Differential N uptake by maize cultivars and soil nitrate dynamics under N fertilization in West Africa

Nitrate is prone to leaching in the sandy soils of the West African moist savannas. Better management of nitrogen (N) resources and maize cultivars with enhanced genetic capacity to capture and utilize soil and fertilizer N are strategies that could improve N-use efficiency. In two field experiments conducted at Zaria, northern Nigeria, five maize (Zea mays L.) cultivars planted early in the season were assessed under various N levels for differences in N uptake, soil N dynamics, and related N losses. Cultivar TZB-SR accumulated more N in the aboveground plant parts in both years than the other cultivars. All, except the semi-prolific late (SPL) variety, met about 50–60% of their N demand by the time of silking (64–69 DAP). In both years, SPL had the greatest capacity to take up N during the grain filling period, and it had the highest grain-N concentration and the least apparent N loss through leaching in the second year. There were no significant differences in soil N dynamics among cultivars in both years. At harvest, the residual N in the upper 90 cm of the profile under all the cultivars ranged from 56 to 72 kg ha⁻¹ in the first year and from 73 to 83 kg ha⁻¹ in the second year. Apparent N loss from 0 to 90 cm soil profile through leaching ranged from 35 to 122 kg ha⁻¹ in both years. N application significantly increased N uptake by more than 30% at all sampling dates in the second year of the experiment, but had no effect on apparent N loss. Results indicate that the use of maize cultivars with high N uptake capacity during the grain filling period when maximum leaching losses occur could enhance N recovery and may be effective in reducing leaching losses of mineral N in the moist savanna soils.     

Prenatal diagnosis of a de novo unbalanced translocation (4p + ) following in vitro fertilization

We report herein a de novo unbalanced chromosome translocation in a fetus resulting from in vitro fertilization technology. Prenatal diagnostic analysis of an amniotic fluid revealed a 46,XX,4p+ karyotype. The origin of the extra material on the short arm of chromosome 4 could not be identified by a variety of banding techniques. However, examination of fetal parts did reveal some dysmorphic features.     

Effect of long-term fertilization on soil nitrate distribution

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Anatomic correlates of ultrasonographic prenatal diagnosis

In utero sonographic diagnoses from forty-five malformed infants were correlated with their autopsy findings. Fifty-two malformations were diagnosed prenatally in 42 of the patients but 90 additional malformations were not. Nine sonographically diagnosed abnormalities were not confirmed at autopsy. Factors compromising sonographic diagnosis included: limited examinations, small fetal size, timing of examination, oligohydramnios, fetal position, nature of the malformation and unfamiliarity of the ultrasonographer with specific malformation syndromes. In vitro ultrasonography is an invaluable tool of diagnosing congenital malformations but has limitations.     

Rapid detection of numerical aberrations of chromosomes 13, 18 and 21 in chorionic mesenchymal cells

We have devised and evaluated a rapid screening method for the detection of numerical aberrations of chromosomes13, 18 and 21 in chorionic villus cells. We used non-radioactive in situ hybridization (ISH) with three chromosome-specific probes on overnight-attached mesenchymal cells from chorionic villi. A blind study was performed of 47 karyotypically normal samples, one triploid sample, two samples trisomic for chromosome 21, and two samples from a fetus with putative mosaicism (46/47, +21). All samples were hybridized with the chromosome 18- and 21-specific probes. Thirty samples were additionally hybridized with the chromosome 13-specific probe. The test could be completed within 3-4 days of sampling. In samples disomic with respect to the probed chromosomes, an average of 2 per cent (range 0-9 per cent) had three hybridization signals. By contrast, in the samples trisomic for the probed chromosome(s), 57 per cent (chromosome 13), 51 per cent (chromosome 18), and an average of 74 per cent (55-86 per cent) (chromosome 21) of the nuclei exhibited three signals. In the putative mosaic samples, the number of nuclei with three chromosome 21-specific signals ranged from 41 to 69 per cent. We conclude that this technique rapidly and clearly distinguishes between normal and trisomic/triploid samples, and consequently may be of use in future prenatal diagnosis.     

