Age estimation of different tree species using a special kind of an electrically recording resistance drill

The determination of tree age is an important issue for urban green planning, forestry and dendrology; finding non-destructive and quasi-non-destructive methods for this purpose is of great theoretical and practical importance. The resistance drilling method is quasi-non-destructive because the average diameter of an opening that remains after drilling does not exceed 3 mm. Do electrically recording resistance drills allow precise assessment of tree age? The aim of this study is to assess the accuracy of determining the number of tree rings based on an examination of this special kind of drilling resistance profiles for three tree species, the pine Pinus sylvestris L., the oak Quercus robur L., and the birch Betula pendula ROTH. In 2015 and 2016, 15 pine trees, 15 oak trees, and 15 birch trees were randomly selected. For each studied tree, a measurement was conducted using the electrically recording resistance drill IML-Resi E400 with a flat-tipped 1.5/3 mm steel needle (research sample), and an increment core was taken (reference sample). The drill used was not a real Resistograph^®. The analysis of the E400-profiles underestimated the number of tree rings; the mean bias error (MBE) values were –6.5, –2.5, and –6.0 years for pine, oak, and birch, respectively. The proportion of investigated trees with less than five years difference between the research and reference samples varied from 38.4 (birch) to 66.7 (oak) percent. The accuracy of tree age determination was lowest for birch and highest for oak. The binomial generalised linear model (GLM) revealed that the most accurate tree age assessments were obtained from tree rings wider than 2 mm. The measurements clearly showed that the electrically recording resistance drill IML-Resi E400 enables a quick, although approximate, tree age assessment. Future research should concentrate on electronically regulating and recording drills, providing a higher spatial and signal resolution, and a stronger correlation to wood density.     

水稻上有机肥部分替代化肥试验小结

通过对有机肥与化肥配合施用田间试验结果分析,我市水稻上有机肥部分替代化肥的适宜比例以有机氮与无机氮比为1：9,这样可有效减少化肥施用,达到化肥减量增效的目的。     

Multilocus sequence typing analysis of Italian Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris strains suggests the evolution of local endemic populations of the pathogen and does not correlate with race distribution

Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc) is the causal agent of black rot in Brassicaceae. It is widespread in Italy and severe outbreaks occur under conditions that favour disease development. In this study a multilocus sequence typing approach (MLST) based on the partial sequence of seven loci was applied to a selection of strains representative of the main areas of cultivation and hosts. The aim was to investigate whether the long tradition of brassica crops in Italy has influenced the evolution of different Xcc populations. All loci were polymorphic; 14 allelic profiles were identified of which 13 were unique to Italian strains. Based on the seven loci, the most common genotype within the Italian Xcc strains (AP1) was also the most representative genotype found in worldwide Xcc strains. This genotype was included in a new clonal complex in addition to three other clonal complexes already identified in Xcc populations. The phylogenetic reconstruction using a concatenated dataset of four conserved protein-coding genes, dnaK, fuyA, gyrB and rpoD, showed that the Italian strains belonged to two genetic groups. Physiological races were also investigated for the first time in Italy. The race structure of Xcc was determined by inoculating eight differential Brassica lines belonging to five species and showed that, in Italy, race 4 is the most widespread, followed by races 1 and 6. No correlation was found between allelic profiles, host of isolation, geographical origin and races, although a prevalent race was identified within the same clonal complex.     

宜宾市农业干旱危险性演变特征分析

基于四川省宜宾市1951—2010年夏季(6—8月)降水距平资料,以30年为窗口、1年为滑动步长,通过构造降水距平百分率和农业干旱危险性等级(轻旱、中旱、重旱、严重干旱)之间的模糊隶属函数,引入区间平均隶属度,将信息扩散理论与之结合,研究了宜宾近60年农业干旱危险性的演变特征。结果表明,轻度干旱危险性水平变化趋势总体为波动下降;中度干旱危险性水平在10.5%处保持振荡平衡;重度干旱危险性水平在前期有下降趋势,之后迅速上升并持续保持高位振荡;严重干旱危险性水平长期保持低位振荡后,在第24序列之后骤增;中度以下农业干旱危险性水平总体呈振荡下降趋势,重度以上农业干旱危险性水平总体呈上升趋势。本研究针对不同等级农业干旱危险性分别计算各自的模糊概率,对该地防灾减灾实践具有重要价值。     

