Irrigated cotton in the tropical dry season. II: Biomass accumulation,partitioning and RUE

Growing cotton during the tropical dry season avoids many insect pests endemic in the wet season. The impact of low mid-season radiation and night temperature that characterise the dry season, on the conversion of radiation to biomass (RUE) and the partitioning of this biomass were measured as these were largely unknown. Over three seasons, two Gossypium hirsutum (upland) cultivars and a Gossypium barbadense cultivar were sown from March to June at the Ord River (15.5°S), Western Australia. For the highest yielding March and April sowings, final biomass was similar to high yielding temperate grown cotton (∼30° latitude) and was generally greater than May or June sowings. However, biomass was accumulated differently: maximum growth rate was 6–12 g/m²/day for 78–134 days compared with 15–25 g/m²/day for 25–60 days reported for temperate grown cotton. RUE changed significantly with ontogeny, peaking between squaring and early flowering. The range in RUE of 1.2–2.0 g/MJ throughout the crop lifecycle for the upland cultivars was similar to temperate climates where biomass was corrected to a glucose equivalent. The RUE of 1.2–2.3 g/MJ measured over the lifecycle of G. barbadense cultivar was the first reported for this species. From first square to first flower the variation in RUE could be explained by a linear decline (p < 0.05) with temperature, which may limit vegetative biomass in May and June sowings and in cooler than average seasons for March and April sowings. Due to favourable temperatures and water supply, sowing in March would have the greatest risk of rank growth. It was concluded the low temperature and radiation during flowering and boll growth combined to reduce crop growth rate but high yields were achieved when the crop boll filling phase was extended. Management must be tailored to ensure a high proportion of boll growth (60–80%) can occur after vegetative growth has terminated.     

How do severity and frequency of grazing affect sward characteristics and the choices of sheep during the grazing season?

The effect of grazing frequency and severity on sward characteristics and preferences by sheep was investigated from April to September. Two levels of grazing severity were imposed by varying the numbers of ewes grazing 200 m² plots for 24 h: four (S, severe) or two (L, lax) ewes. Grazing frequency was either 1 d week^?1 (F, frequent) or 1 d every 2 weeks (I, infrequent). By combining frequency and severity, four treatments were obtained: SF, LF, SI and LI. The six binary combinations (SF/LF, SF/SI, SF/LI, LF/SI, LF/LI and SI/LI) were studied in preference tests. Treatments LF, SI and LI were characterized by a high sward surface height, biomass and amount of reproductive green tissues relative to treatment SF. Herbage quality was not different between the grazing treatments between April and July. In September, after a 6‐week period of regrowth, herbage quality was significantly higher for the SF treatment than the other treatments. The sheep preferred the swards grazed at a low frequency between April and July, and then changed their preference in favour of the sward with higher quality herbage (treatment SF). The relative abundance of green laminae and the relative digestibility of the swards helped to explain the preferences observed. For a low grazing pressure at the spatio‐temporal scale studied, sheep should graze swards at a relatively low frequency but at a high severity of grazing rather than the reverse.     

Comparing the interactive effects of water and nitrogen on durum wheat and barley grown in a Mediterranean environment

The understanding of the interactive effect of water and N availability, associated with the ability of crops to efficiently use these resources, is a crucial issue for stabilizing cereal production in Mediterranean areas. A 3-year side by side experiment on durum wheat and barley, under different water regimes and nitrogen levels, was carried out in a typical Mediterranean environment of Southern Italy, to identify the outstanding features of these species that contribute to enhanced grain yield and improved water and nitrogen use efficiency.     

Post-harvest characteristics of potato minitubers with different fresh weights and from different harvests. II. Losses during storage

Summary Storage losses were studied in minitubers of cvs Agria and Liseta, using five fresh weight classes (<0.50 g, 0.5–0.99 g, 1.00–1.99 g, 2.00–2.99 g, ≥3.00 g), and three successive harvests of the same plantlets. After each harvest, tubers were dired at room temperature (1 day), curred at 18 °C (13 days) and stored at 2 °C (540 days). Two kinds of storage losses were considered: (a) losses of entire tubers because of deterioration, and (b) fresh weight losses of the other tubers. Both kinds of losses were higher in cv. Liseta, in tubers with lower fresh weights and in tubers from the first harvest. Almost all minitubers ≥0.5 g from later harvests and from both cultivars survived storage for 1.5 years. Deterioration occurred mainly from 6 to 12 months of storage. Tubers which deteriorated during cold storage had already shown high weight losses during curing.     

