Grain yield and N uptake of maize in response to increased plant density under reduced water and nitrogen supply conditions

The development of modern agriculture requires the reduction of water and chemical N fertilizer inputs.Increasing the planting density can maintain higher yields,but also consumes more of these restrictive resources.However,whether an increased maize density can compensate for the negative effects of reduced water and N supply on grain yield and N uptake in the arid irrigated areas remains unknown.This study is part of a long-term positioning trial that started in 2016.A split-split plot field experiment of maize was implemented in the arid irrigated area of northwestern China in 2020 to 2021.The treatments included two irrigation levels:local conventional irrigation reduced by 20%(W1,3,240 m^(3)ha^(-1))and local conventional irrigation(W2,4,050 m^(3)ha^(-1));two N application rates:local conventional N reduced by 25%(N1,270 kg ha^(-1))and local conventional N(360 kg ha^(-1));and three planting densities:local conventional density(D1,75,000 plants ha^(-1)),density increased by 30%(D2,97,500 plants ha-1),and density increased by 60%(D3,120,000 plants ha^(-1)).Our results showed that the grain yield and aboveground N accumulation of maize were lower under the reduced water and N inputs,but increasing the maize density by 30% can compensate for the reductions of grain yield and aboveground N accumulation caused by the reduced water and N supply.When water was reduced while the N application rate remained unchanged,increasing the planting density by 30% enhanced grain yield by 13.9% and aboveground N accumulation by 15.3%.Under reduced water and N inputs,increasing the maize density by 30% enhanced N uptake efficiency and N partial factor productivity,and it also compensated for the N harvest index and N metabolic related enzyme activities.Compared with W2N2D1,the N uptake efficiency and N partial factor productivity increased by 28.6 and 17.6%under W1N1D2.W1N2D2 had 8.4% higher N uptake efficiency and 13.9% higher N partial factor productivity than W2N2D1.W1N2D2 improved urease activity and nitrate reductase activity by 5.4% at the R2(blister)stage and 19.6% at the V6(6th leaf)stage,and increased net income and the benefit:cost ratio by 22.1 and 16.7%,respectively.W1N1D2 and W1N2D2 reduced the nitrate nitrogen and ammoniacal nitrogen contents at the R6 stage in the 40-100 cm soil layer,compared with W2N2D1.In summary,increasing the planting density by 30% can compensate for the loss of grain yield and aboveground N accumulation under reduced water and N inputs.Meanwhile,increasing the maize density by 30% improved grain yield and aboveground N accumulation when water was reduced by 20% while the N application rate remained constant in arid irrigation areas.

Purification of Produced Water from a Sour Oilfield in South Kuwait. 2. Oil-Water Separation and Crystallization of Calcium Carbonate

Oil-water separation for produced water (PW) originating from an oil extraction site in South Kuwait was carried out using bleached, esterified cellulosic material from used coffee grounds. Thereafter, earth-alkaline metal ions, specifically calcium ions, of the de-oiled PW were removed by precipitation with sodium carbonate to give access to pure sodium chloride as industrial salt from the remaining PW. While the purity of the precipitated calcium carbonate (CaCO3) depends on the precipitation conditions, CaCO3 of up to 95.48% purity can be obtained, which makes it a salable product. The precipitation of CaCO3 decreases the amount of calcium ions in PW from 11,300 ppm to 84 ppm.

A Hydrogen Iron Flow Battery with High Current Density and Long Cyclability Enabled Through Circular Water Management

The hydrogen-iron(HyFe)flow cell has great potential for long-duration energy storage by capitalizing on the advantages of both electrolyzers and flow batteries.However,its operation at high current density(high power)and over continuous cycling testing has yet to be demonstrated.In this paper,we discuss our design and demonstration of a water management strategy that supports high current and long cycling performance of a HyFe flow cell.Water molecules associated with the movement of protons from the iron electrode to the hydrogen electrode are sufficient to hydrate the membrane and electrode at a low current density of 100 mA cm^(-2)during the charge process.At higher charge current density,more aggressive measures must be taken to counter back-diffusion driven by the acid concentration gradient between the iron and hydrogen electrodes.Our water management approach is based on water vapor feeding in the hydrogen electrode,and water evaporation in the iron electrode,thus enabling the high current density operation of 300 mA cm^(-2).

