Table of Content

20 June 2021, Volume 30 Issue 6

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Key factors affecting herder’s income： A Meta-analysis and cumulative Meta-analysis

Shi-qi GUAN, Hong-wei LI, Zeng TANG

2021, 30(6):  1-15.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2020228

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The development of grassland pastoral areas is of great strategic significance for animal husbandry in China. To promote the sustainable development of pastoral areas and increase the income of herders， the Chinese government implemented the Grassland Ecological Compensation Policy in 2011. Based on 3099 samples identified from 16 empirical studies， we conducted a meta-analysis and cumulative meta-analysis to explore factors affecting herdsmen’s income since the implementation of this policy， and analyzed the effects of certain factors over time. The factors significantly increasing herders’ income included education level， amount of household labor， number of livestock， and the leased area of grassland. The main concerns of herders were the grassland area and the number of livestock. Since the implementation of the policy， the effect of the quantity of livestock has increased significantly， while the effects of other factors have decreased. Many variables showed a degree of heterogeneity. The heterogeneity of household labor and grassland area was mainly due to regional factors， the policy implementation time， and the sampling methods.

Remote-sensing estimation of vegetation gross primary productivity and its spatiotemporal changes in Qinghai Province from 2000 to 2019

Xiao-ding LIN, Le CHANG, Dan FENG

2021, 30(6):  16-27.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2020354

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The Qinghai region is the source of the Yangtze， Yellow， and Lancang rivers， and covers an area of 722300 km². Monitoring information on the spatiotemporal variability of local ecosystems is strategically significant for the evolution of sophisticated future ecological management in China. Vegetation gross primary production （GPP） is the key component of the terrestrial ecosystem carbon cycle. A recent study has found that a vegetation index， the near-infrared radiance of vegetation （NIRv）， is a good proxy of GPP. Using MODIS satellite remote sensing data， a soil-adjusted NIRv model， and ground flux observation data for three sites， we estimated the GPP across Qinghai from 2000 to 2019. We also analyzed its spatial and temporal variations and responses to climate change leveraging land cover data and meteorological data. The results indicate that： 1） GPP estimations by the soil-adjusted NIRv model agree well with ground observations （R²=0.91， P<0.001）， and is more suitable than MODIS GPP products for this area. 2） The multi-year averaged GPP across the Qinghai region is 140.5 Tg C·yr^-1， with a significant increasing trend of 1.25 Tg C·yr^-1 （P<0.05）， from 2000 to 2019. 3） The spatial distribution of GPP in Qinghai is characterized by an increase from west to east. Significant difference exists in the interannual variations in GPP， depending on land cover types. 4） Overall， GPP has a higher correlation with temperature than with precipitation， but such correlation also shows substantial spatial variation.

Soil physical and chemical properties under four typical shrubs found on the Northern and Southern Mountains of Lanzhou City， Northwest China

Xiao-e LIU, Shi-ping SU, Yi LI

2021, 30(6):  28-39.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2020349

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This research was conducted on the Northern and Southern Mountains located in Lanzhou City and evaluated soil physical and chemical properties of the 0-80 cm soil layers under four common shrub species to provide a theoretical basis for shrub species selection in the future construction of artificial shrub communities. The four shrub species studied were Caragana rosea， Tamarixchinensis， Reaumuria songarica and Platycladus orientalis cv. sieboldii based on field sampling and laboratory tests. It was found that： 1） The soil bulk density and other physical properties including soil water holding capacity， soil porosity and soil infiltration were markedly better under C. rosea than under the other three shrub species. The soil pH ranged from 7.63 to 8.19. Levels of soil organic matter， total nitrogen and mineral nitrogen under C. rosea were higher than those under the other shrubs studied. Soil phosphorus and potassium showed different patterns for the different shrub species. 2） The bulk density was increased with increase in soil depth over the 0-80 cm soil layers， while the soil water holding capacity， total porosity， capillary porosity and soil penetrability decreased with increase in soil depth. Levels of soil organic matter， total nitrogen， mineral nitrogen， total phosphorus， available phosphorus and available potassium decreased with increase in soil depth in the 0-80 cm soil layers， but there were no significant differences in soil pH and total potassium with soil depth. 3） Correlation analysis of soil physical and chemical properties indicated significant positive correlations between soil organic matter and soil total nitrogen， water holding capacity， total porosity， capillary porosity， but a significant negative correlation with soil bulk density. Soil bulk density was significantly negatively correlated with soil water holding capacity， total porosity and capillary porosity. The results showed that C. rosea is more effective in improving soil physical and chemical properties， increasing soil water holding capacity and soil permeability than the other three species tested. Therefore， it is suggested that C. rosea shrubs should be the main species used in restoration planting to conserve water and soil in this area in the future.

