Selection and Breeding of Drought Resistant,Water-saving and High-yield Wheat Variety Cangmai 028

Cangmai 028 was selected and bred according to the climatic characteristic of the winter wheat in Heilonggang Basin taking 98(083)as the female parent and the Canghe 030 as the male parent by "two-row parallel alternate selection" method.Cangmai 028 has characteristics of high resistance,water-saving,high and stable yield,and rich genetic background.This study elaborated selection and breeding background and methods,characteristics,quality,and yield of Cangmai 028.

Aβ-Carotene Ketolase Gene NfcrtO from Subaerial Cyanobacteria Confers Drought Tolerance in Rice

Nostoc flagelliforme is a terrestrial cyanobacterium that can resist many types of stressors,including drought,ultraviolet radiation,and extreme temperatures.In this study,we identified the drought tolerance gene NfcrtO,which encodes aβ-carotene ketolase,through screening the transcriptome of N.flagelliforme under water loss stress.Prokaryotic expression of NfcrtO under 0.6 mol/L sorbitol or under 0.3 mol/L NaCl stress significantly increased the growth rate of Escherichia coli.When NfcrtO was heterologously expressed in rice,the seedling height and root length of NfcrtO-overexpressing rice plants were significantly higher than those of the wild type(WT)plants grown on½Murashige and Skoog solid medium with 120 mmol/L mannitol at the seedling stage.Transcriptome analysis revealed that NfcrtO was involved in osmotic stress,antioxidant,and other stress-related pathways.Additionally,the survival rate of the NfcrtO-overexpression lines was significantly higher than that of the WT line under both hydroponic stress(24%PEG and 100 mmol/L H_(2)O_(2))and soil drought treatment at the seedling stage.Physiological traits,including the activity levels of superoxide dismutase,peroxidase,catalase,total antioxidant capacity,and the contents of proline,trehalose,and soluble sugar,were significantly improved in the NfcrtO-overexpression lines relative to those in the WT line under 20%PEG treatment.Furthermore,when water was withheld at the booting stage,the grain yield per plant of NfcrtO-overexpression lines was significantly higher than that of the WT line.Yeast two-hybrid analysis identified interactions between NfcrtO and Dna J protein,E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase,and pyrophosphate-energized vacuolar membrane proton pump.Thus,heterologous expression of NfcrtO in rice could significantly improve the tolerance of rice to osmotic stress,potentially facilitating the development of new rice varieties.

Physiological and Transcriptome Analysis Illuminates the Molecular Mechanisms of the Drought Resistance Improved by Alginate Oligosaccharides in Triticum aestivum L.

Alginate oligosaccharides(AOS)enhance drought resistance in wheat(Triticum aestivum L.),but the definite mechanisms remain largely unknown.The physiological and transcriptome responses of wheat seedlings treated with AOS were analyzed under drought stress simulated with polyethylene glycol-6000.The results showed that AOS promoted the growth of wheat seedlings and reduced oxidative damage by improving peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities under drought stress.A total of 10,064 and 15,208 differentially expressed unigenes(DEGs)obtained from the AOS treatment and control samples at 24 and 72 h after dehydration,respectively,were mainly enriched in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites(phenylpropanoid biosynthesis,flavonoid biosynthesis),carbohydrate metabolism(starch and sucrose metabolism,carbon fixation in photosynthetic organisms),lipid metabolism(fatty acid elongation,biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids,alpha-linolenic acid metabolism,cutin,suberine and wax biosynthesis),and signaling transduction pathways.The up-regulated genes were related to,for example,chlorophyll a-b binding protein,amylosynthease,phosphotransferase,peroxidase,phenylalanine ammonia lyase,flavone synthase,glutathione synthetase.Signaling molecules(including MAPK,plant hormones,H_(2)O_(2) and calcium)and transcription factors(mainly including NAC,MYB,MYB-related,WRKY,bZIP family members)were involved in the AOS-induced wheat drought resistance.The results obtained in this study help underpin the mechanisms of wheat drought resistance improved by AOS,and provides a theoretical basis for the application of AOS as an environmentally sustainable biological method to improve drought resistance in agriculture.

