Search Results (231)

The soil microbiome is a complex assemblage of microorganisms that are important in restoring and maintaining soil function, ecosystem stability, and sustainable agroecosystem development. However, soil microbial responses to environmental or land-use gradients in agroecosystems and the consequent implications for soil functional integrity and sustainable agroecosystem development remain poorly understood. In this review, we present the current state of the science on: (1) shifts in microbial community composition in response to environmental or land-use gradients within conventional dryland small grains farms, temperate evergreen forests, and riparian areas in the inland Pacific Northwest (iPNW) where the precipitation regime is considered mediterranean, and (2) microbial traits link to soil function as a response to soil health management. Upon conclusion of this review, the lack of information is still apparent in terms of understanding how to intentionally manage the soil microbiome after land-use conversions, especially given that soil health and ecosystem services are driven by the soil microbiome. This review, therefore, motivates future research into the primary land management regimes to better link specific microbial taxa to soil microbial and ecosystem processes across land-use gradients. Full article

Global population growth has intensified the demand for productive and sustainable livestock systems. Lithothamnium calcareum, a calcareous marine alga, has been investigated as a natural feed additive for cattle diets. This study evaluated the effects of L. calcareum supplementation on performance, carcass traits, nutrient digestibility, nitrogen metabolism, urinary and fecal pH, and enteric methane emissions in Nellore heifers during the finishing phase. Thirty-six heifers (BW = 268.8 ± 7.3 kg) were assigned to individual pens in a completely randomized design and fed ad libitum diets (25:75 forage-to-concentrate ratio, DM basis). Treatments were: (1) sodium bicarbonate (110 g/heifer/day) and (2) L. calcareum (60 g/heifer/day). The 96-day trial included 12 days of adaptation and 84 days on the finishing diet. Methane emissions were measured using the sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆) tracer technique. L. calcareum did not affect performance, carcass traits, nitrogen metabolism, or apparent total tract digestibility (all p ≥ 0.106), but reduced urine pH (p ≤ 0.001) and tended to lower methane emissions (−8.2%; p = 0.079). Thus, L. calcareum appears to be a viable natural alternative to sodium bicarbonate in finishing diets for Nellore heifers, maintaining productive performance and potentially reducing enteric methane output. Full article

Hybridization is pivotal for germplasm innovation, yet how reciprocal crossing regulates digestive characteristics in sub-cold-water fish remains unclear. This study systematically compared differences in intestinal morphology, physiological function, and microbial community assembly among herbivorous Schizothorax prenanti, carnivorous S. davidi, and their reciprocal hybrids using histological analysis, digestive enzyme assays, and 16S rRNA sequencing. Results indicated that parental intestinal characteristics were highly consistent with their feeding habits. Orthogonal hybrids exhibited a mosaic phenotype, combining the maternal muscular gut structure with high paternal-like lipase activity, and were characterized by an enrichment of the potential probiotic Lactococcus. In contrast, reciprocal hybrids presented a mismatch between morphology and function: despite developed hindgut folds, key digestive enzyme activities were low, and the gut microbiota was dominated by environmental bacteria such as Methylobacterium. Our findings indicate a spatially dependent assembly dynamic: the host genetic background strongly drives microbiome divergence in the anterior segments (foregut and midgut), whereas the long-term administration of a standardized diet ultimately promotes structural convergence in the hindgut. The orthogonal cross yielded a phenotype characterized by an apparent co-occurrence of specific host enzymes and distinct microbiota, suggesting an inferred physiological potential for lipid digestion that requires further multi-omics validation. These findings provide preliminary insights into the associations between genetic background and intestinal traits, providing a theoretical basis for the targeted breeding of Schizothorax species. Full article

Ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation plays a pivotal role in plant growth, metabolism, and the accumulation of bioactive compounds, but its effects under greenhouse conditions are highly species- and dose-dependent. This study investigated the responses of eggplant (Solanum melongena L., cv. Lunga Napoletana) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa L., cv. Rosplus) cultivated under greenhouse films transmitting 3–39% of ambient UV-B. Leaf temperature was monitored throughout the growth cycle using infrared thermography, while physiological parameters (chlorophyll, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and nitrogen index) and post-harvest nutritional traits (antioxidant activity, vitamin C, carotenoids, and total chlorophyll) were assessed. Comparative analysis revealed species-specific responses. Eggplant exhibited peak nutraceutical quality at higher UV-B levels (35–39%) with minimal changes in yield, whereas lettuce achieved maximal yield and secondary metabolite accumulation under intermediate UV-B (30–35%). At the highest UV-B transmittance (39%), both species exhibited stable or slightly reduced thermal and physiological parameters, indicating dose-dependent regulatory mechanisms that maintain photoprotection and metabolic activity under elevated UV-B exposure. Results suggest an apparent optimal range of UV-B transmittance in greenhouse systems under the tested experimental conditions, contributing to improved crop productivity and nutritional quality. Full article

Root functional traits are critical predictors for vegetation-mediated slope stabilization in reservoir drawdown zones. This study quantified the biomechanical linkage between single-root tensile traits and macro-scale soil shear strength for three dominant herbaceous species (Cynodon dactylon, Digitaria sanguinalis, and Imperata cylindrica) in the Three Gorges Reservoir. Single-root tests ($n=15$) revealed a robust diameter-dependent trade-off between tensile load capacity ($F_{max}$) and material efficiency (${\sigma }_t$). Direct shear tests on undisturbed root–soil composites demonstrated that root reinforcement significantly enhanced soil stability, primarily by increasing apparent cohesion (c) rather than internal friction. Cynodon dactylon exhibited the highest reinforcement efficacy, increasing cohesion by >50 kPa compared to root-free soil, supported by its superior tensile strength. These findings establish a trait-based mechanistic framework for species selection, suggesting that prioritizing species with high intrinsic tensile efficiency can effectively mitigate shallow erosion under fluctuating hydrological conditions. Full article

Last instar larva and pupa of Hypera libanotidis Reitter, 1896 (Curculionidae: Hyperini) are described for the first time and compared with 44 other hyperine taxa. Larval morphology generally matches the diagnostic characters of Hyperini but shows distinctive traits, including thorn-like setae on conspicuous black protuberances, relatively long body setae, and dense spiculate coverings in larvae and pupae. Several unusual pupal characters, such as an atypical mesocoxal seta and a peculiar spiracular covering, further distinguish this species. These characters indicate close morphological affinity with species within the subgenus Eririnomorphus and also the genus Metadonus, suggesting a potentially close phylogenetic relationship. Biological observations confirm typical hyperine traits, including ectophytic larval feeding, cryptic coloration, and cocoon construction prior to pupation. Larval coloration, especially in early instars, partly corresponds with the host plant Libanotis pyrenaica. Larvae pupate in mesh-like cocoons on host plant remains, and no larval parasitism was observed. The species is associated with xerothermic loess grasslands, with adults apparently overwintering. Full article

The effects of nitrogen (N) application rates and N topdressing at different leaf growth stages on the yield, N absorption, and utilization of japonica rice cultivar Nanjing 9108 were studied to screen the optimal N management mode for high yield and high N use efficiency. A field experiment was conducted from 2023 to 2024, with nine N regulation treatments (94–351 kg ha⁻¹) established through dynamic allocation of basal, tillering, and topdressing fertilizers. The results showed that with the increase of N application rate, the yield and N use efficiency of Nanjing 9108 first increased and then decreased. At a total N application rate of 270 kg ha⁻¹, the N6 treatment (basal N + tiller N + topdressing at the 13th leaf stage) demonstrated optimal overall performance, achieving the highest yield and N use efficiency. Topdressing at the 13th leaf stage (coinciding with young panicle differentiation) promoted spikelet differentiation and large panicle formation, increasing grains per panicle by 2.36–2.20% compared to other treatments under the same N rate. The N6 treatment exhibited enhanced N uptake and utilization: N accumulation increased by 39.27–67.12% during the elongating to heading stage and by 7.14–62.24% during heading to maturity, while N apparent efficiency and agronomic efficiency rose by 3.51–14.68% and 29.22–58.25%, respectively. At heading, the proportion of high-effective leaf area in N6 was 1.52–7.05% higher than in N4, N5, and N7 treatments, accompanied by a slower leaf area decay rate. These traits provided sustained photosynthetic support for dry matter accumulation in mid-to-late growth stages. Consequently, dry matter accumulation in N6 increased by 5.85–33.44% (elongating to heading) and 0.42–26.98% (heading to maturity), leading to a yield advantage of 3.8–17.2% over other treatments. In summary, the N management strategy combining basal, tiller, and 13th-leaf topdressing at 270 kg ha⁻¹ is most effective for achieving both high yield and high N efficiency in Nanjing 9108. Full article

