二级水灌溉对土壤及马铃薯块茎中大肠菌群数量的影响

采用多管发酵法检测二级水灌溉对马铃薯种植土壤中大肠菌群数量,结果表明:充分灌溉后的土壤中大肠菌群的数量均高于分根交替灌的土壤;地下滴灌的土壤中大肠菌群数量高于沟灌土壤的大肠菌群数量;二级水经加氯消毒后,土壤中大肠菌群数量明显下降。同样采用多管发酵法检测马铃薯块茎,结果发现:采用加氯消毒后的二级水灌溉的小区E和F中生长的马铃薯,其块茎组织中大肠菌群数量低于其他小区,采用地下滴灌灌溉的小区I和J所种植出的马铃薯块茎中大肠菌群的数量高于采用沟灌灌溉的小区K和L。结果表明:马铃薯块茎中大肠菌群的数量与其生境中大肠菌群的数量有密切关系。     

Field and glasshouse experiments on the control of potato mop-top virus

Field observations during 3 yr on a stock of potato cv. Red Craigs Royal partially infected with potato mop-top virus (PMTV) confirmed that the virus was passed by an infected mother plant to only a proportion of its progeny tubers, and showed that in this cultivar symptomless plants gave rise only to symptomless progeny. The elimination of PMTV from stocks can therefore be greatly accelerated by removing symptom-bearing plants. Infected potato tubers were not freed from PMTV by treating them at 37 °C for up to 8 wk. Treating ‘seed’ tubers bearing powdery scabs that contain PMTV-carrying resting spores of Spongospora subterranea with formaldehyde or organo-mercurial fungicide greatly decreased PMTV establishment when the tubers were planted in previously uninfective soil, but fumigation with 2-aminobutane was ineffective. Decreasing the pH of infective soil to 5-0 by applying sulphur greatly decreased the infection of potato cv. Arran Pilot with PMTV and S. subterranea in field experiments, but this treatment did not eliminate either; when the pH of treated soil was raised the transmission of PMTV resumed. Treating infective soil with a range of fungicides greatly decreased the infection of Nicotiana debneyi bait seedlings in glasshouse experiments but only calomel at 75 kg/ha controlled spread of PMTV and 5. subterranea to potato in field experiments. In other field experiments, applying zinc frit, zinc sulphate or zinc oxide to infective soil greatly decreased the spread of both to potato. The amount of zinc required increased with increase in clay content of the soil. However, treatment with zinc compounds did not eliminate PMTV-carrying vectors from soil, and when treated soil was diluted with autoclaved soil many of the bait seedlings planted in the mixture became infected. The zinc frit was phytotoxic because of its boron content but zinc sulphate and zinc oxide caused little or no decrease in tuber yield. The zinc content of potato tubers was increased but not doubled in zinc-treated plots, and during the first year after treatment the zinc content of topsoil decreased greatly. The zinc content of ryegrass grown after potatoes was greater than of potato tubers but did not reach a level considered dangerous to livestock. Treatment of soil with sulphur, zinc oxide or calomel may be useful for small plots used in the early stages of propagation of virus-tested potato clones where there is risk of infection with PMTV.     

Nodulation,accumulation and redistribution of nitrogen in soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) as influenced by seed inoculation and scheduling of irrigation

Summary A field experiment was conducted on soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) with a view to find out the effect of seed inoculation and scheduling of irrigation on nodulation, accumulation and re-distribution of nitrogen in plant tops and soil. The eight treatment combinations consists of two seed inoculations,viz. uninoculated and inoculated with rhizobium culture, and four irrigation schedules,viz. irrigation water to the cumulative pan evaporation (IW/CPE) ratio of 0.5, 0.7, 0.9 and a control (rainfed). Seed inoculation by, rhizobium culture increased the number, dry-weight and N content of nodules per plant. Inoculation of seeds also increased the N accumulation rate in plant top and it was 2.48 kg/ha/day during the flower-initiation to the pod-initiation stage (30–60 days interval). At harvest, 32.2, 47.8 and 26.2 kg N/ha was re-distributed from the stems, leaves and pods-wall of inoculated plants to the grains, respectively. A total of 186.5 kg N/ha was harvested and 64.7 kg N/ha, was accumulated in soil under the inoculated condition.Scheduling of irrigation at 0.7 IW/CPE proved better, than other irrigation schedules and helped in increasing the nodulation, nitrogen accumulation and grain yield. As compared to control, 8.4, 17.8 and 18.4 kg more of N/ha was redistributed from the stems, leaves and pods-wall respectively when the irrigations were scheduled at 0.7 IW/CPE ratio. Under this irrigation schedule the total N harvest was 200.1 kg/ha while the total N increased by 55.9 kg over that present in soil at the time of sowing.     

