Interference competition and predation between invasive and native herbivores in maize

Interspecific interactions (e.g., competition, predation) are core determinants of insect population evolution, geographical distribution, trophic dynamics and ecosystem functioning. Following its recent invasion of eastern Asia, the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) co-inhabits maize fields with native lepidopteran herbivores, such as the common cutworm, Spodoptera litura. Here, drawing upon laboratory and field studies, we demonstrate how late-instar S. frugiperda larvae directly prey upon S. litura immature stages and competitively displace them from the maize whorl. Individual maize plants did not mediate the above interactions, with herbivore-damaged leaves not affecting the development rate of either species. In the field, ecological niches of S. frugiperda and S. litura overlapped, with species-specific occupancy rates of whorl-stage leaves (vegetative phase) and ears or tassels (reproductive phase) exceeding 70% and 90%, respectively. Field cage trials showed that S. frugiperda larvae either preyed upon or repelled S. litura larvae from maize plants, routinely resulting in more than 90% mortality of the latter. Field visits and cage studies in Yunnan (SW China) also revealed how—within an approx. 1-year time period—S. frugiperda has become a dominant species in local maize fields and co-infestation of both herbivores on the same plant is rare. Overall, our work shows how the invasive S. frugiperda exhibits a clear competitive advantage over native lepidopterans and could replace certain species within local agroecosystems. This study not only unveils the mechanistic causes of rapid ecological shifts within S. frugiperda-invaded cropping systems, but may also guide subsequent monitoring and management interventions.

     

复合钝化材料对农田土壤砷有效性及白菜生长的影响

【目的】探究施用不同复合钝化材料对贵州喀斯特地貌农田土壤砷（As）形态及蔬菜生长和品质的影响,筛选出能大幅降低蔬菜作物As含量的复合钝化材料,为As污染土壤的修复和安全利用提供理论依据。【方法】采用盆栽试验,以不施钝化剂为对照（CK）,设添加铁矿粉+钢渣（AB）、铁矿粉+煤渣（AC）、铁矿粉+钢渣+煤渣（ABC）、铁矿粉+钢渣+腐殖质（ABD）、铁矿粉+钢渣+煤渣+腐殖质（ABCD） 5个复合钝化剂处理,种植小白菜收获后,利用原子荧光形态分析仪测定As在土壤中形态变化差异和白菜中的含量,分析不同复合钝化剂的钝化效果。【结果】与CK相比较,添加AB、AC、ABC和ABCD 4种复合钝化材料能显著降低土壤As有效态含量（P<0.05,下同）,而ABD的钝化效果不显著（P>0.05）,处理ABC的钝化率最高,为60.91%。供试土壤中残渣态As （O-As）和铝型As （Al-As）的比例呈逐渐增加趋势,比例范围分别为32.52%~34.88%和16.44%~28.17%;而易溶态As（AE-As）、铁型As（Fe-As）和钙型As（CaAs）比例呈下降趋势,比例范围分别为0.66%~1.50%、19.63%~31.28%和16.64%~17.15%。施用复合钝化剂的白菜生物量均显著提高,株高和株幅也相应有所增长,均达显著水平（除AC处理的株幅外）,其中处理ABC的生物量增长达91.46%;地上部和地下部As含量的变化范围分别为0.306~0.588 mg/kg和0.622~1.592 mg/kg,有效抑制白菜地上部和地下部对As的累积,其中,处理AB、AC、ABC和ABD的地上部（可食部位） As含量均低于国家标准（GB 2762—2017）（新鲜蔬菜As≤0.5 mg/kg）;处理AB、AC和ABC均不同程度地抑制白菜向地上部迁移As的能力。【结论】施用复合钝化剂2.5%铁矿粉+1.0%钢渣+2.0%煤渣,既可有效降低土壤As有效态含量,又能最大限度减少As在白菜地上部（可食部位）中的累积,有效促进白菜生长。     

