Using chlorophyll fluorescence induction for a quantitative detoxification assay with metribuzin and chlorotoluron in excised wheat (Triticum aestivum and Triticum durum) leaves

Chlorophyll fluorescence induction was used as a probe to detect herbicide detoxification in tolerant or susceptible wheat cultivars. Experimental conditions have been carefully examined for establishing detoxification kinetics of chlorotoluron and metribuzin, two photosystem-II-inhibiting herbicides. After a root treatment, leaves were cut, placed in glass tubes and maintained in the dark. The fluorescence induction rise was examined repeatedly and detoxification kinetics were established from these data for the same position on the individual leaves. The herbicide-dependent fluorescence rise decreased within hours in chlorotoluron-tolerant but not in susceptible Triticum aestivum cultivars. In contrast, no significant reversion could be detected after metribuzin application in both tolerant and susceptible cultivars of Triticum durum. Near the fluorescence-determined half-inhibition of photosystem II, linear detoxification kinetics were obtained in individual leaves, thus providing an accurate measurement of relative detoxification rates.     

Silicon concentration in spruce needles

The Si concentration in 1 year old needles from Norway spruce (P. abies) was determined at 39 sites within an area of 150 km². The sites had uniform elevation, precipitation and immission characteristics. The mean value was 1423 μg Si g^?1, and the coefficient of variation between sites was 29 %. There was no correlation of Si concentration in needles with soil pH in the range of pH 3.5 to 7.6, but significant negative correlations with soil organic matter concentration and with the effective cation exchange capacity were found. Silicon in needles correlated positively with Al, La, and Fe in needles, but showed no correlation with 20 other elements. The seasonal variation of Si concentration in needles showed a nonuniform increase with time. The seasonal changes of Si were similar to those of Ca. The investigation of 4 successive needle age classes, however, showed a strictly linear increase of the Si concentrations.     

The concentrations of K,Rb and Cs in spruce needles (Picea abies Karst.) and in the associated soils

The elemental concentrations of K, Rb and Cs were determined in needles from individual spruce trees as a function of the needle age class. The concentrations are highest in current year's needles and decrease smoothly in older needles, approaching a constant value. Rb and Cs show similar behaviour, whereas that of K differs in so far as its relative decrease with time is less pronounced. Intra- and intersite variation of the needle concentrations are largest for Cs and smallest for K. Individual trees show a highly significant correlation between the log (Cs) and log (Rb) values. Total soil concentrations were determined at 9 sites with different parent material. Intra- and intersite variations of K are comparable for soils and for needles, whereas those for Rb and Cs are much smaller for soils than for needles. All three elements are correlated in soil samples. There is no close connection between soil and needle concentrations at the various sites. However, the results suggest that needle concentrations of Rb and Cs, but not of K, are strongly dependent on the sorption properties of the associated soils.     

Genetic variation and genotype-environment interactions in short rotation <Emphasis Type="Italic">Populus</Emphasis> plantations in southern Europe

Growth and production in the first year, as additional selection criteria, were assessed for nine poplar clones to be used as short rotation woody crops (SRWC) in the production of biomass for energy purposes. In order to identify the most promising clones in terms of growth and yield and also to assess their stability, trials were established at different locations in Spain. The majority of these clones, which form part of the European list of base materials, have frequently been used in plantations aimed at timber production but not for biomass in Mediterranean conditions. Others, such as those selected in Italy specifically for biomass production (currently provisionally admitted), are being tested for the first time under different soil and climatic conditions in Southwest Europe. The early selection of clones for rapid juvenile growth provides a valuable additional input to the clonal selection process, especially where very short rotations are desired (no more than 3 years). In any case, determining clonal stability in terms of growth is of great use not only when deciding on the clones to be used in plantations but also when developing breeding programs. ANOVA and Genotype plus Genotype × Environment (GGE) biplot analyses were used to analyse the growth and stability of the clones, which were then ranked according to mean performance and stability. Differences were detected between clones as well as between the different environments tested. The biplot analysis allowed different groups of clones to be identified according to their performance and degree of interaction displayed, thus providing useful information for the selection process. The production of aboveground biomass in the first vegetative period ranged from 1.7 to 8.0 Mg DM ha⁻¹ at the different sites. ‘Monviso’, ‘Guardi’, ‘AF2’ and ‘2000 verde’ were the most productive clones whereas ‘Unal’, ‘Pegaso’ and ‘USA 49-177’ were the least productive. The stability analysis identified ‘AF2’, ‘Guardi’, ‘I-214’ and ‘MC’ as more stable clones while ‘Monviso’, ‘2000 verde’, ‘Unal’, ‘Pegaso’ and ‘USA 49-177’ were found to be specifically adapted to certain environments. This implies that where information on site conditions is not available, the ‘AF2’ and ‘Guardi’ clones offer greater assurance of successful establishment and higher initial growth. The growth of ‘Monviso’ ‘2000 verde’ ‘Unal’ ‘Pegaso’ and ‘USA 49-177’ clones is highly dependent on site conditions during the establishment phase. Similarly, the SH (Shore Henares river) and LT (La Tallada) sites were identified as the most highly discriminative environments for the set of clones while CS (Cubo de la Solana) and AR (Atarfe) were identified as those where performance levels were average.     

