Diet and monensin influence the temporal dynamics of the rumen microbiome in stocker and finishing cattle

Background Stocker cattle diet and management influence beef cattle performance during the finishing stage,but knowledge of the dynamics of the rumen microbiome associated with the host are lacking.A longitudinal study was conducted to determine how the feeding strategy from the stocker to the finishing stages of production affects the temporal dynamics of rumen microbiota.During the stocker phase,either dry hay or wheat pasture were provided,and three levels of monensin were administrated.All calves were then transported to a feedlot and received similar finishing diets with or without monensin.Rumen microbial samples were collected on d 0,28,85 during the stocker stage(S0,S28 and S85)and d 0,14,28,56,30 d before slaughter and the end of the trial during the finishing stage(F0,F14,F28,F56,Pre-Ba,and Final).The V4 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene of 263 rumen samples was sequenced.Results Higher alpha diversity,including the number of observed bacterial features and the Shannon index,was observed in the stocker phase compared to the finishing phase.The bacterial amplicon sequence variants(ASVs)differentiating different sampling time points were identified.Dietary treatments during the stocker stage temporally impact the dynamics of rumen microbiota.For example,shared bacteria,including Bacteroidales(ASV19)and Streptococcus infantarius(ASV94),were significantly higher in hay rumen on S28,S85,and F0,while Bacteroidaceae(ASV11)and Limivicinus(ASV15)were more abundant in wheat.Monensin affected rumen microbial composition at a specific time.Transportation to feedlot significantly influenced microbiome structure and diversity in hay-fed calves.Bacterial taxa associated with body weight were classified,and core microbiotas interacted with each other during the trial.Conclusions In summary,the temporal dynamics of the rumen microbiome in cattle at the stocker and finishing stage are influenced by multiple factors of the feeding strategy.Diet at the stocker phase may temporarily affect the microbial composition during this stage.Modulating the rumen microbiome in the steers at the stocker stage affects the microbial interactions and performance in the finishing stage.

Increased CO2 Levels during the First Half of Incubation at High Altitude Modifies Embryonic Development of Fertile Leghorn Breeder Eggs

The exchange of oxygen (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) within an incubator has a significant impact on embryonic development (ED) and hatching processes. This study examines the influence of non-ventilation (NV) conditions during the first ten days of incubation at high altitudes on Leghorn hens hatching eggs. Five hundred four hatching eggs were equally divided into three treatment groups and placed in twelve incubators (R = 4). The first group was subjected to standard ventilated conditions (V) during the setting phase. The ventilation inlet holes of the remaining incubators in the NV treatments were closed with either micropore (M) or polypropylene (P) tape, referred to as NVM and NVP groups, respectively. These two different airtight settings were intended to allow for a gradual rise in CO2 naturally generated by the embryos. Results indicate that carbon dioxide concentration gradually increased during the first half of incubation, reaching 1.42% in the NVM group and 1.20% in the NVP group, while the V condition group remained at 0.15%. From 10 days of incubation onwards, normal V conditions were restored in all incubators. The highest hatchability of fertile eggs (HFE) was shown by the NVP group (55.7%), followed by the V (52.6%) and NVM (38.6%) groups. The NVP group showed a greater yolk-free body mass (YFBM) from 10 days of incubation until the hatch basket transfer. NV conditions during the first 10 days of incubation at high altitude produced higher YFBM with gradually decreasing yolk sac mass. In comparison to the NVM and V conditions, the particular NVP condition showed a beneficial impact on the quality of hatched chicks. Sustaining NVP condition (1.2% of CO2) throughout the first half of incubation at high altitude generated the optimal environment in the incubator ensuring the best hatchability results. This study highlights how important it is for hatchery managers to recognize the influence of low O2 and high levels of CO2 on the development trajectories of Leghorn embryos during early incubation at high altitudes.

