Table of Content

20 March 2026, Volume 35 Issue 3

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Impacts of daily-scale hydrothermal factor variations on productivity of Hulun Buir meadow steppe

Lei JIN, Yan-ping WANG, Narisu, Yong-sheng BAO, Jing-chao ZHANG

2026, 35(3):  1-12.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025159

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This study investigated the response mechanism of grassland ecosystem productivity to hydrothermal factors in the Hulun Buir meadow steppe. Using daily-scale air temperature and precipitation data and grassland productivity observation data from 1990 to 2023， the characteristics of water and heat fluctuations across different time scales were quantified through the application of a time-window approach. We utilized a partial least squares regression （PLSR） model and analyzed the response mechanisms of grassland aboveground net primary productivity （ANPP） to water and heat factors using stepwise regression. The results indicate that： 1） Although the average annual air temperature and precipitation in the study area increased at rates of 0.03 ℃·yr^-1 and 1.05 mm·yr^-1， respectively， ANPP showed a significant decline （2.17 g·m^-2·yr^-1） during 1990-2023. Compared to air temperature， precipitation within the same temporal window has a stronger explanatory relationship with ANPP， indicating that the water-heat imbalance induced by warming and drying is the principal factor contributing to the decline in productivity. 2） Critical periods were identified for both precipitation （July 10-29， R²=0.308； September 12-21， R²=0.206） and temperature （September 10-October 7， R²=0.273； June 30-July 19， R²=0.280； April 23-May 4， R²=0.202）. The interaction between these hydrothermal factors accounted for 79.5% of the interannual variability in ANPP （P<0.001）. 3） Although winter warming has a weak effect on ANPP （standardized regression coefficients， β=0.0039-0.0057）， summer precipitation plays a more decisive role in driving productivity dynamics. 4） Short-term variations in water availability have a stronger influence on the study area than temperature fluctuations. While a synergistic response to hydrothermal factors is present during the overlapping period （such as July 10-19）， no significant interaction between them was detected （variance inflation factor， VIF>10）. This study quantitatively analyzes the dynamic responses of hydrothermal factors on a daily scale， providing a high-resolution management framework to support grassland restoration in semi-arid regions.

Impact of Salix oritrepha shrub encroachment on characteristics of herbaceous plant communities in the alpine meadows of the Eastern Qilian Mountains

Yang LIU, Hong XIAO, Chang-lin XU, Ming-yue DENG, Wen-qiang WEI, Ao HAN, Kai MA, Yun WANG

2026, 35(3):  13-25.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025113

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Exploring the impacts of shrub encroachment on the characteristics of herbaceous plant communities in the alpine meadows of the Eastern Qilian Mountains is important both for understanding local ecological equilibrium and for the development of animal husbandry. This study was carried out in alpine meadows dominated by Salix oritrepha in Tianzhu， Gansu Province. Using a space-for-time substitution method， we assessed differences in plant height， coverage， and aboveground biomass across various functional groups， and species diversity indexes， under light， moderate， and heavy levels of shrub encroachment in both shrub and grass patches. As shrub encroachment intensified， herbaceous plant height increased in both patch types， whereas the cover of sedges declined and the aboveground biomass of grasses remained stable. The composition of forbs shifted significantly， with Equisetum arvense becoming dominant under severe shrub encroachment. Species richness， Shannon-Wiener diversity， Simpson’s dominance， and Pielou’s evenness indexes all decreased in shrub patches as shrub encroachment intensified. Correlation analysis revealed a significant negative relationship between herbaceous species diversity and the plant height and canopy size of S. oritrepha. Overall， the results of this study show that S. oritrepha expansion has both suppressive and facilitative effects on herbaceous communities， with the extent of these effects varying depending on the plant functional group and the degree of shrub encroachment.

Analysis of the distribution pattern and nutrition profiles of forage plants in the Tarim River Basin

Na LIU, Ming-yue WU, Xu JI, Shu-ping HU, Fu-ning ZHANG, Xin JIA

2026, 35(3):  26-42.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025107

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The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of forage plant resources in the Tarim River Basin and the factors influencing the distribution. The overall aim of our study was to provide theoretical support for the development and utilization of forage resources at family， genus， and species levels. In addition， based on the grouping of forage plants with similar nutrition profiles， we aimed to identify forage species with potentially high nutrition value in the Tarim River Basin and suggest possible substitutes. By integrating information from historical literature， field surveys， and online databases， we updated the forage plant list for the Tarim River Basin and analyzed the composition and distribution patterns of plant families， genera， and species. We also explored the influence of anthropogenic， climatic， and soil factors on the distribution of different pasture taxa and growth-type plants using redundancy analysis， and carried out a clustering analysis based on principal component analysis to identify groups of pasture plants with similar nutritive value. The main results were as follows： 1） The forage plants in the Tarim River Basin totaled 269 species in 153 genera and 41 families. These plants were mostly distributed along the edge of the Tarim Basin， and were mainly concentrated in Hejing County in the north， Wuqia County in the west， Yecheng County and Hotan County in the southwest， Ruoqiang County in the east， and Aksu City in the central part. 2） The mean annual air temperature and local gross domestic product were the main factors influencing the regional distribution of forage taxa， with a combined contribution of 66.8%. Mean annual temperature was the primary factor influencing the regional distribution of different growth types of forage plants， with a contribution of 62.2%， and acidity and alkalinity （pH） and available potassium were the factors of secondary importance， with contributions of 13.1% and 10.8%， respectively. Soil organic matter only affected the distribution of forage taxa. 3） In terms of nutrition status， similarities among forage plants were independent of their phylogenetic relationships and forage class groupings.

