Table of Content

20 November 2025, Volume 34 Issue 11

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Spatial effects of producer services on livestock eco-efficiency： an example from Xinjiang

Yi LYU, Yong XIA, Xian-dong LI, Fu-hong WANG, Lan-lan ZHAO, Ning DING

2025, 34(11):  1-16.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024494

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Enhancing the ecological efficiency of the livestock industry in the context of achieving “dual carbon” goals is an essential prerequisite for promoting sustainable development in this sector and is very important for the modernization of livestock farming. This study employs the Super-SBM model to measure the ecological efficiency of the livestock industry in 37 pastoral and agro-pastoral counties in Xinjiang from 2006 to 2020. Utilizing kernel density estimation and ArcGIS software， we analyze the spatiotemporal industry evolution pattern， and subsequently establish a spatial Durbin model to explore the spatial effects of producer services in the livestock industry on its ecological efficiency. The data analysis reveals that during the study period， the ecological efficiency of the livestock industry in Xinjiang exhibited a fluctuating upward trend， ranging between 0.50 and 0.65. Notably， the ecological efficiency was higher in southern Xinjiang compared to northern Xinjiang， and in purely pastoral counties compared to agro-pastoral counties. Specifically， the ecological efficiency of the livestock industry in Xinjiang demonstrates regional disparities and spatial agglomeration， with the ranking being： southern Xinjiang pastoral counties>southern Xinjiang agro-pastoral counties>overall average in Xinjiang>northern Xinjiang pastoral counties>northern Xinjiang agro-pastoral counties， reflecting a spatial pattern of “higher in the south and lower in the north”. The empirical results indicate that producer services can significantly enhance the ecological efficiency of the livestock industry and exert a positive spatial spillover effect. Therefore， based on this study we recommend improving the construction of producer service systems to elevate the level of producer services in the livestock industry. Additionally， strengthening inter-regional collaboration and communication is essential to leverage the driving role of producer services in enhancing the ecological efficiency of the livestock industry across regions， thereby achieving sustainable development in this sector.

Effects of the duration of grazing exclusion on plant communities in alpine grassland

Cong HE, Yong-cai MA, Hong-biao ZI

2025, 34(11):  17-30.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024523

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Large herbivores strongly influence plant communities and ecosystem processes in a variety of habitats. In this study， fencing was used to simulate the loss of large herbivores， and the “space-for-time substitutions” method was adopted to study the structure， aboveground net primary productivity， diversity and productivity-diversity relationships of alpine grassland plant communities after exclusion of grazers for different durations （0， 3， 5， 8， 10 years） in Haibei， Qinghai. The results show that： 1） Grazing exclusion significantly changed the plant community structure of alpine grassland. With longer periods of grazing exclusion， the proportion of grasses in the community gradually increased， while the proportions of other functional groups （legumes， sedges， and forbs） gradually decreased， and internal heterogeneity within the communities gradually increased. 2） The aboveground net primary productivity of the plant communities initially decreased and then increased as the duration of grazing exclusion extended， while litter mass showed the opposite trend. Grazing exclusion generally reduced species diversity， functional diversity， and phylogenetic diversity. 3） There was a significant negative correlation between aboveground net primary productivity and Pielou’s evenness index， Simpson’s dominance index， Rao’s quadratic entropy index， and mean nearest taxon distance， but no significant correlations with other diversity indices. These results indicate that the loss of large herbivores will significantly impact grassland ecosystems， particularly those in good health. Therefore， grazing exclusion should be carefully formulated based on the actual situation of grasslands.

Regulatory mechanisms of biomass allocation governed by functional traits of dominant plants in desert steppe under precipitation changes

Rong MA, Jun-yao LI, Ping YUE, Xu-jun MA, Zhen BAI, Ling ZHUANG, Jing BAI, Xue-yong ZHAO, Shao-kun WANG

