Uniformity of stem height in rice directly affects crop yield potential and appearance, and has become a vital index for rice improvement. In the present study, a doubled haploid (DH) population, derived from a cross between japonica rice Chunjiang 06 and indica rice TN1 was used to analyze the quantitative trait locus (QTL) for three related traits of paniclelayer- uniformity; that is, the tallest panicle height, the lowest panicle height and panicle layer disuniformity in two locations: Hangzhou (HZ) and Hainan (HN). A total of 16 QTLs for three traits distributed on eight chromosomes were detected in two different environments. Two QTLs, qTPH-4 and qTPH-8 were co located with the QTLs for qLPH-4 and qLPH-8, which were only significant in the HZ environment, whereas the qTPH-6 and qLPH-6 located at the same interval were only significant in the HN environment. Two QTLs, qPLD-10-1 and qPLD-10-2, were closely linked to qTPH-10, and they might have been at the same locus. One QTL, qPLD-3, was detected in both environments, explaining more than 23% of the phenotypic variations. The CJ06 allele of qPLD-3 could increase the panicle layer disuniformity by 9.23 and 4.74 cm in the HZ and HN environments. Except for qPLD-3, almost all other QTLs for the same trait were detected only in one environment, indicating that these three traits were dramatically affected by environmental factors. The results may be useful for elucidation of the molecular mechanism of panicle-layer-uniformity and marker assisted breeding for super-rice.
 

Ma L, Bao J, Guo L, Zeng D, Li X, Ji Z, Xia Y, Yang C, Qian Q (2009). Quantitative trait loci for panicle layer uniformity identified in doubled haploid lines of rice in two environments. J. Integr. Plant Biol. doi: 10.1111/j.1744-7909.2009.00854.x.

In vitro variation of B chromosomes was studied by examining the callus cells derived from the immature embryos from a cross of Chinese Spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and Fin 7416 rye (Secale cereale L.) carrying two B chromosomes. In 40-d-old callus cells, the numbers of B chromosomes ranged from one to four in 65.6% of the cells observed. The distribution of B chromosome numbers was associated with the ploidy levels of the normal chromosomes (A chromosomes). The frequency of the cells with high numbers of B chromosomes (i.e., three or four B chromosomes) in the amphiploid cells with 56 A chromosomes was greater than those in the haploid cells with 28 A chromosomes. Although structural changes in the rye A chromosomes were observed, cytological observation and genomic in situ hybridization demonstrated that the rye B chromosomes were conserved in morphological appearance following tissue culture.

Tian B, Li H (2009). Variation of B chromosome associated with tissue culture in wheat-rye cross. J. Integr. Plant Biol. 51(9), 834–839.

Jatropha curcas is an important economic plant for biodiesel, which is extracted mainly from the endosperm of its mature seeds. Despite the morphological and functional differences between the embryo and endosperm, proteomic characteristics of the two tissues are not yet known. Similar proteomic profiles were observed in the two-dimensional gel electrophoresis maps from the two tissues. There were 380 and 533 major protein spots in the embryo and endosperm, respectively. Fourteen identical spots, showing a notable change, were selected and identified by tandem mass spectrometry. Among these proteins, dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase (spot 27) participates in tricarboxylic acid cycle, which is an amphibolic pathway. The two parts both included proteins related to stress (spots 8, 115, 118, 125, 130) and signal transduction (spots 7, 100, 108). According to the volume percentage of proteins in embryo and endosperm, the proteins in endosper (spots 54, 61, 73) were catabolism-related enzymes and reserves to provide the nutrition for seed germination; the proteins in embryo (spots 27, 62, 122) were inclined to anabolism and utilized the nutrition from the endosperm to generate a new life.
 

Liu H, Liu YJ, Yang MF, Shen SH (2009). A comparative analysis of embryo and endosperm proteome from seeds of Jatropha curcas. J. Integr. Plant Biol. 51(9), 850-857.

The aim of the present work was to investigate the effects of osmoconditioning on chilling injury in chilling-sensitive soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr. Zhonghuang No. 22) seeds during imbibition. Low temperatures reduced the germination rate and no seed germinated at 1 ◦C. Osmoconditioning of seeds at 20 ^◦C with a polyethylene glycol-8000 (PEG8000) solution at 1.5 MPa for 72 h followed by drying back to their initial moisture content (MC) reduced their chilling sensitivity. The phenylarsine oxide (PAO), an inhibitor of protein tyrosinephosphatases, was used to investigate the possible involvement of phosphorylation-dephosphorylation of Tyr residues in the plasma membrane composition and function when seeds were osmoconditioned. The results showed the germination of osmoconditioned seeds decreased significantly when PAO was added in PEG solution after chilling treatment. PAO inhibited changes in composition of plasmamembrane phospholipids and fatty acid induced by osmocondition, indicated that tyrosine protein phosphorylation is involved in the regulatory mechanisms of osmocondition-responsive chilling in soybean seeds. Western blot result further indicated that osmocondition treatment improved the activity of plasma membrane H⁺-ATPase after chilling treatment, but this effect was abolished by PAO. The possible regulation mechanism by Tyr protein phosphorylation is discussed.
 

Zhuo JJ, Wang WX, Lu Y, Wu S, Wang XF (2009). Osmopriming-regulated changes of plasma membrane composition and function were inhibited by phenylarsine oxide in soybean seeds. J. Integr. Plant Biol. 51(9), 858–867.

