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Low mobility and solubility reduce the availability of traditional phosphorus (P) fertilizer in red acidic soil. Hydroxyapatite (HAP), especially nano-hydroxyapatite (n-HAP), may be more efficient than P fertilizer because of its nanoparticle characteristics. Camellia oleifera (C. oleifera) is an edible oil tree whose productivity is greatly affected by P fertilizer. During this study, we investigated the migration of different particle sizes of HAP (20 nm, 200 nm, and 80 μm) and their effects on the seedling growth of C. oleifera cultivar Huashuo (HS) cuttings. A column experiment showed that the efflux ratio was negatively correlated with particle size in red acidic soil. The leaching results revealed that the contents of total P and available P in the 20-nm treatment were significantly higher than those in the 200-nm and 80-μm treatments in the deep soil (10–15 cm or 15–20 cm), whereas the application of 20-nm n-HAP caused 13.43% wastage of available P. During the container experiments, 200-nm and 20-nm HAP significantly promoted the growth of the seedlings in terms of seedling height, stem diameter, and biomass. The available P contents in the rhizosphere and nonrhizosphere soils were negatively correlated with the HAP particle sizes. In conclusion, the migration of HAP is inversely correlated with particle size, and HAP improves the P bioavailability in red acidic soil. In summary, 200-nm HAP was the best P fertilizer for the seedlings of HS among the three particle sizes. This study offers preliminary results indicating that 200-nm HAP might be a better P fertilizer compared with other two HAP particle sizes for use in future C. oleifera orchards.

Abstract

Daminozide-sprayed ‘McIntosh’ apples (Malus domestica Borkh.) were stored for 7.5 to 8 months in 19-liter jars with flow-through controlled atmosphere (CA) at 3.3°C. Various combinations of gases were tested in 2 years: 1%, 1.5%, 2%, 2.5%, and 3% O₂; 0%, 3%, and 3→5% (3% for one month and then 5%) CO₂; and <1 and 500 μl·liter⁻¹ ethylene. High ethylene caused significant softening of apples in 3% O₂ + 3% CO₂ or 3% O₂ + 3→5% CO₂ (3 + 3 or 3 + 3→5), but its effect diminished by lowering O₂ concentrations. In 1 + 3, the 2 concentrations of ethylene made only a slight difference in fruit firmness in one year and no difference in another year. In <1 μl·liter⁻¹ ethylene, lowering O₂ concentrations from 3% to 2% and 1% did not increase fruit firmness, but did reduce rates of ethylene production. A small percentage of apples developed skin injury in 1 + 3 and 1.5 + 3 in one year, and apples of one of 3 jars stored in 1 + 3 developed slight off-flavors in another year. A storage atmosphere of 2 + 3 and <1 μl·liter⁻¹ ethylene, which kept apples firm without injury or off-flavor and with very low rates of ethylene production, may be ideal for low-ethylene CA storage of daminozide-sprayed ‘McIntosh’ apples. Chemical names: butanedioic acid mono (2,2-dimethylhydrazide) (daminozide).

Centipedegrass [Eremochloa ophiuroides (Munro) Hack] is a native grass of China, and information on soil adaptation ranges, including acid soils, among centipedegrass cultivars is limited. Therefore, objectives of this study were 1) to conduct a preliminary evaluation of relative aluminum tolerance of 48 centipedegrass accessions plus a cultivar, TifBlair, and a common centipedegrass under aluminum (Al) stress (0 and 1500 μM Al) by using a solution culture method; and 2) to determine Al effects on nutrient uptake between resistant-group and sensitive-group accessions among the 50 accessions and cultivars. Differences were found among accessions and cultivars, and the CV of relative root weight, relative shoot weight, and relative total weight were 39.9%, 32.9%, and 33.6%, respectively. After growing 28 days in an acid subsoil, the resistant-group accessions showed much better growth than the sensitive-group accessions. The Al concentrations in roots and shoots of the two groups of accessions were increased under Al treatment, but most absorbed Al remained in roots with greater Al absorption among the sensitive group compared with the resistant group. The concentrations of phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), and potassium (K) in the two groups were reduced under Al stress with reductions of 59.3%, 54.8%, 47.9%, and 41.3% in shoots and reductions of 8.70%, 52.5%, 43.2%, and 34.4% in roots, respectively. Under Al stress, differences in P, Mg, and Ca concentrations were found between the two groups; however, differences were not found for K. The resistant-group accessions maintained higher concentrations of Mg and Ca than the sensitive group.

