基于模糊集理论的苹果表面阴影去除方法

为了提高阴影影响下的苹果目标提取精度,该文提出了一种基于模糊集理论的苹果表面阴影去除方法。该方法将含阴影图像作为一个模糊矩阵,利用所设计的隶属函数进行图像去模糊化处理,达到图像增强的目的,进而削弱苹果表面阴影对目标分割的影响。为了验证算法的有效性,采用基于灰度阈值和基于颜色聚类2种算法对去除阴影前后的目标图像进行分割,并选用分割误差、假阳性率、假阴性率和重叠系数4项指标进行了分析比较,试验结果表明,去除阴影之后,2种分割算法所提取的苹果目标区域较去除阴影之前有了较大的提高,2种分割算法的平均分割误差分别为3.08%和3.46%,比去除阴影之前降低了20.53%和25.92%,假阳性率、假阴性率分别降低了29.79%、29.98%和21.25%、29.83%,重叠系数分别提高30.96%和24.55%。与灰度变换法去除阴影后分割的效果比较表明,该方法的平均分割误差降低了29.23%,假阳性率、假阴性率分别降低了30.97%和20.40%,重叠系数提高了26.60%;与直方图均衡化法的比较表明,分割误差降低了25.59%,假阳性率、假阴性率分别降低了22.74%和27.56%,而重叠系数提高了27.43%。这一系列数据表明,基于模糊集理论的阴影去除方法具有较好的阴影去除效果。经过去除阴影后,可以获得更高的目标分割性能,目标提取精度显著提高,表明将模糊集方法应用于苹果目标的阴影去除可以有效地提高苹果目标区域的提取精度。     

采用K均值聚类和环形结构的狭叶锦鸡儿木质部提取算法

针对木质部交互统计误差大、效率低、重现性差、劳动强度高和传统图像处理算法精度不理想等问题,该文以狭叶锦鸡儿木质部切片图像为研究对象,根据木质部特点提出基于K均值聚类算法和环形结构提取算法相结合,实现木质部准确提取的方法。首先通过动态巴特沃斯同态滤波法对30幅供试图像进行光照不均校正,然后采用K均值聚类法对光照补偿后图像初分割,最后采用环形结构提取算法实现木质部提取计数。试验结果表明:采用K均值聚类算法对光照补偿后的木质部图像初分割分割误差R(section error, R)、过分割误差OR(over-segmentation error, OR)和欠分割误差UR(under-segmentation error, UR)均值分别为5.15%、1.48%和6.46%,优于未光照补偿和3R-G-B算法;该文提出的环形结构提取算法对初分割后木质部图像检测的平均相对误差为2.26%,比分水岭法低11.69个百分点,比凹点匹配法低4.93个百分点。从速度上看,该算法平均耗时3.17 s,比分水岭法快1.40 s,比凹点匹配法快4.88 s。该算法检测的均方根误差RMSE(root mean squared error, RMSE)为0.52%,约相当于分水岭法的1/3,约相当于凹点匹配法的1/2,该算法优于其他2种分割算法;在图像结构复杂、光照不均匀、内部分布不均等缺陷条件下,该文算法也能很好地实现木质部的分割和提取。该方法不仅能对狭叶锦鸡儿木质部自动分割和提取,也可为其他植物木质部分割提取提供参考。     

