The effect of precipitation and application rate on dicyandiamide persistence and efficiency in two Irish grassland soils

The nitrification inhibitor dicyandiamide (DCD) has had variable success in reducing nitrate () leaching and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions from soils receiving nitrogen (N) fertilizers. Factors such as soil type, temperature and moisture have been linked to the variable efficacy of DCD. As DCD is water soluble, it can be leached from the rooting zone where it is intended to inhibit nitrification. Intact soil columns (15 cm diameter by 35 cm long) were taken from luvic gleysol and haplic cambisol grassland sites and placed in growth chambers. DCD was applied at 15 or 30 kg DCD/ha, with high or low precipitation. Leaching of DCD, mineral N and the residual soil DCD concentrations were determined over 8 weeks high precipitation increased DCD in leachate and decreased recovery in soil. A soil × DCD rate interaction was detected for the DCD unaccounted (proxy for degraded DCD). In the cambisol, degradation of DCD was high (circa 81%) and unaffected by DCD rate. In contrast, DCD degradation in the gleysol was lower and differentially affected by rate, 67 and 46% for the 15 and 30 kg/ha treatments, respectively. Variation in DCD degradation rates between soils may be related to differences in organic matter content and associated microbiological activity. Variable degradation rates of DCD in soil, unrelated to temperature or moisture, may contribute to changing DCD efficacy. Soil properties should be considered when tailoring DCD strategies for improving nitrogen use efficiency and crop yields, through the reduction of reactive nitrogen loss.     

太行山片麻岩区植被恢复过程中物种多样性与土壤水分效益分析

植被恢复是退化生态系统重建的重要途径，植被恢复过程中物种多样性的变化反映了植被的恢复程度，通过群落调查，研究了太行山片麻岩区植被恢复过程中群落物种多样性特征及其与土壤含水量之间的关系，结果表明：物种多样性指数天然灌木群落〉人工乔木群落。乔木和灌木群落各指数大小为封禁20年〉封禁10年〉封禁5年。6种群落其土壤含水量均偏低，随着封禁时间的加长，含水量略为增加，但天然灌木群落平均含水量稍大于人工群落。不同封禁时间群落土壤含水贯与均匀度指数成正相关，多样性指数与含水量先呈正相关，在封禁20年时，呈负相关。采取封禁措施，减少人为干扰、进行合理抚育措施，是太行山片麻岩区植被群落恢复的有效途径。     

不同供水条件对冬小麦根系分布、产量及水分利用效率的影响

通过中科院栾城农业生态试验站3种不同降水年型的田间灌水试验，研究了不同供水条件对冬小麦根系分布、产量及水分利用效率的影响，旨在为华北地区冬小麦建立优化灌溉制度，提高水分利用效率，达到节水增产目的提供理论依据。试验结果表明，冬小麦根系主要集中分布在80 cm以上土层，随土层深度的增加，根长密度呈指数下降；综合分析根系对不同土层的水分吸收、作物耗水组成及产量、水分利用效率与总耗水的关系，提出华北地区冬小麦最佳灌水方式是：丰水年灌0水、平水年灌1水(拔节水)、枯水年灌2水(拔节水和抽穗水)，次灌水量60～75 mm，具有明显的节水增产效益。     

农业生态系统养分循环再利用作物产量增益的地理分异

根据3个地点中长期田间试验联网比较研究发现，保持养分循环再利用可明显减少作物产量的年际波动，使作物具有较好的产量稳定性。农业生态系统养分循环再利用的产量增益与化肥施用和所处气候区的热量因素有关。在无化肥的前提下，保持80％循环率养分循环再利用的平均粮食增产量从北向南分别是：海伦262 kg·hm^-2(14年平均)，沈阳956 kg·hm^-2(12年平均)，桃源3 063 kg·hm^-2(11年平均)；在施用N、P化肥基础上保持养分循环再利用     

