A Potential Screening System for Identifying Sorghum Ecotypes with Increased Lysine in the Seeds

Classical “high-lysine” sorghum lines are characterized by smaller seeds than average, due to a decrease in prolamin synthesis and a subsequent decrease in yield. To exploit the natural variation in lysine content and to identify ecotypes with a seed lysine content higher than average, characterized by plump seeds, a method was developed based on root-growth inhibition of seeds growing on a medium containing aminoethylcysteine (AEC), a lysine analogue. By using a collection of sorghum mutants and ecotypes a correlation coefficient of 0.926 between root length and lysine content was established. This method, which uses the root length of plants growing on aec to indicate which lines have a potential elevated lysine content, can be applied for the screening of sorghum germplasm. Since this is a non-destructive method it can also be used at the individual seed level, for example for screening progenies of regenerated plants from in vitro culture to exploit the somaclonal variation.     

Some Comments on Gerechte Designs

In a companion paper we derived the correct analysis for gerechte designs with uncorrected errors. Here we show that this correct analysis cannot be justified by the usual randomization argument. However, when the regions are rectangular there is a randomization procedure which validates an analysis with three separate error terms. We also outline other developments in design and analysis that may be more satisfactory.     

Re-defining tillage erosion: quantifying intensity–direction relationships for complex terrain

Abstract. Current tillage erosion models account for the influence of tillage direction in the magnitude of the soil (tillage) transport coefficient. It is argued here that this is counter-intuitive and causes significant problems in modelling tillage erosion in areas of complex terrain. This article examines whether a re-modelling of tillage erosion is possible that separates tillage direction (an interaction with the landform) from the soil transport coefficient (a measure of tillage intensity representing the combination of implement erosivity and soil erodibility). Experimental data for mouldboard ploughing upslope, downslope and cross-slope at Coombe Barton Farm, Devon are examined. Integration of data for all directions into a single relationship, which relates translocation in the direction of tillage to slope in the direction of tillage and translocation perpendicular to tillage to slope perpendicular to tillage, is not possible using previously published methods of analysis. However, when total translocation distance is regressed against the tangent of the slope at 45° to the tillage direction (bisecting the tillage direction and the direction of overturning) it is found that a single relationship can be used to describe tillage in all three directions. Therefore, this relationship is used to determine a single value of the soil transport coefficient ( k _fTa) for constant soil and implement conditions but different tillage directions. This redefinition of tillage is important both for true estimation of tillage erosion severity, the adirectional coefficient being 40% larger than the directional coefficient, and for modelling of tillage erosion in complex terrain. These improvements are vital when tillage erosion simulation is used to direct soil conservation strategies.     

Spatial dependence and the relationship of soil organic carbon and soil moisture in the Luquillo Experimental Forest,Puerto Rico

We used geo-spatial statistical techniques to examine the spatial variation and relationship of soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil moisture (SM) in the Luquillo Experimental Forest (LEF), Puerto Rico, in order to test the hypothesis that mountainous terrain introduces spatial autocorrelation and crosscorrelation in ecosystem and soil properties. Soil samples (n = 100) were collected from the LEF in the summer of 1998 and analyzed for SOC, SM, and bulk density (BD). A global positioning system was used to georeference the location of each sampling site. At each site, elevation, slope and aspect were recorded. We calculated the isotropic and anisotropic semivariograms of soil and topographic properties, as well as the cross-variograms between SOC and SM, and between SOC and elevation. Then we used four models (random, linear, spherical and wave/hole) to test the semi-variances of SOC, SM, BD, elevation, slope and aspect for spatial dependence. Our results indicate that all the studied properties except slope angle exhibit spatial dependence within the scale of sampling (200 – 1000 m sampling interval). The spatially structured variance (the variance due to the location of sampling sites) accounted for a large proportion of the sample variance for elevation (99%), BD (90%), SOC (68%), aspect (56%) and SM (44%). The ranges of spatial dependence (the distances within which parameters are spatially dependent) for aspect, SOC, elevation, SM, and BD were 9810 m, 3070 m, 1120 m, 930 m and 430 m, respectively. Cross correlograms indicate that SOC varies closely with elevation and SM depending on the distances between samples. The correlation can shift from positive to negative as the separation distance increases. Larger ranges of spatial dependence of SOC, aspect and elevation indicate that the distribution of SOC in the LEF is determined by a combination of biotic (e.g., litterfall) and abiotic factors (e.g., microclimate and topographic features) related to elevation and aspect. This demonstrates the importance of both elevation and topographic gradients in controlling climate, vegetation distribution and soil properties as well as the associated biogeochemical processes in the LEF.This revised version was published online in May 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Evaluation of sampling methods and assessment of the sample size to estimate the weed seedbank in soil, taking into account spatial variability

As field sampling is time consuming, it is necessary to develop efficient sampling techniques to obtain accurate estimates of the weed seedbank in soil. The relative efficiency between sampling schemes depends on the spatial variability in weed seed density across agricultural fields. Spatial variability of the weed seed density was characterized by theoretical correlograms. A systematic sampling (square grill) scheme was considered and it was found that, taking into account spatial variability, this sampling scheme was more efficient than simple random sampling. As a result, the sample size can be reduced in comparison with that given in previous studies, where spatial correlation was ignored. The reduction depends on the correlation structure defined as a function of the ratio, τ, between the nugget effect and the sill of the variogram. The maximum reduction of the sample size, without loss of either precision or confidence level corresponds to the case where there is no nugget effect, τ = 0. The opposite extreme case, where the reduction is nil, corresponds to the case of a pure nugget effect τ = 1. The abaci based on given expressions are provided to determine the sample size in species whose spatial pattern can be fitted either to a Poisson or to a negative binomial distribution.     

