Interspecific and intergeneric hybridization and chromosomal engineering of Brassicaceae crops

In Brassicaceae crop breeding programs, wild relatives have been evaluated as genetic resources to develop new cultivars with biotic and abiotic stress resistance. This has become necessary because of the diversification of ecotypes of diseases and pests, changing food preferences, advances in production technology, the use of new approaches such as in vitro breeding programs, and the need for economical production of F₁ seed. To produce potential new cultivars, interspecific and intergeneric hybridizations have been performed between cultivated species and between cultivated species and their wild relatives. Furthermore, interspecific and intergeneric hybrids have been successfully produced using embryo rescue techniques. In this paper, we review the interspecific and intergeneric incompatibilities between Brassicaceae crops and their wild relatives, and the production, characterization, and improvement of synthetic amphidiploid lines, alien gene introgression lines, alloplasmic lines, monosomic alien chromosome addition lines, and monosomic alien chromosome substitution lines. The goal is to provide useful materials to support practical breeding strategies and to study the genetic effects of individual chromosomes on plant traits, the number of genes that control a trait, their linkage relationships, and genetic improvement in Brassicaceae crops.     

Demographic survey of the yellow-phase Japanese eel Anguilla japonica in Japan

Catch statistics and biological data of the Japanese eel Anguilla japonica from 12 river systems in nine prefectures of Japan (36°N, 140°E–31°N, 130°E) during 1999–2004 were analyzed in order to evaluate the demography of A. japonica in Japan. Significant differences in biological characteristics of 6388 eels were found among the river systems. Fishery catches of eels in all locations have declined, but the magnitudes or patterns of decline seem to be different. Of sex-identified eels, mean total lengths ± SD (mm) of females (n = 3776) and males (n = 962) were 495.6 ± 104.3 and 412.9 ± 80.7, respectively, and overall sex ratio (% female) was 79.6 %. Mean age (years) and growth rate (mm year^?1) were 5.0 ± 1.9 and 96.7 ± 38.6 for females (n = 3643) and 3.6 ± 1.7 and 120.5 ± 65.4 for males (n = 907), respectively. This study highlights the demographic heterogeneity of the A. japonica among the studied river systems, which suggests that it is important to conserve a variety of habitats in multiple river systems as an inclusive management target in addition to restoration of the diversity of habitats for eels in a single river system.     

Management of bakanae and bacterial seedling blight diseases in nurseries by irradiating rice seeds with atmospheric plasma

The control of seedborne rice seedling diseases in the seed beds is important to avoid epidemics in rice nurseries and paddies, which may result in severe yield loss. Recently, irradiation with plasma containing electrons, creating positive or negative ions and neutral species, has been shown to have an antimicrobial effect, probably via generation of reactive oxygen species. This study examines whether two seedborne rice seedling diseases, bakanae disease caused by the fungal pathogen Fusarium fujikuroi, and bacterial seedling blight caused by Burkholderia plantarii, are suppressed by irradiation of infected rice seeds with atmospheric plasma. Seed germination and seedling growth were not inhibited in plasma‐treated healthy seeds. When F. fujikuroi‐infected rice seeds were irradiated with plasma after being immersed in sterile distilled water, bakanae disease severity index and the percentage of plants with symptoms were reduced to 18.1% and 7.8% of non‐irradiated control, respectively, depending on the duration of plasma irradiation. The bacterial seedling blight disease index was also reduced by plasma irradiation in vacuum‐inoculated seeds to 38.6% of the non‐irradiated control, and in infected seeds harvested from spray‐inoculated heads of rice plants to 40.1% of the control. Therefore, plasma irradiation seems to be effective in controlling two independent seedborne rice seedling diseases.     

Effects of polyethylene glycol and a synthetic ice blocker during vitrification of immature porcine oocytes on survival and subsequent embryo development

We evaluated the effects of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and Supercool X‐1000 (SC) as supplements during the vitrification of immature cumulus‐enclosed porcine oocytes in a solution based on 17.5% ethylene glycol + 17.5% propylene glycol. After warming, the oocytes were subjected to in vitro maturation, fertilization and embryo culture. In Experiment 1, equilibration and vitrification solutions were supplemented with or without 2% (w/v) PEG (PEG+ and PEG‐, respectively). The survival rate, cleavage and blastocyst development were similar between PEG+ and PEG‐ groups; however, all values were lower than those in the non‐vitrified control. In Experiment 2, vitrification solution was supplemented with or without 1% (v/v) SC (SC+ and SC‐, respectively). The percentages of survival and blastocyst development were similar between SC+ and SC‐ groups but lower than those in the non‐vitrified control. The percentage of cleavage in the SC‐ group was significantly lower than the control and the SC+ groups, which were in turn similar to one another. In both experiments, the cell numbers in blastocysts were not significantly different among the non‐vitrified and vitrified groups. In conclusion, PEG did not improve oocyte survival and embryo development, whereas SC improved the ability of surviving oocytes to cleave but not to develop into blastocysts.     