Increase in root density induced by coronatine improves maize drought resistance in North China

Drought stress caused by insufficient irrigation or precipitation impairs agricultural production worldwide.In this study,a two-year field experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of coronatine(COR),a functional analog of jasmonic acid(JA),on maize drought resistance.The experiment included two water treatments(rainfed and irrigation),four COR concentrations(mock,0μmol L^(-1);A1,0.1μmol L^(-1);A2,1μmol L^(-1);A3,10μmol L^(-1))and two maize genotypes(Fumin 985(FM985),a drought-resistant cultivar and Xianyu 335(XY335),a drought-sensitive cultivar).Spraying 1μmol L^(-1)COR at seedling stage increased surface root density and size,including root dry matter by 12.6%,projected root area by 19.0%,average root density by 51.9%,and thus root bleeding sap by 28.2%under drought conditions.COR application also increased leaf area and SPAD values,a result attributed to improvement of the root system and increases in abscisic acid(ABA),JA,and salicylic acid(SA)contents.The improvement of leaves and roots laid the foundation for increasing plant height and dry matter accumulation.COR application reduced anthesis and silking interval,increasing kernel number per ear.COR treatment at 1μmol L^(-1)increased the yield of XY335 and FM985 by 7.9%and 11.0%,respectively.Correlation and path analysis showed that grain yields were correlated with root dry weight and projected root area,increasing maize drought resistance mainly via leaf area index and dry matter accumulation.Overall,COR increased maize drought resistance mainly by increasing root dry weight and root area,with 1μmol L-^(-1)COR as an optimal concentration.

Breeding of a Water-saving Drought-resistant Two-line Hybrid Rice Variety Wanliangyou 1008

Drought is one of the important factors limiting rice production,and the application of new water-saving rice varieties is urgently needed in rice production.Wanliangyou 1008 bred by Institute of Rice Research,Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences is a new two line hybrid rice variety with some good traits,including high drought resistance,high yield and good disease resistance.Wanlingyou 1008 was obtained by crossing drought-resistant high-quality restorer line DJ1008 and disease-resistant two-line sterile line Wan 25S.In this paper,the breeding process,characteristics and seed production technology of the variety were described in detail.

Genetic dissection of drought resistance for trait improvement in crops

Reliance on agriculture for food security is a constant in all modern societies.Global climate change and population growth have put immense pressure on sustainable agriculture,exacerbating the effects of environmental stresses.Drought is one of the most pressing abiotic stresses that farmers face,presenting an annual threat to crop growth and yield.Crops have evolved extensive morphological,physiological,and molecular mechanisms to combat drought stress.Drought resistance is a polygenic trait,controlled by a complex genetic network and an array of genes working together to ensure plant survival.Many studies have aimed at dissecting the genetic mechanisms underlying drought resistance.Recent studies using linkage and association mapping have made progress in identifying genetic variations that affect drought-resistance traits.These loci may potentially be engineered by genetic transformation and genome editing aimed at developing new,stress-resistant crop cultivars.Here we summarize recent progress in elucidating the genetic basis of crop drought resistance.Molecular-breeding technologies such as marker-assisted selection,genome selection,gene transformation,and genome editing are currently employed to develop drought-resistant germplasm in a variety of crops.Recent advances in basic research and crop biotechnology covered in this review will facilitate delivery of drought-resistant crops with unprecedented efficiency.

Genetic dissection of yield-related traits in response to drought stress in common bean

Drought stress severely impairs common bean production.For facilitating drought-resistance breeding in common bean,molecular markers were identified in a genome-wide level marker–trait association study.A panel of 210 common bean accessions showed large variation in 11 agronomic traits at the adult stage(plant height,pod number per plant,seed number per pod,seed number per plant,seed yield per plant,pod length,harvest index,pod harvest index,days to maturity,hundred-seed weight,and seed yield)under two water conditions.The coefficient of variation ranged from 6.21% for pod harvest index to51.00% for seed number per plant under well-watered conditions,and from 4.05% for days to maturity to 40.72% for seed number per plant under drought stress.In a genome-wide association study,119quantitative-trait loci were associated with drought resistance,including 41 adjacent to known loci.Among these loci,12 were found to be associated with at least two traits.Three major loci were identified at Pv01 and Pv02.A set of candidate genes were found that encode MYBs,AREBs,WKRYs,and protein kinases.These results reveal promising alleles that control drought resistance,shedding light on the genetic basis of drought resistance and accelerating future efforts for drought resistance improvement in common bean.

