Intergenotypic interactions in plant mixtures

Summary Pastures provide a good model system to study intergenotypic plant interactions because most pastures are mixtures of several sown genotypes and species and the conditions necessary for genetic change are present: (i) an extremely variable biotic and abiotic environment at the local scale, (ii) wide genetic variation, (iii) intense competition so that strong selection is likely, and (iv) long term continuity enables selection to be continuous and cumulative. These together provide a system in which (v) the theoretical outcome of intergenotypic interactions may be readily tested and maximizes the probability of detecting patterns. Interactions between the species will have both ecological and evolutionary consequences, both of which may be of interest to plant breeders. These patterns are detectable at different scales but particular attention will be focused at the level of the individual genotype and especially with mixtures of the grass Lolium perenne and the legume Trifolium repens. Competition experiments between L. perenne and T. repens are plentiful, but where specific hypotheses about adaptation at the genotype level have been tested, in all cases T. repens grows best when planted with its natural L. perenne neighbor — a reciprocal effect in the L. perenne has only been reported once. This specific T. repens — L. perenne neighbor recognition may be mediated through soil microorganisms, particularly Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar trifolii and Bacillus polymyxa.     

Inheritance of conditional dormancy in over-summering buds of Phalaris aquatica L.

Summary The relative ability of the underground buds of a Mediterranean perennial grass species to break dormancy in response to summer rain was compared between individual plants and between half-sib families in two experiments with broadly-based breeding populations under different environmental conditions. Significant genetic variation was found in summer regrowth activity in both experiments. The narrow-sense heritability of the ratio of new to old, dead tillers after summer rain under spaced plant conditions at a relatively cool site was 0.40±0.16. Under sward conditions at a warm site, the narrow-sense heritability of an index of summer regrowth potential on a half-sib family mean basis was 0.36±0.08. Summer regrowth activity was negatively but weakly correlated with flowering time (r_g=–0.22), and strongly positively correlated with early autumn herbage yield (r_g=0.79). Summer regrowth activity was not genetically correlated with seedling size or herbage yield in the second or third growing seasons. These correlations are different in sign or magnitude from those observed in collections of Mediterranean ecotypes from which the breeding populations were derived by crossing to Australian cultivars and recurrent selection for vigour and persistence. The correlations in Mediterranean populations therefore are not due to pleiotropic effects; they can be altered by recombination. Phenotypic variance relative to the population mean was considerable in both experiments, and hence the level of the responsiveness of dormant buds to summer rainfall should be manipulable readily by selection. The possible effects of altered responsiveness on long term survival and productivity in several different environments are discussed.     

Identification of cultivars of Stylosanthes capitata Vog. by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of seed proteins

Summary A method was developed for identification of cultivars of the pasture legume, Stylosanthes capitata Vog., using electrophoretic patterns of seed proteins in polyacrylamide gels as the genotypic markers. The method can be used for accurate identification of cultivars in germplasm banks, in selecting parents for development of new varieties, and in registering new cultivars for proprietary purposes.     

中央空调在大型粮仓中的应用

在大型粮仓安装中央空调进行大米过夏试验，结果表明，接的完全水分的大米在准低温空调仓内过夏，品质变化不大，降水效果明显，采用中央空调制冷效果好，费用低，大大优于窗式空调。     

Morphological characterization of Mediterranean populations of Biserrula pelecinus L.

A collection of 24 populations of Biserrula pelecinus L. (biserrula)from Italy (Sardinia), Spain. France (Corsica). Morocco and Greece was evaluated in nursery rows at Perth, Western Australia. Fifteen morphological traits were recorded and chromosome numbers of representative populations were counted: The quantitative characters were analysed using principal component analysis and k-means clustering. The chromosome number of all accessions was 2n= 2x= 16. In other respects there was substantial variation in biserrula collected from the Mediterranean basin, the Moroccan populations in particular being distinct, some with strongly curved pods and others with long linear pods. All Greek populations had while flowers and large seeds. Populations from Italy. France and Spain were similar, with linear pods, blue flowers and smaller seeds. Most populations from Morocco were early flowering, had larger leaves, longer pods and produced more seeds per plant than other populations. All populations were extremely hard seeded (>98% hard-seeded after a one-summer exposure on the soil surface). It wits concluded that there is sufficient variation in Mediterranean populations of biserrula lo initiate a selection programme for southern Australia, and other areas with Mediterranean-type climates, especially for areas where serradella ((Ornithopus compressus L.) is adapted. Seed production is far easier than for serradella, and this advantage alone offers potential for its use in duplex soils where the deep rooting habit of serradella gives it an ecological advantage over conventional pasture legumes.     

