Nutrient Elements Research Articles

Trace Element Analysis of Algerian Cuisine: Insights from Iron, Zinc, Cobalt, Chromium, and Rubidium Content Using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis Method

This work aims to assess for the first time in Algeria the concentration of five essential nutrient elements', namely: chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), iron (Fe), rabidium (Rb), and zinc (Zn), in a dozen commonly consumed Algerian food items chosen and ordered according to their Algerian cuisine availability: bread, flour, spaghetti, bean, lentils, tomatoes, zucchini, eggs, beef, Sardina pilchardus (sardine), Merlangius merlangus Linnaeus, 1758 (whiting), and Mullus barbatus (red mullet) fish. Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was used for this study due to its ability and high sensitivity to detect trace-level concentrations. Among these items, results showed that beef exhibits notably elevated levels of Cr (4.02 mg/kg) and Rb (9.41 mg/kg), whereas M. barbatus fish emerges as a significant source of Zn (268 mg/kg). Lentils have substantial Fe content (151 mg/kg), emphasizing their nutritional significance. Additionally, zucchini demonstrates considerable levels of both Cr (2.17 mg/kg) and Rb (6.38 mg/kg). These findings underscore the diverse elemental profiles of staple Algerian cuisine foods, delineating their potential dietary contributions and highlighting essential sources of these micronutrients.

Minerals and heavy metals profiling of Moroccan saffron (Crocus sativus L.): A comparative study across diverse agro-ecological areas

With growing consumer concern regarding food quality and composition. This study was performed to analyze the content of major inorganic nutrients, trace elements, potentially toxic elements and ash content in 48 saffron samples. These were collected from four distinct Moroccan regions: “Taliouine, Taznakht, Azilal, and Beni Mellal”. The analysis was done in accordance with the guidelines set by the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists (AOAC). The findings of this study reveal that essential nutrient elements such as magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, and sodium were present in important amounts. The average content of these macro-elements was found in the following order: K > P > Mg > Ca > Na, with mean concentrations of 16500±1119 mg/kg, 3290±220 mg/kg, 1430±97 mg/kg, 960±65 mg/kg, and 75±5 mg/kg, respectively. Significant differences among sampling sites as revealed by ANOVA and principal component analysis in selected samples. Furthermore, the levels of potentially harmful elements, including nickel, arsenic, lead, and cadmium, were found below the harmful limits. These results provide valuable scientific information that supports the optimal utilization of saffron, enriching the medicinal plant database. This research sheds light on the compositional, nutritional, and safety aspects of saffron, laying the groundwork for future research in this field.

Effective microorganism combinations improve the quality of compost-bedded pack products in heifer barns: exploring pack bacteria-fungi interaction mechanisms

BackgroundCompost-bedded pack barns (CBP) are getting huge attention as an alternative housing system for dairy cows due to their beneficial impact on animal welfare. Effective microorganisms (EM) inoculums are believed to enhance compost quality, improve soil structure and benefit the environment. However, little information is available on the impact of incubation with external EM combinations on the barn environment, compost quality and microbial diversity in CBP. This experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of inoculating different combinations of EM [Lactobacillus plantarum (L), Compound Bacillus (B) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S)] on compost quality and microbial communities of CBP products, as well as the relationship with the heifers’ barn environment. CBP barns were subjected to the following four treatments: CON with no EM inoculum, LB/LS/LBS were Incubated with weight ratios of 1:2 (L: B), 1:2 (L: S), 1:1:1 (L: B: S), respectively.ResultsThe EM inoculation (LB, LS, LBS) reduced the concentration of respirable particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) in the CBP, and decreased the serum total protein and total cholesterol levels in heifers. Notably, LBS achieved the highest content of high-density lipoprotein compared to other treatments. Microbiome results revealed that EM inoculation reduced the bacterial abundance (Chao1 index) and fungal diversity (Shannon & Simpson indexes), while increasing the relative abundance of various bacterial genera (Pseudomonas, Paracoccus, Aequorivita) and fungi (Pestalotiopsis), which are associated with cellulose decomposition that ultimately resulted in accelerating organic matter degradation and humification. Furthermore, high nutrient elements (TK&TP) and low mycotoxin content were obtained with EM inoculation, with LBS showing a particularly pronounced effect. Meanwhile, LBS contributed to a decline in the proportion of fungal pathogen categories but also led to an increase in fungal saprotroph categories.ConclusionGenerally, EM inoculation positively impacted compost product quality as organic fertilizer and barn environment by modifying the abundance of cellulolytic bacteria and fungi, while inhibiting the reproduction of pathogenic microbes, especially co-supplementing with L, B and S achieved an amplifying effect.

