Effects of Soil Characteristics on Spring-Harvested Switchgrass Biomass Composition

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a promising bioenergy crop for temperate regions. Overwintering has been used to improve biomass quality, resulting in a more efficient combustion, partially due to a reduction in minerals concentration. This study examines the effects of soil composition on overwintered switchgrass composition. Samples were collected in the spring from 58 environments in Southern Quebec to determine possible relationships between soil composition and biomass quality. Principal component analysis and stepwise regressions were used to identify relationships between soil and biomass compositions. Soil parameters monitored explained 74% of the variation in biomass silicon (Si) concentration, 45% of the variation in ash, and 32% of the variation in magnesium (Mg). Soil composition had limited effects on the concentration of other elements in switchgrass biomass. Switchgrass biomass quality is influenced by soil composition and appears well suited to biomass combustion when overwintered and harvested in the spring.     

Considering sink strength to model crop production under elevated atmospheric CO2

Climatic changes and elevated atmospheric CO₂ concentrations will affect crop growth and production in the near future. Rising CO₂ concentration is a novel environmental aspect that should be considered when projections for future agricultural productivity are made. In addition to a reducing effect on stomatal conductance and crop transpiration, elevated CO₂ concentration can stimulate crop production. The magnitude of this stimulatory effect (‘CO₂ fertilization’) is subject of discussion. In this study, different calculation procedures of the generic crop model AquaCrop based on a foregoing theoretical framework and a meta-analysis of field responses, respectively, were evaluated against experimental data of free air CO₂ enrichment (FACE) environments. A flexible response of the water productivity parameter of the model to CO₂ concentration was introduced as the best option to consider crop sink strength and responsiveness to CO₂. By varying the response factor, differences in crop sink capacity and trends in breeding and management, which alter crop responsiveness, can be addressed. Projections of maize (Zea mays L.) and potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) production reflecting the differences in responsiveness were simulated for future time horizons when elevated CO₂ concentrations and climatic changes are expected. Variation in future yield potential associated with sink strength could be as high as 27% of the total production. Thus, taking into account crop sink strength and variation in responsiveness is equally relevant to considering climatic changes and elevated CO₂ concentration when assessing future crop production. Indicative values representing the crop responsiveness to elevated CO₂ concentration were proposed for all crops currently available in the database of AquaCrop as a first step in reducing part of the uncertainty involved in modeling future agricultural production.     

玉米梳齿摘穗单体机构设计与试验

针对现有玉米收获机摘穗机构行距固定,难以实现按需调整以适应各类行距的问题,设计了一种玉米梳齿摘穗单体机构。该机构主要由梳齿滚筒、梳齿杆、梳齿杆安装座及传动轴等组成。相邻两梳齿杆的间隙小于玉米果穗大端的直径且大于玉米茎秆的直径,利用冲力将玉米果穗强制摘下。初步试验表明,玉米梳齿摘穗单体机构能够可靠地完成玉米摘穗作业。在玉米籽粒含水率为35.5%,玉米梳齿摘穗单体机构转速为110~170 r/min时,工作状况较好,籽粒破碎率的范围为0.14%~0.48%,落地籽粒损失率范围为0.03%~0.17%。正交试验结果表明,当转速为110 r/min,梳齿杆圆弧半径为240 mm,梳齿传动轴位于果穗大端下方100 mm时工作情况较好,籽粒破碎率为0.09%,落地籽粒损失率为0.04%,果穗损失率为1.96%。     

Effect of mineral nitrogen fertilizer forms on N2O emissions from arable soils in winter wheat production

Nitrogen fertilizers are supposed to be a major source of nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions from arable soils. The objective of this study was to compare the effect of N forms on N₂O emissions from arable fields cropped with winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). In three field trials in North‐West Germany (two trials in 2011/2012, one trial in 2012/2013), direct N₂O emissions during a one‐year measurement period, starting after application of either urea, ammonium sulfate (AS) or calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN), were compared at an application rate of 220 kg N ha^?1. During the growth season (March to August) of winter wheat, N₂O emission rates were significantly higher in all three field experiments and in all treatments receiving N fertilizer than from the non‐fertilized treatments (control). At two of the three sites, cumulative N₂O emissions from N fertilizer decreased in the order of urea > AS > CAN, with emissions ranging from 522–617 g N ha^?1 (0.24–0.28% of applied fertilizer) for urea, 368–554 g N ha^?1 (0.17–0.25%) for AS, and 242–264 g N ha^?1 (0.11–0.12%) for CAN during March to August. These results suggest that mineral nitrogen forms can differ in N₂O emissions during the growth period of winter wheat. Strong variations in the seasonal dynamics of N₂O emissions between sites were observed which could partly be related to weather events (e.g., precipitation). Between harvest and the following spring (post‐harvest period) no significant differences in N₂O emissions between fertilized and non‐fertilized treatments were detected on two of three fields. Only on one site post‐harvest emissions from the AS treatment were significantly higher than all other fertilizer forms as well as compared to the control treatment. The cumulative one‐year emissions varied depending on fertilizer form across the three field sites from 0.05% to 0.51% with one exception at one field site (AS: 0.94%). The calculated overall fertilizer induced emission averaged for the three fields was 0.38% which was only about 1/3 of the IPCC default value of 1.0%.     

