Should farmers apply fertilizer according to when their daffodils are in flower? Utilizing a “farmer‐science” approach to understanding the impact of soil temperature on spring N fertilizer application in Wales

Perennial ryegrass starts growing when soil temperatures reach 5.5°C for five consecutive days; applying N fertilizer before this risks environmental losses. To test whether daffodil flowering signified when to apply N fertilizer, farmers volunteered to take part in a citizen science study. The PROSOIL project used a “citizen science”, participatory approach to create farmer‐informed science, aiming to increase awareness of the importance of soil health. In 2014, over 300 farmers completed a “How do you manage your soil” survey. The survey included a question on the use of daffodils (Narcissus spp.) to indicate the best time to apply the first nitrogen fertilizer of the season, based on anecdotal feedback from farmers involved in the PROSOIL project. The survey recorded 7% of farmers based their first fertilizer application on when daffodils flowered. To increase farmer awareness of soil temperatures, we provided them with soil thermometers, held workshops and hosted interactive stands at agricultural events in 2014. In autumn 2014, farmers planted daffodil bulbs of the same variety, across Wales, and monitored soil temperatures. Farmers returned postcards once their daffodils were in flower, noting the soil temperature. An assessment of whether daffodil flowering date could indicate when to apply N fertilizer was made. Overall, in spring 2015, daffodils flowered when soil temperature was 6.4(±0.35)°C, suggesting daffodil flowering date is a more reliable indicator for fertilizer application, than first hypothesized. Findings show a scientific validation of local knowledge, regarding the use of daffodils to indicate the “not‐before” date for the first N fertilizer application.     

刺五加反季生产技术

刺五加属中草药、菜两用植物,具有很好的药用价值和广阔的市场前景。但由于近年滥砍乱伐和肓目开采．使有限的野生资源遭到严重破坏。尽快恢复野生资源,建立苗木繁育基地进行人工栽培势在必行。通过介绍刺五加反季生产技术．为农民栽培刺五加提供技术支持。     

GENETICS. The Human Variome Project

An ambitious plan to collect, curate, and make accessible information on genetic variations affecting human health is beginning to be realized.     

切花芍药间作套种技术

为了提高切花芍药土地利用率及产出效益,根据市场需求,在每年6月至来年2月在切花芍药的大田进行间作套种。经过几年的生产实践,总结出了适宜切花芍药行间进行间作套种遵循的3个基本原则,2种主要模式及甜糯玉米、菠菜的间作套种技术。     

The extent and pattern of Eucalyptus regeneration in an agricultural landscape

The process of natural regeneration is critical for sustaining remnant native vegetation and the ecosystem services it supports. We quantified the extent and pattern of Eucalyptus regeneration within remnant vegetation in a fragmented agricultural landscape in south-eastern Australia. Eucalyptus regeneration was absent at 42% of sites. Using an information-theoretic approach, we explored 13 possible models of Eucalyptus regeneration across multiple scales. The explanatory variables in the four models with empirical support (and their summed Akaike weights) were: grazing intensity (1.0), native ground cover (0.99), remnant area (0.83), tenure (0.67), canopy cover (0.21) and vegetation type (0.11). Averaging across these four models we predicted that the probability of Eucalyptus regeneration was highest (0.95) in relatively unmodified remnant native vegetation, that is, remnant vegetation on public land where grazing was light and the understorey was dominated by native plants. In contrast, the predicted probability of Eucalyptus regeneration was lowest (0.12) in small remnants on private land where grazing was heavy. Our results suggest that a large proportion of all remnant native vegetation in this landscape will disappear under existing land management and farming practices. Reducing grazing pressure within intensively grazed remnants appears to be the single most effective management intervention that will mitigate this threat. This will require a shift in conservation priorities away from large, intact remnants where regeneration does not appear to be affected, to poorer quality remnants—often small remnants or scattered trees—where regeneration is typically absent.     

