Feminization of genetic males by a symbiotic bacterium in a butterfly,Eurema hecabe (Lepidoptera: Pieridae)

Wolbachia are symbiotic bacteria found in many arthropods and filarian nematodes. They often manipulate the reproduction of host arthropods. In the present study, female-biased sex-ratio distortion in the butterfly Eurema hecabe was investigated. Breeding experiments showed that this distorted sex ratio is maternally inherited. When treated with tetracycline, adult females of the thelygenic line produced male progeny only. After PCR using Wolbachia-specific primers for the ftsZ gene a positive result was seen in the thelygenic females, but not in male progeny from tetracycline-treated females, or individuals from a Tokyo population with normal sex ratio and reproduction. Cytological observations showed that thelygenic females lack the sex chromatin body (W chromosome). The results strongly suggest that the sex-ratio distortion in E. hecabe is due to feminization of genetic males by Wolbachia.     

Comparison of physiological responses to oxidative and .heavymetal stress in seedlings of rice paddy, Oryza sativa L.

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包膜尿素对污染土壤上水稻吸收Zn的影响

通过盆栽试验,研究了等氮量下普通尿素(PU,prilled urea)、硫包膜尿素(SCU,sulfur coated urea)和树脂包膜尿素(PCU,polymer coated urea)对污染土壤上水稻Zn吸收特性的影响。结果表明,与施用普通尿素相比,施用树脂包膜尿素和硫包膜尿素处理的水稻籽粒产量分别增加9.83%和1.64%,糙米Zn含量分别降低5.48%和11.2%,但差异不显著。施用树脂包膜尿素和硫包膜尿素促进水稻生长,一定程度上降低糙米中Zn浓度。     

丛枝菌根真菌对百菌清引起的旱稻(Oryza sativa L.)毒性的影响

采用盆栽实验的方法,研究了百菌清对旱稻(Oryza sativa L.)生长和氧化胁迫的影响,以及接种丛枝菌根真菌(arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi,AMF)对百菌清污染下旱稻生长的影响和对旱稻氧化胁迫的影响.结果表明,百菌清处理对旱稻的生长有明显的抑制作用,施加百菌清后可以使旱稻地上部的生物量由2.5 g·pot-1下降到1.0 g·pot-1以下;地下部分的生物量在施加百菌清处理后由0.9 g·pot-1下降到0.3 g·pot-1以下.百菌清处理下接种AMF能显著提高旱稻生物量,接种菌根真菌能使50mg·kg-1百菌清处理下旱稻的生物量增加1倍以上.百菌清处理能显著降低旱稻对磷(P)营养元素的吸收,在50 mg·kg-1百菌清处理下旱稻地上部分P的吸收量由3 200 μg·pot-1下降到860 μg·pot-1,接种AMF能使旱稻地上部P的吸收量增加到1 900 μg·pot-1.百菌清处理还可以引起旱稻体内的氧化胁迫,改变旱稻体内抗氧化酶系统的活性,而接种菌根真菌能降低百菌清对旱稻产生的氧化胁迫,从而减轻百菌清污染对旱稻的毒性作用.总之,百菌清土壤污染能够引起旱稻体内的氧化胁迫、降低旱稻P的吸收量而影响植物生长,接种菌根真菌能显著改善旱稻的生长和降低百菌清对旱稻的影响.     

苜蓿对多环芳烃菲污染土壤的修复作用研究

采用盆栽试验方法,研究了苜蓿(Medicago sativa L.)对多环芳烃菲污染土壤的修复作用.结果表明,多环芳烃菲对苜蓿的生长具有抑制作用,土壤中菲初始浓度越高抑制作用越明显.445.22 mg/kg条件下苜蓿茎叶和根的生物量最小,仅为无污染对照土壤的57.31%和31.20%.经过60 d的修复试验,苜蓿能够明显促进土壤中菲的降解.根际和非根际土壤中菲的去除率分别为85.68%～91.40%和75.25%～86.61%.同处理中根际土壤中菲残留浓度低于非根际土壤,而脱氢酶活性高于非根际土壤.无论是在非根际还是根际土壤中随着菲初始浓度增大,菲降解率和脱氢酶活性降低.脱氢酶活性与降解率的关系表明,脱氢酶活性与菲降解率显著正相关.所以植物根系的存在能够有效促进土壤中多环芳烃菲的降解.     