Carotenoid content is a key trait that defines the unique characteristics of foxtail millet varieties. Varieties with different levels of carotenoids often show distinct genetic features and nutritional profiles. However, the genetic basis of carotenoid content in foxtail millet remains mostly unknown. In this study, we explored the genetic basis of carotenoid content using a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population of 305 lines derived from two parental accessions, JG21 (high-carotenoid, 16.75 mg·kg⁻¹) and JG25 (low-carotenoid, 0.93 mg·kg⁻¹). The results showed that the RIL population exhibited continuous phenotypic variation and significant transgressive segregation for carotenoid components (lutein, zeaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin) and kernel color (measured by b* value), with zeaxanthin reaching 8.47 mg·kg⁻¹, significantly surpassing the higher parent (3.44 mg·kg⁻¹) in 24DY. To ensure that enhancing this nutritional trait does not compromise grain yield, we analyzed its relationship with key agronomic traits, testing for pleiotropic trade-offs. Notably, carotenoid content showed no significant correlation with any of the 8 key agronomic traits (r ranged from −0.11 to 0.08, all p > 0.05), suggesting no apparent trade-off, although fine-mapping is needed to separate pleiotropy from tight linkage for concurrent improvement. Genetic modeling analysis revealed that carotenoid content is stably controlled by three major-gene pairs plus polygenes (MX3-AI-A model), with major-gene heritability of 96.65% and polygene heritability of 3.35%. Based on this framework, three elite RILs with >23% higher carotenoid and superior agronomic performance were identified and advanced to marker-assisted backcrossing. These results provide a clear genetic framework and immediate breeding resources for marker-assisted selection, enabling the development of high-yielding, carotenoid-enriched foxtail millet varieties without compromising agronomic value. Full article

Increasingly frequent extreme droughts threaten forest vegetation and highlight the need to identify drought-tolerant germplasm. To support conservation and cultivation of Illicium lanceolatum, we investigated ecotypic differences in photosynthetic responses to short-term drought and rewatering under varying light intensity. One-year-old seedlings from four I. lanceolatum ecotypes originating from the Zhejiang (Lin’an, LA; Kaihua, KH), Jiangxi (Wu’ning, WN), and Fujian (Nan’ping, NP) provinces in China were subjected to drought stress by withholding irrigation and subsequent rewatering. Photosynthesis–light response curves were measured before drought; 2, 4, and 7 days after the last watering; and following rewatering. Short-term drought significantly affected photosynthetic traits in an ecotype-dependent manner. Maximum net photosynthetic rate, light saturation point, light compensation point, and apparent quantum yield increased during drought, indicating enhanced utilization of both high and low light. After rewatering, stomatal conductance increased significantly in the WN and KH ecotypes but declined in the NP ecotype when compared with those under the initial water supply. Instantaneous water use efficiency (A/E) recovered rapidly in all ecotypes and exceeded pre-drought levels. Under light intensity above 1500 µmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹, stomatal conductance exhibited a significant nonlinear relationship with water use efficiency. Overall, these physiological responses indicate that I. lanceolatum is moderately drought-tolerant and exhibits mild sensitivity to soil water variation. The WN and KH ecotypes showed superior improvement in water use efficiency under drought and high light, suggesting their potential for breeding drought-resistant cultivars and for afforestation in drought-prone environments. Full article

