Responses of carbon metabolism and antioxidant system of summer maize to waterlogging at different stages

A field experiment was performed to explore responses of carbon metabolism, antioxidant system and endogenous hormone content of summer maize hybrids DengHai605 (DH605) and ZhengDan958 (ZD958) to waterlogging at the third leaf stage (V3), the sixth leaf stage (V6) and the 10th day after the tasselling stage (10VT). Results showed that waterlogging significantly decreased the contents of zeatin riboside (ZR), indole‐3‐acetic acid (IAA) and gibberellic acid (GA), compared to those of CK. However, leaf abscisic acid (ABA) content was significantly increased by waterlogging at different stages, with the most significant increase was found in the treatment of waterlogging at V3 (V3‐W), with an increase of 30% and 29% for DH605 and ZD958, respectively. Waterlogging significantly decreased antioxidative enzyme activities, accelerating leaf senescence, resulted in the disorder of leaf gas exchange parameters and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters. In addition, waterlogging decreased key enzyme activities of carbon metabolism (ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase), with the most significant reduction in V3‐W, with a decrease of 46% and 49% for DH605, and 53% and 55% for ZD958, respectively. Visibly, waterlogging disturbed carbon metabolism, affected plant endogenous hormone content, accelerated leaf senescence and eventually resulted in a significant reduction in photosynthetic characteristic and grain yield. V3 was most susceptible to waterlogging, followed by V6 and 10VT.     

Effects of adding sucrose on Penaeus monodon (Fabricius, 1798) growth performance and water quality in a biofloc system

A 60‐day indoor growth trial was conducted to study the effects of biofloc on the growth performance of a Penaeus monodon (Fabricius, 1798), water quality and biological indicators including biofloc volume, chlorophyll‐a, heterotrophic bacteria and Bacillus quantity. Two concentrations of sucrose (0 and 75%) were added daily to the P. monodon culture systems (2.94 ± 0.11 g), which were conducted indoors in fibre‐glass tanks (500 L). Results showed that the final body weight and weight gain of the adding 75% sucrose group were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than that of the control, as well as significantly (P < 0.05) improved specific growth rates and survival rates, and reduced feed coefficient. Adding 75% sucrose promoted heterotrophic bacteria, Bacillus and phytoplankton reproduction, and significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the concentration of ammonia‐N (NH₄‐N), nitrite‐N (NO₂‐N) and nitrate‐N (NO₃‐N). The changes of water quality indicators in the two groups showed the similar trend at the end of the experiment, and the ammonia‐N, nitrite‐N, nitrate‐N and phosphate‐P concentrations in the 75% sucrose group were significantly (P < 0.05) lower than those of the control group, Chlorophyll‐a concentrations peaked at 389.12 μg/L in the biofloc sucrose group at 18:00 h, and heterotrophic bacteria peaked 8 h after sucrose was added. The addition of sucrose also reduced the pH of the water. Our research showed that adding sucrose promoted biofloc formation and shortened the formation time; increased the number of heterotrophic bacteria and algae which might play a role in improving water quality by assimilating ammonia‐N and other harmful substances in the water; supplemented food for P monodon growth; and reduced the feed coefficient.     

Impact of sampling and storage technique,and duration of storage,on the composition of fresh grass when analysed using near‐infrared reflectance spectroscopy

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of sampling technique (pluck or cut), storage duration (immediate analysis, 24‐h or 48‐h), storage temperature (ambient or chilled) and storage conditions (air present, air excluded or breathable) on the composition of fresh grass sampled from a sward managed to simulate grazing. Treatments were repeated across four sampling dates, with grass samples stored in grip seal bags prior to analysis using near‐infrared reflectance spectroscopy. Grass sampled by ‘pluck’ had a higher crude protein and ME content, and a lower acid detergent fibre (ADF) content, compared to that sampled by ‘cut’. Grass stored for 48 h had a lower water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) and ME content and a higher ADF content than for immediate analysis. Samples stored for 24 h did not differ from immediate analysis. Grass stored at ambient temperature had a lower WSC and ME content compared to immediate analysis. Grass stored under ‘breathable’ conditions had a lower ME content and higher ADF content than immediate analysis or samples stored with air present or air excluded. It is recommended that grass for analysis should be sampled by cutting, stored chilled (4°C) in a sealed bag to minimize exposure to oxygen and analysed within 24 h of harvest.     

