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The fungal disease of Cordyceps militaris has become the primary disease during the cultivation of C. militaris. However, some of the causal organism remains unclear. During our investigation in 2020–2022, three fungal strains were isolated from both the mycelium and fruiting bodies of C. militaris in mushroom farms located in Changchun. The observed disease incidence was approximately 20%. White villous mycelium on the surface of hyphae or fruiting bodies of C. militaris , is one of the main features of the disease, which can cause slow growth of mycelium, delayed primordia differentiation, and growth failure. Finally, the white cotton flocculent mycelium covered the surface of the medium, and the C. militaris stopped differentiating and failed to produce the primordium, ultimately leading to the stunted growth and lodging of the fruiting body. The objective of this study was to identify the pathogen based on Koch's Postulates, thereby confirming its pathogenicity and characterizing it through morphological and molecular features. The phylogenetic analyses showed that they belong to the Trichoderma gamsii. This study presented the first evidence of T. gamsii caused fungal disease in C. militaris , providing a theoretical basis for the prevention and control measures. • The outbreak of fungal diseases in Cordyceps militaris cultivation poses a significant threat to production and quality. • The disease incidence was approximately 20%, which led to significant yield losses. • The pathogen responsible for white mildew disease was identified as Trichoderma gamsii. • This is the first report of Trichoderma gamsii causing white mildew disease in Cordyceps militaris in China. • The results facilitate the development of strategies for white mildew disease of Cordyceps militaris. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morchella sextelata is an economically important edible mushroom. From February to April 2022, brown rot symptoms were observed on the stipe of M. sextelata in three mushroom farms in Guizhou Province, China. The disease incidence was approximately 10–15 %, which led to significant yield losses. We isolated and purified three pathogenic bacterial isolates and conducted morphological and biochemical tests, molecular identification, and pathogenicity tests. Based on the results, the pathogen responsible for stipe brown rot was identified as Pseudomonas tolaasii. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of P. tolaasii causing stipe brown rot disease in M. sextelata in China. Our findings provide insights into the identification of stipe brown rot in M. sextelata cultivation. • Morchella sextelata exhibited brown rot symptoms in Guizhou, China. • Disease incidence ranges from 10 to 15 %. • Identified causal organism was Pseudomonas tolaasii. • First report of P. tolaasii causing brown rot in M. sextelata in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Abstract The strain TZ-1 was screened from five isolates from soil sample of oil shale exploration area in Maoming by comparing the data of zinc removal percentage at pH 7.0 and 30 °C with initial Zn2+ concentration of 2 mmol/L in nutrient broth and MICs. The isolate TZ-1 was identified as Burkholderia sp. based on its morphological, physiological-biochemical characteristics and the 16S rDNA sequence. The initial Zn2+ concentration of 16 mmol/L in nutrient broth inhibited the growth of TZ-1 obviously. The maximum zinc removal percentage of TZ-1 was up to 67.83% with the initial zinc concentration of 8 mmol/L in the broth. The results of heavy metals affecting Zn2+ adsorption indicated that Zn2+ removal was increased when other heavy metals existed in the broth. The surface characterization of the adsorbent was done through FTIR. The results suggest that the hydroxyl, carboxyl, amine and phosphate groups of biomass surface play a vital role in Zn2+ adsorption. The biosorption process conforms Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms and can be described by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The data of application in wastewater treatment indicate that the strain TZ-1 is suitable for wastewater purification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Network function virtualization can decouple the traditional network function from the dedicated hardware, abstracts the software-based virtual network function from the specialized network equipment, and promotes the fundamental transformation of network service deployment mode. However, the deployment of virtual network function (VNF) service chain is an important and crucial problem and key technology faced and must be rescued. In this paper, the problem of VNF service chain deployment in SDN/NFV-Enabled Networks is investigated. The existing solution strategies based on optimization methods (dynamic programming, linear programming, etc.) and heuristic methods (genetic algorithm, particle swarm optimization, etc.) are only suitable for operation deployment in the case of predictable operations, and it is difficult to meet the real-time support operation scheduling requirements in high dynamic combat scenarios. A new real-time algorithm for VNF service chain deployment based on multi-agent deep reinforcement learning with self-adaption division strategy (MDRL-SaDS) to minimize energy consumption in a period of time is proposed. In proposed algorithm, an oriented self-adaptive strategy to determination the number of agents and the optimal division method of VNF service chain for the markov process modeling is designed. Constructing a new neural network model and design a training strategy of joint supervised and unsupervised learning. The global and long-term benefits are used to optimize the scheduling process, and the decision-making framework of offline learning and online deployment