Estimation of litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) leaf nitrogen content at different growth stages using canopy reflectance spectra

The estimation of crop nitrogen status in fresh vegetation leaf using field spectroscopy is challenging due to the weak responses on leaf/canopy reflectance and the overlapping with the absorption features of other compounds. Although the spectral indices were proposed in the literature to predict leaf nitrogen content (LNC), the performance of selected spectral indices to estimate the LNC is often inconsistent. Moreover, the models for nitrogen content estimation changed with the growth stage. The goal of this study was to evaluate the performance of published indices, ratio of data difference index (RDDI) and ratio of data index (RDI) developed by band iterative-optimization algorithm in LNC estimation. The correlation analysis, linear regression and cross validation were used to analyze the relationship between spectral data and LNC and construct the best performed estimation model. The study was conducted by the data of five growing seasons of litchi from the orchards in Guangdong Province of China. Results showed that the relationship between chlorophyll (Chl) related spectral indices and LNC varied with the growth stage. Even in flower bud morphological differentiation stage and autumn shoot maturation stage, there were not significant correlations between the proposed spectral indices and LNC. Besides it is difficult to estimate the LNC by the general model across the growth stages due to the integrated effects of cultivar, biochemical, canopy structure, etc. The band iterative-optimization algorithm can improve the sensitivity of spectral data to LNC to some extent. The optimal RDDI performed better than other indices for the synthetic dataset and the dataset in each growth stage. And the sensitive bands selected in the optimal indices at each growth stage are not consistent, which are not only related to the Chl absorption but also other biochemical components, such as starch, lignin, cellulose, protein, etc. In general, the LNC can be estimated by the optimized CR-based RDDI indices in autumn shoot maturation stage, flower spike stage, fruit maturation stage, and flowering stage with the R² > 0.50 and RMSE < 0.14. Although there were the significant relationship between RDIs and RDDIs in flower bud morphological differentiation stage, the highest R²s of the model developed by RDDIs and RDIs were less than 0.50 in cross validation. This study indicated that the applicability of canopy reflectance to estimate litchi LNC was closely related to the growth stage of litchi. Growth stage-specific models will be preferred for estimating litchi LNC estimation.     

油菜新品种宁杂1818氮肥运筹试验

以油菜(Brassica campestris L.)新品种宁杂1818为试验材料,以秦优7号为对照,研究不同氮肥运筹条件下,宁杂1818的植株长势和产量变化,旨在为深入了解宁杂1818的生长特性,建立宁杂1818高产、高效栽培技术体系提供理论依据。     

Soil CO2 emission in sugarcane management systems

Sugarcane management systems affect soil attributes such as the carbon cycle. This fact has stimulated the sugar and alcohol industry to refine the sugarcane production systems by replacing the pre-harvest burning (PB) and manual harvest with mechanized harvesting followed by residue deposition. The aim of this study was to evaluate different management systems with respect to C cycling carbon dioxide and soil parameters (chemical, physical and biological) which were determined over the season. Three sugarcane cultivation systems were evaluated at the following periods: (a) PB, (b) 5-year green harvest and (c) 10-year green harvest. The results indicated that CO₂ emission was 36% greater in the 10-year sugarcane green harvest system than in the PB system. The bulk density and macroporosity were the factors that were most affected by the different sugarcane management systems and that significantly influenced soil CO₂ emissions. The principal component analysis showed that soil CO₂ emission was 18% influenced by base saturation (V%) and 14% by pH, especially in the PB area. Additionally, 19% was affected by carbon and macroporosity in the 5- and 10-year green harvest areas, respectively. From our results, it can be concluded that the most CO₂ emissions are in the areas of sugarcane green, this is due to the higher carbon concentration when compared with the area of burning sugarcane. The parameters that most influenced the CO₂ emissions were bulk density, porosity, macroporosity, pH and V%.     

Shelf-Life of Spanish Mackerel (Scomberomorus commerson) from Northern Australian Waters

Abstract

The shelf-life of Spanish mackerel caught by line fishing in Northern Australian waters was evaluated. Spiked fish were stored in ice either headed and gutted or left uncut and subjected to sensory, nucleotide, pH, histamine and microbial analysts and the rigor pattern recorded. There was little difference between the two product forms. Rigor in uncut fish lasted for 14 ± 9.8 hours and in headed and gutted fish for 19.6 ± 16.3 hours. Spanish mackerel retained good sensory quality for up to 14 days. The bacterial load reached 105 cfu/g by 18 days. K values were low for most of the storage time, < 40%. Histamine levels did not develop more than 10 mg/kg during storage. The pH of Spanish mackerel did not change much even though bacterial levels become high.     

