Nutrient‐Release Rates of Controlled‐Release Fertilizers in Forest Soil

Abstract

Nutrient‐release rates of controlled‐release fertilizer (CRF) with four different labeled release periods were evaluated. Samples (30 g) sealed with nylon mesh were buried at a clearcut forest site (Price soil series) in western Oregon, USA, in February 2000 and excavated every 7 weeks for 14 months to determine residual weight and composition. Cool, dry soil conditions apparently prolonged nutrient release beyond labeled rates; the fertilizer with the shortest release period (3–4 months) released approximately 72% of the fertilizer (by weight), whereas that with the longest release period (8–9 months) released 48%. Release varied among individual nutrients [nitrate (NO₃)>ammonia (NH₃)>potassium (K)>sulfur (S)>magnesium (Mg)>phosphorus (P)]. Minimal changes in micronutrient [iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), and molybdenum (Mo)] contents were attributed to the formation of insoluble compounds with P. Variable release among individual nutrients demonstrates a limitation toward delivering a full range of nutrients and suggests that further refinement of CRF technology is needed to optimize nutrient availability under realistic field conditions.     

Estimation of litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) leaf nitrogen content at different growth stages using canopy reflectance spectra

The estimation of crop nitrogen status in fresh vegetation leaf using field spectroscopy is challenging due to the weak responses on leaf/canopy reflectance and the overlapping with the absorption features of other compounds. Although the spectral indices were proposed in the literature to predict leaf nitrogen content (LNC), the performance of selected spectral indices to estimate the LNC is often inconsistent. Moreover, the models for nitrogen content estimation changed with the growth stage. The goal of this study was to evaluate the performance of published indices, ratio of data difference index (RDDI) and ratio of data index (RDI) developed by band iterative-optimization algorithm in LNC estimation. The correlation analysis, linear regression and cross validation were used to analyze the relationship between spectral data and LNC and construct the best performed estimation model. The study was conducted by the data of five growing seasons of litchi from the orchards in Guangdong Province of China. Results showed that the relationship between chlorophyll (Chl) related spectral indices and LNC varied with the growth stage. Even in flower bud morphological differentiation stage and autumn shoot maturation stage, there were not significant correlations between the proposed spectral indices and LNC. Besides it is difficult to estimate the LNC by the general model across the growth stages due to the integrated effects of cultivar, biochemical, canopy structure, etc. The band iterative-optimization algorithm can improve the sensitivity of spectral data to LNC to some extent. The optimal RDDI performed better than other indices for the synthetic dataset and the dataset in each growth stage. And the sensitive bands selected in the optimal indices at each growth stage are not consistent, which are not only related to the Chl absorption but also other biochemical components, such as starch, lignin, cellulose, protein, etc. In general, the LNC can be estimated by the optimized CR-based RDDI indices in autumn shoot maturation stage, flower spike stage, fruit maturation stage, and flowering stage with the R² > 0.50 and RMSE < 0.14. Although there were the significant relationship between RDIs and RDDIs in flower bud morphological differentiation stage, the highest R²s of the model developed by RDDIs and RDIs were less than 0.50 in cross validation. This study indicated that the applicability of canopy reflectance to estimate litchi LNC was closely related to the growth stage of litchi. Growth stage-specific models will be preferred for estimating litchi LNC estimation.     

美洲矾根愈伤组织诱导及其快繁技术体系研究

以矾根(Heuchera micrantha)植株不同器官为外植体材料,MS培养基为基本培养基,探索了矾根组织培养与快繁技术体系。结果表明,选取幼芽作为外植体时快繁效率最高,最适芽诱导培养基配方为MS+2.0 mg/L 6-BA+0.5 mg/L NAA,采用4/5MS+0.2 mg/LNAA的生根培养方案较为适宜。     

油菜新品种宁杂1818氮肥运筹试验

以油菜(Brassica campestris L.)新品种宁杂1818为试验材料,以秦优7号为对照,研究不同氮肥运筹条件下,宁杂1818的植株长势和产量变化,旨在为深入了解宁杂1818的生长特性,建立宁杂1818高产、高效栽培技术体系提供理论依据。     

Dietary fiber in a low-protein diet during gestation affects nitrogen excretion in primiparous gilts,with possible influences from the gut microbiota

