OBJECTIVETo study the absorption and transformation of N, P, K and plant growth as well as the accumulation of active ingredients in Angelica dahurica var. formosana from Sichuan province and provide basis for rational fertilization.

METHODSamples were collected in different growth phrases, and correlative morphological indexes, the contents and accumulations of N, P, K and active ingredients were determined.

RESULTThe vegetative growth period of A. dahurica var. formosana sowed in autumn could be preliminarily divided into three phases: seedling period, aerial-part peak growth period and root peak growth period. With the development, the plant height and aerial part dry weight increased at the earlier stage, and then decreased. But the root length, root diameter, and root dry weight increased. The absorptive capacity of N, P and K varied among different developing stages. In general, the absorptive capacity of N and K was the higher than that of P. The order of total nutrition accumulation was N > P > K, the accumulation of N, P and K in aerial part decreased gradually during the growth period, while the accumulation of N, P and K in root increased gradually. The concentration of imperatorin and isoimperatorin showed decreasing-increasing-decreasing-increasing trend, while the accumulation of them increased gradually. And the correlation analysis results showed that the accumulation of P and K in aerial part had positive correlation with the concentration of imperatorin in root, the accumulation of N, P and K in root had positive correlation with the concentration of isoimperatorin in root.

CONCLUSIONFrom late April, A. dahurica var. formosana from Sichuan province entered root peak growth period and the accumulation of N, P, K, imperatorin and isoimperatorin in root increased rapidly. So the balanced application of fertilizer should be considered.

Angelica ; chemistry ; growth & development ; metabolism ; China ; Fertilizers ; analysis ; Nitrogen ; analysis ; metabolism ; Phosphorus ; analysis ; metabolism ; Potassium ; analysis ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo provide theoretical basis for artificial cross breeding of Angelica dahurica from Sichuan and Hebei Province, the characteristics of stigma receptivity and the viability and life-span of pollen were studied.

METHODThe viability and life-span of pollen were evaluated by TTC (2, 3, 5-triphenyl tetrazlium chloride) test, and the stigma receptivity was estimated by benzidine-H2O2 method.

RESULTThe pollen viability of A. dahurica from Sichuan and Hebei provinces was increased gradually since the bud stage, but those levels had since subsided after the pollen release from craze antheral. There was a little difference in the pollen viability of A. dahurica from Sichuan at different branches. While the order of the pollen viability of A. dahurica from Hebei was main stem < first-order branching < second-order branching. At room temperature, the pollen viability of both decreased during time of anthers dehiscing but also above 50% after 5 days. Compared with 4 degrees C and room temperature, conservation at - 20 degrees C could extend life of the pollen. The stigma had receptivity in 4th day and reached the highest level in the 6th day after blooming.

CONCLUSIONThe optimum artificial pollination times of A. dahurica was 6 days after blooming and choose the pollen in the peak stage of anthers dehiscing.

Angelica ; physiology ; Flowers ; physiology ; Pollen ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo study the optimum conditions of simulated drought stress, and screen the indexes of drought resistance and comprehensively assess the drought resistance of the Angelica dahurica resources during seedling stage.

METHODInvestigations were carried out on the changes of height, root length, root-shoot ration, contents of soluble sugar, proline and malondialdehyde under polyethylene glycol (PEG-6000)-simulated drought stress. A comprehensive evaluation on the drought resistance of different (varietal) species of A. dahurica during seedling stage was applied by using the method of subordinate function. And the drought resistance indexes were selected out by applying the method of grey correlative degree analysis.

RESULTDrought stress of 9 days with 20% PEG was the optimum condition for the simulation of drought stress. The results showed that the drought resistant capability decreased in the order as follows, A. dahurica from Sichuan province, A. dahurica from Henan province, A. dahurica from Hebei province and A. dahurica from Zhejiang province. And the order of correlative degree of drought resistance and indexes was: soluble sugar > root length > proline > root-shoot ration > total content of chlorophyll > chlorophyll b > chlorophyll a > height > malondialdehyde.

CONCLUSIONOsmotic adjustment substance and the indexes related to the root have more influence on the drought resistance of A. dahurica during seedling stage. A. dahurica from Sichuan province shows the highest drought resistance during seedling stage.

Angelica ; chemistry ; drug effects ; physiology ; Droughts ; Plant Extracts ; analysis ; Polyethylene Glycols ; pharmacology ; Seedlings ; chemistry ; drug effects ; physiology ; Stress, Physiological ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo analyze the effect of small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting mouse epididymis-specific colipase-like (meClps) gene on mouse sperm mobility.

METHODSThe eukaryotic expression vector pDsRed2.0-C1-meClps was constructed and transfected into NIH-3T3 cells, and the protein expression was detected with anti-meClps serum. Three interfering sequences targeting meClps (RNAi-251, 224 and 286) were inserted into lentiviral vectors pRNAT-U6.2/lenti, which were co-transfected with pDsRed2.0-C1-meClps into NIH-3T3 cells. The RNA interfering efficiency was confirmed by semi-quantitative PCR and Western blotting. The lentivirus, packed with the lentiviral vector with the highest interfering efficiency, was injected into the caput tissues of mouse epididymis, and its effect on sperm mobility of the cauda epididymis was evaluated.

RESULTSAll the 3 lentiviral RNAi vectors targeting meClps could inhibit the mRNA and protein expressions of meClps, among which pRNAT-U6.2/lenti-RNAi-251 had the highest interfering efficiency. The lentivirus packed with pRNAT-U6.2/lenti-RNAi-251 significantly reduced the path velocity of cauda sperm after injection into the caput epididymis of the mice (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONKnock-down meClps expression by lentiviral-mediated RNA interference can lower sperm mobility of mice.

Animals ; Epididymis ; Gene Targeting ; Genetic Vectors ; Lentivirus ; Male ; Mice ; NIH 3T3 Cells ; RNA Interference ; RNA, Messenger ; RNA, Small Interfering ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa ; Transfection