Comparative Biomass Production of Six Oat Varieties in a Saline Soil Ecology

Oat is widely used as a food source in human and animal diets. In China, supplementary cultivation of oat has recently been extended into marginal saline soils, due to its extensive use. The goal of the present study was to explore and compare the agronomic characteristics, biomass production, and distribution of oat in coastal saline soil. A single-factor randomized block design experiment with six naked and husked oat varieties [Bayou-1 (BU-1), Baiyan-2 (BY-2), Baiyan-7 (BY-7), Huawan-6 (HW-6), Huazao-2 (HZ-2), and Pin-16 (P-16)] as treatments was conducted in the Hebei Province of China. The growth period (77 to 88 days) of the six oat varieties were shorter in saline soil than their original breeding region. Moreover, the plant was shorter, with a lower grain number per plant and seed setting. Grain weight increased and no change was observed in the floret number in coastal saline soil relative to the original habitats. The BY-7 variety produced the highest biomass value of 7.0 t ha^?1 compared to the other five varieties. Compared with two active growth points, most varieties in the present study showed just one growth activity point between elongation and heading. Two fast growth periods for the six oat varieties were due to the high total leaf biomass growth rate (BGR) from elongation to heading and panicle BGR from heading to maturity. The biomass growth ratio (BGO) during elongation to heading was the largest among the four growth stages of the oat varieties. The number of kernels per spike decreased at the research site, but grain weight increased. Substantial differences were observed for growth periods, biomass, BGR, BGO, and other agronomic characters in the coastal saline soil of North China, but the BY-7 variety was the most suitable variety for the study site.     

Effect of Water and Rice Straw Management Practices on Soil Organic Carbon Stocks in a Double-Cropped Paddy Field

ABSTRACT

Water and rice straw (RS) management practices can potentially affect the accumulation of soil organic carbon (SOC) in agricultural soils. Field experiments were conducted in two consecutive rice-growing seasons (wet and dry) to evaluate SOC stocks under different water (continuous flooding [CF], alternate wetting and drying [AWD]) and RS management practices (RS incorporation [RS-I], RS burning [RS-B], without RS incorporation and burning [WRS]) in a double-cropped paddy field. RS-I under AWD had higher volumetric water content than the same RS management under CF at tillering in both growing seasons. Total SOC was significantly higher under AWD at tillering in both wet and dry seasons and after harvesting in the dry season compared with CF. The same trend was also observed for C:N ratio at tillering and after harvesting in the dry season. RS-B plots had lower SOC stocks than RS-I and WRS plots across most of the measuring periods regardless of the growing seasons. SOC stocks were 33.09 and 39.31 Mg/ha at RS-B and RS-I plots, respectively, in the wet season, whereas the respective values were 21.45 and 24.55 Mg/ha in the dry season. Incorporation of RS enhanced SOC stocks under AWD irrigation, especially in the dry season before planting. Soil incorporation of RS in combination with AWD could be a viable option to increase SOC stocks in the double-cropped rice production region as it is strongly linked with soil fertility and productivity. However, the environmental consequences of RS incorporation in irrigated lowland rice production system should be taken into consideration before its recommendation for paddy field on a large scale.     

Economics of p fertilization of two soybean varieties at Jabalpur,M.P., India

Abstract

An economic interpretation was applied to a soybean yield prediction equation derived from data obtained in an experiment at Jabalpur, M.F. It was shown that no level of applied P could substitute for variety selection in terms of either soybean yield or economic returns per ha. Illustrative examples of the minimum price that must be obtained for soybeans before it is profitable to use P fertilizer for given price situations were shown.     

Response of rice to sulphur application under upland conditions

Abstract

A greenhouse experiment was carried out to determine the S response and the plant S content of rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars OS‐6 and IR‐20 grown in sandy Apomu soil series under upland conditions.

Sulphur application increased growth and dry matter yield. At low S rates OS‐6 gave higher grain yield than IR‐20. With high S rates, OS‐6 responded more in straw production. The leaf S content was highest during early growth and decreased with plant age. At flower emergence, the blade of the Y‐leaf appeared to be a suitable index for measuring the S status of the plant. The critical S level was estimated at 0.15%. The critical S levels in the grain and straw at harvest were estimated respectively at 0.12%, and 0.10%. The N/S ratios for the grain and straw at harvest appeared not to be a useful index for determining the critical S status of the plant.     

