Table of Content

20 January 2026, Volume 35 Issue 1

Previous Issue   

Spatio-temporal variation of grassland above-ground biomass and its response to climate change in the Three-River Source region

Zhe WANG, Jing WANG, Yao-wen XIE, Hui-fang ZHAO, Rui-xiang XIAO, Cai-wen-qiu-zang ZONGSA

2026, 35(1):  1-12.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025087

Asbtract ( 103 )   HTML ( 28)   PDF (6108KB) ( 133 )  

Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

The aim of this research was to better understand the spatio-temporal dynamics of grassland above-ground biomass （AGB） and its response to climate change in the Three-River Source region. We integrated ground-based observations from 15 ecological and meteorological stations in Qinghai Province with remotely sensed AGB estimates from 2003 to 2022. We then systematically analyzed the spatial distribution， interannual trends， and the response of AGB to variations in growing-season temperature and precipitation. It was found that： 1） According to station observations， the multi-year average AGB ranged from 606.4 to 7545.8 kg·ha^-1， with higher values at eastern and southern sites and lower values in the northwest. From 2003 to 2022， most stations exhibited an increasing trend in AGB， with the most significant increase observed at Nangqên station. 2） The remotely sensed results revealed a distinct spatial pattern of AGB characterized by higher values in the southeast and lower values in the northwest. High-biomass areas were mainly concentrated in the eastern part of the study region， whereas low-biomass areas were distributed in the north and southwest， with the lowest levels in the western alpine steppe. Over the past two decades， the regional AGB showed a weak increasing trend， with no significant change in more than 80% of the area， and a significantly increasing trend in 6.84% of the area-mainly in the east and south. 3） Partial correlation analysis showed that grassland AGB in the study area exhibited positive correlations with growing-season temperature and precipitation. Specifically， the correlation coefficient between AGB and growing-season precipitation （0.24） was higher than that between AGB and temperature （0.10）， indicating that precipitation was the primary factor driving the increase in AGB in this region. Areas with significantly positive correlations between grassland AGB and temperature were mainly distributed in the eastern parts of the study area， whereas regions with significantly positive correlations between AGB and precipitation were concentrated in the western and northern areas. These findings provide a scientific basis and decision-making support for grassland conservation， resource management， and climate adaptation strategies in the Three-River Source region.

Effects of nitrogen and phosphorus supplementation on ecological stoichiometric characteristics of soil microbial-extracellular enzymes in annual artificial grassland

Jia-hui KANG, Min-na ZHENG, Rui-jie GONG, Zhi-shun HAN, Yan-ni CHEN, Xiu-zhi LIANG

2026, 35(1):  13-24.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025065

Asbtract ( 56 )   HTML ( 13)   PDF (1808KB) ( 69 )  

Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

The aim of this research was to explore the effects of fertilization with different amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus on the characteristics of soil microbes. To this end， we prepared artificial grasslands with annual oat （Avena sativa） and alfalfa （Medicago sativa） grown alone as monocultures or as a mixture （1∶1）. The experiment consisted of a control， N₀P₀ （CK） and eight treatments， namely N₀P_2.5， N₀P₅， N₅P₀， N₅P_2.5， N₅P₅， N₁₀P₀， N₁₀P_2.5， and N₁₀P₅. These treatments represented combinations of N fertilizer at three levels （elemental N at 0， 75 and 150 kg·ha^-1） and phosphate fertilizer at three levels （elemental P at 0， 37.5 and 75 kg·ha^-1）. We determined the carbon， N， and P contents in soil microbial biomass， the activities of extracellular enzymes in soil， and their ecological stoichiometric ratios in the three types of artificial grassland under the different levels of N and P fertilization. It was found that： 1） Addition of different levels of N and P significantly affected the nutrient metabolism characteristics of soil microorganisms. In the oat monoculture， the fertilization treatment with high N and low P （N₁₀P_2.5） had a significant inhibitory effect on the carbon and N contents of soil microbial biomass. In the alfalfa monoculture， combined application of low N and high P （N₅P₅） resulted in increased carbon and N contents in soil microbial biomass. In the oat-alfalfa mixture， the influence of fertilization treatments on soil microbial biomass was complex， but fertilization with high P （N₀P₅） had an inhibitory effect on soil microbial biomass. 2） The activities of β-1，4-glucosidase， leucine aminopeptidase， and alkaline phosphatase in the oat monoculture were greatly affected by the N and P fertilization treatments， while those in the alfalfa monoculture and the mixed oat-alfalfa grassland were relatively stable across all the treatments. The soil N∶P enzyme activity ratios were lower than 1 in all three grassland types， indicating that the P limitation for soil microorganisms at the experimental site was greater than the N limitation. In summary， for grasslands in the northern part of Shanxi Province， the combined application of low N and high P （N at 75 kg·ha^-1 and P at 75 kg·ha^-1） is optimal for oat and alfalfa as monocultures. However， for mixed oat-alfalfa sowings， low N and low P （N at 75 kg·ha^-1 and P at 37.5 kg·ha^-1） should be prioritized.

