Oat Grain/Groat Size Ratios: A Physical Basis for Test Weight

Market value of oat grain is largely determined by test weight or bulk density, yet little is known of the physical basis for test weight in oats. We have hypothesized that a larger sized groat relative to the oat grain (the kernel with the hull) would generate higher test weight oats because the groat is the densest structure in the oat grain. We tested this by measuring oat grain size and oat groat size by digital image analysis for 10 genotypes grown in 10 environments. We also measured other physical characteristics of the oats grains and groats including mean grain and groat mass, test weight, and groat percentage. We found that the groat/ grain size ratio was highly correlated with test weight. Because the oat grain image area was nearly twice that of the groat, we suggest that there are significant amounts of empty space within the oat hull, which detracts from test weight. We also found that oat groat size distributions, like oat grains, fit bimodal distributions better than normal distributions.     

Genotypic and Environmental Effects on Oat Milling Characteristics and Groat Hardness

The production of oat bran involves the dehulling of oats, inactivation of their enzymes, and the subsequent grinding and sieving of the clean groats to isolate the larger bran particles. The bran yield from the oat groats may be related to their hardness, as it is in wheat. Groat breakage, which occurs during the dehulling process, reduces milling yield and may also be related to groat hardness. This study sought to investigate genotypic and environmental effects on oat dry milling and oat dehulling characteristics, and attempted to define properties associated with oat groat hardness. Significant genotypic differences in bran yield were largely attributed to groat composition, where higher β‐glucan and oil concentrations in the groat were associated with higher bran yields. Bran composition was largely dependent on a combination of the bran yield and the groat composition. Although groat breakage was correlated with bran yield and with groat β‐glucan concentration, environmental factors appeared to be more influential. Locations that had suffered severe crown rust infestations exhibited higher rates of groat breakage during dehulling. Bran yield was not as strongly affected at the locations infested with crown rust, indicating that bran yield and groat breakage are manifestations of different types of groat hardness and are only partially related.     

Discriminating Oat and Groat Kernels from Other Grains Using Near‐Infrared Spectroscopy

Oats and groats can be discriminated from other grains such as barley, wheat, rye, and triticale (nonoats) with near‐infrared spectroscopy. The two instruments tested herein were the manual version of the United States Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service single‐kernel near‐infrared (SKNIR) instrument and the automated QualySense QSorter Explorer high‐speed sorter, both used in similar near‐infrared spectral ranges. Three linear discriminate self‐prediction models were developed: 1) oats versus groats + nonoats, 2) oats + groats versus nonoats, and 3) groats versus nonoats. For all three models, the SKNIR instrument showed high correct classification of oats or groats (94.5–100%), which was similar to results of the QSorter Explorer at 95.0–99.4%. The amount of nonoats that were misclassified as oats or groats was low for both instruments at 0–0.2% for the SKNIR instrument and 0.8–3.7% for the QSorter Explorer. Linear discriminate models from independent prediction and validation sets yielded classification accuracies of 91.6–99.3% (SKNIR) and 90.5–97.8% (QSorter Explorer). Small differences in classification accuracy were attributed to processing speeds between the two instruments: 3 kernels/s for the SKNIR instrument and 35 kernels/s for the QSorter Explorer. This indicated that both instruments are useful for quantifying grain sample compositions of oat and groat samples and that both could be useful tools for meeting consumer demand for gluten‐free or low‐gluten products. Discrimination between grains will help producers and manufacturers meet various regulatory requirements. Examples include requirements such as those from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Commission of European Communities, in which gluten‐free oats or other products can only be labeled as nongluten if they contain gluten at less than 20 ppm, the established safe consumption limit for people with celiac disease. The QSorter Explorer is currently being used to meet these requirements.     

Oat Grain Density Measurement by Sand Displacement and Analysis of Physical Components of Test Weight

Test weight or bulk density of oats (Avena sativa L.) has a major influence on the monetary value of oat grain. We hypothesize that test weight can be attributed to grain density and packing efficiency. We have measured oat grain volume and density by a sand‐displacement method and derived the packing factor for six oat cultivars grown in three environments. Volumes of individual grains were 31–38 mm³ and were highly correlated with grain mass. Grain densities were 0.96–1.03 g/cm³. Packing efficiency, defined as the space proportion occupied by the grains, was 53–55%. Regression analysis suggested that 78% of the variation in test weight could be attributed to grain density. Size fractionation of grain by sieving and analysis by digital image analysis indicated that smaller grains within an oat sample packed more efficiently than larger grains and larger grains in a sample were less dense than the smaller grains. Analysis of oat grain components indicated groat densities were ≈1.29 g/cm³ and hull densities were ≈0.69 g/cm³. The difference in densities between groat and hull provide a physical basis for the recognized relationship between groat percentage and test weight.     

