Effects of different tillage and straw retention practices on soil aggregates and carbon and nitrogen sequestration in soils of the northwestern China

Soil tillage and straw retention in dryland areas may affect the soil aggregates and the distribution of total organic carbon. The aims of this study were to establish how different tillage and straw retention practices affect the soil aggregates and soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) contents in the aggregate fractions based on a long-term (approximately 15 years) field experimentin the semi-arid western Loess Plateau, northwestern China. The experiment included four soil treatments, i.e., conventional tillage with straw removed (T), conventional tillage with straw incorporated (TS), no tillage with straw removed (NT) and no tillage with straw retention (NTS), which were arranged in a complete randomized block design. The wet-sieving method was used to separate four size fractions of aggregates, namely, large macroaggregates (LA, >2000 μm), small macroaggregates (SA, 250-2000 μm), microaggregates (MA, 53-250 μm), and silt and clay (SC, <53 μm). Compared to the conventional tillage practices (including T and TS treatments), the percentages of the macroaggregate fractions (LA and SA) under the conservation tillage practices (including NT and NTS treatments) were increased by 41.2%-56.6%, with the NTS treatment having the greatest effect. For soil layers of 0-5, 5-10 and 10-30 cm, values of the mean weight diameter (MWD) under the TS and NTS treatments were 10.68%, 13.83% and 17.65%, respectively. They were 18.45%, 19.15% and 14.12% higher than those under the T treatment, respectively. The maximum contents of the aggregate-associated SOC and TN were detected in the SA fraction, with the greatest effect being observed for the NTS treatment. The SOC and TN contents were significantly higher under the NTS and TS treatments than under the T treatment. Also, the increases in SOC and TN levels were much higher in the straw-retention plots than in the straw-removed plots. The macroaggregates (including LA and SA fractions) were the major pools for SOC and TN, regardless of tillage practices, storing 3.25-6.81 g C/kg soil and 0.34-0.62 g N/kg soil. Based on the above results, we recommend the NTS treatment as the best option to boost soil aggregates and to reinforce carbon and nitrogen sequestration in soils in the semi-arid western Loess Plateau of northwestern China.     

Role of TLR4-TRPC6 in LPS-induced NF-κB P65 expression and nuclear translocation in airway epithelial 16HBE cells

AIM: To investigate the role of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and transient receptor potential channel 6 (TRPC6) signaling pathway in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) P65 expression and nuclear translocation in airway epithelial cells (16HBE) for supplementing the mechanism for airway inflammation. METHODS: After stimulating the 16HBE cells with LPS at 1 mg/L for 0, 0.5, 2, 6, 12 and 24 h, the expression of NF-κB P65 at mRNA and protein levels in the 16HBE cells were determined by RT-PCR and Western blot respectively, and the nuclear translocation of NF-κB P65 was detected by immunocytochemical staining method. The effects of TLR4 inhibitor CLI-095 at 5 μmol/L and TRPC6 agonist Hyp9 at 10 μmol/L on LPS (1 mg/L)-induced NF-κB P65 expression and nuclear translocation in the 16HBE cells were determined by RT-PCR, Western blot and immunocytochemical staining. RESULTS: LPS increased the mRNA and protein expression of NF-κB P65 and nuclear translocation in the 16HBE cells(P<0.05). TLR4 inhibitor CLI-095 reduced the mRNA and protein expression of NF-κB P65 and nuclear translocation induced by LPS, while Hyp9 enhanced the mRNA and protein expression of NF-κB P65 and nuclear translocation induced by LPS in the 16HBE cells(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: LPS induces the expression and nuclear translocation of NF-κB P65 in the 16HBE cells via TLR4-TRPC6 signaling pathway.     

规模种植条件下玉米茬地平翻整地机组经济性评价

玉米后茬耕整地是玉米机械化生产过程中的重要环节之一,评价玉米茬地机械化耕整地机组的经济性能对指导农业及农业机械化生产具有重要意义。根据实际调研结果,确定了规模化生产条件下玉米茬地平翻整地工艺过程及完成各项作业的10种适用机组;选择年最大盈利值、投资回收期和内部收益率评价玉米茬地平翻整地各机组的经济性能,给出了各指标的计算模型。评价结果表明:东方红1304拖拉机灭茬机组、CASE210拖拉机耙地机组年收益最大;东方红1304拖拉机起垄机组、CASE210拖拉机平翻机组可获得较高的投资效率。     

玉米农田耕层现状、存在问题及合理耕层构建探讨

针对农田耕层现状及存在的问题,从耕层变薄犁底层增厚,有机质减少地力下降地表裸露水（风）蚀严重等3个方面,分析农田土壤退化及不合理耕层形成的原因,通过总结前人研究结果,明确耕层构造的概念及类型,结合笔者多年研究提出“苗带紧行间松”合理耕层的概念及建立合理耕层构造的重要意义,以期为东北黑土保育、持续高效耕作及确保国家粮食安全提供一定理论参考依据.     

