The karst forest in southwestern China is characterized by thin soil layers,numerous fissures and holes,resulting in low soil water availability and poor water retention,making it challenging for plant growth and surv...The karst forest in southwestern China is characterized by thin soil layers,numerous fissures and holes,resulting in low soil water availability and poor water retention,making it challenging for plant growth and survival.While the relationship between plant functional traits and tree growth performance has been extensively studied,the links between tree seasonal growth and drought-tolerant traits in tree species with different leaf habit remains poorly understood.This study evaluated the associations between four-year averaged rainy season stem diameter growth rate and 17 branch and leaf traits across evergreen and deciduous species in a tropical karst forest in southwest China.The cross-species variations in tree growth rates were related to plant hydraulic traits(e.g.,vessel lumen diameter,xylem vessel density,stomatal density,and stomatal size)and leaf anatomical traits(e.g.,total leaf thickness,lower/upper epidermis thickness,and spongy thickness).The growth of evergreen trees exhibited lower hydraulic efficiency but greater drought tolerance than deciduous tree,which enabled them to maintain higher persistence under low soil water availability and consequently a relatively longer growing season.In contrast,deciduous species showed no correlation between their functional traits and growth rate.The distinct water use strategies of evergreen and deciduous trees may offer a potential explanation for their co-existence in the tropical karst forests.展开更多
To screen high-quality early-maturing rapeseed germplasm resources,this study took six early-maturing Brassica napus varieties(ZY1,ZY2,ZY3,ZY4,ZY5,and ZY6)as research objects to compare and analyze their agronomic tra...To screen high-quality early-maturing rapeseed germplasm resources,this study took six early-maturing Brassica napus varieties(ZY1,ZY2,ZY3,ZY4,ZY5,and ZY6)as research objects to compare and analyze their agronomic traits,resistance,and yield traits.The results showed that the six early-maturing rapeseed varieties exhibited strong pre-winter growth,with the number of green leaf on the main stem ranging from 9.0 to 11.6,the total leaf number of main stem from 11.8 to 14.2,the maximum leaf length on main stem from 41.28 cm to 47.54 cm,the maximum leaf width from 12.02 cm to 13.38 cm,and the rhizome thickness from 20.64 mm to 25.82 mm.The order of green leaf,total leaf,maximum leaf length,and rhizome thickness from high to low across varieties was ZY1>ZY2>ZY3>ZY4>ZY5>ZY6,while the maximum leaf width followed ZY2>ZY1>ZY3>ZY4>ZY5>ZY6.Compared with other varieties,ZY1 and ZY2 had earlier bolting,initial flowering,final flowering,and harvesting times.The growth periods of the varieties were 183-189 d,with ZY1 being the shortest(183 d)and ZY2 following(185 d).Resistance investigations showed that ZY1 had the lowest freeze damage rate(13%)and freeze damage index(0.043),followed by ZY2(15%and 0.060).No Sclerotinia stem rot was observed at the seedling stage,while all varieties developed the disease at maturity;ZY1 had the lowest incidence(15%)and disease index(0.050),followed by ZY2(18%and 0.070).In terms of yield traits,the yield per plant of the six varieties ranged from 11.46 g to 14.53 g,with ZY1 being the highest(14.53 g)and ZY2 following(13.42 g).In conclusion,ZY1 and ZY2 exhibited vigorous pre-winter growth,early bolting and flowering,short growth periods,strong freeze and disease resistance,and high yield per plant,making them ideal materials for early-maturing rapeseed breeding.展开更多
Epigenetics-mediated breeding(epibreeding)involves engineering crop traits and stress responses through the targeted manipulation of key epigenetic features to enhance agricultural productivity.While conventional bree...Epigenetics-mediated breeding(epibreeding)involves engineering crop traits and stress responses through the targeted manipulation of key epigenetic features to enhance agricultural productivity.While conventional breeding methods raise concerns about reduced genetic diversity,epibreeding propels crop improvement through epigenetic variations that regulate gene expression,ultimately impacting crop yield.Epigenetic regulation in crops encompasses various modes,including histone modification,DNA modification,RNA modification,non-coding RNA,and chromatin remodeling.This review summarizes the epigenetic mechanisms underlying major agronomic traits in maize and identifies candidate epigenetic landmarks in the maize breeding process.We propose a valuable strategy for improving maize yield through epibreeding,combining CRISPR/Cas-based epigenome editing technology and Synthetic Epigenetics(SynEpi).Finally,we discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with maize trait improvement through epibreeding.展开更多
Objective:The combination of science and art in nursing is essential for providing effective care.Since art is inherent and a part of human personality traits,it is believed that nurses’personality traits are importa...Objective:The combination of science and art in nursing is essential for providing effective care.Since art is inherent and a part of human personality traits,it is believed that nurses’personality traits are important to achieve this cohesive combination in nursing.Accordingly,this study was conducted to determine the relationship between nurses’personality traits and the esthetics of nursing care.Methods:A cross-sectional descriptive design was employed.Study participants that consisted of 95 nurses and 285 patients from health centers in Iran were selected by convenience sampling method.Measures included the five-factor personality questionnaires(NEO-FFI)scale and Esthetics of Nursing Care Scale(ENCS).Results:The findings indicated a significant relationship between neuroticism(r=−0.149,P=0.028)and extraversion traits(r=0.136,P=0.045)of nurses in esthetics nursing care.In this study,no significant relationship was found between the personality traits and esthetics of nursing care using nurses’demographic information.Conclusions:The esthetics of nursing care depends on nurse personality traits.Since the art of nursing complements the expected care,it is suggested that nursing managers pay attention to the personality traits of nurses in planning to provide effective care.展开更多
Seed priming is an effective seed pretreatment technology that enhances germination and overall crop performance by optimizing seed hydration and metabolic processes before planting.Seed quality is a critical determin...Seed priming is an effective seed pretreatment technology that enhances germination and overall crop performance by optimizing seed hydration and metabolic processes before planting.Seed quality is a critical determinant of cotton(Gossypium hirsutum)crop performance,influencing germination,plant vigor,and yield.This study evaluates the effects of seed priming with potassium salts(1%and 2%KCl and K2SO4)on germination,morphological traits,and Cry1Ac gene expression in three Bt cotton cultivars(IUB-2013,NIAB-878B,FH-142)as Cry1Ac enhance the pest resistance in Bt cotton and reduce the plant’s dependence on chemical insecticides.Seeds were primed for six hours,air-dried,and sown in the field.Germination rates,plant height,number of bolls per plant,boll weight,seed cotton yield,and ginning outturn(GOT)were assessed at crop maturity.Cry1Ac gene expression was quantified to explore the influence of priming treatments on transgene activity.Results demonstrated that 1%K2SO4 priming significantly enhanced germination and yield-related traits,with Cry1Ac expression peaking in the IUB-2013 cultivar under 1%K2SO4 treatment.These findings suggest that potassium-based halopriming improves cotton seedling establishment and Bt gene expression.This study addresses the critical gaps in understanding the effects of seed halopriming on morphological traits,germination,and expression of the Cry1Ac gene in Bt cotton while providing a novel eco-friendly and cost-effective halopriming approach,offering the potential to improve cotton production.展开更多
