First-year Plants Research Articles

Parental stress and environmental influences on children's physician-diagnosed food allergy

Previous research has linked stress and environmental factors to first-wave allergies (i.e., asthma, allergic rhinitis, and eczema), but their individual and combined effects on second-wave allergies (i.e., food allergies, including conditions such as egg, and milk allergies) remain unknown. We aim to investigate the effects of parental stress and its interaction with environmental factors on childhood physician-diagnosed food allergies (PFA). In Changsha (China), we performed a mixed cross-sectional and retrospective cohort investigation. we gather data on each preschooler's health status, parental stress, and living environment through questionnaires. Temperature and air pollutant exposures were calculated using inverse distance weighting methods. Multivariate logistic regression models were employed to examine relations pf PFA relates with parental stress, indoor and outdoor pollutants and allergens. We found that high/middle education and gross annual income were associated with total PFA (ORs [95% CI] = 1.89 [1.52–2.36] and 1.23 [1.01–1.50]) and other types of PFAs, while high psychological stress (fatigue, headache, and inattention) increased PFA risk (1.59 [1.34–1.90], 1.35 [1.18–1.55], and 1.41 [1.23–1.62]). Families experiencing higher economic stress reported higher PFA risk of blooming and non-blooming plants in first year. The PFA risk of mould and mildew stains in utero and the first year was higher in families with parental inattention. ORs of PFA due to PM2.5–10 and PM10 during the second trimester were higher in families with high parental social stress. PFA risk of PM2.5 in the late preconceptional and entire postnatal periods was higher in families with parental fatigue, headache, and inattention. We suggest parental stress independently and interplayed with indoor and outdoor environmental pollution and allergens, increases risk of childhood PFA.

Wildflower plantings enhance nesting opportunities for soil-nesting bees.

Ongoing declines of bees and other pollinators are driven in part by the loss of critical floral resources and nesting substrates. Most conservation/restoration efforts for bees aim to enhance floral abundance and continuity but often assume the same actions will bolster nesting opportunities. Recent research suggests that habitat plantings may not always provide both forage and nesting resources. We evaluated wildflower plantings designed to augment floral resources to determine their ability to enhance nesting by soil-nesting bees over 3 study years in Northern California agricultural landscapes. We established wildflower plantings along borders of annual row crops and paired each with an unplanted control border. We used soil emergence traps to assess nest densities and species richness of soil-nesting bees from spring through late summer at paired field borders planted with wildflowers or maintained conventionally as bare or sparsely vegetated areas, as is typical for the region. We also quantified soil-surface characteristics and flower resources among borders. Wildflower plantings significantly increased nest densities and the richness of bee species using them. Such benefits occurred within the first year of planting and persisted up to 4 years post establishment. The composition of nesting bee communities also differed between wildflower and unenhanced borders. Wildflower plantings differed from controls in multiple characteristics of the soil surface, including vegetation cover, surface microtopography and hardness. Surprisingly, only vegetation cover significantly affected nest densities and species richness. Wildflower plantings are a widespread habitat action with the potential to support wild bees. The demonstrated benefit wildflower plantings had for increasing the nesting of soil-nesting bees greatly augments their relevance for the conservation of wild bee communities in agricultural and other landscapes. Identifying soil-surface characteristics that are important for nesting provides critical information to guide the implementation and management of habitats for bees.

Rice hull-based substrates and the influence of the type of transplant and the age of the plant on the strawberry culture

The soilless growing of strawberries using local materials as a substrate is an alternative to reduce costs and reuse waste. The objective of this work was to evaluate the growth and yield of strawberry plants cultivar Aromas, originated from bare root and plug plants, as well as second-year plants in comparison to first-year plants, in substrates formulated with raw rice husk (RRH) and two types of conditioners [carbonized rice husk (CRH) and commercial substrate (S10)]. The experimental factors consisted of four substrates [RRH (100%), RRH + CRH (80 %: 20 %), RRH + S10 (80 %: 20 %), and RRH + CRH + S10 (80 %:10 %:10 %)], two types of transplants (plug plants and bare-root), and the maintenance of second-year plants in comparison to first-year plants. For the first year of growing, regardless of the substrate, plug plants showed greater growth and yield, providing an increase of 62.1 % in the commercial yield of plug plants in relation to the growing of bare-root transplants. As for the growing of bare-root transplants, the addition of CRH and its simultaneous use with commercial substrate S10 as RRH conditioners increased plant growth. However, fruit yield gains were less expressive and clear positive responses for this variable were obtained only with the simultaneous use of CRH and the commercial substrate S10. The results obtained in the second experiment indicate that second-year plants, on mean, showed greater vegetative growth, number and yield of fruits, however, with lower mean weight of fruits than the plants of the first year. First year plants showed superior commercial yield in the RRH + S10 substrate.

