Suitability of carbon isotope discrimination,ash content and single mineral concentration for the selection of drought‐tolerant winter rye

Carbon isotope discrimination (?) has been proposed as selection criterion for grain yield under dry conditions, and ash content (m_a) and mineral concentration were suggested as surrogates for ?. In this study, the relationship between grain yield, ?, m_a and mineral concentration (Si, Ca, K, Mg) was examined in 2011 and 2012 on 16 winter rye genotypes grown under severe drought, mild drought (2012 only) and well‐watered conditions. Analyses were performed on mature flag leaves and grains. Highly significant differences between water regimes occurred for all measured traits. ?, m_a and mineral concentrations were significantly correlated with grain yield under severe drought in 2011, but not in 2012 except for ? in flag leaf. ? was related to m_a and mineral concentrations. Although the correlations were quite inconsistent, the results indicate that the measured traits can potentially be used as selection criterion for drought tolerance in rye. For a final statement about the suitability of these traits in rye breeding, the results should be secured with a larger and more diverse set of genotypes.     

Effect of the Rht-D1 dwarfing locus on Fusarium head blight rating in three segregating populations of winter wheat

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is one of the major fungal diseases in wheat throughout the world. To control FHB severity, breeding genetically resistant varieties is thought to be the most promising strategy. In wheat breeding programmes, short cultivars predominantly carrying the Norin 10 derived semi-dwarfing allele Rht-D1b ( Rht2 ) are preferred worldwide because of higher achievable grain yields and lower risk of lodging. This study was conducted to determine the influence of different alleles at the Rht-D1 locus on FHB reaction. Three winter wheat populations were produced by crossing rather susceptible varieties 'Biscay', 'Pirat' and 'Rubens' carrying mutant-type allele Rht-D1b with the more resistant varieties 'Apache', 'Romanus' and 'History' containing the Rht-D1a wild-type allele ( rht2 ). The 190, 216 and 103 progeny of the F₄-derived populations were assayed for the presence of Rht-D1a or Rht-D1b , plant height, and mean FHB rating after spray inoculation at flowering time with a highly aggressive isolate of Fusarium culmorum . Comparably, high mean FHB severities ranging from 28% to 49% for all population × environment combinations were achieved, with significant genotypic variation for FHB rating and plant height within all populations. Both traits were negatively correlated with r ranging from −0.48 to −0.61 in the complete populations. However, within the subpopulations homozygous for one or other height allele these correlations decreased considerably. The Rht-D1b semi-dwarfing allele resulted in 7–18% shorter plants, depending on the population, but a considerably increased FHB reaction of 22–53%. Nevertheless, significant genotypic variance for FHB resistance remained in all tested Rht-D1b subpopulations indicating that selection for moderately FHB resistant genotypes within agronomically beneficial Rht-D1b genotypes is still feasible.     

Equations to compensate for the temperature effect on readings from dielectric Decagon MPS‐2 and MPS‐6 water potential sensors in soils

Dielectric sensors use electrical permittivity as a proxy for water content. They determine permittivity by using sensor‐type‐specific techniques and calibration functions, and relate it to a volumetric water content. Water potential sensors then translate the water content into a potential based on the sensor‐specific moisture characteristic curve. Dielectric readings are affected by temperature, which may distort hydraulically‐induced changes in soil water content. Methods for the removal of spurious temperature effects are lacking for dielectric water potential sensors. With this study, we aimed to fill this knowledge gap for the dielectric Decagon MPS‐2 and MPS‐6 water potential sensors. We first determined the temperature effect on MPS readings with laboratory experiments in which temperature was cycled between 4 and 26°C in different soil types. We then fitted single empirical equations that compensated for the temperature effect on MPS readings. Finally, we validated temperature‐compensated MPS soil water potentials, and therefore the equations, in a multi‐year field study in two forest soils where hourly data from three sensor models were available, i.e., from MPS‐2, MPS‐6, and a heat capacity sensor (ecoTech pF‐Meter) that is not sensitive to temperature effects. The temperature fluctuation experiments showed that the strongest temperature effects on MPS readings occur under dry conditions and that the MPS sensors themselves are largely responsible for these effects. Likewise, the field‐based validation showed that the MPS readings were highly affected by temperature under dry conditions. Applying a temperature compensation to these readings, using the equations from the temperature fluctuation experiments, resulted in strong correlations near the 1:1 line between data from the MPS and pF‐Meter sensors. Therefore, we recommend using the equations to remove spurious temperature effects from MPS‐2 and MPS‐6 readings in non‐saline soils with water potentials between –100 and –2000 kPa (at 22°C) and temperatures between 4 and 26°C.     

