Onobrychis Viciifolia Research Articles

Soil water availability threshold indicator was determined by using plant physiological responses under drought conditions

Soil water shortage is a critical limiting factor that threaten the growth of vegetation and their sustainability in semi-arid areas. Grasses directly respond to the soil water availability (SWA), and the soil water shortage degree can be studied through plant physiological response thresholds under soil drought stress. In this study, the lower-and-optimal limitation of SWA was evaluated with pots along the soil water gradient by quantifying plant gas exchange parameters. These parameters showed a strong cubic relationship with the relative soil water content (RWC) in four forage species. The lower limitation of RWC was obtained for Onobrychis viciifolia (4.0%–20.2%), followed by Astragalus adsurgens (15.5%–25.5%), Elymus nutans (16.1%–27.2%), and Lolium multiflorum (24.6%–35.8%). The average RWC was of 74.83%, and the water saturation point of water use efficiency (WSPWUE) showed a similar critical scope in the four species: Onobrychis viciifolia (71.2%–82.8%), Astragalus adsurgens (72.1%–84.2%), Elymus nutans (79.3%–85.1%), and Lolium multiflorum (76.7%–85.6%). The highest productivity with the highest availability of water (HPHAW) for Onobrychis viciifolia, Astragalus adsurgens, Elymus nutans and Lolium multiflorum was of 71.2%–82.8%, 72.1%–84.2%, 79.3%–85.1% and 76.7%–85.6%, respectively. The lower limitation of RWC, the maximum water use efficiency (WUEmax) and HPHAW in legumes were lower than those values obtained in gramineae, suggesting that legumes were more susceptible to soil drought stress. We concluded that plant gas exchange parameters acted as indicators for SWA under drought conditions, and represented a valuable tool for identifying SWA threshold response in environmental changes.

Characterization of the microbial community, metabolome and biotransformation of phenolic compounds of sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) silage ensiled with or without inoculation of Lactobacillus plantarum

The present study investigated the bacterial community, metabolome and biotransformation of phenolic compounds in sainfoin silage inoculated either with or without Lactobacillus plantarum. Our results revealed that the epiphytic microbiota of wilted sainfoin mainly comprised Acinetobacter, Spingomonas, Pseudomonas, Lactobacillus, Delftia and Aquabacterium. After ensiling, L. acetotolerans, L. buchneri, L. plantarum, L. pentosus and Clostridium tyrobutricum were the dominant species. Compared to the control, the inoculant L. plantarum increased the relative abundance of L. buchneri while decreased that of the other dominant species. The ensiling process increased the concentrations of 21 flavones, 16 flavonols, 16 flavonoids, 14 flavanones and 9 isoflavones while decreased other 32 flavones and 11 anthocyanins, which mainly modulated by the “isoflavonoid biosynthesis” and “flavonoid biosynthesis” pathways. The inoculant L. plantarum mainly reduced the concentrations of 10 flavones. Compared with the control, the inoculant L. plantarum mainly affected the metabolism pathways related to carbohydrates and nitrogen.

Evaluation The Effecet of Pure and Various Proportions of Alfalfa, Sainfoin And Italian Ryegrass On Silage And Feed Quality

Bu çalışmanın amacı, yalın ve farklı oranlarda karıştırılan yonca (Medicago sativa L.), korunga (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.) ve İtalan çimi (Lolium multiflorum Lam) hâsıllarının silaj ve yem kalitesine etkisinin araştırılmasıdır. Denemede bitki materyali olarak; Kayseri yonca çeşidi, Lütfibey korunga çeşidi ve Caramba İtalyan çimi çeşidi kullanılmıştır. Araştırma; Siirt Üniversitesi Tarla Bitkileri deneme tarlasında yürütülmüştür. Çalışmada yalın ve farklı oranlarda (75:25, 50:50, 25:75) silajlara ait pH, kuru madde, ham protein, flieg puanı, asit deterjanda çözünmeyen lif (ADF), nötr deterjanda çözünmeyen lif (NDF), sindirilebilir kuru madde (SKM), kuru madde tüketimi (KMT) ve nispi yem değerleri (NYD) incelenmiştir. Araştırma sonucuna göre; silajlara ait ortalama pH değeri 4.89, kuru madde oranı %38.35, ham protein oranı %17.05, flieg değeri 86.52 puan, ADF oranı %33.07, NDF oranı %45.46, SKM oranı %63.14, KMT oranı %2.70 ve NYD ise 132.09 olarak tespit edilmiştir. Saf yoncadan elde edilen silaj kalitesinin diğer yalın ve karışımlara göre daha üstün olduğu saptanmıştır.

Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Potential Roles of Abscisic Acid and Polyphenols in Adaptation of Onobrychis viciifolia to Extreme Environmental Conditions in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

A detailed understanding of the molecular mechanisms of plant stress resistance in the face of ever-changing environmental stimuli will be helpful for promoting the growth and production of crop and forage plants. Investigations of plant responses to various single abiotic or biotic factors, or combined stresses, have been extensively reported. However, the molecular mechanisms of plants in responses to environmental stresses under natural conditions are not clearly understood. In this study, we carried out a transcriptome analysis using RNA-sequencing to decipher the underlying molecular mechanisms of Onobrychis viciifolia responding and adapting to the extreme natural environment in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP). The transcriptome data of plant samples collected from two different altitudes revealed a total of 8212 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including 5387 up-regulated and 2825 down-regulated genes. Detailed analysis of the identified DEGs uncovered that up-regulation of genes potentially leading to changes in hormone homeostasis and signaling, particularly abscisic acid-related ones, and enhanced biosynthesis of polyphenols play vital roles in the adaptive processes of O. viciifolia. Interestingly, several DEGs encoding uridine diphosphate glycosyltransferases, which putatively regulate phytohormone homeostasis to resist environmental stresses, were also discovered. Furthermore, numerous DEGs encoding transcriptional factors, such as members of the myeloblastosis (MYB), homeodomain-leucine zipper (HD-ZIP), WRKY, and nam-ataf1,2-cuc2 (NAC) families, might be involved in the adaptive responses of O. viciifolia to the extreme natural environmental conditions. The DEGs identified in this study represent candidate targets for improving environmental stress resistance of O. viciifolia grown in higher altitudes of the QTP, and can provide deep insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the responses of this plant species to the extreme natural environmental conditions of the QTP.

Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) silage in dairy cow rations reduces ruminal biohydrogenation and increases transfer efficiencies of unsaturated fatty acids from feed to milk.

The effects of replacing grass silage by sainfoin silage in a total mixed ration (TMR) based diet on fatty acid (FA) reticular inflow and milk FA profile of dairy cows was investigated. The experiment followed a crossover design with 2 dietary treatments. The control diet consisted of grass silage, corn silage, concentrate and linseed. In the sainfoin diet, half of the grass silage was replaced by a sainfoin silage. Six rumen cannulated lactating multiparous dairy cows with a metabolic body weight of 132.5 ± 3.6 kg BW0.75, 214 ± 72 d in milk and an average milk production of 23.1 ± 2.8 kg/d were used in the experiment. Cows were paired based on parity and milk production. Within pairs, cows were randomly assigned to either the control diet or the sainfoin diet for 2 experimental periods (29 d per period). In each period, the first 21 d, cows were housed individually in tie-stalls for adaptation, then next 4 d cows were housed individually in climate-controlled respiration chambers to measure CH4. During the last 4 d, cows were housed individually in tie stalls to measure milk FA profile and determine FA reticular inflow using the reticular sampling technique with Cr-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium salt dihydrate (EDTA) and Yb-acetate used as digesta flow markers. Although the dietary C18:3n-3 intake was lower (P = 0.025) in the sainfoin diet group, the mono-unsaturated FA reticular inflow was greater (P = 0.042) in cows fed the sainfoin diet. The reticular inflow of trans-9, trans-12-C18:2 and cis-12, trans-10 C18:2 was greater (P ≤ 0.024) in the sainfoin diet group. The cows fed sainfoin diet had a lower (P ≤ 0.038) apparent ruminal biohydrogenation of cis-9-C18:1 and C18:3n-3, compared to the cows fed the control diet. The sainfoin diet group had greater (P ≤ 0.018) C18:3n-3 and cis-9, cis-12-C18:2 proportions in the milk FA profile compared to the control diet group. Transfer efficiencies from feed to milk of C18:2, C18:3n-3 and unsaturated FA were greater (P ≤ 0.0179) for the sainfoin diet. Based on the results, it could be concluded that replacing grass silage by sainfoin silage in dairy cow rations reduces ruminal C18:3n-3 biohydrogenation and improves milk FA profile.

Low Concentrations of Protein- and Fiber-Bound Proanthocyanidins in Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) Are Stable across Accessions, Growth Stages, and Drought Conditions.

