Most Read articles

Published in last 1 year |  In last 2 years |  In last 3 years |  All

In last 2 years

Please wait a minute...


For Selected: Download Citations EndNote Ris BibTeX Toggle Thumbnails

Select

A taxonomic inventory of national key protected wild plants in Qinghai Province， based on the national checklist of key protected wild plants （2021） Jin-yuan CHEN, Wei-bo DU, Xu SU Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2022, 31 (9): 1-12.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2021502 Abstract （964）   HTML （34）    PDF （1244KB）（540）       Knowledge map    Save Following the new national checklist of key protected wild plants， we made a taxonomic inventory of key nationally protected wild plants in the Qinghai Province. Data was drawn from consulting relevant literature and inspection of herbarium specimens. Our aim was to better understand their plant types， family and genus distribution， endemism， conservation status， and geographical distribution. It was found that： 1） Compared with species checklists in 1999， 44 key nationally protected wild species are newly added into the species list for Qinghai Province. 2） In Qinghai Province there are 53 species and one variety， 30 genera， 22 families and three categories of key nationally protected wild plants listed. Among them， Nostoc flagelliforme is a level-one key protected wild plant， and 52 species and one variety are level-two key protected wild plants. 3） The family with the largest number of plants listed is the Orchidaceae with 10 species， and the most commonly listed genus is Cypripedium containing eight species. 4） There is one genus endemic to China， there are three genera endemic to China and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau （QTP）， nine species endemic to China， nine species endemic to the QTP， 13 species endemic to China and the QTP and one species， Meconopsis barbiseta， endemic to Qinghai Province. 5） With respect to conservation status， there are 18 species listed as vulnerable （VU） level， and 12 species listed as endangered （EN） among the 54 key nationally protected wild species from Qinghai Province， which accounted for 55.55% of the total species. 6） Most of the key nationally protected wild species are distributed mainly in the alpine grassland and forest vegetation of Yushu and Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture and Haidong city， which is consistent with the plant diversity distribution pattern in Qinghai Province. There are 53 species and one variety of key nationally protected wild plants in Qinghai Province， most of which are level-two key protected wild plants. Among these， 32 species are endemic species， accounting for 59.25% of the total， and 30 species are among the threatened species. Most of the key nationally protected wild plants are distributed in the southeast of Qinghai Province. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2022, 31 (6): 1-10.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb20220601 Abstract （627）   HTML （64）    PDF （598KB）（567）       Knowledge map    Save Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Progress in research and practice of restoration of degraded grassland around the world Li GAO, Yong DING Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2022, 31 (10): 189-205.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2022077 Abstract （586）   HTML （53）    PDF （683KB）（465）       Knowledge map    Save Grassland is one of the most important terrestrial ecosystems on earth， and brings humankind a series of ecosystem services， including food production， climate regulation， air purification， water conservation， wind prevention and sand fixation. Nearly half of the grasslands in the world are affected by climate change and human factors， and thus display different degrees of degradation. This degradation has become one of the world’s ecological and environmental problems. Much research on restoration of degraded grasslands has been carried out around the world with findings often leading to change in practice， and great progress has been made. However， at the beginning of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration （2021-2030）， a new generation of restoration research and practice projects is needed to cope with global environmental challenges. This paper summarizes the research and practice of degraded grassland restoration around the world， in the hope of learning from the existing grassland restoration work. On this basis， it is anticipated that we can map out the main direction of future research on degraded grassland restoration， and formulate reasonable restoration plans for degraded grassland， so as to provide reference information for new grassland restoration research and practice in the context of global change. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Advances and perspectives in forage oat breeding Xue-ling YE, Zhen GAN, Yan WAN, Da-bing XIANG, Xiao-yong WU, Qi WU, Chang-ying LIU, Yu FAN, Liang ZOU Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2023, 32 (2): 160-177.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2022263 Abstract （562）   HTML （49）    PDF （857KB）（660）       Knowledge map    Save Oat （Avena sativa） is an annual crop belonging to the Poaceae family with resistance to salinity， drought， cold stress， and adaptability to a wide range of environmental conditions including lower soil fertility. Oats are widely grown in temperate regions north of 40° N latitude in Europe， North America， and Asia. Oats also have a high forage yield， high nutritional value， good palatability， high digestibility， and the crop is suitable for silage and hay production. Therefore， oat is a versatile grain crop useful for food and forage purposes. Oat cultivars can be classified as naked or hulled oats depending on whether the grains readily separate from the husk or lemma at threshing. Hulled oats retain their husk. Naked oats without husks are mostly grown in China and are commonly used for food， while hulled oats which retain their husks are mainly grown in other countries， and are often used for feeding livestock. With the rapid development of animal husbandry in China in recent years， the available forage oat varieties are currently in need of improvement. Our country has formulated and implemented a series of policies that include “grass-based livestock husbandry”， “grain to forage” and “planting grass in fields”， which have promoted the rapid development of the forage oat industry. Under the strong support and guidance of these national policies and industry need， the planting area of forage oats has continued to expand， and the demand for new varieties has become increasingly urgent， which also points to higher requirements for the breeding of forage oats. In this study， we reviewed： 1） Collection， sorting， identification， and evaluation of germplasm resources of forage oats at home and abroad； 2） Four development stages of conventional breeding； and 3） The application of molecular technology in scientific research and breeding of oats. Based the above review， the current breeding objectives of forage oats are clarified， and the key points， difficulties， and immediate issues of forage oat breeding are discussed and analyzed， thus providing an important resource to underpin further developments in forage oat breeding. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Soil microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen levels and their controlling factors in alpine grassland， Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Yang LI, Yi WANG, Guo-dong HAN, Jian SUN, Ya-feng WANG Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2022, 31 (6): 50-60.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2021161 Abstract （549）   HTML （29）    PDF （3105KB）（621）       Knowledge map    Save The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is an important geographically isolated and distinctive ecological zone in China. Soil microbes are important drivers of the biogeochemical cycle. Microorganisms are considered the core content of soil biochemical processes. Hence， exploring the content characteristics of soil microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen and their drivers is highly relevant to the understanding of ecosystem function. In this study， a field investigation is conducted in alpine meadows and steppes across the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Soil microbial biomass carbon （MBC） and microbial biomass nitrogen （MBN） levels were measured and their relationships with climate， plant community， and soil physicochemical properties were identified. It was found that MBC and MBN contents were higher in alpine meadows than those in alpine steppes. Furthermore， the growing season precipitation （GSP） showed significantly positive correlations with MBC and MBN in both alpine grassland types （P<0.01）， while there were significant negative correlations between the growing season temperature （GST） and MBN in the alpine steppe （P<0.01）. A structural equation model suggested that soil total nitrogen could mediate the MBC and MBN in the alpine meadow， and soil organic carbon may be the key factor of regulating MBC and MBN in the alpine steppe under the influence of growing season precipitation. The findings provide a theoretical framework for the sustainable management of these grassland ecosystems. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Progress in research on tall wheatgrass as a salt-alkali tolerant forage grass Hong-wei LI, Qi ZHENG, Bin LI, Mao-lin ZHAO, Zhen-sheng LI Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2022, 31 (5): 190-199.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2021384 Abstract （544）   HTML （19）    PDF （770KB）（345）       Knowledge map    Save Tall wheatgrass （Elytrigia elongata） is a perennial cool season forage grass that is tolerant to salt-alkali， waterlogging， and drought. It has been cultivated for more than half a century in the United States， Canada， Australia， and other countries. It has also been used as a distant hybridization parent for wheat genetic improvement in China since 1954. Although some tall wheatgrass varieties were introduced and grown as forage and sand-stabilizing plants in North China during the 1980s-1990s， it has not been cultivated as widely in China as in other countries. More than 10 varieties were certified and released in the United States， Canada， Australia， and other countries. However， no tall wheatgrass variety was certified and released in China currently. Li Zhen-sheng’s group has studied tall wheatgrass cultivated in Beijing， Caofeidian， Nanpi， Haixing， and Dongying， China for 8 years， and found that it grows well and is highly productive in saline and alkaline soils. On the basis of those findings， Li proposed a new concept of a “coastal grass belt”， wherein salt-alkali tolerant forage grass could be grown in coastal areas with saline and alkaline soils. There are 667000 hectares of saline and alkaline soils where it is unprofitable to grow cereal crops in the coastal Circum-Bohai sea region in China. In such areas， the cultivation of perennial forage grasses such as tall wheatgrass would not only meet the increasing local demands for hay， pasture， and silage， but also minimize soil erosion and salinization. However， the paucity of tall wheatgrass varieties and limited knowledge of cultivation techniques are major challenges. These issues must be addressed before tall wheatgrass can be used to create a “coastal grass belt” in China. Here， we review the results of studies on its tolerance to salt， drought， and waterlogging， and on forage quality， cultivars， and cultivation techniques. We also discuss the progress to date in using tall wheatgrass to create a “coastal grass belt”. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Progress on the taxonomic classification of Medicago species Zhi-peng LIU, Guang-peng REN Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2022, 31 (11): 191-203.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2021426 Abstract （510）   HTML （26）    PDF （736KB）（395）       Knowledge map    Save This review investigates the disordered status of the classification of Medicago genus， both domestically and internationally. Several definitions of a taxonomic species were considered and the names and characteristics of 13 Medicago species in China are reported， together with a detailed summary of the names， life forms， chromosome numbers， pollination methods and natural distribution of about 90 Medicago species worldwide， including the classification of 14 sections and 10 subsections in Medicago. The molecular evolutionary relationships between different species， and the geographical origin of Medicago are discussed， and the genetic relationships between different subspecies in the alfalfa complex are further explained. This study puts forward a method of identifying Medicago species on the basis of deep understanding of the concept of species. A wide collection of global Medicago germplasm resources， aiming to further clarify the evolutionary relationship among different sections and different species by molecular evolution methods is proposed. This review provides a reference framework for future Medicago classification and alfalfa cross breeding. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Research progress on effects of nitrogen deposition on soil nitrogen cycling in grassland ecosystems Jiao-yun LU, He-shan ZHANG, Hong TIAN, Jun-bo XIONG, Yang LIU Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2022, 31 (6): 221-234.