Single and joint stress of acetochlor and Pb on three agricultural crops in northeast China

In order to evaluate ecological risk of agrochemicals in agricultural environment, single and joint toxic effects of an important herbicide and a typical heavy metal on root elongation of crops were investigated. Seeds of the three crops including wheat （Triticum aestivum）, Chinese cabbage （Brassica pekimensis） and soybean （Glycine max） as the main crops in northeast China were exposed to acetochior as a herbicide and lead （Pb） as a heavy metal using the pot-culture method, and meadow brown soil as one of the main soils distributed in northeast China was applied in the investigation. The results indicated that the interactive effects of the two pollutants on root elongation of the three crops were very complicated although they had markedly significant （P〈0.01） linear interrelationships based on the regression analyses. When the concentration of added Pb^2＋ reached 200 mg/kg, acetochlor and Pb had an antagonistic effect on the inhibition of root elongation of the three crops. However, acetochlor and Pb had significantly （P〈0.05） synergic effects on the inhibition of root elongation when concentration of added Pb^2＋ was up to 1000 mg/kg. At the low concentration of added Pb, joint toxicity of acetochlor and Pb was more dependent on the concentration of Pb. Among the three crops, wheat was the most sensitive to the toxicity of Pb and Chinese cabbage was the most sensitive to the toxicity of acetochlor.     

土霉素对小麦毒性效应的品种间差异

为了研究土霉素对小麦毒性效应的品种间差异,收集了63个小麦品种,根据土霉素对小麦种根影响的试验结果,从中筛选出对土霉素耐性相差最大的两个小麦品种,探讨了土霉素对这两个小麦品种叶片叶绿素含量的影响.结果表明:1)小麦对土霉素的耐性存在品种间差异,在供试的63个小麦品种中,核优1号对土霉素最敏感,而烟农21对土霉素最不敏感,二者的EC50值分别为1.25和54.21mg·L-1;2)土霉素处理能够显著降低小麦叶片叶绿素a、叶绿素b以及总叶绿素的含量,其中对土霉素敏感品种核优1号的抑制显著高于不敏感品种烟农21;3)就同一品种而言,土霉素胁迫条件下,叶片叶绿素a的降低程度明显高于叶绿素b,叶片叶绿素a/b的比值显著降低.土霉素对敏感品种核优1号叶绿素a/b比值的影响显著弱于不敏感品种烟农21.     

Using Changes in Agricultural Utility to Quantify Future Climate‐Induced Risk to Conservation

Much of the biodiversity‐related climate change impacts research has focused on the direct effects to species and ecosystems. Far less attention has been paid to the potential ecological consequences of human efforts to address the effects of climate change, which may equal or exceed the direct effects of climate change on biodiversity. One of the most significant human responses is likely to be mediated through changes in the agricultural utility of land. As farmers adapt their practices to changing climates, they may increase pressure on some areas that are important to conserve (conservation lands) whereas lessening it on others. We quantified how the agricultural utility of South African conservation lands may be altered by climate change. We assumed that the probability of an area being farmed is linked to the economic benefits of doing so, using land productivity values to represent production benefit and topographic ruggedness as a proxy for costs associated with mechanical workability. We computed current and future values of maize and wheat production in key conservation lands using the DSSAT4.5 model and 36 crop‐climate response scenarios. Most conservation lands had, and were predicted to continue to have, low agricultural utility because of their location in rugged terrain. However, several areas were predicted to maintain or gain high agricultural utility and may therefore be at risk of near‐term or future conversion to cropland. Conversely, some areas were predicted to decrease in agricultural utility and may therefore prove easier to protect from conversion. Our study provides an approximate but readily transferable method for incorporating potential human responses to climate change into conservation planning. Uso de Cambios en la Utilidad Agrícola para Cuantificar Riesgos Futuros para la Conservación Inducidos por el Clima     

耕作方式对太湖地区冬小麦生长季N_2O排放的影响

采用静态暗箱-气相色谱法对2009年11月至2010年6月冬小麦（Triticum aestivum L.）生长季N2O排放通量进行田间原位观测,研究不同耕作方式（免耕、少耕、传统耕作）对太湖地区稻麦轮作系统麦季土壤N2O排放的影响。结果表明：有植株参与下免耕、少耕和传统耕作的冬小麦生长季N2O平均排放通量分别为63.75μg·m-2·h-1、39.94μg·m-2.h-1和48.83μg·m-2·h-1,无植株参与下分别为73.48μg·m-2·h-1、52.97μg·m-2·h-1和63.60μg·m-2·h-1,麦季N2O排放通量的季节变化与5 cm、10 cm土壤温度呈显著或极显著线性正相关（r=0.400＊～0.654＊＊,n=28）。小麦种植对N2O的排放影响较大,无植株参与的N2O季节总排放量显著高于有植株参与的处理（P〈0.05）;耕作方式显著影响冬小麦农田N2O季节总排放量（P〈0.05）,有植株参与下麦季N2O总排放量少耕较免耕和传统耕作分别减少37.3%和17.9%,无植株参与下分别减少28.0%和16.7%。研究表明太湖地区冬小麦采用少耕措施可减少麦季N2O的排放。     

