Can sulfur fertilisation improve the effectiveness of trap crops for diamondback moth,Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae)?

BACKGROUND: The effect of sulfur fertilisation on chemical constituents of yellow rocket, Barbarea vulgaris (R. Br.), was studied with regard to its potential use as a trap crop for the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae). Two types of B. vulgaris var. arcuata were used: the G‐type, resistant to P. xylostella and proposed as a ‘dead‐end’ trap crop, and the P‐type, not resistant to P. xylostella and used as a control. RESULTS: In G‐type B. vulgaris, sulfur fertilisation increased the content of the dominant glucosinolate (S)‐2‐hydroxy‐2‐phenylethylglucosinolate by 20%. Sulfur fertilisation did not significantly change levels of the saponins 3‐0‐β‐cellobiosylhederagenin and 3‐0‐β‐cellobiosyloleanolic acid, known to act as feeding deterrents for P. xylostella larvae. In P‐type B. vulgaris, the same levels of sulfur fertilisation did not change the glucosinolate content significantly. Two‐choice oviposition preference tests with B. vulgaris plants showed that P. xylostella laid 144% and 45% more eggs on G‐ and P‐type plants with sulfur fertilisation respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The studies suggest that sulfur fertilisation could increase the effectiveness of G‐type B. vulgaris as a trap crop for P. xylostella. The effect of plant sulfur fertilisation on P. xylostella oviposition preference is associated with a quantitative glucosinolate increase, but other compounds could also be involved. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

风干预处理对堆肥腐熟度及臭气排放量的影响

该研究以风干猪粪堆肥为处理,以新鲜猪粪堆肥为对照,在秸秆调理相同C/N基础上,对两个处理腐熟度和臭气排放进行比较分析。从温度、p H值、电导率和发芽率来看,利用新鲜猪粪和风干猪粪堆肥所得的产品均能达到腐熟和无害化标准;在硫化氢、羰基硫、二硫化碳、甲硫醚、乙硫醚、二甲二硫、甲硫醇和乙硫醇几种含硫臭气中,甲硫醚和二甲二硫占96%以上;风干猪粪堆肥比新鲜猪粪堆肥少排放71.09%的氨气,66.11%的甲硫醚和9.66%的二甲二硫。在不考虑风干环节存在的问题条件下,与新鲜猪粪堆肥相比,风干猪粪堆肥堆肥时间短,在堆肥品质提高的基础上,堆肥产品产量增加60%。通过降低水分和体积风干猪粪运输成本降低1/3,且对环境影响小,是远距离资源化处理畜禽粪便的较好途径。     

不同小麦品种氮、硫积累特性与子粒品质的关系

依据小麦子粒含硫量和N/S比值的差异,用聚类分析的方法,将供试的12个小麦品种分为3 组:高N/S比组、中N/S比组和低N/S比组。研究不同类型小麦氮硫积累特性及其与子粒品质的关系,结果表明,小麦植株的氮素积累量与硫素积累量呈极显著正相关,氮素收获指数与硫素收获指数之间无显著线性相关关系。高N/S比组品种具有较高的氮素积累量或氮素收获指数,但硫素收获指数或硫素积累量相应较低;中N/S比组品种氮素收获指数高,硫素收获指数亦高;低N/S比组品种硫素积累量和硫素收获指数均较高,但氮素收获指数较低,植株体积累的氮素和硫素在子粒中分配比例的不同是品种间子粒N/S比值差异的重要原因。不同N/S比组品种比较,子粒谷蛋白含量、谷蛋白含量与醇溶蛋白含量比值、面团形成时间和稳定时间存在显著差异,且与子粒N/S比值呈极显著二次曲线关系,适宜的N/S比有利于子粒谷蛋白的积累及子粒品质的形成。     

Comparative evaluation of Ca chloride and Ca phosphate for extractable sulfur in soils with a wide range in pH

