Nighttime transpiration of Populus euphratica during different phenophases

Evidence exists of nighttime transpiration and its potential impact on plant/water relations for species in a diversity of ecosystems. However, relevant data related to typical desert riparian forest species remains limited Accordingly, we measured sap flow velocity of Populus euphratica using the heat ratio method between 2012 and2014. Nocturnal stem sap flow was separated into nighttime and stem refilling using the ‘‘forecasted refilling''method. Nighttime transpiration was observed for each phenophase. The highest value was during the full foliation period but lowest during leaf expansion and defoliation periods. The contribution of nighttime transpiration to daytime transpiration was an average of 15% but this was comparatively higher during the defoliation period. Relationships between nighttime transpiration, vapor pressure deficits, and air temperatures were more closely associated than with wind speed in all phenophases. Moreover, we found that nighttime transpiration linearly correlated to vapour pressure deficit during the first and the full foliation periods, but nighttime transpiration showed exponential correlations to air temperatures during the same phenophases. Additionally, environmental drivers of transpiration were significantly different between nighttime and daytime(P \ 0.05). Driving forces behind nighttime transpiration were characterized by many factors, and integrated impacts between these multiple environmental factors were complex. Future studies should focus on these integrated impacts on nighttime transpiration, and the physiological mechanisms of nighttime transpiration should be investigated, given that this could also influence its occurrence and magnitude during different phenophases.

Analysis on the Phenophase Characteristics of Zhengdan958 and Xianyu335 in North of Huanghuaihai Region

[Objective] The study is aimed to timely grasp the growth and develop- ment process of summer maize and comprehensively evaluate the impact of envi- ronmental factors on the growth and development of maize in north Huanguaihai re- gion. [Method] The phenophase, leaf unfolding rate, grain filling rate and yield char- acteristics of Zhengdan 958 and Xianyu 335 were analyzed at N 37°53′, E115°42′. [Result] The summer corn Zhengdan 958 and Xianyu335 emerged in 6 days after sowing with the growing period of 111 d, grain-filling stage lasting 66 days, and the leaf unfolding rate and grain filling rate were accelerated with the increase of tem- perature. In the last 6 d before harvest （October 5-11）, Zhengdan 958 and Xi- anyu335 contributed to the yield by 6.61% and 4.20%, respectively. The two crops a year cropping system made it hard for the summer maize to achieve maturing harvest in north Huanghuaihai region. [Conclusion] The maize production could be significantly improved through selecting early maturing varieties, early sowing, timely late harvest, ensuring maize effective accumulated temperature and sufficient grout- ing time after pollination.

Features of Phenological Phases of Blackberry in the Conditions of the Samarkand Region

The article presents data on the study of phenological phases of blackberries in the Samarkand region in 2022-2023. The influence of differing in weather conditions, especially at the beginning and end of the growing season, on the timing of onset and duration of the main phenophases of the plant is analyzed. The objects of the study were 4 varieties of different genetic and ecological-geographical origin of foreign selection: Brazos, Jumbo, Thornfree and Karaka Black. Phenological observations were carried out according to the classical methodology developed for this crop in Russia. The timing of all phenophases was significantly dependent on the temperature conditions of the growing season: in the year with a higher sum of average daily temperatures, the corresponding phenophases occurred earlier. According to preliminary data, the climatic indicators of the vegetation period of this region allow for the cultivation of blackberries of the main morphological groups (erect, semi-erect, trailing) and different ripening periods.

Impacts of climate warming on plants phenophases in China for the last 40 years

Based on plant phenology data from 26 stations of the Chinese Phenology Observation Network of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the climate data, the change of plant phenophase in spring and the impact of climate warming on the plant phenophase in China for the last 40 years are analyzed. Furthermore, the geographical distribution models of phenophase in every decade are reconstructed, and the impact of climate warming on geographical distribution model of phenophase is studied as well. The results show that (i) the response of phenophase advance or delay to temperature change is nonlinear. Since the 1980s, at the same amplitude of temperature change, phenophase delay amplitude caused by temperature decrease is greater than phenophase advance amplitude caused by temperature increase; the rate of phenophase advance days decreases with temperature increase amplitude, and the rate of phenophase delay days increases with temperature decrease amplitude. (ii) The geographical distribution model between

