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28 September 2007, Volume 14 Issue 3 Previous Issue    Next Issue
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The Origin of Flooded Rice Cultivation Hiroshi IKEHASHI 2007, 14(3): 161-171 .  Abstract ( )   PDF (287KB) ( )   Rice cultivation has long been considered to have originated from seeding of annual types of wild rice somewhere in subtropics, tropics or in the Yangtze River basin. That idea, however, contains a fatally weak point, when we consider the tremendous difficulty for primitive human to seed any cereal crop in the warm and humid climate, where weed thrives all year round. Instead of the accepted theory, we have to see a reality that vegetative propagation of edible plants is a dominant form of agriculture in such regions. The possibility is discussed that Job’s tears and rice, two cereal crops unique to the region, might have been developed via vegetative propagation to obtain materials for medicine or herb tea in backyard gardens prior to cereal production. This idea is supported by the fact that rice in temperate regions is still perennial in its growth habit and that such backyard gardens with transplanted taro can still be seen from Yunnan Province of China to Laos. Thanks to detailed survey of wild rice throughout China for 1970-1980, it is now confirmed that a set of clones of wild rice exist in shallow swamps in Jiangxi Province, an area with severe winter cold. In early summer ancient farmers may have divided the sprouting buds and spread them by transplanting into flooded shallow marsh. Such way of propagation might have faster improved less productive rice through a better genetic potential for response to human interference than quick fixation in seed propagation, because vegetative parts are heterogeneous. Obviously, such a primitive manner of rice cultivation did include the essential parts of rice farming, i.e., nursery bed, transplanting in flooded field of shallow marsh like. Transfer from the primitive nursery to true nursery by seed may have later allowed rice cultivation to be extended to northern regions. In thus devised flooded cultivation there were a series of unique advantages, i.e.; continuous cropping of rice in a same plot, no soil erosion, slow decline of soil fertility, availability of minerals, and resulting in high yield per unit area, which have collectively attained the highly productive cereal cultivation in the warm and humid region. Rice cultivation in marsh is also favorable to raise fish culture, both of which constituted a nutritionally balanced base. Development of irrigation technology to construct flooded farms gave strong bases for stable rice-cultivating society, which in the end formulated the rise of ancient kingdoms of Yue and Wu in China in BC 6 th -5th centuries. They were direct descendents of those people who had developed the unique rice cultivation from the era of Hemudu culture, which is dated back to 5 000 BC. Their movement to the south is considered to have established rice-cultivating communities in South China and Southeast Asia, while to the north it transferred the rice-based technology to ancient Korea and Japan and had established there a base for a civilized society.

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Identification and Fine Mapping of a Gene Related to Pale Green Leaf Phenotype near the Centromere Region in Rice (Oryza sativa) ZHU Li, LIU Wen-zhen, WU Chao, LUAN Wei-jiang, FU Ya-ping, HU Guo-cheng, SI Hua-min, SUN Zong-xiu 2007, 14(3): 172-180 .  Abstract ( )   PDF (373KB) ( )   A thermo-insensitive pale green leaf mutant (pgl2) was isolated from T-DNA inserted transgenic lines of rice (Oryza sativa L. subsp. japonica cv. Nipponbare). Genetic analysis indicated that the phenotype was caused by a recessive mutation in a single nuclear-encoded gene. To map the PGL2 gene, an F2 population was constructed by crossing the mutant with Longtefu (Oryza sativa L. subsp. indica). The PGL2 locus was roughly linked to SSR marker RM331 on chromosome 8. To finely map the gene, 14 new InDel markers were developed around the marker, and PGL2 was further mapped to a 2.37 Mb centromeric region. Analysis on chlorophyll contents of leaves showed that there was no obvious difference between the mutant and the wild type in total chlorophyll (Chl) content, while the ratio of Chl a / Chl b in the mutant was only about 1, which was distinctly lower than that in the wild type, suggesting that the PGL2 gene was related to the conversion between Chl a and Chl b. Moreover, the method of primer design around the centromeric region was discussed, which would provide insight into fine mapping of the functional genes in plant centromeres.