is used to solve the VNF service chain deployment problem. Finally, experimental results indicate that the MDRL-SaDS has more advantages and has higher convergence speed, average reward value and stability than compared algorithms, while decreasing the energy consumption in a period of time. • An optimization model with the goal of minimizing energy consumption is formulated to determine a VNF service chain strategy. • A new real-time algorithm for VNF service chain deployment problem based on multi-agent deep reinforcement learning with self-adaption division strategy (MDRL-SaDS) is proposed. • To determine the optimal number of agents, a clustering method with a new weighted distance calculation is investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The elimination of tetracycline hydrochloride (TC-HCl) from water has attracted extensive research attention. This study hydrothermally synthesized composite photocatalysts composed of BiVO 4 microspheres containing coexisting phases of monoclinic scheelite (M-BiVO 4) and tetragonal zircon (T-BiVO 4), i.e., MT-BiVO 4 , loaded onto P-doped g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets (PCNS). Furthermore, their morphology, structure, and photoelectrochemical properties were comprehensively characterized, and the performance and stability of photocatalytic degradation of TC-HCl were examined. Additionally, the effects of humic acid (HA), coexisting anions/cations, and actual water samples on the degradation efficiency of TC-HCl were investigated, and the degradation mechanism and pathways were examined. The findings indicated that the percentage of M-BiVO 4 in MT-BiVO 4 considerably influences the photocatalytic activity of the composite catalyst. Furthermore, the excellent photocatalytic performance of 5% BVO/PCNS was attributed to the synergistic effects of P-doping the modified g-C 3 N 4 , MT-BiVO 4 isotype heterojunction effects, and the Z-scheme heterojunction constructed from MT-BiVO 4 and PCNS, which can enhance the absorption range of the visible light and accelerate the transfer and separation of charge carriers between catalysts. The free radical capture experiments and electron spin resonance tests indicated that holes and O 2 - were the dominant active species in the photocatalytic degradation process. With high reusability and stability, the 5% BVO/PCNS composite has great potential for practical wastewater treatment applications. This study offers a new approach for preparing photocatalysts synergized by isotype and Z-scheme heterojunctions. [Display omitted] • Prepared MT-BiVO 4 microspheres/phosphorus-doped g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets photocatalysts. • Evaluated performance and stability of photo-catalytic degradation of TC-HCl. • Investigated the effects of HA and anions/cations on the photocatalytic performance. • Offers a new approach to prepare isotype and Z-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, regenerated cellulose was prepared from ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([Bmim]Ac) solution using anti-solvent compressed CO 2 of different pressures. And other anti-solvents like water, ethanol and acetonitrile were also employed to regenerate cellulose to provide comparisons. The two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (2D NMR), namely heteronuclear single quantum coherence (HSQC) and heteronuclear multiple bond coherence (HMBC), and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR–FTIR) indicated that carboxylate zwitterions [Bmim + -COO − ] formed through the chemical reactions between CO 2 and [Bmim]Ac. Besides, FTIR, wide-angle X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to provided structure characterization of native and regenerated cellulose using different anti-solvents. The results show that the crystallinity of cellulose decreases during the dissolution and regeneration process. And a crystal transformation of cellulose I to cellulose II was verified. The stability of the regenerated cellulose is lower than that of native cellulose. A higher compressed CO 2 pressure results in a smoother surface, a thicker shape and a more homogeneous texture of regenerated cellulose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Luteinizing hormone (LH) stimulates testosterone production from Leydig cells. Both LH and testosterone play important roles in spermatogenesis and male fertility. To identify LH - and testosterone - responsive transporter genes that play key roles in spermatogenesis, we performed large-scale gene expression analyses on testes obtained from adult control and Lhb knockout mice. We found a significant reduction in cystine/glutamate transporter encoding Slc7a11 mRNA in testes of Lhb null mice. We observed that Slc7a11 /SLC7A11 expression was initiated pre-pubertally and developmentally regulated in mouse testis. Immunolocalization studies confirmed that SLC7A11 was mostly expressed in Sertoli cells in testes of control and germ cell-deficient mice. Western blot analyses indicated that SLC7A11 was significantly reduced in testes of mutant mice lacking either LH or androgen receptor selectively in Sertoli cells. Genetic and pharmacological rescue of Lhb knockout mice restored the testicular expression of Slc7a11 comparable to that observed in controls. Additionally, Slc7a11 mRNA was significantly suppressed upon Sertoli cell/testicular damage induced in mice by cadmium treatment. Knockdown of Slc7a11 in vitro in TM4 Sertoli cells or treatment of mice with sulfasalazine, a SLC7A11 inhibitor caused a significant reduction in intracellular cysteine and glutathione levels but glutamate content remained unchanged as determined by metabolomic analysis. Knockdown of Slc7a11 resulted in compensatory upregulation of other glutamate transporters belonging to the Slc1a family presumably to maintain intracellular glutamate