Enhanced the energy conversion of corn stalk via co-production of photo-fermentation biohydrogen and bioethanol.

Hydrogen-ethanol co-production can significantly improve the energy conversion efficiency of corn stalk (CS). In this study, with CS as the raw material, the co-production characteristics of one-step and two-step photo-fermentation hydrogen production (PFHP) and ethanol production were investigated. In addition, the gas and liquid characteristics of the experiment were analyzed. The kinetics of hydrogen-ethanol co-production was calculated, and the economics of hydrogen and ethanol were analyzed. Results of the experiments indicated that the two-step hydrogen-ethanol co-production had the best hydrogen production performance when the concentration of CS was 25 g/L. The total hydrogen production was 350.08 mL, and the hydrogen yield was 70.02 mL/g, which was 2.45 times higher than that of the one-step method. The efficiency of hydrogen-ethanol co-production was 17.79 %, which was 2.76 times more efficient than hydrogen compared to fermentation with hydrogen. The result provides technical reference for the high-quality utilization of CS.

Bacillus species are core microbiota of resistant maize cultivars that induce host metabolic defense against corn stalk rot.

BACKGROUND: Microbes colonizing each compartment of terrestrial plants are indispensable for maintaining crop health. Although corn stalk rot (CSR) is a severe disease affecting maize (Zea mays) worldwide, the mechanisms underlying host-microbe interactions across vertical compartments in maize plants, which exhibit heterogeneous CSR-resistance, remain largely uncharacterized. RESULTS: Here, we investigated the microbial communities associated with CSR-resistant and CSR-susceptible maize cultivars using multi-omics analysis coupled with experimental verification. Maize cultivars resistant to CSR reshaped the microbiota and recruited Bacillus species with three phenotypes against Fusarium graminearum including niche pre-emption, potential secretion of antimicrobial compounds, and no inhibition to alleviate pathogen stress. By inducing the expression of Tyrosine decarboxylase 1 (TYDC1), encoding an enzyme that catalyzes the production of tyramine and dopamine, Bacillus isolates that do not directly suppress pathogen infection induced the synthesis of berberine, an isoquinoline alkaloid that inhibits pathogen growth. These beneficial bacteria were recruited from the rhizosphere and transferred to the stems but not grains of the CSR-resistant plants. CONCLUSIONS: The current study offers insight into how maize plants respond to and interact with their microbiome and lays the foundation for preventing and treating soil-borne pathogens. Video Abstract.

Enhancing corn stalk-based anaerobic digestion with different types of zero-valent iron added during the acidification stage: Performance and mechanism.

Anaerobic digestion has been defined as a competitive approach to facilitate the recycling of corn stalks. However, few studies have focused on the role of direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) pathway in the acidification stage under the addition of different particle sizes of zero-valent iron (ZVI). In this study, three types of ZVI, namely iron filings, iron powder and nanoscale iron, were investigated, respectively, to enhance its high-value conversion. Variations in volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and methane (CH4) production associated with the underlying mechanisms were emphatically determined. Results indicated that the addition of ZVI could increase the concentration of VFAs, with the most outstanding performance observed with the use of nanoscale iron. Importantly, the conversion of propionic acid to acetic acid was driven by adding ZVI with no between-group differences in acidizing phase. Conversely, the substrate was more fully utilized when supplied with iron powder compared with other groups in methanogenic phase, thereby displaying the maximum CH4 yield with a value of 263.1 mL/(g total solids (TS)). However, adding nanoscale iron could signally shorten the digestion time (T80), saving 7 days in comparison to the group of iron powder.

