Ascorbic acid, carotenoids, and visual quality of baby spinach as affected by shade netting and postharvest storage

Baby spinach ( Spinacia oleracea L.) was grown under three types of shade netting (high transmittance, spectrum-altering, and low transmittance) to study the effect on the concentrations of vitamin C (ascorbic acid and dehydroascorbic acid), carotenoids, and chlorophyll and on the visual quality of the leaves. The spinach was sown in April and August and harvested at two growth stages. After harvest, leaves were stored in polypropylene bags at 2 and 10 degrees C. Shading significantly decreased the ascorbic acid concentration of April-sown spinach by 12-33%, but in the August-sown spinach, the response was inconsistent. Concentrations of total carotenoids and total chlorophylls were significantly higher under the nettings in many cases, especially under the spectrum-altering and low-transmittance nettings. Postharvest visual quality and postharvest persistence of the compounds analyzed were not greatly affected by shading. We conclude that these shade nettings are acceptable to use in baby spinach production when it comes to the studied aspects of internal and external quality of the produce.     

Components of a Cytoplasmic Male Sterility System in Resynthesized and Cultivated Forms of Oilseed Rape (Brassies napus L.)

Male sterile Brassica napus L. plants were found in breeding material which was used for the development of yellow-seeded oilseed rape. The genetic studies indicated that the male sterility was conditioned by the presence of maintamer genes in the nuclear backgrounds of two newly resynthesized B. napus lines, No7076 and No7406, in combination with a male sterility-inducing cytoplasm (S) which is frequently found in cultivated forms of B. napus. Test crosses with nap maintainer and restorer lines support the conclusion that the observed male sterility is of nap type. Furthermore, the Eco RI restriction pattern of mitochondrial DNA of the (S) cytoplasm was identical to that of the nap cytoplasm. Hence, we conclude that we have uncovered a new source of maintainer lines for the nap system which could potentially lead to the production of a better maintainer/restorer system for use in hybrid oilseed rape breeding programmes. However, more work is needed to reduce the glucosinolate content of the maintainer lines and to determine the factors controlling the phenotypic expression of the system.     

Residual Nitrogen Effects in Organically Cultivated Beetroot Following a Harvested/Green Manured Grass-Clover Ley

ABSTRACT

The residual nitrogen (N) effect on beetroot following harvested grass-clover (H-ley) or corresponding twice-cut green manure (GM-ley) was compared with a barley control. The residual N at beetroot harvest, calculated as N in beetroot crop and mineral N in the 0–90 cm soil layer, was 83 kg ha^?1 for the GM-ley when barley was set to zero. The effect of GM-ley exceeded that of 3H-ley (3 harvests) by 74 kg N ha^?1 and 2H-ley (2 harvests) by 42 kg N ha^?1. Prediction of residual effects was studied using a model with a humification coefficient (hc) of 0.35 and another with different hc values for different plant materials. The former gave the best fit to observed data in regression analysis. The latter gave the best fit to observed data in absolute values. The residual N effect of GM biomass from summer cuttings corresponded to 40–70% of the potential effect.     

达氏鳇谷氨酸脱氢酶基因的克隆及双低菜粕添加对其表达的影响

谷氨酸脱氢酶(glutamate dehydrogenase,GDH)可通过逆催化谷氨酸脱氨参与氨基酸代谢,也可生产合成氨,参与氮代谢。实验克隆得到达氏鳇(Huso dauricus)谷氨酸脱氢酶基因(gdh)的开放阅读框序列。该序列全长为1 635 bp,编码544个氨基酸。氨基酸序列多重比对结果显示达氏鳇GDH与其它脊椎动物的序列一致性较高。进一步的系统进化树分析发现,达氏鳇GDH与两栖类、爬行类及哺乳类聚为一支。组织表达分析结果表明,达氏鳇gdh的mRNA在各组织中都有分布,并且在肠中转录水平最高。随后,采用荧光定量PCR分析了饲料中添加双低菜粕对达氏鳇蛋白质代谢相关基因(gdh、氨肽酶N apN、小肽转运载体pepT1)及应激反应相关的热休克蛋白(hsp 90)基因表达的影响。在肝脏中,不同饲料投喂组gdh和hsp90的转录水平没有显著差异。在肠中,菜粕组gdh及apN基因的转录水平显著高于基础饲料组;菜粕组pepT1基因的转录水平也高于基础饲料组,但是没有显著性差异。以上结果表明,植物蛋白原料菜粕添加可引起达氏鳇肠道中蛋白质代谢水平上升,而不引起鱼体的应激反应。     

Flavonoids in baby spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.): changes during plant growth and storage

The variation in flavonoid concentration and composition was investigated in baby spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) cv. Emilia sown on three occasions, each harvested at three growth stages at 6-day intervals. After harvest, leaves were stored in polypropylene bags at 2 or 10 degrees C. Flavonoids were analyzed by reversed phase HPLC. Twelve flavonoid peaks were detected. The main flavonoid, making up on average 43% of the total flavonoid concentration, was identified as 5,3',4'-trihydroxy-3-methoxy-6:7-methylenedioxyflavone-4'-glucuronide. Four other flavonoids each contributed 7-12% of the total flavonoid content. Total flavonoid content was relatively stable during normal retail storage conditions, although some of the individual flavonoid compounds showed considerable variation. The youngest plants had the highest flavonoid concentration, indicating that by harvesting the baby spinach a few days earlier than the current commercial stage of harvest, the flavonoid concentration in the product may be increased and the content of potentially health-promoting compounds enhanced.     

