Weeding techniques in transplanted and direct wet-seeded rice in Pakistan

Field studies were undertaken to explore the weed management strategies for transplanted and direct wet-seeded rice in the Dera Ismail Khan district of North-west Frontier Province, Pakistan. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with a split plot arrangement. The main plots consisted of two planting techniques (transplantation and direct seeding), while weed control practises assigned to the subplots included the use of the granular herbicide Sunstar 15WG (ethoxy sulfuron), Machete 60EC (butachlor), conventional hand weeding, and the weedy check (untreated control). Data were recorded on weed dynamics and the agronomic parameters of the rice crop. Economic analyses on the data were also run. The weed density and biomass were lower in the transplantation plots than the direct-seeding plots. The herbicides ethoxy sulfuron and butachlor reduced the density over the weedy check, with a density comparable to hand weeding in 2002, but slightly higher in 2003. As a result of weed management by hand weeding and herbicides, the paddy yield and its components were significantly higher for the transplanted method compared to the direct-seeded method. The comparable yield of herbicides with hand weeding offers an option for the use of herbicides as an alternative management tool. In light of our findings, it is concluded that for good economic returns, rice crops may be transplanted rather than direct-seeded. The herbicides ethoxy sulfuron and butachlor offer a weed control cover comparable with hand weeding under the transplantation method, while butachlor is good for controlling weeds even under the direct-seeded conditions in the agroclimatic conditions of the area.     

Approach of allelopathy study with Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Hevnh. and Neurospora crassa

Allelopathy in Arabidopsis seeds was investigated in the present study because there are few available reports of allelopathy studies regarding the early development stage of the plant life cycle, and because Arabidopsis is widely used as a model plant for molecular biology. When cockscomb ( Celosia cristata ) was incubated together with Arabidopsis seeds, the growth of cockscomb was promoted by Arabidopsis seeds. Exudate of Arabidopsis seeds showed a promotive activity on the growth of cockscomb and Arabidopsis itself. A new method for studying allelopathic mechanisms involving the interaction of the plant Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Hevnh. and the fungus Neurospora crassa was suggested. Arabidopsis seed exudate and the water-soluble fraction of the exudate promoted Arabidopsis growth and reduced fungal germination, indicating that the seed exudate has a species-selective activity. Conversely, the ethylacetate-soluble fraction inhibited growth of all tested materials in the current study. These results demonstrate that the water-soluble substance(s) released from Arabidopsis seeds have species-selective activity on growth of both plants and microorganisms.     

Infection of Australian and New Zealand Rubus subgenera Dalibarda and Lampohatus by the European blackberry rust fungus Phragmidium violaceum

Laboratory inoculations of native Australian and New Zealand Rubus spp. showed that R. gunnianus (subgenus Dalibarda ) from Tasmania and R. schmidelioides and R. cissoides (subgenus Lampobatus ) from New Zealand were moderately susceptible to the European blackberry rust fungus Phragmidium violaceum. Although the rust infected all species of subgenus Lampobatus tested. R. australis. R. parvus. R. squarrosus and R. moorei were more resistant and unlikely to be adversely affected when the rust reaches their area of distribution.     

Information fusion in aquaculture: a state-of the art review

Efficient fish feeding is currently one of biggest challenges in aquaculture to enhance the production of fish quality and quantity. In this review, an information fusion approach was used to integrate multi-sensor and computer vision techniques to make fish feeding more efficient and accurate. Information fusion is a well-known technology that has been used in different fields of artificial intelligence, robotics, image processing, computer vision, sensors and wireless sensor networks. Information fusion in aquaculture is a growing field of research that is used to enhance the performance of an “industrialized” ecosystem. This review study surveys different fish feeding systems using multi-sensor data fusion, computer vision technology, and different food intake models. In addition, different fish behavior monitoring techniques are discussed, and the parameters of water, pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, temperature etc., necessary for the fish feeding process, are examined. Moreover, the different waste management and fish disease diagnosis techniques using different technologies, expert systems and modeling are also reviewed.     

Control of weed barley species in winter wheat with sulfosulfuron at different rates and times of application

Field experiments were conducted at five locations in the major wheat production regions of Iran to evaluate the efficacy of sulfosulfuron in controlling weed barley species (including Hordeum spontaneum , Hordeum murinum , Hordeum distichon , and Hordeum vulgare ) in the 2004–2005 and 2005–2006 growing seasons. Sulfosulfuron was applied either postemergence (POST) or preplant-incorporated (PPI) at 0, 20.25, 30.75, 40.5, 51.0, 60.75 or 71.25 g ai ha⁻¹ to plots arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Sulfosulfuron at the recommended rate (20.25 g ai ha⁻¹) failed to provide acceptable control of the weed barley species. However, the level of control increased with the application rate, particularly at rates >51.0 g ai ha⁻¹. Generally, PPI-applied sulfosulfuron resulted in markedly greater control levels than those of a POST application and complete control of H. murinum and H. vulgare was achieved with PPI-applied sulfosulfuron at all rates >20.25 and 30.75 g ai ha⁻¹, respectively. In most cases, the wheat yield increased with the application rate without any crop injury. The highest yield increase (186%) was obtained with a PPI application of 71.25 g ai ha⁻¹.     

