To reveal the response of microbial communities of generalized and specialized species to different grazing intensities in mountain meadows in the middle section of the northern slope of Tianshan， the changing characteristics of generalized and specialized species in light grazing， heavy grazing， and control samples （with fenced-in meadows serving as the control） were studied， and the association of generalized and specialized species communities with soil factors under grazing interference was explored. The results showed that light grazing significantly enhanced both alpha and beta diversity of microbial generalists and specialists relative to heavy grazing. Proteobacteria， Actinobacteria， and Acidobacteriota dominated bacterial generalist and specialist communities， while Ascomycota， Basidiomycota， and Chytridiomycota were predominant in fungal communities across all grazing treatments. Co-occurrence network metrics （node number， edge number， average degree， and robustness） initially increased and subsequently declined with escalating grazing intensity， whereas vulnerability showed an inverse trend. The relative contribution of deterministic assembly processes to bacterial and fungal community assembley increased with grazing intensity； however， stochastic processes remained the dominant assembly mechanism. Functional prediction using Tax4Fun2 and FUNGuild revealed that grazing altered metabolic capabilities of bacterial functional groups and shifted the abundance profiles of fungal functional groups. Mantel tests and random forest analyses confirmed significant relationship between soil factors and microbial communities under grazing disturbance， with soil variables exhibiting lower explanatory power for generalists than for specialists.
This study was conducted in the natural steppe of Xilin Gol. A transect was established along the west-east hydrothermal gradient， compassing 30 sample plots that encompassed desert steppe， typical steppe， and meadow steppe. The contents and ecological stoichiometry of leaf carbon （C）， nitrogen （N）， and phosphorus （P） in Xilin Gol steppe were analyzed， and the influence of various environmental factors were investigated by traditional statistical methods and the Geodetector technique based on field surveys， sampling， and laboratory analyses. The results showed that： （1） A total of 120 species of seed plants， belonging to 78 genera and 31 families， were recorded along the transect in Xilin Gol steppe. The vegetation was dominated by perennial herbs， with Asteraceae being the family containing the most genera and species. （2） In Xilin Gol steppe， leaf C content was the highest in legume among the plant functional groups， while Liliaceae had the highest N and P contents. The Cyperaceae showed the highest C∶N and C∶P ratios， while legumes had the highest N∶P ratio. Significant variations were observed in leaf C， N， and P contents and their ecological stoichiometric ratios across the different functional groups. （3） Leaf C， N， and P contents and their ecological stoichiometric ratios in Xilin Gol steppe were all influenced to varying degrees by meteorological， geographical， and soil factors. These patterns are determined by the synergistic effects of these factors.
To investigate the effects of foliar application of S3307 （uniconazole） on the winter survival rate and production performance of alfalfa （Medicago sativa）， different concentrations of S3307 were sprayed on October 10th， 2023. Agronomic traits， physiological indices， yield， nutritional value， and winter survival rate of alfalfa were determined. The results showed that root crown diameter， root length， fresh and dry root weight of alfalfa were greater in all treatment groups compared to the control， both before and after winter. Following overwintering， enzyme activities of peroxidase， superoxide dismutase， catalase and malondialdehyde content in alfalfa increased compared to pre-winter levels， while contents of soluble protein， water-soluble carbohydrates， and free proline decreased. Root activity in alfalfa was significantly higher across all treatments compared to control， both pre- and post-winter. All treatments significantly increased the winter survival rate of alfalfa. The winter survival rate showed a significant negative correlation with pre-winter peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities， as well as malondialdehyde content， while it exhibited highly significant positive correlation with root crown diameter， root activity， and the contents of water-soluble carbohydrates， and free proline in root crown. All treatments significantly increased the mean plant height， stem diameter， branch number， stem leaf ratio， crude protein content， relative feed value， as well as total fresh forage and hay yields of three-cut alfalfa. All indicators under T3 treatment （160 mg/L S3307） were significantly greater than those in control. Comprehensive evaluation using membership function indicated that foliar application of 160 mg/L S3307 was the most effective in regulating alfalfa growth.