融合CLAHE-SV增强Lab颜色特征的水稻覆盖度提取

为解决由于阈值不确定和光照强度不稳定所造成的植被覆盖度提取效果不理想的问题，该研究提出一种融合CLAHE-SV（contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization-saturation value）增强Lab颜色空间特征的高斯混合模型聚类算法。以分蘖后期的水稻为对象，利用无人机获取2、3、4和5 m高度下的水稻可见光图像，采用限制对比度自适应直方图均衡化算法（contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization，CLAHE）对HSV颜色空间中饱和度（S）和亮度（V）分量进行增强，并在此基础上应用高斯混合模型（gaussian mixture model，GMM）结合Lab颜色空间的a分量分割图像背景和提取水稻覆盖度，并与GMM-RGB、GMM-HSV、GMM-Lab进行对比分析。结果表明，基于a分量构建的GMM-CLAHE-SV-a与GMM-a模型在不同高度图像中的分割效果均优于RGB、HSV、Lab，其中GMM-CLAHE-SV-a精度最佳。相比于GMM-a，在高度为2 、3 、4 和5 m时GMM-CLAHE-SV-a的总体分割精度均值分别提高了2.16、1.01、1.03和1.26个百分点，Kappa系数均值分别提高了0.0414、0.0173、0.0190和0.0221；覆盖度的平均提取误差分别降低了8.75、7.01、5.93和5.34个百分点，决定系数R²分别提高了0.0960、0.0502、0.0622和0.1906，较好地降低了光强和倒影的影响。与已有方法相比，该算法无需标记训练集或计算阈值，可直接对无人机图像进行处理，具有较高的普适性，可以在复杂的大田环境下快速分割水稻像素并提取植被覆盖度信息。     

自然光照条件下采摘机器人果实识别的表面阴影去除方法

有效的阴影检测和去除算法会大大提高自然环境下果实识别算法的性能,为农业智能化提供技术支持。该研究采用超像素分割的方法,将一张图像分割成多个小区域,在对图像进行超像素分割的基础上,对自然光照下的果园图像阴影区域与非阴影区域进行对比分析,探索8个自定义特征用于阴影检测。然后采用SVM的方法,结合8个自主探索的自定义特征,对图像中每个超像素分割的小区域进行检测,判断每个小区域是否处于阴影中,再使用交叉验证方法进行参数优化。根据Finlayson的二维积分算法策略,对检测的每一个阴影区域进行阴影去除,获得去除阴影后的自然光照图像。最后进行阴影检测的识别准确性试验,试验结果表明,本研究的阴影检测算法的平均识别准确率为83.16%,经过阴影去除后,图像的阴影区域亮度得到了提高,并且整幅图像的亮度更为均匀。该研究可为自然环境下机器人识别果实及其他工农业应用场景提供技术支持。     

基于K均值聚类和开闭交替滤波的黄瓜叶片水滴荧光图像分割

为了监测温室黄瓜叶片湿润情况以计算叶片湿润时间并用于病害预警,利用K-均值聚类算法实现黄瓜叶片的水滴荧光图像分割。选择人工气候室培育的健康且洁净的黄瓜叶片作为试验试材,采用移液枪向叶面、叶缘部位上滴水,模拟不同的叶片湿润情形,使用荧光成像仪蓝光镜头在白天（07：00）和夜晚（18：00）分别采集图像。应用 K-均值聚类算法在L*a*b颜色空间对水滴图像进行分割,首先要将原始图像由RGB颜色空间转换到L*a*b颜色空间,然后在在L*a*b颜色空间中利用a*b*二维数据空间的颜色差异,以欧式距离度量像素间的相似度,使用K均值对图像进行聚类,聚类得到的图像灰度化后进一步用数学形态学中的开闭交替滤波方法进行校正,最终完成图像分割。利用该方法对10幅含有不同水滴数量的黄瓜叶片荧光图像进行分割,为了验证该方法的有效性,分别采用基于H分量直方图分割算法、主动轮廓即C_V模型分割方法、融合K均值聚类和Ncut算法作对比试验。试验结果表明,该方法的平均匹配率、误分率相较于其他3种方法有明显的优势,平均匹配率为81.27%、平均误分率为9.57%,较之于其他3种方法,平均匹配率分别提高了44.11、11.50、10.90百分点,平均误分率分别降低了23.03、5.47和5.05百分点。该方法能够较为准确地将水滴从图像中分割出来,这为用计算机器视觉的方法监测黄瓜叶片的润湿时间提供了新的思路。     