levels. Collectively, our studies identified that SLC7A11 is an LH/testosterone-regulated transporter that is required for cysteine/glutathione but not glutamate homeostasis in mouse Sertoli cells. • Expression analysis on Lhb knockout mouse testis samples identified Slc7a11 is the most significantly suppressed mRNA encoding a transporter. • SLC7A11 expression is developmentally regulated and SLC7A11 is localized to mouse Sertoli cells within testis tubules. • Genetic and pharmacological rescue of Lhb null mice restored SLC7A11 expression in testis. • SLC7A11 expression is compromised in Sertoli cells of cadmium-induced testicular injury. • Knockdown of Slc7a11 or inhibition of SLC7A11 activity resulted in reduction in intracellular cysteine/GSH levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Nitrification in aquatic ecosystems plays a crucial role in the global nitrogen cycling. It has been widely accepted that ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) are responsible for nitrification. However, this concept is currently challenged by the ubiquity of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) in various environments, such as in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. In this study, the presence of AOA in the Dongjiang River was documented via archaeal amoA amplification; the abundance of archaeal and bacterial amoA genes were estimated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and the diversity was investigated by sequencing of archaeal amoA gene. Based on retrieved sequences and phylogenetic analysis, the majority of sequences obtained were different from Crenarchaeota phylum of marine and soil, affiliated with Freshwater Cluster 1 crenarchaeota. The results showed that the AOA detected fell into clusters which are specifically associated with freshwater habitats, and AOA was more abundance than AOB by around 2–4 orders of magnitude. Furthermore, it was found that AOA was more prefer to aerobic and relative low-ammonia concentrations in fresh water. Our finding provides a vital supplement to the distribution of AOA in global pattern, and offers implications for further understanding of the potential role of ammonia oxidizers in river ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytic acid and protein contents in grains of japonica rice cultivars collected from different areas of China were assayed in this study. Meanwhile, a multi-location trial was conducted to determine phytic acid content of 24 cultivars grown at 4 locations with wide differences in ecological conditions. For 72 cultivars, phytic acid content ranged from 0.685% for Xiu217 to 1.03% for Huai9746, with a mean of 0.873%, and protein content ranged from 6.45% for Xiu52 to 11.1% for K45, with a mean of 8.26%. There was no significant correlation between grain phytic acid and protein content, suggesting the possibility of breeding japonica rice cultivars with low phytic acid and high protein contents. The effects of cultivars, environments (locations) and their interactions on phytic acid content were all highly significant, with the location having the largest effect. The highly significant interaction between cultivar and environment suggests that the correct evaluation of rice germplasm by phytic acid content should be conducted in multi-environments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Wheat straw was treated by maleic acid for xylose recovery and enzymatic hydrolysis. • High xylose recovery and enzymatic hydrolysis was achieved under optimal conditions. • Maleic acid was an efficient pretreatment acid with low amount of furfural produced. This study aims to valorize wheat straw for xylose and glucose recovery using maleic acid in the pretreatment. The process conditions of maleic acid hydrolysis of wheat straw for xylose recovery were optimized by response surface methodology, through which the maximum xylose recovery of 77.12% versus minimum furfural yield of 1.61% were achieved using 70 g/L solid-to-liquid ratio and 0.1 mol/L maleic acid for 40 min at 150 °C. Moreover, 88.58% cellulose conversion was achieved by enzymatic hydrolysis of maleic acid-pretreated wheat straw. Results showed that maleic acid was an effective pretreatment solvent for sugars recovery: 19.88 g xylose and 30.89 g glucose were respectively obtained from 100 g wheat straw due to acidic and enzymatic hydrolysis, with only 0.37 g furfural produced. This study provides a strategy for hydrolyzing wheat straw to produce fermentable sugars with low amount of degradation product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel small-mesopores-enriched porous carbon microspheres have been synthesized from carbonaceous polysaccharide microspheres, by using the associated lithium acetate treating and heat treating strategies. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscopy and nitrogen adsorption-desorption techniques have been employed to investigate the as-prepared samples. The analysis results indicate that the porous carbon microspheres has a high specific surface area of 1163 m 2 g −1 and a satisfactory small mesoporous texture (2∼5 nm), with the mean pore size of 3.24 nm and the pore volume ratio of 2∼5 nm pores up to 92%. The capacitive performances of the samples in 6 mol L −1 KOH aqueous electrolyte, have been tested by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and charge-discharge techniques. A specific capacitance of 171.5 F/g is obtained for the porous carbon microspheres via charge-discharge at a current density of 1000 mA/g. It also displayed a very high cycle stability of 97.8%, compared with the initial capacitance, after 1000 cycles at the high current density of 1000 mA/g. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface treatment methods were investigated on freestanding N-polar GaN surfaces with chemical etching methods in H 3 PO 4 and NaOH solutions at room temperature. Two kinds of step-flow structures could be obtained on the surfaces. Merely etching with diluted H 3 PO 4 solutions resulted in straight step-flows towards the off-cut direction of the wafer, while coaxial hexagonal step-flows were formed after a three-step etching scheme with H 3 PO 4 , NaOH and H 3 PO 4 in turn. During these procedures, etching with H 3 PO 4 solutions exhibits the ability to sharpen atomic step edges, form flat terraces and remove hexagonal pyramids. On the contrary, NaOH etching will roughen well-defined terraced surfaces and produce hexagonal pyramids. [Display omitted] • Flat terraced N-polar surfaces were obtained with wet chemical etching method. • Very shallow hexagonal pits were observed after etching with diluted etchants. • Etching with NaOH solution can roughen N-polar surfaces and form hexagonal pyramids. • Etching with H 3 PO 4 can flatten N-polar surfaces and remove small hexagonal pyramids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melatonin mediates multiple physiological processes in plants and is involved in many reactions related to the protection of plants from abiotic stress. In this paper, the effect of melatonin on the antioxidant capacity of rice under salt stress was studied. Melatonin alleviated the inhibition of salt stress on the growth of rice seedlings, mainly by increasing the dry weight and fresh weight of shoots and roots. Melatonin alleviated the membrane damage caused by salt stress, which was mainly manifested by the decrease of TBARS content and the decrease of leaf and root damage. During the whole salt stress period, rice after melatonin pretreatment showed lower ROS (H 2 O 2 , O 2 •−,OH−) accumulation. In the early stage (1–3 d) of stress, the rice after melatonin pretreatment showed a strong increase in antioxidant enzyme activity, while in the later stage (5,7 d), it showed a strong increase in antioxidant content. During the whole period of salt stress, melatonin had a weak regulatory effect on AsA-GSH cycle. Through the above regulation process, the decreasing effect of melatonin on ROS content of rice under salt stress did not decrease with prolonged stress time in a short time (1-7 d). In conclusion, melatonin improved the antioxidant capacity of rice under continuous salt stress, and rice showed variable antioxidant strategies after melatonin pretreatment. • Salt stress resulted in continuous accumulation of ROS, and MT pretreatment alleviated the oxidative damage of rice. • MT regulates antioxidant strategy in response to continuous salt stress. • MT pretreatment improves salt tolerance of rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing monitoring system for paper industrial wastewater treatment system is an important route for wastewater reuse and recycling from wastewater, which are regarded as effective way for cleaner production. A novel hybrid deep leaning CLSTMA model, which based on sequential fusion convolutional neural network (CNN), long short term memory (LSTM) and attention mechanism (AM), was developed to monitor the water quality in a full-scale paper industrial wastewater treatment system for energy conservation and emissions reduction. The hybrid CLSTMA model for predicting water quality of paper industrial wastewater treatment system was divided into three steps: spatial information fusion by using CNN module, temporal information fusion by using LSTM module and variable weighted calculation by using AM module. Compare with other models (CNN, LSTM and CLSTM models), RMSE of CLSTMA model for the effluent chemical oxygen demand (COD eff) reduced by 23.3–31.55%, MAE of CLSTMA model reduced by 38.89–74.50%, R of CLSTMA model increased by 8.29–11.86%. For the effluent suspended solids (SS eff), compared with CNN and LSTM models, RMSE of CLSTMA model reduced by 10.26% and 9.92%, MAE of CLSTMA model reduced by 5.37% and 3.44%, R of CLSTMA model increased by 15.13% and 37.21%, respectively. While, R of CLSTMA was consistent with CLSTM model, but RMSE and MAE of CLSTMA model reduced by 16.07% and 7.49% than the CLSTM model. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed CLSTMA model has a great potential in monitoring paper industrial wastewater treatment system for cleaner production. [Display omitted] • A new deep learning model was proposed for real-time estimation of water quality. • The new model was based on convolutional neural network, long-term short-term memory and attention mechanism. • The new model can guarantee wastewater reuse and reduce the wastewater treatment cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phthalates are chemicals ubiquitously used in industry. Individual phthalates have been found to adversely affect female reproduction; however, humans are exposed to a mixture of phthalates daily, primarily through ingestion. Previous studies show that exposure to an environmentally relevant mixture of phthalates (Mix) can affect female reproduction. Little research, however, has been conducted on the effects of short-term (1 month) and long-term (6 months) exposure to Mix on ovarian functions. Thus, this study tested the hypothesis that short-term and long-term exposure to Mix alters ovarian folliculogenesis, serum hormone concentrations, pituitary gene expression, and ovarian expression of genes involved in steroidogenesis, apoptosis, cell cycle regulation, and oxidative stress. Adult CD-1 female mice were exposed to vehicle control (corn oil) or Mix (0.15–1500 ppm) in the chow for 1 or 6 months. Exposure to Mix for 1 month increased the number of atretic follicles (0.15 ppm), altered ovarian gene expression (0.15 ppm, 1500 ppm), and decreased serum testosterone (1.5 ppm) compared to control. Exposure to Mix for 6 months increased serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) (0.15 ppm), decreased serum luteinizing hormone (LH) (0.15 