Transpiration efficiency of Amaranth (Amaranthus sp.) in response to drought stress

Drought is a major abiotic stress responsible for severe crop losses worldwide. Development of new crop varieties with increased drought tolerance is one way to increase crop productivity. The aim of this study was to characterise the diversity of nine accessions belonging to Amaranthus tricolor and A. cruentus, in response to drought stress using a dry-down protocol to characterise the transpiration efficiency (TE). Plants were subjected to either a gradual dry down or well-watered conditions. Results showed that TE was significantly higher (P < 0.01) in water-deficient (WD) plants compared to water-sufficient (WS) plants, 2.40 g kg^?1–7.13 g kg^?1 and 2.19 g kg^?1–4.84 g kg^?1, respectively. There was no significant difference in the fraction of transpirable soil water (FTSW) threshold decline between the amaranth genotypes. TE was highly correlated with yield under both WS (r = 0.89, P < 0.001) and WD conditions (r = 0.662, P < 0.001), and negatively correlated with root-to-shoot ratio under both WS (r = ?0.488, P < 0.05) and WD conditions (r = ?0.460, P < 0.05). Significant genotypic differences were seen for growth rate and stress susceptibility index (SSI). The result obtained in this investigation underline the need to identify genotypic variation in water use efficiency in amaranth.

Abbreviations: FTSW: Fraction of transpirable soil water; NTR: normalised transpiration rate; SSI: Stress susceptibility index; TE: transpiration efficiency; WHC: water holding capacity; WD: water-deficient; WS: water-sufficient.     

Robotic weeders can improve weed control options for specialty crops

Specialty crop herbicides are not a priority for the agrochemical industry, and many of these crops do not have access to effective herbicides. High‐value fruit and vegetable crops represent small markets and high potential liability in the case of herbicide‐induced crop damage. Meanwhile, conventional and organic specialty crop producers are experiencing labor shortages and higher manual weeding costs. Robotic weeders are promising new weed control tools for specialty crops, because they are cheaper to develop and, with fewer environmental and human health risks, are less regulated than herbicides. Now is the time for greater investment in robotic weeders as new herbicides are expensive to develop and few in number, organic crops need better weed control technology and governments are demanding reduced use of pesticides. Public funding of fundamental research on robotic weeder technology can help improve weed and crop recognition, weed control actuators, and expansion of weed science curricula to train students in this technology. Robotic weeders can expand the array of tools available to specialty crop growers. However, the development of robotic weeders will require a broader recognition that these tools are a viable path to create new weed control tools for specialty crops. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry     

Impact of newly introduced perennial bioenergy crops on soil quality parameters at three different locations in W‐Germany

The land areas used for bioenergy crop cultivation are increasing across Europe. For several years now, various perennial crops have been cultivated, including Miscanthus , switchgrass and reed canary grass, and the newly introduced cup plant, giant knotweed, tall wheatgrass, virginia mallow, and wild plant mixtures. We investigated the impact that many of these perennial bioenergy crops (PECs) have on the soil organic C and N pools, microbial properties, and earthworm activity at three different study sites in W‐Germany with varying soil conditions after an experimental period of five years. Silage maize (Zea maize ) in rotation with green rye (Cecale cereale ) or Triticale was used for comparison (= annual energy crops; AEC). The overall intention of this study was to gain insights into the future trends of soil quality with changes in land‐use towards bioenergy production. Our results emphasized that in general, soil quality was improved through the cultivation of perennials. For example, after five years of investigation, the mean soil organic carbon contents increased, on average, by 1–2% at two of the three study sites, the soil microbial biomass increased from 13% (virginia mallow) to 27% (tall wheatgrass) (p < 0.05) compared to AEC treatment and the mean earthworm activity (cast production) was significantly improved in PECs compared to AEC. These trends were mainly found in silty to loamy soils, but the results were slightly different in sandy soils and dry climate conditions. We suggest that this might be traced back to unfavourable growing conditions for perennial crops during the first years of establishment. To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive field investigation of the impact of these newly introduced perennial crops on soil quality indicators that considers various site‐ and soil‐specific growth conditions.     

