Comparison of water status indicators for young peach trees

We measured a series of physiological and physical indicators and compared them to xylem sap flow, to identify the most sensitive and reliable plant water status indicator. In the growing season of 1998, 4-year-old peach trees (Prunus persica Batsch cv. 'Suncrest', grafted on 'GF 677' rootstock) were studied under two irrigation treatments, 25 l day^у and no irrigation, and during recovery. Trials were conducted near Pisa (Italy) in a peach orchard situated on a medium clay loam soil and equipped with a drip-irrigation system (four 4 l h^у drippers per tree). Measurements of leaf water potential (ƒ_W), stem water potential (ƒ_S), and leaf temperature (T_l) were taken over 5 days (from dawn to sunset) and analyzed in conjunction with climatic data, sap flow (SF), trunk diameter fluctuation (TDF) and soil water content (SWC). Physiological indicators showed substantial differences in sensitivity. The first indication of changes in water status was the decrease of stem radial growth. TDF and SF revealed significant differences between the two irrigation treatments even in the absence of differences in pre-dawn leaf water potential (pdƒ_W), up until now widely accepted as the benchmark of water status indicators. Irrigated trees showed a typical trend in SF rate during the day, while in non-irrigated plants the maximum peak of transpiration was anticipated. Measurements of water potential showed ƒ_S to be a better indicator of tree water status than ƒ_W. T_l was found to have poor sensitivity. In conclusion, we found the sensitivity of the indicators from the most to the least was: TDF >SF rate >SF cumulated = pdƒ_W=ƒ_S>mdƒ_W>T_l.     

Controlled water table management as a strategy for reducing salt loads from subsurface drainage under perennial agriculture in semi-arid Australia

Recent community based actions to ensure the sustainability of irrigation and protection of associated ecosystems in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area (MIA) of Australia has seen the implementation of a regional Land and Water Management Plan. This aims to improve land and water management within the irrigation area and minimise downstream impacts associated with irrigation. One of the plan objectives is to decrease current salt loads generated from subsurface drainage in perennial horticulture within the area from 20 000 tonnes/year to 17 000 tonnes/year. In order to meet such objectives Controlled Water table Management (CWM) is being investigated as a possible ‘Best Management Practice’, to reduce drainage volumes and salt loads.During 2000–2002 a trial was conducted on a 15 ha subsurface drained vineyard. This compared a traditional unmanaged subsurface drainage system with a controlled drainage system utilizing weirs to maintain water tables and changes in irrigation scheduling to maximize the potential crop use of a shallow water table. Drainage volumes, salt loads and water table elevations throughout the field were monitored to investigate the effects of controlled drainage on drain flows and salt loads.Results from the experiment showed that controlled drainage significantly reduced drainage volumes and salt loads compared to unmanaged systems. However, there were marked increases in soil salinity which will need to be carefully monitored and managed.     

Potato evapotranspiration and yield under different drip irrigation regimes

A field experiment comparing different irrigation frequencies and soil matric potential thresholds on potato evapotranspiration (ET), yield (Y) and water-use efficiency (WUE) was carried out in a loam soil. The experiment included five treatments for soil matric potential: F1 (-15 kPa), F2 (-25 kPa), F3 (-35 kPa), F4 (-45 kPa) and F5 (-55 kPa) and six treatments for irrigation frequency: N1 (once every day), N2 (once every 2 days), N3 (once every 3 days), N4 (once every 4 days), N6 (once every 6 days) and N8 (once every 8 days). Results indicate that both soil matric potential and drip irrigation frequency influenced potato ET, Y and WUE. Potato ET increased as irrigation frequency and soil matric potential increased. Comparing soil water potential, the highest ET was 63.4 mm (32.1%) more than the lowest value. Based on irrigation frequency treatments, the highest ET was 36.7 mm (19.2%) more than the lowest value. Potato Y and WUE were also found to increase as irrigation frequency increased. Potato Y increased with an increase in soil water potential then started to decrease. The highest Y and WUE values were achieved with a soil matric potential threshold of -25 kPa and an irrigation frequency of once a day.Communicated by J. Ayars     

