Estimates on nitrogen uptake in the subsequent wheat by above-ground and root residue and rhizodeposition of using peanut labeled with 15N isotope on the North China Plain

Leguminous crops play a vital role in enhancing crop yield and improving soil fertility. Therefore, it can be used as an organic N source for improving soil fertility. The purpose of this study was to (i) quantify the amounts of N derived from rhizodeposition, root and above-ground biomass of peanut residue in comparison with wheat and (ii) estimate the effect of the residual N on the wheat-growing season in the subsequent year. The plants of peanut and wheat were stem fed with ¹⁵N urea using the cotton-wick method at the Wuqiao Station of China Agricultural University in 2014. The experiment consisted of four residue-returning strategies in a randomized complete-block design: (i) no return of crop residue (CR0); (ii) return of above-ground biomass of peanut crop (CR1); (iii) return of peanut root biomass (CR2); and (iv) return of all residue of the whole peanut plant (CR3). The 31.5 and 21% of the labeled ¹⁵N isotope were accumulated in the above-ground tissues (leaves and stems) of peanuts and wheat, respectively. N rhizodeposition of peanuts and wheat accounted for 14.91 and 3.61% of the BG¹⁵N, respectively. The ¹⁵N from the below-ground ¹⁵N-labeled of peanuts were supplied 11.3, 5.9, 13.5, and 6.1% of in the CR0, CR1, CR2, and CR3 treatments, respectively. Peanut straw contributes a significant proportion of N to the soil through the decomposition of plant residues and N rhizodeposition. With the current production level on the NCP, it is estimated that peanut straw can potentially replace 104 500 tons of synthetic N fertilizer per year. The inclusion of peanut in rotation with cereal can significantly reduce the use of N fertilizer and enhance the system sustainability.     

Residue management induced changes in soil organic carbon and total nitrogen under different tillage practices in the North China Plain

Crop residue retention has been considered a practicable strategy to improve soil organic carbon(SOC) and total nitrogen(TN), but the effectiveness of residue retention might be different under varied tillage practices. To evaluate the effects of residue management on the distribution and stocks of SOC and TN under different tillage practices, a bifactorial experiment with three levels for tillage practices(no-tillage, rotary tillage, and conventional tillage) and two levels for residue managements(residue retention and residue removal) was conducted in the North China Plain(NCP). Results showed that after a short experimental duration(3–4 years), concentrations of SOC and TN in the 0–10 cm layer were higher under no-tillage than under conventional tillage, no matter whether crop residues were retained or not. Residue retention increased SOC and TN concentrations in the upper layers of soil to some degree for all tillage practices, as compared with residue removal, with the greatest increment of SOC concentration occurred in the 0–10 cm layer under rotary tillage, but in the 10–30 cm layer under conventional tillage. The stocks of SOC in the 0–50 cm depth increased from 49.89 Mg ha–1 with residue removal to 53.03 Mg ha–1 with residue retention. However, no-tillage did not increase SOC stock to a depth of 50 cm relative to conventional tillage, and increased only by 5.35% as compared with rotary tillage. Thus, residue retention may contribute more towards SOC sequestration than no-tillage. Furthermore, the combination between residue retention and no-tillage has the greatest advantage in enhancing SOC and TN in the NCP region.     

Correlation of production constraints with the yield gap of apple cropping systems in Luochuan County,China

Apple occupies a dominant position in fruit production globally, and has become the main income source of local smallholder farmers in Luochuan County in the Loess Plateau area, one of the largest apple production areas in China. However, the annual productivity of apple orchards in this region remains low and has gradually declined over the years. The distinction and correlation of production constraints can contribute to the promotion of apple orchard productivity and the development of a sustainable orchard system. In the present study, survey data from 71 smallholder farmers were analyzed using a yield gap model to distinguish the production constraints and determine their correlation with the yield gap based on the structural equation model(SEM). The results indicated that the average apple yield in Luochuan County was 29.9 t ha~(–1) yr~(–1), while the attainable yield(Y_(att); the highest yield obtained from the on-farm surveys) was 58.1 t ha~(–1) yr~(–1). The average explained and unexplainable yield gaps were 26.3 and 1.87 t ha~(–1) yr~(–1). According to the boundary line analysis, crop load,number of sprayings and base fertilizer N were the top three constraints on apple production in 9.8, 7.8 and 7.8% of the plots, respectively. Among the production constraints, crop load and fruit weight affected apple yield through direct pathways,whereas other constraints influenced apple yield through an indirect pathway based on the SEM, explaining 51% of the yield variance by all the main production constraints. These results can improve the current understanding of production constraints and contribute to the development of management strategies and policies for improving apple yield.     