Calcium and potassium fertilization of potatoes grown in North Florida. II. Effect on the bacterial soft rot potential in the tubers

In studies on a sandy soil in Florida over a 3-yr period (1984–86), applications of Ca (CaSO₄) inconsistently affected the bacterial soft rot potential of potato tubers (Solanum tuberosum). The potential was estimated from the severity of the disease (percent surface area decayed) in tubers that had been immersed in an aqueous cell suspension ofErwinia carotovora subsp.carotovora and then incubated 4 days in a mist chamber at 24 C. With freshly harvested tubers (tested within 5 days after harvest), disease severity averaged 49, 11, and 4% over all treatments in 1984, 1985, and 1986, respectively, which was roughly proportional to rainfall on the crop,e.g., 37, 18, and 15 cm, respectively. Disease severity decreased, did not change, and increased with increased Ca rate (0, 450, and 900 kg.ha^-1) in 1984, 1985, and 1986, respectively. In each season, severity was affected by interactions involving the Ca treatments. Most interactions involved cultivar. The efficacy of Ca applications to potatoes grown in low Ca soils for enhancement of tuber resistance to bacterial soft rot may be limited by factors associated with environment or cultivar that are not completely understood.     

The association ofErwinia carotovora with surface water in Northeastern Colorado. I. The presence and population of the bacterium in relation to location,season and water temperature

Erwinia carotovora was found consistently in surface water collected from the South Platte and Big Thompson Rivers in the state of Colorado from January 1982 through August 1983. Of 975Erwinia strains identifiedErwinia carotovora subsp.carotovora represented 97.5% of the strains recovered.Erwinia carotovora subsp.atroseptica was also isolated occasionally (2.5% of the strains), primarily during the cooler months. Populations ofE. carotovora were related to temperature, time of year and location. Populations in water ranged from 0 to 144 colony forming units per milliliter. Lowest populations were found during the winter months at mountainous (non-arable) sites on the rivers. Highest populations were found in late spring, summer and early autumn at sites located in agricultural areas.     

Studies on after-cooking blackening. V. Changes in after-cooking blackening and the chemistry of Majestic and Ulster Beacon tubers during the growing season

Summary Variations in the concentrations of the main biochemical factors responsible for after-cooking blackening have been followed during the growing season in two varieties with widely differing blackening behaviour (Majestic andUlster Beacon). In both varieties the intensity of blackening decreased and the distribution changed from bud to stem end during the growing season. These changes in blackening were associated with changes in the amount and distribution of citric acid and chlorogenic acid. Highly significant correlation coefficients were found between blackening and chlorogenic acid, blackening and citric acid, and between blackening and the ratio of chlorogenic acid to citric acid. At each harvestMajestic tubers blackened more thanUlster Beacon tubers and always contained larger amounts of chlorogenic acid.

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Zusammenfassung Ver?nderungen in den Konzentration der haups?chlichsten biochemischen Faktoren, die für die Schwarzverf?rbung nach dem Kochen ausschlaggebend sind, wurden w?hrend der Wachstumperiode anhand von zwei Sorten, die sich im Verhalten gegenüber Schwarzverf?rbung deutlich unterscheiden, auf ihre Auswirkungen untersucht;Majestic (eine zur Schwarzverf?rbung neigende Sorte mit hohem Gehalt an Chlorogens?ure) undUlster Beacon (eine nicht zur Schwarzverf?rbung neigende Sorte mit tiefem Chlorogens?uregehalt). W?hrend der Wachstumsperiode nahm in beiden Sorten die Intensit?t der Schwarzverf?rbung ab, und die Verteilung der Verf?rbung wechselte vom Kronen-zum Nabelende (Abb. 4). Diese Unterschiede in der Schwarzverf?rbung waren verbunden mit Ver?nderungen bezüglich Menge und Verteilung der Zitronens?ure (Abb. 1) und Chlorogens?ure (Abb. 3). Hohe signifikante Korrelationskoeffizienten wurden zwischen Schwarzverf?rbung und Chlorogens?ure, Schwarzverf?rbung und Zitronens?ure sowie zwischen Schwarzverf?rbung und dem Verh?ltnis von Chlorogens?ure zu Zitronens?ure (Tabelle 3) festgestellt. Die Verteilung der Zitronens?ure in der Knolle stand in Beziehung zur Verteilung des Kaliums (Tabelle 1). W?hrend der Wachstumsperiode blieb die Kalikonzentration—abgesehen vom Erntezeitpunkt V—in der ganzen Knolle mehr oder weniger konstant, w?hrend die Konzentration der Zitronens?ure anstieg (Tabelle 2). Bei jedem Erntezeitpunkt zeigten die Knollen der SorteMajestic st?rkere Schwarzverf?rbung und enthielten gr?ssere Mengen Chlorogens?ure als jene der SorteUlster Beacon.

