Growth Period Research Articles

Company Valuation for 4PACT

4PACT, which was established in 2021, is an innovative startup operating in both the Food & beverage industry and the waste management industry. Its main objective is to address Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number 12 by offering edible cutlery as a solution to reduce plastic waste and provide a distinctive value proposition to customers. At present, 4PACT has successfully developed and marketed edible straws as its initial product line, targeting primarily sustainable-minded cafes in the B2B market. These straws are manufactured primarily from rice flour and tapioca flour, resulting in fully biodegradable and consumable straws available in a variety of colors and sizes. The company has already established partnerships with several B2B clients, yielding positive net profits. However, 4PACT has encountered a period of stagnant growth. Consequently, this research endeavor aims to analyze the challenges faced by the company, propose viable solutions, and formulate a strategic plan to achieve optimal outcomes. This study will employ a quantitative methodology, leveraging internal company data, and employing the discounted cash flow method.

Changes in self-reported cannabis use in the United States from 1979 to 2022.

Multiple countries are considering revising cannabis policies. This study aimed to measure long-term trends in cannabis use in the United States and compare them with alcohol use. Secondary analysis of United States general population survey data. The national surveys had a total of 1 641 041 participants across 27 surveys from 1979 to 2022. Rates of use reported to the US National Survey on Drug Use and Health and its predecessors are described, as are trends in days of use reported. Four milepost years are contrasted: 1979 (first available data and end of relatively liberal policies of the 1970s), 1992 (end of 12 years of conservative Reagan-Bush era policies), 2008 (last year before the Justice Department signaled explicit federal non-interference with state-level legalizations) and 2022 (most recent data available). Reported cannabis use declined to a nadir in 1992, with partial recovery through 2008, and substantial increases since then, particularly for measures of more intensive use. Between 2008 and 2022, the per capita rate of reporting past-year use increased by 120%, and days of use reported per capita increased by 218% (in absolute terms from the annual equivalent of 2.3 to 8.1 billion days per year). From 1992 to 2022, there was a 15-fold increase in the per capita rate of reporting daily or near daily use. Whereas the 1992 survey recorded 10 times as many daily or near daily alcohol as cannabis users (8.9 vs. 0.9 M), the 2022 survey, for the first time, recorded more daily and near daily users of cannabis than alcohol (17.7 vs. 14.7 M). Far more people drink, but high-frequency drinking is less common. In 2022, the median drinker reported drinking on 4-5days in the past month, versus 15-16 days in the past month for cannabis. In 2022, past-month cannabis consumers were almost four times as likely to report daily or near daily use (42.3% vs. 10.9%) and 7.4 times more likely to report daily use (28.2% vs. 3.8%). Long-term trends in cannabis use in the United States parallel corresponding changes in cannabis policy, with declines during periods of greater restriction and growth during periods of policy liberalization. A growing share of cannabis consumers report daily or near daily use, and their numbers now exceed the number of daily and near daily drinkers.

Precision or Personalized Nutrition: A Bibliometric Analysis.

Food systems face the challenge of maintaining adequate nutrition for all populations. Inter-individual responses to the same diet have made precision or personalized nutrition (PN) an emerging and relevant topic. The aim of this study is to analyze the evolution of the PN field, identifying the principal actors and topics, and providing a comprehensive overview. Therefore, a bibliometric analysis of the scientific research available through the Web of Science (WOS) database was performed, revealing 2148 relevant papers up to June 2024. VOSviewer and the WOS platform were employed for the processing and analysis, and included an evaluation of diverse data such as country, author or most frequent keywords, among others. The analysis revealed a period of exponential growth from 2015 to 2023, with the USA, Spain, and England as the top contributors. The field of "Nutrition and Dietetics" is particularly significant, comprising nearly 33% of the total publications. The most highly cited institutions are the universities of Tufts, College Dublin, and Navarra. The relationship between nutrition, genetics, and omics sciences, along with dietary intervention studies, has been a defining factor in the evolution of PN. In conclusion, PN represents a promising field of research with significant potential for further advancement and growth.