The Control of volunteer potatoes in the autumn in cereal stubbles.

Many of the volunteer potato plants present in two winter barley crops continued to grow after the cereal harvest. Aminotriazole applied to this regrowth resulted in 50–69% fewer potato plants emerging in the year following treatment. Glyphosate gave better control, averaging 72% in one experiment and 88% in the other. Few of the potato plants regrew after harvest of two spring barley crops and with the same two herbicides over 70% of the tubers survived. Herbicide response was not affected by dose (glyphosate 0.5-3.0 kg/ha and aminotriazole 1.5-4.0 kg/ha). With adequate time for the potatoes to start regrowing after harvest (3–4 wk), there was no improvement in performance from further delay. The potential use of these two herbicides in cereal stubbles for groundkeeper potato control is discussed     

Mesh crop covers improve potato yield and inhibit tomato potato psyllid and blight: The roles of mesh pore size and ultraviolet radiation

Crop losses caused by the tomato potato psyllid (TPP; Bactericera cockerelli) and blight (Alternaria solani; Phytophthora infestans) continue to be major concerns for potato (Solanum tuberosum) growers worldwide, and commercial crops often require frequent use of agrichemicals to maintain tuber yield and quality. Nevertheless, a paradigm shift is unfolding in crop protection where new tools, such as physical barriers and light‐modifying filters, are being used to develop chemical‐free approaches for pest and disease control. In this study, we examined the use of crop covers as a non‐chemical method for controlling TPP and reducing blight in field potatoes. Our study demonstrated that those plants grown under mesh covers exhibited reduced levels of blight, TPP and associated psyllid yellows. Additionally, potatoes grown under mesh covers exhibited increased yield (91.4 ± 6.9 SD t/ha) compared with both uncovered control plants (75.0 ± 11.8 t/ha) and plants grown using agrichemical pest control (84.5 ± 10.8 t/ha). The plants grown under mesh produced fewer smaller tubers, with increased average and maximum tuber size, so that marketable yield (tubers ≥60 g) was also increased (83.5 ± 7.5 t/ha), compared with that achieved for uncovered control plants (60.0 ± 8.3 t/ha) and plants grown using agrichemicals (69.6 ± 9.2 t/ha). A second field experiment suggested that the incidence of TPP foliage damage and the development of blight were lowest when the passage of ambient ultraviolet (UV) radiation through the crop cover was reduced. This hypothesis was supported by a third trial where potatoes grown outdoors in pots exhibited reduced TPP foliage damage and fewer resident TPP when grown under UV‐blocking plastic screens. The results of these experiments suggest that the use of mesh covers offers new opportunities to sustainably protect potato crops both by acting as a physical barrier and by modifying the wavelength of light incident on the crop.     

