Artemia sp. Cysten als Aufzuchtfutter für Macrolophus pygmaeus: eine Evaluation unter Praxisbedingungen

Macrolophus pygmaeus is an omnivore insect with beneficial characteristics because of its good feeding performance and broad host range. However, disadvantages for its use are the high purchase and rearing costs. Labortary experimants showed that the breeding of this predatory bug is also possible with the eggs of Artemia sp. The objective of the present study therefore was to test Artemia sp. cysts as a food alternative for Macrolophus pygmaeus under practical conditions. For this purpose, a population of this bug was grown in glasshouse departments of the Research Center for Horticulture in Straelen, Germany. Three glasshouse compartments served as control treatments and were fed with E. kuehniella; the other three compartments were fed with cysts of Artemia sp. The population of M. pygmaeus, that has been raised with Artemia sp., turned out to be significantly smaller than the control. In this greenhouse trial, Artemia sp. cysts turned out to be an unsuitable alternative, because no stable and powerful population of M. pygmaeus could be established. However, this trial has been conducted under real practice conditions in the greenhouse, where because of the complexity of the system further research is needed to identify the specific reasons or factors of influence being responsible for the different outcome of experiments conducted under lab and practice conditions.     

通过耕地和施入硫酸措施来改善盐碱地土壤

Amelioration of saline-sodic soils through land preparation with three tillage implements （disc plow, rotavator and cultivator） each followed by application of sulfuric acid at 20% of gypsum （CaSO4-2H2O） requirement or no sulfuric acid application during crop growth period was evaluated in a field study for 2.5 years at three sites, i.e., Jhottianwala, Gabrika （Thabal）, and Thatta Langar, in Tehsil Pindi Bhattian, Hafizahad District, Pakistan. Within 2.5 years, there was a decrease in the salinity parameters measured （electrical conductivity, pH, and sodium adsorption ratio）, with a gradual increase in rice and wheat grain yields. It was observed that the disc plow, which not only ensured favorable yields but also helped improve soil health at all the three sites, was the most effective tillage implement. Also, application of sulfuric acid resulted in higher yields and promoted rapid amelioration of the saline-sodic soils.     

Efficiency of KOH-modified rice straw-derived biochar for reducing cadmium mobility, bioaccessibility and bioavailability risk index in red soil

Cadmium (Cd) pollution in agricultural soils has exerted a serious threat due to continuous application of pesticides, fertilizers, and wastewater irrigation. The present study aimed to test the efficiency of KOH-modified and non-modified rice straw-derived biochar (KBC and BC, respectively) for reducing Cd solubility and bioavailability in Cd-contaminated soil. Cadmium-contaminated soil was incubated for 60 d with 15 and 30 g kg^-1 BC and KBC. At the end of incubation, Cd mobility was estimated by the European Community Bureau of Reference sequential extraction and toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP), while bioavailability was determined using 1 mol L^-1 NH₄NO₃ extraction. The bioavailability risk index and bioaccessibility, assessed by a simple bioaccessibility extraction test, of Cd were used to examine the potential effects of Cd on living organisms. The results indicated that application of both KBC and BC significantly increased soil pH, cation exchange capacity, nutrients, and organic carbon. The soluble fraction of Cd was significantly decreased by 30.3% and 27.4%, respectively, with the addition of KBC and BC at 30 g kg^-1 compared to the control (without biochar addition). Similarly, the bioaccessible Cd was significantly decreased by 32.4% and 25.2%, respectively, with the addition of KBC and BC at 30 g kg^-1 compared to the control. In addition, both KBC and BC significantly reduced Cd leaching in the TCLP and NH₄NO₃-extractable Cd in the amended soil compared to the control. The reduction in Cd solubility and bioaccessibility by KBC and BC may be due to significant increases in soil pH and surface complexation. Overall, KBC at an application rate of 30 g kg^-1 demonstrated positive results as soil amendment for Cd immobilization, and reduced bioaccessible Cd in contaminated soil.     

