作物水分生产函数研究进展

作物水分生产函数(cropwaterproductionfunctions,CWPF)一般指作物产量(cropyield,Y)与蒸散发(evapotranspiration, ET)之间的函数关系,是作物模型中联系水分和生产力的关键。本文系统地梳理了近半个世纪以来CWPF的相关研究,发现CWPF受多种因素影响,不同地区获得的田间试验结果往往差异较大;常用的CWPF模型多是基于统计信息,缺少坚实的物理基础和可靠的理论支撑,在跨地区、跨物种应用时存在一定缺点。同时基于碳同化过程的机制模型和更为复杂的作物模型也因为参数过多而不易在实际中应用。在以往研究的基础上,从公开发表的41篇文献中筛选出592组田间试验数据,发现小麦产量与ET基本呈线性关系,但数据分布相对离散,而玉米、棉花、水稻因数据量较少其产量与ET关系不明显。利用生长季降水量和累计蒸发皿蒸发数据对不同地区获得的小麦水分生产函数进行了修正,发现改进后的小麦水分生产函数表现出较好的跨地区应用潜力(r2从0.36提高到0.75),并提出了进一步的CWPF修正思路。指出通过改进函数关系虽然能提高统计模型的可移植性,但发展机制模型仍是未来CWPF研究的根本出路。     

不同土壤容重条件下水分亏缺对作物生长和水分利用的影响

为探究不同土壤容重和不同程度水分亏缺条件下冬小麦-夏玉米生长指标及产量的变化。采用桶栽土培法,分别设置3种土壤容重(1.2,1.4,1.6 g/cm^3)和3个土壤水分控制下限(低水分50%田间持水量、中水分60%田间持水量和高水分70%田间持水量),研究不同土壤容重和水分亏缺对冬小麦—夏玉米根系、生长指标、耗水量、产量和水分利用的影响。结果表明:随水分亏缺程度的加剧,冬小麦和夏玉米生长指标、生物量、耗水量和产量均呈降低趋势。随土壤容重增加,冬小麦生物量和产量呈先升高再降低的趋势,冬小麦耗水量和水分利用效率呈降低趋势;而夏玉米产量、耗水量和水分利用效率均呈降低趋势。试验中,1.4,1.2 g/cm^3分别为冬小麦和夏玉米生长的最适土壤容重。土壤容重与水分处理互作对夏玉米株高、耗水量和水分利用效率有极显著影响,而对冬小麦和夏玉米生物量及产量无显著影响。研究结果可为黄淮海地区作物绿色增产增效及水土资源高效利用提供理论参考。     

作物水分敏感指数累积函数的改进及其验证

为了更好的分析整个作物生育期不同时期水分亏缺对作物产量的影响,该文在分析作物水分生产函数中水分敏感指数及其累积函数特性的基础上,对目前广泛应用的水分敏感指数累积函数进行了改进。改进后的累积函数与原累积函数在作物生长中期差异较小,而在作物生长前期和后期差异相对较大。改进后的累积函数物理概念上更符合实际,能够模拟作物水分敏感指数累积值从生长开始到生育期结束的变化过程。利用山西潇河试验站冬小麦和广西桂林试验站晚稻非充分灌溉试验数据进行了验证,改进后的累积函数模拟的水分敏感指数累积值与通过试验观测产量优化求解值吻合较好,且与原累积函数相比具有较好的模拟效果。     

北方水稻动态水分生产函数研究

研究采用蒸渗仪和盆栽相结合的方法，在分析水稻干物质生长规律的基础上，提出了干物质随时间累计的数学模型和干物质累计量与籽粒产量之间关系的数学模型，在此基础上，参考前人旱作物动态产量模型，构造了水分亏缺影响函数，对分阶段线性函数、指数乘子式函数和三次式函数进行参数拟合，提出了水稻动态产量数学模型，求出了沈阳地区水稻水分生产函数动态产量模型参数，并利用1999年实测资料对模型进行了检验和灵敏度分析。     

