免耕直播对一季晚稻田土壤特性和杂交水稻生长及产量形成的影响

为了探明免耕直播对杂交水稻的生育规律和稻田土壤理化性状的影响,于2003—2004年在长沙以两优培九为材料,进行了免耕直播、翻耕直播2种栽培方式的田间比较试验研究。结果表明,与翻耕直播稻田相比,免耕直播稻田0~5 cm土层容重降低3.55%,总孔隙度、毛管孔隙度、通气孔隙度和毛管持水量分别增加4.80%、1.59%、39.85%和7.04     

Hydrochars derived from sewage sludge: effects of pre-treatment with water on char properties,phytotoxicity and chemical structure

Large amounts of labile compounds are adsorbed to the surface of chars produced by hydrothermal carbonization (HTC). The aim of this study was to characterize the core and adsorbed fractions of hydrochars and to gain knowledge about the possibility to remove phytotoxic compounds by washings with water. Chars were produced by HTC of sewage sludge at different temperatures (180 – 200 °C) and over different periods of time (4 – 8 h). For comparison one pyrolysis char produced by thermocatalytic low temperature conversion (LTC) at 400 °C for 1 h was included in the study. The chars and their feedstocks were treated varying the duration (1 x 15, 1 × 30 and 1 × 60 min) and number (2 x 60 and 3 × 60 min) of washings. Physicochemical properties, including the molecular structure of the test materials, and their effects on germination and plant growth were analysed. Element concentrations and phytotoxic effects were reduced and the number of washings had a stronger effect than their length of time. Intensive washings with water reduced the hydrochars’ portion of biodegradable compounds significantly. However, also plant available nutrients were lost by washing with water, decreasing the value of hydrochars as a soil amendment.     

On-demand canal operation: Optimally designed

The design of most canal systems requires that they be operated under rigid schedules, rather thanon-demand. Rigid schedule operation results in water wastage through spillage, or users taking their turn even when the water cannot be efficiently used. This paper develops a two step method for optimally designing a canal system so it can be operated effectively under user on-demand requests for water. The first step determines the cross-sectional dimensions of the canal to provide storage capabilities while minimizing costs, by solving an appropriate nonlinear optimization problem. In the second step a hydraulic simulation model finds a near-optimal storage capacity based on construction and right-of-way costs, penalties due to operational water losses, water over supplied to users and supply shortages. The performance is evaluated by a quality index that is defined as the ratio of volume of satisfied demands to total volume of water requested. Results of regression equations from hundreds of computer sensitivity analyses relating variables are summarized in tables.     

Effects of tension wood on specific conductivity and vulnerability to embolism of Quercus ilex seedlings grown at two atmospheric CO2 concentrations

To determine whether there are decreases in hydraulic function of a woody stem when it has increased mechanical loading, Quercus ilex L. seedlings were grown upright or inclined to force the production of large amounts of tension wood (TW). Seedlings were grown in ambient or elevated carbon dioxide concentrations ([CO2]) for 16-17 months to provide two sets of seedlings differing in growth rates and allocation patterns. In both CO2 environments, inclination caused formation of large amounts of TW at the base and mid-section of most stems, but not at the stem tips. Contrary to expectation, there were no significant effects of stem inclination or amount of TW on specific conductivity (k(s)) or vulnerability to embolism. Samples with high amounts of TW had higher vessel frequency, similar average vessel lumen area, similar vessel lumen fraction (6% of the transverse area), elevated frequency of vessels in the smallest diameter class, and higher wood density than samples with very little TW. Samples from seedlings in the elevated [CO2] treatment had similar vessel frequency, larger average vessel lumen area (caused by a higher frequency of large-diameter vessels), similar vessel lumen fraction, and similar wood density as samples from seedlings in the ambient [CO2] treatment. There was a strong position effect: the highest wood density and lowest ks were at the stem base, intermediate values were at the middle, and the lowest density and highest ks were at the stem tip. We conclude that, in a species that uses different cells for mechanical support and water transport, there can be large modifications in performance of the mechanical function through TW formation without impacting the water transport functions-ks and vulnerability to embolism.     

Short- and long-term differences in growth, feed conversion efficiency and deformities in juvenile Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) startfed on rotifers or zooplankton

Growth, feed conversion efficiency and frequencies of skeletal deformities were studied in juvenile Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) that had been startfed on either rotifers (rotifer group) or zooplankton (zooplankton group). After metamorphosis, the fish were reared at four constant temperatures (7, 10, 13, 16°C) or moved successively from 16 to 13 and 10°C (T‐step, average 13.2°C). The zooplankton group had a consistently higher growth rate at all the temperatures studied. Further, the zooplankton group had higher food intake (20%) and higher feed conversion ratio (1.65 vs. 1.31). In addition, a significantly higher incidence of skeletal deformities was found in the rotifer group (14.2%) compared with the zooplankton group (4.1%). After termination of the laboratory study, the fish were reared in sea pens under ambient conditions for 17 months. Final weights of the zooplankton group were consistently larger (between 12% and 14% larger depending on original temperature groups). To verify the growth results, we conducted a follow‐up study where a single egg group was divided into two parts and fed either on rotifers or zooplankton. This study indicated similar growth differences as found in the first study. Overall, our data suggest that different startfeeding diets may be important for long‐term growth, incidence of deformities and quality of juvenile cod. The use of zooplankton can greatly improve long‐term growth and quality of cod juveniles. The study also highlights the advantage of using elevated temperatures in the juvenile phase as this will lead to significantly higher final weights in the adult stage.     