Effects of fruit and vegetable waste addition on corn stalk silage quality.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we explored the effect of fruit and vegetable waste addition on the quality of corn stalk silage. METHODS: Corn stalks were ensiled 20 days after ear harvesting and mixed with fruit and vegetable waste (FVW) consisting of apple, orange, broccoli, and Chinese cabbage waste as 3% of fresh matter. Fruit waste consisted of solid residue obtained after juicing, and vegetable waste was collected from farms and cut into small pieces (2 to 3 cm). The materials were stored anaerobically in 20-L silo buckets and opened after 60 days of fermentation. RESULTS: There were significant differences in dry matter (DM), acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), total digestible nutrient (TDN), and relative feed value (RFV) levels in FVW derived from all tested raw materials (p<0.05). Corn stalk mixed with orange waste (CSOW) had the highest DM content (28.77%), lowest ADF and NDF content (47.78% and 26.62% of DM, respectively), and highest TDN and RFV content (69.21 and 133, respectively). After 60 days, there were significant differences in all chemical parameters examined (p<0.05). Corn stalk mixed with broccoli waste (CSBW) had the lowest DM loss (2.23%), and the CSOW group had the lowest NDF and ADF content and highest in vitro DM digestibility. CSBW had the lowest pH and ammonia nitrogen content, but the highest lactic acid/acetic acid ratio among the treatment groups. CSOW had the highest lactic acid content (2.27% of DM). The microbial contents of each group differed only in lactic acid bacteria counts before and after ensiling, showing a slight increase (p>0.05) and significant decreases in yeast and mold counts (p<0.05) after ensiling. CONCLUSION: These findings confirmed that mixing various FVW materials, particularly orange waste, with corn stalks improved the nutritional value of silage. Adding broccoli waste resulted in better fermentation quality than the addition of other FVW materials.

Advancing two-stage hydrogen production from corn stover via dark fermentation: Contributions of thermally modified maifanite to microbial proliferation and pH self-regulation.

This study introduces a two-stage hydrogen production enhancement mechanism using natural particle additives, with a focus on the effects of thermally modified maifanite (TMM) and pH self-regulation on dark fermentation (DF). Initial single-factor experiments identified preliminary parameters for the addition of TMM, which were further optimized using a Box-Behnken design. The established optimal conditions which include mass of 5.5 g, particle size of 120 mesh, and temperature of 324 °C, resulted in a 28.7 % increase in cumulative hydrogen yield (CHY). During the primary hydrogen production stage, TMM significantly boosted the growth and activity of Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1, enhancing hydrogen output. Additionally, a pH self-regulating phenomenon was observed, capable of initiating secondary hydrogen production and further augmenting CHY. These findings presented a novel and efficient approach for optimizing biohydrogen production, offering significant implications for future research and application in sustainable energy technologies.

Energetic utilization of corn stalk and elimination of methyl orange in ECMO-like integrated reactor: Co-occurrence of anaerobic digestion and aerobic treatment.

For the simultaneous energetic utilization of corn stalk and azo-dye contaminated wastewater, an ECMO-like integrated reactor was come up to achieve the biogas production and azo-dye degradation during anaerobic digestion (AD). Methyl orange (MO) was selected as the model compound for azo-dye. The ECMO-like reactor included AD main reactor with a spray device and solid-liquid separation components, integrated with an aeration reactor for biogas slurry. Methane yields of corn stalks (100.82 mL/g VS) were highest in the ECMO-like reactor, compared with reactors without aeration. As a stable metabolite, 4-aminobenzenesulfonic acid (4-ABA) was detected in AD, while it was assumed that the metabolites can be further transformed in the ECMO-like reactor (R3), due to the 4-ABA removal efficiency as 92.87 % after 35 days' digestion. Class Alphaproteobacteria and Clostridia were assumed as functional microbes responding to aeration. Overall, this ECMO-like integrated reactor provided a novel biotechnology strategy for agricultural and azo dye waste treatment.

Effect of lignocellulosic corn stalk on mechanical, physical, and thermal properties of injection moulded low density polyethylene composites: An approach towards a circular economy.

