Experimental Results on the Effects of Nonregular Spatial Patterns of Plants on Yield per Area

Based on several simplifying assumptions, a stochastic approach was developed which allows an estimation of the effects of nonregular spatial patterns of the distribution of individual plants on yield per area (F). In this approach, two random variables were attached to each plant: single plant yield (E) and individual space per plant (A). The latter was estimated by the area of Thiessen polygons. Yield per area was calculated theoretically by the expectation of the ratio E / A. Appropriate approximations of this expectation depend on the means (ē and ā), coefficients of variation (vE and vA) of E and A and their correlation (rEA). Yield per area can be decomposed into two additive terms: the first term gives the commonly used estimate ē/ā— or h(ā)/ā if a functional relationship between E and A is assumed: E = h(A). In this study, the two relationships E = k1 + k2 · ln A and E = A/(k3 + k4A) were used (with appropriately chosen constants k1, k2, k3, and k4). The second term in the decomposition of F can be interpreted as the effect of variable individual plant spaces on yield per area. In this paper, all theoretical concepts and results were applied to 17 experimental data sets of three cultivars of winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.). Single plant yields (E) and individual plant areas (A) were positively correlated with correlation coefficients from 0.64 up to 0.91. The ranges for both coefficients of variation were similar: 0.27 ≤ vE ≤ 0.65 and 0.28 ≤ vA ≤ 0.59. One obtains no significant differences in the goodness-of-fit for both tested relationships between E and A although the logarithmic relationship seems to be slightly superior. For only three data sets one obtains negative values for the percentage of the second term in the decomposition of F. This indicates an overestimation of yield per area by the commonly used estimates h(ā)/ā and ē/ā, respectively. These overestimations, however, are less than 5 %. In all other cases with positive values for the second term the yield per area is underestimated by the common estimates. For almost all data sets, however, the percentages of F which are explained by the common estimates are much larger than 90 %.     

Effect of Tillage and Plant Residue Management Practices on Shrinkage of a Vertisol

A study was carried out to determine the effects of different tillage and plant residue management practices on different soil moisture and shrink-swell properties of a Vertisol (very fine, semctitic, thermic, chromic Haploxerert (with less than 1 % slope). The core samples were collected in July (after harvesting of lentil) and in November (after planting of wheat) 1993. The two tillage methods were moldboard (T1) and chisel (T2). The two plant residue incorporation dates were in August (R1) and in October (R2). Results indicated that T2 tends to give higher water holding capacity and available moisture than T1. Immediate incorporation of plant residue (R1) tends to increase the bulk density and to decrease soil specific volume and void ratio when compared to late incorporation treatment (R2). In general, the two tillage treatments tend to decrease moisture availability, shrinkage characteristics, soil specific volume, and void ratio. They also tend to increase the soil shrinkage (subsidence and cracks volume) and bulk density. Chisel plough is recommended in Vertisols, if it is to be used before the rainfall.     

Effect of Tillage System on Soil Strength and Bulk Density of Vertisols

Improving the soil environment for seedling emergence and plant growth is possible using a good tillage system. From March 1993 until June 1994, the effect of tillage system and plant residue incorporation practices on the bulk density and the soil strength of the surface layer of a vertisol (very fine, smectitic, thermic, chromic Haploxerert), on a less than 1 % slope, was investigated. The two tillage methods were moldboard (T1) and chisel (T2). The two plant residue incorporation dates were in August (R1) and in October (R2). Results indicated that R1 gave significantly higher bulk density than R2, while the different tillage treatments had no significant effect. Soil strength was significantly lower under T1 and R2 than under the other treatments.     

Effects of Population Density on the Vegetative Growth of Leafy Reduced-stature Maize in Short-season Areas

Maize hybrids which produce more leaves above the ear, with leaf area indices similar to conventional hybrids, which require fewer corn heat units to flowering and maturity, and tolerate higher population densities, should be better adapted for production in short season areas than currently available hybrids. Leafy reduced-stature maize hybrids, which have only recently been developed, have traits which address these criteria. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different population densities (50 000, 100 000, 150 000, and 200 000 plants.ha⁻¹) on the vegetative growth of one leafy reduced-stature (LRS), one non-leafy reduced-stature (NLRS), and two conventional control hybrids (Pioneer 3979, < 2500 CHU, and Pioneer 3902, 2600–2700 CHU) at two locations. There were no differences among population densities for leaf number above the ear; however leaf area index increased as population density increased for all hybrids. The LRS hybrid had a greater average leaf number above the ear (2.7 and 2.0 more leaves than NLRS and the control hybrids, respectively). As a result the leaf area index value of LRS was much greater than the NLRS and similar to the conventional hybrids, but LRS matured substantially before the conventional hybrids. The LRS hybrid required fewer corn heat units to reach flowering and maturity and had more time for grain filling than the conventional hybrids. Therefore, LRS hybrids show promise for production in short season areas where maize cultivation is not economical due to shortness of growing season.     

