Search

A visual/smartphone colorimetric system was developed for the sensitive and selective detection of sulfide ion (S2−) using chemical vapor generation (CVG) as a gaseous sampling technique. S2− in samples were converted into H2S after the addition of H2SO4, which separated from the solution during CVG process, ensuring high efficiency of vapor generation (sensitivity) and eliminated interferences (selectivity). The H2S was subsequently reacted with Pb-BTC and PbS was thus formed, causing the test paper turned to black. It was utilized for the detection of S2− by visual/smartphone colorimetric system. Detectable limits of 0.05 μg/mL and 0.2 μg/mL were obtained under smartphone mode and visual mode, respectively. Furthermore, this colorimetric system was successfully used for the analysis of S2− in several beer samples and water samples, with recoveries ranging 97 %–111 %. This system represents a potential miniaturized, easy used and high-effective method for rapid and on-site detection of S2−.

A gas pressure meter-based portable/miniaturized analytical kit was established for rapid and on-site detection of oxalate. Potassium permanganate (KMnO4) and oxalate solution were mixed together in bottle-in-bottle reaction device, a simple oxidation reaction process occurred within 6 min and carbon dioxide (CO2) was generated, inducing the pressure of the sealed bottle changed, which was measured by a portable gas pressure meter. A detectable range of 0.1–6 μmol mL−1 and a detection limit of 0.064 μmol mL−1 were achieved. The proposed analytical method was further used for the analysis of several real samples (spinach, beverages and water samples), with the recoveries of 89–111%. Considering the interferences from the complicated matrix, calcium chloride (CaCl2) was served as a precipitant, oxalate (C2O42−) was precipitated with Ca2+ to form precipitation (CaC2O4), CaC2O4 was then separated from the matrix by centrifuge/filter, eliminating the interferences. It is a rapid, easy-used and interference-free analytical system/device for oxalate on-site and real time analysis.

A miniaturized/portable dual-mode colorimetric analytical system was established for inorganic arsenic determination in honey and drinking water samples. Hydride generation (HG) was utilized as a sampling technique for this colorimetric system, because of its high generation efficiency and efficient matrix separation. AsH3 was generated via HG and then reacted with HAuCl4, gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) were formed on the paper sheet, leading the paper color changed from light yellow to dark blue, it could be readout by naked-eye (visual colorimetric mode) and a smartphone (RGB readout mode) simultaneously. The accuracy and potential application for field analysis were further confirmed by the analysis of two water samples, four honey samples and two certified reference water samples (BWB2440-2016 and GBW08650), good recoveries (90–116%) were obtained for those samples and their spiked samples.

The modular heat storage wall is a new type of solar greenhouse wall structure, which has the advantages of fast construction and good heat storage ability. This study provides data reference and practical value for producing modular heat storage wall in the construction of a solar greenhouse. In this paper, we used different heat storage materials to construct the modular wall. In the winter thermal environment test, soil module solar greenhouse (SG) and stone module solar greenhouse (PG) were controlled against each other in two greenhouses. The test results for 28 consecutive days (31 January 2021 9:00 to 28 February 2021 9:00) showed that both greenhouses could effectively increase the temperature in greenhouse by 10–12 °C. The average temperature of SG was 0.86 °C lower than that of PG during the daytime (09:00–17:00) and 0.44 °C higher than that of PG during the nighttime (17:00–09:00). Under typical sunny conditions, the average temperature differences between the inlet and outlet of SG in the heat storage and exothermic stage was less than that of PG, and the relative humidity difference was greater than that of PG. This indicated that SG had a better performance of heat preservation than PG and could raise the nighttime temperature rapidly. Under the condition of a typical cloudy day, the average temperature difference between the inlet and outlet was SG < PG and the relative humidity difference was SG > PG in the exothermic stage, which was consistent with the conclusion of sunny days. In the storage and exothermic stages of typical sunny days and cloudy days, the total heat exchange of SG was 464.87, 110.44 and 54.82 MJ and the total heat exchange of PG was 264.16, 61.60 and 46.89 MJ, respectively. Moreover, the heat storage and release of SG were more than that of PG in all stages. In summary, the thermal performance of the modular heat storage wall heliogreenhouse could meet the growth of tomato crop, in which the heat transfer performance of SG was optimum.

Photoperiod is a crucial inducer of plant flowering. Cycling DOF factors (CDFs) play pivotal roles in the flowering of long-day (LD) and short-day (SD) plants. However, the functions of CDFs in the photoperiod regulated flowering remain unclear in day-neutral plants. In the present study, tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. cv. “Ailsa Craig”) seedlings of the wild-type and transgenic lines of overexpressing CDFs were treated with different photoperiods. The flowering time and the expression pattern of SlCDFs and other FT-like genes were investigated. The results showed that tomato SlCDF1, SlCDF2, SlCDF3, SlCDF4, and SlCDF5 are homologs to Arabidopsis cycling DOF factor 1 (AtCDF1). SlCDF1–5 expression levels were influenced by the developmental stage and the tissue location, and notably, the expression patterns throughout light environments showed two opposite trends. Among the SlCDF1–5 overexpression transgenic lines, overexpressing SlCDF3 delayed flowering time in both LD (16 h light/8 h dark) and SD (8 h light/16 h dark) conditions. Furthermore, SlCDF3 led to an increase in the mRNA level of SlSP5G, a tomato FT-like gene, in LD conditions, while the transcription level of the other two FT-like genes, SlSP5G2 and SlSP5G3, were up-regulated in SD conditions. Taken together, at the transcription level, our results demonstrated that SlCDF3 played a significant role in controlling tomato flowering under LD and SD conditions, possibly through directly or indirectly regulating FT-like genes.

