Genetic algorithms for the sequential irrigation scheduling problem

A sequential irrigation scheduling problem is the problem of preparing a schedule to sequentially service a set of water users. This problem has an analogy with the classical single machine earliness/tardiness scheduling problem in operations research. In previously published work, integer program and heuristics were used to solve sequential irrigation scheduling problems; however, such scheduling problems belong to a class of combinatorial optimization problems known to be computationally demanding (NP-hard). This is widely reported in operations research. Hence, integer program can only be used to solve relatively small problems usually in a research environment where considerable computational resources and time can be allocated to solve a single schedule. For practical applications, metaheuristics such as genetic algorithms (GA), simulated annealing, or tabu search methods need to be used. These need to be formulated carefully and tested thoroughly. The current research is to explore the potential of GA to solve the sequential irrigation scheduling problems. Four GA models are presented that model four different sequential irrigation scenarios. The GA models are tested extensively for a range of problem sizes, and the solution quality is compared against solutions from integer programs and heuristics. The GA is applied to the practical engineering problem of scheduling water scheduling to 94 water users.     

Competitive ability of some cover crop species against Asystasia gangetica and Pennisetum polystachion

Abstract

Asystasia gangetica and Pennisetum polystachion are the most troublesome weeds in oil palm plantations in Malaysia and establishment of cover crops under oil palms is an integral part of sustainable weed management in plantations. Replacement-series experiments were conducted to evaluate the mode and strength of competitiveness of four legume cover crop species, Calopogonium caeruleum, Centrosema pubescens, Mucuna bracteata and Pueraria javanica, and one soft grass species, Axonopus compressus, against Asystasia gangetica and Pennisetum polystachion. Relative yield, relative yield total and relative crowding coefficient were calculated with reference to shoot biomass. Asystasia gangetica was a consistently weaker competitor than Pennisetum polystachion. The legume cover crop species had higher relative yield when grown in mixtures, whereas the yield of Asystasia gangetica was lower in mixtures with legumes than in monoculture. The higher competitiveness of legumes was due to greater canopy height and leaf area index. Centrosema pubescens was a slightly weaker competitor than the other legumes. Although leaf area per plant of Centrosema pubescens did not differ from that of other three legumes, canopy height and blocking photosynthetically active radiation to the soil surface were lower. When grown with a cover crop for 12 weeks, dry weight per plant, leaf area and shoot number of Pennisetum polystachion increased as its proportion decreased in mixtures. Relative yield data indicated that Pennisetum polystachion is a strong competitor. Axonopus compressus was less susceptible to Pennisetum polystachion interference than the legumes. All cover crop species studied proved highly competitive against Asystasia gangetica, but none could compete against Pennisetum polystachion. The study confirms the feasibility of using a cover crop for management of Asystasia gangetica.     

Impregnation modification of sugar palm fibres with phenol formaldehyde and unsaturated polyester

This study investigated the effects of impregnation modification via vacuum resin impregnation on physical and mechanical properties of sugar palm (Arenga pinnata) fibres. The fibre was evacuated at a constant impregnation pressure of 1000 mmHg impregnation times (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 min) with two different impregnation agents: phenol formaldehyde (PF) and unsaturated polyester (UP). A notable improvement in the physical properties of sugar palm fibres was observed after they were impregnated with PF and UP for 5 min, shown by the reduction of their moisture content (91 % and 89 %, respectively) and water absorption (43 % and 41 %, respectively) compared to the control sample. However, no significant improvement (p≤0.05) in the physical properties of fibre was observed when the impregnation time was extended (from 10 to 25 min) using both impregnation agents. As for the mechanical properties of the fibre, significant improvement was observed after they were impregnated for 5 min. The fibres impregnated with UP resulted in better fibre toughness and improved mechanical properties as shown in their higher tensile strength and elongation at break compared to the fibres impregnated with PF. Both the physical and mechanical properties showed no significant improvement (p≤0.05) after time for impregnation was extended (from 10 to 25 min) using both impregnation agents. Therefore, it can be concluded that the physical and mechanical properties of sugar palm fibre could be enhanced by impregnating the fibre with thermosetting polymer (PF and UP) for 5 min. It was shown that impregnation with unsaturated polyester (UP) showed better improvement than phenol formaldehyde (PF). In addition, this study also concluded that the unsatisfactory enhancement of the properties of sugar palm fibre even after the impregnation time was extended from 10 to 25 min was due to the use of low impregnation pressure of 1000 mmHg.     

