两种生物质炭对酸性紫色土腐殖质组成的影响

生物质炭的性状与原料中木质纤维含量密切相关，为探明不同原料生物质炭对土壤腐殖质组成的影响，选取玉米秸秆和紫茎泽兰分别作为纤维类和木质类原材料制备生物质炭，向酸性紫色土分别添加5%玉米秸秆生物质炭（MB）和5%紫茎泽兰生物质炭（EB），测定90 d室内培养期间土壤胡敏酸（HA）、富里酸（FA）、胡敏素（HM）含量以及HA光学性质和元素组成变化。结果表明：MB和EB的比表面积分别为2.32 m²·g^-1和0.72 m²·g^-1，总孔体积分别为42.71 mm³·g^-1和12.59 mm³·g^-1，碳与氢元素摩尔比（C/H）分别为1.91和1.46，氧、硫之和与碳元素摩尔比[（O+S）/C]分别为0.09和0.16，玉米秸秆生物质炭的吸附能力更强、有机质成分的缩合度更大且氧化度更小。与对照（不添加生物质炭，CK）相比，培养结束后，施入生物质炭的土壤HA、FA和HM含量分别显著增加（P<0.05）65.59%~102.82%、85.87%~118.54%和137.25%~161.23%，MB处理对这3种腐殖质含量的增加效应较EB处理更明显。培养结束时添加生物质炭的土壤HA/土壤有机碳（SOC）降低13.53%~27.06%，FA/SOC降低6.81%~18.03%，其中EB处理的降低效应达显著水平；HM/SOC则增加4.58%~11.40%，其中MB处理的增加效应达显著水平。添加生物质炭的土壤HA色调系数（ΔlgK）增加2.40%~5.60%，HA的缩合度（C/H）降低3.51%~11.81%，（O+S）/C增加1.51%~8.74%。总体来看，施入生物质炭均能相对增加腐殖质各组分含量，降低C/H，提高HA的氧化度[（O+S）/C]，且纤维类原料（玉米秸秆）生物质炭的效果更明显。纤维类原料（玉米秸秆）生物质炭显著提高了稳定性较高的土壤胡敏素碳比例（HM/SOC），但降低了土壤HA的稳定性[HA的C/H降低，（O+S）/C增加]；木质类原料（紫茎泽兰）生物质炭显著降低土壤胡敏酸碳比例（HA/SOC）和富里酸碳比例（FA/SOC），对HM/SOC增加效益不显著，反之提高了土壤易分解有机碳比例。     

牛粪配施生物质炭的土壤碳净变化率和腐殖物质组成研究

牛粪是农业生产中常用的有机肥,牛粪配施生物质炭是否会提高有机物料在土壤中的碳净变化率是高效利用有机物料重要问题。通过1年田间试验施用常量(M1)和倍量(M2)牛粪、常量(CBM1)和倍量(CBM2)牛粪配施生物质炭对比了短期腐殖物质碳净变化率差异和结构特征。结果表明,与单施牛粪(M1和M2)相比,牛粪配施生物质炭(CBM2)土壤胡敏酸、富里酸和胡敏素的含量增至1.36g·kg~(–1)、2.50g·kg~(–1)和5.03g·kg~(–1);土壤胡敏酸和富里酸碳净变化率分别提高1.18%和3.67%。与施用牛粪相比,牛粪配施生物质炭胡敏酸、富里酸和胡敏素脂族碳和多糖相对含量增加;CBM2处理胡敏酸和胡敏素芳香碳相对含量增加,CBM1处理富里酸芳香碳相对含量增加。表明牛粪配施生物质炭在土壤固碳效果上优于单施牛粪,可形成更多的腐殖物质,提高胡敏酸和富里酸的碳净变化率;同时也有利于腐殖物质脂族碳和多糖相对含量的增加,而生物质炭用量不变的情况下,配施更多的牛粪可增加胡敏酸和胡敏素芳香碳相对含量。施用牛粪或牛粪配施低量生物质炭可使Hu和FA的缩合度增加,氧化度降低,而HA则相反。     

