Plant traits and functional types to characterise drought survival of pluri-specific perennial herbaceous swards in Mediterranean areas

Perennial grasslands provide numerous environmental benefits but their response to severe drought and therefore their sustainability in arid and Mediterranean areas have been little studied. Due to climate change, models of pasture production should be able to predict sward evolutions under increasing aridity. Our general goal was to identify plant traits and functional types that could be included in models aiming to analyse the dynamics of contrasting types of herbaceous plants grown in mixtures under drought. The two steps were: (1) to investigate the morpho-physiological traits associated with drought survival within a mixture of perennial herbaceous populations and to test whether the physiological traits measured under optimum conditions of growth in Spring may predict plant responses under subsequent summer drought and (2) to identify functional groups of populations exhibiting similar responses to the disturbance regime caused by severe drought. Seven different populations from five species were grown in monocultures (pots, long columns) and mixtures (containers, field). Standard leaf functional traits, aerial and root biomass were assessed under non-limiting water supply in Spring. In Summer, under continuous severe drought, leaf water status and plant survival were measured.Senescence of aerial tissues at the end of Spring, associated with endogenous summer dormancy, water status maintenance in basal tissues during the intense drought, and root biomass in the field were the variables best correlated with drought survival. The standard leaf functional traits specific leaf area (SLA) and leaf dry matter content (LDMC) measured in Spring under full irrigation, were uncorrelated with drought survival. These results suggested no general trade-off between growth potential and drought survival. Under conditions of optimal production in Spring, correlations were established between functional traits and variables associated with aerial biomass productivity which discriminated the group of forage cultivars from the other genotypes. Under summer drought, four main functional types of genotypes were defined according to their strategy of water use and therefore contrasting survival and persistence. This typology will be used to base further modelling study aiming to assess the effects of increasing aridity on the stability and productivity of herbaceous swards on the long term.     

The role of soil characteristics,soil tillage and drip irrigation in the timber production of a wild cherry orchard under Mediterranean conditions

Over the last decade high-quality timber plantations have increased in Europe because of the constant high market price of timber and economical incentives from the EU. These latter are mainly due to timber plantations’ role in CO₂ capture. Noble wood plantations have also been established in Mediterranean areas, but many of them suffer from low growth rates due to deficient plantation management and/or non-optimal environmental conditions. Furthermore, little information exists about soil and water management in these plantations and how different soil characteristics may affect management results. In this study, a trial was established in a pure wild cherry plantation under Mediterranean conditions. The trial evaluated the effects that soil type (low soil quality versus good performance for woody crops), soil management (soil tillage versus no tillage), irrigation regime (drip irrigation versus no irrigation) and their interactions may have on wood production. Soil water content and the spontaneous vegetation that appeared in the alleys of the no-tillage treatments were also measured.The results showed that sandy-clay-loam soil with a water-holding capacity of 101.5 ± 5.2 mm had 65% more wood volume increase during the study period than sandy-loam soil with a water-holding capacity of 37.9 ± 8.0 mm. Conventional tillage or zero tillage with the presence of spontaneous vegetation did not differ significantly in wood volume increment, regardless of the type of soil. Although soil water content was significantly increased by tillage in sandy-loam soil, this effect was not enough to increase tree wood volume. On the other hand, the application of drip irrigation did increase wood production by up to 50%. Therefore, 10 years less on the plantation's rotation length can be anticipated when applying irrigation: from 40 to 30 years (sandy–clay–loam soil) and from 56 to 46 years (sandy-loam soil).In conclusion, deep soil characterization of the site is essential before deciding whether to develop a plantation of this type in areas under soil water content limitations caused by deficient soil structure and texture. In addition, our results show important savings can be made by reducing soil tillage, as less tillage leads to greater ground cover and biodiversity. Further investigations are required to examine how long-lasting the effects are and what other benefits can be expected when this type of plantation is managed in a more sustainable way.     

