Yield

=SUME L'effet engrais vert du Sesbania rostrata sur les rendements du riz est confirmé. L'effet ((piège)) de cette plante vis-à-vis du nématode Hirschmanniella o yzae l'est également, mais ne provoque pas d'augmentations des rendements du riz comparables à celles imputées à l'apport d'azote. La nocuité d'HirschmannieZla oyzae vis-à-vis de Sesbania rostrata est constatée. SUMMARY Study of interrelationships between Sesbania rostrata, Hirschmanniella oryzae and rice yields Sesbania rostrata green manure effect on rice yield is confirmed. Plant trap crop action against Hirschmanniella o y z a e is also confirmed, but can't cause yield increase comparable with green manure's one. Pathogenicity of H. o yzae on S. rostrata is noted.

Recent concerns over rising oil prices and greenhouse gas emissions have sparked an interest for the production of first generation biofuels on marginal agricultural land in Eastern Canada. Field trials were established to compare canola seed oil yield and soil nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emissions in tree-based intercropping (TBI) and conventional monocropping (CM) systems. The 4-5 year-old TBI system comprised alternating rows of hybrid poplar and high-value hardwood species, with 8 m wide alleys. Each cropping system was planted with six canola cultivars, grown at four fertilizer N rates. Seed oil concentrations decreased linearly with fertilizer N, while seed oil yields increased either linearly or following a quadratic trend. An optimal fertilization rate was estimated at 80 kg N ha -1 . Seed oil concentrations were higher in the CM than in the TBI system, but the two systems did not differ significantly in terms of seed oil yield. N 2 O emissions were three times higher in the CM than in the TBI system, probably as a result of higher soil moisture. The cultivar that produced the highest seed oil yield also produced significantly more N 2 O, probably as a result of greater available C in the rhizosphere. Our results may be useful to future life cycle assessments for analyzing the net environmental impacts of producing and distributing fertilizer N to biofuel crops, and the choice of cropping system and canola cultivar that minimize N 2 O emissions. In a first instance, we conclude that our model TBI system did not compromise canola seed oil yields, and substantially reduced soil N 2 O emissions.

Obat Vitamale adalah obat kuat herbal untuk dikonsumsi oleh pria, fungsi dan kegunaan Vitamale menjawab berbagai persoalan seksual yang dialami oleh pria. Manfaat produk ini sudah terjamin karena sudah melali uji klinis sudah dilakukan oleh para pakar ahlinya dibidang obat herbal keperkasaan pria. Bahan-bahan yang dikandung pun semuanya berbahan herbal alami, jadi Anda tak perlu lagi mengkhawatirkan keamanan utnuk mengkonsumsinya. Terlebih produk Vitamale juga sudah mengantongi ijin legal dari lembaga BPOM RI (Badan Pengawasan Obat dan Makan). Manfaat Obat Kuat Vitamale + Membantu meningkatkan vitalitas dan gairah seksual pria + Membantu meningkatkan stamina tubuh + Membantu meningkatkan kadar hormon testoteron + Membantu meningkatkan kualitas Pasutri dan tahan lama + Membantu meningkatkan produksi sperma dan mengatasi masalah kesuburan + Membantu keharmonisan pasangan suami istri + Membantu menenangkan pikiran dan meredakan kelelahan Aturan Minum Vitamale Untuk hasil yang maksimal, ada beberapa cara dalam mengonsumsi Obat Vitamale yaitu : Aturan Minum ke-1 Apabila Anda baru pertama kali meminum Vitamale, maka Anda cukup mengonsumsinya setengah kapsul saja, artinya anda harus membuka kemasan

Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) lectin is a model compound for the interaction between viruses and cells during infection events and thus an interesting analyte for mass-sensitive sensing to study these interaction phenomena. Scanning tunneling microscopy studies reveal that surface molecular imprinting leads to cavities having the dimensions of WGA dimers. These reincorporate WGA from phosphatebuffered saline between 1 and 160 μg/ml. Whereas the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) frequency for molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP)-coated electrodes decreases, indicating uptake of the analyte, their nonimprinted counterparts yield positive, concentration-dependent frequency shifts characteristic for slip of the analyte on the QCM surface. The MIPs achieve selectivity factors towards bovine serum albumin of roughly 4 at higher protein concentrations. Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis reveals that binding is favored by 29 kJ/mol until the adsorption of up to ten monolayers on the MIP, whereas above this range the value is lower. Together with the binding behavior of MIP and nonimprinted polymers, this indicates that the MIP acts as a nucleus for multilayer deposition onto the surface.

