Identification of sediment source and sink areas in a Himalayan watershed using GIS and remote sensing

Erosion is a natural geomorphic process occurring continually over the Earth's surface and it largely depends on topography, vegetation, soil and climatic variables, and therefore, exhibits pronounced spatial variability due to catchment heterogeneity and climatic variation. This problem can be circumvented by discretizing the catchment into approximately homogeneous sub‐areas using GIS. In this study, the remote sensing and GIS techniques (through Imagine®8.6 and ArcGIS®9.1 software) were used for derivation of spatial information, catchment discretization, data processing etc. for the Himalayan Chaukhutia watershed (India). Various thematic layers for different factors of USLE were generated and overlaid to compute spatially distributed gross soil erosion maps for the watershed using 18‐year rainfall data. The concept of transport limited accumulation was formulated and used in ArcGIS® for generating the transport capacity maps. Using these maps, the gross soil erosion was routed to the catchment outlet using hydrological drainage paths, for derivation of transport capacity limited sediment outflow maps. These maps depict the amount of sediment rate from a particular grid in spatial domain and the pixel value of the outlet grid indicates the sediment yield at the outlet of the watershed. Up on testing, the proposed method simulated the annual sediment yield with less than ±40% error. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Valuation of gamma irradiation for proficient production of parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae & Eucoilidae) in the management of the peach fruit-fly,Bactrocera zonata (Saunders)

Recognizing the potential significance of using nuclear techniques in biological control, investigations were conducted on the rearing of parasitoids of the peach fruit-fly, Bactrocera zonata (Saunders) (Diptera: Tephritidae) to lead to a greater flexibility in the use of irradiated hosts. For improving mass production of the biological control agents, the use of irradiated fruit-fly larvae at the dose of 15 Gy proved useful for enhancing the parasitism and adult emergence of the larval parasitoid, Trybliographa daci (Weld) (Hymenoptera: Eucoilidae) due to no negative repercussions on parasitoid development. Overall, parasitism by the parasitoid increased with age of the host larvae; however, significantly higher parasitism occurred on 4 d-old irradiated larvae of B. zonata compared to those aged 5 d. The female parasitoids preferred the irradiated larvae, and significantly higher numbers of larvae were parasitized compared with non-irradiated larvae. There was no significant difference in adult parasitoid emergence with respect to the sex of the host. A radiation level of 80 Gy was the best dose for rearing of the pupal parasitoid, Dirhinus giffardii (Silvestri) (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae) owing to broad tolerances in the use of irradiation for the rearing of fruit-fly's parasitoids. Percentage parasitism by D. giffardii varied with host pupal age, and the preference of the female parasitoid was lower on 48 h old host pharate pupae due to optimum size and mass of host. Present findings further revealed that the 24 h old host pupae of B. zonata were relatively more suitable for the maximum parasitism and progeny production of D. giffardii. Parasitisms by D. giffardii and T. daci were significantly higher on B. zonata host when parasitoids were released at a density of 3000 individuals per acre (7500 per hectares) than the other release rates of parasitoids for the management of fruit-flies in mango orchards. The implementation of these findings ought to help improve the mass production of parasitoids and the effectiveness of releases of biocontrol agents for control of B. zonata in mango plantations.     

高校图书馆图书采购遴选馆配商策略

结合高校图书馆的特点,提出高校图书馆馆配商的选择策略：前期调研;大馆配商;多家馆配商;国营馆配商与民营馆配商;馆配商地域遴选;馆配商经营特点;馆配商经销资格;馆配图书折扣;资格中标;招标周期。     

