First Year Of Experiment Research Articles

SPSP-CDA Best Practices at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB): Linear and Intentional, Never Set and Done

SPSP-CDA Best Practices at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB): Linear and Intentional, Never Set and Done Lourdes Sánchez-López Introduction The Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures (DFLL) at UAB is home to a pioneer program in Spanish for the Professions and Specific Purposes (SPSP) in US higher education. For the last two decades (2000–18), its Spanish curricula have been carefully experimenting and evolving to adjust to the societal needs and professional demands of the twenty-first century. Today, the DFLL offers a minor in Spanish for Business, an undergraduate Spanish for Specific Purposes Certificate, and a major in Applied Professional Spanish. In addition, a professional Spanish language and cultural component has been seamlessly integrated into the newly redesigned three-semester introductory Spanish sequence with a new focus on proficiency and everyday-life use of the language. But curricular transformations never happen in a vacuum, as they are always dictated by the larger contexts that shape them. To put UAB’s SPSP-CDA six-stage evolution into perspective, it is useful to understand various multi-level contextual forces that have influenced it. UAB is one of three public universities in the University of Alabama System. It is the largest employer in the state with more than a 64,000-job employment impact and over a seven billion dollar economic impact (UAB Economic Impact Executive Summary 2017). Birmingham was a major center of activity during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s, and this historical situation contributed to the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964 (The Civil Rights Act of 1964, nd). Today, Birmingham is the largest metropolitan city in a state with a 4.3% Hispanic population (United States Census Bureau 2017). Thus, local professionals have experienced an increasing need to communicate with Spanish-speaking patients and clients. Originally established as the Medical Center of Alabama in 1945, UAB became independent from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa in 1969. UAB is a major medical center with very strong health-related academic programs. As UAB celebrates its fiftieth anniversary in 2019, it has recently been a highly ranked young university in the nation and among the top ten young universities in the world (The Times Higher Education University Rankings 2018). In 1969, the DFLL was established with a focus on language, literature and culture. Traditionally the university had a language requirement in its core curriculum, but it was eliminated at the end of the 1990s. The DFLL currently offers a major in Foreign Languages and Literatures with tracks in French and Spanish, and a new track in Applied Professional Spanish. It also offers minors in Chinese, French, German, Japanese and Spanish, Spanish for Business, and introductory courses in Arabic, Italian, and Portuguese. A large percentage of students in the major, following national trends, are double majors in Spanish or French and another discipline (biology, chemistry, criminal justice, international studies, pre-medicine, pre-nursing, along with Spanish, are some of the most common double majors). Since 2000 the SPSP-CDA at UAB has evolved into six stages, each resulting from a needs-analysis process, building upon the previous ones. [End Page 491] Stage 1: Development of Individual SPSP Courses (2000–06) With an eye toward the long-term needs of the department, the university and the community, during Stage 1 at the turn of the twenty-first century, the DFLL started developing and offering introductory courses (first and second semester), followed by intermediate courses (third and fourth semester), in Spanish for health care, business, translation, and interpretation. These early CDA courses were never intended to replace the existing literature and culture courses, but to expand the repertoire of offerings to meet the diverse learning needs of a larger pool of students and professional interests. But the SPSP introductory courses (without a general language proficiency pre-requisite) soon failed. As faculty came to the realization that basic knowledge of the language was necessary in order to succeed in SPSP courses, after a first year of experimentation these introductory courses were reassessed and discontinued. The SPSP focus then shifted to intermediate and advanced (fourth semester and beyond) levels. At the intermediate and...