Electrochemical and corrosion behavior of steel rebars in concrete exposed to industrial SO2 and CO2 environment

Investigation into the corrosion mechanism of steel rebars in concrete under the combined influence of SO2 and CO2 is crucial for addressing the corrosion issues in reinforced concrete structures exposed to industrial environments. This study investigated the electrochemical and corrosion behavior of steel rebars in concrete under the combined influence of SO2 and CO2 using electrochemical methods, pH and SO42- concentration tests at the concrete/steel matrix interface, and surface analysis. During the corrosion process, a competitive chemical reaction between SO2 and CO2 occurs. The electrical resistance (Rc) of the concrete cover layer undergoes initial rapid growth, followed by slower increments, and then another period of rapid growth before eventually stabilizing. However, Rc sharply decreases over time, corrosion-induced damage in the concrete cover layer. CO2 diffuses to the vicinity of the rebar before SO2, inducing rebar depassivation. As rust severity increases, significant changes in the rust products are observed, with Fe(III) compounds transforming into Fe(II) compounds, and FeSO4·4H2O and FeSO4·7 H2O are prevalent in the rust products. Furthermore, the formation of ferrous sulfate compounds can lead to local acidification, thereby accelerating the corrosion rate, and hastening the aging and deterioration of the structure, posing a serious threat to the safety of the building structure.

Relative bioavailability of L-methionine and DL-methionine in growing broilers

Two separate studies were conducted in growing broiler chickens to examine the relative bioavailability (RBA) of L-smethionine (L-Met) vs. DL-methionine (DL-Met) in the starter (0-10 d, Experiment 1) and grower (11-24 d, Experiment 2) periods. In each experiment, 540 male Arian broilers were weighed and randomly allocated to nine dietary treatments in a completely randomized design with 6 replicates: basal diet (BD) with no methionine (Met) supplementation and eight diets supplemented with incremental levels (0.8, 1.6, 2.4, and 3.2 g/kg) of DL-methionine (DL-Met) or L-methionine (L-Met). Supplementation of the BD with either DL-Met or L-Met improved growth performance (P < 0.05), breast percentage (P < 0.05), and antioxidant status (P < 0.05) of broilers in both experiments. Orthogonal contrasts showed that L-Met supplementation compared to DL-Met (specifically at levels 0.8 and 1.6 g/kg) improved average daily gain (ADG, P < 0.05), average daily feed intake (ADFI, P < 0.01), and feed to gain ratio (F:G, P < 0.01) in the starter phase. In the grower phase, L-Met supplementation (specifically at levels 0.8 and 1.6 g/kg) only improved F:G (P < 0.05) compared to DL-Met, with no significant differences in the other performance parameters. Nonlinear regression analysis showed that RBA of L-Met based on carcass percentage was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that of DL-Met in the starter phase. Based on the findings of this study, it seems that using L-Met compared to DL-Met may improve the feed efficiency and carcass percentage of young growing broiler chickens.

Biomecânica e Traumatologia do Skateboarding

Skateboarding emerged in the 1940s-50s and, after irregular periods of growth, it’s now a sport ranging from recreational to professional, competitive, and lucrative. The imitation of professionals by amateurs increases the risk of injuries, especially considering the sport’s aim – performing jumps and stunts on a fast-moving board without a mechanical braking system. Most practitioners are male, with teenagers and young adults having the highest proportion of this sport-related injuries. Common injuries include fractures, sprains, and lacerations, predominantly in the upper limbs. Traumatic brain and cervical injuries are also significant, often resulting in severe consequences. Many injuries occur on public roads, compounded by the lack of proper protective gear among practitioners. It’s imperative to create more dedicated spaces for the sport and provide education and training for amateur athletes to reduce the likelihood and severity of injuries.

Dynamics of gas exchange and heart rate signal entropy in standard cardiopulmonary exercise testing during critical periods of growth and development.

