热红外成像用于番茄花叶病早期检测的研究

由于蒸腾作用与植物叶片温度成负相关;利用热红外成像技术研究感染番茄花叶病的番茄叶片表面温度的变化与叶片病变程度的关系,可为实现番茄花叶病早期检测提供依据。以感染番茄花叶病的番茄叶片为材料,在温室条件下,利用热红外成像仪连续检测受病害侵染的番茄叶片表面的温度变化,发现在叶片的病变部位高于正常叶片0.5～1.2℃,且在肉眼无法观测到病变时,从热红外图像已经能发现感染叶片与正常叶片间明显的温度差异。因此,在温室条件下,感染番茄花叶病的叶片表面温差可以显著反应番茄叶片染病程度,叶面温差可以作为鉴别叶片是否感染番茄花叶病的一个指标,将热红外成像技术运用于番茄花叶病早期检测是可行的。     

间作系统氮调控对小麦氮钾营养及条锈病发生的影响

通过探讨间作和施氮对小麦植株氮钾养分吸收、分配及条锈病发生的影响,明确氮钾养分吸收和分配与小麦条锈病发生的关系,以期为合理施肥实现控病增产提供理论依据。在云南安宁和峨山两地布置田间小区试验,研究3种施氮水平(0 kg×hm~(–2)、90 kg×hm~(–2)和180 kg×hm~(–2))和2种种植模式(小麦单作、小麦||蚕豆间作)对小麦植株氮钾含量与分配以及小麦条锈病发病率及病情指数的影响。结果表明,施氮增加了小麦产量,且间作增产效应显著;与单作相比,间作小麦平均显著增产31.9%(安宁)和18.0%(峨山);小麦||蚕豆间作产量优势明显,土地当量比为1.20～1.37(安宁)和1.16～1.27(峨山),但间作增产优势随施氮量增加而降低。施氮在提高产量的同时也加重了小麦条锈病危害,随施氮量增加,单、间作小麦条锈病的发病率和病情指数均呈增加趋势。间作有较好的控病效果,与单作相比,间作小麦发病率、病情指数分别显著降低9.6%～22.0%、23.7%～33.7%(安宁)和29.5%～36.5%、29.3%～39.6%(峨山)。施氮增加了小麦植株氮含量,且主要累积在叶片,叶片氮含量占氮吸收总量的41.3%～47.4%(安宁)和35.9%～44.1%(峨山);但间作显著降低小麦植株氮含量,并显著提高钾含量,因而显著降低了叶片氮/钾比。相关性分析表明,小麦条锈病发病率和病情指数与植株氮含量、叶片氮/钾比呈显著正相关,与钾含量呈极显著负相关。施氮增加了小麦植株氮含量,提高了叶片氮/钾比,进而加剧小麦条锈病发生;而间作则通过增加钾含量,降低小麦植株氮含量及叶片氮/钾比,平衡小麦植株内氮钾养分而增强小麦对条锈病的抗性。     

施硅对感染白粉病小麦叶片抗病相关酶活性及硅微域分布的影响

以抗/感白粉病的南农99-18/苏麦3号为试验材料,研究外源硅对接种白粉病后小麦叶片的几丁质酶、β-1,3葡聚糖酶、苯丙氨酸解氨酶(PAL)、多酚氧化酶(PPO)活性和叶片硅微域分布的影响,以探讨外源硅增强小麦抗白粉病的作用机理。结果表明,在不接病原菌时,施硅与否对抗/感病品种的PAL、PPO、β-1,3葡聚糖酶活性和感病品种的几丁质酶活性无显著性影响,但施硅可显著地提高抗病品种的几丁质酶活性;接种病原菌后,抗/感品种小麦叶片的几丁质酶、β-1,3葡聚糖酶、PAL和PPO活性均显著提高,而施硅处理显著地提高了感病品种的这四种酶活性和抗病品种的几丁质酶与β-1,3葡聚糖酶活性,但施硅处理对于抗病品种的PAL和PPO活性影响不显著。同时,施硅处理下,叶片硅元素相对重量都有不同程度提高,并有向刺状体基部和维管束组织富集趋势;接种病原菌后,叶片硅元素明显向病原菌侵染位点聚集,尤其有外源硅供给条件下,这种富集效应尤为显著。这意味着,硅不仅通过调节植株体内与抗病性密切相关的酶活性,而且同时可通过在侵染位点的淀积而构建了防病原菌侵入的"物理或机械屏障",以达到增强小麦的抗病性,从而抑制小麦白粉病病害发展。     

