Soil salinity and its distribution determined by soil sampling and electromagnetic techniques

Abstract. Diagnosis of soil salinity and its spatial variability is required to establish control measures in irrigated agriculture. This article shows the usefulness of electromagnetic (EM) and soil sampling techniques to map salinity. We analysed the salinity of a 1‐ha plot of surface‐irrigated olive plantation in Aragon, NE Spain, by measuring the electrical conductivity of the saturation extract (EC_e) of soil samples taken at 22 points, and by reading the Geonics EM38 sensor at 141 points in the horizontal (EM_H) and vertical (EM_V) dipole positions. EM_H and EM_V values had asymmetrical bimodal distributions, with most readings in the non‐saline range and a sharp transition to relatively high readings. Most salinity profiles were uniform (i.e. EM_H=EM_V), except in areas with high salinity and concurrent shallow water tables, where the profiles were inverted as shown by EM_H > EM_V, and by EC_e being greater in shallow than in deeper layers. The regressions of EC_e on EM readings predicted EC_e with R² > 84% for the 0–100 to 0–150 cm soil depths. We then produced salinity contour maps from the 141 EC_e values estimated from the electromagnetic readings and the 22 measured values of EC_e. Owing to the high soil sampling density, the maps were similar (i.e. mean surface‐weighted EC_e values between 3.9 dS m^?1 and 4.2 dS m^?1), although the electromagnetically estimated EC_e improved the mapping of details. Whereas soil sampling is preferred for analysing the vertical distribution of soil salinity, the electromagnetic sensor is ideal for mapping the lateral variability of soil salinity.     

冬季采暖保育猪舍送排风管道组合换气系统设计与评价

为实现保育猪舍内局部环境通风调控,该研究设计一种垂直送排风管道组合换气系统。采用CFD（Computational Fluid Dynamics）技术对垂直管道通风模式下舍内的空气流场进行模拟,并以相对湿度和CO2浓度作为输入变量建立通风模糊控制系统。模拟结果显示保育猪所在水泥地板区域风速保持在0.1～0.2 m/s。参照模拟结果,以猪栏为通风单元对保育猪舍通风系统进行改造,舍内气流不均匀性系数在0.1以下,表明采用该换气系统的保育猪舍通风均匀性较好;猪舍温度在21～25 ℃,相对湿度小于70%,NH3浓度小于5 mg/m3,CO2浓度小于1 200 mg/m3,舍内各项环境参数适宜保育猪健康生长。系统运行功耗为270～1 150 W。现场测试与分析结果表明,该垂直送排风管道组合换气系统,可以精确控制猪舍环境,兼顾冬季猪舍通风与保温问题。     

Demographic dynamics and off-take of cattle herds in southern Mali

The herds of 95 families were monitored for 1 year in eight villages in the cotton-growing region of southern Mali. In 2006–2007, reproduction performances were average, with 0.54 calvings/year per cow, and mortality was low. Herd numerical productivity is not very high, less than 0.13/year, because of the high proportion of males kept for animal draught. Depending on the herd size, the behaviour of the families differs, in terms of off-take and in-take of animals. Families that only have one or two draught animals seek to increase their animal draught capacity, with a negative net off-take (−0.13/year). Families with two to three cows have a very low net off-take (0.02/year), with culling of adult animals compensated by purchase. They therefore capitalised this year, with an annual herd growth of 8%. Families with a very large herd (20 to 50 cows) take off more of their stock, with a net off-take of 0.08/year (very few animal purchases) and make a stock growth of 5%. And finally, families with an average-sized herd (6 to 19 cows) take off the whole of the year’s production, with a net off-take of 0.11/year and a nil stock growth rate. The use of a demographic model made it possible to measure the sensitivity of the productivity rate to the different demographic parameters.     

新陆早63号机采适宜性及其优质高效栽培技术

根据新陆早63号在新疆博尔塔拉蒙古自治州植棉区的品种特性及生长表现,介绍了新陆早63号大面积推广应用情况,分析了新陆早63号的机采适宜性及综合性状优势,并从种植模式、播种技术、中耕除草、科学灌水、合理施肥、化学调控、打顶整枝、病虫害防治、脱叶催熟、机械采收等方面总结了其配套优质高效栽培技术,为当地机采棉提质增效、棉花产...     