Physiological and biochemical responses of black cumin to vermicompost and plant biostimulants: Arbuscular mycorrhizal and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria

The aim of this research was to find a natural method for increasing black cumin ( Nigella sativa Linn) growth by using microbial soil amendments and, at the same time, decrease reliance on mineral fertilizers . We investigated the influence of mineral fertilizer (NPK), vermicompost (VC), Pseudomonas fluorescens (PF), Azotobacter chroococcum (AC) , Azospirillum brasilense (AB), and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on plant weight, chlorophyll (Chl) content, relative water content (RWC), total soluble sugar (TSS), proline , glycine betaine (GB), and leaf micronutrients of black cumin during 2020 and 2021. VC and AMF treatments nearly doubled the fresh and dry weights of plants compared to control plants. The highest Chl a (1.62 mg g −1 ) was observed in PF-treated plants, while Chl b in VC (0.62 mg g −1 ) and AMF (0.60 mg g −1 ) showed higher amounts compared with control plants. The RWC ranged from 69% in control to 83.3% in plants treated with VC in the second year. The TSS in all treated plants was higher than in control plants, and the highest for NPK (129.6 mg g −1 compared to 77 mg g −1 ). NPK yielded the highest proline (158.6 µmol g −1 ) and AMF resulted in the maximum GB (5 µmol g −1 ) in the first-year plants. The highest Zn content was reported in AC and AMF-treated plants, and Fe in VC and AMF also showed higher amounts compared with control plants. Cu and Mn with all fertilizers, particularly upon AB and AMF application, were higher than in control plants. Heat map (HA) analysis showed Chl b, GB, and TSS as sensitive traits upon fertilization. AMF colonization and VC, due to their high potential for increasing RWC, Chl content, and micronutrient uptake, they can be recommended as the most effective fertilization treatments for yielding optimum growth in black cumin. AMF colonization is an appealing and more effective alternative to synthetic fertilizers for cumin cultivation. AMF and VC application can be suggested as sustainable agricultural fertilizers containing useful microorganisms to improve the growth performance and mineral composition of black cumin. The amount of dillapiole in EO derived from inoculated black cumin plants with P. fluorescens and G. mosseae was increased. • Microbial soil amendments an efficient and natural way of improving the growth of black cumin. • Arbuscular mycorrhizal and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria induce growth and biochemical properties. • AMF and PGPR significantly enhanced micronutrients uptake. • Microbial soil amendments can lead to better production of medicinal plants.

EVALUATION OF SAFFRON (Crocus sativus L.) CULTIVARS GROWN UNDER AGRO CLIMATIC CONDITIONS OF QUETTA VALLEY, BALOCHISTAN, PAKISTAN

Two experiments were conducted: one on the evaluation of three different saffron cultivars i.e., Local, Mongra and Sergul and the other one was examined the effects of corm size on the growth and production of local variety. Results showed that the small sized (less than 10 g) corms couldn’t produce flowers during the first year of planting. While maximum size corms (S-1 to S-5) produced good quality flowers. The significant higher number of flowers (412568/ha) were produced by S-1 corms followed by S-2 (187614/ha). Among different varieties of saffron (Local, Mongra and Sargul), the significantly higher number of flowers (214936.24flowers/ha) were produced by local variety which followed by Sargul. The higher yield of flowers can be attributed to longer flowering period (flowering days, i.e., 24) by local as compared to Sargul (17.66) and Mongra (13.66). These results showed that maximum corms (20-35 g) resulted in the higher production of flowers, higher yield stigma (Saffron) with higher number of daughter corms in the very first year of plantation. And the local varieties proved to be the best cultivar in terms of flower and saffron yield along with its other related yield components. So, this study revealed that the local variety of saffron is very much suitable for planting under agro-climatic conditions of Quetta, Balochistan Pakistan.

