AIM: To investigate a possible interaction between lolitrem B and ergovaline by comparing the incidence and severity of ryegrass staggers in sheep grazing ryegrass (Lolium perenne) containing lolitrem B or ryegrass containing both lolitrem B and ergovaline.
METHODS: Ninety lambs, aged approximately 6 months, were grazed on plots of perennial ryegrass infected with either AR98 endophyte (containing lolitrem B), standard endophyte (containing lolitrem B and ergovaline) or no endophyte, for up to 42 days from 2 February 2010. Ten lambs were grazed on three replicate plots per cultivar. Herbage samples were collected for alkaloid analysis and lambs were scored for ryegrass staggers (scores from 0–5) weekly during the study. Any animal which was scored ≥4 was removed from the study.
RESULTS: Concentrations of lolitrem B did not differ between AR98 and standard endophyte-infected pastures during the study period (p=0.26), and ergovaline was present only in standard endophyte pastures. Ryegrass staggers was observed in sheep grazing both the AR98 and standard endophyte plots, with median scores increasing in the third week of the study. Prior to the end of the 42-day grazing period, 22 and 17 animals were removed from the standard endophyte and AR98 plots, respectively, because their staggers scores were ≥4. The cumulative probability of lambs having scores ≥4 did not differ between animals grazing the two pasture types (p=0.41).
CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: There was no evidence for ergovaline increasing the severity of ryegrass staggers induced by lolitrem B. In situations where the severity of ryegrass staggers appears to be greater than that predicted on the basis of concentrations of lolitrem B, the presence of other tremorgenic alkaloids should be investigated. 相似文献
Under Mediterranean conditions, drought affects cereals production principally through a limitation of grain filling. In this study, the respective role of post‐anthesis photosynthesis and carbon remobilization and the contribution of flag leaf, stem, chaff and awns to grain filling were evaluated under Mediterranean conditions in durum wheat (Triticum turgidum var. durum) cultivars. For the purpose, we examined the effects of shading and excision of different parts of the plant and compared carbon isotope discrimination (Δ) in dry matter of flag leaf, stem, chaff, awns and grain at maturity and in sap of stem, flag leaf, chaff and awns, this last measurement providing information on photosynthesis during a short period preceding sampling. Source–sink manipulations and isotopic imprints of different organs on final isotope composition of the grain confirmed the high contribution of both carbons assimilated by ears and remobilized from stems to grain filling, and the relatively low contribution of leaves to grain filling. Grain Δ was highly and significantly associated with grain yield across treatments, suggesting the utilization of this trait as an indicator of source–sink manipulations effects on grain yield. Chaff and awns Δ were better correlated with grain Δ than stem and leaf Δ, indicating that chaff were more involved in grain filling than other organs. Moreover, in chaff, sap Δ was highly significantly correlated with dry matter Δ. These results suggest the use of Δ for a rapid and non‐destructive estimation of the variation in the contribution of different organs to grain filling. 相似文献
By using RACE (rapid amplification ofcDNA ends) based homologous cloning strategy, we have successfully isolated the genomic and full-length cDNA sequences of a gene encoding typical DFR (dihydroflavonol-4-reductase) from black-seeded Brassica campestris L. var. oleifera DC.. The gene, designated BcDFR here, is 1 722bp in length and harbors 5 introns with typical splice sites of plant DFR genes. BcDFR cDNA is 1311bp in length with a 1 158bp ORF as well as a 25bp 5‘ UTR and a 128bp 3‘ UTR. The encoded BcDFR protein is 385 aa with a calculated Mw of 42.85kD and a pI value of 5.55. The nucleotide and amino acid sequences of this gene share extensive homologies to plant DFR genes of wide origins especially high similarities to Cruciferous DFR genes. Sequence analyses such as phylogenetic analysis, conserved domain search and substrate specificity region detection all indicated that BcDFR gene is a quite potentially biofunctional gene. Its cloning enables us to further dissect the possible relatedness between DFR gene and Brassica seed coat color traits and to create transgenic novel yellow-seeded rapeseed germplasm through antisense- or RNAi-suppression of DFR gene expression in black-seeded elite cultivars. 相似文献