Design and analysis of a high loss density motor cooling system with water cold plates

Aiming at reducing the difficulty of cooling the interior of high-density motors,this study proposed the placement of a water cold plate cooling structure between the axial laminations of the motor stator.The effect of the cooling water flow,thickness of the plate,and motor loss density on the cooling effect of the water cold plate were studied.To compare the cooling performance of water cold plate and outer spiral water jacket cooling structures,a high-speed permanent magnet motor with a high loss density was used to establish two motor models with the two cooling structures.Consequently,the cooling effects of the two models were analyzed using the finite element method under the same loss density,coolant flow,and main dimensions.The results were as follows.(1)The maximum and average temperatures of the water cold plate structure were reduced by 25.5%and 30.5%,respectively,compared to that of the outer spiral water jacket motor;(2)Compared with the outer spiral water jacket structure,the water cold plate structure can reduce the overall mass and volume of the motor.Considering a 100 kW high-speed permanent magnet motor as an example,a water cold plate cooling system was designed,and the temperature distribution is analyzed,with the result indicating that the cooling structure satisfied the cooling requirements of the high loss density motor.

Tuning MXenes Towards Their Use in Photocatalytic Water Splitting

Finding appropriate photocatalysts for solar-driven water(H_(2)O)splitting to generate hydrogen(H_(2))fuel is a challenging task,particularly when guided by conventional trial-and-error experimental methods.Here,density functional theory(DFT)is used to explore the MXenes photocatalytic properties,an emerging family of two-dimensional(2D)transition metal carbides and nitrides with chemical formula M_(n+1)X_(n)T_(x),known to be semiconductors when having T_(x)terminations.More than 4,000 MXene structures have been screened,considering different compositional(M,X,T_(x),and n)and structural(stacking and termination position)factors,to find suitable MXenes with a bandgap in the visible region and band edges that align with the water-splitting half-reaction potentials.Results from bandgap analysis show how,in general,MXenes with n=1 and transition metals from group III present the most cases with bandgap and promising sizes,with C-MXenes being superior to N-MXenes.From band alignment calculations of candidate systems with a bandgap larger than 1.23 eV,the minimum required for a water-splitting process,Sc_(2)CT_(2),Y_(2)CT_(2)(T_(x)=Cl,Br,S,and Se)and Y_(2)CI_(2)are highlighted as adequate photocatalysts.

Graphene effectively activating "dead" water molecules between manganese dioxide layers in potassium-ion battery

Aqueous potassium-ion batteries(APIBs),recognized as safe and reliable new energy devices,are considered as one of the alternatives to traditional batteries.Layered MnO_(2),serving as the main cathode,exhibits a lower specific capacity in aqueous electrolytes compared to organic systems and operates through a different reaction mechanism.The application of highly conductive graphene may effectively enhance the capacity of APIBs but could complicate the potassium storage environment.In this study,a MnO_(2) cathode pre-intercalated with K~+ions and grown on graphene(KMO@rGO) was developed using the microwave hydrothermal method for APIBs.KMO@rGO achieved a specific capacity of 90 mA h g^(-1) at a current density of 0.1 A g^(-1),maintaining a capacity retention rate of>90% after 5000 cycles at 5 A g^(-1).In-situ and exsitu characterization techniques revealed the energy-storage mechanism of KMO@rGO:layered MnO_(2)traps a large amount of "dead" water molecules during K~+ions removal.However,the introduction of graphene enables these water molecules to escape during K~+ ions insertion at the cathode.The galvanostatic intermittent titration technique and density functional theory confirmed that KMO@rGO has a higher K~+ions migration rate than MnO_(2).Therefore,the capacity of this cathode depends on the interaction between dead water and K~+ions during the energy-storage reaction.The optimal structural alignment between layered MnO_(2) and graphene allows electrons to easily flow into the external circuit.Rapid charge compensation forces numerous low-solvent K~+ions to displace interlayer dead water,enhancing the capacity.This unique reaction mechanism is unprecedented in other aqueous battery studies.

