Drought Tolerance and Water Use of Cereal Crops: A Focus on Sorghum as a Food Security Crop in Sub‐Saharan Africa

Sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA) faces twin challenges of water stress and food insecurity – challenges that are already pressing and are projected to grow. Sub‐Saharan Africa comprises 43 % arid and semi‐arid area, which is projected to increase due to climate change. Small‐scale, rainfed agriculture is the main livelihood source in arid and semi‐arid areas of SSA. Because rainfed agriculture constitutes more than 95 % of agricultural land use, water scarcity is a major limitation to production. Crop production, specifically staple cereal crop production, will have to adapt to water scarcity and improved water productivity (output per water input) to meet food requirements. We propose inclusion and promotion of drought‐tolerant cereal crops in arid and semi‐arid agro‐ecological zones of SSA where water scarcity is a major limitation to cereal production. Sorghum uniquely fits production in such regions, due to high and stable water‐use efficiency, drought and heat tolerance, high germplasm variability, comparative nutritional value and existing food value chain in SSA. However, sorghum is socio‐economically and geographically underutilized in parts of SSA. Sorghum inclusion and/or promotion in arid and semi‐arid areas of SSA, especially among subsistence farmers, will improve water productivity and food security.     

Improved Cold and Drought Tolerance of Doubled Haploid Maize Plants Selected for Resistance to Prooxidant tert‐Butyl Hydroperoxide

To improve the abiotic stress tolerance of maize (Zea mays L.), doubled haploid (DH) plants were produced by in vitro selection of microspores exposed to tert‐butyl hydroperoxide (t‐BuOOH) as a powerful prooxidant This study investigated the tolerance of the progenies of t‐BuOOH‐selected DH lines to oxidative stress, cold and drought in controlled environment pot experiments by analyses of photosynthetic electron transport and CO₂ assimilation processes, chlorophyll bleaching and lipid peroxidation of leaves. Our results demonstrated that the t‐BuOOH‐selected DH plants exhibited enhanced tolerance not only to oxidative stress‐induced by t‐BuOOH but also to cold and drought stresses. In addition, they showed elevated activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, catalase, glutathione reductase and glutathione S‐transferase when compared with the DH lines derived from microspores that were not exposed to t‐BuOOH and to the original hybrid plants. The results suggest that the simultaneous up‐regulation of several antioxidant enzymes may contribute to the oxidative and cold stress tolerance of the t‐BuOOH‐selected DH lines, and that the in vitro microspore selection represents a potential way to improve abiotic stress tolerance in maize.     

Atmospheric humidity and genotype are key determinants of the diurnal stomatal conductance pattern

Great understanding of the genotypic difference in diurnal stomatal conductance (g_s) pattern and the key determinants of the pattern is important for saving water by adopting cultivars appropriately. Fifteen wheat genotypes were studied under different soil conditions and various meteorological conditions with pot cultivation in rain shelter for two years. Genotype and air humidity were found to be key determinants of diurnal g_s pattern. All genotypes under low relative humidity (LRH) and most genotypes under high relative humidity (HRH) displayed a gradual decline pattern from morning through the afternoon. Under moderate relative humidity (MRH), all genotypes present a single-peak curve pattern, but they differed in peak time, which may lead to unreliable g_s comparison between genotypes and get ostensible contrasting materials. The stomatal conductance was significantly different among genotypes under LRH and the increased g_s magnitude is also significantly different when it was compared between LRH and HRH. The present results provide new thinking for selecting and adopting appropriate cultivars with specific stomata traits for the area with various meteorological conditions.     

云南芥菜型油菜资源品质及苗期耐旱性评价

为研究芥菜型油菜的耐旱性，对150份云南芥菜型油菜地方品种的品质及苗期不同干旱程度下植株地上 及地下部进行研究。结果表明，参试芥菜型油菜耐旱性总体表现较好，品质变异丰富，其中油酸、芥酸变异系数大 于1，依据品质性状参试品种大致聚为三类；中度及重度干旱均能显著影响油菜地上部及根系的生长，其中对根系 影响更大；各品质性状与耐旱性相关分析表明，中度干旱条件下，耐旱性与含油量及芥酸、花生烯酸2种极长链脂肪 酸呈显著正相关，与5种长链脂肪酸硬脂酸、棕榈酸、油酸、亚油酸、亚麻酸为显著负相关，而重度干旱条件下均不相 关，同一品种在不同程度干旱下其耐旱性有差别；含油量与极长链脂肪酸呈显著正相关，与长链脂肪酸及蛋白含量 呈显著负相关，极长链脂肪酸与长链脂肪酸间呈极显著负相关。共筛出8个综合耐旱性强的材料。     

How does water and salt stress affect the germination and initial growth of Brazilian soya bean cultivars?

