The structure-directing role of heterologous seeds in the synthesis of zeolite

Zeolites have been widely used as catalysts,ion-exchangers,and adsorbents in chemical industries,detergent industry,steel industry,glass industry,ceramic industry,medical and healthfield,and environmentalfield,and recently applied in energy storage.Seed-assisted synthesis is a very effective approach in promoting the crystallization of zeolites.In some cases,the target zeolite cannot be formed in the absence of seed zeolite.In homologous seed-assisted synthesis,the structure of the seed zeolite is the same to that of the target zeolite,while the structure of the seed zeolite is different to that of the target zeolite in the heterologous seed-assisted synthesis.In this review,we briefly summarized the heterologous seed-assisted syntheses of zeolites and analyzed the structure-directing effect of heterologous seeds and surveyed the“common composite building units(CBUs)hypothesis”and the“common secondary building units(SBUs)hypothesis”.However,both hypotheses cannot explain all observations on the heterologous seed-assisted syntheses.Finally,we proposed that the formation of the target zeolite does need nuclei with the structure of target zeolite and the formation of the nuclei of the target zeolite can be promoted by either the undissolved seed crystals with the same CBUs or SBUs to the target zeolite or by the facilitated appropriate distribution of the specific building units due to the presence of the heterologous seed that does not have any common CBUs and SBUs with the target zeolite.

Pectin methylesterase inhibitors GhPMEI53 and AtPMEI19 improve seed germination by modulating cell wall plasticity in cotton and Arabidopsis

The germination process of seeds is influenced by the interplay between two opposing factors,pectin methylesterase(PME)and pectin methylesterase inhibitor(PMEI),which collectively regulate patterns of pectin methylesterification.Despite the recognized importance of pectin methylesterification in seed germination,the specific mechanisms that govern this process remain unclear.In this study,we demonstrated that the overexpression of GhPMEI53is associated with a decrease in PME activity and an increase in pectin methylesterification.This leads to seed cell wall softening,which positively regulates cotton seed germination.AtPMEI19,the homologue in Arabidopsis thaliana,plays a similar role in seed germination to GhPMEI53,indicating a conserved function and mechanism of PMEI in seed germination regulation.Further studies revealed that GhPMEI53 and AtPMEI19 directly contribute to promoting radicle protrusion and seed germination by inducing cell wall softening and reducing mechanical strength.Additionally,the pathways of abscicic acid(ABA)and gibberellin(GA)in the transgenic materials showed significant changes,suggesting that GhPMEI53/AtPMEI19-mediated pectin methylesterification serves as a regulatory signal for the related phytohormones involved in seed germination.In summary,GhPMEI53 and its homologs alter the mechanical properties of cell walls,which influence the mechanical resistance of the endosperm or testa.Moreover,they impact cellular phytohormone pathways(e.g.,ABA and GA)to regulate seed germination.These findings enhance our understanding of pectin methylesterification in cellular morphological dynamics and signaling transduction,and contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the PME/PMEI gene superfamily in plants.

Effects of rearing system and antibiotic treatment on immune function,gut microbiota and metabolites of broiler chickens

Background:In China,cage systems with a high space utilization have gradually replaced ground litter systems,but the disease incidence of chickens in cages is higher.Broilers in the ground litter pens may be stimulated by more environmental microbes during the growth process and show strong immune function and status,but knowledge of which microbes and their metabolites play an immunomodulatory role is still limited.This study aimed to explore the differences and correlations in the immune function,gut microbiota and metabolites and the importance of gut microbiota of broilers raised in cages and ground litter pens.Methods:The experiment involved a 2×2 factorial arrangement,with rearing systems(cages or ground litter pens)and antibiotic treatment(with or without broad-spectrum antibiotics in drinking water)as factors.Results:The results showed that,compared with the cage group,the ground litter broilers had stronger nonspecific immune function(Macrophages%and NO in blood),humoral immune function(IgG in blood,LPS stimulation index in ileum)and cellular immune function(T%,Tc%,ConA stimulation index and cytokines in blood).Antibiotic(ABX)treat-ment significantly reduced nonspecific immune function(Macrophages%and NO in blood,iNOS and Mucin2 mRNA expression in ileum),humoral immune function(IgG in blood and sIgA in ileum)and cellular immune function(T%and cytokines in blood,Th and Tc ratio,TLRs and cytokines mRNA expression in ileum).Furthermore,the ground litter broil-ers had higherαdiversity of microbiota in ileum.The relative abundance of Staphylococcus,Jeotgalicoccus,Jeotgalibaca and Pediococcus in the ileum of ground litter broilers were higher.ABX treatment significantly reduced theαdiversity of ileal microbiota,with less Chloroplast and Mitochondria.In addition,the levels of acetic acid,isobutyric acid,kynurenic acid and allolithocholic acid in the ileum of ground litter broilers were higher.Spearman correlation analysis showed that Jeotgalibaca,Pediococcus,acetic acid,kynurenic acid and allolithocholic acid were related to the immune function.Conclusions:There were more potential pathogens,litter breeding bacteria,short-chain fatty acids,kynurenine,allolithocholic acid and tryptophan metabolites in the ileum of broilers in ground litter pens,which may be the reason for its stronger immune function and status.

