Family selection and evaluation of Larix gmelinii var.principis-rupprechtii(Mayr.)Pilger based on stem analysis data at multiple sites

Larix gmelinii var.principis-rupprechtii(Mayr.)Pilger is an important native tree species in North China with advantages of fast growth,straight trunk,and good wood properties.The multi-year and multi-site breeding research of families of the species has not been reported previously.Based on diameter at breast height(DBH),height and volume of 25 families on four experimental sites,we calculated variance components,genetic parameters,juvenile and mature trait correlations and made genotype main effect plus genotype×environment interaction effect(GGE)biplot based on the breeding values estimated using the method of best linear unbiased prediction(BLUP).Compared with height,DBH and volume had higher heritability and larger variation coefficients,making them the more suitable traits for family selection and evaluation.Based on these,GGE biplots containing 20 combinations of site×age were drawn using data at 13 to 17 years when the interactions between family and location were strong.Test sites classifications based on DBH,and volume were inconsistent,with two categories for DBH and one for volume.The Guyuan site was the most suitable with strong discriminating ability,high representativeness and stability among tree ages.Integrating the ranking results of DBH and volume,families 66,76,82 and 111 were high-yielding and stable,families 78 and96 were high-yielding with above average stability,families72 and 79 were high-yielding with below average stability,whereas stability of family 100 was inconsistent between DBH and volume.Early selection based on DBH was convenient and reliable,and can be made at seven years.This study provides support for the selection of Larix gmelinii var.principis-rupprechtii families in Hebei province and an example for the application of stem analysis data from multiple sites in tree breeding.

Introduction and Protection Suggestions of Biodiversity

Through the introduction of the concept,content,conservation significance and species value of biodiversity,the cognition of the research content,analysis methods and research directions of biodiversity was deepened.In view of the problems faced by biodiversity conservation at present,such as the accelerated disappearance of species,the unsound protection regulation system,the irrational spatial pattern of species protection,and the lack of long-term follow-up research,specific improvement suggestions were put forward,and have a positive guiding significance for future biodiversity conservation.

A Phenotyping Protocol for Detailed Evaluation of Apple Root Resistance Responses Utilizing Tissue Culture Micropropagated Apple Plants

In the post-genomics era, reliable phenotypes are considered the bottleneck for unraveling the genetic control over the biology of interest. Phenotyping resistance response of roots to infection by soilborne pathogen is more challenging compared to that of plant aerial parts. In additional to the hidden nature and small stature of fine roots where infection occurs, extra obstacles exist for rosaceae tree crops such as apple. Due to self-incompatible reproduction and high-level heterozygosity of apple genome, genetically identical apple plants cannot be produced through apple seed germination. Here we report an established phenotyping protocol which includes a streamlined tissue culture procedure for micropropagation of uniform apple plants, standardized inoculation procedure using Pythium ultimum, and multilayered evaluating methods on apple root resistance traits. Because of the implementation of tissue culture based micropropagation procedure, constant availability of the uniform plants with defined genetic background, equivalent age and non-contaminated roots overcame a longstanding barrier of systematic and detailed phenotypic characterization of apple root resistance traits. Repeated infection assays by root-dipping inoculation demonstrated the reproducible and wide-range plant survival rates, from single-digit to over 90% survived plants for a given genotype. Genotype-specific values due to P. ultimum inoculation on shoot and root biomass reduction, maximum root lengths, leaf number and cumulative leaf areas were quantified between mock-inoculated and P. ultimum infected plants. Use of a glass-box container offered enhanced accessibility and minimized invasiveness for continuous and non-disruptive observation on the necrosis progression patterns along inoculated roots. With the assistance of a dissecting microscope, the genotype-specific resistance responses along the infected apple roots were captured and analyzed in detail. This reported phenotyping protocol represents a major development and should be easily adopted for other rosacea tree fruit crops with minor modifications.

Hydrochemical Characteristics and Ion Transfer of Rainfall of Betula Platyphylla Secondary Forest in Xiaowutai Mountain

In order to study hydrochemical characteristics and ion transfer of annual rainfall of Betula platyphylla secondary forest,water samples of rainfall,throughfall,stemflow,litter infiltration water and slope runoff of Betula platyphylla secondary forest in the early growth stage,fastgrowing stage and growth decline stage in Shanjiankou watershed of Xiaowutai Mountain and nine indexes of pH,Ca^2+,Mg^2+,K+,Na+,Zn^2+,Mn^2+,Fe^2+ and Cu^2+ were determined.The results showed that:①The annual rainfall was weakly alkaline,and the ion concentration in different stages was obviously different.According to the ratio of the maximum concentration to the minimum concentration of the same ion,the rank was Mg^2+ > Mn^2+ >Na+ > K+ > Ca^2+ > Cu^2+ > Fe^2+ > Zn^2+.②Compared with the rainfall in the same period,in the early growth stage,Mg^2+,Mn^2+,Na+,K+,Ca^2+,Fe^2+ and Zn^2+ showed leaching loss in each distribution process.In the fastgrowing stage,Ca^2+,Mn^2+ and Fe^2+ showed leaching loss in each distribution process;Mg^2+ showed absorption,Na+ showed leaching loss in slope runoff and showed absorption in other process.K+ showed leaching loss in stemflow and showed absorption in other process.Zn^2+ showed absorption in stemflow and slope runoff and showed a little leaching loss in other process.In the late growth stage,Ca^2+,Mg^2+,Zn^2+,Mn^2+ and Fe^2+ showed leaching loss in each distribution process;Na+ and Cu^2+ showed absorption;K+ showed absorption in stemflow and showed leaching loss in other process.Most of the rainfall and metal ions in Betula platyphylla secondary forest were intercepted by litter layer.

