Dense planting with less basal nitrogen fertilization might benefit rice cropping for high yield with less environmental impacts

Dense planting and less basal nitrogen (N) fertilization have been recommended to further increase rice (Oryza sativa L.) grain yield and N use efficiency (NUE), respectively. The objective of this study was to evaluate the integrative impacts of dense planting with reduced basal N application (DR) on rice yield, NUE and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Field experiments with one conventional sparse planting (CK) and four treatments of dense planting (increased seedlings per hill) with less basal N application were conducted in northeast China from 2012 to 2013. In addition, a two-factor experiment was conducted to isolate the effect of planting density and basal N rate on CH₄ emission in 2013. Our results show that an increase in planting density by about 50% with a correspondingly reduction in basal N rate by about 30% (DR1 and DR2) enhanced NUE by 14.3–50.6% and rice grain yield by 0.5–7.4% over CK. Meanwhile, DR1 and DR2 reduced GWP by 6.4–12.6% and yield-scaled GWP by 7.0–17.0% over CK. According to the two-factor experiment, soil CH₄ production and oxidation and CH₄ emission were not affected by planting density. However, reduced basal N rate decreased CH₄ emission due to it significantly reduced soil CH₄ production with a smaller reduction in soil CH₄ oxidation. The above results indicate that moderate dense planting with less basal N application might be an environment friendly mode for rice cropping for high yield and NUE with less GHG emissions.     

Shifts in microbial diversity through land use intensity as drivers of carbon mineralization in soil

Land use practices alter the biomass and structure of soil microbial communities. However, the impact of land management intensity on soil microbial diversity (i.e. richness and evenness) and consequences for functioning is still poorly understood. Here, we addressed this question by coupling molecular characterization of microbial diversity with measurements of carbon (C) mineralization in soils obtained from three locations across Europe, each representing a gradient of land management intensity under different soil and environmental conditions. Bacterial and fungal diversity were characterized by high throughput sequencing of ribosomal genes. Carbon cycling activities (i.e., mineralization of autochthonous soil organic matter, mineralization of allochthonous plant residues) were measured by quantifying ¹²C- and ¹³C-CO₂ release after soils had been amended, or not, with ¹³C-labelled wheat residues. Variation partitioning analysis was used to rank biological and physicochemical soil parameters according to their relative contribution to these activities. Across all three locations, microbial diversity was greatest at intermediate levels of land use intensity, indicating that optimal management of soil microbial diversity might not be achieved under the least intensive agriculture. Microbial richness was the best predictor of the C-cycling activities, with bacterial and fungal richness explaining 32.2 and 17% of the intensity of autochthonous soil organic matter mineralization; and fungal richness explaining 77% of the intensity of wheat residues mineralization. Altogether, our results provide evidence that there is scope for improvement in soil management to enhance microbial biodiversity and optimize C transformations mediated by microbial communities in soil.     

Impact of traditional soil burning (guie) on Planosol properties and land‐use intensification in south‐western Ethiopia

In the Gilgel Gibe catchment in Ethiopia, local farmers intensify land use on Planosols by adjusting a traditional soil burning practice known as guie. The burning practice used to be applied in a cycle of shifting cultivation. However, more recently, farmers burn small plots to make fertile seedbeds for Eucalyptus seedlings in the first year before these trees are transplanted to larger plots. The purpose of this research was to assess the physico‐chemical properties of Planosols that have been subjected to burning over the last 10 yrs and evaluate the contribution of guie to land‐use intensification of these soils. Transect studies and interviews of local farmers, followed by chemical, physical and micromorphological analyses of samples from selected plots were used to compare the soil properties of recently (0–2 yrs) and formerly (3–10 yrs) burnt Planosols with those of unburnt Planosols. The analytical results show that the burning practice improved nutrient availability in the first 2 yrs after guie. Increased amounts of exchangeable aluminium (Al) were reported in the long term. Charge fingerprints illustrate that the nutrient‐buffering capacity of the soil was high shortly after the practice but subsequently decreased with time. Given the population pressure on the formerly extensively used Planosols, it is argued that the current application of guie on small, localized plots for raising Eucalyptus seedlings is well adapted to the local socio‐economic context and promotes land‐use intensification on the Planosols. The increased exchangeable Al content of former Eucalyptus seedbeds merits further in‐depth research into the biophysical sustainability of the burning practice.     

水质快速检测设备的硬软件设计及实现

[目的]研制本质快速检测设备,实现水质的现场多指标快速检测.[方法]对设备的硬件及软件进行了设计.硬件设计包含了1P2303芯片、锂电,Cortex-M3型ARM微控制器、树莓派显示系统、光频转换器等的设计;软件设计则包含了软件设置、项目选项、项目测量结果以及测量数据表格输出等模块的设计;并对水质快速检测设备的可靠性进行了试验检验.[结果]通过对该设计的设备硬件和软件合理搭配连接,从而研发出了水质快速检测设备.用该设备与国家标准要求的设备同时测定某一河道水样的5项指标结果发现,3个样点水样中铁、氨态氮、氟化物、硝酸盐和6价铬含量的两组数据值接近,无明显差异.虽然国家标准法检测下限比快测法高一个数量级,但快速设备的测定结果不影响操作员对水质的判断,说明该水质快速检测设备精密度高;两种测定方法的稳定性比较,结果快速测定法的5个指标数据的相对偏差略高于国家标准法(3.92％),但其测定结果能够较好地满足现场测定要求,说明该水质快速检测设备稳定性良好.[结论]该水质快速检测设备的检测精度和稳定性较高,可满足水质的现场快速检测要求.     