Effects of microbial inoculants combined with organic calcium protein on alfalfa growth and soil enzyme activity

Ying ZHANG, Shan-mu HE, Ao-lei HE, Chang-ning LI, Tuo YAO

2026, 35(1):  25-39.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025075

Asbtract ( 47 )   HTML ( 9)   PDF (3948KB) ( 59 )  

Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

To investigate the effects of the combined application of microbial inoculants and organic calcium protein on alfalfa （Medicago sativa） growth and soil enzyme activity， three candidate strains ［Bacillus mycoides （Y1）， Bacillus mojavensis （LrM2）， and Pseudomonas synxantha （M1）］ were used to prepare a microbial inoculant applied at three concentrations （10⁸， 10⁹， and 10¹⁰ cfu·mL^-1）. Each inoculant concentration was paired with five supplementation levels of organic calcium protein （2%， 4%， 6%， 8%， and 10%） in a pot experiment. The effects of these treatments on alfalfa growth traits， nutritional quality， root morphology， and soil enzyme activity were evaluated. The results showed that： 1） All treatments promoted alfalfa growth. The highest dry yield in the first crop （1.47 g·30 plants^-1） was achieved with treatment D₄ （10¹⁰ cfu·mL^-1 microbial inoculant+6% organic calcium protein）， while treatment B₅ （10⁸ cfu·mL^-1 microbial inoculant+8% organic calcium protein） yielded the highest in the second crop （5.5 g·30 plants^-1）. 2） The combined application significantly enhanced alfalfa’s total root length， root diameter， root surface area， and root volume. At a fixed inoculant concentration， these parameters initially increased and then decreased with increasing organic calcium protein supplementation. 3） Alfalfa plants in treatment C₅ （10⁹ cfu·mL^-1 microbial inoculant+8% organic calcium protein） showed the highest relative feed value （RFV=226.56）， whereas treatment D₅ （10¹⁰ cfu·mL^-1 microbial inoculant+8% organic calcium protein） resulted in the maximum total chlorophyll content. 4） Compared to the application of microbial inoculant alone， the combined treatment significantly increased the activities of soil alkaline phosphatase， sucrase， catalase， and urease. 5） Based on the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution （TOPSIS） evaluation， treatment D₄ not only enhanced alfalfa growth but also improved soil enzyme activity， demonstrating high potential for practical agricultural application.

Effect of nitrogen application on grass productivity and energy use efficiency in a mixed forage sorghum/lablab planting

Yi-yin ZHANG, Ai-ping XIAO, Bin WANG, Teng-fei WANG, Hai-ying HU, Jian LAN

2026, 35(1):  40-52.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025059

Asbtract ( 31 )   HTML ( 5)   PDF (5132KB) ( 51 )  

Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of different nitrogen application rates on grassland production performance， economic efficiency， energy use efficiency， and ecological efficiency index under mixed seeding conditions. The overall aim of our research was to provide a scientific basis for the efficient use of N fertilizer to achieve environmentally sustainable development. We conducted a field trial in 2021-2023 at the Sidunzi Grass Field Science Research Base of Ningxia University. The experiment had a two-factor design with two cropping patterns （SS： forage sorghum monoculture； SL： forage sorghum/lablab mixed cropping） and four N application rates （N₀： 0 kg·ha^-1； N₉₀： 90 kg·ha^-1； N₁₈₀： 180 kg·ha^-1； N₂₇₀： 270 kg·ha^-1）. It was found that the synergistic effect of mixed seeding and nitrogen fertilization significantly increased the hay yield and crude protein yield of the system. The optimum production performance was obtained with the mixed crop fertilized with N at 180 kg·ha^-1. This treatment had the highest hay yield （29.08 t·ha^-1） and crude protein yield （2.62 t·ha^-1）. These values were higher on average by 20.69%-23.86% and 21.03%-26.89%， respectively， compared with those in the other treatments and the control. An economic benefit analysis showed that the forage sorghum/lablab mixed planting fertilized with 180 kg·ha^-1 N had the highest average annual net income and net energy output. The values for this treatment 33.94% and 21.32% higher， respectively， than those in the control （no fertilizer）， demonstrating good economic-energy synergy effects. The forage sorghum/lablab mix with 90 kg·ha^-1 N application had the highest energy use efficiency and energy productivity at 10.84 and 0.60 kg·MJ^-1， respectively. These values were 1.94% and 1.95% higher than the respective values in the control. The sustainability of the different cropping patterns was evaluated on the basis of the forage yield， economic efficiency， energy use efficiency， and ecological efficiency index. The highest sustainability index （0.97） was obtained for the mixed crop with N application at 180 kg·ha^-1. Therefore， application of N fertilizer at 180 kg·ha^-1 is the optimum level for the forage sorghum/lablab mixed cropping system in the Northwest Arid Zone. This treatment improves the forage yield and sustainability of the cropping system with relatively low N fertilizer inputs.