Spatio-temporal responses of cropland phenophases to climate change in Northeast China

We investigated the responses of cropland phenophases to changes of agricultural thermal conditions in Northeast China using the SPOT-VGT Normalized Difference Vegetation Index （NDVI） ten-day-composed time-series data, observed crop phenophases and the climate data collected from 1990 to 2010. First, the phenological parameters, such as the dates of onset-of-growth, peak-of-growth and end-of-growth as well as the length of the growing season, were extracted from the smoothed NVDI time-series dataset and showed an obvious correlation with the observed crop phenophases, including the stages of seedling, heading, maturity and the length of the growth period. Secondly, the spatio-temporal trends of the major thermal conditions （the first date of ≥10℃, the first frost date, the length of the temperature-allowing growth period and the accumulated temperature （AT） of ≥10℃） in Northeast China were illustrated and analyzed over the past 20 years. Thirdly, we focused on the responses of cropland phenophases to the thermal conditions changes. The results showed that the onset-of-growth date had an obvious positive correlation with the first date of ≥10℃ （P 0.01）, especially in the northern part of the Songnen Plain, the eastern part of the Sanjiang Plain and the middle and eastern parts of Jilin Province. For the extracted length of growing season and the observed growth period, notable correlations were found in almost same regions （P 0.05）. However, there was no obvious correlation between the end-of-growth date and the first frost date in the study area. Opposite correlations were observed between the length of the growing season and the AT of ≥10℃. In the northern part of the Songnen Plain, the eastern part of the Sanjiang Plain and the middle part of Jilin and Liaoning Provinces, the positive correlation coefficients were higher than the critical value of 0.05, whereas the negative correlation coefficients reached a level of 0.55 （P 0.05） in the middle and southern parts of Heilongjiang Province and some parts of the Sanjiang Plain. This finding indicated that the crop growth periods were shortened because of the elevated temperature; in contrast, the extended growth period usually meant a crop transformation from early- or middle-maturing varieties into middle or late ones.

The spatiotemporal characteristics of spring phenophase changes of Fraxinus chinensis in China from 1952 to 2007

We selected widely distributed and well observed plant species Fraxinus chinensis to study the formation mechanism of geographical distribution of the plant phenophase changes and revealed their spatiotemporal dynamics in China. Based on the first leaf date （FLD） data at 12 sites derived from Chinese Phenological Observation Network （CPON） and related meteoro- logical data, we developed and validated the process-based model of FLD for Fraxinus chinensis. After reconstructing data series of FLD for Fraxinus chinensis over the study area from 1952 to 2007, we analyzed different spatiotemporal patterns of phenophase changes of this species. The results suggested that the process-based model was able to simulate the FLD accu- rately for Fraxinus chinensis on large spatial and temporal scales, because of the consideration of different budding rate re- sponded to the air temperatures during the dormancy and the quiescence in accordance with the physiological mechanism of plants. The geographical distribution of the spring phenology in temperate regions was determined by the spatial pattern of daily average air temperature. The changes of FLD for Fraxinus chinensis revealed significant phenological advances in most areas. However, it showed delayed trends in a few sites. The overall average change trend was -1 .l days/decade. This result was consistent with the advanced trend in other regions of the North Hemisphere. The changes of FLD showed a noticeable regional variation with clearer advance in the north than in the south. The FLD in northern China showed an average ad- vance as high as -2.0 days/decade （P〈0.01）. And the advance in northeastern and northwestern China was respectively -1.5 and -1.4 days/decade （P〈0.01）. Furthermore, eastern and central regions showed a minor trend, which was -1.0 days/decade （P〈0.05）. The smallest and non-significant advance appeared in southwestern and southern China.

