T3 Treatment Research Articles

Effect of Micro Organic Fertilizer on Growth and Yield of Threatened Melientha suavis Pierre Species in Thai Nguyen Province, Vietnam

The experiment was conducted at Thai Nguyen province to evaluate the response of micro-organic fertilizer on growth of vegetative and yield of Melientha suavis Pierre species in the spring and summer season 2023. The experiment included four treatments was designed in Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. The characteristics include height of plant, diameter of trunk, leaf number, leaf size and yield were measured. The results indicated that applying the T3 treatment greatly in response enhancing height of plant, diameter of trunk, leaf number as well as leaf size compared to untreated control. Furthermore, application of the T3 treatment have the best results in yield of 380.0 kg/ha and 313.3 kg/ha in the spring and summer season, respectively. Therefore, the result could recommend applying micro-organic fertilizer can be practical tool for increasing growth of vegetative as well as yield in Melientha suavis pierre under field conditions.

Mulching and drip irrigation to mitigate soil salinity on tomato (Lycoperscon esculentum L.) production in coastal area

Bangladesh’s coastal regions are rich in saline water resources. The majority of these resources are still not being used to their full potential. In the southern Bangladeshi region of Patuakhali, research was conducted to investigate the effects of mulching and drip irrigation on tomato yield, quality, and blossom-end rot (BER) at different soil salinity thresholds. There were four distinct treatments applied: T1= drip irrigation with polythene mulch, T2 = drip irrigation with straw mulch, T3 = drip irrigation without mulch, and T4 = standard procedure. While soil salinity was much greater in treatment T3 (1.19–8.42 dS/m) fallowed by T4 (1.23–8.63 dS/m), T1 treatments had the lowest level of salinity and the highest moisture retention during every development stage of the crops, ranging from 1.28–4.29 dS/m. Treatment T3 exhibited the highest soil salinity levels (ranging from 1.19 to 8.42 dS/m), followed by T4 with a range of 1.23 to 8.63 dS/m. In contrast, T1 treatments consistently maintained the lowest salinity levels (ranging from 1.28 to 4.29 dS/m) and the highest moisture retention throughout all stages of crop development. In terms of yield, drip irrigation with no mulch treatment (T3) provided the lowest output (13.37 t/ha), whereas polyethylene mulching treatment (T1) produced the maximum yield (46.04 t/ha). According to the study, conserving moisture in tomato fields and reducing soil salinity may both be achieved with drip irrigation combined with polythene mulch. The research suggests that employing drip irrigation in conjunction with polythene mulch could effectively preserve moisture in tomato fields and concurrently decrease soil salinity.

The Effect of Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) Organic Fertilizer on The Vegetative Growth of Carrot (Daucus carota), Royal Chantenay Variety

This study conducted in Gasabo District, Nyacyonga marshland aimed to investigate the effect of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) organic fertilizer on the vegetative growth of the Royal Chantenay variety of carrot (Daucus carota). The experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Four treatments were applied: T1 (control, no fertilizer), T2 (NPK 17-17-17), T3 (25% water hyacinth organic fertilizer + 75% NPK 17-17-17), and T4 (50% water hyacinth organic fertilizer + 50% NPK 17-17-17). The growth parameters assessed included plant height, leaf number, and root diameter. Results showed that the application of water hyacinth organic fertilizer significantly influenced the vegetative growth of Royal Chantenay carrot plants. T3 and T4 treatments enhanced plant height, leaf number, and root diameter compared to the control (T1) and NPK 17-17-17 (T2). The highest vegetative growth parameters were observed in T4, indicating that a higher concentration of water hyacinth organic fertilizer positively affected the growth of carrot plants. The findings suggest that water hyacinth organic fertilizer can be a viable alternative to chemical fertilizers in promoting the vegetative growth of Royal Chantenay carrot plants. The utilization of water hyacinth as an organic fertilizer can contribute to sustainable agricultural practices by reducing dependence on synthetic inputs.

