冬小麦单产的光谱数据估测模型研究

 本文在分析冬小麦群体经济产量与叶面积系数关系的基础上,以地面实测冬小麦反射光谱数据为依据,提出了一种新的动态VI-产量模型,即LAD-产量模型。该模型具有冬小麦生育后期(抽穗一灌浆末期)光合面积和光合时间等信息,其冬小麦单位面积产量(简称单产)估测精度为98%。另外,本文根据常用的某一特定生育期VI-产量模型,用冬小麦各生育期的VI值分别估测小麦单产,确定山东省禹城市冬小麦的灌浆中期为最佳估产时间。此时期．小麦单产估测精度为96%。     

基于叶面积指数反演的区域冬小麦单产遥感估测

利用定量遥感技术反演的叶面积指数（LAI）在中国北方黄淮海地区典型县市进行冬小麦单产预测研究.为提高数据质量和减少估产误差,利用Savitzky-Golay滤波技术降低云对NDVI数据的影响及数据缺失;通过冬小麦实测LAI进行时序内插,模拟得到实测点每日冬小麦LAI,继而获得实测点主要生育时期平均LAI;在此基础上,建立了冬小麦主要生育时期平均LAI与作物单产关系模型,改变目前利用生育时期内某一时间点LAI代替整个生育时期LAI的方法;在模型择优基础上,得到最佳遥感估产关键期--开花期LAI与单产统计模型;最后,利用MODIS-NDVI经验模型反演得到的开花期平均LAI进行2008年冬小麦单产预测.结果表明：与地面实测的冬小麦单产相比,研究区估产平均相对误差为1.21%,RMSE达到257.33 kg·hm^-2,可以满足大范围估产的要求.利用上述方法可以在研究区冬小麦收获前20～30 d进行准确的单产估计.     

基于遥感与模型耦合的冬小麦生长预测

遥感的空间性、实时性与作物生长模型的过程性、机理性优势互补,将两者有效耦合已成为提高作物生长监测预测能力的重要手段之一。提出了一种基于地空遥感信息与生长模型耦合的冬小麦预测方法,该方法基于初始化/参数化策略,以不同生育时期的小麦叶面积指数(LAI)和叶片氮积累量(LNA)为信息融合点将地面光谱数据(ASD)及HJ-1 A/B CCD、Landsat-5 TM数据与冬小麦生长模型(WheatGrow)耦合,反演得到区域尺度生长模型运行时难以准确获取的部分管理措施参数(播种期、播种量和施氮量),在此基础上实现了对冬小麦生长的有效预测。实例分析结果表明,LNA较LAI对模型更敏感,以之作为耦合点的反演效果较好。另外,抽穗期是遥感信息与生长模型耦合的最佳时机,对播种期、播种量和施氮量反演的RMSE值分别达到5.32 d、14.81 kg/hm²、14.11 kg/hm²。生长模型与遥感耦合后的模拟结果很好地描述了冬小麦长势和生产力指标的时空分布状况,长势指标的模拟相对误差小于0.25,籽粒产量模拟的相对误差小于0.1。因此研究结果可为区域尺度冬小麦生长的监测预测提供重要理论依据。     

冬小麦叶片持绿能力及其衰老特征研究

以12个冬小麦(Triticum aestivum L.)品种为供试材料,通过田间实验连续2年于开花后定期测定各品种的绿叶数目、绿叶面积、叶绿素和MDA含量以及SOD和CAT活性等指标,并以生理成熟时的保绿度、衰老启动时间为指标进行Hierarchical聚类分析,对小麦品种持绿能力进行分级.结果表明,参试冬小麦品种可分为持绿和非持绿两种类型,‘潍麦8号'(WM8)和‘豫麦66'(YM66)两年均表现为持绿型小麦.在整个灌浆期,持绿型小麦品种绿叶数目、面积、叶绿素含量明显高于非持绿型品种,叶片保护酶SOD与CAT活性也较非持绿小麦强,而其MDA含量明显低于非持绿型小麦品种.持绿型小麦叶片衰老启动时间延迟,生育后期绿叶面积较大,光合作用时间延长,具有较高的产量.本研究结果为冬小麦的品种选育、布局等相关研究奠定基础.     