Targeted mutations of BnPAP2 lead to a yellow seed coat in Brassica napus L.

The yellow seed trait is preferred by breeders for its potential to improve the seed quality and commercial value of Brassica napus.In the present study,we produced yellow seed mutants using a CRISPR/Cas9 system when the two BnPAP2 homologs were knocked out.Histochemical staining of the seed coat demonstrated that proanthocyanidin accumulation was significantly reduced in the pap2 double mutants and decreased specifically in the endothelial and palisade layer cells of the seed coat.Transcriptomic and metabolite profiling analysis suggested that disruption of the BnPAP2 genes could reduce the expression of structural and regulated genes in the phenylpropanoid and flavonoid biosynthetic pathways.The broad suppression of these genes might hinder proanthocyanidin accumulation during seed development,and thereby causing the yellow seed trait in B.napus.These results indicate that BnPAP2 might play a vital role in the regulatory network controlling proanthocyanidin accumulation.

Performance of Two Food Substrates in the Mass Rearing of Bactrocera dorsalis Hendel (Diptera: Tephritidae)

The fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis Hendel is a major constraint to mango production in Burkina Faso. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of two types of food substrates in optimizing the mass rearing of B. dorsalis larvae. For this purpose, 200 eggs of B. dorsalis were divided into four batches of 50 eggs and incubated in Petri dishes containing the different food substrates (Diet 1 and Diet 2). This method was used to evaluate the rate and duration of egg hatching, as well as the development time of the different larval stages. In addition, 1200 pupae divided into four batches of 300 pupae, contained in PVC tubes, were placed inside the rearing cages to monitor the emergence of B. dorsalis. Ten pairs of B. dorsalis were placed in rearing cages and fed with Enzymatic Yeast Hydrolysate and sugar to evaluate the fecundity of female flies and the survival of both sexes. The developmental cycle length in Diet 1 and Diet 2 was 23.03 days and 23.24 days, respectively. Fecundity duration ranged from 57.75 ± 2.29 to 109.81 ± 3.81 days for females from Diet 1 and Diet 2, respectively. The pupal hatching rate varied significantly (P B. dorsalis, but the spawning index was 4 times higher with Diet 1. Most of the components of Diet 1 are available on the local market and are cheaper. Thus, we recommend the use of Diet 1 for B. dorsalis larvae mass rearing.

Plant life form determines spatiotemporal variability and climate response of plant seed rain in subtropical forests

Spatiotemporal variation of seed rain reflects the response of plants in terms of their reproductive strategy to environmental gradients.In this study,we collected seeds from four sites in the Dalaoling Nature Reserve,Hubei Province,China,between 2011 and 2014,measured seed output and seed mass as seed rain traits,and compared their interannual and elevational variation.Then,we ran phylogenetic generalized mixed linear models(PGLMMs) to explore the effects of temperature and precipitation as well as interspecific differences on seed rain,and fitted the best regression models for seed rain vs.weather of canopy and understory species.The results showed no correlation between values of seed output and seed mass.However,the variation of the two traits showed significantly positive correlation.Seed output of canopy species generally decreased with increasing elevation,and showed significant interannual difference;however,seed output of understory species and seed mass for both canopy and understory species did not show consistency tends along elevational or in interannual variation.Seed output was significantly affected by temperature and precipitation,while seed mass mainly varied due to interspecific differences.Weather explained more the variation of the seed output of canopy species than that of understory species,with R^(2) values of 43.0%and 29.9%,respectively.These results suggested that canopy plants contributed more to the reproductive dynamics of the whole communities,and the canopy's buffer effect on the underground weakened the response of understory plants to weather variation in terms of their reproductive strategy.