Effect of social capital on herders’ willingness to participate in grassland ecological governance——A case study of the Yellow River catchment area in Gannan autonomous prefecture

Qiang-qiang CHEN, Wen-juan CHEN, Ya-fei MA, Jie-yu YANG, Qing YANG

2021, 30(6):  40-53.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2020236

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The Yellow River catchment in Gannan Autonomous Prefecture is a typical ecologically fragile area， and its ecological security has important strategic significance for the Yellow River Basin and even the whole of China. Active participation and effective supervision are fundamental factors for rangeland ecological protection. In this study， the double-hurdle model and 188 survey datasets derived from herders were used to analyze the effect of social capital on herders’ participation in rangeland ecological governance of the Yellow River catchment in Gannan Autonomous Prefecture. The main findings were that： 1） Herders showed high willingness to participate in rangeland ecological governance， with a ratio of 88.3%. However， due to the ‘free riding’ mentality， there was little motivation to convert this willingness into actual behavior， and the amount that herders were willing to pay for rangeland ecological governance was only 233.25-272.36 CNY·yr^-1·household^-1. 2） The communication between cadres and the masses had a negative effect （P<0.10） on the willingness of herders to participate in rangeland ecological governance. Trust among herders not only positively affected their willingness to participate （average marginal effect of 0.039） but also benefited the formation of uniform collective governance behavior. Informal social standards actively guided herders’ willingness to participate （average marginal effect of 0.069）. In addition， limited by their resource-dependent livelihood， older herders and family decision makers were more willing to participate than were other categories of herders （average marginal effect of 0.036 and 0.084， respectively）. The communication among herdsmen positively affected their willingness to pay. 3） Party membership had significant positive effects on herders’ willingness to participate in， and pay for rangeland ecological governance. Annual family income had a significant positive impact on willingness to pay for， but not on willingness to participate. Finally， some policy recommendations are proposed to enhance herders’ willingness to participate in grassland ecological governance， including the development of a grassland ecological civilization value system， the construction of an information network sharing platform for herders， encouraging pastoral party membership and strengthening its role， and broadening the channels of herders’ livelihood and income.

Effects of biological soil crusts in different developmental stages on soil water permeability and water holding capacity in the Chinese Loess Plateau

Fu-hai SUN, Bo XIAO, Sheng-long LI, Fang-fang WANG

2021, 30(6):  54-63.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2020246

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This study was conducted to understand the effects of biocrusts （biological soil crusts） in different developmental stages on soil water permeability and water holding capacity in dryland ecosystems. We firstly selected areas with different developmental stages of biocrusts （cyanobacteria， mixture of cyanobacteria and moss， and moss）， as well as the adjacent bare soil， in a watershed named Liudaogou in the northern Loess Plateau of China， as study sites. Next， the soil water permeability of the different treatments was measured by the constant pressure head method and water holding capacity by the Welcox method. Lastly， the saturated hydraulic conductivity and water infiltration parameters （including stable infiltration rate， average infiltration rate， and cumulative infiltration amount） were obtained and analyzed to determine the effects of these biocrusts on soil water permeability and water holding capacity. It was found that the saturated hydraulic conductivity of the cyanobacteria， mixture of cyanobacteria and moss， and moss biocrusts was decreased on average by 59.3%， 62.9%， and 27.6%， respectively， in contrast to that of the 0-10 cm soil. Moreover， the water infiltration parameters of the cyanobacteria， mixture of cyanobacteria and moss， and moss biocrusts was decreased on average by 37.7%， 54.4% and 18.4%， respectively， in comparison to the bare soil. Additionally， the biocrust developmental stage greatly influenced the soil water holding capacity. As compared with bare soil， the field capacity of the cyanobacteria， mixed cyanobacteria and moss， and moss biocrusts was increased changed on average by 0.97， 1.10， and 0.70 times， respectively. Correspondingly， the average volumetric water content in a drainage test （0-120 h） was changed by 1.14， 1.40， and 0.74 times， respectively. All the above results indicate that biocrusts greatly reduced surface soil water permeability and increased water holding capacity as compared with the bare soil， regardless of the different developmental stages. The biocrust comprising a mixture of cyanobacteria and moss had greater impacts on soil water conductivity and water holding capacity than the cyanobacteria biocrusts and moss biocrusts， which are possibly caused by the differences in the community structure of non-vascular plants and microbes of the biocrusts. In conclusion， the soil water permeability of biocrusts initially decreases and then increases along their developmental status from cyanobacteria to mosses in dryland ecosystems， but their soil water holding capacity increases initially and later decreases with biocrust developmental stage.

Impact of nitrogen addition on stoichiometric characteristics of herbaceous species in desert steppe

Ying MA, Zhi-hao XU, Qiao-hong ZENG, Jian-long MENG, Ya-hu HU, Jie-qiong SU

2021, 30(6):  64-72.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2020245

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In order to study the nutrient utilization strategies and the changes in carbon （C） assimilation ability and distribution pattern of desert herbaceous plants after increased nitrogen （N） deposition， the changes of root and shoot stoichiometric ratio of different functional plant groups were analyzed under N addition in a typical desert steppe on the southeastern fringe of the Tengger Desert. It was found that the addition of N significantly increased the contents of soil total N， soil ammonium N， and plant N， and promoted the uptake of phosphorus （P） by perennials， especially forbs， but significantly decreased the content of P in roots of annuals. After N addition， the C content of annuals and perennial forbs decreased significantly， while the C content of perennial grasses showed an obvious shoot-root difference， in which the C content of shoot decreased significantly， while that of the roots increased significantly. The C∶N and C∶P ratios in plants of the different functional groups （except for the C∶P in roots of annuals） significantly decreased after the addition of N， and in both cases the tendency was for the root decrease to be greater than that of the shoot. In addition， the N∶P ratio in plants significantly increased after the addition of N. In particular， the changes for annuals with improved fertilization level were more significant. Therefore， in the N-limited desert steppe studied， the improvement of soil N availability resulting from exogenous N input will highlight the restrictive effect of P on plant growth， reduce the C assimilation per unit N of herbaceous plants and enhance the distribution of C to plant roots.

