Using midday stem water potential for scheduling deficit irrigation in mid–late maturing peach trees under Mediterranean conditions

Irrigation techniques that reduce water applications are increasingly applied in areas with scarce water resources. In this study, the effect of two regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) strategies on peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch cv. “Catherine”] performance was studied over three growing seasons. The experimental site was located in Murcia (SE Spain), a Mediterranean region. Two RDI strategies (restricting water applications at stage II of fruit development and postharvest) based on stem water potential (Ψ_s) thresholds (?1.5 and ?1.8 MPa during fruit growth and ?1.5 and ?2.0 MPa during postharvest) were compared to a fully irrigated control. Soil water content (θ_v), Ψ_s, gas exchange parameters, vegetative growth, crop load, yield and fruit quality were determined. RDI treatments showed significantly lower values of θ_v and Ψ_s than control trees when irrigation water was restricted, causing reductions in stomatal conductance and photosynthesis rates. Vegetative growth was reduced by RDI, as lower shoot lengths and pruning weights were observed under those treatments when compared to control. However, fruit size and yield were unaffected, and fruit quality was slightly improved by RDI. Water savings from 43 to 65 % were achieved depending on the year and the RDI strategy, and no negative carryover effect was detected during the study period. In conclusion, RDI strategies using Ψ_s thresholds for scheduling irrigation in mid–late maturing peach trees under Mediterranean conditions are viable options to save water without compromising yield and even improving fruit quality.     

Measured and estimated water use and crop coefficients of grapevines trained to overhead trellis systems in California’s San Joaquin Valley

The use of overhead trellis systems for the production of dry-on-vine (DOV) raisins and table grapes in California is expanding. Studies were conducted from 2006 to 2009 using Thompson Seedless grapevines grown in a weighing lysimeter trained to an overhead arbor trellis and farmed as DOV raisins for the first two years and for use as table grapes thereafter. Maximum canopy coverage for the two lysimeter vines across years was in excess of 80 %. Seasonal (15 March–31 October) evapotranspiration for the lysimeter vines (ET_Lys) was 952 mm in 2007 (farmed as DOV raisins) and 943 and 952 mm (when farmed as table grapes). The maximum crop coefficient (K _cLys) across all 4 years ranged from 1.3 to 1.4. These maximum values were similar to those estimated using the relationship where K _c is a function of the amount of shaded area measured beneath the canopy at solar noon (K _c = 0.017 × percent shaded area). Covering the lysimeter’s soil surface with plastic (and then removing it) numerous times during the 2009 growing season (1 June–14 September) reduced ET_Lys from an average of 6.4 to 5.6 mm day^?1 and the K _c from 1.07 to 0.93. A seasonal basal K _c (K _cb) was calculated for grapevines using an overhead trellis system with a 13 % reduction in the K _cLys across the growing season.     

Modeling soil water dynamics in a drip-irrigated intercropping field under plastic mulch

Intercropping, drip irrigation, and the use of plastic mulch are important management practices, which can, when utilized simultaneously, increase crop production and save irrigation water. Investigating soil water dynamics in the root zone of the intercropping field under such conditions is essential in order to understand the combined effects of these practices and to promote their wider use. However, not much work has been done to investigate soil water dynamics in the root zone of drip-irrigated, strip intercropping fields under plastic mulch. Three field experiments with different irrigation treatments (high T1, moderate T2, and low T3) were conducted to evaluate soil water contents (SWC) at different locations, for different irrigation treatments, and with respect to dripper lines and plants (corn and tomatoes). Experimental data were then used to calibrate the HYDRUS (2D/3D) model. Comparison between experimental data and model simulations showed that HYDRUS (2D/3D) described different irrigation events and SWC in the root zone well, with average relative errors of 10.8, 9.5, and 11.6 % for irrigation treatments T1, T2, and T3, respectively, and with corresponding root mean square errors of 0.043, 0.035, and 0.040 cm³ cm^?3, respectively. The results showed that the SWC in the shallow root zone (0–40 cm) was lower under non-mulched locations than under mulched locations, irrespective of the irrigation treatment, while no significant differences in the SWC were observed in the deeper root zone (40–100 cm). The SWC in the shallow root zone was significantly higher for the high irrigation treatment (T1) than for the low irrigation treatment, while, again, no differences were observed in the deeper root zone. Simulations of two-dimensional SWC distributions revealed that the low irrigation treatment (T3) produced serious severe water stress (with SWCs near the wilting point) in the 30–40 cm part of the root zone, and that using separate drip emitter lines for each crop is well suited for producing the optimal soil water distribution pattern in the root zone of the intercropping field. The results of this study can be very useful in designing an optimal irrigation plan for intercropped fields.     