Correlation between Intestinal Health and Coccidiosis Prevalence in Broilers during Different Seasons of the Year in Brazil from 2012 to 2018

Coccidiosis is a disease caused by intracellular protozoan parasites, specifically belonging to the genus Eimeria. These parasites target the gastrointestinal tract in different types of hosts, causing sores in the intestinal lining. The presence of these lesions reduces the animal’s ability to digest and absorb nutrients, significantly impacting their overall performance. The current study aimed to explore the potential correlation between seasonal variations and the incidence of Eimeria spp-induced lesions in broiler chickens’ gastrointestinal tracts in Brazil from 2012 to 2018. A total of 8,607 broiler chickens, aged 14 to 42 days, were sampled from 103 poultry integrated companies in Brazil to conduct intestinal health examinations. The sampling process involved selecting 3 to 6 chickens from each poultry house for examination. The assessment included various abnormalities such as shedding of intestinal cells and excessive fluid and mucus presence, thickening and tension of the intestines, food movement, roughened mucosal surface resembling a Turkish towel in the small intestine, tissue death, duodenal inflammation, intestinal inflammation, gizzard erosion, presence of worms and bedding material, and ingestion of mealworms. During the seasons, winter exhibited the highest average occurrence of Eimeria maxima microorganisms at 52.83%, with E. acervulina following closely at 26.42% in second place. In spring, E. maxima had an occurrence of 11.31%, while in fall, E. tenella had the lowest occurrence at 6.74%. When analyzing the seasonal occurrence of Eimeria, it was observed that E. maxima micro was more common during winter compared to summer (P = 0.0491). However, no discernible variation was observed in the occurrence of the remaining species across different seasons. Research findings suggest that subclinical coccidiosis is most prevalent during the winter season in Brazil. Likewise, clinical disease caused by E. acervulina is also prevalent during this time. In contrast, E. maxima is more likely to cause clinical disease in the spring, whereas E. tenella is more commonly associated with clinical disease in the fall. Lesions induced by Eimeria spp. are associated with factors influencing the overall health of broiler intestines. These findings allow for the utilization of seasonal metrics in disease management, thereby reducing economic losses associated with the condition.

Protocatechuic acid and quercetin attenuate ETEC-caused IPEC-1 cell inflammation and injury associated with inhibition of necroptosis and pyroptosis signaling pathways

Background:Necroptosis and pyroptosis are newly identified forms of programmed cell death,which play a vital role in development of many gastrointestinal disorders.Although plant polyphenols have been reported to protect intestinal health,it is still unclear whether there is a beneficial role of plant polyphenols in modulating necroptosis and pyroptosis in intestinal porcine epithelial cell line(IPEC-1)infected with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli(ETEC)K88.This research was conducted to explore whether plant polyphenols including protocatechuic acid(PCA)and quercetin(Que),attenuated inflammation and injury of IPEC-1 caused by ETEC K88 through regulating necroptosis and pyroptosis signaling pathways.Methods:IPEC-1 cells were treated with PCA(40μmol/L)or Que(10μmol/L)in the presence or absence of ETEC K88.Results:PCA and Que decreased ETEC K88 adhesion and endotoxin level(P<0.05)in cell supernatant.PCA and Que increased cell number(P<0.001)and decreased lactate dehydrogenases(LDH)activity(P<0.05)in cell supernatant after ETEC infection.PCA and Que improved transepithelial electrical resistance(TEER)(P<0.001)and reduced fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled dextran(FD4)flux(P<0.001),and enhanced membrane protein abundance of occludin,claudin-1 and ZO-1(P<0.05),and rescued distribution of these tight junction proteins(P<0.05)after ETEC infection.PCA and Que also declined cell necrosis ratio(P<0.05).PCA and Que reduced mRNA abundance and concentration of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin(IL)-6 and IL-8(P<0.001),and down-regulated gene expression of toll-like receptors 4(TLR4)and its downstream signals(P<0.001)after ETEC infection.PCA and Que down-regulated protein abundance of total receptor interacting protein kinase 1(t-RIP1),phosphorylated-RIP1(p-RIP1),p-RIP1/t-RIP1,t-RIP3,p-RIP3,mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein(MLKL),p-MLKL,dynamin-related protein 1(DRP1),phosphoglycerate mutase 5(PGAM5)and high mobility group box 1(HMGB1)(P<0.05)after ETEC infection.Moreover,PCA and Que reduced protein abundance of nod-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3),nod-like receptors family CARD domain-containing protein 4(NLRC4),apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD(ASC),gasdermin D(GSDMD)and caspase-1(P<0.05)after ETEC infection.Conclusions:In general,our data suggest that PCA and Que are capable of attenuating ETEC-caused intestinal inflammation and damage via inhibiting necroptosis and pyroptosis signaling pathways.

