Screening microbial strain for improving the nutritional value of wheat and corn straws as animal feed

From 18 strains of cellulolytic microorganisms including bacteria and filamentous fungi, one strain of soft rot fungus identified as Chaetomium cellulolyticum was screened with respect to stronger decomposition ability of cellulose and hemicellulose and its ability for protein synthesis. As it grew on raw corn straw in solid layer fermentation (SLF) for 5 days, the amino acid content in the fermentation product attained 19.29% (w/w) from 6.43% while the total cell wall was reduced by 54%. A toxicity test with mice showed that the fermentation product is not poisonous. The two filamentous fungi, Trichoderma pseudokoningii S-38 and Penicillium decumbens JU-A10 produced large amounts of extracellular cellulase and hemicellulase in the SLF process, but their growth was limited and they sporulated profusely with regard to their value as animal feed products.     

Effects of straw mulching on soil temperature, evaporation and yield of winter wheat: field experiments on the North China Plain

Straw mulching is an effective measure to conserve soil moisture. However, the existence of straw on the soil surface also affects soil temperature, which in turn influences crop growth, especially of winter crops. Five‐year field experiments (2000–2005) investigated the effects of straw mulching and straw mass on soil temperature, soil evaporation, crop growth and development, yield and water use efficiency (WUE) of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) at Luancheng Station on the North China Plain. Soil is a moderately well‐drained loamy soil with a deep profile at the station. Two quantities of mulch were used: 3000 kg ha^?1 [less mulching (LM)] and 6000 kg ha^?1 [more mulching (MM)], representing half and all of the straw from the previous crop (maize). In the control (CK), the full quantity of mulch was ploughed into the top 20 cm of soil. The results showed that the existence of straw on the soil surface reduced the maximum, but increased the minimum diurnal soil temperature. When soil temperature was decreasing (from November to early February the next year), soil temperature (0–10 cm) under straw mulching was on average 0.3°C higher for LM and 0.58°C higher for MM than that without mulching (CK). During the period when soil temperature increased (from February to early April, the recovery and jointing stages of winter wheat), average daily soil temperature of 0–10 cm was 0.42°C lower for LM and 0.65°C lower for MM than that of CK. With the increase in leaf area index, the effect of mulching on soil temperature gradually disappeared. The lower soil temperature under mulch in spring delayed the development of winter wheat up to 7 days, which on average reduced the final grain yield by 5% for LM and 7% for MM compared with CK over the five seasons. Mulch reduced soil evaporation by 21% under LM and 40% under MM compared with CK, based on daily measuring of microlysimeters. However, because yield was reduced, the overall WUE was not improved by mulch.     

半干旱区膜上覆土穴播对春小麦旗叶光合作用和水分利用的影响

在甘肃定西大田定位试验的基础上,2012—2013年连续2年比较了全膜覆土穴播(PMS)、覆膜穴播(PM)和露地穴播(CK)春小麦旗叶的SPAD值、叶绿素荧光参数、光合气体交换参数以及叶面积指数(LAI)、产量、耗水量和水分利用效率.结果表明: PMS提高了小麦旗叶SPAD值,扬花后显著高于PM,增加了10.0%～21.5%,较CK增加了3.2%～21.6%.PMS的旗叶最大光化学效率(F_v/F_m)、PSⅡ实际光化学效率(Φ_PSⅡ)和光化学猝灭系数高于PM和CK,较PM最高分别提高了6.1%、9.6%和30.9%,并在灌浆期达到显著差异;而PMS的非光化学猝灭系数(q_N)值最低,并在抽穗期与PM达显著差异水平,2012和2013年分别降低了23.8%和15.4%.PMS的气孔导度(g_s)较PM和CK高,在灌浆期与PM达到显著差异,2012和2013年分别提高了17.1%和21.1%;PMS的蒸腾速率(T_r)较PM提高了5.4%～16.7%,光合速率(P_n)增加了11.2%～23.7%,旗叶瞬时水分利用效率(WUE_i)提高了5.6%～7.2%(除2013年抽穗期外),并在2012年扬花期达到显著差异.PMS的LAI高于PM和CK,尤其在季节性干旱的2013年达到显著差异.因此,PMS提高了叶片SPAD值,增强了旗叶对光合能量的同化能力和气体交换强度,使更多的光合能量进入光化学同化方向,降低了热耗散,使P_n增加,提高了旗叶WUE_i,基于较高的光合速率和群体LAI,最终提高小麦产量和水分利用效率.     

Biological pretreatment of rice straw with Streptomyces griseorubens JSD-1 and its optimized production of cellulase and xylanase for improved enzymatic saccharification efficiency

Biological pretreatment of rice straw and production of reducing sugars by hydrolysis of bio-pretreated material with Streptomyces griseorubens JSD-1 was investigated. After 10 days of incubation, various chemical compositions of inoculated rice straw were degraded and used for further enzymatic hydrolysis studies. The production of cellulolytic enzyme by S. griseorubens JSD-1 favored the conversion of cellulose to reducing sugars. The culture medium for cellulolytic enzyme production by using agro-industrial wastes was optimized through response surface methodology. According to the response surface analysis, the concentrations of 11.13, 20.34, 4.61, and 2.85 g L^?1 for rice straw, wheat bran, peptone, and CaCO₃, respectively, were found to be optimum for cellulase and xylanase production. Then the hydrolyzed spent Streptomyces cells were used as a nitrogen source and the maximum filter paper cellulase, carboxymethylcellulase, and xylanase activities of 25.79, 78.91, and 269.53 U mL^?1 were achieved. The crude cellulase produced by S. griseorubens JSD-1 was subsequently used for the hydrolysis of bio-pretreated rice straw, and the optimum saccharification efficiency of 88.13% was obtained, indicating that the crude enzyme might be used instead of commercial cellulase during a saccharification process. These results give a basis for further study of bioethanol production from agricultural cellulosic waste.     

