一种新型自然光气体熏蒸平台：系统结构与控制精度

研制新建自然光气体熏蒸平台主要用于开展大气环境变化对作物影响的研究。该平台采用分布式拓扑结构,通过监测系统实时探知温度、湿度、光照、压力以及目标气体浓度的变化,利用温度、湿度调控系统和布气系统实现对外界环境的动态模拟,使气室内的气象因子与室外基本一致,并使气体浓度达预定目标要求。平台设置室外对照（Ambient）、室内对照（CK）、高浓度臭氧（[O3]）、高浓度二氧化碳（[CO2]）和高浓度O3和CO（2[O3×CO2]）5个处理,其中室内对照实时模拟室外环境,[O3]处理为Ambient的1.6倍,[CO2]处理比Ambient高200ppm。2011年水稻生长季气室运行结果表明,[CO2]和[O3]控制精度在90%以上的时间占总布气时间的比例分别达95%和80%以上,温度、湿度和大气压力控制精度在90%以上的时间均占总运行时间的95%以上,平台光照控制精度在90%以上的时间占总运行时间的75%以上。整个布气期间,CO2和O3浓度平均控制目标完成比（target achievement ratios,TAR）分别为1.01和1.00,温度、湿度、光照和大气压TAR分别达1.01、0.99、0.96和1.00。稳态熏蒸测试结果表明,气室内O3、CO2、温度和湿度的水平分布和垂直分布均匀,控制稳定。     

大气O3浓度升高对麦田土壤重金属铜生物有效性和生理毒性的影响

在开放式空气O3浓度增加（FACE）平台下,采用盆栽试验,初步研究了O3浓度升高后麦田重金属Cu的生物有效性变化以及对各生长阶段小麦叶片生理毒性的影响。结果表明,在FACE条件下,小麦地上部对Cu的吸收相比于正常大气对应组有增加的现象;与正常大气对应组相比,FACE条件下土壤中有效态Cu的含量也有所增加;随着小麦的生长发育,FACE圈小麦叶片内的MDA含量总体呈上升趋势,O3升高铜污染组的小麦叶片内MDA的含量最高;与正常大气对照组相比,O3升高铜污染组的小麦叶片SOD酶和POD酶比较敏感,在分蘖期其活性受到诱导,但随着暴露时间的增加,抗氧化系统的各个酶的活性逐渐受到抑制。O3加剧了Cu对小麦的牛理胁迫．增加了Cu的牛物有效性。     

臭氧污染对水稻土物理结构和氮磷钾含量的影响

利用中国稻-麦轮作O3FACE(Free-air O3 concentration enrichment)试验平台,研究了连续3年大气O3浓度升高(比周围大气高50%)对稻田表层(0~20 cm)土壤团聚体、土壤容重及孔隙度和氮磷钾养分含量的影响。结果表明,大气O3浓度升高显著增加耕层土壤0.25~0.053 mm团聚体23.5%和降低<0.053 mm团聚体24.6%。O3污染具有增大0~10 cm土层和降低10~20 cm土层土壤容重的趋势,0~10 cm土壤中气体孔隙度显著减小39.8%,10~20 cm土壤中毛管孔隙度显著增加9.1%和气体孔隙度显著减小32.4%,改变了固、液、气三相比。长期O3污染显著降低土壤全氮含量10.5%和速效钾13.3%,显著增加有效磷40.8%,但对有效氮未产生显著影响。结果表明,长期臭氧污染将改变土壤物理结构和养分物质的生物地球化学循环。     