We investigated the effects of dietary fiber (DF) supplementation in normal or low crude protein (CP) diets on reproductive performance and nitrogen (N) utilization in primiparous gilts. In total, 77 Landrace × Yorkshire pregnant gilts were randomly allocated to four dietary treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial design. The groups comprised 1) equal intake of normal CP (12.82% and 0.61% total lysine), 2) low CP (LP) (10.53% and 0.61% total lysine), and 3) with or 4) without DF supplementation (cellulose, inulin, and pectin in a 34:10:1 ratio). A low-protein diet during gestation significantly reduced daily weight gain from days 91 to 110 of pregnancy (−162.5 g/d, P = 0.004). From N balance trials conducted at days 35 to 38, 65 to 68, and 95 to 98 of pregnancy, DF addition increased fecal N excretion at days 65 to 68 (+24.1%) and 95 to 98 (+13.8%) of pregnancy (P < 0.05) but reduced urinary N excretion (P < 0.05), resulting in greater N retention at each gestational stage. DF increased fecal microbial protein levels and excretion during gestation. An LP diet also reduced urinary N excretion at different gestational stages. An in vitro fermentation trial on culture media with nonprotein N urea and ammonium bicarbonate (NH₄HCO₃) as the only N sources revealed that microbiota derived from feces of gestating gilts fed the high DF diet exhibited a greater capacity to convert nonprotein N to microbial protein. Microbial fecal diversity, as measured by 16S rRNA sequencing, revealed significant changes from DF but not CP diets. Gilts fed an LP diet had a higher number of stillbirths (+0.83 per litter, P = 0.046) and a lower piglet birth weight (1.52 vs. 1.37 kg, P = 0.006), regardless of DF levels. Collectively, DF supplementation to gestation diets shifted N excretion from urine to feces in the form of microbial protein, suggesting that the microbiota had a putative role in controlling N utilization from DF. Additionally, a low-protein diet during gestation negatively affected the litter performance of gilts.     

Evidence for functional G-coupled protein receptors 43 and 120 in subcutaneous and intramuscular adipose tissue of Angus crossbred steers

We conducted 3 independent experiments to demonstrate functional G-coupled protein receptor 43 (GPR43) and GPR120 in bovine intramuscular (i.m.) and subcutaneous (s.c.) adipose tissues. We hypothesized that media volatile fatty acids and long-chain fatty acids would affect cAMP-activated protein kinase-alpha (AMPKα) protein expression and cAMP concentrations differently in i.m. and s.c. adipose tissue. Experiment 1: oleic acid (18:1n-9) decreased phosphorylated AMPKα protein (p-AMPKα) and the p-AMPKα/AMPKα protein ratio in i.m. preadipocytes, increased the p-AMPKα/AMPKα protein ratio in bovine satellite cells, and had no effect in s.c. preadipocytes. Experment 2: ex vivo explants from the 5th to 8th longissimus thoracic rib muscle section of Angus crossbred steers were cultured 48 hr in media containing 0.25 µM ciglitizone, 5 mM glucose, and 5 mM acetate, in the absence or the presence of 100 µM oleic acid. Oleic acid increased acetate incorporation into fatty acids and GPR43 gene expression in i.m. adipose tissue (P < 0.05), but oleic acid had no effect on fatty acid synthesis or GPR43 expression in s.c. adipose tissue. Experiment 3: fresh s.c. and i.m. adipose tissue from the 5th to 8th longissimus thoracic rib muscle section of Angus crossbred steers was transferred immediately to 6-well culture plates containing 3 mL of KHB/Hepes/5 mM glucose. Samples were preincubated with 0.5 mM theophylline plus 10 μM forskolin for 30 min, after which increasing concentrations of acetate or propionate (0, 10⁻³, 10^−2.3, and 10⁻³ M) in the absence or the presence of 100 μM oleic acid or 100 µM palmitic acid (16:0) were added to the incubation media. Acetate had no effect on forskolin-stimulated cAMP production in s.c. adipose tissue but decreased cAMP in i.m. adipose tissue (P < 0.05); this indicates a functional GPR43 receptor in i.m. adipose tissue. The combination of 10⁻² M acetate and oleic acid decrease cAMP production in s.c. adipose tissue, consistent with GPR120 receptor activity, but oleic acid and palmitic acid attenuated the depression of cAMP production caused by acetate in i.m. adipose tissue. Palmitic acid depressed cAMP production in s.c. adipose tissue, and increased cAMP production in i.m. adipose tissue (P < 0.05). Propionate had no effect on cAMP production in s.c. or i.m. adipose tissue. These results provide evidence for functional GPR43 receptors in i.m. adipose tissue and GPR120 receptors in s.c. adipose tissue, both of which would suppress lipolysis.     

