Intensive organic vegetable production increases soil organic carbon but with a lower carbon conversion efficiency than integrated management

Intensive vegetable production in greenhouses has rapidly expanded in China since the 1990s and increased to 1.3 million ha of farmland by 2016, which is the highest in the world. We conducted an 11‐year greenhouse vegetable production experiment from 2002 to 2013 to observe soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics under three management systems, i.e., conventional (CON), integrated (ING), and intensive organic (ORG) farming. Soil samples (0–20 and 20–40 cm depth) were collected in 2002 and 2013 and separated into four particle‐size fractions, i.e., coarse sand (> 250 µm), fine sand (250–53 µm), silt (53–2 µm), and clay (< 2 µm). The SOC contents and δ¹³C values of the whole soil and the four particle‐size fractions were analyzed. After 11 years of vegetable farming, ORG and ING significantly increased SOC stocks (0–20 cm) by 4008 ± 36.6 and 2880 ± 365 kg C ha^?1 y^?1, respectively, 8.1‐ and 5.8‐times that of CON (494 ± 42.6 kg C ha^?1 y^?1). The SOC stock increase in ORG at 20–40 cm depth was 245 ± 66.4 kg C ha^?1 y^?1, significantly higher than in ING (66 ± 13.4 kg C ha^?1 y^?1) and CON (109 ± 44.8 kg C ha^?1 y^?1). Analyses of ¹³C revealed a significant increase in newly produced SOC in both soil layers in ORG. However, the carbon conversion efficiency (CE: increased organic carbon in soil divided by organic carbon input) was lower in ORG (14.4%–21.7%) than in ING (18.2%–27.4%). Among the four particle‐sizes in the 0–20 cm layer, the silt fraction exhibited the largest proportion of increase in SOC content (57.8% and 55.4% of the SOC increase in ORG and ING, respectively). A similar trend was detected in the 20–40 cm soil layer. Over all, intensive organic (ORG) vegetable production increases soil organic carbon but with a lower carbon conversion efficiency than integrated (ING) management.     

SiO2纳米颗粒对黄瓜“新唐山秋瓜”幼苗根系 解剖结构和气体交换的影响

硅是地壳内含量第二丰富的元素。近年来,人们开始探索硅的纳米材料在农业领域的运用。为更好地将二氧化硅纳米颗粒应用于园艺植物生产,以黄瓜栽培品种新唐山秋瓜(Cucumissativuscv."QiuguaofNew Tangshan")为材料,采用盆栽的方式研究不同施入量下(0、5、10和20m L)浓度为30%的二氧化硅溶液对黄瓜根系解剖结构、根毛形成、黄瓜叶片光合色素含量、叶绿素荧光参数以及气体交换的影响。结果表明,二氧化硅纳米颗粒对黄瓜的根系解剖结构并没有显著的影响,但对根毛形成的影响较大,在每盆20m L二氧化硅溶液条件下的根毛密度最高。施入不同量的二氧化硅溶液对黄瓜叶片光合色素含量均有提高但并不明显,且在较低施入浓度下,光合作用机制得到一定的提高。黄瓜叶片的净光合速率随着二氧化硅施入量的增加逐渐增加,但施入量对蒸腾速率的影响不明显。综上,二氧化硅纳米颗粒通过促进根毛形成以及提高净光合速率能够提高植物的生长机理,进而促进植物生长和产量的提高,将其运用于农业生产及园艺作物生产上具有广阔前景。     

寿光1961—2015年初、终霜日、无霜期变化特征 及对农业的影响

笔者利用寿光市1961—2015年的气候资料，通过对初、终霜日期、无霜期观测资料，利用现代气候诊断分析方法，分析寿光市初、终霜日期、无霜期变化特征，科学评估初、终霜日变化对冬小麦和棉花产量的影响，为寿光农业生产防灾减灾提供参考依据。结果表明，（1）初霜日总体呈推迟趋势,终霜日呈提早趋势,无霜期延长。（2）初霜日呈推迟趋势，气候倾向率为2.23 d/10 a，1991年初霜日发生突变；（3）终霜日呈提前趋势，气候倾向率为-1.35 d/10 a。（4）无霜期日数呈增多趋势，气候倾向率为3.58 d/10 a，1994年无霜期日数发生突变。（5）初霜日和无霜期与小麦和棉花产量呈正相关，终霜日与小麦和棉花产量呈负相关，初霜日推迟比终霜日提前对小麦和棉花的产量贡献大。     

