Morphological quality of sweet corn (Zea mays L.) ears as response to soil moisture tension and phosphate fertilization in Campeche, Mexico

In Mexico, corn production, part of which is sweet corn, is mainly destined for human consumption. In the present work, the morphological quality of sweet corn ears was assessed in response to four levels of soil moisture tension indicating irrigation start (−5, −30, −55, and −80 kPa) and three levels of phosphate fertilization (60, 80 and 100 kg ha⁻¹) in carstic soils in the south-east of Mexico. A factorial experimental design with three replicates was used. The following variables were determined: fresh weight (SCFWh), dry weight (SCDWh), diameter (SCDh), and length (SCLh) of sweet corn ears, all without husk, as well as number of kernels (NKxE), number of unfilled kernels (NUK), number of rows (NRxE), and dry kernel weight per ear (DKW). Yield of fresh (YFSCh) and dry (YDSCh) sweet corn ears, both without husk, and the harvest index (HI) were also determined. HI did not show significant statistical differences among irrigation or fertilization treatments. Regarding the other variables, the effect of the more humid treatments (−5 and −30 kPa) and the effect of the higher phosphorus doses (80 and 100 kg ha⁻¹) were statistically equal (P ≤ 0.01) with the lowest NUK and the highest values of all other variables; therefore, irrigation start at soil moisture tension of −30 kPa and phosphate fertilization application of 80 kg ha⁻¹ are recommended. At this level of soil moisture, the mean values over the three fertilization levels and all the replicates, obtained for SCFWh, SCDh, SCLh and NKxE were 198.5 g, 4.39 cm, 26.72 cm and 467 grains, respectively. According to the regression models, moisture tensions from −11.8 to −24.0 kPa, and phosphate fertilization doses from 87.7 to 102.2 kg ha⁻¹ minimize NUK and maximize the values of the rest of the variables. The highest irrigation water use efficiency was found in the moisture tension treatment of −30 kPa with an increase of 27 kg ha⁻¹ ears for each millimeter of applied irrigation water.     

Management of cruciferous cover crops by mowing for soil and water conservation in southern Spain

In recent years, the use of cover crops in Mediterranean olive orchards has increased due to serious soil erosion problems and surface water contamination by herbicides. In these areas, the annual precipitation regime is strongly seasonal, with dry summers that require killing the cover crop before it competes with the trees for water. Cruciferous species are being introduced as cover crops in southern Spain, and their management by mowing could reduce the use of herbicides. However, the use of mowing as a management system requires an understanding of the phenology of these species to identify the most suitable mowing date to derive the greatest possible soil water content. The aims of this study were the following: (1) to assess the susceptibility of cruciferous species to mowing, their regrowth ability and the persistence of their residues on the soil surface after mowing, and (2) to identify the best mowing date for the cover crops in relation to the soil moisture content in the environmental conditions of southern Spain. For these purposes, the emergence, ground cover, biomass and regrowth after two mowing dates of common mustard (Sinapis alba L. subsp. mairei), rocket (Eruca vesicaria), radish (Raphanus sativus) and Ethiopian mustard (Brassica carinata) were evaluated in field trials during 2001/2002. In addition, during 2002/2003 and 2003/2004, the moisture content of soil sowed with common mustard and rocket cover crops was assessed at different mowing dates and compared with a bare soil control. Common mustard was the most favourable species for management by mowing due to its lack of regrowth after mowing. Early mowing (March 10th) reduced soil moisture due to the regrowth of the cover crop, fast decomposition of cover residues and weed proliferation. Late mowing (April 24th) led to little or no regrowth of the cover crops, large biomass and high persistence of cover residues, which provided effective soil ground cover, avoided the emergence of spring-summer weeds and helped retain soil moisture, reaching a similar water content to bare soil. These results suggest that cruciferous cover crops killed by mowing in late April can be used to replace no-tillage bare soil management systems to reduce the use of herbicides and preserve soil and water quality.     

Controlling factors of sheet erosion under degraded grasslands in the sloping lands of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

The current increase in the global demand for food and fresh water and the associated land use changes or misuses exacerbate water erosion which has become a major threat to the sustainability of the soil and water resources. Soil erosion by rainfall and runoff is a natural and geologic phenomenon, and one of the most important components of the global geochemical cycle.Despite numerous studies on crop lands, there is still a need to quantify soil sheet erosion (an erosion form that uniformly removes fertile upper soil horizons) under grasslands and to assess the factors of the environment that control its spatial variation. For that purpose, fifteen 1 m² micro-plots installed within a 23 ha catchment under pasture in the sloping lands of KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa) were monitored during the 2007-2008 rainy season to evaluate runoff (R) and sediment losses (SL). Soil losses computed from the 37 rainfall events with soil erosion averaged 6.45 ton ha⁻¹ year⁻¹with values from 3 to 13 ton ha⁻¹ year⁻¹. SL were significantly correlated with the proportion of soil surface coverage by the vegetation (P < 0.01) whereas the slope gradient, and soil characteristics such as bulk density or clay content were not correlated. R and SL increased as the proportion of soil surface coverage decreased and this trend was used to predict the spatial variations of sheet erosion over the 23 ha catchment. Greater sheet erosion occurred at the catchment plateau and at the vicinity of gully head cuts probably in relation to regressive erosion. Mitigating sheet erosion would require an appropriate management of the soil cover through appropriate management of cattle grazing, especially at places where “natural” erosion is likely to occur.     