成熟度对‘红地球’葡萄氨基酸营养价值的影响

【目的】探明不同成熟度对‘红地球’葡萄氨基酸营养价值的影响。【方法】以不同成熟度(盛花期后88~123 d)的‘红地球’葡萄为试材,测定果实氨基酸含量。同时,以鸡蛋蛋白质为标准蛋白,WHO/FAO氨基酸参考模式为评价标准,进行氨基酸营养价值评估。【结果】‘红地球’葡萄至少包含18种氨基酸,包括8种必需氨基酸、2种儿童必需氨基酸。氨基酸含量随着采摘期变化而变化,其中必需氨基酸、非必需氨基酸、儿童必需氨基酸、药用氨基酸、支链氨基酸、增香与着色氨基酸、伯胺基氨基酸、特殊功效氨基酸含量(w,后同)分别为557.3~659.7、1 176.3~1 690.8、326.8~703.8、1 130.0~1 644.1、231.7~285.3、926.1~1 404.8、1 126.0~1 609.0、1 032.9~1 510.7 mg·kg^-1,组间差异显著(p <0.05),在完全成熟期Ⅰ达到峰值;精氨酸、天门冬氨酸和谷氨酸等风味氨基酸含量与其味觉阈值的比值分别介于2.62~6.31、4.50~5.47和4.64~6.09,随着采摘期的延长呈先升后降变化趋势。氨基酸评分、化学评分和氨基酸比值系数分依次为11.33~14.07、18.32~4.43、49.70~57.04。苯丙氨酸等8种氨基酸含量相对不足,赖氨酸和苏氨酸含量相对过剩。【结论】不同成熟度对‘红地球’葡萄氨基酸含量及其营养价值影响显著。     

智能施药机器人关键技术研究现状及发展趋势

喷施化学农药是病虫害防治最主要的手段,对保证作物的产量起着至关重要的作用。传统的施药机械工作效率低,且使用同一施药量进行连续喷施作业易造成农药浪费、环境污染。随着农业智能化发展,机器人被广泛应用到农业植保作业中,智能施药机器人以减少劳动力投入、提高农药利用率、减少农药施用量以及减少环境污染为目的,实现了更加高效、精准的病虫害防治。智能施药机器人是集复杂农业机械、智能感知、智能决策、智能控制等技术为一体的现代农业施药装备,可自主、高效、安全、可靠地完成施药作业任务。为明确智能施药机器人及关键技术的国内外研究现状,本文总结了适用于不同作业场景的施药机器人的应用进展,从智能施药机器人的移动平台设计、喷雾装置设计、导航技术、智能识别技术4个方面进行分析,结合施药机器人作业环境的复杂多变性,分析智能施药机器人关键技术的现存问题,阐述智能施药机器人未来的发展趋势是精准变量施药、自主导航以及无人化作业,以期为智能施药机器人在未来的研究提供参考。     

Impacts of land use and plant characteristics on dried soil layers in different climatic regions on the Loess Plateau of China

A dried soil layer (DSL) formed in the soil profile is a typical indication of soil drought caused by climate change and/or poor land management. The responses of a soil to drought conditions in water-limited systems and the impacts of plant characteristics on these processes are seldom known due to the lack of comparative data on soil water content (SWC) in the soil profile. The occurrence of DSLs can interfere in the water cycle in soil-plant-atmosphere systems by preventing water interchanges between upper soil layers and groundwater. Consequently, a DSL may limit the sustainability of environmental restoration projects (e.g., revegetation, soil and water conservation, etc.) on the Loess Plateau of China and in other similar arid and semiarid regions. In this study, we investigated and compared the impacts of soil type, land use and plant characteristics within each of the three climatic regions (arid, semiarid, semihumid) of the Loess Plateau. A total of 17,906 soil samples from 382 soil profiles were collected to characterize DSLs across the Plateau.Spatial patterns of DSLs (represented by four indices: (1) DSL thickness, DSLT; (2) DSL forming depth, DSLFD; (3) mean SWC within the DSL, DSL-SWC; and (4) stable field water capacity, SFC) differed significantly among the climatic regions, emphasizing the importance of considering climatic conditions when assessing DSL variations. The impact of land use on DSLs varied among the three climatic regions. In the arid region, land use had no significant effect on DSLs but there were significant effects in the semiarid and semihumid regions (P < 0.05). The development of DSLs under trees and grasses was more severe in the semiarid region than in the semihumid region. In each climatic region, the extent of DSLs depended on the plant species (e.g., native or exotic, tree or grass) and growth ages; while only in the semiarid region, the DSL-SWC and SFC (P < 0.001) were significantly influenced by soil type. The DSL distribution pattern was related to the climatic region and the soil texture, which both followed gradients along the southeast-northwest axis of the Plateau. Optimizing land use can mediate DSL formation and development in the semiarid and semihumid regions of the Loess Plateau and in similar regions elsewhere. Understanding the dominant factors affecting DSLs at the regional scale enables scientifically based policies to be made that would alleviate the process of soil desiccation and sustain development of the economy and restoration of the natural environment. Moreover, these results can also be useful to the modeling of the regional water cycle and related eco-hydrological processes.     

