempts to improve durum wheat are directed at adjusting agronomic traits such as leaf angle and straw strength, and increasing spike fertility and spike size, thereby reaching higher grain numbers per unit area and higher yield potential. Diversification of the developmental pattern and incorporation of drought tolerance aim at further widening adaptation.     

基于茎直径微变化的梨枣灌溉指标的初步研究

 研究了4年生酸枣砧梨枣（Ziziphus jujuba Mill.）植株主干茎直径微变化指标对土壤水势（SWP）变化的响应规律,以及与气象要素的关系。结果表明：土壤水势降低引起茎直径日最大收缩量（MDS）增大,日生长量（DG）、生长速率（TGR）和日最大值（MXTD）降低。在水分亏缺发展阶段和水分亏缺维持阶段,MDS和TGR的噪声信号（变异系数）较小,信号强度与噪声信号的比值较大,表明其对土壤水势变化反映敏感。此外,MDS、TGR与潜在蒸散量（ET₀）、正午水汽压亏缺（VPD_md）等气象因子的相关性显著,均能反映大气的干旱程度,因此TGR和MDS可作为梨枣水分亏缺的诊断指标。     

Correlations of stomatal conductance with hydraulic, chemical and environmental variables in five urban tree species

Recent findings suggest that stomatal conductance (g_s) may be as closely linked to plant chemical variables as to hydraulic variables. To test this in an urban field setting, we examined seasonal g_s in relation to a number of plant and environmental variables in five temperate, deciduous tree species. Stomatal conductance was generally more closely correlated with abscisic acid concentrations in xylem sap than with shoot water potential, shoot osmotic potential, pH of xylem sap or environmental variables. Seasonal g_s was mostly poorly correlated with shoot water potential and osmotic potential. Among environmental variables, PPFD accounted for most variability in g_s. We tested a model, developed previously in maize, that describes regulation of g_s by abscisic acid concentration of xylem sap with leaf water status acting to modify stomatal sensitivity to the abscisic acid signal. This model explained somewhat more variation in g_s than abscisic acid concentrations alone. Response surface models, especially those incorporating environmental variables, were most successful at explaining g_s. Our findings with urban trees are consistent with the theory of regulation of g_s by root-sourced abscisic acid.     

Relationship between ultrastructural lesions of glomerular filtration barrier and proteinuria in Alport syndrome

AIM: To explore the relationship between the ultrastructural lesions of glomerular filtration barrier (GFB) and proteinuria in Alport syndrome (AS). METHODS: Thirty-five AS patients (24 males and 11 females), who were admitted to our hospital from 2008 to 2012, were enrolled in this study. The median age was 6 years (1.17 ~ 24 years) according to the time of renal biopsy. The data of clinical and electron microscopic examination were collected for retrospective analysis. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to the degree of urinary protein: non-/interval proteinuria group (13 cases) and persistent proteinuria group (22 cases). The length of glomerular basement membrane(GBM) attenuation, thickening, and dense layer splitting and layering was measured, and the percentages of these lesions were calculated. The foot process width (FPW) was measured according to the formula average FPW=π／4× (∑ GBM length／∑ foot process number). The differences of the ultrastructural lesions in GFB between the 2 groups were compared, and the association between GFB ultrastructural lesions and proteinuria were analyzed. RESULTS: The percentages of GBM thickening, splitting and layering were higher, and the foot processes were wider in persistent proteinuria group than those in non-/interval proteinuria group. The median age at renal biopsy in persistent proteinuria group was older than that in non-/interval proteinuria group. The average FPW of the 35 patients was positively correlated with the percentage of GBM thickening, splitting and layering, and the age at biopsy, respectively. CONCLUSION: The severity of GBM lesions is associated with the severity of foot process damage and the severity of proteinuria, suggesting that foot process damage associated with proteinuria in AS may be secondary to GBM lesions.     

Role of canonical transient receptor potential and inflammation in left ventricular fibrosis induced by high salt in Wistar rats

AIM:To explore the role of transient receptor potential channels subfamily C (TRPCs) and inflammation in left ventricular fibrosis induced by high salt and the effect of telmisartan. METHODS:Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: normal control (C) group (n=13), high salt (8%) model group (HS, n=24) and high salt+telmisartan (T) group (n=12). Tail-cuff artery pressure was determined every 2 weeks. The interstitial collagen deposition and inflammation were observed by Masson and HE staining, respectively. The expression of TRPC1, TRPC3, TRPC6, calcineurin (CaN), nuclear factor-κB p65 (NF-κB p65), transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) were determined by real-time PCR or Western blotting. RESULTS:Masson staining showed that left ventricle in HS group exhibited severer myocardial interstitial fibrosis compared with C group. TRPC, CaN and NF-κB assays showed that high-salt diet increased the protein expression of TRPC1, TRPC3 and TRPC6, and activated CaN and NF-κB as compared with C group. The results of HE staining, real-time PCR and Western blotting showed that high salt-treated Wistar rats had enhanced cardiac infiltration of inflammatory cells, as well as increased cardiac levels of proinflammatory cytokines (TGF-β1, IL-1β, VCAM-1, ICAM-1 and MCP-1) as compared with C group. After treated with telmisartan, left ventricular mass index and collagen volume fraction became much lower, and the levels of TRPC1, TRPC3, TRPC6, CaN, NF-κB p65, TGF-β1, ICAM-1 and MCP-1 were significantly reduced. CONCLUSION: Inflammation is exacerbated in left ventricular fibrosis induced by high salt. The mechanism may be related to the up-regulation of TRPCs, CaN and NF-κB at mRNA and protein levels. Telmisartan inhibits the expression of TRPCs and NF-κB, and ameliorates the inflammatory responses in left ventricular fibrosis.     