Co-Digestion and Mono-Digestion of Sewage Sludge and Steam-Pretreated Winter Wheat Straw in Continuous Stirred-Tank Reactors—Nutrient Composition and Process Performance

Wheat straw (WS) constitutes a considerable biomass resource and can be used to produce the energy carrier methane through anaerobic digestion. Due to the low contents of several nutrient elements and water in harvested WS, the use of sewage sludge (SS), consisting of primary sludge and waste-activated sludge, as a nutrient source in co-digestion with steam-pretreated wheat straw (PWS) was investigated theoretically and practically. WS was steam-pretreated, with acetic acid as the catalyst, at 190 °C for 10 min, ending with a rapid reduction in pressure. Process stability and specific methane production were studied for the mono-digestion and co-digestion of PWS and SS in continuous stirred-tank reactors for 208 days. The HRT was 22 days and the OLR 2.1 gVS L−1 d−1. In co-digestion, the OLR was increased to 2.8 gVS L−1 d−1 for one week. Nutrient elements were added to PWS mono-digestion at two different concentration levels. Co-digestion was stable, with a total concentration of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) at a safe level below 0.35 g L−1 at both OLRs. The higher OLR during co-digestion would require an increase in reactor volume of 14%, compared to the mono-digestion of SS, but would increase the annual production of methane by 26%. The specific methane production levels for PWS mono-digestion, SS mono-digestion, and co-digestion were 170, 320, and 260 mL g−1VS, respectively. Co-digestion did not result in a synergistic increase in the methane yield. SCFAs accumulated in the mono-digestion of PWS when using lower levels of nutrient supplements, and the concentrations fluctuated at higher nutrient levels. The main conclusion is that PWS and SS can be co-digested with long-term process stability, without the addition of chemicals other than water and acetic acid. The specific methane production for mono-digestion of PWS was relatively low. The effect of using higher concentrations of micronutrients in PWS mono-digestion should be evaluated in future studies.

A Ubiquitin‐Competitive Strategy Based on the Element Microenvironment to Treat Osteoarthritis

AbstractRecent research on ferroptosis and cuproptosis has underscored the crucial role of trace element regulation in osteoarthritis (OA) treatment. However, research systematically addressing the alterations in nutrient elements in OA cartilage is lacking. This study is initiated using clinical specimens to quantify metal element concentrations in both damaged and intact cartilage to identify deficient trace elements within the inflammatory and senescent microenvironments of OA. Based on the preliminary findings of selenium (Se) and gallium (Ga) deficiencies in OA cartilage, tailored nanoparticles based on Se and Ga are designed and validated for their antioxidant ability. GaSex nanoparticles demonstrated significant efficacy in mitigating chondrocyte degeneration and extracellular matrix degradation induced by inflammatory factors and in alleviating cartilage abrasion, hyperalgesia, and abnormal gait in a destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) mouse model. Mechanistically, GaSex nanoparticles activated the Nrf2 pathway and competitively inhibited the ubiquitin‐mediated degradation of Gpx4, thus inhibiting ferroptosis. This study systematically designed GaSex nanoparticles based on the imbalance of trace elements within the OA knee joint microenvironment and demonstrated robust antioxidant capabilities and remarkable competitive properties for ubiquitin, thereby providing a novel therapeutic solution for OA treatment.