2025, 34(11):  31-39.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024489

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Plant functional traits are key characteristics determining plant growth and survival. The pattern of biomass allocation in plants is crucial for their ecological adaptability to varying environmental conditions. This study investigated the effects of precipitation changes on the functional traits and biomass allocation of Stipa caucasica and Allium polyrhizum， two dominant plant species in the Urat Desert steppe， through controlled simulation experiments. Root functional traits （specific root length， root tissue density， and specific root area）， leaf functional traits （specific leaf area， leaf dry matter content， and leaf tissue density）， aboveground biomass， belowground biomass， and root∶shoot ratio were systematically measured under three precipitation treatments （50% decrease in precipitation， natural precipitation， and 50% increase in precipitation）. The results showed that： 1） The specific leaf area of A. polyrhizum increased significantly under reduced precipitation， whereas the root and leaf functional traits of S. caucasica showed no significant response to precipitation changes. 2） Under a 50% reduction in precipitation， the aboveground biomass of A. polyrhizum decreased significantly， while its belowground biomass showed no significant change. However， the root∶shoot ratio was significantly higher than that under natural precipitation. In contrast， under a 50% increase in precipitation， both the aboveground and belowground biomass of A. polyrhizum remained unchanged. For S. caucasica， no significant changes in aboveground biomass， belowground biomass， or root∶shoot ratio were observed under the three tested precipitation regimess. 3） Precipitation changes indirectly affected the biomass allocationof S. caucasica by modifying soil electrical conductivity， while they influenced the biomass allocation of A. polyrhizum through the modulation of specific leaf area. The findings provide theoretical insights into the mechanisms of biomass allocation regulation in typical desert steppe plants under reduced， normal or increased precipitation conditions.

Effects of typical surface cover types on the soil erodibility of terrace risers in the hilly regions of southwestern China

Sheng-hui ZHANG, Ping-zong ZHU, Fu-lin LUO, Ding-bin WANG, Xiao-yan CHEN

2025, 34(11):  40-52.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024514

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In the hilly and mountainous areas of southwest China， newly constructed terraced field embankments are highly susceptible to rainfall erosion， which can lead to the formation of eroded gullies and severe soil and water losses. In this study， we investigated the effect of different surface cover types on the soil erodibility of embankments. The study was conducted in a newly developed high-standard farmland area in Shizhu County， Chongqing， and soils from terraced embankments with herbaceous vegetation cover， biological crust cover， and bare land cover （control） were analyzed. The results demonstrated that， compared with soil from bare land embankments， soils from embankments with herbaceous vegetation cover and biocrust cover showed significantly increased saturated hydraulic conductivity， mean weight diameter of aggregates， average number of droplets， and soil cohesion， and significantly lower soil erodibility （K-factor）， disintegration rate， maximum disintegration rate， and comprehensive soil erodibility index （CSEI）. The CSEI of soils from embankments with herbaceous vegetation cover and biological crust cover was 57.7% and 35.6% lower， respectively， than the CSEI of soil from bare land embankments. The changes in the CSEI of soils from different types of embankments were monitored from mid-summer （July） to early winter （November）. The CSEI of soils changed over time， and the pattern of change differed among the three types of embankments. The CSEI of soils from embankments with bare land cover and with herbaceous vegetation cover exhibited a gradually decreasing trend over time. The CSEI of soil from bare land embankments decreased from 0.82 to 0.60， and the CSEI of soil from embankments with herbaceous vegetation cover decreased from 0.45 to 0.14. In contrast， the CSEI of soil from embankments with biological crust cover first decreased （from 0.45 in July to 0.24 in August） and then increased （to 0.58 in November）. Path analysis indicated that the changes in the CSEI of soil in embankments with herbaceous vegetation cover were mainly driven by soil structural changes due to vegetation growth； the changes in the CSEI of soil in embankments with biological crust cover were closely related to the consolidation effect of the biological crust； and the changes in the CSEI of the soil in bare land embankments were primarily influenced by changes in organic matter content. The results of this study reveal the mechanisms by which different cover types affect the erodibility of soils in terraced embankments， providing scientific technical data and practical guidance for improving the stability of these structures.

Effects of Burkholderia sp. SX9 inoculants on Trifolium repens growth and soil improvement

