Drought Tolerance and Water‐Use Efficiency of Biogas Crops: A Comparison of Cup Plant,Maize and Lucerne‐Grass

The cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum L.) is discussed as an alternative energy crop for biogas production in Germany due to its ecological benefits over continuously grown maize. Moreover, a certain drought tolerance is assumed because of its intensive root growth and the dew water collection by the leaf cups, formed by fused leaf pairs. Therefore, the aim of this study was to estimate evapotranspiration (ET ), water‐use efficiency (WUE ) and the relevance of the leaf cups for the cup plant's water balance in a 2‐year field experiment. Parallel investigations were conducted for the two reference crops maize (high WUE ) and lucerne‐grass (deep and intensive rooting) under rainfed and irrigated conditions. Root system performance was assessed by measuring water depletion at various soil depths. Transpiration‐use efficiency (TUE ) was estimated using a model approach. Averaged over the 2 years, drought‐related above‐ground dry matter reduction was higher for the cup plant (33 %) than for the maize (18 %) and lucerne‐grass (14 %). The WUE of the cup plant (33 kg ha^?1 mm^?1) was significantly lower than for maize (50 kg ha^?1 mm^?1). The cup plant had a lower water uptake capacity than lucerne‐grass. Cup plant dry matter yields as high as those of maize will only be attainable at sites that are well supplied with water, be it through a large soil water reserve, groundwater connection, high rainfall or supplemental irrigation.     

Do combined applications of crop residues and inorganic fertilizer lower emission of N2O from soil?

Emissions of N₂O were measured following addition of ¹⁵N‐labelled residues of tropical plant species [Vigna unguiculata (cowpea), Mucuna pruriens and Leucaena leucocephala] to a Ferric Luvisol from Ghana at a rate of 100 mg N/kg soil under controlled environment conditions. Residues were also applied in different ratio combinations with inorganic N fertilizer, at a total rate of 100 mg N/kg soil. N₂O emissions were increased after addition of residues, and further increased with combined (ratio) applications of residues and inorganic N fertilizer. However, ¹⁵N‐N₂O production was low and short‐lived in all treatments, suggesting that most of the measured N₂O‐N was derived from the applied fertilizer or native soil mineral N pools. There was no consistent trend in magnitude of emissions with increasing proportion of inorganic fertilizer in the application. The positive interactive effect between residue‐ and fertilizer‐N sources was most pronounced in the 25:75 Leucaena:fertilizer and cowpea:fertilizer treatments where 1082 and 1130 mg N₂O‐N/g residue were emitted over 30 days. N₂O (log_e) emission from all residue amended treatments was positively correlated with the residue C:N ratio, and negatively correlated with residue polyphenol content, polyphenol:N ratio and (lignin + polyphenol):N ratio, indicating the role of residue chemical composition in regulating emissions even when combined with inorganic fertilizer. The positive interactive effect in our treatments suggests that it is unlikely that combined applications of residues and inorganic fertilizer can lower N₂O emissions unless the residue is of very low quality promoting strong immobilisation of soil mineral N.     

Single and Interactive Effects of Temperature and Light Quality on Four Canola Cultivars

Combined effects of temperature and light quality on plants have received little attention. We investigated the single and interactive effects of temperature and light quality on growth and physiological characteristics of four canola (Brassica napus) cultivars – Clearfield 46A76 (cv₁), Clearfield 45H72 (cv₂), Roundup Ready 45H24 (cv₃) and Roundup Ready 45H21 (cv₄). Plants were grown under lower (24°/20 °C) and higher (30°/26 °C) temperature regimes at low red/far‐red (R/FR), normal R/FR and high R/FR light ratios in environment‐controlled growth chambers (16 h light/8 h dark). Higher temperature reduced stem height and diameter; leaf number and area; dry matter of all plant parts; and specific leaf weight, but increased leaf area ratio; and chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence (Y). Low R/FR increased stem height; Y; and ethylene, but decreased stem diameter; F_v/F_m; Chl a; Chl b; and carotenoids. Among cultivars, plants from cv₄ were tallest with thickest stems and greatest dry matter. None of the main factors affected gas exchange. Higher temperature at high R/FR caused cv₃ to be shortest, whereas lower temperature at low R/FR caused cv₄ to be tallest. We conclude that heat and other stress factors will adversely affect sensitive crops, but tolerant genotypes should perform well under future climate.     

Larval development of Gilchristella aestuaria (Gilchrist, 1914) (Pisces: Clupeidae) from southern Africa

The larval development ol the southern African endemic clupeid Gilchristella aestuaria is described and illustrated from specimens collected in the Swartvlei and Sundays estuarine systems of the Cape Province. Free embryos have no visible gut, unpigmented eyes and bodies, and are dependent on the yolk sac contents for nutrition. This stage lasts until about 4 mm body length (BL) when the eyes become pigmented and a gut becomes visible. Between 4 mm and 7 mm BL melanophores on the ventral aspect of the body form, and the dorsal and caudal lin anlagen develop. Between 7 mm and 8 mm BL the swimbladder lorms, flexion occurs and the anal fin anlage develops. By the 10 mm BL stage most of the skeletal elements have begun to differentiate, with the vertebral centra already showing signs of ossification. General ossification commences between 12 mm and 13 mm BL. All unpaired fins have the adult complement of rays by 15 mm BL. Scalation starts between 16 mm and 17 mm BL and is complete by 20 mm BL. Body depth increases gradually, from about 5% of BL in the early larval stages to >14% of BL in the juveniles. The pre-anal length decreases from about 87% of BL in the larvae to approximately 69% of BL in the juveniles. Head length increases from approximately 11% of BL in the larvae to 24-29% of BL in the juveniles. The larval snoui is initially 2% of BL, increasing to 7% of BL in the juvenile stages owing to the development of jaw elements.     