Impact of grassland soil carbon saturation on litter decomposition and soil carbon sequestration

Yu-qi JIANG, Xin GUO, Jia-chang JIANG, Xing-ming LIU, Chun-yan LIANG, Hai-yan WEN, De-cao NIU, Xu-dong LI

2026, 35(3):  43-51.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025177

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Plant litter is an important source of soil organic carbon （SOC）. The formation and stability of SOC are not only directly related to plant carbon input but also affected by soil carbon saturation. In this study， leaves and roots of Stipa bungeana， a dominant species in the temperate grassland of the Loess Plateau， were selected as litter materials. They were co-cultured in the laboratory for 3 years with soils of different carbon saturation levels （with SOC contents of 9.02， 5.28， and 2.64 g·kg^-1， respectively）. The aim was to clarify the impact of soil carbon saturation on litter decomposition and SOC sequestration by analyzing the decomposition rate of litter and the changes in SOC in bulk soil and soil aggregates of various particle sizes under different carbon saturation conditions. The results showed that with decrease in soil carbon saturation， soil microbial biomass carbon gradually increased， while the litter decomposition rate significantly increased， the new carbon formation efficiency （NCE） in the bulk soil and the proportions of aggregates of all particle sizes also gradually increased， and the SOC content significantly increased. This indicates that soils with lower carbon saturation have a higher sequestration efficiency for exogenous organic carbon. Among the three soil aggregate fractions of decreasing size， 0.25-2.00 mm， 0.053-0.25 mm， and <0.053 mm， as soil carbon saturation decreased， more decomposed litter carbon was allocated to the <0.053 mm aggregates， which is conducive to the formation of mineral-associated organic carbon with high stability.

Response of soil hydraulic properties to alpine swamp meadow degradation and sown grassland planting

Xiang LI, Hang LI, Run-jie LI, Yong-kun ZHANG

2026, 35(3):  52-67.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025187

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In this research， natural， lightly degraded and heavily degraded marsh meadows， and artificially established sown grassland （established in 2018 by planting Poa crymophila on degraded meadows for ecological restoration） in Maqin County， Qinghai Province， were studied. Several key soil properties were measured， and the changes in soil hydraulic properties within the 0-30 cm soil layer， and factors driving the changes were analyzed. The results demonstrated that： 1） Biomass， soil porosity， organic carbon content， and total nitrogen content exhibited a trend of initial decrease and then increase with the degradation of alpine marsh meadows and the establishment of artificial sown grassland （P<0.05）. 2） In the 0-20 cm soil layer， the ranking of soil water holding capacity， field capacity， wilting coefficient， and saturated water content was as follows： natural marsh meadow>artificially established sown grassland>heavily degraded marsh meadow. Saturated hydraulic conductivity in the 0-10 cm soil layer was significantly higher than that in the 10-30 cm soil horizon and decreased significantly with the degradation of alpine marsh meadows while increasing significantly with the establishment of artificially sown grassland （P<0.05）. 3） Saturated hydraulic conductivity， saturated water content， and plant-available water content were significantly positively correlated with soil porosity， organic carbon content， and total nitrogen content （P<0.05）， and significantly negatively correlated with soil pH （P<0.05）. Partial least squares regression analysis revealed that the critical factors influencing soil hydraulic properties were soil porosity and organic carbon content. In conclusion， the degradation of alpine marsh meadows and the establishment of artificially sown grassland significantly altered soil hydraulic properties， with the most pronounced impact observed in the surface horizon （0-10 cm）. The data indicate that surface soils are the most sensitive to degradation-induced changes； this is an important insight for managing the ecological restoration of alpine marsh meadows.

Effects of a ‘six-aspect integrated’ pattern on dynamic changes in soil water and salt contents， quality of cultivated land， and silage maize productivity in saline-alkali land in the Ningxia irrigation area