Effects of Salt Stress on Grain Quality and Starch Properties of High-Quality Rice Cultivars

In recent days, there has been a noticeable surge in demand for high-quality rice. However, the influences of salinity on the quality and starch properties of high-quality rice remain unclear. Three high-quality rice cultivars (Nanjing 9108, Nanjing 5055, and Nanjing 46) were studied to investigate the responses of grain quality to salt stress. There were three treatments, including a control zero salt level (0 g·kg−1, CK), and two salt levels of 0.1 g·kg−1 (0.1% salt stress, T1) and 0.2 g·kg−1 (0.2% salt stress, T2). The study involved the assessment of the appearance, milling, cooking, and eating qualities of rice. We also conducted an analysis of pasting properties, an evaluation of starch thermal properties, and an examination of the fine structure of amylopectin. The findings suggest that as the level of salt stress increases, the yield of rice gradually declines, which is primarily due to a significant reduction in the total spikelet number and the ratio of filled grains. Compared with CK treatment, the appearance and milling quality of rice were significantly improved within the T1 treatment. In addition, the protein concentration and amylose concentration were significantly decreased, the gel consistency was significantly increased, and the cooking and eating qualities were improved. In terms of starch properties, the peak viscosity, breakdown value, infrared ratio (1022/995), and short-chain-length amylopectin ratio increased significantly, while the setback value, pasting temperature, gelatinization enthalpy, relative crystallinity, and infrared ratio (1045/1022) decreased significantly. When comparing T2 with CK, the appearance quality and cooking and eating quality had deteriorated, and the milling quality was improved. The changes in the structural and physicochemical properties of starch were opposite to those in the comparison between the T1 treatment and the CK group. Accordingly, we propose that moderate salt stress has the potential to enhance rice quality, even though there may be a slight decrease in yield. This indicates that it is feasible to cultivate high-quality rice in saline–alkali beach areas.

Effect of heat treatments on microstructure and mechanical behavior of laser welded LPBF AlSi10Mg alloys

In this work, heat treatments were performed on autogenously laser welding of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) AlSi10Mg alloys to improve mechanical properties of welded joints. After welding, the welded joint was heat treated by direct aging (DA) and solution heat treatment and artificial aging (T6) treatment. The porosity, microstructure and mechanical performance of the welded joints after DA and T6 treatments were investigated and compared with the as-welded joint. Results show that the microhardness of weld metal (WM) has been increased to over 93.5 HV0.1 after DA treatment, while the microhardness in the T6 welded joint is reduced to 77.0 HV0.1, from 82.0 HV0.1 in the as-welded joint. The ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of the DA treated joint reaches 276.5 MPa, showing an increase of 43.0% compared with as-welded joint. The DA heat treatment of the LPBF AlSi10Mg welded joints effectively improves the hardness and the UTS, which can be mainly attributable to the reduction of the hydrogen pores, the enhancing effect of solid solution strengthening coming from the Si element in the Al matrix and the dispersion strengthening of Si precipitation.

Enriching Iodine and Regulating Grain Aroma, Appearance Quality, and Yield in Aromatic Rice by Foliar Application of Sodium Iodide

Applying iodine fertilizers to cultivate iodine-rich crops for daily intake is an effective approach for iodine supplementation, especially for aromatic rice. Field experiments were conducted during the early growing seasons of 2021 and 2022 to evaluate the impacts of foliar application of iodine fertilizer on aromatic rice and to explore the optimal iodine fertilizer concentration. At the full heading stage, six different concentrations of sodium iodide solutions of 0% (CK), 0.010% (T1), 0.025% (T2), 0.050% (T3), 0.075% (T4), and 0.100% (T5) were applied to indica aromatic rice cultivars Meixiangzhan 2 and Xiangyaxiangzhan. The results showed that sodium iodide treatments significantly increased the iodine and sodium contents in both leaves and grains. Compared with the CK, the T1 and T2 treatments increased the 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2-AP) content in mature grains by 8.41%‒101.66% and 13.58%‒ 74.60%, respectively. Improvements in the contents of 1-pyrroline-5-carboxylic acid, proline, 1-pyrroline, and methylglyoxal, as well as the activity of proline dehydrogenase were also detected. Additionally, sodium iodide treatments remarkably decreased the chalky grain rate, chalkiness area, and chalkiness degree of aromatic rice, with the T2 treatment exhibiting a 17.79%‒47.42% decrease in chalkiness degree compared with the CK. Meanwhile, T1 and T2 treatments showed beneficial impacts on chlorophyll content, photosynthetic characteristics, and yield components, while T3, T4, and T5 treatments exhibited adverse effects on leaf and grain yields. The linear discriminant analysis revealed significant differences between treatments. The correlation analysis and piecewise structural equation modeling showed that the iodine and sodium influenced the photosynthetic characteristics and chlorophyll content of the leaves, thereby regulating the 2-AP biosynthesis and yield components, ultimately affecting the 2-AP content and yield. Overall, this study suggests that foliar application of 0.025% sodium iodide is an effective method to enrich the iodine content in rice grains, improve the grain aroma and appearance quality of aromatic rice, without detrimental effects on grain yield.