基于基因表达式编程的作物水分生产函数构建

作物水分生产函数的确定是农业水资源优化配置的关键。该研究采用农业水文生态系统模型（Agro-Hydrological & Chemical and Crop systems simulator, AHC）与基因表达式编程（Gene Expression Programming, GEP）相结合的方法构建作物水分生产函数。以河套灌区3种主要作物（葵花、玉米、小麦）为研究对象,采用AHC模型模拟作物产量等,构建基于GEP算法的作物水分生产函数,探讨考虑盐分胁迫的作物水分生产函数构建的思路与方法。结果表明：1）作物模拟产量与地下水埋深、地下水矿化度和灌水量等因素有关。2）构建作物水分生产函数的最优输入因子组合为地下水埋深、灌溉量、蒸散发、地下水矿化度、土壤根层盐分对作物胁迫因子、土壤根层含水率。3）应用作物水分生产函数估算不同灌溉定额条件下作物产量（预测产量）,并与AHC模型计算的产量（模拟产量）进行比较,玉米、葵花、小麦预测产量与模拟产量具有很好一致性,其决定系数分别是0.96、0.93、0.96,平均相对误差均小于5%,满足计算精度要求。因此,该研究所构建的作物水分生产函数可以较准确地估算盐分胁迫下作物产量,为农业节水与灌溉水高效利用提供科学参考。     

基于无人机数码影像和高光谱数据的冬小麦产量估算对比

作物产量准确估算在农业生产中具有重要意义。该文利用无人机获取冬小麦挑旗期、开花期和灌浆期数码影像和高光谱数据,并实测产量。首先利用无人机数码影像和高光谱数据分别提取数码影像指数和光谱参数,然后将数码影像指数和光谱参数与冬小麦产量作相关性分析,挑选出相关性较好的9个指数和参数,最后以选取的数码影像指数和光谱参数为建模因子,通过MLR(multiple linear regression,MLR)和RF(random forest,RF)对产量进行估算。结果表明:数码影像指数和光谱参数与实测产量均有很强的相关性。利用数码影像指数和光谱参数通过MLR和RF构建的产量估算模型均在灌浆期表现精度最高,在灌浆期,数码影像指数和光谱参数构建的MLR模型R~2和NRMSE分别为0.71、12.79%,0.77、10.32%。对模型对比分析可知,以光谱参数为因子的MLR模型精度较高,更适合用于估算冬小麦产量。利用无人机遥感数据,通过光谱参数建立的MLR模型能够快速、方便地对作物进行产量预测,并可以根据不同生育期的产量估算模型有效地对作物进行监测。     

波文比仪与蒸渗仪测定作物蒸发蒸腾量对比

为了更准确地估算作物蒸发蒸腾量,该文结合波文比仪和大型称重式蒸渗仪,对波文比-能量平衡法估算的冬小麦蒸发蒸腾量（ET_b）和蒸渗仪实测的冬小麦蒸发蒸腾量（ET_l）进行了分析研究。结果表明,波文比计算值（ET_b）和蒸渗仪实测值（ET_l）的变化趋势基本一致,相关性比较好。波文比计算值（ET_b）和蒸渗仪实测值（ET_l）的日变化曲线都呈单峰型,早晚小,中午大,夜间多为负值,波文比计算值的日变化比较稳定,蒸渗仪实测值的日变化比较敏感。风速较大时,蒸渗仪实测值日变化随风速的增大而减小的趋势比较明显,波文比计算值日变化受大的风速影响较小;风速较小时,波文比计算值和蒸渗仪实测值的日变化与风速呈很弱的负相关关系。波文比计算值日变化和太阳净辐射日变化的关系比较密切,蒸渗仪实测值日变化和太阳净辐射日变化的关系不是很明显。波文比计算值更能稳定地反映出冬小麦蒸发蒸腾量的日变化规律。     

