Yields and N uptake of barley and ryegrass from soils with added animal manure differing in straw and urine content

Four types of cattle manure were prepared by mixing faeces with different ratios of urine + straw, one manure being faeces without straw and urine. Following 3 to 6 months of storage, the manures were applied in spring or autumn to a sandy loam and a coarse sand in amounts corresponding to 120 kg N ha⁻¹. Spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) undersown with perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) were used as test crops. Barley was harvested at maturity and the wintering ryegrass was cut three times in the second year. Additional mineral N in the form of ¹⁵N-labelled mineral fertilizer (50 kg N ha⁻¹) was added to all barley plots at planting in spring. Non-manured plots receiving only the ¹⁵N-labelled mineral fertilizer were included. Faeces without urine + straw contained more NH₄-N than the other manures and spring incorporation of this manure gave the highest dry matter yield and N uptake of the barley. When faeces without urine + straw was applied in autumn, the yield and N uptake were increased only on the sandy loam. On the coarse sand, the NH₄-N was probably leached as NO₃-N during the winter. The three manures with urine + straw did not affect barley grain yield or total N uptake. Thus these manures did not mineralize nor immobilize measurable quantities of N in the first growth period. On the sandy loam, the patterns of N uptake in ryegrass indicated an increased availability of manure N during the second growth period. The availability of N from the ¹⁵NH₄¹⁵NO₃ was similar in all plots when manures were applied in spring. Less ¹⁵N was taken up by the spring barley when manure was added in autumn compared with crops given ¹⁵NH₄¹⁵NO₃ only. Thus short-term effects of N in cattle faeces stored with or without straw + urine are low. For soils low in mineral N such manures may potentially reduce crop N uptake.     

Utilisation of liquid manure from large animal farms in Poland

Because of the development in building farms with the litterless system of animal breeding, studies on the improvement of liquid manure utilisation are more and more intensive in Poland. An organisational basis for protection of the environment against the effects of a high density of livestock is provided by the instructions of the Ministry of Agriculture concerning the location of farms and liquid manure treatment and utilisation. From the experiments conducted in ten artificial treatment plants using three licenced technologies and a home technology it follows that these treatments are insufficient and uneconomical; hence utilisation of untreated manure for fertilisation purposes is prefered. Agricultural utilisation of liquid manure is based on the method of an optimum use of nitrogen—70–100% of the need of plants for this component is satisfied by manure. In this way the possibility of water pollution with the loads of BOD₅ and phosphorus from liquid manure is almost completely eliminated. The amount of nitrates that penetrate to underground waters is not greater tha n in the case of the application of mineral fertilisers.     

Effect of biogas digestate,animal manure and mineral fertilizer application on nitrogen flows in biogas feedstock production

The expansion of biogas feedstock cultivation may affect a number of ecosystem processes and ecosystem services, and temporal and spatial dimensions of its environmental impact are subject to a critical debate. However, there are hardly any comprehensive studies available on the impact of biogas feedstock production on the different components of nitrogen (N) balance. The objectives of the current study were (i) to investigate the short-term effects of crop substrate cultivation on the N flows in terms of a N balance and its components (N fertilization, N deposition, N leaching, NH₃ emission, N₂O emission, N recovery in harvested product) for different cropping systems, N fertilizer types and a wide range of N rate, and (ii) to quantify the N footprint of feedstock production in terms of potential N loss per unit of methane produced. In 2007/08 and 2008/09, two field experiments were conducted at two sites in Northern Germany differing in soil quality, where continuous maize (R1), maize–whole crop wheat followed by Italian ryegrass as a double crop (R2), and maize–grain wheat followed by mustard as a catch crop (R3) were grown on Site 1 (sandy loam), and R1 and a perennial ryegrass ley (R4) at Site 2 (sandy soil rich in organic matter). Crops were supplied with varying amounts of N (0–360 kg N ha⁻¹, ryegrass: 0–480 kg N ha⁻¹) supplied as biogas digestate, cattle slurry, pig slurry or calcium-ammonium nitrate (CAN).Mineral-N fertilization of maize-based rotations resulted in negative N balances at N input for maximum yield (Nopt), with R2 having slightly less negative balances than R1 and R3. In contrast, N balances were close to zero for cattle slurry or digestate treatments. Thus, trade-offs between substrate feedstock production and changes of soil organic matter stocks have to be taken into consideration when evaluating biogas production systems. Nitrogen losses were generally dominated by N leaching, whereas for the organically fertilized perennial ryegrass ley the ammonia emission accounted for the largest proportion. Nitrogen balance of the ryegrass ley at Nopt was close to zero (CAN) or highly positive (cattle slurry, digestate). Nitrogen footprint (NFP) was applied as an eco-efficiency measure of N-loss potential (difference of N input and N recovery) related to the unit methane produced. NFP ranged between −11 and +6 kg N per 1000 m³ methane at Nopt for maize-based rotations, without a significant impact of cropping system or N fertilizer type. However, for perennial ryegrass ley, NFP increased up to 65 kg N per 1000 m³. The loose relation between NFP and observed N losses suggests only limited suitability for NFP.     

