Effect op foliar sprays of sulphuric acid with and without elemental sulphur in the prevention of chlorosis In Peanut (Arachis hypogaea. L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted on an alkaline calcareous soil of Agronomy farm of the College of Agriculture, University of Udaipur to study the effect of sulphur on crop yield, leaf elemental composition, chlorophyll synthesis and activities of haematin enzymes. Application of elemental sulphur 21 days before planting with and without 0.1 per cent foliar sprays of H₂SO₄. increased crop yield by 137 to 197 per cent. Application of all these treatnents had no effect on nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content of leaves but sulphur content was signficantly increased. Iron content of green leaves was decreased significantly 4 to 5 times together with an increase in the activity of catalase and peroxidase enzymes. Chlorosis in these soils appears to be on account of a reduced physiological availability of iron after absorption.     

祁连山林区土壤水分条件的分析与评价

通过对祁连山林区云杉林、圆柏林、灌丛林和牧草地等4种主要植被类型土壤水分动态进行长期定位研究,揭示出生长季节内各植被类型的土壤水分动态变化规律.从土壤水分的变化特征,土壤水分有效性等几个方面对祁连山林区主要植被类型的土壤水分条件进行了分析与评价,表明祁连山林区主要植被类型的土壤水分垂直变化可分为土壤水分弱利用层、土壤水分利用层、土壤水分调节层;林地土壤水分的季节变化可分为土壤水分消耗期、土壤水分补偿期、土壤水分消退期、土壤水分稳定期4个时期.根据土壤水分对植物的有效性,将土壤水分划分为易效水、中效水和难效水三种状态,评价土壤水分有效性认为云杉林水分供应状况最好.     

不同肉鸡用植物性饲料总磷真利用率的测定

本试验利用无磷原料配制无磷饲粮,选择低磷原料配制基础饲粮,用一定比例待测植物性饲料替代基础饲粮配制待测饲粮,通过平衡试验法测定了35日龄艾维茵肉仔鸡对玉米、豆粕、麦麸3种饲料原料的总磷真利用率。结果表明:在控制饲粮含磷量低于肉仔鸡的磷需要量,研究饲料磷的最大利用率时,肉仔鸡的内源磷排出量为(44.84±3.14)mg/d。玉米、豆粕和麦麸的总磷真利用率分别为(16.42±3.36)%、(28.34±4.90)%和(46.48±4.29)%。利用总磷含量的1/3和非植酸磷含量估计肉鸡饲料有效磷并不准确。因麦麸本身含有高活性的植酸酶,肉仔鸡可部分利用其植酸磷。     

Assessment of diffusive phosphate supply in soils by microdialysis

Standard procedures to assess P availability in soils are based on batch experiments with various extractants. However, in most soils P nutrition is less limited by bulk stocks but by strong adsorption and transport limitation. The basic principle of root‐phosphate uptake is to strip phosphate locally from the solid phase by forming a radial depletion zone in the soil solution, optionally enhanced by release of mobilizing substances. Microdialysis (MD), a well‐established method in pharmacokinetics, is capable to mimic important characteristics of P root uptake. The sampling is by diffusional exchange through a semipermeable membrane covering the probes with their sub‐mm tubular structure. Additionally, the direct environment of the probe can be chemically modified by adding, e.g ., carboxylates to the perfusate. This study is the first approach to test the applicability of MD in assessing plant available phosphate in soils and to develop a framework for its appropriate use.We used MD in stirred solutions to quantify the effect of pumping rate, concomitant ions, and pH value on phosphate recovery. Furthermore, we measured phosphate yield of top‐soil material from a beech forest, a non‐fertilized grassland, and from a fertilized corn field. Three perfusates have been used based on a 1 mM KNO₃ solution: pure (1), with 0.1 mM citric acid (2), and with 1 mM citric acid (3). Additionally, a radial diffusion model has been parametrized for the stirred solutions and the beech forest soil.Results from the tests in stirred solutions were in good agreement with reported observations obtained for other ionic species. This shows the principal suitability of the experimental setup for phosphate tests. We observed a significant dependency of phosphate uptake into the MD probes on dialysate pumping rate and on ionic strength of the outside solution. In the soils, we observed uptake rates of the probes between 1.5 × 10⁻¹⁵ and 6.7 × 10⁻¹⁴ mol s⁻¹ cm⁻¹ in case of no citrate addition. Surprisingly, median uptake rates were mostly independent of the bulk soil stocks, but the P‐fertilized soil revealed a strong tailing towards higher values. This indicates the occurrence of hot P spots in soils. Citrate addition increased P yields only in the higher concentration but not in the forest soil. The order of magnitude of MD uptake rates from the soil samples matched root‐length related uptake rates from other studies. The micro‐radial citrate release in MD reflects the processes controlling phosphate mobilization in the rhizosphere better than measurements based on “flooding” of soil samples with citric acid in batch experiments. Important challenges in MD with phosphate are small volumes of dialysate with extremely low concentrations and a high variability of results due to soil heterogeneity and between‐probe variability. We conclude that MD is a promising tool to complement existing P‐analytical procedures, especially when spatial aspects or the release of mobilizing substances are in focus.     

