Assessment of soil property in the Guyuan region from Ningxia Province of China and prediction of pepper blight.

Soil quality is an important determinant of soil-use efficiency in the Loess Plateau. However, there is no in-depth study on the soil quality of the Loess Plateau. The present study compared the quality of the 0-20 cm soil layer (T0-20) and the 20-40 cm soil layer (T20-40) from the Guyuan region located in the Loess Plateau.

Comparative analysis of chloroplast genomes of 29 tomato germplasms: genome structures, phylogenetic relationships, and adaptive evolution.

In order to compare and analyze the chloroplast (cp) genomes of tomato germplasms and understand their phylogenetic relationships, the cp genomes of 29 tomato germplasms were sequenced and analyzed in this study. The results showed highly conserved characteristics in structure, number of gene and intron, inverted repeat regions, and repeat sequences among the 29 cp genomes. Moreover, single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci with high polymorphism located at 17 fragments were selected as candidate SNP markers for future studies.

A novel gene, , negatively regulates fruit carotenoid content under cold stress in .

Background: Carotenoids, the secondary metabolites terpenoids, are the largest factors that form the fruit color. Similar to flavonoids, they are not only safe and natural colorants of fruits but also play a role as stress response biomolecules.

Methods: To study the contribution of the key genes in carotenoids biosynthesis, fruit-color formation, and in response to cold stress, we characterized the key regulatory factor from the HD-ZIP I sub-gene family members in pepper.

A small heat shock protein CaHsp25.9 positively regulates heat, salt, and drought stress tolerance in pepper (Capsicum annuum L.).

Extreme environmental conditions seriously affect crop growth and development, resulting in a decrease in crop yield and quality. However, small heat shock proteins (Hsp20s) play an important role in helping plants to avoid these negative impacts. In this study, we identified the expression pattern of the CaHsp25.

Classification and Genome-Wide Analysis of Chitin-Binding Proteins Gene Family in Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) and Transcriptional Regulation to Phytophthora capsici, Abiotic Stresses and Hormonal Applications.

Chitin-binding proteins are pathogenesis-related gene family, which play a key role in the defense response of plants. However, thus far, little is known about the chitin-binding family genes in pepper ( L.).

CaHSP16.4, a small heat shock protein gene in pepper, is involved in heat and drought tolerance.

Environmental stress affects growth and development of crops, and reduces yield and quality of crops. To cope with environmental stressors, plants have sophisticated defense mechanisms, including the HSF/HSP pathway. Here, we identify the expression pattern of CaHSP16.

Calibration-independent measurement of complex permittivity of liquids using a coaxial transmission line.

In recent years, several calibration-independent transmission/reflection methods have been developed to determine the complex permittivity of liquid materials. However, these methods experience their own respective defects, such as the requirement of multi measurement cells, or the presence of air gap effect. To eliminate these drawbacks, a fast calibration-independent method is proposed in this paper.

Variation of anode grid surface morphology and its effect on operation of a triode virtual cathode oscillator.

After repeatedly operation of a triode virtual cathode oscillator, the surface morphology of anode grid is studied by a scanning electron microscope. It is found that there are many quasi-periodic sawteeth formed on the anode grid, which are about 300-500 μm in height, ~200 μm in width, and 150-200 μm in period. The formation of this sawteeth implies that there is possible Rayleigh-Taylor-like instability on the anode grid during the irradiation by high-current relativistic electron beam.