Chun-yan LI, Qian-jin WANG, Xin-he ZHOU, Wen-jing CAO, Meng-li ZHAO, Fang-bo YU

2025, 34(11):  53-65.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024497

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The development and application of microbial inoculants is of high importance to addressing the decline in cultivated land quality in China and implementation of biological remediation technologies. This study investigated the plant growth-promoting traits of Burkholderia sp. strain SX9 and evaluated its effects on white clover （Trifolium repens） growth， rhizosphere soil physicochemical properties， and microbial communities in pot experiments. Treatments included varying concentrations of bacterial inoculants （original solution， 500-fold dilution and 1000-fold dilution； T₁-T₃，_{respectively）， culture solutions （original solution， 500-fold dilution and 1000-fold dilution， T4-T6， respectively）， and purified water （CK）. It was found that Burkholderia sp. strain SX9 exhibited multiple growth-promoting characteristics， including cellulase， protease and ammonia production. Compared with CK and T4， T1 （original inoculant） significantly increased soluble sugar content in white clover by 60.6% and 31.3%， soluble protein content by 43.3% and 15.5%， and root length by 20.3% and 5.48%， respectively. White clover cultivation improved the pH of rhizosphere soil. T1 enhanced electrical conductivity， with available phosphorus and potassium increasing by 27.2% and 9.27% compared to T4. Additionally， T1 and T2 accelerated organic matter decomposition； T1 organic matter content decreased by 5.23% relative to T4， and T2 by 2.07% relative to T5. Alpha diversity analysis revealed that T1 significantly reduced fungal and bacterial richness， diversity， and evenness in rhizosphere soil. High-throughput sequencing indicated that T1 decreased the relative abundance of Ascomycota， Penicillium， and Aspergillus while increasing Humicola and unclassified fungi. For bacteria， T1 reduced Actinobacteriota， Acidobacteriota， Unnamed genus 67-14， and Acidothermus， but elevated Proteobacteria， Burkholderia-Caballeronia-Paraburkholderia， and unclassified bacteria. Correlation analysis revealed that pH positively correlated with Acidobacteriota but negatively with Basidiomycota. Available phosphorus and potassium showed positive associations with Basidiomycota， Actinobacteriota， and Gemmatimonadota， but negative correlations with Ascomycota， Glomeromycota， and Chloroflexi. Organic matter content was negatively correlated with Proteobacteria and Gemmatimonadota. The research results show that Burkholderia sp. SX9 enhances white clover growth， improves soil fertility， and dynamically reshapes rhizosphere microbial communities. These findings provide scientific data to inform further research and underpin development of soil improvement strategies.}

Effects of rhizobial strains with different symbiotic effects on the photosynthetic characteristics and respiratory metabolism of alfalfa

Wen-lu HOU, Wen-juan KANG, Bao-fu LU, Yi-lin HAN, Jian GUAN, Jing-jing WANG

2025, 34(11):  66-80.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024505

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In order to explore the effects of nodulation and nitrogen fixation on the photosynthetic characteristics， respiratory metabolism， and plant biomass accumulation of alfalfa （Medicago sativa） plants in alfalfa-rhizobium symbiotic system， two Sinorhizobium meliloti strains， LL2 and QL5， were used to infect the M. sativa cultivar‘Gannong No. 9’， and the differences in nodulation and nitrogen-fixation ability， the phenotype， photosynthetic characteristics， and respiratory metabolism of alfalfa plants after inoculation with LL2 and QL5 were compared. The results showed that： 1） Compared with plants inoculated with S. meliloti QL5， those inoculated with S. meliloti LL2 formed significantly more effective nodules per plant （7）， and the nodules showed significantly higher nitrogenase activity （0.29 μmol·g^-1·h^-1） and leghemoglobin content （0.76 mg·g^-1）. The aboveground dry weight， plant height， and leaf area of alfalfa plants were greater in those inoculated with S. meliloti LL2 than in those inoculated with QL5， indicating that S. meliloti LL2 was a well-matched strain for M. sativa ‘Gannong No. 9’ and S. meliloti QL5 was a poorly matched strain. 2） The values of gas exchange and the contents of chlorophyll and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and photosynthetic products were significantly higher in plants inoculated with the high-efficiency strain LL2 than in those inoculated with the low-efficiency strain QL5. 3） The adenosine triphosphate （ATP） content and the activities of ATP synthase， hexokinase， isocitrate dehydrogenase， 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase， and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase were significantly higher， and the respiration rate was significantly lower， in plants inoculated with strain LL2 than in those inoculated with strain QL5. 4） There was a significant positive correlation between aboveground dry weight and transpiration rate （correlation coefficient， 0.72）， starch content （0.83）， and ATP synthase activity （0.72） （P<0.05）； and a negative correlation between the aboveground dry weight and respiration rate （0.66）. The nodule nitrogen-fixation ability was extremelly significantly positively correlated with net photosynthetic rate （0.83） and soluble sugar content （0.79） （P<0.01）； significantly positively correlated with chlorophyll （a+b） content （0.76） and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity （0.85） （P<0.05）； and negatively correlated with the respiratory rate. 5） The dry weight per unit light time was significantly higher in plants inoculated with the highly efficient rhizobium strain LL2 （0.06 g·h^-1） than in plants inoculated with QL5 （0.03 g·h^-1）. In summary， the well-matched， efficient rhizobial strain promoted nodulation and nitrogen fixation， providing a nitrogen source for enhanced photosynthesis capacity and respiration. This increases the production of photosynthetic products， reduces the respiration rate， and promotes plant metabolism， leading to increased biomass accumulation.

