Abstract:We investigated the effects of simulated SO2 treatment on chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, rapid light-response curves, anti-oxidant capacity (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical-scavenging capacity) and photosynthetic pigment contents in the excised leaves of eight liana species. After leaf sections were immersed in 20 mmol/L NaHSO3 for 10 h, Fv/Fm, ΦPSII, rETR, rETRmax and initial slope (α) of rapid light-response curves decreased compared with the controls (in purified water). Variation tendencies in anti-oxidant capacities and chloroplast pigment contents differed among species. It is deduced that Clerodendron thomsonae, Cissus sicyoides and Mucuna birdwoodiana had higher tolerance to simulated SO2 treatment, whereas Bauhinia corymbosa，Passiflora coccinea，Bougainvillea glabra were sensitive to simulated SO2 pollution.

Abstract:The dormancy and germination of Brochypodium distachyon caryopses sampled from three populations in Israel were investigated. The results showed that caryopses of B. distachyon developed dormancy which was found not to be the type of exogenous dormancy. The factors, such as temperature and duration of dry storage, etc. had significant effects on caryopsis germination of B. distachyon. The afterripening process could accelerate and caryopses dormancy could break when storaged at high temperature (40℃), and the order of dormancy depth among three populations was Sede Boqer > Yatir > Mt. Carmel. Furthermore, the dormancy depth was found to be correlated negatively with the mean annual rainfall at three local sites. The present results demonstrated that evolutionary background has a strong effect on the intensity of caryopses dormancy of this species, and B. distachyon populations have evolved adaptive mechanisms by regulating the time of germination in Israel.

Abstract:The effects of sucrose, boric acid, calcium, pH, and illumination on the fresh pollen germination of Lonicera maackii (Rupr.) Maxim. were studied. The results shown that the pollen germination rate were 85.63%, 59.23%, and 78.12%, when medium supplied with 25% sucrose, 0.01% boric acid, 0.02%~0.05% Ca(NO3)2, respectively, and the germination rate got 75.27％ cultured under pH 6.7. The effects of carbohydrates on pollen germination rate in order were sucrose＞glucose＞lactose ＞fructose. There was not significant difference of pollen germination rate under illumination (0.5625 μmol m-2s-1) and dark, but the length of pollen tube was longer under the dark than under the illumination. The optimal medium for pollen germination consist of 25% sucrose, 0.01% boric acid, 0.02% Ca(NO3)2 at pH 6.7 and under illumination, in which the pollen germination rate reached 88.1％.

Abstract:Rabdosia rubescens (Henmsl.) Hara is an anticancer plant distributed in the hills and mountains of mainland China. In order to evoluate, manage and develop the germplasm genetic resources of this species, 7 natural populations were sampled and analyzed using Inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR) markers. There was a moderate level of diversity at species level (Ppl: 60.45%; H: 0.2714; I: 0.3365; HB: 0.3108), and a low level of diversity at population level (Ppl: 17.05%; H: 0.0692; I: 0.0989; HB: 0.0763), and a high level of genetic differentiation (GST: 0.6515; θB: 0.6388; GST-B: 0.6095). The Sichuan (SC), Baojing (BJ) and Shimen (SM) populations composed core clade, and then gathered with the southern and northern populations, respectively, based on the UPGMA analysis. Therefore, ISSR markers were suitable for genetic diversity analysis and instructive for core collection construction of R.. rubescens.

Abstract:Figs (Ficus, Moraceae) and their pollinating wasps (Agaonidae) constitute the extreme example of interactions between plants and insects. Each fig species is pollinated by a single minute, pollen-bearing female wasp species that only depend on the particular fig syconia for the production of their offspring, so the relation is generally regarded as species-specific. However, exceptions to this ‘one to one rule’ are discovered. The patterns of co-divergence and speciation are expected in fig-fig wasp relations owing to extreme host specificity. The paper elaborated the advance of co-speciation between figs and fig wasps, and it is useful to know the perfect pairs and the mechanism of co-speciation.