An Evaluation of Manure Management Strategies, Phosphorus Surface Runoff Potential and Water Usage at an Arkansas Discovery Dairy Farm

Manure management is an essential component of dairy production. Nutrient-laden, field-applied dairy manure often serves as a fertilizer source, but can also pose environmental threats if not properly managed. The Haak dairy farm, located in Decatur, Arkansas, was granted a permit by the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) to employ a unique method in treating and storing cattle manure generated during the milking process. This method includes minimizing water use in wash water, dry scraping solids to combine with sawdust for composting and pumping effluent underground into a sloped concrete basin that serves as secondary solid separator before transporting the manure effluent into an interception trench and an adjacent grassed field to facilitate manure nutrient uptake and retention. The Arkansas Discovery Farm program (ADF) is conducting research to evaluate the environmental performance of the dairy’s milk center wash water treatment system (MCWW) by statistical analysis, characterization of phosphorus (P) migration in soil downslope from the inception trench, temperature measurements, and nutrient analysis of a stored dry stack manure/sawdust mixture. Goals included determining possible composting effectiveness along with comparisons to untreated dairy manure and quantifying the use of on-farm water. Results from this research demonstrated that: 1) The MCWW was effective at retaining manure-derived nutrients and reducing field nutrient migration as the MCWW interception trench had significantly higher total nitrogen (TN) (804.2 to 4.1), total phosphorus (TP) (135.6 to 1.5), and water extractable phosphorus (WEP) (55.0 to 1.0) concentrations in milligrams per liter (mg⋅L-1) than the downhill freshwater pond respectively;2) temperature readings of the manure dry stack indicated heightened levels of microbial and thermal activity, but did not reach a standard composting temperature of 54°C;3) manure dry stack nutrient content was typically higher than untreated dairy manure when measured on a “dry basis” in ppm, but was lower on an “as is basis” in ppm and kg/metric ton;and 4) water meter readings showed that the greatest use of on-farm water was for farm-wide cattle drinking (18.77), followed by water used in the milking center (3.45) and then followed by human usage (0.02) measured in cubic meters per day (m3⋅d-1). These results demonstrate that practical innovations in agricultural engineering and environmental science, such as the Haak dairy’s manure treatment system, can effectively reduce environmental hazards that accompany the management of manure at this dairy operation.

High Power Microwave Treatment Impacts on Microbes in Rough Rice

As rice consumption increases,ensuring its safety has become a priority for the food industry.To address this concern,the industry is exploring a single-pass microbial inactivation treatment at the rough rice stage.In this study,a long-grain rice variety,RT7321[21.2%wet basis(WB)and a 20 mm bed thickness]was exposed to microwave radiation(915 MHz frequency)at powers of 16,18,and 20 kW for durations of 1,2,and 3 min.We found that the highest microwave power(20 kW)and the longest exposure duration(3 min)produced the greatest reduction in total aerobic count and total fungal count,reducing them by up to 1.21 and 5.01 log(CFU/g),respectively.Our findings provided insights into the used to high-power,shortduration 915 MHz microwave technology for decontamination purposes in rough rice to help improve the microbial safety of rice.The aim is to develop a single-pass drying approach for microbial inactivation in rice processing facilities while ensuring that the yield and quality is not compromised.

An examination of thematic research,development,and trends in remote sensing applied to conservation agriculture

