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Despite the known hazards to wildlife, plastic waste to waterways and oceans continues to increase at alarming rates every year. Nanoplastics are a breakdown product of plastic debris in the environment (0.1–100 nm). Their small size renders them bioavailable, and they are likely to accumulate/adsorb persistent organic pollutants, which could increase their toxicity. In this study, we evaluated the effects of nanoplastics and phenanthrene on the early life stages of zebrafish. Zebrafish embryos were exposed to fluorescent nanoparticles and observed with fluorescence microscopy. Polystyrene nanoplastics (80 nm) attached to the embryonic chorionic membrane and were ingested when zebrafish reached 144 h after fertilization, the point at which they first open their mouth, as observed by the fluorescence in their intestines. Exposure alone or in combination with phenanthrene resulted in zebrafish pericardial edema, spinal curvature, increased embryonic heart rate, shortened body length, and increased mortality. Co-exposure to 5 mg/L nanoplastics and 0.1 mg/L phenanthrene caused more negative effects on length, teratogenicity and mortality of zebrafish embryos than the corresponding concentrations of single exposure. This study provides clear evidence that nanoplastics can be ingested by zebrafish larvae, thus future work to assess the toxicological effects is important to marine wildlife management.

The current survey was carried out to evaluate the effect of different nitrogen levels (0, 2.1, 3.0, 3.9 g ∙ pot–1 nitrogen as urea 46%) on tomato fruit worm Helicoverpa armigera on six common tomato cultivars (e.g., Kingston, Riogrand, Earlyurbana, Redston, Superstrain-B and Primoearly) under laboratory conditions [25 ± 1°C, 60 ± 5% RH, 16 : 8 (L : D) h]. The mortality, developmental period of immature stages as well as the longevity and fecundity of adult stages were recorded. Data were analyzed based on the age-stage, two-sex lifetable theory. The longest (24.21 ± 0.59 days) larval developmental period was recorded in Earlyurbana variety with zero nitrogen level and the shortest (15.44 ± 0.36 days) in Superstrain-B variety with the highest nitrogen level. Consequently, the net reproductive rate (R0) ranged from 35.7 ± 7.06 to 62.16 ± 18.9 offspring/female/individual in Redston variety with zero nitrogen level and in Superstrain-B variety with the highest nitrogen level, respectively. The lowest and highest values of the intrinsic rate (r) and finite rate of increase (l) were estimated for Redston variety with zero level of nitrogen (0.0712 ± 0.0065 and 1.0732 ± 0.0069 day–1) and Superstrain-B variety with the highest nitrogen fertilizer (0.1507 ± 0.0057 and 1.1629 ± 0.0066 day–1), respectively. The results demonstrated that nitrogen fertilizer influenced nearly all the life parameters of the pest which depended on the cultivars. Finally, it could be concluded that Kingston and Superstrain-B were suitable and Earlyurbana and Redston were unsuitable host plant cultivars for H. armigera.

Silicon (Si) is the second most abundant element present in the lithosphere, and it constitutes one of the major inorganic nutrient elements of many plants. Although Si is a nonessential nutrient element, its beneficial role in stimulating the growth and development of many plant species has been generally recognized. Silicon is known to effectively reduce disease severity in many plant pathosystems. The key mechanisms of Si-mediated increased plant disease resistance involve improving mechanical properties of cell walls, activating multiple signaling pathways leading to the expression of defense responsive genes and producing antimicrobial compounds. This article highlights the importance and applicability of Si fertilizers in integrated disease management for crops.

Soil microbial diversity is extremely vulnerable to fertilization, which is one of the main anthropogenic activities associated with global changes. Yet we know little about how and why soil microbial diversity responds to fertilization across contrasting local ecological contexts. This knowledge is fundamental for predicting changes in soil microbial diversity in response to ongoing global changes. We analyzed soils from ten 20-year field fertilization (organic and/or inorganic) experiments across China and found that the national-scale responses of soil bacterial diversity to fertilization are dependent on ecological context. In acidic soils from regions with high precipitation and soil fertility, inorganic fertilization can result in further acidification, resulting in negative impacts on soil bacterial diversity. In comparison, organic fertilization causes a smaller disturbance to soil bacterial diversity. Despite the overall role of environmental contexts in driving soil microbial diversity, a small group of bacterial taxa were found to respond to fertilization in a consistent way across contrasting regions throughout China. Taxa such as Nitrosospira and Nitrososphaera, which benefit from nitrogen fertilizer addition, as well as Chitinophagaceae, Bacilli, and phototrophic bacteria, which respond positively to organic fertilization, could be used as bioindicators for soil fertility in response to fertilization at the national scale. Overall, our work provides new insights into the importance of local environmental context in determining the responses of soil microbial diversity to fertilization, and identifies regions with acidic soils wherein soil microbial diversity is more vulnerable to fertilization at the national scale.

Made available in DSpace on 2022-04-28T17:22:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-09-09 Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) Seminal plasma has several components that protect the sperm cells and assist in the fertilization process. In contrast, the exact role carried out by seminal plasma during the cooling of canine semen remains controversial. Moreover, concerning the long estrus period, the possibility to store chilled semen at 5 degrees C for more than 72 hours and maintain good sperm quality for additional inseminations could increase fertilization rates. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the seminal plasma influence on quality and oxidative stress of the extended canine semen stored at 5 degrees C for 7 days. Three ejaculate pools from eight healthy dogs were collected by digital manipulation of the penis. The sperm kinetics, sperm vitality (eosin/nigrosin stain), integrity of plasma and acrosomal membranes, morphology, superoxide and hydrogen peroxide production, mitochondrial potential, lipid peroxidation, and oxygen reactive species production (induced and spontaneous thiobarbituric acid [thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, TBARS] assay) were evaluated every 48 hours (M0, M48, M96, and M168) until 7 days (168 hours) in cooled extended (TRIS egg yolk) semen of dogs at 5 degrees C with (+SP) or without (-SP) autologous seminal plasma. No statistical difference was found for sperm kinetics in cooled samples with +SP and -SP during the experimental time period, except for the progressive motility of +SP samples that was higher at M48 than M96 (p = 0.023). The seminal plasma did not influence any other evaluated sperm characteristics. Finally, our results demonstrated that the presence or lack of seminal plasma during cooling the semen of dogs does not influence sperm quality at 5 degrees C. Moreover, the components of the semen extender may contribute to maintaining good sperm quality and low reactive oxygen species production during the long period of the dog's semen cooling, even after semen centrifugation. Sao Paulo State Univ UNESP, Fac Vet Med & Anim Sci, Dept Vet Surg & Anim Reprod, Rua Prof Dr Walter Mauricio Correa S-N, BR-18681681 Botucatu, SP, Brazil Univ Brasilia, Inst Biol Sci, Dept Physiol Sci, Brasilia, DF, Brazil Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Vet Med & Anim Sci, Dept Anim Reprod, Sao Paulo, Brazil Sao Paulo State Univ UNESP, Biosci Inst, Dept Biostat, Botucatu, SP, Brazil Sao Paulo State Univ UNESP, Fac Vet Med & Anim Sci, Dept Vet Surg & Anim Reprod, Rua Prof Dr Walter Mauricio Correa S-N, BR-18681681 Botucatu, SP, Brazil Sao Paulo State Univ UNESP, Biosci Inst, Dept Biostat, Botucatu, SP, Brazil FAPESP: 2017/02530-8 CAPES: 33004064086P1

To ensure reproductive success, flowering plants produce an excess of pollen to fertilize a limited number of ovules. Pollen grains mature into two distinct subpopulations - those that display high metabolic activity and elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels immediately after hydration (high-ROS/active), and those that maintain an extended period of dormancy with low metabolic activity (low-ROS/inactive/arrested/dormant). We propose that the dormant pollen serves as a backup to provide a second chance for successful fertilization when the 'first wave' of pollen encounters an unpredictable growth condition such as heat stress. This model provides a framework for considering the role of dormancy in reproductive stress tolerance as well as strategies for mitigating pollen thermovulnerability to daytime and night-time warming that is associated with global climate change.

