Growth Period Research Articles

Downscaling soil moisture in regions with high soil heterogeneity: the solution based on ensemble learning with sequential and parallel learner

Soil moisture plays an important role in the water and heat exchanges between the land surface and atmosphere, and it has great importance for agricultural production, ecological planning, and water resources management. Although microwave remote sensing has been widely used in large-scale soil moisture monitoring, the accuracy of the downscaled retrieval results cannot be guaranteed for regions with high vegetation coverage and high soil heterogeneity. To address these challenges, this study built soil moisture indice set based on MODIS and elevation data by calculating the Pearson correlation coefficient (R) and Maximum Information Coefficient (MIC), then constructed decision tree models (Gradient Boosting Decision Tree and Random Forest) about the indice set and low-resolution Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) by using two ensemble learning methods (Bagging and Boosting). The models were applied to the high-resolution soil moisture indices in Jilin Province for the years 2017 to 2020 to generate 1 km-resolution products. In the validation process, Triple Collocation Analysis (TCA), comparison of soil moisture maps with coarse and fine resolution, and in-situ measurements in Lishu County, Tongyu County, and Jilin City were used to evaluate the differences between downscaling soil moisture results and ground observations at network, seasonal and point scales. The results were as follows: (1) The correlation coefficient (R2) calculated by the TCA method was 0.733 (GBDT_36km) > 0.649 (RF_36km), and the error variance was 0.0004 (GBDT_36km) < 0.00058 (RF_36km). (2) R at network scale was 0.798 (GBDT_SM) > 0.662 (RF_SM), RMSE was 0.040 (GBDT_SM) < 0.044 (RF_SM), the point scale R was 0.864 (GBDT_SM) > 0.833 (RF_SM), RMSE was 0.029 (GBDT_SM) < 0.039 (RF_SM). The R in four stages of the growth period was GBDT_SM > RF_SM, RMSE was GBDT_SM < RF_SM. In conclusion, the GBDT and RF models can reliably downscale soil moisture in Jilin Province, and the Boosting ensemble learning method represented by GBDT had a better estimation performance.

First Report of Didymella uniseptata Causing Leaf Spot on Taraxacum mongolicum in China.

Dandelion (Taraxacum mongolicum), belonging to the Asteraceae family, is one of the main associated species in the alpine meadow, and is famous for its both feeding and medicinal values (Lin et al. 2022; Wang et al. 2022). In September 2021 (vigorous growth period), a newly emerging leaf spot disease of T. mongolicum were observed on natural grassland in Ruoergai County, Aba (Ngawa) Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefect, China (33°59'51'' N, 102°44'57'' E, alt. 3414 m). Leaf disease incidence was ranged from 10% to 15%. The symptoms appeared as brown to dark brown, circular or irregular, sunken spots; eventually, the infected sites of leaves formed a hole in the middle position of lesions. For isolation, 21 tissue pieces (5mm × 5mm) from 7 symptomatic leaf samples of 4 different plants were surface sterilized with 70% ethanol for 30 s and rinsed three times with sterilized distilled water. Then, these tissues were placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) at 25°C and incubated in the dark for 2 to 7 days. Finally, six pure Didymella strains with consistent colony characteristics were obtained from hyphal tips as described by Xue et al. (2023). Colonies on PDA were brown to black with concentric circles, and abundant black pycnidia were visible; reverse similar in color. Conidia were ellipsoidal, ovoid, hyaline, 0 to 1-septate, 4.07 to 8.67 × 2.74 to 5.35 μm (average 3.60 × 6.55 μm; n = 50). Seven-week-old healthy plants were obtained by growing T. mongolicum seeds in pots (two plants per pot). The six pure Didymella strains were subsequently used to inoculate healthy plants as follows: for each strain, eight pots were spray inoculated with a mycelial suspension of about 4 × 104 CFU/ml, referring to our previous method (Xue et al. 2023). In addition, eight pots considered as non-inoculated controls were sprayed with sterilized distilled water. All pots were individually covered with transparent polyethylene bags for 5 days to maintain high relative humidity and placed in a greenhouse at 23 to 29°C. After incubation for 10 days, the typical symptoms consisted of brown to dark brown, sunken spots, which were similar to those previously observed in nature grassland; however, symptoms were not observed on the non-inoculated plants (controls). The same fungus was reisolated from the lesions and confirmed by the morphological and molecular methods described in this note, thus fulfilling Koch's postulates. To further identify this fungal pathogen, ITS-rDNA, and two other protein-coding genes (rpb2 and tub2) of the representative strain REG28 were amplified with primers described by Chen et al. (2022). Sequences were deposited in GenBank (PP385777 for ITS, PP781948 for rpb2, and PP781947 for tub2). A maximum likelihood (RAxML) phylogenetic tree based on the combined ITS, rpb2, and tub2 alignments showed REG28, and ex-type CGMCC 3.20069 of D. uniseptata (Chen et al. 2022) formed a subclade with 100% bootstrap support (Fig. S1). The causal agent of this disease was confirmed as D. uniseptata by the morphological, molecular, and pathogenic features described above. Recently, D. macrophylla has been reported as the first record on T. officinale in Russia (Gomzhina et al. 2020). To our knowledge, this is the first report of D. uniseptata causing leaf spots on T. mongolicum worldwide. This information will be useful for the diagnosis, detection, pathogen identification and future control of this disease on T. mongolicum in natural grassland.