Proanthocyanidins (PAs) in forages may be present in either soluble (S-PA) or non-extractable (NE-PA) form. Despite potential benefits of the NE-PA in ruminant nutrition, few studies have analyzed NE-PA in forages. This study examined the impact of a range of conditions on S-PA as well as protein- and fiber-bound PA (the NE-PA fractions) in sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia). Thus, five sainfoin accessions in either generative or vegetative stage were subjected to drought for 18 weeks and sampled repeatedly for PA analysis. Drought-stressed plants increased S-PAs on average by 59% across all accessions yet only in the vegetative stage. In contrast, NE-PA concentrations were generally lower (on average 15% of the total PAs) and unaffected by drought. Thus, for sainfoin, the low and stable concentration of NE-PAs across accessions, growth stages, and drought conditions should have a low, predictable impact on the future sainfoin analyses and feeding studies.

Investigating the change of soil resistence and moisture content in the case of pre-crops and soil tillage systems

The experiments were set up in large parcels at the Fleischmann Rudolf Research Institute of Eszterházy Károly University located in Kompolt. We carried out measurements by using a Penetronik penetrometer (electrical soil cone penetrometer) at the experimental site, where brown grassland soil as well as clay washed brown forest soil are the typical soil types. The device used primarily serves to investigate the physical and water management properties of soils suitable for agricultural cultivation. The instrument is a hand-operated tool for registering soil mechanical resistance in Newtons (0-1000 N) and also the moisture content of the topsoil (%) at the same time. The recording of the location of the measurement is made by the built-in GPS, and the results of the measurements are saved to the SD card of the device. The device’s data acquisition unit allows direct reading of measurement results, serial measurements and computer processing of results (0-70 cm). Taking our objectives into consideration, we defined the location of measuring points with various numbers according to the properties of the examined fields. Besides designating measuring points at a distance of 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 30 m from the edge of the fields, we designated two more in the middle of each field in all cases. The examined crop species included sand oats (Avena strigosa), baltacim (Onobrychis viciifolia) as well as common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) with oats as a companion crop. Summing up the measurement results, we have made the following statements: Low soil resistance (127-131 N) was experienced after soil loosening and oat-vetch with higher, well-preserved soil moisture content observed at each level, where the 50% moisture content of the soil started at the layer of 27 cm depth. Moderate soil resistance values (150-168 N) were manifested in the case of soil tillage with loosening and ploughing after sand oats. In this case, the 50 % soil moisture content was observed at the layer of 38 cm depth. Higher soil resistance values were found (171-196 N) in the case of 2 and 3-year-old crops of baltacim, respectively, where the 50 % soil moisture content was recorded from the layer of 58 cm depth. Based on the results, we consider it important to develop and improve soil tillage systems

Effects of intrinsic environmental predictability on intra-individual and intra-population variability of plant reproductive traits and eco-evolutionary consequences.

It is widely accepted that changes in the environment affect mean trait expression, but little is known about how the environment shapes intra-individual and intra-population variance. Theory suggests that intra-individual variance might be plastic and under natural selection, rather than reflecting developmental noise, but evidence for this hypothesis is scarce. Here, we experimentally tested whether differences in intrinsic environmental predictability affect intra-individual and intra-population variability of different reproductive traits, and whether intra-individual variability is under selection. Under field conditions, we subjected Onobrychis viciifolia to more and less predictable precipitation over 4 generations and 4 years. We analysed effects on the coefficient of intra-individual variation (CVi-i) and the coefficient of intra-population variation (CVi-p), assessed whether the coefficients of intra-individual variation (CsVi-i) are under natural selection and tested for transgenerational responses (ancestor environmental effects on offspring). Less predictable precipitation led to higher CsVi-i and CsVi-p, consistent with plastic responses. The CsVi-i of all studied traits were under consistent stabilizing selection, and precipitation predictability affected the strength of selection and the location of the optimal CVi-i of a single trait. All CsVi-i differed from the optimal CVi-i and the maternal and offspring CsVi-i were positively correlated, showing that there was scope for change. Nevertheless, no consistent transgenerational effects were found in any of the three descendant generations, which contrasts with recent studies that detected rapid transgenerational responses in the trait means of different plant species. This suggests that changes in intra-individual variability take longer to evolve than changes in trait means, which may explain why high intra-individual variability is maintained, despite the stabilizing selection. The results indicate that plastic changes of intra-individual variability are an important determinant of whether plants will be able to cope with changes in environmental predictability induced by the currently observed climatic change.