服务国家农业重大需求，打好农业领域关键技术攻坚战以中国农业科学院为例

2020年我国农业科技进步贡献率已经超过60%,农业科技的影响度和引领度位居全球第一。然而,我国农业科技的一些重点领域仍存在制约农业农村现代化发展的关键瓶颈,部分关键核心技术尚未攻克,阻碍农业产业迈向中高端和国际竞争力的提升。文章分析了开展农业领域关键核心技术攻关的迫切需求,围绕粮食作物、经济作物、畜禽种业、动植物疫病防控、农业绿色发展、农机装备、食品制造与营养健康、农业大数据与人工智能等农业重点领域梳理科学问题和任务清单,系统剖析了中国农业科学院开展关键核心技术攻关工作的相关举措,并提出了相关意见和建议,以期为突破农业领域关键技术路径提供参考和借鉴。     

Quantifying effect of tassels on near-ground maize canopy RGB images using deep learning segmentation algorithm

Precision Agriculture - Vegetation indexes (VIs) are a key variable for monitoring the crop growth and estimating crop productivity. The spectral traits of the tassels were significantly different...     

木芙蓉的繁育系统及传粉生物学

以木芙蓉为研究材料,运用杂交指数、花粉数/胚珠数、座果率、种子萌发率等指标对木芙蓉的繁育系统及传粉生物学等进行研究。结果表明:木芙蓉单花的花期1 d,整体花期7—11月份;木芙蓉的杂交指数为4,繁育系统为异交、部分自交亲和、需要传粉者;木芙蓉的花粉数/胚珠数为415±11.3,繁育系统属于兼性异交类型;木芙蓉自然座果率为74%;同株同花授粉的座果率为40%;人工异株异花授粉座果率为71%;各种授粉方式下,单个果实的种子个数为128~148,差别不大;各种授粉方式下,平均种子萌发率为47%~60%,没有显著差异;传粉昆虫有蜂类、甲虫,其中中华蜜蜂、黑小蜜蜂为主要传粉昆虫。     

抚育间伐对小兴安岭天然针阔混交林碳储量的影响

在小兴安岭地区带岭林业实验局东方红林场天然林试验区,设置6块样地,对天然针阔混交次生林进行不同强度(10%、15%、20%、25%、30%、35%)的抚育间伐;采用平均标准木法取样、实验室重铬酸钾法测定林木碳质量分数,分析不同间伐强度对乔木层地上部分生物量及碳储量的影响。结果表明:随着间伐强度的增加,乔木层地上部分生物量、碳储量整体呈先增加再减小趋势,但间伐8 a内各间伐生物量、碳储量均显著少于对照。伐后1~4 a,间伐强度20%,乔木层碳储量增长率、增长量均高于对照;间伐后1~4 a内,间伐强度20%,乔木层碳储量的恢复能力最强。间伐后5~8 a,高度间伐(间伐强度30%、35%)碳储量恢复能力最弱;间伐8 a后,各间伐强度(10%、15%、20%、25%、30%、35%)的碳储量,分别为74.93±3.42、86.96±7.31、99.24±2.43、93.64±6.68、85.23±2.11、79.54±3.38 t/hm2,林木各器官碳储量差异显著,从大到小依次为树干、树枝、树叶;间伐8 a后,各间伐树干碳储量所占比例比对照所占比例增加-0.04%~12.27%,在间伐强度为20%时树干碳储量比例最高,说明间伐强度20%有利于小兴安岭天然针阔混交林树干碳储量的累积及单株林木质量的提高。总体看,短期间伐(4 a内)利于20%间伐乔木层碳储量的迅速积累,8 a内各间伐仍处于乔木层地上部分碳储量低于对照的恢复期。     

