Phosphorous accumulation and distribution of two ecotypes of Pilea sinofasciata grown in phosphorous-enriched soils

Water eutrophication and poultry manure require an efficacious remediation technology to decrease phosphorous (P) concentration. In this study, the P phytoremediation potential of a mining (ME) and nonmining ecotype (NME) of Pilea sinofasciata were analyzed by pot experiments employing different concentrations of P treatments (CK, P100, P200, P400, P800 and P1600) in tested soil. Growth, P accumulation and P-relevant enzyme activities of P. sinofasciata in ME and NME were assessed after 10 weeks’ plantation. The results showed that there was no significant difference between the shoot biomass of the ME and NME. Higher P concentration and accumulation were observed in the ME than NME for all treatments. Stem P concentration of the ME were 117%, 189%, 152%, 153%, 140% and 139% higher than the NME, and leaf P concentration were 122%, 146%, 138%, 144%, 137% and 113%. Maximum P uptake and phytoextraction was observed at P400 for the ME of P. sinofasciata. Elevated activities of acid phosphatase and phytase in roots were examined in P-enriched soil, and the ME presented higher activities compared with the NME. The results in this paper provide a theoretical basis for the use of ME of P. sinofasciata for phosphorus accumulators and suggest that ME of P. sinofasciata is a promising species for the excess P phytoextraction of P-enriched soils.     

Management options to decrease phosphorus and sediment losses from irrigated cropland grazed by cattle and sheep

In southern New Zealand, grazing of forage crops is common practice to satisfy feed requirements of animals in winter when pasture growth is limited. This practice has been shown to cause soil physical damage and increased loss of surface water contaminants sediment and phosphorus (P) to water bodies. Strategies to mitigate the loss of sediment and P were trialled on a Pallic soil type (Aeric Fragiaquept) in the North Otago Rolling Downlands of New Zealand. All sites were irrigated and measurements were made of losses in overland and sub‐surface flow from intensive cattle or sheep grazed, winter forage crops, and sheep grazed pasture. Two mitigations (restricted grazing of crop to three hours and the application of aluminium sulphate) were assessed for their potential to decrease contaminant loss from cropland. Volumes of surface runoff and loss of total P, filterable reactive P and sediment showed significant differences (P < 0.05) between the control treatments (i.e. no mitigation) with cattle crop (88 mm surface runoff) > sheep crop (67 mm) > sheep pasture (33 mm). The contribution of irrigation water to overland flow water, as a result of saturation‐excess conditions, varied between treatments with more loss under cattle crop (20% of total) compared with sheep crop (15%) and sheep pasture (11%). These differences are probably an effect of soil physical condition and highlight the importance of accurate irrigation scheduling to keep soil moisture below field capacity. Restricted winter grazing and alum application after grazing significantly (P < 0.05) decreased P losses in surface runoff under cattle (from 1.4 to 0.9 kg P/ha) and sheep (from 1.0 to 0.7 kg/P/ha) grazed crop plots by about 30%. In cattle grazed plots, restricted grazing also decreased suspended sediments (SS) by 60%. The use of restricted grazing is suggested as a means of decreasing P and SS loss from grazed winter forage crops. The use of alum shows some promise for decreasing P losses, but requires further work to determine its long‐term effectiveness and use in other soils and management regimes.     

Phenotypes Including Immunocompetence in Scavenging Local Chicken Ecotypes in Tanzania

A study was conducted to determine the variations in physical characters and immunocompetence among scavenging local chicken ecotypes in Tanzania. Eighty-four adult scavenging local chickens from four eco-climatic regions of Tanzania were studied. Measurements of adult body weight, body length, shank length and egg weight and observations of plumage colour and pattern, earlobe colour, skin colour and the shape of the comb were conducted. The antibody response to sheep red blood cells, serum haemolytic complement and the cutaneous response to phytohaemagglutinin-P were assessed. Five ecotypes were identified and named Mbeya, Morogoro-medium, Ching'wekwe, Kuchi and Singamagazi. Singamagazi and Kuchi were significantly heavier, with longer shanks and heavier eggs than the other ecotypes. The average adult body weight for males ranged from 1621 g (Mbeya) to 2915 g (Singamagazi). Average female weights ranged from 1108 g (Morogoro-medium) to 2020 g (Singamagazi). Mean egg weights ranged from 37.65 g (Ching'wekwe) to 45.61 (Singamagazi). The Kuchi had mostly rose and walnut combs, while the other ecotypes were mostly single combed. In each ecotype there were chickens with a high or low antibody response to red blood cells, but there was a significant difference between the ecotypes.     