有机物料对盐土腐殖物质组成和结构特征的影响

通过室内培养试验研究了秸秆、秸秆堆肥、秸秆生物质炭对黄河三角洲地区盐土腐殖物质组成和结构特征的影响。结果表明,秸秆、秸秆堆肥和秸秆生物质炭主要增加了胡敏素含量,由对照的5.48 g·kg~(–1)分别增加至11.20 g·kg~(–1)、16.66 g·kg~(–1)和20.60 g·kg~(–1)。秸秆堆肥和生物质炭配施胡敏酸含量增加至1.36 g·kg~(–1),秸秆处理的富里酸由培养30 d时的3.77 g·kg~(–1)下降至3.32 g·kg~(–1)。土壤胡敏素含量与土壤有机碳含量在培养30 d(R~2=0.84,P 0.001,n=10)和180 d(R~2=0.98,P 0.001,n=10)时均呈显著正相关关系。秸秆、秸秆堆肥、生物质炭均有利于富里酸脂族碳相对含量的增加。生物质炭有利于土壤胡敏酸芳香类物质的增加;而秸秆或秸秆堆肥进入土壤初期,尤其是秸秆堆肥更有利于胡敏酸中脂族和碳水化合物或多糖类物质的积累。总之,生物质炭主要增加了胡敏素含量,秸秆堆肥与生物质炭配施更有利于增加胡敏酸含量。秸秆在进入土壤初期增加了富里酸含量。生物质炭与秸秆或秸秆堆肥配施时,生物质炭所占比例对胡敏素含量、胡敏酸芳香类物质含量和富里酸脂族碳含量影响较大。     

生物质炭结构性质及其对土壤有效养分和腐殖质组成的影响

生物质炭是具有高度热稳定性和较强吸附特性的含碳物质,不同来源生物质炭的结构性质可能存在着很大的差异。为此对2种自制的不同来源生物质炭和1种商业黑炭进行了结构表征,并研究了添加生物质炭对土壤有效养分和腐殖质组成的影响。结果表明,不同来源的生物质炭在结构上有明显区别：秸秆生物质炭的芳构化程度和热稳定性最低,脂族性最强;商业黑炭缩合程度和热稳定性最高,脂族性最弱;松枝生物质炭介于二者之间。向土壤中添加秸秆生物质炭和松枝生物质炭培养45d后,土壤有机碳含量、胡敏酸和富里酸含量、有效养分含量都有不同程度的增加,同时胡敏酸的色调系数ΔlgK降低,对土壤有机碳的长期保存有积极意义。     

长期定位不同施肥处理的棕壤腐殖酸性质的研究

以长期定位试验土样为材料,对不同施肥处理土壤腐殖质组成及性质进行研究。结果表明:通过施肥提高腐殖质的含量同时能降低胡敏酸E4/E6值,增加了胡敏酸分子的复杂程度。无机肥、有机肥和无机有机肥配施均能增加胡敏酸和胡敏素的含量。土壤不同形态胡敏素含碳量不同,不溶性胡敏素含碳量最多,占总含碳量的.47.6%~57%,铁结合态胡敏素占总含碳量的3.1%~5.7%,粘粒结合态胡敏素占总含碳量的2.0%~3.7%。     

施用生物质炭对黑土腐殖质组成及水稳性团聚体分布的影响

为探究生物炭对土壤腐殖质组成和团聚体特征的影响，以东北黑土区植烟土壤为研究对象，设置了3个处理，2019-2020年连续施用低量生物炭5t/hm2（C1）；高量生物炭25t/hm2（C2）和不施生物炭（CK），分析了不同用量生物炭对土壤腐殖质组分及水稳性团聚体分布的影响，并利用傅里叶红外光谱(FTIR)和13C核磁共振光谱(13C-NMR)对土壤胡敏酸化学结构进行表征。结果表明：C1和C2处理分别使富里酸减少了16.90%和40.85%，胡敏酸含量显著增加了14.86%和33.78%，胡敏酸在腐殖酸中所占比例（PQ值）也显著增加；FTIR和13C-NMR分析表明，C2处理的土壤胡敏酸的2920/1620值降低了11.82%，脂族C/芳香C比值降低了13.04%，表明高量生物炭使胡敏酸芳构化程度增强，脂肪结构比例降低；生物炭的添加促使土壤大团聚体（>0.25mm）比例增加，C2处理提升大团聚体的作用更显著。结合相关性分析发现，胡敏酸含量与2~0.25mm大团聚体含量显著正相关，胡敏酸分子的脂肪族官能团特征与>2mm粒级团聚体显著正相关。此外，C1和C2处理显著提高了烟叶产量。从而表明，生物炭能提升土壤腐殖质中胡敏酸含量和结构，有利于土壤大团聚体形成，提高土壤固碳潜力，对作物有一定的增产效果。     

