Effect of Substituents on the Homopolymerization Activity of Methyl Alkyl Diallyl Ammonium Chloride.

Among nitrogen-containing cationic electrolytes, diallyl quaternary ammonium salt is a typical monomer with the highest positive charge density, which has attracted the most attention, especially in the research on homopolymers and copolymers of dimethyl diallyl ammonium chloride (DMDAAC), which occupy a very unique and important position. In order to improve the lipophilicity of substituted diallyl ammonium chloride monomers under the premise of high cationic charge density, the simplest, most direct, and most efficient structure design strategy was selected in this paper. Only one of the substituents on DMDAAC quaternary ammonium nitrogen was modified by alkyl; the substituents were propyl and amyl groups, and their corresponding monomers were methyl propyl diallyl ammonium chloride (MPDAAC) and methyl amyl diallyl ammonium chloride (MADAAC), respectively. The effect of substituent structure on the homopolymerization activity of methyl alkyl diallyl ammonium chloride was illustrated by quantum chemical calculation and homopolymerization rate determination experiments via ammonium persulfate (APS) as the initiator system. The results of quantum chemistry simulation showed that, with the finite increase in substituted alkyl chain length, the numerical values of the bond length and the charge distribution of methyl alkyl diallyl ammonium chloride monomer changed little, with the activation energy of the reactions in the following order: DMDAAC < MPDAAC < MADAAC. The polymerization activities measured by the dilatometer method were in the order DMDAAC > MPDAAC > MADAAC. The activation energies Ea of homopolymerization were 96.70 kJ/mol, 97.25 kJ/mol, and 100.23 kJ/mol, and the rate equation of homopolymerization of each monomer was obtained. After analyzing and comparing these results, it could be easily found that the electronic effect of substituent was not obvious, whereas the effect of the steric hindrance was dominant. The above studies have laid a good foundation for an understanding of the polymerization activity of methyl alkyl diallyl ammonium chloride monomers and the possibility of preparation and application of these polymers with high molecular weight.

Biomass Accumulation, Photosynthetic Traits and Root Development of Cotton as Affected by Irrigation and Nitrogen-Fertilization.

Limitations of soil water and nitrogen (N) are factors which cause a substantial reduction in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) yield, especially in an arid environment. Suitable management decisions like irrigation method and nitrogen fertilization are the key yield improvement technologies in cotton production systems. Therefore, we hypothesized that optimal water-N supply can increase cotton plant biomass accumulation by maintaining leaf photosynthetic capacity and improving root growth. An outdoor polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tube study was conducted to investigate the effects of two water-N application depths, i.e., 20 cm (H20) or 40 cm (H40) from soil surface and four water-N combinations [deficit irrigation (W55) and no N (N0) (W55N0), W55 and moderate N (N1) (W55N1), moderate irrigation (W75) and N0 (W75N0), W75N1] on the roots growth, leaf photosynthetic traits and dry mass accumulation of cotton crops. H20W55N1 combination increased total dry mass production by 29-82% and reproductive organs biomass by 47-101% compared with other counterparts. Root protective enzyme and nitrate reductase (NR) activity, potential quantum yield of photosystem (PS) II (Fv/Fm), PSII quantum yield in the light [Y(II)] and electron transport rate of PSII were significantly higher in H20W55N1 prior to 82 days after emergence. Root NR activity and protective enzyme were significantly correlated with chlorophyll, Fv/Fm, Y(II) and stomatal conductance. Hence, shallow irrigation (20 cm) with moderate irrigation and N-fertilization application could increase cotton root NR activity and protective enzyme leading to enhance light capture and photochemical energy conversion of PSII before the full flowering stage. This enhanced photoassimilate to reproductive organs.

[Effects of water and nitrogen management modes on the leaf photosynthetic characters and yield formation of cotton with under-mulch drip irrigation].

Taking different genotype cotton varieties as test materials, a soil column culture experiment was conducted to study the effects of water and nitrogen management modes on the photosynthetic characters and yield formation of cotton with under-mulch drip irrigation in Xinjiang, Northwest China. Under the management mode W4N2, i.e., pre-sowing irrigation + limited drip irrigation before full-flowering + abundant drip irrigation after full-flowering in combining with basal 20% N + topdressing 80% N, the chlorophyll content, net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (gs) , actual photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (Psi PSII), and photochemical quenching coefficient (qp) at full-flowering stage all decreased significantly, the non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) increased, and the aboveground dry matter accumulation was inhibited, as compared with those under common drip irrigation. From full-flowering stage to boll-opening stage, the chlorophyll content, gs, Pn, Psi PSII, and qp increased with increasing water and nitrogen supply, and the aboveground dry matter accumulation was enhanced by compensation, which benefited the translocation and distribution of photosynthates to seed cotton. Under the fertilization mode of basal 20% N + topdressing 80% N, the seed cotton yield of Xinluzaol3 was the highest in treatment pre-sowing irrigation + common drip irrigation (W3), but that of Xinluzao43 was the highest in treatment pre-sowing irrigation + limited drip irrigation before full-flowering + abundant drip irrigation after full-flowering (W4). It was concluded that under the condition of pre-sowing irrigation, to appropriately decrease the water and nitrogen supply before full-flowering stage and increase the water and nitrogen supply at middle and late growth stages could extend the active photosynthesis duration and promote the photosynthates allocation to reproductive organ, which would fully exploit the yield-increasing potential of cotton with under-mulch drip irrigation.