Phosphorus nutrition of rice in relation to flooding and temporary loss of soil-water saturation in two lowland soils of Cambodia

In the rainfed lowlands, temporary loss of soil-water saturation during crop growth is a common factor limiting rice (Oryza sativa L.) yield but its effects on phosphorus (P) availability are poorly understood. Rice plants were transplanted into pots containing soils that were either continuously flooded, maintained at field capacity or flooded and then dried to field capacity for 3 weeks during the vegetative stage. A black clay soil (Kandic Plinthaquult) and a sandy soil (Plinthustalf) from south-east Cambodia were compared with or without amendments by rice straw and P fertilizer. Under continuously flooded conditions, the growth of rice was vigorous without straw addition and there was a strong response of rice growth to the addition of P fertilizer. The soil underwent reduction, which increased pH from 4.2 to 5.5 or 6.0, in the black clay or sandy soil, respectively. By contrast, a loss of soil-water saturation 3 weeks before panicle initiation (PI) markedly impaired the growth of rice. This was not through any effect of water stress, and the growth reductions were not as strong as with continued loss of soil-water saturation from transplanting to PI. Fluctuations in soil pH and Eh corresponded closely to changes in soil-water regimes. Growth reductions were attributed to reduced shoot P levels resulting from the decline in P availability during the loss of soil-water saturation. The addition of rice straw stimulated soil reduction and lessened changes in soil pH and Eh during the loss of soil-water saturation in both soils. Straw addition enhanced P uptake by the rice plants during loss of soil-water saturation, but its beneficial effects could not be attributed to the direct addition of P, N or K to the soils. Thus the application of rice straw may be effective in lessening the effects of temporary loss of soil-water saturation on rice growth in lowland rice soils by minimising the decline in P availability. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

覆膜与滴灌对河套灌区玉米花粒期叶片光合特征的影响

光合作用是作物生长发育和产量形成的基础,栽培方式和土壤含水量变化显著影响作物的光合作用.灌浆期和乳熟期是玉米花粒期2个重要阶段,是玉米籽粒形成和干物质积累的关键时期.通过大田试验研究了河套灌区不同覆膜方式与滴灌水平对不同生育时期玉米光合特征及产量的影响.结果表明: 灌浆期玉米叶片光合特征在不同处理下无显著差异,乳熟期净光合速率和蒸腾速率在半覆膜(B₂)和全覆膜(Q₂)滴灌水平2(350 mm)处理下均显著高于半覆膜(B₁)和全覆膜(Q₁)滴灌水平1(200 mm),并且B₁和Q₁处理下灌浆期叶片的净光合速率、蒸腾速率、水分利用效率及气孔导度等显著高于乳熟期.不同处理下灌浆期和乳熟期叶片的净光合速率、蒸腾速率,灌浆期的气孔导度以及乳熟期的水分利用效率等在日变化上存在着同步关系,均呈现出倒“U”型的日变化特征,而胞间CO₂浓度则呈现相反的变化趋势.逐步回归分析显示,光合有效辐射、大气温度和空气相对湿度等气象因子是影响玉米叶片光合特征的主要环境因子.此外,B₂和Q₂处理下玉米产量显著高于B₁和Q₁处理(分别增加了29.3%和50.9%),但B₁和Q₁处理间并无显著差异.这表明与覆膜方式相比,滴灌水平对干旱地区玉米产量的影响更大.     

枯草芽胞杆菌发酵玉米秸秆后对家蝇的饲养效果

作物秸秆是重要的农业资源,为有效利用作物秸秆,本文利用枯草芽胞杆菌发酵玉米秸秆,配制成人工饲料来饲养家蝇。从菌液加入量和发酵天数来考察对家蝇饲养效果的影响,结果表明:枯草芽胞杆菌菌液加入量为3 mL(3.2×10~(11)cfu/mL),发酵天数3d时对家蝇饲养效果较好,幼虫质量为16.91g,与不加菌液的对照组(13.30g)相比存在显著性差异(P0.05)。经过枯草芽胞杆菌发酵和家蝇幼虫处理后,玉米秸秆的纤维素、半纤维素、木质素的绝对含量都显著降低(P0.05)。经过家蝇取食后的饲料残渣,经检测,有机质等均达到国家标准。最优家蝇饲料配方为:枯草芽胞杆菌菌液加入量3mL(3.2×10~(11) cfu/mL),发酵天数3d,玉米秸秆和麦麸各125g,每250g饲料添加初孵幼虫200mg。本研究利用枯草芽胞杆菌发酵玉米秸秆,提高其营养价值,并进一步饲养家蝇,为秸秆的资源化利用和家蝇规模化饲养奠定了基础。