CORN PRODUCTION: IMPORTANT WAY TO SECURITY IN GRAIN AND FORAGE

The issue of grain supply, once again, has aroused the attention of Chinese and foreigners, since last year’s price rises in the main agricultural products. Although most people believe that China can feed herself in the next 20-30 years, it is not an easy task. With such difficulties as increasing population, decreasing arable lands, insufficient water supply, declining grain sown-areas, limited agricultural input and low production enthusiasm, how to resolve the grain issue is becoming a matter that must be settled.

Corn and Soybean Growth as Affected by Wastewater-Derived Struvite-Phosphorus Sources and Irrigation Water Types

Struvite (MgNH4PO4·6H2O) produced synthetically from a stock solution of known phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) concentrations has been shown to be an effective, alternative fertilizer-P source for various crops, but little is known about the potential agronomic effectiveness of struvite created from an actual municipal wastewater source. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of soil [i.e., Creldon silt loam (Oxyaquic Fragiudalf) and Calloway silt loam (Aquic Fraglossudalf) series], fertilizer-P source [i.e., synthetically produced electrochemically precipitated struvite (ECSTsyn), real-wastewater-derived ECST (ECSTreal), chemically precipitated struvite (CPST), monoammonium phosphate (MAP), and an unamended control (UC)], and irrigation water type (i.e., tapwater and struvite-removed wastewater) on corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] growth and N, P, and magnesium (Mg) uptake in a 60-day, greenhouse potted-plant study. Crop growth and N, P, and Mg uptakes for the struvite treatments (i.e., CPST, ECSTsyn, and ECSTreal) were generally similar to or at least 1.2 times greater than MAP. The ECSTsyn material commonly had up to five times greater N, P, and Mg uptake in corn and soybean than any other fertilizer-P source. Struvite-removed wastewater resulted in at least 1.3 times lower dry matter and N, P, and Mg uptake than tapwater. Similar corn and soybean results from the struvite fertilizers among the various soil-water type combinations compared to MAP suggest that struvite generates similar crop responses as at least one widely used, commercially available, multi-nutrient fertilizer-P source.

Assessment of Nutrient Leaching Losses and Crop Uptake with Organic Fertilization,Water Saving Practices and Reduced Inorganic Fertilizer

The increasing world population has forced excessive chemical fertilizer and irrigation to complete the global food demand,deteriorating the water quality and nutrient losses.Short-term studies do not compile the evidences;therefore,the study aimed to identify the effectiveness of reduced doses of inorganic fertilizer and water-saving practices,hence,a six-year experiment(2015-2020)was conducted in China to address the knowledge gap.The experimental treatments were:farmer accustomed fertilization used as control(525:180:30 kg NPK ha^(-1)),fertilizer decrement(450:150:15 kg NPK ha^(-1)),fertilizer decrement+water-saving irrigation(450:150:15 kg NPK ha^(-1)),application of organic and inorganic fertilizer+water-saving irrigation(375:120:0 kg NPK ha^(-1)+4.5 tones organic fertilizer ha^(-1)),and application of controlled-release fertilizer(80:120:15 kg NPK ha^(-1)).Each treatment was replicated thrice following a randomized complete block design.The results achieved herein showed that control has the highest losses in the six-year study for total nitrogen(225.97 mg L^(-1)),total soluble nitrogen(121.58 mg L^(-1)),nitrate nitrogen(0.93 mg L^(-1)),total phosphorus(0.57 mg L^(-1)),and total soluble phosphorus(0.57 mg L^(-1))respectively.Reduced fertilizer and water application improved crop nutrient uptake,nitrogen concentration was significantly enhanced with organic and inorganic fertilizer+water-saving irrigation,P concentration was increased with fertilizer decrement+water-saving irrigation,and K concentration was improved with fertilizer decrement+water-saving irrigation.Hence,this study concludes that reduced inorganic fertilizer dose combined with water-saving practices is significantly helpful in reducing nutrient leaching losses and improving nutrient uptake and water pollution.Further studies are needed to explore the impacts of reduced fertilization and water-saving irrigation on leaching losses.The benefits at different climatic conditions,soil types,and fertilizer types with application methods are also a research gap.

Nitrification characteristics of nitrobacteria immobilized in waterborne polyurethane in wastewater of corn-based ethanol fuel production

A technology to achieve stable and high ammonia nitrogen removal rates for corn distillery wastewater （ethanol fuel production） treatment has been designed.The characteristics of nitrifying bacteria entrapped in a waterborne polyurethane （WPU） gel carrier were evaluated after acclimation.In the acclimation period,nitrification rates of WPU-immobilized nitrobacteria were monitored and polymerase chain reaction （PCR） was also carried out to investigate the change in ammonium-oxidizing bacteria.The results showed that the pellet nitrification rates increased from 21 to 228 mg-N/（L-pellet·hr） and the quantity of the ammonia oxidation bacteria increased substantially during the acclimation.A continuous ammonia removal experiment with the anaerobic pond effluent of a distillery wastewater system was conducted with immobilized nitrifying bacteria for 30 days using an 80 L airlift reactor with pellets at a fill ratio of 15% （V/V）.Under the conditions of 75 mg/L influent ammonia,hydraulic retention time （HRT） of 3.7-5.6 hr,and dissolved oxygen （DO） of 4 mg/L,the effluent ammonia concentration was lower than 10 mg/L and the ammonia removal efficiency was 90%.While the highest ammonia removal rate,162 mg-N/（L-pellet·hr）,was observed when the HRT was 1.3 hr.

