Fractions and Bioavailability of Soil Inorganic Phosphorus in the Loess Plateau of China under Different Vegetations

Plants play an important role in soil phosphorus nutrition. However, the effect of plants on phosphorus nutrition in soils of the Loess Plateau of China is not well understood. This study was conducted to reveal the relationships between plants and phosphorus＇ fractions and availability in the Loess Plateau of China. Twenty-two plant communities were surveyed and soil samples under different plant canopies were collected for the determination of soil properties and inorganic phosphorus fractionation. The results showed that Leguminosae and Lilaceae reduced pH and increased organic matter, cation exchange capacity, total and Olsen phosphorus in soils under their canopies, while Labiatae and Rosaceae increased pH and decreased organic matter, cation exchange capacity, total and Olsen phosphorus in soils under their canopies. The contents of Ca2P, CasP, AI-P and Fe-P were highly related with soil Oisen phosphorus. They were all higher in soils under Leguminosae and Lilaceae and lower in softs under Labiatae and Rosaceae. The results of this study indicate that Leguminosae and Lilaceae improved phosphorus nutrition in soils, yet Labiatae and Rosaceae impeded the improvement of phosphorus nutrition in soils under their canopies, which will be of more help to instruct vegetation restoration in the region and provide information for soil development.

Dynamics of soil inorganic phosphorus fractions at aggregate scales in a chronosequence of Chinese fir plantations

Successive cultivation of Chinese fir(Cunninghamia lanceolata) would markedly affect the distribution and accumulation of soil inorganic phosphorus(Pi).However,how different chronosequence phases of Chinese fir plantations exerting influences on the quality and quantity of soil Pi fractions in aggregate-scale remain poorly understood. This study researched the dynamic changes of aggregate-related Pi fractions encompassing occluded-P(O-P), aluminum-bound P(Al-P), iron-bound P(Fe-P), and calcium-bound P(Ca-P) in topsoil(0-20 cm) from different stand aged(9-, 17-, and 26-yr) Chinese fir plantations and one nearby abandoned land(CK) in Rongshui County,Guangxi, China. In this study, soil aggregates were classified into micro-aggregates(< 0.25 mm), small macro-aggregates(1-0.25 mm), medium macroaggregates(2-1 mm), and large macro-aggregates(> 2 mm) by one wet-sieving process. As the primary aggregate fractions correlated with better soil aggregate stability, the large macro-aggregates took the highest proportion in all aggregate sizes regardless of various stand ages of Chinese fir plantations. Besides, the 17-yr plantations of Chinese fir displayed the highest stability of aggregates structure. Compared with CK, all four soil Pi fractions from three different stand ages of Chinese fir plantations generally showed increasing trends.Irrespective of chronosequence phases, Al-P was mainly carried by small macro-aggregates. O-P showed the opposite tendency to Al-P, which had the lowest content in small macro-aggregates. Fe-P and Ca-P showed an even distribution in all aggregates.The contribution rates and stocks of each Pi fraction exhibited close relevance to the content of soil aggregates. As revealed from the results, planting of Chinese fir before 17-yr was beneficial to prompt the formation of large macro-aggregates and the level of soil P. But after 17-yr, successive monoculture planting of Chinese fir would reduce the stability of soil aggregates and render the losses of soil P. The dynamics of soil total phosphorous(TP) and Pi fractions contents were highly related to the stand ages of Chinese fir plantations, but less related to the distribution of soil aggregate sizes. As the major carriers for soil P stocks, the large macro-aggregates played a vital role in the cycles and reserves of soil P.