Lei LI, Yong-kuan MA, Peng JIANG, Zhi-ming ZHU, Li-dong JI, Long LI, Xing XU

2026, 35(3):  68-82.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025121

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Single technologies have limited effectiveness in remediating saline-alkali soil and improving the low forage productivity in the Ningxia Yellow River Irrigation District. To address this issue， we explored the effectiveness of a combined strategy of ‘soil improvement for crop adaptation’ and ‘crop adaptation to soil conditions’. Focusing on six strategic technical aspects （i.e.， soil amendments， fertilization， seed selection， tillage practices， irrigation， and drainage/salt management）， we established a novel ‘six-aspect integrated’ comprehensive saline-alkali soil remediation pattern. This pattern was compared with conventional practices to evaluate its effects on soil water-salt dynamics， the soil quality grade， and silage maize （Zea mays） productivity. The results show that， after 2 consecutive years of implementation， the ‘six-aspect integrated’ pattern achieved the following advantages compared with conventional practices. The volumetric water content in the 0-15 cm soil layer was decreased by 3.05% while that in the 15-30 cm layer was increased by 3.01%. The total salt content in the 0-30 cm soil layer was decreased by 30.42%， although there was a 12.36% increase in groundwater mineralization. The soil bulk density was significantly decreased by 6.34%， soil organic matter was increased by 12.41%， and available phosphorus was increased by 70.33%， elevating soil quality by 0.56 grades in 2024. The combined treatment also enhanced silage maize performance： plant height was increased by 5.67%， dry matter yield was increased by 21.93%， and starch content was increased by 3.46%， alongside reductions in neutral detergent fiber by 5.73% and acid detergent fiber by 11.03%. The annual yields were increased by 12.52% in 2023 and 25.28% in 2024， with a net profit increase of 2279.4 Yuan·ha^-1 and improvement in the cost-benefit ratio by 13.04% in 2024. These findings demonstrate that the ‘six-aspect integrated’ pattern significantly suppresses soil salinity， improves soil quality， and enhances crop productivity， making it a promising approach for practical use on a large scale in agricultural production.

Effects of replacing chemical fertilizers with organic fertilizer at equivalent nitrogen levels on forage yield and water use efficiency in a silage maize/forage soybean intercropping system in dryland areas

Jia-yi ZANG, Ming-jie XU, Ji-cheng XIE, Yu-ying SHEN, Xing-fa LAI

2026, 35(3):  83-95.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025131

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The aim of this research was to examine the impact of replacing chemical fertilizer with organic fertilizer at equivalent nitrogen levels， and the effects of varying intercropping ratios， on the forage yield and water use efficiency （WUE） within a silage maize/forage soybean intercropping system in the Loess Plateau region. The experiments were conducted in the tableland region （Xifeng） and the hilly gully region （Huanxian） of the Longdong Loess Plateau in 2024. Six treatments were established， as follows： 100% chemical nitrogen fertilizer with two rows of maize/two rows of soybean （M2S2F） and four rows of maize/two rows of soybean （M4S2F）； replacement of chemical fertilizer with organic fertilizer at an equivalent nitrogen level with two rows of maize/two rows of soybean （M2S2O） and four rows of maize/two rows of soybean （M4S2O）； and silage maize monoculture （M） and forage soybean monoculture （S）. We investigated the effects of these cropping patterns and organic fertilizer substitution on the system’s dry matter yield， crude protein yield， land equivalent ratio， interspecific competition coefficient， WUE， and economic benefits. The results show that substitution with organic fertilizer led to yield stabilization at both sites， while reducing the application rate of chemical fertilizers. At both sites， the dry matter yields of intercropping systems were in between those of the maize and soybean monocultures. Neither the planting pattern nor the substitution with organic fertilizer significantly affected the system’s crude protein yield. At Xifeng， intercropping systems with 100% chemical nitrogen fertilizers demonstrated several advantages， with forage soybean exhibiting stronger competitiveness than silage maize. All intercropping systems had higher WUE than the average values of monocultures. At Xifeng， M4S2F exhibited the optimal overall performance， with a dry matter yield of 25.9 t·ha^-1， crude protein yield of 2.86 t·ha^-1， and WUE based on dry matter yield of 90.49 kg·ha^-1·mm^-1， reflecting a 22.0% increase compared with monocultures. It also achieved a maximum net income of 24690 CNY·ha^-1. At Huanxian， the intercropping system consisting of two rows of maize/two rows of soybean exhibited higher land use benefits， with silage maize maintaining competitive dominance across all intercropping treatments. At Huanxian， M2S2O demonstrated the optimal overall performance， with a dry matter yield of 17.2 t·ha^-1， crude protein yield of 1.98 t·ha^-1， WUE based on dry matter yield of 57.63 kg·ha^-1·mm^-1， and net income of 16052 CNY·ha^-1. This reflected an 8.5% increase in WUE based on dry matter yield compared with monocultures. In conclusion， it is recommended to adopt 100% chemical fertilizer with a four rows of maize/two rows of soybean intercropping system in the tableland region of the Loess Plateau， and to replace chemical fertilizers with organic fertilizer at an equivalent nitrogen level and use a two rows of maize/two rows of soybean intercropping system in the hill-gully region of the Loess Plateau.

Responses of species and functional diversity of spontaneous vegetation to urbanization in Lanzhou riverside parks

