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Defalque G, Arfux P, Pache M, Franco G, Santos R. A dataset for pasture parameter estimation based on satellite remote sensing and weather variables. Data Brief 2024; 53:110206. [PMID: 38425873 PMCID: PMC10904182 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2024.110206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Estimating pasture parameters is essential for decision-making in the management of livestock and agriculture. Despite that, the time-consuming acquisition of outdoor forage samples and the high cost of laboratory analysis make it infeasible to predict parameters of quality and quantity forage recurrently and with great accuracy. Previous work has shown that multispectral and weather data have correlation with forage parameters, enabling the design of supervised machine learning models to predict forage conditions. Nevertheless, datasets with pasture yield and nutritional parameters, remote sensing and weather information are scarce and rarely available, limiting the design of prediction models. This paper presents a dataset with more than 300 samples of pasture laboratory analyses collected over nearly twelve months from two paddocks. Latitude and longitude coordinates were collected for each sample using GPS coordinates, and this data helped acquire multispectral band signals and eight vegetation index values extracted from Google Earth Engine (Sentinel-2 satellite) for each pixel of each sample. Furthermore, the dataset has weather data from APIs and a meteorological station. These data can also motivate new studies that aim determine pasture behaviour, joining this dataset with larger datasets that have similar information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guilherme Defalque
- College of Computing, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
| | - Pedro Arfux
- College of Computing, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
| | - Marcio Pache
- College of Computing, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
- Federal Institute of Mato Grosso do Sul, Aquidauana, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
| | - Gumercindo Franco
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Santos
- College of Computing, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
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Reynaert S, D'Hose T, De Boeck HJ, Laorden D, Dult L, Verbruggen E, Nijs I. Can permanent grassland soils with elevated organic carbon buffer negative effects of more persistent precipitation regimes on forage grass performance? Sci Total Environ 2024; 918:170623. [PMID: 38320706 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
Agricultural practices enhancing soil organic carbon (SOC) show potential to buffer negative effects of climate change on forage grass performance. We tested this by subjecting five forage grass varieties differing in fodder quality and drought/flooding resistance to increased persistence in summer precipitation regimes (PR) across sandy and sandy-loam soils from either permanent (high SOC) or temporary grasslands (low SOC) in adjacent parcels. Over the course of two consecutive summers, monoculture mesocosms were subjected to rainy/dry weather alternation either every 3 days or every 30 days, whilst keeping total precipitation equal. Increased PR persistence induced species-specific drought damage and productivity declines. Soils from permanent grasslands with elevated SOC buffered plant quality, but buffering effects of SOC on drought damage, nutrient availability and yield differed between texture classes. In the more persistent PR, Festuca arundinacea FERMINA was the most productive species but had the lowest quality under both ample water supply and mild soil drought, whilst under the most intense soil droughts, Festulolium FESTILO maintained the highest yields. The hybrid Lolium × boucheanum kunth MELCOMBI had intermediate productivity and both Lolium perenne varieties showed the lowest yields under soil drought, but the highest forage quality (especially the tetraploid variety MELFORCE). Performance varied with plant maturity stage and across seasons/years and was driven by altered water and nutrient availability and related nitrogen nutrition among species during drought and upon rewetting. Moreover, whilst permanent grassland soils showed the most consistent positive effects on plant performance, their available water capacity also declined under increased PR persistence. We conclude that permanent grassland soils with historically elevated SOC likely buffer negative effects of increasing summer weather persistence on forage grass performance, but may also be more sensitive to degradation under climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Reynaert
- Plants and Ecosystems (PLECO), Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, B-2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.
| | - Tommy D'Hose
- Flanders Research Institute for Agricultural, Food and Fisheries Research (ILVO), Burg. Van Gansberghelaan 109, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Hans J De Boeck
- Plants and Ecosystems (PLECO), Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, B-2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; School of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
| | - David Laorden
- Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Department of Biology, Darwin street 2, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Liselot Dult
- Plants and Ecosystems (PLECO), Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, B-2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Erik Verbruggen
- Plants and Ecosystems (PLECO), Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, B-2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Ivan Nijs
- Plants and Ecosystems (PLECO), Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, B-2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
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Habermann E, Dias de Oliveira EA, Bianconi ME, Contin DR, Lemos MTO, Costa JVCP, Oliveira KS, Riul BN, Bonifácio-Anacleto F, Viciedo DO, Approbato AU, Alzate-Marin AL, Prado RDM, Costa KADP, Martinez CA. Balancing trade-offs: Enhanced carbon assimilation and productivity with reduced nutritional value in a well-watered C 4 pasture under a warmer CO 2-enriched atmosphere. Plant Physiol Biochem 2024; 207:108408. [PMID: 38367386 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.108408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2023] [Revised: 01/27/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
The concentration of atmospheric CO2 and temperature are pivotal components of ecosystem productivity, carbon balance, and food security. In this study, we investigated the impacts of a warmer climate (+2 °C above ambient temperature) and an atmosphere enriched with CO2 (600 ppm) on gas exchange, antioxidant enzymatic system, growth, nutritive value, and digestibility of a well-watered, managed pasture of Megathyrsus maximus, a tropical C4 forage grass, under field conditions. Elevated [CO2] (eC) improved photosynthesis and reduced stomatal conductance, resulting in increased water use efficiency and plant C content. Under eC, stem biomass production increased without a corresponding increase in leaf biomass, leading to a smaller leaf/stem ratio. Additionally, eC had negative impacts on forage nutritive value and digestibility. Elevated temperature (eT) increased photosynthetic gains, as well as stem and leaf biomass production. However, it reduced P and K concentration, forage nutritive value, and digestibility. Under the combined conditions of eC and eT (eCeT), eT completely offset the effects of eC on the leaf/stem ratio. However, eT intensified the effects of eC on photosynthesis, leaf C concentration, biomass accumulation, and nutritive value. This resulted in a forage with 12% more acid detergent fiber content and 28% more lignin. Additionally, there was a decrease of 19% in crude protein leading to a 15% decrease in forage digestibility. These changes could potentially affect animal feeding efficiency and feedback climate change, as ruminants may experience an amplification in methane emissions. Our results highlight the critical significance of conducting multifactorial field studies when evaluating plant responses to climate change variables.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Habermann
