Effect of Transgenic Corn Cultivation and Sampling Location on Feeding Habits of Collembola

Transgenic corn was modified to combat lepidopteran pests, herbicide and other deteriorate environmental factors. However, fewer studies concerned the effects of transgenic corn cultivation on the soil Collembola in black soil region in China. In Jilin black soil region, a six treatments study including three corn varieties （transgenic corn, control and local variety） and two sampling locations （in rizhosphere and in between plants） were deployed to study the effect of transgenic corn cultivation and sampling location on densities, species richness and community structure of Collembola. We found that root biomass was marginally decreased in transgenic corn and control variety when compared to local variety. Collembola significantly affected by sampling location treatments. Densities and species richness of collembolans significantly decreased in ＂between plants＂ than in ＂rizhosphere＂. Densities of Collembola were impacted by corn varieties. In the whole growing season, densities of Collembola significantly decreased in control than in local variety. Collembolans in transgenic variety only slightly decreased in ＂jointing stage＂ than local variety. Collembolans adversely affected in ＂between plants＂ when compared to ＂in rhizosphere＂ in ＂seeding stage＂ but not other stages. These variations of collembolans were in lines with the trend of corn root biomass. It is indicated that Collembola variations could be caused by food resources （root biomass） but not corn varieties （transgenic, control and local）.

Effects of Various Doses of Mineral Fertilizers(NPKS and Urea) on Yield and Economic Profitability of New Varieties of Zea mays L. in Faranah,Guinea

In Faranah Province （Guinea）, the ratio of supply and demand of corn is approximately 1 ： 2. The production is low and the deficit is covered by maize importation. This study was initiated in order to improve corn production by evaluating the effects of increasing doses of mineral fertilizers on the yield and economic profitability of corn. The experiment was conducted on a farm in Kamedankoude in a split plot with three replicates. Treatments included two varieties of maize （Perta and Kilissi113） and five doses of chemical fertilizers （D0=unfertilized control, Dl=300 kg NPKS＋200 kg urea. hm^2; D2=400 kg NPKS＋800 kg urea· hm^2; D3= 200 kg NPKS＋400 kg urea· hm^2 and D4=500 kg NPKS＋600 kg urea. hrn2）. The results showed that all the agronomic parameters increased with increasing dose of fertilizers, except for the number of ears per plant. The two varieties of corn tested produced similar yields. However, the profitability of mineral fertilizers decreased with increased doses and with value/cost ratio of 3. We recommended a mineral fertilizer dose of 300 kg NPKS ＋ 200 kg urea. The high prices of mineral fertilizers were often barriers to intensive maize cultivation, especially for low-income farmers. This study was a contribution to rational fertilization and adapted the socio-economic conditions of the region, with the background knowledge that most farmers in the regions earned low incomes.

Is There Any Correlation Between Landscape Characteristics and Total Nitrogen in Wetlands Receiving Agricultural Drainages?

In the case of increasing fragmentation of wetlands, the study of the relationship between wetland landscape characteristics and total nitrogen(TN) in water is of great significance to reveal the mechanism of wetland water purification. Taking the Naoli River(NR) wetlands in Northeast China as the research object, 10 uniformly distributed sampling sites in the study area were sampled in August 2015 to test the TN concentration and interpret the images of NR wetlands in the same period. Taking the sampling site as the control point, the whole wetlands were divided into 10 regions, and the landscape index of each region was extracted. In order to reveal whether the landscape characteristics are related to the TN concentration in the wetlands water body, the landscape index and the TN concentration in the control point water body were analyzed by correlation analysis, step-by-step elimination analysis and path analysis to reveal whether the landscape characteristics are related to the TN concentration under wetlands receiving agricultural drainages. The results showed that the correlation coefficients between four area indexes or eight shape indexes and TN concentration did not reach a significant correlation level(P > 0.05), indicating that TN removal was not only determined by a single landscape index. The path coefficient of edge density(ED) index is –0.41, indicating that wetland patch connectivity is the primary factor of TN removal, and there is no relationship between the larger patch area and the higher TN removal. The removal of TN in wetlands is restricted by the synergistic effect of landscape area and shape characteristics.