Theoretical and field comparison of two types of soil heat fluxmeter

Accurate measurements of soil heat flux are important for energy balance studies on bare soils. Measurements are usually made with passive transducers that transform the vertical soil heat flux into an e.m.f.. Measurement errors or bias result from differences between the calibration coefficients provided by the manufacturer and those determined in the field. These differences result from bad thermal contact between the soil and the fluxmeter and/or changes in soil thermal conductivity. New printed circuit heat fluxmeters are very thin (0.2 mm) and they provide a better thermal contact with the soil because they have an external copper layer instead of an insulating resin. We carried out a theoretical analysis to identify properties of the transducers (geometrical, thermal or electrical) most important for reducing the calibration variability. The transducer thickness was found to reduce the calibration variability due to large soil thermal conductivity variations. Transducer thermal conductivity is also important when the soil thermal conductivity is accurately known. The printed circuit transducers and classical soil heat flux transducers (thermopiles) where then compared in three different soils, a sandy loam, a loamy and a chalky soil under changing climatic conditions in spring. The outputs of both transducers were compared to reference soil heat flux measurements obtained by the heat storage method. The thermopile transducers were more sensitive (4.1 μV W⁻¹ m²) than the printed circuit transducers (1.6 μV W⁻¹ m²). Both transducers gave similar responses when the soil thermal conductivity varied over a narrow range. The total variation of the calibration coefficients of the printed circuit transducer was smaller for all three soils and for days where the soil thermal conductivity varied widely. We conclude that the printed circuit transducers should be used when field calibration is not possible, or when the calibration is not stable following large soil thermal conductivity variations. The experiment also showed that the theory does not completely describe the interaction between calibration coefficients and soil properties. We have therefore developed a new interpretation of the experimental data that takes into account the thermal contact between the soil and the transducer.     

Morpho-physiological traits to complement grain yield selection under semi-arid Mediterranean conditions in each of the durum wheat types mediterraneum typicum and syriacum

Summary Some 238 landraces from Algeria and Tunisia representative of the mediterraneum typicum durum wheat type and 265 landraces from Syria and Jordan representing the syriacum type were grown in a semi-arid Mediterranean environment of Northern Syria characterized by moderate drought stress. The germplasm types were compared for mean value, level of variation and relationships with grain yield of various morpho-physiological traits possibly usable for indirect selection of best yielding materials. The syriacum germplasm showed higher yield mainly due to greater earliness of cycle, slightly longer grain filling period, shorter stature, lower early growth vigour and higher drought tolerance expressed by a visual score recorded in another, more stressful environment in the region. It also showed lower variation for all morpho-physiological characters except plant glaucousness, for which it was more variable. The wheat types differed not only for architecture but also for optima of individual morpho-physiological traits required to maximize the yield response in the given environment. Higher yield of syriacum materials was attained at same heading and three to four days delayed maturity with respect to average phenology of three well-adapted control cultivars, and it was favoured by increasing number of kernels per spike, early vigour and drought tolerance. Higher yield of mediterraneum typicum landraces was related to heading and maturity dates approaching those of the control cultivars and to increasing kernel weight, early vigour and drought tolerance. Plant stature hardly affected the yield. Both absent and strong glaucousness could confer a yield advantage in syriacum materials.     

Response of giant reed (Arundo donax L.) to nitrogen fertilization and soil water availability in semi-arid Mediterranean environment

