Feeding the world: impacts of elevated [CO_(2)] on nutrient content of greenhouse grown fruit crops and options for future yield gains

Several long-term studies have provided strong support demonstrating that growing crops under elevated[CO_(2)]can increase photosynthesis and result in an increase in yield,flavour and nutritional content(including but not limited to Vitamins C,E and pro-vitamin A).In the case of tomato,increases in yield by as much as 80%are observed when plants are cultivated at 1000 ppm[CO_(2)],which is consistent with current commercial greenhouse productionmethods in the tomato fruit industry.These results provide a clear demonstration of the potential for elevating[CO_(2)]for improving yield and quality in greenhouse crops.The major focus of this review is to bring together 50 years of observations evaluating the impact of elevated[CO_(2)]on fruit yield and fruit nutritional quality.In the final section,we consider the need to engineer improvements to photosynthesis and nitrogen assimilation to allow plants to take greater advantage of elevated CO_(2) growth conditions.

试剂选用及带型读取方式对遗传图谱数据SSR的影响

遗传图谱的构建是基因组研究中的重要环节,是基因定位与克隆、分子标记辅助育种的基础。遗传图谱的可靠性,直接影响到基因定位的结果,进而影响到基因的图位克隆和分子标记辅助选择的效果。在利用SSR分子标记构建棉花种间高密度遗传图谱的实验过程中,从开始PCR操作、聚丙烯酰胺凝胶检测,到群体基因型数据读取,每个实验环节都有可能导致遗传图谱数据的失真。探讨了实验过程出现的影响遗传图谱可靠性的几个关键环节及其注意事项。

气候变化情景下基于MaxEnt的麦瘟病在全球及中国的适生性分析

麦瘟病是小麦生产上的一种毁灭性真菌病害,过去仅在南美洲流行。2016年该病害在亚洲的孟加拉国首次出现,给世界尤其我国小麦生产带来重大潜在威胁。本研究基于麦瘟病当前在全球(包括孟加拉国)的分布数据和生物气候数据,采用MaxEnt生态位模型和ArcGIS软件,预测了当前气候条件下麦瘟病在全球特别是在我国的潜在适生区,以及RCP2.6、RCP4.5、RCP6.0和RCP8.5 4种气候变化情景下2030s、2050s和2070s麦瘟病在中国潜在适生区分布范围,进而以刀切法分析了影响其分布的主要气候因子,并采用ROC对预测结果进行检验。结果表明,在当前和未来不同气候情景下,麦瘟病在中国的中风险和高风险区面积将呈增加趋势,未来情景下与当前气候情景下相比,中风险和高风险区的面积比例增加范围为0.08%~1.63%,其中温度和湿度条件对麦瘟病的潜在分布区影响最大。此研究结果对于我国麦瘟病的检疫和防控提供了技术支撑。

筛选腐霉生防菌的生物测定方法及其效果

设计并比较了在培养皿中利用胡萝卜种子发芽法和温室出苗法测定筛选腐霉生防菌的方法。两方法结果基本一致,培养皿测定有防病或刺激生长作用的菌株表现出高的出苗率。在温室生物测定中,采用营养砂培法培养病原和拮抗真菌以及设计合适的拮抗真菌和拮抗细菌施用方法,保证了试验的均一和稳定。在温室病原诱发接种条件下,发病表现为出苗率的差异,即丧失发芽能力或出苗前的猝倒.病原接种量越高,出苗率越低.在测定的4个真菌菌株,16个细菌菌株中,发现两个细菌菌株防病保苗效果突出,在高病原接种量对照出苗率29%的情况下,出苗率达70%以上.另有多个菌株表现亦不错.

