Development of a custom-made "smart-sphere" to assess incipient entrainment by rolling

Science.gov (United States)

Valyrakis, Manousos; Kitsikoudis, Vasileios; Alexakis, Athanasios; Trinder, Jon

2017-04-01

The most widely applied criterion for sediment incipient motion in engineering applications is the time- and space-averaged approach of critical Shields shear stress. Nonetheless, in the recent years published research has highlighted the importance of turbulence fluctuations in sediment incipient motion and its stochastic character. The present experimental study investigates statistically the link of the response of a "smart-pebble" to hydrodynamics in near-critical flow conditions and discusses how such a device can be utilized in engineering design. A set of specifically designed fluvial experiments monitoring the entrainment conditions for a "smart-pebble", were carried out in a tilting, recirculating flume in turbulent flow conditions while three-dimensional flow measurements were obtained with an acoustic Doppler velocimeter. The "smart-pebble" employed herein is a custom-made instrumented sphere with 7 cm diameter, which has a number of sensors embedded within its waterproof 3D-printed plastic shell. Specifically, the "smart-pebble" is equipped with miniaturized, off the shelf, low-cost, three-dimensional acceleration, orientation and angular displacement sensors. A 3D-printed local micro topography of known geometry was installed in the flume's test section and the "smart-pebble" was placed there in order to facilitate the analysis. Every time the "smart-sphere" is displaced by the flow a downstream located pin blocks its full entrainment. This allows for continuous recording of the entrainment events due to the passage of energetic events, after which the "smart-pebble" returns to its resting pocket. The "smart-pebble" device under such a configuration allows the recording of normally indiscernible (with the naked eye) vibrations, twitching motions, and full entrainments for the studied particle, allowing its analysis from a Langrangian framework. During the incipient motion experiments the retrieved data are stored in an internal memory unit or

Robust Fault Diagnosis Design for Linear Multiagent Systems with Incipient Faults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jingping Xia

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The design of a robust fault estimation observer is studied for linear multiagent systems subject to incipient faults. By considering the fact that incipient faults are in low-frequency domain, the fault estimation of such faults is proposed for discrete-time multiagent systems based on finite-frequency technique. Moreover, using the decomposition design, an equivalent conclusion is given. Simulation results of a numerical example are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed techniques.

Incipient motion of gravel and coal beds

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

R. Narasimhan (Krishtel eMaging) 1461 1996 Oct 15 13:05:22

2. 1Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, ... the particle size distribution curve following the relationship by Christensen .... where f = friction factor, ρ = mass density of fluid, and V = mean velocity of flow. .... for the incipient motion of gravel and coal beds have been represented by simple empirical.

Incipient toxicity of lithium to freshwater organisms representing a salmonid habitat

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Emery, R.; Klopfer, D.C.; Skalski, J.R.

1981-07-01

Because the eventual development of fusion power reactors could increase the mining, use and disposal of lithium five-fold by the year 2000, potential effects from unusual amounts of lithium in aquatic environments were investigated. Freshwater oganisms representing a Pacific Northwest salmonid habitat were exposed to elevated conentrations of lithium. Nine parameters were used to determine the incipient toxicity of lithium to rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri), insect larvae (Chironomus sp.), and Columbia River periphyton. All three groups of biota were incipiently sensitive to lithium at concentrations ranging between 0.1 and 1 mg/L. These results correspond with the incipient toxicity of beryllium, a chemically similar component of fusion reactor cores. A maximum lithium concentration of 0.01 mg/L occurs naturally in most freshwater environments (beryllium is rarer). Therefore, a concentration range of 0.01 to 0.1 mg/L may be regarded as approaching toxic concentrations when assessing the hazards of lithium in freshwaters

Yield performance of brassica varieties under rainfed condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hassan, M.Z.U.; Wahla, A.J.; Waqar, M.Q.

2014-01-01

A field study was conducted to evaluate crop growth and seed yield performance of Brassica varieties under Rainfed conditions. The varieties, included in the study, were BSA, Zafar-2000, Pakola, Con.1, Con.2, Abaseen, Rainbow, SPS-5, Bard-1, and KJ-119. KJ-119 (2500.0 KG/HA) among Brassica juncea L. varieties and Abaseen (2425.9 kg/ha) among Brassica napusL. Varieties produced with maximum seed yield as compared to rest of varieties. Significantly, minimum seed yield was observed in check variety BSA. The significant difference in seed yield of Brassica varieties, Abaseen and KJ 119, was attributed to improve yield components over other varieties. Maximum pods per plant and seeds per pod led these varieties to attain maximum yield. Inspite of weather variations existence during years 2007-09,the same varieties produced with maximum seed yield. (author)

Incipient and overt diabetic nephropathy in African Americans with NIDDM.

Science.gov (United States)

Dasmahapatra, A; Bale, A; Raghuwanshi, M P; Reddi, A; Byrne, W; Suarez, S; Nash, F; Varagiannis, E; Skurnick, J H

1994-04-01

OBJECTIVE--To determine the prevalence of incipient and overt nephropathy in African-American subjects with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) attending a hospital clinic. Contributory factors, such as blood pressure (BP), duration and age at onset of diabetes, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, and body mass index (BMI) also were evaluated. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS--We recruited 116 African-American subjects with NIDDM for this cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytical study. BP, BMI, 24-h urine albumin excretion, creatinine clearance, serum creatinine, lipids, and GHb levels were measured. Albumin excretion rate (AER) was calculated, and subjects were divided into three groups: no nephropathy (AER 200 micrograms/min). Frequency of hypertension and nephropathy was analyzed by chi 2 testing, group means were compared using analysis of variance, and linear correlations were performed between AER and other variables. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the association of these variables while controlling for the effects of other variables. RESULTS--Increased AER was present in 50% of our subjects; 31% had incipient and 19% had overt nephropathy. Hypertension was present in 72.4%; nephropathy, particularly overt nephropathy, was significantly more prevalent in the hypertensive group. Mean BP and diastolic blood pressure (dBP) were higher in the groups with incipient and overt nephropathy, and systolic blood pressure (sBP) was increased in overt nephropathy. Men with either form of nephropathy had higher sBP, dBP, and mean BP, whereas only women with overt nephropathy had increased sBP and mean BP. Subjects with incipient or overt nephropathy had a longer duration of diabetes, and those with overt nephropathy had a younger age at onset of diabetes. By multiple regression analysis, AER correlated with younger age at diabetes onset, but not with diabetes duration. No correlation with age, lipid levels, or GHb was noted. BMI correlated with AER

Survey of the current state of knowledge of incipient boiling superheat in sodium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greer, B.

1979-01-01

Superheat data obtained by various investigators indicate that many parameters affect this phenomenon. Controlling parameters appear to be inert gas concentration, oxide concentration, system pressure, pressure-temperature history, rate of temperature rise, heat flux, flow rate, operating time on the system, surface conditions, and radiation. Of these, the two believed most influential in controlling incipient boiling superheat are the inert gas concentration and oxide concentration. Experimental results for the heat flux and rate of temperature rise appear to be the most inconsistent

Prediction of incipient flow boiling from a uniformly heated surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yin, S.T.; Abdelmessih, A.H.

1977-01-01

This study was undertaken to investigate the phenomenon of liquid superheat during incipient boiling in a uniformly heated forced convection channel. Experimental data were obtained using Freon 11 as the test medium. Based on existing theories, an analytical method was developed for predicting the point of termination of nucleate boiling, observed during a decreasing heat flux process with a nucleation activated surface. The method may also be used to predict the point of boiling incipience, observed during an increasing heat flux process with a non-activated surface; this point does not appear to have been treated analytically in previous work. It can be shown that some of the existing models are special cases of the present formulation

Relative roughness controls on incipient sediment motion in steep channels

Science.gov (United States)

Prancevic, J.; Lamb, M. P.; Fuller, B. M.

2012-12-01

For over eight decades, researchers have noted an appreciable increase in the nondimensional shear stress (Shields number) at initiation of fluvial bedload transport with increasing bed slope. The precise cause of the trend, however, is obscured by the covariance of several factors with increased slope: a greater downstream component of the gravity acting on the grains and fluid, changes in bed morphology, increased grainsize relative to the channel width that may lead to grain bridging, and increased grainsize relative to flow depth (relative roughness) that may change flow hydraulics and particle buoyancy. Here, we report on ongoing laboratory experiments spanning a wide range of bed slopes (2% to 67%) designed to isolate these variables and determine the true cause of heightened critical Shields numbers on steep slopes. First, we eliminated bed morphology as a factor by using only planar beds. To investigate the effect of grain bridging, we used two different channel widths, representing width-to-grainsize ratios of 23:1 and 9:1. Finally, to separate the effects of slope from relative roughness, we compared incipient motion conditions for acrylic particles (submerged specific gravity of 0.15) to natural siliciclastic gravel (submerged specific gravity of 1.65). Different particle densities allowed us to explore incipient motion as a function of relative roughness, independent of channel slope, because lighter particles move at shallower flow depths than heavier ones of the same size. Results show that both materials exhibit a positive trend between bed slope and critical Shields number despite the existence of planar beds for all slopes. Furthermore, changing the grainsize-to-width ratio had a negligible effect on this trend. For all slopes, the critical Shields number for bedload transport was higher for the acrylic particles than for gravel, indicating that relative roughness has a strong control on incipient sediment motion independent of channel slope. These

Nondestructive evaluation of incipient decay in hardwood logs

Science.gov (United States)

Xiping Wang; Jan Wiedenbeck; Robert J. Ross; John W. Forsman; John R. Erickson; Crystal Pilon; Brian K. Brashaw

2005-01-01

Decay can cause significant damage to high-value hardwood timber. New nondestructive evaluation (NDE) technologies are urgently needed to effectively detect incipient decay in hardwood timber at the earliest possible stage. Currently, the primary means of inspecting timber relies on visual assessment criteria. When visual inspections are used exclusively, they provide...

Thermal hydraulic conditions inducing incipient cracking in the 900 MWe unit 93 D reactor coolant pump shafts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bore, C.

1995-01-01

From 1987, 900 MWe plant operating feedback revealed cracking in the lower part of the reactor coolant pump shafts, beneath the thermal ring. Metallurgical examinations established that this was due to a thermal fatigue phenomenon known as thermal crazing, occurring after a large number of cycles. Analysis of thermal hydraulic conditions initiating the cracks does not allow exact quantification of the thermal load inducing cracking. Only qualitative analyses are thus possible, the first of which, undertaken by the pump manufacturer, Jeumont Industrie, showed that the cracks could not be due to the major transients (stop-start, injection cut-off), which were too few in number. Another explanation was then put forward: the thermal ring, shrunk onto the shaft it is required to protect against thermal shocks, loosens to allow an alternating downflow of cold water from the shaft seals and an upflow of hot water from the primary system. However, approximate calculations showed that the flow involved would be too slight to initiate the cracking observed. A more stringent analysis undertaken with the 2D flow analysis code MELODIE subsequently refuted the possibility of alternating flows beneath the ring establishing that only a hot water upflow occurred due to a 'viscosity pump' phenomenon. Crack initiation was finally considered to be due to flowrate variations beneath the ring, with the associated temperature fluctuations. This flowrate fluctuation could be due to an unidentified transient phenomenon or to a variation in pump operating conditions. This analysis of the hydraulic conditions initiating the cracks disregards shaft surface residual stresses. These are tensile stresses and show that loads less penalizing than those initially retained could cause incipient cracking. Thermal ring modifications to reduce these risks were proposed and implemented. In addition, final metallurgical treatment of the shafts was altered and implemented. In addition, final metallurgical

Petrogenesis of incipient charnockite in the Ikalamavony sub-domain, south-central Madagascar: New insights from phase equilibrium modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Endo, Takahiro; Tsunogae, Toshiaki; Santosh, M.; Shaji, E.; Rambeloson, Roger A.

2017-06-01

Incipient charnockites representing granulite formation on a mesoscopic scale occur in the Ambodin Ifandana area of Ikalamavony sub-domain in south-central Madagascar. Here we report new petrological data from these rocks, and discuss the process of granulite formation on the basis of petrography, mineral equilibrium modeling, and fluid inclusion studies. The incipient charnockites occur as brownish patches, lenses, and layers characterized by an assemblage of biotite + orthopyroxene + K-feldspar + plagioclase + quartz + magnetite + ilmenite within host orthopyroxene-free biotite gneiss with an assemblage of biotite + K-feldspar + plagioclase + quartz + magnetite + ilmenite. Lenses and layers of calc-silicate rock (clinopyroxene + garnet + plagioclase + quartz + titanite + calcite) are typically associated with the charnockite. Coarse-grained charnockite occurs along the contact between the layered charnockite and calc-silicate rock. The application of mineral equilibrium modeling on the mineral assemblages in charnockite and biotite gneiss employing the NCKFMASHTO system as well as fluid inclusion study on coarse-grained charnockite defines a P-T range of 8.5-10.5 kbar and 880-900 °C, which is nearly consistent with the inferred P-T condition of the Ikalamavony sub-domain (8.0-10.5 kbar and 820-880 °C). The result of T versus H2O activity (a(H2O)) modeling demonstrates that orthopyroxene-bearing assemblage in charnockite is stable under relatively low a(H2O) condition of 0.42-0.43, which is consistent with the popular models of incipient-charnockite formation related to the lowering of water activity and stabilization of orthopyroxene through dehydration of biotite. The occurrence of calc-silicate rocks adjacent to the charnockite suggests that the CO2-bearing fluid that caused dehydration and incipient-charnockite formation might have been derived through decarbonation of calc-silicate rocks during the initial stage of decompression slightly after the peak

Birefringence and incipient plastic deformation in elastically overdriven [100] CaF2 under shock compression

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Y.; Zhou, X. M.; Cai, Y.; Liu, C. L.; Luo, S. N.

2018-04-01

[100] CaF2 single crystals are shock-compressed via symmetric planar impact, and the flyer plate-target interface velocity histories are measured with a laser displacement interferometry. The shock loading is slightly above the Hugoniot elastic limit to investigate incipient plasticity and its kinetics, and its effects on optical properties and deformation inhomogeneity. Fringe patterns demonstrate different features in modulation of fringe amplitude, including birefringence and complicated modulations. The birefringence is attributed to local lattice rotation accompanying incipient plasticity. Spatially resolved measurements show inhomogeneity in deformation, birefringence, and fringe pattern evolutions, most likely caused by the inhomogeneity associated with lattice rotation and dislocation slip. Transiently overdriven elastic states are observed, and the incubation time for incipient plasticity decreases inversely with increasing overdrive by the elastic shock.

Developing countries and incipient industrialization: a case study of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Botswana's small and large towns offer good examples of incipient industrialization and enterprise clustering in a developing economy. Using data from Lobatse, a small industrial centre in Botswana, this brief paper shows that clustering in developing countries does not necessarily induce high inter-firm relationships as is ...

Software System for Finding the Incipient Faults in Power Transformers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nikolina Petkova

2015-05-01

Full Text Available In this paper a new software system for finding of incipient faultsis presented.An experiment is made with real measurement of partial discharge(PD that appeared in power transformer. The software system usesacquisition data to define the real state of this transformer. One of the most important criteria for the power transformer’s state is the presence of partial discharges. The wave propagation caused by partial discharge depends on scheme of the winding and construction of the power equipment. In all cases, the PD source had a specific position so the wave measured from the PD –coupling device had a specific waveform. The waveform is different when PDcoupling device is put on a specific place. The waveform and the time of propagation are criteria for the localization of the source of incipient faults in the volume of power transformer.

Effect of post-partum body condition score on milk yield and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study determines the effect of dam body condition on milk yield and milk composition of dairy cows. The milk production records of 60 Friesian x Bunaji dairy cows were used for the study. The body condition score (BCS) was recorded on scale 1 to 5 with an increment of 0.25 points. The mean initial milk yield (IMY), ...

Acute and long-term effect of antihypertensive treatment on exercise-induced albuminuria in incipient diabetic nephropathy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Cramer; Mogensen, C E

1986-01-01

. In the acute study, using placebo/metoprolol 10 mg i.v. in patients with normal UAE, the maximal SBP at 600 kpm/min was reduced by 17 mmHg +/- 10 (SD) (2p less than 1.0%) and the maximal SBP at 600 kpm/min in the patients with incipient nephropathy was reduced by 15 mmHg +/- 11 (SD) (2p less than 1.......0%). However, no difference was observed in UAE, in patients with normal UAE or those with incipient nephropathy. Five of the patients with incipient nephropathy were followed with repeated exercise tests before and during 2.6 years of antihypertensive treatment, using metoprolol 200 mg/24 h and subsequently...

Fault prediction for nonlinear stochastic system with incipient faults based on particle filter and nonlinear regression.

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Bo; Fang, Huajing

2017-05-01

This paper is concerned with the fault prediction for the nonlinear stochastic system with incipient faults. Based on the particle filter and the reasonable assumption about the incipient faults, the modified fault estimation algorithm is proposed, and the system state is estimated simultaneously. According to the modified fault estimation, an intuitive fault detection strategy is introduced. Once each of the incipient fault is detected, the parameters of which are identified by a nonlinear regression method. Then, based on the estimated parameters, the future fault signal can be predicted. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by the simulations of the Three-tank system. Copyright © 2017 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Yield and Yield Components of Some Pinto bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. Genotypes under Late Season Water Deficit Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

somayyeh soheili movahhed

2017-10-01

indicated that Ks21189 genotype showed maximum number of pod perplant (9.2, number of grain per pod (2.91, 100 grain weight, grain yield (741.6 Kg.Ha-1, biological yield (2857 Kg.Ha-1 and Harvest Index (27.31% under drought stress conditions. In addition, this genotype had the least reduction for all traits under water limitation conditions in comparison to control. These findings confirm the resistance of Ks21189 genotype to drought stress and stimulating this genotype to least reduction in Grain yield under water limitation conditions. Minimum number of pod per plant (4.52, number of grain per pod (1.62, grain yield (503.1 Kg.Ha-1, biological yield (2301.6 Kg.Ha-1 and Harvest Index (22.66% was obtained in sadri genotype under drought conditions. Sadri genotype was identified as water deficit stress sensitive genotypes with reduction of yield up to 80.18%. In all genotypes, water deficit stress reduced grain yield due to reduced yield components (number of pod per plant, number of grain per pod and 100 grain weight. Conclusion The results of this experiment showed that water deficit stress on yield and yield components of bean genotypes had a negative effect. The highest and lowest yield and yield components were obtained from normal irrigation and drought stress treatments, respectively. Ks21189 genotype was more stable in water deficit treatment than other genotypes; however grain yield reduce in normal irrigation treatment was lower than other genotypes. Therefore, it seems that this genotype can be used as an appropriate genotype for supplemental evaluation in water deficit stress conditions. Correlation analysis showed significant and positive correlation between biological yield, number of pods per plant, number of grains per pod with grain yield. We concluded that genotypes with higher biological yield under drought stress conditions can produce maximum number of pods per plant, number of grains per pod and grain yield. Acknowledgments We would like to express our

Combining ability studies on yield related traits in wheat under normal and water stress conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saeed, A.; Khan, A.S.; Khaliq, I.

2010-01-01

Six diverse wheat cultivars/lines viz; Baviacore, Nesser, 9247, 9252, 9258 and 9267 were crossed in a complete diallel fashion to develop 30 F1 crosses, which were tested along with their parents under normal and water stress conditions. Numerical analysis was made for spike density, number of grains per spike, 100-grain weight, biological yield, grain yield and harvest index. Significant differences among genotypic mean were observed in all of the traits under both conditions. GCA and SCA differences were significant for all the traits under study except spike density and 100-grain weight in both conditions. Wheat variety Nesser showed maximum general combining ability value for spike density under water stress conditions and maximum GCA value for biological yield and grain yield under irrigated condition. The variety Baviacore proved best general combiner for number of grains per spike and harvest index under both conditions while biological yield and grain yield under water stress condition. Variety 9252 found best general combiner for 100-grain weight under both condition. The cross 9252 x Nesser showed maximum specific combining ability value for spike density and biological yield under irrigated while for 100-grain weight under water stress condition. 9258 x 9252 exhibited maximum SCA for number of grains per spike under irrigated while 9258 x Nesser under water stress condition. 9267 x Nesser showed maximum SCA for 100-grain weight under irrigated condition while spike density under water stress condition. 9258 x 9247 was proved best combiner for grain yield and harvest index irrigated while 9267 x 9258 for biological yield, grain yield and harvest index under water stress condition. (author)

Bed diameter effects and incipient slugging in gas fluidized beds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agarwal, P.K.

1986-01-01

The coalescence and growth of bubble swarms formed at the distributor of a fluidized bed gives rise to lateral as well as vertical distributions of bubble properties. However, existing models employ average bubble properties obtained largely from semi-empirical considerations. In a recent Paper, the author developed a bubble growth model based on a population balance approach. Analytical expressions were derived for the bubble characteristic distributions and averages. However, the model, developed for unconstrained growth, did not take into account the effect of the bed diameter and the possibility of slugging. In this Paper, the model is extended to take these aspects into account. A slugging criterion is also developed which is expected to be valid for the regime where incipient slugging depends on the bed height as well as the region where bed height does not significantly affect minimum slugging conditions

Incipient cognition solves the spatial reciprocity conundrum of cooperation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeromos Vukov

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: From the simplest living organisms to human societies, cooperation among individuals emerges as a paradox difficult to explain and describe mathematically, although very often observed in reality. Evolutionary game theory offers an excellent toolbar to investigate this issue. Spatial structure has been one of the first mechanisms promoting cooperation; however, alone it only opens a narrow window of viability. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here we equip individuals with incipient cognitive abilities, and investigate the evolution of cooperation in a spatial world where retaliation, forgiveness, treason and mutualism may coexist, as individuals engage in Prisoner's Dilemma games. In the model, individuals are able to distinguish their partners and act towards them based on previous interactions. We show how the simplest level of cognition, alone, can lead to the emergence of cooperation. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Despite the incipient nature of the individuals' cognitive abilities, cooperation emerges for unprecedented values of the temptation to cheat, being also robust to invasion by cheaters, errors in decision making and inaccuracy of imitation, features akin to many species, including humans.

Effect of antihypertensive treatment on progression of incipient diabetic nephropathy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Cramer; Mogensen, C E

1985-01-01

of urinary albumin excretion before and during 2.6 years +/- 1.0 (SD) of treatment. The blood pressure was depressed by the treatment (systolic blood pressure from 135 mm Hg +/- 8.6 to 124 mm Hg +/- 6.2, NS; mean blood pressure from 107 mm Hg +/- 7.6 to 97 mm Hg +/- 3.4, 2p less than 0.05; diastolic blood......The aim of the study was to clarify whether antihypertensive treatment with a selective beta blocker would have an effect on the progression rate of kidney disease in patients with incipient diabetic nephropathy. Six male patients with juvenile-onset diabetes with incipient nephropathy (urinary...... albumin excretion above 15 micrograms/min and total protein excretion below 0.5 g/24 hr) were treated with metoprolol (200 mg daily). At the start of the antihypertensive treatment the mean age was 32 years +/- 4.2 (SD). The patients were followed a mean 5.4 years +/- 3.1 (SD) with repeated measurements...

Early diagnosis of incipient caries based on non-invasive lasers

Science.gov (United States)

Velescu, A.; Todea, C.; Vitez, B.

2016-03-01

AIM: The aim of this study is to detect incipient caries and enamel demineralization using laser fluorescence.This serves only as an auxilary aid to identify and to monitor the development of these lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 6 patients were involved in this study, three females and three male. Each patient underwent a professional cleaning, visual examination of the oral cavity, and then direct inspection using DiagnoCam and DIAGNOdent. After data recording each patient was submitted to retro-alveolar X-ray on teeth that were detected with enamel lesions. All data was collected and analyzed statistically. RESULTS: Of 36 areas considered in clinically healthy, 24 carious surfaces were found using laser fluorescence, a totally non-invasive method for detecting incipient carious lesions compared with the radiographic examination. CONCLUSIONS: This method has good applicability for patients because it improves treatment plan by early detection of caries and involves less fear for anxious patients and children.

Determination and microscopic study of incipient defects in irradiated power reactor fuel rods. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pasupathi, V.; Perrin, J.S.; Roberts, E.

1978-05-01

This report presents the results of nondestructive and destructive examinations carried out on the Point Beach-1 (PWR) and Dresden-3 (BWR) candidate fuel rods selected for the study of pellet-clad interaction (PCI) induced incipient defects. In addition, the report includes results of examination of sections from Oskarshamn-1 (BWR) fuel rods. Eddy current examination of Point Beach-1 rods showed indications of possible incipient defects in the fuel rods. The profilometry and the gamma scan data also indicated that the source of the eddy current indications may be incipient defects. No failed rods or rods with incipient failure were found in the sample from Point Beach-1. Despite the lack of success in finding incipient defects and filed rods, the mechanism for fuel rod failures in Point Beach-1 is postulated to be PCI-related, with high startup rates and fuel handling being the key elements. Nine out of the 10 candidate fuel rods from Dresden-3 (BWR) were failed, and all the failed rods had leaked water so that the initial mechanism was observed. Examination of clad inner surfaces of the specimens from failed and unfailed rods showed fuel deposits of widely varying appearance. The deposits were found to contain uranium, cesium, and tellurium. Transmission electron microscopy of clad specimens showed evidence of microscopic strain. Metallographic examination of fuel pellets from the peak transient power location showed extensive grain boundary separation and axial movement of the fuel indicative of rapid release of fission products. Examination of Oskarshamn clad specimens did not show any stress corrosion crack (SCC) type defects. The defects found in the examinations appear to be related to secondary hydriding. The clad inner surface of the Oskarshamn specimens also showed uranium-rich deposits of varying features

A Novel Event-Based Incipient Slip Detection Using Dynamic Active-Pixel Vision Sensor (DAVIS).

Science.gov (United States)

Rigi, Amin; Baghaei Naeini, Fariborz; Makris, Dimitrios; Zweiri, Yahya

2018-01-24

In this paper, a novel approach to detect incipient slip based on the contact area between a transparent silicone medium and different objects using a neuromorphic event-based vision sensor (DAVIS) is proposed. Event-based algorithms are developed to detect incipient slip, slip, stress distribution and object vibration. Thirty-seven experiments were performed on five objects with different sizes, shapes, materials and weights to compare precision and response time of the proposed approach. The proposed approach is validated by using a high speed constitutional camera (1000 FPS). The results indicate that the sensor can detect incipient slippage with an average of 44.1 ms latency in unstructured environment for various objects. It is worth mentioning that the experiments were conducted in an uncontrolled experimental environment, therefore adding high noise levels that affected results significantly. However, eleven of the experiments had a detection latency below 10 ms which shows the capability of this method. The results are very promising and show a high potential of the sensor being used for manipulation applications especially in dynamic environments.

The link between Movability Number and Incipient Motion in river ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2009-06-05

Jun 5, 2009 ... d. Median sediment diameter (mm or m). D. Hydraulic mean depth (m) d/Y. Relative ... Motion as well as a new bedload transportation equation. Additional ... Incipient Motion, in the context of sediment transport in rivers, ...... Eng. Part 2 59 827-835. ... Report of the Environmental Research Center, University.

Heterogeneous flow in multi-layer joint networks and its influence on incipient karst generation

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, X.; Jourde, H.

2017-12-01

Various dissolution types (e.g. pipe, stripe and sheet karstic features) have been observed in fractured layered limestones. Yet, due to a large range of structural and hydraulic parameters play a role in the karstification process, the dissolution mechanism, occurring either along fractures or bedding planes, is difficult to quantify. In this study, we use numerical models to investigate the influence of these parameters on the generation of different types of incipient karst. Specifically, we focus on two parameters: the fracture intensity contrast between adjacent layers and the aperture ratio between bedding planes and joints (abed/ajoint). The DFN models were generated using a pseudo-genetic code that considers the stress shadow zone. Flow simulations were performed using a combined finite-volume finite-element simulator under practical boundary conditions. The flow channeling within the fracture networks was characterized by applying a multi-fractal technique. The rock block equivalent permeability (keff) was also calculated to quantify the change in bulk hydraulic properties when changing the selected structural and hydraulic parameters. The flow simulation results show that the abed/ajoint ratio has a first-order control on the heterogeneous distribution of flow in the multi-layer system and on the magnitude of equivalent permeability. When abed/ajoint 0.1, the bedding plane has more control and flow becomes more pervasive and uniform, and the keff is accordingly high. A simple model, accounting for the calculation of the heterogeneous distributions of Damköhler number associated with different aperture ratios, is proposed to predict what type of incipient karst tends to develop under the studied flow conditions.

Incipient ferroelectric properties of NaTaO.sub.3./sub

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kamba, Stanislav; Goian, Veronica; Bovtun, Viktor; Nuzhnyy, Dmitry; Kempa, Martin; Spreitzer, M.; König, J.; Suvorov, D.

2012-01-01

Roč. 426, SI (2012), s. 206-214 ISSN 0015-0193 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA202/09/0682 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100520 Keywords : incipient ferroelectricity * infrared and THz spectroscopy * phonons * microwave ceramics Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 0.415, year: 2012

Improved detection of incipient anomalies via multivariate memory monitoring charts: Application to an air flow heating system

KAUST Repository

Harrou, Fouzi

2016-08-11

Detecting anomalies is important for reliable operation of several engineering systems. Multivariate statistical monitoring charts are an efficient tool for checking the quality of a process by identifying abnormalities. Principal component analysis (PCA) was shown effective in monitoring processes with highly correlated data. Traditional PCA-based methods, nevertheless, often are relatively inefficient at detecting incipient anomalies. Here, we propose a statistical approach that exploits the advantages of PCA and those of multivariate memory monitoring schemes, like the multivariate cumulative sum (MCUSUM) and multivariate exponentially weighted moving average (MEWMA) monitoring schemes to better detect incipient anomalies. Memory monitoring charts are sensitive to incipient anomalies in process mean, which significantly improve the performance of PCA method and enlarge its profitability, and to utilize these improvements in various applications. The performance of PCA-based MEWMA and MCUSUM control techniques are demonstrated and compared with traditional PCA-based monitoring methods. Using practical data gathered from a heating air-flow system, we demonstrate the greater sensitivity and efficiency of the developed method over the traditional PCA-based methods. Results indicate that the proposed techniques have potential for detecting incipient anomalies in multivariate data. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd

Evaluation of the development and yielding potential of Chenopodium quinoa Willd. under the climatic conditions of Europe. Part Two: Yielding potential of Chenopodium quinoa under different conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krzysztof Gęsiński

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The evaluation of Chenopodium quinoa cultivation effects in Poland has been compared with European research results. It was found that the conditions in Europe are favorable to Chenopodium quinoa cultivation. Poland has the mean length of the vegetation period. The maximum value of this trait was found in Sweden. The conditions in Bydgoszcz (Poland are very favorable to the cultivation for green matter and favorable as far as the seed yield is concerned. The most favorable seed yield was recorded in Greece.

Yield gap analysis of Chickpea under semi-arid conditions: A simulation study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

seyed Reza Amiri Deh ahmadi

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Yield gap analysis provides an essential framework to prioritize research and policy efforts aimed at reducing yield constraints. To identify options for increasing chickpea yield, the SSM-chickpea model was parameterized and evaluated to analyze yield potentials, water limited yields and yield gaps for nine regions representing major chickpea-growing areas of Razavi Khorasan province. The average potential yield of chickpea for the locations was 2251 kg ha-1, while the water limited yield was 1026 kg ha-1 indicating a 54% reduction in yield due to adverse soil moisture conditions. Also, the average irrigated and rainfed actual yields were respectively 64% and 79% less than simulated potential and water limited yields. Maximum and minimum yield gap between potential yield and actual yield were observed in Quchan and Torbat-jam respectively. Generally, yield gap showed an increasing trend from the north (including Nishabur, Mashhad, Quchan and Daregaz regions to the south of the province (Torbat- Jam and Gonabad. In addition, yield gap between simulated water limited potential yield and rainfed actual yield were very low because both simulated water limiting potential and average rainfed actual yields were low in these regions. Yield gap analysis provides an essential framework to prioritize research and policy efforts aimed at reducing yield constraints. To identify options for increasing chickpea yield, the SSM-chickpea model was parameterized and evaluated to analyze yield potentials, water limited yields and yield gaps for nine regions representing major chickpea-growing areas of Razavi Khorasan province. The average potential yield of chickpea for the locations was 2251 kg ha-1, while the water limited yield was 1026 kg ha-1 indicating a 54% reduction in yield due to adverse soil moisture conditions. Also, the average irrigated and rainfed actual yields were respectively 64% and 79% less than simulated potential and water limited yields

Effects of drought stress condition on the yield of spring wheat ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

use

2011-12-14

Dec 14, 2011 ... spikelets to booting stage affected the yield and yield components. Water deficit at this stage considerably decreased the number of spikelets per spike. The spike length reportedly showed stability under different conditions. However, the findings of Iqbal et al. (1999) on durum wheat indicated that the ...

Evaluation of the body condition of high yielding cows

OpenAIRE

Grubić G.; Novaković Ž.; Aleksić S.; Sretenović Lj.; Pantelić V.; Ostojić-Andrić D.

2009-01-01

Problems which relate to production, health and reproduction in herds of high yielding cows very often occur due to insufficient knowledge and monitoring of energy reserves in cow organisms. Many researches and practical experiences in this field indicate significant relation between body condition and achieved results in production. Body condition of heads of cattle in certain stages of production cycle is important parameter of applied nutrition, but also entire technological procedure. In ...

Near-infrared hyperspectral imaging of water evaporation dynamics for early detection of incipient caries.

Science.gov (United States)

Usenik, Peter; Bürmen, Miran; Fidler, Aleš; Pernuš, Franjo; Likar, Boštjan

2014-10-01

Incipient caries is characterized as demineralization of the tooth enamel reflecting in increased porosity of enamel structure. As a result, the demineralized enamel may contain increased amount of water, and exhibit different water evaporation dynamics than the sound enamel. The objective of this paper is to assess the applicability of water evaporation dynamics of sound and demineralized enamel for detection and quantification of incipient caries using near-infrared hyperspectral imaging. The time lapse of water evaporation from enamel samples with artificial and natural caries lesions of different stages was imaged by a near-infrared hyperspectral imaging system. Partial least squares regression was used to predict the water content from the acquired spectra. The water evaporation dynamics was characterized by a first order logarithmic drying model. The calculated time constants of the logarithmic drying model were used as the discriminative feature. The conducted measurements showed that demineralized enamel contains more water and exhibits significantly faster water evaporation than the sound enamel. By appropriate modelling of the water evaporation process from the enamel surface, the contrast between the sound and demineralized enamel observed in the individual near infrared spectral images can be substantially enhanced. The presented results indicate that near-infrared based prediction of water content combined with an appropriate drying model presents a strong foundation for development of novel diagnostic tools for incipient caries detection. The results of the study enhance the understanding of the water evaporation process from the sound and demineralized enamel and have significant implications for the detection of incipient caries by near-infrared hyperspectral imaging. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Water-Yield Relations of Drip Irrigated Watermelon in Temperate Climatic Conditions

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Pejić Borivoj

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The objective of the study, conducted in Vojvodina a northern part of the Serbia Republic, was to analyse the effect of drip irrigation on yield, evapotranspiration and water productivity of watermelon (Cirullus lanatus Thunb. grown with plasticulture. Irrigation was scheduled on the basis of water balance method. Daily evapotranspiration was computed using the reference evapotranspiration and crop coefficient. The yield of watermelon in irrigation conditions (37,28 t/ha was significantly higher compared to non irrigated (9,98 t/ha. Water used on evapotranspiration in irrigation conditions was 398 mm and 117 mm on non irrigated variant. The crop yield response factor of 1,04 for the whole growing season reveals that relative yield decrease was nearly equal to the rate of evapotranspiration deficit. The values of irrigation water use efficiency and evapotranspiration water use efficiency were 9,93 kg/m3 and 10,29 kg/m3 respectively. The determined results could be used as a good platform for watermelon growers in the region, in terms of improvement of the optimum utilization of irrigation water.

Biogas production from high-yielding energy crops in boreal conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seppala, M.

2013-11-01

In this thesis, the methane production potential of traditional and novel energy crops was evaluated in boreal conditions. The highest methane yield per hectare was achieved with maize (4 000-9 200 m{sup 3}CH{sub 4} ha{sup -1} a{sup -1}) and the second highest with brown knapweed (2 700-6 100 m{sup 3}CH{sub 4} ha{sup -1} a{sup -1}). Recently, the most feasible energy crop, grass, produced 1 200-3 600 m{sup 3}CH{sub 4} ha{sup -1} a{sup -1}. The specific methane yields of traditional and novel energy crops varied from 170-500 l kg{sup -1} volatile solid (VS). The highest specific methane yields were obtained with maize, while the novel energy crops were at a lower range. The specific methane yields decreased in the later harvest time with maize and brown knapweed, and the specific methane yield of the grasses decreased from the 1st to 2nd harvests. Maize and brown knapweed produced the highest total solid (TS) yields per hectare 13-23 tTS ha{sup -1}, which were high when compared with the TS yields of grasses (6-13 tTS ha{sup -1}). The feasibility of maize and brown knapweed in co-digestion with liquid cow manure, in continuously stirred tank reactors (CSTR), was evaluated. According to the CSTR runs, maize and brown knapweed are suitable feeds and have stable processes, producing the highest methane yields (organic loading rate 2 kgVS m{sup -3}d{sup -1}), with maize at 259 l kgVS{sup -1} and brown knapweed at 254 l kgVS{sup -1}. The energy balance (input/output) of the cultivation of the grasses, maize and brown knapweed was calculated in boreal conditions, and it was better when the digestate was used as a fertilizer (1.8-4.8 %) than using chemical fertilizers (3.7-16.2 %), whose production is the most energy demanding process in cultivation. In conclusion, the methane production of maize, grasses and novel energy crops can produce high methane yields and are suitable feeds for anaerobic digestion. The cultivation managements of maize and novel energy crops for

Method and system for early detection of incipient faults in electric motors

Science.gov (United States)

Parlos, Alexander G; Kim, Kyusung

2003-07-08

A method and system for early detection of incipient faults in an electric motor are disclosed. First, current and voltage values for one or more phases of the electric motor are measured during motor operations. A set of current predictions is then determined via a neural network-based current predictor based on the measured voltage values and an estimate of motor speed values of the electric motor. Next, a set of residuals is generated by combining the set of current predictions with the measured current values. A set of fault indicators is subsequently computed from the set of residuals and the measured current values. Finally, a determination is made as to whether or not there is an incipient electrical, mechanical, and/or electromechanical fault occurring based on the comparison result of the set of fault indicators and a set of predetermined baseline values.

Incipient-signature identification of mechanical anomalies in a ship-borne satellite antenna system using an ensemble multiwavelet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He, Shuilong; Zi, Yanyang; Chen, Jinglong; Chen, Binqiang; He, Zhengjia; Zhao, Chenlu; Yuan, Jing

2014-01-01

The instrumented tracking and telemetry ship with a ship-borne satellite antenna (SSA) is the critical device to ensure high quality of space exploration work. To effectively detect mechanical anomalies that can lead to unexpected downtime of the SSA, an ensemble multiwavelet (EM) is presented for identifying the anomaly related incipient-signatures within the measured dynamic signals. Rather than using a predetermined basis as in a conventional multiwavelet, an EM optimizes the matching basis which satisfactorily adapts to the anomaly related incipient-signatures. The construction technique of an EM is based on the conjunction of a two-scale similarity transform (TST) and lifting scheme (LS). For the technique above, the TST improves the regularity by increasing the approximation order of multiscaling functions, while subsequently the LS enhances the smoothness and localizability via utilizing the vanishing moment of multiwavelet functions. Moreover, combining the Hilbert transform with EM decomposition, we identify the incipient-signatures induced by the mechanical anomalies from the measured dynamic signals. A numerical simulation and two successful applications of diagnosis cases (a planetary gearbox and a roller bearing) demonstrate that the proposed technique is capable of dealing with the challenging incipient-signature identification task even though spectral complexity, as well as the strong amplitude/frequency modulation effect, is present in the dynamic signals. (paper)

On higher-order boundary conditions at elastic-plastic boundaries in strain-gradient plasticity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Niordson, Christian Frithiof

2008-01-01

are suppressed by using a very high artificial hardening modulus. Through numerical studies of pure bending under plane strain conditions, it is shown that this method predicts the build-up of higher order stresses in the pseudo-elastic regime. This has the effect of delaying the onset of incipient yield......, as well as extending the plastic zone further toward the neutral axis of the beam, when compared to conventional models. Arguments supporting the present method are presented that rest on both mathematical and physical grounds. The results obtained are compared with other methods for dealing with higher...

Increased biomass yield of Lactococcus lactis during energetically limited growth and respiratory conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Købmann, Brian Jensen; Blank, Lars Mathias; Solem, Christian

2008-01-01

(glucose/mannose-specific phosphotransferase system). Amino acid catabolism could be excluded as the source of the additional ATP. Since mutants without a functional H+-ATPase produced less ATP under sugar starvation and respiratory conditions, the additional ATP yield appears to come partly from energy......Lactococcus lactis is known to be capable of respiration under aerobic conditions in the presence of haemin. In the present study the effect of respiration on ATP production during growth on different sugars was examined. With glucose as the sole carbon source, respiratory conditions in L. lactis...... MG1363 resulted in only a minor increase, 21%, in biomass yield. Since ATP production through substrate-level phosphorylation was essentially identical with and without respiration, the increased biomass yield was a result of energy-saving under respiratory conditions estimated to be 0.4 mol of ATP...

Evaluation of Relationship Between Auxin and Cytokinine Hormones on Yield and Yield Components of Maize under Drought Stress Condition

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A Mahrokh

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Introduction Drought is one of the major environmental conditions that adversely affects plant growth and crop yield. In the face of a global scarcity of water resources, water stress has already become a primary factor in limiting crop production worldwide. Drought is the major restriction in maize production. The plant growth reduction under drought stress conditions could be an outcome of altered hormonal balance and hence the exogenous application of growth regulators under stress conditions could be the possible means for reversing the effects of abiotic stress. Phytohormones such as auxine and cytokinine are known to be involved in the regulation of plant response to the adverse effects of stress conditions. Previous studies have shown that endogenous hormones are essential regulators for translocation and partitioning of photoassimilates for grain filling in cereal crops, and therefore could be involved in the regulation of grain weight and yield. Materials and Methods The experiment was carried out in three separately environments included non-drought stress environment (irrigation after soil moisture reached to 75% field capacity, drought stress in vegetative stage (irrigation after soil moisture reached to 50% field capacity in V4 to tasseling stage, but irrigation after soil moisture reached to 75% field capacity in pollination to physiological maturity stage and drought stress in reproductive stage (irrigation after soil moisture reached to 75% field capacity in V4 to tasseling stage and irrigation after soil moisture reached to 50% field capacity in pollination to physiological maturity stage. Cytokinin hormone in three levels (control, spraying in V5 –V6 and V8-V10 stages and auxin hormone in three levels (control, spraying in silk emergence stage and 15 days after that were laid out as a factorial design based on randomized complete block with three replications in each environment at Seed and Plant Improvement Institute (SPII

Physiological basis of barley yield under near optimal and stress conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pržulj Novo

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Average barley yield fall below its potential due to incidence of stresses. Water stress is the main environmental factor limiting yield. The component a priori more sensitive to most stresses is the amount of radiation absorbed. The effect of stresses influence on the total amount of radiation absorbed by barley crop during its vegetation and the photosynthetic efficiency of radiation conversion. Growth inhibition is accompanied by reductions in leaf and cell wall extensibility. Grain yield under drought conditions is source limited. Supply of assimilates to the developing inflorescence plays a critical role in establishing final grain number and grain size. Grain weight is negatively affected by drought, high temperature, and any other factors that may reduce grain filling duration and grain filling rate. Awns and glaucousness confer better performance of barley under drought stress conditions. Barley responds with an increased accumulation of a number of proteins when subjected to different stress inducing cell dehydration. Screening techniques that are able to identify desirable genotypes based on the evaluation of physiological traits related to stress evasion and stress resistance maybe useful in breeding barley for resistance to stress, particularly drought stress. Crop management and breeding can reduce the incidence of stress on yield. The effect of these practices is sustained by an understanding of their physiology. In this paper the physiological basis of the processes determining barley yield and the incidence of stresses on photosynthetic metabolism that determine grain yield of barley is discussed. .

Early detection of incipient faults in power plants using accelerated neural network learning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parlos, A.G.; Jayakumar, M.; Atiya, A.

1992-01-01

An important aspect of power plant automation is the development of computer systems able to detect and isolate incipient (slowly developing) faults at the earliest possible stages of their occurrence. In this paper, the development and testing of such a fault detection scheme is presented based on recognition of sensor signatures during various failure modes. An accelerated learning algorithm, namely adaptive backpropagation (ABP), has been developed that allows the training of a multilayer perceptron (MLP) network to a high degree of accuracy, with an order of magnitude improvement in convergence speed. An artificial neural network (ANN) has been successfully trained using the ABP algorithm, and it has been extensively tested with simulated data to detect and classify incipient faults of various types and severity and in the presence of varying sensor noise levels

Comparison of winter wheat yield sensitivity to climate variables under irrigated and rain-fed conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Dengpan; Shen, Yanjun; Zhang, He; Moiwo, Juana P.; Qi, Yongqing; Wang, Rende; Pei, Hongwei; Zhang, Yucui; Shen, Huitao

2016-09-01

Crop simulation models provide alternative, less time-consuming, and cost-effective means of determining the sensitivity of crop yield to climate change. In this study, two dynamic mechanistic models, CERES (Crop Environment Resource Synthesis) and APSIM (Agricultural Production Systems Simulator), were used to simulate the yield of wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) under well irrigated (CFG) and rain-fed (YY) conditions in relation to different climate variables in the North China Plain (NCP). The study tested winter wheat yield sensitivity to different levels of temperature, radiation, precipitation, and atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration under CFG and YY conditions at Luancheng Agro-ecosystem Experimental Stations in the NCP. The results from the CERES and APSIM wheat crop models were largely consistent and suggested that changes in climate variables influenced wheat grain yield in the NCP. There was also significant variation in the sensitivity of winter wheat yield to climate variables under different water (CFG and YY) conditions. While a temperature increase of 2°C was the threshold beyond which temperature negatively influenced wheat yield under CFG, a temperature rise exceeding 1°C decreased winter wheat grain yield under YY. A decrease in solar radiation decreased wheat grain yield under both CFG and YY conditions. Although the sensitivity of winter wheat yield to precipitation was small under the CFG, yield decreased significantly with decreasing precipitation under the rainfed YY treatment. The results also suggest that wheat yield under CFG linearly increased by ≈3.5% per 60 ppm (parts per million) increase in CO2 concentration from 380 to 560 ppm, and yield under YY increased linearly by ≈7.0% for the same increase in CO2 concentration.

Effect of seed rate on growth, yield components and yield of mash bean grown under irrigated conditions of arid uplands of Balochistan, Pakistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aachakzai, A.K.K.; Taran, S.A.

2011-01-01

A field experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of six different seed rates viz., 15, 17.5, 20, 22.5, 25 and 27.5 kg ha/sup -1/ on the growth, yield and yield attributes of mash bean Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper). This study was conducted for two consecutive years at the Agriculture Research Institute (ARI) under the existing semi-arid climatic, edaphic and water conditions of Quetta, Balochistan. Results revealed that plant population, pods plant/sup -1/, grain yield plant/sup -1/ and grain yield ha/sup -1/ were significantly (p<0.05 influenced by varying seed rates. However, other mentioned growth and yield attributes did not respond significantly. Statistically and numerically a maximum yield plant/sup -1/ (20.98 g) and yield ha/sup -1/ (3120 kg) were obtained in applied seed at the rate of 20 kg ha/sup -1/. Whereas, the same was obtained for plant population and plant height in applied seed rate of 25 kg ha/sup -1/. However, maximum number of branches plant/sup -1/ (4.22) was received for applied seeds at the rate of 15 kg ha/sup -1/. Therefore, seed at the rate of 20 kg ha/sup -1/ seems optimum which could be due to the most desirable population or planting density in the existing environmental conditions of Quetta. Results further revealed that only plant population plot/sup -1/ (r=0.481), and yield plant/sup -1/ (r=0.569) were significantly and positively correlated with grain yield ha/sup -1/, while all other remaining growth and yield attributes exhibited insignificant association with grain yield ha/sup -1/. Hence these two parameters i.e., planting density and grain yield plant/sup -1/ should be given more consideration while deciding about selection criteria for mash bean under irrigated conditions of arid uplands of Balochistan. (author)

Incipient fault diagnosis of power transformers using optical spectro-photometric technique

Science.gov (United States)

Hussain, K.; Karmakar, Subrata

2015-06-01

Power transformers are the vital equipment in the network of power generation, transmission and distribution. Mineral oil in oil-filled transformers plays very important role as far as electrical insulation for the winding and cooling of the transformer is concerned. As transformers are always under the influence of electrical and thermal stresses, incipient faults like partial discharge, sparking and arcing take place. As a result, mineral oil deteriorates there by premature failure of the transformer occurs causing huge losses in terms of revenue and assets. Therefore, the transformer health condition has to be monitored continuously. The Dissolved Gas Analysis (DGA) is being extensively used for this purpose, but it has some drawbacks like it needs carrier gas, regular instrument calibration, etc. To overcome these drawbacks, Ultraviolet (UV) -Visible and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectro-photometric techniques are used as diagnostic tools for investigating the degraded transformer oil affected by electrical, mechanical and thermal stresses. The technique has several advantages over the conventional DGA technique.

Incipient ovarian failure and premature ovarian failure show the same immunological profile

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Kasteren, YM; von Blomberg, M; Hoek, A; de Koning, C; Lambalk, N; van Montfrans, J; Kuik, J

PROBLEM: Incipient ovarian failure (IOF) is characterized by regular menstrual cycles, infertility and a raised early-follicular FSH in women under 40. IOF might be a precursor or a mitigated form of premature ovarian failure (POF). Disturbances in the immune system may play a role in ovarian

INFLUENCE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS ON RED BEET YIELD IN VARIOUS ZONES OF THE FORE-CAUCASUS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. S. Gaplaev

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Based on the researches conducted in conditions of vertical zonality of the Chechen Republic, the high-yielding varieties of red beet in the certain climate and environmental conditions were selected. Moving from the plain zone to the piedmont and the mountain zones, the yield of red beet roots has increased by 1,6-3,4 t/ha regardless of early ripeness of cultivars and hybrids. Application of mathematical modeling allows the selection of the varieties, which are able to realize their yield potential in various conditions.

The Bacterial Flora of Incipient Occlusal Lesions in Naval Recruits.

Science.gov (United States)

1980-07-01

fissures while providing an improved method of studying the microbiota of this aspect of the tooth, creates an artificial environment for bacterial...independent examiner. An oral examination and a radiographic review were performed on all subjects prior to fissure removal to verify the suitability...classification of a lesion as incipient. Teeth requiring cavity preparations deeper than 0.5 mm beyond the DEJ or not requiring penetration of the dentin

The yield of eggplant depending on climate conditions and mulching

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adamczewska-Sowińska Katarzyna

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The field production of eggplant in moderate climates is difficult as it depends heavily on thermal conditions. Eggplant is a species that is sensitive to low temperatures, and temperatures below 16°C constrain the growth of young plants. Other disadvantageous factors include: temperatures that are too high, water shortage and excessive soil humidity. The growth conditions for eggplant can be improved by using mulches. The purpose of the experiment was the assessment of eggplant cropping while using synthetic mulches of polyethylene foil and polypropylene textile. The research took five years (2008-2012 and on the basis of the obtained results it was possible to determine the influence of weather conditions on the yielding of this species. It was proven that eggplant cropping significantly depended on the air temperature and the amount of rainfall during the vegetation period. The highest yield was observed when the average air temperature was high and at the same time rainfall was evenly distributed throughout the vegetation season. It also turned out that the agro-technical procedure which significantly increased eggplant fruit cropping was mulching the soil with polyethylene black foil, or transparent foil, previously having applied a herbicide.

Effect angiotensin II receptor blockers on glomerular filtration rate in patients with incipient diabetic nephropathy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dragovic, T.; Ajdinovic, B.; Endocrinology Clinic

2004-01-01

Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was calculated in patients with incipient diabetic nephropathy with an aim to evaluate the effect of angiotensin receptor blockator valsartan on GFR stabilisation to physiological levels. Investigation was done as a prospective, randomised, placebo controlled study, on 20 patients with diabetes mellitus, type I (age 25 years, disease lasting 14 years). In all patients was detected incipient diabetic nephropathy with daily urinary albumin excretion in range from 30 mg to 300 mg. Patients were randomised in two groups: 10 patients were treated with 80 mg /day valsartan, during 6 months, second group (10 patients) were on placebo at the same period. GFR, as a clearance of 51Cr-EDTA, was calculated at the start and at the end of the study. In the first patients group during investigation period, GFR was decreased from 150, 1 ml/min/1.73m 2 to physiological level of 127 ml/min/1,73m 2 (p 2 at the start, 139,9 ml/min/l.73m 2 at the end of the study).On the basis of these results it was concluded that 80 mg/day in 6 month valsartan therapy decreased GFR to physiological levels in patients with incipient diabetic nephropathy. (authors)

Genotypic Correlation and Path Analysis of Some Traits related to Oil Yield and Grain Yield in Canola (Brassica napus L. under Non-stress and Water Deficit Stress Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A Ismaili

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction Obtaining varieties with acceptable yield and tolerant to different arid and semi-arid climate condition of Iran is an important goal in canola breeding programs. Selection of genotypes base on one or more traits without regarding to correlation between them, could biases the expected results. Therefore, identifying of genetic correlation among traits especially in environmental stress condition is very important. The use of genotypic correlation helps evaluating the magnitude and direction of associations between characters facilitating the application of indirect selection, because genetic changes in a given trait may change other traits, leading to faster and larger genetic gains in plant breeding programs. Therefore, the selection for another trait may result in indirect response in the low heritable trait, provided the following conditions are satisfied: the genetic correlation between them is substantial, and the heritability of the secondary trait is greater than that of the primary trait. The purpose of this study was estimating the total genotypic variability, genotypic correlations, and path analysis among some important traits for selection criteria for improving seed and oil yield in canola under water deficit stress condition. Materials and Methods For evaluation of genetic correlation among traits and identifying important affecting traits on grain yield and oil yield in canola genotypes, an experiment was conducted based on a randomized complete blocks design with three replications in two different conditions of water deficit (stress and non-stress. Different traits were measured including seed yield, 1000-seed weight, number of seeds per pod, number of pods per plant, silique length, oil content, days to maturity, protein content, plant height and water use efficiency. Genotypic and phenotypic correlation coefficients were calculated for ten characters during growing seasons. The genotypic correlation coefficients

Monitoring of lubrication conditions in journal bearing by acoustic emission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoon, Dong Jin; Kwon, Oh Yang; Jung, Min Hwa

1993-01-01

Systems with journal bearings generally operate in large scale and under severe loading conditions such as steam generator turbines and internal combustion engines, in contrast to the machinery using rolling element bearings. Failure of the bearings in these machinery can result in the system breakdown. To avoid the time consuming repair and considerable economic loss, the detection of incipient failure in journal bearings becomes very important. In this experimental approach, acoustic emission monitoring is employed to the detection of incipient failure caused by intervention of foreign particles most probable in the journal bearing systems. It has been known that the intervention of foreign materials, insufficient lubrication and misassembly etc. are principal factors to cause bearing failure and distress. The experiment was conducted under such designed conditions as inserting alumina particles to the lubrication layer in the simulated journal bearing system. The results showed that acoustic emission could be an effective tool to detect the incipient failure in journal bearings.

HOLSTEIN CATTLE REPRODUCTION IN RELATION ON MILK YIELD AND BODY CONDITION SCORE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miroslav MARŠÁLEK

2009-06-01

Full Text Available One of the basic conditions of the economical success in milk production is the high and periodic reproduction of the cows. That means the parturition of a healthy calf from every cow per a year. The development and level of reproduction functions is very susceptible to the quantity and mainly quality of nutrition. The insuffi ciency in nutrition is strongly related to the fertility. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reproduction indicators depending upon the level of the milk yield and body condition of the Holstein cows at the family-owned farm. The basic dataset was obtained during the years 2004 – 2007. The milk yield and fertility data were gained from the herd records. The extreme values were removed from the basic set. Body condition score was evaluated every month. The groups according to the milk yield level and body condition score were evaluated. The basic statistical characteristics were determined in the groups of cows and in the evaluated sets. The effect of particular factors was proved by the one-factorial analysis of variance ANOVA. Increasing milk yield in the groups with milk yield up to 7000 kg of milk, 7000-8000 kg and more than 8000 kg had negative impact on the reproduction indicators. The differences in the length of calving to fififi rst service interval among particular groups were statistically signifififi cant (P ≥ 0.01. The average length of this interval was 96, 111 and 122 days for 1st, 2nd and 3rd group, respectively. In addition, the average length of calving to conception (service period interval was 154, 165 and 171 days. There were found no signifi cant differences in numbers of services per conception. The average BCS at calving was 3.59 points. After calving BCS level decreased till the 6th month of lactation, where its level 2.43 points, then the BCS level increased. Average BCS level at conception was under 2.5 points. The variation of BCS during the lactation was 2 points.

Velocity-based analysis of sediment incipient deposition in rigid boundary open channels.

Science.gov (United States)

Aksoy, Hafzullah; Safari, Mir Jafar Sadegh; Unal, Necati Erdem; Mohammadi, Mirali

2017-11-01

Drainage systems must be designed in a way to minimize undesired problems such as decrease in hydraulic capacity of the channel, blockage and transport of pollutants due to deposition of sediment. Channel design considering self-cleansing criteria are used to solve the sedimentation problem. Incipient deposition is one of the non-deposition self-cleansing design criteria that can be used as a conservative method for channel design. Experimental studies have been carried out in five different cross-section channels, namely trapezoidal, rectangular, circular, U-shape and V-bottom. Experiments were performed in a tilting flume using four different sizes of sands as sediment in nine different channel bed slopes. Two well-known methods, namely the Novak & Nalluri and Yang methods are considered for the analysis of sediment motion. Equations developed using experimental data are found to be in agreement with the literature. It is concluded that the design velocity depends on the shape of the channel cross-section. Rectangular and V-bottom channels need lower and higher incipient deposition velocities, respectively, in comparison with other channels.

The determination of superheated layer thickness for boiling incipience in a vertical thermosiphon reboiler

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shamsuzzoha, M.; Kamil, M.; Alam, S.S.

2003-01-01

The characteristics of the incipient boiling for vertical thermosiphon reboiler were examined in detail. At the onset of boiling, liquid film adjacent to the heating surface, the super-heated layers thickness δ * , must attain a threshold value so that the critical bubble nuclei with radius r c can further grow to the point of detachment. Thus, the value of δ * /r c is of primary importance for the superheat calculation. In the present study a semi-empirical equation was proposed for the incipient point of boiling including the effect of submergence. The results predicted from theoretical analysis are consistent with the experimental data available in the literature. All the data for fluids namely, distilled water, toluene and ethylene glycol having different thermophysical properties were correlated with a unified correlation having mean absolute deviation 12.73%. (author)

Incipient merger of Cls 11 and 5 in Xhosa? | Gowlett | South African ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In Xhosa, there appears to be an incipient merger between Noun Classes 5 and 11, as revealed by frequent mismatches between Cl. 11 nouns and various concordial elements, and even the replacement of the Cl. 11 noun prefix by that of Cl. 5. In this article we explore possible reasons for this putative merger, and present ...

Effects of drought stress condition on the yield of spring wheat ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Effects of drought stress condition on the yield of spring wheat ( Triticum aestivum ) lines. ... Drought stress tolerance is seen in almost all plants but its extent varies from species to species and even within species. ... from 32 Countries:.

The Effect of Rate and Application Method of Potassium on Yield and Yield Components of Cotton in Saline Condition

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A Ardakani

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction Salinity is a major abiotic stress that affects approximately 7% of the world’s total land area. Cotton (Gossypium barbadense L. is considered as one of the most important cash crops which is widely used for agricultural and industrial purposes. Although, cotton is classified as one of the most salt-tolerant major crops but its growth and development are adversely affected by soil or water salinity. Understanding salinity and fertilizer interaction can mitigate salinity stress and improving crop yield. Potassium (K is an essential nutrient that affects most of the biochemical and physiological processes that are involved in plant resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Proper management of K fertilizer is especially important in saline soils where K application might reduce the adverse effects of salinity on plant growth and yield. There is a little information about rate and application method of K on yield and yield component of cotton in saline condition. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of rate and application method of K on yield and yield component of cotton in soil and water saline condition. Materials and Methods The experiment was carried out at Sabzevar Agriculture and Natural Resources Research center (Haresabad, 30km southwest of Sabzevar (32◦32N, 51◦23E and 1630 above mean sea level,in 2014.This experiment was conducted as split plot design based on randomized complete block design with three replications. Factors were: K rate (75 and 150kg ha-1 Solopotash (containing 50% K2O and 18% S comprising the main plot and application method (25%at planting+25% at first flowering and 50%at early boll development (25P+25F+50B, 25%at planting+50% at first flowering and 25%at early boll development (25P+50F+25B, 25%at planting+25% at vegetative stage (5-8 leaves stage, 25% at first flowering and 25% at early boll development (25P+25V+25F+50B, 25% at planting+25% at vegetative stage and 50% at first

The influence of climatic conditions changes on grain yield in Winter Triticale (X Triticosecale Wittm.

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Ionuț RACZ

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is making out the influence of climatic changes on grain yield of winter triticale in relation with applied fertilizer. The influence of environmental conditions on growing and development of triticale plants depends of grow stages and their duration. During five experimental years (2010-2015 the climatic conditions were different year to year, with an accentuated heating trend, influencing plant phenology, accelerating or slowing down some important processes disturbing grain yield formation. The influence of drought is more accentuated by heating stress and prolonging of these conditions during the main phenological processes have a negative influence on plant growth or development with effect on the grain yield formation process.

Early Extinction after Fear Conditioning Yields a Context-Independent and Short-Term Suppression of Conditional Freezing in Rats

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Chun-hui; Maren, Stephen

2009-01-01

Extinction of Pavlovian fear conditioning in rats is a useful model for therapeutic interventions in humans with anxiety disorders. Recently, we found that delivering extinction trials soon (15 min) after fear conditioning yields a short-term suppression of fear, but little long-term extinction. Here, we explored the possible mechanisms underlying…

Evaluation of drought tolerance and yield capacity of barley (hordeum vulgare) genotypes under irrigated and water-stressed conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khokhar, M.I.; Silva, J.A.T.D

2012-01-01

Twelve barley genotypes developed through different selection methods were evaluated under drought and irrigated conditions. The results of a correlation matrix revealed highly significant associations between Grain Yield (Yp) and Mean Productivity (MP), Stress Tolerance Index (STI), Geometric Mean Productivity (GMP) and Yield Index (Yi) under irrigated conditions while the Mean Productivity (MP), Yield Stability Index (Yi), Stress Tolerance Index (STI), Geometric Mean Productivity (GMP) and Yield Index (Yi) had a high response under stressed condition. Based on a principal component analysis, Geometric Mean Productivity (GMP), Mean Productivity (MP) and Stress Tolerance Index (STI) were considered to be the best parameters for selection of drought-tolerant genotypes. The 2-row barley genotypes B-07023 and B-07021 performed better in yield response under drought conditions and were more stable under stress conditions. Furthermore, drought stress reduced the yield of some genotypes while others were tolerant to drought, suggesting genetic variability in this material for drought tolerance. (author)

Incipient crystallization of transition-metal tungstates under microwaves probed by Raman scattering and transmission electron microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siqueira, Kisla P. F.; Dias, Anderson

2011-01-01

Microwave synthesis was used to produce nanosized transition-metal tungstates in environmentally friendly conditions not yet reported by the literature: 110 and 150 °C, for times of 10 and 20 min. X-ray diffraction evidenced incipient crystallized materials, while transmission electron microscopy indicates nanostructured regions of about 2–5 nm inside an amorphous matrix. Raman spectroscopy was used to probe short-range ordering in the achieved samples and also to obtain a reliable set of spectra containing all the Raman-active bands predicted by group-theory calculations. The vibrational spectra showed no extra feature, indicating that the microwave processing was able to produce short-range ordered materials without tetrahedral distortions. These distortions are frequently reported when commercially modified kitchen microwave units are employed. In this work, the syntheses were conducted in a commercial apparatus especially designed for fully controlled temperature–time–pressure conditions.