In plants, 14-3-3 proteins are recognized as mediators of signal transduction and function in both development and stress response. However, there are only a few preliminary functional researches in the C4 crop foxtail millet. Here, phylogenetic analysis categorized foxtail millet 14-3-3s (SiGRFs) into 10 discrete groups (Clusters I to X). Transcriptome and qPCR analyses showed that all the SiGRFs responded to at least one abiotic stress. All but one SiGRF-overexpressing (OE) Arabidopsis thaliana line (SiGRF1) exhibited insensitivity to abiotic stresses during seed germination and seedling growth. Compared with the Col-0 wild-type, SiGRF1-OEs had slightly lower germination rates and smaller leaves. However, flowering time of SiGRF1-OEs occurred earlier than that of Col-0 under high-salt stress. Interaction of SiGRF1 with a foxtail millet E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase (SiRNF1/2) indicates that the proteinase system might hydrolyze SiGRF1. Further investigation showed that SiGRF1 localized in the cytoplasm, and its gene was ubiquitously expressed in various tissues throughout various developmental stages. Additionally, flowering-related genes, WRKY71, FLOWERING LOCUS T, LEAFY, and FRUITFULL, in SiGRF1-OEs exhibited considerably higher expression levels than those in Col-0 under salinity-stressed conditions. Results suggest that SiGRF1 hastens flowering, thereby providing a means for foxtail millet to complete its life cycle and avoid further salt stress.

Abstract Background Phytochromes are dimeric proteins with critical roles in perceiving day length and the environmental signals that trigger flowering. Night break (NB) and the red to far-red light ratio (R:FR) have been used extensively as tools to study the photoperiodic control of flowering. However, at the molecular level, little is known about the effect of NB and different R:FR values on flowering in day-neutral plants (DNPs) such as tomato. Results Here, we show that tomato SP5G, SP5G2, and SP5G3 are homologs of Arabidopsis thaliana FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) that repress flowering in Nicotiana benthamiana. NB every 2 h at intensities of 10 μmol m− 2 s− 1 or lower R:FR (e.g., 0.6) caused a clear delay in tomato flowering and promoted SP5G mRNA expression. The promoted SP5G mRNA expression induced by red light NB and low R:FR treatments was reversed by a subsequent FR light stimulus or a higher R:FR treatment. The tomato phyB1 mutation abolished the effects of NB and lower R:FR treatments on flowering and SP5G mRNA expression, indicating that the effects were mediated by phytochrome B1 in tomato. Conclusion Our results strongly suggest that SP5G mRNA suppression is the principal cause of NB and lower R:FR effects on flowering in tomato.

Abstract Background Red (R) and far-red (FR) light distinctly influence phytochrome-mediated initial tomato growth and development, and more recent evidence indicates that these spectra also modulate responses to a multitude of abiotic and biotic stresses. This research investigated whether different R: FR values affect tomato growth response and salinity tolerance. Tomato seedlings were exposed to different R: FR conditions (7.4, 1.2 and 0.8) under salinity stress (100 mM NaCl), and evaluated for their growth, biochemical changes, active reactive oxygen species (ROS) and ROS scavenging enzymes, pigments, rate of photosynthesis, and chlorophyll fluorescence. Results The results showed that under conditions of salinity, tomato seedlings subjected to a lower R: FR value (0.8) significantly increased both their growth, proline content, chlorophyll content and net photosynthesis rate (Pn), while they decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) compared to the higher R: FR value (7.4). Under conditions of salinity, the lower R: FR value caused a decrease in both the superoxide anion (O2 •−) and in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) generation, an increase in the activities of superoxidase dismutase (SOD, EC 1.15.1.1), peroxidase (POD, EC 1.11.1.7) and catalase (CAT, EC 1.11.1.7). Tomato seedlings grown under the lower R: FR value and conditions of salinity showed a higher actual quantum yield of photosynthesis (ΦPSII), electron transport rate (ETR), and photochemical quenching (qP) than those exposed to a higher R: FR, indicating overall healthier growth. However, the salinity tolerance induced at the lower R: FR condition disappeared in the tomato phyB1 mutant. Conlusion These results suggest that growing tomato with a lower R: FR value could improve seedlings’ salinity tolerance, and phytochrome B1 play an very important role in this process. Therefore, different qualities of light can be used to efficiently develop abiotic stress tolerance in tomato cultivation.