Effects of Tsukamurella tyrosinosolvens P9 on growth,physiology and antioxdant enzyme of peanut under drought stress and after re-watering

Background:The plant-growth-promoting rhizobacterium Tsukamurella tyrosinosolvens is a rare strain of actinomycete,in order to recognize and expand the ecological functions of rare actinomycetes.Methods:In this experiment,we studied the effect of Tsukamurella tyrosinosolvens P9 on the drought resistance of peanut by inoculating peanut seedlings in pots and measuring the growth and physiological indicators of peanut under drought stress and re-watering conditions.Results:The results showed that during drought stress,the relative water content of the soil and leaves,chlorophyll content,and stomatal length,width,and aperture were significantly decreased while the levels of malondialdehyde(MDA),H_(2)O_(2) and stomatal density were significantly increased.Peanut growth was also inhibited.However,inoculation with the P9 strain significantly promoted the growth of peanut under drought stress as plant height,fresh weight,root length and root weight were significantly higher compared with the uninoculated drought stress group.In addition,in P9-inoculated plants,the water and chlorophyll contents were significantly higher and the activities of the antioxidant enzymes CAT and SOD were significantly increased(except during the six days of drought treatment).While the stomatal length,width,and aperture were improved,the levels of MDA and H2O2 were significantly decreased.NBT staining showed that inoculation with P9 reduced O^(2−) accumulation under stress.After re-watering,the physiological indexes of inoculated plants recovered more quickly and grew better.Conclusions:The results showed that T.tyrosinosolvens P9 enhanced drought resistance and improves peanut growth by increasing leaf water content,increasing photosynthesis,regulating stomatal closure,and improving antioxidant enzyme activity.

Screening of drought resistance indices and evaluation of drought resistance in cotton(Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Sixteen cotton cultivars widely planted in China were sowed under five different drought concentrations(0,2.5,5,7.5,and 10%)using PEG6000 to screen the indices of drought resistance identification and explore the drought resistance of different cotton cultivars.Eighteen physiological indices including root,stem,and leaf water contents(RWC,SWC,and LWC),net photosynthetic rate(Pn),the maximum photochemical quantum yield(Fv/Fm),the actual photochemical quantum yield(ΦPSII),non-photochemical quenching coefficient(NPQ),leaf water potential(LWP),osmotic potential(Ψs),leaf relative conductivity(REC),leaf proline content(Pro),leaf and root soluble protein contents(LSPC and RSPC),leaf and root malondialdehyde(MDA)contents(LMDA and RMDA),root superoxide dismutase,peroxidase,and catalase activities(RSOD,RPOD,and RCAT)were measured.Results indicated the 18 physiological indices can be converted into five or six independent comprehensive indices by principal component analysis,and nine typical indices(Fv/Fm,SWC,LWP,Pro,LMDA,RSPC,RMDA,RSOD,and RCAT)screened out by a stepwise regression method could be utilized to evaluate the drought resistance.Moreover,the 16 cotton cultivars were divided into four types:drought sensitive,drought weak sensitive,moderate drought resistant,and drought resistant types.The resistance ability of two selected cotton cultivars(drought resistant cultivar,Dexiamian 1;drought sensitive cultivar,Yuzaomian 9110)with contrasting drought sensitivities were further verified by pot experiment.Results showed that the responses of final cotton biomass,yield,and yield composition to drought were significantly different between the two cultivars.In conclusion,drought resistant cultivar Dexiamian 1 and drought sensitive cultivar Yuzaomian 9110 were screened through hydroponics experiment,which can be used as ideal experimental materials to study the mechanism of different cotton cultivars with contrasting drought sensitivities in response to drought stress.