Hui-teng WANG, Wen-lan LIU, Hong TANG, Xiao-juan LIU, Rong HAN, Jie SONG

2026, 35(3):  96-113.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025150

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Sites with spontaneous vegetation are important for studying the mutual feedback mechanisms between urbanization and urban ecosystems. The study of the relationship between species diversity and functional diversity of spontaneous vegetation and their response to urbanization can be predictive of the distribution patterns of species and can aid elucidation of mechanisms of ecosystem function. In this study， the spontaneous vegetation community in Lanzhou riverside parks was chosen for study， and the distribution patterns of species were recorded to clarify vegetation response mechanisms to urbanization. This was achieved by analyzing spontaneous vegetation species composition and functional characteristics， and the differences between species diversity and functional diversity of the spontaneous vegetation community under different urbanization levels and for different habitat types， and by probing the relationship between species diversity and functional diversity and their responses to urbanization. It was found that there were 142 spontaneously occurring plant species among the vegetation in the Lanzhou riverside parks， belonging to 42 families and 116 genera， and dominated by herbaceous plants. On life-history type， perennial herbaceous plants （38%） and annual herbaceous plants （30%） were dominant. The flora was 54.2% native， with a noticeable spread of invasive plants （14.1%）. Overall， species with herbaceous foliage （61.87%） and papery foliage （26.06%）， species with small- （24.65%） and medium-sized leaves （59.15%）， insect vectors （73.24%）， and wind dispersal （59.15%） had the greatest contribution to functional traits. Urbanization had a significant impact on spontaneous vegetation in park green spaces， with significant expansion of annuals in high disturbance environments and habitat fragmentation promoting invasion of short-life-cycle， high dispersal species. Spontaneous vegetation’s species and functional diversity differed significantly （P<0.05） among urbanization levels and habitat types. Functional richness （FRic）， differed significantly （P<0.05） between scrub and hard-substrate habitat， and between woodland and scrub； and Patrick index， between woodlands and scrub （P<0.05）. Across different urbanization levels， spontaneous vegetation had the highest Patrick index and the lowest FRic at medium urbanization level， and the prevailing abiotic conditions filtered species possessing traits that can adapt to the local environment， thereby causing the functional traits of community members to converge. High urbanization level caused community homogenization. Patrick index showed a significant positive correlation （P<0.05） with functional richness and Rao’s quadratic entropy value （RaoQ）， which is in line with theory of ecological niche complementarity. There was a highly significant positive correlation （P<0.01） between species diversity and functional diversity in most of the different urbanization levels， and a linear relationship between Shannon-Wiener index and RaoQ was more evident at high urbanization levels. This study reveals the response patterns of spontaneous vegetation to urbanization in Lanzhou riverside parks， and provides scientific data for managing the ecological protection and sustainable development of urban riverside green space.

Evaluation of major agronomic traits and nutritional quality of forage barley varieties in the Nanjing region

Jian-jian LI, Xi-wen XU, Yuan ZHANG, Huan WANG, Hao-ran WANG, Xiao-hui LI, Hui-quan SHEN, Shao-bin SHEN, Jun-qin ZONG, Hai-lin GUO

2026, 35(3):  114-127.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025192

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This study screened 39 varieties of forage barley （Hordeum vulgare） to identify elite varieties suitable for planting in the southwestern region of Jiangsu Province. Thirteen major agronomic traits： plant height， stem diameter， leaf length， leaf width， tiller number， the third internode length， the fourth internode length， spike length， spike width， kernel number per spike， fresh weight per plant， dry weight per plant， and fresh forage yield， were measured to determine agronomic performance. From the data， combined with agronomic evaluation， ten barley varieties with better multivariate scores for production and agronomic performance were identified. Further evaluation of six nutritional quality parameters， including acid detergent fiber （ADF）， neutral detergent fiber （NDF）， crude protein （CP）， crude fiber （CF）， ether extract （EE）， and relative feeding value （RFV）， was carried out for the ten varieties； and together with their production and agronomic trait indicators， the multivariate analysis used to identify the ten elite barley varieties included correlation analysis， principal component analysis， and membership function analysis. It was found that varieties Hv031， Hv013， Hv027， and Hv017 had the highest fresh herbage yields （>50000 kg?hm^-2） among all tested barley varieties. Meanwhile， selection of ten varieties （lines） with better adaptability and nutritional quality traits， identified varieties Hv017， Hv030， and Hv036 as the most outstanding （CP>10 or RFV>100）. The correlation analysis and principal component analysis of all measured traits indicated that the fourth internode length， plant height， spike width， the third internode length， stem diameter， and ADF can be used as key evaluation indicators for agronomic traits and nutritional quality traits in forage barley. The multivariate evaluation by membership function analysis demonstrated that Hv017， Hv027， and Hv009 were better for overall trait performance， with Hv017 being particularly outstanding. We therefore recommend that this variety be prioritized as the primary candidate variety for promotion and planting in Nanjing and surrounding areas of Jiangsu Province.

Spatial differences in microbial communities around the root system of Stellera chamaejasme plants of different ages

Bei-bei WANG, Chang YANG, Wen-yan ZHU, Shi-xiao XU, Ping SUN

2026, 35(3):  128-157.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025137