Challenge and Opportunity in Improving Fertilizer-nitrogen Use Efficiency of Irrigated Rice in China

Today, about 30% of world nitrogen (N) fertilizer is consumed by China. Rice crops in China consume about 37% of the total N fertilizer used for rice production in the world. Average rate of N application for rice production in China is high and fertilizer-N use efficiency is low compared with other major rice growing countries. Research progresses have been made internationally and domestically on the application method, fertilizer-N sources, computer-based decision support systems, and real-time N management in order to reduce N losses and increase fertilizer-N use efficiency. In addition to continuous increase in N rate and lack of adoption of new knowledge and technology in N management by farmers, we hypothesize that high indigenous soil N supply, adoption of hybrid and super rice cultivars, improper timing of N application, and practice of mid-season drainage could be the causes for the low fertilizer-N use efficiency in China. Future research work on improving fertilizer-N use efficiency of rice crop in China should focus more on improving cultivar‘s N responsiveness, optimizing the timing and rate of N application based on crop N status, and achieving optimal soil N supply capacity.     

Amino acids and amino sugars extracted by EUF from a sandy soil incubated with green manure,bacterial biomass or cellulose

The extraction of soils by the electro-ultrafiltration (EUF) method yields organic N which has been used as an index for mineralisable N in soils. This EUF extractable organic fraction contains a mixture of various N compounds not yet completely identified. It has been proposed that the amino N compounds are more indicative for the potentially mineralisable N in soils than the total organic N extracted (Mengel et al., 1999). An amendment of soils with easily mineralisable organic matter may, therefore, alter the amino N concentrations of the organic N extracted. Our determination of the amino N compounds aimed to prove this hypothesis. The principle of our experiment was to mix soil with green manure, bacterial biomass and cellulose, respectively, and to incubate the treated soil aerobically for 80 days at 20°C in the laboratory. Control treatments without organic amendment were also incubated. Soil samples were taken several times during the incubation period and analysed for the inorganic N (NO₃⁻-N and NH₄⁺-N) and for the EUF extractable organic N. Amino acids and amino sugars were determined in the hydrolysed EUF extracts. The concentrations of amino acids and amino sugars in the organic N extracted varied with time and differed between the treatments. Glutamic acid has been found to be the most relevant amino acid in the EUF extracts and was particularly indicative for the existence of mineralisable green manure in the soil. Glucosamine was the most relevant amino sugar in the EUF extracts and this amino sugar appears to be indicative for the easily mineralisable relics of microbial cells in the soil.     

Climate Change as the Primary Cause for pH Shifts in a High Alpine Lake

Chemical and biological sedimentary records of a high alpine lake were used to reconstruct palaeoecological conditions and compared with two centuries of instrumental temperature measurements. Air temperature determined the lake water pH throughout the past 200 yr almost regardless of the level of atmospheric deposition. Our data suggest a strong climate forcing of the acid-base balance in sensitive high-altitude lakes. Their physico-chemical conditions and biota strongly depend on the duration of ice and snow cover which is significantly different between warm and cold periods. Beside changes in weathering rates, in-lake alkalinity generation and water-retention time, delayed freezing in autumn and earlier ice-out dates with a shorter duration of CO₂ over-saturation could be crucial for the tight temperature-pH coupling.     

Brassica sect.Brassica (Brassicaceae)

Summary An extensive crossing program including 10 wild taxa and 23 accessions representing 6 major cultivated forms and landraces of theBrassica oleracea group was carried out. Data for crossability, germination, viability, fertility inF ₁ andF ₂ were studied as well as the meiotic chromosomal pairing inF ₁ hybrids in some combinations. The fertility of hybrids between all cultivated forms and wild populations ofB. oleracea was high and it was concluded that all, including the Chinese endemicalboglabra form, belong to the same biological species. Among the other species,B. macrocarpa, B. montana, andB. rupestris had the lowest andB. cretica the highest fertility values in crosses with cultivated forms. The crossing data do not give any further information as to the genetic differentiation ofB. oleracea during the course of domestication. Introgression between wild and cultivated forms has probably occurred frequently. All members of theB. oleracea cytodeme belong to the primary and secondary gene pools of the 18 chromosomic crops and are as such of great importance for breeding purposes.