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Résumé Les modifications dans les concentrations des principaux facteurs biochimiques responsables du noircissement après cuisson ont été observées pendant la période de croissance chez deux variétés présentant des comportements au noircissement largement différents:Majestic (une variété qui noircit et qui a une haute teneur en acide chlorogénique) etUlster Beacon (une variété sans noircissement et qui a une basse teneur en acide chlorogénique). Chez les deux variétés l'intensité du noireissement diminue et sa répartition varie de la couronne au hile pendant la saison de croissance (Fig. 4). Les changements dans le noircissement sont associés aux changements dans la quantité et la répartition de l'acide citrique (Fig. 1) et de l'acide chlorogénique (Fig. 3.). Des co?fficients de corrélation hautement significatifs sont trouvés entre le noircissement et l'acide chlorogénique, le noireissement et l'acide citrique, et entre le noircissement et le rapport de l'acide chlorogénique à l'acide citrique (Tableau 3). La répartition de l'acide citrique dans le tubereule est liée à la répartition du potassium (Tableau 1). Pendant la saison de croissance la concentration du potassium dans le tubercule entier restait plus ou moins constante sauf à la récolte V, tandis que la concentration en acide citrique augmentait (Tableau 2). A chaque récolte les tubercules deMajestic noircissaient davantage et contenaient de quantités plus grandes d'acide chlorogénique que les tubercules deUlster Beacon.

     

Physico-chemical characteristics and total quality of date palm varieties grown in the southern of Tunisia

The date palm, Phoenix dactylifera, is a palm extensively cultivated for its edible fruit. The chemical composition and the water content of ten Tunisian date varieties were determined. For all analysis, the Deglet Nour variety was taken as reference. Compositional analysis showed that the littoral varieties were very rich in reducing sugars (26 to 51%) than Deglet Nour which was rich in sucrose (54%). The relative results of the moisture content showed that the littoral varieties were classified as soft dates. The vitamin C analysis showed that the littoral varieties were very rich in this compound (24 to 46 mg/100 g) than Deglet Nour (1.12 mg/100 g). The mineral analysis showed that the littoral dates were relatively rich in potassium (283 to 733 mg/100 g) and presented a weak content in sodium (0.06 to 0.09 mg/100 g).     

Effects of fertilizer,variety and location on barley production under rainfed conditions in Northern Syria 2. Soil water dynamics and crop water use

The effects of fertilizer and location on the water use of two contrasting varieties of barley were studied in Northern Syria using a neutron probe. The observed patterns of soil moisture dynamics and crop water use were typical of those previously observed in Mediterranean-type environments. Moisture supply, as reflected by rainfall, was the principal factor affecting total water use, but both the application of fertilizer (N and P) and varietal differences also resulted in increased water use, particularly at the wetter location. There were no differences in the water-use efficiency between the two varieties, but the application of fertilizer resulted in large increases of water-use efficiency at both locations. Separation of crop evapotranspiration into crop transpiration and soil evaporation indicated that increased water-use efficiency was partially due to increased transpiration efficiency but was largely due to a reduction in soil evaporative loss, through greater soil shading by the crop canopy, and increased crop transpiration. Examination of this dataset together with the patterns of root and shoot growth suggest that fertilizer and varietal effects on root growth are linked to patterns of water use, growth and yield formation in barley.     