Root growth and water uptake in winter wheat under deficit irrigation

Root growth is critical for crops to use soil water under water-limited conditions. A field study was conducted to investigate the effect of available soil water on root and shoot growth, and root water uptake in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under deficit irrigation in a semi-arid environment. Treatments consisted of rainfed, deficit irrigation at different developmental stages, and adequate irrigation. The rainfed plots had the lowest shoot dry weight because available soil water decreased rapidly from booting to late grain filling. For the deficit-irrigation treatments, crops that received irrigation at jointing and booting had higher shoot dry weight than those that received irrigation at anthesis and middle grain filling. Rapid root growth occurred in both rainfed and irrigated crops from floral initiation to anthesis, and maximum rooting depth occurred by booting. Root length density and dry weight decreased after anthesis. From floral initiation to booting, root length density and growth rate were higher in rainfed than in irrigated crops. However, root length density and growth rate were lower in rainfed than in irrigated crops from booting to anthesis. As a result, the difference in root length density between rainfed and irrigated treatments was small during grain filling. The root growth and water use below 1.4 m were limited by a caliche (45% CaCO₃) layer at about 1.4 m profile. The mean water uptake rate decreased as available soil water decreased. During grain filling, root water uptake was higher from the irrigated crops than from the rainfed. Irrigation from jointing to anthesis increased seasonal evapotranspiration, grain yield, harvest index and water-use efficiency based on yield (WUE), but did not affect water-use efficiency based on aboveground biomass. There was no significant difference in WUE among irrigation treatments except one-irrigation at middle grain filling. Due to a relatively deep root system in rainfed crops, the higher grain yield and WUE in irrigated crops compared to rainfed crops was not a result of rooting depth or root length density, but increased harvest index, and higher water uptake rate during grain filling.     

Control of potato cyst nematode (Globodera rostochiensis) by nematicides and a resistant potato cultivar at four sites in Scotland

The control of potato cyst nematode (Globodera rostochiensis) by the oxime-carbamates aldicarb and oxamyl was tested in four fields in Scotland. Dazomet was tested in three of these fields and carbofuran in one. In untreated plots in the three most heavily infested fields Maris Piper (resistant) yielded better than Pentland Crown (non-resistant). All nematicides increased the yields of both potato cultivars but had a greater effect on the yield of Pentland Crown. Dazomet increased yields of tubers most. Heavy nematode infestation reduced yield of tubers more in a sandy soil than in two sandy loams. In a field with few potato cyst nematodes nematicides did not significantly affect tuber yields. Although the nematicides greatly increased yields, they were not completely effective in controlling potato cyst nematodes. In treated plots in the lightly infested field, there were more nematode eggs following a crop of Pentland Crown than before. In contrast, Maris Piper markedly decreased post-cropping populations and except at one site, where dazomet further decreased nematode numbers, combining nematicides with the resistant cultivar failed to decrease nematode numbers further. Nematicides decreased the numbers of larvae invading potato roots by up to 95%, oxamyl at 5–6 kg/ha being consistently the best treatment.     

纳米硒对紫色马铃薯生长及其矿质元素含量和品质特性的影响

以紫色马铃薯品种‘黑美人’为试材,采用水培法,分别用不同浓度(0、0.38、0.19和0.095 mmol/L)纳米硒溶液对紫色马铃薯进行叶面喷施处理,研究纳米硒对紫色马铃薯生长、矿质元素含量及品质特性的影响。结果表明:(1)与对照相比,各硒处理马铃薯的生物量与单株结薯数均显著增加,其中喷施0.095 mmol/L硒处理的生物量最高且增幅达1.5倍,喷施0.19 mmol/L硒处理的单株结薯数显著增加2.2倍。(2)纳米硒能够显著提高紫色马铃薯叶片、根系、块茎硒含量,各器官硒含量大小呈现:根系>叶片>块茎的特点,且喷施0.095 mmol/L硒处理块茎总硒含量达0.106 mg/kg,较对照显著提高0.65倍,达到了马铃薯块茎的富硒标准;同时纳米硒可在不同程度上调控K、Ca、Mg、Mn、Zn在马铃薯各器官中的分配。(3)随施硒浓度的增加,紫色马铃薯块茎中淀粉、可溶性蛋白及游离氨基酸含量呈先增加后降低的变化趋势,均在喷施0.19 mmol/L硒处理下达到最大值,且较对照分别显著增加56.33%、26.91%和27.89%;块茎中花青素、可溶性糖含量呈下降趋势,均在喷施0.095 mmol/L硒处理下达到最大值,且较对照分别显著提高24.73%、25.33%;而块茎中硝态氮含量呈上升趋势,在喷施0.095 mmol/L硒处理下最低并较对照显著降低34.82%。研究表明,叶面喷施0.095~0.19 mmol/L纳米硒溶液能够显著促进紫色马铃薯生长和单株结薯数,提高硒元素含量,调控矿质元素含量在器官中分配,有效改善其块茎品质特性。     