“三定”栽培对双季超级稻养分吸收积累及氮肥利用率的影响

为探讨南方双季超级稻对氮、磷、钾养分的吸收积累及利用规律,于2008—2010年在湖南长沙和浏阳以超级早稻陆两优996、陵两优268和超级晚稻丰源优299、天优华占为材料进行大田定位试验,比较了“三定”栽培、免耕摆栽和传统栽培条件下双季超级稻不同生育期植株体内氮、磷、钾吸收积累特点及氮肥利用率。与传统栽培相比,“三定”栽培双季超级稻生长前期(分蘖中期)氮、磷、钾的吸收量较低,幼穗分化期差异甚小,而齐穗期(早季平均为10.71、2.23和11.82 g m^-2,晚季平均为12.25、2.69和16.37 g m^-2)和成熟期(早季平均为13.61、3.01和13.71 g m^-2,晚季平均为17.16、3.31和18.31 g m^-2)较高;氮肥的偏生产力(平均为53.40 kg kg^-1)、吸收利用率(平均为55.98%)、农学利用率(平均为22.27 kg kg^-1)较高,分别提高29.00%、88.92%和46.67%。免耕摆栽双季超级稻不同生育时期氮、磷、钾的吸收特点与“三定”栽培相似,但其氮肥的偏生产力、吸收利用率和农学利用率(平均为50.24 kg kg^-1、52.75%、19.33 kg kg^-1)分别比“三定”栽培降低6.29%、6.12%和15.19%。由此可见,双季超级稻生产采用“三定”栽培技术有利于提高氮肥利用率。     

西南稻区不同地域和施氮水平对杂交中稻氮、磷、钾吸收累积的影响

以杂交中稻II优7号和渝香优203为材料,在西南稻区4省(市)的7个生态点采用相同的试验方案,研究了地理位置、土化特性、施氮量对植株氮、磷、钾积累和分配的影响。结果表明,不同试验地点间稻谷产量、干物质产量、氮磷钾的吸收量、收获指数和每生产1 000 kg稻谷的氮、磷、钾需要量(RAGPPG)差异显著或极显著。施肥处理对稻谷产量、干物质产量、氮的吸收量、收获指数和RAGPPG中的氮有显著或极显著影响,对RAGPPG中的磷、钾影响不显著。氮、磷、钾收获指数间和RAGPPG间均呈极显著正相关,RAGPPG和收获指数均与稻谷产量水平没有相关性。经逐步回归分析,RAGPPG和氮、磷、钾收获指数均分别与试验点所处地理位置、施肥水平及土化特性呈极显著线性关系,决定系数分别为0.5972~0.8404和0.7637~0.8804。可作为制定各地水稻高产高效相应的氮、磷、钾施肥量的科学依据。     

长江流域油菜氮磷钾肥料利用率现状研究

总结近年来在长江流域冬油菜主产区进行的74个田间试验结果,分析目前条件下油菜氮磷钾肥的偏生产力、农学效率、肥料表观利用率、生理效率及肥料对油菜产量的贡献率。结果表明,油菜农学效率分别为6.2 kg kg^–1 N、6.3 kg kg^–1 P₂O₅和2.6 kg kg^–1 K₂O;表观利用率为N 34.0%、P₂O₅ 17.4%和K₂O 36.9%,生理利用率为18.5 kg kg^–1 N、35.5 kg kg^–1 P₂O₅和9.1 kg kg^–1 K₂O,氮磷钾肥对油菜籽产量的贡献率分别为41.9%、21.4%和11.5%。研究结果显示,试验条件下长江流域油菜的肥料利用率较低,生产上需同时解决油菜高产及肥料利用效率提高的问题。     

玉米自交系叶片水分利用效率差异性及其生理变化

为选育抗旱性强、耗水少、水分利用效率高的品种.以22个玉米自交系为材料,采取正常灌溉和适度水分胁迫处理,对自交系叶片水分利用效率(WUE)、光合速率(Pn)、蒸腾速率(Tr)、气孔导度(Gs)、胞间CO2浓度(Ci)、相对叶绿素值( SPAD)和荧光动力学参数进行研究.结果表明,不同自交系WUE差异显著,而且对水分的敏...     

