The effects of high temperature level on square Bt protein concen-tration of Bt cotton

Higher boll worm survival rates were detected after high temperature presented during square period in Bt cotton. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of high temperature level on the Bt efficacy of two different types of Bt cotton cultivars at squaring stage. During the 2011 to 2013 cotton growth seasons, high temperature treatments ranged from 34 to 44°C in climate chambers, and field experiments under high temperature weather with various temperature levels were conducted to investigate the effects of the high temperature level on square Bt protein concentration and nitrogen metabolism. The climate chamber experiments showed that the square insecticidal protein contents reduced after 24 h elevated temperature treatments for both cultivars, whereas significant declines of the square insecticidal protein contents were detected at temperature 〉38°C, and only slightly numerical reductions were observed when temperature below 38°C. Similar high temperature responses were also observed at the two field experimental sites in 2013. Correspondingly, high temperature below 38°C seems have little effect on the square amino acid concentrations, soluble protein contents, glutamic-pyruvic transaminase（GPT） and glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase（GOT） activities as well as protease and peptidase activities; however, when the temperature was above 38°C, reduced soluble protein contents, enhanced amino acid concentrations, decreased GPT and GOT activities, bolstered protease and peptidase activities in square were detected. In general, the higher the temperature is（〉38°C）, the larger the changes for the above compound contents and key enzymes activities of the square protein cycle. The findings indicated that the unstable insect resistance of the square was related to high temperature level during square stage.

Missing Data Imputations for Upper Air Temperature at 24 Standard Pressure Levels over Pakistan Collected from Aqua Satellite

This research was an effort to select best imputation method for missing upper air temperature data over 24 standard pressure levels. We have implemented four imputation techniques like inverse distance weighting, Bilinear, Natural and Nearest interpolation for missing data imputations. Performance indicators for these techniques were the root mean square error (RMSE), absolute mean error (AME), correlation coefficient and coefficient of determination ( R2 ) adopted in this research. We randomly make 30% of total samples (total samples was 324) predictable from 70% remaining data. Although four interpolation methods seem good (producing <1 RMSE, AME) for imputations of air temperature data, but bilinear method was the most accurate with least errors for missing data imputations. RMSE for bilinear method remains <0.01 on all pressure levels except 1000 hPa where this value was 0.6. The low value of AME (<0.1) came at all pressure levels through bilinear imputations. Very strong correlation (>0.99) found between actual and predicted air temperature data through this method. The high value of the coefficient of determination (0.99) through bilinear interpolation method, tells us best fit to the surface. We have also found similar results for imputation with natural interpolation method in this research, but after investigating scatter plots over each month, imputations with this method seem to little obtuse in certain months than bilinear method.

Relationship between changes of endogenous ABA level and resistance in hybrid rice under temperature stress

We studied the relationship between endogenous ABA and resistance to temperature stress in seedlings of hybrid rice. The hybrid rice Combinations Shanyou 63, Shanyou 287, Weiyou 63, and Weiyou 287 were treated under 2℃ and 42℃ respectively for 48 h. Endogenous ABA concentrations were obtained by gas chromatography with electron capture detector (GC-ECD) and a nickel labelled external standard. Leakage of electrolytes were determined. At optimal temperature (27℃), there was difference between the level of endogenous ABA and the leakage of electrolytes in hybrid rice combinations, which attributed to genetic difference. ABA level in Weiyou system was higher than that in Shanyou, and there were distinctions between Shanyou system itself (see table). At 2℃, the ABA content of rice seedling was increased. ABA level of Weiyou system maintained higher than Shanyou system at 27℃. The leakage quantities of

Gas Exchange Rates of Texas Persimmon (Diospyros texana) in Central Texas Woodlands

Diospyros texana (Texas persimmon) is a secondary species in most Juniperus ashei/Quercus fusiformis woodlands in central Texas. It has high density, but plants are mostly in the community understory. Light response curves at ambient and elevated levels of CO2 and temperature were measured for D. texana. The Anet (photosynthetic rate) increased significantly as both light level and CO2 levels increased but not temperature. The Amax (maximum photosynthetic rate) of D. texana in full sun at elevated levels of CO2 was increased for all treatments. Stomatal conductance increased with levels of CO2 but only if the interaction was removed from the model. Intercellular levels of CO2 increased with both temperature and CO2 treatments as did water use efficiency (WUE). Furthermore, light saturation (Lsat) increased with CO2 treatments and light compensation (Lcp) increased with temperature. The dark respiration (Rd) increased with both temperature and CO2 treatments. Markov population models suggested D. texana populations would remain ecologically similar in the future. However, sub-canopy light levels and herbivory should be considered when examining population projections. For example, Juniperus ashei juveniles are not recruited into any canopy unless there are high light levels. Herbivory reduces the success of Quercus juveniles from reaching the canopy. These factors do not seem to be a problem for D. texana juveniles which would allow them to reach the canopy without need of a high light gap and are not prevented by herbivory. Thus, Juniperus/Quercus woodlands will change in the future to woodlands with D. texana a more common species.

Causes of seasonal sea level anomalies in the coastal region of the East China Sea

Based on the analysis of sea level, air temperature, sea surface temperature（SST）, air pressure and wind data during 1980-2013, the causes of seasonal sea level anomalies in the coastal region of the East China Sea（ECS） are investigated. The research results show：（1） sea level along the coastal region of the ECS takes on strong seasonal variation. The annual range is 30-45 cm, larger in the north than in the south. From north to south, the phase of sea level changes from 140° to 231°, with a difference of nearly 3 months.（2） Monthly mean sea level（MSL）anomalies often occur from August to next February along the coast region of the ECS. The number of sea level anomalies is at most from January to February and from August to October, showing a growing trend in recent years.（3） Anomalous wind field is an important factor to affect the sea level variation in the coastal region of the ECS. Monthly MSL anomaly is closely related to wind field anomaly and air pressure field anomaly. Wind-driven current is essentially consistent with sea surface height. In August 2012, the sea surface heights at the coastal stations driven by wind field have contributed 50%-80% of MSL anomalies.（4） The annual variations for sea level,SST and air temperature along the coastal region of the ECS are mainly caused by solar radiation with a period of12 months. But the correlation coefficients of sea level anomalies with SST anomalies and air temperature anomalies are all less than 0.1.（5） Seasonal sea level variations contain the long-term trends and all kinds of periodic changes. Sea level oscillations vary in different seasons in the coastal region of the ECS. In winter and spring, the oscillation of 4-7 a related to El Ni？o is stronger and its amplitude exceeds 2 cm. In summer and autumn, the oscillations of 2-3 a and quasi 9 a are most significant, and their amplitudes also exceed 2 cm. The height of sea level is lifted up when the different oscillations superposed. On the other hand, the height of sea level is fallen down.