ppm, 1.5 ppm, and 1500 ppm), decreased serum estradiol (1500 ppm), altered pituitary gene expression (1500 ppm), increased the number (1500 ppm) and percentage (1.5 ppm and 1500 ppm) of primordial follicles, and decreased the percentage of preantral (1500 ppm) and antral (1.5 ppm and 1500 ppm) follicles compared to control. These data indicate that exposure to Mix can alter folliculogenesis, steroidogenesis, and gene expression in female mice. • Phthalate mixture (1 month) altered ovarian gene expression. • Phthalate mixture (1 month) decreased serum testosterone. • Phthalate mixture (6 months) increased FSH and decreased LH and estradiol. • Phthalate mixture (6 months) altered pituitary gene expression. • Phthalate mixture (6 months) altered folliculogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Taihu region of China, overuse of chemical nitrogen (N) fertilizer is often associated with low nitrogen recovery (NRE) and leads to serious groundwater pollution caused by N leaching losses. Controlled-released nitrogen fertilizers (CRNFs) and mechanized deep placement are promising alternatives to broadcasting urea to increase crop yield and NRE in machine-transplanted rice production. However, their interactions with regard to soil N status, N leaching and crop performance are unclear. A two-year (2015 and 2016) field experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block using two fertilization techniques (broadcast and deep placement by mechanical side-dressing fertilization) and three CRNFs (sulphur-coated urea (SCU), polymer-coated urea (PCU) and a bulk blended mixture (BBF)). Conventional high-yield fertilization (four split applications of urea at 216 kg N ha −1 (CK)) and 0–N treatments were established as controls. The results showed that the variation in NH 4 + -N concentration in the percolation and surface water varied across the different CRNFs, irrespective of the techniques used. NO 3 − -N concentration in the percolation water varied with water conditions in the field. Deep placement with CRNF correspondingly increased mineral N concentration in percolation at depths of 20 and 60 cm but reduced it in the surface water compared to that of the broadcast, although the benefits varied depending on the CRNF type and growth stage. Deep placement of SCU and PCU significantly increased N leaching and the mineral N in the 40–60 cm soil layer compared to that of the broadcast, due to the intensive N release during tillering and ineffective stage when the rice plant had a weak N uptake capability. Deep placement of SCU had the highest N leaching of 6.65 and 5.34 kg N ha −1 during 2015 and 2016. In contrast, BBF exhibited the lowest N leaching, regardless of fertilization placement, which apparently synchronized N release rates with rice N uptake patterns. In the present study, BBF obtained higher rice yields and N recoveries, without significantly enhancing mineral N leaching losses, when compared to CK. Our results suggest that the use of BBF is a promising alternative to a conventional high-yield fertilization practice, especially if combined with deep placement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hollow graphene-like nanocages are prepared by an efficient and scalable quasi chemical vapor deposition technique. The structure and morphology of the product are investigated by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectrum, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectric spectroscopy and nitrogen adsorption-desorption analysis. The supercapacitive performances for the electrode are investigated by cyclic voltammetry and charging-discharging methods. The hollow graphene-like nanocages have a near hollow sphere morphology and nanoporous frameworks. When evaluated for supercapacitor electrode, relatively high specific capacitance of 165.7 F/g and 283.1 F/g are obtained at current density of 1 A/g in 1 M KOH and 1 M H 2 SO 4 electrolytes, respectively. In addition, desirable rate performance and good cycling stability are also demonstrated for the hollow graphene-like nanocages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, a novel controlled-release N fertiliser (CRNF) application method using basal CRNF combined with urea top-dressing at the tillering stage has been proposed to enhance rice yield and N use efficiency (NUE). However, its effect on ammonia volatilisation (AV) loss and the yield and NUE of blanket-seedling machine-transplanted rice are unknown. A field experiment was performed to investigate the effect of three types of CRNF (slow-release blending fertiliser (BSRB), polymer-coated urea (PCU) and sulphur-coated urea (SCU)) and two fertilisation regimes (a single basal application (B) and a basal CRNF application combined with urea top-dressing at the tillering stage (BT)) on grain yield, NUE and AV loss from paddy soil of blanket-seedling machine-transplanted rice. Conventional high-yield fertilisation (four split applications of urea at 270 kg N ha −1 (CK)) and 0-N treatments were established as controls. The results demonstrated that the AV flux values from paddy soil varied in distinct patterns for the different CRNF treatments. The cumulative AV loss in the urea treatment during the basal (the first week) and tillering fertiliser (the second week) comprised the majority of the total AV loss, both accounting for 87.2% in each year. Compared with CK, B-BSRB significantly reduced AV loss during the first two weeks and the total AV loss by 24.7% and 27.9% in 2013 and 2014, respectively. B-SCU and B-PCU generally showed no benefits for reducing AV loss relative to urea. Compared with B-PCU and B-SCU, B-BSRB met the N demand of rice, substantially mitigated N loss via AV in paddy fields, and improved yield and NUE of Blanket-seedling Machine-Transplanted rice. The effect of BT for each CRNF on AV loss was not consistent. The BT-BSRB