广西14市猪戊型肝炎的分子流行病学分析

为调查广西猪戊型肝炎（HE）的感染情况,本研究应用套式RT-PCR方法对采自广西14市43个猪场的508份3月龄左右猪只粪样及市售182份猪肝扩增猪戊型肝炎病毒（HEV）ORF2基因特异序列,并进行核苷酸序列同源性分析及遗传进化分析。结果表明,在508份猪粪样中194份可以检测到HEV RNA,阳性率为38.2%;182份猪肝样本中,33份可检测到HEV RNA,阳性率为18.1%;43个猪场中检出HEV RNA的有35个,猪场阳性率为81.4%。所获取的39株广西猪HEV ORF2基因特异序列同源性为89.9%～100%,提示在所调查的广西猪场中已较普遍存在HEV感染,所获取的39株广西HEV阳性样品均属于基因Ⅳ型。本研究结果佐证了感染猪及市售带毒猪肝脏是HEV重要的储存库和传染源,应该重视其公共卫生学意义,预防粪-口途径或者食源性HEV感染。     

六株猪圆环病毒2型国内分离株的全基因组序列测定与分析

利用PK15细胞从临床发病猪和死亡猪淋巴结中分离到6株猪圆环病毒2型(PCV2)，对其全基因组序列进行了测定和分析。结果表明，除深圳分离株(SZ)的基因组全长为1768nt外，其余5株均为1767nt；6个分离株之间全序列核苷酸同源性为98．08％；与欧、美毒株之间同源性高，介于94．4％～99．7％。     

猪传染性胸膜肺炎放线杆菌缺失毒素1激活基因C(ApxIC)同时嵌合副猪嗜血杆菌外膜蛋白P2基因(ompP2)复合突变株的构建

猪胸膜肺炎放线杆菌(Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae,APP)以及副猪嗜血杆菌(Haemophilusparasuis,Hps)是引起猪发病的2种病菌。本研究以APP血清5型分离株(SW1)为基础材料,通过构建重组转移载体pBOSKΔIC-1和pBOSKΔIC/ompP2,构成卡那霉素抗性基因(Kanr)和枯草芽胞杆菌(Bacillussubtilis)的果聚蔗糖酶基因(sacB)的正负双向筛选表达盒,并筛选获得SW1株缺失毒素I的激活基因C(ApxIC),同时嵌合Hps外膜蛋白P2基因(ompP2)的复合突变株SW1ΔApxIC/ompP2。该突变株经鉴定,与SW1亲本株相比,其缺失了大小为475bp的apxIC基因,同时嵌合有大小为1107bp的Hps ompP2基因,其基本生长特性与亲本株(SW1)没有显著区别;同时在体外,连续传代10代之后缺失的apxIC基因不会发生回复突变,嵌入的ompP2基因仍能够稳定遗传。本研究成功构建了猪传染性胸膜肺炎放线杆菌缺失apxIC基因并嵌合有Hps ompP2基因复合突变株,为今后研究APP和Hps新型二联疫苗打下基础。     

广西鸡大肠杆菌的分离与鉴定

从广西6个代表性鸡场分离出132株大肠杆菌,分离率平均为37.82％,其中81.82％的菌株分离自2～8周龄的鸡;经血清学鉴定,流行的血清型主要有11种,其中O_(50)、O_(133)、O_(15)、O_(90)、O_(146)、O_(92)及O_(84)等7种属首次报道;分离物经10项生化指标试验,有99.24％的菌株在醋酸铅琼脂上有轻度的H _2S产生,其余9项反应均符合典型大肠杆菌的特征;经电镜观察,发现O_1、O_(50)、O_(78)、O_(84)、O_(88)、O_(90)和O_(92)等7种血清型有菌毛,在培养72小时后,菌毛的数量及长度均比培养24小时者有所增加;主要血清型分别对鸡进行皮下和气管内两种途径的致病性试验,结果有10种是致病性的,而且还证实菌毛与呼吸道感染的致病性有直接的关系。     