The importance of adaptive expertise in CAD learning: maintaining design intent

ABSTRACTIn CAD modelling, there is no one general standardised teaching-learning methodology. We use the strategic-learning methodology, maintaining design intent, fully aware that it is necessary to modify CAD models for their reuse. Questions concerning the thought processes of students when modelling with CAD and the strategies that they choose that best maintain design intent arise in the course of using the 3D modelling programmes. Our aim here is to determine the importance of adaptive expertise in the results of CAD models and, particularly, in one of its constructs: design intent. To do so, CAD-based experimentation took place over two years with 78 third-year students in the first year and with 53 third-year students in the second year from the subject module of Graphic Engineering, on the Degree in Mechanical Engineering of the University of Burgos (Spain). At the start of the year, the students conducted a survey to measure adaptive expertise. Subsequently, in the first year of experimentation, the students prepared various CAD models and the design intent was evaluated in one of them (a connecting rod or conrod), broken down into the skeleton, the structure, the modifications and the constraints. In the conrod exercise, the students also completed a questionnaire both before and after designing their models, which were analysed to detect the thought processes and the strategies that they had applied. In the second year of experimentation, design intent was incorporated in various exercises at the beginning of the year, in addition to the conrod. The main conclusion is that the correct division of the part into its pieces and adaptive expertise improved the results in relation to design intent in the CAD.

Effect of prohexadione-Ca on leaf chlorophyll content, gas exchange, berry size and composition, wine quality and disease susceptibility in Vitis vinifera L. cv Xinomavro

Abstract In this study, prohexadione-Ca was applied at bloom and postbloom stages to field-grown cultivar Xinomavro to evaluate the effects on leaf chlorophyll content, water potential, photosynthesis, grape, berry size and composition and wine quality. The results showed that prohexadione-Ca increased the chlorophyll contents and net photosynthesis in early growth stages (berry set, veraison). Its effect was gradually reduced in later growth of stages. In addition, prohexadione-Ca affected the stomatal conductance mainly at later stage. In contrast, it did not show any effect on the water potential. It was also shown that the prohexadion - Ca reduced the berry size and increased skin anthocyanin and phenolic compounds. Wines provided from treated vines had improved colour and sensory attributes. Applications with prohexadione-Ca improved the resistance of grapes to Botrytis bunch rot in the first year of experiments. In contrast, no significant difference on susceptibility of grapes to Botrytis bunch rot was found in the second year of experiments. No effect of prohexadione-Ca on the susceptibility of vines to downy mildew and powdery mildew was found.

Effect of deficit irrigation on flowering and fruit properties of pomegranate (Punica granatum cv. Shahvar)

Pomegranate is one of the oldest and most valuable fruits and its consumption has been risen recently. Limited water resources in subtropical regions as well as long flowering period of pomegranate trees during the season are two major problems impede the fruit production management. In the present study, the effects of regulated deficit irrigation (RDI: no watering until fruit set stage, while and then watering was applied similar to control) and sustained deficit irrigation (SDI: 50% ETC throughout the growing season) on flowering and fruit characteristics of pomegranate were compared to the control trees (100% ETC throughout the growing season) during two consecutive years (2014/2015). The characteristics of flowers and fruits were studied at three different positions (solitary flowers, as well as terminal and lateral flowers in the cluster). Results showed that RDI trees were under mild water stress early in the growing season (midday stem water potential: −1.4MPa, 2014 and −1.8MPa, 2015) and they recovered immediately after the start of irrigation. However, SDI treatment caused severe (midday stem water potential: −2.1MPa, 2014 and −2.8MPa, 2015) water stress in plants. The RDI treatment reduced early season vegetative growth, postponed the first flowering wave on the one hand and accelerated next blooming wave on the other hand. Thus, the flowering period of RDI trees was shortened in both seasons. In all irrigation treatments under study, the number of lateral flowers was higher than solitary and terminal positions, but its hermaphrodite/male (H/M) sex ratio was lower. The solitary and terminal positions of RDI trees showed the highest value of flower (ovary) width, fruit set, average fruit weight and juice, especially in the second year of experiment. SDI fruits had higher values of total phenolic compounds (TPC) and greater antioxidant activity (AA), while the fruits of control and RDI exhibited the lowest TPC and AA. In the second year, values of fruit number, yield and water productivity (WP) was improved in the control (17.2%, 8.1% and 13.9% respectively) and RDI (15.5%, 19.1% and 5.9% respectively) trees compared with 2014year, but not in SDI treatment. The yield per tree dropped by 36.2% (2014) and 52.1% (2015) in SDI treatment compared to the control trees. In the first year of experiment, WP in deficit irrigation treatments was more than the control trees (58.6% in SDI and 49.7% in RDI), though this value in SDI dropped severely in the second year (22.2%). The results suggest that using RDI strategy has positive effects on pomegranate flowering and fruits, whereas, SDI treatment adversely affect pomegranate production in arid and semi-arid areas.

