卵泡直径和卵丘细胞对牛卵母细胞体外受精后发育潜力的影响

本实验以屠宰场牛卵巢为材料,研究了卵泡大小和卵丘细胞对卵母细胞体外受精后发育潜力的影响,结果表明卵泡在小和卵丘细胞直接卵母受精后的发育。直径为２～８ｍｍ卵泡中的卵母细胞经体外成熟和体外受精后,卵裂率（６０．９％ＶＳ３７．０％,Ｐ〈０．０５）和受精卵的囊胚发育率（５６．０％ＶＳ３８．０％,Ｐ〈０．０５）明显高于直径小于２ｍｍ卵泡中的卵母细胞。而直径在８ｍｍ以上的卵母细胞卵裂率显著低于２～８ｍｍ卵泡、     

卵丘细胞对牛卵母细胞体外成熟和体外受精的影响

本试验探讨了卵母细胞周围不同类型的卵丘细胞对牛卵母细胞体外成熟、受精及其随后的胚胎发育的影响。卵母细胞周围一般都含有多层卵丘细胞。按卵丘细胞的层数及形态将卵母细胞大致分为５类：（１）无卵丘细胞；（２）有２～３层卵丘细胞；（３）有４～５层卵丘细胞；（４）有６层以上卵丘细胞；（５）异常者（即卵母细胞外周有较厚的透明胶状物而无正常卵丘细胞）。以上５种卵母细胞经体外成熟培养并受精后，其卵裂率（分别为：４８．８％，７０．９％，８４．４％，８２．１％，６８．２％）及囊胚发育率（分别为：０．０％，１７．８％，３３．３％，５４．６％，２５．０％）除异常者外均随着卵丘细胞层数的增加而提高（Ｐ＜０．０５）。对含有２～６层卵丘细胞的卵母细胞成熟后进行不同程度的剥离处理。然后按剥离程度分为３组：（１）全部剥离；（２）仅剩放射冠；（３）放射冠外有２～３层卵丘细胞。受精后３组间的卵裂率无显著差异（分别为：８１．７％，８５．２％，８４．４％）。而囊胚发育率（分别为：１６．８％，２３．８％，２３．４％），全部剥离组明显低于其他两组（Ｐ＜０．０５）。试验结果表明卵丘细胞对卵母细胞的体外成熟有促进作用，从而影响随后的受精及胚胎发育。     

兔和牛卵母细胞核移植的研究

通过显微操作，将１６～３２细胞期胚胎的单个卵裂球注入去核卵母细胞的卵周隙内，用适当电压（兔１６０Ｖ、牛１２０Ｖ）和脉冲时间的两次电脉冲诱导卵裂球与卵母细胞的融合；融合后的胚胎体外培养观察发育或移植到同步受体。体内成熟的免卵母细胞操作后存活率为９３．７％（１５０１／１６０２），融合率为９４．３％（１２８１／１３５９）。融合卵再用１６０Ｖ４０μｓ电脉冲电激一次，可显著提高其卵裂率（７５．９％比１８．２％，Ｐ＜０．０１）。用体外成熟的兔卵母细胞进行核移植，存活率和融合率分别为７８．５％（９５／１２１）和９５．７％（８８／９２），融合胚卵裂率为５１．４％（３７／７２）。初步表明体外成熟的兔卵母细胞可作为核移植的受体卵。此外，还尝试了用体外受精的牛胚胎和体外成熟的牛卵母细胞进行核移植，操作后存活率和融合率分别为９８．０％（５０／５１）和７５．５％（３７／４９），核移植胚的卵裂率为５４．１％（２０／３７）。     