Some parameters of hydroponic and soil Rhubarb cultivated in the Ararat Valley of Armenia

Background: Today, the rhubarb plant is selectively included in the diet. Rhubarb juice offers a unique flavor with a surprising range of potential health benefits. Rhubarb is rich in antioxidants, particularly anthocyanins, the pigments responsible for its red hue. These antioxidants are believed to possess anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties, potentially aiding in the fight against various health concerns. Rhubarb juice is an excellent source of vitamins C, and K, crucial for bone health and blood clotting, and also contains vitamin A, contributing to healthy skin and vision. Context and purpose of this study: to investigate for the first time the cultivation of rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum) in the Ararat Valley of Armenia in both hydroponic and soil conditions. The research focuses on identifying the optimal growth period to maximize key quality indicators of rhubarb stalks and juice for food and medicinal applications: Brix value, juice density, total titratable acidity, and vitamin C content. Results: Hydroponic cultivation significantly (by three folds) increased the fresh weight of rhubarb petioles (stalks) compared to soil plants. The maximum accumulation of vitamin C in hydroponic plants was observed at the beginning (June) and end (September) of the growing season (19.4 and 17.3 mg%) respectively. However, there was not a significant difference in vitamin C content during July and August (14.3 and 14.0 mg% respectively). Soil plants showed the highest accumulation of vitamin C in September (41.5 mg%), exceeding the values in June by 1.2 times and from July to August by 1.5 times. Total titratable acidity showed seasonal variations: the highest acidity (1.2 to 1.3-fold higher) of hydroponic rhubarb juice was observed in July compared to other months. Soil-grown rhubarb reached peak acidity at the beginning of the growing season (approximately 1.2 times higher than in other months). The Brixo value and juice density peaked in July for hydroponic rhubarb and in August for soil rhubarb. Conclusion: This study highlights the potential of hydroponics for maximizing rhubarb yield and potentially influencing the vitamin C content and acidity profile throughout the growing season in Armenia. The results of further research could be used to optimize nutrient composition and environmental parameters for even greater control over rhubarb quality for food and medicinal purposes. Keywords: Vitamin C, Total titratable acidity, Brixo, Juice density

Productivity of hybrid rice (Mestizo 27) under different water and nutrient management systems