Legume-grass mixtures are an ideal combination for functional regulation in sown pastures. However， the early establishment often faces challenges such as low yield and intense weed competition. As an effective agronomy strategy for weed suppression， nurse cropping is commonly used in the establishment year to enhance sown pasture quality and stand stability. In this research， a two-year field study （2023—2024） was conducted in Jiaozhou， Shandong， China， to investigate the effects of oats （Avena sativa） as a nurse crop at different seeding ratios （0%， 15%， 30%， 45%， and 60% in 2023； 0%， 10%， 20%， 30%， and 40% in 2024） on the grassland productivity and root growth of an alfalfa-tall fescue （Medicago sativa-Festuca arundinacea） mixture， under two row configurations （mixed within the same row vs. sown in separate alternating rows）.The results showed that in 2023， the treatment with oats sown in alternating rows at a 15% ratio achieved a total dry hay yield of 16.57 t/hm2， which was 22.30% higher compared with the control （0% oats）. The crude protein content reached 21.79%， representing an increase of approximately 13.79% compared with the control. In 2024， under the treatment with oats sown in alternating rows at a 20% ratio， the annual total dry hay yield reached 18.40 t/ha， representing a 26.41% increase compared to the control. The crude protein content rose to 23.36%， which was approximately 20.60% higher compared with the control. The fractal dimension， number of root tips， and number of root links of alfalfa roots increased by 8.40%， 5.70%， and 53.70%， respectively， compared with the control. For tall fescue， these root metics increased by 3.80%， 17.80%， and 49.50%， respectively. In summary， using oats as a nurse crop at seeding ratios of 15% to 20% in alternating rows effectively enhanced forage yield， feed quality， and root architecture development of the legume-grass mixture. This research provides a theoretical basis for optimizing sown pasture establishment.
To address the challenges of low soil fertility and inefficient water-fertilizer management in alfalfa （Medicago sativa） cultivation on moderately saline-alkaline soils in the Hetao Irrigation District in Bayannur， Inner Mongolia， a two-factor field experiment was conducted. The experiment included three fertilizer levels （N-P₂O₅-K₂O： 18.0 kg/hm2-91.5 kg/hm2-34.5 kg/hm2， 54.0 kg/hm2-277.5 kg/hm2-103.5 kg/hm2， and 103.5 kg/hm2-463.5 kg/hm2-172.5 kg/hm2） and three irrigation levels （675， 900， and 1 125 m³/hm2）. The study systematically investigated the effects of water-fertilizer coupling on alfalfa growth， yield， forage quality， and economic performance. The results showed that both the medium fertilizer with high irrigation （F2W3） and low fertilizer with high irrigation （F1W3） treatments significantly increased plant height （P<0.05）. Among all treatments， F2W3 achieved the best overall performance， producing the highest two-year total hay yield （44 498.69 kg/hm2） and the greatest economic return. However， irrigation water use efficiency （IWUE） and partial factor productivity of fertilizer （PFP） both declined with increasing water and fertilizer application rates. The best forage quality was obtained in the first harvest （May） under low fertilizer with medium irrigation （F1W2）， while higher fertilizer application （F3） during later growth stages improved quality. Based on principal component analysis and economic evaluation， the optimal water-fertilizer management strategy was identified as irrigation at 1 125 m³/hm2 combined with fertilizer application at 54.0 kg/hm2-277.5 kg/hm2-103.5 kg/hm2 （F2W3）. The optimized management model developed in this study provides a valuable scientific reference for alfalfa cultivition in saline-alkaline soils of the Hetao Irrigation District.
