Nitrogen deficiency induced a decrease in grain yield related to photosynthetic characteristics,carbon–nitrogen balance and nitrogen use efficiency in proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.)

ABSTRACT

Field experiments involving proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) cultivar under four nitrogen (N) levels (N0, N60, N105 and N150) were conducted in 2015 and 2016 to explore the decrease in grain yield under N deficiency related to the changes in leaf photosynthetic characteristics, carbon (C)–N balance and N use efficiency. Results showed that N deficiency decreased the net photosynthesis rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate and chlorophyll content and increased the intercellular CO₂ concentration of proso millet flag leaves from flowering to maturity. N deficiency negatively regulated the C–N balance and increased the C/N ratio by reducing the total N, soluble protein and soluble sugar contents, resulting in high starch content. N uptake and utilisation were significantly reduced because of less available N. Significantly positive correlations were observed between the grain yield and photosynthetic characteristics or N use efficiency, whereas a negative correlation was found between the grain yield and the C/N ratio. The yields generated by N0, N60 and N105 were lower than that of N150 in both years. The N fertiliser regression formulae developed in the study would provide useful information about the N fertiliser rate of proso millet.     

Modification of the human–broiler relationship and its potential effects on production

The present study was designed to investigate the effects of additional human contact (AHC) on the human–animal relationship (HAR) in broilers and on the birds’ productivity. A total of 1558 broiler one-day-old chicks were distributed into 12 equally sized pens at two different stocking densities (SDs), calculated on estimated weight at slaughter (4 pens with 32?kg/m² and 8 pens with 16?kg/m²). Six groups (2 high and 4 low SDs) received AHC, which consisted of 30-min sessions with visual human contact three days/week. The remaining six groups received as little human contact as possible and served as controls. A touch test was used to assess the human–broiler relationship and the production parameters measured were growth rate, mortality, feed consumption and feed conversion. The AHC treatment had a positive effect on the quality of the HAR but failed to affect any production parameter.     

The Influence of Human–Elephant Conflict on Electric Fence Management and Perception Among Different Rural Communities in Laikipia County,Kenya

Electrified fences are commonly used in Kenya to prevent human–elephant conflict. This research addressed the social perceptions of electrified wildlife fences by assessing community-level individual views of the fences and the willingness of community members’ involvement in fence management. In Laikipia County, Kenya, a population sample of people in two communities living near an electrified fencing and experiencing different levels of human–elephant conflict (i.e., crop raids) were surveyed about their perceptions of the fence and fence management. Respondents in communities with more frequent conflict were less favorable in their ratings about fence effectiveness and were more willing to pay for fence maintenance. In addition, a sample group of pastoralists indicated a positive attitude toward the fence, due to a perceived improvement in livestock safety from predators and theft. These benefits appeared to outweigh the difficulties the fence could impose on livestock management and cross country travel.     

Considerations for analysis of time-to-event outcomes subject to competing risks in veterinary clinical studies

In veterinary medicine, prospective clinical trials are increasingly utilized to address questions regarding effectiveness of therapies and patient prognosis. A large number of these trials involve time-to-event (TTE) endpoints, which require special methods of analysis to handle data in which not all subjects are observed to have the event of interest. Analyses and interpretation of the results can be further complicated when an endpoint of interest is not observed in some patients because they incur a competing risk, such as death from an unrelated cause. Competing risks have been the source of confusion in many epidemiologic analyses leading to the potential for misinterpretation. In this article, we review key considerations for the TTE analysis in the setting of competing risks. We briefly review standard TTE tools, namely Kaplan–Meier survival curves and Cox regression. In the setting of outcomes with competing risks, we provide guidance on the appropriate analysis techniques, such as cumulative incidence curves, to estimate the risk of an event of interest. We also describe a common pitfall of treating competing risks as censoring in Kaplan–Meier survival curve analysis, which can overestimate the event rate of interest. We describe two common regression methods that examine associated risk factors in the presence of competing risks and highlight the different research questions these methods address. This article provides an introductory overview and illustrates concepts with examples from veterinary trials and with example data sets.     

Investigation of ventricular pre-excitation electrocardiographic pattern in two horses: clinical presentation and potential causes

Two horses referred to the Unitat Equina, Fundació Hospital Clínic Veterinari, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, for unrelated clinical problems, and with no previous history of cardiac disease exhibited an intermittent ventricular pre-excitation electrocardiographic pattern during hospitalization. Both animals showed decreased plasma total and ionized magnesium concentrations, but no other relevant electrolyte disturbances were detected. Altered interventricular septal motion associated with ventricular pre-excitation beats (VPBs) was detected on M-mode echocardiography in both horses. The likely localization of an accessory pathway (AP) was identified in case 2 using pulsed-wave tissue Doppler imaging in the left anterior paraseptal location. Decreased frequency of the VPB was observed with long-term magnesium supplementation and restoration of plasma magnesium concentrations. The presence of ventricular pre-excitation electrocardiographic pattern was attributed to higher sensitivity of the AP to hypomagnesemia in both cases.     

