Nitrogen and Phosphorus Use Efficiency in Improved Potato (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Solanum tuberosum</Emphasis> L.) Cultivars in Southern Ethiopia

Use of nutrient efficient crop species or cultivars within species in combination with improved crop production practices offer the best option for meeting the future food requirements of growing world populations. Efficiency improvement has a key role for nutrient use and it improves both productivity of yield and minimizes risks of losses that potentially harm the environment. To improve nutrient use efficiency (NUE), one strategy is to select cultivars of crops with high NUE. Both nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are among essential macronutrients commonly applied to agricultural crops to optimize yields. Evaluation of potato cultivars with high N and P efficiency is essential for sustainable production of the crop. In Ethiopia, however, little research has been done to elucidate better NUE of potato crop until recently. This study was, thus, designed to evaluate selected potato cultivars (Belete, Gudene, Jalene, Marachere and one local check) for NP use efficiency under low levels of the nutrients in Wolaita Sodo University, Ethiopia during 2014 and 2015. Factorial combination of 3 levels of each N (0, 55.5 and 111 kg N ha^?1 ) and P (0, 19.5 and 39 kg P ha^?1 ) were assigned to the main plots and the 5 cultivars to subplots of split-plot design in three replications. Efficiency indices such as agronomic efficiency, physiological efficiency and recovery efficiency were computed for combined NP nutrients. Results showed that agronomic nitrogen use efficiency, apparent phosphorus use efficiency and phosphorus use efficiencies were significantly influenced by the interaction effect of rates of NP nutrition and variety. Application of NP more than 55.5:19.5 kg ha^?1 will not beneficial due to their less or equal use and recovery efficiencies to 55.5:19.5 kg NP ha^?1. Belete was the most NP efficient variety followed by Jalene and Gudene in all efficiency indices. Therefore, Belete, Jalene and Gudene return better for NP at 55.5:19.5 kg ha^?1 for economical use of fertilizes while obtaining satisfactory yield. It can be concluded that yield response variation of the varieties was related to their differences in NP uptake and use efficiencies; and the improved potato varieties were superior to local check in using NP nutrients efficiently.     

Free-Living Plant-Parasitic Nematodes do not Affect the Efficiency of Seed Tuber Fungicide Treatment against <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhizoctonia solani</Emphasis>

Stem canker on germinating potato sprouts is often caused by seed-borne inoculum of the fungus Rhizoctonia solani. However, high amounts of free-living plant-parasitic nematodes have been found in field patches of potato plants with stem canker. Fungicide treatment of the seed tubers can be used to avoid stem canker caused by seed-borne inoculum but it is unknown if nematodes can affect this. To investigate whether free-living plant-parasitic nematodes, the root-lesion nematode Pratylenchus penetrans or a combination of several plant-parasitic nematode genera in a full nematode community, may have a negative effect on the fungicide seed treatment, a pot experiment with seed tubers inoculated with R. solani, half of which were treated with fungicides, was performed. The seed-borne inoculum caused severe damage to the plants, while no fungal damages were observed on the fungicide treated plants. This shows that the nematodes did not affect the fungicide treatment. The probability of black scurf decreased in treatments with a full nematode community, which may be due to the action of fungal-feeding nematodes.     

Electrical properties of graphene/waterborne polyurethane composite films

Graphene is classified as a carbon-based material. Structurally, graphene is made up of carbon-based two-dimensional atomic crystals and a one atom thick planar sheet of sp²-bonded carbon atoms. This sort of arrangement in graphene makes it a unique material with exceptional mechanical, physicochemical, thermal, electrical, optical, and biomedical properties. Methods for graphene-based fabric production mainly use graphene-based materials such as graphene (G), graphene oxide (GO), and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) coated on fabric or yarn. Waterborne polyurethane (WPU) is one of the most rapidly developing and active branches of polyurethane chemistry. More and more attention is being paid to graphene-coated fabrics owing to their low temperature flexibility, the presence of zero or very few VOCs (volatile organic compounds), water resistance, pH stability, superior solvent resistance, excellent weathering resistance, and desirable chemical and mechanical properties. It is used as a coating agent or adhesive for fibers, textiles, and leather. Also, graphene-containing materials have been used to enhance the properties of WPU. In this study, graphene/WPU composite solution and film was prepared to conduct basic research for developing electrical heating textiles which is not harmful to the human body, flexible and excellent in electrical properties. Graphene/WPU composite solutions were prepared with a graphene content of 0, 2, 4, 8, and 16 wt%, and graphene/WPU film was prepared with solution casting method. The graphene contents were analyzed for their surface morphology, electrical properties, and electrical heating properties.     

