THE EFFECTS OF HEAVY DRESSINGS OF POTASH APPLIED TO THE SEEDBED OF A LEY COMPARED WITH ANNUAL DRESSINGS

Two experiments were established to compare the effect on the yield of continuously cut herbage of varying amounts of potassium fertilizer applied either in one large dose to the seedbed, or as 3 equal dressings applied to the seedbed and in the summer of the 2 following years. Responses in dry–matter yield were recorded up to the higher rates of potassium fertilizer applied. Establishment and yield in the first 12 months were improved by seedbed applications of up to 4 cwt/ac of muriate of potash (60% K₂O). Although total yields over the whole period were similar, whether the potassium was applied to the seedbed only or in annual dressings, yields from "all–in–seedbed" dressings declined towards the end of the period. Soil analysis indicated that annual dressings left behind higher residues of K.     

THE INFLUENCE OF PHOSPHATE AND LIME ON THE GROWTH AND N FIXATION OF LOTUS ULIGINOSUS AND TRIFOLIUM REPENS UNDER GREENHOUSE CONDITIONS

Shoot dry weight, leaf area, leaf lamina dry weight and N-fixation of L. uliginosus cv. Grasslands 4705 were compared with those of T. repens S184 over a 90-day period frotn sowing, in pots in a greenhouse. Three P and three pH levels were imposed and there were three destructive harvests at 30-day intervals. N-fixation was estimated by the acetylene reduction technique prior to the last harvest. L. uliginosus had higjier means than T. repens for all characters measured under all treatments at all harvests. Large increases in shoot weight and leaf area were associated with addition of P, particularly with the first increment of P to L. uliginosus. High P reduced the contribution of lamina to total shoot weight in T. repens more than in L. uliginosus at the second harvest. Raising pH increased shoot weight and leaf area in both species. N-fixation was low in both species at low pH and low P. This was increased by addition of P, a smaller quantity being necessary for the same response in L. uliginosus compared with T. repens. At the higher P levels, the high pH gave rise to lower N-fixation than at the medium pH. Results are discussed in relation to field trials of other workers and the possible suitability of L. uliginosus for low fertility upland conditions.     

The protein,non-protein and total nitrogen inSolanum tuberosum,ssp.andigena potatoes

Total protein estimated from 80% ethanol insoluble nitrogen in residue ofS. tuberosum, ssp.andigena tubers agreed well with results obtained by Potty method and estimation of non-dialyzable nitrogen. The method is simple, rapid and applicable for screening large numbers of samples. Dry matter, total nitrogen, protein nitrogen and non-protein nitrogen were analyzed for 50 clone samples harvested in Huancayo, Peru, and correlations between the various constituents are statistically analyzed and discussed. An increase in total nitrogen with an increase of protein nitrogen was observed. Clones with higher dry matter normally showed lower % of non-protein nitrogen. The percentage of protein nitrogen to total nitrogen varied from 40 to 74% in the 50 clone samples and clonal differences in protein production were evident.     

Photosynthetic capacity of red spruce during winter

We measured the photosynthetic capacity (P(max)) of plantation-grown red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) during two winter seasons (1993-94 and 1994-95) and monitored field photosynthesis of these trees during one winter (1993-94). We also measured P(max) for mature montane trees from January through May 1995. Changes in P(max) and field photosynthesis closely paralleled seasonal changes in outdoor air temperature. However, during thaw periods, field photosynthesis was closely correlated with multiple-day temperature regimes, whereas P(max) was closely correlated with single-day fluctuations in temperature. There was a strong association between short-term changes in ambient temperature and P(max) during the extended thaw of January 1995. Significant increases in P(max) occurred within two days of the start of this thaw. Repeated measurements of cut shoots kept indoors indicated that temperature-induced increases in P(max) can occur within 3 h. Although significant correlations between P(max) and stomatal conductance (g(s)) or intracellular CO(2) concentration (C(i)) raised the possibility that increases in P(max) resulted from increases in stomatal aperture, fluctuations in g(s) or C(i) explained little of the overall variation in P(max). Following both natural and simulated thaws, P(max) increased considerably but plateaued at only 37% of the mean photosynthetic rate reported for red spruce during the growing season. Thus, even though shoots were provided with near-optimal environmental conditions, and despite thaw-induced changes in physiology, significant limitations to winter photosynthesis remained.     

UV‐B radiation constrains the photosynthesis of Quercus robur through impacts on the abundance of Microsphaera alphitoides

Quercus robur saplings were exposed at an outdoor facility in the UK to supplemental levels of UV‐B radiation (280–315 nm) under arrays of cellulose diacetate‐filtered fluorescent lamps which also produced UV‐A radiation (315–400 nm). Saplings were also exposed to supplemental UV‐A radiation under arrays of polyester‐filtered lamps and to ambient levels of solar radiation under arrays of unenergized lamps. The UV‐B treatment was modulated to maintain a 30% elevation above the ambient level of erythemally weighted UV‐B radiation. Naturally occurring infections by oak powdery mildew (Microsphaera alphitoides) were more abundant, and developed more rapidly, on lammas leaves of saplings which were exposed to treatment levels of UV‐B radiation than on leaves of saplings exposed to supplemental UV‐A or to ambient levels of solar radiation over 12 weeks in summer and autumn 1996. An analysis of leaf photosynthetic capacities revealed that M. alphitoides infection reduced the quantum efficiency of photosystem (PS) II by 14% at moderate irradiance. Although there was no direct effect of UV‐B radiation on PSII photochemistry, exposure of saplings to supplemental UV‐A radiation under polyester‐filtered lamps resulted in a 17.5% decrease in PSII quantum efficiency, compared with saplings exposed to ambient solar radiation. The results from our study suggest that photosynthesis of Q. robur may be constrained by exposure to UV‐B radiation in the natural environment through impacts on the abundance of M. alphitoides.     

水稻土的力学性质与水分含量的关系

土壤的抗剪强度和抗压强度以及变形性质是决定耕作阻力、机具的通行性能及耕作质量的重要因素,也是机具正确设计所必须考虑的因素。过去对于耕作土壤的强度研究,多从旱地的松散状况出发,把土体的粘结只归因于水膜的表面张力和水膜的数量,并得出结论:土壤强度与含水量呈抛物线关系。对于搅动后土壤粘结的机制,认为包括水膜粘结和分子引力粘结两种^[1]。最近山中金次郎指出^[2],在这二种不同粘结机制的转折处有明显的破折现象,但对水稻土的情况研究极少。