RD—Rural Development: The Energy Balance of Sunflower Production for Biodiesel in Greece

One requirement for an oilseed crop to be considered for biodiesel production is that it provides a positive energy return compared with the energy used to produce the fuel. This in part depends on the energy input for the oilseed production. This paper studies the energy balance between the input and the output per unit area for a sunflower crop grown in Greece, in order to evaluate it as a source for biodiesel production. Calculation of the energy input was based on the operations and various inputs as used by farmers in Evros in the north of Greece. To estimate the energy required to produce the sunflower seeds, to manufacture fertilizers and pesticides and to produce and use the farm machinery, appropriate energy equivalents from the literature were taken into account. The energy outputs were estimated by simply multiplying the yield of sunflower seeds and stems by their corresponding energy value. The total energy input was calculated to be 10·49 GJ ha⁻¹, with fertilizers being the major inputs. Assuming a typical sunflower seed yield of 1800 kg ha⁻¹, as obtained under normal conditions on fertile drylands, and taking into account the energy value of the seed, the net energy value was estimated to be 36·87 GJ ha⁻¹ and the ratio of energy outputs to energy inputs approximately 4·5:1.     

Genetic diversity and gene-pool subdivisions of diploid D-genome <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aegilops tauschii</Emphasis> Coss. (Poaceae) in Iran as revealed by AFLP

The diploid goatgrass Aegilops tauschii is considered the D-genome donor of bread wheat and has probably a centre of diversity in north of Iran. In order to measure the genetic diversity of and the relationships among different populations, varieties and subspecies belonging to Ae. tauschii in Iran, DNA was extracted from 48 accessions of Ae. tauschii collected across the geographic range of the species in the Country and the genetic diversity was assessed using AFLPs based on eight PstI/MseI +3 primer pairs resulted in 277 bands, 198 of which were polymorphic. High level polymorphism was detected, with an average of polymorphism rate of 0.715; relatively low genetic similarity (0.455) between accessions and significant difference between the lowest (0.179) and the highest genetic similarity (0.817). The Iranian Ae. tauschii populations showed high level of genetic diversity. The populations studied were divided into two groups: one group was mainly representing Northern populations collected from Southern Caspian Sea shore and the other group was mainly representing Northeast and Northwest populations. Based on the results of this study, it can be suggested that Ae. tauschii possesses two separate gene-pools in Iran: Northern and Northeastern–Northwestern. Considering the needs for introducing new characteristics and alleles for wheat improvement purposes, Ae. tauschii Iranian gene-pool is assumed to be of high importance for more investigation in the future.     

盐胁迫下益生菌对玉米的促生效应研究

为提高盐渍化农田作物的耐盐性,从生长于高盐土壤的玉米根际中分离促生潜力的菌株,在NaCl胁迫下,测定其对玉米发芽率、发芽势、促生长和电导率的影响。结果表明,枯草芽孢杆菌NY-06、巨大芽孢杆菌YJ-1和解淀粉芽孢杆菌YJ-3有很好益生效果。在1.5%NaCl和2.0%NaCl胁迫下,3个菌株发酵液处理后的玉米株高分别增高16.3%、9.5%、16.7%和18.9%、8.3%、19.9%,地上部鲜重分别增加28.8%、21.5%、34.0%和29.3%、22.8%、36.3%,根系鲜重分别增加32.7%、15.5%、18.3%和51.9%、58.6%、56.8%,玉米叶片相对电导率分别降低11.1%、9.2%、8.0%和6.4%、9.5%、14.2%。     

外源抗坏血酸对水稻抗铝生理指标的影响

为探讨外源抗坏血酸（AsA）对水稻的抗铝性能的影响,以‘滇优35号’（杂交稻,粳稻）为试验材料,采用溶液培养法研究外源AsA对铝胁迫下水稻根尖H₂O₂、内源AsA、GSH、可溶性蛋白、脯氨酸含量及抗氧化酶活性等生理生化指标的影响。结果显示,与对照相比,铝胁迫导致水稻根尖可溶性蛋白和内源AsA含量减少,而MDA和H₂O₂含量,SOD、POD、APX和CAT活性,GSH及脯氨酸含量增加;外源AsA可增强铝胁迫水稻根尖的脯氨酸及可溶性蛋白等含量,内源AsA、GSH含量及SOD、POD、APX、CAT活性,而降低MDA和H₂O₂含量。表明外源AsA通过调控抗氧化酶活性,提高渗透调节物质含量和抗氧化物质含量来降低H₂O₂的积累,从而缓解铝胁迫下水稻质膜氧化程度,增强水稻的抗铝性能。     

