利用带状麦秸残茬保持土壤水分

在Saskatchewan影响作物产量的主要障碍是变化无常而有限的水的供应。这种障碍虽将在翌年夏季的休耕轮作缓解一部分,但春小麦休耕轮作所采用的21个月休闲期会导致土壤严重退化。在Saskatchewan的Swift Current的一块中等土壤结构的AridicHaploboroll上进行了一项长达10年之久的研究,以评估利用收割留茬积存融化雪水的优点。因为该地区从深秋到早春降水量平均只有89mm,且1/3的年降水量是以雪的形式降落。种植的春小麦,生长在免耕的土地上,渗入土壤中的水分,34%被矮茬吸收,50%被高茬吸收。利用高茬保存水分,10年平均为13mm,但在早春土壤极其干旱时可达48mm。9年中留茬地平均增产79kg/hm~2,其中3个年份增产超过125kg/hm~2。     

优化育种区：是用遗传可塑性还是最大值？

栽植在多种立地条件下的树种,其基因型的相对表现依赖于随立地位置而异的各种环境因素的变化而变化。在这种情况下,育种值的测定必须基于多立地的,而不能仅用一些“平均”立地。事实上,定义上“平均”是假设宜林地频率分布是存在的,在平均立地上栽植是假设分布平均数是能够估算的。所以,为使基因型、育种群体或种源的育种值达到最大,就得评定它们在立地区域内各立地上的综合表现。     

UV-B radiation and photosynthetic irradiance acclimate eggplant for outdoor exposure

Treatment of greenhouse-grown eggplant (Solanum melongena L. var. esculentum Nees. 'Burpee's Black Beauty') seedlings with supplemental photosynthetically active radiation from cool-white fluorescent lamps increased growth of plants subsequently transferred outdoors relative to growth of plants that received no supplemental radiation or were shaded to 45% of solar irradiation in the greenhouse before transfer outdoors. Eggplant seedlings transferred outdoors were placed under plastic tarps either to provide relative protection from solar ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation (280-315 nm) using Mylar film or to allow exposure to UV-B using cellulose acetate. Protection of seedlings from UV-B radiation resulted in greater leaf expansion than for UV-B-exposed seedlings, but no change in leaf or shoot dry weight occurred after 9 days of treatment. Specific leaf weight increased in response to UV-B exposure outdoors. Exposure of eggplant to UV-B radiation from fluorescent sunlamps in the greenhouse also decreased leaf expansion and leaf and shoot dry weight gain after 5 days of treatment. However, there were no differences in leaf or shoot dry weight relative to control plants after 12 days of UV-B treatment, indicating that UV-B treated plants had acclimated to the treatment and actually had caught up with non-UV-B-irradiated plants in terms of growth.     

Citrullinaemia in Friesian calves

Six Friesian calves from a pedigree herd died or were killed within 1 week of birth because of progressive central nervous disease in which the only consistent lesion was cerebral oedema. The cause was citrullinaemia, resulting from an autosomally inherited dysfunction of the urea cycle enzyme arginosuccinate synthetase. Citrullinaemia was diagnosed by demonstrating markedly elevated concentrations of citrulline in the blood of one calf and in the cerebral spinal fluid of another. One of two sires used in the herd was a heterozygous carrier of the disease. Heterozygocity was demonstrated using a polymerase chain reaction/restriction endonuclease test designed to detect the genetic mutation that causes citrullinaemia in cattle.     

Seismic stress effects on reproductive structures of tomato, potato, and marigold

Periodic seismic (shaking) stress influenced the growth of sexual and asexual reproductive structures of three cultivated species. It delayed anthesis of Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. 'Patio' but not of Tagetes erecta L. 'Jubilee' or Solanum tuberosum L. 'Kennebec'. Shaken 'Jubilee' marigold plants produced the same number of flowers as undisturbed plants, but flowers of shaken plants were smaller. In contrast, seismic-stressed 'Patio' tomato produced fewer buds and flowers, but fruit set was enhanced relative to that of controls. Seismic stress also reduced tuber weight of 'Kennebec' potato, whereas tuber number was unaffected. The overall effect of seismic stress was to reduce the growth of reproductive structures and, in some cases, the number of reproductive structures that developed.     

Membrana nictitans gland cyst in a dog

A cyst involving the gland of the 3rd eyelid was removed from an 8-year-old dog. Clinically the circumscribed mass resembled a pigmented neoplasm. Histologically the cyst was multiloculated, with homogeneous eosinophilic periodic acid-Schiff-positive content. Melanin pigment was present in epithelial cells and cystic lumens. Protective functions of the 3rd eyelid were retained following excisional biopsy.