Defining strawberry shape uniformity using 3D imaging and genetic mapping

Strawberry shape uniformity is a complex trait,influenced by multiple genetic and environmental components.To complicate matters further,the phenotypic assessment of strawberry uniformity is confounded by the difficulty of quantifying geometric parameters‘by eye’and variation between assessors.An in-depth genetic analysis of strawberry uniformity has not been undertaken to date,due to the lack of accurate and objective data.Nonetheless,uniformity remains one of the most important fruit quality selection criteria for the development of a new variety.In this study,a 3D-imaging approach was developed to characterise berry shape uniformity.We show that circularity of the maximum circumference had the closest predictive relationship with the manual uniformity score.Combining five or six automated metrics provided the best predictive model,indicating that human assessment of uniformity is highly complex.Furthermore,visual assessment of strawberry fruit quality in a multi-parental QTL mapping population has allowed the identification of genetic components controlling uniformity.A“regular shape”QTL was identified and found to be associated with three uniformity metrics.The QTL was present across a wide array of germplasm,indicating a potential candidate for marker-assisted breeding,while the potential to implement genomic selection is explored.A greater understanding of berry uniformity has been achieved through the study of the relative impact of automated metrics on human perceived uniformity.Furthermore,the comprehensive definition of strawberry shape uniformity using 3D imaging tools has allowed precision phenotyping,which has improved the accuracy of trait quantification and unlocked the ability to accurately select for uniform berries.

人工智能——推动植物研究发展的新动力

从20世纪40年代至今,人工智能(artificial Intelligence,AI)及其相关智能系统的发展经历了多次起伏,在过去20年对AI的应用开始步入快速发展的阶段。本文首先介绍了AI发展简史,包括其理论形成、基础算法、分类定义和发展趋势。然后,针对流行的AI开发框架和技术算法及其在植物研究各领域中的应用进行了概述,例如基因挖掘和分子育种、病虫害检测预防、作物栽培和农业生产等。为发挥AI技术对生物大数据的解析优势,本文着重讨论了AI的创新应用并展示了笔者所在的中国和英国联合实验室与此相关的部分最新研究进展,以期为AI技术在中国植物研究中的推广抛砖引玉、集思广益。

Quantitative trait loci controlling Phytophthora cactorum resistance in the cultivated octoploid strawberry(Fragaria×ananassa)

The cultivated strawberry,Fragaria×ananassa(Fragaria spp.)is the most economically important global soft fruit.Phytophthora cactorum,a water-borne oomycete causes economic losses in strawberry production globally.A biparental cross of octoploid cultivated strawberry segregating for resistance to P.cactorum,the causative agent of crown rot disease,was screened using artificial inoculation.Multiple putative resistance quantitative trait loci(QTL)were identified and mapped.Three major effect QTL(FaRPc6C,FaRPc6D and FaRPc7D)explained 37%of the variation observed.There were no epistatic interactions detected between the three major QTLs.Testing a subset of the mapping population progeny against a range of P.cactorum isolates revealed no significant interaction(p=0.0593).However,some lines showed higher susceptibility than predicted,indicating that additional undetected factors may affect the expression of some quantitative resistance loci.Using historic crown rot disease score data from strawberry accessions,a preliminary genome-wide association study(GWAS)of 114 individuals revealed an additional locus associated with resistance to P.cactorum.Mining of the Fragaria vesca Hawaii 4 v1.1 genome revealed candidate resistance genes in the QTL regions.

Evaluation of cotton germplasm for morphological and biochemical host plant UPdates resistance traits against sucking insect pests complex

Background:Sucking insect pests cause severe damage to cotton crop production.The development of insect resistant cotton cultivars is one of the most effective measures in curtailing the yield losses.Considering the role of morphological and biochemical host plant resista nee(HPR)traits in plant defense,12 cotton genotypes/varieties were evaluated for leaf area,leaf glanding,total soluble sugars,total soluble proteins,total phenolics,tannin and total flavonoids against fluctuating populations of whitefly,thrips and jassid under field conditions.Results:The population of these insects fluctuated during the growing seas on and remained above threshold level(whitefly>5,thrips>(8-10)f or jassid>1 per leaf)during late June and early July.Strong and negative association of whitefly(r=-0.825)and jassid(r=-0.929)with seed cotton yield was observed.Mean population of insects were the highest in Glandless-1 followed by NIA-82 and NIA-M30.NIAB-Kiran followed by NI AB-878 and Sadori were the most resistant,with the mean population of 1.41,1.60,1.66(whitefly);2.24,232,2.53(thrips)and 037,0.31,036(jassid),respectively.The resistant variety NIAB-Kiran showed less soluble sugars(8.54 mg.g^(-1)),soluble proteins(27.11 mg.g^(-1))and more phenolic(36.56 mg.g^(-1))and flavonoids(13.10mg.g^(-1))as compared with the susceptible check Glandless-1.Moreover,all insect populations were positively correlated with total soluble sugars and proteins.Whitefly populations exhibited negative response to leaf gossypol glands,total phenolics,tannins and flavonoids.The thrips and jassid populations had a significant and negative correlation with these four biochemical HPR traits.Conclusion:The ide ntified resistant resources and HPR traits can be deployed against sucking in sect pests'complex in future breeding programs of developing insect resistant cotton varieties.