Effects of the amount and timing of subsurface drip irrigation on alfalfa seed production

Hong-qian YU, Xue-peng MA, Han-guo ZENG, Xiao-yan SHAN, Man-li LI, Zhan-jun WANG

2026, 35(1):  53-64.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025039

Asbtract ( 30 )   HTML ( 0)   PDF (5146KB) ( 41 )  

Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

Irrigation is an important management method to improve alfalfa （Medicago sativa） seed yield. In this study， we aimed to elucidate the impact of the timing and volume of drip irrigation on the yield components and actual yield of alfalfa seeds， and to investigate the mechanisms by which water influences seed yield formation. A field irrigation experiment was conducted from 2021 to 2022 using the alfalfa variety ‘Gannong No.4’. The experiment included two factors： irrigation timing （budding stage， full flowering stage， and a combination of budding stage+full flowering stage） and irrigation volume （225 and 450 m³·ha^-1）. Measurements of soil water content， seed yield components， and seed yield were obtained， and the correlations among these variables were analyzed. The findings indicated that： 1） The timing of irrigation was the primary factor influencing seed yield， while the irrigation volume affected the number of seeds per pod. 2） Significant positive correlations were detected between irrigation at the budding stage and the number of inflorescences per stem， and between irrigation at both the budding and full flowering stages and the overall seed yield. 3） The seed yield was directly influenced by several factors， including the soil water content within the 20-40 cm soil layer， the soil water content at the harvest stage， the number of inflorescences per stem， the number of flowers per inflorescence， and the number of pods per inflorescence. These results indicate that the optimal underground drip irrigation strategy for the arid and semi-arid regions of central Ningxia involves applying water at 225 m³·ha^-1 during the budding stage， 225-450 m³·ha^-1 during the full flowering stage， and 450 m³·ha^-1 during the winter stage.

Effects of changes in precipitation on stomatal morphology and photosynthetic and physiological characteristics of major species in desert steppe plant communities

Wen-hui DENG, Ke-chen SONG, Hao ZHANG, Si-yu GUAN, Jia-yi YONG, Tie-na XIE, Hai-ying HU

2026, 35(1):  65-78.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025073

Asbtract ( 34 )   HTML ( 4)   PDF (3680KB) ( 62 )  

Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

In this study， we investigated the photosynthetic adaptation mechanisms of five dominant plant species in the desert steppe of Ningxia （Stipa breviflora， Lespedeza secalinus， Lespedeza potaninii， Convolvulus ammannii， and Polygala tenuifolia） under altered precipitation regimes. Three treatments were applied： precipitation increased by 50% （PA）， natural precipitation （CK）， and precipitation decreased by 50% （PR）. We examined changes in leaf photosynthetic parameters， stomatal morphology， and water use efficiency （WUE） to elucidate how these plants adapt to varying water availability. The results show that desert steppe plants were able to enhance their drought tolerance by increasing the stomatal perimeter and area， thereby reducing the transpiration rate and stomatal conductance. These adaptations lowered the net photosynthetic rate （P_n） and increased the WUE. C. ammannii exhibited the highest sensitivity of P_n to changes in precipitation， with the P_n in the PA treatment being 6.65-fold that in the PR treatment， although it had the lowest WUE among the five plants. L. secalinus had the highest WUE， followed by S. breviflora and P. tenuifolia. The specific leaf area （SLA） of all species significantly increased with reduced precipitation （P<0.05）. Stomatal shape also influenced drought adaptation； rounder stomata were correlated with higher WUE， whereas elongated stomata were correlated with enhanced P_n. As indicated by changes in photosynthesis and water use， the five plants were ranked from highest ecological adaptability to lowest as follows： S. breviflora>L. secalinus>P. tenuifolia>C. ammannii>L. potaninii. These findings provide theoretical insights into the management of desert steppe ecosystems under the conditions of global climate change.

Effects of salicylic acid on antioxidant and photosynthetic capacity of maize under high temperature， drought and their combined stress

Han-xing YANG, Ning-ge LIU, Yu-lou TANG, Huan LI, Yi-ming ZHU, Jia-meng GUO, Hao WANG, Rui-xin SHAO, Yong-chao WANG, Qing-hua YANG

2026, 35(1):  79-92.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025071

Asbtract ( 44 )   HTML ( 6)   PDF (6055KB) ( 43 )  

Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

The aim of this work was to investigate the regulatory impact of salicylic acid （SA） on the antioxidant system and photosynthetic capacity of maize （Zea mays） seedlings under high temperature， drought， and the combination of these stresses. Seedlings of the maize cultivar ‘Xianyu 335’ at the third-leaf stage were treated with a 2.5 mmol·L^-1 SA solution applied as a foliar spray. High temperature and drought stress conditions were imposed using an artificial climate chamber and polyethyleneglycol-6000， respectively. The results indicate that： 1） SA augmented the activities of antioxidant enzymes， including superoxide dismutase （SOD）， peroxidase （POD）， and catalase （CAT）， under heat stress and drought stress， and reduced the accumulation of malondialdehyde （MDA） and superoxide anions （O₂^·-）. Under combined heat and drought stress， the positive correlations among antioxidant enzymes were enhanced in the SA treatment. Specifically， the correlation coefficients between SOD and POD activity， SOD and CAT activity， and CAT and POD activity were 0.93， 0.93， and 0.99， respectively. 2） SA treatment elevated the levels of soluble sugars and soluble proteins in maize leaves and roots， improved cellular water retention， and increased the overall water content in maize seedlings. 3） SA treatment improved the variable fluorescence （F_v） and maximum fluorescence （F_m） while reducing initial fluorescence （F₀） in maize leaves under stress， but did not significantly affect F_v/F_m. Additionally， the SA treatment increased the net photosynthetic rate （P_n）， transpiration rate （T_r）， stomatal conductance （G_s）， and intercellular CO? concentration （C_i）. On the 5th day after the stress treatment， the values of P_n， T_r， and G_s were 28.84%， 28.43%， and 34.21% higher， respectively， in the SA treatment than in the control. 4） SA mitigated the inhibitory effects of stress on maize seedling growth， enhancing dry matter accumulation and the root-shoot ratio. The results of this study show that SA enhances the cooperation among antioxidant enzymes under compound stress conditions. Treatment with SA improves the removal of harmful substances， mitigates the stress-induced inhibition of photosynthesis， increases overall dry matter accumulation in plants， and improves the root-shoot ratio in maize seedlings.