Genetic analysis of the nitrogen and phosphorus utilization efficiencies in mature spring barley plants

Inheritance of the efficiency of nitrogen and phosphorus utilization in grain production was studied in diallel hybrids of spring barley. Effects of varied NPK fertilization and soil moisture on the genetic variance was evaluated at maturity in pot‐ and field‐grown plants. A preponderance of general combining ability effects was found for the efficiency ratios and utilization efficiencies, suggesting that the generative efficiency indices were mainly controlled by an additive genetic system. However, the relatively high narrow‐sense heritabilities (0.33‐0.81) found under optimal conditions tended to decline to 0.00‐0.36 following water and nutrient shortages. The importance of non‐additive gene effects for utilization efficiencies was demonstrated in the field under reduced nutrition. This leads to the conclusion that the involvement of additive gene action should facilitate selection efforts only under favourable environments. Selection delayed until later hybrid generations should be used when trying to improve the nutrient efficiency of barley under less favourable nutrition conditions.     

Root-released organic acids and phosphorus uptake of two barley cultivars in laboratory and field experiments

A major portion of phosphorus (P) applied as fertilizers is bound in soils as P compounds of variable adsorption strength, reducing the effectiveness of P fertilization. Plant genotypes equipped with mechanisms for utilizing the adsorbed P more efficiently can, therefore, enhance the effectiveness of P fertilization. Such genotypes will also enrich plant gene pools for further analysis and upgrading of P efficiency by selection and breeding. We studied the variation and the mechanisms of P uptake of two winter barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivars Marinka and Sonate (parents of existing 200 haploid progeny lines), by laboratory and field experiments. After cultivation in nutrient solution for 21 days, Marinka produced more roots than Sonate, but similar amounts of dry shoots of lower P content (Marinka 3.4±0.4 mg g⁻¹, Sonate 4.9±0.6 mg g⁻¹). The total P uptake per plant did not differ between the cultivars. Marinka retained more P in roots as indicated by the higher concentration of P in the roots (Marinka 3.9±0.3 mg g⁻¹ and Sonate 3.0±0.4 mg g⁻¹). In sterile nutrient solution culture, the cultivars differed mainly in release of organic acids from the roots, with Marinka releasing three times more citric acid and nearly two times more acetic acid than Sonate. The cultivars had similar root hair lengths and they did not differ (P>0.05) in depletion of available soil P fraction (extracted with 0.5 M NaHCO₃) in the rhizosphere. Marinka absorbed nearly twice as much P from the strongly adsorbed soil P fraction (extracted with 0.1M NaOH). Also under field conditions, Marinka absorbed more P and produced more shoot dry matter. The higher P uptake by Marinka than Sonate can be attributed to its ability to acquire P from strongly adsorbed soil P by releasing more organic acids, especially citric acid, from its roots.     

Evaluation of sources of partial resistance to mildew in barley using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and other assessment methods

Summary Twenty-nine spring barley genotypes ranging from primitive landraces to modern cultivars were characterised for partial resistance to powdery mildew on detached leaves and in the field. Detached seedling and adult plant leaves were produced under spore-free glasshouse conditions and were assessed for infection frequency (IF) and then total mildew biomass using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and thereby biomass per colony (BMC), following controlled infection. Field plants were assessed visually for infection and for total mildew biomass using ELISA. Several genotypes were identified as having below average IF and BMC on both seedling and adult detached leaves and field scores of leaf area infected with mildew. IF at the seedling stage was highly correlated with IF at adult plant stage and with mildew biomass in the field. Adult plant IF was highly correlated with visual field scores. BMC data were often negatively correlated with other assessments.     

