Spraying exogenous synthetic cytokinin 6‐benzyladenine following the waterlogging improves grain growth of waterlogged maize in the field

6‐Benzyladenine (6‐BA, a synthetic cytokinin) could improve the ability to resist adversity. However, very little attention has been given to its role in alleviating waterlogging damages on grain growth. A field experiment was performed to investigate effects of exogenous 6‐BA after waterlogging for 6 days at the third leaf stage (V3‐WL + 6‐BA) or the sixth leaf stage (V6‐WL + 6‐BA) on grain filling, and endogenous hormone of summer maize hybrids DengHai605 (DH605) and ZhengDan958 (ZD958), which were planted popularly in China. Exogenous 6‐BA alleviated waterlogging damages on grain filling by improving grain weight and volume, which was beneficial to yield increase. Grain yield of DH605 under V3‐WL + 6‐BA and V6‐WL + 6‐BA increased by 16% and 12%, respectively, compared with that of V3‐WL (waterlogging at the third leaf stage) and V6‐WL (waterlogging at the sixth leaf stage), while the corresponding values for ZD958 increased by 20% and 15%, respectively. Moreover, exogenous 6‐BA alleviated waterlogging damages on grain endogenous hormone content by increasing levels of endogenous indole‐3‐acetic acid, zeatin riboside, and gibberellic acid, and decreasing level of abscisic acid in grain of waterlogged summer maize during grain‐filling periods. Clearly, exogenous 6‐BA improved grain‐filling characteristics, and endogenous hormone, resulting in a significant yield increase of waterlogged summer maize.     

6－苄基腺嘌呤对大麦耐盐性的调节机理

外施１０－９ｍｏｌ／Ｌ６－苄基腺嘌呤（６－ＢＡ）可促进大麦种子的出苗并缓解盐胁迫对大麦生长的抑制。在２００ｍｍｏｌ／ＬＮａＣｌ胁迫下，耐盐性较强的鉴４根尖内源异戊烯基腺苷组（ｉＰＡｓ）含量较高，维持高含量的时间较长；而科品７号根尖ｉＰＡｓ含量则迅速下降。外源６－ＢＡ使两者ｉＰＡｓ含量增高。盐胁迫下鉴４叶片中腐胺（Ｐｕｔ）含量比较稳定，而科品７号叶片中Ｐｕｔ含量却明显上升。外源６－ＢＡ、ＡＢＡ和Ｃａ（ＮＯ３）２使科品７号中Ｐｕｔ含量明显下降，使鉴４中精胺（Ｓｐｍ）含量上升。     

Effect of Benzyladenine on Transpiration, Water Potential and its Components in Genotypes of Wheat Contrasting in Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant and susceptible cultivars of wheat, C-306 and Kalyan sona, growing under non-stressed and water-stressed conditions, were sprayed with benzyladenine (BA) at 70 days after sowing (DAS). Observations recorded at 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 days after spraying revealed that BA increased the rate of transpiration (TR) in C-306 under non-stressed conditions. However, under water stress, the increase was significant only after 5 days of BA spraying. In Kalyan sona BA treatment either decreased TR or did not exhibit significant increase under non-stressed conditions, but caused significant increase in TR under water stress. The increase in TR was elicited through enhanced stomatal opening. Water potential, osmotic potential and pressure potential of both genotypes decreased on account of water stress. The effect of BA was not perceptible on restoration of leaf water potential (LWP) or its components. The effect of BA was possibly confined to stomatal behaviour and transpiration.     

Propagation in vitro of pear, Pyrus communis L., cultivars ‘William's Bon Chrétien’, ‘Packham's Triumph’ and ‘Beurré Bosc’

Shoot cultures were established from nodal explants of 3 pear cultivars by subculture on Murashige and Skoog medium containing mixtures of 3 cytokinins. Zeatin and 6·(γ,γ-dimethylallylamino)purine were both supplied at 10 μM and benzyladenine as follows: ‘William's Bon Chrétien’, 6 μM; ‘Packham's Triumph’, 8 μM; ‘Beurré Bosc’, 10 μM. Production of axillary shoots was greater by basal explants (4–6) comprising the remnants of the previous subculture than by apical explants (2–3) comprising the distal parts of extension shoots. Up to 80% of microcuttings of all cultivars formed roots in vitro with either γ-indolebutyric acid, 10 μM, or α-naphthaleneacetic acid, 10 μM, and approximately 50% of rooted microcuttings were successfully established as container-grown plants. Use of aseptic methods for producing own-rooted pears is discussed in relation to fruit growing and fruit improvement.     

EFFECT OF FOLIAR APPLICATION OF UREA,MOLYBDENUM, BENZYLADENINE,SUCROSE AND SALICYLIC ACID ON YIELD,NITROGEN METABOLISM OF RADISH PLANTS AND QUALITY OF EDIBLE ROOTS