色素作物——侧金盏花大田栽培技术

随着我国经济的飞速发展和人民生活水平的日益提高,人们追求绿色环保已成为时尚从侧金盏花中提取的虾青素是纯天然绿色食品,应用广泛,市场缺口极大。为侧金盏花事业壮大发展,提出与之相配套的大田栽培技术。     

土下作物自动对行挖掘收获试验台研制

为了提高土下作物机械化收获质量和效率,解决土下作物收获机械田间试验成本高、效率低、数据采集不便且受天气因素影响大等问题,该研究设计了一种土下作物机械收获自动对行挖掘试验台。该试验台主要由传动装置、速度调节装置、偏离行中心距调节装置、块根固定及株距调节装置、偏离探测装置、液压纠偏执行机构和挖掘模拟装置以及测控系统和液压系统组成。在分析试验台工作原理的基础上,进行了关键部件的结构设计及参数确定,设计了集成角度传感器、位移传感器、速度传感器的机电液一体化测控系统。以甜菜收获为研究对象,以株距、偏离行中心距离和前进速度为试验因素,以漏挖率为指标进行试验台准确性田间对比正交试验。试验结果表明,在不同前进速度、偏离行中心距离、株距等参数组合下,试验台试验漏挖率为2.33%~2.72%,田间试验漏挖率为2.38%~2.92%。与田间试验相比,漏挖率绝对偏差率范围为2.10%~6.85%,平均偏差率为3.67%,且漏挖率越大,偏差率越大,试验台具有较好的准确性。该研究可为甜菜、萝卜、土豆等土下作物的自动对行挖掘收获系统设计提供参考。     

基于气象-生理的夏玉米作物系数及蒸散估算

准确估算作物系数对预测作物实际蒸散量和制定精准的灌溉计划至关重要。为反映作物逐日作物系数变化,综合考虑气象和生物因子对作物生长的共同影响,采用五道沟水文实验站大型蒸渗仪夏玉米实测蒸散及气象数据,基于地温及叶面积指数建立了气象-生理双函数乘法模型,并结合梯度下降法对模型进行了精度优化。结果表明,在整个玉米生长期中,作物系数实测值和计算值平均绝对误差为0.12,均方根误差为0.15,相关性为0.91,蒸散量实测值与计算值平均绝对误差为1.0 mm/d,均方根误差为4.5 mm/d,相关性为0.75。该模型计算的全生育期蒸散量准确率(误差在2～3 mm/d以内)相比使用联合国粮农组织(FAO)推荐的作物系数计算所得准确率提高了3倍以上,可更精确用于作物系数及蒸散量计算。     

格网化小麦生长模拟预测系统设计与实现

利用作物生长模型模拟小麦区域生产力,分析气候变化对农业生产的影响是研究粮食安全的热点问题之一。拥有操作方便、计算快速特点的小麦区域生产力模拟系统,可有效提高作物生长模型区域应用能力。该研究在分解小麦生长模型WheatGrow算法基础上,利用Python语言构建了格网化小麦生长模型,实现了基于空间格网数据的小麦区域生产力模拟。验证试验结果表明:模拟产量的均方根误差为1 070 kg/hm~2,标准均方根误差小于20%,系统所集成的WheatGrow模型具有较好的预测性;同时,结合格网数据分块构建区域模拟的并行计算策略,优化了区域模拟的性能。在此基础上,采用GIS组件式开发模式,在.NET平台下开发格网化小麦生长模拟预测系统,实现作物生长模型与GIS耦合,为研究区域小麦产量潜力,评估气候变化对小麦生长影响,制定农业决策提供软件工具。     