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2021156 Abstract （500）   HTML （34）    PDF （780KB）（350）       Knowledge map    Save The intensification of human activities and the use of fossil fuels has increased atmospheric nitrogen deposition， which has a significant impact on the nitrogen cycling processes of terrestrial ecosystems， thus affecting ecosystem productivity and stability. Grasslands， are an important component of terrestrial ecosystems， and in many cases are subject to resource loss and nutrient imbalance due to human overuse and lack of awareness of protection needs， in which case the development of animal husbandry enterprises can be severely limited. It is highly relevant to explore the influence of nitrogen deposition on nitrogen cycles of grassland ecosystems for rational development of policy and practice with respect to utilization of grassland resources. This paper tracks published research results at home and abroad and a key finding is that most nitrogen addition inhibits biological nitrogen fixation processes， promotes nitrification， denitrification and mineralization in soils， inhibits the activity of nitrogen fixing microorganisms， and increases the abundance of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria of nitrifying microorganisms and expression of functional genes of denitrifying microorganisms， such as nirK， nirS， nirG and nosZ. However， the responses of the soil nitrogen cycle to nitrogen deposition in a few studies differed from the above due to differences in nitrogen nutrition and nitrogen application measures in a grassland environment. Through summarizing the existing studies， we found that： 1） The effects of nitrogen deposition on the nitrogen cycle differ between studies due to different soil background nutrient levels and nitrogen absorption thresholds； 2） Microorganisms are important participants in the soil nitrogen cycle， and the responses of microorganisms to nitrogen addition differ with different nitrogen application time， frequency and quantity. 3） The various steps of the nitrogen cycle in soils are closely coupled and influence each other， but most of the existing studies only focus on a particular step， and therefore the results do not provide comprehensive insight. Therefore， in future studies， it will be necessary to pay more attention to the study of soil nitrogen cycle microbial changes under particular nitrogen supply conditions in grasslands with different nutrient levels， and consider the multi-step coupling relationship， which is very important to the improvement of grassland ecosystem function and reduction of the threat caused by nitrogen loss from the environment. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Estimating grassland above ground biomass based on the STARFM algorithm and remote sensing data——A case study in the Sangke grassland in Xiahe County， Gansu Province Yu-zhuo ZHANG, Zhi-gui YANG, Hong-yan YU, Qiang ZHANG, Shu-xia YANG, Ting ZHAO, Hua-hua XU, Bao-ping MENG, Yan-yan LV Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2022, 31 (6): 23-34.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2021180 Abstract （493）   HTML （242）    PDF （1697KB）（496）       Knowledge map    Save Characteristics of remote sensing data include that they are real-time， dynamic and large-scale， so such data have been widely used in grassland resource monitoring and management research. However， a single remote sensing vegetation index can not meet the needs of temporal and spatial resolution in grassland above ground biomass （AGB） monitoring. Therefore， this study generated a high spatial and temporal resolution vegetation index data set based on a time series of Landsat NDVI and MODIS NDVI data， combined with the spatial and temporal adaptive reflectance fusion model （STARFM）. The data set so generated （NDVISTARFM） had a temporal resolution 16 d and a spatial resolution 30 m. The optimum grassland above ground biomass inversion model was constructed based on measured grassland above ground biomass and NDVISTARFM during the grass growth seasons of 2013-2016. Finally， the spatiotemporal dynamic variation trends of grassland above ground biomass in the study area were analyzed for the period from 2000-2016. It was found that： 1） the optimal estimation model based on NDVISTARFM was a power model， with an R2 of 0.58 and an RMSE 795.62 kg·ha-1. The performance of this model was lower than that of the Landsat NDVI optimal estimation model （R2 =0.76， RMSE=634.83 kg·ha-1）， but better than that of the MODIS NDVI optimal estimation model （R2 =0.24， RMSE=937.79 kg·ha-1）. 2） The overall accuracy of the optimal estimation model was 84.05%， it was higher than that of MODIS NDVI but lower than that of Landsat NDVI. 3） The grassland above ground biomass showed an increasing trend in most areas from 2000-2016. About 90% of the study area showed an increasing trend with annual increment more than 30 kg·ha-1， while only 2.3% of the study area showed a decreasing trend. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Genome-wide identification and expression profile analysis of the CPP gene family in Medicago truncatula Jiao-yang TIAN, Qiu-xia WANG, Shu-wen ZHENG, Wen-xian LIU Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2022, 31 (7): 111-121.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2021215 Abstract （460）   HTML （24）    PDF （4295KB）（265）       Knowledge map    Save The CPP （cysteine-rich polycomb-like protein） gene family is one category of small transcription factors occurring in a wide range of organisms， excepting yeasts and prokaryotes， and which play an important role in plant growth and development and in response to stress processes. The CPP gene family has been identified and studied in many species but so far no research in the model legume species Medicago truncatula has been reported. In this study， 9 CPP genes were identified in M. truncatula by bioinformatics. By constructing phylogenetic trees with the CPP protein sequences of three species， CPP genes could be divided into three categories. The genetic relationship between MtCPP members and soybean was closer. Conserved domain analysis showed that MtCPP transcription factors all had 1-2 CXC conserved domains. Chromosome mapping analysis found that 9 CPP genes were distributed on 6 chromosomes， and two pairs of paralogous genes were identified， which both derived from fragment duplication events. Combining these results with the analysis of gene chip expression database of M. truncatula， the expression of MtCPP genes had certain temporal and spatial specificity. MtCPP gene promoters contain a large number of cis acting elements related to hormone signalling and stress， MtCPP2，MtCPP5， MtCPP6 and MtCPP7 genes have expression characteristics of response to drought， and MtCPP2 and MtCPP8 genes may be involved in salt stress response. This study provides a research foundation for further functional analysis and screening of MtCPP genes involved in stress resistance in alfalfa. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Estimation of aboveground biomass in Menyuan grassland based on Landsat 8 and random forest approach Yi-han ZHAO, Meng-jing HOU, Qi-sheng FENG, Hong-yuan GAO, Tian-gang LIANG, Jin-sheng HE, Da-wen QIAN Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2022, 31 (7): 1-14.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2021454 Abstract （440）   HTML （26）    PDF （6877KB）（263）       Knowledge map    Save Remote sensing monitoring of above-ground biomass （AGB） can quickly and objectively evaluate the growth status of grassland， which is important for ecological environment evaluation and grassland resource utilization. To improve the accuracy of remote sensing estimation of grassland AGB， a single factor regression model and a random forest （RF） model were constructed based on the vegetation index calculated from Landsat-8 OLI images from Menyuan County， Qinghai Province， to determine the best AGB remote sensing estimation model. The spatial distribution in the study area from 2019 to 2021 was inverted. The results were as follows： 1） Among 29 single factor regression models of vegetation indices evaluated， the correlation was high between AGB and five vegetation indices （normalized difference vegetation index， NDVI； red-blue NDVI， RBNDVI； green normalized difference vegetation index， GNVDI； modified simple ratio， MSR； transformed vegetation index， TVI）， with R2 values above 0.49. NDVI had the highest accuracy with an R2 of 0.50 and a root mean square error （RMSE） of 702.89 kg·ha-1. 2） In the RF model， the R2 of the model built before variable screening was 0.61， and the RMSE was 621.14 kg·ha-1. After the variable screening， the model accuracy was improved slightly； the R2 was 0.62 and the RMSE is unchanged. The accuracy of the two models was better than that of the single-factor optimal regression model. Compared with the single-factor optimal regression model， the R2 was increased by 0.12 and the RMSE was decreased by 80.95 kg·ha-1. 3） The spatial distribution of AGB was higher in the northwest and lower in the southeast in Menyuan County. The biomass distribution was high in the central part of the county and lower towards the county boundaries. From 2019 to 2021， the total annual natural grassland yield in the county ranged from 4.2827×104 to 8.9776×104 t， and the average AGB ranged from 1063.49 to 1484.82 kg·ha-1. Alpine meadow is the main category of grassland， with yield ranging from 4.0825×104 to 5.6653×104 tfrom 2019 to 2021. The average AGB ranged from 1060.38 to 1471.94 kg·ha-1. The average AGB of montane meadows ranged from 1036.81 to 1637.43 kg·ha-1. The average AGB of temperate steppe ranged from 1198.72 to 1786.63 kg·ha-1. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Remote sensing retrieval of nature grassland biomass in Menyuan County， Qinghai Province experimental area based on Sentinel-2 data Rui GUO, Shuai FU, Meng-jing HOU, Jie LIU, Chun-li MIAO, Xin-yue MENG, Qi-sheng FENG, Jin-sheng HE, Da-wen QIAN, Tian-gang LIANG Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2023, 32 (4): 15-29.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2022147 Abstract （416）   HTML （20）    PDF （3464KB）（295）       Knowledge map    Save Above-ground biomass （AGB） is an important indicator for evaluating grassland productivity. Accurate inversion of AGB of natural grassland is of great significance for monitoring grassland growth and evaluating the feed balance of forage-livestock. As commonly used remote sensing data （such as Landsat and MODIS） suffer from by many problems caused by low temporal and spatial resolution， it is extremely important to explore Sentinel-2 satellite data with higher temporal and spatial resolution and more spectral bands in monitoring grassland vegetation at county scale. In this study， we used Sentinel-2 satellite remote sensing imagery and the AGB data of Menyuan County， Qinghai Province to construct a grassland biological monitoring system based on random forest （RF）， support vector machine （SVM） and artificial neural network （ANN） methods， to study the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of natural grassland biomass in Menyuan County from 2019 to 2021. It was found that： 1） The three original bands（B2，B6，B11）and two vegetation indices， inverted red edge chlorophyll index（IRECI），and pigment specific simple ratio chlorophyll index（PSSRa），were the important variables for AGB quantification in natural grassland. Among these，red-edge bands（B5，B6，B7）play an important role in remote sensing inversion of natural grassland AGB. 2） The AGB estimation model based on the RF algorithm was the optimal model（validation set R2 0.72， RMSE 622.616 kg·ha-1）for natural grassland biomass estimation in Menyuan County， which was superior to the SVM model（validation set R2 0.66，RMSE 698.271 kg·ha-1）and the ANN model（validation set R2 0.63，RMSE 730.676 kg·ha-1）. 3） The average value of AGB of natural grassland in Menyuan County from 2019 to 2021 ranged from 3360.26-3544.00 kg·ha-1. In general， the AGB of grassland in Menyuan County from 2019 to 2021 showed a trend of initially increasing and then decreasing， with a spatial distribution pattern of gradual decrease from the periphery to the middle. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Sensitivity analysis of WOFOST model crop parameters in different grassland types Ge-xia QIN, Jing WU, Chun-bin LI, Shuai-jie SHEN, Huai-hai LI, Dao-han YANG, Mei-rong JIAO, Qi QI Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2022, 31 (5): 13-25.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2021391 Abstract （411）   HTML （16）    PDF （5046KB）（288）       Knowledge map    Save World Food Studies （WOFOST） is a simulation model for the quantitative analysis of the growth and production of crops. It is based on the physiological and ecological processes of crops， and can be used to predict the effects of CO2， soil， climate， and other factors on yield. The aim of this study was to conduct a parameter sensitivity analysis for different types of grasslands （i.e.， those under different management measures and climatic conditions）. Four sites were selected in different grassland zones in Tianzhu Zangzu Autonomous County. The extended Fourier amplitude sensitivity test （EFAST） method was used to analyze the sensitivity of different parameters of grasslands in the WOFOST model under potentially productive and water-restricted conditions based on meteorological data， field sampling data， and soil data. The accuracy of the WOFOST simulations for grasslands with different degrees of coverage were evaluated by comparisons with measured data. The sensitive parameters for estimating grassland above-ground biomass （AGB） under potentially productive conditions were specific leaf area （SLATB）， light-use efficiency of a single leaf （EFFTB）， maximum leaf CO2 assimilation rate at daily temperatures of 0 and 40 ℃ （AMAXTB）， relative maintenance respiration rate of roots （RMR）， and fraction of root and leaf system out of total dry matter （FRTB and FLTB）； and the sensitive parameters under restricted water conditions were SLATB， AMAXTB， RMR， and FLTB. The sensitive parameters for estimating leaf area index （LAI） were the same under both production levels. From emergence to 60 d after emergence， the LAI was mainly affected by SLATB， FLTB， and FRTB. From 60 to 200 d after emergence， the sensitive parameters were FLTB， FRTB， SLATB， and extinction coefficient for diffuse visible light （KDIFTB）. After the LAI began to decline， it was enhanced by KDIFTB. Compared with measured values， the simulated values of AGB were most accurate for slope meadow （R2=0.94， RMSE=11.71 g·m-2） and least accurate for alpine meadow （R2=0.83， RMSE=32.68 g·m-2）； and the simulated values of LAI were most accurate for temperate desert steppe （R2=0.96， RMSE=0.02） and least accurate for warm steppe （R2=0.66， RMSE=0.38）. Thus， the application of the sensitivity analysis method in the WOFOST model reduces the influence of human subjectivity and greatly shortens the parameter adjustment time. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