Soil leaching as affected by the amendment with biochar and compost

Nutrient leaching in intensively cultivated soils has deleterious agronomical and environmental impacts. We assessed volumes and chemical properties of the solution percolated through soils unamended or amended with biochar, compost or their mixture. We performed an 18-month experiment in lysimeters filled with 503kg of a sandy soil in which single 1-year old nectarine trees were grown. In a randomized experimental design with 4 replicates the following soil-applied strategies were compared with an unamended control: (a) hardwood-derived biochar (20gkg−1), (b) compost (77gkg−1) and (c) biocompost (mixture of the previous two treatments). Soil leachate was daily collected and monthly cumulated for the first 12 months from the trial establishment. Thereafter, leachate was also collected (for one month) after 18 months amendment incorporation. Monthly, leachate subsamples were analyzed for chemical concentration and data were used to estimate losses through leaching referred to the soil volume of 1ha.The amendment with compost contributed to increase soil water retention capacity while mixing compost with biochar resulted even more effective, suggesting a positive interaction. Biochar significantly decreased the leaching volume in 4 (out of 12) months compared with the unamended soil. The cumulative amounts of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), total dissolved nitrogen (TDN), mineral N (mainly under Nitrate-N (NO3−-N)) and elements leached out were overall increased in compost-treated soils (either with or without biochar) as a consequence of easily soluble organic compounds supplied with the composted biomasses. We observed a synergism between the two amendments which in turn promoted the leaching of DOC and cumulative amount of TDN, although the source of these extra rates remains uncertain. Ag, Be, Cd, Sb, Ti and Tl were never detected in the leachate while Al, As, Co, Hg, Pb, Sn and V were detected in traces. However, the concentration remained below the limits for drinking water. Independently of the amendment, the most abundant elements leached during the first year of experiment were in average Calcium (614kgha−1), Sulphur (359kgha−1) and Sodium (224kgha−1) which coincided with the elements most supplied with irrigation and rain water. This should be taken into account in the fertilization recommendations.Despite compost promoted the loss of minerals through leaching, our results indicate that biochar and compost of high quality and even their mixture, could be adopted as a sustainable agronomical strategy, since they did not represent potential source of heavy metals for groundwater.

Effect of Organic Residues with Varied Carbon–Nitrogen Ratios on Grain Yield, Soil Health, and Nitrous Oxide Emission from a Rice Agroecosystem

ABSTRACTExperiments were conducted in an attempt to study the impact of using different organic residues as fertilizers on grain yield, magnitude of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, and soil characteristics. Five fertilizer treatments including conventional nitrogen (N) fertilizer, cow manure, rice straw, poultry manure, and sugarcane bagasse were applied in the rice field in 2012. The maximum reduction in seasonal N2O emissions (10–27%) was observed under the influence of rice straw application over conventional N fertilizer. The experiment was repeated for a second season in 2013 with the same treatments for further confirmation of the results obtained during the first year of experimentation. The application of rice straw also showed a slight advantage by increasing grain yield (4.38 t ha−1) compared to control. Important soil properties and plant growth parameters were studied and their relationships with N2O emission were worked out. The incorporation of organic residues helped in restoring and improving the soil health and effectively enhancing grain yield with reduced N2O emission from rice fields.

Residual phosphorus and zinc influence wheat productivity under rice-wheat cropping system.

