Alley Cropping of Maize and Gliricidia sepium in the Sudanese Sahel Region: Some Technical Feasibility Aspects

An association in an alley cropping experiment of a short-term maize variety and a tree legume (Gliricidia sepium) adapted to the Sudanese Sahel region was studied from the point of view of the nitrogen balance and plot yields. Isotopic labelling applied in the field enabled the contribution to maize nitrogen nutrition from different nitrogen sources (fertilizer, prunings, and soil) to be quantified. For equal cultivated areas, alley cropping provides a maize yield greater than that of maize grown in pure stand without nitrogen fertilizer. However this yield is only 40% of that obtained in pure stands with fertilizer nitrogen. Alley cropping gives a very favourable Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) of 0.90 and 1.58 compared with N-fertilized and non-N-fertilized plots, respectively. These LERs demonstrate the increased biological efficiency of the cultivated soil in an agroforestry system. The percentage of the total nitrogen in the maize coming from prunings (Nfdp) varies between 30 and 35% and the true coefficient of nitrogen utilization of the prunings (TCUp) varies from 15-25%. In the environment of central Senegal, the percentage of total nitrogen of G. sepium coming from N 2 fixation is quite low (Ndffix = 25%), and consequently, in the maize, the nitrogen coming from N 2 fixation (Ndffix) is only 8%. It is therefore necessary to improve the efficiency of nitrogen fixation of G. sepium in this zone to assure the sustainability of the agroforestry system.     

Restoration and Rehabilitation of Mixed Espinales in Central Chile: 10-Year Report and Appraisal

A synthesis of progress achieved thus far is provided for a 10 - year research and development program aimed at the ecological and economic rehabilitation of agroecosystems in the unirrigated portions of the central valley of Chile's Mediterranean climate region. We review our data on (1) revised management techniques aimed at restoring the gross superstructure and former levels of diversity and productivity of a mixed espinales formation; (2) selection and utilization of ecotypes of the naturalized annual Medicago polymorpha L. and the N2-fixing microsymbiont Rhizobium meliloti, for gradual improvement of espinal soil fertility; and (3) studies of the outstandingly well adapted and fast growing Canary Island tree Chamaecytisus proliferus (L. fil.) Link ssp. palmensis (Christ) Kunkel (Tagasaste), which along with about three dozen other woody nitrogen - fixing legume and several nonlegume multipurpose trees, was considered to be of potential value for deep soil layer rehabilitation combined with economic improvements. In all these subprograms, efforts were made to identify techniques or organisms that could provide short-term benefits to landowners, especially in the form of wood, fuelwood, or forage for livestock. We also consider various approaches to be added to the program over the next decade, especially in view of the overarching goal of reintegrating fragmented landscapes and combining restoration with rehabilitation and reallocation at this spatial scale.     

靶标酶在研究杀虫活性构效关系中的应用

运用已建立的乙酰胆碱酯酶(AChE) 活力分析规范化筛选模型, 研究N-甲基取代苯基氨基甲酸酯类化合物和含硅氨基甲酸酯类新系列化合物与AChE 酶抑制中量( I50)构效关系的规律, 并以CA SAR 软件进行Q SAR 分析, 所得结果迅速反馈给化学合成, 为高效低毒新杀虫剂的创制提供有益的信息和科学依据。     

Susceptibility of Broccoli Cultivars to Bacterial Head Rot: In Vitro Screening and the Role of Head Morphology in Resistance

