Response of no-till and conventionally planted grain sorghum to weed control method and row spacing

Grain sorghum can substitute for corn as a full season crop and replace soybeans in double cropping systems with wheat in the southeastern United States. Relatively few studies have been conducted to measure the response of grain sorghum to tillage, weed control method, and row spacing. These experiments were designed to determine the effects of weed control method and row spacing on no-till planted grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench G1516-BR) after wheat (Triticum aestivum L. Coker 68–15) and crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L. Bigbee) grown for winter forage in comparison to sorghum planted on a conventionally prepared seedbed. The experiment included 45, 60, and 90 cm row spacings and three weed control regimes: none, mechanical, and chemical. Grain sorghum planted no-till in crimson clover or wheat sod yielded considerably more grain than conventionally planted sorghum. Grain sorghum produced significantly higher yields in 45-cm rows than in 60-and 90-cm row spacings with all three planting methods. Effects of chemical weed control on weed population with all tillage methods and on grain yield with conventional tillage were significant. There were no significant differences in grain protein content due to row spacing or weed control method.     

生物组织散射元平均间距估计的一种新方法

生物组织散射元平均间中划描述生物组织微观结构特性和生物组织超微散射特性的重要参数。本文在对生物组织超声背向散射随机模的基础上,提出了基于生物组织超声背向散射信号突变点检测的工用射元平均间距估计的新方法。该方法是生物组织超声散射分析的有效方法。     

行距和播种量对冬小麦冠层光合有效辐射垂直分布、生物量和籽粒产量的影响

为明确行距和播种量对冬小麦冠层光合有效辐射(PAR)垂直分布、生物量和籽粒产量的影响,在不增加水肥等投入的基础上,设置等行距(R₁,20 cm+20 cm)、宽窄行(R₂,12 cm+12 cm+12 cm+24 cm)两种行距方式和低(D₁,120 kg·hm^-2)、中(D₂,157.5 kg·hm^-2)、高(D₃,195 kg·hm^-2)3个播种量水平,分析不同处理组合下冬小麦主要生育时期冠层PAR的截获率及利用率、群体光合能力、生物量和产量差异。结果表明: 冬小麦冠层总PAR截获率、上层PAR截获率均表现为R₁行距显著大于R₂,而中层和下层PAR截获率则表现为R₂大于R₁,且在中层差异显著;从小麦开花至成熟期,相同播种量下R₂行距光合势(LAD)、群体光合速率(CAP)、PAR转化率和利用率都显著高于R₁,并以R₂D₂处理最大;冬小麦的群体生物量(BA)和不同层次叶片生物量(BL)均表现为随播种量增加而增加,但单株生物量(BP)则相反。在同一播种量下,BA、BL和BP均在开花期之后表现为R₂行距高于R₁,其中,BA、BP在成熟期行距间差异显著,中层和下层BL在D₂、D₃播种量下行距间差异显著;不同处理组合间冬小麦的穗数、穗粒数、千粒重、籽粒产量分别以R₂D₃、R₂D₁、R₂D₁、R₂D₂最大,其中,R₂行距下千粒重、穗粒数和籽粒产量显著大于R₁。综上,改变行距可以改善小麦冠层中下层PAR的截获量,增强冬小麦单株和群体光合能力、光合有效辐射的利用及转化效率,提高生物量和籽粒产量。在冬小麦高产栽培中,应重视通过优化田间结构,塑造麦田理想的群体光合结构,以充分利用单位土地面积上光照资源,挖掘作物自身的光合生产潜力,达到高产高效的目的。在本试验条件下,以R₂D₂配置群体光合能力、光合有效辐射利用率和产量最佳。     

On dose cube pixel spacing pre-processing for features extraction stability in dosiomic studies

PurposeDosiomics allows to parameterize regions of interest (ROIs) and to produce quantitative dose features encoding the spatial and statistical distribution of radiotherapy dose. The stability of dosiomics features extraction on dose cube pixel spacing variation has been investigated in this study.Material and MethodsBased on 17 clinical delivered dose distributions (P_n), dataset has been generated considering all the possible combinations of four dose grid resolutions and two calculation algorithms. Each dose voxel cube has been post-processed considering 4 different dose cube pixel spacing values: 1x1x1, 2x2x2, 3x3x3 mm³ and the one equal to the planning CT. Dosiomics features extraction has been performed from four different ROIs. The stability of each extracted dosiomic feature has been analyzed in terms of coefficient of variation (CV) intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).ResultsThe highest CV mean values were observed for PTV ROI and for the grey level size zone matrix features family. On the other hand, the lowest CV mean values have been found for RING ROI for the grey level co-occurrence matrix features family. P₃ showed the highest percentage of CV >1 (1.14%) followed by P₁₅ (0.41%), P₁ (0.29%) and P13 (0.19%). ICC analysis leads to identify features with an ICC >0.95 that could be considered stable to use in dosiomic studies when different dose cube pixel spacing are considered, especially the features in common among the seventeen plans.ConclusionConsidering the observed variability, dosiomic studies should always provide a report not only on grid resolution and algorithm dose calculation, but also on dose cube pixel spacing.     