副猪嗜血杆菌毒力与非毒力菌株菌体蛋白的比较蛋白质组学分析

副猪嗜血杆菌(Haemophilus parasuis)是猪群上呼吸道的一种共栖菌群,在一定的条件下能侵入机体并导致严重的全身性疾病,区分出正常栖生菌株和致病性菌株是确诊该病的关键.为了筛选副猪嗜血杆菌毒力株与非毒力株之间的差异蛋白,本研究通过比较蛋白质组学分析临床分离的毒力菌株14A7-2和非毒力菌株20A3-2之间2-DE图谱的差异,提取两个菌株的菌体蛋白进行双向电泳分离,Imagemaster 2D Platinum 7.0软件分析处理凝胶图像,MALDI-TOF/MS鉴定差异蛋白.在副猪嗜血杆菌毒力菌株中检测到596±10个蛋白质点而在非毒力菌株中检测到568±10个蛋白点,其中表达量差异达5倍以上及毒力菌株或非毒力菌株特有的蛋白点共有80个.选取毒力菌株或非毒力菌株特有的44个差异蛋白点进行质谱鉴定,成功鉴定42个蛋白点,对应37种蛋白.其中,毒力菌株特有蛋白27种,非毒力菌株特有蛋白5种,在毒力菌株特有蛋白中鉴定出潜在毒力因子铁摄取调节蛋白、触发因子、3-脱氢奎尼酸脱水酶等.研究结果为进一步研究副猪嗜血杆菌的毒力因子和致病机理以及鉴别诊断不同毒力株新技术提供新信息.     

猪传染性胃肠炎病毒(TGEV)福建分离株核衣壳蛋白基因(N)的克隆与表达分析

猪传染性胃肠炎(swine transmissible gastroenteritis,TGE)是一种高度接触性肠道传染病,是我国法定检疫的疫病。为研究福建省猪传染性胃肠炎病毒(Transmissible gastroenteritis virus,TGEV)核衣壳蛋白基因(N)的分子特征及其原核表达产物的抗原性,参照GenBank中的TGEV全基因序列,设计合成一对扩增TGEV福建(FJ)分离株N基因的特异性引物,进行克隆和序列分析,结果表明,TGEV-FJ株N基因全长1149bp,编码382个氨基酸(GenBank登录号JQ700302),与国内外23株TGEVN基因的核苷酸同源性,氨基酸同源性进行比较分析,N基因核苷酸的同源性为95.4%～99.8%,氨基酸同源性为96.1%～100%。TGEV-FJ株N基因克隆至原核表达载体pET-32a中,并转化到大肠杆菌(Escherichia coli)Rosetta(DE3)中进行表达。SDS-PAGE分析表明,重组蛋白约为68kD,与预期分子量一致;Western blot分析表明,重组蛋白能与抗TGEV阳性血清反应出现特异性条带;以纯化的重组TGEVN蛋白为包被抗原建立的间接ELISA抗体检测方法具有良好的特异性,送检20份猪(Sus scrofa)TGEV阳性血清样本中检出16份阳性结果、10份阴性血清样本中检出9份阴性结果。利用纯化的TGEV重组N蛋白免疫Balb/c小鼠,杂交瘤技术制备单克隆抗体,获得了1株特异性好并能稳定分泌抗TGEVN蛋白的单克隆抗体的杂交瘤细胞株(命名为1-27),间接免疫荧光试验证明,该单抗能特异性识别TGEV全病毒抗原。TGEVN蛋白的单克隆抗体制备为建立TGEV免疫学检测方法提供了基础资料。     

猪圆环病毒2型(PCV2)河南分离株进化分析及ORF2基因的表达

根据GenBank中猪圆环病毒2型(Porcine circovirus2,PCV2)的核苷酸序列设计2对引物,使用扩增全基因的引物对来源于河南省焦作、开封和滑县的3株PCV 2型JZ株、KF株和HX株的ORF2基因进行扩增,扩增片段克隆到pMD18 T上,获得重组质粒pMD18-T-ORF2,并对其进行测序,测序结果登录在GenBank上,登录号分别为EF028202、EF064149和EF467928.序列分析表明,PCV2河南分离株ORF2基因与其它PCV2 ORF2基因核苷酸序列同源性为92.4%～99.6%,氨基酸序列同源性为90.6%～97.9%,进化分析表明,河南分离株处于同一分支,与欧洲株亲缘关系较近.应用另一对引物从重组质粒pMD18-T-ORF2中PCR扩增出587 bp不包含核定位信号序列的ORF2基因,克隆到表达载体pET-32a,成功构建了重组质粒pET-32a-ORF2,经IPTG诱导表达了ORF2基因编码的结构蛋白,经SDS-PAGE和Western blotting检测,表达的重组蛋白分子量约为40 kD,可被PCV2阳性血清识别,说明PCV2 ORF2基因得到成功表达.     