Effects of Source of Inorganic Phosphorus and Phytase Supplementation on Performance,Physiological Parameters and Bone Mineralization in Broilers

The objective of this study was to eval- uate the effects of inorganic phosphorus source and phytase addition on performance, nutrient digestibility and bone mineralization in broiler chickens. In Exp. 1,150 two-day old, male broiler chicks were fed a corn-soybean meal basal diet supplemented with phos- phorus provided by dicalcium phosphate, tricalcium phosphate or defluorinated rock phosphate. Five cages containing 10 birds were allotted to each of the three treatments. In Exp. 2,120 three-day old, male broiler chicks were fed the basal diet from Exp. 1 supplemen- ted with 0,250,500 ,or 1,000 P-＇rU phytase per kg of diet. Six cages containing five chicks were allotted to each of the four treatments. In Exp. 1, there was no difference in weight gain, feed intake or feed conver- sion as a result of feeding the different sources of in- organic phosphorus. The digestibility of phosphorus was significantly lower （P =0.01 ） for chicks fed di- ets supplemented with tricalcium phosphate than for chicks fed the other two diets. However, despite the lower digestibility, serum phosphorus levels did not differ among the three treatments. For Exp. 2, feedconversion showed a linear improvement （P = 0.03 ） with increasing levels of phytase inclusion （ days 0 to 33 ）. Phytase supplementation resulted in linear increa- ses in the digestibility of dry matter （P = 0.02 ）, crude protein （ P --- 0.04 ） and energy （ P 〈 0.01 ）. Chicks fed 1,000 FTU/kg phytase had significantly higher bone calcium （ P = 0.05 ） and bone breaking strength （P = 0.04 ） than chicks fed the basal diet on day 33. In conclusion, the results of the current study indicated that the performance of birds fed diets sup- plemented with dicalcium phosphate, tricalcium phos- phate or defluorinated phosphate was similar and therefore production costs could be lowered by choo- sing the cheapest inorganic phosphorus source when formulating diets for poultry. When diets were formu- lated to meet dietary phosphorus requirements, the growth of broilers was not enhanced with phytase sup- plementation. However, increases in feed conversion and bone breaking strength and its potential to impact culling and mortality in broiler operations may be suf- ficient justification for the routine inclusion of phytase in diets fed to broilers.

Effects of Air-Drying on the Inorganic Phosphorus Forms in Soils

After 90 days cultivation of five different plants (rye grass, lupin, buckwheat, rape and amaranth) in three soils (Yellowbrown soil, Paddy soil and Red soil), fresh soil samples were collected and inorganic phosphorus (Pi) fractions weremeasured before and after air-drying. The results clearly indicated that the total Pi and their composition differed significantlyamong soil types. The air-drying process increased the total Pi in yellow brown soil and in paddy soil, while decreased thatin red soil. The total Pi could vary to 70% of that before air-drying. The Pi forms in different soils changed to differentextent after air-drying. As to yellow brown soil, Al-P decreased, while O-P and Ca-P increased; as to paddy soil, Al-P andCa-P increased, while Fe-P and O-P remained; as to red soil, Al-P and Fe-P increased, Ca-P remained and O-P reducedobviously. Growth of different plants in soils had effects on Pi forms during the process of air-drying. Therefore, forchemical study of soil phosphorus, application of fresh soil samples can provide more reliable results.

Effect of dissolved phosphorus on alkaline phosphatase activity in marine microalgae

Alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) and dissolved phosphorus were monitored during the batch cultures of two bone microalgae. Results indicate that variation of APA was in the shape of 'S' curve. Different specs of dissolved phaphorus had different effects on APA. The concentrations of dis solved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) and and molecular dissolved organic phosphorus (SDOP) had a sig nificant effect on APA, while the concentration of large molecular dissolved organic phosphorus (LDOP) had a little effect on APA., and the increase of APA could accelerate the decomposing of LDOP in the medium. Results also show that algae species and abundance had why a little effect on APA.

Transgenic Expression of the Recombinant Phytase in Rice (Oryza sativa)

In most of the cereal crop, phytic acid is the main storage form of phosphorus, which can decrease the bioavailability of phosphate. Transgenic expression of phytase is regarded as an efficient way to release phosphate from phytate in transgenic plants. In this study, a plant expression vector, containing the recombinant phytase gene driven by the maize ubiquitin （Ubi） promoter was constructed and introduced into an elite rice variety via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. During the experiment, a total of 15 independent transgenic rice lines were regenerated. The results of PCR and Southern blot indicated that the target gene was integrated into the genome of transgenic rice plants. Moreover, the RT-PCR analysis of total RNAs extracted from the immature seeds of several transgenic lines showed that the recombinant phytase gene could be normally expressed. The inorganic phosphorus content, both in the mature seeds and the leaf was significantly higher in the transgenic plants than in the untransformed wild type.