Conservation agriculture seeks to reduce environmental degradation through sustainable management of agricultural land.Since the 1990s,agricultural research has been conducted using remote sensing technologies;however,few previous reviews have been conducted focused on different conservation management practices.Most of the previous literature has focused on the application of remote sensing in agriculture without focusing exclusively on conservation practices,with some only providing a narrative review,others using biophysical remote sensing for quantitative estimates of the bio-geo-chemical-physical properties of soils and crops,and few others focused on single agricultural management practices.This paper used the preferred reporting items for systematic review(PRISMA)methodology to examine the last 30 years of thematic research,development,and trends associated with remote sensing technologies and methods applied to conservation agriculture research at various spatial and temporal scales.A set of predefined key concepts and keywords were applied in three databases:Scopus,Web of Science,and Google Scholar.A total of 188 articles were compiled for initial examination,where 68 articles were selected for final analysis and grouped into cover crops,crop residue,crop rotation,mulching,and tillage practices.Publications on conservation agriculture research using remote sensing have been increasing since 1991 and peaked at 10 publications in 2020.Among the 68 articles,94%used a pixel-based,while only 6%used an object-based classification method.Prior to 2005,tillage practices were abundantly studied,then crop residue was a focused theme between 2004 and 2012.From 2012 to 2020,the focus shifted again to cover crops.Ten spectral indices were used in 76%of the 68 studies.This examination offered a summary of the new potential and identifies crucial future research needs and directions that could improve the contribution of remote sensing to the provision of long-term operational services for various conservation agriculture applications.

Progress of amino acid nutrition for diet protein reduction in poultry

There is growing interest among nutritionists in feeding reduced protein diets to broiler chickens.Although nearly a century of research has been conducted providing biochemical insights on the impact of reduced protein diets for broilers,practical limitation still exists.The present review was written to provide insights on further reducing dietary protein in broilers.To construct this review,eighty-nine peer reviewed manuscripts in the area of amino acid nutrition in poultry were critiqued.Hence,nutritional research areas of low protein diets,threonine,glycine,valine,isoleucine,leucine,phenylalanine,histidine,and glutamine have been assessed and combined in this text,thus providing concepts into reduced protein diets for broilers.In addition,linkages between the cited work and least cost formation ingredient and nutrient matrix considerations are provided.In conclusion,practical applications in feeding reduced protein diets to broilers are advancing,but more work is warranted.

Dietary branched-chain amino acid assessment in broilers from 22 to 35 days of age

Background:Valine and isoleucine are similar in chemical structure and their limitation in broiler chicken diets.To evaluate their limitation and interactive effects,multivariate assessment nutrition studies for the branched-chain amino acids(BCAA)are needed.A three level(−1,0,+1),three-factor Box-Behnken design study was conducted to assess dietary BCAA ratios to lysine of 65,75,and 85 for valine,58,66,and 74 for isoleucine,and 110,130,and 150 for leucine in male and female Lohman Indian River broilers from 22 to 35 d of age.Results:Live performance of male broilers was not affected by BCAA level.However,male broilers fed increasing isoleucine had improved(P=0.07)carcass yield as leucine and valine were reduced.Female broilers had improved body weight gain(P=0.05)and feed conversion(P=0.003)when leucine and isoleucine were at their lowest levels,independent of valine,but increasing leucine impaired live performance and warranted concomitant increases in isoleucine to restore responses.Increasing dietary isoleucine and valine in female broilers increased breast meat yield(P=0.05),but increasing leucine tended to diminish the response.Conclusion:The female Lohman Indian River broiler is more sensitive to BCAA diet manipulation than males.Specifically,as dietary leucine is increased in female broilers,dietary isoleucine increases were needed to offset the negative effects.Both increases in dietary valine and isoleucine improved breast meat yield in female broilers,but only when birds were fed the lowest dietary leucine.

<i>Ustilaginoidea virens</i>Infection of Rice in Arkansas: Toxicity of False Smut Galls, Their Extracts and the Ustiloxin Fraction

Cool, wet conditions in the southern US during the maturing stages of rice in 1998 contributed to outbreaks of false smut caused by Ustilaginoidea virens. Water extracts of false smut galls in Asia have been reported to contain ustiloxin toxins, cyclic peptide antibiotics that interfered with microtubule function and caused “lupinosis”-like lesions in mice. Cell-free extracts from false smut galls on rice grown in Arkansas were fractionated by a published procedure for the purification of ustiloxins. The ustiloxin fraction was phytotoxic to Lemnapausicostata (duckweed) at ≥19 μg/ml, but the host plant, rice, was much less susceptible, exhibiting phytotoxic effects in germinating seeds at ≥1000 μg/ml. The aqueous extract of rice false smut galls showed no cytotoxicity to mammalian cell cultures at 200 μg/ml, but the ustiloxin fractionwas cytotoxic at 10 - 100 μg/ml. However, rice false smut galls were not toxic when fed to mice at 10% of chow, but caused feed refusal at higher concentrations. We conclude that for 1) the U. virens which causes false smut in southern USA differs from Asian isolates in that does not produce detectable ustiloxins;and 2) false smut affects the appearance, but not the food safety of rice in the United States.

