Seed priming is a pre-sown treatment and it is often used to improve the performance of plants in any environment, especially germination. In the current study, various concentrations of nitric oxide (NO) were used to evaluate its role for the induction of physiological variations within seven different wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes. Two experiments were conducted during 2013 and 2014 and the data were statistically analysed for significance. All these genotypes after treatment with sodium nitroprusside (SNP) as NO donor at 10−4 and 10−5 M concentrations were sown following randomized complete block design with triplicates in the fields of District Muzaffarabad, Pakistan. The concentration of NO at 10−4 M showed promising results and most of the studied characters were found improved compared to control. Wheat varieties primed with 10−4 M SNP showed highest germination speed and germination percentage. NARC-2011 and Uqab-2002 showed much improvement in physiological attributes at both concentrations of NO priming. However, Uqab-2002 and Punjab-2011 showed a significant increase in chlorophyll contents and leaf moisture content with 10−4 and 10−5 M SNP priming compared to control. Highest relative water content was observed within unprimed Lasani, whereas the relative injury was found to be decreased at 10−4 M SNP primed Faisalabad-2008. Wheat varieties Punjab-2011 and Faisalabad-2008 showed the highest increase in grain yield and biological yield by 10−4 M SNP. Hence, it is concluded that sowing of crops after priming at 10−4 M NO concentration can improve the germination, biochemistry and physiology that ultimately lead to an increase in crop yield.

This research paper addresses the effect of different grouping strategies of fresh cows on total lactational and reproductive performance. Hundred-sixty multiparous Holstein cows were enrolled in a completely randomized design and assigned to one of following treatments: 21 days in fresh pen with 12.5 kg/day concentrate (C21, n = 60), 10 days in fresh pen with 12.5 kg/day concentrate (C10, n = 50) and 10 days in fresh pen with 10 kg/day concentrate (L10, n = 50). Although there were no differences among treatments within the first 10 days in milk (DIM), C10 and L10 cows tended to produce more milk than C21 from 10 to 21 DIM. In addition, greater milk yield was obtained in C10 and L10 cows during 22–28 DIM and 29–70 DIM. Higher production in early lactation resulted in a tendency for greater milk production for C10 and L10 cows throughout a 305 days lactation. There was no difference in productivity between C10 and L10 groups at any time point. No blood metabolites (Ca, P, non-esterified fatty acids and β-hydroxy butyrate) were affected by treatments. Pregnancy at first, second and third service was 38, 39 and 40%, respectively, which were not influenced by the days in fresh pen or concentrate allowance. Collectively, our results for the first time suggest that fresh cow grouping strategy has a long-term effect on productivity but that adding 2.5 kg/day concentrate has no effect on milk yield in fresh pen.

Soybean is one of the key oil crops in global food security. The objective of the current study was to determine the magnitude of soybean yield and yield gaps (Yg) in the main producing regions in Iran, the main causes and possible solutions to reduce these gaps and improve yields. This study uses an integrated approach of crop simulation and on-farm information. The SSM-iCrop2 model was used to calculate the potential yield (Yp). Furthermore, management information of soybean farms (the number of monitored farms was 224) was collected and analysed with two methods, including stepwise regression (a production model was created and based on it, the yield-limiting factors were determined) and boundary line analysis (show the optimum level of crop management and simultaneously the percentage of farms that were out of the optimal range of a specific management procedure). The results showed a Yp of 4681 kg/ha while actual yield (Ya) was around 2257 kg/ha. The main factors causing Yg of soybean in Iran were irrigation, nitrogen fertilizer, phosphorus fertilizer and sowing date. Altering soybean sowing date to late June or early July, irrigating at least five times during the growing season, applying at least 50 kg/ha nitrogen and 45 kg/ha phosphorus base application are foremost management practices that could shrink the soybean yield gap in Iran. The results presented in this study can bring relevant transferable information to other soybean production areas sharing the same latitudes and climate, and the approach can be used for other crops worldwide.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are usually employed as alfalfa silage inoculants to obtain high-quality feed for animal husbandry. However, the effects of these inoculants are still unclear and need to be studied extensively. Therefore, the objective of this meta-analysis was to quantitatively summarize published research studies that assess the effects of homofermentative (HoLAB) and heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria (HeLAB) on fermentation parameters, nutritive value, microbiological composition and aerobic stability of alfalfa silage. PubMed, ScienceDirect and Scopus have been screened for articles published from 1980 to 2018. The criteria for inclusion were: randomized and controlled trials using alfalfa silage and published in peer-reviewed journals. It was found that inoculation with LAB decreased silage pH, neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre and ammoniacal nitrogen, while it increased dry matter and crude protein compared to control in the pooled raw mean difference random-effect model. Additionally, LAB inoculation decreased acetate, propionate, ethanol and butyrate concentrations, whereas it increased lactate. In addition, inoculants reduced the counts of yeasts and moulds. Lastly, LAB inoculation improved aerobic stability. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first meta-analysis that aims at comparing the application of HoLAB and HeLAB for alfalfa silage. In the pool estimate, positive effects attributable to the application of microbial silage inoculants were found in most of the evaluated parameters; supporting the importance of applying both types of inoculants to improve forage preservation for the livestock industry.

