Changes in Activities of the Key Enzymes Related to Starch Synthesis in Rice Grains During Grain Filling and Their Relationships with the Filling Rate and Cooking Quality

With 10 rice cultivars (lines) as materials, the changes in activities of adenosine diphosphoglucose pyrophosphorylase(ADPGPase), starch synthase (SSase) and starch branching enzyme (Q-enzyme) in the grains during grain filling, and theirrelationships with the filling rate, gel consistency (GC), alkali spreading value (ASV) and amylose content (AC) werestudied. The results showed that changes in activities of ADPGPase, SSase and Q-enzyme exhibited a single peak duringgrain filling, and the time of the activity peaks for the former two enzymes was earlier than that of the maximum grain-fillingrate (Tmax), and the time reaching the peak for Q-enzyme was synchronous with Tmax. The activities at early grain fillingstage, and the mean and maximum activities of each enzyme during grain filling period were positively and significantly orvery significantly correlated with the mean and maximum grain filling rate and starch content (mg grain-1) in the grains.Activities of ADPGPase at all grain filling stages and those of Q-enzyme at the early and mid filling stages were notsignificantly correlated the cooking quality (GC, ASV and AC). SSase activities at the early filling stage were significantlyand negatively correlated with GC and ASV, and positively correlated with AC. Activities of SSase at mid and late grainfilling stages and Q-enzyme at the late filling stage were significantly and positively correlated with GC and ASV, andnegatively correlated with AC. Spraying zeatin or abscisic acid at early grain filling stage could obviously regulate theactivities of ADPGPase, SSase and Q-enzyme in the grains.

Drilling load modeling and validation based on the filling rate of auger flute in planetary sampling

Some type of penetration into a subsurface is required in planetary sampling. Drilling and coring, due to its efficient penetrating and cuttings removal characteristics, has been widely applied in previous sampling missions. Given the complicated mechanical properties of a planetary regolith, suitable drilling parameters should be matched with different drilling formations properly.Otherwise, drilling faults caused by overloads could easily happen. Hence, it is necessary to establish a drilling load model, which is able to reveal the relationships among drilling loads, an auger＇s structural parameters, soil＇s mechanical properties, and relevant drilling parameters. A concept for the filling rate of auger flute（FRAF） is proposed to describe drilling conditions. If the FRAF index under one group of drilling parameters is less than 1, this means that the auger flute currently removes cuttings smoothly. Otherwise, the auger will be choked with compressed cuttings. In drilling operations, the drilling loads on the auger mainly come from the conveyance action, while the drilling loads on the drill bit primarily come from the cutting action. Experiments in one typical lunar regolith simulant indicate that the estimated drilling loads based on the FRAF coincide with the test results quite well. Based on this drilling load model, drilling parameters have been optimized.

Grain-filling characteristics and yield differences of maize cultivars with contrasting nitrogen efficiencies

To investigate the effect of nitrogen management on the grain-filling characteristics and yield formation of maize cultivars with contrasting nitrogen efficiencies,and to identify differences in grain-filling characteristics and yield of maize cultivars in response to nitrogen management,a two-year field experiment was conducted in southwest China in2015–2016.The grain-filling rate and duration of the N-inefficient cultivar XY 508 were higher than those of the N-efficient cultivar ZH 311.The 100-kernel weight of XY 508 was significantly higher than that of ZH 311.The kernel number per ear of ZH 311 was significantly higher than that of XY 508,making the population filling rate of ZH 311 significantly higher than that of XY 508.The higher population filling rate of the N-efficient maize cultivar led to a significant yield advantage over the N-inefficient maize cultivar.Nitrogen management effectively improved maize grain yield,but the response of maize cultivars with contrasting nitrogen efficiencies to nitrogen management was inconsistent.A basal fertilizer ratio 60.43%with a topdressing ratio 39.57%effectively increased grainfilling rate,delayed the time to maximum filling rate,prolonged the active filling period and effective grain-filling time,increased the 100-kernel weight,and maintained higher kernels per ear,thereby improving the population filling rate and maximizing the yield advantage of the N-efficient cultivar.A 100%basal fertilizer ratio not only increased the number of kernels per ear,but also maintained high grain filling characteristics to obtain a higher 100-kernel weight and increased the population filling rate,leading to a high grain yield in the N-inefficient cultivar.Thus,the 100%basal fertilizer ratio partially compensated for the deficient grain yield of the N-inefficient cultivar.