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Stellera chamaejasme is a keystone species with dual ecological characteristics in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau grassland ecosystem. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the age of S. chamaejasme on the diversity and community structure of microorganisms in its rhizosphere and surrounding soil. Field sampling was conducted in alpine meadows in Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture， Qinghai Province， in August 2024. Three age classes （III， IV， and V） of S. chamaejasme were selected， with soil samples collected at horizontal distances of 0 cm （rhizosphere）， 30 cm （near-root zone）， and 50 cm （far-root zone）， and at vertical depths of 10 and 20 cm. Each treatment included three biological replicates， totaling 54 samples. Metagenomic sequencing targeting 16S rRNA and ITS regions was conducted to analyze bacterial and fungal communities， respectively. The results show that the bacterial and fungal species richness and potential diversity in rhizosphere and surrounding soils significantly increased as the age of S. chamaejasme increased （P<0.05）. Both sampling location and plant age class significantly influenced soil microbial community structures （P<0.001）， with bacterial communities exhibiting particularly pronounced responses to spatial variations. Within the horizontal plane at 10 cm depth， bacterial diversity in the soil of age class III S. chamaejasme was significantly higher in the rhizosphere than in the near-root and far-root zones （P<0.05）， while fungal diversity was unaffected by sampling distance. On the vertical plane， bacterial α-diversity indices in the rhizosphere were significantly lower at 20 cm depth than at 10 cm depth （P<0.01）， whereas in near-root and far-root zones， neither bacterial diversity nor fungal diversity showed marked differences between depths. The dominant phyla remained stable across spatial gradients， with Proteobacteria， Chloroflexi， and Acidobacteria as the predominant bacterial phyla， and Ascomycota and Basidiomycota as the dominant fungal phyla， although the relative abundance of dominant genera varied considerably among sampling positions. Consequently， the effects of S. chamaejasme on soil bacterial abundance and diversity varied according to the age class of the plant， soil depth， and horizontal distance， whereas fungal diversity remained largely unaffected by these factors. In the rhizosphere zone， soil depth significantly influenced bacterial diversity， indicating that S. chamaejasme and soil environmental factors jointly regulate microbial community structure. By integrating data on the microbial diversity in the rhizosphere and surrounding soil， this study pioneers the construction of a three-dimensional spatial model of S. chamaejasme-soil microorganism interactions. This provides a novel theoretical framework for elucidating co-evolutionary mechanisms between poisonous plants and soil microorganisms.

Effects of soil microecological factors on the medicinal quality of Fritillaria pallidiflora

Pan-yang SHI, Wen-qin ZHAO, Jian-rui DONG, Sai CAO, Yu-xia LI, Gui-fang LI

2026, 35(3):  158-169.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025139

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The accumulation of compounds contributing to the medicinal quality of Fritillaria pallidiflora is influenced by the combined effects of soil physicochemical properties and microbial community structure within the soil microecological system. This study investigated the impact of soil microecological factors on the medicinal quality of F. pallidiflora by comparing the differences in contents of medicinal compounds between cultivated F. pallidiflora 3-year first-crop （NF₃）， 4-year first-crop （NF₄）， 3-year replant （NR₃）， 4-year replant （NR₄） and wild F. pallidiflora. Results showed that among cultivated F. pallidiflora， the NF₄ regime exhibited the highest medicinal quality， with significantly higher levels of bioactive compounds （total flavonoids， sipeimine， sipeimine-3β- D-glucoside， adenosine， and β-thymidine） compared to other cultivated treatments. However， for most bioactive compounds assayed， levels were significantly less in all cultivated treatments than in wild F. pallidiflora （P<0.05）. Soil physicochemical analysis revealed that soils associated with wild plants had the highest contents of soil organic carbon （SOC）， nitrate nitrogen （NO₃^--N）， ammonium nitrogen （NH₄⁺-N）， available phosphorus （AP）， and available potassium （AK）. In NF₄ soils， SOC， NO₃^--N， AP， AK， and electrical conductivity （EC） were significantly higher than in NF₃， NR₃， and NR₄ soils， while NR₄ soils had the highest pH （P<0.05）. Microbial community analysis indicated that wild soils exhibited the highest Shannon and Simpson diversity indices （P<0.05）， with dominant fungal phyla （Ascomycota， Mortierellomycota， and Basidiomycota， accounting for 82.79%-89.48%） and bacterial phyla （Proteobacteria， Actinobacteria， and Acidobacteria， accounting for 50.86%-69.01%）. Principal component analysis （PCA） showed higher heterogeneity in fungal and bacterial communities of wild soils， with NF₄ communities closely resembling those of wild soils. Redundancy analysis （RDA） revealed that SOC and NH₄⁺-N significantly influenced the composition and spatial distribution of fungal and bacterial communities. Spearman correlation analysis indicated that medicinal component contents showed significant positive correlations with SOC， NO₃^--N， and AP， but negative correlations with pH （P<0.05）. At the genus level， wild soils harbored more beneficial bacteria positively correlated with medicinal components， with significantly higher co-occurrence network density and average neighbor degree than cultivated soils. Replanted soils （NR₃， NR₄） accumulated more pathogenic bacteria. These findings indicate that habitat， cropping sequence， and plant age synergistically influence F. pallidiflora medicinal quality through soil microecology. We recommend applying organic fertilizers， adopting crop rotation， and changing planting plots every 4 years to enhance medicinal quality while balancing quality and economic benefits.