This study examines the productivity of hybrid rice under different water and nutrient management systems. At Isabela State University, Cabagan, Isabela, we conducted a field experiment to determine the productivity of hybrid rice production under different water and nutrient management strategies. It was laid out in a split-plot design with four replications. Water management schemes as main plot consisted of alternate wetting and drying at -15 cm (A1), alternate wetting and drying at -20 cm (A2), field capacity (A3), and continuous flooding (A4), while nutrient management strategies as subplot consisted of recommended rate (B1), leaf color chart (B2), critical growth periods (B3), and rice crop management (B4). The Mestizo 27 subjected to nutrient management through the leaf color chart (B2) gained highest on the number of productive tillers, filled grains, biomass weight, and grain yield. Similarly, the interaction effect of field capacity and leaf color chart (A3xB2) resulted in numerous productive tillers, which increased the yield, net income, and return on investment. Moreover, water management through the field capacity (A3), continuous flooding (A4), and AWD-15 (A1) in combination with leaf color charts (B2) produced highest grain yield among treatments. Hence, the use of leaf color chart in combination with different water management schemes was seen as effective in increasing the yield of Mestizo 27 even beyond safe AWD-15.

Effects of Carbon-Based Modified Materials on Soil Water and Fertilizer Retention and Pollution Control in Rice Root Zone

To seek an appropriate stabilization and remediation scheme for cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) pollution in farmland, a typical polluted soil sample was selected from a mining area in Southwest China for a soil box simulation experiment. Biochar (BC), a modified type of biochar made from rice husk with different mass ratios of ferric chloride and rice husk, was set up (the mass ratio of ferric chloride to rice husk was 1:9 (defined as LFB), 3:7 (defined as MFB), and 5:5 (defined as HFB) and the control group (BL)) to explore the effects of soil water and fertilizer loss, the bioavailability of Cd and As, and the bioenrichment effects of plant organs during the growth period of rice. The results showed that the porous structure and large specific surface area of biochar effectively regulated soil aggregate composition and improved soil water holding capacity. Compared to the BL treatment, soil water storage under the four carbon-based material control modes increased from 8.98% to 14.52%. Biochar has a strong ion exchangeability and can absorb soil ammonium, nitrogen, and phosphoric acid groups, effectively inhibiting the loss of soil fertilizer. Biochar improves soil pH and reduces the specific gravity of exchangeable Cd. In addition, the oxygen-containing functional groups in biochar can react with metals in a complex manner. The diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) concentrations of Cd in soils treated with BC, LFB, MFB, and HFB were 79.69%, 72.92%, 64.58%, and 69.27% lower, respectively, than those treated with BL. In contrast, the Fe3+ in ferric chloride combines with As after hydrolysis and oxidation to form amorphous ferric arsenate precipitates or insoluble secondary minerals. Therefore, the curing effect of the modified biochar on As was more potent than that of applied biochar alone. In conclusion, ferric chloride-modified biochar can effectively inhibit the effects of water and fertilizer loss in farmland soil and realize cross-medium long-term inhibition and control of combined Cd and As pollution.

Moderate Drought Stress Interferes with the Physiological State and Promotes the Accumulation of Isoflavone in Reproductive Iris domestica Rhizomes

Drought stress is one of the main factors affecting the growth and secondary metabolism of plants. Iris domestica, rich in isoflavones, is a common herbal medicine in China. In this study, the effects of drought stress and rehydration on resistance physiological characteristics and the secondary metabolism of two-year-old I. domestica during the vegetative and reproductive growth period were investigated. The results showed that the dry weight and fresh weight of rhizomes and roots under severe drought stress were significantly decreased, while those under moderate drought stress were not significantly changed. Meanwhile, the SOD activities, POD activities, MDA content and Pro content increased to resist drought at D1 and D2. In the vegetative growth period, the changes in isoflavone concentration and the expression levels of genes in isoflavone synthesis were more dramatic. Isoflavone accumulation was promoted, to some extent, in the reproductive growth period under the D1 drought treatment. In the actual production process, different measures, namely short-term stress regulation in the vegetative growth period and moderate drought stress (13.44% &lt; soil water content ≤ 16.8%) in the reproductive growth period, need to be adopted to regulate isoflavone biosynthesis.