Effect of Preharvest Sprays of Calcium on Cracking and ‘Schattenmorelle’ Sour Cherry Fruit Quality Harvested Mechanically

The aim of the study was to examine effect of preharvest sprays of calcium (Ca) in the form of Ca-chloride (CaCl₂), Ca-nitrate [Ca(NO₃)₂], or a mixture of Ca-formate, Ca-acetate, CaCl₂, and Ca(NO₃)₂ on cracking and quality of ‘Schattenmorelle’ sour cherry fruit harvested mechanically. The experiment was conducted in 2008–2009 at a commercial orchard in central Poland. Mature trees grew on a coarse-textured soil poor in organic matter, at a spacing of 4.0 × 1.5 m. The spray treatments of Ca were performed at 7-day intervals, starting 28 days before harvest, at the rates of 5.0–5.6 kg Ca ha^?1 per season. The trees sprayed with water were treated as the control. Fruit were harvested mechanically when peduncle-fruit detachment force dropped below 3 N. The results showed that preharvest Ca sprays caused no leaf damage. This measure did not affect yield, mean fruit weight, soluble solids concentration and titratable acidity of fruit, and weight loss of fruit during 24 h after harvest. Fruit sprayed with Ca had improved status of this nutrient, and were less liable to juicy leakage from the stem scar, rain-induced cracking, and preharvest decay caused by Glomerella cingulata. The above effects of Ca sprays did not depend on the tested material. It was concluded that preharvest sprays of Ca as CaCl₂ and/or Ca(NO₃)₂ should be recommended in ‘Schattenmorelle’ sour cherry orchards to reduce fruit losses resulting from rain-induced cracking, leakage of juice, and the incidence of cherry bitter rot.     

Effect of Conditioning Zinc Sulfate Heptahydrate (ZnSHH) with Zinc Oxide (ZnO) and Neem Oil on Growth,Productivity, Zinc Biofortification of Grain and Zinc Uptake by Basmati Rice

Commercial grade zinc (Zn) sulfate hepta hydrate (ZnSHH) is the most widely used source of Zn in India and several other countries for amelioration of Zn deficiency in crops. However, it releases water of hydration at temperature above 30°C and forms lumps on storage, which make it difficult to handle it and apply in fields. Therefore, conditioning of ZnSHH with ZnO and neem oil reduces the release of water of hydration and prevents lumps formation and can be well stored. Field experiments were conducted at the research farm of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India during rice growing seasons (July-November) of 2009 and 2010 to study the effect of conditioning ZnSHH with ZnO and neem oil on growth, productivity and Zn fortification of rice (Oryza sativa) grain and uptake by Basmati rice ‘Pusa 1121’. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design with 3 replications comprised of 9 treatments of Zn fertilization. The present study shows that when conditioned with 2% ZnO and 4% neem oil ZnSHH improved yield attributes, grain and straw yields, Zn uptake and partial factor productivity (PFP), agronomic efficiency (AE), recovery efficiency (RE), and physiological efficiency (PE) of Zn in Basmati rice ‘Pusa 1121’. In general, ZnO was inferior to ZnSHH. Application of ZnSHH conditioned with 2% ZnO and 4% neem oil can be a better source of Zn for transplanted puddled Basmati rice on Zn deficient soils.     