Effect of Compost and Manure Soil Amendments on Nematodes and on Yields of Potato and Barley: A 7-Year Study

A 7-year study located in Prince Edward Island, Canada, examined the influence of compost and manure on crop yield and nematode populations. The compost used in this study consisted of cull waste potatoes, sawdust, and beef manure in a 3:3:1 ratio, respectively. No plant-parasitic nematodes were detected in samples collected from windrow compost piles at 5- and 30-cm depths prior to application on field plots. Low population densities of bacterial-feeding nematodes were recovered from compost windrows at the 5-cm depth. Field plots of potato (Solanum tuberosum cv. Kennebec) received compost applied at 16 metric tonnes per hectare, or beef manure applied at 12 metric tonnes per hectare. An adjacent trial with barley (Hordeum vulgare cv. Mic Mac) received only the compost treatment. In both trials the experimental design was a complete randomized block with four replicates. Data averaged over seven growing seasons indicated that population levels of root-lesion nematodes (primarily Pratylenchus penetrans) were higher in root-zone soil in potato plots treated with either compost or manure compared to the untreated control plots. The soil amendments did not affect root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne hapla) population densities in the potato plots, but clover-cyst nematodes (Heterodera trifolii) were more numerous in the root-zone soils of barley treated with compost compared to the untreated plots. Numbers of bacterial-feeding nematodes (primarily Diplogaster lheritieri) were greater in soil in potato plots treated with manure and in soil around barley roots than in untreated plots. Total yields of potato tubers averaged over seven growing seasons increased by 27% in the plots treated with either compost or manure. Grain yields of barley also were increased by 12% when compost was applied. These results indicated that organic amendments increased crop yields, but the impacts on different nematode species varied and usually increased soil population levels.     

Control of potato pale cyst-nematode, Globodera pallida, with a granular nematicide and partially resistant potatoes

The effects of oxamyl applied to the seedbed and growing partially resistant potatoes in controlling potato pale cyst-nematode, Globodera pallida, were assessed in eleven field experiments on sandy, peaty and silty loam soils in England from 1986 to 1988. Standardised procedures allowed valid comparisons to be made between data from the three experiments in 1987 and from the seven experiments in 1988. In soil moderately or heavily infested with G. pallida, oxamyl frequently increased tuber yields of susceptible cv. Désirée and of partially resistant potatoes and lessened crude nematode increase (Pf/Pi) significantly at some sites but not at others. Although 2.8 kg oxamyl ha“¹ often increased tuber yields significantly, it was significantly less effective than 5.6 kg in controlling G. pallida at one site and at another site G. pallida increased more than in untreated plots. Potatoes partially resistant to G. pallida were more effective that oxamyl in controlling nematode increase at some sites but not at others. Combined use of oxamyl and partially resistant potatoes was generally more effective in controlling G. pallida than either measure alone. As measured by a ‘control coefficient’ (weight of tubers over 40mm diameter (t ha“¹) 4-crude nematode increase (Pf/Pi)), the most effective integrated control of G. pallida was obtained by growing cvs Glenna, Morag or Santé in soil treated with 5.6 kg oxamyl ha^-1.     