- Department of Biology, Ribeirão Preto School of Philosophy, Science and Literature (FFCLRP), University of São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes 3900, 14040-901, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Augusto Dias de Oliveira
- Department of Biology, Ribeirão Preto School of Philosophy, Science and Literature (FFCLRP), University of São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes 3900, 14040-901, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Matheus Enrique Bianconi
- Department of Biology, Ribeirão Preto School of Philosophy, Science and Literature (FFCLRP), University of São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes 3900, 14040-901, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Daniele Ribeiro Contin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ribeirão Preto School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (FCFRP), University of São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes 3900, 14040-903, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Maria Teresa Oliverio Lemos
- Department of Biology, Ribeirão Preto School of Philosophy, Science and Literature (FFCLRP), University of São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes 3900, 14040-901, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Kamilla Silva Oliveira
- Department of Agricultural Science, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Access Road Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane No number, 14884-900, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil
| | - Beatriz Neroni Riul
- Department of Biology, Ribeirão Preto School of Philosophy, Science and Literature (FFCLRP), University of São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes 3900, 14040-901, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Fernando Bonifácio-Anacleto
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes 3900, 14049-900, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Dilier Olivera Viciedo
- Institute of Agrifood, Animals and Environmental Sciences, Universidad de O'Higgins, San Fernando, Chile
| | - Andressa Uehara Approbato
- Department of Biology, Ribeirão Preto School of Philosophy, Science and Literature (FFCLRP), University of São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes 3900, 14040-901, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Ana Lilia Alzate-Marin
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes 3900, 14049-900, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Renato de Mello Prado
- Department of Agricultural Science, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Access Road Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane No number, 14884-900, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Carlos Alberto Martinez
- Department of Biology, Ribeirão Preto School of Philosophy, Science and Literature (FFCLRP), University of São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes 3900, 14040-901, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
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Ma YJ, Wang M, Hu XY, Gu XD, Li YM, Wei FW, Nie YG. Identifying priority protection areas of key food resources of the giant panda. Zool Res 2023; 44:860-866. [PMID: 37537140 PMCID: PMC10559099 DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2022.526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Animals that live in seasonal environments adjust their reproduction cycle to optimize seasonal forage quality. Giant pandas ( Ailuropoda melanoleuca) are seasonal altitudinal migrants that feed on bamboo shoots and leaves with different nutritional quality. However, the importance of bamboo shoots to giant pandas, especially small and isolated populations, is not fully appreciated. Here, we explored whether mating time of giant pandas is shaped by bamboo shoot phenology. We also assessed the intensity of ongoing bamboo shoot harvesting by local communities in 42 giant panda reserves based on questionnaire surveys. Varying intensity and protection levels of bamboo shoot harvesting were found. From these data, we developed a priority ranking scheme of protection areas for this key food resource. Our study showed that pandas time their mating behavior to coincide with bamboo shoot phenology due to the high nutritional demands associated with mating and pregnancy. We also found that bamboo shoots were not well protected in many places. Liangshan, Daxiangling, and Xiaoxiangling, containing the most isolated panda populations, were identified as the areas with the most urgent need of protection. Furthermore, equal attention should be paid to the QiongL-B population, as this region holds considerable potential to serve as a corridor between the Minshan and Qionglai populations. To address the challenges posed by bamboo shoot harvesting, we recommend establishing more practical bamboo shoot management policies, increasing public awareness of bamboo shoot protection, and providing alternative sources of income for local communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Jie Ma
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830017, China
| | - Meng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiao-Yu Hu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiao-Dong Gu
- Sichuan Giant Panda National Park Administration, Chengdu, Sichuan 610081, China
| | - Yu-Mei Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Fu-Wen Wei
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Center for Evolution and Conservation Biology, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, Guangdong 511458, China
| | - Yong-Gang Nie
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China. E-mail:
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Mugwanya M, Kimera F, Madkour K, Dawood MAO, Sewilam H. Influence of salinity on the biometric traits of striped catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) and barley (Hordeum vulgare) cultivated under an integrated aquaculture-agriculture system. BMC Plant Biol 2023; 23:417. [PMID: 37684565 PMCID: PMC10492275 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-023-04422-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Soil salinity, soil infertility, and freshwater scarcity are among the major constraints affecting agricultural ecosystems in arid and semi-arid regions of the world. Hence, there is a need to look for salt-tolerant crops and fish that can be successfully cultivated and reared respectively in such harsh environments. The implementation of biosaline integrated aquaculture-agriculture systems (IAAS) utilizing both salt-tolerant crops and fish could improve food and feed production in arid and semi-arid regions. This study, therefore, investigated the influence of salinity on the biometric traits of striped catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) and barley (Hordeum vulgare) under an IAAS. METHOD The experiment followed a randomized completely block design of three salinity treatments with three replicates namely, T0: Control (freshwater mixed with chemical fertilizers), T1: 5,000 ppm, T2: 10,000 ppm, and T3: 15,000 ppm. RESULTS Irrigating barley with saline aquaculture wastewater at different salinities (5,000 ppm, 10,000 ppm, and 15,000 ppm) did not significantly affect the agro-morphological parameters (internode number per plant, stalk diameter, leaf number per plant, leaf area index, and leaf chlorophyll content (SPAD)) of the plants at 90 days after sowing. Moreover, the forage yield and forage quality in terms of fiber fraction, nutrient composition, and in vitro digestibility of the forage biomass were not severely affected by high salinity compared to the control (freshwater and inorganic fertilizers). Our results also showed that rearing striped catfish in saline water not exceeding 10,000 ppm did not negatively impact the growth performance (final weight, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, specific growth rate, condition factor, and survival) and the health status of the fish. CONCLUSIONS The integration of striped catfish and barley production in water salinities below 15,000 ppm could be a feasible alternative in safeguarding food and feed security in regions affected by soil salinity, soil infertility, and freshwater scarcity. Moreover, the salinity regime of 5,000 ppm could bring higher economic gains to farmers regarding higher crop yields (fish and forage yield).