Morphometric analysis of the mandible of Bardhoka autochthonous sheep in Kosovo

Kosovo, one of the countries in the Balkan Peninsula, has a long tradition in sheep farming, and sheep breeds share triple purpose breed characteristics: milk, meat and wool. Bardhoka sheep, also with triple productive profile, is an important sheep breed because of its economic value with its milk production. In this study, 24 mandibles of adult Bardhoka sheep (12 male and 12 female) aged between 2 and 5 were used. The sheep were acquired from slaughterhouse around Kosovo, and the mandibles were selected without any deformities from healthy sheep. After cleaning the mandibles, a total of 12 morphometric measurements were taken from each sample using digital calliper. The difference between female and male was statistically significant (p < .05) for measurement 11 (height of mandible level of alveolar edge of 3rd molar tooth). The mean value of measurement 11 in male individuals was 42.26 ± 3.96, and it had a higher value than in female individuals (39.37 ± 2.57). In the literature, knowledge related to mandible morphometry of Bardhoka sheep was insufficient. The aim of this study was to determine mean values from osteometric measurements of Bardhoka sheep mandible and obtain references with the values acquired.     

蒙药植物肋柱花种子萌发条件研究

选用不同的发芽床和浸种温度对肋柱花种子进行发芽试验,以期找出适于种子发芽的前期处理条件,为提高其繁殖效率,更为进一步制定种子质量检验方法提供理论依据。采用培养皿发芽法,研究不同发芽床类型和浸种温度对肋柱花种子发芽的影响。结果表明：砂上培养条件下种子发芽率和发芽指数最高,种子腐烂率最低,而砂间培养种子腐烂率最高;40℃浸种温度处理下种子的发芽率最高,随着浸种温度升高,发芽率逐渐降低。肋柱花种子适宜发芽条件为浸种温度为40℃,砂上为种子发芽最适发芽床。     

Serological Evidence for Borrelia burgdorferi Infection Associated with Clinical Signs in Dairy Cattle in Slovakia

In the course of epizootological research on Lyme borreliosis in domestic and farm animals, the serological evidence for the occurrence of this zoonosis in cattle was screened. An ELISA showed that 25.2% of cattle from seven geographical areas in Slovakia were positive for anti-Borrelia IgG antibodies. In particular localities, the seroprevalence ranged from 0.6% to 34.3%. Of 33 cases with clinical signs, 20 ELISA-positive samples were also confirmed in Western blots. The most frequent clinical signs were lameness and swollen joints, but most of the cases were asymptomatic. The occurrence of Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies and suspected clinical signs in cattle of Slovak regions indicates that veterinarians should pay attention to this disease in their clinical practice and include it within the differential diagnosis.     

Specific contrast ultrasound using sterically stabilized microbubbles for early diagnosis of thromboembolic disease in a rabbit model

Specific contrast ultrasound is widely applied in diagnostic procedures on humans but remains underused in veterinary medicine. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of microbubble-based contrast for rapid ultrasonographic diagnosis of thrombosis in small animals, using male New Zealand white rabbits (average weight about 3.5 kg) as a model. It was hypothesized that the use of microbubble-based contrast agents will result in a faster and more precise diagnosis in our model of thrombosis. A pro-coagulant environment had been previously established by combining endothelial denudation and external vessel wall damage. Visualization of thrombi was achieved by application of contrast microbubbles [sterically stabilized, phospholipid-based microbubbles filled with sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆) gas] and ultrasonography. As a result, rapid and clear diagnosis of thrombi in aorta abdominalis was achieved within 10 to 30 s (mean: 17.3 s) by applying microbubbles as an ultrasound contrast medium. In the control group, diagnosis was not possible or took 90 to 180 s. Therefore, sterically stabilized microbubbles were found to be a suitable contrast agent for the rapid diagnosis of thrombi in an experimental model in rabbits. This contrast agent could be of practical importance in small animal practice for rapid diagnosis of thrombosis.     

Effect of plant density in coupled aquaponics on the welfare status of African catfish,Clarias gariepinus

We investigated the effects of plant density on the welfare of African catfish, Clarias gariepinus, in coupled aquaponics over 85 days. The moderate density (mpd) of basil, Ocimum basilicum, was compared with the high density (hpd) and control (n = 0). The behavior was analyzed by visual and video observations, and after the application of induced stressors, skin injuries, blood glucose, lactate, and plasma cortisol responses were considered. The hpd fish showed the least activity (control: visual 77.8%, video 81.6%; mpd: 74.6%, 82.6%; hpd: 63.2% [p < 0.05], 78.8%). High agonistic behavior (control: 5, 131; mpd: 4, 57; hpd: 1, 45) and the highest number of injuries (control: 3.9; mpd: 2.9; hpd: 3.4) were observed in the control. Glucose and lactate levels did not differ significantly (control: 5.5, 2.6 mmol/L; mpd: 5.6, 2.7 mmol/L; hpd: 5.3, 2.6 mmol/L); however, cortisol levels did (control: 18.8 ng/mL, mpd: 19.9 ng/mL, hpd: 25.8 ng/mL). pH adjustment led to additional stress, resulting in temporal cortisol alterations. While in the control and mpd, low cortisol levels were followed by acute responses and downregulation, the hpd fish showed prior elevation and lagged an acute response. However, comparing injuries and behavioral patterns with control, aquaponics with high basil density influenced African catfish positively.