Improving estimates of <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">P</Emphasis> loads in irrigation water from swine manure lagoons

The implementation of nutrient management plans for confined animal feeding operations requires recording N and P loads from land-applied manure, including nutrients applied in irrigation water from manure treatment lagoons. By regulation, lagoon irrigation water nutrient records in Mississippi must be based on at least one lagoon water nutrient analysis annually. Research in Mississippi has shown that N and P levels in lagoon water, and the N:P ratio, vary significantly through the year. Nutrient estimates based on one annual analysis do not account for this variability and may overestimate or underestimate N and P loads. The present study reports an improved method to more precisely estimate N and P loads in irrigation water from swine manure lagoons. The method is based on predictable annual cycles of N and P levels in lagoon water and employs simple curve-fitting of lagoon-specific formulas derived by analyses of historical data. Similarity of curves from analyses of Mississippi lagoons and other lagoon studies suggests that the method can be applied using the often limited nutrient data for a lagoon to more precisely estimate seasonal shifts of N and P and to improve the precision of estimates for N and P in irrigation water. Although the present study focused on swine manure lagoons in the southern US, recognition that the annual N cycle in lagoon water is temperature driven, suggests that additional research incorporating temperature into future models could extend these models to other types of waste treatment lagoons and climates.     

天山南坡高寒草地物种多样性及地上生物量研究

在新疆天山巴音布鲁克草原对高寒草甸、高寒草原和高寒草甸化草原的物种多样性进行了研究,结果表明:盖度+高度指标测度群落物种多样性指数要优于盖度和株数指标,更适于测度高寒草地的物种多样性指数。丰富度指数、Margalef指数与Shannon-wiener指数相关性显著,在小的空间研究尺度内,草地植物群落物种多样性指数受丰富度指数的影响较大。地上生物量与丰富度指数、Margalef指数和Shannon-wiener指数呈负相关关系。     

Biodiversity in a germplasm collection of durum wheat

Summary Over 7,600 durum wheat accessions belonging to 22 country gene pools were evaluated in Syria, during the seasons 1985–86 through 1987–88 under semi-arid Mediterranean climatic conditions. Data on seven agronomic traits are presented to assess the distinctiveness and the phenotypic diversity of these pools. Univariate statistical analysis revealed differences among materials of diverse origins for all traits. Mean phenotypic diversity within countries was highest in the germplasm from India, lowest in that from Bulgaria. In a canonical variate analysis, the first three canonical variables explained 77.7% of the total variance. A cluster analysis was performed to supplement the generated information by the canonical analysis. The multivariate analyses evidenced the distinctiveness of the Ethiopian germplasm. The gene pools from Syria and Jordan, closely resembling each other, appeared separate from all others. A certain peculiarity was also shown by the germplasms from Greece, Morocco and France, while the remaining countries clustered into four groups. The results of the present evaluation could provide useful information for breeding activities, germplasm collection, and establishment of core collections. Evidence is presented that environment played a major role in creating the overall variation for the considered traits, although germplasm exchange seemed also an important factor.     

Sampling variation in genetic resources of seed crops: a review

Summary The first explorations for the collection of genetic resources of crop plants took place in areas designated as centers of origin. Later, important characters were found to be present in areas other than those indicated by Vavilov. Hence collection missions were extended to cover other areas in addition to the centers of diversity with different ecogeography and agromorphological features. Collecting activities were aimed not only at providing germplasm for immediate use in breeding but also at conserving genetic variation for future contingencies. The analysis of the collected material has revealed the complex nature, amount and distribution of genetic variation present in natural populations as well as in landraces, old varieties and primitive forms. The study of variation for characters from different regions indicated that it is possible to select certain characters for detecting variability in the populations and establishing the minimum number of genotypes to be sampled. A minimum number of 20–130 plants per sample, depending on the crop, is recommended in order to capture 95% of the total variation in the field. However, it has been emphasized that the number of different populations sampled rather than the sample size per population determines the overall efficiency of a collection. The findings reported allow better utilization of the collected material and formulation of optimal and cost-effective sampling strategies for the future.     