Continuous cropping of rice (Oryza sativa L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) deplete soil fertility and crop productivity. One strategy to increase crop productivity under rice–wheat system is balanced application of crop nutrients. Field experiment was conducted to assess the impact of phosphorus (0, 40, 80, 120 kg P ha−1) and zinc (0, 5, 10, 15 kg Zn ha−1) on the productivity of rice genotypes (fine and coarse) and their residual effects on the grain yield (GY) and its components (YC) of the succeeding wheat crop under rice–wheat cropping system (RWCS) in North Western Pakistan during 2011–12 and 2012–13. After rice harvest in both years, wheat variety “Siren-2010” was grown on the same layout but no additional P, K and Zn was applied to wheat crop in each year. The GY and YC of wheat significantly increased in the treatments receiving the higher P levels (120 > 80 > 40 > 0 kg P ha−1) and Zn (15 > 10 > 5 > 0 kg Zn ha−1) in the previous rice crop. The residual soil P and Zn contents after rice harvest, GY and YC of wheat increased significantly under low yielding fine genotype (B-385) as compared to the high yielding coarse genotypes (F-Malakand and Pukhraj). The residual soil P and Zn, GY and of wheat increased significantly in the second year as compared with the first year of experiment. These results confirmed strong carry over effects of both P and Zn applied to the previous rice crop on the subsequent wheat crop under RWCS.

Nitrous oxide emission and mitigation from wheat agriculture: association of physiological and anatomical characteristics of wheat genotypes.

Agriculture is an important source of emission of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O). The observed differences in N2O emission among different varieties of agricultural crops can be a key factor for developing N2O emission reduction strategies. N2O emissions were estimated from three varieties of wheat viz. Sonalika, DBW 39, and K 0307 during 2010-2011 in an attempt to identify plant physiological and anatomical factors contributing to differences in gas emissions within the varieties. Sonalika was identified as a low N2O emitting variety and DBW 39 as high emitting when grown in a uniform field condition. The experiment was repeated in 2011-2012 selecting low emitting Sonalika and high emitting variety DBW 39 for further confirmation of the results obtained during the first year of experimentation. Important plant factors namely rate of photosynthesis and transpiration in flag leaf, stomatal frequency of adaxial flag leaf surface, and size of the xylem vessels (mean vessel size of node, stem, and root) were studied, and their relationship with N2O flux was worked out. A good correlation between transpiration and N2O flux was observed in this study. Scanning electron microscopic investigation revealed strong association of flag leaf stomatal frequency and xylem size with N2O emission. Sonalika, identified as low N2O emitting variety during both the years of study, also recorded higher grain yield due to its higher efficiency of photosynthate allocation toward the developing grains. The observed differences in N2O emission are considered to be due largely to genetic differences in the wheat genotypes.

Water Use Efficiency of Durum Wheat (Triticum durum Desf) under Deficit Irrigation

Wheat production in semi-arid area of Tunisia is limited by low rainfall (200-400 mm year -1 ), and by the irregularity of the distribution of precipitation and intensification of drought during cropping season. Therefore, irrigation is proposed as alternative to improve production and to maximize water-use efficiency (WUE) of wheat. So, rational irrigation is important for increasing crop yields and decrease water use. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of different irrigation levels on water consumption, water use efficiency of total dry matter and water use efficiency of grain yields. The study was conducted for three consecutive cropping seasons (2005-2008). Results showed thatthe daily water consumption was varied through phonological stage. In fact, the maximum water consumption was observed at anthesis and grain filling stages. The cumulative water consumption was decreased between 3% and 37% respectively, from D1 (100% ETM) to D2 (70% ETM) and From D1 to D4 (rainfed). The relationship between total dry matter (TDM) and water consumption (WC) was in linearly regression with a high correlation coefficient (R 2 ) witch varied from 0.89 to 0.99. The water use efficiency of total dry matter (WUE-TDM) gradually decreased when irrigation levels increased. The highest, WUE-TDM (3.24 kg/m 3 , 3.65 kg/m 3 and 2.82 kg/m 3 ) was recorded under rainfed condition (D4 treatment), respectively for 2005-2006, 2006-2007 and 2007-2008. On the contrary, water use efficiency of grain yield (WUE-GY) increase considerably when irrigation levels increase. In the first year of experiment, no significant difference between treatments was observed. Therefore, the moderate irrigation (D2) recorded the highest WUE-GY (1.63 kg/m 3 ) in the second cropping season (2006-2007). In 2007-2008, D1 and D3 irrigations regimes recorded the highest WUE-GY, respectively 1.17 kg/m 3 and 1.11 kg/m 3 . Deficit irrigation regimes (D2 and D3) were considered as rational irrigation levels to improve grain yield of wheat and to maximize WUE in the semi-arid area of Tunisia.

