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.     

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.     

Treatment of tropical forages with exogenous fibrolytic enzymes: effects on chemical composition and in vitro rumen fermentation

The effects of three treatments of fibrolytic enzymes (cellulase from Trichoderma longibrachiatum (CEL), xylanase from rumen micro‐organisms (XYL) and a 1:1 mixture of CEL and XYL (MIX) on the in vitro fermentation of two samples of Pennisetum clandestinum (P1 and P2), two samples of Dichanthium aristatum (D1 and D2) and one sample of each Acacia decurrens and Acacia mangium (A1 and A2) were investigated. The first experiment compared the effects of two methods of applying the enzymes to forages, either at the time of incubation or 24 h before, on the in vitro gas production. In general, the 24 h pre‐treatment resulted in higher values of gas production rate, and this application method was chosen for a second study investigating the effects of enzymes on chemical composition and in vitro fermentation of forages. The pre‐treatment with CEL for 24 h reduced (p < 0.05) the content of neutral detergent fibre (NDF) of P1, P2, D1 and D2, and that of MIX reduced the NDF content of P1 and D1, but XYL had no effect on any forage. The CEL treatment increased (p < 0.05) total volatile fatty acid (VFA) production for all forages (ranging from 8.6% to 22.7%), but in general, no effects of MIX and XYL were observed. For both P. clandestinum samples, CEL treatment reduced (p < 0.05) the molar proportion of acetate and increased (p < 0.05) that of butyrate, but only subtle changes in VFA profile were observed for the rest of forages. Under the conditions of the present experiment, the treatment of tropical forages with CEL stimulated their in vitro ruminal fermentation, but XYL did not produce any positive effect. These results showed clearly that effectiveness of enzymes varied with the incubated forage and further study is warranted to investigate specific, optimal enzyme‐substrate combinations.     

关于内蒙古大兴安岭林区大径材培育的探讨

文章通过对内蒙古大兴安岭林区培育大径材的目的、意义、必要性及方法等方面的分析,论述了大径级材培育是促进林区生态、经济和社会协调发展的有力措施。     

Isotopic fractionation of stratospheric nitrous oxide

We propose an isotopic fractionation mechanism, based on photolytic destruction, to explain the 15N/14N and 18O/16O fractionation of stratospheric nitrous oxide (N2O) and reconcile laboratory experiments with atmospheric observations. The theory predicts that (i) the isotopomers 15N14N16O and 14N15N16O have very different isotopic fractionations in the stratosphere, and (ii) laboratory photolysis experiments conducted at 205 nanometers should better simulate the observed isotopic fractionation of stratospheric N2O. Modeling results indicate that there is no compelling reason to invoke a significant chemical source of N2O in the middle atmosphere and that individual N2O isotopomers might be useful tracers of stratospheric air parcel motion.     

Effects of exogenous cellulase supplementation on microbial growth and ruminal fermentation of a high-forage diet in Rusitec fermenters

Two incubation runs were carried out with a Rusitec system to investigate the effects of 2 exogenous pure cellulases on ruminal microbial growth and fermentation of a 70:30 grass hay:concentrate (DM basis) substrate. The substrate was sprayed with buffer (control; pH = 6.5), a cellulase from Trichoderma longibrachiatum (TRI), a cellulase from Aspergillus niger (ASP), or a 1:1 mixture of both cellulases (MIX) 24 h before being placed in the fermenters. Enzymes were applied at a rate of 30 endoglucanase units/g of substrate DM. Treating the substrate with enzymes reduced substrate NDF and ADF content (P < 0.001 to P = 0.002) and increased DM, NDF, and ADF disappearance after 6 and 24 h of incubation (P < 0.001 to P = 0.004) but not after 48 h of incubation. Daily VFA production was increased (P = 0.004) by 15, 9, and 15% for TRI, ASP, and MIX, respectively, with half of the increase being due to production of acetate. All enzyme treatments augmented (P = 0.009) methane production, but none of them altered the methane:VFA ratio (P = 0.70). There were no differences (P = 0.80) among treatments in the daily flow of solid-associated microorganisms, as measured using 15N as a microbial marker. Although the TRI and MIX treatments increased (P < 0.05) the daily flow of liquid-associated microorganisms and the proportion of microbial N in the solid residue after 48 h of incubation, no effects were observed (P = 0.92 and P = 0.95, respectively) for the ASP treatment. The results show that the TRI and MIX treatments enhanced in vitro fermentation by increasing substrate fiber degradation, VFA production, and ruminal microbial growth. The lack of differences between TRI and MIX in most of the measured variables indicates that treating the substrate with a mixture of both cellulases did not further improve the effects of the TRI treatment.     

Optical studies of individual InAs quantum dots in GaAs: few-particle effects

Optical emission from individual strained indium arsenide (InAs) islands buried in gallium arsenide (GaAs) was studied. At low excitation power density, the spectra from these quantum dots consist of a single line. At higher excitation power density, additional emission lines appeared at both higher and lower energies, separated from the main line by about 1 millielectron volt. At even higher excitation power density, this set of lines was replaced by a broad emission peaking below the original line. The splittings were an order of magnitude smaller than the lowest single-electron or single-hole excited state energies, indicating that the fine structure results from few-particle interactions in the dot. Calculations of few-particle effects give splittings of the observed magnitude.