Soil physical changes and maize growth in a structurally fragile tropical soil due to mulching and duration between irrigation intervals

Under tropical meteorological conditions, the volume of soil explored by plant roots is crucial for crop growth as it allows increased water and nutrient use efficiency. We hypothesized that, under different irrigation intervals, leguminous mulch can extend the duration between irrigation events but maintain crop performance, because decreased evaporative fluxes also reduce constraints to root exploration imposed by mechanical stress. We evaluated the combined effects of leguminous mulch and irrigation intervals on soil physical properties to determine whether the growth and productivity of maize were modified in a structurally fragile tropical soil. The experiment involved the following treatments: 4‐day irrigation intervals with soil mulched (4C) or bare (4S), 6‐day irrigation intervals with soil mulched (6C) or bare (6S), 8‐day irrigation intervals with soil mulched (8C) or bare (8S) and 10‐day irrigation intervals with soil mulched (10C) or bare (10S). Mulch decreased soil penetration resistance and increased to 4 days the favourable time for root development in drying soil. Relative to bare soil, mulch with a 6‐day irrigation interval almost doubled nitrogen uptake post‐tasselling, which decreased nitrogen remobilization and increased the crop growth rate during this stage. These conditions had a positive effect on the transpiration rate and stomatal conductance as well as on the growth and yield of maize. A 6‐day irrigation interval with mulch compared to 4 days with bare soil resulted in similar conditions for root development, but greater uptake of nitrogen (102.73–78.70 kg/ha) and better yield (6.2–5.3 t/ha), which means greater efficiency in nitrogen and water use.     

Azospirillum brasilense mitigates water stress imposed by a vascular disease by increasing xylem vessel area and stem hydraulic conductivity in tomato

Water stress, with its negative consequences on plant growth and survival, can be mitigated by Azospirillum brasilense inoculation. In tomato, A. brasilense delays wilting caused by a vascular pathogen, Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis, by yet unknown mechanisms. We studied morphological, anatomical and physiological changes induced by A. brasilense in tomato that relate to water stress tolerance, which could explain the deferral in symptom expression. For this purpose, tomato seeds were treated or not with A. brasilense BNM65, and 5 weeks later plants were challenged with C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis or mock inoculated with water. There was a large growth promotion associated to Azospirillum: treated plants had higher total biomass and leaf area. In relation to water stress tolerance, Azospirillum treated plants had larger xylem vessel area, higher stem specific hydraulic conductivity, thicker stems, and lower shoot/root dry matter and specific leaf area. These changes were opposite to those induced by C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis. We conclude that A. brasilense favoured a better adjustment of plant-water relations by several mechanisms, and thus, transitorily alleviated symptoms expression of a vascular disease.     

蔬菜高效水肥一体化灌溉技术的实践与发展建议

水肥管理是直接影响蔬菜稳产高产和品质提升的关键因素。总结了我国蔬菜高效灌溉的4种主要模式,介绍了不同种类蔬菜的高效灌溉模式,分析了我国蔬菜高效水肥一体化灌溉技术存在的问题,并提出了发展建议。     

调亏度及调亏历时对苜蓿生物量分配与水分利用效率的影响

本研究的目的在于探讨紫花苜蓿营养生长期调亏滴灌对其节水效果的影响,增加其产量的作用。在北京对分枝期苜蓿品种"皇冠"进行调亏程度和调亏历时对其生长的研究。结果发现,秋播苜蓿进行调亏灌溉应把握适当的调亏度,在调亏度达60%FC、调亏历时为14d时,土壤水分对苜蓿形成干旱胁迫;在调亏度达80%FC时,光合同化物更多向苜蓿地上部分配,同时适当增加调亏历时改变苜蓿根系形态可塑性,有利于其根系伸长生长,提高其水分利用效率。适当的将调亏度与调亏持续时间分别维持在80%FC左右和14~21d,更能实现北京地区苜蓿节水促生长的目的。     

Road Transport of Late-Pregnant Mares Advances the Onset of Foaling

Cortisol is involved in the initiation of parturition and we hypothesized that increased maternal cortisol release advances the onset of foaling. Transport is a stressor for horses and induces an increase in cortisol release. To determine stress effects on the time of foaling, late-pregnant mares were transported by road for 3 hours (n = 12) or remained in their stable as controls (n = 4). Starting on day 325 of gestation, saliva and blood samples were taken for cortisol and progestin analysis, respectively. Fetomaternal electrocardiograms were recorded repeatedly. Mares were checked for impending parturition and changes in precolostrum pH. When pH decreased to 6.5, mares were either transported or left untreated. After birth, saliva was collected repeatedly from mares and their foals and heart rate (HR) was recorded. Foals were checked for maturity and health. Gestation length was 337 ± 2 days in stressed and 336 ± 2 days in control mares. Cortisol concentration increased from 3.3 ± 0.9 to 8.4 ± 0.8 ng/mL in transported mares (P < .001) and remained constant in controls. Maternal HR and heart rate variability (HRV) did not differ between groups and neither fetal HR nor HRV changed in response to transport. In transported mares, time from precolostrum decrease to parturition was shorter (40 ± 10 hours) than the respective time in controls (134 ± 49 hours, P < .01). Neither duration of foaling nor times to first standing and suckling of foals or the postnatum increase in HR and decrease in HRV differed between groups. In conclusion, transport-induced maternal cortisol release may have advanced the onset of foaling.     

