Compound Planting of Bletilla striata under Forest in the Three Gorges Dam Area

[Objectives] The aim was to study the artificial cultivation of Bletilla striata to realize large scale and standardization planting. [Methods] The comparison tests were conducted on B. striata with different canopy densities of the Magnolia officinalis forests,different compound planting densities and different tending measures and management. [Results] When the stand canopy density was 0. 4-0. 6,the per unit yield of B. striata was 5. 4%,6. 8% higher than that at the canopy density of less than 0. 4 and more than 0. 6,respectively. When the planting density was 30 cm × 30 cm,the per unit yield increased by 16. 1%,12. 0%,13. 1% respectively compared with the planting density of 20 cm × 20 cm,25 cm × 25 cm,35 cm × 35 cm. When B. striata was planted from October to November,the per unit yield was 5. 6% higher than that planted from December to January of the following year,and 21. 3% higher than that from February to March of the second year. When farmyard manure was applied during the cultivation,the per unit yield was 31. 7% and 18. 4% higher than the application of chemical fertilizer and compound fertilizer. When weeding 4 times per year,the per unit yield increased by 240. 1%,137. 0% and 43. 9% respectively from that weeding 1 times,2 times,3 times per year. [Conclusions]When planting B. striata,the stand canopy density of 0. 4-0. 6 could make it receive absolutely shelters and the lighting conditions required for the growth,thereby bringing in high emergence rate,good growth potential and high yield. The best planting effect of B. striata could achieve by planting from October to November with the planting density of 30 cm × 30 cm,which can play the maximum benefit of individual plants. Moreover,weeding 4 times per year combined with the use of farmyard manure can promote the development and growth of tubers,which can greatly improve the yield of B. striata.

A study on the interactions among several plant secondary compounds and aphids

The research, focused on the specific interactions among seven plant secondary compounds and aphids, was carried out and the preliminary results showed: (1) 'T-typed tube method' was regarded as the best method compared with others designed to observe the interactions. (2) Cabbage aphid was able to be attracted by laurolene while it was not susceptible to α-pinene, β-pinene and diamylene. (3) Gossypol, a major secondary substance in cotton, was able to be implicated as feeding attractant to cotton aphid. (4) Rutin might be implicated repellent to cotton aphid.

Investigation of Plant Systemic Organoselena Compounds (Ⅰ) Synthesis of Selena-Morpholind and its Derivatives

The synthesis of selena-morpholine and its derivatives is described.

Could natural phytochemicals be used to reduce nitrogen excretion and excreta‑derived N_(2)O emissions from ruminants?

Ruminants play a critical role in our food system by converting plant biomass that humans cannot or choose not to consume into edible high-quality food.However,ruminant excreta is a significant source of nitrous oxide(N_(2)O),a potent greenhouse gas with a long-term global warming potential 298 times that of carbon dioxide.Natural phytochemicals or forages containing phytochemicals have shown the potential to improve the efficiency of nitrogen(N)utilization and decrease N_(2)O emissions from the excreta of ruminants.Dietary inclusion of tannins can shift more of the excreted N to the feces,alter the urinary N composition and consequently reduce N_(2)O emissions from excreta.Essential oils or saponins could inhibit rumen ammonia production and decrease urinary N excretion.In grazed pastures,large amounts of glucosinolates or aucubin can be introduced into pasture soils when animals consume plants rich in these compounds and then excrete them or their metabolites in the urine or feces.If inhibitory compounds are excreted in the urine,they would be directly applied to the urine patch to reduce nitrification and subsequent N_(2)O emissions.The phytochemicals’role in sustainable ruminant production is undeniable,but much uncertainty remains.Inconsistency,transient effects,and adverse effects limit the effectiveness of these phytochemicals for reducing N losses.In this review,we will identify some current phytochemicals found in feed that have the potential to manipulate ruminant N excretion or mitigate N_(2)O production and deliberate the challenges and opportunities associated with using phytochemicals or forages rich in phytochemicals as dietary strategies for reducing N excretion and excreta-derived N_(2)O emissions.

