Evaluating and predicting agricultural management effects under tile drainage using modified APSIM

An accurate and management sensitive simulation model for tile-drained Midwestern soils is needed to optimize the use of agricultural management practices (e.g., winter cover crops) to reduce nitrate leaching without adversely affecting corn yield. Our objectives were to enhance the Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM) for tile drainage, test the modified model for several management scenarios, and then predict nitrate leaching with and without winter wheat cover crop. Twelve years of data (1990-2001) from northeast Iowa were used for model testing. Management scenarios included continuous corn and corn-soybean rotations with single or split N applications. For 38 of 44 observations, yearly drain flow was simulated within 50 mm of observed for low drainage (< 100 mm) or within 30% of observed for high drain flow. Corn yield was simulated within 1500 kg/ha for 12 of 24 observations. For 30 of 45 observations yearly nitrate-N loss in tile drains was simulated within 10 kg N/ha for low nitrate-N loss (< 20 kg N/ha) or within 30% of observed for high nitrate-N loss. Several of the poor yield and nitrate-N loss predictions appear related to poor N-uptake simulations. The model accurately predicted greater corn yield under split application (140-190 kg N/ha) compared to single 110 kg N/ha application and higher drainage and nitrate-N loss under continuous corn compared to corn/soybean rotations. A winter wheat cover crop was predicted to reduce nitrate-N loss 38% (341 vs. 537 kg N/ha with and without cover) under 41-years of corn-soybean rotations and 150 kg N/ha applied to corn. These results suggest that the modified APSIM model is a promising tool to help estimate the relative effect of alternative management practices under fluctuating high water tables.     

Growth Characteristics of Tea Plants and Tea Fields in Japan

In 12th century, the Buddhist priest Eisai brought tea ( Camellia sinensis L.) seeds to Japan from China and now tea plants are cultivated all over Japan except in the Hokkaido and Tohoku districts. The quality (reflected in the price) of Japanese green tea is affected by the nitrogen content. Consequently in tea fields, for last three decades large amounts of fertilizer have been applied to produce high quality tea. As a result, problems such as acidification of soil have been caused. It is also known that the growth of tea plants is stimulated by the addition of aluminum (Al) under acidic conditions. In this keynote address, some problems caused by excess applications of fertilizer in tea fields and the growth characteristics of tea plants related to Al are presented.     

施钾对扬麦158等小麦品种的养分吸收与生物产量的影响

采用田间试验、室内分析与数理统计相结合的方法研究了不同施钾水平对扬麦158在不同生育期体内的氮（N）、磷（P）、钾（K）含量、吸收量及干物质积累量的影响，还比较了同一施肥水平下，扬麦158等7个品种的养分吸收差异。结果表明，拔节-孕穗阶段是小麦养分吸收和生物产量积累的最快时期。不同生育阶段除含磷量较为稳定外，氮、钾变幅大，因此，在制定施肥方案时，应重视氮、钾的合理配合，以满足小麦“高产、优质、高效”生产的营养需要。     

Growth responses and foliar sensitivities of native herbaceous species to ozone exposures

This paper reports on open-top chamber studies investigating the effects of different O₃ exposures on native herbaceous plant species. Plants were grown up from seeds, potted into natural soils and exposed to near-ambient O₃ levels during one growing season. A wide range of visible symptoms was apparent during the exposures. Species such as Rumex obtusifolius, Senecio vulgaris or Sonchus asper showed leaf colorations (e.g. reddish pigmentation) that probably indicate a non-specific stress response. In other species especially of the genera Malva and Cirsium the symptoms produced by O₃ appeared to be similar to those characteristic for O₃-specific foliar injury (stippling, flecking). In almost all species tested, O₃ caused premature leaf senescence, which was sometimes associated with premature leaf abscission. However, earlier senescence did not necessarily result in changes in plant growth. Of all species tested, Malva sylvestris was found to be the most sensitive in terms of growth reduction and lower seed production.     

Oxygen profiles and methane turnover in a flooded rice microcosm

Summary Dissolved O₂ was depleted within the top 3.5-mm surface layer of flooded rice soil microcosms without plants. In planted microcosms, however, O₂ was detectable down to at least 40 mm in depth. O₂ concentrations in the uppermost soil layers of microcosms with rice plants were higher in the light than in the dark, indicating O₂ production by photosynthesis. The CH₄ emission rates were nearly identical for illuminated and for darkened microcosms, demonstrating that the photosynthetically produced O₂ did not increase CH₄ oxidation in the rhizosphere. In contrast, CH₄ emission rates increased when the microcosms were incubated under an N₂ atmosphere, indicating that transport of O₂ from the atmosphere into the rhizosphere was important for CH₄ oxidation. CH₄ emission under air accounted for only 10%–20% of the cumulative CH₄ production determined in cores taken from the microcosms. Apparently, 80%–90% of the CH₄ produced was oxidized in the rhizosphere and thus was not emitted.     