硒肥对马铃薯硒素吸收、转化及产量、品质的影响

通过设对照(CK)、保水缓释硒肥(W)、生物炭基硒肥(C)、硒酸钠硒肥(S)4个处理来研究不同硒肥对马铃薯(品种为早大白)硒素吸收、转化及产量、品质的影响。结果表明:各处理马铃薯各器官硒含量在生育期内总体上呈下降趋势,马铃薯各器官的硒含量呈现:苗期根茎叶片;成熟期叶片茎块茎的特点;随着硒肥用量的增加,W处理下的总硒、无机硒、有机硒含量呈增大趋势,产量、有机硒转化率、粗蛋白、还原糖和Vc呈先升高后降低的趋势;C处理和S处理下,马铃薯以上各指标均呈先升高后降低的趋势,在低施硒量(0.126 kg/hm2)时,3种硒肥显著降低了马铃薯块茎淀粉含量,之后随着施硒量的增加淀粉含量变化不显著;与对照相比,3种硒肥在适宜施硒量(0.379 kg/hm2)时,马铃薯产量提高了4.87%—5.44%,粗蛋白含量增加了12.18%—20.03%,还原糖提高了6.45%—12.90%,Vc含量提高-0.54%—3.11%,有机硒转化率增加13.00%—15.10%,淀粉含量增加了-0.73%—1.12%;综合考虑3种硒肥对马铃薯含硒量、产量、品质的影响,W处理最佳,C处理次之,S处理最差。     

Effects of D-D, Telone or dazomet applied to potato ridges in spring on potato cyst-nematode, Heterodera rostochiensis, in sandy loam and silt loam soils

Large amounts of dazomet (329, 439 kg/ha) applied to potato ridge soil in spring, before potatoes were planted, controlled potato cyst-nematode (Heterodera rostochiensis) in sandy loam and silt loam more effectively than large amounts of D-D (359, 448 kg/ha). In heavily infested sandy loam, 329 kg dazomet/ha or 857 kg methyl bromide/ha applied in spring 1969 or 439 kg dazomet/ha applied in autumn 1968, greatly decreased the number of larvae able to invade potato roots, so Majestic potatoes grew and yielded well without increasing the number of nematodes left in the soil after harvest. Large amounts of D-D or Telone applied to the topsoil in autumn or to the ridges in spring were less effective in controlling potato cyst-nematode or increasing potato yields. Applied in spring 1969 to silt loam ridges, 439 kg dazomet/ha had more effect than 448 kg D-D/ha on potato cyst-nematode and on the increase in yield of Majestic potato. The yield of Maris Piper potatoes (resistant to H. rostochiensis pathotype A) in infested silt loam was increased greatly by D-D, as much by 112 as by 224 or 448 kg/ha.     

Control of Meloidogyne spp. on Russet Burbank Potato by Applying Metham Sodium through Center Pivot Irrigation Systems

Metham sodium applied in October through center pivot irrigation systems was evaluated for control of Meloidogyne hapla at 374, 468, and 701 liters/ha and for control of M. chitwoodi at 468 liters/ha on potato. Metham sodium at the high rates effectively controlled M. hapla. No females were detected in the tubers at the high rates of nematicide application, whereas a mean of 19 and 69% of the tubers were infected at the low rate and in the nontreated controls, respectively. In the M. chitwoodi trial only 1.5% of the tubers in the treated plots were infected compared with 82% in the nontreated plots. Metham sodium effectively controlled M. chitwoodi to soil depths of 30, 61, and 91 cm.     

Control of potato cyst-nematode, Globodera rostochiensis Rol, by picrolonic acid and potato trap crops

Small, sprouted tubers of potatoes (cv. Pentland Crown) grown for 6 wk and then pulled out of soil infested with potato cyst-nematode, Globodera rostochiensis Roi, increased the hatch of larvae, so that 100 days after planting the top 20 cm of the soil contained only one third of the original number of eggs. The artificial hatching agent picrolonic acid alone at 8-6, 17*2 or 34-4 kg/ha rotavated into the soil did not increase hatch but 17*2 kg, incorporated in the soil after potatoes grown for 4 wk, did.     

Resistance of potatoes transgenic for a cry1Ac9 gene, to Phthorimaea operculella (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) over field seasons and between plant organs

