The potential of hyperspectral images and partial least square regression for predicting total carbon,total nitrogen and their isotope composition in forest litterfall samples

Purpose

The main objective of this study was to examine the potential of using hyperspectral image analysis for prediction of total carbon (TC), total nitrogen (TN) and their isotope composition (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) in forest leaf litterfall samples.

Materials and methods

Hyperspectral images were captured from ground litterfall samples of a natural forest in the spectral range of 400–1700 nm. A partial least-square regression model (PLSR) was used to correlate the relative reflectance spectra with TC, TN, δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N in the litterfall samples. The most important wavelengths were selected using β coefficient, and the final models were developed using the most important wavelengths. The models were, then, tested using an external validation set.

Results and discussion

The results showed that the data of TC and δ¹³C could not be fitted to the PLSR model, possibly due to small variations observed in the TC and δ¹³C data. The model, however, was fitted well to TN and δ¹⁵N. The cross-validation R² _cv of the models for TN and δ¹⁵N were 0.74 and 0.67 with the RMSE_cv of 0.53% and 1.07‰, respectively. The external validation R² _ex of the prediction was 0.64 and 0.67, and the RMSE_ex was 0.53% and 1.19 ‰, for TN and δ¹⁵N, respectively. The ratio of performance to deviation (RPD) of the predictions was 1.48 and 1.53, respectively, for TN and δ¹⁵N, showing that the models were reliable for the prediction of TN and δ¹⁵N in new forest leaf litterfall samples.

Conclusions

The PLSR model was not successful in predicting TC and δ¹³C in forest leaf litterfall samples using hyperspectral data. The predictions of TN and δ¹⁵N values in the external litterfall samples were reliable, and PLSR can be used for future prediction.

     

Soil and Rice Responses to Phosphate Fertilizer in Two Contrasting Seasons on Acid Sulfate Soil

Acid sulfate soils (ASS) are characterized by low pH, aluminum (Al), and iron (Fe) toxicity and are typically deficient in phosphate (PO₄). The application of phosphorus (P) fertilizer could help reduce the level of exchangeable Al and Fe, thereby improving the rice growth and yield. Five levels of P (0, 20, 40, 60 and 80 kg phosphorus pentoxide (P₂O₅)/ha) were tested with rice varieties MTL560 in the wet season and MTL480 in the dry season. The optimum rate of P was 60 kg P₂O₅/ha for rice in the dry season and 80 kg P₂O₅/ha in the wet season. Soil testing showed at the start of the season that there was sufficient P in the soil. At the end of the season there was a reduction in soil Al and Fe in plots that had P rates above 40 kg P₂O₅/ha. It is therefore likely that P application reduced Al and Fe toxicity through precipitation and formation of Al-P and Fe-P compounds, which boasted yield, rather amending a soil P deficiency.     

Removal of Copper,Lead, Methylene Green 5, and Acid Red 1 by Saccharide-Derived Spherical Biochar Prepared at Low Calcination Temperatures: Adsorption Kinetics,Isotherms, and Thermodynamics

Spherical biochar derived from saccharides (glucose, sucrose, and xylose) was prepared through two steps: pre-hydrothermal carbonization at 190 °C and calcination at low temperatures (200–325 °C). The spherical biochar was characterized by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, zeta potential, scanning and transmission electron microscopies, and X-ray diffraction. The result indicated that the spherical biochar exhibited low S _BET (15–22 m²/g), but abundant superficial active oxygen-containing functional groups. The spherical biochar possessed a negatively charged surface within solution pH 2.0–11. The adsorption process of Pb²⁺, Cu²⁺, and methylene green 5 (MG5) was strongly dependent on the solution pH and reached fast equilibrium at approximately 60 min. The maximum Langmuir adsorption capacity (Q°_max) exhibited the following order: glucose-biochar > sucrose-biochar > xylose-biochar prepared at 300 °C. The selective adsorption order of glucose-biochar was Cu²⁺ (0.894 mmol/g) > Pb²⁺ (0.848 mmol/g) > MG5 (0.334 mmol/g). The electrostatic attraction played a determining role in the adsorption mechanism of pollutant cations. The adsorption of anionic dye (acid red 1) on the spherical biochar was negligible because of electrostatic repulsion. The spherical biochar can serve as a newer and promising adsorbent to remove toxic pollutant cations from water media.     

Frequent use of colistin-based drug treatment to eliminate extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis> in backyard chicken farms in Thai Binh Province,Vietnam

Reports of livestock infections with extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-E) are increasing. Based on interviews conducted over a 6-month period, we found that veterinarians in the Vietnamese province of Thai Binh prefer to prescribe colistin-based drugs (CBD) in chicken farms. We aimed to clarify whether CBD use selects for strains of colistin-resistant ESBL-E. With the cooperation of seven local households, we detected ESBL-E in chickens’ feces after treating chickens with CBD. Phylogenetic groupings and the presence of CTX-M/AmpC genes were determined, and the multi-antibiotic susceptibility of isolates was analyzed. Our results showed that ESBL-E presented in seven chickens’ feces from two households. Seventy-two percent of ESBL-E isolates harbored CTX-M9 and the phylogenetic group A; the colistin minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of all isolated ESBL-E ranged from 0.064 to 1 μg mL^?1. Moreover, ESBL-E isolates were used to experimentally select for colistin resistance, and the effect of commercial CBD on ESBL-E was investigated. The results showed that an ESBL-E strain with a colistin MIC of 4 μg mL^?1 was able to grow in media with CBD. Although CBD treatment was effective, in vitro experiments demonstrated that ESBL-E can easily acquire colistin resistance. Therefore, restrictions on colistin use are necessary to prevent the emergence of colistin-resistant bacteria.     