Variety specificity of alfalfa morphological and physiological characteristics in response to drought stress

Zhen-feng ZANG, Jie BAI, Cong LIU, Kan-zhuo ZAN, Ming-xiu LONG, Shu-bin HE

2021, 30(6):  73-81.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2020506

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This research studied the variety specific morphological and physiological traits of leaves and roots of two different alfalfa cultivars， WL363HQ and Magnum Ⅶ， under drought in the greenhouse. Measurements made included plant height，branch number and biomass； leaf and root malondialdehyde （MDA） and proline concentration， antioxidant enzyme activities， C and N contents， C∶N ratio， δ¹³C， and δ¹⁵N. Drought stress significantly reduced the dry weight of the above-ground and root， branch number of the tested varieties （P<0.05）. Drought stress significantly reduced the plant height of Magnum Ⅶ （P<0.05）， but increased the root-to-shoot ratio； while the opposite result was observed for WL363HQ， indicating that plant height and root-to-shoot ratio of the tested varieties were variety specific traits under drought stress. Drought stress increased the concentrations of MDA and proline， and the activity of antioxidant enzymes in leaves and roots of both WL363HQ and Magnum Ⅶ， and again there were variety specific responses at the organ level. The MDA content of the leaf of Magnum Ⅶ increased significantly under drought stress （P<0.05）， while in WL363HQ MDA levels of roots were significantly increased （P<0.05）. Leaf proline content， peroxidase （POD） and superoxide dismutase （SOD） activities， and root SOD activity of WL363HQ were significantly increased under drought stress （P<0.05）， while leaf SOD activity， and root proline content， and root POD activity of Magnum Ⅶ were increased significantly （P<0.05）. Although drought stress had no significant effect on the C and N concentrations of the leaf and root of the tested varieties （P>0.05）， drought stress significantly increased the δ¹³C of roots of WL363HQ and Magnum Ⅶ （P<0.05）， while the δ¹⁵N values of leaves of WL363HQ were significantly higher than those of Magnum Ⅶ （P<0.05）. Also， drought stress significantly increased the C∶N ratio of the leaves and roots of Magnum Ⅶ （P<0.05）. The metabolic parameters for C and N of the tested varieties under drought stress did not show obvious variety specific differences at the leaf and root level， and the underlying mechanism explaining the observed results needs to be further explored. The results will provide a theoretical basis for further understanding of the integrated drought resistance mechanisms of alfalfa leaves and roots， relevant to the breeding of new drought-resistant and high-yielding alfalfa varieties.

Identification of fungal diseases and factors influencing disease index in oat （Avena sativa） crops in the Datong region of Shanxi Province， China

Peng GAO, Jiang-ming WEI, Yao LI, Li-hong ZHANG, Xiang ZHAO, Li-xia DU, Wei HAN

2021, 30(6):  82-93.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2020534

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The Datong region in Shanxi Province is one of the main areas of oat production in China. Fungal diseases of oat leaves have become a major limiting factor reducing yield， but the identities of the pathogens remain unclear. In addition， the infection of early-sown oat crops may provide a source of inoculum that increases the risk of disease occurrence in later-sown crops， so hindering the sustainable production of oats regionally. Thus， there is an urgent need to clarify the main factors affecting the fungal disease intensity （disease index） on early-sown oat crops， in order to assist with development of disease control measures. Morphological characteristics and pathogenicity determinations were used to identify the pathogens causing fungal leaf diseases in early sown oat fields in the Datong region. A relationship between the disease index at harvest and the factors affecting disease index was developed. Three fungal diseases were found in early-sown oats： leaf blight caused by Colletotrichum cereale， leaf streak disease caused by Drechslera avenacea， and stem rust caused by Puccinia graminis f. sp. avenae. The disease index of leaf blight， leaf streak and stem rust under different planting and management patterns varied； the disease index （on a scale of 0-100） ranged from 1.9 to 5.6， 1.0 to 6.2 and 0 to 0.9， respectively， for the three detected fungal pathogens. Correlation analysis showed that sprinkler irrigation is the main factor implicated in serious incidence of leaf streak disease. Mixed species sowings can reduce the disease index of leaf blight in oat crops. In addition， high/low levels of soil available N and K are often associated with increased incidence of leaf blight and stem rust. We recommend that forage growers should use rational application of fertilizer， avoid sprinkler irrigation mode， and follow extension techniques for mixed species sowings in oat production. We strongly recommend the use of low-toxicity， high-efficiency fungicides to control disease in early-sown oat crops to ensure the sustainable development of the commercial cultivation of oat crops in the Datong region.

