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   Aims Investigations into the nutrient contents and changes in the stoichiometry and nutrient resorption strategies of different original forests during their development are of great significance toward the establishment of healthy, high-quality forest ecosystems. Methods A total of 24 sample plots with age gradients were established in natural Larix principis-rupprechtii forests and plantations, from which mature and senescent leaves, new branches, fine roots, and soil were collected and analyzed. The carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) contents were determined, and the stoichiometric ratios and resorption efficiencies were calculated. Results and conclusions The soil organic carbon and total nitrogen of the forests accumulated with advancing age, whereas the total phosphorus decreased because of higher consumption. Plantation trees tended to reduce the storage of nutrients in inactive plant structures to prevent nutrient loss, whereas natural forest trees maintained a stable nutrient concentration within their active organs. Plantation and natural forest trees adopted highly conservative N and P utilization strategies through improved resorption efficiencies. However, plantation forests were more conservative than their natural counterparts. The mature leaves, litter, branches, and fine roots of natural forests were influenced to a greater degree by the soil P, whereas those of plantation forests were more affected by the soil N. Nutrient concentrations within the active organs of plantation trees were more strongly dependent on soil than natural forests. We considered that natural forests likely possessed a more extensive range of strategies to deal with the variable compositions and concentrations of soil nutrients, which might strengthen their resilience against the effects of aging.

The present study evaluated the effects of dietary inclusion of spirulina on productive performance, nutrient utilization, and egg quality of Japanese quails. One hundred twenty quails were included in a completely randomized design with four treatments and five replicates. Treatments consisted of a control diet and three diets containing 0.3, 0.6, or 0.9% of spirulina powder. Spirulina inclusion had no effect (p > 0.05) on the productive performance, digestibility coefficients of dry matter and ether extract, calcium and phosphorus retention, weight and pH of the eggs, yolk index, albumen quality, and eggshell thickness when compared with the control diet. However, crude protein consumption was higher (p < 0.05) and the digestibility coefficient of crude protein was lower (p < 0.05) in birds in the 0.9% and 0.3% spirulina inclusion groups, respectively. The weights of the yolk and eggshell were improved (p < 0.007) by the inclusion of 0.6% and 0.9% and 0.9% spirulina, respectively. Quails fed diets containing 0.3% and 0.6% spirulina exhibited lower specific gravity of eggs (p < 0.019) than those fed diets containing 0.9% spirulina. Therefore, spirulina inclusion at 0.9% improved the eggshell quality and reduced the total lipid levels in the yolks.

To investigate the effects of different water and fertilizer coupling on photosynthetic performance and plant nutrient utilization of post-anthesis flag leaf of wheat, a field experiment was conducted at the experimental base of Qingdao Agricultural University from October 2016 to June 2017. And two water levels (I1 and I2) and four fertilization levels (F1, F2, F3 and F4) were set. In terms of flag leaf light and performance of wheat, reasonable irrigation and fertilization (I1F1 and I1F4) of wheat can maintain a higher concentration of chlorophyll content, increase Gs, Pn and Tr, and reduce Ci. The Tr in I2F2 and I2F3 of wheat was very small, which was not conducive to CO 2 assimilation and to photosynthesis in wheat. In regard to nutrient utilization, the contents of N, P and K contents in roots, stems and leaves of wheat decreased gradually from elongation stage to filling stage. Reasonable coupled treatment (I1F1, I1F3, and I1F4) of water and fertilizer could increase the contents of N, P and K in root, stem and leaf of wheat. The results showed that I1F1 and I1F3 treatments played a favorable role in the photosynthetic performance of flag leaves and plant nutrient utilization, indicating that the treatment with 60 mm irrigation amount was more conducive to photosynthesis and plant nutrient utilization of wheat.

Proper fertilization plays a dual role in maintaining high banana yield while protecting the environment. This study investigates the effects of a fertilization scheme designed based on banana nutrient absorption characteristics and fertilizer nutrient release dynamics, aiming to improve nutrient use efficiency and yield while promoting the green and sustainable development of the banana industry. The experiment utilized Zhongjiao No. 9 as the test banana variety. Initially, the total nutrient accumulation in mature banana plants was measured, and a fertilizer formula (with optimized total nutrient amounts and proportions) was developed. Subsequently, the ratio of conventional fertilizer (providing readily available nutrients) to controlled-release fertilizer (providing time-released nutrients) was adjusted to align the nutrient release patterns of the fertilizer with the nutrient uptake patterns of banana plants, resulting in a synchronized fertilization. Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the performance of this fertilization scheme, focusing on plant growth, nutrient accumulation, and yield. The results demonstrated that, compared to conventional fertilizer treatment, the synchronized fertilization significantly increased nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P 2 O 5 ), and potassium (K 2 O) accumulation by 8.66, 11.54, and 19.55%, respectively. nutrient use efficiency was also significantly enhanced, with improvements of 35.72, 94.85, and 29.41% for N, P 2 O 5 , and K 2 O, respectively. Additionally, the fresh weight and dry weight of banana plants increased by 20.93 and 56.14%, respectively, while banana yield increased by 7.03%. These findings indicate that the synchronized fertilization, tailored to the nutrient absorption characteristics of banana plants and the release dynamics of fertilizers, significantly enhances nutrient utilization efficiency, improves plant nutrient status, and boosts yield. Therefore, this fertilization strategy represents an economically viable and environmentally sustainable solution, offering a promising approach for the green and sustainable development of the banana industry.

