Simulation modelling of potato virus Y spread in relation to initial inoculum and vector activity

Potato virus Y(PVY) is a non-persistent virus that is transmitted by many aphid species and causes significant damage to potato production. We constructed a spatially-explicit model simulating PVY spread in a potato field and used it to investigate possible effects of transmission efficiency, initial inoculum levels, vector behavior, vector abundance, and timing of peak vector activity on PVY incidence at the end of a simulated growing season. Lower PVY incidence in planted seed resulted in lower virus infection at the end of the season. However, when populations of efficient PVY vectors were high, significant PVY spread occurred even when initial virus inoculum was low. Non-colonizing aphids were more important for PVY spread compared to colonizing aphids, particularly at high densities. An early-season peak in the numbers of noncolonizing aphids resulted in the highest number of infected plants in the end of the season, while mid-and late-season peaks caused relatively little virus spread. Our results highlight the importance of integrating different techniques to prevent the number of PVY-infected plants from exceeding economically acceptable levels instead of trying to control aphids within potato fields. Such management plans should be implemented very early in a growing season.     

Improving wood volume predictions in dry tropical forest in the semi-arid Brazil

The volumetric variability of dry tropical forests in Brazil and the scarcity of studies on the subject show the need for the development of techniques that make it possible to obtain adequate and accurate wood volume estimates. In this study, we analyzed a database of thinning trees from a forest management plan in the Contendas de Sincorá National Forest, southwestern Bahia State, Brazil. The data set included a total of 300 trees with a trunk diameter ranging from 5 to 52 cm. Adjustments, validation and statistical selection of four volumetric models were performed. Due to the difference in height values for the same diameter and the low correlation between both variables, we do not suggest models which only use the diameter at breast height (DBH) variable as a predictor because they accommodate the largest estimation errors. In comparing the best single entry model (Hohenald-Krenn) with the Spurr model (best fit model), it is noted that the exclusion of height as a predictor causes the values of 136.44 and 0.93 for Akaike information criterion (AIC) and adjusted determination coefficient (R2 adj), which are poorer than the second best model (Schumacher-Hall). Regarding the minimum sample size, errors in estimation (root mean square error (RMSE) and bias) of the best model decrease as the sample size increases, especially when a larger number of trees with DBH≥15.0 cm are randomly sampled. Stratified sampling by diameter class produces smaller volume prediction errors than random sampling, especially when considering all trees. In summary, the Spurr and Schumacher-Hall models perform better. These models suggest that the total variance explained in the estimates is not less than 95%, producing reliable forecasts of the total volume with shell. Our estimates indicate that the bias around the average is not greater than 7%. Our results support the decision to use regression methods to build models and estimate their parameters, seeking stratification strategies in diameter classes for the sample trees. Volume estimates with valid confidence intervals can be obtained using the Spurr model for the studied dry forest. Stratified sampling of the data set for model adjustment and selection is necessary, since we find significant results with mean error square root values and bias of up to 70% of the total database.     

不同控释氮肥运筹对粳稻养分吸收与氮素利用的影响

以绥粳18为供试材料,通过盆栽试验,在一次性施入控释氮肥免追肥条件下,设置不同施肥量(高、中、低、无)和施肥深度(5 cm、10 cm),探讨不同氮肥施用方式对粳稻养分吸收和氮素利用的影响。结果表明,在不同氮肥运筹条件下,粳稻各生育期氮、磷、钾的吸收、转运均存在明显的协同效应,施肥深度5 cm组,随着氮肥施用量的增加,粳稻的氮吸收总量增加,同时可促进磷的吸收,但影响幅度较小。钾变化与氮、磷变化有所不同。施肥深度10cm组,施高量氮肥抑制了粳稻对磷的吸收、减少了对氮的吸收,但有利于提高氮素利用率,对钾的吸收无显著影响。施用树脂包膜控释肥,纯氮用量为153 kg/hm^2、施肥深度5 cm、一次性施肥免追肥可获得最优水稻氮素利用效率并显著提高磷钾肥利用效率。     

A novel approach to estimating the competitive ability of Cirsium arvense in cereals using unmanned aerial vehicle imagery

Eight experiments were carried out in Denmark to determine the yield loss of spring barley due to Cirsium arvense in farmers' fields and to suggest and evaluate a novel approach for quantifying C. arvense infestation in large plots. Literature about the competitive ability of C. arvense is old, scattered and inconclusive, and existing models for estimating crop yield loss are based on data from North America. This study showed that C. arvense coverage could be quantified from unmanned aerial vehicle imagery using a manual image analysis procedure. This gave similar results as scoring the coverage. Yield loss of spring barley due to C. arvense infestation assessed at harvest was given by Y = 100·(1−exp(−0.00170·X)) where Y is the percentage of crop yield loss and X is the percentage of C. arvense coverage. The yield loss was much lower than estimates from models that have been developed in North America. It is speculated that the main reason for this is the later emergence of C. arvense than the crop due to lower soil temperatures in spring. Grain moisture increased linearly with C. arvense coverage: M = 0.0310·X where M is the proportional (%) increase in grain moisture and X is the proportion (%) of C. arvense coverage. Automated image analysis procedures are needed to estimate C. arvense coverage on field scales, and further experiments are needed to reveal whether the low competitive ability of C. arvense found in this study is representative for Northern Europe.     

