The Larix kaempferi genome reveals new insights into wood properties.

Here, through single-molecule real-time sequencing, we present a high-quality genome sequence of the Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi), a conifer species with great value for wood production and ecological afforestation. The assembled genome is 10.97 Gb in size, harboring 45,828 protein-coding genes.

[Biomass, carbon storage and nutrient characteristics in Larix kaempferi plantations at diffe-rent stand ages].

Based on 7-, 17-, 30-, and 40-year-old Larix kaempferi plantations, this paper studied the influence of tree age on biomass, carbon storage and nutrient characteristics. There was significant difference in biomass and nutrient concentration of stem, bark, needle, branch and root at different development stages at individual tree level. The biomass of each organ showed a trend of increase with the increasing age.

[Soil microorganisms, nutrients and enzyme activity of Larix kaempferi plantation under different ages in mountainous region of eastern Liaoning Province, China].

We studied the community of soil microorganisms, enzyme activity and soil nutrients under 11-, 20-, 34-and 47-year-old Larix kaempferi plantations in mountainous region of eastern Liaoning Province to discuss the soil biological properties of L. kaempferi plantations of different stand ages and their relationships with soil nutrients. The results showed that the indexes reflecting soil micro-organisms, enzyme activity and soil nutrients of L.

[Instant response of individual size inequality indices to thinning regimes in plantation].

Four kinds of thinning treatments were designed including thinning from below, thinning from above, mechanical thinning and crop tree release with the same thinning intensity on the 14-year-old pure Cunninghamia laceolata and Pinus massoniana plantations in Guangxi, and 6 kinds of size inequality indices were applied including stand deviation, variation coefficient, skewness, Gini coefficient, Kuznetz coefficient and Lorenz asymmetry coefficient to evaluate the change of individual volume inequality after the 4 kinds of thinning regimes applied. The results showed that stand deviation, variation coefficient, Gini coefficient and Kuznetz coefficient decreased and skewness increased after thinning from below or above compared with before thinning, while after crop tree release these four indices increased and skewness was uncertain. Lorenz asymmetry coefficient increased after thinning from below while it decreased after thinning from above or crop tree release compared with before thinning.

Isolation, characterization and expression analysis of the BABY BOOM (BBM) gene from Larix kaempferi × L. olgensis during adventitious rooting.

The full-length cDNA and genomic sequences of the BABY BOOM (BBM) gene, designated LkBBM, were isolated from Larix kaempferi × Larix olgensis. The 3324 bp cDNA was cloned and its open reading frame (ORF) consists of 2370 nucleotides. The deduced 789 amino acid protein contains two AP2 domains and a BBM specific motif.

[Mechanism on differential gene expression and heterosis formation].

Despite the rediscovery of heterosis about a century ago and the suggestion of various genetic models to explain this phenomenon, little consensus has yet been reached about the genetic basis of heterosis. Following the genome organization variation and gene effects, an understanding of gene differential expression in hybrids and its parents provides a new opportunity to speculate on mechanisms that might lead to heterosis. Investigation on allele-specific gene expression in hybrid and gene differential expression between hybrids and its parents might contribute to improve our understanding of the molecular basis of heterosis and eventually guide breeding practices.

Sequencing the genome of Marssonina brunnea reveals fungus-poplar co-evolution.

Background: The fungus Marssonina brunnea is a causal pathogen of Marssonina leaf spot that devastates poplar plantations by defoliating susceptible trees before normal fall leaf drop.

Results: We sequence the genome of M. brunnea with a size of 52 Mb assembled into 89 scaffolds, representing the first sequenced Dermateaceae genome.

Effects of exogenous GABA on gene expression of Caragana intermedia roots under NaCl stress: regulatory roles for H2O2 and ethylene production.

gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a four-carbon non-protein amino acid presented in a wide range of organisms. In this study, a suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) library was constructed using roots of a legume shrub, Caragana intermedia, with the combined treatment of 300 mm NaCl and 300 mm NaCl + 10 mm GABA. We obtained 224 GABA-regulated unique expressed sequence tags (ESTs) including signal transduction, transcriptional regulation, hormone biosynthesis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and polyamine metabolism, etc.

[Effects of land use type on diurnal dynamics of environment microclimate in Karst zone].

In June 2007, the diurnal dynamics of light intensity, air temperature, air relative humidity, soil temperature, and surface soil (0-5 cm) water content of five land use types in the typical Karst zone of Lingyun City in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region were observed. The results showed that different land use types altered the composition, coverage, and height of aboveground vegetation, which in turn changed the environment microclimate to different degree. The microclimate quality was in the order of forestland > shrub land > grassland > farmland > rock land.