Analysis of Heavy Metal Sources for Vegetable Soils from Shandong Province, China

Heavy metal pollution in agricultural soils has serious negative influence on human health. Concentrations of Cd, Hg, As, Pb, Cr, Cu, Zn, and Ni in top soils （0-20 cm） of greenhouses and farmlands from four main vegetable production areas Shouguang, Laiyang, Jinxiang, and Zhangqiu in Shandong Province, one of the most rapidly developing regions in China, were measured in this study. Shouguang is mainly occupied by greenhouse vegetables and the other three areas are mainly open field culture. Total of 149 soil samples were collected. The average concentrations of the eight heavy metals of the tested 149 soil samples were all below the threshold values according to ＂Farmland environmental quality evaluation standards for edible agricultural products （HJ332-2006）＂ of China. However, most of the studied heavy metals were present at higher concentrations than those of the natural background levels in local agricultural soils. Among the total 149 soil samples, 22 samples were contaminated by Cd, Ni, Cu, or Hg. Comparisons showed that the main pollution element in greenhouse vegetable soils was Cd, while that of open field vegetable soils was Cu. The results of principal components analysis （PCA） suggested that concentrations of Cr, As, and Ni were mainly controlled by parent rocks; Hg and Pb were affected by anthropogenic activities such as vehicle and industrial fumes and waste water irrigation. Meanwhile, concentrations of Cd, Cu, and Zn were affected mainly by the use of agrochemicals. Most of the heavy metals were positively correlated with each other in concentration. Appropriate measures should be taken to effectively control heavy metal levels in vegetable soils and thus protect human health.

The Relationship Between Chinese Raw Dumpling Quality and Flour Characteristics of Shandong Winter Wheat Cultivars

Dumpling is one of the most important traditional wheat products in China. Dumpling quality is determined by the characteristics of both flour and filling, thus improvement of flour quality plays an important role in improving dumpling quality. Thirty-nine Shandong winter wheat cultivars and advanced lines sown in Jinan, Shandong Province, China, in the 2008-2009 cropping season were used to determine genetic variation in Chinese raw dumpling quality and its relationship with flour characteristics. Large variations were observed for protein quality parameters in comparison with starch properties. Variation in color of the raw dumpling sheet was broader than that of sensory evaluation parameters of boiled dumpling among tested wheat cultivars, indicating the large influence of filling on dumpling color. Two cultivars, Jimai 20 and Zimai 12, were identified as possessing very good quality of raw dumpling, and 21 cultivars and advanced lines showed good quality. Protein and total starch content influenced the L＊ value of raw dumpling sheets. L＂ value at 0 and 2 h after sheeting were significantly influenced by protein content （r=-0.46 and -0.52, P〈0.01） and total starch content （r=0.55 and 0.57, P〈0.01）, respectively. Flour yellow pigment was significantly corrected with a＊ （r=-0.67 and -0.62, P〈0.01） and b＊ （r=0.87 and 0.84, P〈0.01） value of raw dumpling sheets at 0 and 2 h after sheeting, respectively. Gluten strength parameters such as farinograph mixing tolerance index （MTI, r=-0.55, P〈0.01） were positively associated with appearance. MTI and energy were also significantly and positively correlated with elasticity of raw dumpling, with r=-0.54 and 0.47 （P〈0.01）. The positive relationships between peak viscosity （r=0.51, P〈0.01）, breakdown （r=0.54, P〈0.01）, and smoothness of raw dumpling were also observed. Therefore, it is suggested that breeding programs should give more attention to gluten strength and starch pasting parameters for raw dumpling quality improvement.