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Marker-assisted Selection of ZmC4Ppc in Rice Breeding and Yield Trait Performances of Advanced Lines XIANG Xun-chao , LI Ji-hang , HE Li-bin , LI Ping , 2007, 14(3): 181-188 .  Abstract ( )   PDF (74KB) ( )   The full-length of intact Zea mays gene for phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase gene (ZmC4Ppc) is 6 781 bp. The products of PCR for this gene were not clear with poor repeatability, resulting in that it was difficult for marker-assisted selection (MAS) both in rice and maize. For selecting the markers for MAS, sequences presented only in maize rather than in rice were identified by BLAST, and used for primer design using Primer Premier 5.0. A pair of specific primer termed MRpc (Forward: 5’ AAGCAGGGAAGCGAGACG 3’, Reverse: 5’ GATTGCCGCCAGCAGTAG 3’) was used for selection of transformed rice, and ZmC4Ppc could be highly and constitutively expressed at each tested developmental stages in the transformed rice selected by using MRpc. Thus, MRpc was used for MAS of progenies carrying ZmC4Ppc gene in rice and some restorer lines with ZmC4Ppc (e.g. FPM881) derived from ZmC4Ppc-transformed Kitaake backcrossed with a restorer line Shuhui 881 were obtained. The analyses on genetic background, PEPCase activity, net photosynthetic rate, general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) of FPM881 showed that similarity of genetic background reached above 95%, the PEPCase and net photosynthetic rate were higher than those of the control, and some of the progenies carrying ZmC4Ppc gene had better GCA and SCA for grain yield per plant, number of panicles per plant, and 1000-grain weight than those of the control. This suggested that the introduction of maize ZmC4Ppc gene via MAS and its stable expression could increase grain yield of rice and would likely provide a pathway for rice varietal improvement.

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Relationship Between the First Base of the Donor Splice Site of Waxy Gene Intron 1 and Amylose Content in Yunnan Indigenous Rice Varieties ZHANG Ya-li, XU Ming-hui, ZENG Ya-wen, YAO Chun-xin, CHEN Shan-na 2007, 14(3): 189-194 .  Abstract ( )   PDF (143KB) ( )   There exists a single nucleotide polymorphism, G or T, at the first base of the donor splice site of waxy gene intron 1 in rice. In order to study the relationship between the first base of the donor splice site of waxy gene intron 1 and amylose content in rice, the one-step PCR method was used to determine whether it is G or T in 220 Yunnan indigenous rice varieties from 14 districts, 55 towns/counties of Yunnan Province, and 101 varieties of which were validated by the PCR-Acc I method. According to the G/T polymorphism, 164 rice varieties showed GG-genotype, while the other 56 fell into TT-genotype, accounting for 74.5% and 25.5% of all the test varieties, respectively. When all the rice varieties were divided into indica and japonica subspecies, it was found that 80.5% of indica rice and 67.0% of japonica rice belonged to GG-genotype. The rice varieties with GG-genotype had significantly higher amylose content (18.95% on average) than those with TT-genotype (all below 16%), but 33 rice varieties with GG-genotype still had low amylose content ranging from 3.91% to 15.93%, and most of them came from the Dai minority area in the Southwest of Yunnan Province. However, there was no significant difference in the mean amylose content of the same GG or TT genotypes between indica and japonica rice, suggesting that different genetic backgrounds, indica or japonica, had no effect on amylose content. The coefficient of correlation between the genotype and amylose content was 0.733 (P<0.01).

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New Vegetation Index and Its Application in Estimating Leaf Area Index of Rice WANG Fu-min, HUANG Jing-feng, TANG Yan-lin, WANG Xiu-zhen 2007, 14(3): 195-203 .  Abstract ( )   PDF (96KB) ( )   Leaf area index (LAI) is an important characteristic of land surface vegetation system, and is also a key parameter for the models of global water balancing and carbon circulation. By using the reflectance values of Landsat-5 blue, green and red channels simulated from rice reflectance spectrum, the sensitivities of the bands to LAI were analyzed, and the response and capability to estimate LAI of various NDVIs (normalized difference vegetation indices), which were established by substituting the red band of general NDVI with all possible combinations of red, green and blue bands, were assessed. Finally, the conclusion was tested by rice data at different conditions. The sensitivities of red, green and blue bands to LAI were different under various conditions. When LAI was less than 3, red and blue bands were more sensitive to LAI. Though green band in the circumstances was less sensitive to LAI than red and blue bands, it was sensitive to LAI in a wider range. When the vegetation indices were constituted by all kinds of combinations of red, green and blue bands, the premise for making the sensitivity of these vegetation indices to LAI be meaningful was that the value of one of the combinations was greater than 0.024, i.e. visible reflectance (VIS)>0.024. Otherwise, the vegetation indices would be saturated, resulting in lower estimation accuracy of LAI. Comparison on the capabilities of the vegetation indices derived from all kinds of combinations of red, green and blue bands to LAI estimation showed that GNDVI (Green NDVI) and GBNDVI (Green-Blue NDVI) had the best relations with LAI. The capabilities of GNDVI and GBNDVI to LAI estimation were tested under different circumstances, and the same result was acquired. It suggested that GNDVI and GBNDVI performed better to predict LAI than the conventional NDVI.

