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Transcriptional activation of MdDEF30 by MdWRKY75 enhances apple resistance to Cytospora canker

Hongchen Jia, Youwei Du, Yuanyuan Liu, Shuanghong Wang, Yan Wang, Sadia Noorin, Mark L. Gleason, Rong Zhang, Guangyu Sun

2025, 24 (3): 1108-1125. DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.06.001

Abstract （88） PDF in ScienceDirect

Defensin, an essential component of plant development, is indispensable in pathogen resistance. However, the molecular function of defensins under pathological conditions of Cytospora canker has not been characterized in apple plants. The present study exhibits a detailed overview of the phylogeny and structure of 29 defensins (MdDEF) in apple. Expression analysis revealed that MdDEF genes were spatiotemporally diverse across apple tissues. Five MdDEF genes were found to be significantly up-regulated following a challenge with Cytospora mali. The transgenic overexpression of five defensin genes in apple calli enhanced resistance to C. mali. Among them, MdDEF30 was strongly induced and conferred the highest resistance level in vivo. Meanwhile, antifungal activity assays in vitro demonstrated that a recombinant protein produced from MdDEF30 could inhibit the growth of C. mali. Notably, MdDEF30 promoted the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and activated defense-related genes such as PR4, PR10, CML13, and MPK3. Co-expression regulatory network analysis showed that MdWRKY75 may regulate the expression of MdDEF30. Further yeast one-hybrid (Y1H), luciferase, and chromatin Immunoprecipitation quantitative polymerase chain reaction (ChIP-qPCR) assays verified that MdWRKY75 could directly bind to the promoter of MdDEF30. Importantly, pathogen inoculation assays confirmed that MdWRKY75 positively regulates resistance by transcriptionally activating MdDEF30. Overall, these results demonstrated that MdDEF30 promotes resistance to C. mali in apple plants and that MdWRKY75 regulates MdDEF30 expression during the induction of resistance, thereby clarifying biochemical mechanisms of resistance to C. mali in apple trees.

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Host niche, genotype, and field location shape the diversity and composition of the soybean microbiome

YANG Hong-jun, YE Wen-wu, YU Ze, SHEN Wei-liang, LI Su-zhen, WANG Xing, CHEN Jia-jia, WANG Yuan-chao, ZHENG Xiao-bo

2023, 22 (8): 2412-2425. DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2023.01.006

Abstract （281） PDF in ScienceDirect

Plant-associated microbes represent a key determinant of plant fitness through acquiring nutrients, promoting growth, and resisting to abiotic and biotic stresses. However, an extensive characterization of the bacterial and fungal microbiomes present in different plant compartments of soybean in field conditions has remained elusive. In this study, we investigated the effects of four niches (roots, stems, leaves, and pods), four genotypes (Andou 203, Hedou 12, Sanning 16, and Zhonghuang 13), and three field locations (Jining, Suzhou, and Xuzhou) on the diversity and composition of bacterial and fungal communities in soybean using 16S and internal transcribed spacer rRNA amplicon sequencing, respectively. The soybean microbiome significantly differed across organs. Host genotypes explained more variation in stem bacterial community composition and leaf fungal community composition. Field location significantly affected the composition of bacterial communities in all compartments and the effects were stronger in the root and stem than in the leaf and pod, whereas field location explained more variation in stem and leaf fungal community composition than in the root and pod. The relative abundances of potential soybean fungal pathogens also differed among host organs and genotypes, reflecting the niches of these microbes in the host and probably their compatibility to the host genotypes. Systematic profiling of the microbiome composition and diversity will aid the development of plant protection technologies to benefit soybean health.

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Seedling Petri-dish inoculation method: A robust, easy-to-use and reliable assay for studying plant–Ralstonia solanacearum interactions

CAO Peng, CHEN Jia-lan, LI Ning-ning, ZHANG Shuang-xi, WANG Rong-bo, LI Ben-jin, LIU Pei-qing, AN Yu-yan, ZHANG Mei-xiang

2023, 22 (12): 3709-3719. DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2023.05.020

Abstract （390） PDF in ScienceDirect

Ralstonia solanacearum causes a lethal bacterial wilt disease in many crops, leading to huge losses in crop production every year. Understanding of plant–R. solanacearum interactions will aid to develop efficient strategies to control the disease. As a soilborne pathogen, R. solanacearum naturally infects plants via roots. A huge limitation in studying plant–R. solanacearum interactions is the large variation of R. solanacearum infection assay due to the variable soil conditions and uneven inoculum exposure. Here, we developed a robust and reliable Petri-dish inoculation method which allows consistent and stable infection in young plant seedlings. This method is easy to use, takes about only 10 days from seed germination to the completion of inoculation assay, and requires less inoculum of bacteria as well as growth chamber space. We proved the efficacy of the seedling Petri-dish inoculation method by analyzing plant defense primed by molecular patterns, resistance of defense-related plant mutants, and virulence of R. solanacearum mutants. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the seedling Petri-dish inoculation method can be applied to other host plants such as tobacco and has great potential for high-throughput screening of resistant plant germplasms to bacterial wilt in the future.