Investigating the mechanisms for the opposing pH relationships of fungal and bacterial growth in soil

Soil pH is one of the most influential variables in soil, and is a powerful factor in influencing the size, activity and community structure of the soil microbial community. It was previously shown in a century old artificial pH gradient in an arable soil (pH 4.0-8.3) that bacterial growth is positively related to pH, while fungal growth increases with decreasing pH. In an attempt to elucidate some of the mechanisms for this, plant material that especially promotes fungal growth (straw) or bacterial growth (alfalfa) was added to soil samples of the pH gradient in 5-day laboratory incubation experiments. Also, bacterial growth was specifically inhibited by applying a selective bacterial growth inhibitor (bronopol) along the entire pH gradient to investigate if competitive interaction caused the shift in the decomposer community along the gradient. Straw benefited fungal growth relatively more than bacterial, and vice versa for alfalfa. The general pattern of a shift in fungal:bacterial growth with pH was, however, unaffected by substrate additions, indicating that lack of a suitable substrate was not the cause of the pH effect on the microbial community. In response to the bacterial growth inhibition by bronopol, there was stimulation of fungal growth up to pH 7, but not beyond, both for alfalfa and straw addition. However, the accumulation of ergosterol (an indicator of fungal biomass) during the incubation period after adding alfalfa increased at all pHs, indicating that fungal growth had been high at some time during the 5-day incubation following joint addition of alfalfa and bronopol. This was corroborated in a time-series experiment. In conclusion, the low fungal growth at high pH in an arable soil was caused to a large extent by bacterial competition, and not substrate limitation.     

贵州黄牛杂交F1代直线育肥技术研究

本试验采用6月龄左右的西门塔尔×关岭牛F1代10头、利木赞×关岭牛F1代10头、安格斯×关岭牛F1代10头进行了360 d的强度育肥饲养试验。结果表明，3种杂交牛平均体重分别为550、590、540 kg，平均日增重依序为1413、1485和1367g；每千克增重消耗饲料干物质分别为6.91、6.42、7.10 kg；每增重1 kg饲料成本分别为5.23、4.86、5.38元；净肉率差异不显著，分别为42.5 %、41.5 %和43.0 %。从而认为，贵州杂交黄牛通过直线育肥可以达到优质肉牛18～24月龄（即屠宰前）450～500 kg以上的生产性能。     

Effects of concentrate‐to‐forage ratios and 2‐methylbutyrate supplementation on ruminal fermentation,bacteria abundance and urinary excretion of purine derivatives in Chinese Simmental steers

This study evaluated the effects of dietary concentrate levels and 2‐methylbutyrate (2MB ) supplementation on performance, ruminal fermentation, bacteria abundance, microbial enzyme activity and urinary excretion of purine derivatives (PD ) in steers. Eight ruminally cannulated Simmental steers (12 months of age; 389 ± 3.7 kg of body weight) were used in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Moderate‐concentrate (400 g/kg diet [MC ]) or high‐concentrate (600 g/kg diet [HC ]) diets were fed with or without 2MB (0 g/day [2MB ?] or 15.0 g/day [2MB +]). Dry matter intake and average daily gain increased, but feed conversion ratio decreased with the HC diet or 2MB supplementation. Ruminal pH decreased, but total volatile fatty acid increased with the HC diet or 2MB supplementation. Molar proportion of acetate and acetate‐to‐propionate ratio decreased with the HC diet, but increased with 2MB supplementation. Propionate molar proportion and ruminal NH ₃‐N content increased with the HC diet, but decreased with 2MB supplementation. Neutral detergent fibre degradability decreased with the HC diet, but increased with 2MB supplementation. Crude protein degradability increased with the HC diet or 2MB supplementation. Abundance of Ruminococcus albus , Ruminococcus flavefaciens , Fibrobacter succinogenes and Bufyrivibrio fibrisolvens as well as activities of carboxymethyl cellulase, cellobiase, xylanase and pectinase decreased with the HC diet, but increased with 2MB supplementation. However, abundance of Prevotella ruminicola and Ruminobacter amylophilus as well as activities of α‐amylase and protease increased with the HC diet or 2MB supplementation. Total PD excretion also increased with the HC diet or 2MB supplementation. The results suggested that growth performance, ruminal fermentation, CP degradability and total PD excretion increased with increasing dietary concentrate level from 40% to 60% or 2MB supplementation. The observed diet × 2MB interaction indicated that supplementation of 2MB was more efficacious for improving growth performance, ruminal fermentation and total PD excretion with promoted ruminal bacteria abundance and enzyme activity in the MC diet than in the HC diet.     