INFLUENCE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS ON GRAIN YIELD, OIL CONTENT AND OIL YIELD OF NEW OS SUNFLOWER HYBRIDS

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Anto Mijić

2017-01-01

Full Text Available With the purpose of determining the influence of weather conditions on the yield components of sunflower, the results of three-year field trials are analysed in the paper. In the trials sown in Osijek in 2013, 2014 and 2015, there were 15 sunflower hybrids: two foreign hybrids and 13 hybrid combinations of the Agricultural Institute Osijek. In the period before sowing (January – March, the highest amount of precipitation was in 2013 (213.1 mm, then in 2015 (167.9 mm, and the lowest in 2014 (109.5 mm. In the growing period (April – September, the highest amount of precipitation (487.3 mm was in 2014, 475.7 mm in 2013, and in 2015 it was the lowest (251.6 mm. In 2013, during the growing period, the mean monthly air temperature was 19.1°C, in 2015 19.9°C, and in 2014 18.6°C. Of these years, statistically significant at the P=0.05, the highest value of the analysed traits was recorded in 2013: grain yield of 6.47 t ha-1, oil content 51.69% and oil yield 3.05 t ha-1. Grain yield, oil content and oil yield were lower in 2015, and the lowest in 2014. Matej, a newly recognized sunflower hybrid of the Agricultural Institute Osijek had the highest values of grain and oil yield (6.95 and 3.39 t ha-1, and by its oil content of 53.44%, it was in the third place. For high grain and oil yields of sunflower, in addition to the optimal air temperature, the amount and distribution of precipitation before and also during the growing season are very important.

Abnormal albuminuria and blood pressure rise in incipient diabetic nephropathy induced by exercise

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Cramer

1984-01-01

The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of light to moderate dynamic work (450 kpm/min followed by 600 kpm/min during 20 min each) on the blood pressure and renal protein handling in insulin-dependent diabetic patients with incipient nephropathy (D3) (elevated baseline albumin excretion...

Yield and drougth tolerance of six varieties of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. under field condition

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Yanitza Meriño Hernandez

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In two moisture conditions (drought and irrigation were evaluated six varieties of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L., with a factorial randomized complete blocks. The objectives of the study was to evaluate the effect caused by drought conditions crop varieties, identify high performance and features that enable them to adapt to varying conditions of soil moisture. With the data in yields between the two humidity conditions intensity indices of drought (IIS, susceptibility to drought (ISS, relative efficiency (IER, geometric mean (GM and percent yield losses were calculated . The results were statistically processed using the Statistica software version 8.0 for Windows, if significant differences Tukey test was applied to p<0.05. The selection based on levels ISS, MG, IER and PPR identified high yielding varieties adapted to drought and favorable moisture conditions.

Incipient failure detection of space shuttle main engine turbopump bearings using vibration envelope detection

Science.gov (United States)

Hopson, Charles B.

1987-01-01

The results of an analysis performed on seven successive Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) static test firings, utilizing envelope detection of external accelerometer data are discussed. The results clearly show the great potential for using envelope detection techniques in SSME incipient failure detection.

Genetic Loci Governing Grain Yield and Root Development under Variable Rice Cultivation Conditions

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Margaret Catolos

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Drought is the major abiotic stress to rice grain yield under unpredictable changing climatic scenarios. The widely grown, high yielding but drought susceptible rice varieties need to be improved by unraveling the genomic regions controlling traits enhancing drought tolerance. The present study was conducted with the aim to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs for grain yield and root development traits under irrigated non-stress and reproductive-stage drought stress in both lowland and upland situations. A mapping population consisting of 480 lines derived from a cross between Dular (drought-tolerant and IR64-21 (drought susceptible was used. QTL analysis revealed three major consistent-effect QTLs for grain yield (qDTY1.1, qDTY1.3, and qDTY8.1 under non-stress and reproductive-stage drought stress conditions, and 2 QTLs for root traits (qRT9.1 for root-growth angle and qRT5.1 for multiple root traits, i.e., seedling-stage root length, root dry weight and crown root number. The genetic locus qDTY1.1 was identified as hotspot for grain yield and yield-related agronomic and root traits. The study identified significant positive correlations among numbers of crown roots and mesocotyl length at the seedling stage and root length and root dry weight at depth at later stages with grain yield and yield-related traits. Under reproductive stage drought stress, the grain yield advantage of the lines with QTLs ranged from 24.1 to 108.9% under upland and 3.0–22.7% under lowland conditions over the lines without QTLs. The lines with QTL combinations qDTY1.3+qDTY8.1 showed the highest mean grain yield advantage followed by lines having qDTY1.1+qDTY8.1 and qDTY1.1+qDTY8.1+qDTY1.3, across upland/lowland reproductive-stage drought stress. The identified QTLs for root traits, mesocotyl length, grain yield and yield-related traits can be immediately deployed in marker-assisted breeding to develop drought tolerant high yielding rice varieties.

Evaluations of sugarcane genotypes for yields and yield contributing traits under Thatta conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Panhwar, R.N.; Keerio, H.K.

2004-01-01

Performance of twelve sugarcane genotypes viz. Th-7, Th-9, Th-10, Th-12, Th-14, Th-18, Th-23, Th-27, Th-31, Th-32, Th-33 and Th-34 developed from local fuzz along with two check varieties BL-4 and BF-129 was studied in advance varietal selection trial at National Sugar Crops Research Institute, Thatta during 2000-2001. Data were recorded for cane girth, number of internodes/stalk, stalk height, mill able cane/m/sup 2/, cane yield t/ha and brix percentage. On the basis of over all performance three genotypes namely Th-34, Th-10 and Th-33 were found promising and produced highest average cane yield 116, 115 and 112 t/ha, respectively against the check varieties BL-4 (110 t/ha) and BF-129 (98.5 t/ha). The average Brix values recorded for Th-10, Th-34 and Th-33 were 23.7, 23.2 and 22.9%, respectively against the check verities BL-4 (21.8%) and BF-129 (22.8%). Thus it was conclude, that genotypes Th-34, Th-10 and Tb-33 might prove best commercial varieties in future. However, potential of these genotypes need to be tested in different environmental conditions to elicit substantial conclusions. (author)

Jodï horticultural belief, knowledge and practice: incipient or integral cultivation?

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Stanford Zent

Full Text Available This paper describes the Jodï horticultural system, including belief, knowledge and practice aspects. The horticultural practices of the Jodï were previously characterized as 'incipient cultivation' but such practices were poorly described and documented. The antiquity of cultivation among this group is suggested by the prominence and significance of horticultural products and techniques in myth and ritual. Our field observations uncovered a fairly sophisticated system of plant management in swiddens, house gardens, trail gardens and natural forest gaps. An inventory of 67 cultivated plant species was documented, of which 36 are utilized for food, 20 for magical or medicinal purposes, and 11 for technology. The Jodï prolong the productive phase of their gardens for five years or more through successive planting-harvesting-replanting operations. Jodï swiddens display an elaborate polycultivated appearance and they possess at least five principal crops: plantain/banana, maize, yams, sweet potato, and sweet manioc. Another distinctive feature is the extensive use of natural gaps in the forest canopy as cultivation zones. The results of this study suggest that while Jodï horticultural practice is well integrated with a nomadic, foraging-dependent lifestyle, nevertheless this system does not deserve to be labeled as 'incipient' and instead is more integral than was recognized previously.

The interaction of a vortex ring with a sloped sediment layer: Critical criteria for incipient grain motion

Science.gov (United States)

Munro, R. J.

2012-02-01

Experiments were performed to analyse the interaction between a vortex ring and a sloped sediment layer. Attention focussed on interactions under "critical" conditions, in which sediment motion was only just induced by the ring's flow field. Both hydraulically smooth and hydraulically rough bedforms were analysed, using near-spherical monodisperse sediments with relative densities of 1.2 and 2.5 and mean diameters (dp) ranging between 80 and 1087 μm. Measurements of the vortex-ring flow field were obtained, during the interaction, using two-dimensional particle imaging velocimetry. The threshold conditions for incipient sediment motion were analysed in terms of the critical Shields parameter (Nc), defined in terms of the peak tangential velocity measured adjacent to the bed surface. Bed-slope effects were investigated by tilting the sediment layer at various angles between the horizontal and the repose limit for the sediment. In all cases, the propagation axis of the vortex ring was aligned normal to the bed surface. The measured values of Nc were compared with a force-balance model based on the conditions for incipient grain motion on a sloping bed. For hydraulically smooth bedforms, where the bed roughness is small compared to the boundary-layer depth, the model was derived to account for how viscous stresses affect the drag and lift forces acting on the near surface sediment. For hydraulically rough bedforms, where this viscous-damping effect is not present, the model assumes the drag and lift forces scale with the square of the near-bed (inviscid) velocity scale. In both cases, the model predicts that bedforms become more mobile as the bed slope is increased. However, the damping effect of the viscous sublayer acts as a stabilizing influence for hydraulically smooth bedforms, to reduce the rate at which the bed mobility increases with bed slope. The measured values of Nc were in agreement with the trends predicted by this model, and exhibit a transition in

Review of candidate methods for detecting incipient defects due to aging of installed cables in nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martzloff, F.D.

1988-01-01

Several types of test methods have been proposed for detecting incipient defects due to aging in cable insulation systems, none offering certainty of detecting all possible types of defects. Some methods apply direct detection of a defect in the cable; other methods detect changes in electrical or non-electrical parameters from which inference can be drawn on the integrity of the cable. The paper summarizes the first year of a program conducted at the National Bureau of Standards to assess the potential of success for in situ detection of incipient defects by the most promising of these methods

Application of the Billet Casting Method to Determine the Onset of Incipient Melting of 319 Al Alloy Engine Blocks

Science.gov (United States)

Lombardi, A.; Ravindran, C.; MacKay, R.

2015-06-01

The increased use of Al for automotive applications has resulted from the need to improve vehicle fuel efficiency. Aluminum alloy engine blocks fulfil the need of lightweighting. However, there are many challenges associated with thermo-mechanical mismatch between Al and the gray cast iron cylinder liners, which result in large tensile residual stress along the cylinder bores. This requires improced mechanical properties in this region to prevent premature engine failure. In this study, replicating billet castings were used to simulate the engine block solution heat treatment process and determine the onset of incipient melting. Microstructural changes during heat treatment were assessed with SEM and EDX, while thermal analysis was carried out using differential scanning calorimetry. The results suggest that solution heat treatment at 500 °C was effective in dissolving secondary phase particles, while solutionizing at 515 or 530 °C caused incipient melting of Al2Cu and Al5Mg8Cu2Si6. Incipient melting caused the formation ultra-fine eutectic clusters consisting of Al, Al2Cu, and Al5Mg8Cu2Si6 on quenching. In addition, DSC analysis found that incipient melting initiated at 507 °C for all billets, although the quantity of local melting reduced with microstructural refinement as evidenced by smaller endothermic peaks and energy absorption. The results from this study will assist in improving engine block casting integrity and process efficiency.

Incipient fault detection and power system protection for spaceborne systems

Science.gov (United States)

Russell, B. Don; Hackler, Irene M.

1987-01-01

A program was initiated to study the feasibility of using advanced terrestrial power system protection techniques for spacecraft power systems. It was designed to enhance and automate spacecraft power distribution systems in the areas of safety, reliability and maintenance. The proposed power management/distribution system is described as well as security assessment and control, incipient and low current fault detection, and the proposed spaceborne protection system. It is noted that the intelligent remote power controller permits the implementation of digital relaying algorithms with both adaptive and programmable characteristics.

Validity of Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination to Discriminate between Incipient Dementia and Depression in Elderly Patients of a Private Clinic in Lima, Peru.

Science.gov (United States)

Herrera-Pérez, Eder; Custodio, Nilton; Lira, David; Montesinos, Rosa; Bendezu, Liliana

2013-01-01

Dementia and depression are different clinical conditions, but share common features, and can be indistinguishable in the initial disease stages. We aimed to establish whether the Peruvian version of the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination (ACE-Peru) can distinguish between the cognitive profile in patients with incipient dementia and that in patients with depression. This was a cross-sectional study to assess the performance on the ACE-Peru of 193 elderly subjects (102 with dementia, 21 with depression, and 70 healthy controls). Depending on the diagnosis, there were two groups of cognitive impairment (CI) - the primary neurodegenerative (PN-CI) subtype and the secondary to depression (SD-CI) subtype - as well as a non-CI group. The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver-operating characteristic curve was determined to compare the diagnostic performance, using the diagnosis of CI as the gold standard. In our sample of elderly subjects aged 59-82 years with at least 7 years of education, the ACE-Peru showed a significantly better performance than the MMSE (AUC = 0.997 vs. AUC = 0.887; p cognitive profile in patients with incipient dementia and that in patients with depression.

Simulation of potato yield in temperate condition by the AquaCrop model

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Razzaghi, Fatemeh; Zhenjiang, Zhou; Andersen, Mathias Neumann

2017-01-01

Potato production ranks fourth in the world after rice, wheat, and maize and it is highly sensitive to water stress. It is thus very important to implement irrigation management strategies to minimize the effects of water stress under different climate conditions. The use of modelling tools...... to calculate the soil water balance on a daily basis has become widespread in the last decades. Therefore, this study was performed to simulate potato yield, dry matter and soil water content under different water stress condition using the AquaCrop model. Three levels of irrigation comprising full irrigated...... (If), deficit irrigated (Id) and not irrigated (I0) were investigated in three-years potato field experiment (2013–15) with four replicates in randomized complete block design. Tuber and total dry matter yield, canopy cover, dry matter production during the crop growth season, and soil water content...

Effect of Filter Cake on Morphophysiological and Yield of Sweet Corn Under Late Season Drought Stress Condition

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S. A. Siadat

2015-06-01

Full Text Available In order to investigate the effect of Filter Cake application on some morpho-physiological characteristics and yield of sweet corn (Zea mays var saccharata under different irrigation regimes, an experiment was conducted in Ramin Agriculture and Natural Resources University, Khuzestan, in 2012. The experiment was arranged in split-plot design in RCBD (Completely Randomized Block Design with three replications. Treatments were drought stress (irrigation after 25, 50 and 75% depletion of available water content in main plots and Filter Cake (0, 10, 20 and 30 tonha-1 arranged in sub-plots. Results showed that drought stress increased electrolyte leakage (EL and proline content (PC while height of plant, relative water content (RWC, chlorophyll stability index and ear and grain yield were decreased. The intensive drought stress had the greatest effect on EL and PC (54% increase, and decreased ear and grain yield by21 and 37% compared to control, respectively. Application of filter cake on non-stress condition increased height of plant and economic yield. But Filter Cake in intensive stress reduced RWC and yield and increased EL compared to control. Also, the application of 30 tonha-1 of Filter Cake in intensive stress condition decreased ear and grain yield by 14.5 and 10.7% respectively. Thus, positive effect of Filter Cake application was clear on non-stress condition, but on drought stress condition it decreased the economic yield.

Growth and yield of different brassica genotypes under saline sodic conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ali, A.; Mahmood, I.A.; Salim, M.

2013-01-01

A field study was conducted at farmer's salt-affected field (ECe=12.3 dS m/sup -1/; pH=9.7; SAR=46.2) in Hafizabad to test growth and yield response of six Brassica cultivars (BARD-I, Dunkled, Rainbow, BRS-II, Sultan Raya and cv. 95102-5) under saline sodic conditions. Data on growth and yield parameters were collected randomly (average of five plants per replication) at the time of crop maturity. Ionic concentration in plant tissues and oil content in seeds were also determined. Comparatively more number of branches and pods per plant were produced by cultivar Dunkled closely followed by BARD-I while maximum seed yield (241.7 and 235.1 kg ha ) was obtained from Dunkled and Sultan Raya, respectively which was statistically at par. However, BRS-II and Rainbow showed significantly more percent oil contents in their seeds but genotype Dunkled showed minimum Na+ and K+ concentration in their tissues. (author)

Numbers and meanings. Ideality in the incipient Husserl’s phenomenology

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José Manuel Chillón

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The reflection on numbers and meanings are a good example of how the incipient phenomenology is in the realm of pure logic. The paper states that, due to ambiguities in these early works and in order to draw a reflection that does not tear the philosophical personality of Husserl, the thesis of the ideality be read from the perspective of later works. This paper reconstructs, from initial analysis of the numbers and meanings, the thesis of the ideality Husserl which, in our view, detect the fundamental aspects of phenomenology despite the subsequent abandonment of the eidetic realism.

Impact of environmental conditions on biomass yield, quality, and bio-mitigation capacity of Saccharina latissima

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bruhn, Annette; Tørring, Ditte Bruunshøj; Thomsen, Marianne

2016-01-01

of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive. Environmental factors determine the yield and quality of the cultivated seaweed biomass and, in return, the seaweed aquaculture affects the marine environment by nutrient assimilation. Consequently, site selection is critical for obtaining optimal biomass yield...... environmental conditions and cultivation success. The biomass yields fluctuated 10-fold between sites due to local variations in light and nutrient availability.Yields were generally low, i.e. up to 510 g fresh weight (FW) per meter seeded line; however, the dry matter contents of protein and high...

Evaluation of Yield and Yield Components of Black Cumin (Nigella sativa L. under different Plant Density and Limited Irrigation Condition

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Sh Rezvan Beidokhti

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Research on crop response to deficit irrigation is important to reduce agriculture water use in areas where water is limited resource. Using drought resistant landraces with irrigation scheduling based on phenological stages in semi-arid and arid regions may provide an opportunity to optimize irrigation efficiency and water savings in these regions. In order to evaluate of yield and yield components of black cumin under different plant density and limited irrigation condition an experiment was conducted in Research Farm of Islamic Azad University of Damghan during growing season of 2007-2008. The experimental treatments were arranged in split plots based on a complete randomized block design with three replications. The limited irrigation (based on phenological stages treatments were included: cutting irrigation at blooming (folded flowers, cutting irrigation at flowering stage, cutting irrigation at seed formation and normal weekly irrigation (control were allocated to the main plots and different plant density: 100, 150, 200 and 250 plant per square meter (m2 were allocated to sub plots. The results showed that the effect of limited irrigation, plant density and their interaction on plant height, number of follicle, follicle weight, number of seed, 1000 seed weight, seed yield, biological yield and harvest index Black Cumin. The highest yield and yield components was obtained in normal irrigation (control and 200 plant density and the lowest yield were obtained when irrigation cut at the blooming stage and 250 plant density. There was a significant correlation between seed yield and number (r=0.90, 1000 seed weight (r=0.95 and biological yield (r=0.97. Optimum plant density of black cumin was decreased under limited irrigation treatments. Under normal (control and limited irrigation, optimum plant density was 200 and 150 plant per (m2 respectively.

Sugarcane yield estimation for climatic conditions in the state of Goiás

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Jordana Moura Caetano

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Models that estimate potential and depleted crop yield according to climatic variable enable the crop planning and production quantification for a specific region. Therefore, the objective of this study was to compare methods to sugarcane yield estimates grown in the climatic condition in the central part of Goiás, Brazil. So, Agroecological Zone Method (ZAE and the model proposed by Scarpari (S were correlated with real data of sugarcane yield from an experimental area, located in Santo Antônio de Goiás, state of Goiás, Brazil. Data yield refer to the crops of 2008/2009 (sugarcane plant, 2009/2010, 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 (ratoon sugarcane. Yield rates were calculated as a function of atmospheric water demand and water deficit in the area under study. Real and estimated yields were adjusted in function of productivity loss due to cutting stage of sugarcane, using an average reduction in productivity observed in the experimental area and the average reduction in the state of Goiás. The results indicated that the ZAE method, considering the water deficit, displayed good yield estimates for cane-plant (d > 0.90. Water deficit decreased the yield rates (r = -0.8636; α = 0.05 while the thermal sum increased that rate for all evaluated harvests (r > 0.68; α = 0.05.

Modified stress intensity factor as a crack growth parameter applicable under large scale yielding conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yasuoka, Tetsuo; Mizutani, Yoshihiro; Todoroki, Akira

2014-01-01

High-temperature water stress corrosion cracking has high tensile stress sensitivity, and its growth rate has been evaluated using the stress intensity factor, which is a linear fracture mechanics parameter. Stress corrosion cracking mainly occurs and propagates around welded metals or heat-affected zones. These regions have complex residual stress distributions and yield strength distributions because of input heat effects. The authors previously reported that the stress intensity factor becomes inapplicable when steep residual stress distributions or yield strength distributions occur along the crack propagation path, because small-scale yielding conditions deviate around those distributions. Here, when the stress intensity factor is modified by considering these distributions, the modified stress intensity factor may be used for crack growth evaluation for large-scale yielding. The authors previously proposed a modified stress intensity factor incorporating the stress distribution or yield strength distribution in front of the crack using the rate of change of stress intensity factor and yield strength. However, the applicable range of modified stress intensity factor for large-scale yielding was not clarified. In this study, the range was analytically investigated by comparison with the J-integral solution. A three-point bending specimen with parallel surface crack was adopted as the analytical model and the stress intensity factor, modified stress intensity factor and equivalent stress intensity factor derived from the J-integral were calculated and compared under large-scale yielding conditions. The modified stress intensity was closer to the equivalent stress intensity factor when compared with the stress intensity factor. If deviation from the J-integral solution is acceptable up to 2%, the modified stress intensity factor is applicable up to 30% of the J-integral limit, while the stress intensity factor is applicable up to 10%. These results showed that

Characterizing drought stress and trait influence on maize yield under current and future conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Harrison, Matthew T; Tardieu, François; Dong, Zhanshan; Messina, Carlos D; Hammer, Graeme L

2014-03-01

Global climate change is predicted to increase temperatures, alter geographical patterns of rainfall and increase the frequency of extreme climatic events. Such changes are likely to alter the timing and magnitude of drought stresses experienced by crops. This study used new developments in the classification of crop water stress to first characterize the typology and frequency of drought-stress patterns experienced by European maize crops and their associated distributions of grain yield, and second determine the influence of the breeding traits anthesis-silking synchrony, maturity and kernel number on yield in different drought-stress scenarios, under current and future climates. Under historical conditions, a low-stress scenario occurred most frequently (ca. 40%), and three other stress types exposing crops to late-season stresses each occurred in ca. 20% of cases. A key revelation shown was that the four patterns will also be the most dominant stress patterns under 2050 conditions. Future frequencies of low drought stress were reduced by ca. 15%, and those of severe water deficit during grain filling increased from 18% to 25%. Despite this, effects of elevated CO2 on crop growth moderated detrimental effects of climate change on yield. Increasing anthesis-silking synchrony had the greatest effect on yield in low drought-stress seasonal patterns, whereas earlier maturity had the greatest effect in crops exposed to severe early-terminal drought stress. Segregating drought-stress patterns into key groups allowed greater insight into the effects of trait perturbation on crop yield under different weather conditions. We demonstrate that for crops exposed to the same drought-stress pattern, trait perturbation under current climates will have a similar impact on yield as that expected in future, even though the frequencies of severe drought stress will increase in future. These results have important ramifications for breeding of maize and have implications for

The Effect of Sowing Date and Plant Density on Yield and Yield Components of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L. under Jiroft Climate Conditions

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B Parsa Motlagh

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction Details of the mutual effect with the agronomic factors, genetic and climatic conditions should be identified to crop a plant in a new area. The purpose of sowing date determination is to find the desired planting time as environmental factors at the time that is suitable for growing, seedling and plant’s survival and resume of growth and development and the plant does not meet unfavorable conditions. The plant density is the most important influencing factors on the development and production of medicinal plants and is an important factor in achieving optimal performance. This research has been conducted for determination of best sowing date and intra row Roselle cultivation in Jiroft area. The objectives of the study were to evaluate the effects of plant density and sowing date on yield, yield components and some of morphological traits on Rosellee (Hibiscus sabdariffa L. and also determine the optimum intra-row spacing and sowing date in order to obtain better yield in Jiroft environment conditions. Materials and Methods The field experiment was split plot in a randomized complete blocks design with three replications in agricultural research field (Long. 57°44´ E., Lat. 28°40´ N., Alt. 650 m of Jiroft University at 2013-2014 growing season. Main plots were sowing date at five levels of 11th and 30th March, 14th April, 5th and 22th May and intra-rows were spaced of 100, 75 and 50 cm as sub plot. Each plot was 3×6 m. The spacing was 1 m between sub-plots, 2 m between main plots and replications. Traits such as plant height, the number of branches, the number of bolls per plant, boll dry weight of plant, sepal yield, seed yield, biomass yield, seed harvest index, and sepal harvest index were measured. Plants were harvested on 1th December, 2014. An area equivalent to 2 × 3 square meters from the center of each plot was harvested by removing the effect of marginal plants from the soil surface to measure the yield of sepal

A measurement-based technique for incipient anomaly detection

KAUST Repository

Harrou, Fouzi; Sun, Ying

2016-01-01

Fault detection is essential for safe operation of various engineering systems. Principal component analysis (PCA) has been widely used in monitoring highly correlated process variables. Conventional PCA-based methods, nevertheless, often fail to detect small or incipient faults. In this paper, we develop new PCA-based monitoring charts, combining PCA with multivariate memory control charts, such as the multivariate cumulative sum (MCUSUM) and multivariate exponentially weighted moving average (MEWMA) monitoring schemes. The multivariate control charts with memory are sensitive to small and moderate faults in the process mean, which significantly improves the performance of PCA methods and widen their applicability in practice. Using simulated data, we demonstrate that the proposed PCA-based MEWMA and MCUSUM control charts are more effective in detecting small shifts in the mean of the multivariate process variables, and outperform the conventional PCA-based monitoring charts. © 2015 IEEE.

A measurement-based technique for incipient anomaly detection

KAUST Repository

Harrou, Fouzi

2016-06-13

Fault detection is essential for safe operation of various engineering systems. Principal component analysis (PCA) has been widely used in monitoring highly correlated process variables. Conventional PCA-based methods, nevertheless, often fail to detect small or incipient faults. In this paper, we develop new PCA-based monitoring charts, combining PCA with multivariate memory control charts, such as the multivariate cumulative sum (MCUSUM) and multivariate exponentially weighted moving average (MEWMA) monitoring schemes. The multivariate control charts with memory are sensitive to small and moderate faults in the process mean, which significantly improves the performance of PCA methods and widen their applicability in practice. Using simulated data, we demonstrate that the proposed PCA-based MEWMA and MCUSUM control charts are more effective in detecting small shifts in the mean of the multivariate process variables, and outperform the conventional PCA-based monitoring charts. © 2015 IEEE.

Effects of planting method on agronomic characteristics, yield and yield components of sweet and super sweet corn (Zea mays L. varieties under saline conditions

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F. Faridi

2016-05-01

Full Text Available In order to evaluate the effects of planting pattern on morphological, Phonological, yield and yield components of sweet and super sweet corn (Zea mays L. varieties under saline conditions, a field experiment was conducted as split plots based on a randomized complete block design with four replications. Planting pattern in 3 levels included one row in ridge, two row in ridge and furrow planting, as a main plot and varieties in 4 levels sweet corn with 2 types (KSc 403 su, Merit and super sweet with two types (Basin, obsession as sub plots. The results showed that planting pattern had significant differences on plant height, ear height, leaf length, leaf width, number of kernel per row, number of rows per ear and 1000-kernel weight. but had no significant effects on the length of tassel, number of leaf/plant, number of leaf per plant above ear, stem diameter, time of anthesis, time of silking, anthesis silking interval ASI, grain yield, biological yield and harvest index. Different varieties had significant effects on the total characteristics studied except number of leaf above ear and stem diameter. Most of the conservable grain yield and harvest index was in Obsession variety (10 kg and 39%, respectively and the least was seen in Basin (4 kg and 20%, respectively. The result showed that use of furrow planting pattern for sweet and super sweet corn in saline conditions can effects result in higher yield.

Numerical Approach for Goaf-Side Entry Layout and Yield Pillar Design in Fractured Ground Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Lishuai; Zhang, Peipeng; Chen, Lianjun; Hao, Zhen; Sainoki, Atsushi; Mitri, Hani S.; Wang, Qingbiao

2017-11-01

Entry driven along goaf-side (EDG), which is the development of an entry of the next longwall panel along the goaf-side and the isolation of the entry from the goaf with a small-width yield pillar, has been widely employed in China over the past several decades . The width of such a yield pillar has a crucial effect on EDG layout in terms of the ground control, isolation effect and resource recovery rate. Based on a case study, this paper presents an approach for evaluating, designing and optimizing EDG and yield pillar by considering the results from numerical simulations and field practice. To rigorously analyze the ground stability, the numerical study begins with the simulation of goaf-side stress and ground conditions. Four global models with identical conditions, except for the width of the yield pillar, are built, and the effect of pillar width on ground stability is investigated by comparing aspects of stress distribution, failure propagation, and displacement evolution during the entire service life of the entry. Based on simulation results, the isolation effect of the pillar acquired from field practice is also considered. The suggested optimal yield pillar design is validated using a field test in the same mine. Thus, the presented numerical approach provides references and can be utilized for the evaluation, design and optimization of EDG and yield pillars under similar geological and geotechnical circumstances.

Validity of Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination to Discriminate between Incipient Dementia and Depression in Elderly Patients of a Private Clinic in Lima, Peru

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Eder Herrera-Pérez

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Background/Aims: Dementia and depression are different clinical conditions, but share common features, and can be indistinguishable in the initial disease stages. We aimed to establish whether the Peruvian version of the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination (ACE-Peru can distinguish between the cognitive profile in patients with incipient dementia and that in patients with depression. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study to assess the performance on the ACE-Peru of 193 elderly subjects (102 with dementia, 21 with depression, and 70 healthy controls. Depending on the diagnosis, there were two groups of cognitive impairment (CI - the primary neurodegenerative (PN-CI subtype and the secondary to depression (SD-CI subtype - as well as a non-CI group. The area under the curve (AUC of the receiver-operating characteristic curve was determined to compare the diagnostic performance, using the diagnosis of CI as the gold standard. Results: In our sample of elderly subjects aged 59-82 years with at least 7 years of education, the ACE-Peru showed a significantly better performance than the MMSE (AUC = 0.997 vs. AUC = 0.887; p Conclusions: The ACE-Peru is able to distinguish between the cognitive profile in patients with incipient dementia and that in patients with depression.

Co-inoculation of arbusculr mycorrhizae and nitrogen fixing bacteria enhance alfalfa yield under saline conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, R.; Tang, F.; Liu, F.; Chen, J.

2016-01-01

The study was to investigate the effects of combined inoculation of Glomus mosseae (arbusculr mycorrhizae fungi, AMF) and Sinorhizobium meliloti (nitrogen-fixing bacteria, i.e., an Rhizobium meliloti, RM) on yield, nutrient contents, nodulation and mycorrhizal colonization of different alfalfa cultivars under saline conditions. An experiment was conducted to test the efficacy of AMF and RM inoculation in development of salt tolerance in alfalfa cultivars (Zhaodong, Nongjing and Longmu) under different salinity levels (0, 60, 120 and 180 mM NaCl). We found that under non stress condition, double inoculation of alfalfa with rhizobium and AM increased the alfalfa yield, nodule weight and number, as well as shoot proline contents, the most when plants were double inoculated followed by AM and rhizobium inoculation, respectively. Whereas under salinity condition, double inoculation of alfalfa with rhizobium and AM increased alfalfa yield, mycorrhizal infection, nodule weight and number as well as increased in shoot proline content, the most followed by AM and rhizobium inoculation, respectively. The Results suggest that growth of alfalfa may be improved by combined inoculation of alfalfa with AM and rhizobium under salt and non-stress conditions. Alleviation of alfalfa growth under saline condition was perhaps due to an increase in mycorrhizal infection and nodule weight and number as well as an increased in shoot proline content by dual inoculation. (author)

Thermal hydraulic conditions inducing incipient cracking in the 900 MWe unit 93 D reactor coolant pump shafts; Pompes primaires 93 D des tranches de 900 MW. Conditions thermo-hydrauliques d`amorcage des fissures d`arbres

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bore, C.

1995-12-31

From 1987, 900 MWe plant operating feedback revealed cracking in the lower part of the reactor coolant pump shafts, beneath the thermal ring. Metallurgical examinations established that this was due to a thermal fatigue phenomenon known as thermal crazing, occurring after a large number of cycles. Analysis of thermal hydraulic conditions initiating the cracks does not allow exact quantification of the thermal load inducing cracking. Only qualitative analyses are thus possible, the first of which, undertaken by the pump manufacturer, Jeumont Industrie, showed that the cracks could not be due to the major transients (stop-start, injection cut-off), which were too few in number. Another explanation was then put forward: the thermal ring, shrunk onto the shaft it is required to protect against thermal shocks, loosens to allow an alternating downflow of cold water from the shaft seals and an upflow of hot water from the primary system. However, approximate calculations showed that the flow involved would be too slight to initiate the cracking observed. A more stringent analysis undertaken with the 2D flow analysis code MELODIE subsequently refuted the possibility of alternating flows beneath the ring establishing that only a hot water upflow occurred due to a `viscosity pump` phenomenon. Crack initiation was finally considered to be due to flowrate variations beneath the ring, with the associated temperature fluctuations. This flowrate fluctuation could be due to an unidentified transient phenomenon or to a variation in pump operating conditions. This analysis of the hydraulic conditions initiating the cracks disregards shaft surface residual stresses. These are tensile stresses and show that loads less penalizing than those initially retained could cause incipient cracking. Thermal ring modifications to reduce these risks were proposed and implemented. In addition, final metallurgical treatment of the shafts was altered and implemented. (Abstract Truncated)

Mutation and screening of high-alcoholic-yield yeast by HEPE and optimization of the fermentation condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han Jingjing; Lu Jiangtao; Zhang Qin; Wang Yan; Fu Yujie; Wang Shilong; Fu Haiying

2011-01-01

The Saccharomyces Cerevisiae YE0 was mutated using high-energy-pulse-electron (HEPE) beam. After ethanol stress and determination of the alcohol yield by gas chromatograph, the mutant YF1 with high alcoholic yield was obtained. The results showed that under the optimized fermentation conditions (34 degree C as the fermentation temperature, 72 h as the fermentation time and 30% as the glucose concentration), the alcoholic yield of YF1 was 15.57% which was 58.23% higher than that of the original strain YE0 (9.84%) under the same conditions. The growth rate and lethal temperature of the mutant YF1 were obviously enhanced to the original strain YE0. The mutant YF1 has a great potential application in industrial production of alcohol. And it can also be used as the original strain for further mutagenesis to get the strain of higher alcoholic yield. (authors)

EFFECT OF BODY CONDITION AND SEASON ON THE YIELD AND QUALITY OF CATTLE EMBRYOS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena Kubovičová

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Unsatisfactory reproductive performance in dairy cows has been associated with environmental influences, such as season, chronic and acute changes in dietary intake and body composition. These factors can affect fertility especially ovarian function and yield and quality of oocytes and embryos. In our study the cow ´s body condition affected the overall embryo recovery rate (proportion of collected embryos to palpated corpora lutea. The significantly higher number of embryos was collected from cows with BCS 2.5- 2.75 (68.32 % embryo recovery rate and 3.0- 3.25 (63.30 % compared to the cows with BCS 2.0-2.25 (53.33% and 3.5-4.0 (47.87%; P0.05. On the contrary, the yield of transferable embryos was higher (P<0.05 during the autumn months (78.94% compared to spring (58.38% or summer (60.00% months. In conclusion, body condition and season may affect the yield and quality of bovine embryos. Higher embryo yield was recorded in average BCS (2.5-3.25 cows, whilst most transferable embryos were obtained in the higher BCS (3.5-4.0. Our results indicate that the best season for collection of transferable bovine embryos is autumn.

Evaluation of the development and yielding potential of Chenopodium quinoa Willd. under the climatic conditions of Europe. Part one: accomodation of Chenopodium quinoa (Willd. to different conditions

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Krzysztof Gęsiński

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Based on the evaluation of selected varieties of Chenopodium quinoa, their requirements were identified; it was shown which varieties demonstrated the best effects in what conditions. It was found that the best varieties for Europe's conditions were E-DK-4-PQCIP and RU-5-PQCIP. E-DK-4-PQCIP variety showed the best effects under the conditions of cluster II which included e.g. Bydgoszcz (Poland and cluster IV which included Southern European countries (Greece and Italy, while the best effects found in RU-5-PQCIP variety were identified in cluster I which included Sweden. E-DK-4-PQCIP variety in cluster II showed a very high yield of green matter and a mean seed yield, and in cluster IV - a very high seed yield and a high yield of green matter.

Prevalencia de lesiones incipientes de caries dental en niños escolares Prevalence of incipient lesions of dental caries in school children

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Nayda Nasco Hidalgo

2008-06-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVOS: determinar la prevalencia de lesiones incipientes de caries dental en los niños de 6-11 años de la escuela primaria "José A Echeverría," municipio Plaza de la Revolución en el período de enero a diciembre del 2006, identificar en el grupo estudiado, la frecuencia de niños según número de lesiones incipientes y la frecuencia de lesiones incipientes por ubicación del diente en la arcada y por superficie dentaria. MÉTODOS: se realizó un estudio observacional descriptivo de corte transversal, el universo estuvo integrado por todos los niños que estuvieran en esas edades y que cumplieran con los criterios de inclusión, para un total de 236, los cuales fueron examinados al aire libre y con luz natural, utilizando el método visual- táctil suave. Los dientes se limpiaron con algodón y se secaron con peras de aire para detectar la presencia de lesiones incipientes de caries, las cuales fueron señalizadas en un modelo de dentigrama, en el lugar correspondiente a la superficie afectada. RESULTADOS: se halló que el 22,5 % de los escolares examinados presentaba estas lesiones, de ellos el 60,1 % correspondió al sexo femenino; el 19,5 % del total de niños presentó una lesión y sólo el 3% tenia dos lesiones incipientes de caries dental; el 79,2 % de las mismas se encontraron en los dientes posteriores, fueron las superficies lisas las más afectadas con un 45,3 %. CONCLUSIONES: Alrededor de la cuarta parte de los niños estudiados presentaron lesiones incipientes de caries, siendo el sexo femenino el más afectado. Del total de niños que poseían lesiones incipientes, la mayor cifra correspondió a los que presentaban una lesión. Los dientes posteriores fueron los más afectados por lesiones incipientes. Las superficies lisas mostraron más lesiones incipientes que las oclusales y proximalesOBJECTIVES: to determine the prevalence of incipient lesions of dental caries in children aged 6-11 of "José A Echeverría" Primary

Increased SBPase activity improves photosynthesis and grain yield in wheat grown in greenhouse conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Driever, Steven M; Simkin, Andrew J; Alotaibi, Saqer; Fisk, Stuart J; Madgwick, Pippa J; Sparks, Caroline A; Jones, Huw D; Lawson, Tracy; Parry, Martin A J; Raines, Christine A

2017-09-26

To meet the growing demand for food, substantial improvements in yields are needed. This is particularly the case for wheat, where global yield has stagnated in recent years. Increasing photosynthesis has been identified as a primary target to achieve yield improvements. To increase leaf photosynthesis in wheat, the level of the Calvin-Benson cycle enzyme sedoheptulose-1,7-biphosphatase (SBPase) has been increased through transformation and expression of a Brachypodium distachyon SBPase gene construct. Transgenic lines with increased SBPase protein levels and activity were grown under greenhouse conditions and showed enhanced leaf photosynthesis and increased total biomass and dry seed yield. This showed the potential of improving yield potential by increasing leaf photosynthesis in a crop species such as wheat. The results are discussed with regard to future strategies for further improvement of photosynthesis in wheat.This article is part of the themed issue 'Enhancing photosynthesis in crop plants: targets for improvement'. © 2017 The Authors.

Effect of tillage fertilizer treatments on maize fodder yield under rainfed conditions of Pakistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khaliq, P.; Cheema, N.M.; Malik, M.A.

2012-01-01

The effect of deep and shallow tillage and fertilizer treatments i.e., recommended dose of fertilizer (RF), farm yard manure (FYM) and recommended dose of fertilizer plus farmyard manure (RF+FYM) on maize fodder yield was studied under rainfed conditions of Pakistan. It was observed that the emergence count m-2, maize fodder biomass, plant height, number of leaves per plant and maize fodder yield enhanced, with the application of RF+FYM. However, the effect of FYM+RF and recommended dose of fertilizer was statistically non-significant and on average basis RF+FYM treatment produced higher green fodder (19971.5 kg ha/sup -1/) than fodder yield of 18349.1 kg ha/sup -1/ produced by applying recommended dose of fertilizer. However, green fodder yield produced with these two fertilizer treatments were significantly higher than that of the FYM and control treatments. The FYM treatment gave lowest fodder yield (16997 kg ha/sup -1/) and was significantly lower than the fodder yield (17278.7 kg ha/sup -1/) obtained in control treatment. The nutrient availability in RF+FYM treatment significantly increased the biomass production, however, application of FYM promoted the weed infestation that reduced the green fodder yield of maize, but it improved the overall forage yield as recorded in RF+FYM treatment. The effect of deep tillage on maize fodder yield was non-significant. (author)

Effect of Black and Clear Polyethylene Mulch on Yield and Yield Components of Melon in Salinity Stress Condition

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Peyman Jafari

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The term of Mulch, is the German word (Molsh means the soft, however, not soft, and made of plant debris or synthetic substances. Many positive effects attributed to the use of plastic mulch such as adjusting the temperature in the root environment, conserve moisture, reduce weeds, increase root growth, reduce soil erosion, and soil condensation and improve germination and early plant establishment. The use of mulch can reduce the harmful effects of salt in plants. Materials and Methods: To evaluate the effects of black and clear polyethylene mulch on yield and yield components of melon in salinity stress condition, a study was conducted in 2011 using split plot randomized based on complete block design with three replications in Varamin region. Three salinity levels of irrigation water of 2, 5 and 8 dS-1 as main factor and three plastic mulch treatments (no mulch, clear mulch and black mulch were considered as sub-plots. At harvest and after determining the yield and number of fruits harvested from each plot, the average number of fruits per plant was measured and fruit pulp thickness was recorded with calipers. Results Discussion The results showed interactive effects of salinity and mulch on fruit yield, number of fruits per plant, average fruit weight, fruit length, days to first harvest and fruit soluble solids percentage were statistically significant. In salinity levels of 2, 5 and 8 dS m-1, fruit yield increased, respectively, 19.6, 59, and 45.4 %in clear mulch compared to control. Similarly these increases for the black mulch were equal to 15.7, 41.9, and 21.4 percent, respectively. With 2, 5 and 8 dS m-1 salinity levels, fruit yield in the first harvest were 7.44, 7.72, and 6.98 t ha -1, respectively, which was significantly higher than without mulch and black mulch. Mulch can reduce evaporation and increase the level of moisture in the soil and thereby dilute the salt and reduce the harmful effects of salinity. Some

Response of Barley Double Haploid Lines to the Grain Yield and Morphological Traits under Water Deficit Stress Conditions

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Maroof Khalily

2017-04-01

Full Text Available To study the relationships of grain yield and some of agro-morphological traits in 40 doubled haploid (DH lines along with parental and three check genotypes in a randomized complete block design with two replications under two water regimes (normal and stress were evaluated during 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 growing seasons. Combined analysis of variance showed significant difference for all the traits in terms of the year, water regimes, lines, and and line × year. Comparison of group means, between non-stress and stress conditions, showed that DH lines had the lowest reduction percentage for the number of grains per spike, thousand grain weight, grain yield and biological yield as opposed to check genotypes. The correlation between grain yield with biological yield, harvest index, thousand grain weight, and hectoliter of kernel weight in both conditions, were highly significant and positive. Based on stepwise regression the peduncle length, number of seeds per spike, thousand seed weight, and hectoliter of kernel weight had important effect on increasing seed yield. The result of path analysis showed that these traits had the highest direct effect on grain yield. Based on mean comparisons of morphological characters as well as STI and GMP indices it can be concluded that lines No.11, 13, 14, 24, 29, 30, 35 and 39 were distinguished to be desirable lines for grain yield and their related traits and also tolerant lines in terms of response to drought stress conditions.

The Effect of Consumer Expectation Index, Economic Condition Index and Crude Oil Price on Indonesian Government Bond Yield

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Benny Budiawan Tjandrasa

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Governments sell bonds to finance their budget. The investors willing to buy government bonds because of the yield they will get, but on the other hand if government bond yields is  too high it would burden the state in paying the interest due. Various studies have been done to find the variables that affect government bond yield significantly, such as exchange rate, inflation rate, interest rate, and oil price. This study found two more variables namely consumer expectations index and the economic conditions index to complement the variables that have been discovered. Those two variables are used as a proxy of economic stability of a country, the increase of those variables represent the increase of economic stability and will reduce the level of risk and lowering the yield that investors demand. This research use descriptive method and explanatory study with secondary data using multivariate regression equation model. The results shown consumer expectation index and economic condition index have significant effect on Indonesian Government Bond yield. To keep consumer expectation index and economic condition index increase government should give a positive signal and a sense of security to investor.

Researches on Determination Yield and Yield Components of Some Common Vetch (Vicia sativa L. Genotypes in Ecological Conditions of Diyarbakır

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Seyithan SEYDOŞOĞLU

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The research was conducted to determine yield and yield components of some common vetch genotypes in order to examine some of the traits, during 2011-2013 seasons in GAP International Agricultural Research and Training Center was carried out on the experimental field. In the study, a total of 20 different genotypes were used common vetch, field trials randomized block design with 3 replications was established. In the study, herbage yield, hay yield and seed yield in addition to days to %50 flowering duration, plant height, main stem length, main stem number, pod number per plant, grain number per pod as affecting yield some properties were also investigated. In both years of the study, days to %50 flowering duration and grain number per pod characteristics examined, except among genotypes for all other parameters are determined significant differences in statistical terms. According to the average of two years result; days to %50 flowering duration, plant height, main stem length, main stem number, pod number per plant, grain number per pod, herbage yield, hay yield, seed yield, 1000 seed weight were changed between 157.8-174.0 days, 33.9-62.6 cm, 52.0-83.3 cm, 1.6-2.6 number, 13.5-21.2 number, 4.7-5.6 number, 1522.0-3232.3 kg da-1, 308.0-919.5 kg da-1, 92.2-293.7 kg da-1, 46.5-84.5 g, respectively. According to these results, under the climate and soil conditions of Diyarbakır; for the grass production common vetch genotypes "D-135" was suggested and for the seed production common vetch genotypes "IFVS-715" and "GAP-59998" were suggested.

Phenotypic Correlation Between Yield and Yield components of Read wheat (Triticum Aestivum L) in Drought Simulated Conditions in Kenya

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kimurto, P.K.

2002-01-01

Establishing the presence and magnitude of x watering regimes interaction and stability of yield under drought simulated conditions would allow plant breeders select the drought tolerant wheat genotypes based on their performance at different rainfall patterns in different locations, not on overall mean yield. Development of drought tolerant wheat varieties in Kenya in an easier, cheaper and more efficient way is required most of it's land area is marginal. Four moisture stress regimes which simulated terminal, early, mid and late drought were created under rain shelter by supplying 70, 82, 94, 106 mm of moisture up to seedling stage, tillering, anthesis and grain filling, respectively. control had 118 mm of moisture applied at all stages. Four test genotypes R748, R830, R831 and R833 were tested together with one check variety, Duma. Yields for each genotype in two seasons were analysed using ANOVA and genotype x watering regimes assessed. Yield stability was also analysed using regression analysis. The result showed that genotype x watering regimes interaction was highly significant, suggesting that genotypes responded differently to increases water levels in each season. This indicated that selecting of drought tolerant genotypes for marginal areas under rain shelter should be based on those rainfall regimes. Yield stability across watering regimes varied among genotypes with Duma and R830 being the most stable cultivars, indicating that they only do well in low water levels. Genotypes R748 and R831 were the most unstable among all the test cultivars. R748 was the most responsive to increasing levels, indicating that it can be grown in low and high rainfall areas. The study showed that selection of stable drought tolerant cultivars using mobile rain shelters is possible

Role of hydrogen on the incipient crack tip deformation behavior in α-Fe: An atomistic perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Adlakha, I.; Solanki, K. N.

2018-01-01

A crack tip in α-Fe presents a preferential trap site for hydrogen, and sufficient concentration of hydrogen can change the incipient crack tip deformation response, causing a transition from a ductile to a brittle failure mechanism for inherently ductile alloys. In this work, the effect of hydrogen segregation around the crack tip on deformation in α-Fe was examined using atomistic simulations and the continuum based Rice-Thompson criterion for various modes of fracture (I, II, and III). The presence of a hydrogen rich region ahead of the crack tip was found to cause a decrease in the critical stress intensity factor required for incipient deformation for various crack orientations and modes of fracture examined here. Furthermore, the triaxial stress state ahead of the crack tip was found to play a crucial role in determining the effect of hydrogen on the deformation behavior. Overall, the segregation of hydrogen atoms around the crack tip enhanced both dislocation emission and cleavage behavior suggesting that hydrogen has a dual role during the deformation in α-Fe.

Genetic Parameters for Body condition score, Body weigth, Milk yield and Fertility estimated using random regression models

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Berry, D.P.; Buckley, F.; Dillon, P.; Evans, R.D.; Rath, M.; Veerkamp, R.F.

2003-01-01

Genetic (co)variances between body condition score (BCS), body weight (BW), milk yield, and fertility were estimated using a random regression animal model extended to multivariate analysis. The data analyzed included 81,313 BCS observations, 91,937 BW observations, and 100,458 milk test-day yields

Ultraviolet-B radiation and nitrogen effects on growth and yield of maize under Mediterranean field conditions

OpenAIRE

Correia, Carlos M.; Coutinho, João F.; Björn, Lars Olof; Torres-Pereira, José M. G.

2000-01-01

The effects of an increase in UV-B radiation on growth and yield of maize (Zea mays L.) were investigated at four levels of applied nitrogen (0, 100, 200 and 300 kg ha−1 of N) under Mediterranean field conditions. The experiment simulated a 20% stratospheric ozone depletion over Portugal. Enhanced UV-B and N deficiency decreased yield and total biomass production by 22–49%. High UV-B dose reduced yield, total biomass and growth of N-fertilized maize plants but did not affect N-stressed plants...

Wind Turbine Gearbox Condition Monitoring with AAKR and Moving Window Statistic Methods

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Peng Guo

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Condition Monitoring (CM of wind turbines can greatly reduce the maintenance costs for wind farms, especially for offshore wind farms. A new condition monitoring method for a wind turbine gearbox using temperature trend analysis is proposed. Autoassociative Kernel Regression (AAKR is used to construct the normal behavior model of the gearbox temperature. With a proper construction of the memory matrix, the AAKR model can cover the normal working space for the gearbox. When the gearbox has an incipient failure, the residuals between AAKR model estimates and the measurement temperature will become significant. A moving window statistical method is used to detect the changes of the residual mean value and standard deviation in a timely manner. When one of these parameters exceeds predefined thresholds, an incipient failure is flagged. In order to simulate the gearbox fault, manual temperature drift is added to the initial Supervisory Control and Data Acquisitions (SCADA data. Analysis of simulated gearbox failures shows that the new condition monitoring method is effective.

Biogeochemical weathering of serpentinites: An examination of incipient dissolution affecting serpentine soil formation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baumeister, Julie L.; Hausrath, Elisabeth M.; Olsen, Amanda A.; Tschauner, Oliver; Adcock, Christopher T.; Metcalf, Rodney V.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Dissolution of primary minerals is important to porosity generation in serpentinites. • Mineral weathering extent in serpentinites follows the order Fe > Mg > Al rich minerals. • Fe-oxidizing bacteria may mediate Fe-rich primary and serpentine mineral alteration. • Serpentinite weathering is strongly impacted by degree of serpentinization. - Abstract: Serpentinite rocks, high in Mg and trace elements including Ni, Cr, Cd, Co, Cu, and Mn and low in nutrients such as Ca, K, and P, form serpentine soils with similar chemical properties resulting in chemically extreme environments for the biota that grow upon them. The impact of parent material on soil characteristics is most important in young soils, and therefore the incipient weathering of serpentinite rock likely has a strong effect on the development of serpentine soils and ecosystems. Additionally, porosity generation is a crucial process in converting rock into a soil that can support vegetation. Here, the important factors affecting the incipient weathering of serpentinite rock are examined at two sites in the Klamath Mountains, California. Serpentinite-derived soils and serpentinite rock cores were collected in depth profiles from each sampling location. Mineral dissolution in weathered serpentinite samples, determined by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectrometry, electron microprobe analyses, and synchrotron microXRD, is consistent with the order, from most weathered to least weathered: Fe-rich pyroxene > antigorite > Mg-rich lizardite > Al-rich lizardite. These results suggest that the initial porosity formation within serpentinite rock, impacting the formation of serpentine soil on which vegetation can exist, is strongly affected both by the presence of non-serpentine primary minerals as well as the composition of the serpentine minerals. In particular, the presence of ferrous Fe appears to contribute to greater dissolution, whereas the presence of Al within the

Incipient fault detection and identification in process systems using accelerating neural network learning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parlos, A.G.; Muthusami, J.; Atiya, A.F.

1994-01-01

The objective of this paper is to present the development and numerical testing of a robust fault detection and identification (FDI) system using artificial neural networks (ANNs), for incipient (slowly developing) faults occurring in process systems. The challenge in using ANNs in FDI systems arises because of one's desire to detect faults of varying severity, faults from noisy sensors, and multiple simultaneous faults. To address these issues, it becomes essential to have a learning algorithm that ensures quick convergence to a high level of accuracy. A recently developed accelerated learning algorithm, namely a form of an adaptive back propagation (ABP) algorithm, is used for this purpose. The ABP algorithm is used for the development of an FDI system for a process composed of a direct current motor, a centrifugal pump, and the associated piping system. Simulation studies indicate that the FDI system has significantly high sensitivity to incipient fault severity, while exhibiting insensitivity to sensor noise. For multiple simultaneous faults, the FDI system detects the fault with the predominant signature. The major limitation of the developed FDI system is encountered when it is subjected to simultaneous faults with similar signatures. During such faults, the inherent limitation of pattern-recognition-based FDI methods becomes apparent. Thus, alternate, more sophisticated FDI methods become necessary to address such problems. Even though the effectiveness of pattern-recognition-based FDI methods using ANNs has been demonstrated, further testing using real-world data is necessary

Effects of enhanced UVB on growth and yield of alfalfa and soybean under field conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Oudat, M.; Baydon, S.A.; Mohamad, A.

1998-01-01

The effects of 20% increase of UVB on growth and yield of alfalfa (Medicago Sativa L.) and two cultivars of soybean (Glycine Max (L.) Mer) under field conditions have been investigated. The increase of UVB dose ranged between 1.746 and 7.112 J/cm 2 during experiment. The results showed that soybean yield decrease by 16% and 31% in A. 3803 and A. 2522 cultivars respectively, under UVB exposure. The dry weight and leaf area were sensitive in the A. 3803 cultivar, while they were tolerant in the A. 2522 cultivar. Alfalfa response to UVB varied during the different stages of growth, whereas the yield was 12% less in the exposed plants. (author)

Yields of Selected Catch Crops in Dry Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martina Handlířová

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Catch crops mainly reduce soil erosion and leaching of nutrients as well as enrich the soil organic matter. The aim of this research is to evaluate the yields of catch crops of Sinapis alba, Phacelia tanacetifolia, Fagopyrum esculentum, Carthamus tinctorius and Secale cereale v. multicaule, and thus determine the possible applicability of catch crops in areas with high average annual temperature and low precipitation totals. The small-plot field experiment was performed on clay-loam gleyic fluvisol at the Field Experimental Station in Žabčice, Southern Moravia, Czech Republic, within the period of 2006-2014. The catch crops were set up after winter wheat in mid-August. The results have shown a statistically significant difference among different catch crops in yield of dry matter and even among years. The yield of catch crops is mainly dependent on a sufficient supply of water in the soil and the appropriate amount and distribution of rainfall over the growing season. Sinapis alba and Phacelia tanacetifolia regularly reached the highest yields. High yields were also achieved with Fagopyrum esculentum. Due to the method of crop rotation in the Czech Republic, with a predominance of Brassica napus var. napus, it is inappropriate to include Sinapis alba. It is the best to grow Phacelia tanacetifolia and even Fagopyrum esculentum, or a mixture thereof, depending on the use of catch crops.

Comparison of Regression Techniques to Predict Response of Oilseed Rape Yield to Variation in Climatic Conditions in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sharif, Behzad; Makowski, David; Plauborg, Finn

2017-01-01

Statistical regression models represent alternatives to process-based dynamic models for predicting the response of crop yields to variation in climatic conditions. Regression models can be used to quantify the effect of change in temperature and precipitation on yields. However, it is difficult ...

Yield and Quality Features of Buckwheat-Soybean Mixtures in Organic Agricultural Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mustafa Sürmen

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This study was carried out during the summer of 2014 to determine alternative quality forage sources that could be grown in the Aydın ecological conditions. In the study, effects of 3 different mixtures and 2 pure species (100% Buckwheat, 25% Buckwheat -75% Soybean, 50% Buckwheat -5 0% Soybean, 75% Buckwheat - 25% Soybean, 100% Soybean and 2 different harvesting times (50%-100% flowering/buckwheat on yield and quality characteristics were investigated. According to measurements, the highest average herbage yield was obtained from 75% Buckwheat-25% Soybean application (3100 kg/da at 2nd harvest time. When the average of hay yield was examined, the results were similar to herbage yield. When ADF and NDF were examined, the highest values were seen at the 2nd harvest. When the crude protein ratios were examined, it was found that they decreased at the 2nd harvesting time and the highest value was determined at 100% soybean application at the 1st harvesting time (21.08%. When Digestible Dry Matter (DDM and Relative Feed Value (RFV were examined, the highest values were determined in 100%Soybean applications at first harvest time and when the mixture applications were examined, the highest values were determined to be 75% Buckwheat - 25% Soybean application. As a result of the study, it was determined that the yields obtained at the 2nd harvest time were higher but the forage quality decreased. When the mixtures were examined, it was determined that the mixture having the highest roughage value was 75% buckwheat + 25% soybean application. In this study, the buckwheat which have short vegetation and good quality and the soybean, which is infront of with high quality, mixtures were examined. It has also been found that these mixtures may be important for obtaining high-quality forage in the short and intermediate periods.

Evolution of Grain Yield and its Components Relationships in Bread Wheat Genotypes under Full Irrigation and Terminal Water Stress Conditions Using Multivariate Statistical Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S Mohammadi

2014-07-01

Full Text Available To study relationships between effective traits on wheat grain yield, the varieties Zarrin and Alvand, and some promising lines i.e. C-81-4, C-81-10, C-81-14 and C-82-12 were investigated at three sowing dates including 10 October, 1 November and 21 November. The experiment was carried out using strip plot in RCBD with three replications under two different water conditions including full-irrigation and terminal water stress at Miyandoab Agricultural Research Station in 2005-06 and 2006-07 cropping seasons. The results showed that under both full irrigation and terminal water stress conditions, grain yield had positive and significant correlation with days to heading, days to maturity, plant height, number of spikes/m2 and 1000 grain weight. Stepwise regression analysis revealed that 83 percent of yield variation under non-stressed conditions could be determined by days to maturity and number of spikes/m2 (R2 = 83% whereas these traits explained 87% of yield variation under stress conditions (R2= 87%. Path analysis indicated that number of spikes/m2 and days to maturity had the greatest positive direct and indirect effect on grain yield, under both conditions. The results of factor analysis under non-stressed condition showed that three factors explained 77% of total variation; these factors were called grain yield components, grain characteristics and plant phonology. Under non-stressed condition two factors (that were called grain yield and phenology, and plant morphology explained 88% of total variation. Cluster analysis through ward method, classified days to maturity and number of spikes/m2 in the same cluster where the grain yield was put under both conditions. It was concluded that under different sowing dates, selection based on days to maturity and number spikes/m2 could indirectly led to higher yield under both normal and water stress conditions.

Postpartum body condition score and results from the first test day milk as predictors of disease, fertility, yield, and culling in commercial dairy herds.

Science.gov (United States)

Heuer, C; Schukken, Y H; Dobbelaar, P

1999-02-01

The study used field data from a regular herd health service to investigate the relationships between body condition scores or first test day milk data and disease incidence, milk yield, fertility, and culling. Path model analysis with adjustment for time at risk was applied to delineate the time sequence of events. Milk fever occurred more often in fat cows, and endometritis occurred between calving and 20 d of lactation more often in thin cows. Fat cows were less likely to conceive at first service than were cows in normal condition. Fat body condition postpartum, higher first test day milk yield, and a fat to protein ratio of > 1.5 increased body condition loss. Fat or thin condition or condition loss was not related to other lactation diseases, fertility parameters, milk yield, or culling. First test day milk yield was 1.3 kg higher after milk fever and was 7.1 kg lower after displaced abomasum. Higher first test day milk yield directly increased the risk of ovarian cyst and lameness, increased 100-d milk yield, and reduced the risk of culling and indirectly decreased reproductive performance. Cows with a fat to protein ratio of > 1.5 had higher risks for ketosis, displaced abomasum, ovarian cyst, lameness, and mastitis. Those cows produced more milk but showed poor reproductive performance. Given this type of herd health data, we concluded that the first test day milk yield and the fat to protein ratio were more reliable indicators of disease, fertility, and milk yield than was body condition score or loss of body condition score.

Effects of environmental preconditioning, donor tissue and isolation conditions on tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. protoplast yield

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elżbieta Kuźniak

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The effects of soil or in vitro grown plants, pretreatment conditions, donor tissue and isolation procedure on protoplast yield from cotyledons and leaves of tomato cv. 'Perkoz' and 'Zorza' were studied. The highest protoplast yield of 1.5 x 107/g FW was obtained from leaves of in vitro grown plants. Low light intensity during donor plants in vitro culture and dark pretreatment were essential for successful protoplast isolation while cold pretreatment was not. Tissue preplasmolysis prior to transfer to enzyme mixture increased 4-fold the number of isolated protoplasts. Glycine and bovine serum albumin in the isolation medium did not significantly influence the protoplast yield.

