Feeding Acacia etbaica and Dichrostachys cinerea fruits to smallholder goats in northern Ethiopia improves their performance during the dry season

Acacia etbaica Schweinf. and Dichrostachys cinerea (L.) Wight et Arn. are among the common woody browse plants that naturally grow in many arid and semi-arid rangelands in sub Saharan Africa. An experiment was conducted to compare the voluntary dry matter intake, body weight gain, nitrogen balance, carcass composition and sensory attributes of goats supplemented with different levels of A. etbaica and D. cinerea fruits. Average initial body weight of the goats was 20.4 kg (± 0.8SE) and received one of the following fruit supplementation regimes for 120 days (on body weight basis, n = 4 goats per group): (1) Control, no supplement; (2) 0.5% of A. etbaica; (3) 0.5% of D. cinerea; (4) 1.0% of A. etbaica; (5) 1.0% of D. cinerea; (6) 1.5% of A. etbaica; (7) 1.5% of D. cinerea. All groups were allowed to graze/browse during the day. Compared to A. etbaica, D. cinerea fruits contained higher amounts of crude protein (182 vs 135 g/kg DM), metabolizable energy (11 vs 8.4 MJ/kg DM), and in vitro dry matter digestibility coefficient (0.7 vs 0.6). The concentrations of acid detergent fiber (ADF), sulphuric acid solubulized lignin, and tannin (soluble and condensed) were lower (P < 0.05) in D. cinerea than in A. etbaica fruits. A. etbaica fruits, however, contained higher amounts of Na, K, Fe, and Zn concentrations than D. cinerea fruits. Dry matter intake was markedly higher in supplemented groups than in the control group without supplement. Similarly, body weight gain in the control group was negative and lower (P < 0.05) than any of the supplemented groups. During the course of the experimental period (120 days) the group placed in the 1.5% D. cinerea fruit diet gained 2.6 kg whereas the control group lost 2.0 kg. Thus, the difference between these two groups was 4.6 kg, which suggests about 22.5% increment of the goats' initial body weight. N retention was negative for the control group and varied little among the remaining treatment groups. Dressing percent increased with increased level of either type of fruit supplement, the highest (51.8%) being achieved at the 1.5% D. cinerea level. There was no difference in bone tissue across treatment groups. D. cinerea fruit intake also resulted in juicy/watery flavor and tender carcass. D. cinerea fruits appeared to have no adverse effects when included at the highest level (1.5%) and could be collected and stored as dry season supplement to smallholder goats. This study shows that poor farmers can increase goat performance substantially through supplement feeding with wild fruits. Areas in Ethiopia originally set aside for provision of ecological services and biodiversity protection can also be used for wild fruit production and feeding of small stock. The effect of increasing D. cinerea fruits above the 1.5% body weight level should be a focus of future investigation. Further work on deactivation mechanism of tannins is required for A. etbaica fruits included at levels higher than 1.0%.     

西藏DG水电站工区边坡植被修复效果及生态因子分析

[目的] 探究西藏DG水电站工区内边坡植被修复效果及主导生态因子,为提高工区植被修复成功率,治理水土流失,改善生态环境等提供理论依据和技术支撑。[方法] 以工区内5种不同类型边坡(渣土堆积体、土质、土石混合、岩质、混凝土)为研究对象,选取土壤相对湿度、气温、坡度、坡向为生态因子,通过实地监测和取样分析,采用熵权法计算植被特征(物种多样性、物种丰富度、植被盖度)和土壤肥力(有机质、速效磷、速效氮、速效钾)权重分值,再由综合评价法计算综合得分,并结合极差分析甄选主导生态因子。[结果] 西藏DG水电站工区内渣土堆积体边坡、土质边坡植被修复综合得分最高,均为10.000 0,现场植被修复效果最好,而混凝土边坡植被修复综合得分仅为5.369 0,现场植被修复效果较差;边坡类型不同,各生态因子对其植被修复影响的强弱不同,即土石混合边坡表现为：土壤相对湿度＞坡度＞气温＞坡向,岩质边坡表现为：土壤相对湿度＞气温＞坡度＞坡向,而土质边坡、混凝土边坡、渣土堆积体边坡均表现为：土壤相对湿度＞坡向＞坡度＞气温,但主导生态因子却均为土壤相对湿度。[结论] 影响西藏DG水电站工区内边坡植被修复主导生态因子为土壤相对湿度。不同类型边坡植被修复最优生态因子组合存在较大差异,其中土石混合边坡、岩质边坡、土质边坡、混凝土边坡和渣土堆积体边坡相对湿度和坡度均相同,差异主要体现在坡向和温度两方面。     

ABT生根粉提高报春花种子活力的研究

为 提高报 春花种子 活力和幼 苗的抗 逆性 , 以 Ａ Ｂ Ｔ 生根 粉 不同 剂型 、不 同浓 度浸 泡 处理报春花 种子, 进 行了播种 发芽试 验。结果 表明 , 经 Ａ Ｂ Ｔ 生 根粉 浸 泡处 理 后, 发 芽率 、发 芽速率、发 芽指数、 活力指数 等活力指 标均明 显提高, 以６ 号 Ａ Ｂ Ｔ 生根 粉２０ ｍｇ Ｌ 浸泡２４ｈ 的处理效果最 佳。电导 率值和干 鲜比低 于 Ｃ Ｋ, 与种子 活力存在 负相关 关系。     

基于模糊综合优化模型的水质评价与重金属污染健康风险分析——以贵州省铜仁市碧江区饮用水源地为例

[目的]明确富矿岩溶区饮用水源地水质情况和重金属元素健康危害程度,完善水源地环境管控措施,为当地饮用水健康风险管理提供理论依据,为水体重金属防治提供参考.[方法]以贵州省铜仁市碧江区饮用水源地为例,监测了 2018年1月至2020年6月的水质常规指标和重金属Fe,Mn,Cu,Zn,As,Pb的含量,结合单一熵权法和聚类...     