Stable performance of insect‐resistant transgenic plants across field seasons and between plant organs damaged by the insect pest is critical for management of this resistance in the field. To evaluate this, potato (Solanum tuberosum) lines transgenic for a cry1Ac9 gene with resistance to potato tuber moth (Phthorimaea operculella) were established in the field during the southern hemisphere summers of 1997/98, 1998/99 and 1999/00 as small field plots, each of 10 plants. Replicate plots of the non‐transgenic parent cultivars (at least one for every three independently derived transgenic lines) were planted randomly throughout the trials. Field‐grown foliage was challenged with larvae in the laboratory and a growth index (GI) was calculated for recovered larvae from each transgenic and non‐transgenic potato line. Larval growth on young and mature leaves, and on newly harvested or stored tubers was also measured in the laboratory. Foliage from the transgenic lines inhibited larval growth in all seasons tested. For both control and transgenic lines, larvae had slightly lower GIs when reared on mature leaves compared with young leaves, although the correlation between mean GI for young and mature transgenic leaves was high (r = 0.97). The correlation between the mean GIs of larvae on newly harvested tubers and on those stored for 5 months was also high (r = 1.0). However, the GIs of larvae on newly harvested transgenic tubers were larger than on transgenic tubers stored for 5 months. The relative growth indices (RGI = mean GI/number days before final weighing) of larvae reared on newly harvested tubers from transgenic lines were generally higher than those from young transgenic foliage, while the RGIs of larvae reared on non‐transgenic tubers were slightly lower than those fed non‐transgenic foliage. The correlation between mean RGIs of larvae fed tubers or foliage was 0.62. The transgenic potato lines exhibited stable resistance to larvae across field seasons, between affected plant organs, and between plant organs of different ages.     

Basal fertiliser application method, tuber initiation nitrogen, foliar NPK and the tolerance of potatoes to infection by the potato cyst nematodes Globodera rostochiensis and G. pallida

The effects of broadcast granular, placed liquid and foliar fertilisers on the tolerance of potatoes to infection by potato cyst nematodes were investigated. The tolerance of the potato cv. Pentland Dell was not significantly improved by fertiliser application type but placed liquid fertiliser, with or without foliar applications, increased the concentrations of N, P and K measured in whole plant dry matter of PCN infected plants. The tolerance of the potato cv. Sante was not statistically improved by altering the balance of fertiliser nitrogen applications between planting and tuber initiation or by applying foliar nitrogen. Nitrogen applications of 120 kg N ha^-1 at planting and a further 120 kg N ha^-1 at tuber initiation supplemented with foliar N, however, achieved a larger tuber yield than the same nitrogen programme without foliar N and gave a significantly greater yield than the application of 240 kg N ha^-1 at planting plus foliar N. The emergence of both cultivars was delayed in the absence of oxamyl. N, P and K concentrations within whole plant dry matter were significantly higher in plants from oxamyl treated plots and both N and K concentrations were significantly increased by increasing the quantity of N at planting, at 56 DAP. Splitting the fertiliser N between planting and tuber initiation appears to be important in maintaining the availability of this nutrient to PCN infected plants throughout the season.     

黄土高原西部旱农区不同品种马铃薯集雨限灌效应

通过大田试验研究了集雨限灌对同薯23号和大西洋两个马铃薯品种的补灌效应.结果表明：集蓄雨水在苗期补灌能显著提高旱作马铃薯的产量,且大西洋增产幅度高于同薯23号;在薯块膨大期补灌同薯23号的产量增加不显著,而大西洋减产.低额补灌（补灌45 mm）有利于同薯23号水分利用效率（WUE）和灌水利用效率（IWUE）的提高.大西洋苗期补灌的WUE和IWUE均高于薯块膨大期.补灌提高了同薯23号的大薯率、中薯率和单株薯产量,降低了小薯率, 但绿薯率、烂薯率有所增加;大西洋的大薯率和小薯率增加,中薯率稍有下降,烂薯率增加.     

Treating potato ridges in spring with aldicarb, D-D or dazomet to control potato cyst-nematode, Heterodera rostochiensis, in sandy clay and peat loam soils

Applied to potato ridge soil in spring, before potatoes were planted, small amounts of aldicarb (10-3 kg/ha or less) controlled potato cyst-nematodes (Heterodera rostochiensis Woll.) better than large amounts of dazomet (110–466 kg/ha) or D-D (102–439 kg/ha). Applied in spring 1968 and 1969 to heavily infested sandy clay soil 466 kg dazomet/ha allowed Majestic potatoes to grow and yield well in both years without increasing the number of nematodes in the soil after harvest, but in peaty loam dazomet was toxic to potato plants and, when applied in autumn, killed fewer nematodes. D-D in potato ridges in spring controlled nematodes less well than dazomet or aldicarb, but 896 kg D-D/ha injected in sandy clay soil in autumn increased potato yield the following year without increasing the number of nematodes after harvest.     