Study on the Flowering Biological Characteristics of Prunus domestica × armeniaca

[Objective] The aims of this study were to understand the flowering biological characteristics of Prunus domestica ×armeniaca and analyze its differences with other apricot varieties and plum varieties. [Method] Taking three varieties of Prunus domestica ×armeniaca as the research object, the phenophase of blooming,morphology characteristics of floral organs and development characteristics of floral organs were observed, pollen amount, pollen viability and stigma receptivity were measured. [Result] The results showed that three varieties of Prunus domestica×armeniaca were in blossom in early April, the florescence were relatively late for 8-12 d comparing with the varieties of apricot, the florescence were relatively similar to the P. domestica L. Morphology characteristics of floral organs of three varieties of Prunus domestica×armeniaca had few differences, were relatively similar to two varieties of plum, and they all had high percent of middle-style and long-style flower.The pollen amount of three varieties of Prunus domestica ×armeniaca had a little differences comparing with two varieties of plum, but were lower than three varieties of apricot. There were some differences in pollen viability, the germination percentage of pollen of ‘Konglongdan＇ was relatively high, was 51.6%; The pollen amount of ‘Fengweihuanghou＇ was relatively high, was 880.8 per anther; ‘Weidi＇ had fewer pollen amount, and the pollen viability was just 2.1%; Three varieties of Prunus domestica ×armeniaca all had strong stigma receptivity on the bloom day, and the stigma receptivity continued exist until the day that 5 days after blooming. [Conclusion] The florescence of three varieties of Prunus domestica ×armeniaca were relatively concentrated, and the rate of pistil abortion was lowest, the variation intensity of stigma receptivity and sustainable time of three varieties of Prunus domestica×armeniaca almost had a little differences comparing with a variety of plum, but slightly more than three varieties of apricot.

The Flowering Biology of Plum(Prunus domestica L.) in Aksu Region, Xinjiang

[Objective] The aim of this study was to understand the flowering biological characteristics of different varieties Prunus domestica L. in Aksu Jiamu Experi- ment Station. [Method] Three varieties of plum as Prunus domestica L. cv. ＇French＇, Prunus domestica L. cv. ＂Victoria＇ and Prunus domestica L. cv. ＂Stanley＇ were the research subjects. The phenophases of blooming, and the morphological and developmental characteristics of floral organs were observed. The amount and viability of pollen and the stigma receptivity were measured. [Result] Three varieties of plum all blossomed in early April, and the florescence had lasted for 9-10 d. The average number of anthers was 28.48%. The average number of pollen grains in each flower was 28 700.0. The pollen germination rate was 27.4%. 86.75% of the flowers were medium-styled or long-styled. There was no significant difference in the petal shape, color, anther number, calyx color, and flower ovary among the three varieties of plum. The stigma receptivity was strongest on the first day of flowering, and then dropped gradually. Therefore, the flowers of plum were manual pollinated on the first day of flowering. The duration time of stigma receptivity of Prunus domestica L. cv. ＇Victoria＇ was longer than the other cultivars, the duration time of stigma receptivity was about 5 d. [Conclusion] The pollen number and pollen germination rate of Prunus domestica L. cv. ＇Stanley＇ were higher than the other cultivars, which be considered the most suitable pollinizer for plum. In contrast, the complete flower rate of Prunus domestica L. cv. ＇French＇ and Prunus domestica L. cv. ＇Victoria＇ was relatively high, but the pollen number and pollen germination rate of Prunus domestica L. cv. ＇French＇ and Prunus domestica L. cv. ＇Victoria＇ were lower than Prunus domestica L. cv. ＇Stanley＇, which are not suitable to use as a pollinizer for plum.

Differences in response of desert plants of different ecotypes to climate warming:a case study in Minqin, Northwest China

Globally climates are warming. How do desert plants of different ecotypes respond to the climate change？ This paper studied the differing responses to climate warming shown by desert plants of different ecotypes through analyzing the phenology and meteorological data of 22 desert plant species growing in Minqin Desert Bo- tanical Garden in Northwest China during the period 1974-2009. The results indicate： （1） The temperature in the study area has risen quickly since 1974, and plants＇ growing periods became longer. The spring phenology of mesophytes advanced, and the autumn phenology of xerophytes was delayed; （2） The starting dates of spring phenophase of mesophytes and xerophytes differed significantly and both showed an advancing trend; （3） The spring phenology of mesophytes advanced by more days than that of xerophytes, whereas the autumn phenology of mesophytes was delayed by less days than that of the xerophytes; and （4） Mesophytes are more sensitive than xerophytes to rising temperature in spring and falling temperature in autumn. These findings are of value in plant management and regional introduction of different species.