Chemical stabilization of organic carbon pools in particle size fractions in no-till and meadow soils

The knowledge about the relevance of physical and chemical fractionation methods to soil organic carbon (SOC) stabilization mechanisms is fragmentary but needed to manage the SOC pool. Therefore, our objective was to compare the C contents of the particle size fractions coarse and fine sand, silt, and clay of the two uppermost horizons of a soil under three different management systems (meadow; no-till corn, NT; no-till corn with manure, NTm). The mineral composition was dominated by silt (48–60%). However, coarse sand and clay showed the highest enrichment of C compared to the bulk soil. In spite of an enrichment factor below 1, the high proportion of silt made this fraction the main C store. In the upper 30 cm, this fraction amounted to 27.1 Mg C ha⁻¹ in NTm and progressively less in NT (15.5 Mg C ha⁻¹), and meadow (14.9 Mg C ha⁻¹), representing 44%, 39%, and 39% of the total SOC pool, respectively. The C in the isolated particle size fractions was further investigated by an oxidizing treatment with Na₂S₂O₈ and a treatment with HF to solubilize the mineral phases. The pools of oxidizable C were comparable among particle size fractions and pedons, as indicated by Na₂S₂O₈ treatment. The pools of C preferentially associated with soil minerals were also comparable among pedons, as indicated by HF treatment. However, NTm stored the largest pool (12.6 Mg ha⁻¹) of mineral-associated C in 0–30 cm depth. The silt-associated and mineral-bound SOC pool in NTm was greater compared to NT due to increased organic matter (OM) input. Thus, the silt particle size fraction at the North Appalachian Experimental Watershed (NAEW) has the potential for SOC sequestration by stabilizing OM inputs. Mineralogical and molecular level analyses on a larger set of fractions obtained from entire rooted soil profiles are required, however, to compare the SOC sequestration capacity of the land uses.     

Long‐term effects of liming on microbial biomass and activity and soil organic matter quality (13C CPMAS NMR) in organic horizons of Norway spruce forests in Southern Germany

Long‐term effects of liming on microbial biomass and activity and soil organic matter (SOM) were investigated in samples from organic horizons (Of/Oh) in spruce forests at Adenau, Höglwald, Idar‐Oberstein, and Schluchsee (Southern Germany) where plots have been manually treated 7 to 13 years ago with dolomitic limestone. At all sites, pH values were markedly increased after liming. The contents of C and N in the organic horizons of the limed plots appeared to be lower with the greatest decrease at Höglwald (Dystric Luvisol) where liming has affected the soil properties for the longest time of all sites. Catalase activity was promoted after liming at Adenau (Cambic Podzol). This was also the case for the Dystric Luvisol where liming resulted also in higher basal respiration. Biomass‐C was higher in samples from the limed plot at Idar‐Oberstein (Dystric Cambisol). The ¹³C CPMAS NMR spectra of organic horizons from the control plots indicate no differences in the gross carbon composition of SOM. Furthermore, spectra from the limed Cambic Podzol, Dystric Cambisol, and Haplic Podzol (Schluchsee) were remarkably similar. However, for the Dystric Luvisol, the lime‐induced promotion of microbial activity resulted in lower O‐alkyl‐C intensity. The observed patterns of microbial biomass and activity were site‐dependent rather than a result of liming. Obviously liming had only small long‐term effects on the humus quality in the organic horizons, as far as detectable by CPMAS NMR spectroscopy. More sensitive techniques like pyrolysis‐GC/MS should be applied to analyze differences in C composition.     

High pressure liquid chromatographic determination of methomyl and oxamyl on vegetable crops

A reverse phase high pressure liquid chromatographic method is presented for the separation and determination of residues of the carbamates oxamyl and methomyl on vegetables. A liquid-liquid extraction and cleanup procedure is applied to the vegetable extract. Samples are eluted from a muBondapak C18 column and quantitated by ultraviolet absorbance at 240 nm. Recovery data for vegetable samples spiked at 2 ppm are presented.