有机肥质量分数对土壤导水率稳定性的影响

饱和导水率是水循环和土壤侵蚀模型中的重要参数,也是土壤结构改善的重要指标.通过室内土柱模拟实验研究有机肥添加量对风沙土和壤土导水率的影响.土壤添加有机肥的比例设置为0％、5％、10％、15％、20％、25％、30％7个水平,土壤密度设3个水平,各处理5个重复.结果表明：1）土壤饱和导水率随有机肥质量分数的增加呈降低趋势,风沙土的饱和导水率随有机肥质量分数的增加呈直线下降趋势,而壤土饱和导水率的降低趋势随有机肥质量分数的增加减缓;2）有机肥质量分数的增加对土壤密度的降低作用可以抵消有机肥增加导致的饱和导水率的降低;3）低土壤密度下土壤导水率随时间变化不稳定,土壤密度增大后随时间变化稳定.随着有机肥质量分数的增加,土壤导水率的测定过程趋于稳定,但是测定时间延长.     

Biochar improves sediment microbial fuel cell performance in low conductivity freshwater sediment

Purpose

The low conductivity of sediments for mass and electron transport is the most severe limiting factor in sediment microbial fuel cells (SMFCs), so that sediment ameliorations yielded more remarkable effects than electrode improvements. The objective of this research was to enhance the electricity generation of SMFCs with amendments of biochar to freshwater sediments for conductivity enhancement.

Materials and methods

Laboratory-scale SMFCs were constructed and biochars were produced from coconut shells at different temperatures. Variations in the power output, electrode potential, internal resistance, total organic carbon (TOC) content, and microbial communities were measured.

Results and discussion

Amending with biochar reduced the charge transfer resistances of SMFCs and enriched the Firmicutes (mainly Fusibacter sp.) in the sediment, which improved the SMFC power generation by two- to tenfold and enhanced the TOC removal rate by 1.7- to fourfold relative to those without the amendment.

Conclusions

The results suggested that biochar amendment is a promising strategy to enhance SMFC power production, and the electrical conductivity of biochar should be considered important when interpreting the impact biochar has on the electrical performance of soil or freshwater sediment MFCs.

     

Nutrient limitations to bacterial and fungal growth during cellulose decomposition in tropical forest soils

Nutrients constrain the soil carbon cycle in tropical forests, but we lack knowledge on how these constraints vary within the soil microbial community. Here, we used in situ fertilization in a montane tropical forest and in two lowland tropical forests on contrasting soil types to test the principal hypothesis that there are different nutrient constraints to different groups of microorganisms during the decomposition of cellulose. We also tested the hypotheses that decomposers shift from nitrogen to phosphorus constraints from montane to lowland forests, respectively, and are further constrained by potassium and sodium deficiency in the western Amazon. Cellulose and nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and combined) were added to soils in situ, and microbial growth on cellulose (phospholipid fatty acids and ergosterol) and respiration were measured. Microbial growth on cellulose after single nutrient additions was highest following nitrogen addition for fungi, suggesting nitrogen as the primary limiting nutrient for cellulose decomposition. This was observed at all sites, with no clear shift in nutrient constraints to decomposition between lowland and montane sites. We also observed positive respiration and fungal growth responses to sodium and potassium addition at one of the lowland sites. However, when phosphorus was added, and especially when added in combination with other nutrients, bacterial growth was highest, suggesting that bacteria out-compete fungi for nitrogen where phosphorus is abundant. In summary, nitrogen constrains fungal growth and cellulose decomposition in both lowland and montane tropical forest soils, but additional nutrients may also be of critical importance in determining the balance between fungal and bacterial decomposition of cellulose.     

Effects of Restricted Feeding Regimes on Growth and Feed Utilization of Juvenile Gilthead Sea Bream, Sparus aurata

The effect of restricted feeding on growth, feed efficiency, and body composition was studied in juveniles of gilthead sea bream, Sparus aurata. Juveniles (6.4 g) were stocked into 12 tanks at a density of 16 fish per tank. Four different feeding schedules were tested on triplicate groups of juvenile fish: (1) control fed for 48 d without deprivation, (2) starvation for 1 d and then refed for 2 d (S1), (3) 50% satiation for 2 d and then refed to apparent satiation for 2 d (R2), and (4) 50% satiation for 6 d and then refed to apparent satiation for another 6 d (R6). Results indicated that all fish subjected to cycled restricted feeding regimes were unable to achieve catching up with control group. The specific growth rate of fish in the control was significantly higher than those in S1, R2, and R6, which were not significantly different from each other. Protein efficiency and protein productive value were significantly higher in R2 compared to control, S1, and R6. Fish in R2 had lowest feed conversion ratio (1.12) compared to the control (1.17). Body protein composition in R6 was less than that of the control, S1, and R2, while moisture, lipid, and ash content were not significantly different compared to the control.