荷花粉真空脉动干燥特性和干燥品质

为了缩短花粉的干燥时间,保证干燥品质,将真空脉动干燥技术应用于干燥新鲜荷花粉,研究了真空保持时间(15、12、9、6和3 min)、干燥温度(45、50、55、60和65℃)对干燥动力学、水分有效扩散系数、干燥活化能的影响,并运用Weibull分布函数模拟了花粉真空脉动干燥特性曲线;此外还研究了真空保持时间、干燥温度对花粉蛋白质含量以及微观结构的影响,并对干燥前后的花粉进行了色差分析。试验结果表明:Weibull分布函数能够很好地描述花粉的真空脉动干燥过程,结合尺度参数、形状参数计算出花粉真空脉动干燥水分有效扩散系数在2.154 2×10-11~6.254 3×10-11 m2/s之间;干燥活化能为20.88 k J/mol,表明新鲜荷花粉干燥每脱除1 kg水所需要的启动能量为1 160.00 k J;试验参数范围内,随着真空保持时间的减少,干燥后花粉蛋白质质量分数呈现先增加后减少的趋势;当干燥温度为45℃,真空常压脉动比为12 min:3 min时花粉蛋白质质量分数最高,为18.43%;扫描电镜结果显示,随着干燥温度的升高,花粉颗粒间致密程度降低,形成孔隙结构,这有助于干燥中水分的扩散迁移,花粉颗粒微观结构的完整性随着干燥温度的升高而降低;干燥前后花粉未发生色泽劣变。荷花粉真空脉动干燥的较佳参数为真空常压脉动比为12 min:3 min,干燥温度为45℃。研究结果为花粉真空脉动干燥技术的应用提供了理论依据和技术支持。     

基于Weibull函数不同干燥方式下的茯苓干燥特性

为缩短干燥时间,克服茯苓块干燥后表面龟裂、易于破碎的缺陷,改善干燥品质;将自然晾晒、普通热风干燥、气体射流冲击干燥、真空脉动干燥4种技术应用于茯苓块的干燥,研究了茯苓的干燥特性;利用Weibull函数对其干燥曲线进行拟合并分析干燥过程,结合尺度参数、形状参数计算茯苓块的水分有效扩散系数、干燥活化能,并与Fick第二定律进行比较;测定了不同干燥条件下的破碎率、浸出物质量分数;并基于能耗、尺度参数、破碎率、浸出物质量分数对3种人工干燥方式进行了综合评价。结果表明:1)茯苓块在4种干燥方式下均表现为降速干燥,但普通热风干燥、真空脉动干燥前期存在升速段;2)Weibull函数能够准确拟合不同干燥方式下的干燥曲线;尺度参数随着温度、风速的增加而减小;形状参数与干燥方式有关,普通热风、真空干燥的形状参数值均大于1,气体射流干燥的形状参数值均小于1;3)基于Weibull函数计算水分有效扩散系数、干燥活化能,可克服Fick第二定律只适用于降速干燥的缺陷;估算的水分扩散系数范围为3.90×10-9~20.40×10-9 m2/s;干燥活化能为29.45~40.09kJ/mol,且不同干燥方式间的活化能存在差异;4)不同干燥方式下茯苓块破碎率存在显著性差异(p0.05);真空脉动与自然晾晒的破碎率均低于5.00%;试验参数范围内,气体射流的温度、风速与破碎率无相关关系,破碎率均值为62.68%;普通热风干燥方式下,破碎率随温度的升高而增大;5)真空脉动干燥方式下浸出物质量分数最高,为4.54%~4.75%;综合评价结果表明茯苓块的干燥宜采用真空脉动干燥技术。该研究探索了不同干燥技术下茯苓块的干燥特性和品质,为选择合适的干燥工艺提供了理论依据。     

