From on-farm solid-set sprinkler irrigation design to collective irrigation network design in windy areas

In this paper, a contribution to the design of collective pressurised irrigation networks in solid-set sprinkler-irrigated windy areas is presented. The methodology is based on guaranteeing minimum on-farm performance, using a historical hourly wind speed database and a ballistic solid-set irrigation simulation model. The proposed method was applied to the Montesnegros Irrigation District (central Ebro basin, Spain). The district irrigates an area of 3493 ha using an on-demand schedule. The average wind speed in the area is 2.8 m s⁻¹. An analysis of district water records showed that farmers often reduce water demand when the wind speed is high, but their irrigation decision making is limited by the capacity of the irrigation network and by the unpredictable character of local winds. Simulations were performed for 11 irrigation seasons, 2 triangular sprinkler spacings (18 m × 18 m and 18 m × 15 m), and 2 sprinkler models. The percentage of monthly suitable time for irrigation was determined for four management strategies. The first one was based on a wind speed threshold (3 m s⁻¹), while the other three were based on three levels (standard, relaxed and restrictive) of two irrigation performance parameters: the Christiansen Uniformity Coefficient (CU) and the Wind Drift and Evaporation Losses (WDEL). The standard strategy classified the time as suitable for irrigation when CU ≥ 84% and WDEL ≤ 20%. The thresholds limits of the irrigation parameters for the relaxed strategy were CU ≥ 80% and WDEL ≤ 25%. Finally, the restrictive strategy used thresholds of CU ≥ 90% and WDEL ≤ 15%. The suitable time for the first strategy (56%) was always lower than for the standard and the relaxed strategies (with respective average values of 75 and 86%), and higher than for the restrictive strategy (30%). In order to design the collective network, the hydrant operating time was equalled to the suitable time for irrigation. The differences in the cost of the collective network plus the on-farm equipment were particularly relevant between the restrictive strategy and the other three. Differences in suitable operating time were clear between sprinkler spacings, and less evident between sprinkler models. The application of the proposed methodology may be limited by the availability of historical wind speed records and CU estimates for different combinations of sprinkler models, sprinkler spacings and wind speed.     

Subsurface drip irrigation and reclaimed water quality effects on phosphorus and salinity distribution and forage production

In the Canary Islands, water scarcity is one of the constraints for agricultural activity. Non-conventional water resources generally represent more water volume than conventional ones. The distribution of these resources frequently permits the possibility of a conjunctive use of desalinated (DW) water and reclaimed municipal wastewater (RW). Field testing with both water qualities and different irrigation systems is necessary for optimal site-specific management. The objective of this work was to evaluate soil salinity and phosphorus distribution, and alfalfa yield in a 20 month field experiment carried out in the island of Gran Canaria, using municipal RW and freshwater (FW) under subsurface drip irrigation (SDI). Phosphorus speciation was performed both in irrigation waters and in soils (Olsen's inorganic, organic, and microbial). RW had large EC values (2.4 dS m⁻¹) with a remarkable nutrient load contribution and an average total P around 3 mg L⁻¹, predominantly hydrolysable forms, while FW had very low salinity and negligible amounts of P. For the RW treatment a salt gradient was established, causing plant mortality between the irrigation lines. The study of P speciation allows describing P distribution and plant uptake in terms of P forms. Large values of microbial P were produced for the two irrigation waters around the emitters, especially for FW.A faster P-cycling could have contributed to the significantly larger inorganic P contents observed in FW irrigated soils, in spite no external sources were added by the irrigation water.     

Genetic diversity of apricot revealed by a set of SSR markers from linkage group G1

Eight polymorphic simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers located in the G1 linkage group of apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) were previously developed and evaluated in a small set of cultivars. Those primers were used for studying variability in 77 apricot cultivars belonging to five different geographical groups, such as Chinese, Asian (Irano-Caucasian and Central Asian), North American, Mediterranean and Western European as well as Middle European cultivars. Six of the markers were polymorphic and revealed a total of 71 alleles ranging from 5 (aprigms11) to 20 (aprigms1) alleles per locus with a mean value of 11.83 alleles per locus. In conclusion, the SSR loci located in the G1 linkage group show a level of polymorphism which is similar to loci dispersed throughout the entire genome. The total number of alleles and the number of unique alleles were the highest in Chinese apricots and the lowest in Middle European cultivars. Heterozygosity also showed a decrease from Asia and China to Middle Europe. No association could have been observed between any SSR markers tested and plum pox virus (PPV) resistant phenotype of cultivars. PPV resistant cultivars did not form a separate clade on the dendrogram obtained by UPGMA cluster analysis. Middle European and Chinese cultivars formed separate clusters while other genotypes formed smaller multiple sub-groups or scattered among different clusters. Our results support previous hypotheses on the origin of PPV resistance in North American apricots. The allele data was also presented in a form that allowed the easy observation of allele frequencies in each geographical group at each locus. Using this data field, differences and similarities between cultivar groups can be easily assessed. The analysis demonstrated the links between the North American and Mediterranean apricot germplasm and confirmed that the Chinese and Eastern European cultivars are distantly related.     