基于光照无关图理论的苹果表面阴影去除方法

阴影影响下苹果目标的快速准确识别是苹果采摘机器人视觉系统必须解决的关键技术之一。为了实现阴影影响下苹果目标的准确识别,该研究采用光照无关图理论实现了苹果表面阴影的去除。以自然场景下获取的受不同程度阴影影响的苹果目标图像为研究对象,首先利用光照无关图原理获取阴影苹果图像的光照无关图,达到突出苹果目标阴影区域的目的;其次提取原图像的红色分量信息并与关照无关图进行相加处理;最后将相加后的图像进行自适应阈值分割处理,达到去除阴影的目的。为了验证该算法的有效性与准确性,利用20幅受阴影影响的苹果目标图像进行了试验,并与Otsu算法、1.5*R-G色差算法进行了对比,试验结果表明：Otsu算法仅能识别出未受阴影影响的苹果区域;1.5*R-G 色差算法受光照影响较大,对于苹果图像的相对强光照区域和部分阴影区域不能有效识别;基于光照无关图的苹果表面阴影去除方法对阴影影响下的苹果目标图像分割效果较好,可以克服光照过强的问题,并准确识别出阴影影响下的苹果目标。文中算法的平均假阳性率为17.49%,比Otsu算法降低了52.84%,比1.5*R-G算法降低了26.18%;文中算法的平均重叠系数为86.59%,比Otsu算法提高了47.2%,比1.5*R-G算法提高了11.03%;表明利用光照无关图可以有效地去除苹果表面的阴影,将其应用于阴影影响下的苹果目标的识别是可行的。     

基于改进均值漂移算法的绿色作物图像分割方法

针对绿色农作物图像背景复杂且分割难的问题,提出一种基于改进均值漂移算法的分割方法。采用均值漂移算法对图像进行平滑和分割时,带宽的选择直接影响平滑和分割的结果。传统的均值漂移分割方法需要人为地设定空域带宽和值域带宽这2个参数。该文首先根据绿色作物图像的颜色特点,提取图像的颜色指数;然后采用均值漂移算法,将图像的颜色信息与空间信息结合起来,根据作物图像颜色分布的丰富程度定义自适应空域带宽,采用渐近积分均方差来获得自适应值域带宽,对图像进行平滑滤波;最后采用 Otsu 方法将平滑后的图像分成两部分：绿色部分和背景部分。试验结果表明,该方法能够有效地分割出绿色作物,并在分割性能上明显优于常规的颜色指数方法,作物图像的错分率均小于6.5%。     

基于Retinex图像增强的不同光照条件下的成熟荔枝识别

为了满足自然环境下荔枝采摘机器人视觉定位系统的有效性和实时性的要求,针对不同光照条件的荔枝彩色图像,采用基于双边滤波的Retinex图像增强算法凸显图像中的荔枝果实和果梗,对增强处理后的图像在HSI颜色空间中进行H分量旋转的处理,再对旋转处理后的H分量进行Otsu自动阈值分割去除荔枝图像果实和果梗外的复杂背景;然后通过将双三次插值算法和传统的模糊C均值（FuzzyC-Mean）算法融合,对去背景后的荔枝图像在YCbCr颜色空间中进行Cr分量模糊聚类分割,实现荔枝果实和果梗的识别。荔枝图像的分割试验结果表明：该算法对晴天顺光、逆光、遮阴、阴天顺光等光照条件的荔枝图像能够有效地分割,对阴天弱光照、果实被遮阴条件下的荔枝也能较好的识别,并保持荔枝果实和果梗区域的完整性,4种光照条件荔枝图像分割正确率分别为96%、90%、89.3%和88.9%,成熟荔枝识别的正确率达到了90.9%,该研究为水果采摘机器人的室外作业的实时性和有效性提供指导。     

基于机器视觉自然场景下成熟柑橘识别

采用2R-G-B色差分量,通过Ostu自适应阈值算法进行图像分割,利用形态运算消除分割后随机噪声,并对分割区域进行标记,利用区域面积和区域最小外接矩形长宽比参数进一步去除背景区域.对于多果重叠问题,利用T=Sqrt(S×I)形成新的图像提取边界,再结合形态学运算实现分割.最后利用优化的圆形Hough变换提取目标图像的形心坐标及半径,恢复遮挡果形.经验证有95%果实能正确识别.     