主动防堵式免耕播种机作业粉尘特性

原茬地免耕覆秸精播机在高速作业过程中，粉尘影响气吸式排种器排种性能，导致播种质量降低。该文对作业粉尘进行物性参数测定，通过理论分析建立粉尘飘移运动学模型，运用CFD-DEM耦合和二次回归正交旋转中心组合试验方法，以作业速度、风向和风速为试验因素，粉尘浓度为评价指标，探究原茬地免耕覆秸精播机作业周围5m空间内的粉尘分布规律。结果表明：风向和风速对粉尘浓度具有极显著影响(P<0.01)，作业速度具有显著影响(P<0.05)，影响主次顺序为风速、风向、作业速度；最小粉尘浓度分布空间为清秸防堵种床整备装置上方对应中间播种行0.32 m³的立方体空间范围。田间验证试验结果表明，虚拟仿真与田间试验粉尘分布范围相对误差小于8.6%，仿真分析方法可行，结果可靠。研究结果可为主动防堵式免耕播种机特别是原茬地免耕覆秸精播机防尘式气吸排种系统设计提供理论参考依据。     

气液两相离心泵受力特性研究

离心泵在气液两相流工况运行时,叶轮内部流动极不稳定,为了研究叶轮在该工况下的受力情况,该文采用计算流体动力学的方法对某一气液两相离心泵进行了研究。基于欧拉-欧拉非均相流模型及SST湍流模型求解气液两相流离心泵的三维湍流流场,并将数值模拟结果与试验数据对比,两者吻合较好。通过对不同含气率工况下的离心泵瞬态特性进行分析发现,叶轮所受轴向力的大小随着时间的变化而波动,进口含气率达到3%时,轴向力脉动出现明显的峰值,这些峰值所对应的频率均为叶轮转频,随着进口含气率的增加,出现了2个及以上的峰值,进口含气率为7%工况的轴向力脉动峰值是3%工况的3倍,是5%工况的2倍;叶轮所受径向力大小及径向力脉动幅值均随进口含气率的增加呈先增加后减小的趋势,各工况下径向力脉动峰值所对应的频率均为叶片转频的倍数;通过分析进口含气率分别为1%、3%及7%工况下叶轮中间截面的含气率分布、涡量分布以及静压分布可得,叶轮内含气率较高区域的涡量也较大,而该区域的压力分布也不均匀,由此可见,叶轮内气液分布不均导致了叶轮内的压力分布不均,从而使叶轮受力不均。     

AS350B3e直升机航空喷施雾滴飘移分布特性

为了探究安装有AG-NAV Guía系统的AS350B3e直升机进行喷施作业时的雾滴飘移规律,以轻型机载北斗RTK差分系统获取的精准作业参数(时间、速度、高度、轨迹)为参考,进行了不同作业参数喷施试验。研究了该直升机以4种不同飞行速度范围进行单向式喷施作业时,对应的有效喷幅区域范围及雾滴飘移分布规律,对比了添加航空助剂对雾滴飘移距离及飘移量的影响。结果表明:有效喷幅区域的位置受自然风速和风向变化的影响,会向直升机航线下风向区域有不同程度的偏移;当直升机分别以70、90、100、120 km/h 4种速度参数进行喷施作业时,随着飞行速度的增大,有效喷幅宽度呈现先缓慢增大后急剧减小的趋势,100 km/h的飞行速度为有效喷幅宽度变化的峰值拐点;当侧风风速为1.1~2.3 m/s时,目标喷雾区的最小宽度在喷雾区域下风向水平距离27.61~48.94 m的范围内,且下风向受飘移影响距离均接近或小于下风向有效喷幅宽度,同时研究还发现雾滴粒径在200μm以下的雾滴更容易发生飘移,因此在作业时要预留至少50 m以上缓冲区(安全区)并合理选择航空喷头以避免药液飘移产生的危害;航空助剂的使用对于雾滴飘移量减轻效果显著,在同等作业条件下,添加航空助剂能够使雾滴飘移量减少33.94%。该研究结果可为直升机的喷施系统性能改进提供参考,对合理喷施农药、减少飘移、提高农药利用率具有重要意义。     

