Effect of dietary calcium or phosphorus deficiency on bone development and related calcium or phosphorus metabolic utilization parameters of broilers from 22 to 42 days of age

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary calcium (Ca) or phosphorus (P) deficiency on bone development and related Ca or P metabolic utilization parameters of broilers from 22 to 42 days of age based on our previous study, which indicated that dietary Ca or P deficiency impaired the bone development by regulating related Ca or P metabolic utilization parameters of broilers from 1 to 21 days of age. A total of 504 one-day-old Arbor Acres male broilers were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments with 7 replicates in a completely randomized design, and fed the normal control and Ca- or P-deficient diets from 1 to 21 days of age. At 22 days of age, the broilers were further fed the normal control diet (0.90% Ca+0.35% non-phytate P (NPP)), the P-deficient diet (0.90% Ca+0.18% NPP), the Ca-deficient diet (0.30% Ca+0.35% NPP) or the Ca and P-deficient diet (0.30% Ca+0.18% NPP), respectively. The results showed that dietary Ca or P deficiency decreased (P<0.05) tibia bone mineral density (BMD), bone breaking strength (BBS), ash content, tibia ash Ca content and serum P content on days 28 and 42, but increased (P<0.05) tibia alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity of broilers on day 42 compared with the control group. Furthermore, the broilers fed the P-deficient diet had the lowest (P<0.05) tibia BMD, BBS, ash content, serum P content and the highest (P<0.05) serum Ca content on day 28 compared with those fed the Ca-deficient or Ca and P-deficient diets. The results from the present study indicated that the bone development and related Ca or P metabolic utilization parameters of broilers were the most sensitive to dietary P deficiency, followed by dietary Ca deficiency or Ca and P-deficiency; dietary Ca or P deficiency impaired the bone development possibly by regulating serum Ca and P contents as well as tibia Ca content and ALP activity of broilers from 22 to 42 days of age.     

Myophosphorylase deficiency (glycogen storage disease Type V) in a herd of Charolais cattle in New Zealand: Confirmation by PCR-RFLP testing

AIM: To describe a disease of muscle in Charolais calves and confirm the putative diagnosis of inherited myophosphorylase deficiency.

METHODS: Variously stained paraffin sections of muscle prepared from affected calves were used to describe the lesions. A polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) test was developed and applied to affected calves, their sires, dams and other individuals.

RESULTS: The lesions were those of rhabdomyolysis of skeletal muscles and sub-sarcolemmal spaces in normal fibres. The PCR-RFLP test confirmed the expected mutation for phosphorylase deficiency of Charolais cattle in two affected calves. In addition, sires, dams and other closely-related individuals of four affected calves tested as heterozygous for the mutation. Other apparently unrelated animals also tested as heterozygous.

CONCLUSIONS: The diagnosis of myophosphorylase deficiency was confirmed. The PCR-RFLP test is suitable for use in controlling this recessively-inherited disorder as it can diagnose heterozygous individuals that are otherwise clinically normal.     

Do plant species encourage soil biota that specialise in the rapid decomposition of their litter?

Plants are often nutrient limited and soil organisms are important in mediating nutrient availability to plants. Thus, there may be a selective advantage to plants that alter the soil community in ways that enhance the decomposition of their litter and, hence, their ability to access nutrients. We incubated litter from three tree species (Fagus sylvatica, Acer pseudoplatanus and Picea sitchensis) in the presence of biota extracted from soil beneath a stand of each species to test the hypothesis that litter decomposes fastest in the presence of biota derived from soil where that species is locally abundant. We found that respiration rate, a measure of decomposer activity and carbon mineralisation, was affected by litter type and source of soil biota, whereas, mass loss was only affected by litter type. However, litter from each tree species did not decompose faster in the presence of indigenous soil biota. These findings, therefore, provide no support for the notion that woodland plants encourage the development of soil communities that rapidly decompose their litter.     