基于ViT-改进YOLOv7的稻田杂草识别

为解决光线遮蔽、藻萍干扰以及稻叶尖形状相似等复杂环境导致稻田杂草识别效果不理想问题,该研究提出一种基于组合深度学习的杂草识别方法。引入MSRCP（Multi-Scale Retinex with Color Preservation）对图像进行增强,以提高图像亮度及对比度;加入ViT分类网络去除干扰背景,以提高模型在复杂环境下对小目标杂草的识别性能。在YOLOv7模型中主干特征提取网络替换为GhostNet网络,并引入CA注意力机制,以增强主干特征提取网络对杂草特征提取能力及简化模型参数计算量。消融试验表明：改进后的YOLOv7模型平均精度均值为88.2 %,较原YOLOv7模型提高了3.3个百分点,参数量减少10.43 M,计算量减少66.54×10⁹次/s,有效提高模型速度与精度。识别前先经过MSRCP图像增强后,改进YOLOv7模型的平均精度均值提高了2.6个百分点,模型对光线遮蔽、藻萍干扰以及稻叶尖形状相似的复杂环境下平均精度均值分别提高5.3、3.6、3.1个百分点;再加入ViT分类网络后,模型平均精度均值进一步提高,较原模型平均精度均值整体提升了4.4个百分点,在复杂环境下的平均精度均值较原模型整体提升了6.2、6.1、5.7个百分点。ViT-改进YOLOv7模型的平均精度均值为92.6 %,相比于YOLOv5s、YOLOXs、MobilenetV3-YOLOv7、YOLOv8和改进YOLOv7分别提高了11.6、10.1、5.0、4.2、4.4个百分点。研究结果可为稻田复杂环境的杂草精准识别提供支撑。     

低氮和干旱胁迫对富士和秦冠生长及氮素利用的影响

【目的】以富士（Fuji）、 秦冠（Qinguan）嫁接在平邑甜茶（Malus hupehensis Rehd.）上的当年生盆栽苗为试验材料,采用砂培方法,研究了缺氮胁迫和干旱对富士和秦冠生长情况、 光合参数、 植株各部位氮磷钾含量及氮素利用效率的影响,分析比较了低氮干旱条件下富士和秦冠生长及氮素利用的差异,以期为果树生产高效肥水利用提供理论指导。【方法】试验共设四个处理: 正常氮正常水（ZZ）、 低氮正常水（DZ）、 正常氮干旱（ZG）、 低氮干旱（DG）。氮素和水分均设置两个水平,分别为正常氮（6 mmol/L NO-3-N）、 低氮（0.3 mmol/LNO-3-N）、 正常供水（保持盆中砂子相对含水量为饱和含水量的80%~85%）、 干旱处理（保持盆中砂子相对含水量为饱和含水量的60%~65%）。【结果】富士和秦冠的生物量（茎和叶）、 株高茎粗等生长指标以及光合速率、 气孔导度、 蒸腾速率均为正常氮正常水（ZZ）＞低氮正常水（DZ）＞正常氮干旱（ZG）＞低氮干旱（DG）,并且相对应处理下秦冠的以上指标均高于富士;正常供水下,缺氮处理使富士、 秦冠的根冠比比正常氮处理均有所增加,富士提高了2.05%,秦冠提高了22.40%。富士和秦冠的氮、 磷、 钾含量均表现出正常氮正常水（ZZ）＞低氮正常水（DZ）＞正常氮干旱（ZG）＞低氮干旱（DG）; 氮、 钾元素含量在植株各部位的分布顺序依次是叶＞根＞茎,磷元素则是根＞叶＞茎;光合氮素利用效率（PNUE）和氮素利用效率表现为秦冠处理之间差异极显著,富士处理之间差异不显著;秦冠的PNUE和NUE明显高于富士,在低氮正常水（DZ）处理下,秦冠氮肥利用率比富士高42.07%,在低氮干旱（DG）处理下高64.14%;低氮胁迫下富士和秦冠的NUE显著提高,并且秦冠提高的幅度高于富士。【结论】施用氮肥能够显著提高富士与秦冠的干物质量,同等水肥条件下,秦冠生长优于富士;水分亏缺会减少叶片对氮的吸收,干旱条件下适度增施氮肥,可提高果树的抗旱能力;低氮干旱胁迫下秦冠的生长指标、 光合指标及氮素利用效率指标均优于富士,表现出较强的抗低氮干旱胁迫的能力。     