抗根肿病甘蓝型油菜新品种华油杂62R的选育

我国油菜根肿病发病面积在66.7万公顷左右,约占总生产面积的10%,已严重威胁到油菜的安全生产。基于此,本研究以含有CRb抗根肿病位点的大白菜材料CR Shinki为供体亲本,以甘蓝型油菜国审杂交种华油杂62的父本Pol.CMS恢复系Bing409为受体亲本,通过杂交、回交及自交等育种程序,结合前景和遗传背景筛选,将CRb抗病位点导入到Bing409中。在BC3F2代获得了遗传背景高度接近Bing409且含CRb抗病位点的抗根肿病新恢复系Bing409R,进而成功选育了我国首个抗根肿病杂交油菜新品种华油杂62R。CRb抗病位点在甘蓝型油菜背景中表现为单基因显性遗传,根肿病抗性遗传改良的同时并未对Bing409R及由其配制的杂交种华油杂62R的产量、品质造成不良影响,Bing409R及华油杂62R对我国四川、湖北、安徽等地区根肿菌生理小种具有免疫抗性。本研究的开展为我国油菜抗根肿病育种提供了宝贵资源,为我国抵抗油菜根肿病的威胁提供了重要保障。     

Barseem (Trifolium alexandrnum) protein concentrate in broiler rations

Animal protein in broiler rations was replaced with Barseem Protein Concentrate (BPC). The standard group having blood, meat and fish meal as sources of animal protein showed an average weight gain of 1655 g. Replacement of blood meal with BPC resulted in a slight decrease in the average weight gain (1541 g) of broilers. Average weight gain of broilers increased to 1775 g and 1671 g when fish or meat meal was replaced with BPC in rations. Complete replacement of animal protein with BPC adversely affected growth and average weight gain decreased to 1443 g. Supplementation with lysine or methionine when animal protein was replaced with BPC did not improve growth of the broilers.     

Effects of transition season management on soil N dynamics and system N balances in rice–wheat rotations of Nepal

In the low-input rice–wheat production systems of Nepal, the N nutrition of both crops is largely based on the supply from soil pools. Declining yield trends call for management interventions aiming at the avoidance of native soil N losses. A field study was conducted at two sites in the lowland and the upper mid-hills of Nepal with contrasting temperature regimes and durations of the dry-to-wet season transition period between the harvest of wheat and the transplanting of lowland rice. Technical options included the return of the straw of the preceding wheat crop, the cultivation of short-cycled crops during the transition season, and combinations of both. Dynamics of soil N_min, nitrate leaching, nitrous oxide emissions, and crop N uptake were studied throughout the year between 2004 and 2005 and partial N balances of the cropping systems were established. In the traditional system (bare fallow between wheat and rice) a large accumulation of soil nitrate N and its subsequent disappearance upon soil saturation occurred during the transition season. This nitrate loss was associated with nitrate leaching (6.3 and 12.8 kg ha⁻¹ at the low and high altitude sites, respectively) and peaks of nitrous oxide emissions (120 and 480 mg m⁻² h⁻¹ at the low and high altitude sites, respectively). Incorporation of wheat straw at 3 Mg ha⁻¹ and/or cultivation of a nitrate catch crop during the transition season significantly reduced the build up of soil nitrate and subsequent N losses at the low altitude site. At the high altitude site, cumulative grain yields increased from 2.35 Mg ha⁻¹ with bare fallow during the transition season to 3.44 Mg ha⁻¹ when wheat straw was incorporated. At the low altitude site, the cumulative yield significantly increased from 2.85 Mg ha⁻¹ (bare fallow) to between 3.63 and 6.63 Mg ha⁻¹, depending on the transition season option applied. Irrespective of the site and the land use option applied during the transition season, systems N balances remained largely negative, ranging from −37 to −84 kg N ha⁻¹. We conclude that despite reduced N losses and increased grain yields the proposed options need to be complemented with additional N inputs to sustain long-term productivity.     