Spatially targeting the distribution of agricultural input stockists in Malawi

Developing the rural agricultural input markets in sub-Saharan Africa can improve the current low productivity of smallholder farmers. Malawi has seen significant efforts in addressing the availability of agricultural inputs at village level in the last few years; for example, the improvement of rural agro-dealer networks. Nevertheless inputs are still difficult to obtain for many remote smallholder farmers. Spatial analysis can help in the expansion of input stockists, especially agro-dealer networks, by assessing the coverage of existing input outlets and deriving optimum locations for village-level input stockists.We address three research questions. First, what is the locational efficiency of the current village-level stockists of inputs (Citizens Network for Foreign Affairs – Rural Agricultural Market Development Trust trained network of agro dealers and public sector)? Secondly, how many village-level stockists of markets are needed to reach 60% of the population in the central region of Malawi within one hour? Finally we address the potential spatial components of the sustainability of input stockists relating to the potential demand from smallholder farmers and the access to bulk supplies. The problem of finding the optimum location for village-level stockists of markets is addressed in two stages, using spatial analysis in conjunction with location–allocation models. First, the locational efficiency of the existing network of stockists of inputs is determined, followed by the establishment of a set of optimal sites for village-level stockists of inputs. A final step explores the viability of stockists and calculates the population surrounding the stockists taking into account competition from other sources of inputs and the accessibility of the selected stockists to potential wholesalers who are bulk distributors of farm inputs.Our results show that locational efficiency can be assessed in terms of the differential access of households to resources and transport. Often, these differences are not considered in covering problems and can have a large effect on the physical access to inputs. The results can be used to define which areas are inherently difficult to serve with agricultural inputs and could inform efforts to provide incentives to remote areas. Further implications for input policies in Malawi are that improvements in road infrastructure might not directly benefit the poorest farmers (if they are walking) but could serve to reduce the wholesale prices and therefore the retail price. In addition, the improvement in roads might increase the number of potential customers of any particular stockist, with economies of scale allowing the reduction of prices while ensuring a satisfactory profit margin for the stockist. The results of our models imply that Citizens Network for Foreign Affairs may need to train stockists over a wider area to increase the access to inputs of those smallholder farmers with least resources.     

Developing environmental principles, criteria, indicators and norms for potato production in South Africa through field surveys and modelling

The sustainability of agricultural production is linked to the environment from which it draws its resources. Potato production in the Sandveld in the South African Western Cape occurs in the Cape Floral Kingdom: a vulnerable and globally significant biodiversity hotspot. A scientific approach defining and monitoring sustainability criteria and indicators is required to improve the sustainability of potato production in such a sensitive area. In this paper we propose principles related to the ecological impact of potato production (nature preservation, water preservation and the minimization of chemical and carbon-dioxide emissions) and their derived criteria related to land clearing, irrigation, emissions, and others. Next we defined calculable and measurable indicators of the efficiency with which resources are used, such as proportion of land cleared, water use by the crop, amount of biocides used, the embodied energy of biocides, and the energy needed for farming operations versus the potato yields obtained. In-depth interviews were held with 14 farmers representing 20% of the total potato production area to obtain the current values of these indicators. These were compared to model outcomes of two main sustainability indicators: land and water use efficiency. The land use efficiency varied least between growers, from (36 to 58 Mg (tonnes) ha⁻¹), water use efficiency returned values between 3 and 9 g potato l⁻¹ water, while chemical fertilizer phosphorus use efficiency varied most at 98 and 995 g potato g⁻¹ P applied. Model outcomes confirmed some of the trends revealed by the survey, e.g. growing potatoes in winter and growing them with less than optimal water offers possibilities to double water use efficiency. Ways to derive indicator threshold norms are proposed based on the knowledge of physical and biological processes determining resource availability, the observed variation among farmers and the model outcomes. Knowing indicator values, their range and the means to improve resource use efficiency will aid in establishing sustainability norms by providing a quantitative approach to any environmental certification scheme that wishes to licence the delivery of potatoes from the Sandveld.