Identification and pathogenicity of Alternaria leaf blight strains in silage maize in Qinghai Province

He-xing QI, Guang-xin LU, Zong-ren LI, Cheng-ti XU, Ke-jia DE, Xiao-juan ZHOU, Ying-cheng WANG, Gui-hua MA

2021, 30(6):  94-105.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2020448

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Silage maize is the dominant output of the developing maize industry in Qinghai Province. However， the occurrence of Alternaria leaf blight causes serious reductions in the quality and yield of silage maize. To identify the pathogens associated with Alternaria leaf blight in silage maize and analyze their virulence， infected leaves were collected from silage maize planting areas of different altitudes， then 177 isolates were isolated from lesions. For identification of these pathogens， colonial and conidium morphology were observed and rDNA-ITS sequences were amplified and analyzed. For analysis of pathogenicity， one hundred and fifty-five isolates were inoculated onto three silage maize varieties， Jinhuang 828， Tieyan 53 and Zhongdan 2， and a disease index was calculated. It was found that the proportions of Alternariaalternata， A. tenuissima， A. compacta and Alternaria sp. were 28.2%， 17.5%， 15.2% and 21.5%， respectively， and these four species were dominant species among the pathogens. All the 155 isolates were able to infect all three silage maize varieties. For Tieyan 53， the numbers of strongly-pathogenic， moderately-pathogenic and weakly-pathogenic isolates were 68， 56 and 31， respectively. For Jinhuang 828， the corresponding numbers of strongly-， moderately- and weakly-pathogenic isolates were 69， 60 and 26， respectively. While for Zhongdan 2 the corresponding numbers of strongly-， moderately- and weakly-pathogenic isolates were 64， 58 and 33， respectively. This study demonstrates that many species of the Alternaria genus cause Alternaria leaf blight in maize silage， and the pathogens were pathogenically differentiated.

Effects of storage time on fungal and mycotoxin contamination of naked oat seeds

Xiu-mei NIE, Ping MU, Gui-qin ZHAO, Hai-peng HE, Wen-bin WU, Dou-dou LIN, Wei-juan SU, Li-rui ZHANG

2021, 30(6):  106-120.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2020244

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The aim of this study was to determine the effect of storage time on fungal and mycotoxin contamination of naked oat seeds. Three naked oat varieties were stored in the same environment， and were tested at 1， 2， 3， and 5 years of storage to determine which fungi and mycotoxins were present. The results showed that the amount of fungi generally decreased as the storage period extended. The amount of spores ranged from 0.60 to 8.40 cfu per grain and the fungal infection rate ranged from 2.75% to 28.50%. The species of fungi and isolation rates of the same species varied significantly with storage time， and also differed among the oat varieties. A total of 33 species of fungi in 17 genera were detected from oat seeds. The dominant genera were Aspergillus， Penicillium， and Alternaria， and the dominant species varied with storage time and among the naked oat varieties. The mycotoxin content first increased and then decreased as the storage period extended. Among the three mycotoxins detected， tenuazonic acid showed the highest concentrations （range， 16.88-348.67 μg·kg^-1） and citrinin showed the lowest concentrations （0.01-1.04 μg·kg^-1）. In conclusion， the duration of storage significantly affected the amount of fungi and mycotoxins in naked oats.

Bibliometric analysis of research on endophytic fungi in grasses and non-grasses based on the CNKI database

Shu-qin LI, Zhen-jiang CHEN, Tai-xiang CHEN, Xiu-zhang LI, Biao-biao MU, Chun-jie LI

2021, 30(6):  121-132.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2020227

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The aim of this study was to clarify the research status and hotspots for endophytic fungi in China， based on relevant literature published between 1999 and 2019 and listed in the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure （CNKI） database. Literature related to endophytic fungi in grasses and non-grasses was manually selected from the search results， and a bibliometric analysis was carried out. A total of 5333 articles related to endophytic fungi were found， of which 377 were related to the endophytic fungus Epichlo? found in grasses. Analyses of publication frequency showed that the number of articles related to non-grass endophytic fungi has increased linearly with a rapid rate of increase， while the number of articles related to grass endophytic fungi has increased slowly， suggesting that there is great potential for research and development in that area. Research papers on endophytic fungi in grasses and non-grasses account for a large proportion of publications in the areas of biology， crops， and other disciplines. The main journal publishing papers on grass endophytic fungi is “Pratacultural Science”， and the main research institutions engaged in research on grass endophytic fungi are Lanzhou University， Nankai University， and Nanjing Agricultural University. The main journals publishing papers on non-grass endophytic fungi are “Natural Product Research and Development” and “Journal of Anhui Agricultural Sciences”， and the main research institutions engaged in research on that topic are the Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University， Yunnan University， and Hainan University. The National Natural Science Foundation of China is the main source of financial support for research of endophytic fungi， and plays an important role in furthering research and development in this area. Among the published papers found using ‘endophytic fungi’ as key words， ‘Advances of researches on endophytic fungi’ published in Mycosystema in 2001 had the most citations （819）. Among the topics related to grass endophytic fungi， ‘Roles of grass endophyte-netyphodium association in pastoral agriculture systems’ was the most frequently cited （172）. Analyses of high-frequency keywords related to endophytic fungi in grasses revealed that the current research hotspots are the physiological and biochemical mechanism of resistance of endophytic fungi to hosts-defenses， and the secondary metabolites produced by symbionts. This bibliometric analysis indicates that there is an increasing trend to study endophytic fungi in grasses and other plants. Areas for further research are the functional mining of endophytic fungi and host-endophyte interaction mechanisms. Understanding the mechanism of stress resistance will be useful for developing strategies to extend the utilization of endophytic fungi.