Heat stress hinders the growth and productivity of sweetpotato plants,predominantly through oxidative damage to cellular membranes.Therefore,the development of efficient approaches for mitigating heat-related impairme...Heat stress hinders the growth and productivity of sweetpotato plants,predominantly through oxidative damage to cellular membranes.Therefore,the development of efficient approaches for mitigating heat-related impairments is essential for the long-term production of sweetpotatoes.Melatonin has been recognised for its capacity to assist plants in dealing with abiotic stress conditions.This research aimed to investigate how different doses of exogenous melatonin influence heat damage in sweetpotato plants.Heat stress drastically affected shoot and root fresh weight by 31.8 and 44.5%,respectively.This reduction resulted in oxidative stress characterised by increased formation of hydrogen peroxide(H_(2)O_(2))by 804.4%,superoxide ion(O_(2)^(·-))by 211.5%and malondialdehyde(MDA)by 234.2%.Heat stress also reduced chlorophyll concentration,photosystemⅡefficiency(F_v/F_m)by 15.3%and gaseous exchange.However,pre-treatment with 100μmol L^(-1)melatonin increased growth and reduced oxidative damage to sweetpotato plants under heat stress.In particular,melatonin decreased H_(2)O_(2),O_(2)^(·-)and MDA by 64.8%,42.7%and 38.2%,respectively.Melatonin also mitigated the decline in chlorophyll levels and improved stomatal traits,gaseous exchange and F_(v)/F_(m)(13%).Results suggested that the favorable outcomes of melatonin treatment can be associated with elevated antioxidant enzyme activity and an increase in non-enzymatic antioxidants and osmo-protectants.Overall,these findings indicate that exogenous melatonin can improve heat stress tolerance in sweetpotatoes.This stu dy will assist re searchers in further investigating how melatonin makes sweetpotatoes more resistant to heat stress.展开更多
Wheat(Triticum aestivum L.)is an important staple food crop in the world and supplies about 20%of human caloric and protein consumption(Giraldo et al.,2019;Xiao et al.,2022).Wheat production accounts for~30%of global ...Wheat(Triticum aestivum L.)is an important staple food crop in the world and supplies about 20%of human caloric and protein consumption(Giraldo et al.,2019;Xiao et al.,2022).Wheat production accounts for~30%of global cereal crops(Li et al.,2019).With the global population increasing and the frequency of natural disasters rising,enhancing wheat yield is crucial to meet food demand.Spike traits such as increased grain number per spike are key determinants of wheat yield.Pre-harvest sprouting(PHS)is a significant natural disaster that severely impacts grain yield and end-use quality of wheat(Tai et al.,2021,2024).展开更多
Understanding how species diverge and adapt is fundamental to unraveling biodiversity.While environmental impacts on species evolution are well-documented,the roles of intrinsic life-history traits remain underexplore...Understanding how species diverge and adapt is fundamental to unraveling biodiversity.While environmental impacts on species evolution are well-documented,the roles of intrinsic life-history traits remain underexplored.The Qinghai-Xizang Plateau,with its harsh conditions and unique biodiversity,offers a natural laboratory for such investigations.Here,we examine two sympatric small mammals—the solitary,low-dispersal plateau zokor(Eospalax baileyi)and the social,high-dispersal plateau pika(Ochotona curzoniae)—to elucidate how life-history traits shape population structures and adaptive strategies.Through whole-genome sequencing and cardiac-blood phenotype analyses,we reveal striking differences in their evolutionary trajectories.Despite enduring similar environmental pressures,plateau zokor populations exhibit pronounced genetic subdivisions,high inbreeding,and distinct local adaptations.In contrast,plateau pika populations display genetic panmixia,widespread diversity,and adaptive uniformity.Demographic inference highlights that plateau zokors experienced severe population bottlenecks and restricted gene flow during glacial periods,underscoring the impact of dispersal capacity on evolutionary outcomes.Our findings demonstrate that intrinsic biological traits,particularly dispersal ability,fundamentally influence genetic architecture,population connectivity,and local adaptation.This study not only provides empirical evidence of how life-history traits shape evolutionary dynamics but also offers a framework for integrating intrinsic and extrinsic factors in understanding biodiversity formation.展开更多
Habitat fragmentation poses a significant threat to bird communities, especially those in open and semi-open ecosystems such as steppes. This study investigates how steppe birds adapt to and utilize fragmented habitat...Habitat fragmentation poses a significant threat to bird communities, especially those in open and semi-open ecosystems such as steppes. This study investigates how steppe birds adapt to and utilize fragmented habitats by combining niche modeling with ecological trait analysis. We conducted standardized point surveys to examine the habitat preferences of 32 bird species in Inner Mongolia, China, and quantified their habitat niche parameters using the Outlying Mean Index (OMI). Our results reveal distinct habitat preferences among species, with some thriving in intact environments while others are better adapted to fragmented areas. Grassland species showed high specialization along the fragmentation gradient, while others exhibited adaptability to varying levels of fragmentation. Using a Generalized Additive Model (GAM), we identified three key traits influencing habitat occupancy: hand-wing index, body mass, and range size. Specifically, species with medium hand-wing indices, moderate body mass, and larger range sizes were more likely to occupy heavily fragmented habitats. These findings provide empirical evidence on how habitat fragmentation affects bird species in steppe ecosystems. The study highlights the importance of functional traits in understanding avian responses to habitat fragmentation and offers a foundation for developing effective conservation strategies to preserve biodiversity in fragmented landscapes.展开更多
Amomum tsaoko Crevost&Lemarie is a perennial herb belonging to the genus Amomum in the family Zingiberaceae(Fig.S1;Wu and Kai,2000).It is primarily distributed in southern China,with smaller populations occurring ...Amomum tsaoko Crevost&Lemarie is a perennial herb belonging to the genus Amomum in the family Zingiberaceae(Fig.S1;Wu and Kai,2000).It is primarily distributed in southern China,with smaller populations occurring in northern Vietnam(Yang et al.,2022).The dried fruit of A.tsaoko is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine for treating gastrointestinal disorders,vomiting,and malaria(Chinese Pharmacopoeia Commission,2025).展开更多
Captive breeding and stocking are commonly employed strategies for enhancing fisheries and conserving endangered fish species.However,hatchery-raised fish often exhibit reduced performance in the wild,displaying alter...Captive breeding and stocking are commonly employed strategies for enhancing fisheries and conserving endangered fish species.However,hatchery-raised fish often exhibit reduced performance in the wild,displaying alterations in physiological,morphological,and behavioral traits.We tested for differences in swimming capacity and metabolic traits between wild and hatchery-reared individuals of the Spanish toothcarp(Aphanius iberus)from 2 different populations.Furthermore,we experimentally tested if these changes translated into fitness differences after their stocking into the wild.There were significant differences in swimming capacity and metabolic traits between wild and hatchery-reared individuals and also between the 2 populations.Captive-bred individuals displayed consistently lower metabolic rates than wild individuals from the same population(30-76% lower).Critical swimming speed rather differed between the 2 populations.Sex-specific differences were observed in maximum and standard metabolic rates,with wild individuals and females generally exhibiting higher values but with some exceptions.During a 3-month experiment,survival rates did not significantly differ between wild and captive-bred fish.Captive-bred individuals started smaller but exhibited rapid growth during the experiment.Initially,larger captive-bred fish had lower body conditions than their wild counterparts,but these differences progressively diminished.In summary,captive-bred individuals of this fish species showed lower metabolic rates,although the differences with wild individuals slightly depended on sex and size.展开更多
