A dynamic regulation of nitrogen on floret primordia development in wheat

Nitrogen(N)fertilization is critical for spike and floret development,which affects the number of fertile florets per spike(NFFs).However,the physiological regulation of the floret development process by N fertilization is largely unknown.A high temporal-resolution investigation of floret primordia number and morphology,dry matter,and N availability was conducted under three N fertilization levels:0(N0),120(N1)and 240(N2)kg ha^(−1).Interestingly,fertile florets at anthesis stage were determined by those floret primordia with meiotic ability at booting stage:meiotic ability was a threshold that predicted whether a floret primordium became fertile or abortive florets.Because the developmental rate of the 4th floret primordium in the central spikelet was accelerated and then they acquired meiotic ability,the NFFs increased gradually as N application increased,but the increase range decreased under N2.There were no differences in spike N concentration among treatments,but leaf N concentration was increased in the N1 and N2 treatments.Correspondingly,dry matter accumulation and N content of the leaf and spike in the N1 and N2 treatments was increased as compared to N0.Clearly,optimal N fertilization increased leaf N availability and transport of assimilates to spikes,and allowed more floret primordia to acquire meiotic ability and become fertile florets,finally increasing NFFs.There was no difference in leaf N concentration between N1 and N2 treatment,whereas soil N concentration at 0–60 cm soil layers was higher in N2 than in N1 treatment,implying that there was still some N fertilization that remained unused.Therefore,improving the leaf’s ability to further use N fertilizer is vital for greater NFFs.

Ontogenetic development in the morphology and behavior of loach(Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) during early life stages

Loach （Misgurnus anguillicaudatus） is a commercially important fish in China and an ideal aquaculture species. However, culturists experience high larval and juvenile mortality during mass production. To provide insight into ways to improve larviculture techniques, we describe the morphological characteristics and behavior of loach during the larval and early juvenile stages. Yolksae larvae ranged from 2.8 to 4.0 mm body length （BL） between days 0 to 4; preflexion larvae ranged from 3.6 to 5.5 mm BL between days 4 to 6; flexion larvae ranged from 4.8 to 8.1 mm BL between days 5 and 14; and post-flexion larvae ranged from 7. l to 15.7 mm BL between days 11 to 27; the minimum length and age of juveniles was 14.1 mm BL and 23 d, respectively. Loach are demersal from hatch through to the early juvenile stages. A suite of morphological characteristics （e.g., external gill filament and ventral mouth opening） and behavioral traits have developed to adapt to demersal living. We observed positive allometric growth in eye diameter, head length, head height, and pectoral fin length during the early larval stages, reflecting the priorities in the development of the organs essential for survival. Our results provide a basis for developing techniques to improve the survival of larval and juvenile loach during mass production.

Effect of Different Sowing Dates and Densities on Individual Morphological Development of Super Short-season Insect-resistant Cotton

[Objective] The paper was to explore the effect of different sowing dates and densities on individual morphological development of super short-season insect-resistant cotton,confirm their effects on vegetative and reproductive growth of cotton,so as to provide theoretical and practical guidance for sowing date and density management of cotton planting in Jidong cotton growing region in Yellow River Basin.[Method] With super short-season insect-resistant cotton＂546＂as materials,the effects of different sowing dates（sowing dateⅠ：May 20;sowing dateⅡ：June 2;sowing date Ⅲ：June 14）and densities（low density：120 000 plants/hm2;middle density：150 000 plants/hm2;high density：180 000 plants/hm2）on individual morphological development of super short-season insect-resistant cotton were explored.[Result] Different sowing dates and density treatments significantly affected the individual morphological development of super short-season insect-resistant cotton＂546＂.The effectiveness of sowing date was higher than the effectiveness of density,and the effectiveness of sowing date on development of number of individual fruit branches was higher than that on plant height and stem diameter.[Conclusion] The regulation of sowing date and density during the cultivation process of super short-season insect-resistant cotton ＂546＂ in Jidong cotton growing region in Yellow River Basin could effectively promote vegetative and reproductive growth of cotton,strengthening its production base.