磷肥对甜玉米籽粒植酸和锌有效性的影响

为明确磷肥对甜玉米籽粒营养特性的影响,利用不同品种的磷肥定位试验以及磷肥梯度水平试验,探讨甜玉米籽粒植酸、磷(P)、锌(Zn)含量及Zn有效性的时间(不同灌浆期)和空间(果穗上、中、下部;籽粒果皮、胚乳和胚)变化及其对外源磷肥的响应特性。试验结果表明,甜玉米籽粒的P和植酸含量随磷肥用量的增加而增加,Zn含量及其有效性则呈现下降趋势。磷肥投入对吐丝后16～24 d籽粒的植酸、P和Zn的积累(mg plant^–1)的影响最为显著,而对不同灌浆时期Zn有效性均表现出抑制效应。在中磷水平下,果穗不同穗位籽粒植酸(g kg^–1)和Zn有效性的差异并不显著。高磷水平显著提高了中、下部果穗植酸的含量,但对不同穗位籽粒Zn含量和Zn有效性均存在抑制效应。对籽粒内不同部位(果皮、胚乳和胚)进行比较,植酸、P以及Zn含量均以胚中含量最高,积累量占比则以胚乳中最高;而Zn有效性以胚中最高。高磷处理可显著提高籽粒内不同部位植酸和磷含量,降低Zn含量及其有效性。综上,合理磷肥施用可促进籽粒Zn积累,而过量磷肥投入会显著增加不同灌浆时期,以及胚乳和胚中的植酸含量和积累量...     

Resistance to powdery mildew in selections from Tunisian landraces of barley

Two-hundred and thirty-two accessions of barley landraces collected from Tunisia were screened for resistance to powdery mildew. A number of race-specific genes were detected using the detached leaf technique. Among the 232 accessions tested, 169 were susceptible to powdery mildew, 20 were resistant and 43 showed differential reactions to the three isolates of powdery mildew used. An attempt was made to determine the number of genes, the types of gene, the types of gene action and the gene loci in 20 resistant accessions. Three types of cross were made: (1) the accessions were crossed to the susceptible variety ‘Pallas’, (2) the accessions were crossed with ‘Pallas’ isolines, and (2) accessions with identical powdery mildew reaction patterns were intercrossed. Three isolates of Erysiphe graminis f. sp. hordei were used: Bzm-1, KM 18-75, R13C. A number of different resistance genes were detected among the 19 resistant accessions. Surprisingly, segregation indicating single genes only were detected with the isolates used. Some of these genes could be associated with loci already known. In 19 cases a dominant and in one a recessive mode of inheritance was detected. The recessive gene was not located at the mlo locus. This investigation represents the first systematic study of race-specific genes for powdery mildew resistance in Tunisian landraces. The newly identified sources of resistance may be used in many strategies of breeding for disease resistance.     

Effects of green manure herbage management and its digestate from biogas production on barley yield,N recovery,soil structure and earthworm populations

In repeatedly mown and mulched green manure leys, the mulched herbage contains substantial amounts of nitrogen (N), which may only slightly contribute to the following crops’ nutrient demand. The objective of the present work was to evaluate the effect of alternative strategies for green manure management on the yield and N recovery of a subsequent spring barley crop, and their short term effects on soil structure and earthworm populations. A field trial was run from 2008 to 2011 at four sites with contrasting soils under cold climate conditions. We compared several options for on-site herbage management and the application of anaerobically digested green manure herbage. Depending on the site, removal of green manure herbage reduced the barley grain yield by 0% to 33% compared to leaving it on-site. Applying digestate, containing 45% of the N in harvested herbage, as fertilizer for barley gave the same yields as when all herbage was mulched the preceding season. Overall, the apparent N recovery was enhanced from 7% when all herbage was mulched, to 16% when returned as digestate. A positive effect on earthworm density and biomass was seen after one season of retaining mulch material, rather than removing it. Digestate did not affect the earthworm population, but contributed to higher soil aggregate stability. In conclusion, for spring barley production after green manure ley, the digestate strategy increased N recovery and reduced the risk of N losses. The yield of the succeeding barley crop yield was reduced when N in herbage was not returned as mulch or digestate.     