EVALUATION OF DIFFERENT STOCKING DENSITY OF SMALL INDIGENOUS FISH PABDA WITH CARP POLYCULTURE SYSTEM

An experiment on the polyculture of carps with high valued small indigenous fish species (SIS) Pabda (Ompok pabda) was carried out for 152 days to evaluate the production performances of carp and pabda in some on-farm pond conditions in three Upazila of Jhenaidah district. Three stocking densities of Pabda were T1500, T2600, and T3-700 fish per decimal where released, carp density was the same among the treatments at 246 nos/33 decimal. Fish was fed with commercial (sprectahexa, mega) pelleted feed at the same rate at the different stages of Pabda (0.66-50 gm BW @ 20%-4% twice a day respectively). The weight gain of Pabda was 40.965 ± 0.04, 35.17± 0.11 and 30.99 ± 1.17 g in T1, T2, and T3 treatments, respectively. The production levels showed significant difference (P<0.05) among the treatments. The SGR (%) of Pabda was 2.76 ± 0.0006, 2.66 ± 0.002 and 2.58 ± 0.024 in T1, T2, and T3, respectively that showed a significant difference (P<0.05) among the treatments. The weight gain of carp was 1177.24 ± 30.87, 1150± 0.001, 1154.85 ± 3.43 in T1, T2, and T3, respectively, which was also significantly different (P<0.05) when ANOVA was performed. The water quality parameters like transparency and dissolved oxygen in the treatments showed significant differences (P<0.05) except temperature, pH, and ammonia nitrogen. The results of the present study demonstrated that the fishes showed better growth, survival, and production in the low stocking density of Pabda in T1 treatment.

Sweet potato yield and quality characteristics affected by different late-season irrigation levels.

Seasonal late-season water deficits negatively affect the yield and quality of sweet potatoes in northern China. However, the amount of late-season irrigation to achieve high yield and consistent quality storage root remains undetermined. We assessed the yield and some qualitative traits of sweet potatoes such as size, shape, skin/flesh colour and nutritional content, as influenced by five irrigation levels (T0: unirrigated control; T1: 33% ETc; T2: 75% ETc; T3: 100% ETc; and T4: 125% ETc). Late-season irrigation significantly increased yield and marketable yield. Yields for T2 and T3 were significantly higher than other treatments, whereas T2 had the highest Grade A rating in a 2-year test. The vertical length of storage roots gradually increased with an increase in irrigation level, whereas the maximum width remained unchanged. The proportion of long elliptic and elliptic storage roots also increased, whereas the proportion of ovate, obovate and round storage roots gradually decreased. The skin and flesh colours became more vivid as the level of irrigation increased, with the skin colour becoming redder and the flesh colour becoming more orange-yellow. The levels of carotenoids, vitamin C and soluble sugar were significantly higher in irrigated crops, with the highest vitamin C and soluble sugar levels in T2 and the highest carotenoid levels in T3 treatment. Taken together, these results demonstrate the potential of moderate irrigation in the late-season to improve both yield production and quality potential. The results are of great importance for improving the market value of sweet potatoes and increasing grower profits. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

