Temporal patterns of storage and flux of N and P in young Teak plantations of tropical moist deciduous forest,India

Teak(Tectona grandis Linn.f.) ranks among the top five tropical hardwood species and is being promoted for use in plantations in its non-native range due to its high economic value.However,there is a general lack of data on ecosystem functioning of teak plantations.We aimed at understanding storage and flux of nutrients related to young plantations of teak.Cycling of nitrogen(N) and phosphorus(P) in a chronosequence of plantations(1,5,11,18,24 and 30 years) was studied in the Moist Deciduous Forest Region of North India with the objective of investigating the nutrient cycling pattern at younger age since the current trend of harvesting age of the species in several tropical countries is being drastically reduced for quick return from this high value crop.Standing state,nutrient uptake,nutrient return and nutrient retranslocation in these plantations were estimated by tree harvesting and chemical analysis methods.The range of total standing nutrient across all these plantations was 20.3 to 586.6 kg·ha-1 for N and 5.3 to 208.8 kg·ha-1 for P.Net uptake of N ranged from 19.4 to 88.9 kg·ha-1·a-1 and P from 3.8 to 18.1 kg·ha-1·a-1.Retranslocation of N and P among all the stands ranged from 8.7 to 48.0 kg·ha-1·a-1 and 0.01 to 3.5 kg·ha-1·a-1,respectively.Range of total nutrient return was 25.8 to 91.3 kg·ha-1·a-1 for N and 2.7 to 10.1 kg·ha-1·a-1 for P.N and P use efficiency was between 107.4 and 192.5 g dry organic matter(OM) g-1 N,and 551.9 and 841.1 g OM g-1 P,respectively.The turnover time ranged from 2.04-13.17 years for N and between 2.40-22.66 years for P.Quantity of N and P in the soil nutrient pool ranged from 2566.8 to 4426.8 kg·ha-1 and 372 to 520 kg·ha-1,Storage and flux of components in different plant parts of different aged plantations were assessed and depicted in compartment models.Percentage storage in soil,litter and vegetation ranged from 82% to 99%,0.6% to 2.4% and 0.5% to 15% for N,respectively,and from 63% to 98%,0.5% to 2% and 1% to 35% for P,respectively.This information could be useful in managing external nutrient manipulation to crops of different ages for optimum biomass production or carbon sequestration.     

基于天气预报的参照作物腾发量中短期预报模型研究

以新乡市1970—2011年逐日实测气象资料代入FAO 56 Penman-Monteith(PM)方法算得的ET0作为基准值,对HG、P-T、M-K、M-C模型进行参数修正,将新乡市2012—2014年冬小麦生育期间预见期为1、3、5、7、10d的天气预报数据代入修正后的模型进行ET01~10 d的中短期预报,并以2012—2014年冬小麦生育期间逐日实测气象资料由PM公式算得的ET0为基准值,对天气预报的精度及ET0的预报精度进行评价。结果表明:经过参数修正后HG、P-T、M-K、M-C模型的精度均有提高;最高气温、最低气温、风速、日照时数的预报精度均随预见期的增加呈逐渐下降趋势,最低气温预报的精度稍高于最高气温;不同预见期的ET0预报模型中,P-T模型预报的ET0平均准确率在众模型中较高(95.06%),其次为HG-M模型(94.66%)、PMT1模型(94.34%)、M-K模型(93.89%),且P-T、HGM两种模型计算程序较简单,因此优选P-T、HG-M模型进行ET0的中短期预报。     

An improved enzyme preparation for rapid mass production of protoplasts as seed stock for aquaculture of macrophytic marine green algae