Unravelling the relationship between a seasonal environment and the dynamics of forage growth in grazed swards

It is well reported in the scientific literature that pastures can have similar net forage accumulation when managed with contrasting structures. However, we hypothesized that the dynamics of forage accumulation in grazed swards is linked to seasonal-environmental conditions. Marandu palisadegrass (Brachiaria brizantha [Hochst. ex A. Rich.] was used as the forage species model. The experimental treatments were four grazing heights (10, 20, 30 and 40 cm) allocated to experimental units according to a randomized complete block design with four replicates and evaluated throughout four contrasting environmental seasons (summer, autumn, winter–early spring and late spring). Under rainy and warm periods, greater net forage accumulation was observed in pastures maintained taller; on the contrary, during the mild and dry periods, net forage accumulation rate reduced as grazing height increased. Such patterns of responses were related to compensations between tiller population density and tissues flows during summer and late spring and the reduced capacity of taller canopies to compensate lower population with greater growth rates during autumn and winter–early spring. Grazed swards changed their patterns of forage growth as they transitioned from favourable to more abiotic stressful conditions, suggesting that seasonal adjustments in grazing intensities are necessary in order to maximize forage production.     

Effects of main cereal type and feed form on production performance,egg quality and egg sanitary indices of laying hens

ABSTRACT

1. The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of cereal types (maize or wheat) and feed forms (pelleted or mash feed) on production performance, egg quality and egg sanitary indices in laying hens.

2. Three hundred and sixty hens (Jinghong No. 1) at 18 weeks of age were randomly assigned to four treatments with six replicates of 15 hens per replicate according to a 2 × 2 factorial design with two cereal types (maize or wheat) and two feed forms (pelleted or mash feed).

3. Compared with the wheat-based diet, the maize-based diet improved (P < 0.05) average egg weight of laying hens. Yolk colour of hens fed with the maize-based diet was higher (P < 0.05) in comparison to those fed the wheat-based diet, while Haugh units were lower (P < 0.05) for the maize-based treatment. Egg mass and average daily feed intake of hens fed the pelleted diet were higher (P < 0.05) than of those fed the mash diet. However, the mash diet improved (P < 0.05) yolk colour compared with the pelleted diet. The percentage of dirty eggs for the wheat-based diet was higher (P < 0.05) than for the maize-based diet. The percentage of dirty eggs was higher (P < 0.05) in birds fed the pelleted diet compared with those fed the mash diet. There were interactions (P < 0.05) between cereal type and feed form, with regard to average egg weight and shell thickness.

4. In conclusion, dietary cereal type affected average egg weight, yolk colour and Haugh units in eggs, while feed form influenced egg mass, average daily feed intake and yolk colour.     

Identification of potential genomic regions for egg weight by a haplotype-based genome-wide association study using Bayesian methods

ABSTRACT

1. Theoretically, haplotype blocks might be a more suitable alternative to SNP genotypes as they are usually better at capturing multi-allelic QTL effects, compared to individual SNP genotypes in genome-wide association studies. The objectives of this study were to identify genomic regions related to egg weight traits by Bayesian methods (BayesA, BayesB, and BayesN) that fit fixed-length haplotypes using GenSel software.

2. Genotypes at 294,705 SNPs, that were common on a 600K Affymetrix chip, were phased for an egg-laying hen population of 1,063 birds. Recorded traits included first egg weight (FEW) and average egg weight at 28, 36, 56, 66, 72 and 80 weeks of age.

2. Fitting 1Mb haplotypes from BayesB resulted in the highest proportion of genetic variance explained for the egg weight traits. Based on the trait, the genetic variance explained by each marker ranged from 27% to 76%.

3. Different haplotype windows associated with egg weight traits only explained a small percentage of the genetic variance.

4. The top one 1-Mb window on GGA1 explained approximately 4.05% of total genetic variance for the FEW. Candidate genes, including PRKAR2B, HMGA2, LEMD3, GRIP1, EHBP1, MAP3K7, and MYH were identified for egg weight traits.

5. Several genomic regions, potentially associated with egg weight traits, were identified, some of which overlapped with known genes and previously reported QTL regions for egg production traits.     

Silage and haylage as forage in slow and fast-growing broilers – effects on performance in Campylobacter jejuni infected birds

ABSTRACT

1. This study investigated the effects of daily intake of silage or haylage on broiler production performance and organ development. Furthermore, effects of daily intake of Lactobacillus plantarum either via silage or by supplemented drinking water, on Campylobacter jejuni loads in faeces were studied.