Seedlessness has always been a valuable quality characteristic of edible grape varieties.Although the production of seedless grapes has been ongoing for decades,the genetic complexity of seedless grapes is not yet ful...Seedlessness has always been a valuable quality characteristic of edible grape varieties.Although the production of seedless grapes has been ongoing for decades,the genetic complexity of seedless grapes is not yet fully understood.Therefore,determining the genetic mechanisms and key regulatory genes of seedless grapes is of great significance for seedless grape breeding and meeting market demands.The emergence of high-throughput analysis software offers greater possibilities for mining genes related to plant organ development.Specifically,to mine a greater number of candidate genes related to grape seed traits,this study used the seed trait parameters analyzed by Tomato Analyzer as the target trait and then used a genome-wide association study(GWAS)to mine candidate genes.In the two-year analysis using principal component analysis(PCA),we extracted five principal components with a cumulative contribution rate of 96.586%.The cumulative contribution rate for component 1 reached 87.352%.Correlation analysis revealed correlation coefficients ranging from 0.54 to 0.98 among the seven basic traits.The GWAS results indicated that 370 SNP loci were significantly correlated with seed traits.These SNP loci were distributed on 18 chromosomes,except for chromosome 4,with most SNP loci distributed on chromosome 18.Based on the physical location of single nucleotide polymorphism(SNP)markers significantly associated with seed-related traits in the grape reference genome,candidate genes are screened within the range of linkage disequilibrium(LD)attenuation distance,both upstream and downstream of the significant SNP loci.These candidate genes were mainly transcription factor-related genes(VvMADS4 and VvMADS5),ubiquitin ligase-related genes(E3 ubiquitin ligase BIG BROTHER),serine/threonine protein kinase-related genes,and carbohydrate metabolism-related genes(Sucrose Synthase 2)and simultaneously controlled multiple(at least two or more)seed traits.These results indicate that seed traits are jointly regulated by some genes involved in seed morphology regulation.In this work,we identified new gene loci related to grape seed traits.Identifying molecular markers closely related to these seed traits is of great significance for breeding seedless grape varieties.展开更多
Root anatomical traits play an important role in understanding the link between root physiological function and ecological process. To determine how plants change root anatomical traits to adapt to distinct environmen...Root anatomical traits play an important role in understanding the link between root physiological function and ecological process. To determine how plants change root anatomical traits to adapt to distinct environments, we measured four key root anatomical traits-stele diameter(SD), cortex thickness(CT), root diameter(RD), and the stele to root diameter ratio(SDRD)-of first-order roots of 82species collected from different vegetation zones along a 2000 m altitudinal gradient on the northern slope of Taibai Mountain. Compared with other altitudes, plants located in temperate birch and fir forests had thinner SD, CT, RD, and SDRD. We found that elevational variation in root anatomical traits could largely be explained by phylogenetic taxonomy(clade). In addition, changes in SD were driven by soil bulk density, whereas variations in CT and RD were influenced by soil available nitrogen. When phylogenetic factors were removed from our analysis, allometric relationships between RD and root anatomical traits(SD and CT) were observed across different altitudes. Our study reveals the influence of phylogeny and environment on the elevational variation in root anatomical traits and further supports the allometric relationship between root anatomical traits(SD and CT) and RD. These findings enhance our understanding of the evolutionary and adaptive mechanisms of root anatomical structures, providing a basis for predicting how root anatomical traits respond to global changes.展开更多
The responses of drip-irrigated rice physiological traits to water and fertilizers have been widely studied.However,the responses of yield,root traits and their plasticity to the nitrogen environment in different nitr...The responses of drip-irrigated rice physiological traits to water and fertilizers have been widely studied.However,the responses of yield,root traits and their plasticity to the nitrogen environment in different nitrogen-efficient cultivars are not fully understood.An experiment was conducted from 2020-2022 with a high nitrogen use efficiency(high-NUE)cultivar(T-43)and a low-NUE cultivar(LX-3),and four nitrogen levels(0,150,300,and 450 kg ha^(-1))under drip irrigation in large fields.The aim was to study the relationships between root morphology,conformation,biomass,and endogenous hormone contents,yield and NUE.The results showed three main points:1)Under the same N application rate,compared with LX-3,the yield,N partial factor productivity(PFP),fine root length density(FRLD),shoot dry weight(SDW),root indole-3-acetic acid(IAA),and root zeatin and zeatin riboside(Z+ZR)of T-43 were significantly greater by11.4-18.9,11.3-13.5,11.6-15.7,9.9-31.1,6.1-48.1,and 22.8-73.6%,respectively,while the root-shoot ratio(RSR)and root abscisic acid(ABA)were significantly lower(P<0.05);2)nitrogen treatment significantly increased the rice root morphological indexes and endogenous hormone contents(P<0.05).Compared to N0,the yield,RLD,surface area density(SAD),root volume density(RVD),and root endogenous hormones(IAA,Z+ZR)were significantly increased in both cultivars under N2 by 61.6-71.6,64.2-74.0,69.9-105.6,6.67-9.91,54.0-67.8,and 51.4-58.9%,respectively.Compared with N3,the PFP and N agronomic efficiency(NAE)of nitrogen fertilizer under N2 increased by 52.3-62.4 and39.2-63.0%,respectively;3)the responses of root trait plasticity to the N environment significantly differed between the cultivars(P<0.05).Compared with LX-3,T-43 showed a longer root length and larger specific surface area,which is a strategy for adapting to changes in the nutrient environment.For the rice cultivar with high-NUE,the RSR was optimized by increasing the FRLD,root distribution in upper soil layers,and root endogenous hormones(IAA,Z+ZR)under suitable nitrogen conditions(N2).An efficient nutrient acquisition strategy can occur through root plasticity,leading to greater yield and NUE.展开更多
Background The protein sources in pig diets strongly rely on soybean meal,but its production has been associated with soil degradation,deforestation and loss of biodiversity.Microalga Spirulina can be a potentially mo...Background The protein sources in pig diets strongly rely on soybean meal,but its production has been associated with soil degradation,deforestation and loss of biodiversity.Microalga Spirulina can be a potentially more sustainable alternative to soybean meal,but comprehensive information about its use in growing pigs is still lacking.This study aimed to evaluate the effects of partial to full replacement of dietary soybean meal with Spirulina on the growth and carcass traits of growing pigs and on the chemical and physical attributes of the meat.Methods Eighty-eight pigs,gilts and barrows mixed together,with initial body weight of 52.4±4.2 kg,were allotted into 4 isoenergetic,isoproteic,and isoaminoacidic dietary treatments,which included a conventional control diet based on cereals and soybean meal and one of 3 diets formulated by replacing nearly 33%,66%or 100%soybean with Spirulina.Each treatment had 2 pens(11 pigs/pen),which were equipped with electronic feeders that were able to record individual feed intake.After 138 d on feed,at 174.9±6.4 kg body weight,the pigs were slaughtered,and the carcass traits and meat quality parameters from loin samples were assessed.Results The palatability of feeds was not depressed in pigs fed Spirulina,even when the soybean was completely replaced by the microalga.The incorporation of Spirulina in the diets in place of soybean did not impair the growth rate or feed efficiency,irrespective of the extent of replacement.The carcass traits and yield of commercial cuts were comparable for all Spirulina-included compared with those of the soybean-based groups,and the same was found for the chemical and physical attributes of loin meat.Conclusion The results obtained at the herd and slaughter levels revealed that the replacement of soybean meal with Spirulina did not negatively affect the growth or carcass traits of growing pigs or the main attributes of meat.Therefore,this study provides,for the first time,insights into the technical possibility of switching growing pig feeding systems toward more environmentally sustainable diets by including a microalga originating from landless feed production systems,which does not result in soil degradation or loss of biodiversity.展开更多