Recent advances in design of hydrogen evolution reaction electrocatalysts at high current density:A review

The electrolysis of water powered by renewable energy sources offers a promising method of"green hydrogen"production,which is considered to be at the heart of future carbon-neutral energy systems.In the past decades,researchers have reported a number of hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)electrocatalysts with activity comparable to that of commercial Pt/C,but most of them are tested within a small current density range,typically no more than 500 mA cm^(-2).To realize the industrial application of hydrogen production from water electrolysis,it is essential to develop high-efficiency HER electrocatalysts at high current density(HCD≥500 mA cm^(-2)).Nevertheless,it remains challenging and significant to rational design HCD electrocatalysts for HER.In this paper,the design strategy of HCD electrocatalysts is discussed,and some HCD electrocatalysts for HER are reviewed in seven categories(alloy,metal oxide,metal hydroxide,metal sulfide/selenide,metal nitride,metal phosphide and other derived electrocatalysts).At the end of this article,we also pro-pose some viewpoints and prospects for the future development and research directions of HCD electrocatalysts for HER.

Mg-doped SrTaO_(2)N as a visible-light-driven H_(2)-evolution photocatalyst for accelerated Z-scheme overall water splitting

Perovskite SrTaO_(2)N is one of the most promising narrow-bandgap photocatalysts for Z-scheme overall water splitting.However,the formation of defect states during thermal nitridation severely hinders the separation of charges,resulting in poor photocatalytic activity.In the present study,we successfully synthesize SrTaO_(2)N photocatalyst with low density of defect states,uniform morphology and particle size by flux-assisted one-pot nitridation combined with Mg doping.Some important parameters,such as the size of unit cell,the content of nitrogen,and microstructure,prove the successful doping of Mg.The defect-related carrier recombination has been significantly reduced by Mg doping,which effectively promotes the charge separation.Moreover,Mg doping induces a change of the band edge,which makes proton reduction have a stronger driving force.After modifying with the core/shell-structured Pt/Cr_(2)O_(3)cocatalyst,the H_(2)evolution activity of the optimized SrTaO_(2)N:Mg is 10 times that of the undoped SrTaO_(2)N,with an impressive apparent quantum yield of 1.51%at 420 nm.By coupling with Au-FeCoO_(x)modified BiVO_(4)as an O_(2)-evolution photocatalyst and[Fe(CN)_(6)]_(3)−/[Fe(CN)_(6)]_(4)−as the redox couple,a redox-based Z-scheme overall water splitting system is successfully constructed with an apparent quantum yield of 1.36%at 420 nm.This work provides an alternative way to prepare oxynitride semiconductors with reduced defects to promote the conversion of solar energy.

Suitable Date of Seeding, Planting Density and Water Use Efficiency for Propagation of Stock Seed Potato in Mountainous Region of Southwest Sichuan

[Objective] The experiment was conducted to study suitable date of seed- ing and density of spring potato at the stock breeding base in Ebian County at an elevation of 1 200 to 1 500 m. [Methods] Virus-free Potato ＂Chuanyu 13＂ was used as material to study the effects of date of seeding and density on growing period, germination rate, yield and water use efficiency of spring potato in the field. [Result] With the postponement of date of seeding, the days from sowing to germination shortened, while the germination rate, the number of tubers per plant, the number of middle and small tubers in a group, yield and water use efficiency all increased. Planting density had no effects on the days from sowing to germination and the ger- mination rate, while the number of tubers per ptant, the number of middle and small tubers in a group, yield and water use efficiency increased significantly along with the increasing planting density. [Conclusion] At an elevation of 1 200 m to 1 250 m in Ebian County, the suitable date of seeding for potato was from February 9 to March 1, and the suitable planting density was 12×10^4 plants per hm^2, however, in the optimum planting density has not been found so that it needs further research,

Test for the effects of three surfactants on the penetration ability of the calcium chloride and water glass Solutions in dust

