Growth dynamics of winter wheat in the field with daily fertilization and irrigation

In a field experiment with fertilized and irrigated winter wheat the above-ground crop was sampled once a week. Phenological development, plant density and canopy height were recorded and the green surface areas of leaves, stems and ears were measured. Soil mineral nitrogen was sampled and the field climate monitored. There were four treatments. The daily irrigated/fertilized (IF) and daily irrigated (I) treatments were both irrigated by a drip-tube system. Liquid fertilizer was applied to IF following a logistic function according to calculated plant uptake. A total of 200 kg N ha⁻¹ was applied. Treatment I, control (C) and drought (D) were all fertilized once in spring with 200 kg N ha⁻¹. In treatment D transparent screens were used to divert rainwater. Dry matter production ranged between 1400 in D and 2352 g m⁻² in IF. The corresponding amount of nitrogen uptake ranged between 15.8 and 24.6 g m⁻². After harvest, soil mineral nitrogen was lowest in IF.
An increase in the availability of nitrogen and water enhanced total biomass production as well as grain yield and leaf area. The daily supply of nitrogen according to crop demand delayed nitrogen uptake and increased total uptake. The results suggest that when the nitrogen is supplied in accordance with crop demand, the efficiency with which the applied fertilizer is utilized increases and the risk for nitrogen leaching decreases.     

An Improved Non-destructive Method for Rapid Estimation of Leaf Area in Sunflower Genotypes

Measurement of total leaf area per plant in crop improvement programmes for a variety of purposes is often very tedious and time consuming. In this paper, we offer a rapid and non-destructive method of estimating the total leaf area in sunflower at the time of anthesis. We show that multiplying the leaf area of a specific leaf position from the apex by the total number of leaves per plant yields total leaf area with more than 95 % accuracy. The specific leaf position for any given genotype in sunflower can be arrived at by multiplying the total number of leaves per plant by the factor 0.355 and rounding off to the nearest highest integer. This technique can be used for the rapid estimation of leaf area per plant at anthesis for any given genotype of sunflower.     

Impact of Water Stress on Maize Grown Off-Season in a Subtropical Environment

During the last decade, the production of off‐season maize has increased in several regions of Brazil. Growing maize during this season, with sowing from January through April, imposes several climatic risks that can impact crop yield. This is mainly caused by the high variability of precipitation and the probability of frost during the reproduction phases. High production risks are also partially due to the use of cultivars that are not adapted to the local environmental conditions. The goal of this study was to evaluate crop growth and development and associated yield, yield components and water use efficiency (WUE) for maize hybrids with different maturity ratings grown off‐season in a subtropical environment under both rainfed and irrigated conditions. Three experiments were conducted in 2001 and 2002 in Piracicaba, state of São Paulo, Brazil with four hybrids of different maturity duration, AG9010 (very short season), DAS CO32 and Exceler (short season) and DKB 333B (normal season). Leaf area index (LAI), plant height and dry matter were measured approximately every 18 days. Under rainfed conditions, the soil water content in the deeper layers was reduced, suggesting that the extension of the roots into these layers was a response to soil water limitations. On average, WUE varied from 1.45 kg m⁻³ under rainfed conditions to 1.69 kg m⁻³ under irrigated conditions during 2001. The average yield varied from 4209 kg ha⁻¹ for the hybrids grown under rainfed conditions to 5594 kg ha⁻¹ under irrigated conditions during 2001. Yield reductions under rainfed conditions were affected by the genotype. For the hybrid DKB 333B with a normal maturity, yield was reduced by 25.6 % while the short maturity hybrid Exceler was the least impacted by soil water limitations with a yield reduction of only 8.4 %. To decrease the risk of yield loss, the application of supplemental irrigation should be considered by local farmers, provided that this practice is not restricted by either economic considerations or the availability of sufficient water resources.     