地衣对重金属的累积效应用于乌鲁木齐市大气监测的研究

[目的]评价地衣重金属富集能力及其在城市空气环境质量评价中的应用前景.[方法]利用地衣移植法把丽石黄衣移植到乌鲁木齐市区15个监测点,用原子吸收光谱仪测量地衣体内6种重金属含量,根据重金属含量计算单项污染量指数和Nemerow综合污染指数.[结果]随着移植时间的延长地衣体内的重金属含量出现上升趋势,丽石黄衣体内重金属含量具有显著的时空变化特征.同时把单向污染量指数作为变量进行聚类分析和主成分分析,显示15个监测点分为轻污染区、中度污染区、重污染区,严重污染区等三个等级.[结论]地衣具有较高的重金属富集能力,对大气污染较敏感,可以作为大气环境质量评价指示地衣种类.     

新疆天山一号冰川地衣地理区系与生态特征

初步整理了分布在天山一号冰川的地衣种类,共5目12科24属51种.地衣区系上包括世界广布种、环极北极高山种、环极低北极及北方种、环北方种、两极和大西洋种、温带种、东亚种、东亚-北美西部、北欧-巴基斯坦-北美种、中亚分布种、北半球大陆广布种、两半球广布种、中国特有种等.同时结合地衣的生长环境特征将该地区的地衣分藓丛生、土生、草地生、地面生、石浮土生、岩面生、荒漠风滚、树皮或树枝生、朽木生地衣种等9种生态类型.     

Allelopathic effects of Mikania cordata on forest and agricultural crops in Bangladesh

Mikania cordata, an invasive weed is becoming a problem in the secondary degraded forests and plantations of Bangladesh, not only competing with but also releasing allelochemicals to cultivated crops. Allelopathic effects of the leaves of M. cordata were investigated through an experiment in the green house of the Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, University of Chittagong, Bangladesh. Five economically important agricultural crops(Oryza sativa L., Triticum aestivum L., Vigna sinensis L., Abelmoschus esculentus L. and Amaranthus tricolor L.) and three forest crops(Acacia auriculiformis A.Cunn. ex Benth. Hook, Albizia procera(Roxb.) Benth.,and Paraserianthes falcataria(L.) Nielson) were used as bioassay species. Experiments were conducted on trays at an average room temperature 27 °C. The effects of different concentrations of leaf extracts were compared to controls. Water soluble allelochemicals of M. cordata inhibited the germination and initial growth of the tested agricultural and forest crops. Germination percent of forest crops declined with increasing concentration of extracts.The inhibitory effect on root elongation of forest crops was pronounced, whereas a stimulatory effect was found on P.falcataria up to a concentration of 25 %. Abelmoschus esculentus showed poor germination(%) and low shoot development(0.5 cm) and no development of taproot or lateral roots at treatment of 100 % concentration. Theinhibitory effect was proportional to the concentrations of the extracts with higher concentrations producing stronger inhibitory effects. Lower concentrations showed some stimulatory effect. The inhibitory effect was pronounced in root and lateral root development rather than germination or shoot development of the crops. Mikania cordata should be eradicated for healthy growth and development of the forest and adjacent agricultural crops.     

The genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Luteovirus</Emphasis> from infection to disease

Luteoviruses are economically important plant viruses. Specifically, barley yellow dwarf virus is epiphytotic to almost all small-grain cereal growing areas. The disease cycle is complex. This luteovirus has evolved several intelligent mechanisms to communicate with both plant and phloem-feeding insect-vector aphid. Environmental cues influence disease severity, aphid infestation and viral load. Within an aphid, virus circulates persistently in a non-propagative manner and is transmitted selectively to the host plants. Selection of viruses within aphids has a role in virus isolate prevalence over a specific area. In the host-plant system, the virus has to release its single sense-strand RNA genome (approx. 5.6 to 6 kb), translate and subsequently replicate its genome using its own replicase and host machinery. This review summarizes our current understanding of disease epidemiology and reviews the current literature encompassing viral infectivity, economic impact and control measures.     

中国水仙R2R3-MYB基因NtMYB5的克隆和功能研究

为研究中国水仙（Narcissus tazetta var. chinensis）中类黄酮代谢途径的调控网络,从其转录组中筛选出1条R2R3-MYB基因并从花瓣cDNA中克隆其编码区全长序列,命名为NtMYB5。NtMYB5开放阅读框为681 bp,编码226个氨基酸。蛋白多重序列比对分析发现NtMYB5含有R2和R3结构域以及1个pdLNLD/ELxiG/S氨基酸基序;系统进化树分析表明,NtMYB5与花青素合成抑制因子亲缘关系最近;通过对NtMYB5在中国水仙中的表达检测发现,其表达量在花器官中较高,且随花开放逐渐上升;在烟草瞬时表达中,NtMYB5显著抑制花青素合成促进因子StMYB的效果;转NtMYB5烟草花瓣颜色变浅,qPCR检测表明NtMYB5抑制类黄酮代谢途径大部分结构基因表达。NtMYB5为中国水仙中花青素合成抑制因子。     

Analysis of genetic diversity of soybean germplasm from five different origins using RAPD markers

The pattern of genetic diversity among 92 genotypes of soybean from 5 different origins/sources (Pakistan, the USA, Asian Vegetable Research Development Centre (AVRDC), Japan and North Korea) was analyzed using randomly amplified polymorphic DNA markers. Out of 20 random primers 6 tested, 10 were polymorphic among genotypes and they yielded 107 markers, with an average of 10.7 markers per primer. The proportion of polymorphic bands within genotypes ranged from 0.47 to 0.71 with an average of 0.59. Pakistani and US genotypes exhibited the highest number of polymorphic bands (95%), while North Korean genotypes revealed the lowest (60%). The mean band frequency of the primers among genotypes was 0.57 with a range of 0.08–0.99. The Shannon’s index and Nei’s genetic diversity index revealed that primer OPF-06 showed maximum genetic diversity among the genotypes. Dendrogram constructed using Unweighted Pair Group Mean Average (UPGMA) method divided the genotypes into 5 main groups consisting of 13 clusters. The results of cluster analysis indicated that the genetic diversity between Pakistani and US or AVRDC genotypes is much larger than that between Pakistani and North Korean or Japanese genotypes. The Pakistani genotypes had distinct bands from plant introductions. Therefore, the Pakistani genotypes may be useful to soybean breeders.     

乌鲁木齐市郊区及周边地区地衣物种多样性的比较研究

[目的]地衣对空气污染有所加重,近年来随着乌鲁木齐市城市化速度的加快,空气污染有所加重,影响了该市郊区地衣植物的分布和生存.为了查明乌鲁木齐市郊区地衣物种多样性,对该地区地衣植物进行了野外调查.[方法]从2009年7月～2010年4月,根据实地调查数据并结合前人的研究资料,采用了显色反应、微量结晶法(MCT)和薄层色谱法(TLC)等方法对该地区地衣植物进行了初步的研究.[结果]通过研究鉴定出分布在乌鲁木齐郊区及周边地区的地衣共有25种(其中6个种未定种名),它们属于5个目、14个科和16个属.[结论]乌鲁木齐市郊区及周边地区地衣物种多样性比较低,随着离市区距离越远,地衣种类逐渐增加,说明该市空气污染影响了郊区及周边地区地衣种类的分布.