Multivariate evaluation of the photosynthetic characteristics of 21 timothy germplasm lines at different growth stages

Jun-shi FU, Li-li NAN, Ze-long ZHANG, Shi-wen WU

2026, 35(1):  93-106.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025057

Asbtract ( 26 )   HTML ( 3)   PDF (8195KB) ( 37 )  

Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

Timothy （Phleum pratense） is widely cultivated globally because of its numerous superior traits such as good herbage quality and abundant natural oils and fats. This grass is beneficial for maintaining racehorse body shape， improving their respiratory system， and enhancing their endurance. It also stimulates rumination in cows， thereby prolonging the peak milk production period. However， the germplasm resources of timothy in China are relatively scarce， with only two species introduced so far. To investigate the photosynthetic capacity of timothy germplasm and screen for varieties with highly efficient photosynthesis， we conducted a comparative analysis of 21 timothy germplasm lines across four growth stages （tillering stage， culm elongation stage， heading stage， and reproductive maturity stage）. We determined their chlorophyll pigment contents， photosynthetic parameters， and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters. Among the 16 photosynthetic traits of the tested timothy germplasm lines， 13 showed an initial increase， followed by a decrease， and then an increase to reach maximum values at the heading stage. These 13 traits were chlorophyll a content， chlorophyll b content， carotenoid content， total chlorophyll content， transpiration rate， stomatal conductance， net photosynthetic rate， intercellular carbon dioxide concentration， maximum photosynthetic efficiency of photosystem Ⅱ （PSⅡ）， potential photochemical efficiency of PSⅡ， photochemical quenching coefficient， apparent electron transfer efficiency， and PSⅡ photochemical quantum yield. A principal component analysis was conducted using the mean values of various traits from four growth stages. It was found on principal component analysis that these 16 traits yielded 5 principal components with eigenvalues greater than 1 and cumulatively explaining 78.76% of data variance. These five principal components were weighted according to their eigenvalues and added to obtain a discriminant score （D） for each germplasm line. A stepwise regression analysis identified eight traits that could be used to identify germplasm lines with a high D score， assumed by the authors to indicate high light-use efficiency. These eight traits were potential photochemical efficiency of PSⅡ， photochemical quantum yield of PSⅡ， total chlorophyll content， net photosynthetic rate， carotenoid content， stomatal limiting value， apparent electron transfer efficiency， and non-photochemical quenching coefficient. Using cluster analysis， the tested timothy germplasm lines were classified into four groups on the basis of their overall D scores. Germplasm lines designated 9451， 10676， and 9657 belonged to group Ⅰ with high multivariate scores. These lines have potential uses as excellent parental materials for breeding new timothy varieties with high light-use efficiency and improved photosynthetic traits.

Yield performance， nutritional quality， and soil physicochemical responses of oat （Avena sativa） cultivars in the Qinghai Lake-Gonghe Basin region

Kong-tao WEI, Chun-ping ZHANG, Yang YU, Zheng-she ZHANG, Ze ZHOU, Xue ZHANG, Xin-xin WANG, Si-yu YUE, Quan CAO, Quan-min DONG

2026, 35(1):  107-118.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025076

Asbtract ( 30 )   HTML ( 2)   PDF (3172KB) ( 47 )  

Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

It is difficult to meet forage demands in alpine ecological zones. To address this issue， we evaluated the comprehensive performance of 10 oat （Avena sativa） varieties in terms of yield， nutritional quality， and soil improvement potential. Using variance analysis， structural equation modeling （SEM）， and technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution （TOPSIS） analysis， we assessed the adaptability of the ten oat varieties and their soil interaction mechanisms. The ultimate goal of this research was to provide scientific evidence to underpin the development of the grassland-livestock industry in the Qinghai Lake-Gonghe Basin region. It was found that the oat varieties ‘Monida’， ‘Forage’， and ‘Haymaker’ exhibited significant yield advantages， with the fresh grass yield ranging from 50.20 to 54.78 t·ha^-1 and the hay yield ranging from 18.68 to 21.48 t·ha^-1. Among the tested varieties， ‘Esker’ had the lower fresh-dry ratio （1.67）， and ‘Everleaf’ had the lower stem-leaf ratio （2.19）. We detected differences in nutritional value among the varieties： ‘Model’ and ‘Everleaf’ had the higher crude protein contents （8.23%-8.45%）， whereas ‘Monida’ and ‘Esker’ were notable for their high ether extract levels （4.94% and 4.85%， respectively）. ‘Baler 2’ exhibited outstanding fiber characteristics， with the lower levels of crude fiber， neutral detergent fiber， and acid detergent fiber， and the higher relative feed value and total digestible nutrient value， indicative of excellent forage quality. In terms of soil impact， plots planted with ‘Baler 2’ and ‘Fuxing’ showed higher soil phosphorus levels， while those planted with ‘Model’ had elevated total nitrogen and carbon contents. Correlation analysis suggested that high-yielding oat varieties were generally associated with superior nutritional profiles and favorable soil ecological feedback. The SEM results revealed that oat variety influenced yield and nutritional traits through both direct effects （path coefficients： 0.4088-0.4368） and indirect， soil-mediated effects （0.0725-0.6885）. The TOPSIS comprehensive evaluation identified ‘Model’ as the top-performing variety （score： 0.580）， exhibiting high yield， superior nutrition， and strong soil feedback potential. Therefore， ‘Model’ is recommended as a priority oat variety for the restoration of degraded grassland and for forage-livestock development in the Qinghai Lake-Gonghe Basin region.