Assessing the threat status of species in response to global change is critical for biodiversity monitoring and conservation efforts.However,current frameworks,even the IUCN Red List,often neglect critical factors suc...Assessing the threat status of species in response to global change is critical for biodiversity monitoring and conservation efforts.However,current frameworks,even the IUCN Red List,often neglect critical factors such as genetic diversity and the impacts of climate and land-use changes,hindering effective conservation planning.To address these limitations,we developed an enhanced extinction risk assessment framework using Diploderma lizards as a model.This framework incorporates long-term field surveys,environmental data,and land-use information to predict distributional changes for 10 recently described Diploderma species on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau,which hold ecological significance but remain underassessed in conservation assessment.By integrating the distribution data and genetically inferred effective population sizes(Ne),we conducted scenario analyses and used a rank-sum approach to calculate Risk ranking scores(RRS)for each species.This approach revealed significant discrepancies with the IUCN Red List assessments.Notably,D.yangi and D.qilin were identified as facing the highest extinction risk.Furthermore,D.vela,D.batangense,D.flaviceps,D.dymondi,D.yulongense,and D.laeviventre,currently classified as“Least Concern”,were found to warrant reclassification as“Vulnerable”due to considerable threat from projected range contractions.Exploring the relationship between morphology and RRS revealed that traits such as snout-vent length and relative tail length could serve as potential predictors of extinction risk,offering preliminary metrics for assessing species vulnerability when comprehensive data are unavailable.This study enhances the precision of extinction risk assessment frameworks and demonstrates their capacity to refine and update risk assessments,especially for lesser-known taxa.展开更多
Soil organic carbon(SOC)decomposition in high-latitude boreal forests exhibits heightened sensitivity to climate change.However,a comprehensive understanding of the underlying drivers governing soil microbial decompos...Soil organic carbon(SOC)decomposition in high-latitude boreal forests exhibits heightened sensitivity to climate change.However,a comprehensive understanding of the underlying drivers governing soil microbial decomposition responses to warming in these ecosystems remains elusive,especially regarding the roles of mineral protection and microbial genomic traits.In this study,we examined the temperature sensitivity(Q_(10))and minimum temperature(Tmin)of soil microbial respiration across a latitudinal gradient in China's boreal forests.The potential regulators,including climatic factors,soil physicochemical properties,substrate quality,mineral protection,and microbial genomic traits,were also synchronously measured.The results showed a positive correlation between Q_(10) and Tmin,i.e.,greater microbial adaptability to low temperatures is associated with lower microbial sensitivity to increasing temperatures.Boreal forest soil with stronger mineral protection exhibited a higher Q10.In addition,microbial communities characterized by a higher abundance of coding genes demonstrated significantly lower Q_(10) and reduced Tmin.These results collectively highlight the pivotal roles of mineral protection and microbial genomic traits in shaping the biogeographic pattern of Q_(10) across boreal forests.展开更多
Deep learning(DL)methods like multilayer perceptrons(MLPs)and convolutional neural networks(CNNs)have been applied to predict the complex traits in animal and plant breeding.However,improving the genomic prediction ac...Deep learning(DL)methods like multilayer perceptrons(MLPs)and convolutional neural networks(CNNs)have been applied to predict the complex traits in animal and plant breeding.However,improving the genomic prediction accuracy still presents signifcant challenges.In this study,we applied CNNs to predict swine traits using previously published data.Specifcally,we extensively evaluated the CNN model's performance by employing various sets of single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs)and concluded that the CNN model achieved optimal performance when utilizing SNP sets comprising 1,000 SNPs.Furthermore,we adopted a novel approach using the one-hot encoding method that transforms the 16 different genotypes into sets of eight binary variables.This innovative encoding method signifcantly enhanced the CNN's prediction accuracy for swine traits,outperforming the traditional one-hot encoding techniques.Our fndings suggest that the expanded one-hot encoding method can improve the accuracy of DL methods in the genomic prediction of swine agricultural economic traits.This discovery has significant implications for swine breeding programs,where genomic prediction is pivotal in improving breeding strategies.Furthermore,future research endeavors can explore additional enhancements to DL methods by incorporating advanced data pre-processing techniques.展开更多
Litchi(Litchi chinensis Sonn.),an important fruit tree in tropical and subtropical regions,possesses substantial economic value.The branchand leaf-related traits of litchi have a significant impact on litchi yield and...Litchi(Litchi chinensis Sonn.),an important fruit tree in tropical and subtropical regions,possesses substantial economic value.The branchand leaf-related traits of litchi have a significant impact on litchi yield and quality.However,due to limitations such as the density of the genetic linkage map,there have been few studies on mapping QTLs of branch-and leaf-related traits.In this study,a high-density genetic map was constructed by next-generation sequencing(NGS)using an F_(1) population of 264 progenies,derived from the cross between the cultivars‘Sanyuehong'and‘Ziniangxi'.A total of 2574 high-quality BINs(binomial intervals)were obtained,and a genetic linkage map was constructed with a total length of 1753.3 cM and an average marker distance of 0.68 cM.With the genetic map and the phenotyping of single leaf length(SLL),single leaf width(SLW),leaf shape index(LSI),weight of specific leaf(WSL),petiole length(PL)and compound leaf length(CLL)measured in three seasons,11,9,9,10,9 and 12 QTLs were detected for SLL,SLW,WSL,LSI,PL and CLL traits,respectively.Among these QTLs,five QTLs were consistently detected in two seasons and 12 pleiotropic QTLs were identified for at least two traits.These findings will provide new insights for the gene cloning for branch-and leaf-related traits as well as marker-assisted selection(MAS).展开更多
Background Hypertension is associated with an increased risk of calcific aortic valve stenosis(CAVS).However,the directionality of causation between blood pressure traits and aortic stenosis is unclear,as is the benef...Background Hypertension is associated with an increased risk of calcific aortic valve stenosis(CAVS).However,the directionality of causation between blood pressure traits and aortic stenosis is unclear,as is the benefit of antihypertensive drugs for CAVS.Methods Using genome-wide association studies(GWAS)summary statistics,we performed bidirectional two-sample univariable mendelian randomization(UVMR)to assess the causal associations of systolic blood pressure(SBP),diastolic blood pressure(DBP),and pulse pressure(PP)with CAVS.Multivariable mendelian randomization(MVMR)was conducted to evaluate the direct effect of hypertension on CAVS,adjusting for confounders.Drug target mendelian randomization(MR)and summary-level MR(SMR)were used to estimate the effects of 12 classes of antihypertensive drugs and their target genes on CAVS risk.Inverse variance weighting was the primary MR method,with sensitivity analyses to validate results.Results UVMR showed SBP,DBP,and PP have causal effects on CAVS,with no significant reverse causality.MVMR confirmed the causality between hypertension and CAVS after adjusting for confounders.Drug-target MR analyses indicated that calcium channel blockers(CCBs),loop diuretics,and thiazide diuretics via SBP lowering exerted protective effects on CAVS risk.SMR analysis showed that the CCBs target gene CACNA2D2 and ARBs target gene AGTR1 were positively associated with CAVS risk,while diuretics target genes SLC12A5 and SLC12A1 were negatively associated with aortic stenosis risk.Conclusions Hypertension has a causal relationship with CAVS.Managing SBP in hypertensive patients with CCBs may prevent CAVS.ARBs might exert protective effects on CAVS independent of blood pressure reduction.The relationship between diuretics and CAVS is complex,with opposite effects through different mechanisms.展开更多
基金financially funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(3186113307,31770533,31870591)the West Light Talent Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(xbzg-zdsys-202218).