Genome-Wide Identification, Classification and Evolutionary Expansion of KNOX Gene Family in Rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i>) and <i>Populus</i>(<i>Populustrichocarpa</i>)

The KNOX gene family codes for transcriptional regulators with a variety of functions in plant developmental and physiological processes. In this study, a genome-wide comparative analysis of KNOX genes in Poplar (Populustrichocarpa) and rice (Oryza sativa L. ssp. japonica) was carried out. With comprehensive computational analyses, which take into account the gene structures, phylogeny and conserved motifs, 15 and 13 KNOX genes in Poplar and rice were identified, respectively. These KNOX genes were further divided into 3 groups. The Poplar gene POPTR_0012s04040 and the rice genes LOC_Os03g47042 and LOC_Os03g47022 were classified to a new group of KNOX genes without ahomeobox domain together with KNATM, which were proposed to play potential role in plant development and pluripotency. The identification of KNATM homolog in monocotyledons (rice) provided a strong support for proposing an ancient shuffling of HOMEOBOX gene with MEINOX gene took place in the KNOX phylogeny. Using subcellular location information, GO (gene ontology) and expression profile analysis, KNOX genes in rice and poplar were proposed to function similarly to the members in Arabidopsis. Our observations may lay the foundation for future functional analysis of KNOX genes in rice and poplar to unravel their biological roles in cellular pluripotency.

Donor age and body weight determine the effects of fecal microbiota transplantation on growth performance,and fecal microbiota development in recipient pigs

Background:The application of fecal microbiota transplantation(FMT)to improve swine growth performance has been sporadically studied.Most of these studies used a single microbiota source and thus the effect of donor characteristics on recipient pigs’fecal microbiota development and growth performance is largely unknown.Results:In this study,we collected feces from six donors with heavy(H)or light(L)body weight and different ages(d 42,nursery;d 96,growing;and d 170,finisher)to evaluate their effects on the growth performance and fecal microbiota development of recipient pigs.Generally,recipients that received two doses of FMT from nursery and finisher stages donor at weaning(21±2 days of age)inherited the donor’s growth pattern,while the pigs gavaged with grower stage material exerted a numerically greater weight gain than the control pigs regardless of donor BW.FMT from heavier donors(NH,GH,and FH)led to the recipients to have numerically increased growth compared to their lighter counterparts(NL,GL,and FL,respectively)throughout the growing and most finishing stages.This benefit could be attributed to the enrichment of ASV25 Faecalibacterium,ASV61 Faecalibacterium,ASV438 Coriobacteriaceae_unclassified,ASV144 Bulleidia,and ASV129 Oribacterium and decrease of ASV13 Escherichia during nursery stage.Fecal microbiota transplantation from growing and finishing donors influenced the microbial community significantly in recipient pigs during the nursery stage.FMT of older donors’gut microbiota expedited recipients’microbiota maturity on d 35 and 49,indicated by increased estimated microbiota ages.The ageassociated bacterial taxa included ASV206 Ruminococcaceae,ASV211 Butyrivibrio,ASV416 Bacteroides,ASV2 Streptococcus,and ASV291 Veillonellaceae.The body weight differences between GL and GH pigs on d 104 were associated with the increased synthesis of the essential amino acid,lysine and methionine,mixed acid fermentation,expedited glycolysis,and sucrose/galactose degradation.Conclusions:Overall,our study provided insights into how donor age and body weight affect FMT outcomes regarding growth performance,microbiota community shifts,and lower GI tract metabolic potentials.This study also provided guidance to select qualified donors for future fecal microbiota transplantation.