Myxospermy is an important feature of achenes of the alpine plant Mirabilis himalaica, and the achene mucilage increases the germination rate and early seedling growth during exposure to abiotic stresses, which has important functions that allow M. himalaica to survive the extreme climate of the Tibet Plateau. However, achene formation and mucilage extrusion are poorly understood. In the present study, comprehensive analyses were performed on mucilage production during achene development and mucilage release from hydrated achene pericarp in M. himalaica. First, fertilization initiated the development of M. himalaica achenes, during which their color, size and texture were altered dramatically. Second, using a metachromatic staining procedure, cytological events, the establishment of mucilage secretory cells in the inner epicarp layer were observed. The hydration of mature achenes led to the rapid bursting of mucilage secretory cells, which released a hydrophilic gel that surrounded the achenes. Finally, enzymatic digestion indicated that major components of the mucilage were pectins; glucose (41.40%), rhamnose (26.58%), galactose (18.33%), trehalose (12.12%), and mannose (1.57%) were found to be the components of achene by using ion-exchange chromatography.

The content and composition of wheat storage proteins are the major determinants of dough rheological properties and breadmaking quality and are influenced by cultivation conditions. This study aimed to investigate the effects of water deficit and high N-fertilizer application on wheat storage protein synthesis, gluten secondary structure, and breadmaking quality. Reverse-phase ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography analysis showed that storage protein and gluten macropolymer accumulation was promoted under both independent applications and a combination of water-deficit and high N-fertilizer treatments. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy showed that water deficit and high N-fertilizer treatments generally improved protein secondary structure formation and lipid accumulation, and reduced flour moisture. In particular, high N-fertilizer application increased β-sheet content by 10.4% and the combination of water-deficit and high N-fertilizer treatments increased random coil content by 7.6%. These changes in gluten content and secondary structure led to improved dough rheological properties and breadmaking quality, including superior loaf internal structure, volume, and score. Our results demonstrate that moderately high N-fertilizer application under drought conditions can improve gluten accumulation, gluten secondary structure formation, and baking quality.

Objective To comprehensively characterize the DNA virome in semen samples collected for in vitro fertilization. Design A descriptive clinical study. Setting Single academic fertility center. Patients 24 male partners from couples undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF). Interventions Couples were randomized to receive 1 g of azithromycin (standard of care) or no azithromycin at the time of baseline IVF assessment. Semen samples were collected at the time of the female partners’ egg retrieval, and 100 μL of sample was used for virome analysis. Main Outcome Measures Detection of viruses by ViroCap enrichment of viral nucleic acid and sequencing. Association between the virome, semen parameters, and pregnancy outcomes. Results We detected viruses in 58% of the subjects. Viruses included polyomaviruses, papillomaviruses, herpesviruses, and anelloviruses. Viromes detected in semen had little overlap with the viromes detected in vaginal samples from their female partners collected at time of embryo transfer, which were analyzed in a previous study. Lower viral diversity in semen samples was positively associated with pregnancy (P=0.03, Hodges-Lehmann estimate of difference 1; 95% CI 2 to 0.00003). There was no association between viral diversity and sperm concentration, motility or fertilization rates. Conclusion This comprehensive characterization of the DNA virome in semen reveals an association between virome diversity and pregnancy in couples undergoing IVF. However, no association was found with specific semen parameters or fertilization rates, suggesting viral exposure may negatively affect pregnancy after fertilization. Future studies should be undertaken to evaluate associations between the semen virome with IVF outcomes in larger cohort.

Objective To analyze the effect of a fertilin-derived peptide (cFEE) on in vitro maturation of human oocytes. Design Randomized study. Setting Fertility center in an academic hospital. Patients Not applicable. Intervention Human immature germinal vesicle-stage oocytes (n=1629), donated for research according to French bioethics laws were randomly allocated to groups treated with 1 μM, 100 μM cFEE or to a control group. They were incubated at 37° C in 6% CO2 and 5% O2 and their maturation was assessed using time-lapse microscopy over 24 hours. In vitro-maturated metaphase II oocytes were analyzed for chromosomal content using microarray-comparative genomic hybridization (CGH-array) and their transcriptomes were analyzed using Affymetrix Clariom D microarrays. Main outcome measures The percentage of oocytes undergoing maturation in vitro was observed. Aneuploidy and euploidy were assessed for all chromosomes, and differential gene expression was analyzed in oocytes treated with cFEE compared to the control to obtain insights into its mechanism of action. Results cFEE significantly increased the percentage of oocytes that matured in vitro and improved euploidy in meiosis II oocytes by upregulation of FMN1 and FLNA genes, both of which encode proteins involved in spindle structure. Conclusion cFEE improves human oocyte maturation in vitro and reduces aneuploidy. It might prove useful for treating oocytes prior to fertilization in Assisted Reproduction Technology and for in vitro maturation in fertility preservation programs to improve oocyte quality and the chances for infertile couples to conceive.

Maize growth, organ development, and yield formation are highly controlled by the manner in which the plant captures, partition, and remobilizes biomass and phosphorus (P). Better understanding of biomass and P accumulation, partition, and remobilization processes will improve modeling of crop resource use. However, there is still a lack of detailed data to parameterize the modeling of these processes, particularly for modern maize cultivars. A two-year (2016 and 2017) field experiment with three P fertilization treatments (0 (P0), 75 (P75), and 300 (P300) kg P2O5 ha−1) was conducted on a Fluvo-aquic soil (Quzhou, Hebei province, China) to collect data and quantify key processes for a representative modern maize cultivar (Zhengdan 958) widely grown in China. The proportions of biomass and P partitioned into various maize organs were unaffected by P application rate. Zhengdan 958 showed a much lower leaf-senescence rate than older cultivars, resulting in post-silking leaf photosynthesis being sufficient to meet grain biomass demand. In contrast, 50%–85% of leaf P and 15%–50% of stem P accumulated pre-silking were remobilized into grain, in spite of the large proportion of post-silking P uptake. Our results are consistent with the theory that plants use resources according to the priority order of re-allocation from senescence followed by assimilation and uptake, with the re-translocation of reserves last. The results also enabled us to estimate the threshold P concentrations of Zhengdan 958 for modeling crop P demand. The critical leaf P concentration for individual leaves was 0.25%–0.30%, with a corresponding specific leaf P (SLP) of 75–100 mg P m−2. The structural P concentration for leaf was 0.01%, corresponding to an SLP of 3.8 mg P m−2. The maximum P concentrations of leaves and stems were 0.33% and 0.29%. The residual P concentration for stems was 0.006%.

Based on the hypothesis that climate and fertilizers influence the proportion of tiller age categories in the canopy and, consequently, in herbage accumulation, the objective of this study was to determine the population density and the contribution of tiller age categories for herbage accumulation of Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu during the year and in response to phosphate and nitrogen fertilization. The treatments consisted of two fertilization strategies: low and high fertilization and three tiller ages (young, mature and old), evaluated at four times of the year: winter, early and late spring, and summer. The total number of tillers and the proportion of young tillers were higher in late spring and summer. The growth and herbage accumulation rates showed a typical seasonal pattern and were higher in the canopy under high fertilization. Old tillers contributed more to control the total stem growth rate, as well as the canopy senescence rate. The highest percentage of young tillers is related to the high herbage accumulation in the Marandu palisadegrass canopy.

