Important Quality Attributes of Malt Barley (Hordeum vulgare L. ): Effect of Genetics, Environments and Agronomic Factors

Barley has been in use as food and fodder for thousands of years, and also used currently as themost important raw material in malting and brewing. The quality of malt barley is not much satisfied with therequirement by malting and brewing industry worldwide, although the great effort has been devoted to its im-provement through breeding and agronomy. The quality of malt barley is involved in many physical and chemi-cal traits, including hydrolytic enzymes. Of them, kernel protein content, beta-amylase activity, beta-glucancontent and kernel plumpness have dramatic influence on malting or brewing quality. The expression of thesequality parameters varies greatly in genotypes and is easily changed by diverse environments and agronomicpractices. This paper reviewed the important role of various parameters influencing the quality of malt barleyand the effect of different factors on them.     

不同除草剂单独相继使用和混合使用防除小麦田虉草的效果比较

草是小麦田的主要杂草 ,尤其是水稻—小麦复种田块发生较为严重。用异丙隆防除　草已有 2 0多年的历史 ,防治效果十分显著。但近来有研究表明　草已具有对异丙隆的抗性。本试验研究了不同除草剂单独相继使用与混合使用对该杂草的防治效果。结果表明 ,播后 60 d,出苗前喷施氟乐灵和第一次灌水后喷施异丙隆的处理 ,除草效果最佳 ,而在成熟期 ,第一次灌水后喷施噻黄隆的处理具有与以上处理同样的防治效果。虽然使用异丙隆的处理产量最高 ,但一些除草剂单独相继使用也具有很好的杂草防治效果 ,小麦产量显著高于未用除草剂的对照。作者认为 ,在　草防治上存在有异丙隆抗性的地区 ,可以使用本研究中的一些除草剂     

A maximin–minimax approach for classifying soybean genotypes for drought tolerance based on yield potential and loss

Screening for drought in soybean is often a bottleneck in plant breeding programmes. Sixteen genotypes were evaluated for drought tolerance during 2012, 2013 and 2014. The experiment was conducted in a split‐plot design, and the main plots consisted of irrigated and water stress treatments, and subplots consisted of 16 genotypes. The average seed yield was highest in 2012 (1708 kg/ha), followed by 2014 (1364 kg/ha) while very low yields (958 kg/ha) were observed during 2013. The per cent reduction in average soybean yield under water stress conditions was maximum (43%) during 2014 followed by 2012 (40%) and 2013 (31%), respectively. The average yields of soybean genotypes also differed significantly, which ranged from 892 (NRC 12) to 2008 kg/ha (JS 97‐52). The maximin–minimax approach was used to classify these genotypes, and only, one genotype was identified as drought resistant and high yielding (EC 538828), three as tolerant and high yielding (JS 97‐52, EC 456548 and EC 602288) and none as low yielding and resistant, while the remaining 12 genotypes were found to be low yielding and susceptible to drought.     

Stability analysis of farmer participatory trials for conservation agriculture using mixed models

Normally, the data generated from farmer participatory trials (FPT) are highly unbalanced due to variation in the number of replicates of different treatments, the use of different varieties, farmers’ management of the trials, and their preferences for testing different treatments. The incomplete nature of the data makes mixed models the preferred class of models for the analysis. When assessing the relative performances of technologies, stability over a range of environments is an important attribute to consider. Most of the common models for stability may be fitted in a mixed-model framework where environments are a random factor and treatments are fixed. Data from on-farm trials conducted in the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) of South Asia under the umbrella of Rice-Wheat Consortium (RWC) were analyzed for grain yield stability using different stability models. The objective was to compare improved resource management technologies with farmers’ practice. The variance components of an appropriate mixed model serve as measures of stability. Stability models were compared allowing for (i) heterogeneity of error variances and (ii) heterogeneity of variances between environments for farmers-within-environment effects. Mean comparisons of the treatments were made on the basis of the best fitting stability model. Reduced-till (non-puddled) transplanted rice (RT-TPR) and reduced-till drill-seeded wheat using a power tiller - operated seeder with integrated crop and resource management RTDSW(PTOS)ICRM ranked first in terms of both adjusted mean yield and stability.     