Status and Suggestions of the Pesticide Use in the Protected Vegetable Fields in Shandong Province

This paper briefly introduced the issues of food safety and environmental pollution caused by pesticide residues in protected vegetables, discussed the status and problems of pesticide use in the protected vegetables in Shandong Province, and analyzed the main factors leading to the pesticide residues, including the low education of most farmers, lack of correct identification of diseases and insect pests, use of pesticides based on personal experience, pesticide preparation by bare hands, large dose of pesticide, frequent application, pesticide spraying without protection, uneven spraying, leakage of pesticide from the sprayers, etc.. Finally, based on the vegetable planting features and advantages in Shandong Province, some suggestions were proposed for references, such as, to enhance the monitoring of pesticide residue, to improve the educational level of farmers and to scentifically use the pesticide.

Effects of Long-term Located Fertilization on Evolution of Available Phosphorus and Phosphorus Pool in Shandong Fluvo-aquic Soil

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of long-term located fertilization on soil phosphorus,the changes of soil available phosphorus(OlsenP),the evolution of soil total phosphorus(TP)and the ratio change of Olsen-P to TP(PAC)by 33-year fertilization experiments in winter wheat-summer maize rotation system in Shandong fluvo-aquic soil.Eight treatments were designed as no fertilization(CK),nitrogen fertilizer(N),nitrogen and phosphate fertilizer(NP),nitrogen and potassium fertilizer(NK),phosphate and potassium fertilizer(PK),nitrogen-phosphate-potassium fertilizer(NPK),reduced NPK fertilizer(N(15)PK),and increased NPK fertilizer(N_(25)PK).Meanwhile,eight organic fertilizer-added treatments were designed based on the application of inorganic fertilizer the same as the above ones.The results showed that TP,Olsen-P and PAC of treatments added with organic fertilizer were higher than those without organic fertilizer,and those of the treatments applied with phosphate fertilizer were higher than those of no phosphate fertilizer.With the increase of years,soil P pool decreased due to crop absorption,nutrient loss and morphological transformation and other causes under the treatments of without and only phosphate fertilizer,while remained stable under the treatments added with organic fertilizer.The PAC values were generally lower in fluvo-aquic soil,and it could be improved by the application of organic fertilizer.On the whole,the application of chemical phosphate fertilizer combined with organic fertilizer could improve the phosphorus content in soil and ensure the supply of phosphorus nutrition.This study would provide scientific basis for fertilization management and soil fertility in fluvo-aquic soil.

Emergence of recombinant PCV2 between genotype 2a and 2b in pig herds in Shandong province of China

Since late 2005, the swine industry in Shandong province has experienced a significant increase in postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome （PMWS）. Porcine circovirus type 2 （PCV2） is one of the major etiologic agents of PMWS. In order to understand the genetic diversity of PCV2 in swine herds in Shandong province, we sequenced six complete genomes of PCV2 between 2005 and 2007. Sequence analysis revealed that all the six PCV2 strains belonged to one genotype （named PCV 2b）. The deduced amino acid sequences of the replication associated protein （coded by ORFI） showed that all the six PCV2 strains belonged to genotype 2a and could be further divided into two clusters. Based on the analysis of the capsid protein （coded by ORF2）, the six PCV2 strains belonged to genotype 2b. All the six strains belonged to recombinant viruses between genotype PCV2a and genotype PCV2b. This study implied that such recombinant PCV2 spread widely in Shandong area and might be the reason that pig death rate associated with PMWS increased in recent years.

Research on the Development of Rural Collective Economy in Shandong Province

The 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China proposed a strategy for rural revitalization and made a scientific deployment.In this context,how to pursue the development of rural collective economy is of great significance.Analysis on the status of the development of rural collective economy in Shandong Province showed that decentralized small farmers had a wide range of wealth,poor income-generating capacity,and weak income growth.The development models of rural collective economy in Shandong mainly included the follows:property leasing to explore the way to make money on the spot;relying on resources to build advantageous industries;creating a livable living environment led by capable persons;cooperative management to sound agricultural production and management system;and reform of property rights system to develop the collective economy.In addition,it also found that the rural collective economy in Shandong Province had weak economic foundations,uneven development,financing difficulties,debt resolution difficulties,lack of scientific support policies,and limited innovation and development of leadership team.In response to these problems,countermeasures and suggestions were put forward in this article.

