The induction of 1,3-β-glucanases and other enzymes in groundnut leaves infected with Cercospora arachidicola

Infection of groundnut leaves with the early leaf spot pathogen Cercospora arachidicola leads to a marked increase in extracellular 1,3-β-glucanase activity, limited to the infected tissue. Three isoforms of low molecular weight and extreme pI values, typical of pathogenesis-related proteins, were induced. These β-glucanases, when acting together, were capable of degrading the pathogen cell wall in vitro. Glucanases from homogenates of infected leaf tissue were partially purified by ion-exchange chromatography to give enzymes with molecular weights of 35, 32 and 20 kDa and pI values of 3·8, 3·6 and > 9, respectively. They were electrophoretically identical to the β-glucanases found in the intercellular washing fluid. Treatment of groundnut plants with 200 μM mercuric chloride induced the accumulation of identical extracellular β-glucanases. During the course of the infection an increase in peroxidase activity was also observed, but chitinase activity remained more or less constant.     

Effect of root applied 28-homobrassinolide on the performance of Lycopersicon esculentum

The roots of 20 days old seedlings of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) at the time of their transplantation, were dipped in 10⁻⁸, 10⁻⁷, 10⁻⁶ or 10⁻⁵ M of 28-homobrassinolide (HBR) for 15, 30 or 45 min and were allowed to grow in earthen pots, in a net house. The leaves of the plants, at days 30 and 60, possessed elevated quantities of nitrate reductase (NR), carbonic anhydrase (CA) and the contents of chlorophyll. The values for all the above characteristics were significantly higher than that of the water-fed control. The fruits borned at the treated plants were more in number and possessed a lower quantity of ascorbic acid than the control. Moreover, the fruits at ripening, had higher levels of lycopene and β-carotene. Among the treatments, 15 min feeding of 10⁻⁸ M HBR proved best.     

Simulation of transpiration, drainage, N uptake, nitrate leaching, and N uptake concentration in tomato grown in open substrate

Free-drainage or “open” substrate system used for vegetable production in greenhouses is associated with appreciable NO₃⁻ leaching losses and drainage volumes. Simulation models of crop N uptake, N leaching, water use and drainage of crops in these systems will be useful for crop and water resource management, and environmental assessment. This work (i) modified the TOMGRO model to simulate N uptake for tomato grown in greenhouses in SE Spain, (ii) modified the PrHo model to simulate transpiration of tomato grown in substrate and (iii) developed an aggregated model combining TOMGRO and PrHo to calculate N uptake concentrations and drainage NO₃⁻ concentration. The component models simulate NO₃⁻-N leached by subtracting simulated N uptake from measured applied N, and drainage by subtracting simulated transpiration from measured irrigation. Three tomato crops grown sequentially in free-draining rock wool in a plastic greenhouse were used for calibration and validation. Measured daily transpiration was determined by the water balance method from daily measurements of irrigation and drainage. Measured N uptake was determined by N balance, using data of volumes and of concentrations of NO₃⁻ and NH₄⁺ in applied nutrient solution and drainage. Accuracy of the two modified component models and aggregated model was assessed by comparing simulated to measured values using linear regression analysis, comparison of slope and intercept values of regression equations, and root mean squared error (RMSE) values. For the three crops, the modified TOMGRO provided accurate simulations of cumulative crop N uptake, (RMSE = 6.4, 1.9 and 2.6% of total N uptake) and NO₃⁻-N leached (RMSE = 11.0, 10.3, and 6.1% of total NO₃⁻-N leached). The modified PrHo provided accurate simulation of cumulative transpiration (RMSE = 4.3, 1.7 and 2.4% of total transpiration) and cumulative drainage (RMSE = 13.8, 6.9, 7.4% of total drainage). For the four cumulative parameters, slopes and intercepts of the linear regressions were mostly not statistically significant (P < 0.05) from one and zero, respectively, and coefficient of determination (r²) values were 0.96-0.98. Simulated values of total drainage volumes for the three crops were +21, +1 and −13% of measured total drainage volumes. The aggregated TOMGRO-PrHo model generally provided accurate simulation of crop N uptake concentration after 30-40 days of transplanting, with an average RMSE of approximately 2 mmol L⁻¹. Simulated values of average NO₃⁻ concentration in drainage, obtained with the aggregated model, were −7, +18 and +31% of measured values.     