An Investigation into the Impacts of Preparatory Tillage and Nutrient Management on Barley Yield and Economic Viability in the Context of Water Stress Conditions

A number of field tests were carried out at the Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology's Soil Conservation and Water Management Farm in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, during the successive rabi seasons of 2020–21 and 2021–22. The gangatic alluvial soil in the study area had a pH of 7.6, which was indicative of its light texture and moderate soil fertility. The study included three different treatments that included preparatory tillage techniques: T1 treatment was one cross plowing with a cultivator; T2 treatment was one disc harrow plowing followed by another cross plowing with a cultivator; and T3 treatment was one disc harrow plowing plus one rotavator pass. The experiment also looked into three different nutrient management strategies: N1, which involved applying 100% of the Recommended Dose of Fertilizers (RDF)—60 kg of N, 30 kg of P2O5, and 30 kg of K2O—through chemical fertilizers; N2, which involved applying 75% of the RDF through chemical fertilizers along with 25% of Farm Yard Manure (FYM); and N3, which applied 50% of the RDF through chemical fertilizers along with 50% of FYM. In addition to applying 50% RDF through chemical fertilizers combined with 50% FYM, the results of the two-year experiment showed that planting barley crops in plots that received one disc harrow plowing and one rotavator pass yielded the maximum values across growth factors, yield attributes (such as grain yield q ha-1, straw yield q ha-1, biological yield q/ha, as well as harvest index), net return, gross return, and the barley benefit-to-cost ratio. This was noted in both years in a consistent manner. The next best results were seen with preparatory tillage, which involved using a cultivator to plough a single cross and applying chemical fertilizers to achieve 100% RDF (N1: 60 kg N ha-1 + 30 kg P2O5ha-1 + 30 kg K2Oha-1).

Tailoring heat treatment for AlSi7Mg0.6 parts with as-built surface generated by laser powder bed fusion to reduce surface roughness sensitivity

The most important advantage of additive manufacturing by laser powder bed fusion (PBF-LB) technique is the ability to produce geometrically complex parts, but the problem is their rough surfaces, often difficult or inaccessible to finish by machining. Therefore, research to improve the reproducibility of the mechanical behavior of parts manufactured from aluminum alloy powders with as-built surfaces is of vital importance for the aerospace and automotive industries. Since local notches occurring on rough surfaces after the PBF-LB process are unavoidable, the way to solve this problem is to obtain as-built surfaces of the highest possible quality and to adapt a post-process heat treatment that increases the ductility and fracture toughness of the material. To this end, the present work focused on the study of the mechanical performance of AlSi7Mg0.6 samples with a rough as-built surface in the as-built state and after several variants of post-process heat treatment, combined with a detailed analysis of the microstructures corresponding to these states. Tensile samples built on a platform preheated to 100 °C, achieved a relative density of 99.85%, satisfactory surface quality, a relatively low level of residual stress and moderate crystallographic texture. Despite the rough surface, the samples under the as-built condition and after different variants of heat treatment (direct aging (DA), stress relieving (SR), and solution annealing followed by artificial aging (T6)), achieved tensile properties comparable to those reported in the literature for PBF-LB samples with machined surfaces. The resulting combinations of tensile properties of PBF-LB samples after different heat treatment variants were evaluated using the quality index (QI) commonly used to assess the quality of heat-treated Al-Si-Mg castings. It was found that the proposed T6 treatment provides the best combination of strength properties and ductility, compared to those obtained after both DA and SR, as well as after T6 treatment of high-quality castings, from the point of view of reducing the sensitivity of AlSi7Mg0.6 alloy to surface roughness.

