农林科学最新文献

Background: Optimizing winter wheat production for sustainability requires a systems approach; however, a comprehensive evaluation of the synergistic effects of cropping systems, nitrogen levels, and planting density is lacking, particularly in terms of how they jointly determine grain development, water-nitrogen productivity, and profitability.

Method: A 2-year field experiment evaluated three-way interactions among two cropping systems (RT and FT cropping system), two nitrogen fertilization (N0 and N200: 0 and 200 kg N ha^-1), and three planting densities (LD, MD, and HD: 240, 360, and 480 plants m^-2). Measurements included grain filling dynamics, grain yield (GY), water-nitrogen utilization, and economic benefit.

Results: The results showed that RT-N200-MD increased GY by 23.5% (P < 0.01), the time to reach maximum grain filling rate (t_m) was increased by 17.1%, and the maximum filling rate (GFR_max) was increased by 52.8% compared to FT-HD. Under the N200-MD treatment, RT reduced evapotranspiration (ET) by 2.7% but increased water productivity (WP) by 39.2%. HD reduced individual nitrogen uptake (IN_u) by 29.7% but increased population nitrogen accumulation (PN_u) by 41%. The RT-N200-MD achieved the highest net income (NI) (8666 CNY ha^-1 on average) and benefit-cost ratio (BCR = 1.8:1), while the FT-HD not only had a lower GY, but also a 6.8% lower NI.

Conclusion: Principal component analysis (PCA) identified the RT-N200-MD system as optimal for balancing productivity, resource efficiency (water and nitrogen), and profitability. This approach provides a roadmap for climate-resilient wheat production in water-limited regions. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: Skeletal muscle atrophy occurs when muscle mass and strength decrease due to aging, starvation, cancer, and cachectic diseases. Recently, an increasing focus has been on investigating potato protein's nutritional and functional properties and its wide-ranging applications. Steroids, especially glucocorticoids, have been extensively examined and found to cause muscle atrophy. Recently, we found that PP902 prevents hyperglycemia-induced muscle atrophy in cultured myotubes, although its impact on steroid-induced muscle atrophy remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate if the potato peptide PP902 could prevent steroid-induced muscle atrophy in vitro.

Results: The MTT assay showed no cytotoxicity in C2C12 myotubes at a dosage of 200 μg mL^-1. To study the anti-atrophic effects of PP902 on muscle cell atrophy, C2C12 myotubes were treated with 100 μmol L^-1 dexamethasone (DEX) and/or 100 μg mL^-1 PP902 for 24 h. DEX-treated cells showed reduced myotube diameter compared to control cells, while PP902 administration prevented muscular atrophy. Next, western blot analysis and reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction were used to measure MAFbx and MuRF1 protein and mRNA levels, respectively. Results showed that PP902 dramatically decreased MAFbx and MuRF1 expression. Additionally, PP902 treatment in C2C12 cells produced a dose-dependent increase in myosin heavy chain (MHC) and a decrease in phosphorylated myosin heavy chain (p-MHC), which is a key player in skeletal myogenesis. Furthermore, DEX treatment significantly increased the expression of glucocorticoid receptor alpha (GRα), whereas low-dose PP902 (12.5, 15, and 50 μg mL^-1) failed to prevent GRα activation. PP902 (100 μg mL^-1) suppresses GRα activity only at higher concentrations. Additional investigations revealed that PP902 supplementation reduced DEX-induced FOXO1 activity and enhanced p-FoxO1 and Akt activation.

Conclusion: Taken together, this study indicates that PP902 inhibits MAFbx and MuRF1 expression associated with inhibiting FoxO1 in C2C12 cells, potentially useful for developing anti-atrophy functional foods. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: The use of microorganisms and biostimulants is increasingly supported in agriculture because of their advantageous impact on plant disease management, growth enhancement and the synthesis of beneficial bioactive secondary metabolites (SMs). Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is an important crop and is consumed worldwide because it is an excellent source of natural compounds (i.e. beta-carotene and flavonoids) and minerals useful for human health. Although the positive effects of individual microbial applications are well-documented, the impact of microbial consortia is underexplored.

Results: In this study, the improvement of nutritional value of tomato (S. lycopersicum var. Heinz), by use of beneficial microorganisms, including selected strains of Streptomyces microflavus (S), Trichoderma harzianum (M10) and Trichoderma afroharzianum (T22), has been investigated. These microbes were applied on tomato plants, either as single inoculants or as microbial consortia. The effects were evaluated through statistical analysis of biological parameters. T22 treatments exhibited a significant increase in plant height (107.30 cm) compared to both control and M10-based treatments (104.30 and 102.80 cm, respectively). The similarities observed in plant height between S-treated plants (105.70 cm) and those treated with the combination of S and T22 (106.60 cm) highlight the potential beneficial effects of microbial consortia. Moreover, the berries were subjected to an untargeted metabolomic analysis by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-quadrupole-time of flight that led to the identification of eighteen metabolites, including tomatine and its derivatives solafloridine. Multivariate analysis demonstrated differences in berries metabolic profiles, depending on the treatment applied. Specifically, T22-based treatment increased the accumulation of most of the identified metabolites compared to untreated plants, whereas combined treatment S + T22 induced a major accumulation of solafloridine.