To identify superior forage oat varieties adapted to southwestern Jiangsu Province, this study assessed 18 oat varieties (lines) from different sources by measuring 14 agronomic traits and production performance including plant height, stem diameter, leaf length, leaf width, the second internode length, the third internode length, tiller number, spike length, spikelet number, grain number per panicle, 1 000-grain weight, fresh weight per plant, dry weight per plant, and fresh forage yield. 10 oat varieties (lines) exhibiting superior adaptability were preliminarily selected through weighted screening based on fresh forage yield, dry and fresh weight per plant. These selected varieties (lines) were subsequently analyzed for 6 quality related indicators: acidic detergent fiber content, neutral detergent fiber content, crude protein content, crude fiber content, ether extract content, and relative feed value. Finally, a comprehensive evaluation of agronomic traits, production performance and nutritional quality across oat varieties (lines) was conducted using correlation analysis and grey correlation analysis. The results showed that among the 18 oat varieties (lines), As004 exhibited the highest fresh forage yield (95 000 kg/hm2), while As003 had the maximum dry weight per plant (10.62 g). Agronomic traits varied considerable across the oat varieties (lines), with the grain number per panicle showing the highest coefficient of variation. Among the 10 selected varieties (lines) with stronger adaptability, As001, As003, and As010 exhibited higher crude protein content, while As001, As011, and As015 had higher relative feed value. Correlation analysis revealed that fresh forage yield was highly significantly positively correlated with 1 000-grain weight (P<0.01). Grey correlation analysis indicated that crude fiber, plant height, and relative feed value had higher correlation coefficients among all measured indicators. Varieties (lines) of As001, As002, As003, and As015 showed higher equal-weighted and weighted relational grades, indicating a better performance in agronomic traits, production and nutritional quality. Notably, As003 and As015, which excelled across multiple traits, can be recommended as preferred forage oat varieties (lines) for cultivation and extension in the southwestern region of Jiangsu Province.
Trifolium repens exhibits strong invasive capacity in gramineous turf， particularly due to its vigorous stolon spreading， which severely compromises turf uniformity， posing a significant challenge in the maintenance of urban green spaces and sports fields. To control the invasion of Trifolium repens into Poa pratensis turf， this study applied 20 different combined nitrogen （N） and phosphorus （P） fertilizer treatments. Growth morphology， competitive indices， and turf visual quality of both Poa pratensis and Trifolium repens were measured. Principal component analysis and membership function method were employed to identify the optimal N and P fertilizer levels for the establishment and maintenance of Poa pratensis turf in arid and semi-arid regions of northern China， aiming to effectively suppress Trifolium repens growth while enhancing the quality of Poa pratensis turf. The comprehensive evaluation indicated that the treatment of P application at 35 g/m² without N， combined application of P at 35 g/m² and N at 18 g/m²， and N application at 18 g/m² without P resulted in superior overall turf performance， demonstrating potential for promotion in the establishment and maintenance of Poa pratensis turf in these regions.
This study was conducted to investigate the effects and mechanisms of different potassium fertilizer types （KCl and K2SO4） and their application ratios on tuber yield， quality， plant growth and development， light/temperature characteristics， and underlying physiological mechanisms of Helianthus tuberosus， aiming to provide a scientific reference for potassium fertilization. Field experiments were conducted at the Science and Education Park of Henan Agricultural University， Yuanyang County， Henan Province， China during the 2022 and 2023 growing seasons. In 2022， four treatments were established： KCl （T1）， KCl∶K2SO4 5∶5 （T2）， KCl∶K2SO4 3∶7 （T4）， and K2SO4 （T6）. In 2023， two additional ratios， KCl∶K2SO4 4∶6 （T3） and KCl∶K2SO4 2∶8 （T5）， were added to the design. At maturity， tuber yield and quality indices—including total sugar， reducing sugar， inulin， soluble sugar， and soluble protein—were measured. Throughout various growth stages， a series of above-ground physicochemical parameters were assessed， encompassing plant potassium accumulation， photosynthetically active radiation （PAR） within the canopy， leaf Soil and Plant Analyzer Development （SPAD） value， photosynthetic efficiency， canopy temperature， leaf anatomical structure， and antioxidant enzyme activities. The results indicated that both type and formulation of potassium fertilizer had significant effect on tuber yield. Yield increased with the proportion of K2SO4 in the fertilizer blend， reaching its maximum under sole K2SO4 application. Compared to KCl alone， tuber yield under sole K₂SO₄ application was increased yield by 31% and 92.57% in 2022 and 2023， respectively. In 2023， the application of K2SO4 increased total sugar， reducing sugar， inulin， soluble sugar， and soluble protein contents by 8.39%-26.21%， 17.32%-98.05%， 7.76%-21.15%， 9.47%-44.19%， and 3.33%-19.26%， respectively. During both years， with increasing K2SO4 application， potassium accumulation in Helianthus tuberosus roots， stems， and leaves increased across all growth stages， peaking under sole K2SO4 application. Across all growth stages， increase in the K2SO4 application proportion enhanced APAR， FPAR， leaf SPAD values， photosynthetic efficiency， and leaf thickness compared with that of KCL alone. The activities of SOD， POD， and CAT were highest under sole K₂SO₄ application， whereas canopy temperature was lowest. This study demonstrated that K2SO4 application can significantly enhance tuber yield， quality， nutrient uptake efficiency， and physiological characteristics in Helianthus tuberosus， making it a suitable potassium fertilizer choice for the production.