Rhizosphere microbial community construction during the latitudinal spread of the invader Chromolaena odorata

The colonization of alien plants in new habitats is typically facilitated by microorganisms present in the soil environment. However, the diversity and structure of the archaeal, bacterial, and fungal communities in the latitudinal spread of alien plants remain unclear. In this study, the rhizosphere and bulk soil of Chromolaena odorata were collected from five latitudes in Pu’ er city, Yunnan Province, followed by amplicon sequencing of the soil archaeal, bacterial, and fungal communities. Alpha and beta diversity results revealed that the richness indices and the structures of the archaeal, bacterial, and fungal communities significantly differed along the latitudinal gradient. Additionally, significant differences were observed in the bacterial Shannon index, as well as in the structures of the bacterial and fungal communities between the rhizosphere and bulk soils. Due to the small spatial scale, trends of latitudinal variation in the archaeal, bacterial, and fungal communities were not pronounced. Total potassium, total phosphorus, available nitrogen, available potassium and total nitrogen were the important driving factors affecting the soil microbial community structure. Compared with those in bulk soil, co-occurrence networks in rhizosphere microbial networks presented lower complexity but greater modularity and positive connections. Among the main functional fungi, arbuscular mycorrhizae and soil saprotrophs were more abundant in the bulk soil. The significant differences in the soil microbes between rhizosphere and bulk soils further underscore the impact of C. odorata invasion on soil environments. The significant differences in the soil microbiota along latitudinal gradients, along with specific driving factors, demonstrate distinct nutrient preferences among archaea, bacteria, and fungi and indicate complex microbial responses to soil nutrient elements following the invasion of C. odorata.

Co-hydrothermal carbonization of waste biomass and phosphate rock: promoted carbon sequestration and enhanced phosphorus bioavailability

Co-hydrothermal carbonization (co-HTC) of phosphorus rock (PR) and corn straw (CS) was investigated to prepare hydrochar-based materials as soil conditioners, focusing on the morphological transformation and solid–liquid migration of carbon and phosphorus. Various analytical methods, including elemental analysis, chemical quantification, FT-IR, XRD, 3D-EEM, TG, and XANES, were used to understand the synergistic interactions of PR and CS during co-HTC and determine the properties of the resultant products. The results indicated the acidic solution and humic acid-like substances produced by HTC of CS reduced the crystallinity of the PR and served as the activating agent for PR, allowing the PR to be easily dissolved and reconstituted, producing calcium carbonate and apatite-like materials, and the formation of C–O–PO3, C–PO3, C=O, and O=C–O chemical bonds. At 220 °C, adding 5% PR significantly promoted a 10.3% rise in the yield of CS hydrochar, a 4.3% rise in carbon recovery of CS, and a 4.8% rise in carbon sequestration potential of CS. The formation of Ca–P was notably promoted and the content of AP in co-HTC hydrochar was up to 89.9%, with 39% Hydro-P and 33% CaHPO4. In the case of artificial humic acid (HAa), its content was also remarkably increased by 5.9% in the hydrochar by co-HTC. In addition, the hydrochar produced by co-HTC of CS and PR was composed of carbon with an increased aromatic degree, rich organic matter, and biologically effective mineral nutrient elements and exhibited high stability. The present study provided a promising approach for value-added utilization of waste biomass and low-grade PR towards soil application.Graphical

Tourmaline triggered biofilm transformation: Boosting ultrafiltration efficiency and fouling resistance