Microscopic Pore and Filling Performance of Coal Gangue Cementitious Paste

To obtain the influence laws of the fine gangue rate on the properties of coal gangue cementitious paste, the slump, divergence, stratification, bleeding, setting time and mechanical strength with the change of fine gangue rate were studied on the basis of keeping the amount of cementing material and slurry concentration unchanged. The porosity and the distribution of pore diameter of the filling specimen for curing 28 d were tested by a mercury injection instrument under different fine gangue rate conditions. It was shown that the slump, divergence, setting time and compressive strength of the paste firstly increased and then decreased with increasing fine gangue rate. The stratification and bleeding rate decreased with increasing fine gangue rate. The smaller the critical pore size of the paste was, the smaller the porosity was, the smaller the average pore size was. When the fine gangue rate was 40%, the maximum critical pore diameter of the paste was 55.79 μm, and the corresponding porosity was 17.54%, and the properties of filling paste were the best. When the fine gangue rate further increased, the aggregate surface area increased, and the reaction product of cementitious materials could not effectively fill the pores. It weakened the agglomeration effect. The particles surface of coal gangue was fragmental and flake deposit with irregular shape and uneven fold morphology. It was easy to be bonded with the surface of other filling material. The hydration products of coal gangue cementitious material were a large number of C-S-H gel with fibrous shape and ettringite（AFt） with compact block structure. The theoretical reference was provided for the preparation of low cost gangue cemented filling materials in coal mines.

Starch Accumulation and Enzyme Activities Associated with Starch Synthesis in Maize Kernels

The filling rate and the starch accumulation in developing maize kernel were analyzed. The changes of enzyme activities associated with sucrose metabolism and starch biosynthesis were investigated. The purpose is to discuss the enzymatic mechanisms responsible for starch synthesis. Two types of maize cultivars （Zea mays）, high starch maize （Feiyu 3） and normal maize （Yuyu 22）, were grown in a corn field. The factors involved in starch synthesis were performed during the growth period. The kernel filling rate, the sucrose content, the starch accumulating rates and the activities of SS （sucrose synthase）, GBSS （granule-bound starch synthase）, SBE （starch branching enzyme） of Feiyu 3, which has high starch content, were significantly higher than those of Yuyu 22, which has low starch content, after 10 DAP （days after pollination）. Correlation analysis indicated that ADPGPPase （ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase） and DBE （starch debranching enzyme） were not correlated with the starch accumulating rates and the kernel filling rate, but the SS activity at the middle and late period were highly significantly correlated with the starch accumulating rates and the kernel filling rate. The GBSS activity was highly significantly correlated with the amylose accumulating rate, but not correlated with the kernel filling rate. The SBE activity was highly significantly correlated with the amylopectin accumulating rate and the kernel filling rate. It was not ADPGPPase and DBE, but SS was the rate-limiting factor of starch biosynthesis in developing maize kernels. GBSS had an important effect on amylose accumulation, and SBE had a significant effect on amylopectin accumulation.

Influence of Seed Priming on Performance and Water Productivity of Direct Seeded Rice in Alternating Wetting and Drying

Direct seeded rice is promising alternative to traditional transplanting, but requires appropriate crop and water management to maintain yield performance and achieve high water productivity. Present study evaluated the effect of seed priming and irrigation on crop establishment, tillering, agronomic traits, paddy yield, grain quality and water productivity of direct seeded rice in alternate wetting and drying （DSR-AWD） in comparison with direct seeded rice at field capacity （DSR- FC）. Seed priming treatments were osmo-priming with KCI （2.2%）, CaCI2 （2.2%） and moringa leaf extracts （MLE, 3.3%） including hydro-priming as control. Among the treatments, seed osmo-primed with MLE emerged earlier and had higher final emergence, followed by osmo-priming with CaCI2. Tillering emergence rate and number of tillers per plant were the highest for seed priming with CaCI2 in DSR- AWD. Total productive and non-productive tillers, panicle length, biological and grain yields, harvest index were highest for seed priming with MLE or CaCI2 in DSR-AWD. Similarly, grain quality, estimated in terms of normal grains, abortive and chalky grains, was also the highest in DSR-AWD with MLE osmo-priming. Benefit cost ratio and water productivity was also the highest in DSR-AWD for seed priming with MLE. In conclusion, seed priming with MLE or CaCI2 can be successfully employed to improve the direct seeded rice performance when practiced with alternate wetting and drying irrigation.

Analysis on the Phenophase Characteristics of Zhengdan958 and Xianyu335 in North of Huanghuaihai Region

[Objective] The study is aimed to timely grasp the growth and develop- ment process of summer maize and comprehensively evaluate the impact of envi- ronmental factors on the growth and development of maize in north Huanguaihai re- gion. [Method] The phenophase, leaf unfolding rate, grain filling rate and yield char- acteristics of Zhengdan 958 and Xianyu 335 were analyzed at N 37°53′, E115°42′. [Result] The summer corn Zhengdan 958 and Xianyu335 emerged in 6 days after sowing with the growing period of 111 d, grain-filling stage lasting 66 days, and the leaf unfolding rate and grain filling rate were accelerated with the increase of tem- perature. In the last 6 d before harvest （October 5-11）, Zhengdan 958 and Xi- anyu335 contributed to the yield by 6.61% and 4.20%, respectively. The two crops a year cropping system made it hard for the summer maize to achieve maturing harvest in north Huanghuaihai region. [Conclusion] The maize production could be significantly improved through selecting early maturing varieties, early sowing, timely late harvest, ensuring maize effective accumulated temperature and sufficient grout- ing time after pollination.