Effect of ABA,arginine and sucrose on protein content of date palm somatic embryos

Abscisic acid (ABA), arginine and sucrose were evaluated for their effects on the morphology, germination rates and protein content of date palm somatic embryos (SE). Different concentrations of these supplements in the culture medium were used. The comparative study of SE length and thickness between treated and untreated SE revealed no differences, except for ABA (20 μM), which increased thickness. A decrease of water content (WC) in favor of an increase in dry weight (DW) was observed in all treated SE, especially with sucrose (90 g l⁻¹) and ABA (20 μM). Only ABA (20 and 4 μM) caused a proliferation rate of the cultures higher than those in the control. Although all the tested compounds increased protein content, ABA (20 μM) was more effective in protein enrichment than arginine and sucrose treatments. The SDS-PAGE protein profiles showed a significant difference between treated and untreated SE. A protein band of 22 kDa, identified as glutelin in a previous work, was accumulated after treatment with 20 μM ABA or 3 mM arginine. These findings may contribute to further understanding of the mechanisms involved in the accumulation of specific storage proteins in several plants.     

Response of gladiolus (Gladiolus spp) plants after exposure corms to chitosan and hot water treatments

The state of Morelos, Mexico has gradually become an important producer of gladiolus. Some preconditioning treatments of corms are empirically done causing uneven emergence and low quality of flowers. In this investigation, before planting, gladiolus corms var. ‘Blanca Borrego’ were dipped in chitosan (chitosan reagent and commercial chitosan Biorend^®), in hot water at various temperatures and in treatments combined with Biorend^® at 1.5% and hot water. Results indicated that the most influenced variables were corm germination, number of flowers per spike, number of cormlets and vase life. Overall, the commercial product Biorend^® at 1.5% accelerated corm emergence in approximately 4 days, the number of flowers increased by 2–7 and the vase life extended for 3 days. The number of cormlets was also duplicated. Corms dipped in the commercial chitosan Biorend^® at 1.5% at different intervals of time were not greatly affected except for the emergence and number of cormlets. However, for this experiment there were significant effects on the number of leaves and flowers because of the interactions between chitosan and the immersion time. The temperature of 55 °C affected plant development because emergence was delayed by 6 days; and there were less number of leaves, flowers and cormlets. On the other hand, the incidence of Fusarium oxysporum in naturally infected corms was 0% at temperatures of 55 °C and 50 °C. Immersion times (0, 10, 15 and 20 min) in hot water at 50 °C did not show significant effects on plant development and vase life. Corms dipped in Biorend^® at 1.5% and hot water at 50 °C accelerated their emergence for about 1–7 days, the number of flowers increased by two, extended the storage life for 1–3 days and increased the number of cormlets. The integration of these two treatments -Biorend^® and hot water- might be a good option for increasing the gladiolus plant quality and vase life.     

Graph theory in action: evaluating planned highway tracks based on connectivity measures

Maintaining connectivity among local populations in a fragmented landscape is crucial for the survival of many species. For isolated habitat patches, stochastic fluctuations and reduced gene flow can lead to high risk of extinction. The connectivity of the landscape is especially crucial for the carabid species living in the fragmented forests of the Bereg plain (NE Hungary and W Ukraine) because a highway will be constructed through the plain. Our purpose is to (1) evaluate the impacts of three possible highway tracks, (2) suggest a solution that is realistic with less impact on connectivity than other plans and (3) discuss how to decrease the disadvantageous effects of each track. Our results, based on a network analysis of landscape graph of patches and ecological corridors, indicate that the intended highway could have deleterious consequences on forest-living carabids. Relatively simple actions, like the establishment of stepping stones, could compensate for the loss of habitat connectivity and promote the survival of carabids, or minor modifications in one possible track could diminish its adverse effects. While many other studies would be needed for a comprehensive assessment of the biotic impact of the highway, we provide an example on the usefulness of network analysis for land use management. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Simulation of transpiration, drainage, N uptake, nitrate leaching, and N uptake concentration in tomato grown in open substrate