The aim of the present work was to evaluate the effect of soil water availability and nitrogen fertilization on yield, water use efficiency and agronomic nitrogen use efficiency of giant reed (Arundo donax L.) over four-year field experiment.After the year of establishment, three levels for each factor were studied in the following three years: I₀ (irrigation only during the year of establishment), I₁ (50% ETm restitution) and I₂ (100% ETm restitution); N₀ (0 kg N ha⁻¹), N₁ (60 kg N ha⁻¹) and N₂ (120 kg N ha⁻¹).Irrigation and nitrogen effects resulted significant for stem height and leaf area index (LAI) before senescence, while no differences were observed for stem density and LAI at harvest.Aboveground biomass dry matter (DM) yield increased following the year of establishment in all irrigation and N fertilization treatments. It was always the highest in I₂N₂ (18.3, 28.8 and 28.9 t DM ha⁻¹ at second, third and fourth year growing season, respectively). The lowest values were observed in I₀N₀ (11.0, 13.4 and 12.9 t DM ha⁻¹, respectively).Water use efficiency (WUE) was significantly higher in the most stressed irrigation treatment (I₀), decreasing in the intermediate (I₁) and further in the highest irrigation treatment (I₂). N fertilization lead to greater values of WUE in all irrigation treatment.The effect of N fertilization on agronomic nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) was significant only at the first and second growing season.Giant reed was able to uptake water at 160–180 cm soil depth when irrigation was applied, while up to 140–160 cm under water stress condition.Giant reed appeared to be particularly suited to semi-arid Mediterranean environments, showing high yields even in absence of agro-input supply.     

Iso-erodent map of Zambia: Part I: The calculation of erosivity indices from a rainfall data bank

The first stage in the establishment of an iso-erodent map of Zambia is the development of a Zambian rainfall data bank, the calculation and discussion of three erosivity indices and correlating the erosivity indices with rainfall amount.The data bank is made up of 10 years of data from eight different meteorological stations representing the different rainfall zones in Zambia. The data bank includes

• 1.1. total rainfall amounts split into component rainfall amounts with constant intensity
• 2.2. kinetic energy calculations
• 3.3. the erosivity indices.

Three erosivity indices have been calculated: E130 (WISCHMEIER 1959), KE (KINNELL 1981) and ΣN_pI_p (LAL 1976). Daily amount of rainfall explained 96, 95, and 89% of the variation in those indices respectively.Although the three indices are of comparable value, advantages and disadvantages of each of them are discussed.This work will be the basis for modelling the monthly erosivity and finally for making the iso-erodent map of Zambia (see part II, this volume).     

Effects of corn deficit irrigation and soil properties on water use efficiency. A 25-year analysis of a Mediterranean environment using the STICS model

This study analyses the role of variability induced by climate and soil properties (texture and total available soil water in the root zone, TAW) on the “corn deficit irrigation–water use efficiency” relation over a 25-year period, between 1981 and 2005, in three different sites located in the South of Italy. The analysis of water use efficiency was carried out by means of three indexes: crops water use efficiency (WUE_ET and WUE_T) and irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE). These indexes can be obtained by calculating the ratio between the yield and the seasonal values of evapotranspiration (ET), transpiration (T) and irrigation volume (I). After its validation, the STICS model was retained to simulate the variables required to determine these indexes.Climatic variability affected the three indexes in different ways during the 25-year period studied. The dispersion around the mean values of the water use efficiency is 17% on average for the WUE (ET or T) indexes, whereas it could reach 54% for the IWUE index. This last index is only poorly reliable due to the high variability of rainfall during the corn growing season in the Mediterranean region.For the same level of soil water deficit, TAW led to an improvement (the case of the site with a high TAW and loam–clay soil texture), a stabilisation (the case of the site with a high TAW and clay soil texture) or a decrease (the case of the site with a poor TAW and clay soil texture) in WUE_ET and WUE_T values. For the same conditions of soil water deficit and TAW, crops water use efficiency was higher in loam textured soil than in clay soil.The results derived by analyzing three indexes (WUE_ET, WUE_T and IWUE) converge to the same conclusions on the “corn deficit irrigation–water use efficiency” relation observed at the three different sites.The hypotheses which may explain the differences observed in the different sites studied in terms of water use efficiency are discussed, with the presentation of some suggestions devised for corn irrigation practices.     