Effects of Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation products on performance and rumen fermentation and microbiota in dairy cows fed a diet containing low quality forage

Background： A possible option to meet the increased demand of forage for dairy industry is to use the agricultural byproducts, such as corn stover. However, nutritional value of crop residues is low and we have been seeking technologies to improve the value. A feeding trial was performed to evaluate the effects of four levels of Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product（SCFP; Original XP; Diamond V） on lactation performance and rumen fermentation in mid-lactation Holstein dairy cows fed a diet containing low-quality forage. Eighty dairy cows were randomly assigned into one of four treatments： basal diet supplemented with 0, 60, 120, or 180 g/d of SCFP per head mixed with 180, 120, 60, or 0 g of corn meal, respectively. The experiment lasted for 10 wks, with the first 2 weeks for adaptation.Results： Dry matter intake was found to be similar（P 〉 0.05） among the treatments. There was an increasing trend in milk production（linear, P ≤ 0.10） with the increasing level of SCFP supplementation, with no effects on contents of milk components（P 〉 0.05）. Supplementation of SCFP linearly increased（P 〈 0.05） the N conversion, without affecting rumen pH and ammonia-N（P 〉 0.05）. Increasing level of SCFP linearly increased（P 〈 0.05） concentrations of ruminal total volatile fatty acids, acetate, propionate, and butyrate, with no difference in molar proportion of individual acids（P 〉 0.05）. The population of fungi and certain cel ulolytic bacteria（Ruminococcus albus, R. flavefaciens and Fibrobacter succinogenes）increased linearly（P 〈 0.05） but those of lactate-utilizing（Selenomonas ruminantium and Megasphaera elsdeni） and lactate-producing bacteria（Streptococcus bovis） decreased linearly（P ≤ 0.01） with increasing level of SCFP. The urinary purine derivatives increased linearly（P 〈 0.05） in response to SCFP supplementation, indicating that SCFP supplementation may benefit for microbial protein synthesis in the rumen.Conclusions： The SCFP supplementation was effective in maintaining milk persistency of mid-lactation cows receiving diets containing low-quality forage. The beneficial effect of SCFP could be attributed to improved rumen function; 1）microbial population shift toward greater rumen fermentation efficiency indicated by higher rumen fungi and cel ulolytic bacteria and lower lactate producing bacteria, and 2） rumen microbial fermentation toward greater supply of energy and protein indicated by greater ruminal VFA concentration and increased N conversion. Effects of SCFP were dose-depended and greater effects being observed with higher levels of supplementation and the effect was more noticeable during the high THI environment.

Performance of no-till corn precision planter equipped with row cleaners

In the continuous annual wheat-corn cropping area of North China Plain,no-till planting that promotes soil conservation and crop yield while reducing operation cost has been gradually accepted by local farmers.However,previous wheat residue is the main limiting factor affecting the performance of existing planters in placing seeds at uniform spacing and optimum depth in residue covered fields.In order to solve this problem,a kind of ground-wheel-driven row cleaner was designed,developed and mounted on row units of a four-row pneumatic precision planter.The planter has two adjacent row units equipped with the newly designed row cleaners and the other two adjacent row units equipped with the commonly used inactive row cleaners.This was used for planting at three forward speeds(4 km/h,6 km/h and 8 km/h)into half residue(HR)and whole residue(WR)plots.The amount of residue removal,seeding depth,emergence rate and indices of uniformity in seed spacing(missing-seeding index,quality of feeding index and precision index)were measured.The newly designed row cleaner performed better with regard to residue removal,with the average percentage of residue cleared as 63.0%compared to 40.3%for the inactive row cleaner.For the HR and WR plots,percentage of residue cleared of the newly designed row cleaner reached 57.1%and 68.9%respectively,suggesting that the newly designed row cleaner can work more effectively at high residue level.By contrast,with the percentage of residue cleared of the inactive row cleaner as 43.1%and 37.5%in HR and WR plots,suggesting that the inactive row cleaner just can work effectively under low residue condition.Values of missing-seeding index,QFI,precision index,coefficient of variation of depth and percent emergence for the newly designed row cleaner under whole residue level are comparable to those for the inactive row cleaner under half residue level.The result indicates that the effect of using the newly designed row cleaner is equal to that of reducing surface residue,and can help to maintain the uniformity of seed spacing and seeding depth.The newly designed row cleaner generally performed better at forward speed of 6 km/h,based on the distribution of seeds along rows and seeding depth uniformity.

Design of bionic mole forelimb intelligent row cleaners

In Northeast China under no-till conditions the amount of maize stubble of the previous year's crop severely limit the quality of sowing operations by unstable operating depth of normal planter row cleaners.Thus,in this study,bionic mole forelimb intelligent row cleaners comprising of a cleaning device and a depth intelligent control system were designed.Via theoretical analysis,computer-based simulation,and test optimized design,the mechanism of bionic cleaners that possessed the forelimb motion morphology and the front claw toe structural morphology of moles was studied,the effects of structural parameters of bionic cleaners on the cleaning quality were clarified.Based on a pressure sensor,a depth intelligent control system was designed,which enhanced the depth stability of the cleaning devices.The types of bionic cleaners were identified by simulation on EDEM software.Then regression equations between different parameters and operation evaluation indices were established,and the optimal parameter combination was identified on Design-Expert software with a rotation radius of 150 mm and a motion deflection angle of 15.8°,at which the cleaning rate was 91.3%.Field tests under the optimal parameter combination showed that bionic cleaners outperformed normal planar cleaners,and the depth intelligent control system could efficiently improve the performance of the row cleaners.The straw cleaning rate of the bionic mole forelimb intelligent row cleaners under total straw mulching fields was 90.9%,which was 21.3%higher than that of normal cleaners,and the ground surfaces after operation satisfied the agricultural requirements of maize no-tillage sowing.