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25 July 2025, Volume 37 Issue 7 Previous Issue    Next Issue
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Crop Science
Animal Science
Horticultural Science
Plant Protection
Environmental Science
Biosystems Engineering
Agricultural Economy and Development
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Contents 2025, 37(7):  0-0.  Abstract ( 23 )   PDF (22230KB) ( 75 )   Related Articles | Metrics

Crop Science

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Establishment and application of event-specific real-time PCR detection method of transgenic maize WYN17132 XIAN Ruotong, MIAO Qingmei, PENG Cheng, CHEN Xiaoyun, YANG Lei, XU Xiaoli, WEI Wei, XU Junfeng, LI Yueying, WANG Xiaofu 2025, 37(7):  1397-1406.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-1524.20240779 Abstract ( 60 )   HTML ( 14 )   PDF (4563KB) ( 80 )   WYN17132 is a glyphosate-tolerant transgenic maize variety with am79-epsps gene independently developed in China. It has obtained the national production and application safety certificate, but there is no corresponding detection method at present. In order to further implement the monitoring of genetically modified products in China, this study established a specific real-time PCR detection method for transgenic maize WYN17132 event. The insertion sequence of transgenic maize WYN17132 and the flanking sequence of the connected part of the maize genome were used as the target sequence to design multiple sets of specific primers and probes. The specificity, limit of detection (LOD), and reproducibility of the established method were systematically evaluated. After screening, 17132RB-qF3/qR3/qP3 was selected as the optimal primer-probe combination, and the amplified fragment size was 132 bp. The developed specific real-time PCR detection method for WYN17132 demonstrated excellent specificity, producing amplification only for the target event. The method showed high sensitivity, achieving a LOD of 0.05%. It also exhibited stable reproducibility and strong applicability. The detection method could meet the detection requirements of transgenic maize WYN17132, and provide technical support for the monitoring, supervision and traceability of transgenic maize in China. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

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The function of CchABCG5 gene in Camellia chekiangoleosa Hu MIAO Bailing, CHEN Juanjuan, LI Liangjie, CHU Zongli, DONG Xiangxiang 2025, 37(7):  1407-1416.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-1524.20240746 Abstract ( 37 )   HTML ( 14 )   PDF (11973KB) ( 72 )   ABCG5 is a transporter involved in plant growth and development. To investigate the function of the ABCG5 gene, Camellia chekiangoleosa Hu was used as experimental material. The coding sequence(CDS) of the CchABCG5 gene was obtained by RT-PCR amplification, and the gene function was preliminarily analyzed by bioinformatics analysis, subcellular localization and genetic transformation of Arabidopsis thaliana. The results showed that the CDS length of CchABCG5 gene was 1 935 bp, encoding 644 amino acids, with one nucleotide binding domain and one transmembrane domain, and it was a WBC-type half-sized transporter. Subcellular localization analysis showed that CchABCG5 protein was localized in the cell membrane, and phylogenetic analysis indicated that the CchABCG5 protein shares the closest evolutionary relationship with that of tea plant (Camellia sinensis). CchABCG5-overexpression Arabidopsis thaliana exhibited a reduced number of rosette leaves, an early flowering phenotype, and significantly elevated expression levels of flowering-related genes, as well as increased lipid content in seeds and leaves. Therefore, it was speculated that CchABCG5 gene played a role in flowering regulation and lipid transport in Camellia chekiangoleosa Hu. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