Spatiotemporal characteristics of seed rain and soil seed bank of artificial Caragana korshinskii Kom. forest in the Tengger Desert, China

Vegetation restoration and reconstruction are effective approaches to desertification control and achieving social and economic sustainability in desert areas.However,the self-succession ability of native plants during the later periods of vegetation restoration remains unclear.Therefore,this study was conducted to bridge the knowledge gap by investigating the regeneration dynamics of artificial forest under natural conditions.The information of seed rain and soil seed bank was collected and quantified from an artificial Caragana korshinskii Kom.forest in the Tengger Desert,China.The germination tests were conducted in a laboratory setting.The analysis of species quantity and diversity in seed rain and soil seed bank was conducted to assess the impact of different durations of sand fixation(60,40,and 20 a)on the progress of vegetation restoration and ecological conditions in artificial C.korshinskii forest.The results showed that the top three dominant plant species in seed rain were Echinops gmelinii Turcz.,Eragrostis minor Host.,and Agropyron mongolicum Keng.,and the top three dominant plant species in soil seed bank were E.minor,Chloris virgata Sw.,and E.gmelinii.As restoration period increased,the density of seed rain and soil seed bank increased first and then decreased.While for species richness,as restoration period increased,it gradually increased in seed rain but decreased in soil seed bank.There was a positive correlation between seed rain density and soil seed bank density among all the three restoration periods.The species similarity between seed rain or soil seed bank and aboveground vegetation decreased with the extension of restoration period.The shape of the seeds,specifically those with external appendages such as spines and crown hair,clearly had an effect on their dispersal,then resulting in lower seed density in soil seed bank.In addition,precipitation was a crucial factor in promoting rapid germination,also resulting in lower seed density in soil seed bank.Our findings provide valuable insights for guiding future interventions during the later periods of artificial C.korshinskii forest,such as sowing and restoration efforts using unmanned aerial vehicles.

Effects of wind speed,underlying surface,and seed morphological traits on the secondary seed dispersal in the Tengger Desert,China

The maintenance of sand-fixing vegetation is important for the stability of artificial sand-fixing systems in which seed dispersal plays a key role.Based on field wind tunnel experiments using 11 common plant species on the southeastern edge of the Tengger Desert,China,we studied the secondary seed dispersal in the fixed and semi-fixed sand dunes as well as in the mobile dunes in order to understand the limitations of vegetation regeneration and the maintenance of its stability.Our results indicated that there were significant variations among the selected 11 plant species in the threshold of wind speed(TWS).The TWS of Caragana korshinskii was the highest among the 11 plant species,whereas that of Echinops gmelinii was the lowest.Seed morphological traits and underlying surface could generally explain the TWS.During the secondary seed dispersal processes,the proportions of seeds that did not disperse(no dispersal)and only dispersed over short distance(short-distance dispersal within the wind tunnel test section)were significantly higher than those of seeds that were buried(including lost seeds)and dispersed over long distance(long-distance dispersal beyond the wind tunnel test section).Compared with other habitats,the mobile dunes were the most difficult places for secondary seed dispersal.Buried seeds were the easiest to be found in the semi-fixed sand dunes,whereas fixed sand dunes were the best sites for seeds that dispersed over long distance.The results of linear mixed models showed that after controlling the dispersal distance,smaller and rounder seeds dispersed farther.Shape index and wind speed were the two significant influencing factors on the burial of seeds.The explanatory power of wind speed,underlying surface,and seed morphological traits on the seeds that did not disperse and dispersed over short distance was far greater than that on the seeds that were buried and dispersed over long distance,implying that the processes and mechanisms of burial and long-distance dispersal are more complex.In summary,most seeds in the study area either did not move,were buried,or dispersed over short distance,promoting local vegetation regeneration.