The crop phosphorus (P) utilization efficiency of commercial fertilizers is only 10–15%, leaving much P fixed in the soil. Coating fertilizer can lessen this problem, but most of the current available options are potentially toxic and expensive. This study-investigated nanobiochar as a coating material for engineering “smart” di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizer that controls P and nitrogen (N) release in soil, ultimately enhancing nutrient utilization by maize. Biochar was produced from farmyard manure and ball-milled to obtain nanobiochar. Different nanobiochar concentrations (2.5%, 5%, and 10% w/w) were used to coat the DAP granules in a fluidized-bed coater. The release of N and P was studied after immersing both coated and uncoated DAP fertilizers in water. In a pot experiment, five treatments, i.e.i) control (C), ii) uncoated DAP (UF), iii) 2.5% nanobiochar-coated DAP (CUNB1), iv) 5% nanobiochar-coated DAP (CUNB2), and v) 10% nanobiochar-coated DAP (CUNB3) were introduced, after which maize was sown. The presence of a uniform nanobiochar coating on DAP was confirmed by the discrete carbon peaks observed through X-ray diffraction and FTIR spectroscopic analyses. In a laboratory study, the slowest release of N and P was observed for CUNB3. Remarkably, the application of CUNB1 substantially increased the microbial biomass carbon and N by 104% and 147%, respectively, while enhancing the plant-available P, N, and potassium (K) by 40%, 70%, and 46%, respectively, compared with those of C. This treatment increased maize shoot dry matter yield by 88%, accompanied by marked increases of 229%, 205%, and 67% in maize P, N, and K uptakes compared to C, respectively. However, other coating treatments failed to increase these parameters compared with those of UF, confirming that these coatings had the slowest nutrient availability for short-duration crops. The 2.5% nanobiochar concentration can be recommended for coating DAP fertilizer to reduce problems of P fixation and enhance P availability, crop growth and nutrients uptake, hence contributing to sustainable fertilizer management practices in agroecosystem.

This study investigated the effects of dietary supplementation of Bacillus subtilis-zinc on growth rates of the body and organs, nutrient utilization, microbial diversity in caecum, and contents of zinc (Zn) in organs of rats fed a Zn-deficient diet. In trial 1, 72 female pregnant SD rats were allocated to two groups and respectively fed the basal diet containing 13 mg Zn/kg, or the control diet containing 38 mg Zn/kg by supplementing ZnSO4 from day 10 of pregnancy until the offspring rats 24 days old. In trial 2, 18 offspring rats from the control group were fed the control diet. Ninety offspring from the Zn deficiency group were allocated to 5 groups and were fed the basal diet drenched with ZnSO4 solution (the total Zn 38 mg/kg), the basal diet only, or the basal diet drenched with Bacillus subtilis-Zn at doses of 2, 17, and 32 mg/kg Zn respectively. Each group had 3 replicates of 6 rats. The experiment lasted for 5 weeks. We found feeding young rats the Zn-deficient diet reduced feed intake, growth rate, unitization efficiencies of nitrogen (N), and Zn content in the organs. Administration of Bacillus subtilis-Zn to rats increased feed intake and the growth rates of the body and liver, kidney and heart, increased N utilization efficiency, and the contents of Zn in heart and brain but not in liver, regulated microbial diversity in the cecal content. The optimal amount of Bacillus subtilis-Zn ranged 15~20 mg Zn/kg, with the corresponding total Zn level at 28~33 mg/kg diet, the effects of which were superior to these by adding ZnSO4 at 38 mg/kg.

Legumes are key components of cropping systems due to their biological nitrogen fixation ability. The beneficial role of legumes as pre-crops for cereals in cereal-based rotations is well studied, but the evaluation of pre-crops for legumes is not. This study aims to identify which is the best pre-crop for faba bean and narrow-leafed lupin by comparing various nutrient utilization indices for 11 elements. The elemental composition of the two grain legumes was significantly different. There was a significant and positive pre-crop effect of barley, and to a lesser extent oat, on the nutrient composition and indices of both grain legumes, but not on their yield and protein concentration. Barley as a pre-crop was associated with higher concentrations of Mg, Mn and Zn in narrow-leafed lupin seeds and of S in faba bean seeds. Principal component analysis demonstrated similarities in the nutrient uptake of both legumes, and also revealed a consistent association between Fe and Si in narrow-leafed lupin. Use of different nutrient utilization indices allows the detection of pre-crop effects in rotations and the assessment of nutrient cycling of different crop sequences. The mineral utilization index was particularly informative. Attention to the appropriate pre-crop can further increase the sustainability of legume-supported cropping systems.