and the BT-SCU correspondingly mitigated AV loss to a certain extent in each year, mostly due to the relatively lower AV loss during the first week, and no significant increase in AV loss at the second week. The BT-BSRB incurred not only the lowest AV loss of 39.7 kg N ha −1 and 37.8 kg N ha −1 but also the highest yield of 11.6 t ha −1 and 10.1 t ha −1 and an NRF of 48.8% and 52.4% in 2013 and 2014, respectively. Our results suggested that combining BSRB and BT optimised rice yield and nitrogen use efficiency while decreasing ammonia volatilization from paddy soil of blanket-seedling machine-transplanted rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil organic matter (SOM) in paddy soils is critical for sustainably achieving high crop yields, especially in the face of ever-intensifying anthropogenic climate change. Our previous studies showed that long-term fertilizer postponing (FP) sustainably increases rice yields by improving SOM via residual carbon input. However, the effect of C release from living roots on SOM under a long-term FP regimen remains unclear. Therefore, in this study, rice plants were subjected to 13CO 2 pulse labelling at the panicle initiation (PI) and heading stage (HS). PI-labelled plants were destructively sampled 6 h after labelling, during spikelet differentiation, and when they reached maturity; on the other hand, HS-labelled plants were sampled 6 h after labelling and during the final harvest. The results showed that FP did not affect the ability of plants to assimilate photosynthetic C at PI and HS; however, it significantly reduced the loss of assimilated C at PI. 13CO 2 loss was significantly and positively correlated with the microbial biomass [13C-phospholipid-derived fatty acid (PLFA) content] and microbial community composition. After 6 h of 13CO 2 labelling at PI, the total 13C-PLFA content of FP was significantly reduced by 51.2% than that of conventional fertilizer (CF). This was mainly because FP reduced the dominant microbes [i.e., G− (α15:0 and α17:0) and G+ (16:1ω7c) bacteria] that utilize assimilated 13C. The 13C-PLFA content of FP was significantly higher than that of CF from 6 h of 13CO 2 labelling at HS to harvest, mainly because FP increased the dominant fungi (18:1ω9c, 20:1ω9c) that utilize assimilated C. Redundancy analysis revealed that microbes using assimilated C at the PI and HS were regulated by soil soluble organic nitrogen and total nitrogen, respectively. Overall, our findings suggest that long-term FP reduced assimilated C loss by reducing the G− and G+ bacterial content at PI and altered the microbial community structure at HS to increase the soil's carbon sequestration potential by increasing the fungal content. Concept map of carbon sequestration in photosynthetic carbon under long-term fertilizer postponing. [Display omitted] • Long-term fertiliser postponing (FP) did not affect photosynthetic carbon assimilation. • Long-term FP reduced the loss of assimilated carbon. • G+ (16:1ω7c, 18:1ω7c) and G- (α15:0, α17:0) bacteria caused assimilated carbon loss. • FP increased C sequestration potential by increasing fungi contents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hollow hemisphere-shaped macroporous graphene/tungsten carbide/platinum (HMG/WC/Pt) nanocomposite has been synthesized as an efficient electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The HMG/WC/Pt sample has been systematically characterized by the X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The analysis results indicate that the sample has an interesting three-dimensional hollow hemisphere-shaped macroporous architecture. The results also demonstrate the successful integration of WC and Pt nanoparticles on the HMG, in which the WC nanoparticles are in size of about 10 nm and the Pt nanoparticles are in size of about 3 nm. The as-prepared HMG/WC/Pt electrode displays excellent electrocatalytic performances for the ORR in 0.1 mol L −1 HClO 4 electrolyte. The mass activity ( i m at 0.9 V) of HMG/WC/Pt is 206 mA mg −1 Pt, which is about 85% higher than that of Pt/C (112 mA mg −1 Pt). It also displayed a very high activity retention of 84.5% after 2000 cyclic voltammetry cycles for the HMG/WC/Pt, while that of the Pt/C is only 70.5%. The HMG/WC/Pt nanocomposite would be a promising electrocatalytic material for the ORR in Fuel cell applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lodging is a major limiting factor for grain yield and quality, and low light enhances lodging risk by increasing stem elongation and decreasing culm thickness. This study evaluated the effect of exogenous uniconazole (UCZ) on the basal stem physiological mechanism, cell structure, carbohydrates, and lignin-related enzymes in culm tissue under shading conditions. The results showed that shading stress significantly decreased grain yield and stem mechanical strength in 2020 and 2021. Compared with normal light (CK), shading rapidly decreased the breaking strength (M) and section modulus (SM). Exogenous UCZ increased culm wall thickness and improved lodging resistance. Uniconazole application also reduced plant height, gravity height, and second basal internode length by inducing a reduction in the cell length, and caused the cells to be densely arranged under both normal light and shading conditions. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that the thickness of the sclerenchyma tissue cell wall increased under both conditions under the UCZ treatment, which induced an increase in the cell wall content. Uniconazole application significantly increased non-structural carbohydrate, lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose contents in culm tissue. Moreover, UCZ application regulated lignin-related enzymes, such as phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), 4-coumarate: CoA ligase (4CL), cinnamate 4-hydroxylase (C4H), laccase (LAC) and peroxidase (POD). Thus, exogenous UCZ could enlarge sclerenchyma cell wall thickness, alter cell morphology in the stem, and increase stem strength by increasing carbohydrate content, including non-structural carbohydrates, cellulose, lignin, and hemicellulose, to enhance rice (Oryza sativa L.) lodging resistance under shading conditions. • Shading stress altered slender and loose cell arrangement in the parenchyma tissue of the second basal internode. • Uniconazole enhances lodging resistance of Japonica Rice by increasing sclerenchyma cell wall thickness. • Lignin accumulation and activities of lignin-related enzymes were increased by uniconazole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil organic matter (SOM) in paddy soils is critical for achieving high crop yield sustainability and mitigating climate change. Our previous study revealed that long-term fertilizer postponing (FP) increases yield by improving SOM. Therefore, in this study, the mechanism by which fertilizer postponing increase SOM were investigated through a long-term experiment (11 years). Long-term FP significantly increased SOM (by 14.5%) by increasing root residue input. FP increased soil phenol oxidase activity and peroxidase activity but did not affect β-glucosidase activity, indicating that FP accelerated lignin degradation rather than cellulose degradation. Metagenome analysis also showed that FP significantly increased the relative abundance of lignin degradation genes, such as soil catalase, cytochrome c peroxidase, and peroxidase genes, by activating the growth of related microorganisms. In addition, long-term FP significantly increased bacterial necromass C (by 17%) and fungal necromass C (by 13%) by improving microbial biomass. Redundancy analysis and random forest model further revealed that lignin degradation genes (representing the contribution of lignin) and bacterial necromass C were dominant in plant- and microbe-derived C, respectively. We confirmed that the soil NH 4 +-N content was the main driving factor for high lignin degradation and microbial necromass variation. Structural equation model and random forest model revealed that soil carbon sequestration was mainly through the increase of lignin degradation and microbial necromass under high root residues input and soil NH 4 +-N content. Overall, our findings suggest that long-term FP is a sustainable agricultural management strategy that improves SOM by accelerating lignin degradation and increasing microbial necromass. • Long-term fertilizer postponing increases organic matter via root residue input. • Fertilizer postponing accelerates the growth of lignin-degrading microorganisms. • Fertilizer postponing increases microbial (especially bacterial) necromass C. • Soil NH 4 +-N significantly regulates carbon sequestration pathways in paddy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice ( Oryza sativa L.) and wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) are two stable food crops that play a vital role in national food security. Summer rice-winter wheat double-cropping rotation is the dominant crop rotation practice used in the middle-lower Yangtze River region of China. However, excessive application of nitrogen (N) fertilizer in this region has led to low nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). To our knowledge, no studies have investigated the effects of reducing N fertilizer applications during both the rice and wheat seasons on crop yield, NUE, and soil fertility. In this study, we conducted a two-year field experiment using N fertilizer rates of 180, 240, and 300 kg N ha −1 during the rice growing season and 135, 180, and 225 kg N ha −1 during the wheat growing season. No differences in yield were observed among the treatments during the rice growing season; however, reduced N fertilizer application significantly affected yield during the wheat growing season. Reducing the amount of N fertilizer applied during the previous season and current season and the interactions between these seasons (R × W) had no effect on rice yield but did affect wheat yield. In addition, the N application rates significantly influenced N uptake and NUE. During the rice growing season, the N agronomic efficiency (NAE), N physiological efficiency (NPE), N partial factor productivity (NPF), and N recovery efficiency (NRE) increased by 20.6–42.5%, 11.1–15.8%, 23.9–40.2%, and 4.8–28.2%, respectively. During the wheat growing season, the NAE, NPE, NPF, and NRE increased by 20.4–54.9%, 8.2–16.5%, 21.8–58.3%, and 11.6–24.4%, respectively. We applied 15 N-labelled urea in the remainder of the soil N fertilization treatments, which indicated that the addition of 15 N fertilizer resulted in no difference in the 0–60 cm soil profile after rice harvest. Collectively, reducing N fertilizer application rates can effectively improve NUE and decrease N losses, and short-term reductions in N fertilizer application do not affect soil fertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims The main objectives of this paper were to investigate the absorption and utilization of nitrogen applied at the panicle stage in rice for promoting and protecting spikelet and the effect of residual nitrogen on the utilization of nitrogen in the succeeding wheat crop in the rotation system. Methods A field experiment was combined with a mini-plot experiment with 15 N labelled urea applied at the panicle stage in rice. The experiments included three nutrient management treatments: F, S1 and S2. 