Nighttime Warming Will Increase Winter Wheat Yield Through Improving Plant Development and Grain Growth in North China

A better understanding of the actual impacts of nighttime warming on winter wheat growth will assist in breeding new varieties and agronomic innovation for food security under future climates. A 3-year experiment was conducted over an entire growth period of winter wheat using a passive warming facility in North China. An increase of 1.1 °C in mean nighttime temperature promoted wheat development, causing a 6-day reduction of the preanthesis period but a 5-day extension of the postanthesis period. This warming significantly stimulated the rate of leaf respiration at nighttime, resulting in higher carbohydrate depletion compared to that of the unwarmed control. However, stimulation of nighttime respiration and carbohydrate depletion could be compensated for by warming-led promotion of daytime photosynthesis and carbohydrate assimilation. Meanwhile, the flag leaf area per plant and the total green leaves area were significantly higher in the warmed plots than in the unwarmed plots. Besides extending the duration of grain filling, nighttime warming significantly promoted the filling rates of the superior and inferior grains, resulting in a significant increase in the 1,000-grain weight by 6.3 %. Consequently, this moderate increase in nighttime air temperature significantly increased wheat aboveground biomass and grain yield by 12.3 and 12.0 % (p < 0.05), respectively. A moderate warming at nighttime can improve the sink-source balance of winter wheat for higher yield. Our results suggest that climatic warming may benefit winter wheat production through improvement of plant development and grain growth in North China.     

Effects of Multi-Stage Continuous Drought on Photosynthetic Characteristics,Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Winter Wheat

A drought event can cause entire crops to fail or yield loss. In order to study the effects of continuous drought on photosynthetic characteristics, yield, and water use efficiency (WUE) of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), the winter wheat variety “Aikang 58” was selected as test material with controlling the water of the pot-planted winter wheat under a mobile rainout shelter. Based on foot planting and safe wintering, winter wheat was evaluated under different drought conditions, including light, moderate and severe drought at the jointing (B), heading (C), and filling (G) stages. The soil water content was controlled in a range of 60% to 70%, 50% to 60%, and 40% to 50% of the field capacity, respectively. In the experiment, there were 9 single-stage droughts, 3 three-stage droughts, and 1 test control (totaling 13 trials). The results are as follows: Under a single-stage drought, the change of net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and stomatal conductance (Gs) have similar trends, and they both decrease significantly with the severity of the drought. Under three-stage continuous droughts, the change curve of Gs shows a constant downward trend; the change curve of Pn showed a “valley shape,” and the minimum value of Pn appeared at the heading stage. All droughts will reduce the yield of winter wheat. Under the three-stage continuous drought conditions, except for light drought, moderate drought and severe drought will cause significant yield reduction, mainly due to lack of water at the jointing and heading stages. Continuous drought will reduce the WUE, and the difference will reach a significant level under moderate and severe drought. The present results suggested that when water resources are scarce, it is a better irrigation model to save water and achieve high grain yield by applying appropriate water stress (60%–70% FC) during the critical growth period of winter wheat.     

Effect of Pre-Anthesis Drought Hardening on Post-Anthesis Physiological Characteristics,Yield and WUE in Winter Wheat