Escalating concern over global warming, which is mostly associated with deforestation, has led to the development of new classes of materials that can replace wood and better utilise natural resources. Presently, waste is a significant factor in recycling. In this regard, one of the leading contributors to waste is agricultural waste, which includes dried branches, leaves of trees, plants, and other organic materials. In the current study, waste from corn agriculture was utilised as a potential reinforcement for the fabrication of corn stalk-low density polyethylene (CS-LDPE) composites via an injection moulding technique at 170 °C. The different parameters were assessed to develop composites using CS, including physico-chemical, macromolecular, mineralogical, elemental, and morphological analysis. The amount of corn stalk (CS) was varied from 10 to 50 wt% with respect to the polymer. The mechanical, physical and thermal performance of the composites was examined. The density and water absorption of the composites were found to remain within the ranges of 1.00-1.11 g/cm3 and 0.22-1.01 %, respectively, whereas these parameters increased as the proportion of CS increased. The thermal conductivity decreases with the addition of CS from 0.36964 ± 0.020 to 0.22388 ± 0.002 W/mK. It was observed that adding CS to the composites increased their tensile and flexural properties, but decreased their impact strength. The maximum flexural strength of 14.40 ± 1.558 MPa, flexural modulus of 752.53 ± 180.409 MPa, tensile strength of 10.49 ± 0.946 MPa and tensile modulus of 539.79 ± 91.044 MPa were observed with a 50 % CS content. The results suggest that these materials have considerable potential to serve as a cost-effective substitute for the conventional lignocellulosic fillers in the manufacturing of wood-plastic composites.

Mold Fungal Resistance of Loose-Fill Thermal Insulation Materials Based on Processed Wheat Straw, Corn Stalk and Reed.

The present study evaluates the mold fungal resistance of newly developed loose-fill thermal insulation materials made of wheat straw, corn stalk and water reed. Three distinct techniques for the processing of raw materials were used: mechanical crushing (Raw, ≤20 mm), thermo-mechanical pulping (TMP) with 4% NaOH and steam explosion pulping (SEP). An admixture of boric acid (8%) and tetraborate (7%) was applied to all processed substrates due to their anti-fungal properties. The fourth sample group was prepared from SEP substrates without added fungicide (SEP*) as control. Samples from all treatments were separately inoculated by five different fungal species and incubated in darkness for 28 days at 28 °C and RH > 90%. The highest resistance to the colonization of mold fungi was achieved by TMP and SEP processing, coupled with the addition of boric acid and tetraborate, where molds infested only around 35% to 40% of the inoculated sample area. The lowest mold fungi resistance was detected for the Raw and SEP* samples, each ~75%; they were affected by rich amount of accessible nutrients, suggesting that boric acid and tetraborate additives alone did not prevent mold fungal growth as effectively as in combination with TMP and SEP treatments. Together, the achieved fungal colonization scores after combined fungicide and pulping treatments are very promising for the application of tested renewable materials in the future development of thermal insulation products.

Turning Waste into Treasure: The Full Technological Process and Product Performance Characterization of Flushable Wet Wipes Prepared from Corn Stalk.

As a daily consumable, wet wipes are mostly synthetic fibers, which are incinerated or landfilled after use. The nanoplastics generated during this process will lead to environmental pollution. The application of flushable wet wipes, which are dispersible and fully degradable, is of great significance. The main raw material for flushable wipes is wood pulp, which has a long growth cycle and high cost. Corn is widely planted and has a short growth cycle. Currently most corn stalk is treated by incineration, which produces a lot of smoke that pollutes the environment. Therefore, using corn stalk as the raw material for flushable wet wipes, replacing wood pulp, is both cost-effective and environmentally friendly. In this study, aiming at industrial production, we explored the full process of producing flushable wet wipes from corn stalk to pulp board, then to the final wipes. The corn stalk was treated using alkali and a bleaching agent to obtain corn stalk pulp, which was then made into pulp board through the nonwoven wet-laid process. The optimal parameters for the alkali treatment and bleaching were obtained. The properties of the corn stalk pulp board were compared with the commercial wood pulp board. Further, we mixed the corn stalk pulp with Lyocell fiber to prepare wet-laid webs, which were then bonded using a chemical binder poloxamer. Then, the evenness of the web, mechanical properties, absorption, and dispersibility of the flushable wipes were characterized. Results showed that the pulp obtained using the optimal treatment process has a high yield and better whiteness. The properties of the corn stalk pulp board are comparable with the commercial wood pulp board, which can therefore potentially be replaced by the corn stalk board prepared in our study. The prepared flushable wet wipes had good evenness and their water absorption rate was more than 600%. The mechanical strength in dry and wet states achieved 595.94 N/m and 179.00 N/m, respectively. Most importantly, the wet wipes can completely disperse under the standardized testing method. A good balance of dispersibility and wet strength of the wet wipes was achieved.

