Controlling sprouting in potato tubers using ultraviolet-C irradiance

Legislation limiting the use of chlorpropham (CIPC), the major potato sprout suppressant, has led to a need for new technologies to extend storage life of tubers. Ultra violet C (UV-C) has been used postharvest to reduce disease incidence on many crops, yet its use and efficacy as a sprout suppressant has not been investigated. The aim of this project was to identify the optimum dose and treatment timing of UV-C treatment on potato tubers as an alternative method of sprout suppression to reduce the dependence on chemical sprout suppressants. Up to six potato cultivars over two seasons were treated with varying doses of UV-C ranging from 0 to 30 kJ m⁻² either at harvest or at first indication of dormancy break. The tubers were stored at 9 °C and sprout growth and incidence assessed. Treatment with moderate UV-C doses (5–20 kJ m⁻²) suppressed sprout length and sprout incidence in a range of cultivars. Periderm DNA damage and programmed cell death were not detected in response to any of the UV-C doses. The inactive ABA metabolite, ABA-GE, increased in response to 10 or 20 kJ m⁻² within 72 h of treatment. Multivariate analysis showed a negative relationship between ABA metabolites and sprout growth/incidence during storage. This study found that UV-C reduced sprout growth in potato with no deleterious effects on tuber quality. This suggests potential for further development as an alternative or supplement to conventional sprout suppressant technologies.     

Dry heat treatment of Andean lupin seed to reduce anthracnose infection

The potential of dry heat treatment of Andean lupin seed to reduce seed–borne infection of the anthracnose pathogen, Colletotrichum acutatum, was investigated. First, the effect of dry heat (65 °C) over duration times of 0–96 h on germination and disease incidence after germination was evaluated for artificially– and naturally–infected seed. Dry heat treatment from 8 to 96 h reduced disease incidence after germination to undetectable levels in four cultivars compared with 7.5% disease incidence after germination in seed maintained at room temperature. Moreover, heat treatments of 4–12 h showed seed germination rates that were equivalent to the non–treated control. Under greenhouse conditions, dry heat treatments for 8 or 12 h reduced transmission of the pathogen from seed by 75 or 85%, respectively and dry heat treatment increased emergence of seedlings in comparison the non-treated control. Dry heat treatment is an environmentally friendly alternative for reducing anthracnose infections in Andean lupin seed.     

Greater humification of belowground than aboveground biomass carbon into particulate soil organic matter in no-till corn and soybean crops

Quantifying the amount of carbon (C) incorporated from decomposing residues into soil organic carbon (C_S) requires knowing the rate of C stabilization (humification rate) into different soil organic matter pools. However, the differential humification rates of C derived from belowground and aboveground biomass into C_S pools has been poorly quantified. We estimated the contribution of aboveground and belowground biomass to the formation of C_S in four agricultural treatments by measuring changes in δ¹³C natural abundance in particulate organic matter (C_POM) associated with manipulations of C₃ and C₄ biomass. The treatments were (1) continuous corn cropping (C₄ plant), (2) continuous soybean cropping (C₃), and two stubble exchange treatments (3 and 4) where the aboveground biomass left after the grain harvest was exchanged between corn and soybean plots, allowing the separation of aboveground and belowground C inputs to C_S based on the different δ¹³C signatures. After two growing seasons, C_POM was primarily derived from belowground C inputs, even though they represented only ∼10% of the total plant C inputs as residues. Belowground biomass contributed from 60% to almost 80% of the total new C present in the C_POM in the top 10 cm of soil. The humification rate of belowground C inputs into C_POM was 24% and 10%, while that of aboveground C inputs was only 0.5% and 1.0% for soybean and corn, respectively. Our results indicate that roots can play a disproportionately important role in the C_POM budget in soils. Keywords Particulate organic matter; root carbon inputs; carbon isotopes; humification rate; corn; soybean.     