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Affiliation(s)
- Muziri Mugwanya
- Center for Applied Research On the Environment and Sustainability (CARES), School of Science and Engineering, The American University in Cairo, AUC Avenue, P.O. Box 74, New Cairo, 11835, Egypt
| | - Fahad Kimera
- Center for Applied Research On the Environment and Sustainability (CARES), School of Science and Engineering, The American University in Cairo, AUC Avenue, P.O. Box 74, New Cairo, 11835, Egypt
| | - Khaled Madkour
- Center for Applied Research On the Environment and Sustainability (CARES), School of Science and Engineering, The American University in Cairo, AUC Avenue, P.O. Box 74, New Cairo, 11835, Egypt
| | - Mahmoud A O Dawood
- Center for Applied Research On the Environment and Sustainability (CARES), School of Science and Engineering, The American University in Cairo, AUC Avenue, P.O. Box 74, New Cairo, 11835, Egypt
- Animal Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafr El-Sheikh, Egypt
| | - Hani Sewilam
- UNESCO Chair in Hydrological Changes and Water Resources Management, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
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Zhang X, Liang T, Gao J, Zhang D, Liu J, Feng Q, Wu C, Wang Z. Mapping the forage nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium contents of alpine grasslands by integrating Sentinel-2 and Tiangong-2 data. Plant Methods 2023; 19:48. [PMID: 37189108 PMCID: PMC10186801 DOI: 10.1186/s13007-023-01024-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) contents are crucial quality indicators for forage in alpine natural grasslands and are closely related to plant growth and reproduction. One of the greatest challenges for the sustainable utilization of grassland resources and the development of high-quality animal husbandry is to efficiently and accurately obtain information about the distribution and dynamic changes in N, P, and K contents in alpine grasslands. A new generation of multispectral sensors, the Sentinel-2 multispectral instrument (MSI) and Tiangong-2 moderate-resolution wide-wavelength imager (MWI), is equipped with several spectral bands suitable for specific applications, showing great potential for mapping forage nutrients at the regional scale. This study aims to achieve high-accuracy spatial mapping of the N, P, and K contents in alpine grasslands at the regional scale on the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The Sentinel-2 MSI and Tiangong-2 MWI data, coupled with multiple feature selection algorithms and machine learning models, are applied to develop forage N, P, and K estimation models from data collected at 92 sample sites ranging from the vigorous growth stage to the senescent stage. The results show that the spectral bands of both the Sentinel-2 MSI and Tiangong-2 MWI have an excellent performance in estimating the forage N, P, and K contents (the R2 values are 0.68-0.76, 0.54-0.73, and 0.74-0.82 for forage N, P, and K estimations, respectively). Moreover, the model integrating the spectral bands of these two sensors explains 78%, 74%, and 84% of the variations in the forage N, P, and K contents, respectively. These results indicate that the estimation ability of forage nutrients can be further improved by integrating Tiangong-2 MWI and Sentinel-2 MSI data. In conclusion, integration of the spectral bands of multiple sensors is a promising approach to map the forage N, P, and K contents in alpine grasslands with high accuracy at the regional scale. This study offers valuable information for growth monitoring and real-time determination of forage quality in alpine grasslands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuanfan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730020, China
| | - Tiangang Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730020, China
| | - Jinlong Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730020, China.
| | - Dongmei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Jie Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730020, China
| | - Qisheng Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730020, China
| | - Caixia Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730020, China
| | - Zhiwei Wang
- Guizhou Institute of Prataculture, Guizhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guiyang, 550006, China
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Cui X, Jun JH, Rao X, Bahr C, Chapman E, Temple S, Dixon RA. Leaf layer-based transcriptome profiling for discovery of epidermal-selective promoters in Medicago truncatula. Planta 2022; 256:31. [PMID: 35790623 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-022-03920-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Transcriptomics of manually dissected leaf layers from Medicago truncatula identifies genes with preferential expression in upper and/or lower epidermis. The promoters of these genes confer epidermal-specific expression of transgenes. Improving the quality and quantity of proanthocyanidins (PAs) in forage legumes has potential to improve the nitrogen nutrition of ruminant animals and protect them from the risk of pasture bloat, as well as parasites. However, ectopic constitutive accumulation of PAs in plants by genetic engineering can significantly inhibit growth. We selected the leaf epidermis as a candidate tissue for targeted engineering of PAs or other pathways. To identify gene promoters selectively expressed in epidermal tissues, we performed comparative transcriptomic analyses in the model legume Medicago truncatula, using five tissue samples representing upper epidermis, lower epidermis, whole leaf without upper epidermis, whole leaf without lower epidermis, and whole leaf. We identified 52 transcripts preferentially expressed in upper epidermis, most of which encode genes involved in flavonoid biosynthesis, and 53 transcripts from lower epidermis, with the most enriched category being anatomical structure formation. Promoters of the preferentially expressed genes were cloned from the M. truncatula genome and shown to direct tissue-selective promoter activities in transient assays. Expression of the PA pathway transcription factor TaMYB14 under control of several of the promoters in transgenic alfalfa resulted in only modest MYB14 transcript accumulation and low levels of PA production. Activity of a subset of promoters was confirmed by transcript analysis in field-grown alfalfa plants throughout the growing season, and revealed variable but consistent expression, which was generally highest 3-4 weeks after cutting. We conclude that, although the selected promoters show acceptable tissue-specificity, they may not drive high enough transcription factor expression to activate the PA pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Cui
- BioDiscovery Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #311428, Denton, TX, 76203, USA
| | - Ji Hyung Jun
- BioDiscovery Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #311428, Denton, TX, 76203, USA
- Children's Research Institute and the Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Xiaolan Rao
- BioDiscovery Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #311428, Denton, TX, 76203, USA
- College of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430068, Hubei, China
| | - Camille Bahr
- Forage Genetics International, N5292 Gills Coulee Rd S, West Salem, WI, 54669, USA
| | - Elisabeth Chapman
- Forage Genetics International, N5292 Gills Coulee Rd S, West Salem, WI, 54669, USA
| | - Stephen Temple
- Forage Genetics International, N5292 Gills Coulee Rd S, West Salem, WI, 54669, USA
| | - Richard A Dixon
- BioDiscovery Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #311428, Denton, TX, 76203, USA.
