应用高精度pH计测定植物的光合速率和呼吸速率

为方便、准确地测定植物的光合速率和呼吸速率,将高精度pH计和高灵敏复合电极引入测定系统.结合样品的测定,阐明了pH计法的测定原理、气路连接和复合电极的标定,并指出了测定过程中应注意的事项.     

一种昆虫过冷却点的简易测定装置

在前人的研究基础上改进了利用热敏电阻测定昆虫过冷却点和体液冰点的装置,经检验其准确度与常用的热电偶法基本相同,但其测定成功率较高,使用方便。本装置先录制热敏电阻值变化的全过程,便于随时调出并准确地读出过冷却点与体液冰点的热敏电阻值;开发了操作方便的昆虫夹,明显缩短了测定时间,提高了测定效率,可用于定期的、连续的昆虫过冷却点与体液冰点的批量测定。     

分光光度法测定苦参中微量元素铜的含量

采用分光光度法测定了苦参中微量元素铜的含量,探讨了测定条件,并与火焰原子吸收光度法进行了对比。结果表明,两种方法的测定结果吻合,平均回收率分别为95.2%和101.6%,相对标准偏差分别为1.82%和1.10%,结果可靠,特别是分光光度法仪器价格低,操作简便,适用范围广,可用于实际样品的测定。     

非调制式荧光仪PEA测定叶绿素荧光参数的研究

为了利用非调制式荧光仪获得调制式荧光仪测定的叶绿素荧光动力学参数,采用植物效率(PEA)仪进行了叶绿素荧光参数测定程式的4要素(光化光强度及其照射时间、饱和激发光强度及其照射时间)以及节约测定时间和仪器内存的测定技术研究。结果表明,暗适应10min后,在设定180μmol·m-2·s-1光化光照射360s时间内,以连续2次1950μmol·m-2·s-1饱和激发光照射3s的测定程式,在7种植物的叶绿素荧光参数的测定中获得了较为满意的测定结果,而且与Strasser等测定程式相比,1次测定需时从600s缩短为360s、耗用仪器内存从76.9"减少为2.56"。     

甘油转化生产1,3-丙二醇发酵液中甘油含量的测定

对文献介绍滴定法测定甘油的方法进行了改进,使之能够用于1,3－丙二醇发酵液中甘油含量测定。实验表明,化学滴定法测定结果具有较好的准确性和重复性,与酶法和变色酸比色法相比,测定结果接近,化学滴定法测定发酵液中甘油含量是一个较为经济简便的方法。     

人工气候室用于测定作物群体光合作用的方法

以我院所建人工气候室,构建了用于测定与分析作物群体光合作用的方法和体系,以网纹甜瓜为材料进行了不同温度、光照和CO2等环境条件下群体光合速率的测定和分析,并用作物模拟模型对测定结果进行了比较和检测,结果表明所建体系用于测定作物群体光合作用的效果良好。     

用露点法和湿度法测定叶片水势及其组分

本文讨论了样品水势差异对叶室平衡时间和热电偶冷却时间的影响;比较了湿度法和露点法的测定结果,活体测定与离体测定的结果以及两种渗透势测定方法的结果;并用离体法测定了大麦在NaCl胁迫下叶片Yw,Ys和Yp 的动态变化;用活体法测定了小麦和蚕豆在大田条件下叶片Yw、Ys和YP 的昼夜变化。     

角蛋白水解液中L-胱氨酸含量测定方法的比较研究

比较研究了用碘量法和分光光度法测定角蛋白水解液中Ｌ－胱氨酸含量的适用性。结果表明,磺量法不适用于水解液中Ｌ－胱氨酸含量的测定。分光光度法不仅适用于水解液中Ｌ－胱氨酸含量的测定,同时也适用于产品Ｌ－胱氨酸含量的测定,测定结果准确可靠,相对误差为０．２９％～０．８４％。     

用露点法和湿度法测定叶片水势及其组分

本文讨论了样品水势差异对叶室平衡时间和热电偶冷却时间的影响;比较了湿度法和露点法的测定结果,活体测定与离体测定的结果以及两种渗透势测定方法的结果;并用离体法测定了大麦在NaCl胁迫下叶片ψw,ψs和ψp的动态变化;用活体法测定了小麦和蚕豆在大田条件下叶片ψw、ψs和ψp的昼夜变化。     

植物中超氧阴离子自由基测定方法的改进

通过对植物超氧阴离子自由基测定反应中动力学曲线的分析, 确定了最佳的反应介质、反应参数和羟胺浓度, 以三氯甲烷代替乙醚作为植物色素萃取试剂, 克服了植物超氧阴离子测定中存在的诸多问题, 提高了测定结果的准确性、重复性和可比性。     

Evaluation of resistance to different insecticides in field strains of Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Punjab, Pakistan

Susceptibility of field populations of Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) from Punjab, Pakistan to selected insecticides was evaluated using the leaf dip method. The resistance factors varied between populations. The general trends were low to moderate resistance to endosulfan; very low to low resistance to chlorpyrifos and profenofos; very low resistance to spinosad, indoxacarb and thiodicarb; moderate to high resistance to bifenthrin; high to very high resistance to cypermethrin; and very high resistance to lambda-cyhalothrin. Integrated pest management strategies aimed at reducing pesticide application, such as rotating the conventional insecticides having low resistance with newly developed synthetic insecticides and conserving natural enemies, are recommended.     