Effects of diets with different concentrate-to-roughage ratios on the growth rate， serum biochemical indexes， and rumen fermentation of Guangfeng goats

Hao-bin JIA, Hao-yun JIANG, Ai-hua LI, Hai-bo WANG, Sun-quan LIN, Yue PAN, Jun-hong HUO, Jin-shun ZHAN

2026, 35(3):  170-184.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025136

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We evaluated the effects of different concentrate-to-roughage ratios on the growth rate， serum biochemical indexes， and rumen fermentation of Guangfeng goats. Thirty-nine healthy Guangfeng goats with similar body weight were randomly divided into three treatment groups （n=13）. The concentrate-to-roughage ratios in the three groups were 40∶60 （I）， 45∶55 （II）， and 50∶50 （III）， and the experimental period was 90 days. The results indicate that： 1） Different concentrate-to-roughage ratios in the diets had no significant effects on the body height， chest circumference， cannon circumference， average daily gain， average daily feed intake， and feed conversion ratio of Guangfeng goats （P>0.05）； however the body length of group III was significantly greater than that of group I （P<0.05）. 2） The serum total protein， albumin， globulin， and total cholesterol levels in group III were significantly higher than those of the other groups； the tetraiodothyronine content was significantly lower than that in group II， and the triiodothyronine content was significantly lower than that in the other groups （P<0.05）. The serum urea nitrogen content in group I was significantly lower than that in the other groups （P<0.05）. 3） The 45-minute pH value of muscle in group II was significantly higher than that in other groups， and the carcass weight and cooked meat rate were significantly lower than those in the other groups （P<0.05）. The net meat percentage in group III was significantly higher than that in group II （P<0.05）. The contents of lysine， serine， non-essential amino acids， umami amino acids， sweet amino acids， behenic acid， eichlerianic acid， arachidonic acid， and polyunsaturated fatty acids in the muscle of group II were significantly higher than those in the muscle of group I （P<0.05）. The loin muscle area of group III was significantly lower than that of the other groups （P<0.05）. The shear force， rate of water loss， drip loss rate， and hexanoic acid content in the muscle of group III were significantly lower than those in group I， and the redness， yellowness， and proline content in the muscle of group III were significantly higher than those in group I （P<0.05）. 4） The rumen papilla length in group III was significantly higher than that in group I， and the ileal villus length was significantly higher than that in group II （P<0.05）； the rumen organ index in group I was significantly lower than that in the other groups， and the muscle fiber diameter was significantly higher than that in the other groups （P<0.05）. 5） The pH value of the rumen in group III was significantly higher than that in group I， and the acetic acid/propionic acid was significantly higher than that in group II （P<0.05）. In conclusion， different concentrate-to-roughage ratios of diets affect the metabolism of Guangfeng goats and their muscle quality.

Effects of timothy grass on growth rate， slaughter performance， and meat quality in young meat rabbits

Dong-xu YAO, Cai-zhong WANG, Chen ZHENG

2026, 35(3):  185-194.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025141

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This study aimed to investigate the optimal inclusion level of timothy grass （Phleum pratense） in pelleted feed for Ira meat rabbits and evaluate its effects on growth performance， slaughter characteristics， organ indices， gastrointestinal tract development， and meat quality. The trial was a one-way design， 180 thirty-five-day-old rabbits were allocated to a control group and five experimental groups （I-V）， receiving pelleted diets containing 0%， 10%， 20%， 30%， 40%， and 50% timothy grass， respectively. The trial comprised a 6-day adaptation period followed by a 54-day formal trial period. Results indicated that rabbits fed the 10% timothy grass diet exhibited superior performance： final body weight （2.86 kg） and average daily gain （20.99 g·d^-1） were significantly higher compared to other groups except the control group （P<0.05）. Hepatic development was significantly enhanced in this group， with liver weight reaching 112.69 g and hepatic index 3.55% （P<0.05）. Regarding meat quality parameters， the 10% inclusion group demonstrated significantly elevated redness-greenness coordinate （a* value， 22.33） and yellow-blue coordinate （b* value， 15.95） values at 45 minutes postmortem compared to other test groups except for the 20% addition amount （P<0.05）. Linear increases were observed in jejunal index （1.49%-1.78%）， colonic index （0.75%-0.84%）， cecal length index （7.94%-8.56%）， colonic length index （7.95%-8.58%）， and vermiform appendix length index （2.86%-3.26%） with progressive timothy grass supplementation （P<0.05）. The findings demonstrate that 10% timothy grass inclusion is optimal to enhance growth rate； and promotes hepatic development and improves meat color attributes （redness and yellowness）. However， timothy grass inclusion beyond 20% adversely affected growth parameters， suppressed hepatorenal development， and reduced meat yield， despite improving cecal length index and water-holding capacity.

Identification and expression analysis of the SiCCoAOMT gene family in Setaria italica

Peng-yu TIAN, Yi-ru ZHANG, Xu-kai LI, Min-li SONG

2026, 35(3):  195-209.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025132