Conclusion: Field microbial applications significantly induced the metabolic profile change of tomato and the accumulation of metabolites with nutraceutical value. © 2025 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: Cacti, including pitaya (Hylocereus spp.), are rich in antioxidants that will undoubtedly gain importance under ongoing climate change as water resources decline. Yet the molecular basis linking composition to antioxidant function remains incompletely defined. We compared white-fleshed H. undatus and red-fleshed H. polyrhizus across physicochemical traits, integrating correlation, principal component analysis, and molecular docking to a human iron-regulatory protein (IRP1).

Results: White-fleshed fruits were larger and heavier (length 103.4 mm; width 60.2 mm; weight 204.7 g) than red-fleshed (71.9 mm; 54.5 mm; 126.3 g). Conversely, red-fleshed fruits showed higher total soluble solids (13.47 vs. 9.60 °Brix), total phenolics (379.7 vs. 183.0 mg L^-1), total flavonoids (303.7 vs. 147.3 mg L^-1), and antioxidant activity (52.3% vs. 30.0%). Organic acids and phenolics differed by species (e.g., higher citric acid in red; higher malic acid in white). Correlations indicated that greater soluble sugars were associated with higher phenolic accumulation, consistent with the elevated antioxidant capacity of red-fleshed fruit. The first two principal components explained 83.3% of the total variance (PC1 = 68.8%, PC2 = 14.5%) and separated samples along size/°Brix versus phenolic/ antioxidant axes. Docking predicted favorable binding of major acids and phenolics to IRP1, suggesting plausible antioxidant mechanisms.

Conclusion: Findings support species-specific use, with red-fleshed H. polyrhizus serving as a nutrient-dense source of antioxidant compounds, while white-fleshed H. undatus offers advantageous pomological traits. Integrating compositional profiling with multivariate analysis and docking provides mechanistic context and practical implications for breeding, climate-resilient cultivation, and industrial applications. © 2025 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: Terebinth (Pistacia terebinthus L.), a nutrient-rich Mediterranean plant, is noted for its high levels of unsaturated fatty acids, phenolics, and antioxidants. These properties make it a promising functional ingredient in plant-based beverages. As demand for non-dairy probiotic carriers grows, terebinth milk is gaining attention as a novel probiotic matrix. This study examined its ability to support the growth and survival of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum.

Results: Both probiotic strains grew well in terebinth milk. Lactobacillus acidophilus exhibited the shortest generation time in terebinth milk, and the addition of cow's milk permeate (0.5 g L^-1) significantly reduced its lag phase (P < 0.05). The maximum population densities reached were 7.22-8.08 log CFU mL^-1 for Lactobacillus acidophilus and 7.99-8.65 log CFU mL^-1 for Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (P ≥ 0.05). During refrigerated storage, Lactobacillus acidophilus viability declined but was better maintained in terebinth milk containing permeate. Lactobacillus plantarum sustained counts above 6 log CFU mL^-1 throughout 42 days of storage. Acid resistance of Lactobacillus acidophilus was enhanced in terebinth milk, and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum exhibited higher survival at pH 2.5 in terebinth milk compared to MRS broth. Regarding bile resistance, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum showed improved tolerance in terebinth milk (with or without milk permeate), whereas Lactobacillus acidophilus did not benefit significantly.

Conclusion: Terebinth milk supports the growth, survival, and stress resistance of probiotic bacteria, particularly Lactiplantibacillus plantarum. These results suggest that terebinth milk is a promising carrier matrix for plant-based probiotic formulations and could serve as a novel base for functional, non-dairy probiotic beverages. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: As a significant global atmospheric pollution issue, excessive nitrogen (N) deposition harms plant and soil. Meanwhile, the maize-soybean intercropping is a popular farming system that improves soil fertility and crop yield. Nonetheless, research on the response of maize-soybean intercropping to N deposition remains scarce. This research examined the response of maize and soybean in monoculture and the two-crop intercropping system to different N deposition levels (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 kg hm^-2 yr^-1).

Results: The results showed that increased N deposition reduced chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and root growth in maize and soybean. At the same time, it limited soil nutrient accumulation and decreased soil microbial biomass carbon (C), Nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) contents (abbreviated as MBC, MBN and MBP, respectively). Relative to monoculture, intercropping increased maize and soybean chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and improved root morphology under 100 kg N ha^-1 yr^-1 N deposition conditions. Under 100 and 150 kg N ha^-1 yr^-1 N deposition levels, maize and soybean root C and N contents increased. Additionally, in the range of 0-200 kg N ha^-1 yr^-1 N deposition, intercropping increased soil MBP, available K and P content. Intercropping reduced the ratio of soil N/P under all N deposition levels.