The effects of different barley grain preservation techniques on intake, growth and carcase traits of dairy bulls were determined in a feeding trial using 52 Holstein and 48 Nordic Red bulls which were allotted to four feeding treatments (five pens and 25 bulls per treatment). Spring barley was harvested with a conventional combine harvester and four different preservation techniques formed the four experimental treatments. Dry grain (DG) was dried to the targeted dry matter (DM) concentration of 870–880 g/kg and rolled within 7 days prior to feeding. High moisture grain treated with a formic acid-based additive (FA) was harvested and crimped on the targeted DM content of 700 g/kg. Low moisture grain treated with a urea-based additive (UR) and low moisture grain treated with a propionic acid-based additive (PA) were harvested and crimped on the targeted DM content of 800 g/kg. The bulls were fed with total mixed ration ad libitum. On DM basis, the diets included grass silage (500 g/kg), barley grain (485 g/kg) and a mineral–vitamin mixture (15 g/kg). Daily DM intake (DMI) and live weight gain were 6% higher when crimped grains were used instead of DG (P < 0.05). There were no observed significant differences in DMI, gain or carcase traits between high moisture and low moisture crimped grain treatments or between UR and PA. The current results show that producers have the option to vary grain preservation system without major changes to growth performance or carcase traits.

This study aimed to (1) evaluate the effects of flint maize processing methods on the estimation of the readily soluble fraction (a), the potentially degradable fraction (b) and the rate of degradation of b (c) for dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM) and starch in the rumen; and (2) verify whether two different applications of in situ technique can be used to estimate in vivo DM, OM and starch digestibilities. Five ruminally cannulated Nellore bulls (265 ± 18.2 kg; 8 ± 1.0 mo) were distributed in a 5 × 5 Latin square. Three experimental diets were composed of 0.30 whole-plant maize silage, 0.10 supplement and 0.60 of one of the following processing methods: dry ground maize grain (DMG); high-moisture maize (HMM); reconstituted maize grain silage (RMG). Two additional diets were composed of 0.10 supplement, 0.80 snaplage and 0.10 stalklage (SNAP-80); or 0.10 supplement and 0.90 snaplage (SNAP-90). Digestibilities were estimated using in vivo procedure or predicted from in situ technique using a single 24 h incubation point or an equation proposed in previous literature. Diets based on ensiled grains presented greater (P < 0.05) fraction a and c and lower (P < 0.05) fraction b of DM, OM and starch compared to DMG. Both alternative use of in situ technique accurately estimated (P > 0.05) in vivo DM, OM and starch digestibilities. The results suggest that ensilage process may increase the availability of nutrients. The two different applications of in situ technique showed precision and accuracy to estimate in vivo digestibility.