STUDY QUESTION Can non-invasive metabolic imaging via fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) detect variations in metabolic profiles between discarded human blastocysts? SUMMARY ANSWER FLIM revealed extensive variations in the metabolic state of discarded human blastocysts associated with blastocyst development over 36 h, the day after fertilization and blastocyst developmental stage, as well as metabolic heterogeneity within individual blastocysts. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Mammalian embryos undergo large changes in metabolism over the course of preimplantation development. Embryo metabolism has long been linked to embryo viability, suggesting its potential utility in ART to aid in selecting high quality embryos. However, the metabolism of human embryos remains poorly characterized due to a lack of non-invasive methods to measure their metabolic state. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION We conducted a prospective observational study. We used 215 morphologically normal human embryos from 137 patients that were discarded and donated for research under an approved institutional review board protocol. These embryos were imaged using metabolic imaging via FLIM to measure the autofluorescence of two central coenzymes, nicotinamide adenine (phosphate) dinucleotide (NAD(P)H) and flavine adenine dinucleotide (FAD+), which are essential for cellular respiration and glycolysis. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Here, we used non-invasive FLIM to measure the metabolic state of human blastocysts. We first studied spatial patterns in the metabolic state within human blastocysts and the association of the metabolic state of the whole blastocysts with stage of expansion, day of development since fertilization and morphology. We explored the sensitivity of this technique in detecting metabolic variations between blastocysts from the same patient and between patients. Next, we explored whether FLIM can quantitatively measure metabolic changes through human blastocyst expansion and hatching via time-lapse imaging. For all test conditions, the level of significance was set at P MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE We found that FLIM is sensitive enough to detect significant metabolic differences between blastocysts. We found that metabolic variations between blastocyst are partially explained by both the time since fertilization and their developmental expansion stage (P LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION Although we observed significant variations in metabolic parameters, our data are taken from human blastocysts that were discarded and donated for research and we do not know their clinical outcome. Moreover, the embryos used in this study are a mixture of aneuploid, euploid and embryos of unknown ploidy. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS This work reveals novel aspects of the metabolism of human blastocysts and suggests that FLIM is a promising approach to assess embryo viability through non-invasive, quantitative measurements of their metabolism. These results further demonstrate that FLIM can provide biologically relevant information that may be valuable for the assessment of embryo quality. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) Supported by the Blavatnik Biomedical Accelerator Grant at Harvard University. Becker and Hickl GmbH and Boston Electronics sponsored research with the loaning of equipment for FLIM. D.J.N. is an inventor on patent US20170039415A1. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A.

What is the impact of high serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) concentrations on fertilization and embryo development among infertile women undergoing treatment with assisted reproductive technology (ART)?Retrospective study of 1036 infertile women undergoing ART; women were divided into three groups according to serum AMH concentrations: AMH1.1 ng/ml, 1.1-5.0 ng/ml and5.0 ng/ml. The fertilization and embryo development rates of patients with different AMH concentrations and after stratification according to age were compared.Women with high AMH concentrations were younger and had higher testosterone concentrations (0.4 ± 0.13 versus 0.3 ± 0.12 versus 0.3 ± 0.08 µg/dl, P 0.001) than women with low AMH concentrations. However, analysis of the embryo development rate showed negative outcomes for women with high AMH concentrations, including a poor fertilization rate (76.3 ± 17.36 versus 82.1 ± 19.15 versus 82.4 ± 25.38, P = 0.003), and poor day 3 embryo development rate (55.6 ± 23.88 versus 62.6 ± 26.52 versus 62.8 ± 32.65, P = 0.014). Multivariate linear regression analysis showed significantly negative correlations of the AMH concentrations with the fertilization rate (P 0.001) and day 3 embryo development rate (P = 0.006). Subgroup analysis showed that age 30 years or younger had a significant negative correlation with AMH and the embryo development rate, including the fertilization rate (P 0.001) and day 3 embryo development rate (P = 0.037).These results suggest that high serum AMH concentrations, contributing to a hyperandrogenic environment and leading to decreased oocyte developmental competence, may have a negative impact on fertilization and the early stage of embryo development in women undergoing treatment with ART.

This study was conducted to examine the effects of adding glutathione (1 mM) to media used for sperm washing and in vitro fertilization (IVF) on the improvement of early development of embryos produced using cryopreserved spermatozoa of the less IVF-competent bull (the one considered unqualified as spermatozoa supplier for the production of bovine blastocysts using IVF). The cryopreserved spermatozoa of this bull were characterized by normal motility and lower ATP content and blastocyst productivity than those of IVF-competent bulls. The addition of glutathione to the sperm washing medium was more effective in improving the productivity of blastocysts and ATP content than the addition of glutathione to the IVF medium or no glutathione addition at all (control). These results suggest that this simple method may be used to improve the potential of cryopreserved spermatozoa of less IVF-competent bulls to fertilize oocytes in vitro and to induce normal embryonic development after fertilization.

It has been reported that N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) plays an important role in zygote genome activation during embryonic development, but the effects of METTL3 under oxidative stress in the early development of goat embryos remain largely unknown. In this study, zygotes were monitored at 72 and 168 h after fertilization, and they developed to the 8-cell stage and blastocyst stage under hypoxic conditions and normoxic conditions. Single-cell transcriptome sequencing was performed at the 8-cell stage and the blastocyst stage in the goat embryos, the differentially expressed METTL3 was screened from the sequencing results. We found that microinjection of small interfering RNA (siRNA) against METTL3 caused developmental arrest, both 8-cell rates (37.45 ± 2.21% vs. 47.09 ± 1.38%; P < 0.01) and blastocyst rates of Si-METTL3 (12.17% ± 2.84 vs. 20.83 ± 3.61%; P < 0.01) in Si-METTL3 group were significantly decreased compared with that of control under hypoxic conditions, significant changes were found in the m6A-related genes and the expression levels of critical transcription factors, such as, NANOG, GATA3, CDX2 and SOX17, were decreased. This study revealed the key role of METTL3 in the regulation of embryonic development under oxidative stress, and laid the foundation for further study of the crucial mechanism of oxidative stress during the early embryonic development of goats.

Objective To determine whether the use of slush nitrogen (SN), a super-cooled form of nitrogen with a temperature from −207 to −210 °C, can improve oocyte survival after vitrification and warming compared with conventional liquid nitrogen (LN). Design Randomized controlled trial. Setting Academic-affiliated private practice. Patient(s) A total of 556 metaphase II oocytes from 32 oocyte donor cycles were included. Intervention(s) Donor oocytes were block randomized to undergo vitrification with either SN or LN. Vitrification was followed by warming, fertilization with donor sperm, embryo culture to the blastocyst stage, and preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy via trophectoderm biopsy with targeted next-generation sequencing. Main Outcome Measure(s) The primary outcome was oocyte survival after vitrification and warming. Secondary outcomes included rates of fertilization, usable blastocyst formation, and whole chromosome aneuploidy. Result(s) Half of the metaphase II oocytes (n = 278) were randomized to undergo vitrification with SN, whereas the other half (n = 278) were randomized to undergo vitrification with LN. There were no statistically significant differences noted in oocyte survival rate (85.3% vs. 86.3%), fertilization rate (84.0% vs. 80.0%), rate of usable blastocyst formation (54.3% vs. 55.7%), or rate of whole chromosome aneuploidy (9.4% vs. 11.7%) between the SN and LN arms, respectively. Conclusion(s) The implementation of an SN oocyte vitrification protocol resulted in similar embryology outcomes compared with LN. The use of SN did not lead to any demonstrable improvement in oocyte survival after vitrification and warming. Clinical Trial Registration Number NCT04342364

