Tomato productivity and the associated composition of the hydroponic or soil solution

The concentration and balance of nutrients in both the hydroponic or soil solution has been evaluated with relevance to tomato productivity. Yields of 200 mt/ha have been produced in greenhouse, hydroponic culture in a 9 to 10 month period. Yields of more than 100 mt/ha of field grown tomatoes have been produced in Florida in a 4 to 5 month period. Within the limitations of either culture, it is possible per unit of time to provide the nutrients required to produce equivalent yields. It is most significant that field grown tomatoes in Florida can be grown with minimal management and at a fraction of the cost of those grown hydroponically. The validity of the Florida fresh market tomato industry is based on the production efficiency of the field culture. There are annually 16,000 ha of tomatoes grown in Florida, perhaps less than 40 ha grown in hydroponic cultures.     

Performance of simple irrigation scheduling calendars based on average weather data for annual ryegrass

Poor irrigation management in pastures can lead to yield and quality reduction as well as loss of income through extra pumping and leaching of nitrate fertiliser. A number of irrigation scheduling techniques of varying levels of sophistication have been developed over the years to address limited irrigation water availability and maximise productivity. Despite this, the adoption of irrigation scheduling tools by farmers remains low. The objective of this study was to assess the use of simple irrigation scheduling calendars based on average weather data to improve irrigation management in ryegrass. The calibrated Soil Water Balance (SWB) model was used to generate simple irrigation calendars and assess effectiveness for different scenarios by mechanistically simulating water dynamics and pasture growth. Scheduling irrigation using the calendars gave similar irrigation applications, water losses and yields compared to a more scientific real-time scheduling (in response to soil water depletion by the crop). While site-specific irrigation scheduling calendars can easily be generated by consultants and irrigators, even simpler monthly estimates of average daily water use can also be useful. Application of calendars by farmers is encouraged to improve water and nutrient use efficiency of irrigated pastures, if real-time irrigation scheduling is not employed.     

Changes in Hormonal Balance: A Possible Mechanism of Pre‐Sowing Chilling‐Induced Salt Tolerance in Spring Wheat

There is a lack of knowledge about factors contributing to the chilling‐induced alleviatory effects on growth of plants under salt stress. Thus, the primary objective of the study was to determine whether chilling‐induced changes in endogenous hormones, ionic partitioning within shoots and roots and/or gaseous exchange characteristics is involved in salt tolerance of two genetically diverses of wheat crops. For this purpose, the seeds of two spring wheat (Triticum aestivum) cultivars, MH‐97 (salt intolerant) and Inqlab‐91 (salt tolerant) were chilled at 3°C for 2 weeks. The chilled, hydroprimed and non‐primed (control) seeds of the two wheat cultivars were sown in both Petri dishes in a growth room and in the field after treatment with 15 dS m^?1 NaCl salinity. Chilling was very effective in increasing germination rate and subsequent growth when compared with hydropriming and control under salt stress. Results from field experiments clearly indicated the efficacy of chilling over hydropriming in improving shoot dry biomass and grain yield in either cultivar, particularly under salt stress. This increase in growth and yield was related to increased net photosynthetic rate, greater potential to uptake and accumulate the beneficial mineral elements (K⁺ and Ca²⁺) in the roots and reduced uptake and accumulation of toxic mineral element (Na⁺) in the shoots of both wheat cultivars when grown under salt stress. Salt‐stressed plants of both wheat cultivars raised from chilled seed had greater concentrations of indoleacetic acid, abscisic acid, salicylic acid and spermine when compared with hydropriming and control. Therefore, induction of salt tolerance by pre‐sowing chilling treatment in wheat could be attributed to its beneficial effects on ionic homeostasis and hormonal balance. The results presented are also helpful to understand the chilling‐induced cross adaptation of plants in natural environments. Moreover, efficacy of pre‐sowing chilling treatment over hydropriming suggested its commercial utilization as a low risk priming treatment for better wheat crop production under stressful environments.     

Genotypic Variation of Sweetpotatoes Grown Under Low Potassium Stress

Abstract

Ninety‐four sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas L.) genotypes were compared under low potassium (K) stress (35 mg kg^?1 dry soil) over two growing seasons. Potassium utilization efficiency ratio (KER), defined as the dry matter weight/K content, was significantly different among genotypes. Genotypes were divisible into four KER categories: high efficient, efficient, fairly efficient and inefficient with most of the genotypes falling in the efficient and fairly efficient groups. The K contents varied significantly within individual plants. Potassium concentration on a dry weight basis was greatest in the petioles followed by leaves, stems, and roots. On a total plant basis, K content in roots was greatest followed by stems, leaves, and petioles. Several genotypes (including 602 × 81‐3, Zhe15‐47 and Xushu18) were selected as most suitable for growth on soils low in available K due to their appreciable yields and higher KER under low K stress.     

A nutritional disorder in pistachio from near Athens,Greece

Abstract

A problem pistachio orchard near Athens, Greece had many trees with severely scorched leaves. Half or more of each leaflet v/as brown and dry but tips and edges were most affected. Affected leaves were also of lighter green color than normal leaves and slightly resembled Fe deficiency. Leaf analysis indicated low K, low Fe, and high Mg. Irrigation water contained moderate levels of Mg and Na chlorides and chloride toxicity was possibly another factor. Improvement was observed when Fe chelate was applied to the orchard but Mg‐induced K deficiency was possibly a major factor. Response to K applied to soil was not observed after four months, however.     