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Jarque-Bascuñana L, Calleja JA, Ibañez M, Bartolomé J, Albanell E, Espunyes J, Gálvez-Cerón A, López-Martín JM, Villamuelas M, Gassó D, Fernández-Aguilar X, Colom-Cadena A, Krumins JA, Serrano E. Grazing influences biomass production and protein content of alpine meadows. Sci Total Environ 2022; 818:151771. [PMID: 34808181 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Revised: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Alpine grasslands are essential for carbon sequestration and food supply for domestic and wild herbivores inhabiting mountainous areas worldwide. These biomes, however, are alternatively threatened by the abandonment of agricultural and livestock practices leading to a fast-growing shrubification process while other mountain grasslands are suffering from the impacts of overgrazing. The functioning of alpine meadow ecosystems is primarily driven by climatic conditions, land-use legacies and grazing. However, although it is critically important, the role of large herbivores on the aboveground biomass and protein content of palatable plants is poorly understood for most alpine meadows. In this work, we explore the effects of grazing on grassland vegetation at two different spatial and temporal scales in the Eastern Pyrenees, Spain. Remote sensing was used to assess the effect of high and moderate grazing (HG and MG respectively) on grass biomass using the leaf area index (LAI) at the meso-scale (patches between 2.3 and 38.7 ha). We also explored the impact of null (NG), overgrazing (MO, mimicked overgrazing) and high (HG) grazing intensities at local scale setting eighteen 1 m2 exclusion boxes in six meadows (three boxes each) commonly used by domestic and wild ungulates. Historical satellite data showed that LAI values are greater in high than in low grazed areas (HG, mean = 0.66, LG, mean = 0.55). Along the same lines, high and moderate grazing pressures improved biomass production at the local-scale (HG, mean = 590.3 g/m2, MO, mean = 389.3 g/m2 and NG, mean = 110.8 g/m2). Crude protein content reached higher values under MO pressure than under HG pressure. Our results confirm that grazing intensity exerts significant changes on the above-ground biomass production and the protein content of plants consumed by domestic (cattle and horses) and wild ungulates (Southern Chamois, Rupicapra pyrenaica). We can conclude that ungulates sustain biomass and nutritive values of grass exerting a negligible effect on biomass and protein content of woody vegetation. Our results will inform management guidelines to support profitable grazing activities and promote conservation of the open landscapes in the alpine ecosystems under the current global change scenario.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laia Jarque-Bascuñana
- Wildlife Ecology & Health group (WE&H), Servei d'Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain.
| | - Juan Antonio Calleja
- Departamento de Biología (Botánica), Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio Global (CIBC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain; CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Miguel Ibañez
- Grup de Recerca en Remugants, Departament de Ciència Animal i dels Aliments, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Jordi Bartolomé
- Grup de Recerca en Remugants, Departament de Ciència Animal i dels Aliments, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Elena Albanell
- Grup de Recerca en Remugants, Departament de Ciència Animal i dels Aliments, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Johan Espunyes
- Wildlife Ecology & Health group (WE&H), Servei d'Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain; Wildlife Conservation Medicine Research Group (WildCoM), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain
| | | | - Josep María López-Martín
- Wildlife Ecology & Health group (WE&H), Servei d'Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain; Secció de Biodiversitat i Activitats Cinegètiques, Serveis Territorials de Barcelona, Departament d'Agricultura, Ramaderia, Pesca, Alimentació i Medi Natural, Generalitat de Catalunya, Spain
| | - Miriam Villamuelas
- Wildlife Ecology & Health group (WE&H), Servei d'Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Diana Gassó
- Wildlife Ecology & Health group (WE&H), Servei d'Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Xavier Fernández-Aguilar
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Andreu Colom-Cadena
- Wildlife Ecology & Health group (WE&H), Servei d'Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain
| | | | - Emmanuel Serrano
- Wildlife Ecology & Health group (WE&H), Servei d'Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain.
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9
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Fenetahun Y, You Y, Fentahun T, Xinwen X, Yong-Dong W. Effects of grazing intensity on forage nutritive value of dominant grass species in Borana rangelands of Southern Ethiopia. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12204. [PMID: 34721964 PMCID: PMC8542370 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Forage nutritive value analysis is an essential indicator of rangeland status regarding degradation and livestock nutrient demand. Thus, it is used to maintain healthy and sustainable rangelands that can provide the livestock with sufficient quantity and quality of forage. This study is conducted with the aim of investigating the effects of grazing intensity combined with seasonal variation on the nutritive values of dominant grass species in the Teltele rangeland. Methods The studied area is classified into no-grazed, moderately grazed, and overgrazed plots based on the estimated potential carrying capacity. Sampling data is collected during both rainy and dry seasons. The collected forage samples are analyzed for concentrations of crude protein (CP), acid detergent organic fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent lignin (ADL), ash, dry matter digestibility (DMD), potential dry matter intake (DMI), and relative feed/forage value (RFV). Results The results show significant (P < 0.05) effects of both grazing intensity and season to grazing intensity interactions on all forage nutrient content concentrations across all grass species both within and between treatments. The recorded CP concentrations of all grass species are high in the overgrazed site and low at the no-grazed site, while the fiber concentration is high in NG and low in OG. RFV data also varies greatly, with high value recorded in OG in the rainy season and low value found in NG mainly during the dry season. As a result, it is recommended that moderate grazing should be practiced on the study site to maintain the quality and quantity of forage and to manage it in a sustainable manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeneayehu Fenetahun
- University of China Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,National Engineering Technology Research Center for Desert-Oasis Ecological Construction, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
| | - Yuan You
- National Engineering Technology Research Center for Desert-Oasis Ecological Construction, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
| | - Tihunie Fentahun
- College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Mekdela Amba University, Tulu Awuliya, Ethiopia
| | - Xu Xinwen
- National Engineering Technology Research Center for Desert-Oasis Ecological Construction, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
| | - Wang Yong-Dong
- National Engineering Technology Research Center for Desert-Oasis Ecological Construction, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
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10
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Galal TM, Abu Alhmad MF, Al-Yasi HM. Nutrient sequestration potential of water primrose Ludwigia stolinefera (Guill. & Perr.) P.H. Raven: A strategy for restoring wetland eutrophication. Saudi J Biol Sci 2021; 28:2438-2446. [PMID: 33935569 PMCID: PMC8071966 DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2021.01.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Revised: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
