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Streptococcus agalactiae is one of the important causative agents of bovine mastitis. Studies on molecular epidemiology, virulence factors and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of S. agalactiae isolates from mastitis in China are scarce. Thus, this study was carried out to investigate prevalence of S. agalactiae associated with subclinical mastitis, to determine antimicrobial susceptibility profile, and to analyze their phenotypic and genotypic profiles. Capsular serotypes and genotypes by multilocus serotyping and virulence genes (hemolysin III, C-β protein, C-α protein, surface protein rib, hyaluronate lyase, and C5a peptidase) were determined using molecular assays. Additionally, susceptibility of S. agalactiae isolates to antimicrobial agents was accessed through standard disc diffusion method. A total of 2225 milk samples were collected from 21 large dairy herds located in 10 provinces of China. Overall, 133 (14.1%) S. agalactiae isolates were recovered from 946 (42.5%) subclinical mastitis milk samples. Serotype Ia and ST103 were the most prevalent serotypes and genotypes. Five of the six virulence genes were detected in 22.6% isolates with only two virulence genes and 6.8% of isolates with three genes. There were no significant geographical differences in the distribution of virulence genes. Moreover, 63.9% of S. agalactiae exhibited resistance to levofloxacin, 3.8% isolates were resistant to cefepime, 2.3% were resistant to chloramphenicol and ampicillin. Additionally, two ampicillin/cefotaxime/ levofloxacin-resistant isolates, one vancomycin-resistant isolate and one ampicillin/cefotaxime-resistant isolate were identified. This study concludes high prevalence of S. agalactiae from subclinical mastitis carrying virulence genes and mainly belonging to Serotype Ia and ST103. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving N use efficiency (NUE) and reducing the negative impact of N fertilization on the environment are essential for sustaining agricultural production in many intensive farming regions around the world. The objective of this research was to investigate the effect of various fertilization regimes on yield, N uptake, and NUE by maize (Zea mays L.) in long-term (15-yr) experiments performed at four sites (Changping, Zhengzhou, Yangling, and Qiyang) in China. Eight treatments were examined: unfertilized control (CK); inorganic fertilizer (manufactured source) N, N and P, N and K, and N, P, and K; inorganic N, P, and K with manure (NPKM); 1.5′ the rate of NPKM (1.5NPKM); and N, P, and K with maize stover returned (NPKS). Compared with inorganic fertilization, mixed inorganic and manure fertilization (NPKM and 1.5NPKM) resulted in more stable and significantly higher yield and NUE as well as increases in soil nutrient storage at all sites, with the most significant improvement in the acid soil (pH = 5.7) at Qiyang. Phosphorous was identified as one of the most important limiting factors in maize NUE because the NUE at all four sites increased from about 20 to 45% by increasing the available P in the soil. Higher NUEs (up to 70%) were observed mostly from the continuous manure applications. We conclude that manure and P applications are the most important and effective nutrient management strategies for both the acid and alkaline soils in this study for maize production in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial biomass phosphorus (MBP) and its relationships with other biological and chemical properties were studied on loess soil with an 11-year long-term fertilization experiment. The results indicated that inorganic fertilizers (F) improved soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC), nitrogen (MBN), and MBP levels and F plus maize stalk (SNPK) improved MBC and MBN. Manuring markedly increased soil MBC, MBN, and MBP levels. Fertilization decreased the ratios of MBC/MBN, MBC/MBP, and MBN/MBP. Microbial biomass phosphorus was positively and linearly correlated with MBC, MBN, organic carbon (SOC), total phosphorus (TP), water-soluble P, and Olsen P but negatively correlated with soil pH. Microbial biomass phosphorus constituted 2% of TP on control (CK) and inorganic fertilizer treatments and 12% on manure plots. Microbial biomass phosphorus to Olsen P ratios were 50% on CK, F, and SNPK and 80% on manure treatments. Measurements of MBP in soil containing high Olsen P were subject to analytical problems of unknown reasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The critical value of soil Olsen-P is the point above which the probability of crop yield response to fertilizer P is small or nil. Determining this critical value is fundamental when making appropriate P fertilizer recommendations. In this study, the critical values were determined for continuous maize ( Zea mays L.)-winter wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) cropping systems from a 15-year field experiment across three sites in China using linear-linear, linear-plateau and Mitscherlich models. The mean critical values for maize using the three models ranged from 12.1 to 17.3 mg P kg−1 (average 15.3 mg P kg−1) and for winter wheat from 12.5 to 19.0 mg P kg−1 (average 16.3 mg P kg−1) among study sites. The mean critical value for maize was approximately 7% lower than that for winter wheat across all sites based on the three models. Critical values identified by the Mitscherlich model were 1.4 to 2.1 times those from linear-linear and 1.3 to 1.9 times of those from linear-plateau and were crop and site dependent. There was a significant negative correlation ( P < 0.05) between the mean critical value from the three models and the observed P uptake by either maize or wheat. Our study shows that the critical values can vary with sites, crops and models used, and thus caution should be taken when selecting the most appropriate one when making P fertilizer recommendations for agronomic return and to minimize chances of negative environment impact from overfertilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat, rice, and maize collectively provide the bulk of energy and protein to the human diet worldwide. Over the last seven decades, China increased 5.8-fold the aggregated production of the three cereals, but further gains are required to meet the predicted demand of 776 Mt. by 2030. Here, we report the rate of genetic gain in yield of 0.65% year-1 for wheat between 1937 and 2012, 0.69% year-1 for rice between 1934 and 2011, and 0.77% year-1 for maize between 1950 and 2014 in China. National farm yield in the same periods increased 1.38% year-1 for wheat, 1.15% year-1 for rice and 1.32% year-1 for maize. Hence, genetic improvement (G) accounted for 47%-60% of the increase in farm yield, with improved management (M) and G × M interaction accounting for the balance. The absolute rate of genetic gain (kg ha-1 year-1) was proportional to environmental potential. Genetic gain in nitrogen utilization efficiency (yield per unit nitrogen uptake) was significant for all three crops and was achieved at the expense in grain N concentration that decreased at 0.19% year-1 in rice and 0.47% year-1 in maize. To guarantee future food security and environmental sustainability, breeding and agronomic efforts need to increase the rate of gain in yield and revert the declining trends in grain protein by improving nitrogen uptake and nitrogen harvest index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]