Intercropping of Corn with Soybean and Lupin for Silage: Effect of Seeding Date on Yield and Quality

Intercropping of corn with legumes is an alternative to corn monocropping and has a number of advantages, for example, lower levels of inputs, lower costs of production and better silage quality than the monocrop system. An experiment was carried out at two sites in 1993 and 1994 to investigate the effects of seeding date (simultaneous with corn or 3 weeks later) and number of rows of large‐seeded legumes (one or two) seeded between the corn rows. The intercrop plots received 90 kg ha^?1 less nitrogen fertilizer than the monocrop plots, which received 180 kg ha^?1. Silage yields were sometimes decreased by the simultaneous seeding of corn and large‐seeded legumes. Protein content and concentration were not affected by most treatments and provided reasonable quality silage, despite a reduction in the amount of nitrogen fertilizer used.     

Soy ingredients stabilize bread dough during frozen storage

Bread with 48.5% soy ingredients was assessed for quality during frozen storage of the dough. Soy protein was hypothesized to prevent water migration during frozen storage, thereby producing dough that would exhibit fewer structural changes than traditional wheat bread. Wheat and soy bread were baked from dough that was fresh or frozen (−20 °C, 2 or 4 wks). Dough and bread were assessed for physical properties including moisture content, percent “freezable” and “unfreezable” water, dough extensibility, and bread texture. The bread was subjected to an untrained sensory panel. The soy bread was denser, chewier, and had a higher moisture content than wheat bread. When baked from fresh or frozen dough, soy bread was rated “moderately acceptable” or higher by 70% of panelists. Soy minimized changes in dough extensibility and resistive force to extension, leading to minimal changes in bread hardness. Although consumers could distinguish between bread baked from soy dough that was fresh or frozen for 4 wks, sensorial and textural data suggested that the rate at which the quality of the soy dough deteriorated was slower than that of wheat dough. In conclusion, the dough of consumer-acceptable soy bread retained quality characteristics during frozen storage slightly better than wheat dough.     

Biogenic potassium salt particles as seeds for secondary organic aerosol in the Amazon

The fine particles serving as cloud condensation nuclei in pristine Amazonian rainforest air consist mostly of secondary organic aerosol. Their origin is enigmatic, however, because new particle formation in the atmosphere is not observed. Here, we show that the growth of organic aerosol particles can be initiated by potassium-salt-rich particles emitted by biota in the rainforest. These particles act as seeds for the condensation of low- or semi-volatile organic compounds from the atmospheric gas phase or multiphase oxidation of isoprene and terpenes. Our findings suggest that the primary emission of biogenic salt particles directly influences the number concentration of cloud condensation nuclei and affects the microphysics of cloud formation and precipitation over the rainforest.     

Effect of Stocking Density on the Growth,Survival, and Behavior of Postpuerulus Western Rock Lobster,Panulirus cygnus (George) (Decapoda: Palinuridae)

The effect of four stocking densities (30, 60, 100, and 150 lobsters/m²) on the growth and survival of Panulirus cygnus postpueruli was determined over a 112‐d grow‐out trial. Agonistic behavior at each experimental density was recorded using infrared filming. Survival and growth decreased with increasing density, although this trend was only significant between the lowest (30/m²) and the highest densities (150/m²) (P < 0.05) at the conclusion of the grow‐out trial. Density had no significant effect on apparent feed intake but significantly affected food conversion ratios (FCR) across all four densities, with FCR being best at 30/m² and worst at 150/m². The number and frequency of agonistic encounters per tank differed significantly with density, with agonistic encounters being highest at 150/m² and lowest at 30/m². Agonistic encounters coincided with the crepuscular foraging pattern of postpueruli. The reduction in survival and growth of postpueruli at the highest density (150/m²) can be attributed to the significant increase in the number of agonistic encounters. This study supports that P. cygnus postpueruli should be stocked at densities less than 100/m² in order to minimize the negative effect of density on growth and survival.     

Uptake and nutrient balance of nitrogen,sulfur, and boron for optimal canola production in eastern Canada

