高压多级离心泵启动瞬态轴心轨迹研究

针对高压多级离心泵水润滑轴承-转子系统在启动瞬态过程中由于其轴颈的瞬态不稳定运动而带来启动时的安全、可靠和稳定性等问题,该文通过理论分析和试验来探索多级离心泵的启动瞬态轴心轨迹。首先以多级离心泵水润滑轴承-转子系统的有限元模型为基础,建立其在外激励作用下的动力学运动微分方程,并结合滑动轴承动特性系数的小参数算法,然后将以上建立的两类方程联立,建立高压多级离心泵水润滑轴承-转子系统的瞬态耦合动力学模型,并以此模型为基础结合平均加速度的Newmark β算法,通过MATLAB编程技术来耦合迭代数值求解得到水润滑轴承-转子系统在启动过渡阶段的瞬态轴心轨迹,最后利用前期设计研制的海水淡化高压泵结构专用水润滑轴承试验台对海水淡化高压泵水润滑轴承启动瞬态轴心轨迹进行试验研究。从计算和试验结果的总体变化趋势可以得知,在启动刚开始液膜形成的不稳定阶段,轴颈在瞬态液膜力的作用下呈上升且偏向旋转方向一侧运动;在启动阶段的后期随着转速的不断增加,轴颈呈小幅度"涡动"。该文提出的计算模型具有一定的理论和工程应用价值,为进一步改进万吨级海水淡化高压泵系统的启动性能提供了一定的研究基础。     

车用离心风机转子系统振动特性分析

为分析风机转子系统的振动特性,利用扰动力法建立了水润滑轴承刚度阻尼的非线性模型,完成了轴承-转子系统的动力学建模;基于转子系统的有限元模型,计算了转子系统的临界转速并进行了试验验证;分析了离心风机振动激励源,之后对转子在质量不平衡激励和轴承不对中激励下的振动特性进行了分析。结果表明,在质量不平衡激励下,转子系统振动的峰值频率主要位于整数倍频及半倍频处,其中以旋转基频和半倍频的振动为主;在轴承不对中激励下,转子系统振动的峰值频率主要位于整数倍频处,其中最主要的振动频率为旋转基频,其次为2倍频。该文对风机转子系统振动特性的分析对后续的整车振动与噪声分析,以及整车乘坐舒适性的改进提供了参考。     

基于自适应模糊神经网络的无轴承异步电机控制

针对无轴承异步电机多变量、非线性、强耦合等特点,为实现其稳定悬浮控制,提出了一种基于自适应模糊神经网络推理系统(adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system,ANFIS)的控制新策略。在分析无轴承异步电机径向悬浮力产生机理的基础上,推导出无轴承异步电机数学模型,基于ANFIS控制原理,完成了控制器设计,包括控制变量和隶属函数的选取、通过PID控制对输入输出数据的采集、根据选定的误差准则修正隶属函数参数以及采用Sugeno型ANFIS控制器训练FIS(fuzzy inference system)模型。基于MATLAB/Simulink仿真平台,对转速为6 000 r/min的无轴承异步电机控制系统的悬浮、转速、转矩响应进行了仿真分析。仿真结果表明该控制策略能在0.12 s内实现转子的稳定悬浮,且当负载转矩突变时,转子的悬浮性能并没有受到影响,转子径向偏移小于0.001mm。在转速突变后,控制系统也能较好的跟踪给定转速,稳定时的转速误差小于20 r/min,控制系统具有良好的动、静态性能。最后在无轴承异步电机控制系统试验平台上对所提策略开展了试验研究,试验结果同样表明,该控制策略能实现无轴承异步电机的稳定悬浮工作,转子径向位移峰峰值范围可以保持在80μm以内,系统响应快,鲁棒性强,控制精度较高,验证了该文提出的ANFIS控制方法的正确性和有效性。     