耕作方式对太湖地区冬小麦生长季N2O排放的影响

采用静态暗箱-气相色谱法对2009年11月至2010年6月冬小麦(Triticum aestivum L.)生长季N2O排放通量进行田间原位观测,研究不同耕作方式(免耕、少耕、传统耕作)对太湖地区稻麦轮作系统麦季土壤N2O排放的影响。结果表明:有植株参与下免耕、少耕和传统耕作的冬小麦生长季N2O平均排放通量分别为63.75μg·m-2·h-1、39.94μg·m-2.h-1和48.83μg·m-2·h-1,无植株参与下分别为73.48μg·m-2·h-1、52.97μg·m-2·h-1和63.60μg·m-2·h-1,麦季N2O排放通量的季节变化与5 cm、10 cm土壤温度呈显著或极显著线性正相关(r=0.400*～0.654**,n=28)。小麦种植对N2O的排放影响较大,无植株参与的N2O季节总排放量显著高于有植株参与的处理(P<0.05);耕作方式显著影响冬小麦农田N2O季节总排放量(P<0.05),有植株参与下麦季N2O总排放量少耕较免耕和传统耕作分别减少37.3%和17.9%,无植株参与下分别减少28.0%和16.7%。研究表明太湖地区冬小麦采用少耕措施可减少麦季N2O的排放。     

Effect of dissolved organic matter on the toxicity of chlorotoluron to Triticum aestivum

Response of two wheat cultivars （Triticum aestivum cv. YM 158 and NM 9） to the herbicide chlorotoluron and the effect of two forms of dissolved organic matter on the chlorotoluron toxicity to the plants were characterized. Treatment with chlorotoluron at 10-50 μg/ml inhibited the seed germination and a dose-response was observed. The inhibition of seed germination was correlated to the depression of a-amylase activities. To identify whether chlorotoluron induced oxidative damage to wheat plants, the malondlaldehyde （MDA） content and electrolyte leakage were measured. Results showed that both MDA content and electrolyte leakage in the chlorotoluron-treated roots significantly increased. Activities of several key enzymes were measured that operate in citric acid cycle and carbohydrate metabolic pathway. Inhibited activities of citrate synthase and NADP-isocitrate dehydrogenase were observed in the chlorotoluron-treated roots as compared to control plants. We also examined malate dehydrogenase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase in wheat roots exposed to 30 μg/ml chlorotoluron, liowever, none of the enzymes showed significant changes in activities. Application of 160 μg/ml dissolved organic matter （DOM） extracted from non-treated sludge（NTS） and heat-expanded sludge （lIES） in the medium with 30 μg/ml chlorotoluron induced an additive inhibition of seed germination and plant growth. The inhibition of growth due to the DOM treatment was associated with the depression of activities of a-amylase, citrate synthase and NADP-isocitrate dehydrogenase, as well as the increase in malondlaldehyde content and electrolyte leakage. These results suggested that the presence of DOM might enhance the uptake and accumulation of chlorotoluron, and thus resulted in greater toxicity in wheat plants. The two forms of DOM exhibited differences in regulation of chlorotoluron toxicity to the wheat plants. Treatments with DOM-NTS induced greater toxicity to plants as compared to those with DOM-HES. In addition to DOM affecting chlorotoluron-induced toxicity to wheat plants, the cultivars could have also contributed to differences. Generally, NM-9 showed a higher sensitivity to chlorotoluron than YM 158 either in the absence or in the presence of DOM.     

