First-year growth response of cold-stored,nursery-grown aspen planting stock

This research examined the first year growth characteristics of cold stored and transplanted nursery-produced aspen (Populus tremuloides) seedlings (container and bareroot (BR)) and compared it to the growth of seedlings that had not been transplanted (established from germinants in the field) and therefore had an unrestricted root system (UR). Prior to planting, nursery-produced seedlings were placed in cold storage (−3°C) and root growth potential (RGP) and total non-structural carbohydrate (TNC) root reserves were tested at 0, 10, 75 and after 150 (container) and 190 days (BR) of storage. Both container and BR stock had much lower root to shoot ratios (RSRs) and root carbohydrate reserves compared to UR seedlings after 170 days. During storage, root reserves in container stock declined faster than in the BR and UR seedlings. RGP in all nursery stock was the highest after 75 days of storage, while longer storage resulted in shoot dieback and reduced root growth. After the first growing season, UR seedlings were one tenth the size of the nursery stock; however, in the second growing season they had no stem dieback and grew twice the height and stem diameter. The higher RSRs and root reserves in the UR seedlings was likely caused by early bud set in its first year of growth. This suggests that inducing bud set earlier in the growing regime might allow seedlings to increase root mass and carbohydrate reserves.     

Tree planting for poverty reduction in less-favoured areas of the Ethiopian highlands

This paper assesses the potential impact of planting of eucalypt trees as a strategy to reduce poverty in a less-favoured area of the highlands of Ethiopia. Results from simulations with a bio-economic model for a less-favoured case study area in the highlands are combined with survey data at community, household and plot level to assess how general the results of the bio-economic model are. Application of the bio-economic model shows clearly that land degradation, population growth, stagnant technology and drought threaten food security. Household welfare and land quality are deteriorating rapidly in the area and interventions are urgently needed to avoid human disaster. Planting of eucalypts on land unsuitable for crop production may substantially increase household incomes if market outlets for trees can be found. Tree planting will not have severe negative effects on food production or land conservation. A policy combining promotion of tree planting and conservation of cropland may achieve win-win benefits in terms of increased household incomes as well as more sustainable land-use. Analysis of survey data from the Amhara Region of Ethiopia reveals that there is a large area of land that is unsuitable for crop production located close to all-weather roads in the less-favoured areas of the region. Few trees have been planted on this type of land up to now. The past policy seems to have discouraged tree planting except on homestead plots that are more suitable for food crops. This paper reports part of the IFPRI/ILRI project ‘Policies for Sustainable Land Management in the East African Highlands’. These two agencies have provided funds and logistical support for the work. The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has provided funds for this research in the Amhara Region in Ethiopia. The authors also draw on earlier work funded by Research Council of Norway. Any correspondence should be directed to the first author.     

Growth and reproductive performance of two rabbit breeds reared under intensive system in Ghana

A study on the growth and reproductive performance of two rabbit breeds was undertaken. Data on 588 kits and 97 does of California White and 574 kits and 90 does of New Zealand White rabbits reared under hot and humid environment in Ghana were taken. The reproductive performance of the two breeds, in terms of litter size at birth and weaning, litter weight at birth and weaning, kindling interval, age at sexual maturity, and gestation length as influenced by breed, season of kindling (rainy and dry), year of kindling (2005–2012), and parity (first to sixth and over) were determined. The performance of California White in terms of litter size at birth, at weaning, kit weight at birth, and age at first kindling was 5.9?±?0.2, 4.6?±?0.1, 54.7?±?0.4 g, and 159.8?±?0.2 days, respectively. That of New Zealand White was 5.9?±?0.1, 5.1?±?0.1, 55.2?±?1.0 g, and 159.9?±?0.2 days, respectively. The results obtained also showed a significant breed effects on kit weight at birth, litter weight at weaning, and mortality; whereas no significant differences (p?>?0.05) were observed between the two breeds regarding the other traits measured. Parity had significant effects (p?<?0.05) on all the growth and reproductive parameters measured with the exception of age at first kindling. Year of kindling also had significant effect on litter weight at birth, kit weight at birth, and at weaning (p?<?0.05) but did not have any significant effect on the age at sexual maturity and mortality. Season also had significant (p?<?0.05) effects on kit weight at birth, gestation length, kindling interval, and mortality with better performance experienced during the rainy season.

     

The fate of glycerol entering the rumen of dairy cows and sheep

This study investigated the fate of glycerol entering the rumen, in particular whether glycerol could be absorbed across the rumen epithelium. Three non‐lactating rumen‐fistulated cows were used to calculate the overall disappearance rate of glycerol in vivo and evaluate the rate of ruminal glycerol absorption. Rumen epithelial tissues isolated from sheep were used to characterise glycerol transport properties. The rate of rumen microbial degradation of glycerol was then studied in an in vitro system under anaerobic and thermo‐regulated conditions. The results showed that glycerol can be absorbed from the rumen in significant amounts. The fractional rate of absorption of glycerol was not affected by variations in glycerol concentration in the buffer solution in the in vivo study. The glycerol absorption apparently occurred largely by passive diffusion and was probably not facilitated by carriers. Glycerol also disappeared via microbial digestion and outflow from the rumen through the omasal orifice.     