Identification of candidate soil microbes responsible for small-scale heterogeneity in strawberry plant vigour

Studies were conducted to identify candidate soil microbes responsible for observed differences in strawberry vigour at a small spatial scale, which was not associated with visual disease symptoms. Samples were obtained from the soils close to the rhizosphere of ‘big＇ and ‘small＇ plants from small plots which exhibited large local heterogeneity in plant vigour. A metabarcoding approach was used to profile bacterial and fungal compositions, using two primer pairs for 16 S ribosomal RNA genes（16S r DNA） and one for the fungal internal transcribed spacer（ITS） region. Of the two 16 S r DNA primer sets, the 341F/805 R resulted in sequences of better quality. A total 28 operational taxonomic units（OTUs） had differential relative abundance between samples from ‘big＇ and ‘small＇ plants. However, plausible biological explanation was only possible for three fungal OTUs. Two were possible phytopathogens： Verticillium spp. and Alternaria alternata although the latter has never been considered as a main pathogen of strawberry in the UK. For samples from ‘small＇ plants, the abundance of these OTUs was much greater than from ‘big＇ plants. The opposite was true for a mycorrhizal OTU. These results suggest that soil microbes related to crop production can be identified using metabarcoding technique. Further research is needed to assess whether A. alternata and Verticillium spp. could affect strawberry growth in the field.

Mechanisms and molecular approaches for heat tolerance in rice (Oryza sativa L.) under climate change scenario

Rice, a staple cereal crop in many parts of the world, has been confronted with multiple environmental stresses including high temperature, negatively impacts the booting as well as anthesis growth stages. The situation is further complicated by the changing climatic conditions, resulting in gradual escalation of temperature as well as changing the rainfall pattern and frequency, thus raising a concern of food security worldwide. The situation can be combat by developing rice varieties with excellent genetics with improved morpho-physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms, together can minimize the adverse effects of heat stress. Here, several strategies(encompassing genetic and genomic, and mechanisms involved) for mitigating the impact of high temperature on rice have been discussed. Finally, the utilization of genomic knowledge in augmenting the conventional breeding approaches have been comprehensively elaborated to develop heat tolerant germplasm.

印度地鼠的性成熟和窝仔数(英文)

为有效地进行有害脊椎动物的控制 ,研究了栖息于巴基斯坦Punjab中部的 348只印度地鼠的繁殖模式。在所捕捉到的 10 7雄鼠和 2 4 1只雌鼠中 ,分别有 75只和 179只是性成熟的个体。性比偏雌。使用被捕个体标本的体重和体长作为指标 ,发现最小的性成熟的雄性个体体重为 70 - 89g ,体长 13 1- 14 0cm ;一窝仔里面的平均胚胎数为 2 74± 0 15 (范围 ,1- 5 ) ,而平均胎斑数为 4 2 9± 0 19(1- 11) .体重似乎对窝仔数有显著影响 ,而体长和估计的年龄对窝仔数没影响。当老鼠繁殖不活跃和不繁殖时 。

IPM Strategies and Their Dilemmas Including an Introduction to www. eurowheat.org

