Sweet basil （Ocimum basilicum L.） is a popular culinary herbal crop grown for the fresh or dry leaf, essential oil and seed markets. Recently, basil has been shown to rank highest among spices and herbal crops for x...Sweet basil （Ocimum basilicum L.） is a popular culinary herbal crop grown for the fresh or dry leaf, essential oil and seed markets. Recently, basil has been shown to rank highest among spices and herbal crops for xanthophyll carotenoids, which are associated with a decreased risk of cancer and age-related eye diseases. Nitrogen fertilizer encourages vegetative growth and increases oil yield in aromatic plants by enhancing leaf area development and photosynthetic rate. Our goal was to determine the influence of different concentrations of nitrogen （N） fertilization on basil physiology. The trial examined the cultivation of Ocimum basilicum L. （variety Genovese gigante）. The experiment was carried out under Mediterranean climatic conditions. The experiment considered the adoption of three nitrogen （N） treatments （0, 160, 240 kg N ha-1）. The following biometric parameters were determined： plant height, leaves per plant, leaf to stem ratio, number of branchings per plant, leaf area index （LAI）, above-ground fresh and leaf biomass. Considering the parameters most strictly linked to the economic results （total fresh weight, fresh weight of the leaves and total dry weight）, we found that 160 kg N ha^-1 treatment showed the best performance.展开更多
Previous studies demonstrated that cryptochromes are involved in blue light-induced coiling and prehaustoria development in young de-etiolated dodder seedlings. In this study, we suggest that carotenoids and chlorophy...Previous studies demonstrated that cryptochromes are involved in blue light-induced coiling and prehaustoria development in young de-etiolated dodder seedlings. In this study, we suggest that carotenoids and chlorophyll are not the blue light absorbing chromophores involved in the mediation of prehaustoria development to blue light. Norflurazon-bleached dodder segments coiled and formed prehaustoria under blue light. However, norflurazon significantly reduced prehaustoria number （62%） under a mixture of red and far-red light, suggesting that phytochromes could be altered by norflurazon.展开更多
Nanoparticles,or particles in size of 1-100 nm,are extensively used in the world in different applications.For instance,single-walled carbon nanotubes(SWCNTs) are commonly used in consumer products,such as biosensors,...Nanoparticles,or particles in size of 1-100 nm,are extensively used in the world in different applications.For instance,single-walled carbon nanotubes(SWCNTs) are commonly used in consumer products,such as biosensors,drug and vaccine delivery transporters,and novel biomaterials.Although nanoparticles do not cause safety concerns to consumers who use nanoparticle-containing products,these small particles are potentially harmful for workers who produce them in factories or in cases of discharge to aquatic ecosystems.SWCNTs do not have a natural analogue,so the effects on health of their disposal remain largely unknown.In this study,we evaluated the effects of SWCNTs on a population of the green microalga Chromochloris zofingiensis and the profile and production of pigments and fatty acids.The alga was incubated with SWCNTs for 6 days in 0(control),40,80,160,or 320 mg/L concentrations.SWCNTs showed both positive and negative effects on the growth of C.zofingiensis,with a biomass enhancement at low levels(40-160 mg/L) but inhibition at high levels(320 mg/L).By contrast,a decreased accumulation of fatty acids and pigments of C.zofingiensis was observed over the range of the tested concentrations.These results indicate that the markers on the inhibitive toxicity of SWCNTs are increasingly sensitive in the following order:biomass and fatty acids < primary carotenoids < chlorophylls < secondary carotenoids.C.zofingiensis is a suitable microalga for evaluating the ecotoxicological hazards of SWCNTs,especially in terms of pigmentation response.展开更多
Cytological,biochemical and physiological charcteristics of quiescent,high-vigor carrot somatic embryos obtained with the use of regulation culture were studied. As shown in cytological observation, quiescent somatic ...Cytological,biochemical and physiological charcteristics of quiescent,high-vigor carrot somatic embryos obtained with the use of regulation culture were studied. As shown in cytological observation, quiescent somatic embryos obtained by regulation culturing for 70 days displayed small compacted cells with thick wall, dense cytoplasm and large amount of starch granules. Biochemical tests revealed a starch content and a soluble sugar content 1.9 and 1.7 times respectively as much as those of the control embryos(normal culture) while physiological study demonstrated that the respiration was maintained stally at a very low level,only 1/4 that of the control at the end of the 70-day period. These results provide further evidences that regution culture so after the morphology, biochemistcy, physiologr and metabolism of somatic embryos that they became quiescent,highly synchronized, and had their roots ungrown, a sate facilitating safe storage.展开更多
Plants are the ultimate source of nutrients in the human diet. To ensure adequate availability of high quality food for an increasing world population, traits including improved tolerance of stresses and nutrient leve...Plants are the ultimate source of nutrients in the human diet. To ensure adequate availability of high quality food for an increasing world population, traits including improved tolerance of stresses and nutrient levels need to be selected in crops, both individually and in combination. Here we report the identification of SIMX1 encoding a MIXTA-like MYB transcription factor in tomato that simultaneously modulates drought resistance and metabolic processes through regulating key structural and regulatory genes of the corre- sponding pathways. Over-expression of SIMX1 results in substantially increased drought tolerance and improved fruit quality, while knocking down SIMX1 resulted in the opposite phenotypes. Our study indicates an effective way with multiplebeneficial traits by genetic engineering of a single regulatory gene and can be a novel approach to breeding crops.展开更多
文摘Sweet basil （Ocimum basilicum L.） is a popular culinary herbal crop grown for the fresh or dry leaf, essential oil and seed markets. Recently, basil has been shown to rank highest among spices and herbal crops for xanthophyll carotenoids, which are associated with a decreased risk of cancer and age-related eye diseases. Nitrogen fertilizer encourages vegetative growth and increases oil yield in aromatic plants by enhancing leaf area development and photosynthetic rate. Our goal was to determine the influence of different concentrations of nitrogen （N） fertilization on basil physiology. The trial examined the cultivation of Ocimum basilicum L. （variety Genovese gigante）. The experiment was carried out under Mediterranean climatic conditions. The experiment considered the adoption of three nitrogen （N） treatments （0, 160, 240 kg N ha-1）. The following biometric parameters were determined： plant height, leaves per plant, leaf to stem ratio, number of branchings per plant, leaf area index （LAI）, above-ground fresh and leaf biomass. Considering the parameters most strictly linked to the economic results （total fresh weight, fresh weight of the leaves and total dry weight）, we found that 160 kg N ha^-1 treatment showed the best performance.