Soil S availability in upland pastures of NE Scotland: relationship of extractable soil S and soil respiration to soil and site characteristics

Abstract. The mean extractable sulphur (S) concentration in 315 upland topsoil samples collected in 1988/89 from beneath pasture in NE Scotland was 13 μg S g⁻¹ (range 2–77 μg S g⁻¹). More than two thirds of the samples had S concentrations less than that acceptable for productive soils. Continued decreases in atmospheric S inputs may have increased this proportion subsequently. The analysis of herbage S also indicated that two-thirds of the samples were below 0.2% S. A 'respirometric index', namely CO₂ produced during cellulose decomposition without added S as a percentage of that produced with added S, was significantly less than 100% in a quarter of the soils. Results of three different extraction procedures suggested that sulphate in the soils was present mainly as free plus adsorbed rather than precipitated forms. Soil extraction identified a significant non-sulphate S fraction, presumably organic S. The variability in extractable S stemmed from a combination of geographical, depositional and local site and soil factors. Extractable S was significantly correlated with soil organic matter content and inversely with soil pH and together these factors explained 37% of the variability. While significant differences in mean concentrations between geographical area, soil association and drainage status were evident, no trends could be observed between the major soil subgroups or with altitude.     

Pearl Millet Phenology and Growth in Relation to Thermal Time under Arid Environment

Pearl millet ( Pennisetum glaucum L.R.Br.) hybrid MH 179 was grown under two moisture regimes viz., optimal moisture and rainfed conditions. The field experiment was continued for three consecutive rainy seasons to quantify the pearl millet development with thermal time. The possible influence of variation in natural sowing date on the relationships between crop development and thermal time have been described. At cardinal temperatures of 10°C (base temperature below which pearl millet development ceases), 33°C (optimal temperature for development) and 45°C (maximum temperature at and above which no development takes place), the crop required 1490–1794°Cd thermal time to reach physiological maturity. The thermal time requirement for different developmental stages was influenced by the sowing time and moisture availability during the growing season of the crop.
The leaf tip appearance on the main shoot of pearl millet in relation to thermal time was almost linear under both moisture conditions requiring about 44–50°Cd ± 2.6 °Cd leaf⁻¹, till the appearance of the flag (last) leaf. However, leaf tip appearance on primary tillers was slightly slower and required 53-58°Cd ± 4.7°Cd for each new leaf. Appearance of first primary tiller was later (at 320°Cd after emergence) under the rainfed condition as compared to the crop under the optimal moisture (at 250°Cd).Thereafter, the tiller appearance in relation to thermal time under both moisture conditions was at a linear rate of about 53-56°Cd ± 9.5°Cd tiller⁻¹.
Effect of microclimatic variations, canopy temperature, radiation and photoperiod on the phenology-thermal time relationships have been discussed under both the moisture conditions.     