Abstract:Species composition, flora analysis and species diversity features of 4 plots in Fokienia hodginsii community in Jinggangshan Nature Reserve, Jiangxi Province, were analyzed. The results showed that there were 59 species of vascular plants in Fokienia hodginsii community (including varieties), belonging to 32 families and 43 genera, in which the Pteridophyte accounted for 4 families, 4 genera and 5 species, the Gymnosperm 3 families, 3 genera and 3 species, and the Angiosperm 25 families, 36 genera and 51 species. The floristic analysis showed that the flora had come floristic constitents before Quaterary and retains many floristic element before Quaternary, the geographical element is complex, the temperate element dominanted, tropical and sub-tropical elements took larger proportion. Community of Fokienia hodginsii was many storied all-aged forest, community type was make up of Fokienia hodginsii and Castanopsis eyrei community, Fokienia hodginsii, Rhododendron simiarum and Castanopsis eyrei community. Fokienia hodginsii community had high species diversity index, which did not alter too much among plots, the variation patterns of species diversity of Fokienia hodginsii community were similar which ever the index was used. Generally, the order of the magnitude of species diversity was shrub layer＞tree layer＞herb layer.

Abstract:In order to selecte the suitable grass species in winter, the yield and quality of the forage of Hemarthia compressa ‘Guangyi’ pasture resown with Secale cereale ‘Dongmu70’, Triticale ‘Zhongsi 828’, and Lolium multiflorum ‘Changjiang No.2’, respectively, were evaluated in autumn. The results shown that forage yield and quality of ‘Guangyi’ increased significantly by resown with ‘Zhongsi 828’ and ‘Changjiang No.2’, in which the yield of dry matter increased by 11.3% and 12.3%, crude proteins by 10.4% and 15.6%, respectively. No significant difference was found resown with ‘Dongmu70’. It suggested that ‘Changjiang No.2’ was the optimal overseeding grass for H. compress in winter.

Abstract:Eight phenolic acids were isolated from the solid cultures of Metarhizium sp. SC0924. They were identified as vanillic acid (1), syringic acid (2), anthranilic acid (3), phenylacetic acid (4), ferulic acid (5), dihydroferulic acid (6), 3-phenyllactic acid (7) and latifolicinin A (8). All compounds except 2 and 6 exhibited antifungal activities against Peronophythora litchii by the agar diffusion method using paper disks.

Abstract:Chemical constituents of the liposoluble fraction from Antiaris toxicaria latex were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for the first time. Twenty-seven compounds were identified, amounting to 91.7% of the total detected constituents. Bioassay result showed the liposoluble fraction of A. toxicaria possessed antioxidant activity by DPPH free radical scavenging method, with SC50 value of 500 μg ml-1.

Abstract:Using techniques of intact microspore, semi-thin section and ultra-thin section, the cytological differences in microspores and anther cell walls between pollen sterile hybrid F1 and its fertile parent Taichung 65 (Oryza sativa L.) were studied. When hybrid F1 microspores developed to the uninucleate middle and late stage, cytoplasm-condensed microspores had much more than those in Taichung 65, and star-like microspores appeared, but normal microspores and starch accumulated microspores decreased. when anthers of hybrid F1 were cultured in vitro, the development of cytoplasm-condensed microspores, star-like microspores, normal microspores, vacuole microspores and starch accumulated microspores would follow the microspore cytoplasm condensed process, sporophytic developmental process, gametophytic developmental process, vacuole process and starch accumulated process, respectively. Compared to Taichung 65, the degradation of tapetum layer in anther cell wall of hybrid F1 grew quickly and middle layer cell expanded larger under culrued in vitro. These differences in microspore and anther wall between hybrid F1 and Taichung 65 were probably caused by the interaction of alleles in pollen sterility locus S-a and culture environment in vitro.

Abstract:The microsporogenesis and development of male gametophyte of Allium senescens L. were studied using method of paraffin section. The anther was found to be 4-sporangiate. The anther wall includes 4 layers: epiderm, endothecium, middle layer and secretory tapetum. Successive cytokinesis in the microspore mother cells (MMCs) follows meiosis. Most mature pollen grains are 2-celled type, rarely 3-celled type. In addition, there are some abnormal phenomena at meiosis of MMCs and uninucleate microspores, including laggard chromosome, chromosome fragments, bridges, double-bridges, micronuclei and so on. These abnormal phenomena is one reason which resulted in abortive pollen.