Herbicide options for effective weed management in dry direct-seeded rice under scented rice-wheat rotation of western Indo-Gangetic Plains

Farmers' participatory field trials were conducted at Madhuban, and Taraori, the two participatory experimental sites/locations of the Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia (CSISA), a collaborative project of IRRI and CIMMYT in Karnal district of Haryana, India, during Kharif (wet season) 2010 and 2011. This research aimed to evaluate preemergence (PRE) and postemergence (POST) herbicides for providing feasible and economically viable weed management options to farmers for predominant scented rice varieties. Treatments with pendimethalin PRE fb bispyribac-sodium + azimsulfuron POST had lower weed biomass at 45 days after sowing (DAS). At Madhuban, highest grain yield of scented basmati rice (3.43 t ha⁻¹) was recorded with the sequential application of pendimethalin PRE fb bispyribac-sodium + azimsulfuron POST. However, at Taraori, yields were similar with pendimethalin or oxadiargyl PRE fb bispyribac-sodium and/or azimsulfuron POST. Applying oxadiargyl by mixing with sand onto flooded field was less effective than spray applications in non-flooded field. The benefit-cost ratio of rice crop was higher with herbicide treatments at both sites as compared with the non-treated weed-free check except single PRE and POST applications and sequential application of oxadiargyl PRE fb oxadiargyl PRE. In a separate experiment conducted at Nagla and Taraori sites, scented rice cultivars' ('CSR 30′ and 'Pusa 1121′) tolerance to three rates of azimsulfuron (15, 25, and 35 g ai ha⁻¹) was evaluated over two years (2010 and 2011). CSR 30 (superfine, scented) was more sensitive to higher rates (35 g ai ha⁻¹) of azimsulfuron as compared to Pusa 1121 (fine, scented). Crop injuries were 8 and 28% in case of CSR 30; 5 and 15% in Pusa 1121 when applied with azimsulfuron 25 and 35 g ai ha⁻¹, respectively. Azimsulfuron applied at 35 g ai ha⁻¹ reduced yield in both cultivars but in CSR 30 yield reduction was twofold (11.5%) as that of Pusa 1121 (5.2%).     

仿生法评定抗草甘膦玉米和转Bt基因玉米的酶水解物能值的研究

本试验旨在分析抗草甘膦玉米和转Bt基因玉米原料及饲粮与同源非转基因玉米原料及饲粮体外总能消化率以及酶水解物能值,为转基因玉米的营养实质等同性仿生评定方法的研究提供参考。试验采用单因素完全随机设计,使用单胃动物仿生消化系统模拟饲料原料和饲粮在鸡胃肠道的消化过程,分析同源非转基因玉米、抗草甘膦玉米和转Bt基因玉米以及对应的3种玉米-豆粕饲粮在不同体外模拟消化阶段的干物质消化率、总能消化率和酶水解物能值的差异。结果表明:同源非转基因玉米、抗草甘膦玉米和转Bt基因玉米以及对应饲粮在常规概率成分含量上是相似的。抗草甘膦玉米及饲粮与同源非转基因玉米及饲粮相比,在干物质和能量胃消化率、全消化道消化率及酶水解物能值上均没有显著差异(P0.05)。转Bt基因玉米全消化道总能消化率低于同源非转基因玉米(P=0.03,变异系数=0.50%),对应玉米饲粮的酶水解物能值则高于同源非转基因玉米饲粮(P=0.02,变异系数=1.12%),但均处于仿生消化系统测试的误差范围内(变异系数≤1.64%)。由此可见,抗草甘膦玉米的酶水解物能值与同源对照玉米没有差异,而转Bt基因玉米存在统计学意义上的差异,但所有的测值均处于仿生消化系统的测试误差之内。仿生法发现的差异是否具有生物学意义有待体内试验验证。仿生法可为转基因饲料营养等同性研究提供一种新方法。     

Vineyard soil bacterial diversity and composition revealed by 16S rRNA genes: Differentiation by geographic features

Here, we examine soil-borne microbial biogeography as a function of the features that define an American Viticultural Area (AVA), a geographically delimited American wine grape-growing region, defined for its distinguishing features of climate, geology, soils, physical features (topography and water), and elevation. In doing so, we lay a foundation upon which to link the terroir of wine back to the soil-borne microbial communities. The objective of this study is to elucidate the hierarchy of drivers of soil bacterial community structure in wine grape vineyards in Napa Valley, California. We measured differences in the soil bacterial and archaeal community composition and diversity by sequencing the fourth variable region of the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene (16S V4 rDNA). Soil bacterial communities were structured with respect to soil properties and AVA, demonstrating the complexity of soil microbial biogeography at the landscape scale and within the single land-use type. Location and edaphic variables that distinguish AVAs were the strongest explanatory factors for soil microbial community structure. Notably, the relationship with TC and TN of the <53 μm and 53–250 μm soil fractions offers support for the role of bacterial community structure rather than individual taxa on fine soil organic matter content. We reason that AVA, climate, and topography each affect soil microbial communities through their suite of impacts on soil properties. The identification of distinctive soil microbial communities associated with a given AVA lends support to the idea that soil microbial communities form a key in linking wine terroir back to the biotic components of the soil environment, suggesting that the relationship between soil microbial communities and wine terroir should be examined further.     