Effects of feeding co-fermented whole plant rice and spent mushroom （Pleurotus ostreatus） substrate on slaughter performance， meat quality and organ size indexes of Liuyang black goats

Li-qin HUANG, Song-qiao LI, Zhen-zhong YUAN, Jing TANG, Jing-cai YAN, Qi-yuan TANG

2021, 30(6):  133-140.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2020507

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The objective of this study was to investigate the slaughter performance， meat quality and organ size indices of Liuyang black goats fed co-fermented whole plant rice and spent mushroom （Pleurotus ostreatus） substrate （SMS）. Eighteen healthy Liuyang black goats were first allocated to 9 pairs of the same sex and similar body weight （15.53±2.22） kg， and then randomly divided into two treatment groups， Trial and Control. Finally the two treatment groups were each subdivided into 3 replicates of 3 goats， with 2 females and 1 male in each replicate treatment group. The Trial group were fed 65% refined feed+35% whole plant rice co-fermented with SMS， while the Control group were fed 65% refined feed+35% whole plant maize silage. Following 10 days for diet adaptation， the trial itself lasted 60 d. Results revealed that water loss rate， muscle fiber area and spleen index in the Trial group were， respectively， 18.27%， 11.24% and 27.78% lower （P<0.05） than those in the Control group， whereas pH_24h， cooked meat rate and muscle fiber density in the Trial group were， respectively， 10.53%， 5.29% and 9.28% higher （P<0.05） than those in the Control group. Other indicators， including slaughter weight， carcass weight， dressing percentage， loin muscle area， GR value， pH_45min， lightness， redness， yellowness， shear force， muscle fiber diameter， and heart， liver， lung and kidney weight indices did not differ statistically between the Trial and Control groups. The reason for the decrease in spleen index remains to be explored. In conclusion， feeding co-fermented whole plant rice and SMS had no adverse effect on the slaughter performance of Liuyang black goats and the meat quality was improved， compared with the treatment group fed whole-plant corn silage.

Plasma biochemical indexes and metabolomics profile changes of dairy cows with subacute ruminal acidosis

Wang-pan QI, Ying-yu MU, Tao ZHANG, Ji-you ZHANG, Sheng-yong MAO

2021, 30(6):  141-150.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2020323

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This research explored the relationship between subacute ruminal acidosis （SARA） and blood metabolic changes in dairy cows. Eight ruminally cannulated Holstein cows in mid-lactation were randomly assigned to either a low-concentrate （40%） diet （CON） or a high-concentrate （60%） diet （SARA） for 3 weeks. On the last day of each week of the experimental period， ruminal pH was measured at 0， 2， 4， 6， 8 and 12 h after morning feeding， and blood samples for metabolomics analysis and determination of the biochemical indexes were obtained from the jugular vein at 6 h after morning feeding. It was found that， compared with the control group， ruminal pH was significantly reduced in the SARA group （P=0.002）. No difference was observed in dry matter intake （DMI） between the two groups （P=0.524）. The results for plasma biochemical indexes showed that cows fed the SARA diet had a lower plasma concentration of β-hydroxybutyrate （P=0.007）， and a higher concentration of triglycerides （P=0.014）. Plasma metabolomics profile was performed using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry （LC/MS）. Both principal component analysis （PCA） and partial least squares discriminant analysis （PLS-DA） showed a clear separation between the CON and SARA groups. By multivariate analysis， 26 differential plasma metabolites were identified ［variable importance in the projection （VIP） >1 and false discovery rate （FDR）<0.05］. Compared with the CON group， in the SARA group， 7-ketodeoxycholic acid， deoxycholic acid， cholic acid， 12-ketodeoxycholic acid， 12（13）Ep-9-KODE， 12，13-DHOME and L-asparagine metabolites were significantly increased （FDR<0.05）， while undecanedioic acid， hexadecanedioic acid， 9-HODE， thromboxane B3， PGE2， L-arginine， L-tryptophan， L-threonine， isobutyrylglycine， isovalerylglycine， hippuric acid， 4-hydroxyhippuric acid and 6-phospho-2-dehydro-D-gluconate were significantly reduced （FDR<0.05）. Overall， compared with the CON group， SARA affected the lipid metabolism， amino acid metabolism and glucose metabolism of dairy cows. The identified differential metabolites may serve as potential biomarkers for SARA.