Abstract To obtain new insights into the mechanisms of the positive effects of exogenous melatonin applications to cucumber seedlings during chilling, we investigated its role in regulating photosynthesis, the transcription level of csZat12 and the metabolism of polyamines (PAs) and of abscisic acid (ABA). The negative effects of chilling were clearly alleviated in cucumber seedlings by irrigation with 200 μM melatonin solution. This was evidenced by alleviation of the decline in net photosynthesis rate and also in electrolyte leakage in chilled plants. The reasons for this can be explained as follows. First, melatonin up-regulates CsZat12, an important stress-related gene. Second, melatonin increases the content of putrescine (Put) and spermidine (Spd) and stabilized spermine (Spm) by altering the activity of the PA metabolic enzymes. And, third, ABA is also involved in these effects as melatonin modulated the expression of the key ABA biosynthesis genes (CsNCED1 and CsNCED2) and also the key ABA catabolism genes (CsCYP707A1 and CsCYP707A2). This study provides new evidence suggesting melatonin mitigates chilling stress in cucumber by up-regulating the expression of CsZat12 and by modulating the metabolism of PAs and ABA.

Salinity-alkalinity stress has caused severe environment problems that negatively impact the growth and development of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus L.). In this study, watermelon seedlings were inoculated with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) Funneliformis mosseae to investigate its effect on watermelon growth and development. The main measurements included morphological traits, elemental and water uptake, the level of reactive oxygen species, antioxidant enzyme and photosynthesis activities, and relative expression levels of stress response genes. Under salinity-alkalinity stresses, watermelon morphological traits, elemental and water uptake were all significantly alleviated after incubation with AMF. Antioxidant abilities of watermelon were significantly improved after incubation with AMF in salinity-alkalinity stresses. Under normal conditions, all photosynthesis related parameters were significantly increased after incubation of AMF. In contrast, they were all significantly reduced under salinity-alkalinity stresses and were all significantly alleviated after incubation of AMF. Salinity-alkalinity stresses impacted the chloroplast structure and AMF significantly alleviated these damages. Under salinity-alkalinity stresses, the relative expression level of RBCL was significantly reduced and was significantly alleviated after AMF treatment. The relative expression level of PPH was significantly increased and was further significantly reduced after AMF treatment. For the relative expression levels of antioxidant response related genes Cu-Zn SOD, CAT, APX, GR, their relative expression levels were significantly increased and were further significantly increased after AMF treatment. Our study demonstrated the beneficial effects of AMF under salinity-alkalinity stresses, which could be implicated in the management of watermelon cultivation under salinity-alkalinity regions.

Calcium is a universal messenger that is involved in the modulation of diverse developmental and adaptive processes in response to various stimuli. Calmodulin (CaM) and calmodulin-like (CML) proteins are major calcium sensors in all eukaryotes, and they have been extensively investigated for many years in plants and animals. However, little is known about CaMs and CMLs in woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca). In this study, we performed a genome-wide analysis of the strawberry genome and identified 4 CaM and 36 CML genes. Bioinformatics analyses, including gene structure, phylogenetic tree, synteny and three-dimensional model assessments, revealed the conservation and divergence of FvCaMs and FvCMLs, thus providing insight regarding their functions. In addition, the transcript abundance of four FvCaM genes and the four most related FvCML genes were examined in different tissues and in response to multiple stress and hormone treatments. Moreover, we investigated the subcellular localization of several FvCaMs and FvCMLs, revealing their potential interactions based on the localizations and potential functions. Furthermore, overexpression of five FvCaM and FvCML genes could not induce a hypersensitive response, but four of the five genes could increase resistance to Agrobacterium tumefaciens in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. This study provides evidence for the biological roles of FvCaM and CML genes, and the results lay the foundation for future functional studies of these genes.

The aim of the study was to monitor the effects of exogenous melatonin on cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) chloroplasts and explore the mechanisms through which it mitigates chilling stress. Under chilling stress, chloroplast structure was seriously damaged as a result of over-accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), as evidenced by the high levels of superoxide anion (O2-) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). However, pretreatment with 200 μM melatonin effectively mitigated this by suppressing the levels of ROS in chloroplasts. On the one hand, melatonin enhanced the scavenging ability of ROS by stimulating the ascorbate–glutathione (AsA-GSH) cycle in chloroplasts. The application of melatonin led to high levels of AsA and GSH, and increased the activity of total superoxide dismutase (SOD, EC 1.15.1.1), ascorbate peroxidase (APX, EC 1.11.1.11), monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR, EC 1.6.5.4) dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR, EC 1.5.5.1), glutathione reductase (GR, EC1.6.4.2) in the AsA-GSH cycle. On the other hand, melatonin lessened the production of ROS in chloroplasts by balancing the distribution of photosynthetic electron flux. Melatonin helped maintain a high level of electron flux in the PCR cycle [Je(PCR)] and in the PCO cycle [Je(PCO)], and suppressed the O2-dependent alternative electron flux Ja(O2-dependent) which is one important ROS source. Results indicate that melatonin increased the chilling tolerance of chloroplast in cucumber seedlings by accelerating the AsA-GSH cycle to enhance ROS scavenging ability and by balancing the distribution of photosynthetic electron flux so as to suppress ROS production.