Effect of nitrogen rate and water replacement level on leaf biomass production and leaf nitrogen concentration of ten pot-grown blueberry cultivars

Soilless blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) production is an alternative system that is increasing worldwide in surface area. There is little scientific information available as yet on the agronomic management of this cultivation system. The objective of the present study was to evaluate four N rates (0%, 100%, 200%, and 300% of the reference rate) and three water replacement level (70%, 100%, 130%) on leaf biomass production and leaf N concentration previous to winter fall (May and August 2021) in 10 pot-grown blueberry cultivars (Blue Ribbon, Duke, Camelia, Cargo, Last Call, Legacy, Ochlockonee, Suzie Blue, Ventura, and Victoria). An experiment was conducted in south-central Chile (36°55’ S) with first-year plants. During the first growing season, results showed interactions between cultivars, N rates, and water replacement levels; there was a synergistic effect between N rates and water replacement levels on leaf biomass production in ‘Duke’, ‘Camelia’, ‘Ochlockonee’ and ‘Suzie Blue’. Overall, the highest leaf biomass production in most cultivars was obtained with an N rate ranging from 33.2 to 53.1 g plant-1 season-1 (100% and 200% N rates, respectively) and 100% and 130% water replacement levels. Water consumption during the season fluctuated between 93.79 a 136.23 L season-1. The highest leaf N concentration in most of the blueberry cultivars was obtained with N rates ranging from 33.2 to 53.1 g plant-1 season-1 and 70% and 100% water replacement levels. Therefore, agronomic management recommendations for N fertilization and water replacement levels in blueberries produced with this growing system cannot be generalized.

Effects of Selection Regime on Invasive Characteristics in an Emerging Biomass Crop, Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.)

Production of biomass feedstock crops could produce substantial environmental benefits, but these will be sharply reduced if these crops become invasive. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is being bred for biomass production; these selective efforts may enhance invasive traits. To inform the assessment of invasive risk, undomesticated switchgrass strains were used as a baseline for comparison with strains bred for biomass production. In a three-year field experiment, we compared juvenile plant densities and survival, persistence of established plants, and aboveground biomass between selectively bred (cultivar) and undomesticated switchgrass strains. Cultivars had modestly greater third-year biomass and first-year plant densities than commercial ecotypes but lower survival and persistence; consequently, third-year plant densities did not significantly differ between cultivars and commercial ecotypes. Higher initial establishment and subsequent self-thinning in cultivars resulted in stands that were similar to those of commercial ecotypes. Therefore, our results do not suggest that the breeding of current cultivars of switchgrass enhanced juvenile and young-stand traits associated with invasiveness. Because biomass yields were not greatly different between cultivars and commercial ecotypes, use of the latter in biomass grasslands could provide functional benefits, including an enhanced habitat for native biodiversity and reduced pathogen loads, without incurring large losses in biomass production.

Influence of Butomus umbellatus L. lineage and age on leaf chemistry and performance of a generalist caterpillar

Invasive plants may display age or genotype-specific defenses against herbivory. Thus, the importance of herbivory for preventing or mitigating plant invasions may depend on genetics and age-structure of invader populations. We used an excised-leaf experiment to test whether constitutive herbivore defenses in Butomus umbellatus L. (flowering rush) plants decline with age between colonizing (1st year) and established (2nd year) plants and whether the decline was parallel between introduced diploid and triploid genotypes. Leaves from colonizing and established plants were fed to the generalist herbivore fall armyworm (FAW; Spodoptera frugiperda) and then short-term FAW development was measured. Additionally, leaf dry matter content (DMC), % carbon (%C), % nitrogen (%N), carbon:nitrogen (C:N) ratio, and total leaf phenolics were determined for leaves from a subset of test plants. FAW fed leaves from diploid plants grew 27 % less than those fed leaves from triploid plants but were only 1 % smaller when fed leaves from second-year versus first-year plants of either cytotype. DMC of diploid leaves was 11 % greater overall (11 % DMC) but the difference in cytotypes depended on age (1 % difference in colonizing plants vs. 21 % difference in established plants). In general, diploid plants were characterized by 29 % higher total phenolics, 17 % less leaf nitrogen, and 21 % higher C:N ratio, regardless of age. Measured traits were, on average, 27 % more variable for diploid than triploid plants, possibly a reflection of increased genetic diversity of diploid flowering rush populations used in the study. These results demonstrate that diploid B. umbellatus plants are, overall, better defended against generalist herbivory than triploid plants. Differences in herbivore performance on B. umbellatus lineages, and to a lesser extent plants of varying ages, may therefore contribute to spatial or temporal heterogeneity in the dominance of genotypes in areas where they grow together.