A drought event can cause yield loss or entire crops to fail. In order to study the effects of continuous drought on physiological characteristics, yield, and water use efficiency (WUE) of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), the variety “Zhoumai 22” was grown in controlled water conditions of the pot-planted winter wheat under a mobile rainout shelter. Foot planting and safe wintering were used to evaluate, winter wheat under different drought conditions, including light, moderate and severe drought at the jointing, heading, and filling stages. The soil water content was controlled at 60–70%, 50–60%, or 40–50% of field capacity. Experimental trials included 3 pre-anthesis drought hardening, 3 three-stage continuous drought, and 1 test control conditions. Under drought stress conditions, winter wheat leaf water potential, soil plant analysis development (SPAD), photosynthesis parameters, and yield declined due to pre-anthesis drought hardening. And the degree of decline: continuous drought > pre-anthesis drought hardening. Changes in the post-anthesis photosynthetic capacity of winter wheat were mainly related to the pre-anthesis drought level, rather than post-anthesis rehydration. The threshold of non-stomata limiting factors caused by photosynthesis at the filling stage is 40–50%FC, while comprehensive yield and WUE affected, the yield in severe drought treatments was the most significant, B3C3 and B3C3G3 decreased by 55.68% and 55.88%, respectively. Pre-anthesis drought was the main reason for the decreased crop yield. Thus, severe drought should be avoided during planting, while pre-anthesis light drought is a suitable choice for water-saving and crop production, as proper pre-anthesis drought hardening (60–70% FC) is feasible and effective.     

不同小麦品种对播娘蒿的影响

播娘蒿是黄淮麦区主要田间杂草,在管理粗放的麦田,播娘蒿密度可达100株·ｍ-2以上,严重影响了小麦的产量和品质。因此,对小麦-杂草复合体中杂草的生长发育规律进行研究,寻找降低草害的有效途径引起许多学者极大关注[1,2],而目前有关防除麦田杂草的研究多集中于化学防治方面[3]。然而,出于环境保护和经济成本上的考虑,化学除草受到了挑战。研究人员[4,5]发现,不同物种在竞争力上存在差异,禾谷类作物属于竞争力很强的作物[6],冬小麦及冬黑麦又是其中竞争力最强的物种。就小麦栽培种而言,存在着不同的品种类型,研究不同小麦品种对杂草的抑制作…     

Wheat production efficiency from Soviet virgin lands

The direction of the time trend in wheat production efficiency from Soviet arid virgin lands is analyzed with the use of a developed agrohydrologic model. It is based on the concepts of water resource input (soil moisture) and corresponding agro output (spring wheat). The model evaluates each growing season and assigns a decimal value (from 0.0 to 1.0) which is then multiplied by maximum spring wheat yield. This derived product is that growing season's estimated yield. A nonparametric statistical method by Kendall is applied to examine the study period wheat production efficiency time trend. It is suggested that an increasing trend occurred over the study period.     

灌水模式对冬小麦光合特性、水分利用效率和产量的影响

试验于2013—2014和2014—2015年连续2个生长季在自动控制干旱棚内的隔离池中进行,拔节期设3个灌水梯度,灌水量分别为0(J_0)、37.5(J_1)、75 mm(J_2),扬花期设3个灌水梯度,灌水量分别为0(F_0)、37.5(F_1)、75 mm(F_2),灌浆期所有处理均按75 mm灌溉,共9个处理,研究不同灌溉模式对小麦中后期不同生育阶段植株生长、耗水量、水分利用效率、光合特性和产量构成因素的影响.结果表明:拔节期干旱(0和37.5 mm)显著降低了小麦扬花期的净光合速率和拔节后的叶面积,扬花期的灌水量直接影响扬花期后的旗叶净光合速率;拔节期干旱扬花期补水和扬花期干旱灌浆期补水都可以有效提高植株的干物质量;拔节期灌水量越多,全生育期耗水量越大;除J_1F_2外,全生育期灌水量越大,耗水量越大,产量也越高;J_1F_2处理产量和水分利用效率最高.扬花期充足的灌水量使J_1F_2处理具有较高的花后旗叶净光合速率,此期补偿性灌溉加快了干物质积累,也保证了较高的穗粒数,使其最终产量高于J_2F_2处理或与之持平,同时J_1F_2拔节期较低的灌水量降低了小麦生育中后期的耗水量,其水分利用效率也显著高于其他处理.综上,J_1F_2是小麦生育中期理想的水分处理组合.     