Relationships among condition indices, feeding and growth of walleye in Lake Erie

Abstract  Condition indices are often used as surrogates of fish health, growth, and feeding and to compare ecological well-being among fish populations. In an effort to identify easily measured indices, growth and food consumption were compared with gonadal-somatic index, liver-somatic index (LSI), fat-somatic index and relative weight ( W _r) for ages 1–3 walleye, Sander vitreus (Mitchill), in Lake Erie from 1986 to 1988. The LSI and W _r were significantly correlated with growth rate or food consumption, but correlations were too small to be considered biologically meaningful. Furthermore, no consistent relationships between condition indices and growth or consumption were found among combinations of fish age and season. None of the indices are considered reliable surrogates for more laborious estimates of growth and food consumption for Lake Erie walleye. Significant relationships between W _r and relative abundance of key prey species warrant further investigation.     

Decomposition and phosphorus release from organic residues as affected by residue quality and added inorganic phosphorus

The combined use of organic residue and inorganic fertiliser-phosphorus (P) is appropriate in meeting both the short and long-term P requirement of crops. To assess the influence of added inorganic fertiliser-P on the processes of decomposition and P release from the residue and the relationships with quality, prunings of Gliricidia sepium, Leucaena leucocephela, Senna siamea, Acacia mangium and Paraserienthus falcataria were incubated without and with added inorganic fertiliser-P for 56 days. Soil was added only as inoculum. Decomposition rate and amounts of acid extractable-P (P release) were in the same order: G. sepium >S. siamea > L. leucocephela >P. falcataria > A. mangium. Unlike the other residues, A. mangium released no P despite the loss of half its mass during the 8 weeks of incubation. The residue P content correlated with P release. However, decomposition rate did not correlate with residue P content but with the lignin, polyphenol and cellulose content, and ratios to P. These ratios were negatively correlated with P release suggesting that lignin and polyphenol contents influence P release more when the residue-P content is low. Results suggest that rate of decomposition influences the release of P. The critical residue P content for P release was estimated to be 0.12% < P < 0.19%. Added P had no effect on decomposition and P release from the residues.     

太行山北部中山幼林地土壤水分的研究

以太行山北部山西五台山中山地区幼林地土壤为研究对象，在阳坡、阴坡和半阳坡三种代表性立地上，从土壤水势、水容量等持水特性和土壤水分季节变化角度，并结合树木抗旱性和生长，研究了该地区土壤水分供应状况及其与造林成活和幼林生长的关系。研究表明，土壤有效水范围为－０．３－－２０ｂａｒ，正常生长水在－０．３－－３ｂａｒ，轻胁迫水－３－－１０ｂａｒ，中胁迫水为－１０－－２０ｂａｒ；土壤持水特性和有效水范围以阳坡最小，半阳坡最大；土壤自然含水率和有效水含量随降水而呈明显的季节变化特征，阴坡全年土壤含水率高，有效水充足，造林成活率高，幼林生长快，半阳坡和阳坡土壤含水率低，有效水较少，林木易于受旱，需选择抗旱树种，采取抗旱造林措施；整地可明显改善土壤水分状况，是抗旱造林和促进幼林生长的良好措施。     

退耕还林还草地区土壤有效水含量及蓄水性能研究--以陕西省吴旗县柴沟流域为例

对陕两省吴旗县黄土丘陵沟壑区退耕还林工程区的乔术（山杏和刺槐）、灌木（荆条、沙棘）及对照农田的土壤水分有效性和蓄水能力进行了比较研究。结果表明，不同植被类型的土壤有效水含量为1．92％～15．73％，林地比农田增加约75．3l％；0～40cm土层土壤蓄水量为228．30～251．07t／hm^2，林地比农田增加约8％；刺槐林地的蓄水性能好于山杏林地。结果对于科学地评价退耕还林工程的土壤改良效益、水源涵养效益具有重要的意义。