Phenological and physiological evaluation of first and second cropping periods of sorghum and maize crops

Environmental conditions influence phenology and physiological processes of plants. It is common for maize and sorghum to be sown at two different periods: the first cropping (spring/summer) and the second cropping (autumn/winter). The phenological cycle of these crops varies greatly according to the planting season, and it is necessary to characterize the growth and development to facilitate the selection of the species best adapted to the environment. The aim of this study was to characterize phenological phases and physiological parameters in sorghum and maize plants as a function of environmental conditions from the first cropping and second cropping periods. Two parallel experiments were conducted with both crops. The phenological characterization was based on growth analyses (plant height, leaf area and photoassimilate partitioning) and gas exchange evaluations (net assimilation rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration and water-use efficiency). It was found that the vegetative stage (VS) for sorghum and maize plants was 7 and 21 days, respectively, longer when cultivated during the second cropping. In the first cropping, the plants were taller than in the second cropping, regardless of the crop. The stomatal conductance of sorghum plants fluctuated in the second cropping during the development period, while maize plants showed decreasing linear behaviour. Water-use efficiency in sorghum plants was higher during the second cropping compared with the first cropping. In maize plants, in the second cropping, the water-use efficiency showed a slight variation in relation to the first cropping. It was concluded that the environmental conditions as degree-days, temperature, photoperiod and pluvial precipitation influence the phenology and physiology of both crops during the first and the second cropping periods, specifically cycle duration, plant height, leaf area, net assimilation rate, stomatal conductance and water-use efficiency, indicating that both crops respond differentially to environmental changes during the growing season.     

Influence of gamete density,salinity and temperature on the normal embryonic development of the mangrove oyster Crassostrea rhizophorae Guilding, 1828

Laboratory experiments were undertaken to determine the optimal environmental conditions and some of the other factors concerned in the development of Crassostrea rhizophorae embryos.Critical variables such as the number of spermatozoa per ovocyte during fertilization, the time of fertilization after gamete liberation, egg density, temperature and salinity were related to the proportion of normal D-larvae of C. rhizophorae in the resulting broods.The highest proportion of normal D-larvae was obtained at concentrations of 500–5000 spermatozoa/ovocyte, under conditions of 25‰ salinity at 25 ± 1°C. The optimal density of eggs, for the production of normal D-larvae, was 10⁴?4 × 10⁴ ovocytes/l. If fertilization was delayed for more than 45 min after liberation of spermatozoa the proportion of normal D-larvae was greatly reduced. The experiments demonstrated that the temperature for developing embryos should be below 30°C. At 20 and 25°C there was a high proportion of normal D-larvae 24 h after fertilization. The ideal salinity for embryonic development in C. rhizophorae was 25–37‰. Below a salinity of 16‰, less than 2.5% of the D-larvae were normal.     

Influence of frame size and body condition score on performance of Brahman cattle

The effects of frame size (FS) and body condition score (BCS) on performance of Brahman cows were evaluated using records collected from 1984 to 1994 at the Subtropical Agricultural Research Station, Brooksville, Florida. Age at puberty (AP), calving rate (CR), calving date (CD), survival rate (SR), weaning rate (WR), birth weight (BWT), weaning weight (WWT), preweaning ADG, and kilograms of calf produced per cow exposed (PPC) were obtained from first- (n = 215), second- (n = 130), and third or greater-parity (n = 267) dams. Based on hip height at 18 mo of age, heifers were assigned to three FS groups: small (115 to 126 cm), medium (127 to 133 cm), or large (134 to 145 cm). Small and medium FS heifers attained puberty at younger (P<.05) ages (633.2+/-12.3 and 626.4+/-12.0 d) than large FS heifers (672.3+/-17.1 d). Calving rate in large FS second-parity dams was 27% less (P<.05) than in small and medium FS dams. In third or greater-parity dams, CR was greater (P<.05) for small FS cows than for medium and large FS cows. Across the three parity groups, CR improved with increasing BCS. Except for the first-parity dams, animals with better fall BCS calved earlier (P<.05). In first-parity dams, SR was less (P<.01) in large (47.9+/-11.0%) than in small (80.7 +/-5.2%) and medium (83.4+/-4.7%) FS groups. Weaning rates of large FS first- and second-parity dams were less (P<.05) than those of small and medium FS dams. Second-parity dams with BCS 3 had lower (P<.05) WR than dams with BCS 4 and 5. Within first- and third or greater-parity dams, BWT of calves born to small FS cows were the lightest, and those born to large FS dams were the heaviest; those born to medium FS dams were intermediate (P<.05). In second-parity dams, BWT of calves of large FS dams were greater (P<.05) than those of small and medium FS dams. In first-parity dams, calves weaned by small FS cows had lower (P<.05) WWT than those weaned by higher FS cows. In the third or greater-parity group, large FS dams weaned heavier calves (P<.05) than other dams. In all parity groups of dams, calves out of large FS cows had greater ADG (P<.05) than those from small and medium FS cows. In first-parity dams, PPC was comparable between small and medium FS dams, but both tended to be greater (P<.10) than PPC of large FS dams. Small and medium FS females reached puberty at an earlier age, calved earlier, and had greater calving, survival, and weaning rates, as well as greater kilograms of calf produced per cow exposed than the large FS females. As the large FS cows matured, they seemed to have overcome the negative effects imposed by FS that were observed at younger ages. Their performance traits were generally all comparable to those of smaller cows once they had reached maturity.     