Optimization of curing process for polymer-matrix composites based on orthogonal experimental method

In this paper, the orthogonal experimental method was carried out to optimize the curing process of aeronautical composite X850/T800 in autoclave process. Four important curing parameters including curing pressure, heating rate, curing temperature and heat preservation time were taken into account, and sixteen samples were fabricated to study the effects of the four parameters mentioned above on the curing quality by interlaminar properties test and microstructure analysis. The interlaminar properties and the interfacial bonding quality of these samples were studied by the short-beam three points bending test and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. Results revealed that the optimal curing process of X850/T800 composite laminate should be as follows: curing pressure of 0.6 MPa, heating rate of 1.5 °C/min, curing temperature of 160 °C, and heat preservation time of 120 min.     

Copolymerization of benzyl methacrylate and a methacrylate bearing benzophenoxy and hydroxyl side groups: Monomer reactivity ratios,thermal studies and dielectric measurements

Statistical copolymers of 2-hydroxy-3-benzophenoxy propyl methacrylate (HBPPMA) and benzyl methacrylate (BzMA) in different feed ratios were synthesized by free radical copolymerization method at 60 °C in presence of AIBN initiator. The compositions of copolymer were estimated from ¹H-NMR technique. The monomer reactivity ratios of HBPPMA and BzMA were calculated as r₁ (r_HBPPMA)=0.51±0.076 and r₂ (r_BzMA)=1.07±0.140 for Kelen-Tüdos method, and was estimated as r₁=0.37±0.0006 and r₂=0.64±0.0485 according to Fineman Ross equation. The average values estimated from the two methods showed that monomer reactivity ratio of benzyl methacrylate was a slightly high in comparison to HBPPMA. The copolymer system showed an azeotropic point, which is equal to M _BzMA =m _BzMA =0.43. DSC measurements showed that the T_g’s of poly(HBPPMA) and poly(BzMA) were 84 °C and 73 °C, respectively. The T_g in the copolymer system decreased with increase in benzyl methacrylate content. The decomposition temperature of poly(BzMA) and poly(HBPPMA) occurs in a single stage at about 207 °C and 260 °C, respectively. Those of HBPPMA-BzMA copolymer systems are between decomposition temperatures of two homopolymers. The dielectric constant, dielectric loss factor and electrical conductivity were investigated depend on the frequency of the copolymers. The highest dielectric constants depending on all the studied frequencies were recorded for the poly(HBPPMA) and the copolymer containing the highest HBPPMA unit. The dielectric constant for P(HBPPMA) and P(BzMA) at 1 kHz are 6.56 and 3.22, respectively. Also, those of copolymer systems were estimated between these two values. Similarly, poly(HBPPMA) and copolymers, which are prepared under the same conditions show the dissipation factor and conductivity as well.     

Fabrication of electropsun PLGA and small intestine submucosa-blended nanofibrous membranes and their biocompatibility for wound healing

In recent decades, tremendous research has focused on the production of nanoscale fibers using synthetic polymers, with the goal of fabricating nanofibrous scaffolds for wound healing. However, the hydrophobicity of such polymers typically hinders attachment and proliferation of the cells. In this study, we combined poly-d,l-lactide-co-glycolide (PLGA) and small intestine submucosa (SIS) to fabricate blended nanofibers for wound healing by electrospinning. PLGA and SIS were dissolved in 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro isopropanol to produce different weight ratios of PLGA/SIS-blended nanofibrous membranes (NFM). Physicochemical characterization of the electrospun NFM was performed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, water contact angle analysis, degradation test and tensile testing. The PLGA/SIS-blended NFM showed improved hydrophilicity and tensile strength. Better infiltration, attachment and proliferation of rat granulation fibroblasts of PLGA/SIS-blended NFMs compared to PLGA NFMs were identified by morphological differences determined by SEM and a water-soluble tetrazolium salt assay kit. Based on our results, the PLGA/SIS blended NFMs were found to be suitable for use as a potential material for wound dressing.     

Analysing taxonomic structures and local ecological processes in temperate forests in North Eastern China

Background

One of the core issues of forest community ecology is the exploration of how ecological processes affect community structure. The relative importance of different processes is still under debate. This study addresses four questions: (1) how is the taxonomic structure of a forest community affected by spatial scale? (2) does the taxonomic structure reveal effects of local processes such as environmental filtering, dispersal limitation or interspecific competition at a local scale? (3) does the effect of local processes on the taxonomic structure vary with the spatial scale? (4) does the analysis based on taxonomic structures provide similar insights when compared with the use of phylogenetic information? Based on the data collected in two large forest observational field studies, the taxonomic structures of the plant communities were analyzed at different sampling scales using taxonomic ratios (number of genera/number of species, number of families/number of species), and the relationship between the number of higher taxa and the number of species. Two random null models were used and the “standardized effect size” (SES) of taxonomic ratios was calculated, to assess possible differences between the observed and simulated taxonomic structures, which may be caused by specific ecological processes. We further applied a phylogeny-based method to compare results with those of the taxonomic approach.