Animal Science

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Evaluation of sperm cryopreservation effectiveness for largemouth bass(Micropterus salmoides) based on computer-assisted sperm analysis LI Fan, ZHANG Xiaofeng, LI Jianying, CHEN Xiaoming, LIU Wei, ZHOU Fan, MENG Qinghui 2025, 37(7):  1417-1423.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-1524.20240769 Abstract ( 54 )   HTML ( 16 )   PDF (766KB) ( 68 )   To evaluate and screen out suitable sperm preservation solutions to extend the storage time of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) sperm, the effects of four preservation solutions, i.e. Cortland saline, Ringer’s saline, Zebrafish E3 culture solution, and PBS solution, on sperm motility were compared during the storage at 4 ℃. The changes on key motility parameters, including the percentage of motile (MOT), curvilinear velocity (VCL), straight line velocity (VSL), average path velocity (VAP) and beatingcross frequency (BCF) of the origin sperm and the sperm stored with preservation solution were assessed using a computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) system. It was shown that there was a gradual decline in MOT with the extended storage time. The cryopreservation effectiveness of preservation solutions varied. Among the preservation solutions, Ringer’s saline and PBS solution demonstrated superior performance, with higher MOT and other motion parameters. When the sperm was stored with Ringer’s saline, the MOT could maintain over 95% after 72 h. These findings suggest that Ringer’s saline could be used for the short-term refrigeration of largemouth bass sperm. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Mining new housekeeping genes of Macrobrachium rosenbergii based on transcriptome analysis REN Jindong, CHEN Honglin, NIU Baolong, XU Xiaojun, LOU Bao 2025, 37(7):  1424-1429.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-1524.20240514 Abstract ( 45 )   HTML ( 12 )   PDF (919KB) ( 69 )   The identification of housekeeping genes in organisms is important for quantitative analysis of gene expression. To identify stable housekeeping genes in various tissues of the giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii, the relative expression data in multiple tissues, including gill, eye stalk, heart, hepatopancreas, stomach, big claw muscle, abdominal muscle, testis, androgenic gland and ovary, was used to identify new candidate housekeeping genes for quantitative analysis of gene expression in various tissues. The results showed that 1 902 genes were obtained with average FPKM values above 5 in the 10 tissues. Based on the average variation coefficients of these genes, 10 candidate genes were screened out randomly with smaller average variation coefficients than the common housekeeping gene β-actin. Further selection with gene expression stability parameter (M value) showed that, the M value of the selected 10 candidate genes in 10 tissues were all smaller than that of β-actin. Among the 10 candidate genes, the RNF10 gene exhibited the smallest M value, while the S/TPP2A gene showed the biggest M value except the β-actin gene. Quantitative PCR test on RNF10, S/TPP2A and β-actin gene varified that the M values of RNF10, S/TPP2A were smaller than that of β-actin, and the RNF10 gene exhibited the best expression stability. Thus, it was feasible to screen out housekeeping genes by using transcriptome data, variability, and the RNF10 gene could be used as a housekeeping gene with good expression stability in 10 tissues of of Macrobrachium rosenbergii. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Isolation, identification and genome-wide analysis of Spring viremia of carp virus in Sichuan Province of China QI Yingji, LIU Shuya, LAN Hanyun, WANG Xuemei, SUN Tiantian, LI Shuhan, LI Qiunan, HUANG Xiaoli, GENG Yi, CHEN Defang, OUYANG Ping 2025, 37(7):  1430-1440.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-1524.20240655 Abstract ( 38 )   HTML ( 14 )   PDF (9607KB) ( 69 )   In March 2022, large scale death of carp from a farm in Leshan City, Sichuan Province, suddenly developed acute mortality with a cumulative mortality rate of 80%. To study the etiology and epidemiological pattern of this disease, the diseased material was subjected to autopsy, pathological examination, bacteriological examination, PCR identification, virus isolation and identification and phylogenetic analysis. The results showed that histopathological lesions were mainly in the gills and intestines, intestinal congestion and hemorrhage, with necrosis and shedding of epithelial cells; and hyperplasia, necrosis and shedding of epithelial cells in gill lamellae. Based on pathological diagnosis, it was preliminarily determined that the disease was caused by Spring viremia of carp virus(SVCV) infection. RT-PCR detection results showed that the G protein gene sequence of SVCV was amplified in the visceral tissues and cell culture virus solution of naturally infected carp and artificially infected carp. Electron microscopic observation of ultrathin sections of cell cultures virus solution showed that the viral particles were 80-150 nm long and 40-60 nm wide, and were bullet-shaped. Artificially infected healthy carp showed clinical symptoms similar to those of naturally infected carp, with a cumulative mortality rate of 65% in the infected group. A virus strain was isolated from epithelioma papulosum cyprini cell(EPC), and whole genome sequencing and sequence analysis were performed on the isolate, which was named SVCV-2022 after sequencing conformation of the highest homology with SVCV. Combining the epidemiological and pathological characteristics of the disease, the isolation and identification of the virus, the results of the artificial infection test and transmission electron microscopy, the pathogen of the epidemic was identified as SVCV. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Effects of oyster shells on the growth performance of Penaeus vannamei and water quality, and microbial community characteristics on shell surfaces HUANG Xianke, HUANG Xiaolin, ZHANG Xiang, LI Min, CAI Yilong, CHEN Ran 2025, 37(7):  1441-1450.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-1524.20240840 Abstract ( 32 )   HTML ( 12 )   PDF (2007KB) ( 67 )   In the cultivation of Penaeus vannamei, the addition of oyster shells can improve water quality and enhance shrimp growth. However, the effects of in situ water quality treatment by oyster shells on water quality and shrimp growth, as well as the composition and dynamic succession of microbial communities in oyster shell biofilms, remain inadequately studied. To investigate the effects of adding oyster shells on the growth performance of Penaeus vannamei and aquaculture water quality, this study established a control group and three experimental groups with low (volume fraction 1‰), medium (volume fraction 2‰), and high (volume fraction 4‰) oyster shell additions, comparing their impacts on the growth metrics of Penaeus vannamei and analyzing the distribution characteristics of bacterial communities on the surface of the oyster shells. Results showed that the addition of oyster shells significantly increased the shrimp survival rate (F=9.222, P=0.006), body length (F=13.267, P=0.002), and body weight (F=8.102, P=0.008), the survival rate of the low addition group (90.73%) was significantly lower than that of the medium addition group (97.50%) and the high addition group (99.17%). The addition of oyster shells also increased phosphate content (F=52.509, P<0.001), decreased nitrite content (F=7.323, P=0.011), and increased nitrate content (F=23.615, P <0.001). In the biofilm, the relative abundance of Tenacibaculum significantly decreased as the aquaculture process progressed, while the relative abundance of Nitrospira and Ruegeria significantly increased. The increased relative abundance of Nitrospira in the biofilm accelerated the nitrogen cycle from nitrite to nitrate in the aquaculture system, thereby improving water quality and enhancing shrimp survival rate, body length and body weight. This study provided guidance on the addition of oyster shells in shrimp cultivation and offered a theoretical basis for further exploration of the mechanisms by which oyster shell biofilms improve water quality and promote shrimp health. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