Effects of Aging Treatments on the Age Hardening Behavior and Microstructures in an Al-Mg-Si-Cu Alloy

In this study, we investigated the effects of modified aging treatments on the microstructures and hardness in a commercial 6016 Al alloy through hardness tests and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations. The results demonstrate that many fine needle-like β″ phases contribute to the high hardness of peak-aged (T6) alloys. Over-aging treatments lead to the precipitation of lath-like β′, β″/disordered, or B′/disordered composite phases. Moderate over-aging treatment results in the coarsening of grain boundary precipitates (GBPs) and widening of the precipitate-free zone (PFZ), while heavy over-aging treatment triggers the re-precipitation of Cu-containing GBPs and increases the number density of GBPs. A retrogression and re-aging (RRA) treatment precipitates β″, lath-like β′, and disordered phases, while a two-step aging (T78) treatment precipitates β″, B′, and disordered phases. Both the T78 and the RRA treatments lead to the coarsening of GBPs and the widening of PFZs. The decreased hardness during over-aging treatments is attributed to a combination of coarsening intragranular precipitates and/or wider PFZs. The T78 and RRA tempers achieve 95.5% and 94% of the hardness values of the T6 treatment, respectively. The hardness values of the RRA and T78 treated alloys are related to the finer nano-sized precipitates formed during the high temperature process. These precipitates can compensate for the loss of hardness caused by the increase in the widths of the PFZs and the coarsening of the matrix precipitates. The relationship between the hardness and microstructures such as PFZs and precipitates in the matrix during various heat treatments is elucidated.

The effectiveness of Bio-plus2B®, Techno Mos® and their mixture on the rate of egg production, egg characteristics, retention of nutrients and blood metabolites through the early period of production

BackgroundThe trend of using probiotic, prebiotic and their mixture as alternative feed additives which works as growth promoters in poultry diets to increase the productive performance and the immunity of the flock still have an importance consideration. So that the aim of this study is to estimate the impact of Bio-plus2B® (probiotic), Techno Mos® (prebiotic) or their mixture (synbiotic) on egg production, egg and shell quality, some blood metabolites and retention of nutrients between 28 and 40 weeks of age. The hens (ISA brown laying) were allocated randomly in 40 cages; 10 cages/treatment with two hens each. The treatments were the control (T1), T2 (Probiotic: 1 g Bio-plus2B® (Bacillus licheniformis plus Bacillus subtilis)/kg feed), T3 (Prebiotic: 1 g Techno Mos® (Mannanoligosaccarides (MOS) and 1,3 B-glucan) /kg feed) and T4 (Synbiotic: 1 g Bio-plus2B® plus 1 g Techno Mos®/ kg feed).ResultsHen-day egg production% and mass were significantly increased (P < 0.05) with T2 and T4 treatments. The experimental treatments recorded an increase in albumen index, Haugh unit (P < 0.01), shell thickness (P < 0.05), the retention of crude protein (CP), crude fiber (CF) and ether extract (EE) (P < 0.05), plasma globulin, albumin and total protein (P < 0.001) versus to the untreated group, while egg weight was not affected. Synbiotic treatment showed a significant (P < 0.001) increase in shell calcium content. T3 and T4 treatments were significantly decreased plasma cholesterol (P < 0.001) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) (P < 0.05). Alanine transaminase (ALT) was significantly (P < 0.001) decreased and estradiol hormone was increased (P < 0.001) in the experimental groups versus to the control.ConclusionsIt concluded that adding probiotic and/or prebiotic in the early age laying hens diets had beneficial effects for productivity with improving the egg shell thickness.

Efficacy of spinetoram and flupyradifurone against bruchid on blackgram (Vigna mungo) under storage conditions

The effectiveness of various molecules, including spinetoram 11.7 sc and flupyradifurone 200 sl, along with chemical checks like emamectin benzoate 5 sg and deltamethrin 2.8 ec, was investigated for controlling bruchid infestation and preserving seed quality during ambient storage at University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka (2021–22). After 9 months, spinetoram 11.7 sc at 25.6 mg/kg seeds (T3) demonstrated outstanding results compared to the control (T9). Treatment T3 exhibited the highest 100-seed weight (5.28 g), lowest seed moisture (9.64%), and the highest germination rate (82%). Additionally, treatment T3 showed maximum shoot length, root length, mean seedling length, and mean seedling dry weight. The electrical conductivity (EC) of seed leachate was significantly lower in T3 (834 µS/cm) treatment, highlighting its superiority. Spinetoram 11.7 sc also excelled in dehydrogenase activity, protein content and total soluble sugars, indicating its positive impact on seed quality. Bruchid infestation significantly reduced in treatment T3 (1.42%), while untreated seeds exhibited the highest seed damage (16.50%). Teatment T3 recorded the fewest live and dead bruchids per 400 seeds, as well as the lowest seed infection. Compared to other treatments, spinetoram 11.7 sc at 25.6 mg/kg seeds emerged as the most effective in controlling bruchids and maintaining superior seed quality, as reflected in its highest B:C ratio. Overall, this research suggests that spinetoram can be a highly effective solution for bruchid control and seed quality preservation in blackgram during storage.