群体小麦条锈病发病动态无人机遥感监测方法

针对当前育种群体小麦条锈病表型分析手段单一、效率低下等问题,该研究提出了一种基于无人机低空遥感和多光谱成像技术的群体小麦田间条锈病高通量表型动态分析方法。该方法利用无人机采集自然发病的育种群体小麦（共600个样本,516个基因型）冠层多时相的光谱图像,并提取22个植被指数作为后续分析的表型,同时按照发病后的时间顺序与传统条锈病人工鉴定标准记录条锈病发病阶段和发病严重度数据;使用随机森林算法建立22个光谱植被指数同条锈病发病阶段与病害严重度的分类模型,并筛选出对上述两个分类问题敏感的植被指数;同时,使用随机蛙跳算法对特征进行筛选以降低仅使用随机森林算法对特征筛选的偶然性,并将随机蛙跳算法给出被选择概率排名在约前1/3的特征作为SVM算法的输入,构建发病阶段与病害严重度模型以验证随机蛙跳算法对特征筛选的有效性;综合两次特征选择的结果,分别筛选出对发病阶段和病害严重度敏感的3个植被指数,并基于这些指数响应的时间序列分析了群体中6个参考品种发病动态的差异。对条锈病发病阶段的分类模型构建中,随机森林和SVM模型测试集的F1分数分别为0.970和0.985;对条锈病严重度等级分类中,二者的F1分数为0.740和0.780,表明通过所建立的模型可以实现对群体小麦发病阶段和病害严重度等级的分类,且随机森林算法和随机蛙跳算法都能够筛选出对条锈病发病阶段和病害严重度敏感的特征。筛选出的差分植被红边指数（Difference Vegetation Index - Rededge,DVIRE）的响应对病害胁迫较为敏感,可用于同时描述田间条锈病发病阶段和严重度。该研究提出的高通量表型分析方法,基于无人机成像光谱提取的植被指数对群体小麦田间条锈病进行时间序列动态分析,能够精准量化群体小麦受条锈病胁迫状态,并可为其他作物抗病育种的表型分析提供一定的参考。     

上海地区小麦赤霉病预报中温湿度指标的改进

赤霉病是常见的小麦病害,温湿度气象条件对于小麦赤霉病的发病有着重要的作用,因此,在预报时选取合适的温湿度指标是获得较高预报准确率的关键.本文采用上海地区1975-2007年的气象和小麦赤霉病资料,分析了小麦始穗期的变化;由于小麦始穗期普遍提前,原来以4月中旬-5月中旬的平均温度≥15℃、相对湿度≥85%连续3d的天数为指标预报小麦赤霉病的预报准确率开始下降,经分析确定以始穗期-5月20日平均温度TP≥13℃、平均相对湿度UP≥83%连续3d的天数作为新的指标.经对历史资料的模拟检验,新指标对小麦赤霉病的预报准确率明显提高,由60%提高到83.3%.     