Failure of pheromone traps in detecting incipient populations of boll weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae): Investigation of two potential contributing factors

Science.gov (United States)

Progress towards complete eradication of the boll weevil has been delayed in some areas of Texas due to the inconsistent performance of pheromone traps in detecting incipient weevil populations. In 2008 substantial infestations of boll weevils, Anthonomus grandis Boheman, were detected in several c...

Impact of controlled release urea on maize yield and nitrogen use efficiency under different water conditions.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guanghao Li

Full Text Available Controlled release urea (CRU has been widely adopted to increase nitrogen (N use efficiency and maize production, but the impacts can range widely depending on water availability in the soil. In an experiment using Zhengdan 958 (a popular summer maize hybrid, three levels of water treatments (adequate water condition [W3], which maintained soil moisture at about 75% ± 5% of the soil's field capacity; mild water stress [W2], which maintained moisture content at 55% ± 5% of field capacity; and severe water stress [W1], which had a moisture content of 35% ± 5% of field capacity and four levels of controlled release urea fertilizer (N0, N1, N2 and N3 were 0, 105, 210 and 315 kg N ha-1, respectively were compared in a rainout shelter system with soil. The results revealed that CRU had significant effects on maize yields and N use efficiencies under different water conditions. The mean yields increased with increasing water levels and showed significant differences. Under W1, the accumulation of dry matter and N were limited, and N internal efficiency (NIE and the apparent recovery efficiency of applied N (REN decreased with N increases; yields of N1, N2, and N3 were similar. Under W2, the dry matter and N accumulation, as well as the yield, showed an increasing trend with an increase in N application, and the NIE and REN of N3 showed no difference from N2. Under W3, yields of N2 and N3 were similar and they were significantly higher than that of N1, but the agronomic N use efficiency (ANUE, REN, and the physiological NUE (PNUE of N2 were 54.2, 34.9, and 14.4% higher, respectively, than those of N3. N application beyond the optimal N rate did not consistently increase maize yield, and caused a decrease in N use efficiencies. Highest overall dry matter, N accumulation, and yields were observed with N3 under W2, and those showed no differences with N2 and N3 under W3. Under this experimental condition, the CRU of 210 kg ha-1 was optimized when soil

Yield and grain quality of winter wheat under Southern Steppe of Ukraine growing conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

М. М. Корхова

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The results of three years study of the effect of sowing time and seed application rates on yield and grain quality of different varieties of winter wheat under the conditions of South Steppe of Ukraine were presented. It was found that winter wheat provides optimal combination of high yield and grain quality in case of sowing in October 10 with seed application rate of 5,0 million seeds/ha. The highest yield – 4,59 t/ha on average in 2011–2013 was obtained for the variety of Natalka when sowing in October 10 with seed application rate  of 5 million germinable seeds. With increasing seed application rate from 3 to 5 million seeds/ha, protein content in winter wheat was decreased by 0,3%, gluten – by 0,6%. The variety Natalka  formed the highest quality grains when sowing in October 20 with seed application rate of 3 million seeds/ha, in this case protein content was 15,8%, gluten – 32,9%. It is proved that early sowing time  – September 10 leads to yields reduction and grain   quality deterioration for all winter wheat varieties.

Effects of environmental preconditioning, donor tissue and isolation conditions on tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) protoplast yield

OpenAIRE

Elżbieta Kuźniak; Marzena Wielanek; Urszula Małolepsza; Henryk Urbaniak

2013-01-01

The effects of soil or in vitro grown plants, pretreatment conditions, donor tissue and isolation procedure on protoplast yield from cotyledons and leaves of tomato cv. 'Perkoz' and 'Zorza' were studied. The highest protoplast yield of 1.5 x 107/g FW was obtained from leaves of in vitro grown plants. Low light intensity during donor plants in vitro culture and dark pretreatment were essential for successful protoplast isolation while cold pretreatment was not. Tissue preplasmolysis prior to t...

Genotype-by-sowing date interaction effects on cotton yield and quality in irrigated condition of dera ismail khan, pakistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Usman, K.; Khan, S.; Ayatullah, A.

2016-01-01

Cotton is a major export commodity of Pakistan. It is affected by variable environmental conditions throughout the country which limits its production. A 2-year field study was conducted in 2012 and 2013 at Cotton Research Station, Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan to evaluate the effects of six sowing dates on yield and quality attributes of four cotton genotypes. The experiments were laid out in split-plot within a randomized complete block design with three replications. Main plots treatments were six sowing dates, namely March 20, April 4, April 19, May 4, May 19, and June 3 while subplots treatments were four approved transgenic varieties of cotton (CIM-598, CIM-599, CIM-602, and Ali Akber-703). Results revealed that earlier planting produced more vegetative growth rather than lint yield while late planting induced flowering and boll formation when temperature was much cold that adversely affected cotton yield and quality. The results further indicate that the genotype CIM-599 scored first rank in number of bolls plant-1, boll weight, seed cotton yield, ginning out turn, fiber length, fiber strength, fiber fineness, and fiber uniformity when sown on April 19. CIM-598 was the next suitable genotype after CIM-599 which produced higher yield and quality traits in April 19 sowing. Earlier and later sowing than April 19 resulted in lower cotton yield and quality characters due to unfavorable environmental conditions and shorter growth period, respectively. Thus it is concluded that the genotype, CIM-599 sown on April 19 suits well to the study area and had the potential to optimize cotton yield and quality in irrigated condition of Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan. (author)

Adaptive divergence with gene flow in incipient speciation of Miscanthus floridulus / sinensis complex (Poaceae)

KAUST Repository

Huang, Chao-Li; Ho, Chuan-Wen; Chiang, Yu-Chung; Shigemoto, Yasumasa; Hsu, Tsai-Wen; Hwang, Chi-Chuan; Ge, Xue-Jun; Chen, Charles; Wu, Tai-Han; Chou, Chang-Hung; Huang, Hao-Jen; Gojobori, Takashi; Osada, Naoki; Chiang, Tzen-Yuh

2014-01-01

Young incipient species provide ideal materials for untangling the process of ecological speciation in the presence of gene flow. The Miscanthus floridulus/sinensis complex exhibits diverse phenotypic and ecological differences despite recent divergence (approximately 1.59million years ago). To elucidate the process of genetic differentiation during early stages of ecological speciation, we analyzed genomic divergence in the Miscanthus complex using 72 randomly selected genes from a newly assembled transcriptome. In this study, rampant gene flow was detected between species, estimated as M=3.36x10(-9) to 1.20x10(-6), resulting in contradicting phylogenies across loci. Nevertheless, beast analyses revealed the species identity and the effects of extrinsic cohesive forces that counteracted the non-stop introgression. As expected, early in speciation with gene flow, only 3-13 loci were highly diverged; two to five outliers (approximately 2.78-6.94% of the genome) were characterized by strong linkage disequilibrium, and asymmetrically distributed among ecotypes, indicating footprints of diversifying selection. In conclusion, ecological speciation of incipient species of Miscanthus probably followed the parapatric model, whereas allopatric speciation cannot be completely ruled out, especially between the geographically isolated northern and southern M.sinensis, for which no significant gene flow across oceanic barriers was detected. Divergence between local ecotypes in early-stage speciation began at a few genomic regions under the influence of natural selection and divergence hitchhiking that overcame gene flow.

Adaptive divergence with gene flow in incipient speciation of Miscanthus floridulus / sinensis complex (Poaceae)

KAUST Repository

Huang, Chao-Li

2014-11-11

Young incipient species provide ideal materials for untangling the process of ecological speciation in the presence of gene flow. The Miscanthus floridulus/sinensis complex exhibits diverse phenotypic and ecological differences despite recent divergence (approximately 1.59million years ago). To elucidate the process of genetic differentiation during early stages of ecological speciation, we analyzed genomic divergence in the Miscanthus complex using 72 randomly selected genes from a newly assembled transcriptome. In this study, rampant gene flow was detected between species, estimated as M=3.36x10(-9) to 1.20x10(-6), resulting in contradicting phylogenies across loci. Nevertheless, beast analyses revealed the species identity and the effects of extrinsic cohesive forces that counteracted the non-stop introgression. As expected, early in speciation with gene flow, only 3-13 loci were highly diverged; two to five outliers (approximately 2.78-6.94% of the genome) were characterized by strong linkage disequilibrium, and asymmetrically distributed among ecotypes, indicating footprints of diversifying selection. In conclusion, ecological speciation of incipient species of Miscanthus probably followed the parapatric model, whereas allopatric speciation cannot be completely ruled out, especially between the geographically isolated northern and southern M.sinensis, for which no significant gene flow across oceanic barriers was detected. Divergence between local ecotypes in early-stage speciation began at a few genomic regions under the influence of natural selection and divergence hitchhiking that overcame gene flow.

Evaluation of diagnostic ability of CCD digital radiography in the detection of incipient dental caries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Wan; Lee, Byung Do

2003-01-01

The purpose of this experiment was to evaluate the diagnostic ability of a CCD-based digital system (CDX-2000HQ) in the detection of incipient dental caries. 93 extracted human teeth with sound proximal surfaces and interproximal artificial cavities were radiographed using 4 imaging methods. Automatically processed No.2 Insight film (Eastman Kodak Co., U.S.A.) was used for conventional radiography, scanned images of conventional radiograms for indirect digital radiography were used. For the direct digital radiography, the CDX-2000HQ CCD system (Biomedisys Co. Korea) was used. The subtraction images were made from two direct digital images by Sunny program in the CDX-2000HQ system. Two radiologists and three endodontists examined the presence of lesions using a five-point confidence scale and compared the diagnostic ability by ROC (Receiver Operating Characteristic) analysis and one way ANOVA test. The mean ROC areas of conventional radiography, indirect digital radiography, direct digital radiography, and digital subtraction radiography were 0.9093, 0.9102, 0.9184, and 0.9056, respectively. The diagnostic ability of direct digital radiography was better than the other imaging modalities, but there were no statistical differences among these imaging modalities (p>0.05). These results indicate that new CCD-based digital systems (CDX-2000HQ) have the potential to serve as an alternative to conventional radiography in the detection of incipient dental caries.

Long-term effects of conventional and reduced tillage systems on soil condition and yield of maize

Science.gov (United States)

Rátonyi, Tamás; Széles, Adrienn; Harsányi, Endre

2015-04-01

As a consequence of operations which neglect soil condition and consist of frequent soil disturbance, conventional tillage (primary tillage with autumn ploughing) results in the degradation and compaction of soil structure, as well as the reduction of organic matter. These unfavourable processes pose an increasing economic and environmental protection problem today. The unfavourable physical condition of soils on which conventional tillage was performed indicate the need for preserving methods and tools. The examinations were performed in the multifactorial long-term tillage experiment established at the Látókép experiment site of DE MÉK. The experiment site is located in the Hajdúság loess ridge (Hungary) and its soil is loess-based calcareous chernozem with deep humus layer. The physical soil type is mid-heavy adobe. The long-term experiment has a split-split plot design. The main plots are different tillage methods (autumn ploughing, spring shallow tillage) without replication. In this paper, the effect of conventional and reduced (shallow) tillage methods on soil conditions and maize yield was examined. A manual penetrometer was used to determine the physical condition and compactedness of the soil. The soil moisture content was determined with deep probe measurement (based on capacitive method). In addition to soil analyses, the yield per hectare of different plots was also observed. In reduced tillage, one compacted layer is shown in the soil resistance profile determined with a penetrometer, while there are two compacted layers in autumn ploughing. The highest resistance was measured in the case of primary tillage performed at the same depth for several years in the compacted (pan disk) layer developed under the developed layer in both treatments. The unfavourable impact of spring shallow primary tillage on physical soil conditions is shown by the fact that the compaction of the pan disk exceed the critical limit value of 3 MPa. Over the years, further

Selecting Native Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi to Promote Cassava Growth and Increase Yield under Field Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Séry, D. Jean-Marc; Kouadjo, Z. G. Claude; Voko, B. R. Rodrigue; Zézé, Adolphe

2016-01-01

The use of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) inoculation in sustainable agriculture is now widespread worldwide. Although the use of inoculants consisting of native AMF is highly recommended as an alternative to commercial ones, there is no strategy to allow the selection of efficient fungal species from natural communities. The objective of this study was (i) to select efficient native AMF species (ii) evaluate their impact on nematode and water stresses, and (iii) evaluate their impact on cassava yield, an important food security crop in tropical and subtropical regions. Firstly, native AMF communities associated with cassava rhizospheres in fields were collected from different areas and 7 AMF species were selected, based upon their ubiquity and abundance. Using these criteria, two morphotypes (LBVM01 and LBVM02) out of the seven AMF species selected were persistently dominant when cassava was used as a trap plant. LBVM01 and LBVM02 were identified as Acaulospora colombiana (most abundant) and Ambispora appendicula, respectively, after phylogenetic analyses of LSU-ITS-SSU PCR amplified products. Secondly, the potential of these two native AMF species to promote growth and enhance tolerance to root-knot nematode and water stresses of cassava (Yavo variety) was evaluated using single and dual inoculation in greenhouse conditions. Of the two AMF species, it was shown that A. colombiana significantly improved the growth of the cassava and enhanced tolerance to water stress. However, both A. colombiana and A. appendicula conferred bioprotective effects to cassava plants against the nematode Meloidogyne spp., ranging from resistance (suppression or reduction of the nematode reproduction) or tolerance (low or no suppression in cassava growth). Thirdly, the potential of these selected native AMF to improve cassava growth and yield was evaluated under field conditions, compared to a commercial inoculant. In these conditions, the A. colombiana single inoculation and the

Influence of reaction conditions and type of alcohol on biodiesel yields and process economics of supercritical transesterification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Micic, Radoslav D.; Tomić, Milan D.; Kiss, Ferenc E.; Nikolić-Djorić, Emilija B.; Simikić, Mirko Ð.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Transesterification in supercritical methanol, ethanol and 1-propanol investigated. • Effect of alcohol, reaction temperature, pressure and time on yields analyzed. • Temperature has the highest impact on yield, followed by time and pressure. • Direct material and energy costs for each of the production alternatives estimated. • Lowest costs are achieved at highest yields even at very low oil prices. - Abstract: Experiments with transesterification of rapeseed oil in supercritical alcohols (methanol, ethanol and 1-propanol) were carried out in a batch reactor at various reaction temperatures (250–350 °C), working pressure (8–12 MPa), reaction time, and constant 42:1 alcohol to oil molar ratio. Influence of different alcohols and reaction conditions on biodiesel yield was investigated using linear multiple regression models. Temperature had the highest impact on yields, followed by reaction time and pressure. With increased molecular weight of alcohols, relative importance of temperature for explanation of yields decreased and relative importance of time and pressure increased. Economic assessment has revealed that transesterification in supercritical methanol has the lowest direct material and energy costs. Yield has crucial impact on process economics. Direct costs decrease with increase in biodiesel yields. Even at very low prices of oil feedstock the lowest cost is achieved at the highest yield

Comparison of Machine Learning methods for incipient motion in gravel bed rivers

Science.gov (United States)

Valyrakis, Manousos

2013-04-01

Soil erosion and sediment transport of natural gravel bed streams are important processes which affect both the morphology as well as the ecology of earth's surface. For gravel bed rivers at near incipient flow conditions, particle entrainment dynamics are highly intermittent. This contribution reviews the use of modern Machine Learning (ML) methods implemented for short term prediction of entrainment instances of individual grains exposed in fully developed near boundary turbulent flows. Results obtained by network architectures of variable complexity based on two different ML methods namely the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and the Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) are compared in terms of different error and performance indices, computational efficiency and complexity as well as predictive accuracy and forecast ability. Different model architectures are trained and tested with experimental time series obtained from mobile particle flume experiments. The experimental setup consists of a Laser Doppler Velocimeter (LDV) and a laser optics system, which acquire data for the instantaneous flow and particle response respectively, synchronously. The first is used to record the flow velocity components directly upstream of the test particle, while the later tracks the particle's displacements. The lengthy experimental data sets (millions of data points) are split into the training and validation subsets used to perform the corresponding learning and testing of the models. It is demonstrated that the ANFIS hybrid model, which is based on neural learning and fuzzy inference principles, better predicts the critical flow conditions above which sediment transport is initiated. In addition, it is illustrated that empirical knowledge can be extracted, validating the theoretical assumption that particle ejections occur due to energetic turbulent flow events. Such a tool may find application in management and regulation of stream flows downstream of dams for stream

Interrelationship of pollination conditions, fertilization and sunflower seed yield

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joksimović Jovan

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Four commercially important sunflower hybrids (NS-H-45, NS-H-l 11, NS-H-702 and Velja and their parental components (Ha-74B, Ha-98B, CMS-3-8B, Ha-26B, RHA-583, RHA-R-PI-2/1 and RHA-113N were used over a period of two years to study the following traits: disk flower corolla length, nectar content, pollen viability, bee visitation, fertilization percentage and seed yield. Relations among the traits were determined by path coefficient analysis. The simple correlation coefficients showed that fertilization percentage and bee visitation had a highly significant influence on seed yield. The corolla length had a positive effect on nectar content, while nectar content had a significant negative influence on pollen viability. The highest significant direct influence on seed yield was that of fertilization percentage, while the effect on nectar content on seed yield was negative but not significant. The coefficient of determination was 0.8071.

On-farm yield potential of local seed watermelon landraces under heat- and drought-prone conditions in Mali

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nantoume, Aminata Dolo; Christiansen, Jørgen Lindskrog; Andersen, Sven Bode

2012-01-01

On-farm yield experiments were carried out in the Tombouctou region of Mali in 2009/10 under heat- and drought-prone desert conditions with three local landraces of seed-type watermelons. The landraces, named Fombou, Kaneye and Musa Musa by the farmers, exhibited distinct characteristics for fruit...... responsive. The yields obtained suggest that these local landraces of watermelon are valuable plant genetic resources for securing food supply in arid, heat- and drought-prone areas....

Genotype x environment interaction for grain yield of wheat genotypes tested under water stress conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sail, M.A.; Dahot, M.U.; Mangrio, S.M.; Memon, S.

2007-01-01

Effect of water stress on grain yield in different wheat genotypes was studied under field conditions at various locations. Grain yield is a complex polygenic trait influenced by genotype, environment and genotype x environment (GxE) interaction. To understand the stability among genotypes for grain yield, twenty-one wheat genotypes developed Through hybridization and radiation-induced mutations at Nuclear Institute of Agriculture (NIA) TandoJam were evaluated with four local check varieties (Sarsabz, Thori, Margalla-99 and Chakwal-86) in multi-environmental trails (MET/sub s/). The experiments were conducted over 5 different water stress environments in Sindh. Data on grain yield were recorded from each site and statistically analyzed. Combined analysis of variance for all the environments indicated that the genotype, environment and genotype x environment (GxE) interaction were highly significant (P greater then 0.01) for grain yield. Genotypes differed in their response to various locations. The overall highest site mean yield (4031 kg/ha) recorded at Moro and the lowest (2326 kg/ha) at Thatta. Six genotypes produced significantly (P=0.01) the highest grain yield overall the environments. Stability analysis was applied to estimate stability parameters viz., regression coefficient (b), standard error of regression coefficient and variance due to deviation from regression (S/sub 2/d) genotypes 10/8, BWS-78 produced the highest mean yield over all the environments with low regression coefficient (b=0.68, 0.67 and 0.63 respectively and higher S/sup 2/ d value, showing specific adaptation to poor (un favorable) environments. Genotype 8/7 produced overall higher grain yield (3647 kg/ha) and ranked as third high yielding genotype had regression value close to unity (b=0.9) and low S/sup d/ value, indicating more stability and wide adaptation over the all environments. The knowledge of the presence and magnitude of genotype x environment (GE) interaction is important to

Potato yield and yield structure depending on irrigation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Milić Stanko

2010-01-01

Full Text Available In the agroclimatic conditions of the Vojvodina Province, the application of an economic water regime and modern technology is necessary for stable and intensive potato production. A two-year experiment on calcareous chernozem was carried out to determine how irrigation and different pre-irrigation soil moisture affect potato yield and distribution of tuber fraction in the potato yield. The block-design trial had four replicates and was adapted for sprinkler irrigation conditions. It included four treatments: irrigation with pre-irrigation moisture levels of 60 % of field water capacity (FC, irrigation with pre-irrigation moisture levels of 70 % (FC, irrigation with pre-irrigation moisture levels of 80% (FC, and a non-irrigated control treatment. Irrigation significantly increased the yield of potato, which increased from 37.27 % to 75.86 %. Under irrigation, the percentage of small fractions decreased in favour of the 55 mm one, or fractions above the 45-55 mm range. On average, irrigated treatments produced significantly more tubers than the conditions of natural water supply. .

Effect of seeding rate on lentil (lens culinaris medik) seed yield under rainfed conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saleem, A.; Zahid, M.A.; Javed, H.I.; Ansar, A.; Saleem, N.

2012-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of various sowing rates on seed yield of lentil. Field experiments were conducted for three consecutive years (2001-02 to 2003-04) at the National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC), Islamabad, Pakistan during the lentil growing season. An improved medium-grain size (1000-grain weight. around 25 g) variety Masoor 93 (18-12 x ILLP 4400) was used in these experiments. Eleven seeding rates i.e., 14.0, 21.25, 28.50, 35.75, 43.0, 50.25, 57.50, 64.75, 72.0, 79.25 and 86.50 kgha were evaluated in the study. Results of the three-year study showed that grain yield kept on increasing up to a seed rate of 43 kgha and remained static thereafter with a non-significant difference for any further increase in seed sown. The existing seed rate of 20 kgha in lentil is seemingly not sufficient to obtain optimum yield. On average, about 2-2.5-fold increase in seed rate of lentil under rainfed conditions can be safely recommended. (author)

Annual energy yield of different photovoltaic technologies at different climatic conditions; Jahresenergieertraege unterschiedlicher Photovoltaik-Technologien bei verschiedenen klimatischen Bedingungen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zinsser, Bastian

2010-10-04

It is very important for engineers as well as for investors to know which amount of energy E [kWh] a photovoltaic (PV) system produces under real operating conditions. In most cases the costs [Euroct/kWh] for the solar electricity are the main question. Most data sheets contain the efficiency of the PV modules only for standard test conditions (STC) in the laboratory. In reality higher module temperatures, lower irradiation G and a modified spectrum of the irradiation G change the standard test conditions efficiency. However, standard test conditions never appear at real live in Germany. In southern countries, which have more sun, the operation conditions differ much more from standard test conditions. Therefore, the effects on the annual energy yield are even bigger. To answer the question which PV technology gives the highest energy yield at specific climate conditions, this thesis set up thirteen PV systems using different technologies in Stuttgart, Nicosia, and Cairo. An extensive data acquisition is added to monitor weather and system data. Mono- and multicrystalline silicon (Si) as well as several thin film technologies like amorphous silicon, Cu(InGa)Se{sub 2} (CIGS), and CdTe are investigated. First the thesis extracts the temperature and low light behavior from the measured field data. At the end it models the PV systems to forecast the annual energy yield EJahr and compares with the measured values. The analysis of the field data reconfirms the better temperature behavior of the thin film technologies reported in literature. The HIT technology exhibits a better low light behavior, than the crystalline Si technologies, which all show a similar low light behavior. In the field the CIGS technology shows a contrary low light behavior compared to the laboratory. Field data show, that amorphous Si and CdTe technologies have a much better low light behavior than the crystalline Si technologies. The tolerances of the nominal power PSTC have the biggest influence

Effect of Nutritional Management on Yield and Yield Components of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa as a Medicinal Plant in Mashhad Condition

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P Rezvani Moghaddam

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa is an annual plant with a height of about 64 to 429 cm belongs to Malvaceae family. Roselle is self-pollinated and sensitive to cold. Sepals of Roselle are used in food and pharmaceutical industries. It has been reported that Roselle is not native to Iran but it is cultivated extensively in Sistan and Baluchistan province, Iran. In order to achieve high quality and quantity yield of Roselle sepal it is necessary to improve nutritional systems of plant. Proper management of soil fertility and plant nutrition can preserve environment, improve biodiversity and also increase inputs efficiency. Results showed that use of nutritional resources will improve plant growth. Organic fertilizers such as compost can improve soil fertility as an important source of food that increase yield of plants. Nabila and Aly (2002 observed that use of hen and cow manure increased plant height, number of lateral branches, numbers of fruit and sepal yield of Roselle. Each plant species has the maximum potential in favorable conditions. Therefore, evaluation the effect of climatic and agronomic factors and nutritional management for plants is essential. This experiment was conducted to evaluate the yield and yield components of Roselle in response to use of single and combined nutritional resources. Materials and Methods In order to study the effects of single and combined organic, biological and chemical fertilizers on yield and yield components of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa, a field experiment was conducted with 12 treatments based on a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications at Research Station, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran, in 2013-2014. Treatments included: 1- mycorrhiza (Glomus intraradices, 2- cow manure, 3- chemical fertilizer, 4- vermicompost, 5- chemical fertilizer + cow manure, 6- chemical fertilizer + vermicompost, 7- chemical fertilizer + mycorrhiza, 8- cow manure

Effect of Filter Cake on Physiological Traits and Ear Yield of Sweet Corn under Late Drought Stress Condition

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aziz karmollachaab

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Introduction Environmental stresses are one of the main causes of severe yield reductions. Drought is still a serious agronomic problem and also one of the most important factors contributing to crop yield loss in arid and semi-arid areas in the world. Filter Cake is a byproduct of sugarcane industry and experiments on corn showed that the use of 20 tons per hectare Filter Cake increases crop productivity, total amount of dry matter, protein and forage yield compared with the control. Materials and methods This experiment was conducted at the Research Station of the Ramin Agricultural University of Khuzestan in 2012. The experiment was done as a split plot based on randomized complete block design with three replications. Drought stress at the end of the growth period in three levels, non-stress, mild and severe drought stress, respectively irrigated after 25, 50 and 75% depletion of available water, and was considered as the main factor. Drought stress was applied in early stage of the male inflorescence of plants to maturity for 35 days, due to the critical stage of the plant in late spring. Soil moisture was determined by gravimetric method. Different doses of Filter Cake (0, 10, 20 and 30 tons per hectare were considered as subplot factor and was added to the soil two days before the seeding. The final harvest as green corn was performed in the first phase of dough by hand in three times and two midfields of each subplot was considered as the margin of half a meter for each side. Finally, the data were analyzed using SAS 9.1 and means were compared by Duncan’s multiple range test at probability level of 5%. Results and discussion In non-stress conditions, Filter Cake is significantly increased plant height, So the amounts of 20 and 30 tons per hectare increased by 11.7% and 10.1% of the plant’s height, respectively, but the use of 10 tons of Filter Cake did not have a significant effect on it. In severe stress conditions, the use of

Effects of Methanol Spraying on Qualitative traits, Yield and Yield Components of Soybean (Glycine max L. under Drought Stress Conditions

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J Esazadeh Panjali Kharabasi

2017-12-01

spraying. By increasing drought stress, proline content increased, while other traits were decreased and 70 percentage of available soil moisture depletion decreased the seed yield by 51.2%over than the control. With increasing of methanol spraying to 21 of volumetric percentage, all the investigate traits, except the proline content increased and increasing the volumetric percentage methanol more than it, was reduces them. The maximum amounts of quantity traits and stomatal conductance of soybean obtained at 21 volumetric percentage of methanol spraying, and the seed yield of this treatment was 25.6%higher than the control . These results are in agreement with those obtained by Purmousavi et al., (2009, Ruhul Amin et al., (2009, Shahmoradi et al., (2009 and Ibrahim and Kandil, (2007, who found that deficit irrigation, caused a significant decrease in yield and yield components of soybean. In general, irrigation decreasing may be lead to reducing photosynthesis activity and induce imbalanced relations between plant hormones and biological processes in the plant organs as a whole. These conditions in the treated soil are undoubtedly of great importance throughout the vegetative growth and dry matter accumulation in soybean plants. Drought stress reduces leaf size, stem extension and root proliferation; it disturbs plant water relations as well as dry matter production (Farooq et al., 2009. Conclusions In general, the results of experiment showed that the maximum amounts of quantitative traits, stomatal conductance and proline content of soybean, obtained by 21 volumetric percentage of methanol spraying and by this treatment, the seed yield was 25.6 % higher than control.

Yield gap analysis of Chickpea under semi-arid conditions: A simulation study

OpenAIRE

seyed Reza Amiri Deh ahmadi; mehdi parsa; mohammad bannayan aval; mahdi nassiri mahallati

2016-01-01

Yield gap analysis provides an essential framework to prioritize research and policy efforts aimed at reducing yield constraints. To identify options for increasing chickpea yield, the SSM-chickpea model was parameterized and evaluated to analyze yield potentials, water limited yields and yield gaps for nine regions representing major chickpea-growing areas of Razavi Khorasan province. The average potential yield of chickpea for the locations was 2251 kg ha-1, while the water limited yield wa...

[Body condition and metabolic stability as the basis for high milk yield and undisturbed fertility in dairy cows--a contribution for deduction of reference values].

Science.gov (United States)

Staufenbiel, R; Arndt, G; Schröder, U; Gelfert, C C

2004-05-01

The target of this study was to describe the interactions between body condition and various descriptors of yield and fertility. It was aimed to identify an optimal conditional range to be used in herd management which combines high milk yield with acceptable fertility traits and general health. For this purpose, backfat thickness was measured by ultrasound at 46111 dairy cows on 78 different farms and was subsequently related to production variables. Negative energy balance is getting more intense and prolonged with increasing milk yield. However a conditional nadir below 10 mm leads to decreased milk production. To reach a high production level without an increasing incidence of health disorders, conditional nadir should not decline below 13 mm backfat thickness on herd average. Lower value only lead to negligibly higher milk yield but cause a distinctively higher risk of fertility problems and culling. High herd yields do not have to be at expense of reproduction performance and can be achieved without extreme body condition losses. An efficient herd management can offset depression in fertility, which commonly is combined with increasing milk yield. A standard curve for backfat thickness throughout lactation is suggested to be used in dairy herd management.

Incipient Fault Detection and Isolation of Field Devices in Nuclear Power Systems Using Principal Component Analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaistha, Nitin; Upadhyaya, Belle R.

2001-01-01

An integrated method for the detection and isolation of incipient faults in common field devices, such as sensors and actuators, using plant operational data is presented. The approach is based on the premise that data for normal operation lie on a surface and abnormal situations lead to deviations from the surface in a particular way. Statistically significant deviations from the surface result in the detection of faults, and the characteristic directions of deviations are used for isolation of one or more faults from the set of typical faults. Principal component analysis (PCA), a multivariate data-driven technique, is used to capture the relationships in the data and fit a hyperplane to the data. The fault direction for each of the scenarios is obtained using the singular value decomposition on the state and control function prediction errors, and fault isolation is then accomplished from projections on the fault directions. This approach is demonstrated for a simulated pressurized water reactor steam generator system and for a laboratory process control system under single device fault conditions. Enhanced fault isolation capability is also illustrated by incorporating realistic nonlinear terms in the PCA data matrix

Evaluation Physiological Characteristics and Grain Yield Canola Cultivars under end Seasonal Drought Stress in Weather Condition of Ahvaz

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A Seyed Ahmadi

2015-07-01

Full Text Available To evaluate canola cultivars response to physiological characteristics and grain yield end seasonal drought stress in weather condition of Ahvaz, farm experiments were done at research farm of Khuzestan agriculture and natural resources center. During 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 crop years. Farm test comprised drought stress was done as split plot form with randomize complete block design with four replication, treatments consist of drought stress (main factor including 50, 60 and 70 percent of water use content, which was applied from early heading stage until physiological maturity, and three spring canola cultivar including Shirali, Hayola 401 and R.G.S. were considered as sub plots. Measurements include biological yield, grain yield, harvesting index, number of pod per plant 1000 grain weight, number of grain in pod, plant height, and stem diameter, oil and protein percentage. Results showed that drought stress reduced significantly grain yield, biological yield, harvest index and the average of reduction of them during 2 years for per unit reduce moisture from 50% to 70% were 2, 1.35, and 0.81 percent, respectively. During two years, 1000 grain weight, number of pods per plant and number of grain per pod reduced 27, 36 and 20 percent, respectively. Terminal Drought stress reduced significantly plant height, stem diameter, stem number per plant and pod length, this reduced were 12, 46, 36 and 14 percent, respectively. Stem diameter, and stem number per plant reduced more than other characteristics. In this study oil grain decreased 12 % and protein grain increased 18.5% but oil and protein yield decreased 44.9% and 27.1% respectively..Finally, in weather condition of Khuzestan, terminal drought stress on February and March in which has simultaneous with early flowering stage and filling seed, significantly, reduced yield and compounded yield and affects on stem growth and qualities oil and protein negatively. Therefore, with irrigation

EVALUATION OF YEAR WEATHER CONDITIONS AND HYBRIDS IMPACT ON THE SUNFLOWER (HELIANTHUS ANNUUS L. ACHENE YIELD AND FAT CONTENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivan Černý

2013-02-01

Full Text Available The field polyfactorial trials were carried out on experimental fields of the Plant Biology and Ecology Centre, the Faculty of Agrobiology and Food Resources of the Slovak University of Agriculture (SUA in Nitra Dolná Malanta in two experimental years 2010 and 2011. Experimental locality is situated in the corn production area (climatic region: warm; climatic sub-region dry; climatic zone: warm, dry with mild winter and long sunshine, in altitude 250 m above sea level, with brown soil. On the trials was observed the influence of both temperature and moisture conditions of experimental area on sunflower yield of achenes and fat content. Fore crop of sunflower was spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L. Technological system of sunflower cultivation was realized in accordance with conventional technology of cultivation. The basic fertilization was made by balance method on the base of agrochemical analysis of soil for expected yield 3 t ha-1. The meteorological data were got out from agro-meteorological station the Faculty of Horticulture and Land Engineering SUA in Nitra. The results show statistically high significant impact of the year weather conditions on the both achenes yield and fat content. In the range of weather conditions, year 2011 have better impact on the values of both indicators than year 2010. The effect of hybrids on monitored production parameters was statistically high significant. In the year 2010 and 2011, in terms of yield quantity but also fat content had hybrid NK Kondi the most stable production. In 2010 and 2011 were reported negative correlations of fat content from achenes yield except of hybrid NK Tristan, which reach positive addiction in 2010.

An Efficient Protocol for the Synthesis of Quinoxaline Derivatives at Room Temperature Using Recyclable Alumina-Supported Heteropolyoxometalates

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Diego M. Ruiz

2012-01-01

Full Text Available We report a suitable quinoxaline synthesis using molybdophosphovanadates supported on commercial alumina cylinders as catalysts. These catalysts were prepared by incipient wetness impregnation. The catalytic test was performed under different reaction conditions in order to know the performance of the synthesized catalysts. The method shows high yields of quinoxaline derivatives under heterogeneous conditions. Quinoxaline formation was obtained using benzyl, o-phenylenediamine, and toluene as reaction solvent at room temperature. The CuH2PMo11VO40 supported on alumina showed higher activity in the tested reaction. Finally, various quinoxalines were prepared under mild conditions and with excellent yields.

Narrowing Maize Yield Gaps Under Rain-fed conditions in Tanzania ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Abstract. The wide gap between potential and actual yields of maize in Tanzania, due low productivity is the major constraint to ... An International Journal of Basic and Applied Research ... for determining maize grain yield followed by water.

Evaluation of growth characters and yield components for six durum wheat lines (triticum durum deaf) selected from M4 and M5 - irradiated population under drought conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nesiem, M. R. A.; Kassem, M. K. M.; Basyouny, M. A. E.

2012-12-01

Grain of two durum wheat cultivars, Sohag 3 and Beni Suef 3 were irradiated with gamma ray doses 0, 150, 250 and 350 Gy to obtain new durum wheat lines, characterized by high yielding and drought tolerance. Irradiated grains were cultivated in the field under normal and drought conditions 2005 - 2010 seasons. 20 grain (M 1 ) from each treatment was planed as in the first season. In the second season (M 2 ), grains of 61 plants were selected as thy had the following higher criteria, i.e yield, grain yield / plant, plant height, tillering and 100 grains weight. The selected variants should exceed by 50% or more than control. Grains of the 61 selected plants were individually sown under normal and drought condition. At the end of this season, six selected putative line had superiority over their parents. The S1 and S2 lines had an excellent grain yield per plant under normal condition but S3 and S4 lines had superiority for grain yield per plant under drought condition as compared to parents Sohag3. B1 and B2 lines had the superiority for grain per plant under normal condition comparing with the parent Beni Suef3. In the fourth season (M4),growth, chemical compositions and yield as well as its components of the six putative lines as well as the parents Sohag 3 and Beni Suef 3 were determined under normal and drought conditions. The results showed a significant under normal and drought conditions. The results showed a significant increase in the number of leaves on the main stem and tillering number / plant for S1, S2, B1, B2 as compared with their corresponding parent under normal condition. Also, S3 and S4 line shad the same results comparing with the parent Sohag3 under drought condition. The results of S3 and S4 showed an accumulation of organic protective asmolytes such as sugar, proline and free amino acid. As well as N, P, K, and Ca concentrations in shoots and roots as compared to the parent Sohag 3 . The putative line S1, A2 and B1 showed significant increase

Predictors of treatment failure, incipient hypothyroidism, and weight gain following radioiodine therapy for Graves' thyrotoxicosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Gibb, F W; Zammitt, N N; Beckett, G J; Strachan, M W J

2013-10-01

Following radioiodine ((131)I) therapy, both late recognition of hypothyroidism and treatment failure may result in adverse outcomes. We sought to assess indicators of both incipient hypothyroidism and treatment failure following (131)I and determine factors predictive of weight gain. Retrospective study of 288 patients receiving (131)I for treatment of Graves' thyrotoxicosis. Primary outcome measures were thyroid status and weight change at 1 yr following (131)I. The treatment failure rate at 1 yr was 13.5%. Hypothyroidism developed in 80.9%, with 58.5% of patients having levels of free T4 (fT4) treatment failure (23.3%) than those with no thionamide exposure (6.3%, p=0.003), but also had more active Graves' disease. Following (131)I, development of a detectable TSH or low-normal fT4 levels was not associated with recurrent thyrotoxicosis. Median weight gain was 5.3 kg, although patients with nadir fT4 levels 6 pmol/l (p=0.05). The main predictor of weight gain was fT4 level immediately prior to treatment; those in the lowest tertile gained a median 3.1 kg whilst those in the highest tertile gained 7.4 kg (median difference 4.3 kg; 95% confidence interval: 2.5-6.2). Marked hypothyroidism following (131)I is common and often occurs early. Simple biochemical parameters may help identify incipient hypothyroidism and potentially limit excess weight gain. Treatment failure is common in patients with severe thyrotoxicosis and in such cases larger doses of (131)I may be warranted.

Root morphology, hydraulic conductivity and plant water relations of high-yielding rice grown under aerobic conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Kato, Yoichiro; Okami, Midori

2011-09-01

Increasing physical water scarcity is a major constraint for irrigated rice (Oryza sativa) production. 'Aerobic rice culture' aims to maximize yield per unit water input by growing plants in aerobic soil without flooding or puddling. The objective was to determine (a) the effect of water management on root morphology and hydraulic conductance, and (b) their roles in plant-water relationships and stomatal conductance in aerobic culture. Root system development, stomatal conductance (g(s)) and leaf water potential (Ψ(leaf)) were monitored in a high-yielding rice cultivar ('Takanari') under flooded and aerobic conditions at two soil moisture levels [nearly saturated (> -10 kPa) and mildly dry (> -30 kPa)] over 2 years. In an ancillary pot experiment, whole-plant hydraulic conductivity (soil-leaf hydraulic conductance; K(pa)) was measured under flooded and aerobic conditions. Adventitious root emergence and lateral root proliferation were restricted even under nearly saturated conditions, resulting in a 72-85 % reduction in total root length under aerobic culture conditions. Because of their reduced rooting size, plants grown under aerobic conditions tended to have lower K(pa) than plants grown under flooded conditions. Ψ(leaf) was always significantly lower in aerobic culture than in flooded culture, while g(s) was unchanged when the soil moisture was at around field capacity. g(s) was inevitably reduced when the soil water potential at 20-cm depth reached -20 kPa. Unstable performance of rice in water-saving cultivations is often associated with reduction in Ψ(leaf). Ψ(leaf) may reduce even if K(pa) is not significantly changed, but the lower Ψ(leaf) would certainly occur in case K(pa) reduces as a result of lower water-uptake capacity under aerobic conditions. Rice performance in aerobic culture might be improved through genetic manipulation that promotes lateral root branching and rhizogenesis as well as deep rooting.

Investigation of optimal conditions for production of highly crystalline nanocellulose with increased yield via novel Cr(III)-catalyzed hydrolysis: Response surface methodology.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, You Wei; Lee, Hwei Voon; Abd Hamid, Sharifah Bee

2017-12-15

For the first time, a highly efficient Cr(NO 3 ) 3 catalysis system was proposed for optimization the yield and crystallinity of nanocellulose end product. A five-level three-factor central composite design coupled with response surface methodology was employed to elucidate parameters interactions between three design factors, namely reaction temperature (x 1 ), reaction time (x 2 ) and concentration of Cr(NO 3 ) 3 (x 3 ) over a broad range of process conditions and determine the effect on crystallinity index and product yield. The developed models predicted the maximum nanocellulose yield of 87% at optimum process conditions of 70.6°C, 1.48h, and 0.48M Cr(NO 3 ) 3 . At these conditions, the obtained nanocellulose presented high crystallinity index (75.3%), spider-web-like interconnected network morphology with the average width of 31.2±14.3nm. In addition, the yielded nanocellulose rendered a higher thermal stability than that of original cellulosic source and expected to be widely used as reinforcement agent in bio-nanocomposites materials. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Leaf-level carbon isotope discrimination and its relationship with yield components as a tool for cotton phenotyping in unfavorable conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giovani Greigh Brito

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The initial goal of this study was to measure the efficiency of carbon isotope discrimination (Δ in distinguishing between cotton plant genotypes subjected to two water regimes. In addition, ∆ measurements, leaf water potential and gas exchange ratios were monitored. Using Brazilian breeding lines, this study also tested the usability of ∆ as a proxy for selecting high-performing yield components in cotton plants grown in unfavorable conditions, particularly water deficiency. For these experiments, ∆ and yield components were measured and their correlations analyzed. Differences among cotton genotypes for Δ (p < 0.0001 were verified, and it was found that this variable was significantly correlated with gas exchange. There was a significant positive correlation between Δ and seed cotton yield only in the site experiencing severe water deficiency (Santa Helena de Goiás. However, Δ had a significant negative correlation with fiber percentage. Our results indicate that Δ is a suitable tool for cotton phenotyping, and it may be applied in cotton breeding programs that aim to produce high-performing yield components in unfavorable conditions.

Environmental Change: Precipitation and N, P, K, mg Fertilization Influences on Crop Yield Under Temperate Climate Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

László Phd, Dd. M.

2009-04-01

Summary: Agroecological quality has a well estabished dependence on climate-rainfall changes because the water problems are pressing. Therefore, there is, growing concern about the potentially wide ranging risks that climate change would have on these key industries as the nature and extent of anticipated changes have become more evident. It also includes changes in land use and in plant production and their management. These changes are unprecedented in terms of both their rate and their spatial extent. Changes in land use (agrotechnics, soil, cultivation, fertility, quality, protection etc.) and in plant production (plant, nutrition, rotation, protection etc.) are currently the main manifestations. As an interdisciplinary problem it is necessary to study such a complex matter in terms of agricultural production. Generally, among natural catastrophes, droughts and floods cause the greatest problems in field crop production. The droughts and the floods that were experienced in Hungary in the early 1980s have drawn renewed attention to the analyses of these problems. New research on climate change-soil-plant systems are focused on yield and yield quality. This paper reports of the climate changes (rainfall); soil (acidic sandy brown forest) properties, mineral N, P, K, Mg fertilisation level and plant interactions on rye (Secale cereale L.), on potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) and on winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yields in a long term field experiment set up at Nyírlugos in north-eastern Hungary under temperate climate conditions in 1962. Results are summarised from 1962 to 1990. Main conclusions were as follows: 1. Rye: a, Experimental years were characterised by frequent extremes of precipitation variabilities and changes. b, By an average year, at a satisfactory fertilisation level (N: 90 kg ha-1 and NP, NK, NPK, NPKMg combinations) the maximum yield reached 3.8 t ha-1. But yield was decreased by 17% and by 52% due to drought and excess rainfall, respectively

Efficacy of 1.23% APF gel applications on incipient carious lesions: a double-blind randomized clinical trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Laura Menezes Bonow

2013-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of this double-blind randomized clinical trial was to evaluate the efficacy of 1.23% APF gel application on the arrest of active incipient carious lesions in children. Sixty 7- to 12-year-old children, with active incipient lesions were included in the study. Children were divided randomly into 2 groups: 1.23% APF gel and placebo gel applications. Each group received 8 weekly applications of treatment. The lesions were re-evaluated at the 4th and 8th appointments. Poisson regression analysis was used to estimate relative risks of the presence of active white spot lesions. Groups showed similar results (PR = 1.67; CI 95% 0.69–3.98. The persistence of at least 1 active lesion was associated with a higher number of lesions in the baseline (PR = 2.67; CI 95% 1.19–6.03, but not with sugar intake (PR = 1.06; CI 95% 0.56–2.86 and previous exposure to fluoride dentifrice (PR = 1.26; CI 95% 0.49–2.29. The trial demonstrates the equivalence of the treatments. The use of the APF gel showed no additional benefits in this sample of children exposed to fluoridated water and dentifrice. The professional dental plaque removal in both groups may also account for the resulting equivalence of the treatments.

Prenatal maternal effects on body condition score, female fertility, and milk yield of dairy cows.

Science.gov (United States)

Banos, G; Brotherstone, S; Coffey, M P

2007-07-01

In this study, maternal effects were described as age of dam at first and second calving, first-lactation body condition score (BCS) of the dam during gestation, and milk yield of the dam. The impact of these effects on first-lactation daughter BCS, fertility, and test-day milk yield was assessed. The effect of milk yield of dam on daughter 305-d yield in the latter's first 3 lactations was also investigated. The proportion of total phenotypic variance in daughter traits accounted for by maternal effects was calculated. Dams calving early for the first time (18 to 23 mo of age) had daughters that produced 4.5% more first-lactation daily milk, had 7% higher BCS, and had their first service 3 d earlier than cows whose dams calved late (30 to 36 mo). However, daughters of dams that calved early had difficulties conceiving as they needed 7% more inseminations and had a 7.5% higher return rate. Cows from second calvings of relatively young (36 to 41 mo) dams produced 6% more first-lactation daily milk, had 2% higher BCS, and showed a significantly better fertility profile than cows whose dams calved at a late age (47 to 55 mo). High maternal BCS during gestation had a favorable effect on daughter BCS, nonreturn rate, and number of inseminations per conception. However, it was also associated with a small decrease in daughter daily milk yield. Changes in dam BCS during gestation did not affect daughter performance significantly. Maternal effects of milk yield of the dam, expressed as her permanent environment during lactation, adversely affected daughter 305-d milk, fat, and protein yield. However, although the effect was significant, it was practically negligible (<0.3% of the mean). Finally, overall maternal effects accounted for a significant proportion of the total phenotypic variance of calving interval (1.4 +/- 0.6%) and nonreturn rate (1.1 +/- 0.5%).

Grain yield losses in yellow-rusted durum wheat estimated using digital and conventional parameters under field conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Omar Vergara-Diaz

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The biotrophic fungus Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici is the causal agent of the yellow rust in wheat. Between the years 2010–2013 a new strain of this pathogen (Warrior/Ambition, against which the present cultivated wheat varieties have no resistance, appeared and spread rapidly. It threatens cereal production in most of Europe. The search for sources of resistance to this strain is proposed as the most efficient and safe solution to ensure high grain production. This will be helped by the development of high performance and low cost techniques for field phenotyping. In this study we analyzed vegetation indices in the Red, Green, Blue (RGB images of crop canopies under field conditions. We evaluated their accuracy in predicting grain yield and assessing disease severity in comparison to other field measurements including the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI, leaf chlorophyll content, stomatal conductance, and canopy temperature. We also discuss yield components and agronomic parameters in relation to grain yield and disease severity. RGB-based indices proved to be accurate predictors of grain yield and grain yield losses associated with yellow rust (R2 = 0.581 and R2 = 0.536, respectively, far surpassing the predictive ability of NDVI (R2 = 0.118 and R2 = 0.128, respectively. In comparison to potential yield, we found the presence of disease to be correlated with reductions in the number of grains per spike, grains per square meter, kernel weight and harvest index. Grain yield losses in the presence of yellow rust were also greater in later heading varieties. The combination of RGB-based indices and days to heading together explained 70.9% of the variability in grain yield and 62.7% of the yield losses.

Quantifying yield gaps in wheat production in Russia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schierhorn, Florian; Prishchepov, Alexander V; Koch, Friedrich J; Müller, Daniel; Faramarzi, Monireh

2014-01-01

Crop yields must increase substantially to meet the increasing demands for agricultural products. Crop yield increases are particularly important for Russia because low crop yields prevail across Russia’s widespread and fertile land resources. However, reliable data are lacking regarding the spatial distribution of potential yields in Russia, which can be used to determine yield gaps. We used a crop growth model to determine the yield potentials and yield gaps of winter and spring wheat at the provincial level across European Russia. We modeled the annual yield potentials from 1995 to 2006 with optimal nitrogen supplies for both rainfed and irrigated conditions. Overall, the results suggest yield gaps of 1.51–2.10 t ha −1 , or 44–52% of the yield potential under rainfed conditions. Under irrigated conditions, yield gaps of 3.14–3.30 t ha −1 , or 62–63% of the yield potential, were observed. However, recurring droughts cause large fluctuations in yield potentials under rainfed conditions, even when the nitrogen supply is optimal, particularly in the highly fertile black soil areas of southern European Russia. The highest yield gaps (up to 4 t ha −1 ) under irrigated conditions were detected in the steppe areas in southeastern European Russia along the border of Kazakhstan. Improving the nutrient and water supply and using crop breeds that are adapted to the frequent drought conditions are important for reducing yield gaps in European Russia. Our regional assessment helps inform policy and agricultural investors and prioritize research that aims to increase crop production in this important region for global agricultural markets. (letter)

Study of Cytokinin and Auxin Hormones and Planting Pattern Effects on Yield and Yield Components of Grain Maize (Zea mays L. under Saline Conditions

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D Davani

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction Maize (Zea mays L. which belongs to the Poaceae family is the third important cereal crop of the world after wheat and rice. Salinity is one of the major environmental factors limiting plant growth and productivity. Maize is sensitive to salinity. Planting method is a crucial factor for improving crop yield. Planting methods in saline and non-saline conditions are different. Kinetin is one of the cytokinins known to significantly improve the growth of crop plants grown under salinity. Indole acetic acid (IAA is also known to play a significant role in plant tolerance to salt stress. However, little information appears to be available on the relationship between salinity tolerance and auxin or cytokinins levels in plants. In this respect, the objective of this study was to study the effects of foliar applications of cytokinin and auxin hormones on yield and yield components of grain maize under different planting patterns in saline conditions. Materials and Methods The experiment was carried out at Bushehr Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center, Dashtestan station with 29° 16´ E latitude and 51° 31´ N, longitude and 70 m above the see surface during the 2013 growing season. Dashtestan region is a warm-arid region with 250 mm precipitation per year. The field plowed by April 2013 and then prepared and sowed by August 2013. There were five rows with 75 cm distance. The experiment was conducted as a split-plot factorial design based on complete randomized blocks with three replications. Planting pattern (ridge planting, double rows of planting on a ridge in zigzag form and furrow planting as the main factor and time of cytokinin (0 as a control, V5- V6 stage and V8- V10 stage and auxin (0 as a control, silking stage, two weeks after silking stage foliar-applied was considered in a factorial. Cytokinin (Benzyl Adenine, Merck and Auxin (Indole-3-Butiric Acid, Merck were sprayed on the entire plant in the evening with

Effect of Silicon application on Morpho-physiological Characteristics, Grain Yield and Nutrient Content of Bread Wheat under Water Stress Conditions

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A. Karmollachaab

2015-03-01

Full Text Available In order to investigate the effect of silicon application on some physiological characteristics, yield and yield components, and grain mineral contents of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum under water stress condition, an experiment was conducted in Ramin Agriculture and Natural Resources University, Khuzestan, in 2012. The experiment was arranged in split-plots design in RCBD (Completely Randomized Blocks Design with three replications. Treatments consisted of drought stress (irrigation after 25, 50 and 75% depletion of Available Water Content in main plots and silicon (0, 10, 20 and 30 Kg Si ha-1 arranged in sub-plots. Results showed that the effect of drought stress was significant on most traits and led to the increase of electrolyte leakage (EL, cuticular wax, leaf and grain silicon content and grain nitrogen content. But drought led to negative impacts on grain yield and its components, and leaf potassium content, i.e. moderate and severe stresses reduced yield by 17% and 38% compared to control, respectively. Effect of silicon application was significant on all traits except for spike per square meter. Silicon had the greatest impact on EL and led to 35% decrease in this trait. Also, silicon led to increase in leaf and grain silicon contents and grain K content and grain yield and yield components, when applied at 30 kg ha-1. Generally, application of 30 kg ha-1 of silicon led to 6 and 14% increases of grain yield at the presence of moderate and severe drought stresses, respectively. Thus, given the abundance of silicon it can be used as an ameliorating element for planting bread wheat in drought-prone conditions.

Effect of Dust Deposition on Yield and Yield Components of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L. under Rain Fed and Supplemental Irrigation Conditions in Kermanshah

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hamze felegari

2017-10-01

of poding stage and Washing at the end of vegetative and poding stages. Experiment was a randomized complete block design with three replications. The Analysis of variance using SAS softwares was performed for studied parameters. The means were compared using Duncan test at level of 0.05 probabilities. Results and Discussion Dust particles deposited on chickpea leaves resulted in the reduction of the total dry matter and seed yield. Interaction of supplemental irrigation and dust deposition on biological yield, seed yield, harvest index, number of seeds per plant, number of pods per plant and number of lateral branches were significant. The highest biological and seed yield were obtained due to the interaction of Supplemental irrigation and Control (no dust deposition with 341 and 144 g.m-2, respectively. Zia-Khan et al., (2015 reported the mean reduction of yield in the dusted treatment was about 28%, indicating that the stress conditions in this experiment were relatively severe. Chaurasi et al (2013 reported a decrease in dry matter of groundnut planted in the vicinity of a cement factory, and an increasing rate of groundnut dry matter accumulation was observed while the distance of farm and factory increased.. By cleaning the dust particles of the leaves at the end of growth and poding stages, carbon assimilation and finally grain yield slightly increased. This findings are also according to Zia-khan et al., 2014. Chouhan & Joshi (2010 reported that the growth of wheat at 0.5km distance from a Cement industry was lesser than to plants farther from the cement industry. Armbrust, (1986 Reported a decrease in dry matter accumulation after three days of dust application. Conclusions According to the results of this experiment, the drought stress and the dust deposition on leaf surfaces, cause a reduction in light absorption of leaves, reduction stomata conductance, photosynthesis and transpiration and increase leaf temperature. The results of this study show that

Study of Irrigation Interval and Mulch Effects on Pomological Characteristics and Yield of Sevillana Cultivar in Field Condition

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rahmatollah gholami

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Olive (Olea europaea L. is one of the drought tolerant ever green fruit trees. Olive is an economically important species of the Mediterranean area, so understanding the mechanisms by which olive plants face drought stress under environmental conditions is essential for the improvement of olive yield and oil quality. Olive is one of the fruit trees which become important in the Iranian fruit industry at the near future. Mulch is an optimizing strategy under which crops are allowed to sustain some degree of water deficit and yield reduction. Increasing crop water-use efficiency (WUE through water conservation in the soil is an important component of dry land farming. Mulching is among the water management practices for increasing WUE. Mulch is referred to as any material that is spread onto the surface of the soil for protection against solar radiation or evaporation. Different materials, such as wheat straw, rice straw, plastic film, grass, wood, and sand, are used as mulches. Materials and Methods: This experiment was conducted to study the effect of irrigation interval and mulch on Pomological characteristics and yield of 11-years old Sevillana olive cultivar. A factorial experiment was carried out in Dallaho Olive Research Station at Sarepole located in Kermanshah province. Field experiment based on randomized complete block design with three replications and two factors (irrigation interval and mulch were conducted in 2015. Each experiment unit consists of 4 trees and 108 trees were used. Irrigation treatments period for experiment were 3, 6 and 10 days interval and mulch treatments for experiment were polyethylene, organic materials and non-mulch (control. Geographical characters was longitude of 45˚, 51΄ E and latitude of 34˚, 30΄ N and the height of sea level 581m. The measured tree characteristics were: Fruit Weight, Pulp Fresh Weight, Pulp Dry Weight, Dry matter, Pulp/Pit ratio, Pit Length, Pit Diameter, Fruit Yield

Abnormal albuminuria and blood pressure rise in incipient diabetic nephropathy induced by exercise

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Cramer

1984-01-01

The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of light to moderate dynamic work (450 kpm/min followed by 600 kpm/min during 20 min each) on the blood pressure and renal protein handling in insulin-dependent diabetic patients with incipient nephropathy (D3) (elevated baseline albumin excretion...... diastolic blood pressure was elevated [92.1 mm Hg +/- 6.0 (mean +/- SD)] compared to D2 (80.9 mm Hg +/- 4.8, 2P = 0.003%) and C (79.5 mm Hg +/- 12.4, 2P = 1.2%). Baseline systolic blood pressure was not significantly different in the three groups, but systolic blood pressure was more elevated at 600 kpm...... blood pressure and maximal exercise induced albumin excretion was demonstrable in D3.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)...

Genetic correlations between body condition score, yield and fertility in Holstein heifers estimated by random regression models

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Veerkamp, R.F.; Koenen, E.P.C.; Jong, de G.

2001-01-01

Twenty type classifiers scored body condition (BCS) of 91,738 first-parity cows from 601 sires and 5518 maternal grandsires. Fertility data during first lactation were extracted for 177,220 cows, of which 67,278 also had a BCS observation, and first-lactation 305-d milk, fat, and protein yields were

Study on Yield and Yield Components of Wheat Genotypes under Different Moisture Regimes

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E. Mogtader

2012-10-01

Full Text Available In order to study grain yield and yield components of 16 advanced wheat lines under rainfed and supplementary irrigation conditions, this research was conducted in randomized block design with 3 replications at Maragheh Research Station during 2008-09 seasons. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences for date to heading, plant height, 1000 kernel weight, tiller number, spike length, seed number per spike, spikelet number per spike, peduncle length, harvest index, leaf, sheath length and grain yield. Results also showed that the lines No. 4 (91-142 a 61/3/F35.70/MO73//1D13.1/MLT and 16 (Azar2 with 1895 and 1878 Kg/ha, lines No. 4 and 7 (YUMAI13/5/NAI60/3/14.53/ODIN//CI13441 with 2132 and 2285 Kg/ha had highest grain yield under rainfed and supplementary irrigated conditions respectively. Based on results these 16 lines and cultivars were grouped in 4 and 3 distinct classes using Ward’s Method of cluster analysis under rainfed and irrigated conditions. Path analysis indicated that vigor at shooting stage, seed number per spike and HI were positive important traits to select lines for high yielding potential in this study. HI and TKW had also positive effects on grain under supplementary irrigation.

The effects of time of disease occurrence, milk yield, and body condition on fertility of dairy cows.

Science.gov (United States)

Loeffler, S H; de Vries, M J; Schukken, Y H

1999-12-01

The associations between occurrence of diseases, milk yield, and body condition score on conception risk after first artificial insemination (AI) were analyzed in an observational study on a convenience sample of 43 farms participating in a herd health program. Data were taken from 9369 lactations, from 4382 cows inseminated between 20 and 180 d in milk from 1990 to 1996. Two logistic regression models, one containing data from all lactations and a subset containing data from 1762 lactations with body condition scoring, were used to determine pregnancy risk at first AI. The effects of herd deviation in test-day milk yield, body condition score loss, and milk fat to protein ratio changes in early lactation were significant predictors of pregnancy risk, independent of disease; days in milk; farm; and seasonal factors. Three different methods of disease parameterization (incidence rates, binomial classes dependent on the interval in days since last occurrence with respect to AI, and a linear variable weighted for this interval) produced similar results. Metritis, cystic ovarian disease, lameness, and mastitis gave odds ratios for pregnancy risk ranging from 0.35 to 1.15, largely dependent on the interval in days from final disease occurrence to first AI. Displaced abomasum, milk fever, and retained fetal membranes resulted in odds ratios for pregnancy risk of 0.25, 0.85, and 0.55, respectively. These diseases showed little relationship between fertility and the number of days since last occurrence. Results of this study confirm the negative effects of milk yield, body score condition loss, and disease on dairy cow fertility. The effects of some diseases on first service conception were strongly dependent on the interval since last disease occurrence. This was especially valid for clinical mastitis, which has an extremely weak effect on conception if occurring prior to AI and is associated with > 50% reduction in pregnancy risk if occurring in the 3 wk directly after

Humans as Sensors: Assessing the Information Value of Qualitative Farmer's Crop Condition Surveys for Crop Yield Monitoring and Forecasting

Science.gov (United States)

Beguería, S.

2017-12-01

While large efforts are devoted to developing crop status monitoring and yield forecasting systems trough the use of Earth observation data (mostly remotely sensed satellite imagery) and observational and modeled weather data, here we focus on the information value of qualitative data on crop status from direct observations made by humans. This kind of data has a high value as it reflects the expert opinion of individuals directly involved in the development of the crop. However, they have issues that prevent their direct use in crop monitoring and yield forecasting systems, such as their non-spatially explicit nature, or most importantly their qualitative nature. Indeed, while the human brain is good at categorizing the status of physical systems in terms of qualitative scales (`very good', `good', `fair', etcetera), it has difficulties in quantifying it in physical units. This has prevented the incorporation of this kind of data into systems that make extensive use of numerical information. Here we show an example of using qualitative crop condition data to estimate yields of the most important crops in the US early in the season. We use USDA weekly crop condition reports, which are based on a sample of thousands of reporters including mostly farmers and people in direct contact with them. These reporters provide subjective evaluations of crop conditions, in a scale including five levels ranging from `very poor' to `excellent'. The USDA report indicates, for each state, the proportion of reporters fort each condition level. We show how is it possible to model the underlying non-observed quantitative variable that reflects the crop status on each state, and how this model is consistent across states and years. Furthermore, we show how this information can be used to monitor the status of the crops and to produce yield forecasts early in the season. Finally, we discuss approaches for blending this information source with other, more classical earth data sources

Effect of Limited Drip Irrigation Regime on Yield and Yield Components of Sesame under Mediterranean Conditions

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Panayiota PAPASTYLIANOU

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Sesame is one of the most important oilseed crops in the world. Irrigation is of great importance to sesame production due to its positive effect on growth parameters. Although sesame has good drought tolerance compared with many other crops, it is particularly susceptible to drought damage during the seedling, flowering and seed filling stages and this can lead to yield loss. The aim of this study was to determine the response of sesame landraces to different irrigation applications during the 2015 growing season. The experiment was set up as a split plot design with three replicates, four main plots (irrigation treatments, designated as 100%, 75% 50% and 0 of the daily crop evapotranspiration and two sub-plots (sesame landraces, Limnos and Evros. Different characteristics such as plant height, number of seeds per capsule, and number of capsules per plant, seed yield, 1000-seed weight and % capsules without seeds, were recorded. The results indicated that all traits except 1000-seed weight were significantly affected by irrigation regimes. Plant height, shattering losses and number of capsules per plant decreased with increasing water shortage. Seed yield and number of seeds per capsule were less affected by irrigation level and showed higher values in the 50% of the daily crop evapotranspiration treatment. Limnos produced higher seed yield and number of seeds per capsule under all irrigation regimes. Evros showed higher plant height and shattering losses than Limnos. The results of this study suggest that sesame landraces can use water efficiently, are locally adapted and associated with traditional farming systems.