Effect of nutmeg essential oil (Myristica fragrans Houtt.) on methane production, rumen fermentation, and nutrient digestibility in vitro

The study evaluated the effect of adding of nutmeg (Myristica fragrans Houtt.) essential oil (NEO) as a feed additive on methane production, rumen fermentation parameters, rumen enzyme activity, and nutrient digestibility in vitro. This study was divided into three treatments based on the level of NEO addition, which included 0 µL/L (T0), 100 µL/L (T1), and 200 µL/L (T2). The feed substrate composition consisted of king grass as forage and concentrate in a 60:40 ratio. Feed fermentation was conducted using the Menke and Steingass gas production and two-step Tilley and Terry in-vitro digestibility technique. The data obtained from the study were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and if there were differences between means, they were further assessed using DMRT. The results showed that T2 treatment significantly decreased (P < 0.05) ammonia (NH3) levels, total VFA, acetate, propionate, butyrate, and microbial protein (P < 0.05). Methane production and the activity of rumen protease enzyme significantly decreased (P < 0.05) at T1 and T2 treatment. The T2 treatment significantly reduced (P < 0.05) protein digestibility (IVCPD) at 48 h, while IVCPD at 96 h significantly increased (P < 0.05). On the other hand, the addition of nutmeg essential oil did not effect the activity of the amylase, carboxymethyl cellulase, and β-glucosidase enzymes, as well as the in-vitro digestibility of dry matter (IVDMD), crude fiber (IVCFD), and organic matter (IVOMD). The conclusion drawn from this study is that the optimum level for NEO is 200 µL/L, which can reduce methane production and increase crude protein digestibility at 96 h without any negative effect on rumen fermentation and nutrient digestibility.

The Effect of Nitrogen Reduction and Applying Bio-Organic Fertilisers on Soil Nutrients and Apple Fruit Quality and Yield

In this study, we investigated the effect of partially substituting inorganic nitrogen with bio-organic fertiliser on the ‘Tianhong2’ Fuji apple planting in Xinjiang. Bio-organic fertiliser was applied, and nitrogen was reduced by 20% (T2), 40% (T3), and 60% (T4) during the blooming and fruit expansion periods with conventionally fertilised fields used as control (T1); soil nutrient, soil enzyme activity, leaf nutrients, fruit quality, and yield were measured. The total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), total potassium (TK), total calcium (TCa), available phosphorus (AP), available potassium (AK), and soil organic matter (SOM) contents, as well as the soil catalase (S-CAT), soil uretrase (S-UE), soil saccharase (S-SC), and soil nitrate reductase (S-NR) activities, significantly increased in the experimental soils compared with those in T1. In addition, TP, TCa, and total magnesium (TMg) content in apples significantly increased. Compared to T1, the T2 and T3 treatments significantly improved the fruit yield and quality, increasing the sugar–acid ratio, soluble protein, soluble sugar, peel carotenoid, and anthocyanin content and reducing peel chlorophyll content. The brightness (L*), red–green axis (a*), yellow–blue axis (b*), colour intensity (C), and tone (h°) values changed. The yield per hectare and nitrogen fertiliser partial productivity values were significantly increased. Overall, the T2 treatment resulted in the best outcome for the Yili area. In conclusion, partially substituting inorganic nitrogen with bio-organic fertiliser can effectively increase soil and leaf nutrient content and improve fruit yield and quality.