Ultralow pressure filtration system, which integrates the dual functionalities of biofilm degradation and membrane filtration, has gained significant attention in water treatment due to its superior contaminant removal efficiency. However, it is a challenge to mitigate membrane biofouling while maintaining the high activity of biofilm. This study presents a novel ceramic-based ultrafiltration membrane functionalized with tourmaline nanoparticles to address this challenge. The incorporation of tourmaline nanoparticles enables the release of nutrient elements and the generation of an electric field, which enhances the biofilm activity on the membrane surface and simultaneously alleviates intrapore biofouling. The tourmaline-modified ceramic membrane (TCM) demonstrated a significant antifouling effect, with a substantial increase in water flux by 60 %. Additionally, the TCM achieved high removal efficiencies for contaminants (48.78 % in TOC, 22.28 % in UV254, and 24.42 % in TN) after 30 days of continuous operation. The fouling resistance by various constituents in natural water was individually analyzed using model compounds. The TCM with improved electronegativity and hydrophilicity exhibited superior resistance to irreversible fouling through increased electrostatic repulsion and reduced adhesion to foulants. Comprehensive characterizations and analyses, including interfacial interaction energies, redox reaction processes, and biofilm evolutions, demonstrated that the TCM can release nutrient elements to facilitate the development of functional microbial community within the biofilm, and generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) on the membrane surface to the degrade contaminants and mitigate membrane biofouling. The electric field generated by tourmaline nanoparticles can promote electron transfer in the Fe(III)/Fe(II) cycle, ensuring a stable and sustainable generation of ROS and bactericidal negative ions. These synergistic functions enhance contaminant removal and reduce irreversible fouling of the TCM. This study provides fundamental insights into the role of tourmaline-modified surfaces in enhancing membrane filtration performance and fouling resistance, inspiring the development of high-performance, anti-fouling membranes.

Ecological Stoichiometry of Multiple Nutrients in Leymus chinensis and Soils Subjected to Long-Term Saline-Sodic Stress in Western Jilin Province, China

L. chinensis is considered an important plant for saline-sodic soil restoration. Ecological stoichiometry of multiple nutrient elements in Leymus chinensis (L. chinensis) and soils subjected to long-term saline-sodic stress remains unclear, which hinders our understanding of the mechanisms regulating nutrient cycling in the plant-soil environment. We examined nutrient element levels in saline-sodic soil and L. chinensis in western Jilin Province. Soil analysis revealed medium to high levels of available N, K, P, Mo, Mn, Fe, Cu, and Zn. The Mn/Fe and N/P ratios exceeded the national soil average of China, while those of Fe/Cu, Fe/Zn, and P/K were comparatively lower. Furthermore, L. chinensis exhibited deficiencies in the Mn, Zn, and P. Mo/Mn, Mo/Zn, and Fe/Zn ratios, which were significantly higher compared to healthy plants, while Mn/Fe and P/K showed the opposite trend. Soil pH had the most significant effect on element stoichiometry in both the soil and in L. chinensis. Particularly, the soil available Mn, Zn, K, along with L. chinensis Mn, Fe, Cu, and P levels exhibited sensitivity to pH fluctuations. Additionally, we observed significant synergistic or antagonistic effects between the soil available element concentration and stoichiometry ratios. Among these, only Mn, Fe, Fe/Zn, Mo/Zn, N/K, and Mo/Fe in L. chinensis were significantly modeled (P < 0.05). The Mo/Fe homeostasis index was the lowest at 0.97, followed by Fe (1.16), N/K (2.28), Mo/Zn (2.59), Fe/Zn (3.38), and Mn (4.92), while other elements and their stoichiometric ratios remained stable. Overall, L. chinensis, as the dominant species in saline-sodic soil, demonstrated high homeostasis.

Recycling Selected Wetlands’ Sediments for a Vegetable Crop Cultivation in Terrestrial Ecosystem of a Humid Region

This study aimed to evaluate the selected wetlands' sediments regarding physicochemical attributes including heavy metals (HMs), and their potentiality to be used in crop cultivation with or without mixing with different generic farmers' field soils in the upland. Forty geo-referenced sediment samples were collected from each study site (n=3), and mixed to get three separate composite samples for mineral nutrients, HMs analyses and experimentation. Two pot experiments were conducted following Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three replicates using farmers’ field soils (FFS) Gleysols and Cambisols to grow amaranth. The treatments were: T0: FFS; T1: FFS + wetland sediment of hilly area I (1:1); T2: FFS + wetland sediment of hilly area II (1:1); T3: FFS + wetland sediment of a floodplain area (1:1); T4: wetland sediment of hilly area I; T5: wetland sediment of hilly area II; T6: wetland sediment of a floodplain area. Regarding nutrient elements, exchangeable K, extractable P, Ca, and Zn were observed higher in wetland sediment of hilly area II except organic carbon (OC). Only Cd, Pb, and Ni were individually found higher than the maximum permissible addition for all wetland sediments, but all HMs collectively posed no “ecological risk”. The highest values of the plant growth index of amaranth were observed for T5 treatment. Moreover, the highest total fresh and dry biomasses were found in T5 treatment. The highest nutrient uptake was observed in T5 treatment for the most of nutrients. Studied wetlands’ soil materials, OC, and nutrients could be used to benefit upland crop cultivation.

