Effect of Heat Stress on Grain Growth, Starch Synthesis and Protein Synthesis in Grains of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Varieties Differing in Grain Weight Stability

The effect of heat stress on the components of grain weight was analysed in wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) varieties differing in grain weight stability. The wheat varieties PBW154, Sonalika and Hindi62 were raised in the field (New Delhi, India; 77°12' E, 28°40' N, 228.6 m a.s.l.) at three dates of sowing: 19 November 1992 (DOS I), 14 December 1992 (DOS II) and 18 January 1993 (DOS III). The late-sown crop (DOS III) experienced 6–8 °C warmer temperatures during grain development than the crop sown at the normal time (DOS I). The heat susceptibility index (S) revealed that grain weight was less susceptible to heat in Sonalika and PBW154 than in Hindi62. Heat stress reduced both the grain growth duration (GGD) and the grain growth rate (GGR). The grain weight reduction in PBW154 and Sonalika was mainly due to a reduction in GGR, while that of Hindi62 was due to a reduction in GGD. In vivo studies on starch and protein synthesis in excised endosperm at 15, 25 and 35 °C revealed that both processes were more thermotolerant in Hindi62 than in PBW154. The grain starch content was stable in Hindi62 while that in PBW154 was significantly reduced under heat stress. The grain nitrogen content at maturity increased in both varieties under heat stress. It was concluded that the heat susceptibility of grain weight in Hindi62 was mainly due to a reduction in GGD, although GGR, starch and protein synthesis were more thermotolerant in developing grains of Hindi62 than in those of PBW154.     

Seasonal growth and diet of juvenile chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in demonstration channels and the main channel of the Waitaki River, New Zealand, 1982–1983

Abstract– Juvenile chinook salmon in the Waitaki River, New Zealand and demonstration channels, living at about 16°C, increased in length by 0.32 mm day⁻¹ between 4 November and 4 March. They gained weight quickly, accumulated large visceral fat deposits and had high conditions factors. At 1600 h, stomachs averaged half full. The number of prey tended to decline as the fish grew and consumed larger items. Initially the diet was based mainly on chironomid larvae, but by December it included a diversity of prey in more equal proportions. These included Deleatidium in the Waitaki; amphipods in the demonstration channels; various trichopterans, hemipterans, elmid beetles, zooplankton. terrestrial dipterans and a variety of other prey. There were significant differences between sites in numbers of prey consumed and these probably reflected differences in the benthos. Diets in the Waitaki differ from those in the Rakaia River and the food of juvenile salmon appears closely linked to the availability of a diverse range of possible prey.     

The Phytotoxicity of Various Graminicides in Durum Wheat in Greece

The effect of three herbicides, diclofop-methyl (DM), imazamethabenz-methyl (IM) and fenoxaprop-ethyl (FE), was investigated at the recommended rate (×) and double the recommended rate (2×) in a durum wheat crop. FE had the smallest effect on root system characteristics, while IM had the greatest effect. For all herbicides, the double rate treatment gave a greater statistical reduction than the single rate for root system characteristics. FE had the smallest effect on the activity of aerobic microorganisms, while DM gave the greatest reduction, 10 days after application, and all three herbicides reduced earthworm abundance. DM gave the smallest reduction in the number of tillers and in plant height, while the double rate of IM gave the greatest reduction. For all three herbicides, double the recommended rate resulted in a significant reduction in the weight of 1000 seeds, while no statistically significant deviations were noted at the recommended rate. Finally, the use of all three herbicides resulted in significantly lower statistical yields compared to the sample (control plot), although there were no significant statistical differences among them, for either recommended or double recommended rates.     

The Effect of Detopping the Field Bean Plants (Vicia faba L. minor) and Lack of the Pod Setting on the Symbiosis with Root Nodule Bacteria

The plants of field bean var. Nadwiślaνski were detopped after about 1 month since the beginning of flowering and after that all flower buds were removed from some plants. The effect of a change in the trophic balance on the setting and subsequent growth of root nodules was studied.
The removal of pods had the greater effect on the increase in the weight of the remaining organs than the detopping of plants. Detopping retarded the ageing of the plants and delayed the phase of the greatest reduction of the number of pods. The detopping of plants revealed their considerable compensative possibilities in terms of production of the pod weight and the potential of leaves for biomass production. The data obtained indicate that plant detopping may disturb the root–bacteria exchange of signals, necessary to initiate the nodule development, while the further growth of nodules depends, above all, on the amount of available photosynthates.
A very high correlation between the dry weight of the whole plant to the dry weight of leaves ratio and the weight of nodules was observed. It proves the importance of the trophic balance of the plant for the root nodule weight production.     