Preparation of protoplasts and their subsequent applications for both basic and applied research of marine macroalgae remains largely under developed due to lack of development of reliable methods with consistent yields of viable protoplasts. An improved enzyme preparation with a single commercial enzyme, e.g. 2% Cellulase Onozuka R-10 in 1% NaCl solution, was developed to produce protoplasts rapidly from different green algal genera of Ulva, Enteromorpha and Monostroma. The simple dissolution of enzyme powder in 1% NaCl resulted in exclusion of 2% Macerozyme R-10 from the mixture consisting of 2% Cellulase Onozuka R-10 with 3% NaCl earlier reported as superior for the same algae. Optimal conditions for the isolation of maximum yields of viable protoplasts were found to be with 2% Cellulase Onozuka R-10 incubated at 20 °C for 2 h in 1% NaCl solution with 0.8 M mannitol adjusted to pH 6.0. The protoplast yield with optimized enzyme mixture was as high as 102.8 × 10⁶ cells g^− 1 f. wt for M. oxyspermum while it was in the range of 74.4–88.6 × 10⁶ cells g^− 1 f. wt thallus for seven species of Ulva, and 82.5–95.4 × 10⁶ cells g^− 1 f. wt for three species of Enteromorpha. The regeneration rate of protoplasts isolated using this method ranged from 89 to 92% with normal morphogenesis. The seeding of nylon threads with isolated protoplasts of M. oxyspermum was successful and after 3–4 weeks the entire frame with nylon threads became thick green in color with tiny germlings in laboratory culture. Thus, the method described in the present study allow for rapid mass production of viable protoplasts that could be potentially used as a source for seed material for mariculture and for other applied phycological research.     

Advances in “omics” approaches to tackle drought stress in grain legumes

Grain legumes being affordable sources of proteins, vitamins and essential micronutrients are key to human nutrition worldwide. However, frequent drought episodes present serious threat to grain legume production worldwide. Advances in legume omics in concert with evolving phenotyping and breeding techniques hold great promise to improve drought response of these crops. These resources could underpin prebreeding efforts to expedite discovery and deployment of novel drought tolerance traits into elite backgrounds. Fast-track transfer of traits that confer drought tolerance using marker technologies has been demonstrated in grain legumes like chickpea. However, complex genetic architecture of drought tolerance demands embracing more efficient tools like genomic selection (GS) for accelerated trait improvement. Recent studies on GS for addressing complex traits like drought tolerance have yielded encouraging results in these crops. Recently, speed breeding (SB) protocols have also been optimized for the improvement of long-day/day-neutral grain legumes. Efficacy of SB protocols with regard to complex traits awaits further evidences though. There remains immense scope for integrating SB with GS and gene editing to deliver drought-tolerant cultivars.     

Cyhalofop application timing and adjuvant selection for Echinochloa crus-galli control in rice

Field experiments were conducted in Stuttgart, Arkansas, in 2007 and 2008 to evaluate cyhalofop application timing and adjuvant selection for Echinochloa crus-galli L. Beauv. (barnyardgrass) control in drill-seeded rice. In the application timing experiment, cyhalofop was applied at 1 d prior to flooding (PREFL) and at 7, 14, and 21 d post-flood (POSTFL) as single (314 g a.i./ha) or sequential application (first application at 314 g a.i./ha followed by a second application 14 days later at 213 g a.i./ha). In the adjuvant study, the adjuvants evaluated were non-ionic surfactant (NIS) at 0.25% v/v, crop oil concentrate (COC) at 1% v/v, methylated seed oil (MSO) at 1% v/v, 28% urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) at 2.5% v/v, combination of NIS or COC or MSO with UAN, a proprietary blend of MSO/organosilicone (OSL)/UAN at 2.5% v/v, and MSO/OSL/UAN applied with NIS or COC. All adjuvants applied with cyhalofop (314 g a.i./ha at 14 d after flood establishment) resulted in E. crus-galli control and rice yields comparable to cyhalofop alone. In 2007, a single application of cyhalofop controlled E. crus-galli 98–100% by the end of the season, except in the 14-d POSTFL timing (90%). In 2008, E. crus-galli plants were more robust, and control was inconsistent and less than in 2007 (10–91%). At the PREFL timing, sequential applications were needed to improve end-of-season E. crus-galli control. The 7-d POSTFL timing was one of the best single application timings for increased E. crus-galli control and rice yield. Delaying the cyhalofop application to 21-d POSTFL resulted in unacceptable E. crus-galli control of 10 and 46% with single and sequential programs, respectively. Average rice yield was reduced almost three-fold when the first cyhalofop application was at 21-d POSTFL compared with 7-d POSTFL.     

