Specific polyphenol oxidase activity of red clover (Trifolium pratense) and its relation with forage quality in field experiments

Abstract

In feeding studies, red clover (RC) influenced positively the N utilization by ruminants. A relationship between polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity and forage quality has not been established. Our objective was to investigate seasonal, site, genotype, and management effects on specific PPO activity in RC in three experiments under field conditions, and relate the activity to forage-quality parameters. In Experiment 1, six RC genotypes at two study sites were submitted to a 3-cut system. Specific PPO activity, forage quality, and vegetation stage were determined. PPO activity varied between harvest and study sites, with genotypes differing up to 3-fold in PPO activity within harvests. The specific PPO activity, forage quality, and vegetation stage in RC subjected to 5-cut system and grazing (Experiment 2) were determined. Additionally, in Experiment 3, cutting frequency in RC swards including mechanical stress (rolling) was investigated. The induction of PPO activity in RC by grazing or mechanical stress (Experiments 2 and 3) increased the activity up to 2.5-fold compared with RC at similar vegetation stage submitted to the 5-cut system. Mechanical stress induced by grazing or rolling, and seasonal differences, seem to have a larger influence on specific PPO activity than does the genotype effect observed in Experiment 1. For forage quality, an increased specific PPO activity explained 29–46% of the reduction in protein fraction ‘A’ content (non-protein N) in the cutting systems in Experiments 2 and 3. Other CP fractions achieved a lower relation. Furthermore, the precipitation-to-temperature ratio preceeding a harvest explained 63% of the variation in the specific PPO activity. In conclusion, the PPO activity in RC is induced by grazing and rolling. Whereas weather conditions preceeding a harvest showed a large influence, genotype influence had only minor relevance. These results may have implications for regional harvest management towards efficient N utilization by ruminants.     

Soil organic matter fractionation as a tool for predicting nitrogen mineralization in silty arable soils

After decades of searching for a practical method to estimate the N mineralization capacity of soil, there is still no consistent methodology. Indeed it is important to have practical methods to estimate soil nitrogen release for plant uptake and that should be appropriate, less time consuming, and cost effective for farmers. We fractionated soil organic matter (SOM) to assess different fractions of SOM as predictors for net N mineralization measured from repacked (disturbed) and intact (undisturbed) soil cores in 14 weeks of laboratory incubations. A soil set consisting of surface soil from 18 cereal and root‐cropped arable fields was physically fractionated into coarse and fine free particulate OM (coarse fPOM and fine fPOM), intra‐microaggregate particulate OM (iPOM) and silt and clay sized OM. The silt and clay sized OM was further chemically fractionated by oxidation with 6% NaOCl to isolate an oxidation‐resistant OM fraction, followed by extraction of mineral bound OM with 10% HF (HF‐res OM). Stepwise multiple linear regression yielded a significant relationship between the annual N mineralization (kg N/ha) from undisturbed soil and coarse fPOM N (kg N/ha), silt and clay N (kg N/ha) and its C:N ratio (R² = 0.80; P < 0.01). The relative annual N mineralization (% of soil N) from disturbed soils was related to coarse fPOM N, HF‐res OC (% of soil organic carbon) and its C:N ratio (R² = 0.83; P < 0.01). Physical fractions of SOM were thus found to be the most useful predictors for estimating the annual N mineralization rate of undisturbed soils. However, the bioavailability of physical fractions was changed due to the disturbance of soil. For disturbed soils, a presumed stable chemical SOM fraction was found to be a relevant predictor indicating that this fraction still contains bio‐available N. The latter prompted a revision in our reasoning behind selective oxidation and extraction as tools for characterizing soil organic N quality with respect to N availability. Nonetheless, the present study also underscores the potential of a combined physical and chemical fractionation procedure for isolating and quantifying N fractions which preferentially contribute to bulk soil N mineralization. The N content or C:N ratio of such fractions may be used to predict N mineralization in arable soils.     