A field experiment was laid out at Pantnagar (Uttarakhand, India) in Mollisols during rabi season (2009-10) to study effect of spacing and fertility levels on growth and yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under different tree species in Terai region. The experiment was conducted in split-split plot design comprising four tree species in main plots, four spacing treatments in sub plots and four fertility levels in sub-sub plot with three replications. The wheat crop var. PBW-502 was sown on November 29, 2009 and harvested on April 21, 2010. Significant higher grain yield was recorded under Poplar (44.60 qha-1); however, it was statistically at par with Melia (42.60 qha-1) interface at 180-60-40 kg NPK ha-1 fertility level. At 3 × 2.5 m, the wheat growth, yield attributes and yield (grain, straw and biological yield) under Poplar was significantly higher than closer spacing. Application of 180-60-40 kg NPK ha-1 had significant effect on crop growth and grain yield than other levels of fertility. The correlation coefficient (r) studies exhibited that wheat growth and yield attributing characteristics are significantly (p<0.05) and positively correlated with each other.

Production of Mrenda (Corchorus olitorius) in Kenya has been low due to various reasons, such as poor agronomic practices like incorrect fertilizer rates. Observations from the Mrenda growing areas showed that there is high unmet demand for crop in local market and even for export. This is due to yields being low, 2-4 tons/ha as compared to expected yield of 5-8 tons/ha. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to discern effect of Nitrogen fertilizer on growth and yield of Mrenda (Corchorus olitorius) morphotypes. Seed samples were planted at two sites of University of Eldoret and Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Research Organization, Kitale using Randomly Complete Block Design with three replicates and three levels of nitrate (Calcium nitrate) fertilizer. Five plants were tagged and the following traits were recorded: plant height, number of branching at main stem, number of pods and fresh leaf yield. Results showed highest N fertilizer rates had most effect exhibited by Morphotypes GT and BT on plants height; plant branching; pods number per plant and yield weight per plant respectively. Use of no N fertilizer caused lowest plant height, branching at main stem, pods and leaf weight per plant by Morphotypes GT and BT. It is concluded that Mrenda is N loving plant as it enhanced its growth when high amount of Nitrogen fertilizer was applied. It is recommended farmers use high N fertilizer for Mrenda production.

Chilean hazelnut (Gevuina avellana) oil is highly appreciated in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. Hazelnut oil (oil content calculated on 49% dry basis) is traditionally obtained by pressing, a low-efficiency process that results in a low-quality product. In this work, the conventional process was compared with two enzymatic alternatives in which commercial enzymes were used to increase the oil extraction yield: (i) extraction in aqueous medium and (ii) extraction by pressing after an enzymatic treatment. The effect of various parameters on the extraction yield was studied to define the most satisfactory processing conditions. These included reaction time, temperature, enzyme concentration, and, in the aqueous medium extraction process, the water/seed ratio, particle size, and pH. Although pressing is the better alternative, in both processes enzyme treatment improved extraction yields (94 and 98% for aqueous medium extraction and pressing after enzyme treatment, respectively, compared to 52% obtained in the conventional process). Moreover, the quality of the oil obtained is the same as or better than that of oil obtained by the conventional process.

The ecosystem model FORECAST was used to simulate the yield potential in Saskatchewan mixedwoods of the two-pass harvesting system. The simulated two-pass stand consisted of an overstory population of pure trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) with a white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) understory. The aspen was removed at year 60, and yields of the understory spruce and resprouting aspen were simulated for 80 years thereafter. The two-pass simulations were compared with two simulated conventional harvesting systems. The first system consisted of a single final harvest at year 140. In the second system, a clearcut was conducted at year 60. White spruce was then planted in the subsequent year at 400, 600, or 800 stems/ha, and aspen also permitted to resprout. Growth was then simulated for a further 80 years. FORECAST projections indicated that the two-pass system might be effective for releasing the white spruce understory, achieving at least a twofold gain in spruce volu...

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a potential biofuel crop in the midwestern United States. The objective of this experiment was to test the effect of nitrogen application on biomass dry matter yield and fiber and mineral concentrations in large field plots in Lucas and Wayne counties in southern Iowa. Two established switchgrass fields with a previous history of limited management were evaluated from 1998 through 2002. Nitrogen was applied in the spring at rates of 0, 56, 112, and 224 kg N ha −1 , and a single biomass harvest was made in autumn. Biomass production averaged across locations and N levels increased by 3.6 mg ha −1 between 1998 and 2002 to 6.5 mg ha −1. Nitrogen improved yields, with the response declining as N levels increased. The highest yield throughout the experiment was 8.5 mg ha −1 at the Lucas location in 2002. Changes in fiber and mineral concentrations did not follow any trend over years but were likely due to differences in harvest date among years. Nitrogen fertilization had no meaningful effect on the quality of the biofuel produced. This study clearly shows that nitrogen application and proper agronomic management can substantially increase the yield of established switchgrass fields over time without affecting the quality of the feedstock. As this experiment was conducted in large plots using commercial farm machinery, the results should be broadly applicable to real world situations.