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Construction of chimeric viruses based on pepper mild mottle virus using a modified Cre/loxP system

YIN Yue-yan, HUA Meng-ying, ZHAO Kuang-jie, WAN Qiong-lian, BU Shan, LU Yu-wen, ZHENG Hong-ying, RAO Shao-fei, YAN Fei, PENG Jie-jun, CHEN Hai-ru, CHEN Jian-ping

2022, 21 (8): 2456-2463. DOI: 10.1016/S2095-3119(21)63864-9

Abstract （156） PDF in ScienceDirect

Cre/loxP, a site-specific recombination system, has been widely used for various purposes, including chromosomal translocations, generation of marker-free transgenic plants, tissue-specific activation of a reporter gene and efficient heterologous gene expression in plants. However, stable or transient expression of Cre recombinase in plants can cause chlorosis or necrosis. Here, we describe a modified Cre/loxP recombination system using a DNA fragment flanked with loxP sites in the same orientation in which necrosis induced by Cre recombinase in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves was alleviated. The modified system was successfully used to create functional GFP-tagged pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) and a chimeric virus with coat protein (CP) substitution assembled from separate pro-vector modules. Our results provide a new strategy and flexible technique to construct chimeric virus and infectious clones for plant viruses with large genomes.

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Genome-wide identification and characterization of the abiotic-stress-responsive lipoxygenase gene family in diploid woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca)

LI Zhi-qi, Xie Qian, YAN Jia-hui, CHEN Jian-qing, CHEN Qing-xi

2022, 21 (7): 1982-1996. DOI: 10.1016/S2095-3119(21)63819-4

Abstract （288） PDF in ScienceDirect

Lipoxygenase (LOXs) is a kind of dioxygenase without heme and iron, which plays an important role in the development and adaptation of many plants to the environment. However, the study of strawberry LOX gene family has not been reported. In this study, 14 LOX genes were identified from the diploid woodland strawberry genome. The phylogenetic tree divides the FvLOX gene into two subfamilies: 9-LOX and 13-LOX. Gene duplication event analysis showed that whole-genome duplication (WGD)/segmental duplication and dispersed duplication effectively promoted the expansion of strawberry LOX family. QRT-PCR analysis showed that FvLOX genes were expressed in different tissues. Expression profile analysis showed that FvLOX1 and FvLOX8 were up-regulated under low temperature stress, FvLOX3 and FvLOX7 were up-regulated under drought stress, FvLOX6 and FvLOX9 were up-regulated under salt stress, FvLOX2, FvLOX3 and FvLOX6 were up-regulated under salicylic acid (SA) treatment, FvLOX3, FvLOX11 and FvLOX14 were up-regulated under methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment, FvLOX4 and FvLOX14 were up-regulated under abscisic acid (ABA) treatment. Promoter analysis showed that FvLOX genes were involved in plant growth and development and stress response. We analyzed and identified the whole genome of strawberry FvLOX family and characterized a variety of FvLOX candidate genes involved in abiotic stress response. This study laid a theoretical and empirical foundation for the response mechanism of strawberry to abiotic stress.

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Genetic dissection of the grain filling rate and related traits through linkage analysis and genome-wide association study in bread wheat

YU Hai-xia, DUAN Xi-xian, SUN Ai-qing, SUN Xiao-xiao, ZHANG Jing-juan, SUN Hua-qing, SUN Yan-yan, NING Tang-yuan, TIAN Ji-chun, WANG Dong-xue, LI Hao, FAN Ke-xin, WANG Ai-ping, MA Wu-jun, CHEN Jian-sheng

2022, 21 (10): 2805-2817. DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2022.07.032

Abstract （215） PDF in ScienceDirect

Wheat grain yield is generally sink-limited during grain filling. The grain-filling rate (GFR) plays a vital role but is poorly studied due to the difficulty of phenotype surveys. This study explored the grain-filling traits in a recombinant inbred population and wheat collection using two highly saturated genetic maps for linkage analysis and genome-wide association study (GWAS). Seventeen stable additive quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were identified on chromosomes 1B, 4B, and 5A. The linkage interval between IWB19555 and IWB56078 showed pleiotropic effects on GFR₁, GFR_max, kernel length (KL), kernel width (KW), kernel thickness (KT), and thousand kernel weight (TKW), with the phenotypic variation explained (PVE) ranging from 13.38% (KW) to 33.69% (TKW). 198 significant marker-trait associations (MTAs) were distributed across most chromosomes except for 3D and 4D. The major associated sites for GFR included IWB44469 (11.27%), IWB8156 (12.56%) and IWB24812 (14.46%). Linkage analysis suggested that IWB35850, identified through GWAS, was located in approximately the same region as QGFRmax2B.3-11, where two high-confidence candidate genes were present. Two important grain weight (GW)-related QTLs colocalized with grain-filling QTLs. The findings contribute to understanding the genetic architecture of the GFR and provide a basic approach to predict candidate genes for grain yield trait QTLs.