A microwave tomographic system for wood characterization in the forest products industry

Abstract

Nondestructive testing and evaluation techniques able to extract information about the internal structure of the samples under test are very important in the wood industry. Microwave imaging systems have been considered for a long time promising apparatuses for this task. In this framework, approaches exploiting the full scattering phenomena for creating images of the distributions of the dielectric properties of the targets have been developed in the last few years. In this paper, a prototype of microwave tomographic system is presented and several experimental validation confirming its suitability for the use in the wood and forest product industry are reported.     

Arthropod diversity of cocoa farms under two management systems in the Eastern and Central regions of Ghana

Diversity of insect communities can be used as bioindicators for change in the environment especially in farms under different management systems. In line with that, we conducted a research on insect species associated with cocoa under organic and conventional management systems in the Eastern and Central regions of Ghana. Insect collection was done using Hand height visual count, Canopy, and “Knock down”, pitfall, coloured bowl and fruit-baited traps. A total of 13,742 individual insects belonging to 138 species from 63 families and 12 orders were recorded in the study. Insect abundance and diversity were generally higher in organic farms compared to conventional farms with Oecophylla longinoda as the most dominant species in both management systems and especially more dominant in organic cocoa farms. Our study revealed that most of the insect species recorded were known cocoa pests although there was high abundance of beneficial insects too. Some of the pest species were Planococoides njalensis, Salhbergella singularis, Helopeltis spp and Pseudococus spp, while some of the beneficial insects recorded were Pheidole spp, Tegenaria spp, Camponotus spp, Crematogaster spp. We can conclude that cocoa farms are potential habitats for insect biodiversity conservation. We recommend that management and/or agronomic practices used in cocoa farms should be geared towards protecting beneficial organisms for instance pollinators and natural enemies by effectively suppressing insect pest populations while enhancing good seed production.

     

Marketing of meat sheep with intensive finishing in southern state of Mexico

The objective of the present study was to quantify the marketing margins of cold sheep carcass and barbacoa meat in the southern state of Mexico. Data were obtained from the production chain links (production, industrialization, and marketing) where the marketing margins were calculated along with the benefit/cost (B/C) ratio. In the absolute marketing margin of the final consumer price per kilogram of carcass meat, the producer obtained US$2.7/kg (47 %) of the utilities, while the intermediaries obtained US$3.1/kg (53 %). Considering the final cooked product in barbacoa (typical dish), the margin was US$6.3/kg (29 %) for the producer and US$15.2/kg (71 %) for the intermediaries. The B/C ratio was 1.0, 1.1, 2, and 1.3 for the producer, stocker, butcher, and barbacoa seller, respectively. It is concluded that the best marketing channel for the producer was the producer-stocker-processor (butcher and barbacoa seller). The highest marketing margin was for the intermediaries followed by the producer. The order of importance of the B/C kilogram ratio of meat was for the butcher first, then barbacoa seller, and lastly stocker and producer.     

Intra-specific variation of wheat grain quality in response to elevated [CO2] at two sowing times under rain-fed and irrigation treatments

In order to investigate the intra-specific variation of wheat grain quality response to elevated atmospheric CO₂ concentration (e[CO₂]), eight wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)cultivars were grown at two CO₂ concentrations ([CO₂]) (current atmospheric, 389 CO₂ μmol mol⁻¹vs. e[CO₂], FACE (Free-Air CO₂ Enrichment), 550  ±  10% CO₂ μmol mol⁻¹), at two water levels (rain-fed vs. irrigated) and at two times of sowing (TOS₁, vs. TOS₂). The TOS treatment was mainly imposed to understand whether e[CO₂] could modify the effects of timing of higher grain filling temperatures on grain quality. When plants were grown at TOS₁, TKW (thousand kernel weight), grain test weight, hardness index, P, Ca, Na and phytate were not significantly changed under e[CO₂]. On the other hand, e[CO₂] increased TKW (16%), hardness index (9%), kernel diameter (6%), test weight (2%) but decreased grain protein (10%) and grain phytate (11%) at TOS₂. In regard to grain Zn, Mn and Cu concentrations and some flour rheological properties, cultivar specific responses to e[CO₂] were observed at both sowing times. Observed genetic variability in response to e[CO₂] in terms of grain minerals and flour rheological properties could be easily incorporated into future wheat breeding programs to enable adaptation to climate change.