Melatonin is important in the protection of plants suffering various forms of abiotic stress. The molecular mechanisms underlying the melatonin-mediated protection of their photosynthetic machinery are not completely resolved. This study investigates the effects of exogenous melatonin applications on salt-induced damage to the light reaction components of the photosynthetic machinery of tomato seedlings. The results show that melatonin pretreatments can help maintain growth and net photosynthetic rate (PN) under salt stress conditions. Pretreatment with melatonin increased the effective quantum yield of photosystem II (ΦPSII), the photochemical quenching coefficient (qP) and the proportion of PSII centers that are ‘open’ (qL) under saline conditions. In this way, damage to the photosynthetic electron transport chain (PET) in photosystem II (PSII) is mitigated. In addition, melatonin pretreatment facilitated the repair of PSII by maintaining the availability of D1 protein that was otherwise reduced by salinity. The ROS levels and the gene expressions of the chloroplast TRXs and PRXs were also investigated. Salt stress resulted in increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which were mitigated by melatonin. In tomato leaves under salt stress, the expressions of PRXs and TRXf declined but the expressions of TRXm1/4 and TRXm2 increased. Melatonin pretreatment promoted the expression of TRXf and the abundances of TRXf and TRXm gene products but had no effects on the expressions of PRXs. In summary, melatonin improves the photosynthetic activities of tomato seedlings under salt stress. The mechanism could be that: (1) Melatonin controls ROS levels and prevents damaging elevations of ROS caused by salt stress. (2) Melatonin facilitates the recovery of PET and D1 protein synthesis, thus enhancing the tolerance of photosynthetic activities to salinity. (3) Melatonin induces the expression of TRXf and regulates the abundance of TRXf and TRXm gene products, which may facilitate repair of the light reaction parts of the photosynthetic machinery.

Plants grown under highly variable natural light regimes differ strongly from plants grown under constant light (CL) regimes. Plant phenotype and adaptation responses are important for plant biomass and fitness. However, the underlying regulatory mechanisms are still poorly understood, particularly from a transcriptional perspective. To investigate the influence of different light regimes on tomato plants, three dynamic light (DL) regimes were designed, using a CL regime as control. Morphological, photosynthetic, and transcriptional differences after five weeks of treatment were compared. Leaf area, plant height, shoot /root weight, total chlorophyll content, photosynthetic rate, and stomatal conductance all significantly decreased in response to DL regimes. The biggest expression difference was found between the treatment with the highest light intensity at the middle of the day with a total of 1080 significantly up-/down-regulated genes. A total of 177 common differentially expressed genes were identified between DL and CL conditions. Finally, significant differences were observed in the levels of gene expression between DL and CL treatments in multiple pathways, predominantly of plant−pathogen interactions, plant hormone signal transductions, metabolites, and photosynthesis. These results expand the understanding of plant development and photosynthetic regulations under DL conditions by multiple pathways.

Association mapping has been widely used to map the significant associated loci responsible for natural variation in complex traits and are valuable for crop improvement. Sugars and organic acids are the most important metabolites in tomato fruits. We used a collection of 174 tomato accessions composed of S. lycopersicum (123 accessions) and S. lycopersicum var cerasiforme (51 accessions) to detect significantly associated loci controlling the variation of main sugars and organic acids. The accessions were genotyped with 182 SSRs spreading over the tomato genome. Association mapping was conducted on the main sugars and organic acids detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) over two years using the mixed linear model (MLM). We detected a total of 58 significantly associated loci (P

Polyamines are small, ubiquitous, nitrogenous compounds that scavenge reactive oxygen species and stabilize the structure and function of the photosynthetic apparatus in response to abiotic stresses. Molecular details underlying polyamine-mediated photoprotective mechanisms are not completely resolved. This study investigated the role of spermidine (Spd) in the structure and function of the photosynthetic apparatus. Tomato seedlings were subjected to salinity-alkalinity stress with and without foliar application of Spd, and photosynthetic and morphological parameters were analyzed. Leaf dry weight and net photosynthetic rate were reduced by salinity-alkalinity stress. Salinity-alkalinity stress reduced photochemical quenching parameters, including maximum photochemistry efficiency of photosystem II, quantum yield of linear electron flux, and coefficient of photochemical quenching (qP). Salinity-alkalinity stress elevated nonphotochemical quenching parameters, including the de-epoxidation state of the xanthophyll cycle and nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ). Microscopic analysis revealed that salinity-alkalinity stress disrupted the internal lamellar system of granal and stromal thylakoids. Exogenous Spd alleviated the stress-induced reduction of leaf dry weight, net photosynthetic rate, and qP parameters. The NPQ parameters increased by salinity-alkalinity stress were also alleviated by Spd. Seedlings treated with exogenous Spd had higher zeaxanthin (Z) contents than those without Spd under salinity-alkalinity stress. The chloroplast ultrastructure had a more ordered arrangement in seedlings treated with exogenous Spd than in those without Spd under salinity-alkalinity stress. These results indicate that exogenous Spd can alleviate the growth inhibition and thylakoid membrane photodamage caused by salinity-alkalinity stress. The Spd-induced accumulation of Z also may have an important role in stabilizing the photosynthetic apparatus.

