Narbon Vetch (Vicia narbonensis L.): A Potential Feed Legume Crop for Dry Areas in West Asia

Provision of feed supplies for the rapidly growing livestock population is essential in West Asia. Shortages can be alleviated by growing forage crops in the existing fallow lands.
Narbon vetch (Vicia narbonensis L.) is a leguminous species with high yield potential, drought tolerance and cold resistance. It could be used for grain and straw production as source for animal feed in dry areas. It is good source of protein with seeds contain 28 % protein yielding 364 kg per hectare protein, whilst straw contains 9 % protein and yields a similar amounts of digestible protein per hectare.
Nine promising lines of Narbon vetch developed at ICARDA were tested at two sites over four years under rainfed conditions. Since climatic conditions were considered to be of considerable importance, each site in each year was treated as a separate environment to give eight environments with annual rainfall varied from 195 to 504 mm.
Narbon vetch possessed high seedling vigour with rapid winter growth and negligible cold damage. Grain yield varied form 0.47 to 1.90 t/ha, with a harvest index varying from 30 to 40 %. The data indicated that below 300 mm rainfall the grain yield varied from 0.47 t/ha when rain fall was 195 mm to 1.4 t/ha when rainfall was 245 mm. Most of the lines had wide adaptation to dry areas in terms of both grain yield and stability. Climate, except early spring rains had little effect on biological and grain yields.     

Analysis of Growth and Productivity of Indian Mustard (Brassica juncea) in Relation to FYM, Nitrogen and Source of Fertilizer

A field experiment was conducted during the winter seasons of 1992–93 and 1993–94 at Anand to study the effect of FYM, nitrogen and source of fertilizer on growth and yield of mustard [ Brassica juncea (L.) Czernj & Cosson]. The results showed significant variation in leaf area index (LAI), crop growth rate (CGR), dry matter production and seed yield. The direct effect of farmyard manure (FYM) was conspicuous in improving the growth of mustard. FYM application at 10 tonnes ha⁻¹ significantly increased the LAI, CGR and dry matter accumulation per plant at almost all the stages during first year study (1992–93) and in pooled analysis. Similarly, nitrogen application registered maximum LAI, CGR at 75 kg level and RGR and NAR at 50 kg level at almost all the during both years. Sulphur carrying source (Ammonium sulphate plus single super phosphate) increased all stages growth characters. Maximum dry matter accumulation per plant and seed yield were recorded with highest levels of FYM (20 tonnes ha⁻¹), N (75 kg ha⁻¹) and source having S. Seed yield was strongly associated with LAI and dry matter accumulation per plant at all the stages.     

Relationships among condition indices, feeding and growth of walleye in Lake Erie

Abstract  Condition indices are often used as surrogates of fish health, growth, and feeding and to compare ecological well-being among fish populations. In an effort to identify easily measured indices, growth and food consumption were compared with gonadal-somatic index, liver-somatic index (LSI), fat-somatic index and relative weight ( W _r) for ages 1–3 walleye, Sander vitreus (Mitchill), in Lake Erie from 1986 to 1988. The LSI and W _r were significantly correlated with growth rate or food consumption, but correlations were too small to be considered biologically meaningful. Furthermore, no consistent relationships between condition indices and growth or consumption were found among combinations of fish age and season. None of the indices are considered reliable surrogates for more laborious estimates of growth and food consumption for Lake Erie walleye. Significant relationships between W _r and relative abundance of key prey species warrant further investigation.     

Reproductive biology of the commercial sea cucumber <Emphasis Type="Italic">Holothuria spinifera</Emphasis> (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) from Tuticorin,Tamil Nadu,India

The annual reproductive cycle of the commercial sea cucumber Holothuria spinifera was studied in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, India, from September 2000 to October 2001, by macroscopic and microscopic examination of gonad tubule, gonad index and histology of gametogenic stages, to determine the spawning pattern. The gonad consists of long tubules with uniform development. It does not confirm the progressive tubule recruitment model described for other holothurians. The maximum percentage of mature animals, gonad and fecundity indices, tubule length and diameter, with the observations on gonad histology, ascertained that H. spinifera had the peak gametogenic activity during September and October 2001 followed by a prolonged spawning period from November 2000–March 2001.     

Energy Productivity Potential Assessment of Saccharum spontaneum L.Germplasm Resources

[Objective]The energy productivity potential of Saccharum spontaneum L.germplasm resources as energy plants was discussed in this paper.[Method]The energy productivity potential of Saccharum spontaneum L.germplasm resources collected from the wild was assessed from the aspects of cellulose,semicellulose,lignin and crude ash contents and caloric value.[Result]The total content of cellulose and semicellulose ranged from 41.75%to 69.13%,the lignin content ranged from 2.16%to 11.75%,the crude ash content ranged from 4.79%to 9.34%and the caloric value ranged from 16.00 to 17.69 MJ/kg among the 30 Saccharum spontaneum L.germplasms.Compared to other plants,Saccharum spontaneum L.had higher contents of cellulose and semicellulose,a higher caloric value but lower contents of lignin and crude ash.[Conclusion]From the perspective of producing fuel ethanol with lignocellulose,Saccharum spontaneum L.has a great potential for development as an energy plant.     

外语课堂教学模式改革的初探

针对目前教学中“以教师为中心”的课堂教学模式存在的问题，提出应采取“以学生为中心”的课堂互动教学策略，在进行外语习得中注意培养学生的自主学习能力。