Removal of Cyanide in Ni(II)�CCyanide, Ni(II)�CCyanide�CEDTA, and Electroplating Rinse Wastewater by Ferrate(VI)

Cyanide is found as free cyanide and metal?Ccyanide complexes in metal finishing rinse wastewaters. Experiments were performed to seek removal of cyanide in Ni(II)?Ccyanide and Ni(II)?Ccyanide?Cethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA) solutions by the environmentally friendly oxidant, ferrate(VI) (FeO ₄ ^2? , Fe(VI)) as a function of pH (8.0?C11.0). Incomplete removal of cyanide in Ni(II)?Ccyanide solutions (??60%) was observed at the studied pH range. However, cyanide removal efficiency approached to 100% in Ni(II)?Ccyanide?CEDTA solutions. Formation of Ni(II)?Ccyanide and Ni(II)?CEDTA complexes and relative rates of the reactions of Fe(VI) with various species (water, cyanide, Ni(II)?Ccyanide, and EDTA) present in solutions were responsible for the variation in removal efficiencies in mixtures at various pH. The oxidation of cyanide by Fe(VI) produced cyanate. Tests using electroplating rinse wastewaters demonstrated that Fe(VI) was highly effective in removing cyanide.     

Novel role of photoinsensitive alleles in adaptation of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] to rainfed short growing seasons of lower latitudes

Soybean is a temperate photosensitive crop but has adapted to sub-tropical and tropical countries of lower latitudes also. Photoperiodic and maturity genes confer latitudinal adaptation in this crop. Genotyping of accessions of higher latitudes have shown the role of photoinsensitivity, conferred by recessive photoperiodic alleles (e1/e2/e3/e4), in adaptation of the crop to high latitudes but information is not available for lower latitudinal countries like India. We genotyped and calculated the photosensitivity of 101 cultivated Indian soybean varieties and found that majority of the varieties (86) were photosensitive and had the dominant alleles at these loci. Four genotypic classes (e1-as/E2/E3/E4, E1/e2/e3/E4, E1/e2/E3/E4 and E1/E2/e3/E4) were observed for varieties with recessive alleles. Photoinsensitive alleles at E1 and E2 loci significantly reduced the days to flower, maturity and photosensitivity percentage. Adaptive role of photoperiodic alleles was inferred from breeder seed requirement of these varieties for 35 years. Although the photosensitive class contributed 81% to the total seed requirement the weighted mean contribution of this class (380 Q/year) was far less than that of photoinsensitive class (648 Q/year). Photoinsensitivity is essential for perpetuation of crop in higher latitudes. Present report highlights the novel role of photoinsensitive alleles in adaptation of soybean to rainfed, short growing and sub-tropical conditions of lower latitudes by conferring earliness.

     

Assessing soil properties and nutrient availability under conservation agriculture practices in a reclaimed sodic soil in cereal-based systems of North-West India

Soil quality degradation associated with resources scarcity is the major concern for the sustainability of conventional rice-wheat system in South Asia. Replacement of conventional management practices with conservation agriculture (CA) is required to improve soil quality. A field experiment was conducted to assess the effect of CA on soil physical (bulk density, penetration resistance, infiltration) and chemical (N, P, K, S, micronutrients) properties after 4 years in North-West India. There were four scenarios (Sc) namely conventional rice-wheat cropping system (Sc1); partial CA-based rice-wheat-mungbean system (RWMS) (Sc2); CA-based RWMS (Sc3); and CA-based maize-wheat-mungbean (Sc4) system. Sc2 (1.52 Mg m^?3) showed significantly lower soil bulk density (BD). In Sc3 and Sc4, soil penetration resistance (SPR) was reduced and infiltration was improved compared to Sc1. Soil organic C was significantly higher in Sc4 than Sc1. Available N was 33% and 68% higher at 0–15 cm depth in Sc3 and Sc4, respectively, than Sc1. DTPA extractable Zn and Mn were significantly higher under Sc3 and Sc4 compared to Sc1. Omission study showed 30% saving in N and 50% in K in wheat after four years. Therefore, CA improved soil properties and nutrient availability and have potential to reduce external fertilizer inputs in long run.     

Nutrient Management for Sustaining Productivity of Sunflower-Based Cropping Sequence in Indian Semiarid Regions