Riverine concentrations and export of dissolved silicon, and potential controls on nutrient stoichiometry, across the land–ocean continuum in Great Britain

Silicon (Si) is an essential nutrient element in freshwater and marine ecosystems, and its abundance relative to macro-nutrients (N, P) can impact phytoplankton communities in eutrophic rivers and estuaries. This study is the first national assessment examining (i) the primary sources (geological, biological, landcover) and controls (geomorphological, precipitation) on the transport of terrestrial dissolved silicon across Great Britain to the ocean, and (ii) the current extent and nature of its interactions with macro-nutrients in these catchments in relation to its potential impacts on phytoplankton community structure. It uses results from a year-long survey of 41 rivers along with historical data. Highest concentrations of dissolved Si (4–5.5 mg L-1) were found in rivers of the chalk- and sedimentary sandstone-based catchments of southern Great Britain and the hard sandstone catchments of Scotland. Catchment yield rates for dissolved Si varied between 0.2 and 2.6 t km−2 yr−1, with highest yields found in catchments with higher precipitation and runoff. Analysis of river N:P and dissolved Si:N ratios suggested that the sampled rivers were typically N enriched, and P limited with respect to dissolved Si. Molar dissolved Si:N ratios < 1, an indicator of river eutrophication, were associated with total nitrogen concentrations exceeding 1.8 mg L-1 or greater. The Indicator of Coastal Eutrophication index was used to assess the potential role of dissolved Si in the eutrophication of coastal waters. Negative values indicating limited eutrophication potential to non-siliceous algae were generally found, although some rivers had annual Indicator of Coastal Eutrophication index values exceeding 0, with values as high as 35 kg C km−2 day−1. In many eutrophic rivers, high dissolved Si concentrations derived from catchment lithology, kept the Indicator of Coastal Eutrophication index values below zero. Results have demonstrated that high N and P export have likely shifted most Great Britain rivers and coastal waters beyond the stoichiometric range where diatoms dominate production and into one where non-siliceous algae maybe increasingly present. Thus, future assessments of macro-nutrient management schemes, such as those involving wetlands should include dissolved Si routinely due to its stoichiometric importance.

Microbiome Analysis Revealed the Effects of Environmental Factors on the Presence of Toxigenic Fungi and Toxin Production in Rice Grains

Fungal contamination in rice and mycotoxins present significant challenges to both rice quality and food safety. However, there is a dearth of comprehensive research on the compositional and structural changes within fungal colonies in rice, particularly in typical rice-producing regions, as well as their underlying influencing factors. In this study, a comprehensive analysis of fungal taxa in rice grains was conducted using amplicon sequencing and bioinformatics methods on 99 rice samples collected in three major rice-producing regions in China: Northeast Plain (NP), Yangtze River Basin (YR), and Southeast Coastal Area (SC). A total of 6,019,722 fungal ITS sequences were obtained with an average sequence length of 235 base pairs, and effective ASVs (2014) accounted for approximately 97.58% of the total ASVs (2064). The fungal community diversity in rice grains exhibited significant variations across the three regions, with deterministic processes playing a predominant role in shaping the ecological dynamics of fungal taxa. Among the core microbiota (92 shared ASVs), the first five species (Alternaria, Fusarium, Curvularia, Epicoccum, and Ustilaginoidea) accounting for a proportion greater than 5% had been reported as potential pathogens for plants. Geographical variations in fungal community composition were evident, with a significantly higher number of shared populations observed between YR and CS regions compared to those in the NP region. Nutrient elements and climatic conditions were the internal and external driving factors of rice fungal community composition. Additionally, notable regional variations in fungal functionality were observed. The findings have significant implications for gaining a comprehensive understanding of the distribution patterns of fungal communities in the major rice-producing regions in China. Additionally, it provides valuable insights into controlling key influencing factors to effectively reduce the occurrence of toxin-producing fungi and mitigate the associated risks related to mycotoxin contamination, thereby contributing to improved risk management and assessment.