Does returning sites of historic peri‐urban waste disposal to vegetable production pose a risk to human health? – A case study near Manchester,UK

Urban waste disposal occurred on fenland to the west of Manchester, England, between 1900 and 1964. The reclaimed fenland, Chat Moss, is now used for mixed arable farming. A total of 1.92 Mt of waste including privy midden, street sweepings, clinkers and slaughterhouse refuse was incorporated into the moss resulting in a modified topsoil with raised pH and reduced organic matter content compared with the subsoil. Elevated levels of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) are observed in the topsoil beyond the typical depth of atmospheric contamination; Cd and As concentrations exceed soil guideline values (SGVs) at 1.8 and 43 mg/kg, respectively. Sequential extraction indicates that waste‐derived Pb, Zn and Ni remain predominantly in the residual fraction, whereas Cu was mainly organically bound. Arsenic was predominately found in oxide and organic matter fractions with Cd in carbonate, oxide, organic matter and residual fractions. Pot trials indicated limited uptake of PTEs by vegetables grown on the waste‐amended soil, with the exception of Cd uptake by lettuce (0.22 mg/kg FW) and Pb uptake by radish (0.16 mg/kg FW), which exceeded current EU limits of 0.2 and 0.1 mg/kg FW, respectively. Hazard quotients (HQs) identified no risks to adults from consumption of vegetables grown in these soils with the exception of lettuce consumption with a HQ of 1.4. Risks to children were slightly greater with HQs >1 for Cd in lettuce, spinach, carrots and onion, As in lettuce, parsley and onion and for Zn in spinach.     

Effects of Natural Fallow and Pig Slurry Drip Irrigation on Phosphorus Accumulation and Fractionation in a Coastal Saline Soil

Organic inputs are believed to be able to increase soil phosphorus (P) availability. Natural fallow and pig slurry amendments are the two important organic inputs for agricultural soils. The purposes of the study are to investigate P accumulation and to compare the differences of P fractionation patterns as affected by natural fallow and pig slurry drip irrigation in a coastal saline soil. The study showed that P accumulation occurred mainly in upper soil profiles and that natural fallow or pig slurry drip irrigation alone would not significantly influence total P distribution in soil profiles. However, soil P fractionation demonstrated that, from bottom to top, bioavailable P content and percentage increased whereas residual P percentage declined. The percentage of extractable inorganic P was almost twice as much as that of extractable organic P. In comparison with natural fallow conditions, under pig slurry drip-irrigation conditions, the transformation efficiency of superphosphate fertilizer HCl P_i into residual P was lower whereas the transformation efficiency of superphosphate fertilizer HCl P_i into bioavailable P was higher. The higher bioavailable P percentage and lower average C_org/P ratio in a long-term pig slurry drip-irrigation plot than those in other plots indicated that long-term pig slurry drip-irrigation was more efficient in improving soil P availability than natural fallow and short-term pig slurry drip irrigation.     

Production and oxidation of wool grease after shearing

OBJECTIVE: To measure the production and amount of oxidation of wool grease secreted immediately after shearing. To identify components of wool grease that might act as a carrier to facilitate lateral diffusion of topically applied insecticides. DESIGN: Fine-wool Merino sheep were shorn and residual greasy wool was collected from the sheep's flank. The quantity of grease produced, and the amount of oxidation was measured during 18 days after shearing. Wool grease was fractionated into five component groups based on their polarity and the degree of oxidation in these fractions determined. RESULTS: There was a 24% increase in grease production within 2 days after shearing but secretions returned to pre-shearing amounts after 4 days. During this period wool grease oxidized rapidly. Of the grease fractions examined, sterol and wax esters remained essentially unoxidized whereas free sterols such as cholesterol and lanosterol, fatty acids and polar lipids, aldehydes and alcohols were extensively oxidized within 7 days after shearing. CONCLUSION: The transient increase in grease production after shearing may facilitate diffusion of topically applied synthetic pyrethroid insecticides. Oxidation of grease components may then contain the insecticide and limit further diffusion. Incorporating the insecticide in non-oxidising fractions of wool grease may make insecticide dispersion more efficient.     