Combined toxicity of copper and cadmium to six rice genotypes （Oryza sativa L.）

Accumulation of copper (Cu) and cadmium (Cd) in six rice cultivars (94D-22, 94D-54, 94D-64, Gui630, YY-1 and KY1360) was evaluated through exposure to heavy metal contamination (100 mg/kg Cu, 1.0 mg/kg Cd, and 100 mg/kg Cu + 1.0 mg/kg Cd) in a greenhouse. The dry weight of shoot and root, concentrations of Cu and Cd in plant tissues and the Cu, Cd, P, Fe concentrations in the root surface iron plaques were analyzed eight weeks later after treatment. The results indicated that the plant biomass was mainly determined by rice genotypes, not Cu and Cd content in soil. Separated treatment with Cu/Cd increased each metal level in shoot, root and iron plaques. Soil Cu enhanced Cd accumulation in tissues. In contrast, Cu concentrations in shoot and root was unaffected by soil Cd. Compared to single metal contamination, combined treatment increased Cd content by 110.6%, 77.0% and 45.2% in shoot, and by 112.7%, 51.2% and 18.4% in root for Gui630, YY-1 and KY1360, respectively. The content level of Cu or Cd in root surface iron plaques was not affected by their soil content. Cu promoted Fe accumulation in iron plaques, while Cd has no effect on P and Fe accumulation in it. The translocation of Cu and Cd from iron plaques to root and shoot was also discussed. These results might be beneficial in selecting cultivars with low heavy metal accumulation and designing strategies for soil bioremediation.     

邻单胞菌L1对氯代苯的降解特性的研究

从某化工厂废水处理厂活性污泥中分离得到一株能以氯苯为唯一碳源的细菌,革兰氏阴性杆菌,兼性厌氧,初步鉴定为邻单胞菌属（Plesiomonas）。该菌在有氧情况下18天内对氯苯的降解率为50％,在厌氧条件下18天内对氯苯的降解率为37.2％。不同底物试验结果表明,该菌还能利用间氯酚、TCP、2,4-D等二氯、三氯化合物,此外不经诱导抗汞能力达15mg/L。细胞抽提物开环酶分析,L1菌株在好氧条件下拥有一条被氯苯诱导的邻位裂解途径     

施硅对高浓度Cd污染土壤中水稻植株Cd积累与分配的调控

为了评估施硅处理对Cd在水稻(Oryza sativa. L)体内迁移的影响,通过外源添加Cd(CdCl₂)制成w(Cd)为50、100 mg/kg的污染土壤,采用盆栽试验研究不同施硅量〔w(Si)分别为0、28、56 mg/kg〕对Cd污染土壤中水稻(以华航丝苗和黄华占为例)植株中Cd积累与分配的影响. 结果表明:施硅处理可明显影响水稻根部w(Cd),表现为增加华航丝苗根部w(Cd)、降低黄花占根部w(Cd),但两个品种根部Cd累积量均呈增加趋势. 施硅处理后华航丝苗和黄华占的叶、谷壳、糊粉层及精米中w(Cd)、Cd累积量均呈降低趋势,并且在施硅量为56 mg/kg时显著降低;施硅处理显著降低了华航丝苗和黄华占茎中w(Cd)以及华航丝苗茎中Cd累积量,同时增加了黄花占茎中Cd累积量. 施硅可显著降低精米中w(Cd),在w(Cd)为50和100 mg/kg的Cd污染水平下,华航丝苗和黄华占精米中w(Cd)较未施硅处理下的最大降幅分别达到32.49%、53.77%和24.73%、20.67%. 施硅对水稻植株各器官的Cd富集系数、转移系数和分配系数都有一定影响,施硅处理下水稻植株地上部各器官的Cd富集系数和转移系数均呈降低趋势,根部Cd分配比例显著增加. 研究显示,施硅对高浓度Cd污染土壤中水稻植株Cd积累与分配有一定调节作用,并因土壤中w(Cd)、施硅量、水稻品种及稻株器官的不同而存在差异.      

微生物强化蜈蚣草累积土壤砷能力的研究

研究了外源添加微生物对蜈蚣草吸收砷能力及其根系参数的影响.通过室内盆栽试验研究表明,施放线菌PSQ、shf2和细菌Ts37、C13处理能明显促进植物生长.其中,shf2处理效果最显著,其生物量、根系活力和根系体积分别达11.5 g/po、t2.01μg/(g.h)、38.3 mL.施菌处理蜈蚣草植株砷含量均高于对照(CK)处理,其中Ts37处理地上部砷含量达最高837mg/kg,比同期CK处理高出206%;shf2处理地下部砷含量最高,达427 mg/kg,比同期CK处理高出88%.施用shf2菌的蜈蚣草砷积累总量最高,达5 804μg/pot,比同期CK处理高出136%.4种微生物处理在45 d内植物修复效率为8.9%~11.3%.施用微生物可有效提高蜈蚣草累积砷的能力,且以放线菌shf2效果最好.     

丛枝菌根真菌对百菌清引起的旱稻(Oryza sativa L.)毒性的影响

采用盆栽实验的方法,研究了百菌清对旱稻 (Oryza sativa L.)生长和氧化胁迫的影响,以及接种丛枝菌根真菌(arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, AMF)对百菌清污染下旱稻生长的影响和对旱稻氧化胁迫的影响.结果表明,百菌清处理对旱稻的生长有明显的抑制作用,施加百菌清后可以使旱稻地上部的生物量由2.5 g·pot^-1下降到1.0 g·pot^-1以下;地下部分的生物量在施加百菌清处理后由0.9 g·pot^-1下降到0.3 g·pot^-1以下.百菌清处理下接种AMF能显著提高旱稻生物量,接种菌根真菌能使50 mg·kg^-1百菌清处理下旱稻的生物量增加1倍以上.百菌清处理能显著降低旱稻对磷(P)营养元素的吸收,在50 mg·kg^-1百菌清处理下旱稻地上部分P的吸收量由3 200 μg·pot^-1下降到860 μg·pot^-1,接种AMF能使旱稻地上部P的吸收量增加到1 900 μg·pot^-1.百菌清处理还可以引起旱稻体内的氧化胁迫,改变旱稻体内抗氧化酶系统的活性,而接种菌根真菌能降低百菌清对旱稻产生的氧化胁迫,从而减轻百菌清污染对旱稻的毒性作用.总之,百菌清土壤污染能够引起旱稻体内的氧化胁迫、降低旱稻P的吸收量而影响植物生长,接种菌根真菌能显著改善旱稻的生长和降低百菌清对旱稻的影响.     