Poaceae Orthologs of Rice OsSGL,DUF1645 Domain-Containing Genes,Positively Regulate Drought Tolerance,Grain Length and Weight in Rice

Grain yield is a polygenic trait that can be influenced by environmental factors and genetic compositions at all plant growth stages.Currently,the molecular mechanisms behind the coordination of the interaction between grain yield-related traits remain unknown.In this study,we characterized the function of four STRESS_tolerance and GRAIN_LENGTH(Os SGL)Poaceae ortholog genes that are transcribed into DUF1645 domain-containing proteins in relation to the grain length,grain weight,and drought stress-tolerance of rice.The transgenic plants with overexpressing or heterologous high levels of Poaceae OsSGL ortholog genes exhibited longer grain size than the wild type plants.Larger cells were seen in panicles of the four transgenic lines with paraffin sectioning and scanning electron microscopy analyses.In addition,four Poaceae OsSGL ortholog genes positively affected the drought tolerance of rice.Four transgenic plants displayed higher resistance to drought stress at the seedling and vegetative stages.RNA-sequencing and qRT-PCR results indicated that over-or heterologous-expression of four Poaceae OsSGL ortholog genes also affected the transcriptome of rice plants.These genes may play a role in auxin and cytokinin biosynthesis and their transduction pathways.Taken together,these results suggested that the four OsSGL orthologs have a conserved function in the regulation of stress-tolerance and cell growth by modulating hormonal biosynthesis and signaling.

Drought Resistance of Twelve Desert Shrubs at Seedling Stage of Ulan Buh Desert Ecosystem

[Objective] To establish drought resistance evaluation index system of desert shrubs,and provide scientific support for selecting quality tree species.[Method] Taking 2-year-old seedlings of 12 desert shrubs in Ulan Buh Desert ecosystem as the test materials,7 water physiological indexes were tested,principal component analysis and cluster analysis were applied to explore drought resistance of the shrubs.[Results](a) Water potential of Ephedra distachya Linn.,Nitraia tangutorum Bobr.,Caragana korshinski Kom.was lower than that of the other 9 species;bound water content(V_a) and bound water/free water ratio(V_a/V_s) of Zygophyl um xanthoxylon Maxim.was 64.20% and 3.3,higher than the others';transpiration rate of Atraphaxis bracteata A.Los.,Nitraia tangutorum Bobr.and Tamarix elongata Ldb.was significantly lower than the others';constant weight time of Haloxylon ammodendron(C.A.Mey.) Bunge and Ephedra distachya Linn.was the longest(144 h);residual moisture content of Ammopiptanthus mongolicus Maxim.was the highest(44.80%).(b) Water potential,bound water/free water(V_a/V_s),residual moisture content,bound water,constant weight time,and transpiration rate had great impact on drought resistance of plant,and the accumulative variance contribution rate achieved 87.59%.[Conclusion] According to the drought resistance,the 12 species were classified into 3 categories,namely shrubs with strong drought resistance(Ephedra distachya Linn.),shrubs with moderate drought resistance(Haloxylon ammodendron(C.A.Mey.) Bunge,Nitraia tangutorum Bobr.,and Zygophyllum xanthoxylon Maxim.);shrubs with poor drought resistance(Hedysarunn scoparium Fisch,Hedysarum mongolicum Turcz.,Tamarix elongata Ldb.,Caragana korshinskii Kom.,Ammopiptanthus mongolicus Maxim.,Atraphaxis bracteata A.Los.,Cal igonum mongolicum Mattei.,and Caragana microphylla Lam.).