Comparative Analysis of Hulless Barley Transcriptomes to Regulatory Effects of Phosphorous Deficiency.

Hulless barley is a cold-resistant crop widely planted in the northwest plateau of China. It is also the main food crop in this region. Phosphorus (P), as one of the important essential nutrient elements, regulates plant growth and defense. This study aimed to analyze the development and related molecular mechanisms of hulless barley under P deficiency and explore the regulatory genes so as to provide a basis for subsequent molecular breeding research. Transcriptome analysis was performed on the root and leaf samples of hulless barley cultured with different concentrations of KH2PO4 (1 mM and 10 μM) Hoagland solution. A total of 46,439 genes were finally obtained by the combined analysis of leaf and root samples. Among them, 325 and 453 genes had more than twofold differences in expression. These differentially expressed genes (DEGs) mainly participated in the abiotic stress biosynthetic process through Gene Ontology prediction. Moreover, the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes showed that DEGs were mainly involved in photosynthesis, plant hormone signal transduction, glycolysis, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and synthesis of metabolites. These pathways also appeared in other abiotic stresses. Plants initiated multiple hormone synergistic regulatory mechanisms to maintain growth under P-deficient conditions. Transcription factors (TFs) also proved these predictions. The enrichment of ARR-B TFs, which positively regulated the phosphorelay-mediated cytokinin signal transduction, and some other TFs (AP2, GRAS, and ARF) was related to plant hormone regulation. Some DEGs showed different values in their FPKM (fragment per kilobase of transcript per million mapped reads), but the expression trends of genes responding to stress and phosphorylation remained highly consistent. Therefore, in the case of P deficiency, the first response of plants was the expression of stress-related genes. The effects of this stress on plant metabolites need to be further studied to improve the relevant regulatory mechanisms so as to further understand the importance of P in the development and stress resistance of hulless barley.

Towards a circular economy - Repurposing side streams from the potato processing industry by Chlorella vulgaris

Common wastewater treatment strategies in the food industry do not include efficient remediation strategies for nitrogen, phosphorous and organic carbon. Incorporating microalgae in water treatment plants is rising in popularity because of their high nutrient and trace element uptake driven by light. In this study, four different side streams from an Austrian potato processing company have been screened for their applicability of microalgal cultivation. The side streams were assessed for Chlorella vulgaris growth and their requirement of any additional pretreatment or media supplementation. One side stream specifically, called blanching water II, a stream generated by boiling the potatoes for ease of peeling, turned out very useful to cultivate Chlorella vulgaris and concomitantly remedy the wastewater. Compared to a state-of-the-art cultivation in BG11, cultivating Chlorella vulgaris in blanching water II led to a 45 % increase in specific growth rate of 1.29 day−1 and a 48% increase in biomass productivity to 294.6 mg/L/day, while all nitrogen and phosphate present in the side stream were metabolized. Overall, the results demonstrate that the water remediation process for blanching water II shows vast potential in regard to water purification and waste to value approaches.