Development of proteolytic activities during barley malting and their localization in the green malt kernel

The water-insoluble storage proteins of barley seeds reside in the starchy endosperm tissue. This tissue, when expressed from germinating barley, has a pH of 4·8. The hydrolysis of storage proteins during germination (malting) occurs mainly in the endosperm, so proteinases that are located in endosperm and are active at pH 4·8 are probably important to the storage protein hydrolytic process. This study reports our continued investigations of the endoproteinases of germinating barley (Hordeum vulgare L., cv. Morex) with a two-dimensional gel separation method that uses isoelectric focusing (IEF) and non-denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) in gels containing incorporated substrate protein. We identified the endoproteinases that were active at pH 4·8 and determined when they appeared during germination and where they were located in 4-day germinated barley (green malt). A total of nine cysteine, four aspartic, and two serine class proteolytic activities that were active at pH 4·8 were extracted from the endosperm tissue of green malt. It seems probable that some or all of these endosperm endoproteinases, especially proteinases C7, C8, C11, D3, E3 and E4, are the ones most intimately involved in hydrolyzing the storage proteins during malting.     

Evaluation of infiltration models and field-saturated hydraulic conductivity in situ infiltration tests during the dry season

Paddy and Water Environment - Field-saturated hydraulic conductivity (Kfs) is an important parameter used to estimate field water requirements in irrigation systems, although it is widely...     

Winter cereals grown for grain and for the dual purpose of forage plus grain II. Water use and water-use efficiency

Water use of barley (Hordeum distichon L.) and triticale (× Triticosecale Wittmack) grown for the dual purpose of forage plus grain as an alternative to traditional grain monoculture (control) was assessed at Granada, southern Spain, in two experiments during three cropping years.No significant differences in seasonal evapotranspiration (ET) and soil water depletion at maturity were found between production targets, irrespective of genotype, sowing date and year. A more efficient use of autumn and winter rainfall explained the higher water use observed in 1989/90 in early sown barley as compared to the normal sowing date.There were differences in water-use efficiency (WUE) between seasons in response to clipping: in 1987/88, clipping increased WUE in both experiments relative to the control, while it either reduced it (genotype experiment) or did not affect it (sowing system experiment) in the two following seasons. The response of WUE to clipping was a consequence of similar, differential responses between years observed in dry matter and grain production.Weather-crop interactions caused variable drought and crop water-use patterns among years, which affected the different responses to clipping observed among years. In 1987/88, the crops experienced a prolonged drought period that started around clipping, and increased in severity until anthesis, when spring rains improved growth conditions for some weeks. Forage removal decreased water use and reduced plant water deficit, therefore allowing for enhanced growth and increased water use around anthesis. Thus, clipped cereals had higher grain numbers, dry matter and grain yield than the control at harvest. However, the water-use partitioning observed in the clipping-anthesis period of 1987/88 did not occur in following two seasons. This was possibly due to higher soil evaporation losses after forage removal for clipped cereals in 1988/89, and higher water availability in the clipping-anthesis period in 1989/90. Thus, clipping, by reducing the photosynthetic surface after forage removal, yielded less biomass and grain, and resulted in lower WUE, relative to the control.Winter forage production was associated to ET in 1987/88 and 1989/90, and to WUE in 1988/89 and 1989/90, during the crop phases prior to clipping. However, the increases in ET did not imply lower water availability for subsequent crop phases, as it was the result of more efficient use of autumn and winter rainfall.     