Effect of bitumenous mulch on soil structure and on evaporation control in soils of arid regions

Two soil conditioners and evaporation inhibitors were tested concerning their ability to improve soil erosion control and to reduce water evaporation. Therefore tests on the environmental impact of soil stabilizers and on soil properties were carried out. Two products were tested, the anionic bitumenous emulsion “Bituplant” and a polydimethylsiloxane-product called “Sarea Evaporation Inhibitor” combined with “Bituplant”. There was no indication that the use of soil conditioners at the added doses will have negative effects on ecology and environment. After bitumen application the gas exchange between soil and atmosphere is inhibited on sandy soils by 28 to 36% and on loamy soils by up to 50%. In laboratory and field studies the application of “Bituplant” led to a reduced evaporation rate up to 45%. Concerning higher potato yields it has been proved that an economical use of water increased the water use efficiency from 5.8 to 8.2 kg/m³.     

旱地冬小麦产量、氮肥利用率及土壤氮素平衡对降水年型与施氮量的响应

研究不同降水年型施氮量对旱地冬小麦产量、氮素利用及土壤氮素表观平衡的影响,探讨渭北旱塬旱作麦田稳产增效的最佳氮素投入量,为高效施氮提供理论依据。田间定位施氮试验于2017—2020年连续3年在陕西合阳县开展,以长6359为试验材料,设置5个施氮量处理包括0、60、120、180和240 kg hm^-2 (分别以N0、N60、N120、N180和N240表示),研究旱地冬小麦产量、氮肥利用率及土壤氮素平衡对降水年型与施氮量的响应。连续3年定位试验表明:(1)降水年型对冬小麦产量和经济收益影响显著,丰水年较平水年和欠水年分别增产33.6%和113.3%,经济收益提高2～3倍以上。冬小麦氮肥回收利用率和农学效率与产量有相似的变化规律,丰水年氮肥回收利用率和农学效率较平水年和欠水年分别提高4.7个百分点、0.6 kg kg–1 (平水年)和11.9个百分点、2.5 kg kg–1 (欠水年)。(2)无论何种降水年型,冬小麦产量、氮肥回收利用率和农学效率均随施氮量增加呈现先增加后下降的趋势。在丰水年和平水年,均以N180处理下最高,收获期0～100 cm土层土壤硝态氮积累分...     

Short and long-term effects of different irrigation and tillage systems on soil properties and rice productivity under Mediterranean conditions

In Mediterranean environments, flood irrigation of rice (Oryza sativa L.) crops is in danger of disappearance due to its unsustainable nature. The aim of the present study was to determine the short- and long-term effects of aerobic rice production, combined with conventional and no-tillage practices, on soils' physical, physicochemical, and biological properties, as well as on the rice yield components and productivity in the semi-arid Mediterranean conditions of SW Spain. A field experiment was conducted for three consecutive years (2011, 2012, and 2013), with four treatments: anaerobic with conventional tillage and flooding (CTF), aerobic with conventional tillage and sprinkler irrigation (CTS), aerobic with no-tillage and sprinkler irrigation (NTS), and long-term aerobic with no-tillage and sprinkler irrigation (NTS7). Significant soil properties improvements were achieved after the long-term implementation of no-tillage and sprinkler irrigation (NTS7). The short-term no-tillage and sprinkler irrigated treatment (NTS) gave lower yields than CTF in 2011 and 2012, but reached similar yields in the third year (NTS 8229 kg ha⁻¹; CTF 8926 kg ha⁻¹), with average savings of 75% of the total amount of water applied in CTF. The NTS7 data showed that high yields (reaching 9805 kg ha⁻¹ in 2012) and water savings are sustainable in the long term. The highest water productivity was with NTS7 in 2011 (0.66 g L⁻¹) and 2012 (1.46 g L⁻¹), and with NTS in 2013 (1.05 g L⁻¹). Thus, mid- and long-term implementation of sprinkler irrigation combined with no-tillage may be considered as a potentially productive and sustainable rice cropping system under Mediterranean conditions.     