Nuclear Replacement of In Vitro‐Matured Porcine Oocytes by a Serial Centrifugation and Fusion Method

The objective of the present study was to establish a method for nuclear replacement in metaphase‐II (M‐II) stage porcine oocytes. Karyoplasts containing M‐II chromosomes (K) and cytoplasts without chromosomes (C) were produced from in vitro‐matured oocytes by a serial centrifugation method. The oocytes were then reconstructed by fusion of one karyoplast with 1, 2, 3 or 4 cytoplasts (K + 1C, K + 2C, K + 3C and K + 4C, respectively). Reconstructed oocytes, karyoplasts without fusion of any cytoplast (K) and zona‐free M‐II oocytes (control) were used for experiments. The rates of female pronucleus formation after parthenogenetic activation in all groups of reconstructed oocytes (58.2–77.4%) were not different from those of the K and control groups (58.2% and 66.0%, respectively). In vitro fertilization was carried out to assay the fertilization ability and subsequent embryonic development of the reconstructed oocytes. The cytoplast : karyoplast ratio did not affect the fertilization status (penetration and male pronuclear formation rates) of the oocytes. A significantly high monospermy rate was found in K oocytes (p < 0.05, 61.6%) compared with the other groups (18.2–32.8%). Blastocyst formation rates increased significantly as the number of the cytoplasts fused with karyoplasts increased (p < 0.05, 0.0–15.3%). The blastocyst rate in the K + 4C group (15.3%) was comparable with that of the control (17.8%). Total cell numbers in both the K + 3C and K + 4C groups (16.0 and 15.3 cells, respectively) were comparable with that of the control (26.2 cells). Our results demonstrate that a serial centrifugation and fusion (Centri‐Fusion) is an effective method for producing M‐II chromosome transferred oocytes with normal fertilization ability and in vitro development. It is suggested that the number of cytoplasts fused with a karyoplast plays a critical role in embryonic development.     

渡良濑游水地土壤微生物群落结构与功能研究

利用BIOLOG和磷脂脂肪酸(PLFA)技术,研究了受足尾铜矿废水影响下的日本西那须地区渡良濑游水地东、西两侧土壤生物学特性、微生物群落结构及功能变化.结果表明:东侧(对照区)土壤全铜含量为45.07mg/kg,有效态铜含量为0.42 mg/kg,同西侧相比,平均降低了19.32%和89.95%.土壤呼吸速率主要受土壤有效态铜、土壤有机质和C/N的影响,随土层深度增加,土壤微生物量氮和溶解性氮都迅速减小,东侧土壤具有较强的氮矿化能力,渡良濑游水地东、西两侧0-5 cm土层土壤的微生物群落生理代谢剖面在培养48 h后出现明显变化;土壤微生物群落的平均颜色变化值(AWCD)随培养时间的延长,趋于平缓增加.在48 h时培养后,西侧位点土壤的AWCD值与东侧相比,分别下降了40%,34%和16%;除B位点样品在20-40 cm土层深度的AWCD略高于其它3个位点外,其余样品的AWCD无明显差异.渡良濑游水地东侧土壤微生物对单一碳源底物的利用能力较高,土壤微生物群落利用碳源的功能多样性也较高.渡良濑游水地西侧区域C位点土壤的格兰仕阳性菌、格兰仕阴性菌、放线菌数量均显著高于东侧A位点,但渡良濑游水地东侧区域土壤3大类群微生物中细菌和放线菌比例更高.在渡良濑游水地自然恢复30多年后,东、西两侧土壤微生物群落结构与功能仍存在较明显的差异.     

Long-term survival of a cow with cervical ectopia cordis

This study investigated the long-term survival of a calf with cervical ectopia cordis that grew normally, became pregnant, and calved normally. The cow showed normal cardiac function and absence of peripheral circulation abnormalities. This paper documents antemortem characteristics of the affected cow.     

Effect of potassium rate on growth,quality, chemical composition,and winter hardiness of perennial ryegrass

Seven potassium (K) rates (0, 50, 150, 350, 450, 550, and 650 kg K/ha) were used to determine the optimum rate of K for turf‐type perennial ryegrass during the winter based on turf growth, quality, and winter hardiness. Turf density, color, growth, and winter hardiness were increased as the rate of K application increased up to 350 kg K/ha. However, there were no beneficial effects of K application beyond that rate. Potassium content of the whole plant was 1.72% of the dry matter at the 350 kg K/ha rate. Calcium and Mg contents of the plant were reduced as the result of K application, and a reduction in growth and K content was detected at the higher K application rates. It is suggested that the optimum K rate for perennial ryegrass is about 350 kg K/ha under our experimental conditions in the winter, and that the K content should be about 1.72% of dry weight of whole plant.     

Effect of fertility ratios on growth and turf quality of perennial ryegrass (Lolium prenne L.) in winter

Perennial ryegrass (Lolium prenne L.) has been introduced to Japan as a cool season turfgrass. In spite of relatively mild winter in most parts of the country, it still goes to winter dormancy. A well‐balanced fertility ratio and rate may prevent such dormancy without causing winter injury. Therefore, this experiment was designed to find a balanced rate and ratio among nitrogen (N), potassium (K), and phosphorus (P) fertilizers in order to prevent winter dormancy and promote growth during the winter in Japan. Yorktown 2 perennial ryegrass was used in this experiment. Nitrogen and K application rates were 50, 150, 250, 350, 450, 550, and 650 kg K/ha; whereas P rates were 50, 150, and 250 kg P/ha. These rates were applied in 30 different ratios. Growth, color, and density of the turf were estimated and used as the parameters for finding a suitable rate and ratio for these three major nutrients. Color, density, and growth were increased as the rate of N fertilizer increased, but there was no visual response to P or K rates. It is suggested that increases in color, density, and growth were function of N rates, whereas K and P rates maintained the cold hardiness of the turf when high N rates were applied under the conditions of this experiment. Fertility ratio and the rates of 450 kg N/ha, 250 kg K/ha, and 50 kg P/ha were sufficient to prevent dormancy, promote growth, and produce good quality turf throughout the winter. Thus, it is concluded that fertility ratios and rates are the main factors limiting growth and quality of perennial ryegrass in transitional zones similar to Japan.