Summerred' apples (Malus domestica Borkh.) are highly susceptible to biennial bearing if not properly thinned. This results in erratic yields and also affects fruit quality adversely. Between 2003 and 2005, 'Summered'/'M9' trees were treated with ethephon at concentrations of 250, 375, and 500 mgÁL -1 when most king flowers opened (' '20% bloom) or at concentrations of 500, 625, and 750 mgÁL -1 when the average fruitlet size was 10 mm in diameter. The experiment was conducted with 2.5-m height slender spindle trees sprayed to the point of runoff with a hand applicator only when temperatures exceeded 15 8C. Within 2 weeks after the second application, fruit set was reduced linearly with increasing concentrations of ethephon to less than one fruitlet per cluster at the highest concentrations used. Most thinning treatments reduced fruit set significantly compared with unthinned trees. Fruit numbers per tree decreased significantly with increasing ethephon concentrations, and the highest concentrations of ethephon applied during bloom or when the average fruitlet size was 10 mm in diameter resulted in overthinning. Yield results confirmed the fruit set response in which yield reductions were significant at the highest concentrations of ethephon (2.1 kg/tree) compared with hand-thinned trees (7.3 kg/tree) in 2005. All thinning treatments resulted in higher percentage of fruits larger than 60 mm diameter compared with unthinned control fruit. Thinning resulted in significantly higher soluble solid contents, and this was especially so for hand-thinned trees. Other fruit quality parameters like yellow-green background color did not show a clear response to thinning. Return bloom was, however, improved on all thinned trees. It is recommended that ethephon be applied at a rate of 375 mgÁL -1 when king flowers open or at a rate of 625 mgÁL -1 when the average fruitlet size is 10 mm in diameter. This thins 'Summerred' apples to a target of approximately five fruits/cm 2 per trunk cross-sectional area or 50 to 70 fruits per 100 flower clusters without impacting on fruit quality, yield, or return bloom the next year.

The effects of the rigor state and freezing of cod prior to salting on the mass transfer during production and the quality of heavily cured cod have been investigated. Pre-rigor salting lead to a larger reduction in weight, a higher water loss and a lower uptake of NaCl than in fish salted post-rigor and in fish salted after frozen storage. The cause of this is believed to be the simultaneous influx of NaCl and rigor contractions in the fish muscle. In order to reduce the loss of proteins from the raw material and to increase the instrumental lightness values (L*) of the salt ripened product, the fish should be salted in pre-rigor state. However, if the primary focus is on the weight yield, the fish should be salted post-rigor after chilling or freezing pre-or post-rigor. Freezing and thawing of cod prior to salting post-rigor increased the firmness of the salt cured product compared to chilled fish salted post-rigor.

1 To determine how the presence of non-host plants impact populations of lepidopteran pests and yield of broccoli, Brassica oleracea var. italica L., broccoli was intercropped with tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum Miller, or yellow sweetclover (YSC), Melilotus officinalis L., and compared with broccoli monoculture grown at two densities (high and low). 2 During a 1997 study, numbers of early instar imported cabbageworm, Artogeia rapae L., were greater in broccoli monoculture compared with intercropped plantings. In contrast, late instar A. rapae numbers were significantly higher in intercropped broccoli during most of the season, indicating greater survival of early instar stages in intercropped habitats. 3 Cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni HuÈ bner, eggs and larvae were more abundant in broccoli monoculture than intercropped broccoli in 1997. In addition, T. ni populations were found at significantly lower levels in broccoli-YSC compared with broccoli-tomato habitat throughout the season. 4 During a 1998 study, numbers of early and late A. rapae instars were greater in intercropped broccoli on most sampling dates. 5 The mean percentages of harvested broccoli heads infested with insects and associated frass were higher in monocultures than intercropped treatments in 1997. Additionally, a significantly lower number of contaminants were found in the crowns of broccoli harvested from broccoli-YSC (YSC) compared with broccoli-tomato (tomato) habitat. However, broccoli heads were significantly smaller in intercropped habitats. 6 Variations in insect responses and challenges to using crop diversification as a management tool are discussed.

Soil organic matter (SOM) is known to play a major role in soil fertility due to its influence on physical, chemical and biological properties of soil; and it is closely related to particle size distribution. The ratio of SOM (g kg À1 ) to clay + silt content (g kg À1 ) was evaluated as an indicator of soil quality for barley (Hordeum vulgare) grain yield, reflecting N availability and soil physical conditions to which crop development is sensitive. Thirty-eight sites in the semiarid Pampa region of Argentina with a wide range of SOM and texture were evaluated for malting barley yield during three growing seasons. In control plots, 51% of grain yield could be explained by this indicator. The threshold value between high and low N-fertilization response was 4.4. Better yield prediction to almost 68% was achieved by combining the SOM to clay + silt indicator with initial nitrate content of the soil at seeding. This combined indicator was also able to explain a high proportion of water use efficiency, particularly in the early growth stages. The ratio of SOM to clay + silt content provided a better tool for estimating grain yield than nutrient availability or SOM alone. #

Mesophilic methane yield of ensiled switchgrass grown in Eastern Canada was assessed. Switchgrass was harvested at three stages of development, corresponding to mid-summer, late summer and early fall in 2007. The regrowth of plots harvested in mid-summer was also harvested in early fall as a two-cut strategy. Specific methane yields decreased significantly with crop maturity from 0.266 to 0.309 N L CH 4 g À1 VS in mid-summer to 0.191-0.250 N L CH 4 g À1 VS in early fall; values were similar for the first harvest in late July and the second harvest (regrowth) in October. Approximately 25% more methane was produced by hectare for the two-cut strategy (2.90-3.44 Â 10 6 N L CH 4 ha À1 ) compared to the one-cut strategy with a harvest in late summer (2.28-2.77 Â 10 6 N L CH 4 ha À1 ). Methane yields from switchgrass grown under the cool humid climate of Eastern Canada suggest that this crop remains an interesting renewable alternative energy source.