文摘The karst forest in southwestern China is characterized by thin soil layers,numerous fissures and holes,resulting in low soil water availability and poor water retention,making it challenging for plant growth and survival.While the relationship between plant functional traits and tree growth performance has been extensively studied,the links between tree seasonal growth and drought-tolerant traits in tree species with different leaf habit remains poorly understood.This study evaluated the associations between four-year averaged rainy season stem diameter growth rate and 17 branch and leaf traits across evergreen and deciduous species in a tropical karst forest in southwest China.The cross-species variations in tree growth rates were related to plant hydraulic traits(e.g.,vessel lumen diameter,xylem vessel density,stomatal density,and stomatal size)and leaf anatomical traits(e.g.,total leaf thickness,lower/upper epidermis thickness,and spongy thickness).The growth of evergreen trees exhibited lower hydraulic efficiency but greater drought tolerance than deciduous tree,which enabled them to maintain higher persistence under low soil water availability and consequently a relatively longer growing season.In contrast,deciduous species showed no correlation between their functional traits and growth rate.The distinct water use strategies of evergreen and deciduous trees may offer a potential explanation for their co-existence in the tropical karst forests.
文摘To screen high-quality early-maturing rapeseed germplasm resources,this study took six early-maturing Brassica napus varieties(ZY1,ZY2,ZY3,ZY4,ZY5,and ZY6)as research objects to compare and analyze their agronomic traits,resistance,and yield traits.The results showed that the six early-maturing rapeseed varieties exhibited strong pre-winter growth,with the number of green leaf on the main stem ranging from 9.0 to 11.6,the total leaf number of main stem from 11.8 to 14.2,the maximum leaf length on main stem from 41.28 cm to 47.54 cm,the maximum leaf width from 12.02 cm to 13.38 cm,and the rhizome thickness from 20.64 mm to 25.82 mm.The order of green leaf,total leaf,maximum leaf length,and rhizome thickness from high to low across varieties was ZY1>ZY2>ZY3>ZY4>ZY5>ZY6,while the maximum leaf width followed ZY2>ZY1>ZY3>ZY4>ZY5>ZY6.Compared with other varieties,ZY1 and ZY2 had earlier bolting,initial flowering,final flowering,and harvesting times.The growth periods of the varieties were 183-189 d,with ZY1 being the shortest(183 d)and ZY2 following(185 d).Resistance investigations showed that ZY1 had the lowest freeze damage rate(13%)and freeze damage index(0.043),followed by ZY2(15%and 0.060).No Sclerotinia stem rot was observed at the seedling stage,while all varieties developed the disease at maturity;ZY1 had the lowest incidence(15%)and disease index(0.050),followed by ZY2(18%and 0.070).In terms of yield traits,the yield per plant of the six varieties ranged from 11.46 g to 14.53 g,with ZY1 being the highest(14.53 g)and ZY2 following(13.42 g).In conclusion,ZY1 and ZY2 exhibited vigorous pre-winter growth,early bolting and flowering,short growth periods,strong freeze and disease resistance,and high yield per plant,making them ideal materials for early-maturing rapeseed breeding.
基金supported by funding from the National Key R&D Program of China(2023ZD0407304)the Sci-Tech Innovation 2030 Agenda(2022ZD0115703)Fundamental Research Funds for Central Non-Profit of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences(Y2023PT20).
文摘Epigenetics-mediated breeding(epibreeding)involves engineering crop traits and stress responses through the targeted manipulation of key epigenetic features to enhance agricultural productivity.While conventional breeding methods raise concerns about reduced genetic diversity,epibreeding propels crop improvement through epigenetic variations that regulate gene expression,ultimately impacting crop yield.Epigenetic regulation in crops encompasses various modes,including histone modification,DNA modification,RNA modification,non-coding RNA,and chromatin remodeling.This review summarizes the epigenetic mechanisms underlying major agronomic traits in maize and identifies candidate epigenetic landmarks in the maize breeding process.We propose a valuable strategy for improving maize yield through epibreeding,combining CRISPR/Cas-based epigenome editing technology and Synthetic Epigenetics(SynEpi).Finally,we discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with maize trait improvement through epibreeding.
文摘Objective:The combination of science and art in nursing is essential for providing effective care.Since art is inherent and a part of human personality traits,it is believed that nurses’personality traits are important to achieve this cohesive combination in nursing.Accordingly,this study was conducted to determine the relationship between nurses’personality traits and the esthetics of nursing care.Methods:A cross-sectional descriptive design was employed.Study participants that consisted of 95 nurses and 285 patients from health centers in Iran were selected by convenience sampling method.Measures included the five-factor personality questionnaires(NEO-FFI)scale and Esthetics of Nursing Care Scale(ENCS).Results:The findings indicated a significant relationship between neuroticism(r=−0.149,P=0.028)and extraversion traits(r=0.136,P=0.045)of nurses in esthetics nursing care.In this study,no significant relationship was found between the personality traits and esthetics of nursing care using nurses’demographic information.Conclusions:The esthetics of nursing care depends on nurse personality traits.Since the art of nursing complements the expected care,it is suggested that nursing managers pay attention to the personality traits of nurses in planning to provide effective care.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(3216045632360474+2 种基金32360486)grants from the Provincial Basic Research Program(Natural Science)([2020]1Z018)Provincial Key Technology R&D Program([2021]YiBan272).
文摘Seed priming is an effective seed pretreatment technology that enhances germination and overall crop performance by optimizing seed hydration and metabolic processes before planting.Seed quality is a critical determinant of cotton(Gossypium hirsutum)crop performance,influencing germination,plant vigor,and yield.This study evaluates the effects of seed priming with potassium salts(1%and 2%KCl and K2SO4)on germination,morphological traits,and Cry1Ac gene expression in three Bt cotton cultivars(IUB-2013,NIAB-878B,FH-142)as Cry1Ac enhance the pest resistance in Bt cotton and reduce the plant’s dependence on chemical insecticides.Seeds were primed for six hours,air-dried,and sown in the field.Germination rates,plant height,number of bolls per plant,boll weight,seed cotton yield,and ginning outturn(GOT)were assessed at crop maturity.Cry1Ac gene expression was quantified to explore the influence of priming treatments on transgene activity.Results demonstrated that 1%K2SO4 priming significantly enhanced germination and yield-related traits,with Cry1Ac expression peaking in the IUB-2013 cultivar under 1%K2SO4 treatment.These findings suggest that potassium-based halopriming improves cotton seedling establishment and Bt gene expression.This study addresses the critical gaps in understanding the effects of seed halopriming on morphological traits,germination,and expression of the Cry1Ac gene in Bt cotton while providing a novel eco-friendly and cost-effective halopriming approach,offering the potential to improve cotton production.