Physiological and yield response of almond to different drip irrigation regimes under temperate conditions

An experiment was conducted eight-year-old almond (Prunus dulcis Mill.) cv. Shalimar plants to determine the effect of different irrigation levels vis-à-vis various phenological stages on growth and yield parameters. The study revealed that irrigation applied at different phenological stages improved yield and yield contributing attributes of almond significantly. Highest nut yield (2.69 kg/tree) was recorded at 100% Etc (I1) during the first year of experimentation, which rose to the tune of (2.91 kg/tree) at the same irrigation level during the subsequent year. The leaf nutrient status (N, P & K) of almond increased significantly with irrigation. Similarly, the leaf Relative Water Content (RWC) increased significantly with increase in the irrigation level. However, Water Use Efficiency (WUE) decreased with increase in the irrigation level. Maximum WUE (0.60 kg m−3) was observed at 0% ETc (I0) level of irrigation followed by 50% ETc (I3) level (0.46 kg m−3), which was statistically at par with 75% ETc (I2). The highest yield attributes, leaf nutrient concentration and RWC of almond recorded at 100% ETc (I1) level of irrigation and found to be statistically at par with 75% ETc level, when applied throughout the growth stages.

Valerian roots (Valeriana officinalis L.): Produced in autumn and spring planting date

This paper examines the influence of agro-ecological conditions and plantation periods on the occurrence of planting dates of flower stalks, offering fresh and dried valerian root. The aim of this paper is to solve one of the technological unknowns in primary production of valerian roots, where one group of manufacturers base their production on fall plantation, whereas the other group applies spring plantation. The experiments were established in a randomized block design with four replications in the period of tree years from 2013 to 2015, on the soil of marshy black type. The medicinal plant species of valerian (variety “Vojvodinian”) was used, as the plant material planted in autumn and spring. In the first year of experiment there was a significantly lower number of flower stalks than in the second year. The number of flower stalks were lower when planting was done in spring. Primary reasons for such results were a shorter vegetation period and a larger number of warm days. The higher yield of fresh roots was realized in the first year (2013) due to the lower number of flower stalks, better distribution and larger amounts of rainfall. Overall, twice the yield of fresh valerian roots was recorded in the autumn plantation (14.91 kg ha-1) compared to the spring plantation (6.72 kg ha-1). The result of our research has confirmed some of the benefits of establishing an autumn crop of valerian. Obtained roots with rhizomes from autumn planting dates were bigger and brighter compared to those from spring planting dates.

Selection of Inbred Lines and their Correspondent Hybrids under Ultra-spaced and Highly Dense at Normal and Water-stress Conditions

Water stress is one of the most important environmental stresses around the world for many crop species and especially for maize. In addition, climate changes and increasing population pose serious challenges to crop improvement for increasing crop yield. Tolerance to drought is a complex quantitative trait controlled by several small effect genes or QTLs and is often confounded by differences in plants phenology. The present study aimed to investigate the tolerance of inbred lines and their correspondent hybrids using agronomic and physiological characteristics. Therefore, we used thirty one maize inbred lines under ultra-spaced and highly dense conditions and under two different water regimes (normal and drought conditions) in three different areas in Greece during the 2012 growing season. After the first year of experimentation the inbred lines were divided into three different groups tolerant, moderate sensitive and sensitive to water stress and specific hybrids from the combination of the different groups were evaluated under two water regimes and under ultra-spaced and highly dense stands and in three locations during the 2013 growing season. The inbred lines and the hybrids were evaluated using a number of physiological (gas exchange parameters, chlorophyll meter readings, chlorophyll fluorescence, water potential, relative water content) and agronomic traits (grain yield, harvest index and yield components). The results showed that assimilation rate was reduced by the water stress at all locations and in inbred lines and also in hybrids. In addition, harvest index, instantaneous water use efficiency, and anthesis to silking interval were affected by the water stress in both the inbred lines and the hybrids. There was a clear sign that some physiological and agronomic characteristics can be used for the selection of stress-adaptive genotypes and may allow the development of new maize hybrids from specific crosses that can be grown under different conditions addressing the climate change scenarios.