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Genome-wide identification and analysis of the regulation wheat DnaJ family genes following wheat yellow mosaic virus infection

LIU Ting-ting, XU Miao-ze, GAO Shi-qi, ZHANG Yang, HU Yang, JIN Peng, CAI Lin-na, CHENG Ye, CHEN Jian-ping, YANG Jian, ZHONG Kai-li

2022, 21 (1): 153-169. DOI: 10.1016/S2095-3119(21)63619-5

Abstract （258） PDF in ScienceDirect

The co-chaperone DnaJ plays an important role in protein folding and regulation of various physiological activities, and participates in several pathological processes. DnaJ has been extensively studied in many species including humans, drosophila, mushrooms, tomatoes, and Arabidopsis. However, few studies have examined the role of DnaJ in wheat (Triticum aestivum), and the interaction mechanism between TaDnaJs and plant viruses. Here, we identified 236 TaDnaJs and performed a comprehensive genome-wide analysis of conserved domains, gene structure and protein motifs, chromosomal positions and duplication relationships, and cis-acting elements. We grouped these TaDnaJs according to their domains, and randomly selected six genes from the groups for tissue-specific analysis, and expression profiles analysis under hormone stress, and 17 genes for plant virus infection stress. In qRT-PCR, we found that among the 17 TaDnaJ genes tested, 16 genes were up-regulated after wheat yellow mosaic virus (WYMV) infection, indicating that the TaDnaJ family is involved in plant defense response. Subsequent yeast two-hybrid assays verified the WYMV NIa, NIb and 7KD proteins interacted with TaDJC (TraesCS7A02G506000), which had the most significant changes in gene expression levels after WYMV infection. Insights into the molecular mechanisms of TaDnaJ-mediated stress tolerance and sensitivity could inform different strategies designed to improve crop resistance to abiotic and biotic stress. This study provides a basis for future investigation of the TaDnaJ family and plant defense mechanisms.

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Detection and characterization of Hepatitis E virus from commercial rabbit livers in Hebei, China

XIAO Peng, TIAN Ji-jing, MAO Jing-jing, GUO Zhao-jie, ZHAO Yue, LIU Tian-long, CHEN Jian, WANG Tong-tong, MA Long-huan, SHE Rui-ping

2021, 20 (12): 3270-3276. DOI: 10.1016/S2095-3119(21)63632-8

Abstract （149） PDF in ScienceDirect

Rabbit hepatitis E virus (HEV) has been reported for years and is thought to have the potential for zoonotic transmission from rabbits to humans. As reported, HEV genotype 3 (gt3) is the most prevalent form of HEV in rabbits. To determine the prevalence of HEV in commercial rabbit livers, 176 liver samples were collected from an abattoir in Hebei Province, China. Three (1.7%) samples tested positive for RNA of HEV-ORF2 (open reading frames-2). Sequence analysis showed that the three isolates shared high identities with each other (94.08–98.85%). Further analysis showed that all the rabbit strains clustered together in the branch of HEV gt3. Further study by immunohistochemistry (IHC) assays showed that 131 (74.4%) liver samples were positive for HEV ORF2 protein. Pathological changes including cell degeneration, inflammatory cell infiltration and bile duct epithelial cell hyperplasia were observed under microscopy. These findings indicated the presence of HEV in commercial livers of rabbits. Additional studies should be conducted to investigate the infectivity of rabbit HEV (rHEV) and the potential risks of zoonotic transmission of rHEV from rabbits to human beings.

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Genetic parameter estimation and genome-wide association study (GWAS) of red blood cell count at three stages in a Duroc×Erhualian pig population

NAN Jiu-hong, YIN Li-lin, TANG Zhen-shuang, CHEN Jian-hai, ZHANG Jie, WANG Hai-yan, DU Xiao-yong, LIU Xiang-dong

2020, 19 (3): 793-799. DOI: 10.1016/S2095-3119(19)62773-5

Abstract （135） PDF in ScienceDirect

Red blood cells play an essential role in the immune system. Moreover, red blood cell count (RBC) is an important clinical indicator of various diseases, including anemia, type 2 diabetes and the metabolic syndrome. Thus, it is necessary to reveal the genetic mechanism of RBC for animal disease resistance breeding. However, quite a few studies had focused on porcine RBC, especially at different stages. Thus, studies on porcine RBC at different stages are needed for disease resistant breeding. In this study, the porcine RBC of 20-, 33-, and 80-day old were measured, and genetic parameter estimation and genome-wide association study (GWAS) were both performed. As a result, the heritability was about 0.6 at the early stages, much higher than that at 80 days. Nine novel genome wide significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), located at Sus scrofa chromosome (SSC)3, 4, 8, 9, 10 and 15, respectively, were identified. Further, TGFβ2, TMCC2 and PPP1R15B genes were identified as important candidate genes of porcine red blood cell count. So different SNPs and candidate genes were found significantly associated with porcine RBC at different stages, suggesting that different genes might play key roles on porcine RBC at different stages. Overall, new evidences were offered in this study for the genetic bases of animal RBC, and that the SNPs and candidate genes would be useful for disease resistant breeding of pig.

