Physiological Analysis of Yield Variation in Mungbean (Vigna radiata [Roxb.] Wilczek)

Two mungbean varieties, Guj-1 and PIMS-1 differing in their productivity potential, were examined to investigate their photosynthetic system at various stages of growth in relation to yield with two different dates of sowing. Vertical leaves were found to be beneficial. On the other hand, excessive leaf area during the later stages of growth may be detrimental to yield. Lower LAD at seedling stage and overall high NAR values may be reflected in higher grain yield. NAR declined as season progressed and this, in turn, may be related with increase in LAI. The grain yield was considerably more at the first date of sowing as compared to second date of sowing, the effect was being more pronounced in var. PIMS-1 . Various environmental factors recorded at two different dates of sowing and at various stages of growth indicated that these factors may have influenced the yield potential at two different dates of sowing.     

Ultrastructure of sarcocysts from water buffalo in India

The ultrastructure of sarcocysts of macro- and microscopic species of Sarcocystis was compared from naturally infected water buffalo from India. Grossly visible sarcocysts had walls consisting of cauliflower-like villar protrusions, typical of S. fusiformis. The sarcocyst wall of the microscopic species of Sarcocystis was 6.4 microns thick and consisted of tightly packed conical villar protrusions that were 9.6 microns long and 3.7 microns wide at the base. At approximately 3 microns above the base, the distal two-thirds of the villar protrusion became conical shaped and was bent laterally at an angle of 45 degrees to the sarcocyst surface. The granular layer beneath the villar protrusions was 0.9 microns thick. In S. levinei the granular layer was 1.9 microns thick, the villar protrusions were narrow and it had a highly undulating primary cyst wall. Whether the microscopic S. levinei-like sarcocysts of Indian and Malaysian water buffalo are distinct species of Sarcocystis will require further investigation.     

The uptake,distribution, and accumulation of 15N-labelled ammonium and nitrate nitrogen top-dressed at different growth stages of rice

A pot experiment with soil culture was carried out to trace ¹⁵N-labelled nitrogen top-dressed at different growth stages of rice. The study involves the use of a modified vacuum system for determining total nitrogen by gu volumetric measurement, and the N₂ gas sampled in the discharge tube was analysed for nitrogen-15 by the optical spectrographic technique.

The plants took up more nitrogen from (¹⁵NH₄)₂SO₄ than from Na¹⁵NO₃, irrespective of the stage of dressing, and the uptake of both forms was much higher when the planta were top-dressed at the young panicle formation stage as compared with the later dressings. At full maturity the plants had the highest accumulation of labelled nitrogen from both ammonium and nitrate sources when they are top-dressed at the young panicle formation stage. More than 80% ot the labelled nitrogen taken up by the plants waa distributed in the brown rice and this trend was more remarkable when top-dressing was carried out at the milk stage. The distribution patterns of ammonium and nitrate nitrogen were similar in brown rice but differed in leaves and stem.

Nitrogen transported from other parts to the panicle was utilized for the formation ot the husk until the booting stage, and then for brown rice development. With the completeness of husk formation, at the milk stage, nitrogen transported to the grain might have been utilized for brown rice development more rapidly. In the brown rice, nitrogen from ammonium was translocated maximally to the inner part of the endosperm from dressing at the booting stage, and to the embryo from that at the milk stage, whereas that from nitrate was translocated maximally to the embryo from the dressings at both stages.     

