Growth and fatty acid composition of sesame (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Sesamum indicum</Emphasis> L.) genotypes as influence by planting dates and nitrogen fertilization in semiarid region of Northwest,Pakistan

A field experiment was conducted on silty clay loam soil in the years 2011–2012. Two sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) cultivars (Local Black and Local White) were evaluated using various 3 different sowing dates (20th June, 10th and 30th July) and four agrotechnical level (0, 40, 80 and 120 kg N ha^–1) at New Developmental Farm The University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Pakistan. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of sowing dates on growth, yield and oil fatty acid composition of two sesame cultivars grown under different nitrogen fertilization. Results showed that cv. Local Black was characterized by significantly higher content of oil (47%), seed yield (696 kg ha^–1) and oil yield (335 kg ha^–1) while cv. Local White had higher palmitic acid (8%) and linoleic acid (38.7%). Yield and its main components were positively affected by the earlier sowing date. With regard to fatty acid composition, a decrease in oleic and stearic acid and an increase in linoleic and palmitic acid were observed. At early sowing, oleic and palmitic acid decreased whereas linoleic and stearic acid increased. The decrease in the oleic/linoleic acid ratio observed at early sowing, suggests a possible role of temperature on the activity of oleate desaturase in the developing seeds. Intensive technology of cultivation (120 kg N ha^–1), compared to the economical technology (40 kg N ha^–1), significantly increased the seed yield of both sesame cultivars. This was due to higher number of branches, Capsules m^–2, capsules plant^–1, seeds capsule^–1 and 1000 seed weight (g). The intensive technology of cultivation had a beneficial effect on the content of palmitic acid, linolenic acid and oleic acid in sesame seed.     

Size‐related oxygen consumption and ammonia excretion of Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis L.) reared in a recirculating system

Oxygen consumption (OC) and ammonia excretion rates (AE) of perch were measured under commercial‐like conditions (temperature 23.3 °C) in both fed (F) and feed‐deprived groups (D). Measurements were taken in triplicate in six sized batches of perch ranging from 44.8 to 336.2 g. The mean daily OC was 288.3–180.6 mg O₂ kg^?1 h^?1 for group F fish ranging in size from 44.8 to 279.4 g body weight. The mean daily AE expressed as total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) was 13.8–5.2 mg TAN kg^?1 h^?1 in the same groups. Daily peaks of OC in group F perch were observed 6 h after the onset of feeding for each size group with relatively stable values up to the end of feeding. Peaks of daily AE in group F perch were observed 10 h after the onset of feeding in each size group, with a rapid decrease up to 16 h after onset. In group D, OC was 181.1–110.5 mg O₂ kg^?1 h^?1 in the weight range 57.9–336.2 g. The daily mean AE was 1.7–0.5 TAN kg^?1 h^?1 in this group. No dramatic peaks of OC and AE were observed in group D perch.     

A new microassay for antifeedants in<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Hylobius</Emphasis> pine weevils (Coleoptera)

A micro-feeding assay was developed for testing small amounts of synthetics and extracts as antifeedants for Hylobius pine weevils. We devised a simple setup consisting of 5×5-mm pieces of thin layer chromatography cellulose plates used in pairs for a bioassay involving choice. After application of 1.5 l solutions and evaporation of the solvent, each plate received a 5 l aliquot of 1 M sucrose as a feeding stimulant. The test period was 4 h at 25 °C with 6 days of starvation before the test, compared to just the 1 day sufficient for twig tests. Deprivation of water for 1 day at 65% RH before the test was critical because it increased feeding but not mortality. The combination of starvation and thirst reduced the relative variance (coefficient of variation) to below 50%. There was a good correlation of antifeedant activity in the microassay with the activity in a standard twig test. The microassay needs only several mg for a test series, whereas the twig test needs grams.     

红脂大小蠹高效引诱剂林间引诱试验结果初报

红脂大小蠹是原产北美近年传入我国的一种危险性森林害虫 ,生活隐蔽 ,防治难度很大。为筛选出对我国油松林中红脂大小蠹种群有高效引诱作用的药剂 ,为今后控制红脂大小蠹的危害提供经济、实用、高效的监测方法和防治技术提供技术和物质依据 ,作者于 2 0 0 2年 5～ 7月在石家庄井陉和邢台内丘两地 ,先后进行了连续 2次的引诱试验。试验以加拿大生产的商品和松节油分别作为对照 ,共对 2 7种不同药剂的林间引诱效果进行了测定。试验结果表明 ,2B -7号引诱剂引诱效果显著好于加拿大对照 (a=0 .0 1 4) ,每个诱捕器平均诱虫数量比加拿大引诱剂多 96.3 9%。初步测算其成本比购买加拿大产品低 3 0 %～ 5 0 %以上。     

Radial patterns of sap flow in woody stems of dominant and understory species: scaling errors associated with positioning of sensors

We studied sap flow in dominant coniferous (Pinus sylvestris L.) and broadleaf (Populus canescens L.) species and in understory species (Prunus serotina Ehrh. and Rhododendron ponticum L.) by the heat field deformation (HFD) method. We attempted to identify possible errors arising during flow integration and scaling from single-point measurements to whole trees. Large systematic errors of -90 to 300% were found when it was assumed that sap flow was uniform over the sapwood depth. Therefore, we recommend that the radial sap flow pattern should be determined first using sensors with multiple measuring points along a stem radius followed by single-point measurements with sensors placed at a predetermined depth. Other significant errors occurred in the scaling procedure even when the sap flow radial pattern was known. These included errors associated with uncertainties in the positioning of sensors beneath the cambium (up to 15% per 1 mm error in estimated xylem depth), and differences in environmental conditions when the radial profile applied for integration was determined over the short term (up to 47% error). High temporal variation in the point-to-area correction factor along the xylem radius used for flow integration is also problematic. Compared with midday measurements, measurements of radial variation of sap flow in the morning and evening of sunny days minimized the influence of temporal variations on the point-to-area correction factor, which was especially pronounced in trees with a highly asymmetric sap flow radial pattern because of differences in functioning of the sapwood xylem layers. Positioning a single-point sensor at a depth with maximum sap flow is advantageous because of the high sensitivity of maximum sap flow to water stress conditions and changes in micro-climate, and because of the lower random errors associated with the positioning of a single-point sensor along the xylem radius.     