Carotenoid, Tocopherol, and Phenolic Compound Content and Composition in Cover Crops Used as Forage.

Secondary compounds of grassland and forage plant species such as vitamins or phenolic compounds are involved in different health-promoting effects in animals. However, information on their concentration and composition in forage plant species remains scarce. The objective of this study was to characterize the composition of secondary compounds of seven grazed cover crop plant species harvested at two stages of growth. Carotenoids and tocopherols were characterized and quantified using ultraperformance liquid chromatography with a photodiode array, and soluble phenolic compounds were characterized using high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection. All species were rich in carotenoids, especially at the vegetative stage, even if the concentrations varied between plant species. Variations in tocopherol concentrations and phenolic composition were more important between plant species than between stages within species. Among the plant species tested, sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop) contained the most secondary metabolites.

Ability of green cover from sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.) and dog rose (Rosa canina L.) to control erosion and improve soil organic carbon and nitrogen stocks in terraces of Northwest Turkey

The main aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of green cover and afforestation on soil properties, erosion susceptibility, as well as soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil total nitrogen (STN) contents and stock capacities. Mineral soil samples from two soil depths (0–10 cm and 10–20 cm) were obtained from a bare soil plot (BSP), a young forest plot (7-year-old juvenile cover; YFP), a mature forest plot (MFP) used as a reference control, a young forest plot with sainfoin green cover (YFP + S), and a young forest plot with dog rose green cover (YFP + R). The soil samples were analyzed for pH, water holding capacity (WHC), soil texture, dispersion ratio, bulk density, SOC, STN, and soil extractable P and K. Soil bulk density, soil volume, and the SOC and STN were used to calculate the mean SOC and STN stocks. Results showed that afforestation and green cover significantly influenced the chemical and physical properties of the soil, reduced its dispersion ratio, and increased its SOC and STN stock capacities (P < 0.05). The mean SOC stock was highest for MFP (39.7 t C ha−1), followed by YFP + R (37.1 t C ha−1), YFP + S (35.7 t C ha−1), YFP (22.1 t C ha−1), and BSP (10.9 t C ha−1). However, the mean STN stock was highest for YFP + S (2.40 t N ha−1), followed by MFP (2.25 t N ha−1), YFP + R (2.08 t N ha−1), YFP (1.88 t N ha−1), and BSP (0.55 t N ha−1). These results indicate that with proper care and management, natural or artificial leguminous and shrub species can provide year-round soil protection and minimize soil erosion in black pine plantation terraces. Growing these species could enhance soil productivity by increasing soil organic matter, improving the soil structure, and increasing the water holding capacity and nutrient retention of the soil.

Effect of nurse crops and seeding rate on the persistence, productivity and nutritive value of sainfoin in a cereal‐based production system

AbstractSainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.) is one of the most drought‐tolerant perennial legumes that can thrive in dry, alkaline soils. A 3‐year study in the Central Anatolian Region of Turkey compared the persistence, productivity and nutritive value of sainfoin planted with nurse crops, namely Hungarian vetch (Vicia pannonica Crantz.) or triticale (× Triticosecale Wittm, ex A. Camus), at three seeding rates. Sainfoin and nurse crop emergence were significantly affected by the companion nurse crop, sowing rate and establishment year. The number of sainfoin plants at emergence was lower during a drier “bad” year (110 plant/m2) than in a “good” precipitation year (236 plant/m2). Triticale had a more negative impact on sainfoin growth than vetch. Planting nurse crops at high seeding rates (90 kg/ha) reduced the number of sainfoin seedlings as compared to the control, while the low seeding rate had little impact on sainfoin emergence. Planting sainfoin with triticale resulted in much greater yield exceeding 10 t/ha, but reduced the forage nutritive value compared to sainfoin monocultures and sainfoin–vetch mixtures. The seeding rate of the nurse crops during a dry year did not affect DM yield in the year of establishment nor in the following year. The findings of this study indicate that planting sainfoin with a nurse crop can substantially increase the DM yield in the year of establishment without yield penalties in the subsequent years, despite fewer established plants, as compared to sainfoin monocultures.