Effect of row type,flowering type and several other spike characters on resistance to Fusarium head blight in barley

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a destructive disease of barley. The genetics and expression of resistance to FHB in barley is complex, and various spike characters are thought to possibly influence resistance. Tests using spray-inoculation of Fusarium graminearum at anthesis in greenhouse environments showed that two-rowed and cleistogamous varieties from Japan belong to the highest resistance group, while six-rowed and chasmogamous varieties are mostly susceptible. In order to evaluate the effect of such spike characters, including row type and flowering type, on FHB resistance, near-isogenic lines (NILs) differing in these characters were tested for their resistance. Two testing methods were used: the pot-plant and cut-spike methods, in which spikes at anthesis were spray-inoculated in greenhouse environments. The chasmogamous NILs and some six-rowed NILs were significantly more diseased than cleistogamous and two-rowed parent lines, respectively, and the difference in FHB severity was greater and more stable between cleistogamous/chasmogamous NIL pairs than between two-/six-rowed pairs. Slight or no differences were observed in glaucous/non-glaucous, normal/dense spike, normal/uzu type and normal/deficiens NIL pairs. The results indicate that the contribution of cleistogamy and/or the genetic background toward FHB resistance is more than that of row type and the other tested spike characters. Further, it should be possible to develop six-rowed varieties with FHB resistance nearly as good as that of the two-rowed varieties.     

Stability of 1000-grain weight and its relation with other traits of barley in dry areas

Summary The effects of 1000-grain weight, its stability and the correlation coefficients with other traits of 50 barley varieties were studied at 18–20 environments. Additional material was used to study genotypic correlations among traits. Significant differences in stability of 1000-grain weight were found among varieties. Two-row varieties were on average more stable than 6-row varieties. The 1000-grain weight was among the most stable and grain yield the most variable traits. This was discussed in connection with stem reserves translocation to the grain. Consistently high yielding varieties had around average stability of 1000-grain weight. Regression coefficient, b, for 1000-grain weight was positively correlated with variance of log transformed data, both valid estimates for stability of 1000-grain weight. The correlation coefficient of 1000-grain weight with grain yield was positive or non-significant, with number of grains per tiller mainly negative and with volume weight it was positive. In 6-row barley, 1000-grain weight was positively correlated with grain yield, straw yield, total biological yield, and plant height, and negatively with number of tillers per m² and number of grains per tiller.     

Genetic analysis of heading date and other agronomic characters in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Genetic analyses of heading date, tiller number, plant height, grain yield, kernel weight, and plump and thin kernels were made in three six-rowed barley crosses (Hordeum vulgare L.) involving four cultivars. Six populations, P₁ , P₂ , F₁ , F₂ , BC₁ , and BC₂ , from each cross were grown and evaluated at Fargo and Prosper, North Dakota, 1982. Parental means within crosses generally were different except for tiller number. Comparison of generation means suggested that late heading was dominant to early, high kernel weight was dominant to low, and kernel plumpness was influenced by additive gene action. The relationship between yield and heading date was not consistent among crosses and positive r values were quite low. It should be possible to select early maturing, high yielding segregates with plump kernels. Heterosis over the mid-parent was quite similar among crosses for heading date, but there was no heterosis over the high parent. Inbreeding depression was fairly constant for heading date, but was less consistent for yield. The lack of uniformity for estimates of inbreeding depression can be related to environmental variation and to its influence on type of gene action. The ratio of additive to dominance variance was inconsistent among crosses for heading date and yield. These data suggest selection for these characters should be delayed past the F 2 generation. Broad sense heritabilities for heading date ranged from 42 to 86%. Values obtained for grain yield were more consistent among broad sense than narrow sense estimates. Genetic advance estimates were low due to lack of additive variance. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Role of male-sterile cytoplasm in resistance to barley yellow mosaic virus and Fusarium head blight in barley