Yield and soil system changes from conservation tillage in dryland farming: A case study from North Eastern Tanzania

Yield levels in smallholder farming systems in semi-arid sub-Saharan Africa are generally low. Water shortage in the root zone during critical crop development stages is a fundamental constraining factor. While there is ample evidence to show that conservation tillage can promote soil health, it has recently been suggested that the main benefit in semi-arid farming systems may in fact be an in situ water harvesting effect. In this paper we present the result from an on-farm conservation tillage experiment (combining ripping with mulch and manure application) that was carried out in North Eastern Tanzania from 2005 to 2008. Special attention was given to the effects of the tested treatment on the capacity of the soil to retain moisture. The tested conservation treatment only had a clear yield increasing effect during one of the six experimental seasons (maize grain yields increased by 41%, and biomass by 65%), and this was a season that received exceptional amounts of rainfall (549 mm). While the other seasons provided mixed results, there seemed to be an increasing yield gap between the conservation tillage treatment and the control towards the end of the experiment, and cumulatively the yield increased with 17%. Regarding soil system changes, small but significant effects on chemical and microbiological properties, but not on physical properties, were observed. This raises questions about the suggested water harvesting effect and its potential to contribute to stabilized yield levels under semi-arid conditions. We conclude that, at least in a shorter time perspective, the tested type of conservation tillage seems to boost productivity during already good seasons, rather than stabilize harvests during poor rainfall seasons. Highlighting the challenges involved in upgrading these farming systems, we discuss the potential contribution of conservation tillage towards improved water availability in the crop root zone in a longer term perspective.     

天然草场改良用振动式间隔松土机作业机理

为了提升草地振动式间隔松土机的作业性能,需要对机具的作业机理进行研究。通过对机具的工作单体进行运动仿真分析,探讨了松土部件在强迫振动作用下对草耕层土壤的破碎机理。通过分析得出松土部件的工作过程为切削土壤和抛起土壤两个交替作用的阶段,在松土作业过程中,松土部件既有挤压松土又有振动松土,土垡因受剪切、弯曲和拉伸等作用得到松碎,松土部件产生与松土铲切削方向呈一定角度的振动有利于土壤疏松和降低机具的牵引阻力。     

2BMQJ6型气吸式玉米免耕播种机的研制

针对现有的型孔轮式、组合内窝孔式玉米免耕播种机对种子尺寸要求高、适应性差等问题,研制开发了一种对种子尺寸要求低、适应性强的用于小麦收割后直接播种的气吸式玉米免耕播种机。该机主要由机架、风机、划印器、播种单体、施肥系统和传动系统等组成,可一次性完成破茬、施肥、开沟、播种、覆土、镇压等作业。田间试验结果表明:该机的粒距合格指数≥8 5%,重播指数≤1 0%,漏播指数≤5%,种子破损率≤0.5%,性能指标优于行业标准;机具结构设计合理,作业时土壤扰动小,满足高速精密播种质量要求。     

草地振动式间隔松土机设计与试验

针对我国草原长期过载放牧,造成土壤板结严重,导致草原退化的问题,设计了9ST-460型草地振动式间隔松土机.该机采用间隔配置的梯形框架式松土部件,利用曲轴连杆机构产生的向上激振力,对通过松土部件的土壤进行强制振动疏松,实现了在不破坏草原植被的条件下,对高坚实度草原土壤的松土作业.田间试验表明:机具在前进速度1 m/s、振动频率10.0 Hz情况下,作业稳定,松土效果明显.经检测,松土平均深度20.01 cm,松土比43.4%,植被破坏率1.6%,生产率0.85 hm~2/h,达到了技术要求.作业后土壤容积密度和坚实度平均降低了30.0%和48.8%,可以获得适合牧草生长的虚实并存的耕作层,提高了土壤的蓄水保墒能力,天然草地和人工草地牧草产量分别增产73.99%和68.65%.     

基于GIS的保护性耕作技术适宜性区划方法

目前保护性耕作技术类型繁多且我国地区差异较大,大面积推广存在很大困难,以免耕为例构建了该项保护性耕作技术适宜性区划的指标体系,并选取内蒙古武川县为实证研究区域,在利用GIS技术的基础上采取AHP加权法、聚类分析法等对其进行了免耕技术的适宜性区划,得到了较为合理的区划结果.为其他类型的保护性耕作技术适宜性区划研究提供了借鉴和参考.     

轮胎压实对机具牵引阻力的影响

研究了华北平原小麦、玉米一年两熟区固定道保护性耕作对机具田间牵引阻力的影响,对比分析了固定道与非固定道处理下机具田间作业的滚动阻力、开沟器牵引阻力和总牵引阻力.与非固定道保护性耕作时深松、小麦和玉米播种作业相比,固定道保护性耕作下机组总牵引阻力分别降低14.6%、13.3%和13.3%;滚动阻力分别降低26.9%、21.9%和19.7%,平均降低22.9%;机具牵引阻力分别降低7.5%、7.2%和12.4%,平均降低8.8%.固定道处理的开沟器牵引阻力平均比非固定道处理降低22.0%.与非固定道相比,固定道总牵引油耗在3种作业时分别降低17.6%、12.4%和9.1%.试验结果表明,固定道保护性耕作显著降低机具田间牵引阻力,减少了机具田间作业油耗.