土壤中佳乐麝香和镉污染对苗期小麦生长及其污染物积累的影响

选用潮土和褐土2种理化性质不同的土壤,采用室外盆栽实验,以小麦(Triticum aestivum)为供试植物,研究了佳乐麝香(HHCB)和镉(Cd)复合污染对小麦植株生物量及污染物在小麦植株各部分累积量的影响.结果表明,在2种土壤中小麦植株地上和地下部分的干重变化顺序均为,单一HHCB污染土壤＞HHCB-Cd复合污染土壤＞单一Cd污染土壤.潮土中HHCB在小麦植株各部分的累积量高于褐土,且潮土中Cd对HHCB在小麦植株各部分累积量的影响与褐土中不同.潮土中的单一HHCB在小麦植株根、茎、叶中的累积量顺序为：根＞茎＞叶;Cd能够显著促进HHCB在小麦根部的累积,而对HHCB在小麦茎和叶中的累积则起抑制作用,抑制率最高可达44.07%.褐土中单一HHCB在小麦植株根、茎和叶中的累积顺序为：根>叶>茎;Cd对HHCB在小麦根部累积的影响不显著,但是中高浓度Cd却可显著促进HHCB在小麦茎和叶中的累积,促进率最高可达35.95%.潮土中Cd在小麦植株各部分的累积量低于褐土,但2种土壤中HHCB均能够明显促进Cd在小麦植株根、茎、叶中的累积.潮土中Cd在根、茎、叶中的累积量增加率分别为30.84%、61.82% 和61.82%,褐土中Cd在根、茎、叶中的累积量增加率分别为 41.53%、184.16% 和206.18%,可见褐土中HHCB对Cd在小麦植株中累积的促进作用强于潮土.     

Relationship between AtPase activity and conjugated polyamines in mitochondrial membrane from wheat seedling roots under osmotic stress

The effects of osmotic stress on the ATPase activity, the contents of —SH group and conjugated polyamines in mitochondrial membrane from wheat seedling [ Triticum aestivum L. cv. Yumai No. 18 (drought-tolerant) and cv. Yumai No.9(drought-sensitive)] roots were investigated. The results showed that ATPase activity and --SH group content decreased with polyethylene glycol(PEG) 6000( - 0.55 MPa) treatment for 7 d, in concert with the decrease of the ratio of noncovalently conjugated spermidine (NCC-Spd)/noncovalently conjugated putrescine(NCC-Put) and increase of the covalently conjugated putrescine (CC-Put). Osmotic stress injury to Yangmai No.9 seedlings was alleviated greatly with 1 mmol/L exogenous spermidine(Spd), in concert with marked increases of the ratio of NCC-Spd/NCC-Put, --SH group contents and ATPase activity in mitochondrial membrane. Under osmotic stress, the concomitant treatment of Yumai No. 18 seedlings with methylglyoxyl bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG), an inhibitor of S-adenosyl methionine decarboxylase(SAMDC), and phenanthrolin ( o-Phen), an inhibitor of transglutaminase(TGase), caused a significant decrease of the ratio of NCC-Spd / NCC-Put, CC-Put contents, respectively, in concert with the marked decreases of ATPase activity, --SH group content and its tolerance to osmotic stress. All the results above suggested that osmotic stress tolerance of wheat seedlings was associated with the ATPase activity, the contents of --SH group, NCC-Spd and CC-Put in mitochondrial membrane.     

Occurrence of mycotoxins in wheat grains exposed to fungicides on fusarium head blight control in southern Brazil

Mycotoxins occurrence in wheat grains impose risks to human and animal health. The southern Brazil has favorable weather conditions for Fusarium graminearum infections and consequently for mycotoxins accumulation on grains. The goal of this study was to evaluate the behavior of new wheat commercial genotypes to Fusarium Head Blight (FHB), to control performance of new fungicide formulations and their relationship with mycotoxins concentration in grains. The manly mycotoxin occurrence on wheat grains in southern Brazil was deoxynivalenol (DON). Two cultivars showed high DON concentration above the tolerance limits (>3000 μg kg^?1). Many other mycotoxins monitored presented concentrations below method detection limit. Satisfactory levels of fungicide effectiveness were achieved against F. graminearum. Some fungicides promoted a satisfactory decrease on DON accumulation in grains. The best results were obtained when prothioconazole was present. SDHI (Succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors) + QoI (Quinone outside inhibitors) fungicides showed benefic effects at FHB control at field, but it did not promote satisfactory reduction on DON contamination. Fungicides can be used satisfactory for FHB control and reduce DON contamination in grains in southern Brazil. The presence of prothioconazole should be recommended. Some genotypes showed high DON concentration and it was not directly related with FHB severity at field.     

Geostatistics as a validation tool for setting ozone standards for durum wheat

Which is the best standard for protecting plants from ozone? To answer this question, we must validate the standards by testing biological responses vs. ambient data in the field. A validation is missing for European and USA standards, because the networks for ozone, meteorology and plant responses are spatially independent. We proposed geostatistics as validation tool, and used durum wheat in central Italy as a test. The standards summarized ozone impact on yield better than hourly averages. Although USA criteria explained ozone-induced yield losses better than European criteria, USA legal level (75 ppb) protected only 39% of sites. European exposure-based standards protected ≥90%. Reducing the USA level to the Canadian 65 ppb or using W126 protected 91% and 97%, respectively. For a no-threshold accumulated stomatal flux, 22 mmol m⁻² was suggested to protect 97% of sites. In a multiple regression, precipitation explained 22% and ozone explained <0.9% of yield variability.