Abstract:The spores of the Brainea insignis (Hook.) J. Sm. were cultured in the inorganic medium. The spore germination and the gametophytic development were observed by microscope. The results showed that the spores were brown and monolete with a wrinkled perine. The spores germinated about three days after sowing. The spore germination belonged to the Vittaria-Type while the gametophyte development was of the Drynaria-Type. The prothallial plates formed about fifteen days after sowing. The mature cordate prothallus developed twenty-five days after sowing, profuse trichomes bearing superficial and marginal prothallus. Antheridia consisted of three cells. Archegonial neck was usually composed of four rows of cells and four to five cells high at maturity.

Abstract:The chromosome number and karyotype of Calanthe triplicata was studied by applying fingertip pressing method. The results showed that the number of the somatic chromosome of Calanthe triplicata was 2n=38, and as diploid, its karyotype formula was 2n=2x=38=28m+8sm+2st. The diploid mainly consists of metacentric and submetacentric chromosomes. The karyotype belongs to 2B type.

Abstract:The chromosome numbers and karyotypes of Catharanthus, including C. roseus (L.) G. Don, C. roseus (L.) G. Don ‘Albus’ and C. roseus (L.) G. Don ‘Flavus’, were studied. The results showed that the irkaryotype formulae were all 2n=2x=16=2m+12sm+2T and their karyotypes were all “3A”. The chromosome numbers of their somatic cell were all 2n=16. But the disposed order of the terminal point chromosome and the median region chromosome were different in karyotype sequence among the species and two culvarieties.

Abstract:A cytological study of Drymotaenium miyoshianum Makino was carried out. The somatic chromosome number in root-tip cells of D. miyoshianum is found to be 2n=72. The karyotype formula is 2n=2x=72=18m+26sm+24st+4T. The karyotype belongs to 3B type. The chromosomes range in length from 1.74 to 4.61μm, with the ratio of the longest to the shortest 2.65. The index of karyotype asymmetry (As.K%) is 71.24. The karyotype of D. miyoshianum Makino was reported for the first time. The reproductive type in D. miyoshianum Makino is sexual diploid. Based on our study and previous data, the significance of chromosome number in phylogeny was discussed.

Abstract:After examining the type specimens and the original literatures of Berberis wuliangshanensis C. Y. Wu ex S. Y. Bao and B. jingguensis G. S. Fan et X. W. Li, little difference was found between these two species in the key morphological characteristics. Though B. jingguensis was ever described as a new species for its unusual feature of being a woody liana, however, such a “woody liana” character was also mentioned in the field note of a few specimens of a shrub species of B. wuliangshanensis, and could be resulted from a false field record, consequently, this character should be explained as an arching habit of the stem spreading out by its spines. In addition, the type specimens of both species were collected in the evergreen broad-leaved forests of Wuliangshan Mountain at elevation around 2500 m in Yunnan Province, China. Thus, B. jingguensis is treated as a synonym of B. wuliangshanensis.

Abstract:The optimum conditions for the tissue culture of Feijoa (Feijoa sallowiana Berg.) were investigated. The leaves and shoot with bud were used as explants. The results showed that the optimal basal medium was MS medium. Two-step sterilization was better than one-step sterilization. The optimal concentration of active carbon for callus induction from leaves and shoot with bud were 2.0 g L-1 and 3.0 g L-1, respectively, and penicillin were 200 mg L-1 and 50 mg L-1, respectively. The culture under light was better than under dark. The optimal medium for callus induction from tender leaves was MS+2.0 mg L-1 2,4-D+1.0 mg L-1 KT (or 0.1 mg L-1 NAA), and from shoot with bud was MS+1.0 mg L-1 6-BA+0.5mg L-1 NAA+1.0 mg L-1 GA, or MS+2.0 mg L-1 6-BA+0.1 mg L-1 NAA+1.0 mg L-1 GA.

Abstract:The recent advances in detection, spread and prevention of sugarcane ratoon stunting disease (RSD), the taxonomy and the pathogenic mechanism of its causal organism, Leifsonia xyli subsp. xyli were reviewed. Then the future research strategy for RSD was discussed.