不同生物质材料对蕉园土壤有机质组成的影响

为探究不同生物质材料对蕉园土壤有机质及组成的影响,以木炭、椰壳炭、椰糠炭和与椰糠炭等碳量的椰糠为材料,分别以质量分数为2%和4%的用量加入土壤中,于室内常温培养并保持土壤含水量不变。在第15、30、60、90、120和180 d采集土壤,分析不同生物质材料对土壤有机质、胡敏酸、富里酸和土壤胡敏酸/富里酸的影响。结果表明:添加木炭、椰壳炭、椰糠炭和椰糠均能提高土壤有机质含量,并随添加量的增加而升高;添加木炭、椰壳炭、椰糠炭和椰糠均能加速土壤有机质的分解,添加椰壳炭对土壤有机质分解的影响相对较小。椰糠的添加主要是同时增加了土壤胡敏酸和富里酸碳含量,生物炭(木炭、椰壳炭和椰糠炭)的添加主要是影响了土壤胡敏酸与富里酸的相互转化。     

生物质炭短期添加对不同类型土壤水力性质的影响

为探究生物质炭添加对农田土壤水力性质的影响，以我国10个地区农田耕层土壤为供试土样，通过室内模拟试验，研究4种生物质炭添加比例下(C0、C5、C10和C15，生物质炭体积占比分别为0%、5%、10%和15%)土壤饱和导水率(Ks)、水分特征曲线及van Genuchten模型拟合参数和水分常数的变化特征。结果表明：生物质炭添加对土壤渗透性能的影响与土壤质地密切相关；添加生物质炭后，砂粒含量较高的风砂土和黄绵土的Ks显著降低，C15的降幅分别为89.2%和85.0%；而黏粒含量较高土壤的Ks普遍升高，C15处理下赤红壤的增幅高达158.9%。生物质炭添加改变了土壤的持水能力，且变幅随着生物质炭添加量的增加而增大。生物质炭添加提升了各类土壤的饱和含水量(0.7%～17.6%)和低吸力段的持水能力；生物质炭添加对中、高吸力水平下各类土壤持水能力的影响存在差异，大致表现为砂质土持水能力提升、残余含水量增大、α值降低；而壤质、黏质土持水能力下降，残余含水量、田间持水量及凋萎系数均降低。研究结果可为考虑生物质炭施用的平衡模拟提供水力学基础参数，并为各地区农田生物质炭的合理施用提供科学依据。     

四川成都经济区土壤腐殖质重金属元素含量特征研究

通过对四川成都经济区16件土壤样品腐殖质组成及其各组分中重金属元素含量的分析表明,胡敏素是土壤腐殖质的主要组成部分,富里酸和胡敏酸次之。土壤腐殖质中重金属元素含量占土壤全量20%～44%,是土壤重金属污染元素主要存在方式。重金属元素在腐殖质不同组分中的含量具有很大的差异,Cr主要赋存在胡敏素中,Cd、As、Cu、Zn等元素主要赋存在富里酸中。各重金属元素在腐殖酸中含量较高,富里酸中的含量均大于胡敏酸,其机理是富里酸对重金属元素的络合是腐殖酸与重金属相互作用的主要方式。     

