Time‐lapse monitoring of soil water content using electromagnetic conductivity imaging

The volumetric soil water content (θ) is fundamental to agriculture because its spatiotemporal variation in soil affects the growth of plants. Unfortunately, the universally accepted thermogravimetric method for estimating volumetric soil water content is very labour intensive and time‐consuming for use in field‐scale monitoring. Electromagnetic (EM) induction instruments have proven to be useful in mapping the spatiotemporal variation of θ. However, depth‐specific variation in θ, which is important for irrigation management, has been little explored. The objective of this study was to develop a relationship between θ and estimates of true electrical conductivity (σ) and to use this relationship to develop time‐lapse images of soil θ beneath a centre‐pivot irrigated alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) crop in San Jacinto, California, USA. We first measured the bulk apparent electrical conductivity (EC_a – mS/m) using a DUALEM‐421 over a period of 12 days after an irrigation event (i.e. days 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 and 12). We used EM4Soil to generate EM conductivity images (EMCIs). We used a physical model to estimate θ from σ, accounting for soil tortuosity and pore water salinity, with a cross‐validation RMSE of 0.04 cm³/cm³. Testing the scenario where no soil information is available, we used a three‐parameter exponential model to relate θ to σ and then to map θ along the transect on different days. The results allowed us to monitor the spatiotemporal variations of θ across the surveyed area, over the 12‐day period. In this regard, we were able to map the soil close to field capacity (0.27 cm³/cm³) and approaching permanent wilting point (0.03 cm³/cm³). The time‐lapse θ monitoring approach, developed using EMCI, has implications for soil and water use and management and will potentially allow farmers and consultants to identify inefficiencies in water application rates and use. It can also be used as a research tool to potentially assist precision irrigation practices and to test the efficacy of different methods of irrigation in terms of water delivery and efficiency in water use in near real time.     

Soil physical changes and maize growth in a structurally fragile tropical soil due to mulching and duration between irrigation intervals

Under tropical meteorological conditions, the volume of soil explored by plant roots is crucial for crop growth as it allows increased water and nutrient use efficiency. We hypothesized that, under different irrigation intervals, leguminous mulch can extend the duration between irrigation events but maintain crop performance, because decreased evaporative fluxes also reduce constraints to root exploration imposed by mechanical stress. We evaluated the combined effects of leguminous mulch and irrigation intervals on soil physical properties to determine whether the growth and productivity of maize were modified in a structurally fragile tropical soil. The experiment involved the following treatments: 4‐day irrigation intervals with soil mulched (4C) or bare (4S), 6‐day irrigation intervals with soil mulched (6C) or bare (6S), 8‐day irrigation intervals with soil mulched (8C) or bare (8S) and 10‐day irrigation intervals with soil mulched (10C) or bare (10S). Mulch decreased soil penetration resistance and increased to 4 days the favourable time for root development in drying soil. Relative to bare soil, mulch with a 6‐day irrigation interval almost doubled nitrogen uptake post‐tasselling, which decreased nitrogen remobilization and increased the crop growth rate during this stage. These conditions had a positive effect on the transpiration rate and stomatal conductance as well as on the growth and yield of maize. A 6‐day irrigation interval with mulch compared to 4 days with bare soil resulted in similar conditions for root development, but greater uptake of nitrogen (102.73–78.70 kg/ha) and better yield (6.2–5.3 t/ha), which means greater efficiency in nitrogen and water use.     

Optimisation of fertiliser rates in crop production against energy use indicators

Optimising mineral nitrogen (N) use in crop production is inevitable target as mineral fertilisers reflect one of the highest inputs both in terms of economy and energy. The aim of the study was to compare the relationship between the rate of N fertiliser application and different measures of energy parameters exemplary data for spring-wheat in boreal climate condition in Estonia in 2006–2010. The effect of mineral N with rates 0, 40, 80, 120 and 160 kg N ha⁻¹ was studied on the background of composted cow manure and without organic fertilisers. Univalent parameters, energy gain (EG) (energy output − energy input) and energy ratio (ER) (energy output/energy input) were calculated. To aggregate parameters with different units (ER and EG) we proposed two standardisation approaches for combined indices. ER maximisation gave both organic fertilisation background optimum N norms significantly lower than EG (p < 0.05) optimisation. Both the new combined indices gave optimum N norms in between the rate of ER an EG. Composted cow manure background did not affect mineral N optimisation significantly. We suggest optimisation of mineral N according to bi-dimensional parameters as they capture important features of production efficiency and are more objective using as advisory tool for sustainable production systems.     