Fertilization of hybrid poplar (HP) plantations with papermill by-products is a promising solution to improve soil fertility and nutrient availability, increase plantation productivity, and provide added value to these materials that would otherwise be incinerated or sent to the landfill. We assessed the growth and foliar nutrition of a HP clone (Populus ×canadensis × Populus maximowiczii) at six plantation sites aged 3–5 years in southern Quebec, Canada. Sites received a fertilization treatment consisting of a mixture of papermill biosolids (120 to 140 t·ha−1, depending on site) and lime mud (10 to 15 t·ha−1) before being planted, or no fertilization (control). Tree growth was significantly improved by fertilization, with fertilized trees showing a mean annual height increment of 1.3 m (all-site mean; SD = 0.2), compared with 0.5 m (SD = 0.4) for unfertilized trees. Foliar calcium and magnesium increased following fertilization and levels met optimal thresholds at all sites, whereas nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium concentrations also increased, but nutritional deficiencies remained for these elements at several sites. Our results confirm the benefits of fertilizing hybrid poplars with papermill by-products, but they also indicate that adjustments in application rates or type of by-products could be made to fully satisfy nutritional requirements and thus optimize tree growth.

Objective To examine the cause of monopronucleated zygote (1PN) formation that includes both maternal and paternal genomes. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Private fertility clinic. Patient(s) A total of 44 1PN and 726 2-pronuclear zygotes from 702 patients were observed using 2 different time-lapse observation systems. Intervention(s) Previously recorded time lapse data were reviewed to examine the mechanism of 1PN formation. Main Outcome Measure(s) The distance between the position of the second polar body extrusion and the fertilization cone or epicenter/starting position of the cytoplasmic wave was measured, and the consequent data were analyzed. Cytoplasmic waves were confirmed using vector analysis software. Result(s) The cut-off value for the difference in the distance between the position of the second polar body extrusion and the fertilization cone or the epicenter/starting position of the cytoplasmic wave was 17 μm (AUC: 0.987, 95% CI: 0.976–0.999) for the Embryo Scope and 18 μm (AUC: 0.972, 95% CI: 0.955–0.988) for the iBIS time-lapse observation systems. Conclusion(s) In this study, it was found with a high degree of accuracy that a monopronucleus is formed when the fusion of the sperm takes place within 18 μm from the point of the second polar body extrusion. The theoretical chance of 1PN occurrence after in vitro fertilization is 2.7% when the sperm is considered to be fused anywhere in the plasma membrane of an oocyte.

Gynogenesis is an established technique to generate all female type offspring and this technique has been successfully induced diploid gynogens progeny in aquatic animals of fishes and crustaceans. Monosex culture of all female shrimp and fishes were selected attribute to all female type offspring which have better size than male and help increase the market size and profitable. This article discusses on the protocol applied to produce gynogens progeny and the successful rate of gynogenesis production in fishes, molluscs and aquatic crustaceans of shrimps in general. Overall most of the UV length applied for irradiated the sperm were around 254–365 nm for (20–40 s), (20–80 s) and (5–8 s) for shrimps, 254 nm, 30 s for molluscs species and for fishes were around 254 nm for (1.5min) and (2–12 min) time of exposure respectively. For gynogenesis induction, the fertilized eggs were treated with cold shock, heat shock or cytochalasin- B for both shrimp and fishes gynogens technique. Fertilization rate was identified around 4.33%–19.67% in shrimp. Successful hatching rate was identified around 3.0%, 14.9%–37.2% of gynogens offspring in shrimp and various percentages of hatching rates were identified from each species of fish gynogens. Overall, there is still low survival rate of gynogens produced using gynogenesis technique and further study should be carried out to improve the gynogens production. The discussed protocols serve as a guide lines for the gynogenesis technique application of all female monosex culture in the future.

Accurate predictions of plant responses to elevated CO2 (eCO2) levels require a better understanding of uptake and allocation of resources that affect growth. While it is well-established that plants can increase C transfer belowground to increase access to nutrients in N-limited environments, there is less studies investigating the role of these adaptations in P-limited systems. In this study, we aimed to characterise plant nutrient use and acquisition strategies under future atmospheric [CO2] scenarios, under P-limited conditions and determine how different levels of water availability regulate these strategies. We exposed four grass species commonly found in the understory of P-limited Australian Eucalyptus woodlands to eCO2 over a period of 14 weeks, under two contrasting water levels. We assessed a suite of root morphological and chemical traits and the rhizosphere activity of extracellular enzymes related to C, N and P cycles, along with changes in plant allocation patterns and use efficiency of these nutrients. Elevated CO2 effects on root functional attributes were species-specific, but clear trends towards increased phosphatase activity were observed across species, leading to a lower C:P ratio. In contrast, water supply affected root morphological attributes, but interactions between CO2 and water levels on functional traits were minor. Greater water availability also stimulated microbial activity in the rhizosphere, but without observable changes in the relative demand for N and P relative to C. Despite changes in rhizosphere processes, eCO2 did not lead to increased plant biomass regardless of water supply, suggesting primary nutrient limitation and a lack of positive rhizosphere feedbacks to plant growth.

The objective of this work was to estimate and compare phenotypic and genetic parameters after three cycles of intrapopulation recurrent selection for fresh corn grown under three nutrient availability conditions. Three experiments derived from the same population (MV-003) were conducted to assess the ability of progenies to absorb nutrients, one under adequate fertilization (control; MV-006), one under low nitrogen availability (N; MV-006N), and one under low phosphorus availability (P; MV-006P). The experiments were carried out in randomized blocks, with 64 half-sib progenies and three replications for each nutritional condition. Chlorophyll index, plant height, ear insertion, ear diameter, ear length, unhusked ear yield, and marketable husked ear were evaluated. The populations showed variability for the three nutrient availability conditions. The variability reduced after only three selection cycles; thus, evaluating a higher number of half-sib progenies, above 64, under low N and P availability is indicated. The rates used to identify the most efficient progenies in breeding programs should be close to the appropriate one, with a slow reduction after the selection cycles. The variability will be thus maintained, with a greater possibility of identifying more promising progenies. In addition, the frequency of favorable alleles increases more gradually and effectively. The N and P rate of 60 kg ha-1 is not indicated as a critical level for the initial phase of the program. RESUMO O objetivo deste trabalho foi estimar e comparar parâmetros fenotípicos e genéticos após três ciclos de seleção recorrente intrapopulacional em milho fresco sob três disponibilidades nutricionais. Três experimentos derivados de uma mesma população foram realizados para avaliar a capacidade das progênies em adquirir os nutrientes, um sob fertilização adequada (controle – MV-006), outro sob baixa disponibilidade de nitrogênio (N – MV-006N) e outro sob baixa disponibilidade de fósforo (P – MV-006P). Os experimentos foram realizados em delineamento de blocos casualizados, com 64 progênies de meios-irmãos, com três repetições. Foram avaliadas as características de índice relativo de clorofila, altura da planta e inserção da espiga, diâmetro e comprimento da espiga, produtividade de espigas empalhadas e despalhadas. As populações apresentam variabilidade para as três condições de disponibilidade nutricional. A variabilidade foi muito reduzida com apenas três ciclos de seleção, sendo indicado avaliar um número maior de progênies de meiosirmãos, acima de 64, sob baixa disponibilidade de N e P. A dose a ser usada para identificar as progênies mais eficientes no programa de melhoramento deve estar próxima a recomendada, com uma redução lenta após os ciclos seletivos. Dessa forma, a variabilidade será mantida e com maior possibilidade de identificação de progênies mais promissoras. Além disso, a frequência de alelos favoráveis aumenta de forma mais gradual e eficaz, sendo que a dose de 60 kg ha-1 de N e P não é indicada na fase inicial do programa, como nível crítico.