Characteristics of mycotoxin contamination in silage alfalfa from Gansu as determined by high-resolution mass spectrometry

Ying TANG, Xiao-jing LIU

2025, 34(11):  81-97.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024479

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This study employed ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole-orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry with optimized chromatographic and mass spectrometric conditions （UPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS）， to investigate the contamination status of mycotoxins in silage alfalfa from Gansu Province. By optimizing chromatographic and mass spectrometric conditions and adopting a dual purification mode of gel permeation chromatography （GPC） and solid-phase extraction （SPE） to reduce matrix effects， mycotoxin levels in silage alfalfa samples from 84 sampling sites in 14 regions of Gansu Province were analysed. The results indicated that the optimized UPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS developed in this study could accurately and simultaneously detect 18 mycotoxins in silage alfalfa， namely： aflatoxins B1 and B2， G1 and G2 and M1 and M2 （AFB1， AFB2， AFG1， AFG2， AFM1 and AFM2， respectively）， ochratoxins A， B and C （OTA， OTB and OTC， respectively）， T-2 toxin， HT-2 toxin， deoxynivalenol （DON）， fuminosin B1， B2 and B3 （FB1， FB2 and FB3， respectively）， zearalenone （ZEN）， deoxynivalenol-3-glycoside （D3G） and 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol （15-ACDON）. The most frequently detected toxins included AFB1， AFB2， DON， FB1， FB2， FB3， and ZEN， along with masked toxins such as D3G and 15-ACDON. Among the 84 sampling sites， all 18 mycotoxins were detected in samples from Long County and Wen County， with AFB1， OTA， T-2， DON， FB1， FB2， and ZEN significantly exceeding reference tolerance limits （P<0.05）. In Pingliang， Qingyang， Tianshui， Dingxi， Baiyin and Lanzhou， 17 mycotoxins were detected， primarily AFB1， AFB2， AFG1， AFM1， DON， FB1， FB2， FB3， ZEN， D3G and 15-ACDON， with 3 mycotoxins （AFB1， DON， FB1） exceeding reference tolerance limits. In Wuwei， Jinchang， Zhangye， and Jiuquan， 9 toxins were detected， primarily AFB1， DON， FB1， and ZEN， all within reference tolerance limits. No mycotoxins were detected in samples from Diebu County， Xiahe County， Jishishan County in the Gannan and Linxia regions. This study demonstrates that the developed UPLC-Q-Orbitrap HEMS method enables high-throughput， highly accurate detection of 18 mycotoxins in silage alfalfa， including masked mycotoxins that are prone to being overlooked. Mycotoxin concentrations and types in Gansu ensiled alfalfa exhibited distinct regional characteristics. Pearson correlation and redundancy analysis revealed that average temperature during the ensiling period and altitude were the significant factors influencing mycotoxins content and types， with explanatory powers of 59.70% and 31.20%， respectively.

Identification and analysis of culturable endophytic fungi from quinoa seeds

Nan QIN, Rui-peng CAO, Jing-han GAO, Yu-fei PENG, Miao TIAN, Hong LYU, Lu REN, Hui YIN, Xiao-jun ZHAO

2025, 34(11):  98-113.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025052

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Quinoa （Chenopodium quinoa） is a newly introduced crop in China， and it is attracting much interest because of its high nutritional value. In this study， we aimed to clarify the population structure and functional characteristics of endophytic fungi in quinoa seeds. Culturable endophytic fungi were isolated from seeds of four varieties of quinoa. The fungi were cultured， identified on the basis of morphological and phylogenetic analyses， and their pathogenicity and antifungal effects were explored. In total， nine culturable endophytes were isolated from the quinoa seeds. They comprised nine species of six genera， namely， Alternaria alternata， Aspergillus flavus， Aspergillus sydowii， Fusarium boothii， Fusarium clavum， Neocamarosporium betae， Neocamarosporium chenopodii， Penicillium oxalicum， and Talaromyces stollii. A. alternata was present in seeds of all four varieties， and had the highest isolation frequency （64.42%）. The fungi with the next highest isolation frequencies were A. flavus and P. oxalicum （11.66% and 9.20%， respectively）. Among the nine culturable endophytic fungi， five （F. boothii， F. clavum， A. alternata， N. chenopodii， and N. betae） were able to infect quinoa leaves， and two （P. oxalicum and T. stollii） showed inhibitory effects against quinoa pathogens （Botrytiscinerea， Ascochytacaulina， Fusariumcitri， A. alternata， Trichotheciumroseum）. The culturable endophytic fungi in quinoa seeds showed a rich population structure and have potential applications in the biological control of plant diseases.