基金supported jointly by the earmarked fund for CARS-10-GW2the key research and development program of Hainan Province(Grant No.ZDYF2020226)+1 种基金Collaborative innovation center of Nanfan and high-efficiency tropical agriculture,Hainan University(Grant No.XTCX2022NYC21)funding of Hainan University[Grant No.KYQD(ZR)22123]。
文摘Heat stress hinders the growth and productivity of sweetpotato plants,predominantly through oxidative damage to cellular membranes.Therefore,the development of efficient approaches for mitigating heat-related impairments is essential for the long-term production of sweetpotatoes.Melatonin has been recognised for its capacity to assist plants in dealing with abiotic stress conditions.This research aimed to investigate how different doses of exogenous melatonin influence heat damage in sweetpotato plants.Heat stress drastically affected shoot and root fresh weight by 31.8 and 44.5%,respectively.This reduction resulted in oxidative stress characterised by increased formation of hydrogen peroxide(H_(2)O_(2))by 804.4%,superoxide ion(O_(2)^(·-))by 211.5%and malondialdehyde(MDA)by 234.2%.Heat stress also reduced chlorophyll concentration,photosystemⅡefficiency(F_v/F_m)by 15.3%and gaseous exchange.However,pre-treatment with 100μmol L^(-1)melatonin increased growth and reduced oxidative damage to sweetpotato plants under heat stress.In particular,melatonin decreased H_(2)O_(2),O_(2)^(·-)and MDA by 64.8%,42.7%and 38.2%,respectively.Melatonin also mitigated the decline in chlorophyll levels and improved stomatal traits,gaseous exchange and F_(v)/F_(m)(13%).Results suggested that the favorable outcomes of melatonin treatment can be associated with elevated antioxidant enzyme activity and an increase in non-enzymatic antioxidants and osmo-protectants.Overall,these findings indicate that exogenous melatonin can improve heat stress tolerance in sweetpotatoes.This stu dy will assist re searchers in further investigating how melatonin makes sweetpotatoes more resistant to heat stress.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2023YFD1200403 and 2023YFF1000600)the Innovation Program of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences。
文摘Wheat(Triticum aestivum L.)is an important staple food crop in the world and supplies about 20%of human caloric and protein consumption(Giraldo et al.,2019;Xiao et al.,2022).Wheat production accounts for~30%of global cereal crops(Li et al.,2019).With the global population increasing and the frequency of natural disasters rising,enhancing wheat yield is crucial to meet food demand.Spike traits such as increased grain number per spike are key determinants of wheat yield.Pre-harvest sprouting(PHS)is a significant natural disaster that severely impacts grain yield and end-use quality of wheat(Tai et al.,2021,2024).
基金supported by the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research(STEP)Program(2019QZKK05010900 and 2019QZKK05010405)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32100339 and 32200350)+3 种基金Yunnan Revitalization Talent Support Program Top team(202405AS350022)supported by the Youth Innovation Promotion Association,Chinese Academy of Sciencessupported by Yunnan Fundamental Research Projects(202201AU070208)supported by Yunnan Revitalization Talent Support Program Yunling Scholar Project(XML)。
文摘Understanding how species diverge and adapt is fundamental to unraveling biodiversity.While environmental impacts on species evolution are well-documented,the roles of intrinsic life-history traits remain underexplored.The Qinghai-Xizang Plateau,with its harsh conditions and unique biodiversity,offers a natural laboratory for such investigations.Here,we examine two sympatric small mammals—the solitary,low-dispersal plateau zokor(Eospalax baileyi)and the social,high-dispersal plateau pika(Ochotona curzoniae)—to elucidate how life-history traits shape population structures and adaptive strategies.Through whole-genome sequencing and cardiac-blood phenotype analyses,we reveal striking differences in their evolutionary trajectories.Despite enduring similar environmental pressures,plateau zokor populations exhibit pronounced genetic subdivisions,high inbreeding,and distinct local adaptations.In contrast,plateau pika populations display genetic panmixia,widespread diversity,and adaptive uniformity.Demographic inference highlights that plateau zokors experienced severe population bottlenecks and restricted gene flow during glacial periods,underscoring the impact of dispersal capacity on evolutionary outcomes.Our findings demonstrate that intrinsic biological traits,particularly dispersal ability,fundamentally influence genetic architecture,population connectivity,and local adaptation.This study not only provides empirical evidence of how life-history traits shape evolutionary dynamics but also offers a framework for integrating intrinsic and extrinsic factors in understanding biodiversity formation.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.32201304)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(No.2412022QD026).
文摘Habitat fragmentation poses a significant threat to bird communities, especially those in open and semi-open ecosystems such as steppes. This study investigates how steppe birds adapt to and utilize fragmented habitats by combining niche modeling with ecological trait analysis. We conducted standardized point surveys to examine the habitat preferences of 32 bird species in Inner Mongolia, China, and quantified their habitat niche parameters using the Outlying Mean Index (OMI). Our results reveal distinct habitat preferences among species, with some thriving in intact environments while others are better adapted to fragmented areas. Grassland species showed high specialization along the fragmentation gradient, while others exhibited adaptability to varying levels of fragmentation. Using a Generalized Additive Model (GAM), we identified three key traits influencing habitat occupancy: hand-wing index, body mass, and range size. Specifically, species with medium hand-wing indices, moderate body mass, and larger range sizes were more likely to occupy heavily fragmented habitats. These findings provide empirical evidence on how habitat fragmentation affects bird species in steppe ecosystems. The study highlights the importance of functional traits in understanding avian responses to habitat fragmentation and offers a foundation for developing effective conservation strategies to preserve biodiversity in fragmented landscapes.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(2024YFF1306700)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(82260739)+2 种基金the Yunnan Provincial Science and Technology Department-Applied Basic Research Joint Special Funds of Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine(202101AZ070001-005,202101AZ070001-166)the Yunnan Revitalization Talent Support Program“Young Talent”Project(YNWR-QNBJ-2020-278)Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(XDB1230000).
文摘Amomum tsaoko Crevost&Lemarie is a perennial herb belonging to the genus Amomum in the family Zingiberaceae(Fig.S1;Wu and Kai,2000).It is primarily distributed in southern China,with smaller populations occurring in northern Vietnam(Yang et al.,2022).The dried fruit of A.tsaoko is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine for treating gastrointestinal disorders,vomiting,and malaria(Chinese Pharmacopoeia Commission,2025).
基金supported by the supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science,Innovation and Universities(MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033)the European Union(NextGenerationEU/PRTR)through projects CGL2016-80820-R,PID2019-103936GB-C21,TED2021-129889B-I00,and RED2022-134338-T.
文摘Captive breeding and stocking are commonly employed strategies for enhancing fisheries and conserving endangered fish species.However,hatchery-raised fish often exhibit reduced performance in the wild,displaying alterations in physiological,morphological,and behavioral traits.We tested for differences in swimming capacity and metabolic traits between wild and hatchery-reared individuals of the Spanish toothcarp(Aphanius iberus)from 2 different populations.Furthermore,we experimentally tested if these changes translated into fitness differences after their stocking into the wild.There were significant differences in swimming capacity and metabolic traits between wild and hatchery-reared individuals and also between the 2 populations.Captive-bred individuals displayed consistently lower metabolic rates than wild individuals from the same population(30-76% lower).Critical swimming speed rather differed between the 2 populations.Sex-specific differences were observed in maximum and standard metabolic rates,with wild individuals and females generally exhibiting higher values but with some exceptions.During a 3-month experiment,survival rates did not significantly differ between wild and captive-bred fish.Captive-bred individuals started smaller but exhibited rapid growth during the experiment.Initially,larger captive-bred fish had lower body conditions than their wild counterparts,but these differences progressively diminished.In summary,captive-bred individuals of this fish species showed lower metabolic rates,although the differences with wild individuals slightly depended on sex and size.
基金supported by grants from the Basic Research Business Fees for Public Welfare in Xinjiang Autonomous Region(Mining candidate genes related to grape seed traits based on GWAS,KY2023028)the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Tianchi Talent-Young Doctor for Chuan Zhang(Revealing the domestication history of Xinjiang native grape varieties and genetic analysis of important agronomic traits)the Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences Youth Science and Technology Backbone Innovation Ability Training Project(xjnkq-2023006).
