Chromosomal and Plasmid Diversity of Agrobacterium Strains Isolated from Ficus benjamina Tumors

Agrobacteria were previously isolated from tumors developing on branches and aerial and hypogeous roots of weeping fig plants in Italy and in The Netherlands. A representative group of 48 strains was analyzed by PCR–RFLP of 16S and 16S + IGS ribosomal regions, PCR–RFLP of six Ti plasmid (pTi) regions and characterized for plasmid content. Two groups of agrobacteria were separated by cluster analysis of PCR–RFLP profiles of rrs gene: seventeen strains were similar to the new species Agrobacterium larrymoorei, while the remaining strains were included within the agrobacterium biovar 1 group. Sixteen different plasmid profiles from one to five plasmids were observed. In addition, 21 ribotypes and 20 pTi structures were arranged in many different combinations, showing that fig agrobacteria were characterized by a wide heterogeneity. A general lack of correlation between strain ribotypes and plasmid content was observed.     

Wind-mediated spread of Rice yellow mottle virus (RYMV) in irrigated rice crops

A study was carried out to demonstrate that Rice yellow mottle virus (RYMV), a virus known to be transmitted by beetles, can spread between rice plants by direct leaf contact caused by wind. Almost all healthy plants surrounding an infected plant became infected when exposed to a fan blowing for 15 min at a distance of 50 cm. Spread of RYMV by plant contact, mediated by wind, was also demonstrated in field experiments, the extent of spread depending on plant density. Infection was almost 10 times higher in plots with a density of 33 plants m⁻² than in plots with 16 plants m⁻². Less spread was observed in plots protected by 1·5 m high windscreens. It is suggested that wind-mediated spread of RYMV may result from abrasive contact between leaves of plants.     

Physicochemical,Structural and Antioxidant Properties of Collagens from the Swim Bladder of Four Fish Species

This study aimed to isolate and characterize pepsin-solubilized collagen (PSC) from marine and freshwater fish swim bladders. The physicochemical properties, protein pattern, amino acid composition, structure, thermal denaturation temperature, and antioxidant activity of PSC from four different swim bladder sources were investigated and compared. The results demonstrated that the four types of collagen extracted were all type I collagen. The yield of PSC extracted from grass carp (GCSB-PSC), bighead carp (BCSB-PSC), grouper (GSB-PSC), and monkfish swim bladders (MSB-PSC) were 38.98, 27.97, 18.16, and 10.35%, respectively. Compared to the other three PSCs, BCSB-PSC has the highest thermal denaturation temperature (38.60 °C). Based on FTIR spectroscopy and circular dichroism (CD) analysis, the extracted PSCs retained the triple helix and secondary structure well. Antioxidant studies showed that in the swim bladders of four species the swim bladder PSC could scavenge DPPH and ABTS radicals. Overall, swim bladders from marine and freshwater fish can be utilized as raw materials for collagen extraction, and the extracted collagen has potential commercial applications.     

Effects of different types of guardrails on sand transportation of desert highway pavement

Guardrail, an important highway traffic safety facility, is mainly used to prevent vehicles from accidentally driving off the road and to ensure driving safety. Desert highway guardrails hinder the movement of wind-blown sand, resulting in the decline of sand transportation by the pavement and the deposition of sand gains on the pavement, and endangering traffic safety. To reveal the influence of guardrails on sand transportation of desert highway pavement, we tested the flow field and sand tran...     

高温胁迫下绿豆象内参基因筛选及其Hsp70基因的表达特性

为明确Hsp70蛋白在绿豆象Callosobruchus chinensis高温耐受性中的作用,该研究筛选并克隆β-actin、α-tubulin、β-tubulin、EF1-α、GAPDH、Hsc70、AK和RPL40八个候选内参基因,采用实时荧光定量PCR(quantitative real-time PCR,qPCR)技术测定其在绿豆象雌雄成虫体内的表达量,通过geNorm、BestKeeperr和NormFinde软件对这8个候选内参基因的表达稳定性进行评价,选择最适宜的内参基因对不同高温胁迫下绿豆象体内Hsp70基因的表达特性进行测定。结果表明,8个候选基因引物均有良好的特异性和引物扩增效率,引物扩增效率介于91.6%～108.1%之间。高温胁迫下,β-tubulin基因较其他7个候选基因有较小的平均变异度、稳定值和标准差,为最适宜的内参基因。39、42和45℃高温处理1 h后绿豆象雌雄成虫体内Hsp70表达水平较对照显著上调,当处理时间延长至3 h后,Hsp70基因的相对表达量较对照也有不同程度上调,但差异不显著,表明绿豆象Hsp70基因可以响应高温胁迫,Hsp70蛋白在绿...     