贵州乌蒙烟区清甜香烤烟风格形成的土壤腐殖质组成特征

利用贵州乌蒙烟区31个地点的土壤及烟叶样品数据,对清甜香烤烟风格形成的土壤腐殖质组成特征进行了分析。结果表明:乌蒙烟区土壤腐殖质碳量均值为12.24 g kg-1,胡敏素碳量、胡敏酸碳量、富里酸碳量均值分别为8.49、0.74和3.02 g kg-1。腐殖质组分相对含量中胡敏素比例最高,腐植酸比例平均为31.83%。腐殖质各组分变异系数均较大。形成不同清甜香风格的土壤腐殖质各组分碳量均表现为弱清甜香显著高于典型清甜香和清甜香。腐植酸比例以弱清甜香风格最低;典型清甜香风格形成的胡敏酸比例显著高于清甜香和弱清甜香;胡敏素比例以弱清甜香风格最高。弱清甜香风格形成的土壤腐殖质水平总体较高,其土壤腐殖质碳量均值为16.31 g kg-1,弱清甜香烤烟生长的土壤样本50%的腐殖质碳量大于15 g kg-1。     

低氮和干旱胁迫对富士和秦冠生长及氮素利用的影响

【目的】以富士（Fuji）、 秦冠（Qinguan）嫁接在平邑甜茶（Malus hupehensis Rehd.）上的当年生盆栽苗为试验材料,采用砂培方法,研究了缺氮胁迫和干旱对富士和秦冠生长情况、 光合参数、 植株各部位氮磷钾含量及氮素利用效率的影响,分析比较了低氮干旱条件下富士和秦冠生长及氮素利用的差异,以期为果树生产高效肥水利用提供理论指导。【方法】试验共设四个处理: 正常氮正常水（ZZ）、 低氮正常水（DZ）、 正常氮干旱（ZG）、 低氮干旱（DG）。氮素和水分均设置两个水平,分别为正常氮（6 mmol/L NO-3-N）、 低氮（0.3 mmol/LNO-3-N）、 正常供水（保持盆中砂子相对含水量为饱和含水量的80%~85%）、 干旱处理（保持盆中砂子相对含水量为饱和含水量的60%~65%）。【结果】富士和秦冠的生物量（茎和叶）、 株高茎粗等生长指标以及光合速率、 气孔导度、 蒸腾速率均为正常氮正常水（ZZ）＞低氮正常水（DZ）＞正常氮干旱（ZG）＞低氮干旱（DG）,并且相对应处理下秦冠的以上指标均高于富士;正常供水下,缺氮处理使富士、 秦冠的根冠比比正常氮处理均有所增加,富士提高了2.05%,秦冠提高了22.40%。富士和秦冠的氮、 磷、 钾含量均表现出正常氮正常水（ZZ）＞低氮正常水（DZ）＞正常氮干旱（ZG）＞低氮干旱（DG）; 氮、 钾元素含量在植株各部位的分布顺序依次是叶＞根＞茎,磷元素则是根＞叶＞茎;光合氮素利用效率（PNUE）和氮素利用效率表现为秦冠处理之间差异极显著,富士处理之间差异不显著;秦冠的PNUE和NUE明显高于富士,在低氮正常水（DZ）处理下,秦冠氮肥利用率比富士高42.07%,在低氮干旱（DG）处理下高64.14%;低氮胁迫下富士和秦冠的NUE显著提高,并且秦冠提高的幅度高于富士。【结论】施用氮肥能够显著提高富士与秦冠的干物质量,同等水肥条件下,秦冠生长优于富士;水分亏缺会减少叶片对氮的吸收,干旱条件下适度增施氮肥,可提高果树的抗旱能力;低氮干旱胁迫下秦冠的生长指标、 光合指标及氮素利用效率指标均优于富士,表现出较强的抗低氮干旱胁迫的能力。     

Pasture Vegetation Elemental Analysis by Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a new technique for the analysis of plant material. This study investigates the application of LIBS to pasture-based plant samples. The LIBS measurements were obtained from pelletized pasture samples (100 samples) that had been also analyzed by inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) following microwave digestion for calibration and comparison purposes. Comparisons for elements sodium (Na), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), boron (B), phosphorus (P), and sulfur (S) showed that LIBS could be used for almost all the standard profile total elements with concentrations down to low mg/kg levels (observed error of Na: 0.024 percent, K: 0.18 percent, Mg: 0.016 percent, Ca: 0.073 percent, P: 0.017 percent, Mn: 31 mg/kg, Fe: 150 mg/kg, Zn: 6.6 mg/kg, and B: 1.1 mg/kg). Elemental analysis at less than mg/kg levels was not possible using LIBS. The elements S and Cu were particularly difficult to analyze with reliability using LIBS at the concentration levels found in the plant samples. Replacing microwave digestion and subsequent ICP analysis with a direct analysis of dried plant samples using LIBS has the potential to improve the productivity and reduce the cost of testing.     