主要农作物秸秆养分资源现状及其肥料替代潜力分析——以安徽省为例

安徽省农作物秸秆资源丰富,充分利用秸秆养分资源对于农田养分投入的合理分配具有重要意义。评估全省主要农作物秸秆还田当季有效养分替代化肥潜力,可为安徽省减肥增效提供科学依据。本研究以安徽种植面积较大的主要农作物水稻、小麦、玉米、大豆、花生和油菜为研究对象,通过查阅安徽省统计数据和公开发表的文献资料,对2017年安徽省主要农作物秸秆数量、秸秆还田率以及还田当季养分利用率进行估算,明晰了全省化肥减施潜力。结果表明:2017年安徽省主要农作物秸秆资源量为4 699.9万t,秸秆资源分布上呈北部和中部较多、南部最少的特征。秸秆养分资源总量为124.8万t,N、P_2O_5和K_2O分别为38.1万t、11.4万t和75.3万t,分别占全省主要农作物养分需求的40.1%、32.1%和68.9%。理论上,秸秆全量还田,且养分充分利用的情况下,秸秆养分替代化肥潜力大。但秸秆养分N、P_2O_5和K_2O当季利用率分别为38.9%、52.3%和69.9%,实际秸秆N、P_2O_5和K_2O养分还田量仅占主要农作物养分需求的15.6%、16.8%和48.2%,分别占农田养分总投入量的8.6%、6.4%和41.4%。通过秸秆还田,全省可减施化肥63.3万t,减施比例为19.8%, N、P_2O_5和K_2O减施比例分别为11.4%、17.2%、40.7%。进一步提高秸秆还田率和当季养分释放率,是推进全省化肥减施增效的有利手段。     

桑沟湾养殖海带(Sacharina japonica)碎屑降解速率及影响因素

通过实验室可控条件,以桑沟湾(Sanggou Bay)养殖海带(Sacharina japonica)为研究对象,探讨养殖海带碎屑降解过程中营养盐释放速率及对底质、溶解氧的影响.实验设置2个底质条件(加底泥,无底泥)、2个溶氧条件(好氧,厌氧),各处理组设3个平行,实验持续27 d.结果显示,(1)加入底泥,可以促进海带碎屑的降解.实验结束时,加入底泥组无机氮(DIN)、总氮(TN)、活性磷酸盐(DIP)、总磷(TP)的平均释放速率分别为1.234、1.802、0.028、0.033 μmo1/(g.d),显著高于未加底泥组的0.039、1.476、0.005、0.010 μmo1/(g·d).而未加底泥组的可溶性有机氮(DON)释放速率为1.437 μmo1/(g·d),显著高于底泥组的0.568 μmo1/(g.d).(2)厌氧条件有利于海带碎屑中P的降解释放,释放的TP中以可溶性有机磷(DOP)为主.TP、DIP、DOP的降解速率显著高于非厌氧条件.但是,厌氧条件下无机氮释放速率为0.097 μmo1/(g·d),仅为好氧条件下无机氮的8％,而总氮为好氧条件下的71％.(3)底泥的加入显著提高了水体的N:P,达到207.83±301.37,厌氧状态使水体N:P降低到9.38±6.55,都较大的偏离对照组的16.82±1.26,远远偏离经典Redfield值(16∶1).整个实验说明养殖海带降解过程受底质、溶氧条件影响,同时,大量海带碎屑腐烂降解,将会对养殖系统的营养盐浓度及结构产生影响.     

Comprehensive assessment of nutrient management technologies for cauliflower production under subtropical conditions

