Rice growth and yield respond to changes in water depth and salinity stress

Depth of standing water in rice paddy fields is an important agronomic parameter in the management of irrigation-related salinity problems. It was hypothesized that reductions in the yield of rice under salinity stress can be ameliorated by adjusting the water depth. This study was designed to determine the interactive effects of salinity and water depth on seedling establishment and grain yield in rice. Plants were grown in a greenhouse and irrigated with nutrient solutions amended with NaCl and CaCl₂ (5:1 molar concentrations). Treatments were three salt levels with electrical conductivities at 0.9, 3.3 and 6.0 dS m⁻¹ and six water depths at 4, 7, 10, 13, 16 and 20 cm. The effects of both salinity and water depth were significant on plant growth and yield. However, there was no interaction between the effects of salinity and water depth. Reductions in seedling establishment and grain yield with increases of salinity and water depth resulted from a simple combination of the two different stresses on plants. Highly significant negative correlations were identified between water depth and seedling establishment and also between water depth and grain yield when data were combined across salt levels. Generally, plants performed better with respect to seedling establishment and grain yield in shallow water (i.e. <10 cm) than in deep water (i.e. >10 cm). Under salt stress, the effect of water depth was significant for panicle number, but not significant for panicle weight. The loss of grain yield under salt stress with the increases of water depth was mainly due to reduction in fertile tiller number. We suggest that water depth be lowered during the initiation and growth of productive tillers. However, the practice by lowering water depth must be incorporated with appropriate field management such as the increase of irrigation frequency, precision leveling, and effective weed control methods.     

Cooling Fan-ventilated Greenhouses: a Modelling Study

A model for fan-ventilated greenhouse cooling is presented in which the primary heat transfer surfaces (cover/structure, canopy and floor) are represented as three parallel planes. Validation of the model was accomplished using data collected over 14 days. Agreement was good, with canopy temperatures over-predicted by only 0·1%, air temperatures in the canopy under-predicted by 0·5%, humidity of the canopy air under-predicted by 1·6% and transpiration rates under-predicted by 1·4%. Simulation runs suggest that when evaporative pad cooling is not used, little advantage is derived from increasing airflow rates beyond about 0·05 m³ m⁻² s⁻¹. When evaporative pad cooling is used, however, both air and canopy temperatures decline with increasing airflow rates up to 0·13 m³ m⁻² s⁻¹, the highest level considered. Increasing canopy size is predicted to be more influential in reducing air temperatures when evaporative pad cooling is used than when it is not, but its effect on canopy temperature is expected to be approximately the same whether or not evaporative pad cooling is used. With no evaporative pad cooling, the evapotranspiration coefficient (i.e., the ratio of energy used for transpiration to incoming solar energy) is predicted to range from 1·75 for an outside temperature of 36·8°C and an outside humidity ratios of 3·3 g kg⁻¹ to 0·8 for an outside humidity ratio of 29·9 g kg⁻¹ at the same temperature. With evaporative pad cooling, the coefficient is predicted to range from 0·6 to 0·8 at the same outside temperature and the same range of outside humidity ratios.     

Land-use and land-base patterns in non-industrial private forests: Factors affecting forest management in Northern Spain

There is increasing worldwide interest in land-use allocation and management within the sphere of rural planning and development. The study of land-use patterns mainly focuses on understanding the practices and values of individuals involved, and no debate of this issue would be complete without taking into account non-industrial private forest (NIPF) ownership as a key component in most rural areas worldwide. This paper empirically explores and assesses NIPF owners' management in terms of analysing dynamics in farming and forestry practices (past conversions from forestland to meadow and from marginal meadow to woodland, and intentions to change the current productive forest species and to extend the area of woodland) and landholding attributes (size and degree of parcellation in productive forestland). Logistic regression models were also used to investigate the probabilities and influencing factors involved in transforming marginal meadows to woodland, and attempts on the part of NIPF owners to change the current productive forest species and increase productive forestland. For this, a total of 103 NIPF owners in Northern Spain were interviewed in person, in March 2004, about their commitment to and involvement in land management during 1999–2003. The models correctly explained 73.3%, 83.7% and 73.3% of the variability in having converted marginal meadow in woodland and of future intentions to change the productive forest species and increase the area of productive forestland, respectively. The results of the study indicate that forest management mainly responds to investment and increasing the productivity of the land as a capital asset, which is directly influenced by the size and degree of parcellation of the holding, and directly or indirectly related to the owner's interest in timber production. The results may be used by forest professionals, researchers and policymakers in order to design and execute successful forest policies related to land management and planning.     

盐渍化灌区盐荒地水盐平衡分析

在野外试验基础上,利用水盐平衡原理对河套灌盐荒地水盐运移规律进行研究。结果表明,盐荒地作物生育期输入盐分27.929kg/hm2,秋浇期流失盐分26.882kg/hm2,盐分积聚1.047kg/hm2,是输入盐分的3.749%。盐荒地具有一定的积盐能力。研究结果可为灌区节水灌溉的实施和土壤盐渍化的防治提供基础理论依据。     

Development of crop coefficient models of castor and maize crops

Castor and maize are the most commonly cultivated crops in the Rajendranagar region of Andhra Pradesh, India. The study aims to develop a crop coefficient (K_c) models for these crops, using Lysimeter measured daily crop evapotranspiration (ET_c) data and daily reference evapotranspiration (ET₀) computed using FAO-56 Penman-Monteith (PM) method. K_c values obtained using relationship K_c = ET_c/ET₀, crop coefficient curves were derived as a function of days after sowing and polynomial model was fitted. The performances of the models were tested using performance indicators. The models performed well for both the crops. These models can, therefore, be used for estimating K_c values of castor and maize crops for any day after sowing in the study region.     