FACE条件下小麦冠层能量平衡和水分利用率的变化

本文利用中国开放式CO2浓度增高(Free-air CO2 Enrichment,简称FACE)系统平台,于2007年3月19日至5月24日小麦拔节至成熟期进行小麦冠层微气候及相关项目的连续观测,并结合能量平衡分析,研究中国FACE系统对小麦冠层能量平衡各分量的变化特征及水分利用率的影响.能量平衡分析结果表明,小麦冠层白天总显热通量FACE均高于对照,而总潜热通量FACE均低于对照,潜热通量FACE与对照的差异日最大值变化在-12～-63 W˙m-2之间,显热通量FACE与对照的差异最大值变化在12～78 W-m-2之间.能量平衡是小气候变化的根本,利用p-M方程反演出的冠层群体气孔导度与实测的气孔导度相关关系较好,证明能量平衡的计算结果及小气候观测数据基本正确.观测期间内模拟计算结果表明,CO2浓度升高使小麦的水分利用减小约25.5 mm,结合生物量的增加,FACE条件下小麦水分利用率增加约19%.     

基于水文和土壤侵蚀模型评估植被过滤带净化径流中氮磷的效果

为了方便快速地评估单次径流条件下植被过滤带对污染物氮、磷的净化效果,该文设计了地表径流的模拟放水试验,分析了泥沙与颗粒态污染物的相关性,依据土壤混合层概念简化了土壤污染物的输移,建立了植被过滤带对污染物作用效果的估算模型。结果表明:径流中颗粒态氮、磷含量与泥沙含量有显著相关性(P0.05),据此建立线性相关方程,估算出植被过滤带对颗粒态污染物的净化效果,其86%以上样本的颗粒态氮、磷质量浓度模拟偏差均在±20%之内;溶解态氮、磷的迁移分两部分,即发生于坡面地表径流中和土壤混合层中,分别根据质量平衡原理建立方程对溶解态污染物的迁移进行了模拟,验证得到83%以上样本的溶解态氮质量浓度模拟偏差在±20%之内,67%以上样本的溶解态磷质量浓度模拟偏差也在±20%之内,研究表明,可以基于土壤混合层概念和水文及土壤侵蚀模型对植被过滤带净化效果进行评估。     

气液两相离心泵受力特性分析

离心泵在气液两相流工况运行时,叶轮内部流动极不稳定,为了研究叶轮在该工况下的受力情况,该文采用计算流体动力学的方法对某一气液两相离心泵进行了研究。基于欧拉-欧拉非均相流模型及SST湍流模型求解气液两相流离心泵的三维湍流流场,并将数值模拟结果与试验数据对比,两者吻合较好。通过对不同含气率工况下的离心泵瞬态特性进行分析发现,叶轮所受轴向力的大小随着时间的变化而波动,进口含气率达到3%时,轴向力脉动出现明显的峰值,这些峰值所对应的频率均为叶轮转频,随着进口含气率的增加,出现了2个及以上的峰值,进口含气率为7%工况的轴向力脉动峰值是3%工况的3倍,是5%工况的2倍;叶轮所受径向力大小及径向力脉动幅值均随进口含气率的增加呈先增加后减小的趋势,各工况下径向力脉动峰值所对应的频率均为叶片转频的倍数;通过分析进口含气率分别为1%、3%及7%工况下叶轮中间截面的含气率分布、涡量分布以及静压分布可得,叶轮内含气率较高区域的涡量也较大,而该区域的压力分布也不均匀,由此可见,叶轮内气液分布不均导致了叶轮内的压力分布不均,从而使叶轮受力不均。     

用计算机对沿岸海浪现场观测的统计特征研究

为了分析广西北海市沿岸的波浪特征,采用计算机对SZF型波浪浮标观测一个月（2008年6月份）的风浪过程资料,并对其进行了统计分析和谱分析,给出了波高和周期分布,以及特征波要素和波谱关系。结果表明,观测期间风向很稳定,以SW和S为主,风速主要在1~3级,2级风的出现频率为40%,1级风为25%,3级风的出现频率为24.2%;波高以3级为主,出现率达66%;主波向出现的频率主要在S向,占35.4%。从风向和浪向来看,S、SW向的波主要是风或外海海浪共同作用所致,但波向与风向一般都有一定的差别,综其原因是风速和风向的变化较快,而波浪的变化有一定的延迟所致,实测波高分布与瑞利分布基本相符。     

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.