Steam explosion of crop straws improves the characteristics of biochar as a soil amendment

Five crop straws(wheat, rice, maize, oil-rape, and cotton) were first steam-exploded for 2 min at 210°C, 2.5 MPa and then pyrolyzed at 500°C for 2 h. Steam explosion(SE) induced 47–95% and 5–16% reduction of hemicellulose and cellulose, respectively, in the crop straws. The biochars derived from SE-treated feedstocks had a lower specific surface area(SSA) and pore volume, compared to those from pristine feedstocks, with one exception that SE enhanced SSA of oil-rape straw biochar by approximately 16 times. After SE, biochars had significant higher anion exchange capacity(AEC)(6.88–11.44 cmol kg~(–1)) and point of zero net charges(PZNC)(pH 3.61–5.32) values. It can thus be speculated that these biochars may have higher potential for anions adsorption. In addition, oil-rape straw might be suitable to SE pretreatment for preparing biochar as a soil amendment and sorbent as well. Further work is required for testing its application in soil.     

Mitochondrial DNA diversity and origin of indigenous pigs in South China and their contribution to western modern pig breeds

Indigenous pigs in South China are valuable genetic resources with many specific and unique characters, which have played an important role in the establishment of some western modern pig breeds. However, the origin and genetic diversity of indigenous pigs in South China have not been fully understood. In the present study, we sequenced 534 novel mitochondrial DNA(mt DNA) D-loop and assembled 54 complete mitogenome sequences for all 17 indigenous pig breeds from Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan in South China. These data were analyzed together with previously published homologous sequences relevant to this study. We found that all 13 coding genes of the mitogenomes were under purifying selection, but ND1 had the most variable sites and CYTB contained the most non-synonymous SNPs. Phylogenetic analysis showed that all indigenous pigs in South China were clustered into the D haplogroup with D1 a1, D1 b, D1 c and D1 e sub-haplogroups found to be dominant. Haplotype and nucleotide diversities of D-loop sequences ranged from 0.427 to 0.899 and from 0.00342 to 0.00695, respectively, among which all pigs in Guangdong had the lowest diversity. The estimates of pairwise FST, gene flow(Nm) and genetic distance(Da) indicated that most of these indigenous pig breeds differentiated from each other significantly(P0.05). Among the western modern breeds, Berkshire and Yorkshire had significant Asian matrilineal footprints from indigenous pigs in South China, especially the Spotted pigs distributed in Guangdong and Guangxi. The neutrality test(Fu's F_S) indicated that indigenous pigs from Fujian and Guangxi had gone through recent population expansion events(P0.05). It is concluded that indigenous pigs in South China were most likely derived from the Mekong region and the middle and downstream regions of Yangtze River through Guangxi and Fujian. Our findings provide a complete and in-depth insight on the origin and distribution pattern of maternal genetic diversity of indigenous pigs in South China.     