基于Landsat和MODIS数据融合的农牧区NPP模拟

天山北坡是中国重要的农牧业发展基地,利用遥感数据准确获取植被净初级生产力(Net primary productivity,NPP)的时空信息,对于合理分配农牧业草地资源具有重要意义。由于受到天气影响及卫星传感器受到时间分辨率和空间分辨率的限制,获取既具有中空间分辨率、又具有高时间分辨率的遥感数据比较困难。本文基于中空间分辨率Landsat 8 OLI数据与高时间分辨率MODIS数据,采用遥感数据时空融合STARFM算法,获取中空间分辨率和高时间分辨率序列的遥感数据,以天山北坡中段区域为实验区,结合CASA模型,对区域内植被NPP进行模拟。结果表明,2016年内8个时期,融合后的NDVI数据与对应时刻的Landsat 8 OLI NDVI数据的相关系数不小于0.759,偏差在0.006 2～0.009 4之间,均方根误差在0.074～0.135之间;利用融合数据与CASA模型协同模拟的NPP具有良好的空间细节信息,NPP模拟值与野外实测值决定系数R~2为0.860 1,表明两者具有较好的相关性。本研究为多源遥感影像融合技术与光能利用率模型协同模拟NPP提供了新的思路。     

新疆酿酒葡萄振动采收装置设计与试验

酿酒葡萄收获具有季节性强、占用劳动量大等特点,而机械化采收是酿酒葡萄收获的必然趋势。为此,针对新疆酿酒葡萄种植特点及采收作业要求,在测定了酿酒葡萄果蒂连接力的基础上,设计了一种由牵引架、工作部件和驱动部件等组成的酿酒葡萄振动采收装置,确定了其工作参数及关键结构参数,并进行了初步试验。结果表明:采用振动原理开展酿酒葡萄采收作业在技术层面是可行的,装置的研究为酿酒葡萄收获机的研制提供一定的理论与技术基础。     

基于分期播种的水稻生长动态及产量对热量条件的响应

为了研究东北地区水稻生长发育和产量对温度变化的敏感性,以2个水稻品种（‘辽星1’、‘辽优5218’）为试验材料,设置4个播种期,分析播期对水稻生长动态和产量特征的影响。结果表明：（1）‘辽星1’在I、III、IV播期分蘖数达到峰值较II播期少用积温400℃左右;I和IV播期最大分蘖数较II播期分别减少3.16%和15.50%,III播期增加3.85%。‘辽优5218’在III和IV播期分蘖数到达峰值较II播期多用积温300℃左右;I、III、IV播期最大分蘖数较II播期分别增加7.12%、32.51%、19.59%。（2）‘辽星1’在I和IV播期株高较II播期偏低,III播期最高;‘辽优5218’在I、III、IV播期株高偏低,I播期最矮。（3）‘辽星1’在I和III播期叶面积指数达到峰值较II播期分别多用积温300℃和200℃左右,IV播期少用100℃左右;I、III、IV播期最大叶面积指数较II播期分别增加48.5%、113.3%、31.6%。‘辽优5218’在I播期叶面积指数达到峰值较II播期多用积温500℃左右,III和IV播期分别少用400℃和100℃左右;I和III播期最大叶面积指数较II播期分别减少31.6%和27.6%,IV播期增加20.9%。（4）‘辽星1’在III播期地上干质量最高,IV播期最低;‘辽优5218’在I播期地上干质量最高,II播期最低。（5）‘辽星1’在I、III、IV播期的产量较II播期分别减产5.64%、6.27%、27.25%;‘辽优5218’在I播期的产量较II播期增加5.66%,III和IV播期分别减产13.14%和31.29%。（6）≥10℃积温2700~2800℃,平均温度24℃左右更适宜辽宁水稻生长和产量形成。     

利用籼粳交探讨水稻株高和抽穗期的遗传基础

广亲和基因的发现,克服了籼粳交杂种不育的矛盾,但杂种后代株高过高、抽穗期延迟等问题仍然限制着籼粳亚种间杂种优势的利用。本试验利用一个籼粳交(珍汕97/武育粳2号)双单倍体群体(doublehaploidpopulation,DH系)及其分别与两亲本回交构建的两个回交群体,考查了株高和抽穗期的遗传,将三个群体的表型值和两个回交群体的中亲优势值进行了数量性状位点(quantitativetraitlocus,QTL)检测及效应分析,并对结果进行了比较。2个性状在3个相关群体中一共检测到了21个主效QTL和10个上位性QTL,主效QTL的数目和贡献率都比上位性QTL大,而且,在10个上位性QTL中,发生在2个主效QTL间的互作有3个,主效QTL与背景位点间的互作有6个,2个互补位点间的互作仅有1个,进一步说明了主效QTL在株高和抽穗期遗传中的重要作用。比较加性和非加性QTL的作用,发现加性效应、显性效应和上位性效应是籼粳亚种间杂种株高和生育期变化的共同遗传基础。