Hybrid rice demonstrated superior performance in enhancing yield and efficiency in rice production compared to inbred rice. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanism responsible for the increased yield and efficiency of hybrid rice in South China's double-cropping rice region remains understudied. Field experiments over two consecutive years were conducted. Firstly, yield variations among 20 inbred and 15 hybrid rice cultivars prevalent in South China's double-cropping rice system were examined. Secondly, selecting representative hybrid and inbred rice cultivars with significant yield disparities were carried out on further analyzing dry-matter production, source-sink relationships, and nutrient absorption and utilization in both rice types. Hybrid rice displayed an average grain yield of 8.07 and 7.22 t hm in the early and late seasons, respectively, which corresponds to a 12.29% and 13.75% increase over inbred rice with statistically significant differences. In comparison to inbred rice, hybrid rice exhibited enhanced nitrogen concentration in leaves at the heading stage (15.48-16.20%), post-heading dry matter accumulation (52.62-73.21%), post-heading dry matter conversion rate (29.23-34.12%), and harvest index (17.31-18.37%). Additionally, grain nitrogen and phosphorus uptake in hybrid rice increased by 11.88-22.50% and 16.38-19.90%. Hybrid rice mainly improved post-heading nitrogen and phosphorus uptake and transport, while not total nitrogen and phosphorus uptake. Internal nitrogen and phosphorus use efficiency enhanced by 9.83%-14.31% and 10.15%-13.66%, respectively. Post-heading dry matter accumulation, harvest index, grain nitrogen and phosphorus uptake, and internal nitrogen and phosphorus use efficiency exhibited significant positive linear correlations with grain yield. The period from heading to maturity is critical for enhancing hybrid rice yield and efficiency. Improving photosynthetic capacity during this period and promoting nutrient transport to grains serve as crucial pathways for increasing grain yield and efficiency. This study is of great significance for further improvement grain yield and breeding rice cultivars with high-yield and high nutrients use efficiency for South China's double-cropped rice system.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of supplementation with a feed additive containing a combination of betaine, biotin, and chromium (BBC) and concentrate-to-roughage ratio (C:R ratio) on nutrient digestibility, blood metabolites, ruminal fermentation, nitrogen balance, and energy utilization in Thai native beef cattle. Five Thai feedlot native beef bulls at one year old of age and 87.6 ± 15.7 kg of body weight were assigned in a (2 × 2) + 1 augmented factorial experiment according to a 5 × 5 Latin square design with five periods of 21 days. The two levels of BBC were 3 g/kg DM and 6 g/kg DM, and the two ratios of C:R were 60C:40R and 70C:30R. A C:R ratio of 70C:30R without BBC supplementation was used as a negative control. The cattle were offered feed at 3% BW, which provides sufficient energy and protein to support a weight gain of 500 g/day. The results showed that dry matter intake (DMI) and organic matter intake (OMI) were not different (p > 0.05), but the intake of crude protein (CP) and ether extract (EE) was higher (p < 0.05), whereas neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) were lower (p < 0.05) in the 70C:30R ratio diets compared to the 60:40R ratio diets. Energy balance and nitrogen balance were not influenced (p > 0.05) by the C:R ratio or the addition of BBC. Rumen pH and ammonia-nitrogen (NH3-N) did not differ (p > 0.05) among treatments groups. Total volatile fatty acid (VFA) production was higher (p < 0.05) in bulls fed with the 70C:30R ratio diet. The addition of BBC resulted in a lower (p < 0.01) glucose-to-insulin ratio compared to cattle fed with the control diet. Energy and protein utilization efficiency did not differ (p > 0.05) among the experimental treatment groups, which were higher (p > 0.05) than the control group. In conclusion, BBC supplementation showed greater growth performance of cattle compared to the control. BBC supplementation appeared to improve glucose uptake and insulin sensitivity and energy and protein utilization efficiency. Whether BBC supplementation increases glucose production in the liver remains to be determined in future studies.

Ectotherms have evolved preferences for particular body temperatures, but the nutritional and life-history consequences of such temperature preferences are not well understood. We measured thermal preferences in Locusta migratoria (migratory locusts) and used a multi-factorial experimental design to investigate relationships between growth/development and macronutrient utilization (conversion of ingesta to body mass) as a function of temperature. A range of macronutrient intake values for insects at 26, 32 and 38°C was achieved by offering individuals high-protein diets, high-carbohydrate diets or a choice between both. Locusts placed in a thermal gradient selected temperatures near 38°C, maximizing rates of weight gain; however, this enhanced growth rate came at the cost of poor protein and carbohydrate utilization. Protein and carbohydrate were equally digested across temperature treatments, but once digested both macronutrients were converted to growth most efficiently at the intermediate temperature (32°C). Body temperature preference thus yielded maximal growth rates at the expense of efficient nutrient utilization.