Improved management of mango fruit though orchard and packinghouse treatments to reduce lenticel discoloration and prevent decay

Mango fruit are exposed to complex postharvest handling management, intended to improve postharvest quality retention during export shipment. Susceptibility to lenticel discoloration and to Alternaria side rots and Phomopsis stem-end rot under current handling conditions led us to re-evaluate and modify the chain of postharvest treatments, from the orchard to the packinghouse. The previously developed hot-water brushing (HWB) treatment was found effective in reducing incidence of Alternaria and stem-end rots, but it significantly induced development of red lenticels. Two factors were key to improving fruit quality, by simultaneously reducing lenticel discoloration and decay development: (a) postharvest water and/or NaOH washes in the orchard, and (b) hot-water spray (HWS) applied over rollers without brushes in the packinghouse. The present results indicate that optimal management involves combinations of water washes in the orchard with packinghouse HWS treatment; this significantly reduced the severity of lenticel discoloration by 50–60%, and the incidence and extent of postharvest side rots caused by Alternaria by 60% or more. These results indicate that appropriate handling of fruit can appreciably improve their quality during prolonged storage and shipment.     

不同氮添加对入侵植物瘤突苍耳和本地近缘植物苍耳及两者杂交种的生长影响

土壤养分对外来植物入侵过程的影响是入侵生物学研究的一个热点,但土壤养分对入侵植物和本地植物杂交后代植株特性的影响鲜有报道。本研究采用盆栽实验,通过添加不同浓度的N,改变土壤养分,比较入侵植物瘤突苍耳和本地近缘植物苍耳及两者的杂交种(杂交瘤突苍耳和杂交苍耳)在植物形态、生物量及分配、植株生长和叶片光合特性等方面的差异,探讨这些差异与入侵性的关系。结果表明,氮添加显著提高了瘤突苍耳、苍耳和杂交种的茎粗、总叶面积、总生物量、根生物量、茎生物量、根生物量比和根冠比,显著降低了4种植株的叶根比;瘤突苍耳各指标随氮含量增加而变化明显,苍耳和杂交苍耳的茎生物量比和叶生物量比下降显著;瘤突苍耳的净同化速率在不同氮处理下均显著高于苍耳,但叶面积比均显著低于苍耳;杂交后代植株的相对生长速率、净同化速率和平均叶面积比在各氮处理间均高于各母本的后代植株,同时杂交瘤突苍耳植株的各生物量指标和生长指标均显著高于杂交苍耳植株。由此可见,1)当养分是限制条件时,入侵植物瘤突苍耳相对于本地植物苍耳将较多生物量分配到根系,这种分配策略反映入侵植物对低养分环境有较高的适应性;2)以瘤突苍耳为母本的杂交后代植株较以苍耳为母本的杂交后代植株具有较强生长能力和繁殖能力,可以进一步加强其入侵。     

Plasma Steroid Variations in Bull Calves Repeatedly Treated with Testosterone,Nortestosterone and Oestradiol Administered Alone or in Combination

The aim of this work was to investigate the secretion of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), testosterone (T), dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and oestradiol (E) as biological markers in response to illegal administration of testosterone, 19-nortestosterone (N) and oestradiol, either alone or in combination. Twenty male Friesian calves (age 13-14 months) were allotted to a control group (n = 5), and five experimental groups (n = 3) each. Each experimental animal was repeatedly injected with one of the following hormonal treatments: E, T, N, T+E and N+E. Circulating DHEA, T, DHT and E were determined by radioimmunoassay. The administration of T alone did not induce any variation in plasma DHEA, T, DHT and E, which were similar to those in the control group. In contrast, DHEA, T and DHT were on average significantly lower in the T+E and N-treated groups (p < 0.01), whereas the administration of N+E resulted in the reduction of plasma T and DHT without any modification of plasma DHEA. The administration of E alone or in combination increased circulating levels of E but did not affect androgen plasma profiles. The results indicate that plasma levels of T do not permit detection of illegal treatments because plasma androgens always remained within the physiological range. Illegal E treatment could be detected in blood samples when they were collected at least every 20 days.     

夏玉米施用不同缓释化处理氮肥的效果及氮肥去向

【目的】研究不同缓释化处理氮肥对夏玉米的产量、氮肥去向及氮素平衡的影响,为提高夏玉米一次性施肥的氮肥利用率并降低氮肥的环境影响提供理论依据。【方法】试验于2014-2015年以郑单958为供试品种,在华北地区中低产田连续两年进行大田试验,共设置6个处理,分别为：不施氮（CK）、尿素（CU）、树脂包膜尿素（CRF）、控失尿素（LCU）、凝胶尿素（CLP）和脲甲醛（UF）。在玉米成熟期采集植物和土壤样品,用于测定植物含氮量和土壤无机氮含量,并计算作物吸氮量、氮肥利用率、土壤无机氮积累量、氮肥损失量等。【结果】（1）氮肥缓释化处理能够明显提高夏玉米的产量,促进氮素吸收。与尿素相比,脲甲醛、凝胶尿素、树脂包膜尿素和控失尿素可分别提高夏玉米产量18.9%、16.8%、13.7%和13.6%,同时氮肥农学利用效率分别提高6.5、4.8、4.0和3.7 kg·kg^-1。（2）不同氮肥处理的作物吸收肥料氮以及肥料氮在0-100 cm土层残留量之间存在显著性差异。脲甲醛、凝胶尿素、树脂包膜尿素、控失尿素和尿素的氮肥表观回收率分别为54.9%、42.4%、38.3%、38.3%和22.0%,肥料氮在0-100 cm土层残留量分别占施氮量的28.3%、43.8%、39.2%、46.2%和46.6%。此外,与尿素相比,氮肥缓释化处理能够显著降低肥料氮的损失,凝胶尿素、控失尿素、脲甲醛和树脂包膜尿素分别降低了47.6%、43.1%、40.8%和26.7%。（3）综合分析不同氮肥处理的农田氮素平衡,脲甲醛处理的夏玉米吸氮量最高,为245.0 kg·hm^-2,其次是凝胶尿素,为222.5 kg·hm^-2。脲甲醛的0-100 cm土层残留量在缓释化氮肥中最低,为153.4 kg·hm^-2,树脂包膜尿素、凝胶尿素和控失尿素分别为173.1、181.5和185.7 kg·hm^-2。凝胶尿素处理的氮表观损失量最低,为35.6 kg·hm^-2,控失尿素、脲甲醛和树脂包膜尿素的氮表观损失量分别为38.8、41.2和51.3 kg·hm^-2。【结论】在华北地区中低产田土壤上,氮肥缓释化处理能够显著促进夏玉米对氮素的吸收、减少氮素损失。脲甲醛和凝胶尿素的效果相对较好。     