Information about disease management in winter wheat （Triticum aestiva） in eight European countries was collated and analysed by scientists and extension workers within the European Network for the Durable Exploitation of Crop Protection Strategies （ENDURE）. This included information about specific disease thresholds, decision support systems, host varieties, disease prevalence and pathogen virulence. Major differences in disease prevalence and economic importance were observed. Septoria tritici blotch （Mycosphaerella graminicola） was recognized as the most yield reducing disease in countries with intensive wheat production, but also rust diseases （Puccinia striiformis and Puccinia triticina）, powdery mildew （Blumeria graminis） and Fusarium head blight （Fusarium spp.） were seen as serious disease problems. Examples of current integrated pest management （IPM） strategies in different countries have been reported. Disease management and fungicide use patterns showed major differences, with an average input equivalent to 2.3 full dose rates （TFI） in the UK and a TFI of 0.6 in Denmark. These differences are most likely due to a combination of different cropping systems, climatic differences, disease prevalence, and socio-economic factors. The web based information platform www.eurowheat.org was used for dissemination of information and results including information on control thresholds, cultural practices which can influence disease attack, fungicide efficacy, fungicide resistance, and pathogen virulence, which are all elements supporting 1PM for disease control in wheat. The platform is open to all users. The target groups of EuroWheat information are researchers, advisors, breeders, and similar partners dealing with disease management in wheat.

A roadmap for research in octoploid strawberry

The cultivated strawberry(Fragaria×ananassa)is an allo-octoploid species,originating nearly 300 years ago from wild progenitors from the Americas.Since that time the strawberry has become the most widely cultivated fruit crop in the world,universally appealing due to its sensory qualities and health benefits.The recent publication of the first highquality chromosome-scale octoploid strawberry genome(cv.Camarosa)is enabling rapid advances in genetics,stimulating scientific debate and provoking new research questions.In this forward-looking review we propose avenues of research toward new biological insights and applications to agriculture.Among these are the origins of the genome,characterization of genetic variants,and big data approaches to breeding.Key areas of research in molecular biology will include the control of flowering,fruit development,fruit quality,and plant–pathogen interactions.In order to realize this potential as a global community,investments in genome resources must be continually augmented.

Clustering of halophytic species from Cyprus based on ionic contents

This paper presents the work conducted on the chemical constituents of some common and widely distributed halophyte taxa from Cyprus with the aim that these studies will help in the evaluation of halophytes for different economical purposes.The plant species of Crithmum maritimum L.,Limbarda crithmoides(L.)Dumort,Atriplex portulacoides L.,Salsola kali L.,Atriplex halimus L.,Limonium oleifolium Mill.,L.meyeri(Boiss.)Kuntze;and Tetraena alba(L.f.)Beier&Thulin were collected in the middle of July.The shoot tissue and leaf samples were collected from the natural habitats and left for drying under air circulation followed by placing them in oven at 60°C for 96 hours.The material was crushed using mortar and pestle and subjected to an analysis of macro-and micro-nutrients and biochemical compounds.K+/Na+in the leaf tissues of the dicot species showed relatively high values depicting their behavior as Na+includes but very low Cl-levels were recorded.Out of the species investigated here in 4 TFAA content was rather high.Values ranging from 0.5%to 1%dry weight were exhibited in one species.However,only 3 species showed very low TFAA values.Later may be due to low nitrogen availability in their environment.The phenetic analyses of eight halophyte species performed on the data matrix using Ntsys-pc program version 2.1 revealed that,cluster analysis of the overall results obtained here leads to 2 clusters.This discrimination appears to be as a result of their different abilities to accumulate either proline or glycine betaine.

假禾谷镰孢RPA-CRISPR/Cas12a快速检测体系的建立与应用

假禾谷镰孢菌Fusarium pseudograminearum是引起我国黄淮麦区小麦茎基腐病的优势病原菌,对其精准、快速的检测有助于小麦茎基腐病的监测预警和精准防控。本研究基于F.pseudograminearum的NPS15基因,建立了重组酶聚合酶等温扩增技术(RPA)结合CRISPR/Cas12a的快速检测体系,该体系在37℃恒温条件下,40 min内可完成对目标病原菌的检测,检测灵敏度可达10^(–3)pg/μL,检测结果可通过核酸试纸条颜色反应直观读取,具有特异、灵敏、快速等优点。经验证,该体系可从带菌土壤、种子以及发病植株等复杂样本中检测到目标病原菌,为在田间实时快速检测F.pseudograminearum提供了一种高效方法。