Production of Yam Tubers Using Seed Tubers from Vitroplants Regenerated from Aerial Stems in the Yam Species Dioscorea alata (L.) and Dioscorea cayenensis-rotundata (L. & P.) in Côte d’Ivoire

The aim of this study is to produce large quantities of yam tubers in the field from seed tubers derived from vitroplants regenerated from aerial stem cuttings and farmers’ tuber seeds. Seed tubers from ten yam cultivars, including five from Dioscorea alata (cDa083, cDa053, cDa115, cDa150 and cDa266) and five from Dioscorea cayenensis-rotundata (cDr015, cDr027, cDr150, cDr206 and cDr148) with distinct agro-morphological characteristics, were used as material. A completely randomized block design with 3 replications was used. In each block, all cultivars and seed types were represented. When put into cultivation, the tubers produced by the vitroplants all germinated and gave 100% healthy plants, compared with 86% to 100% healthy plants for the seed tubers produced by the farmers. Yields per hectare ranged from 10 to 25 tonnes for seed tubers produced by in vitro plants, and from 4 to 9 tons for seed tubers produced by farmers. Seed tubers from vitroplants can therefore be recommended to farmers as a solution to the problem of seed tuber unavailability.

Detailed Analyses of Nymphea Seeds Consumed in the Senegal River Valley

Physicochemical investigations were performed on seeds of Nymphea lotus and N. micrantha consumed in the Senegal River valley. They revealed a composition similar to that of cereals. In order to estimate their intrinsic quality, the determination of their amino acid, fatty acid and monosaccharids profiles was done. The results indicate that monosaccharides are represented specifically by saccharose (7%) and glucose (0.67%);a predominance of stearic acid and linoleic acid as unsaturated acids (24.86%);arachidic and palmitic acids as the only saturated acid found (11.12%);a good ratio of unsaturated/saturated acid (2.23);a lack of oleic acid, linoleic, palmitoleic, myristic, caprylic acids;a poor-quality index protein due to low quantity amino acids. Nevertheless, all essential amino acids are present in the seeds. The Nymphea sp grains consumed by the populations around the Senegal River valley offer an interesting nutritional quality linked to fatty acids and carbohydrates.

Modeling Analysis of Factors Influencing Wind-Borne Seed Dispersal: A Case Study on Dandelion

A weed is a plant that thrives in areas of human disturbance, such as gardens, fields, pastures, waysides, and waste places where it is not intentionally cultivated. Dispersal affects community dynamics and vegetation response to global change. The process of seed disposal is influenced by wind, which plays a crucial role in determining the distance and probability of seed dispersal. Existing models of seed dispersal consider wind direction but fail to incorporate wind intensity. In this paper, a novel seed disposal model was proposed in this paper, incorporating wind intensity based on relevant references. According to various climatic conditions, including temperate, arid, and tropical regions, three specific regions were selected to establish a wind dispersal model that accurately reflects the density function distribution of dispersal distance. Additionally, dandelions growth is influenced by a multitude of factors, encompassing temperature, humidity, climate, and various environmental variables that necessitate meticulous consideration. Based on Factor Analysis model, which completely considers temperature, precipitation, solar radiation, wind, and land carrying capacity, a conclusion is presented, indicating that the growth of seeds is primarily influenced by plant attributes and climate conditions, with the former exerting a relatively stronger impact. Subsequently, the remaining two plants were chosen based on seed weight, yielding consistent conclusion.

Studies of the Variability of Primary Metabolites in the Epicarp, Mesocarp and Seed of Dacryodes edulis Fruit at Taste Maturity

The fruits of Dacryodes edulis are rich in biologically active substances, which makes them of great interest in terms of validation. In this study, we targeted the primary metabolites in the epicarp, the mesocarp and the seed of the fruit of Dacryodes edulis at taste maturity, which were selected for their nutritional quality and its appreciation throughout the Gulf of Guinea area, which is very popular because of its large size, texture and special taste. The evaluation of total carbohydrates, total lipids and soluble proteins in the epicarp, mesocarp and seed of the fruit at taste maturity was made from spectrophotometer measurements. The overall analysis of the results of the present study shows that total carbohydrates, total lipids and proteins accumulate more in the seed with respectively 251.33 ± 1.15 mg/g DM;9.92 ± 0.201 mg/g DM and 55.075 ± 0.024 mg/g DM. Likewise, the results indicate low concentrations of total carbohydrates and total lipids in the epicarp with respectively 245 ± 1 mg/g DM and 4.77 ± 0.047 mg/g DM, on the other hand, it is the mesocarp which presents the lowest content of soluble proteins: 28.075 ± 3.231 mg/g DM. This variation could be linked to the nature of the compartment, more particularly to the storage location. This comparative study could lead to the valorization of the seed of the fruit of Dacryodes edulis for its richness in metabolites and arouse significant interest in nutrition.