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Effect of Interplanting with Zero Tillage and Straw Manure on Rice Growth and Rice Quality LIU Shi-ping, NIE Xin-tao, DAI Qi-gen, HUO Zhong-yang, XU Ke 2007, 14(3): 204-210 .  Abstract ( )   PDF (51KB) ( )   The interplanting with zero-tillage of rice, i.e. direct sowing rice 10-20 days before wheat harvesting, and remaining about 30-cm high stubble after cutting wheat or rice with no tillage, is a new cultivation technology in wheat-rice rotation system. To study the effects of interplanting with zero tillage and straw manure on rice growth and quality, an experiment was conducted in a wheat-rotation rotation system. Four treatments, i.e. ZIS (Zero-tillage, straw manure and rice interplanting), ZI (Zero-tillage, no straw manure and rice interplanting), PTS (Plowing tillage, straw manure and rice transplanting), and PT (Plowing tillage, no straw manure and rice transplanting), were used. ZIS reduced plant height, leaf area per plant and the biomass of rice plants, but the biomass accumulation of rice at the late stage was quicker than that under conventional transplanting cultivation. In the first year (2002), there was no significant difference in rice yield among the four treatments. However, rice yield decreased in interplanting with zero-tillage in the second year (2003). Compared with the transplanting treatments, the number of filled grains per panicle decreased but 1000-grain weight increased in interplanting with zero-tillage, which were the main factors resulting in higher yield. Interplanting with zero-tillage improved the milling and appearance qualities of rice. The rates of milled and head rice increased while chalky rice rate and chalkiness decreased in interplanting with zero-tillage. Zero-tillage and interplanting also affected rice nutritional and cooking qualities. In 2002, ZIS showed raised protein content, decreased amylose content, softer gel consistency, resulting in improved rice quality. In 2003, zero-tillage and interplanting decreased protein content and showed similar amylose content as compared with transplanting treatments. Moreover, protein content in PTS was obviously increased in comparison with the other three treatments. The rice in interplanting with zero-tillage treatments had higher peak viscosity and breakdown, lower setback, showing better rice taste quality. The straw manure had no significant effect on rice viscosity under interplanting with zero-tillage, but had the negative influence on the rice taste quality under transplanting with plowing tillage.

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Changes in Activities of Glutamine Synthetase during Grain Filling and Their Relation to Rice Quality JIN Zheng-xun, QIAN Chun-rong, YANG Jing, LIU Hai-ying, PIAO Zhong-ze 2007, 14(3): 211-214 .  Abstract ( )   PDF (44KB) ( )   Four japonica rice varieties differed in cooking and eating qualities were used in a pot experiment to study the relationship between the activities of glutamine synthetase during grain filling and rice quality. The activities of glutamine synthetase gradually increased and then declined as a single peak curve in the course of grain filling. The 15th day after heading was a turning point, before which the enzymatic activities in the inferior rice varieties with high protein content were higher than those in the superior rice varietie with low protein content, and after which it was converse. The activity of glutamine synthetase in grain was correlated with the taste meter value, peak viscosity and breakdown negatively at the early stage of grain filling whereas positively at the middle and late stages. Moreover, it was correlated with the protein content of rice grain and setback positively at the early stage and negatively at the middle and late stages. The correlation degree varied with the course of grain filling. From 15 days to 20 days after heading was a critical stage, in which the direction of correlation between the activity of glutamine synthetase and taste meter value and RVA properties of rice changed.

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Cadmium Accumulation and Its Toxicity in Brittle Culm 1 (bc1), a Fragile Rice Mutant SHAO Guo-sheng, CHEN Ming-xue, ZHANG Xiu-fu, XU Chun-mei, WANG Dan-ying, QIAN Qian, ZHANG Guo-ping 2007, 14(3): 217-222 .  Abstract ( )   PDF (56KB) ( )   Cadmium (Cd) accumulation and toxicity in rice plants were characterized and identified by using brittle culm 1 (bc1), a fragile rice mutant and its wild type (Shuangkezao, an indica rice) as materials by hydroponics. The low Cd level didn’t obviously affect the growth parameters in both rice genotypes, but under high Cd levels (1.0 and 5.0 μmol/L), the growth of both rice plants were substantially inhibited. Moreover, bc1 tended to suffer more seriously from Cd toxicity than Shuangkezao. Cd accumulation in both rice plants increased with the increase of Cd levels. There was a significant difference in Cd accumulation between the two rice genotypes with constantly higher Cd concentration in bc1, which also accumulated more Cd at 0, 0.1, and 1.0 μmol/L Cd levels. The same case was found in the two rice plants grown on Cd-contaminated soil. This suggested that cell wall might play an important role in Cd accumulation in rice plants by the physiological mechanisms. The malondialdehyde (MDA) content, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) activities in rice plants were affected differently under Cd treatments, and which implied that POD might play the main role in detoxifying active oxygen free radical. A significant difference in antioxidative system between the two rice genotypes was found with constantly higher MDA content, SOD and POD activities in bc1. In summary, bc1 accumulated more Cd and appeared to be more sensitive to Cd stress compared with its wild type.