The current work investigates the capacity of the water primrose (Ludwigia stolinefera) to sequester inorganic and organic nutrients in its biomass to restore eutrophic wetlands, besides its nutritive quality as fodder for animals. The nutrient elements and nutritive value of the water primrose were assessed seasonally in polluted and unpolluted watercourses. The water primrose plants’ highest biomass was attained during summer; then, it was significantly reduced till it reached its lowest value during winter. In the polluted canal, the plant root and shoot accumulated higher contents of all nutrient elements (except Na and Mg) rather than in the unpolluted Nile. They accumulated most investigated nutrients in the growing season during summer. The shoots accumulated higher contents of N, P, Ca, and Mg than the root, which accumulated higher concentrations of Na and K. Therefore, summer season is the ideal time to harvest water primrose for removing the maximum nutrients for restoring eutrophic watercourses. The aboveground tissues had the highest values of ether extract (EE) during spring and the highest crude fibers (CF) and total proteins (TP) during summer. In contrast, the belowground tissues had the lowest EE, CF, and TP during winter. In spring, autumn, and winter seasons, the protein content in the grazeable parts (shoots) of the water primrose was within the range, while in summer, it was higher than the minimum requirement for the maintenance of animals. There was a decrease in crude fibers and total proteins, while an increase in soluble carbohydrates content in the below- and above-ground tissues of water primrose under pollution stress. The total protein, lipids, and crude fibers of the aboveground parts of water primrose support this plant as a rough forage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tarek M Galal
- Department of Biology, College of Sciences, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia.,Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Helwan University, Cairo 11790, Egypt
| | - Mona F Abu Alhmad
- Department of Biology, College of Sciences, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia.,Botany Department, Faculty of Science, South Valley University, Qena 83523, Egypt
| | - Hatim M Al-Yasi
- Department of Biology, College of Sciences, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia
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11
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Zhao GQ, Wei SN, Liu C, Kim HJ, Kim JG. Effect of harvest dates on β-carotene content and forage quality of rye ( Secale cereale L.) silage and hay. J Anim Sci Technol 2021; 63:354-366. [PMID: 33987610 PMCID: PMC8071754 DOI: 10.5187/jast.2021.e28] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Limited data about the effects of various factors on forage quality and β-carotene content of rye produced in Korea are available, so this study investigated the effects of two preservation methods. Samples were collected from rye harvested every 5 days between April 25 and May 31, and comparisons were done among rye silage wilted for different periods of time and hay of three growth stages of rye. For the silage, dry matter (DM), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) contents increased with advanced maturity of rye, whereas crude protein, in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), total digestible nutrients (TDN), relative feed value (RFV), and DM loss decreased (p < 0.0001). Wilting increased the DM content and pH value significantly (p < 0.0001). Silage harvested at the heading stage had the lowest pH value (4.45), propionic acid (0.83 g/kg DM), butyric acid (0 g/kg DM), and fungi and yeast populations (3.70 Log CFU/g of fresh matter [FM]); conversely, it had the highest lactic acid (9.7 g/kg DM), lactic acid bacteria (LAB) (6.87 Log CFU/g of FM), total microorganisms (TM) (7.33 Log CFU/g of FM), and Flieg's score (70) (p < 0.0001). Wilting elevated LAB and TM populations, but it had no consistent effect on other fermentation products. Both delayed harvest and prolonged wilting decreased β-carotene content. Rye silage harvested around May 9 (heading stage) with 24 h of wilting was preferred for highland, Pyeongchang. For rye hay, advanced maturity decreased DM loss, IVDMD, TDN, and RFV, but it increased DM, ADF, and NDF significantly (p < 0.05). β-carotene was decreased by delay of hay-making. Consequently, to attain lower DM loss and higher hay quality, the harvest date of May 9 (heading stage) is recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guo Qiang Zhao
- Graduate School of International Agricultural Technology, Seoul National University, Pyeongchang 25354, Korea
| | - Sheng Nan Wei
- Graduate School of International Agricultural Technology, Seoul National University, Pyeongchang 25354, Korea
| | - Chang Liu
- Graduate School of International Agricultural Technology, Seoul National University, Pyeongchang 25354, Korea
| | - Hak Jin Kim
- Research Institute of Eco-friendly Livestock Science, Green Bio Science and Technology (GBST), Seoul National University, Pyeongchang 25354, Korea
| | - Jong Geun Kim
- Graduate School of International Agricultural Technology, Seoul National University, Pyeongchang 25354, Korea.,Research Institute of Eco-friendly Livestock Science, Green Bio Science and Technology (GBST), Seoul National University, Pyeongchang 25354, Korea
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12
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Castro-Bedriñana J, Chirinos-Peinado D, Garcia-Olarte E, Quispe-Ramos R. Lead transfer in the soil-root-plant system in a highly contaminated Andean area. PeerJ 2021; 9:e10624. [PMID: 33505801 PMCID: PMC7792523 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Lead (Pb) is highly toxic heavy metal that is detrimental to the food system. There are large mining and metallurgical companies in the central highlands of Peru that have been active for almost a century and contribute to air, water, and soil pollution, affecting food quality and causing damage to the environment and human health. Our study, conducted in 2018, assessed the content and transfer of lead in the soil-root-plant system in the high Andean grasslands in a geographical area near the metallurgical complex of La Oroya. Lead levels were measured in 120 samples of top soil (0–20 cm), roots, and grass shoots by flame atomic absorption spectroscopy. No significant differences were found between the soil pH, organic matter content, and lead among the samples evaluated (P > 0.05). Mean Pb concentrations decreased in the order of soil > root > shoot (P < 0.01) (212.36 ± 38.40, 154.65 ± 52.85 and 19.71 ± 2.81 mg/kg, respectively). The soil-to-root Pb bioconcentration factor, root-to-shoot translocation factor, and soil-to-shoot bioaccumulation factor values were 0.74 ± 0.26, 0.14 ± 0.06 and 0.10 ± 0.03, respectively. Lead in the soil was 3.03 times higher than the maximum limit for agricultural soil, and was 1.97 times higher than the value limit for fodder. Our findings are important and show that soils and pasture in this geographical area have high Pb levels due to metallurgical emissions that have been occurring since 1922. Such pollution negatively impacts health and the socio-economic status of the exposed populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Castro-Bedriñana
- Specialized Research Institute of the Faculty of Zootechnics, Universidad Nacional del Centro del Perú, Huancayo, Junín, Perú
| | - Doris Chirinos-Peinado
- Nutritional Food Safety Research Center, Universidad Nacional del Centro del Perú, Huancayo, Junín, Perú
| | - Edgar Garcia-Olarte
- Faculty of Zootechnics, Universidad Nacional del Centro del Perú, Huancayo, Junín, Perú
| | - Rolando Quispe-Ramos
- Faculty of Zootechnics, Universidad Nacional del Centro del Perú, Huancayo, Junín, Perú
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Abstract
This article presents input data and procedures used to estimate costs of producing grass-clover silages under Norwegian farming conditions. Data of yield, botanical composition and forage quality of the grass crop were derived from a field experiment comparing a three-cut system, harvested at early crop maturity stages producing highly digestible forages, and a two-cut system returning higher herbage yields of medium digestibility. Secondary data on prices of specific inputs were also provided. The data presented here can be used by advisors and farmers as a decision support tool for assessing and comparing costs of different ways of producing silage. Cost estimates of home-grown forages are also needed in bio-economic evaluations of grassland production and utilization by researchers. The data presented is related to the research article entitled: "Technical and economic performance of alternative feeds in dairy and pig production" [1].