Materials and Methods Five pea varieties were evaluated for their performance at mountain agricultural research centre (MARC), Juglote, Gilgit during 2017. The varieties are climax, pasan, rondo, meteor and green feast. Results Differences among plant heights of pea varieties were significant with maximum plant height of 85.25 cm noted in plots of variety climax, while the minimum plant height of 45.75 cm was recorded in plots of variety rondo. Number of branches per plant of the different varieties ranged significantly from a minimum of 2.15 (green feast)to a maximum of 4.00 (meteor). Average number of pods per plant varied significantly between 10.84 and 13.71.Maximum pods per plant were found from variety climax (13.71) followed by green feast (13.58). Maximum pod length of 7.900 cm was recorded for variety Rondo, followed by variety green feast with pod length of 5.800 cm, while the minimum of 5.220 cm was recorded for the verity meteor. Maximum pod weight 26.29 kg per plot was obtained from variety climax, followed by 21.75 kg per plot from variety green feast, the minimum pods weight was recorded for variety meteor 16.20 kg per plot. Difference in pods yield of the five varieties were significant, with a maximum pods yield of 3585 kg per hectare recorded for variety climax, followed by 3545 kg per hectare for cultivar green feast and minimum of 2491 kg per hectare noted for variety rondo. Conclusion Therefore, variety climax being the highest yielder can be recommended to the pea growers of Gilgit-Baltistan for commercial cultivation.

The present study was conducted to assess the plant growth promoting activities of Mesorhizobium sp. in the presence of technical grade herbicides and its ameliorating effects on herbicide toxicity to chickpea grown in herbicide treated soils. The quizalafop-p-ethyl and clodinafop-tolerant Mesorhizobium isolate MRC4 recovered from the nodules of chickpea plants significantly produced IAA, siderophores, hydrogen cyanide and ammonia in medium amended with or without technical grade quizalafop-p-ethyl and clodinafop. Quizalafop-p-ethyl at 40, 80 and 120 lg kg À1 soil and clodinafop at 400, 800 and 1200 lg kg À1 soil in general, decreased the growth attributes of chickpea plants inoculated with Mesorhizobium MRC4 and un-inoculated chickpeas. The three concentrations of quizalafop-p-ethyl were comparatively more toxic and substantially decreased biomass, nodulation and leghaemoglobin content, nutrient uptake, seed yield and grain protein over the un-inoculated chickpea. Interestingly, Mesorhizobium isolate MRC4 with any concentration of the two herbicides significantly increased the measured parameters when compared to the plants grown in soils treated solely (without inoculant) with similar concentration of each herbicide. Conclusively, Mesorhizobium isolate MRC4 could be exploited as bio-inoculant for facilitating chickpea growth under herbicide stress.

We have previously shown that responses against a broad set of nine CD4 ؉ T-cell epitopes were present in the setting of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) Armstrong infection in the context of H-2 d . This is quite disparate to the H-2 b setting, where only two epitopes have been identified. We were interested in determining whether a broad set of responses was unique to H-2 d or whether additional CD4 ؉ T-cell epitopes could be identified in the setting of the H-2 b background. To pursue this question, we infected C57BL/6 mice with LCMV Armstrong and determined the repertoire of CD4 ؉ T-cell responses using overlapping 15-mer peptides corresponding to the LCMV Armstrong sequence. We confirmed positive responses by intracellular cytokine staining and major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-peptide binding assays. A broad repertoire of responses was identified, consisting of six epitopes. These epitopes originate from the nucleoprotein (NP) and glycoprotein (GP). Out of the six newly identified CD4 ؉ epitopes, four of them also stimulate CD8 ؉ T cells in a statistically significant manner. Furthermore, we assessed these CD4 ؉ T-cell responses during the memory phase of LCMV Armstrong infection and after infection with a chronic strain of LCMV and determined that a subset of the responses could be detected under these different conditions. This is the first example of a broad repertoire of shared epitopes between CD4 ؉ and CD8 ؉ T cells in the context of viral infection. These findings demonstrate that immunodominance is a complex phenomenon in the context of helper responses.

An approach of enhancing yield in the production of piezoresistive pressure sensors for automotive applications is described. The main idea is to introduce an advanced pre-check, which sorts out potentially bad sensors before the actual calibration. The sorting algorithm is performed in two steps. In the first step, the linear correlation coefficient for the pre-checked sensor is calculated and compared to a margin initially estimated on the basis of the production first series and continuously adjusted during the mass production in accordance with the quality management strategy. In the second step, the actual values of coefficients of the pre-checked sensor are compared with the values of the reference coefficients. Both conditions must be met to enter the evaluated sensor in the calibration procedure. Empirical data from sensor production are given to illustrate the advantage of the described approach.

