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.     

Vole abundance and reindeer carcasses determine breeding activity of Arctic foxes in low Arctic Yamal,Russia

Background

High latitude ecosystems are at present changing rapidly under the influence of climate warming, and specialized Arctic species at the southern margin of the Arctic may be particularly affected. The Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus), a small mammalian predator endemic to northern tundra areas, is able to exploit different resources in the context of varying tundra ecosystems. Although generally widespread, it is critically endangered in subarctic Fennoscandia, where a fading out of the characteristic lemming cycles and competition with abundant red foxes have been identified as main threats. We studied an Arctic fox population at the Erkuta Tundra Monitoring site in low Arctic Yamal (Russia) during 10 years in order to determine which resources support the breeding activity in this population. In the study area, lemmings have been rare during the last 15 years and red foxes are nearly absent, creating an interesting contrast to the situation in Fennoscandia.

Results

Arctic fox was breeding in nine of the 10 years of the study. The number of active dens was on average 2.6 (range 0–6) per 100 km² and increased with small rodent abundance. It was also higher after winters with many reindeer carcasses, which occurred when mortality was unusually high due to icy pastures following rain-on-snow events. Average litter size was 5.2 (SD = 2.1). Scat dissection suggested that small rodents (mostly Microtus spp.) were the most important prey category. Prey remains observed at dens show that birds, notably waterfowl, were also an important resource in summer.

Conclusions

The Arctic fox in southern Yamal, which is part of a species-rich low Arctic food web, seems at present able to cope with a state shift of the small rodent community from high amplitude cyclicity with lemming dominated peaks, to a vole community with low amplitude fluctuations. The estimated breeding parameters characterized the population as intermediate between the lemming fox and the coastal fox ecotype. Only continued ecosystem-based monitoring will reveal their fate in a changing tundra ecosystem.

     

Impact of grassland contract policy on soil organic carbon losses from alpine grassland on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau

Carbon storage in the soils on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau plays a very important role in the global carbon budget. In the 1990s, a policy of contracting collective grasslands to smaller units was implemented, resulting in a change from the traditional collective grassland management to two new management patterns: a multi‐household management pattern (MMP: grassland shared by several households without enclosures) and a single‐household management pattern (SMP: grassland enclosed and used by only one household). In 2016, 50 MMP and 54 SMP winter pastures on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau were sampled to assess the differences in soil organic carbon (SOC) between the two management patterns. Results showed that average SOC was significantly greater under MMP than under SMP, with an estimated 0.41 Mg C/ha/yr lost due to SMP following the new grassland contract. Based on the government's grassland policy, four grassland utilization scenarios were developed for both summer and winter pastures. We found that if the grassland were managed under SMP, likely C losses ranged between 0.31 × 10⁷ and 6.15 × 10⁷ Mg C/yr across the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau relative to MMP, which more closely resembles pre‐1990s grassland management. Previous estimates of C losses have only considered land use change (with cover change) and ignored the impacts driven by land management pattern changes (without cover change). The new data suggest that C losses from the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau are greater than previously estimated, and therefore that the grassland contract policy should be reviewed and SMP households should be encouraged to reunite into the MMP. These findings have potential implications for land management strategies not only on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau but also other grazing regions globally where such practices may exist.     

气吸式覆膜精量油菜播种机排种性能试验与优化设计

针对目前高寒地油菜播种机普遍存在的重播漏播率高、人工劳动强度大、生长期缺水等问题，研究设计了一种气吸式精量播种机，一次性完成膜上播种、施肥、滴水灌溉、覆膜。分析了播种机主要结构、工作原理，对其关键部件进行结构设计，以排种盘转速、气吸室负压、排种盘型孔直径为试验因素，利用软件优化分析获得合理参数组合。结果表明：播种机排种盘转速197 r·min^-1、气吸室负压2.5 kPa、排种盘型孔直径1.2 mm时，田间播种合格率为93%、重播率3%、漏播率1%，播种质量较好。田间试验表明上述参数组合下排种器工作性能满足油菜播种机工作性能要求，该研究为油菜精密播种机的研究和设计提供了理论和技术参数。     

Synchytrium endobioticum – risk from biogas plants?

Synchytrium endobioticum is one of the most important pathogens of potato and is known for its persistent propagation structures. Under favourable conditions, infection of highly susceptible potato cultivars leads to clearly visible cauliflower‐like tissue warts, the typical symptom of potato wart disease. However, unfavourable infection conditions or low infection pressure may result in symptoms being overlooked. Thus, the introduction of pathogen structures into stages of the processing industry cannot be ruled out. As the amounts of processed potato products continue to rise, phytosanitary risks from processing discarded potatoes and potato waste in biogas plants have to be considered. Hence, the resilience of resting spores against mesophilic anaerobic digestion was analysed in stirred tank reactors. Laboratory‐scale results show that S. endobioticum not only withstands mesophilic anaerobic digestion but also subsequent storage of the digestate for at least 4 weeks. Large numbers of viable resting spores were detectable by microscopic assessment in all samples. Viability was proved and verified additionally by bioassay. Consequently, potatoes, potato waste and processing water from potato processing industries used in biogas plants pose a phytosanitary risk if the accruing digestates are returned as fertilizer to arable land.     

黔东南州打造全域森林公园的可行性研究

指出了建设全域森林公园是经济和社会发展的必然要求。在对黔东南州发展全域森林公园进行必要性和打造条件后认为:黔东南州在打造全域森林公园方面具有明显的政策优势,有着优良的森林生态环境资源,以及良好的林业产业基础等优势条件。通过不断完善相关的配套服务体系,已具备了打造全域森林公园的可行性。     

Dietary Lipid Levels Affect the Growth Performance,Lipid Deposition,and Antioxidative Capacity of Juvenile Scaleless Carp,Gymnocypris przewalskii,on the Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau

A 56‐d growth trial was conducted to evaluate the growth performance, lipid deposition, and antioxidative capacity of juvenile scaleless carp, Gymnocypris przewalskii, on Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau. One‐year‐old juveniles (initial weight: 15.99 ± 0.02 g) were fed practical diets with different lipid levels of 4, 5.5, 7, 8.5, and 10%, respectively. Results showed that the best specific growth rate (SGR), feed conversion rate, and total antioxidative capacity (T‐AOC) in hepatopancreas were observed in fish fed the diet with 7% lipid level. Fish fed with high lipid diets (8.5 and 10%) had significantly higher condition factor and viscerosomatic index as well as lipid in muscle, intestine, mesenteric fat tissue, and whole body. Highest level of hepatopancreas lipase and lipoprotein lipases activities as well as malondialdehyde content and the lowest level of feed intake and T‐AOC content in hepatopancreas and intestine were also observed in fish fed with high lipid diets (8.5 and 10%) (P < 0.05). In conclusion, based on SGR and hepatopancreas T‐AOC content, dietary lipid requirement of juvenile G. przewalskii was estimated to be 7.35 and 7.39%, respectively.