Cutter head forces and load cell scanning

Among the machinery found in wood manufacturing industries, routers and planers are the most commonly used. These tools, which many times are mounted on metal cylinders, actually operate only briefly, i. e., when a chip is cut from a piece of wood under process. The rest of the time the knife follows the cylinder surface and a cycloid is formed relative to the work piece, which in turn is fed into the machine. A number of knives are mounted on the cutter, which ascertain that the planed surface will become sufficiently planed and does not show too a wavy pattern. This works fine for high revolutions and low feeding speeds even if problems sometimes occur. Factories, however, naturally want to increase the overall manufacturing speed, which means that at the same time more defects are introduced at the planed surface. These defects are the result of the cutting process. In this paper, we examine, by use of a load cell, how the cutting forces vary during the formation of a wood chip. Wood is not an isotropic material and knots and other anomalies make the evaluation harder. In order to simplify the conditions, experiments are also shown from the cutting of a plastic polymer material as well as Medium Density Fibreboard (MDF). It is shown that the work piece vibrated intensely which littered all output data from the cell. Experience from the experiments however made it possible to design a computerised filter which saved only those registrations which were of interest while the others were set to zero. For beech, the forces were found to be of the magnitude 50 N/cm opposite to the feeding direction while the tranverse forces changed signs and had a magnitude of about 5 N/cm.     

Leaf distribution in large trees and stands of the floodplain forest in southern Moravia

Vertical distributions of leaf dry mass (M(d)) and leaf area (A(f)) were related to relative irradiance (I(r); I(r) above the stand = 1) in closed-canopy, old-growth stands of the floodplain forest in southern Moravia composed largely of Quercus, Fraxinus and Tilia species. Foliage area and mass at any given canopy height were converted to solar equivalent leaf area (A(s)) and mass (M(s)) by multiplying actual values at a given level in the canopy by the relative irradiance at that position. Stand leaf area index (LAI) was 5 (7 including shrub and herb layer), and solar equivalent parameters reached about 25% of that amount. In all species, vertical profiles of both relative irradiance and leaf dry mass to area ratio (LMA) were sigmoidal and the two variables were linearly related. The dominant, upper canopy species had a larger proportion of solar equivalent foliage than suppressed understory species. For individual trees of all species, the upper canopy had a larger proportion of solar equivalent foliage than the lower canopy. Light compensation points at both the leaf and whole-tree level were defined according to leaf or tree position, size and structure. I conclude that optimization of A(s) for forest stands may be used as a basis for determining thinning schedules and evaluating tree survival after damage to tree crowns by various factors.     

Farmers' production of timber trees in the cacao-coffee region of coastal Ecuador

The coastal region of Ecuador is an important producer of cacao and coffee. Increasingly, farms and ranches in the region also provide industrial wood for sawmills and other wood processing plants. Most of this wood derives from shade trees and pasture trees. Because little is known of wood supply from farm sources in coastal Ecuador, a survey was conducted of 122 farmers in the subregions of Ventanas, La Troncal, and Babahoyo. The survey indicates an abundance of land for the growing of farm trees, and excellent regeneration of many species on the majority of farms. However, current stocking of farm trees seems well below potential, and fewer than half of interviewed owners deliberately manage farm trees for eventual sale as timber. Only 2.2 percent of gross farm revenue derives from tree sales, even though over half of surveyed farmers have sold trees to industrial buyers at least once. Constraints on production and sales of farm trees for timber include risks of damage to coffee and cacao; perceived incompatibilities with current farming practices; inadequate methods of classification and pricing of farm trees; and insufficient knowledge of the industrial uses of farm trees by agricultural extensionists. These limitations need to be addressed through a strategy of research, development, and information diffusion on selected demonstration farms.

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Resúmen La región costera del Ecuador es una productora importante de cacao y café. Cada vez más, las fincas de la región proveen madera industrial para asseraderos y otros procesores madereros. La mayoría des esta madera viene de árboles de sombra. Dado que se sabe poco de la cantidad de madera provieniente de fincas en la costa del Ecuador se hizo una encuesta a 122 agricultores en las subregiones de Ventanas, La Troncal, y Babahoyo. La encuesta indica que existe una abundancia de terreno disponible para la producción de árboles de sombra y una regeneración excelente de muchas especies en la mayoría de las fincas. Sin embargo, densidades de los árboles de sombra parece bastante debajo de su nivel potencial, y menos de la mitad de los agricultores entrevistados cultivan sus árboles con el fin de venderlos eventualmente. De los entrevistados, un promedio de 2,2 porciento de ingresos brutos anuales provienen de ventas de árboles, a pesar de que más de la mitad de los agricultores han vendido árboles a compradores industriales por lo menos una vez. Limitaciones a la producción y a la venta de estos árboles incluyen el riesgo de daños a las plantas de cacao y cafe; la percibida incompatibilidad con las prácticas agrícolas usuales, métodes inadecuados de clasificar y poner precio a los árboles, y el poco conocimiento de los usos industriales de árboles de sombra por parte de los extensionistas agrícolas. Se necesita enfocar atención a estas limitaciones a través de una estrategia de investigación, desarrollo, y difusión de información en seleccionadas fincas demonstrativas.