Horticultural Science

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Effect of calcium treatment on the fruit quality of Reliance grape under waterlogging WANG Chengyang, LIU Jieya, WU Minyi, XIE Boyi, HONG Decheng, LENG Feng, WU Guoquan 2025, 37(7):  1451-1458.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-1524.20240372 Abstract ( 42 )   HTML ( 13 )   PDF (1235KB) ( 71 )   In Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions, typhoons or heavy rainfall often occur during the grape ripening period, causing waterlogging in vineyards and severely affecting the grapes quality. In this study, Reliance grape (Vitis labrusca L.×Vitis vinifera L.) was taken as the experimental material. The grapes were treated with waterlogging prior to veraison, and then treated with 4 g·L-1 of calcium chloride after 14 days. Total soluble solids (TSS), mainly primary and secondary metabolites contents were determined to analyze the effects of calcium treatment on the grape quality after waterlogging. Our results showed that sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol and TSS contents in the grapes were reduced by 5.24%, 3.10%, 5.92%, 12.48% and 1.32%, respectively, compared with the control group, while malic acid, citric acid and tartaric acid contents were increased by 78.44%, 7.52% and 15.05%, respectively after waterlogging. Grapes treated with calcium after waterlogging, their TSS, sucrose and sorbitol contents increased by 1.23%, 5.17% and 7.34%, respectively, while the 4 organic acids (malic acid, tartaric acid, citric acid and malonic acid) contents all decreased to a certain extent. Additionally, grapes treated with calcium showed a significant increase in total anthocyanins and flavonol contents under waterlogging, as well as better coloring. In conclusion, calcium treatment can improve the grape quality after waterlogging, which has important theoretical and practical implications for the flooding resistant cultivation of grapes and fruit quality improvement in southern China. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Quality of mainly cultivated walnuts in Hubei Province of China at different harvest periods TAN Yali, GAO Mengxiang, LI Xiaojie, ZHOU Yingjie, XIONG Jian, ZENG Ziqi, LI Xiao, YANG Hua 2025, 37(7):  1459-1468.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-1524.20240589 Abstract ( 43 )   HTML ( 14 )   PDF (1034KB) ( 70 )   To explore the changes in apparent traits and nutritional composition of the main cultivated walnut varieties planted in Hubei Province at different harvest periods. The main cultivated walnut varieties Zilin No.1 and Qingxiang were used as objects, the appearance traits and nutritional composition of walnuts at different harvest periods were measured. A complete evaluation of the quality of walnuts from four distinct harvest periods was conducted by correlation analysis and principal component analysis. The results showed that during the harvest period, the transverse and longitudinal diameters, kernel yield rate, and cracking rate of green fruit of Zilin No.1 and Qingxiang walnuts demonstrated a continuous upward trend. In terms of nutrient composition, the fat content showed an upward trend, while the moisture content, protein content, and calcium content showed a downward trend. The total amino acid content and zinc content, however, exhibited a pattern of initial decrease followed by an increase. Correlation analysis indicated that there were generally considerable relationships between the different nutritional components. Principal component analysis showed that 2 principal components represented 95.356% of the variable information of the 9 indicators, which could comprehensively reflect the overall changes in the nutritional quality of walnuts. Comprehensive score for characterizing the quality of walnuts increased significantly with delayed harvesting and reached its highest level at harvest period IV. Furthermore, appropriately delaying the harvest period can significantly improve the nutritional quality of walnuts. The optimal harvest period for the main cultivated walnut varieties Zilin No. 1 and Qingxiang in Hubei Province, is around August 27th. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