1981-2009年江苏省气候变化趋势及其对水稻产量的影响

利用江苏省1981-2009年7个农业气象站点的气象和水稻物候、产量资料,从平均气温和降水量对水稻产量影响的基本方程入手,定义了平均气温和降水量变化趋势对水稻产量趋势的贡献率,揭示江苏省近30a气候变化趋势对水稻产量的影响.结果表明,近30a来,江苏省水稻全生育期平均气温和最低气温呈上升趋势,最高气温的变化在苏南和苏北地区差异较大,尤其在开花-成熟阶段,苏南地区呈上升趋势,而苏北地区则呈相反变化趋势.气温(包括平均气温、最低气温和最高气温)与水稻产量呈正相关,1981-2009年平均气温升高对江苏省水稻产量影响的平均值约为1.2％,对产量趋势的贡献率约为30.0％.降水量的变化趋势不明显,降水量与水稻产量的相关性亦不显著,说明在研究区内降水量的变化对水稻产量的影响较小.总体上,江苏省近30a气候变化有利于水稻生产.     

高产型徐香猕猴桃树体结构及土壤养分状况分析

为明确猕猴桃果园的生产潜力,在普查的基础上对两个管理水平较高的徐香猕猴桃果园的树体结构及土壤养分状况进行分析。结果表明,高产型徐香猕猴桃树体的合理结构为成龄树冬季修剪后单株保留17个左右结果母枝,每枝保留15~21个有效芽,折合每667 m留长枝量为1 496个,留芽量为22 440~23 760个,7月份叶果比为3.33∶1。土壤速效氮为16.5 mg/kg,速效磷64.8 mg/kg,速效钾209.6 mg/kg,速效镁和速效铁分别156.6 mg/kg和3.58 mg/kg,有机质含量1.13%。可见,充足的肥料投入、枝芽数量及合理的叶果比是高产稳产的基本保证。     

Lymphoma as a model for chronic illness: effects on adrenocortical function testing

Many dogs with chronic illness have serum biochemical abnormalities consistent with hyperadrenocorticism (HAC). Lymphoma (LSA) is a chronic disease of dogs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate adrenocortical screening test results in dogs with LSA to evaluate their specificity. Criteria for inclusion in the study included a diagnosis of LSA, an expected survival time of 16-56 weeks, no glucocorticoid treatment beyond 4 weeks after the initiation of chemotherapy, no evidence of HAC, and owner consent. Post-ACTH stimulation plasma cortisol concentrations (PACs), urine cortisol : creatinine (UC : Cr) ratios, and maximal left adrenal width measurements were performed at the time of LSA diagnosis before the initiation of chemotherapy and at 16, 24, 32, 40, and 52 weeks or until the loss of remission or the development of another disease. Ten dogs met the criteria for inclusion. Forty-two PACs were performed; 1 abnormal, 2 borderline, and 39 normal values were detected. Thirty-five maximal left adrenal width measurements were obtained; 0 abnormal, 5 borderline, and 30 normal measurements were detected. Thirty-six UC : Cr ratios were obtained, with 26 abnormal, 4 borderline, and 6 normal values detected and 9 of 10 dogs having at least 1 abnormal value. These data suggest that in dogs with LSA, the UC : Cr ratio frequently is abnormal and may not be a specific test for HAC, or it may be the most sensitive test for increases in cortisol secretion due to chronic illness. Maximal left adrenal width measurements and PACs were almost always normal and may be more specific for HAC or less sensitive for demonstrating chronic increases in cortisol secretion.