Association of Phytate Formation with Grain Filling in Rice

The grain-filling characteristics of six rice varieties (combinations) and the relationships between their relative biochemistry composition during phytate synthesizing and grain plumpness were studied. Regarding results for ISHR1, ISHR2, R198 and JW21, with good grain plumpness, the two-step-filling in superior spikelets and inferior spikelets was not clear, while for ISHR3 and 559, with poor grain plumpness, it was very clear. From booting stage to flowering stage, the contents of phytate and inositol in varieties with good grain plumpness was obviously higher than those in varieties with poor grain plumpness. While at grain filling stage, the content of inorganic phosphorus in varieties with poor grain plumpness was obviously higher than that in varieties with good grain plumpness. The contents of phytate and inositol from booting stage to flowering stage was highly significantly correlated with the initial filling power (R_0), the mean filling rate (R_M) and grain filling percentage (P_(GF)), and the content of inorganic phosphorus at grain filling stage was negatively significantly correlated with R_0, F_M and P_(GF). Furthermore, effective approach to improving grain filling was put forward.

Growth and alkaline phosphatase activity of Chattonella marina and Heterosigma akashiwo in response to phosphorus limitation

The growth and alkaline phosphatase activity（APA） of two raphidophyceae species Chattonella marina and Heterosigma akashiwo were investigated in response to P-limitation and subsequent addition of dissolved inorganic phosphorus（DIP, Na H2PO4） and two dissolved organic phosphorus（DOP） compounds： guanosine 5-monophosphate（GMP） and triethyl phosphate（TEP）. APA levels increased greatly after P-starvation as the decrease of the cellular phosphorus quotes（Qp）. C. marina responded to P-limitation quickly and strongly, with 10-fold increase in APA within 24 hr after P-starvation. The larger difference between maximal and minimal QP values in C. marina indicated its high capacity in P storage. APA of H. akashiwo was maximally enlarged about 2.5 times at 48 hr of P-starvation. After the addition of nutrients, cell numbers of C. marina increased in all treatments including the P-free culture, demonstrating the higher endurance of C. marina to P-limitation. However, those of H. akashiwo increased only in DIP and GMP cultures. APA increased only after the addition of the monophosphate ester GMP. The results suggest that quick responses of C. marina to P-limitation, high capacity in P storage as well as endurance for P-depletion provide this species an ecological advantage in phytoplankton community competition under DIP-limited conditions.

Non-specific phospholipase C4 hydrolyzes phosphosphingolipids and phosphoglycerolipids and promotes rapeseed growth and yield

Phosphorus is a major nutrient vital for plant growth and development,with a substantial amount of cellular phosphorus being used for the biosynthesis of membrane phospholipids.Here,we report that NON-SPECIFIC PHOSPHOLIPASE C4(NPC4)in rapeseed(Brassica napus)releases phosphate from phospholipids to promote growth and seed yield,as plants with altered NPC4 levels showed significant changes in seed production under different phosphate conditions.Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat(CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated nuclease 9(Cas9)-mediated knockout of Bna NPC4 led to elevated accumulation of phospholipids and decreased growth,whereas overexpression(OE)of Bna NPC4resulted in lower phospholipid contents and increased plant growth and seed production.We demonstrate that Bna NPC4 hydrolyzes phosphosphingolipids and phosphoglycerolipids in vitro,and plants with altered Bna NPC4 function displayed changes in their sphingolipid and glycerolipid contents in roots,with a greater change in glycerolipids than sphingolipids in leaves,particularly under phosphate deficiency conditions.In addition,Bna NPC4-OE plants led to the upregulation of genes involved in lipid metabolism,phosphate release,and phosphate transport and an increase in free inorganic phosphate in leaves.These results indicate that Bna NPC4 hydrolyzes phosphosphingolipids and phosphoglycerolipids in rapeseed to enhance phosphate release from membrane phospholipids and promote growth and seed production.