牦牛StAR基因克隆及其生物信息学与组织表达特性的研究

旨在克隆获得牦牛StAR基因编码序列（CDS）并进行生物信息学分析,探究其mRNA组织表达特性。本研究以屠宰场采集的成年母牦牛心、肝、脾、肺、肾、卵巢、输卵管、子宫组织（n=5）,不同年龄（胎牛、1岁、2岁）牦牛的卵巢（n=3）,不同发情周期（卵泡期、黄体期）的牦牛卵巢（n=3）,黄体期黄牛的卵巢（n=3）及实验室冻存的牦牛颗粒细胞为研究材料。以牦牛黄体期卵巢cDNA为模板,用逆转录PCR克隆StAR基因,并使用MEGA7.0和ExPASy-ProtParam等软件分析其生物信息学特性;采用实时荧光定量PCR技术分析牦牛StAR基因组织表达特性。结果发现,StAR基因CDS区长858 bp,编码285个氨基酸,StAR蛋白总体带正电荷,属于碱性亲水稳定蛋白,无跨膜结构及信号肽,主要存在于细胞质和线粒体; StAR基因具有较高的保守性,符合物种进化规律。牦牛StAR基因在卵巢表达水平最高（P<0.01）,且2岁时卵巢表达水平极显著高于胎牛和1岁龄（P<0.01）,黄体期卵巢表达水平极显著高于卵泡期（P<0.01）;黄体期黄牛卵巢中StAR基因的表达量极显著高于牦牛（P<0.01）;在颗粒细胞的体外培养过程中StAR基因表达量逐渐上升,在培养24 h时达到高峰（P<0.01）,随后显著降低。综上所述,StAR基因序列较为保守,在牦牛卵巢组织中表达最高,且表达水平随年龄与卵巢周期而变化,提示StAR基因可能参与牦牛卵巢及黄体功能相关的繁殖调控。     

Selenium supplementation improves nutrient intake and digestibility,and mitigates CH4 emissions from sheep grazed on the mixed pasture of alfalfa and tall fescue

Low selenium (Se) in soil and forage can adversely affect on the quality of animal-derived foods, and hence on human health. Lambs grazed on mixed pastures of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) were supplemented with five levels of Se [0, 3, 6, 9 and 12 µg/kg body weight (BW)]. The intake of dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM) varied with the level of Se supplementation, with a peak at 6 µg Se per kg BW (p ≤ 0.05). Gross energy (GE) intake, digestive energy (DE) intake and metabolic energy (ME) intake were higher at 6 µg Se per kg BW than at other Se levels (p < 0.01); in addition, methane energy (CH₄-E) output was lower at 6 µg Se per kg BW. Supplementation with Se significantly increased nitrogen (N) intake, faecal N and urine N, for which the peak values were 20.2 g N/, 5.62 g N/day and 7.92 g N/day, respectively, at 6 µg Se per kg BW. Se intake, blood Se, faecal Se, urine Se and retained Se were negatively correlated with forage crude protein (CP) content (p < 0.001) but were positively correlated with the content of neutral detergent fibre (NDF) (p < 0.001) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) (p < 0.001). Thus, we recommend the addition of 6 µg Se per kg BW to sheep grazed on pastures in regions with low soil Se.     

0~4周龄云岭红肉鸡赖氨酸适宜需要量的研究

试验通过分析饲粮不同赖氨酸水平对云岭红肉鸡生长性能、氮沉积率及血液生化指标的影响,确定云岭红肉鸡饲粮赖氨酸的适宜需要量。采用单因素试验设计,将180只健康状况良好、体重相近的1日龄云岭红肉鸡随机分为5个处理组,每组3个重复,每个重复12只鸡。5组试验鸡饲喂的饲粮赖氨酸水平分别为0.85%、0.95%、1.05%、1.15%、1.25%。结果表明:赖氨酸水平对试验鸡的期末体重、全期增重、平均日增重及料重比有显著影响(P<0.05),当赖氨酸水平为1.15%时期末体重最大739.21 g,全期增重最大701.66 g,平均日增重最大24.19 g,料重比最低1.68。不同赖氨酸水平对丝氨酸、甘氨酸和组氨酸的表观代谢率影响显著(P<0.05)。对血清总氨基酸和血清尿素氮影响显著(P<0.05)。研究表明,0~4周龄云岭红肉鸡适宜赖氨酸水平最适量为1.15%。