Yield of greenhouse-grown tomato in substrates containing coir and parboiled rice or burnt rice hulls

Substrate components produced in the sub-tropics or tropics were combined in various proportions as substrates for the greenhouse production of ‘Big Beef’ tomato. Coir was mixed with parboiled rice hulls (PBH) or burnt rice hulls (BRH) at 0, 25, 50, 75, or 100% volume. Fruit fresh weights at equal proportions of BRH or PBH in coir were similar, with the greatest fruit yields achieved with 50 to 100% coir (0 to 50% PBH or BRH). Compared to 100% coir, PBH in coir decreased substrate container capacity and increased air porosity, while BRH in coir increased container capacity and decreased the air porosity. Pre-plant fertilisation of the PBH + coir substrates (superphosphate, gypsum, trace elements, calcium nitrate, and surfactant) increased fruit yield significantly. Substrates containing 50 to 100% coir with BRH or PBH yielded greater fruit fresh weights than was achieved in in 70% BRH + 30% gravel (a typical substrate used in the Dominican Republic), and reusing the 70% BRH + 30% gravel led to a 36% increase in fruit fresh weight. Fruit fresh weights in 100% coir or 75% coir plus 25% PBH or BRH were similar to those achieved in a commercial peat-lite. Herein we report on substrates made from tropical components that perform similarly to a peat-based substrate in the production of greenhouse-grown tomatoes.     

Modeling of the Contour Water Flooding Technology in Microcosms

Eurasian Soil Science - The results are presented of modeling the “contour water flooding” biotechnology aimed at cleaning heavily petroleum-polluted agrosoddy-podzolic soils (Albic...     

Anthropogenic Soils of Botanical Gardens: A Review

Eurasian Soil Science - A review of publications on soils of botanical gardens forming in different landscape conditions and approaches to their classification is presented. Transformation of the...     

The Impact of Pesticides on the Microbial Community of Agrosoddy-Podzolic Soil

Eurasian Soil Science - The impact of three types of pesticides (herbicide metribuzin, insecticide imidacloprid, and fungicide benomyl) on the structure of microbial complexes and indicators of...     

Possibility of Reducing Soil Allelotoxicity for Grain Crops

Eurasian Soil Science - The results of experiments on possible reduction of soil allelotoxicity level for grain crops are presented. It was found that autoclaving of soils significantly reduces...     

The renal excretion of pethidine administered postoperatively to male dogs

The urinary excretion of pethidine and its major metabolite, norpethidine, was investigated in four male dogs given pethidine as a postoperative analgesic. The urinary excretion of pethidine in the first 4 h after drug administration was low at 1.9% of the administered dose. The percentage of the drug excreted as norpethidine was also low at 3.7% but there was a great deal of individual variation. Urinary excretion, therefore, appears to be a minor route in the clearance of pethidine in the dog.     

Cytogenetic characterization of a canine haemangiopericytoma

A 15-year-old dachshund bitch developed a haemangiopericytoma in the perineal region. The cytogenetic evaluation of the tumour cells showed a chromosome number of 74. The following abnormalities were found: an intersitially deleted chromosome no. 1 and centric fusions 5/6, 5/14, 7/15 and 9/17.     

Comparison between barbed and conventional sutures for longitudinal thelotomy closure in an ex-vivo bovine model

Objective To determine differences in suture time and bursting strength on a longitudinal thelotomy closure using innovative barbed versus conventional smooth suture materials.Sample population Twenty-four teats from 6 udders of culled beef cows.Study design Experimental ex-vivo surgical study.Methods Thelotomies (length: 2 cm) were performed on every teat and randomly allocated to closure with either a 3-0 bidirectional barbed suture for both mucosa and connective layers or a conventional 3-layer suture, using 3-0 smooth polydioxanone. For both groups, skin was closed with 2-0 polypropylene monofilament suture. Duration of suturing time for inner layers and bursting strength of the repair were recorded and compared.Results Suturing was faster with barbed versus conventional sutures (527.7 ± 64.5 versus 727.1 ± 60.7 s, respectively; P < 0.0001). However, bursting strength was not significantly different between the 2 types of sutures.Conclusion Using the barbed suture significantly reduced the time required to suture the mucosa and conjunctiva layers, with no significant difference between sutures in their bursting strength.Clinical significance Bidirectional barbed suture material is suitable for closure of thelotomies in cattle.     

Dependence of water-binding properties of ground meat on change in active acidity

The effect of pH value on water activity and water-binding capacity of ground meat is established. The water-binding properties of ground meat change at different levels of the sodium chloride content in it.