Genomic analysis,trajectory tracking,and field surveys reveal sources and long-distance dispersal routes of wheat stripe rust pathogen in China

Identifying sources of phytopathogen inoculum and determining their contributions to disease outbreaks are essential for predicting disease development and establishing control strategies.Puccinia striiformis f.sp.tritici(Pst),the causal agent of wheat stripe rust,is an airborne fungal pathogen with rapid virulence variation that threatens wheat production through its long-distance migration.Because of wide variation in geographic features,climatic conditions,and wheat production systems,Pst sources and related dispersal routes in China are largely unclear.In the present study,we performed genomic analyses of 154 Pst isolates from all major wheat-growing regions in China to determine Pst population structure and diversity.Through trajectory tracking,historical migration studies,genetic introgression analyses,and field surveys,we investigated Pst sources and their contributions to wheat stripe rust epidemics.We identified Longnan,the Himalayan region,and the Guizhou Plateau,which contain the highest population genetic diversities,as the Pst sources in China.Pst from Longnan disseminates mainly to eastern Liupan Mountain,the Sichuan Basin,and eastern Qinghai;that from the Himalayan region spreads mainly to the Sichuan Basin and eastern Qinghai;and that from the Guizhou Plateau migrates mainly to the Sichuan Basin and the Central Plain.These findings improve our current understanding of wheat stripe rust epidemics in China and emphasize the need for managing stripe rust on a national scale.

Panicle-Cloud:An Open and Al-Powered Cloud Computing Platform for Quantifying Rice Panicles from Drone-Collected Imagery to Enable the Classification of Yield Production in Rice

Rice(Oryza sativa)is an essential stable food for many rice consumption nations in the world and,thus,the importance to improve its yield production under global climate changes.To evaluate different rice varieties'yield performance,key yield-related traits such as panicle number per unit area(PNpM^(2))are key indicators,which have attracted much attention by many plant research groups.Nevertheless,it is still challenging to conduct large-scale screening of rice panicles to quantify the PNpM^(2)trait due to complex field conditions,a large variation of rice cultivars,and their panicle morphological features.Here,we present Panicle-Cloud,an open and artificial intelligence(AI)-powered cloud computing platform that is capable of quantifying rice panicles from drone-collected imagery.To facilitate the development of Al-powered detection models,we first established an open diverse rice panicle detection dataset that was annotated by a group of rice specialists;then,we integrated several state-of-the-art deep learning models(including a preferred model called Panicle-AI)into the Panicle-Cloud platform,so that nonexpert users could select a pretrained model to detect rice panicles from their own aerial images.We trialed the Al models with images collected at different attitudes and growth stages,through which the right timing and preferred image resolutions for phenotyping rice panicles in the field were identified.Then,we applied the platform in a 2-season rice breeding trial to valid its biological relevance and classified yield production using the platform-derived PNpM^(2)trait from hundreds of rice varieties.Through correlation analysis between computational analysis and manual scoring,we found that the platform could quantify the PNpM^(2)trait reliably,based on which yield production was classified with high accuracy.Hence,we trust that our work demonstrates a valuable advance in phenotyping the PNpM^(2)trait in rice,which provides a useful toolkit to enable rice breeders to screen and select desired rice varieties under field conditions.

Perspectives of Using L-Tryptophan for Improving Productivity of Agricultural Crops: A Review

Plant growth regulators are biologically active signaling molecules that regulate a number of plant physiological processes. Auxin(indole-3-acetic acid) is an important plant growth regulator and is synthesized within plant tissues through L-tryptophan(L-TRP)-dependent and-independent pathways. It has been found that plants respond to exogenously applied L-TRP due to insufficient endogenous auxin biosynthesis. The exogenous application of L-TRP is highly significant for normal plant growth and development.L-tryptophan is applied through foliar spray, seed priming, and soil application. Soil-applied L-TRP is either directly taken up by plants or metabolized to auxin by soil microbiota and then absorbed by plant roots. Similarly, foliar spray and seed priming with L-TRP stimulates auxin synthesis within plants and improves the growth and productivity of agricultural crops. Furthermore, L-TRP contains approximately 14% nitrogen(N) in its composition, which is released upon its metabolism within a plant or in the rhizosphere and plays a role in enhancing crop productivity. This review deals with assessing crop responses under the exogenous application of L-TRP in normal and stressed environments, mode of action of L-TRP, advantages of using L-TRP over other auxin precursors, and role of the simultaneous use of L-TRP and auxin-producing microbes in improving the productivity of agricultural crops. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first review reporting the importance of the use of L-TRP in agriculture.