土壤养分数据几种特异值处理方法的比较

利用贵州省平坝县马场镇栗木村的13项土壤养分测试数据,对比分析了3σ准则、估计邻域法、影响系数法、邻近点数据比较法4种识别与处理特异值方法的优劣。结果表明:将3σ准则与邻近点数据比较法相结合,对土壤养分测试数据进行特异值处理获得了较好的效果,对提高地质统计学研究结果的精度有积极的作用。     

华西箭竹对岷江冷杉林主要乔木树种幼苗结构及分布格局的影响

在亚高山岷江冷杉林中选取≤50 m2、50～150 m2和＞150 m2的林窗,每种类型内都包含3种华西箭竹盖度(≤20%、20%～50%和＞50%),共调查林窗9个.通过野外群落学调查,研究林窗内岷江冷杉、糙皮桦和川滇长尾槭这3种主要乔木树种幼苗的结构和分布格局.结果表明:1)在华西箭竹盖度大的林窗中,3个树种的各高度级幼苗都不多,林窗形成后,绝大多数林窗被华西箭竹植株定居,竹盖度对主要树种幼苗总密度以及岷江冷杉幼苗密度的影响显著(p＜0.05);2)华西箭竹盖度对岷江冷杉幼苗密度的影响最明显,主要是由于3个树种的生态学特性存在差异,岷江冷杉在没有华西箭竹分布或箭竹盖度小的地方优先更新;3)3种幼苗在9个林窗几乎全为聚集分布,这主要取决于幼苗生物学特性及林窗环境.林窗大小和华西箭竹盖度的综合作用对优势树种幼苗的结构和分布格局产生影响.     

江苏省4类主要秸秆和畜禽粪便空间分布及综合利用潜力研究

为明晰江苏省农业废弃物资源分布格局并进行利用潜力评估,推进农业废弃物资源化利用,助力农业全面绿色转型,本研究借助GIS构建数据批处理模型,测算各区县水稻、小麦、玉米和油菜4种作物的秸秆和猪、牛、羊、家禽4种畜禽的粪便产生量,及其在肥料化、能源化方面的利用潜力理论值,并结合热点分析结果为江苏省农业废弃物综合利用提供政策建议。结果表明：2020年江苏省4种主要作物秸秆可收集总量高达3 972.00万t,以水稻和小麦秸秆为主,集中分布在江苏北部和中部。分析其肥料化利用潜力,理论上相当于1 511.89万t有机碳、12.04万t N、1.59万t P、24.49万t K,能源化理论上相当于1 617.52万t标准煤或6.5×10⁹m³沼气;江苏省4种主要畜禽粪便产生总量为4 560.77万t,家禽粪便与猪粪最多,主要分布在东部边界和西北部地区。分析其肥料化利用潜力,理论计算相当于737.00万t有机碳、31.15万t N、29.86万t P和26.89万t K,能源化利用可折算成1 036.95万t标准煤或4.9×10⁹m     

成都市土地利用时空结构变化研究

随着经济的高速发展,城市化对土地利用结构变化的影响较大,土地利用时空结构变化研究对土地规划及可持续发展具有重要意义.本文对成都市2000—2020年的土地利用数据进行处理,计算土地利用年变化率(R)、土地利用程度综合指数和土地利用变化量(S),得出以下结论:(1)耕地和建设用地变化幅度较大,总体呈增大的趋势;林地和其他...     

基于“三生”空间视角的中国农业文化遗产研究文献分析与评述

本研究基于"生产、生活、生态"的空间理论视角,揭示中国农业文化遗产"三生"空间人地关系的研究现状。以"农业文化遗产"为关键词,采用Citespace5.5文献计量分析工具和归纳方法,梳理了近年来中国农业文化遗产的研究成果,结果表明:2005—2020年中国农业文化遗产的研究经历了初步探索、波动增长、平稳发展三个阶段,各个阶段上的研究热点具有明显差异。目前中国农业文化遗产在景观价值挖掘、旅游开发、乡村振兴等领域的研究成果已初具规模,但在基础性理论方面尚未形成权威的认知。农业文化遗产在"三生"空间上的研究对于解决"三农"问题具有重要的实践意义,今后应更加关注基础理论的更新、强化实证研究、贯彻"分层"保护思维、完善社区参与、加快农业文化遗产地的评价指标体系构建和动态保护,以期实现农业文化遗产的高效利用及可持续发展。