Relationships Between Small-Scale Wheat Quality Assays and Commercial Test Bakes

Typical commercial bakeries in the United States are highly mechanized, mass-production facilities. U.S. hard wheat breeding programs use small-scale physical dough testing and pup loaf bake procedures to identify and select improved quality genotypes. The accuracy of such approaches in the prediction of commercial-scale quality performance is poorly understood. Samples from six hard red winter wheat cultivars grown in 11 locations over three harvest years were used to correlate grain hardness, small-scale test bakes, mixograph variables, and various measures of flour protein composition with quality assessments from commercial test laboratories. Samples were milled on both pilot- and small-scale mills. Protein content and 100-g pup loaf volume were more often significantly correlated with commercial test bake variables than all other small-scale variables. Stepwise multiple regression models explained, on average, ≈40% of the variation in commercial test bake procedures. Mixograph properties, pup loaf volumes and absorption, and flour protein content were the most frequent variables identified in model development. Pup loaf bake results on pilot- and small-scale milled flours were highly correlated. Differences in milling technology do not appear to be a significant source of error in relating small-scale test bakes to commercial quality.     

Relationship Between Kernel Size Features and Test Weight in Triticum durum

Test weight or bulk density in durum wheat is a physical quality characteristic considered by semolina millers. High test weight values are desirable because they positively influence market grade and price. This study reports data on kernel size features, determined on a sample size of only 25 kernels, replicated three-times, of 16 commercial durum wheat cultivars grown in two locations in southern Italy, to ascertain whether some kernel traits could be related to test weight. For each year and cultivar, the analysis of variance for all of characteristics showed that sample size effect was not significant, enabling the use such a small sample for further investigations. The kernel trait with the highest variation for year was kernel width. The absolute variation of 1994 with respect to 1993 growing season was 30.9%. While kernel weight or volume did not correlate with test weight, a negative association with kernel length (r = -0.61, P = 0.05) and perimeter (r = -0.57, P = 0.05) was found. The kernel shape factors, rectangular aspect ratio (RAR) and circularity shape factor (CSF), showed a positive correlation with test weight (r = 0.51, P = 0.05 and r = 0.59, P = 0.05, respectively). The shape factors were negatively correlated both with kernel length and perimeter and positively with kernel width. A predictive model for test weight (TW = 38.7 + 5.1·ETW, where the estimated test weight [ETW] was computed as individual kernel weight/estimated kernel volume [EKV] ratio), was highly correlated with actual test weight values (r = 0.82, P = 0.001). The effectiveness of the linear model was confirmed when a set of 10 advanced lines of durum wheat were considered, although a slightly lower correlation (r = 0.73, P = 0.05) between actual and predicted test weight values was found. Because the extent of predictability of this approach might be more effective in early-generation lines, the application of the findings in a durum wheat breeding program would be advisable.     

Relationships Between Gluten Rheological Properties and Hearth Loaf Characteristics

The rheological properties of fresh gluten in small amplitude oscillation in shear (SAOS) and creep recovery after short application of stress was related to the hearth breadbaking performance of wheat flours using the multivariate statistics partial least squares (PLS) regression. The picture was completed by dough mixing and extensional properties, flour protein size distribution determined by SE‐HPLC, and high molecular weight glutenin subunit (HMW‐GS) composition. The sample set comprised 20 wheat cultivars grown at two different levels of nitrogen fertilizer in one location. Flours yielding stiffer and more elastic glutens, with higher elastic and viscous moduli (G′ and G″) and lower tan δ values in SAOS, gave doughs that were better able to retain their shape during proving and baking, resulting in breads of high form ratios. Creep recovery measurements after short application of stress showed that glutens from flours of good breadmaking quality had high relative elastic recovery. The nitrogen fertilizer level affected the protein size distribution by an increase in monomeric proteins (gliadins), which gave glutens of higher tan δ and flatter bread loaves (lower form ratio).     