引起免疫失败的IBV分离株的生物学特性及结构基因分析

本研究应用鸡胚尿囊腔接种的方法,从广西患传染性支气管炎的免疫失败的病鸡中分离到一株传染性支气管炎病毒（IBV）（命名GX-YL5）,通过间接血凝试验、动物回归试验和气管环交叉中和试验对该毒株进行鉴定和主要生物学特性的研究,同时利用RT-PCR技术扩增克隆该病毒的S1基因和N基因并测定其核苷酸序列。结果表明：该病毒株有间接血凝性;致病性较强;血清型不同于常用疫苗株H120、Ma5、4／91。同源性分析表明,S1基因核苷酸和氨基酸序列与参考株的同源性分别为63.5％-81.2％和50.7％-78.8％;N基因核苷酸和氨基酸序列与参考株的同源性分别为85.7％-87.2％和89.5％-91.7％;S1基因和N基因系统进化分析表明分离株与其它参考毒株的亲缘关系较远。S1基因和N基因分型与血清学试验结果相吻合。本研究结果提示了广西分离株GX-YL5可能是一个新的变异株,这可能是目前免疫失败的重要因素,同时也为研制适合本地使用的IBV疫苗提供了科学依据和物质基础。     

广东地区副猪嗜血杆菌KRG血清分型及基因分型多态性分析

本研究对保存的2007～2008年广东地区发病猪群中分离的48株副猪嗜血杆菌(Haemophilus parasuis)进行了分析.用琼脂扩散进行血清分型,结果表明48株临床分离菌株鉴定出7个血清型,其中以5型为主,占总菌株的23.68%.采用肠杆菌基因间重复序列-PCR(Enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus-PCR)法进行基因分型分析,结果显示,48株不同来源副猪嗜血杆菌菌株基因型呈现多态性分布;分析得到31个基因型PHYLIP-3.68软件对31个基因型的电泳图谱进行基因分型及遗传关系的分析,结果得到8个群,其中B为优势群,占总菌株数的66.67%.表明广东地区的副猪嗜血杆菌的基因型和血清型十分丰富,ERIC-PCR技术可成为其分子流行病学研究的有效手段.     

低氮和干旱胁迫对富士和秦冠生长及氮素利用的影响

【目的】以富士（Fuji）、 秦冠（Qinguan）嫁接在平邑甜茶（Malus hupehensis Rehd.）上的当年生盆栽苗为试验材料,采用砂培方法,研究了缺氮胁迫和干旱对富士和秦冠生长情况、 光合参数、 植株各部位氮磷钾含量及氮素利用效率的影响,分析比较了低氮干旱条件下富士和秦冠生长及氮素利用的差异,以期为果树生产高效肥水利用提供理论指导。【方法】试验共设四个处理: 正常氮正常水（ZZ）、 低氮正常水（DZ）、 正常氮干旱（ZG）、 低氮干旱（DG）。氮素和水分均设置两个水平,分别为正常氮（6 mmol/L NO-3-N）、 低氮（0.3 mmol/LNO-3-N）、 正常供水（保持盆中砂子相对含水量为饱和含水量的80%~85%）、 干旱处理（保持盆中砂子相对含水量为饱和含水量的60%~65%）。【结果】富士和秦冠的生物量（茎和叶）、 株高茎粗等生长指标以及光合速率、 气孔导度、 蒸腾速率均为正常氮正常水（ZZ）＞低氮正常水（DZ）＞正常氮干旱（ZG）＞低氮干旱（DG）,并且相对应处理下秦冠的以上指标均高于富士;正常供水下,缺氮处理使富士、 秦冠的根冠比比正常氮处理均有所增加,富士提高了2.05%,秦冠提高了22.40%。富士和秦冠的氮、 磷、 钾含量均表现出正常氮正常水（ZZ）＞低氮正常水（DZ）＞正常氮干旱（ZG）＞低氮干旱（DG）; 氮、 钾元素含量在植株各部位的分布顺序依次是叶＞根＞茎,磷元素则是根＞叶＞茎;光合氮素利用效率（PNUE）和氮素利用效率表现为秦冠处理之间差异极显著,富士处理之间差异不显著;秦冠的PNUE和NUE明显高于富士,在低氮正常水（DZ）处理下,秦冠氮肥利用率比富士高42.07%,在低氮干旱（DG）处理下高64.14%;低氮胁迫下富士和秦冠的NUE显著提高,并且秦冠提高的幅度高于富士。【结论】施用氮肥能够显著提高富士与秦冠的干物质量,同等水肥条件下,秦冠生长优于富士;水分亏缺会减少叶片对氮的吸收,干旱条件下适度增施氮肥,可提高果树的抗旱能力;低氮干旱胁迫下秦冠的生长指标、 光合指标及氮素利用效率指标均优于富士,表现出较强的抗低氮干旱胁迫的能力。     