Distribution of monoterpenes between organic resources in upper soil horizons under monocultures of Picea abies, Picea sitchensis and Pinus sylvestris

The aim of this study was to compare the monoterpene content and distribution in litters and roots of three conifer species: Picea abies (L.) Karst, Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr. and Pinus sylvestris (L.). We analysed the monoterpene content of green needles, needle litter, F (fermentation) layer material and roots collected from monoculture plots. The rate of loss of monoterpenes from freshly fallen litter in the field was also studied at two monthly intervals over 10 months, to assess the length of time that monoterpenes entering the litter layer remain. Monoterpene analysis was carried out by extracting homogenised samples in hexane and identifying and quantifying the resulting monoterpenes using gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection (GC-FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Mean total monoterpene concentrations varied significantly between the three species examined (e.g. in freshly fallen litter 1531 ± 96, 100 ± 5 and 1175 ± 122 μg g⁻¹ d. wt for P. abies, P. sitchensis and P. sylvestris); each species had distinctive and consistent monoterpene profiles associated with each type of tissue, and total monoterpene concentrations in green needles varied between individual trees of the same species, particularly for P. sitchensis. A substantial proportion of the monoterpene content of green needles remained in the needles after litter fall for P. abies (42%), P. sitchensis (11%) and P. sylvestris (30%). Although rates of monoterpene loss from needle litters varied initially (P. sylvestris > P. abies > P. sitchensis), the majority of the monoterpene content was lost after 4-6 months. Maximum monoterpene emission rates from decaying litter were calculated of 39 (P. abies), 1.7 (P. sitchensis) and 39 μg m⁻² h⁻¹ (P. sylvestris). Monoterpene concentrations in F layer material were very low (<10 μg g⁻¹ d. wt). Roots, particularly in P. sylvestris, represented a significant pool of monoterpenes (185 ± 16, P. abies; 258 ± 54, P. sitchensis; 2133 ± 200 μg g⁻¹ d. wt, P. sylvestris). The monoterpene profile was similar between roots and litter of P. sylvestris (α-pinene most abundant), and for P. sitchensis, (limonene and α-pinene most abundant), although a different pattern was observed between needle litter (most abundant β-pinene) and roots (most abundant myrcene) of P. abies. The relatively high concentrations and different profiles of monoterpenes characterised in upper organic soil horizons here emphasise the need for their influence on soil ecological processes to be assessed.     

薄皮甜瓜内源激素对不同夜间温度的响应及与果实生长的关系

 【目的】探讨薄皮甜瓜内源激素对夜间不同温度的应答及果实内源激素与果实发育之间的关系。【方法】采用HPLC方法,测定果实膨大期不同夜温处理后薄皮甜瓜果实中内源激素的含量,分析不同夜温处理下内源激素含量与单果重增长率的相关关系。【结果】薄皮甜瓜果实中内源GA3和ZT含量均在果实膨大前期出现高峰,IAA在果实膨大后期出现高峰,ABA含量一直维持较低的水平。不同夜温处理后薄皮甜瓜果实中内源激素含量变化明显。与其它处理相比,夜温9℃处理后,果实内源GA3、ZT、IAA含量均明显降低,GA3/ABA、ZT/ABA明显减小,ABA含量在果实发育后期明显升高,均达到极显著水平。夜温18℃处理后果实内源GA3、GA3/ABA含量明显低于夜温15℃和12℃处理。在薄皮甜瓜整个夜温处理过程中,夜温15℃和12℃间的内源激素无显著差异。进一步分析果实内源激素与果实膨大的关系表明,GA3/ABA与单果重增长率呈极显著正相关,不适宜夜温下其二者直线相关的斜率较小,其中9℃最小。ZT/ABA与单果重增长率间,除夜温15℃和18℃达到显著正相关外,其它夜温处理均不显著。【结论】不同夜间温度对果实内源激素含量的影响不同,GA3和GA3/ABA可能与薄皮甜瓜果实生长具有一定的关系,同时还与其它因子有关。     

Linking long-term dietary patterns with gut microbial enterotypes

Diet strongly affects human health, partly by modulating gut microbiome composition. We used diet inventories and 16S rDNA sequencing to characterize fecal samples from 98 individuals. Fecal communities clustered into enterotypes distinguished primarily by levels of Bacteroides and Prevotella. Enterotypes were strongly associated with long-term diets, particularly protein and animal fat (Bacteroides) versus carbohydrates (Prevotella). A controlled-feeding study of 10 subjects showed that microbiome composition changed detectably within 24 hours of initiating a high-fat/low-fiber or low-fat/high-fiber diet, but that enterotype identity remained stable during the 10-day study. Thus, alternative enterotype states are associated with long-term diet.