Pistillate Flower Development and Stigma Receptivity of Euphorbia pulcherrima

Objective] This study aimed to investigate the relationship between pistil-late flower developmental morphology and stigma receptivity in Euphorbia pulcherri-ma. [Method] One-year-old adult plants of E. pulcherrima cultivar ‘Mil enium’ were used as experimental materials to analyze pistil ate flower development process by macroscopic and scanning electron microscope （SEM） observation. Stigma receptivity was detected with benzidine-hydrogen peroxide method and in vivo pol en germina-tion method. [Result] The pistil ate flower development process of E. pulcherrima was consisted of columnar stigma phase, stigma lobe slightly opening phase, Y-shape stigma lobe phase, inverse V-shaped stigma lobe phase and stigma curling phase. Pistil ate flower development and stigma receptivity of E. pulcherrima exhibit-ed certain correlation. The stigma receptive period lasted from stigma lobe slightly opening phase to inverse V-shaped stigma lobe phase; inverse V-shaped stigma lobe phase was appropriate for pol ination, lasting for 3-5 d, with V-shaped stigma lobe and a large amount of exudates on stigma surface according to SEM obser-vation. Stigma receptivity of E. pulcherrima detected with benzidine-hydrogen perox-ide method was consistent with that detected in vivo pol en germination method. [Conclusion] ln breeding practice, the optimal pol ination period of E. pulcherrima can be determined based on the developmental morphology of pistil ate flower.

Simulation of Morphological Development of Soil Cracks in Yuanmou Dry-hot Valley Region, Southwest China

Soil cracking is an important process influencing water and solutes transport in the Yuanmou Dry-hot Valley region of Southwest China. Studying the morphological development of soil cracks helps to further reveal the close relationship between the soil cracking process and water movement in such semi-arid regions. Here we report regular changes on surface morphology of soil cracks with decreasing water in four different soils (Typ-Ustic Ferrisols,Ver-Ustic Ferrisols,Tru-Ustic Vertisols and Typ-Ustic Vertisols) through simulation experiments. Our results indicate the following: 1) Different soils ultimately have different development degrees of soil cracks,according to their various values of crack area density. Soil cracks in Typ-Ustic Ferrisols can only develop to the feeble degree,while those in the other three soils are capable of developing into the intensive degree,and even into the extremely intensive degree. 2) Soil crack complexity,as expressed by the value of the area-weighted mean of crack fractal dimension (AWMFRAC),is found to continuously decrease as a whole through the whole cracking process in all the studied soils. 3) Soil crack connectivity shows a uniform trend in the studied soils,that is to say,connectivity gradually increases with soil crack development.

Synergistic combination of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria modulates morpho-physiological characteristics and soil structure in Nitraria tangutorum bobr.Under saline soil conditions

Nitraria tangutorum Bobr.,a typical xero-halophyte,can be used for vegetation restoration and reconstruction in arid and semiarid regions affected by salinity.However,global climate change and unreasonable human activity have exacerbated salinization in arid and semi-arid regions,which in turn has led to the growth inhibition of halophytes,including N.tangutorum.Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi(AMF)and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria(PGPR)have the potential to improve the salt tolerance of plants and their adaptation to saline soil environments.In this study,the effects of single and combined inoculations of AMF(Glomus mosseae)and PGPR(Bacillus amyloliquefaciens FZB42)on N.tangutorum were evaluated in severe saline soil conditions.The results indicate that AMF and PGPR alone may not adapt well to the real soil environment,and cannot ensure the effect of either growth promotion or salt-tolerance induction on N.tangutorum seedlings.However,the combination of AMF and PGPR significantly promoted mycorrhizal colonization,increased biomass accumulation,improved morphological development,enhanced photosynthetic performance,stomatal adjustment ability,and the exchange of water and gas.Co-inoculation also significantly counteracted the adverse effect of salinity on the soil structure of N.tangutorum seedlings.It is concluded that the effectiveness of microbial inoculation on the salt tolerance of N.tangutorum seedlings depends on the functional compatibility between plants and microorganisms as well as the specific combinations of AMF and PGPR.