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Affiliation(s)
- Ola Flaten
- Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, P.O. Box 115, Aas NO-1431, Norway
| | | | - Tor Lunnan
- Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, P.O. Box 115, Aas NO-1431, Norway
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14
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Nadeem M, Pham TH, Nieuwenhuis A, Ali W, Zaeem M, Ashiq W, Gillani SSM, Manful C, Adigun OA, Galagedara L, Cheema M, Thomas R. Adaptation strategies of forage soybeans cultivated on acidic soils under cool climate to produce high quality forage. Plant Sci 2019; 283:278-289. [PMID: 31128698 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2019.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2019] [Revised: 03/15/2019] [Accepted: 03/16/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Boreal soils tend to be podzols characterized by acidic pH, which can further limit forage crop growth and production. It is unclear, how forage soybeans adopt to produce forage with high nutritional quality when cultivated on podzols in boreal climate. To answer this question, we cultivated forage soybeans on agricultural podzols at 3 farm sites with varied soil pH (6.8, 6.0 or 5.1), and assessed the root membrane lipidome remodeling response to such climatic conditions. Contrary to our expectations, significantly lower biomass was observed at pH 6.8 compared to 6.0 and 5.1. However, surprisingly the plants produced similar forage quality at 6.8 and 5.1 pH. Three major lipid classes including phospholipids, glycolipids and phytosterols were observed in roots irrespective of soil pH. Phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidic acid (PA), and acylated glucosyl betasitosterol ester (AGlcSiE) accounted for 95% of the root lipidome, and expressed significant changes in response to cultivation across the three soil pH levels. These lipids were also observed to have strong correlations with forage production, and forage quality. Therefore, soybean genotypes with higher abilities to remodel PC, PE, PA, and AGlcSiE could be better suited for producing higher quality forage in acid podzolic soils characteristics of boreal ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Nadeem
- School of Science and the Environment, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Corner Brook, A2H 5G4, Canada; Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University of Islamabad, Vehari 61100, Pakistan.
| | - Thu Huong Pham
- School of Science and the Environment, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Corner Brook, A2H 5G4, Canada
| | - Ashley Nieuwenhuis
- Agriculture Production and Research, Department of Fisheries and Land Resources, Pasadena, Newfoundland, Canada
| | - Waqas Ali
- School of Science and the Environment, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Corner Brook, A2H 5G4, Canada
| | - Muhammad Zaeem
- School of Science and the Environment, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Corner Brook, A2H 5G4, Canada
| | - Waqar Ashiq
- School of Science and the Environment, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Corner Brook, A2H 5G4, Canada
| | - Syed Shah Mohioudin Gillani
- School of Science and the Environment, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Corner Brook, A2H 5G4, Canada
| | - Charles Manful
- School of Science and the Environment, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Corner Brook, A2H 5G4, Canada
| | - Oludoyin Adeseun Adigun
- School of Science and the Environment, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Corner Brook, A2H 5G4, Canada
| | - Lakshman Galagedara
- School of Science and the Environment, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Corner Brook, A2H 5G4, Canada
| | - Mumtaz Cheema
- School of Science and the Environment, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Corner Brook, A2H 5G4, Canada.
| | - Raymond Thomas
- School of Science and the Environment, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Corner Brook, A2H 5G4, Canada.
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Heidari H, Yosefi M, Sasani S, Nosratti I. Effect of irrigation with detergent-containing water on foxtail millet shoot biomass and ion accumulation. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2019; 26:6328-6335. [PMID: 30617893 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-018-3966-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2018] [Accepted: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Water shortage leads farmers to use sewages for irrigation. Sewages contain a large amount of laundry detergent. In this study the impact of irrigation by contaminated water on shoot biomass and seed germination of foxtail millet (Setaria italica) was investigated. The research was conducted as laboratory and pot experiments. Iso-potentials (- 0.042, - 0.077, and - 0.415 MPa) of polyethylene glycol (PEG, water deficit treatment) and laundry detergent (contamination treatment) made the laboratory experiment treatments. The pot experiment included contamination factor (0, 0.1, 1, and 10 g L-1 of laundry detergent) and deficit irrigation factor (irrigation interval of 1, 2, and 3 days). Results of this study showed that at the iso-potential, laundry detergent had more negative effect on seed germination traits when compared with PEG. There was no germination at - 0.415 MPa of laundry detergent. Both drought and contamination reduced dry forage yield, plant height, leaf number, leaf area, leaf dry and fresh weight, stem dry, and fresh weight. Detergent concentration of 10 g L-1 with irrigation interval of 3 days had a forage yield reduction of 63% compared to control (laundry detergent concentration of 0 g L-1 with irrigation interval of 1 day). Detergent concentration of 10 g L-1 with irrigation interval of 1 day had a sodium increase of 1847% compared to control. Based on the results of this study, it is recommended not to irrigate foxtail millet farm by contaminated water with laundry detergent higher than 1 g L-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hassan Heidari
- Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran.
