Publications by authors named "You Cai Xiong"
Alfalfa ( L.) grassland is prone to degradation following multi-year maintenance. Yet, its mechanism regarding the stoichiometry of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) across plant-soil system is still unclear.
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- The study explores how iron nanostructures, specifically nanoscale zerovalent iron (nZVI), can enhance plant growth, particularly when combined with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF).
- An optimal dosage of 1.0 g·kg of nZVI can boost maize growth significantly, while excessive amounts harm plant roots and disrupt nutrient uptake, unlike FeSO which has minimal effects.
- The appropriate nZVI facilitates the formation of a supportive nano structure on AMF, improving root colonization, gas exchange, and overall plant health, indicating nZVI plays a crucial role over traditional iron salts.
Physio-biochemical regulations governing crop growth period are pivotal for drought adaptation. Yet, the extent to which functionality of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AM fungi) varies across different stages of maize growth under drought conditions remains uncertain. Therefore, periodic functionality of two different AM fungi i.
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- Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) form beneficial partnerships with plant roots, improving water absorption and carbon storage in soil, but their long-term effects on maize yield and soil organic carbon are not well understood.
- A 7-year study using AMF Funneliformis mosseae, fungicide treatment, and mulching techniques found that AMF significantly boosted maize yield and root biomass, countering limitations caused by reduced water conservation from mulching.
- The research demonstrated that AMF inoculation increased soil organic carbon content and aggregate stability, suggesting that these fungi can enhance crop productivity while encouraging carbon fixation in dryland farming.
Non-hydraulic root source signaling (nHRS) is a unique positive response to soil drying in the regulation of plant growth and development. However, it is unclear how the nHRS mediates the tradeoff between source and sink at the late growth stages and its adaptive mechanisms in primitive wheat. To address this issue, a root-splitting design was made by inserting solid partition in the middle of the pot culture to induce the occurrence of nHRS using four wheat cultivars (MO1 and MO4, diploid; DM22 and DM31, tetraploid) as materials.
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- Plastic fragments in soil disrupt carbon cycling and reduce soil functionality, forming a noticeable "plastic footprint."
- Research found that these plastic fragments lead to decreased photosynthesis and root carbon fixation, resulting in higher carbon emissions and lower carbon sequestration.
- The study highlights the need to consider plastic pollution in current carbon assessment methods, as it significantly negatively impacts long-term carbon storage in soils.
Drought is a potent abiotic stressor that arrests crop growth, significantly affecting crop health and yields. The arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) can offer to protect plants from stressful environments through improving water, and nutrient use efficiency by strengthening plant root structure and harnessing favorable rhizosphere environments. When Acaulospora laevis (AMF) and Bacillus subtilus (PGPR) are introduced in combination, enhanced root growth and beneficial microbial colonization can mitigate drought stress.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIt is crucial to clarify the physiological responses of wheat (T. aestivum) plants to source-sink manipulation and assimilation transportation under drought stress during domestication of dryland wheat. In this research, a two-year field experiment was conducted using nine wheat cultivars in a semiarid site of northwest China.
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- * The study found that a concentration of 10 mg L of iron nanoparticles (FeNPs) and the combination of seed soaking with leaf spraying maximized their benefits for alfalfa growth and nitrogen fixation.
- * FeNPs were more effective than traditional iron chloride (FeCl) in promoting growth and boosted the diversity of fungal communities in the rhizosphere of alfalfa, highlighting their potential agricultural applications.
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- Polyethylene film mulching, commonly used for soil moisture in dryland farming, can break down into microplastics of various shapes, which is a concern for soil health.
- A study analyzed how different microplastic shapes (ball, fiber, fragment, and powder) impact soil bacterial communities over two years, determining that the shape of microplastics affected bacterial abundance and diversity more than their concentration.
- The research found that microplastic shapes influenced soil processes and bacterial community assembly through both random and specific interactions, highlighting the importance of addressing microplastic shapes in soil management rather than just their quantity.
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- The study examines how the thickness of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) films affects the release rate of phthalic acid esters (PAEs), as well as their structural integrity and production efficiency in agriculture.
- Aging tests on LDPE films with varying thicknesses (0.006 to 0.015 mm) showed that thicker films had significantly less damage after exposure, with the most damage in the thinnest film (32.2% vs. 3.5% in the thickest).
- Thicker LDPE films also resulted in a lower average release rate of PAEs and improved soil water storage and thermal conditions, suggesting that increasing film thickness can enhance production efficiency while reducing environmental risks in arid regions.
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- The study focuses on the grazing practices affecting the dominant grass species Kobresia humilis on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, particularly the impact on its bacterial communities and soil properties.
- Different grazing strategies, including grazing enclosure and specific livestock combinations (yak and sheep), were analyzed to see how they influence the plant's phyllosphere and rhizosphere bacteria.
- The results indicated that while grazing enclosures improve vegetation and bacterial diversity, they also lead to a decrease in plant numbers and bacterial stability, with sheep grazing having more detrimental effects than yak grazing.
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- Polyethylene film mulching is a water-saving method used in dry agriculture, but it can lead to harmful secondary pollutants accumulating in the soil over time.