Pasture Vegetation Elemental Analysis by Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a new technique for the analysis of plant material. This study investigates the application of LIBS to pasture-based plant samples. The LIBS measurements were obtained from pelletized pasture samples (100 samples) that had been also analyzed by inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) following microwave digestion for calibration and comparison purposes. Comparisons for elements sodium (Na), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), boron (B), phosphorus (P), and sulfur (S) showed that LIBS could be used for almost all the standard profile total elements with concentrations down to low mg/kg levels (observed error of Na: 0.024 percent, K: 0.18 percent, Mg: 0.016 percent, Ca: 0.073 percent, P: 0.017 percent, Mn: 31 mg/kg, Fe: 150 mg/kg, Zn: 6.6 mg/kg, and B: 1.1 mg/kg). Elemental analysis at less than mg/kg levels was not possible using LIBS. The elements S and Cu were particularly difficult to analyze with reliability using LIBS at the concentration levels found in the plant samples. Replacing microwave digestion and subsequent ICP analysis with a direct analysis of dried plant samples using LIBS has the potential to improve the productivity and reduce the cost of testing.     

Faculty positions:Center for Agricultural Resources Research,Chinese Academy of Sciences

正The Center for Agricultural Resources Research(CARR),the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology(IGDB),Chinese Academy of Sciences,invites applicants for several research group leader positions.CARR is one of the research organizations in Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS).We seek nominations and applications from individuals who have expertise and a record of accomplishment in research areas related to ecology,agro-hydrology,     

Macroinvertebrates in North American tallgrass prairie soils: effects of fire, mowing, and fertilization on density and biomass

The responses of tallgrass prairie plant communities and ecosystem processes to fire and grazing are well characterized. However, responses of invertebrate consumer groups, and particularly soil-dwelling organisms, to these disturbances are not well known. At Konza Prairie Biological Station, we sampled soil macroinvertebrates in 1994 and 1999 as part of a long-term experiment designed to examine the effects and interactions of annual fire, mowing, and fertilization (N and P) on prairie soil communities and processes. For nearly all taxa, in both years, responses were characterized by significant treatment interactions, but some general patterns were evident. Introduced European earthworms (Aporrectodea spp. and Octolasion spp.) were most abundant in plots where fire was excluded, and the proportion of the total earthworm community consisting of introduced earthworms was greater in unburned, unmowed, and fertilized plots. Nymphs of two Cicada genera were collected (Cicadetta spp. and Tibicen spp.). Cicadetta nymphs were more abundant in burned plots, but mowing reduced their abundance. Tibicen nymphs were collected almost exclusively from unburned plots. Treatment effects on herbivorous beetle larvae (Scarabaeidae, Elateridae, and Curculionidae) were variable, but nutrient additions (N or P) usually resulted in greater densities, whereas mowing usually resulted in lower densities. Our results suggest that departures from historical disturbance regimes (i.e. frequent fire and grazing) may render soils more susceptible to increased numbers of European earthworms, and that interactions between fire, aboveground biomass removal, and vegetation responses affect the structure and composition of invertebrate communities in tallgrass prairie soils.     