Strategy to identify resistance to white mould associated with high yield for irrigated common bean in Brazil

Development of common bean cultivars with partial white mould resistance through breeding techniques has been a challenge in Brazil. As yet, lines/cultivars from breeding programmes have not been investigated for resistance; therefore, this study screened 107 lines/cultivars for their reactions to white mould in 14 preliminary trials conducted under irrigation. Thirteen resistant lines/cultivars (three of Andean origin) and six Mesoamerican cultivars (three intermediately resistant and three susceptible) were selected for further investigation. These lines/cultivars and the resistant control A195 were evaluated in six advanced trials and two straw tests to assess the effectiveness of the screening procedure. In 11 preliminary trials, screenings were performed under moderate/high or higher disease pressure. These pressures occurred in two advanced trials in which, when yields were averaged across moderate/high and high pressures, 10 Mesoamerican lines/cultivars selected for resistance yielded 14%, 23%, and 38% more than intermediately resistant cultivars, A195, and susceptible cultivars, with median disease ratings (1–9 scale) of 4.5, 5.7, 5.7, and 6.7, respectively. In the straw test, three Andean lines/cultivars (A195 included) and two susceptible cultivars in the field were among those with the highest levels of physiological resistance. Thus, field rating under high disease pressure and greenhouse rating did not correlate significantly, suggesting that field trials are critical to evaluating resistance and to identifying high-yielding beans. Therefore, lines/cultivars from breeding programmes assessed in field trials may provide a low cost and fast way to identify high-yielding bean cultivars with partial resistance to white mould in the subtropical southern hemisphere.     

Recreational fishery as a conservation tool for endemic Dolly Varden <Emphasis Type="Italic">Salvelinus malma miyabei</Emphasis> in Lake Shikaribetsu,Japan

Recreational angling is a popular leisure activity globally and can be a threat or useful conservation tool depending on the management strategy. Miyabe charr Salvelinus malma miyabei is an endemic fish that inhabits Lake Shikaribetsu, and a management program was established to harmonise recreational fishery and conservation. To examine the suitability of this program, population assessment was conducted with the cooperation of anglers. The population size in 2014 as assessed by tag-and-release angling was estimated to be 105,300 [95% confidence interval (CI) 37,300–178,600], much higher than the reported estimate in 1995. Further, angling mortality was estimated to be quite low. Moreover, no decreasing population trend was detected on analysing 8 years of anglers’ catch data. Consequently, angling has facilitated stock assessments of Miyabe charr under the current program. This case is a good example of recreational angling acting as a conservation tool under appropriate management.     

Recording cerebellar neuron activities in swimming goldfish

ABSTRACT:   Neuronal activities were investigated in the cerebellum of immobilized and swimming goldfish Carassius auratus . Extracellularly recorded neural activities of the cerebellum in immobilized goldfish were characterized and classified into five types. Based on the waveforms and recording depths, these five neural activity types were estimated to originate from three identified classes of cerebellar neurons: Purkinje cells, eurydendroid cells, and granule cells. Chronic recording of cerebellar neuron activities in unrestrained goldfish was performed for more than 100 h. During the chronic recordings, a submersible amplifier attached to the goldfish head, and a multielectrode array developed for the present study were used. Neuronal activities in the cerebellum of free-swimming fish could also be classified into five types as in the immobilized condition. Firing patterns of two neurons identified as Purkinje cells and eurydendroid cells were analyzed during turning movements of the goldfish. The firing patterns of these neurons changed in relation to turning movements. Although some improvements are required, the chronic recording method developed in the present study can be applied to further investigations concerning the direct relationship between brain neural activities and certain behavior.     