不同生育时期干旱对冬小麦氮素吸收与利用的影响

以抗旱性强的‘石家庄8号’和抗旱性弱的‘偃麦20’冬小麦(Triticum aestivum)为材料, 在田间遮雨棚条件下, 研究返青-拔节期、拔节-开花期和灌浆后期3个生育期不同干旱程度对冬小麦产量、氮素吸收、分配和利用的影响。结果表明, 在干旱条件下, 抗旱性强的‘石家庄8号’产量高于抗旱性弱的‘偃麦20’, 并且其3个生育时期轻度干旱均可提高产量。拔节-开花期干旱对两个冬小麦品种氮素的吸收和运转影响均最大, 其次为返青-拔节期, 而灌浆后期影响较小。不同生育期中度和重度干旱均降低了花前贮藏氮素向籽粒中的转移, 并且氮肥利用效率和生产率也较低, 而在返青-拔节和灌浆后期轻度干旱有利于营养器官的氮素向籽粒中转移, 提高了氮肥利用效率和生产率。在干旱条件下, 抗旱性强的‘石家庄8号’籽粒氮素积累对花前贮藏氮素再运转的依赖程度高, 而‘偃麦20’对花后氮素的积累和转移依赖较高。综合产量和氮素的转移特点, 在生产实践中, 返青-拔节期和灌浆后期要注意对小麦进行适度的干旱处理, 在拔节-开花期要保证冬小麦的充分灌溉, 从而有利于氮素的积累和分配。     

不同产量水平旱地冬小麦品种干物质累积和转移的差异分析

旱地小麦高产栽培中品种起着重要作用,研究不同产量水平旱地冬小麦品种干物质累积和转移的差异,对黄土高原旱区作物高产稳产有重要意义。以9个旱地冬小麦品种为材料,通过田间试验研究了不同产量水平旱地冬小麦品种的生物量、花前花后干物质累积量、干物质转移量、转移率及转移干物质对籽粒的贡献率、叶面积、SPAD值以及光合速率的差异。结果表明,不同小麦品种的生物量、花前花后干物质累积量、干物质转移量、转移率及转移干物质对籽粒的贡献率均存在明显差异。与不施肥相比,高、中、低3个产量水平小麦品种在低养分投入时,成熟期生物量分别提高29%,22%和6%,高水平时分别提高46%,39%和23%,高产品种的生物量及其对养分投入的敏感程度明显高于低产品种。不同品种的花后干物质累积量随养分投入水平提高而增加,但花前营养器官中储存物质的转移量、转移率和对籽粒的贡献率却明显随之下降。功能叶(旗叶)在灌浆期高、中、低3个产量水平品种的SPAD值在低养分投入条件下分别为20.7、17.5和13.7;高养分投入时,分别为35、26.1和16.8。高产品种西农88的光合速率为6.0μmolCO.2m-.2s-1),中产和低产品种的平均光合速率分别为4.3μmolCO.2m-.2s-1和4.0μmolCO.2m-.2s-1,高产品种功能叶(旗叶)在灌浆期能保持较高的SPAD值和光合速率,因而花后能生产较多的干物质,但其花前干物质转移量、转移率及转移干物质对籽粒的贡献率均没有明显优势。可见,花后较高的叶绿素水平、光合速率和干物质累积是旱地小麦品种高产的重要原因。选择优良品种,采取合理的栽培措施,特别是通过养分调控保持花后具较高的干物质累积量是西北旱地进一步提高冬小麦产量的重要途径。     

Favorable Alleles for Stem Water-Soluble Carbohydrates Identified by Association Analysis Contribute to Grain Weight under Drought Stress Conditions in Wheat

Drought is a major environmental constraint to crop distribution and productivity. Stem water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC) buffer wheat grain yield against conditions unfavorable for photosynthesis during the grain filling stage. In this study, 262 winter wheat accessions and 209 genome-wide SSR markers were collected and used to undertake association analysis based on a mixed linear model (MLM). The WSC in different internodes at three growth stages and 1000-grain weight (TGW) were investigated under four environmental regimes (well-watered, drought stress during the whole growth period, and two levels of terminal drought stress imposed by chemical desiccation under the well-watered and drought stress during the whole growth period conditions). Under diverse drought stress conditions, WSC in lower internodes showed significant positive correlations with TGW, especially at the flowering stage under well-watered conditions and at grain filling under drought stress. Sixteen novel WSC-favorable alleles were identified, and five of them contributed to significantly higher TGW. In addition, pyramiding WSC favorable alleles was not only effective for obtaining accessions with higher WSC, but also for enhancing TGW under different water regimes. During the past fifty years of wheat breeding, WSC was selected incidentally. The average number of favorable WSC alleles increased from 1.13 in the pre-1960 period to 4.41 in the post-2000 period. The results indicate a high potential for using marker-assisted selection to pyramid WSC favorable alleles in improving WSC and TGW in wheat.     