Nitrate leaching in a silage maize field under different irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer rates

Quantification of the interactive effects of nitrogen (N) and water on nitrate (NO₃) loss provides an important insight for more effective N and water management. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of different irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer levels on nitrate-nitrogen (NO₃-N) leaching in a silage maize field. The experiment included four irrigation levels (0.7, 0.85, 1.0, and 1.13 of soil moisture depletion, SMD) and three N fertilization levels (0, 142, and 189 kg N ha⁻¹), with three replications. Ceramic suction cups were used to extract soil solution at 30 and 60 cm soil depths for all 36 experimental plots. Soil NO₃-N content of 0-30 and 30-60-cm layers were evaluated at planting and harvest maturity. Total N uptake (NU) by the crop was also determined. Maximum NO₃-N leaching out of the 60-cm soil layer was 8.43 kg N ha⁻¹, for the 142 kg N ha⁻¹ and over irrigation (1.13 SMD) treatment. The minimum and maximum seasonal average NO₃ concentration at the 60 cm depth was 46 and 138 mg l⁻¹, respectively. Based on our findings, it is possible to control NO₃ leaching out of the root zone during the growing season with a proper combination of irrigation and fertilizer management.     

Tomato yield, biomass accumulation, root distribution and irrigation water use efficiency on a sandy soil, as affected by nitrogen rate and irrigation scheduling

Florida is the largest producer of fresh-market tomatoes in the United States. Production areas are typically intensively managed with high inputs of fertilizer and irrigation. The objectives of this 3-year field study were to evaluate the interaction between N-fertilizer rates and irrigation scheduling on yield, irrigation water use efficiency (iWUE) and root distribution of tomato cultivated in a plastic mulched/drip irrigated production systems. Experimental treatments included three irrigation scheduling regimes and three N-rates (176, 220 and 230 kg ha⁻¹). Irrigation treatments included were: (1) SUR (surface drip irrigation) both irrigation and fertigation line placed right underneath the plastic mulch; (2) SDI (subsurface drip irrigation) where the irrigation line was placed 0.15 m below the fertigation line which was located on top of the bed; and (3) TIME (conventional control) with irrigation and fertigation lines placed as in SUR and irrigation being applied once a day. Except for the “TIME” treatment all irrigation treatments were controlled by soil moisture sensor (SMS)-based irrigation set at 10% volumetric water content which was allotted five irrigation windows daily and bypassed events if the soil water content exceeded the established threshold. Average marketable fruit yields were 28, 56 and 79 Mg ha⁻¹ for years 1-3, respectively. The SUR treatment required 15-51% less irrigation water when compared to TIME treatments, while the reductions in irrigation water use for SDI were 7-29%. Tomato yield was 11-80% higher for the SUR and SDI treatments than TIME where as N-rate did not affect yield. Root concentration was greatest in the vicinity of the irrigation and fertigation drip lines for all irrigation treatments. At the beginning of reproductive phase about 70-75% of the total root length density (RLD) was concentrated in the 0-15 cm soil layer while 15-20% of the roots were found in the 15-30 cm layer. Corresponding RLD distribution values during the reproductive phase were 68% and 22%, respectively. Root distribution in the soil profile thus appears to be mainly driven by development stage, soil moisture and nutrient availability. It is concluded that use of SDI and SMS-based systems consistently increased tomato yields while greatly improving irrigation water use efficiency and thereby reduced both irrigation water use and potential N leaching.     