牛磺酸和颗粒细胞对牛胚胎体外发育的影响

用改良ＣＲ２培养液探讨了牛磺酸（５０μｍｏｌ／Ｌ,１００μｍｏｌ／Ｌ）和颗粒细胞对牛卵母细胞体外受精后的分裂率、囊胚率和囊胚细胞数的影响。试验一中,在培养液中添加牛磺酸（５０μｍｏｌ／Ｌ,１００μｍｏｌ／Ｌ）对牛受精卵的分裂率、囊胚率和囊胚细胞数均无显著影响（Ｐ＞０．０５）。试验二中,添加颗粒细胞对牛受精卵的分裂率无显著影响（Ｐ＞０．０５）,但促进了牛早期胚胎的囊胚率和囊胚细胞数（Ｐ＜０．０１）;牛磺酸对牛受精卵的分裂率、囊胚率和囊胚细胞数均无明显影响。结果表明：在培养液中添加颗粒细胞可以促进牛早期胚胎体外发育的能力;在本试验条件下牛磺酸不能提高牛早期胚胎的体外发育能力。     

受精温度对牛卵母细胞体外受精及随后胚胎发育的影响

将经过２０～２４ｈ体外成熟培养后的牛卵母细胞在含５％ＣＯ２，９５％空气，最大相对饱和湿度和温度分别为３７℃（Ｇ１），３８℃（Ｇ２）和３９℃（Ｇ３）的培养条件下进行体外受精，以观察受精温度对牛体外受精及其随后胚胎发育的影响。结果显示，不同受精温度对牛卵母细胞体外精子入卵率（９３．６％～１００％）及受精卵裂率（７８．５％～８０．３％）无明显影响；而早期胚胎卵裂发育速度、体外囊胚发育速度及体外囊胚发育率和孵化率均随着受精温度的升高呈上升趋势。在ＩＶＦ４２～４６ｈ，Ｇ３发育到５细胞以上卵裂周期阶段的早期胚胎比率（４０．３％）非常显著地高于Ｇ２（２４．３％）和Ｇ１（１８．８％，Ｐ＜０．００１）；而相应处于２细胞阶段的胚胎比率（Ｇ３为１４．６％）则十分显著地低于Ｇ２（２５．２％）和Ｇ１（３０．１％，Ｐ＜０．０１）。Ｇ３的囊胚体外孵化率（７５．８％）也非常明显地高于Ｇ２（５１．９％）和Ｇ１（４７．９％，Ｐ＜０．００）。结果表明，受精温度（３７～３９℃）主要影响早期胚胎的质量，从而影响到其随后的囊胚发育率、发育速度及其孵化率，而对卵母细胞的受精、卵裂率无明显影响。     

外源激素处理供体奶牛活体采卵生产胚胎的研究

选择6头3～6岁健康荷斯坦、空怀母奶牛随机分为3组,每组2头,分别用外源激素孕马血清促性腺激素（PMSG）、促卵泡素（FSH）、空白对照处理供体奶牛,4 d后应用B型超声波导引采卵, 以研究外源激素对活体采卵效率和体外生产胚胎的影响.试验结果表明：FSH组每头次平均可采卵泡12.07个,获可用卵母细胞5.57枚,与PMSG组比较差异显著（P＜0.05）,与对照比较差异极显著（P＜0.01）;PMSG组每头次平均可采卵泡为6.63个,获可用卵母细胞数2.96枚,与对照组比较差异不显著（P＞0.05）;各组活体采集的卵母细胞体外受精分裂率、囊胚率也无显著差异.表明可用外源激素处理供体奶牛活体采卵生产胚胎,但以FSH处理效果较好.     

聚乙二醇细胞融合技术在牛手工体细胞克隆中的应用初探

本研究分3个实验。实验1对比了不同浓度的离子霉素对牛去透明带卵母细胞孤雌激活的效果;实验2比较了手工半卵切割法去核与显微半卵切割法去核的效果;实验3对聚乙二醇（PEG）细胞融合技术在牛手工体细胞克隆的应用进行了初步探讨。结果表明,对于去透明带牛卵母细胞孤雌激活,离子霉素浓度为2．0μmol／L组的激活效果最好,其囊胚发育率（29．4％）极显著地高于浓度为5．0μmol／L的对照组和0．5μmol／L组（囊胚率分别为8．3％和9．4％,P〈0．01）;采用半卵切割法去核,手工切割的半卵存活率（85．6％）与显微操作（90．3％）差异不大,切割速率（约100枚卵／h）相仿。对双半卵与体细胞进行同步融合处理时,应用50％浓度的PEG融合率（39．3％）极显著好于45％、55％和60％的PEG（融合率分别为0％、16．2％和5．3％,P〈0．01）。     