Balanced plant nutrition is essential to achieve high yields of canola (Brassica napus L.) and get the best economic return from applied fertilizers. A field study was conducted at nine site‐years across eastern Canada to investigate the effects of nitrogen (N), sulfur (S) and boron (B) fertilization on canola nutrient uptake, nutrient balance, and their relationship to canola yields. The factorial experiment consisted of four N rates of 0 (N0), 50 (N50), 100 (N100), and 150 (N150) kg ha^?1, two S rates of 0 (S0) and 20 (S20) kg ha^?1, and three B treatments of 0 (B0), 2 kg ha^?1 at preplant (B2.0P), and 0.5 kg B ha^?1 foliar‐applied at early flowering stage (B0.5F). Each site‐year used the same experimental design and assigned treatments in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Fertilizer S application greatly improved seed yields at six out of nine site‐years, and the highest N use efficiency was in the N150+S20 treatment. Sulfur application generally increased seed S concentration, seed S removal, and plant total S uptake, while B fertilization mainly elevated straw B concentration and content, with minimal effect on seed yields. At the early flowering stage, plant tissue S ranged from 2.2 to 6.6 mg S g^?1, but the N : S ratio was over or close to the critical value of 12 in the N150+S0 combination at five site‐years. On average across nine site‐years, canola reached a plateau yield of 3580 kg ha^?1 when plants contained 197 kg N ha^?1, 33 kg S ha^?1 and 200 g B ha^?1, with a seed B content of 60 g B ha^?1. The critical N, S, and B values identified in this work and their potential for a posteriori nutrient diagnosis of canola should be useful to validate fertilizer requirements for canola production in eastern Canada.     

Light quality treatments enhance somatic seedling production in three southern pine species

Embryogenic cultures of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.), slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm.), longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) and slash pine x longleaf pine hybrids were initiated from immature seeds on an initiation medium containing 13.57 microM 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 2.22 microM benzylaminopurine. Embryogenic cultures proliferated and somatic embryos developed, matured and germinated following a modified protocol and media originally developed for radiata pine (Pinus radiata D. Don.) somatic seedling production. A discrete, light-sensitive pre-germination stage and a later germination (radicle emergence) stage were identified by the differential response of somatic embryos to light of different wavelengths. Different light quality treatments were applied during the pre-germination and germination steps, using cool white fluorescent bulbs or light-emitting diodes (LEDs), or both. In general, red wavelengths provided by LEDs during these steps resulted in higher frequencies of somatic embryo germination (up to 64%) and conversion (up to 50%), longer tap roots and more first-order lateral roots than the standard cool white fluorescent treatments or treatment with blue wavelengths from LEDs. In addition, exposure to red light allowed germination of somatic embryos of some clones that failed to produce germinants under fluorescent light. Germination and conversion were further enhanced by sequential application of cool white fluorescent light and red light, resulting in up to 100% germination and conversion in one experiment. Longleaf pine somatic embryos were especially responsive to the light quality treatments, resulting in the first report of somatic seedling production for this species.     

Functions for estimating belowground and whole tree biomass of birch in Norway

Obtaining accurate estimates of national belowground and whole tree biomass is important to better understand the global carbon cycle and to quantify biomass stocks and changes. However, the availability of individual tree belowground biomass functions is generally low due to the difficulty of extracting roots. Allometric birch (Betula pubescens Ehrh. and Betula pendula Roth) biomass functions were derived from 67 trees for belowground and whole tree biomass using diameter at breast height (dbh) and height as the independent variables. The sampled trees spanned a dbh range from 4.0 to 45.5?cm and the functions provided a good fit to the data (RMSE?=?14.2?kg for BG and 40.7?kg for whole tree with dbh as predictor). Belowground, total stem, live crown, and dead branch biomass comprised 29.2%, 52.2%, 18.1%, and 0.5% of the whole tree biomass, respectively. Observed root-to-shoot ratios were between 0.21 and 0.88 with a mean of 0.42. Comparisons with existing belowground birch biomass functions from Fennoscandia indicated considerable differences in estimates between existing functions. The derived data-set for belowground birch biomass is the largest in Fennoscandia and the developed functions are likely the best available for estimating national birch biomass stock and stock change in Norway.     

Seasonal interaction of serum vitamin D concentration and bone density in alpacas

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate temporal changes in bone mineral density associated with seasonal variation in serum vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorus concentrations in alpacas. ANIMALS: 5 healthy mature neutered male alpacas. PROCEDURE: Metacarpal bone mineral density was measured at 4 times during a year. Each time alpacas were weighed, blood was collected for determination of serum calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D concentrations, and samples of feed were analyzed for nutrient content. Vitamin D status was determined by use of an assay that measured serum 25-hydroxycalciferol concentration. Effects of changes in serum vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorus concentration and body weight with season on bone mineral density were determined. RESULTS: Bone mineral density, body weight, and serum vitamin D and phosphorus concentrations varied with season. Bone mineral density, serum vitamin D concentration, and body weight also varied among individual alpacas. Serum vitamin D concentration was lower in January than the previous October and increased from May to the following September. The decrease in bone mineral density lagged behind the decrease in serum vitamin D concentration and was lower in May, compared with the previous October. Body weight was lower in May than the previous October or following September. Solar radiation was highest in July and lowest in December. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Seasonal changes in bone mineral density are associated with changes in serum vitamin D concentrations in alpacas. Changes in bone mineral density associated with a decline in serum vitamin D concentration may predispose some alpacas to developing fractures minimal trauma.