Identification of hybrids and analysis of phenotypic variation in the F₁ generation of Pennisetum purpureum based on SSR markers

Xian-fang ZHANG, Gang NIE, Si-yuan HUANG, Shuai YU, Su-tian ZUO, Xin-quan ZHANG

2025, 34(11):  114-124.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024515

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In plant breeding， it is important to generate hybrids with sufficient phenotypic variation for germplasm innovation and variety improvement. In this study， we used the traditional hybridization method to cross Pennisetum purpureum ‘GM1’ （female parent） with the new line ‘F-B’ （male parent）， producing 536 hybrid offspring. We selected 150 representative F₁ lines for variation analysis， and performed hybrid identification and phenotypic variation analysis based on phenotypic traits and simple sequence repeat （SSR） markers. The main findings were as follows： 1） The F₁ generation showed greater phenotypic variation than the parents. Leaf length exhibited significant hybrid vigor and trait differences， with variation coefficients of 5.90%-21.05%； 2） Fourteen selected SSR primers amplified 219 clear bands， of which 118 were polymorphic， representing a polymorphism rate of 54.18%. The polymorphism information content value for SSR loci ranged from 29.59% to 44.63% （mean 35.40%）； 3） A cluster analysis based on phenotypic data grouped the hybrids into three categories， while SSR-based analysis divided them into four. The SSR-based analysis confirmed the maternal parent’s genetic dominance； 4） Specific primers accurately identified true hybrids with a 98% success rate. Most true hybrids had complementary parental bands， and some were the paternal-type. These results show that SSR analysis can reveal parental genetic information for the F₁ generation. Analyses based on phenotypic traits and 15 SSR core primers were able to effectively identify authentic hybrids among 150 F₁ hybrid progenies， highlighting materials that will be suitable for breeding new lines.

Identification of the CKX gene family in alfalfa and its responses to abiotic stress

Lin BIAN, Yan ZHANG, Xiao-wei HUO, Rui DAI, Na GUO, Feng-yan YI, Cui-ping GAO, Zhi-qiang ZHANG

2025, 34(11):  125-135.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024517

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Alfalfa （Medicago sativa） is the most widely planted legume forage in the world， with a high yield， strong stress resistance， and good palatability. Low temperature and drought are important abiotic stress factors affecting the yield， quality， and distribution of alfalfa. Cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase （CKX） irreversibly degrades cytokinin， thereby regulating plant growth and development， and it also contributes to the plant response to environmental stress. In this study， the CKX gene family of alfalfa was identified and analyzed by bioinformatics methods at the whole-genome level. In total， 31 CKX genes were identified in the alfalfa genome， distributed on chromosomes 1， 2， 3， 4， 7， and 8. Members of the CKX gene family members encoded polypeptides of 273-545 amino acids， all of which were hydrophilic proteins except for MsCKX30. In a phylogenetic analysis， the CKX gene family grouped into three subfamilies with highly conserved domains， and alfalfa CKX genes showed high homology with those of Medicago truncatula. Analyses of gene transcript levels by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction showed that MsCKX2， MsCKX3， MsCKX7， MsCKX8， MsCKX15， MsCKX16， and MsCKX18 were induced under low-temperature stress， MsCKX2 and MsCKX15 were induced under drought stress， and MsCKX15 was induced by both low temperature stress and drought stress. These results provide a reference for further research on the functions of CKX genes in alfalfa.

Identification and green fluorescent protein gene transformation of the causal agent of yellow-core disease of Codonopsis pilosula

Yao FU, Zi-xian WANG, Tai-xiang CHEN, Ling JIN, Xiao-hui MA, Yan WANG

2025, 34(11):  136-149.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024480

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Yellow-core disease of Codonopsis pilosula significantly reduces its yield and quality. First， we clarified the taxonomic position of the pathogen causing the disease， and developed EGFP-labeled transformants of the causative fungus， providing a means for visual tracking of infection characteristics within the host plants. The pathogen was clarified by using both morphological and multi-gene locus analyses. ATMT was used to introduce a binary vector carrying the HygB and EGFP into the conidia of the yellow-core disease fungus. Genetically stable transformants were screened. The results indicated that the field incidence of yellow-core disease is 20%-30%. The pathogen is identified as Fusarium curvatum var. codonopsidis. Genetic transformation produced 138 positive transformants at an efficiency of approximately 46 transformants per 10⁶ conidia. Four randomly selected positive transformants， after six subcultures， exhibited stable hygromycin B resistance and green fluorescence expression. Transformants EGFP7-3 and EGFP7-4 showed no significant differences in biological characteristics or pathogenicity compared to the wild-type strain， indicating successful and stableintegration EGFP without affecting virulence. This study provides valuable materials and technical support for investigating the pathogenesis and control of yellow-core disease in C.pilosula.