Standard cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) produces a rich dataset but its current analysis is often limited to a few derived variables such as maximal or peak oxygen uptake (V̇O2). We tested whether breath-by-breath CPET data could be used to determine sample entropy (SampEn) in 81 healthy children and adolescents (age 7-18 years old, equal sex distribution). To overcome challenges of the relatively small time-series CPET data size and its nonstationarity, we developed a Python algorithm for short-duration physiological signals. Comparing pre- and post-ventilatory threshold (VT1) CPET phases, we found: (1) SampEn decreased by 9.46% for V̇O2 and 5.01% for V̇CO2 (p < 0.05), in the younger, early-pubertal participants; and (2) HR SampEn fell substantially by 70.8% in the younger and 77.5% in the older participants (p < 0.001). Across all ages, females exhibited greater HR SampEn than males during both pre- and post VT1 CPET phases by 14.10% and 23.79%, respectively, p < 0.01. In females, late-pubertal had 17.6% lower HR SampEn compared to early-pubertal participants (p < 0.05). Breath-by-breath gas exchange and HR data from CPET are amenable to SampEn analysis that leads to novel insight into physiological responses to work intensity, and sex and maturational effects.

Transcriptome analysis and characteristics of drought resistance related genes in four varieties of foxtail millet [Setaria italica]

Foxtail millet [Setaria italica] plays a crucial role as a multigrain crop in agricultural production. However, due to future extreme weather conditions, drought remains the main abiotic stress that limits foxtail millet yield, it is highly significant to screen for drought-tolerant varieties throughout the entire growth period and identify the regulatory genes associated with drought resistance in foxtail millet breeding. We identified 217 foxtail millet seed resources for drought resistance during the maturity stage in the field, and subsequently categorized them into different levels of drought resistance. Two cultivars with extremely strong drought resistance during the maturity stage in the field, JKH4 (Chi 5422) and JKH6 (Chigu 26), as well as two cultivars with extremely weak drought resistance during the maturity stage in the field, JRK3 (17M1309) and JRK6 (Canggu 9), were selected for physiological comparison and transcriptome sequencing before and after drought treatment. Transcriptome analysis at the seedling stage revealed that JRK3 and JRK6 cultivar primarily regulated phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, MAPK signaling pathogen-plant, and plant hormone signal transduction pathway in response to drought stress. On the other hand, the fatty acid elongation pathway of JKH4 and JKH6 variety was found to be more significant. Furthermore, 22 drought resistance related genes were screened through transcriptome analysis of four foxtail millet varieties. These findings could offer valuable theoretical guidance for breeding foxtail millet with enhanced drought resistance and potentially facilitate the development of genetically engineered drought-resistant foxtail millet varieties.

Winter Targeted Observing Periods during the Year of Polar Prediction in the Southern Hemisphere (YOPP-SH)

Abstract The Year of Polar Prediction in the Southern Hemisphere (YOPP-SH) held seven targeted observing periods (TOPs) during the 2022 austral winter to enhance atmospheric predictability over the Southern Ocean and Antarctica. The TOPs of 5–10-day duration each featured the release of additional radiosonde balloons, more than doubling the routine sounding program at the 24 participating stations run by 14 nations, together with process-oriented observations at selected sites. These extra sounding data are evaluated for their impact on forecast skill via data denial experiments with the goal of refining the observing system to improve numerical weather prediction for winter conditions. Extensive observations focusing on clouds and precipitation primarily during atmospheric river (AR) events are being applied to refine model microphysical parameterizations for the ubiquitous mixed-phase clouds that frequently impact coastal Antarctica. Process studies are being facilitated by high-time-resolution series of observations and forecast model output via the YOPP Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project (YOPPsiteMIIP). Parallel investigations are broadening the scope and impact of the YOPP-SH winter TOPs. Studies of the Antarctic tourist industry’s use of weather services show the scope for much greater awareness of the availability of forecast products and the skill they exhibit. The Sea Ice Prediction Network South (SIPN South) analysis of predictions of the sea ice growth period reveals that the forecast skill is superior to the sea ice retreat phase.