Results

As expected, the taxonomic ratios decline with increasing grain size. The quantitative relationship between genera/families and species, described by a linearized power function, showed a good fit. With the exception of the family-species relationship in the Jiaohe study area, the exponents of the genus/family-species relationships did not show any scale dependent effects. The taxonomic ratios of the observed communities had significantly lower values than those of the simulated random community under the test of two null models at almost all scales. Null Model 2 which considered the spatial dispersion of species generated a taxonomic structure which proved to be more consistent with that in the observed community. As sampling sizes increased from 20 m × 20 m to 50 m × 50 m, the magnitudes of SESs of taxonomic ratios increased. Based on the phylogenetic analysis, we found that the Jiaohe plot was phylogenetically clustered at almost all scales. We detected significant phylogenetically overdispersion at the 20 m × 20 m and 30 m × 30 m scales in the Liangshui plot.

Conclusions

The results suggest that the effect of abiotic filtering is greater than the effects of interspecific competition in shaping the local community at almost all scales. Local processes influence the taxonomic structures, but their combined effects vary with the spatial scale. The taxonomic approach provides similar insights as the phylogenetic approach, especially when we applied a more conservative null model. Analysing taxonomic structure may be a useful tool for communities where well-resolved phylogenetic data are not available.

     

Comparative energy and economic analyses of conventional and System of Rice Intensification (SRI) methods of rice production in Thai Nguyen Province,Vietnam

The consumption of energy inputs in agricultural production has been increasing rapidly during the past decades. However, given the limitations and costs of non-renewable energy, increasing production while using the least energy possible has become a major concern of most nations. Prompted by this concern, we conducted a face-to-face survey of 90 farming households in Thai Nguyen Province, Vietnam, to find out how energy is being used in agriculture and, specifically, in their rice production. Through analysis of energy input–output balances, combined with economic efficiency analysis, a comparison was made of conventional and SRI methods of rice production. The study found that applying the SRI method can save around 23% of energy inputs, while increasing energy outputs by 11%. Economic benefits per hectare also rise by more than 8 million dong (USD 364) compared to those under the conventional cultivation system. The study also showed conflicts between the energy and economic balances for manual compared with machine ploughing operations. This study contributes to providing an overview of energy consumption in rice cultivation at the household level. Its findings can help stakeholders to assess current policies and make better decisions on the uses of energy in agricultural production. In addition, the comprehensive approach taken here to analysing energy use and efficiency could expand the analysis and comparison of energy uses at sectoral or activity level—still a new field in Vietnam and many other countries.     

Osmoregulatory and immunological status of the pond-raised striped catfish (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pangasianodon hypophthalmus</Emphasis> S.) as affected by seasonal runoff and salinity changes in the Mekong Delta,Vietnam

In Vietnam, the production of striped catfish Pangasianodon hypophthalmus S. reached more than 1.2 millions of tons in 2014 and is mainly gathered in the Mekong Delta (South Vietnam). A survey was carried out during the dry season 2013 (March–April) and rainy season 2014 (July–August) in 12 fish farms of the lower (Tra Vinh Province) and higher (Can Tho Province) Mekong River Delta. This study allowed drawing up current key osmoregulatory and innate immune parameters of striped catfish in aquaculture depending on the geographical location, particularly the proximity to the River Mekong Estuary and the seasonal surface runoff. In the dry season, plasma osmolality was positively correlated with salinity. Gill Na⁺K⁺ ATPase dropped in the rainy season, while kidney Na⁺K⁺ ATPase remained stable. Abundance of immune blood cells, especially thrombocytes and monocytes, tended to increase in farms located in tidal area. Production of reactive oxygen species in the spleen, kidney lysozyme activity and plasma complement activity did not vary whatever the season or the proximity to the estuary. Plasma lysozyme activity was 50-fold higher than in kidney and increased in the rainy season as well as in tidal sites. Kidney complement activity decreased in the dry season, especially in tidal sites. In conclusion, regarding key osmoregulatory and immune factors, striped catfish farms located in the Mekong Delta may be affected by seasonal and regional salinity and runoff fluctuations.