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The caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase （CCoAOMT） protein family belongs to the S-adenosyl-L-methionine （SAM）-dependent methyltransferase superfamily. Members of the CCoAOMT family are known to play key roles in plant lignin synthesis， as well as in growth and development. However， their function in Setaria italica has not been systematically studied. In this study， members of the SiCCoAOMT gene family were identified from S. italica genomic data， and bioinformatics analysis was conducted. In addition， the expression patterns of these genes under abiotic stress were determined. Five SiCCoAOMT genes in the SiCCoAOMT gene family were identified in the S. italica genome， and were located on chromosomes 2， 4， and 6. The physical and chemical properties differed among the five encoded putative proteins. In a phylogenetic analysis， the SiCCoAOMT genes of S. italica were divided into two subfamilies with homologous genes from Arabidopsis thaliana， Oryza sativa， and Setaria viridis. Members of the same subfamily shared high similarity in terms of conserved sequences and gene structures. All members of the CCoAOMT gene family contained the same conserved protein structure domains （motif 1， motif 2， motif 4， motif 5， and motif 6）， and members of the same subfamily had similar motifs. Prediction of cis-acting elements showed that SiCCoAOMT2 and SiCCoAOMT4 contained many elements responsive to light （Sp1）， plant hormones （ABRE， CGTCA-motif， and TGACG-motif） and abiotic stresses （ARE）. Collinearity analysis among S. italica， O. sativa， and S. viridis revealed that the CCoAOMT orthologs in S. italica and S. viridis have been subject to neutral selection and purifying selection， and the CCoAOMT orthologs in S. italica and O. sativa have been subject to positive selection. In a weighted gene co-expression network analysis， SiCCoAOMT2 and SiCCoAOMT4 were grouped in the yellowgreen module. To further verify the roles of SiCCoAOMT genes in stress responses， seedlings of the cultivar ‘Jingu 21’ were subjected to drought and low-temperature stresses， and the SiCCoAOMT transcript levels were analyzed by qRT-PCR. The results showed that the transcript levels of SiCCoAOMT2 and SiCCoAOMT4 were significantly up-regulated under both stress conditions. Based on single nucleotide polymorphism and insertion/deletion genotype information for 360 S. italica and 38 S.viridis germplasm resources， haplotype analysis showed that SiCCoAOMT5 was beneficial for the growth and development of S. italica grains， and contributed to the yield and stress resistance of S. italica. Overall， this study systematically characterized the SiCCoAOMT gene family in S. italica， identifying SiCCoAOMT2 and SiCCoAOMT4 as key genes involved in drought and cold stress responses. These findings provide a foundation for further exploration of the stress resistance and growth regulation mechanisms of S. italica.

QTL mapping and analysis candidate genes for heading stage in Echinochloa based on bulked segregant analysis

Gang ZHANG, Xing XU, Lin ZHU

2026, 35(3):  210-222.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025117

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Heading date is a crucial agronomic trait that significantly influences crop yield formation and environmental adaptability. Elucidating the molecular regulatory mechanisms of heading date is essential for forage germplasm innovation and for breeding new varieties. Echinochloa species （barnyard grass） are ideal forage resources for marginal land utilization because of their remarkable salt-alkali tolerance. However， the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of heading date in Echinochloa remain unclear. This knowledge gap substantially constrains molecular breeding of ecologically adapted varieties and the agricultural development of areas with saline-alkali soils. To decipher the genetic regulatory network controlling heading date in barnyard grass， we employed bulked segregant analysis sequencing （BSA-Seq） to analyze Echinochloa crusgalli var. frumentacea， Echinochloa crusgalli var. mitis， and their F_2∶3 hybrid population （62 samples in total）， using the Echinochloa genome as a reference. Then， quantitative trait locus （QTL） mapping was performed using the Index algorithm in R 4.2.2， and a protein-protein interaction network was constructed using the String database to identify candidate genes. Functional annotation of these genes was conducted using the Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes databases. A total of 11347 single nucleotide polymorphisms and 1992 insertion/deletion mutations were identified as effective variants. Two candidate QTLs were mapped： qHD-16-1 （193.14 kb， containing 17 genes） and qHD-6-1 （11.05 kb， containing two genes）. Six key candidate genes ［EcRCS3， EcCYSK （missense mutation）， EcP0710H01.9， EcAPG， EcCFAT， and EcNBA1］ were identified. Functional annotation revealed that these genes regulate heading date primarily by modulating sulfur， cysteine， and methionine metabolic pathways， thereby influencing the expression of flowering-related genes and flower bud differentiation. This study provides valuable genetic resources and potential molecular targets for molecular marker-assisted breeding and offers critical insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of heading date in barnyard grass （Echinochloa spp.）. These findings establish a theoretical foundation for precision breeding of saline-alkali-adapted forage varieties， demonstrating significant scientific merit and promising application prospects for the utilization of saline-alkali land.

Establishment of a tissue culture-free genetic transformation system for alfalfa and its applications in salt-tolerance gene functional characterization and gene editing

Shi-chao ZHANG, Guo-wen CUI, De-peng ZHANG, Fu-ying HAN, Ding DING, Xiang-li LYU, Shuo LIN, Le-ran CHEN, Ji-ru LI, Hua CAI

2026, 35(3):  223-234.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025130

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There are substantial challenges in the genetic improvement of alfalfa （Medicago sativa）， a globally important forage crop， because of the limitations of conventional transformation methods. These methods are time-consuming， genotype-dependent， and reliant on labor-intensive tissue culture processes. To address these issues， we developed a rapid， tissue culture-free transformation system for alfalfa. This system was developed and optimized using the alfalfa cultivar Longmu 806. The system employs Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated infection combined with a simple stem-pricking infiltration method. This innovative approach eliminates the need for callus induction and somatic embryogenesis， enabling the generation of transgenic chimeric alfalfa within just 14 days-a dramatic reduction compared with the 3-6 months typically required with traditional protocols. We used this system in two applications： 1） Rapid functional analysis of the MsRCI2D gene， which conferred enhanced salt tolerance in transgenic chimeric plants， as evidenced by increased antioxidant enzyme activities， decreased reactive oxygen species accumulation， and improved ion homeostasis under 200 mmol·L^-1 NaCl stress； and 2） Establishment of an efficient guide RNA screening platform using the RUBY reporter system， which achieved a 23.07% editing efficiency in transformed roots， providing a robust and visual tool for optimizing CRISPR gRNAs. This breakthrough transformation strategy addresses major bottlenecks in alfalfa genetic engineering-namely genotype dependence and prolonged timelines—and offers a powerful platform for high-throughput gene function studies， abiotic stress tolerance improvement， and precision genome editing. By integrating simplicity， speed， and high efficiency， our system holds transformative potential for both fundamental research and molecular breeding in alfalfa and other recalcitrant forage crops.