Evaluation of Water–Nitrogen Schemes for Rice in Iran,Using ORYZA2000 Model

The model ORYZA2000 simulates the growth and development of rice under conditions of potential production and water and nitrogen (N) limitations. Crop simulation models could provide an alternative, less time-consuming, and inexpensive means of determining the optimum crop N and irrigation requirements under varied irrigation and nitrogen conditions. Water productivity (WP) is a concept of partial productivity and denotes the amount or value of product over volume or value of water used. For the evaluated ORYZA2000 model in Iran, a study was carried out in a randomized complete block design between 2005 and 2007, with three replications at the Rice Research Institute of Iran, Rasht. Irrigation management (three regimes) was the main plot and N application (four levels) was the subplot. In this study, simulation modeling was used to quantify water productivity and water balance components of water and nitrogen interactions in rice. Evaluation simulated and measured total aboveground biomass and yield, by adjusted coefficient of correlation, T test of means, and absolute and normalized root mean square errors (RMSE). Results showed that with normalized root mean square errors (RMSE_n) of 5–28%, ORYZA2000 satisfactorily simulated crop biomass and yield that strongly varied among irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer conditions. Yield was simulated with an RMSE of 237–443 kg ha^?1 and a normalized RMSE of 5–11%. Results showed that the significant (28–56%) share of evaporation into evapotranspiration, using the actual yield (measured) and simulated water balance (ORYZA2000), the calculated average WP_ET was significantly lower than the average WP_T: 37%. The average WP_I, WP_I+R, WP_ET, WP_T, and WP_ETQ were 1.4, 1.07, 1.07, 1.57, and 0.82 kg m^?3. Results also showed that irrigation with 8-day intervals and 60 kg N ha^?1, nitrogen level was the optimum irrigation regime and nitrogen level.     

改进平衡运输问题表上作业法中的最优方案判别法则

平衡运输问题数学模型的约束条件Ｘｉｊ≥，表明只讨论从发车点驶往收车点，不讨论任何形式的“逆向行驶”，但“逆向行驶”在运输实际中往往发生。本旨在通过改进平衡运输问题表上作业法中的判别法则，解决“逆向行驶”问题，使平衡运输方案真正达到最优化。     

Introduction

The realization of strategies for sustainable land use assumes specificresearch concepts from the local to the global scale (micro-, meso- andmacroscale). Therefore, landscape ecological science has to provideinvestigation methods for all these different scales. By combiningtop-down and bottom-up approaches in addition tocoupled GIS-model applications and traditional methods, the investigation oflandscape ecological structures and processes seems to be possible. Thepresented studies show this approach on examples of two study areas in EasternGermany: A watershed of 400 km² and an administrativedistrict of about 4000 km². The scale-specificapplicability of several models and methods were tested for theseinvestigations, and the validation of the calculated results are presented. Animportant outcome of the project should be the prevention of conflicts betweenagriculture, water management and soil, and water and nature conservation;based onrecommendations for land use variants with decreased pollutant loading withinagricultural areas. The scale specific investigations can be considered as abase for establishing sustainable land use.This revised version was published online in May 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

笼养蛋鸭日粮电解质和蛋白质水平对体内酸碱平衡的影响

本试验旨在研究日粮电解质和蛋白质水平对家禽体内酸碱平衡的影响。选取5周龄金定鸭240只,随机分为10个处理,每个处理6个重复,每个重复4只,分别饲喂相同代谢能水平(11.7 MJ/kg),不同粗蛋白质水平(16%或19%)和电解质水平(-50、150、250、350和500 mmol/kg)的10种饲粮。血液生化分析试验结果显示:日粮蛋白质和电解质水平互作对pH、CO2浓度、渗透压、HCO-3浓度的影响极显著(P<0.01),对阴离子间隙的影响不显著(P>0.05)。CP为16%,日粮电解质平衡(dietary electrolyte balance,DEB)为-50 mmol/kg组血液pH显著低于其他各组(P<0.05),其他组间无显著差异。CO2、HCO-3浓度和渗透压各组无显著差异(P>0.05)。日粮蛋白质和电解质水平互作对钠、钾、氯离子和肌酐的浓度有极显著影响(P<0.01),对钙、磷、镁离子、血清尿素氮、葡萄糖、甘油三酯和总胆固醇含量的影响不显著(P>0.05)。代谢试验结果显示:粗蛋白质的利用率各组差异显著(P<0.05),粗蛋白质为16%、DEB为500 mmol/kg组蛋白质利用率最高;粗蛋白质为19%、DEB为250 mmol/kg组最低。钙、磷、钾、铜和锰的利用率粗蛋白质为16%、DEB为500 mmol/kg组最高。两因素方差分析结果表明:蛋白质为19%组粗蛋白质及各种矿物元素的利用率都低于粗蛋白质为16%组。日粮电解质和蛋白质水平对家禽体内酸碱平衡有显著交互作用。     

青海白唇鹿公鹿血钾指标和红细胞钾型的研究

采用火焰光度法对青海省大通种牛场18头白唇鹿公鹿三项血钾指标和红细胞钾型进行了研究。结果发现:①被检青海白唇鹿公鹿的血清钾离子浓度为3.7±0.8mmol/L,全血钾离子浓度为27.4±3.0mmol/L,红细胞钾离子浓度为75.4±10.1mmol/L;②按红细胞钾离子浓度判定,全部被检青海白唇鹿公鹿的红细胞钾型为高血钾型。