Influence of Colored Shade Nets and Media Types on the Development of Rhoeo discolor (Boat Lily)

Study was carried out Department of Floriculture and Landscaping, College of Agriculture, Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha during 2018-19. The experiment was designed to determine the optimal conditions for enhancing plant growth, focusing on the effects of different colored shade nets (green, white, red and black) with open light and various media mixture combinations (soil, coco peat, and FYM). Key growth parameters such as plant height, plant spread, leaf number, leaf area, chlorophyll content, and number of suckers were measured over a specified growth period. Results indicated that boat lily grown under red shade net and pots filled with soil, FYM and cocopeat media mixture in 1:1:1 (v/v) proportion performed best in all the characters. It has significantly enhanced plant height (22.11 cm), number of leaves per plant (15.89) and leaf area (110.42 cm2), plant spread in E-W direction (28.78 cm), plant spread in N-S direction (28.78 cm) and leaf thickness (1.32 mm).

Relationship between macro- and micronutrient intakes with undernutrition among toddlers aged 12-23 months in Aceh, Indonesia

Introduction: Foods consumed contain macro- and micronutrients necessary for the growth and development of children. This study aimed to analyse the relationship between macronutrient and micronutrient intakes with undernutrition in toddlers aged 12-23 months. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 18 Integrated Healthcare Centres (Posyandu) in Simpang Tiga, Aceh Besar Regency. A total of 138 toddlers were selected using simple random sampling technique. Data collected included family demographics, characteristics, nutritional status of children, and food consumption for macro- and micronutrient intake analyses. Results: Prevalence of malnutrition in toddlers was relatively high – severe underweight and underweight totaled 23.2%, severe wasting and wasting 18.1%, and severe stunting and stunting 27.5%. Significant associations (p&lt;0.05) were found between underweight and intakes of energy, protein, carbohydrates, fat, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, thiamin, and niacin. Wasting was significantly associated (p&lt;0.05) with intakes of energy, protein, and vitamin A. Stunting was significantly associated (p&lt;0.05) with intakes of energy, protein, carbohydrates, fat, calcium, phosphorus, iron, calcium, zinc, vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and vitamin C. Conclusion: Certain macro- and micronutrient intakes were correlated with undernutrition in toddlers. The results of this study can be used as a reference for planning the development of supplementary feeding programmes for children aged 12-23 months, considering that the critical period of child growth and development is in the first 1000 days of life.

Activity of anaerobic methane oxidation driven by different electron acceptors and the relative microbiome in paddy fields across various rice growth periods and soil layers

Activity of anaerobic methane oxidation driven by different electron acceptors and the relative microbiome in paddy fields across various rice growth periods and soil layers

Phosphorus speciation in coastal sediment of Osaka Bay: relation to anthropogenic phosphorus loading

Abstract This study assessed the effect of increased anthropogenic phosphorus (P) loading on P speciation in coastal sediments in Osaka Bay, an urbanized enclosed bay, and one of Japan’s most industrialized regions. The study analyzed Total P (TP) and determined the accumulations of five different P species Exchangeable P (Ex-P), Iron-bound P (Fe-P), Calcium-bound P (Ca-P), Detrital P (Det-P) and Organic P (Org-P)in the sediment using the sequential extraction method. We also estimated the historical P loading into Osaka Bay from major river catchments (the Yodo and Yamato Rivers) using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool. This study identified peak P loading values for the Yodo River in 1965 and the Yamato River in 1968, with the Yodo River being the primary anthropogenic source of P inflow for Osaka Bay. The concentration of TP ranges from 290.5 to 353.1 mg Kg−1 respectively, and the order of concentrations of the different P species is Org-P &gt; Det-P &gt; Ca-P &gt; Fe-P &gt; Ex-P. The results indicate a positive relationship between total P loading and Ca-P during the rapid growth period. We examined two potential mechanisms (adsorption-precipitation process and sink switching) for Ca-P formation and hypothesized that the adsorption-precipitation process is the dominant process, indicating that high anthropogenic P loading causes the accumulation of immobile Ca-P species in coastal sediments and serves as a permanent sink for P, as well as for water quality restoration. This result also suggests the possibility of reconstructing historical human-induced P loadings based on Ca-P in coastal sediments.

