Effect of Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria at Various Nitrogen Rates on Corn Growth

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) colonize plant roots and promote plant growth by producing and secreting various chemical regulators in the rhizosphere. With the recent interest in sustainable agriculture, an increasing number of researchers are investigating ways to improve the efficiency of PGPR use to reduce chemical fertilizer inputs needed for crop production. Accordingly, greenhouse studies were conducted to evaluate the impact of PGPR inoculants on biomass production and nitrogen (N) content of corn (Zea mays L.) under different N levels. Treatments included three PGPR inoculants (two mixtures of PGPR strains and one control without PGPR) and five N application levels (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of the recommended N rate of 135 kg N ha−1). Results showed that inoculation of PGPR significantly increased plant height, stem diameter, leaf area, and root morphology of corn compared to no PGPR application under the same N levels at the V6 growth stage, but few differences were observed at the V4 stage. PGPR with 50% of the full N rate produced corn biomass and N concentrations equivalent to or greater than that of the full N rate without inoculants at the VT stage. In conclusion, mixtures of PGPR can potentially reduce inorganic N fertilization without affecting corn plant growth parameters. Future research is needed under field conditions to determine if these PGPR inoculants can be integrated as a bio-fertilizer in crop production nutrient management strategies.

CFD modeling of a headbox with injecting dilution water in a central step diffusion tube

For engineering applications of water dilution controlling system,the fluid dynamics of a mixed flow was studied with computational fluid dynamics(CFD) simulations and self-designed experimental set-up.In order to examine the predictability of CFD model for the headbox in industrial scale,two pulp suspensions before mixing were treated as homogeneous flows separately.Standard k-ε turbulence models with the mass diffusion in turbulent flows-species transport approach were applied in the simulations.A numerical simulation of this headbox model was analyzed with semi-implicit method for pressure linked equations scheme with pressure–velocity coupling.Results show that the model can predict hydrodynamic characteristics of headbox with injecting dilution water in a central diffusion tube,and the distribution of water content at the outlet of the slice lip is ideally normal at different speeds.

Nitrogen Fertilization Impacts on Phosphorus Cycling in Grazed Grass-Legume Pasture

The impact of different N regimes on P intake and excretion by grazing cattle and P return to soil from feces in a P-enriched pasture was investigated. Six 0.28-ha plots were over seeded with triticale (×Triticosecale rimpaui Wittm.) and crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum) into tall fescue (Lolium arundinacea)/bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon). Treatments included: 100% of N in split application, 50% of N in single application, and 0% of N. In summer, plots were over seeded with cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) and fertilizer treatments were applied. Forage intake was estimated from fecal excretion and fecal degradation and nutrient return to soil at 0, 28, 56, 84, and 112 days after application were determined. Forage P was not affected by season or treatment (P > 0.10);forage P mass was greater in cool than warm season. Phosphorus intake and water-soluble P output were not affected (P > 0.10) by season or treatment. Phosphorus output increased (P = 0.087) with increasing N in cool season, but not warm season. Soil P was greater (P < 0.0001) in warm than cool season. Feces remaining, P, and water-soluble P in feces were not affected by N treatment or season, but decreased (P < 0.10) with time. Sufficient P was returned to soil from feces to support forage growth, even in the absence of N fertilization. In a high-P pasture, N did not affect intake and fecal returns of P by cattle, foliar P uptake, nor rate and extent of assimilation of P into soil from feces.