Role of different composts and sowing dates on productivity of Gobhisarson (Brasssi canapus var. oleracea) under organic conditions

A field experiment was conducted in a randomized block design with three replications and ten treatment combinations with an objective to study the “Role of different composts and sowing dates on productivity of Gobhisarson (Brasssica napus var. oleracea) under organic conditions” during rabi 2008-09 and 2009-10 at the Research Farm of Deptt. of Organic Agriculture, CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur (H.P), India. The treatments consisted of two sowing dates viz. Panchang and Non-panchang and six compost treatments viz. FYM 15 t/ha, BD compost 5 t/ha, VC 10 t/ha, FYM + VC (50:50), FYM + BD (50:50) and VC + BD (50:50). The soil of the experimental site was silty clay loam in texture, acidic in pH, medium in nitrogen, low in phosphorus and high in potassium. The crop was sown in second week of October during the first year of experimentation. Panchang sowing resulted in significantly higher number of pods/plant, seeds/pod and hence, significantly higher seed yield over Non-panchang sowing during the first year of study i.e 2008-09, whereas, during 2009-10 the yield attributes and yield of gobhisarson were not affected significantly due to the Panchang sowing. Pods/plant and seeds/pod were affected significantly due to various composts. Biodynamic compost applied alone and in combination with other composts proved to be the best as campared to the other composts in increasing the yield attributes and yield of gobhisarson.

Assessment of the Potential of 1-Methylcyclopropene Treatments to Maintain Fruit Quality of the Common Fig (<i>Ficus carica</i> L. cv. ‘Bursa Siyahi’) during Refrigerated Storage

The fig fruit is a unique, climacteric, highly perishable subject to rapid physiological breakdown. Application of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) was tested to delay ripening of black fig (Ficus carica L. cv. ‘Bursa Siyahi’) during storage overtwo growing seasons. Fruits were pre-cooled to 1 °C for 6 hours and afterwards treated with 500 or 1000 nl l-1 of 1-MCP for24 hours. Treated fruits were stored for 10 days at 1 °C, 90-95% RH and then evaluated. 1-MCP treatments showed thatethylene production, respiration rate, weight loss and concentrations of glucose, fructose and total soluble solids (TSS) were negatively correlated to the 1-MCP doses during cold storage (with the exception of TSS in the first year of experiment and respiration rate in the second year of the experiment). In contrast, pulp firmness and colour (ho) during cold storage werepositively correlated to the 1-MCP applied doses. Results of this study showed that although 1-methylcyclopropene applications slowed down fruit softening during the 10 days of storage, 1-methylcyclopropene appeared to have a relatively limited effect on slowing ripening of ‘Bursa Siyahi’ figs.

Effect of CO2 enhancement on beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) seedling root rot due to Phytophthora plurivora and Phytophthora cactorum

Abstract Global climate change is associated with higher concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). The ongoing changes are likely to have significant, direct or indirect effects on plant diseases caused by many biotic agents such as phytopathogenic fungi. This study results showed that increased CO2 concentration did not stimulate the growth of 1-year-old beech Fagus sylvatica L seedlings but it activated pathogenic Phytophthora species (P. plurivora and P. cactorum) which caused significant reduction in the total number of fine roots as well as their length and area. The results of the greenhouse experiment indicated that pathogens once introduced into soil survived in pot soil, became periodically active (in sufficient water conditions) and were able to damage beech fine roots. However, the trees mortality was not observed during the first year of experiment. DNA analyses performed on soil and beech tissue proved persistence of introduced Phytophthora isolates.