不同有机碳水平下塿土磷的有效性及无机磷形态转化

【目的】在土壤Olsen-P和全磷含量基本接近但土壤有机碳水平呈梯度的陕西省关中平原塿土上,研究有机碳对土壤各形态无机磷有效性及其形态转化的影响,为合理培肥土壤,有效利用土壤累积态磷提供理论依据。【方法】采集并选取了陕西省关中平原小麦-玉米种植体系下塿土Olsen-P含量相近（平均含量范围17.41—18.72 mg·kg^-1）,不同有机碳水平（有机碳平均含量分别为6.38、8.34、10.17、11.95、13.64和15.74 g·kg^-1）的土壤样品,采用蒋柏藩-顾益初改进的Chang和Jackson的石灰性土壤无机磷分级方法分别对土壤中各磷组分（二钙磷（Ca₂-P）、八钙磷（Ca₈-P）、铝结合态磷（Al-P）、铁结合态磷（Fe-P）、闭蓄态磷（O-P）和十钙磷（Ca₁₀-P））含量进行测定。【结果】在陕西关中平原小麦-玉米种植区塿土中,有机碳对土壤各形态磷素水平及形态转化起重要作用。随着有机碳含量的增加,土壤中Ca₂-P、Ca₈-P、Al-P、Fe-P、O-P、缓效磷库（Ca₈-P、Al-P和Fe-P）和难利用磷库（O-P和Ca₁₀-P）含量均显著增加（P≤0.05）,Ca₁₀-P相对稳定。有机碳含量与土壤活性磷库（Ca₂-P）、缓效磷库（主要为Al-P）的相对含量（占无机磷总量的比例）呈极显著正相关关系,与难利用磷库（主要是Ca₁₀-P）呈极显著负相关关系。土壤Olsen-P含量与难利用磷库含量呈显著正相关关系。【结论】在Olsen-P相近,全磷也基本相似的条件下,土壤有机碳促进了土壤中难溶态磷酸盐向缓效态磷库和活性态磷库的转化,提高了有效磷源占无机磷总量的比例,从而提高了土壤磷素有效性。研究结果表明可通过合理的措施培肥土壤,从而有效地促进土壤累积态磷的活化利用。     

水化氯铝酸钙与传统钝化剂降低土壤镉生态及健康风险的对比研究

针对红壤、棕壤、褐土、黑土4种中国典型的Cd污染土壤,应用Ca(OH)2、Ca(H2PO4)2以及层状双金属氢氧化物（Layered Double Hydroxides,LDHs）、水化氯铝酸钙（CaAl-Cl LDH）开展钝化修复,并从土壤Cd的生态风险和健康风险角度进行修复效果对比研究。分析钝化剂对土壤pH值、土壤Cd的赋存形态以及土壤Cd直接经口摄入的生物可给性的影响,并对修复机理进行深入探究。结果表明,在Ca(OH)2、Ca(H2PO4)2和CaAl-Cl LDH各自相对最优施用量下,3种钝化剂均可显著降低土壤Cd的活性系数（P<0.05）,平均降幅分别为16.1%、56.9%和29.2%,可降低土壤Cd的作物吸收量及Cd对周边生态环境的风险。此外,施用CaAl-Cl LDH能显著且更为有效地降低土壤Cd的生物可给性（P<0.05）及Cd对人体的健康风险,在胃和小肠阶段的平均降幅为19.2%和33.0%,其中胃阶段分别达到施用Ca(OH)2和Ca(H2PO4)2的3.11和1.99倍,小肠阶段为5.99和2.72倍。该研究为Cd污染土壤钝化修复剂的开发、改进和选择提供了科学依据和参考。     

Characterizing Constituents of Sediment Phosphorus Fractionation in a Freshwater Shallow Lake System

[Objective] This study aimed to characterize constituents of phosphorus(P)fractionation as well as reciprocities among factors in sediments of a freshwater shallow lake. [Method] Surface sediment was discretely sampled at 24 sites through Van Veen grabs. Based on a modified sequential extraction scheme, P fractionation was determined as Fe/Al bound P(Fe/Al-P), Ca bound P(Ca-P), solute and reductive P(S/R-P) and organic P(OP). Curve estimation and Pearson product-moment correlation were employed for statistical analysis. [Result] Total P(TP) content ranged from 443 to 774 mg/kg. Inorganic P(IP) was the major component of TP,of which Ca-P was dominated with an average of 51%±9.7%. Average contents of P fractionation were in the following order: Ca-P(51%) OP(29%) S/R-P(8%) Fe/Al-P(7%). The molar ratio of Fe to P was 11- 20, close to the threshold value of P leaching. [Conclusion] In freshwater shallow lakes, IP and Ca-P were prone to be relatively high, whereas Fe/Al-P was low compared with deep lakes. Occurrence of spatially monotonic gradient indicated the primary causation of anthropogenic sources. Imminent sediment P liberation was also expected. Close associations among TP, Fe/Al-P and Ca-P, implying that anthropogenic P was mainly bound to metals in particulates. Significant correlations of TOC and P fractionation highlighted endogenous mechanism and authigenic origin in sediments.