民勤绿洲灌区保护性耕作对土壤风蚀与土壤物理性质的影响

通过春小麦田间试验,以传统耕作为对照,分析免耕不覆盖、免耕秸秆覆盖、立茬和残茬压倒4种保护性耕作措施田间输沙量、土壤团聚体、<0.01 mm物理性黏粒、<0.01 mm分散性黏粒和分散系数随年限增加的变化,研究民勤绿洲灌区保护性耕作对土壤风蚀与土壤物理性质的影响。结果表明:与传统耕作相比,保护性耕作输沙量显著减少;>1 mm团聚体作为不可风蚀颗粒的数量没有发生显著变化,保护性耕作大团聚体(>0.25 mm)含量有增大趋势、微团聚体(0.25～0.05 mm)含量有减少趋势;保护性耕作实施2年后,<0.05 mm土粒含量占比除立茬处理减少不显著外,其他保护性耕作处理均显著减少;试验第3年,传统耕作处理<0.01mm物理性黏粒含量较保护性耕作处理有减少趋势;免耕不覆盖、立茬和残茬压倒处理<0.01 mm分散性黏粒含量随年限的增加显著下降,免耕秸秆覆盖处理变化不显著;免耕不覆盖和残茬压倒处理土壤分散系数随年限的增加显著下降,免耕秸秆覆盖和立茬处理下降不显著;保护性耕作实施的第3年,各保护性耕作处理分散系数出现减小的趋势。输沙量与>1 mm团聚体...     

一维马尔可夫链模拟黑河中游流域土壤质地垂向变异

黑河中游地区土壤剖面砂、黏层次相间排列的特点及部分区域剖面中出现的不透水层对土壤中的水分运动和溶质迁移具有重要影响。该研究调查了黑河中游100 km2区域内土壤剖面的质地分层情况,运用一维嵌入马尔可夫链模型模拟该地区的土壤质地剖面。研究表明,研究区土壤剖面共出现砂土、壤质砂土、砂质壤土、壤土、黏质壤土、粉黏壤土和粉黏土7种质地类型,层次厚度呈对数正态分布。粉黏土未在表层土壤出现,而砂土在表层出现的概率明显高于其余质地类型,剖面某一质地层之下多出现细粒含量比其高的下一质地类型。剖面上相邻两质地层之间的转移具有明显的马尔可夫链特征（简称马氏性）,且马氏链是平稳的。一维嵌入马尔可夫链模型能够较好地描述研究区土壤质地层次的垂向变化,剖面主要的质地层次组合为：砂—壤、壤—砂、壤—黏、黏—壤。对土壤质地剖面的定量模拟,可以为开展该区域土壤水循环、转化和溶质迁移等相关研究提供参考。     

种植甘草预防土壤风蚀效应

本研究通过多次测定甘肃酒泉地区甘草地的风蚀量、土壤含水率和地表粗糙度,分析种植甘草(Glycyrrhiza uralensis)防治土壤风蚀的效应。结果表明,随着甘草种植年限的增加,甘草地上生物量呈显著增加趋势,甘草地的地表粗糙度和土壤表层(0-5 cm)含水率分别比裸地高12～55倍和27%～148%;种植甘草能显著降低耕地风蚀,甘草地的土壤风蚀量较裸地下降16%～83%。相关分析显示,甘草地上生物量与地表粗糙度、土壤含水率间表现为显著的正相关关系(P＜0.01),而与土壤风蚀量表现为显著的负相关性。分析认为,种植甘草提高耕地抗风蚀能力主要通过甘草枯枝落叶覆盖地表,造成地表粗糙度和土壤含水率增大,相应地减弱风对地表的吹蚀作用,提高耕地地表砂粒的启动风速,从而最终降低耕地的土壤风蚀。     

放牧干扰下荒漠草原植物功能群数量特征与输沙量的关系

[目的]分析放牧干扰下草地群落及功能群数量特征变化与草地土壤风蚀间的关系,阐明草地不同功能群对草地侵蚀过程的影响,为荒漠草原合理放牧利用及保护提供理论依据。[方法]以内蒙古短花针茅荒漠草原为研究对象,采取完全随机试验设计设置对照、中度和重度3个不同的放牧处理,对不同处理下的草地输沙量和功能群特征进行研究。[结果](1)随放牧强度增加,各功能群内物种高度、盖度和地上生物量基本呈下降态势。适当放牧能显著提高Simpson优势度指数和Shannon-Wiener多样性指数。(2)各放牧处理间的草地输沙量差异显著,不同输沙高度处的草地输沙量变化规律均为HG>MG>CK,同一放牧处理下,随输沙高度上升输沙率显著降低。(3)各功能群高度、盖度与输沙量均存在指数负相关关系,其中多年生禾草和多年生杂类草的高度变化对输沙量的影响更显著。各功能群的地上生物量与输沙量存在负相关指数关系,其中多年生禾草的生物量与输沙量的拟合程度最高。[结论]过度放牧会显著影响功能群特征并降低草地的防风固沙能力,建议放牧强度控制在中度及以下。