The effect of salt stress on sugar and endogenous hormone content in oat varieties with contrasting salt tolerance

Xiang MA, Zhong-xing LI, Rong-chen YANG, Ze-liang JU, Zhi-feng JIA, Pei-zhi YANG

2026, 35(3):  235-244.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025154

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Soil salinization affects crop growth and development through salt stress， and exploring the physiological mechanisms of oat （Avena sativa） salt tolerance is of great significance for managing salinization. The salt tolerant ‘Qingyongjiu 461’ and salt sensitive ‘Qingyin No. 2’ oat varieties were compared in this research， and changes in sugar substances and endogenous hormone content in leaves and roots of plants under salt stress were quantified to elucidate the response characteristics of the two materials in the sugar metabolism pathway and hormone regulation network. The results showed that under salt stress， the contents of starch and sucrose in the leaves of both oat varieties decreased， while glucose and fructose increased. Hence， under salt stress， the contents of glucose and fructose in the leaves of the salt-sensitive material ‘Qingyin No. 2’ were， respectively， 1.60 and 1.59 times those of ‘Qingyongjiu 461’. In addition， under salt stress， both oat varieties synthesized and accumulated abscisic acid （ABA） in their leaves and roots， which led to a decrease in the ratios of indole-3-acetic acid （IAA）∶ABA and zeatin （ZA）∶ABA. Meanwhile， salt stress regulated the upward transport of 12-oxo phytodienoic acid （OPDA） from the roots， resulting in the accumulation of OPDA in the leaves， thereby promoting stomatal closure in oats to adapt to salt stress. The salt-tolerant oat ‘Qingyongjiu 461’ was able to accumulate more IAA in its tissues and promote the biosynthesis of SA in leaves to resist salt stress under saline conditions. In contrast， the salt-sensitive oat ‘Qingyin No. 2’ responded to salt stress by accumulating higher levels of ZA in its leaves while regulating the conversion of jasmonic acid to jasmonic acid-isoleucine within the plant. This study identifies the similarities and differences in carbon allocation strategies and hormone interaction networks between two oat genotypes with contrasting salt tolerance levels， providing elucidation of the physiological basis of the salt tolerance mechanisms of oats.

Effects of a chitosan seed soaking treatment on seed germination and growth of alfalfa under saline alkali stress

Yu-hua TONG, Xiao-tong WANG, Yong-long MA, Jin-hui YANG, Dong-wen YU, Shu-xia LI

2026, 35(3):  245-256.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025138

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The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of chitosan as a seed treatment for alfalfa （Medicago sativa） to improve seed germination and seedling growth in saline alkali conditions. Seeds of 15 alfalfa varieties were soaked in chitosan solution and their germination and growth under saline alkali conditions were monitored. First， the seeds of the 15 varieties were subjected to saline alkali stress （0， 50， 75 and 100 mmol·L^-1， NaCl∶Na₂SO₄=9∶4， pH=8.3） to determine their tolerance at the germination stage. This revealed the optimal stress concentration for further experiments， and identified the cultivars showing saline alkali tolerance at the germination stage. The 75 mmol·L^-1 treatment was identified as the optimal stress concentration， and three alfalfa germplasm lines with tolerant， moderately tolerant， and sensitive genotypes were selected for further experiments. Seeds of the sensitive， moderately tolerant， and tolerant genotypes were soaked in solutions containing chitosan at a range of concentrations （0， 25， 75， 125， 175， and 200 mg·L^-1） for 12 hours and then exposed to 75 mmol·L^-1 saline alkali stress during the seed germination stage， or distilled water as the control （CK）. The results show that， for all three alfalfa materials， the seed germination indexes such as germination energy， germination percentage， germination index， vitality index， and seeding indexes such as root length， seedling length and fresh weight were higher after the chitosan-soaking treatment than after treatment with saline alkali stress alone. Across the chitosan concentration range tested， as concentration increased， each germination index first increased and then decreased. The optimal effect was achieved when seeds were soaked in chitosan at a concentration of 75 mg·L^-1. Additionally， soaking the seeds in different concentrations of chitosan had different effects on the germination indexes of the three germplasm lines， with a significant concentration dependent effect within a certain range. In conclusion， a chitosan seed soaking treatment can effectively alleviate the inhibitory effect of saline alkali stress on the germination of alfalfa seeds and significantly improve seedling growth. The results of this study provide an effective methodology for improving the adaptability of alfalfa and enhancing its establishment in saline alkali land.