Dietary fiber in a low-protein diet during gestation affects nitrogen excretion in primiparous gilts,with possible influences from the gut microbiota

We investigated the effects of dietary fiber (DF) supplementation in normal or low crude protein (CP) diets on reproductive performance and nitrogen (N) utilization in primiparous gilts. In total, 77 Landrace × Yorkshire pregnant gilts were randomly allocated to four dietary treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial design. The groups comprised 1) equal intake of normal CP (12.82% and 0.61% total lysine), 2) low CP (LP) (10.53% and 0.61% total lysine), and 3) with or 4) without DF supplementation (cellulose, inulin, and pectin in a 34:10:1 ratio). A low-protein diet during gestation significantly reduced daily weight gain from days 91 to 110 of pregnancy (−162.5 g/d, P = 0.004). From N balance trials conducted at days 35 to 38, 65 to 68, and 95 to 98 of pregnancy, DF addition increased fecal N excretion at days 65 to 68 (+24.1%) and 95 to 98 (+13.8%) of pregnancy (P < 0.05) but reduced urinary N excretion (P < 0.05), resulting in greater N retention at each gestational stage. DF increased fecal microbial protein levels and excretion during gestation. An LP diet also reduced urinary N excretion at different gestational stages. An in vitro fermentation trial on culture media with nonprotein N urea and ammonium bicarbonate (NH₄HCO₃) as the only N sources revealed that microbiota derived from feces of gestating gilts fed the high DF diet exhibited a greater capacity to convert nonprotein N to microbial protein. Microbial fecal diversity, as measured by 16S rRNA sequencing, revealed significant changes from DF but not CP diets. Gilts fed an LP diet had a higher number of stillbirths (+0.83 per litter, P = 0.046) and a lower piglet birth weight (1.52 vs. 1.37 kg, P = 0.006), regardless of DF levels. Collectively, DF supplementation to gestation diets shifted N excretion from urine to feces in the form of microbial protein, suggesting that the microbiota had a putative role in controlling N utilization from DF. Additionally, a low-protein diet during gestation negatively affected the litter performance of gilts.     

Selenium supplementation improves nutrient intake and digestibility,and mitigates CH4 emissions from sheep grazed on the mixed pasture of alfalfa and tall fescue

Low selenium (Se) in soil and forage can adversely affect on the quality of animal-derived foods, and hence on human health. Lambs grazed on mixed pastures of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) were supplemented with five levels of Se [0, 3, 6, 9 and 12 µg/kg body weight (BW)]. The intake of dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM) varied with the level of Se supplementation, with a peak at 6 µg Se per kg BW (p ≤ 0.05). Gross energy (GE) intake, digestive energy (DE) intake and metabolic energy (ME) intake were higher at 6 µg Se per kg BW than at other Se levels (p < 0.01); in addition, methane energy (CH₄-E) output was lower at 6 µg Se per kg BW. Supplementation with Se significantly increased nitrogen (N) intake, faecal N and urine N, for which the peak values were 20.2 g N/, 5.62 g N/day and 7.92 g N/day, respectively, at 6 µg Se per kg BW. Se intake, blood Se, faecal Se, urine Se and retained Se were negatively correlated with forage crude protein (CP) content (p < 0.001) but were positively correlated with the content of neutral detergent fibre (NDF) (p < 0.001) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) (p < 0.001). Thus, we recommend the addition of 6 µg Se per kg BW to sheep grazed on pastures in regions with low soil Se.     