Construction of a predictive model for the 48-hour digestibility of neutral detergent fiber in forage

Yun-yi LIANG, Ya-kun CHEN, Ke-ke HE, Jia-yu YANG, Lian-sheng ZHAO, Deng-pan BU

2025, 34(11):  150-160.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024481

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Forage is the primary source of dietary fiber for ruminants. Neutral detergent fiber （NDF） is an important indicator used to measure the fiber content of roughage. Its digestibility is a key parameter for evaluating forage quality and animal dry matter intake. Currently， the in vitro 48-hour NDF digestibility （NDFD₄₈） is commonly used to assess forage NDF digestibility. An accurate measure of the NDFD₄₈ value of roughage is important for balancing animal diets. Presently， roughage NDFD₄₈ can be measured using the rumen nylon bag technique， laboratory semi-in vitro methods， or near-infrared spectroscopy， but these are often constrained by test conditions and unavailability of equipment. Given the biological significance of NDFD₄₈， this study aimed to develop a computational method to predict NDFD₄₈. Fiber indicators （NDF and acid detergent fiber， ADF） and digestibility indicators （NDFD₄₈） from NASEM （2021） were used as a test set to build the NDFD₄₈ model. Fourteen articles from the Journal of Dairy Science along with relevant indicators， and laboratory-measured values， were selected as two validation sets for the model. The results showed that the calculated NDFD₄₈ values were significantly correlated with the measured NDFD₄₈ values in the two validation sets （P<0.001）， with R2 values of 0.89 and 0.85， respectively. The model was further validated using the concordance correlation coefficient （CCC）， achieving CCC values of 0.93 and 0.91. This model requires fewer input indicators， is easy to compute， and demonstrates high accuracy. Based on the evaluation performed here， the model can provide forage NDF estimates suitable for production applications and forage nutrition prediction.

Effects of intercropping planting patterns and nitrogen addition level on nitrogen absorption and biomass within oat-pea intercropping systems

Gen-sheng BAO, Yuan LI, Xiao-yun FENG, Qian ZHAO

2025, 34(11):  161-173.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024452

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Oats intercropped with peas has been regarded as an important method to improve the productivity of artificial grassland. Similarly， nitrogen fertilization is also recommended as an effective cultivation practice in increasing forage productivity for artificial grasslands. However， few studies have examined the interactive effects of different intercropping planting patterns and nitrogen addition levels on forage yields and the capacity for nitrogen absorption in oat-pea intercropping systems. A field experiment was carried out to examine the role of different intercropping patterns （monocropping， mixed monocropping， alternate-row intercropping） and nitrogen addition （control， low and high level） in improving forage biomass and increasing nitrogen uptake within intercropping systems comprising oats and peas. Our results showed 1） Both above- and belowground biomass of oats was highest when oats were intercropped with peas in an alternate-row pattern. Conversely， oat above- and belowground biomass was minimum when peas and oats were combined in a mixed intercropping system. Furthermore， both oat leaves and stem and oat root total nitrogen content and soil available nitrogen content were significantly increased when oats were intercropped with peas， while root nitrogen and soil available nitrogen contents of peas were lowest when peas were cultivated as a monocrop. 2） Root total nitrogen contents of oats and peas when monocropped were significantly higher than in the counterpart plants in alternate-row intercropped plantings. By contrast， soil NH₄⁺-N and NO₃^--N contents of oats and peas in mixed intercropped plantings were markedly higher than those in monocropped and alternate-row intercropped systems. 3） Structural equation model （SEM） results indicated that intercropping and nitrogen addition both had a positive effect on oat biomass accumulation and enhanced nitrogen absorption in leaves， stems and soil， while resulting in negative effects on pea biomass and nitrogen contents in aboveground tissues and soil. In conclusion， the forage productivity of artificial grasslands in alpine regions achieves maximum productivity when exploiting the interactive effects of oat alternate-row intercropping with peas， with the addition of a low amount of nitrogen fertilizer （50 kg·ha^-1）. Our findings suggest that grass intercropping with legumes together with modest exogenous nitrogen addition is an ideal cultivation practice to enhance the productivity of artificial grassland in alpine regions.