Effects of dietary energy on growth performance, carcass characteristics, serum biochemical index, and meat quality of female Hu lambs

This study evaluated the effects of dietary energy levels on growth performance,carcass traits,meat quality,and serum biochemical of female Hu lambs.Seventy female Hu lambs(aged 4 months)were randomly allotted to 5 dietary treatments.Lambs were fed diets with 5 levels of metabolizable energy(ME):9.17(E1),9.59(E2),10.00(E3),10.41(E4),and 10.82 MJ/kg(E5).The lambs were adapted to the experimental diets for 10 d and the experiment period lasted for 60 d.Dry matter intake and feed conversion ratio linearly(P<0.001)increased and decreased(P<0.001),respectively,with increasing dietary ME levels.Average daily gain(ADG)linearly(P<0.001)increased with increasing dietary ME levels,with the highest final body weight(P=0.041)observed in E4 group.Moreover,dietary energy level was associated with linear increases in serum total protein(TP)(P<0.001),albumin(ALB)(P=0.017),glucose(GLU)(P=0.004),and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDLC)(P=0.006)concentrations,and it was associated with a quadratic decrease in serum triglyceride(TG)concentration(P=0.002).Serum ammonia concentration,which was firstly decreased and then increased,was quadratically affected by dietary ME levels(P=0.013).Compared with E1 group,lambs in E4 group had higher(P<0.05)live weights,carcass weights,mesenteric fat ratio,non-carcass fat ratio,and larger loin muscle area,but lower(P<0.05)meat colour a*and b*values,and lesser(P<0.05)C17:0,C20:0,C18:1 n-9 t,C18:3 n-3,and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids(PUFA),but greater(P<0.05)C18:3 n-6 and n-6:n-3 ratios in longissimus dorsi(LD)muscle tissue,and lesser(P<0.05)C17:0,C18:3 n-3,C22:6 n-3,and n-3 PUFA in the biceps femoris(BF)muscle tissue.The results demonstrated that increasing dietary energy level improved the growth performance and affected carcass traits,serum biochemical indexes,and fatty acid profiles in different muscles of female Hu lambs.For 4-month-old female Hu lambs,the recommended fattening energy level is 10.41 MJ/kg.

The clip cage conundrum: Assessing the interplay of confinement method and aphid genotype in fitness studies

Behavior and fitness are important ecological traits frequently measured in insect bioassays.A common method to measure them in soft-bodied herbivorous insects involves confining individuals to plant leaves using clip cages.Although studies have pre-viously highlighted the negative effects of clip cages on leaf physiology,little is known about the impact that using this confinement method has on insect fitness.The responses of different aphid genotypes/clones to different containment methods have not previously been investigated.Here we measured key fitness traits(intrinsic rate of natural increase,mean relative growth rate,time to reach reproductive adulthood and population doubling time)in the potato aphid,Macrosiphum euphorbiae Thomas(Hemiptera:Aphididae),when confined to plants using two methods:(1)clip cages to confine aphids to individual strawberry leaves and(2)a mesh bag to confine aphids to whole strawberry plants.Our study identified a strong negative impact on all the measured aphid fitness traits when using clip cages instead of mesh bags.We also identified genotype-specific differences in response to confinement method,where clip cage confinement differentially affected the fitness of a given aphid genotype compared to the same genotype on whole plants.These results suggest that clip cage use should be carefully considered when experiments seek to quantify insect fitness and that whole plants should be used wherever possible.Given the prevalence of clip cage use in insect bioassays,our results highlight the need for cau-tion when interpreting the existing literature as confinement method significantly impacts aphid fitness depending on their genotype.