Artificial neural network for the estimation of soil moisture and surface roughness

Estimation of the soil moisture and soil roughness by using microwave data with less complex and fast method is a significant area of research today. For this purpose an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) based algorithm is used and tested in present study. The ANN model is calibrated and tested with the experimentally obtained data by using X-band scatterometer for different field roughness 3.78, 1.83 and 1.63 cm and at fixed value of soil moisture 22.8%. The measurement of scattering coefficient was carried out over a range of incidence angle from 20° to 70° by 5° steps for both the HH (horizontal transmitter and horizontal receiver) and VV (vertical transmitter and vertical receiver) polarization. Two training algorithm of Feed Forward Backpropagation neural network namely Levenberg-Marquardt (TRAINLM) and Gradient-Descent (TRAINGD) were used for analysis. The performance of the ANN models with different algorithm is evaluated by comparing the direct measured value of soil roughness and soil moisture with the soil roughness and soil moisture estimated by the ANN. Our work suggests that ANN model with training algorithm (TRAINLM) is more suitable for the soil moisture and surface roughness prediction in comparison to (TRAINGD) and ANN modeling may be the promising alternative for the soil moisture and surface roughness estimation. The main advantage of the ANN approach for the surface roughness and soil moisture estimation is its potential for world wide reporting.     

Effects of dietary microbial levan on growth performance,RNA/DNA ratio and some physio‐biochemical responses of Labeo rohita (Hamilton) juveniles

Six isonitrogenous and isocaloric semi‐purified diets were prepared with different levels of microbial levan: control (Basal), T1 (Basal + 2.5 g kg^?1 diet), T2 (Basal + 5 g kg^?1 diet), T3 (Basal + 7.5 g kg^?1 diet), T4 (Basal + 10 g kg^?1 diet) and T5 (Basal + 12.5 g kg^?1 diet), fed to six groups of fish in triplicate tanks. The results of the 60 days feeding trail showed that supplementation of dietary levan significantly affected the weight gain percentage and specific growth rate of the treatment groups fed at 10 g kg^?1 or more levan. Lowest feed conversion ratio (FCR) value and highest survival percentage among levan fed groups were observed with 12.5 g kg^?1 incorporation (T5) and was comparable with (T4) group. Significant increase in muscle RNA level and RNA/DNA ratio was observed with the increasing dietary levan. Fish fed 12.5 g kg^?1 levan had significantly higher protease, amylase and lipase activities compare with the control group. Lowest Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity in the liver and muscle was observed in the T5 group fed with highest level of dietary levan. Overall results conclude that dietary microbial levan incorporation at 12.5 g kg^?1 could be used as potent dietary prebiotic for the culture of L. rohita juveniles.     

Nutrients,amino acid,fatty acid and non‐starch polysaccharide profile and in vitro digestibility of macadamia nut cake in swine

The highly variable cost and limited availability of conventional feedstuffs make it imperative to explore alternative feedstuffs to be used in swine. Macadamia nut cake (MNC), a coproduct of the macadamia nut oil industry, has not been well studied. MNC was analyzed for its nutrient profile, gross energy (GE), fibers, amino acids and fatty acids content. Dry matter (DM) and GE digestibility of MNC in swine was determined using an in vitro model. On a DM basis, ash, crude protein, ether extract, NDF, ADF, lignin and GE were found to be 3.7, 25.5, 11.9, 35.8, 28.0, 16.0% and 5581 kcal/kg, respectively. Total and soluble non‐starch polysaccharide content were 32.2 and 11.8%, respectively. The concentration of lysine was found to be 0.7%. The DM and GE digestibility were found to be 75.7 and 71.4%, respectively. Gross energy content of MNC is comparable with that of corn and higher than soybean meal, while protein content is twice as high as corn but lower than soybean meal. In conclusion, MNC is not merely a good source of protein and energy but also has fairly high digestibility in swine. Hence, it can be used as a viable alternative source of energy and protein in swine diets.     

In vitro tuberisation of Gloriosa superba L. on basal medium

A suitable protocol for in vitro tuber production using non-dormant tubers of Gloriosa superba L. on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium without addition of plant growth regulators is reported in the present study. Among the different basal media tested MS medium was found to be suitable for induction and development of secondary tubers; one in vitro tuber per explant was obtained after 6 weeks and 3 tubers per explant after 12 weeks of culture. These tubers produced healthy green shoots that rooted on basal medium. Best rooting was noted in half strength (half organics and inorganics) MS medium with one-fifth nitrates.