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Key indicators affecting maize stalk lodging resistance of different growth periods under different sowing dates

WANG Qun, XUE Jun, CHEN Jiang-lu, FAN Ying-hu, ZHANG Guo-qiang, XIE Rui-zhi, MING Bo, HOU Peng, WANG Ke-ru, LI Shao-kun

2020, 19 (10): 2419-2428. DOI: 10.1016/S2095-3119(20)63259-2

Abstract （181） PDF in ScienceDirect

The accurate evaluation of maize stalk lodging resistance in different growth periods enables timely management of lodging risks and ensures stable and high maize yields. Here, we established five different sowing dates to create different conditions for maize growth. We evaluated the effects of the different growth conditions on lodging resistance by determining stalk morphology, moisture content, mechanical strength and dry matter, and the relationship between stalk breaking force and these indicators during the silking stage (R1), milk stage (R3), physiological maturity stage (R6), and 20 days after R6. Plant height at R1 positively affected stalk breaking force. At R3, the coefficient of ear height and the dry weight per unit length of basal internodes were key indicators of stalk lodging resistance. At R6, the key indicators were the coefficient of the center of gravity height and plant fresh weight. After R6, the key indicator was the coefficient of the center of gravity height. The crushing strength of the fourth internode correlated significantly and positively with the stalk breaking force from R1 to R6, which indicates that crushing strength is a reliable indicator of stalk mechanical strength. These results suggest that high stalk strength and low ear height benefit lodging resistance prior to R6. During and after R6, the coefficient of the center of gravity height and the mechanical strength of basal internodes can be used to evaluate plant lodging resistance and the appropriate time for harvesting in fields with a high lodging risk.

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Chinese wheat mosaic virus: A long-term threat to wheat in China

GUO Liu-ming, HE Jing, LI Jing, CHEN Jian-ping, ZHANG Heng-mu

2019, 18 (4): 821-829. DOI: 10.1016/S2095-3119(18)62047-7

Abstract （272） PDF （8544KB）（202）

In China, a soil-borne virus causing a disease of winter wheat and associated with Polymyxa graminis, has been reported for many years and is now recognized as a new species, Chinese wheat mosaic virus (CWMV). Since the determination of its genomic sequence, more progress has been made in understanding its genomic structure and functions. Molecular and serological methods have been developed to help survey the distribution of the virus and to provide the basic information needed for disease forecasting and control. At present, the best countermeasure is cultivation of resistant wheat varieties. In addition, development and application of some auxiliary countermeasures, such as rotation of non-host crops, delayed seed-sowing, reasonable application of nitrogen fertilizer, and treatment of imported seeds with fungicides before sowing, may be helpful for controlling the disease. The viral distribution and damage, virion properties, genome organization and spontaneous mutation, temperature sensitivity, and disease management options are here reviewed and/or discussed to help in developing more cost-effective countermeasures to control the disease in the future.

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TaARR1, a cytokinin response regulator gene in Triticum aestivum, is essential in plant N starvation tolerance via regulating the N acquisition and N assimilation

YANG Meng-ya, CHEN Jia-qi, TIAN He-yang, NI Chen-yang, XIAO Kai

2019, 18 (12): 2691-2702. DOI: 10.1016/S2095-3119(19)62698-5

Abstract （135） PDF in ScienceDirect

Plant N starvation response is closely associated with the N signaling components that involve transduction of the low-N cues. In this study, we functionally characterized TaARR1, a cytokinin (CK) response regulator gene in Triticum aestivum, in mediating the N starvation adaptation in plants. TaARR1 harbors two conserved domains specified by plant ARR family members; subcellular localization analysis indicated its target onto nucleus after endoplasmic reticulum assortment. TaARR1 displayed modified expression upon the N starvation stressor, showing upregulated expression in roots and leaves over a 27-h N starvation treatment and whose induced transcripts were gradually recovered along with progression of the N recovery treatment. The tobacco lines overexpressing TaARR1 displayed improved low-N stress tolerance, displaying enlarged phenotype, increased biomass and N accumulation, and enhanced glutamine synthetase (GS) activities compared with wild type (WT) following the N starvation treatment. Expression analysis on genes encoding the nitrate transporter (NRT) and GS proteins in Nicotiana tabacum revealed that NtNRT2.2 and NtGS3 are upregulated in expression in the N-deprived transgenic lines, whose expression patterns were contrasted to other above family genes that were unaltered on transcripts between the transgenic lines and WT. Transgene analysis validated the function of NtNRT2.2 and NtGS3 in regulating N accumulation, GS activity, growth traits, and N use efficiency in plants. These results suggested the internal connection between the TaARR1-mediated N starvation tolerance and the modified transcription of distinct N acquisition- and assimilation-associated genes. Our investigation together indicates that TaARR1 is essential in plant N starvation adaptation due to the gene function in transcriptionally regulating distinct NRT and GS genes that affect plant N uptake and assimilation under the N starvation condition.