苦瓜新品种淮农青1号的选育

为了选育早熟、产量高、抗病性强、微苦的苦瓜新品种,以B19强雌系为母本,以B118苦瓜自交系为父本,进行杂交、分离后,经系统选育,培育出苦瓜新品种——淮农青1号。其早熟,果皮翠绿色,长纺锤形,口感脆嫩;前期平均667 m2产量1 126.2 kg,比对照增产25.5%,平均667 m~2总产量达2 740.8 kg,比对照增产26.3%;中抗白粉病,适合江苏省春季大棚栽培。     

翻心型大白菜新品种连狮1 号的选育

连狮1 号是以连云港地区菜农提供的中狮头自留种为原始种，经4 代自交提纯选育成的大白菜新品种。株型紧凑， 整齐度较好，叶球为长筒翻心形，叶片呈长倒卵形，叶表面具有较深核桃纹并带稀疏茸毛。株高35 cm，外叶数约10 片， 叶球高28～32 cm、横径22～27 cm，单个叶球质量3.5～4.0 kg，每667 m² 叶球产量4 700 kg 左右，净菜率达83%。生育期 为90～95 d（天），田间抗病毒病、霜霉病、根肿病能力优于对照中狮头，适合在江苏、安徽、山东等地及其相近气候条件 地区秋季种植。     

Exogenous application of allelopathic water extracts helps improving tolerance against terminal heat and drought stresses in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L. Em. Thell.)

The allelopathic water extracts (AWEs) may help improve the tolerance of crop plants against abiotic stresses owing to the presence of the secondary metabolites (i.e., allelochemicals). We conducted four independent experiments to evaluate the influence of exogenous application of AWEs (applied through seed priming or foliage spray) in improving the terminal heat and drought tolerance in bread wheat. In all the experiments, two wheat cultivars, viz. Mairaj‐2008 (drought and heat tolerant) and Faisalabad‐2008 (drought and heat sensitive), were raised in pots. Both wheat cultivars were raised under ambient conditions in the wire house till leaf boot stage (booting) by maintaining the pots at 75% water‐holding capacity (WHC). Then, managed drought and heat stresses were imposed by maintaining the pots at 35% WHC, or shifting the pots inside the glass canopies (at 75% WHC), at booting, anthesis and the grain filling stages. Drought stress reduced the grain yield of wheat by 39%–49%. Foliar application of AWEs improved the grain yield of wheat by 26%–31%, while seed priming with AWEs improved the grain yield by 18%–26%, respectively, than drought stress. Terminal heat stress reduced the grain yield of wheat by 38%. Seed priming with AWEs improved the grain yield by 21%–27%; while foliar application of AWEs improved the grain yield by 25%–29% than the heat stress treatment. In conclusion, the exogenous application of AWEs improved the stay green, accumulation of proline, soluble phenolics and glycine betaine, which helped to stabilize the biological membranes and improved the tolerance against terminal drought and heat stresses.     

China's alfalfa market and imports: Development,trends, and potential impacts of the U.S.–China trade dispute and retaliations

This study examines the development and trends of China's alfalfa market and imports, identifies key factors for the rapid increase in China's alfalfa imports, and discusses potential impacts of the U.S.–China trade dispute and retaliations on the alfalfa markets and trade in both nations. China's rapid transition toward larger-scale commercial dairy production, with enhanced feed and cost management as well as quality and safety control, and its limited resources for high-quality alfalfa production are key factors for the dramatic increase in its alfalfa imports, from 19 601 metric tons in 2008 to 1.38 million metric tons (mmt) in 2018. While the United States dominated China's alfalfa imports with an average share of 97.01% from 2007 to 2017, the share dropped to 83.76% in 2018 and 63.28% in January 2019 due to the trade dispute and retaliations started in 2018. China will likely remain a large importer of alfalfa because of both its growing demand and the comparative advantages of imported alfalfa in quality and price, but the imports from the United States will be highly affected by the ongoing trade dispute and negotiations. China is also expected to make more efforts to reduce its dependence on U.S. alfalfa through increased investment in domestic alfalfa production and identification of alternative sources of alfalfa and other hay imports.     

阿拉善右旗近50年气温变化特征分析

本文通过整理右旗1969—2018年气温逐年气象观测资料，对右旗近50a平均气温年际变动、季节性变化趋势、突变特点展开研究。得出结论：50a来右旗温度呈0.39℃/10a的速度增加，在20世纪九十年代之后増温明显，且有显著的阶段性波动特点。季节性气温都是以不同速度在增加，春季平均气温增加发展趋势在四季中极为明显。由最高气温季节平均值可知，春季最大，其次秋季夏季冬季，由此可知，最低温度季节性均值是春季最大，其次夏季秋季冬季。年和四季平均最低气温的增加波动,使得平均气温日较差呈减小态势。