Long-term variability of root production in bioenergy crops from ingrowth core measurements

Abstract Aims Long-term determination of root biomass production upon land-use conversion to biofuel crops is rare. To assess land-use legacy influences on belowground biomass accumulation, we converted 22-year-old Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) grasslands and 50+-year-old agricultural (AGR) lands to corn (C), switchgrass (Sw) and restored prairie (Pr) biofuel crops. We maintained one CRP grassland as a reference (Ref). We hypothesized that land-use history and crop type have significant effects on root density, with perennial crops on CRP grasslands having a higher root biomass productivity, while corn grown on former agricultural lands produce the lowest root biomass. Methods The ingrowth core method was used to determine in situ ingrowth root biomass, alongside measurements of aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP). Ancillary measurements, including air temperature, growing season length and precipitation were used to examine their influences on root biomass production. Important Findings Root biomass productivity was the highest in unconverted CRP grassland (1716 g m−2 yr−1) and lowest in corn fields (526 g m−2 yr−1). All perennial sites converted from CRP and AGR lands had lower root biomass and ANPP in the first year of planting but peaked in 2011 for switchgrass and a year later for restored prairies. Ecosystem stability was higher in restored prairies (AGR-Pr: 4.3 ± 0.11; CRP-Pr: 4.1 ± 0.10), with all monocultures exhibiting a lower stability. Root biomass production was positively related to ANPP (R2 = 0.40). Overall, attention should be given to root biomass accumulation in large-scale biofuel production as it is a major source of carbon sequestration.

Devaleraea titlyanoviorum sp. nov. (Palmariaceae, Rhodophyta) from the Russian coast of the northwestern Pacific Ocean

ABSTRACT One species of the red algal genus Devaleraea, D. stenogona, shows remarkable phenotypic plasticity over its geographic range. We assumed this species to be a complex of morphologically close species. To resolve this issue, we sequenced the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions, including the 5.8S rDNA, rbcL, and 5′ end of the COI gene (COI-5′) of specimens of D. stenogona sensu lato from different localities along the Russian coast of the northwestern Pacific Ocean. We also compared their morphology with the holotype and to specimens of D. stenogona from the type locality. Morphological and genetic analyses confirmed that Devaleraea stenogona sensu lato is a complex of two congeneric species and, therefore, the new species D. titlyanoviorum sp. nov. is proposed. This species is characterised by abundantly proliferating thalli, with proliferations being larger than the main blade. First-year non-proliferating plants can be confused with D. stenogona, but they differ by a more regular dichotomous branching and by the shape of terminal branches, which are strap-shaped with rounded tips in D. titlyanoviorum and narrow-linear or hair-like with acute tips in D. stenogona. The species have different geographical distributions with D. stenogona occurring further south than D. titlyanoviorum.

Bio-organic and inorganic fertilizers modify leaf nutrients, essential oil properties, and antioxidant capacity in medic savory (<i>Satureja macrantha<i/> L.)

The present study was carried out to assess the effects of bio-organic and inorganic fertilizers on plant nutrients, essential oil composition and antioxidant capacity of Satureja macrantha L. The experiment included nine treatments viz., NPK (50:25:25 kg ha−1), Vermicompost (VC) (5 t ha–1), NPK +VC, Thiobacillus (T), T+VC, T+sulfur (S) (250 kg ha−1), T+S 500 kg ha−1, Glomus mosseae, and control (untreated plants). The results showed the highest Essential Oil (EO) content and yield were respectively observed in plants treated with the combination of VC and NPK. Total Phenol Content (TPC) in first-year plants treated with VC and second-year plants under NPK+VC were higher than other experimental plants. Total Flavonoid Content (TFC) in second-year plants under the combination of NPK was greater than other plants. N content in first year plants treated with NPK fertilizer / combination of NPK and VC was higher compared to other experimental plants. The highest P content was observed in the NPK application in first year. Gas Chromatography—Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) analyses revealed that the main constitutes of S. macrantha EO were p- Cymene (16.30-34.64%), γ-terpinene (15.46-33.6%), and Thymol (14.82-43.09%), which had different responses to sampling time and fertilizer treatments.

Leaf traits and performance vary with plant age and water availability in Artemisia californica.