Genetic parameters for body condition score, body weight, milk yield, and fertility estimated using random regression models.

Science.gov (United States)

Berry, D P; Buckley, F; Dillon, P; Evans, R D; Rath, M; Veerkamp, R F

2003-11-01

Genetic (co)variances between body condition score (BCS), body weight (BW), milk yield, and fertility were estimated using a random regression animal model extended to multivariate analysis. The data analyzed included 81,313 BCS observations, 91,937 BW observations, and 100,458 milk test-day yields from 8725 multiparous Holstein-Friesian cows. A cubic random regression was sufficient to model the changing genetic variances for BCS, BW, and milk across different days in milk. The genetic correlations between BCS and fertility changed little over the lactation; genetic correlations between BCS and interval to first service and between BCS and pregnancy rate to first service varied from -0.47 to -0.31, and from 0.15 to 0.38, respectively. This suggests that maximum genetic gain in fertility from indirect selection on BCS should be based on measurements taken in midlactation when the genetic variance for BCS is largest. Selection for increased BW resulted in shorter intervals to first service, but more services and poorer pregnancy rates; genetic correlations between BW and pregnancy rate to first service varied from -0.52 to -0.45. Genetic selection for higher lactation milk yield alone through selection on increased milk yield in early lactation is likely to have a more deleterious effect on genetic merit for fertility than selection on higher milk yield in late lactation.

Influence of abscisic acid on growth, biomass and lipid yield of Scenedesmus quadricauda under nitrogen starved condition.

Science.gov (United States)

Sulochana, Sujitha Balakrishnan; Arumugam, Muthu

2016-08-01

Scenedesmus quadricauda, accumulated more lipid but with a drastic reduction in biomass yield during nitrogen starvation. Abscisic acid (ABA) being a stress responsible hormone, its effect on growth and biomass with sustainable lipid yield during nitrogen depletion was studied. The result revealed that the ABA level shoots up at 24h (27.21pmol/L) during the onset of nitrogen starvation followed by a sharp decline. The external supplemented ABA showed a positive effect on growth pattern (38×10(6)cells/ml) at a lower concentration. The dry biomass yield is also increasing up to 2.1 fold compared to nitrogen deficient S. quadricauda. The lipid content sustains in 1 and 2μM concentration of ABA under nitrogen-deficient condition. The fatty acid composition of ABA treated S. quadricauda cultures with respect to nitrogen-starved cells showed 11.17% increment in saturated fatty acid content, the desired lipid composition for biofuel application. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Milk yield and composition, nutrition, body conformation traits, body condition scores, fertility and diseases in high-yielding dairy cows--Part 1.

Science.gov (United States)

Aeberhard, K; Bruckmaier, R M; Kuepfer, U; Blum, J W

2001-03-01

Twenty-nine pairs of high-yielding dairy cows (HC; > or = 45 kg/day reached at least once during lactation) and corresponding control cows (CC; with milk yields representing the average yield of the herds) were examined on 29 Swiss farms from March 1995 to September 1996. The hypotheses were tested that there are differences in feed intake, body-conformation traits, body weight (BW), body condition score (BCS), fertility status and disease incidence between HC and CC cows. Cows were studied 2 weeks before and at 5, 9, 13, 17 and 40 weeks post-partum. HC cows produced more energy-corrected milk (ECM) than CC cows (10,670 +/- 321 kg in 293 +/- 5 days and 8385 +/- 283 kg in 294 +/- 4 days, respectively; P cows (46.2 +/- 1.1 and 36.2 +/- 1.0 kg ECM/day, respectively; P cows (7.6 +/- 0.5 and 5.7 +/- 0.5 kg/day, respectively) and dry matter intakes (measured in week 5 of lactation over 3 days on six farms) were greater in HC than in CC cows (24.0 +/- 1.1 and 20.3 +/- 1.1 kg/day, respectively; P cows were taller than CC cows (wither heights 143.3 +/- 0.8 and 140.1 +/- 0.8 cm, respectively; P cows was greater than in CC cows throughout the study, differences and decreases of BW during lactation were not significant. BCS at the end of pregnancy and decrements during lactation were similar in HC and CC cows. Fertility parameters were similar in HC and CC cows. Incidences of mastitis, claw and feet problems, hypocalcemia/downer cow syndrome, ovarian cysts and abortions were similar in HC and CC cows, but there were more indigestion problems in HC than in CC cows.

INFLUENCE OF DIFFERENT SOURCES OF WATER FOR IRRIGATION ON PEPPER (Capsicum annuum L. YIELD IN GLASSHOUSE CONDITIONS

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Jasna Šoštarić

2002-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper was to determine the influence of different sources of water used for irrigation on the yield of pepper hybrids Cecil F1 and Bianca F1 in the early glasshouse production for the period 1998 - 2000 in the controlled glasshouse conditions in «D.G. – PROMET», Magadenovac, Croatia. Lagoon water and well water were two main sources of water used for irrigation in this experiment. Drip irrigation system was applied for pepper production. In comparison to lagoon water, chemical analyses of well water have shown increased values of the following elements: EC, sodium, potassium, calcium, chlorine, magnesium, bicarbonate, sulphate, iron and boron. Temperature of well water was lower than the allowed minimum and therefore had direct influence on the yield decrease. Consequently, areas which have been irrigated by well water have had problems with accumulation of slime and blocking of sprinklers, disturbed soil structure, fruit deformation and decreased crop yield. Statistical data analysis was conducted by the method of covariation three factorial trial (ABC with three repetitions for each treatment. The trial showed absolute difference regarding water efficiency of irrigation water from two sources, which has also been statistically determined (P<0,05. Furthermore, statistically justified difference in the average weight of the fruit of each investigated pepper hybrid (P<0,05 has been proven. Codependence of «water for irrigation» (A and «pepper hybrid» (B, i.e. (AB is statistically significant as well, and justified at the P<0,05 limit. This means that both pepper hybrids (Cecil F1 i Bianca F1 reacted differently to lagoon water and well water. Factor «year» (C has not proven to be statistically justified, and therefore does not have any significant influence on the crop yield due to controlled conditions in the glasshouse.

Effect of microbiological fertilizer and soil additive on yield of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moenchunder high altitude conditions

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Oljača Snežana

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Effect of microbiological fertilizer (Slavol and soil additives (zeolite and hydrogel on buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench yield was investigated in this paper. Trial was set up in the village of Radijevići, Serbia in agroecological conditions of mountain Zlatar (altitude 1,065 m during a two-year period 2009 and 2010. A randomized complete block design with four replications was set up. In organic cropping system three combinations of microbiological fertilizer (Slavol with zeolite and hydrogel were used prior to sowing. Different combinations of the microbiological fertilizer and the soil additives gave positive results especially in the second year of the trial. The best combination in organic cropping system was Slavol+hydrogel with foliar application of the microbiological fertilizer, which resulted in the greatest yield of buckwheat and this treatment can be recommended to producers. Buckwheat performed very well under limited conditions of acidic soil on high altitude in organic cropping system and it can be recommended as a very suitable crop for organic producers.

Prevention of incipient diabetic nephropathy by high-dose thiamine and benfotiamine.

Science.gov (United States)

Babaei-Jadidi, Roya; Karachalias, Nikolaos; Ahmed, Naila; Battah, Sinan; Thornalley, Paul J

2003-08-01

Accumulation of triosephosphates arising from high cytosolic glucose concentrations in hyperglycemia is the trigger for biochemical dysfunction leading to the development of diabetic nephropathy-a common complication of diabetes associated with a high risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality. Here we report that stimulation of the reductive pentosephosphate pathway by high-dose therapy with thiamine and the thiamine monophosphate derivative benfotiamine countered the accumulation of triosephosphates in experimental diabetes and inhibited the development of incipient nephropathy. High-dose thiamine and benfotiamine therapy increased transketolase expression in renal glomeruli, increased the conversion of triosephosphates to ribose-5-phosphate, and strongly inhibited the development of microalbuminuria. This was associated with decreased activation of protein kinase C and decreased protein glycation and oxidative stress-three major pathways of biochemical dysfunction in hyperglycemia. Benfotiamine also inhibited diabetes-induced hyperfiltration. This was achieved without change in elevated plasma glucose concentration and glycated hemoglobin in the diabetic state. High-dose thiamine and benfotiamine therapy is a potential novel strategy for the prevention of clinical diabetic nephropathy.

The Lund University Checklist for Incipient Exhaustion: a prospective validation of the onset of sustained stress and exhaustion warnings

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Kai Österberg

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The need for instruments that can assist in detecting the prodromal stages of stress-related exhaustion has been acknowledged. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether the Lund University Checklist for Incipient Exhaustion (LUCIE could accurately and prospectively detect the onset of incipient exhaustion and to what extent work stressor exposure and private burdens were associated with increasing LUCIE scores. Methods Using surveys, 1355 employees were followed for 11 quarters. Participants with prospectively elevated LUCIE scores were targeted by three algorithms entailing 4 quarters: (1 abrupt onset to a sustained Stress Warning (n = 18, (2 gradual onset to a sustained Stress Warning (n = 42, and (3 sustained Exhaustion Warning (n = 36. The targeted participants’ survey reports on changes in work situation and private life during the fulfillment of any algorithm criteria were analyzed, together with the interview data. Participants untargeted by the algorithms constituted a control group (n = 745. Results Eighty-seven percent of participants fulfilling any LUCIE algorithm criteria (LUCIE indication cases rated a negative change in their work situation during the 4 quarters, compared to 48 % of controls. Ratings of negative changes in private life were also more common in the LUCIE indication groups than among controls (58 % vs. 29 %, but free-text commentaries revealed that almost half of the ratings in the LUCIE indication groups were due to work-to-family conflicts and health problems caused by excessive workload, assigned more properly to work-related negative changes. When excluding the themes related to work-stress-related private life compromises, negative private life changes in the LUCIE indication groups dropped from 58 to 32 %, while only a negligible drop from 29 to 26 % was observed among controls. In retrospective interviews, 79 % of the LUCIE indication participants

Phenological Variation and its Relation with Yield in several Wheat (Triticum aestivum L. Cultivars under Normal and Late Sowing Mediated Heat Stress Condition

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Kamrun NAHAR

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Phenological performance in relation to yield of five modern varieties of wheat Sourav, Pradip, Sufi, Shatabdi and Bijoy were evaluated under two growing environments; one is normal growing environment (sowing at November 30 and the other is post anthesis heat stressed environment (sowing at December 30. In case of late seeding, the varieties phased a significant level of high temperature stress that also significantly affected the required days to germination, booting, anthesis, maturity of all varieties including the yield as compared to normal sowing treatment. The temperature during the grain filling or grain maturing period was near 23C in case of normal seeding and it was near about 28C to 30C and sometimes reached above this range in the later period of late seeded treatment. In the normal sowing treatment the germination period was lower than the late sowing treatment as during that time the temperature was higher as compared to late sowing condition where temperature was lower. Days to anthesis and booting decreased due to late sown heat stress condition regardless the cultivars. These phenological characteristics under heat stressed condition led the wheat cultivars to significantly lower the grain yield as compared to normal condition. Due to heat stress, the yield reduction was 69.53% in Sourav, 58.41% in Pradip, 73.01% in Sufi, 55.46% in Shatabdi and 53.42% in Bijoy.

The metabolic costs of improving ethanol yield by reducing glycerol formation capacity under anaerobic conditions in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Science.gov (United States)

Pagliardini, Julien; Hubmann, Georg; Alfenore, Sandrine; Nevoigt, Elke; Bideaux, Carine; Guillouet, Stephane E

2013-03-28

Finely regulating the carbon flux through the glycerol pathway by regulating the expression of the rate controlling enzyme, glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH), has been a promising approach to redirect carbon from glycerol to ethanol and thereby increasing the ethanol yield in ethanol production. Here, strains engineered in the promoter of GPD1 and deleted in GPD2 were used to investigate the possibility of reducing glycerol production of Saccharomyces cerevisiae without jeopardising its ability to cope with process stress during ethanol production. For this purpose, the mutant strains TEFmut7 and TEFmut2 with different GPD1 residual expression were studied in Very High Ethanol Performance (VHEP) fed-batch process under anaerobic conditions. Both strains showed a drastic reduction of the glycerol yield by 44 and 61% while the ethanol yield improved by 2 and 7% respectively. TEFmut2 strain showing the highest ethanol yield was accompanied by a 28% reduction of the biomass yield. The modulation of the glycerol formation led to profound redox and energetic changes resulting in a reduction of the ATP yield (YATP) and a modulation of the production of organic acids (acetate, pyruvate and succinate). Those metabolic rearrangements resulted in a loss of ethanol and stress tolerance of the mutants, contrarily to what was previously observed under aerobiosis. This work demonstrates the potential of fine-tuned pathway engineering, particularly when a compromise has to be found between high product yield on one hand and acceptable growth, productivity and stress resistance on the other hand. Previous study showed that, contrarily to anaerobiosis, the resulting gain in ethanol yield was accompanied with no loss of ethanol tolerance under aerobiosis. Moreover those mutants were still able to produce up to 90 gl-1 ethanol in an anaerobic SSF process. Fine tuning metabolic strategy may then open encouraging possibilities for further developing robust strains with improved

Incipient motion in gravel bed rivers due to energetic turbulent flow events

Science.gov (United States)

Valyrakis, Manousos

2013-04-01

This contribution reviews recent developments and contributions in the field of incipient motion and entrainment of coarse sediment grains due to the action of near bed turbulent flows. Specifically, traditional shear based spatio-temporally averaged concepts and instantaneous stress tensor criteria are contrasted to the newly proposed flow event based impulse and energy criteria. The energy criterion, suggests that only sufficiently energetic turbulent events can remove a particle from its resting position on the bed surface and result on its entrainment downstream. While the impulse and energy criteria are interconnected through the energy-impulse equation, the later appears to be more versatile and appropriate for generalising to sediment transport. These flow event based criteria have a sound physical basis for describing the intermittent character of particle entrainment as inherited by near boundary turbulence at near threshold conditions. These criteria can be derived from fundamental laws of physics such as Newtonian classical mechanics and the Lagrange equations respectively. The energetic events that are capable of performing geomorphic work at the scale of individual particles are shown to follow a power law, meaning that more energetic events (capable of removing larger stones) are expected to occur less frequently. In addition, this paper discusses the role of the coefficient of energy transfer efficiency introduced in the energy equation for particle entrainment. A preliminary investigation from analysis of a series of mobile grain flume experiments illustrates that different signatures of turbulence or sequence of flow structures may have different effectiveness towards particle transport. Characteristic cases of specific energetic flow events and the associated particle response are shown and classified with regard to the time required for complete entrainment. Finally these findings are commented with respect to the implications for sediment

Estimation of genotype X environment interactions, in a grassbased system, for milk yield, body condition score,and body weight using random regression models

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Berry, D.P.; Buckley, F.; Dillon, P.; Evans, R.D.; Rath, M.; Veerkamp, R.F.

2003-01-01

(Co)variance components for milk yield, body condition score (BCS), body weight (BW), BCS change and BW change over different herd-year mean milk yields (HMY) and nutritional environments (concentrate feeding level, grazing severity and silage quality) were estimated using a random regression model.

Sequential path analysis for determining interrelationships between yield and related traits in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. under normal and abiotic stress conditions

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Bayat Mahdi

2014-01-01

Full Text Available In the present work the relationships between yield and its related traits were investigated in tobacco genotypes under normal and abiotic stress conditions (Orobanche aegyptiaca weed at Urmia Tobacco Research Centre, Iran, during 2006-2009 cropping seasons. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design (RCBD with three replications in each condition every year. Analysis of variance revealed extent genetic variability among the genotypes for most of the traits studied. In comparison with normal condition, the mean value of studied traits decreased in stress condition. LAI and FD showed the maximum and minimum diminution in the mean values under stress condition compared to normal one so known as more sensitive and more tolerant traits, respectively. Based on CV values, the traits FD and DLYP showed the minimum and maximum variation among traits in both normal and stress conditions. Correlation analysis revealed significant and positive correlations between DLYP with all studied traits in both normal and stress conditions. Path analysis detected the traits including biomass, APDW and DWR as the first-order variables at normal condition and biomass, APDW, DWR and harvest index as the first-order variables under abiotic stress condition. Based on results, the traits such as biomass, APDW, DWR detected as more important factors in both conditions can be used in tobacco breeding programs for increasing yield. Abbreviation: aerial part fresh weight without leaves weight (APFW, aerial part dry weight without leaves weight (APDW, biomass (BIO, coefficient of variation (CV, dry weight of root (DWR, flowering date (FD, fresh weight of leaf (FWL, fresh weight of root (FWR, harvest index (HI, leaf area index (LAI, dry leaf yield per plant (DLYP, number of leaf (NL, plant height (PH, randomized complete block design (RCBD, standard deviation (Std.

Effect of Foliar Application of Chelate Iron in Common and Nanoparticles Forms on Yield and Yield Components of Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L. under Drought Stress Conditions

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A Nasiri Dehsorkhi

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Introduction Cumin is a member of Apiaceae family and annual plant which is widely cultivated in arid and semi-arid zone. Iran is one of the main producers of this plant. Water deficit is the major limiting factor in crops production. Proper nutrition management under stress conditions could partly help the plant to tolerate different stresses. Various studies were carried out to understand the effect of nanoparticles on the growth of plants. For example, Hong et al. (2005 and Yang et al. (2006 reported that a proper concentration of nano-TiO2 was found to improve the growth of spinach by promoting photosynthesis and nitrogen metabolism. Iran a country with arid and semi-arid climate, always face water deficiency. Thus the aim of this research was investigate the effect of foliar application of chelate iron in common and nanoparticles forms on yield and yield components of cumin (Cuminum cyminum L. under drought stress conditions. Materials and Methods A field experiment was conducted as a split plot in complete randomized block design with three replications in Esfahan city, during the growing season of 2015-2016. Treatments were included three irrigation intervals (5, 10 and 15 days as main plots and Fe foliar application in four levels (control, 2 g L-1 iron chelate, 2 g L-1 Nano-iron chelate, 4 g L-1 iron chelate, 4 g L-1 nano-iron chelate. Foliar application of Fe chelate on leaves was done two times at before and after flowering stage. The plots were 16 m2 with 4 sowing rows, 4 m long. Seeds were placed at 2 to 4 cm depth in each row. All data collected were subjected of analysis of variance (ANOVA using MSTATC software. Significant differences between means refer to the probability level of 0.05 by LSD test. Results and Discussion The results indicated that drought stress decreased the investigated traits significantly but the effect of irrigation by 15 days interval was more than 10 days. Plots which irrigated by 15 days interval showed

Comparison of Radiography, Laser Fluorescence, and Visual Examination in Diagnosing Incipient OcclusalCaries of Permanent First Molars

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Zahra Bahrololoomi

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Early diagnosis of incipient and non cavitated carious lesions is crucial for performing preventive treatments. The aim of this study was to compare the effi- ciency of three diagnostic methods of bite-wing radiography, DIAGNOdent, and visu- al examination in diagnosing the incipient occlusal caries of permanent first molars.Materials and Methods:  In this diagnostic cross-sectional study, 109 premanent first molar teeth of 31 patients aged 7-13 years were examined visually by bite-wing radi- ograghy, and DIAGNOdent. Scoring of visual and radiography examinations were based on the Ekstrand classification. Visual examination after pit and fissure opening was used as the gold standard. ROC curve (Receiver Operating Characteristics was used to define the best cut-off point for DIAGNodent compareing with gold standard and inter-examiner reproductibility of visual, radiography were assessed using Kappa test and ICC (Intraclass Correlation wase used for DIAGNOdent values.Results: The sensitivity of detecting caries that had extended into the enamel was 81.4%, 86.3%, and 81.4% for visual examination, DIAGNOdent, and radiography, respectively. Moreover, the specificity was 100%, 71.4%, and 100% for visual obser- vation, DIAGNOdent, and radiography, respectively in the enamel. The Kappa index for inter-examiner correlation was 0.7 and 0.8 for visual examination and radiog- raphy, respectively. The ICC (Intraclass Correlation was 0.98 for the values read by DIAGNOdent.Conclusion: Visual examination is rendered as the first choice in the diagnosis of in- cipient caries. In suspicious cases, radiography and laser DIAGNOdent can be used as adjunct procedures.

THE INFLUENCE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS OF EASTERN POLAND ON SWEET CORN YIELDS AND LENGTH OF GROWING SEASON

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Robert Rosa

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The aim of the study was to determine the effect of weather components (air temperature, precipitation on the growth, yield and the length of the growing season of sweet corn cultivated in eastern Poland. The results come from a field experiment conducted in 2006–2011. Weather conditions in the successive years of the study significantly modified the yield of ears, weight and number of formatted ears, high of plants and the length of the growing season of sweet corn. Good yielding of sweet corn favoured years with moderate air temperatures in July and uniform distribution of precipitation during the growing season. The highest yield of ears was found in 2011, the lowest in the very difficult in terms of weather 2006. The shortest growing season was characterized corn grown in the years 2006 and 2010 with the high air temperatures in July and August, the longest in the years 2009 and 2011, in which the temperatures in the period June-August were the lowest of all the years of research. Irrespective of the year of study, cv ‘Sheba F1’ was formatted eras with higher weight than cv ‘Sweet Nugget F1’.

Sclerotial biomass and carotenoid yield of Penicillium sp. PT95 under oxidative growth conditions and in the presence of antioxidant ascorbic acid.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, X L; Cui, X H; Han, J R

2006-09-01

To determine the effect of oxidative stress and exogenous ascorbic acid on sclerotial biomass and carotenoid yield of Penicillium sp. PT95. In this experiment, high oxidative stress was applied by the inclusion of FeSO(4) in the growth medium and exposure to light. Low oxidative stress was applied by omitting iron from the growth medium and by incubation in the dark. Supplementation of exogenous ascorbic acid (as antioxidant) to the basal medium caused a concentration-dependent delay of sclerotial differentiation (up to 48 h), decrease of sclerotial biomass (up to 40%) and reduction of carotenoid yield (up to 91%). On the contrary, the exogenous ascorbic acid also caused a concentration-dependent decrease of lipid peroxidation in colonies of this fungus. Under high oxidative stress growth condition, the sclerotial biomass and carotenoid yield of PT95 strain in each plate culture reached 305 mg and 32.94 microg, which were 1.23 and 3.71 times higher, respectively, than those at low oxidative stress growth condition. These data prompted us to consider that in order to attain higher sclerotial biomass and pigment yield, the strain PT95 should be grown under high oxidative stress and in the absence of antioxidants. These results suggest that strain PT95 may be used for solid-state fermentation of carotenoid production under high oxidative stress growth conditions.

Effect of Drought Stress onYield and Yield Components of Sesame cultivars under Kerman conditions (Sesamum indicum L.

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S Farahbakhsh

2015-04-01

Full Text Available To investigate effects of drought stress on yield and yield components of sesame in Kerman region a split-plot experiment based onn compelet randomised block design with three replications was carried out in 1388. Irrigation levels (Normal irrigation in all growth stages, witholding water after 50% flowering, witholding water after 50% pod setting and differen t sesame landraces (Jiroft, Shiraz, Ardestan, Dezful, Shahr babak, Gorgan, Sirjan, Markazi, Birjand and Orzueieh were considered as main plots and sub-plots respectively. Plant height, the biggest pod length, noumber of grain per pod, noumber of pod per plant, grain weight per plant, thousand grain weight and grain yield were the measured traits. Results showed all the measured traits were significantly affected by the irrigation treatments. The effects of different landraces on all traits except noumber of grain per plant were significant. Irrigation × landraces interaction affected all measured traits except the biggest pod length significantly. The highest grain yield was recorde for Markezi landrace (845.2 kg –ha under normal irrigation and the lowest one was obtained from Jiroft landrace (104.8 kg –ha with witholding irrigation after 50% flowering.

SU-E-T-05: Comparing DNA Strand Break Yields for Photons under Different Irradiation Conditions with Geant4-DNA.

Science.gov (United States)

Pater, P; Bernal, M; Naqa, I El; Seuntjens, J

2012-06-01

To validate and scrutinize published DNA strand break data with Geant4-DNA and a probabilistic model. To study the impact of source size, electronic equilibrium and secondary electron tracking cutoff on direct relative biological effectiveness (DRBE). Geant4 (v4.9.5) was used to simulate a cylindrical region of interest (ROI) with r = 15 nm and length = 1.05 mm, in a slab of liquid water of 1.06 g/cm 3 density. The ROI was irradiated with mono-energetic photons, with a uniformly distributed volumetric isotropic source (0.28, 1.5 keV) or a plane beam (0.662, 1.25 MeV), of variable size. Electrons were tracked down to 50 or 10 eV, with G4-DNA processes and energy transfer greater than 10.79 eV was scored. Based on volume ratios, each scored event had a 0.0388 probability of happening on either DNA helix (break). Clusters of at least one break on each DNA helix within 3.4 nm were found using a DBSCAN algorithm and categorized as double strand breaks (DSB). All other events were categorized as single strand breaks (SSB). Geant4-DNA is able to reproduce strand break yields previously published. Homogeneous irradiation conditions should be present throughout the ROI for DRBE comparisons. SSB yields seem slightly dependent on the primary photon energy. DRBEs show a significant increasing trend for lower energy incident photons. A lower electron cutoff produces higher SSB yields, but decreases the SSB/DSB yields ratio. The probabilistic and geometrical DNA models can predict equivalent results. Using Geant4, we were able to reproduce previously published results on the direct strand break yields of photon and study the importance of irradiation conditions. We also show an ascending trend for DRBE with lower incident photon energies. A probabilistic model coupled with track structure analysis can be used to simulate strand break yields. NSERC, CIHR. © 2012 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Study of Yield and Effective Traits in Bread Wheat Recombinant Inbred Lines (Triticum aestivum L. under Water Deficit Condition

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S. Mohammad zadeh

2013-11-01

Full Text Available The effects some traits on seed yield of recombinant inbred lines of wheat under water deficit stress was studied. This research was done at the Agricultural Research Stations, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz Branch in 2010- 2011. 28 recombinant inbred lines of wheat bread with two parents (Norstar and Zagros in split plot experiment based on a randomized complete block design with three replications at two irrigation levels (70 and 140 mm evaporation from pan class A were studied. Analysis of variance indicated a significant genetic differences in all traits under study among the lines. Lines No. 32, 163 and 182 produced highest yield under both irrigation levels. Number of spikes, grains per spike and harvest index had the highest positive correlation with grain yield. Path analysis based on stepwise regression showed that under the normal irrigation conditions, number spike (0.556, number of grains per spike (0.278, weight of 1000 grain (0.259 and the drought stress number spike (0.430, straw yield (0.276 and peduncle length (0.323 had the most direct and positive effect on yield respectively.

GGE biplot and AMMI application in the study of adaptability and grain yield stability of durum lines under dryland conditions

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Behzad Sadeghzadeh

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction Durum wheat (Triticum turgidum var. durum is grown for human consumption, mainly as pasta products, e.g., spaghetti and macaroni, couscous, bulgur, frike, flat breads, etc. Worldwide, the area annually planted to durum wheat is estimated to be around 17-18 million hectares, i.e., 8 percent of total wheat area, with a production averaging about 30 million tons annually, which is 5.5 percent of total wheat production. Although durum is grown in various regions of the world, the great bulk of durum area and production is concentrated in the Mediterranean basin and North America. Eight countries (Algeria, Canada, Italy, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, and USA account for nearly two thirds (2/3 of world durum area and production. In Iran, the area under durum cultivation is about 400-500 thousands hectares with an annual production of 400-500 thousand tons, which covers about 60% of country demands. In spite of the importance of durum for Iranian rural economies, the country has not all succeeded in its research and development efforts to substantially improve durum productivity. The combinations of increasing demand for durum and durum products, as a result of demographic pressure, and relatively low durum productivity partly due to abiotic stresses (i.e. cold, terminal heat, moisture and nutrient deficiency stresses made the country to an importer of durum. These are frequently exacerbated by biotic stresses, e.g., diseases and insects that may severely inhibit crop growth. Materials and methods The main purpose of this study was to achieve high yielding durum wheat genotypes with higher yield stability in different environmental condition, tolerance to environmental stresses such as cold damage, drought and end of season heat stress. Hence, 17 durum wheat lines were evaluated for grain yeild and morphlogical traits in Maragheh, Sararood, Qamloo, Ardabil and Shirvan agricultural research stations in 2011-14. In each location, the

Phenological Variation and its Relation with Yield in several Wheat (Triticum aestivum L. Cultivars under Normal and Late Sowing Mediated Heat Stress Condition

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Kamrun NAHAR

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Phenological performance in relation to yield of five modern varieties of wheat �Sourav�, �Pradip�, �Sufi�, �Shatabdi� and �Bijoy� were evaluated under two growing environments; one is normal growing environment (sowing at November 30 and the other is post anthesis heat stressed environment (sowing at December 30. In case of late seeding, the varieties phased a significant level of high temperature stress that also significantly affected the required days to germination, booting, anthesis, maturity of all varieties including the yield as compared to normal sowing treatment. The temperature during the grain filling or grain maturing period was near 23�C in case of normal seeding and it was near about 28�C to 30�C and sometimes reached above this range in the later period of late seeded treatment. In the normal sowing treatment the germination period was lower than the late sowing treatment as during that time the temperature was higher as compared to late sowing condition where temperature was lower. Days to anthesis and booting decreased due to late sown heat stress condition regardless the cultivars. These phenological characteristics under heat stressed condition led the wheat cultivars to significantly lower the grain yield as compared to normal condition. Due to heat stress, the yield reduction was 69.53% in �Sourav�, 58.41% in �Pradip�, 73.01% in �Sufi�, 55.46% in �Shatabdi� and 53.42% in �Bijoy�.

Effect of nitrogen on partitioning and yield in grain sorghum under differing environmental conditions in the semi-arid tropics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muchow, R.C.

1990-01-01

The effect of nitrogen (N) supply on the relative contributions of pre- and post-anthesis net above-ground biomass accumulation and N uptake to grain-yield and grain N concentration was examined in four contrasting environments in semi-arid tropical Australia. The four environments had different radiation and temperature regimes, and varying levels of water deficit. The grain-yield achieved under high N supply ranged from 156 to 621 g m −2 (on an oven-dry basis). In all but the lowest-yielding environment, there was substantial biomass accumulation during grain-filling and it increased with N application. Only in the lowest-yielding environment was there substantial mobilization of pre-anthesis biomass to grain. Biomass mobilization was not affected by N application. Nitrogen uptake during grain-filling was unresponsive to N application, and was small relative to total N uptake during the life-cycle. Mobilization of pre-anthesis N to the grain was much more significant. In all but the lowest-yielding environment, N mobilization increased with N application. Grain-yield under variable N supply and differing environmental conditions was not dependent on the proportions of pre- and post-anthesis growth. However, grain-yield was proportional to biomass at maturity over the entire yield range in this study and variability in biomass accounted for 95% of the variance in grain-yield. Similarly, grain N concentration was not related to the proportions of pre- and post-anthesis N uptake, but variability in total N uptake accounted for 92% of the variance in grain N accumulation. Consequently, there was no differential effect of N supply or environmental factors on yield physiology that could not be explained by their effect on biomass and N uptake. (author)

Rapid neo-sex chromosome evolution and incipient speciation in a major forest pest.

Science.gov (United States)

Bracewell, Ryan R; Bentz, Barbara J; Sullivan, Brian T; Good, Jeffrey M

2017-11-17

Genome evolution is predicted to be rapid following the establishment of new (neo) sex chromosomes, but it is not known if neo-sex chromosome evolution plays an important role in speciation. Here we combine extensive crossing experiments with population and functional genomic data to examine neo-XY chromosome evolution and incipient speciation in the mountain pine beetle. We find a broad continuum of intrinsic incompatibilities in hybrid males that increase in strength with geographic distance between reproductively isolated populations. This striking progression of reproductive isolation is coupled with extensive gene specialization, natural selection, and elevated genetic differentiation on both sex chromosomes. Closely related populations isolated by hybrid male sterility also show fixation of alternative neo-Y haplotypes that differ in structure and male-specific gene content. Our results suggest that neo-sex chromosome evolution can drive rapid functional divergence between closely related populations irrespective of ecological drivers of divergence.

Path and ridge regression analysis of seed yield and seed yield components of Russian wildrye (Psathyrostachys juncea Nevski) under field conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Quanzhen; Zhang, Tiejun; Cui, Jian

2011-01-01

The correlations among seed yield components, and their direct and indirect effects on the seed yield (Z) of Russina wildrye (Psathyrostachys juncea Nevski) were investigated. The seed yield components: fertile tillers m-2 (Y1), spikelets per fertile tillers (Y2), florets per spikelet- (Y3), seed...

Effect of complementary irrigation on yield components and alternate bearing of a traditional olive orchard in semi-arid conditions

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Enrico M. Lodolini

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Traditional olive orchards are usually not irrigated in the Mediterranean basin, but at those latitudes, the yearly rainfall is frequently insufficient to support equilibrated vegetative growth and high fruit and oil production. This three-year field study investigated the effect of complementary irrigation on olive tree vegetative growth, fruit and oil yield during a biennial alternate bearing cycle in a traditional grove under semi-arid conditions. Adult olive trees (Olea europaea L. cv. Nabali Baladi were subjected to complementary irrigation in 2011 and 2012 ('on' and 'off' years, respectively with 6, 10, 15 or 20 m3 of water per tree per season, which corresponded to 14.2%, 23.8%, 35.7% and 47.6% of the whole seasonal evapotranspiration (42 m3 of water per year, respectively. Rain-fed trees were used as control. In 2013, no complementary irrigation was supplied, and any residual effects on the yield components were determined. Results showed that none of the irrigation regimes affected vegetative growth, or olive fruit size (mesocarp and endocarp, as fresh and dry weights. The fruit and oil yield per tree increased compared to the rain-fed conditions only when the threshold of 15 m3 was exceeded, thus inducing a higher crop load compared to the rain-fed control during the 'off' and even further during the 'on' year. No residual effects were registered in 2013. The study showed that complementary irrigation of at least 35% of the seasonal water requirement can produce remarkable positive effects on fruit yield especially during 'on' bearing years.

Evaluation of the Parameters and Conditions of Process in the Ethylbenzene Dehydrogenation with Application of Permselective Membranes to Enhance Styrene Yield.

Science.gov (United States)

Araújo, Paulo Jardel P; Leite, Manuela Souza; Ravagnani, Teresa M Kakuta

2016-01-01

Styrene is an important monomer in the manufacture of thermoplastic. Most of it is produced by the catalytic dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene. In this process that depends on reversible reactions, the yield is usually limited by the establishment of thermodynamic equilibrium in the reactor. The styrene yield can be increased by using a hybrid process, with reaction and separation simultaneously. It is proposed using permselective composite membrane to remove hydrogen and thus suppress the reverse and secondary reactions. This paper describes the simulation of a dehydrogenation process carried out in a tubular fixed-bed reactor wrapped in a permselective composite membrane. A mathematical model was developed, incorporating the various mass transport mechanisms found in each of the membrane layers and in the catalytic fixed bed. The effects of the reactor feed conditions (temperature, steam-to-oil ratio, and the weight hourly space velocity), the fixed-bed geometry (length, diameter, and volume), and the membrane geometry (thickness of the layers) on the styrene yield were analyzed. These variables were used to determine experimental conditions that favour the production of styrene. The simulation showed that an increase of 40.98% in the styrene yield, compared to a conventional fixed-bed process, could be obtained by wrapping the reactor in a permselective composite membrane.

Evaluation of the Parameters and Conditions of Process in the Ethylbenzene Dehydrogenation with Application of Permselective Membranes to Enhance Styrene Yield

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Paulo Jardel P. Araújo

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Styrene is an important monomer in the manufacture of thermoplastic. Most of it is produced by the catalytic dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene. In this process that depends on reversible reactions, the yield is usually limited by the establishment of thermodynamic equilibrium in the reactor. The styrene yield can be increased by using a hybrid process, with reaction and separation simultaneously. It is proposed using permselective composite membrane to remove hydrogen and thus suppress the reverse and secondary reactions. This paper describes the simulation of a dehydrogenation process carried out in a tubular fixed-bed reactor wrapped in a permselective composite membrane. A mathematical model was developed, incorporating the various mass transport mechanisms found in each of the membrane layers and in the catalytic fixed bed. The effects of the reactor feed conditions (temperature, steam-to-oil ratio, and the weight hourly space velocity, the fixed-bed geometry (length, diameter, and volume, and the membrane geometry (thickness of the layers on the styrene yield were analyzed. These variables were used to determine experimental conditions that favour the production of styrene. The simulation showed that an increase of 40.98% in the styrene yield, compared to a conventional fixed-bed process, could be obtained by wrapping the reactor in a permselective composite membrane.

Effects of Row Spacing and Plant Density on Yield and Yield Components of Sweet Corn in Climatic Conditions of Isfahan

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N. Khodaeian

2013-06-01

Full Text Available To evaluate the effects of row spacing and plant density on yield and yield components of sweet corn, variety KSC403, an experiment was conducted in Research Farm of Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran, in 2007, as randomized complete block design with a split-plot layout and three replications. The main plots were allocated to two row spacing (60 and 75 cm and the sub-plots accommodated four levels of plant density (50000, 70000, 90000 and 110000 plants per ha. There was significant increase in leaf area index, shoot dry weight, 100-grain fresh weight and grain fresh yield, as row width was decreased from 75 to 60 cm but the plant height was decreased. There was no significant effect of row spacing on number of rows per ear, number of grains per row and number of grains per ear. Plant height, leaf area index, shoot dry weight per m2 and number of ears per m2 were increased with an increase in plant density. The number of rows per ear, number of grains per row, number of grains per ear, 100-grain fresh weight and grain fresh yield were significantly higher under plant densities of 90000 and 110000 as compared to 50000 and 70000 plants per ha. There was significant interaction between row spacing and plant density for leaf area index, shoot dry weight, number of grains per ear, 100-grain fresh weight and grain fresh yield. Under all plant densities, the grain fresh yield was higher in 60-cm row width compared to 70-cm row width. However, the difference between these two row spacing was not significant in plant densities of 50000 and 110000 plants per ha. The highest grain fresh yield (33940 kg/ha was achieved under row spacing 60 cm and 70000 plants per ha and the least grain fresh yield (20750 kg/ha was obtained in under 75 cm row width and 110000 plants per ha. Considering the obtained results of this experiment, to have maximum grain fresh yield of sweet corn under Isfahan climate, the row spacing of 60 cm and plant density of

Genetic correlations among body condition score, yield and fertility in multiparous cows using random regression models

OpenAIRE

Bastin, Catherine; Gillon, Alain; Massart, Xavier; Bertozzi, Carlo; Vanderick, Sylvie; Gengler, Nicolas

2010-01-01

Genetic correlations between body condition score (BCS) in lactation 1 to 3 and four economically important traits (days open, 305-days milk, fat, and protein yields recorded in the first 3 lactations) were estimated on about 12,500 Walloon Holstein cows using 4-trait random regression models. Results indicated moderate favorable genetic correlations between BCS and days open (from -0.46 to -0.62) and suggested the use of BCS for indirect selection on fertility. However, unfavorable genetic c...

Simulation of fatigue crack growth under large scale yielding conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Schweizer, Christoph; Seifert, Thomas; Riedel, Hermann

2010-07-01

A simple mechanism based model for fatigue crack growth assumes a linear correlation between the cyclic crack-tip opening displacement (ΔCTOD) and the crack growth increment (da/dN). The objective of this work is to compare analytical estimates of ΔCTOD with results of numerical calculations under large scale yielding conditions and to verify the physical basis of the model by comparing the predicted and the measured evolution of the crack length in a 10%-chromium-steel. The material is described by a rate independent cyclic plasticity model with power-law hardening and Masing behavior. During the tension-going part of the cycle, nodes at the crack-tip are released such that the crack growth increment corresponds approximately to the crack-tip opening. The finite element analysis performed in ABAQUS is continued for so many cycles until a stabilized value of ΔCTOD is reached. The analytical model contains an interpolation formula for the J-integral, which is generalized to account for cyclic loading and crack closure. Both simulated and estimated ΔCTOD are reasonably consistent. The predicted crack length evolution is found to be in good agreement with the behavior of microcracks observed in a 10%-chromium steel.

EFFECT OF POLYETHYLENE BLACK PLASTIC MULCH ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF TWO SUMMER VEGETABLE CROPS UNDER RAIN-FED CONDITIONS UNDER SEMI-ARID REGION CONDITIONS

OpenAIRE

Atif Y. Mahadeen

2014-01-01

Water use efficiency in agriculture can be enhanced by several strategies mainly by reducing evaporation from the soil surface. The mulching techniques were being used widely in irrigated crop production worldwide. The mulching techniques can be also implemented in summer vegetables production under rain-fed conditions. The current study aimed at evaluating the effect of polyethylene black plastic mulch on growth and yield of okra, Abelmoschus esculentus and summer squash, ...

Yield, Esterification Degree and Molecular Weight Evaluation of Pectins Isolated from Orange and Grapefruit Peels under Different Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Sayah, Mohamed Yassine; Chabir, Rachida; Benyahia, Hamid; Rodi Kandri, Youssef; Ouazzani Chahdi, Fouad; Touzani, Hanan; Errachidi, Faouzi

2016-01-01

Orange (Citrus sinensis) and grapefruit (Citrus paradise) peels were used as a source of pectin, which was extracted under different conditions. The peels are used under two states: fresh and residual (after essential oil extraction). Organic acid (citric acid) and mineral acid (sulfuric acid) were used in the pectin extraction. The aim of this study is the evaluation the effect of extraction conditions on pectin yield, degree of esterification “DE” and on molecular weight “Mw”. Results showed that the pectin yield was higher using the residual peels. Moreover, both peels allow the obtainment of a high methoxyl pectin with DE >50%. The molecular weight was calculated using Mark-Houwink-Sakurada equation which describes its relationship with intrinsic viscosity. This later was determined using four equations; Huggins equation, kramer, Schulz-Blaschke and Martin equation. The molecular weight varied from 1.538 x1005 to 2.47x1005 g/mol for grapefruit pectin and from 1.639 x1005 to 2.471 x1005 g/mol for orange pectin. PMID:27644093

A Model of Equilibrium Conditions of Roof Rock Mass Giving Consideration to the Yielding Capacity of Powered Supports

Science.gov (United States)

Jaszczuk, Marek; Pawlikowski, Arkadiusz

2017-12-01

The work presents the model of interactions between the powered roof support units and the rock mass, while giving consideration to the yielding capacity of the supports - a value used for the analysis of equilibrium conditions of roof rock mass strata in geological and mining conditions of a given longwall. In the model, the roof rock mass is kept in equilibrium by: support units, the seam, goafs, and caving rocks (Fig. 1). In the assumed model of external load on the powered roof support units it is a new development - in relation to the model applied in selection of supports based on the allowable deflection of roof theory - that the load bearing capacity is dependent on the increment of the inclination of the roof rock mass and on the properties of the working medium, while giving consideration to the air pockets in the hydraulic systems, the load of the caving rocks on the caving shield, introducing the RA support value of the roof rock mass by the coal seam as a closed-form expression and while giving consideration to the additional support provided by the rocks of the goaf as a horizontal component R01H of the goaf reaction. To determine the roof maintenance conditions it is necessary to know the characteristics linking the yielding capacity of the support units with the heading convergence, which may be measured as the inclination angle of the roof rock mass. In worldwide mining, Ground Reaction Curves are used, which allow to determine the required yielding capacity of support units based on the relation between the load exerted on the unit and the convergence of the heading ensuring the equilibrium of the roof rock mass. (Figs. 4 and 8). The equilibrium of the roof rock mass in given conditions is determined at the displacement of the rock mass by the α angle, which impacts the following values: yielding capacity of units FN, vertical component of goaf reaction R01V and the horizontal component of goaf reaction R01H. In the model of load on the support

Kullback-Leibler distance-based enhanced detection of incipient anomalies

KAUST Repository

Harrou, Fouzi

2016-09-09

Accurate and effective anomaly detection and diagnosis of modern engineering systems by monitoring processes ensure reliability and safety of a product while maintaining desired quality. In this paper, an innovative method based on Kullback-Leibler divergence for detecting incipient anomalies in highly correlated multivariate data is presented. We use a partial least square (PLS) method as a modeling framework and a symmetrized Kullback-Leibler distance (KLD) as an anomaly indicator, where it is used to quantify the dissimilarity between current PLS-based residual and reference probability distributions obtained using fault-free data. Furthermore, this paper reports the development of two monitoring charts based on the KLD. The first approach is a KLD-Shewhart chart, where the Shewhart monitoring chart with a three sigma rule is used to monitor the KLD of the response variables residuals from the PLS model. The second approach integrates the KLD statistic into the exponentially weighted moving average monitoring chart. The performance of the PLS-based KLD anomaly-detection methods is illustrated and compared to that of conventional PLS-based anomaly detection methods. Using synthetic data and simulated distillation column data, we demonstrate the greater sensitivity and effectiveness of the developed method over the conventional PLS-based methods, especially when data are highly correlated and small anomalies are of interest. Results indicate that the proposed chart is a very promising KLD-based method because KLD-based charts are, in practice, designed to detect small shifts in process parameters. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd

Genomics of Rapid Incipient Speciation in Sympatric Threespine Stickleback.

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David A Marques

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Ecological speciation is the process by which reproductively isolated populations emerge as a consequence of divergent natural or ecologically-mediated sexual selection. Most genomic studies of ecological speciation have investigated allopatric populations, making it difficult to infer reproductive isolation. The few studies on sympatric ecotypes have focused on advanced stages of the speciation process after thousands of generations of divergence. As a consequence, we still do not know what genomic signatures of the early onset of ecological speciation look like. Here, we examined genomic differentiation among migratory lake and resident stream ecotypes of threespine stickleback reproducing in sympatry in one stream, and in parapatry in another stream. Importantly, these ecotypes started diverging less than 150 years ago. We obtained 34,756 SNPs with restriction-site associated DNA sequencing and identified genomic islands of differentiation using a Hidden Markov Model approach. Consistent with incipient ecological speciation, we found significant genomic differentiation between ecotypes both in sympatry and parapatry. Of 19 islands of differentiation resisting gene flow in sympatry, all were also differentiated in parapatry and were thus likely driven by divergent selection among habitats. These islands clustered in quantitative trait loci controlling divergent traits among the ecotypes, many of them concentrated in one region with low to intermediate recombination. Our findings suggest that adaptive genomic differentiation at many genetic loci can arise and persist in sympatry at the very early stage of ecotype divergence, and that the genomic architecture of adaptation may facilitate this.

Inoculant of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (Rhizophagus clarus increase yield of soybean and cotton under field conditions

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Martha Viviana Torres Cely

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Nutrient availability is an important factor in crop production, and regular addition of chemical fertilizers is the most common practice to improve yield in agrosystems for intensive crop production. The use of some groups of microorganisms that have specific activity providing nutrients to plants is a good alternative, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF enhance plant nutrition by providing especially phosphorus (P, improving plant growth and increasing crop production. Unfortunately, the use of AMF as an inoculant on a large scale is not yet widely used, because of several limitations in obtaining a large amount of inoculum due to several factors, such as low growth, the few species domesticated under in vitro conditions, and high competition with native AMF. The objective of this work was to test the infectivity of a Rhizophagus clarus inoculum and its effectiveness as an alternative for P supply in soybean (Glycine max L. and cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.. The experiments were carried out in plots and the treatments were: Fertilizer; AMF, AMF + Fertilizer and AMF + ½ Fertilizer; non-inoculated and non-fertilized plants were considered the control. The parameters evaluated were AMF root colonization and effect of inoculation on plant growth and yield under a field conditions. The results showed that AMF inoculation increased the effect of fertilizer application in soybean, and that in cotton R. clarus was more effective than chemical fertilizer

The Effect of Nitroxin Biofertilizer and Foliar Applicatin of Micronutrients Time Consumption on Yield and Yield Components of New Wheat Cultivars under Khorramabad Climatic Conditions

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A. Vaez

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction In order to study the effects of Nitroxin biofertilizer and foliar application of micronutrients time consumption on yield and yield components of new wheat cultivars (Triticum aestivum & T. durum under Khorramabad climatic conditions, an experiment was conducted as factorial based on a randomized complete block design with three replications at the research farm khorramabad during growing season of 2012-2013. Considering the positive effect of inoculation with bio-fertilizer and foliar Nitroxin micronutrients and reaction of cultivars to this type of fertilizer instead of chemical fertilizers and the importance of wheat as one of the main crops, this study aims to determine the most appropriate time for foliar and Nitroxin application of micronutrients at the different stages of plant growth and bio-fertilizer application on yield and yield components. Materials and Methods The first factor was considered in six levels: N0: The lack of the seed insemination with nitroxin biofertilizer and without the foliar application of micronutrients (control, N1: the seed inoculation with the nitroxin biofertilizer, N2: the foliar application of micronutrients at the jointing stage, N3: the foliar application of micronutrients at the heading stage, N4: the seed insemination with nitroxin biofertilizer and foliar application of micronutrients at the jointing stage, N5: the seed insemination with nitroxin biofertilizer and foliar application of micronutrients at the heading stage. The second factor was considered at two levels, consisting: V1: Parsi cultivar and V2: Dena cultivar. MSTATC Software was used for data analysis and means were compared by Duncan's multiple range test at the 5% level. Results and Discussion In this experiment the grain yield, biological yield, harvest index, 1000- grain weight, spike number per m-2, grain number per spike and spikelet number per spike of wheat were studied. The results of the data variance analysis has

High transpiration efficiency increases pod yield under intermittent drought in dry and hot atmospheric conditions but less so under wetter and cooler conditions in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea (L.)).

Science.gov (United States)

Vadez, Vincent; Ratnakumar, Pasala

2016-07-01

Water limitation is a major yield limiting factor in groundnut and transpiration efficiency (TE) is considered the main target for improvement, but TE being difficult to measure it has mostly been screened with surrogates. The paper re-explore the contribution of TE to grain yield in peanut by using a novel experimental approach in which TE is measured gravimetrically throughout the crop life cycle, in addition to measurement of TE surrogates. Experimentation was carried out with the groundnut reference collection (n = 288), across seasons varying for the evaporative demand (vapor pressure deficit, VPD) and across both fully irrigated and intermittent water stress conditions. There was large genotypic variation for TE under water stress in both low and high VPD season but the range was larger (5-fold) in the high- than in the low-VPD season (2-fold). Under water stress in both seasons, yield was closely related to the harvest index (HI) while TE related directly to yield only in the high VPD season. After discounting the direct HI effect on yield, TE explained a large portion of the remaining yield variations in both seasons, although marginally in the low VPD season. By contrast, the total water extracted from the soil profile, which varied between genotypes, did not relate directly to pod yield and neither to the yield residuals unexplained by HI. Surrogates for TE (specific leaf area, SLA, and SPAD chlorophyll meter readings, SCMR) never showed any significant correlation to TE measurements. Therefore, TE is an important factor explaining yield differences in groundnut under high VPD environments, suggesting that stomatal regulation under high VPD, rather than high photosynthetic rate as proposed earlier, may have a key role to play in the large TE differences found, which open new opportunities to breed improved groundnut for high VPD.

Effect of complementary irrigation on yield components and alternate bearing of a traditional olive orchard in semi-arid conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lodolini, E.M.; Polverigiani, S.; Ali, S.; Mutawea, M.; Qutub, M.; Pierini, F.; Neri, D.

2016-11-01

Traditional olive orchards are usually not irrigated in the Mediterranean basin, but at those latitudes, the yearly rainfall is frequently insufficient to support equilibrated vegetative growth and high fruit and oil production. This three-year field study investigated the effect of complementary irrigation on olive tree vegetative growth, fruit and oil yield during a biennial alternate bearing cycle in a traditional grove under semi-arid conditions. Adult olive trees (Olea europaea L. cv. Nabali Baladi) were subjected to complementary irrigation in 2011 and 2012 ('on' and 'off' years, respectively) with 6, 10, 15 or 20 m3 of water per tree per season, which corresponded to 14.2%, 23.8%, 35.7% and 47.6% of the whole seasonal evapotranspiration (42 m3 of water per year), respectively. Rain-fed trees were used as control. In 2013, no complementary irrigation was supplied, and any residual effects on the yield components were determined. Results showed that none of the irrigation regimes affected vegetative growth, or olive fruit size (mesocarp and endocarp), as fresh and dry weights. The fruit and oil yield per tree increased compared to the rain-fed conditions only when the threshold of 15 m3 was exceeded, thus inducing a higher crop load compared to the rain-fed control during the 'off' and even further during the 'on' year. No residual effects were registered in 2013. The study showed that complementary irrigation of at least 35% of the seasonal water requirement can produce remarkable positive effects on fruit yield especially during 'on' bearing years. (Author)

Effects of deficit drip-irrigation scheduling regimes with saline water on pepper yield, water productivity and soil salinity under arid conditions of Tunisia

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Kamel Nagaz

2012-12-01

Full Text Available A two-year study was carried out in order to assess the effects of different irrigation scheduling regimes with saline water on soil salinity, yield and water productivity of pepper under actual commercial-farming conditions in the arid region of Tunisia. Pepper was grown on a sandy soil and drip-irrigated with water having an ECi of 3.6 dS/m. Irrigation treatments consisted in water replacements of accumulated ETc at levels of 100% (FI, full irrigation, 80% (DI-80, 60% (DI-60, when the readily available water in the control treatment (FI is depleted, deficit irrigation during ripening stage (FI-MDI60 and farmer method corresponding to irrigation practices implemented by the local farmers (FM. Results on pepper yield and soil salinity are globally consistent between the two-year experiments and shows significant difference between irrigation regimes. Higher soil salinity was maintained over the two seasons, 2008 and 2009, with DI-60 and FM treatments than FI. FI-MDI60 and DI-80 treatments resulted also in low ECe values. Highest yields for both years were obtained under FI (22.3 and 24.4 t/ha although we didn’t find significant differences with the regulated deficit irrigation treatment (FI-DI60. However, the DI-80 and DI-60 treatments caused significant reductions in pepper yields through a reduction in fruits number/m² and average fruit weight in comparison with FI treatment. The FM increased soil salinity and caused significant reductions in yield with 14 to 43%, 12 to 39% more irrigation water use than FI, FI-MDI60 and DI-80 treatments, respectively, in 2008 and 2009. Yields for all irrigation treatments were higher in the second year compared to the first year. Water productivity (WP values reflected this difference and varied between 2.31 and 5.49 kg/m3. The WP was found to vary significantly among treatments, where the highest and the lowest values were observed for DI-60 treatment and FM, respectively. FI treatment provides

Influence of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizations on triticale yield under dry conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goekmen, S.; Tasyuerek, T.; Demir, M.

1999-01-01

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of N and P fertilizations on grain yield of triticale. Field experiments were conducted at three locations and four locations of Sivas province during 1996-97 and 1997-98 growing seasons, respectively. The experiment was designed in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Five rates of nitrogen (0, 40, 80, 120 and 160 kg N ha -1 ) and phosphorus (0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 kg P 2 O 5 ha -1 ) were applied. The trials of nitrogen and phosphorus were conducted separately. Nitrogen application significantly increased the grain yield all sites in both years. Grain yield was significantly increased by P application at all locations in the first year and at only Uzunyayla in the second year. The highest grain yield was obtained from different fertilizer applications depending upon sites and years. Refs. 17 (author)

Predicting paddlefish roe yields using an extension of the Beverton–Holt equilibrium yield-per-recruit model

Science.gov (United States)

Colvin, M.E.; Bettoli, Phillip William; Scholten, G.D.

2013-01-01

Equilibrium yield models predict the total biomass removed from an exploited stock; however, traditional yield models must be modified to simulate roe yields because a linear relationship between age (or length) and mature ovary weight does not typically exist. We extended the traditional Beverton-Holt equilibrium yield model to predict roe yields of Paddlefish Polyodon spathula in Kentucky Lake, Tennessee-Kentucky, as a function of varying conditional fishing mortality rates (10-70%), conditional natural mortality rates (cm; 9% and 18%), and four minimum size limits ranging from 864 to 1,016mm eye-to-fork length. These results were then compared to a biomass-based yield assessment. Analysis of roe yields indicated the potential for growth overfishing at lower exploitation rates and smaller minimum length limits than were suggested by the biomass-based assessment. Patterns of biomass and roe yields in relation to exploitation rates were similar regardless of the simulated value of cm, thus indicating that the results were insensitive to changes in cm. Our results also suggested that higher minimum length limits would increase roe yield and reduce the potential for growth overfishing and recruitment overfishing at the simulated cm values. Biomass-based equilibrium yield assessments are commonly used to assess the effects of harvest on other caviar-based fisheries; however, our analysis demonstrates that such assessments likely underestimate the probability and severity of growth overfishing when roe is targeted. Therefore, equilibrium roe yield-per-recruit models should also be considered to guide the management process for caviar-producing fish species.

Conditions that Influence Drivers' Yielding Behavior for Uncontrolled Crossings

Science.gov (United States)

Bourquin, Eugene; Emerson, Robert Wall; Sauerburger, Dona

2011-01-01

Pedestrians with visual impairments need to cross streets where traffic signals and traffic signage are not present. This study examined the influences of several interventions, including a pedestrian's use of a mobility cane, on the behavior of drivers when they were expected to yield to a pedestrian crossing at an uncontrolled crossing.…

Changes in the blood indicators and body condition of high yielding Holstein cows with retained placenta and ketosis

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Zenon Nogalski

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to determine the effect of changes in body condition in the dry period and the early lactation period on the incidence of retained placenta and ketosis in 94 high-yielding Holstein-Friesian cows. Body condition scoring was performed every two weeks from the beginning of the dry period until week 18 of lactation. Blood for the measuring of indicators of metabolism was sampled in weeks 1 and 2 ante partum and in weeks 1, 2, 3, 7 and 15 post partum. Retained placenta was reported in 11 cows, and ketosis was diagnosed in 18 animals. One week ante partum, the serum profile of cows diagnosed with ketosis during lactation revealed 0.52 mmol/l β-hydroxybutyric acid and 0.29 mmol/l non-esterified fatty acids on average. One week post partum, the serum profile of cows with ketosis revealed 1.59 mmol/l β-hydroxybutyric acid and 1.09 mmol/l non-esterified fatty acids and cows with retained placenta 1.65 and 1.41, respectively. From the week 5 ante partum to the point of lowest body condition the average body condition loss reached 1.4 points in cows with retained placenta, 1.1 points in cows with ketosis, and 0.8 points in healthy cows. Retained placenta and ketosis increased significantly conception rates by 0.47 and 0.50, respectively. Our results show that monitoring changes in the body condition and non-esterified fatty acids and β-hydroxybutyric acid blood levels in high-yielding cows in the transition period, followed by taking relevant disease-control measures, may be effective in reducing the incidence of retained placenta and ketosis in dairy cattle herds.

Effects of Drought Stress on Canola (Brassica napus L. Genotypes Yield and Yield Components

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R Khani

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction Canola (Brassica napus L. genotypes with wide adaptability to environmental conditions could play a major role in Iran’s oilseed crop production. Selection of high performing genotypes is very important for developing canola cultivation. Water stress can reduce crop yield by affecting both source and sink for assimilation. Canola yield depends on genotype and environmental conditions and response of genotypes to environmental factors. Canola genotypes response to stress depends on the developmental stage and the events occurring prior to and during flowering stage. Resistance to water stress is divided to avoidance and tolerance. Some species are tolerable against water stress. In a while, other species respond ending life cycle, falling leaves and other reactions into water stress. Therefore, investigation of canola genotypes response to water stress in phenological growth stages can be valuable in order to determine resistant or tolerant genotypes. Materials and Methods In order to study the effect of drought stress on canola genotypes yield and its components, an experiment was conducted in 2013-2014 as a split plot based on randomized complete block design with three replications at the research farm, Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center of East-Azarbaijan, Tabriz-Iran. Three levels of drought stress were considered as main plot (No-stress, stress at the flowering and pod setting growth stages and 18 canola genotypes including HW113, RS12, Karaj1, KR18, L73, L72, HW101, L146, L210, L183, SW101, L5, L201, HW118, KR4, Karaj2, Karaj3 and KS7 as subplots. Flood irrigation was scheduled at 50% field capacity, 30 and 30% field capacity for no-stress, stress at the flowering and pod setting growth stages, respectively; i.e. soil moisture capacity was maintained at 30% by irrigating to 100% field capacity when available moisture reached 30% in drought stress treatments. An ANOVA was conducted using the PROC-GLM procedure

Pulse radiolysis study on temperature and pressure dependence of the yield of solvated electron in methanol from room temperature to supercritical condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Zhenhui; He, Hui; Lin, Mingzhang; Muroya, Yusa; Katsumura, Yosuke

2012-09-01

A new concept of nuclear reactor, supercritical water-cooled reactor (SCWR), has been proposed, which is based on the success of the use of supercritical water (SCW) in fossil fuel power plants for more than three decades. This new concept reactor has advantages of higher thermal conversion efficiency, simplicity in structure, safety, etc, and it has been selected as one of the reactor concepts for the next generation nuclear reactor systems. In these reactors, the same as in boiling water reactors (BWR) and pressurized water reactors (PWR), water is used not only as a coolant but also as a moderator. It is very important to understand the behavior of the radiolysis products of water under the supercritical condition, since the water is exposed to a strong radiation field under very high temperature condition. Usually, in order to predict the concentrations of water decomposition products with carrying out some kinds of computer simulations, knowledge of the temperature and/or pressure dependent G-values (denoting the experimentally measured radiolytic yields) as well as of the rate constants of a set of reactions becomes very important. Therefore, in recent years, two groups from Argonne National Laboratory and The University of Tokyo, simultaneously conducted two projects aimed at obtaining basic data on radiolysis of SCW. However, it is still lack of reliable radiolytic yields of water decomposition products in very high temperature region. As we known, the properties of solvated electrons in polar liquid are very helpful for our understanding how they play a central role in many processes, such as solvation and reducing reactions. The solvated electron can also be used as a probe to determine the dynamic nature of the polar liquid systems. Comparing to water, the primary alcohols have much milder critical points, for example, for water and methanol, the critical temperature and pressure are 374 deg. C and 22.1 MPa and 239.5 deg. C and 8.1 MPa, respectively

Diurnal changes of photosynthetic quantum yield in the intertidal macroalga Sargassum thunbergii under simulated tidal emersion conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Yong Qiang; Zhang, Quan Sheng; Tang, Yong Zheng; Li, Xue Meng; Liu, Hong Liang; Li, Li Xia

2013-07-01

In this study, a three-way factorial experimental design was used to investigate the diurnal changes of photosynthetic activity of the intertidal macroalga Sargassum thunbergii in response to temperature, tidal pattern and desiccation during a simulated diurnal light cycle. The maximum (Fv/Fm) and effective (ΦPSII) quantum yields of photosystem II (PSII) were estimated by chlorophyll fluorescence using a pulse amplitude modulated fluorometer. Results showed that this species exhibited sun-adapted characteristics, as evidenced by the daily variation of Fv/Fm and ΦPSII. Both yield values decreased with increasing irradiance towards noon and recovered rapidly in the afternoon suggesting a dynamic photoinhibition. The photosynthetic quantum yield of S. thunbergii thalli varied significantly with temperature, tidal pattern and desiccation. Thalli were more susceptible to light-induced damage at high temperature of 25 °C and showed complete recovery of photosynthetic activity only when exposed to 8 °C. In contrast with the mid-morning low tide period, although there was an initial increase in photosynthetic yield during emersion, thalli showed a greater degree of decline at the end of emersion and remained less able to recover when low tide occurred at mid-afternoon. Short-term air exposure of 2 h did not significantly influence the photosynthesis. However, when exposed to moderate conditions (4 h desiccation at 15 °C or 6 h desiccation at 8 °C), a significant inhibition of photosynthesis was followed by partial or complete recovery upon re-immersion in late afternoon. Only extreme conditions (4 h desiccation at 25 °C or 6 h desiccation at 15 °C or 25 °C) resulted in the complete inhibition, with little indication of recovery until the following morning, implying the occurrence of chronic PSII damage. Based on the magnitude of effect, desiccation was the predominant negative factor affecting the photosynthesis under the simulated daytime irradiance period. These

Slope Controls Grain Yield and Climatic Yield in Mountainous Yunnan province, China

Science.gov (United States)

Duan, X.; Rong, L.; Gu, Z.; Feng, D.