Effect of Torrefaction on the Physiochemical Characteristics and Pyrolysis of the Corn Stalk.

Torrefaction of biomass is one of the most promising pretreatment methods for deriving biofuels from biomass via thermochemical conversion processes. In this work, the changes in physicochemical properties and morphology features of the torrefied corn stalk, the changes in physicochemical properties and morphology features of the torrefied corn stalk were investigated. The results of this study showed that the elemental content and proximate analysis of the torrefied corn stalk significantly changed compared with those of the raw corn stalk. In particular, at 300 °C, the volatile content decreased to 41.79%, while the fixed carbon content and higher heating value increased to 42.22% and 21.31 MJ/kg, respectively. The H/C and O/C molar ratios of torrefied corn stalk at the 300 °C were drastically reduced to 0.99 and 0.27, respectively, which are similar to those of conventional coals in China. Numerous cracks and pores were observed in the sample surface of torrefied corn stalk at the torrefaction temperature range of 275 °C-300 °C, which could facilitate the potential application of the sample in the adsorption process and promote the release of gas products in pyrolysis. In the pyrolysis phase, the liquid products of the torrefied corn stalk decreased, but the H2/CO ratio and the lower heating value of the torrefied corn stalk increased compared with those of the raw corn stalk. This work paves a new strategy for the investigation of the effect of torrefaction on the physiochemical characteristics and pyrolysis of the corn stalk, highlighting the application potential in the conversion of biomass.

Novel supramolecular deep eutectic solvent pretreatment for obtaining fluorescent lignin and promoting biomass pyrolytic saccharification.

In this study, ß-CD was used as a receptor to prepare three novel SDES, which were used to pretreat corn stalks for obtaining fluorescent lignin and promoting biomass pyrolytic saccharification. It was found that GA-residue had a high cellulose retention ratio (94.63%) and the highest lignin removal ratio (61.78%). Besides, the yield of carbohydrates in bio-oil was increased from 0.63% to 49.37%, and fluorescent lignin was prepared for explosion detection, fluorescent film, and information encryption. It was confirmed that the weak interaction between ß-CD and HBDs or dimer was mainly performed by hydrogen bond and van der Waals force. The minimum frontier orbital energy difference ΔEU (0.1976 a.u.) and high binding energy (-5456.71 kJ/mol) between molecules were calculated by DFT. Moreover, the mechanism of biomass pretreatment was explored. The green and efficient SDES developed in this study were of great significance for biomass pretreatment and efficient utilization of components.

One-step conversion of corn stalk to glucose and furfural in molten salt hydrate/organic solvent biphasic system.

An effective approach for glucose and furfural production by converting cellulose and hemicelluloses from corn stalk in a biphasic system of molten salt hydrate (MSH) and organic solvent using H2SO4 as catalyst was reported. Results showed that the system with LiBr·3H2O and dichloromethane (DCM) had excellent performance in cellulose and hemicelluloses conversion. Under the optimal reaction conditions (corn stalk:LiBr·3H2O:DCM ratio = 0.35:10:20 g/mL/mL, 0.05 mol/L H2SO4, 120 °C, 90 min), 58.9% glucose and 72.5% furfural were yielded. Meanwhile, lignin was obviously depolymerized by the cleavage of ß-O-4' linkages and fractionated with high purity and low molecular weight for potential coproducts. Fluorescence microscopy and confocal Raman microscope displayed that the LiBr·3H2O/DCM treatment caused decreasing intensities in carbohydrate and lignin, suggesting the degradation of the main components of biomass. This research provided a promising biorefinery technology for the comprehensive utilization of corn stalk.