Aluminum ion (Al³⁺) toxicity is a major factor limiting plant production on acid soils. Species of zoysiagrass (Zoysia Willd.) are grown for lawn, turf, and soil conservation, especially in temperate zones. Herein, 46 zoysiagrass accessions obtained from eight provinces in China were evaluated for Al resistance using small-scale liquid culture. Each accession was grown in triplicate in nutrient solutions with 1500 μm AlCl₃·6H₂O (experimental) or without exposure to Al (control). The mean dry weights of the roots, shoots, and total bodies of the accessions relative to those of the nontreated controls were calculated after 60 days, and showed considerable diversity. Overall, the cv for the shoot, root, and total weights of the Al-treated accessions relative to the nontreated controls were 45.78%, 56.67%, and 42.84%, respectively. A cluster analysis based on Al resistance and subordinate function values revealed that 12 of the 46 zoysiagrass accessions (26.09%) were resistant to Al, 9 (19.57%) were moderately resistant, and 25 (54.35%) were sensitive to Al stress. These 46 zoysiagrass accessions from China have great potential for horticultural breeding and development, and for research into mechanisms that underlie Al resistance.

Differential thermal analysis (DTA) has great potential as a quick and convenient cold hardiness determination method in plants. It measures freezing events inside of plant samples by detecting exotherm(s) produced when water changes from liquid to solid phase. DTA is highly sensitive to the experimental conditions and it has been reported to be ineffective among different fruit crops after acclimation of floral buds has occurred. The objective of this project was to establish DTA as a rapid and accurate method to predict peach floral bud cold hardiness from acclimation to deacclimation as compared with the traditional standard artificial freezing test. Floral buds of ‘Elberta’ and ‘Flavorich’ peach cultivars were subjected to DTA and artificial freezing tests throughout the winters of 2015–16 and 2016–17. Before deacclimation, two distinct exotherms, low-temperature exotherms (LTE) and high-temperature exotherms (HTE), were normally detected from floral bud DTA analyses. After deacclimation, DTA tests yielded only a few LTEs. However, incubation of floral buds at −2 °C overnight before the cooling process of DTA tests yielded an increased number of LTEs for both seasons in comparison with samples directly run using DTA without incubation. Similarly, after deacclimation started, the temperature in which LTE occurred was correlated (r = 0.59–0.86) with LT₅₀ (lethal temperature that damaged 50% of floral buds) when DTA samples were treated overnight at −2 °C. In our study, pretreatment of floral buds at −2 °C overcame the inability of DTA to detect LTEs after deacclimation, which improved the ability and reliability of DTA to detect LTEs for more than 50% of the buds used per date per cultivar. DTA is a promising method to predict cold hardiness of peach plants.

To understand the soil nutrient status of pear orchards in Beijing, we investigated their fertilization situation, including the fertilizer type, amount, and period. Furthermore, soil samples were collected at a depth of 0 to 40 cm to determine the contents of soil nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. The status of nutrient profits and losses was analyzed. The results showed that 50% of the pear orchards received organic fertilizer as a single nutrient source, and 35.7% of the pear orchards received a combined application of organic fertilizer and chemical fertilizer. Most pear orchards received organic fertilizer in autumn, but the application of chemical fertilizer occurred mainly before germination and during fruit expansion. The average nutrient input to the investigated pear orchards was 569.6 kg/ha for N, 855.0 kg/ha for P₂O₅, and 448.1 kg/ha for K₂O, and the corresponding proportion of organic fertilizer was 76.9%, 88.0%, and 85.8%, respectively. However, the pear orchards had surpluses of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, with average surplus amounts as high as 445.5, 794.3, and 321.4 kg/ha, respectively. Among all pear orchards surveyed, 93.33% faced environmental risks and 37.04% faced leaching risks. The average content of soil phosphorus was 2.23 times its critical value, and 64.29% of the studied pear orchards exceeded the critical value. Most pear orchards had surplus potassium, with 26.92% exceeding 500 kg/ha. This study provides a basis for soil improvement, high-quality production of fruits, and efficient utilization of pear orchards in Beijing.

As a native tree species with a strong adaptability, Platycladus orientalis is a species of choice for afforestation and landscaping in northern China. However, it develops mostly male cones and few female cones. In addition, its reproductive characteristics are not yet clear, which limits further breeding work. To systematically clarify the reproductive biology characteristic and fertilization mechanism of P. orientalis, the present study comprehensively investigated the process of micro and macro-sporogenesis in male and female cones from bud initiation to fertilization, and seed development. The specific time in each developmental stage, including bud initiation, microsporogenesis, megasporogenesis, and cone and seed development, was determined, and the abortive phenomenon during development was discovered in both male and female cones. In addition, this research showed that the microspore mother cells were dormant in winter at meiosis stage, and the male gametophyte started to develop when dormancy ended. The tapetum developed normally and belonged to the secretory type. The optimal treatment time for male and female cones transformation by artificial induction was from late June to mid-July. This finding provided a theoretical basis for hybridization, breeding, improvement of seed yield and quality, and artificial induction of male and female cone transformation in P. orientalis.