Prolonged drought changes the bacterial growth response to rewetting

Rewetting a dry soil can result in two response patterns of bacterial growth and respiration. In type 1, bacterial growth starts to increase linearly immediately upon rewetting and respiration rates are highest immediately upon rewetting. In type 2, bacterial growth starts to increase exponentially after a lag period with a secondary increase in respiration occurring at the start of the exponential increase in growth. We previously observed that the type 1 response occurred after rewetting 4-day dried soil and type 2 for 1-year dried soil. Here we studied in detail how the duration of drought related to the two types of responses of bacterial growth and respiration to rewetting. Soil was air dried for different time periods from 4 days up to 48 weeks. Upon rewetting, bacterial growth and respiration was measured repeatedly at 17 °C during one week. Drought periods of ≤2 weeks resulted in a type 1 response whereas drought periods of ≥4 weeks resulted in a type 2 response. The lag period increased with drought duration and reached a maximum of ca. 18 h. The bacterial growth response was also affected by incubation of moist soil before drying–rewetting. The lag period increased with duration of moist soil incubation before the 4-day drying–rewetting event and reached also a maximum of ca. 18 h. The exponential growth increase in the type 2 response coincided with a secondary increase in respiration, which increased in magnitude with increasing drought duration. Cumulative respiration increased with drought duration and was ca. 4 times higher after 48 weeks of drought compared to 4 days. Thus, prolonged drought affected the response type of bacterial growth and respiration to rewetting, and also increased lag period, the magnitude of the secondary increase in respiration and total C release. The effect of drought was, however, modified by the lenght of the incubation period of moist soil before drought, suggesting that soil conditions before a drying–rewetting event need consideration when evaluating microbial responses.     

Growth-dependent survival mechanisms during the early life of a temperate seabass (Lateolabrax japonicus): field test of the ‘growth–mortality’ hypothesis

Three concepts based on size, time and growth rate are contained in the functional mechanisms of the ‘growth–mortality’ hypothesis, and are known as the ‘bigger is better’, ‘stage duration’ and ‘growth-selective predation’ hypotheses, respectively. Although it is sufficiently documented in fishes that faster growing and bigger larvae selectively survive, synergistic operation of the three components of the ‘growth–mortality’ hypothesis within a species have received little attention. In this study, we have tested the components of the ‘growth–mortality’ hypothesis based on the growth characteristics of original population (OP) and survivors (SV) of Japanese seabass (JSB) Lateolabrax japonicus. Larval and juvenile JSB were repeatedly sampled from the Tango Sea in 2007 and 2008. Otoliths from larvae and juveniles were analyzed to produce back-calculated daily records of size-at-age and growth rate, and were compared between OP and SV. Selective survival for fast-growing and bigger larvae was evident, and our results strongly support the ‘bigger is better’ hypothesis as well as the ‘growth-selective predation’ hypothesis. Growth rates of the individuals that metamorphosed into juveniles had significantly faster growth rates than non-metamorphosing larvae older than 48 days, the minimum age for metamorphosis, suggesting a clear relationship between growth rates and the timing of metamorphosis. On average, SV completed the larval stage ∼13 days earlier than those of OP, supporting the ‘stage duration’ hypothesis. Thus, SV of JSB exhibited traits consistent with all aspects of the ‘growth–mortality’ hypothesis: faster growth, bigger size-at-age, and shorter larval stage duration (LSD), i.e., larvae with faster growth, bigger size-at-age and a shorter LSD selectively survived the larval period. Although maternal influence on growth and survival was evident, factors that regulate growth–mortality mechanisms remain to be explored for JSB.     

Carbon availability regulates soil respiration response to nitrogen and temperature

The response of soil CO₂ fluxes (R_soil) to interactions between carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) availability or C and temperature conditions is not well understood, but may increasingly affect future C storage under the combined anthropogenic impacts of N deposition and climate change. Here we addressed this uncertainty through a series of laboratory incubation experiments using soils from three contrasting ecosystems to investigate how changes in C, N, and temperature regulate R_soil through changes to Michaelis–Menten parameters (i.e. V_max and K_m). Results of this study demonstrate that R_soil response to N enrichment and changes in temperature are dependent on the C availability of soil substrates. N addition influenced R_soil through both the maximum rate (V_max) and the half saturation constant (K_m). The increase in K_m corresponded to a decrease in R_soil when C was limited. Alternatively, when C was abundant, N enrichment increased R_soil, which corresponded to an increase in V_max. Regulation of temperature sensitivity through V_max and K_m was also dependent on C availability. Both V_max and K_m demonstrated positive temperature responses, supporting the hypothesis of a canceling effect at low C concentrations. While temperature sensitivity was influenced by both C quantity and C complexity, our results suggested that C quantity is a stronger predictor. Despite strong differences in climate, vegetation, and management of our soils, C–N and C-temperature interactions were markedly similar between sites, highlighting the importance of C availability in the regulation of R_soil and justifying the use of Michaelis–Menten kinetics in biogeochemical modeling.