Plant Protection

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Screening and identification of an antagonistic fungus strain against root rot disease in tea plants and its biological characteristics DENG Yulian, TAN Lin, NIU Li, LU Qiancheng, ZHOU Linghong, LI Guihua, HU Qiulong 2025, 37(7):  1469-1480.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-1524.20240565 Abstract ( 33 )   HTML ( 13 )   PDF (14667KB) ( 72 )   In the present study, a fungal isolate with antagonistic effect on tea root rot pathogen was screened from the rhizosphere soil of tea plants infected by tea root rot pathogen through plate confrontation method. The isolated strain was identified by the morphological and molecular biology methods, and its biological characteristics were studied, as well as its antimicrobial spectrum, antimicrobial ability of metabolites and extracellular hydrolase activities. The results showed that the obtained strain FX2 was finally identified as Penicillium citrinum, which exhibited an inhibition rate of 72.98% against the pathogen Fusarium cugenangense of tea root rot. The strain FX2 was relatively insensitive to the carbon-nitrogen ratio. The suitable carbon source of this strain was lactose, the suitable nitrogen source was peptone or yeast extract, the optimal sulfate was MgSO4 or K2SO4. The tolerance range of this strain to NaCl was 0-140 g·L-1, the optimal pH value was 6, and the maximum withstand temperature was 60 ℃. The ultraviolet light irradiation exhibited certain inhibitory effect on the growth of this strain. The inhibition rate of this strain against other 8 plant pathogens (including Alternaria alternata, Fusarium graminearum, Exserohilum turcicum, Diaporthe citri, Fusarium oxysporum, Colletotrichum circinans, Colletotrichum camelliae, Pseudopestalotiopsis theae) were higher than 50%, indicating broad antibacterial spectrum. The inhibition rate of 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% sterile fermentation filtrate against root rot pathogen was 35.12%, 45.98%, 52.80% and 59.46%, respectively, and the inhibition rate of non-volatile metabolites and volatile metabolites against root rot pathogen was 71.73% and 22.14%, respectively. Besides, this strain also had the ability to secrete proteases, amylases, chitinases and cellulases. In conclusion, the isolated strain FX2 was a promising biocontrol resource for tea root rot. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Study on screening, identification, culture optimization, and biocontrol effects of antagonistic bacteria against tobacco leaf mildew ZHOU Hang, JIA Tao, FANG Jiangping, YANG Yongfeng, YU Yangyang, QIU Yao, CHEN Siyuan, FENG Wei, ZHANG Jingyuan, CHEN Hongli 2025, 37(7):  1481-1491.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-1524.20240815 Abstract ( 25 )   HTML ( 14 )   PDF (10784KB) ( 66 )   To identify the pathogenic fungi responsible for moldy stored tobacco leaves in Yunnan tobacco-growing areas and screen antagonistic strains against these pathogens, this study isolated fungi from moldy tobacco leaves. Pathogens were identified through Koch’s postulates verification, cultural characteristics, and molecular biology. Antagonistic strains were screened from healthy tobacco leaves using the plate dilution method, followed by physiological-biochemical characterization and culture condition optimization. The biocontrol efficacy of antagonistic strains against tobacco mold at varying concentrations was validated. The results demonstrated that two pathogenic strains isolated from moldy tobacco leaves in Yunnan were identified as Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus based on morphological and molecular characteristics. An antagonistic strain, Bacillus velezensis ZH-X10, was screened and found to induce mycelial deformation and shrinkage in pathogens, as observed via scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Optimal fermentation conditions for ZH-X10 were pH 7.0, 35 ℃, and NaCl mass fraction of 2%. A concentration of 108 CFU·mL-1 of ZH-X10 demonstrated effective control against A. niger and A. flavus, representing the threshold inoculation concentration for mold suppression. In conclusion, Bacillus velezensis ZH-X10 exhibited significant antagonistic activity against tobacco mold pathogens and showed potential as a novel biocontrol agent. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Identification, biological characteristics and control agents screening of pathogens of curvular leaf spot disease of sorghum SHEN Guoqiang, WANG Mingde, GUAN Yawen, WU Jun, WANG Hanrong 2025, 37(7):  1492-1500.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-1524.20240353 Abstract ( 36 )   HTML ( 12 )   PDF (3734KB) ( 71 )   To identify the pathogen causing sorghum leaf spot, diseased sorghum leaves were collected from Pingshui Town, Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province. Pathogen isolation, pathogenicity tests, and molecular biological identification were conducted. The biological characteristics of the pathogen were determined under different carbon sources, nitrogen sources, temperatures, pH values and light conditions. The sensitivities of the pathogen to different fungicides were tested by hyphal growth rate method. The results showed that the pathogen causing sorghum leaf spot was Curvularia lunata, and the isolated strain was designated GLYB3. Strain GLYB3 could make full use of six carbon sources, the most suitable nitrogen source was yeast powder, the optimal temperature was 25 ℃, and the optimal pH value was 7. 30% hexaconazole suspension, 43% fluopyram trifloxystrobin·suspension, 450 g·L-1 prochloraz aqueous emulsion and 50% acetimidamine water dispersible granules had a strongly inhibitory effect on GLYB3, with EC50 values of 0.001 6, 0.001 9, 0.003 1, 0.007 8 mg·L-1, respectively. The field control experiments showed that the relative control efficiency of the four fungicides were 79.0%, 77.8%, 79.5% and 81.5%, respectively. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