Effects of different concentration∶roughage ratios on growth performance， serum biochemical indices and ruminal fermentation of Nubian goats

Jun-hong HUO, Kang ZHAN, Qiu-sheng HUANG, Xiao-jun ZHONG, Jin-shun ZHAN, Xue-bing YAN

2021, 30(6):  151-161.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2020248

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This research evaluated the effects of total mixed rations with different concentration∶roughage ratios on growth performance， serum biochemical indices and ruminal fermentation of Nubian goats. The work was carried out with identical same ratios of protein∶energy and calcium∶phosphorus across treatments. Thirty-six healthy Nubian goats with similar body weight were chosen and divided into three groups with 12 goats per group. Goats in the three groups were fed total mixed rations with concentration∶roughage ratios of 40∶60 （L）， 50∶50 （M） and 60∶40 （H）， for an experimental period of 70 days. It was found that： 1） On day 14 of the formal experiment， the average daily feed intake of goats in group L was significantly higher （P<0.05） than that in the other two groups. On day 35 of the formal experiment， the average daily feed intake of goats in group L was significantly higher （P<0.05） than that in group H， but the ratio of feed to gain was lower. On day 56 of the formal experiment， the average daily gain of goats in group L was significantly higher （P<0.05） than that in other two groups， but the ratio of feed to gain was lower. 2） On day 14 of the formal experiment， levels of albumin and urea nitrogen in group L were significantly higher （P<0.05） than those in group H. On day 56 of the formal experiment， the levels of albumin and urea nitrogen in group L and the contents of triglyceride in group M were significantly higher （P<0.05） than those in group H. 3） The concentrations of serum leptin and triiodothyronine in group M were significantly lower （P<0.05） than those in groups H and L， respectively， on day 14 of the formal experiment. The concentrations of serum leptin and insulin in group L were significantly higher （P<0.05） than those in the other two groups on day 35 of the formal experiment. The concentration of growth hormone in group L was significantly higher （P<0.05） than that in group H on day 56 of the formal experiment. 4） The hind leg weight and dressing percentage of goats in group M were significantly higher （P<0.05） than in group L. 5） The concentrations of acetic acid， propionic acid， butyric acid， pentanoic acid and total volatile fatty acids and the ratio of acetic acid to propionic acid in group L were significantly lower （P<0.05） than those in other two groups， and pH values were significantly higher （P<0.05）. 6） The counts of Ruminococcus flavefaciens， Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens， Ruminococcus albus and Fibrobacter succinogenes of goats in group L were significantly higher （P<0.05） than those in group H， and the counts of Lactobacillus spp. and Ruminobacter amylophilus were lower （P<0.05）. The occurrence of Prevotella ruminicola in goats in group M was significantly higher （P<0.05） than that in the other two groups. In conclusion， the concentration∶roughage ratio of 40∶60 optimised the productive performance of Nubian goats fed total mixed rations under the conditions in this experiment.

Comparative study of grazing behavior， serum biochemical indexes， and rumen fermentation parameters of yaks and cattle in the cold seaso

Chen LI, Ali Ahmad ANUM, Jian-bo ZHANG, Ze-yi LIANG, Xue-zhi DING, Ping YAN

2021, 30(6):  162-169.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2020225

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The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of cold season nutritional stress on serum biochemical indexes， rumen fermentation parameters， and grazing behavior of grazing yaks and cattle. The MOOnitor system was used to observe the grazing behavior of yaks and cattle in the cold season （November， January， and March）. At the end of the test period （March）， forage samples， rumen fluid， and blood samples were collected to analyze the nutrient composition of forage， serum biochemical indexes and rumen fermentation parameters. The results showed that： 1） The contents of serum glucose （GLU）， growth hormone （GH）， insulin-like growth factor 1 （IGF-1）， and insulin （INS） were significantly higher in yaks than in cattle （P<0.05）； 2） The contents of ammonia nitrogen， acetate， valerate， total volatile fatty acids， and acetate/propionate in rumen fluid were significantly higher in yaks than in cattle （P<0.05）； 3） Nutrition in the cold season was severely deficient. Compared with cattle， yaks had significantly shorter grazing time and rumination time （P<0.05）， and a significantly longer walking time （P<0.05）. For yaks， the range of grazing was gradually dispersed， and the spatial distribution gradually shifted from canyon flat land to hillside. Therefore， under the nutritional stress of natural grazing in the cold season， compared with cattle， yaks have a stronger capacity to metabolize nutrients and produce volatile fatty acids as an energy source. Thus， the energy efficiency of yaks is better than that of cattle， and this allows them to effectively cope with cold season nutritional deficiencies by increasing grazing behaviors such as walking and grazing.