The use of the tRNA-sgRNA/Cas9 system for gene editing in perennial ryegrass protoplasts Jia-ming YAO, Huan-huan HAO, Jing ZHANG, Bin XU Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2023, 32 (4): 129-141.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2022180 Abstract （410）   HTML （21）    PDF （3944KB）（297）       Knowledge map    Save Transfer RNA （tRNA） can link multiple sgRNAs （single-guide RNAs） to form a polycistronic gene， which then combines with a CRISPR/Cas9 （clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated gene 9） expression vector to form a polycistronic tRNA-sgRNA/Cas9 （PTG/Cas9） system for multiple gene editing. The PTG/Cas9 system has been used to alter sgRNAs transcript levels and improve multi-target editing efficiency in rice （Oryza sativa）. To efficiently edit target genes in perennial ryegrass （Lolium perenne）， we generated two CRISPR intermediate vectors with tRNAs to provide a fast and flexible PTG/Cas9 vector construction method. To verify whether the PTG/Cas9 system effectively edits genes in the perennial ryegrass genome， we introduced the PTG/Cas9 plasmid into perennial ryegrass protoplasts by PEG 4000-mediated transformation. Then， we extracted DNA from protoplasts and amplified the target sequences to determine whether they had been edited successfully. The gene editing efficiency was about 6.7%. These results show that the PTG/Cas9 system can be used for gene editing in the ryegrass genome， and provide the basis for further genetic research on， and breeding of perennial ryegrass. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Function of high-affinity potassium transporters in maintaining ion homeostasis and other plant responses to abiotic stresses Xiao-han YANG, Guo-qiang WU, Ming WEI, Bei-chen WANG Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2023, 32 (5): 190-202.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2022207 Abstract （403）   HTML （19）    PDF （1917KB）（208）       Knowledge map    Save Potassium ions （K+）play an important role in plant growth and development as well as in resistance to various abiotic stresses. High-affinity K+ transporters （HKT） are one of the most important cation transporter families， and the members of this family are extensively involved in the absorption and transport of K+ and sodium ions （Na+） in plants. Many studies have shown that the expression of HKT family genes is regulated by several factors， such as calcium ions （Ca2+）， humic acid， and cytosine methylation. The HKT proteins mediate long-distance Na+ transport， maintain homeostasis of K+ and magnesium ions （Mg2+）， and play a key role in abiotic stress tolerance in plants. In this review， we summarize the results of research on the discovery of HKT family members， their structure and classification， biological function， gene expression patterns， regulatory mechanisms， and their roles in responses to abiotic stresses. We also propose directions for further research. The information in this review provides a theoretical basis and identifies genetic resources for the genetic improvement of crops to produce new， stress-resistant varieties. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Precision grazing management of grassland： Concept， theory， technology and paradigm De-li WANG, Ling WANG, Guo-dong HAN Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2022, 31 (12): 191-199.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2022047 Abstract （396）   HTML （18）    PDF （1865KB）（329）       Knowledge map    Save With the development of human understanding of the multi-functionality of grassland， coupled with the increasing demand for grassland ecological services， animal production and pastoral living， it is necessary to update the concept of grassland management， develop higher level livestock grazing and feeding technology based on multidisciplinary theories， and establish a more effective grassland grazing management paradigm. This study considers both the background and characteristics of the grassland resources and modern multi-dimensional social demands， and develops the concept of precise grassland grazing management which encompasses the versatility and stability of the grassland ecosystem and sustainability as the goal and the use of grassland science， animal science， ecology and other multi-disciplinary theories， based on the habitat conditions， especially the vegetation characteristics， livestock classes and their requirements， and livestock-vegetation interactions. Through multi-dimensional， effective and directional regulation of the livestock grazing process， the grassland management and utilization paradigm of synergistic balance between production and ecological functions can be finally realized. Also， the concepts and connotations of precise grazing and its relevant theoretical bases are systematically explained， including the plant compensatory growth mechanism， the intermediate disturbance hypothesis， the theory of diversifying grazing livestock， mechanisms of plant-animal interactions， nutrition regulation principles and versatility synergy. These concepts form a scientific basis for the regulation of grazing pressure and livestock assembly. In conjunction with this coverage， the key points in precision grazing are reviewed， such as dynamic optimal stocking rate （threshold）， mixed grazing （species and proportion）， remote sensing information options （satellite， unmanned aerial vehicle monitoring， large scale data processing） and other related supporting technologies. Finally， the authors sum up the concept of grassland multifunctionality as a goal of “combining productive function and ecological service in a win-win manner”， so providing a precise grazing management paradigm. This approach provides a principle for the integration of natural grassland grazing， grassland grazing with supplementary feeding， and drylot feeding， reflecting region-wide whole industry regulation of livestock grazing pressure/assembly and provision for animal nutrition， while aiming for grassland grazing systems to achieve an overall “livestock-vegetation balance”. Such a system will generate high quality animal products and sustainable ecological services. Precise grazing management of grassland is advanced， practical and extensive， and therefore is a desirable choice for future grassland management with great potential and prospect. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Adaption to the Plateau climate in Qinghai of 39 silage maize varieties cultivated in different ecological regions of China Li-li ZHU, Ye-meng ZHANG, Wan-cai LI, Ya-li ZHAO, Xiang LI, Zhi-guo CHEN Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2023, 32 (4): 68-78.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2022148 Abstract （395）   HTML （15）    PDF （1332KB）（176）       Knowledge map    Save The objective of this research was to identify silage maize varieties adapted to the Plateau climate in Qinghai from among 39 maize varieties cultivated in different ecological regions in China. We planted these varieties in experimental field plots. Principal component analysis and grey correlation analysis were used to provide a multivariate ranking based on agronomic traits， yields and nutritional analysis of the 39 maize varieties. The 39 varieties were sourced from 10 ecological regions recognized in the national maize variety system. It was found that the agronomic characters， biological yields and nutritional ingredients of eight varieties， including Jindan No.73， Jingjiu silage 16 and Keda 101 of the middle and late mature spring maize type region in North East China； Yu silage 23 of the middle-mature spring maize type region in North East China， Qinyu 58 and Qingqing 300 of the tropical and subtropical maize type region， Tunyu 168 of the northwest spring maize type region， and Zhongyu 335 of the southwest spring maize type region， ranked in the top 10 based on the two analysis methods， indicating that the overall performance of these varieties was better than the others. Hence these 8 varieties can be recommended as suitable for planting in Qinghai. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