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) represent an important microbial community group and have beneficial effects on plant growth and development. A pot experiment was conducted to study the effect of biochar applied with PGPR on the soil microbial community composition and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of tomato, which could provide a theoretical basis for rational fertilization. Six treatments were designed: no nitrogen (N), PGPR, or biochar control (CK); biochar without N or PGPR (BCK); N without PGPR or biochar (U); N and PGPR without biochar (UP); N and biochar without PGPR (UB); and N, PGPR, and biochar (UBP). The tomato yield in the UP treatment was 9.09% lower than that in the U treatment, whereas that in the UB treatment was 19.93% higher than that in the U treatment. The tomato yield in the UBP treatment was 32.45%, 45.69%, and 10.44% higher than those in the U, UP, and UB treatments, respectively. Biochar combined with PGPR increased the relative abundance of Nitrospira and Bradyrhizobium in the soil. At the tomato maturity stage, the soil NO3–-N content in the UBP treatment was 87.12%, 88.12%, and 31.04% higher than those in the U, UP, and UB treatments, respectively. The NUE in the UP treatment was 4.03% lower than that in the U treatment, and that in the UBP treatment was 13.63%, 17.66%, and 10.77% higher than those in the U, UP, and UB treatments, respectively. This study showed that biochar combined with PGPR can improve soil microbial community structure and increase the NUE of tomato.

Deep placement of nitrogen fertilizer is a key strategy for improving nitrogen use efficiency. A two-year field experiment was conducted during the early rice growing seasons (March–July) of 2016 and 2017. The experimental treatments comprised two rice cultivars: Wufengyou 615 (WFY 615) and Yuxiangyouzhan (YXYZ), and three N treatments: mechanical deep placement of all fertilizers as basal dose at 10 cm soil depth (one-time deep-placement fertilization, namely OTDP fertilization); manual surface broadcast (the common farmer practice) of 40% N fertilizer at one day before sowing (basal fertilizer) followed by broadcast application of 30% each at tillering and panicle initiation stages; and no fertilizer application at any growth stage as a control. One-time deep-placement fertilization increased grain yield of both rice cultivars by 11.8%–19.6%, total nitrogen accumulation by 10.3%–13.1%, nitrogen grain production efficiency by 29.7%–31.5%, nitrogen harvest index by 27.8%–30.0%, nitrogen agronomic efficiency by 71.3%–77.2%, and nitrogen recovery efficiency by 42.4%–56.7% for both rice cultivars, compared with the multiple-broadcast treatment. One-time deep-placement fertilization reduced CH4-induced global warming potential (GWP) by 20.7%–25.3%, N2O-induced GWP by 7.2%–12.3%, and total GWP by 14.7%–22.9% for both rice cultivars relative to the multiple-broadcast treatment. The activities of glutamine synthetase and nitrate reductase were increased at both panicle-initiation and heading stages in both rice cultivars following one-time deep-placement fertilization treatment. Larger leaf area index at heading stage and more favorable root morphological traits expressed as larger total root length, mean root diameter, and total root volume per hill were also observed. One-time deep-placement fertilization could be an effective strategy for increasing grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency and lowering greenhouse-gas emissions under mechanical direct-seeded cropping systems.

Patients with asthenozoospermia often present multiple defects in sperm functions apart from a decrease in sperm motility. However, the etiological factors underlying these multifaceted defects remain mostly unexplored, which may lead to unnecessary treatment and unsatisfactory assisted reproductive technologies (ART) outcome. Here, we show that the protein levels of CD147 were lowered in sperm obtained from asthenozoospermic infertile patients exhibiting defects in both sperm motility and the acrosome reaction. Whereas CD147 maintained sperm motility before capacitation, female tract-derived soluble CD147 interacted with sperm-bound CD147 to induce an acrosome reaction in capacitated sperm. Soluble CD147 treatment restored the acrosome reaction and improved the fertility of sperm from patients with asthenozoospermia. Mechanistically, CD147 promotes sperm motility and acrosome reaction (AR) by eliciting Ca2+ influx through soluble CD147 binding to sperm-bound CD147. Notably, the level of soluble CD147 in seminal plasma was positively correlated with the fertilization rate and pregnancy outcome in infertile couples undergoing in vitro fertilization. Our study has identified a marker for the diagnosis and a therapeutic target for the defective AR capability in asthenozoospermia and a candidate for the prediction of in vitro fertilization outcomes for male infertile patients that facilitates the development of precision medicine in ART., Graphical abstract, This study has identified CD147 as a potential marker for the diagnosis and treatment of defective AR capability in asthenozoospermia and for the prediction of in vitro fertilization outcome for male infertile patients.

Objective: Owing to the lack of a breeding index for efficient and quick fertility evaluations of Holstein bulls when using traditional or genome-wide detection methods, this study aimed to determine whether in vitro fertilization (IVF) could be used as an indicator of conception rate of artificial insemination (AI).Methods: Conventional and sexed frozen semen from nine bulls were used for IVF and AI.Results: The IVF and AI conception rates of each bull were confirmed to be positively correlated between the conventional frozen and sexed frozen semen. The correlation coefficient R values of nine bulls between IVF and AI methods were 0.73 and 0.97 for the conventional frozen and sexed frozen semen, respectively. The average conception rate of three bulls undergoing AI was 69.5% and 64.2%, 61.8% and 58.8%, and 48.2% and 46.2% in first-, second-, and third-born cows when conventional frozen and sexed frozen semen were used, respectively, which showed a positive correlation with the fertilization rate in the same parity. We propose an evaluation standard to assess the fertilization ability of bulls based on their IVF test results, which is categorized into three grades: grade one, normal fertility bull with an AI conception rate of 40%±5% and IVF rate of 45% to 60%; grade two, higher fertility bull with an AI conception rate of 50%±5% and IVF rate of 61% to 80%; and grade three, highest fertility bull with an AI conception rate of 60%±5% and IVF rate of >80%.Conclusion: These findings reveal that IVF results can be used as a breeding index for bulls to evaluate their AI conception ability, which may shorten the time required to select bulls for breeding.

Objective To report a clinical pregnancy resulting from intracytoplasmic sperm injection of prematurely ovulated oocytes retrieved from the posterior cul-de-sac. Design Case report. Setting Academic center. Patient(s) A 40-year-old nulligravid woman underwent ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization (IVF). Daily injections of gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist were initiated on cycle day 8. A 10,000 IU dose of human chorionic gonadotropin was administered on cycle day 15 to trigger follicular maturation. The estradiol and luteinizing hormone levels on the trigger day were 1528 pg/mL and 2.4 mIU/mL, respectively. The patient underwent oocyte retrieval 35 hours after the trigger. Transvaginal sonography at the time of the retrieval revealed a large pocket of free fluid in the posterior cul-de-sac. Only 3 follicles measuring 10–12 mm were noted in both ovaries. No lead follicles were visualized. Intervention(s) Aspiration of free fluid from the posterior cul-de-sac. Main Outcome Measure(s) Clinical pregnancy. Result(s) The fluid in the posterior cul-de-sac was aspirated, and 3 mature oocytes were retrieved. Aspiration of the smaller ovarian follicles measuring 10–12 mm did not yield oocytes. All mature oocytes retrieved from the posterior cul-de-sac were fertilized with intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Three cleavage-stage embryos were transferred 3 days later. A single intrauterine pregnancy with cardiac activity was confirmed at a gestational age of 7 weeks. Conclusion(s) In the setting of premature ovulation, aspiration of free fluid from the posterior cul-de-sac can result in the retrieval of mature oocytes, which may result in clinical pregnancies.