后备公猪的科学选育与利用

后备公猪的科学选育及利用直接影响猪场制种效果和经济效益,同时也能体现规模化猪场的制种技术与水平。文章针对后备公猪选育的基本环节和操作要点,从如何选种选育、科学饲养管理、合理配种利用等方面进行系统阐述,为规模化猪场后备公猪生产提供技术指导和参考依据。     

Physiological Response of Multiple Contrasting Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Cultivars to Suboptimal Temperatures

The physiological response of multiple rice cultivars, eighteen initially and eight cultivars later on, to suboptimal temperatures (ST) conditions was investigated in laboratory and outdoor experimental conditions. Treatment with ST decreased growth in different extents according to the cultivar and affected the PSII performance, determined by chlorophyll fluorescence fast‐transient test, and stomatal conductance, regardless the experimental condition. Two groups of cultivars could be distinguished on the base of their growth and physiological parameters. The group of cultivars presenting higher growths displayed optimal JIP values, and higher instantaneous water use efficiency (WUE_i), due to a lower Gs under ST, unlike cultivars showing lower growth values, which presented worse JIP values and could not adjust their Gs and hence their WUE_i. In this work, we detected at least two cultivars with superior tolerance to ST than the cold tolerant referent Koshihikari. These cultivars could be used as parents or tolerance donors in breeding for new crop varieties. On other hand, positive and significant correlations between data obtained from laboratory and outdoor experiments suggest that laboratory measurements of most of the above mentioned parameters would be useful to predict the response of rice cultivars to ST outdoor.     

水肥耦合对小麦/玉米带田产量及构成因素的影响

采用"3414"最优回归设计方案,于2007-2008年在甘肃省农业科学院张掖节水试验站,开展不同水肥耦合处理小麦/玉米带田产量效应研究。结果表明,不同水肥耦合模式对小麦/玉米带田产量的影响较大,其差异达极显著水平。其中,氮肥对产量的贡献最大,水分次之,磷肥最小,氮肥对带田混合产量的绝对贡献率达79.4%,而水分对带田混合产量的绝对贡献率达为52.9%;水肥耦合效应为:水氮耦合水磷耦合氮磷耦合;获得高产量12 952.5~13 880.0kg/hm2的施氮量为420~630kg/hm2、灌水量为5 550~6 750m3/hm2、施磷量为120kg/hm2。相关分析表明,施氮量和灌水量与间作玉米的穗粒数、千粒质量、穗粒质量、株高均呈极显著正相关,施氮量与间作小麦的穗粒质量、穗粒数呈极显著正相关。     

Design and performance of recirculating aquaculture system for marine finfish broodstock development

Tropical and subtropical climatic conditions in India present an ideal and unique opportunity for being the leader in tropical marine finfish aquaculture. However, the problem persist due to non-availability of marine finfish seed for the culture. In response to this problem, broodstock development of different tropical marine finfishes for seed production was started. The present study was undertaken to design a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) and studying their performance in managing the various water quality required for the marine finfish broodstock development and breeding. The design of RAS, developed in the present study, included a broodstock tank, egg collection chamber, electrical pump, rapid sand filter, venturi type protein skimmer and biological filter. Two RAS were designed, one was stocked with a demersal fish species, orange spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides) and the other was stocked with a pelagic fish species, Indian pompano (Trachinotus mookalee) at the rate 1 and 0.5 kg/m³ with a sex ratio of 1:1 and 1:2 (female: male) respectively. Various physio-chemical parameters, viz, total ammonia nitrogen (TAN), nitrite, nitrate, pH, alkalinity, temperature, free carbon dioxide (CO₂) and dissolved oxygen (DO) of both tank water were analyzed to assess the performance of recirculating aquaculture system in maintaining the water quality. Gonadal development of the fishes was assessed and the spawning performance was recorded and finally, economic performance of the system was also evaluated. During the entire experimental period, mean monthly total ammonia nitrogen was less than 0.07 and 0.06 mg L⁻¹ and mean monthly nitrite was less than 0.02 and 0.01 mg L⁻¹ in orange spotted grouper and Indian pompano RAS tanks respectively. The pH (7.8–8.2), DO (>4 mg/L) and alkalinity (100–120 mg/L) were found to be in optimum range in both recirculating aquaculture systems. Carbon dioxide was found to be nil during the entire experimental period in both the systems. In fact these levels were comparable or less than that is reported as the permissible limits for broodstock development. Indian pompano and Orange spotted grouper matured and spawning was obtained with production of fertilized eggs round the year. Economic evaluation showed the price of 10,000 fertilized eggs of orange spotted grouper to be US $ 1.33. The design of RAS devised in the present study is efficient in controlling and maintaining optimum water quality for broodstock development of both demersal and pelagic finfishes. The fishes stocked in RAS attained final maturation and round the year spawning was obtained.     

农业绿色高效节水领域研究现状与思考

节水农业是水资源高效利用和农业可持续发展的重大问题，对于节约水资源具有极其重要的意义。为了解当前绿色农业高效节水领域的最新研究热点和发展趋势，本文梳理总结了我国现代化节水农业领域的基础背景、研究现状以及发展态势。结果表明，“灌溉设备与技术开发”、“农业用水精量调配与控制”、“作物高效用水机理”及“农业用水对环境变化的响应”等是近年来的研究热点，并建议开展水肥一体化智能技术与管理及其对作物、土壤、环境、社会等综合效应等的相关研究，以期为我国农业绿色高质量发展提供帮助。     

水稻育苗基质可持续利用研究现状及建议对策

水稻育苗基质的可持续利用不仅关乎水稻生产,同时直接关系农业经济发展。辽宁作为北方粳稻主要产区,在当前大力发展水稻工厂化育苗的条件下,开展新型育苗基质的研发、示范与推广,是解决当前水稻育苗可持续利用的有效途径,也是今后水稻生产的发展趋势,