Faculty positions:Center for Agricultural Resources Research,Chinese Academy of Sciences

正The Center for Agricultural Resources Research(CARR),the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology(IGDB),Chinese Academy of Sciences,invites applicants for several research group leader positions.CARR is one of the research organizations in Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS).We seek nominations and applications from individuals who have expertise and a record of accomplishment in research areas related to ecology,agro-hydrology,     

Assessing the effectiveness of conservation measures: Resolving the “wicked” problem of the Steller sea lion

“Wicked” problems are those that are complex and that change when solutions are applied. Many conflicts in conservation fall into this category. The study approached the problem of how to constrain the apparent wickedness of a problem in the conservation management of a species by using simple empirical indicators to carry out iterative assessment of the risk to a population and to document how this risk evolves in relation to the addition of new data and the implementation of management actions. Effects of high levels of uncertainty within data and also concerning population structure were examined through stochastic simulation and by exploration of scenarios. Historical trends in the example used, the Steller sea lion, showed rapid declines in abundance in some regions during the 1980s. The current total population is 130,000-150,000 Steller sea lions through Alaska and British Columbia and this number has been stable since about 1990 in spite of regional differences in population dynamics. Regional differences in the sequence of changes in the number of pups and non-pups, suggested that an internal re-distribution of juveniles could have happened between 1980 and 1990. Current productivity also appears close to the long-term mean. Stochastic population projection using various scenarios showed that, based upon this history, the risk of extinction for the population has declined and is below reasonable thresholds for considering the population to be endangered. The trends in risk suggest that management actions taken since 1990 have probably been effective. Consequently, the conservation management objectives for the Steller sea lion are probably being met. The approach provides a mechanism, based upon experience and scenario analysis, for exploring future policy options and may help to constrain the debate amongst stakeholders about the cost-benefit trade-offs associated with different options.     

Soil-profile distribution of primary and secondary plant-available nutrients under conventional and no tillage

Nutrient distributions under no tillage (NT) compared with conventional disk-and-bed tillage (CT) management in the warm, humid region of the southeastern USA need to be assessed so that future placement, quantity, and type of fertilizers can be altered, if necessary, to efficiently match crop demands. We determined soil-profile distributions of pH, N, P, S, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu to a depth of 0.9 m at the end of 8.5 years of continuous CT and NT management on a Weswood silty clay loam (fine, mixed, thermic Fluventic Ustochrept) in southcentral Texas. Most dramatic changes occurred within the 0–0.05 m depth, where soil under NT had lower pH, Fe, and Cu than under CT, but greater P, K, Zn, and Mn. Greater P and K under NT than under CT also occurred below the till-zone (0.15–0.3 m). At a depth of 0–0.3 m, soil under NT contained greater amounts of extractable P, K, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu than under CT. Nitrogen fertilization had little effect on nutrient distributions, except resulting in greater extractable K at 0–0.05 m and greater nitrate at 0–0.15 m. Few changes in soil-profile distributions were observed for extractable S, Ca, Mg, and Na. Long-term continuous use of NT on this fine-textured, high-fertility (except for N) soil had no apparent adverse effects on nutrient distributions relative to CT, but enhanced conservation and availability of P, K, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu near the soil surface where crop roots proliferate.     