Effect of heat treatment on microstructural characteristics and mechanical properties of hypereutectic B390 aluminium alloys modified by phosphorus and bismuth

This study investigated the effects of solution treatment and aging processes on microstructural characteristics and mechanical properties of hypereutectic B390 Al-Si Alloy modified by phosphorus (P) and bismuth (Bi). The morphology evolution of primary Si, eutectic Si, intermetallic compounds, and secondary dendrite arm spacing (SDAS) of both initial and modified alloys were investigated in as-cast and heat-treated conditions. It was found that the combination of 0.1 wt%P and 0.5 wt%Bi in B390 alloy resulted in a remarkable modification and refinement of primary Si, eutectic Si, and SDAS compared to initial specimens in the as-cast condition. After heat treating, the fine lamellar eutectic Si and intermetallic compounds underwent a higher degree of fragmentation and coarsening, appearing as small round particles, leading to a more pronounced formation of a supersaturated solid solution. Additionally, the peak aging time of the B390-P-Bi alloy was only 7 h, 2 h less than the initial specimen. After T6 treatment and addition of both 0.1 wt%P and 0.5 wt%Bi, the B390-P-Bi alloy exhibited a smaller rounded Mg3Bi2 phase at peak aging with a 62.07% size reduction compared to the B390-Bi alloy. The results show that adding P with Bi enhanced hardness, ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and elongation because of refinement of the SDAS, primary Si and eutectic Si. These refinements played a crucial role in increasing tensile strength by more effective strengthening through precipitation and grain size reduction. The B390-P-Bi alloy is a promising choice for applications requiring a balance between strength and ductility.

A Randomized Trial of Combination T4 and T3 Treatment and Effect on Tissue Markers of Thyroid Status in Thyroidectomized Patients

A Randomized Trial of Combination T4 and T3 Treatment and Effect on Tissue Markers of Thyroid Status in Thyroidectomized Patients

Genome-wide transcriptome profiling reveals molecular response pathways of Trichoderma harzianum in response to salt stress.

Trichoderma harzianum exhibits a strong biological control effect on many important plant pathogens, such as Fusarium oxysporum, Botrytis cinerea, and Meloidogyne. However, its biocontrol effectiveness is weakened or reduced under salt stress. The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular response of T. harzianum to salt stress at the whole-genome level. Here, we present a 44.47 Mb near-complete genome assembly of the T. harzianum qt40003 strain for the first time, which was assembled de novo with 7.59 Gb Nanopore sequencing long reads (~170-fold) and 5.2 Gb Illumina short reads (~116-fold). The assembled qt40003 genome contains 12 contigs, with a contig N50 of 4.81 Mb, in which four of the 12 contigs were entirely reconstructed in a single chromosome from telomere to telomere. The qt40003 genome contains 4.27 Mb of repeat sequences and 12,238 protein-coding genes with a BUSCO completeness of 97.5%, indicating the high accuracy and completeness of our gene annotations. Genome-wide transcriptomic analysis was used to investigate gene expression changes related to salt stress in qt40003 at 0, 2% (T2), and 4% (T4) sodium chloride concentrations. A total of 2,937 and 3,527 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained under T2 and T4 conditions, respectively. GO enrichment analysis showed that the T2-treatment DEGs were highly enriched in detoxification (p < 0.001), while the T4 DEGs were mainly enriched in cell components, mostly in cellular detoxification, cell surface, and cell wall. KEGG metabolic pathway analysis showed that 91 and 173 DEGs were significantly enriched in the T2 and T4 treatments, respectively (p < 0.01), mainly in the glutathione metabolism pathway. We further experimentally analyzed the differentially expressed glutathione transferase genes in the glutathione metabolic pathway, most of which were downregulated (13/15). In addition, we screened 13 genes related to active oxygen clearance, including six upregulated and seven downregulated genes, alongside five fungal hydrophobic proteins, of which two genes were highly expressed. Our study provides high-quality genome information for the use of T. harzianum for biological control and offers significant insights into the molecular responses of T. harzianum under salt-stress conditions.