Seed-assisted growth for high-performance perovskite solar cells:A review

The rapid increase in the power conversion efficiency(PCE)of perovskite solar cells(PSCs)is closely related to the development of deposition techinique for perovskite layer.The high-quality perovskite film enables efficient charge transportation and less trap states,which are eventually translated into enhanced device performance.Seed-assisted growth(SAG)is a potential technique for depositing highly-crystallized perovskite films with preferential crystal orientation among the numerous approaches related to crystallization modulation.In this review,we summarize the recent advances in the SAG technique for both one-step and two-step processed perovskite films.Additionally,seeding at the buried interface and on the top surface are also introduced.We present different seeds and their corresponding seeding mechanism in detail,such as inorganic nanomaterials,organic ammoniums,alkali metal halides,and perovskite seeds.Finally,challenges and perspectives are proposed to investigate the potential expansion of seeding engineering in high-performance PSCs,particularly large-area devices.

Study on damage mechanism and damage distribution of the rear plate under impact of debris cloud

The debris cloud generated by the hypervelocity impact(HVI)of orbiting space debris directly threatens the spacecraft.A full understanding of the damage mechanism of rear plate is useful for the optimal design of protective structures.In this study,the hypervelocity yaw impact of a cylindrical aluminum projectile on a double-layer aluminum plate is simulated by the FE-SPH adaptive method,and the damage process of the rear plate under the impact of the debris cloud is analyzed based on the debris cloud structure.The damage process can be divided into the main impact stage of the debris cloud and the structural response of the rear plate.The main impact stage lasts a short time and is the basis of the rear plate damage.In the stage of structure response,the continuous deformation and inertial motion of the rear plate dominate the perforation of the rear plate.We further analyze the damage mechanism and damage distribution characteristics of the rear plate in detail.Moreover,the connection between velocity space and position space of the debris cloud is established,which promotes the general analysis of the damage law of debris cloud.Based on the relationship,the features of typical damage areas are identified by the localized fine analysis.Both the cumulative effect and structural response cause the perforation of rear plate;in the non-perforated area,cratering by the impact of hazardous fragments is the main damage mode of the rear plate.

qSTA2-2,a novel QTL that contributes to seed starch synthesis in Zea mays L.

The seed storage materials accumulate during seed development,and are essential for seed germination and seedling establishment.Here we employed two bi-parental populations of an F2:3 population developed from a cross of improved 220(I220,small seeds with low starch)and PH4CV(large seeds with high starch),as well as recombinant-inbred lines(RILs)of X178(high starch)and its improved introgression line I178(low starch),to identify the genes that control seed storage materials.We identified a total of 12 QTLs for starch,protein and oil,which explained 3.44-10.79%of the phenotypic variances.Among them,qSTA2-1 identified in F2:3 and qSTA2-2 identified in the RILs partially overlapped at an interval of 7.314-9.554 Mb,and they explained 3.44-10.21%of the starch content variation,so they were selected for further study.Fine mapping of qSTA2-2 with the backcrossed populations of ^(I220)/PH4CV in each generation narrowed it down to a 199.7 kb interval that contains 14 open reading frames(ORFs).Transcriptomic analysis of developing seeds from the near-isogenic lines(NILs)of ^(I220)/PH4CV(BC_(5)F_(2))showed that only 11 ORFs were expressed in 20 days after pollination(DAP)seeds.Five of them were upregulated and six of them were downregulated in NIL^(I220),and the differentially expressed genes(DEGs)between NIL^(I220) and NIL^(PH4CV) were enriched in starch metabolism,hormone signal transduction and glycosaminoglycan degradation.Of the eleven NIL^(I220) differential expressed ORFs,ORF4(Zm00001d002260)and ORF5(Zm00001d002261)carry 75%protein sequence similarity,both encodes an glycolate oxidase,were the possible candidates of qSTA2-2.Further analysis and validation indicated that mutation of the qSTA2-2 locus resulted in the dysfunction of ABA accumulation,the embryo/endosperm ratio and the starch and hormone levels.