The objective was to evaluate the production and composition of lavender essential oil, simultaneously at open field and greenhouse, in spring-summer season, under different types of fertilization. Each cultivation system was considered an experiment (field and greenhouse), and in both, the experimental design used was randomized blocks, with five treatments, being fertilization with nutrient source - 100% mineral (100% M), 100% organic (100% O), 100% organomineral (100% OM), 50% organomineral (50% OM), and without fertilization (control), and three repetitions. Better performance and productivity of Lavandula dentata is related to respectively 100% OM and 50% OM fertilization in the field and greenhouse. The essential oil content does not differ between cultivation systems and kind of fertilizers, and the majorities compounds were 1.8-cineol, fenchone and camphor.

Phosphorus (P) accumulation in croplands resulting from ever-increasing input of P fertilizer strongly influences soil microbial growth and activities, which is expected to alter the soil priming effect (PE) induced by plant residue. However, the effect of P availability on the magnitude and direction of PE remains largely unexplored and the underlying microbial mechanisms are still unclear. Therefore, a 40-day incubation experiment was established by adding C4-maize straw to C3-soils with or without long-term P fertilizer inputs to investigate PE and accompanied dynamics of microbiota. The results revealed that in both soils, straw application caused positive real PEs via a “microbial co-metabolism” mechanism, accompanied by a microbial succession from the dominance of r- and K-strategists to K-strategists (mainly fungi). In addition, long-term amendment with P increased PE by 83.2% compared with no P fertilization control, which was mainly mediated by K-strategists, especially the fungal families Chaetomiaceae and Myrmecridiaceae. The increased PE was accompanied by enhanced microbial biomass carbon, extracellular enzyme activities, and bacterial gene abundance, confirming the “stoichiometric decomposition” theory. Meanwhile, deviating from the conventional paradigm, higher phosphatase activity and lower enzymatic stoichiometry of carbon (C)-to-P ratios in high-P soil compared with that in low-P soil suggested stronger “P mining” with high-P availability.

Atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) have steadily increased over recent decades. The fertilization effect of elevated CO2 concentrations (E-[CO2]) is known to increase the biomass production and also the nitrogen (N) demand of paddy rice, which affects the rice N use efficiency. This study was conducted to elucidate the fertilizer-derived N use of paddy rice (Oryza sativa L.) for two varieties, japonica cv. Koshihikari and indica cv. Takanari, with and without E-[CO2] using a free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE) facility in central Japan. To quantify the fate of fertilizer-derived N directly, polymer-coated 15N-labeled urea was used with a one-shot application rate of 80 kg N ha–1 incorporated into the plowed layer at the basal fertilization before transplanting of rice seedlings. The biomass, total N concentrations, and 15N abundance in each part of the rice plants were measured at the panicle initiation, heading, and maturing stages. The total N content and 15N abundance in the soil were measured at the maturing stage to evaluate the N balance of the rice–soil system. While E-[CO2] significantly increased the whole plant biomass and the total N content in panicles, it did not increase the total N and the fertilizer-derived N content in the whole plant. The recovery efficiency (fertilizer-derived N in the whole plant to applied N, RE) ranged between 64.9% and 68.7%, and the agronomic efficiency (fertilizer-derived N in panicles to applied N, AE) ranged between 37.8% and 43.8%. The effect of CO2 on RE and AE was not significant. The REs, higher in Koshihikari, and the AEs, higher in Takanari indicated that Takanari preferentially allocated fertilizer-derived N to panicles. The REs, 69% at the maximum in this study, implies an upper limit of use efficiency of N fertilizer, even for polymer-coated (controlled-release) fertilizer. E-[CO2] significantly increased the rice N uptake from sources other than fertilizer, of which mineralization was the most-likely source. Monitoring of soil fertility and appropriate fertilization management are, therefore, necessary for sustainable rice production avoiding long-term decline in soil N fertility.

The ability to use frozen sperm for insemination during in vitro fertilization (IVF) is crucial for patients and for reproductive endocrinologists. However, concerns exist regarding the effects of cryopreservation on sperm quality and IVF outcomes. This study compares outcomes of frozen donor oocyte IVF cycles with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) of good quality fresh versus frozen ejaculated sperm. Patients who underwent their first frozen donor oocyte IVF cycle between 2013 and 2019 at Mayo Clinic were identified. The primary outcome was live birth rate (LBR). Secondary outcomes included fertilization rate (FR), blastocyst development rate (BR), and clinical pregnancy rate (CPR). Twenty-six patients used fresh sperm and 19 patients utilized frozen sperm; there were no significant demographic differences between the groups. There were no significant differences noted in CPR, FR, and BR. Although the LBR was not statistically different when frozen versus fresh sperm was utilized (52.6% vs. 61.5%, p = 0.55), there was a distinct trend towards improved outcomes with fresh sperm that may be clinically significant. This data suggests that frozen sperm may be an alternative to a fresh sample, however fresh sperm may ultimately be a better option. This finding should be further explored with studies utilizing a larger sample size.

Oocyte morphology assessment is easy to implement in any laboratory with possible quality grading prior to fertilization. At present, comprehensive oocyte morphology scoring is not performed as a routine procedure. However, it may augment chances for successful treatment outcomes if a correlation with certain dysmorphisms can be proven. In order to determine a correlation between oocyte morphology and treatment outcome, we performed a systematic search in PubMed and Cochrane Controlled Trials Register following PRISMA guidelines. A total of 52 articles out of 6,755 search results met the inclusion criteria. Dark colour of the cytoplasm (observed with an incidence rate of 7%), homogeneous granularity of the cytoplasm (19%) and ovoid shape of oocytes (7%) appeared to have no influence on treatment outcome. Abnormalities such as refractile bodies (10%), fragmented first polar body (37%), dark zona pellucida (9%), enlarged perivitelline space (18%) and debris in it (21%) are likely to affect the treatment outcome to some extent. Finally, cytoplasmic vacuoles (4%), centrally located cytoplasmic granularity (12%) and clusters of smooth endoplasmic reticulum (4%) negatively impact infertility treatment outcomes. Nonetheless, morphological assessment is informative rather than predictive. Adding oocyte morphology to the artificial intelligence (AI)-driven selection process may improve the precision of the algorithms. Oocyte morphology assessment can be especially useful in oocyte donation cycles, during oocyte freezing for fertility preservation and finally, objective oocyte scoring can be important in cases of very poor treatment outcome as a tool for explanation of results to the patient.