Functionally responsive hydrogels with salt-alkali sensitivity effectively target soil amelioration

The long-standing crisis of soil salinization and alkalization poses a significant challenge to global agricultural development. High soil salinity-alkalinity, water dispersion, and nutrient loss present major hurdles to soil improvement. Novel environmentally friendly gels have demonstrated excellent water retention and slow-release capabilities in agricultural enhancement. However, their application for improving saline-alkali soil is both scarce and competitive. This study proposes a new strategy for regulating saline-alkali soil using gel-coated controlled-release soil modifiers (CWR-SRMs), where radical-polymerized gels are embedded on the surface of composite gel beads through spray coating. Characterization and performance analysis reveal that the three-dimensional spatial network structure rich in hydrophilic groups exhibits good thermal stability (first-stage weight loss temperature of 257.7 °C in thermogravimetric analysis) and encapsulation efficiency for fulvic acid‑potassium (FA-K), which can enhance soil quality in saline-alkali environments. The molecular chain relaxation under saline-alkali conditions promotes a synergistic effect of swelling and slow release, endowing it with qualifications as a water reservoir, Ca2+ source unit, and slow-release body. The results of a 6 weeks incubation experiment on 0–20 cm saline-alkaline soil with different application gradients showed that the gradient content had a significant effect on the soil improvement effect. Specifically, the T2 (the dosage accounted for 1 % of soil mass) treatment significantly increases water retention (30 % ~ 90 %), and nutrient levels (30 % ~ 50 %), while significantly decreasing soil sodium colloid content (30 % ~ 60 %) and soil pH (10 % ~ 15 %). Furthermore, PCA analysis indicates that the addition of 1 % CWR-SRMs as amendments can significantly adjust the negative aspects of soil salinity and alkalinity. This highlights the excellent applicability of CWR-SRMs in improving saline-alkali agricultural ecosystems, demonstrating the potential value of novel environmentally friendly gels as an alternative solution for soil challenges persistently affected by adverse salinity and alkalinity.

Unveiling the potential of cellulose nanofibre based nitrogen fertilizer and its transformative effect on Vigna radiata (Mung Bean): nanofibre for sustainable agriculture.

Fertilizer management is crucial to maintaining a balance between environmental health, plant health, and total crop yield. Farmers are overutilizing fertilizers with a mind set to enhance the productive capacity of the field, which adversely impacts soil fertility and causes serious environmental hazards. To mitigate the issues of over-utilization of fertilizers, controlled-release fertilizers were developed using nitrogen fertilizer (ammonium chloride) loaded on cellulose nanofibres (named CNF*N). In this study, the effects of CNF*N were compared with commercial nitrogen fertilizer (ammonium chloride) on Vigna radiata (Mung) under greenhouse conditions. The pot experiment was conducted using six treatments: first treatment was control, where the plant was cultivated (T1); second treatment was T2, where the plant was cultivated with CNF to determine the impact of CNF on the plant; third was T3 where commercial ammonium chloride (24 mg/ 2 kg soil) was added to the plant; fourth was T4, where the plant was loaded with CNF, viz. CNF*N contains 4.8 mg of nitrogen; fifth was T5 CNF*N pellet contains 12 mg of nitrogen, and the last sixth treatment (T6) where CNF*N pellet containing 24 mg of nitrogen. It indicated that the growth parameters were best achieved in T6 treatment. Plant height was at its maximum in the T6 treatment (44.4 ±0.1cm) after the second harvest, whereas the minimum plant height was observed in T1, which was 39.1 ±0.1 cm. Root-to-shoot weight ratio was also maximum in T6 (0.183± 0.02) and minimum in T1 (0.07± 0.01) after second harvesting. The significant difference among the treatments was determined with Tukey's honestly significant difference (HSD). The nitrogen content (available and total) was significantly higher in the T4, T5, and T6 treatments (0.22, 0.25, and 0.28%) as compared to the control treatments (T1 (0.12%), T2 (0.13%), and T3 (0.14%) during the second harvesting stage (90 days), as nitrogen plays a crucial role in the development of vegetative growth in Vigna radiata. The rate of controlled-release nitrogen-fertilizer was found to be optimal in terms of plant growth and soil nutrients; hence, it could potentially play a crucial role in improving soil health and the yield of the crop.