Changes in soil bulk density (BD), soil organic carbon (SOC) content, SOC stocks and soil labile organic C fractions (mineralizable C (Cmin), microbial biomass C (MBC), dissolved organic C (DOC), particulate organic C (POC), light fraction organic C (LFOC) and permanganate oxidizable C (KMnO4-C)) were explored over 3 years in a double-cropping rice system of southern China. Five organic and inorganic nitrogen (N) inputs were used: (1) 100% from chemical fertilizer (M0), (2) 30% from organic manure, 70% from chemical fertilizer (M30), (3) 50% from organic manure, 50% from chemical fertilizer (M50), (4) 100% from organic manure (M100) and (5) without N fertilizer input, as control (CK). All organic manure treatments decreased BD significantly in the 0–20 cm soil layer compared with CK. The SOC content and stocks with organic manure were significantly higher than in M0 or CK; also, the cumulative amount of SOC stocks in M30 and M50 increased at the plough layer, compared with CK. The non-labile C content increased significantly and the percentage of labile C were significantly higher with organic manure application than in M0 or CK. The soil carbon management index (CMI) also increased significantly under the application of organic manure. Therefore, application of organic manure can increase the pool of stable C in surface layers, and increase content and percentage of labile C. Based on soil carbon storage and CMI, the combined application of 30 or 50% N of organic manure with chemical fertilizer improves carbon cycling services and soil quality in southern China paddy soil.

This study investigated whether the interaction of protein level and grain type can affect milk production, nutrient digestibility and rumen fermentation in primiparous Holstein cows. Four dietary treatments were used: high-protein with barley as the only grain source, HP-B; (2) high-protein with an equal mix of barley and maize, HP-BM; (3) low-protein with barley as the only grain source, LP-B and (4) low-protein with equal proportions of barley and maize, LP-BM. High-protein diets showed no improvement in milk or protein yield compared with low-protein, but barley and maize mix diets increased energy-corrected milk yield and fat yield compared with barley-only diets. The highest total apparent digestibility of dry matter, organic matter and neutral detergent fibre was observed for LP-BM whereas HP-BM showed the greatest crude protein digestibility. Treatment had no effect on total volatile fatty acid concentrations, molar proportion of acetate and propionate and acetate to propionate ratio. The lowest ruminal pH was observed for LP-B. High-protein diets resulted in greater concentrations of ammonia nitrogen (N), urinary N, blood and milk urea nitrogen compared with low-protein diets, whereas low-protein diets showed better nitrogen utilization efficiency. This study showed that primiparous lactating cows do not benefit from high-protein diets with different fermentation rates of grain sources, but barley and maize diets may improve milk production performance, ruminal fermentation and pH under the present dietary conditions. The current results on milk production performance should be interpreted with caution due to the small number of cows used (eight in each treatment).

In this study, sows were fed 200 (LD), 800 (ND) and 3200 (HD) IU of vitamin D3/kg basal diet during pregnancy (from 41 d to birth), respectively. All their offspring pigs were fed the same vitamin D3 replete die. At 150 days of age, a total of 18 offspring pigs (six offspring pigs per maternal diet group, sex balance) were weighed and slaughtered to investigate effects of maternal vitamin D3 during pregnancy on fatty acids synthase (FASN) and hormone-sensitive lipase (LIPE) expression in offspring pigs. The results showed that LD offspring pigs had higher FASN mRNA expression and the ratio of FASN/LIPE mRNA expression in subcutaneous adipose tissue, as well as higher LIPE mRNA expression of longissimus dorsal muscle, whereas, had lower the ratio of FASN/LIPE mRNA expression in longissimus dorsal muscle compared with ND or HD offspring pigs, respectively. Meanwhile, LD offspring pigs had higher carcass fat, average backfat thickness (ABFT), serum insulin and leptin levels, lower intramuscular fat (IMF), serum free fatty acid and triglycerol levels compared with ND or HD offspring pigs. In addition, the ratio of FASN/LIPE mRNA expression was negatively correlated with IMF content, and positively correlated to carcass fat content and ABFT in offspring pigs. Meanwhile, FASN mRNA expression was positively correlated with carcass fat content, while negatively correlated with ABFT in offspring pigs. These results suggested that maternal vitamin D3 affected fat accumulation and meat quality by regulating FASN and LIPE mRNA expression in offspring pigs.