The diversity-Godron stability relationship of alpine grassland and its environmental drivers Shi-long LEI, Li-rong LIAO, Jie WANG, Lu ZHANG, Zhen-cheng YE, Guo-bin LIU, Chao ZHANG Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2023, 32 (3): 1-12.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2022125 Abstract （394）   HTML （25）    PDF （5414KB）（350）       Knowledge map    Save The diversity and stability of plant communities is of great significance to the function of ecosystems and their ability to provide services. Drawing on field investigation and analysis of data from 480 sample plots， the present study explored the relationship between plant diversity and stability of alpine wetland meadow， alpine meadow， alpine steppe and alpine desert steppe， and also elucidated their environmental drivers using significance analysis， regression analysis and structural equation modeling. It was found that the alpine steppe had higher plant diversity than the other three grassland types， and alpine meadow had the highest community stability. The relationship between species diversity and community stability was different in the four alpine grassland types. The community evenness was negatively correlated with community stability. Plant Shannon-Wiener diversity was negatively correlated with community stability in alpine meadow and alpine desert steppe， but in contrast plant richness was positively correlated with community stability in alpine wetland meadow and alpine steppe. Precipitation is the main factor affecting plant diversity and community stability in alpine grassland. Soil organic carbon， pH and ammonium nitrogen content also affected community stability through altering plant diversity. Taken together， climate and soil factors should be considered in the management of alpine grassland ecosystems， and different management measures should be formulated for different types of grassland. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

The role of MAPK in plant response to abiotic stress Xin-miao ZHANG, Guo-qiang WU, Ming WEI Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2024, 33 (1): 182-197.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2023090 Abstract （389）   HTML （29）    PDF （1316KB）（374）       Knowledge map    Save Mitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK） is a highly conserved serine/threonine （Ser/Thr） protein kinase， occurring widely in eukaryotic intermediate reaction pathways. Plant MAPK has 11 relatively conserved sub-domains， which are all essential elements for Ser/Thr protein kinase to play its catalytic role， and its expression is regulated by reactive oxygen species， nitric oxide and hormones. MAPK phosphorylates a variety of substrates including transcription factors， protein kinases and cytoskeleton related proteins， and plays an important role in regulating plant response to abiotic stresses （salt， drought， extreme temperature， and heavy metals）. In this review， we summarize the results of research on the discovery of plant MAPK family members， their structure and classification， regulatory mechanisms， and their roles in response to various abiotic stresses. We also propose directions for future research. The information in this review provides a theoretical basis and identifies genetic resources for the genetic improvement of crops to produce new， stress-resistant varieties. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Research status and suggestions for grassland carbon sequestration and emission reduction in China Zi-jing LI, Cui-ping GAO, Zhong-wu WANG, Guo-dong HAN Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2023, 32 (2): 191-200.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2022049 Abstract （386）   HTML （27）    PDF （715KB）（327）       Knowledge map    Save With rapid economic development， and continuing increase in the emission of greenhouse gases， coupled with intensification of human use of natural resources， the carbon sequestration capacity of the global ecosystem has weakened， and the concentration of greenhouse gases in the global atmosphere has reached a new high. This has become a major global issue of general concern to the international community. China’s grassland carbon sink resources are unique， and the development of the grassland carbon sink economy has become an important vehicle for fulfilling international commitments， creating a new carbon sequestration economy and building a beautiful China with regenerative food production systems. This study reviews the current status of grassland carbon sequestration and emission reduction in China and the factors influencing sequestration， including research into grassland carbon sink capacity and reduction of emissions linked to livestock production now that there is a background of climate change and establishment of sown artificial grassland construction. Our review proposes a plan for the development of grassland carbon sequestration and emission reduction in China and provides a theoretical basis for contribution to carbon neutrality， and carbon sequestration and emission reduction in China’s grasslands. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Variations in carbon flux and factors influencing it on the northern slopes of the Tianshan Mountains Wen-zhang GUO, Chang-qing JING, Xiao-jin DENG, Chen CHEN, Wei-kang ZHAO, Zhi-xiong HOU, Gong-xin WANG Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2022, 31 (5): 1-12.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2021137 Abstract （377）   HTML （33）    PDF （2008KB）（324）       Knowledge map    Save The desert steppe is a widely distributed grassland type on the northern slopes of the Tianshan Mountains， and it plays an important role in regulating the carbon balance of the grassland ecosystem in this area. The aim of this study was to elucidate the characteristics of carbon flux in desert steppe ecosystems on the northern slopes of the Tianshan Mountains and to determine the main environmental factors that influence carbon flux. A micro-meteorological observation system and a LI-840 CO2/H2O infrared analyzer were used to obtain continuous observation data. The data were quantitatively analyzed to detect variations in carbon flux in the desert steppe and the factors that influence it. During the growing season， the net ecosystem carbon exchange of desert steppe vegetation on the northern slopes of the Tianshan Mountains showed an inverted “U” curve on a daily scale. On a seasonal scale， the vegetation was a carbon sink in June， July， and August； and a carbon source in September and October. The total carbon assimilation in the desert steppe from June to October was 15.50 g C·m-2， and the highest carbon assimilation was 23.03 g C·m-2 in August. The trend in the ecosystem respiration rate showed a “single-peak” curve on a daily scale. On a seasonal scale， carbon emissions showed a trend of increasing and then decreasing， with the highest carbon emissions of 128.42 g C·m-2 in July. The daily variation in carbon flux in the desert steppe ecosystem was not significant in October. Photosynthetically active radiation was the main factor influencing the daily net ecosystem carbon exchange， and the relationship between these two factors fitted a rectangular hyperbola model. The daily net ecosystem carbon exchange decreased with increasing photosynthetically active radiation. The relationship between ecosystem respiration and the 5 cm soil temperature fitted the Van’t Hoff model， with a temperature sensitivity coefficient Q10 of 1.69 and an optimum soil water content of 0.16 m3·m-3. Excessively high or low soil water contents inhibited ecosystem respiration in this area. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