不同种类生物炭对植烟土壤微生物及根茎病害发生的影响

采用田间试验研究了稻壳炭、木屑炭对烤烟根区土壤微生物、根茎病害发生以及烟叶产量的影响。结果表明,生物炭施用明显影响着烤烟根区土壤微生物数量及其对碳源的利用,进而影响着青枯病、黑胫病的发生情况和烟叶的产量、产值,但其效果因生物炭种类而异。木屑炭处理烤烟旺长期细菌和采烤前放线菌的数量明显比对照增加了11.7%和12.8%,而稻壳炭处理旺长和初烤时的真菌数量显著增加。植烟土壤中青枯菌和黑胫病菌的数量及其占微生物总量的百分比也以施用生物炭处理显著低于对照,而烤烟旺长期根区微生物对碳源的利用能力则相反;到烟叶采烤前,根区微生物对酚酸类和胺类的利用以生物炭处理相对最低;上述情况以木屑炭处理较稻壳炭处理更为明显。与对照相比,木屑炭处理青枯病的发病率和病情指数降低了24.3%和33.3%,黑胫病的发病率和病情指数降低了23.9%和14.9%,产量和产值增加了4.7%和21.1%;稻壳炭处理青枯病发病率和病情指数降低了18.1%和23.9%,黑胫病的发病率和病情指数降低了15.9%和6.0%,产量和产值增加了2.2%和12.0%。综合而言,施用生物炭能较好地改善土壤微生物状况及其对碳源的利用,减少青枯病和黑胫病的发生,增加烟叶的产量和产值;其中以木屑炭处理效果更佳。     

Water use efficiency of crops cultivated in the Mediterranean region: Review and analysis

Improvement of water use efficiency (WUE) of field crops in the Mediterranean region is an imperative imposed by the critical situation of water resources of the region, as well as by the demographical increment. This review reports the experimental data concerning WUE of 16 species cultivated in the region. The species include cereals, leguminous, horticultural and industrial crops. This review however underlines that WUE data of fruit trees are lacking, despite they represent one of the main productions of the Mediterranean agriculture.

In this region, the large range of WUE values observed, for the same species, can be ascribed mainly to: (i) fertilizers and water management (water regime, mineral supply and water quality); (ii) plant factors (species, variety and sensitivity of growth stage to the stress); and (iii) environmental factors (climate, atmospheric pollution, soil texture and climate change). The conclusion highlights the actual gap concerning WUE in the Mediterranean region. This gap will constitute a field of research designated to ameliorate WUE of agriculture in this region.     

白石砬子自然保护区不同森林类型土壤化学性质与养分状况分析

摘要：为合理利用与保护白石砬子自然保护区森林资源,对该四个地区不同林分类型土壤化学性质与养分状况进行了研究,结果表明：白石砬子地区土壤pH值呈酸性。有机质和全氮含量丰富;全磷含量适量;全钾含量贫乏。四个地区土壤肥力从高到低依次是二道沟、赤柏松、大龙沟、小龙沟。不同林分类型中,针阔混交林土壤养分最高;杂木林次之;蒙古栎林最低。     

不同类型玉米品种产量与穗部性状的相关性分析

为了明确不同耐密型玉米品种农艺性状与产量的关系,对玉米产量与穗部性状进行相关性分析。结果表明:(1)产量与百粒重、单穗粒重、秃尖长及出籽率均呈极显著正相关;穗行数与产量呈极显著负相关。偏相关分析中单穗粒重、出籽率和百粒重对产量影响较大,但相关性不显著。(2)单穗粒重与行粒数相关系数最大。(3)天农9号相关性分析中,穗粗、单穗粒重和百粒重对产量影响较大,品种改良时优先选择大粒组合;太玉339产量受秃尖长影响最大,其次是出籽率和穗行数,品种改良时优先选择穗行数多的组合;太玉803产量受穗长、穗行数和出籽率影响较大,品种改良时可以优先选择果穗长和穗行数多的组合。(4)不同种植密度下,单穗粒重是决定产量的最主要因素,百粒重和穗长都对产量有显著影响;中密度时还可通过提高脱水速率和增加行粒数提高产量;高密度时还可通过增大出籽率提高产量。     

The effect of soil texture on the water use efficiency of irrigated crops: Results of a multi-year experiment carried out in the Mediterranean region