牛分离精子对体外受精的影响

本研究的目的是测定流动细胞分离仪的精子对牛卵母细胞体外受精和胚胎发育的影响。共使用了4273个牛的卵母细胞和3种类型的精子（分离、染色未分离和未染色未分离）进行体外受精试验。这些精子分别来自于3头公牛，每头公牛重复试验3－5次，数据使用ANOVA程序进行统计分析。结果显示，用3种类型精子受精后的卵母细胞囊胚率无显著差异，分别为20．4％，22．62％和22．14％，但用分离精子受精后的卵裂率显著低于未分离的精子（53．66％比71．93％，P＜0．05）。所测度的3头公牛的卵裂率和囊胚率在不同公牛之间有所差异，H008号公牛所产生的囊胚明显低于H010号公牛组（分别为17．4％比25．1％，P＜0．05）。结果证明分离过程或染色并没有影响胚胎发育，流动细胞分离仪可以有效地用于牛胚胎的体外生产。此外，分离、染色未分离和未分离精子的受精和胚胎发育率，在不同公牛之间有差异的这一发现表明，选择能产生高质量精子的公牛精液进行精子分离，可以提高体外受精的效率。     

3种玻璃化冷冻液对水牛MⅡ期卵母细胞冷冻-解冻后体外发育的影响

本试验主要探索了3种玻璃化冷冻液对水牛MⅡ期卵母细胞冷冻-解冻后体外发育的影响。水牛MⅡ期卵母细胞经3组玻璃化冷冻液（Ⅰ：20％乙二醇（EG）＋20％二甲基亚砜（DMSO）;Ⅱ：20％EG＋20％丙二醇（PROH）;Ⅲ：20％EG＋20％PROH＋10％DMSO）毒性试验后,Ⅰ、Ⅱ和Ⅲ组体外受精的分裂率、8-细胞率和囊胚率之间差异不显著（P〉0．05）,分裂率均显著低于对照组（P〈0．05）,但Ⅱ组8-细胞以后的发育潜力跟对照组无显著差异（P〉0．05）。进一步比较了3组玻璃化冷冻液对卵母细胞的玻璃化冷冻效果。卵子解冻后进行体外受精后,Ⅰ、Ⅱ和Ⅲ组的发育潜力均显著低于对照组fP〈0．05）,各组的8一细胞率和囊胚率之间无显著差异（P〉0．05）,但Ⅱ组卵裂率明显高于Ⅰ组（24．8±4．6％VS12．7±1．5％,P〈0．05）。结果表明,3种冷冻玻璃化保护液均可用于冷冻水牛MⅡ期卵母细胞,其中Ⅱ组处理的卵母细胞体外受精效果相对较好。     

体细胞因子对牛卵母细胞体外受精的影响

本研究系统探讨了体细胞因子对牛卵母细胞体外受精的影响。在受精液中添加５％或１０％的牛卵泡液（ＢＦＦ）明显降低牛卵母细胞受精后的分裂率（３８．３％和４０．４％比对照８７．５％，Ｐ＜０．００１）和囊胚发育率（１７．４％和８．３％比对照４０．４％，Ｐ＜０．００１）。然而，在受精液中加入５０％的内膜细胞受精条件液明显提高牛卵母细胞受精后的囊胚发育率（４３．１％比３４．８％，Ｐ＜０．０５），虽然该处理对牛卵母细胞受精后的分裂率无明显影响。在体外受精系统中加入颗粒细胞的受精条件液，新鲜的输卵管细胞，输卵管细胞的单层细胞或输卵管细胞的受精条件液对牛卵母细胞的分裂率及囊胚发育率均无明显影响。相反，新鲜输卵管细胞组获得较低的分裂率（８１．７％）和囊胚发育率（３２．２％）。这些结果表明：ＢＦＦ对牛卵母细胞的体外受精具抑制作用，而内膜细胞的条件液则具促进效应。ＢＦＦ的这种受精抑制因子可能来自血清而不是卵泡细胞。     

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.