Effect of ABA,arginine and sucrose on protein content of date palm somatic embryos

Abscisic acid (ABA), arginine and sucrose were evaluated for their effects on the morphology, germination rates and protein content of date palm somatic embryos (SE). Different concentrations of these supplements in the culture medium were used. The comparative study of SE length and thickness between treated and untreated SE revealed no differences, except for ABA (20 μM), which increased thickness. A decrease of water content (WC) in favor of an increase in dry weight (DW) was observed in all treated SE, especially with sucrose (90 g l⁻¹) and ABA (20 μM). Only ABA (20 and 4 μM) caused a proliferation rate of the cultures higher than those in the control. Although all the tested compounds increased protein content, ABA (20 μM) was more effective in protein enrichment than arginine and sucrose treatments. The SDS-PAGE protein profiles showed a significant difference between treated and untreated SE. A protein band of 22 kDa, identified as glutelin in a previous work, was accumulated after treatment with 20 μM ABA or 3 mM arginine. These findings may contribute to further understanding of the mechanisms involved in the accumulation of specific storage proteins in several plants.     

木薯粉对罗非鱼生长、饲料利用和鱼体营养成分的影响

选择健康的吉富罗非鱼(体重1.29±0.25 g)为实验鱼,配制五种木薯粉含量分别为0%、10%、20%、30%和40%的等氮(粗蛋白为32%)、等能(总能为16 kJ·g-1)实验饲料,饲喂罗非鱼56 d,每饲料组设三个重复,研究不同含量木薯粉对吉富罗非鱼生长、饲料利用及全鱼营养成分的影响.结果表明:(1)木薯粉能提高罗非鱼的增重和蛋白质效率,其中以40%木薯粉组的效果最佳,其增重率、蛋白质效率和饲料系数分别为1470.99%(P＜0.05)、2.36(P＜0.05)和1.27(P＜0.05).(2)40%木薯粉组的干物质和蛋白质的表观消化率分别较对照组提高13.87%(P＜0.05)和7.93%(P＜0.05).(3)40%木薯粉组的全鱼粗蛋白、粗灰分分别较对照组显著提高7.07%(P＜0.05)和8.78%(P＜0.05),粗脂肪降低了13.00%(P＜0.05).     

育珠期三角帆蚌的生长及其与珍珠增长的关系

通过对三角帆蚌壳长、壳宽、蚌总重（整体湿重）、内脏团湿重、壳重和珍珠重等指标在5-11月间的逐月连续测定,研究了常规养殖模式下育珠期2龄三角帆蚌在主要生长季节的生长规律及其与珍珠生长的相关性。结果表明：珍珠重(PW)与壳长(SL)、壳宽(SW)的关系分别为PW=0.0008SL3.3946 (R2=0.6948)和PW=0.7809SW1.0227 (R2=0.6888);而珍珠重(PW)与蚌重(TW)、内脏团重(BW)和壳重(W)的关系分别为PW=0.0021TW1.5434 (R2=0.7337),PW=0.107BW0.9125 (R2=0.7158)和PW=0.0324W1.1259 (R2=0.7101);三角帆蚌总重(TW)与壳长(SL)、 壳宽(SW)的关系最适合用指数函数进行拟合,其关系式分别为TW=16.003e0.1681SL,(R2=0.7961),和TW=64.311e0.1372SW (R2=0.6822);而内脏团重(BW)和壳重(W)与壳长(SL)、壳宽(SW)的关系则适合为幂函数曲线拟合,关系式分别为BW=0.0188SL3.1427,(R2=0.6927);W=0.0656SL2.7721, (R2=0.8271)和BW=12.446SW0.8974 (R2=0.617);W=19.876SW0.802 (R2=0.7563)。本研究结果发现,珍珠生长与蚌总重、壳长和壳宽等外部测量指标之间的相关性显著,从而无须通过杀蚌取珠而直接通过这些外部生长指标的测定就能较好地了解珍珠的生长,更好地为珍珠养殖生产和管理提供指导。     

Predicting the age of fish using general and generalized linear models of biometric data: A case study of two estuarine finfish from New South Wales, Australia

