Kernel color is an important trait for assessing the commercial and nutritional quality of foxtail millet.  Yellow pigment content (YPC) and carotenoid components (lutein and zeaxanthin) of 270 foxtail millet accessions, including 50 landraces and 220 improved cultivars, from four different eco-regions in China were surveyed using spectrophotometry and high performance liquid chromatography methods.  Results indicated that YPC had rich variance, ranging from 1.91 to 28.54 mg kg^–1, with an average value of 17.80 mg kg^–1.  The average YPC of improved cultivars (18.31 mg kg^–1) was significantly higher than that of landraces (15.51 mg kg^–1).  The YPC in cultivars from the Loess Plateau spring sowing region (LPSSR) was the highest (20.59 mg kg^–1), followed by the North China summer sowing region (NCSSR, 18.25 mg kg^–1), the northeast spring sowing region (NSSR, 17.25 mg kg^–1), and the Inner Mongolia Plateau spring sowing region (IMPSSR, 13.92 mg kg^–1).  The variation coefficients of YPC in cultivars from NSSR, LPSSR, and IMPSSR were higher than that from NCSSR.  A similar carotenoid profile was also obtained for 270 foxtail millet cultivars.  Lutein and zeaxanthin accounted for approximately 55–65% of YPC in accessions.  The lutein content was higher than zeaxanthin content in all cultivars.  The ratio of lutein to zeaxanthin ranged from 1.51 to 6.06 with an average of 3.34.  YPC was positively correlated with lutein (r=0.935, P<0.01), zeaxanthin (r=0.808, P<0.01), and growth duration (r=0.488, P<0.01), whereas it was negatively correlated with grain protein (r=−0.332, P<0.01) and 1 000-kernel weight (r=−0.153, P<0.05).  Our study is useful for screening and selecting cultivars with high levels of yellow pigment and for enhancing phytochemical concentrations in breeding programs.

   Straw return is an important management tool for tackling and promoting soil nutrient conservation and improving crop yield in Huang-Huai-Hai Plain, China. Although the incorporation of maize straw with deep plowing and rotary tillage practices are widespread in the region, only few studies have focused on rotation tillage. To determine the effects of maize straw return on the nitrogen (N) efficiency and grain yield of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), we conducted experiments in this region for 3 years. Five treatments were tested: (i) rotary tillage without straw return (RT); (ii) deep plowing tillage without straw return (DT); (iii) rotary tillage with total straw return (RS); (iv) deep plowing tillage with total straw return (DS); (v) rotary tillage of 2 years and deep plowing tillage in the 3rd year with total straw return (TS). Treatments with straw return increased kernels no. ear^–1, thousand-kernel weight (TKW), grain yields, ratio of dry matter accumulation post-anthesis, and nitrogen (N) efficiency whereas reduced the ears no. ha^–1 in the 2011–2012 and 2012–2013 growing seasons. Compared with the rotary tillage, deep plowing tillage significantly increased the grain yield, yield components, total dry matter accumulation, and N efficiency in 2013–2014. RS had significantly higher straw N distribution, soil inorganic nitrogen content, and soil enzymes activities in the 0–10 cm soil layer compared with the DS and TS. However, significantly lower values were observed in the 10–20 and 20–30 cm soil layers. TS obtained approximately equal grain yield as DS, and it also reduced the resource costs. Therefore, we conclude that TS is the most economical method for increasing grain yield and N efficiency of winter wheat in Huang-Huai-Hai Plain.