Little information is currently available about water column microbial processes or mortality during Arctic winter. To address this paucity, we used epifluorescence microscopy and dilution experiments to determine the abundance of flagellates, bacteria and virus-like particles (VLP) and the rates of bacterial growth, bacterivory and virus-induced mortality in subzero-temperature bottom waters (≤ 230 m) of Franklin Bay during February and March 2004, when ice-covered surface waters were highly oligotrophic (maximum chlorophyll a value of 0.09 µg l -1 ). We focused on bottom waters due to the possible importance of sediment resuspension as a source of organic matter. While flagellates were present at low densities (1.5 to 3.1 × 10 2 ml -1 ), bacterial concentrations resembled those from other seasons in the region and increased over the 5 wk sampling period, from 1.4 × 10 5 to 3.0 × 10 5 ml -1 . VLPs were typically an order of magnitude more abundant than bacteria (range of 1.4 to 4.5 × 10 6 VLP ml -1 ) and, like the fraction of particle-associated bacteria (but not total bacteria), correlated with particulate organic carbon concentration (r s = 0.82, p < 0.04, n = 7). Grazing rates, whether measured in dilution experiments or calculated from flagellate abundance, were low or undetectable (maximum of -0.004 h -1 ). Of 3 parallel experiments, 2 yielded substantial virus-induced mortality (-0.006 to -0.015 h -1 ), comparable to or exceeding the intrinsic bacterial growth rate (0.010 h -1 in both experiments) and suggesting viruses were the more important agents of bacterial mortality under these conditions. Using a viral reduction approach, VLP production measured in the water column or ice-moored sediment traps was commonly low (0.3 to 7.7 × 10 4 VLP ml -1 h -1 ) or undetectable, highly variable among replicates and, when measurable, implied viral turnover times between 0.9 and 12 d. In general, our results show that, despite the oligotrophy of Arctic winter, bottom water bacterial communities can remain active and subject to viral predation.

Studies on planting crops no-till have been carried out extensively in many countries. So far, studies have not been conducted in the cultivation of flax. The purpose of this study was to compare no-till and conventional cultivation of flax on weed control, yield of fiber flax and seed, and the physical and biological properties of the soil. Precipitation in the years of study was significantly different and modified the effect of the treatments. Yields of whole flax plants with seeds and yields of straw in the dry year were higher, and in the year with optimal rainfall lower with no-tillage than conventional cultivation. Flax seed yield, regardless of the year, was higher in the no-till system. No-tillage, regardless of weed control, reduced the number and weight of weeds, compared to conventional cultivation with plowing. No-tillage resulted in a higher moisture content and lower soil capillary capacity than with conventional tillage. Cultivation systems did not affect the bulk density of topsoil but no-tillage contributed to an increase of humic substances content in the soil environment.

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Note: The materials archived in this collection present a historical record of University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension publications. The publications contained here have expired, often due to outdated information. They are intended for historical research and reference.Many regulations and recommendations regarding pest control, food preparation, animal treatment, and agricultural methods have changed drastically over the past 100 years. For on-line publications with current information and recommendations from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, please visit http://extension.unl.edu/publications.

The present study was carried out to evaluate the performance of technological interventions like improved variety, line sowing, seed treatments with fungicide and biofertilizer, balanced nutrition and weed management on productivity and profitability of black gram. Black gam is an important kharif pulse crop in Sahibganj district of Jharkhand covering over 5218 ha with average productivity of 6.5 q/ha which is well below the state average (9.25 q/ha) and national average (9.7 q/ha). Unavailability of improved variety as well as non-adoption of improved cultivation practices in the district is one of the possible reasons for lower average productivity of black gram in the district. To enhance productivity of black gram through improved variety and cultivation practices cluster frontline demonstrations (CFLDs) were conducted during kharif season from 2016-17 to 2019-20. Performance of black gram variety PU 31 in 160 locations along with improved cultivation practices like line sowing, treatment of seed with fungicide and biofertilizer, balanced nutrition and weed management were evaluated in Barharwa and Rajmahal blocks of the district. It was observed that the yield of black gram in CFLD under rainfed conditions ranged from 9.48 to 9.60 q/ha whereas in FP it ranged between 6.35 to 6.53 q/ha. The per cent increase in yield with Improved Practices (IP) over FP was recorded in the range of 46.15 to 49.2. The extension gap and technological index were ranging between 3.0 to 3.13 q/ha and 26.15 to 27.07 per cent, respectively. The trend of technology gap reflected the farmer's cooperation in carrying out demonstrations with encouraging results in subsequent years. The benefit cost ratio was 2.03 to 2.16 under demonstration, while it was 1.54 to 1.76 under farmer's practice. Therefore, the results clearly indicate that the use of improved variety and package of practice with scientific intervention under cluster frontline demonstration programme contribute to increase the productivity and profitability.