Geographic variation in tetraploid wheat (Triticum turgidum spp. turgidum convar. durum) landraces from two provinces in Ethiopia

There is considerable wealth of genetical and morphological variation in tetraploid wheat collected from Ethiopia by past expeditions. Several authors have speculated on the reasons for this concentration of diversity so far removed from the centre of origin of wheats in West Asia. The present study reports results of evaluation carried out on material collected in the early 1970's from Ethiopia. The landraces from the two provinces Shewa and Tigray were found to be distinctly different. This divergence was attributed to the differences in environmental conditions between them. Wide differentiation among landraces within each province was also present. The Ethiopian farmer's practice of growing composite cultivars in the field has resulted in bulk samples of Ethiopian landraces containing several agrotypes. The proportion of total variance due to differences among agrotypes within landraces was by far the greatest found in this study, followed in most cases by the variation among landrace populations within provinces which exceeded, in turn, the variation between province gene pools. The optimal strategy for further germplasm collections and implications for improvement and conservation in locally-based community gene banks are discussed.     

Cytogenetic and FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 mutation analyses in acute promyelocytic leukemia patients

Background: The secondary genetic changes other than the promyelocytic leukemia-retinoic acid receptor (PML-RARA) fusion gene may contribute to the acute promyelocytic leukemogenesis. Chromosomal alterations and mutation of FLT3 (FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3) tyrosine kinase receptor are the frequent genetic alterations in acute myeloid leukemia. However, the prognostic significance of FLT3 mutations in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is not firmly established. Methods: In this study, the chromosomal abnormalities were analyzed by bone marrow cytogenetic in 45 APL patients and FLT3 internal tandem duplications (ITD) screening by fragment length analysis and FLT3 D835 mutation by melting curve analysis were screened in 23 APL samples. Results: Cytogenetic study showed 14.3% trisomy 8 and 17.1% chromosomal abnormalities other than t(15;17). About 13% of the patients had FLT3 ITD, and 26% had D835 point mutation. FLT3 ITD mutation was associated with higher white blood cell count at presentation and poor prognosis. Conclusion: The PML-RARA translocation alone may not be sufficient to induce leukemia. Therefore, we assume that FLT3 mutations and the other genetic and chromosomal alterations may cooperate with PML-RARA in the development of APL disease.Key Words: Chromosome aberrations, FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3, Acute promyelocytic leukemia     

Macronutrient concentration in plant parts of cotton fertilized with broiler litter in a marginal upland soil

Effectiveness of surface-applied unincorporated broiler litter as a fertilizer relative to conventional inorganic fertilizers under no-till or conventional-till cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) production systems in the upland soils of the southern and southeastern USA is not well documented. The objectives of this research were to (1) test if broiler litter improves plant macronutrient (N, P, K, and Mg) nutrition of cotton above that of cotton fertilized with conventional inorganic fertilizers and (2) determine if lack of incorporating litter into the soil reduces macronutrient concentration in cotton plant parts in an upland soil considered marginal for cotton. Six treatments consisting of an unfertilized control, a fertilized standard (STD), two litter-only, and two litter plus inorganic N as urea–ammonium nitrate solution (UAN) were tested in two adjacent fields, one under no-till (NT) and the other under conventional-till (CT) systems. Litter alone, UAN, or a combination of litter plus UAN were applied to supply 101 kg ha⁻¹ plant available N assuming nearly all of the UAN-N and 50% of the total litter N becomes plant available during the cotton growing season. Concentration of N, P, K, and Mg were measured in leaves, stems, and reproductive parts on three or four dates between early flowering and maturity. Cotton fertilized with the litter-only treatments always had less N concentration but greater P and K concentration in leaves, stems, and reproductive parts than cotton that received the STD treatment. Leaf and stem Mg concentration seems to depend on the N concentration in these plant parts. Lack of incorporating litter into the soil reduced N concentration in nearly all plant parts at all growth stages, suggesting some amount of the litter-derived N is lost due to lack of incorporation. Lack of incorporation also reduced leaf and stem Mg concentration, which seemed to be due to its reducing effect on N concentration. Unlike N and Mg, lack of incorporation did not consistently affect concentrations of P and K in all plant parts. Regardless of the incorporation treatment, fertilization with the litter-only treatments increased tissue P and K concentration and supported lint yield exceeding that of the STD without increasing tissue N concentration.     