An evaluation of a remote sensing method based on optimized triangular vegetation index （TVI） for aboveground shrub biomass estimation in shrub-encroached grassland Zheng-yong XU, Bin SUN, Wang-fei ZHANG, Yi-fu LI, Zi-yu YAN, Wei YUE, Si-han TENG Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2023, 32 (10): 1-14.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2022488 Abstract （374）   HTML （50）    PDF （2836KB）（537）       Knowledge map    Save Shrub-encroachment onto grassland is becoming an important ecological problem in grassland ecosystems， and accurate estimation of the shrub above-ground biomass （AGB） in shrub-encroached grassland vegetation plays a significant role in research into regional ecosystem carbon cycles. Due to the dual effects of soil background noise and differences in vegetation growth structure characteristics， the traditional vegetation indices are extremely unstable for model-building involving shrub-encroached grassland AGB estimation. To solve this problem， in this study we developed a novel way by optimizing the triangular vegetation index （TVI） using Sentinel-2 remote sensing data for shrub-encroached grassland AGB estimation. The results showed that： 1） In the area dominated by herbaceous vegetation， TVI calculated using a combination of green， red-edge and near-infrared （ R_{\mathrm{560}} ， R_{\mathrm{705}} and R_{\mathrm{865}} ） performed best with an R2 of 0.684； in the area dominated by shrub vegetation， the TVI again performed best with R2= 0.368. 2） When analyzing the sensitivity of the 12 commonly used vegetation indexes to soil noise， the enhanced vegetation index （EVI） was the most sensitive to soil noise in the area dominated by herbaceous vegetation； in the area dominated by shrub vegetation， the modified soil adjusted vegetation index （MSAVI） was the most sensitive. 3） In the area dominated by herbaceous vegetation， the optimized vegetation index grassland triangular vegetation index （GTVI） performed better than TVI with the value of R_{\mathrm{C}\mathrm{V}}^{\mathrm{2}} （coefficient of determination cross validation） increased by 0.153 and the value of R M S E_{\mathrm{C}\mathrm{V}} decreased by 12.222 g·m-2； in the area dominated by shrub vegetation， GTVI performed better than TVI and the R_{\mathrm{C}\mathrm{V}}^{\mathrm{2}} value increased 0.029， while the R M S E_{\mathrm{C}\mathrm{V}} （root mean square error cross validation） decreased 1.684 g·m-2. 4） The estimation results acquired by GTVI showed the highest accuracy when compared with the results estimated by the commonly used 12 vegetation indices. The results of this study are expected to provide a scientific basis and reference AGB estimation in shrub-encroached grassland using vegetation indices extracted from remote sensing data. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Effects of different grazing patterns on soil carbon and nitrogen storage and sequestration in desert steppee Yan-ming CHENG, Hong-bin MA, Jing MA, Zi-yuan MA, Jin-di LIU, Yao ZHOU, Wen-dong PENG Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2022, 31 (10): 18-27.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2021412 Abstract （372）   HTML （16）    PDF （2104KB）（230）       Knowledge map    Save It is important for scientific grassland management to know the effects of grazing on carbon and nitrogen storage and sequestration. Soil organic carbon and total nitrogen storage and carbon and nitrogen sequestration in the 0-40 cm soil horizon were studied in a Ningxia desert steppe under treatments of enclosure to prevent grazing， free grazing and warm season rotational grazing. It was found that： 1） After 5 years of grazing， the soil carbon and nitrogen contents were the highest （5.66±0.32 g·kg-1 and 0.32±0.01 g·kg-1， respectively） in warm season rotational grazing， and the lowest in free grazing. The organic carbon content increased with soil depth in warm season rotational grazing， but the differences between warm season rotational grazing and enclosure to prevent grazing and free grazing were not significant. The vertical variation of nitrogen content did not differ significantly among the three treatments. The C∶N ratio under free grazing was the highest （26.98±1.05）， while warm season rotation grazing was the lowest. Soil carbon and nitrogen storage for the 0-40 cm soil horizon ranked warm season rotation grazing>enclosure to prevent grazing>free grazing. 2） The carbon and nitrogen sequestration and sequestration rates ranked warm season rotation grazing>enclosure to prevent grazing>free grazing. 3） Pearson correlation analysis showed that soil carbon and nitrogen storage and retention were significantly correlated with aboveground biomass （P<0.05）. It is positively correlated with species diversity （P<0.01， P<0.001）. It was concluded that， from a perspective of soil carbon and nitrogen storage and retention， warm season rotational grazing is more conducive to the improvement of carbon sink capacity and sustainable development of desert steppe in the study area. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Recent advances in understanding the ecosystem functioning of diverse forage mixtures Ce YANG, Yu-xue ZHANG, He ZHANG, Chun-yan ZHENG, Feng ZHU Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2022, 31 (9): 206-219.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2021341 Abstract （369）   HTML （24）    PDF （1688KB）（245）       Knowledge map    Save Use of forage mixtures is one of the important planting practices in establishment of intensively managed artificial grasslands to enhance productivity and quality. Understanding the mechanisms underlying species interactions， and exploration of the ecosystem functions and services are essential to management for stable production and sustainability. Here， based on the recent advances in this topic， we discuss how mixed forage systems affect the outcome of interspecific complementarity and competition in above- and below-ground compartments. Next， we address the effects of mixed-species forage sowings on pasture productivity and quality， recourse utilization， biodiversity of soil food webs， and ecosystem stability. Finally， we emphasize the future challenges for selection of suitable plant species with synergistic properties. Longer-term studies are needed to conclusively demonstrate environmental and production benefits of high-diversity forages. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Priority effects on plant community assembly and ecological restoration significance Xiao-hong YAN, Jian-ming NIU, Yuan-heng LI, Feng-yan YI, Shi-xian SUN, Ke JIN, Xi-liang LI Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2022, 31 (10): 217-225.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2021393 Abstract （367）   HTML （21）    PDF （1081KB）（214）       Knowledge map    Save Plant community assembly is a key ecological process in the restoration of degraded ecosystems. However， how to reconstruct the plant community， so as to accelerate the restoration of ecosystem processes and functions， remains a key problem that is in urgent need of a solution. The ‘priority effect’ is defined by whether species that arrive early have positive， negative or neutral effect on establishment， growth， or reproduction of species that arrive later in plant community assembly. The priority effect plays an important role in regulating the process of community structure improvement， the functional maintenance and the community succession dynamics. To the present time， studies on the priority effect have been mainly focused on North America and some European countries to better understand the impact of alien species invasion and answer questions relating to grassland diversity conservation， artificial grassland construction and management， among others. However， such research has not been conducted in China. Based on a systematic literature review， this paper summarized the current status of research on priority effects in plant community assembly， identifying the driving factors， response mechanisms and quantitative methods used. It was found that the strength and direction of priority effects were influenced by species identity， community assembly order， environmental factors and interactions between community members. Niche preemption and niche modification have been proved to be the two major driving mechanisms for priority effects. Currently there are some knowledge gaps in this research field， such as the impact of choice of study area， the limitations of shorter experiment duration， and the effects of interactions between biotic and abiotic factors. We conclude by proposing future research directions in this area， taking account of the urgent needs for vegetation restoration in China. Thus， our study provides some new insights for future researchers and new ideas for ecological restoration practice. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Determination of the nutrient digestibility of herbage consumed by grazing animals You-shun JIN, Fu-jiang HOU Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2022, 31 (5): 200-212.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2021089 Abstract （367）   HTML （18）    PDF （1630KB）（485）       Knowledge map    Save Nutrient digestibility of herbage consumed by grazing livestock is one of the key indicators for grassland management， and is a function of both the biomass and nutritional quality of forage， and the health and production status of livestock. Nutrient digestibility of forage consumed by grazing livestock can be determined by direct or indirect methods. The direct methods include， among others， the total feces collection method， the indigestible marker method and near infrared spectroscopy （NIRS）. The indirect methods include in vivo or in vitro fermentation digestibility determinations， the forage quality prediction method and the climate prediction method. The total fecal collection method is a comparatively accurate method， provided that the feed dry matter intake and feces dry weight are accurately determined. However， it is time-consuming and laborious， and has a great impact on the grazing behavior. Moreover， it is difficult to reflect the spatial heterogeneity of forage supply in the pasture. The indigestible marker method estimates the nutrient digestibility according to the proportion of indigestible matter recovered and causes little disturbance to the grazing behavior of livestock. However， it is not easy to analyze for the indigestible marker， and the method is not suitable for wild grazing animals. The NIRS method has high efficiency， low labor intensity， low cost， and does not have any effects on livestock， so it can estimate the nutrient digestibility of forage consumed by grazing livestock on a large scale. However， NIRS requires a lot of directly measured calibration data to improve the prediction accuracy. The climate estimation method is fast， and therefore time-saving but is also less accurate. Climate estimation is therefore suitable for large spatial and temporal scales. The nutrient digestibility of forage consumed by grazing livestock is closely related to biological factors， environmental factors and social factors such as livestock class， grassland type， grazing methods employed， temperature and precipitation. Combined with remote sensing， unmanned aerial vehicle methods and artificial intelligence， the nutrient digestibility of forage consumed by grazing livestock can be accurately and quickly measured， providing support for grassland ecological restoration and livestock health and management. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