Inhibitory effect of 2,4-dibromophenol and 2,4,6-tribromophenol on larval survival and metamorphosis of the sea urchin <Emphasis Type="Italic">Strongylocentrotus nudus</Emphasis>

ABSTRACT:   As a possible factor leading to the low recruitment level of sea urchins in kelp forests, the inhibitory effect of 2,4-dibromophenol (DBP) and 2,4,6-tribromophenol (TBP) released from the large perennial brown algae Ecklonia kurome and Eisenia bicyclis on survival and metamorphosis of eight-armed larvae of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus nudus was examined. The percentage of larvae that underwent metamorphosis in filtered sea water after 1 h exposure to one-half dilution of saturated dibromomethane solution (∼60 ppm) as a chemical inducer reached approximately 100% after 1 h, while that in filtered sea water containing 1 ppm TBP was reduced to 73%. This was further reduced to less than 40% in the presence of 10 and 20 ppm TBP after 2 h. In filtered sea water containing 1 and 10 ppm DBP, the proportion of metamorphosed larvae was reduced markedly to 43 and 5% after 2 h, respectively. All larvae exposed to 50 ppm TBP and to 20 and 50 ppm DBP died after 1 h. These findings suggest that DBP is more toxic than TBP for sea urchin larvae, strongly inhibiting their metamorphosis.     

Relationship between soak time and number of enmeshed animals in experimentally lost gill nets

In order to determine the effects of ghost fishing by lost gill nets, the relationship was examined between soak time and number of enmeshed animals in experimentally lost gill nets by using diving observations. Two experimental gill nets were set at 13 m depth in Tateyama Bay, Chiba Prefecture, Japan for approximately 200 days. One gill net was deployed in a small trough surrounded by artificial reefs, and the other was deployed on an adjacent open sandy bed. Twelve species of crustaceans, six species of gastropods, and five species of bony fish were enmeshed in the experimental gill nets. The number of enmeshed animals in the artificial reef gill net was substantially larger than that in the sandy bed gill net. The number of enmeshed animals in the experimental gill nets increased rapidly within one month after deployment, and then declined gradually showing fluctuations caused by the decrease in newly enmeshed animals, and the drop off from gill nets caused by the decomposition of dead animals. The decrease in the number of enmeshed animals was expressed by logarithmic equations, and based on these equations, the duration of capture function for the lost gill nets was calculated to be 284–561 days in the artificial reef gill net and 200 days in the sandy bed gill net. The duration of capture function for the lost gill nets for non-commercial by-catch species such as small crustaceans and gastropods was longer than for commercial species such as Japanese spiny lobster and bony fish.     

Universal PCR primers for ribosomal protein gene introns of fish

Human ribosomal protein (RP) gene sequences with respect to intron/exon structures and corresponding cDNA or genomic data of fish species were obtained from the GenBank database. Based on conserved exon sequences, 128 primer pairs for 41 genes were designed for exon-primed intron-crossing (EPIC) polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In reference to the draft genome sequences of the Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis), 12 primer pairs expected to amplify introns of the bluefin tuna with lengths of 500–1000 bp were selected and applied to six distantly related fish species belonging to the Orders Clupeiformes, Tetraodontiformes, Pleuronectiformes, Perciformes, Scorpaeniformes, and Anguilliformes. PCR amplification was observed for at least four species in each primer pair, and all fragments were larger than those expected for intronless amplification. Single fragment amplification was observed for at least seven primer pairs per species. Fragment sizes of the bluefin tuna for nine primer pairs corresponded to those expected from the genomic data. Thus, our primer pairs are potentially applicable to a wide variety of fish species and serve as an initial step for isolating single-copy nuclear DNA sequences.