Comparative study of dietary soy phytoestrogens genistein and equol effects on growth parameters and ovarian development in farmed female beluga sturgeon,Huso huso

Oocyte maturation in fish is a hormonally regulated process. In the light of long-term oocyte maturation in beluga, the aim of this research was to study the estrogenic effects of different concentrations of soy dietary genistein (GE) and equol (EQ) on the growth performance and ovary development in farmed female Huso huso. Fish were fed with concentrations 0 (control), 0.2, 0.4, 0.8 and 1.6 g of EQ and GE per kg of isoproteic (CP 45 %) and isoenergetic (19.5 MJ/kg) diets during a year. Blood samples and ovary biopsies were collected from each fish seasonally. The main results of the present experimentation are that growth performance was not affected significantly both in GE and EQ (P > 0.05). EQ at concentration 0.4 g/kg had more estrogenic effects than other concentrations of EQ and GE in beluga so that 64 % of fish were matured sexually. Some reproductive indices such as oocyte diameter, testosterone (T) and 17β-estradiol (E₂) increased significantly at EQ 0.4 g/kg at the end of experiment (P < 0.05), while 17α-hydroxy progesterone level (17α-OHP) showed no significant changes at all concentrations. Biochemical indices such as calcium, phosphorous and cholesterol increased at GE concentrations, but decreased at EQ concentrations similarly at the end of experiment. There was a negative relationship between plasma phosphorous and alkaline phosphatase enzyme levels. Based on results, EQ at concentration 0.4 g/kg improved oocyte development more than the other concentrations of GE and EQ, and therefore, it can be used as an additive to diets for inducing ovary development in this species.     

Impacts of continuous excessive fertilization on soil potential nitrification activity and nitrifying microbial community dynamics in greenhouse system

Purpose

Sampling and analysis of greenhouse soils were conducted in Shouguang, China, to study continuous excessive fertilization effect on nitrifying microbial community dynamics in greenhouse environment.

Materials and methods

Potential nitrification activity (PNA), abundance, and structure of nitrifying microbial communities as well as the correlations with soil properties were investigated.

Results and discussion

Short-term excessive fertilization increased soil nutrient contents and the diversity of nitrifying microbial communities under greenhouse cultivation. However, the abundance and diversity of nitrifying communities decreased greatly due to the increase of soil acidity and salinity after 14 years of high fertilization in greenhouse. There was a significant positive correlation between soil PNA and the abundance of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) but not that of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) in topsoil (0–20 cm) when pH ≥7. Soil PNA and AOB were strongly influenced by soil pH. The groups of Nitrososphaeraceae, Nitrosomonadaceae, and Nitrospiraceae were predominant in the AOA, AOB, and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) communities, respectively. Nitrifying community structure was significantly correlated with soil electrical salinity (EC), organic carbon (OC), and nitrate nitrogen (NO₃ ^?–N) content by redundancy analysis (RDA).

Conclusions

Nitrification was predominated by AOB in greenhouse topsoil with high fertilizer loads. Soil salinity, OC, NO₃ ^?–N content, and pH affected by continuous excessive fertilization were the major edaphic factors in shaping nitrifying community structure in greenhouse soils.

     

鸡粪发酵液培养的小球藻水热液化制备生物原油及其特性

为探索沼液资源再利用,以鸡粪沼气发酵液培养的小球藻为原料,采用水热液化技术制备生物原油。采取正交试验,在温度250~330℃、时间30~90 min及含固量15%~25%下,探讨了水热反应后各相产物特性及元素回收效率。生物原油产率为13.23%~23.83%,最高产油率在330℃、60 min、15%时取得。生物原油中碳、氢及氮回收率分别是16.13%~31.14%、19.18%~34.89%及5.97%~14.32%,最高碳回收率及最低氮回收率分别在330℃、60 min、15%及250℃、30 min、15%时获得。水热液化各相产物中,碳、氢及氮回收率在水相中占主导地位,分别为48.74%~60.43%、46.81%~62.13%及74.84%~82.67%。热重分析暗示生物原油可能适合制备润滑油。此外,GC-MS分析表明生物原油中烃类物质质量分数为16.14%~24.91%,主要为低碳链烃类,如甲苯及二氢茚等。     

Response of Winter Manure Application on Surface Runoff Water Quantity and Quality from Small Watersheds in South Dakota

Manure application on frozen soil, which is a common practice in the upper Midwest of USA, results in degraded soil and water quality. During snowmelt or precipitation events, water runoff carries nutrients into nearby streams and impairs the water quality. There is a need, therefore, to identify improved management of manure application in the soils. This study was conducted to assess water quality impacts associated following manure application during winter months when soil is completely covered with snow. The study site included three watersheds, named south (SW), east (CW), and north (NW) managed with a corn (Zea mays L.)-soybean (Glycine max L.) rotation located in South Dakota. The SW and NW were used as treatment, and CW as the control watershed. The treatments included manure application on the upper half of the SW and lower half of the NW, and CW received no manure application. This study showed that manure improved soil properties including infiltration rate and organic matter. Nitrogen and phosphorus losses in the surface runoff were higher from NW compared to that of SW. The CW had similar nutrient losses compared to the NW with slight differences. It can be concluded that maintaining a setback distance can help in improving the environmental quality as well as managing the agricultural wastes during the winter months.