Two types of male‐sterile cytoplasm, designated msm1 and msm2, in barley were investigated to determine whether these cytoplasms confer resistance to barley yellow mosaic virus (Ba YMV) and Fusarium head blight (FHB). Alloplasmic lines and isogenic lines of two cultivars showed the same reaction to each Ba YMV as that of their euplasmic lines. This demonstrates that the barley male‐sterile cytoplasms msm1 and msm2 have no effect on resistance to BaYMV. No significant difference in reactions to FHB was recognized among fertile alloplasmic lines of ‘Adorra’, but the difference in reactions to FHB between fertile and sterile isogenic lines of ‘Adorra’ was significant. The damage caused by FHB in the male‐sterile lines that produced sterile pollen was significantly greater than the damage in a sterile line that did not produce pollen. These results suggest that pollen or anthers are important factors in infection with or spread of FHB. For production of hybrid seeds, male‐sterile lines with no pollen production, such as those with msm1 male‐sterile cytoplasm, would reduce FHB infestation.     

种植密度、播期和施肥对西藏不同青稞品种籽粒灌浆特性影响

为了给西藏青稞高产栽培及新品种选育提供依据,选用不同种植密度、播期和施肥处理现有的4个主要青稞品种,通过田间试验研究不同品种籽粒灌浆过程。结果表明,不同青稞品种在不同种植密度、播期和施肥处理下的籽粒灌浆特征表现出相似性,4个品种的平均灌浆速率大小依次为‘藏青2000’＞‘藏青320’＞‘喜马拉雅22’＞‘藏青13’;播期、种植密度和施肥对青稞籽粒产量的影响作用力为：播期＞施肥＞种植密度;不同青稞品种灌浆期籽粒百粒干重均在3.54 g~6.71 g之间,所有试验处理平均百粒干重最高的是T1（播期为4月10日）处理的‘藏青2000’,达到5.8 g/百粒。综合分析表明,播期对4个青稞品种的灌浆特性和产量效益影响最为明显。因此,适时早播是青稞获得高产的关键。     

Mutation genetics of salt tolerance in barley: An assessment of Golden Promise and other semi-dwarf mutants

A review of research at the Scottish Crop Research Institute (SCRI) on the effects of semi-dwarfing genes on salt tolerance in barley is given. Work began in1993 with the fortuitous and unexpected result that the cultivar ‘Golden Promise’ showed considerable tolerance to salt. Golden Promise is a gamma-ray induced semi-dwarf mutant of the cultivar ‘Maythorpe’. The parent and mutant cultivars are presumed to be isogenic, but show significant differences in their responses to salt stress. The positive and pleiotropic effects of the mutant gene, commonly known as GPert were found to be effective in a number of genetic backgrounds. Earlier, in 1991 Frackowiak showed that the GPert mutation was allelic to the ari-e mutants in barley. The ari-emutants were salt tested and found to show the same positive responses to salt stress as Golden Promise. This supported the allelism tests, and consequently the GPert symbol was changed to ari-e.GP. The semi-dwarf mutant sdw1 (also known as denso) and the erectoides semi-dwarf mutant,ert-k ³² were also tested for their effects on tolerance to salt, but did not show any positive effects. Salt tolerance was therefore not a general phenomenon of semi-dwarf stature but specific to mutations at the Ari-e locus in these lines. Genetic markers (RAPDs, AFLPs and SSRs) have been used for fingerprinting, genetic mapping, and QTL analysis. The markers have helped 1) confirm the isogenic relationship between Maythorpe and Golden Promise, 2)clarify the confusion over the pedigree of Golden Promise, and 3) genetically map the ari-e.GPlocus and examine its pleiotropic effects. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Genetic regulation of growth and nutrient content under phosphorus deficiency in the wild barley introgression library S42IL

