Cogeneration of electric energy and nitric oxide

A solid electrolyte fuel cell operating on ammonia fuel has been constructed and tested. The yield of nitric oxide can exceed 60 percent with simultaneous electric energy production. Two dimensionless numbers have been identified which govern the product selectivity and power output of this fuel cell. The cell appears to be a promising candidate for nitric acid and electric energy cogeneration.     

A simple caliper technique for the estimation of abdominal fat in live broilers

1. A caliper technique for estimating the amount of abdominal fat in live broilers is described.

2. Sixty‐three male and 47 female broilers sampled at 63 d of age from an unselected control line were used to examine the accuracy of the caliper measure in predicting abdominal fat.

3. Phenotypic correlations between caliper measure and the proportion of abdominal fat were + 0.80, +0.79 and +0.81 in males, females and the heaviest 20% of males respectively.

4. The application of the technique as an indirect means of selecting for decreased abdominal fat in commercial broiler breeding programmes is discussed.     

Evaluation of rabbit excreta as an ingredient in broiler diets

1. Dry rabbit excreta were found to contain 188.1 g crude protein, 6.6 g non‐protein nitrogen, 0.3 g ammonia, 89.8 g moisture, 8.0 g ether extractives, 135.2 g crude fibre, 266.9 g ash and 19.18 MJ gross energy/kg. Methionine and lysine contents were 3.95 and 4.29 g/100 g protein, respectively.

2. In one experiment, 0, 50, 100 or 200 g rabbit excreta/kg were substituted for maize in a broiler diet. Chickens receiving the diet containing 200 g rabbit excreta/kg gained significantly less weight to 8 weeks of age than those receiving other diets.

3. In a second experiment, 0, 100, 150 or 200 g rabbit excreta/kg were substituted primarily for maize in a broiler diet to provide equal energy and protein contents. Weight gains to 8 weeks of birds receiving these diets did not differ significantly. The uncorrected metabolisable energy content of the excreta was 9.15 MJ/kg.

4. There were no gross pathological changes in the birds fed on the experimental diets.     

Determination of extractable and non-extractable radioactivity from prairie soils treated with carboxyl- and ring-labelled [14C]2,4-D

Ring- and carboxyl-labelled [¹⁴C]2,4-D were incubated under laboratory conditions, at the 2 g/g level, in a heavy clay, sandy loam, and clay loam at 85% of field capacity and 20 1C. The soils were extracted at regular intervals for 35 days with aqaeous acidic acetonitrile, and analysed for [¹⁴C]2,4-D and possible radioactive degradation products. Following solvent extraction, a portion of the soil residues were combusted in oxygen to determine unextracted radioactivity as [¹⁴C]carbon dioxide. The remaining soil residues were then treated with aqueous sodium hydroxide, and the radioactivity associated with the fulvic and humic soil components determined. In all soils there was a rapid decrease in the amounts of extractable radioacitivity, with only 5% of that applied being recoverable after 35 days. All recoverable radioactivity was attributable to [¹⁴C]2,4-D, and no [¹⁴C]-containing degradation products were observed. This loss of extractable radioactivity was accompanied by an increase in non-extractable radioactivity. Approximately 15% of the applied radioactivity, derived from carboxyl-labelled [¹⁴C]2,4-D, and 30% from the ring-labelled [¹⁴C]2,4-D was associated with the soil in a non-extractable form, after 35 days of incubation. After 35 days, less than 5% of the radioactivity from the carboxyl-labelled herbicide, and less than 10% of the ringlabelled material, was associated with the fulvic components derived from the three soils. Less than 5% of the applied radioactivities were identifiable with any of the humic acid components. It was considered that during the incubation [¹⁴C]2,4-D did not become bound or conjugated to soil components, and that non-extractable radioactivity associated with the three soil types resulted from incorporation of radioactive degradation products, such as [¹⁴C]carbon dioxide, into soil organic matter.     