榆隐头叶呷生物学特性研究

本文对精隐头叶（ＣｒｙｐｔｏｃｅｐｈａｌｕｓＪｅｍｎｉｓｃａｔｕｓＳｕｆｆｒｉａｎ）各虫态的形态作了描述并绘图；对其生活史和习性等进行了系统观察记述。     

甘蓝型油菜叶片光合作用与比叶重和气孔分布的关系

研究四种甘蓝型油菜不同部位叶片净光合率与比叶重和上、下表皮气孔数量比的关系。结果表明,不同部位叶片上、下气孔数量比率约为0.57—0.87,叶片上、下表皮气孔密度之间有显著正相关。在饱和光强下,从腹面照光的叶片净光合率比从背面照光的高。两者的相关系数达显著和极显著水平.从腹面或背面照光的叶片净光合率与比叶重呈显著正相关,四种甘蓝型油菜叶净光合率与叶上、下表皮气孔数量比之间无显著正相关的关系。     

毛叶秋海棠的杂交遗传特性

 采用毛叶秋海棠与云南野生秋海棠, 以及国外毛叶秋海棠的园艺品种进行正反交试验, 观测各杂交F1 代群体叶片斑纹、茎的类型、植株抗寒能力等主要性状的表现及其遗传特性; 通过F1 代自交, 对F2 代群体叶片斑纹的观测统计, 研究银绿斑性状的分离规律。试验结果表明: 毛叶秋海棠银绿斑与无斑是一对相对性状, 银绿斑对无斑是显性, 无斑对银绿斑是隐性, 其遗传杂交符合孟德尔的分离规律; B . rex ×B . longialata F1 代植株银绿斑性状的持续表现受光照强度的影响较大, 生长2 年后需要增加约2000 lx 的光照才能保持原有的银绿斑色彩; 毛叶秋海棠根状茎性状的遗传特性极为稳定, 遗传保持率90 %; 杂交F1 代在抗寒性方面表现了明显的杂种优势。     

陆地棉种内杂种F_2不同叶型生产力的研究

研究了3个正常叶型材料与鸡脚叶型材料杂交得到的杂种2代结果表明,选用适当亲本组配的杂交组合,不仅F_1能获得高产,F_2也有一定利用价值,其中尤以鄂棉15×鸡-2最好。对几个农艺性状与产量的相关分析表明,在条裂叶型、正常叶型材料中,果枝数、果节数与皮棉产量达显著正相关,条裂叶型F_2的纤维长度高于正常叶型。以合理正常叶植株与条裂叶植株的比例和适当的栽培措施改善农艺性状,便能提高F_2的产量和纤维品质。     

Physiological Performance of Wheat (Triticum aestivum dwarf.) Under Irrigated Situation

The objective was to study the behaviour of 20 dwarf wheats in a field trial under irrigated situation and also to suggest parameters or group of parameters conducive to high yield. Considerable variability existed in respect of tillering and earing, LAI, net photosynthetic rate, total dry matter production rate (TDMPR), harvest index, number of grains per main and subsidiary ears and grain size (1000 grain weight). Number of grains per main and subsidiary ears, total grains per plant, rate of net photosynthesis, leaf area and harvest index as well as total dry matter production rates were found to be positively correlated with grain yield and as such contributed maximum towards grain yield.
Thus, in general, it may be concluded that there should be minimum reduction in grain numbers between the main ear and the subsidiary ears, for this seems to be the one of causes of reduction in grain yield. Besides, there ought to be high ratio between net photosynthetic rate and dark respiration because large amount of dry matter is otherwise lost through respiration and many not be available for grains. High harvest index and high biological yield are also desirable characters which may be combined to obtain higher yields in wheats.     

Yield losses in soybeans from frogeye leaf spot caused by Cercospora sojina

Three soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]cultivars (Samsoy 1, TGx 1025-12E and TGx 996-26E) were evaluated for yield losses resulting from frogeye leaf spot caused by Cercospora sojina Hara. Replicated field plots were established at two locations in Nigeria that have a high natural infestation of C. sojina. The cultivars were either not sprayed, sprayed once or sprayed twice during the growing season with the fungicide benomyl. Disease spread early in the season was from border rows of a susceptible soybean cultivar into the plots. Mean disease severity (DS) for unsprayed cultivars ranged from 0.6 to 4.5 on a scale of 0–5. Plots receiving two sprays had lower DS values, ranging from 0.5 to 2.4. Differences between unsprayed and double-sprayed plots for yield and 300-seed weight ranged from 2.5 to 58.8 and 0.6 to 28.6%, respectively. Seed weight was negatively correlated with DS.