Gammaretroviruses are ubiquitous pathogens, often associated with the induction of neoplasia, especially leukemia, lymphoma, and sarcoma, and with a propensity to target the germline. The latter trait has left extensive evidence of their infectious competence in vertebrate genomes, the human genome being no exception. Despite the continuing activity of gammaretroviruses in mammals, including Old World monkeys, apes, and gibbons, humans have apparently evaded novel infections by the virus class for the past 30 million years or so. Nevertheless, from the 1970s onward, cell culture studies repeatedly discovered gammaretroviral components and/or virus replication in human samples. The last novel ‘human’ gammaretrovirus, identified in prostate cancer tissue, culminated in the XMRV frenzy of the 2000s. In the end, that discovery was shown to be due to lab contamination with a murine gammaretrovirus. Contamination is also the likely source of the earlier findings. Complementation between genes of partially defective endogenous proviruses could have been another source of the virions observed. However, the capacity of many gammaretroviruses to replicate in human cell lines, as well as the presence of diverse infectious gammaretroviral species in our animal companions, for instance in mice, cats, pigs, monkeys, chickens, and bats, does not make a transmission to humans an improbable scenario. This review will summarize evidence for, or the lack of, gammaretrovirus infections in humans in the past, present, and near future. Aspects linked to the probabilities of novel gammaretrovirus infections in humans, regarding exposure risk in connection to modern lifestyle, geography, diet, and habitat, together with genetic and immune factors, will also be part of the review, as will be the estimated consequences of such novel infections. Full article

Cattle breeds are optimized either for milk or meat production and secrete consumed nutrients in the form of milk or accrete nutrients as skeletal muscle tissue, respectively. Surplus energy is usually stored in the form of fat in adipose tissues. To gain more insight into the physiological and genetic background of nutrient accretion as either protein or fat, an experimental F₂ population was generated crossing Charolais (CH) bulls and German Holstein (GH) cows. Mutations in two genes with known, profound effects on growth were segregating in this population: the I442M mutation in the non-SMC condensin I complex, subunit G (NCAPG) gene, and the Q204X mutation in the myostatin (MSTN) gene. The major aim of this study was to close the gap between the described effects of the NCAPG/LCORL region and MSTN SNPs on carcass and meat quality traits, as well as on the structure and composition of the underlying tissues. Whole carcass data, meat quality traits, composition of major cuts and their dominating muscles, including muscle and fat cell structure, were analyzed as well as chemical and fatty acid composition. Mutant alleles of both loci were associated with higher weights, increased muscularity, and reduced fatness, e.g., each explaining about 15% of the observed variance. However, both loci apparently affect traits in a specific manner, influencing either dimensional traits or mass accretion. Full article

Building on multiple theoretical views, this paper aimed to investigate how traits and their specific mechanisms transfer into realized entrepreneurial behaviors. Thus, this paper seeks to address various apparent gaps through an integrative theoretical framework that examines the serial mediation between Individual Entrepreneurial Orientation, Entrepreneurial Alertness, and Entrepreneurial Intentions, and their influence on Entrepreneurial Behavior. Based on a quantitative method with a survey strategy, this paper applied partial least squares-based structural equation modeling on a sample of 405 aspiring entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia. The paper’s findings confirmed the positive and significant relationships between Individual Entrepreneurial Orientation and Entrepreneurial Alertness, Entrepreneurial Alertness and Entrepreneurial Intentions, and Entrepreneurial Intentions and Entrepreneurial Behavior. In addition, the results supported three indirect hypotheses, corroborating that Individual Entrepreneurial Orientation could affect Entrepreneurial Behavior indirectly through Entrepreneurial Alertness and Entrepreneurial Intentions. Likewise, the results supported the serial mediation hypothesis, in which Individual Entrepreneurial Orientation influenced Entrepreneurial Behavior through a sequential process, with both Entrepreneurial Alertness and Entrepreneurial Intentions as mediators. This paper offers theoretical and practical implications for the literature and practice of entrepreneurship. The study contributes to our understanding of the traits and cognitions that can motivate individuals to start a business. In addition, this study responded to many previous calls to examine not only the direct effects of EI antecedents but also the mediating roles of key factors. Full article