Assessing the effectiveness of conservation measures: Resolving the “wicked” problem of the Steller sea lion

“Wicked” problems are those that are complex and that change when solutions are applied. Many conflicts in conservation fall into this category. The study approached the problem of how to constrain the apparent wickedness of a problem in the conservation management of a species by using simple empirical indicators to carry out iterative assessment of the risk to a population and to document how this risk evolves in relation to the addition of new data and the implementation of management actions. Effects of high levels of uncertainty within data and also concerning population structure were examined through stochastic simulation and by exploration of scenarios. Historical trends in the example used, the Steller sea lion, showed rapid declines in abundance in some regions during the 1980s. The current total population is 130,000-150,000 Steller sea lions through Alaska and British Columbia and this number has been stable since about 1990 in spite of regional differences in population dynamics. Regional differences in the sequence of changes in the number of pups and non-pups, suggested that an internal re-distribution of juveniles could have happened between 1980 and 1990. Current productivity also appears close to the long-term mean. Stochastic population projection using various scenarios showed that, based upon this history, the risk of extinction for the population has declined and is below reasonable thresholds for considering the population to be endangered. The trends in risk suggest that management actions taken since 1990 have probably been effective. Consequently, the conservation management objectives for the Steller sea lion are probably being met. The approach provides a mechanism, based upon experience and scenario analysis, for exploring future policy options and may help to constrain the debate amongst stakeholders about the cost-benefit trade-offs associated with different options.     

Soil-profile distribution of primary and secondary plant-available nutrients under conventional and no tillage

Nutrient distributions under no tillage (NT) compared with conventional disk-and-bed tillage (CT) management in the warm, humid region of the southeastern USA need to be assessed so that future placement, quantity, and type of fertilizers can be altered, if necessary, to efficiently match crop demands. We determined soil-profile distributions of pH, N, P, S, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu to a depth of 0.9 m at the end of 8.5 years of continuous CT and NT management on a Weswood silty clay loam (fine, mixed, thermic Fluventic Ustochrept) in southcentral Texas. Most dramatic changes occurred within the 0–0.05 m depth, where soil under NT had lower pH, Fe, and Cu than under CT, but greater P, K, Zn, and Mn. Greater P and K under NT than under CT also occurred below the till-zone (0.15–0.3 m). At a depth of 0–0.3 m, soil under NT contained greater amounts of extractable P, K, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu than under CT. Nitrogen fertilization had little effect on nutrient distributions, except resulting in greater extractable K at 0–0.05 m and greater nitrate at 0–0.15 m. Few changes in soil-profile distributions were observed for extractable S, Ca, Mg, and Na. Long-term continuous use of NT on this fine-textured, high-fertility (except for N) soil had no apparent adverse effects on nutrient distributions relative to CT, but enhanced conservation and availability of P, K, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu near the soil surface where crop roots proliferate.     

Variation in quality parameters between and within 14 Nordic tree fruit and berry species

Abstract

A 3-year study was carried out to investigate quality parameters in 14 tree fruit and berry species grown in southern Norway. The species were blueberry, apple, aronia, sour cherry, sweet cherry, red raspberry, strawberry, blackcurrant, gooseberry, red currant and elderberry, harvested along with wild bilberry, cloudberry and lingonberry. Significant differences between species were identified for all quality parameters. The coefficient of variation between species was lowest for pH (12.5%), dry matter (18.9%) and soluble solids (25.3%), followed by titratable acids (59.3%), total phenolics (83.8%), antioxidant capacity FRAP (85.7%) and antiradical power by the DPPH-assay (97.8%), total monomeric anthocyanins (132%) and ascorbic acid (137%). Average coefficient of variation within species were lower and ranged from 4 (pH) to 62% (ascorbic acid). Only the FRAP values were significantly affected by harvesting year with lower levels in 2004 than in 2005 and 2006. There were significant interactions between species and harvesting year for dry matter, soluble solids, pH, ascorbic acid and FRAP. The results indicate generic ranges in composition within species independent upon growing location and climate, and the composition of the tree fruits and berries is not likely to deviate from these ranges. It is concluded that desirable composition of tree fruits and berries and their products should primarily be achieved by selection among species rather than searching fors broadened variation within individual species.     