The synergistic advantage of combining chloropicrin or dazomet with fosthiazate nematicide to control root-knot nematode in cucumber production

The highly-damaging root-knot nematode(Meloidogyne spp., RKN) cannot be reliably controlled using only a nematicide such as fosthiazate because of increasing pest resistance. In laboratory and greenhouse trials, we showed that chloropicrin(CP) or dazomet(DZ) synergized the efficacy of fosthiazate against RKN. The combination significantly extended the degradation half-life of fosthiazate by an average of about 1.25 times. CP or DZ with fosthiazate reduced the time for fosthiazate to penetrate the RKN cuticle compared to fosthiazate alone. CP or DZ combined with low or medium rate of fosthiazate increased the total cucumber yield, compared to the use of each product alone. A low-dose fosthiazate with DZ improved total yield more than a low dose fosthiazate with CP. Extending the half-life of fosthiazate and reducing the time for fosthiazate or fumigant to penetrate the RKN cuticle were the two features that gave the fumigant-fosthiazate combination its synergistic advantage over these products used singularly. This synergy provides the opportunity for farmers to use a low dose of fosthiazate which lowers the risk of RKN resistance. Farmers could combine DZ at 30 g m~(-2) with fosthiazate at a low rate of 0.375 g m~(-2) to control RKN and adequately control two major soil-borne diseases in cucumber greenhouses.     

Phenotypic characterization and genetic mapping of the dwarf mutant m34 in maize

Plant height is one of the most important agronomic traits associated with yield in maize.In this study,a gibberellins(GA)-insensitive dwarf mutant,m34,was screened from inbred line Ye478 by treatment with the chemical mutagen ethylmethanesulfonate(EMS).Compared to Ye478,m34 showed a dwarf phenotype with shorter internodes,and smaller leaf length and width,but with similar leaf number.Furthermore,m34 exhibited smaller guard cells in internodes than Ye478,suggesting that smaller cells might contribute to its dwarf phenotype.Genetic analysis indicated that the m34 dwarf phenotype was controlled by a recessive nuclear gene.An F2 population derived from a cross between m34 and B73 was used for mutational gene cloning and this gene was mapped to a chromosome region between umc2189 and umc1553 in chromosome 1 bin1.10,which harbored a previously identified dwarf gene Zm VP8.Sequencing analysis showed a nucleotide substitution(G1606 to A1606)in the sixth exon of ZmVP8,which resulted in an amino acid change(E531 to K531)from Ye478 to m34.This amino acid change resulted in anα-helix changing to aβ-sheet in the secondary protein structure and the‘SPEC’domain changed to a‘BOT1NT’domain in the tertiary protein structure.Taken together,these results suggested that m34 is a novel allelic mutant originally derived from Ye478 that is useful for further ZmVP8 functional analysis in maize.     

Population genetic structure of Chinese Puccinia triticina races based on multi-locus sequences

Puccinia triticina, the causal agent of wheat leaf rust, is one of the most devastating rust fungi attacking wheat worldwide. Seventy-six isolates of the wheat leaf rust pathogen from Yunnan, Sichuan, Gansu and Henan provinces, China, were tested on wheat leaf rust differentials and the population structure was analyzed using four presumably neutral partial sequence markers such as elongation factor-1α(EF-1α), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase(GAPDH), β-tubulin(TUB) and the second largest RNA polymerase subunit(RPB2). The phenotypic diversity of Yunnan and Sichuan populations was higher than that of Gansu and Henan populations. The four populations were separated into two clusters based on the pathogenic data. A total of 12 single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs) and 32 haplotypes were identified among the four sequences. The 32 haplotypes were divided into two clusters in a neighbor-joining tree. Bayesian analyses also identified two clusters. Pairwise FST between populations in different regions were significantly different(P0.05). Analysis of molecular variance(AMOVA) indicated that 68% of the total genetic variation was within populations.     

Understanding the biochar's role in ameliorating soil acidity

Extensive acidic soils, which suffer from accelerated soil acidification, are found in southern China. Soil acidity, aluminum toxicity, and nutrient deficiencies severely limited crop productivity in acidic soils. It has been widely reported that crop residue biochars can ameliorate acidic soils and increase crop productivity. Here, we summarized the positive effects and mechanisms involved in the correction of soil acidity, the alleviation of aluminum toxicity and the increase of soil pH buffering capacity by crop residue biochars. The carbonate, oxygen-containing functional groups and silicates in biochars are the major components responsible for their efficacy in amending acidic soils and resisting soil re-acidification. We conclude that application of crop residue biochars may be a better option than traditional liming to ameliorate acidic soils. Nonetheless, further researches into soil acidification are still required to address some issues that are controversial and poorly understood.     