Direct ageing of fish can be a laborious and expensive task when age estimates from a large population are required, and often involves a degree of subjectivity. This study examined the application of general and generalized linear models that predict the age of fish from a range of efficiently and objectively measured covariates. The data sampled were from yellowfin bream (Acanthopagrus australis (Sparidae) (Owen, 1853)) and sand whiting (Sillago ciliata (Sillaginidae) Cuvier, 1829) populations from New South Wales, Australia. The covariates evaluated in the models were fish length, otolith weight, sex and location (the estuary from which the fish were sampled). Akaike Information Criteria were used for model selection and residual plots of the final models revealed a satisfactory fit to the observations. The best fitting model for each species included all covariates. An additional investigation considered whether general and generalized linear models that predict age from two different categories of biometric information outperform age-length keys with respect to subsequent estimates of total mortality from catch-curve analysis. The two categories of biometric information differed in the ease and cost with which the information could be collected. The first category only included fish length and location as covariates, whilst the second category also included otolith weight and sex. It was found that traditional age-length keys outperformed the predictive models that estimated age from only fish length and location, because the results from the models were prone to significant bias. However, when otolith weight and sex were added as covariates to the predictive models, some of them, including a generalized linear model with a Poisson-distributed response variable, performed similarly to the age-length key. Given that otolith weight and the sex of fish are cheaper to quantify than age from a sectioned otolith in many situations, general or generalized linear models may represent a cheaper and faster method of estimating mortality compared to age-length keys. Such models can also easily incorporate the influence of spatial, temporal and demographic variation.     

小麦粒重主效QTL近等基因系的构建和效应评价

粒重是影响小麦产量的主要因素之一。QGw.nau-5A是一个从我国小麦骨干亲本南大2419中鉴定的粒重主效QTL。为评价该QTL不同等位基因对粒重的效应及在育种中的应用潜力,利用分子标记辅助选择技术,分别将南大2419和早洋麦的QGw.nau-5A区段导入望水白和川麦42,构建了不同背景的近等基因系,并比较了不同背景下粒重QTL的效应。结果表明,QGw.nau-5A能在不同背景下显著提高小麦粒重,与轮回亲本相比,近等基因系的百粒重显著增加0.2~0.6g。QGw.nau-5A等位变异对粒重的贡献存在差异,与川麦42的等位变异相比,南大2419和早洋麦的等位变异均能增加粒重,但后者效应更大。     

扬麦16“灌浆快”与颖果显微结构和内源生长素的关系

扬麦16是长江中下游麦区种植面积最大的品种,具有灌浆速度快、粒重高等特点。为探明扬麦16"灌浆快"与颖果结构和内源生长素的关系,以宁麦13为对照,显微观察了扬麦16颖果维管束、胚乳细胞和传递细胞发育的变化特征,测定了千粒重和生长素含量。结果表明,扬麦16胚乳中淀粉体和蛋白体发育好,胚乳充实饱满,最终粒重高;灌浆过程中扬麦16颖果内源生长素水平高,促进了同化物向籽粒的调运和胚乳细胞的分裂;扬麦16颖果维管束发达,筛管面积大,韧皮部卸载能力强;扬麦16颖果传递细胞分化早,细胞壁内突结构发达,养分转运能力强。     

Survey and new insights in the application of PCR‐based molecular markers for identification of HMW‐GS at the Glu‐B1 locus in durum and bread wheat

Wheat, among all cereal grains, possesses unique characteristics conferred by gluten; in particular, high molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMW‐GS) are of considerable interest as they strictly relate to bread‐making quality and contribute to strengthening and stabilizing dough. Thus, the identification of allelic composition, in particular at the Glu‐B1 locus, is very important to wheat quality improvement. Several PCR‐based molecular markers to tag‐specific HMW glutenin genes encoding Bx and By subunits have been developed in recent years. This study provides a survey of the molecular markers developed for the HMW‐GS at the Glu‐B1 locus. In addition, a selection of molecular markers was tested on 31 durum and bread wheat cultivars containing the By8, By16, By9, Bx17, Bx6, Bx14 and Bx17 Glu‐B1 alleles, and a new assignation was defined for the ZSBy9_aF1/R3 molecular marker that was specific for the By20 allele. We believe the results constitute a practical guide for results that might be achieved by these molecular markers on populations and cultivars with high variability at the Glu‐B1 locus.     