Development of micropropagated plants from different clones of Senecio x hybridus in relation to BAP concentration and temperature in vitro

Summary

Selected mature seedling plants were used as stock plants and about half of them were successfully micropropagated. There was no correlation between the ability of petiole expiants to form adventitious shoots and the capacity of these shoots to multiply. Growth and development varied between the micropropagated clones, originating from one seedling each. The colour of the flowers was always constant within a clone. Developmental time, foliage height and the numbers of shoots, leaves and flowers were influenced by the BAP concentration used in vitro. The temperature during the in vitro phase affected the development time and the height of foliage and inflorescences. Increased BAP concentration (from 0 or 0.1 mg l^?1 to 1 mg H) resulted in plants with a longer development time to anthesis and more shoots, leaves and flowers. Plants raised on 5 mg l^?1 BAP developed slowly, resulting in stunted growth, low foliage height, few leaves and flowers. Consequently, it is possible to use the BAP concentration in vitro to regulate the growth of the progeny crop. After transfer to soil in a growth chamber, plants grown at 10°C in vitro flowered earlier, and had lower foliage and higher inflorescences than plants grown at 21°C. This observation indicates that flowering may be promoted by low temperatures in vitro.     

Characterization of Organellar DNA in Alloplasmic Lines of Brassica napus L.

In order to improve regenerative potential in Beta vulgaris L. cultural conditions were established for efficient plant regeneration from cotyledon-derived calli. Organogenic calli were initiated at frequencies of 8–59 % with six sugarbeet lines. N6-benzyl-ammopurine (1 mg/1) associated with 2,3,5 triiodobenzoic acid (0.5 mg/1) was found to be the best combination to alter the endogenous phytohormonal balance in 21 ± 1 day-old seedlings. Flow cytometry was used to determine nuclear DNA Content (ploidy) in cotyledons, calli and regenerated plants, and suggested that 88 % of the regenerants were diploids. The relatively high cytological stability of the regenerants was attributed to the rapid cell differentiation within initiated calli. The problem of vitrification was overcome by using phloridzin and high agar concentration.     

Influence of macronutrient composition,TIBA and dark treatment on shoot formation and nitrogen content in petiole explants of Senecio × hybridus

Summary

The content of ammonium, nitrate and potassium was varied in the macronutrient solutions intended for formation of adventitious shoots from petiole expiants of Senecio × hybridus. The other components of the macronutrients were according to Murashige and Skoog (1962). The largest number of expiants which formed shoots was obtained when the nitrogen concentration in the Murashige-Skoog solution was lowered from 60 to 30 mM and the potassium concentration from 20 to 15 mM. Addition of 1.0 μM TIBA to the medium as well as the standard addition of 4.44 μM BAP and 28.5 μM IAA favoured shoot formation. Even growth in darkness for two weeks immediately after expiant excision increased shoot number. The nitrogen content in the tissue decreased as the nitrogen concentration in the medium decreased, although an increased concentration in the medium from 60 to 75 mM did not increase the nitrogen content in the tissue. When the potassium concentration was changed from 20 to 15 mM, in a medium with 30 mM nitrogen, the nitrogen concentration in the tissue increased. On the other hand, when using a medium with 60 mM nitrogen, the potassium concentration (30 and 20 mM) did not affect the nitrogen content of the tissue.     

耕作方式与秸秆还田对冬小麦–夏玉米轮作系统中干物质生产和水分利用效率的影响

为探讨黄淮海地区一年两熟制下土壤耕作方式与秸秆还田相结合的适宜模式,2010—2012年进行了两年度的田间试验,研究不同处理对冬小麦–夏玉米轮作系统干物质生产和水分利用效率的影响。通过比较常规耕作+秸秆还田、常规耕作+无秸秆还田、深耕+秸秆还田、深耕+无秸秆还田、深松+秸秆还田、深松+无秸秆还田6个处理,发现深松(耕)与秸秆还田可以增加冬小麦和夏玉米的农田耗水量,降低休闲期农田耗水量,提高作物叶片相对含水量、净光合速率、蒸腾速率和茎秆伤流量,促进植株干物质积累,进而提高作物籽粒产量和水分利用效率。耕作方式与秸秆还田对冬小麦和夏玉米的干物质生产和水分利用效率存在显著交互作用。与常规耕作+无秸秆还田相比,深耕+秸秆还田和深松+秸秆还田处理的作物干物质积累量分别提高19.3%和22.9%,周年作物产量分别提高18.0%和19.3%,水分利用效率分别提高15.9%和15.1%,且两处理无显著差异。因此认为,与本试验相似环境条件下,宜在秸秆还田的基础上配合深松或深耕。     

Magnetic field effect on picosecond electron transfer

The recombination dynamics of a transition metal redox system monitored by femtosecond pump-probe spectroscopy are shown to be sensitive to high magnetic fields at times shorter than 10 picoseconds. The effect, based on coherent population beats of different spin states, is quantitatively accounted for and allows direct access to spin relaxation rates far beyond the time resolution of the fastest electron paramagnetic resonance technique. The presence of this ultrafast magnetic field effect helps in understanding complex reaction schemes in transition metal chemistry, which occur in a wide range of fields, such as bioinorganic chemistry and catalysis.