To investigate the genetic basis of drought tolerance in soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) a recombinant inbred population with 184 F_2:7:11 lines developed from a cross between Kefeng1 (drought tolerant) and Nannong1138-2 (drought sensitive) were tested under water-stressed and well watered conditions in field and greenhouse trials. Traits measured included leaf wilting coefficient, excised leaf water loss and relative water content as indicators of plant water status and seed yield. A total of 40 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were identified: 17 for leaf water status traits under drought stress and 23 for seed yield under well-watered and drought-stressed conditions in both field and greenhouse trials. Two seed yield QTLs were detected under both well-watered and drought-stressed conditions in the field on molecular linkage group H and D1b, while two seed yield QTLs on molecular linkage group C2 were found under greenhouse conditions. Several QTLs for traits associated with plant water status were identified in both field and greenhouse trials, including two leaf wilting coefficient QTLs on molecular linkage group A2 and one excised leaf water loss QTL on molecular linkage group H. Phenotypic correlations of traits suggested several QTLs had pleiotropic or location-linked associations. These results will help to elucidate the genetic basis of drought tolerance in soybean, and could be incorporated into a marker-assisted selection breeding program to develop high yielding soybean cultivars with improved tolerance to drought stress.

Du W, Yu D, Fu S (2009). Detection of quantitative trait loci for yield and drought tolerance traits in soybean using a recombinant inbred line population. J. Integr. Plant Biol. 51(9), 868–878.

In order to explore the relevant molecular genetic mechanisms of photosynthetic rate (PR) and chlorophyll content (CC) in rice (Oryza sativa L.), we conducted a series of related experiments using a population of recombinant inbred lines (Zhenshan97B × IRAT109). We found a significant correlation between CC and PR (R = 0.19**) in well-watered conditions, but no significant correlation during water stress (r = 0.08). We detected 13 main quantitative trait loci (QTLs) located on chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 10, which were associated with CC, including six QTLs located on chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 during water stress, and seven QTLs located on chromosomes 2, 3, 4, 6, and 10 in well-watered conditions. These QTLs explained 47.39% of phenotypic variation during water stress and 56.19% in well-watered conditions. We detected four main QTLs associated with PR; three of them (qPR2, qPR10, qPR11) were located on chromosomes 2, 10, and 11 during water stress, and one (qPR10) was located on chromosome 10 in well-watered conditions. These QTLs explained 34.37% and 18.41% of the phenotypic variation in water stress and well-watered conditions, respectively. In total, CC was largely controlled by main QTLs, and PR was mainly controlled by epistatic QTL pairs.
 

Hu SP, Zhou Y, Zhang L, Zhu XD, Li L, Luo LJ, Liu GL, ZhouQM (2009). Correlation and quantitative trait loci analyses of total chlorophyll content and photosynthetic rate of rice (Oryza sativa) under water stress and well-watered conditions. J. Integr. Plant Biol. doi: 10.1111/j.1744 7909.2009.00846.x
 

Astragalus is a species-rich genus occurring in the western arid habitats in China and its diversification and infrageneric relationships in this region remain unclear. In the present study, based on molecular data, we aim to (i) test whether Phyllolobium (previously treated as a subgenus Pogonophace in Astragalus) should be warranted; and (ii) date the origin of Phyllolobium and probable diversification of Astragalus sensu stricto (s.s.). We sequenced five species from Phyllolobium first and collected all related sequences from the genus, Astragalus s.s and their close relatives (Oxytropis and Caragana etc.). Our phylogenetic analyses suggested that all species of Phyllolobium comprise amonophyletic sister-group to genera of the subtribe Coluteinae. Molecular dating suggested that Phyllolobium and Astragalus s.s. originated around 8 and 10 million years ago. These two estimates are highly consistent with the intense uplifts of the Qinghai Tibetan Plateau inferred from geological evidence. In addition, one section of Pogonophace (Sect. Robusti) was estimated to originate 2.5 million years ago and this section with a tendency for dry habitats seems to be evidence of Asian intensified aridity resulting from the intense uplift of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

Zhang M, Kang Y, Zhou L, Podlech D (2009). Phylogenetic origin of Phyllolobium with a further implication for diversification of Astragalus in China. J. Integr. Plant Biol. 51(9), 889–899.

Soil carbon sequestration was estimated in a conifer forest and an alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau using a carbon- 14 radioactive label provided by thermonuclear weapon tests (known as bomb-¹⁴C). Soil organic matter was physically separated into light and heavy fractions. The concentration spike of bomb-¹⁴C occurred at a soil depth of 4 cm in both the forest soil and the alpine meadow soil. Based on the depth of the bomb-¹⁴C spike, the carbon sequestration rate was determined to be 38.5 g C/m² per year for the forest soil and 27.1 g C/m² per year for the alpine meadow soil. Considering that more than 60% of soil organic carbon (SOC) is stored in the heavy fraction and the large area of alpine forests and meadows on the Tibetan Plateau, these alpine ecosystems might partially contribute to “the missing carbon sink”.

Tian YQ, Xu XL, Song MH, Zhou CP, Gao Q, Ouyang H (2009). Carbon sequestration in two alpine soils on the Tibetan Plateau. J. Integr. Plant Biol. 51(9), 900–905.