A comprehensive long-term study (2006–2010) was undertaken to develop a balanced and integrated nutrient supply system for sunflower-based cropping sequence considering the efficient utilization of residual and cumulative soil nutrient balance along with added fertilizers by the crops grown in rotation. The fertilizer application was done in potato and sunflower while greengram was raised as such on their residual effect. Significant response in yield was observed with 150% of the recommended nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK) or inclusion of farmyard manure (FYM) with the recommended NPK in the cropping sequence indicating 6.2–7.0% gain in system productivity over the existing recommendations. Each additional unit of P and K nutrition prompted system productivity by 18.9 and 11.0 kg kg^?1 of applied nutrient, respectively. Apparent yield decline was observed in K and PK omission plots to the extent of 15.8 and 27.4% in potato, 10.5 and 23.9% in sunflower and 4.2 and 8.3% in greengram, respectively, compared to the recommended fertilization. The superiority of the FYM along with the recommended NPK (potato/sunflower) was evident on the overall profitability and sustainability of the system, highlighted by the significantly higher productivity (7.16 t SFEY ha^?1), sustainability yield index (SYI; 0.76), production efficiency (PE; 27.85 kg SFEY ha^?1 day^?1) and net returns (2520 USD ha^?1) with a B:C ratio of 2.91. Apparent change in potassium permanganate (KMnO₄)-N was negative in all the treatments while N and P balance was positive with 150% NPK fertilization. Nutrient uptake exceeded the replenishment with 100% NPK application and maintained net negative soil nutrient stock for all the primary nutrients, indicating the need for revalidation of the existing recommendations in the system perspective. Conspicuous improvement in residual soil fertility in terms of maximum buildup of soil organic carbon (14%) and enhancement in soil KMnO₄-N (4.2%), Olsen-P (19.4%), ammonium acetate (NH4OAc)-K (5.8%) and dehydrogenase enzyme activity (44.4%) was observed in FYM-treated plots over the initial values. The study suggested that the inclusion of legumes and FYM application with the recommended NPK in potato-sunflower cropping sequence will sustain the system’s productivity through the efficient use of nutrients, enhanced microbial activity and improved soil health while combating escalating prices of fertilizers as well as environmental issues in the Indo-Gangetic plains of India and similar environments.     

Relations of rice seeding rates to crop and weed growth in aerobic rice

Aerobic rice describes a management adaptation to reduced irrigation water supplies but, due to reduced intervals of flooding in this system, this requires revised weed management approaches to reduce costs and provide effective weed control. One approach is to make the crop more competitive and reduce the effects of weeds on the crop by using higher rice seeding rates. A study was conducted in the Philippines and India in 2008 and 2009 to assess the relations of seeding rates (15-125 kg ha⁻¹) of hybrid and inbred varieties to crop and weed growth in aerobic rice. Plant densities, tillers, and biomass of rice increased linearly with increased in seeding rates under both weedy and weed free environments. Weed biomass decreased linearly with increasing seeding rates from 15 to 125 kg ha⁻¹. Panicles and grain yields of rice in competition with weeds increased in a quadratic relation with increased seeding rates at both locations; however, the response was flat in the weed free plots. A quadratic model predicted that seeding rates of 48-80 kg ha⁻¹ for the inbred varieties and 47-67 kg ha⁻¹ for the hybrid varieties were needed to achieve maximum grain yield when grown in the absence of weeds, while rates of 95-125 kg seed ha⁻¹ for the inbred varieties and 83-92 kg seed ha⁻¹ for the hybrid varieties were needed to achieve maximum yields in competition with weeds. On the basis of these results, seeding rates greater than 80 kg ha⁻¹ are advisable where there are risks of severe weed competition. Such high seeding rates may be prohibitive when using expensive seed, and maximum yields are not the only consideration for developing recommendations for optimizing economic returns for farmers. Results of the present study do suggest however that increasing seeding rates of aerobic rice does suppress weed growth and reduce grain yield losses from weed competition. This information could be incorporated in integrated crop management packages to manage weeds more effectively.     

Characterization and Degradation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons Following an Oil Spill into a Coastal Environment of South Texas, U.S.A.

Petroleum hydrocarbons were characterized at eleven sites withinthe sediments of a coastal stream in south Texas, U.S.A. following a medium sized crude oil spill. Bank and open-water(deep) sediments were collected at each site. Hydrocarbonstargeted for analysis included 22 aliphatic hydrocarbons (C-11to C-34) and 16 polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons. Sedimentconcentrations were measured at intervals of 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and12 months post-spill. Higher hydrocarbon concentrations were observed for a longerduration within the deep sediments than bank sediments. Initialhydrocarbon constituents in impacted sediments matched the crudeoil fingerprint accurately with the exception of the lighter-endhydrocarbons. The lighter-end aliphatic hydrocarbons areaffected immediately by evaporation and dissolution processesduring the spill event and were found below the detection levelsat most of the sites. Total hydrocarbon concentrations insediments within each hydrocarbon group returned to backgroundlevels by the end of the study period. Observed decreases inhigh molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)concentrations exceeded known environmental degradation rateswhich suggests the influence of a sediment transport process. Overall, the fate of petroleum hydrocarbons within this type ofenvironment were likely related to both degradation and sedimenttransport processes. By the end of the study period, most individual PAH constituent concentrations were below thresholdconcentrations thought to produce toxic effects in marine andestuarine organisms. PAH constituents concentrations remainingabove threshold concentrations included benz(a)anthracene,chrysene, and benzo(a)pyrene.