无源蓄冷控温运输箱设计与试验

针对蓄冷运输箱信息化程度低、控温时间短、控温困难等问题,设计了一款集控温、远程监控、定位、故障诊断等功能于一体的蓄冷运输箱。以脐橙为试验对象,结合能耗模型,对蓄冷控温箱控温性能进行了研究。结果表明,箱内各截面温度不均匀系数分别为0.38、0.47、0.78,温度极差最大值为2.8℃,均匀性较好;当蓄冷剂用量为180 kg,预冷脐橙660 kg,在外部环境平均温度26.39℃的条件下,总控温时长为122 h,风机共执行控温21次,且随着蓄冷量减少,风机开启控温所用时间呈指数上升趋势,决定系数不小于0.928 0;结合能耗模型分析得出,该箱体在广州夏季高温环境下可控温5 d以上,能够满足远距离运输要求。     

轻型木结构墙体稳态传热性能及其保温材料影响比较

轻型木结构墙体的热工性能对建筑节能至关重要,其稳态传热性能是节能效率评估指标之一。工程调研发现,轻型木结构墙体墙骨柱热传递过程易产生冷热桥,改善墙体保温构造并通过试验测试,对得到不同构造的墙体传热系数等指标进行分析研究,有利于设计人员优选墙体设计参数、研发墙体新型保温材料。试验采用标定热箱法与热流计法相结合的试验方法——控温箱-热流计法对改善保温措施的墙体进行试验,分析了12种墙体试件的热流密度、传热系数、热阻以及日传热量参数,并与理论计算结果进行比较验证,试验结果与理论计算结果吻合性较好。研究发现:气凝胶毡放置在墙骨柱位置能够有效降低平均传热系数3.8%~15.0%,随厚度增加可逐渐减弱或消除墙骨柱冷热桥效应;聚苯乙烯保温板可有效降低传热系数32.4%~35.1%,墙体蓄热能力较好;纳米纤维保温材料可有效降低传热系数5.9%~8.7%,提高墙体冷热面温差,平衡室内温度。选取的3种保温材料中,聚苯乙烯保温板相比气凝胶毡和纳米纤维保温材料,对墙体整体热工性能的提升更为显著。     

One-time fertilization at first flowering improves lint yield and dry matter partitioning in late planted short-season cotton

Cotton producers have substantially reduced their inputs(labor, nutrients, and management) mainly by adopting a shortseason cropping management that is characterized by late sowing, high density, and reduced fertilization with one-time application at the first bloom stage without lint yield reduction. However, it has been hypothesized that one-time fertilization at an earlier growth stage could be a more effective and economic management practice. A two-year field experiment was conducted by applying five fertilizer one-time fertilization at 0(FT1), 5(FT2), 10(FT3), 15(FT4), and 20(FT5) days after the first flower appeared in the field and one three-split fertilizer application taken as the conventional control(FT6), making six treatments altogether. Cotton growth period, biomass accumulation, yield, and its formation were quantified. The results showed that the one-time fertilization did not affect the cotton growth progress as compared to FT6, however, the total crop cycles for FT3–FT5 were 3 days shorter. FT1 produced the highest cotton lint yield(1 396 kg ha–1), which was similar to the FT6 but higher than the other treatments, and could be attributed to more bolls per unit area and higher lint percentage. Cotton yield was positively correlated with cotton plant biomass accumulated. FT1 had both the highest average(VT)(193.7 kg ha–1 d–1) and the highest maximum(VM)(220.9 kg ha–1 d–1) rates during the fast biomass accumulation period. These results suggest that one-time fertilizer application at the first flower stage might be an adjustment that is more effective than at first bloom, and allowed for easier decision making for application date due to non counting of plants with flowers is needed.     

Effects of post-silking water deficit on the leaf photosynthesis and senescence of waxy maize

Waxy maize is widely cultivated under rainfed conditions and frequently suffers water shortage during the late growth stage. In this study, a pot trial was conducted to examine the effects of post-silking drought on leaf photosynthesis and senescence and its influence on grain yield. Two waxy maize hybrids, Suyunuo 5(SYN5) and Yunuo 7(YN7), were grown under the control and drought(soil moisture content was 70–80% and 50–60%, respectively) conditions after silking in 2016 and 2017. The decrease in yield was 11.1 and 15.4% for YN7 and SYN5, respectively, owing to the decreased grain weight and number. Post-silking dry matter accumulation was reduced by 27.2% in YN7 and 26.3% in SYN5. The contribution rate of pre-silking photoassimilates transferred to grain yield was increased by 15.6% in YN7 and 10.2% in SYN5, respectively. Post-silking drought increased the malondialdehyde content, but decreased the contents of water, soluble protein, chlorophyll, and carotenoid in the leaves. The weakened activities of enzymes involved in photosynthesis(ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase) and antioxidant system(catalase, superoxide dismutase and peroxidase) reduced the photosynthetic rate(P_n) and accelerated leaf senescence. The correlation results indicated that reduced Pn and catalase activity and increased malondialdehyde content under drought conditions induced the decrease of post-silking photoassimilates deposition, ultimately resulted in the grain yield loss.     

Exogenous application of allelopathic water extracts helps improving tolerance against terminal heat and drought stresses in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L. Em. Thell.)