我国三省稻田养殖克氏原螯虾肌肉中24种微量元素含量及健康风险评价

为探讨我国稻田养殖克氏原螯虾的微量元素含量水平和食用安全性,利用电感耦合等离子体质谱法(ICP-MS)分析了湖北、湖南和安徽3省156份稻田养殖克氏原螯虾肌肉样品中24种微量元素的含量,并采用污染指数法、暴露评估和非致癌风险评价法进行污染评价和膳食评估。结果显示,在克氏原螯虾样品的24种微量元素中,Li、Be、Tl和U这4种元素未检出,Ni、Cd和Pb这3种微量元素检出率低于50%。有16种元素含量在安徽与其他两个产地间存在显著差异,而其中5种元素在3个不同产地间存在显著差异。所有克氏原螯虾样品中,有害重金属元素As、Cu、Pb、Cd和Cr的污染指数均小于0.2,处于正常背景值水平。研究表明,21种微量元素的总目标危害系数TTHQ=3.672<10,有害元素的THQ均在可接受范围,长期食用对人群没有明显的健康风险,但营养元素Fe的摄入值得关注。     

Timing of early gonadal differentiation and effects of estradiol-17β treatments on the sex differentiation in Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides)

Fish Physiology and Biochemistry - In this study, an efficient estradiol-17β (E2)-induced feminization method was established based on the timing of early gonadal differentiation in Largemouth...     

Marine shrimp aquaculture: a novel waste treatment system

Ecuadorian Penaeus vannamei were cultured in dirt ponds (each of approximately 163 m²) at four different stocking densities, i.e. 5 shrimp m⁻², 10 shrimp m⁻², 15 shrimp m⁻² and 20 shrimp m⁻². Experiments were carried out over three different periods during the year. Each experiment lasted for 11–14 weeks. No commercial feed was given to the shrimp. The only input to the ponds was about 30 kg of cattle manure per pond per week. Chemical composition of the cattle manure was analyzed. Water quality parameters such as temperature, pH, DO and turbidity were recorded twice daily for each experiment; nutrients (nitrite, nitrate, ammonium and phosphate), water ATP, sediment ATP, H₂S and chlorophyll were measured twice weekly for each experiment. Shrimp were sampled either weekly or bi-weekly for body weight measurements.

The results showed a negative correlation between stocking density and growth. Weekly growth ranged from 0·44 to 1·58 g week⁻¹. Survival was over 50% in all treatments and averaged at 70·8%. Under these stocking densities, shrimp production ranged from 4·4 to 18·8 kg ha⁻¹ day⁻¹. The stocking density of 15 shrimps m⁻² provides better production than the other stocking densities.

Water quality data did not relate to any shrimp growth. Water nutrient levels in pond discharge water were less than or equal to the nutrients in the incoming water in spite of the weekly addition of cattle manure and did not increase with the addition of cattle manure. No coliform bacteria were detected in any pond water samples through the study period. This indicates digestion of cattle manure in marine shrimp ponds would not pollute the environment with high concentrations of dissolved nutrients.

Thus, a marine shrimp pond can be considered a dissolved nutrient marine treatment plant converting unwanted cattle manure (1841 kg cattle manure ha⁻¹ week⁻¹ in this study) into a valuable commodity — shrimp.     

Effects of Haematococcus pluvialis on the water quality and performance of Litopenaeus vannamei using artificial substrates and water exchange systems

Two kinds of culture systems were constructed, namely, an artificial substrate system (novel sponge biocarrier, SB) and a water exchange system (WE), to evaluate the effects of the microalga Haematococcus pluvialis on the water quality and performance of whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). The results showed that the average NH₄⁺-N concentration with H. pluvialis was lower than those without it. The average concentration of NO₂^?-N and NO₃^?-N in SB system were significantly decreased than those present in WE system, but there was no significant difference in SB system. The growth performance of shrimp with H. pluvialis was superior to that without it. The final average weight and growth rate of shrimp in SB1 and WE1 tanks were differed significantly among that present in SB2 and WE2 tanks (p?<?0.05). SB1 tended to have the highest average weight gain and lowest feed conversion ratio. The shrimp survival was significantly higher in SB1 and WE1 tanks (89.06% and 82.29%, respectively) than that present in SB2 and WE2 tanks (78.13% and 48.44%, p?<?0.05). The high-throughput sequencing results showed that the diversity of bacterial communities and the abundance of bacteria related to the nitrogen cycle and the degradation of organic matter were increased. The present study showed that H. pluvialis had positive effects on shrimp culture in using artificial substrate system and water exchange system.