Estimating daily actual evapotranspiration of a rice–wheat rotation system in typical farmland in the Huai River Basin using a two-step model and two one-step models

The objective of this study is to evaluate the performance of three models for estimating daily evapotranspiration(ET) by employing flux observation data from three years(2007, 2008 and 2009) during the growing seasons of winter wheat and rice crops cultivated in a farmland ecosystem(Shouxian County) located in the Huai River Basin(HRB), China. The first model is a two-step model(PM-K_c); the other two are one-step models(e.g., Rana-Katerji(R-K) and advection-aridity(AA)). The results showed that the energy closure degrees of eddy covariance(EC) data during winter wheat and rice-growing seasons were reasonable in the HRB, with values ranging from 0.84 to 0.91 and R2 of approximately 0.80. Daily ET of winter wheat showed a slow decreasing trend followed by a rapid increase, while that of rice presented a decreasing trend after an increase. After calibrating the crop coefficient(K_c), the PM–K_c model performed better than the model using the K_c recommended by the Food and Agricultural Organization(FAO). The calibrated key parameters of the R-K model and AA model showed better universality. After calibration, the simulation performance of the PM-K_c model was satisfactory. Both the R-K model and AA model underestimated the daily ET of winter wheat and rice. Compared with that of the R-K model, the simulation result of the AA model was better, especially in the simulation of daily ET of rice. Overall, this research highlighted the consistency of the PM-K_c model to estimate the water demand for rice and wheat crops in the HRB and in similar climatic regions in the world.     

Effect of sweetpotato whitefly, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bemisia tabaci</Emphasis> (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) infestation on eggplant (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Solanum melongena</Emphasis> L.) leaf

The nature of damage of sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) B biotype was investigated at the vegetative stage on eggplant (Solanum melongena L., family Solanasae, variety Baiyu) under laboratory conditions (temperature 25 ± 1°C, RH 70 ± 10% and photoperiod 12 h L:12 h D). The investigations were carried out after completing one generation of whitefly on the basis of morphology, physiology and anatomy of eggplant leaf. Significant differences were observed on three morphological parameters—leaf area, leaf fresh weight, and leaf dry weight. The reduction percentages of these three parameters were 26.6, 21.8 and 19.27%, respectively. Significant differences were also observed on two physiological parameters—chlorophyll content and rate of photosynthesis. The reduction percentages of these two parameters were 9.7 and 65.9%, respectively. There were no damaged tissue observed in the epidermis and mesophyll, but there were some damage tissue observed in the vascular bundle of infested leaf. There were no damaged vascular bundles observed in the control leaves. The non-damaged vascular bundles contained both xylem and phloem; while some damaged vascular bundles contained either xylem or phloem. Associated with the non-damaged vascular bundles on whitefly infested leaves were two settled whitefly nymphs apparently deriving nutrition from phloem sap. After one generation of whitefly infestation, the number of damaged and non-damaged vascular bundles of eggplant leaf was significantly different.     

pH水平和昼夜变化对池塘养殖凡纳滨对虾成活率的影响

为评价不同pH水平和昼夜变化幅度对凡纳滨对虾成活率的影响,采用单因素实验设计,实验Ⅰ设4个pH水平:6.6(P1)、7.6(P2)、8.6(P3)和9.6(P4),以温室养殖池塘内的平均pH水平(8.2)为对照(P0);实验Ⅱ设3个pH昼夜变化幅度:7.5～8.2(PV1)、7.5～9.5(PV2)和7.5～10.0(PV3),以养殖池塘的平均pH昼夜变化幅度(7.5～8.7)为对照(PV0)。结果显示,环境pH水平可显著影响对虾成活率、血淋巴颗粒细胞数以及血淋巴中超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GSH-Px)、谷胱甘肽还原酶(GR)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)、酚氧化酶(PO)和诱导型一氧化氮合酶(iNOS)的活性。P4水槽内对虾成活率显著低于P0、P1、P2和P3水槽,同时其血淋巴SOD、GSH-Px、GR、CAT、PO和iNOS的活性较后者不同程度地下降。pH昼夜变化幅度可显著影响对虾成活率、血淋巴SOD、GSH-Px、GR和CAT活性,但对血淋巴谷胱甘肽含量无显著影响。PV2和PV3水槽内对虾成活率显著低于PV0和PV1水槽,同时其血淋巴SOD、GSH-Px、GR和CA...     

A survey of gastro-intestinal parasitic infection in domestic and wild birds in Chittagong and Greater Sylhet,Bangladesh

A survey of gastrointestinal parasitic infection as determined by faecal examination was conducted among domestic and wild birds in Bangladesh. Birds were sampled from households, wet markets and wetlands in Chittagong and Greater Sylhet districts during April 2012 to February 2013. Mist nets were used to catch resident wild and migratory birds. The overall prevalence of parasitic infection ranged among locations from 25 to 55% in indigenous domestic ducks (live bird samples = 304), 20% in resident wild birds (environmental faecal samples = 40) and 40% in migratory birds (live bird samples = 35). The prevalence of parasitic infection was significantly higher in indigenous domestic ducks collected during summer (39%) than winter (22%) (p = 0.04). In domestic indigenous ducks and Muscovy ducks, both single and multiple types of parasitic infections were found. However, other domestic birds and wild birds often had a single type of parasitic infection. Ascaridia spp. with an average egg load of 50–900, was commonly detected in faecal samples of domestic and wild birds in this study. Other identified parasites were Capillaria spp. and Heterakis spp. both in domestic and wild birds. Improvement of biosecurity measures for household duck farms through educating and motivating household farmers could help mitigate the effects of parasitic infection on production.