基于Weibull分布函数的马铃薯丁薄层热风干燥特性

为了实现马铃薯的规模化热风干燥,提高脱水制品的品质、降低生产能耗和成本,该文以薄层干燥试验为基础,研究了鲜切马铃薯丁在不同热风温度（40、50、60、70、80、90℃）、风速（0.5、1.0、1.5、2.5、3.5 m/s）和切丁长度（2.5、5、10、15 mm）条件下的干燥曲线、水分有效扩散系数和干燥活化能。利用Weibull分布函数拟合了干燥曲线,并建立了风温、风速和切丁长度与模型参数的定量关系。研究表明：鲜切马铃薯丁的热风干燥过程服从 Weibull 分布函数（R2=0.991～0.999）,是典型的降速干燥过程,模型的尺度参数与热风温度、风速和切丁长度有关;模型的形状参数与风速和切丁长度有关,而温度对其影响不显著（P＞0.05）;水分有效平均扩散系数在1.859～12.509×10-9 m2/s之间,与热风温度和风速显著相关（P＜0.05）,而物料切丁长度对其影响不显著（P＞0.05）;几何尺寸值与干燥物料的切丁长度和风速有关;马铃薯丁热风干燥的活化能为19.107 kJ/mol。该研究可为马铃薯热风干燥提供理论和技术基础。     

热风干燥联合真空降温缓苏提升黄秋葵干制品品质

为提升黄秋葵热风干燥产品品质,试验将真空降温缓苏技术应用于黄秋葵热风干燥过程中。研究了不同缓苏时长下黄秋葵干燥特性和品质指标的变化规律;利用Weibull分布函数分析缓苏处理对黄秋葵热风干燥过程中水分扩散机制的影响;采用一元非线性回归分析构建适用于黄秋葵真空降温缓苏-热风联合干燥过程中干燥特性和品质指标随缓苏时长变化的学数模型;以总干燥耗时、总干燥能耗、复水比、色相角以及总营养物质保存率为指标,对不同缓苏时长下的黄秋葵热风干燥进行加权综合评价。结果表明：缓苏处理能够提升黄秋葵热风干燥速率,且随着缓苏时长的延长其促进作用会增强;Weibull分布函数能够准确描述（R2>0.99且离差平方和χ2处于10-4数量级）黄秋葵真空降温缓苏-热风联合干燥过程中水分比随干燥时间的变化规律;常用函数一元非线性回归分析能够构建出黄秋葵真空降温缓苏-热风联合干燥过程中各干燥特性和品质指标随缓苏时长的变化规律的动力学模型;联合干燥过程中,缓苏60 min处理的综合评分值最高为0.55,在干燥温度和风速分别为60℃、1.5 m/s条件下,该缓苏时长较适合应用于黄秋葵热风干燥。研究表明,真空降温缓苏处理能够提升黄秋葵热风干燥的干燥速率和干燥品质,该文可为真空降温缓苏技术在高品质黄秋葵干制品工业生产上的应用提供理论依据。     

污泥干燥模型选择及Weibull分布模型求解与分析

为了研究污泥薄层干燥的动力学模型、明确薄层干燥模型选取原则、分析模型参数影响因素及在干燥中应用,该研究搭建了污泥干燥试验台,对不同干燥温度(50、75、100、125℃)、不同风速(0.5、1.0、1.5、2.0 m/s)与不同污泥厚度(5、10、15、20mm)的污泥进行干燥试验,利用Weibull分布模型对其干燥动力学曲线进行模拟并分析,建立了风温、风速和污泥厚度与模型参数的定量关系。从原模型与改进模型、因变量与自变量转换、多参数模型及初始条件等4个角度分析,选择Lewis、Page、Two-term exponential和Weibull分布模型进行拟合分析,发现污泥的热风干燥过程服从Weibull分布模型(R²=0.994～0.997),是典型的降速干燥过程,降速阶段存在第一、第二降速段,模型的尺度参数(α)和形状参数(β)均与热风温度、风速和污泥厚度有关;第二降速段扩散系数大于第一降速段扩散系数,第一降速段活化能变化范围为12.91～17.12 kJ/mol,第二降速段活化能变化范围9.56～15.05kJ/mol。研究结果可为污泥干燥工艺参数优化及干燥...     