Effects of resource distribution, patch spacing, and preharvest information on foraging decisions of northern bobwhites

We investigated patch assessment by northern bobwhites (Collinusvirginianus) in an experimental arena where the distributionof resources in patches, preharvest information about thesepatches, and spacing of patches varied. We found that preharvestinformation about patch quality and a bimodal distribution ofpatch rewards allowed birds to selectively exploit patches highin resources. In contrast, uniform distribution of patch qualitiesand lack of preharvest information caused birds to forage nonselectivelyamong patches. Birds distinguished among patches of differentquality when these patches were spaced 13 m apart, but failedto react to patch quality differences when patches were 0 or3 m apart We also found a strong effect of the level of patchdepletion on foraging decisions: as resources in die arena becamescarce, birds increasingly foraged selectively in die most profitablepatches. Foraging decisions of bobwhites are biased by die waythey experience and memorize a spatially and temporally variableenvironment. The relative cost of this cognitive bias (i.e.,lost opportunity) is nonlinearty related to die mean resourcedensity in die environment and to die difference between thismean density and die resource density in die exploited patch.Cognitive bias should be considered when evaluating patch assessmentcapabilities of foragers in complex environments.     

Spacing Behavior of a Non‐Larder‐Hoarding Tamiasciurus: A Study of Mearns's Squirrels in Xeric Coniferous Forests

In ecosystems with seasonal fluctuations in food supply many species use two strategies to store food: larder hoarding and scatter hoarding. However, because species at different geographic locations may experience distinct environmental conditions, differences in hoarding behavior may occur. Tree squirrels in the genus Tamiasciurus display variation in hoarding behavior. Whereas red (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) and Douglas's (Tamiasciurus douglasii) squirrels in mesic coniferous forests defend territories centered around larder hoards maintaining non‐overlapping home ranges, red squirrels in deciduous forests defend small scatter‐hoarded caches of cones maintaining overlapping home ranges. As in other rodent species, variation in hoarding behavior appears to influence the spacing behavior of red and Douglas's squirrels. In contrast, Mearns's squirrels (Tamiasciurus mearnsi) in xeric coniferous forests neither rely on larder hoards nor appear to display territorial behavior. Unfortunately, little is known about the ecology of this southernmost Tamiasciurus. Using radiotelemetry, we estimated home‐range size, overlap, and maximum distance traveled from nest to examine the spacing behavior of Mearns's squirrels. Similar to scatter‐hoarding rodents, maximum distance traveled from nest was greater for males during mating season, whereas those of females were similar year round. Although no seasonal differences were detected, male home ranges were three times larger during mating season, whereas those of females were smaller and displayed a minor variation between seasons. Home ranges were overlapped year round but contrary to our expectations, overlap was greater during mating season for both sexes, with no detectable relationship between male home‐range size and the number of females overlapped during mating season. Overall, the results appear to support our hypothesis that in the absence of larder hoards, the spacing behavior of Mearns's squirrels should be different from larder‐hoarding congeners and more similar to scatter‐hoarding rodents.     

窄行匀播对晚播冬小麦群体环境、个体性状和物质生产的影响

为了明确行距和行内种子分布形式对华北平原晚播冬小麦群体生长的影响,以济麦22为试验材料,在晚播条件下设置3种行距(10、15、20 cm)和2种行内种子分布形式[随机分布(R)和均匀分布(A)]处理,考察了不同处理冬小麦的冠层结构与环境特征、个体性状、生物量累积及产量性能。结果表明:在相同播种量下较小行距比较大行距、种子均匀分布比非均匀分布群体叶面积较大,冠层下部漏光较少,温度较低且相对湿度较高;缩小行距或增加行内种子分布均匀度使群体内个体间植株性状差异缩小,穗层分布趋向均匀,花后物质积累量增加,穗粒重增加,最终产量提高。10 cm行距的产量高于15 cm行距、显著高于20 cm行距;在15 cm和20 cm行距下植株均匀分布处理产量显著高于非均匀分布处理的产量。综合研究认为,窄行匀播是华北平原干旱缺水地区提高晚播小麦群体产量的有效措施。