Environmental Science

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Isolation and characterization of a biosurfactant production and oil-degrading bacteria strain SHI Tianqing, ZHAO Zhuoqun, XIE Xiaojie, ZHENG Huabao 2025, 37(7):  1501-1511.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-1524.20240410 Abstract ( 31 )   HTML ( 14 )   PDF (7434KB) ( 75 )   In this study, a biosurfactant production and oil-degrading bacteria strain, Pseudomonas aeruginosa STQ-2, was isolated from waste cooking oil (WCO) derived from kitchen waste. The fermentation conditions were optimized to enhance the surfactant production by this strain, with the structural analysis of the products conducted by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance hydrogen spectroscopy, and liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry. It was shown that the optimal reaction conditions for this strain were as follows: temperature of 30 ℃, pH value of 7, WCO mass concentration of 25 g·L-1, and ammonium chloride as the nitrogen source. When WCO was utilized as the sole carbon source, the yield of biosurfactant produced by strain STQ-2 reached 600 mg·L-1, and the WCO degradation rate was 21.1% after 7 days of incubation under these conditions. These results demonstrated that Pseudomonas aeruginosa STQ-2 was capable of degrading WCO while simultaneously producing biosurfactant utilizing WCO as its sole carbon source. Furthermore, it was identified that the primary component of the surfactant produced by this strain was rhamnolipid, and the biosurfactant exhibited chemical stability across a pH value range of 6 to 12, NaCl mass concentrations of 20 to 140 g·L-1, and temperature ranging from 4 to 121 ℃. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Analysis of rhizosphere bacterial flora of flue-cured tobacco varieties Zhongchuan 208 and CV87 GENG Ruimei, ZHAO Qinghai, CAO Changdai, LI Feng, WANG Dahai, HE Penglin, LIU Yang, LI Junmin, XU Rui, SONG Zhimei, HU Haizhou, ZHANG Yu 2025, 37(7):  1512-1520.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-1524.20240631 Abstract ( 30 )   HTML ( 13 )   PDF (4438KB) ( 70 )   The root microbiota is susceptible to the influence of the plant growth stages and genotypes. To explore the differences in the rhizosphere bacterial flora of flue-cured tobacco varieties and their interactions, the new tobacco variety Zhongchuan 208 and CV87 were used as test materials in the present study. By utilizing 16S rRNA sequencing, sequences of the rhizosphere bacterial flora were obtained. Through methods such as diversity and compositional analysis, a detailed comparison of the rhizosphere bacterial flora of two flue-cured tobacco varieties at various growth stages was conducted. It was revealed that genotypes and growth stages affected the structure of rhizosphere bacterial communities and the relationships between bacteria. For Zhongchuan 208, the highest diversity was observed during the early blooming stage, while for CV87, the highest diversity was found during the maturity stage. There were 435 and 282 edges (correlation data) between species in the rhizosphere bacterial flora of Zhongchuan 208 and CV87, respectively, indicating that the interactions within rhizosphere bacterial flora of Zhongchuan 208 were richer and more complex than those of CV87. During the rosette and vigorous growth stages, the genus Azoarcus in the rhizosphere of Zhongchuan 208 was relatively abundant, which may help the plant obtain nitrogen through nitrogen fixation, thereby promoting the plant growth. In the rhizosphere of CV87, Ramlibacter maintained a relatively high abundance during the rosette and vigorous growth stages, which may participate in the activation of the antioxidant system of plant to enhance the resistance to diseases and other processes. The findings provided both data and theoretical basis for a deeper understanding of the compositional patterns and the interaction mechanisms of the rhizosphere microbiome of flue-cured tobacco. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Inversion of soil total iron content using random forest model based on multi-spectral transformation and principle compoment analysis JIANG Zhenlan, CHEN Fuxun, LUO Shuangfei, LUO Yeqin, SHA Jinming 2025, 37(7):  1521-1532.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-1524.20240733 Abstract ( 32 )   HTML ( 13 )   PDF (5176KB) ( 65 )   Typical hyperspectral inversion models for soil total iron content use single spectral variables as input, which neglect the complementarity among spectral variables. Additionally, the redundancy of spectral bands affects the prediction accuracy and generalization ability of models. In the present study, a random forest (RF) model optimized by integrating spectral variables and principal component analysis (PCA) was proposed, and the soil total iron content in Fuzhou City of China was selected as the study object. By incorporating the original reflectance and its 13 mathematical transformations, a combined spectral variable set was constructed. For variable optimization, PCA was employed in conjunction with various variable selection methods, including multiple linear regression (MLR), competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS), genetic algorithm (GA), successive projections algorithm (SPA), and uninformative variable elimination (UVE). Based on the optimized variable set, RF inversion models were established to predict soil total iron content. The results indicated that all the constructed models exhibited excellent predictive capability in the validation set, with determination coefficient (R2) values higher than 0.8 and relative percent difference (RPD) values exceeding 2.8. Among these model, the CARS-PCA-RF, GA-PCA-RF and MLR-PCA-RF models demonstrated strong predictive abilities, with RPD values in the validation set exceeding 3. Notably, the CARS-PCA-RF model performed the best, with an RPD value of 3.292 in the validation set, highlighting the advantages and potential of the variable selection method which combines PCA and CARS in the hyperspectral prediction of soil total iron content. This study proposed a method for predicting soil total iron content based on multiple spectral transformations and PCA-optimized input variables. This approach improved the accuracy and stability of soil total iron content prediction, providing a new solution for the hyperspectral prediction of regional soil total iron content. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