Optimizing fertilizers doses and their effects on photosynthesis and biomass yield of Hibiscus cannabinus cultivated on BRIS soil

In tropical climate, huge amount of fertilizer need to be used for the cultivation of kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) in Beach Ridges Interspersed with Swales (BRIS) soil, however this approach is not cost effective and environmental friendly. Therefore, the optimizing of fertilizer rate for BRIS soils and selection of suitable soil amendments are crucial to get a higher yield. In this study, the effects of different combinations of urea, chicken manure and biochar on soil properties, growth performance and physiological characteristics of kenaf cultivated on the BRIS soil were investigated. Eight treatments were conducted namely: control (T1), biochar (T2), chicken manure (T3), urea (T4), chicken manure + urea (T5), biochar + chicken manure (T6), urea + biochar (T7) and biochar + chicken manure + urea (T8). The biomass and physiological characteristics of kenaf were recorded every month, while the soil was analyzed following a standard laboratory procedure. The application of organic and inorganic fertilizer (urea) significantly increased the nutrient content of the soil compared to the T1, whereas T3 showed the highest pH, cation exchange capacity, and exchangeable bases (Na, Mg, Ca). However, the mixing of biochar with organic and inorganic fertilizers showed the highest plant height, diameter of stem and number of leaves as well as dry biomass compared to other treatments. Furthermore, the application of nitrogen fertilizer significantly increased the photosynthesis rate and stomatal conductivity. The results suggest that the mixing of biochar with organic and inorganic fertilizers represents an effective approach for the cultivation of kenaf in tropical climate.     

ULTRASONOGRAPHIC DETECTION OF FOREIGN BODIES IN SOFT TISSUES USING TURKEY MUSCLE AS A MODEL

Foreign bodies in the soft tissues are frequent problems in both veterinary and human medical practice. Radiography has been the principle tool for diagnosis, but is unable to define many foreign bodies. This study was undertaken to compare the sonographic and radiographic visualization for a variety of foreign bodies. Fresh turkey muscle (pectoral and thigh) with skin was used as the soft tissue model. Assorted foreign bodies were introduced 1 cm into the muscle. Materials examined were small wood fragments, steel wire, glass, nails, graphite, rock, BB pellets, and polystyrene plastic. Following introduction of the foreign bodies radiographs were obtained and the specimens were studied sonographically at 5.0 mHz and 7.5 mHz. All foreign bodies were visible with sonography. A bright echo with either acoustic shadowing or reverberations was present for all specimens. Radiographically metallic foreign bodies were visible but wood, some graphite, and plastic were not seen. We conclude that radiography should remain the primary imaging modality for foreign body detection because of its general availability and low cost. If radiography is negative ultrasound can detect and guide the removal of radiolucent foreign bodies.     

Laser ablation and the production of polymer films

The formation of high-quality thin films of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is important in many applications ranging from material reinforcement to molecular electronics. Laser ablation, a technique widely used to deposit a variety of inorganic materials, can also be used as a simple and highly versatile method for forming thin polymer films. The data presented show that PTFE films can be produced on various supports by the evaporation of a solid PTFE target with a pulsed ultraviolet laser. The composition of the ablation plume suggests that PTFE ablation and subsequent film formation occur by way of a laser-induced pyrolitic decomposition with subsequent repolymerization. The polymer films produced by this method are composed of amorphous and highly crystalline regions, the latter being predominantly in a chain-folded configuration with the molecular axis aligned parallel to the substrate surface.     

饲粮高钙对雏鸡锌利用的影响

试验采用含钙0.88％和1.78％的玉米—豆饼型基础饲粮(含锌29ppm,添加0.10和40ppm锌(ZnSO_4·7H_2O)。结果表明,随着饲粮锌水平的提高,雏鸡增重显著提高(P<0.01),这种效应随着雏鸡周龄的增长愈趋明显。饲粮高钙使雏鸡前期增重显著降低(P<0.01),后期效应愈趋缓解。血清碱性磷酸酶的活性随着饲粮锌水平的提高而显著提高(P<0.01),饲粮高钙使之显著降低(P<0.01)。饲粮加锌使血清白蛋白含量显著高于未加锌组(P<0.05),饲粮高钙使血清白蛋白含量显著降低(P<0.01),使血清球蛋白含量显著提高(P<0.01),而血清总蛋白含量不受饲粮钙水平显著影响(P>0.05)。肝脏(P<0.05)、肾脏(P<0.01)、胰脏(P<0.01)、胫骨(P<0.01)以及粪便排泄物(P<0.01)中锌含量随饲粮锌水平的提高而显著提高,肺脏锌含量没有明显变化(P>0.05)。饲粮高钙使肾脏(P<0.05)、肺脏(P<0.01)、胫骨(P<0.05)锌含量显著降低,使粪便排泄物中锌含量显著提高(P<0.05)。饲粮中含锌29ppm,不能满足雏鸡维持正常代谢和生长发育的营养需要,饲粮高钙时,饲粮总锌69ppm为宜。     