Volume Contents

Volume Contents

Volume Contents     

Assessment of relevant factors and relationships concerning human dermal exposure to pesticides in greenhouse applications

Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to the gas chromatographic data obtained from 23 different greenhouse trials. This was used to establish which factors, including application technique (very small, small, medium and large drop-size), crop characteristics (short/tall, thin/dense) and pattern application of the operator (walking towards or away from the treated area) are relevant to the dermal exposure levels of greenhouse applicators. The results showed that the highest exposure by pesticides during field applications in greenhouses, in the climatic conditions and in the crop conditions typical of a southern European country, occurs on the lower legs and front thighs of the applicators. Similar results were obtained by hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). Drop-size seems to be very important in determining total exposure, while height and density of crops have little influence on total exposure under the conditions of the present study. No pesticide type is a major factor in total exposure. The application of multiple regression analysis (MRA) allowed assessment of the relationships between the pesticide exposure of the less affected parts of the body with the most affected parts.     

Poisoning of horses by bamboo, Bambusa vulgaris

The clinical and pathological aspects of a neurological disease observed in 16 horses in Pará, Amazonia, Brazil, are presented. The symptoms were mainly motor incoordination, paresis of the tongue, somnolence, difficulties in apprehension, chewing and swallowing of food, as well as instability and standing with abducted members. The clinical course was subacute or chronic and in most cases was not fatal. Postmortem examination performed in one already very sick, euthanized animal, did not show significant macroscopic lesions; histopathological examination revealed slight edema and degenerative alterations of a few axons, mainly in the medulla oblongata. In all pastures where horses were affected, plenty of bamboo had been eaten, probably because of scarcity of pasture. By feeding large amounts of fresh bamboo leaves of this region, in different growing stages, to three horses (horse 1, 47 g/kg/d for 30 days; horse 2, 10 g/kg/d for 60 days; horse 3, 18 g/kg on the first day, and 31 g/kg/d for 6 more days)—the animals ate the leaves unassisted—it was possible to reproduce nervous symptoms essentially identical to those observed in the natural disease 24 to 72 hours after the first feeding of the plant. In spite of continuous administration of the plant, intensity of the clinical signs did not increase. Based on field observations and comparison of the clinical and pathological pictures seen in the natural and experimental disease, the described illness can be concluded to be caused by the ingestion of large amounts of the leaves of Bambusa vulgaris f. vulgaris.     

Considerations on ethics and animal welfare in extensive pig production: Breeding and fattening Iberian pigs

The extensive pig production in Spain is traditionally characterised by: the use of the Iberian pig, an autochthonous breed perfectly integrated into the environment in which they have developed; a long duration of the productive cycle for about 23–24 months; a high level of animal welfare level, specially in the fattening process with freedom of movement and feeding base on natural sources: acorns and grass, and an equilibrated “dehesa” agro-forestry system where this activity has been developed. Nowadays, the introduction of more intensificated methods due to the increasing demand led to important changes, such as: the shortening of the productive cycle (10–12 months); freeing from the territorial base; changes during the fattening period, fattening with mixed feed and less animal freedom. All these facts may implicate a loss of the animal welfare condition. These circumstances lead us to question it from an ethical point of view.     

Effect of chitosan-based edible coatings applied by vacuum impregnation on quality preservation of fresh-cut carrot

Edible coatings based on high molecular weight chitosan, pure or combined with methylcellulose or oleic acid, were applied to fresh-cut carrots cv. Nantesa by simple immersion and by applying a vacuum pulse (5 kPa for 4 min). Water vapour resistance, colour, mechanical properties and respiration rates of non-coated and coated samples were determined. Coatings improved sample appearance, since they diminished the occurrence of the white blush during storage. When applied by simple immersion, they neither conferred significant barrier properties nor the preservation of the mechanical properties of fresh-cut carrot samples. In contrast, coating application with a vacuum pulse enhanced all the positive effects, since the resistance of water vapour transmission of the samples was significantly improved, and better preservation of the sample colour and mechanical response during cold storage was obtained. Differences in film composition did not significantly affect the coating behaviour, probably due to the variability induced by different factors when coatings were applied to the carrot surface.     

Red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) management in the dehesa system in Central Extremadura,Spain

In this paper we report the results of a study on the suitability of the dehesa (Mediterranean woodlands) as habitat of red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) in a closed country estate of about 4300 ha total surface situated in the San Pedro Mountain, in Central Extremadura, Spain. We have described the deer management with respect to habitat, exploitation mode, deer feeding, population control and production of goods and services. It is concluded that the dehesa system is a rich natural resource that preserves and improves the degraded environment.

---

Resumen En el presente trabajo se estudia la dehesa como hábitat del ciervo (Cervus elaphus hispanicus). Se ha tomado como referencia una finca cerrada de 4300 ha de ST situada en la Sierra de San Pedro, en Extremadura, España. Se describen los sistemas de gestión actuales del ciervo en cuanto a hábitat, modo de explotación, alimentación, control de población y producción de bienes y servicios. Concluyendo con la necesidad de fomentar este tipo de explotaciones cinegéticas de dehesa que ayudan a conservar y potenciar el medio ambiente en zonas despobladas y deprimidas

---

Abbreviations CS collected surface - DMFCU deedmixed feed cattle units - Fi final inventory - FS fertilized surface - Ii Initial inventory - K Potassium - N Nitrogen - NBF number of breeding females - NBFIi number of breeding females of initial inventory - NBFR number of breeding females released - NBM number of breeding males - NBMIi number of breeding males of initial inventory - NBMR number of breeding males released - NCCR number of captive calves released - NCFi number of calves of final inventory - NCR number of calves released - NFR number of female renovation - NYMR number of young males released - NYFR number of young females released - P phosphorus - PP permanent Pastures - pts pesetas - QS Quercus stalks - RDED resources directly eaten by deer - SPOM selected hunted down poor quality males - SS sowed surface - TN total needs of deer - TNR total number released - UAS useable agrarian surface - WB wooded brush - WQS wooded Quercus surface - WS wooded surface