Combined pig slurry and mineral fertilization for corn cultivation

The objective of this work was to evaluate the environmental effects of the use of pig slurry to irrigate the corn crop grown in a typical Red Distroferric Latosol and in leachate composition. Twenty four lysimeters, filled with soil, in a protected environment, received five doses of pig slurry (0; 112.5; 225; 337.5 and 450 m³ ha-1 per growing cycle) combined with two mineral fertilization doses (50 and 75% of the recommended dose - 80 kg ha-1of nitrogen). Corn height and yield were evaluated, as well as nutrients in the soil and in leachate. From the results obtained in the first year of experiment, it was concluded that the concentrations of nitrate increased by increase of pig slurry application, and thus, it would be necessary to develop further studies in medium and long term.

Effect of water stress on essential oil yield and storage capability of Matricaria chamomilla L.

To evaluate the effect of water stress on yield and storage capability (essential oil percentage, yield and harvest index during five years storage period) of Matricaria chamomilla L., a field experiment was conducted in 2005. Water stress treatments of irrigation after 30, 60, 90 and 120 mm evaporation from pan class A, were arranged as randomized complete block design with six replications. The harvested material was stored for five years and essential oil was extracted yearly. Results of the first year of experiment indicated that the highest (1347 kg/ha and 10084 g/ha) and lowest (952.2 kg/ha and 6672 g/ha) yields of dried flower and essential oil were obtained from irrigation after 60 and 120 mm evaporation from pan, respectively. Results from stored plant material (5-year data of storage) showed a significant effect during storage on essential oil percentage, yield of essential oil, harvest index of essential oil, reduction of essential oil percentage and yield. Means comparisons from the 5-year data indicated that the highest percentage and yield of essential oil (0.715% and 8442 g/ha) was observed at first year. After that, there was a 27% reduction trend in essential oil percentage to the 5-year storage result. So, the lowest essential oil content and yield (0.194% and 2335 g/ha) was obtained from flowers at the fifth year of storage. Key words: Chamomilla recutita, dried flower yield, excess water, storage quality, water deficit.

Effect of nitrogen and potassium fertilizer on yield, quality and some quantitative parameters of flue-cured tobacco cv. K326

In order to investigate the effect of nitrogen and potassium fertilizers on yield, quality and some quantitative parameters of flue-cured tobacco, 2 year experiment was carried out in tobacco research institute of Rasht located in Guilan province on factorial based with 3 replications. The applied fertilizer levels included 35 (N1), 45 (N2), 55 (N3) and 65 (N4) kg N/ha of pure nitrogen of urea source and potassium in two levels of 150 (K1) and 200 (K2) kg K/ha of potassium sulphate. The measured parameters in this experiment included leaf dry weight, leaf wet weight, stem height, stem diameter, leaf number in plant, leaf length, leaf width, stem dry weight, biomass, nicotine and sugar content. The effect of year on parameters such as leaf dry weight, leaf wet weight, stem height, leaf number, leaf length, stem dry weight, biomass and sugar content was significant (P<0.01). Likewise nitrogen had significant effect on leaf wet weight, leaf length, stem dry weight, biomass and sugar content at 1% statistical level and also on leaf dry weight, leaf wet weight, stem diameter, leaf width and stem dry weight at 5% statistical level. The interaction between year and nitrogen on parameters of leaf length (in 1% statistical level), leaf width and biomass (at 5% statistical level) was significant. In second year, more leaf dry weight, leaf wet weight, stem height, leaf number, stem dry weight, biomass and sugar content were obtained but the amount of leaf length and sugar content were greater in first year of experiment. The highest amount of leaf dry weight, leaf length, stem dry weight and biomass belonged to applying 35 kg N/ha and the greatest amounts of leaf wet weight and sugar content obtained when 35 and 45 kg N/ha was applied respectively. The greatest amounts of stem diameter and leaf width obtained when 35 and 55 kg N/ha was applied respectively. The highest sugar content was derived when 200 kg K/ha and was applied. Usage of 35 kg N/ha plus 200 kg K/ha led to the greatest amount of leaf dry weight, leaf wet weight, stem diameter, leaf number, leaf length and biomass. The highest amounts of leaf width and stem dry weight were gained when 35 kg N/ha plus 200 kg K/ha and 55 kg N/ha plus 200 kg K/ha were applied. Key words: Nitrogen, potassium, yield, quality, quantitative characteristics of flue-cured tobacco.