Conservation and Utilization of Germplasm Resources of Shandong Local Chickens

In this article, we reviewed the achievements of our team in genetic resource conservation and innovative use of Shandong local chicken breeds from the conservation, assessment on germplasm characteristics and breeding of Shandong local chickens, so as to provide a reference for further research and development of local chicken breeds.

On the Preparation and Implementation of Research Budget in Agricultural Institutes

Over the years,more attention has been focused on the implementation than on the preparation of the research budget in the agricultural institutes of China,resulting in the unscientific and unreasonable budgeting of research funds. The practical implementation of the research funds has also been adversely affected. In this paper,the problems as well as the root causes of those problems in the budgeting and implementation of research funds were analyzed,and corresponding solutions and suggestions were also presented.

Investigation and Analysis of Crop Germplasm Resources in Coastal Areas of Shandong Province

This study focused on the investigation of crop germplasm resources in coastal areas of Shandong Province, including 132 villages in 82 towns of 34 counties. The survey collected local varieties and wild resources of grain crops, economic crops, vegetables and fruit trees, and a total of 848 samples were collected, belonging to 54 species of 39 genera in 15 families. In this study, the current situation and growth and decline conditions of crop germplasm resources were investigated, and their botanical classification and utilization importance were analyzed. Furthermore, the conservation, development and utilization of crop germplasrp resources in coastal areas of Shandong Province were also discussed in this paper.

Comparison Test of Black Grey Oyster Mushrooms in Shandong Province in Winter and Spring

[Objectives]This study was conducted to screen high-yield and high-quality strains suitable for promotion and cultivation in Shandong Province in winter and spring,and provide production enterprises with better production strains.[Methods]The clinker bag cultivation method was used to compare the cultivated products of 30 Pleurotus spp.strains,and the data on mycelial growth rate,growth morphology,biological characteristics of fruit bodies and yield were collected for comparison.[Results]Compared with other strains,such four strains as Pinggu 8633,Gaochan 8105,Tekang 650 and Ping 8129 had significantly higher adaptability,higher yield and better marketability.[Conclusions]Pinggu 8633,Gaochan 8105,Tekang 650 and Ping 8129 can be used as the main varieties for winter and spring oyster mushrooms production in Shandong Province.

Investigation and Research on the Current Status of Fertilization in Facility Vegetables of Shandong Province

In order to clarify the current situation and main problems in facility vegetable fertilization and guide farmers to fertilize scientifically,an investigation on the yield and fertilization of facility vegetables( tomato,cucumber,eggplant and celery) was carried out in six districts and counties in Shandong Province from 2016 to 2017. The results showed that among the four vegetables,the yield levels of eggplant and celery varied slightly with the coefficient of variation between 7. 18% and 27. 63%,and the yield levels of tomato and cucumber varied greatly with the coefficient of variation between 33. 84% and 65. 15%. In terms of fertilization,the differences in N,P2O5 and K2O inputs in cucumber was the largest,and the maximum values of the nutrient inputs were 7. 95,8. 54 and 8. 77 times of the corresponding minimum values,respectively. The input amounts of N,P2O5 and K2O in tomato,cucumber and eggplant were 1. 47-2. 68,3. 93-7. 50 and1. 09-1. 51 times of the corresponding demands,respectively. The N and P2O5 inputs of celery exceeded the demands by 32. 00% and 79. 00%,respectively,while the K2O input was only 49. 00% of the demand. The ratios of N∶ P2O5∶ K2O input in the total application amount,organic fertilizer,base fertilizer and topdressing chemical fertilizer of facility vegetables were,respectively,1∶ 0. 84∶ 1. 02,1∶ 0. 84∶ 0. 80,1∶ 0. 99∶ 1. 05 and 1∶ 0. 77∶ 1. 25. The proportion of P2O5 input was too high,while the proportion of K2O input coming from the organic fertilizer was insufficient. The average proportions of organic fertilizer in N,P2O5 and K2O inputs were 43. 96%,43. 72% and 36. 99% respectively. The proportions of organic fertilizer in N and P2O5 inputs were reasonable,while that in K2O was lower.In N,P2O5 and K2O inputs of different vegetables,the proportions from organic fertilizer were reasonable in cucumber,higher in eggplant and lower in tomato and celery. The recommendations were presented in this paper that the inputs of N and P2O5 should be reduced,and the inputs of K2O and organic fertilizer should be increased,while farmers should choose fertilizer with low P2O5 and high K2O contents.