    Temperature extremes represent an important limiting factor to plant growth and productivity. Low concentration of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) has been proven to function in physiological responses to various stresses. The present study evaluated the effect of foliar application of wheat seedlings with a H₂S donor, sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS), on the response to acute heat stress. The results showed that pretreatment with NaHS could promote heat tolerance of wheat seedlings in a dose-dependent manner. Again, it was verified that H₂S, rather than other sulfur-containing components or sodion derived from NaHS solution, should contribute to the positive role in promoting wheat seedlings against heat stress. To further study antioxidant mechanisms of NaHS-induced heat tolerance, superoxide dismutase (SOD, EC 1.15.1.1), catalase (CAT, EC 1.11.1.6) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX, EC 1.11.1.11) activities, and H₂S, hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), malonaldehyde (MDA), and soluble sugar contents in wheat seedlings were determined. The results showed that, under heat stress, the activities of SOD, CAT, and APX, H₂S, H₂O₂, MDA, and soluble sugar contents in NaHS-pretreated seedlings and its control all increased. Meanwhile, NaHS-pretreated seedlings showed higher antioxidant enzymes activities and gene expression levels as well as the H₂S and soluble sugar levels, and lower H₂O₂, MDA contents induced by heat stress. While little effect was detected in antioxidant enzymes activities and soluble substances contents in pretreated wheat seedlings compared with its control under normal culture conditions (data not shown). All of our results suggested that exogenous NaHS could alleviate oxidative damage and improve heat tolerance by regulating the antioxidant system in wheat seedlings under heat stress.

Vegetation characteristics of pastoralist households’ pastures at different economic levels were quantified to compare the grassland conditions in Sunite Right Banner, Inner Mongolia, China in 2011 and 2012. The results showed that the heights of Stipa klemenzis and Cleistogenes songorica were similar among economic treatments. And the height of Allium polyrhizm had no significant differences between high-economic-level (HEL) and low-economic-level (LEL) treatments. There were no significant difference among treatments in the canopy cover of C. songorica. The densities of dominant species (S. klemenzis, C. songorica and A. polyrhizm) were significantly similar among treatments. Aboveground community biomass in reference area (CK) was higher than that in other three treatments in 2011, but their biomass showed no significant difference among three economic treatments; for 2012, biomass in HEL was higher than low-economic-level treatment (LEL), while the biomass in middle-economic-level treatment (MEL) and CK was similar to that in HEL and LEL, respectively. Aboveground biomass of S. klemenzis and C. songorica was similar among treatments in both 2011 and 2012. Biomass of A. polyrhizum had no significant difference between HEL and MEL. Households of LEL had rented out excess lands and those of HEL had leased their available lands thus resulting uniform utilization and convergence of pastoralist households’ pastures across all economic levels.

Effects of different polarity solvents on the ultrastructure and chemical composition of cuticular wax in Pingguoli pear as well as their bioactive role against Alternaria alternate were studied and the results showed that the highest wax content was extracted with chloroform, and its wax content was up to 322.2 μg cm-2. Long-chain fatty acids predominated in menthol extracts and n-alkanes were predominant in wax extracted with ether, chloroform and n-hexane. Pingguoli pear fruit surface was covered by a smooth and amorphous wax layer with small, scattered crystal. The morphology of recrystallized wax in vitro after removal with different solvents was not similar to that of the intact fruit surface. Removal of cuticular wax with various solvents significantly enhanced A. alternata infection, except for wax removed by methanol. The solvent extracts of methanol and chloroform stimulated the spore germination and mycelium growth of A. alternata, but the ether and n-hexane extracts showed antifungal activity.

Two wheat cultivars (Triticum aestivum L.) were used to evaluate the effects of post-anthesis severe water deficit (SD) on starch content and granule size distribution and their relations with ethylene and spermidine (Spd). Comparison to the well-watered (WW) treatment, SD led to lower Spd and higher 1-aminocylopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) concentrations and ethylene evolution rate (EER) in grains at the critical stage of forming starch granules. Application of Spd or aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) significantly reduced ACC concentration and EER and increased Spd concentration, while ethephon or methylglyoxal-bis (MGBG) had an opposite impact. The volume and surface area distribution of starch granules showed a bimodal curve, while the number distribution exhibited a unimodal curve. SD caused a marked drop in grain weight, grain number and starch content, also led to a significant reduction in the proportion (both by volume and by surface area) of B-type starch granules (<10 μm), with an increase in those of A-type starch granules (>10 μm). Application of Spd or AVG increased the proportion (both by volume and by surface area) of B-type starch granules under SD. Correlation analysis suggested that ethylene and Spd showed an antagonism relation in the formation of B-type granules. These results suggested that it would be good for the formation of B-type starch granules to have the physiological traits of higher Spd and lower ACC concentrations and ethylene emission under SD.