Effect of N-carbamylglutamate supplementation during early pregnancy on early embryonic survival and blood indexes in ewes

Yuan CAI, Yu-zhu LUO, Rong-xin ZANG, Chun-yang LI, Ying-pai ZHAXI

2021, 30(6):  170-179.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2020107

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This study aimed to investigate the effect of N-carbamylglutamate （NCG） supplementation on early embryonic survival and blood indexes in ewes， and to explore its mechanism. Fifty ewes with normal estrus and good health were randomly divided into two groups （Control group and NCG group）， with 25 ewes per group. From the day of mating， the ewes in the Control group were fed on a basic diet and those in the NCG group were fed on a diet containing 0.11% NCG for 38 days. The plasma amino acids， total nitric oxide synthase （TNOS）， endothelial nitric oxide synthetase （eNOS）， inducible nitric oxide synthase （iNOS）， nitric oxide （NO）， estradiol， and progesterone concentrations were measured on days 19 and 38 of gestation. Seven ewes in each group were killed on day 38 of gestation to obtain uterine samples， and the corpora lutea， total fetus， and other indexes were measured and recorded. On day 38 of gestation， compared with the Control group， the NCG group showed higher values for the total number of fetuses （79.72% increase； P<0.05） and live fetuses （79.72% increase； P<0.05）， fetus formation index （0.26 increase； P<0.05）， fetal water volume （72.89% increase； P<0.05）， and total live fetal weight （71.13% increase； P<0.05）. On day 19 of gestation， the concentrations of glycine， methionine， lysine， arginine， NO， iNOS， eNOS， and progesterone in plasma were significantly higher in the NCG group than in the Control group （P<0.05）， and the contents of citrulline and proline in plasma were very significantly higher in the NCG group than in the Control group （P<0.01）. On day 38 of gestation， the concentrations of arginine， proline， and NO in plasma were significantly higher in the NCG group than in the Control group （P<0.05）， and the concentrations of iNOS and eNOS in plasma were very significantly higher in the NCG group than in the Control group （P<0.01）. The results show that NCG supplementation in the early stage of pregnancy can enhance embryonic and fetal survival， increase the number of total and live fetuses on day 38 of gestation， and improve the reproductive performance of ewes. The potential mechanism is that supplemented NCG promotes endogenous arginine synthesis in ewes and increases the plasma concentrations of arginine， NO， and progesterone. This improves the intrauterine environment and nutrient supply， which are beneficial for embryo implantation and the maintenance of pregnancy in ewes.

Effects of feeding fermented cauliflower residue on growth performance， serum biochemical indices， intestinal tissue morphology and economic returns of nursery pigs

Jing-ting LAN, Rui REN, Rui ZHOU, Hong-wei DAI, Wen-xiu SHU, Kai ZHU, Lue-yu WANG, Hong-wei XU, Rong-xin ZANG

2021, 30(6):  180-189.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2020318

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This study was conducted to investigate the effects of feeding fermented cauliflower residue on growth performance， serum biochemical indices， intestinal tissue morphology and economic returns of nursery pigs. A total of 42 nursery pigs aged 40 days with similar body weight （11.40±1.36） kg and good body condition were randomly allocated to two treatment groups （Control， 20% fermented cauliflower， FC）， with three replicates per treatment group and seven pigs per replicate. The experiment duration was 30 d， including 8 d pre-test and 22 d of testing. Pigs in the Control treatment group were fed a basal diet and pigs in the experimental group were fed the basal diet （80%） and fermented cauliflower residue （20%）. It was found that， compared with the Control treatment group： 1） The average daily feed intake and average daily gain in the FC group were significantly increased by 16.50% and 18.68% （P<0.05）， respectively， while the occurrence of diarrhea was reduced by 74.35% （P<0.05）. 2） The pH of chyme in duodenum， jejunum， cecum， colon and rectum of cultured pigs in experimental group was significantly decreased by 19.16%， 11.59%， 14.09%， 15.95% and 11.23%， respectively （P<0.05）. 3） The serum urea， globulin and immunoglobulin-M in the experimental group were increased （P<0.05） by 69.84%， 5.22% and 100%， respectively， while serum total cholesterol and alanine aminotransferase in the experimental group were significantly reduced （P<0.05） by 29.43% and 60.51%， respectively. 4） The villus height/crypt depth for the jejunum and villus height in the ileum in the experimental group were increased （P<0.05） by 13.64% and 11.49% respectively， while the crypt depth of the jejunum in the experimental group was decreased （P<0.05） by 9.56%. 5） The body weight gain and gross profit per pig in the experimental group were increased （P<0.05） by 30.84% and 44.48%， respectively， while the feed cost in the experimental group was decreased （P<0.05） by 21.58%. In conclusion， feeding of fermented cauliflower residue decreased the occurrence of diarrhea in nursery pigs， improved growth performance， enhanced immune function， promoted intestinal development， and improved the economic returns of nursery pigs.

Pastoral regions should take the lead in realizing rural revitalization

Xin-yi LI, Xiao-li ZHOU, Xiao-fei YIN, Ping LI

2021, 30(6):  190-198.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2020231

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In this paper， we review and summarize the concepts and connotations of rural revitalization， and explore its relationship with the inhabitants of grassland and pastoral regions. Rural revitalization in pastoral regions contributes to alleviating poverty， ensuring harmony and stability， safeguarding national unity， enhancing ecological barriers， and reducing pressure in rural areas. Favorable conditions for implementing a rural revitalization strategy in pastoral areas， such as rich natural resources， a profound grassland culture， diversified material inheritance， beautiful natural landscape， and high development potential were identified and analyzed. The following measures are proposed to promote the inhabitants of pastoral areas to take the lead in rural revitalization： Extension of the industry chain of green livestock products； Building the value chain to increase the prosperity of the industry； Improvement of the human carrying capacity in grassland through grassland improvement； Development of a variety of industries to absorb surplus farmers and herders to achieve ecological livability； Strengthening of education in pastoral areas； Maintaining and improving infrastructure in grassland areas； And cultivating a good atmosphere for farmers and herders. It is important to improve the laws and regulations and compliance with such laws， while still respecting the autonomy of farmers and herders to achieve effective governance. Policies to support and guide the development of cultural tourism， and to increase the flower， food， and medicinal material industries in pastoral areas will allow their inhabitants to have prosperous lives.