Multivariate evaluation of the salt tolerance of Buchloe dactyloides germplasm lines and construction of a preliminary evaluation model

Hao-le QI, Si-ning WANG, Xiao-xia LI, Feng-ling SHI

2026, 35(1):  119-129.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025064

Asbtract ( 22 )   HTML ( 1)   PDF (3598KB) ( 40 )  

Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

In this study， we evaluated the salt tolerance of 15 germplasm lines of buffalo grass （Buchloe dactyloides） using a soil culture method. These materials were obtained from places such as Texas and Nebraska in the USA. The germplasm lines were cultivated under saline stress， which was imposed by irrigation with 600 mmol·L^-1 NaCl solution. A total of 13 traits were measured and the data submitted to principal component and membership function analyses. The 13 traits were： phenotypic characteristics （plant height and stem diameter） and physiological and biochemical indexes ［relative water content of leaves， peroxidase （POD） activity， superoxide dismutase activity， contents of malondialdehyde （MDA）， proline， and osmotic adjustment substances， i.e.， glucose， sucrose， and starch， and activities of enzymes related to carbohydrate metabolism， i.e.， α-amylase， β-amylase， and total amylase］. On univariate analysis of the traits separately， we detected significant differences in salt tolerance among the germplasm lines （P<0.05）. Principal component analysis found four principal components （PCs） with eigenvalues greater than 1. PC1 （eigenvalue 3.835） was interpreted as reflecting growth and tolerance under salt stress； PC2 （eigenvalue 2.623） reflected starch metabolism under salt stress； PC3 （eigenvalue 1.814） reflected osmotic regulation capacity under salt stress； PC4 （eigenvalue 1.452） reflected carbohydrate metabolism and energy supply under salt stress. Using a combination of principal component analysis and the membership function method， we constructed a multivariate evaluation system for the assessment of the salt tolerance of B. dactyloides. Among the tested materials， Bd324 and Bd769 showed higher multivariate scores， and their average membership function （D） values were 0.85 and 0.75， respectively. Using stepwise regression to predict the D value from the original 13 variables， we obtained the following regression equation for evaluating the salt tolerance of B. dactyloides： D=0.351+0.266X₁-0.211X₂-0.191X₃+0.121X₄+0.144X₅+0.093X₆，_{where X1 to X6 correspond to MDA， starch content， POD， total amylase activity， stem thickness， and relative water content of leaves， respectively. The germplasm identified in this study as having superior salt tolerance traits will be useful for breeding new salt-tolerant varieties of B. dactyloides. Our findings and collected germplasm also provide a theoretical basis and useful materials for the ecological restoration of saline-alkali land.}

Effects of different concentrations of silicon on the cold resistance of Elymus sibiricus seedlings

Ruo-fei WANG, Xin-zhe LI, Qi-ce LI, Jia-yi ZHANG, Bei-jun WANG, Wen-gang XIE

2026, 35(1):  130-139.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025067

Asbtract ( 27 )   HTML ( 3)   PDF (3729KB) ( 31 )  

Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

In this study， we evaluated the effects of nano-silicon （nano-Si） at varying concentrations （0， 50， 100， 150， and 200 mg·L^-1） on the cold resistance of Elymus sibiricus during the seedling stage. When seedlings were subjected to a cold treatment， those treated with nano-Si showed significantly enhanced root elongation， compared with that of the control group， but no difference in their plant height. An exhaustive analysis of cold-resistance traits revealed that， compared with the control group， E. sibiricus seedlings treated with 200 mg·L^-1 nano-silicon showed markedly higher values for root length， proline content， and chlorophyll content （increased by 63.2%， 178.6%， and 15.6%， respectively）， and lower values for several stress-related parameters. Specifically， compared with the control group， the E. sibiricus seedlings treated with 200 mg·L^-1 nano-Si had lower relative conductivity， malondialdehyde content， and abscisic acid content （17.5%， 3.88%， and 2.23% lower， respectively）. These results indicate that nano-Si regulates cell osmotic pressure， maintains photosynthetic efficiency， and modulates plant hormone levels， thereby preserving physiological metabolism under low-temperature stress and improving cold resistance. The results of this study provide theoretical support for the application of nano-Si to increase the cold resistance of forage crops.