棉花纤维中木质素的相对分子量

分子量是聚合物的重要特性之一,木质素的分子量及其分布是研究苯丙烷类结构的反应、物理化学特性和评价其改性产物质量的内容之一。本研究以陆地棉TM-1成熟纤维为材料,分别利用酶解-温和酸解木质素法和二氧六环法提取棉纤维中木质素,结合凝胶渗透色谱法(gel permeation chromatography,GPC)调查和评价2种方法获得的棉纤维中木质素的相对分子量。结果表明,经二氧六环处理提取的棉花纤维中的木质素(dioxane lignin,DL)的重均分子量为2924g mol~(–1)、数均分子量2403 g mol~(–1),略高于由酶解-温和酸解处理提取的木质素(enzymatic hydrolysis-mild acidolysis lignin,EMAL)的重均分子量(2169 g mol~(–1))和数均分子量(1970 g mol~(–1)),EMAL的多分散系数稍低,说明木质素的均一性比DL高。表明EMAL法提取的木质素更适用于分析棉纤维中木质素的相对分子量。利用EMAL法分析棉纤维中木质素相对分子量表明,不同棉花品种的木质素重均分子量分布范围为938~2169 g mol~(–1),数均分子量分布范围为857~1970 g mol~(–1),多分散性系数在1.09~1.74间,均小于2。重均分子量与纤维马克隆值呈显著负相关,数均分子量与纤维长度呈显著负相关,与纤维马克隆值呈极显著负相关。     

Seed growth of three perennial ryegrass cultivars sown on two dates and treated with trinexapac ethyl straw shortener

First‐year crops of diploid perennial ryegrass (cvs. Meridian, Bronsyn and Grasslands Impact) were sown on 1 April and 14 May 2008. Applications of trinexapac ethyl (TE) plant growth regulator at 0, 200 and 400 g a.i. ha^?1 were used to shorten stems to examine the impact of seed growth. Seed filling followed a consistent sigmoidal growth pattern with a lag phase of 127°C days, and linear duration of 390°C days. Time to 95% of final seed weight was 517°C days. Seed yield increases from TE were from higher numbers of first‐grade seeds m^?2, achieved by a higher rate of seed filling during the linear phase of 0·115 mg per °C day per spike. For all cultivars, the maximum stem dry weight occurred at 310–400°C days post‐anthesis, which suggest the stem was a strong sink. As seeds developed, their demand for assimilate increased and they drew more from the stem. At harvest, stem weights from TE treatments were 25% heavier than at anthesis, while untreated ‘Bronsyn’ and ‘Grasslands Impact’ stems were similar to those at anthesis. Thus, stems treated with TE contributed assimilates to increase seed yield but were still a net sink with assimilates in the stem at harvest. Trinexapac ethyl rate induced an inverse relationship between seed yield and stem height. This showed that competition for assimilate between stems and growing seeds limited the seed yield. Management or genetic factors that reduce stem height are likely to increase seed yields of perennial ryegrass.     

Breeding for increased grain protein and micronutrient content in wheat: Ten years of the GPC-B1 gene

To provide food and nutrition security for a growing world population, continued improvements in the yield and nutritional quality of agricultural crops will be required. Wheat is an important source of calories, protein and micronutrients and is thus a priority to breed for improvements in these traits. The GRAIN PROTEIN CONTENT-B1 (GPC-B1) gene is a positive regulator of nutrient translocation which increases protein, iron and zinc concentration in the wheat grain. In the ten years since it was cloned, the impacts of GPC-B1 allelic variation on quality and yield traits have been extensively analyzed in diverse genetic backgrounds in field studies spanning forty environments and seven countries. In this review, we compile data from twenty-five studies to summarize the impact of GPC-B1 allelic variation on fifty different traits. Taken together, the results demonstrate that the functional copy of the GPC-B1 gene is associated with consistent positive effects on grain protein, Fe and Zn content with only marginally negative impacts on yield. We conclude that the GPC-B1 gene has the potential to increase nutritional and end use quality in a wide range of modern cultivars and environments and discuss the possibilities for its application in wheat breeding.