Phosphorus (P) is an important macronutrient required for plant growth and yield formation. Since decades, breeders aim to optimize P efficiency in crops. We studied a set of 47 wild barley (Hordeum vulgare ssp. spontaneum, Hsp) introgression lines (ILs) in hydroponic culture to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) improving growth and nutrient content under P deficiency. Applying a mixed model analysis, a total of 91 independent QTLs were located among 39 ILs, of which 64 QTLs displayed trait‐improving Hsp effects. For example, an unknown Hsp allele on barley chromosome 4H increased shoot dry weight under P deficiency in three overlapping ILs by 25.9%. Likewise, an Hsp allele on barley chromosome 6H increased root dry weight under P deficiency in two overlapping ILs by 27.6%. In total, 31 QTLs confirmed Hsp effects already identified in previous field and glasshouse experiments with the same ILs. We conclude that wild barley contains numerous trait‐improving QTL alleles, which are active under P deficiency. In future, the underlying genes can be subjected to cloning and, simultaneously, used in elite barley breeding.     

Inheritance of nitrogen and phosphorus utilization efficiency in spring barley at the vegetative growth stages under high and low nutrition

Inheritance of the nitrogen and phosphorus utilization efficiencies (NUE and PUE, respectively) and that of the tolerance (T) to limited NP nutrition was investigated in spring barley crosses at the vegetative growth stages. Plants were grown in sand-vermiculite cultures under high and low NP nutrition. In a diallel set (Ps and F₂s), both general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) effects were significant for the variation in NUE and PUE, while the variation in T was mainly associated with GCA effects. The contribution of nonadditive genes for the utilization efficiencies was found to increase under nutrient shortages. Overdominance of genes was detected. The characters exhibited low heritabilities (0.10-0.42). Generation means analysis in two cross-combinations revealed significant effects of epistatic gene interactions. It was assumed that the involvement of both the dominance effects and epistatic interactions would not facilitate selection efforts to improve the characters in spring barley at its vegetative growth. Such selection should be performed among families of later generations. The genotype-nutrition interactions observed suggest that selection under diverse nutrition rates would be necessary for the more precise evaluation of barley efficiency under less favourable soil fertility.     

Genetic improvement of spring barley cultivars grown in eastern Canada from 1910 to 1988

Summary Spring barley is an important feed crop in eastern Canada, and the development of high-yielding, high grain protein cultivars is desirable. This study was conducted to assess the impact of breeding on the yield and protein aspects of cultivar development, and to identify related changes in plant characteristics which may have been altered over time. A 3-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate twenty six-rowed spring barley genotypes representing the majority of cultivars developed from 1910 to 1988 for eastern Canada. The yields of barley cultivars released from 1935 to 1988 increased at a rate of about 0.03 t ha^-1 yr^-1, and showed no evidence of having reached a plateau. Increases in yield were associated with higher total dry matter production and harvest index, reduced plant height and increased lodging resistance. No consistent change in main stem or tiller yield components was observed. Grain protein concentration decreased progressively with time, especially with the newer cultivars. Reduction in grain protein concentration was not associated with lower protein content on a per grain basis, but rather with an increase in the amount of non-structural carbohydrate per grain. Total plant and grain N accumulation showed positive trends with time. No trends were observed for N harvest index, apparent post-heading N uptake, N retranslocation, and retranslocation efficiency. Thus, while the newer cultivars accumulated more total and grain N, proportional N partitioning to the grain was not altered.     

基于高通量测序的大麦In Del标记开发及应用

分子标记是遗传研究的基础工具,广泛应用于遗传多样性研究、种质鉴定、遗传图谱构建和基因定位等领域。本研究基于大麦的全基因组重测序数据鉴定出的二态性SNP位点,开发出遍布全基因组的118对InDel引物。以49份不同地理来源的大麦种质检测其有效性,筛选出2个等位基因的共显性InDel标记72对,进一步对288份大麦种质进行遗传距离分析及构建系统发育树。结果显示,筛选到32个有效性的核心InDel标记,覆盖大麦7条染色体上,平均PIC为0.44,平均MAF为0.34;基于InDel标记位点的供试大麦的系统发育树结果揭示供试大麦具有丰富的遗传多样性,且能够将具有相同地理来源的多数品种聚为一类。表明开发的32个二态性InDel标记可有效地用于鉴定品种间的亲缘关系,且丰富了大麦品种鉴定的分子标记。上述核心InDel标记在大麦品种鉴定、大麦资源亲缘关系分析以及群体划分方面具有一定的理论意义和应用价值。