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Mycoplasma leachii causes bovine mastitis: Evidence from clinical symptoms, histopathology and immunohistochemistry

CHANG Ji-tao, YU De-bin, LIANG Jian-bin, CHEN Jia, WANG Jian-fa, WANG Fang, JIANG Zhi-gang, HE Xi-jun, WU Rui, YU Li

2019, 18 (1): 160-168. DOI: 10.1016/S2095-3119(18)62051-9

Abstract （291） PDF （8004KB）（196）

Twelve quarters of six lactating cows were inoculated with Mycoplasma leachii strain GN407 through intramammary ductal infusion; another 12 quarters were inoculated with heat-inactivated M. leachii culture medium as negative controls. Multidisciplinary procedures, including clinical assessment, etiology assessment, pathology and immunohistochemistry (IHC), were used to elucidate the pathogenicity of M. leachii in bovine mastitis. From post-inoculation days (PIDs) 3 to 9, 12 inoculated quarters developed mild to severe clinical mastitis and mammary tissue histopathological changes, including inflammatory cell infiltration and architectural destruction of mammary gland ducts. The M. leachii antigen was also detected by IHC in the mammary gland epithelial cells of the inoculated quarters as a weak signal on PID 6 and as a strong signal on PID 9. The control quarters also developed mild mastitis and histopathological changes on PID 9, and M. leachii was also detected by IHC. Throughout the experimental period, the quarters of the negative control cow were clinically and pathologically normal, and the M. leachii antigen was not detected. In conclusion, direct histological and immunohistochemical evidence confirmed that M. leachii causes clinical bovine mastitis through histopathological lesions induced by invasion of the pathogen into mammary gland cells and through inflammatory cell infiltration.

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No-tillage effects on grain yield and nitrogen requirements in hybrid rice transplanted with single seedlings: Results of a long-term experiment

HUANG Min, CHEN Jia-na, CAO Fang-bo, ZOU Ying-bin, Norman Uphoff

2019, 18 (1): 24-32. DOI: 10.1016/S2095-3119(17)61873-2

Abstract （249） PDF in ScienceDirect

This study was conducted to determine whether, and if so how, the grain yield and nitrogen (N) requirements of hybrid rice transplanted as single seedlings are affected by no-tillage (NT) practices. A fixed field experiment was done at the Experimental Farm of Hunan Agricultural University in Changsha, Hunan Province, China, from 2004 to 2014. Grain yield and yield attributes (panicle number per m², spikelet number per panicle, spikelet filling percentage, grain weight, total biomass, and harvest index) were evaluated as well as the N-use characteristics (total N uptake, internal N-use efficiency, and N requirements) of hybrid rice transplanted as single seedlings comparing NT with conventional tillage (CT). A significant finding was that there were no significant differences in grain yield, yield attributes, and N-use characteristics between CT and NT. Averaged across the 11 years, grain yield and N requirements were 9.51 t ha⁻¹ and 20.2 kg t⁻¹ under CT and 9.33 t ha⁻¹ and 20.0 kg t⁻¹ under NT, respectively. There were significant yearly variations in grain yield, yield attributes, and N-use characteristics observed under both CT and NT. The yearly variation in grain yield was related to simultaneous changes in spikelet number per panicle, grain weight, total biomass, and harvest index. Also, it was found that grain yield was positively correlated with internal N-use efficiency but negatively correlated with N requirements. It is concluded that grain yield and N requirements in hybrid rice when transplanted as single seedlings are not affected adversely by NT. The results of this study suggest that (1) compatible relationships among yield attributes can be established in hybrid rice that is transplanted as single seedlings, and (2) higher grain yield and higher N-use efficiency can be concurrently achieved in hybrid rice transplanted as single seedlings.

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Conditional and unconditional QTLs mapping of gluten strength in common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

LIU Tong-tong, LIU Kai, WANG Fang-fang, ZHANG Ying, LI Qing-fang, ZHANG Kai-ran, XIE Chu-peng, TIAN Ji-chun, CHEN Jian-sheng

2017, 16 (10): 2145-2155. DOI: 10.1016/S2095-3119(16)61564-2

Abstract （707） PDF in ScienceDirect

Dissecting the genetic relationships among gluten-related traits is important for high quality wheat breeding. Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) analysis for gluten strength, as measured by sedimentation volume (SV) and gluten index (GI), was performed using the QTLNetwork 2.0 software. Recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from the winter wheat varieties Shannong 01-35×Gaocheng 9411 were used for the study. A total of seven additive QTLs for gluten strength were identified using an unconditional analysis. QGi1D-13 and QSv1D-14 were detected through unconditional and conditional QTLs mapping, which explained 9.15–45.08% of the phenotypic variation. QTLs only identified under conditional QTL mapping were located in three marker intervals: WPT-3743–GLU-D1 (1D), WPT-7001–WMC258 (1B), and WPT-8682–WPT-5562 (1B). Six pairs of epistatic QTLs distributed nine chromosomes were identified. Of these, two main effect QTLs (QGi1D-13 and QSv1D-14) and 12 pairs of epistatic QTLs were involved in interactions with the environment. The results indicated that chromosomes 1B and 1D are important for the improvement of gluten strength in common wheat. The combination of conditional and unconditional QTLs mapping could be useful for a better understanding of the interdependence of different traits at the QTL molecular level.

