Long-term effect of chemical fertilizer,straw, and manure on labile organic matter fractions in a paddy soil

To assess the effect of long-term fertilization on labile organic matter fractions, we analyzed the C and N mineralization and C and N content in soil, particulate organic matter (POM), light fraction organic matter (LFOM), and microbial biomass. Results showed that fertilizer N decreased or did not affect the C and N amounts in soil fractions, except N mineralization and soil total N. The C and N amounts in soil and its fractions increased with the application of fertilizer PK and rice straw. Generally, there was no significant difference between fertilizer PK and rice straw. Furthermore, application of manure was most effective in maintaining soil organic matter and labile organic matter fractions. Soils treated with manure alone had the highest microbial biomass C and C and N mineralization. A significant correlation was observed between the C content and N content in soil, POM, LFOM, microbial biomass, or the readily mineralized organic matter. The amounts of POM–N, LFOM–N, POM–C, and LFOM–C closely correlated with soil organic C or total N content. Microbial biomass N was closely related to the amounts of POM–N, LFOM–N, POM–C, and LFOM–C, while microbial biomass C was closely related to the amounts of POM–N, POM–C, and soil total N. These results suggested that microbial biomass C and N closely correlated with POM rather than SOM. Carbon mineralization was closely related to the amounts of POM–N, POM–C, microbial biomass C, and soil organic C, but no significant correlation was detected between N mineralization with C or N amounts in soil and its fractions.     

Identification of double/twin bolled and bicolor unit ‘cluster’ in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Gossypium hirsutum</Emphasis> L. cotton

Cultivated tetraploid Gossypium hirsutum L. (Malvaceae) cotton has been characterized as having one flower at a primordia. In a strain (CSH-13) of Gossypium hirsutum cotton, four plants out of 103 had two to three double bolls or twin bolls/plant during 2003–2004 crop season at CICR regional station, Sirsa, Haryana, India. Progeny evaluation in 2004 and 2005 crop seasons indicated that plants raised from seeds harvested from double bolls/twin bolls produced plants bearing double bolls only and plant progeny raised from the seed of single bolls from these mutant plants produced two to three double bolls per plant similar to the parent. Progeny testing revealed that double boll formation is the result of spontaneous mutation and environment does not influence its expression. The mutant is early in maturity by 10–15 days, naked seeded and possesses comparable agronomic characters with normal plants. Another spontaneous mutant of Gossypium hirsutum having more than three appendages originating from primordia.: four bolls one leaf, three bolls one leaf, two bolls two leaves, one boll three leaves were obtained from the population of CISV-13 strain in crop season 2003. These appendage groups have been described as bicolor unit by Clemens Bayer, [Zur Infloreszenzmorphologie der Malvales. Dissertations Botany 212 (1994)] and cluster mutant by Russell and Luther [J Cott Sci 6 (2002) 115]. One to three bolls in a cluster or bicolor unit were observed without formation of seeds and lint. About one-third of the total bolls on the mutant plant were of this type. In progeny testing during 2004 and 2005 crop seasons, this mutant produced plants exclusively with more than three appendages revealing that plants identified in 2003 were due to spontaneous mutation. This mutant was also early and naked seeded. Many of the other characters of the mutant plants were comparable with the wild type plants of the strain. Both the mutants were observed having economic impact due to their better yielding ability as compare to respective parents.     

Diversity in White Lupin (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lupinus albus</Emphasis> L.) Landraces from Northwest Iberianplateau