Quantification of Heavy Metals from A.M.D. Discharged into a Public Water Supply Dam in the Iberian Pyrite Belt (SW Spain) Using Centered Moving Average

In this work, the determination of moving averages is proposed as a method for quantifying metal, arsenic, and sulfate discharges into a water course undergoing acid mine drainage processes which flows into a public water supply dam in the Iberian Pyrite Belt. The analysis of the results obtained by applying moving averages shows that the highest metal and sulfate concentrations occur in October, coinciding with the first rainfall and the sponging of mine dumps, with November and December being the months when the highest contributions to the Andevalo Dam take place. The discharge of acid mine waters with its corresponding metal load into the Andevalo Dam means, for a single hydrological year, more than 6,000 t of sulfates, almost 600 t of iron, and 1 t of As, of special relevance for the hydrochemical quality of the stored waters. When they arrive at the dam, these metals precipitate, since the water pH is near 7, and remain latent in the bottom sediment as long as the chemical makeup of the dam water does not change.     

Potential of different poplar clones for sugar production

In a poplar clonal plantation with different species and hybrids, established at 13,333 cuttings ha^?1, biomass production was assessed at the end of the first rotation (3 years) and the potential of the different clones for sugar production was evaluated. The highest biomass production was observed for clones ‘AF2’ and ‘Viriato’ (46.5 and 42 t dm ha^?1, respectively). After a mild acid pretreatment and an enzymatic saccharification, the highest sugar digestibility was found for ‘Viriato’ and ‘Unal’. A clear relation between sugar digestibility and xylan removal during pretreatment was observed, while no relation with lignin content was found. Taking into account the results, the highest production of sugars per hectare was estimated for the poplar clone ‘Viriato’, being 18–48% higher than that achieved with the other clones. Therefore, this clone is a promising candidate to be used as feedstock for sugar production in a forest biorefinery.     

Survival of juvenile northern quahogs during seasonal temperature decline likely a function of diet and NMI-fatty acid synthesis

ABSTRACT

Aquacultured northern quahogs, Mercenaria mercenaria, set in the environment for overwintering have experienced episodes of anomalous, highly variable and site-specific overwinter mortality. Prior research has revealed factors likely contributing to mortality during isothermal winter lows, when M. mercenaria do not feed, and the postwinter approach to spring. However, a synthesis of prior studies suggests juvenile M. mercenaria survival during the prewinter period of temperature may be subject to the timely dietary availability of two highly unsaturated fatty acids, 20:5n-3, eicosapentaneoic acid, and 22:6n-3, docosahexaneoic acid, and the biosynthesis of the nonmethylene interrupted fatty acids, 22:2Δ7,13 and 22:2Δ7,15.     

Smooth additive mixed models for predicting aboveground biomass

Aboveground biomass estimation in short-rotation forestry plantations is an essential step in the development of crop management strategies as well as allowing the economic viability of the crop to be determined prior to harvesting. Hence, it is important to develop new methodologies that improve the accuracy of predictions, using only a minimum set of easily obtainable information i.e., diameter and height. Many existing models base their predictions only on diameter (mainly due to the complexity of including further covariates), or rely on complicated equations to obtain biomass predictions. However, in tree species, it is important to include height when estimating aboveground biomass because this will vary from one genotype to another. This work proposes the use of a more flexible and easy to implement model for predicting aboveground biomass (stem, branches and total) as a smooth function of height and diameter using smooth additive mixed models which preserve the additive property necessary to model the relationship within wood fractions, and allows the inclusion of random effects and interaction terms. The model is applied to the analysis of three trials carried out in Spain, where nine clones at three different sites are compared. Also, an analysis of slash pine data is carried out in order to compare with the approach proposed by Parresol (Can J For Res 31:865–878, 2001).Supplementary materials accompanying this paper appear on-line