我国农业现代化进程评价

在大量前期研究的基础上,确立农业现代化进程评价筛选的原则,经过多层次指标筛选,建立农业现代化进程评价指标体系;并根据农业发展的阶段性理论,把现阶段我国农业现代化进程划分为准备阶段、起点阶段、初步实现阶段、基本实现阶段和发达阶段;然后根据系统学、数理统计学和计量经济学原理,采用弹性系数方法,建立“综合目标分层加权测评法”测算我国各地及沿海地区农业现代化进程;测评表明,总体上我国沿海发达地区将于２１世     

钾肥对砂姜黑土不同粒型冬小麦穗粒发育及生理特性的影响

 采用盆栽和大田试验的方法 ,研究了钾肥对不同粒型冬小麦穗粒发育和生理特性的影响。结果表明 ,在砂姜黑土区 ,施钾肥能促进各粒型冬小麦的幼穗发育 ,增加穗粒数 ,提高 SOD酶活性、自由水含量和茎秆充实度 ,同时能有效地降低 MDA和叶片束缚水含量 ,延缓衰老 ,促进可溶性糖的转化与淀粉的积累。其中 ,施钾对小粒型品种温 2 540的影响最大。     

保障我国粮食安全的作物育种方向探讨

分析危及或可能危及我国粮食安全的两大自然灾害 ,从作物育种角度上提出保障我国粮食安全的三大举措     

黄瓜不同瓜位单瓜结籽数及千粒重调查分析

通过对黄瓜不同瓜位单瓜结籽数及千粒重的调查分析结果表明 :腰瓜的单瓜结籽数及千粒重最高 ,变异系数较小 ;根瓜的千粒重变异系数最小 ,但单瓜结籽数变异系数较大 ;顶瓜的单瓜结籽数及千粒重变异系数均最大     

绍鸭产蛋期适宜日粮能量水平的研究

采用饲养试验、代谢试验及蛋品质测定等方法,研究了在相同日粮粗蛋白水平（17.5%）下,5种不同代谢能水平（10.67,10.88,11.09,11.30,11.51 MJ．kg-1）对绍鸭产蛋期产蛋性能、饲料蛋白质吸收利用、能量代谢和蛋品质等方面的影响。结果表明：试鸭在日粮中等代谢能水平（10.88～11.30 MJ．kg-1）下,产蛋率、平均蛋重、饲料转化率较高,盈利值则以11.09 MJ．kg-1组最佳。日粮代谢能水平越高,日采食量越低,二者呈直线负相关（r=-0.785,P<0.05);随日粮代谢能水平提高,试鸭氮存留率也有相应提高的趋势,11.09 MJ．kg-1组和11.51 MJ．kg-1组明显高于10.67 MJ．kg-1组（P<0.05）。与10.67 MJ．kg-1组相比,10.88 MJ．kg-1组和11.09 MJ．kg-1组的能量代谢率显著提高（P<0.05）;蛋品质测定表明,试鸭38周龄蛋重以10.88 MJ．kg-1组和11.09 MJ．kg-1组较高,蛋壳厚度则以10.67 MJ．kg-1组和11.09 MJ．kg-1组较大。研究表明,绍鸭产蛋期适宜的日粮代谢能水平为11.09 MJ．kg-1,其相应的蛋能比为15.78 g．MJ-1。     

Crop phenology modifies wheat responses to increased UV-B radiation

Ozone layer depletion increases the level of ultraviolet radiation reaching the earth's surface affecting both natural and agricultural ecosystems, especially in the Southern Hemisphere. Considering the harmful effects UV-B radiation has on plant growth the future productivity of wheat crops in Southern Chile could be challenged by both (i) the forthcoming level of UV-B increase and (ii) the sensitivity of this crop to higher UV-B radiation. In this study the effect of increased UV-B radiation at different phenophases on a spring wheat cultivar (Pandora) was investigated in two experiments at plant and crop levels under out-door conditions. The experiments consisted of controls, increased UV-B radiation at specific phenophases (from 3 leaf stage to booting 3L-Bo, and from booting to maturity Bo-PM), and increased UV-B radiation for the majority of the crop cycle (from 3 leaf stage to maturity). UV-B radiation was increased by Q panel UV-313 lamps set in plastic framed structures. Control plants were grown either without frames or below the same framed structures as those which received increased UV-B treatments. Phenology, above-ground biomass, grain yield, components, grain protein concentration, leaf area index (LAI), Fv/Fm and pigments were measured at booting and/or at harvest. Above-ground biomass and yield decreased by 11–19 and 12–20%, respectively, when UV-B radiation was increased at the 3L-Bo phase, while no effect was observed when irradiation was applied later in the crop cycle (Bo-PM). No additional UV-B effects to those observed at booting were detected in plants irradiated during the majority of the entire crop cycle (3L-PM). Biomass variation was strongly associated (r = 0.99; P < 0.01) with UV-B/PAR ratio in the sensitive treatments to UV-B increases (3 L-Bo) of both experiments. Flour protein was not affected by UV-B increases at any phenophase evaluated in this study. In both experiments, leaf green area and weight were negatively affected by increased UV-B radiation and no effect on specific leaf area (SLA) was found. Lower Fv/Fm, chlorophyll, carotenoid concentration and carotenoid:chlorophyll ratio were found at crop level (experiment 2) under higher UV-B in the 3L-Bo and 3L-PM treatments. The flavonoid concentration responded differently in the two experiments, probably due to the optimum responses these pigments had to expose UV-B doses.