By using a downward penetration testing device, a large number of experiments were made to investigate the effects of surfactants (sodium succinate, sodium dodecyl sulfonate and dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid sodium salt) on the penetration ability of the calcium chloride and water glass solutions in four dust samples. The experimental results showed that the surfactants can enhance the penetration ability and decrease the surface tension of the calcium chloride and water glass solutions in great extent. After adding the surfactants in 0.2—0.6 wt.% to the solutions of calcium chloride and water glass in 5—25 wt.% respectively, the largest percent of penetration ability increases to 28% more. Among the three surfactants, the size of their effects on the penetration ability of calcium chloride and water solutions in the dust samples is dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid sodium salt, sodium dodecyl sulfonate and sodium succinate.The achieved conclusions are great significant for calcium chloride and water glass to be applied in the field of soil stabilization and raising dust control.

N‑Doped Graphene‑Decorated NiCo Alloy Coupled with Mesoporous NiCoMoO Nano‑sheet Heterojunction for Enhanced Water Electrolysis Activity at High Current Density

Developing highly effective and stable non-noble metalbased bifunctional catalyst working at high current density is an urgent issue for water electrolysis(WE).Herein,we prepare the N-doped graphene-decorated NiCo alloy coupled with mesoporous NiCoMoO nano-sheet grown on 3D nickel foam(NiCo@C-NiCoMoO/NF)for water splitting.NiCo@C-NiCoMoO/NF exhibits outstanding activity with low overpotentials for hydrogen and oxygen evolution reaction(HER:39/266 mV;OER:260/390 mV)at±10 and±1000 mA cm^(−2).More importantly,in 6.0 M KOH solution at 60℃ for WE,it only requires 1.90 V to reach 1000 mA cm−2 and shows excellent stability for 43 h,exhibiting the potential for actual application.The good performance can be assigned to N-doped graphene-decorated NiCo alloy and mesoporous NiCoMoO nano-sheet,which not only increase the intrinsic activity and expose abundant catalytic activity sites,but also enhance its chemical and mechanical stability.This work thus could provide a promising material for industrial hydrogen production.

A new mathematical model for horizontal wells with variable density perforation completion in bottom water reservoirs

Horizontal wells are commonly used in bottom water reservoirs,which can increase contact area between wellbores and reservoirs.There are many completion methods used to control cresting,among which variable density perforation is an effective one.It is difficult to evaluate well productivity and to analyze inflow profiles of horizontal wells with quantities of unevenly distributed perforations,which are characterized by different parameters.In this paper,fluid flow in each wellbore perforation,as well as the reservoir,was analyzed.A comprehensive model,coupling the fluid flow in the reservoir and the wellbore pressure drawdown,was developed based on potential functions and solved using the numerical discrete method.Then,a bottom water cresting model was established on the basis of the piston-like displacement principle.Finally,bottom water cresting parameters and factors influencing inflow profile were analyzed.A more systematic optimization method was proposed by introducing the concept of cumulative free-water production,which could maintain a balance（or then a balance is achieved）between stabilizing oil production and controlling bottom water cresting.Results show that the inflow profile is affected by the perforation distribution.Wells with denser perforation density at the toe end and thinner density at the heel end may obtain low production,but the water breakthrough time is delayed.Taking cumulative free-water production as a parameter to evaluate perforation strategies is advisable in bottom water reservoirs.

Testing with high density resistivity method in prevention and cure for mine water disaster and its applied effect

The detecting examples using the high density resistivity method, about the evaluation of containing water characteristic from the floor rock and the height of overburden failure, were given. It expresses that the high density resistivity method has good effect with strong maneuverability and continuous observing section during the prevention and cure for mine water disaster. At the same time, the article pointed out that the study of space data inversion and dynamic watching technology about the high density resistivity method must be enhanced in the future because of special condition of data collecting in mine.