The effectiveness of 3 carbohydrases for protein extraction from heat-stabilized defatted rice bran (HDRB) was evaluated. Amylase, viscozyme and celluclast extracted a maximum of 45.4, 12.1, and 28.5% protein, respectively. Further study showed that extracted protein ranged from 9.5 to 58.4% under conditions of water to bran ratio (5:1 to 20:1), a-amylase (0 to 110000 units/10 g rice bran), temperature (35 to 55 °C), and time . The maximum protein extracted was 58.4% with a water to bran ratio of 17:1, 87637 units amylase, and 50.9 °C. These results suggest that impure food-grade amylase containing protease is more effective than celluclast and viscozyme in protein extraction from HDRB.

Conservation agriculture (CA) systems composed of intercropping and strip tillage practices were evaluated on marginalized maize-based farming system in hill region of Nepal. On-farm experimental trials were conducted on the field of 25 smallholder farmers in three villages of central mid-hill region. Results indicated that although CA systems did not increase crop yields; higher return and revenue were generated due to increased number of crop harvests and higher price of the cash crops used in intercropping. Therefore, it was concluded that smallholder farmers should adopt CA system for increasing return and improving sustainability of the farming system.

ABSTRACT Maize grain yields have increased dramatically over the past fifty years, and concurrently end-uses have proliferated requiring special quality characteristics. Plant breeders have developed many specialty types of maize, all of which are influenced by the agronomic practices used to produce the crop. Grain yield increases have resulted in lower protein concentration except when the yield increase resulted from nitrogen fertilizer application. Irrigation improves the biological value of protein, while higher nitrogen application rates alter the amino acid balance thereby reducing the nutritional value. Kernel breakage susceptibility and kernel density increase with higher nitrogen fertilizer application rates, and are reduced by irrigation. Extractable starch and oil concentration are largely influenced by hybrid choice, but small production practice effects have been documented. Essential mineral nutrient levels are often influenced by soil or foliar fertilizer application. The production of aflatoxin can be reduced by irrigation or other strategies to avoid water stress during grain fill. Although genetics usually exerts the largest effect on maize grain quality, agronomic practices are also important.

The shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus) is a cosmopolitan species abundant in the Northwest Pacific. Some aspects of its biological information have been well documented yet its population dynamics is poorly known. The objective of this study is to assess the population status of the shortfin mako in the Northwest Pacific. The whole weights of 68,943 female and 64,338 male shortfin mako landed at Nanfangao and Chengkung fish markets, eastern Taiwan from 1990 to 2004 were converted to total length and the age for each individual was estimated based on the sex-specific von Bertalanffy growth equation. Total mortality obtained with length-converted catch curves ranged from 0.175 yr −1 to 0.272 yr −1 for females and from 0.196 yr −1 to 0.286 yr −1 for males. Natural mortality estimated from Peterson and Wroblewski's equation were 0.077-0.244 yr −1 for females and 0.091-0.203 yr −1 for males. Based on virtual population analysis, the highest fishing mortality occurred in ages 6-10 years for females and 7-12 years for males. Increases of fishing mortality in ages 3-5 years for females and 3-6 years for males since 1996 indicated that the young shortfin mako experienced higher fishing pressure in recent years. Both deterministic and stochastic simulations showed that annual spawning potential ratio (SPR) of shortfin mako was lower than the biological reference point (BRP) of SPR 35% and had a decreasing trend since 2000. Current fishing mortality (0.066 yr −1) was greater than the BRP of F 30% (0.052 yr −1), F 35% (0.045 yr −1), F 40% (0.04 yr −1) and F 0.1 (0.063 yr −1) suggesting that this stock might have been overexploited. Therefore, to ensure sustainable utilization, a management measure of 32% reduction of current fishing effort was suggested for the shortfin mako stock in the Northwest Pacific.

Cytokinins are often considered abscisic acid (ABA) antagonists and auxins antagonists/synergists in various processes in plants. Seed enhancement (seed priming) with cytokinins is reported to increase plant salt tolerance. It was hypothesized that cytokinins could increase salt tolerance in wheat plants by interacting with other plant hormones, especially auxins and ABA. The present studies were therefore conducted to assess the effects of presowing seed treatment with varying concentrations (100, 150 and 200 mg l -1 ) of cytokinins (kinetin and benzylaminopurine (BAP)) on germination, growth, and concentrations of free endogenous auxins and ABA in two hexaploid spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars. The primed and non-primed seeds of MH-97 (saltintolerant) and Inqlab-91 (salt-tolerant) were sown in both Petri dishes in a growth room and in the field after treatment with 15 dS m -1 NaCl salinity. Both experiments were repeated during 2002 and 2003. Among priming agents, kinetin was effective in increasing germination rate in the salt-intolerant and early seedling growth in the salt-tolerant cultivar when compared with hydropriming under salt stress. Thus, during germination and early seedling growth, the cytokinin-priming induced effects were cultivar specific. In contrast, kinetin-priming showed a consistent promoting effect in the field and improved growth and grain yield in both cultivars under salt stress. The BAP-priming did not alleviate the inhibitory effects of salinity stress on the germination and early seedling growth in both cultivars. The increase in growth and grain yield in both cultivars was positively correlated with leaf indoleacetic acid concentration and negatively with ABA concentration under both saline and non-saline conditions. The decrease in ABA concentration in the plants raised from kinetinprimed seeds might reflect diminishing influence of salt stress. However, the possibility of involvement of other hormonal interactions is discussed.