Zinc response in pigeon pea as influenced by genotypic variability

Seven improved cultivars of pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Mill sp.) were evaluated at 0 (original Zn deficient soil), 5 and 50 ppm Zn levels under greenhouse conditions. Plants were harvested at 6 weeks after sowing and at maturity. Responses to 5 ppm Zn in shoot at 6 weeks of growth, and in leaf, stem, pod-hull and grain at maturity ranged from 63 to 387, 37 to 116, 15 to 73,9 to 145 and 51 to 200%, respectively. Application of 50 ppm Zn in most of the cultivars did not markedly affect the yield of different plant parts. Zinc concentration at 0 Zn level in shoot at 6 weeks of growth and in leaf, stem, pod-hull and grain of different genotypes varied from 9.8 to 14.5, 13.7 to 21.2, 10.8 to 16.7, 4.17 to 5.83 and 9.2 to 16.7 ppm, respectively, and the increase in concentration with 5 ppm applied Zn ranged from 28 to 248, 28 to 89, 27 to 85, 20 to 142, and 105 to 254 per cent, respectively. The concentration further increased with an increase in Zn level to 50 ppm. There was less variation in the yield and tissue Zn concentration of different genotypes after Zn application. Phosphorus concentration at 0 Zn level in shoot at 6 weeks of growth, and in leaf, stem, pod-hull and grain of different genotypes varied from 0.50 to 0.71, 0.18 to 0.31, 0.11 to 0.24, 0.15 to 0.20 and 0.43 to 0.58% respectively. Zinc decreased P in all plant parts but relative decrease was more in vegetative parts than in grain. The variability in Zn response among pigeon pea genotypes could partly be attributed to the maintenance of proper P/Zn balance in metabolically active plant parts, such as, leaf, and partly to their capacity to exploit soil Zn and to translocate it to the above-ground parts.Contribution from the Department of Soils, Haryana Agricultural University, Hissar (India).     

Effects of estrogen-depletion on rat casein gene expression

Mammary tissue from rats that had been ovariectomized and adrenalectomized 4 weeks previously was compared to that from intact rats in terms of epithelial content and hormone-responsiveness in vitro. The endocrinectomy resulted in about a 30% enlargement of the gland, but led to a loss of only about 12% of the epithelium. This estrogen-depleted epithelium was able to acquire full responsiveness in vitro to insulin in terms of the accumulation of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid, and induction of glucose-6-phosphate and gluconate-6-phosphate dehydrogenases. It was also fully responsive to cortisol in relation to the induction of NADH-cytochrome C reductase, and to prolactin in terms of total RNA synthesis. However, estrogen-depletion led to an 82% loss in the ability of a unit amount of the epithelium to synthesize casein in response to these 3 hormones, and to a similar loss in relation to the accumulation of 25K casein mRNA. Estrogen administration in vivo could prevent and reverse the casein lesion. The disparity between constitutive and casein hormone-responsiveness in the absence of estrogen is discussed in relation to cell commitment.     

Selectivity evaluation of insecticides used to control tomato pests to Trichogramma pretiosum

The effects of the insecticides abamectin, acetamiprid, cartap and chlorpyrifos on larvae, pupae (within the host egg) and adults of the egg parasitoid Trichogramma pretiosum Riley (Hym.: Trichogrammatidae) were evaluated under laboratory conditions, using three standard tests described by IOBC. When sprayed on the immature stages of this parasitoid, cartap and chlorpyrifos proved to be the most harmful insecticides, affecting both the emergence success and parasitism capacity of this parasitoid, whereas abamectin and acetamiprid were selective. Abamectin was harmful to adults (residue test on glass plates), slightly harmful to larvae, and moderately harmful to pupae (sprayed on the immature stages within host eggs Anagasta kuehniella (Zeller)); acetamiprid was moderately harmful to adults, harmless to larvae, and slightly harmful to pupae; cartap was harmful to adults, moderately harmful to larvae and harmful to pupae; chlorpyrifos to adults, harmless to larvae and harmful to pupae.     

