Analysis of digenic epistatic effects and QE interaction effects QTL controlling grain weight in rice

Immortalized F2 population of rice (Oryza sativa L.) was developed by randomly mating F1 among recombinant inbred (RI) lines derived from (Zhenshan 97B×Minghui 63),which allowed replications within and across environments.QTL (quantitative trait loci) mapping analysis on kilo-grain weight of immortalized F2 population was performed by using newly developed software for QTL mapping,QTL Mapper 2.0. Eleven distinctly digenic epistatic loci included a total of 15 QTL were located on eight chromosomes.QTL main effects of additive,dominance,and additive×additive,additive×dominance,and dominance×dominance interactions were estimated.Interaction effects between QTL main effects and environments (QE) were predicted.Less than 40% of single effects,most of which were additive effects,for identified QTL were significant at 5% level.The directional difference for QTL main effects suggested that these QTL were distributed in parents in the repulsion phase.This should make it feasible to improve kilo-grain weight of both parents by selecting appropriate new recombinants. Only few of the QE interaction effects were significant.Application prospect for QTL mapping achievements in genetic breeding was discussed.

Effect of Indoleacetic acid (IAA) on the Negative Phototropism of Rice Root

To explore the effects of IAA on negative phototropism of rice ( Oryza sativa L.) root, agar block containing IAA was unilaterally applied on root tip to examine the phototropic response of root to exogenous IAA, and microstructure of the bending part was observed with an optical microscope. The growth of seminal roots could be regulated by exogenous IAA as well as light, as a result the root bent towards the site treated, causing asymmetric growth of the root cells at the elongation zone and consequently bending growth. IAA concentration in the shaded side of adventitious root increased much greater at 1.5 h after the start of irradiation. The unequal lateral IAA distribution can be concluded to be the main cause for negative phototropism of rice root.

Denitrification and Nitrate Reduction to Ammoniumin Taihu Lake and Yellow Sea Inter-Tidal MarineSediments

Denitrification and nitrate reduction to ammonium in Taihu Lake and Yellow Sea inter-tidal marinesediments were studied. The sediment samples were made into slurry containing 150 g dry matter per liter.Various amounts of glucose and 5 mmol L-1 of potassium nitrate were added in order to achieve differentratios of glucose-C to nitrate-N. Acetylene inhibition technique was applied to measure denitrification in theslumes. All samples were incubated anaerobically under argon atmosphere. Data showed that Taihu Lakesediment produced more N2O than marine sediment. Denitrification potential was higher in Taihu Lakesediment than in marne one. Glucose added increased denitrification activity but not the denitrification po-tential of the sediments. Dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium seemed to occur in marine sediment,but not in freshwater one. When the marine sediment was treated with 25 mmol L-1 glucose, its denitrification poteatial, as indicated by maximum N2O production by acetylene blockage, was lower than that treatedwith no or 2.5 mmol L-l glucose. Acetylene was suspected to have inhibitory effect on dissimilatory nitratereduction to ammonium.

Effects of Waterlogging on Photosynthesis and Antioxidant Enzyme Activities of Six Barley Genotypes with Different Waterlogging Tolerance

A field experiment was carried out to study genotypic difference in the effect of waterlogging on photosynthesis, chlorophyll content and antioxidative enzyme activities in barley. Waterlogging caused a rapid decline in net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and stomatal conductance (gs), and little change in chlorophyll content during early days of the treatment. A dramatic increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) content, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) in waterlogged plants in the early days of the experiment was found, indicating the occurrence of oxidative stress in barley plants exposed to waterlogging. There was a highly significant difference in the changed extent of all these parameters among genotypes. Franklin and Yongjiahong Liuleng Damai, which were relatively sensitive to waterlogging in terms of growth, photosynthesis and chlorophyll content, accumulated much more MDA than the other two relatively tolerant genotypes (93-3143 and QS). After removal of waterlogging, the genotypic difference became much greater in recovering of these examined parameters. Yongjiahong Liuleng Damai showed higher recovery, while Franklin only recovered to 50% of the control at the 14 day after waterlogging removal. It may be concluded that it is the difference in anti-oxidative stress caused by waterlogging that account for the major difference in photosynthesis among barley genotypes.

Genotypic Difference in Plant Growth and Mineral Composition in Barley Under Aluminum Stress

Four barley genotypes (Tiantaiyangdamai, Xiyin2, Mimaill4 and Tai94-Ce6) were exposed to 0, 50, 100, and 150μM of Al-containing solution with pH 4.5, to determine the differences in growth inhibition , Al concentration and accumulation and mineral composition among genotypes. The results showed that Mimaill4 and Tai94-Ce6 had significantly higher Al concentration and accumulation than Tiantaiyangdami and Xiyin2, especially in roots, and the growth traits including root and shoot dry weights, shoot height, root length and tillers per plant were more inhibited in the former two genotypes. Al treatments caused a significant reduction of N, P, K, Ca, Mg and Mn content in both roots and shoots, of Cu in shoots; and a significant increase in Fe and Zn content in both roots and shoots, of Cu in roots. The changed rates of mineral content caused by Al treatments, in terms of the content in 150μM Al divided by the content in the control, differed significantly among four genotypes. Two Al-sensitive genotypes, Mimaill4 and Tai94-Ce6 had much greater changes in mineral content than other two Al-tolerant genotypes Tiantaiyangdamai and Xiyin2 when subjected to Al stress in comparison with the control. It is indicated that the Al-tolerant genotype is characterized by less uptake and accumulation of Al in roots and smaller disorders in mineral metabolism and ion homeostasis.