Straw return under deep tillage increases grain yield in the rice-rotated wheat cropping system

ContextStraw return under rotary tillage has been used for two decades in the rice-rotated wheat cropping system in the lower Yangtze region of China, but it has become prone to reduce wheat emergence and yield in recent years, and alternative tillage methods are required to ensure the high wheat yields. AimsTo determine whether straw return under deep tillage can improve wheat yield and under what mechanisms. We hypothesize that straw return under deep tillage can increase wheat seedling number by reducing rice stubble and straw coverage, and expand the nutrient pool and root system of the plow soil profile to keep post-anthesis viability for increasing wheat yield. MethodsA field study was conducted during two consecutive years and included four treatments: rotary tillage after straw removal (RT); rotary tillage after straw return (RTS); shallow rotary tillage followed by straw mulch (STS) and deep tillage after straw return (DTS). Wheat seedling number, yield, aboveground nutrient uptake, growth period, root characteristics, and soil nutrients were measured. ResultsCompared to RT, seedling number under RTS and STS decreased by 8.3 % and 13.4 %, respectively, while DTS increased by 14.7 %. Wheat yield under RTS and STS decreased by 3.0 % and 7.3 %, respectively, while DTS increased by 8.2 %. The reduction in seedling number under RTS and STS would be partially offset in wheat yield by an increase in effective tiller number per plant and grain weight. Consequently, the variation in wheat yield among treatments was less than the variation in seedling number. Aboveground N and P accumulation in wheat under DTS were higher than the other treatments. Among four treatments, DTS had the highest root distribution and soil N and P contents in the middle and deep soil layers, thus prolonged grain filling duration. Wheat nutrient uptake at maturity and yield were significantly correlated with root weight density and root length density in both middle and deep soil layers. ConclusionsStraw return under deep tillage can increase nutrient supply capacity and root distribution in deep soil while ensuring wheat emergence, enabling better filling of post-anthesis wheat and yield. It is therefore an effective alternative tillage method suitable for the rice-rotated wheat cropping system.

Unde venis? Bacterial resistance from environmental reservoirs to lettuce: tracking microbiome and resistome over a growth period.

Fresh produce is suggested to contribute highly to shaping the gut resistome. We investigated the impact of pig manure and irrigation water quality on microbiome and resistome of field-grown lettuce over an entire growth period. Lettuce was grown under four regimes, combining soil amendment with manure (with/without) with sprinkler irrigation using river water with an upstream wastewater input, disinfected by UV (with/without). Lettuce leaves, soil, and water samples were collected weekly and analysed by bacterial cultivation, 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, and shotgun metagenomics from total community DNA. Cultivation yielded only few clinically relevant antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB), but numbers of ARB on lettuce increased over time, while no treatment-dependent changes were observed. Microbiome analysis confirmed a temporal trend. Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) unique to lettuce and water included multidrug and β-lactam ARGs, whereas lettuce and soil uniquely shared mainly glycopeptide and tetracycline ARGs. Surface water carried clinically relevant ARB (e.g. ESBL-producing Escherichia coli or Serratia fonticola) without affecting the overall lettuce resistome significantly. Resistance markers including biocide and metal resistance were increased in lettuce grown with manure, especially young lettuce (increased soil contact). Overall, while all investigated environments had their share as sources of the lettuce resistome, manure was the main source especially on young plants. We therefore suggest minimizing soil-vegetable contact to minimize resistance markers on fresh produce.

Efecto de la densidad de población y temperatura en dos periodos de crecimiento de juveniles de chita &lt;i&gt;Anisotremus scapularis&lt;/i&gt; (Perciformes: Haemulidae) en sistemas de recirculación en acuicultura

Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) are being used to maintain the development stages of the Peruvian grunt Anisotremus scapularis. In this sense, the stocking density and temperature factors were evaluated in two growth periods, as well as their influence on the growth, feeding, survival and well-being of the juveniles, to use the maximum potential of the RAS. Three stocking density (low D1, medium D2 and high D3) and two temperatures (20 ± 1 °C and 24 ± 1 °C) were tested. The experiment was carried out in two periods (6 and 28 g). In each of the treatments, specific growth rate (SGR), thermal growth coefficient (TGC), coefficient of variation (CV), feed conversion rate (FCR), feeding rate (FR), condition factor (K) and survival were calculated. The treatment with the best results in the first period was the density D3 and the temperature of 24 ºC, reaching a final density of 15.6 kg.m-3, SGR: 2% día-1, TGC: 0.5, CV: 15.4%, FCR: 1.2, FR: 2.8% and K: 2. In the second period, the best treatment was the density D3 and the temperature of 20 ºC, reaching a final density of 11.4 kg.m-3, SGR: 1.5% día-1, TGC: 0.2, CV: 15.2, FCR: 2.3, FR: 2.8% and K: 2.3. Survival for all treatments was 100% in both periods. Therefore, the best performance in terms of growth, feeding and well-being of juvenile Peruvian grunt in the two periods of development was obtained at the highest densities (5.3 and 5 kg.m-3) and at a temperature of 24 °C in 6 g juveniles and 20 °C in 28 g juveniles under laboratory conditions.

Characterization of muscle growth and sarcomere branching in the striated musculature of C. elegans.

Striated muscles are essential for locomotion and survival. Their function and structure are highly conserved across taxa. Muscles are highly plastic. Muscle growth can occur through several distinct processes including developmental, allometric, and hypertrophic growth. Additionally, pathological conditions like Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) can lead to abnormal muscle growth. While human muscle studies have revealed complex structural adaptations such as sarcomere branching, these processes remain less explored in model organisms like Caenorhabditis elegans. In this study, we present an anatomical characterization of muscle growth in C. elegans under various conditions that parallel those in mammalian systems. We examined developmental, allometric, and hypertrophic growth, as well as muscle atrophy in a DMD model, dys-1(eg33). We find that C. elegans muscles undergo growth patterns similar to those observed in mammals, with region-specific increases in myocyte size, sarcomere number, and band widths under different conditions. Moreover, we report for the first time the presence of sarcomere branching and splitting in C. elegans muscles, phenomena previously described only in vertebrates and Drosophila. We further report that sarcomere branching is modulated by environmental conditions and pathological states, with increased branching in worms raised swimming and reduced branching in dystrophic muscles. These findings provide new insights into the mechanisms of muscle adaptation and highlight the potential of C. elegans as a model for studying muscle pathologies like DMD, particularly during periods of rapid growth.

Controls on the Barium and Strontium Isotopic Records of Water Chemistry Preserved in Freshwater Bivalve Shells.

Biogenic carbonates, including bivalve shells, record past environmental conditions, but their interpretation requires understanding environmental and biological factors that affect trace metal uptake. We examined stable barium (δ138Ba) and radiogenic strontium (87Sr/86Sr) isotope ratios in the aragonite shells of four native freshwater mussel species and two invasive species in five streams and assessed the effects of species identity, growth rate, and river water chemistry on shell isotopic composition. Shells were robust proxies for Sr, accurately reflecting 87Sr/86Sr ratios of river water, regardless of species or growth rate. In contrast, shell δ138Ba values, apart from invasive Corbicula fluminea, departed widely from those of river water and varied according to species and growth rate. Apparent fractionation between river water and the shell (Δ138Bashell-water) reached -0.86‰, the greatest offset observed for carbonate minerals. The shell deposited during slow growth periods was more enriched in lighter Ba isotopes than the rapidly deposited shell; thus, this phenomenon cannot be explained by aragonite precipitation kinetics. Instead, biological ion transport processes linked to growth rate may be largely responsible for Ba isotope variation. Our results provide information necessary to interpret water chemistry records preserved in shells and provide insights into biomineralization processes and bivalve biochemistry.