The allelopathic water extracts (AWEs) may help improve the tolerance of crop plants against abiotic stresses owing to the presence of the secondary metabolites (i.e., allelochemicals). We conducted four independent experiments to evaluate the influence of exogenous application of AWEs (applied through seed priming or foliage spray) in improving the terminal heat and drought tolerance in bread wheat. In all the experiments, two wheat cultivars, viz. Mairaj‐2008 (drought and heat tolerant) and Faisalabad‐2008 (drought and heat sensitive), were raised in pots. Both wheat cultivars were raised under ambient conditions in the wire house till leaf boot stage (booting) by maintaining the pots at 75% water‐holding capacity (WHC). Then, managed drought and heat stresses were imposed by maintaining the pots at 35% WHC, or shifting the pots inside the glass canopies (at 75% WHC), at booting, anthesis and the grain filling stages. Drought stress reduced the grain yield of wheat by 39%–49%. Foliar application of AWEs improved the grain yield of wheat by 26%–31%, while seed priming with AWEs improved the grain yield by 18%–26%, respectively, than drought stress. Terminal heat stress reduced the grain yield of wheat by 38%. Seed priming with AWEs improved the grain yield by 21%–27%; while foliar application of AWEs improved the grain yield by 25%–29% than the heat stress treatment. In conclusion, the exogenous application of AWEs improved the stay green, accumulation of proline, soluble phenolics and glycine betaine, which helped to stabilize the biological membranes and improved the tolerance against terminal drought and heat stresses.     

Sorghum extrusion process combined with biofortified sweet potato contributed for high iron bioavailability in Wistar rats

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of sorghum and sweet potato on the bioavailability of iron, gene expression of proteins involved in iron metabolism and the plasma antioxidant capacity in animals fed with whole sorghum grains processed by dry heat or extrusion, combined or not with sweet potato flour with high content of carotenoids. Five experimental groups were tested (n = 7): dry heat sorghum flour (DS); extruded sorghum flour (ES); whole sorghum flour + sweet potato flour (DS + SP); extruded sorghum flour + sweet potato flour (ES + SP) and positive control (FS). The evaluations included: hemoglobin gain, hemoglobin regeneration efficiency, gene expression of divalente metal transporter 1 (DMT-1), duodenal citochroma B (DcytB), ferroportin, hephaestin, transferrin and ferritin and total plasma antioxidant capacity (TAC). The ES + SP group showed higher (p < 0.05) expression of DcytB, ferroportin and hephaestin when compared to the control group. The DS group showed high (p < 0.05) expression of DMT-1 and the ES showed high mRNA expression of transferrin and ferritin. The changes in the sorghum physicochemical properties from extrusion process reduced the iron and phytate content, and increased the gene expression of proteins involved in iron metabolism, improving iron bioavailability. The combination of sweet potato and sorghum flour (dry or extruded) improved the iron capture and total antioxidant capacity, probably due to the presence of β-carotene and antioxidant compounds.     

Dietary α‐linolenic acid affects lipid metabolism and tissue fatty acid profile and induces apoptosis in intraperitoneal adipose tissue of juvenile grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)

A 56‐day feeding trial was conducted to elucidate the effects and mechanism action of dietary α‐linolenic acid (ALA, 18:3n‐3) on lipid accumulation and fatty acid profile of muscle, hepatopancreas and intraperitoneal fat (IPF) in juvenile grass carp using three isonitrogenous and isoenergetic semi‐purified diets containing 0.0% (control group), 1.0% and 2.0% ALA, respectively. The lowest intraperitoneal fat (IPF) ratio was found in 2.0% group. In the muscle, hepatopancreas and IPF, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n‐3) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n‐3) contents increased with the increase in dietary ALA. In the IPF, caspase 3, caspase 8 and caspase 9 showed the highest activities in 2.0% group, while the value of Bcl‐2/Bax (B‐cell leukaemia 2/Bcl‐2‐associated X protein) reached the lowest. Meanwhile, swelling of the IPF mitochondria was observed in 2.0% group. The gene expressions of fatty acid desaturase (FAD) and fatty acid elongase (ELO) in the hepatopancreas and muscle showed significantly higher levels in the treatment groups, whereas an opposite trend was existed in the IPF. Fatty acid synthase (FAS), sterol regulatory element binding protein‐1c (SREBP‐1c) in the IPF and hepatopancreas reached the lowest in 2.0% group. Overall, dietary ALA could promote n‐3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs) synthesis and suppress the accumulation of lipid by decreasing the expression of related genes and promoting the apoptosis in IPF.     

Comparing the behavioural thermoregulation response to heat stress by Atlantic salmon parr (Salmo salar) in two rivers

Climate change is expected to increase the frequency and magnitude of extreme thermal events in rivers. The Little Southwest Miramichi River (LSWM) and the Ouelle River (OR) are two Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) rivers located in eastern Canada, where in recent years, water temperatures have exceeded known thermal limits (~23°C). Once temperature surpasses this threshold, juvenile salmon exploit thermal heterogeneity to behaviourally thermoregulate, forming aggregations in coolwater refuges. This study aimed to determine whether the behavioural thermoregulation response is universal across rivers, arising from common thermal cues. We detailed the temperature and discharge patterns of two geographically distinct rivers from 2010 to 2012 and compared these with aggregation onset temperature. PIT telemetry and snorkelling were used to confirm the presence of aggregations. Mean daily maximum temperature in 2010 was significantly greater in the OR versus the LSWM (p = 0.005), but not in other years (p = 0.090–0.353). Aggregations occurred on 14 and 9 occasions in the OR and LSWM respectively. Temperature at onset of aggregation was significantly greater in the OR (T_onset = 28.3°C) than in the LSWM (T_onset = 27.3°C; p = 0.049). Logistic regression models varied by river and were able to predict the probability of aggregation based on the preceding number of hours >23°C (R² = 0.61 & 0.65; P₅₀ = 27.4°C & 28.9°C; in the OR and LSWM respectively). These results imply the preceding local thermal regime may influence behaviour and indicate a degree of phenotypic plasticity, illustrating a need for localised management strategies.