Virus-induced gene silencing of SlPYL4 decreases the drought tolerance of tomato

The abscisic acid(ABA)receptor PYR/PYL/RCAR,located upstream of the ABA signaling pathway,recognizes ABA signals and initiates the primary process of signal transduction.In our previous study,we found that the PYL4 gene in tomato plants was significantly upregulated after exogenous treatment with the hormone ABA.The present study used virus-induced gene silencing(VIGS)to further elucidate the role of the PYL4 gene in response to drought in tomato(Solanum lycopersicum)plants.Under the drought treatment,the SlPYL4-silenced plants wilted faster than the control plants did.Physiological indicators showed that the total reactive oxygen species(ROS)content and superoxide dismutase(SOD),peroxidase(POD)and catalase(CAT)activities of the SlPYL4-silenced plants were lower than those of the control plants after 3 and 6 h of drought stress treatment.After 3 h of drought treatment,hydrogen peroxide(H_(2)O_(2)) and superoxide anion(O_(2)^(−).)accumulatedmuch more in the leaves of the SlPYL4-silenced plants than in the leaves of the control plants.These results indicated that PYL4 plays a positive role in drought tolerance in tomato plants.Our results also suggest that SlPYL4 is located upstream of the ABA pathway to regulate the expression of PP2C,SnRK,and AREB/ABF genes.

Comparison of Rice Yield and Evaluation Methods for Drought Resistance under Drought Stress in the Whole Growth Period and Flowering Period

[Objectives]This study was conducted to improve the drought resistance of rice and cultivate new varieties of drought-tolerant rice to effectively alleviate the reduction in rice yield caused by drought.[Methods]Twenty two indica and japonica rice varieties were tested to compare the yield differences under drought stress in the whole growth period and under drought stress in the flowering period.[Results]Drought stress in the whole growth period and flowering period significantly reduced rice yield,as well as the number of filled grains per plant,the number of filled grains per panicle and grain weight per plant.To evaluate the drought tolerance of rice varieties,relative yield could be used as the index under both drought stresses in the whole growth period and the flowering period.[Conclusions]This study provides a theoretical reference for drought-tolerant rice breeding and screening.

Research Progress on Water Use Efficiency and Drought Resistance of Turfgrass

Improving turfgrass drought resistance and save-water features are very important to solve water deficiency in turfgrass production and management. This research did some surveys of systematic literature review about turfgrass drought tolerance morphological characteristics, physiological characteristics and water use efficiency, and provided the detailed information for enhancing turfgrass drought resistant and water use efficiency in the future.

Transgenic Petunia hybrida with Silicon Transporter Protein OsLsi1 and OsLsi2 Genes and Its Drought Resistance Analysis

As one of the important materials in landscaping for flower terrace and border, Petunia hybrida needs high environmental conditions and its growth is seriously influenced by the drought. Silicon is considered to be a necessary element for plant growth, and soluble silicon can improve plant resilience. To improve the drought resilience of Petunia hybrida, the silicon transporter protein OsLsi1 and OsLsi2 genes cloned from rice(Oryza sative) were transferred into Petunia hybrida by Agrobacterium-mediated method, and finally got 26 and 32 positive plants, respectively by PCR and RT-PCR detections. With a control of non-transgenic plants, the obtained transgenic plants were taken by drought treatment stress for 0, 4, 7, 10 and 14 days, then re-watered and measured physiological indexes as malondialdehyde(MDA) content, free proline(Pro) content, superoxide dismutase(SOD) activity and peroxidase(POD) activity to study the effect of Petunia's drought resistance. All the results proved that the silicon transporter protein OsLsi1 and OsLsi2 genes were normally transcripted and expressed in transgenic Petunia hybrida; OsLsi1 gene could improve the abilities of plants' drought resistance and recover after drought stress, while OsLsi2 gene could reduce the above abilities. The order of the drought resistance ability of the three strains from strong to weak was OsLsi1>CK>OsLsi2; and silicon indeed improved the ability of drought resistance as well. All these results provided a new way to improve the drought resistance of Petunia, and laid a foundation to improve the ability of garden plants' drought resistance and water saving.