Rapeseed or linseed supplements in grass-based diets: Effects on dairy performance of Holstein cows over 2 consecutive lactations

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of long-term supplementation with different oilseeds rich in 18:1 cis-9 or 18:3n-3 fatty acids on dairy cow performance over 2 consecutive lactations. This trial involved 58 Holstein cows during the first year and 35 during the second year. During the first 5 wk of the first year, all of the cows were fed the same diet; after a 4-wk transition period, the cows received 1 of 5 treatments for 2 consecutive lactations, including the dry period. Their basal diet was supplemented or not with extruded linseeds or with different forms of rapeseeds: extruded seeds, cold-pressed fat-rich meal, or whole unprocessed seeds. Oilseed amount was calculated to provide 2.5 to 3.0% additional oil in ration dry matter. Cows were fed a grass-based diet (75% grass silage and 25% hay) during indoor periods and grazed during outdoor periods. For the first year of experimentation, oilseed supplementation had no effect on milk, fat, protein, and lactose yields, body weight, or body condition score compared with the control treatment (no oilseed supplementation). During the indoor period, extruded linseed tended to decrease dry matter intake (−1.5kg/d), whereas all of the oilseed treatments decreased milk protein content without changing protein yield. Cold-pressed fat-rich rapeseed meal decreased milk protein content independently of the period (−0.29 and −0.19g/100g for indoor and outdoor periods, respectively), and whole unprocessed rapeseed increased milk fat content during the outdoor period (+0.53g/100g compared with the control treatment). During the second year of experimentation, the effects of oilseed supplementation during the outdoor period were similar to those observed during the first outdoor period, but the effects of oilseed supplementation differed between the 2 indoor periods. This was likely due to changes in forage quality and composition and percentage in the ration of the concentrate mixtures. Thus, the effects of oilseed supplementation depended on oilseed nature (rapeseed or linseed) and form (extruded seeds, cold-pressed fat-rich meal, or whole unprocessed seeds) in interaction with the type of basal diet (grass silage and hay or pasture) and the concentrate composition and percentage in the ration. Effects were stable during the first indoor period, repeatable between the 2 outdoor periods, and were similar to effects observed previously in short-term studies (1 to 3 mo).

Female goats use courtship display as an honest indicator of male quality

Due to the differential cost of reproduction in promiscuous species, like domesticated goat(s) (Capra hircus), it is expected that females should mate with higher quality males, while males should mate with a greater number of females. Females may use conspicuous secondary sexual characteristics of males such as courtship display to distinguish among high and low quality males. Testosterone (T) controls a large suite of secondary sexual characteristics and variation in T concentrations may account of differences in courtship rates. Two studies were conducted to examine the relationship between T concentrations and courtship rate and its role in mammalian female mate choice. Experiment 1 utilized bucks (intact males) and Experiment 2 utilized T-replaced wethers (castrated pre-pubertally). During the first year of Experiment 2, T-replaced wethers received either vehicle control (CON), 25mg or 100mg testosterone propionate (TP). During the second year of Experiment 2, T-replaced wethers were treated with either 5mg, 15mg or 25mg TP. For all experiments, mean courtship rates and circulating T concentrations were measured, as well as female preference for males displaying different courtship frequencies. T concentrations and courtship rate were positively correlated for bucks and estrous females preferred high courting bucks. Males receiving 25mg and 100mg TP courted females at a similar rate, but both were significantly higher than courtship rates of the CON wethers. Courtship rates of the 25mg, 15mg and 5mg TP-treated males were all significantly different. Females did not show a preference between the 100mg or 25mg TP-treated wethers, however both were preferred in comparison to the CON wethers. Females did not show preference between the 25mg or 15mg TP-treated wethers, however both were preferred in comparison to the 5mg TP-treated wethers. Taken together, these studies suggest that courtship rate is T-dependent. Further, females can use courtship rate to distinguish among males.