Seed Germination and Seedling Growth of Idesia polycarpa

[Objective] This study was conducted to characterize the seed germination and seedling growth of Idesia polycarpa. [Method] After 3-5 h of soaking in 5% baking soda solution, the waxy outer layer of the seeds was rubbed off. Then, the seeds were mixed with fine sand and evenly sown on seedbeds. Germinated seeds were counted to calculate germination rate. Seedlings at two-or three-leef stage were transplanted, and their phenophases were observed and recorded. Height and ground diameter of the seedlings were monitored in the following three years. [Result] The seed germination rate was increased to 20% by soaking in 5% baking soda solution. The yearly seedling height growth of L polycarpa increased with the increase in seedling age. The monthly seedling height growth from August to October was much higher than in other months in the first year, and the growth in seedling height in the three months accounted for 79% of the total increase in that year. The seedling height grew rapidly from May to July in the following two years. In detail, the increase in seedling height from May to July accounted for 87.94% of the total increase in the second year, and 74.16% of the total increase in the third year. The monthly seedling height growth peaked in May in the two years. The yearly growth in ground diameter of I. polycarpa seedlings also increased with the increase in seedling age. The monthly growth in ground diameter from July to September was much higher than in other months in the first year, and the increase in ground diameter in the three months accounted for 80% of the total increase in that year. In the second and third years, the monthly growth in ground diameter from July to October was much higher than in other months. The increase in ground diameter in the two months accounted for 76.89% of the total increase in the second year, and 61.23% of the total increase in the third year. The monthly growth in ground diameter peaked in August in the two years. [Conclusion] The results will provide a theoretical basis for the development and popularization of L polycarpa in Chongqing and surrounding provinces and cities.

Phenological study of congeneric Myrcia species and Clethra scabra in wetland and drained habitats in a Montane Forest

Although important,phenological studies comparing congeneric species or the same species growing in different habitats are still scarce for the tropics.Herein,we integrate phylogeny,ecology and biometeorology to verify whether the phenophases of congeneric species Myrcia laruotteana and Myrcia amazonica or Clethra scabra differ when their populations inhabit wetland and drained habitats and to determine what abiotic factors affect the vegetative and reproductive phenophases of these species in distinct habitat patches.We collected data on phenological events of 80 trees for 1 year in Itacolomi State Park,Brazil,and related them to abiotic local factors.Contrary to our expectation,the phenophases of the congeneric species did not differ between habitats,but the reproductive phenophases of C.scabra did and was greater in drained soil.Phenophases of C.scabra were affected by the depth of the water table and maximum temperature in the wetland soil.Insolation,precipitation,maximum temperature and relative humidity influenced Myrcia and Clethra in the drained soil.The differences between C.scabra populations suggest that this species is phenotypically plastic and can present distinct phenophases depending on the habitat it inhabits.On the other hand,the congeneric Myrcia species may have similar phenophases in distinct habitats because of their shared similarities during their evolution.This study provides a better understanding of the ecology of these species and their adaptations to different abiotic conditions.Data of this nature are important in a changing world and can inform strategies for adaptive management.

Phenology of a tropical dry deciduous forest of Bhadra wildlife sanctuary,southern India

Introduction:This paper describes the leafing,flowering and fruiting phenology of canopy trees in the dry deciduous forest of Bhadra wildlife sanctuary from June 2004 to May 2006.Method:All the woody canopy individuals(>20 cm girth at breast height)were identified and tagged with a unique number along a transect of approximately 2 Km comprising 157 individuals of 22 species.Observations were made at monthly intervals from June 2004 to May 2006 for leafing,flowering and fruiting phenophases.Result:Leaf fall starts in September,with a peak in December and January.Leaf initiation begins in February,with a peak in April before the monsoon.Leaf expansion starts in February from pre-monsoon with a peak in May and July during the monsoon.Leaf senescence begins in September to November and peaks in January to March.Flower bud initiates in January with a peak in April and May,and pollination begins in April with a peak in May and July before the monsoon to onset of monsoon.Fruit bud initiates in May with a peak in September and October.Unripened fruit was observed in May with a peak in September and November.Fruit fall begins in November with a peak in March.Conclusion:Our results show that leafing and flowering activities occur in the summer or pre-monsoon.Fruiting patterns occur during the monsoon to post-monsoon season.Seasonality among various phenophases indicates that leaf senescence flower initiation and fruit fall have strong seasonality.