The Alleviating Effect of Elevated CO2 on Heat Stress Susceptibility of Two Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Cultivars

This study analysed the alleviating effect of elevated CO₂ on stress‐induced decreases in photosynthesis and changes in carbohydrate metabolism in two wheat cultivars (Triticum aestivum L.) of different origin. The plants were grown in ambient (400 μl l^?1) and elevated (800 μl l^?1) CO₂ with a day/night temperature of 15/10 °C. At the growth stages of tillering, booting and anthesis, the plants were subjected to heat stress of 40 °C for three continuous days. Photosynthetic parameters, maximum quantum efficiency of photosystem II (PSII) photochemistry (F_v/F_m) and contents of pigments and carbohydrates in leaves were analysed before and during the stress treatments as well as after 1 day of recovery. Heat stress reduced P_N and F_v/F_m in both wheat cultivars, but plants grown in elevated CO₂ maintained higher P_N and F_v/F_m in comparison with plants grown in ambient CO₂. Heat stress reduced leaf chlorophyll contents and increased leaf sucrose contents in both cultivars grown at ambient and elevated CO₂. The content of hexoses in the leaves increased mainly in the tolerant cultivar in response to the combination of elevated CO₂ and heat stress. The results show that heat stress tolerance in wheat is related to cultivar origin, the phenological stage of the plants and can be alleviated by elevated CO₂. This confirms the complex interrelation between environmental factors and genotypic traits that influence crop performance under various climatic stresses.     

Comparison of nuclear and capacitance‐based soil water measuring techniques in salt‐affected soils

A field calibration experiment was carried out on salt‐affected clayey soil in Syria, to compare the sensitivity to soil electrical conductivity (ECe), and bulk density (ρ_b) of two instruments for estimating soil moisture: the neutron probe (NP) and the Diviner 2000 capacitance probe (CP). The results showed that the values of the correlation coefficient of the calibration were decreased when the ECe and ρ_b values increased; this decrease was more pronounced for the Diviner 2000, indicating that it was more sensitive to ρ_b and ECe than the NP. When only scaled frequency was used in the fitted equation, the Diviner 2000 in wet soil underestimated soil water content significantly at all depths, but especially in the top layer, by up to 0.09 cm³/cm³ compared with gravimetric determinations. However, in dry soil, the Diviner 2000 overestimated the volumetric water content by up to 0.05 cm³/cm³ in the top 15 cm, and by 0.03 cm³/cm³ at 30‐45 cm depth. The performance of the neutron probe was better overall; using a factory calibration curve no significant differences were observed between NP estimates and the gravimetric values. Including both ρ_b and ECe in the calibration equations improved the fits, although the regression coefficient (R²) for the Diviner 2000 remained low.     

Nutritional approaches to slow late finishing pig growth: implications on carcass composition and pork quality

Although pork producers typically aim to optimize growth rates, occasionally it is necessary to slow growth, such as when harvest facility capacity is limited. In finishing pigs, numerous dietary strategies can be used to slow growth so pigs are at optimal slaughter body weights when harvest facility capacity and/or access is restored. However, the impact of these diets on pork carcass quality is largely unknown. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of dietary strategies to slow growth in late finishing pigs and evaluate their effects on carcass composition and pork quality. Mixed-sex pigs (n = 897; 125 ± 2 kg BW) were randomly allotted across 48 pens and assigned to 1 of 6 dietary treatments (n = 8 pens/treatment): (1) Control diet representative of a typical finisher diet (CON); (2) diet containing 3% calcium chloride (CaCl₂); (3) diet containing 97% corn and no soybean meal (Corn); (4) diet deficient in isoleucine (LowIle); (5) diet containing 15% neutral detergent fiber (NDF) from soybean hulls (15% NDF); and (6) diet containing 20% NDF from soybean hulls (20% NDF). Over 42 d, pen body weights and feed disappearance were collected. Pigs were harvested in 3 groups (14, 28, and 42 d on feed) and carcass data collected. From the harvest group, 1 loin was collected from 120 randomly selected carcasses (20 loins/treatment) to evaluate pork quality traits. Overall, ADG was reduced in CaCl₂, Corn, and 20% NDF pigs compared with CON pigs (P < 0.001). However, ADFI was only reduced in CaCl₂ and 20% NDF pigs compared with CON (P < 0.001). Feed efficiency was reduced in CaCl₂ and Corn pigs compared with CON (P < 0.001). Hot carcass weights were reduced in CaCl₂ pigs at all harvest dates (P < 0.001) and were reduced in Corn and 20% NDF pigs at days 28 and 42 compared with CON pigs (P < 0.001). In general, CaCl₂ and 20% NDF diets resulted in leaner carcasses, whereas the Corn diet increased backfat by 42 d on test (P < 0.05). Loin pH was reduced and star probe increased in CaCl₂ pigs compared with CON pigs (P < 0.05); no treatments differed from CON pigs regarding drip loss, cook loss, color, firmness, or marbling (P ≥ 0.117). Overall, these data indicate that several dietary strategies can slow finishing pig growth without evidence of behavioral vices. However, changes to carcass composition and quality were also observed, indicating quality should be taken into consideration when choosing diets to slow growth.