Leaf functional traits are strongly tied to growth strategies and ecological processes across species, but few efforts have linked intraspecific trait variation to performance across ontogenetic and environmental gradients. Plants are believed to shift towards more resource-conservative traits in stressful environments and as they age. However, uncertainty as to how intraspecific trait variation aligns with plant age and performance in the context of environmental variation may limit our ability to use traits to infer ecological processes at larger scales. We measured leaf physiological and morphological traits, canopy volume and flowering effort for Artemisia californica (California sagebrush), a dominant shrub species in the coastal sage scrub community, under conditions of 50, 100 and 150 % ambient precipitation for 3 years. Plant age was a stronger driver of variation in traits and performance than water availability. Older plants demonstrated trait values consistent with a more conservative resource-use strategy, and trait values were less sensitive to drought. Several trait correlations were consistent across years and treatments; for example, plants with high photosynthetic rates tended to have high stomatal conductance, leaf nitrogen concentration and light-use efficiency. However, the trade-off between leaf construction and leaf nitrogen evident in older plants was absent for first-year plants. While few traits correlated with plant growth and flowering effort, we observed a positive correlation between leaf mass per area and performance in some groups of older plants. Overall, our results suggest that trait sensitivity to the environment is most visible during earlier stages of development, after which intraspecific trait variation and relationships may stabilize. While plant age plays a major role in intraspecific trait variation and sensitivity (and thus trait-based inferences), the direct influence of environment on growth and fecundity is just as critical to predicting plant performance in a changing environment.

Plastic film mulching improves seed germination, seedling development and potential for perenniality of Vicia unijuga under subalpine climate conditions

Our aim was to identify temperature and moisture modifications needed for improvement of seed germination, growth and establishment of the protein-rich forage legume Vicia unijuga A.Br. so that it could become large enough and store sufficient root reserves to survive in subalpine conditions. Germination tolerance of scarified V. unijuga seeds to various temperatures and water potentials was tested in the laboratory, and a 3-year field experiment was conducted in the subalpine region of China to evaluate the effects of modified soil temperature and moisture conditions generated by mulching with plastic film and barley straw on seedling emergence, growth, root nutrient reserves and subsequent overwinter performance. The highest germination percentage and rate occurred at the optimum temperature of 15–20°C, which improved these germination traits at low water potentials between –0.6 and –1.0 MPa. Higher soil temperature and water content were recorded in the plastic mulch treatment than in the control and straw mulch treatments. This enhanced establishment and accumulation of biomass and root reserve pools in the plastic mulch treatment, with nearly 100% of the plants surviving overwinter. The relative contribution of soil temperature was greater than of soil-water content to the variation in biomass and root nutrient reserves. Root starch content explained the most variation in overwinter survival. In conclusion, scarified V. unijuga seeds can germinate over a wide range of conditions, including those in the subalpine zone in spring. The plastic mulch treatment provided adequate soil temperature and water resources to improve growth and root starch reserves in first-year plants of V. unijuga, thereby improving overwinter survival in the subalpine environment.

Development and techno-economic analyses of a novel hydrogen production process via chemical looping

In this work, a novel hydrogen production process (Integrated Chemical Looping Water Splitting “ICLWS”) has been developed. The modelled process has been optimised via heat integration between the main process units. The effects of the key process variables (i.e. the oxygen carrier-to-fuel ratio, steam flow rate and discharged gas temperature) on the behaviour of the reducer and oxidiser reactors were investigated. The thermal and exergy efficiencies of the process were studied and compared against a conventional steam-methane reforming (SMR) process. Finally, the economic feasibility of the process was evaluated based on the corresponding CAPEX, OPEX and first-year plant cost per kg of the hydrogen produced. The thermal efficiency of the ICLWS process was improved by 31.1% compared to the baseline (Chemical Looping Water Splitting without heat integration) process. The hydrogen efficiency and the effective efficiencies were also higher by 11.7% and 11.9%, respectively compared to the SMR process. The sensitivity analysis showed that the oxygen carrier–to-methane and -steam ratios enhanced the discharged gas and solid conversions from both the reducer and oxidiser. Unlike for the oxidiser, the temperature of the discharged gas and solids from the reducer had an impact on the gas and solid conversion. The economic evaluation of the process indicated hydrogen production costs of $1.41 and $1.62 per kilogram of hydrogen produced for Fe-based oxygen carriers supported by ZrO2 and MgAl2O4, respectively - 14% and 1.2% lower for the SMR process H2 production costs respectively.

A Traditional Medicine Plant, Onopordum acanthium L. (Asteraceae): Chemical Composition and Pharmacological Research.