Co-pyrolysis of biomass and polyethylene: Insights into characteristics, kinetic and evolution paths of the reaction process.

Investigation on the distribution and mechanism of co-pyrolysis products is vital to the directional control and high-value utilization of agriculture solid wastes. Co-pyrolysis, devolatilization, kinetics characteristics, and evolution paths of corn stalk (CS) and low-density-polyethylene (LDPE) were investigated via thermogravimetric experiments. The co-pyrolysis behaviors could be separated into two stages: firstly, the degradation of CS (150- 400 °C); secondly, the degradation of CS (400- 550 °C). The devolatilization index (DI) increased with the addition of LDPE. Furthermore, a combination of devolatilization chemical analysis with product analysis to analyze the intrinsic mechanism during co-pyrolysis. The results indicated that the yield of alkanes and olefin in gas products increased with the addition of LDPE. Additionally, LDPE pyrolysis maybe abstract hydrogen from CS pyrolysis and evolved into hydrogen, methane, and ethylene. Further, the co-pyrolysis kinetic parameters were computed by using model-free isoconversion methods, which showed promotion of CS pyrolysis and the reduced activation energy. All the activation energy were declined, which indicated a "bidirectional positive effect" during co-pyrolysis. The mean activation energy of P-cellulose (P-CE), P-hemicellulose (P-HM), P-lignin (P-LG), and LDPE decreased by 23.49 %, 12.89 %, 15.36 %, and 27.82 %, respectively. This study further proves the hydrogen donor transfer pathway in the co-pyrolysis process of CS and LDPE, providing theoretical support for the resource utilization of agricultural solid waste.

Optimization of Thermal Conductivity vs. Bulk Density of Steam-Exploded Loose-Fill Annual Lignocellulosics.

Lignocellulosic biomass (LCB)-based thermal insulation materials available in the market are more expensive than conventional ones and consist mainly of wood or agricultural bast fibers which are primarily used in construction and textile industries. Therefore, it is crucial to develop LCB-based thermal insulation materials from cheap and available raw materials. The study investigates new thermal insulation materials from locally available residues of annual plants like wheat straw, reeds and corn stalks. The treatment of raw materials was performed by mechanical crushing and defibration by steam explosion process. Optimization of thermal conductivity of the obtained loose-fill thermal insulation materials was investigated at different bulk density levels (30-45-60-75-90 kg m-3). The obtained thermal conductivity varies in range of 0.0401-0.0538 W m-1 K-1 depending on raw material, treatment mode and a target density. The changes of thermal conductivity depending on density were described by the second order polynomial models. In most cases, the optimal thermal conductivity was revealed for the materials with the density of 60 kg m-3. The obtained results suggest the adjustment of density to achieve an optimal thermal conductivity of LCB-based thermal insulation materials. The study also approves the suitability of used annual plants for further investigation towards sustainable LCB-based thermal insulation materials.

Effect of Different Phosphates on Pyrolysis Temperature-Dependent Carbon Sequestration and Phosphorus Release Performance in Biochar.