文摘Seedlessness has always been a valuable quality characteristic of edible grape varieties.Although the production of seedless grapes has been ongoing for decades,the genetic complexity of seedless grapes is not yet fully understood.Therefore,determining the genetic mechanisms and key regulatory genes of seedless grapes is of great significance for seedless grape breeding and meeting market demands.The emergence of high-throughput analysis software offers greater possibilities for mining genes related to plant organ development.Specifically,to mine a greater number of candidate genes related to grape seed traits,this study used the seed trait parameters analyzed by Tomato Analyzer as the target trait and then used a genome-wide association study(GWAS)to mine candidate genes.In the two-year analysis using principal component analysis(PCA),we extracted five principal components with a cumulative contribution rate of 96.586%.The cumulative contribution rate for component 1 reached 87.352%.Correlation analysis revealed correlation coefficients ranging from 0.54 to 0.98 among the seven basic traits.The GWAS results indicated that 370 SNP loci were significantly correlated with seed traits.These SNP loci were distributed on 18 chromosomes,except for chromosome 4,with most SNP loci distributed on chromosome 18.Based on the physical location of single nucleotide polymorphism(SNP)markers significantly associated with seed-related traits in the grape reference genome,candidate genes are screened within the range of linkage disequilibrium(LD)attenuation distance,both upstream and downstream of the significant SNP loci.These candidate genes were mainly transcription factor-related genes(VvMADS4 and VvMADS5),ubiquitin ligase-related genes(E3 ubiquitin ligase BIG BROTHER),serine/threonine protein kinase-related genes,and carbohydrate metabolism-related genes(Sucrose Synthase 2)and simultaneously controlled multiple(at least two or more)seed traits.These results indicate that seed traits are jointly regulated by some genes involved in seed morphology regulation.In this work,we identified new gene loci related to grape seed traits.Identifying molecular markers closely related to these seed traits is of great significance for breeding seedless grape varieties.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.32271611)Functional traits of plant communities at different elevation gradients in the Taibai Mountain of Qinling Mountains financed by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China(No.2016YFC0500202)245 Qinling National Forest Ecosystem Research Station in 2022 financed by Ministry of Education of China.
文摘Root anatomical traits play an important role in understanding the link between root physiological function and ecological process. To determine how plants change root anatomical traits to adapt to distinct environments, we measured four key root anatomical traits-stele diameter(SD), cortex thickness(CT), root diameter(RD), and the stele to root diameter ratio(SDRD)-of first-order roots of 82species collected from different vegetation zones along a 2000 m altitudinal gradient on the northern slope of Taibai Mountain. Compared with other altitudes, plants located in temperate birch and fir forests had thinner SD, CT, RD, and SDRD. We found that elevational variation in root anatomical traits could largely be explained by phylogenetic taxonomy(clade). In addition, changes in SD were driven by soil bulk density, whereas variations in CT and RD were influenced by soil available nitrogen. When phylogenetic factors were removed from our analysis, allometric relationships between RD and root anatomical traits(SD and CT) were observed across different altitudes. Our study reveals the influence of phylogeny and environment on the elevational variation in root anatomical traits and further supports the allometric relationship between root anatomical traits(SD and CT) and RD. These findings enhance our understanding of the evolutionary and adaptive mechanisms of root anatomical structures, providing a basis for predicting how root anatomical traits respond to global changes.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31860345 and 31460541)the Youth Innovative Top Talents Project of Shihezi University,China(CXBJ202003)the Third Division of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps Scientific and Technological Achievements Transfer and Transformation Project,China(KJ2023CG03)。
文摘The responses of drip-irrigated rice physiological traits to water and fertilizers have been widely studied.However,the responses of yield,root traits and their plasticity to the nitrogen environment in different nitrogen-efficient cultivars are not fully understood.An experiment was conducted from 2020-2022 with a high nitrogen use efficiency(high-NUE)cultivar(T-43)and a low-NUE cultivar(LX-3),and four nitrogen levels(0,150,300,and 450 kg ha^(-1))under drip irrigation in large fields.The aim was to study the relationships between root morphology,conformation,biomass,and endogenous hormone contents,yield and NUE.The results showed three main points:1)Under the same N application rate,compared with LX-3,the yield,N partial factor productivity(PFP),fine root length density(FRLD),shoot dry weight(SDW),root indole-3-acetic acid(IAA),and root zeatin and zeatin riboside(Z+ZR)of T-43 were significantly greater by11.4-18.9,11.3-13.5,11.6-15.7,9.9-31.1,6.1-48.1,and 22.8-73.6%,respectively,while the root-shoot ratio(RSR)and root abscisic acid(ABA)were significantly lower(P<0.05);2)nitrogen treatment significantly increased the rice root morphological indexes and endogenous hormone contents(P<0.05).Compared to N0,the yield,RLD,surface area density(SAD),root volume density(RVD),and root endogenous hormones(IAA,Z+ZR)were significantly increased in both cultivars under N2 by 61.6-71.6,64.2-74.0,69.9-105.6,6.67-9.91,54.0-67.8,and 51.4-58.9%,respectively.Compared with N3,the PFP and N agronomic efficiency(NAE)of nitrogen fertilizer under N2 increased by 52.3-62.4 and39.2-63.0%,respectively;3)the responses of root trait plasticity to the N environment significantly differed between the cultivars(P<0.05).Compared with LX-3,T-43 showed a longer root length and larger specific surface area,which is a strategy for adapting to changes in the nutrient environment.For the rice cultivar with high-NUE,the RSR was optimized by increasing the FRLD,root distribution in upper soil layers,and root endogenous hormones(IAA,Z+ZR)under suitable nitrogen conditions(N2).An efficient nutrient acquisition strategy can occur through root plasticity,leading to greater yield and NUE.
基金funding from the European Union Next Generation EU(PIANO NAZION-ALE DI RIPRESA E RESILIENZA—PNRR–MISSIONE 4 COMPONENTE 2,CUP C93C22002790001)from University of Padova(2024DAFNAE1SIDPRO-GETTI-00004)。
文摘Background The protein sources in pig diets strongly rely on soybean meal,but its production has been associated with soil degradation,deforestation and loss of biodiversity.Microalga Spirulina can be a potentially more sustainable alternative to soybean meal,but comprehensive information about its use in growing pigs is still lacking.This study aimed to evaluate the effects of partial to full replacement of dietary soybean meal with Spirulina on the growth and carcass traits of growing pigs and on the chemical and physical attributes of the meat.Methods Eighty-eight pigs,gilts and barrows mixed together,with initial body weight of 52.4±4.2 kg,were allotted into 4 isoenergetic,isoproteic,and isoaminoacidic dietary treatments,which included a conventional control diet based on cereals and soybean meal and one of 3 diets formulated by replacing nearly 33%,66%or 100%soybean with Spirulina.Each treatment had 2 pens(11 pigs/pen),which were equipped with electronic feeders that were able to record individual feed intake.After 138 d on feed,at 174.9±6.4 kg body weight,the pigs were slaughtered,and the carcass traits and meat quality parameters from loin samples were assessed.Results The palatability of feeds was not depressed in pigs fed Spirulina,even when the soybean was completely replaced by the microalga.The incorporation of Spirulina in the diets in place of soybean did not impair the growth rate or feed efficiency,irrespective of the extent of replacement.The carcass traits and yield of commercial cuts were comparable for all Spirulina-included compared with those of the soybean-based groups,and the same was found for the chemical and physical attributes of loin meat.Conclusion The results obtained at the herd and slaughter levels revealed that the replacement of soybean meal with Spirulina did not negatively affect the growth or carcass traits of growing pigs or the main attributes of meat.Therefore,this study provides,for the first time,insights into the technical possibility of switching growing pig feeding systems toward more environmentally sustainable diets by including a microalga originating from landless feed production systems,which does not result in soil degradation or loss of biodiversity.