126 kg N ha −1 , 120 kg N ha −1 , 72 kg N ha −1 labeled with 30 atom% excess 15 N were applied in rice, respectively. Results (1) Compare to conventional fertilizer management (F), the optimized fertilizer management (S1&S2) reduced the amount of nitrogen applications, whereas the rice and wheat yield did not decrease, and nitrogen use efficiency was improved. (2) At rice harvest, 4.7–10.7% of the fertilizer 15 N was found in the 0–20 cm profile. The fertilizer 15 N absorbed by the wheat during the period from jointing to heading accounted for 37.0%-51.1% of the total 15 N absorbed. (3) The sum of the ratio of nitrogen absorption from the rice panicle fertilizer applied to the crops (rice and wheat) and ratio of soil residue nitrogen in the wheat field were ordered S2 > S1 > F. Conclusion The optimized fertilization management reduced the loss of the rice nitrogen in the rice–wheat rotation system through improved recycling of rice panicle nitrogen applied in the crop-soil system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Differences of rice lodging affected by nitrogen (N) under different eco-sites were significant. [•] For the lower lodging index (LI) rice populations, N primarily decreased the stems stiffness. [•] For the higher LI rice populations, N mainly impacted the morphological parameters of the basal stems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] We simulated low emission scenario (B1) of global warming in rice paddies. [•] Day, night and dield warming treatments were imposed. [•] Impact of nighttime warming was greater than the daytime warming. [•] Greater reduction in head rice recovery under nighttime warming than the daytime warming. [•] Rice hybrids tested showed varying degree of susceptibility to day and night warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A three-year experiment was conducted in the middle-lower reaches of the Yangtze River in China to study the influence of continuous wheat straw return during the rice season and continuous rice straw return in wheat on methane (CH 4 ) emissions from rice fields in which, the rice-wheat rotation system is the most dominant planting pattern. The field experiment was initiated in October 2009 and has continued since the wheat-growing season of that year. The analyses for the present study were conducted in the second (2011) and third (2012) rice growing seasons. Four treatments, namely, the continuous return of wheat straw and rice straw in every season (WR), of rice straw but no wheat straw return (R), of wheat straw but no rice straw return (W) and a control with no straw return (CK), were laid out in a randomized split-plot design. The total seasonal CH 4 emissions ranged from 107.4 to 491.7 kg/ha (2011) and 160.3 to 909.6 kg/ha (2012). The increase in CH 4 emissions for treatments WR and W were 289% and 230% in the second year and 185% and 225% in the third year, respectively, in relation to CK. We observed less methane emissions in the treatment R than in CK by 14%–43%, but not statistically significant. Treatment R could increase rice productivity while no more CH 4 emission occurs. The difference in the total CH 4 emissions mainly related to a difference in the methane flux rate during the first 30–35 days after transplant in the rice growing season, which was caused by the amount of dissolved oxygen in paddy water and the amount of reducible soil materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the major challenges facing rice breeding is to produce ideotype or ideal plant architecture (IPA) to improve canopy radiation use efficiency and hence grain yield. The hybrid japonica rice Jiayou Zhongke 6 (JYZK-6) is one of the benchmark cultivars with IPA characteristics, but the physio-ecological foundation of its high yield potential is still imperfectly understood. In this study, two-year field experiments were conducted using four japonica rice cultivars including JYZK-6 with contrasting canopy structures. A dynamic canopy light interception simulating device was constructed to capture canopy images representing the diurnal dynamics of solar angles throughout the grain-filling stage. Subsequently, leaf to panicle ratio (LPR), a newly developed physiological trait indicative of source-sink relations, was exploited to quantify the light distribution pattern within the rice canopy. The LPRs with high spatio-temporal resolution clearly showed the diurnal changes of light interception within the rice canopy. Genotypic differences in diurnal pattern of LPR were detected among the tested cultivars in both growing seasons, with the amplitude varying with grain-filling stages. Notably, LPR of the IPA cultivar JYZK-6 and its analogue WYJ-29, had a pattern of a V-shaped graph, peaking at sunrise and sunset while dropping to the lowest at noon during middle and late stages. Morphological measurement showed that the V-shaped pattern was associated with the height difference between flag leaf and panicle, panicle curvature, ratio of leaf area to panicle area, as well as the changing solar angles along with the progression of growth stage. This distinguishing feature of light pattern indicates that within the canopy of IPA cultivars, the leaf receives more light in the morning and afternoon whereas the panicle harvests more light at noon. It is inferred that such novel characteristics may provide the IPA cultivar with advantages of reducing midday suppression over the conventional cultivars, while more work is needed to verify this hypothesis. In summary, findings of this study offer a deeper insight into the physio-ecological processes underpinning radiation use efficiency at canopy level, and hence are valuable for breeding programs for ideotype cultivars. • A simulating device was constructed to capture canopy RGB images representing the diurnal dynamics of solar angles. • Leaf to panicle ratio (LPR) was exploited to quantify the light distribution pattern within the rice canopy. • LPR of the ideal plant type (IPA) cultivar JYZK-6 had distinguishing light pattern of a V-shaped graph. • The V-shaped pattern was associated with the morphology of the flag leaf and panicle, and the height difference between them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]