外源物质对水稻盐胁迫缓解效应研究进展

盐胁迫是影响水稻生长发育和产量的主要非生物因素之一,外源物质能有效缓解盐对水稻的毒害作用并增加水稻产量。本文主要综述了不同外源物质(生长素、赤霉素、细胞分裂素、脱落酸、乙烯、褪黑素、水杨酸、多胺、油菜素类固醇、茉莉酸类外源生长调节物质以及钙、硅离子类外源物)对盐胁迫下水稻生长的不同调控机理及其缓解效应,并进一步对外源物质在水稻耐盐上的利用与研究工作进行了展望,以期为改善盐渍土环境下水稻的生长发育以及提高产量和品质提供理论依据。     

Untersuchungen zur Vermehrbarkeit der neuen Zierpflanze Clitoria ternatea L. var. pleniflora Fantz

Nowadays, only little information regarding the climber Clitoria ternatea L. var. pleniflora Fantz as “new ornamental plant” does exist in the German-speaking area. This plant is from interest because of its characteristic attractive, bright blue flowers. The vegetative propagation of Clitoria ternatea was investigated at the Institute for Horticultural Sciences, Humboldt-University of Berlin. The objective was to study how different types of cuttings could influence the rooting, proliferation and growth behaviour of greenhouse plants cultivated in two different seasons (summer and autumn). It was found that either stem or tip cuttings from the lower and middle zones of the mother plants with a fully developed leaf are suitable for summer or autumn propagation. Also, it was shown that the cutting variants affected the branching behaviour and further plant growth. Nearly 90% of the trial plants remained with a single shoot. However, in the vegetation period 11% of the plants originating from tip cutting and 14% of the plants originating from stem cuttings could be found with two branches. In autumn, the formation of lateral shoots was strongly declining. Here, the shoot length was particularly influenced by using different types of cutting treatments during propagation. The stem cuttings of the first batch planted clearly developed plants with longer shoots compared to those growing from tip cuttings. In the second batch planted, a lower shoot length growth was generally recorded (means of 5 to 6?cm for the internodes after three-month cultivation). In conclusion, the results regarding the propagation show that C.?ternatea can be recommended as a new ornamental container plant. However, further studies should follow in order to investigate possible photoperiod effects as well as suitable cultivation measures.     

Application of bispyribac‐sodium provides effective weed control in direct‐planted rice on a sandy loam soil

An increasing water crisis, as well as the unavailability and high cost of labor, in Pakistan has forced rice‐growers to plant rice directly into the field. However, severe weed infestation causes disastrous effects on the productivity of this rice system. In this study, three herbicides (pendimethalin, penoxsulam and bispyribac‐sodium) were evaluated for weed control in direct‐planted rice on a sandy loam soil. Weedy check and weed‐free plots were established for comparison. Weed infestation decreased the rice yield by 75.2%. However, the application of herbicides suppressed the weed infestation, with a simultaneous increase in the rice yield. The postemergence application of bispyribac‐sodium was the most effective herbicide in reducing the total weed density and dry weight over the weedy check, followed by penoxsulam and pendimethalin, respectively. Bispyribac‐sodium increased the number of productive tillers, 1000‐grain weight, number of grains per panicle and grain yield over the control, as well as improved the water productivity and economic returns of direct‐planted rice. The weeds' proliferation increased the number of unproductive tillers and decreased the plant height. In conclusion, the postemergence application of bispyribac‐sodium can be used effectively to control weeds, increase water productivity and improve the economic returns and yield of direct‐planted rice on a sandy loam soil in Pakistan.     

Chinese Rice Planting Technique Ensures Optimum Wheat Yield in Bangladesh

Spring wheat is the second option of cereal crop to feed the growing population in Bangladesh. This crop can yield more than 5.0 ton ha-1 with optimum management on 6.1 million ha of land - 2.6 million ha with irrigation and 3.5 million ha without irrigation. However, the present average wheat yield is near 1.5 ton ha-1, and only 10% of the potential area are under wheat cultivation for various reasons.     

The circulation of unique reassortment strains of infectious bursal disease virus in Pakistan

Infectious bursal disease(IBD), caused by IBD virus(IBDV), is one of the most devastating and immunosuppressive diseases of the poultry and has been a constraint on the sustainable poultry production around the globe including Pakistan. While the disease is threatening the poultry industry, the nature of predominant strains of IBDV in Pakistan remained ill-defined. In this study, an epidemiology survey was conducted in the main chicken-farming regions of Pakistan. The batch of Pakistan IBDVs genes simultaneously covering both VP1 and VP2 were amplified, sequenced, and analyzed. The unique segmentreassortant IBDVs(vv-A/Uniq-B), carrying segment A from vvIBDV and segment B from one unique ancestor, were identified as one important type of circulating strains in Pakistan. The data also discovered the characteristic molecular features of Pakistan IBDVs, which will contribute to scientific vaccine selection and effective prevention of the disease.