The photodegradation of carbamazepine and theophylline in the presence of EOM: The effect of growth period and molecular weight

This study confirmed the discrepancy of growth period and molecular weight (MW) of extracellular organic matter (EOM) on the photodegradation of carbamazepine (CBZ) and theophylline (TF). Comparing to high MW EOM (100 kDa), low MW components (<100 kDa) acted as stronger competitors to photons and free radicals, which restrained the photodegradation of CBZ and TF. 3EOM* played an important role in the degradation of CBZ and TF. Lignin was considered as a new precursor of 3EOM*, which was highly depended on the MW of EOM. The high MW 3EOM* was derived from the CHON compound, while the low MW 3EOM* was derived from the CHONS compound. The results demonstrated that the discrepancy of EOM properties in algae growth period might play a non-negligible influence in the migration and transformation of CECs in the true natural water system.

Modeling of cotton yield responses to different irrigation strategies in Southern Xinjiang Region,China

Southern Xinjiang region represents a prototypical oasis agricultural area, and cotton is the primary cash crop. The current cotton water productivity for this area remains room for improvement. In order to refine cotton drip irrigation strategy in Southern Xinjiang, this study combined field experiment with crop model simulation and prediction. In this experiment, two irrigation methods, furrow irrigation and drip irrigation, and different degrees of deficit irrigation were set up. The impacts of soil moisture on cotton yield and quality were assessed, with the additional utilization of the Root Zone Water Quality Model (RZWQM2) for simulating irrigation scenarios and predicting cotton yield field data showed that during the 2021–2022 growing season, drip irrigation significantly increased boll weight, yield, and Water Productivity compared to furrow irrigation. The deficit irrigation with 90 % of full irrigation during the flowering period resulted in the highest yield among all drip irrigation treatments, while simultaneously improving the fiber quality. The RZWQM2 model was calibrated and validated using 2021 and 2022 cotton field experimental data, respectively. The calibrated and verified RZWQM2 model shows good performance. In terms of soil water storage, cotton yield and evapotranspiration. The simulated value output by the model is close to the measured value in the field. Model prediction data suggest that there is still room for improvement in cotton yield, accompanied by an increase in evapotranspiration. But deficit irrigation below 80 % of the full irrigation quotas poses a notable risk of yield reduction. Targeting higher yields, the predicted scenario suggests an increase in water application (irrigation quota:314.8 mm). Additionally, this study proposes irrigation regimes with water savings of 10 % and 20 %, with irrigation quotas of 290.5 mm and 266.5 mm during the growth period, respectively. Based on this study, we provide a more detailed and reliable water-saving scheme for cotton drip irrigation in southern Xinjiang region.

Nutrition, Other Environmental Influences, and Genetics in the Determination of Human Stature.

Linear growth during three distinct stages of life determines attained stature in adulthood: namely, in utero, early postnatal life, and puberty and the adolescent period. Individual host factors, genetics, and the environment, including nutrition, influence attained human stature. Each period of physical growth has its specific biological and environmental considerations. Recent epidemiologic investigations reveal a strong influence of prenatal factors on linear size at birth that in turn influence the postnatal growth trajectory. Although average population height changes have been documented in high-income regions, stature as a complex human trait is not well understood or easily modified. This review summarizes the biology of linear growth and its major drivers including nutrition from a life-course perspective, the genetics of programmed growth patterns or height, and gene-environment interactions that determine human stature in toto over the life span. Implications for public health interventions and knowledge gaps are discussed.

A Study on Factors Influencing Digital Reading Behavior of Junior High School Students

Abstract The present study aimed to explore the impact pathway of digital reading willingness and behavior among junior high school students in Guangxi’s developed urban areas, so as to improve the digital reading quality of teenagers. This study took students from key junior high schools in Nanning, Guilin, and Liuzhou as the research subjects. The UTAUT model retained three factors, performance expectation, effort expectation, and social impact, while introducing two variables, perceived risk and immersive experience, to jointly develop a factor model for the digital reading behavior of junior high school students in Guangxi. After conducting a questionnaire survey using an “online + offline” method, 497 valid questionnaires were obtained. SPSS 23 was used to perform reliability and validity analysis and descriptive statistical analysis, while AMOS 26.0 was used to conduct discriminant validity analysis, model adaptation analysis, hypothesis testing, and path analysis. The research conclusion was that performance expectations, effort expectations, social impact, and immersive experience all had a positive and significant impact on the digital reading willingness of junior high school students; performance expectations, effort expectations, social impact, and immersive experience positively influenced their digital reading behavior through their digital reading willingness, while perceived risk was found to have no significant impact on digital reading willingness and corresponding behavior. This article used a composite research method to study a sample of student groups in specific regions. It was an early introduction of immersive experience and perceived risk indicators in the study of digital reading behavior, specifically exploring the digital reading patterns of junior high school students who had received less attention in previous studies but were in a critical period of growth.