新式墙面绿化在广州和深圳的应用研究

新式墙面绿化对日益缩减的城市绿化环境至关重要,通过实地调查广州和深圳30个新式墙面绿化场所,分析其种植形式、植物种类、植物配置与景观效果,总结出深圳和广州新式墙面绿化的植物应用现状和景观效果,并讨论其发展前景。     

A proposal for enhanced EU herbage VCU and DUS testing procedures

Herbage production is regarded as having environment-friendly credentials. However, as the ruminant production it supports is facing major challenges on sustainability, environmental footprint and human health concerns, EU herbage cultivar testing must contribute to the solutions. Before new cultivars can be sold in a member state (MS) and gain EU-wide marketing, they must pass official tests to prove they are both novel (distinct, uniform and stable, DUS) with improved value for cultivation and use (VCU). Herbage species present specific challenges, as their allogamy imposes a wide within-cultivar variation that adds complexity to DUS tests and their “value” is only realized in ruminant produce. Current VCU systems measure production, chemical composition and disease/stress tolerances, often on large numbers of candidate cultivars, but prohibitive labour costs and logistics mean that animal intake, ruminant output or environmental benefits cannot be measured directly. Furthermore, some candidate cultivars with proven superior VCU fail DUS even though the non-distinct comparison is with a significantly lower performing registered cultivar. To resolve these problem cases, a “vmDUS” distinctness tool is proposed, which uses molecular markers but conforms to UPOV-declared principles. A short overview of current grassland research shows smart proxy measures of animal value can easily and quickly be adopted into an integrated pan-European (EU-VCU) test network. The proposed EU-VCU scheme will reallocate test resources to conduct these additional tests by placing MS in data sharing collaborations, while retaining their national listing authority. The benefits to all stakeholders from adopting these new testing procedures are considered.     

调亏度及调亏历时对苜蓿生物量分配与水分利用效率的影响

本研究的目的在于探讨紫花苜蓿营养生长期调亏滴灌对其节水效果的影响,增加其产量的作用。在北京对分枝期苜蓿品种"皇冠"进行调亏程度和调亏历时对其生长的研究。结果发现,秋播苜蓿进行调亏灌溉应把握适当的调亏度,在调亏度达60%FC、调亏历时为14d时,土壤水分对苜蓿形成干旱胁迫;在调亏度达80%FC时,光合同化物更多向苜蓿地上部分配,同时适当增加调亏历时改变苜蓿根系形态可塑性,有利于其根系伸长生长,提高其水分利用效率。适当的将调亏度与调亏持续时间分别维持在80%FC左右和14~21d,更能实现北京地区苜蓿节水促生长的目的。     

基于CA-Markov模型的甘州区土地利用变化预测分析

研究以张掖市甘州区为例,以黑河流域2000年和张掖市2007年土地利用/土地覆盖(LUCC)数据集的矢量数据、2014年Landsat 8 OLI_TIRS 8月份遥感影像和Google Earth影像为数据源,以Arc GIS10.1、ENVI 4.8和IDRISI 17.00为计算平台,利用CA-Markov模型对2014年土地利用变化进行模拟和预测,并将预测结果与2014年甘州区LUCC解译数据作对比分析,其Kappa系数为87.87%,表明预测与现实一致性较佳。最后对2021年甘州区土地利用分类进行模拟和预测。从预测结果可以看出:2000—2021年间甘州区耕地面积和建设用地面积呈现较快的增长趋势,未利用地面积呈现较快的减少趋势;林地和水域呈现缓慢地增长趋势;草地面积变化较小。简要分析了其变化原因主要归因于政策、社会经济、人口和科学技术几方面。对2021年甘州区土地利用变化的预测研究结果可为该区土地利用合理规划管理及经济发展政策的制定提供科学的决策依据。     

Effects of Different Nitrogen Treatments on N use Efficiency and Grain Yield of Mechanically-transplanted Hybrid Rice

In order to investigate effects of topdressing on grain yield and N use efficiency of mechanically-transplanted hybrid rice,this experiment was conducted with 2-line hybrid rice cultivars,Quanliangyou 1 and Quanliangyou 681 with 3 application levels of N fertilizer,No,N1,N2,respectively.The results showed that there were no significant differences in grain yields of the 2 varieties between treatments N1 and N2.It was indicated that N is not the factor which could limit grain yield within limited application levels of N fertilizer.High N fertilizer treatment could contribute to the formation of effective panicles and spikelets per panicle,but it could also lead to the decline in grain filling rate.It was suggested that lowering the amount of Nfertilizer could facilitate improvement of N-use efficiency.     

江汉平原棉花合理施氮量研究

采用田间小区试验研究了江汉平原棉花合理施氮量。结果表明,在施用90 kg/hm~2 P2O5、180 kg/hm~2K2O和3 kg/hm~2持力硼基础上,利用线性+平台模型得到棉花中高产量水平下的合理施氮量为280 kg/hm~2。在不明显减产的条件下,从提高氮肥当季利用率、尽量降低氮肥投入的角度,可以将氮肥用量降低到240kg/hm~2左右,在此施氮水平下仍然可能通过改进田间管理措施获得高产。因此,江汉平原棉花氮肥减量空间为20~60 kg/hm~2。