Simultaneous Determination of Calcium and Magnesium in Water Using Artificial Neural Network Spectro-Photometric Method

A new analytical method using Back-Propagation （BP） artificial neural networks and spectrophotometry for simultaneous determination of calcium and magnesium in tap water, the Yellow River water and seawater is established. By condition experiment, the optimum analytical conditions for calcium, magnesium and Arsenazo （Ⅲ） color reactions are obtained. Levenberg- Marquart （L-M） algorithm is used for calculation in BP neural network. The topological structure of three-layer BP ANN network architecture is chosen as 11-10-2 （nodes）. The initial value of gradient coefficient μ is fixed at 0.001 and the increase factor and reduction factor of kt take the default values of the system. The data are processed by computers with our own programs written in MATLAB 7.0. The relative standard deviations of the calculated results for calcium and magnesium are 2.31% and 2.14%, respectively. The results of standard addition method show that the recoveries of calcium and magnesium are 103.6% and 100.8% in the tap water, 103.2% and 96.6% in the Yellow River water （Lijin district of Shandong Province）, and 98.8%-103.3% and 98.43%-103.4% in seawater from Jiaozhou Bay of Qingdao. It is found that 14 common cations and anions do not interfere with the determination of calcium and magnesium under the optimum experimental conditions. The comparative experiments do not show any obvious differ- ence between the results obtained by this new method and those obtained by the classical complexometric titration method in seawater medium. This method exhibits good reproducibility and high accuracy in the determination of calcium and magnesium and can be used for the simultaneous determination of Ca^2＋ and Mg^2＋ in tap water and natural water.

A Numerical Study on the Density Driven Circulation in the Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass

The circulation of Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass （YSCWM） in the Southern Yellow Sea is investigated using a diagnostic 2D MITgcm model. The resolution of the computational grid is 900 m in the horizontal and 2 m in the vertical where an initial tem- perature distribution corresponding to a typical measured Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass was applied. The existence of YSCWM that causes fluid density difference, is shown to produce counter-rotating cyclonic horizontal eddies in the surface layer： the inner one is anti-cyclonic （clockwise） and relatively weaker （8-10cms-1） while the outer one is cyclonic （anti-clockwise） and much stronger （15-20cms-~）. This result is consistent with the surface pattern observed by Pang et al. （2004）, who has shown that a mesoscale anti-cyclonic eddy （clockwise） exists in the upper layer of central southern Yellow Sea, and a basin-scale cyclonic （anticlockwise） gyre lies outside of the anti-cyclonic eddy, based on the trajectories and drifting velocities of 23 drifters. Below the thermocline, there is an anti-cyclonic （clockwise） circulation. This complex current eddy system is considered to be capable of trapping suspended sediments and depositing them near the front between YSCWM and the coastal waters off the Subei coast, providing an explanation on the sediment depth and size distribution of mud patches in the Southern Yellow Sea. Moreover, sensitive test scenarios indicate that variations of bottom friction do not substantially change the main features of the circulation structure, but will reduce the bottom current velocity, increase the surface current velocity and weaken the upwelling around the frontal area.

Barium, Calcium and Sodium, Cyanide, Phosphate and Sulphate Contents of Groundwater in Some Ika Communities of Delta State, Nigeria

Barium, calcium, sodium, cyanide, phosphate and sulphate and contents of groundwater in Boji-Boji (BB) area and suburbs of Ika land, Delta State, Nigeria were studied. Groundwater is the predominant source of water for inhabitants of these communities without any form of treatment. 55 borehole water sites spread within these five sample sub-areas. The metal ions were analyzed using Solar Unicam flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. Sulphate, phosphate, and cyanide contents were determined by colorimetric method. Results indicate the presence of sodium, calcium, sulphate, and phosphate. However, barium and cyanide were below detection limit. Secondly, there was a relatively higher proportion of calcium and sulphate than sodium and phosphate in its aquifer. Thirdly, a mean ratio value of 0.018 and 0.158 was observed for the ratios of Na+/Ca2+ and ?respectively. Fourthly, sodium showed good correlation with all the other parameters. Finally, nearly all the studied parameters have concentrations below the maximum contaminant levels of the World Health Organization (WHO), invariably inferring that the water is wholesome with respect to the analytes. However, concern still remains from a health point of view on the sodium concentrations in many sample areas.