Design and Construction of Grape Theme Sightseeing Garden

Taking the grape theme sightseeing garden of Hebei Academy of Forestry Sciences for example,this article discusses the suitable edible and wine making cultivation varieties,vineyard frame and cultivation techniques in the grape theme sightseeing garden,from the perspective of planning and design. The garden landscape design and construction is integrated with sightseeing and garden visiting to highlight the theme of grape sightseeing garden,aimed at achieving purposes of sightseeing,picking,appreciating the beautiful scenery,and enjoying palatable food.

Prevention and Control Test of Semiaphis heraclei in Spring

[Objectives] The paper was to study the prevention and control effect of botanical pesticides on Semiaphis heraclei at different temperatures. [Methods] When the daily average temperatures in spring were 15 and 20 ℃, the control effects of 0.3% azadirachtin EC 500 times dilution and 0.3% matrine AS 1 000 times dilution on S. heraclei were studied. [Results] When the daily average temperature was 15 ℃, 0.3% azadirachtin EC 500 times dilution had relatively good control effect on S. heraclei, with a long duration. The prevention and control of S. heraclei in spring better controlled the population quantity of S. heraclei fundatrix and reduced the degree of harm. [Conclusions] The study provides a basis for the pollution-free control of S. heraclei in the green space of parks.

Assessment of tolerance of willows to saline soils through electrical impedance measurements

One-year-old potted clone plants of four willow species （Salix matsudana alba, S. babylonica, S. psam- rnophila and S. cheilophila） were cultivated and irrigated with saline solutions of different concentrations, while their elec- Lrical impedance spectroscopy （EIS） parameters and other physical parameters were monitored. The results indicate i） that under salt stress, height and basal diameter of all species are inhibited, and ii） that relative conductivity of cellular exudates increases while intracellular resistance （r~） and extracelluar resistance （r） drop. Both r, and r were positively correlated with height growth and basal diameter while they were significantly and negatively correlated with electric conductivity. The concentration of Na in the shoots of willows was negatively correlated with both r and re, whereas the concentration of K in the shoots was positively correlated with both r, and r. Hence, electrical impedance spectroscopy is a reliable tool for evaluating the capacity of willow species for tolerance to saline soils, with r as the most accurate pa- rameter.

Distribution of plant species and species-soil relationship in the east central Gurbantunggut Desert, China

The distribution of plant species and relationships between species and soil factors in the east central part of Gurbantunggut Desert was studied to provide more insight into the flora and determine differences in vegetation across various parts of the desert. Two-way Cluster Analysis showed that the vegetation in the area could be divided into three groups, the first group was dominated by the shrub species, Ephedra przewalskii and the grass species, Carex physodes mainly in areas of flat grounds and gentle slopes; the second group was dominated by C. physodes, Artemisia songorica and A. xerophytica mainly on the slope of sand dunes and the third group was dominated by the shrub species, Haloxylon persicum mainly on the top of sand dunes. There was no difference in plant density between Groups 1 and 2 but there was a significant decrease in Group 3. Soil water under vegetation Group 3 was much lower than that in the other two groups at all soil depths. The EC, organic matter, total P and soluble Na, Ca and Mg varied very similarly with soil water. Canonical corre- spondence analysis （CCA） satisfactorily assessed the species-soil relations in the area. The distribution of plant species was strongly correlated with the soil factors of water content, organic matter, EC and nutrients. The variations in species occurrence explained by the three CCA axes were about 70%, indicating that some explanatory site variables may exist outside our studied parameters. Soil texture is suggested to be included in future studies to improve the explanation of CCA.

Study on Heredity Rules of Cyclamen persicum Colors

To identify the theoretic foundation for maintaining and improving high quality varieties and breeding new F1 hybrids, flower color segregation occurred in the offspring in both self-pollination and cross- pollination of varieties of different colors were investigated. The main results indicate that the heredity of Cyclamen persicum color follows both quantitative and qualitative hereditary regularity. All genes can be classified as two groups of the throat-gene and coronal-gene occupying different spots on the chromosome. The colored gene is the dominant gene, while the white gene is the recessive one. The gene groups and their quantity determine the color of cyclamen persicum. And sometimes the throat- gene and the coronal-gene take a recombination, forming a new type of flower.