A high temperature/low oxygen pulse improves cold storage disinfestation

Short periods of elevated temperature under controlled atmospheres (CA) effectively control insect pests. Cold treatment is also an effective non-chemical disinfestation process. If synergistic effects can be found by combining treatments, these may provide opportunities for cost reduction. Tests were performed to evaluate the tolerance of Packham's Triumph pears (Pyrus communis L.) to a range of temperatures (30–40 °C) combined with low oxygen (O₂ < 1 kPa). Treatment duration was 16–48 h and was followed by 1 month storage at 0 °C under air. When held at 30 °C, pears withstood up to 30 h of hypoxia. After cold storage, pears ripened slightly faster than controls but were undamaged. A temperature of 35 °C induced slight skin browning, and 40 °C resulted in substantial skin blackening. Some treatments were also tested on survival of lightbrown apple moth (LBAM), Epiphyas postvittana (Walker). All developmental stages were subjected to either 16 h at 30 °C, or 16 h under hypoxia, or 1 month at 0 °C, or a combination of the three treatments. With all treatments combined, all eggs, larvae and adults were killed. Only 4% of the pupae produced adults and combined treatments led to an increase in pupa mortality of 38%. A combined treatment (tolerated by pears) consisting of 30 h at 30 °C under low O₂ plus 1 month cold storage under air, killed 100% of LBAM pupae, and 100% of 5th instar larvae of both codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.), and oriental fruit moth, Grapholita molesta (Busck). Implementation of such treatments would not require substantial investments for fruit industries equipped with CA storage facilities.     

减少蔬菜碳足迹的主要肥料合理用量分析——以浏阳蔬菜生产合作社为例

肥料是影响作物产量和农业碳排放的主要因子之一。研究基于减少单位产量碳足迹,探讨主要肥料的合理用量。对浏阳4个合作社中黄瓜、苦瓜、豆角、莴笋、苋菜、茄子等8种蔬菜生产进行3年定点调查,并对相关数据进行统计分析。结果表明:每季蔬菜生产氮肥、磷肥、钾肥、厩肥施用量依次为:0、327.2、0、48936 kg/hm2,可使单位产量碳足迹减少85.85%,产量提高24.11%。因此,浏阳发展高效低碳蔬菜种植产业关键施肥技术在于减少氮肥与钾肥的使用,控制磷肥的用量,增施厩肥。     

初花期源库比变化对棉花下部"铃-叶系统"生理特征的影响

对棉花初花期进行去叶和去蕾处理,研究改变棉花源库比对早期"铃-叶"系统生理状态的影响.结果表明,源库比改变明显地影响着棉叶和棉铃中蛋白质、可溶性糖和淀粉的含量,但蛋白质、可溶性糖、淀粉的含量对源库比变化的反应程度不同.减库处理可以提高叶片中蛋白质、可溶性糖和淀粉的含量,促进子棉中碳水化合物的积累,提高单铃重,并促进后期果枝叶中叶绿素的合成,延长叶片功能期,但是不利于棉子中蛋白质的合成;减源处理促进前期果枝叶中叶绿素含量,但是使后期果枝叶中叶绿素含量快速下降,表现出早衰迹象;并且减源处理不利于叶片中蛋白质的合成.     

Grain weight responses to post-anthesis spikelet-trimming in an old and a modern wheat under Mediterranean conditions

Average grain weight is a major yield component contributing to its variation, especially in Mediterranean regions where grain weight is frequently exposed to terminal stresses affecting grain growth. Most of the literature agrees that wheat grain growth is hardly limited by the source. However, no source–sink ratios studies seem to have been conducted in the Mediterranean region to determine to what degree wheat grain growth is actually limited by the source in these particular regions. We conducted two field experiments in Catalonia (north-eastern Spain), where an old cultivar (Anza) and a more recently released one (Soissons) were sown in a range of different nitrogen and water availabilities and sowing dates. This was to analyse the degree of source limitation for grain growth. Sink size was modified by removing half of the spikelets c. 10 days after anthesis, virtually doubling the availability of assimilates per grain effectively growing.