In 2006–2007 small radish was cultivated in a pot experiment. Foliar applications were applied twice with solutions of the following compounds: 1) control (water); 2) urea; 3) urea+molybdenum (Mo), 4) urea+Mo+benzyladenine (BA); 5) urea+Mo+BA+sucrose; 6) urea+Mo+BA+sucrose+salicylic acid (SA), 7) BA; 8) SA; and 9) sucrose. The above solutions contained following concentrations of compounds: urea 20 g dm^?3, sucrose 10 g dm^?3, Mo 1 mg dm^?3, BA 5 mg dm^?3 and SA 10 mg dm^?3. In comparison with the control, spraying plants with the solution of urea+Mo+BA+sucrose and SA only caused an increase in leaf mass of one plant. Foliar applications did not have any effect on the yield of edible roots. When compared with the control, the use of sucrose resulted in a decreased content of nitrate (V) in leaves, while the application of urea+Mo+BA+sucrose led to elevated content of nitrate (V) in roots. In case of spraying plants with solutions containing urea (combinations no. 2–6) there was a tendency to increase ammonium (NH₄ ⁺) and nitrogen (N)-total content in leaves and roots, and increase in N uptake by leaves and by the whole plant but not by the radish roots. In combinations 7–9 we noted a decline in the level of ascorbic acid, and in combinations 2–6 there was a decrease in the content of soluble sugars in roots. In comparison with the control, an increase was observed in combinations 2 and 3, while in combinations 7–9 a decrease in the content of free amino acids in roots was observed. None of the combinations with foliar application caused any significant changes in the content of assimilative pigments in radish leaves and concentration of nitrate (III), dry matter in leaves and roots, the content of phenolic compounds, content of potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca) extracted with 2% acetic acid in roots as well as free radical activity of radish roots.     

Embryogenesis and plant regeneration from anther culture in loquat (Eriobotrya japonica L.)

The object of this study was to induce embryogenesis and establish plant regeneration system for anther culture in loquat (Eriobotrya japonica L.). Cold pretreatment was a key factor, and supplement of 2,4-D in the media was absolutely necessary for induction of calluses from cultured loquat anthers. The best response of anthers to in vitro culture was obtained when a 48-h cold pretreatment was employed to flower buds at 4 °C in darkness. Genotype was a decisive factor for embryo differentiation. When anther-derived calluses of three loquat cultivars, i.e., cv. ‘Longquan1’, ‘Dawuxing’ and ‘Zaozhong6’, were transferred to embryo differentiation medium, embryos were induced only for cv. ‘Dawuxing’ on MS medium containing 3% sucrose, 0.23 μM ZT in combination with 0.05 μM NAA + 0.05 μM IBA or 0.11 μM NAA + 0.10 μM IBA, and the differentiation rates were 3.33% and 10.00%, respectively. The results of histological studies showed that embryos developed through typical globular, heart, torpedo and cotyledon stages after 4 weeks of culture. The treatment designed to mature the embryos on medium containing 3% of sucrose at 4 °C under darkness for 4 weeks was effective for subsequent embryo germination and plant conversion, which gave rise to 72.5% plant recovery. Cytological studies showed that 26 plantlets were haploids (n = 17) and the remaining 4 plantlets were diploids for the 30 regenerants tested.     

In vitro rescue of immature avocado (Persea americana Mill.) embryos

An in vitro culture protocol was developed as a means of avocado embryo rescue. Different factors including presence of cotyledons, medium texture and cold or gibberellic acid pretreatments, were studied. To better understand the germination process in this recalcitrant species, immature zygotic embryos at different stages were used in these experiments. Optimum results were dependant on the embryo developmental stage. Whereas smaller embryos (5 mm long) germinated better in M1 liquid medium, 15 mm long embryos responded better when precultured in B5m medium supplemented with 1 mg l⁻¹ GA₃, and fully mature embryos were capable of germinating directly in solid M1 medium. Our results suggest the existence of two types of dormancy in avocado embryos: an embryo-dormancy caused by cotyledons, and another type of dormancy, mainly occurring in 35 mm long embryos and revealed by the formation of dwarfing rosette seedlings, that can be released by a GA₃ pretreatment.     

旱作水稻喷施6—苄基腺嘌呤的防早衰及增产效应

用大田随机区组设计研究了叶面喷施 6 苄基腺嘌呤 (6 BA)对旱作水稻衰老及产量的影响。结果表明 ,喷施 6 BA能显著提高旱作水稻叶面积指数及叶绿素含量 ,降低丙二醛 (MDA)含量 ,对旱作水稻有很好的防早衰及增产效果 ,增产幅度最高达 15 2 % ;6 BA喷施浓度以 40～ 5 0mg·L-1为宜 ;喷施时期以始穗期最佳     

Development of a regeneration protocol through indirect organogenesis in prickly pear cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill)

An indirect organogenesis regeneration protocol for Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill var “Blanco sin Espinas” is described. One centimeter square cladode explants sections from previously micropropagated prickly pear plants were cultured in Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium supplemented with 20 different combinations of 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) and benzyladenine (BA). The best calli induction and regeneration response were observed when 2.26 μM 2,4-D and 2.21 μM BA combination was applied to the nopal explants. Regenerating calli was capable of forming new buds when transferred to MS basal medium supplemented with 0.5 μM BA (proliferation medium). Shoot elongation and rooting were achieved on MS medium without plant growth regulators. Excellent acclimatization to greenhouse conditions was observed for all transferred plantlets. By this procedure no morphological differences were observed between the regenerated and mother plants. This protocol may be also utilized to carry out plant regeneration after genetic transformation, in order to develop transformed plants without the presence of chimeric zones.     

BA对花生叶片吸收~(14)C-蔗糖及其分布的影响

花生叶圆片通过主动吸收和被动吸收方式吸收~(14)C-蔗糖。BA处理提高花生叶圆片对~(14)C-蔗糖的总吸收量,主要在于增加了细胞质和液泡的主动吸收和被动吸收量。BA处理促进库叶积累~(14)C-蔗糖和从标记叶(源叶)输出~(14)C-蔗糖。BA处理对花生叶片光合速率和叶绿素含量无明显影响,它的作用在于促进库叶对~(14)C-蔗糖的吸收和~(14)C-蔗糖从库叶韧皮部的卸出。