Resolved concerns after 28 years of Bt cottonin China

Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner(Bt)cotton was widely grown in China from 1997.Since then,it has resulted in many misunderstandings and concerns about Bt cotton.However,extensive research and practical experience over the past 28 years in China have led to the resolution of many of these concerns.This short review explores how the concerns has been resolved,and provides valuable insights for the future utilization of genetically modified products.

The extraction of effective components and an antioxidant activity study of Tulipa edulis

Plant extracts from natural sources are an excellent choice for food additives and natural antioxidants.In this study,the active components of Tulipa edulis were extracted and analysed,and their antioxidant capacity was measured.Then,the crude extract mixture was separated and purified using a Sephadex LH-20 gel,and the antioxidant activity of the purified products was determined.Human umbilical vein endothelial human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVEC)cells were treated with 35 mmol/L glucose to construct a model of oxidative stress.Then,the cells were treated with the active component to observe whether the products of T.edulis could have a good protective effect on HUVEC cells induced by glucose.Transcriptome analysis was also performed on HUVEC cells after same treatment to explore the possible mechanism of the component F2 protecting HUVEC cells from oxidative stress induced by high glucose.The results showed that component F2 obtained from T.edulis has strong antioxidant activity.Moreover,F2 can play a strong antioxidant protective role in HUVEC cells.Meanwhile,the gene expression of heme oxygenase 1(HO-1),γ-glutamyl cysteine ligase catalytic subunit(GCLC)and NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase-1(NQO1)in HUVEC cells was up-regulated after treated with F2.This study provides reference value for the further development and application of T.edulis and the d evelopment of functional food.

Effects of water and nitrogen rate on grain-filling characteristics under high-low seedbed cultivation in winter wheat

A high-efficiency mode of high-low seedbed cultivation(HLSC)has been listed as the main agricultural technology to increase land utilization ratio and grain yield in Shandong Province,China.However,limited information is available on the optimized water and nitrogen management for yield formation,especially the grain-filling process,under HLSC mode.A three-year field experiment with four nitrogen rates and three irrigation rates of HLSC was conducted to reveal the response of grain-filling parameters,grain weight percentage of spike weight(GPS),spike moisture content(SMC),and winter wheat yield to water and nitrogen rates.The four nitrogen rates were N1(360 kg ha^(-1) pure N),N2(300 kg ha^(-1) pure N),N3(240 kg ha^(-1) pure N),and N4(180 kg ha^(-1) pure N),respectively,and the three irrigation quotas were W1(120 mm),W2(90 mm),and W3(60 mm),respectively.Results showed that the determinate growth function generally performed well in simulating the temporal dynamics of grain weight(0.989<R^(2)<0.999,where R2 is the determination coefficient).The occurrence time of maximum filling rate(T_(max))and active grain-filling period(AGP)increased with the increase in the water or nitrogen rate,whereas the average grain-filling rate(G_(mean))had a decreasing trend.The final 1,000-grain weight(FTGW)increased and then decreased with the increase in the nitrogen rates and increased with the increase in the irrigation rates.The GPS and SMC had a highly significant quadratic polynomial relationship with grain weight and days after anthesis.Nitrogen,irrigation,and year significantly affected the T_(max),AGP,G_(mean),and FTGW.Particularly,the AGP and FTGW were insignificantly different between high seedbed(HLSC-H)and low seedbed(HLSC-L)across the water and nitrogen levels.Moreover,the moderate water and nitrogen supply was more beneficial for grain yield,as well as for spike number and grain number per hectare.The principal component analysis indicated that combining 240-300 kg N ha^(-1) and 90^(-1)20 mm irrigation quota could improve grain-filling efficiency and yield for the HLSC-cultivated winter wheat.