Development of a model based on near-infrared spectral data to evaluate the origin and quality of Potentilla anserina materials

Bo-wen LYU, Xin WEN, Jun-qiao LI, Cong WANG

2026, 35(1):  140-153.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025054

Asbtract ( 25 )   HTML ( 1)   PDF (870KB) ( 30 )  

Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

In this study， we established a model based on near-infrared data to predict the origin of Potentilla anserina tubers and rapidly detect their nutrient status. Tubers of P. anserina from 32 sampling sites were analyzed to quantify five key quality attributes， namely amylum farina， protein， polysaccharide， ellagitannin， and total saponin contents. These analyses were conducted according to the national standards and industry standards， and attenuated total reflection （ATR） and near infrared spectroscopy （NIR） infrared spectroscopic data were also collected for each material. The ATR and NIR spectral data combined with a modeling method， optical range type， and map type was used to conduct a three-factor， three-level orthogonal test. Selected P. anserina samples were divided into 430 correction sets and 215 prediction sets to construct and validate the origin discrimination model， and then the strengths and weaknesses of the model were evaluated. Comparative analyses were conducted to establish the optimal conditions for the ATR model， which were as follows： modeling method， diffusion model， light range type， standard normal variate， spectrogram type， original spectrogram. After optimization， the recognition rate of the ATR model was 99.07% and its prediction rate was 97.21%， indicating that it had a better discriminatory effect. On this basis， we established models for the quantitative detection of five compounds in P. anserina tubers. These models were established by optimizing the pre-processing method， modeling band， and other modeling conditions. The optimal model， which was for tannins， had the following conditions： PCR+MSC+D1+Norris smoothing （5， 5）； modeling band， 6148-5379 cm^-1. The predictive correlation coefficient （R_p） of the tannins model was 0.9393， and the ratio of standard deviation of the validation set to standard error of prediction （RPD） was 2.86 （>2.00）. The prediction model for polysaccharides was the second most effective. The optimal conditions for the polysaccharide model were as follows： PCR+MSC+spectrum+Norris smoothing （5， 5）； modeling band， 7000-4173 cm^-1. The R_p was 0.8470 and the RPD was 1.68 （>1.40）. Our study documents the development and optimization of models incorporating NIR spectroscopy data and chemometric data for the detection of the origin and quality of P. anserina materials. These results laid a foundation for the establishment of a rapid and reliable method for evaluating P. anserina based on NIR spectral data.

Cloning and functional analysis of ZxCER6 from the xerophyte Zygophyllum xanthoxylum

Li WEI, Yu-xuan DENG, Jing ZHAO, Jun-liang LIU, Ke-hua MA, Suo-min WANG

2026, 35(1):  154-169.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025122

Asbtract ( 26 )   HTML ( 1)   PDF (10646KB) ( 34 )  

Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

Cuticular wax plays an important role in resistance to environmental stresses in the xerophyte Zygophyllum xanthoxylum. β-ketoacyl-CoA synthase （KCS） is the key enzyme catalyzing the synthesis of wax precursors. In this study， the full-length cDNA of ZxKCS6/CER6 was cloned. The 1548-bp sequence encoded a polypeptide with two highly conserved transmembrane regions that determine substrate selectivity and three enzyme catalytic sites， and it belongs to the condensation enzyme superfamily. Comparison with homologous protein sequences of other higher plants revealed that ZxCER6 belongs to the CER6 subfamily of the KCS family and has a highly conserved cysteine activation site at amino acid position 224. A phylogenetic analysis revealed a close relationship between ZxCER6 and AtCER6 of Arabidopsis thaliana. Transcript profile analysis revealed that ZxCER6 transcript levels were much higher in aboveground tissues， especially in the leaf epidermis， than in below-ground organs. Expression of ZxCER6 was strongly induced by 50 mmol·L^-1 NaCl treatment and its transcript level peaked at 36 hours of this treatment. ZxCER6 was expressed in A. thaliana under the control of an epidermal-specific promoter， and the performance of the transgenic plants was compared with that of wild type plants. Upon drought treatment， the shoot dry and fresh weight， total chlorophyll content， net photosynthetic rate， and water use efficiency of transgenic Arabidopsis were significantly higher than those of the wild type， and the water loss rate， chlorophyll leaching rate， and relative membrane permeability of detached leaves were lower than those of the wild type. The wax content， especially the alkane content， in the aboveground cuticle was significantly higher in the transgenic plants than in the wild type plants. These findings indicate that ZxCER6 can increase the proportion of alkanes in the cuticular wax on the epidermis of transgenic plants leading to reduced water loss， and consequently， improved drought resistance. The results of this study reveal that ZxCER6 mediates the accumulation of epicuticular waxes that play an important role in the drought resistance of the desert plant Z. xanthoxylum. Our findings highlight an excellent genetic resource that can be used for the genetic improvement of drought resistance in forage and crop plants.

Effects of different lactic acid bacteria on silage quality and tetracycline resistance genes in elephant grass

Han-xue YIN, Hai-bei HUANG, Wen-rui ZHONG, Qing ZHANG, Xuan YAO

2026, 35(1):  170-178.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025168

Asbtract ( 28 )   HTML ( 1)   PDF (1172KB) ( 46 )  

Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

In this study， we investigated the effects of different lactic acid bacteria （LAB） on the fermentation quality and tetracycline resistance genes （TRGs） in elephant grass （Pennisetum purpureum） silage. Elephant grass was ensiled with six different treatments applied in a completely randomized block design. The six treatments were as follows： a control group （CK） without bacterial inoculant， and five LAB-treatment groups： a Lactiplantibacillus plantarum treatment group （strain A，LA）， a L. plantarum treatment group （strain B，LB）， a Lacticaseibacillus yichunensis treatment group （LC）， a Pediococcus pentosaceus treatment group （LD）， and the Loigolactobacillus coryniformis treatment group （LE）. Following 30 days of ensiling， bags were opened and the contents were sampled to analyze the nutritional parameters of the silage and the abundance of antibiotic resistance genes （ARGs）. It was found that， compared with CK， all the LAB-treatment groups exhibited significantly lower pH （P<0.05） and elevated lactic acid content. Notably， the LC group demonstrated a marked increase in lactic acid content （P<0.05）. Compared with the CK， some treatment groups showed significantly decreased contents of neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber （ADF）. Specifically， the ADF content was significantly lower in the LA， LB， LC， and LD groups than in CK （P<0.05）. The ammonia-nitrogen content was significantly lower in all LAB treatments than in CK after the 30-day ensiling period （P<0.05）. Importantly， LAB supplementation significantly decreased the absolute abundance of both TRG and mobile genetic elements （MGEs）， compared with CK （P<0.05）. We detected strong positive correlations between the expression of the integron gene intl1 and the absolute expression levels of tetA， tetX， tetM， tetW， and tetK （P<0.01）. The LC and LB groups showed the largest reductions in the absolute abundance of TRGs， compared with CK （P<0.05）， indicating that L. yichunensis and L. plantarum are particularly effective in suppressing TRGs. In conclusion， specific lactic acid bacteria strains enhance the nutritional quality of elephant grass silage while mitigating contamination with TRGs.

Bioinformatics analysis of CiMYB4 in Chrysanthemum indicum var. aromaticum and functional characterization of its role in drought resistance

Bin CHEN, Yan-ting LIU, Sheng-yan CHEN, Qing XUE, Meng-yu LI, Ji-jia WANG, Ying SUN, Miao HE

2026, 35(1):  179-191.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025045

Asbtract ( 29 )   HTML ( 0)   PDF (8210KB) ( 34 )  

Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

Drought is an important environmental factor affecting the geographical distribution and growth of chrysanthemums （Chrysanthemum×morifolium）. The MYB transcription factors， as a significant family of plant transcription factors， are widely involved in the regulation of responses to abiotic stresses. In this research， the CiMYB4 gene and its promoter sequence were cloned from Chrysanthemum indicum var. aromaticum and bioinformatics analyses were conducted. Additionally， the physiological indices of transgenic tobacco （Nicotiana tabacum） and C. indicum lines overexpressing CiMYB4 were measured during a drought stress treatment to provide preliminary insights into its function in the drought response. The results showed that the length of the CiMYB4 open reading frame was 846 bp， encoding a protein consisting of 281 amino acids. The protein was identified as a member of the R2R3-MYB subfamily and was predicted to localize to the nucleus. The promoter region of CiMYB4 contained seven cis-elements associated with drought stress， including four abscisic acid response elements and three STRE drought response elements. At 7 and 14 days of a drought treatment， the malondialdehyde content was significantly lower in CiMYB4-overexpressingtobacco and CiMYB4-overexpressingchrysanthemum plants than in their respective wild-type controls （P<0.05）， whereas the proline content and the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase were significantly higher than those of the wild type controls （P<0.05）. Together， these results demonstrate that CiMYB4 plays a positive regulatory role in drought stress responses and it is a potential genetic resource for developing new chrysanthemum cultivars with enhanced drought tolerance.

Identification of the WOX transcription factor family in Haloxylon ammodendron and functional analyses of the roles of HaWOX29 and HaWOX54 in root growth

Lang SUN, Yan-ping REN, Muzepar NAFISA, Neng-shuang SHEN, Li MA, Cong CHENG, Li LI, Hua ZHANG

2026, 35(1):  192-205.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025061

Asbtract ( 25 )   HTML ( 2)   PDF (3754KB) ( 35 )  

Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

The desert plant Haloxylon ammodendron， commonly known as sorghum or saxaul， has a well-developed root system characterized by lateral roots that are capable of parasitizing the traditional Chinese medicine plant Cistanche deserticola. This trait endows H. ammodendron with significant ecological and economic value for desert management and for the social development of desert regions. In plants， WOX transcription factors play a crucial role in the growth and development of roots. In this study， we identified 64 members of the WOX transcription factor family from the H. ammodendron genome. Building upon previous transcriptome analysis results， we screened and cloned the genes HaWOX29 and HaWOX54， which exhibited high transcript levels in the roots. Quantitative PCR analysis indicated that the transcript levels of HaWOX29 and HaWOX54 were obvious higher in roots than in other tissues， and that both of these genes were down-regulated under drought， salt， and high-temperature stresses. Conversely， they were up-regulated under low-temperature conditions and treatments with various hormones， namely indole-3-acetic acid， abscisic acid， and salicylic acid. Through Agrobacterium-mediated transformation， we obtained plants overexpressing HaWOX29 and HaWOX54. Phenotypic and root scanning analyses revealed that the average primary root length of the HaWOX29-overexpressing plants was 2.49-times than that of the control group （transformed with the empty vector）. The primary roots of the HaWOX54-overexpressing plants were 2.08-times longer than those of the control group， and the average root branching number was 4.34-times greater. Thus， we concluded that HaWOX29 may facilitate the elongation of primary roots in H. ammodendron， while HaWOX54 may be implicated in the development of lateral roots and the elongation of primary roots. The results of this study identify WOX transcription factors associated with the growth and development of H. ammodendron roots， offering theoretical and practical guidance for investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying root development and for screening superior germplasm resources of H. ammodendron.