Investigation of the quality of rapeseed oil derived from different varieties and growth periods based on GC-IMS technique

Rapeseed oil is consumed worldwide, and its quality is closely related to the raw rapeseed material. In this work, the quality and flavor differences of rapeseed oil from twelve varieties with two growth periods were studied. The results showed that different varieties responded differently to changes in growth periods, with the GXY1 variety having the greatest combined effect. Shortening the growth period may reduce the moisture and protein content and increase the oil content of rapeseed. It may also enhance the oleic acid content and decrease the linoleic acid content. A total of 62 aroma compounds were identified by gas chromatography-ion migration spectrometry (GC-IMS), with aldehydes being the main flavor compounds. The flavor fingerprint of rapeseed oil derived from different varieties was effectively constructed. Seven key aroma compounds with relative odor activity value (ROAV) > 1 were identified, which significantly influenced the flavor of rapeseed oil. This work may provide new insights for selecting favorable rapeseed varieties for industrial production of high-quality rapeseed oil.

Uncovering the (Possible) Relationship between Central Bank Independence and Economic Growth in the Context of Monetary Unions

Abstract This work estimates the relationship between Central Bank Independence (CBI) and economic growth in the context of monetary unions, using dynamic panel models. We use two measures of CBI: the Legal CBI index and the irregular turnover rate. When an irregular turnover of the Central Bank Governor occurs, it harms growth for countries outside monetary unions. On the contrary, the Legal CBI index is a positive factor for growth, although only regarding countries belonging to monetary unions. The limitations on lending to the government is the most important component of the Legal CBI, which explains this result. Additionally, we analyse sub-samples taking into account the level of income, the number of crises, the existence of quantitative easing policies, and different time windows. Interestingly, 1990–2013 was a harmful period for growth for the entire sample but benign for countries that belong to monetary unions. Moreover, when countries are in a crisis they benefit from being a member of a monetary union with an independent central bank. Results seem to point to the conclusion that Legal CBI in a monetary union has the potential to increase economic growth rates. (JEL codes: C23, E58, and O43)

Physiological and Biochemical Analysis of Selenium-Enriched Rice

Selenium is an essential trace element in the human body. However, its intake is generally low. Therefore, the production and utilisation of selenium-enriched foods is currently a research hotspot. In this study, the effects of low (0.2 mg·kg−1), medium (1.0 mg·kg−1), and high (5.0 mg·kg−1) concentrations of selenium on the physiological and biochemical characteristics of rice were investigated to develop selenium-enriched rice. High concentrations of selenium have been found to inhibit the growth, physiology, and biochemistry of rice, while low concentrations of selenium promote its growth. The height of mature rice plants exposed to high concentrations of selenium was reduced by 7.20% compared with the height of control rice. Selenium decreased the proline content of rice during the growth period except in mature rice treated with medium and high concentrations of selenium. Excluding high concentrations, selenium treatment increased the soluble sugar content of rice from the tillering to the mature stages. The peroxidase activity of rice at the heading stage treated with medium levels of selenium was significantly higher than that of the control rice, while the superoxide dismutase activity of rice exposed to selenium was significantly enhanced at the mature stage. The malondialdehyde levels of mature rice treated with medium and high levels of selenium were significantly lower than those of the control rice. The selenium content of each plant part was significantly correlated with the soil selenium level. An increase in the soil selenium level facilitated the production of selenium-enriched rice.