Agroecological aspects of evaluating agricultural R&D

In this paper we describe how biophysical data can be used, in conjunction with agroecological concepts and multimarket economic models, to systematically evaluate the effects of agricultural R&D in ways that inform research priority setting and resource-allocation decisions. Agroecological zones can be devised to help estimate the varying, site-specific responses to new agricultural technologies and to evaluate the potential for research to spill over from one agroecological zone to another. The application of agroecological zonation procedures in an international, agricultural-research context is given special attention, and we propose tailoring the zones to the R&D being evaluated.     

Spectroscopic Characterisation of the Lipid-binding Properties of Wheat Puroindolines

The lipid-binding properties of wheat puroindolines (PINs) make these proteins likely candidates to play an important role in the stability of lipid films in the gas cells of bread dough, an important aspect of bread making. Therefore, the interaction between PINs and water-soluble model lipids was investigated by fluorescence emission and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. The secondary structure of PIN-a and PIN-b in solution, as determined by far-UV CD measurements, resembled that of plant non-specific lipid transfer protein (LTP). However, PINs contain a tryptophan-rich loop located at the exterior of the protein. It was shown by fluorescence emission spectroscopy and near-UV CD spectroscopy that this domain is involved in the lipid binding. Fluorescence titration experiments of PIN and its synthetic tryptophan-rich domains with the zwitterionic lipidn-hexadecylphosphocholine (C16PN) revealed that the binding was cooperative. For the binding of the charged lipids,n-hexadecacylphosphoglycol (C16PG) and hexadecyl-trimethylammoniumbromide (CTAB), a clear effect of ionic strength of the solution was obtained. Organisation of lipids into micelles was not a prerequisite for binding to PINs. Most likely, wheat PIN binds to monomeric lipid molecules via its tryptophan-rich domain, rendering the protein more hydrophobic. The overall secondary structure of wheat PINs did not change significantly upon binding to lipids.     

Silicon fertilization modulates 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline content,yield formation and grain quality of aromatic rice

Present study aimed to assess silicon (Si) mediated yield, grain quality and regulations in 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline accumulation (2-AP) in aromatic rice. Four different levels of Si at 15, 30, 45 and 60 mg kg⁻¹ were applied to two aromatic rice cultivars i.e., Nongxiang 18 and Meixiangzhan 2, while pots without Si were served as control (CK). Results revealed that Si fertilization improved 2-AP, Si and proline contents in leaves and grains as well as activities of proline dehydrogenase (PRODH) and net photosynthetic rates (Pn) (in leaves) while interfered with total N contents in leaves and grains. Moreover, leaves N and proline contents, and net photosynthetic rates (Pn) were decreased with plant age i.e., tillering > flowering > maturity while PRODH activities and Si contents were highest at flowering and maturity stages, respectively and minimum at tillering stage. Furthermore, growth, yield and quality components were also improved by Si application but results were not consistent regarding grain quality for both rice cultivars. Further, Si contents in leaves have significant positive relations (r = 0.3974, P < 0.05) with grain 2-AP contents at flowering stage. Hence, Si proved better for both rice cultivars whereas 2-AP contents were higher for Meixiangzhan 2 than Nongxiang 18.     

Mitigation of salt stress on tomato crop by using foliar spraying or fertigation of various products