The effects of water and salt stress on rate of germination and seedling growth were investigated under laboratory conditions in 46 soya bean genotypes from Central-West region of Brazil to verify how these stresses may limit crop establishment during the initial growth stage and also to identify the most tolerant genotypes to drought and salinity. Mild water and salt stresses were imposed by seed exposure to –0.20 MPa iso-osmotic solutions with polyethylene glycol—PEG 6000 (119.57 g/L) or NaCl (2.357 g/L) for 12 days at 25°C. The germination percentage, seedling length and seedling dry matter were measured, and then, salt or drought tolerance indexes were calculated. The “NS 5909 RG,” “NS 7000 IPRO,” “NS 7338IPRO,” “FPS Solimões RR,” “NS 5151 IPRO,” “SYN 13610 IPRO,” “LG 60177 IPRO,” “NS 6909 IPRO” and “BMX Desafio RR” were identified as the most drought-tolerant genotypes, whereas under salinity conditions, the genotypes “5D 615 RR,” “BMX Desafio RR,” “5D 6215 IPRO” and “BMX Ponta IPRO” were identified as tolerant. The “BMX Desafio RR” is the genotype most adapted to both stress conditions and, therefore, should be used under conditions of water shortage and excess salt in the soil at sowing time.     

Comparison of Salt and Drought‐Stress Effects on Maize Growth and Yield Formation with Regard to Acid Invertase Activity in the Kernels

The long‐term effects of salt stress (11 dS m^?1) and drought stress (35 % WHC) were investigated for two maize genotypes, focusing on the relation between metabolic changes around the time of pollination and the impact on yield determinants at maturity. The relatively salt‐resistant hybrid Pioneer 3906 and the relatively drought‐resistant hybrid Fabregas were compared. The experiments were conducted in large plastic containers in a vegetation hall in two consecutive years (2011 and 2012). Plant height and leaf area were significantly reduced under both stress conditions. The transpiration rate was only slightly reduced under drought stress; but under salt stress, a significant reduction occurred 40–53 days after sowing. As a significant increase in sucrose concentrations was observed in the salt‐treated maize kernels 2 days after pollination, the availability of assimilates was not limiting and the plants could afford to save water by reduced stomatal opening. Although under both stress conditions the soluble acid invertase activity was reduced 2 days after pollination, concomitantly, an increase in hexose concentrations was observed. Thus, in these experiments, the delivery of hexoses by acid invertase activity did not limit kernel development. Differences in grain yield at maturity between salt and drought stress were most likely caused by salt‐specific effects (Na⁺ toxicity), Fabregas being more affected than Pioneer 3906.     

日本百脉根LjbHLH34基因克隆及耐旱功能鉴定

干旱是影响植物生长发育的重要环境因素。本研究分析了日本百脉根抗旱相关基因LjbHLH34的耐旱功能，初步解析其响应干旱胁迫的分子机制，以期为百脉根抗旱分子育种提供理论基础。本研究克隆得到的LjbHLH34基因大小为711 bp、编码236个氨基酸，属bHLH转录因子家族成员。系统进化树分析显示，LjbHLH34蛋白与拟南芥bHLHⅣ亚家族中AtbHLH34和AtbHLH104亲缘关系较近。实时荧光定量分析表明LjbHLH34在日本百脉根的根中表达量最高，叶中次之，茎中最少，暗示其在日本百脉根多个组织中发挥作用；同时LjbHLH34基因也受聚乙二醇(PEG)和脱落酸(ABA)诱导表达。在酵母中检测发现LjbHLH34具有转录激活活性；亚细胞定位试验表明LjbHLH34蛋白定位于细胞核中。将LjbHLH34基因转入拟南芥获得过表达株系。在200 mmol·L^-1甘露醇胁迫下，LjbHLH34转基因拟南芥的根长明显长于野生型。干旱处理后，野生型拟南芥比转基因拟南芥萎蔫程度更加明显，而转基因株系的相对含水量和超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性显著高于野生型，丙二醛(MDA)积累...     

