Ammonium nitrate-impregnated woodchips: a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer for plants

Different types of fertilizers are widely used throughout the world for successful crop production. Chemical fertilizers have some adverse effects on the environment if used indiscriminately and are a major source of soil and water pollution. To minimize environmental pollution, use of slow-release fertilizer (SRF) in agricultural practices is an important and effective method. Different materials have been used so far to formulate SRF, but SRF from wood is a unique technique which reflects a new dimension of wood use. In this aspect, present study was designed to develop a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer using three kinds of woodchips: Japanese red pine (Pinus densiflora S. et Z.), eunsasi poplar (Populus tomentiglandulosa T. Lee), and konara oak (Quercus serrata Thunb.). Fertilizers were prepared from woodchips after full-cell treated with a saturated solution (2140 g/l at 25°C) of ammonium nitrate (NH₄NO₃). The morphology of woodchip fertilizer was investigated by using a field-emission electron microscope (FE-SEM) equipped with an energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectrometer to locate NH₄NO₃ in woodchips. Deposition of nitrogen in the cell lumen was verified by FE-SEM. Deposition inside the cell wall was confirmed by EDX mapping. This study also evaluated the release pattern of nitrogen from impregnated woodchips in distilled water for 768 h and found that nitrogen was released from poplar, pine, and oak in a slow-release pattern. The encapsulated nutrient in the void volume of wood facilitated the slow release. The above findings confirm that woodchip fertilizers can be used as a slow-release nitrogen source for plants.     

Effect of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Beauveria bassiana</Emphasis> mixed with diatomaceous earth on mortality,mycosis and sporulation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhyzopertha dominica</Emphasis> on stored wheat

A laboratory assay was designed to determine the insecticidal efficacy of Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin (Hyphomycetes: Moniliales) and diatomaceous earth (Diafil 610) against Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) (Coleoptera: Bostrychidae). The fungus B. bassiana was applied at 2.23 × 10⁷, 2.23 × 10⁸ and 2.23 × 10⁹ conidia kg⁻¹ of wheat individually as well as mixed with 200 and 400 ppm of Diafil 610. The conditions for the trials were 30 ± 2^oC with 55% r.h. and the counts for mortality were made after 8, 16 and 24 d. All the dead adults were removed after each count and the vials were kept for the next 60 d to assess the emergence of the F₁ generation. The findings from these studies proved that the extended exposure interval and the highest combined dose rate of the entomopathogenic fungus and the diatomaceous earth gave the maximum mortality of the beetles. The emergence of the progeny was also highly suppressed where the maximum dose rate of the synergized treatments was applied. The rate of mycosis and sporulation in the cadavers of R. dominica was maximum where the low dose rates of B. bassiana were applied.     

Metabolic resistance mechanisms to phosalone in the common pistachio psyllid, Agonoscena pistaciae (Hem.: Psyllidae)

The common pistachio psyllid, Agonoscena pistaciae, is the most damaging pest of pistachio in Iran, and is generally controlled by insecticides belonging to various classes especially, phosalone. The toxicity of phosalone in nine populations of the pest was assayed using the residual contact vial and insect-dip methods. The bioassay results showed significant discrepancy in susceptibility to phosalone among the populations. Resistance ratio of the populations to the susceptible population ranged from 3.3 to 11.3. The synergistic effects of TPP, PBO and DEM were evaluated on the susceptible and the most resistant population to determine the involvement of esterases, mixed function oxidases and glutathione S-transferases in resistance mechanisms, respectively. The level of resistance to phosalone in the resistant population was suppressed by TPP, PBO and DEM, suggesting that the resistance to phosalone is mainly caused by esterase detoxification. Biochemical enzyme assays revealed that esterase, glutathione S-transferase and cytochrome P450 monooxygenase activities in the resistant population was higher than that in the susceptible. Glutathione-S-transferases play a minor role in the resistance of the pest to phosalone.     

Genetic identity of the Bemisia tabaci species complex and association with high cotton leaf curl disease (CLCuD) incidence in Pakistan

BACKGROUND: The cotton whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), is a cryptic species complex, and members of the complex have become serious pests in Pakistan because of their feeding and their ability to transmit cotton leaf curl virus (CLCuV). Here, an analysis was made of the identity of B. tabaci collected from cotton and a range of non‐cotton hosts in the cotton‐growing zones in Punjab and Sindh, the main cotton‐producing provinces of Pakistan, using a portion of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase 1 gene. The geographic distribution of the different members of the complex was then compared with the incidence of CLCuD. RESULTS: Using the Dinsdale nomenclature, the results revealed three putative species, Asia 1, Asia II 1 and Middle East‐Asia Minor 1. Asia II 1 (also referred to in the literature as biotypes K, P, PCG‐1, PK1, SY and ZHJ2) was only recorded from Punjab cotton plants, whereas Asia 1 (also referred to in the literature as biotypes H, M, NA and PCG‐2) was found in both Sindh and Punjab. Middle East‐Asia Minor 1 (commonly known as biotype B and B2) was found only in Sindh. Moreover, Asia II 1 was associated with high incidences of CLCuD, whereas regions where Middle East‐Asia Minor 1 was present had a lower incidence. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the Middle East‐Asia Minor 1 population in Sindh formed a distinct genetic subgroup within the putative species, suggesting that the Sindh province of Pakistan may form part of its home range. So far, no individuals from the putative species Mediterranean (commonly known as biotypes Q, J and L) have been found in Pakistan. CONCLUSIONS: The capacity to manage pests and disease effectively relies on knowledge of the identity of the agents causing the damage. In the case of CLCuD in Pakistan, this knowledge has been obscured to some extent because of the inconsistent approach to identifying and distinguishing the different B. tabaci associated with CLCuD. The situation has now been clarified, and a strong association between disease incidence and vector identity and abundance has been shown. Given this advance, future research can now focus on factors that influence the capacity of different vector species to transmit the viruses that cause CLCuD, the reason for differences in vector abundance and the lack of geographic overlap between the cryptic vector species. This knowledge will contribute to the development of improved methods with which to manage the disease in Pakistan. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