Development of sprouts inBrassica Oleracea L. var.Gemmifera DC. Induced by kinetin

The Science of Nature -     

Effect of water regimes and organic matters on transport of arsenic in summer rice （Oryza sativa L.）

The arsenic contamination in soil-water-plant systems is a major concern of where, the groundwater is being contaminated with arsenic (above 0.01 mg/L) in the Indian subcontinent. The study was conducted with organic matter to find out the reducing e ect on arsenic load to rice (cv. Khitish). It was observed that intermittent ponding reduced arsenic uptake (23.33% in root, 13.84% in shoot and 19.84% in leaf) at panicle initiation stage, instead of continuous ponding. A decreasing trend of arsenic accumulation (root > straw > husk > whole grain > milled grain) was observed in di erent plant parts at harvest. Combined applications of lathyrus + vermicompost + poultry manure reduced arsenic transport in plant parts (root, straw, husk, whole grains and milled grain) which was significantly at par (p > 0.05) with chopped rice straw (5 tons/ha ) + lathyrus green manuring (5 tons/ha) in comparison to control and corresponding soils. A significant negative correlation of arsenic with phosphorus (grain P with arsenic in di erent parts R2= 0.627–0.726 at p > 0.01) was observed. Similarly, soil arsenic had a negative correlation with soil available phosphorus (R2 = 0.822 at p > 0.001) followed by soil nitrogen (R2= 0.762 at p > 0.01) and soil potassium (R2 = 0.626 at p > 0.01). Hence, e ective management of contaminated irrigation water along with organic matter could reduce the arsenic build up to plants and soil.     

Impact of industrial effluent on growth and yield of rice (Oryza sativa L.) in silty clay loam soil

Degradation of soil and water from discharge of untreated industrial effluent is alarming in Bangladesh. Therefore, buildup of heavy metals in soil from contaminated effluent, their entry into the food chain and effects on rice yield were quantified in a pot experiment. The treatments were comprised of 0, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% industrial effluents applied as irrigation water. Effluents, initial soil, different parts of rice plants and post-harvest pot soil were analyzed for various elements, including heavy metals. Application of elevated levels of effluent contributed to increased heavy metals in pot soils and rice roots due to translocation effects, which were transferred to rice straw and grain. The results indicated that heavy metal toxicity may develop in soil because of contaminated effluent application. Heavy metals are not biodegradable, rather they accumulate in soils, and transfer of these metals from effluent to soil and plant cells was found to reduce the growth and development of rice plants and thereby contributed to lower yield. Moreover, a higher concentration of effluent caused heavy metal toxicity as well as reduction of growth and yield of rice, and in the long run a more aggravated situation may threaten human lives, which emphasizes the obligatory adoption of effluent treatment before its release to the environment, and regular monitoring by government agencies needs to be ensured.     

Effects of some eucalypts on yields of Vigna unguiculata L. Walp., Zea mays L. and Sorghum bicolor L.

Vigna unguiculata (beans), Zea mays (maize) and Sorghum bicolor (sorghum) were grown with and without fertiliser in a savanna grassland (control) and under the effects of decomposing parts of eucalyptus in an old eucalyptus plantation with a well-lit floor (treatment).Morphological characters of the beans, compared between the two sites, showed that leaf dry-matter production, expressed as specific leaf area (SLA), did not differ between plants in the two sites (fertilised and unfertilised). Although the organic-matter content and water-holding capacity of the plantation soil were significantly higher than those of the control plants. beans, grain yield ha⁻¹, shoot height, number of leaves and fruits were higher in the control plants. However, when beans were fertilised, shoot height did not differ between sites, but the other measured morphological characters and grain yield were significantly improved in both sites, although these characters still remained higher in the control. In maize and sorghum, grain yield ha⁻¹ did not vary significantly in the two sites (fertilised or unfertilised). These findings suggest that beans can be incompatible with eucalypts, while maize and sorghum may be compatible with eucalypts for agrosilvicultural practices, and that fertilisation can offset, to an extent, the depressive effects of eucalypts on crops.     

Prenatal diagnosis of femur-fibula-ulna complex by ultrasonography in a male fetus at 24 weeks of gestation

We present a case of ultrasonographic prenatal diagnosis at 24 weeks of femur—fibula—ulna (FFU) complex. To our knowledge, this is the first report of an early prenatal diagnosis of FFU.