Pasture Vegetation Elemental Analysis by Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a new technique for the analysis of plant material. This study investigates the application of LIBS to pasture-based plant samples. The LIBS measurements were obtained from pelletized pasture samples (100 samples) that had been also analyzed by inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) following microwave digestion for calibration and comparison purposes. Comparisons for elements sodium (Na), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), boron (B), phosphorus (P), and sulfur (S) showed that LIBS could be used for almost all the standard profile total elements with concentrations down to low mg/kg levels (observed error of Na: 0.024 percent, K: 0.18 percent, Mg: 0.016 percent, Ca: 0.073 percent, P: 0.017 percent, Mn: 31 mg/kg, Fe: 150 mg/kg, Zn: 6.6 mg/kg, and B: 1.1 mg/kg). Elemental analysis at less than mg/kg levels was not possible using LIBS. The elements S and Cu were particularly difficult to analyze with reliability using LIBS at the concentration levels found in the plant samples. Replacing microwave digestion and subsequent ICP analysis with a direct analysis of dried plant samples using LIBS has the potential to improve the productivity and reduce the cost of testing.     

Assessing the effectiveness of conservation measures: Resolving the “wicked” problem of the Steller sea lion

“Wicked” problems are those that are complex and that change when solutions are applied. Many conflicts in conservation fall into this category. The study approached the problem of how to constrain the apparent wickedness of a problem in the conservation management of a species by using simple empirical indicators to carry out iterative assessment of the risk to a population and to document how this risk evolves in relation to the addition of new data and the implementation of management actions. Effects of high levels of uncertainty within data and also concerning population structure were examined through stochastic simulation and by exploration of scenarios. Historical trends in the example used, the Steller sea lion, showed rapid declines in abundance in some regions during the 1980s. The current total population is 130,000-150,000 Steller sea lions through Alaska and British Columbia and this number has been stable since about 1990 in spite of regional differences in population dynamics. Regional differences in the sequence of changes in the number of pups and non-pups, suggested that an internal re-distribution of juveniles could have happened between 1980 and 1990. Current productivity also appears close to the long-term mean. Stochastic population projection using various scenarios showed that, based upon this history, the risk of extinction for the population has declined and is below reasonable thresholds for considering the population to be endangered. The trends in risk suggest that management actions taken since 1990 have probably been effective. Consequently, the conservation management objectives for the Steller sea lion are probably being met. The approach provides a mechanism, based upon experience and scenario analysis, for exploring future policy options and may help to constrain the debate amongst stakeholders about the cost-benefit trade-offs associated with different options.     

Soil-profile distribution of primary and secondary plant-available nutrients under conventional and no tillage

Nutrient distributions under no tillage (NT) compared with conventional disk-and-bed tillage (CT) management in the warm, humid region of the southeastern USA need to be assessed so that future placement, quantity, and type of fertilizers can be altered, if necessary, to efficiently match crop demands. We determined soil-profile distributions of pH, N, P, S, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu to a depth of 0.9 m at the end of 8.5 years of continuous CT and NT management on a Weswood silty clay loam (fine, mixed, thermic Fluventic Ustochrept) in southcentral Texas. Most dramatic changes occurred within the 0–0.05 m depth, where soil under NT had lower pH, Fe, and Cu than under CT, but greater P, K, Zn, and Mn. Greater P and K under NT than under CT also occurred below the till-zone (0.15–0.3 m). At a depth of 0–0.3 m, soil under NT contained greater amounts of extractable P, K, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu than under CT. Nitrogen fertilization had little effect on nutrient distributions, except resulting in greater extractable K at 0–0.05 m and greater nitrate at 0–0.15 m. Few changes in soil-profile distributions were observed for extractable S, Ca, Mg, and Na. Long-term continuous use of NT on this fine-textured, high-fertility (except for N) soil had no apparent adverse effects on nutrient distributions relative to CT, but enhanced conservation and availability of P, K, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu near the soil surface where crop roots proliferate.     