Development of biofertilizers for sustainable agriculture over four decades(1980-2022)

The application of biofertilizers is becoming an inevitable trend to substitute chemical fertilizers for sustainable agriculture.To better understand the development of biofertilizers from 1980 to 2022,we used bibliometric mining to analyze 12,880 journal articles related to biofertilizer.The network cooccurrence analysis suggested that the biofertilizers research can be separated into three stages.The first stage(1980-2005)focused on nitrogen fixation.The second stage(2006-2015)concentrated on the mechanisms for increasing plant yield.The third stage(2016-2022)was the application of biofertilizers to improve the soil environment.The keyword analysis revealed the mechanisms of biofertilizers to improve plant-growth:biofertilizers can impact the nutritional status of plants,regulate plant hormones,and improve soil environments and the microbiome.The bacteria use as biofertilizers,included Pseudomonas,Azospirillum,and Bacillus,were also identified through bibliometric mining.These findings provide critical discernment to aid further study of biofertilizers for sustainable agriculture.

Effect of Sprinkler and Border Irrigation on Topsoil Structure in Winter Wheat Field

A two-year experiment was carried out on the effect of sprinkler irrigation on the topsoil structure in a winter wheat field. A border-irrigated field was used as the control group. The total soil porosity, pore size distribution, pore shape distribution, soil cracks and soil compaction were measured. The sprinkler irrigation brought significant changes to the total soil porosity, capillary porosity, air-filled porosity and pore shape of topsoil layers in comparison with the border irrigation. The total porosity and air-filled porosity of the topsoil in the sprinkler irrigation were higher than those in the border irrigation. The changes in the air-filled and elongated pores were the main reasons for the changes in total porosity. The porosities of round and irregular pores in topsoil under sprinkler irrigation were lower than those under border irrigation. Sprinkler irrigation produced smaller soil cracks than border irrigation did, so sprinkler irrigation may restrain the development of macropore flow in comparison with border irrigation. The topsoil was looser under sprinkler irrigation than under border irrigation. According to the conditions of topsoil structure, it is preferable for crops to grow under sprinkler irrigation than under border irrigation.

Comparison of the Δ^(12) fatty acid desaturase gene between high-oleic and normal-oleic peanut genotypes

△^12 fatty acid desaturase gene has been targeted as a logical candidate controlling the high oleate trait in peanut seeds. By RT-PCR method, the full-length cDNAs of △^12 fatty acid desaturase gene were isolated from peanut （Arachis hypogaea L.） genotypes with normal and high ratio of oleic to linoleic acid, which were designated AhFAD2B and AhFAD2B＇, respectively. Sequence alignment of their coding regions revealed that an extra A was inserted at the position ＋442 bp of AhFAD2B＇ sequence of high oleic acid genotypes, which resulted in the shift of open reading frame and a truncated protein AhFAD2B＇, with the loss of one histidine box involved in metal ion complex required for the reduction of oxygen. Analysis of transcript level showed that the expression of △^12 fatty acid desaturase gene in high oleic acid genotype was slightly lower than that in normal genotype. The enzyme activity experiment of yeast （Saccharomyces cerevisiae） cell transformed with AhFAD2B or AhFAD2B＇ proved that only AhFAD2B gene product showed significant △^12 fatty acid desaturase activity, but AhFAD2B＇ gene product did not. These results suggested that the change of AhFAD2B＇ gene sequence resulted in lower activity or deactivation of △^12 fatty acid desaturase in high oleic acid genotype.