Macroinvertebrates in North American tallgrass prairie soils: effects of fire, mowing, and fertilization on density and biomass

The responses of tallgrass prairie plant communities and ecosystem processes to fire and grazing are well characterized. However, responses of invertebrate consumer groups, and particularly soil-dwelling organisms, to these disturbances are not well known. At Konza Prairie Biological Station, we sampled soil macroinvertebrates in 1994 and 1999 as part of a long-term experiment designed to examine the effects and interactions of annual fire, mowing, and fertilization (N and P) on prairie soil communities and processes. For nearly all taxa, in both years, responses were characterized by significant treatment interactions, but some general patterns were evident. Introduced European earthworms (Aporrectodea spp. and Octolasion spp.) were most abundant in plots where fire was excluded, and the proportion of the total earthworm community consisting of introduced earthworms was greater in unburned, unmowed, and fertilized plots. Nymphs of two Cicada genera were collected (Cicadetta spp. and Tibicen spp.). Cicadetta nymphs were more abundant in burned plots, but mowing reduced their abundance. Tibicen nymphs were collected almost exclusively from unburned plots. Treatment effects on herbivorous beetle larvae (Scarabaeidae, Elateridae, and Curculionidae) were variable, but nutrient additions (N or P) usually resulted in greater densities, whereas mowing usually resulted in lower densities. Our results suggest that departures from historical disturbance regimes (i.e. frequent fire and grazing) may render soils more susceptible to increased numbers of European earthworms, and that interactions between fire, aboveground biomass removal, and vegetation responses affect the structure and composition of invertebrate communities in tallgrass prairie soils.     

Variation in quality parameters between and within 14 Nordic tree fruit and berry species

Abstract

A 3-year study was carried out to investigate quality parameters in 14 tree fruit and berry species grown in southern Norway. The species were blueberry, apple, aronia, sour cherry, sweet cherry, red raspberry, strawberry, blackcurrant, gooseberry, red currant and elderberry, harvested along with wild bilberry, cloudberry and lingonberry. Significant differences between species were identified for all quality parameters. The coefficient of variation between species was lowest for pH (12.5%), dry matter (18.9%) and soluble solids (25.3%), followed by titratable acids (59.3%), total phenolics (83.8%), antioxidant capacity FRAP (85.7%) and antiradical power by the DPPH-assay (97.8%), total monomeric anthocyanins (132%) and ascorbic acid (137%). Average coefficient of variation within species were lower and ranged from 4 (pH) to 62% (ascorbic acid). Only the FRAP values were significantly affected by harvesting year with lower levels in 2004 than in 2005 and 2006. There were significant interactions between species and harvesting year for dry matter, soluble solids, pH, ascorbic acid and FRAP. The results indicate generic ranges in composition within species independent upon growing location and climate, and the composition of the tree fruits and berries is not likely to deviate from these ranges. It is concluded that desirable composition of tree fruits and berries and their products should primarily be achieved by selection among species rather than searching fors broadened variation within individual species.     

Enhanced establishment and growth of giant cardon cactus in an eroded field in the Sonoran Desert using native legume trees as nurse plants aided by plant growth-promoting microorganisms and compost

To evaluate the feasibility of long-term desert reforestation technology of mixed vegetation, cardon cactus (Pachycereus pringlei) seedlings from indoor and outdoor nurseries were planted in the field adjacent to one seedling of potential legume nurse trees: mesquite amargo (Prosopis articulata), yellow palo verde (Parkinsonia microphylla), and blue palo verde (Parkinsonia florida). Some of the planting holes were also supplemented with common dairy compost. Additionally, the combinations of legume tree–cactus were inoculated with either a consortium of desert arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB; the diazotroph Azospirillum brasilense Cd, and the phosphate solubilizer Paenibacillus sp.), or a mixture of all. The field experiments were evaluated periodically during 30 months for survival and growth. Cardons reared in an outdoor screen house survived better in the field than those reared in a controlled growth chamber and hardened later outdoors. Association with any legume nurse tree increased survival and enhanced growth of untreated cardons. For cardons growing alone, application of either compost, AM fungi, and all the treatments combined increased survival. For these plants, no treatment affected plant growth during the first 3 months after transplanting. Later, all treatments, except for AM fungi, enhanced plant growth. However, only 2 years after transplanting the enhanced growth effect of AM fungi was also significant. In the presence of the legume nurse trees, transient positive effects on cardon growth were recorded. General evaluation after 30 months of cultivation showed that the treatments positively affected cardon growth when growing alone or in combination only with mesquite amargo but not with the other two legume trees. This study proposes that young legume trees have the capacity to enhance survival and growth of cardon cactus, depending on the legume cactus combination. Additional treatments such as compost or PGPB can either amplify the effect or else attenuate it.     