Mechanized No-Tillage Planting with Maize Straw Mulching Improves Potato Yield and Water Use Efficiency in Arid Regions of Northwest China

To explore the yield-increasing mechanism of mechanized potato planting with corn straw mulching, a two-year (2021 and 2022) field experiment was conducted to study the effects of mechanized no-tillage with straw mulching on potato yield and water use efficiency. This experiment included mechanized no-tillage potato planting with corn straw mulch covering (JG), plastic film mulching (HM), and open flat planting (CK). The results showed that mechanical no-tillage with straw mulching significantly affected soil water content in the 0–100 cm soil layer, yield, and water use efficiency (p &lt; 0.05). There was no significant difference in yield between JG and HM, but it was significantly higher than that of CK. The yield of JG was 3.09~12.27% higher than that of CK. The yield increase was mainly achieved by increasing the potato weight per plant (0.697~0.862 **) and the average single potato weight (0.048~0.631). The tuber weight per plant was positively correlated with the plant height at the seedling stage (0.03~0.92 **) and positively correlated with the dry weight of stems and leaves at the tuber expansion stage and starch accumulation stage (0.74 **~0.95 **). It was negatively correlated with the number of branches at the tuber formation stage (−0.33~−0.88 **). Compared with CK, JG could significantly improve the water use efficiency of potatoes and reduce water consumption during the whole growth period of crops. In 2021, JG was 6.5% higher than CK, and HM was 6.88% lower than CK. In 2022, JG and HM increased water use efficiency by 26.17% and 14.50% compared with CK. When HM is applied in heavy soil areas, soil compaction can easily occur, which affects seedling emergence and reduces yield. At the same time, JG has strong adaptability to soil types and good yield stability. It can be seen that JG is a green and efficient mechanized potato cultivation technology suitable for dry farming areas.

National trends in musculoskeletal urgent care centers: Improved Medicaid access from 2019 to 2023.

Musculoskeletal urgent care centers (MUCCs) are an increasingly common alternative to emergency departments for patients with orthopedic injuries. As there is a lack of longitudinal data regarding MUCCs' impact on the emergency health care system, our study seeks to understand recent trends in MUCC growth and their acceptance of Medicaid insurance. Over the last 6 years, at 2-year intervals (2019, 2021, and 2023), we performed a search to identify all MUCCs in the United States. We determined the affiliation and Medicaid acceptance status of all MUCCs, including those that closed/opened between 2019, 2021, and 2023, to analyze trends in MUCC availability and Medicaid acceptance. In 2019, there were 558 MUCCs, which increased to 596 MUCCs in 2021 and then decreased to 555 MUCCs in 2023, representing a growth and then decline of approximately 7%. Overall, since June 2019, 90 MUCCs have opened and 95 MUCCs have closed. Medicaid acceptance increased nationally between 2019 and 2023, from 58% to 71%. Medicaid acceptance increased for both nonaffiliated and privately affiliated MUCCs. Medicaid acceptance has increased nationally from 2019 to 2023, while MUCC availability has gone through a period of growth and then reversion to 2019 levels. As MUCCs have demonstrated limited Medicaid acceptance previously, it is promising that Medicaid acceptance has improved and MUCCs are providing patients with an additional avenue to access orthopedic care.

Assessing cotton flooding disasters accompanied by high temperatures: A case study in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China