基于高光谱图像的稻瘟病抗氧化酶值早期预测

水稻稻瘟病是危害水稻种植的真菌病害,早期预测病害源头是防治稻瘟病的有效手段。在病害症状显证之前实现早期预测,能从源头上更好地遏制病害,阻止分生孢子的大量繁殖,达到稻瘟病早期防治的目的。该文通过连续分时段测定水稻稻瘟病潜育期稻苗的高光谱图像和相对应的稻苗抗氧化物酶SOD（superoxide dismutase, SOD）酶值,利用高光谱图像处理技术结合化学计量学方法,建立稻瘟病潜育期内稻苗冠层高光谱图像与抗氧化酶SOD酶活之间的关联预测模型。结果表明,基于全光谱信息建立的SOD酶值预测模型,模型具有较好的预测效果,校正集相关系数RC=0.9921,校正集均方根误差RMSEC=5.135 U/g;预测集相关系数RP=0.9274,预测集均方根误差RESEP=8.634 U/g。出于建立更为广泛应用的稳定的多光谱成像检测系统的需要,基于选定的6个特征波长526、550、672、697、738和747 nm建立了简化的SOD酶值预测模型,该模型的RC=0.6945,RMSEC=17.92 U/g;RP=0.5488,RESEP=22.0085 U/g。研究表明,在水稻稻瘟病潜育期内,通过高光谱图像反演相应的SOD酶活性信息,推断水稻稻瘟病病害胁迫程度信息是可行的。     

利用改进Faster-RCNN识别小麦条锈病和黄矮病

条锈病和黄矮病是严重威胁小麦生产的重大病害,病害的早期识别对病害防控具有重要意义。现有病害识别模型对相似表型症状识别困难,对早期病害的识别准确度低。为此,该研究构建了一种改进的快速区域卷积神经网络（Faster Regions with CNN Features,Faster-RCNN）的病害识别方法。该方法采用卷积核拆解和下采样延迟策略优化了深度残差网络（Deep Residual Neural Network,ResNet-50）,用优化后的ResNet-50作为主干特征提取网络以增强所提取特征的表达力,同时简化模型的参数;并采用ROI （Region of Interest）Align改进ROI迟化层以降低特征量化误差,提升识别的精度。在自建的涵盖200余种不同发病时期、不同抗感性的小麦叶部图像数据集上进行试验,结果表明：改进的Faster-RCNN识别方法比其他SSD （Single Shot Multi-Box Detector）、YOLO（You Only Look Once）和Faster-RCNN网络模型的平均精度均值（mean Average Precision,mAP）分别提升了9.26个百分点、7.64个百分点和14.97个百分点。对小麦条锈病、黄矮病、健康小麦和其他黄化症状小麦识别的平均精度均值可达98.74%;对小麦条锈病和黄矮病轻、重症识别的平均精度均值可达91.06%。同时,模型损失函数值降低更快,整体性能表现更优。进一步开发小麦病害智能识别系统部署研究模型,使用微信小程序进行田间小麦病害的识别。在最大并发100的条件下,小程序平均返回时延为5.02 s,识别返回成功率为97.85%,对两种小麦病害及其细分轻重症识别的平均准确率为93.56%,能够有效满足实际应用需求,可用于指导病害的科学防控。     

基于热红外成像的温室番茄植株水分评估方法

为在诸多热红外指标中筛选出可靠的作物水分评估指标并探明其最优获取方法与最佳监测时段,该研究以西北旱区主要经济作物番茄为试验材料,设置2个灌水量水平（充分灌溉和1/2亏缺灌溉）,通过对比3种干湿参考平面的选取方法（干湿红织物、干湿绿织物、人工喷涂介质）,量化了包括作物水分胁迫指数（Crop Water Stress Index,CWSI）、相对气孔导度指数IG、叶片温度Tleaf、叶气温差ΔTleaf-air在内的4个常用热红外指标与植株生理指标（气孔导度gs、光合速率An、叶水势φleaf）间的响应关系,并明确了利用热红外成像技术进行番茄植株水分评估的最佳测定时段。结果表明,以干湿红织物作为参考平面测得的CWSI与gs、An、φleaf间决定系数R2分别达0.687、0.698、0.669,IG与gs、An、φleaf间决定系数R2分别达0.707、0.661、0.663,在3种方法中均最为显著。在12:00-14:00时段热红外指标CWSI与植株生理指标gs、An、φleaf相关性和IG与植株生理指标gs、An、φleaf相关性均为最高,是利用热红外成像技术进行番茄植株水分监测的最佳时段,根据获得的相关函数可实时预测叶片缺水指标,依此判定植株水分状况并作为制定灌溉制度的依据。     