An engineering approach to modelling, decision support and control for sustainable systems

Engineering research and development contributes to the advance of sustainable agriculture both through innovative methods to manage and control processes, and through quantitative understanding of the operation of practical agricultural systems using decision models. This paper describes how an engineering approach, drawing on mathematical models of systems and processes, contributes new methods that support decision making at all levels from strategy and planning to tactics and real-time control. The ability to describe the system or process by a simple and robust mathematical model is critical, and the outputs range from guidance to policy makers on strategic decisions relating to land use, through intelligent decision support to farmers and on to real-time engineering control of specific processes. Precision in decision making leads to decreased use of inputs, less environmental emissions and enhanced profitability-all essential to sustainable systems.     

What conservationists need to know about farming

Farming is the basis of our civilization yet is more damaging to wild nature than any other sector of human activity. Here, we propose that in order to limit its impact into the future, conservation researchers and practitioners need to address several big topics--about the scale of future demand, about which crops and livestock to study, about whether low-yield or high-yield farming has the potential to be least harmful to nature, about the environmental performance of new and existing farming methods, and about the measures needed to enable promising approaches and techniques to deliver on their potential. Tackling these issues requires conservationists to explore the many consequences that decisions about agriculture have beyond the farm, to think broadly and imaginatively about the scale and scope of what is required to halt biodiversity loss, and to be brave enough to test and when necessary support counterintuitive measures.     

OPTIMIZING PLANT GENETIC STRATEGIES FOR MINIMIZING ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION IN THE FOOD CHAIN

A multidisciplinary workshop was held with the aim of identifying (1) the opportunities to minimize contamination of the food chain; (2) the benefits arising and the constraints relating to these opportunities; (3) strategies to capitalize on these opportunities within a context that is acceptable to both industry and the public and to coordinate input from government, industry, and science.

A number of key issues were identified that require attention in the context of maximizing the potential for exploiting genetic variability among plants for minimizing environmental contaminants in the food chain. These were (1) to survey and categorise the plant kingdom to identify variation for traits useful in phytoremediation; (2) to develop quick, accurate screening techniques necessary to identify useful variation among plants; (3) to describe, characterize, and categorize contamination problems; (4) to assess time scales for clean-up to specify suitable strategies; (5) to target research into the biochemical and biophysical mechanisms used by plants that make them useful in phytoremediation; (6) to investigate the Brassicaceae — especially Brassica juncea and Arabidopsis — for their potential in phytoremediation and to study the genetic control of useful traits; (7) to develop a range of strategies and make ‘tool kits’ available to meet all possible situations requiring phytoremediation; (8) to carry out cost benefit and life cycle analyses to define which strategies are most suitable for phytoremediation; (9) to link further development of strategies so that they are driven by the end user; (10) to encourage and enable further discussion among multidisciplinary groups to optimize the strategies likely to lead to successful implementation; (11) to identify needs and sources to provide a combined framework of all relevant parties and interests; and (12) to develop an understanding of the broader picture before dealing with specific aspects or targeting research areas in detail.     

Lay concepts in informed consent to biomedical research: the capacity to understand and appreciate risk

Persons generally must give their informed consent to participate in research. To provide informed consent persons must be given information regarding the study in simple, lay language. Consent must be voluntary, and persons giving consent must be legally competent to consent and possess the capacity to understand and appreciate the information. This paper examines the relationship between the obligation to disclose information regarding risks and the requirement that persons have the capacity to understand and appreciate the information. There has been insufficient attention to the extent to which persons must be able to understand and appreciate study information in order to have their consent deemed valid when the information is provided in simple, lay language. This paper argues that (1) the capacity to understand and appreciate information that should be deemed necessary to give valid consent should be defined by the capacity of the typical, cognitively normal adult and (2) the capacity of the typical, cognitively normal adult to understand and appreciate the concept of risk is limited. Therefore, (3) all things being equal, potential subjects must possess a limited capacity to understand and appreciate risk to be deemed competent to consent to research participation. (4) In some cases investigators ought to require that persons possess a greater than typical capacity to understand and appreciate risk.     

Susceptibility to mercurials of clinical Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated in México

Susceptibility to inorganic mercuric ions and to organomercurials of 237 Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical strains isolated in Mexico was determined by agar dilution tests. Resistant strains fell into two classes: i) narrow-spectrum resistant strains (27% of total isolates) resistant only to mercuric ions and to merbromin, and most grouped in pyocin type 1; and ii) broad-spectrum resistant strains (5%) with additional resistances to thimerosal, phenylmercury, methylmercury and p-hydroxymercuribenzoate, that belonged mostly to pyocin type 10. Mercurial resistant isolates showed a higher proportion of resistance to antibiotics and metals than did mercurial sensitive isolates, and broad-spectrum resistant strains had the highest frequency of resistance to antibiotics and to tellurite and arsenate.