Genetic Variation and Relationships of Pedigree-Known Oat, Wheat, and Barley Cultivars Releaved by Bulking and Single-Plant Sampling

Applications of bulking procedures have played an increasingly important role in molecular characterization of plant germplasm, but little attention has been made to address the effectiveness of detecting genetic variation and inferring genetic relationships via bulking. An analysis was performed here to compare the genetic variation detected and genetic relationships inferred via bulking and single-plant sampling of five oat (Avena sativa L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivars with known pedigrees using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers. Three AFLP primer pairs were applied to screen one bulk and eight single-plant samples of each cultivar and up to 140 AFLP bands were scored for each sample. Analyses of these AFLP data showed bulking revealed AFLP variation up to 21.4% less than corresponding single-plant sampling for these crop species and also introduced up to 2.2% upward and 5.1% downward biases in detecting AFLP variations for each cultivar. The genetic relationships inferred by bulking using the Dice's coefficient, the simple matching coefficient, and the Jaccard's coefficient were largely the same, but differed from those in single-plant samples employing average Dice's coefficient, average simple matching coefficient, and AMOVA-based distance method. All of the inferred genetic relationships were not congruent to the known pedigrees. Clearly, substantial biases could exist in detection of AFLP variation and in inference of genetic relationships from bulk samples, even for closely related germplasm, and more efforts to assess the effectiveness of bulking in inferring genetic variation and relationships are needed for more informative molecular characterization of plant germplasm.     

娃娃沟流域泥石流活动与植被关系探讨

娃娃沟位于九龙县境内,属川西南高植被覆盖山区.2006年7月16日该流域暴发大规模泥石流灾害,此次泥石流容重高,粗大颗粒比重大,表现出黏性泥石流的特征.通过解译TM遥感影像发现流域内植被覆盖度高达80%,森林覆盖率超过50%,以针阔叶混交林和针叶林为主.分析发现该流域植被与泥石流活动间存在以下关系:流域植被对泥石流的抑制作用是有限的,当泥石流暴发时沟道两侧的部分植被也随失稳土体一起滑人沟道,成为泥石流固体物质的一部分;不同植被类型对泥石流活动控制作用有差异,该区以针阔叶混交林和针叶林为主的植被类型对泥石流活动的控制作用不强.     

坡面侵蚀产沙与水力学特征参数关系模拟

坡面侵蚀产沙主要受坡面径流动态过程的影响,表征坡面径流过程特征是水力学特征参数。为了研究坡面侵蚀产沙与主要水力学特征参数的关系,揭示坡面侵蚀产沙的水动力学机理。采用人工模拟降雨的方式,通过不同坡长和雨强的组合试验,基于跨雨强和跨坡长的综合性分析的思路,应用经典水力学计算和统计拟合相结合的方法,对特定坡度(20°)下,5个坡长(1,2,3,4,5m)13个降雨强度的试验监测数据进行了分析。结果表明:(1)在设计雨强(0.65~2.0mm/min)和坡度范围内,坡面径流都属于缓流,雨强0.7mm/min都为层流,呈现紊流的最小雨强为1.01mm/min;(2)坡长对弗汝德数和阻力系数的影响较大,对剪切力、径流深和雷诺数的影响很小,3m坡长是坡面径流过程的波动步长,是模拟试验研究坡面径流水动力学参数的最小设计坡长;(3)流速是坡面侵蚀产沙的主要影响参数,剪切力是判断坡面侵蚀产沙强度的综合性指标之一。这些研究结论为实地大范围通过径流量和流速来预测侵蚀产沙的强度提供了简便快速的判断方法。     

滑带黄土孔隙微结构参数与动应力关系研究

以黄土滑坡滑带土孔隙微观结构为研究对象,并辅以定量化分析手段,研究不同试验条件下黄土滑坡滑带土微观结构的变化特征与动应力之间的关系.研究表明,滑带黄土的微观结构参数随着动荷载的增加呈现一定的规律性,其中孔隙数量、孔隙面积、孔隙形态比以及孔隙分形维数与动应力之间的关系可以用线性回归方程表示.     