Design of a snow disaster weather——index insurance for alpine pastoral areas： A case study in Gannan

Fu-ning LI, Chang-sheng QIN, Xue ZHOU, Zeng TANG

2021, 30(6):  199-204.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2020237

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As an innovative insurance product， weather-index insurance is widely accepted and used in the field of natural disaster risk prevention. Here， we propose a claim scheme for snow disaster weather-index insurance in the Gannan Pastoral Area， based on estimates of livestock mortality under different levels of snow disaster obtained from historical records. According to the mortality rate of livestock and the frequency of snow disasters， the pure premium rates of snow disaster weather-index insurance were determined to be 1.95% for cattle and 3.00% for sheep. The overall aim of this research is to offer a new approach for transferring snow disaster risk in pastoral areas in Gannan and to provide a theoretical reference for local government to optimize insurance in pastoral regions.

Response of agronomic characters and active components of Lilium concolor to potassium

Yun-xia WANG, Ping ZHANG, Bei-lei GE, Rong YA, Ying YANG, Lei JIN

2021, 30(6):  205-213.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2020232

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The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between potassium at various concentrations and the growth and active compound content of Lilium concolor. Plants were irrigated with Hoagland’s nutrient solution containing potassium at different concentrations （K₀， K₁， K₂， K₃， K₄）， and then plant height， stem diameter， leaf number， and chlorophyll content were determined. In addition， the contents of active compounds （polysaccharides， total phenols， flavonoids， saponins） and potassium in bulbs were determined by spectrophotometric and flame photometric methods. The main findings were as follows： 1） The agronomic traits of L. concolor differed significantly among the different potassium treatments （P<0.05）. The highest values for plant height and chlorophyll content in the leaves were in the K₄ treatment （895.2 mg·L^-1） and the highest values for horizontal stem diameter and bulb circumference diameter were in the K₃ treatment （671.4 mg·L^-1）. 2） Compared with the K₀ treatment， the other four treatments significantly affected the active compound contents in the bulbs （P<0.05）. In the K₄ treatment， the contents of polysaccharides， total phenols， total flavones， and saponins were 2.87-times， 4.33-times， 5.79-times， and 1.57-times their respective values in the K₀ treatment. 3） The potassium contents in bulbs in different treatments ranged from 0.29% to 1.31%， and the potassium content in bulbs in the K₂ treatment was 22.90% higher than that in bulbs in the K₀ treatment； 4） A correlation analysis showed that the contents of the four active compounds were positively correlated with the potassium concentration. There was a significant positive correlation （correlation coefficient=0.83） between bulb circumference and potassium concentration in the half-dry period. These results provide a theoretical basis for the cultivation of high-quality L. concolor.

A micropropagation system for Miscanthus×giganteus based on axillary buds and evaluation of its salt tolerance

Ye WANG, Hui-ping CHEN, Run-zhi LI, Zhen PENG, Xi-feng FAN, Ju-ying WU, Liu-sheng DUAN

2021, 30(6):  214-220.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2020229

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The aim of this study was to develop a micropropagation system for Miscanthus×giganteus and to evaluate its salt tolerance. We used nodal segments as explants and determined the optimum developmental stage to collect explants， the best culture medium for axillary bud induction， and the conditions for differentiation of callus and roots. Then， we established a regeneration system via tissue culture. The tissue culture system was based on the axillary shoot growth pathway. The best results were obtained by collecting nodal segments about 15 mm in length from plants at the 5-6 leaf stage， and sterilizing them by surface-spraying with 75% ethanol followed by immersion in 1.0% sodium hypochlorite for 20 min. Under these conditions， the pollution rate was zero and the adventitious bud induction rate was 85.2%. The most suitable medium for induction and subculturing of callus was Murashige and Skoog （MS） medium containing 5.0 mg?L^-1 6-benzylaminopurine and 0.25 mg?L^-1 1-naphthaleneacetic acid； the multiplication rate on this medium was 320.3%. For rooting and growth of cluster buds， the most suitable medium was MS medium containing 5.0 g?L^-1 activated carbon. The salt tolerance of Miscanthus×giganteus plantlets was evaluated under hydroponic culture conditions. Increasing concentrations of NaCl in the hydroponic culture medium led to decreased growth rate of the plantlets. The plantlets were able to survive normally in medium containing 0.8% NaCl in the hydroponic system， indicative of high salt tolerance. These results provide a theoretical and technical basis for the rapid propagation of Miscanthus×giganteus that can be further developed for genetic transformation and the production of Miscanthus×giganteus lines for cultivation in salinized areas.