Irrigation Water Management for Efficient Water Use in Mulched Onion

Caused by the necessarily imperfect seed placement accuracy of sowing machines and, additionally, caused by many other biotic and abiotic factors, the resulting plant stands exhibit nonregular spatial distributions of its plants. Based on several simplifying assumptions, a stochastic approach is developed which allows an estimation of the effects of nonregular spatial patterns on yield per area. In this approach, two random variables are attached to each plant: single plant yield E and individual space A . The latter is estimated by the area of Thiessen polygons. Yield per area, calculated by the expectation of the ratio E/A , can be approximately expressed dependent on the means ( Ē and Ā ) and coefficients of variation ( v _E and v _A ) of E and A and their correlation ( r _EA ). In relation to the commonly used estimate Ē/Ā for yield per area, one obtains yield decreases if v _A / v _E  <  r _EA . This inequality, however, will be usually valid in the field of applications. The theoretical approaches and results were applied to three experimental data sets for drilled seeds of winter oilseed rape ( Brassica napus L.) (plant density: 60 plants m⁻², row distance: 10 cm). These data sets are characterized by different accuracies of longitudinal distributions within rows (58 %, 101 %, 150 %): yield depression increases with an increasing variability of plant distances within rows.     

The effect ofDendrolimus superans breakout on growth of trees

The effect ofDendrolimus superans on growth of trees was investigated after the breakout in Shibazhan forest area in 1990. Stem analysis was conducted for determining the tree increment loss. The result showed that the current annual increment for extreme heavily damaged, heavily damaged, moderately damaged and lightly damaged stands is 14%, 39.8%, 64% and 82% of that of the control forest respectively. (Responsible Editor: Chai Ruihai)     

Distribution of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in Upland Field Soil of Japan 1. Relationship Between Spore Density and The Soilenvironmental Factor

Abstract

To Quantify The Effects of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (Am Fungi) On The Growth of Upland Field Crops Cultivated in Japan, We Analyzed Soil Samples From 124 Sites in 18 Japanese Prefectures For Available P Content, Ph and Am Fungal Spore Density. The Am Fungal Spore Density in The 124 Soil Samples Was 1.7 Per G Dw On The Average, and Lower Than 1.0 Per G Dry Soil (Dw) in About Half of The Soil Samples. The Maximum Spore Density Was 20.6 Spores Per G Dw. The Density of Am Fungal Spore Did Not Vary Significantly With The Sampling Site and The Kind of Cultivated Crop in The Sampling Field. The Ph of The Soil With A High Spore Density Ranged From 6 To 8, and in The Soil Samples With A Ph Lower Than 6 and Higher Than 8, TheSpore Density Was Lower Than 5 Spores Per G Dw. Thus, in The Acid Or Alkaline Soil, The Sporogenesis of Am Fungi Is Suppressed. Because Available P Content Was Consistently Low in The Soil Samples With A High Spore Density, P Content Was Considered To Correlate With The Am Fungal Spore Density. Therefore, Crop Cultivation With Limited P Fertilizer Application and Reduced Available P Content May Be Important To increase Am Fungal Spore Density in Upland Field Soil.     

Sodium Alginate as an Adjuvant of an Antagonistic Bacterium, Pseudomonas fluorescens Strain A11RN, to Enhance Biocontrol of Turfgrass Snow Mold Caused by Typhula ishikariensis

Pretreatment with sodium alginate (20 g/m²) prior to application of a biocontrol agent, Pseudomonas fluorescens strain A11RN, enhanced the control turfgrass snow mold caused by Typhula ishikariensis biotype B. Disease severities in two fields relative to untreated control plots were 53% and 61% in plots treated with both the strain and sodium alginate, which were significantly lower than 69% and 77% in plots treated only with the strain. The antagonist population remained above the threshold for effective control (ca. 1×10⁷ cfu/cm³) at least for the first month under snow in pretreatment with sodium alginate. The population of the biocontrol agent after snowmelt on turfgrass was five times higher in sodium alginate-amended plots than in unamended plots. Sodium alginate alone did not reduce disease severity. Sodium alginate might have supported the survival of the applied strain. Received 7 June 1999/ Accepted in revised form 20 December 1999     

不同经营密度红哺鸡竹生长效果分析

在红哺鸡竹林中设置大（12000株/hm^2）、中（9000株/hm^2）、小（6000株/hm^2）密度，经试验．中密度林分的发笋数、成竹数、成竹率等优于低密度和高密度林分；低密度林分平均胸径、平均竹高较大，但其发笋数和成竹数偏低，而高密度林分发笋数和成竹品质（胸径、高度）均不理想。在丰产栽培中，竹林密度控制在9000株/hm^2是合理的，笋产量及质量均最好。