Due to climate change, flooding disasters accompanied by high temperatures (FL-HT) are becoming increasingly common during cotton growing seasons, severely restricting cotton production. However, the characteristics and impacts of cotton FL-HT have rarely been investigated at the regional scale. In this work, based on existing field FL-HT research, we employed daily air temperatures and an agrometeorological indicator called the standardized antecedent precipitation evapotranspiration index to establish a novel approach to characterize FL-HT events during different cotton growth stages in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River (MLRYR) during 1961–2020. Additionally, the influence of accompanying high temperatures (AHT) on the yield-reducing effect of cotton flooding was examined. The results demonstrated that more than half of the cotton FL-HT events were submonthly events, which were efficiently captured by our approach. Over the past six decades, the temporal trends of the cotton FL-HT frequency, the AHT intensity, and the conversion rate (from flooding to FL-HT) were upward at 83.0 % of the sites within the MLRYR, and up to 36 sites exhibited significant (p<0.05) increasing trends. In the most recent decade (the 2010s), the historic highs of the indicators were detected, as demonstrated by the most frequent FL-HT events (780 counts), the most intensive AHT, and the highest conversion rate (20.9 %). During the flowering and boll-filling stage, all the indicators were much greater than those during the other stages; the conversion rate reached 42.2 %, and the FL-HT frequency accounted for 63.0 % of the total FL-HT frequency over the whole growth period. Spatially, 43 % of cotton FL-HT events occurred in the southeastern MLRYR, which was identified as the region most affected by cotton FL-HT. The gravity centers of the cotton FL-HT indicators in different decades exhibited a northward-moving trend. Finally, according to the correlations between flooding intensity and cotton climatic yield, the yield-reducing effect of flooding was much stronger in the years with greater AHT (6 districts had significant correlations) than in the years with less AHT (only 2 districts had significant correlations), verifying the strengthening effect of AHT in cotton in response to flooding. In summary, this work provides new insights into monitoring cotton flooding-HT disasters and reducing flooding risk under climate change.

A detailed simulation study on radionuclide dispersion under spent fuel road transportation conditions: Effects of vessel type and coniferous vegetation growth

Vegetation barriers are an important environmental characteristic of spent fuel road transportation accidents. Spent fuel vessels may be affected by force majeure factors during transportation, which leads to damage to spent fuel assemblies and containers and can cause radionuclides to gradually release from assemblies to vessels to the external environment. In this work, considering the growth periods of coniferous vegetation barriers and vessel type, a radionuclide dispersion model based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was established by adding a decay term and a pressure loss term. The simulations showed that, first, compared to the small (Type-II) vessel, the effects of fluid flow around the large vessel (Type-I) have a more significant impact on radionuclide dispersion. The backflow around the Type-I vessel causes leaked radionuclides to disperse towards the vessel, and the larger the vessel is, the more significant the rise of the leaked radionuclide plume tail will be due to the increased negative pressure gradient area. Moreover, the area contaminated exceeding the maximum allowable concentration by radioactivity for the Type-I vessel is reduced gradually with the growth of coniferous vegetation barriers due to the weakening of the backflow effect by growing vegetation. Second, compared to vegetation barriers of 15 years and 23 years, the horizontal distance exceeding the maximum allowable concentration of the leaked 131I dispersion from Type II vessels near vegetation barriers for 12 years is the longest. The older the vegetation barrier is, the shorter the horizontal dispersion range, and the shape of radionuclide dispersion gradually transforms from flat to semicircular with vegetation barrier growth, but this could cause a greater radioactive accumulation effect near the leakage point, and the maximum concentration of leaked 131I reached 0.54 kBq·m−3 for leaked radionuclides from the Type II vessel under vegetation barriers of 23 years. In addition, improvement suggestions based on the proposed method are presented, which will enable the Standards Institutes to apply the research methodologies described herein across various scenarios. Environmental ImplicationCompared to nonradioative pollutants, radioactive pollutants are intercepted by vegetation barriers and then migrate to the soil through leaves, stems, and roots, which can contaminate the surrounding environment. Considering the effects of vessel type and coniferous vegetation growth, a radionuclide dispersion model based on CFD was established. Suggestions for decontaminating radioactive pollution areas have been proposed based on the simulation results of hypothetical scenarios. The scenario applicability improvements based on the proposed model could assist relevant Standards Institutes to making improving measures.