El uso de fertilizantes orgánicos en el Valle del Yaqui tiende a reducir la degradación del suelo en la producción de trigo, sin embargo, todavía no se han evaluado los impactos biológicos de esta práctica en el suelo. El objetivo de este experimento fue cuantificar el impacto del cambio en el manejo del cultivo de trigo, de convencional a orgánico, sobre la reducción de la degradación fúngica del suelo, por medio del análisis de sus poblaciones fúngicas cultivables y su diversidad. La hipótesis fue que la aportación de fertilizantes orgánicos al cultivo de trigo produce cambios positivos en las propiedades fisicoquímicas del suelo, lo cual beneficia a las poblaciones de hongos, y disminuye su degradación. Tres campos comerciales de trigo se seleccionaron con 1) fertilización sintética convencional (SF), 2) fertilización sintética más fertilización orgánica (SF+OF) y 3) sólo fertilización orgánica (OF). Los sitios de estudio bajo OF y SF+OF vs. SF mostraron mayores, contenidos de materia orgánica (1.5, 1.6 vs. 0.45%), población de hongos (1.7x105, 9.1x104 vs. 1.6x104 CFU g-1 de suelo seco) y diversidad (12, 12 vs. 2). Con base en el análisis filogenético, se aislaron 9, 11 y 2 géneros de hongos de los sitios de estudio bajo fertilización orgánica, sintética + orgánica y sintética, respectivamente. La diversidad metabólica de las cepas fúngicas obtenidas mostró que la producción de indoles osciló entre 0.5 y 65.4 μg mL-1; el hongo Stachybotrys sp. TSM35 fue el productor de indoles mayor. La solubilización de fosfatos mayor (21%) se observó en la cepa Talaromyces pinophilus TSO42 y la cepa con producción de sideróforos mayor (33.9%) fue Volutella ciliata TSM43. Además, el 60% de las cepas mostraron riesgos potenciales para la salud (α- o β-hemólisis). La rotación de convencional a orgánico en el cultivo del trigo logró cambios positivos en las propiedades fisicoquímicas del suelo, en la diversidad y características metabólicas de las poblaciones fúngicas cultivable. El control de la calidad microbiológica de los fertilizantes orgánicos se necesita para evitar riesgos microbiológicos en los sistemas agronómicos, causados por la introducción de cepas con potencial patogénico.

The aims of this study were to investigate the impact of different levels of nano-potassium molybdate (nano-K2MoO4) fertilization on the copper (Cu) metabolism in grazing the Pishan red sheep in the natural pasture. The fertilization and grazing experiments were conducted on the Pishan farm in Southern Xinjiang, China. The natural pastures of 16 hm2 were randomly divided into four groups (4 hm2/group), consisting of group C (no fertilized), group I, group II, and group III. The fertilizing amount of Mo from nano-K2MoO4 was 0, 7, 8, and 9 kg/hm2 for group C, group I, group II, and group III, respectively. The 40 Pishan red sheep were randomly distributed to the tested pastures for 90 days, and the 10 sheep/group. The results showed that the contents of Mo and N in forage from the fertilized pastures were extremely increased (P

Problems of poor soil structure and nutrient deficiency in the reclamation of abandoned homesteads, and improvement of the soil condition after land reclamation to arable land and rapidly resume agricultural production were investigated. Organic fertilizers, curing agent and fly ash as amendment materials were selected. A plot test with seven different return materials in order to obtain the effects of different amendment materials on nutrient improvement in the reclamation of abandoned homestead soils in loess areas was conducted. After 3 years of maize crop cultivation, soil samples were collected and analyzed for total soil nitrogen content under different treatments. The results showed that the maize yield in each plot showed different additives contributed to the increase in maize yield to different degrees, while the addition of organic fertilizer had a more significant effect on the increase in yield. In the treatment of the experimental plots with the addition of curing agent + organic fertilizer, there was a significant effect on the enhancement of the content of total nitrogen in the soil tillage layer after three years of maize cultivation. The total N content of the surface soil (0~15 cm) increased from 0.32 to 0.64 g/kg, and that of the soil from 15~30 cm increased from 0.31 to 0.66 g/kg. The total N content of the soil from 0~60cm showed an increasing trend year by year, but the increase was gradually reduced. The total nitrogen content of soil in the depth of 60~105 cm showed a decreasing trend year by year. In the remediation of hollow villages in loess plateau, the compound application of organic fertilizer and ripening agent can significantly improve the soil nutrient content, condition of farmland and increase in maize yield, which is the most suitable material for field return in the remediation of hollow villages in loess plateau, and is of great significance to improve the quality of field return in the remediation of hollow villages. Bangladesh J. Bot. 50(3): 729-736, 2021 (September) Special

Long-term excessive use of chemical fertilizer has led to water environmental degradation. Reducing chemical fertilizer use in crop production has become a consensus, and the effects of chemical fertilizer reduction on yield, water consumption and water environment urgently need to be explored. A field experiment including four fertilization treatments: normal fertilizer application (NFA), 15%, 30% and 45% fertilizer reduction (FR) was conducted and the water footprint (WF) was used as an indicator to explore how the chemical fertilizer reduction affected the maize WF. The results showed that the blue, green and total WFs of maize in the 45% FR and NFA treatments were larger than those in the 30% FR and 15% FR treatments in 2018 and 2019. The grey WFs of maize in the NFA treatment were the highest in 2018 and 2019, exhibiting a trend that the grey WFs in the NFA treatment >15% FR treatment >30% FR treatment >45% FR treatment in 2018 and those in the NFA treatment >45% FR treatment >30% FR treatment >15% FR treatment in 2019. The optimal treatment was the 15–30% FR compared with the current fertilization, in which the total WF of maize can be minimized and the maize yield can be maximized at the same time. Precipitation had a wide-ranging impact on the yield and WF of maize, especially the amount, intensity and interval of rainfall, which had an evident impact on the grey WF. This study is expected to provide a data foundation for reducing chemical fertilizer and improving water and fertilizer use efficiency in maize production.

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) is a plant of great importance for food, agriculture, economy and medicine. This importance explains its high demand, intensified by its cultivation conditions, particularly the growing rarity of fertile land and available water. To contribute to this species yield optimization, the effects of fertilizers type [chemical: NPK (12-22-22) and organic: Agribionate] and a control (C) combined to two watering modes (traditional sprinkler and bottle drip) on plants growth and yield have been studied from sowing to harvest. Plant growth (stem length and diameter at the collar, number of leaves and flowers per plant, leaf area) and yield (fruit weight, diameter and length, yield) were assessed. ANOVA2 tests revealed that fertilization (NPK and agribionate) favored plant growth (respectively 34.20 and 37.32 cm in height against 6.67 cm) and increased yield (7498, 66 and 6600.46 Kg/ha against 1558 Kg/ha) with the largest and heaviest fruits (145.69 and 142.80 g) compared to the control (C) that produced the smallest ones (59.35 g). About watering, the bottle drip mode was more beneficial than traditional sprinkler one for cucumber organ growth and plant yield. The interaction (fertilizer type × watering mode) indicated that the best results were obtained with the Agribionate fertilizer watered with the bottle drip method.

Calcium (Ca) is a critical plant nutrient typically applied at the time of planting in intensive Eucalyptus plantations in South America. At two sites in Colombia, we examined (1) calcium source by comparing growth after application of 100 kg ha−1 elemental Ca as lime or as pelletized highly reactive calcium fertilizer (HRCF) compared to a no application control, and (2) Ca rate by applying 0, 100, 200, and 400 kg ha−1 elemental Ca as HRCF with the addition of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, and boron (NPKSB). We assessed height, diameter, and volume after 12 and 24 months. There were no growth differences from Ca source at the 100 kg ha−1 rate. We found increased volume after 24 months at the “Popayan” site with 200 and 400 kg ha−1 Ca HRCF+NPKSB treatments (112 and 113 m3 ha−1, respectively) compared to control (92 m3 ha−1), a 22% increase. In contrast, volume did not differ after 24 months at the “Darien” site, ranging from 114 m3 ha−1 in the 0 kg ha−1 Ca HRCF+NPKSB treatment to 98 m3 ha−1 in the control. Differences in response are likely due to soil characteristics, such as organic matter, emphasizing the importance of identifying site-specific nutrient deficiencies.