山西矿区矸石山复垦种植施肥策略

围绕煤矸石缺乏有机活性物质及有效养分的问题，在矸石山复垦种植时，对施肥作了试验研究。结果表明，煤矸石风化物由于吸附性能低，保肥性差，所以施用化肥时一次用量不宜过大。并从降低复垦的投资与难度以及尽快建立一个可自我维持生长的植被出发，提出了矸石山复垦种植时化肥与污泥配合施用的施肥策略，并对污泥的施用效果做了研究。     

新修农田土壤培肥技术试验研究

黄土丘陵区土地资源主要以坡地形式存在，近年来声势浩大的坡改梯工程使一部分山坡地变为层层梯田，水土保持率明显提高，而如何进行新生土层的土壤培肥，又是该工程的重要课题。作者对当地近几年土壤培肥技术试验进行了研究。以期提高土地资源的利用率。     

长期施肥下浙江稻田不同颗粒组分有机碳的稳定特征

依托浙江水网地区稻田长期定位施肥试验(1996~2013年),利用固态13C核磁共振波谱技术,研究长期不同施肥措施下土壤各颗粒组分有机碳含量及其化学结构特征.结果表明,与不施肥对照(CK)相比,秸秆与化肥配施(NPKRS)、栏肥与化肥配施(NPKOM)、单施化肥(NPK)和单施栏肥(OM)处理均显著(P0.05)增加了砂粒(2~0.02 mm)、粉粒(0.02~0.002mm)和黏粒(0.002 mm)组分中有机碳含量;而单施秸秆(RS)处理仅显著增加砂粒组分有机碳含量.此外,与单施化肥处理相比,有机肥和化肥配施促进了新增有机碳在粉粒和黏粒组分的分配,更有利于新增有机碳的稳定.应用13C-NMR波谱技术进行结构表征,结果表明粉粒和黏粒组分有机碳的化学结构存在明显差异,粉粒组分烷氧碳、芳香碳的相对含量高于黏粒,而烷基碳、羰基碳的相对含量低于黏粒.长期有机肥与化肥配施下粉粒和黏粒烷基碳相对含量较单施有机肥处理分别降低9.1%~11.9%和13.7%~19.9%,烷氧碳的相对含量则分别增加2.9%~6.3%和13.4%~22.1%,表明有机肥与化肥配施处理降低了粉粒和黏粒组分有机碳的分解程度.长期单施化肥处理下粉粒和黏粒组分有机质的芳化度和疏水性低于单施有机肥处理和不施肥处理,有机质的矿化稳定性较低.长期有机肥与化肥配施,尤其是NPKOM处理,通过增加化学抗性化合物和碳水化合物的积累,并且减缓活性组分的分解提高粉粒和黏粒组分有机碳含量,是促进稻田土壤有机碳可持续积累的有效措施.     

增施CO2对C3和C4植物根际氯氰菊酯残留浓度的影响

CO2减排和土壤污染修复是我国实现经济和环境可持续发展必须解决的两大难题.基于生物固碳对根际微环境的影响,本研究提出通过增施CO2强化土壤有机污染的植物修复过程,为同时解决CO2减排和土壤污染植物修复面临的困境提供新思路.在模拟的CO2增施环境中,以C3植物菜豆和C4植物玉米为供试植物,以氯氰菊酯为目标污染物,研究增施CO2对C3和C4植物根际氯氰菊酯残留浓度的影响.结果表明,增施CO2可显著增加C3植物菜豆的地上和地下干重,在氯氰菊酯添加浓度为0、20、40 mg.kg-1时地下干重分别比自然CO2水平时增加了54.3%、31.9%和30.0%.增施CO2提高了未添加氯氰菊酯土壤的菜豆根际微生物数量,但降低了添加氯氰菊酯土壤的菜豆根际微生物数量.增施CO2对未添加氯氰菊酯土壤的菜豆根际氯氰菊酯残留浓度没有显著影响,但降低了菜豆根际氯氰菊酯的残留浓度,分别比自然CO2水平时下降24.0%（20mg.kg-1）和16.9%（40 mg.kg-1）.然而,对C4植物玉米而言,增施CO2对植物生物量、根际微生物、根际氯氰菊酯残留浓度下降没有明显促进作用,甚至有抑制作用.本实验表明,增施CO2降低了C3植物根际氯氰菊酯残留浓度,可以考虑将增施CO2作为C3植物修复土壤污染的强化措施,但对C4植物的影响还有待进一步研究.