Faculty positions:Center for Agricultural Resources Research,Chinese Academy of Sciences

正The Center for Agricultural Resources Research(CARR),the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology(IGDB),Chinese Academy of Sciences,invites applicants for several research group leader positions.CARR is one of the research organizations in Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS).We seek nominations and applications from individuals who have expertise and a record of accomplishment in research areas related to ecology,agro-hydrology,     

Macroinvertebrates in North American tallgrass prairie soils: effects of fire, mowing, and fertilization on density and biomass

The responses of tallgrass prairie plant communities and ecosystem processes to fire and grazing are well characterized. However, responses of invertebrate consumer groups, and particularly soil-dwelling organisms, to these disturbances are not well known. At Konza Prairie Biological Station, we sampled soil macroinvertebrates in 1994 and 1999 as part of a long-term experiment designed to examine the effects and interactions of annual fire, mowing, and fertilization (N and P) on prairie soil communities and processes. For nearly all taxa, in both years, responses were characterized by significant treatment interactions, but some general patterns were evident. Introduced European earthworms (Aporrectodea spp. and Octolasion spp.) were most abundant in plots where fire was excluded, and the proportion of the total earthworm community consisting of introduced earthworms was greater in unburned, unmowed, and fertilized plots. Nymphs of two Cicada genera were collected (Cicadetta spp. and Tibicen spp.). Cicadetta nymphs were more abundant in burned plots, but mowing reduced their abundance. Tibicen nymphs were collected almost exclusively from unburned plots. Treatment effects on herbivorous beetle larvae (Scarabaeidae, Elateridae, and Curculionidae) were variable, but nutrient additions (N or P) usually resulted in greater densities, whereas mowing usually resulted in lower densities. Our results suggest that departures from historical disturbance regimes (i.e. frequent fire and grazing) may render soils more susceptible to increased numbers of European earthworms, and that interactions between fire, aboveground biomass removal, and vegetation responses affect the structure and composition of invertebrate communities in tallgrass prairie soils.     

Enhanced establishment and growth of giant cardon cactus in an eroded field in the Sonoran Desert using native legume trees as nurse plants aided by plant growth-promoting microorganisms and compost

To evaluate the feasibility of long-term desert reforestation technology of mixed vegetation, cardon cactus (Pachycereus pringlei) seedlings from indoor and outdoor nurseries were planted in the field adjacent to one seedling of potential legume nurse trees: mesquite amargo (Prosopis articulata), yellow palo verde (Parkinsonia microphylla), and blue palo verde (Parkinsonia florida). Some of the planting holes were also supplemented with common dairy compost. Additionally, the combinations of legume tree–cactus were inoculated with either a consortium of desert arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB; the diazotroph Azospirillum brasilense Cd, and the phosphate solubilizer Paenibacillus sp.), or a mixture of all. The field experiments were evaluated periodically during 30 months for survival and growth. Cardons reared in an outdoor screen house survived better in the field than those reared in a controlled growth chamber and hardened later outdoors. Association with any legume nurse tree increased survival and enhanced growth of untreated cardons. For cardons growing alone, application of either compost, AM fungi, and all the treatments combined increased survival. For these plants, no treatment affected plant growth during the first 3 months after transplanting. Later, all treatments, except for AM fungi, enhanced plant growth. However, only 2 years after transplanting the enhanced growth effect of AM fungi was also significant. In the presence of the legume nurse trees, transient positive effects on cardon growth were recorded. General evaluation after 30 months of cultivation showed that the treatments positively affected cardon growth when growing alone or in combination only with mesquite amargo but not with the other two legume trees. This study proposes that young legume trees have the capacity to enhance survival and growth of cardon cactus, depending on the legume cactus combination. Additional treatments such as compost or PGPB can either amplify the effect or else attenuate it.     