Co-Ion Effect on Cr3+ Sorption by Amberlyst-15(H+)

Cr³⁺ sorption on strong acid exchanger Amberlyst-15(H⁺) is studied as a function of time and temperature using CrCl₃.6H₂O and [Cr₄(SO₄)₅(OH)₂] solutions. The rate is found to be governed by a mixed diffusion for both the solutions and faster for Cl^1? solution than SO₄ ^2?. The exchange capacities are found to be higher for Cl^1? system than SO₄ ^2?. From the rate constant values, the energies of activation are calculated using the well-known Arrhenius equation. Equilibrium data is explained with the help of the Langmuir equation. The Langmuir parameters are also found to be higher for exchange from the chloride solutions. Various thermodynamic parameters (??H^o, ??S^o, and ??G^o) for Cr³⁺ exchange on the resin are calculated. The ??G^o values are found to be negative while ??H^o and ??S^o are positive for both the Cr³⁺/Cl^1? and Cr³⁺/SO₄ ^2? systems. It is suggested that in case of Cl^1? solutions, the metal is exchanged as Cr³⁺, while in case of SO₄ ^2? solutions, the metal exchanging specie is CrSO₄ ⁺.     

Zinc source modulates zootechnical characteristics,intestinal features,humoral response,and paraoxonase (PON1) activity in broilers

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The current experiment was performed to find the potential effect of inorganic and organic forms of zinc (Zn) on growth, intestinal histomorphology, immune...     

Polyhydroxy p-Terphenyls from a Mangrove Endophytic Fungus Aspergillus candidus LDJ-5

Six undescribed polyhydroxy p-terphenyls, namely asperterphenyllins A–F, were isolated from an endophytic fungus Aspergillus candidus LDJ-5. Their structures were determined by NMR and MS data. Differing from the previously reported p-terphenyls, asperterphenyllin A represents the first p-terphenyl dimer connected by a C-C bond. Asperterphenyllin A displayed anti-influenza virus A (H1N1) activity and protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) inhibitory activity with IC₅₀ values of 53 μM and 21 μM, respectively. The anti-influenza virus A (H1N1) activity and protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) inhibitory activity of p-terphenyls are reported for the first time. Asperterphenyllin G exhibited cytotoxicity against nine cell lines with IC₅₀ values ranging from 0.4 to 1.7 μM. Asperterphenyllin C showed antimicrobial activity against Proteus species with a MIC value of 19 μg/mL.     

AGRONOMIC EFFICIENCY AND PROFITABILITY OF P-FERTILIZERS APPLIED AT DIFFERENT PLANTING DENSITIES OF MAIZE IN NORTHWEST PAKISTAN

The use of appropriate source of phosphorus (P) fertilizer at different planting densities has considerable impact on growth, grain yield as well as profitability of maize (Zea mays L). Field experiment was conducted in order to investigate the impact of P sources [(S₀ = P not applied, S₁ = SSP (single super phosphate) S₂ = NP (nitrophos), and S₃ = DAP (diammonium phosphate)] on maize growth analysis, yield and economic returns planted at different planting densities (D₁ = 40,000, D₂ = 60,000, D₃ = 80,000, and D₄ = 100,000 plants ha^?1) at the New Developmental Agricultural Research Farm of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Agricultural University, Peshawar, Pakistan, during summer 2006. This paper reports the profitability data with two objectives: 1) to compare agronomic efficiency and profitability of P-fertilizers, and 2) to know whether plant densities affect agronomic efficiency and profitability of P-fertilizers. Application of DAP and SSP resulted in higher partial factor productivity (PFP) (63.58 and 61.92 kg grains kg^?1 P), agronomic efficiency (AE) (13.01 and 13.71 kg grains kg^?1 P) and net returns (NR) (Rs. 16,289 and 16,204 ha^?1), respectively, while NP stood at the bottom in the ranking with lower PFP (57.16 kg grains kg^?1 P), AE (8.94 kg grains kg^?1 P) and NR (Rs. 4,472 ha^?1). Among the plant densities, D₃ stood first with maximum PFP (69.60 kg grains kg^?1 P), AE (18.21 kg grains kg^?1 P) and NR (Rs. 21,461 ha^?1) as compared to other plant densities. In conclusion, the findings suggest that growing maize at D₃ applied with either SSP or DAP is more profitable in the wheat-maize cropping system in the study area.