Current status and future strategy in breeding grasspea (Lathyrus sativus)

Efforts in grasspea (Lathyrus sativus) improvement have increased since the development of lines that are very low in the neurotoxin Beta-N-oxalyl-L-alpha-beta-diamino propionic acid (ODAP); also referred to as Beta-N oxalyl-amino-L-alanine (BOAA). Many programs now address several related aspects of improvement simultaneously. These include reduced ODAP concentrations, insect and disease resistance, nitrogen fixation, agronomic practices, fodder and forage production, and components for increased yielding ability. The coordinated, multidisciplinary approach now being applied to the genetic improvement of grasspea should allow the potential of this largely neglected grain legume to be fully realized.     

Influence of Cultural Practices on the Performance of Long Level Basins in Egypt

Several field studies were conducted tobetter understand the influence of culturalpractices, inflow rate and field conditionson the performance of modern surfaceirrigation systems in Egypt. Field datawere collected on wheat and cotton underEgyptian conditions in order to estimateinfiltration, roughness and performanceparameters. Tests were made with a varietyof inflow rates and a variety ofcross-section shapes (flat or furrowed andseveral furrow spacings). These studiesprovide information on expected values ofinfiltration and roughness parameterstypical of cracking clay soils in the NileDelta, as well as guidelines andrecommendations for use of long-levelbasins in Egypt.     

Water stability of aggregates in subtropical and tropical soils (Georgia and China) and its relationships with the mineralogy and chemical properties

Water-stable aggregates isolated from three subtropical and one tropical soil (Western Georgia and China) were studied for their organic carbon, cation exchange capacity (CEC), specific surface area, magnetic susceptibility, and total chemical elements. The soils were also studied for their particle-size distribution, mineralogy, and nonsilicate Fe and Al oxides. Describe the water stability, three indices have been used: the content of water-stable macroaggregates (>0.25 mm), the mean weighted diameter of the aggregates, and the numerical aggregation index. The yellow-cinnamonic soil (China) was neutral, and the three other soils were acid. The soils were degraded with a low content of organic matter. The yellow-cinnamonic soil was characterized by the lowest water stability due to the predominantly vermiculite composition of the clay. The high water stability of the Oxisol structure was determined by the kaolinites and high content of oxides. In three out of the four soils studied, the hierarchical levels of the soil structure organization were defined; they were identified by the content of organic matter and the Ca + Mg (in Oxisols). Iron oxides mainly participated in the formation of micro-aggregates; Al and Mn contributed to the formation of macroaggregates. The water-stable aggregates acted as sorption geochemical barriers and accumulated Pb, Zn, Cd, Cs, and other trace elements up to concentrations exceeding their levels in the soil by 5 times and more. The highest correlations were obtained with CEC, Mn, and P rather than with organic carbon and Fe.     

The effect of low-molecular-weight organic acids and inorganic phosphorus concentration on the determination of soil phosphorus by the molybdenum blue reaction

Low-molecular-weight organic acids play an important role in the mobilization of soil phosphorus (P). The molybdate blue colorimetric method, based on the formation of P molybdenum blue compound, is commonly used for analysis of phosphate in soil and environmental samples. However, some organic acids can act as a ligand to bond with molybdenum acid, which subsequently interfere with the colorimetric reaction. The recoveries of P were inhibited by the addition of oxalic (>2 mM) and citric acids (>3 mM) both in standard P solutions and soil extracts, but formic and maleic acids did not interfere with the P determination. The inhibition of oxalic and citric acids on P recovery remained even at higher level of P (up to 100 μg P 100 ml⁻¹) though such interferences decreased by increasing P concentration. Comparison between oxalic and citric acids revealed the more pronounced interference by the addition of oxalic acid. The results suggested that the interference of organic acids with P determination is related to the types of organic acids and the ratio of organic acid ligands to P anions in the solutions. Thus, analysis of P using the molybdate blue colorimetric method should be undertaken cautiously in the presence of relative strong ligands like oxalic and citric acids.     

Simulating site-specific impacts of climate change on soil erosion and surface hydrology in southern Loess Plateau of China

Proper spatial and temporal treatments of climate change scenarios projected by General Circulation Models (GCMs) are critical to accurate assessment of climatic impacts on natural resources and ecosystems. The objective of this study was to evaluate the site-specific impacts of climate change on soil erosion and surface hydrology at the Changwu station of Shaanxi, China using a new spatiotemporal downscaling method. The Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model and climate change scenarios projected by the U.K. Hadley Centre's GCM (HadCM3) under the A2, B2, and GGa emissions scenarios were used in this study. The monthly precipitation and temperature projections were downloaded for the periods of 1900–1999 and 2010–2039 for the grid box containing the Changwu station. Univariate transfer functions were derived by matching probability distributions between station-measured and GCM-projected monthly precipitation and temperature for the 1950–1999 period. The derived functions were used to spatially downscale the GCM monthly projections of 2010–2039 in the grid box to the Changwu station. The downscaled monthly data were further disaggregated to daily weather series using a stochastic weather generator (CLIGEN). The HadCM3 projected that average annual precipitation during 2010–2039 would increase by 4 to 18% at Changwu and that frequency and intensity of large storms would also increase. Under the conventional tillage, simulated percent increases during 2010–2039, compared with the present climate, would be 49–112% for runoff and 31–167% for soil loss. However, simulated soil losses under the conservation tillage during 2010–2039 would be reduced by 39–51% compared with those under the conventional tillage in the present climate. The considerable reduction in soil loss in the conservation tillage indicates the importance of adopting conservation tillage in the region to control soil erosion under climate change.     