KRH-Ⅱ型智能固态微生物发酵成套装置的研制

以机械结构优化设计为基础,运用pH值、水分活度(湿度)、发酵温度等参数检测手段,结合模糊控制、神经网络以及多变量系统的解耦控制等多种智能控制方法,研究实现发酵过程多变量解耦的模糊神经网络控制技术,设计出一种从液体制种到灭菌、接种、混合、发酵、干燥和包装新概念的固态成套发酵装置.实际应用结果表明:固态发酵的快速灭菌、快速冷却、过程多参数信息调控与过程优化技术,大大提高了固态发酵设备机械化和自动化程度.     

半导体生物培养箱的研制

研制了一种利用半导体作为温控元件的生物培养箱.利用半导体体积小、传热速度快以及无噪声等优点,尝试将其作为生物培养箱的温控元件,并利用ARM开发板进行核心程序的设计,且使用液晶触摸屏进行温、湿度的实时监测,使得设计出的培养箱具有人机界面友好、操作简单等优点,并通过实验验证其具有良好的控制效果.     

新疆小白杏的太阳能干燥试验研究

作为取之不尽且对环境无污染的能源,太阳能在农业干燥方面有着广泛的用途。为此,利用自主研制的整体式太阳能果蔬干燥装置,进行了太阳能干燥试验,研究了在不同处理方式、温度和风速条件下小白杏的干燥特性,得出不同条件下的干燥特性曲线。水洗处理可提高卫生指标,切分处理可提高干燥速度,提高干燥箱内热空气温度,可显著提高干燥速率,但温度不宜超过85℃;风速为5.5m/s时对干燥速率的影响不显著。最优条件:温度65℃、风速为11.5m/s下,用32h可将小白杏的含水率从79%降低至18%。该项先进的设备和技术还可用于其他果蔬干燥。     

基于PLC的温度PID-模糊控制系统设计与仿真

温度控制在工业控制中占有非常重要的地位,是工业控制四大参数之一。在PLC(可编程控制器)基础上,采用了传统的PID控制和现今比较流行的智能控制中的模糊控制相结合的控制方案,来实现控制算法的整体设计,并实现了在大范围内采用模糊控制,以提高系统的阻尼性能,减少超调;在小范围内,采用PID控制,以提高系统的响应速度,加快响应过程,并且给出参考模型,在Matlab中实现了系统的仿真。     

电动树干药液注射机钻头行程控制系统设计

针对目前树木遭受病虫危害的现象,设计一种由单片机控制的电动树干药液注射机钻头行程控制系统,防治病虫危害,矫治缺素症。该系统实现了注射机钻头由直流电机和步进电动机带动,径向进给到树木内部的适当位置,在单片机的控制下退出适当的距离以实现药液的注射,最后实现电动树干注射机钻头的有效退出,最终达到为大树治病的效果。     

热载体与生物质半焦散体颗粒的分离特性研究

在以固体热载体加热实现生物质快速升温热解液化工艺中,热载体与热解半焦颗粒的分离极为重要。为了研究陶瓷球热载体与生物质半焦颗粒的分离过程,设计制作了V型下降管冷态实验装置,并利用粒子图像测速仪对不同质量比(30:1,40:1,50:1,60:1)、圆形出口和方形出口条件下的颗粒分离规律进行了实验研究。研究表明,该装置能够保证热载体和生物质半焦颗粒喂料流畅、稳定且均匀,能够满足实验所需要的两种颗粒的不同混合质量比的要求;陶瓷球对生物质半焦颗粒的携带作用明显,受生物质半焦颗粒影响水平流动速度、轨迹的高度和射程减少50%左右;管口下底面与筛网的竖直高度应大于20mm,水平距离应大于32mm,筛网的水平投影长度应大于120mm,分离效果较好。     

基于神经网络PID-P的生物质气化炉串级控制

针对生物质气化过程不稳定性、非线性、大时滞和多干扰等特点,提出一种生物质气化炉的神经网络PID-P串级控制方法。内环采用P控制器,以快速消除外界负荷干扰带来的不稳定波动;外环采用神经网络PID控制器,以保证气化炉气温及烟气含氧量稳定在给定值。仿真结果证明了该方法的有效性和优越性。