Head rot is a major disease of broccoli caused by the soft rot pathogens Pseudomonas fluorescens and Erwinia carotovora. Two in vitro pathogenicity tests were evaluated as a methods to identify broccoli cultivars susceptible or resistant to bacterial head rot. One test used mature heads excised from the plant and inoculated with squares of cotton lint which had been soaked in a bacterial suspension. The other test involved stab-inoculating axenically grown seedlings. With the excised head test, susceptible cultivars showed a black soft rot, whilst less susceptible or moderately resistant cultivars showed only watersoaking, or browning and slight softening of the tissue. No cultivar was completely resistant. Ten cultivars were tested, and their susceptibility ratings corresponded with previously recorded field data, with one exception. This laboratory test could be used to screen for susceptibility to head rot in broccoli breeding programmes. The seedling test distinguished differences in aggressiveness among bacterial isolates but not cultivar susceptibility. Increasing head size correlated negatively with disease resistance. Head shape, i.e. cultivars which showed a domed shape rather than a flat shape, was positively correlated with disease resistance. Thus small domed heads are more resistant to head rot than large flat heads. Other morphological characteristics, viz. floret prominence and number, and sepal stomatal number were not correlated with host resistance.     

Fluxes of methane,carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide in an alpine wetland and an alpine grassland of the Tianshan Mountains,China

Methane(CH4), carbon dioxide(CO2) and nitrous oxide(N2O) are known to be major greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. To identify the flux dynamics of these greenhouse gases is, therefore, of great significance. In this paper, we conducted a comparative study on an alpine grassland and alpine wetland at the Bayinbuluk Grassland Eco-system Research Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences. By using opaque, static, manual stainless steel chambers and gas chromatography, we measured the fluxes of CH4, N2O and CO2 from the grassland and wetland through an in situ monitoring study from May 2010 to October 2012. The mean flux rates of CH4, N2O and CO2 for the experimental alpine wetland in the growing season(from May to October) were estimated at 322.4 μg/(m2?h), 16.7 μg/(m2?h) and 76.7 mg/(m2?h), respectively; and the values for the alpine grassland were –88.2 μg/(m2?h), 12.7 μg/(m2?h), 57.3 mg/(m2?h), respectively. The gas fluxes showed large seasonal and annual variations, suggesting weak fluxes in the non-growing season. The relationships between these gas fluxes and environmental factors were analyzed for the two alpine ecosystems. The results showed that air temperature, precipitation, soil temperature and soil moisture can greatly influence the fluxes of CH4, N2O and CO2, but the alpine grassland and alpine wetland showed different feedback mechanisms under the same climate and environmental conditions.     

CO_2,CH_4 and N_2O flux changes in degraded grassland soil of Inner Mongolia,China

The main purpose of this study was to explore the dynamic changes of greenhouse gas(GHG)from grasslands under different degradation levels during the growing seasons of Inner Mongolia, China.Grassland degradation is associated with the dynamics of GHG fluxes, e.g., CO_2, CH_4 and N_2O fluxes. As one of the global ecological environmental problems, grassland degradation has changed the vegetation productivity as well as the accumulation and decomposition rates of soil organic matter and thus will influence the carbon and nitrogen cycles of ecosystems, which will affect the GHG fluxes between grassland ecosystems and the atmosphere. Therefore, it is necessary to explore how the exchanges of CO_2,CH_4 and N_2O fluxes between soil and atmosphere are influenced by the grassland degradation. We measured the fluxes of CO_2, CH_4 and N_2O in lightly degraded, moderately degraded and severely degraded grasslands in Inner Mongolia of China during the growing seasons from July to September in 2013 and 2014. The typical semi-arid grassland of Inner Mongolia plays a role as the source of atmospheric CO_2 and N_2O and the sink for CH_4. Compared with CO_2 fluxes, N_2O and CH_4 fluxes were relatively low. The exchange of CO_2, N_2O and CH_4 fluxes between the grassland soil and the atmosphere may exclusively depend on the net exchange rate of CO_2 in semi-arid grasslands. The greenhouse gases showed a clear seasonal pattern, with the CO_2 fluxes of –33.63–386.36 mg/(m·h), CH_4 uptake fluxes of 0.113–0.023 mg/(m·h) and N_2O fluxes of –1.68–19.90 μg/(m·h). Grassland degradation significantly influenced CH_4 uptake but had no significant influence on CO_2 and N_2O emissions. Soil moisture and temperature were positively correlated with CO_2 emissions but had no significant effect on N_2O fluxes.Soil moisture may be the primary driving factor for CH_4 uptake. The research results can be in help to better understand the impact of grassland degradation on the ecological environment.     

