Identification of Quantitative Trait Loci for Anthesis-Silking Interval and Yield Components Under Drought Stress in Maize

A genetic linkage map with 89 SSR marker loci was constructed based on a maize (Zea mays L.) population consisting of 184 F-2 individuals from the cross, Huangzao 4 X Ye 107. The 184 F-3 families were evaluated in the field under well-watered and drought-stressed regimes in Shanxi Province of China. The objectives of the study were to identify genetic segments responsible for the expression of anthesis-silking interval (ASI), ear setting and grain yield, and to examine if the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for ASI or yield components can be used in marker-assisted selection (MAS) to improve grain yield under drought conditions. Results showed that under well-watered and drought-stressed regimes, three and two QTLs involved in the expression of ASI were detected on chromosomes 1, 2 and 3, and 2 and 5, respectively. Under well-watered regime, two QTLs for ear setting were detected on chromosomes 3 and 6, explaining about 19.9% of the phenotypic variance, and displayed additive and partial dominant effects, respectively. Under drought-stressed condition, four QTLs for ear setting were detected on chromosomes 3, 7 and 10, which were responsible for interpreting 60.4% of the phenotypic variance, and showed dominant or partial dominant effects. Under well-watered condition, four QTLs controlling grain yield were identified on chromosomes 3, 6 and 7, while five QTLs were identified under drought stress on chromosomes 1, 2, 4 and 8. The gene action was of additive or partial dominant effects, and each QTL could explain 7.3% to 22.0% of the phenotypic variance, respectively. Under drought conditions, ASI and ear setting percentage were highly correlated with grain yield, which can be used as secondary traits for grain yield selection. Based on linked markers detected and gene action analyzed, an MAS strategy for yield improvement under drought condition could be established, which consists of QTLs contributing to decreased ASI and to increased ear setting and grain yield, respectively.

The Effect of Sowing Date and Density on the Characters and Yield of Maize in Chongqing

In order to investigate the most suitable sowing period and the optimum planting density of new com variety ‘Yudan 30＇ In Chongqing region, using split plot experiment design, the effect of sowing date and planting density on main a- gronomic characters and yield of maize in the field was studied. The results showed that in Chongqing, the delay of sowing date could shorten the fertility peri- od, and reduce 100-grain Weight and yield, but could increase plant height and ear height, panicle traits did not change significantly. With the density increasing, plant height and ear height also increased, while ear length, ear diameter, stem diameter, row number and kernel number also decreased. 100-grain weight and yield also in- creased with the increase of density, but to a certain threshold, yield and 100-grain weight decreased with the increase of density. The yield of 3 sowing periods pre- sented as AI〉A2〉A3, the yield of 4 kinds of density presented as B3〉EH〉B2〉B1, and the yield under sowing time and density interaction presented as AIB3〉A1B4〉 A2.B3〉A2.B4〉A3B3〉 A3B4〉A2.B2〉A1BI〉A2BI〉A3BI. So proper eady sowing and increase of planting density could raise the yield of maize per unit area, and AIB3 was the optimum planting configuration in Chongqing area.

Correlation and Principal Component Analysis on Main Agronomic Traits of New Waxy Corn Varieties

[Objective] This study was conducted to provide certain theoretical reference for the comprehensive evaluation and breeding of new fresh waxy corn vari- eties. [Method] With 5 good fresh waxy corn varieties as experimental materials, correlation analysis and principal component anatysis were performed on 13 agronomic traits, i.e., plant height, ear position, ear weight, ear diameter, axis diameter, ear length, bald tip length, ear row number, number of grains per row, 100-kernel weight, fresh ear yield, tassel length, and tassel branch number. [Result] The principal component analysis performed to the 13 agronomic traits showed that the first three principal components, i.e., the fresh ear yield factors, the tassel factors and the bald top factors, had an accumulative contribution rate over 87.2767%, and could basically represent the genetic information represented by the 13 traits. The first principal component is the main index for the selection and evaluation of good corn varieties which should have large ear, large ear diameter but small axis diameter, i.e., longer grains, larger number of grains per ear, higher, 100-grain weight and higher plant height. As to the second principal component, the plants of fresh corn varieties are best to have longer tassel and not too many branches, and under the premise of ensuring enough pollen for the female spike, the varieties with fewer tassel branches shoud be selected as far as possible. From the point of the third principal component, bald tip length affects the marketing quality of fresh corn, and during fariety evaluation and breeding, the bald top length should be control at the Iowest standard. [Conclusion] The fresh ear yield of corn is in close positive correlation with ear weight, 100-grain weight, ear diameter, number of grains per row and ear length, and plant height also affects fresh ear yield.