塔中紫外辐射与气象要素的关系

分析2007年塔克拉玛干沙漠腹地紫外辐射特征和影响因子与气象要素的相关性,并依据有关要素拟合出紫外辐射的估算方程。结果表明：紫外辐射年总量达到305.64 MJ/（m2.a）,7月最大,12月最小,全年瞬时强度峰值在6月,为67.11 W/m2。紫外辐射的变化与总辐射变化呈显著正相关,且紫外辐射在总辐射中所占比例夏季大...     

基于机器视觉的玉米植株数量获取方法与试验

获得田间的玉米植株数量对于优化不同玉米品种的种植密度有重要意义,玉米植株数量也是计算新玉米品种平均每株产量的重要参数。为了减轻人工获得玉米植株数量的劳动强度,提高数据的准确率,该文利用基于机器视觉的图像处理技术来获得玉米植株数量。被留高茬玉米收获机作业之后的地块,有一定高度的玉米秸秆站立在地表,摄录这样的图像信息可以大大简化图像处理的难度,提高结果的精确度,所以将图像采集装置安装在留高茬玉米收获机之后来获得视频流。后处理过程中,将视频文件分解为图片文件,然后将真彩色的RGB图片文件转化成灰度图像进行图片的配准,再将灰度图像转化为二值图像进行图像分割与边界提取,最后找到玉米秸秆断面的几何中心并进行标记,统计标记结果即获得玉米植株数量。试验结果显示,人工播种与机械播种在图像识别的误差上没有显著差异(P0.05);机器视觉识别出来的玉米植株数量与实际数量也没有显著差异(P0.05),其平均误差为6.7%;并且该误差不会随着图像中玉米植株数量的增加而产生积累。该文的设计可以降低机器视觉在识别玉米植株数量过程中的难度,提高图像识别的准确度,更好地服务生产实际问题。     

Effect of Nano Fe-Chelate,Fe-Eddha and FeSO4 on Vegetative Growth,Physiological Parameters and Some Nutrient Elements Concentrations of Four Varieties of Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) In NFT System

In order to investigate the effects of different iron (Fe) sources (nano iron (Fe)-chelate, Fe- ethylenediamine-di(o-hydroxy phenyl acetic acid (EDDHA) and iron (II) sulfate (FeSO₄)) on lettuce (Lactuca sativa) growth in alkaline solutions, an experiment was arranged in hydroponic system. This study showed that leaf Fe content and overall plant growth was significantly increased by Fe-chelate application, and the highest values of leaf Fe, plant pigments and vegetative growth were recorded in plants treated with nano Fe-chelate. The lowest Fe, chlorophyll, carotenoids and soluble sugars in leaves were observed in FeSO₄ treatment. There were no difference in soluble sugars contents of plants between nano Fe-chelate and Fe-EDDHA treatments. Fertilization of lettuce plants with different Fe-chelate sources had a beneficial effect on the manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn) uptake in plants. It is concluded that application of chelated form of Fe (especially nano Fe-chelate) must be performed in hydroponic system with alkaline water, to overcome Fe deficiencies and to make better nutritional status.     

Impact of Nutrient Seed Priming on Germination,Seedling Development,Nutritional Status and Grain Yield of Maize

Effects of seed priming with zinc (Zn) plus manganese (Mn), boron (B), and phosphate (P) on growth and nutritional status of maize were studied. Nutrient seed priming significantly increased seed contents of primed nutrients. In nutrient solution (NS) lacking Zn and Mn, growth of maize plants primed with Zn?+?Mn increased by more than 50% and 100%, respectively, as compared to control treatment. The primed nutrients were efficiently translocated to the growing shoot and could maintain Zn and Mn supply for at least three weeks of the culture period. In soil culture, plants suffered from P and Zn deficiency, which was mitigated to some extent by P and Zn?+?Mn priming. Particularly, translocation of Zn seed reserves to the shoot tissue was negatively affected by the highly calcareous soil. In the field experiment, Zn?+?Mn seed priming increased grain yield by 15%, demonstrating the potential for long-lasting effects of nutrient seed priming.