磷对板栗结实性能及产量的影响

试验结果表明,磷对板栗(Castanea mollissima Blume)雌花的形成数量有重要影响,结果母枝含磷量与母枝抽生结果枝数量和着生雌花数量呈显著正相关。板栗结果母枝含磷量比雄花母枝和营养枝分别高5.19％和5.27％。树体磷素含量水平与板栗雌、雄花枝比例和结果枝结栗苞数量也存在密切的相关性。在不同施磷水平下,结果枝粗度与果枝结栗苞数均具有显著的回归关系,但b值差异大。本研究结果在鄂东大别山区进行了大面积施磷肥示范,生产实践证明,施磷肥对板栗具有一致的增产效益。     

Influence of low phosphorus intake during early lactation on apparent digestibility of phosphorus and bone metabolism in dairy cows

In this study, the effects of reducing the dietary phosphorus (P) supply during the first 4 months of lactation on P balance and bone metabolism were investigated in dairy cows during a full lactation, including the dry period. Twenty-two multiparous cows of the Swedish Red and White Breed were included in the experiment. Eleven cows received a dietary P concentration of 0.43% of DM during the whole lactation (NP), and 11 cows received a dietary P concentration of 0.32% of DM during the first 4 months of lactation, followed by 0.43% of DM during the rest of lactation (LP). Total collection of faeces was carried out during five different stages of lactation, for 5 consecutive days at each occasion. The dynamics of bone metabolism was investigated by monitoring one bone-formation marker, identifying osteocalcin (OC), and one bone-resorption marker identifying C-telopeptide fragments of collagen type I (CTx) in blood plasma. At the two first collection periods, 3–7 and 11–15 weeks after parturition, the apparent digestibility of P was higher in the LP cows (52%) than in the NP cows (42%). During the following collection periods, no difference in the apparent digestibility could be noted between the two groups of cows. Phosphorus retention did not differ between treatments at any collection period. The highest retention was observed during late lactation and during the dry period. The profiles of the bone metabolism markers indicated a net resorption of bone during early lactation, but there were no differences in marker concentrations between the groups during early lactation, indicating that the LP diet did not induce a further elevated net bone resorption.     

Ileal amino acid and phosphorus digestibility responses of pigs to microbial phytase supplementation of high-phytin diets

The hypothesis that increase in dietary phytin amplifies phytin binding to protein thereby reducing protein digestion, which is alleviated by phytase, was tested. A 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of dietary treatments was used to investigate the response of growing pigs to supplemental phytase (0, or 1200 units/kg) in low- or high-phytin P diets (2.2 or 3.9 g/kg). Eight crossbred barrows (28–30 kg) were canulated and assigned to crates using a double, 4 × 4 Latin Square design. Pigs were fed each of the 4 diets at 3 times metabolic BW (0.09  BW kg ^0.75) for 7 d. Ileal digesta was collected for 12 h on d 6 and d 7 by attaching plastic bags to the cannula. Feed and ileal digesta were analyzed for N, energy and P. Phytase had no effect on apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of N or AAs. The AID of some AAs was higher in the high-phytin diet, which contradicts the hypothesis that higher phytin content would have a negative impact. In contrast, the AID of P was depressed by high dietary phytin (P < 0.01) and increased by phytase (P < 0.01) more so at the higher dietary phytin resulting in a phytin × phytase interaction (P < 0.01).     

Impact of controlled fermentation and steeping of high moisture corn on its nutritional value for pigs

High moisture corn (HMC) can undergo fermentation during storage that may improve its nutritional value for pigs. Stored HMC used in this study contained (n = 4) 75% dry matter (DM), and, on a DM basis, 63.8% starch, 0.5% mono and disaccharides, 9.9% protein, 19 mM acetic acid, 18 mM lactic acid (LA), 1.25 × 10⁷ cfu g^− 1 of LA producing bacteria, 2.88 g kg^− 1 total phosphorus (P), and 1.26 g kg^− 1 soluble P. The soluble P content was higher than in freshly harvested HMC (0.27 g kg^− 1 DM) and indicates P release during storage. Studies were aimed at altering the nutritional value of stored HMC by controlled fermentation or steeping. Changes in LA content were not affected (P > 0.05) by addition of exogenous Lactobacillus and Bacillus bacteria. Steeping of HMC with phytase (Ronozyme) was examined at four inclusion levels (0, 500, 750, 1000 FTU kg^− 1) and at either 21 °C or 37 °C. At 37 °C added phytase released virtually all phytate P within 6 h irrespective of the level (levels increased by 1.44 g P kg^− 1 DM); at 21 °C, the increase was maximized at 1.2 g P kg^− 1 DM after 24 h. The feeding value of HMC for pigs can be altered by steeping with exogenous phytase and does not appear to require microbial inoculants.     