Effects of organic matter addition on phosphorus availability to flooded and nonflooded rice in a P‐deficient tropical soil: a greenhouse study

Addition of organic matter (OM) to flooded soils stimulates reductive dissolution of Fe(III) minerals, thereby mobilizing associated phosphate (P). Hence, OM management has the potential to overcome P deficiency. This study assessed if OM applications increases soil or mineral fertilizer P availability to rice under anaerobic (flooded) condition and if that effect is different relative to that in aerobic (nonflooded) soils. Rice was grown in P‐deficient soil treated with combinations of addition of mineral P (0, 26 mg P/kg), OM (0, ~9 g OM/kg as rice straw + cattle manure) and water treatments (flooded vs nonflooded) in a factorial pot experiment. The OM was either freshly added just before flooding or incubated moist in soil for 6 months prior to flooding; blanket N and K was added in all treatments. Fresh addition of OM promoted reductive dissolution of Fe(III) minerals in flooded soils, whereas no such effect was found when OM had been incubated for 6 months before flooding. Yield and shoot P uptake largely increased with mineral P addition in all soils, whereas OM addition increased yield and P uptake only in flooded soils following fresh OM addition. The combination of mineral P and OM gave the largest yield and P uptake. Addition of OM just prior to soil flooding increased P uptake but was insufficient to overcome P deficiency in the absence of mineral P. Larger applications of OM are unlikely to be more successful in flooded soils due to side effects, such as Fe toxicity.     

Level and Timing of Nitrogen Fertilizer Application to Early and Semi-early Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) Grown with Irrigation on Light Soils in Norway

Trials were performed with early and semi-early potatoes to test the effects of nitrogen (N) fertilizer level (0-160 kg N ha^-1) and timing (all at planting versus half then and half either soon after emergence or 3 weeks later). All seven trials with earlies were irrigated as required, whilst different irrigation regimes (moderate versus intensive) were compared in two trials with semi-earlies. No benefit was derived from splitting the N application. Haulm growth and N uptake increased in all cases almost linearly up to the highest N level, but tuber yield did not respond in the same way. The optimum N level was 80 kg N ha^-1 for a yield of 15 Mg ha^-1, rising to 120 kg N ha^-1 for a yield of 40 Mg ha^-1. Tuber quality was lowered by the use of excess N fertilizer, particularly in the case of earlies. The quantity of mineralised N present in the soil after harvest rose sharply with above optimum fertilizer use, and the amount of N present in crop residues also increased. The likely leaching after early potatoes was estimated to be up to 80 kg N ha^-1. The proportion of fertilizer N which was not accounted for in either tuber yield, crop residues or mineral N in soil was 26% in earlies and 38% in semi-earlies.     

Selenium supplementation improves nutrient intake and digestibility,and mitigates CH4 emissions from sheep grazed on the mixed pasture of alfalfa and tall fescue

Low selenium (Se) in soil and forage can adversely affect on the quality of animal-derived foods, and hence on human health. Lambs grazed on mixed pastures of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) were supplemented with five levels of Se [0, 3, 6, 9 and 12 µg/kg body weight (BW)]. The intake of dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM) varied with the level of Se supplementation, with a peak at 6 µg Se per kg BW (p ≤ 0.05). Gross energy (GE) intake, digestive energy (DE) intake and metabolic energy (ME) intake were higher at 6 µg Se per kg BW than at other Se levels (p < 0.01); in addition, methane energy (CH₄-E) output was lower at 6 µg Se per kg BW. Supplementation with Se significantly increased nitrogen (N) intake, faecal N and urine N, for which the peak values were 20.2 g N/, 5.62 g N/day and 7.92 g N/day, respectively, at 6 µg Se per kg BW. Se intake, blood Se, faecal Se, urine Se and retained Se were negatively correlated with forage crude protein (CP) content (p < 0.001) but were positively correlated with the content of neutral detergent fibre (NDF) (p < 0.001) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) (p < 0.001). Thus, we recommend the addition of 6 µg Se per kg BW to sheep grazed on pastures in regions with low soil Se.