Heterosis for yield and other component characters of 45 F 1 hybrids of tomato derived from the crosses between 15 lines and 3 testers through line x tester technique was studied. Maximum and significant heterosis in favourable direction was observed for yield, fruit number, plant height and fruits per cluster. Heterosis was appreciable in all hybrids, but was more in four hybrids viz Sioux x FT-5, S-1001 x Solan Vajr, EC-521041 x FT-5 and S-1001 x EC-15998.

Relatively low ECe values were also observed under FI-DI60 and DI-80 treatments with respectively (2.7, 3, 3.5 dS/m) and (2.5, 2.9, 3.3 dS/m). ECe values under the different irrigation treatments were generally lower than or equal to the EC of irrigation water used. Rainfall received during fall and/or winter periods (57, 26 and 29 mm, respectively, during the three years) contributed probably to leaching soluble salts from the root zone. Highest carrot yields for the three years were obtained with SWB scheduling technique FI-100, (29.5, 28.7 and 26.8 t/ha) although we didn't find significant differences with the regulated deficit irrigation regime (FI-DI60). Compared to FI-100, significant reductions in carrot yields were observed under DI-80 and DI-60 deficit irrigation treatments resulting from a reduction in roots number/m 2 and average root weight. The farmer's method not only caused significant reductions in yield but also resulted in using 43-57% more water and increased soil salinity. For all irrigation treatments, carrot yields were higher in the first year compared to the two following years. Water productivity (WP) values reflected this difference and varied between 3.2 and 9.7 kg/m 3 . The lowest WP values were observed for the farmer's method, while the highest values were obtained under DI-60 deficit irrigation treatment. The scheduling technique using SWB with variable doses is more efficient than the traditional technique used by farmers in carrot production. The FI-100 irrigation scheduling seems to optimize the use of saline water in carrot production and to control soil salinity. Under situations of water shortage, adopting deficit irrigation strategies (FI-DI60 and DI-80) could be an alternative for irrigation scheduling of carrot crop under the conditions of Mediterranean arid in southern Tunisia.

We investigate a community of independent logistically growing populations under a common harvesting effort which leads to the total maximum sustainable yield (TMSY). It is surprising that in the case of two populations with approximately equal carrying capacities, TMSY is reached while both populations persist, although their biotic potential may differ substantially. In general, however, TMSY with a common harvesting effort implies suboptimal fishing of some populations, overfishing of others and extinction of the rest of the populations. Since extinction of populations is a rule rather than an exception and since a community of independent populations is more robust than an ecosystem with multiple trophic levels, we call for urgent retraction of all legal documents advocating MSY in ecosystems.

Context: Jordan is looking for a cheap and locally affordable source for its cosmetics, fuel and medical applications. Jojoba offers one solution to such problems. It is considered as a good medicinal plant that can be used for several applications. Aims: To evaluate the effect of parameters as mixing speed, temperature, feedstock grain size, mixture ratio and mixing time on the jojoba yield. Methods: The mathematical model combining the effect of all the above variables was then used to find the optimum combination for maximum yield. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) technique was used for modeling and optimization. Based on the Pareto chart of parameters effect, the seed size was the most significant followed with temperature effect. Results: It was found that the optimum values obtained for best yield were seed size of about 0.48 mm, the temperature of about 65°C and mixing time of 2.8 hours maximum yield of about 56% wt can be obtained. Conclusions: A mathematical model was suc...

This experiment was conducted in the farmer’s field to evaluate the performance of a modified planter machine for establishing direct seeded rice during aman and aus seasons in 2010 with four tillage treatments: (i) conventional tillage (CT) (ii) strip tillage (ST), (iii) bed formation (BP) and (iv) zero tillage (ZT). In later three treatments, seeding and fertilizer application was done simultaneously in a single pass operation by the planter. Flute type seed metering device was tested to study the seed dispensing rate, placement of seed and fertilizers. Minimum tillage saved fuel consumption by almost 25-46% and could represent a 27-48% cost saving in land preparation compared to CT. In addition to fuel savings, substantial time savings and additional benefits can be achieved. Seedling emergence was not affected by tillage options which indicated that seeds were placed at proper depth. Seed meter worked well to dispense rice seeds by maintaining actual seed rate. Seeds were not br...