Allelopathic effects of Hippophae rhamnoides leaf and root extracts on five plant species

Qin-lin SUN, Tian-xing WEI, Hao LI, Xiao-man YE, Ling ZHU

2025, 34(11):  174-183.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024516

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The aim of this study was to explore the allelopathic potential of Hippophae rhamnoides in the agro-pastoral ecotone of the Loess Plateau in northern Shaanxi， with an overall goal to provide a theoretical basis for vegetation restoration. Root and leaf extracts were prepared from H. rhamnoides， a typical shrub species on the Loess Plateau. Using the bioassay method， we determined the effects of these extracts on the seed germination and seedling growth of five plant species （Platycladus orientalis， Pinus tabulaeformis， Robinia pseudoacacia， Caragana korshinskii， and H. rhamnoides）. 1） Different concentrations of leaf and root extracts had significant allelopathic effects on the seedlings of the five plant species （P<0.05）， although the nature of the allelopathic effects differed among the five species. The H. rhamnoides extracts had an inhibitory effect on seedlings of H. rhamnoides and P. tabulaeformis， and a promoting effect on seedlings of R. pseudoacacia and C. korshinskii. 2） The degree of inhibition of H. rhamnoides extracts varied among plant organs， with the strongest inhibitory effect on root growth， followed by stem elongation， seed germination， and then fresh weight. 3） The H. rhamnoides leaf extract had a stronger inhibitory effect than the root extract. 4） In terms of the allelopathic response index and comprehensive allelopathic index， the H. rhamnoides extracts showed the strongest inhibitory effect on itself； the inhibition rates of germination rate， stem length， and root length of H. rhamnoides were 46.0%， 34.7%， and 85.1%， respectively. 5） The inhibition rates of the leaf extract at 0.1 and 0.5 g·L^-1 on the root length of H. rhamnoides were 22.4% and 29.0%， respectively， and those of the 5.0 and 10.0 g·L^-1 leaf extracts on the root length of H. rhamnoides were 80.6% and 72.1%， respectively. At low concentrations， the extracts had no obvious inhibitory effects on the growth of plant seedlings； but at high concentrations， they showed significant inhibitory effects. Therefore， when restoring the vegetation in the agro-pastoral ecotone of the Loess Plateau， the allelopathic relationships among tree species should be fully considered to avoid growing tree species together， with strong inhibitory effects. This management strategy will promote the stability and sustainability of mixed forest in this habitat.

Evaluation of heat tolerance and post-heat recovery capacity of new varieties of tall fescue

Shi-xuan SUN, Qun-sen WANG, Zhi-min YANG, Ning-li FAN, Tian HAO, Nan-qing LIU, Jing-jin YU

2025, 34(11):  184-194.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024501

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Breeding tall fescue （Festuca arundinacea） with summer high temperature- and humidity-tolerance is one of the available strategies for extending the growing season of forage grasses and meeting requirements for the sustainable development of grassland-based animal husbandry in climate transition zones of China. In this study， three new strongly-tillering forage-type tall fescue varieties， Nanmu NO.1， Nanmu NO.2， and Nanmu NO.3 independently developed through cross-breeding， were evaluated， and compared with the widely used commercial variety， Fit， as the control. Experiments were conducted in an artificial climate chamber to simulate heat stress and investigate the changes in physiological， growth and nutritional traits of each variety under environmental heat stress （38 ℃/33 ℃， day/night） and post-heat recovery conditions. The results indicated that heat stress led to an increase in electrolyte leakage （EL） and a decrease in relative leaf water content （RWC）， chlorophyll （Chl） content， and net photosynthetic rate （P_n） for all varieties. However， compared with Fit， the three new varieties displayed significantly reduced EL and a smaller decrease in RWC， Chl， and P_n， indicating that the new varieties had superior heat tolerance and post-heat recovery ability than Fit. The three new varieties were characterized by high tiller and leaf numbers， low stem∶leaf ratio， good palatability， high crude protein content， and excellent quality. Among the tested varieties， Nanmu NO. 2 was the best. In conclusion， the three new varieties evaluated were all found to be heat-tolerant， high-yielding， high-quality forage grasses characterized by a strong tillering capacity and leaf production. They are suitable for sowing in climatic transition zones such as Jiangsu and other similar regions.

Germination characteristics and antioxidant responses of alfalfa seeds to aging treatment

Shou-jiang SUN, Hao-zhen LIU, Shu-han XU, Jing-hong ZHANG, Shu-xia LI, Jin-qing ZHANG, Xue-qin GAO, Bing-zhe FU

2025, 34(11):  195-204.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024506