Mode of action of new diethylamines in lycopene cyclase inhibition and in photosystem II turnover

The new bleaching herbicidal compound N,N‐diethyl‐N‐(2‐undecynyl)amine (NDUA) is identified here as an inhibitor of lycopene cyclase and is compared with the known cyclase inhibitors N,N‐diethyl‐N‐[2‐(4‐chlorophenylthio)ethyl]amine (CPTA) and N,N‐diethyl‐N‐[2‐(4‐methylphenoxy)ethyl]amine (MTPA). HPLC separation of chloroplast pigments shows lycopene accumulation in NDUA treated tissue. Variation in chain length of the undecynylamine moeity of NDUA from 7 to 21 C atoms reveals an optimum of 11 to 14 C atoms for herbicidal activity. A series of seven further analogues of NDUA and CPTA reveals the structural elements necessary for inhibition of lycopene cyclase. The effect of NDUA derivatives on photosynthesis has been studied in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Photosynthesis is highly sensitive, particularly towards the C14 and longer chain length analogues at nanomolar concentrations. It is shown that the breakdown of photosynthesis by NDUA is due to interference with the turnover of the D1 protein of the photosystem II reaction centre that requires the continous biosynthesis of the two reaction‐centre β‐carotene moieties in the reassembly phase. The D1 protein disappearance is most marked under strong light conditions. The depletion of photosystem II occurs before total pigment bleaching. This newly recognized mechanism in herbicidal activity is also the basis for the mode of action of other lycopene cyclase inhibitors as well as phytoene desaturase inhibitors. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry     

丰雨年旱作农业区不同耕作措施麦豆地N_2O、CH_4的排放

采用静态箱-气相色谱法采集丰雨年旱作农业区不同耕作措施春小麦-豌豆地排放气体并计算通量,研究耕作措施、土壤温度和土壤含水量对春小麦-豌豆地N2O和CH4排放的影响,其中,耕作措施包括免耕秸秆覆盖(NTS)、免耕不覆盖(NT)和传统耕作+秸秆还田(TS)以及传统耕作不覆盖(T)四种。研究结果表明:不同措施麦豆地均为N2O的排放源,春小麦地通量波动范围0.018~0.146 mg·m-2·h-1,豌豆地通量波动范围0.024~0.210 mg·m-2·h-1,全生育期春小麦地N2O平均排放通量大小顺序:TTSNTNTS,而豌豆地大小顺序:TNTSNTTS;不同耕作措施麦豆地均表现为CH4的吸收汇,春小麦地吸收通量的波动范围0.051~0.212 mg·m-2·h-1,豌豆地的波动范围0.057~0.193 mg·m-2·h-1,全生育期春小麦地CH4平均吸收通量大小顺序:NTSNTTST,豌豆地大小顺序:NTSTSNTT;不同耕作措施对N2O和CH4全生育期通量有明显的影响,TS、NT和NTS三种耕作措施较T措施而言,有效地减少了N2O的排放且增加CH4的吸收;丰雨年,土壤温度和土壤含水量对旱作农业区N2O和CH4排放综合影响权重有所降低。     

不同碳氮施肥组合对新疆滴灌棉田冠层CO_2浓度、光合作用和产量的影响

基于棉田膜下滴灌技术的管网设施,开展了随水滴施高水溶性碳素肥料,以提高棉田冠层CO2浓度及其效应研究。通过设置不同的碳氮施肥组合处理,对棉花冠层CO2浓度、光合速率及产量构成等进行测定分析。结果表明：随水滴施高水溶性碳素肥料（水不溶物〈1%）能有效提高棉田冠层CO2浓度;在不同的碳氮施肥处理中,盛花期冠层CO2浓度随碳...