文摘Previous studies demonstrated that cryptochromes are involved in blue light-induced coiling and prehaustoria development in young de-etiolated dodder seedlings. In this study, we suggest that carotenoids and chlorophyll are not the blue light absorbing chromophores involved in the mediation of prehaustoria development to blue light. Norflurazon-bleached dodder segments coiled and formed prehaustoria under blue light. However, norflurazon significantly reduced prehaustoria number （62%） under a mixture of red and far-red light, suggesting that phytochromes could be altered by norflurazon.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.50904051)the Science and Technology Planning Project of Yantai,China(No.2010247)the Open Fund of Shandong Oriental Ocean Sci-Tech Co.,Ltd.(No.200803)
文摘Nanoparticles,or particles in size of 1-100 nm,are extensively used in the world in different applications.For instance,single-walled carbon nanotubes(SWCNTs) are commonly used in consumer products,such as biosensors,drug and vaccine delivery transporters,and novel biomaterials.Although nanoparticles do not cause safety concerns to consumers who use nanoparticle-containing products,these small particles are potentially harmful for workers who produce them in factories or in cases of discharge to aquatic ecosystems.SWCNTs do not have a natural analogue,so the effects on health of their disposal remain largely unknown.In this study,we evaluated the effects of SWCNTs on a population of the green microalga Chromochloris zofingiensis and the profile and production of pigments and fatty acids.The alga was incubated with SWCNTs for 6 days in 0(control),40,80,160,or 320 mg/L concentrations.SWCNTs showed both positive and negative effects on the growth of C.zofingiensis,with a biomass enhancement at low levels(40-160 mg/L) but inhibition at high levels(320 mg/L).By contrast,a decreased accumulation of fatty acids and pigments of C.zofingiensis was observed over the range of the tested concentrations.These results indicate that the markers on the inhibitive toxicity of SWCNTs are increasingly sensitive in the following order:biomass and fatty acids < primary carotenoids < chlorophylls < secondary carotenoids.C.zofingiensis is a suitable microalga for evaluating the ecotoxicological hazards of SWCNTs,especially in terms of pigmentation response.
文摘Cytological,biochemical and physiological charcteristics of quiescent,high-vigor carrot somatic embryos obtained with the use of regulation culture were studied. As shown in cytological observation, quiescent somatic embryos obtained by regulation culturing for 70 days displayed small compacted cells with thick wall, dense cytoplasm and large amount of starch granules. Biochemical tests revealed a starch content and a soluble sugar content 1.9 and 1.7 times respectively as much as those of the control embryos(normal culture) while physiological study demonstrated that the respiration was maintained stally at a very low level,only 1/4 that of the control at the end of the 70-day period. These results provide further evidences that regution culture so after the morphology, biochemistcy, physiologr and metabolism of somatic embryos that they became quiescent,highly synchronized, and had their roots ungrown, a sate facilitating safe storage.
基金supported by the Major State Basic Research Development Program of China (2011CB100601)
文摘Plants are the ultimate source of nutrients in the human diet. To ensure adequate availability of high quality food for an increasing world population, traits including improved tolerance of stresses and nutrient levels need to be selected in crops, both individually and in combination. Here we report the identification of SIMX1 encoding a MIXTA-like MYB transcription factor in tomato that simultaneously modulates drought resistance and metabolic processes through regulating key structural and regulatory genes of the corre- sponding pathways. Over-expression of SIMX1 results in substantially increased drought tolerance and improved fruit quality, while knocking down SIMX1 resulted in the opposite phenotypes. Our study indicates an effective way with multiplebeneficial traits by genetic engineering of a single regulatory gene and can be a novel approach to breeding crops.