| | - Maliheh Yosefi
- Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Shahryar Sasani
- Horticultural Crops Research Department, Kermanshah Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Iraj Nosratti
- Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran
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Yang Z, Nie G, Pan L, Zhang Y, Huang L, Ma X, Zhang X. Development and validation of near-infrared spectroscopy for the prediction of forage quality parameters in Lolium multiflorum. PeerJ 2017; 5:e3867. [PMID: 29018608 PMCID: PMC5629960 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2017] [Accepted: 09/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) is an important cool-season, annual forage crop for the grassland rotation system in Southern China. The primary aim of breeding programs is always to seek to improve forage quality in the animal productivity system; however, it is time- and labor-consuming when analyzed excessive large number of samples. The main objectives of this study were to construct near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) models to predict the forage chemistry quality of Italian ryegrass including the concentrations of crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and water soluble carbohydrate (WSC). The results showed that a broader range of CP, NDF, ADF and WSC contents (%DM) were obtained (4.45–30.60, 21.29–60.47, 11.66–36.17 and 3.95–51.52, respectively) from the samples selected for developing NIRS models. In addition, the critical wavelengths identified in this study to construct optimal NIRS models were located in 4,247–6,102 and 4,247–5,450 cm-1 for CP and NDF content, and both wavelengths 5,446–6,102 and 4,247–4,602 cm-1 could for ADF and WSC. Finally, the optimal models were developed based on the laboratory data and the spectral information by partial least squares (PLS) regression, with relatively high coefficients of determination (R2CV, CP = 0.99, NDF = 0.94, ADF = 0.92, WSC = 0.88), ratio of prediction to devitation (RPD, CP = 8.58, NDF = 4.25, ADF = 3.64, WSC = 3.10). The further statistics of prediction errors relative to laboratory (PRL) and the range error ratio (RER) give excellent assessments of the models with the PRL ratios lower than 2 and the RER values greater than 10. The NIRS models were validated using a completely independent set of samples and have coefficients of determination (R2V, CP = 0.99, NDF = 0.91, ADF = 0.95, WSC = 0.91) and ratio of prediction to deviation (RPD, CP = 9.37, NDF = 3.44, ADF = 4.40, WSC = 3.39). The result suggested that routine screening for forage quality parameters with large numbers of samples is available with the NIRS model in Italian ryegrass breeding programs, as well as facilitating graziers to monitor the forage development stage for improving grazing efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongfu Yang
- Department of Grassland Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Gang Nie
- Department of Grassland Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ling Pan
- Department of Grassland Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Grassland Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Linkai Huang
- Department of Grassland Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiao Ma
- Department of Grassland Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xinquan Zhang
- Department of Grassland Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
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Wang H, Li K, Hu X, Liu Z, Wu Y, Huang C. Genome-wide association analysis of forage quality in maize mature stalk. BMC Plant Biol 2016; 16:227. [PMID: 27769176 PMCID: PMC5073832 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-016-0919-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2016] [Accepted: 10/12/2016] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Plant digestibility of silage maize (Zea mays L.) has a large influence on nutrition intake for animal feeding. Improving forage quality will enhance the utilization efficiency and feeding value of forage maize. Dissecting the genetic basis of forage quality will improve our understanding of the complex nature of cell wall biosynthesis and degradation, which is also helpful for breeding good quality silage maize. RESULTS Acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) of stalk were evaluated in a diverse maize population, which is comprised of 368 inbred lines and planted across seven environments. Using a mixed model accounting for population structure and polygenic background effects, a genome-wide association study was conducted to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) significantly associated with forage quality. Scanning 559,285 SNPs across the whole genome, 73, 41 and 82 SNPs were found to be associated with ADF, NDF, and IVDMD, respectively. Each significant SNP explained 4.2 %-6.2 % of the phenotypic variation. Underlying these associated loci, 56 genes were proposed as candidate genes for forage quality. CONCLUSIONS Of all the candidate genes proposed by GWAS, we only found a C3H gene (ZmC3H2) that is directly involved in cell wall component biosynthesis. The candidate genes found in this study are mainly involved in signal transduction, stress resistance, and transcriptional regulation of cell wall biosynthetic gene expression. Adding high digestibility maize into the association panel would be helpful for increasing genetic variability and identifying more genes associated with forage quality traits. Cloning and functional validation of these genes would be helpful for understanding the molecular mechanism of the fiber content and digestibility. These findings provide us new insights into cell wall formation and deposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongwu Wang
- Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081 China
| | - Kun Li
- Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081 China
| | - Xiaojiao Hu
- Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081 China
| | - Zhifang Liu
- Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081 China
| | - Yujin Wu
- Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081 China
| | - Changling Huang
- Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081 China
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Hewitt DKL, Mills G, Hayes F, Davies W. The climate benefits of high-sugar grassland may be compromised by ozone pollution. Sci Total Environ 2016; 565:95-104. [PMID: 27161131 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.04.151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2016] [Revised: 04/20/2016] [Accepted: 04/21/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
High sugar ryegrasses (HSG) have been developed to improve the uptake, digestion and nitrogen (N)-utilisation of grazing stock, with the potential to increase production yields and benefit climate by reducing methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from livestock farming. In this study, the effects of tropospheric ozone pollution on the seasonal growth dynamics of HSG pasture mesocosms containing Lolium perenne cv. AberMagic and Trifolium repens cv. Crusader were investigated. Species-specific ozone (O3) dose-response relationships (seasonal means: 35, 41, 47, 51, 59 & 67ppb) based on the Phytotoxic Ozone Dose (PODy) were constructed for above and below ground biomass, injury, N-fixation and forage quality. The dynamics of effects of ozone exposure on HSG pasture changed over the course of a season, with the strongest responses occurring in the first 4-8weeks. Overall, strong negative responses to ozone flux were found for root biomass, root nodule mass and N-fixation rates, and ozone adversely impacted a range of forage quality parameters including total sugar content and relative and consumable food values. These results indicate that increasing ozone pollution could decrease the N-use efficiency and reduce the sugar content of managed pasture, and thereby partially detract from some of the suggested benefits of HSG.