- Researchers tested whether embedding plant biomass (like dried maize straw and living clover) beneath the mulch could help break down these pollutants by changing the bacterial communities in the soil.
- Results showed that adding plant biomass increased the diversity and abundance of beneficial bacteria that break down pollutants, forming distinct bacterial clusters that improved the degradation of harmful substances like chloroalkene and benzoate.
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- Plasticulture, or using plastic for farming, can cause problems with tiny plastic pieces called microplastics (MPs) in the soil and water, which could harm the environment over time.
- These microplastics can mess with important stuff in the soil, like how plants get nutrients and how healthy the soil is, possibly leading to bad effects on plant growth and even increasing harmful gases in the air.
- The text suggests looking for safer ways to manage plastic in farming, like using natural materials, to protect both the soil and our health from these tiny plastic particles.
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- * Although 67.5% of farmers accepted the recycling program, only 14.5% actively participated, with attitude being the most significant factor influencing their behavior.
- * The research suggests that enhancing environmental awareness and education could improve participation rates and proposes an extended TPB model for better understanding of such recycling behaviors.
Leaf photosynthetic nitrogen-use efficiency (PNUE) diversified significantly among C species. To date, the morpho-physiological mechanisms and interrelationships shaping PNUE on an evolutionary time scale remain unclear. In this study, we assembled a comprehensive matrix of leaf morpho-anatomical and physiological traits for 679 C species, ranging from bryophytes to angiosperms, to comprehend the complexity of interrelationships underpinning PNUE variations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe investigated the priming effect of nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) on carbon sink and iron uptake, and the possible mediation by AMF (arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, Funneliformis mosseae) in semiarid agricultural soils. Maize seed dressings comprised of three nZVI concentrations of 0, 1, 2 g·kg and was tested with and without AMF inoculation under high and low soil moistures, respectively. The ICP-OES observations indicated that both low dose of nZVI (1 g·kg) and high dose of nZVI (2 g·kg) significantly increased the iron concentrations in roots (L: 54.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPlastic film residuals are increasingly remaining in cultivated lands. However, it is a critical issue how residual plastic type and thickness affect soil properties and crop yield. To address this issue, in situ landfill was conducted using thick polyethylene (PEt1), thin polyethylene (PEt2), thick biodegradable (BIOt1), thin biodegradable (BIOt2) residues, and CK (control) with no residues landfill in a semiarid maize field.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThickness-dependent release of microplastics and phthalic acid esters from polythene and biodegradable residual films in agricultural soils and its related productivity effects.
J Hazard Mater
April 2023
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- A two-year landfill test examined how different types and thicknesses of plastic films (polyethylene and biodegradable) release microplastics and phthalic acid esters (PAEs) into agricultural soil and affect crop yields.* -
- The study found that biodegradable films, especially thin ones, led to higher microplastic counts and PAE concentrations compared to polyethylene films, with significant physical changes observed in the biodegradable materials after two years.* -
- Results showed a negative correlation between microplastic and PAE levels with maize productivity, indicating that biodegradable films pose a greater environmental risk and impact on soil health compared to thicker polyethylene films.*
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- Scientists looked at a nature-based solution that used a special layer of tiny plants (biocrust) mixed with alfalfa and maize crops to help save carbon in very damaged soils.
- They found that using this method greatly reduced soil erosion by nearly 95% and helped keep carbon and nitrogen in the soil too, while also helping to catch and store rainwater better.
- Overall, the biocrust helped plants grow better and improved the tiny life in the soil, leading to healthier soil and more carbon storage compared to regular farming methods.
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- - Melatonin, a hormone found in plants and animals, helps cotton seedlings resist harmful effects of cadmium (Cd) stress by reducing oxidative damage and improving growth, particularly through an 8-day study comparing treated vs. untreated plants.
- - Treated seedlings showed better photosynthetic capacity and higher fresh (17.4%) and dry (19.3%) weights than untreated ones, linked to melatonin's ability to downregulate Cd transporter genes in roots, limiting cadmium's movement to leaves.
- - Melatonin also enhanced protective enzyme activities and triggered signaling pathways that adjust stomatal function, ultimately safeguarding cellular components like ribosomes from cadmium-related oxidative injury.
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- The study investigates how the thickness of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) film affects its mechanical properties and soil health in maize fields, focusing on various thickness levels.
- Results show that greater film thickness leads to significant reductions in mechanical strength measures like tensile force and elongation, especially in thinner films.
- While thicker films improve biomass productivity in maize, they may negatively impact soil structure and nutrient levels, indicating a need for further research on the long-term effects of using thick LDPE films in agriculture.
Rhizosphere effect of nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) is crucial but little reported. Maize seeds were dressed with four nZVI concentrations (0, 1.0, 1.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn order to understand the composition and accumulation characteristics of phthalates esters (PAEs) in agricultural soils in Gansu province, a total of 41 soil samples from four agricultural soils in Gansu province were collected, and the content of six PAEs compounds was analyzed using a gas chromatography-single quadrupole mass spectrometer (GC-MS). The results showed that the average value of PAEs compounds in agricultural soils in Gansu province was 432.4 μg·kg.
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