2. To test this, a 42-d experiment using Ross 308 and a 63-d experiment with Rowan Rangers hybrids, were performed. Silage inoculated with L. plantarum strain 256 and haylage were fed in total mixed rations with mixtures of 85% of pellets and 15% of respective forage (DM-based weight). Feed intake (FI), forage intake, body weight (BW) and feed conversion ration (FCR) were monitored weekly. Mortality was recorded daily, and organ weights were registered at slaughter. Quantification of C. jejuni was performed by colony counts from faecal samples after culture on agar plates.

3. There was a negative effect of haylage on BW and FI in the fast-growing Ross 308 hybrid. Silage had a negative effect on BW only on week four and six. Water inoculated with L. plantarum 256 increased BW in the starter period. Interestingly, no significant adverse effect of forage inclusion was observed in the Rowan Ranger birds.

4. Relative weight of the emptied gizzard was higher in both Ross 308 and Rowan Ranger birds fed haylage and silage than in the control group. In Ross 308 birds, both forages significantly reased the relative weight of gizzard with digestive content when compared to birds fed solely pellets.

5. In both studies, higher consumption of silage than haylage was observed.

6. In conclusion, daily intake of L. plantarum 256 either via silage or supplemented in drinking water, was not effective in reducing the shedding of C. jejuni in either Ross 308 or Rowan Ranger hybrids at the end of the rearing period.     

不同饲养水平对瑶山鸡生产性能和胴体品质的影响

文章旨在研究不同饲养水平对瑶山鸡生产性能和胴体特征的影响。试验将400只平均体重一致的1日龄瑶山鸡随机分为2组,每组4个重复,每个重复50只。2组分别饲喂代谢能水平为3155 Kcal/kg、粗蛋白质水平为225 g/kg的高能高蛋白日粮和代谢能水平为2965 Kcal/kg、粗蛋白质水平为195 g/kg的低能低蛋白日粮。试验共开展10 w。同时将240只产蛋高峰期瑶山鸡随机分为2组,每组4个重复,每个重复30只,饲喂上述日粮4 w,试验结束后收集受精蛋进行孵化。结果:高能高蛋白组种鸡在8和10 w的体重和采食量均显著高于低能低蛋白组(P<0.05),而料重比显著降低(P<0.05)。高能高蛋白组种鸡受精率和孵化率显著高于低能低蛋白组(P<0.05),而残次率、胚胎死亡率和出壳前死亡率显著降低(P<0.05)。1~10 w时高能高蛋白组种鸡体重均显著高于低能低蛋白组(P<0.05),与低能低蛋白组相比,高能高蛋白组屠体重、可食用部分显著升高(P<0.05),腿肌占比显著降低(P<0.05)。结论:中等生长速度的瑶山肉种鸡可以更有效地利用高能量高蛋白(代谢能:3155 Kcal/kg,粗蛋白质:225 g/kg)饲料。     

不同培养基继代培养蜡蚧轮枝菌对产孢量和烟粉虱毒力的影响

为了探究不同培养基继代培养的蜡蚧轮枝菌对烟粉虱的作用效果,通过继代培养方法测定JMC-01、JMC-02菌株的产孢量、对烟粉虱的毒力及其几丁质酶活性。结果表明,JMC-01、JMC-02菌株在添加蝉蜕和烟粉虱的PDA培养基中连续培养5代的产孢量、对烟粉虱的毒力、几丁质酶活性均高于无添加的PDA培养基,且JMC-01菌株的各项参数均高于JMC-02菌株。JMC-01菌株在添加蝉蜕的PDA培养基中T_1和T_3代的产孢量最大,均为1.279×10~7个/mL,T_3代对烟粉虱的毒力最大,为88.33%,T_5代的几丁质酶活最高,为0.268 3 U/mL;在添加烟粉虱的PDA培养基中,JMC-01菌株的最大产孢量、对烟粉虱的最高毒力和最高几丁质酶活分别出现在S_2、S_4和S_5代,分别为1.270×10~7个/mL、88.33%和0.325 4 U/mL。回归分析结果显示,JMC-01、JMC-02菌株几丁质酶活性与烟粉虱校正死亡率呈显著的正相关,且拟合优度较好。本试验表明JMC-01、JMC-02菌株均对烟粉虱具有较强的毒力,添加蝉蜕和烟粉虱的培养基可以维持菌株生长特性、增加产孢量、延缓菌株退化、增强菌株的几丁质酶活性,为烟粉虱的生物防治提供了新的菌种资源。