Thermogravimetric Analysis of Swine Manure Solids Obtained from Farrowing, and Growing-Finishing Farms

The modern trend of increasing the number of pigs at production sites led to a noticeable surplus of manure. Separation of manure solids provides an avenue of their utility via thermochemical conversion techniques. Therefore, the goal of this paper was to assess the physical and thermal properties of solid separated swine manure obtained from two different farms, i.e., farrowing, and growing-finishing, and to determine their pyrolysis kinetic parameters. Swine manure solids were dried and milled prior to assessing their properties. Differential and integral isoconversional methods (Friedman, and Flynn-Wall-Ozawa) were used to determine the apparent activation energy as a function of the conversion ratio. Significant differences were observed in the proximate, ultimate composition between both manure types. The higher heating value (HHV) for the manure solids from farrowing, and growing-finishing farms reached 16.6 MJ/kg and 19.4 MJ/kg, respectively. The apparent activation energy computed using Friedman and FWO methods increased with the increase in the degree of conversion. Between 10% and 40% degrees of conversion, the average activation energies, using Friedman method, were103 and 116 kJ/mol for the farrowing and growing-finishing manure solids, respectively. On the other hand, the same activation energies, calculated from FWO method, were 98 and 104 kJ/mol, for solid manure obtained from farrowing and growing-finishing farms, respectively. The findings in this study will assist in the effort to optimize thermochemical conversion processes to accommodate swine waste. This could, in turn, minimize swine production impacts on the surrounding ecologies and provide sustainable energy and biochar streams.

Long term effects of artificial rearing before weaning on the growth performance, ruminal microbiota and fermentation of fattening lambs

Early life intervention is important to shape the gut microbiome profiles of adult animals due to the tremendous alteration of diet components. Nevertheless, there is still no unified understanding about its long-term effects in lambs. In this study, sixty 20-day-old lambs were assigned into ewe-rearing(ER) and artificial-rearing(AR) treatments to evaluate the effects of AR strategy on ruminal microbiota, fermentation, and morphology of pre-weaning lambs(from 20 to 60 days of age) and its long-term effects in the fattening stage(from 61 to 180 days of age). During the pre-weaning stage, ER lambs were breastfed and supplemented starter, while AR lambs were artificially fed with milk replacer and starter. During the fattening stage, all lambs in both treatments were fed with the same fattening diets. At 60, 120 and 180 days of age, 6 lambs from each group were slaughtered to collect rumen content and tissue samples. Compared with ER lambs, the dry matter feed intakes of AR lambs increased(P<0.05) from 20 to 180 days of age, companying an increased average daily gain(ADG) from 61 to 120 days of age(P<0.05) and from 121 to 180 days of age(0.05<P<0.1). Although there was no difference in short-chain fatty acid(SCFA, including acetate, propionate, and butyrate) between treatments before weaning(P>0.05), it was higher(P<0.05) in AR lambs compared with ER lambs at the fattening stage. The rumen keratin layer of AR lambs was thinner(P<0.05) than that of ER lambs. Along with lamb growth from 60 to 180 days of age, the differences in rumen bacterial diversity between AR and ER treatments grew more distinct(P<0.05). Compared with ER lambs, AR lambs increased(P<0.05) rumen bacteria abundance, such as phylum Spirochaetes and genus Treponema at 60 days of age, phylum Actinobacteria and genus Succiniclasticum at 120 days of age, and phylum Proteobacteria at 180 days of age, but decreased genus Selenomonas from 60 to 180 days of age, and Anaerovibrio at 180 days of age. In summary, the early interventions before weaning could improve dry matter feed intake of lambs, which triggered robust rumen development and produced positive long-term effects on rumen fermentation and noticeable weight gain of fattening lambs. It suggests that the artificial rearing strategy is effective in improving rumen fermentation and microbial maturity of intensive fattening lambs.

Allometry-based estimation of forest aboveground biomass combining LiDAR canopy height attributes and optical spectral indexes