The effect of mixed sowing and sowing rate of different alfalfa varieties on the yield and quality of forage Man-you LI, Dong-ning LI, Bin WANG, Xiao-yun LI, Xiao-tian SHEN, Li-juan CAO, Wang NI, Teng-fei WANG, Jian LAN Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2022, 31 (5): 61-75.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2021109 Abstract （366）   HTML （43）    PDF （1454KB）（355）       Knowledge map    Save This research investigated the effect of planting pattern and sowing rate on the yield and quality of alfalfa （Medicago sativa） from 2017-2019 under drip irrigation conditions in arid areas. Alfalfa varieties ‘Magna Graze Ⅶ’ （also known as ‘Magnum Ⅶ’） and ‘Sanditi’ were sown as pure stands， mixed within rows or mixed in alternate rows and there were three sowing rates （13.5， 18.0， 22.5 kg·ha-1） making up a two-factor randomized complete block design. Data were subjected to multivariate evaluation by principal component analysis （PCA）， in order to identify the optimum planting pattern and sowing rate for alfalfa. It was found that the planting pattern and sowing rate had significant （P<0.05） effects on the average plant height， number of primary branches， hay yield， crude ash， neutral detergent fiber content and relative feeding value of alfalfa over the 2017 to 2019 investigation period. There were no significant effects on herbage dry matter percentage， leaf∶stem ratio， acid detergent fiber content and crude protein content. Among the treatments， Magnum Ⅶ and Sanditi mixed within rows and sown at 18.0 kg·ha-1 had an alfalfa hay yield （16.79 t·ha-1） significantly higher than other treatments. The lowest hay yield （14.25 t·ha-1） was obtained with Magnum Ⅶ and Sanditi were sown in alternate rows at 22.5 kg·ha-1. The relative feeding value of alfalfa when Magnum Ⅶ and Sanditi were mixed within rows at a sowing rate of 18.0 kg·ha-1 was 156.87， and was second only to mixed sowing of the two varieties within rows at a rate of 13.5 kg·ha-1. Analysis by PCA indicated the planting of Magnum Ⅶ and Sanditi mixed within rows at a sowing rate of 18.0 kg·ha-1 as having the best overall performance. This planting pattern and rate can be recommended for adoption by growers in the Ningxia Yellow River irrigation district. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Monitoring of rodent damage areas in grassland using unmanned aerial vehicle remote sensing technology Rui HUA, Daerhan BAO, Rui DONG, Zhuang-sheng TANG, Bin CHU, Yuan-yuan HAO, Li-min HUA Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2023, 32 (5): 71-82.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2022234 Abstract （366）   HTML （21）    PDF （3311KB）（231）       Knowledge map    Save Rodent pests are the greatest and most widespread biological problem affecting pastoral land in China and their impact can reach ‘disaster’ level. Obtaining accurate data for rodent-damaged areas in grassland is a priority for evaluating the degree of pest damage and for devising pest management strategies. At present， survey grid and mapping methods are the main methods used to identify rodent-damaged areas in grassland. However， both of those methods have problems in terms of low efficiency and poor accuracy， so they do not meet the requirements for precise management of grassland pests. According to the principles of ecology and statistics， we used unmanned aerial vehicle （UAV） remote sensing technology and a stratified sampling method to detect damage areas from plateau pika， a dominant rodent pest on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. These trials were conducted at four townships in Maqu County in Gansu Province. First， we selected the primary investigation area according to its suitability for rodents. Then， the first survey area was divided according to different habitat types into secondary survey plots， and each plot was divided into a grid. A certain number of quadrats in the secondary sample plots was randomly sampled， each as a three-level sample with a UAV survey. According to the average area of rodent pest damage across multiple quadrats， the damaged area in each secondary plot was calculated. The areas of damage in all the secondary plots were added to obtain the total pest-damaged area in the primary investigation area. The total area of grassland in the test area was 4.6×105 ha， the area suitable for plateau pika was 2.5×105 ha， and the area of plateau pika damage in the test area was 1.05×104 ha. There were 50 sampling sites in total， and each site had an area of 1 ha. Taking one site as a sample， it takes one person 20 min to complete the work in terms of UAV flying and image interpretation. Compared with the grid survey method and mapping method， this new method can detect areas of rodent damage in grassland on a larger scale because it is more efficient， accurate， and cost-effective. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

A study of grassland aboveground biomass on the Tibetan Plateau using MODIS data and machine learning Zhe-ren JIN, Qi-sheng FENG, Rui-jing WANG, Tian-gang LIANG Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2022, 31 (10): 1-17.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2021386 Abstract （350）   HTML （15）    PDF （5168KB）（208）       Knowledge map    Save The Tibetan Plateau， often referred to as “the third pole of the world”， is located in the Southwest of China， and makes significant contribution to ecology and climate change in China and around the word. Our study evaluated the change in aboveground biomass （AGB） on the Tibetan Plateau from 2000 to 2020. We used multiple machine learning methods combined with MCD43A4 product data to simulate the aboveground biomass and analyzed the temporal and spatial characteristics of AGB in this region. The main results were as follows： 1） Among the constructed machine learning models， Rborist model demonstrated the highest accuracy， with an R2 of 0.6484 based on screened variables， and eight variables were found to be highly correlated with biomass： precipitation in May， precipitation in June， average temperature in December， normalized difference phenology index （NDPI）， precipitation in April， maximum temperature in January， precipitation in August and precipitation in December； 2） AGB in the southeast of the Tibetan Plateau was higher than that in the northwest， with a decreasing trend from the southeast to northwest； 3） AGB on the Tibetan Plateau increased steadily from 2000 to 2020， with an overall positive movement. However， 61.38% of Tibetan Plateau grasslands showed a trend of unsustainability， 4.67% showed a slight deterioration trend， 1.19% showed a significant deterioration trend， and 32.76% were stable or showed a recovery trend. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