Chemically and biologically activated biochars slow down urea hydrolysis and improve nitrogen use efficiency

Biochar is considered a potential technology to enhance chemical fertilizer use efficiency through intensification of the interactions between nutrients and the functional groups on biochar surfaces. However, little is known about how the application of activated biochars mixed with urea influences nitrogen(N) mineralization and crop performance in paddy fields. Here, a sawdust-derived fresh biochar (FBC)(ca. 400?C) was activated chemically with 15%hydrogen peroxide and biologically with a nutri...     

基于GF-1/2卫星数据的冬小麦叶面积指数反演

叶面积指数(leaf area index,LAI)是监测作物生长状况的重要参数,准确、快速、大面积估算LAI不仅有助于更好地监测农作物,而且也有助于其在建模、总体作物管理及精准农业中的应用。本研究为了利用国产遥感影像快速、大面积反演冬小麦LAI,以GF-1/2影像作为数据源,提取常用植被指数,结合不同生育期(起身期、拔节期、开花期)实测LAI数据,建立反演冬小麦LAI的单变量和多变量经验模型,并对其进行验证。结果表明,GF-1起身期、GF-1拔节期以及GF-1开花期提取的植被指数中,MSR(modified simple ratio)、GNDVI(green normalized difference vegetation index)、EVI(enhanced vegetation index)与LAI间的相关系数最大,分别为0.708、0.671和0.743,说明这些植被指数与冬小麦LAI间的相关性较显著;GF-1不同生育期的反演模型相比,基于拔节期GNDVIGF-1建立的二次多项式模型和基于开花期EVIGF-1、GSRGF-1(green simple ratio)、NDVIGF-1(normalized difference vegetation index)建立的PLSR(partial least squares regression)模型R2最大,均为0.783,PLSR模型的RMSE小于二次多项式模型,说明该多变量模型的稳定性优于单变量模型;同一个生育期不同影像相比,基于GF-2的NDVIGF-2建立的二次多项式模型和基于NDVIGF-2、MSRGF-2、SAVIGF-2(soil-adjusted vegetation index)建立的PLSR模型精度高于基于GF-1的2种模型,R2分别为0.768和0.809;不同生育期反演的LAI分布图表明,LAI反演值与实测LAI值基本吻合。以上研究结果说明国产高分辨率遥感影像在农作物生理参数反演中有一定的应用价值,可以为以后的相关研究提供一定的参考。     

Effect of standing water and shoot removal plus standing water regimes on growth, regrowth and biomass production of torpedograss (Panicum repens L.)

The present study was undertaken from May 1996 to October 1997 in the glasshouse of the University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan to investigate standing water (12 cm deep) and shoot removal plus standing water regimes on morphological changes, growth, regrowth and biomass production of torpedograss ( Panicum repens L.). The stem internode was longer in standing-water-treated plants than that in untreated plants. The root-crown was developed from the submerged stem-node. Spike-like tillers and sheath-like leaf blades were observed in water-treated plants. Higher shoot biomass and lower rhizome biomass were obtained in standing-water-treated plants than that in untreated plants. Standing-water-treated plants attained higher total biomass than untreated plants. Standing-water stress was the factor that inhibited regrowth of torpedograss when the above-ground shoot was removed. Rhizomes without shoots of 6-month-old torpedograss did not survive in standing water for more than 6 months. The results indicate that torpedograss can survive in standing water if the shoots remain above the water surface. Shoot removal is one effective way to control torpedograss regrowth in standing water. The results of this study may be dependent on season, day length, water temperature, water pH, water depth and salt concentration in water.     

Effect of chloride concentration on the acute toxicity of nitrite to common carp, Cyprinus carpio L., fry

Abstract. Duplicate static bioassays were conducted for 168 h each to determine the median lelhal concentration (LC50) of nitrite (NO^?₂) for common carp, Cyprinus carpio L., fry at five different chloride (Cl^?) levels. The acute toxicity of nilrite ceased towards the end of 96 h at all levels of chloride concentration. There was a highly significant positive correlation between the chloride concentration tested and the 96-h LC50. The 96-h LC50 values are 2·55, 5·77, 14·41 27·26 and 48·70 mgl^?1 NO^?₂-N at chloride concentration of 1·0. 5·0, 10·5, 27·3 and 45·0 mgl^?1 Cl^? respectively. The linear relationship between chloride concentration and 96-h LC50 is best described by the equation: y= 1·03x+ 1·49 (r=+ 0·996; d.f. = 3;P <0·001), where y= 96 h LC50 of NO^?₂-N and x= concentration of Cl^?. A NO^?₂-N to Cl^? ratio of about 1:1·5–3·0 prevented complete mortality over the 168-h experimental period. A NO^?₂-N to Cl^? ratio of 1:5 is recommended for protection of carp fry against nilrite mortality in fish farms.