Hydroxyl radical production by abiotic oxidation of pyrite under estuarine conditions:The effects of aging,seawater anions and illumination

Pyrite is widely distributed in estuarine sediments as an inexpensive natural Fenton-like reagent,however,the mechanism on the hydroxyl radical(HO^(·))production by pyrite under estuarine environmental conditions is still poorly understood.The batch experiments were performed to investigate the effects of estuarine conditions including aging(in air,in water),seawater anions(Cl^(-),Br^(-)and HCO_(3)^(-))and light on the HO^(·)production by pyrite oxidation.The one-electron transfer dominated the process from O_(2) to HO^(·)induced by oxidation of pyrite.The Fe(oxyhydr)oxide coatings on the surface of pyrite aged in air and water consumed hydrogen peroxide while mediating the electron transfer,and the combined effect of the two resulted in a suppression of HO^(·)production in the early stage of aging and a promotion of HO^(·)production in the later stage of aging.Corrosion of the surface oxide layers by aggressive anions was the main reason for the inhibition of HO^(·)production by Cl^(-)and Br^(-),and the generation of Cl^(·)and Br^(·)may also play a role in the scavenging of HO^(·).HCO_(3)^(-)increased the average rate of HO^(·)production through surface-CO_(2) complexes formed by adsorption on the surface of pyrite.The significant enhancement of HO^(·)production under light was attributed to the formation of photoelectrons induced by photochemical reactions on pyrite and its surface oxide layers.These findings provide new insights into the environmental chemical behavior of pyrite in the estuary and enrich the understanding of natural remediation of estuarine environments.

低能强流混合离子束空间电荷补偿度研究

空间电荷效应是影响束流传输和束流品质的一个重要因素,特别是对于低能量强流离子束来说。离子束与束流传输线中的剩余气体分子通过电离反应等产生大量二次电子,受离子束的空间电势约束,可以部分补偿空间电荷效应。为了深入研究强流束在低能段的传输,需要准确测量束流的空间电荷补偿度(SCCD),尤其是混合束流的SCCD。利用一台三栅网式能量分析仪和一台基于128通道皮安表系统构成的束流剖面探测器,分别测量了不同流强和束流分布下的混合O离子束的二次离子能量分布和束流流强分布,从而计算得出SCCD。实验结果表明,在1.0×10^(−5) Pa的真空度下,不同流强的混合O离子束的SCCD基本在70%左右;不同束流分布对空间电势分布影响较大,对离子束的SCCD也会有一定程度的影响。

Soil microbial community structure and activity in a 100-year-old fertilization and crop rotation experiment

Aims Nitrogen(N)fertilization and lime addition may affect soil micro-bial and nematode communities and ecosystem functions through changing environmental conditions,such as soil pH and soil organic carbon.The objectives of this experiment were to examine the impact of N input and liming on soil microbial and nematode communities and to identify the key environmental determinant of community composition in a century-old fertilization and crop rota-tion experiment.Methods The field experiment consisting of a 3-year crop rotation regime was established in 1911 in southeastern USA.Four treatments,(i)no-input control,(ii)NPK with winter legume,(iii)PK with legume and lime and(iv)NPK with legume and lime,were included in this study.soil samples collected at the 0-5 cm depth were used to determine the bacterial growth rate by the 3H-thymidine incorporation technique.Incorporation of 13C into neutral lipids,glycolipids and phospholipid fatty acids(PlFas)was measured after incubation of soil with 13C-labeled acetate for 24 h.Free-living nematodes in fresh soil were extracted using a density sucrose centrifugal flotation method and identified to trophic group level.Important Findingsliming resulted in a 10-fold increase in bacterial growth rates compared with the no-input control,whereas N fertilization had no significant effect.multivariate analysis of PlFa profiles showed that soil microbial community composition was different among the four treatments;the difference was primarily driven by soil pH.PlFas indicative of gram-negative bacteria covaried with soil pH,but not those of fungi and actinobacteria.liming enhanced 13C incorpora-tion into neutral lipids,glycolipids and phospholipids by 2-15 times.In addition,13C incorporation into 16:0,16:1ω9,18:1ω9,18:1ω7 and 18:2ω6 were greater than other PlFas,suggesting that gram-negative bacteria and fungi were more active and sensitive to simple C input.bacterivorous nematodes were the dominant trophic group in the soil,but no significant differences in nematode communities were found among the treatments.our results suggest that soil pH had a greater impact than N fertilization on soil microbial community composition and activity in a crop rotation system including legumes.