Data association is critical for Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM). In a real environment, dynamic obstacles will lead to false data associations which compromise SLAM results. This paper presents a simple and effective data association method for SLAM in dynamic environments. A hybrid approach of data association based on local maps by combining ICNN and JCBB algorithms is used initially. Secondly, we set a judging condition of outlier features in association assumptions and then the static and dynamic features are detected according to spatial and temporal difference. Finally, association assumptions are updated by filtering out the dynamic features. Simulations and experimental results show that this method is feasible.

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Plant Science is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Cold stress is an important factor that limits the yield and quality of various agricultural plants worldwide. Symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) could be an efficient way to help some plants resist cold stress. However, our understanding of the molecular mechanism concerning this particular process is limited. To determine the role of AMF in cold resistance, we performed transcriptome sequencing of cucumber roots with four treatments: NI (non-inoculated, normal temperature), NI + C (non-inoculated, cold stress), AMF (inoculated, normal temperature), and AMF + C (inoculated, cold stress). Nearly 67 million (87.5%) reads were mapped to the cucumber genome, whereas only 758,106 (0.91%) and 281,324 (0.34%) reads were mapped to the AMF genome for AMF and AMF + C, respectively. Compared to the NI + C, AMF + C had 2173 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), with 1128 up-regulated and 1045 down-regulated. Expression profiling for nine cucumber DEGs was further confirmed by RT-qPCR. Interestingly, we detected 180 cucumber DEGs, which were significantly down-regulated by cold stress but significantly up-regulated by AMF inoculation under cold stress. They were inferred as key cold-resistance genes induced by AMF. Third, functional enrichment analysis of cucumber DEGs between NI + C versus AMF + C indicated that these genes mainly participate at biological processes of oxidative metabolism and ion (nitrate and iron) uptake/transport. Together, our findings suggest that AMF-induced key genes significantly respond to cold stress and provide clues for further functional analyses of these genes to cold resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compact and healthy young plants increase crop production and improve vegetable quality. Adverse climatic conditions and shading can cause young plants to become elongated and spindly. We investigated the effects of night break (NB) treatments on tomato plants using red light (RL) with an intensity of 20 μmol·m²·s-1. Tomato plants were subjected to NB treatments with different frequencies ranging from every 1, 2, 3, and 4 h, and plant growth, flowering, and yield were monitored. The results showed that with the increase of RL NB frequency, plant height decreased, stem diameter increased, and flower initiation delayed, the content of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and gibberellin 3 (GA3) in the leaf and stem declined. When the RL NB frequency was every 1 h, the heights of tomato plant decreased by 32.73% compared with the control, the diameter of tomato plants increased by 27.09% compared with the control, the number of leaves produced before flowering increased to 11, compared with 8 in the control, the contents of IAA and GA3 in the leaf decreased by 33.3 and 41.29% respectively compared with the control, the contents of IAA and GA3 in the stem decreased by 56.04 and 57.14% respectively compared with the control. After RL NB treatments, tomato plants were transplanted into a solar greenhouse to evaluate tomato yield. When tomato plants pre-treated with RL NB, per tomato fresh weight of the first spica increased with the increase of RL NB frequencies. These results indicate that more compact and healthier tomato plants could be gotten by RL NB treatments and improve tomato early yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyamines are important in protecting plants against various environmental stresses, including protection against photodamage to the photosynthetic apparatus. The molecular mechanism of this latter effect is not completely understood. Here, we have investigated the effects of salinity-alkalinity stress and spermidine (Spd) on tomato seedlings at both physiological and transcriptional levels. Salinity-alkalinity stress decreased leaf area, net photosynthetic rate, maximum net photosynthetic rate, light saturation point, apparent quantum efficiency, total chlorophyll, chlorophyll a and chlorophyll a:chlorophyll b relative to the control. The amount of D1 protein, an important component of photosystem II, was reduced compared with the control, as was the expression of psbA, which codes for D1. Expression of the chlorophyll biosynthesis gene porphobilinogen deaminase (PBGD) was reduced following salinity-alkalinity stress, whereas the expression of Chlase, which codes for chlorophyllase, was increased. These negative physiological effects of salinity-alkalinity stress were alleviated by exogenous Spd. Expression of PBGD and psbA were enhanced, whereas the expression of Chlase was reduced, when exogenous Spd was included in the stress treatment compared with when it was not. The protective effect of Spd on chlorophyll and D1 protein content during stress may maintain the photosynthetic apparatus, permitting continued photosynthesis and growth of tomato seedlings (Solanum lycopersicum cv. Jinpengchaoguan) under salinity-alkalinity stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition from vegetative growth to floral meristems in higher plants is regulated through the integration of internal cues and environmental signals. We were interested to examine the molecular mechanism of flowering in the day-neutral plant tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and