Carbon sequestration is the primary function of biochar. Hence, it is necessary to design biochar with high carbon (C) retention and low C loss. In this study, three P compounds, including KH2PO4, Ca(H2PO4)2, and NH4H2PO4, were premixed with corn stalk (1:4, w/w), aiming to produce biochars (CSB+K, CSB+Ca, and CSB+N) with high C sequestration and slow release of P at three temperatures (300, 500, and 700 °C). The addition of all P sources obviously increased C retention, with the order of NH4H2PO4 (65.6-83.5%) > Ca(H2PO4)2 (60.4-78.2%) > KH2PO4 (50.1-76.1%), compared with the pristine biochar (47.8-73.6%). The addition of Ca(H2PO4)2 and KH2PO4 led to an increase in aromaticity and graphitization, as evidenced by H/C, FTIR, Raman and XPS analysis, whereas an opposite result occurred on CSB+N. Furthermore, all three phosphates reduced C loss of biochars with H2O2 oxidation, and CSB+Ca showed the best effect. Ca(H2PO4)2 and KH2PO4 pretreated biochars had higher resistance to K2Cr2O7 oxidation and thermal treatment. In contrast, the C loss of NH4H2PO4-added biochar at 500 and 700 °C with K2Cr2O7 oxidation was increased by 54% and 36%, respectively. During the pyrolysis process, Ca(H2PO4)2 was transformed into insoluble Ca2P2O7, leading to the lowest P release rate of CSB+Ca. This study indicates that co-pyrolysis of corn stalk and Ca(H2PO4)2 is optimal for increasing C retention, enhancing C stability and improving slow-release performance of P regardless of pyrolysis temperature.

Corn stalk modified chitin composite sponge for effective hemostasis and promoting wound healing.

The hemorrhage in daily life was a great challenge for the life health. Before hospitalization and infection, stopping traumatic bleeding timely is an important measure to decrease the death threat. The high crystallinity and low porous structure of chitin (CH) make texture of sole CH sponge not soft enough, which limit its hemostatic properties. In this work, loose corn stalk (CS) was used to modify the structures and properties of sole CH sponge. The novel hemostatic composite sponge of CH/CS4 was prepared by cross-linking and freeze-drying process of chitin and corn stalk suspension. The composite sponge obtained best physical and hemostatic properties at the 1:1 volume ratio of chitin and corn stalk. Thanks to the porous structures, CH/CS4 possessed high water/blood absorption ability (34 ± 2 g/g and 32.7 ± 2 g/g), rapid hemostatic time (31 s) and low blood loss (0.31 g), allowing it to be delivered into the wound bleeding sites to reduce the wound bleeding by robust physical barrier and pressure effect. Furthermore, CH/CS4 displayed excellent hemostatic performance than sole CH and commercial polyvinyl fluoride sponge (PVF). Moreover, CH/CS4 displayed superior wound healing ability and cytocompatibility. Therefore, the CH/CS4 has high potential application in medical hemostatic field.

Adsorbent biochar derived from corn stalk core for highly efficient removal of bisphenol A.

Environmental-friendly biochar (BC) with low cost was obtained by simple pyrolysis of corn stalk core, which was employed as an adsorbent for efficiently removing organic pollutants in water. The physicochemical properties of BCs were characterized by various techniques, including X-ray diffractometer (XRD), Fourier transforms infrared (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS), Raman, Thermogravimetric (TGA), N2 adsorption-desorption and zeta potential tests. The influence of pyrolysis temperature on the structure and adsorption efficiency of the adsorbent was emphasized. The graphitization degree and sp2 carbon content of BCs were enhanced by increasing the pyrolysis temperature, which was favorable for the enhancement of the adsorption efficiency. The adsorption results showed that corn stalk core calcined at 900 °C (BC-900) displayed exceptional adsorption efficiency toward bisphenol A (BPA) in wide pH (1-13) and temperature (0-90 °C) ranges. Moreover, adsorbent BC-900 could adsorb various pollutants from water, including antibiotics, organic dyes, and phenol (50 mg·L-1). The adsorption process of BPA over BC-900 matched well with the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Mechanism investigation suggested that large specific surface area and pore filling acted the foremost role in the adsorption process. Adsorbent BC-900 has the potential application in wastewater treatment due to its simple preparation, low cost, and excellent adsorption efficiency.