0~4周龄云岭红肉鸡赖氨酸适宜需要量的研究

试验通过分析饲粮不同赖氨酸水平对云岭红肉鸡生长性能、氮沉积率及血液生化指标的影响,确定云岭红肉鸡饲粮赖氨酸的适宜需要量。采用单因素试验设计,将180只健康状况良好、体重相近的1日龄云岭红肉鸡随机分为5个处理组,每组3个重复,每个重复12只鸡。5组试验鸡饲喂的饲粮赖氨酸水平分别为0.85%、0.95%、1.05%、1.15%、1.25%。结果表明:赖氨酸水平对试验鸡的期末体重、全期增重、平均日增重及料重比有显著影响(P<0.05),当赖氨酸水平为1.15%时期末体重最大739.21 g,全期增重最大701.66 g,平均日增重最大24.19 g,料重比最低1.68。不同赖氨酸水平对丝氨酸、甘氨酸和组氨酸的表观代谢率影响显著(P<0.05)。对血清总氨基酸和血清尿素氮影响显著(P<0.05)。研究表明,0~4周龄云岭红肉鸡适宜赖氨酸水平最适量为1.15%。     

速度赛马粪便微生物种群差异的研究

为筛选提高赛马竞技成绩的有益微生物,试验比较现役纯血速度赛马粪便微生物群落多样性及丰度差异。选择休赛一周的现役纯血马9匹,按比赛成绩分为A(16.8 m/s)、B(16.4 m/s)、C(16.3 m/s)3组。收集新鲜粪便样本,提取粪便样本菌群DNA,对微生物16S rDNA的V3~V4区序列Illumina测序。结果表明,A组与C组粪便微生物菌群之间在纲、种的分类菌群数上差异显著(P<0.05)。LDA效应分析A组马粪微生物标志物种为Bacteria、Firmicutes、Clostridia、Clostridiales、Veillonellaceae、Anaerovibrio,以上微生物标志物种在3组中的相对丰度分布为A组>B组>C组。A组的厌氧弧菌属(Anaerovibrio)、C组的根瘤菌目(Rhizobiales)的LDA效应值显著(P<0.05)。按马粪中微生物丰度,纲、目、科、属中分别有4、3、5、9、14组微生物差异(P<0.05)。研究表明,可以按微生物群落差异筛选出提高赛马成绩的消化道微生物制剂。     

抗菌肽粗提物对肉鸡生长性能、粪便微生物菌群结构及经济效益的影响

为分析抗菌肽粗提物对肉鸡生长性能、粪便微生物菌群结构及经济效益的影响,试验选择体重相近的21日龄白羽肉鸡600只,随机分成4组,每组15个重复,每个重复10只,1组为空白对照组饲喂基础日粮,试验2、3、4组在基础日粮中分别添加1.0%、1.5%、2.0%的抗菌肽粗提物,试验期为21 d。结果表明：（1）试验2、3、4组的平均采食均高于1组（P > 0.05）|试验3、4组的平均日增重较1组比分别提高11.0%、9.4%（P ＜ 0.05）,料重比较1组比分别降低18.5%、15.2% （P ＜ 0.05）|（2）试验3、4组粪便中大肠杆菌的含量较1组分别降低14.3%、18.0%（P ＜ 0.05）,试验3、4组粪便中乳酸杆菌、双歧杆菌的含量较1组比分别提高4.6%、6.7%、14.5%、12.3%（P ＜ 0.05）|（3）试验3、4组每只肉鸡经济效益较1组比分别提高19.3%、17.7%。综上,1.5%抗菌肽粗提物添加可以提高白羽肉鸡生长性能,改善粪便微生物菌群结构,提高其经济效益。 [关键词] 抗菌肽粗提物|白羽肉鸡|生长性能|粪便微生物菌群结构|经济效益     

青藏高原湿草甸土壤氮组分对氮添加浓度的响应

为研究青藏高原湿草甸土壤氮组分对氮添加程度的响应规律,分析氮素大量输入生态系统后可能产生的环境和生态问题,本研究以青藏高原东北边缘碌曲县尕海-则岔国家自然保护区境内的湿草甸土壤为研究对象,设置空白对照(CK,0 g·m^-2)、低浓度(N₅,5 g·m^-2)、中浓度(N₁₀,10 g·m^-2)和高浓度(N₁₅,15 g·m^-2)4种处理,分析不同氮添加下的土壤氮组分含量(铵态氮、硝态氮、可溶性有机氮)的垂直和季节变化。结果表明:不同氮添加处理均能增加土壤氮组分含量,其增加程度依次为N₅＞N₁₀＞N₁₅＞CK;在土壤垂直剖面上,土壤氮组分含量随土层深度增加而降低;在植物生长季内,氮添加处理后的土壤氮组分含量较高值出现在植物生长末期。本研究表明氮添加对青藏高原湿草甸土壤有效氮的增加具有显著促进作用。