Biosystems Engineering

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Feasibility of ground-source heat pump heating system assisted by natural gas boiler in large-scale terraced glass greenhouse CHEN Tongqiang, XU Fengjiao, ZHOU Baochang, WANG Fulin, MENG Lingzhao, LI Youli 2025, 37(7):  1533-1544.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-1524.20240641 Abstract ( 25 )   HTML ( 14 )   PDF (2891KB) ( 66 )   In this study, the feasibility of ground-source heat pump (GSHP) heating system assisted by natural gas boiler was explored in large-scale terraced glass greenhouse. The experiment was conducted from October 4th, 2022 to May 15th, 2023, in a 25.44 hm2 glass greenhouse in Dezhou, Shandong Province of China. In the control group, a natural gas boiler was used as the sole heating equipment, while in the experimental group, a GSHP heating system assisted by natural gas boiler was employed. The effectiveness of this coupled heating system was examined from thermal environment, energy savings, greenhouse gas emission reduction, and economic performance. The results showed that the thermal environment (temperature, air enthalpy) in the experimental greenhouse was consistent with that in the control greenhouse during the heating period. The energy cost for the experimental greenhouse was 73.12 yuan·m-2, lower than the control greenhouse by 22.72 yuan·m-2. Based on the energy prices and climate under the experiment conditions, the payback period was 6 years. The coefficient of performance (COP) for the experiment group was 2.64, with an energy-saving rate of 25.82%. Additionally, there was a linear positive correlation between the weekly natural gas consumption in both greenhouses and the sum of the daily temperature differences inside and outside the greenhouse. Under the same temperature difference, the control group consumed more natural gas weekly than the experimental group, and as the temperature difference increased, the gap in natural gas consumption widened. During the heating period, the experimental greenhouse consumed 12.92 m3·m-2 of natural gas, which was 52.56% of the control group, resulting in a reduction of 2 397 t of CO2 emission. In conclusion, heating glass greenhouses with the GSHP heating system assisted by natural gas boiler in northern China, could meet the heating demand, and significantly reduce energy consumption and costs, showing great potential for widespread application. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Design and experiment of tray handling device for industrialized rice seedling raising TAN Shiyi, YU Guohong, XUE Xianglei, ZHAO Yinglei, XU Baoyu, ZHANG Chenghao 2025, 37(7):  1545-1555.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-1524.20240861 Abstract ( 33 )   HTML ( 16 )   PDF (7550KB) ( 66 )   Currently, factory-based intelligent rice seedling cultivation faces challenges such as high labor intensity, low efficiency, and high costs associated with manual tray handling. To address these issues, this study designed a rice seedling tray handling device specifically for stereoscopic circulating mobile seedling beds. The device could accurately grasp multiple trays simultaneously, enabling the automated transfer of germinated trays from the conveyor line to the seedling bed baskets, and the subsequent return of trays from the baskets back to the conveyor line after the seedling cultivation phase was completed. This paper detailed the structure and working principle of the handling device. Based on the finite element method (FEM) and theoretical analysis, structural design and component selection were conducted for key parts including clamping mechanism, seedling tray lifting mechanism, robotic arm, and conveying mechanism. Using a programmable logic controller (PLC) as the central control unit, an automated tray loading and unloading control system was established. Prototype fabrication and field tests demonstrated that, under the operational parameters of a clamping height of 10 mm, a placement height of 15 mm, and a robotic arm execution speed of 0.6 m·s-1, the average success rates for tray loading and unloading reached 97.78% and 98.89%, respectively. The findings of this study could provide valuable technical insights for enhancing the mechanization and intelligence levels of rice seedling cultivation. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Real-time detection of overturned meat ducks based on YOLOv8-Swin Transformer model LYU Yinchun, DUAN Enze, ZHU Yixing, ZHENG Xia, BAI Zongchun 2025, 37(7):  1556-1566.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-1524.20240333 Abstract ( 33 )   HTML ( 16 )   PDF (3850KB) ( 71 )   To address the challenges of detecting small and easily occluded meat ducks in cages within large-scale farms, as well as the difficulty of deploying existing detection methods for overturned ducks on embedded devices, this study proposes a detection method for identifying overturned meat ducks suitable for deployment on Jetson Orin. This approach ensures accurate detection of overturned ducks while achieving lightweight model deployment and improved detection efficiency. A dataset of 1 000 images of overturned meat ducks was constructed and divided into training, testing, and validation sets in an 8∶1∶1 ratio. A deep learning network was employed to extract behavioral features of overturned ducks and build a target detection model. The Swin Transformer-tiny module was integrated to replace the backbone network of YOLOv8, significantly enhancing the detection capability for small targets in complex environments. Model pruning and quantization were applied to reduce computational complexity while maintaining accuracy, achieving a better balance between model precision and speed. When deploying the optimized models on embedded devices with a confidence threshold set to 60, the YOLOv8n-Swin Transformer and YOLOv8s-Swin Transformer models demonstrated average recognition accuracies of 96.0% and 97.1%, respectively, for detecting overturned meat ducks. Their false recognition rates were 2.7% and 2.0%, while the single-frame image processing times measured 6.8 ms and 7.4 ms, respectively. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