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Affiliation(s)
- D K L Hewitt
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Environment Centre Wales, Deinol Road, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, UK,; Lancaster University, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster, Lancashire LA1 4YQ, UK,.
| | - G Mills
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Environment Centre Wales, Deinol Road, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, UK
| | - F Hayes
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Environment Centre Wales, Deinol Road, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, UK
| | - W Davies
- Lancaster University, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster, Lancashire LA1 4YQ, UK
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Liu S, Zhang R, Kang R, Meng J, Ao C. Milk fatty acids profiles and milk production from dairy cows fed different forage quality diets. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 2:329-333. [PMID: 29767071 PMCID: PMC5941052 DOI: 10.1016/j.aninu.2016.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2016] [Accepted: 08/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Thirty lactating Holstein cows were used to investigate the effects of different forages quality on milk fatty acids (FA) profiles and production. The cows were assigned to 3 dietary treatments (n = 10 per treatment) in a randomized block design with 3 repeated measures. They were fed the experimental diets for 90 d with 3 days of collection of samples for analysis at about 27 d intervals (samples were collected on days 28, 29, 30, 58, 59, 60, 88, 89 and 90). The treatments were (DM basis): 1) mixed forages diet (MF) consisting of 3.7% Chinese wild rye, 26.7% corn silage and 23.4% alfalfa hay; 2) corn stalk diet 1 (CS1) where corn stalk was used to formulate a similar chemical nutrient level to MF; 3) corn stalk diet 2 (CS2) which used corn stalk to formulate a similar forage level to MF for the diet. Dry matter intake and BW were similar between treatments, but daily milk yield, milk fat and protein yield decreased (P < 0.05) in CS1 and CS2 compared with MF, with CS2 being the lowest (P < 0.05). In total FA of milk, the compositions of C18:1c9, C18:3 and unsaturated FA increased (P < 0.05) in CS1 and CS2 compared with MF, and C18:0 and trans-C18:1 were trended to increase (P < 0.10), but C4:0-C16:0 were decreased (P < 0.05). Compared with cows fed CS2, cows receiving CS1 increased the compositions of C4:0 to C12:0 and C18:2 (P < 0.05). The results suggests feeding corn stalk could produce a greater proportion of unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) in milk fat without resulting in milk fat depression (MFD) in mid lactation cows, but simply increasing the ratio of concentrate in low forages diets is not an effective way to increase milk fat synthesis and milk production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuaiwang Liu
- College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
| | - Runhou Zhang
- College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
| | - Rong Kang
- College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
| | - Jinzhu Meng
- Wujiang River Institute of Agriculture & Forestry Economics, Tongren University, Tongren 554300, China
| | - Changjin Ao
- College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
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Corazza M, Tardella FM, Ferrari C, Catorci A. Tall Grass Invasion After Grassland Abandonment Influences the Availability of Palatable Plants for Wild Herbivores: Insight into the Conservation of the Apennine Chamois Rupicapra pyrenaica ornata. Environ Manage 2016; 57:1247-1261. [PMID: 26899738 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-016-0679-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2015] [Accepted: 02/10/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Invasion of the tall grass Brachypodium genuense was observed in an area of the central Apennines (Italy) where the population size of Apennine chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica ornata) was in strong decline. Since this dominant tall grass threatens biodiversity and forage quality, our hypothesis was that B. genuense abundance influenced that of palatable species for the chamois, depending on their functional traits and distribution patterns. Our sampling design used plots of 10 × 10 m and 1 × 1 m to investigate the plant community level and fine-scale interactions. We analyzed data using correlation, generalized linear models, and redundancy analyses. We found that B. genuense can reach high abundance values on the deepest soils. Its high cover value influences plant community composition by competitive exclusion of subordinate species and suppression of functional features because of temporal or spatial niche overlap. This leads to low cover of palatable species at a fine scale, and to poor pasture quality for chamois at a wider scale. Therefore, we postulated that B. genuense invasion, enhanced by long-term grazing cessation, may reduce the availability of palatable plants for Apennine chamois, especially below the potential timberline (1900-2000 m a.s.l.). The high abundance of B. genuense may amplify the effect of other negative factors, such as competition with red deer (Cervus elaphus) and climate change, in restricting the suitable habitat of the Apennine chamois to the higher sectors of the central Apennines. Thus, we suggested that B. genuense spread should be monitored carefully and plans to control its invasion should be implemented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcello Corazza
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 42, 40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - Federico Maria Tardella
- Research Unit of Plant Biodiversity and Ecosystem Management, School of Bioscience and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Via Pontoni 5, 62032, Camerino, MC, Italy.
| | - Carlo Ferrari
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 42, 40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - Andrea Catorci
- Research Unit of Plant Biodiversity and Ecosystem Management, School of Bioscience and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Via Pontoni 5, 62032, Camerino, MC, Italy
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Sokos C, Andreadis K, Papageorgiou N. Diet adaptability by a generalist herbivore: the case of brown hare in a Mediterranean agroecosystem. Zool Stud 2015; 54:e27. [PMID: 31966114 DOI: 10.1186/s40555-014-0095-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2013] [Accepted: 12/23/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Brown hares (Lepus europaeus) were collected before and after autumn rains from a mixed farmland and scrubland area. The age and sex of each specimen were determined, and microhistological technique was applied to analyze the stomach contents. RESULTS Hares consumed a higher number of plant species in comparison with other studies in continental European farmlands. A different pattern in diet of hare was found, where from a partial herbivory, frugivory, and granivory during the dry period, hares turn to primarily herbivory during the wet period. An expansion of diet breadth and an increase in food consumption was found in the dry season. Farming contributes to the enrichment of diet especially during the dry season. Diet composition was differed between ages, but no significant difference was found between the two sexes. CONCLUSIONS Hare is a facultative generalist herbivore that adapts its diet to the seasonal vegetation changes. In Mediterranean ecosystems, the seeds, fruits, and grapes are important additions to the diet. Results suggest that during the dry period juveniles cannot exploit all the available food resources, such as fruits and seeds, as effectively as adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christos Sokos
- Laboratory of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries, School of Forestry and Natural Environment, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki GR-54124, Hellas (Greece).,Research Division, Hunting Federation of Macedonia and Thrace, Ethnikis, Antistasis 173-175, GR-55134 Thessaloniki, Hellas
| | - Konstantinos Andreadis
- Laboratory of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries, School of Forestry and Natural Environment, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki GR-54124, Hellas (Greece)
| | - Nikolaos Papageorgiou
- Laboratory of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries, School of Forestry and Natural Environment, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki GR-54124, Hellas (Greece)
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