Potassium Fixation and Release Characteristics in Rhizosphere and Nonrhizosphere Soils for a Rapeseed–Rice Cropping Sequence

Potassium (K) fixation and release in soil are important factors in the long-term sustainability of a cropping system. Changes in K concentration and characteristics of K fixation and release in rhizosphere and nonrhizosphere soils in the rapeseed (Brassica napus L.)–rice (Oryza sativa L.) rotation were investigated using a rhizobox system. The concentrations of different forms of K in both rhizosphere and nonrhizosphere soils decreased with plants compared to without plants, regardless of K fertilizer application. Potassium uptake by crops mainly came from the rhizosphere soil. In the treatment without K fertilizer (–K), the main form of K supplied by the soil to the crops was 1.0 mol L^?1 nitric acid (HNO₃) nonextractable K, followed by nonexchangeable K, and then exchangeable K. In the treatment with K fertilizer (+K), the main K forms supplied by the soil to the crops were exchangeable K and nonexchangeable K. The amount and rate of K fixation after one cycle of the rapeseed–rice rotation was greater in rhizosphere soil than in nonrhizosphere soil. The amount and rate of K fixation of soil in the +K treatment were significantly less than in the –K treatment. The cumulative amounts of K released with 1.0 mol L^?1 ammonium acetate (NH₄OAc) and 1.0 mol L^?1 HNO₃ extraction increased with the increasing numbers of extractions, but the K-releasing power of soil by successive extraction decreased gradually and finally became almost constant. The release of K was less in rhizosphere soil than in nonrhizosphere soil. The release of K in the +K treatment was similar to that in the –K treatment in rhizosphere soil, but the K release in nonrhizosphere soil was greater with the +K than the –K treatment. Overall, the information obtained in this study will be helpful in formulating more precise K fertilizer recommendations for certain soils.     

Electron donor and pH relationships for biologically enhanced dissolution of chlorinated solvent DNAPL in groundwater

Biologically enhanced dissolution offers a method to speed removal of chlorinated solvent dense non-aqueous-phase liquid (DNAPL) sources such as tetrachloroethene (PCE) and trichoroethene (TCE) from aquifers. Bioremediation is accomplished by adding an electron donor to the source zone where fermentation to intermediates leading to acetic acid and hydrogen results. The hydrogen and possibly acetic acid are used by dehalogenating bacteria to convert PCE and TCE to ethene and hydrochloric acid. Reductive dehalogenation is thus an acid forming process, and sufficient alkalinity must be present to maintain a near neutral pH. The bicarbonate alkalinity required to maintain pH above 6.5 is a function of the electron donor: 800 mg/L of bicarbonate alkalinity is sufficient to achieve about 1.2 mM TCE dechlorination with glucose, 1.7 mM with lactate, and a much higher 3.3 mM with formate. Laboratory studies indicate that in mixed culture, formate can be used as an electron donor for complete conversion to ethene, contrary to pure cultures studies indicating it cannot. Various strategies can be used to add electron donor to an aquifer for DNAPL dehalogenation while minimizing pH problems and excessive electron donor usage, including use of injection-extraction wells, dual recirculation wells, and nested injection-extraction wells.     

Enhanced establishment and growth of giant cardon cactus in an eroded field in the Sonoran Desert using native legume trees as nurse plants aided by plant growth-promoting microorganisms and compost

To evaluate the feasibility of long-term desert reforestation technology of mixed vegetation, cardon cactus (Pachycereus pringlei) seedlings from indoor and outdoor nurseries were planted in the field adjacent to one seedling of potential legume nurse trees: mesquite amargo (Prosopis articulata), yellow palo verde (Parkinsonia microphylla), and blue palo verde (Parkinsonia florida). Some of the planting holes were also supplemented with common dairy compost. Additionally, the combinations of legume tree–cactus were inoculated with either a consortium of desert arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB; the diazotroph Azospirillum brasilense Cd, and the phosphate solubilizer Paenibacillus sp.), or a mixture of all. The field experiments were evaluated periodically during 30 months for survival and growth. Cardons reared in an outdoor screen house survived better in the field than those reared in a controlled growth chamber and hardened later outdoors. Association with any legume nurse tree increased survival and enhanced growth of untreated cardons. For cardons growing alone, application of either compost, AM fungi, and all the treatments combined increased survival. For these plants, no treatment affected plant growth during the first 3 months after transplanting. Later, all treatments, except for AM fungi, enhanced plant growth. However, only 2 years after transplanting the enhanced growth effect of AM fungi was also significant. In the presence of the legume nurse trees, transient positive effects on cardon growth were recorded. General evaluation after 30 months of cultivation showed that the treatments positively affected cardon growth when growing alone or in combination only with mesquite amargo but not with the other two legume trees. This study proposes that young legume trees have the capacity to enhance survival and growth of cardon cactus, depending on the legume cactus combination. Additional treatments such as compost or PGPB can either amplify the effect or else attenuate it.