Water Dissociation Phenomena on a Bipolar Membrane──Current-voltage Curve in Relation with IonicTransport and Limiting Current Density

The water dissociation mechanism on a bipolar membrane under the electrical field was investigated and characterized in terms of ionic transport and limiting current density. It is considered that the depletion layer exists at the junction of a bipolar membrane, which is coincided with the viewpoint of the most literatures, but we also consider that the thickness and conductivity of this layer is not only related with the increase of the applied voltage but also with the limiting current density. Below the limiting current density, the thickness of the depletion layer keeps a constant and the conductivity decreases with the increase of the applied voltage; while above the limiting current density, the depletion thickness will increase with the increase of the applied voltage and the conductivity keeps a very low constant. Based on the data reported in the literatures and independent determinations, the limiting current density was calculated and the experimental curves Ⅰ-Ⅴ in the two directions were com

Water,Nitrogen and Plant Density Affect the Response of Leaf Appearance of Direct Seeded Rice to Thermal Time

Field experiments were conducted in the Ebro Delta area （Spain）, from 2007 to 2009 with two rice varieties： Gleva and Tebre. The experimental treatments included a series of seed rates, two different water management systems and two different nitrogen fertilization times. The number of leaves on the main stems and their emergence time were periodically tagged. The results indicated that the final leaf number on the main stems in the two rice varieties was quite stable over a three-year period despite of the differences in their respective growth cycles. Interaction between nitrogen fertilization and water management influenced the final leaf number on the main stems. Plant density also had a significant influence on the rate of leaf appearance by extending the phyllochron and postponing the onset of intraspecific competition after the emergence of the 7th leaf on the main stems. Final leaf number on the main stems was negatively related to plant density. A relationship between leaf appearance and thermal time was established with a strong nonlinear function. In direct-seeded rice, the length of the phyllochron increases exponentially in line with the advance of plant development. A general model, derived from 2-year experimental data, was developed and satisfactorily validated; it had a root mean square error of 0.3 leaf. An exponential model can be used to predict leaf emergence in direct-seeded rice.

Studies of n-Octanol/water Partition Coefficients (lgK_(ow)) for Organophosphate Compounds by Density Functional Theory

Optimized calculation of 35 dialkyl phenyl phosphate compounds （OPs） was carded out at the B3LYP/6-31G^＊ level in Gaussian 98 program. Based on the theoretical linear solvation energy relationship （TLSER） model, the obtained parameters were taken as theoretical descriptors to establish the novel QSPR model for predicting n-octanol/water partition coefficients （lgKow） of OPs. The new model achieved in this work contains three variables, i.e., molecular volume （Vm）, dipole moment of the molecules （μ） and enthalpy （H^0）. For this model, R^2 = 0.9167 and SD = 0.31 at large t values. In addition, the variation inflation factors （VIF） of variables are all close to 1.0, suggesting high accuracy of the predicting model. And the results of cross-validation test （q^2 = 0.8993） and method validation also showed the model of this study exhibited optimum stability and better predictive power than that from semi-empirical method. The model achieved can be used to predict IgKow of congeneric compounds.

Evaluation of Plant Densities and Various Irrigation Regimes of Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) under Low Water Supply

Drought stress, during growth season along with plant density, is an important problem that needs attention. In order to investigate the influence of both factors in increasing the water use efficiency, field experiments were laid out in split-plot design at Agriculture Research Station, Collage of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, to investigate the effects of irrigation intervals viz., irrigation every (6, 9 and 12 days) under different plant densities i.e., (6, 8 and 10 plants/m2) on growth, yield and yield component parameters as well as grain quality of sorghum local variety (Gizani). Results revealed that almost all growth, yield and yield component parameters were significantly influenced by both factors as well as their interaction. Chemical composition of seeds, leaf proline content and WUE were also considered. Severe drought stress condition caused gradual decrease in most of the growth characters as compared to watered treatment and reflected in decreasing yield and yield component characters. Increasing plant densities led to raise biomass production and seed yield per unit area and not able to compensated the low number and weight of grains per panicle. Contrary, low plant density, under adequate irrigation conditions, can be compensated by a high number of grains per panicle and high weight of the grain. Maximum seed yield per hectare was recorded by the interactional effects of most watered treatments (irrigation every 6 days) and plant density of 10 plants per square meter.