砂姜黑土玉米秸秆有机碳的矿化特征

 【目的】探讨不同温度（10℃、20℃、30℃）、不同秸秆加入量（秸秆全量和过量）条件下,玉米秸秆还田对土壤有机碳矿化特征及其环境因子的响应机制。【方法】采用室内恒温控湿好气培养试验,对安徽淮北砂姜黑土在不同温度（10℃、20℃、30℃）条件下,设置50 g土样中加秸秆0.3 g（处理Ⅰ）、1.5 g（处理Ⅱ）、3.0 g（处理Ⅲ）及不加秸秆（CK）的处理,进行240 d的矿化培养。【结果】温度对有机碳矿化影响显著,在对照（CK）和秸秆加入量相同的处理中,有机碳的矿化累积量均随温度（10—30℃）升高而增加;温度较低（＜20℃）时,CK、Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ各处理的有机碳矿化温度系数（Q10）平均值约为1.229、1.251、1.572、1.399,温度较高（＞20℃）时,CK、Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ的Q10平均值约1.006、1.249、1.401、1.374,Q10值在温度较低时大于温度较高时,说明低温条件下,有机碳矿化速率对升温更敏感。同一温度条件下,不同处理秸秆加入量越大,有机碳矿化累积量越高,有机碳矿化的日变化量也越大。本试验中,一级动力学方程能较好地描述了不同处理土壤有机碳的矿化累积动态。土壤有机碳的潜在矿化量（C0）随温度变化不明显,在同一温度条件下,秸秆加入量越大,C0值越大。【结论】一级动力学方程能较好地描述不同处理土壤有机碳的矿化累积动态。不同温度、不同秸秆还田量及温度和秸秆还田量的交互作用,对玉米秸秆矿化过程中土壤有机碳含量的影响均达到显著水平。     

Novel technique for definite blastomere inhibition and distribution of maternal RNA in sterlet Acipenser ruthenus embryo

Fisheries Science - The cleavage pattern of a vertebrate’s embryo is either holoblastic (complete) or meroblastic (partial). Sturgeon and other basal bony fishes represent a transition of the...     

Comparative Effects of Organic and Inorganic Fertilizers on Soil Organic Carbon and Wheat Productivity under Arid Region

ABSTRACT

Organic amendments in the soil perform better than synthetic fertilizers in regards to soil fertility and sustainable crop productivity. Experiments were conducted to compare the effects of organic and synthetic fertilizers on soil fertility and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) productivity. Soil fertility and protein contents of wheat grains (13.2% and 13.3% during 2005–06 and 2006–07, respectively) were improved by organic amendments. However, synthetic fertilizer (at the rate of 150, 100, and 60 kg ha^?1 N, P₂O₅, and K₂O, respectively) applications resulted in the maximum grain yield (4.05 and 4.46 t ha^?1 during 2005–06 and 2006–07, respectively). The observed and simulated soil organic carbon (SOC) reasonably agreed during RothC model validation (R ² = 0.99). Economic analysis showed the maximum net profit and relative increase in income ($729 US ha^?1 and 309%, respectively) from inorganic treatment. Application of synthetic fertilizers increased grain yield and farm profit while organic manure enhanced grain quality. The RothC model had potential for determining the SOC in organic farming under arid environment.