Canopy characteristics and tillering dynamics of Marandu palisade grass pastures in the rainy–dry transition season

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of pasture management during the rainy–dry transition season in Jaboticabal, Brazil, on the structural and tillering characteristics of Marandu palisade grass. The treatments were as follows: 15 cm sward height in the rainy season and ungrazed in the rainy–dry transition season (15/0); 25 cm sward height during the rainy season and fixed stocking rate of 2·5 AU ha^?1 during the rainy–dry transition season (25/2·5); and 35 cm sward height in the rainy season and fixed stocking rate of 2·5 AU ha^?1 in the rainy–dry transition season (35/2·5). There were more herbage mass, stem and dead herbage mass in treatments 25/2·5 and 35/2·5 than 15/0. Tiller appearance rate was greater in treatment 15/0 and tiller mortality rate was higher in treatment 35/2·5 compared to treatment 15/0. Tiller population stability index was 1 in treatment 15/0 and lower in treatment 35/2·5. Although treatment 15/0 showed favourable structural and tillering characteristics, it also has the lowest herbage mass. Treatment 25/2·5 can be regarded as an adequate management strategy for Marandu palisade grass, since it has similar herbage mass and better tillering characteristics than treatment 35/2·5.     

Changes in the nutrient composition of potatoes during home preparation: II. Vitamins

American Journal of Potato Research - The retention of water-soluble vitamins by several potato varieties using various home preparation methods was investigated. Retention values in general...     

Inter-individual consistency in habitat selection patterns and spatial range constraints of female little bustards during the non-breeding season

Background

Identifying the factors that affect ranging behavior of animals is a central issue to ecology and an essential tool for designing effective conservation policies. This knowledge provides the information needed to predict the consequences of land-use change on species habitat use, especially in areas subject to major habitat transformations, such as agricultural landscapes. We evaluate inter-individual variation relative to environmental predictors and spatial constraints in limiting ranging behavior of female little bustards (Tetrax tetrax) in the non-breeding season. Our analyses were based on 11 females tracked with GPS during 5 years in northeastern Spain. We conducted deviance partitioning analyses based on different sets of generalized linear mixed models constructed with environmental variables and spatial filters obtained by eigenvector mapping, while controlling for temporal and inter-individual variation.

Results

The occurrence probability of female little bustards in response to environmental variables and spatial filters within the non-breeding range exhibited inter-individual consistency. Pure spatial factors and joint spatial-habitat factors explained most of the variance in the models. Spatial predictors representing aggregation patterns at?~?18 km and 3–5 km respectively had a high importance in female occurrence. However, pure habitat effects were also identified. Terrain slope, alfalfa, corn stubble and irrigated cereal stubble availability were the variables that most contributed to environmental models. Overall, models revealed a non-linear negative effect of slope and positive effects of intermediate values of alfalfa and corn stubble availability. High levels of cereal stubble in irrigated land and roads had also a positive effect on occurrence at the population level.

Conclusions

Our results provide evidence that female little bustard ranging behavior was spatially constrained beyond environmental variables during the non-breeding season. This pattern may result from different not mutually exclusive processes, such as cost–benefit balances of animal movement, configurational heterogeneity of environment or from high site fidelity and conspecific attraction. Measures aimed at keeping alfalfa availability and habitat heterogeneity in open landscapes and flat terrains, in safe places close to breeding grounds, could contribute to protect little bustard populations during the non-breeding season.

     

Rumen degradation and intestinal digestion of grass and clover at two maturity levels during the season in dairy cows

A comparison was made of the effect of season and maturity on the in situ ruminal breakdown and intestinal protein digestion in dairy cows between intensively N-fertilized grass (whole sward) and moderately N-fertilized ryegrass and clover from a mixed sward. From May to September 1990, eight consecutive cuts were made, representing alternate harvests of late and early swards. Limited effects of fertilizer-N on chemical and ruminal degradation characteristics and intestinal digestion of grasses were observed. Clover had higher ash, crude protein (CP) and lignin and lower hemicellulose, cellulose and sugar contents than grass. Moreover, soluble fractions of organic matter (OM) and CP were higher, and rumen-undegradable OM and CP fractions were lower. Soluble fractions of grasses and clover decreased and undegradable fractions increased during the season. More mature swards showed increased undegradable fractions. Degradation rates of OM and CP in clover were, respectively, higher than or similar to those of grass. Seasonal effects on degradation rates differed between grass and clover. Effectively rumendegradable (g kg⁻¹ DM) carbohydrates and CP, escaped protein and intestinal digestion of escaped protein were higher in clover than in grasses. Inclusion of clover in swards may result in higher post-rumen protein supply. Supplementation of clover-based diets is suggested to compensate for an increased loss of N in the rumen.