基于BP神经网络的冬小麦耗水预测

该文根据中国科学院禹城农业试验站2003－2006年冬小麦季的气象资料和大型称重式蒸渗仪观测资料,把实测作物系数作为作物因子指标,建立了以日最高温度、日净辐射、实测表层60 cm土壤含水率、日序数和作物系数为输入因子,蒸渗仪实测蒸散量为输出因子的BP神经网络预测模型,神经网络拓扑结构为5-9-1,训练函数为Trainbr。检验结果表明冬小麦耗水量模型预测平均相对误差为13.1%,预测值和实测值的均方根误差为0.88 mm,模型预测Nash-Sutcliffe效率指数为0.865,预测效果较好,可满足生产需要。     

不同尺寸蒸渗仪测定作物蒸散的田间试验研究

称重式蒸渗仪测定作物蒸散量（ET）是公认的一种标准测定方法。大型称重式蒸渗仪因单点独立安装而无法进行不同处理的重复试验,小型蒸渗仪则可解决该问题,但目前对于小尺寸蒸渗仪的适用性尚无统一结论。本文利用1m2（SL）、2m2（ML）和4m2（LL）3种不同面积的蒸渗仪在冬小麦（2012年11月21日播种,2013年6月20日收获）和水稻（2013年6月22日移栽,2013年10月28日收获）整个生长季进行连续蒸散量观测,筛选无有效降水日的数据进行对比分析。结果表明：（1）在冬小麦和水稻生长季内,SL（小）蒸渗仪所测蒸散量日内变化均表现出较大的变化幅度,ML（中）蒸渗仪所测蒸散量日内变化趋势均与LL（大）蒸渗仪所测一致,日内变化比较平稳;（2）ML蒸渗仪所测日蒸散量与LL所测结果的相关性最好（P<0.01）;（3）SL蒸渗仪所测水稻日平均蒸散量和蒸散总量与LL接近,所以可将SL蒸渗仪替代LL测定水稻日平均蒸散量和蒸散总量;ML所测冬小麦和水稻的日平均蒸散量及蒸散总量均比LL明显偏小,蒸散总量偏小主要由于拔节后较大的日蒸散量偏差导致。     

基于小麦模型算法集成平台的三种水分胁迫算法比较

准确模拟水分胁迫并揭示其对作物生长发育过程的影响,是作物模型应用于田间研究和干旱影响评估的关键。该研究将3种主流水分胁迫算法整合到一个标准平台中,组成土壤含水率模型(average Soil Water Content,SWC)、土壤水分供需比模型(Water Supply to Demand ratio,WS/WD)和相对蒸腾模型(Actual to Potential Transpiration ratio,AT/PT)共3种水分胁迫模拟模型。利用河北吴桥2017—2019年冬小麦水分试验田间观测数据结合2008—2009和2013—2016年水分试验文献资料对模型平台进行参数校准与验证。结果表明,3种模型的模拟结果与实测值均吻合良好,地上部生物量、土壤含水率和产量的归一化均方根误差(Normalized Root Mean Squared Error,NRMSE)分别为14.0%～16.5%、5.1%～8.8%和5.4%～7.7%。3种水分胁迫模型模拟的生长季水分亏缺出现的时间和严重程度不同,但模拟的水分胁迫因子年际间变化一致。雨养条件下,生长季降水量分别决定了SWC、WS/WD和AT/PT模型模拟的年际间水分胁迫因子变异的56%、56%和39%。灌水对产量具有促进作用,但灌水量增加会导致灌水利用效率下降。SWC、WS/WD和AT/PT模型模拟枯水年灌四水(底墒水+起身水+孕穗水+开花水)处理的产量较不灌水分别高163%、132%和92%,灌四水处理的灌水利用效率较灌一水(底墒水)处理分别低26.8%、12.3%和40.0%。在吴桥县冬小麦水分管理决策中,WS/WD模型最优,SWC模型次之,AP/TP模型较差。研究结果可为提升作物模型在冬小麦干旱影响评估和水分管理方面的可信度提供参考。     

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.