干燥介质相对湿度对胡萝卜片热风干燥特性的影响

为了探究相对湿度和阶段降湿对热风干燥过程的影响,该文在干燥温度60℃、风速3.0 m/s条件下,研究了相对湿度(20%、30%、40%、50%)及第一阶段相对湿度50%保持不同时间(10、30、60、90 min),第二阶段相对湿度20%下,胡萝卜片的干燥特性和温度变化规律;利用Weibull分布函数对干燥曲线进行拟合并分析干燥过程,结合尺度参数估算水分有效扩散系数;基于复水比、色泽、干燥时间和能耗对不同相对湿度条件下的干燥过程进行评价。研究结果表明:相对湿度保持恒定条件下,干燥速率先上升后下降,且相对湿度越低干燥速率越大。降低相对湿度有利于缩短干燥时间,热风相对湿度20%比50%条件下干燥时间缩短了27.6%;分段降湿干燥条件下,热风相对湿度50%保持30min后降低为20%,其干燥时间比相对湿度恒定为20%条件下缩短了18.5%,干燥过程出现2个升速阶段;Weibull分布函数可以很好地描述胡萝卜恒定湿度和阶段降湿干燥过程。尺度参数α范围在1.864~3.635 h之间,形状参数β值在1.296~1.713之间,水分有效扩散系数在1.17×10-9~2.92×10-9 m2/s之间。对绿红值、复水率、能耗和干燥时间进行综合评价显示,热风相对湿度50%保持30 min干燥条件下绿红值最高为41.4,能耗相比于恒定相对湿度20%条件下减少了6.0%,复水比较高为3.81,综合评分较高为0.91。该文揭示了干燥介质相对湿度对胡萝卜片干燥特性的影响规律,对于优化干燥介质湿度控制策略以提高干燥速率和品质,降低干燥能耗提供了科学依据和技术支持。     

哈密瓜片气体射流冲击干燥特性和干燥模型研究

本文将气体射流冲击干燥技术应用于哈密瓜片的干燥,研究了其在不同干燥温度（60、65、70、75和80℃）和风速（5、10、15和20 m/s）下的干燥曲线、水分有效扩散系数以及干燥活化能,并建立了气体射流冲击哈密瓜片的数学模型。研究结果表明：哈密瓜片的整个干燥过程属于降速干燥,水分有效扩散系数在2.38-4.55×10-9 m2/s的范围内随着干燥温度和风速的升高而升高;通过阿伦尼乌斯公式计算出了哈密瓜片的干燥活化能为29.44 kJ/mol。根据R2、RMSE和X-2得出,Modified Page方程能很好的预测哈密瓜片气体射流冲击干燥的水分比变化规律,该模型与气体射流的温度和风速有关,并得到了各参数的数值和模型表达式。     

南瓜片真空脉动干燥特性及含水率预测

为探索南瓜片真空脉动干燥特性,并实现干燥过程中南瓜的含水率预测,该文研究了不同常压保持时间、真空保持时间、干燥温度和切片厚度对南瓜干燥时间和速率的影响;利用温度传感器实时采集南瓜在干燥过程中的中心温度,阐述压力脉动过程对物料传热传质的影响;建立了输入层个数为5,隐藏层个数为11,输出层为南瓜含水率,结构为"5-11-1"的BP神经网络模型,实现对南瓜含水率实时预测.结果表明:真空保持时间和常压保持时间均对南瓜干燥时间有显著影响,干燥温度60℃,切片厚度7mm条件下,常压保持时间10min和真空保持时间9min所用干燥时间最短,约为352min;干燥温度和切片厚度均对干燥时间有显著影响,提高干燥温度、减少切片厚度能够有效缩短干燥时间.采用Levenberg-Marquardt算法为训练函数,经过有限次训练得到的BP神经网络模型,其预测值与实测值之间的决定系数R2为0.9968,均方根误差RMSE为0.0173,能够很好预测南瓜在真空脉动干燥过程中的含水率.研究结果为南瓜真空脉动应用以及含水率在线预测提供理论依据.     