Predicting the geospatial distribution of Chinese rice nutrient element in regional scale for the geographical origin—A case study on the traceability of Japonica rice

AbstractEffective geographical origin discrimination of Chinese rice requires a large database of samples to ensure sufficient data for origin verification at a regional scale. In this study, environmental similarity was used to establish a spatial database of rice nutrient element, and then the validity of the database was verified using the back propagation artificial neural networks modeling (BPNN). The spatial distribution model of 14 rice nutrient element (Al, Ba, Ca, Cu, Cr, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, Rb, and Zn) on regional scale was built using an environmental similarity method for the first time. Elemental concentrations of 692 samples were used to build a simulated geographical origin prediction model for northeastern (N‐E), middle to lower Yangtze River plain (Y‐R), southwestern (S‐W), and southeastern (S‐E) in China. The results indicated that the performance of the environmental similarity model for these four growing regions was S‐W &gt; N‐E &gt; S‐E &gt; Y‐R based on the lowest ranking root mean square error (RMSE) for each region. For example, the RMSEs of Zn in S‐W, N‐E, S‐E, and Y‐R regions were 2.0, 2.4, 2.7, and 3.7 mg/kg, respectively. A case study on the traceability of Japonica rice was shown that Japonica rice could be discriminated with higher origin accuracy using a simulated database (91.8%) than by the actual database (87.0%) using the BPNN model. This indicates that a simulated rice element database could improve the accuracy of geographical origin discrimination for Chinese rice and potentially be applied to other large national‐scale crop datasets.

Stoichiometric Homeostasis of N and P in the Leaves of Different-Aged Phyllostachys edulis after Bamboo Forest Expansion in Subtropical China

Stoichiometric homeostasis is an important mechanism in maintaining ecosystem structure, function, and stability. Phyllostachys edulis (moso bamboo) is a typical clone plant, forming pure bamboo forests or bamboo–wood mixed forests by expanding rhizomes around. Studying the stoichiometric homeostasis characteristics of moso bamboo at different ages after expansion contributes to a deeper understanding of the stability of bamboo forest ecosystems, and is of great significance for expanding the research scope of ecological stoichiometry. Based on the stoichiometric internal stability theory, the nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) elements in the soil and plants of typical moso bamboo forests in Tianbaoyan National Nature Reserve of Fujian Province were determined, and the internal stability index (H) of bamboo leaves of different ages (I-du, II-du, III-du, and IV-du bamboos) was calculated. The results showed that the dependence of moso bamboo on soil nutrients and the ability of moso bamboo to regulate nutrient elements were both significantly affected by the plant’s age. Under the condition of the same soil nutrients (N, P), the content of N and P in bamboo leaves decreased significantly with the increase in bamboo age. The limiting effect of phosphorus on the growth and development of moso bamboo was greater than that of nitrogen, and the limiting effect of phosphorus on aged bamboo was greater than that of young bamboo. The stoichiometric internal stability index of N and P in bamboo leaves is HN:P &gt; HN &gt; HP, which means that the internal stability of moso bamboo is closely related to the limiting elements. Therefore, the regulation ability of the internal stability of moso bamboo of different ages makes it grow well in the changeable environment, has stronger adaptability and competitiveness, and the leaf internal stability of I-du bamboo was higher than that of other ages, which may be one of the reasons for its successful expansion to form a stable bamboo stand structure.

Geographical traceability of wolfberry pulp: Integrating stable isotopes, minerals, nutrients, and chemometric

The determination of the origin of wolfberry (Lycium barbarum) pulp in China remains a challenge despite its nutritional significance and popularity among consumers. To address this gap, 144 samples from four distinct regions in China were analyzed using nutrient elements, stable isotopes combined with multi-element assessments. Chemometric analyses successfully demonstrated the initial separation of wolfberry pulp samples. Notably, a nutrient element (Glucose) along with 12 mineral elements (Tb, Co, Fe, Cd, Pr, V, Mo, Gd, Al, Mg, As, Zn) emerged as pivotal factors for origin identification. Furthermore, employing a random forest algorithm resulted in the highest classification accuracy of 100 %, surpassing support vector machine (96.43 %) and K-nearest (71.43 %) methods. The study's findings underscore the efficacy of utilizing stable isotopes, mineral elements, and nutritional composition as effective markers for tracing the origin of wolfberry pulp. Moreover, this methodology offers promising insights into the potential identification of origins for other agricultural products.

In the Qaidam Basin, Soil Nutrients Directly or Indirectly Affect Desert Ecosystem Stability under Drought Stress through Plant Nutrients.