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Sufficiency and Deficiency Indices of Soil Available Zinc for Rice in the Alluvial Soil of the Coastal Yellow Sea WEI Yi-chang, BAI You-lu, JIN Ji-yun, YANG Li-ping, YAO Zheng, XU Si-xin, LUO Guo-an, SONG Wei, ZHU Chun-mei 2007, 14(3): 223-228 .  Abstract ( )   PDF (60KB) ( )   To determine the sufficiency and deficiency indices of soil available Zn by the Agro Services International (ASI) method (ASI-Zn) for Zn fertilizer recommendation in rice production in the alluvial soil of the coastal Yellow Sea, the relationship between relative rice yield and soil available ASI-Zn concentration was analyzed from a ten-field experiment with various soil test classes ranging from low to high fertility in 2005 and 2006, and nine Zn fertilizer application rates (0, 7.5, 15, 22.5, 30, 37.5, 45, 52.5 and 60 kg Zn/ha) arranged at random with three replications in each field. There was a significant quadratic relationship between soil available ASI-Zn and rice yield, and a significant linear relationship between soil available ASI-Zn concentration and Zn fertilization rate. For rice variety Wuyujing 3, soil available ASI-Zn was deficient when the value was at lower than 1 mg Zn/L, low at 1 to 2 mg Zn/L, sufficient at 1 to 2 mg Zn/L, excessive at higher than 7.5 mg Zn/L. Thus, Zn fertilizer recommendation could be done according to the sufficiency and deficiency indices of soil ASI-Zn. For most of alluvial soils of the coastal Yellow Sea in the study, the available ASI-Zn was lower than 1 mg Zn/L, and then the optimum application rate of Zn fertilizer was about 20 kg Zn/ha.

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Genomovars of Burkholderia cepacia Complex from Rice Rhizosphere and Clinic in China LOU Miao-miao, ZHANG Li-xin, SU Ting, XIE Guan-lin 2007, 14(3): 229-234 .  Abstract ( )   PDF (77KB) ( )   Burkholderia cepacia is regarded as a genetically distinct but phenotypically similar bacteria group referring to Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc), which is found not only in clinic but also in rice growing environment. It is very important in microbial safety of rice for us to understand the genomovar status of Bcc. Genomovar analysis was performed among 87 Bcc isolates by means of Hae Ⅲ-recA RFLP assays and species-specific PCR tests. Three genomovars were found from the rice rhizosphere includingⅠ, ⅢB and Ⅴ, and genomovar Ⅴ was predominant. GenomovarsⅠ, ⅢA and ⅢB existed in the clinical samples, and genomovar ⅢA was the most popular. It showed that genomovar composition was different between the Bcc strains from the rice rhizosphere and clinical environment. Simultaneously, the results revealed the genetic diversity of Bcc strains from the rice rhizosphere, and genomovar Ⅲ referred as virulent species in clinic also existed in the rice rhizosphere.

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Identification of a Herbicide Safener AD-67 Inducible cDNA in Rice YIN De-suo, SUN Xiao-qiong, LI Ke, WANG Shi-quan, DENG Qi-ming, LI Ping, 2007, 14(3): 235-238 .  Abstract ( )   PDF (78KB) ( )   A herbicide safener AD-67 inducible cDNA was identified in an indica rice variety 9311 by mRNA differential display. The transcript was increased 6 h after sprayed with the safener solution, and 4 days later, the expression still could be detected. The fragment was recycled from the poly-gel and sequenced, and homologous analysis revealed the cDNA was 100% identical to some ESTs and cDNAs in rice database, and the amino acid sequence was 60-84% homologous to those of the Yippee genes in several eukaryotes. The fragment was extended to the whole long cDNA, and thus a primer pair was designed. RT-PCR analysis for the designed primer supported the induction result.