Physiological Analysis of Yield Variation in Mungbean (Vigna radiata [Roxb.] Wilczek)

Two mungbean varieties, Guj-1 and PIMS-1 differing in their productivity potential, were examined to investigate their photosynthetic system at various stages of growth in relation to yield with two different dates of sowing. Vertical leaves were found to be beneficial. On the other hand, excessive leaf area during the later stages of growth may be detrimental to yield. Lower LAD at seedling stage and overall high NAR values may be reflected in higher grain yield. NAR declined as season progressed and this, in turn, may be related with increase in LAI. The grain yield was considerably more at the first date of sowing as compared to second date of sowing, the effect was being more pronounced in var. PIMS-1 . Various environmental factors recorded at two different dates of sowing and at various stages of growth indicated that these factors may have influenced the yield potential at two different dates of sowing.     

Analysis of Growth and Productivity of Indian Mustard (Brassica juncea) in Relation to FYM, Nitrogen and Source of Fertilizer

A field experiment was conducted during the winter seasons of 1992–93 and 1993–94 at Anand to study the effect of FYM, nitrogen and source of fertilizer on growth and yield of mustard [ Brassica juncea (L.) Czernj & Cosson]. The results showed significant variation in leaf area index (LAI), crop growth rate (CGR), dry matter production and seed yield. The direct effect of farmyard manure (FYM) was conspicuous in improving the growth of mustard. FYM application at 10 tonnes ha⁻¹ significantly increased the LAI, CGR and dry matter accumulation per plant at almost all the stages during first year study (1992–93) and in pooled analysis. Similarly, nitrogen application registered maximum LAI, CGR at 75 kg level and RGR and NAR at 50 kg level at almost all the during both years. Sulphur carrying source (Ammonium sulphate plus single super phosphate) increased all stages growth characters. Maximum dry matter accumulation per plant and seed yield were recorded with highest levels of FYM (20 tonnes ha⁻¹), N (75 kg ha⁻¹) and source having S. Seed yield was strongly associated with LAI and dry matter accumulation per plant at all the stages.     

Residue management for reducing evaporation in relation to soil type and evaporativity1

Abstract. Usual residue-management options are to remove the residue, use it as mulch with or without undercutting or to incorporate it into the soil. While the role of surface mulch in evaporation has been widely studied, the information on the effect on evaporation of mulch with undercutting or residue incorporated into soil, particularly in relation to soil type and evaporativity (E_o) is lacking. We studied the effect of wheat straw used in various ways on the course of evaporation loss from soil columns with three soils at Ludhiana, India and one soil at Bushland, Texas, USA, under two E_o's Energy-limited evaporation rates under mulch (E_om) followed the soil-specific relation E_om/E_o= a e^(bRes+cEo), where Res is residue rate t/ha and a, b and c are constants; E_o, is expressed in mm/d. In an effort to model the total evaporation (CE) during the energy-limited stage ‘U’ was obtained from appropriate CE versus time curves and (CE-U) was regressed over (t - ti)^0.5 to obtain the slope ‘α’ (Ritchie 1972) for the soil-limited evaporation stage. The observed ‘U’ was independent of mulch rate and E_o but was strongly affected by soil type, Values of ‘α’ decreased with increase in mulch rate and decrease in E_o and coarseness of soil. The otherwise short lived benefit of evaporation reduction with mulch per se, which peaked after a few days was maintained when residue was mixed with soil at the stage when evaporation reduction reached a maximum; this benefit continued for several weeks. Cumulative evaporation values computed from ‘U’ and ‘α’ agreed closely with the observed values under straw mulch for loamy sand and clay loam soils and for ‘undercut’ and ‘residue mixed’ treatments on all soils regardless of E_o, and for all situations under small E_o. However, for sandy loam and silt loam soils under E_o of 10 mm/d, the modified square root of the time function of Jalota et al. (1988) gave a better fit.     