Applied data for modeling the behavior in cyclic torsion of beams in glued-laminated wood: influence of amplitude

 We present some applied data concerning the torsional behavior of glued-laminated wood beams under several loading programs. These data can contribute to adequate modeling of such behavior. We review the theory of the structure and rheology of the wood material and the torsion of beams, particularly those that are anisotropic, and we describe the test device and the experimental environment that led to the data in question. We show the failure characteristics of the studied beams in monotonous torsion and the influence of the loading amplitude in cyclic torsion on their behavior. Received: May 21, 2001 / Accepted: January 9, 2002 Correspondence to:M. Araar     

Potassium fertilization improves apple fruit (Malus domestica Borkh. Cv. Fuji) development by regulating trehalose metabolism

Potassium (K) fertilization and antioxidant enzymes both positively influence plant growth and development. However, it is not known whether K treatment improves fruit development via increasing soluble sugar. In this study, K-treated apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) fruit was harvested from 60 to 150 days after full bloom and was analyzed for ROS production and trehalose metabolism. The results show that K fertilization improved fruit firmness, increased growth according to several parameters, increased soluble sugar content, and decreased ROS production. The ascorbate metabolic pathway more effectively reduced ROS production than catalase and peroxidase (POD) did under K treatment. Trehalose-treated fruit also showed higher activity of ascorbate-related enzymes (DHAR, GR, and APX) compared with non-treated fruit. The changes of antioxidant enzyme activity in trehalose-treated fruit corresponded to those in K-treated fruit. Moreover, trehalase (TREH) activity in fruit was notably reduced by K treatment. This demonstrates that K influences ROS production via regulating trehalose content and TREH activity in fruit. This study provides new insight into the K mechanism which improves fruit development, including fruit firmness and size.     

Effects of formic acid and potassium diformate on the fermentation quality,chemical composition and aerobic stability of alfalfa silage

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of potassium diformate (KDF) as a potential additive for alfalfa silage. Fresh alfalfa was untreated or treated with formic acid (4 g/kg fresh weight, FW) or three concentrations of KDF (4, 5.5 or 7 g/kg FW). After 60 days of ensiling, the addition of formic acid and greater levels of KDF (5.5 and 7 g/kg) effectively reduced silage pH and inhibited the undesirable bacteria, indicated by lower butyric acid, ethanol, ammonia N concentrations and microbial populations (including enterobacteria, yeasts, moulds and clostridia). Additives decreased the dry‐matter loss, and more water‐soluble carbohydrates were preserved in the silages with formic acid or potassium diformate than in the control. Alfalfa silages treated with formic acid at 4 g/kg FW or potassium diformate at 5.5 or 7 g/kg FW were classified as the highest quality silage based on the higher Flieg's point (above 70) and remained stable for more than 9 days during aerobic exposure. Potassium diformate is recommended as an effective additive for alfalfa silages at a level of 5.5 or 7 g/kg FW under the humid and hot conditions of southern China.     

Amplification of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phytophthora infestans</Emphasis> RG57 loci Facilitates <Emphasis Type="Italic">in planta</Emphasis> T-RFLP Identification of Late Blight Genotypes

Late blight, caused by the oomycete Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary, is a devastating disease in potato and tomato and causes yield and quality losses worldwide. The disease first emerged in central America and has since spread in North America including the United States and Canada. Several new genotypes of P. infestans have recently emerged, including US-22, US-23 and US-24. Due to significant economic and environmental impacts, there has been an increasing interest in the rapid identification of P. infestans genotypes. In addition to providing details regarding the various phenotypic characteristics such as fungicide resistance, host preference, and pathogenicity associated with various P. infestans genotypes, information related to pathogen movement and potential recombination may also be determined from the genetic analyses. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis with the RG57 loci is one of the most reliable procedures used to genotype P. infestans. However, the RFLP procedure requires propagation and isolation of the pathogen and relatively large amounts of DNA. Isolation of the late blight pathogen is sometimes impossible due to the poor condition of the infected tissues or the presence of fungicide residues. In this study, we describe a procedure to identify P. infestans at the molecular level in planta using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) of the RG57 loci. This T-RFLP assay is sufficiently sensitive to detect and differentiate P. infestans genotypes directly in planta without propagation and isolation of the pathogen, to facilitate the timely implementation of best management practices.