Cell wall disruption: An effective strategy to improve the nutritive quality of microalgae in African catfish (Clarias gariepinus)

The rigid cell walls of microalgae may hinder their utilization in fish feeds. The current experiment assessed the correlation between the accessibility of microalgae nutrients and their in vivo digestibility in African catfish. Nannochloropsis gaditana biomass was subjected to physical or mechanical treatments to weaken its cell wall; untreated—no disruption treatment (UNT), pasteurization (PAS), freezing (FRO), freeze‐drying (FRD), cold pasteurization (L40) and bead milling (BEM). Six experimental diets formulated from differently treated and untreated microalgae (at 30% diet inclusion level) were tested on growth performance and apparent nutrient digestibility (ADCs) in juvenile African catfish. A basal diet (REF) containing no microalgae was used as reference diet. Results showed that biomass gain and feed conversion ratio of fish fed L40 and BEM diets increased by 13% and 11%, respectively, relative to the UNT diet. Additionally, FRD, FRO, L40 and BEM cell wall disruption treatments improved protein digestibility by 0.5%, 5.9%, 8.4% and 16.3%, respectively, compared to the UNT treatment. There was a positive correlation between accessibility of microalgal nutrients and their digestibility in African catfish. Nutrient digestibility of microalgae was dependent on extent of cell disruption. Also, the impact of cell disruption on nutrient digestibility of microalgae differs between African catfish and Nile tilapia.     

不同浓度铅处理对木本植物种子发芽的影响

以皂角、刺槐为试验材料,通过不同浓度铅处理,研究了其对种子萌发的影响。结果表明：随着铅离子浓度的增加,植物种子的发芽率下降。     

7种种子处理剂对小麦全蚀病的防治效果

[目的]通过室内发芽试验及田间小区试验,明确7种种子处理剂对小麦全蚀病的防治效果及对小麦发芽、出苗和生长发育的影响.[方法]药剂处理小麦种子后,进行室内发芽试验和田间药效试验.[结果]供试药剂在处理浓度下对小麦发芽、出苗及生长无不良影响,各处理小区的小麦白穗率显著低于对照区,各药剂浓度处理对小麦全蚀病均有一定的防治效果.3;苯醚甲环唑悬浮种衣剂200 mL/100 kg种子处理、2 4;苯 醚甲环唑+2.4;咯菌腈悬浮种衣剂300 mL/100kg种子处理、1.1;咯菌腈+3.3;精甲霜灵+6.6;嘧菌酯悬浮种衣剂300 mL/100 kg种子处理、125 g/L哇噻菌胺悬浮剂200 mL/100 kg种子处理对小麦全蚀病的防治效果均在80;以上.[结论]3;苯醚甲环唑悬浮种衣剂、2.4;苯醚甲环唑+2.4;咯菌腈悬浮种衣剂、1.1;咯菌腈+3.3;精甲霜灵+6.6;嘧菌酯悬浮种衣剂和125 g/L哇噻菌胺悬浮剂对小麦生长安全,对小麦全蚀病防治效果较好,在生产上可合理轮换使用.     

Root characteristics of Alhagi sparsifolia seedlings in response to water supplement in an arid region,northwestern China

The effect of variation in water supply on woody seedling growth in arid environments remain poorly known.The subshrub Alhagi sparsifolia Shap.(Leguminosae),distributed in the southern fringe of the Taklimakan Desert,Xinjiang,northwestern China,has evolved deep roots and is exclusively dependent on groundwater,and performs a crucial role for the local ecological safety.In the Cele oasis,we studied the responses of A.sparsifolia seedling roots to water supplement at 10 and 14 weeks under three irrigation treatments(none water supply of 0 m3/m2(NW),middle water supply of 0.1 m3/m2(MW),and high water supply of 0.2 m3/m2(HW)).The results showed that the variations of soil water content(SWC) significantly influenced the root growth of A.sparsifolia seedlings.The leaf area,basal diameter and crown diameter were significantly higher in the HW treatment than in the other treatments.The biomass,root surface area(RSA),root depth and relative growth rate(RGR) of A.sparsifolia roots were all significantly higher in the NW treatment than in the HW and MW treatments at 10 weeks.However,these root parameters were significantly lower in the NW treatment than in the other treatments at 14 weeks.When SWC continued to decline as the experiment went on(until less than 8% gravimetric SWC),the seedlings still showed drought tolerance through morphological and physiological responses,but root growth suffered serious water stress compared to better water supply treatments.According to our study,keeping a minimum gravimetric SWC of 8% might be important for the growth and establishment of A.sparsifolia during the early growth stage.These results will not only enrich our knowledge of the responses of woody seedlings to various water availabilities,but also provide a new insight to successfully establish and manage A.sparsifolia in arid environments,further supporting the sustainable development of oases.