We developed a methodological protocol for comprehensive evaluation of nutrient management (NM) technologies for production of cauliflower taking its yield, quality, profitability, energy balance and environmental sustainability in terms of soil quality as the goal variables. Fifteen NM technologies comprising three sources of nutrients viz., organics [farmyard manure (FYM), vermicompost (VC) and green manure], inorganic fertilizations (recommended NPK at the rate of 200-44-82 kg ha⁻¹and 125% of recommended NPK) and their selected combinations were tested for producing cauliflower for six consecutive growing seasons during 2006–2011. Integrated NM technology proved to be economically sound and environment-friendly practice. It helped to produce better quality cauliflower with higher value added products such as crude protein, dietary fibre, and vitamin C. Further, it concomitantly maintained better soil quality by improving soil organic carbon stock, microbial biomass carbon, bulk density and extractable plant available nutrients. Combining all the parameters together by employing non-parametric evaluation of regression factor scores through principal component analysis, the NM technology of FYM 5 Mg ha⁻¹ + 125% of recommended NPK and VC 3 Mg ha⁻¹ + 125% of recommended NPK were found to be the best among the NM technologies compared. The superiority of the technologies were attributed to higher curd biomass yield (8.36 and 9.70 Mg ha⁻¹, respectively), higher economic return (benefit-cost ratio 2.7 and 2.5; marginal rate of return 8.0 and 5.1, respectively), more energy conserving efficiency (net energy 22.4 and 25.7 GJ ha⁻¹; output-input energy ratio 1.86 and 2.00, respectively) and greater improvement in the indices of soil quality (6.219 and 5.709, respectively) and crop quality for human (6.7 and 7.4, respectively) and animal (7.4 and 6.4, respectively) nutrition. Organics were less productive, less profitable, and energetically less efficientas compared to integrated and inorganic systems for cauliflower production in subtropics.     

Technologies for the diagnosis and remediation of Fe deficiency

The objective of this paper is to review the developments in the last few years in two important issues related to Fe deficiency in plants. First, the current knowledge on the possible ways to carry out the diagnosis and prognosis of Fe deficiency in plants is discussed. This includes discussion on the best ways to carry out a meaningful analysis of Fe-containing compounds in different plant parts. We will also discuss other measurement techniques that can permit to assess the Fe nutritional status in plants, including leaf chlorophyll concentrations and others. Second, the new developments in management techniques to control and remediate iron deficiency are discussed. This includes possible improved ways to supply Fe compounds available to plants, both to the soil and to the irrigation water. We also discuss possible ways to supply directly the plant with Fe containing compounds, either to the foliage or to the stem. A particular emphasis is given throughout the paper to fruit tree crops growing in Mediterranean areas.     

烤烟的养分需求规律及施肥技术研究进展

综述了烤烟的养分需求规律和施肥技术研究的最新进展,提出了烤烟施肥存在的问题,并对今后的工作进行了展望,为指导烤烟的科学施肥提供依据。     

Effects of Iron Deficiency on Thylakoid Membrane Structure and Composition in the Alga Dunaliella salina

Abstract

The unicellular green alga Dunaliella was previously proposed as a model photosynthetic organism for adaptation to iron deficiency. The purpose of this study was to find out how iron limitation affects the structure and composition of the photosynthetic system of Dunaliella salina. Iron deprivation did not retard proliferation of D. salina cells, but was associated with a decrease in cell volume and chlorophyll content, and with a four‐fold reduction in iron content and a two‐fold increase in Cu content. Electron microscopic analysis revealed shrinkage of the chloroplast and decrease in stacked thylakoid membranes. Measurements of chlorophyll fluorescence induction in the presence of DCMU and of 77 K chlorophyll fluorescence emission spectra indicated gross changes in the photosynthetic efficiency of reaction centers and in the organization of their associated light harvesting antenna. Differential analysis of protein composition led to the identification of a major thylakoid membrane protein (Tidi), that was specifically induced under iron deprivation. Partial sequencing suggests that Tidi is a novel type of a chlorophyll a/b binding protein. These results clearly show that iron limitation is associated with extensive reorganization of the photosynthetic system in Dunaliella.     

王爱华教授辨治溃疡性结肠炎经验

湖南省名中医王爱华教授认为脾胃气虚为溃疡性结肠炎的发病之本,湿热为致病之标,热毒为下血之因,血瘀为局部病理变化,肠疡为局部病理表现,日久则病及于肾,脾肾双亏,提出健脾助运是根本、调气和血辅其治、清热化湿贯其中的治疗方法。