Trimming the spikes did not produce significant changes in grain growth rate or duration of grain filling. Consequently, grain weight did not respond noticeably to the reduction in sink demand and any eventual response has been far from representing a strong competition among grains during grain filling.     

旱种水稻结实期茎中碳同化物的运转及其生理机制

以杂交水稻汕优63和籼稻扬稻6号为材料，研究了旱种(地膜覆盖栽培)水稻结实期茎中碳同化物的运转及其生理机制。结果表明，抽穗至成熟期旱种水稻标记14C从茎中向籽粒的再分配、茎中非结构性碳水化合物(NSC)的运转率及其对籽粒的贡献率均显著高于水种(常规栽培)水稻。水稻旱种后籽粒中的蔗糖合成酶和酸性转化酶活性、茎中α-淀     

不同时期施钾对甘薯光合产物运转动力的调控

【目的】通过甘薯不同时期施用钾肥的大田试验,探讨不同时期施用钾肥对甘薯光合产物运转动力的调控效应。【方法】选用典型的食用型甘薯品种"北京553",以硫酸钾(K2SO4)为供试肥料,于2011 2012年2个生长季在山东农业大学农学试验站进行大田试验。试验处理为:不施用钾肥(CK)、全部钾肥基施(JS)、全部钾肥封垄期追施(FS)和全部钾肥高峰期追施(GS)。分析不同时期施用钾肥对功能叶光合产物的输出能力、运输茎的农艺特性、源-库间光合产物运输的渗透动力(茎顶-基部间碳水化合物、氨基酸和K+浓度梯度)及块根中光合产物积累特性的影响。【结果】施用钾肥可显著提高块根鲜薯产量和干重,提高块根膨大速率,其中,基施和封垄期追施钾肥处理增幅较大。基施钾肥显著降低生长前期(栽秧后50 d左右)功能叶碳水化合物含量和蔗糖/淀粉比值,提高生长中后期(栽秧后110 d、170 d左右)功能叶中蔗糖和蔗糖/淀粉比值,增幅分别为10.01%和27.14%(2011),16.16%和61.57%(2012),提高该时期功能叶蔗糖的输出能力。基施还提高生长前期基部茎粗,两年增幅均在20%以上,增大光合产物运输的横截面积;基施和封垄期追施钾肥处理提高生长中后期分枝数,基施处理两年增幅的均值为36.53%和48.44%,封垄期追施的为19.60%和46.17%;同时,降低生长中后期源-库距离,提高有效距离(51—200 cm)所占比例。茎顶部到基部间氨基酸和K+浓度逐渐降低,施用钾肥能提高该浓度梯度的降幅,提高渗透动力,以基施和封垄期追施效果较好,其中,氨基酸浓度两处理的平均增幅分别为87.58%和39.56%,K+浓度的平均增幅分别为272.81%和75.58%。基施钾肥显著降低生长前中期茎基部蔗糖和淀粉含量,基施和封垄期追施钾肥可显著降低生长后期茎顶部和基部蔗糖含量,同时降低淀粉含量。【结论】施用钾肥可减少生长前期功能叶中淀粉的合成,保证块根中光合产物的充足供应,扩大运输通道的横截面积,提高茎部运输的渗透动力促进茎基部光合产物的卸载,及时形成较强的库,提高生长中后期功能叶蔗糖含量和可运输态(蔗糖)的比例,增加光合产物运输通道数量,降低运输距离,提高运输有效性,并提高茎部运输的渗透动力,促进茎基部光合产物卸载,促进块根的膨大,形成高产。在本试验条件下,基施钾肥处理最优。     

蓄水坑灌降雨径流的产汇流特性研究

蓄水坑灌法是一种具有水土保持作用的山丘区果林灌溉新方法。根据蓄水坑灌法田间工程的特点,分析了在蓄水坑灌条件下的产汇流特性;在此基础上对单棵果树控制面积内的径流过程、初损历时、径流量及径流系数进行了分析推导,建立了相应的计算模型,并以设计算例说明了计算模型的应用。此项研究对于在一定的水土流失防治标准下设计蓄水坑灌的田间工程具有重要的价值。     