四种草本植物混播处理在西藏措那湖沙害区植被恢复中的表现

PDF HTML阅读 XML下载 导出引用 引用提醒 四种草本植物混播处理在西藏措那湖沙害区植被恢复中的表现 DOI: 10.5846/stxb201810262313 作者: 作者单位: 作者简介: 通讯作者: 中图分类号: 基金项目: 林业公益性行业科研专项经费资助项目（201504401） Growth of four herbaceous species in different mixing modes for restoration of desertificated grassland around Cuona Lake, Tibet Author: Affiliation: Fund Project: 摘要 | 图/表 | 访问统计 | 参考文献 | 相似文献 | 引证文献 | 资源附件 | 文章评论 摘要:在西藏措那湖沙害区采用不同物种搭配方式和混播比例对红豆草、紫花苜蓿（三得利）、披碱草、高羊茅进行播种，并在播种当年和第二年生长期结束后对生物量等特性进行分析，旨在找到适合在措那湖沙区植被恢复中可应用的适宜草种及最佳的种植方式。结果表明：1）播种当年混播方式对两种禾本科植物披碱草和高羊茅的株高、根长影响不显著，但会使两种豆科植物红豆草和紫花苜蓿的株高增加；2）混播方式对草地单位面积的生物量有明显的影响，豆禾草种混播处理中生物量会随着豆科植物比例的减小而增加，播种当年披碱草单播及披碱草+高羊茅（5：5）的混播处理有较高的生物量，分别为（756.33±96.29） g/m2、（720.25±35.63） g/m2，次年披碱草单播及披碱草＋高羊茅（7：3）的处理总生物量最高分别为（832.13±124.71） g/m2、（723.83±57.14） g/m2；3）披碱草+高羊茅3个混播比例的处理两年中均表现出较高的盖度，其中播种当年披碱草+高羊茅（5：5）的处理盖度最大为87%，次年盖度均达到60%以上；4）在高寒气候下的混播草种实验中，禾本科植物对草地恢复的贡献要明显大于豆科。 Abstract:This paper aimed to find the suitable herbaceous species and their planting modes for grassland restoration in the desertification area in Tibet. We conducted seeding experiments of four herbaceous species, i.e., Onobrychis viciifolia, Medicago sativa, Elymus dahuricus, and Festuca elata, with different mixing modes and mixing seed amount ratios in desertificated grassland around Cuona Lake, and measured some plant growth indices such as biomass per area for two consecutive years. Results showed that:1) effects of mixing modes on plant height and root length were not significant in the first year for two gramineous species, i.e., E. dahuricus and F. elata, however, plant height of two leguminous species, i.e., O. viciifolia and M. sativa, were significant higher in mixing-plots than in mono-plots. 2) Mixing modes significantly affected the biomass per area in the sowing plots, with biomass of mixing plots increased with decrease of the leguminous plants ratio. The biomass of the best sowing modes were (151.27±15.26) g/m2 (E. dahuricus monoculture) and (144.05 ±7.13) g/m2 (E. dahuricus+F. elata, 5:5) respectively for the first year, while (832.13±124.71) g/m2 (E. dahuricus monoculture) and (723.83±57.14) g/m2 (E. dahuricus+F. elata, 7:3) for the second year, respectively. 3) Plant coverage for mixing modes of the two gramineous species were consistently high during the two years, with the maximum coverage of 87% occurred in the first year and over 60% in the second year for E. dahuricus+F. elata (5:5). 4) Gramineous species contributed more biomass per area than leguminous species in grassland restoration under alpine climate. 参考文献 相似文献 引证文献

Determination of Bioactive Lipid and Antioxidant Activity of Onobrychis, Pimpinella, Trifolium, and Phleum spp. Seed and Oils.

In this study, bioactive lipid components such as fatty acid composition, tocopherol and total phenolics content and antioxidant activity of few wild plant seed extracts were determined. The oil contents of seed samples changed between 3.75 g/100 g (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop) and 17.94 g/100 g (Pimpinella saxifrage L.). While oleic acid contents of seed oils change between 10.4% (Trifolium repens) and 29.5% (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop), linoleic acid contents of oil samples varied from 16.3% (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop) and 64.2% (Trifolium repens) (p < 0.05). While α-tocopherol contents of oil samples change between 2.112 (Pimpinella saxifrage L.) and 228.279 mg/100 g (Trifolium pratense), ɣ-tocopherol contents ranged from 0.466 (Phleum pratense) to 67.128 mg/100 g (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop). Also, α-tocotrienol contents of Onobrychis viciifolia Scop and Phleum pratense were 30.815 and 23.787 mg/100 g, respectively. Results showed some differences in total phenol contents and antioxidant activity values of extracts depending on plant species. The present study indicates that this seed oils are rich in fatty acid and tocopherol.