Species-specific COI primers for rapid identification of a globally significant invasive pest,the cassava mealybug Phenacoccus manihoti Matile-Ferrero

The globally invasive cassava mealybug Phenacoccus manihoti Matile-Ferrero is a pernicious pest of cassava,and its recent introduction into Asia has raised considerable alarm.To slow or prevent further invasion,an accurate,simple,and developmental-stage-independent detection method for P.manihoti is required.In the present study,a PCR method based on a species-specific mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase I(SS-COI)marker was developed for rapid identification of P.manihoti.One pair of SS-COI primers(PMSSZW-1F and PMSSZW-1R)was designed based on sequence variations in the COI gene among P.manihoti and related mealybug species.Specificity of the primer pair was validated on 21 closely related species.Sensitivity tests were performed on four immature developmental stages and female adults.Efficacy tests demonstrated that at the relatively low concentration of(135.2±14.7)pgresuspended DNA,the specific fragment was detected in all replicates.Furthermore,the SS-COI primer pair was assayed on three populations of P.manihoti from major exporting countries of cassava.The PCR assay was proved to be a rapid,simple,and reliable molecular measure for the identification of P.manihoti.This tool will be useful for quarantine,monitoring,and management of this invasive pest.     

Substitution of chemical fertilizer by Chinese milk vetch improves the sustainability of yield and accumulation of soil organic carbon in a double-rice cropping system

The double-rice cropping system is a very important intensive cropping system for food security in China. There have been few studies of the sustainability of yield and accumulation of soil organic carbon(SOC) in the double-rice cropping system following a partial substitution of chemical fertilizer by Chinese milk vetch(Mv). We conducted a 10-year(2008–2017) field experiment in Nan County, South-Central China, to examine the double-rice productivity and SOC accumulation in a paddy soil in response to different fertilization levels and Mv application(22.5 Mg ha~(–1)). Fertilizer and Mv were applied both individually and in combination(sole chemical fertilizers, Mv plus 100, 80, 60, 40, and 0% of the recommended dose of chemical fertilizers, labeled as F100, MF100, MF80, MF60, MF40, and MF0, respectively). It was found that the grain yields of double-rice crop in treatments receiving Mv were reduced when the dose of chemical fertilizer was reduced, while the change in SOC stock displayed a double peak curve. The MF100 produced the highest double-rice yield and SOC stock, with the value higher by 13.5 and 26.8% than that in the F100. However, the grain yields increased in the MF80(by 8.4% compared to the F100), while the SOC stock only increased by 8.4%. Analogous to the change of grain yield, the sustainable yield index(SYI) of double rice were improved significantly in the MF100 and MF80 compared to the F100, while there was a slight increase in the MF60 and MF40. After a certain amount of Mv input(22.5 Mg ha~(–1)), the carbon sequestration rate was affected by the nutrient input due to the stimulation of microbial biomass. Compared with the MF0, the MF100 and MF40 resulted in a dramatically higher carbon sequestration rate(with the value higher by 71.6 and 70.1%),whereas the MF80 induced a lower carbon sequestration rate with the value lower by 70.1% compared to the MF0. Based on the above results we suggested that Mv could partially replace chemical fertilizers(e.g., 40–60%) to improve or maintain the productivity and sustainability of the double-rice cropping system in South-Central China.     