Identification and expression analysis of EsJRL genes in Elymus sibiricus

Jia-le LIU, Juan QI, Wen-liang LI, Xin LU, Qi YUAN, Ming-jie LI, Ao-long ZHANG, Wang-yi DU

2026, 35(1):  206-222.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025066

Asbtract ( 38 )   HTML ( 4)   PDF (10067KB) ( 38 )  

Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

The Jacalin-like lectin gene family is widely found in plants. Its members are known to be involved in plant growth and development， responses to adverse environmental conditions， and defense against pests and diseases. Based on the genomedataof Elymus sibiricus， the EsJRL gene family was identified using bioinformatics methods and analyzed to determine the chromosomal distribution， phylogeny， promoter cis-acting elements， and structure of the genes， and the conserved structural domains and physicochemical properties of the putative proteins. The transcript profiles of EsJRL genes in flag leaves at different growth stages and under various stress conditions （exogenous hormones， drought， and low temperature） were analyzed on the basis of RNA-Seq data and by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR （RT-qPCR） analysis. A total of 84 EsJRL genes were identified from the E. sibiricus genome. They were unevenly distributed at both ends of 13 chromosomes， and the length of the coding sequences ranged from 93 to 1574 bp. Conserved motif analysis revealed the presence of Motif 1， Motif 3， and Motif 7 in 83， 86， and 86 protein sequences， respectively， indicative of a high degree of structural conservation among the EsJRL gene family. Intraspecific covariance analyses revealed 39 duplication events （18 pairs of tandem duplicated genes and 21 pairs of segmental duplicated genes） in the E. sibiricus genome， and a Ka/Ks analysis showed that all duplicated genes have been subject to purifying selection during their evolutionary history. Cis-acting element prediction showed that the promoter regions of EsJRL genes were enriched with functional elements related to response to light， hormones， and growth and development. Gene expression analyses indicated that only 33 EsJRL genes were expressed in the spikes of two E. sibiricus lines， XH04 and XH05， at different growth stages. Only 19 EsJRL genes were expressed in both germplasm materials. The RT-qPCR results indicated that most EsJRL genes were significantly up-regulated under gibberellin， abscisic acid， and salicylic acid treatments （P<0.05）， and a few EsJRL genes were up-regulated in response to drought and low temperature stress. EsJRL28-2 was significantly down-regulated under drought stress and gibberellin treatment （P<0.05）. Only one EsJRL gene， EsJRL43， was significantly down-regulated under low temperature stress （P<0.05）.

Cloning， expression profiling and DNA variation analysis of the disease-resistance gene CqSGT1 in quinoa （Chenopodium quinoa）

Miao-miao DOU, Xiao-dong JIANG, Hui-qiong SUN, Hong-shen XU, Xi-liang WANG, Bo-hui YANG, Wen-ting CHAI, Shan-shan ZHAO, Chun-lai ZHANG

2026, 35(1):  223-240.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025063

Asbtract ( 25 )   HTML ( 3)   PDF (8583KB) ( 41 )  

Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

The growth and development of quinoa （Chenopodium quinoa） are negatively affected by adverse conditions， and that restricts the development of the quinoa industry. SGT1 （suppressor of the G2 allele of Skp1） participates in the plant stress resistance response by regulating molecular chaperones and ubiquitination. The SGT1 protein inhibits Skp1-4， which are components of ubiquitin ligase complexes that regulating biological processes such as the cell cycle， signal transduction， and gene expression. The aim of this study was to identify quinoa SGT1 genes and determine their transcriptional responses to biotic and abiotic stress conditions. The SGT1 genes of quinoa were identified using bioinformatics-based methods， and their sequence characteristics， phylogenetic relationships， and expression patterns were analyzed. In addition， the physical and chemical properties and protein interaction networks of their putative encoded proteins were determined. The quinoa genome was found to contain two SGT1 genes， CqSGT1a and CqSGT1b， located on chromosomes 6 and 7. The putative quinoa SGT1 proteins are rich in basic amino acids， lack signal peptides， and are dominated by α-helixes. They were predicted to localize to the nucleus. Both were predicted to be hydrophobic proteins without transmembrane structures， and both contained the characteristic TPR-SGS-CS domain. The CqSGT1 promoter regions contained cis-acting elements related to light and hormone responsiveness， suggesting that the expression of these genes is tightly regulated during growth， development， and stress responses. The CqSGT1 genes showed the closest relationship with BvSGT1 from Beta vulgaris. The results of qPCR analyses showed that the highest transcript levels of SGT1 in quinoa were in the flowers and grains， suggesting that their expression was related to the formation and development of these organs. Under low temperature stress， both SGT1 genes were initially up-regulated and then down-regulated. Treatment with salicylic acid induced the expression of SGT1， and the response was most significant at 3 h after inoculation. SGT1 responses were seen during downy mildew （Peronospora variabilis） infection in the resistant quinoa line 2403. In the resistant line， SGT1 transcript levels were significantly increased at 2 h after inoculation， then decreased， and then subsequently increased again. The strongest response was at 24 h， indicating that the SGT1a/b genes play a positive regulatory role in the response to quinoa downy mildew. Both CqSGT1 genes showed tissue-specific expression patterns and responded to low temperature， salicylic acid， and downy mildew infection. These results show that SGT1 plays an important role in the growth and development of quinoa， and in its responses to biotic and abiotic stress.