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QTL mapping revealed TaVp-1A conferred pre-harvest sprouting resistance in wheat population Yanda 1817×Beinong 6

ZHOU Sheng-hui, FU Lin, WU Qiu-hong, CHEN Jiao-jiao, CHEN Yong-xing, XIE Jing-zhong, WANG Zhen-zhong, WANG Guo-xin, ZHANG De-yun, LIANG Yong, ZHANG Yan, OU Ming-shan, LIANG Rong-qi, HAN Jun, LIU Zhi-yong

2017, 16 (02): 435-444. DOI: 10.1016/S2095-3119(16)61361-8

Abstract （1241） PDF in ScienceDirect

Pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) occurs frequently in most of the wheat cultivation area worldwide, which severely reduces yield and end-use quality, resulting in substantial economic loss. In this study, quantitative trait loci (QTL) for PHS resistance were mapped using an available high-density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and simple sequence repeat (SSR) genetic linkage map developed from a 269 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) population of Yanda 1817×Beinong 6. Using phenotypic data on two locations (Beijing and Shijiazhuang, China) in two years (2012 and 2013 harvesting seasons), five QTLs, designated as QPhs.cau-3A.1, QPhs.cau-3A.2, QPhs.cau-5B, QPhs.cau-4A, and QPhs.cau-6A, for PHS (GP) were detected by inclusive composite interval mapping (ICIM) (LOD≥2.5). Two major QTLs, QPhs.cau-3A.2 and QPhs.cau-5B, were mapped on 3AL and 5BS chromosome arms, explaining 6.29–21.65% and 4.36–5.94% of the phenotypic variance, respectively. Precise mapping and comparative genomic analysis revealed that the TaVp-1A flanking region on 3AL is responsible for QPhs.cau-3A.2. SNP markers flanking QPhs.cau-3A.2 genomic region were developed and could be used for introgression of PHS tolerance into high yielding wheat varieties through marker-assisted selection (MAS).

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The inflence of soil drying- and tillage-induced penetration resistance on maize root growth in a clayey soil

LIN Li-rong, HE Yang-bo, CHEN Jia-zhou

2016, 15 (05): 1112-1120. DOI: 10.1016/S2095-3119(15)61204-7

Abstract （1655） PDF in ScienceDirect

Soil drying may induce a number of stresses on crops. This paper investigated maize (Zea mays L.) root growth as affected by drought and soil penetration resistance (PR), which was caused by soil drying and tillage in a clayey red soil. Compared with conventional tillage (C) and deep tillage (D), soil compaction (P) and no-till (N) significantly increased soil PR in the 0–15 cm layer. The PR increased dramatically as the soil drying increased, particularly in soil with a high bulk density. Increased soil PR reduced the maize root mass density distribution not only in the vertical profile (0–20 cm) but also in the horizontal layer at the same distance (0–5, 5–10, 10–15 cm) from the maize plant. With an increase in soil PR in pots, the maize root length, root surface area and root volume significantly decreased. Specifically, the maize root length declined exponentially from 309 to 64 cm per plant with an increase in soil PR from 491 to 3 370 kPa; the roots almost stopped elongating when the soil PR was larger than 2 200 kPa. It appeared that fine roots (<2.5 mm in diameter) thickened when the soil PR increased, resulting in a larger average root diameter. The average root diameter increased linearly with soil PR, regardless of soil irrigation or drought. The results suggest that differences in soil PR caused by soil drying is most likely responsible for inconsistent root responses to water stress in different soils.

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Comparisons of yield performance and nitrogen response between hybrid and inbred rice under different ecological conditions in southern China

JIANG Peng, XIE Xiao-bing, HUANG Min, ZHOU Xue-feng, ZHANG Rui-chun, CHEN Jia-na, WU Dan-dan, XIA Bing, XU Fu-xian, XIONG Hong, ZOU Ying-bin

2015, 14 (7): 1283-1294. DOI: 10.1016/S2095-3119(14)60929-1

Abstract （2025） PDF in ScienceDirect

In order to understand the yield performance and nitrogen (N) response of hybrid rice under different ecological conditions in southern China, field experiments were conducted in Huaiji County of Guangdong Province, Binyang of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Changsha City of Hunan Province, southern China in 2011 and 2012. Two hybrid (Liangyoupeijiu and Y-liangyou 1) and two inbred rice cultivars (Yuxiangyouzhan and Huanghuazhan) were grown under three N treatments (N1, 225 kg ha–1; N2, 112.5–176 kg ha–1; N3, 0 kg ha–1) in each location. Results showed that grain yield was higher in Changsha than in Huaiji and Binyang for both hybrid and inbred cultivars. The higher grain yield in Changsha was attributed to larger panicle size (spikelets per panicle) and higher biomass production. Consistently higher grain yield in hybrid than in inbred cultivars was observed in Changsha but not in Huaiji and Binyang. Higher grain weight and higher biomass production were responsible for the higher grain yield in hybrid than in inbred cultivars in Changsha. The better crop performance of rice (especially hybrid cultivars) in Changsha was associated with its temperature conditions and indigenous soil N. N2 had higher internal N use efficiency, recovery efficiency of applied N, agronomic N use efficiency, and partial factor productivity of applied N than N1 for both hybrid and inbred cultivars, while the difference in grain yield between N1 and N2 was relatively small. Our study suggests that whether hybrid rice can outyield inbred rice to some extent depends on the ecological conditions, and N use efficiency can be increased by using improved nitrogen management such as site-specific N management in both hybrid and inbred rice production.