基于干热风危害指数的黄淮海地区冬小麦干热风灾损评估

全球气候变化背景下,农业气象灾害呈上升态势。干热风灾害发生区域、次数和强度都发生了明显的变化。研究干热风灾害对农作物的影响对于我国农业可持续发展、保障粮食安全等均具有重要的现实意义。利用黄淮海地区68个气象台站1961—2010年的逐日气象资料,和54个农业气象试验站1981—2006年小麦的发育期、产量、干热风灾害等数据,采用公认的中国气象局2007年发布的气象行业标准《小麦干热风灾害等级》中冬小麦干热风灾害指标,计算干热风危害指数,进一步细化发育期,确定冬小麦抽穗前气象条件对气象产量影响的关键气象因子,分离干热风年冬小麦气象产量,构建重度干热风影响下干热风危害指数与冬小麦抽穗—成熟阶段气象条件对气象产量影响的统计模型,进行1981—2006年黄淮海地区冬小麦干热风灾损的评估。结果表明:(1)重度干热风危害下,1981—2006年期间黄淮海各地区冬小麦不同发育时段的干热风危害指数平均在抽穗—开花时段最大,乳熟—成熟时段居中,开花—乳熟时段最小,分别为0.17、0.15和0.14,平均0.15;(2)冬小麦抽穗前气象条件对气象产量影响的关键气象因子为:播种—出苗期间的最低气温、拔节—孕穗期间的平均气温和孕穗—抽穗期间的平均气温,各个单因子相关系数分别为0.64、0.86和0.99,均达到极显著水平。其中播种—出苗的最低气温可决定小麦出苗的迟早和苗情;拔节—孕穗期间,在小花原基形成期—四分体形成期气温偏低可延长小穗、小花分化时间,防止退化,提高结实率;孕穗—抽穗的平均气温偏高有利于提早抽穗,延长后期灌浆时间,且晴天有利于开花授粉;(3)分离干热风年冬小麦气象产量后,构建了重度干热风影响下干热风危害指数与冬小麦抽穗—成熟3个阶段气象条件对气象产量影响的统计模型,验证结果表明该模型客观上能够综合地反映干热风在不同发育阶段对小麦产量的影响。进一步灾损评估表明:重度干热风危害下,黄淮海地区冬小麦减产率在21.52%—39.80%之间,平均为27.83%。     

Monitoring Powdery Mildew of Winter Wheat by Using Moderate Resolution Multi-Temporal Satellite Imagery

Powdery mildew is one of the most serious diseases that have a significant impact on the production of winter wheat. As an effective alternative to traditional sampling methods, remote sensing can be a useful tool in disease detection. This study attempted to use multi-temporal moderate resolution satellite-based data of surface reflectances in blue (B), green (G), red (R) and near infrared (NIR) bands from HJ-CCD (CCD sensor on Huanjing satellite) to monitor disease at a regional scale. In a suburban area in Beijing, China, an extensive field campaign for disease intensity survey was conducted at key growth stages of winter wheat in 2010. Meanwhile, corresponding time series of HJ-CCD images were acquired over the study area. In this study, a number of single-stage and multi-stage spectral features, which were sensitive to powdery mildew, were selected by using an independent t-test. With the selected spectral features, four advanced methods: mahalanobis distance, maximum likelihood classifier, partial least square regression and mixture tuned matched filtering were tested and evaluated for their performances in disease mapping. The experimental results showed that all four algorithms could generate disease maps with a generally correct distribution pattern of powdery mildew at the grain filling stage (Zadoks 72). However, by comparing these disease maps with ground survey data (validation samples), all of the four algorithms also produced a variable degree of error in estimating the disease occurrence and severity. Further, we found that the integration of MTMF and PLSR algorithms could result in a significant accuracy improvement of identifying and determining the disease intensity (overall accuracy of 72% increased to 78% and kappa coefficient of 0.49 increased to 0.59). The experimental results also demonstrated that the multi-temporal satellite images have a great potential in crop diseases mapping at a regional scale.     