邢家沟流域降雨特征与土壤侵蚀关系的分析

根据邢家沟小沟域径流观测点实测资料和有关气象资料，运用数理统计方法，摸清了该流域水土流失特点及降雨特征与水土流失量之间的关系。     

陕西省经济发展与生态环境耦合关系研究

以陕西省10个地级市为研究单元,综合运用熵值法、耦合度协调模型、神经网络模型以及GIS技术对陕西省经济发展与生态环境的耦合关系进行了分析,并根据聚类分析结果,将耦合等级分为5个类型,并从总体特征、局域特征两个层面探讨了陕西省10个城市区域经济发展与生态环境耦合的空间格局及其内部差异。结果表明:(1)陕西省的经济发展与生态环境的协调性整体偏低,经济发展与生态环境保护亟待提高;(2)各类型区域的分布具有明显的区位趋同性,且相邻类别区域具有较强的地理邻近性。     

相似降水年组下黄土高原植被恢复与土壤水分变化过程与空间特征分析

土壤水分是黄土高原植被恢复及其可持续性的主导限制因子,为认识退耕还林(草)工程以来大尺度植被恢复与土壤水分关系,以25km×25km格点为研究单元,采用1992—2013年逐月降水量、归一化植被指数(NDVI)和土壤水分指数(SWI)等数据,分析了该区植被恢复与土壤水变化过程及其区域分布特征。结果表明,黄土高原植被和土壤水分变化特征和趋势不一致,其中大部分区域(70%以上面积)NDVI呈极显著增加趋势(p0.01),但绝大部分地区(94%面积)的SWI没有趋势性变化。为进一步揭示植被和土壤水分变化关系,以格点为单元提取并分析了相似年组(年降水量差小于2%,年差大于或等于5年,逐月降水量相关性大于0.55),并分析了不同相似年组内NDVI和SWI的变化特征。植被指数与土壤水分变化主要包括两类:植被指数和土壤水分同时增加与植被指数增加而土壤水分减少。黄土高原植被、土壤水分变化的区域性明显,在未来生态恢复过程中,需要进一步认识植被恢复对土壤水分的关系,促进黄土高原植被恢复的可持续性。     

Relationships Between Radionuclide Content and Textural Properties in Irish Sea Intertidal Sediments

Intertidal sediments from a range of depositional environments in the eastern Irish Sea have been analysed with regard to their radionuclide content, particle size distribution and magnetic properties. Concentrations of²⁴¹Am and¹³⁷Cs are highly influenced by the abundance of sediment finer than 32μm in fine-grained sedimentary environments, whilst radionuclide activity in coarser sediments is less dependent on particle size. Investigation of the magnetic properties of these sediments highlights a similar association between this size fraction and magnetic remanence, the latter being shown to offer strong potential as a grain size proxy in monitoring¹³⁷Cs concentrations in fine-grained sediments. Analysis of particle size fractions indicates the extent to which¹³⁷Cs may be enriched in the clay size fractions of both tine and coarse sediments.     

不同植被下复垦土壤腐殖质与Cd形态的关系

[目的]揭示不同植被下土壤腐殖质与镉(Cd)形态的关系,为控制复垦土壤中Cd的活性提供理论依据。[方法]选择淮南市大通区煤矸石充填复垦区3种典型植被恢复模式下(模式A丁香+刺槐、模式B石楠+小巢菜、模式C臭椿+小巢菜)人工恢复7a的土壤,用tessier五步提取法和腐殖质修改法测定其Cd的化学形态及腐殖质组分,运用多元统计分析方法探讨复垦土壤中腐殖质与Cd的有效态间的相互作用。[结果](1)矿区复垦地C(臭椿+小巢菜)植被配置模式的土壤腐殖化程度较A,B模式高;(2)矿区复垦地C植被配置模式下Cd的可交换态含量显著低于其他2种配置模式;(3)矿区复垦区土壤中Cd的有效态与富里酸(FA)的含量显著正相关(p0.01)。[结论]通过适宜的植被模式C(臭椿+小巢菜)调节复垦土壤腐殖质的组成和性质,可以进而控制土壤镉的潜在生物有效性。     

