Photosynthetic characteristics and nitrogen distribution of large-spike wheat in Northwest China

The leaf photosynthesis and nitrogen（N） translocation in three large-spike lines and control cultivar（Xi＇nong 979） of winter wheat（Triticum aestivum L.） were studied in 2010–2011 and 2011–2012. The objectives of this study were to investigate the differences in the physiological characteristics of large-spike lines and control cultivar and identify the limiting factors that play a role in improving the yield of breeding materials. The average yield, grain number per spike, kernel weight per spike, and 1 000-kernel weight of the large-spike lines were 16.0, 26.8, 42.6, and 15.4%, respectively, significantly higher than those of control. The average photosynthetic rates（Pn） were not significant between the large-spike lines and control cultivar during the active growth period. The average PSII maximum energy conversion efficiency（Fv/Fm）, PSII actual quantum efficiency（Ф（PSII））, photochemical quenching coefficient（qP）, PSII reaction center activity（Fv′/Fm′） and water-use efficiency（WUE） of the large-spike lines were 1.0, 5.1, 3.6, 0.8, and 43.4%, respectively, higher than those of the control during the active growth stages. The N distribution proportions in different tissues were ranked in the order of grains〉culms＋sheathes〉rachis＋glumes〉flag leaves〉penultimate leaves〉remain leaves. This study suggested that utilization of the large-spike wheat might be a promising approach to obtain higher grain yield in Northwest China.

Bioremediation Potential of the Macroalga Ulva lactuca (Chlorophyta) for Ammonium Removal in Elastomer Industry Wastewater

During the production of nitrile rubber, significant amounts of nitrogen in the form of ammonium are generated in the wastewater. The discharge of this high-nitrogen wastewater can lead to serious environmental issues, including eutrophication, disruption of aquatic ecosystems, and groundwater contamination. To mitigate these impacts, this research explored the bioremediation capabilities of the macroalgae Ulva lactuca (Chlorophyta) for removing nitrogen from nitrile rubber production wastewater. The study employed single-phase and Michaelis-Menten decay models based on ammonium consumption, using various dilutions of wastewater to identify the optimal concentration for treatment. The physiological state of the macroalgae was monitored by measuring the photosynthetic capacity and specific growth rate during the experiments. In the presence of U. lactuca, ammonium concentrations decreased in all treatment groups, confirming that the ammonium kinetics conformed to both applied models. Our results show that U. lactuca effectively reduces ammonium concentrations, with an approximate removal rate of 0.020 µM·g−1·min−1 across different wastewater concentrations (70%, 80%, 90%, and 100%). Notably, the treatments with 70%, 80%, and 90% wastewater strength achieved about 67% reduction in ammonium, demonstrating the alga’s capacity to treat high-nitrogen wastewater. The photosynthetic performance of U. lactuca initially declined in control conditions but stabilized across all treatments, highlighting its adaptability. The kinetic analysis using the Michaelis-Menten model indicated a Vmax of 1342 μM·g−1·DMh−1, suggesting a robust capacity for ammonium uptake when fully saturated. Our study underscores the potential of Ulva lactuca as a cost-effective and efficient agent for wastewater bioremediation, particularly in settings with high nitrogen loads.