the effect of environmental conditions on tomato flowering. Analysis of the tomato genome uncovered 13 PEBP (phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein) genes, and found six of them were FT-like genes which named as SlSP3D, SlSP6A, SlSP5G, SlSP5G1, SlSP5G2, and SlSP5G3. Six FT-like genes were analyzed to clarify their functional roles in flowering using transgenic and expression analyses.We found that SlSP5G, SlSP5G2, and SlSP5G3 proteins were floral inhibitors whereas only SlSP3D/SFT (SINGLE FLOWER TRUSS) was a floral inducer. SlSP5G was expressed at higher levels in long day (LD) conditions compared to short day (SD) conditions while SlSP5G2 and SlSP5G3 showed the opposite expression patterns. The silencing of SlSP5G by VIGS (Virus induced gene silencing) resulted in tomato plants that flowered early under LD conditions and the silencing of SlSP5G2 and SlSP5G3 led to early flowering under SD conditions. The higher expression levels of SlSP5G under LD conditions were not seen in phyB1 mutants, and the expression levels of SlSP5G2 and SlSP5G3 were increased in phyB1 mutants under both SD and LD conditions compared to wild type plants. These data suggest that SlSP5G, SlSP5G2, and SlSP5G3 are controlled by photoperiod, and the different expression patterns of FT-like genes under different photoperiod may contribute to tomato being a day neutral plant. In addition, PHYB1 mediate the expression of SlSP5G, SlSP5G2, and SlSP5G3 to regulate flowering in tomato. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Symbiosis with root-associated arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can improve plant phosphorus (P) uptake and alleviate environmental stresses. It could be also an effective mean to promote plant performance under low temperatures. The combined effects of arbuscular mycorrhiza and low temperature (15°C/10°C day/night) on cucumber seedlings were investigated in the present study. Root colonisation by AMF, succinate dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase activity in the intraradical fungal structures, plant growth parameters, and expression profiles of four cucumber phosphate (P[sub i]) transporters, the fungal P[sub i] transporter GintPT and alkaline phosphatase GintALP were determined. Cold stress reduced plant growth and mycorrhizal colonisation. Inoculation improved cucumber growth under ambient temperatures, whereas under cold stress only root biomass was significantly increased by inoculation. AMF supplied P to the host plant under ambient temperatures and cold stress, as evidenced by the higher P content of mycorrhizal plants compared with non-mycorrhizal plants. Thus, the cold-stressed cucumber seedlings still benefited from mycorrhiza, although the benefit was less than that under ambient temperatures. In accordance with this, a cucumber P[sub i] transporter gene belonging to the Pht1 gene family was strongly induced by mycorrhiza at ambient temperature and to a lesser extent under cold stress. The other three Pi transporters tested from different families were most highly expressed in cold-stressed mycorrhizal plants, suggesting a complex interactive effect of mycorrhiza and cold stress on internal P cycling in cucumber plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato volatiles, mainly derived from essential nutrients and health-promoting precursors, affect tomato flavor. Taste volatiles present a major challenge for flavor improvement and quality breeding. In this study, we performed genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to investigate potential chromosome regions associated with the tomato flavor volatiles. We observed significant variation (1200x) among the selected 28 most important volatiles in tomato based on their concentration and odor threshold importance across our sampled accessions. Using 174 tomato accessions, GWAS identified 125 significant associations (P < 0.005) among 182 SSR markers and 28 volatiles (27 volatiles with at least one significant association). Several significant associations were co-localized in previously identified quantitative trait loci (QTL). This result provides new potential candidate loci affecting the metabolism of several volatiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melon ( Cucumis melo L.)-an important horticultural crop that is often cultivated in simply equipped solar greenhouses in northwestern regions of China-usually suffers under poor water management. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis can play a major role in enhancing drought tolerance. Plant growth, physiological, and photosynthetic responses of melon plants inoculated with three Glomus species under two water conditions were investigated. Results show that inoculation with Glomus improves the physiological and photosynthetic parameters of inoculated seedlings compared with non-AM seedlings. Regardless of water conditions, plant height, root length, biomass production, antioxidant enzyme activity, soluble sugar content, net photosynthetic rate, and photosynthetic water use efficiency were elevated in AM seedlings compared to non-AM seedlings. Each Glomus species manifests unique effects under the two watering conditions. We posit that AM symbiosis can protect melon plants against water deficiencies by improving their antioxidant activity, bi-directional transport of carbohydrates, and photosynthetic capacity. In addition, regardless of water conditions, the most efficient fungus for melon ( Cucumis melo L.) was Glomus mosseae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Downy mildew (DM), caused by Pseudoperonospora cubensis, is one of the major foliar diseases prevailing in cucumber-growing areas. The mechanism of DM resistance in cucumber, particularly the plant introduction (PI) 197088 from India, is presently unclear. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping is an efficient approach to studying DM resistance genes in cucumber. In this study, we performed QTL mapping for DM resistance in PI 197088 with 183 F2-derived F3 (F2:3) families from the cross between PI 197088 (DM resistant) and Changchunmici (DM susceptible). A linkage map was constructed using 141 simple sequence repeat markers. Phenotypic data were collected from seven independent experiments. In total, five QTL were detected on chromosomes 1, 3, 4, and 5 with DM resistance contributed by PI 197088. The QTL on chromosome 4, dm4.1, was reproducibly detected in all indoor experiments, which could explain 27% of the phenotypic variance detected. Additionally, dm1.1 and dm5.2 showed moderate effects, while dm3.1 and dm5.1 were minor-effect QTL. This study revealed the unique genetic architecture of DM resistance in PI 197088, which may provide important guidance for efficient use in cucumber breeding for DM resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the thermal insulation and storage performance of Chinese solar greenhouses in winter, a novel assembled Chinese solar greenhouse (ACSG) without energy supplement in cold climatic areas was designed to evaluate and compare its thermal performance with that of conventional Chinese solar greenhouse (CSG). The thermal properties of both greenhouses were tested in field on cold winter days in Ningxia, China. The results indicated that the land utilization rate of ACSG was 19.3% higher than that of CSG. On a typical sunny day (the lowest outdoor temperature was -22.0°C) and typical cloudy day (the lowest outdoor temperature was -19.7°C) during the experiment, the minimum indoor temperature of ACSG was respectively 1.7°C and 2.0°C higher than that of CSG. The results for 24 consecutive days (the average outdoor daily minimum air temperature was -19.0°C) showed that the average minimum indoor temperature of ACSG was 1.4°C higher than that of CSG (p<0.05). The modular soil wall attached with colored steel polystyrene boards would be exploited as the north wall of CSG in Yinchuan area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to investigate the application performances of the solar greenhouses with new types of backwalls (greenhouse W2, and greenhouse W3) and the ordinary clay brick backwall greenhouse (greenhouse W1), and provide a theoretical basis for the construction of solar greenhouses in Yangling Demonstration Zone, Shaanxi, China, two greenhouses with different new types of backwall were designed. One of the backwall was built with lightweight aggregate concrete block (greenhouse W2) and that of the other one was assembled with a row of sand-filled cement pipes (greenhouse W3). The tested greenhouses were constructed in Yangling Demonstration Zone. Based on the data collected on typical sunny and cloudy days, the indoor temperature, inside wall temperature, and the heat flow of the greenhouses with new types of backwalls were compared with those detected in the ordinary clay brick backwall solar greenhouse, and the tested results were numerically simulated. According to the comparison of the physiological indicators of tomatoes planted in the greenhouses and the construction costs, the greenhouse type with the best practicability was found. The results indicated that: The average air temperature in greenhouses W1, W2, and W3 and outside was 15.1°C, 15.9°C, 17.3°C, and -0.4°C on the night of a sunny day, and the air temperature in W3 was the highest. The average air temperature in greenhouses W1, W2, and W3 and outside were 9.5°C, 13.3°C, 11.0°C, and -5.5°C on the night of a cloudy day, the air temperature in W2 was the highest. In the depth of 0-330 mm from the interface of the backwalls, the walls were obviously affected by the solar radiation, and the temperature changed greatly. The wall temperature on the sunny days exhibited an ascending order of W1, W2, and W3, while on the cloudy days was in the ascending order of W1, W3, and W2. The wall of W3 absorbed the most heat during the daytime and released the most heat at night on a sunny day, while W2 exhibited the second most heat absorption during the daytime, however, it exhibited the highest heat release at night on a cloudy day, which were almost equaled to its heat absorption. Tomatoes in W3 grew well and exhibited the highest yield, and this greenhouse had the lowest construction costs. Comprehensively considering the physiological indicators of tomatoes and the corresponding construction costs of greenhouses, W3 has the best application performance in Yangling Demonstration Zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of the present work are focused on exploration of the reasons for temperature difference in different envelopes, the sensitivity of envelopes of solar greenhouse to thermal disfigurements and optimal selection of the thermal insulation quilt. Theoretical analysis and derivation are conducted according to the experimental results of surface temperature, convective heat transfer, and heat flux density in different envelopes which with thermal disfigurements of solar greenhouse using heat transfer theory. The results revealed that the difference of intrinsic thermal conductivity and thickness of the envelopes leads to difference in the thermal flux and thus in the surface temperature of different envelopes. Compared with the front roof and back roof, the wall is more sensitive to thermal disfigurements. According to the influence of thermal disfigurements on solar greenhouse temperature, the allowable thermal disfigurements area fraction of front roof and back roof are given. Based on the analysis of heat transfer theory and test results, the work given the expression of the thickness and thermal conductivity of thermal insulation quilt under different outdoor minimum temperatures for optimal selection of thermal insulation quilt based on comprehensive considering factors of the solar greenhouse structure, crop demand, outdoor minimum temperature, and insulation quilt properties. The results of this work give technical criterion for whether the envelopes with thermal disfigurements needs to be repaired or replaced, and it also provide theoretical and technical support for design the solar greenhouse as well as methodological guidance for the optimal selection of the thermal insulation quilt [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar greenhouse is extensively used in horticultural production in China. Natural ventilation is one of the key technological means to adjust the inside environment of greenhouse, while the effects of window opening styles on the inside environment are still not well understood. In the present study, the temperature and air flow field of five operation styles, namely back roof central opening style (G1), back roof evenly spaced opening style (G2), top roof full opening style (G3), style of G1+G3, and style of G2+G3 were simulated using the CFD method. The results indicated that: (1) the simulated and measured results exhibited favorable agreement, with relative errors within 5%; (2) In the case of the windows opening area was the same and only single ventilation style was applied, back roof full opening style exhibited the best cooling effect. The inside average temperature of the greenhouse with G1 style decreased by 0.5°C and 1.6°C respectively compared with those of greenhouses with G2 and G3. (3) The cooling effect of the style of G2+G3 was more favorable than that of the style of G1+G3. The style of G2+G3 exhibited better cooling effect than the single ventilation styles, with the lowest temperature (27.5°C) and temperature uniformity coefficient (0.36). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar greenhouse is a typical greenhouse without any additional heating system, which has developed rapidly in Northern China. However, due to the construction quality, management methods, especially the long-term use and other factors, there are usually different degrees of thermodynamic disfigurements in the envelop enclosure of solar greenhouse. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influences of thermodynamic disfigurement on the temperature distribution and convective heat transfer of solar greenhouse. In this study, the east and west compartments of a typical solar greenhouse which is located in Yangling, China (108°4'E, 34°16'N) were tested. The air temperature of each compartment was collected using temperature recorders, and the thermal infrared images of different compartment envelopes were obtained by a thermal infrared imager on a typical cloudy day. Convective heat transfer coefficients and heat flux densities of different compartment envelopes in the solar greenhouse were calculated. The results showed that the temperature difference can be displayed in the thermal infrared images of compartment envelopes, the surface temperature of the front roof was the lowest, followed by the back roof, the wall surface temperature was the highest. The minimum average surface temperature of the front roof in the eastern compartment was only 3.8°C, which was 6.8°C and 9.2°C lower than the average surface temperature of the back roof and back wall, respectively. The surface average temperature of thermodynamic disfigurements located at the bottom of the south side in the front roof of the eastern compartment, whose area accounted for 16.5% of the total front roof in the eastern compartment, was only 5.4°C. Compared with non-thermodynamic disfigurement, the average convective heat transfer coefficient and heat flux density of thermodynamic disfigurements in the front roof of the eastern compartment were increased by 20.3% and 110.3%, respectively. The average air temperature in the eastern compartment was 3.5°C lower than the average air temperature in the western compartment of the solar greenhouse. Construction of brick wall at the bottom of the south side of the front roof in the solar greenhouse helped to increase the inner surface temperature of the front roof, with an average temperature rise of 6.2°C, and reduce the area of thermodynamic disfigurement, which only accounted for 2.6% of the total front roof in the western compartment. The average surface temperature of thermodynamic disfigurements mainly caused by the entry and exit door in the wall of the eastern compartment was only 9.8°C, which was lower 3.2°C than the average temperature of non-thermodynamic disfigurement of the wall. Thermodynamic disfigurement helped to increase heat loss. The weighted average proportion of thermodynamic disfigurement in the western compartment was 2.1%, while that of thermodynamic disfigurement in the eastern compartment was 10.7%. The thermal insulation performance of the western ompartment envelope in the solar greenhouse was better than that of the eastern compartment envelope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the autumn/spring ''off'' season, yield and quality of tomatoes are often affected by insufficient CO2 and low light in greenhouse production. Although tomato is one of the most widely cultivated vegetables, few studies have investigated the interactive effects of supplementary light and CO2 enrichment on its growth, photosynthesis, yield, and fruit quality in greenhouse production. This study investigates the effects of supplementary light (200 ± 20 mmol·m-2·s-1) and CO2 enrichment (increases to about 800 mmol·mol-1), independently and in combination, on these parameters in autumn through spring tomato production. Compared with tomatoes grown under ambient CO2 concentrations and no supplementary light (CaLn), supplementary light (CaLs) and supplementary light and CO2 enrichment (CeLs) significantly promoted growth and dry weight accumulation. Meanwhile, CO2 enrichment (CeLn) and CaLs significantly improved photosynthetic pigment contents and net photosynthetic (Pn) rates, whereas CeLs further improved these and also increased water use efficiency (WUE). CeLn, CaLs, and CeLs significantly increased single fruit weight by 16.2%, 28.9%, and 36.6%, and yield per plant by 19.0%, 35.6%, and 60.8%, respectively. The effect of supplementary light on these parameters was superior to that of CO2 enrichment. In addition, CaLs and CeLs improved nutritional quality significantly. Taken together, CeLs promoted the greatest yield, WUE, and fruit quality, suggesting it may be a worthwhile practice for offseason tomato cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]