Variation of Grain and Malt Qualities in Barley as Affected by Cultivars and Environments

Inferior and unstable quality of malt barley in China has limited its wide use in malting and brewing industries. In this research, eight two-rowed barley cultivars were planted at 7 locations with different ecological conditions in southern China, to investigate the cultivar and environmental effect on grain and malt qualities. The results showed that grain protein content differed dramatically among locations, but there were no significant differences among cultivars. For four malt qualities including diastatic power, wort viscosity, Kolbach index and malt extract, significant differences were found among cultivars and locations, except for diastatic power among cultivars. Coefficients of variance(CV)caused by location were greater than those caused by cultivar for each quality parameter, especially for diastatic power and Kolbach index, indicating the predominant influence of environment on malt quality. The analysis showed that grain protein content was positively related to diastatic power and wort viscosity, and negatively to malt extract. Kolbach index was positively related to malt extract, and negatively to diastatic power and wort viscosity. Diastatic power showed positive and negative correlation with wort viscosity and malt extract, respectively.

Advances in Research on the Approaches of Improving Water Utilization Efficiency in Rice

Water shortage is increasingly an important factor limiting the sustainable development of global economy, posing a hugethreat to social security and human existence. Water usage in agriculture accounts for about 70% of total water consumptionin the world, and rice cultivation is in turn the largest water user, which accounts for about 50% of total water usage inagriculture. Therefore, it is quite important to improve water utilization efficiency to reduce water consumption in rice.Water stress causes severe inhibition of plant growth and development as well as yield reduction, however the extent ofinhibition or reduction varies greatly with the growth stages, duration and severity of stress, and plant genotypes. In rice,drought resistance and water utilization efficiency might be improved by developing stress resistant cultivars and conductingproper agronomic practices. It is hence imperative to determine the suitable criteria in morphological and physiologicaltraits for drought resistance and water utilization efficiency in conventional breeding of rice. At present, leaf rolling, leafwater potential and carbon isotope discrimination are commonly used criteria for the evaluation and identification ofgermplasm with high drought resistance or water utilization efficiency. With rapid development of molecular biology,marker-assisted selection has been used in rice breeding against water stress. In this review, therefore, the agronomicaspect of water saving techniques such as selection of suitable rice cultivars, planting pattern, mulching, deficit irrigationand alternative drying and moist irrigation are discussed and effective approaches are also recommended.

Cultivar and Environmental Effects on p-glucanase Activity in Both Barley Grain and Malt and Its Function in β-glucan Degradation

Eight two-rowed barley cultivars were grown at seven locations in the southern winter-barley zone of China. Mean grainβ-glucanase activity ranged from 39.89 U kg-1 for Suyin2 to 49.75 U kg-1 for Xi-umai3 in 8 cultivars grown at 7 locations, and from 38. 74 U kg-1 in Zhengzhou to 57. 96 U kg-1 in Putian among 7 locations on an average of all cultivars. Correspondingly, mean malt β-glucanase activity of 8 cultivars ranged from 313.33 U kg-1 for ZAU3 to 489. 89 U kg-1 for Daner Barley, and of 7 locations from 330.40 U kg-1 in Yancheng to 418. 24 U kg-1 in Putian. There were significant differences among cultivars and locations in maltβ-glucanase activities. The locations showed much larger variation in maltβ-glucanase activities than cultivars. The reduction of total β-glucan content after malting varied in both cultivars and locations, with a mean of 78.31%. The analysis of correlations showed that maltβ-glucan content was significantly positively and negatively correlated with grain β-glucan content and malt β-glucanase activity, respectively, and malt β-glucanase activity was significantly positively correlated with grain β-glucanase activity.

Photoinhibitive and Recovery Properties of Hybrid Rice Ⅱ You 129 under Field Conditions

Photoinhibitive properties of super-high-yielding hybrid rice Ⅱ you 129 and its adaptation mechanism to strong light stress were investigated by measuring the light-response curve, diurnal variations of net photosynthetic rate and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters of Ⅱ you 129 leaves and compared with Shanyou 63. Photoinhibition of rice flag leaves under field conditions mainly resulted from the increase of thermal dissipation, especially for thermal dissipation depended on the xanthophyll circle, but no destruction of photosynthetic apparatus occurred. Potentially super-high-yielding hybrid rice Ⅱ you 129 was more tolerant to photoinhibition than Shanyou 63, because it had higher light saturation intensity and maximum net photosynthetic rate; more active xanthophyll cycle, and more rapid recovery ability after photoinhibition.

Cloning and expression of AtPLC6, a gene encoding a phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C in Arabidopsis thaliana

A full-length cDNA clone corresponding to a putative phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI- PLC) was isolated from Arabidopsis thaliana by screening a cDNA library and using RT-PCR strategy. The cDNA, des-ignated AtPLC6, encodes a putative polypeptide of 578 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular mass of 66251.84 D and a pI of 7.24. The sequence analysis indicates that the polypeptide contains X, Y, EF-hand and C2 domains. The overall structure of putative AtPLC6 protein, like other plant PI-PLCs, is most similar to that of mammalian PLCd. The recombinant AtPLC6 protein expressed in E. coli was able to hydrolyze phosphatidylinositol 4,5-biophosphate (PIP2) to generate inositol 1,4,5-trisphate (IP3) and 1,2-diacylglycerol (DAG). The protein hydrolyzes PIP2 in a Ca2+-dependent manner and the optimum concentration of Ca2+ is 10 mmol/L. These results suggested that AtPLC6 gene encodes a genuine PI-PLC. Northern blot analysis showed that the AtPLC6 gene is expressed at low level in all examined tissues, such as roots, stems, leaves, flowers, siliques and seedlings under normal growth conditions. The gene is strongly induced under low temperature and weakly induced under various stresses, such as ABA, high-salt stress and heat. These results sug-gested that AtPLC6 might be involved in the signal-trans- duction pathways of cold responses of the plants.