Plants under water stress alter their normal morphological and physiological processes. However, biomass allocation and nutrient use efficiency remain largely unknown under the interactive effect of irrigation and fertilization for many economically important conifer species. In this study, we compared biomass allocation and resources use efficiency of two-year-old (plug+1) containerized balsam fir [Abies balsamea (L) Mill.] 'Cooks' and concolor fir [Abies concolor (Gord. & Glend.) Lindl. Ex Hildebr.] 'Cibola', and one-year-old bare-root white pine [Pinus strobus L.] transplants grown under variable watering and fertilization conditions. In a controlled greenhouse setting, transplants were submitted to three irrigation levels and two fertilization rates in a factorial experimental design. Fir species, mainly concolor fir, had a greater capacity to utilize water resulting in decreased stem water potential than white pine, leading to increased aboveground growth and shoot-to-root (S/R) ratio. White pine transplants had a higher assimilatory nutrient efficiency, nutrient use efficiency (NUE), root weight ratio, and a lower nitrogen availability index than the two fir species, suggesting a better ability to tolerate water stress. The high rates of fertilization increased nutrient concentration more than growth, suggesting luxury consumption. These results indicate that white pine responds to drought stress by closing their stomata and decreasing their S/R ratio to limit physiological activities, while the two fir species exhibit increased water uptake via expanded fine root networks, increasing the NUE and S/R ratio. However, there was no clear trend for the irrigation and fertilization interaction for NUE for three species, making it difficult to generalize responses. WOS:000717925300001 2-s2.0-85118917644

N and S play a significant role in plant growth and development and stimulate the production of secondary metabolites with anti-microbial properties. Under elevated CO2, plants raise their rate of carbon fixation causing increments across the synthesis of carbon that further lead to increased synthesis of carbon-based defence compounds and decrements across the concentrations of N and S in plant tissues. A pot experiment was performed in open-top chambers (OTCs) with ambient CO2 (390 ppm) and elevated CO2 (550 ppm), and mustard plants were supplemented with single doses of N and S separately as well as in combination. Furthermore, to monitor changes in defence ability, mustard plants were challenged with Alternaria brassicae and disease severity was assessed. Significant interactions were evident between CO2 and N and CO2 and S during the vegetative stage but not on the reproductive stage. Additive effects of both the nutrients and CO2 concentration were observed on physiological (net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, sugars, proteins, C:N ratio) as well as defence markers phenylalanine ammonia-lyase enzyme and phenol concentration and disease severity. Combined nutrient treatment with N and S under elevated CO2 led to maximum enhancement of overall plant growth and defence in comparison to individual nutrient treatments. Mustard plants fertilized with N and S alone or in combination under enhanced CO2 improved plant’s growth and defence.

Low fertility is the single most important factor limiting livestock reproductive performance, adversely affecting the cattle industry and causing millions of dollars of economic loss. In the livestock industry, male fertility is of crucial importance for the reproductive performance of livestock. However, there is a lack of reliable biomarkers to predict bull fertility in artificial insemination service. The objective of this study was to identify sperm proteins as biomarkers for bull fertility. To discover candidate sperm quality biomarkers, sperm proteome profiling was conducted in extreme high- and extreme low-fertile bulls selected from a pool of 1000 AI sires with varied fertility. Thirty-two differentially expressed proteins were identified. Among them, high levels of sperm outer dense fiber of sperm tails 2 (ODF2) and post-acrosomal assembly of sperm head protein (PAWP/WBP2NL) represented the most extreme differences in quantity between high- and low-fertility bulls. Protein immunodetection and flow cytometry used to validate these putative fertility markers in a combined cohort of 154 AI sires. Both ODF2 and PAWP correlated significantly with fertility. In conclusion, ODF2 and PAWP can be used to assess semen quality and predict sire fertility.

We aimed to develop a coating process for maize and sorghum in order to simplify the application of microbial fertilizers and increase seed resistance against insects. The coating is a thin layer of Rhizophagus fasciculatus and Rhizophagus aggregatus spores and Leifsonia sp. applied on the surface of seeds using three Arabic gum solutions as glue materials. The germinating capacities of seeds and coated inoculants were followed up to 4 months of storage between 6 °C and 25 °C conditions. The remaining seed batches were mixed with 5 days aged insects (Sitophilus zeamais and Rhyzopertha dominica). Insect emergences were daily monitored and their damages on seeds were followed. Coating with a 10% gum solution had no negative effect for maize and sorghum seed germination. Moreover, seeds can be stored for up to 4 months at 6 °C without losing their germinability. Nevertheless, coating with 15 and 20% gum decreased the germinating characteristics of sorghum small seeds. Furthermore, incorporating fungal spores through seed coating did not alter mycorrhizal spores in generating root colonization. Lastly, the coatings decreased significantly the insect emergences with less seed attacks and seed weight losses although no gum dose is able to completely stop the emergence of S. zeamais and R. dominica.

This study aimed to determine the effect of composition of growing media and types of fertilization on the growth and production of mustard plants. This study was carried out at the Experimental Garden of Uniprima-Sengkang from February to April 2020, using a randomized block design with two treatment factors, namely the growing media consisting of soil (control), manure + soil (1: 1), bokashi + soil ( 1: 1), and soil + manure + Bokashi (1:1:1) and fertilization, namely: without urea and Azotobacter, urea 50 kg ha1 (0.2 g/plant), Azotobacter, urea 50 kg ha-1 (0.1 g/plant+ Azotobacter). The results showed that the composition of the growing medium Soil + Manure + Bokashi (1:1:1) and fertilization with ½ Urea 50 kg ha-1 (0.1 g/plant) + Azotobacter tended to show higher result in the parameters of plant height, number of leaves, leaf width and plant weight than other treatments, however, it statistically showed no interaction between the composition of the growing media and fertilization

PURPOSE: To elucidate the effect of X-ray exposure during hysterosalpingography (HSG) on subsequent laboratory outcomes in in vitro fertilization (IVF). METHODS: A total of 1458 oocytes, consisting of 990 oocytes retrieved from 70 women (89 cycles) who underwent HSG prior to IVF and 468 oocytes from 45 women (57 cycles) who underwent IVF without HSG, were evaluated for their retrieval number, maturity, fertilization, and development post fertilization. X-ray exposure during HSG was recorded as reference air kerma (RAK) (mGy). Subjects were stratified according to the amount of RAK (Nil: IVF without HSG, L-RAK: RAK

The low availability of phosphorus (P) in tropical soils may hinder the initial establishment of forest species planted in disturbed areas. However, the effects of P fertilization as a strategy to improve the survival, growth and photosynthesis-related traits of Amazonian tree species in P-limited soils remain unclear. Here, we investigate how contrasting levels of P fertilization affect the establishment of native Amazonian tree species with different successional statuses. We measured the survival, growth (height and root collar diameter) and leaf traits (e.g., chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters, leaf nutrients and gas exchange) of ten species (five pioneers and five nonpioneers) subjected to contrasting P supplies (−P = 0 kg P2O5 ha−1 and +P = 160 kg P2O5 ha−1) in the field over 24 months. Phosphorus fertilization improved the availability of P in the soil. Pioneers species were more responsive to fertilization. Erythrina fusca showed high mortality under −P, while Cedrela fissilis, Cordia alliodora and Guazuma ulmifolia (pioneers) exhibited the highest increases in growth rates after fertilization. Fertilization improved the P content in the leaves in the noonpioneers group, while both ecological groups had the highest K content in the leaves under no P fertilization. Carbon capture (stomatal conductance) increased only in pioneers species. Conversely, positive effects on carbon assimilation at the leaf level were not observed. P fertilization reduced the P use efficiency of nonpioneers species. Fertilization is an important management practice to relieve the effects of stress induced by soil phosphorus starvation on the establishment of Amazonian trees and is modulated by successional status and species identity.