Deficiency of sulfur (S) is becoming widespread in the rainfed systems of India, and there is increasing need for diagnosing the deficiency. Calcium chloride and Ca phosphate are commonly used for extracting available S in soils. Because of cost and the ease of availability locally, we prefer using Ca chloride as an extractant over Ca phosphate, for extracting available S. However, there is paucity of data on the comparative evaluation of the two extractants to extract available S, especially in soils having a wide range in natural pH (from acidic to alkaline range). It is recognized that soil pH plays a dominant role in the adsorption–desorption and extractability of sulfate‐S in soils. We compared the extraction of S by Ca chloride and Ca phosphate in 86 Indian soils having a wide range in pH (4.5 to 10.6). Sulfur in the extracts was determined by ICP‐AES. Considering all the 86 soil samples tested, there was an excellent agreement between the values of extractable S determined by using the two extractants (r = 0.96, p < 0.001). However, the correlation coefficient (r) between the values of extractable S by the two reagents, although highly significant, varied among the groups of soil samples according to the range in soil pH. The highest correlation coefficient (r = 0.99, p < 0.0001, n = 17) was found for soils with pH in the alkaline range (8.5–10.6), and the lowest correlation coefficient (r = 0.71, p < 0.0001, n = 58) was obtained with a set of soil samples with pH in the acidic range (4.5–6.5). For soil samples having pH in the near‐neutral range (6.7–7.3), an excellent agreement was observed (r = 0.93, p < 0.0001, n =11) between the extractable‐S values obtained by the two extractants. While Ca phosphate extracted higher amount of S compared to Ca chloride in soil samples with pH in the acidic range, the two extractants were equally effective for soil samples with pH in the neutral or alkaline range. Our results suggest that for most of the soils in the semiarid tropical regions, which have pH in the neutral to alkaline range, Ca chloride can replace Ca phosphate as an extractant for removing available S in such soils.     

Sulfur in soils

Sulfur (S) deficiency of crops, which has been reported with increasing frequency over the past two decades on a worldwide scale, is a factor that reduces yield and affects the quality of harvested products. Especially in Western European countries, incidence of S deficiency has increasingly been reported in Brassicaceae. For this reason, more attention should be paid to the optimization of S‐fertilizer application, in order to cover plant S requirements whilst minimizing environmental impacts. In soils, S exists in inorganic and organic forms. While sulfate (SO ), which is a direct S source for plants, contributes up to 5% of total soil S, generally more than 95% of soil S are organically bound. Organic S is divided into sulfate ester and carbon‐bonded S. Although not directly plant‐available, organically bound S may potentially contribute to the S supply of plants, especially in deficiency situations. Sulfur turnover involves both biochemical and biological mineralization. Biochemical mineralization, which is the release of SO from the ester sulfate pool through enzymatic hydrolysis, is controlled by S supply, while the biological mineralization is driven by the microbial need for organic C to provide energy.     

双季稻种植模式下氮和磷的适宜施用量

比照常规施肥量(早稻N、P2O5、K2O 分别按150、60、90 kg/hm2施入,晚稻分别按180、75、90 kg/hm2施入),采取不同减量施肥配以冬季种植黑麦草、紫云英、油菜作物的耕作方式,研究双季稻种植模式下氮、磷的适宜施用量。结果表明：N和P2O5比常规施肥量分别减量20%、30%处理组水稻的产量变化率为－11.48%～1.94%;施硫包衣尿素,N和P2O5比常规施肥量均减量30%处理组水稻的产量变化率为－13.24%～3.87%;施复合肥,N和P2O5比常规施肥量均减量30%处理组水稻的增产率为0.52%～13.70%;不同减量施肥处理可使径流水氮流失量减少31.69%～47.74%,磷流失量降低11.77%～64.71%;使用复合肥的处理,其氮素利用率最多提高19.31%,磷素利用率最多提高11.97%。减量施肥可以在不降低产量的情况下提高肥料利用率,减少农业氮素、磷素输出。     