Response of Mustard to Ethrel Spray and Basal and Foliar Application of Nitrogen

In a field trial conducted during 1992–93 and 1993–94, the effect of basal (B) nitrogen (N) (45 and 60 kg N ha⁻¹) and foliar application (F) of water (W) or 10 kg N ha⁻¹ and 400 or 600 ppm ethrel (E) (2-Chloro ethyl phosphonic acid) at 70 days after sowing was studied on leaf area index and dry mass at 90 days and pod number per plant, seeds per pod, 1000 seed weight, seed yield, oil content and oil vield at harvest of mustard ( Brassica juncea L. Czern & Coss.) cv. T-59. Recommended basal (B) application of 90 kg N ha (BN₉₀) was used as control. On the basis of 2 year data it was found that basal application of 60 kg N and foliar spray of 10 kg N ha ⁻¹ and 600 ppm ethrel gave higher values for growth and yield characteristics and enhanced seed yield and oil yield by 12.5 and 14.8%, respectively over control BN_90.     

理化复合参数和神经网络结合的冬小麦长势遥感监测

准确、及时地监测区域作物长势状况对农业规划和政策的制定与调整具有重要的意义。遥感技术作为一种收集大面积作物长势信息的有效手段,正日益受到关注。为提高冬小麦长势遥感监测的准确性和全面性,该研究基于田间实测的冬小麦拔节期地上鲜生物量（aboveground fresh biomass,AFB）、叶面积指数（leaf area index,LAI）、叶片叶绿素相对含量（soil and plant analyzer development,SPAD）和叶片氮含量（leaf nitrogen content,LNC）4种生长相关理化参数,利用熵值法获取各参数权重构建冬小麦理化复合参数（physico-chemical composite parameter,PCCP）。利用显著性检验和籽粒产量数据分析复合参数在量化冬小麦长势方面的性能。然后,以Sentinel-2A作为数据源,分析不同遥感指数与LAI、SPAD、AFB、LNC和PCCP的相关性。选取相关性较高的遥感指数作为反向传播（back propagation,BP）人工神经网络（artificial neural networks,ANN）的输入,建立冬小麦长势遥感监测模型,对PCCP进行估计。评价模型精度并用于监测研究区冬小麦长势分布特征。赋权结果表明,作物物理参数的权重大于生化参数,其中LAI的权重最大,为0.387,AFB和SPAD次之,LNC的权重最小,为0.105;PCCP性能评估结果表明,与单一理化参数相比,PCCP值能更好地揭示作物长势状况的差异,其与最终籽粒产量的相关性更好, 决定系数提高0.035～0.468,均方根误差减少46.2～520.0 kg/hm²;在遥感监测过程中,PCCP比单一理化参数有更好的应用潜力,BP-ANN长势遥感监测模型模拟PCCP精度较高,在测试集中决定系数为0.830,均方根误差为0.080;研究区冬小麦总体长势稳定且分布集中,呈现"中部差,南北好"的空间分布特征。因此,构建作物理化复合参数用于量化作物长势是提高长势监测可靠性和准确性的一种有效方式,可为冬小麦田间管理提供科学依据,服务于发展智慧农业和建设农业强国的战略需求。     

不同氮肥形态对李氏禾铬富集能力的影响

为了优化李氏禾（Leersia hexandra Swartz）铬修复时的施氮效率,通过盆栽试验,研究了5种氮肥形态（硝酸钙、尿素、氯化铵、硝酸铵、硫酸铵）对李氏禾铬修复性能、生长指标和根系指标的影响。结果表明：与对照（不施氮肥）相比,施加的5种形态氮肥均促进了李氏禾生长,提高了根系活力,改变了根系形态特征,有利于提高李氏禾铬含量、铬累积量、富集系数和土壤铬去除率。施加硫酸铵的李氏禾生物量和根平均直径最大,分别为对照的5.54倍和1.51倍,其根系活力比对照增加108%;施加硝酸铵的李氏禾总根表面积和总根体积最大,分别为对照的2.17倍和1.99倍（P<0.05）。相关性分析结果表明,李氏禾的生物量、根平均直径、总根表面积、总根体积和根系活力均与土壤铬修复效率有关。其中,施加硫酸铵处理的富集系数和土壤铬去除率最高,分别为对照的1.45倍和5.56倍。研究表明,施加硫酸铵比其他氮肥形态更有利于提高李氏禾铬污染土壤修复效率。