深松对干旱牧区天然牧场牧草生长的影响

为了解决干旱牧区天然牧场的雨水利用效率低的问题,通过对天然牧场进行全方位深松来增加雨水的利用效率。结果表明,深松后牧场的土壤密度平均下降0.14 g/cm3,牧场牧草的株高和产量增长量都比对照组有明显增加,平均增长率分别比对照组高42.98％和215.6％;水利用效率也相应提高,株高和产量的水利用效率增长幅度分别为13...     

云南省玉米间作蔬菜和牧草对坡地土壤侵蚀的影响

2005—2006年在云南农业大学试验农场10°坡地上研究了玉米间作蔬菜和牧草对径流、土壤侵蚀的影响。结果表明,间作的水土保持效果优于玉米单作。2005年径流和土壤侵蚀,间作比玉米单作分别减少24.4%～34.1%和13.0%～50.9%;2006年间作比玉米单作分别减少8.5%～55.3%和32.5%～85.3%。其中玉米间作牧草水土保持效果最好,其次是玉米间作马铃薯及间作甘蓝。2005年径流量与降雨量、降雨强度和降雨侵蚀力呈极显著正相关;土壤侵蚀量与降雨强度和降雨侵蚀力呈极显著正相关关系。     

Does body size of dairy cows,at constant ratio of maintenance to production requirements,affect productivity in a pasture‐based production system?

This study compared productivity of dairy cows with different body weight (BW), but a constant ratio of maintenance to production requirements in their first lactation, in a pasture-based production system with spring calving. Two herds, Herd L (13 and 14 large cows in 2003 and 2004 respectively; average BW after calving, 721 kg) and Herd S (16 small cows in both years; 606 kg) [Correction added after online publication 14 January 2011: 16 small cows in both years; 621 kg was changed to 16 small cows in both years; 606 kg], all in their second or following lactations, were each allocated 6 ha of pasture and rotationally grazed on 10 parallel paddocks with equal herbage offer and nutritional values. Winter hay, harvested from the same pastures, was offered ad libitum in the indoor periods in a tied stall barn. Each herd received, per lactation and year, approximately 2000 kg dry matter (DM) of concentrates and of fodder beets, equally distributed to every individual. Indoors, the L-cows ingested more DM than the S-cows (18.7 vs. 16.3 kg DM/cow per day; p < 0.01), but DM intake per 100 kg of metabolic BW was similar (13.0 vs. 13.1 kg DM/cow per day). Estimates based on the n-alkane technique gave similar results on pasture (17.9 vs. 15.5 kg DM/cow per day; p < 0.001). Roughage intakes per 100 kg of metabolic BW, at 13.5 kg DM/cow per day, were similar. Mean annual yield of energy-corrected milk (ECM)/ha was slightly higher for the S-herd than the L-herd (13,026 vs. 12,284 kg) but was associated with a higher stocking rate (on average +20%) for the S-herd. Feed conversion efficiency (1.2 vs. 1.3 kg ECM/kg DM intake) and overall milk production efficiency (45.3 vs. 47.3 kg ECM/kg metabolic BW) were similar in L- and S-cows. Thus, both dairy cow types were equally efficient in utilising pasture-based forage.     

苜蓿草地FPAR时间变化规律研究

使用AccuPAR植物冠层分析仪对海拉尔地区紫花苜蓿(Medicago sativa)栽培草地光合有效辐射(PAR)各分量进行观测,研究苜蓿栽培草地入射PAR、冠层反射PAR、透过冠层到达地面的PAR及地面反射的PAR的时间变化规律,通过试验测定的PAR数据,分析苜蓿栽培草地吸收性光合有效辐射(FPAR)的时间变化规律...     

陇东黄土高原苜蓿田昆虫群落的组成与结构分析

在陇东黄土高原苜蓿（Medicago sativa）田调查昆虫群落组成与结构,共采集昆虫21 021头,隶属12目69科115种。研究结果表明,鞘翅目、鳞翅目、膜翅目昆虫科、种数较多;同翅目、鞘翅目、半翅目和双翅目昆虫个体数量较多;优势种群是豌豆无网长管蚜(Acyrthosiphon pisum)、苜蓿盲蝽(Adel phocoris)、条纹根瘤象(Sitona lineatus)。害虫、天敌、中性昆虫和益虫所占比例依次是67.54%、19.79%、11.20%和1.47%。