МЕЛИТТОФИЛЬНЫЙ КОМПЛЕКС РАСТЕНИЙ, ОБЕСПЕЧИВАЮЩИХ КОРМОВУЮ БАЗУ МЕДОНОСНЫХ ПЧЕЛ (APIS MELLIFERA) В ГОРНО-ЛЕСНОЙ ЗОНЕ КРЫМА

For the first time, in the mountain-forest ecosystems of Crimea of parcel organization level adjacent to the beehives of honey bees (Apis mellifera L.), a species composition of plants representing the melittophilic complex has been identified which provides honey bees with pollen and nectar during the entire warm season. The complex includes 57 species of plants where the honey bees that collect pollen or nectar have been registered. The core of the melittophilic complex consisted of 35 species of plants, the proportion of simultaneously flowering (in any period of the season) flowers of each one exceeded 2.5 % of the total number of flowers of all flowering species at this time. In early spring, the list of such species included 15 plant species belonging to 14 genera and 12 families. In this period, the decisive forage value (species whose flower share exceeded 10 % of all flowering flowers) was represented by 4 plant species: Cornus mas L., Corylus avellana L., Dentaria quinquefolia M. B. and Prunus divaricata Ledeb., the important value (the flowers share made &lt;10 %, but &gt;2.5 %) had 4 species: Ficaria verna Huds., Galanthus plicatus M. Bieb., Primula vulgaris Huds. and Scilla bifolia L. In spring, the forage base made up 20 plant species belonging to 18 genera and 7 families. Four species had decisive forage value: Cerasus avium L., Malus sylvestris L., Prunus spinosa L. and Pyrus elaeagrifolia Jacq., 7 species had important value: Crataegus monogyna Jacq., Fragaria vesca L., Lamium purpureum L., Crepis pulchra L., Prunus domestica L., Thlaspi arvense L. and Trifolium ambiguum M. Most of the species belonged to the Rosaceae family (10 species). In summer period, the forage basis comprised 20 species of melittophilic plants belonging to 19 genera and 9 families. 5 species had decisive value: Cichorium intybus L., Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop., Echium vulgare L., Medicago sativa L. and Trifolium ambiguum M., the important value had 7 species: Achillea millefolium L., Betonica officinalis L., Ballota nigra L., Centaurea diffusa Lam., Clematis vitalba L., Linaria vulgaris Mill. and Onobrychis sativa Lam. The representatives of the Asteraceae family (7 species) dominated; the representatives of Fabaceae (5 species) and Lamiaceae (4 species) also played a significant role. In autumn, there were the following food sources for honey bees: Diplotaxis tenuifolia (L.) DC., Centaurea diffusa Lam., Erýngium campéstre L., Carduus crispus L., and on the steppe slopes of the mountains: Scilla autumnalis L. and Crocus speciosus M. B. It has been established that the greatest number of melittophilic plant species in the studied mountain-forest biogeocenoses grow on parcels of forest edges and glades, steppe slopes of the mountains in their natural state. Oak-hornbeam and floodplain tree-shrub parcels have a smaller variety of species, but are essential for bees in early spring and spring..

Evaluation of virus-induced gene silencing methods for forage legumes including alfalfa, sainfoin, and fenugreek

Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) is a rapid reverse genetics tool that has been developed in a wide variety of plant species for assessing gene functions. However, while VIGS has been utilized successfully in the diploid model leguminous species Medicago truncatula (Gaertn.) (barrel medic), such a platform has yet to be established in forage legume crop species. Therefore, we evaluated the effectiveness of this method in forage legumes using a previously developed PEBV (pea early browning virus) system whereby a fragment of the pea (Pisum sativum L.) PHYTOENE DESATURASE (PDS) gene was transferred into a range of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.), and fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) cultivars using leaf infiltration and apical meristem injection. Barrel medic was used as a positive control. Gene silencing was observed after 10–15 d through the presence of a leaf bleaching phenotype, and was confirmed using quantitative real-time RT-PCR. Silencing of PDS was achieved in a selection of cultivars in all species assessed, with the highest silencing efficiency apparent in fenugreek. The introduction of a highly homologous gene fragment from a heterologous plant species to target endogenous genes for transient VIGS-based silencing in a range of species of interest represents a potentially useful strategy for the rapid functional characterization of candidate genes in forages.