Translocation of 14C-glyphosate in johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense L. Pers.) as affected by growth stage and rhizome length

Studies were conducted in the green house on ¹⁴C-methyllabelled glyphosate translocation in johnsongrass as affected by rhizome length and growth stage. The amount of ¹⁴C measured by the liquid scintillation technique in the rhizomes (2-8%) increased with rhizome length (10, 20 or 30 cm) and tended to increase with growth stage (15-30 cm tall, 45-60 cm tall, or at seedhead), but the amount of ¹⁴C per g fresh rhizome weight was almost similar in all cases. Of the total amount applied per plant (0·2 μCi) about 1/3 or less remained on the treated leaf area, while another 1/3 was a absorbed into the treated leaves. Autoradiographs showed that the ¹⁴C label moved to all plant parts, basipetally and acropetally. Migration du glyphosate ¹⁴ C chez le sorgho d'Alep (Sorghum halepense L. Pers.) en relation avec le stage de croissance et la longueur du rhizome Des recherches ont été effectuées en serru sur la migration du glyphosate marqué au ¹⁴C sur le méthyle, chez le sorgho d'Alep, en relation avec la longueur du rhizome et le stade de croissance. La quantité de ¹⁴C mesurée par la technique de scintillation liquide dans les rhizomes (2 à 8%) s'est accrue avec la longueur du rhizome (10, 20 ou 30 cm) et elle a eu tendance à augmenter avec le stade de croissance (Hauteur 15-30 cm, hauteur 45-60 cm ou épiaison), mais la quantité de ¹⁴C par gramme de poids frais de rhizome est restée Presque identique dans tous les cas. Environ 1/3, ou moins, de la quantitéà la surface des feuilles traitées par plante (0,2 μCi), est restéà la surface des feuilles traitées cependant qu'un autre 1/3 a été absorbé dans less feuilles traitées Les autoradiographies ont montré que le ¹⁴C marqueur a migré dans toutes les parties de la plante, dans le sens basipète et dans le sens acropète. Translokation von ¹⁴C-Glyphosat in Johnsongras (Sorghum halepense L. Pers.) in Abhängigkeit vom Wachstumsstadium der Pflanzen und der Rhizomlänge Im Gewächshaus wurden Versuche über die Translokation von ¹⁴C-Glyphosat in Johnsongras (Sorghum halepense L. Pers.) in Abhängigkeit vom Wachstumsstadium der Pflanzen und der Rhizomlänge durchgeführt. An den Rhizomen stieg der Gehalt von ¹⁴C(2–8%), gemessen mit der Flüssig-Szintillationstechnik, mit zunehmender Rhizomlänge (10, 20 oder 30 cm) an und nahm tendenziell auch mit fortschreitendem Pflanzenwachstum zu (15–30 cm und 45–60 cm Sprosslänge oder nach dem Rispenschieben); jedoch blieb die Menge pro g Rhizomfrischgewicht beinahe konstant. Von der insgesamt ausgebrachten Menge pro Pflanze (0.2 μCi) blieben bis zu 1/3 auf der behandelten Blättern absorbiert wurde. Die Autoradiographie zeigte, dass der ¹⁴C markierte Teil in alle Pflanzenteile sowohl basipetal wie auch akropetal transportiert wurde.     