缓释肥侧位深施及用量对油菜产量和肥料利用率的影响

为明确红壤稻田直播油菜缓释肥（N-P2O5-K2O:25-7-8）侧位深施效果及适宜用量，该研究连续2 a在两熟制和三熟制2种种植模式下开展缓释肥侧位深施效果对比试验（设置不施肥、土表撒施和侧位深施3个施肥方式）和施用量试验（设置0、300、450、600、750和900 kg/hm2 共6个施肥水平），研究缓释肥侧位深施及不同用量对油菜产量形成和肥料利用率的影响。结果表明，施肥方式对红壤稻田油菜产量形成和肥料利用率均有显著影响，且对两熟制油菜影响更为显著。相比传统土表撒施，侧位深施显著促进了油菜产量和肥料利用率的提高。缓释肥侧位深施明显提高了各时期油菜干物质量，尤其是显著增加了初花期至成熟期的干物质积累量，促进了花后根部与地上部干物质同步增长；促进了根系对N、P、K的吸收，提高了油菜产量和肥料利用率。菜籽产量与缓释肥用量呈线性加平台关系，适宜施肥量可保证较大的收获密度，并协同产生较多的每株角果数和每角粒数，从而提高籽粒产量、肥料利用率和经济效益。两熟制和三熟制油菜缓释肥侧位深施的适宜用量分别为715和585 kg/hm2，产量潜力可分别达2 450和1 700 kg/hm2。研究表明，侧位深施适量缓释肥可显著提高红壤稻田直播油菜生产力，建议结合机械化种植因地制宜推广应用。     

光对园艺植物花青素生物合成的调控作用

花青素是植物中一类重要的类黄酮化合物,在植物花朵、果实等器官色泽形成和抗氧化过程中起着重要作用。植物组织中花青素的形成依赖于光信号,但是光信号对花青素生物合成的调控机制及信号网络很大程度上还不清晰。本文简述了花青素生物合成及运转过程的研究进展,简要归纳了MYB、bHLH、WDR三类主要因子对花青素合成的转录调控作用,重点阐释光信号（光强、光质、光照时长）对植物花青素合成的调控作用。研究表明,光环境（光强、光质、光照时长）主要通过不同的光受体（UVR8、CRYs、PHOTs、PHYs）影响光信号通路重要因子COP1的泛素化能力和HY5的稳定性,以及其他光信号转录因子如光敏色素互作因子PIFs的稳定性,进而调控花青素的生物合成过程。这些光信号因子一方面直接结合到调控花青素合成的MYB、bHLH、WDR三大类转录因子上,转录激活或抑制它们的表达进而调控花青素的合成;另一方面,这些光信号因子通过与MYB、bHLH、WDR三大类转录因子蛋白互作,影响它们形成的MBW复合体稳定性,进而调控花青素的合成。此外,这些光信号因子还可以通过不依赖于MBW复合体的通路调控花青素的合成,如HY5通过调控miR858影响花青素的生物合成;另外,一些未知的光响应因子可能以不依赖MBW通路的方式直接或间接地调控花青素合成基因和液泡膜上的运转蛋白,改变液泡酸化,调节花青素的合成。同时,光信号会影响光合电子传递,光合电子传递链中的一些因子也会通过依赖和不依赖MBW的途径影响植物花青素的合成。这些途径如何协调以及哪些信号因子优先受光环境（光强、光质、光照时间）调控?本文为深入研究光信号对花青素生物合成的调控机理提供参考,以探索光调控花青素积累的有效途径及靶标分子,为利用基因工程、代谢工程和光环境调控手段改良园艺植物花青素积累提供理论基础。     

2019年及近年我国农药登记情况和特点分析

总结、分析了2019年及近年我国农药登记的基本情况和特点。最近7年来,每年微毒/低毒农药登记数量与当年农药登记总量的比值,及与本年度新增登记数量的比值均持续上升,其比值的年均值分别为82.0%和93.4%;环境友好的剂型在迅速增加,悬浮剂与本年度新增产品登记数量的比值一直处于领先位置,可分散油悬浮剂的比值增长突显,乳油比值在逐年递减;杀虫剂、杀菌剂和除草剂3大类农药登记数量与本年度新增登记数量的比值趋向显著平均;低风险的新农药登记数量在不断增加,生物源农药登记数量增长稳定,5年来其有效成分和产品的年均增长率分别为9.88%和9.46%。从政策和技术上促进特色小宗作物用药登记产品数量快速增加。上述特点表明,我国农药正朝着有利于人畜健康和生态环境安全的方向发展。