Granule size distribution of wheat starch is an important characteristic that can affect its chemical composition and the functionality of wheat products. Two high-yield winter wheat cultivars were used to evaluate the effects of the application of exogenous ABA or GA during the reproductive phase of the initial grain filling on starch granule size distribution and starch components in grains at maturity. The results indicated that a bimodal curve was found in the volume and surface area distribution of grain starch granules, and a unimodal curve was observed for the number distribution under all treatments. The exogenous ABA resulted in a significant increase in the proportions (both by volume and by surface area) of B-type (<9.9 μm in diameter) starch granules, with a reduction in those of A-type (>9.9 μm) starch granules, while, the exogenous GA3 led to converse effects on size distribution of those starch granules. The exogenous ABA also increased starch, amylose and amylopectin contents at maturity but significantly reduced the ratio of amylose to amylopectin. Application of GA3 significantly reduced starch content, amylopectin content but increased the ratio of amylose to amylopectin. The ratio of amylose to amylopectin showed a significant and negative relationship with the volume proportion of granules <9.9 μm, but was positively related to the volume proportion of granules 22.8-42.8 μm.

Nitric oxide (NO) is a key signaling molecule in different physiological processes of plants, including programmed cell death (PCD). PCD of tillers plays an important role in surviving which are major components of grain yield. PCD was triggered in wheat leaves of main stem and tillers by NO content under different nitrogen treatments. In wheat, NO could be synthesized endogenously by nitrate reductase (NR). As an inducible enzyme, NR activity was closely related to substrate concentration. Therefore, different nitrogen levels would change NR activity and NO production. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of NR activity, NO production, and the correlation between them on different tillers growth, development, senescence, and kernel protein content under different nitrogen levels. Field-experiments were conducted in 2009-2011 growing seasons, using two wheat cultivars with different spike-types. Results showed that for main stem and primary tillers, NR activity and NO content reached high level at heading stage, while for secondary tiller, the level of NR activity was low, but NO content was high in the present research. The NO synthesis depending on NR activity in wheat leaves was significant in the early growing stage, but the NO synthesis weakened with the progress of growing period. NO was related to the senescence of wheat leaves, but PCD was more sensitive to marked changes of NO content than NO content itself. N application had marked influence on the aging process of primary tiller, while had little influence on that of main stem and secondary tiller. Moreover, N fertilizer application could increase spike rate and protein content of primary tiller by N fertilizer application.

In this study, nano-capsules of lansiumamide B (NCLB) was prepared by the microemulsion polymerization method to improve the nematicidal efficacy of lansiumamide B (LB). An optimal formulation was gained by orthogonal experiment design based on the encapsulation efficiency (En, %) value. The optimized NCLB were spherical and uniform under transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The mean particle size, zeta potential and En were (38.50±0.64) nm, (-70.5±0.76) mV and (95.13±1.16)%, respectively. The release profile indicated that the accumulated release of LB in NCLB reached up to 82% within 96 h. Effects of NCLB against Bursaphelenehus xylophilus and J2 of Meloidogyne incognita were reported in this paper. The nematicidal activity of NCLB has been remarkably increased, with LC50 values of 2.1407 mg L-1 and 19.3608 mg L-1, respectively, at 24 h after treatment. The disease progression and the average number of root knots of Ipomoea aquatica were 1.50 and 7.25, respectively, in the treatment of NCLB, at concentration of 200 mg L-1, significantly lower than the treatment of LB and ethoprophos. Compared to control, the treatments of NCLB, LB and ethoprophos leaded the disease progression to drop 68.42, 36.84 and 26.32%, respectively, and caused the average number of root knots to fall 83.94, 78.03 and 63.66%. These results suggested that NCLB, as a novel nematicides formulation, performed more efficient and longer effective maintenance against plant parasitic nematodes.