2017-12-01

Mountainous regions are increasingly vulnerable to food insecurity because of limited arable land, growing population pressure, and climate change. Development of sustainable mountain agriculture will require an increased understanding of the effects of environmental factors on grain and climatic yields. The objective of this study was to explore the relationships between actual grain yield, climatic yield, and environmental factors in a mountainous region in China. We collected data on the average grain yield per unit area in 119 counties in Yunnan province from 1985 to 2012, and chose 17 environmental factors for the same period. Our results showed that actual grain yield ranged from 1.43 to 6.92 t·ha-1, and the climatic yield ranged from -0.15 to -0.01 t·ha-1. Lower climatic yield but higher grain yield was generally found in central areas and at lower slopes and elevations in the western and southwestern counties of Yunnan province. Higher climatic yield but lower grain yield were found in northwestern parts of Yunnan province on steep slopes. Annual precipation and temperature had a weak influence on the climatic yield. Slope explained 44.62 and 26.29% of the variation in grain yield and climatic yield. The effects of topography on grain and climatic yields were greater than climatic factors. Slope was the most important environmental variable for the variability in climatic and grain yields in the mountainous Yunnan province due to the highly heterogeneous topographic conditions. Conversion of slopes to terraces in areas with higher climatic yields is an effective way to maintain grain production in response to climate variability. Additionally, soil amendments and soil and water conservation measures should be considered to maintain soil fertility and aid in sustainable development in central areas, and in counties at lower slopes and elevations in western and southwestern Yunnan province.

Influence of rootstocks on growth, yield, fruit quality and leaf mineral element contents of pear cv. 'Santa Maria' in semi-arid conditions

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Ali Ikinci

2014-01-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Rootstocks play an essential role to determining orchard performance of fruit trees. Pyrus communisand Cydonia oblonga are widely used rootstocks for European pear cultivars. The lack of rootstocks adapted to different soil conditions and different grafted cultivars is widely acknowledged in pear culture. Cydonia rootstocks (clonal and Pyrus rootstocks (seedling or clonal have their advantages and disadvantages. In each case, site-specific environmental characteristics, specific cultivar response and production objectives must be considered before choosing the best rootstock. In this study, the influence of three Quince (BA 29, Quince A = MA, Quince C = MC and a local European pear seedling rootstocks on the scion yield, some fruit quality characteristics and leaf macro (N, P, K, Ca and Mg and micro element (Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn and B content of 'Santa Maria' pear (Pyrus communis L. were investigated. RESULTS: Trees on seedling rootstock had the highest annual yield, highest cumulative yield (kg tree−1, largest trunk cross-sectional area (TCSA, lowest yield efficiency and lowest cumulative yield (ton ha−1 in the 10th year after planting. The rootstocks had no significant effect on average fruit weight and fruit volume. Significantly higher fruit firmness was obtained on BA 29 and Quince A. The effect of rootstocks on the mineral element accumulation (N, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn and B was significant. Leaf analysis showed that rootstocks used had different mineral uptake efficiencies throughout the early season. CONCLUSION: The results showed that the rootstocks strongly affected fruit yield, fruit quality and leaf mineral element uptake of 'Santa Maria' pear cultivar. Pear seedling and BA 29 rootstock found to be more prominent in terms of several characteristics for 'Santa Maria' pear cultivar that is grown in highly calcareous soil in semi-arid climate conditions. We determined the highest N, P (although insignificant, K, Ca, Mg, Fe

Jodï horticultural belief, knowledge and practice: incipient or integral cultivation?

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Stanford Zent

2012-08-01

Full Text Available This paper describes the Jodï horticultural system, including belief, knowledge and practice aspects. The horticulturalpractices of the Jodï were previously characterized as ‘incipient cultivation’ but such practices were poorly described anddocumented. The antiquity of cultivation among this group is suggested by the prominence and significance of horticulturalproducts and techniques in myth and ritual. Our field observations uncovered a fairly sophisticated system of plantmanagement in swiddens, house gardens, trail gardens and natural forest gaps. An inventory of 67 cultivated plant specieswas documented, of which 36 are utilized for food, 20 for magical or medicinal purposes, and 11 for technology. The Jodïprolong the productive phase of their gardens for five years or more through successive planting-harvesting-replantingoperations. Jodï swiddens display an elaborate polycultivated appearance and they possess at least five principal crops:plantain/banana, maize, yams, sweet potato, and sweet manioc. Another distinctive feature is the extensive use of naturalgaps in the forest canopy as cultivation zones. The results of this study suggest that while Jodï horticultural practice iswell integrated with a nomadic, foraging-dependent lifestyle, nevertheless this system does not deserve to be labeled as‘incipient’ and instead is more integral than was recognized previously.

Climatic and technological ceilings for Chinese rice stagnation based on yield gaps and yield trend pattern analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Tianyi; Yang, Xiaoguang; Wang, Hesong; Li, Yong; Ye, Qing

2014-04-01

Climatic or technological ceilings could cause yield stagnation. Thus, identifying the principal reasons for yield stagnation within the context of the local climate and socio-economic conditions are essential for informing regional agricultural policies. In this study, we identified the climatic and technological ceilings for seven rice-production regions in China based on yield gaps and on a yield trend pattern analysis for the period 1980-2010. The results indicate that 54.9% of the counties sampled experienced yield stagnation since the 1980. The potential yield ceilings in northern and eastern China decreased to a greater extent than in other regions due to the accompanying climate effects of increases in temperature and decreases in radiation. This may be associated with yield stagnation and halt occurring in approximately 49.8-57.0% of the sampled counties in these areas. South-western China exhibited a promising scope for yield improvement, showing the greatest yield gap (30.6%), whereas the yields were stagnant in 58.4% of the sampled counties. This finding suggests that efforts to overcome the technological ceiling must be given priority so that the available exploitable yield gap can be achieved. North-eastern China, however, represents a noteworthy exception. In the north-central area of this region, climate change has increased the yield potential ceiling, and this increase has been accompanied by the most rapid increase in actual yield: 1.02 ton ha(-1) per decade. Therefore, north-eastern China shows a great potential for rice production, which is favoured by the current climate conditions and available technology level. Additional environmentally friendly economic incentives might be considered in this region. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

GENETIC ANALYSIS OF YIELD AND YIELD COMPONENTS IN ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ACSS

2017-11-16

Nov 16, 2017 ... used different genotypes and the environmental conditions under which their ... and Jinks (1971):. Y = m + aa + βd + a2aa + 2aβad +β2dd … .... /plant, 100-grain weight per plant and Grain yield per plant (g) of six generations in IET6279 X IR70445-146-3-. 3 cross. Traits. Generation. Mean. Standard. Range.

Effects of enhanced UVB on growth and yield of alfalfa (Medic ago Sativa L.) and soybean (Glycine max L.) under field conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Oudat, M.; Baydoun, S.A.; Mohamad, A.

1997-04-01

The effects of 20% increase of UVB on growth and yield of alfalfa (Medicago Sativa L.) and two cultivars of soybean (Glycine Max (L.) Mer) under field conditions have been investigated. The increase of UVB dose ranged between 1.746 and 7.112 J/cm 2 during experiment. The results showed that soybean yield decrease by 16% and 31% in A. 3803 and A. 2522 cultivars respectively, under UVB exposure. The dry weight and leaf area were sensitive in the A. 3803 cultivar, while they were tolerant in the A. 2522 cultivar. Alfalfa response to UVB varied during the different stages of growth, whereas the yield was 12% less in the exposed plants. (author). 21 refs., 17 tabs

Selenium Supplementation Affects Physiological and Biochemical Processes to Improve Fodder Yield and Quality of Maize (Zea mays L. under Water Deficit Conditions

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Fahim Nawaz

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Climate change is one of the most complex challenges that pose serious threats to livelihoods of poor people who rely heavily on agriculture and livestock particularly in climate-sensitive developing countries of the world. The negative effects of water scarcity, due to climate change, are not limited to productivity food crops but have far-reaching consequences on livestock feed production systems. Selenium (Se is considered essential for animal health and has also been reported to counteract various abiotic stresses in plants however, understanding of Se regulated mechanisms for improving nutritional status of fodder crops remains elusive. We report the effects of exogenous selenium (Se supply on physiological and biochemical processes that may influence green fodder yield and quality of maize (Zea mays L. under drought stress conditions. The plants were grown in lysimeter tanks under natural conditions and were subjected to normal (100% field capacity and water stress (60% field capacity conditions. Foliar spray of Se was carried out before the start of tasseling stage (65 days after sowing and was repeated after one week, whereas water spray was used as a control. Drought stress markedly reduced the water status, pigments and green fodder yield and resulted in low forage quality in water stressed maize plants. Nevertheless, exogenous Se application at 40 mg L-1 resulted in less negative leaf water potential (41% and enhanced relative water contents (30%, total chlorophyll (53%, carotenoid contents (60%, accumulation of total free amino acids (40% and activities of superoxide dismutase (53%, catalase (30%, peroxidase (27% and ascorbate peroxidase (27% with respect to control under water deficit conditions. Consequently, Se regulated processes improved fodder yield (15% and increased crude protein (47%, fibre (10%, nitrogen free extract (10% and Se content (36% but did not affect crude ash content in water stressed maize plants. We propose

Selenium Supplementation Affects Physiological and Biochemical Processes to Improve Fodder Yield and Quality of Maize (Zea mays L.) under Water Deficit Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Nawaz, Fahim; Naeem, Muhammad; Ashraf, Muhammad Y.; Tahir, Muhammad N.; Zulfiqar, Bilal; Salahuddin, Muhammad; Shabbir, Rana N.; Aslam, Muhammad

2016-01-01

Climate change is one of the most complex challenges that pose serious threats to livelihoods of poor people who rely heavily on agriculture and livestock particularly in climate-sensitive developing countries of the world. The negative effects of water scarcity, due to climate change, are not limited to productivity food crops but have far-reaching consequences on livestock feed production systems. Selenium (Se) is considered essential for animal health and has also been reported to counteract various abiotic stresses in plants, however, understanding of Se regulated mechanisms for improving nutritional status of fodder crops remains elusive. We report the effects of exogenous selenium supply on physiological and biochemical processes that may influence green fodder yield and quality of maize (Zea mays L.) under drought stress conditions. The plants were grown in lysimeter tanks under natural conditions and were subjected to normal (100% field capacity) and water stress (60% field capacity) conditions. Foliar spray of Se was carried out before the start of tasseling stage (65 days after sowing) and was repeated after 1 week, whereas, water spray was used as a control. Drought stress markedly reduced the water status, pigments and green fodder yield and resulted in low forage quality in water stressed maize plants. Nevertheless, exogenous Se application at 40 mg L-1 resulted in less negative leaf water potential (41%) and enhanced relative water contents (30%), total chlorophyll (53%), carotenoid contents (60%), accumulation of total free amino acids (40%) and activities of superoxide dismutase (53%), catalase (30%), peroxidase (27%), and ascorbate peroxidase (27%) with respect to control under water deficit conditions. Consequently, Se regulated processes improved fodder yield (15%) and increased crude protein (47%), fiber (10%), nitrogen free extract (10%) and Se content (36%) but did not affect crude ash content in water stressed maize plants. We propose that Se

Selenium Supplementation Affects Physiological and Biochemical Processes to Improve Fodder Yield and Quality of Maize (Zea mays L.) under Water Deficit Conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Nawaz, Fahim; Naeem, Muhammad; Ashraf, Muhammad Y; Tahir, Muhammad N; Zulfiqar, Bilal; Salahuddin, Muhammad; Shabbir, Rana N; Aslam, Muhammad

2016-01-01

Climate change is one of the most complex challenges that pose serious threats to livelihoods of poor people who rely heavily on agriculture and livestock particularly in climate-sensitive developing countries of the world. The negative effects of water scarcity, due to climate change, are not limited to productivity food crops but have far-reaching consequences on livestock feed production systems. Selenium (Se) is considered essential for animal health and has also been reported to counteract various abiotic stresses in plants, however, understanding of Se regulated mechanisms for improving nutritional status of fodder crops remains elusive. We report the effects of exogenous selenium supply on physiological and biochemical processes that may influence green fodder yield and quality of maize ( Zea mays L.) under drought stress conditions. The plants were grown in lysimeter tanks under natural conditions and were subjected to normal (100% field capacity) and water stress (60% field capacity) conditions. Foliar spray of Se was carried out before the start of tasseling stage (65 days after sowing) and was repeated after 1 week, whereas, water spray was used as a control. Drought stress markedly reduced the water status, pigments and green fodder yield and resulted in low forage quality in water stressed maize plants. Nevertheless, exogenous Se application at 40 mg L -1 resulted in less negative leaf water potential (41%) and enhanced relative water contents (30%), total chlorophyll (53%), carotenoid contents (60%), accumulation of total free amino acids (40%) and activities of superoxide dismutase (53%), catalase (30%), peroxidase (27%), and ascorbate peroxidase (27%) with respect to control under water deficit conditions. Consequently, Se regulated processes improved fodder yield (15%) and increased crude protein (47%), fiber (10%), nitrogen free extract (10%) and Se content (36%) but did not affect crude ash content in water stressed maize plants. We propose that

Improving yield and water productivity of maize grown under deficit-irrigated in dry area conditions

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Mohamed H. Abd el-wahed

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Scarcity of water is the most severe constraint for development of maize in arid and semi-arid areas. Based on the actual crop need, the irrigation management has to be improved so that the water supply to the crop can be reduced while still achieving high yield. Therefore, the current study has been organized to evaluate the effects of deficit sprinkler irrigation (DSI and farmyard manure (FYM on Grain yield (GY and crop water productivity (CWP of corn, a 2-year experiment was conducted in arid region of Libya. The DSI treatments were (I100 = 100%, I85 = 85% or I70 = 70% of the crop evapotranspiration. FYM treatments were (0, 10 ton ha−1 spread either on the soil surface, incorporated with surface or subsurface layer (FYM10s, FYM10m or FYM10ss, respectively and 20 ton ha−1 spread as before (FYM20s, FYM20m or FYM20ss, respectively. Results indicated that the highest values of grain yield (GY were obtained from I100 treatment, while the lowest were observed in I70. FYM20ss enhanced GY than other FYM treatments in both seasons. The highest GY and CWP were recorded with I100 and received FYM20ss. It could be considered as a suitable under arid environmental conditions and similar regions, the treatment (I100 × FYM20ss is the most suitable for producing high GY and CWP. Under limited irrigation water, application of (I85 ×FYM20ss treatment was found to be favorable to save 15% of the applied irrigation water, at the time in which produced the same GY.

Growth conditions for the biomass yield of two methanol utilizing yeast spp. , Candida sp. and Rhodotorula sp

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hong, S.W.

1976-01-01

More than 580 MeOH utilizing yeasts were isolated from samples collected throughout South Korea. Of these, 2 strains showed good biomass yield and were selected and tentatively identified as Candida melinii and Rhodotorula glutinis glutinis. Experiments on growth conditions for these 2 species were performed. Optimum pH was 2.6 for Candida, 5.2 for Rhodotorula, and the temperature optimum was 28 to 30/sup 0/ for both. Maximum biomass yield was 4.32 g/L for Candida and 4.2l g/L for Rhodotorula. Optimum concentrations were (NH/sub 4/)/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ 0.3%, Mg/sup +/ 400 ppM, Fe/sup +/ 10 to 15 ppM for Candida and (NH/sub 4/)/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ 0.3% Mg/sup +/ 600 ppM Ca/sup +/ 2 ppM for Rhodotorula. Biotin stimulated Candida. Protein contents of the dry cell biomass were 39.3% in Candida and 44.0% in Rhodotorula.

Increased sbpase activity improves photosynthesis and grain yield in wheat grown in greenhouse conditions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Driever, Steven M.; Simkin, Andrew J.; Alotaibi, Saqer; Fisk, Stuart J.; Madgwick, Pippa J.; Sparks, Caroline A.; Jones, Huw D.; Lawson, Tracy; Parry, Martin A.J.; Raines, Christine A.

2017-01-01

To meet the growing demand for food, substantial improvements in yields are needed. This is particularly the case for wheat, where global yield has stagnated in recent years. Increasing photosynthesis has been identified as a primary target to achieve yield improvements. To increase leaf

Toward a Satellite-Based System of Sugarcane Yield Estimation and Forecasting in Smallholder Farming Conditions: A Case Study on Reunion Island

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Julien Morel

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Estimating sugarcane biomass is difficult to achieve when working with highly variable spatial distributions of growing conditions, like on Reunion Island. We used a dataset of in-farm fields with contrasted climatic conditions and farming practices to compare three methods of yield estimation based on remote sensing: (1 an empirical relationship method with a growing season-integrated Normalized Difference Vegetation Index NDVI, (2 the Kumar-Monteith efficiency model, and (3 a forced-coupling method with a sugarcane crop model (MOSICAS and satellite-derived fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation. These models were compared with the crop model alone and discussed to provide recommendations for a satellite-based system for the estimation of yield at the field scale. Results showed that the linear empirical model produced the best results (RMSE = 10.4 t∙ha−1. Because this method is also the simplest to set up and requires less input data, it appears that it is the most suitable for performing operational estimations and forecasts of sugarcane yield at the field scale. The main limitation is the acquisition of a minimum of five satellite images. The upcoming open-access Sentinel-2 Earth observation system should overcome this limitation because it will provide 10-m resolution satellite images with a 5-day frequency.

Enhancing inulinase yield by irradiation mutation associated with optimization of culture conditions

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Yafeng Gou

2015-09-01

Full Text Available A new inulinase-producing strain was isolated from rhizosphere soils of Jerusalem artichoke collected from Shihezi (Xinjiang, China using Jerusalem artichoke power (JAP as sole carbon source. It was identified as an Aspergillus niger strain by analysis of 16S rRNA. To improve inulinase production, this fungus was subjected to mutagenesis induced by 60Co γ-irradiation. A genetically stable mutant (designated E12 was obtained and it showed 2.7-fold higher inulinase activity (128 U/mL than the parental strain in the supernatant of a submerged culture. Sequential methodology was used to optimize the inulinase production of stain E12. A screening trial was first performed using Plackett-Burman design and variables with statistically significant effects on inulinase bio-production were identified. These significant factors were further optimized by central composite design experiments and response surface methodology. Finally, it was found that the maximum inulinase production (185 U/mL could be achieved under the optimized conditions namely pH 7.0, yeast extract concentration of 5.0 g/L, JAP concentration of 66.5 g/L, peptone concentration of 29.1 g/L, solution volume of 49.4 mL in 250-mL shake flasks, agitation speed of 180 rpm, and fermentation time of 60 h. The yield of inulinase under optimized culture conditions was approximately 1.4-fold of that obtained by using basal culture medium. These findings are of significance for the potential industrial application of the mutant E12.

Effect of low doses gamma irradiation on the yield of cucumber grown under field and protected conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Oudat, M.; Ayyoubi, Z.; Razzouk, A.K.

1994-08-01

Presowing seed irradiation has been reported as a useful application of radiation in agriculture to stimulate growth and increase the yield of certain field crops. To the best of our knowledge the feasibility of this treatment has not yet been tested on cucumber in Syria. Our experiments were carried out in field and greenhouse conditions. Two experiments were under field conditions, the first at Der-El-Hajar (Unfertile soil with high mean temperature), and the second at Khan-El-Sheeh (fertile soil with lower mean temperature), in these two experiments local variety was used. The third experiment was under greenhouse condition using two varieties, F1 Hybrid Taha and Sahara. Samples of air dried seeds of previous season were irradiated by gamma rays from a 60 Co source using doses of 2, 3, 4, 5, 7.5, 10 and 15 Gy at dose rate of 0.8 Gy/min. Seeds were planted after two days from irradiation and replicated 4 times. The data revealed that gamma irradiation at interval doses of 3-7.5 Gy led to increase the number of leaves and plant height. The radiation treatment had stimulating effects on earliness especially for doses of 4-7.5 Gy in Khan-El-Sheeh (14-31%) and 7.5 Gy in Der-El-Hajar (28%). In greenhouse dose of 2-4 Gy and 2-7.5 Gy stimulate the earliness by 12-36% and 11-18% for Sahara and Taha varieties respectively. The results of total yield (as well as fruits number) were significantly increased when doses of 7.5 Gy in Der-El-Hajar (25%) and 4 and 5 Gy in Khan-El-Sheeh (28-30%). The optimum doses in greenhouse condition ranged between 32-4 Gy for Taha var. and 4-5 Gy for Sahara var., and the percentage of increment was 19 and 16% respectively. In view of all above mentioned results, the use of radiation might be recommended as easy tool for seed treatment to stimulate earliness and increase productivity of cucumber. (author). 17 refs., 23 tabs

Experimental-theoretical approach to carbon monoxide density calculation at the incipient stage of the fire indoors

Science.gov (United States)

Puzach, S. V.; Suleykin, E. V.; Akperov, R. G.; Nguyen, T. D.

2017-11-01

A new experimental-theoretical approach to the toxic gases concentrations assessment in case of fire indoors is offered. The analytical formulas for calculation of CO average volume density are received. These formulas do not contain the geometrical sizes of the room and surfaces dimensions of combustible materials and, therefore, are valid under conditions of as a small-scale fire as a large-scale fire. A small-scale experimental installation for modeling fire thermal and gas dynamics in the closed or open thermodynamic system has been designed. The results of the experiments on determining dependencies of CO average volume density from average volume temperature and oxygen average volume density as well as dependencies of specific coefficients of CO emission and specific mass rates of the combustible material gasification from the time of tests during the burning of wood, transformer oil and PVC cables shield are presented. The results of numerical experiments on CO density calculation in small and large scale rooms using the proposed analytical solutions, integral, zone and field models for calculation of fire thermal and gas dynamics are presented. The comparison with the experimental data obtained by the authors and given in the literature has been performed. It is shown that CO density calculation in the full-scale room at the incipient stage of the fire can be carried out taking into account only the experimental dependences of CO from temperature or O2 density, that have been obtained from small-scale experiments. Therefore the solution of the equation of carbon monoxide mass conservation law is not necessary.

Effect of the Characters of Chitosans Used and Regeneration Conditions on the Yield and Physicochemical Characteristics of Regenerated Products

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Chu Hsi Hsu

2015-04-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to explore the effect of the character of chitosans used, and the regeneration conditions employed on, the yield and physicochemical characteristics of regenerated products. Different concentrations of acetic acid were used to dissolve chitosans of 61.7% and 94.9% degree of deacetylation (DD, and weight-average molecular weight (Mw of 176 and 97 kDa, respectively; they were then precipitated with an 8 N NaOH solution, followed by washing and neutral and freeze drying to get the regenerated products. Yields of regenerated products and their physicochemical properties, such as ash content, bulk density, Mw, polydispersity index (PDI, DD, and crystallinity were measured. A higher concentration of acetic acid used resulted in a higher yield. The purity of the regenerated product increased significantly, whereas the bulk density and crystallinity decreased significantly after regeneration. The regeneration process showed its merits of narrowing down the PDI of regenerated products. The DD and structure of chitosan was changed insignificantly after the regeneration process.

Growth and Yield Responses of Green Pepper (Capsicum annum L. to Manure Rates under Field and High Tunnel Conditions

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Ima-obong I. DOMINIC

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The present study was conducted to determine growth and yield responses of green pepper to varying manure rates under field and high tunnel conditions. Experiment 1 was a pot experiment to evaluate three rates (0.5 and 10 t/ha of poultry manure (PM on green pepper production under high tunnel and open field conditions. Experiment 2 was to determine the performance of green pepper as influenced by different manure rates (0, 5 and 10 t/ha of PM, 300 kg/ha of NPK, 5 t/ha of PM + 200 kg of NPK and 10 t/ha of PM + 100 kg of NPK on the field. High tunnel produced about 3.1 fruits/plant that weighted 102.8 g, which was significantly higher than open field experiment in which 1.7 fruits/plant, with a medium weight of 32.3 g were noted. High tunnel enhanced successful production of green pepper during rainy season, whereas the open field production during the same season was near failure. Application of 10 t/ha of PM produced significantly larger fruits in the pot experiment. Good fertilizer effects on growth and yield components were recorded for the field study. Plant height, number of leaves and branches, number and weight of harvested fruit followed similar trend in 5 and 10 t/ha of PM which gave statistically similar results, and provided the best performance during the experiment. Application of 5 t/ha of PM produced the highest total fruits yield.

Evaluation of Low Pressure Fogging System for Improving Crop Yield of Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.: Grown under Heat Stress Conditions

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Kobi Shilo

2013-06-01

Full Text Available In Mediterranean regions, many tomato plants are grown throughout the hot summer period (May–September in sheltered cultivation, mainly for plant protection reasons. Most of the shelters that are used are low cost net houses covered with 50 mesh insect proof net. In most cases these net houses have a flat roof and no ventilation or climate control measures. This insufficient ventilation during the hot summer leads to above optimal air temperatures and causes moderate heat stress inside the shelters, which leads to yield reduction. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of a simple and inexpensive low pressure fogging system installed in a naturally ventilated net house to lower temperatures and improve the yield during the summer. The study showed that in areas where relative air humidity (RH during the daytime is less than 60%, tomato plants improved their performance when grown through the summer in net houses under moderate heat stress. Under fogging conditions pollen grain viability and fruit set were significantly improved. This improvement influenced the yield picked during September (104–136 DAP. However, total seasonal yield was not affected by the fogging treatment.

Effects of Irrigation and Nitrogen Application Rates on Yield and Yield Components of Corn, Sesame and Sugar beet in Mashhad Climatic Condition

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R Heydari Pour

2015-07-01

Full Text Available In many crops, incorrect management of nitrogen and water is one of the most important factors in the resources productivity such as water and nitrogen. In order to evaluate the effects of different nitrogen levels (zero, 50, 100 and 150 kg ha-1 and irrigation application rates (100, 75 and 50% of water requirement per species on corn, sesame and sugar beet, three separate experiments was conducted in Agricultural Research Station of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran, in 2009-2010 growing season. Three separate experiments were arranged by strip plots in randomized complete block design, with three replications. The results showed that effect of irrigation application rates on biological yield and grain number per ear and interaction effects of water × nitrogen on plant height, 100 grain weight and grain yield of corn was significant. With decreasing irrigation over 25 % water requirements, the highest grain yield (4.93 ton ha-1 in corn observed by applying nitrogen equal to 50 kg.ha-1. In addition, the highest maize yield (9.41 ton.ha-1 in mentioned was obtained by supplying 100 % water requirements. Effects of Irrigation levels on plant height and the interaction effects of water × nitrogen on 1000 grain weight in sesame was significant. Under no water stress, the highest grain yield (1.22 ton ha-1 in sesame was obtained with applying 50kg nitrogen per ha. With supplying 75% water requirements plus 50 kg nitrogen per hactar, maximum yield of sesame (820 kg ha-1 was obtained. Results of this study indicated that interaction between studied factors had insignificant effect on economic and biological yield in sugar beet. With supplying 25% water requirements plus 50 kg nitrogen per ha, maximum yield of sugar beet (58.37 ton ha-1 was achieved. It seems that suitable nitrogen management can be considered as approach in optimize the water consuming.

Effect of Zeolite, Selenium and Silicon on Yield, Yield Components and Some Physiological Traits of Canola under Salt Stress Conditions

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A Bybordi

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction Canola can be cultivated in large areas of the country due to its specific characteristics such as suitable composition of the fatty acids, its germination ability under low temperature, as well as its good compatibility with different climates. Canola is a high demanding crop in terms of fertilizers so that it uptakes considerable amount of nutrients from the soil during the growing season. Canola cultivation in poor soils or application of imbalanced fertilizers, especially nitrogen, can reduce qualitaty and quantity of final yield. On the other hand, salinity is known as one of the major limiting factors in canola production. Therefore, the aim of this study is the application of zeolite, selenium and silicon treatments to amend soil and increasing salinity tolerance in canola. Materials and Methods In order to study the effect of soil applied zeolite and foliar application of selenium and silicon on yield, yield components and some physiological traits of canola grown under salinity stress, a factorial experiment in randomized complete block design was conducted in Agriculture and Natural Resource Research Center in East Azerbaijan during 2011-2013 cropping seasons. Zeolite was applied at three levels (0, 5 and 10 ton ha-1 and foliar selenium and silicon were applied at three levels as well (each one zero, 2 and 4 g l-1. For this purpose, seedbed was prepared using plow and disk and then plot were designed. Canola seeds, cultivar Okapi, were sown in sandy loam soil with 4 dS.m-1 salinity at the depth of 2-3 cm. Irrigation was performed using local well based on 60% field capacity using the closed irrigation system. Potassium selentae and potassium silicate were used for selenium and silicon treatments. Treatments at rosette and stem elongation stages were sprayed on plants using a calibrated pressurized backpack sprayer. At flowering stage, photosynthesis rate was recorded. Then leaf samples were randomly collected to assay

Genetic correlations among body condition score, yield, and fertility in first-parity cows estimated by random regression models.

Science.gov (United States)

Veerkamp, R F; Koenen, E P; De Jong, G

2001-10-01

Twenty type classifiers scored body condition (BCS) of 91,738 first-parity cows from 601 sires and 5518 maternal grandsires. Fertility data during first lactation were extracted for 177,220 cows, of which 67,278 also had a BCS observation, and first-lactation 305-d milk, fat, and protein yields were added for 180,631 cows. Heritabilities and genetic correlations were estimated using a sire-maternal grandsire model. Heritability of BCS was 0.38. Heritabilities for fertility traits were low (0.01 to 0.07), but genetic standard deviations were substantial, 9 d for days to first service and calving interval, 0.25 for number of services, and 5% for first-service conception. Phenotypic correlations between fertility and yield or BCS were small (-0.15 to 0.20). Genetic correlations between yield and all fertility traits were unfavorable (0.37 to 0.74). Genetic correlations with BCS were between -0.4 and -0.6 for calving interval and days to first service. Random regression analysis (RR) showed that correlations changed with days in milk for BCS. Little agreement was found between variances and correlations from RR, and analysis including a single month (mo 1 to 10) of data for BCS, especially during early and late lactation. However, this was due to excluding data from the conventional analysis, rather than due to the polynomials used. RR and a conventional five-traits model where BCS in mo 1, 4, 7, and 10 was treated as a separate traits (plus yield or fertility) gave similar results. Thus a parsimonious random regression model gave more realistic estimates for the (co)variances than a series of bivariate analysis on subsets of the data for BCS. A higher genetic merit for yield has unfavorable effects on fertility, but the genetic correlation suggests that BCS (at some stages of lactation) might help to alleviate the unfavorable effect of selection for higher yield on fertility.

Onset of a nucleate boiling and incipient point of net vapor generation in narrow channel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hong, G.

2014-01-01

An experimental study on onset of nucleate boiling (ONB) and incipient point of net vapor generation (IPNVG) in narrow rectangular channel was presented. Flow direction in the channel was vertical upward. The experimental results indicate that the classical correlations of ONB for conventional channels were not suitable for the present narrow rectangular channel. The wall superheat needed to initiate boiling is found to be higher for the same given values of heat and mass flux. The experimental results of IPNVG indicate that the heat flux, triggering net vapor generation in narrow rectangular channel, is litter lower than that calculated by correlations for conventional channels. The relative prediction error of qIPNVG by Griffith model, Saha model and Sun model ranges from -17.9% to +9.6%. A new correlation was developed to predict the ONB in narrow rectangular channel. The proposed correlation predictions agreed well with the experimental data. (author)

Effect of Mycorrhiza Symbiosis on Yield, Yield Components and Water Use Efficiency of Sesame (Sesamum indicum L. Affected by Different Irrigation Regimes in Mashhad Condition

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A Koocheki

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction Plant association with mycorrhiza has been considered as one of the options to improve input efficiency particularly for water and nutrient - (Allen and Musik, 1993; Bolan, 1991. This has been due to kncreasing the absorbing area of the root and therefore better contact with water and nutrients. Inoculation with mycorrhiza enhances nutrient uptake with low immobility such as phosphorus and solphur-, improve association and could be an option to drought and other environmental abnormalities such as salinity (Rice et al., 2002. Moreover, higher water use efficiency (WUE for crops -has been reported in the literatures (Sekhara and Reddy, 1993.The sustainable use of scarce water resources in Iran is a priority for agricultural development. The pressure of using water in agriculture sector is increasing, so creating ways to improve water-use efficiency and taking a full advantage of available water are crucial. Water stress reduce crop yield by impairing the growth of crop canopy and biomass. Scheduling water application is very crucial for efficient use of drip irrigation system, as excessive irrigation reduces yield, while inadequate irrigation causes water stress and reduces production. The aim of present study was to evaluate the symbiotic effect of mycorrhiza on yield, yield components and water use efficiency of sesame under different irrigation regimes in Mashhad. Material and Methods In order to investigate the impact of inoculation with two species of Arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi on yield, yield components and water use efficiency (WUE of sesame (Sesamum indicum L. under different irrigation regimes, an experiment was conducted as split plot based on a randomized complete block design with three replications during two growing seasons 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 at the Agricultural Research Station, College of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad.. The experimental factors were three irrigation regimes include 2000, 3000 and

WATER DEFICIT EFFECT ON YIELD AND FORAGE QUALITY OF MEDICAGO SATIVA POPULATIONS UNDER FIELD CONDITIONS IN MARRAKESH AREA (MOROCCO

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Mohamed FARISSI

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The present study focused the effect of water deficit on agronomic potential and some traits related to forage quality in plants of Moroccan Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. populations (Taf 1, Taf 2, Dem and Tata originated from Oasis and High Atlas of Morocco and an introduced variety from Australia (Siriver. The experiment was conducted under field conditions in experimental station of INRA-Marrakech and under two irrigation treatments. The first treatment was normal irrigation, providing an amount of water corresponding to the potential evapo-transpiration of the crop, and the second treatment was water deficit stress (one irrigation per cut. For each treatment, the experiment was conducted as a split plot based on a randomized complete block design with four replications. The plants were measured and analyzed over three cuts. Some agronomic traits as, plant height, fresh and dry forage yields were measured. The forage quality was evaluated by leaf:stem ratio and the contents of plants in proteins and nitrogen. The results indicated that the water deficit has negatively affected the plant height and forage yield. The decrease in leaf:stem ratio was observed under water deficit conditions. However, the proteins and nitrogen contents were unaffected. The behavior of tested alfalfa genotypes was significantly different. The Moroccan alfalfa populations were more adapted to water deficit conditions comparatively to Siriver variety and the Tata population was the most adapted one.

Determining the Threshold Value of Basil Yield Reduction and Evaluation of Water Uptake Models under Salinity Stress Condition

OpenAIRE

M. Sarai Tabrizi; H. Babazadeh; M. Homaee; F. Kaveh Kaveh; M. Parsinejad

2016-01-01

Introduction: Several mathematical models are being used for assessing the plant response to the salinity of the root zone. The salinity of the soil and water resources is a major challenge for agricultural sector in Iran. Several mathematical models have been developed for plant responses to the salinity stress. However, these models are often applicable in particular conditions. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the threshold value of Basil yield reduction, modeling Basil respon...

Local conditions for the Pauli potential in order to yield self-consistent electron densities exhibiting proper atomic shell structure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Finzel, Kati, E-mail: kati.finzel@liu.se [Linköpings University, IFM Department of Physics, 58183 Linköping (Sweden)

2016-01-21

The local conditions for the Pauli potential that are necessary in order to yield self-consistent electron densities from orbital-free calculations are investigated for approximations that are expressed with the help of a local position variable. It is shown that those local conditions also apply when the Pauli potential is given in terms of the electron density. An explicit formula for the Ne atom is given, preserving the local conditions during the iterative procedure. The resulting orbital-free electron density exhibits proper shell structure behavior and is in close agreement with the Kohn-Sham electron density. This study demonstrates that it is possible to obtain self-consistent orbital-free electron densities with proper atomic shell structure from simple one-point approximations for the Pauli potential at local density level.

Evidence of Incipient Forest Transition in Southern Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Vaca, Raúl Abel; Golicher, Duncan John; Cayuela, Luis; Hewson, Jenny; Steininger, Marc

2012-01-01

Case studies of land use change have suggested that deforestation across Southern Mexico is accelerating. However, forest transition theory predicts that trajectories of change can be modified by economic factors, leading to spatial and temporal heterogeneity in rates of change that may take the form of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC). This study aimed to assess the evidence regarding potential forest transition in Southern Mexico by classifying regional forest cover change using Landsat imagery from 1990 through to 2006. Patterns of forest cover change were found to be complex and non-linear. When rates of forest loss were averaged over 342 municipalities using mixed-effects modelling the results showed a significant (p<0.001) overall reduction of the mean rate of forest loss from 0.85% per year in the 1990–2000 period to 0.67% in the 2000–2006 period. The overall regional annual rate of deforestation has fallen from 0.33% to 0.28% from the 1990s to 2000s. A high proportion of the spatial variability in forest cover change cannot be explained statistically. However analysis using spline based general additive models detected underlying relationships between forest cover and income or population density of a form consistent with the EKC. The incipient forest transition has not, as yet, resulted in widespread reforestation. Forest recovery remains below 0.20% per year. Reforestation is mostly the result of passive processes associated with reductions in the intensity of land use. Deforestation continues to occur at high rates in some focal areas. A transition could be accelerated if there were a broader recognition among policy makers that the regional rate of forest loss has now begun to fall. The changing trajectory provides an opportunity to actively restore forest cover through stimulating afforestation and stimulating more sustainable land use practices. The results have clear implications for policy aimed at carbon sequestration through reducing

Evidence of incipient forest transition in Southern Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Vaca, Raúl Abel; Golicher, Duncan John; Cayuela, Luis; Hewson, Jenny; Steininger, Marc

2012-01-01

Case studies of land use change have suggested that deforestation across Southern Mexico is accelerating. However, forest transition theory predicts that trajectories of change can be modified by economic factors, leading to spatial and temporal heterogeneity in rates of change that may take the form of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC). This study aimed to assess the evidence regarding potential forest transition in Southern Mexico by classifying regional forest cover change using Landsat imagery from 1990 through to 2006. Patterns of forest cover change were found to be complex and non-linear. When rates of forest loss were averaged over 342 municipalities using mixed-effects modelling the results showed a significant (p<0.001) overall reduction of the mean rate of forest loss from 0.85% per year in the 1990-2000 period to 0.67% in the 2000-2006 period. The overall regional annual rate of deforestation has fallen from 0.33% to 0.28% from the 1990s to 2000s. A high proportion of the spatial variability in forest cover change cannot be explained statistically. However analysis using spline based general additive models detected underlying relationships between forest cover and income or population density of a form consistent with the EKC. The incipient forest transition has not, as yet, resulted in widespread reforestation. Forest recovery remains below 0.20% per year. Reforestation is mostly the result of passive processes associated with reductions in the intensity of land use. Deforestation continues to occur at high rates in some focal areas. A transition could be accelerated if there were a broader recognition among policy makers that the regional rate of forest loss has now begun to fall. The changing trajectory provides an opportunity to actively restore forest cover through stimulating afforestation and stimulating more sustainable land use practices. The results have clear implications for policy aimed at carbon sequestration through reducing

Evidence of incipient forest transition in Southern Mexico.

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Raúl Abel Vaca

Full Text Available Case studies of land use change have suggested that deforestation across Southern Mexico is accelerating. However, forest transition theory predicts that trajectories of change can be modified by economic factors, leading to spatial and temporal heterogeneity in rates of change that may take the form of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC. This study aimed to assess the evidence regarding potential forest transition in Southern Mexico by classifying regional forest cover change using Landsat imagery from 1990 through to 2006. Patterns of forest cover change were found to be complex and non-linear. When rates of forest loss were averaged over 342 municipalities using mixed-effects modelling the results showed a significant (p<0.001 overall reduction of the mean rate of forest loss from 0.85% per year in the 1990-2000 period to 0.67% in the 2000-2006 period. The overall regional annual rate of deforestation has fallen from 0.33% to 0.28% from the 1990s to 2000s. A high proportion of the spatial variability in forest cover change cannot be explained statistically. However analysis using spline based general additive models detected underlying relationships between forest cover and income or population density of a form consistent with the EKC. The incipient forest transition has not, as yet, resulted in widespread reforestation. Forest recovery remains below 0.20% per year. Reforestation is mostly the result of passive processes associated with reductions in the intensity of land use. Deforestation continues to occur at high rates in some focal areas. A transition could be accelerated if there were a broader recognition among policy makers that the regional rate of forest loss has now begun to fall. The changing trajectory provides an opportunity to actively restore forest cover through stimulating afforestation and stimulating more sustainable land use practices. The results have clear implications for policy aimed at carbon sequestration through

The Effect of Mycorrhizal Inoculation of Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L. on its Yield and Some Physiological Characteristics Under Drought Conditions

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Madineh Bijhani

2015-11-01

Full Text Available To study the effects of mycorrhizal inoculation of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L. plants and on its growth and yield under drought stress conditions a greenhouse experiment was carried out in split plot using a randomized complete block design at Zabol University green house in 2013. Treatments were three drought stresses: control, mild stress and severe stress (70, 50 and 30% FC assigned to main plots, and three species of mycorrhizal treatments (Glomus intraradices, G. versiform, G. mosseae and non-inoculation as control to sub-plots. The effects of drought on all traits under study were significant, and reduced number of leaves per plant, plant height, root length, chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll by 15.6, 7.6, 10.7, 2.5 and 8.4 % and increased proline and carbohydrates by 38.6 and 17.7 % as compared with the control. Mycorrhizal treatments did not affect the amount of carbohydrates and proline content significantly. Interaction of mycorrhiza and drought stress was significant on grain yield, chlorophyll a and total chlorophyll. Among the mycorrhizal strains G. mosseae affected the traits significantly under drought conditions. The results suggested that mycorrhizal treatments of plants at different drought stresses could improve grain yield of fenugreek and reduce the negative effects of drought by increasing photosynthetic pigments and other quantitative and qualitative traits.

Modulating the phenology and yield of camelina sativa L. by varying sowing dates under water deficit stress conditions

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Ejaz Ahmad Waraich

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Camelina (Camelina sativa L. an oilseed crop has emerged as a potential source for biofuels and bio-products. Camelina is an economic crop due to its less requirements of agronomic inputs as compared to other oilseed crops. However, it is direly required to evaluate the adaptability of camelina and characterize its production potential. Therefore, a pot experiment was carried out in rain out shelter at the Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan to optimize appropriate sowing date with respect to growth and yield potential of different genotypes of camelina under drought stress. Completely randomized design with factorial arrangements was adopted. Three sowing dates with the difference of 10 days (November 13 th, 23rd and December 03rd, two water regimes (100% FC and 60% FC and two camlena genotypes (611 and 618 were used in this experiment. Results indicated that camelina growth and yield related traits were significantly influenced by difference in sowing dates and water regimes. Maximum leaf area index (LAI, crop growth rate (CGR, leaf area duration (LAD, net assimilation rate (NAR and yield related traits were recorded with early sowing (13th November which was followed by sowing on 23rd November and least values of these variables were recorded in late sowing (December 03rd. Plants grown under water deficit conditions (60% FC showed the decreased values of LAI, CGR, LAD, NAR and yield related attributes as compared to normally irrigated plants (100% FC. However, the response of genotypes of camelina 611 and 618 remained statistically similar to each other.

The effect of the operation conditions and the extraction techniques on the yield, kinetics and composition of methanol extracts of Hieracium pilosella L.

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Stanojević Ljiljana P.

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The optimal operational extraction conditions were determined by investigating the influence of the methanol concentration, solvomodule and temperature of the maceration extraction on the yield and kinetics of total extractive matter, chlorogenic acid, umbelliferone and apigenin-7-O-glucoside from Hieracium pilosella L. Based on the results of Soxhlet and Tillepape extraction kinetics investigations of the total extractive matter and the components under the optimal maceration operation conditions it was found that the highest yields of the extractive matter and investigated bioactive components extracted from the dry plant material were obtained by using the Soxhlet extraction method. The contents of chlorogenic acid, umbelliferone and apigenin-7-O-glucoside in the extracts were determined by HPLC method. Chlorogenic acid is the component with the highest share in all the extracts.

Inter and intra row spring effects on growth, seeds yield and oil contents of white mustard (snapis alba L.) under rainfed conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arif, M.; Shehzad, M.A.; Mushtaq, S.

2012-01-01

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of different plant densities on growth and yield of white mustard during Rabi 2008-09 under rain fed conditions. Three plant spacing (5, 10 and 15 cm) and three row spacing (10, 20 and 30 cm) were applied during the course of study. Results indicated that plant density has significant effects on growth, seed yield and oil contents of white mustard. Number of pods per plant (2002), number of seeds per pod (4.67), 1000 seed weight (5.02 g), oil contents (32.21 %) and fatty acids except linoleic acid significantly increased by increasing plant spacing due to less competition among plants for moisture, light and nutrients. The maximum plant height (148.9 cm) was with 10 X 20 cm/sup -1/ spacing. Maximum seed yield (2046 kg ha) was recorded for row spacing 15 cm where plants were spaced 10 cm within rows. At higher plant density, the overall seed yield of white mustard increased with increasing number of pods per plant. Thus, it is concluded that white mustard should be grown at 150 cm grids for higher yield output. (author)

Inter and intra row spacing effects on growth, seed yield and oil contents of white mustard (sinapis alba l.) under rainfed conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arif, M.; Shehzad, M.A.

2012-01-01

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of different plant densities on growth and yield of white mustard during Rabi 2008-09 under rain fed conditions. Three plant spacing (5, 10 and 15 cm) and three row spacing (10, 20 and 30 cm) were applied during the course of study. Results indicated that plant density has significant effects on growth, seed yield and oil contents of white mustard. Number of pods per plant (2002), number of seeds per pod (4.67), 1000 seed weight (5.02 g), oil contents (32.21 %) and fatty acids except linoleic acid significantly increased by increasing plant spacing due to less competition among plants for moisture, light and nutrients. The maximum plant height (148.9 cm) was with 10 X 20 cm spacing. Maximum seed yield (2046 kg ha/sup -1/) was recorded for row spacing 15 cm where plants were spaced 10 cm within rows. At higher plant density, the overall seed yield of white mustard increased with increasing number of pods per plant. Thus, it is concluded that white mustard should be grown at 150 cm grids for higher yield output. (author)

Incipient speciation driven by hypertrophied lips in Midas cichlid fishes?

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Machado-Schiaffino, Gonzalo; Kautt, Andreas F; Torres-Dowdall, Julian; Baumgarten, Lukas; Henning, Frederico; Meyer, Axel

2017-04-01

Sympatric speciation has been debated in evolutionary biology for decades. Although it has gained in acceptance recently, still only a handful of empirical examples are seen as valid (e.g. crater lake cichlids). In this study, we disentangle the role of hypertrophied lips in the repeated adaptive radiations of Nicaraguan crater lake cichlid fish. We assessed the role of disruptive selection and assortative mating during the early stages of divergence and found a functional trade-off in feeding behaviour between thick- and thin-lipped ecotypes, suggesting that this trait is a target of disruptive selection. Thick-lipped fish perform better on nonevasive prey at the cost of a poorer performance on evasive prey. Using enclosures in the wild, we found that thick-lipped fish perform significantly better in rocky than in sandy habitats. We found almost no mixed pairs during two breeding seasons and hence significant assortative mating. Genetic differentiation between ecotypes seems to be related to the time since colonization, being subtle in L. Masaya (1600 generations ago) and absent in the younger L. Apoyeque (<600 generations ago). Genome-wide differentiation between ecotypes was higher in the old source lakes than in the young crater lakes. Our results suggest that hypertrophied lips might be promoting incipient sympatric speciation through divergent selection (ecological divergence in feeding performance) and nonrandom mating (assortative mating) in the young Nicaraguan crater lakes. Nonetheless, further manipulative experiments are needed in order to confirm the role of hypertrophied lips as the main cue for assortative mating. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Incipient microphase separation in short chain perfluoropolyether-block-poly(ethylene oxide) copolymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Chintapalli, Mahati; Timachova, Ksenia; Olson, Kevin R; Banaszak, Michał; Thelen, Jacob L; Mecham, Sue J; DeSimone, Joseph M; Balsara, Nitash P

2017-06-07

Incipient microphase separation is observed by wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) in short chain multiblock copolymers consisting of perfluoropolyether (PFPE) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) segments. Two PFPE-PEO block copolymers were studied; one with dihydroxyl end groups and one with dimethyl carbonate end groups. Despite having a low degree of polymerization (N ∼ 10), these materials exhibited significant scattering intensity, due to disordered concentration fluctuations between their PFPE-rich and PEO-rich domains. The disordered scattering intensity was fit to a model based on a multicomponent random phase approximation to determine the value of the interaction parameter, χ, and the radius of gyration, R g . Over the temperature range 30-90 °C, the values of χ were determined to be very large (∼2-2.5), indicating a high degree of immiscibility between the PFPE and PEO blocks. In PFPE-PEO, due to the large electron density contrast between the fluorinated and non-fluorinated block and the high value of χ, disordered scattering was detected at intermediate scattering angles, (q ∼ 2 nm -1 ) for relatively small polymer chains. Our ability to detect concentration fluctuations was enabled by both a relatively large value of χ and significant scattering contrast.

A computer program to calculate nuclide yields in complex decay chain for selection of optimum irradiation and cooling condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takeda, Tsuneo

1977-11-01

This report is prepared as a user's input manual for a computer code CODAC-No.5 and provides a general description of the code and instructions for its use. The code represents a modified version of the CODAC-No.4 code. The code developed is capable of calculating radioactive nuclide yields in an any given complex decay and activation chain independent of irradiation history. In this code, eighteen kinds of valuable tables and graphs can be prepared for output. They are available for selection of optimum irradiation and cooling conditions and for other intentions in accordance with irradiation and cooling. For a example, the ratio of a nuclide yield to total nuclide yield depending on irradiation and cooling times is obtained. In these outputs, several kinds of complex and intricate equations and others are included. This code has almost the same input forms as that of CODAC-No.4 code excepting input of irradiation history data. Input method and formats used for this code are very simple for any kinds of nuclear data. List of FORTRAN statements, examples of input data and output results and list of input parameters and its definitions are given in this report. (auth.)

Determining the Threshold Value of Basil Yield Reduction and Evaluation of Water Uptake Models under Salinity Stress Condition

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M. Sarai Tabrizi

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Several mathematical models are being used for assessing the plant response to the salinity of the root zone. The salinity of the soil and water resources is a major challenge for agricultural sector in Iran. Several mathematical models have been developed for plant responses to the salinity stress. However, these models are often applicable in particular conditions. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the threshold value of Basil yield reduction, modeling Basil response to salinity and to evaluate the effectiveness of available mathematical models for the yield estimation of the Basil . Materials and Methods: The extensive experiments were conducted with 13 natural saline water treatments including 1.2, 1.8, 2, 2.2, 2.5, 2.8, 3, 3.5, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 10 dSm-1. Water salinity treatments were prepared by mixing Shoor River water with fresh water. In order to quantify the salinity effect on Basil yield, seven mathematical models including Maas and Hoffman (1977, van Genuchten and Hoffman (1984, Dirksen and Augustijn (1988, and Homaee et al., (2002 were used. One of the relatively recent methods for soil water content measurements is theta probes instrument. Theta probes instrument consists of four probes with 60 mm long and 3 mm diameter, a water proof container (probe structure, and a cable that links input and output signals to the data logger display. The advantages that have been attributed to this method are high precision and direct and rapid measurements in the field and greenhouse. The range of measurements is not limited like tensiometer and is from saturation to wilting point. In this study, Theta probes instrument was calibrated by weighing method for exact irrigation scheduling. Relative transpiration was calculated using daily soil water content changes. A coarse sand layer with 2 centimeters thick was used to decrease evaporation from the surface soil of the pots. Quantity comparison of the used models was done

Experimental study on yield behavior of Daqing crude oil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hou, Lei [China University of Petroleum, College of Mechanical and Transportation Engineering, Beijing (China)

2012-07-15

The yield behavior of Daqing crude oil was studied by means of multi-mode controlled-stress tests with a high-precision stress controlled rheometer. Two experiments of creep and constant stress loading rate were performed. The yield stress of gelled crude oil was dependent on the test conditions such as the stress loading time and the stress loading rate, but the yield strain did not change with test conditions. The yield strain did exist objectively and it can be used as the criterion for the yielding of the structure of gelled crude oil. The yield strain of gelled oil was studied through experiments of creep, constant stress loading rate, oscillatory shear stress increase, and constant shear rate. The yield strain of gelled crude oil decreased with the increasing gel strength. The experiment of constant speed increase of stress showed the strain softening phenomena for low gel strength oil. (orig.)

Effect of Localities and organic Fertilizers on Yield in Conditions of Organic Farming

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Jiri Antosovsky

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Nitrogen fertilization cannot be used by actual needs of plants during vegetation in organic farming. The proper crop rotation and harmonic nutrition are necessary for good and quality products. The methods of treatment are mainly realized by cultivation of green manure crop and fertilizing by organic fertilizers. The aim of the long-term experiment was to evaluate the effect of different localities and different organic fertilizers on crop yield in organic farming. Variants of fertilization included in the experiment are: 1. Unfertilized control, 2. Green manure, 3. Green manure + renewable external sources, 4. Green manure + renewable external sources + auxiliary substances, 5. Green manure + farm fertilizers, 6. Green manure + farm fertilizers + auxiliary substances. The experiment started by sowing of winter wheat so green manure crop was not grown in the first experimental year. The highest yield of winter wheat grain coming from the first year of the experiment was observed on the variant with renewable external sources (digestate. Average grain yield on this variant was about 7.12 t/ha (up to 0.74 t/ha increased than the unfertilized control. Average yield of potatoes from the second year of the experiment was the highest after combination with green manure + renewable external sources (compost + digestate + auxiliary substances. This variant achieved yield about 34.08 t/ha, which is increased by 9.35 t/ha compared to the control variant. Results from this two-year experiment showed that the most suitable combination of fertilization with or without green manure crop is compost + digestate. These results were probably caused by higher content of nitrogen in organic fertilizers (compost + digestate used in this variant compared to other variants. Statistical difference of achieved yields was observed between each experimental station in both experimental years.

N-acetylcysteine increased rice yield

OpenAIRE

NOZULAIDI, MOHD; JAHAN, MD SARWAR; KHAIRI, MOHD; KHANDAKER, MOHAMMAD MONERUZZAMAN; NASHRIYAH, MAT; KHANIF, YUSOP MOHD

2015-01-01

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) biosynthesized reduced glutathione (GSH), which maintains redox homeostasis in plants under normal and stressful conditions. To justify the effects of NAC on rice production, we measured yield parameters, chlorophyll (Chl) content, minimum Chl fluorescence (Fo), maximum Chl fluorescence (Fm), quantum yield (Fv/Fm), net photosynthesis rate (Pn), photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), and relative water content (RWC). Four treatments, N1G0 (nitrogen (N) with no NAC), ...

Redefining yield gaps at various spatial scales

Science.gov (United States)

Meng, K.; Fishman, R.; Norstrom, A. V.; Diekert, F. K.; Engstrom, G.; Gars, J.; McCarney, G. R.; Sjostedt, M.

2013-12-01

Recent research has highlighted the prevalence of 'yield gaps' around the world and the importance of closing them for global food security. However, the traditional concept of yield gap -defined as the difference between observed and optimal yield under biophysical conditions - omit relevant socio-economic and ecological constraints and thus offer limited guidance on potential policy interventions. This paper proposes alternative definitions of yield gaps by incorporating rich, high resolution, national and sub-national agricultural datasets. We examine feasible efforts to 'close yield gaps' at various spatial scales and across different socio-economic and ecological domains.

Evaluation of Tomato Yield and Quality under Deficit Irrigation conditions and Simultaneous Application of Superabsorbent Polymer, Shading and Mulches

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Maryam Bostani

2017-12-01

% probability level. Results and Discussion Analysis of variances revealed that effects of irrigation intervals, treatments and their interactions were highly significant on total yield, potential yield, marketable yield, blossom end rotten fruits yield, sunburned fruits yield, cracked fruits yield, average weight of fruits and number of main and lateral branches. Also, effects of treatments on number of days to 50 percent flowering, plant height and fruit wall thickness and effects of irrigation intervals on fruit shape index were significant at 5 percent of probability level. Results showed that increasing irrigation intervals decreased yield and its important components and increased blossom end rot, and cracked fruits. Increasing irrigation intervals from 3 to 9 days decreased 50 percent of total and marketable yield and quadrupled percentage of blossom end rotten fruits. Although shading improved total and marketable yield, but recording the highest number of days to 50 percent flowering for plants grown under shade of Saran® clothes, proved that shading delays harvesting of tomato. The maximum of total and potential yields produced by superabsorbent + shading + mulch treatment and the highest percentage of marketable fruits recorded for superabsorbent, mulches and shading + mulch, respectively. Application of shading clothes alone or along with mulches or superabsorbent minimized the percentage of sunburned fruits. The biggest fruits produced by treatments in which mulches were participated. Increasing irrigation intervals to six and nine days extremely decreased percentage of marketable and blossom rotten fruits, while increased cracked fruits. Conclusion Generally, for short irrigation intervals, superabsorbent + shading + mulch compound treatment and for extreme water deficit conditions and irrigation intervals more than six days adding superabsorbent A200 (10 g.plant-1, mixing into 30 cm depth of soil is recommended to improve yield and quality of tomato crop.

Quantifying potential yield and water-limited yield of summer maize in the North China Plain

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Mingnuo; Liu, Chaoshun; Chen, Maosi

2017-09-01

The North China Plain is a major food producing region in China, and climate change could pose a threat to food production in the region. Based on China Meteorological Forcing Dataset, simulating the growth of summer maize in North China Plain from 1979 to 2015 with the regional implementation of crop growth model WOFOST. The results showed that the model can reflect the potential yield and water-limited yield of Summer Maize in North China Plain through the calibration and validation of WOFOST model. After the regional implementation of model, combined with the reanalysis data, the model can better reproduce the regional history of summer maize yield in the North China Plain. The yield gap in Southeastern Beijing, southern Tianjin, southern Hebei province, Northwestern Shandong province is significant, these means the water condition is the main factor to summer maize yield in these regions.

Different growing conditions affect nutrient content, fruit yield and growth in strawberry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Demirsory, L.; Demirsoy, H.; Balci, G.

2011-01-01

This study aimed to determine the effects of organic and conventional growing on contents of some nutrient elements, nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), potassium (K), iron (Fe), and manganese (Mn), yield and some growth parameters such as leaf area, petiole length, petiole diameter, crown number, crow n diameter, leaf, root dry weight in 'Sweet Charlie' and 'Camarosa' strawberry cultivars. This study consisted of two strawberry cultivars ('Camarosa' and 'Sweet Charlie'), two growing systems (organic and conventional growing) and two different mulches (black and floating sheet). There was significant difference among treatments in terms of P, K, and Mn content in root and Fe content in leaf and yield and some growth parameters. The best treatment in terms of yield and growth parameters was conventional growing with black plastic in 'Camarosa' while the best treatments were organic growing with floating sheet and black plastic in 'Sweet Charlie' in terms of P, K in root and organic growing with floating sheet in 'Sweet Charlie' in terms of Fe in leaf. (author)

A method for simulating sediment incipient motion varying with time and space in an ocean model (FVCOM): development and validation

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Zichen; Wang, Yongzhi; Bian, Shuhua; Hu, Zejian; Liu, Jianqiang; Liu, Lejun

2017-11-01

We modified the sediment incipient motion in a numerical model and evaluated the impact of this modification using a study case of the coastal area around Weihai, China. The modified and unmodified versions of the model were validated by comparing simulated and observed data of currents, waves, and suspended sediment concentrations (SSC) measured from July 25th to July 26th, 2006. A fitted Shields diagram was introduced into the sediment model so that the critical erosional shear stress could vary with time. Thus, the simulated SSC patterns were improved to more closely reflect the observed values, so that the relative error of the variation range decreased by up to 34.5% and the relative error of simulated temporally averaged SSC decreased by up to 36%. In the modified model, the critical shear stress values of the simulated silt with a diameter of 0.035 mm and mud with a diameter of 0.004 mm varied from 0.05 to 0.13 N/m2, and from 0.05 to 0.14 N/m 2, respectively, instead of remaining constant in the unmodified model. Besides, a method of applying spatially varying fractions of the mixed grain size sediment improved the simulated SSC distribution to fit better to the remote sensing map and reproduced the zonal area with high SSC between Heini Bay and the erosion groove in the modified model. The Relative Mean Absolute Error was reduced by between 6% and 79%, depending on the regional attributes when we used the modified method to simulate incipient sediment motion. But the modification achieved the higher accuracy in this study at a cost of computation speed decreasing by 1.52%.

Grass-legume mixtures sustain strong yield advantage over monocultures under cool maritime growing conditions over a period of 5 years.