Conclusion: The intercropping system effectively mitigated the adverse effects of N deposition on chlorophyll fluorescence parameters in maize and soybean, improved the availability of main soil nutrients, and enhanced root growth in soybean. The findings of this study provide support for sustainable agricultural development. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

Background: Membrane dialysis is a suitable technique for the partial dealcoholization of wines that preserves most of the aromas of the original wine. In this study this technique has been used to compare white and red wines of the same vintage. The results of partial dealcoholization have been checked in terms of chemical and sensory properties. In addition, gas chromatography was carried out to determine whether the aromas are appreciably diminished in their final composition for filtered wines.

Results: Membrane dialysis resulted in wines with a lower alcoholic strength than the starting one, 11.0 g/kg alcohol reduction was obtained for white wines and 13.4 g/kg for red wines after dialysis, and with acceptable chemical and sensory characteristics but with a lower concentration of some aromatic compounds.

Conclusion: This partial dealcoholization technique is slightly more effective for the treated red wines. However, the dialyzed red wines are less acceptable by consumers than the corresponding white wines. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

Aims: To use a commercially available, deterministic, whole-farm model to assess the impact on production (milk solids (MS)/ha), greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (total and per kg MS), and gross margin per ha, from changes in the calving pattern alone or combined with changes in non-pregnancy and replacement rate, for a pasture-based dairy farming system in Waikato, New Zealand.

Methods: A baseline model of a dairy farm was developed. Reproductive data from actual Waikato dairy farms were used to assess the change and variability in GHG production (total and per kg MS), MS/ha and gross margin/ha of the baseline model farm. Two different scenarios were modelled using data reflecting a range in reproductive performance: firstly, calving pattern data from 82 farms were used to model, over the subsequent lactation, the range in outputs associated with these differences. Secondly, calving pattern and non-pregnancy rate data from 70 of these farms were used to model the range in outputs associated with differences in these combined metrics.

Results: Sequentially changing the calving pattern data to reflect the variation in the 82 farms demonstrated relatively small changes in the outputs: higher 6-week calving rates tended to produce more MS per ha and a higher gross margin per ha. These herds also had lower GHG emissions intensity but tended to produce more overall GHG. Including the variance in the calving and non-pregnancy rate also led to small changes in outputs. Herds with higher 6-week calving rates and lower non-pregnancy rates - necessitating the user to manually reduce the replacement rate - resulted in a decrease in emissions intensity and overall emissions. However, despite the large variation in both the non-pregnancy and 6-week calving rate in the actual farm data, there was much less variation in the model's predicted production/ha, gross margin/ha and environmental emissions.

Conclusions: Although these herds demonstrated variation in reproductive performance, and a resultant variance in the replacement rate, the model predicted that the financial, production and environmental outputs were only slightly better for herds with the optimum reproductive performance. In particular, even for herds with the best reproductive performance, overall GHG emissions were only slightly reduced. Thus, our modelling suggests it is the opportunity to further manipulate the farming system - stemming from improvements in the reproductive performance - that is likely to create the greatest gains in the production, financial and environmental performance for a dairy farm.

Abbreviations: CO₂e: Carbon dioxide equivalents; GHG: Greenhouse gas; MS: Milk solids.

Introduction: Taenia solium places substantial burden on communities in low and middle-income countries, where neurocysticercosis is a leading cause of preventable epilepsy. Current diagnostic tests for T. solium are not suited for low resource settings or perform poorly. Several risk-assessment tools have been developed to support countries in identifying areas for further T. solium investigation and intervention. These tools are based on risk, rather than disease data, and have yet to be validated against biological results.

Methods: Two national quantitative risk-assessment tools (LISA and MCDA), two local semi-quantitative tools (rapid and in-depth), and a local qualitative tool (workshop) had their performance assessed against biological T. solium taeniasis data from 28 villages. The final risk category, risk score and individual components of each tool were assessed independently against village T. solium status by logistic regression.

Results: T. solium positive villages had higher odds of being high-risk villages for all tools, however, this was only significant for the LISA and workshop tools. For the LISA tool, the median risk score was also significantly greater in positive villages. A unit increase in LISA risk score led to a significant increase in the odds of a village being positive for T. solium. Other tools that calculated risk scores also showed similar results, however, were not statistically significant. All positive villages were hotspots for unimproved toilets by the LISA tool. The open defaecation component of the local rapid tool was the only component of any tool to demonstrate a significant relationship with positive T. solium villages.

Conclusions: This first biological validation of T. solium risk-assessment tools demonstrates that there are multiple tools that should be considered for further development. Supporting endemic countries to implement recently developed risk-assessment tools is consistent with the World Health Organization's goal of intensified control of T. solium in hyperendemic areas.