Karyotypic and genome size variation in Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. (pigeonpea) and some wild relatives

Detailed karyotypes and 4C DNA amounts have been studied in five cultivars of Cajanus cajan and 20 species belonging to Cajanus, Rhynchosia, Dunbaria, Flemingia and Paracalyx. C. cajan shows intraspecific variability and its karyotype is most similar to that of C. cajanifolius (sect. Cajanus) in the morphology and number of satellite chromosomes and the lack of any correlation between chromosome size within the complement and asymmetry. Karyotypes of C. lineatus and C. sericeus belonging to sect. Atylia are similar with respect to maximum r-index and the ratio of longest and shortest chromosomes in their respective complements. C. acutifolius (sect. Frutocosa) is distinct in having a very low ratio (1.44) between the longest and the shortest chromosomes, while in C. albicans, C. goensis, C. scarabaeoides (sect. Cantharospermum) there is no chromosome pair with r-index >2.0. C. mollis and C. volubilis (sect. Volubilis) show similarity with regard to ratio between the longest and the shortest chromosomes and a distinct chromosome pair with an arm ratio of 2.7 and C. platycarpus is distinct (sect. Rhynchosoides) in having the smallest ratio (1.36) between the longest and the shortest chromosomes. 4C DNA amounts in Cajanus and Rhynchosia vary between 3.28 pg to 11.69 pg and 4.92 pg to 11.13 pg respectively, while in Dunbaria, Flemingia and Paracalyx these vary between 4.70 and 7:06 pg. In the genus Cajanus karyotypic features and 4C DNA amounts agree with the sectional classification and bring out a close relationship between C. cajan and C. cajanifolius. This is supported by studies based on seed protein patterns, isozyme analysis, trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitor patterns, RFLP and RAPD data and crossability relationships. A clear relation between DNA amount and abnormalities effecting the extent of pairing and recombination in interspecific hybrids shows the importance of this study in developing future breeding programme involving C. cajan and its wild relatives that are of potential value.     

Potassium Fixation and Release Characteristics in Rhizosphere and Nonrhizosphere Soils for a Rapeseed–Rice Cropping Sequence

Potassium (K) fixation and release in soil are important factors in the long-term sustainability of a cropping system. Changes in K concentration and characteristics of K fixation and release in rhizosphere and nonrhizosphere soils in the rapeseed (Brassica napus L.)–rice (Oryza sativa L.) rotation were investigated using a rhizobox system. The concentrations of different forms of K in both rhizosphere and nonrhizosphere soils decreased with plants compared to without plants, regardless of K fertilizer application. Potassium uptake by crops mainly came from the rhizosphere soil. In the treatment without K fertilizer (–K), the main form of K supplied by the soil to the crops was 1.0 mol L^?1 nitric acid (HNO₃) nonextractable K, followed by nonexchangeable K, and then exchangeable K. In the treatment with K fertilizer (+K), the main K forms supplied by the soil to the crops were exchangeable K and nonexchangeable K. The amount and rate of K fixation after one cycle of the rapeseed–rice rotation was greater in rhizosphere soil than in nonrhizosphere soil. The amount and rate of K fixation of soil in the +K treatment were significantly less than in the –K treatment. The cumulative amounts of K released with 1.0 mol L^?1 ammonium acetate (NH₄OAc) and 1.0 mol L^?1 HNO₃ extraction increased with the increasing numbers of extractions, but the K-releasing power of soil by successive extraction decreased gradually and finally became almost constant. The release of K was less in rhizosphere soil than in nonrhizosphere soil. The release of K in the +K treatment was similar to that in the –K treatment in rhizosphere soil, but the K release in nonrhizosphere soil was greater with the +K than the –K treatment. Overall, the information obtained in this study will be helpful in formulating more precise K fertilizer recommendations for certain soils.