Free-drainage or “open” substrate system used for vegetable production in greenhouses is associated with appreciable NO₃⁻ leaching losses and drainage volumes. Simulation models of crop N uptake, N leaching, water use and drainage of crops in these systems will be useful for crop and water resource management, and environmental assessment. This work (i) modified the TOMGRO model to simulate N uptake for tomato grown in greenhouses in SE Spain, (ii) modified the PrHo model to simulate transpiration of tomato grown in substrate and (iii) developed an aggregated model combining TOMGRO and PrHo to calculate N uptake concentrations and drainage NO₃⁻ concentration. The component models simulate NO₃⁻-N leached by subtracting simulated N uptake from measured applied N, and drainage by subtracting simulated transpiration from measured irrigation. Three tomato crops grown sequentially in free-draining rock wool in a plastic greenhouse were used for calibration and validation. Measured daily transpiration was determined by the water balance method from daily measurements of irrigation and drainage. Measured N uptake was determined by N balance, using data of volumes and of concentrations of NO₃⁻ and NH₄⁺ in applied nutrient solution and drainage. Accuracy of the two modified component models and aggregated model was assessed by comparing simulated to measured values using linear regression analysis, comparison of slope and intercept values of regression equations, and root mean squared error (RMSE) values. For the three crops, the modified TOMGRO provided accurate simulations of cumulative crop N uptake, (RMSE = 6.4, 1.9 and 2.6% of total N uptake) and NO₃⁻-N leached (RMSE = 11.0, 10.3, and 6.1% of total NO₃⁻-N leached). The modified PrHo provided accurate simulation of cumulative transpiration (RMSE = 4.3, 1.7 and 2.4% of total transpiration) and cumulative drainage (RMSE = 13.8, 6.9, 7.4% of total drainage). For the four cumulative parameters, slopes and intercepts of the linear regressions were mostly not statistically significant (P < 0.05) from one and zero, respectively, and coefficient of determination (r²) values were 0.96-0.98. Simulated values of total drainage volumes for the three crops were +21, +1 and −13% of measured total drainage volumes. The aggregated TOMGRO-PrHo model generally provided accurate simulation of crop N uptake concentration after 30-40 days of transplanting, with an average RMSE of approximately 2 mmol L⁻¹. Simulated values of average NO₃⁻ concentration in drainage, obtained with the aggregated model, were −7, +18 and +31% of measured values.     

Channels and ditches as the last shelter for freshwater mussels: the case of Margaritifera auricularia and other naiads inhabiting the mid Ebro River Basin,Spain

• 1. Freshwater mussels or naiads are generally considered to thrive in river habitats, provided the ecological conditions are good. The presence of populations of these bivalves in artificial channels and ditches with natural bottoms has only scarcely been reported. The aim of this paper was to present the idea that these ‘channel’ and ‘ditch’ habitats could in fact be a sanctuary for naiads.
• 2. Approximately 80 km of several of these waterways fed by the mid Ebro River were sampled in Spain to monitor their naiad populations. Observations indicate that these habitats harbour substantial colonies of freshwater mussels (including two populations of adult specimens of the endangered species Margaritifera auricularia), much more so than the corresponding river.
• 3. The authors wish to alert conservation authorities and freshwater mussel experts to the extreme fragility and importance of this kind of habitat for the long‐term conservation of these imperilled molluscs.

Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Nutritional value of Pavlova spp. (Prymnesiophyceae) for spat of the Cortez oyster Crassostrea corteziensis during late-nursery culturing at the hatchery

Three Pavlova species were evaluated for their nutritional value as diets for growth and survival of the Cortez oyster Crassostrea corteziensis spat during late‐nursery cultivation at a hatchery. Microalgae were provided as monospecific diets (Pavlova salina, P. sp. C50 and P. sp. C53) and in binary combinations of diets 1+2, 1+3 and 2+3 at 80–90 × 10³ cells mL^?1 for 21 days. Juveniles experienced high survival rates and grew well with all dietary treatments, but binary diets yielded greater survival and growth of spat. From the three binary treatments, Diet 6 (P. sp. C50 and P. sp. C53) promoted significantly (P<0.001) fastest growth of juveniles in shell height (0.19 mm day^?1), shell length (0.14 mm day^?1), total wet weight (0.04 g day^?1) and dry weight of meat biomass (0.024 g day^?1). For all shell dimensions, the lowest growth rates occurred with Diets 2 (P. sp. C56 alone) and 3 (P. sp. C50 alone). These results highlight the importance of testing microalgal diets for bivalve spat rather than just relying on published nutritional values.     

Growth,absorption and assimilation efficiency by mature cuttlefish (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Sepia officinalis</Emphasis>) fed with alternative and artificial diets

The effects of feeding three natural frozen diets, grass shrimp (Palaemonetes sp.), crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) and fish (Sardina pilchardus) and two semi-humid artificial diets (based on fish powder) to mature cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis, were analysed. Growth and feeding rates (GR and FR, % BW day⁻¹), food conversions (FC, %), and total protein and lipid composition of the diets were determined. Digestive gland to body weight ratio and absorption efficiency were calculated for each diet. Cuttlefish fed shrimp and crayfish grew larger (1.5 and 1.1% BW day⁻¹, respectively) compared to the other diets. Shrimp promoted the highest FC, followed by crayfish, and sardine. The highest FR was obtained for cuttlefish fed crayfish (8.4% BW day⁻¹). Although both artificial diets were accepted, none produced growth. A positive correlation (r = 0.96) between cuttlefish ingestion rate and digestive gland weight was obtained. Some cannibalism occurred among cuttlefish fed the artificial diets during the last week of the experiment. According to the results obtained, P. clarkii could be used as an alternative prey to shrimp for rearing adult mature (>50 g) S. officinalis.