Silicon (Si) application is recognized for its beneficial roles in crop growth. This study examines the effects of two forms: zeolite and sodium metasilicate (SMS), on rice under hydroponic (EP I) and soil (EP II) conditions. Four treatments were used at the early stage of rice: 4 ppm and 2 ppm of Si from zeolite, 4 ppm of Si from SMS, and a control. In EP I, only 4 ppm of SMS significantly improved root traits: total root length (36%), surface area (34%), root volume (23%), tips (46%), and forks (34%) by day seven compared to the control. Zeolite-based Si had minimal effects, except on the average diameter. However, in EP II, all Si forms enhanced root traits: total root length (50–73%), surface area (51–58%), average diameter (32–50%), root volume (54–72%), tips (29–68%) and increased shoot and root dry weights by 19–24% and 79–106%, respectively, compared to the control. In EP II, starting from the first and fifth day of treatment, the Si applied groups showed a significant increase in photosynthetic traits and vegetative indices, respectively. On the last day of treatment, particularly for 2 ppm of Si zeolite, the electron transport rate increased by 5 times, the apparent transpiration by 3 times, total conductance and stomatal conductance by around 50%, normalized difference vegetative index by 6–8%, and photochemical reflectance index by 14–33%. These results suggest that the effectiveness of Si is highly dependent on the growth medium and the type of Si, with soil enabling better Si availability, uptake, and physiological response compared to hydroponics. The superior performance of zeolite in EP II indicates its potential as a slow-release Si source that enhances root development and photosynthetic efficiency over time. Thus, it is concluded that zeolite has more potential in soil, and soluble silicon sources should be selected in hydroponics. Full article

This study evaluated the effects of matrix-dosed protease supplementation on growth performance, nutrient utilization, intestinal morphology, serum biochemistry, carcass traits, and economic return in broiler chickens. A total of 240 Cobb 500 chicks were assigned to six dietary treatments (T0–T5) with four replicates of 10 birds each for 33 days. Protease supplementation, particularly with protease F at 250 g/tonne (T5), significantly increased body weight at day 7 (163.0 ± 1.4 g; p = 0.002) and day 21 (854.0 ± 7.0 g; p = 0.014), and improved the feed conversion ratio at day 33 (1.54 ± 0.01; p = 0.002). Birds in the T5 group consistently exhibited the highest serum total protein (p < 0.001 on Day 21; p = 0.002 on Day 33), albumin (p < 0.001 on both days), and creatinine (p < 0.001 on Day 21; p = 0.006 on Day 33), along with reduced low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels (p < 0.001 on Day 21; p = 0.002 on Day 33). Intestinal morphology was also enhanced, with villus height increasing to 874.0 ± 1.0 µm at day 21 and 931.0 ± 1.0 µm at day 33, accompanied by greater villus height-to-crypt depth ratios (11.23 ± 0.02 and 12.59 ± 0.01, respectively; p < 0.001). Moreover, apparent ileal digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, metabolizable energy, and amino acids were improved in T5 compared with the control and other treatments. Economic analysis showed the highest profit and return on investment (7.01%) in T5, followed by T4 and T2. These findings indicate that matrix-based protease supplementation enhances growth, nutrient absorption, and gut morphology while delivering substantial economic benefits, making it a cost-effective strategy for improving broiler productivity and profitability in commercial production systems. Full article

A 16-week feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of different feed forms on the productivity, egg quality, nutrient digestibility, and organ development of laying hens. A total of 252 Lohmann Brown laying hens, 20 weeks of age, were randomly assigned to one of three dietary treatments: mash, pellet, or crumble. Each treatment consisted of seven replicates with 12 hens per replicate. All diets were formulated primarily with corn and soybean meal to provide 2801 kcal/kg of metabolizable energy and 17.99% crude protein. Productive performance (egg production, egg weight, feed intake, egg mass, and feed conversion ratio), egg quality traits (haugh unit, eggshell strength, and eggshell thickness), apparent nutrient digestibility (dry matter, crude protein, calcium, and phosphorus), and relative organ weights (crop, gizzard, and abdominal fat) were measured. No significant differences (p > 0.05) were observed among the feed form treatments for productive performance, egg quality, nutrient digestibility, or organ development. These results indicate that feed form (mash, pellet, or crumble) does not significantly affect performance, egg quality, nutrient utilization, or organ development in Lohmann Brown laying hens under the conditions of this study. Full article