Agricultural Economy and Development

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Analysis of evolutionary game among government, enterprises and farmers in the digital transformation of formulated fertilizer subsidies aimed at reducing fertilizer use and enhancing efficiency ZHANG Min, ZHANG Yang, SHEN Jing, HU Chenxia 2025, 37(7):  1567-1579.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-1524.20240843 Abstract ( 30 )   HTML ( 16 )   PDF (1542KB) ( 80 )   To continuously promote the fertilizer reduction and efficiency increment, and explore feasible ways to achieve the digital transformation of subsides for formulated fertilizers, a tripartite evolutionary game model was constructed in the present study involving local governments, agricultural supplies stores and farming entities. The internal mechanisms behind local governments’ empowerment of the subsidy process through digital transformation, incentivizing agricultural supplies stores to actively participate in digital platforms, and guiding various farming entities to purchase formulated fertilizers were studied, thereby achieving the goals of fertilizer reduction and efficiency increment. It was revealed that the local governments’ implementation of digital transformation for formulated fertilizer subsidies could effectively reduce the cost of subsidy application and issuance, not only strengthening the willingness of farming entities to purchase formulated fertilizers, but also enhancing the effectiveness of subsidy policies. Meanwhile, moderate financial subsidies could ensure the sustained progress of local governments’ digital transformation. Reducing the cost of agricultural supplies stores’ participation in digital platforms could facilitate their active involvement and strengthen the close cooperation between local governments and these stores, hence enhance the overall effectiveness of the digital platform and motivate farming entities to purchase fertilizers according to the formula. Based on these findings, suggestions were recommended: strengthening local governments’ responsibility for digital services and promoting the digital transformation of formulated fertilizer subsidies; actively exploring government-enterprise cooperation models to alleviate the burden on governments in digital transformation and service provision; and leveraging the bridging role of agricultural supplies stores to facilitate farming entities’ deep integration into digital life. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