Characterization of TaCOMT genes associated with stem lignin content in common wheat and development of a gene-specific marker

Stem lignin content(SLC) in common wheat(Triticum aestivum L.) contributes to lodging resistance. Caffeic acid 3-O-methyltransferase(COMT) is a key enzyme involved in lignin biosynthesis. Characterization of TaCOMT genes and development of gene-specific markers could enable marker-assisted selection in wheat breeding. In the present study, the full-length genomic DNA(gDNA) sequences of TaCOMT genes located on chromosomes 3 A, 3 B, and 3 D were cloned by homologous cloning. Two allelic variants, TaCOMT-3 Ba and TaCOMT-3 Bb, were identified and differed by a 222-bp insertion/deletion(InDel) in the 3′-untranslated region(3′-UTR). A co-dominant gene-specific marker based on this InDel was developed and designated as Ta COMT-3 BM. A total of 157 wheat cultivars and advanced lines grown in four environments were used to validate the associations between allelic patterns and SLC. The SLC of cultivars with TaCOMT-3 Ba was significantly(P0.01) higher than that of those with TaCOMT-3 Bb, and the marker TaCOMT-3 BM could be effectively used in wheat breeding.     

The effects of soil moisture and salinity as functions of groundwater depth on wheat growth and yield in coastal saline soils

In the coastal saline soils, moisture and salinity are the functions of groundwater depth affecting crop growth and yield. Accordingly, the objectives of this study were to: 1) investigate the combined effects of moisture and salinity stresses on wheat growth as affected by groundwater depth, and 2) find the optimal groundwater depth for wheat growth in coastal saline soils. The groundwater depths (0.7, 1.1, 1.5, 1.9, 2.3, and 2.7 m during 2013–2014 (Y1) and 0.6, 1.0, 1.4, 1.8, 2.2, and 2.6 m during 2014–2015 (Y2)) of the field experiment were maintained by soil columns. There was a positive correlation between soil moisture and salinity. Water logging with high salinity (groundwater depth at 0.7 m in Y1 and 0.6 m in Y2) showed a greater decline towards wheat growth than that of slight drought with medium (2.3 m in Y1) or low salinity (2.7 m in Y1, 2.2 and 2.6 m in Y2). The booting stage was the most sensitive stage of wheat crop under moisture and salinity stresses. Data showed the most optimal rate of photosynthesis, grain yield, and flour quality were obtained under the groundwater depth (ditch depth) of 1.9 m (standard soil moisture with medium salinity) and 2.3 m (slight drought with medium salinity) in Y1 and 1.8 m (standard soil moisture with medium salinity) and 2.2 m (slight drought with low salinity) in Y2. The corresponding optimal soil relative moisture content and conductivity with the 1:5 distilled water/soil dilution, in the depth of 0–20 cm and 20–40 cm in coastal saline soils, were equal to 58.67–63.07% and 65.51–72.66% in Y1, 63.09–66.70% and 69.75–74.72% in Y2; 0.86–1.01 dS m^–1 and 0.63–0.77 dS m^–1 in Y1, 0.57–0.93 dS m^–1 and 0.40–0.63 dS m^–1 in Y2, respectively.     

Evaluating effective Trichoderma isolates for biocontrol of Rhizoctonia solani causing root rot of Vigna unguiculata

The highly diverse genus Trichoderma has provided many formulations that are alternatives to the chemical pesticides in agriculture. The present study was undertaken to investigate the biocontrol potential of eight Trichoderma species, T. atrobrunneum, T. guizhouense, T. paratroviride, T. pyramidale, T. rufobrunneum, T. simmonsii, T. thermophilum and T. viridulum, against the phytopathogenic fungus Rhizoctonia solani. Trichoderma isolates were first evaluated in vitro by dual culture tests for their antagonism, mycoparasitic ability and antifungal activity against R. solani. Their growth promoting potential was further assessed in relation to phosphate solubilization, indole acetic acid and siderophore production. Five of the isolates were selected and evaluated for their abilities to prompt plant growth and to control R. solani infecting Vigna unguiculata(cowpea) seedlings in vivo. Two most effective isolates, T. guizhouense 9185 and T. simmonsii 8702, significantly(P0.05) reduced the disease severity incidences(36.6 and 45.0%, respectively) and promoted plant growth, which have good prospects for application.     