Effects of Lactobacillus and Bacillus subtilis Mixed Fermentation Feed on Growth Performance,Slaughter Performance and Intestinal Morphology of Broilers

The purpose of this experiment was to study the usage and proportion of fermented feed in broiler feed.By adding 0,10% and 20% fermented complete formula feed to the broiler feed,and granulating normally,the influence of the usage mode of the fermented feed on the production performance,slaughter performance,intestinal tract and other related indexes of the broiler feed were studied,so as to provide reference for the application of the fermented feed in the broiler feed.180 1-day-old healthy AA male broilers were randomly divided into 3 groups with 6 replicates in each group and 10 chickens in each replicate.The three treatment groups were fed with 0,10% and 20% of the total fermented feed for 42 days.The results showed that:From the whole period (1-42 days old),the 10% fermentation feed substitution group significantly reduced the feed consumption and weight gain ratio (P<0.05),and the average daily weight gain increased (P=0.05).At 42 days old,there was no significant effect of fermented feed on slaughter performance (P>0.05).The ileal crypt depth of broilers in the 20% fermentation feed replacement group was significantly higher than that in the control group and the 10% replacement group (P<0.05).The length of duodenal villi and V/C in 20% and 10% fermentative feed substitution group was significantly higher than that in control group (P<0.05).The results showed that the replacement of 10% fermented feed in broiler feed could reduce the ratio of feed to weight gain,increase the average daily gain,and have a certain impact on intestinal development.     

膨化与加酶玉米对断奶仔猪生长性能和肠黏膜形态的影响

通过2个饲养试验，研究了膨化及加酶处理玉米对断奶仔猪的生长性能和肠黏膜形态的影响。试验一分别用普通玉米、膨化玉米、普通玉米加酶及膨化玉米加酶为主要能量原料的饲料饲喂仔猪做4种处理，每个处理6个重复，定时记录体质量和耗料量．计算日增重、日采食量和料肉比。结果表明，膨化和加酶玉米均可提高日增重，降低料肉比。试验二分别用普通玉米、膨化玉米、普通玉米加酶及膨化玉米加酶为主要能量原料的饲料饲喂仔猪做4种处理，每个处理6个重复，分别在断奶后第14天和第28天各屠宰1头公猪。取十二指肠、空肠前、中、后段以及回肠做组织切片，观察其黏膜厚度、绒毛高度、隐窝深度和绒毛宽度。结果表明，断奶后14d，与普通玉米组相比，膨化玉米组和加酶玉米组都显著提高了十二指肠的绒毛高度，二者共同处理组使十二指肠的绒毛高度极显著提高；2种处理组都显著降低了空肠中段的隐窝深度；显著增加了十二指肠、空肠前段、后段和回肠的黏膜厚度。断奶后28d，2种处理组都显著增加了十二指肠的黏膜厚度。     

Change in flower morphology of Torenia fournieri Lind. induced by forchlorfenuron application

We induced various flower morphologies in torenia (Torenia fournieri Lind.) by the application of forchlorfenuron (CPPU). Those morphologies were the combination of four basic morphological changes, the development of serrate petals, incised petals, a paracorolla, and an increased number of floral organs. These morphological changes occurred systematically depending on the floral stage at the time of CPPU application. Serrate petals were induced when CPPU was applied during the stages of corolla development, whereas application at younger stages induced petal incision. The serrate petal margin resulted from preferential proliferation of cells around the vascular bundles, whereas petal incision likely resulted from the lateral outgrowths of petal. A paracorolla was induced at the adaxial petal face when CPPU was applied between the sepal development stage and early corolla development. The paracorolla appears to have arisen from the lateral outgrowths of the stamen. The numbers of stamens, petals, and sepals increased when CPPU was applied at and before the differentiation of sex organs and the corolla. Enlargement of the floral meristem probably caused this increase. Application of N⁶-benzylaminopurine and zeatin did not induce these morphological changes.