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The estimation of new quality productive forces level, developmental retardation and cultivation path of feed enterprises ZHANG Yuanyuan, LI Meng 2025, 37(7):  1580-1594.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-1524.20240766 Abstract ( 36 )   HTML ( 18 )   PDF (1727KB) ( 68 )   Cultivating new quality productive forces(NQPF) is of significant importance for feed enterprises in inreducing costs, improving quality and efficiency, upgrading the feed industry structure, and constructing a modern livestock powerhouse. Based on the comprehensive evaluation index system of NQPF in feed enterprises, the level of this study first measured the level of NQPF, in feed enterprises was first measured, and its spatio-temporal evolution characteristics were analyzed. The obstacles to the development of NQPF in feed enterprises were revealed, and the specific path for cultivating high-level NQPF was explored through antecedent configuration analysis. Research had found that: Firstly, although the overall level of NQPF in feed enterprises had fluctuated and increased, regional differentiation characteristics were obvious; enterprises in the central region demonstrated a relatively favorable development trajectory (“starting low but rising high”), surpassing the overall annual average level; the western region exhibited the opposite trend (“starting high but declining”); the change trend in the eastern region was relatively consistent with the overall trend, and ultimately remained stable; the northeast and eastern regions were symmetrically distributed, but the development momentum in the later stage was insufficient, and the gap with the overall situation continued to widen; differences in NQPF levels among feed enterprises within each region were the key driver of overall disparity. Secondly, the uneven development of various components of NQPF in feed enterprises was the main reason for individual differences; the two types of factor layers of new labor materials and new workers were the main obstacles to their development, and the factor layer of new labor objects had the lowest degree of obstacles. Thirdly, based on multidimensional antecedent condition configuration analysis, it was found that the cultivation of high-level NQPF in feed enterprises relied on the collaborative driving force of multidimensional antecedent conditions such as technology, organization and environment; specifically, it could be divided into four types, including large-scale high economic level dominant type, enterprise self dominant high support auxiliary type, environment dominant scale auxiliary type, and large-scale, high economic level dominant high support auxiliary type; among them, government financial support could effectively replace the profitability of feed enterprises, promote the cultivation of high-level NQPF in feed enterprises in a similar way; the strong strength of feed enterprises could compensate for the low level of regional economic development. Therefore, feed enterprises should strengthen technological leadership and focus on innovative breakthroughs; they should promote the entrepreneurial spirit, leverage strengths and address weaknesses, promote the transformation of feed industry productivity towards a new quality to achieve high-quality development of the feed industry. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics

Review

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Current research status and future perspectives on the effects of microplastics on plants and the molecular biological mechanisms of plant hormones in resistance to microplastics ZHAO Hongyu, ZHOU Yujie, LI Jianzhong, ZHENG Han, BI Ji’an, YU Chulang, ZHOU Yuhang, HOU Fan, DAI Binfeng, ZHONG Liequan, YAN Chengqi, ZHANG Haipeng, YANG Yong, CHEN Jianping, WANG Chengyu 2025, 37(7):  1595-1604.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-1524.20240870 Abstract ( 55 )   HTML ( 15 )   PDF (1782KB) ( 72 )   In recent years, the continuous growth in the use of plastic products has led to an increasingly prominent problem of microplastic pollution. Due to their non-biodegradability, small particle size, wide distribution, and easy uptake by organisms, microplastics pose a serious threat to the natural environment. Among them, the pollution risk of microplastics to terrestrial ecosystems, especially agricultural ecosystems, is receiving increasing attention. Higher plants, as an indispensable part of the ecosystem, play a key role in maintaining ecological balance. This review summarizes the definition, sources, and entry pathways of microplastics into plants, comprehensively discusses on the specific impacts of microplastics on the growth and development of higher plants, and explores the physiological responses of plants to microplastic stress and their regulatory effects on plant hormones. For example, the entry of microplastics into plants may lead to the down-regulation of the expression of the key gene CDC2 that controls mitosis, disrupting the plant growth cycle; at the same time, it affects the expression of key genes such as GDT1, GDH2 and GAD involved in the plant tricarboxylic acid cycle, and reduces the rate of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis, thereby affecting photosynthesis. The down-regulation of these gene expressions ultimately damages the essential nutrient metabolism processes of plants. In addition, this article also analyzes the mechanism by which microplastics affect plant hormones and the responses of the plant antioxidant system. These studies contribute to a deeper understanding of the complex effects of microplastics on plant biology. On this basis, future research directions are prospected, and the potential ecological risks of microplastic pollution are evaluated. By integrating the current understanding of the impact of microplastics on plant biology, this study aims to provide a scientific basis for the prevention, control and management of microplastic pollution, and contribute to the sustainable development of ecosystems. In summary, this review not only summarizes the current research on the effects of microplastics on the growth and development of higher plants but also proposes new research ideas, providing an important reference for addressing the challenges of microplastic pollution. Figures and Tables | References | Related Articles | Metrics