基金supported by the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research Program (STEP,2019QZKK0402)Science and Technology Plan Project of Xizang Autonomous Region to Y.Q. (XZ202201ZY0030G)National Natural Science Foundation of China (32201424 to Z.Y.L.and 31872233 to Y.Q.)。
文摘Assessing the threat status of species in response to global change is critical for biodiversity monitoring and conservation efforts.However,current frameworks,even the IUCN Red List,often neglect critical factors such as genetic diversity and the impacts of climate and land-use changes,hindering effective conservation planning.To address these limitations,we developed an enhanced extinction risk assessment framework using Diploderma lizards as a model.This framework incorporates long-term field surveys,environmental data,and land-use information to predict distributional changes for 10 recently described Diploderma species on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau,which hold ecological significance but remain underassessed in conservation assessment.By integrating the distribution data and genetically inferred effective population sizes(Ne),we conducted scenario analyses and used a rank-sum approach to calculate Risk ranking scores(RRS)for each species.This approach revealed significant discrepancies with the IUCN Red List assessments.Notably,D.yangi and D.qilin were identified as facing the highest extinction risk.Furthermore,D.vela,D.batangense,D.flaviceps,D.dymondi,D.yulongense,and D.laeviventre,currently classified as“Least Concern”,were found to warrant reclassification as“Vulnerable”due to considerable threat from projected range contractions.Exploring the relationship between morphology and RRS revealed that traits such as snout-vent length and relative tail length could serve as potential predictors of extinction risk,offering preliminary metrics for assessing species vulnerability when comprehensive data are unavailable.This study enhances the precision of extinction risk assessment frameworks and demonstrates their capacity to refine and update risk assessments,especially for lesser-known taxa.
基金financially supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(No.2022YFE0127900).
文摘Soil organic carbon(SOC)decomposition in high-latitude boreal forests exhibits heightened sensitivity to climate change.However,a comprehensive understanding of the underlying drivers governing soil microbial decomposition responses to warming in these ecosystems remains elusive,especially regarding the roles of mineral protection and microbial genomic traits.In this study,we examined the temperature sensitivity(Q_(10))and minimum temperature(Tmin)of soil microbial respiration across a latitudinal gradient in China's boreal forests.The potential regulators,including climatic factors,soil physicochemical properties,substrate quality,mineral protection,and microbial genomic traits,were also synchronously measured.The results showed a positive correlation between Q_(10) and Tmin,i.e.,greater microbial adaptability to low temperatures is associated with lower microbial sensitivity to increasing temperatures.Boreal forest soil with stronger mineral protection exhibited a higher Q10.In addition,microbial communities characterized by a higher abundance of coding genes demonstrated significantly lower Q_(10) and reduced Tmin.These results collectively highlight the pivotal roles of mineral protection and microbial genomic traits in shaping the biogeographic pattern of Q_(10) across boreal forests.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32102513)the National Key Scientific Research Project(2023YFF1001100)+1 种基金the Shenzhen Innovation and Entrepreneurship PlanMajor Special Project of Science and Technology,China(KJZD20230923115003006)the Innovation Project of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences(CAAS-ZDRW202006)。
文摘Deep learning(DL)methods like multilayer perceptrons(MLPs)and convolutional neural networks(CNNs)have been applied to predict the complex traits in animal and plant breeding.However,improving the genomic prediction accuracy still presents signifcant challenges.In this study,we applied CNNs to predict swine traits using previously published data.Specifcally,we extensively evaluated the CNN model's performance by employing various sets of single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs)and concluded that the CNN model achieved optimal performance when utilizing SNP sets comprising 1,000 SNPs.Furthermore,we adopted a novel approach using the one-hot encoding method that transforms the 16 different genotypes into sets of eight binary variables.This innovative encoding method signifcantly enhanced the CNN's prediction accuracy for swine traits,outperforming the traditional one-hot encoding techniques.Our fndings suggest that the expanded one-hot encoding method can improve the accuracy of DL methods in the genomic prediction of swine agricultural economic traits.This discovery has significant implications for swine breeding programs,where genomic prediction is pivotal in improving breeding strategies.Furthermore,future research endeavors can explore additional enhancements to DL methods by incorporating advanced data pre-processing techniques.
基金supported by the Science and Technology Special Fund of Hainan Province(Grant Nos.ZDYF2021XDNY159 and ZDYF2021XDNY156)the Central Public-interest Scientific Institution Basal Research Fund for Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Science(Grant No.1630032022007)China Agricultural Research System of MOF and MARA(Grant No.CARS-32-01)。
文摘Litchi(Litchi chinensis Sonn.),an important fruit tree in tropical and subtropical regions,possesses substantial economic value.The branchand leaf-related traits of litchi have a significant impact on litchi yield and quality.However,due to limitations such as the density of the genetic linkage map,there have been few studies on mapping QTLs of branch-and leaf-related traits.In this study,a high-density genetic map was constructed by next-generation sequencing(NGS)using an F_(1) population of 264 progenies,derived from the cross between the cultivars‘Sanyuehong'and‘Ziniangxi'.A total of 2574 high-quality BINs(binomial intervals)were obtained,and a genetic linkage map was constructed with a total length of 1753.3 cM and an average marker distance of 0.68 cM.With the genetic map and the phenotyping of single leaf length(SLL),single leaf width(SLW),leaf shape index(LSI),weight of specific leaf(WSL),petiole length(PL)and compound leaf length(CLL)measured in three seasons,11,9,9,10,9 and 12 QTLs were detected for SLL,SLW,WSL,LSI,PL and CLL traits,respectively.Among these QTLs,five QTLs were consistently detected in two seasons and 12 pleiotropic QTLs were identified for at least two traits.These findings will provide new insights for the gene cloning for branch-and leaf-related traits as well as marker-assisted selection(MAS).
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(82170375,U23A20395)1.3.5 project for disciplines of excellence from West China Hospital of Sichuan University(ZYGD23021,23HXF-H009)Sichuan Science and Technology Program 2023NSFSC1645。
文摘Background Hypertension is associated with an increased risk of calcific aortic valve stenosis(CAVS).However,the directionality of causation between blood pressure traits and aortic stenosis is unclear,as is the benefit of antihypertensive drugs for CAVS.Methods Using genome-wide association studies(GWAS)summary statistics,we performed bidirectional two-sample univariable mendelian randomization(UVMR)to assess the causal associations of systolic blood pressure(SBP),diastolic blood pressure(DBP),and pulse pressure(PP)with CAVS.Multivariable mendelian randomization(MVMR)was conducted to evaluate the direct effect of hypertension on CAVS,adjusting for confounders.Drug target mendelian randomization(MR)and summary-level MR(SMR)were used to estimate the effects of 12 classes of antihypertensive drugs and their target genes on CAVS risk.Inverse variance weighting was the primary MR method,with sensitivity analyses to validate results.Results UVMR showed SBP,DBP,and PP have causal effects on CAVS,with no significant reverse causality.MVMR confirmed the causality between hypertension and CAVS after adjusting for confounders.Drug-target MR analyses indicated that calcium channel blockers(CCBs),loop diuretics,and thiazide diuretics via SBP lowering exerted protective effects on CAVS risk.SMR analysis showed that the CCBs target gene CACNA2D2 and ARBs target gene AGTR1 were positively associated with CAVS risk,while diuretics target genes SLC12A5 and SLC12A1 were negatively associated with aortic stenosis risk.Conclusions Hypertension has a causal relationship with CAVS.Managing SBP in hypertensive patients with CCBs may prevent CAVS.ARBs might exert protective effects on CAVS independent of blood pressure reduction.The relationship between diuretics and CAVS is complex,with opposite effects through different mechanisms.