Full-Chain FeCl3 Catalyzation Is Sufficient to Boost Cellulase Secretion and Cellulosic Ethanol along with Valorized Supercapacitor and Biosorbent Using Desirable Corn Stalk.

Cellulosic ethanol is regarded as a perfect additive for petrol fuels for global carbon neutralization. As bioethanol conversion requires strong biomass pretreatment and overpriced enzymatic hydrolysis, it is increasingly considered in the exploration of biomass processes with fewer chemicals for cost-effective biofuels and value-added bioproducts. In this study, we performed optimal liquid-hot-water pretreatment (190 °C for 10 min) co-supplied with 4% FeCl3 to achieve the near-complete biomass enzymatic saccharification of desirable corn stalk for high bioethanol production, and all the enzyme-undigestible lignocellulose residues were then examined as active biosorbents for high Cd adsorption. Furthermore, by incubating Trichoderma reesei with the desired corn stalk co-supplied with 0.05% FeCl3 for the secretion of lignocellulose-degradation enzymes in vivo, we examined five secreted enzyme activities elevated by 1.3-3.0-fold in vitro, compared to the control without FeCl3 supplementation. After further supplying 1:2 (w/w) FeCl3 into the T. reesei-undigested lignocellulose residue for the thermal-carbonization process, we generated highly porous carbon with specific electroconductivity raised by 3-12-fold for the supercapacitor. Therefore, this work demonstrates that FeCl3 can act as a universal catalyst for the full-chain enhancement of biological, biochemical, and chemical conversions of lignocellulose substrates, providing a green-like strategy for low-cost biofuels and high-value bioproducts.

Circadian clock genes and photoperiodic diapause in the moth Sesamia nonagrioides.

Insects, like most organisms, have an internal circadian clock that oscillates with a daily rhythmicity, and a timing mechanism (photoperiodic clock) that mediates seasonal events, including diapause. It has been argued that there is a connection between the two clocks. The Mediterranean corn stalk borer moth, Sesamia nonagrioides, undergoes facultative diapause governed by photoperiod. To obtain clues to the link between the molecular mechanism of circadian and photoperiod clocks, we cloned and investigated the expression profiles of the clock genes Snper, Sntim, Sncyc and Sncry1 in the aforementioned moth species. Our previous results suggested that these genes might be implicated in the regulation of the diapause programming in S. nonagrioides. Here we studied the expression patterns of these four clock genes in larvae reared under abnormal non-24 h light-dark cycles (L10:D62 and L10:D14:L10:D62) in order to assess whether disruption of circadian clock would have any effect in the photoperiodic regulation of diapause. In the L10:D14:L10:D62 cycle abnormal expression patterns of the Sntim/Sncry1 and Snper/Sncyc pairs were found, compared to normal 24 h light-dark photoperiods suggesting that individual clock genes are acting independently in the molecular diapause program of S. nonagrioides. Photoperiod therefore appears to be the crucial signal for the regulation of these four genes.

Corn stalk pith-based hydrophobic aerogel for efficient oil sorption.

Bio-based aerogel has become an attractive sorbent for spilled oil and organic pollutants because of its light weight, high porosity and strong sorption capacity. However, the current fabrication process is mainly "bottom-up" technology, which is cost-expensive, time-consuming, and energy-intensive. Herein, we report a top-down, green, efficient and selective sorbent prepared from corn stalk pith (CSP) using the deep eutectic solvent (DES) treatment, followed by TEMPO/NaClO/NaClO2 oxidization and microfibrillation, and then hexamethyldisilazane coating. Such chemical treatments selectively removed lignin and hemicellulose, broke the thin cell walls of natural CSP, forming an aligned porous structure with capillary channels. The resultant aerogels had a density of 29.3 mg/g, a porosity of 98.13%, and a water contact angle of 130.5◦, exhibiting excellent oil/organic solvents sorption performance, with a high sorption capacity in the range of 25.4-36.5 g/g, approximately 5-16-fold higher than CSP, and with fast absorption speed and good reusability.