Effect of potassium on soil conservation and productivity of maize/cowpea based crop rotations in the north-west Indian Himalayas

Plots under conservation tillage may require higher amount of potassium(K) application for augmenting productivity due to its stratification in upper soil layers, thereby reducing K supplying capacity in a medium or long-term period. To test this hypothesis, a field experiment was performed in 2002-2003 and 2006-2007 to study the effect of K and several crop rotations on yield, water productivity, carbon sequestration, grain quality, soil K status and economic benefits derived in maize(Zea mays L)/cowpea(Vigna sinensis L.) based cropping system under minimum tillage(MT). All crops recorded higher grain yield with a higher dose of K(120 kg K2 O ha-1) than recommended K(40 kg K2 O ha-1). The five years' average yield data showed that higher K application(120 kg K2 O ha-1) produced 16.4%(P<0.05)more maize equivalent yield. Cowpea based rotation yielded 14.2%(P<0.05) higher production than maize based rotation. The maximum enhancement was found in cowpea-mustard rotation. Relationship between yield and sustainable indices revealed that only agronomic efficiency of fertilizer input was significantly correlated with yield. Similarly, higherdoses of K application not only increased the water use efficiency(WUE) of all crops, but also reduced runoff and soil loss by 16.5% and 15.8% under maize and 23.3% and 19.7% under cowpea cover, respectively. This study also revealed that on an average 16.5% of left over carbon input contributed to soil organic carbon(SOC). Here, cowpea based rotation with the higher K application increased carbon sequestration in soil. Potassium fertilization also significantly improved the nutritional value of harvested grain by increasing the protein content for maize(by 9.5%) and cowpea(by 10.6%). The oil content in mustard increased by 5.0% and 6.0% after maize and cowpea, respectively. Net return also increased with the application of the higher K than recommended K and the trend was similar to yield. Hence, the present study demonstrated the potential yield and profit gains along with resource conservation in the Indian Himalayas due to annual additions of higher amount of K than the recommended dose. The impact of high K application was maximum in the cowpea-mustard rotation.

Separation of hematite from banded hematite jasper(BHJ) by magnetic coating

The separation of iron oxide from banded hematite jasper(BHJ) assaying 47.8% Fe, 25.6% Si O2 and 2.30%Al2O3 using selective magnetic coating was studied. Characterization studies of the low grade ore indicate that besides hematite and goethite,jasper, a microcrystalline form of quartzite, is the major impurity associated with this ore. Beneficiation by conventional magnetic separation technique could yield a magnetic concentrate containing 60.8% Fe with 51% Fe recovery. In order to enhance the recovery of the iron oxide minerals, fine magnetite, colloidal magnetite and oleate colloidal magnetite were used as the coating material. When subjected to magnetic separation, the coated ore produces an iron concentrate containing 60.2% Fe with an enhanced recovery of56%. The AFM studies indicate that the coagulation of hematite particles with the oleate colloidal magnetite facilitates the higher recovery of iron particles from the low grade BHJ iron ore under appropriate conditions.

Soil Air Regime of Corn Field Under Plastic Mnlching

The effects of plastic inulching on soil aeralion at the soil dcpth uf 0-100 cm were studied in a corn tield.The resnlts indicated that the CO_2 concentration of unmulched soil in the 0-100 cm layer layer ranged from 0.00 1to 0.016 m￣3/m￣3, and that of mulched soil 0.002 to 0.018m￣3/m￣3, about 32.39% higher than the forrner on theaverage. Such a CO_2 concentration in the soil air is still suitable for crop growth. The O_2 concentration wasinversely correlated with CO_2 concentrat ion in the soil air ( unmulching r=-0.92￣(**), mulching r=-0. 79￣*). O_2concentration ranged from 0. 1 1 to 0. 17 m￣3/m￣3 in the mulched soil and 0. 1 3 to 0. 18 m￣3 /m￣3 in the unmulchedsoil. By contrast, N_2 concentration in soil air remained relatively steady, with no difference between the twotreatments. The relationship between the soil respiratory intensity and the depth of a soil layer appeared tobe a power function. At the layer of 0-20 cm, the soil respiration intensity in the mulched soil was obviouslyhigher than that in the unmulched. Plastic mulching could also affect soil structure. In comparison withthe unmulched soil, the content of >0.25 mm aggregate and 0.05-0.001 mm microaggregate in the mulched soil was reduced by 82.1% and 35.8%, respectively; the soil total porosity, gaseous phase rate and aerationporosity in the depth of 10-20 cm were reduced by 2.85%, 19.89% and 26.54% respectively, but contrary at the depth of 0-10 cm.

论神兽辟邪与佛教中狮子的关系——从汉元帝渭陵出土的两件玉辟邪谈起

咸阳博物馆藏有两件极为珍贵的玉器,蹲踞状玉辟邪和匍匐状玉辟邪。这两件玉雕出土于西汉元帝渭陵,是目前我国考古出土年代最早的神兽辟邪实物,对研究古代辟邪文化有重要意义。