Mitigation of thallium threat in paddy soil and rice plant by application of functional biochar

Thallium (Tl) is a highly toxic metal, and its contamination in soils entails high risks to human health via food chain. It remains largely unknown of the effects of applying biochar on Tl uptake in paddy systems despite that few studies have shown that biochar exhibits great potential for decreasing Tl bioavailability in soils. Herein, we examined the mitigating effects of the application of biochar (5 and 20 g/kg pristine biochar; 5 and 20 g/kg Fe/Mn-modified biochar) on Tl uptake in paddy soil and rice plant after an entire rice growth period. The results suggested that the application of Fe/Mn-modified biochar (FMBC) considerably mitigated the accumulation of Tl in different tissues of rice plants. Specifically, total Tl content in rice plants treated with FMBC-20 decreased by over 75% compared with control experiment. In addition, the amendment of FMBC in Tl-rich paddy soils can enhance the communities of microorganisms (Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria). Further analysis of the soil microbial symbiosis network revealed that FMBC promotes the living microorganisms to play modular synergistic interactions, which is crucial for FMBC-induced Tl stabilization in soils. All these findings indicated that FMBC is an efficient and environmentally friendly Tl-immobilization alternative material and can be potentially used in the remediation of Tl-contaminated paddy soils and/or cropland.

An integrated approach to obtain high-precision regional root water uptake maps

Root water uptake (RWU) is exceptionally difficult to determine in situ due to its unique nature of occurring underground. Accurately characterizing the spatial–temporal characteristics of RWU at a regional scale remains a significant challenge, and high-precision regional-scale RWU maps have not yet been reported. In this study, we develop a novel approach that integrates the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform, mathematical models, and machine learning algorithms to generate high-precision regional maps of maize RWU in China’s primary maize production area. The GEE platform was used to extract essential parameters such as soil properties, leaf area index, and growth period. These variables, along with meteorological data from 122 agricultural meteorological stations, were used to calculate RWU at a point scale using the Hydrus-1D and AquaCrop models. Finally, we utilized Hydrus-calculated point-scale RWU fluxes, along with 31 covariates extracted from the GEE platform, in conjunction with the CatBoost algorithm to develop a machine-learning model for estimating regional-scale RWU. The accuracy of the developed machine-learning model was validated using statistical measures, such asa mean absolute error (0.0299 cm d−1), a root mean squared error (0.0398 cm d−1), and the correlation coefficient (0.9178). The model was then applied to generate high-precision (500 m × 500 m) regional-scale RWU maps from 2015 to 2019. Additionally, our analysis identified several parameters, including TempDew (i.e., 2-m dewpoint temperature), SurfaceSM (i.e., top layer soil moisture), TempMax (i.e., max 2-m air temperature), and Latitude, as key factors influencing regional-scale RWU. This approach provides a robust strategy for accurately generating regional-scale RWU maps, even with limited data. Furthermore, it can be extended to obtain other regional indices, offering valuable insights for various real-world applications.

The MADS-box transcription factor GmFULc promotes GmZTL4 gene transcription to modulate maturity in soybean.

Flowering time and maturity are crucial agronomic traits that affect the regional adaptability of soybean plants. The development of soybean cultivars with early maturity adapted to longer days and colder climates of high latitudes is very important for ensuring normal ripening before frost begins. FUL belongs to the MADS-box transcription factor family and has several duplicated members in soybeans. In this study, we observed that overexpression of GmFULc in the Dongnong 50 cultivar promoted soybean maturity, while GmFULc knockout mutants exhibited late maturity. Chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) revealed that GmFULc could bind to the CArG, bHLH and homeobox motifs. Further investigation revealed that GmFULc could directly bind to the CArG motif in the promoters of the GmZTL3 and GmZTL4 genes. Overexpression of GmZTL4 promoted soybean maturity, whereas the ztl4 mutants exhibited delayed maturity. Moreover, we found that the cis element box 4 motif of the GmZTL4 promoter, a motif of light response elements, played an important role in controlling the growth period. Deletion of this motif shortened the growth period by increasing the expression levels of GmZTL4. Functional investigations revealed that short-day treatment promoted the binding of GmFULc to the promoter of GmZTL4 and inhibited the expression of E1 and E1Lb, ultimately resulting in the promotion of flowering and early maturation. Taken together, these findings suggest a novel photoperiod regulatory pathway in which GmFULc directly activates GmZTL4 to promote earlier maturity in soybean.