Absorption and translocation of 14C fosamine by three woody plant species

Absorption and translocation of ¹⁴C fosamine (ethyl hydrogen (aminocarbonyl) phosphonate) and/or fosamine metabolites were monitored in intermediately susceptible seedling black cherry (Prunus serotina Ehrh.) and resistant seedling rhododendron (Rhododendron sp.) and magnolia (Magnolia sp.). The mid two-thirds of the third leaf below the apical bud of each plant was treated with 0·5 μCi ¹⁴C fosamine (carbonyl carbon labelled). Plants were harvested 3, 7 and 14 days following treatment. In black cherry the majority of ¹⁴C absorption and translocation occurred during the second week following treatment, while magnolia and rhododendron translocated and absorbed most of the ¹⁴C within 3 days after treatment. Retention of ¹⁴C in the treated portion of the treated leaf did not differ between species. However, total translocated ¹⁴C was greatest in black cherry, less in magnolia, und minimal in rhododendron. Magnolia translocated ¹⁴C basipetally, while black cherry translocated acropetally, as well as basipetally. Absorpiion et migration de la fosamine ¹⁴C chez trois espèces de plantes ligneuses L'absorptlon et la migration de La ¹⁴C fosamine ((amino carbonyl) phosphonate d'éthyle hydrogène) et/ou de ses métabolites, ont étéétudiées chez des plantules moyennement sensibles de Prunus serotina (Ehrh.) et chez des plantules résistantes de rhododendron (Rhododendron sp.) et de magnolia (Magnolia sp). Les deux tiers moyens de la troisième feuille en-dessous du bourgeon apical de chaque plant ont été traités avec 0.5 Ci ¹⁴C de fosamine (marquée sur le carbone du carbonyl). Les plantes ont été récoltées 3, 7 et 14 jours après le traitement. Chez P. serotina, la plus grande partie de l'absorption et de la migration du ¹⁴C a eu lieu durant la deuxième semaine après le traitement, alors que chez le magnolia et le rhododendron, le maximum d'adsorption et de migration s'est situé dans les trois jours qui ont suivi le traitement. La rétention du ¹⁴C dans la partie traitée n'a pas variè d'une espèce à l'autre. Toutefois, la quantité totale de ¹⁴C qui a migré a été plus grande chez P. serotina, moindre chez le magnolia et minimaie chez le rhododendron. Chez le magnolia, la migration du ¹⁴C s'opere dans le sens basipète, alors que chez le P. serotina. elle s'effectue aussi bien dans le sens acropète que dans le sens basipète. Aufnahme- und Trunstokaiion von ¹⁴C-Fosaminc bei drei Gehölzpflanzen Es wurde die Aufnahme und die Translokation von ¹⁴C Fosamine (O-Äthyl-aminocarbonylphosphonsäure) und/oder seiner Abbauprodukte bei drei Gehölzarten beobachtet. Verwendet wurden Sämlinge der Traubenkirsche (Prunus serotina Ehrh.), die eine mittlere Empfindlichkeit zeigt und Sämlinge des resistenten Rhododendron (Rhododendron sp.) und der ebenfalls resistenten Magnolie (Magnolia sp.). Die mittleren zwei Drittel des dritten Blattes unterhalb der Endknospe wurden bei jeder Pflanze mit 0.5 μCi ¹⁴C-Fosamine (markiert am Carbonylkohlenstoff) behandelt. Die Pflanzen wurden nach 3, 7 und 14 Tagen nach der Behandlung geerntet. Bei der Traubenkirsche wurde während der zweiten Woche am meisten ¹⁴C aufgenommen und transloziert, während dies bei der Magnolie und dem Rhododendron bereits innerhalb der ersten drei Tage der Fall war. Bezüglich der Retention von ¹⁴C in der behandelten Blattfläche unterschieden sich die drei Arten nicht. In der Traubenkirsche wurde aber am meisten ¹⁴C transloziert, weniger in der Magnolie und am wenigsten im Rhododendron. Die Magnolie translozierte das ¹⁴C basipetal, während die Traubenkirsche akropetal wie basipetal translozierte.     

Effect of canopy cover,seeding depth,and soil moisture on emergence of Centaurea maculosa and C. diffusa*

The effects of canopy cover, seeding depth, and soil moisture on emergence of Centaurea maculosa Lam. and C. diffusa Lam. were studied. Canopy cover had no effect on ermergence rate (seedlings/day/100 seeds) of either species. Seeds of both species emerged faster when placed on the soil surface. Emergence rate decreased as seeding depth increased. Both species required more than 55% initial soil moisture to initiate emergence, with 65–70% being optimum. Percentage emergence followed exactly the same trend as emergence rate. C. maculosa had better emergence characteristics over a wider range of conditions than C. diffusa, possibly being some of the reasons for the former having a wider geographical distribution in the United States and Canada.