The low nutrient content of soil in desert ecosystems results in unique physiological and ecological characteristics of plants under long-term water and nutrient stress, which is the basis for the productivity and stability maintenance of the desert ecosystem. However, the relationship between the soil and the plant nutrient elements in the desert ecosystem and its mechanism for maintaining ecosystem stability is still unclear. In this study, 35 sampling sites were established in an area with typical desert vegetation in the Qaidam Basin, based on a drought gradient. A total of 90 soil samples and 100 plant samples were collected, and the soil's physico-chemical properties, as well as the nutrient elements in the plant leaves, were measured. Regression analysis, redundancy analysis (RDA), the Theil-Sen Median and Mann-Kendall methods, the structural equation model (SEM), and other methods were employed to analyze the distribution characteristics of the soil and plant nutrient elements along the drought gradient and the relationship between the soil and leaf nutrient elements and its impact on ecosystem stability. The results provided the following conclusions: Compared with the nutrient elements in plant leaves, the soil's nutrient elements had a more obvious regularity of distribution along the drought gradient. A strong correlation was observed between the soil and leaf nutrient elements, with soil organic carbon and alkali-hydrolyzed nitrogen identified as important factors influencing the leaf nutrient content. The SEM showed that the soil's organic carbon had a positive effect on ecosystem stability by influencing the leaf carbon, while the soil's available phosphorus and the mean annual temperature had a direct positive effect on stability, and the soil's total nitrogen had a negative effect on stability. In general, the soil nutrient content was high in areas with a low mean annual temperature and high precipitation, and the ecosystem stability in the area distribution of typical desert vegetation in the Qaidam Basin was low. These findings reveal that soil nutrients affect the stability of desert ecosystems directly or indirectly through plant nutrients in the Qaidam Basin, which is crucial for maintaining the stability of desert ecosystems with the background of climate change.

Effects of sodium nitroprusside foliar application on the growth characteristics and nutrient elements in some grapevine cultivars and rootstocks under salt stress conditions

Grape is a staple crop in many parts of Iran which has shown moderate sensitivity to salinity stress. Water and soil salinity is one of the major environmental stresses that strongly affect the production of agricultural products, including grapes. To overcome the harmful effects of salinity, different methods and materials are used, one of which is the use of nitric oxide. In order to explore the impact of nitric oxide on the mitigation of the negative effects of salinity stress on four grape cultivars and rootstocks (‘Bidaneh Sefid’ (Sultana) and ‘Yaghouti’ cultivars, and 140Ru and 1103 P rootstocks), a pot experiment was performed in a factorial based on a randomized complete block design with three replications. Plants were subjected to three sodium chloride (NaCl) levels of 0 (control), 25, and 50 mM and three levels of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) of 0 (control), 0.5, and 1 mM. Results indicated that increasing SNP concentration caused an increase in growth indices such as leaf area, shoot and root length, fresh and dry weights of leaves, shoots, and roots, and leaf relative water content (RWC). Furthermore, salinity decreased the concentrations of potassium (K+), calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+), and iron (Fe2+) in leaves, while increased the amount of sodium (Na+) and chlorine (Clˉ) as well as the electrolyte leakage (EL). In addition, SNP at 0.5 and 1 mM could increase the growth efficiency and RWC as well as the elements such as K+ and Mg2+ while decreased the absorption of Na+ and Clˉ as well as the EL in plants under salinity. According to the obtained results, SNP at both concentrations (0.5 and 1 mM) had a pronounced effect on reducing the negative effect of salinity in the evaluated grape rootstocks and cultivars. In general, the positive effects of SNP on ‘Yaghouti’ and ‘Bidaneh Sefid’ cultivars were higher than those on 140Ru and 1103 P rootstocks.

Evaluation of the nutrient elements profiling of cucumber plants fertigated by three different nutrient solutions in soil and soilless culture systems

Evaluation of the nutrient elements profiling of cucumber plants fertigated by three different nutrient solutions in soil and soilless culture systems