Effects of Low Light on Agronomic and Physiological Characteristics of Rice Including Grain Yield and Quality

Light intensity is one of the most important environmental factors that determine the basic characteristics of rice development. However, continuously cloudy weather or rainfall, especially during the grain-filling stage, induces a significant loss in yield and results in poor grain quality. Stress caused by low light often creates severe meteorological disasters in some rice-growing regions worldwide. This review was based on our previous research and related research regarding the effects of low light on rice growth, yield and quality as well as the formation of grain, and mainly reviewed the physiological metabolism of rice plants, including characteristics of photosynthesis, activities of antioxidant enzymes in rice leaves and key enzymes involved in starch synthesis in grains, as well as the translocations of carbohydrate and nitrogen. These characteristics include various grain yield and rice quality components （milling and appearance as well as cooking, eating and nutritional qualities） under different rates of shading imposed at the vegetative or reproductive stages of rice plants. Furthermore, we discussed why grain yield and quality are reduced under the low light environment. Next, we summarized the need for future research that emphasizes methods can effectively improve rice grain yield and quality under low light stress. These research findings can provide a beneficial reference for rice cultivation management and breeding program in low light environments.

Assessment on Evaluating Parameters of Rice Core Collections Constructed by Genotypic Values and Molecular Marker Information

Eleven evaluating parameters for rice core collection were assessed based on genotypic values and molecular marke＇ information. Monte Carlo simulation combined with mixed linear model was used to eliminate the interference from environment in order to draw more reliable results. The coincidence rate of range （CR） was the optimal parameter. Mean Simpson index （MD）, mean Shannon-Weaver index of genetic diversity （M1） and mean polymorphism information content （MPIC） were important evaluating parameters. The variable rate of coefficient of variation （VR） could act as an important reference parameter for evaluating the variation degree of core collection. Percentage of polymorphic loci （p） could be used as a determination parameter for the size of core collection. Mean difference percentage （MD） was a determination parameter for the reliability judgment of core collection. The effective evaluating parameters for core collection selected in the research could be used as criteria for sampling percentage in different plant germplasm populations.

Genetic variation of yellow pigment and its components in foxtail millet(Setaria italica(L.) P.Beauv.) from different eco-regions in China

Kernel color is an important trait for assessing the commercial and nutritional quality of foxtail millet. Yellow pigment content （YPC） and carotenoid components （lutein and zeaxanthin） of 270 foxtail millet accessions, including 50 landraces and 220 improved cultivars, from four different eco-regions in China were surveyed using spectrophotometry and high performance liquid chromatography methods. Results indicated that YPC had rich variance, ranging from 1.91 to 28.54 mg kg-1, with an average value of 17.80 mg kg-1. The average YPC of improved cultivars （18.31 mg kg-1） was significantly higher than that of landraces （15.51 mg kg-l）. The YPC in cultivars from the Loess Plateau spring sowing region （LPSSR） was the highest （20.59 mg kg-~）, followed by the North China summer sowing region （NCSSR, 18.25 mg kg-1）, the northeast spring sowing region （NSSR, 17.25 mg kg-1）, and the Inner Mongolia Plateau spring sowing region （IMPSSR, 13.92 mg kg-1）. The variation coefficients of YPC in cultivars from NSSR, LPSSR, and IMPSSR were higher than that from NCSSR. A similar carotenoid profile was also obtained for 270 foxtail millet cultivars. Lutein and zeaxanthin accounted for approximately 55-65% of YPC in accessions. The lutein content was higher than zeaxanthin content in all cultivars. The ratio of lutein to zeaxanthin ranged from 1.51 to 6.06 with an average of 3.34. YPC was positively correlated with lutein （r=0.935, P〈0.01）, zeaxanthin （r=0.808, P〈0.01 ）, and growth duration （t=0.488, P〈0.01 ）, whereas it was negatively correlated with grain protein （t=-0.332, P〈0.01） and 1 000-kernel weight （t=-0.153, P〈0.05）. Our study is useful for screening and selecting cultivars with high levels of yellow pigment and for enhancing phytochemical concentrations in breeding programs.