Calculation and prediction of divertor detachment via impurity seeding by using one-dimensional model

Achieving the detachment of divertor can help to alleviate excessive heat load and sputtering problems on the target plates,thereby extending the lifetime of divertor components for fusion devices.In order to provide a fast but relatively reliable prediction of plasma parameters along the flux tube for future device design,a one-dimensional(1D)modeling code for the operating point of impurity seeded detached divertor is developed based on Python language,which is a fluid model based on previous work(Plasma Phys.Control.Fusion 58045013(2016)).The experimental observation of the onset of divertor detachment by neon(Ne)and argon(Ar)seeding in EAST is well reproduced by using the 1D modeling code.The comparison between the 1D modeling and two-dimensional(2D)simulation by the SOLPS-ITER code for CFETR detachment operation with Ne and Ar seeding also shows that they are in good agreement.We also predict the radiative power loss and corresponding impurity concentration requirement for achieving divertor detachment via different impurity seeding under high heating power conditions in EAST and CFETR phase II by using the 1D model.Based on the predictions,the optimized parameter space for divertor detachment operation on EAST and CFETR is also determined.Such a simple but reliable 1D model can provide a reasonable parameter input for a detailed and accurate analysis by 2D or three-dimensional(3D)modeling tools through rapid parameter scanning.

Differential roles of seed and sprout regeneration in forest diversity and productivity after disturbance

Natural regeneration after disturbances is a key phase of forest development,which determines the trajectory of successional changes in tree species composition and diversity.Regenerating trees can originate from either seeds or sprouts produced by disturbed trees with sprouting ability.Although both regeneration strategies often develop and co-occur after a disturbance,they tend to affect forest development differently due to significant functional differences.However,the origin of tree regeneration is rarely distinguished in post-disturbance forest surveys and ecological studies,and the differential roles of seed and sprout regeneration in forest productivity and diversity remain poorly understood.To address these research gaps,we explored the role of sprout and seed regeneration in the formation of woody species diversity and above-ground biomass(AGB)productivity in early-stage forest development.Data were collected in two experimental forest stands in the Czech Republic,where trees were cut with varying intensities with the density of residual(uncut)trees ranging from 0 to 275 trees per hectare.All trees were mapped and their sizes were measured before cutting and then,either as a stump with sprouts or a residual tree,remeasured 11 years later.In addition,all tree saplings were mapped and measured 11 years after logging,and their origin(sprout or seed)was identified.To assess abundances and productivity,we estimated AGB of all2,685 sprouting stumps of 19 woody species and 504 generative(i.e.,seed origin)individuals of 16 woody species,using allometric equations.Mixed-effects models were used to analyze the effects of each regeneration strategy on woody species diversity and the total AGB under varying densities of residual trees.Nonmetric multidimensional scaling was used to evaluate the effect of regeneration strategies on species composition.AGB and diversity of sprouts were significantly higher than those of seed regeneration.Sprouts formed on average97.1%of the total regeneration AGB in H ady and 98.6%in Sobe s ice.The average species richness of sprouts was4.7 in H ady and 2.2 in Sob e sice,while the species richness of seed regeneration averaged 2.1 and 1.1 in H ady and Sob e sice,respectively.Increasing density of residual trees reduced AGB and diversity of both sprouts and seed regeneration,but seed regeneration was affected to a greater extent.Residual trees had an especially strong inhibitory effect on the establishment of seed regeneration.Consequently,seed-originated saplings were nearly absent in plots with high residual tree density,and abundant sprouts accounted for most of the AGB and diversity.However,unlike sprouts whose species composition resembled that of the original stand,seed regeneration brought in new species,enriching the stand?s overall species pool and beta diversity.Our results demonstrated differential roles of sprout and seed regeneration in the early stage of forest succession.Sprout regeneration was the main source of woody AGB productivity as well as species diversity,and its importance increased with the increasing density of standing mature trees.The results indicate the crucial yet previously underestimated role of sprout regeneration in post-disturbance forest dynamics.They suggest that the presence of residual mature trees,whether retained after partial cutting or undisturbed,can substantially suppress seed regeneration while the role of sprout regeneration in early succession becomes more distinctly evident.