Variation in quality parameters between and within 14 Nordic tree fruit and berry species

Abstract

A 3-year study was carried out to investigate quality parameters in 14 tree fruit and berry species grown in southern Norway. The species were blueberry, apple, aronia, sour cherry, sweet cherry, red raspberry, strawberry, blackcurrant, gooseberry, red currant and elderberry, harvested along with wild bilberry, cloudberry and lingonberry. Significant differences between species were identified for all quality parameters. The coefficient of variation between species was lowest for pH (12.5%), dry matter (18.9%) and soluble solids (25.3%), followed by titratable acids (59.3%), total phenolics (83.8%), antioxidant capacity FRAP (85.7%) and antiradical power by the DPPH-assay (97.8%), total monomeric anthocyanins (132%) and ascorbic acid (137%). Average coefficient of variation within species were lower and ranged from 4 (pH) to 62% (ascorbic acid). Only the FRAP values were significantly affected by harvesting year with lower levels in 2004 than in 2005 and 2006. There were significant interactions between species and harvesting year for dry matter, soluble solids, pH, ascorbic acid and FRAP. The results indicate generic ranges in composition within species independent upon growing location and climate, and the composition of the tree fruits and berries is not likely to deviate from these ranges. It is concluded that desirable composition of tree fruits and berries and their products should primarily be achieved by selection among species rather than searching fors broadened variation within individual species.     

Karyotypic and genome size variation in Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. (pigeonpea) and some wild relatives

Detailed karyotypes and 4C DNA amounts have been studied in five cultivars of Cajanus cajan and 20 species belonging to Cajanus, Rhynchosia, Dunbaria, Flemingia and Paracalyx. C. cajan shows intraspecific variability and its karyotype is most similar to that of C. cajanifolius (sect. Cajanus) in the morphology and number of satellite chromosomes and the lack of any correlation between chromosome size within the complement and asymmetry. Karyotypes of C. lineatus and C. sericeus belonging to sect. Atylia are similar with respect to maximum r-index and the ratio of longest and shortest chromosomes in their respective complements. C. acutifolius (sect. Frutocosa) is distinct in having a very low ratio (1.44) between the longest and the shortest chromosomes, while in C. albicans, C. goensis, C. scarabaeoides (sect. Cantharospermum) there is no chromosome pair with r-index >2.0. C. mollis and C. volubilis (sect. Volubilis) show similarity with regard to ratio between the longest and the shortest chromosomes and a distinct chromosome pair with an arm ratio of 2.7 and C. platycarpus is distinct (sect. Rhynchosoides) in having the smallest ratio (1.36) between the longest and the shortest chromosomes. 4C DNA amounts in Cajanus and Rhynchosia vary between 3.28 pg to 11.69 pg and 4.92 pg to 11.13 pg respectively, while in Dunbaria, Flemingia and Paracalyx these vary between 4.70 and 7:06 pg. In the genus Cajanus karyotypic features and 4C DNA amounts agree with the sectional classification and bring out a close relationship between C. cajan and C. cajanifolius. This is supported by studies based on seed protein patterns, isozyme analysis, trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitor patterns, RFLP and RAPD data and crossability relationships. A clear relation between DNA amount and abnormalities effecting the extent of pairing and recombination in interspecific hybrids shows the importance of this study in developing future breeding programme involving C. cajan and its wild relatives that are of potential value.     

Effect of some fungicide seed treatments on the survival of Bradyrhizobium japonicum and on the nodulation and yield of soybean [Glycine max. (L) Merr.]

Several commercial fungicide seed treatments were evaluated for their possible effect on the survival of Bradyrhizobium japonicum on seeds and on the nodulation and yield of soybeans in a greenhouse and a field experiment. quinolate Pro (carbendazim and oxine copper), Vitavax 200FF (carboxin and thiram), and Monceren (pencycuron) had a small effect or no effect on the survival of B. japonicum and on the nodulation and yield of soybeans. They can thus be considered compatible with soybean seed inoculation. Germipro UFB (carbendazim and iprodione), Apron 35J (metalaxyl), and Tachigaren (hymexazol) decreased B. japonicum survival and the nodulation and yield of soybeans and thus cannot be considered compatible with soybean seed inoculation.