腐殖酸肥料射频真空干燥特性

为研究腐殖酸肥料射频真空干燥特性及品质,该研究探讨了不同极板间距（160、165 mm）、不同初始湿基含水率（10%、15%、20%）下腐殖酸肥料的升温速率和加热均匀性,在此基础上进行射频真空干燥试验,并以热风干燥试验为对照,采用Weibull函数拟合腐殖酸肥料射频真空干燥特性曲线,对比射频真空干燥与热风干燥对腐殖酸肥料颜色、总氮、总磷、总钾及有机质的影响。结果表明：真空度为0.085 MPa,极板间距为160 mm、初始湿基含水率为15%时,干燥速率和升温速率较快,加热均匀性较好;升温曲线在53 ℃出现拐点,53 ℃前升温较快,53 ℃后升温较慢;除含水率为20%的物料外,极板间距对加热均匀性影响不显著（P > 0.05）,但初始湿基含水率对其有显著影响（P<0.05）;射频真空干燥所需时间较热风干燥缩短约208 min,射频真空干燥可显著提高干燥速率（P<0.05）;Weibull函数能较好的拟合腐殖酸肥料射频真空干燥过程,尺度参数和形状参数随极板间距的减小而减小,随初始湿基含水率的增加呈先减小后增大的趋势;水分有效扩散系数,随极板间距的减小而增大,随初始湿基含水率的增加,呈先增大后减小的趋势;极板间距与初始湿基含水率总体上对腐殖酸肥料的色泽高度L*、红绿值a*、蓝黄值b*、总氮、总磷、总钾、有机质无显著影响（P>0.05）;65 ℃热风干燥后样品的色差值显著高于射频真空干燥（P<0.05）,总氮和有机质含量显著低于射频真空干燥（P<0.05）。在设置的试验条件下,腐殖酸肥料的较佳干燥参数为真空度0.085 MPa、极板间距160 mm、初始湿基含水率15%。研究结果可为腐殖酸肥料射频真空干燥应用提供参考。     

哈密瓜片气体射流冲击干燥特性和干燥模型

为了提高哈密瓜制干品质、缩短干燥时间,该文将气体射流冲击干燥技术应用于哈密瓜片的干燥,研究了其在不同干燥温度（60、65、70、75和80℃）和风速（5、10、15和20 m/s）下的干燥曲线、水分有效扩散系数以及干燥活化能,并建立了气体射流冲击干燥哈密瓜片的数学模型。研究结果表明：哈密瓜片的整个干燥过程属于降速干燥,水分有效扩散系数在2.38～4.55×10-9 m2/s的范围内随着干燥温度和风速的升高而升高;通过阿伦尼乌斯公式计算出了哈密瓜片的干燥活化能为29.44 kJ/mol。通过决定系数R2、均方误差的根（RMSE）和卡方检验值（2）等拟合优度评价指标对各种干燥模型进行评价,结果表明：Modified Page模型能很好的预测哈密瓜片气体射流冲击干燥过程中的水分比变化规律。该研究为使用气体射流冲击技术工业化干燥哈密瓜提供了技术依据。     

“绿色革命”以来大气CO2浓度升高对C3作物营养品质的影响

自20世纪60年代"绿色革命"以来,育种技术和农耕技术的发展促进了农作物产量的大幅提升,然而作物的营养品质出现下降趋势。在相似的遗传背景下,大气CO_2浓度升高会使单位体积农作物产品的营养元素含量下降,因此"绿色革命"至今,农作物产品的营养元素下降可能受大气CO_2浓度升高影响。通过植物生长箱模拟"绿色革命"初期和目前的大气CO_2浓度水平(310μmol/mol和400μmol/mol),针对主要C_3作物水稻、小麦和大豆,研究"绿色革命"以来大气CO_2浓度升高对其籽粒的C、N、Fe、Zn元素含量的影响,结果表明:CO_2浓度升高对3种作物籽粒的C元素含量几乎没有影响,变化幅度在±1.5%之间;籽粒的N、Fe、Zn元素含量普遍呈现下降趋势,但均未达到显著水平。     

Potential of wild species for genetic enhancement of some semi-arid food crops

Discovery and incorporation of genes from wild species provide means to sustain crop improvement, particularly when levels of resistance in the cultigens are low and virulent strains of pests and pathogens overcome the host plant resistance. The extent of utilization and the potential of the wild genepool for genetic enhancement were reviewed in five important food crops viz. sorghum, pearl millet, chickpea, pigeonpea and groundnut grown in the semi-arid tropics. Introgression from compatible wild germplasm in the primary gene pool resulted in transfer of new cytoplasmic male sterility systems in pearl millet and pigeonpea, development of high protein, cleistogamous flower and dwarf pigeonpea lines and foliar disease resistant groundnut cultivars. Utilization of wild species in secondary and tertiary gene pools has been generally limited due to sterility, restricted recombination or cross incompatibility. Nevertheless, these species are extremely important as they contain high levels of resistance to several important biotic and abiotic stresses. Several of them, like those belonging to the Parasorghum section and the rhizomatous Arachis species are sources of multiple resistances and hold great promise to sustain crop productivity.     