The grassland agriculture of Mongolia and its capacity to inform development in China Zhi-peng HUANG, Yi HUANG, Quan-jun YANG, Chao XIA, Yan ZHANG Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2023, 32 (6): 1-15.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2022265 Abstract （345）   HTML （50）    PDF （1778KB）（425）       Knowledge map    Save Mongolia borders on northern China， has abundant grassland resources and grassland-based livestock husbandry is the pillar industry there. Based on the literature and statistical data， this study surveys the development status of grassland agriculture in Mongolia from three aspects： reform of the pastoral institutional system， the grassland resources， and the development of a grazing-based livestock industry. Our study also analyzes the differences between Mongolia and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China. Grassland agriculture in Mongolia has undergone three stages of institutional reforms， the post-transformation period began at 1990 and is ongoing till now. The grassland itself is collectively owned and the livestock is privately owned. Under the influences of climate change， over exploitation of grassland， expansion of cultivated land and urban areas， and mining pollution， the grassland area has decreased and the ecological status of the grassland is gradually deteriorating. The proportions for each of Mongolia’s five categories of livestock remain stable but with regional variability and differences. The growth in total livestock numbers is much higher in Mongolia than in Inner Mongolia， China. In recent years， the grazing-based livestock husbandry has faced a problem of an aging population. As a result， the proportion of animal husbandry output value within the national economy has gradually declined and the industrial chain urgently needs to be improved. Finally， this study proposes implications for Mongolia and offers information relevant to the development of grassland agriculture in China. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Analysis of grassland community-level plant functional traits and functional diversity at different times during restoration Jiang-wen LI, Bang-yin HE, Cai LI, Hong-yan HUI, Bo LIU, Xiao-xi ZHANG, Hui FAN, Wen-yu SU Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2023, 32 (1): 16-25.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2022029 Abstract （344）   HTML （23）    PDF （2783KB）（344）       Knowledge map    Save Plant functional traits and functional diversity are important factors when evaluating the function of grassland ecosystems. In this study， we conducted a series of analyses of the understory grassland of Robinia pseudoacacia forests and abandoned grassland at different time points during restoration in the hilly and gully regions of the Loess Plateau. The community-level dynamics of plant functional traits and functional diversity were analyzed during vegetation restoration to explore how the grassland plant community and its functional traits change over time. The results showed that： 1） The understory grassland and abandoned grassland were both dominated by perennial weeds in the Asteraceae and Rosaceae； 2） During restoration， the understory grassland succeeded from a dicot-dominated community to a monocot-dominated community， while Asteraceae species were gradually replaced by Poaceae species. The abandoned grassland was always dominated by Asteraceae species， however， and showed a tendency to shrub encroachment. 3） The values of community-level leaf functional traits were higher in understory grassland than in abandoned grassland， while the values of community-level plant functional traits of coverage， density， and aboveground biomass were lower in understory grassland than in abandoned grassland. The values of species diversity and functional trait diversity were higher in abandoned grassland than in understory grassland， and abandoned grassland exhibited higher ecological benefits. These results provide a theoretical basis for the evaluation of grassland ecosystem functions in the hill and gully region of the Loess Plateau. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Non-destructive identification of artificially aged alfalfa seeds using multispectral imaging analysis Xue-meng WANG, Xin HE, Han ZHANG, Rui SONG, Pei-sheng MAO, Shan-gang JIA Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2022, 31 (7): 197-208.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2021198 Abstract （343）   HTML （5）    PDF （1627KB）（182）       Knowledge map    Save Aging during the storage of seeds reduces seed vitality and causes serious economic losses to the agricultural industry， and has become one of the biggest factors involved in decreased seed vigor. Distinction between aged and viable seeds is of high importance in alfalfa seed planting and production， but the existing methods are time-consuming or destructive. Therefore， a rapid and non-destructive screening method to distinguish aged and viable seeds is not only very necessary in seed testing and the alfalfa seed industry， but also potentially useful in alfalfa seed research. In this study， we collected data of both morphological features and spectral traits of alfalfa seeds using multispectral imaging （MSI） technology. Then， we evaluated three multivariate analysis methods： linear discriminant analysis （LDA）， support vector machines （SVM） and normalized canonical discriminant analysis （nCDA）， to classify seeds artificially aged for 0， 3， 6 and 14 days， and predict viable seeds which could germinate. It was found that the mean light reflectance at 470-660 nm differed significantly between non-aged and aged seeds. The LDA model based on a “hold-out method” provided accuracies of 93.0%-97.7% in distinguishing aged seeds from non?aged seeds， and 75.3%-91.7% in distinguishing the different groups of aged seeds. Corresponding values for the SVM model were a little lower， being 92.4%-94.9% and 68.7%-78.8%， respectively. The nCDA model also exhibited achieved aged seed discrimination with an accuracy of 88.0%-98.0%. Finally， viable seeds could be distinguished from dead seeds in all the categories of aged seeds， with accuracies of 98.7% and 92.1% in LDA and SVM analysis， respectively， while the accuracy of nCDA in predicting the germination of aged seeds ranged from 90% to 99%. This study showed that MSI could successfully distinguish aged seeds， and also predict germination of seeds. In summary， we demonstrated a nondestructive， rapid and high-throughput approach to screen both aged and viable seeds in alfalfa， and showed that MSI together with multivariate analysis is promising as a new tool for application in seed testing and field planting of alfalfa seeds. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Identification of CAX gene family and expression profile analysis of response to abiotic stress in alfalfa Guo-xiang ZHANG, Wei-leng GUO, Ming-yu BI, Li-shuang ZHANG, Dan WANG, Chang-hong GUO Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2022, 31 (12): 106-117.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2021471 Abstract （338）   HTML （17）    PDF （11472KB）（199）       Knowledge map    Save Ca2+/H+ reverse transporter proteins （CAX） are an important group of transmembrane transporters， which plays important roles in regulating Ca2+ balance， resisting abiotic stresses and transporting heavy metal ions in plants. Using bioinformatics methods， we performed a genome-wide identification of CAX gene family occurrence in alfalfa. In this work， the physicochemical properties， structural characteristics， phylogenetic relationships， cis-acting elements and chromosome locations of CAX gene family members were analyzed. Fifteen MsCAX genes were identified and these were distributed on 15 alfalfa chromosomes with 22 pairs of segmental duplication events. Further analysis showed that they encoded 367-460 amino acids with isoelectric points ranging from pH 5.2 to 6.5. All of them were hydrophobic proteins. Phylogenetic analysis showed that MsCAXs were divided into two subfamilies， and members of the same subfamily had similar genetic structures， conserved motifs， and the number of transmembrane domains. The promoter region of MsCAXs contained the light， hormone and stress-responsive elements. The expression patterns of six MsCAXs genes in response to abiotic stress were analyzed by qRT-PCR. It was found that all six MsCAX genes were significantly down-regulated under drought and low temperature stress， and three MsCAX genes were up-regulated under salt and saline-alkali stress. These results indicate that MsCAX gene has different expression patterns under different abiotic stresses. The results provide a reference for further exploration of the functions of the MsCAX gene family. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