灌溉对干旱区冬小麦干物质积累、分配和产量的影响

为探明灌溉对干旱区冬小麦(Triticum aestivum)产量、水分利用效率(WUE)、干物质积累及分配等的影响, 以甘肃河西走廊冬小麦适宜种植品种‘临抗2号’为材料进行了研究。在冬季灌水180 mm的条件下, 生育期以灌水量和灌水次数等共设置5个处理, 分别为: 拔节期灌水量165 mm (W1)、拔节期灌水量120 mm +抽穗期灌水量105 mm (W2)、拔节期灌水量105 mm +抽穗期灌水量105 mm +灌浆期灌水量105 mm (W3)、拔节期灌水量75 mm +抽穗期灌水量75 mm +灌浆期灌水量75 mm (W4)、拔节期灌水量105 mm +抽穗期灌水量75 mm +灌浆期灌水量45 mm (W5)。结果表明: 随着生育期的推进, 土壤有效含水量(AWC)受灌水次数及灌水量影响更加明显; W3、W4处理的土壤各层AWC在灌浆期均较高; 叶面积指数(LAI)下降慢, 延缓了生育后期的衰老; 生育后期干物质积累增加, 提高了穗粒数、千粒重和籽粒产量。籽粒产量以W3处理最高, 但W4具有最高的WUE, 且籽粒产量与W3无显著差异, 但W4较灌溉总量相同的W2和W5以及灌水量最少的W1具有明显的指标优势。W1、W2、W5处理灌浆期各层土壤AWC均较低, 花后LAI下降快, 干物质积累减少, 灌浆持续期缩短, 穗粒数和千粒重减少, 最终表现为籽粒产量和WUE下降。灌浆期水分胁迫可促进花前储存碳库向籽粒的再转运, 并随着干旱胁迫的加重而提高, 对籽粒产量起补偿作用; 水分胁迫提高了灌浆速率, 但缩短了灌浆持续期。相关性分析表明, 灌浆持续期、有效灌浆持续期、有效灌浆期粒重增加值和最大籽粒灌浆速率出现时间与千粒重和籽粒产量均呈正相关。综合考虑, 拔节、抽穗及灌浆期各灌溉75 mm是高产高WUE的最佳灌水方案。     

行距配置对晚熟冬麦区群体结构与光合性能的影响

合理的行距配置可以调节群体冠层结构的光合作用。山西太谷冬小麦产量徘徊不前,为了研究晚熟冬麦区不同行距配置对不同穗型冬小麦光合性能与群体结构的影响,在大田条件下选用两种不同穗型品种,在播量一致的前提下,分别采用10 cm和20 cm两种行距配置,研究冬小麦群体结构、光能利用和产量结构的差异。研究结果表明:全生育期总LAI值表现为B2高于B1,10 cm行距配置改变了叶片的垂直分布,尤其对多穗型小麦品种冠层(60-80 cm)叶面积的提高最为明显。在小麦植株中、上部分45-90 cm处,两种行距配置LI%均表现为B2配置大于B1配置,在株高60-75 cm处,两种行距配置LI%差异最为明显,B2配置较B1配置LI%提高达30%以上。花后旗叶PN和孕穗期至蜡熟期群体NPR均表现为10 cm行距配置高于20 cm行距配置。四个处理的总干物质重、绿叶、茎和穗的干物质重均表现为B2B1行距配置。两个小麦品种的B2处理(10 cm行距配置)的产量和生物产量均极显著高于B1处理(20 cm行距配置);但经济系数则呈现B2处理(10 cm行距配置)均小于相应小麦品种的B1处理。行距配置对不同小麦品种的影响不大。表明10 cm行距配置适用于北方晚熟冬麦区。     