小麦/蚕豆间作系统中施氮对小麦氮营养及条锈病发生的影响

小麦/蚕豆间作在云南较普遍,而条锈病是小麦的主要病害.为研究小麦氮营养及条锈病发生,在云南玉溪和陆良两地同时布置田间试验,在小麦单作(Wm)、小麦/蚕豆间作(Wi)和小麦/蚕豆间作且覆膜隔根(Wp)3种植方式中对小麦设0、150、300kg· hm-2(分别N0、N150、N300)3个氮水平处理,测定了小麦叶片氮含量和条锈病病情指数,结果表明:(1)不论是单作小麦(Wm)还是间作小麦(Wp或Wi),施氮(N150和N300)比不施氮(N0)都显著提高了小麦叶片氮含量,但N150与N300间小麦叶片氮含量差异不显著;综合Wm、Wp、Wi不同种植方式,两地小麦叶片氮含量都随施氮量增大而显著提高(P＜0.0001),N150、N300分别比N0提高了52.7％、74.1％,N300比N150提高了14.0％.(2)在相同氮用量下,Wm、Wp、Wi间的小麦叶片氮含量只在玉溪点N0条件下Wp和Wi比Wm有显著提高(增加52.3％),而玉溪点N150、N300以及陆良点N0、N150、N300下都没明显差异.(3)施氮对小麦条锈病的影响在玉溪和陆良两地表现不同,在玉溪,施氮对小麦条锈病病情指数有增加作用,小麦条锈病病指与叶片氮含量间呈显著正相关;而在陆良,不同种植方式下N150和N300的小麦条锈病病指比No都有显著降低,N150与N300间差异不显著,小麦条锈病病指与叶片氮含量间的最优回归曲线显示小麦条锈病病指先随叶片氮含量升高而显著降低,达最低点后,又随叶片氮含量升高而呈增加趋势.(4)Wp和Wi发病中期的小麦条锈病病指相比Wm降低了10.9％,但发病盛期时降低微弱.总的结果表明,在本田间试验条件下,小麦蚕豆间作只在缺氮时对小麦氮营养有改善作用,小麦蚕豆间作相对单作对小麦条锈病有一定的控制效果,但小麦蚕豆根系相互作用对小麦氮营养及小麦条锈病病指无明显影响;氮肥施用显著改善了小麦氮营养,小麦条锈病发生既受氮营养的影响,又可能与品种特性、种植方式、环境条件等多因素有关.     

冬小麦病害与产量损失的多时相遥感监测

为了开展农作物病害遥感监测与产量损失评估,该文以北京郊区大田生产条件下的冬小麦条锈病、白粉病的为研究对象,获取了2007年4月10日、4月26日、5月12日、5月28日共四期Landsat TM卫星影像,准同步地测量了试验地块的冠层光谱数据及配套农学数据。利用该4个时相的遥感数据,分析了试验区的冬小麦条锈病、白粉病在主要生育期的光谱特征及其变化,与对照地块相比,病害小麦在可见光和短波红外波段的光谱反射率降增大,近红外波段反射率减小,红边则会向短波方向移动,红边振幅减小,NDVI值减小。并利用冬小麦病害发生前期（4月10日,4月26日）的卫星遥感数据建立了作物产量的早期预测模型,结合实测的产量数据,定量计算了条锈病和白粉病的产量损失,结果表明两个白粉病和条锈病小麦地块的减产幅度超过了30%。     

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.     

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,     

Biodiversity and ecogeography of wild Lactuca spp. in some European countries

Staff members of the Department of Botany of Palacký University in Olomouc and Gene Bank Department – Workplace Olomouc, Research Institute of Crop Production in Prague, Czech Republic, conducted an expedition in seven European countries (Austria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland) in August/September 1999 to collect wild Lactuca spp. germplasm and study its geographic distribution, ecology and biodiversity. During the mission, more than 600 locations were visited resulting in the collection of 602 seed samples (accessions) of wild Lactuca species and 13 seed samples of related genera (Chondrilla and Mycelis). Lactuca serriola f. serriola, L. serriola f. integrifolia, L. saligna and L. viminea subsp. chondrilliflora were prevalent in southern Europe (Italy, France), however, only L. serriola was common in central and western Europe (Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland). The greatest diversity of Lactuca species was found in France, where also the most seed samples (165) were collected. The most characteristic habitats with a high density of Lactuca spp. populations were observed along roads and highways, grassy ditches, ruderal communities, and dust-heaps. Natural infections by powdery mildew (Erysiphe cichoracearum) and downy mildew (Bremia lactucae) on some wild Lactuca spp. were observed. Recent observations concerning the geographic distribution, population structure, habitats, and natural occurrence of diseases of Lactuca spp. are discussed. This assemblage of genetic resources of Lactuca spp. can serve as the basis of future studies of species diversification, spatial population structure, plant microevolution, domestication processes, and genetic variability of host-parasite interactions.     