Radiation dose effects on the morphological development of M_(1) generation pea(Pisum sativum)

We irradiated pea seeds with neutrons from a ^(252)Cf source and studied the radiation dose effects on various morphological development parameters during the growth of M_(1) generation peas.We found that in the dose range of 0.51-9.27 Gy,with the increase in neutron-absorbed dose,the morphological development parameters of M_(1) generation peas at the initial seedling stage showed an obvious trend with three fluctuations.With the development of pea,this trend gradually weakened.Further analysis and verification showed that the main trend in the M_(1) generation of pea seeds was an inhibitory effect induced by neutron irradiation and there was a good linear correlation between the inhibitory effect and neutron absorption dose We successfully demonstrated the background removal of mutant plants and defined morphological developmen parameters for peas that match the overall development of plants.Our results will positively impact neutron mutation breeding and automatic agriculture.

DETERMINATION OF PHASE INVERSION POINT IN THE EMULSIFICATION OF POLYMERS

Phase inversion emulsification technique is a recently developed method to achieve waterborne dispersions of polymer resin. It is found that the electrical and rheological properties of the system experience abrupt changes in the vicinity of the phase inversion point (PIP). Before PIP, the system is a Newtonian fluid. At PIP, the continuous phase transforms from polymer resin to water phase with the result that the electrical resistance of the system drops abruptly. Meanwhile, the system at PIP exhibits high viscoelasticity originated from the formation of a physical gel alike structure among the waterborne particles. Besides, the morphology evolution is observed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).

Morphological Development of Sambong (Blumea balsamifera (L.) DC.) Leaf Studied by Frozen Section and Thin Section

The sambong (Blumea balsamifera (L.) DC.) leaf was investigated by applying frozen section and thin section technology, and observed through optical microscope. The results showed that the sambong leaf was firstly originated nearby the apical bud at the stem tip. The first leaf grows fast, that the mitosis happens frequently and the cytoplasm manufacture rapidly. The cells in the first few leaves have not yet differentiated into the spongy parenchyma and palisade parenchyma. In the mature leaf, the spongy parenchyma and palisade parenchyma were fully developed. The epidermal hairs were firstly developed on the abaxial side of the first leaf.

MORPHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENCE-INDUS- TRY COMPLEXES IN CHINA

This paper maintains that science-industry complexes (SICs), with science parks as the grassroots units, present a tripartite structure of parks, zones and belts in their spatial layout. In their morphological system, parks act as the building bricks of the zones and belts, while the latter two are the outward expansion of parks, leading to spatial diffusion and the transfer of hi-tech knowhow and hi-tech industry. Viewed from the temporal sequence, a park is the starting point for the growth of a zone or a belt, while a zone or a belt is the evolutionary outcome of parks, reflecting sequential advances of an innovation chain.Based on this viewpoint, this paper attempts to make a case study on the morphological development of hi-tech zones and belts in this country. The paper concludes that there are two developmental patterns which Chinese SICs are destined for. One is a zone that incubates a group of parks and the other is a cluster of zones forming a belt. Such an evolutionary process results from

Experimental Study on Impingement Processes of Fuel Sprays on Biomimetic Structured Surfaces

To improve the controllability of the wall-wetting process after the fuel spray-wall impingement in internal combustion engines,the methods of laser etching,chemical etching and surface free energy modification are used to prepare biomimetic structured surfaces with different wettability.The impingement processes of diesel and n-butanol sprays on the walls under different conditions are experimentally investigated.As the surface oleophilicity increases,the spreading radius of wall-impinging sprays decreases.At about 5 s after the fuel injections,the fuel spray droplets hit the walls for the first time,and the secondary breakup and rebound occur.The mixture concentrations of different fuels hitting the various walls reach the peak value.Under a higher surface temperature,the peak value of the mixture concentration is mainly related to the heat flux to the fuel droplets in different boiling regimes from the metal surfaces.The concentration of the air–fuel mixture in the near wall region increases with increasing surface oleophilicity,increasing wall temperature and decreasing ambient pressure.Compared with diesel,n-butanol presents a higher air–fuel mixture concentration in the near wall region.