The effect of soil texture on water use efficiency (WUE) was analyzed for six crops cultivated on loam and clay soils. Results were obtained after a long-term study, carried out in a lysimetric set-up, in conditions of experimental neutrality (climate, agro-techniques, and variety were the same for each crop) with the sole exception of the soil texture, which was the variable to be studied.In the case of potato, corn, sunflower, and sugar beet, WUE was reduced significantly when crops were grown in clay soil. The reductions ranged from 22% to 25%. The decrease of WUE in clay soil was coupled with significant reductions in yield and in ET, except in the case of the corn crop. The reduction in WUE in corn depended solely on the yield decrease.A 10% decrease in WUE values was also observed for the soy-bean and tomato grown in clay soil, but it was not statistically significant.Different causes which may reduce the WUE values observed in the clay soil are discussed. It seems coherent to hypothesize that, during the active growing phase, a deficit in water uptake occurs in the plants growing in the clay soil. This hypothesis is consistent with the observations of stomatal conductance, daily evapotranspiration, and leaf surface.In conclusion, the operative development of this study is outlined.     

GGE biplot analysis to evaluate genotype, environment and their interactions in sorghum multi-location data

Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is a very important crop in the arid and semi-arid tropics of India and African subcontinent. In the process of release of new cultivars using multi-location data major emphasis is being given on the superiority of the new cultivars over the ruling cultivars, while very less importance is being given on the genotype?×?environment interaction (GEI). In the present study, performance of ten Indian hybrids over 12 locations across the rainy seasons of 2008 and 2009 was investigated using GGE biplot analysis. Location attributed higher proportion of the variation in the data (59.3–89.9%), while genotype contributed only 3.9–16.8% of total variation. Genotype?×?location interaction contributed 5.8–25.7% of total variation. We could identify superior hybrids for grain yield, fodder yield and for harvest index using biplot graphical approach effectively. Majority of the testing locations were highly correlated. ‘Which-won-where’ study partitioned the testing locations into three mega-environments: first with eight locations with SPH 1606/1609 as the winning genotypes; second mega-environment encompassed three locations with SPH 1596 as the winning genotype, and last mega-environment represented by only one location with SPH 1603 as the winning genotype. This clearly indicates that though the testing is being conducted in many locations, similar conclusions can be drawn from one or two representatives of each mega-environment. We did not observe any correlation of these mega-environments to their geographical locations. Existence of extensive crossover GEI clearly suggests that efforts are necessary to identify location-specific genotypes over multi-year and -location data for release of hybrids and varieties rather focusing on overall performance of the entries.     

腐殖酸对植烟土壤和烟草影响的研究进展

本文综述了腐殖酸对植烟土壤和烟草各方面的影响,揭示出腐殖酸能够改善植烟土壤性状,提高烟叶品质,同时,对烟草的安全性和抗逆性也有一定的作用。并在此基础上对今后的研究方向进行了展望,旨在为腐殖酸在烤烟生产上的推广应用提供理论依据。     

Measurement and analysis of SF6 decomposition products under two types of partial discharges

In order to recognize partial discharge by analysis of SF6 decomposition products, the decomposition characteristic of SF6 under different partial discharges should be investigated, and also the feature parameters of decomposition products should be found. The decomposition of SF6 is simulated under partial discharge generated by needle defect and contamination defect respectively on the SF6 decomposition equipment made especially for the experiment. Three kinds of byproducts namely CF4, SO2F2 and SOF2 are detected, and their concentration changes with time are also studied. After that, the characteristics of three kinds of concentration ratios namely SOF2/SO2F2, SO2F2/CF4 and SOF2/CF4 under two defects are analyzed. The results show that SOF2, SO2F2 and CF4 exist in the byproducts under both the two defects. Moreover, the increase rules of the three kinds of byproducts under two defects are obviously different. Meanwhile the results illustrate that the three contamination ratios under the two defects have a notable disparity. Therefore the concentration ratios of the decomposition products can be used as feature parameters for partial discharge recognition.