To establish a favorable environment for airports in Northwest China， this research investigated fourteen common ground cover plant species under three nitrogen fertilization levels （using urea only）： 10 g/m2 （N1）， 20 g/m2 （N2）， and 30 g/m2 （N3）， with a non-fertilized group as the control （CK）. Soil physicochemical properties， relative water content of lawn leaves， and winter survival rate were measured to evaluate effects of grass species and fertilization on soil physicochemical properties and the drought and cold resistance of the turfgrass. in airfield environment. The results showed that the optimal fertilizer application rate for soil improvement and lawn stress resistance varied significantly among species. The best effects were observed in Festuca arundinacea， Medicago sativa， Lotus corniculatus， Lespedeza bicolor， and Lavandula angustifolia under the N2 treatment； Poa pratensis and Agropyron cristatum under the N3 treatment； and the remaining species under the N1 treatment. The fuzzy membership function analysis demonstrated that the combination of Agropyron cristatum and the N3 fertilization level was the optimal for enhancing turfgrass stress resistance and improving soil physicochemical properties in the flying area of Zhongchuan Airport.
Plant abscission is an active and highly regulated physiological process that occurs either as part of normal development or in response to environmental stimuli. It serves as an adaptive mechanism that enables plants to cope with environmental changes. Leaf abscission is closely related to the formation and degradation of the abscission zone and is tightly regulated by phytohormone signaling. These processes are controlled by complex genetic regulatory networks. This review synthesizes recent advances in understanding the mechanisms of leaf abscission from cytological， histological， physiological， biochemical， and molecular perspectives. By integrating key research findings， it provides a comprehensive overview of the regulatory framework underlying plant leaf abscission. Furthermore， it offers theoretical insights and methodological references to guide future studies on leaf abscission in forage grasses.
With the continuous development of China's livestock industry， the supply-demand gap of protein feed is expanding. As the primary protein source in contemporary animal feeds， soybean meal is subject to significant price volatility due to food security concerns and international trade dynamics， which poses substantial challenges to supply chain stability. As an important feed source， forage has significant strategic development value. This article provides systematic review of forage as a substitute for soybean meal. It analyzes the nutritional profiles of forage and their effects on animals， offering a comprehensive assessment of the practical application across diverse livestock and poultry production systems. However， the substitution is limited by multiple factors， including animal species， growth stage， forage quality attributes， processing methods， and substitution ratio. Currently， the primary bottleneck hindering the widespread adoption of forage-based substitution is the immature technology for reducing soybean meal in forage production. Future efforts should focus on strengthening the forage industry to improve production efficiency and product quality. Additionally， increased scientific research investment is essential to break through key technological challenges in soybean meal substitution. These efforts will deepen the application of forage resources in soybean meal reduction initiative.
In order to screen high-efficacy insecticides and synergists for controlling Loxostege sticticalis， this study evaluated the toxicity and synergistic effects of five insecticides alone and in combination with adjuvants against 3rd-instar larvae using the leaf-dipping method. Field efficacy trials were conducted using foliar spray， and related synergism mechanisms were investigated. The results showed that among the five tested insecticides， 150 g/L indoxacarb （EC）， 5% spinosad （SC）， and 50 g/L lufenuron （EC） exhibited higher toxicity to 3rd-instar L. sticticalis larvae， with LC50 values of 0.058 7， 0.089 8 and 0.110 8 mg/L， respectively. All three adjuvants showed synergistic effects when mixed with beta-cypermethrin. The mixtures of beta-cypermethrin with the adjuvants “Jiexiaoli” and “Jinnuo” had LC50 values of 1.200 6 and 1.319 3 mg/L， with synergic ratios of 1.63 and 1.48， respectively. Field trial demonstrated that adding “Jiexiaoli”， “Jinnuo”， and “Jijian” reduced the required dosage of beta-cypermethrin by 30%， 20%， and 20%， respectively. The reduction in spray solution surface tension， decreases the contract angle and the increase in retention volume were key factors contributing to the synergistic effect of the adjuvants on beta-cypermethrin.