Relationship of Milk Line Position with Grain Weight and Mechanized Harvest of Summer Corn

To investigate the relationship of milk line position with grain weight and mechanized harvest of summer corn in Huang-Huai-Hai Region, 8 varieties （A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H） with large planting areas were selected to measure the grain filling rate, 100-grain weight, water content and milk line position, and the correlation was analyzed. Results showed that when the milk line position was 90%, the grain filling of all the 8 varieties finished and 100-grain weight reached the highest value, which was 43.02 g. The grain filling time was in positive correlation with 100-grain weight. However, when the milk line position completely disappeared, the 100-grain weight was reduced by 8.66% at most. There was no significant difference during the periods of grain weight rising, but in the periods of grain weight falling, the traits of D, E, H were significantly different with the other varieties, and water loss rate of C and A showed significant difference with the other six varieties. The water content of grain was negatively correlated with milk line position. When the milk line percentage was 90% , the grain water content was less than 30% . The key factor influencing the mechanized harvest of summer corn is harvesting time, rather than the varieties. Moreover, milk-line position of 90% is the best time for harvest; if the harvest is too late, the yield will be reduced with varying degrees.

Effects of Different Row Spacing and Planting Density on the Main Agronomic Characters and Yield of a Maize Variety Xianyu 335

A field test was conducted to investigate the effects of different row spac- ing and planting density on grain filling rate, yield and other agronomic characters of a maize variety Xianyu 335, thereby determining the optimum planting density for maize in the Huang-Huai-Hai region. The results showed that the grain filling rate of Xianyu 335 was tended to decrease with the increase of planting density, and un- der the same planting density, the grain fill row spacing. Under the planting density of spacing showed little effect on the kernels ng rate decreased with the increased 60 000 plants/hm2, changing the row per spike of Xianyu 335; under the planting density of 75 000 plants/hm2, with the increase of row spacing, the kernels per spike of Xianyu 335 decreased; and under the condition of same row spacing, the yield of Xianyu 335 under the planting density of 75 000 plants/hm2 was higher than that under the planting density of 60 000 plants/hm2. The yield of Xianyu 335 reached the highest level at the row spacing of 50 cm and （40 ＋ 80） cm.

Study of the Effect of Operating Temperatures (1320 K, 1420 K and 1520 K) on the Vacant Sites of TiN Alloy in B2 Structure at 45%, 50% and 55% N by MEAM Method

In this work, we have studied the vacancy formation energy of TiN alloy of structure B2 of size 10 × 10 × 10 for nitrogen percentages of 45%, 50% and 55% under the influence of temperature at 1320 K, 1420 K and 1520 K using the Modified Embedded Atom Method MEAM under the calculation code LAMMPS version 2020. This study has enabled us to understand the behavior of the TiN alloy under different nitrogen percentages in terms of total energy, vacancy formation energy, crystalline parameter, occupancy rate and order parameter. For total energy, we have shown that as temperature increases, total energy decreases, making it easier to obtain TiN at higher temperatures;reaching the value of -7344.9169 eV for the 55% nitrogen structure for the temperature of 1420 K. For the energy of formation, we have shown that the compounds obtained at 1320 K and 1520 K have a more considerable energy of formation than that obtained at 1420 K. The study of fractions and the order parameter showed us that the structure of TiN with 55% nitrogen is less likely, as the composition obtained is at most 53.35%.

Finite time thermodynamics analysis and research of pulsating heat pipe cold storage device

Phase change energy storage technology can effectively solve the energy mismatch in space and time.There are many disadvantages of phase change materials(PCMs),such as high supercooling,phase separation and poor heat transfer performance.As a new type of heat exchange structure,pulsating heat pipe has the advantages of simple structure,high heat transfer coefficient and good economic behavior.The system efficiency can be greatly improved by using pulsating heat pipe combined with cold storage technology.A set of pulsating heat pipe type cold storage device is developed,the finite time thermodynamic analysis is carried out,and the correlation between heat pipe efficiency and power is established.The three-dimensional physical model of pulsating heat pipe is simulated and verified by experiments.The experimental results show that in the cold storage stage,with the increase of the filling rate,the greater the pressure is,the better the heat transfer effect is;in the cold release stage,with the decrease of the filling rate,the smaller the pressure is,the better the heat transfer effect is.