生乳储运条件对品质影响的探究

菌落总数是衡量生乳品质的重要指标之一。生乳中菌落总数基数越大,其品质越不稳定。但因为奶源产地等原因,生乳必须经过一段时间运输才能到达乳品企业进行生产,运输过程可能由于微生物繁殖导致生乳品质下降。试验选取菌落总数基数不同的两批生乳,通过在2~6 ℃和10~15 ℃条件下存放,模拟生乳在冷藏储运和脱冷储运状态下,分别储存24 h、48 h、72 h、96 h后进行菌落总数、酒精试验、酸度及脂肪酶活力检测。通过对比,找到生乳最佳储存温度和运输时间,为乳品企业和冷链运输提供参考。     

How do hedgerows influence soil organic carbon stock in livestock‐grazed pasture?

Hedgerows have the potential to influence ecosystem function in livestock‐grazed pasture. Despite this, they are often ignored when quantifying farmland ecosystem service delivery. In this study, we assess the contribution of hedgerows to the ecosystem function of carbon (C) storage, with a particular emphasis on soil organic carbon (SOC). We measured SOC stock (kg C m^?2), on an equivalent soil mass basis, at 0–0.15 m depth in pasture adjacent to 38 hedgerows (biotic) and 16 stone walls or fences (abiotic controls) across ten farms in the county of Conwy, Wales, UK. Pasture SOC stock (~7 kg C m^?2) was similar adjacent to biotic and abiotic field boundaries, positively associated with soil moisture and negatively with soil bulk density (BD). For biotic boundaries, two further variables were significantly associated with SOC stock, distance from hedgerow (decrease in SOC stock) and slope orientation (upslope SOC stock greater than downslope). For pasture adjacent to hedgerows, a model combining the aforementioned variables (BD, soil moisture, distance from hedgerow, slope orientation) explained 78% of variation in SOC stock. This study demonstrates that whilst hedgerows do have subtle positive effects on SOC stock in adjacent pasture, SOC storage adjacent to field boundaries is influenced more by soil moisture content and BD than field boundary type.     

包装对薄皮核桃贮藏品质的影响

以阿克苏干制"温185"薄皮核桃为试材,采用包装结合脱氧剂处理核桃,并以不处理为对照,在常温(20～25℃)条件下贮藏,分别测定过氧化值、酸价、皂化价、碘价、水分含量、脂肪酶、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)、脂氧合酶(LOX)、过氧化物酶(POD)和丙二醛(MDA)指标的变化,研究包装对薄皮核桃贮藏品质的影响。结果表明:采用包装结合脱氧剂处理核桃,可有效延缓薄皮核桃过氧化值、酸价及皂化价的升高,抑制碘价和水分含量的下降,并提高SOD和CAT的活性,抑制脂肪酶、LOX及POD活性,延缓MDA含量的上升,保持核桃仁的风味,其中充气(氮气N2)添加脱氧剂包装效果优于其他处理组,对干制薄皮核桃的贮藏效果较好。     

Novel soil quality indicators for the evaluation of agricultural management practices: a biological perspective