变速椭圆齿轮泵的非线性振动模型与拍击特性

变速椭圆齿轮泵是一种具有大排量、低脉动的新型容积泵,为提升其在高转速下的动力学性能,降低振动和噪声,对该齿轮泵在周期负载作用下的拍击振动行为进行研究。阐明了基于外部非圆齿轮变速驱动的椭圆齿轮泵流量脉动平抑原理,给出了变速椭圆齿轮泵中两级非圆齿轮机构的传动比函数;基于集中参数法,考虑轮齿间的弹性变形、静态传递误差、齿侧间隙及周期负载等因素,构建了变速椭圆齿轮泵的非线性拍击动力学模型,运用龙格-库塔法求解系统的动态响应,定量分析了变速椭圆齿轮泵的拍击特性以及关键参数对拍击门槛转速的影响。结果表明:随着变速椭圆齿轮泵输入转速的增加,系统先后经历无拍击、单边拍击和双边拍击状态,在设计参数下系统的拍击门槛转速为985 r/min,当拍击发生后齿间动态啮合力均方根会迅速增大;提高泵口压强或系统制造精度能够提升拍击门槛转速,泵口压强由0增至3.5 MPa,系统的拍击门槛转速由118 r/min增至1 637 r/min,从动椭圆转子静态传递误差幅值由7×10~(-2) mm降低至1×10~(-2) mm,拍击门槛转速由441 r/min提升至985 r/min,而增加转子偏心率,会导致拍击门槛转速先缓慢升高后迅速降低,为抑制变速椭圆齿轮泵的拍击振动和噪声及提升无拍击状态下最大瞬时流量提供理论依据。     

基于EDEM的双螺旋奶牛饲喂装置给料性能分析与试验

奶牛精确饲喂技术的实施不仅能够促进奶牛业健康发展,而且还能够提高牛场经济效益。基于牛场现状,该文在设计的等径双螺旋精确给料的奶牛饲喂装置基础上,理论分析了物料输送速度与给料时间,通过Solidworks对双螺旋给料装置进行了三维建模,并利用EDEM软件分别对40 mm搅龙和70 mm搅龙不同转速(80、100及120 r/min)的给料过程进行了离散元仿真,分析了装置给料稳定性,结果表明,40 mm搅龙在转速为120 r/min时变异系数为0.052 2,70 mm搅龙在转速为100 r/min时变异系数为0.105 2,给料稳定性最优。为进一步验证仿真结果,在搭建的双螺旋给料饲喂装置上,对40 mm搅龙和70 mm搅龙进行了给料试验,试验结果显示,40 mm螺距搅龙转速120 r/min和70 mm搅龙转速100 r/min时给料稳定性最优,试验结果与仿真结果吻合。在验证装置给料稳定性基础上,对给料精度进行了试验,结果显示:40 mm搅龙和70 mm搅龙在80、100、120 r/min等不同工作转速组合下,给料精度均大于95%,当40 mm搅龙转速为120 r/min,70 mm搅龙转速为100 r/min时,给料时间为14.1 s,给料量为6.009 kg,装置给料精度不低于99.835%,符合奶牛精确饲喂效率与精度要求。     

基于低频信号注入法的无轴承异步电机转速自检测控制

针对无轴承异步电机运行中悬浮转子转速检测问题,提出了一种基于低频信号注入法的无速度传感器控制新策略。该策略在无轴承异步电机基波模型基础上,通过注入低频信号引起的响应来构造转子位置偏差角,进一步通过PI控制器对偏差角进行调节,得到电机气隙磁场旋转速度,进而估计电机转速。运用该转速自检测方法,在Matlab/Simulink平台中搭建了无轴承异步电机无速度传感器矢量控制系统仿真模型,并进行了仿真研究。仿真结果表明,该方法能够在0.15 s内快速跟踪转子转速,并且具有优良的悬浮和转矩特性。试验结果同样表明,该方法不仅具有良好的转速在线自检测能力,而且能在无速度传感器方式下实现转子稳定悬浮运行,验证了所提方法的有效性和实用性。     