For many years, plants have been used in the traditional medicine of different cultures. The biennial plant of the family Asteraceae, Onopordum acanthium L., also known as Scotch thistle, is used in traditional medicine as an anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and cardiotonic agent. The plant is widespread in the world; it grows in Europe and Asia and was introduced to America and Australia. Stems and buds of the first-year plant are used in cooking as an analogue of artichoke in European cuisine. Additionally, inflorescences contain a complex of proteolytic enzymes “onopordosin”, which may be used as a milk-clotting agent in the dairy industry. The chemical composition of the aerial part and roots of O. acanthium is represented by flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, lignans, triterpenoids, sesquiterpene lactones, and sterols. The anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, and cardiotonic properties of the plant have been confirmed by pharmacological experiments with extracts and individual compounds using in silico, in vitro, and in vivo methods. This work is a review of information on the chemical composition and pharmacological studies of O. acanthium as a promising medicinal plant.

Effects of different types of shelter on physiology and growth of Sangiovese vines during the first year after planting

In the early stages of planting, the shelter can provide for young vines protection against damage of various kinds. Despite their widespread use, few surveys have been devoted to the study of innovative shelter types and the possible influence of these protections on the physiology and development of plants. In the present experiment, which took place in 2017 in a Tuscan winery, the effects of vine protections by the company OSO (Prato) on single leaf gas exchanges and on the shoot growth in the first year of planting were studied. Three types of shelters with a circular section (completely perforated, partially perforated and closed) have been compared with the traditional full-wall shelters with square section. During the growing season, sprout growth measures, leaf area, leaf gas exchanges and water potential were carried out on the young vines. At the end of the season, shoots were sampled to measure the dry matter accumulated during the season. Among the shelters taken into consideration, it emerges that the completely perforated type guarantees the best development, with differences that are almost always significant for most of the measured parameters with traditional shelters. On the contrary, the closed typology has led to a reduction in growth, in gas exchanges and in water potential. In conclusion, the type completely perforated could constitute a valid alternative to the traditional one because, besides being a useful means for the protection of the vine, it could benefit the development of the root system in the early stages of growth.

Establishment and management of alfalfa pasture in cold regions of China

Grasslands occur naturally in cold regions in China, and are the traditional animal husbandry base. Natural grasslands have degraded severely due mainly to heavy use and global climate change, distinguished with low productivity and poor ecological function. The small scales and low-industrialization levels of alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.) pasture are bottlenecks for development of modern animal husbandry in China. Therefore, forage production from natural grasslands cannot fully meet the demands for animal husbandry. Development of high-yield alfalfa pasture is an effective way to solve these problems. In this review, we systematically analyzed both domestic and international markets for alfalfa. Currently, alfalfa hay production in China can only supply less than 50% of total alfalfa demands, and more than 50% of alfalfa hay has to be imported from overseas countries, mainly from USA. On the one hand, the lack of forage supply greatly restricts development of animal husbandry in the alpine regions of China, which is a traditional base of animal husbandry in China. On the other hand, there are large areas of lands that can be used to develop alfalfa pasture in these regions. As a key component of “Grass-based Animal Husbandry”, establishment of alfalfa pasture with high yield and quality as well as high resource efficiency is of importance for the successful development of “Grass-based Animal Husbandry” in China. The development of large scale of alfalfa pasture in the alpine regions is hindered by the lack of alfalfa varieties adapted to the alpine regions and poor alfalfa establishment and management technologies. In practice, the management regimes of crops are often copied to manage alfalfa pasture. However, the crop and pasture systems differ markedly. For example, crops and alfalfa are used for harvesting grains and above-ground biomass, respectively. Moreover, crops are often annual, while alfalfa is perennial. To solve these problems, we developed comprehensive technologies in alfalfa pasture in the alpine regions. More specifically, we selected several elite alfalfa varieties that exhibited high yield and were capable of surviving the cold winters. We further developed planting methodologies that allowed for the rapid establishment of seedlings, facilitation of leaf growth, and minimizing weeds and water evaporation. Our results showed that production of alfalfa hay in the alpine region of Hulunbeir, Inner Monogolia Autonomous Region, China, was 5000 kg ha −1 in the first year of planting, and it reached 9000 kg ha −1 in the second year of planting. The crude protein contents of the alfalfa were as high as 20%. These achievements highlight that the development of high yield alfalfa pasture is feasible, and that it provides technical support and theoretical guidance in development and management of high quality alfalfa pasture in these regions.