First Quantitative Study of Rove Beetles in Oklahoma Winter Wheat Fields

Adult rove beetles (Staphylinidae) were sampled every 7–14 days from one winter wheat field located in each of the four major wheat growing regions of Oklahoma during the 1999–2000 and 2000–2001 growing seasons. The number of cereal aphids per tiller, wheat plant growth stage, and wheat tiller density also were estimated. A total of 12 genera representing 13 species of beetles were collected from the field. The density of rove beetles was generally low, ranging from 0.003 beetles per m² in fall to 0.106 beetles per m² in spring. Rove beetle communities differed among seasons. After accounting for the effect of season, there was no statistically significant association between rove beetle community structure and field location, aphid density, wheat plant growth stage, or wheat plant density. Most rove beetle species showed no association with a particular season, however, Aleochara notula Erichson, Lathrobium sp., and Oxypoda sp. were present predominantly in fall, while Bisnius inquitus Erichson was associated with winter. Oxypoda sp. was the most abundant rove beetle in winter wheat fields in spring and was relatively abundant in winter, but was not collected from wheat fields in fall. Tachyporus jocosus Say was present in wheat fields during all seasons. T. jocosus was the most abundant rove beetle species in the winter wheat fields in fall and winter and was the second most abundant species during spring.     

Contribution of the wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) flag leaf to grain yield in response to plant growth regulators

In West-Europe, intensive cereal management uses plant growth regulators (PGRs) especially for wheat. A green-house experiment compared the effects of two PGRs on flag leaf characteristics and yield of winter wheat. Chlormequat chloride + choline chloride (CCC) and chlormequat chloride + choline chloride + imazaquin (CCC+I) were applied to winter wheat at growth stage 5 (Feekes Large scale). CCC and CCC+I significantly increased flag leaf surface area at anthesis. Both treatments also enhanced chlorophyll content of the main stem flag leaf. The grain filling period was extended with PGR application by 2 days. CCC and CCC+I significantly increased net CO₂ assimilation rates during the flag leaf life. No effects of PGR spraying were observed on the pattern of ¹⁴C labelled assimilate distribution. Increased grain yield was due to the increase in average grain weight. The results indicate that PGR treatments increased flag leaf contribution to grain filling. The addition of imazaquin (I) to chlormequat (CCC) improved the effects of CCC.     

Recent biometeorological applications to crops

The paper demonstrates how standard climatological data can effectively be exploited by making use of biometeorological knowledge and modern data processing facilities in studies concerned with the evaluation of crop-weather relationships and the analysis of climatic resources. In analyzing potential biological yield of wheat at Normandin (Quebec), it was found that the potential yield was reduced by approximately 45% because of variations in temperature and radiation whereas the actual yield was reduced by 70%. In mesoscale analyses, the error between soil moisture observations and estimates from a climatological soil moisture budget was in the same order as the standard deviation of 3-times replicated 38 soil moisture samples taken over five years at Swift Current (Sask.). An analysis of crop-weather relationships at Lacombe (Alta.) indicated that the 1957 wheat yield was reduced from the potential 3,300 kg/ha to 2,004 kg/ha or by 40% because of a severe cold spell during the soft dough developing stage resulting in improper filling of the kernels. In macroscale analyses, relative winter hardiness indices for woody ornamental plants together with site suitability indices for winter survival were used in the development of a map of plant hardiness zones in Canada. In the application of this research to forage crops average winter survival percentage of legumes and grasses by classes of hardiness together with selected regional climatic averages were developed for six regions of southern Canada. Long-term research into the relationships between Canadian Prairie crop yields and development (wheat, oats and barley) and selected climatic and soil variables has been used successfully for estimating regional crop production, for determining climatic limitations of the area suitable for the cultivation of these crops, and for assessing the impact of postulated climatic changes on crop production.Contribution No 862 of the Chemistry and Biology Research Institute.