江淮丘陵区土壤侵蚀分布与环境因子的关系

[目的]掌握江淮丘陵区土壤侵蚀分布及其与土地利用类型、坡度、植被、土壤类型等环境因子的关系,为确定水土保持重点区域,开展水土保持规划、制定有针对性的水土流失防治措施提供依据。[方法]以淮河流域江淮丘陵区为研究区,以2015年15m分辨率的Landsat 8影像为基础信息源,基于"3S"技术平台,采用综合评判法和实地调查验证相结合的研究方法,开展土壤侵蚀空间分布及其与土地利用类型、植被、坡度、土壤类型等环境因子关系的研究。[结果](1)江淮丘陵区水土流失面积为1 409.60km2,约占总面积的10.20%,侵蚀强度以轻度侵蚀为主,局部以中度侵蚀为主。(2)不同土地利用类型下,土壤侵蚀主要发生在下垫面起伏度较大、条件较为恶劣的坡耕地,以及坡度相对较大、植被盖度较差的林地和荒草坡中;不同坡度下,主要发生在5°~15°的山区与平原的交界带;不同植被覆盖度下,主要发生在45%~75%的地区;不同土壤类型下,主要发生在暗色土、水稻土以及黄棕壤等土壤类型中。[结论]土地利用类型、坡度、植被、土壤类型等环境因子与淮河流域江淮丘陵区土壤侵蚀分布关系紧密,坡耕地、坡度起伏较大、植被覆盖较低、土壤抗蚀性较差等下垫面更容易发生土壤侵蚀。     

城市扩张用地社会经济效益与生态环境效益动态关系研究——以南京市为例

基于协整理论,采用改进熵值法、误差修正模型、方差分解等方法,评价了1990-2008年南京市用地扩张的社会经济效益和生态环境效益,分析了二者的动态关系.研究结果表明:(1)南京市两类效益指数均呈上升趋势,且均为一阶单整序列;(2)两类用地效益之间存在长期均衡关系,但短期内却存在失衡,短期波动向长期均衡趋近的调整幅度达到45.36％;(3)生态环境效益是社会经济效益的单向格兰杰原因,而反向关系得不到证实;(4)生态环境效益是土地利用综合效益提高的主要推动力,20 a后生态环境效益对两类效益的解释水平分别高达85.27％和93.89％.因此,应充分发挥生态环境效益的推动作用,采用长期和短期相结合的策略:即短期内提高生态环境污染的管理效率;长期内顺应经济增长方式转变制度,大力发展低碳经济和绿色科技,走可持续发展道路.     

黄土湿陷性与土性指标的关系及其预测模型

[目的]充分挖掘现有黄土湿陷试验资料的价值,建立基于黄土湿陷性机理的湿陷系数预测模型。[方法]以山西省中部黄土为例,基于前期开展的原位大型浸水试验及配套的室内试验资料,首先按物理意义的异同将黄土土性指标分为7大类,而后通过黄土物理力学参数与湿陷系数散点图,对各土性指标与湿陷系数的相关性从土力学与工程地质学角度进行了深入的分析和讨论,再利用偏相关分析定量地给出湿陷系数与各土性指标的相关性及相关程度排序。[结果]根据排序剔除了相关性非常小的液、塑限及塑性指数这一大类指标,其余6大类指标中相关性由高到低依次为:取土深度、孔隙比、干密度、压缩模量、饱和度、颗粒组成C_(5~15μm),并将上述结果引入RBF神经网络,建立了基于黄土湿陷性机理的、参数选取较为全面、建模方法较为科学的湿陷系数预测模型。[结论]通过非母体数据的验证表明模型精度可以满足工程应用的需要,研究过程与结果可加深对黄土湿陷机理的认识。     

Exploring Relationships Between Pancake Quality and Grain and Flour Functionality in Soft Wheats

The objective of this study was to observe the influence of differences in genotype (variety) and protein concentration on batter flow and pancake making performance of a collection of soft white winter wheats. Wheats were chosen to express contrasting absorption characteristics and oxidative gelation potentials. Pancakes were processed with two formulations, one (“old”) with egg, soy, and dairy and one (“new”) without. Pancake performance was compared with grain, milling, flour, solvent retention capacity (SRC), pasting, and oxidative gelation characteristics of the flours. Kernel texture, break flour yield, carbonate SRC, and lactic acid SRC were not significantly associated with pancake performance for either formulation. ANOVA showed that flour protein concentration had a dominant effect on pancake batter flow and dimensions. Flour protein concentration affected pancakes more than flour protein quality (lactic acid SRC). Water and sucrose SRCs and Rapid Visco Analyzer pasting temperature were negatively correlated with pancake batter flow and dimensions. Pasting temperature was significantly and positively correlated with flour protein, suggesting that correlations with pancake properties might be simply a cross‐correlation with protein concentration. Notably, and in contrast to our hypothesis, oxidative gelation potential had no relationship with pancake processing or quality.