甘肃省退耕还林后续政策调查研究

在对甘肃省退耕还林工程整体实施情况及生态、经济和社会三大效益全面了解的基础上,通过对退耕区退耕农户退耕还林前后收入、粮食产量、劳动力转移等变化情况以及补助到期后退耕农户收入的可能变化等进行深入调查研究和分析,提出了完善退耕还林现行政策及制定补助到期后续政策的意见建议。     

1961～2018年柴达木盆地大风日数变化特征

为了更好地剖析柴达木盆地大风日数的演变特征,利用柴达木盆地9个气象观测站1961～2018年大风日数资料,采用线性倾向估计、M-K突变法对大风日数的年际变化趋势进行分析。结果表明：柴达木盆地1961～2018年平均大风日数呈显著减少趋势。大风日数年际间差异较大,最多年与最少年之差为53d。大风日数的年代际变化在20世纪60～70年代呈增加趋势,20世纪70年代至21世纪10年代呈减少趋势。四季大风日数均呈现出减少趋势,依次是：春季＞夏季＞冬季＞秋季。月平均大风日数变化呈单峰型,1～4月逐月呈增加趋势,5～12月呈减小趋势,4月是一年中大风日数多的月份,处于波峰位置。年和春季大风日数在20世纪80年代左右开始呈下降趋势,春季发生了突变,年未发生突变。     

基于可见/近红外光谱技术的毛脚茧的光谱快速鉴别方法研究

基于可见/近红外光谱技术,研究了鲜茧毛脚茧快速鉴别的方法。采用主成分分析法对毛脚茧和成熟茧进行定性分析,再对光谱数据采用最小二乘支持向量机方法建模鉴别,通过连续投影算法从400-1000 nm波段的鲜茧光谱数据中选取了12个特征波长。采用最小二乘支持向量机法基于400 nm,430 nm,487 nm,512 nm,604 nm,616 nm,732 nm,759 nm,784 nm,852 nm,985 nm,999 nm这12个特征波长建模,结果对毛脚茧的判别准确率达到100%。表明可见/近红外光谱可以用于毛脚茧的鉴别检测。     

五指山猪与长白猪妊娠期65d猪胎儿肌纤维差异比较研究

为寻找五指山猪与长白猪肌肉发育关键时期(妊娠期65d)肌纤维发育差异情况,采用石蜡切片、HE染色、Image-Pro Plus软件测量及SAS软件统计分析多种技术对两猪种骨骼肌肌纤维的表观组织学特征、数目和横截面积差异进行分析。结果表明,五指山猪和长白猪妊娠期65d胎儿肌纤维组织学外观有明显差异;并且长白猪猪胎儿骨骼肌肌纤维数目和横截面积均显著高于五指山猪(P0.05)。试验结果确定两猪种肌肉发育关键时期肌纤维发育差异,为日后深入研究影响肌肉发育的机制提供了参考。     

Life cycle of Caligus rogercresseyi, (Copepoda: Caligidae) parasite of Chilean reared salmonids

Caligus rogercresseyi, [Contrib. Zool. 69 (2000) 137] is the only caligid known to affect the salmon industry in Southern Chile. Economic losses due to reduced fish quality, cost of chemical treatment and outbreaks of other diseases such as the Piscirickettsiosis occur. The life cycle of C. rogercresseyi is described in rainbow trout reared in seawater tanks from observations made under natural conditions of light and temperature between January 1997 and April 1998. Fish were infected with laboratory-cultured larvae obtained from ovigerous females. Rainbow trout were periodically slaughtered for parasite collection and identification. C. rogercresseyi life cycle includes the following stages: two nauplius, one copepodid, four chalimus and the adult. No preadult stage was observed. Timing of the different stages of development was directly dependent on water temperature. The maturation of the eggs or the time for a complete life cycle took place at 45 days in July at 10.3 °C, 31–32 days in April at 12.4 and 12.8 °C, respectively, and at 26 days in November at 15.2 °C. In January, at 16.7 °C, only the appearance of first eggs were observed at 18 days. A simple degree–day (dd) model is proposed for each developmental stage between 4 and 17 °C, where the development rate is a linear function of the average temperature of water. Using this degree–day model, the proportion of fourth stage chalimus was maximum at 172 dd of effective temperature, adult males at 193 degree–days, adult females at 208 dd. The minimum temperature threshold is at 4.2 °C where there is no development of the parasite. The appearance of first eggs occurred at 231 dd and the first pigmented eggs at 277 dd. The temperature-independent degree–days value allowed to predict the timing of C. rogercresseyi life cycle at any temperature within the evaluated range.