Foliage‐applied sodium nitroprusside and hydrogen peroxide improves resistance against terminal drought in bread wheat

Terminal drought is threatening the wheat productivity worldwide, which is consumed as a staple food by millions across the globe. This study was conducted to examine the influence of foliage‐applied stress signalling molecules hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂; 50, 100, 150 μm ) and nitric oxide donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP; 50, 100, 150 μm ) on resistance against terminal drought in two bread wheat cultivars Mairaj‐2008 and BARS‐2009. These stress signalling molecules were applied at anthesis stage (BBCH 61); drought was then imposed by maintaining pots at 35% water holding capacity. Terminal drought caused significant reduction in grain yield of both tested bread wheat cultivars; however, foliage application of both stress signalling molecules at either concentration improved the performance of both bread wheat cultivars. Maximum improvement in 100‐grain weight (12.2%), grains per spike (19.7%), water‐use efficiency (WUE; 19.8%), chlorophyll content index (10.7%), total soluble phenolics (21.6%) and free leaf proline (34.3%), and highest reduction in leaf malondialdehyde contents (20.4%) was recorded when H₂O₂ was foliage‐applied at 100 μm . Foliage application of SNP enhanced the grains per spike, 100‐grain weight and grain yield by 14.9%, 11.3% and 20.1%, respectively, than control. The foliage‐applied stress signalling molecules improved the accumulation of soluble phenolics, proline and glycine betaine with simultaneous reduction in malondialdehyde contents, which enabled wheat plants to sustain the biological membranes under stress resulting in better stay green (high chlorophyll contents) under drought. This helped improving the grain number, grain weight, grain yield, WUE and transpiration efficiency. In crux, foliage‐applied H₂O₂ and SNP, at pre‐optimized rate, may be opted to lessen the drought‐induced yield losses in bread wheat in climate change conditions.     

Field Evaluation of Cocksfoot,Tall Fescue and Phalaris for Dry Marginal Environments of South‐Eastern Australia. 1. Establishment and Herbage Production

Newly developed candidate cultivars of cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.), phalaris (Phalaris aquatica L.) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb. = syn. L. arundinaceum (Schreb) Darbysh.) were evaluated over four years for persistence and productivity against current commercial cultivars in small plots at five locations selected for lower and less reliable rainfall and difficult soils (low pH and high Al) in south‐eastern Australia known to be marginally too dry for these grass species. The five locations were ‐ representing summer dominant rainfall, Inverell, in northern New South Wales (NSW); ‐ representing uniform rainfall; Trungley Hall, (medium rainfall), and Beckom (lower rainfall) both in southern NSW; and; representing a winter dominant pattern ‐ Eversley, (higher rainfall), and Bealiba, (lower rainfall), in central Victoria. The objective was to determine if the new candidate cultivars were more likely to persist and to be productive than current commercial cultivars. The study showed that most phalaris and cocksfoot treatments were highly productive in high rainfall years at one or both sites in southern NSW. However, all treatments had become much less productive by the end of the experimental period due to plant loss under hot, dry conditions in the final summer. At Bealiba in central Victoria, cocksfoot was the most productive species with several cocksfoot treatments of both subsp. hispanica and subsp. glomerata still present at the final harvest despite a hot and dry final summer‐autumn. Tall fescue was the most productive species in the two higher rainfall environments (Inverell, Eversley) although most treatments of all species performed well at those sites. Continental tall fescues were more productive on average than Mediterranean tall fescues at the strongly acidic Eversley site. As a result of this work, two of the new cocksfoot candidates (Moroccan Fine and AVH48 Selection) and one of the tall fescue candidates (Summer Active 1) have been licensed for commercial development and release.     

基于SPEI_PM指数的渭河流域气象干旱时空演变特征

利用渭河流域25个气象站点1980−2018年月值气象数据集，基于Penman-Monteith蒸散模型计算多个时间尺度的标准化降水蒸散发指数（SPEI），分析渭河流域气象干旱的演变、趋势、影响范围、发生频率和持续时间等时空变化特征，以期为渭河流域防灾减灾管理提供科学依据。结果表明：（1）近39a来渭河流域有明显的干湿周期变化，但整体上呈变干的趋势，干旱时段主要集中在1995−2009年，其中以2000−2009年的干旱站次比最大，平均达到36%，且干旱持续时间最长，约3.6个月，1980−1989年干旱持续时间最短，约1.6个月；（2）渭河流域秋季总体呈湿润变化趋势，而春季和夏季干旱在不断加剧，是区域年际干旱的主要驱动力；（3）渭河流域干旱以危害性较小的轻中旱为主，但2000年前后出现严重及极端干旱的站次相对较多，其中1997年研究区内发生的干旱程度较高，影响范围较广；（4）不同时间尺度各等级干旱发生频率的变化规律表现一致，均呈现出干旱等级越高发生频率越低的态势，且极端干旱在年际尺度内发生次数较为频繁，从空间上看渭河流域东北部是干旱多发区。总之，近39a来渭河流域总体干旱较为严重的时段为2000−2009年，且研究区内干旱呈北重南轻特征，因此北部地区仍需加强防灾管理。