In vitro rumen fermentation of diets with different types of condensed tannins derived from sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.) pellets and hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) pericarps

Information is lacking on the specific biological activity of feeds containing different types of condensed tannin (CT) on rumen fermentation characteristics. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro rumen fermentation parameters of diets including sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.) pellets (PS) and/or hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) pericarps (HP) using a batch culture system for 24 h. The treatments were a basal diet consisting of (dry matter (DM) basis) 800 g/kg hay from permanent grassland and 200 g/kg concentrate mix (control), the basal diet + 30.4% PS, the basal diet + 8.2% freeze-dried HP, and the basal diet + 15.2% PS + 4.1% HP. The diets were adjusted to be isotannic (20 g/kg DM, except for the control) and isoproteic (132 g/kg DM). Total gas and methane (CH4) productions were measured after 3.5 h and 24 h of incubation in buffered rumen fluid from sheep. At the end of incubation, pH, in vitro DM degradability (IVDMD) and the concentration of fermentation end-products in the medium were also measured. The CT structures in PS and HP, determined by the thiolysis method, were very different: PS had mostly prodelphinidins and HP mostly procyanidins. After 24 h of incubation, the total gas and CH4 productions and IVDMD were greater for the basal diet than for the CT-containing diets (P < 0.001). The CH4 production increased significantly with the diet + HP in the presence of polyethylene glycol (PEG, 4000 Da molecular weight), a CT-inactivating compound (P < 0.001), and tended to increase for the diet + PS (P = 0.062). The volatile fatty acid (VFA: acetate, propionate, butyrate, minor and iso-VFA) net productions were similar among treatments except for valerate (the lowest for PS-containing diets, P = 0.003), while the NH3 concentration was lower for the diet + PS (with a significant PEG effect) than for the diets including HP, and was highest for the basal diet. It was concluded that the inclusion of PS and HP in a basal diet for ruminants results in lower rumen fermentability and that their CT decreased CH4 production and protein degradability. The PS were more effective than HP for reducing rumen protein degradability with a potential increase of duodenal nitrogen (N) flow.

Effects of including bioactive legumes in grass silage on digestion parameters, nitrogen balance and methane emissions in sheep

AbstractThe aim of this work was to investigate the effects of feeding sheep with silage mixtures containing bioactive legumes on intake and digestive parameters. The bioactive legumes used were sainfoin (SF, Onobrychis viciifolia) and red clover (RC, Trifolium pratense), which contain condensed tannins (CT) and polyphenol oxidase respectively. Five treatments were assigned to two groups of sheep according to a replicated 5 × 5 Latin square design. The five types of silages tested were, on a dry matter (DM) basis: pure timothy grass silage (Phleum pratense, control, T), three binary mixtures of T‐SF, T‐RC and RC‐SF (500 g/kg each) and a ternary mixture of T‐RC‐SF (500, 250 and 250 g/kg respectively). The daily voluntary DM intake of silage mixtures containing both SF and RC was greater than for pure T silage, while the presence of SF resulted in lower organic matter digestibility compared to pure T. The rumen disappearance rate measured in situ increased linearly with the presence of SF and RC in silage. The nitrogen (N) digestibility was greater for pure T and T‐RC than for T‐SF, and the amount of N retained daily by the animals was greater for RC‐containing silages than for T and T‐SF. The methane (CH4) yield was greater for pure T than for the silage mixtures containing SF. We conclude that the presence of RC in silage could boost performances through intake and N retention, while SF‐based mixtures appear to have reduced negative environmental impacts through the reduction of CH4 emissions.

Microbial biomass, basal respiration, and microbial indices of soil in diverse croplands in a region of northwestern Turkey (Bartın).