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High genetic variation and recombination events in the vicinity of non-autonomous transposable elements from ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’

WANG Xue-feng, CHEN Jiao-yue, TAN Jin , DUAN Suo, DENG Xiao-ling, CHEN Jian-chi, ZHOU Chang-yong

2015, 14 (10): 2002-2010. DOI: 10.1016/S2095-3119(14)60979-5

Abstract （1434） PDF in ScienceDirect

Two miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements (MITEs), MCLas-A and MCLas-B, were recently identified from ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ known to be associated with citrus Huanglongbing (HLB, yellow shoot disease). MCLas-A was suggested as an active MITE because of its mobility. The immediate upstream gene of the two MITEs was predicted to be a putative transposase. The goal of this study is to analyze the sequence variation in the upstream putative transposase of MITEs and explore the possible correlation between sequence variation of transposase gene and MITE activity. PCR and sequence analysis showed that 12 sequence types were found in six major amplicon types from 43 representative ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ isolates from China, the United States and Brazil. Out of the 12 sequence types, three (T4, T5-2, T6) were reported for the first time. Recombination events were found in the two unique sequence types (T5-2 and T6) which were detected in all Brazilian isolates. Notably, no sequence variation or recombination events were detected in the upstream putative transposase gene of MCLas-A, suggesting the conservation of the transposase gene might be closely related with the MITE activity. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated two well supported clades including five subclades were identified, clearly reflecting the geographical origins of isolates, especially that of Ruili isolates, São Paulo isolates and a few Florida isolates.

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Comparative Analysis of Gene Expression in Two Muskmelon Cultivars (Cucumis melo L.) Under Salt Stress

WEI Shi-wei, ZHANG Fu-rong, ZHANG Yi-dong, WANG Li-min, CHEN Jia-bei , HUANG Danfeng

2014, 13 (10): 2132-2140. DOI: 10.1016/S2095-3119(13)60673-5

Abstract （1319） PDF in ScienceDirect

Salinity is one of the most important abiotic stresses that adversely affects crop growth and productivity. A subtractive suppression hybridization (SSH) library were constructed from the roots of salt-sensitive Yulu cultivar melon seedlings under salt stress; 557 high-quality expressed sequence tags (ESTs) were randomly sequenced, with an average size of 428 bp, which assembled into 68 contigs and 315 singletons. Compared with our previous SSH library generated from the salt-tolerant Bingxuecui cultivar, the proportion of transcripts involved in metabolism, protein fate, cellular communication/signal transduction mechanisms, and cell rescue/defense were 4, 1.46, 0.94, and 0.4% higher, respectively, in the salt-tolerant cultivar than the in salt-sensitive cultivar. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis of eleven transcripts revealed temporal variations in their expression in the two cultivars under salt stress. One NAC gene (JZ477011) was heterologously expressed in yeast for functional characterization, and enhanced the sensitivity of yeast cells to high-salinity to salt stress and inhibited their growth. Information regards to their functions would aid in the understanding of response mechanisms to saline stress and in the development of molecular markers for selecting salt-tolerant melon cultivars.

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The Sublethal Effects of Chlorantraniliprole on Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

ZHANG Rui-min, DONG Jun-feng, CHEN Jia-hua, JI Qing-e , CUI Jin-jie

2013, 12 (3): 457-466. DOI: 10.1016/S2095-3119(13)60246-4

Abstract （1797） PDF in ScienceDirect

Sublethal effects of chlorantraniliprole to Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) larvae were evaluated through exposure of third instar larvae to the insecticide incorporated into an artificial diet. When larvae were fed on the insecticide-containing diet for 7 d, the LC10, LC20, LC40, and LC50 values were 3.790, 7.977, 21.577, and 33.121 μg active ingredient L-1, respectively. Chlorantraniliprole at sublethal concentrations significantly reduced the larval body mass, emergence ratio, adult longevity and egg hatching rate in both the parental and offspring generations. The pupation and copulation rate in the parental generation and the pupal mass in the offspring also strongly decreased. Reproduction was seriously disturbed in both the parental and offspring groups even when only one of the partners was exposed to chlorantraniliprole at larval stages. However, at the lowest concentration of exposure (LC10), offspring fecundity was strongly reduced only when both partners were exposed. The net reproductive rate (R0), intrinsic rate of increase (rm), and gross reproduction rate (GRR) at LC20, LC40 concentrations were significantly lower than that of the control. Post-exposure effects also included an extended larval developmental time and increased male proportion in both generations. The doubling time (Dt) at LC20, LC40 concentrations as well as gross reproduction rate (GRR) at LC10 concentration were also significantly increased. Chlorantraniliprole might have significant effects on H. armigera population dynamics even at sublethal concentrations on both parental and offspring generations.