We evaluated polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and size exclusion chromatography coupled with multi-angle laser light scattering (SEC-MALLS) approaches to determine weight-average molecular weight (M w ) and polydispersity (PD) of heparins. A set of unfractionated heparin sodium (UFH) and low-molecularweight heparin (LMWH) samples obtained from nine manufacturers which supply the US market were assessed. For SEC-MALLS, we measured values for water content, refractive index increment (dn/dc), and the second virial coefficient (A 2 ) for each sample prior to molecular weight assessment. For UFH, a mean±standard deviation value for M w of 16,773±797 was observed with a range of 15,620 to 18,363 (n=20, run in triplicate). For LMWHs by SEC-MALLS, we measured mean M w values for dalteparin, tinzaparin, and enoxaparin of 6,717±71 (n=4), 6,670±417 (n=3), and 3,959±145 (n=3), respectively. PAGE analysis of the same UFH, dalteparin, tinzaparin, and enoxaparin samples showed values of 16,135±643 (n=20), 5,845±45 (n=4), 6,049±95 (n=3), and 4,772±69 (n=3), respectively. These orthogonal measurements are the first M w results obtained with a large heparin sample set on product being marketed after the heparin crisis of 2008 changed the level of scrutiny of this drug class. In this study, we compare our new data set to samples analyzed over 10 years earlier. In addition, we found that the PAGE analysis of heparinase digested UFH and neat LMWH samples yield characteristic patterns that provide a facile approach for identification and assessment of drug quality and uniformity.

The experiment was conducted in the farm of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh during October 2012 to March 2013 to determine the effect of potassium and stem pruning on yield and economic analysis of tomato. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The experiment consisted of two factors: Factor A: K0=0 kg K2O/ha, K1=150 kg K2O/ha, K2=160 kg K2O/ha and K3=170 kg K2O/ha; Factor B: P0=No pruning; P1=One stem pruning; P2=Two stem pruning and P3=Three stem pruning. In case of potassium, K3 produced the highest yield (65.96 t ha-1) and lowest yield (43.83 t ha-1) was from K0. For pruning, P3 produced the highest yield (66.86 t ha-1) and lowest yield (52.32 t ha-1) was obtained from P1. For combined effect, K3P3 produced the highest yield (74.77 t ha-1) while the minimum yield (32.62 t ha-1) was found from K0P0. The highest benefit cost ratio (3.72) was recorded from K3P3 and the lowest (1.17) was recorded from K0P0. It may be concluded that 170 kg K2O ha-1 with three stem pruning was found suitable for growth and yield of tomato.

Mesophilic methane yield of ensiled switchgrass grown in Eastern Canada was assessed. Switchgrass was harvested at three stages of development, corresponding to mid-summer, late summer and early fall in 2007. The regrowth of plots harvested in mid-summer was also harvested in early fall as a two-cut strategy. Specific methane yields decreased significantly with crop maturity from 0.266 to 0.309 N L CH 4 g À1 VS in mid-summer to 0.191-0.250 N L CH 4 g À1 VS in early fall; values were similar for the first harvest in late July and the second harvest (regrowth) in October. Approximately 25% more methane was produced by hectare for the two-cut strategy (2.90-3.44 Â 10 6 N L CH 4 ha À1 ) compared to the one-cut strategy with a harvest in late summer (2.28-2.77 Â 10 6 N L CH 4 ha À1 ). Methane yields from switchgrass grown under the cool humid climate of Eastern Canada suggest that this crop remains an interesting renewable alternative energy source.

Olive growers start earlier to harvesting in order to obtain high quality oils, however unripe olives show different characteristics affecting technological and rheological properties. This work is aimed to study the effect of malaxation conditions on process oil yield for unripe ‘Picual’ olives. Experiments were carried out using Picual fruits harvested at early dates for three consecutive crops seasons. The malaxation conditions assayed using a factorial design were: time (60, 90 min), temperature (18, 30, 40 °C) and micronised talc addition (0, 1%). Olive paste from unripe Picual fruit are classified as difficult pastes. The main factor affecting oil yield was the crop year, while for each crop year the effect of each factor varied considerably. Results indicated as increasing time and temperature gave lower pomace oil losses although its effect varied on crop year. Micronised Natural Talc addition lowered pomace oil content on dry weight. Therefore for early harvesting dates knowing olive characteristics ‘on line’ is essential to adapt the kneading conditions.

Cet article présente le principe d’une fumure azotée économiquement optimale (Nopt). Ce principe permet de procéder à la détermination quantitative des normes de fumure azotée. Le niveau optimal de fumure azotée ainsi obtenu représente un bon compromis entre les objectifs économiques et écologiques des grandes cultures. Dans le cadre des travaux destinés à acquérir les données de base pour la fumure des grandes cultures et des herbages (DBF-GCH 2009), le Nopt a été déterminé pour les principales grandes cultures sur la base de nombreux essais de fumure azotée. Les résultats de ces recherches ont conduit à un renforcement de la fumure optimale de 10 à 40 kg de N ha-1 pour toutes les cultures, sauf le maïs. Néanmoins, afin de favoriser une fumure adaptée à la productivité spécifique de chaque site, les normes de fumure azotée de ces cultures n’ont pas été augmentées de façon générale. Des facteurs de correction dépendant du rendement ont été introduits pour déterminer la dose d’azote ...