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.     

Properties of anaerobically digested and composted municipal solid waste assessed by linking soil mesofauna dynamics and nitrogen modelling

We have studied the effect of anaerobically digested (ADMSW) and composted municipal solid waste (CMSW) on mineralization and foodweb dynamics to verify the hypothesis that ADMSW would immobilize N right after addition to soil in contrast to addition with CMSW. Another hypothesis was that the mesofauna (enchytraeids and microarthropods) would stimulate N release from the decomposer community. We measured excretion of -N and urea-N from the mesofauna and hypothesized that enchytraeids would release urea. ADMSW and CMSW were amended to pots with sandy loam and barley. The pots were divided into treatments with or without mesofauna. Mesofauna, plant N and biomass, soil N and ergosterol (fungal biomass) were measured over a 113-day period of four equidistant samplings. Soil respiration, N mineralization and N release by the mesofauna were modelled from concurrent studies. ADMSW- and CMSW-treated soils initially (<20 days) immobilized N. The amendments did not increase plant growth substantially, and this was probably due to N-limitation in the early stages of plant growth. Enchytraeid abundance was about three times higher in ADMSW- than CMSW-treated soils, indicating that ADMSW contained more labile compounds, bacteria, and microfauna. The mesofauna did not affect N-content, but the cumulated -N excreted by the mesofauna was estimated to be substantial and about one-fifth of total plant N in ADMSW. An explanation for this discrepancy might be that in the absence of the mesofauna, other members of the detrivore and microbivore community performed the mesofauna’s function. Neither enchytraeids nor microarthropods excreted urea.     

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,     

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,     

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.     

Potassium Fixation and Release Characteristics in Rhizosphere and Nonrhizosphere Soils for a Rapeseed–Rice Cropping Sequence

Potassium (K) fixation and release in soil are important factors in the long-term sustainability of a cropping system. Changes in K concentration and characteristics of K fixation and release in rhizosphere and nonrhizosphere soils in the rapeseed (Brassica napus L.)–rice (Oryza sativa L.) rotation were investigated using a rhizobox system. The concentrations of different forms of K in both rhizosphere and nonrhizosphere soils decreased with plants compared to without plants, regardless of K fertilizer application. Potassium uptake by crops mainly came from the rhizosphere soil. In the treatment without K fertilizer (–K), the main form of K supplied by the soil to the crops was 1.0 mol L^?1 nitric acid (HNO₃) nonextractable K, followed by nonexchangeable K, and then exchangeable K. In the treatment with K fertilizer (+K), the main K forms supplied by the soil to the crops were exchangeable K and nonexchangeable K. The amount and rate of K fixation after one cycle of the rapeseed–rice rotation was greater in rhizosphere soil than in nonrhizosphere soil. The amount and rate of K fixation of soil in the +K treatment were significantly less than in the –K treatment. The cumulative amounts of K released with 1.0 mol L^?1 ammonium acetate (NH₄OAc) and 1.0 mol L^?1 HNO₃ extraction increased with the increasing numbers of extractions, but the K-releasing power of soil by successive extraction decreased gradually and finally became almost constant. The release of K was less in rhizosphere soil than in nonrhizosphere soil. The release of K in the +K treatment was similar to that in the –K treatment in rhizosphere soil, but the K release in nonrhizosphere soil was greater with the +K than the –K treatment. Overall, the information obtained in this study will be helpful in formulating more precise K fertilizer recommendations for certain soils.