Science.gov (United States)

Helgadóttir, Áslaug; Suter, Matthias; Gylfadóttir, Thórey Ó; Kristjánsdóttir, Thórdís A; Lüscher, Andreas

2018-05-22

Grassland-based livestock systems in cool maritime regions are commonly dominated by grass monocultures receiving relatively high levels of fertilizer. The current study investigated whether grass-legume mixtures can improve the productivity, resource efficiency and robustness of yield persistence of cultivated grassland under extreme growing conditions over a period of 5 years. Monocultures and mixtures of two grasses (Phleum pratense and Festuca pratensis) and two legumes (Trifolium pratense and Trifolium repens), one of which was fast establishing and the other temporally persistent, were sown in a field trial. Relative abundance of the four species in the mixtures was systematically varied at sowing. The plots were maintained under three N levels (20, 70 and 220 kg N ha-1 year-1) and harvested twice a year for five consecutive years. Yields of individual species and interactions between all species present were modelled to estimate the species diversity effects. Significant positive diversity effects in all individual years and averaged across the 5 years were observed. Across years, the four-species equi-proportional mixture was 71 % (N20: 20 kg N ha-1 year-1) and 51 % (N70: 70 kg N ha-1 year-1) more productive than the average of monocultures, and the highest yielding mixture was 36 % (N20) and 39 % (N70) more productive than the highest yielding monoculture. Importantly, diversity effects were also evident at low relative abundances of either species group, grasses or legumes in the mixture. Mixtures suppressed weeds significantly better than monocultures consistently during the course of the experiment at all N levels. The results show that even in the less productive agricultural systems in the cool maritime regions grass-legume mixtures can contribute substantially and persistently to a more sustainable agriculture. Positive grass-legume interactions suggest that symbiotic N2 fixation is maintained even under these marginal conditions, provided that

Investigations on Incipient Fault Diagnosis of Power Transformer Using Neural Networks and Adaptive Neurofuzzy Inference System

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Nandkumar Wagh

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Continuity of power supply is of utmost importance to the consumers and is only possible by coordination and reliable operation of power system components. Power transformer is such a prime equipment of the transmission and distribution system and needs to be continuously monitored for its well-being. Since ratio methods cannot provide correct diagnosis due to the borderline problems and the probability of existence of multiple faults, artificial intelligence could be the best approach. Dissolved gas analysis (DGA interpretation may provide an insight into the developing incipient faults and is adopted as the preliminary diagnosis tool. In the proposed work, a comparison of the diagnosis ability of backpropagation (BP, radial basis function (RBF neural network, and adaptive neurofuzzy inference system (ANFIS has been investigated and the diagnosis results in terms of error measure, accuracy, network training time, and number of iterations are presented.

Locational variation in green fodder yield, dry matter yield, and forage quality of sorghum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hussain, A.; Khan, S.; Mohammad, D.

2007-01-01

The present study was designed to find out the variations in for- age yield and quality of sorghum as affected by different environments. The three agroecological zones viz., Agricultural Research Institute (ARI), Sariab, Quetta, Ayub Agricultural Research Institute (AARI), Faisalabad and National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC), Islamabad were selected on the basis of different physiography, geology, temperature, and climate and water availability. Crude protein contents, varied from 6.98 to 8.02 percent, crude fibre contents from 30.84 to 31.68 percent, green fodder yield from 38.91 to 50.64 t/ha and dry matter yield from 8.92 to 10.17 t/ha at the three diverse locations. Maximum crude protein and crude fibre contents were obtained at NARC, Islamabad and AARI, Faisalabad. Maximum green fodder and dry matter yields were also observed at NARC, Islamabad and AARI, Faisalabad. It was also noted that the same genotypes showed differential response when planted under the diverse environments for green fodder yield, dry matter yield, crude protein and crude fibre contents. Therefore, it was concluded that these differences in forage yield and quality traits under diverse environments were due to differences in soil types, soil fertility, temperature, rain- fall and other climatic conditions. (author)

Yield surface evolution for columnar ice

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Zhiwei; Ma, Wei; Zhang, Shujuan; Mu, Yanhu; Zhao, Shunpin; Li, Guoyu

A series of triaxial compression tests, which has capable of measuring the volumetric strain of the sample, were conducted on columnar ice. A new testing approach of probing the experimental yield surface was performed from a single sample in order to investigate yield and hardening behaviors of the columnar ice under complex stress states. Based on the characteristic of the volumetric strain, a new method of defined the multiaxial yield strengths of the columnar ice is proposed. The experimental yield surface remains elliptical shape in the stress space of effective stress versus mean stress. The effect of temperature, loading rate and loading path in the initial yield surface and deformation properties of the columnar ice were also studied. Subsequent yield surfaces of the columnar ice have been explored by using uniaxial and hydrostatic paths. The evolution of the subsequent yield surface exhibits significant path-dependent characteristics. The multiaxial hardening law of the columnar ice was established experimentally. A phenomenological yield criterion was presented for multiaxial yield and hardening behaviors of the columnar ice. The comparisons between the theoretical and measured results indicate that this current model is capable of giving a reasonable prediction for the multiaxial yield and post-yield properties of the columnar ice subjected to different temperature, loading rate and path conditions.

EXTREME METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND METABOLIC PROFILE IN HIGH YIELDING HOLSTEINFRIESIAN DAIRY COWS

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Z. GERGÁCZ

2008-10-01

Full Text Available The impact of two years (2002 and 2003 with different summer temperature extremes on variation in metabolic profile was analyzed in blood and urine samples taken from healthy, primiparous (n = 371 and multiparous (n = 795 high yielding Holstein-Friesian dairy cows. In this study main focus was lead on three most critical physiological phases, thus cows were assigned into three groups as follows: (1 dry cows for 10 days prior to calving; (2 cows 1-30 days after delivery, and (3 cows with more than 31 days post partum. Findings reveal clear response of the cows to heat in selected blood (hemoglobin, plasma aceto-acetic-acid, FFA, AST, glucose, urea and urine (pH, NABE and urea parameters. In the majority of cows, glucose and hemoglobin level, one of the most significant blood parameters, indicated symptoms of insufficient energy supply. Further metabolic indicators differed more or less from reference values depending on actual condition. Due to heat load dry matter intake has been decreased even by 10-15 per cent in primiparous cows. They were expected to increase body weight and size and simultaneously produce attain at large milk yields. In doing so that cows would have require large amount of nutrients. Out of parameters such as hemoglobin, glucose, FFA, AST and blood-urea differed from the reference values in most cases; however, this phenomenon seemed to be present in almost every case for hemoglobin and glucose. The lack of energy caused by heat stress can be contributed to the decrease of dry matter intake which has been indicated by the urea levels and pH both in blood and urine prevailing unfavorable and insufficient feeding practice. The results reconfirm the need to reconsider both the actual feeding practice (e.g. to increase of nutrient content in rations, reduce the intake of soluble proteins in rumen, pay attention of crude fiber in Total Mixed Rations (TMR, NDF and ADF, avoid overfeeding of inorganic buffers, to control moisture

Interaction Effects of Planting Date and Weed Competition on Yield and Yield Components of Three white Bean Cultivars in Semirom

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A. Yadavi

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Unsuitable planting and weed competition are the most important factors that greatly reduce the yield of bean. In order to study the effect of planting date on yield and yield components of three white bean cultivars in weed infest and weed free condition a factorial experiment with randomized complete block design and three replications was carried out at Semirom in 2009. The treatments were planting date (May10, May 25 and June 9 and white bean cultivars (Shekofa, Pak and Daneshkade and two levels of weed infestation (weedy and weed free. Results showed that planting date, weed competition and cultivars had significant effects on yield and yield components of white bean. The 30-day delay in planting date reduced the number of pods per plant, seeds per pod, 100 seed weight and biological yield of white bean cultivars, 22.5, 18, 20.1 and 22.5 percent respectively. Also weed competition, reduced the number of seeds per pod, 100 seed weight and biological yield respectively by 13.5, 5.7 and 27.1 percent. Result of planting date and weed competition interaction effects indicated that the weed competition decreased grain yield (53% in third planting date more than others and delay in planting date was companion with increasing weed density and dry weight in flowering stage of bean. Also Shekofa cultivar had highest grain yield (3379 kg/ha at the first planting date and weed free condition.

Effect of Salinity and Silicon on Seed Yield and Yield Components of Purslane Portulaca oleracea L.(

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Z Rahimi

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract In order to study the effects on salinity and silicon application on yield and yield components of purslane (Portulaca oleracea L., an experiment was conducted in a completely randomized desgin with three replications and two factors consisted of four different levels of salinity using NaCl (0, 7, 14, 21dS/m and two levels of silicon (application of one mMol sodium silicate and not application. Increasing salinity concentration significantly caused a negative effect on seed yield. But yield components such as number and weight of seed were more sensitive than number of capsul in main stem in final seed yield. Application of silicon increased seed yield in control but was not significant in salinity levels and leaves and stem biomass. Seed yield and total seed weight in branches was significantly decresed. Weight of 1000 seed in main stem and branches was not significantly different in salinity levels. As a result, purslane could be extremely tolerated to saline conditions, so it seems that it can be cultivated in saline soils and arid regions. Also applied silicon can be increase yield and plant tolerance to environmental stress. Keywords: 1000 seed, Branches, Capsul, Dry weight

The Effect of Organic and Chemical Fertilizers on Qualitative and Quantitative Yield of Indigo (Indigofera tinctoria L. at Irrigation Levels under Bam Climatic Conditions

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N Modafe Behzadi

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Introduction Medicinal plants are valuable resources in a wide range that scientific identification, cultivation, development and proper utilization of them can have very important role in community health, employment and non-petrol exports. Quality of medicinal plants is more important than other crops. The impact of environmental factors is significant on quality and quantity of medicinal plants. Among the environmental effective factors, irrigation and manure can be managed. Drought is considered as one of the most important factors that limited plant production in arid and semi-arid areas, where such areas are subjected to a wide range of climate variations. Water deficit stresses, permanent or temporary, limits the growth and distribution of natural vegetation and yield of cultivated plants more than any other environmental factor. Under water limitation conditions, yield of plants depend on water available content and water use efficiency. Indigo carmine is considered as a highly toxic indigoid dye. Indigo blue dye’s main component is indigotine which is extracted from the leaves of indigo. Indigo carmine is also one of the oldest dyes and it is still one of the most used in textile industry. The aims of this study were evaluation of qualitative and quantitative criteria of indigo (Indigofera tinctoria L. under Bam climatic conditions. Materials and Methods An experiment was conducted as strip plot based on a randomized complete block design with three replications at the Bam, Iran, during growing seasons of 2012-2013. Four nutrient resources (such as NPK, cow manure vermicompost, Mycorrhiza and control and three drought stress levels based on %FC (including 100, 80 and 60 percent were considered as experimental factors. Plant height, canopy diameter, number of branches, dry weight of leaf, dry weight of, dry yield of shoots (above ground matter, indigocarmin content and indigocarmin yield of indigo were measured and calculated. Results

Rice yield estimation based on weather conditions and on technological level of production systems in Brazil

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José Eduardo Boffino de Almeida Monteiro

2013-02-01

Full Text Available The objective of this work was to evaluate an estimation system for rice yield in Brazil, based on simple agrometeorological models and on the technological level of production systems. This estimation system incorporates the conceptual basis proposed by Doorenbos & Kassam for potential and attainable yields with empirical adjusts for maximum yield and crop sensitivity to water deficit, considering five categories of rice yield. Rice yield was estimated from 2000/2001 to 2007/2008, and compared to IBGE yield data. Regression analyses between model estimates and data from IBGE surveys resulted in significant coefficients of determination, with less dispersion in the South than in the North and Northeast regions of the country. Index of model efficiency (E1' ranged from 0.01 in the lower yield classes to 0.45 in higher ones, and mean absolute error ranged from 58 to 250 kg ha‑1, respectively.

Response of Yield, Yield Components and Nutrient Concentration of Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L. to Mycorrhizal Symbiosis under Salt Stress Conditions

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M. Bijhani

2016-01-01

Full Text Available To study the effects of mycorrhizal inoculation and salinity stress on the growth, yield and nutrient concentrations of cumin (Cuminum cyminum L., an experiment was carried out as split plot in a completely randomized block design at Zabol University Research Farm in 2013. Treatments consisted of three salinity stresses: 1 (control, 5 and 10 dSm-1, was considered as the main treatments, and four levels of mycorrhizal inoculation (Glomus intraradices, G. etanicatum, G. hoi and non-inoculation as control as the sub-treatments. The effects of salinity on all traits under study, except umbers per plant, were significant, and severe stress (10 dSm-1 reduced 100 seed weight, number of seeds per umbel, concentrations of phosphorus, calcium and magnesium in seeds by 17.71, 11.4, 14.95, 46.08, 13.60 %, respectively, as compared to the control. The numbers of seeds per umbel and phosphorus concentration in seed were highest in G. intraradices with 28.4 and 54.4%, respectively as compared to control and umbels per plant was also maximum (9.7 by using G. etanicatum. Mycorrhizal inoculation did not have significant effect on calcium and magnesium concentrations in seeds and 1000 seed weight. However mycorrhiza × salinity stress interaction was significant about concentration of sodium, potassium and sodium to potassium ratio (Na/K in seeds, as well as seed yield and seed number per plant. Among the species of mycorrhiza, applied G. intraradices had better performance in severe salinity (10 dS-1 and increased seed yield and seed number per plant by 28.5 and 47.6%, respectively in comparision control. The results suggested that mycorrhizal inoculation improves water absorption by plant. Yield increases of plants under different salinity regimes dependent on their mycorrhizal inoculation.

Ncl Synchronously Regulates Na+, K+, and Cl- in Soybean and Greatly Increases the Grain Yield in Saline Field Conditions.

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Do, Tuyen Duc; Chen, Huatao; Hien, Vu Thi Thu; Hamwieh, Aladdin; Yamada, Tetsuya; Sato, Tadashi; Yan, Yongliang; Cong, Hua; Shono, Mariko; Suenaga, Kazuhiro; Xu, Donghe

2016-01-08

Salt stress inhibits soybean growth and reduces gain yield. Genetic improvement of salt tolerance is essential for sustainable soybean production in saline areas. In this study, we isolated a gene (Ncl) that could synchronously regulate the transport and accumulation of Na(+), K(+), and Cl(-) from a Brazilian soybean cultivar FT-Abyara using map-based cloning strategy. Higher expression of the salt tolerance gene Ncl in the root resulted in lower accumulations of Na(+), K(+), and Cl(-) in the shoot under salt stress. Transfer of Ncl with the Agrobacterium-mediated transformation method into a soybean cultivar Kariyutaka significantly enhanced its salt tolerance. Introgression of the tolerance allele into soybean cultivar Jackson, using DNA marker-assisted selection (MAS), produced an improved salt tolerance line. Ncl could increase soybean grain yield by 3.6-5.5 times in saline field conditions. Using Ncl in soybean breeding through gene transfer or MAS would contribute to sustainable soybean production in saline-prone areas.

Soil Texture and Cultivar Effects on Rice (Oryza sativa, L. Grain Yield, Yield Components and Water Productivity in Three Water Regimes.

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Fugen Dou

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to determine the effects of water regime/soil condition (continuous flooding, saturated, and aerobic, cultivar ('Cocodrie' and 'Rondo', and soil texture (clay and sandy loam on rice grain yield, yield components and water productivity using a greenhouse trial. Rice grain yield was significantly affected by soil texture and the interaction between water regime and cultivar. Significantly higher yield was obtained in continuous flooding than in aerobic and saturated soil conditions but the latter treatments were comparable to each other. For Rondo, its grain yield has decreased with soil water regimes in the order of continuous flooding, saturated and aerobic treatments. The rice grain yield in clay soil was 46% higher than in sandy loam soil averaged across cultivar and water regime. Compared to aerobic condition, saturated and continuous flooding treatments had greater panicle numbers. In addition, panicle number in clay soil was 25% higher than in sandy loam soil. The spikelet number of Cocodrie was 29% greater than that of Rondo, indicating that rice cultivar had greater effect on spikelet number than soil type and water management. Water productivity was significantly affected by the interaction of water regime and cultivar. Compared to sandy loam soil, clay soil was 25% higher in water productivity. Our results indicated that cultivar selection and soil texture are important factors in deciding what water management option to practice.

Threshold Criteria for Incipient Grain Motion with Turbulent Fluctuations on a Horizontal Bed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wan, M.W.H.M.

2015-01-01

The effect of turbulent fluctuations on the threshold criteria for incipient grain motion over a wide range of sediment size is investigated. In this work, attention is paid to the comparison of the critical Shields parameter θ_c profile obtained when the near-bed fluid forces induced sediment motion are oscillating-grid turbulence and a single idealised eddy of vortex ring. For experimental work, near-spherical monodisperse sediments were used throughout with relative densities of 1.2 and 2.5 and mean diameters d ranging between 80 and 1087 μm. The measured values of θ_c on a horizontal bed α = 0 (hence denoted as θ_c_0), were compared to the θ_c_0 profiles obtained by grid turbulence and vortex ring experiments. Although different in magnitude, the θ_c_0 profiles were comparable, that is the θ_c_0 were seen to increase monotonically for hydraulically smooth bed forms and to be approximately constant for hydraulically rough bed forms. However the limit of hydraulically smooth region was found to vary between the oscillating-grid turbulence experiments, where wider smooth region was found when the turbulent fluctuations used to calculate θ_c_0 is not the near-bed velocity. (author)

Atomistic simulations of the yielding of gold nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diao Jiankuai; Gall, Ken; Dunn, Martin L.; Zimmerman, Jonathan A.

2006-01-01

We performed atomistic simulations to study the effect of free surfaces on the yielding of gold nanowires. Tensile surface stresses on the surfaces of the nanowires cause them to contract along the length with respect to the bulk face-centered cubic lattice and induce compressive stress in the interior. When the cross-sectional area of a nanowire is less than 2.45 nm x 2.45 nm, the wire yields under its surface stresses. Under external forces and surface stresses, nanowires yield via the nucleation and propagation of the {1 1 1} partial dislocations. The magnitudes of the tensile and compressive yield stress of nanowires increase and decrease, respectively, with a decrease of the wire width. The magnitude of the tensile yield stress is much larger than that of the compressive yield stress for small nanowires, while for small nanowires, tensile and compressive yield stresses have similar magnitudes. The critical resolved shear stress (RSS) by external forces depends on wire width, orientation and loading condition (tension vs. compression). However, the critical RSS in the interior of the nanowires, which is exerted by both the external force and the surface-stress-induced compressive stress, does not change significantly with wire width for same orientation and same loading condition, and can thus serve as a 'local' criterion. This local criterion is invoked to explain the observed size dependence of yield behavior and tensile/compressive yield stress asymmetry, considering surface stress effects and different slip systems active in tensile and compressive yielding

Statistical modelling of grapevine yield in the Port Wine region under present and future climate conditions

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Santos, João A.; Malheiro, Aureliano C.; Karremann, Melanie K.; Pinto, Joaquim G.

2011-03-01

The impact of projected climate change on wine production was analysed for the Demarcated Region of Douro, Portugal. A statistical grapevine yield model (GYM) was developed using climate parameters as predictors. Statistically significant correlations were identified between annual yield and monthly mean temperatures and monthly precipitation totals during the growing cycle. These atmospheric factors control grapevine yield in the region, with the GYM explaining 50.4% of the total variance in the yield time series in recent decades. Anomalously high March rainfall (during budburst, shoot and inflorescence development) favours yield, as well as anomalously high temperatures and low precipitation amounts in May and June (May: flowering and June: berry development). The GYM was applied to a regional climate model output, which was shown to realistically reproduce the GYM predictors. Finally, using ensemble simulations under the A1B emission scenario, projections for GYM-derived yield in the Douro Region, and for the whole of the twenty-first century, were analysed. A slight upward trend in yield is projected to occur until about 2050, followed by a steep and continuous increase until the end of the twenty-first century, when yield is projected to be about 800 kg/ha above current values. While this estimate is based on meteorological parameters alone, changes due to elevated CO2 may further enhance this effect. In spite of the associated uncertainties, it can be stated that projected climate change may significantly benefit wine yield in the Douro Valley.

History of the incipient Icelandic plume: Observations from ancient buried landscapes

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Stucky de Quay, Gaia; Roberts, Gareth G.; Watson, Jonathan S.; Jackson, Christopher A.-L.

2017-04-01

Ancient buried terrestrial landscapes contain records of vertical motions which can be used to probe histories of geodynamical processes. In the North Atlantic Ocean, sedimentary basins contain excellent evidence that the continental shelf experienced staged subaerial exposure. For example, now buried landscapes were uplifted, rapidly eroded, and drowned close to the Paleocene-Eocene boundary. We use commercial wells and three-dimensional seismic data to reconstruct a 57-55 Ma landscape now buried 1.5 km beneath the seabed in the Bressay area of the northern North Sea. Geochemical analyses of organic matter from core samples intersecting the erosional landscape indicate the presence of angiosperm (flowering plant) debris. Combined with the presence of coarse clastic material, mapped beach ridges, and dendritic drainage patterns, these observations indicate that this landscape was of terrestrial origin. Longitudinal profiles of ancient rivers were extracted and inverted for an uplift rate history. The best-fitting uplift rate history has three phases and total cumulative uplift of 350 m. Biostratigraphic data from surrounding marine stratigraphy indicate that this landscape formed within 1-1.5 Ma. This uplift history is similar to that of a slightly older buried landscape in the Faeroe-Shetland basin 400 km to the west. These records of vertical motion can explained by pulses of anomalously hot asthenosphere spreading out from the incipient Icelandic plume. Using simple isostatic calculations we estimate that the maximum thermal anomaly beneath Bressay was 50˚. Our observations suggest that a thermal anomaly departed the Icelandic plume as early as 58.5 Ma and had highest average temperatures at 55.6 Ma.

Mitochondrial DNA evidences reflect an incipient population structure in Atlantic goliath grouper (Epinephelus itajara, Epinephelidae in Brazil

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Júnio S. Damasceno

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The Atlantic goliath grouper is a critically endangered species that inhabits estuarine and reef environments and is threatened primarily by fishing activities and habitat destruction. Despite the urgent need for protection, its genetic conservation status remains unknown. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the gene flow among the populations of the species along the coast of Brazil based on the control region of the mitochondrial DNA. The results indicate low haplotype diversity (0.40-0.86 and very low nucleotide diversity (0.1-0.5%. They also show that the genetic diversity of the species varies considerably along the coast and that this finding may be especially important for the identification of priority areas for its conservation. The population analyses indicate a low but significant degree of genetic structuring (ΦST =0.111, probably due to the occurrence of rare haplotypes at some locations, although the genetic differentiation between sites was not correlated with geographic distance (r=0.0501; p=0.7719, and the shared haplotypes indicate that gene flow occurs among all locations along the Brazilian coast. The results of the pairwise FST indicate a high degree of genetic differentiation between locations. The incipient population structuring detected in the present study is not related systematically to the geological or physical features of the Brazilian coast. The complex interaction of fluctuations in sea level, marine currents, and the reproductive characteristics of the species hampers the identification of the specific role of each of these processes in the gene flow dynamics of the population units of the Atlantic goliath grouper. The low overall levels of genetic diversity, the pairwise FST values and the significant population structuring among groups (ΦCT identified in the present study all reinforce the critically endangered status of the species and are inconsistent with the presence of a single, panmictic

Control of root system architecture by DEEPER ROOTING 1 increases rice yield under drought conditions.

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Uga, Yusaku; Sugimoto, Kazuhiko; Ogawa, Satoshi; Rane, Jagadish; Ishitani, Manabu; Hara, Naho; Kitomi, Yuka; Inukai, Yoshiaki; Ono, Kazuko; Kanno, Noriko; Inoue, Haruhiko; Takehisa, Hinako; Motoyama, Ritsuko; Nagamura, Yoshiaki; Wu, Jianzhong; Matsumoto, Takashi; Takai, Toshiyuki; Okuno, Kazutoshi; Yano, Masahiro

2013-09-01

The genetic improvement of drought resistance is essential for stable and adequate crop production in drought-prone areas. Here we demonstrate that alteration of root system architecture improves drought avoidance through the cloning and characterization of DEEPER ROOTING 1 (DRO1), a rice quantitative trait locus controlling root growth angle. DRO1 is negatively regulated by auxin and is involved in cell elongation in the root tip that causes asymmetric root growth and downward bending of the root in response to gravity. Higher expression of DRO1 increases the root growth angle, whereby roots grow in a more downward direction. Introducing DRO1 into a shallow-rooting rice cultivar by backcrossing enabled the resulting line to avoid drought by increasing deep rooting, which maintained high yield performance under drought conditions relative to the recipient cultivar. Our experiments suggest that control of root system architecture will contribute to drought avoidance in crops.

A crop model-based approach for sunflower yields

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João Guilherme Dal Belo Leite

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Pushed by the Brazilian biodiesel policy, sunflower (Helianthus annuus L. production is becoming increasingly regarded as an option to boost farmers' income, particularly under semi-arid conditions. Biodiesel related opportunities increase the demand for decision-making information at different levels, which could be met by simulation models. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of the crop model OILCROP-SUN to simulate sunflower development and growth under Brazilian conditions and to explore sunflower water- and nitrogen-limited, water-limited and potential yield and yield variability over an array of sowing dates in the northern region of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. For model calibration, an experiment was conducted in which two sunflower genotypes (H358 and E122 were cultivated in a clayey soil. Growth components (leaf area index, above ground biomass, grain yield and development stages (crop phenology were measured. A database composed of 27 sunflower experiments from five Brazilian regions was used for model evaluation. The spatial yield distribution of sunflower was mapped using ordinary kriging in ArcGIS. The model simulated sunflower grain productivity satisfactorily (Root Mean Square Error ≈ 13 %. Simulated yields were relatively high (1,750 to 4,250 kg ha-1 and the sowing window was fairly wide (Oct to Feb for northwestern locations, where sunflower could be cultivated as a second crop (double cropping at the end of the rainy season. The hybrid H358 had higher yields for all simulated sowing dates, growth conditions and selected locations.

Verification of “Channel-Probability Model” of Grain Yield Estimation

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ZHENG Hong-yan

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The "channel-probability model" of grain yield estimation was verified and discussed systematically by using the grain production data from 1949 to 2014 in 16 typical counties, and 6 typical districts, and 31 provinces of China. The results showed as follows:(1Due to the geographical spatial scale was large enough, different climate zones and different meteorological conditions could compensated, and grain yield estimation error was small in the scale of nation. Therefore, it was not necessary to modify the grain yield estimation error by mirco-trend and the climate year types in the scale of nation. However, the grain yield estimation in the scale of province was located at the same of a climate zone,the scale was small, so the impact of the meteorological conditions on grain yield was less complementary than the scale of nation. While the spatial scale of districts and counties was smaller, accordingly the compensation of the impact of the meteorological conditions on grain yield was least. Therefore, it was necessary to use mrico-trend amendment and the climate year types amendment to modify the grain yield estimation in districts and counties.(2Mirco-trend modification had two formulas, generally, when the error of grain yield estimation was less than 10%, it could be modified by Y×(1-K; while the error of grain yield estimation was more than 10%, it could be modified by Y/(1+K.(3Generally, the grain estimation had 5 grades, and some had 7 grades because of large error fluctuation. The parameters modified of super-high yield year and super-low yield year must be depended on the real-time crop growth and the meteorological condition. (4By plenty of demonstration analysis, it was proved that the theory and method of "channel-probability model" was scientific and practical. In order to improve the accuracy of grain yield estimation, the parameters could be modified with micro-trend amendment and the climate year types amendment. If the

The Effect of Vermicompost and Mycorrhizal Inoculation on Grain Yield and some Physiological Characteristics of Soybean (Glycine max L. under Water Stress Condition

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Elham Jahangiri nia

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Introduction Moisture limitation is considered as one of the important limiting factors in soybean growth. Drought stress affects different aspects of soybean growth through making anatomical, physiological and biochemical changes (Tarumingkeng & Coto, 2003. Under dry tension condition, there will be a disturbance in transmitting nutrients, but some useful soil fungi such as mycorrhiza improve production of crops under stress through forming colonies in the root and boosting water and nutrient absorption (Al-Karaki et al., 2004. Using vermicompost in sustainable agriculture strengthens support and activities of beneficial soil microorganisms (such as mycorrhizal fungi and phosphate solubilizing microorganisms in order to provide nutrients required by plants like nitrogen, phosphorus and soluble potassium as well as improving the growth and performance of the crops (Arancon et al., 2004. Materials and methods In order to investigate the effects of vermicompost and mycorrhiza fertilizers on grain yield and some physiological characteristics of soybean under water stress condition an experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research Center of Khorramabad during 2013. The field experiment was carried out based on a randomized complete blocks design arranged in split-plot with four replications. The experiment treatments including irrigation in three levels (after 60, 120 and 180 mm evaporation from pan class A pan, nutrient management in six levels (non-use of vermicompost and mycorhiza fertilizer, inoculated with mycorrhiza fertilizer, consumption of 5 and 10 t.ha-1 vermicompost, consumption of 5 and 10 t.ha-1 vermicompost with mycorrhiza were respectively as the main plots and sub. In current study, RWC, LAI, SPAD were measured during 59 days after planting at the beginning of podding of the control treatment. The temperature of plant leaves were measured by the thermometer (model TM-958 LUTRON infrared Thermometers. To analyze the growth of

Improvement of antioxidant activities and yield of spring maize through seed priming and foliar application of plant growth regulators under heat stress conditions

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Ijaz Ahmad

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Heat stress during reproductive and grain filling phases adversely affects the growth of cereals through reduction in grain’s number and size. However, exogenous application of antioxidants, plant growth regulators and osmoprotectants may be helpful to minimize these heat induced yield losses in cereals. This two year study was conducted to evaluate the role of exogenous application of ascorbic acid (AsA, salicylic acid (SA and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2 applied through seed priming or foliar spray on biochemical, physiological, morphological and yield related traits, grain yield and quality of late spring sown hybrid maize. The experiment was conducted in the spring season of 2007 and 2008. We observed that application of AsA, SA and H2O2 applied through seed priming or foliar spray improved the physiological, biochemical, morphological and yield related traits, grain yield and grain quality of late spring sown maize in both years. In both years, we observed higher superoxide dismutase (SOD, catalase (CAT and peroxidase (POD activity in the plants where AsA, SA and H2O2were applied through seed priming or foliar spray than control. Membrane stability index (MSI, relative water contents (RWC, chlorophyll contents, grain yield and grain oil contents were also improved by exogenous application of AsA, SA and H2O2 in both years. Seed priming of AsA, SA and H2O2was equally effective as the foliar application. In conclusion, seed priming with AsA, SA and H2O2 may be opted to lessen the heat induced yield losses in late sown spring hybrid maize. Heat tolerance induced by ASA, SA and H2O2 may be attributed to increase in antioxidant activities and MSI which maintained RWC and chlorophyll contents in maize resulting in better grain yield in heat stress conditions.

Effect of nitrogen and water deficit type on the yield gap between the potential and attainable wheat yield

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Jiangang Liu

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Water deficit and N fertilizer are the two primary limiting factors for wheat yield in the North China plain, the most important winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L. production area in China. Analyzing the yield gap between the potential yield and the attainable yield can quantify the potential for increasing wheat production and exploring the limiting factors to yield gap in the high-yielding farming region of North China Plain. The Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT model was used to identify methods to increase the grain yield and decrease the gap. In order to explore the impact of N and cultivars on wheat yield in the different drought types, the climate conditions during 1981 to 2011 growing seasons was categorized into low, moderate, and severe water deficit classes according to the anomaly percentage of the water deficit rate during the entire wheat growing season. There are differences (P < 0.0001 in the variations of the potential yields among three cultivars over 30 yr. For all three water deficit types, the more recent cultivars Jimai22 and Shijiazhuang8 had higher yields compared to the older 'Jinan17'. As the N fertilizer rate increased, the yield gap decreased more substantially during the low water deficit years because of the significant increase in attainable yield. Overall, the yield gaps were smaller with less water stress. Replacement of cultivars and appropriate N fertilizer application based on the forecasted drought types can narrow the yield gap effectively.

Path Analysis of Grain Yield and Yield Components and Some Agronomic Traits in Bread Wheat

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Mohsen Janmohammadi

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Development of new bread wheat cultivars needs efficient tools to monitor trait association in a breeding program. This investigation was aimed to characterize grain yield components and some agronomic traits related to bread wheat grain yield. The efficiency of a breeding program depends mainly on the direction of the correlation between different traits and the relative importance of each component involved in contributing to grain yield. Correlation and path analysis were carried out in 56 bread wheat genotypes grown under field conditions of Maragheh, Iran. Observations were recorded on 18 wheat traits and correlation coefficient analysis revealed grain yield was positively correlated with stem diameter, spike length, floret number, spikelet number, grain diameter, grain length and 1000 seed weight traits. According to the variance inflation factor (VIF and tolerance as multicollinearity statistics, there are inconsistent relationships among the variables and all traits could be considered as first-order variables (Model I with grain yield as the response variable due to low multicollinearity of all measured traits. In the path coefficient analysis, grain yield represented the dependent variable and the spikelet number and 1000 seed weight traits were the independent ones. Our results indicated that the number of spikelets per spikes and leaf width and 1000 seed weight traits followed by the grain length, grain diameter and grain number per spike were the traits related to higher grain yield. The above mentioned traits along with their indirect causal factors should be considered simultaneously as an effective selection criteria evolving high yielding genotype because of their direct positive contribution to grain yield.

Effect of irrigation water salinity and zinc application on yield, yield components and zinc accumulation of wheat

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mohamad ahmadi

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Salinity stress is one of the most important problems of agriculture in crop production in arid and semi arid regions. Under these conditions, in addition to management strategies, proper and adequate nutrition also has an important role in crop improvement. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to study the effect of 4 different irrigation water salinities (blank, 4, 8 and 12 dS m-1, prepared with 1:1 molar ratio of chlorides of calcium and sodium and magnesium sulphate salts. and 5 different zinc applications (0, 10, 20, 30 mg Kg-1 soil and foliar application of salt of zinc sulphate on yield, yield components and zinc concentration of wheat, using a completely randomized design, factorial with three replications. Plant height, spike length, 1000 grain weight, number of grain per spike, grain and straw yield was decreased by Irrigation water salinity. And all of these parameters were improved by zinc application except 1000 grain weight. Zinc absorption and concentration in straw and grain was decreased by Saline water compared to blank. And concentration of zinc significantly was increased in straw and grain by increase zinc application. The results indicated that, zinc application under low to medium salinity conditions improved growth and yield of wheat due to decreasing the impacts salinity.

Supplemental feeding with glycerol or propylene glycol of dairy cows in early lactation--effects on metabolic status, body condition, and milk yield.

Science.gov (United States)

Lomander, H; Frössling, J; Ingvartsen, K L; Gustafsson, H; Svensson, C

2012-05-01

The objective of this field study was to evaluate the effect of supplemental feeding with glycerol or propylene glycol to dairy cows in early lactation on metabolic status, body condition and milk yield. In total, 673 newly calved cows from 12 commercial Swedish dairy herds were randomized to daily supplementation with 450 g of glycerol (GLY), 300 g of propylene glycol (PG), or nothing (control, CON). Supplements were fed twice daily from 0 to 21 d in milk (DIM) as a top dress on concentrates. For each cow, data on parity, breed, calving date, monthly test-day milk yield, and cases of diseases were collected. Blood samples were taken at approximately 2, 5, and 8 wk postpartum (pp) and analyzed for glucose, β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA), nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), and insulin. Samples taken within 3 wk pp were also analyzed for insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). Measurements of body condition score (BCS) and heart girth (HG) were obtained at approximately 2 and 5 wk pp and at time of first insemination. The effects of supplemental feeding with GLY or PG on the plasma concentrations of glucose, NEFA, BHBA, insulin, and IGF-1, and BCS, HG, and occurrence of disease were analyzed. No differences in BCS or HG or in plasma concentrations of glucose, BHBA, NEFA, or IGF-1 were found between the control group and any of the treatment groups. Cows in the GLY group had lower plasma insulin concentrations during DIM 0 to 63 compared with group CON, but no difference in insulin was found between the PG group and the CON group. Cows supplemented with GLY had a higher milk yield (kg of milk and kg of energy-corrected milk) during the first 90 DIM. Cows in the PG group tended to yield more milk during the same period. No differences in the occurrence of diseases were seen between the groups. In conclusion, supplementation with GLY in early lactation did increase milk yield without a subsequent decrease of metabolic status, and supplementation with PG tended to do the same

Deficit Irrigation Effects on Yield, Yield Components and Seed Production of Three Cultivas of Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus (Thunb Matsum and Nakai

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P. Jafari

2015-09-01

Full Text Available A two-year study (2005 - 2006 was carried out to explore the effect of deficit irrigation treatments according to evaporation from a class A basin, including ET= 1 (T1, ET = 0.75 (T2, and ET = 0.5 (T3, on yield, yield components and seed yield of three varieties of watermelon (Charleston Gray, Sugar Baby and Crimson Suite in the Varamin Agricultural Research Center of Iran. A randomized complete block design with a split plot arrangement with four replications was used. The results showed that fruit yield, yield components and seed yield were not significantly different in T1 and T2 treatments in contrary to T3 treatment. Among the yield components, number of fruits per plant most suffered from the negative impact of severe water stress (T3 (1.20 fruit per plant. Rind thickness, percent soluble solids in fruit and seed yield were not affected by water stress. According to phenotypic traits, and correlation coefficients, a significant positive correlation (1% probability level was observed between the weighted average, and the number of fruit with the fruit yield. Crimson Suite cultivar produced the highest yield (2533 kg ha-1 compared to the cultivars Charleston Gray and Sugar Baby. Sugar Baby and Crimson Suite cultivars, with 311.7 and 298.2 kg ha-1, respectively, produced the highest amount of seed. Crimson Suite cultiavr had the highest percentage of soluble solids in fruit (1.35. Rind thickness in Crimson Suites, Charleston Gray and Sugar Baby cultivars were 1.35, 1.13 and 1.10 cm, respectively. The results of this study showed that under a moderate moisture stress condition (ET = 0.75, fruit and seed yield could be similar to the no-water stress conditions.

Emission-conditioned iron dusts and their effects on the growth and yield of agricultural crops

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berge, H

1966-01-01

Experiments were performed to determine the effects of iron dusts from industrial plants in Germany on crops. For the purposes of the investigation, 1.5 g/day/m/sup 2/ of iron dust was spread over a designated farmland near Heiligenhaus. Potatoes were grown as the first experimental crop. Other crops studied were winter wheat and rye, rape and turnips. No yield reducing effect of iron dust resulted from the experiments. An actual yield-increasing effect of iron dust on the main product yields may be assumed, but cannot be proved with adequate statistical reliability.

Predicting the onset of nucleate boiling in wavy free-falling turbulent liquid films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marsh, W J; Mudawar, I [Purdue Univ., Lafayette, IN (USA). School of Mechanical Engineering

1989-02-01

Experiments are performed to develop a fundamental understanding of boiling incipience in wavy free-falling turbulent liquid films. Incipience conditions are measured and correlated for water and a fluorocarbon (FC-72) liquid. Incipience in water films is influenced by turbulent eddies and, to a larger extent, by interfacial waves. A new approach to predicting incipience in water and other non-wetting fluids is presented. This approach utilizes physical parameters of commonly accepted incipience models and provides a means of correcting these models for the effects of turbulent eddies and roll waves. This study also demonstrates some unique incipience characteristics of fluorocarbon films. The weak surface tension forces of FC-72 allow droplets and liquid streams to break of the crests of incoming roll waves prior to, and during nucleate boiling. The low contact angle of FC-72 allows the liquid to penetrate deep inside wall cavities. Thus incipience from these flooded cavities requires much higher wall superheat than predicted from incipience models. (author).

Predicting the onset of nucleate boiling in wavy free-falling turbulent liquid films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marsh, W.J.; Mudawar, I.

1989-01-01

Experiments are performed to develop a fundamental understanding of boiling incipience in wavy free-falling turbulent liquid films. Incipience conditions are measured and correlated for water and a fluorocarbon (FC-72) liquid. Incipience in water films is influenced by turbulent eddies and, to a larger extent, by interfacial waves. A new approach to predicting incipience in water and other non-wetting fluids is presented. This approach utilizes physical parameters of commonly accepted incipience models and provides a means of correcting these models for the effects of turbulent eddies and roll waves. This study also demonstrates some unique incipience characteristics of fluorocarbon films. The weak surface tension forces of FC-72 allow droplets and liquid streams to break of the crests of incoming roll waves prior to, and during nucleate boiling. The low contact angle of FC-72 allows the liquid to penetrate deep inside wall cavities. Thus incipience from these flooded cavities requires much higher wall superheat than predicted from incipience models. (author)

Evaluation of yield and yield components and some agronomic traits of white bean genotypes under Karaj climate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Ebrahimi

2016-04-01

Full Text Available In order to study compatibility of 30 white bean genotypes under Karaj climate, an experiment was conducted based on randomized Complete Block Design with four replications. Evaluation and statistical analysis was performed for 18 important traits. Analysis of variance results showed that there are significant differences between varieties for all traits. Results of genotypes means comparison with Duncan’s multiple range test showed that genotype No. 29 was better than others in plant height, yield, and biological yield, seed no. per plant and pod weight traits. Simple correlation coefficients were significant between yield and weight of pod, biological yield, number of seed per plant, number of pod per plant, plant height, width of pod and number of seed per pod. Only pod length was negative correlated with yield between all investigated traits. Cluster analysis with UPGMA method arrangement genotypes into three groups. According to this experiment results we can recommend 29 and 30 genotypes for Karaj condition

SOCIOLINGUISTIC AND GEOLINGUISTIC APPROACHES TO THE HISTORICAL DIFFUSION OF LINGUISTIC INNOVATIONS: INCIPIENT STANDARDISATION IN LATE MIDDLE ENGLISH

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan Manuel Hernández Campoy

2005-06-01

Full Text Available The diffusion of linguistic innovations and changes has become a common object of sociolinguistic and geolinguistic research. As such, the process has been studied from four complementary perspectives: (a the communicative or interpersonal, (b the time dimension, © the social perspective and (d the geographical or spatial. Despite the successful application of these methodologies to tracing the diffusion of innovations in progress and recently attested changes, attention is hardly ever given to reconstructing these four dimensions in connection with the diffusion of changes in the past. In this paper we consider the possibility of applying these methods and findings to the different faeets of the diffusion of a weIl attested change in the history of English: the spread of incipient standard spellings from London in the late Middle English period. Particular attention is given to the unfolding of this process in the course of time, its diffusion across social ranks and networks, as well as to its possible geographical circulation.

Fine Mapping of qroot-yield-1.06, a QTL for Root, Plant Vigor and Yield in Maize

OpenAIRE

Martinez Ascanio, Ana Karine

2015-01-01

Root-yield-1.06 is a major QTL affecting root system architecture (RSA) and other agronomic traits in maize. The effect of this QTL has been evaluated with the development of near isogenic lines (NILs) differing at the QTL position. The objective of this study was to fine map qroot-yield-1.06 by marker-assisted searching for chromosome recombinants in the QTL interval and concurrent root phenotyping in both controlled and field conditions, through successive generations. Complementary approac...

Modelling climate change impacts on viticultural yield, phenology and stress conditions in Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Fraga, Helder; García de Cortázar Atauri, Iñaki; Malheiro, Aureliano C; Santos, João A

2016-11-01

Viticulture is a key socio-economic sector in Europe. Owing to the strong sensitivity of grapevines to atmospheric factors, climate change may represent an important challenge for this sector. This study analyses viticultural suitability, yield, phenology, and water and nitrogen stress indices in Europe, for present climates (1980-2005) and future (2041-2070) climate change scenarios (RCP4.5 and 8.5). The STICS crop model is coupled with climate, soil and terrain databases, also taking into account CO 2 physiological effects, and simulations are validated against observational data sets. A clear agreement between simulated and observed phenology, leaf area index, yield and water and nitrogen stress indices, including the spatial differences throughout Europe, is shown. The projected changes highlight an extension of the climatic suitability for grapevines up to 55°N, which may represent the emergence of new winemaking regions. Despite strong regional heterogeneity, mean phenological timings (budburst, flowering, veraison and harvest) are projected to undergo significant advancements (e.g. budburst/harvest can be >1 month earlier), with implications also in the corresponding phenophase intervals. Enhanced dryness throughout Europe is also projected, with severe water stress over several regions in southern regions (e.g. southern Iberia and Italy), locally reducing yield and leaf area. Increased atmospheric CO 2 partially offsets dryness effects, promoting yield and leaf area index increases in central/northern Europe. Future biomass changes may lead to modifications in nitrogen demands, with higher stress in northern/central Europe and weaker stress in southern Europe. These findings are critical decision support systems for stakeholders from the European winemaking sector. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Suspension Combustion of Wood: Influence of Pyrolysis Conditions on Char Yield, Morphology, and Reactivity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dall'Ora, Michelangelo; Jensen, Peter Arendt; Jensen, Anker Degn

2008-01-01

Chars from pine and beech wood were produced by fast pyrolysis in an entrained flow reactor and by slow pyrolysis in a thermogravimetric analyzer. The influence of pyrolysis temperature, heating rate and particle size on char yield and morphology was investigated. The applied pyrolysis temperature...... varied in the range 673−1673 K for slow pyrolysis and between 873 and 1573 K for fast pyrolysis. The chars were oxidized in a thermogravimetric analyzer and the mass loss data were used to determine char oxidation reactivity. Char yield from fast pyrolysis (104−105 K/s) was as low as 1 to 6% on a dry ash......, char oxidation reactivity decreased as pyrolysis temperature increased. The amount and composition of the ash forming matter of the wood fuels seems to play an important role in determining the differences in char yield, morphology and reactivity....

Pattern of genetic differentiation of an incipient speciation process: The case of the high Andean killifish Orestias

Science.gov (United States)

Guerrero-Jiménez, Claudia Jimena; Peña, Fabiola; Morales, Pamela; Méndez, Marco; Sallaberry, Michel; Vila, Irma; Poulin, Elie

2017-01-01

During the Pleistocene and Holocene, the southwest Andean Altiplano (17°-22°S) was affected by repeated fluctuations in water levels, high volcanic activity and major tectonic movements. In the early Holocene the humid Tauca phase shifted to the arid conditions that have lasted until the present, producing endorheic rivers, lakes, lagoons and wetlands. The endemic fish Orestias (Cyprinodontidae) represents a good model to observe the genetic differentiation that characterizes an incipient speciation process in allopatry since the morphospecies described inhabit a restricted geographic area, with present habitat fragmentation. The genetic diversity and population structure of four endemic morphospecies of Orestias (Cyprinodontidae) found in the Lauca National Park (LNP) analyzed with mitochondrial markers (Control Region) and eight microsatellites, revealed the existence of genetic groups that matches the fragmentation of these systems. High values of genetic and phylogeographic differentiation indices were observed between Chungará Lake and Piacota lagoon. The group composed of the Lauca River, Copapujo and Chuviri wetlands sampling sites showed a clear signal of expansion, with a star-like haplotype network. Levels of genetic differentiation were lower than in Chungará and Piacota, suggesting that these localities would have differentiated after the bottlenecks linked to the collapse of Parinacota volcano. The Parinacota sample showed a population signal that differed from the other localities revealing greater genetic diversity and a disperse network, presenting haplotypes shared with other LNP localities. A mixing pattern of the different genetic groups was evident using the microsatellite markers. The chronology of the vicariance events in LNP may indicate that the partition process of the Orestias populations was gradual. Considering this, and in view of the genetic results, we may conclude that the morphospecies from LNP are populations in ongoing

Effect of Organic and Chemical Fertilizers on Yield and Essential Oil of Two Ecotypes of Savory (Satureja hortensis L. under Normal and Drought Stress Conditions

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O Akrami nejad

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction Savory (Satureja hortensis L. is an annual and aromatic plant from Labiatae family, which has plenty of essential oil and is important in medicinal, food, health and beauty industries (6. In comparison with chemical fertilizers, organic fertilizers especially manure have lots of organic material sources, and can be used as nutrients, especially Nitrogen, Phosphor and Potassium. Organic fertilizers also keeps more water in the soil (14. Water deficit is one of the most important boundaries of production in arid and semi-arid regions. Drought stress reduces water content, limits plant growth and changes some physiological and metabolic activities (31. This experiment was conducted as there is a global interest for production of medicinal plants with sustainable agriculture system, and with low input and shortage of information about Savory reaction to fertilization in drought stress condition. The objective of this research was to compare the effects of chemical fertilizers and different organic fertilizers on quantitative and qualitative characteristics of two ecotypes of savory under drought stress condition. Materials and Methods In order to study the effects of organic and mineral (N, P and K fertilizers on quantitative and qualitative characteristics of savory in drought stress condition, two separate split plot designs with three replications were carried out in 2012-2013 year, at the research field of Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Iran. In each design fertilizers including cow manure (30 ton per hectare, poultry manure (10 ton per hectare, chemical fertilizers (used equally with macro elements existing in both poultry and cow manure and control (no fertilizer were used as main factor. Kerman and Khuzestan ecotypes were sub-factor. One of the experiments was irrigated to 100% and the other to 50% of field capacity. Two experiments were analyzed as a combined design. The important characteristics of Savory such as plant

Advanced condition monitoring program for turbine system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ono, Shigetoshi

2015-01-01

It is important for utilities to achieve a stable operation in nuclear power plants. To achieve it, plant anomalies that affect a stable operation must be found out and eliminated. Therefore, the advanced condition monitoring program was developed. In this program, a sophisticated heat balance model based on the actual plant data is adopted to identify plant anomalies at an incipient stage and the symptoms of plant anomalies are found by heat balance changes from the model calculation. The model calculation results have shown precise prediction for actual plant parameters. Moreover, this program has the diagnostic engine that helps operators derive the cause of plant anomalies. By using this monitoring program, the component reliability in the turbine system can be periodically monitored and assessed, and as a result the stable operation of nuclear power plants can be achieved. (author)

Residual Effect of Chemical and Animal Fertilizers and Compost on Yield, YieldComponents, Physiological Characteristics and Essential Oil Content of Matricaria chamomilla L. under Drought Stress conditions

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a Ahmadian

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract The residual effect of inorganic and organic fertilizers on growth and yield of plants is one of the important problems in nutrition. This study was conducted to determine the residual effect of different fertilizers on yield, yield components, physiological parameters and essential oil percentage of Matricaria chamomilla under drought stress. A split plot arrangement based on randomized completely block design (RCBD with three replication was conducted in 2009, at the University of Zabol. Treatments included W1 (non stress, W2 (75% FC and W3 (50% FC as main plot and three types of residual’s fertilizers: F1 (non fertilizer, F2 (chemical fertilizer, F3 (manure fertilizer and F4 (compost as sub plot. Results showed that water stress at W3 treatment reduced dry flower yield. Low water stress increased essential oil percentage and the highest oil was obtained in W2. In this experiment, free proline and total soluble carbohydrate concentration were increased under water stress. The residual’s manure and compost enhanced flower yield, percentage and yield of essential oil of chamomile at the second year. At a glance, animal manure application and light water stress (75% FC was recommended to obtain best quantitative and qualitative yield. Keywords: Water Stress, Fertilizer, Carbohydrate, Proline, Chamomile

Partial Root-Zone Drying of Olive (Olea europaea var. 'Chetoui' Induces Reduced Yield under Field Conditions.

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Soumaya Dbara

Full Text Available The productivity of olive trees in arid and semi-arid environments is closely linked to irrigation. It is necessary to improve the efficiency of irrigation techniques to optimise the amount of olive fruit produced in relation to the volume of water used. Partial root-zone drying (PRD is a water saving irrigation technique that theoretically allows the production of a root-to-shoot signal that modifies the physiology of the above-ground parts of the plant; specifically reducing stomatal conductance (gs and improving water use efficiency (WUE. Partial root-zone drying has been successfully applied under field conditions to woody and non-woody crops; yet the few previous trials with olive trees have produced contrasting results. Thirty year-old olive trees (Olea europaea 'var. Chetoui' in a Tunisian grove were exposed to four treatments from May to October for three-years: 'control' plants received 100% of the potential evapotranspirative demand (ETc applied to the whole root-zone; 'PRD100' were supplied with an identical volume of water to the control plants alternated between halves of the root-zone every ten-days; 'PRD50' were given 50% of ETc to half of the root-system, and; 'rain-fed' plants received no supplementary irrigation. Allowing part of the root-zone to dry resulted in reduced vegetative growth and lower yield: PRD100 decreased yield by ~47% during productive years. During the less productive years of the alternate bearing cycle, irrigation had no effect on yield; this suggests that withholding of water during 'off-years' may enhance the effectiveness of irrigation over a two-year cycle. The amount and quality of oil within the olive fruit was unaffected by the irrigation treatment. Photosynthesis declined in the PRD50 and rain-fed trees due to greater diffusive limitations and reduced biochemical uptake of CO2. Stomatal conductance and the foliar concentration of abscisic acid (ABA were not altered by PRD100 irrigation, which may

Partial Root-Zone Drying of Olive (Olea europaea var. 'Chetoui') Induces Reduced Yield under Field Conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Dbara, Soumaya; Haworth, Matthew; Emiliani, Giovani; Ben Mimoun, Mehdi; Gómez-Cadenas, Aurelio; Centritto, Mauro

2016-01-01

The productivity of olive trees in arid and semi-arid environments is closely linked to irrigation. It is necessary to improve the efficiency of irrigation techniques to optimise the amount of olive fruit produced in relation to the volume of water used. Partial root-zone drying (PRD) is a water saving irrigation technique that theoretically allows the production of a root-to-shoot signal that modifies the physiology of the above-ground parts of the plant; specifically reducing stomatal conductance (gs) and improving water use efficiency (WUE). Partial root-zone drying has been successfully applied under field conditions to woody and non-woody crops; yet the few previous trials with olive trees have produced contrasting results. Thirty year-old olive trees (Olea europaea 'var. Chetoui') in a Tunisian grove were exposed to four treatments from May to October for three-years: 'control' plants received 100% of the potential evapotranspirative demand (ETc) applied to the whole root-zone; 'PRD100' were supplied with an identical volume of water to the control plants alternated between halves of the root-zone every ten-days; 'PRD50' were given 50% of ETc to half of the root-system, and; 'rain-fed' plants received no supplementary irrigation. Allowing part of the root-zone to dry resulted in reduced vegetative growth and lower yield: PRD100 decreased yield by ~47% during productive years. During the less productive years of the alternate bearing cycle, irrigation had no effect on yield; this suggests that withholding of water during 'off-years' may enhance the effectiveness of irrigation over a two-year cycle. The amount and quality of oil within the olive fruit was unaffected by the irrigation treatment. Photosynthesis declined in the PRD50 and rain-fed trees due to greater diffusive limitations and reduced biochemical uptake of CO2. Stomatal conductance and the foliar concentration of abscisic acid (ABA) were not altered by PRD100 irrigation, which may indicate the

Magmatic storage conditions, decompression rate, and incipient caldera collapse of the 1902 eruption of Santa Maria Volcano, Guatemala

Science.gov (United States)

Andrews, Benjamin J.

2014-08-01

Phase equilibria experiments and analysis of natural pumice and phenocryst compositions indicate the 1902 Santa Maria dacite was stored at ~ 140-170 MPa and 840-850 °C prior to eruption. H2O-saturated, cold-seal experiments conducted in vessels with an intrinsic log fO2 of NNO + 1 ± 0.5 show that the natural phase assemblage (melt + plagioclase + amphibole + orthopyroxene + Fe-Ti oxides + apatite) is stable from approximately 115-140 MPa at temperatures below ~ 825 °C, to ~ 840-860 °C at 150 MPa, to > 850 and Ridolfi et al., 2010) applied to experimental samples suggest two populations of amphiboles, phenocrysts grown during the experiments and inherited xenocrysts, but the pressure-temperature conditions returned by the geothermobarometer are routinely > 50 MPa and > 50 °C greater than experimental run conditions; precise estimates of magmatic conditions based solely upon amphibole composition are likely inaccurate. The experimental results and analysis of natural crystals suggest that although the natural amphiboles likely record a broad range of magmatic conditions, only the lower bounds of that range reflect pre-eruptive storage conditions. Comparison of Santa Maria microlite abundances with decompression experiments examining other silicic systems from the literature suggests that the 1902 dacite decompressed at the rate of ~ 0.005 to 0.01 MPa/s during the eruption. Applying the decompression rate with the previously described eruption rate of approximately 2-3 × 108 kg/s (Williams and Self, 1983; Carey and Sparks, 1986) to the conduit model CONFLOW reveals that the eruption conduit was dike-like with an along-strike length > 1 km. Despite depositing ~ 20 km3 of dacite tephra (equivalent to ~ 8.5 km3 magma), the 1902 eruption did not form an obvious caldera. This work suggests that collapse of the dike-like conduit terminated the eruption, preventing full caldera collapse.

Effect of Application of Pseudomonas fluorescent Strains on Yield and Yield Components of Rapeseed Cultivars

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R Najafi

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria has been identified as an alternative to chemical fertilizer to enhance plant growth and yield directly and indirectly. Use of rhizosphere free living bacteria is one of the methods for crop production and leads to improvement of resources absorption. In order to study of yield, yield components and radiation use efficiency, under application of PGPR condition, an experiment was carried out in 2008 growing season at Agriculture and natural resources research station of Mashhad. The cultivars selected from three rapeseed species belong to Brassica napus, Brassica rapa and Brassica juncea (landrace, BP.18، Goldrush، Parkland، Hyola330، Hyola401. Experimental factorial design was randomized in complete block with three replications. Treatments included six varieties of Rapeseed and inoculations were four levels as non–inoculation, inoculation with P. fluorescens169, P. putida108 and use then together. Results showed that strains of fluorescent pseudomonas bacteria had greatest effects on yield and yield components cultivars. A significant difference in the number of pods per plant and 1000 seed weight observed. The cultivars were different in all treats except 1000 seed weight. Overall results indicated that application of growth stimulating bacteria in combination with different cultivars, had a positive effect growth, yield characteristics of plant varieties of rapeseed plants.

Nut crop yield records show that budbreak-based chilling requirements may not reflect yield decline chill thresholds

Science.gov (United States)

Pope, Katherine S.; Dose, Volker; Da Silva, David; Brown, Patrick H.; DeJong, Theodore M.

2015-06-01

Warming winters due to climate change may critically affect temperate tree species. Insufficiently cold winters are thought to result in fewer viable flower buds and the subsequent development of fewer fruits or nuts, decreasing the yield of an orchard or fecundity of a species. The best existing approximation for a threshold of sufficient cold accumulation, the "chilling requirement" of a species or variety, has been quantified by manipulating or modeling the conditions that result in dormant bud breaking. However, the physiological processes that affect budbreak are not the same as those that determine yield. This study sought to test whether budbreak-based chilling thresholds can reasonably approximate the thresholds that affect yield, particularly regarding the potential impacts of climate change on temperate tree crop yields. County-wide yield records for almond ( Prunus dulcis), pistachio ( Pistacia vera), and walnut ( Juglans regia) in the Central Valley of California were compared with 50 years of weather records. Bayesian nonparametric function estimation was used to model yield potentials at varying amounts of chill accumulation. In almonds, average yields occurred when chill accumulation was close to the budbreak-based chilling requirement. However, in the other two crops, pistachios and walnuts, the best previous estimate of the budbreak-based chilling requirements was 19-32 % higher than the chilling accumulations associated with average or above average yields. This research indicates that physiological processes beyond requirements for budbreak should be considered when estimating chill accumulation thresholds of yield decline and potential impacts of climate change.

Estimation of the Hiroshima bomb yield and weather conditions at the time of the bomb

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tajima, Eizo

1984-01-01

The results of the survey made immediately after the bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki were compiled in Collection of Reports on the Investigation of the Atomic Bomb Casualties published in 1953. Much valuable information for the reassessment of dose are included in this document. One of the major problems to be solved for the dose reassessment is the yield of the Hiroshima bomb. Two articles with relatively detailed description were selected, and the estimation of the yield was attempted, based on them. The data on roof tile melting were used for the purpose. Assuming the yield of the Nagasaki bomb as 22 kt, the yield of the Hiroshima bomb was given as 12.4 kt. By the experiment using the charred state of cypress boards, the total radiant energy from the bomb was calculated as 4.6 x 10 12 cal, and the yield of the Hiroshima bomb was estimated as 14.2 kt and 13.2 kt. The true value is likely between 12 and 13 kt. The vapor pressure at the time of bombing significantly affected the neutron spectrum. On the day of bombing, Japan was covered by hot, humid maritime air mass, namely summer monsoon pattern. The air density and water vapor content in the atmosphere were determined by the Japan Weather Association, and compared with the data of Dr. Kerr et al. (Kako, I.)

Effect of Different Levels of Sulphur Bentonite on Yield and Yield Components of Canola (Brassica napus L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B Rahimi

2013-04-01

Full Text Available In order to determine the effect of different levels of sulfur bentonite on yield and yield components of canola a factorial experiment was conducted on the basis of randomized complete block design with three replications in Mashhad in 2009-2010 growing season. Factors included four levels of sulfur bentonite (0, 300, 400 and 500 kg.h-1 and two varieties of canola (Modena and Zarfam. The result showed that the increase in sulfur increased some vegetative traits such as leaf area index and plant height. Using sulfur caused increased pod number, seed weight, in addition of oil and protein content and seed yield. Grain yield increase was due to seed weight and LAI. Two varieties were different to responses the sulfur. While in no sulfur application there was no significant difference in seed yield, in 500 Kg sulfur application yield of Zarfam compared to Modena increased about 29.63. According to the results there are significant differences between cultivars in terms of response to the sulfur fertilizer. Therefore it is necessary to evaluate effect of sulfur application of canola productivity in different climate conditions of Iran.

Drought tolerance indices and their correlation with yield in exotic wheat genotypes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anwar, J.; Subhani, G.M.; Ahmad, J.; Hussain, M.; Munir, M.

2011-01-01

Performance of nineteen exotic genotypes along with local check variety was studied during 2009-10 at Wheat Research Institute, AARI, Faisalabad, Pakistan. The experiment was conducted under two field conditions i.e., stress and irrigated conditions. In case of water stress experiment, only soaking irrigation was applied for seed bed preparation and no further irrigation was applied up to maturity. While, four irrigations were applied at critical growth stages to the second experiment (irrigated). At maturity, grain yield was recorded in both experiments (stress Y/sub s/ and irrigated Y/sub p/). From grain yield data, some drought tolerance/resistance indices such as tolerance index (TOL), mean productivity (MP), harmonic mean (HM), stress susceptibility index (SSI), geometric mean productivity (GMP), stress tolerance index (STI), yield index (YI), yield stability index (YSI) and modified stress tolerance index (k/sub 1/STI and k/sub 2/STI) were calculated. Genotypic correlation, genetic components and heritability were also calculated for grain yield and all indices. Significant differences among genotypes were observed for Y/sub p/, Y/sub s/ and all other drought tolerance indices. Moderate to high heritability and genetic advance were observed for Y/sub p/, Y/sub s/ and all drought tolerance indices. Grain yield under irrigated environment (Y/sub p/) was positively and significantly correlated with MP, HM, GMP, STI and k/sub 1/STI. Similarly, positive and significant association has also been observed between grain yield under stress condition (Y/sub s/) and MP, HM, GMP, STI, YI and k/sub 2/STI so they were the better predictor of potential yield Y/sub p/ and Y/sub s/ than TOL, SSI and YSI. According to Fernandez model; genotypes No. 2, 4, 6, 7, 9 and 13 have uniform superiority under both conditions (stress and irrigated). Genotypes No. 1, 11, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 were recommended for irrigated conditions. Genotypes No. 3 and 5 were identified suitable for

Yield Mapping in Salix; Skoerdekartering av salix

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anderson, Christoffer; Gilbertsson, Mikael; Rogstrand, Gustav; Thylen, Lars

2004-09-01

The most common species for energy forest production is willow. Willow is able to produce a large amount of biomass in a short period of time. Growing willow has a potential to render a good financial result for the farmer if cultivated on fields with the right conditions and plenty of water. Under the right conditions growing willow can give the farmer a net income of 3,000 SEK (about 430 USD) per hectare and year, which is something that common cereal crops cannot compete with. However, this is not the common case since willow is often grown as a substitute crop on fields where cereal crop yield is low. The aim of this study was to reveal if it is possible to measure yield variability in willow, and if it is possible to describe the reasons for yield variation both within the field but also between different fields. Yield mapping has been used in conventional farming for about a decade. The principles for yield mapping are to continuously measure the yield while registering location by the use of GPS when harvesting the field. The collected data is then used to search for spatial variations within the field, and to try to understand the reasons for this variation. Since there is currently no commercial equipment for yield mapping in willow, a yield mapping system had to be developed within this project. The new system was installed on a Claas Jaguar harvester. The principle for yield mapping on the Claas Jaguar harvester is to measure the distance between the feeding rollers. This distance is correlated to the flow through the harvester. The speed and position of the machine was registered using GPS. Knowing the working width of the harvester this information was used to calculate the yield. All collected data was stored on a PDA computer. Soil samples were also collected from the yield mapped fields. This was to be able to test yield against both physical and chemical soil parameters. The result shows that it is possible to measure spatial variations of yield in

Effect of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria on Yield and Yield Components of Garlic Medicinal Plant (Allium sativum L. under the Conditions of Different Organic and Chemical Fertilizers Application

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yaser Esmaeilian

2018-03-01

% compared to single application of nitroxin. Biophosphorous plus vermicompost, cow manure and chemical fertilizer increased biological yield, respectively, by 25, 18 and 15% compared to single application of these fertilizers. The highest economic yield obtained in treatment of nitroxin plus cow manure. Organic and biological fertilizers are among the most significant resources for improvement of agricultural soil quality and increase in the yield of different medicinal plants. It has been reported that these ecological inputs provide favorable conditions for plant growth and development through improvement of physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil (10, 39, therefore, it can be concluded that improvement in most studied traits in the present study was due to the use of organic fertilizers. Fallahi et al. (22 reported the positive effects of organic and biological fertilizers on the improvement of quantitative and qualitative characteristics in chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.. Conclusion: In general, the results of this research showed that combined use of organic and biological inputs can improve quantitative characteristics of plant, and thus decrease the environmental risks of chemical inpus.