Accurate estimates of forest aboveground biomass(AGB)are essential for global carbon cycle studies and have widely relied on approaches using spectral and structural information of forest canopies extracted from various remote sensing datasets.However,combining the advantages of active and passive data sources to improve estimation accuracy remains challenging.Here,we proposed a new approach for forest AGB modeling based on allometric relationships and using the form of power-law to integrate structural and spectral information.Over 60 km^(2) of drone light detection and ranging(LiDAR)data and 1,370 field plot measurements,covering the four major forest types of China(coniferous forest,sub-tropical broadleaf forest,coniferous and broadleaf-leaved mixed forest,and tropical broadleaf forest),were collected together with Sentinel-2 images to evaluate the proposed approach.The results show that the most universally useful structural and spectral metrics are the average values of canopy height and spectral index rather than their maximum values.Compared with structural attributes used alone,combining structural and spectral information can improve the estimation accuracy of AGB,increasing R^(2) by about 10%and reducing the root mean square error by about 22%;the accuracy of the proposed approach can yield a R^(2) of 0.7 in different forests types.The proposed approach performs the best in coniferous forest,followed by sub-tropical broadleaf forest,coniferous and broadleaf-leaved mixed forest,and then tropical broadleaf forest.Furthermore,the simple linear regression used in the proposed method is less sensitive to sample size and outperforms statistically multivariate machine learning-based regression models such as stepwise multiple regression,artificial neural networks,and Random Forest.The proposed approach may provide an alternative solution to map large-scale forest biomass using space-borne LiDAR and optical images with high accuracy.

Performance Assessment of an Allothermal Auger Gasification System for On-Farm Grain Drying

Biomass gasification is a well-developed technology with the potential to convert agricultural residues to value-added products. The availability of on-farm gasifiers that can handle low-density agricultural wastes such as soybean residue, an underutilized feedstock, is limited. Therefore, the goal of this research was to install and assess an allothermal, externally heated, auger gasifier capable of converting agricultural wastes to combustible gas for on-farm grain drying. The system was used to convert soybean residues under different reactor temperature, i.e., 700°C, 750°C, 800°C, and 850°C. The results showed that increasing the reactor temperature from 700°C to 850°C increased the producer gas molar fractions of H2, CO, and CH4, from 1.1% to 1.5%, from 15.0% to 23.8%, and from 5.1% to 7.7%, respectively. The higher heating value of the producer gas reached 6.3 MJ/m3 at reactor temperature of 850°C. Specific gas yield increased from 0.32 to 0.58 m3/kgbiomass while char and particulate yield decreased from 41.7% to 33.6% by increasing the reactor temperature from 700°C to 850°C. Maximum carbon sequestration achieved, in the form of biochar-carbon, was 32% of the raw feedstock carbon. Gasification of collectable soybean residues from 1 acre would be sufficient to dry 1132 kg of soybean seeds (the average yield from one acre)

Evaluation of Total Seed Protein Content in Eleven Arkansas Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) Lines

Cowpea is cultivated on more than 11 million hectares with a worldwide production of 5.4 million tons of dried seeds. Cowpea is an affordable source of protein, which is used as an alternative to soybean for people who are allergic to soybean protein. The aim of this research was to assess the variability of the total seed protein content in cowpea. Eleven Arkansas breeding lines were used in this study. Field experiment design was a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 2 blocks, and conducted in three different locations within Arkansas State (Fayetteville, Alma, and Hope) in 2015. A standard chemical protocol was performed involving an analysis of the total nitrogen by combustion using an Elementar Rapid N III instrument to estimate the protein content. The average protein content was 25.4%, and ranged from 23.7% to 27.4% with a standard deviation of 1.9%. The significant effects of genotype, environment (location), and genotype by environment were observed for the total seed protein content in cowpea. The broad sense heritability (H2) for cowpea seed protein was estimated to be 57.8% based on the eleven cowpea genotypes studied. The cowpea lines, “Early Scarlet” and 09-204 had the highest seed protein content with 27.4% and 26.9% dried seed weight, respectively. This study provides valuable information on cowpea protein content for breeders to select and utilize those breeding lines with high seed protein content to develop new high protein cowpea cultivars.

Diurnal variation in fecal concentrations of acid-detergent insoluble ash and alkaline-peroxide lignin from cattle fed bermudagrass hays of varying nutrient content