The effect of simulated rat damage on irrigated rice yield and compensation

A field experiment was conducted to investigate the impact of simulated rat damage on grain yield in irrigated lowland rice in An Giang province, in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. Rat damage was simulated by making a 45° cut at the base of the rice tillers about 3–5 cm above the soil surface. 0% (control), 5%, 10%, 25% and 50% of the tillers were removed at the tillering (25 days after sowing, DAS), panicle initiation (43 DAS), flowering (72 DAS) and ripening (87 DAS) stages. The total number of mature tillers, immature tillers and percent filled grains, the weight of 1000 grains and grain yields were recorded. The rice crop completely compensated by increased tillering and yield for tillers damaged up to 50% at the tillering stage. However, the damage and yield loss were highly variable. The ability of the rice crop to compensate at later stages progressively reduced. The implications for managing rat damage to rice crops are (1) rodent control activities should be applied before 10% of tillers are damaged at the tillering stage, and (2) a well balanced nitrogen supply during the tillering stage could potentially assist the rice plants to better compensate for rat damage.     

交替饲喂整粒小麦或含蛋白质及矿物质浓缩的饲料提高蛋鸡饲料的利用效率

对16～46周龄的蛋鸡生产性能的研究表明,交替饲喂或喂混合饲料的效果是不同的。一种方法是利用同等比例的整粒小麦或营养均衡的含蛋白质及矿物质浓缩的饲料交替饲喂ISA布朗母鸡,另一种方法是饲喂混合饲料。对照组喂传统的饲料。每组16笼,每笼中5只鸡。每天光照时间16h。控制饲料的饲喂量,121g·只-·1d-1,每天饲喂2次,分别为开灯后4h和11h。在交替饲喂时,仅第1次喂食小麦,第2次喂食营养的均衡饲料。喂混合饲料时,两种定量配给的饲料混合喂2次。在下一次喂食前拿走剩余的饲料。与喂混合饲料和对照组相比,交替饲喂减少总采食量,小麦减少9g·只-·1d-1,但喂均衡饲料增多1.7g·只-·1d·-1。在3种方式中,鸡蛋的生产,蛋的大小,蛋的重量均相似。交替饲喂与喂混合饲料相比,饲料利用率的提高分别为10%和5%。与喂混合饲料和对照组相比,交替饲喂ME低,CP摄取量减少。交替饲喂时蛋鸡体重轻,其肌胃、胰腺和肝脏较重,肝脏脂质类似。喂混合饲料肝糖最高。试验结论为,交替饲喂整粒小麦和营养均衡的饲料或喂混合饲料对蛋鸡生产无负面影响。因此,两种饲喂方法是可以替代传统的喂养方式。与喂混合饲料相比,交替饲喂饲料的利用效率高,因而是可行的。     

Aporphine alkaloids,clerodane diterpenes,and other constituents from Tinospora cordifolia

Phytochemical investigation of the methanol extract of Tinospora cordifolia aerial parts led to the isolation of four new and seven known compounds. The structures of two new aporphine alkaloids, N-formylasimilobine 2-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-β-d-glucopyranoside (tinoscorside A, 1) and N-acetylasimilobine 2-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-β-d-glucopyranoside (tinoscorside B, 2), a new clerodane diterpene, tinoscorside C (3), and a new phenylpropanoid, sinapyl 4-O-β-d-apiofuranosyl-(1 → 6)-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (tinoscorside D, 6) were determined by extensive spectroscopic methods including FTICR-MS and 1D and 2D NMR.     

Economic feasibility of recirculating aquaculture systems in pangasius farming

This study aims to analyze the economic feasibility of recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) in pangasius farming in Vietnam. The study uses a capital budgeting approach and accounts for uncertainty in key parameters. Stochastic simulation is used to simulate the economic performance of medium and large farms operating with a traditional system or RAS. Data are obtained through structured surveys and a workshop in the Mekong River Delta. Results show that for large farms, net present value increases from an average of 589,000 USD/ha to 916,000 USD/ha after implementing RAS. Overall, the probability that RAS is a profitable investment is found to be 99% for both farm sizes. With RAS, the crucial parameters determining profitability are price, yield, costs of fingerling, feed, and initial investment. Findings on the robustness of the economic performance of RAS are useful to support public and private decision making towards increasing the sustainability of pangasius production.     

Development of a co-dominant SCAR marker linked to the Ph-3 gene for Phytophthora infestans resistance in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)

Random amplified polymorphism DNA (RAPD) and bulk segregant analysis (BSA) approaches were used to characterize the molecular marker linked to the Phytophthora infestans resistance gene Ph-3 in tomato. A total of 800 RAPD primers were screened. One RAPD marker UBC#602 was identified to be tightly linked to the Ph-3 gene. The marker was successfully converted into a co-dominant sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) marker. The SCAR marker SCU602 was used to analyze 96 F₂ progenies and fitted the expected 1:2:1 Mendelian segregation ratio. Forty one tomato inbred lines were screened using the SCAR marker in comparison with a reference marker linked to the Ph-3 gene and both markers gave the same results. SCU602 was further validated for association to resistance and its potential in MAS in 72 tomato lines and cultivars. The marker identified three genotypes harbouring the resistance allele. This SCAR marker can be used in breeding programs for the selection of the Ph-3 gene for Phytophthora infestans resistance.