圆柏对几种农田杂草及作物的化感潜力分析

为探究圆柏（Sabina chinensis）的化感作用，本研究采用培养皿滤纸法研究圆柏叶片浸提液对地肤（Kochia scoparia）、稗草（Echinochloa crusgalli）、藜（Chenopodium album）、反枝苋（Amaranthus retroflexus）、马齿苋（Portulaca oleracea）5种杂草种子和向日葵（Helianthus annuus）、燕麦（Avena sativa）、油菜（Brassica campestris）、荞麦（Fagopyrum esculentum）4种作物萌发和生长的影响，并用圆柏叶片、树枝、树皮粉末和浸提液进行盆栽抑草效果检测。结果表明：圆柏叶片浸提液对5种杂草种子萌发和幼苗生长具有显著的抑制作用，对地肤、藜、反枝苋萌发及生长的化感效应指数均在-0.98以上；盆栽抑草结果表明，圆柏不同部位对5种杂草种子萌发和稗草及反枝苋株高生长均有较好的抑制作用，叶片化感强度大于树皮和树枝，叶片粉末拌土处理抑草效果好于浸提液叶面喷施；对作物的化感作用结果表明，圆柏叶片浸提液稀释1.5倍时，抑制荞麦种子萌发但不影响其株高及根生长，不影响燕麦种子萌发但降低其株高和根长生长，抑制油菜的发芽势和发芽指数但不影响其种子萌发率，促进油菜株高及根长生长，不影响向日葵种子萌发和生长。综上所述，圆柏具有良好的抑草活性，对作物影响较小。     

Ss-Bi1 encodes a putative BAX inhibitor-1 protein that is required for full virulence of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a destructive necrotrophic plant pathogen with global distribution. Although S. sclerotiorum has been studied extensively, substantial research on aspects of the pathogen's ability to cause disease is still needed. Bax inhibitor-1 protein functions as a suppressor of programmed cell death and is involved in the response to biotic and abiotic stress in animals, plants and yeast. In this study, we functionally characterized a putative Bax inhibitor-1 protein, Ss-Bi1, from S. sclerotiorum. Ss-Bi1 is predicted to contain a BAX inhibitor-1-like super family domain and shows significant homology with many BAX inhibitor-1 proteins. High expression levels of Ss-Bi1 were observed in hyphae under various stresses. Targeted silencing of Ss-Bi1 resulted in reduced virulence in host plants. Ss-Bi1 gene-silenced strains were more sensitive to heat stress and ER stress than the wild-type strain. The results suggest that Ss-Bi1 encodes a putative BAX inhibitor-1 protein that is required for full virulence of S. sclerotiorum.     

高校非常规水资源优化利用

为推进节水型校园的建设,以河海大学文天学院为例,对高校非常规水资源优化利用情况进行了调查。结果表明:高校水资源利用存在较大弊端,用水管理模式不完善等是导致高校水资源不合理利用的原因。结合高校现有水资源利用现状提出了高效节水的合理建议。     

Evaluation of chemical disinfestants in reducing Verticillium dahliae conidia in irrigation water

Irrigation water disinfestation is an unexplored option for reducing Verticillium dahliae inoculum in water and consequently for more efficiently managing Verticillium wilts in Andalusia. We assessed Suppressive Efficacy (SE; water was infested and subsequently treated) and Preventive Efficacy (PE; previously treated water was subsequently inoculated) of OX-VIRIN^®, OX-AGUA AL 25^® and Deccoklor^® in reducing water infestations by V. dahliae conidia. Five concentrations of each disinfestant, the lowest three being recommended by the manufacturer, were tested in vitro against six V. dahliae isolates. Validation assays were carried out in experiments under natural environmental conditions in spring. The four highest concentrations of OX-VIRIN^® (0.8–51.2 mL L⁻¹), the three highest of OX-AGUA AL 25^® (46.4–417.5 μL L⁻¹) and the two highest of Deccoklor^® (0.375 and 3.75 mL L⁻¹), showed an in vitro-efficacy (SE and PE) of 96.2, 80.0 and 100.0% after 30, 5 to 30 and 15 days respectively. Therefore, recommended concentrations for OX-VIRIN^® and OX-AGUA AL 25^® showed a greater in vitro-effectiveness than those recommended for Deccoklor^®. Assays in natural environmental conditions proved that OX-VIRIN^® at the recommended concentration of 3.2-mL L⁻¹, applied every 28 days to water, was the most effective treatment (SE and PE), with a 100% reduction of the average relative viability after 56 days. Other chemical treatments showing high in vitro-efficacy, such as OX-VIRIN^® at 0.8 mL L⁻¹ and OX-AGUA AL 25^® at 46.4 μL L⁻¹ showed an SE of 99.9% after 14 and 28 days when applied every 28 and 14 days, respectively. However, PE of OX-AGUA AL 25^® at 46.4 μL L⁻¹ was only 59 and 38% after 28 and 14 days respectively, depending on the experiment.     

Incubation success and habitat selection of shore‐spawning kokanee Oncorhynchus nerka: effects of water‐level regulation and habitat characteristics

Changes to water‐level regimes have been known to restructure fish assemblages and interfere with the population dynamics of both littoral and pelagic species. The effect of altered water‐level regimes on shore‐spawning kokanee Oncorhynchus nerka incubation success was evaluated using a comprehensive in situ study in Lake Pend Oreille, ID, USA. Survival was not related to substrate size composition or depth, indicating that shore‐spawning kokanee do not currently receive a substrate‐mediated survival benefit from higher winter water levels. Substrate composition also did not differ among isobaths in the nearshore area. On average, the odds of an egg surviving to the preemergent stage were more than three times greater for sites in downwelling areas than those lacking downwelling. This study revealed that shoreline spawning habitat is not as limited as previously thought. Downwelling areas appear to contribute substantially to shore‐spawning kokanee recruitment. This research illustrates the value of rigorous in situ studies both for testing potential mechanisms underlying population trends and providing insight into spawning habitat selection.