Developments in soil biology and in methods to characterize soil organic carbon can potentially deliver novel soil quality indicators that can help identify management practices able to sustain soil productivity and environmental resilience. This work aimed at synthesizing results regarding the suitability of a range of soil biological and biochemical properties as novel soil quality indicators for agricultural management. The soil properties, selected through a published literature review, comprised different labile organic carbon fractions [hydrophilic dissolved organic carbon, dissolved organic carbon, permanganate oxidizable carbon (POXC), hot water extractable carbon and particulate organic matter carbon], soil disease suppressiveness measured using a Pythium-Lepidium bioassay, nematode communities characterized by amplicon sequencing and qPCR, and microbial community level physiological profiling measured with MicroResp^TM. Prior studies tested the sensitivity of each of the novel indicators to tillage and organic matter addition in ten European long-term field experiments (LTEs) and assessed their relationships with pre-existing soil quality indicators of soil functioning. Here, the results of these previous studies are brought together and interpreted relative to each other and to the broader body of literature on soil quality assessment. Reduced tillage increased carbon availability, disease suppressiveness, nematode richness and diversity, the stability and maturity of the food web, and microbial activity and functional diversity. Organic matter addition played a weaker role in enhancing soil quality, possibly due to the range of composition of the organic matter inputs used in the LTEs. POXC was the indicator that discriminated best between soil management practices, followed by nematode indices based on functional characteristics. Structural equation modeling shows that POXC has a central role in nutrient retention/supply, carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, erosion control and disease regulation/suppression. The novel indicators proposed here have great potential to improve existing soil quality assessment schemes. Their feasibility of application is discussed and needs for future research are outlined.     

Seasonal Losses of Surface Litter in Northern Great Plains Mixed-Grass Prairies

Surface litter protects rangeland soils against wind and water erosion and provides food and nesting materials for wildlife and insects. However, the ability of grassland systems to provide these services depends on the little studied topic of seasonal surface litter decomposition. Seasonal and annual surface litter decomposition rates were determined between 2014 and 2015 in central and western South Dakota at three mixed-grass prairie locations. Residue bags containing surface litter were placed in the field in late fall (1 November) of 2014 and removed after the winter (1 April), spring (1 July), and summer + fall seasons (1 November) of 2015. The litter was analyzed for total C, total N, acid detergent fiber (ADF), and acid detergent lignin (ADL). Average winter temperatures ranged from −5^oC to −15^oC, while summer temperatures ranged from 10^oC to 35^oC. Litter decomposition was lowest during the winter (0.57−0.86 g [kg × day]⁻¹) and greatest during the summer + fall (2.12−2.69 g [kg × day]⁻¹). Over the entire season, 40.8−62% of the surface litter decomposed. Winter litter decomposition was positively correlated with air temperature (r = 0.62, P < 0.01) and snow depth (r = 0.61, P < 0.01), and negatively correlated with C/N ratio (r = −0.65, P < 0.01), ADF (r = −0.35, P < 0.05), and ADL (r = −0.25, P < 0.05) concentrations. These findings indicate that winter decomposition cannot be ignored and that winter surface litter decomposition increases with snow depth.     

生鲜肉类食品供应链碳排放测算及动态优化研究

以生鲜肉类食品供应链作为研究对象,基于生命周期理论界定生鲜肉类食品供应链碳排放的系统边界,并结合系统动力学方法建立生鲜肉类食品供应链的系统动力学模型,探讨肉类食品供应链的碳排放问题。研究结果表明:1)1t生鲜肉在其生命周期内产生的碳排放为166.97kg,其中生产、运输、仓储和销售环节中碳排放分别占总供应链的28.68%、52.37%、8.90%和10.04%,运输环节对全供应链的碳排放贡献率最高。2)动态优化研究发现,运输环节改变长途运输方式、生产环节废弃物回收利用及优化生产设备效率、销售环节降低设备功率取得的碳排放优化效果最佳,在2018年供应链碳排放分别降低了41.10%、4.70%、1.61%和1.25%。3)目前优化运输能源结构、开发可再生的清洁能源已成为大势所趋,且模拟结果表明,运输中燃烧生物柴油可降低供应链碳排放的13.10%,减排效果较为显著。4)在生鲜肉预冷过程中降低制冷系统能耗、在冷藏及销售过程中提高设备空间利用率可分别使供应链年碳排放降低2 100、1 600t,虽实施效果较小,但该措施便于操作,是降低供应链碳排放的有效途径。