Characterization of field-evolved resistance to cyantraniliprole in Bemisia tabaci MED from China

Cyantraniliprole is a novel anthranilic diamide insecticide with significant efficacy against Bemisia tabaci, an important pest insect worldwide. In this study, we conducted reversion and selection work and genetic analysis, and determined cross-resistance spectrum and synergism of cyantraniliprole resistance based on the reported population, SX population, of B. tabaci collected from Shanxi Province, China. Compared with a susceptible strain (MED-S), SX population, the field-evolved cyantraniliprole-resistant population exhibited 26.4-fold higher resistance to cyantraniliprole. In SX, a sharp decline of cyantraniliprole resistance was shown in the absence of selection. Another tested strain, SX-R, was established from SX population after successive selection with cyantraniliprole and recently developed 138.4-fold high resistance to cyantraniliprole. SX-R had no cross-resistance to abamectin, imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, sulfoxaflor, or bifenthrin. Genetic analysis illustrated that cyantraniliprole resistance in SX-R was autosomally inherited and incompletely dominant. Additionally, piperonyl butoxide (PBO) significantly inhibited cyantraniliprole resistance in the SX-R strain. In conclusion, the selection of SX with cyantraniliprole led to high resistance to cyantraniliprole which is incompletely dominant and no cross-resistance to several common types of insecticides. Enhanced oxidative metabolism is possibly involved in the resistance of SX-R, yet target-site resistance could not be excluded.     

Molecular identification and enzymatic properties of laccase2 from the diamondback moth Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae)

Laccase(EC 1.10.3.2)is known to oxidize various aromatic and nonaromatic compounds via a radical-catalyzed reaction,which generally includes two types of laccase,Lac1 and Lac2.Lac1 oxidizes toxic compounds in the diet,and Lac2 is known to play an important role in melanizing the insect exoskeleton.In this study,we cloned and sequenced the cDNA of the diamondback moth,Plutella xylostella Lac2(PxLac2),from the third instar larvae using polymerase chain reaction(PCR)and rapid amplification of cDNA ends techniques.The results showed that the full-length PxLac2 cDNA was 1 944 bp long and had an open reading frame of 1 794 bp.PxLac2 encoded a protein with 597 amino acids and had a molecular weight of 66.09 kDa.Moreover,we determined the expression levels of PxLac2 in different stages by quantitative PCR(qPCR).The results indicated that PxLac2 was expressed differently in different stages.We observed the highest expression level in pupae and the lowest expression level in fourth instar larvae.We also investigated the enzymatic properties of laccase,which had optimal activity at pH 3.0 and at 35°C.Under these optimal conditions,laccase had a Michaelis constant(K_m)of 0.97 mmol L~(-1),maximal reaction speed(V_m)of 56.82 U mL~(-1),and activation energy(E_a)of 17.36 kJ mol~(-1) to oxidize2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid ammonium salt).Type II copper enhanced laccase activity below 0.8mmol L~(-1) and reduced enzyme activity above 0.8 mmol L~(-1) with an IC_(50) concentration of 1.26 mmol L~(-1).This study provides insights into the biological function of laccase.     

Molecular,serological and biological characterization of a novel Apple stem pitting virus strain from a local pear variety grown in China

Apple stem pitting virus (ASPV) is an important causal agent of pear diseases. Nowadays, the infection status and molecular characteristics of the virus in old pear trees have never been investigated. In this study, we provide the first complete genome sequence of an ASPV isolate LYC from an over 300-year-old tree of a local Pyrus bretschneideri cultivar ‘Chili’ specifically grown at Laiyang area in China. ASPV-LYC possesses a chimeric genome consisting of 9 273 nucleotides excluding a poly(A) tail at its 3’ end and harboring a recombination region in its open reading frame (ORF1) with Aurora-1 and KL9 identified as the major and minor parents. Western blot analysis with antisera against recombinant coat proteins (CPs) of three ASPV isolates from pear indicates that ASPV-LYC is serologically related to these ASPV isolates, but with differential activities. Further biological tests on indicator plants of Pyronia veitchii show that ASPV-LYC can induce serious leaf and stem symptoms as other ASPV isolates. The results provide an important information for understanding molecular evolution of ASPV and suggest a need to prevent dissemination of the isolate among pear trees.