Supplementary material from "Increased SBPase activity improves photosynthesis and grain yield in wheat grown in greenhouse conditions"

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Driever, S.M.; Simkin, Andrew J.; Alotaibi, Saqer; Fisk, Stuart J.; Madgwick, Pippa J.; Sparks, Caroline A.; Jones, Huw D.; Lawson, Tracy; Parry, Martin A.J.; Raines, Christine A.

2017-01-01

To meet the growing demand for food, substantial improvements in yields are needed. This is particularly the case for wheat, where global yield has stagnated in recent years. Increasing photosynthesis has been identified as a primary target to achieve yield improvements. To increase leaf

Ethiopian Wheat Yield and Yield Gap Estimation: A Spatial Small Area Integrated Data Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Mann, M.; Warner, J.

2015-12-01

Despite the collection of routine annual agricultural surveys and significant advances in GIS and remote sensing products, little econometric research has been undertaken in predicting developing nation's agricultural yields. In this paper, we explore the determinants of wheat output per hectare in Ethiopia during the 2011-2013 Meher crop seasons aggregated to the woreda administrative area. Using a panel data approach, combining national agricultural field surveys with relevant GIS and remote sensing products, the model explains nearly 40% of the total variation in wheat output per hectare across the country. The model also identifies specific contributors to wheat yields that include farm management techniques (eg. area planted, improved seed, fertilizer, irrigation), weather (eg. rainfall), water availability (vegetation and moisture deficit indexes) and policy intervention. Our findings suggest that woredas produce between 9.8 and 86.5% of their potential wheat output per hectare given their altitude, weather conditions, terrain, and plant health. At the median, Amhara, Oromiya, SNNP, and Tigray produce 48.6, 51.5, 49.7, and 61.3% of their local attainable yields, respectively. This research has a broad range of applications, especially from a public policy perspective: identifying causes of yield fluctuations, remotely evaluating larger agricultural intervention packages, and analyzing relative yield potential. Overall, the combination of field surveys with spatial data can be used to identify management priorities for improving production at a variety of administrative levels.

Use of vegetation health data for estimation of aus rice yield in bangladesh.

Science.gov (United States)

Rahman, Atiqur; Roytman, Leonid; Krakauer, Nir Y; Nizamuddin, Mohammad; Goldberg, Mitch

2009-01-01

Rice is a vital staple crop for Bangladesh and surrounding countries, with interannual variation in yields depending on climatic conditions. We compared Bangladesh yield of aus rice, one of the main varieties grown, from official agricultural statistics with Vegetation Health (VH) Indices [Vegetation Condition Index (VCI), Temperature Condition Index (TCI) and Vegetation Health Index (VHI)] computed from Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) data covering a period of 15 years (1991-2005). A strong correlation was found between aus rice yield and VCI and VHI during the critical period of aus rice development that occurs during March-April (weeks 8-13 of the year), several months in advance of the rice harvest. Stepwise principal component regression (PCR) was used to construct a model to predict yield as a function of critical-period VHI. The model reduced the yield prediction error variance by 62% compared with a prediction of average yield for each year. Remote sensing is a valuable tool for estimating rice yields well in advance of harvest and at a low cost.

Use of Vegetation Health Data for Estimation of Aus Rice Yield in Bangladesh

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Nizamuddin

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Rice is a vital staple crop for Bangladesh and surrounding countries, with interannual variation in yields depending on climatic conditions. We compared Bangladesh yield of aus rice, one of the main varieties grown, from official agricultural statistics with Vegetation Health (VH Indices [Vegetation Condition Index (VCI, Temperature Condition Index (TCI and Vegetation Health Index (VHI] computed from Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR data covering a period of 15 years (1991–2005. A strong correlation was found between aus rice yield and VCI and VHI during the critical period of aus rice development that occurs during March-April (weeks 8–13 of the year, several months in advance of the rice harvest. Stepwise principal component regression (PCR was used to construct a model to predict yield as a function of critical-period VHI. The model reduced the yield prediction error variance by 62% compared with a prediction of average yield for each year. Remote sensing is a valuable tool for estimating rice yields well in advance of harvest and at a low cost.

Mid-Season Leaf Glutamine Predicts End-Season Maize Grain Yield and Nitrogen Content in Response to Nitrogen Fertilization under Field Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Travis Goron

2017-06-01

Full Text Available After uptake in cereal crops, nitrogen (N is rapidly assimilated into glutamine (Gln and other amino acids for transport to sinks. Therefore Gln has potential as an improved indicator of soil N availability compared to plant N demand. Gln has primarily been assayed to understand basic plant physiology, rather than to measure plant/soil-N under field conditions. It was hypothesized that leaf Gln at early-to-mid season could report the N application rate and predict end-season grain yield in field-grown maize. A three-year maize field experiment was conducted with N application rates ranging from 30 to 218 kg ha−1. Relative leaf Gln was assayed from leaf disk tissue using a whole-cell biosensor for Gln (GlnLux at the V3-V14 growth stages. SPAD (Soil Plant Analysis Development and NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index measurements were also performed. When sampled at V6 or later, GlnLux glutamine output consistently correlated with the N application rate, end-season yield, and grain N content. Yield correlation outperformed GreenSeekerTM NDVI, and was equivalent to SPAD chlorophyll, indicating the potential for yield prediction. Additionally, depleting soil N via overplanting increased GlnLux resolution to the earlier V5 stage. The results of the study are discussed in the context of luxury N consumption, leaf N remobilization, senescence, and grain fill. The potential and challenges of leaf Gln and GlnLux for the study of crop N physiology, and future N management are also discussed.

Improving carbon dioxide yields and cell efficiencies for ethanol oxidation by potential scanning

Science.gov (United States)

Majidi, Pasha; Pickup, Peter G.

2014-12-01

An ethanol electrolysis cell with aqueous ethanol supplied to the anode and nitrogen at the cathode has been operated under potential cycling conditions in order to increase the yield of carbon dioxide and thereby increase cell efficiency relative to operation at a fixed potential. At ambient temperature, faradaic yields of CO2 as high as 26% have been achieved, while only transient CO2 production was observed at constant potential. Yields increased substantially at higher temperatures, with maximum values at Pt anodes reaching 45% at constant potential and 65% under potential cycling conditions. Use of a PtRu anode increased the cell efficiency by decreasing the anode potential, but this was offset by decreased CO2 yields. Nonetheless, cycling increased the efficiency relative to constant potential. The maximum yields at PtRu and 80 °C were 13% at constant potential and 32% under potential cycling. The increased yields under cycling conditions have been attributed to periodic oxidative stripping of adsorbed CO, which occurs at lower potentials on PtRu than on Pt. These results will be important in the optimization of operating conditions for direct ethanol fuel cells and for the electrolysis of ethanol to produce clean hydrogen.

Bivariate return periods of temperature and precipitation explain a large fraction of European crop yields

Science.gov (United States)

Zscheischler, Jakob; Orth, Rene; Seneviratne, Sonia I.

2017-07-01

Crops are vital for human society. Crop yields vary with climate and it is important to understand how climate and crop yields are linked to ensure future food security. Temperature and precipitation are among the key driving factors of crop yield variability. Previous studies have investigated mostly linear relationships between temperature and precipitation and crop yield variability. Other research has highlighted the adverse impacts of climate extremes, such as drought and heat waves, on crop yields. Impacts are, however, often non-linearly related to multivariate climate conditions. Here we derive bivariate return periods of climate conditions as indicators for climate variability along different temperature-precipitation gradients. We show that in Europe, linear models based on bivariate return periods of specific climate conditions explain on average significantly more crop yield variability (42 %) than models relying directly on temperature and precipitation as predictors (36 %). Our results demonstrate that most often crop yields increase along a gradient from hot and dry to cold and wet conditions, with lower yields associated with hot and dry periods. The majority of crops are most sensitive to climate conditions in summer and to maximum temperatures. The use of bivariate return periods allows the integration of non-linear impacts into climate-crop yield analysis. This offers new avenues to study the link between climate and crop yield variability and suggests that they are possibly more strongly related than what is inferred from conventional linear models.

Geoelectrical parameter-based multivariate regression borehole yield model for predicting aquifer yield in managing groundwater resource sustainability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kehinde Anthony Mogaji

2016-07-01

Full Text Available This study developed a GIS-based multivariate regression (MVR yield rate prediction model of groundwater resource sustainability in the hard-rock geology terrain of southwestern Nigeria. This model can economically manage the aquifer yield rate potential predictions that are often overlooked in groundwater resources development. The proposed model relates the borehole yield rate inventory of the area to geoelectrically derived parameters. Three sets of borehole yield rate conditioning geoelectrically derived parameters—aquifer unit resistivity (ρ, aquifer unit thickness (D and coefficient of anisotropy (λ—were determined from the acquired and interpreted geophysical data. The extracted borehole yield rate values and the geoelectrically derived parameter values were regressed to develop the MVR relationship model by applying linear regression and GIS techniques. The sensitivity analysis results of the MVR model evaluated at P ⩽ 0.05 for the predictors ρ, D and λ provided values of 2.68 × 10−05, 2 × 10−02 and 2.09 × 10−06, respectively. The accuracy and predictive power tests conducted on the MVR model using the Theil inequality coefficient measurement approach, coupled with the sensitivity analysis results, confirmed the model yield rate estimation and prediction capability. The MVR borehole yield prediction model estimates were processed in a GIS environment to model an aquifer yield potential prediction map of the area. The information on the prediction map can serve as a scientific basis for predicting aquifer yield potential rates relevant in groundwater resources sustainability management. The developed MVR borehole yield rate prediction mode provides a good alternative to other methods used for this purpose.

Effect of different tillage intensity on yields and yield-forming factors in winter wheat

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Martin Houšť

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The paper presents results of a study on application of minimum tillage technologies when growing winter wheat. Experiments were performed in the sugar-beet-growing region with loamy chernozem within the period of 2005–2009. Aanalysed and evaluated were effects of different methods of soil processing on yield-forming factors in stands of winter wheat grown after three different preceding crops (i.e. alfalfa, maize for silage and pea. Evaluated were the following four variants of tillage: (1 conventional ploughing to the depth of 0.22 m (Variant 1; (2 ploughing to the depth of 0.15 m (Variant 2; (3 direct sowing into the untilled soil (Variant 3, and (4 shallow tillage to the depth of 0.10 m (Variant 4.The effect of different tillage intensity on winter wheat yields was statistically non-significant after all forecrops. After alfalfa, the highest and the lowest average yields were recorded in Variant 2 (i.e. with ploughing to the depth of 0.15 m and Variant 3 (direct sowing into the untilled soil, respectively. After maize grown for silage, higher yields were obtained in Variant 2 and Variant 1 (conventional ploughing while in Variants 4 and 3 the obtained yields were lower. When growing winter wheat after pea as a preceding crop, the highest and the lowest average yields were recorded after direct sowing (Variant 3 and in Variant 1 (i.e. ploughing to the depth of 0.22 m, respectively. Results of studies on effect of different tillage technologies on yields of winter wheat crops indicate that under the given pedological and climatic conditions it is possible to apply methods of reduced tillage intensity. However, the choice of the corresponding technology must be performed with regard to the type of preceding crop.

Effects of surface and subsurface drip irrigation regimes with saline water on yield and water use efficiency of potato in arid conditions of Tunisia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fathia El Mokh

2014-12-01

significant advantage on yield and WUE and reduces the soil salinity compared to the SDI in potato production under experimental conditions. The SSDI and FI100 irrigation techniques seem to optimize the use of saline water in potato production and to control soil salinity. Under situations of water shortage, adopting deficit irrigation treatment (DI60 could be an alternative for irrigation scheduling of spring and autumn potato under the arid conditions of southern Tunisia.

Variability in yield of faba beans (Vicia faba L.)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Grashoff, C.

1992-01-01

Yield variability is one of the major problems in growing faba beans. In this thesis, the effect of water supply pattern on yield variability of the crop is studied with experiments in the field and under controlled conditions, and with a simulation model. In a series of field experiments,

Condition monitoring of main coolant pumps, Dhruva

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prasad, V.; Satheesh, C.; Acharya, V.N.; Tikku, A.C.; Mishra, S.K.

2002-01-01

Full text: Dhruva is a 100 MW research reactor with natural uranium fuel, heavy water as moderator and primary coolant. Three Centrifugal pumps circulate the primary coolant across the core and the heat exchangers. Each pump is coupled to a flywheel (FW) assembly in order to meet operational safety requirements. All the 3 main coolant pump (MCP) sets are required to operate during operation of the reactor. The pump-sets are in operation since the year 1984 and have logged more than 1,00,000 hrs. Frequent breakdowns of its FW bearings were experienced during initial years of operation. Condition monitoring of these pumps, largely on vibration based parameters, was initiated on regular basis. Break-downs of main coolant pumps reduced considerably due to the fair accurate predictions of incipient break-downs and timely maintenance efforts. An effort is made in this paper to share the experience

Slifers revisited: a method for determining yields independent of radiochemical measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rambo, J.T.

1976-01-01

It would be very desirable if an independent method other than radiochemical measurement were available to determine the yields of low-yield events in the alluviums and tuffs of areas 2, 9, and 10 at the Nevada Test Site. The successful application of slifers to the measurement of yields from high-yield events suggests that under some conditions they may also be usable with low-yield events. This view is supported by the evidence discussed here, which is based on direct experience with slifer yield measurements for low-yield events in porous media. Suggested methods for improving slifer yield determinations and a method for determining yields independent of radiochemical measurements are offered

Directional Wigner-Ville distribution and its application for rotating-machinery condition monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Dong Wan; Ha, Jae HOng; Shin, Hae Gon; Lee, Yoon Hee; Kim, Young Baik

1996-01-01

Vibration analysis is one of the most powerful tools available for the detection and isolation of incipient faults in mechanical systems. The methods of vibration analysis in use today and under continuous study are broad band vibration monitoring, time domain analysis, and frequency domain analysis. In recent years, great interest has been generated concerning the use of time-frequency representation and its application for a machinery diagnostics and condition monitoring system. The objective of the research described in this paper was to develop a new diagnostic tool for the rotating machinery. This paper introduces a new time-frequency representation, Directional Wigner-Ville Distribution, which analyses the time-frequency structure of the rotating machinery vibration

Interannual and spatial variability of maple syrup yield as related to climatic factors

Science.gov (United States)

Houle, Daniel

2014-01-01

Sugar maple syrup production is an important economic activity for eastern Canada and the northeastern United States. Since annual variations in syrup yield have been related to climate, there are concerns about the impacts of climatic change on the industry in the upcoming decades. Although the temporal variability of syrup yield has been studied for specific sites on different time scales or for large regions, a model capable of accounting for both temporal and regional differences in yield is still lacking. In the present study, we studied the factors responsible for interregional and interannual variability in maple syrup yield over the 2001–2012 period, by combining the data from 8 Quebec regions (Canada) and 10 U.S. states. The resulting model explained 44.5% of the variability in yield. It includes the effect of climatic conditions that precede the sapflow season (variables from the previous growing season and winter), the effect of climatic conditions during the current sapflow season, and terms accounting for intercountry and temporal variability. Optimal conditions for maple syrup production appear to be spatially restricted by less favourable climate conditions occurring during the growing season in the north, and in the south, by the warmer winter and earlier spring conditions. This suggests that climate change may favor maple syrup production northwards, while southern regions are more likely to be negatively affected by adverse spring conditions. PMID:24949244

Will energy crop yields meet expectations?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Searle, Stephanie Y.; Malins, Christopher J.

2014-01-01

Expectations are high for energy crops. Government policies in the United States and Europe are increasingly supporting biofuel and heat and power from cellulose, and biomass is touted as a partial solution to energy security and greenhouse gas mitigation. Here, we review the literature for yields of 5 major potential energy crops: Miscanthus spp., Panicum virgatum (switchgrass), Populus spp. (poplar), Salix spp. (willow), and Eucalyptus spp. Very high yields have been achieved for each of these types of energy crops, up to 40 t ha −1  y −1 in small, intensively managed trials. But yields are significantly lower in semi-commercial scale trials, due to biomass losses with drying, harvesting inefficiency under real world conditions, and edge effects in small plots. To avoid competition with food, energy crops should be grown on non-agricultural land, which also lowers yields. While there is potential for yield improvement for each of these crops through further research and breeding programs, for several reasons the rate of yield increase is likely to be slower than historically has been achieved for cereals; these include relatively low investment, long breeding periods, low yield response of perennial grasses to fertilizer, and inapplicability of manipulating the harvest index. Miscanthus × giganteus faces particular challenges as it is a sterile hybrid. Moderate and realistic expectations for the current and future performance of energy crops are vital to understanding the likely cost and the potential of large-scale production. - Highlights: • This review covers Miscanthus, switchgrass, poplar, willow, and Eucalyptus. • High yields of energy crops are typically from small experimental plots. • Field scale yields are lower due to real world harvesting losses and edge effects. • The potential for yield improvement of energy crops is relatively limited. • Expectations must be realistic for successful policies and commercial production

Study of Winter Wheat Yield Quality Analysis at ARDS Turda

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ovidiu Adrian Ceclan

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this research is to study the potential for yield and quality indicators for winter wheat genotypes in terms of pedological and climate condition and applied technology, at ARDS Turda during 2014 – 2015. Depending on the climatic conditions that are associated with applied technology is a decisive factor in successful wheat crop for all genotypes that were studied at Ards Turda during the 2014 – 2016. That’s wy each genotype responded differently to the conditions of the ARDS Turda also through the two levels of fertilisations applied in the winter with fertilizers 20:20:0, 250 kg/ha assuring 50 kg/ha N and P active substance and second level of fertilisations with 150 kg/ha ammonium nitrate assuring 50 kg/ha N active substance. All genotype that were studied in terms of yield and quality indicators were influenced by the fertilization level. The influence of pedo-climatic conditions, applied technologies and fertilizers level at ARDS Turda showed that all genotypes with small yield had higher protein and gluten content respectively Zeleny index.

Effects of kernel weight and source-limitation on wheat grain yield ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

DRmohammadi

2012-02-09

Feb 9, 2012 ... Many regions need wheat cultivars that are capable of high yields when the weather is beneficial but produce stable yields when conditions are adverse. These geno- types should have high yield potential in both favorable and high temperature environments (Yang et al., 2002a;. Ahmed et al., 2011a, b).

Comparison of nano-hydroxyapatite and sodium fluoride mouthrinse for remineralization of incipient carious lesions.

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Roza Haghgoo

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Dental caries is an infectious disease that can be prevented in several ways. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of sodium fluoride mouthrinse and nano- hydroxyapatite (nano-HA for the remineralization of incipient caries.After obtaining different concentrations of nano-HA (0-2-5-10%, 60 sound premolars fixed in acrylic blocks were coated with nail polish except for one surface. Ten teeth (control group were stored in distilled water and the remaining 50 samples were demineralized by immersion in 13 ml of 0.1 M lactic acid and 0.2% poly acrylic acid for 48 hours. Their microhardness was then measured and compared to that of the control group. Next, the 50 test teeth were randomly divided into 5 groups of group1 (negative, group 2 (2% nano-HA, group 3 (5% nano-HA, group 4(10% nano-HA and group 5 (0.2 NAF mouthrinse. The microhardness of the teeth was measured after 12 hours of immersion in the above-mentioned solutions. Data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA.Microhardness of all samples decreased significantly after immersion in the demineralization solution and increased following immersion in nano-HA and NAF mouthrinses; however, this increase was not statistically significant (P=0.711.Nano-HA and NAF mouthrinses can greatly enhance remineralization and increase tooth microhardness.

Inoculation of Schizolobium parahyba with mycorrhizal fungi and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria increases wood yield under field conditions

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Martha Viviana Torres Cely

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Schizolobium parahyba var. amazonicum (Huber ex Ducke occurs naturally in the Brazilian Amazon. Currently, it is being planted extensively because of its fast growth and excellent use in forestry. Consequently, there is great interest in new strategies to increase wood production. The interaction between soil microorganisms and plants, specifically in the roots, provides essential nutrients for plant growth. These interactions can have growth-promoting effects. In this way, this study assessed the effect of the inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR on growth of S. parahyba var. amazonicum under field conditions. We used two native species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, Claroideoglomus etunicatum (Ce and Acaulospora sp. (Ac; two native strains of Rhizobium sp. (Rh1 and Rh2; and a non-native strain of Burkholderia sp. Different combinations of microorganisms were supplemented with chemical fertilizers (doses D1 and D2 in two planting methods, seed sowing and seedling planting. In seed sowing, the results showed that treatments with Ce/Rh1/Fertilizer D2 and Ac/No PGPR/Fertilizer D2 increased wood yield. In seedling planting, two combinations (Ac/Rh2/Fertilizer D1 and Ac/Rh1/Fertilizer D1 were more effective in increasing seedling growth. In these experiments, inoculation with AMF and PGPR increased wood yield by about 20% compared to the application of fertilizer alone.

Inoculation of Schizolobium parahyba with Mycorrhizal Fungi and Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria Increases Wood Yield under Field Conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Cely, Martha V T; Siviero, Marco A; Emiliano, Janaina; Spago, Flávia R; Freitas, Vanessa F; Barazetti, André R; Goya, Erika T; Lamberti, Gustavo de Souza; Dos Santos, Igor M O; De Oliveira, Admilton G; Andrade, Galdino

2016-01-01

Schizolobium parahyba var. amazonicum (Huber ex Ducke) occurs naturally in the Brazilian Amazon. Currently, it is being planted extensively because of its fast growth and excellent use in forestry. Consequently, there is great interest in new strategies to increase wood production. The interaction between soil microorganisms and plants, specifically in the roots, provides essential nutrients for plant growth. These interactions can have growth-promoting effects. In this way, this study assessed the effect of the inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) on growth of S. parahyba var. amazonicum under field conditions. We used two native species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, Claroideoglomus etunicatum (Ce), and Acaulospora sp. (Ac); two native strains of Rhizobium sp. (Rh1 and Rh2); and a non-native strain of Burkholderia sp. Different combinations of microorganisms were supplemented with chemical fertilizers (doses D1 and D2) in two planting methods, seed sowing and seedling planting. In seed sowing, the results showed that treatments with Ce/Rh1/Fertilizer D2 and Ac/No PGPR/Fertilizer D2 increased wood yield. In seedling planting, two combinations (Ac/Rh2/Fertilizer D1 and Ac/Rh1/Fertilizer D1) were more effective in increasing seedling growth. In these experiments, inoculation with AMF and PGPR increased wood yield by about 20% compared to the application of fertilizer alone.

A high sensibility technique to detect the incipient defects in high tension bushings; Una tecnica de alta sensibilidad para detectar defectos incipientes en boquillas de alta tension

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Robles Pimentel, Edgar; Mestizo Rivera, Antolin; Romero Camberos, Ramon [Instituto de Investigaciones Electricas, Cuernavaca (Mexico)

1996-12-31

In this article a testing technique to locate incipient faults in transformer bushings is reported, specifically the one related to the internal disconnection of the capacitive tap, which is exemplified with a device having a problem of this kind. [Espanol] En el presente articulo se reporta una tecnica de prueba para localizar fallas incipientes en las boquillas de los transformadores, especificamente la relacionada con la desconexion interna del tap capacitivo, lo cual se ejemplifica con un dispositivo que padece un problema de ese tipo.

A high sensibility technique to detect the incipient defects in high tension bushings; Una tecnica de alta sensibilidad para detectar defectos incipientes en boquillas de alta tension

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Robles Pimentel, Edgar; Mestizo Rivera, Antolin; Romero Camberos, Ramon [Instituto de Investigaciones Electricas, Cuernavaca (Mexico)

1995-12-31

In this article a testing technique to locate incipient faults in transformer bushings is reported, specifically the one related to the internal disconnection of the capacitive tap, which is exemplified with a device having a problem of this kind. [Espanol] En el presente articulo se reporta una tecnica de prueba para localizar fallas incipientes en las boquillas de los transformadores, especificamente la relacionada con la desconexion interna del tap capacitivo, lo cual se ejemplifica con un dispositivo que padece un problema de ese tipo.

Impact of bee pollinators on seed set and yield of Vicia villosa spp. dasycarpa (Leguminosae grown under semiarid conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shahera Zaitoun

2010-01-01

Full Text Available A field experiment was conducted during 2005/2006 at Jordan University of Science and Technology campus (32°30” N, 35°59” E, Irbid, Jordan, to study the role of bee visitors on seed set and production of Vicia villosa spp. dasycarpa grown under semiarid conditions. Two treatments were imposed on Vicia villosa plants before flowering: 1 Plants were covered in cages (control or 2 Plants were left uncovered to permit bee visiting. The results of this experiment showed that V. villosa flowers were very attractive to worker honeybees as well as to few numbers of wild bees. The most frequent visitor species were A. mellifera and Anthophora albigena of family Apidae. V. villosa flowers attracted most of the bee visitors in the early hours of the day. The duration of their visit on the flowers also peaked early in the day and decreased toward the end of the day. The percentage of pod set of the un-covered plants averaged 14% out of the total florets on the plants, which was significantly higher than the covered plants (2%. These results indicated that the percentage of flower abscission was high and averaged more than 86%. Plant covering significantly reduced seed yield by reducing seed and pod number per plant and seed number per pod, but had no effect on individual seed weight. In conclusion, preventing bees from visiting during flowering of V. villosa spp. dasycarpa decreased seed set, seed yield and yield components. Further studies are needed to understand the high flower abscission and failure of seed set in this species.

Bivariate return periods of temperature and precipitation explain a large fraction of European crop yields

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Zscheischler

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Crops are vital for human society. Crop yields vary with climate and it is important to understand how climate and crop yields are linked to ensure future food security. Temperature and precipitation are among the key driving factors of crop yield variability. Previous studies have investigated mostly linear relationships between temperature and precipitation and crop yield variability. Other research has highlighted the adverse impacts of climate extremes, such as drought and heat waves, on crop yields. Impacts are, however, often non-linearly related to multivariate climate conditions. Here we derive bivariate return periods of climate conditions as indicators for climate variability along different temperature–precipitation gradients. We show that in Europe, linear models based on bivariate return periods of specific climate conditions explain on average significantly more crop yield variability (42 % than models relying directly on temperature and precipitation as predictors (36 %. Our results demonstrate that most often crop yields increase along a gradient from hot and dry to cold and wet conditions, with lower yields associated with hot and dry periods. The majority of crops are most sensitive to climate conditions in summer and to maximum temperatures. The use of bivariate return periods allows the integration of non-linear impacts into climate–crop yield analysis. This offers new avenues to study the link between climate and crop yield variability and suggests that they are possibly more strongly related than what is inferred from conventional linear models.

Yield gap of rainfed rice in farmers’ fields in Central Java, Indonesia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boling, A.A.; Tuong, T.P.; Keulen, van H.; Bouman, B.A.M.; Suganda, H.; Spiertz, J.H.J.

2010-01-01

Yield constraint analysis for rainfed rice at a research station gives insight into the relative role of occurring yield-limiting factors. However, soil nutrient status and water conditions along toposequences in rainfed farmers’ fields may differ from those at the research station. Therefore, yield

Brazilian Soybean Yields and Yield Gaps Vary with Farm Size

Science.gov (United States)

Jeffries, G. R.; Cohn, A.; Griffin, T. S.; Bragança, A.

2017-12-01

Understanding the farm size-specific characteristics of crop yields and yield gaps may help to improve yields by enabling better targeting of technical assistance and agricultural development programs. Linking remote sensing-based yield estimates with property boundaries provides a novel view of the relationship between farm size and yield structure (yield magnitude, gaps, and stability over time). A growing literature documents variations in yield gaps, but largely ignores the role of farm size as a factor shaping yield structure. Research on the inverse farm size-productivity relationship (IR) theory - that small farms are more productive than large ones all else equal - has documented that yield magnitude may vary by farm size, but has not considered other yield structure characteristics. We examined farm size - yield structure relationships for soybeans in Brazil for years 2001-2015. Using out-of-sample soybean yield predictions from a statistical model, we documented 1) gaps between the 95th percentile of attained yields and mean yields within counties and individual fields, and 2) yield stability defined as the standard deviation of time-detrended yields at given locations. We found a direct relationship between soy yields and farm size at the national level, while the strength and the sign of the relationship varied by region. Soybean yield gaps were found to be inversely related to farm size metrics, even when yields were only compared to farms of similar size. The relationship between farm size and yield stability was nonlinear, with mid-sized farms having the most stable yields. The work suggests that farm size is an important factor in understanding yield structure and that opportunities for improving soy yields in Brazil are greatest among smaller farms.

Heritability and correlates of maize yield ( Zea mays L .) under ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Heritability and correlates of maize yield ( Zea mays L .) under varying drought conditions. ... Nigeria Agricultural Journal ... Correlation analysis revealed that days to 50% tasseling and silking under non-stress, ASI and leaf senescence under severe stress exhibited negative and significant correlations with grain yield.

Yield and quality of Linseed (Linum usitatissimum L. under different planting conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomáš Středa

2007-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was on the basis of the field experiment in two different agroclimatic localities, two planting options (low and high input and during three years find out the seed yield, seed oil content and composition of fatty acid in linseed oil (Linum usitatissimum L., variety Lola (LinolaTM. By the help of standard laboratory analyses for paint parameter evaluation judge suitability of using the oil for painting industry. Linseed yield varied from 0.29 t.ha–1 to 2.35 t.ha–1. Statistical significant differences (P = 0.01 were found out for localities, years and planting options. Average seed oil content varied from 36.6% to 44.0%. Influence of locality was not significant, influence of year and planting option to seed oil content was highly significant (P = 0.01. Content of linoleic acid in oil was influenced mainly by locality and planting option and varied from 75.86% to 76.78%. Laboratory painting-technological evaluation of oils and alkyd resin experimental sample made for suitability of using low linolenic oil of linseed, variety Lola for production of non-yellowing alkyds and enamels.

A reassessment of ground water flow conditions and specific yield at Borden and Cape Cod

Science.gov (United States)

Grimestad, Garry

2002-01-01

Recent widely accepted findings respecting the origin and nature of specific yield in unconfined aquifers rely heavily on water level changes observed during two pumping tests, one conducted at Borden, Ontario, Canada, and the other at Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The drawdown patterns observed during those tests have been taken as proof that unconfined specific yield estimates obtained from long-duration pumping tests should approach the laboratory-estimated effective porosity of representative aquifer formation samples. However, both of the original test reports included direct or referential descriptions of potential supplemental sources of pumped water that would have introduced intractable complications and errors into straightforward interpretations of the drawdown observations if actually present. Searches for evidence of previously neglected sources were performed by screening the original drawdown observations from both locations for signs of diagnostic skewing that should be present only if some of the extracted water was derived from sources other than main aquifer storage. The data screening was performed using error-guided computer assisted fitting techniques, capable of accurately sensing and simulating the effects of a wide range of non-traditional and external sources. The drawdown curves from both tests proved to be inconsistent with traditional single-source pumped aquifer models but consistent with site-specific alternatives that included significant contributions of water from external sources. The corrected pumping responses shared several important features. Unsaturated drainage appears to have ceased effectively at both locations within the first day of pumping, and estimates of specific yield stabilized at levels considerably smaller than the corresponding laboratory-measured or probable effective porosity. Separate sequential analyses of progressively later field observations gave stable and nearly constant specific yield estimates for each

Effect of Maize Hybrid and Foliar Fungicides on Yield Under Low Foliar Disease Severity Conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Mallowa, Sally O; Esker, Paul D; Paul, Pierce A; Bradley, Carl A; Chapara, Venkata R; Conley, Shawn P; Robertson, Alison E

2015-08-01

Foliar fungicide use in the U.S. Corn Belt increased in the last decade; however, questions persist pertaining to its value and sustainability. Multistate field trials were established from 2010 to 2012 in Illinois, Iowa, Ohio, and Wisconsin to examine how hybrid and foliar fungicide influenced disease intensity and yield. The experimental design was in a split-split plot with main plots consisting of hybrids varying in resistance to gray leaf spot (caused by Cercospora zeae-maydis) and northern corn leaf blight (caused by Setosphaera turcica), subplots corresponding to four application timings of the fungicide pyraclostrobin, and sub-subplots represented by inoculations with either C. zeae-maydis, S. turcica, or both at two vegetative growth stages. Fungicide application (VT/R1) significantly reduced total disease severity relative to the control in five of eight site-years (P<0.05). Disease was reduced by approximately 30% at Wisconsin in 2011, 20% at Illinois in 2010, 29% at Iowa in 2010, and 32 and 30% at Ohio in 2010 and 2012, respectively. These disease severities ranged from 0.2 to 0.3% in Wisconsin in 2011 to 16.7 to 22.1% in Illinois in 2010. The untreated control had significantly lower yield (P<0.05) than the fungicide-treated in three site-years. Fungicide application increased the yield by approximately 6% at Ohio in 2010, 5% at Wisconsin in 2010 and 6% in 2011. Yield differences ranged from 8,403 to 8,890 kg/ha in Wisconsin 2011 to 11,362 to 11,919 kg/ha in Wisconsin 2010. Results suggest susceptibility to disease and prevailing environment are important drivers of observed differences. Yield increases as a result of the physiological benefits of plant health benefits under low disease were not consistent.

Efficient Return Algorithms For Associated Plasticity With Multiple Yield Planes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Clausen, Johan Christian; Damkilde, Lars; Andersen, Lars

2006-01-01

of such criteria. The return formulae are in closed form and no iteration is required. The method accounts for three types of stress return: Return to a single yield plane, to a discontinuity line at the intersection of two yield planes and to a discontinuity point at the intersection between three or more yield...... planes. The infinitesimal and the consistent elastoplastic constitutive matrix are calculated for each type of stress return, as are the conditions to ascertain which type of return is required. The method is exemplified with the Mohr-Coulomb yield criterion....

YIELD AND QUALITY OF ‘PERA’ SWEET ORANGE GRAFTED ON DIFFERENT ROOTSTOCKS UNDER RAINFED CONDITIONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ANTONIO HÉLDER RODRIGUES SAMPAIO

Full Text Available ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate, under field conditions, different combinations between ‘Pera’ sweet orange and eight rootstocks: ‘Rangpur’ lime (RL, ‘Volkamer’ lemon (VL, ‘Cleopatra’ mandarin (CM, ‘Sunki Maravilha’ mandarin (SMM, ‘Indio’ and ‘Riverside’ citrandarins, and VL x RL (‘Rangpur’ lime-010 and TH-051 hybrids. The soil water matric potential (?m was characterized for all scion-rootstock combinations at distance of 1.0m from the trunk at the plant row direction and depths of 0.25 m, 0.50 m 0.90 m in the dry and wet seasons. For two years, fruit production parameters and fruit quality were assessed. Differences of Ym among scion-rootstock combinations were observed during the dry season (p=0.05. The lowest Ym values for RL and the highest for TH-051 indicate the existence of different intrinsic mechanisms affecting the water extraction of each scion-rootstock combination. Rootstocks have influenced fruit yield and quality (p=0.05. The best combinations for fruit quality and production were sweet orange grafted on ‘Riverside’, ‘Indio’ and TH-051 rootstocks.

Increasing crop diversity mitigates weather variations and improves yield stability.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaudin, Amélie C M; Tolhurst, Tor N; Ker, Alan P; Janovicek, Ken; Tortora, Cristina; Martin, Ralph C; Deen, William

2015-01-01

Cropping sequence diversification provides a systems approach to reduce yield variations and improve resilience to multiple environmental stresses. Yield advantages of more diverse crop rotations and their synergistic effects with reduced tillage are well documented, but few studies have quantified the impact of these management practices on yields and their stability when soil moisture is limiting or in excess. Using yield and weather data obtained from a 31-year long term rotation and tillage trial in Ontario, we tested whether crop rotation diversity is associated with greater yield stability when abnormal weather conditions occur. We used parametric and non-parametric approaches to quantify the impact of rotation diversity (monocrop, 2-crops, 3-crops without or with one or two legume cover crops) and tillage (conventional or reduced tillage) on yield probabilities and the benefits of crop diversity under different soil moisture and temperature scenarios. Although the magnitude of rotation benefits varied with crops, weather patterns and tillage, yield stability significantly increased when corn and soybean were integrated into more diverse rotations. Introducing small grains into short corn-soybean rotation was enough to provide substantial benefits on long-term soybean yields and their stability while the effects on corn were mostly associated with the temporal niche provided by small grains for underseeded red clover or alfalfa. Crop diversification strategies increased the probability of harnessing favorable growing conditions while decreasing the risk of crop failure. In hot and dry years, diversification of corn-soybean rotations and reduced tillage increased yield by 7% and 22% for corn and soybean respectively. Given the additional advantages associated with cropping system diversification, such a strategy provides a more comprehensive approach to lowering yield variability and improving the resilience of cropping systems to multiple environmental

Effects of Sowing Date and Limited Irrigation on Yield and Yield Components of Five Rainfed Wheat Varieties in Maragheh Region

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. R. Tavakkoli

2013-03-01

Full Text Available In order to investigate the effects of sowing date (SD and single irrigation (SI amounts on yield and yield components of rainfed wheat varieties, a field experiment was conducted as split-split plots arranged in a randomized complete blocks design with three replications during 2002-2004 at main station of Dryland Agricultural Research Institute in Maragheh, Iran. Treatments included three sowing dates (early, normal and late, three levels of single irrigation (rainfed, 50 mm and 100 mm only at planting time and five wheat varieties (three numbered lines, Azar2 and double-cross Shahi. Results revealed that interactions of SD, SI and wheat varieties were significant for grain yield, number of kernels per spike and water productivity (P≤0.01. Single irrigation at normal planting time increased grain yield, straw, biomass, harvest index, and water productivity. Grain yield and water productivity were increased by 131% and 84.8%, respectively. Single irrigation at late planting time was not significant on agronomic traits and produced low water productivity. Regarding the reaction of wheat to planting date and single irrigation, results showed that normal single irrigation can improve yield, yield components and water productivity index. The effectiveness of single irrigation under dryland conditions can be observed in all wheat cultivars. Although this effectiveness on yield and yield components is observable, but it is necessary to select the time of irrigation properly.

Rapid and slow pyrolysis of pistachio shell: effect of pyrolysis conditions on the product yields and characterization of the liquid product

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Putun, Ayse E [Department of Chemical Engineering, Anadolu University, Eskisehir 26470, (Turkey); Ozbay, Nurgul [Bozuyuk Vocational School, Anadolu University, Bozuyuk/Bilecik, (Turkey); Varol, Esin Apaydin; Uzun, Basak B; Ates, Fuda [Department of Chemical Engineering, Anadolu University, Eskisehir 26470, (Turkey)

2006-10-30

This study reports the experimental results for the pyrolysis of pistachio shell under different conditions in a tubular reactor under a nitrogen flow. For the different conditions of pyrolysis temperature, nitrogen flow rate and heating rate, pyrolysis temperature of 773 K gave the highest bio-oil yield with a value of 27.7% when the heating rate and carrier gas flow rate were chosen as 300 K min{sup -1} and 100 cm{sup 3} min{sup -1}, respectively. Column chromatography was applied to this bio-oil and its subfractions were characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR and 1H-NMR. Aliphatic subfraction was conducted to gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy for further characterization. The results for the characterization show that using pistachio shell as a renewable source to produce valuable liquid products is applicable via pyrolysis. (Author)

Supplemental feeding with glycerol or propylene glycol of dairy cows in early lactation - Effects on metabolic status, body condition, and milk yield

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lomander, H; Frössling, J; Ingvartsen, Klaus Lønne

2012-01-01

The objective of this field study was to evaluate the effect of supplemental feeding with glycerol or propylene glycol to dairy cows in early lactation on metabolic status, body condition and milk yield. In total, 673 newly calved cows from 12 commercial Swedish dairy herds were randomized to daily....... No differences in BCS or HG or in plasma concentrations of glucose, BHBA, NEFA, or IGF-1 were found between the control group and any of the treatment groups. Cows in the GLY group had lower plasma insulin concentrations during DIM 0 to 63 compared with group CON, but no difference in insulin was found between...... supplementation with 450 g of glycerol (GLY), 300 g of propylene glycol (PG), or nothing (control, CON). Supplements were fed twice daily from 0 to 21 d in milk (DIM) as a top dress on concentrates. For each cow, data on parity, breed, calving date, monthly test-day milk yield, and cases of diseases were...

Use of Vegetation Health Data for Estimation of Aus Rice Yield in Bangladesh

OpenAIRE

Rahman, Atiqur; Roytman, Leonid; Krakauer, Nir Y.; Nizamuddin, Mohammad; Goldberg, Mitch

2009-01-01

Rice is a vital staple crop for Bangladesh and surrounding countries, with interannual variation in yields depending on climatic conditions. We compared Bangladesh yield of aus rice, one of the main varieties grown, from official agricultural statistics with Vegetation Health (VH) Indices [Vegetation Condition Index (VCI), Temperature Condition Index (TCI) and Vegetation Health Index (VHI)] computed from Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) data covering a period of 15 years (1991...

Effect Of Gamma Radiation On Plant Mineral Content And Yield Of Barley Grown Under Saline Conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Charabaji, T.; Khalifa, K.; Al-Ain, F.

2004-01-01

A field experiment was conducted at Al-Hijanah, an area located at about 35 km south east of Damascus. Seeds of two barley varieties [Arabi Abiad (AA) and Pakistani PK 30163 (PK)] were irradiated with 2 doses 0 and 15 Gy of gamma irradiation. They were sown on saline soil (16.4-18.7 dS/m) and irrigated with saline water ( 7-8 dS/m) A dose of 15 Gy of gamma irradiation was shown to positively effect the percent germination of PK but had no similar effect on AA. -Physiological Maturity Stage: The same dose (15 Gy) increased shoot dry weight, but had a negative effect on K + and Na + contents in the PK variety. As for the AA variety, Mg ++ and P contents were increased, whereas Na + and Cl- were slightly decreased. -Harvest Stage: Gamma irradiation had a positive effect on total yield, grain yield, nitrogen yield and harvest index of the PK variety. A positive effect was produced on straw yield, 1000-grain weight and N% of a Avariety. (Authors)

Incipient balancing selection through adaptive loss of aquaporins in natural Saccharomyces cerevisiae populations.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jessica L Will

2010-04-01

Full Text Available A major goal in evolutionary biology is to understand how adaptive evolution has influenced natural variation, but identifying loci subject to positive selection has been a challenge. Here we present the adaptive loss of a pair of paralogous genes in specific Saccharomyces cerevisiae subpopulations. We mapped natural variation in freeze-thaw tolerance to two water transporters, AQY1 and AQY2, previously implicated in freeze-thaw survival. However, whereas freeze-thaw-tolerant strains harbor functional aquaporin genes, the set of sensitive strains lost aquaporin function at least 6 independent times. Several genomic signatures at AQY1 and/or AQY2 reveal low variation surrounding these loci within strains of the same haplotype, but high variation between strain groups. This is consistent with recent adaptive loss of aquaporins in subgroups of strains, leading to incipient balancing selection. We show that, although aquaporins are critical for surviving freeze-thaw stress, loss of both genes provides a major fitness advantage on high-sugar substrates common to many strains' natural niche. Strikingly, strains with non-functional alleles have also lost the ancestral requirement for aquaporins during spore formation. Thus, the antagonistic effect of aquaporin function-providing an advantage in freeze-thaw tolerance but a fitness defect for growth in high-sugar environments-contributes to the maintenance of both functional and nonfunctional alleles in S. cerevisiae. This work also shows that gene loss through multiple missense and nonsense mutations, hallmarks of pseudogenization presumed to emerge after loss of constraint, can arise through positive selection.

Incipient balancing selection through adaptive loss of aquaporins in natural Saccharomyces cerevisiae populations.

Science.gov (United States)

Will, Jessica L; Kim, Hyun Seok; Clarke, Jessica; Painter, John C; Fay, Justin C; Gasch, Audrey P

2010-04-01

A major goal in evolutionary biology is to understand how adaptive evolution has influenced natural variation, but identifying loci subject to positive selection has been a challenge. Here we present the adaptive loss of a pair of paralogous genes in specific Saccharomyces cerevisiae subpopulations. We mapped natural variation in freeze-thaw tolerance to two water transporters, AQY1 and AQY2, previously implicated in freeze-thaw survival. However, whereas freeze-thaw-tolerant strains harbor functional aquaporin genes, the set of sensitive strains lost aquaporin function at least 6 independent times. Several genomic signatures at AQY1 and/or AQY2 reveal low variation surrounding these loci within strains of the same haplotype, but high variation between strain groups. This is consistent with recent adaptive loss of aquaporins in subgroups of strains, leading to incipient balancing selection. We show that, although aquaporins are critical for surviving freeze-thaw stress, loss of both genes provides a major fitness advantage on high-sugar substrates common to many strains' natural niche. Strikingly, strains with non-functional alleles have also lost the ancestral requirement for aquaporins during spore formation. Thus, the antagonistic effect of aquaporin function-providing an advantage in freeze-thaw tolerance but a fitness defect for growth in high-sugar environments-contributes to the maintenance of both functional and nonfunctional alleles in S. cerevisiae. This work also shows that gene loss through multiple missense and nonsense mutations, hallmarks of pseudogenization presumed to emerge after loss of constraint, can arise through positive selection.

Biological N2-FIXATION and Mineral N-Fertilization Effects on Soybean (Glicine max L. Merr.) Yield Under Temperate Climate Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

László Phd, M., ,, Dr.

2009-04-01

continues to increase) and allewiate world hunger is to increase the intensity of production in those ecosystems that lend themselves to sustainable intensification while decreasing the intensity of production in the more fragile ecologies (Reeves 1998). Most plants depend entirely for growth on fixed nitrogen absorbed from the soil, mainly as nitrate but also as ammonium. Therefore to the methods of crop production now dominant in the agricultural systems of many developed countries strongly depend upon a sustained input of N. Economic and environmental considerations surrounding fertilizer use then empasize the need to increase the efficiency of N- utilization by plants. On the other hand the biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) is important under all imput conditions to ensure an optimal supply of nitrogen to the farming system. A well-founded understanding of the mechanistic interactions between BNF and N limitations is presently lacking. Synbiotic nitrogen fixation by legumes makes a valuable contribution to N-inputs, especially in countries like Hungary where effective rhizobia-inoculation techniques have been developed in the context of the new sustainable agricultural system. It is widely known that soya bean -Glycine max (L.) Merr.-, is an important legume. This plant able to fix the atmospheric nitrogen (N2) it needs for growth through the agency of specific bacteria Rhizobium japonicum. Under field conditions fixation usually accounts for only 25-30% of the total nitrogen accumulated by these plants at harvest. Therefore to marginal yield have to optimalise the nitrogen supply of these legume by N-fertilization. Objectives for our experiments were to (1.) comparisons of the plant nutrition performance of different soil nitrogen supply levels by N- fertilization and N- fixation under Mediterranean climate conditions at Hungary, (2.) evaluates the potential for N2 fixation imputs by grain legume based on the soya bean as a means of improving soil fertility, (3

Effect of Different Nitrogen Levels on Phenology, Growth Indices and Yield of two Lentil Cultivars under Rainfed Conditions in Mashhad

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M Bannayan Aval

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction Lentil (Lens Culinarris Medik. is an important pulse crop in Iran and is usually grown in rainfed areas. The average lentil yield in Iran is 1195 and 476 Kg.ha-1 in irrigated and rainfed farms, respectively. Low productivity occurs due to different factors. One of these factors is poor agronomic management practices that applied by the farmers, e.g. Limitation or inappropriate fertilizer distribution. Plant development occurs in a number of consecutive phases. These phases can be affected by temperature, moisture, photoperiod, cultivar and other factors. The amount of available nitrogen affects the distribution of assimilates between vegetative and reproductive organs and phenological stages of growth. Therefore, analysis of growth indices and its effective factors can be used as a suitable tool in evaluating the yield. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different nitrogen levels on phenology and growth indices of two lentil cultivars in rainfed conditions of Mashhad. Materials and Methods The experiment was conducted as split plot layout based on randomized complete blocks design with three replications at the Agricultural Research Station, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, during growth season 2016. Nitrogen fertilizer as urea (in three levels i.e. 0, 40 and 80 kg.ha-1 and cultivar (in two levels i.e. Birjand and Robat were in main plots and sub plots, respectively. To determine the leaf area and dry matter, sampling was done every two weeks during the growing season. Phenological stages timing for each plot were determined based on 50% of emergence, 50% of flowering, 50% of maturity. Final yield was estimated from three square meter from each plot. Data were analyzed with the SAS software; the means were compared with Duncan's multiple range tests at the 5% level of probability. The graphs were prepared by SigmaPlot software. Results and Discussion The results showed that the effect of urea fertilizer was

Effect of Mulch and Water Stress on Some Physiological Traits, Yield Components and Grain Yield of Red Kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R Amini

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction Water use in agricultural production as one of the most important environmental factors affecting plant growth and development, especially in arid and semi-arid climatic conditions of Iran is of special importance (21. One of the ways of alleviating water scarcity is by enhancing its use efficiency or productivity. Improving water use efficiency in arid and semi-arid areas depends on effective conservation of moisture and efficient use of limited water. Mulching is one of the management practices for increasing water use efficiency (WUE . Straw mulch is commonly used as mulch. Straw mulching has potential for increasing soil water storage (16. Mulches modify the microclimate and growing conditions of crops (16, conserve more water and increase water use efficiency (34. Red kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. is the most important food legume (25 and is an important source of proteins and minerals (28. The majority of red kidney bean production is under drought conditions, and thus yield reductions due to drought are very common (29. This research was carried out to evaluate the effect of wheat straw mulch and water stress on physiological traits, yield components and grain yield of red kidney bean cultivars. Materials and Methods A field experiment was conducted in 2012 at the Research Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Iran (latitude 38°05_N, longitude 46°17_E, altitude 1360 m above sea level. In order to investigate the effect of mulch on grain yield and yield components of red kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. cultivars at different water stress treatments, a factorial experiment was conducted based on RCB design with three replications. The factors were including water stress treatment (I1 and I2, irrigation after 60 and 120 mm evaporation from class A pan, respectively; mulch application at two levels (M1: (no mulch and M2: 2 ton ha-1 wheat straw mulch and red kidney bean cultivars including Akhtar and

Ferroelectric and incipient ferroelectric properties of a novel Sr.sub.9-x./sub.Pb.sub.x./sub.Ce.sub.2./sub.Ti.sub.12./sub.O.sub.36./sub. (x=0-9) ceramic system

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kamba, Stanislav; Savinov, Maxim; Laufek, F.; Tkáč, O.; Kadlec, Christelle; Veljko, Sergiy; John, E.V.; Subodh, G.; Sebastian, M. T.; Klementová, Mariana; Bovtun, Viktor; Pokorný, Jan; Goian, Veronica; Petzelt, Jan

2009-01-01

Roč. 21, č. 5 (2009), s. 811-819 ISSN 0897-4756 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA202/06/0403 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100520 Keywords : ferroelectrics * crystal structure * incipient ferroelectrics * soft mode Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 5.368, year: 2009 http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/cm803058q

Experimental assessment of bacterial storage yield

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Karahan-Gül, Ö.; Artan, N.; Orhon, D.

2002-01-01

to the amount of oxygen associated with substrate storage. Model simulation was used to evaluate the procedure for different initial experimental conditions. The procedure was tested on acetate. The same storage yield value of 0.76 gCOD/gCOD was calculated for two experiments, starting with different F/M ratios...

Haul truck tire dynamics due to tire condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anzabi, R Vaghar; Nobes, D S; Lipsett, M G

2012-01-01

Pneumatic tires are costly components on large off-road haul trucks used in surface mining operations. Tires are prone to damage during operation, and these events can lead to injuries to personnel, loss of equipment, and reduced productivity. Damage rates have significant variability, due to operating conditions and a range of tire fault modes. Currently, monitoring of tire condition is done by physical inspection; and the mean time between inspections is often longer than the mean time between incipient failure and functional failure of the tire. Options for new condition monitoring methods include off-board thermal imaging and camera-based optical methods for detecting abnormal deformation and surface features, as well as on-board sensors to detect tire faults during vehicle operation. Physics-based modeling of tire dynamics can provide a good understanding of the tire behavior, and give insight into observability requirements for improved monitoring systems. This paper describes a model to simulate the dynamics of haul truck tires when a fault is present to determine the effects of physical parameter changes that relate to faults. To simulate the dynamics, a lumped mass 'quarter-vehicle' model has been used to determine the response of the system to a road profile when a failure changes the original properties of the tire. The result is a model of tire vertical displacement that can be used to detect a fault, which will be tested under field conditions in time-varying conditions.

Haul truck tire dynamics due to tire condition

Science.gov (United States)

Vaghar Anzabi, R.; Nobes, D. S.; Lipsett, M. G.

2012-05-01

Pneumatic tires are costly components on large off-road haul trucks used in surface mining operations. Tires are prone to damage during operation, and these events can lead to injuries to personnel, loss of equipment, and reduced productivity. Damage rates have significant variability, due to operating conditions and a range of tire fault modes. Currently, monitoring of tire condition is done by physical inspection; and the mean time between inspections is often longer than the mean time between incipient failure and functional failure of the tire. Options for new condition monitoring methods include off-board thermal imaging and camera-based optical methods for detecting abnormal deformation and surface features, as well as on-board sensors to detect tire faults during vehicle operation. Physics-based modeling of tire dynamics can provide a good understanding of the tire behavior, and give insight into observability requirements for improved monitoring systems. This paper describes a model to simulate the dynamics of haul truck tires when a fault is present to determine the effects of physical parameter changes that relate to faults. To simulate the dynamics, a lumped mass 'quarter-vehicle' model has been used to determine the response of the system to a road profile when a failure changes the original properties of the tire. The result is a model of tire vertical displacement that can be used to detect a fault, which will be tested under field conditions in time-varying conditions.

Historical effects of temperature and precipitation on California crop yields

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lobell, D.B. [Energy and Environment Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550 (United States); Cahill, K.N. [Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Environment and Resources, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Field, C.B. [Department of Global Ecology, Carnegie Institution, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States)

2007-03-15

For the 1980-2003 period, we analyzed the relationship between crop yield and three climatic variables (minimum temperature, maximum temperature, and precipitation) for 12 major Californian crops: wine grapes, lettuce, almonds, strawberries, table grapes, hay, oranges, cotton, tomatoes, walnuts, avocados, and pistachios. The months and climatic variables of greatest importance to each crop were used to develop regressions relating yield to climatic conditions. For most crops, fairly simple equations using only 2-3 variables explained more than two-thirds of observed yield variance. The types of variables and months identified suggest that relatively poorly understood processes such as crop infection, pollination, and dormancy may be important mechanisms by which climate influences crop yield. Recent climatic trends have had mixed effects on crop yields, with orange and walnut yields aided, avocado yields hurt, and most crops little affected by recent climatic trends. Yield-climate relationships can provide a foundation for forecasting crop production within a year and for projecting the impact of future climate changes.

IRRIGATION AND LIMING AS FACTORS OF MAIZE YIELD INCREASES IN EASTERN CROATIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monika MARKOVIĆ

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Maize is the main field crop on arable lands in Croatia. Climatic changes, particularly temperature regime and precipitation quantities and their distribution during growing season had often adverse effects on maize yield. Therefore, irrigation of maize crops in critical periods is useful considering the variations among annual yields caused by water stressed conditions. Acid soils are covering one-third of agricultural soils in Croatia (about 832.000 hectares and correction of pH by liming is also an important factor for increase and stabilization of annual yield values. The aim of this study was to review irrigation and liming effects on maize yield in eastern Croatia. Eastern Croatia covers an area of 12.454 km2 or 22.0% of the State territory. This region is termed as the “granary of Croatia” because 75% of wheat and 50% of maize harvested areas of the country are located in this region. Maize yields in the long-term (since 2000 irrigation experiments carried on since 2000 on Agricultural Institute Osijek increased by 20% in years with average climate conditions, while under drought conditions of three growing seasons in 2007, 2011 and 2012, yield increases were 32%, 36%, and 47%, respectively. Soil improvement by liming with increasing rates of carbocalk (by-product of sugar factory containing about 43% CaO and about 6% of organic matter up to 60 t ha-1 was also a useful management practice, because in two experiments maize yields increased up to 25% (4-year average. However, for satisfied yield increases for 16% in both experiments the lowest amount of carbocalk needed for application was 15 t ha-1.

Yields and quality of forage legumes under imbalanced year precipitation conditions on south Moravia

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Jaroslav Lang

2012-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, yield and quality of forage following species of forage legumes were evaluated with regard to precipitations: lucerne (Medicago sativa L., red clover (Trifolium pratense L., white clover (Trifolium repens L., kura clover (Trifolium ambiguum M., alsike clover (Trifolium hybridum L. and birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.. The trial was sown in the spring of 2008, evaluated in the period 2009–2011. Analysis of samples was performed with the apparatus NIRS 6500. Following parameters were evaluated: production of dry matter, energy concentration (NEL, contents of fibre and crude protein. The highest three year yield average was measured for lucerne (15.01 t.ha−1, followed by red clover group (9.3–11.8 t.ha−1. Kura clover gained the lowest yield (1.97 t.ha−1. The average crude protein contents (g.kg−1 were: lucerne 211.47, red clover group (184.3–194.8, white clover group (229.1–238.7 and birdsfoot trefoil (204.2. The obtained results indicated that lucerne responded at best to periods of drought. Although the production of dry matter decreased in periods of drought, the canopy of stands remained to be complete in contradistinction to white clover, which partly disappeared from the stand. Red clover and alsike clover disappeared from the stand during the trial.

Willow yield is highly dependent on clone and site

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ugilt Larsen, Søren; Jørgensen, Uffe; Lærke, Poul Erik

2014-01-01

Use of high-yielding genotypes is one of the means to achieve high yield and profitability in willow (Salix spp.) short rotation coppice. This study investigated the performance of eight willow clones (Inger, Klara, Linnea, Resolution, Stina, Terra Nova, Tora, Tordis) on five Danish sites......, differing considerably in soil type, climatic conditions and management. Compared to the best clone, the yield was up to 36 % lower for other clones across sites and up to 51 % lower within sites. Tordis was superior to other clones with dry matter yields between 5.2 and 10.2 Mg ha−1 year−1 during the first...... 3-year harvest rotation, and it consistently ranked as the highest yielding clone on four of the five sites and not significantly lower than the highest yielding clone on the fifth site. The ranking of the other clones was more dependent on site with significant interaction between clone and site...

Soybean growth and yield under cover crops

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Priscila de Oliveira

2013-04-01

Full Text Available The use of cover crops in no-tillage systems can provide better conditions for the development of soybean plants with positive effects on grain yield and growth analysis techniques allow researchers to characterize and understand the behavior of soybean plants under different straw covers. Thus, the aim of this study was to characterize, using growth analysis, yield components and agronomic performance of soybean under common bean, Brachiaria brizantha and pearl millet straws. The experiment was performed on a soil under cerrado in the municipality of Santo Antônio de Goiás, GO. The experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design with three treatments (cover crops and five replications. Soybean grain yield was lower in the B. brizantha straw treatment (3,708 kg ha-1 than both in the pearl millet (4.772 kg ha-1 and common bean straw treatments (5,200 kg ha-1. The soybean growth analysis in B. brizantha, pearl millet and common bean allowed characterizing the variation in the production of dry matter of leaves, stems, pods and total and leaf area index that provided different grain yields. The cover crop directly affects the soybean grain yield.

Secondary Electron Emission Yields from PEP-II Accelerator Materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kirby, Robert E.