BIOMASS AND ENERGY PRODUCTION AT SHORT ROTATION Eucalyptus CLONAL PLANTATIONS DEPLOYED IN RIO GRANDE DO NORTE1

ABSTRACT This study aimed to estimate the biomass and energy of a clonal planting short rotation experiment with hybrids of Eucalyptus urophylla ST Blake x Eucalyptus grandis (Hill) Maiden, deployed in 3 m x 3 m spacing, at the Academic Unit Specialized in Agricultural Sciences, Macaíba/RN. The analysis were performed at the Laboratory Panels and Wood Energy, Federal University of Viçosa, in which the following ratings on wood three cultivars (GG100 ; AEC0144 and AEC0224) were performed: determination of basic density, high calorific power, chemical analysis, thermogravimetric analysis and subsequent calculations for estimating the mass production and energy were performed. The base (10 cm from the ground), the third and two thirds of commercial tree height: composed for analysis, taken from three points along the stem samples were used. The design of the experiment was a completely randomized. Data were subjected to analysis of variance and the means were compared by Tukey test (a= 0.05). The clone who excelled in the first year of planting was the GG100 with 11,805 kW.h.ha-1 of energy productivity, followed by clone AEC0224 (6,755 kW.h.ha-1) and AEC0144 (4,405 kW.h.ha-1). The performance of this clone was due to mainly the higher volumetric growth. The wood quality among clones showed little difference. It should stimulate the deployments of species of short rotation in the state of RN to supply the elevated energy demand of forest biomass in the region.

Using population characteristics to evaluate the conservation status of endangered grassland species – The case of Herbertia zebrina in southern Brazil

Many plant species listed as endangered by IUCN do not have information on population characteristics and reproductive traits, although such data are needed for conservation classification. This paper revisits the conservation status of a ‘critically endangered’ species in fragmented grasslands of southern Brazil. We present the case of Herbertia zebrina (Iridaceae), a geophyte first described in grasslands on granitic outcrops in 2010. We identified 18 populations within an estimated range of about 5000km2. Data on population size, plant size, fruit production and germination were recorded for three representative populations with repeated sampling of labelled flowering plants over a period of two years. Population size was 1869–14,555 flowering plants (2.2–3.5plantsm−2) with considerable turnover between years. Among populations, 11–61% new flowering individuals emerged in the second year, while 27–46% of the first-year plants were not observed in the following year. The plants emerged in early spring in both years and flowered over a period of four months. The number of fruits was positively correlated with plant size and vegetation height, while germination was about 86%. Thus, the number of populations, area of occupancy and plant reproduction indicate a more favourable conservation status than previously assumed. Nonetheless, due to population fragmentation and the rapid loss of natural ecosystems in the region because of land-use change, the overall classification of the species as ‘critically endangered’ should be maintained. Future research has to focus on implications of fragmentation on genetic variation among populations.

NMR-based Metabolomics to Study the Cold-acclimation Strategy of Two Miscanthus Genotypes.

Abiotic stress is a major cause of yield loss in plant culture. Miscanthus, a perennial C4 grass, is now considered a major source of renewable energy, especially for biofuel production. During the first year of planting in Northern Europe, Miscanthus was exposed to frost temperature, which generated high mortality in young plants and large loss of yield. One strategy to avoid such loss is to apply cold-acclimation, which confers on plants a better resistance to low temperature. The aim of this study is to describe the effect of a cold-acclimation period on the metabolome of two Miscanthus genotypes that vary in their frost sensitivity at the juvenile stage. Miscanthus × giganteus (GIG) is particularly sensitive to frost, whereas Miscanthus sinensis August Feder (AUG) is tolerant. Polar metabolite extraction was performed on Miscanthus, grown in non-acclimated or cold-acclimated conditions. Extracts were analysed by 1 H-NMR followed by multivariate statistical analysis. Discriminant metabolites were identified. More than 40 metabolites were identified in the two Miscanthus genotypes. GIG and AUG showed a different metabolic background before cold treatment, probably related to their genetic background. After cold-acclimation, GIG and AUG metabolomes remained different. The tolerant genotype showed notably higher levels of accumulation in proline, sucrose and maltose when subjected to cold. These two genotypes seem to have a different adaptation strategy in cold conditions. The studied change in the metabolome concerns different types of molecules related to the cold-tolerant behaviour of Miscanthus. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.