Immediate and adaptational temperature effects on nitric oxide production and nitrous oxide release from nitrification and denitrification in two soils

 Nitrification and denitrification are, like all biological processes, influenced by temperature. We investigated temperature effects on N trace gas turnover by nitrification and denitrification in two soils under two experimental conditions. In the first approach ("temperature shift experiment") soil samples were preincubated at 25  °C and then exposed to gradually increasing temperatures (starting at 4  °C and finishing at 40–45  °C). Under these conditions the immediate effect of temperature change was assessed. In the second approach ("discrete temperature experiment") the soil samples were preincubated at different temperatures (4–35  °C) for 5 days and then tested at the same temperatures. The different experimental conditions affected the results of the study. In the temperature shift experiment the NO release increased steadily with increasing temperature in both soils. In the discrete temperature experiment, however, the production rates of NO and N₂O showed a minimum at intermediate temperatures (13–25  °C). In one of the soils (soil B9), the percent contribution of nitrification to NO production in the discrete temperature experiment reached a maximum (>95% contribution) at 25  °C. In the temperature shift experiment nitrification was always the dominant process for NO release and showed no systematic temperature dependency. In the second soil (soil B14), the percent contribution of nitrification to NO release decreased from 50 to 10% as the temperature was increased from 4  °C to 45  °C, but no differences were evident in the discrete temperature experiment. The N₂O production rates were measured in the discrete temperature experiment only. The contribution of nitrification to N₂O production in soil B9 was considerably higher at 25–35  °C (60–80% contribution) than at 4–13  °C (15–20% contribution). In soil B14 the contribution of nitrification to N₂O production was lowest at 4  °C. The effects of temperature on N trace gas turnover differed between the two soils and incubation conditions. The experimental set-up allowed us to distinguish between immediate effects of short-term changes in temperature on the process rates, and longer-term effects by which preincubation at a particular temperature presumably resulted in the adaptation of the soil microorganisms to this temperature. Both types of effects were important in regulating the release of NO and N₂O from soil. Received: 20 October 1998     

不同改良剂对皖南烟田土壤性状及烤烟产量和品质的影响

通过布置田间小区试验,研究了不同农林废弃物制成的5种改良剂对烟稻轮作土壤性状和烤烟生长发育、产量和烟叶品质的影响。不同改良剂施入土壤后,土壤体积质量较不施改良剂的对照处理显著下降,而田间持水量明显提高,表明烟田土壤物理性状得到明显改善。改良剂能明显促进不同生育期烟株的生长:烟株团棵期,改良剂X1处理叶片宽显著高于对照;旺长期,X1、X2、X5处理叶长显著大于对照,且X5处理叶面积显著大于对照;成熟期,X1、X2、X5处理上部叶和下部叶长显著高于对照。改良剂能增加烟叶产量,尤其是改良剂X3、X5,明显增加了上等烟和中等烟的产量。改良剂X1、X2、X3处理上等烟总分显著高于对照,即改良剂处理烤出的上等烟综合品质更优。     

木薯酒精废水初沉物调理过滤脱水的研究

以木薯干片作原料的酒精废水初沉物为对象，研究了调理作用对木薯酒精废水初沉物过滤脱水的影响。实验表明：某一种聚丙烯酸胺(CPAM)作为调理剂对木薯酒精废水初沉物的过滤速率有较大的提高，并降低了滤饼含水率。在实验数据的基础上提出调理木薯酒精废水初沉物过滤脱水滤液量和时间关系的半经验方程。     

农业自动化领域中计算机视觉技术的应用

计算机视觉技术的应用已扩展到农业自动化领域。该文介绍了计算机视觉系统的组成,概述了国内外计算机视觉技术在农业生产自动化中的应用状况,并对计算机视觉技术应用于农业自动化中存在的问题及发展前景做了概括     

高原沟壑区高效农业生态经济系统研究Ⅱ粮食生产持续发展

长武王东沟试验区通过１０多年系统田间试验，采用不同降水年型粮食作物丰产抗旱技术，在降水趋于正常的１９９３年，小麦产量为４９４４ｋｇ／ｈｍ＾２，玉米产量为９４７８．５ｋｇ／ｈｍ＾２，粮食单产６２５６．５ｋｇ／ｈｍ＾２，处历史最高水平，在世界旱作上也是罕见记录。自１９２９年以来灾情最为严重的１９９５年，年降水量２７２．２ｍｍ，占常年降水４６．６％，粮食产量仍取得１５０４．５ｋｇ／ｈｍ＾２的较好收成，与