4种金色叶树木对SO2胁迫的生理响应

近年来 SO₂污染比较严重,它对植物有着多方面的影响。因此,越来越多的学者开始关注这方面的问题。彩叶植物在丰富园林景观及降低环境污染方面占用重要的地位,它们也被认为是净化城市空气最有效的途径之一。 旨在阐明4种彩叶树种耐SO₂污染机制,对丰富植物耐SO₂研究的理论、科学评价植物抗SO₂污染能力以及指导园林绿化科学选择树种等具有重要理论和现实意义。研究采用人工模拟熏气的方法对金叶女贞、金叶莸、金叶风箱果和金叶红瑞木4种金色叶树种的2年生苗木进行不同浓度的 SO₂ 胁迫,研究了参试树种的外观受害症状及膜脂过氧化、渗透调节物质、保护酶活性等生理指标对 SO₂ 的反应,并采用模糊数学隶属函数法和灰色关联度法对其抗SO₂能力进行了综合评价。结果表明: 4种金色叶植物对 SO₂ 均具有一定的净化能力,表现为随着 SO₂ 浓度的增加膜透性增大,丙二醛、脯氨酸、可溶性糖和硫含量增加,超氧化物歧化酶、过氧化物酶以及过氧化氢酶活性上升,叶绿素含量先增后降,叶液 pH 值下降。但4种金色叶树木对 SO₂ 的净化能力有差别,其中金叶红瑞木的净化能力强最大,金叶女贞和金叶风箱果的净化能力为中等,而金叶莸的净化能力最差。这与其含硫量的顺序一致,却与其对SO₂的抗性大小即金叶女贞> 金叶莸> 金叶红瑞木>金叶风箱果完全不同,说明这四种植物对 SO₂ 的吸收能力与其对该气体的抗性不完全一致。但这不能表明抗性差的树种在兰州地区不能应用,因为,兰州市空气中的SO₂实际污染程度与研究所设置的最低浓度相比仍属安全浓度。在所选的10个指标中,丙二醛含量、细胞膜透性、超氧化物歧化酶活性、过氧化氢酶活性、脯氨酸、过氧化物酶活性、叶绿素和可溶性糖等指标均可作为金色叶植物对 SO₂ 抗性的重要鉴定指标,而S含量和叶液 pH 值在评价植物对SO₂抗性能力时并不具有重要性。4种植物的受害程度与其SO₂抗性相反,说明受害症状可以作为判断其对SO₂抗性大小依据。     

Effectiveness of Gypsum and Pyrite for Sulfur Fertilization on Yield and Quality of Indian Mustard under Rainfed Conditions of North India

Field trials were conducted for two consecutive years during the rabi season in sandy loam soils of Jammu (north India) under rainfed conditions to study the effect of gypsum and pyrite for sulfur (S) nutrition on the oil content, S uptake, and yield of Indian mustard. Application of S through gypsum or pyrite either in natural or ground form increased S content, uptake, oil content, and yield of mustard significantly over the control. Among the different treatments, S application at 50 kg S ha^?1 of ground gypsum (GM₂S₂) recorded the significantly highest mean seed yield of 20.30 and 18.01 q ha^?1, which lead to an increase of 30 and 29.8% in the first and second year, respectively, over the control. For the duration of the experiment, it was observed that 25 kg S ha^?1 was the optimum dose, preferably of ground gypsum, for mustard crops under rainfed conditions.     

Relationship between Selenium and Sulfur Assimilation and Resultant Interaction on Quality Parameters in Onion

The relationship between selenium (Se) and sulfur (S) uptake and their interaction on the pungency and quercetin contents of onion was investigated in a sand culture trial under polyhouse conditions. The results indicated that application of Se with increasing rates produced an antagonistic effect on S assimilation. An amount of 20 kg Se ha^–1 drastically reduced the S content in onion bulbs. Further, the pungency and quercetin concentration also declined. Foliar application of Se at 1.0 ppm resulted in production of bulbs with lower levels of pungency and quercetin. Though Se is essential from a health point, its application up to 10 kg ha^–1 was sufficient for enriching onions without much effect on the other essential bulb quality parameters.     

Integrated Plant Genetic and Balanced Nutrient Management Enhances Crop and Water Productivity of Rainfed Production Systems in Rajasthan,India

Analysis of soils from 421 farmers’ fields in eastern districts of Rajasthan, India, revealed widespread deficiencies of sulfur (S; 43 to 87% fields deficient), boron (B; 25 to 100%), and zinc (Zn; 0 to 94%) in addition to phosphorus (P; 10 to 73%) and soil organic carbon (1 to 84%). An integrated approach of application of deficient S, B, and Zn along with N and P to high-yielding crop cultivars increased yield over farmers’ practice of N and P application to local cultivars by 92 to 204% in maize, 115 to 167% in pearl millet, and 150% in groundnut. Benefit-to-cost ratio of the integrated strategy varied from 3.33 to 8.03 in maize, 2.92 to 3.40 in pearl millet, and 1.15 in groundnut. The integrated approach effectively utilized scarce water in food production and increased rainwater-use efficiency at 67 to 145 kg mm^?1 ha^?1 from 21 to 50 kg mm^?1 ha^?1 under farmers’ practice.