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     

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.     

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.     

Collection and preliminary evaluation of native turfgrass accessions in Italy

Despite a raising interest on turfs in Italy, all theavailable varieties of this kind in the Country are of foreign origin, and areoften poorly adapted to the prevailing climatic conditions. This prompted tobegin a collection activity of indigenous turfgrass species, with the ultimategoal of identifying promising materials for future breeding based on localgenetic resources. The collection was carried out in three areas of Italy, viz.the northern Po Plain, the coastal region of Liguria, and the island of Sardiniathat are characterised, respectively, by subcontinental, warm temperate, andtypical Mediterranean climate. Altogether, 141 sites were visited, yielding 226accessions belonging to eight species of potential interest for turfs:Poa pratensis, Poa trivialis,Festuca rubra, Festuca arundinacea,Lolium perenne, Agrostis stolonifera,Agrostis tenuis, and Cynodon dactylon,this last being a warm-season grass. Poa pratensis andCynodon dactylon were mostly collected in northern Italyand Sardinia, respectively, whereas Festuca arundinacea andLolium perenne were rather ubiquitous. The collection sitesranged from 0 to 1040 m asl, but sites over 750 m wereonly visited in the inner part of Sardinia. All the accessions, collected aswhole plants, were transplanted at Lodi, northern Italy, where they are beingevaluated. Their preliminary evaluation for traits of importance for turf use,such as sward colour and overall quality, highlighted the great variation andthe occurrence of interesting accessions in all species. Other characters wererecorded, bearing specific importance in individual species, and in all casespromising accessions were identified. The germplasm of Festucarubra, Festuca arundinacea, and Loliumperenne proved highly infected by endophytic (symbiotic) fungi of thegenus Neotyphodium.     

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.     

Effect of some fungicide seed treatments on the survival of Bradyrhizobium japonicum and on the nodulation and yield of soybean [Glycine max. (L) Merr.]

Several commercial fungicide seed treatments were evaluated for their possible effect on the survival of Bradyrhizobium japonicum on seeds and on the nodulation and yield of soybeans in a greenhouse and a field experiment. quinolate Pro (carbendazim and oxine copper), Vitavax 200FF (carboxin and thiram), and Monceren (pencycuron) had a small effect or no effect on the survival of B. japonicum and on the nodulation and yield of soybeans. They can thus be considered compatible with soybean seed inoculation. Germipro UFB (carbendazim and iprodione), Apron 35J (metalaxyl), and Tachigaren (hymexazol) decreased B. japonicum survival and the nodulation and yield of soybeans and thus cannot be considered compatible with soybean seed inoculation.     

Leaf position and genotype differences for mineral element concentrations in sorghum grown on tropical acid soil 1

Mineral element deficiencies and toxicities are common problems associated with sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] production on acid soils. To better understand some of the mineral element problems and the analysis of plant tissue of sorghum plants grown on acid soils, four sorghum genotypes were grown on an acid Oxisol at Carimagua, Colombia limed with dolomite at 2 and 6 Mg ha^‐1.

Samples for mineral element analyses were obtained from leaves at different positions on the four genotypes. Concentrations of P and Mg were highest in the flag leaf (Leaf No. 1) and decreased as the position on the plant declined from the top of the plant for plants grown at 2 Mg lime ha^‐1. Similar decreases in P, Mg, K, and Zn concentrations occurred in plants grown with 6 Mg lime ha^‐1. Concentrations of Ca, S, Si, Mn, Fe, Cu, and Al increased as leaf position declined from the flag leaf for plants grown at 2 and 6 Mg lime ha^‐1. The higher lime supply enhanced Ca and reduced Mn and Fe concentrations in leaves. Differences in mineral element concentrations for the four genotypes used were fairly extensive. The elements to show the greatest range among genotypes were Al and Si and the elements to show the least range among genotypes were P, K, and S. Care should be used in collecting leaf samples for plant analysis and genotypic differences for accumulation of mineral elements should be considered in interpretation of results.