Background： The effect of time of fecal sampling on the accuracy of acid-detergent insoluble ash （ADIA） and alkaline-peroxide lignin （APL） for the prediction of fecal output （FO） in cattle was evaluated. Eight ruminally cannulated cows （594 _＋ 35.5 kg） were allocated randomly to 4 bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon （L.） Pers.] hay diets markedly different in crude protein concentration （79-164 g/kg） with 2 replicates per diet for 3 periods. Cows were offered hay individually at 20 g DM/kg of body weight daily in equal feedings at 08：00 and 16：00 h for a 10-d adaptation period followed by 5-d of total fecal collection. Fecal grab samples also were taken each day during the fecal collection period at 06：00, 12：00, 18：00, and 24：00 h either directly from the rectum or from freshly voided feces. Samples were composited within cow and time across the 5 d total fecal collection period. Additionally, forage, ort, and fecal samples were analyzed for concentrations of APL and ADIA. Results： Fecal concentrations of ADIA and APL were not affected by sampling time （P 〉 0.22）, even though diet affected （P 〈 0.01） fecal ADIA and APL concentrations. There were no diet x sampling time interactions （P ≥ 0.60）. Estimates of FO and dry matter digestibility （DMD） from ADIA and APL were not affected （P 〉 0.16） by sampling time or the diet x sampling time interaction （P 〉 0.74）. Estimates of FO and DMD from markers from different sampling times or all different combinations of sampling time were not different （P 〉 0.72） from those of total collection among internal markers. Conclusion： Little variation in concentrations of ADIA and APL in daily fecal excretion across time increases flexibility in fecal grab sampling schedules for predicting FO and DMD.

Comparison of acid-detergent lignin,alkaline-peroxide lignin,and acid-detergent insoluble ash as internal markers for predicting fecal output and digestibility by cattle offered bermudagrass hays of varying nutrient composition

Background： The potential for acid-detergent insoluble ash （ADIA）, alkaline-peroxide lignin （APL）, and acid-detergent lignin （ADL） to predict fecal output （FO） and dry matter digestibility （DMD） by cattle offered bermudagrass [Cynodon doctylon （L） Pers.] hays of different qualities was evaluated. Eight ruminally cannulated cows （594 ± 35.5 kg） were allocated randomly to 4 hay diets： low （L）, medium low （ML）, medium high （MH）, and high （H） crude protein （CP） concentration （79, 111,131, and 164 g CP/kg on a DM basis, respectively）. Diets were offered in 3 periods with 2 diet replicates per period and were rotated across cows between periods. Cows were individually fed 20 g DM/kg of body weight in equal feedings at 08：00 and 16：00 h for a 10-d adaptation followed by a 5-d total fecal collection. Actual DM intake （DMI）, DMD, and FO were determined based on hay offered, ort, and feces excreted. These components were then analyzed for ADL, APL, and ADIA concentration to determine marker recovery and marker-based estimates of FO and DMD. Results： Forage DMI was affected by diet （P = 0.02）, and DMI from MH and H was greater （P 〈 0.05） than from L. Apparent DMD tended （P = 0.08） to differ among diets while FO （P = 0.20） was not affected by diet treatments. Average ADL recovery （1.16） was greater （P 〈 0.05） than that of ADIA （1.03） and APL （1.06）, but ADIA and APL did not differ （P = 0.42）. Estimates of FO and DMD derived using APL and ADIA were not different （P≥0.05） from total fecal collection while those using ADL differed （P 〈 0.05）. There was no diet by marker interaction （P≥ 0.22） for either FO or DMD. Conclusion： Acid-detergent insoluble ash and APL accurately predicted FO and DMD of cattle fed bermudagrass hay of varying nutrient composition. These internal markers may facilitate studies involving large numbers of animals and forages. Results from such studies may be used to develop improved equations to predict energy values of forages based on the relationship of dietary components to digestibility across a wide range of forages.

A Comparison of Two Horsechestnut Street Tree Plantings in Kiev and Pripyat, Ukraine

Branch and main stem defects of horsechestnut trees (Aesculus hippocastanum L.) in Pripyat, Ukraine, abandoned in 1986, and un-maintained since then, were compared to managed trees of the same species and similar age in the city of Kiev, Ukraine. Trees in Kiev sustained more trunk injuries, and numerous pruning wounds, and developed significantly more branch defects (especially codominant stems) in their canopies compared to trees in Pripyat. Although Kiev trees had larger stem diameters, the overall quality of their form was reduced compared to street trees in Pripyat. Pripyat horsechestnuts grew with competition from other, invading trees thus, experienced shading of their lower canopies and significant competition for light and had smaller bole diameters. Effects of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster on trees in the Nuclear Exclusion Zone are also discussed.