Legumes are very important both ecologically and agriculturally, as well as economically since soil quality can be improved by the added nitrogen and increased organic matter content they provide. It can be advantageous to apply quantitative methods to indicate soil quality using a dataset of soil characteristics that includes microbial biomass content and activity. The Western Black Sea Region of Turkey was chosen as the study area with the aim of determining the variations in the soil characteristics (physical, chemical, and microbiological) in diverse croplands. At the sites sampled, marked differences were found in the bulk density, clay, soil temperature, soil moisture content, organic carbon, total N, Corg/Ntotal ratio, and microbial characteristics of vetch (Vicia sativa L.), alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), and sainfoin (Onobrychis sativa L.) croplands. There was a significant increase (P < 0.05) in the microbial biomass carbon content in the alfalfa (709.27μgg-1) and sainfoin (607.22μgg-1) croplands compared with the vetch (558.07μgg-1) cropland. Microbial biomass nitrogen was significantly lower in the vetch (103.67μgg-1) cropland compared with that in the sainfoin (127.42μgg-1) and alfalfa (140.26μgg-1). The highest basal respiration was determined in the alfalfa (1.09μg CO2-C g-1 soil h-1) cropland, while the lowest was found in the vetch (0.54μg CO2-C g-1 soil h-1) cropland. The mean Cmic/Corg percentage of the soils was lower in the sainfoin cropland when compared with the other croplands; however, statistically, no difference (P> 0.05) was observed among them. The soil under Onobrychis sativa L. and Vicia sativa L. exhibited the highest (1.67mg CO2-C g-1 Cmic h-1) and lowest (1.03mg CO2-C g-1 Cmic h-1) mean metabolic quotients (qCO2), respectively. When the microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen were taken into account, the high qCO2 values may have been an indication that the microbial biomass of decomposed organic compounds was more active, rather than signifying a result of metabolic stress. Consequently, it can be said that the variations found in the metabolic quotient, basal respiration, and microbial biomass among the different croplands were related to changes in microbial activity. Furthermore, the physical, chemical, and microbiological results indicated that the soils of Medicago sativa L. and Onobrychis sativa L. were of higher quality than the Vicia sativa L. soil.

Rapid and positive responses of plants to lower precipitation predictability.

Current climate change is characterized by an increase in weather variability, which includes altered means, variance and predictability of weather parameters, and which may affect an organism's ecology and evolution. Few studies have experimentally manipulated the variability of weather parameters, and very little is known about the effects of changes in the intrinsic predictability of weather parameters on living organisms. Here, we experimentally tested the effects of differences in intrinsic precipitation-predictability on two herbaceous plants (Onobrychis viciifolia and Papaver rhoeas). Lower precipitation-predictability led to phenological advance and to an increase in reproductive success, and population growth. Both species exhibited rapid transgenerational responses in phenology and fitness-related traits across four generations that mitigated most effects of precipitation-predictability on fitness proxies of ancestors. Transgenerational responses appeared to be the result of changes in phenotypic plasticity rather than local adaptation. They mainly existed with respect to conditions prevailing during early, but not during late growth, suggesting that responses to differences in predictability during late growth might be more difficult. The results show that lower short-term predictability of precipitation positively affected fitness, rapid transgenerational responses existed and different time scales of predictability (short-term, seasonal and transgenerational predictability) may affect organisms differently. This shows that the time scale of predictability should be considered in evolutionary and ecological theories, and in assessments of the consequences of climate change.

Interspecific interactions contribute to higher forage yield and are affected by phosphorus application in a fully-mixed perennial legume and grass intercropping system

Although intercropping is a common technique that has been widely applied, the effect of phosphorus (P) fertilization on productivity of a fully-mixed perennial intercropping system composed of four species, including two legumes and two grasses, has rarely been studied. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of interspecific interactions on forage yield and the influence of P application on interspecific competitiveness and yield in a fully-mixed intercropping system of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.), orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.). A three-year (2016–2018) field experiment was conducted in central China with an annual rainfall and temperature of 456 mm and 9.5 ℃, respectively. Five legume and grass seeding ratios (L: G) of 5:5, 4:6, 3:7, 6:4, and 7:3 were included, with four monocultures used as the control. The total forage yield was measured when 20% of the alfalfa flowers had opened (BBCH 62). Competitiveness indices, including the land equivalent ratio (LER), aggressivity (A), relative crowding coefficient (K values), competitive ratio (CR), and actual yield loss (AYL), were assessed. The total forage yield increased under fully-mixed intercropping in 2017–2018 when a transgressive overyielding advantage was attained, which was contributed by the interspecific interactions and P application. Moreover, the maximum yield and highest intercropping advantage appeared in L: G 3:7 and L: G 5:5 under 80 kg ha−1 P application in 2017–2018. Additionally, adequate P (80 kg ha−1) contributed to higher A values, K values, CR, and AYL of alfalfa and orchardgrass than in sainfoin and tall fescue, which suggested greater interspecific benefits and land-use efficiency. The fully-mixed intercropping system of alfalfa, sainfoin, orchardgrass, and tall fescue realized these potential advantages by coordinating interspecific interactions and environmental resources, which were manipulated by P application.