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The aims of this study were to investigate the germination characteristics of aged alfalfa （Medicago sativa） seeds， the physiological changes in their antioxidant system during the early stage of germination， and the responses of antioxidant-related genes to seed aging. We observed seed germination characteristics and determined antioxidant enzyme activities and antioxidant contents during the early stage of germination following an aging treatment， and analyzed the transcript profiles of genes related to the antioxidant system. The results show that an aging treatment not only inhibited the germination of alfalfa seeds， but also significantly affected seedling growth after germination， leading to smaller seedlings. The aging treatment also severely impacted the metabolism of reactive oxygen species， resulting in increased H₂O₂ levels during early germination of aged seeds， a significant decrease in the activities of the antioxidant enzymes peroxidase and glutathione reductase， and a marked reduction in the contents of the antioxidants ascorbic acid and glutathione. The decrease in antioxidant enzyme activity and antioxidant content reduced the seeds’ antioxidant capacity. Additionally， the aging treatment led to significantly lower transcript levels of MsCAT1， MsPOD12， MsDHAR， MsGR1， MsFe-SOD， and MsMn-SOD，which encode important enzymes in the antioxidant system. On the basis of analyses of antioxidant physiology and gene transcript profiles， several key candidate genes in the antioxidant system were identified. These genes will be important targets for further research on the molecular regulation of seed aging. The results of this study lay the foundation for further studies on the precise pathways through which these candidate genes regulate seed vigor.

Differences in inflorescence and spike characteristics between triticale and its allied species

Chang-ying GUO, Wen-hua DU

2025, 34(11):  205-216.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025032

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The morphological characteristics of the inflorescence and spike are important criteria for plant classification， population differentiation， and germplasm resource identification. These characteristics also directly affect the reproductive efficiency and genetic dissemination patterns of plants. Triticale， a new species derived from the distant hybridization between wheat and rye， exhibits distinct differences in inflorescence and spike features compared with its progenitor species， wheat and rye. These differences provide taxonomic evidence for the establishment of triticale as an independent genus. This study aimed to examine in detail the differences in inflorescence and spike characteristics among triticale， wheat， and rye， to provide a taxonomic basis for the establishment of triticale as a separate genus. We compared 10 varieties （lines） of triticale， 10 of wheat， and 10 of rye. Their inflorescence and spike traits were observed and quantified， the differences among them were evaluated by principal component analysis and cluster analysis， and the results were validated by orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis （OPLS-DA）. The results show that the inflorescence length of triticale was greater than that of rye， and its width was greater than that of both wheat and rye. Additionally， the number of florets at the base spikelet was significantly higher in triticale than in wheat and rye （P<0.05）. The lemma length of the upper and lower glumes， as well as the awn length， lemma length， and palea length of the first and second florets， were all significantly greater in triticale than in wheat and rye. Although triticale had fewer spikelets than rye， it had more florets per spikelet and heavier grains， resulting in a higher thousand-grain weight under the same environmental conditions. These comprehensive analyses indicate that the inflorescence and spike characteristics of triticale are significantly different from those of wheat and rye， allowing for effective differentiation among the three. The inflorescence length， inflorescence width， grain thickness， and grain width can be used as the main morphological characteristics to distinguish triticale from wheat and rye. The results of the OPLS-DA validated these findings. In summary， the inflorescence and spike characteristics can effectively differentiate triticale from wheat and rye. These findings provide a fundamental basis for the establishment of Triticale as a taxonomic genus.

Universal models of convergent adaptation based on the age structure and senescence process of population modules of 12 rhizomatous grass species in natural grassland， China

Da-yong HAN, Yun-fei YANG, Hai-yan LI, Wei ZHANG

2025, 34(11):  217-226.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024396

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Rhizomatous grasses are typical clonal plants with a geophytic life form， often found as dominant species widely distributed in China’s northern grasslands. This study synthesizes fragmented research findings on various rhizomatous grasses， identifies common patterns from their shared characteristics， and elucidates the biological， ecological， and evolutionary mechanisms underlying the convergent adaptation of plants with the same life form. Based on three decades of related research， 12 representative rhizomatous grass species with robust datasets were selected. For each species， three land-use types： grazed pasture， mown meadow， and fenced grassland， were analyzed to compare and theoretically interpret the age structure and senescence processes of population modules. Key findings include： 1） All 12 species exhibit finite lifespans in their modules. Tiller nodes can reproduce up to four generations， with a maximum lifespan of five years， while rhizomes have a maximum lifespan of four years. 2） The age structures of three module categories （tillers， rhizomes， and buds） are predominantly expanding type， except in some cases in grazed pastures where stable age structures are observed. 3） Senescence in tiller nodes accelerates significantly from the second age class， whereas rhizome senescence progresses more gradually. The convergent adaptation of rhizomatous grasses has led to a reproductive strategy wherein rhizome buds replenish first-age-class tillers. This strategy achieves two evolutionary milestones： for individuals， once seedlings establish， the genetic lineage of the maternal plant attains longevity or even virtual immortality. For populations， it sustains expanding age structures in modules， expands spatial occupancy， and reduces competition between tillers derived from rhizome buds and those from parental tiller node buds of varying age classes. These adaptations hold critical evolutionary significance for population survival and proliferation.