Abstract

Among major constraints to crop production, salt stress affects the morphological structure and yield in crop plants. Nano-fertilizers, have made their hierarchy to supplement the traditional fertilizers in mitigating the effect of abiotic stress due to their slow release and efficiency. Three products were tested namely lithovit®-standard(LITHO), monopotassium-phosphate(MKP:0-52-34), and aspirin(ASP) on salt-stressed tomato crop. These products were applied through foliar spraying (foliar) or fertigation (ferti) on tomato plants irrigated with 4 saline solutions (4, 6, 8 and 10dS/m). Control plants were subjected to five salinity levels (0, 4, 6, 8 and 10dS/m) without any treatments. Results showed that increasing in salinity levels adversely affected all parameters in the control plants. The ameliorating effect of MKP-ferti was prominent in plant height, stem diameter, number of fruits, fruit weight and yield/plant at 4 and 6S/m. Whereas, the effect of salinity was mitigated by LITHO-foliar regarding flowers number and total chlorophyll content at all salinity level. Leaf N, P and K contents were accumulated higher when MKP-ferti was used whereas, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ contents were accumulated higher in the plants treated with LITHO-foliar. The cellular leakage of electrolyte was reduced at 4, 6 and 10dS/m with MKP-ferti and at 8dS/m with LITHO-foliar application. Among the two methods of application, foliar spraying of LITHO and ASP, and fertigation of MKP improved plant performance more than their complementary methods of application. The better performance of MKP necessitates the use of phosphorous and potassium-based nano-fertilizers. It can reduce the production cost of vegetables using conventional fertilizers.     

Nitrogen uptake and N-use efficiency of Mediterranean cotton under varied deficit irrigation and N fertilization

Efficient N management is essential to optimize yields and reduce degradation of the environment, but requires knowledge of deficit irrigation effects on crop yields and crop N outputs. This study assessed the N content and N-use efficiency of cotton over the 2008 and 2009 growing seasons in a single field site of the Thessaly Plain (central Greece). The experiment consisted of nine treatments with three fertilizer rates (60, 110 and 160 kg N ha⁻¹) split into three irrigation levels (approx. 1.0, 0.7 and 0.4 of the amount applied by the producer). Reduced water supply induced a shift in the distribution of N within the plant with seeds becoming an N sink under conditions of water stress. Total crop N increased linearly with irrigation level and reached a maximum average of 261 and 192 kg N ha⁻¹ in 2008 and 2009, respectively. Fertilizer application did not trigger a crop N or yield response and indicated that N inputs were in excess of crop needs. Variation in weather patterns appeared to explain annual differences of nitrate-N in the top soil and N uptake by the crop.The index of lint production efficiency (iNUE) detected crop responses caused by irrigation and annual effects, but failed to account for excessive N inputs due to mineral fertilizer applications. A maximum average iNUE of 9.6 was obtained under deficit irrigation, whereas an iNUE of 8.1 was obtained under 40 cm irrigation when crop N uptake was not excessive (192 kg ha⁻¹ in 2009). In contrast, NUE, as an estimator of N recovery efficiency, identified excessive fertilizer inputs as N losses to the environment and indicated that 60 kg N ha⁻¹ was a rate of high N removal efficiency and long-term N balance. However, NUE failed to account for crop N responses to irrigation and weather/management patterns. In this case study, neither index was able to detect all the factors influencing the N mass balance and both were required in order to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the environmental performance of our cropping system.     

Effects of new field resistant cultivars and in-furrow applications of phorate insecticide on tomato spotted wilt of peanut

Field experiments were conducted at Tifton, Georgia from 2008 to 2014 to determine the effects of new peanut (Arachis hypogaea) cultivars and in-furrow applications of phorate insecticide on severity of tomato spotted wilt (TSW) caused by Tomato spotted wilt virus. Several cultivars, including Florida-07, Georgia-06G, Georgia-07W, Georgia Greener, and Tifguard, had final incidence of TSW that were less than that of Georgia Green. In-furrow applications of phorate insecticide reduced incidence of TSW in Georgia Green in three experiments in which that cultivar was included. In-furrow application of phorate insecticide reduced incidence of TSW in most cases where incidence in nontreated plots was 10% or higher. Cultivars Georganic, and Georgia-10T, had final incidence of TSW that was lower than that of Georgia-06G, or Florida-07 within nontreated plots across 2011–2012. Georgia-10T and Georgia-12Y had final incidence that was lower than that of Georgia-06G, Georgia-07W, Georgia-09B and Georgia Greener across insecticide treatments in 2013. In-furrow application of phorate increased yields across cultivars in 2008–2009, and increased yield of Georgia-09B in 2010. In most other cases, phorate had no significant effect on yield. With higher levels of field resistance in most of these cultivars, especially those such as Georgia-12Y, benefits from use of phorate insecticide for TSW suppression were small, and typically did not result in yield increase. Based on these results, several of these cultivars should allow greater flexibility for insecticide choice for thrips management without increasing the risk of losses to TSW.