2000-01-01

The PEP-II B-Factory at SLAC operates with aluminum alloy and copper vacuum chambers, having design positron and electron beam currents of 2 and 1 A, respectively. Titanium nitride coating of the aluminum vacuum chamber in the arcs of the positron ring is needed in order to reduce undesirable electron-cloud effects. The total secondary electron emission yield of TiN-coated aluminum alloy has been measured after samples of beam chamber material were exposed to air and again after electron-beam bombardment, as a function of incident electron beam angle and energy. The results may be used to simulate and better understand electron-cloud effects under actual operating conditions. We also present yield measurements for other accelerator materials because new surface effects are expected to arise as beam currents increase. Copper, in particular, is growing in popularity for its good thermal conductivity and self-radiation-shielding properties. The effect of electron bombardment, ''conditioning'', on the yield of TiN and copper is shown

Effect of Selenium and Application Methods of Urea Top-dress on Yield and its Components and Quality Traits of Wheat under Rainfed Conditions

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M Konani

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction Wheat (Triticum aestivum L. is the greatest nourishment for most of world’s population. In many lands of Iran, water is not enough for irrigation and also the most regions of country have arid and semi-arid climate. Water deficit is an important stressful factor for plant growth and crop productivity. Nitrogen is main component of proteins and enzymes. It is essential in all of the plant growth stages. Application of nitrogen is essential for retard leaf senescence, maintenance of photosynthetic leaf during grain filling period and increasing grain protein. The time and method of nitrogen fertilizer application are effective on grain yield. The reported that maximum of grain yield recorded when that nitrogen fertilizer was applied at sowing time along with foliar application at the tillering stage. In higher plants, the role of selenium is still unclear. Selenium can increase the tolerance of plants to induced oxidative stress include drought, salinity, high temperature. Selenium increases the tolerance of plants by transpiration or osmotic potential under water deficit. The current paper studies the influence of selenium and application methods of urea top-dress under rainfed conditions in order to promote improved drought stress tolerance and increase the quantity and quality of wheat. Materials and Methods In order to study the effect of selenium and application methods of urea top-dress on yield, yield components and quality traits of wheat under rainfed conditions, an experiment was conducted at Ashianeh-ye Sofla village, Khomeyn County, Markazi Province during 2012- 2013 growing season. This experiment was carried out as split plot based on randomized complete block design with four replicates. Experimental factors were included application methods of urea fertilizer in four levels (without application of fertilizer (control, application of 60 kg ha-1 at the tillering stage, application of 30 kg ha-1 at the tillering stage

Effect of Nitrogen and biological Fertilizers on Seed Yield and Fatty acid Composition of Sesame cultivars under Yazd conditions

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E Shakeri

2013-04-01

Full Text Available To investigate the effect of different levels of nitrogen fertilizer and biofertilizers Azotobacter sp. and Azosprillum sp. on seed yield, oil yield and its percent and fatty acid composition in three sesame (Sesamum indicum L. cultivars an experiment was conducted using splite plot factorial arrangement based on randomized complete block design with three replications at Agricultural and Natural Resources Reasearch Center of Yazd in 2009 cropping season. The treatments included : cultivars ( Darab-14, Jiroft and Yazdi assigned to main plots, nitrogen fertilizer (0, 25 and 50 kg ha-1 and biofertilizer (inoculation and no-inoculation as factorial were randomized in sub-plots. Oil percent was measured using the Soxhlet method and fatty acid composition was measured using GC method. Results showed the significant differenc among three varieties concerning seed yield, oil yield and four fatty acids (oleic, linoleic, palmetic and stearis acid. Seed yield, oil yield, Oleic, Linolenic and Arasshidic acid significantly increased with applying N fertilizer. Seed yield, oil yield and linolenic acid percent significantly increased with applying biofertilizer. Oleic acid percent had negative and significant correlation with Linoleic acid (r = -0.759** and stearic acid (r=-0.774** percent. Generally, results showed the importance of applying biofertilizers against chemical fertilizers to protect the environment from harmful chemical pollution.

Can arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi improve grain yield, As uptake and tolerance of rice grown under aerobic conditions?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, H. [Croucher Institute for Environmental Sciences, Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong (Hong Kong); Ye, Z.H. [State Key Laboratory for Bio-control, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006 (China); Chan, W.F.; Chen, X.W.; Wu, F.Y. [Croucher Institute for Environmental Sciences, Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong (Hong Kong); Wu, S.C. [Croucher Institute for Environmental Sciences, Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong (Hong Kong); School of Environment and Natural Resources, Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University, Lin' an, Zhejiang 311300 (China); Wong, M.H., E-mail: mhwong@hkbu.edu.hk [Croucher Institute for Environmental Sciences, Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong (Hong Kong); School of Environment and Natural Resources, Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University, Lin' an, Zhejiang 311300 (China)

2011-10-15

The effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) -Glomus intraradices and G. geosporum on arsenic (As) and phosphorus (P) uptake by lowland (Guangyinzhan) and upland rice (Handao 502) were investigated in soil, spiked with and without 60 mg As kg{sup -1}. In As-contaminated soil, Guangyinzhan inoculated with G. intraradices or Handao 502 inoculated with G. geosporum enhanced As tolerance, grain P content, grain yield. However, Guangyinzhan inoculated with G. geosporum or Handao 502 inoculated with G. intraradices decreased grain P content, grain yield and the molar ratio of grain P/As content, and increased the As concentration and the ratio of grain/straw As concentration. These results show that rice/AMF combinations had significant (p < 0.05) effects on grain As concentration, grain yield and grain P uptake. The variation in the transfer and uptake of As and P reflected strong functional diversity in AM (arbuscular mycorrhizal) symbioses. - Highlights: > Rice/AMF combinations had significant effects on grain As concentration, grain yield and grain P uptake. > Rice colonized with suitable AMF can increase grain yield. > The variation in the transfer and uptake of As and P reflected strong functional diversity in AM symbioses. - Different rice/AMF combinations had very different effects on arsenic and phosphorus uptake.

Can arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi improve grain yield, As uptake and tolerance of rice grown under aerobic conditions?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, H.; Ye, Z.H.; Chan, W.F.; Chen, X.W.; Wu, F.Y.; Wu, S.C.; Wong, M.H.

2011-01-01

The effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) -Glomus intraradices and G. geosporum on arsenic (As) and phosphorus (P) uptake by lowland (Guangyinzhan) and upland rice (Handao 502) were investigated in soil, spiked with and without 60 mg As kg -1 . In As-contaminated soil, Guangyinzhan inoculated with G. intraradices or Handao 502 inoculated with G. geosporum enhanced As tolerance, grain P content, grain yield. However, Guangyinzhan inoculated with G. geosporum or Handao 502 inoculated with G. intraradices decreased grain P content, grain yield and the molar ratio of grain P/As content, and increased the As concentration and the ratio of grain/straw As concentration. These results show that rice/AMF combinations had significant (p < 0.05) effects on grain As concentration, grain yield and grain P uptake. The variation in the transfer and uptake of As and P reflected strong functional diversity in AM (arbuscular mycorrhizal) symbioses. - Highlights: → Rice/AMF combinations had significant effects on grain As concentration, grain yield and grain P uptake. → Rice colonized with suitable AMF can increase grain yield. → The variation in the transfer and uptake of As and P reflected strong functional diversity in AM symbioses. - Different rice/AMF combinations had very different effects on arsenic and phosphorus uptake.

Increase of alcohol yield per ton of pulp

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sokolov, B N

1957-01-01

Digestion processes of cellulose were studied under production conditions. When the digestion was carried out with acid having 5.2% total SO/sub 2/ and 0.92% CaO, the concentration of total sugars in the spent liquor was 1.8 to 2.5%. When the acidity was reduced to 4.8% total SO/sub 2/ and 0.82% CaO, all other conditions being the same, the sugar concentration in the spent liquor increased to 3.0 to 3.7%. The importance of the acid strength and CaO content of the cooking liquor was further demonstrated at the end of 1955. At that time the total SO/sub 2/ in the acid rose to 8% while the amount of CaO remained practically the same-0.85 to 0.90%. These conditions permitted an increase in the amount of ships by 25 to 30%, which further changed the ratio CaO: wood and created conditions favorable for an improved yield of sugar. The increase in the activity of the acid was reflected favorably in the degree of hydrolysis of the hemicelluloses and in the degree to which the oligosaccharides or polysaccharides were hydrolyzed to simple sugars. At that time the yield of alcohol reached 53 1/ton of unbleached pulp. The process was further improved in 1956 by the use of successive washings; at the end of the digestion period the concentrated spent liquor was piped to the alcohol unit. The yield of alcohol reached 59.4 1/ton of pulp. Sugar recovery from the tank was 92.5% of that theoretically possible. Further improvements resulted by saturating the wood chips with acid under variable pressures. As a result, the base of the cooking acid was reduced to 0.7 to 0.72% and, at the end of the process the liquor contained 0.03 to 0.06% CaO instead of 0.2 to 0.18%. The alcohol yield/ton of pulp then rose to 66.8 l.

Strategies for narrowing the maize yield gap of household farms through precision fertigation under irrigated conditions using CERES-Maize model.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jiangang; Wang, Guangyao; Chu, Qingquan; Chen, Fu

2017-07-01

Nitrogen (N) application significantly increases maize yield; however, the unreasonable use of N fertilizer is common in China. The analysis of crop yield gaps can reveal the limiting factors for yield improvement, but there is a lack of practical strategies for narrowing yield gaps of household farms. The objectives of this study were to assess the yield gap of summer maize using an integrative method and to develop strategies for narrowing the maize yield gap through precise N fertilization. The results indicated that there was a significant difference in maize yield among fields, with a low level of variation. Additionally, significant differences in N application rate were observed among fields, with high variability. Based on long-term simulation results, the optimal N application rate was 193 kg ha -1 , with a corresponding maximum attainable yield (AY max ) of 10 318 kg ha -1 . A considerable difference between farmers' yields and AY max was observed. Low agronomic efficiency of applied N fertilizer (AE N ) in farmers' fields was exhibited. The integrative method lays a foundation for exploring the specific factors constraining crop yield gaps at the field scale and for developing strategies for rapid site-specific N management. Optimization strategies to narrow the maize yield gap include increasing N application rates and adjusting the N application schedule. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effects of Salinity and Nitrogen Application Methods on Yield and Yield Components of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.

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R Farshid

2012-07-01

Full Text Available To evaluate interaction of salinity stress and nitrogen use methods on yield and yield components, in experiment was conducted in split plot in randomized complete block with 3 replications. Treatments included: salinity of irrigation water levels 1.5, 4.4 and 7.9 ds/m as main plots, and nitrogen treatments 1. using N fertilizer at 3 stage in soil, 2. using two third N fertilizer in soil at planting and tillering and heading and one third in form of foliar application of N at tillering, 4. using and one third in form of foliar application at heading, 3. Using two third of N fertilizer in soil at planting one third of N fertilizer in soil at planting and two third in form of foliar application at tillering and heading, as sub plots. Results this study showed that increased in salt stress significant decreased total yield components such that showed decrease 41/5 kg/h in yield with increase in per unite salinity. Also methods of nitrogen application in salinity condition, have significant effects on total yield components. At the tillering, one stage of foliar with soil application of urea could increase spike no. m-2 and kernels of spike compared with other treatments. Foliar application of urea at heading stage increased kernels weight.

Satellite-based assessment of grassland yields

Science.gov (United States)

Grant, K.; Siegmund, R.; Wagner, M.; Hartmann, S.

2015-04-01

Cutting date and frequency are important parameters determining grassland yields in addition to the effects of weather, soil conditions, plant composition and fertilisation. Because accurate and area-wide data of grassland yields are currently not available, cutting frequency can be used to estimate yields. In this project, a method to detect cutting dates via surface changes in radar images is developed. The combination of this method with a grassland yield model will result in more reliable and regional-wide numbers of grassland yields. For the test-phase of the monitoring project, a study area situated southeast of Munich, Germany, was chosen due to its high density of managed grassland. For determining grassland cutting robust amplitude change detection techniques are used evaluating radar amplitude or backscatter statistics before and after the cutting event. CosmoSkyMed and Sentinel-1A data were analysed. All detected cuts were verified according to in-situ measurements recorded in a GIS database. Although the SAR systems had various acquisition geometries, the amount of detected grassland cut was quite similar. Of 154 tested grassland plots, covering in total 436 ha, 116 and 111 cuts were detected using CosmoSkyMed and Sentinel-1A radar data, respectively. Further improvement of radar data processes as well as additional analyses with higher sample number and wider land surface coverage will follow for optimisation of the method and for validation and generalisation of the results of this feasibility study. The automation of this method will than allow for an area-wide and cost efficient cutting date detection service improving grassland yield models.

The Effect of Drought Stress on Grain Yield and Oil Rate and Protein Percentage of Four Varieties Castor in Climatic Conditions of Damghan

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Gh. Laei

2012-08-01

Full Text Available In this study theeffect ofdrought stress was investigated on grain yield and oil rate and protein percentage of four varieties of castor in the climatic conditions of Damghan. The experiment was done in the research farm of Damghan Islamic Azad University(Iranin 2011 assplit plots in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The main plots of drought stress were 5, 10 and15 days and another factor included four varities of castor ( one-flower, two- flower, local and red-flower which were performed in stable density of fivebushes per cultured square meter. Therefore, after gremination, the amount of irrigation water was recorded using volumetric meters. The traits evaluated included oil rate,seed protein percentage, andgrainyield. The results show that two-flower variety with 1241 kg per hectare on 5-day drought stress has the most grain yield. Most oil rate was observed in two-flower variety on 5 day drought stress with 496.4 kg/ha.

Optimizing rice yields while minimizing yield-scaled global warming potential.

Science.gov (United States)

Pittelkow, Cameron M; Adviento-Borbe, Maria A; van Kessel, Chris; Hill, James E; Linquist, Bruce A

2014-05-01

To meet growing global food demand with limited land and reduced environmental impact, agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are increasingly evaluated with respect to crop productivity, i.e., on a yield-scaled as opposed to area basis. Here, we compiled available field data on CH4 and N2 O emissions from rice production systems to test the hypothesis that in response to fertilizer nitrogen (N) addition, yield-scaled global warming potential (GWP) will be minimized at N rates that maximize yields. Within each study, yield N surplus was calculated to estimate deficit or excess N application rates with respect to the optimal N rate (defined as the N rate at which maximum yield was achieved). Relationships between yield N surplus and GHG emissions were assessed using linear and nonlinear mixed-effects models. Results indicate that yields increased in response to increasing N surplus when moving from deficit to optimal N rates. At N rates contributing to a yield N surplus, N2 O and yield-scaled N2 O emissions increased exponentially. In contrast, CH4 emissions were not impacted by N inputs. Accordingly, yield-scaled CH4 emissions decreased with N addition. Overall, yield-scaled GWP was minimized at optimal N rates, decreasing by 21% compared to treatments without N addition. These results are unique compared to aerobic cropping systems in which N2 O emissions are the primary contributor to GWP, meaning yield-scaled GWP may not necessarily decrease for aerobic crops when yields are optimized by N fertilizer addition. Balancing gains in agricultural productivity with climate change concerns, this work supports the concept that high rice yields can be achieved with minimal yield-scaled GWP through optimal N application rates. Moreover, additional improvements in N use efficiency may further reduce yield-scaled GWP, thereby strengthening the economic and environmental sustainability of rice systems. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Analysis of factors affecting milk yield of Ankole cows grazed on ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Effects of seasonal rainfall (RF) and maximum temperature (Tm) variations on milk yield of Ankole cows grazed solely on range pastures were investigated. The resulting changes in herbage growth (HG), herbage yields (HY), herbage crude protein CPh) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF), as well as body condition score ...

Effect of moisture stress and low phosphorus on yield of some ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Soybean genotypes belonging to different maturity periods were planted under normal, nutrient (P) and moisture stress conditions in a combined design with three replications. The objective was to determine the effect of phosphorus and moisture stress on yield and yield components of soybean in order to select varieties ...

Effects of Super-Absorbent Polymer Application on Yield and Yield Components of Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fariborz SHEKARI

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Limitation of water resources and its great impact on agricultural and natural resources play a crucial role in the efficiency of water use. Applying super absorbent polymer to the soil may be one of the methods to minimize the stress of weather dryness in arid and semi-arid regions. In order to evaluate the effects of hydrophilic polymer application on yield and water use efficiency of rapeseed plants, an experiment was conducted under field condition in 2012 at the Research Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Maragheh. Treatments’ factors were: (i 3 super absorbent polymers (SAP (Taravat A200 levels of 0 (without application, 75 and 150 kg ha-1 A200 application, (ii three irrigation levels of 80, 120 and 180 mm evaporation from class A basin in main plots, (iii two cultivars ʻHyola 401ʼ and ʻRVSʼ in sub plots as factorial split plot combination based on completely randomized block design with three replications. The results showed that in all of the measured traits within the experiment there were significant differences between SAP levels. Furthermore, increasing irrigation interval led to an increase in a thousand seeds’ weight, but decreased seed yield. Increasing water stress raised seed oil percent and infertile silique and subsequently resulted in reduced oil yield. ʻHyola 401ʼ was more susceptible to embryo abortion compared with ʻRVSʼ. As a conclusion of the research, SAP (A200 application in quantities smaller than 75 kg ha-1 may be recommended for rapeseed production under field condition.

Straw incorporation increases crop yield and soil organic carbon sequestration but varies under different natural conditions and farming practices in China: a system analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Xiao; Xu, Cong; Dungait, Jennifer A. J.; Bol, Roland; Wang, Xiaojie; Wu, Wenliang; Meng, Fanqiao

2018-04-01

Loss of soil organic carbon (SOC) from agricultural soils is a key indicator of soil degradation associated with reductions in net primary productivity in crop production systems worldwide. Technically simple and locally appropriate solutions are required for farmers to increase SOC and to improve cropland management. In the last 30 years, straw incorporation (SI) has gradually been implemented across China in the context of agricultural intensification and rural livelihood improvement. A meta-analysis of data published before the end of 2016 was undertaken to investigate the effects of SI on crop production and SOC sequestration. The results of 68 experimental studies throughout China in different edaphic conditions, climate regions and farming regimes were analyzed. Compared with straw removal (SR), SI significantly sequestered SOC (0-20 cm depth) at the rate of 0.35 (95 % CI, 0.31-0.40) Mg C ha-1 yr-1, increased crop grain yield by 13.4 % (9.3-18.4 %) and had a conversion efficiency of the incorporated straw C of 16 % ± 2 % across China. The combined SI at the rate of 3 Mg C ha-1 yr-1 with mineral fertilizer of 200-400 kg N ha-1 yr-1 was demonstrated to be the best farming practice, where crop yield increased by 32.7 % (17.9-56.4 %) and SOC sequestrated by the rate of 0.85 (0.54-1.15) Mg C ha-1 yr-1. SI achieved a higher SOC sequestration rate and crop yield increment when applied to clay soils under high cropping intensities, and in areas such as northeast China where the soil is being degraded. The SOC responses were highest in the initial starting phase of SI, then subsequently declined and finally became negligible after 28-62 years. However, crop yield responses were initially low and then increased, reaching their highest level at 11-15 years after SI. Overall, our study confirmed that SI created a positive feedback loop of SOC enhancement together with increased crop production, and this is of great practical importance to straw management as agriculture

Effects of enhanced UVB on growth and yield of two Syrian crops; wheat (Triticum durum desf. var. Horani) and broad beans field conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Oudat, M.; Baydoun, S.A.; Mohammed, A.

1998-01-01

Wheat and broad beans were exposed, under field conditions, to a daily UVB of 20 % above the ambient UVB. The plant height, tiller number, number of flowers, spikletes, dry weight and leaf area in both species showed positive responses to UVB treatment. At harvest, the seeds weight of broad beans was virtually equal in exposed and unexposed plants. In wheat, seeds yield increased significantly by 15 %. In conclusion, broad beans can be considered as a tolerant cultivar to enhanced UVB, while wheat is more tolerant. (Author)

Effects of Foliar Application of Nitrogen, Zinc and Manganese on Yield, Yield Components and Grain Quality of Chickpea in Two Growing Seasons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. Shirani

2015-09-01

Full Text Available To study the effects of foliar application of zinc, manganese and nitrogen on yield, yield components and grain quality of chickpea (Cicer arientinum L. two experiments, one in autumn and the other in spring were conducted at Research Farm, Shahrekord University in 2009-2010 growing season each as a randomized complete block design with three replications. The treatments were foliar application of zinc sulfate, manganese sulfate zinc sulfate and manganese sulfate mixture, nitrogen and distilled water (as control. The results showed that planting season had a significant effect on plant height, 100-seed weight and seed yield. All measured traits, except plant height, increased in winter compared to spring growing season. This increase was more than 12% for grain yield. Foliar application of nutrients significantly affected seed yield and seed yield components. Foliar application of nitrogen, presumably, through significant increase in number of pods per plant, number of seeds per plant and 100-seed weight, increased the grain yield by 6.2% compared to control. Foliar application × planting season interactions were significant for plant height and number of pods per plant. Foliar application of nitrogen caused a significant increase in grain yield and protein content. Foliar application of zinc sulphate significantly increased Zn content of grains however it did not affect seed yield. In conclusion, foliar application of nitrogen could be suggested for increasing protein and grain yield in chickpea under similar conditions to that of the present study.

Incipient Domestication Processes in Multicultural Contexts: A Case Study of Urban Parks in San Carlos de Bariloche (Argentina

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Romina Betancurt

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Up to now, the processes of domestication of urban landscapes have been little studied. The public green spaces in the city of Bariloche, an enclave with growing urbanization which lies within the Andino Norpatagonica Biosphere Reserve, offer an opportunity to evaluate cultural molding of the environment. We analyzed different management methods of woody species, both in situ and ex situ, in parks located in sectors with different environmental, socioeconomic, size, age and administration characteristics. Our hypotheses were: (1 Species richness will be higher for exotic plants, in accordance with global patterns of ornamental species selection. (2 Species richness and type of management practice will vary according to the kind of environment, the socioeconomic profile of the neighborhood, the age and size of the park, and type of administration (bottom-up or top-down. (3 Bottom-up park administration will lead to a different landscape than top-down administration. Thirty randomly selected parks of both local council and neighborhood administration and varying environmental and socioeconomic conditions were examined and the composition of their woody species identified. In addition, semi-structured and free interviews were carried out with those responsible for park management, both in situ (tolerance, enhancement, protection and ex situ (sowing, use of cuttings or transplanting. In accordance with our hypothesis, the processes of domestication of the urban landscape show a tendency toward an anthropized diversity of 130 species, mainly exotic in origin (72%, and principally from the Holarctic region (67%. However, multinomial logistic analysis revealed that in parks under neighborhood administration tolerance of native species is higher (13 times than in parks administrated by the local council. Species richness increases along an environmental and socioeconomic gradient, and with the age of parks, but does not vary with size. We conclude that

Fault condition recognition of rolling bearing in bridge crane based on PSO–KPCA

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He Yan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available When the rolling bearing in bridge crane gets out of order and often accompanies with occurrence of nonlinear behaviours, its fault information is weak and it is difficult to extract fault features and to distinguish diverse failure modes. Kernel principal component analysis (KPCA may realize nonlinear mapping to solve nonlinear problems. In the paper the particle swarm optimization （PSO）is applied to optimization of kernel function parameter to reduce its bind set-up. The optimal mathematical model of kernel parameters is constructed by means of thought of fisher discriminate functions .And then it is used to bridge crane rolling bearing simulated faults recognition. The simulation results show that KPCA optimized by PSO can effectively classify fault conditions of rolling bearing. It can be concluded that non-linear mapping capability of KPCA after its function parameter by PSO is greatly improved and the KPCA-PSO is very suit for slight and incipient mechanical fault condition recognition.

Interactive effects of pests increase seed yield.

Science.gov (United States)

Gagic, Vesna; Riggi, Laura Ga; Ekbom, Barbara; Malsher, Gerard; Rusch, Adrien; Bommarco, Riccardo

2016-04-01

Loss in seed yield and therefore decrease in plant fitness due to simultaneous attacks by multiple herbivores is not necessarily additive, as demonstrated in evolutionary studies on wild plants. However, it is not clear how this transfers to crop plants that grow in very different conditions compared to wild plants. Nevertheless, loss in crop seed yield caused by any single pest is most often studied in isolation although crop plants are attacked by many pests that can cause substantial yield losses. This is especially important for crops able to compensate and even overcompensate for the damage. We investigated the interactive impacts on crop yield of four insect pests attacking different plant parts at different times during the cropping season. In 15 oilseed rape fields in Sweden, we estimated the damage caused by seed and stem weevils, pollen beetles, and pod midges. Pest pressure varied drastically among fields with very low correlation among pests, allowing us to explore interactive impacts on yield from attacks by multiple species. The plant damage caused by each pest species individually had, as expected, either no, or a negative impact on seed yield and the strongest negative effect was caused by pollen beetles. However, seed yield increased when plant damage caused by both seed and stem weevils was high, presumably due to the joint plant compensatory reaction to insect attack leading to overcompensation. Hence, attacks by several pests can change the impact on yield of individual pest species. Economic thresholds based on single species, on which pest management decisions currently rely, may therefore result in economically suboptimal choices being made and unnecessary excessive use of insecticides.

Optimising yield and resource utilisation of summer maize under the conditions of increasing density and reducing nitrogen fertilization

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Shanshan; Wang, Xiangyu; Zhu, Qicen; Jiang, Dong; Dong, Shuting

2017-12-01

The inefficient use of resources always poses risks of maize ( Zea mays L.) yield reduction in China. We performed this research to monitor the effects of increasing plant density and reducing nitrogen (N) rate on radiation-use efficiency (RUE), N efficiency traits, grain yield (GY) and their inter-relationships. Besides, whether GY and resource-use efficiency can both be maximized was examined. Hence, a 2-year field experiment was conducted using a widely grown variety "Denghai 618" in Shandong, China. Treatments contained two different plant densities [67,500 (D1) and 97,500 (D2) plant ha-1] and three N levels [0 (N-2), 180 (N-1), 360 (Nck) kg ha-1], set D1Nck as control. Significant increases in grain yield, biomass, RUE, above-ground N uptake (AGN) and N efficiency were observed when density increased from D1 to D2. Declining N application was accompanied by reductions in yield, RUE and AGN especially under high density, yet an obvious improvement in N recovery efficiency (NRE), agronomic N efficiency and N partial factor productivity. The increased GY was positive related with population biomass ( r = 0.895**), RUE ( r = 0.769**) and AGN ( r = 0.923**), whereas it has no significant correlation with N efficiency. In this study, D2Nck obtained 18.8, 17.9, 24.8 and 29.7% higher grain yield, RUE, AGN and NRE respectively, compared to control, optimizing both yield and the efficiencies of radiation and N use. Furthermore, higher yield and RUE with more desirable N efficiency may be possible via optimizing density and N rate combination.

The Effect of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR and Phosphate Solubilizing Microorganism (PSM on Yield and Yield Components of Wheat (cv. N80 under Different Nitrogen and Phosphorous Fertilizers Levels in Greenhouse Condition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. H Bahari saravi

2013-04-01

Full Text Available In order to evaluate the effect of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR and phosphate solubilizing microorganism (PSM on yield and yield components of wheat a pot experiment was conducted at Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University during 2009. Experiment was arranged in factorial based on completely randomized design in three replicates. Treatments were included bio-fertilizer in four levels (non-inoculation control, Phosphate Barvare 2 (Pseudomonas fluorescens+Bacillus subtilis, Supernitroplus (Azotobacter brasilense+Azospirillum lipoferum and Nitroxine (Azospirillum + Pseudomona + Bacillus, three levels of chemical nitrogen fertilizer (0, 75 and 150 kg urea/ha and three levels of phosphorus fertilizer (0, 60 and 120 kg super phosphate triple/ha. Results showed that the studied treatments (biofertilizer, nitrogen and phosphate inorganic fertilizers had significant effect on grain number per spike, 1000 grain weight, grain yield, straw yield, biological yield and harvest index. Interaction effect between biofertilizer and chemical fertilizers was significant in terms of grain yield. The maximum grain yield was resulted from simultaneously applying of Nitroxine and 75 kg ha-1 nitrogen fertilizer. By contrast, the highest straw yield was obtained when 150 kg nitrogen fertilizer was used. Grain yield had the maximum correlation with biological yield (r=0.85**. Grain yield positively and significantly correlated with grain number per spike (r=0.73**, 1000 grain weight (r=0.68**, straw yield (r=0.56** and harvest index (r=0.69**. In conclusion biofertilizer inoculations could reduce application of nitrogen and phosphorus chemical fertilizers and increase plant performance.

Photosynthesis, light use efficiency, and yield of reduced-chlorophyll soybean mutants in field conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Reducing chlorophyll (chl) content may improve the conversion efficiency of absorbed radiation into biomass (ec) and therefore yield in dense monoculture crops by improving light penetration and distribution within the canopy. Modeling suggests that reducing chl content may also reduce leaf temperat...

Closing yield gaps in China by empowering smallholder farmers

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Weifeng; Cao, Guoxin; Li, Xiaolin; Zhang, Hongyan; Wang, Chong; Liu, Quanqing; Chen, Xinping; Cui, Zhenling; Shen, Jianbo; Jiang, Rongfeng; Mi, Guohua; Miao, Yuxin; Zhang, Fusuo; Dou, Zhengxia

2016-09-01

Sustainably feeding the world’s growing population is a challenge, and closing yield gaps (that is, differences between farmers’ yields and what are attainable for a given region) is a vital strategy to address this challenge. The magnitude of yield gaps is particularly large in developing countries where smallholder farming dominates the agricultural landscape. Many factors and constraints interact to limit yields, and progress in problem-solving to bring about changes at the ground level is rare. Here we present an innovative approach for enabling smallholders to achieve yield and economic gains sustainably via the Science and Technology Backyard (STB) platform. STB involves agricultural scientists living in villages among farmers, advancing participatory innovation and technology transfer, and garnering public and private support. We identified multifaceted yield-limiting factors involving agronomic, infrastructural, and socioeconomic conditions. When these limitations and farmers’ concerns were addressed, the farmers adopted recommended management practices, thereby improving production outcomes. In one region in China, the five-year average yield increased from 67.9% of the attainable level to 97.0% among 71 leading farmers, and from 62.8% to 79.6% countywide (93,074 households); this was accompanied by resource and economic benefits.

Importance of growth characteristics for yield of barley in different growing systems: will growth characteristics describe yield diffently in different growing systems?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristensen, Kristian; Ericson, Lars

2008-01-01

The interest in organic grown cereals has increased the need for variety tests under organic growing systems and/or the knowledge on whether growth characteristics describe yield differently under conventional and organic conditions. This paper is a contribution to that question by examining...... the relationships between some important growth characteristics in barley trials in both systems in Northern Sweden and in Denmark. Mixed model analyses were used for regressions of growth characteristics (or transformations of those) on yield (and log-transformed yield), allowing the slope to depend on the growing...... system. The analyses showed that diseases seemed to have a less negative effect on yield in the organic growing system than in the conventional growing system if pesticides were not applied. For other characteristics the effect depended on the country. This was the case for grain characteristics where...

Genotypic Variation in Yield, Yield Components, Root Morphology and Architecture, in Soybean in Relation to Water and Phosphorus Supply

Science.gov (United States)

He, Jin; Jin, Yi; Du, Yan-Lei; Wang, Tao; Turner, Neil C.; Yang, Ru-Ping; Siddique, Kadambot H. M.; Li, Feng-Min

2017-01-01

Water shortage and low phosphorus (P) availability limit yields in soybean. Roots play important roles in water-limited and P-deficient environment, but the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. In this study we determined the responses of four soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] genotypes [Huandsedadou (HD), Bailudou (BLD), Jindou 21 (J21), and Zhonghuang 30 (ZH)] to three P levels [applied 0 (P0), 60 (P60), and 120 (P120) mg P kg-1 dry soil to the upper 0.4 m of the soil profile] and two water treatment [well-watered (WW) and water-stressed (WS)] with special reference to root morphology and architecture, we compared yield and its components, root morphology and root architecture to find out which variety and/or what kind of root architecture had high grain yield under P and drought stress. The results showed that water stress and low P, respectively, significantly reduced grain yield by 60 and 40%, daily water use by 66 and 31%, P accumulation by 40 and 80%, and N accumulation by 39 and 65%. The cultivar ZH with the lowest daily water use had the highest grain yield at P60 and P120 under drought. Increased root length was positively associated with N and P accumulation in both the WW and WS treatments, but not with grain yield under water and P deficits. However, in the WS treatment, high adventitious and lateral root densities were associated with high N and P uptake per unit root length which in turn was significantly and positively associated with grain yield. Our results suggest that (1) genetic variation of grain yield, daily water use, P and N accumulation, and root morphology and architecture were observed among the soybean cultivars and ZH had the best yield performance under P and water limited conditions; (2) water has a major influence on nutrient uptake and grain yield, while additional P supply can modestly increase yields under drought in some soybean genotypes; (3) while conserved water use plays an important role in grain yield under drought

Effect of Integrated Nutrient Management on Yield and Yield ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Declining soil fertility is one of the major problems causing yield reduction of barley ... (VC) with inorganic NP on growth, yield and yield components of food barley. ... The experiments were laid out in a randomized complete block design with ...

Systematics of spallation yields with a four-parameter formula

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foshina, M.; Martins, J.B.; Tavares, O.A.P.; Di Napoli, V.

1982-01-01

A semi-empirical four-parameter formula is proposed in order to systematize intermediate- and high-energy proton-induced spallation yields of target nuclei covering the 50-100 mass number interval. The measured yields are reproduced by the formula with a degree of accuracy which is comparable with or better than those obtained in previous proton-spallation systematics. The formula predicts reliable values for the most probable mass number of isotopic distributions. For a number of irradiation conditions which may be encountered in practical and physical applications, estimates of proton spallation yields can be obtained by the proposed four-parameter formula with no need of high-speed machines. (M.A.F.) [pt

Spatial-temporal variability of leaf chlorophyll and its relationship with cocoa yield

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Caique C. Medauar

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the spatial-temporal variability of leaf chlorophyll index and its relationship with cocoa yield. The experiment was carried out in an experimental area of cocoa production located in Ilhéus, Bahia State, Brazil. Leaf chlorophyll content was measured in September, October, January, February, March and April in the 2014/2015 season, at each sampling point of a regular grid by using a portable chlorophyll meter. Under the same conditions, yield was evaluated and the data were submitted to descriptive statistics and a linear correlation study. Geostatistical analysis was used to determine and quantify the spatial and temporal variability of leaf chlorophyll index and yield. Leaf chlorophyll index varied over the period evaluated, but the months of February, March and April showed no spatial dependence in the study area, indicating absence of temporal stability. Cocoa monthly yield, except in January, presented high spatial variability. Under the conditions of this study, it was not possible to establish a relationship between leaf chlorophyll index and cocoa yield.

Coal mine subsidence: effects of mitigation on crop yields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Darmody, R.G.; Hetzler, R.T.; Simmons, F.W.

1992-01-01

Subsidence from longwall underground coal mining adversely impacts agricultural land by creating wet or ponded areas. While most subsided areas show little impact, some localized places, usually less than 1.5 ha in size, may experience total crop failure. Coal companies mitigate subsidence damaged cropland by installing drainage waterways or by adding fill material to raise the grade. The objective of this study was to test the effectiveness of mitigation in restoring corn and soybean yields to pre-mined levels. Fourteen sites in southern Illinois were selected for study. Corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max L.) yields from mitigated and nearby undisturbed areas were compared for four years. Results varied due to differing weather and site conditions. Mean corn yields overall, however were significantly (α0.05) lower on mitigated areas. There was no significant difference in overall mean soybean yields. Soil fertility levels were similar and did not account for yield differences. 14 refs., 1 fig., 7 tabs

Comparative effectiveness of Pseudomonas and Serratia sp. containing ACC-deaminase for improving growth and yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under salt-stressed conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Zahir, Zahir Ahmad; Ghani, Usman; Naveed, Muhammad; Nadeem, Sajid Mahmood; Asghar, Hafiz Naeem

2009-05-01

Ethylene synthesis is accelerated in response to various environmental stresses like salinity. Ten rhizobacterial strains isolated from wheat rhizosphere taken from different salt affected areas were screened for growth promotion of wheat under axenic conditions at 1, 5, 10 and 15 dS m(-1). Three strains, i.e., Pseudomonas putida (N21), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (N39) and Serratia proteamaculans (M35) showing promising performance under axenic conditions were selected for a pot trial at 1.63 (original), 5, 10 and 15 dS m(-1). Results showed that inoculation was effective even in the presence of higher salinity levels. P. putida was the most efficient strain compared to the other strains and significantly increased the plant height, root length, grain yield, 100-grain weight and straw yield up to 52, 60, 76, 19 and 67%, respectively, over uninoculated control at 15 dS m(-1). Similarly, chlorophyll content and K(+)/Na(+) of leaves also increased by P. putida over control. It is highly likely that under salinity stress, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid-deaminase activity of these microbial strains might have caused reduction in the synthesis of stress (salt)-induced inhibitory levels of ethylene. The results suggested that these strains could be employed for salinity tolerance in wheat; however, P. putida may have better prospects in stress alleviation/reduction.

Yield trends and yield gap analysis of major crops in the world

OpenAIRE

Hengsdijk, H.; Langeveld, J.W.A.

2009-01-01

This study aims to quantify the gap between current and potential yields of major crops in the world, and the production constraints that contribute to this yield gap. Using an expert-based evaluation of yield gaps and the literature, global and regional yields and yield trends of major crops are quantified, yield gaps evaluated by crop experts, current yield progress by breeding estimated, and different yield projections compared. Results show decreasing yield growth for wheat and rice, but ...

Structure-process-yield interrelations in nanocrystalline cellulose extraction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hamad, W.Y.; Hu, T.Q. [FPInnovations, Vancouver, BC (Canada). Paprican Div.

2010-06-15

An understanding of the effect of hydrolysis conditions on yields of extracted water-insoluble cellulose materials is needed in order to understand the full potential of the extracted materials and the extent of their applications. This study provided a detailed analysis of the extraction of highly crystalline water-insoluble cellulose nanomaterials from commercial bleached kraft pulps using a sulfuric acid hydrolysis process. The process-yield-structure interrelations of the extracted materials were evaluated. The reproducibility of the hydrolysis process was evaluated, and methods of optimizing the yield of the extracted nanomaterials were explored. A Ruland-Rietveld analysis was used to resolve X-ray diffraction patterns and characterize crystallite size, crystalline and amorphous areas, and to determine the crystallinity of the extracted materials. The study showed that sulfation determines the yield of the materials and imparts the unique solid-state characteristics of the nanomaterials. The nanomaterials possessed iridescent patterns typical of chiral nematic materials. 27 refs., 3 tabs., 7 figs.

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L. yield as affected by nitrogen fertilization and different water regimes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reginaldo Ferreira-Santos

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Due to its origin and hardiness, safflower is usually cultivated in low-fertility soils with few inputs and no irrigation. In Brazil, little is known about its response to nitrogen (N and irrigation. This study was carried out near the city of Engenheiro Coelho, SP, Brazil, in 2014, in order to determine the effect of increasing nitrogen application rates (0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550 and 600 kg ha-1 on safflower cultivation under irrigation and rainfed conditions. The use of irrigation during drought periods allowed stress reduction and significantly increased yield components and grain yield. Safflower yield was influenced by the interaction between water regimes and nitrogen rates. Grain yield may vary depending on several factors, however, maximum yield was achieved with rates of 208 and 214 kg N ha-1 under irrigation and rainfed conditions, respectively. For oil yield, 200 kg N ha-1 were sufficient, regardless of the water regime.

Equity yields

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vrugt, E.; van Binsbergen, J.H.; Koijen, R.S.J.; Hueskes, W.

2013-01-01

We study a new data set of dividend futures with maturities up to ten years across three world regions: the US, Europe, and Japan. We use these asset prices to construct equity yields, analogous to bond yields. We decompose the equity yields to obtain a term structure of expected dividend growth

Climate Variability and Sugarcane Yield in Louisiana.

Science.gov (United States)

Greenland, David

2005-11-01

This paper seeks to understand the role that climate variability has on annual yield of sugarcane in Louisiana. Unique features of sugarcane growth in Louisiana and nonclimatic, yield-influencing factors make this goal an interesting and challenging one. Several methods of seeking and establishing the relations between yield and climate variables are employed. First, yield climate relations were investigated at a single research station where crop variety and growing conditions could be held constant and yield relations could be established between a predominant older crop variety and a newer one. Interviews with crop experts and a literature survey were used to identify potential climatic factors that control yield. A statistical analysis was performed using statewide yield data from the American Sugar Cane League from 1963 to 2002 and a climate database. Yield values for later years were adjusted downward to form an adjusted yield dataset. The climate database was principally constructed from daily and monthly values of maximum and minimum temperature and daily and monthly total precipitation for six cooperative weather-reporting stations representative of the area of sugarcane production. The influence of 74 different, though not independent, climate-related variables on sugarcane yield was investigated. The fact that a climate signal exists is demonstrated by comparing mean values of the climate variables corresponding to the upper and lower third of adjusted yield values. Most of these mean-value differences show an intuitively plausible difference between the high- and low-yield years. The difference between means of the climate variables for years corresponding to the upper and lower third of annual yield values for 13 of the variables is statistically significant at or above the 90% level. A correlation matrix was used to identify the variables that had the largest influence on annual yield. Four variables [called here critical climatic variables (CCV

Incipient preoperative reorganization processes of verbal memory functions in patients with left temporal lobe epilepsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Milian, Monika; Zeltner, Lena; Erb, Michael; Klose, Uwe; Wagner, Kathrin; Frings, Lars; Veil, Cornelia; Rona, Sabine; Lerche, Holger; Klamer, Silke

2015-01-01

We previously reported nonlinear correlations between verbal episodic memory performance and BOLD signal in memory fMRI in healthy subjects. The purpose of the present study was to examine this observation in patients with left mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE) who often experience memory decline and need reliable prediction tools before epilepsy surgery with hippocampectomy. Fifteen patients with left mTLE (18-57years, nine females) underwent a verbal memory fMRI paradigm. Correlations between BOLD activity and neuropsychological data were calculated for the i) hippocampus (HC) as well as ii) extrahippocampal mTL structures. Memory performance was systematically associated with activations within the right HC as well as with activations within the left extrahippocampal mTL regions (amygdala and parahippocampal gyrus). As hypothesized, the analyses revealed cubic relationships, with one peak in patients with marginal memory performance and another peak in patients with very good performance. The nonlinear correlations between memory performance and activations might reflect the compensatory recruitment of neural resources to maintain memory performance in patients with ongoing memory deterioration. The present data suggest an already incipient preoperative reorganization process of verbal memory in non-amnesic patients with left mTLE by simultaneously tapping the resources of the right HC and left extrahippocampal mTL regions. Thus, in the preoperative assessment, both neuropsychological performance and memory fMRI should be considered together. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Modelling Bambara Groundnut Yield in Southern Africa: Towards a Climate-Resilient Future

Science.gov (United States)

Karunaratne, A. S.; Walker, S.; Ruane, A. C.

2015-01-01

Current agriculture depends on a few major species grown as monocultures that are supported by global research underpinning current productivity. However, many hundreds of alternative crops have the potential to meet real world challenges by sustaining humanity, diversifying agricultural systems for food and nutritional security, and especially responding to climate change through their resilience to certain climate conditions. Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.), an underutilised African legume, is an exemplar crop for climate resilience. Predicted yield performances of Bambara groundnut by AquaCrop (a crop-water productivity model) were evaluated for baseline (1980-2009) and mid-century climates (2040-2069) under 20 downscaled Global Climate Models (CMIP5-RCP8.5), as well as for climate sensitivities (AgMIPC3MP) across 3 locations in Southern Africa (Botswana, South Africa, Namibia). Different land - races of Bambara groundnut originating from various semi-arid African locations showed diverse yield performances with diverse sensitivities to climate. S19 originating from hot-dry conditions in Namibia has greater future yield potential compared to the Swaziland landrace Uniswa Red-UN across study sites. South Africa has the lowest yield under the current climate, indicating positive future yield trends. Namibia reported the highest baseline yield at optimum current temperatures, indicating less yield potential in future climates. Bambara groundnut shows positive yield potential at temperatures of up to 31degC, with further warming pushing yields down. Thus, many regions in Southern Africa can utilize Bambara groundnut successfully in the coming decades. This modelling exercise supports decisions on genotypic suitability for present and future climates at specific locations.

Assessing Sediment Yield and the Effect of Best Management Practices on Sediment Yield Reduction for Tutuila Island, American Samoa

Science.gov (United States)

Leta, O. T.; Dulai, H.; El-Kadi, A. I.

2017-12-01

Upland soil erosion and sedimentation are the main threats for riparian and coastal reef ecosystems in Pacific islands. Here, due to small size of the watersheds and steep slope, the residence time of rainfall runoff and its suspended load is short. Fagaalu bay, located on the island of Tutuila (American Samoa) has been identified as a priority watershed, due to degraded coral reef condition and reduction of stream water quality from heavy anthropogenic activity yielding high nutrients and sediment loads to the receiving water bodies. This study aimed to estimate the sediment yield to the Fagaalu stream and assess the impact of Best Management Practices (BMP) on sediment yield reduction. For this, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model was applied, calibrated, and validated for both daily streamflow and sediment load simulation. The model also estimated the sediment yield contributions from existing land use types of Fagaalu and identified soil erosion prone areas for introducing BMP scenarios in the watershed. Then, three BMP scenarios, such as stone bund, retention pond, and filter strip were treated on bare (quarry area), agricultural, and shrub land use types. It was found that the bare land with quarry activity yielded the highest annual average sediment yield of 133 ton per hectare (t ha-1) followed by agriculture (26.1 t ha-1) while the lowest sediment yield of 0.2 t ha-1 was estimated for the forested part of the watershed. Additionally, the bare land area (2 ha) contributed approximately 65% (207 ha) of the watershed's sediment yield, which is 4.0 t ha-1. The latter signifies the high impact as well as contribution of anthropogenic activity on sediment yield. The use of different BMP scenarios generally reduced the sediment yield to the coastal reef of Fagaalu watershed. However, treating the quarry activity area with stone bund showed the highest sediment yield reduction as compared to the other two BMP scenarios. This study provides an estimate

Effect of Azofert®on the yield of common bean varieties (Phaseolus vulgaris L.under conditions of water deficit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wilfredo Estrada Prado

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The effect of Azofert® on the induction of tolerance of bean varieties to water deficit was evaluated. The experiment was developed during the period 2013-2014 at the Cooperative for Credits and Services Strengthened "Roberto Aguilar", Bayamo municipality, Granma, Cuba. Varieties CC-25-9R and Tomeguín-93 were used, which were applied four treatments, consisting of normal irrigation conditions throughout the crop cycle and conditions of water deficit at the beginning of flowering, formation and filling of the pods. In each case Azofert® was applied, with a dose of 200 mL per 50 kg of seed at the time of planting and as controls treatments were used without the application of this product. A randomized block design was used according to divided plots and four replicates. Ten plants were selected at random for each treatment to evaluate pod length (cm, pod width (mm, pod diameter (cm, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pods, number of seeds per plant, weight of seeds per plant (g, weight of 100 seeds (g, as well as yield (t ha-1. The results showed the significant effect of Azofert ® in increasing tolerance to the water deficit of the studied varieties.

Multiscale simulation of yield strength in reduced-activation ferritic/martensitic steel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Chen Chong; Zhang, Chi; Yang, Zhigang [Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing (China); Zhao, Ji Jun [State Key Laboratory of Materials Modification by Laser, Electron, and Ion Beams, School of Physics and Optoelectronic Technology and College of Advanced Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian (China)

2017-04-15

One of the important requirements for the application of reduced-activation ferritic/martensitic (RAFM) steel is to retain proper mechanical properties under irradiation and high-temperature conditions. To simulate the yield strength and stress-strain curve of steels during high-temperature and irradiation conditions, a multiscale simulation method consisting of both microstructure and strengthening simulations was established. The simulation results of microstructure parameters were added to a superposition strengthening model, which consisted of constitutive models of different strengthening methods. Based on the simulation results, the strength contribution for different strengthening methods at both room temperature and high-temperature conditions was analyzed. The simulation results of the yield strength in irradiation and high-temperature conditions were mainly consistent with the experimental results. The optimal application field of this multiscale model was 9Cr series (7–9 wt.%Cr) RAFM steels in a condition characterized by 0.1–5 dpa (or 0 dpa) and a temperature range of 25–500°C.

[Characteristics of phosphorus uptake and use efficiency of rice with high yield and high phosphorus use efficiency].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Li; Zhang, Xi-Zhou; Li, Tinx-Xuan; Yu, Hai-Ying; Ji, Lin; Chen, Guang-Deng

2014-07-01

A total of twenty seven middle maturing rice varieties as parent materials were divided into four types based on P use efficiency for grain yield in 2011 by field experiment with normal phosphorus (P) application. The rice variety with high yield and high P efficiency was identified by pot experiment with normal and low P applications, and the contribution rates of various P efficiencies to yield were investigated in 2012. There were significant genotype differences in yield and P efficiency of the test materials. GRLu17/AiTTP//Lu17_2 (QR20) was identified as a variety with high yield and high P efficiency, and its yields at the low and normal rates of P application were 1.96 and 1.92 times of that of Yuxiang B, respectively. The contribution rate of P accumulation to yield was greater than that of P grain production efficiency and P harvest index across field and pot experiments. The contribution rates of P accumulation and P grain production efficiency to yield were not significantly different under the normal P condition, whereas obvious differences were observed under the low P condition (66.5% and 26.6%). The minimal contribution to yield was P harvest index (11.8%). Under the normal P condition, the contribution rates of P accumulation to yield and P harvest index were the highest at the jointing-heading stage, which were 93.4% and 85.7%, respectively. In addition, the contribution rate of P accumulation to grain production efficiency was 41.8%. Under the low P condition, the maximal contribution rates of P accumulation to yield and grain production efficiency were observed at the tillering-jointing stage, which were 56.9% and 20.1% respectively. Furthermore, the contribution rate of P accumulation to P harvest index was 16.0%. The yield, P accumulation, and P harvest index of QR20 significantly increased under the normal P condition by 20.6%, 18.1% and 18.2% respectively compared with that in the low P condition. The rank of the contribution rates of P

Evaluation of Alternative Atomistic Models for the Incipient Growth of ZnO by Atomic Layer Deposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chu, Manh-Hung; Tian, Liang; Chaker, Ahmad; Skopin, Evgenii; Cantelli, Valentina; Ouled, Toufik; Boichot, Raphaël; Crisci, Alexandre; Lay, Sabine; Richard, Marie-Ingrid; Thomas, Olivier; Deschanvres, Jean-Luc; Renevier, Hubert; Fong, Dillon; Ciatto, Gianluca

2017-03-20

ZnO thin films are interesting for applications in several technological fields, including optoelectronics and renewable energies. Nanodevice applications require controlled synthesis of ZnO structures at nanometer scale, which can be achieved via atomic layer deposition (ALD). However, the mechanisms governing the initial stages of ALD had not been addressed until very recently. Investigations into the initial nucleation and growth as well as the atomic structure of the heterointerface are crucial to optimize the ALD process and understand the structure-property relationships for ZnO. We have used a complementary suite of in situ synchrotron x-ray techniques to investigate both the structural and chemical evolution during ZnO growth by ALD on two different substrates, i.e., SiO2 and Al2O3, which led us to formulate an atomistic model of the incipient growth of ZnO. The model relies on the formation of nanoscale islands of different size and aspect ratio and consequent disorder induced in the Zn neighbors' distribution. However, endorsement of our model requires testing and discussion of possible alternative models which could account for the experimental results. In this work, we review, test, and rule out several alternative models; the results confirm our view of the atomistic mechanisms at play, which influence the overall microstructure and resulting properties of the final thin film.

Evaluation of high yielding soybean germplasm under water limitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Prince, Silvas J; Murphy, Mackensie; Mutava, Raymond N; Zhang, Zhengzhi; Nguyen, Na; Kim, Yoon Ha; Pathan, Safiullah M; Shannon, Grover J; Valliyodan, Babu; Nguyen, Henry T

2016-05-01

Limited information is available for soybean root traits and their plasticity under drought stress. To date, no studies have focused on examining diverse soybean germplasm for regulation of shoot and root response under water limited conditions across varying soil types. In this study, 17 genetically diverse soybean germplasm lines were selected to study root response to water limited conditions in clay (trial 1) and sandy soil (trial 2) in two target environments. Physiological data on shoot traits was measured at multiple crop stages ranging from early vegetative to pod filling. The phenotypic root traits, and biomass accumulation data are collected at pod filling stage. In trial 1, the number of lateral roots and forks were positively correlated with plot yield under water limitation and in trial 2, lateral root thickness was positively correlated with the hill plot yield. Plant Introduction (PI) 578477A and 088444 were found to have higher later root number and forks in clay soil with higher yield under water limitation. In sandy soil, PI458020 was found to have a thicker lateral root system and higher yield under water limitation. The genotypes identified in this study could be used to enhance drought tolerance of elite soybean cultivars through improved root traits specific to target environments. © 2015 Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Unused natural variation can lift yield barriers in plant breeding.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amit Gur

2004-10-01

Full Text Available Natural biodiversity is an underexploited sustainable resource that can enrich the genetic basis of cultivated plants with novel alleles that improve productivity and adaptation. We evaluated the progress in breeding for increased tomato (Solanum lycopersicum yield using genotypes carrying a pyramid of three independent yield-promoting genomic regions introduced from the drought-tolerant green-fruited wild species Solanum pennellii. Yield of hybrids parented by the pyramided genotypes was more than 50% higher than that of a control market leader variety under both wet and dry field conditions that received 10% of the irrigation water. This demonstration of the breaking of agricultural yield barriers provides the rationale for implementing similar strategies for other agricultural organisms that are important for global food security.

Random regression models to account for the effect of genotype by environment interaction due to heat stress on the milk yield of Holstein cows under tropical conditions.

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Santana, Mário L; Bignardi, Annaiza Braga; Pereira, Rodrigo Junqueira; Menéndez-Buxadera, Alberto; El Faro, Lenira

2016-02-01

The present study had the following objectives: to compare random regression models (RRM) considering the time-dependent (days in milk, DIM) and/or temperature × humidity-dependent (THI) covariate for genetic evaluation; to identify the effect of genotype by environment interaction (G×E) due to heat stress on milk yield; and to quantify the loss of milk yield due to heat stress across lactation of cows under tropical conditions. A total of 937,771 test-day records from 3603 first lactations of Brazilian Holstein cows obtained between 2007 and 2013 were analyzed. An important reduction in milk yield due to heat stress was observed for THI values above 66 (-0.23 kg/day/THI). Three phases of milk yield loss were identified during lactation, the most damaging one at the end of lactation (-0.27 kg/day/THI). Using the most complex RRM, the additive genetic variance could be altered simultaneously as a function of both DIM and THI values. This model could be recommended for the genetic evaluation taking into account the effect of G×E. The response to selection in the comfort zone (THI ≤ 66) is expected to be higher than that obtained in the heat stress zone (THI > 66) of the animals. The genetic correlations between milk yield in the comfort and heat stress zones were less than unity at opposite extremes of the environmental gradient. Thus, the best animals for milk yield in the comfort zone are not necessarily the best in the zone of heat stress and, therefore, G×E due to heat stress should not be neglected in the genetic evaluation.

Determination of NABE in urine of high-yield dairy cows in early lactation in conditions of moderate heat stress

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Fratrić Natalija

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The work presents the results of investigations of the effect of moderate heat stress on the acidobasal status in high-yield dairy cows in early lactation. Improving performance in high-yield dairy cows increases their inclination toward metabolic disorders. The most likely to be affected is the acid-base balance, in particular when cows are exposed to heat stress. Investigations so far have shown that the taking of urine samples and their analysis is the best and fastest way to diagnose disorders in the acid-base balance. Investigations were carried out on 7 clinically healthy cows of the Holstein- Friesian breed in the phase of early lactation, 30 to 40 days (on days 30, 33 and 40 following calving during the summer period, during the month of July, when there were significant variations in daily and nightly temperatures. The cows were in the second and fourth lactation, the annual milk yield was 8000 L milk per cow. The average daily milk production in the early phase of lactation ranged from 35 to 40 L. The cows were fed mixed rations (TMR twice daily. Lucerne hay in limited quantities was given to the cows prior to the mixed feed ration. The ration for this animal category was optimized on the grounds of the daily milk production. The balance of cations and anions in the feed ration stood at 95 mEq/kg DM. The results clearly demonstrate the cows' response to moderate heat stress through the defense parameters in urine (urine pH, NABE (net-acid-base-excretion, acids, bases, ammonium ion (NH4. The determination of the kidney NABE yields more correct data than the urine pH on acidotic conditions. The results of examinations of the urine pH do not show any digressions from physiological values and are approximately the same in all cows during the investigated periods. Normal NABE values are from 100-200 mmol/L. Burdening with acid products results in a NABE range from 0-100mmol/L, and metabolic acidosis results in NAB<0 mmol/L. NABE in the cows

A 33,000-year-old incipient dog from the Altai Mountains of Siberia: evidence of the earliest domestication disrupted by the Last Glacial Maximum.

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Nikolai D Ovodov

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Virtually all well-documented remains of early domestic dog (Canis familiaris come from the late Glacial and early Holocene periods (ca. 14,000-9000 calendar years ago, cal BP, with few putative dogs found prior to the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM, ca. 26,500-19,000 cal BP. The dearth of pre-LGM dog-like canids and incomplete state of their preservation has until now prevented an understanding of the morphological features of transitional forms between wild wolves and domesticated dogs in temporal perspective. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDING: We describe the well-preserved remains of a dog-like canid from the Razboinichya Cave (Altai Mountains of southern Siberia. Because of the extraordinary preservation of the material, including skull, mandibles (both sides and teeth, it was possible to conduct a complete morphological description and comparison with representative examples of pre-LGM wild wolves, modern wolves, prehistoric domesticated dogs, and early dog-like canids, using morphological criteria to distinguish between wolves and dogs. It was found that the Razboinichya Cave individual is most similar to fully domesticated dogs from Greenland (about 1000 years old, and unlike ancient and modern wolves, and putative dogs from Eliseevichi I site in central Russia. Direct AMS radiocarbon dating of the skull and mandible of the Razboinichya canid conducted in three independent laboratories resulted in highly compatible ages, with average value of ca. 33,000 cal BP. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The Razboinichya Cave specimen appears to be an incipient dog that did not give rise to late Glacial-early Holocene lineages and probably represents wolf domestication disrupted by the climatic and cultural changes associated with the LGM. The two earliest incipient dogs from Western Europe (Goyet, Belguim and Siberia (Razboinichya, separated by thousands of kilometers, show that dog domestication was multiregional, and thus had no single place of

Modeling of cavitation in sodium flow by water flow test in prototypical LMFBR components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soehendro, B.; Trejo, F.; Bonilla, C.F.

1976-02-01

Cavitation tests of water recirculating through a venturi or a rounded inlet nozzle were carried out under steady conditions. Water temperature was varied from 100 to 195 0 F. Argon was used as cover gas and to regulate pressure in the loop. Cavitation was detected by the voltage output of a piezo-electric lead-zirconate-titanate ceramic on a titanium alloy horn facing the cavitator outlet. Three different incipient and desinent cavitation modes, designated gaseous, gaseous-vaporous, and vaporous were observed, and no significant difference was found between the conditions for incipient and desinent cavitation. Local cavitation number and fraction of equilibrium argon pressure in the gas phase at incipient and desinent cavitation are almost constant in the ranges of temperature and argon content studied. Injection of gas into the stream does not change the conditions for vaporous cavitation, but affects the gaseous and gaseous-vaporous cavitation considerably

System dynamics approach for modeling of sugar beet yield considering the effects of climatic variables.

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Pervin, Lia; Islam, Md Saiful

2015-02-01

The aim of this study was to develop a system dynamics model for computation of yields and to investigate the dependency of yields on some major climatic parameters, i.e. temperature and rainfall, for Beta vulgaris subsp. (sugar beet crops) under future climate change scenarios. A system dynamics model was developed which takes account of the effects of rainfall and temperature on sugar beet yields under limited irrigation conditions. A relationship was also developed between the seasonal evapotranspiration and seasonal growing degree days for sugar beet crops. The proposed model was set to run for the present time period of 1993-2012 and for the future period 2013-2040 for Lethbridge region (Alberta, Canada). The model provides sugar beet yields on a yearly basis which are comparable to the present field data. It was found that the future average yield will be increased at about 14% with respect to the present average yield. The proposed model can help to improve the understanding of soil water conditions and irrigation water requirements of an area under certain climatic conditions and can be used for future prediction of yields for any crops in any region (with the required information to be provided). The developed system dynamics model can be used as a supporting tool for decision making, for improvement of agricultural management practice of any region. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Nonlinear thermal interaction between a heat-generating particulate bed and a solid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheung, F.B.; Stein, R.P.; Epstein, M.; Gabor, J.D.; Bingle, J.D.

1980-01-01

The process of combined conduction and radiation in a large, heat-generating, dry particulate bed in sudden contact with a semi-infinite solid is studied analytically by a successive approximation method and numerically by a finite difference method. The transient behavior of the system, in particular, the behavior of the temperature at the particulate bed-solid interface, is obtained as a function of two dimensionless controlling parameters. Also obtained are the conditions leading to incipient melting of the system. Based upon the finite difference solution, the present approximate method, which is shown to be rather simple and convenient to use, is found to yield rapidly converging and sufficiently accurate results

Influence of yield surface curvature on the macroscopic yielding and ductile failure of isotropic porous plastic materials

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Dæhli, Lars Edvard Bryhni; Morin, David; Børvik, Tore; Hopperstad, Odd Sture

2017-10-01

Numerical unit cell models of an approximative representative volume element for a porous ductile solid are utilized to investigate differences in the mechanical response between a quadratic and a non-quadratic matrix yield surface. A Hershey equivalent stress measure with two distinct values of the yield surface exponent is employed as the matrix description. Results from the unit cell calculations are further used to calibrate a heuristic extension of the Gurson model which incorporates effects of the third deviatoric stress invariant. An assessment of the porous plasticity model reveals its ability to describe the unit cell response to some extent, however underestimating the effect of the Lode parameter for the lower triaxiality ratios imposed in this study when compared to unit cell simulations. Ductile failure predictions by means of finite element simulations using a unit cell model that resembles an imperfection band are then conducted to examine how the non-quadratic matrix yield surface influences the failure strain as compared to the quadratic matrix yield surface. Further, strain localization predictions based on bifurcation analyses and imperfection band analyses are undertaken using the calibrated porous plasticity model. These simulations are then compared to the unit cell calculations in order to elucidate the differences between the various modelling strategies. The current study reveals that strain localization analyses using an imperfection band model and a spatially discretized unit cell are in reasonable agreement, while the bifurcation analyses predict higher strain levels at localization. Imperfection band analyses are finally used to calculate failure loci for the quadratic and the non-quadratic matrix yield surface under a wide range of loading conditions. The underlying matrix yield surface is demonstrated to have a pronounced influence on the onset of strain localization.

Effects of arbuscular mycorrhizae on tomato yield, nutrient uptake, water relations, and soil carbon dynamics under deficit irrigation in field conditions.

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Bowles, Timothy M; Barrios-Masias, Felipe H; Carlisle, Eli A; Cavagnaro, Timothy R; Jackson, Louise E

2016-10-01

Plant strategies to cope with future droughts may be enhanced by associations between roots and soil microorganisms, including arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. But how AM fungi affect crop growth and yield, together with plant physiology and soil carbon (C) dynamics, under water stress in actual field conditions is not well understood. The well-characterized mycorrhizal tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) genotype 76R (referred to as MYC+) and the mutant nonmycorrhizal tomato genotype rmc were grown in an organic farm with a deficit irrigation regime and control regime that replaced evapotranspiration. AM increased marketable tomato yields by ~25% in both irrigation regimes but did not affect shoot biomass. In both irrigation regimes, MYC+ plants had higher plant nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations (e.g. 5 and 24% higher N and P concentrations in leaves at fruit set, respectively), 8% higher stomatal conductance (gs), 7% higher photosynthetic rates (Pn), and greater fruit set. Stem water potential and leaf relative water content were similar in both genotypes within each irrigation regime. Three-fold higher rates of root sap exudation in detopped MYC+ plants suggest greater capacity for water uptake through osmotic driven flow, especially in the deficit irrigation regime in which root sap exudation in rmc was nearly absent. Soil with MYC+ plants also had slightly higher soil extractable organic C and microbial biomass C at anthesis but no changes in soil CO2 emissions, although the latter were 23% lower under deficit irrigation. This study provides novel, field-based evidence for how indigenous AM fungi increase crop yield and crop water use efficiency during a season-long deficit irrigation and thus play an important role in coping with increasingly limited water availability in the future. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Straw incorporation increases crop yield and soil organic carbon sequestration but varies under different natural conditions and farming practices in China: a system analysis