The role of a cytokinin signaling pathway type-B ARR transcription factor， LpARR10， in cadmium tolerance of perennial ryegrass Qing ZHANG, Jing XING, Jia-ming YAO, Ting-chao YIN, Xin-ru HUANG, Yue HE, Jing ZHANG, Bin XU Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2022, 31 (5): 135-143.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2021097 Abstract （337）   HTML （10）    PDF （4622KB）（267）       Knowledge map    Save Cadmium （Cd） is one of the major elements causing heavy metal pollution in mining areas that can severely inhibit plant growth and development. It is known that cytokinin （CTK） can enhance plant Cd tolerance， but its underlying mechanism is still unclear. In this study， a CTK signal pathway gene， LpARR10， was cloned in perennial ryegrass that has six exons and encodes 598 amino acids. Evolutionary analysis indicated that LpARR10 was clustered together with the Arabidopsis B-type ARR transcription factors （B-ARRs） and closely related to AtARR10 and AtARR12. Protein sequence analysis demonstrated that LpARR10 has typical functional domains of B-ARRs featured with a phosphate receptor domain， phosphorylation sites， and metal ion binding sites. Expression analysis showed that both CTK （25 μmol·L-1 6-BA） and Cd （200 μmol·L-1 CdCl2） significantly promoted the transcription of LpARR10 in roots of perennial ryegrass after 0.5， 2， 6， 12， 24 and 48 h of treatment and in leaves after 2 and 6 h. When grown in MS medium， there was no significant difference in root length and fresh weight between transgenic lines and wild type plants. However， the root length and fresh weight of the transgenic lines were significantly higher than those of the wild type plants when grown in MS medium with Cd （180 μmol·L-1 CdCl2）. In conclusion， LpARR10 plays an important role in cytokinin-regulated plant Cd tolerance. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Research progress on regulation mechanism of rhizome development in herbaceous plants of the Poaceae Jia-lin LI, Sheng-lin JIANG, Yun-xia LI, Xiao-yan QUAN, Wen-bo WANG, Qiu-li SHAN, Chun-juan XIE, Ning YIN, Yu-xiang QIN, Li-hua ZHANG, Hong-mei LI, Wen-xing HE Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2022, 31 (8): 211-220.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2021274 Abstract （334）   HTML （32）    PDF （540KB）（236）       Knowledge map    Save Rhizomes are creeping underground stems that serve as vegetative organs for clonal growth of perennial grasses and other monocots. The continuous differentiation and lateral extension of rhizomes endow rhizomatous grasses with strong abilities of horizontal expansion， migration and resistance to disturbance， which play important roles in both the formation of natural grassland species associations and the improvement of fragile ecosystems such as degraded grasslands， deserts， sand dunes. The differentiation and development of rhizomes is a complicated process co-regulated by internal factors and external stimuli. In this review， the recent research literature on the rhizomatous growth and development of grasses was systematically summarized. The regulation and response factors of rhizomatous growth and development were identified from the perspectives of habitat heterogeneity， plant hormone factors and related genes. This provides a theoretical framework for further research on the development of rhizomes and thus guides thinking on spatial expansion of rhizomatous grasses and the logic of ecological adaptation. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Accumulation and functions of polyamines in plants under drought stress Wen-juan WANG, Shang-li SHI, Long HE, Bei WU, Chan-chan LIU Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2023, 32 (6): 186-202.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2022303 Abstract （333）   HTML （7）    PDF （2273KB）（263）       Knowledge map    Save Drought stress is one of the major abiotic stresses that causes reductions in crop yields. Polyamines are a class of low molecular weight aliphatic nitrogenous bases in plants. They have strong biological activity and are involved in a range of physiological processes such as plant organogenesis， embryogenesis， bud differentiation， leaf senescence， pollen tube growth， and fruit development and ripening. They also play important roles in plants under drought stress. In this paper， we review research on the anabolism and catabolism of polyamines， their functions under abiotic stress， and differences in their accumulation among species/varieties of plants under drought stress. We also discuss studies on the effects of exogenous polyamines and those using transgenic approaches to elucidate the roles of polyamines at the physiological level. The body of research on polyamines has shown that they enhance drought resistance by improving plant growth and development， photosynthetic capacity， accumulation of osmoregulatory substances， and antioxidant capacity， and that they participate in signal transduction at the molecular level in plants under drought stress. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Drought risk status of grassland in China Ying WANG, Jian-shun WANG, Qiang ZHANG Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2022, 31 (8): 1-12.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2021319 Abstract （332）   HTML （195）    PDF （2423KB）（169）       Knowledge map    Save Water deficit is the primary natural limitation restricting grassland productivity in China. Drought risk assessment is the core component of risk management. In this paper， by collecting meteorological， soil， vegetation， landform and other data， an assessment model for grassland drought risk in China was constructed after an in-depth analysis of this data. The model established an evaluation index system for drought risk， determined the weight of each index by the entropy weight method， and assessed the level of hazard， degree of exposure， sensitivity， and vulnerability. Based on a GIS spatial analysis function， an assessment and a regionalization analysis of grassland drought risk were then conducted for China. It was found that the high and sub-high drought-risk areas for grassland in China are mainly located in Inner Mongolia， the Hexi Corridor， the Qaidam and Tarim Basins， the western Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and Yunnan. The high and sub-high drought exposure areas are mainly located in Southwest China and South China. The high and sub-high sensitive areas are mainly located in the southeast of Inner Mongolia， Northeast China， the South and east slopes of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau， the northern margin of Tarim Basin and the Southwest of China. The high and sub-high vulnerability areas are mainly distributed in the central and eastern parts of Inner Mongolia， the Hexi Corridor in Gansu， Northern Xinjiang， most of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau， Yunnan and eastern Sichuan. The high and sub-high risk areas for grassland drought are mainly located in the northeast of Inner Mongolia， the west of Northeast China， the North of Ningxia， the north edge of Tarim Basin， the South of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau， the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau， Henan and Shandong. These results provide a theoretical framework and an initial scientifically-based evaluation for susceptibility to drought of grassland in China. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Spatio-temporal changes in grassland fractional vegetation cover in Inner Mongolia from 2000 to 2020 and a future forecast Hui-long ZHANG, Xiu-chun YANG, Dong YANG, Ang CHEN, Min ZHANG Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2023, 32 (8): 1-13.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2022370 Abstract （330）   HTML （144）    PDF （5420KB）（277）       Knowledge map    Save Inner Mongolia is an important green ecological barrier in northern China， and grassland degradation in this region is of great concern. Fractional vegetation cover （FVC） is one of the most direct indicators of grassland ecological status. At present， it is still a challenge to build an accurate FVC estimation model for dynamic analysis of a large region over a long period of time. In this study， we used a large ground survey dataset， MODIS remote sensing data， and meteorological data from 2000 to 2020， and applied the random forest model for FVC partition modeling and prediction. The Sen+Mann-Kendall trend analysis method and Hurst index method were used to analyze the spatio-temporal changes in the FVC and its future trends. The main results were as follows： 1） The precision of each partition of the random forest model was better than that of the whole region， which effectively reduced the impact of spatial heterogeneity. 2） In Inner Mongolia， the grassland FVC generally showed a spatial pattern of being high in the east and low in the west， with obvious spatial differences. 3） In the past 21 years， the FVC of grassland in Inner Mongolia showed a fluctuating upward trend overall， the area of increased FVC was larger than the area of decreased FVC， and the magnitude of the extremely significant increase and significant increase was greater than that of the extremely significant decrease and significant decrease. 4） In the future， the grassland FVC in Inner Mongolia will generally improve. The area of FVC growth is larger than the area of FVC decrease， and the area with extremely significant growth and significant growth accounts for a high proportion （25.9%） of the total area. It is predicted that vegetation growth will develop well in the future. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

A comparative study of silage quality characteristics of whole-plant， whole-ear and whole-straw silage of different maize varieties （lines） Ying-zheng LI, Yu-lin CHENG, Lu-lu XU, Wan-song LI, Xu YAN, Xiao-feng LI, Ru-yu HE, Yang ZHOU, Jun-jun ZHENG, Xing-yu WANG, De-long ZHANG, Ming-jun CHENG, Yun-hong XIA, Jian-mei HE, Qi-lin TANG Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2022, 31 (8): 144-156.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2021479 Abstract （328）   HTML （5）    PDF （590KB）（173）       Knowledge map    Save This study investigated the whole-plant， whole-ear and whole-straw silage efficiency and utilization characteristics of different maize lines. Three new strains of dual-purpose grain and fodder maize （MTP-044， MTP-080 and MTP-082； bred by Sichuan Agricultural University Maize Research Institute） and one silage maize strain （Yayu No. 8； Sichuan Yayu Technology Co. Ltd.） were studied. Biological yield and related agronomic characters were measured at the three-fourths milk line grain development stage， and samples ensiled. Under this criterion the time from planting to harvest of the four varieties or lines was 120 to 123 days. The nutritional value and fermentation quality of whole-plant， whole-ear and whole-straw silages were measured after 60 days of fermentation. The growth stage at harvest， the number of green leaves and the ratio of green leaves were the highest in MTP-080. The fresh and dry yields of whole-plant silage and whole-ear silage of MTP-082 were the highest. Whole plant silage of Yayu No.8 had the highest neutral and acid detergent fiber contents， and MTP-082 had the highest crude protein， starch and water soluble carbohydrate contents. The net energy for lactation of MTP-082 was significantly higher than that of Yayu No.8 and MTP-080. In addition， the pH of the whole-plant and whole-ear silages of each variety or line ranged from 3.53-4.07， the ammonia nitrogen/total nitrogen was less than 10%， and the flieg score was above 110 in each variety or line. The overall evaluation of the silage fermentation quality was excellent. The total energy， total digestible nutrients， digestible energy， metabolizable energy， net maintenance energy， net energy for gain and net energy for lactation of whole-ear silage were significantly higher than those of whole-plant silage and whole-straw silage. The relative feeding value of whole-ear silage was 2.05 and 3.37 times that of whole-plant silage and whole-stalk silage， respectively. In general， the dual-purpose grain and forage maize varieties such as MTP-082 exhibited high yield， desirable stay-green characteristics， excellent nutritional value and fermentation quality when used for whole-plant silage， and also provided high-quality raw material for whole-ear silage. The development of whole-ear silage made from dual-purpose grain and fodder silage maize adjusting ensiling measures to local conditions will help the maize planting and breeding industry to save costs and increase efficiency. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics

Select

Relationship between cold resistance of alfalfa， degree of fall-dormancy and snow cover thickness in Northern Xinjiang Jian-tao ZHAO, Ya-fei YUE, Qian-bing ZHANG, Chun-hui MA Acta Prataculturae Sinica    2022, 31 (8): 24-34.   DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2021299 Abstract （327）   HTML （182）    PDF （2177KB）（132）       Knowledge map    Save The climate in the north of Xinjiang Province is cold and extreme snowfall often occurs in winter that contributes to alfalfa cold injury and freezing injury with a decline in alfalfa stand production and consequent reduction in animal production potential. This study explored the variation in cold resistance， overwintering survival rate and hay yield of alfalfa （Medicago sativa） varieties with different fall-dormancy scores and with different snow-cover-thickness treatments in Northern Xinjiang. Alfalfa varieties tested were： AC Caribou （Dormancy score 1）， Concept （Dormancy score 3）， Magnum 551 （Dormancy score 5）， Sardi 7 （Dormancy score 7）， and WL656HQ （Dormancy score 9） and the experiment included snow cover thickness treatments of 0， 10， and 15 cm， achieved using plastic frames and addition or removal of snow to control snow depth on the experiment plots. Data collected included daily soil temperature in the root cap and in the surface layer （1-10 cm）， average water content in the surface layer （0-15 cm）， plant physiological indexes of cold resistance in the root and neck and overwintering survival rate of alfalfa plants. It was found that winter snow helped to maintain the temperature balance of the soil layer around the cap and neck of root of alfalfa， and the overwintering survival rates of alfalfa varieties with high fall dormancy were significantly increased under snow cover （P<0.05）. Compared with no snow covering， malondialdehyde content of alfalfa decreased， while soluble protein， water soluble carbohydrate content and hay yield increased with snow covering. Principal component analysis indicated that under 15 cm snow cover， Magnum 551 with fall-dormancy score 5 had excellent overall score for overwintering survival rate， cold resistance index and hay yield. Hence this variety is recommended as suitable for cultivation in northern Xinjiang. Table and Figures | Reference | Related Articles | Metrics