All the accessions (35) of white lupin (Lupinus albus L.) landraces collected from northwest Iberian plateau and maintained at the Spanish germplasm collection (CRF of INIA), were studied with the general objective of assessing the biodiversity of these landraces and to ascertain their value as genetic resources for the development of germplasm adapted to the areas where they were collected with long and chilly winters. The characterization study comprised 51 qualitative and 50 quantitative characters. Quantitative parameters were analyzed by Principal Components Analysis (PCA). The 2-dimensional plot (49.3% of cumulative variability) formed a main group of accessions and 4 outliers (#1, #9, #27 and #28) separated in the first PC. The characters with a higher contribution to the first PC were inflorescence length, leaf petiole length and leaf central foliole area. The presence of alkaloids, the percentage of plants killed by soil borne fungal diseases, the phenology, the yield per plant and yield components were also assessed. Twenty six accessions (the main group in the PCA plot) showed high homogeneity, with the following highlights: bitterness, indeterminate growth habit, early ripeness and spring sowing with the exception of #18, in which seeding date is unknown and it had a later phenology. By contrast accessions #9 and #27 were bitter of autumn sowing with determinate growing habit and they had the longest values of primary inflorescence length and a later phenology when they were sown in spring. Average values for yield and yield components showed a broad range of variation between accessions. The main yield component was the number of pods per plant. Accession #22 had the highest mean seed mass, although this had not significant influence in yield. Accession #17 showed the highest yield and #1 the lowest. This last also had the lowest values of inflorescence length, leaf petiole length and leaf central foliole area. No significant differences of resistance to soil-borne fungi were found between accessions. The year had a significant effect in the phenology, yield and yield components except for number of seeds per pod. The studied material might be of interest for the development of spring sowing germplasm adapted to north Iberian peninsula.     

Changes in soil chemistry associated with the establishment of forest gardens on eroded,acidified grassland soils in Sri Lanka

Topsoil properties were determined in forest gardens established about 20 years ago on eroded grassland soils (abandoned tea lands) in the wet zone of the Sri Lankan highlands. They were compared with adjacent, eroded grasslands (abandoned tea lands) on strongly weathered soils vs soils at earlier stages of pedogenic development in a two-way analysis of variance. Soil pH in forest gardens was, on average, 6.1, nearly one unit higher than in the adjacent grasslands. In the garden soils, the cation exchange capacity (CEC measured at pH 4.8) was nearly double, exchangeable calcium concentrations five times and exchangeable magnesium three times as high as in the grasslands soils. Total soil N content was found to be nearly 40% higher in the gardens. Topsoil gravel contents in the gardens were less than half as high as in the grasslands. The increases in exchangeable bases and N in gardens, relative to grasslands, were attributed to increased nutrient retention and acquisition. Higher retention was partly due to the higher CEC_pH4.8, and probably to reduced erosion and increased, continuous fine root density in the garden topsoils. Higher field CEC in gardens was likely to result from generally higher C contents and from the reversal of acidification, presumably caused by base accumulation and decomposition processes. Our results suggest that forest garden establishment on degraded grasslands can lead to accumulation of mobile nutrients in the topsoil, probably due to increased nutrient retention, subsoil uptake and litter input exceeding nutrient uptake by the standing biomass.     

Development of a joint system using a compressed wooden fastener I: evaluation of pull-out and rotation performance for a column—sill joint

Compressed wooden plates and dowels were used to connect members in post-and-beam structures as a substitute for a steel fastener. In order to take advantage of the characteristic properties of compressed wood and to achieve optimum joint performance, two compressed wooden plates were used in each joint to give multiple shear planes for each compressed wooden dowel. Consequently, this type of joint showed very good properties in pull-out and momen-trotation performance, and its engineering design could be further optimized. This joint is expected to be introduced to many kinds of structural systems, including long-span frame structures made of domestic timber found in Japanese residential houses.     

Vulnerability of Community-Based Forest Management to Climate Variability and Extremes: Emerging Insights on the Contribution of REDD+

Climate change spurs havoc on social-ecological system. People and places vulnerable to climate change have been the focus of many discussions. However, in the forestry sector, limited studies have been conducted that link human vulnerability to recent initiatives, such as reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation or REDD+, especially in highly vulnerable countries. Using case studies from the Philippines, this paper focuses on the vulnerability of two community-based forest management (CBFM) organizations, with and without REDD+ readiness intervention, to show the impacts of climate variability and extremes. Two balance-weighted approaches, the livelihood vulnerability index and the IPCC-framework, were used in the vulnerability assessments. Results revealed high vulnerability of both CBFM organizations, although Malitbog Upland Developers for Sustainable Association (MUDSA) livelihood vulnerability is largely aggravated by its exposure to disaster, climate variability and extremes, accessibility to health facilities and water supply. The long history of CBFM implementation in both organizations have minimal contribution in enhancing the adaptive capacity of members to cope with and adapt to climate change impacts. REDD+ (readiness), does not insure reduced vulnerability to climate change, unless sustainable livelihood is achieved. As the State controls forest resources, the rights of CBFM-organizations to commercially benefit from these resources are limited, a disincentive to the development of new and viable development programs in CBFM areas, such as REDD+. This also constrains the achievement of climate resiliency.     