新疆天山北坡中段森林生态系统氮素干沉降

在过去几十年,干旱半干旱地区由于人为活动的增强引起了大气活性氮污染的加剧,从而导致氮沉降量的增加.为了定量评估新疆天山中段雪岭云杉(Picea schrenkiana)针叶林大气氮素干沉降状况,自2012年10月至2013年9月,选择在乌鲁木齐县萨尔达坂乡森林生态系统,利用中流量大气颗粒物采样器和被动采样器,距离地表2 m处分别采集PM10(可吸人颗粒物)和NH3、NO2样品,基于推算法定量评价氮素干沉降通量.结果表明:研究区NH3、NO2、颗粒态NH4+ (pNH4+)、颗粒态NO3-(pNO3-)和PM10年平均浓度分别为(5.86±1.31)、(2.85±0.30)、(0.45±0.07)、(0.45±0.06) μg·m-3和(55.8 ±6.52) μg·m-3;气态NH3-N、NO2-N和颗粒态N03--N、NH4+-N的沉降通量分别为3.42、0.79、0.61、0.62 kg·hm-2 ·a-1,干沉降总量为5.44 kg·hm-2 ·a-1.其中,气态NH3沉降占干沉降总量的62.9％,表明放牧引起的氨排放可能是该地区大气氮沉降的主要来源.鉴于该地区可观的氮干湿沉降总量(9.9 kg·hm-2·a-1,其中湿沉降为4.45 kg·hm-2·a-1),对研究区植被、土壤以及自然环境产生的可能影响应引起重视.     

Estimation of genetic parameters for body weight and egg production traits in Mazandaran native chicken

Native chicken breeding station of Mazandaran was established in 1988 with two main objectives: genetic improvement through selection programs and dissemination of indigenous Mazandarani birds. (Co)variance components and genetic parameters for economically important traits were estimated using (bi) univariate animal models with ASREML procedure in Mazandarani native chicken. The data were from 18 generations of selection (1988?C2009). Heritability estimates for body weight at different ages [at hatch (bw1), 8 (bw8), 12 (bw12) weeks of ages and sex maturation (wsm)] ranged from 0.24?±?0.00 to 0.47?±?0.01. Heritability for reproductive traits including age at sex maturation (asm); egg number (en); weight of first egg (ew1); average egg weight at 28 (ew28), 30 (ew30), and 32 (ew32) weeks of age; their averages (av); average egg weight for the first 12?weeks of production (ew12); egg mass (em); and egg intensity (eint) varied from 0.16?±?0.01 to 0.43?±?0.01. Generally, the magnitudes of heritability for the investigated traits were moderate. However, egg production traits showed smaller heritability compared with growth traits. Genetic correlations among egg weight at different ages were mostly higher than 0.8. On the one hand, body weight at different ages showed positive and relatively moderate genetic correlations with egg weight traits (ew1, ew28, ew30, ew32, ew12, and av) and varied from 0.30?±?0.03 to 0.59?±?0.02. On the other hand, low negative genetic correlations were obtained between body weight traits (bw1, bw8, bw12, and wsm) and egg number (en). Also, there is low negative genetic correlation (?24?±?0.04 to ?29?±?0.05) between egg number and egg weight. Therefore, during simultaneous selection process for both growth and egg production traits, probable reduction in egg production due to low reduction in egg number may be compensated by increases in egg weight.     

草地植物群落多样性研究进展

生物多样性是目前国际生态学研究的三大热点之一。通过放牧干扰、环境因子、生态系统稳定性、生态系统生产力等方面,概述当今草地植物群落多样性研究的热点问题。对多样性指数之间的关系、多样性与生产力之间的关系、多样性测度方法和分析方法进行讨论。