Potential of Trichogramma ostriniae (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) for biological control of European corn borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) in solanaceous crops

We assessed the ability of Trichogramma ostriniae (Peng & Chen) to locate and parasitize Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner) eggs in crops other than corn, and we evaluated the efficacy of inundative releases of the parasitoid in two solanaceous crops, pepper and potato. Despite a greater plant surface area to search, parasitism of O. nubilalis eggs was consistently higher in sweet corn than dicotyledonous crops such as pepper, snap bean, broccoli, potato, and melon, in choice and no-choice experiments. Nonetheless, in 2002 and 2003, we made four to five separate inundative releases of approximately 30,000-50,000 T. ostriniae per 0.02 ha in nine pepper fields in Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts and compared O. nubilalis egg parasitization and fruit damage in those plots with spatially isolated nonrelease plots. Egg parasitization averaged 48.7% in T. ostriniae release plots, which was significantly higher than in nonrelease plots (1.9%). Also, cumulative pepper fruit damage averaged 8.7% in release plots, which was significantly less than in nonrelease plots (27.3%). In potatoes in 2002 and 2003, we made two releases of approximately 75,000 T. ostriniae per 0.2 ha in nine fields in Maine and Virginia and compared O. nubilalis damage in those plots with that in nonrelease plots. T. ostriniae releases significantly reduced the number of tunnel holes and number of O. nubilalis larvae in potato stems. We conclude that this parasitoid has great potential as a biocontrol agent for O. nubilalis in solanaceous crops.     

Poultry Manure as an Organic Fertilizer with or without Biochar Amendment: Influence on Growth and Heavy Metal Accumulation in Lettuce and Spinach and Soil Nutrients

This pot-based study investigated the influence of poultry manure and 1:1 mixture of poultry manure + biochar (produced from farmyard manure [FYM] or wood), on the biomass production and concentration of heavy metals in leaves of lettuce and spinach. The concentration of mineral nitrogen (N) and soluble inorganic phosphorus (P) of soils cultivated with these vegetables was also investigated. The application of poultry manure or FYM biochar in soil as 10% (equivalent to 60 t ha^–1 , an estimated 1726.8 kg ha^–1 N in poultry manure and 1353.9 kg ha^–1 N in FYM) and 15% amendment (equivalent to 90 t ha^–1 , an estimated 2590.2 kg ha^–1 N in poultry manure and 2030.8 kg ha^–1 N in FYM) significantly decreased biomass production of lettuce as compared to control (no fertilizer added) treatment. However, mixture of poultry manure with wood-derived biochar at both application rates (i.e., 10% and 15%) and with FYM biochar at lower application rate (i.e., 10%) caused 2–3-fold increase in aboveground plant biomass and 2–14-fold increase in root biomass (p < 0.05). Furthermore, as compared to control treatment, a significant ~2–3-fold increase in aboveground plant biomass was also observed in response to mixture of poultry manure with wood-derived and FYM derived biochars at 10% amendment rates. As compared to control treatment, concentration of mineral N and soluble inorganic P were higher in soils of all other treatments. In spinach, amendment of poultry manure or its co-amendment with biochar of FYM significantly increased aboveground plant biomass at 7% (equivalent to 42 t ha^–1 ) as compared to 3% and 5% amendment rates (equivalent to 18 and 30 t ha^–1 respectively). The concentration of soil mineral N and soil soluble mineral P was not different between treatments. In lettuce, wood-derived biochar did not reduce concentration of heavy metals (i.e., manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), iron, (Fe), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni) and cobalt (Co) than FYM-derived biochar while in spinach, as compared to poultry manure, co-amendment of poultry manure with wood-derived biochar reduced concentration of heavy metals, indicating differential responses of crops to organic amendments.