Cross-crop effects on larval growth,survivorship and fecundity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Helicoverpa armigera</Emphasis>

The cotton bollworm Helicoverpa armigera is a destructive pest that affects a variety of crop plants. Because of its polyphagous feeding habit, mobility as adults, and high fecundity, the expanding infestations of H. armigera in different crops have caused economic losses and difficulties for pest population management. In Brazil, a sequence of different crop systems in the same area and crop rotation during the year can create a spatio-temporal mosaic of crops where H. armigera can persist. However, the consequences of the simultaneous and/or alternating presence of host plants for H. armigera populations through generations are unknown. In this study, we simulated, in the laboratory, hypothetical situations for the availability of soybean and cotton crops in the landscape. We evaluated the effects of: (1) the number of generations during which a population feeds on a host-plant species; (2) the succession of host-plant species on which populations have fed for two generations; and (3) the parental host plant on the fitness of H. armigera populations. Only the current host plant on which larvae fed affected the performance of the H. armigera populations. Decrease of mortality rates during the immature period was slowed when the larvae fed on soybean. The lowest value of reproductive potential (R ₀) was found for individuals originating from mating between females and males reared in cotton. Our results indicated that pest-management and biological-control plans for H. armigera should be developed on a regional scale rather than for just a specific crop area.     

Relationship between effective solar radiation and sap flow process during an entire growing season in Western Mountains of Beijing

In order to explore the relationship between the time processes of solar radiation and sap flow, sap flow velocity (SFV) of Platycladus orientalis and Pinus tabulaeformis, effective solar radiation (ESR) and other environmental factors were synchronously monitored for one year in the Beijing Western Mountains by using a thermal dissipation probe (TDP) system and an automatic weather station. Results showed significant differences between changes in diurnal characteristics of ESR and sap flow in sunny days during three seasons. Starting times of sap flow occurred generally 1.5–3 hours later than those of solar radiation and there were small differences between Platycladus orientalis and Pinus tabulaeformis. But peak times and stopping times of sap flow varied con-siderably with large contrasts in ESR. The duration of sap flow showed clear differences among the seasons owing to the variable rhythms of climate factors in Beijing. Fluctuation amplitude in the duration of sap flow remained relatively stable during the autumn but changed greatly during spring and summer. Changes in diurnal sap flow velocity of both Platycladus orientalis and Pinus tabu-laeformis were about 0–3 hours later than those of ESR but with the same configuration. The start of sap flow was mainly induced by the sudden intensification of ESR (sunrise effect). Seasonal models of SFV indicated that a cubic equation had the best fit. It was more practical to simulate seasonal water consumption models of trees with ESR. In further investigations, these models should be optimized.     

广州地区烟粉虱寄主植物调查初报

调查记录了广州地区烟粉虱的寄主植物，经鉴定达46科123属176种（变种），主要集中在茄科、葫芦科、豆科、十字花科、菊料和大戟科，其中包括蔬菜、果树、花卉、园林植物、经济作物和杂草等。并根据寄主植物上烟粉虱的数量将烟粉虱的为害程度划分成4个不同的等级。     

20万只蛋鸡场计算机辅助管理系统的研制(二)

我们利用汉化FoxBASE2.00版,在IBM-PC/XT微机上,研制成集约化鸡场生产统计处理关系型数据库,实现微机对蛋鸡生产的管理。把养鸡生产中所积累的资料,按鸡场日报文件,建立雏鸡、青年鸡和产蛋鸡每日一库,逐日汇总,形成一个月、季、年和期报文件。已对1987年种鸡场、蛋鸡场、育成场和四个蛋鸡分场的全部生产资料,输入、汇总与打印。并于1991年进入电脑管理与人工管理的同步运行阶段。利用dBASEⅢ和编译BASIC软件,或FoxBASE2·00版,对鸡群合理周转,生产性能指标,计划执行,以及饲料加工出入库,成本等信息进行分析与处理,可方便清晰地获得12份报表,供蛋鸡生产分析用。可提高蛋鸡生产经营管理水平。