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Conditional QTL Mapping of Sedimentation Volume on Seven Quality Traits in Common Wheat

DENG Zhi-ying, ZHAO Liang, LIU Bin, ZHANG Kun-pu, CHEN Jian-sheng, QU Hou-lan, SUN Cai-ling, ZHANG Yong-xiang , TIAN Ji-chun

2013, 12 (12): 2125-2133. DOI: 10.1016/S2095-3119(13)60352-4

Abstract （1169） PDF in ScienceDirect

To evaluate the possible genetic interrelationships between flour components and the sedimentation volume (SD), a doubled haploid (DH) population comprising 168 lines were used to identify the conditional quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for SD in three environments. Ten additive QTLs and 15 pairs of epistatic QTLs were detected for SD through unconditional and conditional QTL mapping. Three major additive QTLs were detected for SD conditioned on the seven quality traits. Two additive QTLs were found to be independent of these traits. Three additive QTLs were suppressed by three of the seven traits because of non-detection in unconditional mapping. Three pairs of epistatic QTLs were completely affected by the seven traits because of detection in unconditional mapping but no-detection in conditional mapping. Twelve pairs of epistatic QTLs were detected in conditional mapping. Our results indicated that conditional mapping could contribute to a better understanding of the interdependence of different and closely correlated traits at the QTL molecular level, especially some minor QTLs were found. The conditional mapping approach provides new insights that will make it possible to avoid the disadvantages of different traits by breeding through molecular design.

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Curent Situation of “Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus” in Guangdong, China, Where Citrus Huanglongbing Was First Described

DENG Xiao-ling, CHEN Jian-chi, KONG Wei-wen, LI Hua-ping

2012, 12 (3): 424-429. DOI: 10.1016/S1671-2927(00)8560

Abstract （1629） PDF in ScienceDirect

Citrus Huanglongbing (HLB, yellow shoot disease) was first observed in the coastal Chaoshan Plain of Guangdong Province, China, in the late 19th century based on descriptions of yellow shoot symptoms. “Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus” has been considered as a putative pathogen associated with HLB since 1994. Information about the curent prevalence of this bacterium is important for HLB control in Guangdong and also provides useful reference for HLB study elsewhere. In 2007, we collected HLB symptomatic citrus samples from 16 cultivars in 12 prefecture cities, mostly in the north and west regions of Guangdong, where major citrus fruits are currently produced. Among the 359 samples collected, 241 (67.1%) were positive for “Ca. L. asiaticus”, distributed in 15 out of the 16 cultivars from all 12 cities, indicating the widespread prevalence of “Ca. L. asiaticus” in Guangdong Province. The detection rates varied from 16.7 to 100% depending on location and cultivar. Lower detection rates were found in newer citrus cultivation cities among the previously less popular but now promoted cultivars. In reviewing the citrus management and pest control practice, we believe that infected nursery stocks play a key role in the current spread of “Ca. L. asiaticus”.

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Effects of Papain Hydrolysis on the Pasting Properties of Wheat Flour

CHEN Jian-sheng, TIAN Ji-chun, DENG Zhi-ying, ZHANG Ying-xiang, FENG Shou-li, YAN Zuo-chen, ZHANG Xin-ye, YUAN Hui-qing

2012, 12 (12): 1948-1957. DOI: 10.1016/S1671-2927(00)8731

Abstract （1594） PDF in ScienceDirect

As one of the most effective enzymatic modification methods of protein, papain hydrolysis is applied widely in food production, accompanying starch pasting frequently in order to improve industrial quality. Effects of the papain hydrolysis on flour pasting properties were investigated in five papain/flour concentrations and five time-treatments. The structure of starch and protein networks in slurry was investigated under microscope before and after pasting. Results showed that papain hydrolysis influenced the pasting properties of wheat flour significantly through affecting structural characteristics, amylase activity and exothermic transition, especially during the early stage of hydrolysis. Peak viscosity, trough, final, integral area, and setback significantly decreased along with the increasing concentration of papain. Both hydrolysis time and concentration of papain had obviously effect on the breakdown. Pasting temperature and pasting time increased significantly with the enhancement of papain concentration. Hydrolysis time exerted minor effect on the pasting temperature and pasting time. The average peak time was slightly prolonged by lower concentration of papain, otherwise slightly shortened by higher concentration.

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Cloning of a Calcium-Dependent Protein Kinase Gene NtCDPK12, and Its Induced Expression by High-Salt and Drought in Nicotiana tabacum

CHEN Shuai, LIU Guan-shan, WANG Yuan-ying, SUN Yu-he , CHEN Jia

2011, 10 (12): 1851-1860. DOI: 10.1016/S1671-2927(11)60185-5abiotic stress| CDPK| Nicotiana tabacum| RACE| real-time qRT-PCR

Abstract （1597） PDF in ScienceDirect

Calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs, EC 2.7.1.37) comprise a large family of Ser/Thr kinases in plants and play an important role in plant Ca2+ signal transduction. A full-length CDPK gene, NtCDPK12 (GenBank accession number GQ337420), was isolated from common tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) leaves by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). The NtCDPK12 cDNA is 1 816 bp length and contains an open reading frame (ORF) of 1 461 bp encoding 486 amino acids. Sequence alignments indicated that NtCDPK12 contains all conserved regions found in CDPKs and shows a high level of sequence similarity to many other plant CDPKs. The results of real-time quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRTPCR) showed that NtCDPK12 was highly expressed in stems and increased in roots treated with high-salt or subjected to drought stress, which indicates that NtCDPK12 was induced by high-salt and drought stresses.

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