Response of industrial hemp to Salsola kali subsp. tragus densities under organic and conventional fertilisation

A 2-year field study was conducted to determine the effects of different nutrition systems and Salsola kali subsp. tragus densities on industrial hemp yield and its components. Experiments were conducted as a split plot in a randomised complete block design with three replicates. Factors were fertilisation (poultry manure, vermicompost and nitrogen fertiliser) as the main plot and weed density (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 plants/m²) as the subplot. Results indicated that the maximum number of racemes per plant, seeds per raceme, 1000-seed weight, biomass, grain yield and harvest index (HI) of industrial hemp were obtained using vermicompost and were reduced with nitrogen fertiliser application. All measured properties in hemp plants decreased due to increasing S. kali subsp. tragus density, especially at 15 and 20 plants/m². The most significant reduction in hemp grain yield and its components was observed by increasing weed density with the application of nitrogen fertiliser. The application of vermicompost at high weed densities resulted in greater hemp grain yield and its components compared with nitrogen fertiliser. It is recommended to apply organic fertilisers, especially vermicompost at high S. kali subsp. tragus densities.     

The potential of mini-ridging for controlling intrarow weeds: estimating minimum lethal burial depth

Weed management using synthetic herbicides is undergoing a global decline, necessitating a re-evaluation of existing control measures and the development of novel weed management tools. ‘Mini-ridging’ is a non-discriminatory, physical weeding method that functions by burying weeds in the intrarow with a laterally shifted ridge of soil. In glasshouse trials using potted plants, we found that plant recovery after soil application was influenced by plant size, which in turn was influenced by plant species, developmental stage and/or age. The likelihood of plant recovery after soil application was negatively related to the depth of soil applied: very few plants survived total coverage by soil but, conversely, survival could be substantial if some parts of the plants were not covered. The results suggest that burial under a depth of 6 cm of soil would eliminate most plants regardless of species or growth stage. Larger plants would require the application of a greater total depth of soil to achieve this 6 cm of soil cover, and weed management would, therefore, tend to be more successful and more practical if weeds were targeted when still small. This research demonstrates the potential of plant burial as a simple and reliable means of non-chemical weed management, and re-emphasises that, for weed control to be effective, the applied soil layer must cover the whole plant.     

1978—2018年中国农村环境管理政策演进特征——基于206份政策文本的量化分析

基于手工搜集的1978—2018年中国政府颁布的206份农村环境管理政策文本,从政策发布年度、政策发布主体、政策发布形式、政策作用对象、政策工具及政策效力6个维度构建分析框架,运用政策文献计量和内容分析方法分析了中国农村环境管理政策的演进特征。结果表明:1978年改革开放以来,中国农村环境管理政策在数量上呈整体持续上升态势;农村环境管理政策经历了探索起步(1978—1989年)、初步形成(1990—2004年)、快速发展(2005—2013年)和全面推进(2014年以后)4个阶段的演进;政策发布主体的行政级别较高且呈现多元化特征,政策联合决策程度高,但政策之间统筹性和协调性较低;政策绝大多数以通知、意见等形式发出,缺乏权威性和规范性;政策的着力点主要在原生态保护层面,对农村人居环境整治的重视程度不够;命令控制型政策是政府最为偏好的农村环境管理政策工具,经济激励型、信息公开型和自愿参与型政策工具使用不足;政策整体效力的提升主要由政策发布数量驱动,政策反馈不足、政策措施较少和政策目标量化程度低是导致政策平均效力较低的主要原因。     

Land degradation,stocking rates and conservation policies in the communal rangelands of Botswana and Zimbabwe

Communal rangeland management policies in Botswana and Zimbabwe are based on incorrect technical assumptions about the stability of semiarid rangeland, the nature of rangeland degradation, and the benefits of destocking. Consequently, inappropriate policies, stressing the need to destock and stabilise the rangelands, are pursued. Acknowledgement of the great instability but intrinsic resilience of rangeland would encourage the Governments to more favourably regard the opportunistic stocking strategies of the agro-pastoralists of the Communal Areas. However, degradation of rangelands is occurring, although at varying rates. This justifies the promotion of a ‘tracking strategy’, in which livestock densities are encouraged to follow, more closely that at present, variations in rainfall. The establishment of grazing territories controlled by specific ‘communities’ may be a prerequisite for the promotion of the tracking strategy, and for communal rangeland management and improvement. However, the establishment of such territories must take into account social equity, institutional problems and transaction costs, as well as spatial and temporal variation in rangeland resources.     

Effects of Interaction of Soil Moisture and Organic Matter on Powdery Mildew Disease and Growth of Heracleum moellendorffii Hance

Taking annual Heracl'eum moellendorffii Hance as the material, this research studied the epidemic dynamics of H. moellendorffii Hance powdery mildew and plant growth by using the interactive methods of soil moisture and soil organic matter. The results showed that the interaction of higher soil moisture content (60％-80％) and soil organic matter content (75-100 g · kg-1) had few diseases, dosease index and area under disease progression curve (AUDPC) compared with those of other treatments, thus could effectivley control powdery mildew disease. Moreover, higher soil moisture and organic matter content increased the yield, contents of soluble sugar, soluble protein, vitamin C and coumarin in H. moellendorffii Hance.