滚筒-栅条式银杏脱壳机结构参数的优化

为了提高银杏果脱壳品质和效率,研制了一种滚筒-栅条式银杏脱壳装置,通过对不同含水率银杏果的脱壳对比试验,发现脱壳率和破仁率主要取决于转子转速、滚筒直径、栅条间隙。采用中心组合试验设计方法进行了银杏脱壳试验,建立了银杏脱壳率和破仁率与转子转速、滚筒直径、栅条间隙之间的数学模型,并采用响应面优化分析和多目标优化法,得到了滚筒-栅条式银杏脱壳装置的最佳工作参数。结果表明:当转子转速为180r/min,滚筒直径为182mm,栅条间隙为10.5mm,含水率为12.6%时,银杏脱壳率为92.80%,破仁率为8.10%。该装置设计为银杏果脱壳生产提供了新的方法。     

基于改进UKF的无轴承异步电机无速度传感器控制

基于传统卡尔曼滤波器的转速估计方法依赖于系统的精确数学模型,但目前通用的无轴承异步电机的数学模型是一个近似模型,针对该问题该文提出一种以实际转速为基准的改进的无轴承异步电机转速估算方案:首先,用残差归一化处理自动更新渐消因子并将其引入增益矩阵,以减小系统模型偏差对估算精度的影响,增强滤波器的稳定性;其次,用遗传算法自动更新噪声矩阵,使其具备补偿作用,再次优化转速估算精度,最终将估算精度控制在5 r/min左右,干扰误差控制在10 r/min左右,可有效应对建模误差和参数扰动对转速估算的影响,具备较高的鲁棒性和估算精度。最后,用d SPACE试验平台证明了所提方案的正确性和可行性,该研究为无轴承异步电机无速度传感器控制提供参考。     

双螺杆二次挤压法制备方便米饭的工艺研究

该文采用可旋转中心组合设计,综合考查机筒温度、物料湿度和螺杆转速三个变量对挤压方便米饭复水率的影响,推导出描述复水率的二次回归模型,并对变量进行响应面分析,得出最佳工艺条件为:机筒温度为120℃、物料湿度为33%,螺杆转速为200 r/min.在该条件下制得的方便米饭复水3 min后,复水率达285%,硬度和弹性值都达到原料籼米米饭的水平.     

结构参数对增压器浮环轴承润滑特性和环速比的影响

基于以往对增压器的浮环轴承润滑分析中大都忽略浮环的环速比影响,或将润滑性能和环速比独立分析。该文采用数值分析方法研究了增压器浮环轴承的润滑特性和环速比,分析中考虑了转轴、浮环、轴承座之间的传热因素,基于Reynolds方程和浮环平衡方程,建立了浮环轴承润滑模型,对比分析了浮环内、外层间隙,内、外圆半径4个结构参数对浮环轴承润滑特性和环速比的影响。结果表明,实际设计浮环时,需综合考虑结构参数对浮环润滑特性和环速比的影响及影响程度;浮环内层间隙增加,环速比降低,与内层间隙0.02 mm时相比,转速60 000 r/min时,内层间隙0.04 mm时的环速比减幅达23%,内层间隙增加,内、外膜温度减小,摩擦功耗略有增加,内层间隙0.03 mm时,浮环具有较理想的润滑性能和环速比;外层间隙0.06 mm的环速比均比外层间隙0.04 mm的环速比增加30%以上,外层间隙增加,外膜温度减小,且转速越高,外膜温度减幅越大;浮环内圆半径越小,环速比越小,内、外膜温度和摩擦功耗越小,浮环润滑性能越好;浮环外圆半径增加,环速比降低,但内膜温度、外膜温度、总摩擦功耗和总端泄流量变化幅度均在5%以内,外圆半径对浮环润滑性能影响不显著;浮环实际设计时,调整内圆半径比调整外圆半径对改善浮环润滑性能更有效。     

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.