Development of feeding systems and strategies of supplementation to enhance rumen fermentation and ruminant production in the tropics

The availability of local feed resources in various seasons can contribute as essential sources of carbohydrate and protein which significantly impact rumen fermentation and the subsequent productivity of the ruminant.Recent developments,based on enriching protein in cassava chips,have yielded yeast fermented cassava chip protein（YEFECAP） providing up to 47.5% crude protein（CP）,which can be used to replace soybean meal.The use of fodder trees has been developed through the process of pelleting;Leucaena leucocephala leaf pellets（LLP）,mulberry leaf pellets（MUP） and mangosteen peel and/or garlic pellets,can be used as good sources of protein to supplement ruminant feeding.Apart from producing volatile fatty acids and microbial proteins,greenhouse gases such as methane are also produced in the rumen.Several methods have been used to reduce rumen methane.However,among many approaches,nutritional manipulation using feed formulation and feeding management,especially the use of plant extracts or plants containing secondary compounds（condensed tannins and saponins） and plant oils,has been reported.This approach could help todecrease rumen protozoa and methanogens and thus mitigate the production of methane.At present,more research concerning this burning issue-the role of livestock in global warming-warrants undertaking further research with regard to economic viability and practical feasibility.

Beyond hypoxia: Occurrence and characteristics of black blooms due to the decomposition of the submerged plant Potamogeton crispus in a shallow lake

Organic matter-induced black blooms （hypoxia and an offensive odor） are a serious ecosystem disasters that have occurred in some large eutrophic shallow lakes in China. In this study, we investigated two separate black blooms that were induced by Potamogeton crispus in Lake Taihu, China. The main physical and chemical characteristics, including color- and odor-related substances, of the black blooms were analyzed. The black blooms were characterized by low dissolved oxygen concentration （close to 0 mg/L）, low oxidation-reduction potential, and relatively low pH of overlying water. Notably higher Fe^2＋ and ∑S2- were found in the black-bloom waters than in waters not affected by black blooms. The black color of the water may be attributable to the high concentration of these elements, as black FeS was considered to be the main substance causing the black color of blooms in freshwater lakes. Volatile organic sulfur compounds, including dimethyl sulfide, dimethyl disulfide, and dimethyl trisulfide, were very abundant in the black-bloom waters. The massive anoxic degradation of dead Potamogeton crispus plants released dimethyl sulfide, dimethyl disulfide, and dimethyl trisulfide, which were the main odor-causing compounds in the black blooms. The black blooms also induced an increase in ammonium nitrogen and soluble reactive phosphorus levels in the overlying waters. This extreme phenomenon not only heavily influenced the original lake ecosystem but also greatly changed the cycling of Fe, S, and nutrients in the water column.

Medicinal plants from the Brazilian Amazonian region and their antileishmanial activity:a review

Leishmaniasis, a neglected disease caused by Leishmania protozoans, primarily affects people in tropical and subtropical areas. Chemotherapy based on the use of pentavalent antimonials, amphotericin B, paromomycin, miltefosine and liposomal amphotericin B is currently the only effective treatment. However, adverse effects, long-term treatment and the emergence of parasite resistance have led to the search for alternative treatments. Natural products used in traditional medicine provide an unlimited source of molecules for the identification of new drugs, and the Amazon region has abundant biodiversity that includes several species of plants and animals, providing a rich source of new products and com- pounds. Although the literature describes numerous promising compounds and extracts for combating Leishmania protozoans, the results of such research have not been embraced by the pharmaceutical industry for the development of new drugs. Therefore, this review focused on the antileishmanial activity of extracts, isolated compounds and essential oils commonly used by the local population in the Brazilian Amazonian region to treat several illnesses and described in the literature as promising compounds for combating leishmaniasis.

Olive fruits infested with olive fly larvae respond with an ethylene burst and the emission of specific volatiles

Olive fly（Bactrocera oleae R.） is the most harmful insect pest of olive（Olea europaea L.） which strongly affects fruits and oil production. Despite the expanding economic importance of olive cultivation, up to now, only limited information on plant responses to B. oleae is available. Here,we demonstrate that olive fruits respond to B. oleae attack by producing changes in an array of different defensive compounds including phytohormones, volatile organic compounds（VOCs）, and defense proteins. Bactrocera oleaeinfested fruits induced a strong ethylene burst and transcript levels of several putative ethylene-responsive transcription factors became significantly upregulated. Moreover, infested fruits induced significant changes in the levels of 12-oxophytodienoic acid and C12 derivatives of the hydroperoxide lyase. The emission of VOCs was also changed quantitatively and qualitatively in insect-damaged fruits, indicating that B.oleae larval feeding can specifically affect the volatile blend offruits. Finally, we show that larval infestation maintained high levels of trypsin protease inhibitors in ripe fruits, probably by affecting post-transcriptional mechanisms. Our results provide novel and important information to understand the response of the olive fruit to B. oleae attack; information that can shed light onto potential new strategies to combat this pest.