Earthworm ecological groupings based on C analysis

We report the first use of ¹⁴C isotope analysis to investigate the ecological grouping of earthworms. Mature endogeic (Allolobophora caliginosa), mature epigeic (Lumbricus rubellus), and semimature anecic worms (A. longa) were collected in September 2002 from a woodland site at Lancaster, UK. Because anecic worms are known to have a variable feeding behaviour and can show dietary changes during ontogeny, additional immature and mature specimens of A. longa were also collected from the same site in January 2004. Epigeic earthworms showed the lowest radiocarbon concentration (0-3-years old), implying that they assimilated more recently fixed carbon than the anecic or endogeic earthworms. The age of carbon assimilated in mature anecic species (5-7-years old) was closer to that of endogeic species (5-8-years old) than to epigeics, suggesting that a greater proportion of older, more mineralised organic matter may form part of the diet of the anecic earthworms than previously thought. These results suggest that ¹⁴C approaches are useful in the study of the feeding behaviour of detritivorous animals by providing in situ information on the age of the carbon assimilated by the worms. This can then be related to their role in ecosystem functioning, particularly in carbon cycling.     

Nitrogen fertilization reduces diversity and alters community structure of active fungi in boreal ecosystems

Nitrogen (N) availability is increasing in many ecosystems due to anthropogenic disturbance. We used a nucleotide analog technique and sequencing of ribosomal RNA genes to test whether N fertilization altered active fungal communities in two boreal ecosystems. In decaying litter from a recently burned spruce forest, Shannon diversity decreased significantly with N fertilization, and taxonomic richness declined from 44 to 33 operational taxonomic units (OTUs). In soils from a mature spruce forest, richness also declined with N fertilization, from 67 to 52 OTUs. Fungal community structure in litter differed significantly with N fertilization, primarily because fungi of the order Ceratobasidiales increased in abundance. We observed similar changes in fungal diversity and community structure with starch addition to litter, suggesting that N fertilization may affect fungal communities by altering plant carbon inputs. These changes could have important consequences for ecosystem processes such as decomposition and nutrient mineralization.     

Effects of potato–grain rotations on soil erosion, carbon dynamics and properties of rangeland sandy soils

The potential for wind erosion in South Central Colorado is greatest in the spring, especially after harvesting of crops such as potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) that leave small amounts of crop residue in the surface after harvest. Therefore it is important to implement best management practices that reduce potential wind erosion and that we understand how cropping systems are impacting soil erosion, carbon dynamics, and properties of rangeland sandy soils. We evaluate the effects of cropping systems on soil physical and chemical properties of rangeland sandy soils. The cropping system included a small grain–potato rotation. An uncultivated rangeland site and three fields that two decades ago were converted from rangeland into cultivated center-pivot-irrigation-sprinkler fields were also sampled. Plant and soil samples were collected in the rangeland area and the three adjacent cultivated sites. The soils at these sites were classified as a Gunbarrel loamy sand (Mixed, frigid Typic Psammaquent). We found that for the rangeland site, soil where brush species were growing exhibited C sequestration and increases in soil organic matter (SOM) while the bare soil areas of the rangeland are losing significant amounts of fine particles, nutrients and soil organic carbon (SOM-C) mainly due to wind erosion. When we compared the cultivated sites to the uncultivated rangeland, we found that the SOM-C and soil organic matter nitrogen (SOM-N) increased with increases in crop residue returned into the soils. Our results showed that even with potato crops, which are high intensity cultivated cropping systems, we can maintain the SOM-C with a rotation of two small grain crops (all residue incorporated) and one potato crop, or potentially increase the average SOM-C with a rotation of four small grain crops (all residue incorporated) and one potato crop. Erosion losses of fine silt and clay particles were reduced with the inclusion of small grains. Small grains have the potential to contribute to the conservation of SOM and/or sequester SOM-C and SOM-N for these rangeland systems that have very low C content and that are also losing C from their bare soils areas (40%). Cultivation of these rangelands using rotations with at least two small grain crops can reduce erosion and maintain SOM-C and increasing the number of small grain crops grown successfully in rotation above two will potentially contribute to C and N sequestration as SOM and to the sequestration of macro- and micro-nutrients.