In this study, we chose apple leaf as plant material and studied effects of GeO2 on operation of photosynthetic apparatus and antioxidant enzyme activities under strong light. When exogenous GeO2 concentration was below 5.0 mg L–1, maximum photochemical quantum yield of PSII and actual quantum yield of PSII photochemistry increased significantly compared with the control under irradiances of 800 and 1,600 μmol(photon) m–2 s–1. Photosynthetic electron transport chain capacity between QA–QB, QA–PSI acceptor, and QB–PSI acceptor showed a trend of rising up with 1.0, 2.0, and 5.0 mg(GeO2) L–1 and declining with 10.0 mg(GeO2) L–1. On the other hand, dissipated energy via both ΔpH and xanthophyll cycle decreased remarkably compared with the control when GeO2 concentration was below 5.0 mg L–1. Our results suggested that low concentrations of GeO2 could alleviate photoinhibition and 5.0 mg(GeO2) L–1 was the most effective. In addition, we found, owing to exogenous GeO2 treatment, that the main form of this element in apple leaves was organic germanium, which means chemical conversion of germanium happened. The organic germanium might be helpful to allay photoinhibition due to its function of scavenging free radicals and lowering accumulation of reactive oxygen species, which was proven by higher antioxidant enzyme activities.

This chapter analyzes the development process, current status and future trends of the Chinese grape and wine industry. Since the beginning of this century, the grape and wine industry in China has generally been demonstrating a positive and healthy development trend. The pattern is mainly manifested in three aspects: China is gradually gaining a say in today's global wine industry and wine market; wine-producing regions in Western China and emerging wine-producing regions featuring unique characteristics of wine made in China have demonstrated immense developmental potential; the government's efforts to reduce corruption are expected to expand in the next years. The market for luxury and high-end wine will diminish enormously, whereas the market for low and medium-priced wine is seizing the dominant role.

Rhizome of lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. ssp. nucifera) has become the most popular aquatic vegetables in the world. An important problem for its storage and process is easily browning and discoloration, which has been proved to mainly result from polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity. Harvest rhizomes collected from 56 varieties including wild individuals, landraces and cultivars were investigated for their PPO activities as well as 19 morphological characteristics. Several correlations were found to exist in PPO activity values among different parts of all rhizome knots. Four out of 19 morphological characteristics were associated with PPO activity in different parts or knots. It was observed that the PPO activity was uniformly distributing neither in different parts within a knot nor in all knots. The PPO activity in heart part was lower than that in the periphery except for a special case that the 4th knot of red flower lotus rhizome. The PPO activity in former three knots with less number of stoma on skin of rhizome (SA) was lower than it in the same ones with more SA ones. The PPO activity in red-flower-lotus rhizomes was lower than that in white-flower plants. Our results also provide some clues for lotus rhizome processing. For red flower varieties, those with a few knot number of main stem of rhizome and the former three knots can be selected in priority, while the heart part of former four knots in white flower variety should be preferred. The periphery of former four knots in white flower variety that contained higher PPO activity would be beneficial for pest and disease resistance and for breeding medicinal and functional cultivars related with different phenolic compounds. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.