Cloning and Drought Resistance Analysis of Soybean GmHsps_p23-like Gene

Soybean(Glycine max(L.)Merr.)is an important cultivated crop,which requires much water during its growth,and drought seriously affects soybean yields.Studies have shown that the expression of small heat shock proteins can enhance drought resistance,cold resistance and salt resistance of plants.In this experiment,soybean GmHsps_p23-like gene was successfully cloned by RT-PCR,the protein encoded by the GmHsps_p23-like gene was subjected to bioinformatics analysis,and the pCAMBIA3301-GmHsps_p23-like overexpression vector and pCBSG015-GmHsps_p23-like gene editing vector were constructed.Agrobacterium-mediated method was used to transform soybeans to obtain positive plants.RT-PCR detection,rehydration experiment and drought resistance physiological and biochemical index detection were performed on the T2 generation positive transgenic soybean plants identified by PCR and Southern hybridization.The results showed that the overexpression vector plant GmHsps_p23-like gene expression increased.After rehydration,the transgenic overexpression plants returned to normal growth,and the damage to the plants was low.After drought stress,the SOD and POD activities and the PRO content of the transgenic overexpression plants increased,while the MDA content decreased.The reverse was true for soybean plants with genetically modified editing vectors.The drought resistance of the overexpressed soybeans under drought stress was higher than that of the control group,and had a stronger drought resistance.It showed that the expression of soybean GmHsps_p23-like gene can improve the drought resistance of soybean.The cloning and functional verification of soybean GmHsps_p23-like gene had not been reported yet.This is the first time that PCR technology has been used to amplify the soybean GmHsps_p23-like gene and construct an expression vector for this gene.This research has laid the foundation for transgenic technology to improve plant drought resistance and cultivate new drought-resistant transgenic soybean varieties.

Correlation Between ASI and Yield and Drought Resistance of Maize Inbred

Maize is the main grain crop and important forage crop in China. The correlation between ASI and yield of maize inbred lines and whether ASI and the ASI extension time(Dct) of maize inbred lines could be used as a direct indicator of drought resistance of maize inbred lines were explored. The results showed that the goodness of fit of ASI and Dct with DI were 0.478 and 0.829, respectively, and the ASI had an extremely significant negative correlation with yield per plant. ASI and Dct could be used as a parameter to evaluate drought resistance of maize inbred lines, but Dct was more effective than ASI in determining drought resistance index(DI) of maize inbred lines.

Advances in Research on Drought Resistance in Rice

Rice is the main grain crop in China. With global warming, drought and water shortage have become one of the important factors limiting rice production. Improving the drought resistance of rice can effectively alleviate the loss of rice yield caused by drought. In this paper, the research progress on rice drought resistance and its evaluation methods, mapping of QTLs for drought resistance-related traits, and mining for drought resistance genes were reviewed, and molecular breeding for drought resistance in rice was prospected.

玉米苗期抗旱性鉴定指标的研究

通过盆栽试验,以14个玉米杂交种(京科308、四单19、辽单565、吉单261、京科25、京单28、京科508、郑单958、京科516、DH3719、丹玉39、中丹808、农大108、京玉6为试验材料,研究了玉米苗期反复干旱对玉米株高、干物质积累、过氧化物酶活性、丙二醛含量、脯氨酸含量等的影响。分析表明,反复干旱胁迫下玉米各杂交种幼苗存活率与株高、干物质积累、POD含量呈正相关,与丙二醛含量、脯氨酸含量呈负相关,上述指标和幼苗反复干旱后存活率的相关性都达到显著水平。鉴定玉米苗期抗旱性以幼苗反复干旱后存活率为主,结合其他5项指标进行综合评价。

豌豆种质资源抗旱性鉴选与利用价值分析

为了鉴定筛选抗旱的豌豆种质资源及适宜在旱作雨养农业区生产中应用的优良品种(系),2008～2009年,在定西市旱农中心旱地试验地,采用田间自然鉴定方法,对来自全国主要豌豆产区七个省(市)的78份材料进行了抗旱性鉴定及筛选,以确定不同品种(系)在干旱条件下的抗旱性、综合农艺性状及产量表现。结果表明:17份材料属典型抗旱材料,6份为抗旱材料,10份为中等抗旱材料;在所有抗旱材料中,有8份材料各项筛选指标均较高,属抗旱性强、稳产性好的材料。