Plant-based pigments have been used as substances to improve crop yield and quality, but the mechanisms of their action on plant growth and stress tolerance are not well understood. The objective of this study was to investigate effects of two formulations of plant-based copper chlorophyllin (Cu-Chl) with and without synthetic paraffinic oil. These formulations, referred to as B18-0074 and B18-0075, were applied as a soil drench plus foliar or a foliar-only application. We investigated their impact on physiological responses of tomato plants under prolonged drought stress conditions. In addition, we examined photosynthetic impacts associated with the application of Cu-Chl formulations. B18-0074 increased leaf photosynthetic rate (Pn) by 8.8% with soil plus foliar application and 18.6% with foliar application relative to the control under drought stress at day 21. Similarly, B18-0075 increased Pn by 16.9% with soil plus foliar application and 24.6% with foliar application relative to the control under drought stress at day 21. The application of the two Cu-Chl–containing products increased leaf antioxidant enzyme catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity, as well as glutathione (GSH) content. The two products also increased leaf soluble sugars and proline content, indicating improvement of osmotic adjustment. Soil plus foliar and foliar application only of B18-0075 increased root biomass but did not consistently affect plant shoot growth. The results of this study suggest that application of Cu-Chl in combination with synthetic paraffinic oil may improve photosynthetic function, osmotic adjustment, antioxidant defense capacity, and root growth of tomato plant grown under drought stress conditions.

Although atmospheric evaporative demand mediates water flow and constrains water-use efficiency (WUE) to a large extent, the potential to reduce irrigation demand and improve water productivity by regulating the atmospheric water driving force is highly uncertain. To bridge this gap, water transport in combination with plant productivity was examined in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) grown at contrasting evaporative demand gradients. Reducing the excessive vapor pressure deficit (VPD) decreased the water flow rate, which reduced irrigation consumption significantly by 16.4%. Reducing excessive evaporative demand moderated plant water stress, as leaf dehydration, hydraulic limitation, and excessive negative water potential were prevented by maintaining water balance in the low-VPD treatment. The moderation of plant water stress by reducing evaporative demand sustained stomatal function for photosynthesis and plant growth, which increased substantially fruit yield and shoot biomass by 20.1% and 18.4%, respectively. From a physiological perspective, a reduction in irrigation demand and an improvement in plant productivity were achieved concomitantly by reducing the excessive VPD. Consequently, WUE based on the criteria of plant biomass and fruit yield was increased significantly by 43.1% and 40.5%, respectively.

Camellia oleifera Abel. is one of four major woody oil plants in the world. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the effect of different plant growth regulators (PGRs) and concentrations on direct organogenesis using cotyledonary nodes, hypocotyls, and radicle explants. High induction frequency of adventitious shoots were obtained from cotyledonary nodes, hypocotyls, and radicle explants (85.2%, 73.6%, and 41.0%, respectively) when cultured on half-strength Murashige and Skoog (1/2 MS) medium containing 2.0 mg·L⁻¹ 6-benzylaminopurine (BA) and 0.1 mg·L⁻¹ indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). Microshoots from cotyledonary nodes, hypocotyls, and radicle explants were then transferred to 1/2 MS medium containing 2.0 mg·L⁻¹ BA and 0.05 mg·L⁻¹ indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) for shoot multiplication, resulting in 6.9 shoots per explant. The shoots were transferred to Woody Plant Medium (WPM) supplemented with various α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) and gibberellic acid (GA₃) for shoot elongation. The mean length of shoots and the number of leaves per shoot were 3.7 and 6.6 cm, respectively, in WPM supplemented with 0.5 mg·L⁻¹ NAA and 3.0 mg·L⁻¹ GA₃. The highest rooting of shoots (90.2%) or the number of roots per shoot (7.2) was obtained when elongated microshoots were transferred to 1/2 MS medium supplemented with 3.5% perlite, 1.0 mg·L⁻¹ IBA and 2.0 mg·L⁻¹ NAA. The rooted plantlets were successfully acclimatized in the greenhouse with a survival rate of 90.0%. The in vitro plant regeneration procedure described in this study is beneficial for mass propagation and improvement of C. oleifera through genetic engineering.