叶面喷施抗蒸剂对苹果树水分状态的影响

研究了叶面喷施抗蒸剂对盆栽苹果水分状态的影响。结果表明：抗旱剂一号（主要成分为黄腐酸）可明显降低树体蒸腾（最低时为对照的３９．２１％）、提高气孔阻力（最大时为对照的２４３．９６％）和叶片水势（一般比对照提高０．２－０．４ＭＰａ、最大０．７ＭＰａ），并对叶温未产生明显的影响（变化一般小于１℃），有效作用期长达１５ｄ以上。在果树旱期喷施，可明显改善树体水分状态。腐殖酸效果不明显。     

Changes in antioxidative system and membrane damage of lettuce in response to salinity and boron toxicity

Individual and combined effects of salinity and B toxicity on growth, the major antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, SOD; catalase, CAT; ascorbate peroxidase, APX) activities, ascorbic acid, proline, and H₂O₂ accumulation, and stomatal resistance (SR), malondialdehyde (MDA), membrane permeability (MP) and the concentrations of sodium (Na), chloride (Cl) and boron (B) of lettuce were investigated. Boron toxicity and salinity reduced growth of lettuce plants. Under B toxicity, B concentration of the plants was increased, but in the presence of NaCl, the concentration of B was significantly reduced. Sodium and Cl concentrations were increased in B + NaCl and NaCl treatments. Membrane damage was more pronounced in NaCl and B + NaCl treatments. Stomatal resistance of the plants was significantly increased by salinity treatments. The accumulation of proline and ascorbic acid was the highest in the B + NaCl treatment. In general, stress conditions significantly increased H₂O₂ and antioxidant enzyme (SOD, CAT and APX) activities. The present results indicate that stomatal closure is an important response of lettuce against NaCl and B + NaCl stress. Furthermore NaCl and B + NaCl toxicity-induced oxidative stress in lettuce resulting in lipid peroxidation and membrane damage. Increased antioxidant enzyme activities and also accumulation of ascorbic acid and proline are involved in order to overcome B- and NaCl-induced oxidative stress.     

Genotypic variation in water relations and gas exchange of urban trees in Detroit,Michigan, USA

Increasing tree species diversity has become a key underpinning for communities to improve resilience of urban and community forests. Increasingly, urban forestry researchers are examining physiological traits to aid in selecting trees for urban sites. Knowledge of physiological responses also has implications for understanding species’ resilience to increased stresses associated with climate change. Here, we compare growth, leaf SPAD chlorophyll index, water relations, and gas exchange of seven genotypes of shade trees planted in two locations in downtown Detroit, MI, USA. Genotypes included Redpointe® maple (Acer rubrum ‘Frank Jr.’), Flashfire® maple (Acer saccharum ‘JFS-Caddo2′), Pacific Sunset® maple (Acer truncatum x platanoides ‘Warrenred’), Emerald City® tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera ‘JFS-Oz’), Chanticleer® pear (Pyrus calleryana ‘Glen’s Form’), swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor), and Emerald Sunshine® elm (Ulmus propinqua ‘JFS-Bieberich’). Trees were planted in either Lafayette Plaisance Park (Park), a large urban greenspace, or on the median of St. Aubin Avenue (Median), a nearby major thoroughfare. Tree height growth and leaf SPAD index were higher for trees planted in the Park location than on the Median. However, genotypic variation was larger than the effects of location or the interaction of Genotype × Location for most traits. Across measurement dates, midday leaf water potential was lowest for Pyrus trees and highest for Ulmus and Liriodendron trees. Pyrus and Quercus trees had relatively high rates of net photosynthesis (A) and stomatal conductance (g_s) while Liriodendron, Acer saccharum, and Ulmus trees had low rates of A and g_s. Liriodendron trees closed their stomata rapidly as leaf water potential (Ψ_w) declined (isohydric response), while Pyrus and Quercus trees maintained g_s across a range of leaf Ψ_w (anisohydric response). Liriodendron trees also had the highest relative growth rates, suggesting that drought stress avoidance through isohydry is a viable drought tolerance mechanism in urban trees.     

LED补光组合对大棚越橘生长发育的影响

以2年生南高丛越橘‘Emerald’为材料,以大棚内自然光作为对照,研究LED光源的红蓝光(3︰1和6︰1)、紫外光(UVA)对植株长势、叶片光合作用、碳氮代谢、开花基因表达及开花率、果实品质的影响。结果表明:红蓝光组合处理下‘Emerald’的植株营养生长较旺盛,株高、1年生枝条长度和粗度显著高于对照。此外,红蓝光(6︰1)处理下叶片的叶绿素相对含量、比叶重和净光合速率均显著提高。红蓝光组合也可诱导植株开花,开花基因FT表达量和开花率明显高于对照。紫外光下叶片的氮含量、开花率及FT基因表达量显著高于对照。不同光质组合补光对‘Emerald’的果实品质有显著影响,红蓝光(3︰1)处理下果实的质量、横纵径、可溶性固形物、可溶性糖、花青素含量和糖酸比均高于对照。总之,不同光质补光会促进越橘‘Emerald’的生长发育,红蓝光6︰1组合对促进营养生长作用相对较大,红蓝光3︰1组合对提高果实品质效果较好。紫外光虽能改变植株形态和促进开花,但果实品质提高效果较红蓝光处理稍弱。