Natural variation in the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 5B OsCOX5B regulates seed vigor by altering energy production in rice

Seed vigor is a crucial trait for the direct seeding of rice.Here we examined the genetic regulation of seed vigor traits in rice,including germination index(GI)and germination potential(GP),using a genome-wide association study approach.One major quantitative trait locus,qGI6/qGP6,was identified simultaneously for both GI and GP.The candidate gene encoding the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 5B(OsCOX5B)was validated for qGI6/qGP6.The disruption of OsCOX5B caused the vigor traits to be significantly lower in Oscox5b mutants than in the japonica Nipponbare wild type(WT).Gene co-expression analysis revealed that OsCOX5B influences seed vigor mainly by modulating the tricarboxylic acid cycle process.The glucose levels were significantly higher while the pyruvic acid and adenosine triphosphate levels were significantly lower in Oscox5b mutants than in WT during seed germination.The elite haplotype of OsCOX5B facilitates seed vigor by increasing its expression during seed germination.Thus,we propose that OsCOX5B is a potential target for the breeding of rice varieties with enhanced seed vigor for direct seeding.

An allelic variation in the promoter of the LRR-RLK gene,qSS6.1,is associated with melon seed size

Seed size is an important agronomic trait in melons that directly affects seed germination and subsequent seedling growth.However,the genetic mechanism underlying seed size in melon remains unclear.In the present study,we employed Bulked-Segregant Analysis sequencing(BSA-seq)to identify a candidate region(~1.35 Mb)on chromosome 6 that corresponds to seed size.This interval was confirmed by QTL mapping of three seed size-related traits from an F2 population across three environments.This mapping region represented nine QTLs that shared an overlapping region on chromosome 6,collectively referred to as qSS6.1.New InDel markers were developed in the qSS6.1 region,narrowing it down to a 68.35 kb interval that contains eight annotated genes.Sequence variation analysis of the eight genes identified a SNP with a C to T transition mutation in the promoter region of MELO3C014002,a leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinase(LRR-RLK)gene.This mutation affected the promoter activity of the MELO3C014002 gene and was successfully used to differentiate the large-seeded accessions(C-allele)from the small-seeded accessions(T-allele).qRT-PCR revealed differential expression of MELO3C014002 between the two parental lines.Its predicted protein has typical LRR-RLK family domains,and phylogenetic analyses reveled its similarity with the homologs in several plant species.Altogether,these findings suggest MELO3C014002 as the most likely candidate gene involved in melon seed size regulation.Our results will be helpful for better understanding the genetic mechanism regulating seed size in melons and for genetically improving this important trait through molecular breeding pathways.

Dormancy of Amaranthus retroflexus L. Seeds and Physiological Response Seedlings to Acifluorfen Sodium

Amaranthus retroflexus L. is a serious and widespread malignant weed in soybean fields in Heilongjiang Province. Exploring the dormancy characteristics of A. retroflexus L. seeds and the physiological response of its seedlings to acifluorfen sodium can provide a basis for further researches on its resistance mechanism. Using newly harvested and stored A. retroflexus L. seeds for one year as experimental materials, the effects of different concentrations of HCl, NaOH, water temperature, gibberellic acid(GA) and polyethylene glycol(PEG) on the dormancy and germination of A. retroflexus L. seeds were studied. The sensitivity of A. retroflexus L.to acifluorfen sodium was determined using bioassay. The effects on leaf chlorophyll content and target enzyme activity were studied at a normal dosage of 360 g a.i. hm^(-2) and a doubling dosage of 720 g a.i. hm^(-2) of acifluorfen sodium. Newly harvested seeds exhibiting dormancy were soaked in water of various temperatures and in different concentrations of NaOH and HCl, which were ineffective in breaking the seed dormancy. GA could break seed dormancy, and the highest seed germination rate reached 93.33% when they were soaked at 3 000 mg·L^(-1) for 72 h and 4 000 mg·L^(-1) for 48 h. The drought stress was simulated with a 15%-25% polyethylene glycol solution, which had no significant effect on the seed germination rate. The GR_(50) value of acifluorfen sodium for A. retroflexus L. was 705.7 g a.i. hm^(-2), which was 1.96 times the recommended dose in the field. After the application of different doses of acifluorfen sodium, the chlorophyll content of A. retroflexus L. reached its minimum value 3 days after treatment(DAT), and then gradually increased. The activity of the target enzyme protoporphyrinogen oxidase(PPO) reached the highest value at 7 DAT under different dosages, and gradually returned to normal levels thereafter. Soaking with gibberellin was an effective method to break seed dormancy. A. retroflexus L. seeds had certain drought resistance during the germination process. A. retroflexus L. was not sensitive to acifluorfen sodium and acifluorfen sodium ether, and could not effectively inhibit the PPO activity, indicating that A. retroflexus L. had target resistance to acifluorfen sodium.