Rational reduction of planting density and enhancement of NUE were effective methods to mitigate maize yield loss due to excessive rainfall

The impact of excessive rainfall or waterlogging on maize growth and yield have been widely studied, but the effects of planting density and N management under waterlogging remain unknown. We observed the changes in maize yield caused by excessive rainfall via a short-term experiment (2017 to present) in Changchun (125°14.231′–125°14.914′ E, 43°56.603′–43°57.274′ N), China. The experiment was conducted at four planting densities (45,000, 60,000, 75,000 and 90,000 plants/ha) and three nitrogen (N) rates (120, 180, and 240 kg/ha). The objective was to explore the effect of excessive precipitation on maize yield through changes in maize growing conditions, and the uptake, allocation, and utilization of N under different planting densities and N rates from 2019 to 2022. The precipitation during the whole growth period of maize in 2019 (542.9 mm) and 2020 (560.0 mm) was normal, while it was excessive in 2021 (829.10 mm) and 2022 (953.56 mm), especially during the vegetative stage from V12 to VT (355.60–482.10 mm). Excessive rainfall negatively affected the growth, photosynthetic characteristics (Pn: −20.00 %, SPAD: −50.50 %), absorption (−56.86 %), distribution (−15.83 %), N utilization efficiency (NUE: −29.69 %), and grain yield (−44.67 %) of maize. Our results indicate that yield loss was minimized (−22.88 %) when the planting density was appropriately reduced (from 75,000 to 60,000 plants/ha) and the N rate was increased from 180 to 240 kg/ha. The effect of different waterlogging durations on yield exhibited a significantly negative linear relation (R2 > 0.80). This study revealed the physiological mechanism of the sustained effects of excessive rainfall on maize growth and yield. Waterlogging significantly affected the SPAD of maize (p < 0.01, R2 = 0.04), resulting in insufficient kernel N content (p < 0.001, R2 = 0.16) and decreased NUE (p < 0.001, R2 = 0.48). These factors significantly affected yield and exerted a significant negative correlation with planting density (p < 0.05). Our findings improved understanding of planting density and N management for growth and yield of maize under excessive rainfall conditions in mid-high latitude agriculture areas of the world.

Efektivitas Pencampuran Ekstrak Daun Kelor (Moringa Oleifera) yang Difermentasi Menggunakan Aspergillus Niger pada Pakan Buatan Terhadap Laju Pertumbuhan Ikan Nila (Oreochromis Niloticus)

Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) is a freshwater fish that is in great demand by the public because it has a thick meat texture and an affordable price. The problems faced in aquaculture activities are the high cost of feed and the length of cultivation time. Feed is a vital component in aquaculture activities, therefore feed efficiency is needed to minimize production costs. The addition of fermented moringa leaf extract in pellets is expected to accelerate the growth period. This study aims to determine the effect of the addition of fermented moringa leaf extract on tilapia growth rate. This study used a complete randomized design (CRD) method with 4 treatments, namely the addition of moringa leaf extract to pellets with concentrations of 0%, 25%, 30%, 35%. The treatment was carried out for 28 days. Parameters observed in this study were fish growth including fish length, fish weight, survival rate (SR), food conversion rate (FCR) and water quality in the form of temperature, pH and DO. The data were analyzed using anova and SPSS application. The results showed that the addition of fermented moringa leaf extract with concentrations of 0%, 25%, 30% and 35% in tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) feed for 28 days had a significant effect on tilapia growth.