Watering System Research Articles

Variation in Elemental Content of Lettuce Grown under Base-line Conditions in Five Controlled-environment Facilities1

Abstract An interlaboratory comparison was made of the variation in elemental concentration of leaf lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Grand Rapids) plants grown under base-line conditions for 28 days in 5 controlled-environment facilities. Two studies were conducted by each of 5 investigators using a sphagnum peat-vermiculite mix obtained from a common source. Plant tissue from all studies was collected and analyzed at 1 laboratory for 10 essential elements (P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, B, Zn, Cu, Mo) and 10 non-essential elements (Al, Si, Ti, Sr, Ba, Na, Pb, V, Li, and Sn) by arc emission spectrography. The 10 essential elements occurred at concentrations adequate for normal lettuce growth. Tissue analysis data showed large differences in elemental concentration among experiments conducted by the same investigator as well as by different investigators suggesting inadvertent contamination of the leaf samples by the rooting media or contamination of the watering system in each controlled-environment facility. These differences, however, had no observable effect on vegetative growth. Based on a nested analysis on variance, 95% of the elements showed significant plant to plant differences in concentration. However, based on an analysis of variance components, the greatest source of variation was found among investigators.

Performance of Broilers on Different Types of Water Equipment

Four experiments were conducted comparing Plasson2 plastic hanging fountains and Hart cups. Five C-9N Hart cups per 150 broilers were compared to one Plasson fountain per 150 mixed broilers in Experiment 1. Broilers in the pens equipped with the Plasson fountain were significantly heavier (P<.05) at 8 weeks of age than the broilers in the pens equipped with the Hart cups with body weights of 1916 and 1883 g, respectively. In Experiment 2, one Plasson fountain or three C-9N Hart cups were used in pens of sexed broilers with 90 males or 112 females. No differences in body weight were found between the watering systems at 5, 6, and 7 weeks of age; however, at 8, 9, and 10 weeks of age the broilers reared on the Hart cups were significantly heavier (P<.05) than the broilers reared on the Plasson fountains with body weights of 1696, 1884, and 2115 and 1649, 1826, and 2088 g, respectively. In Experiment 3, with 136 mixed sex broilers per pen, no significant difference (P>.05) in 8-week body weight was found between one Plasson fountain or three C-9N Hart cups per pen with body weights of 1928 and 1913 g, respectively. No significant difference (P>.05) was found for 8-week body weight in Experiment 4 when one Plasson fountain or two C-9X Hart cups per pen of 75 male broilers were used with body weights of 2236 and 2222 g, respectively. No differences (P>.05) were found in any of the experiments due to type of waterer for feed efficiency or mortality. Litter in the first three experiments was higher in moisture content under the Hart cups than under the Plasson fountains.

Application of a flexible‐film isolator for rearing specific pathogen‐free chickens and investigating poultry pathogens

A commercially-available flexible-film isolator kit was adapted for rearing specific pathogen free poultry and for carrying out experiments with avian pathogens. By increasing the standard air hose diameter from 32 mm to 75 mm and incorporating large metal filter canisters in place of the standard plastic filter sleeves, air flow rates were increased up to 8-fold. These changes allowed a greater number of birds to be maintained for longer periods without the previous problems of condensation of water vapour on the inside surfaces of the isolator. Fibreglass mat filters were shown to be efficient in retaining Newcastle disease virus when challenged by aerosol produced experimentally. Cross-contamination by virus infections between adjacent isolators was prevented for at least 12 weeks. The use of air-tight seals between the isolator canopy and structural components, air-tight feeder and light supports, an automatic watering system and facilities to improve portability are described. The adaptations resulted in an isolator which was efficient to use and maintain.

The microbiology of a new recirculatory automatic watering system compared with a conventional automatic system.

Continual recirculation and filtration of drinking water prevents the contamination that often mars automatic watering systems by removing algae and fluorescent pseudomonads. Without filtration and recirculation, the algae were clearly visible after 40 days use, and the fluorescent pseudomonad count rose from 10(1) to 10(5) per ml after 72 h use.

A new guinea-pig watering system.

Automatic drinking valves were mounted outside solid-flour cages, the guinea-pigs gaining access to them through holes in the cage walls. The animals were thus provided with a constant supply of clean water without the danger of their cages being flooded.

A new form of automatic watering system for laboratory animals.

During a 2 1/2 year trial of this new system no algal or bacterial build-up occurred, and filters were changed only at infrequent intervals. Among the labour-saving advantages of it is that cleaning of the system can be done when cage racks are changed, normally monthly.

The effect of atmospheric humidity on the yield and quality of soya bean

Soya bean plants (cv. Lee) were grown at high and low atmospheric humiditiees in controlled environments. A constant level watering system ensured an adequate supply of water at all times. Bean yields decreased at the low humidity as a result of a reduction m pod number and thus bean number, which was only partly compensated by a small increase In bean weight The reduction In pod number was related to floret abortion rather than pod abortion, and was possibly a consequence of reduced photosynthate supply. The level of humidity did not affect the protein or oil content of the seed. The lower humidity also reduced the dry weights of stems and total tops and the number of nodes per plant. The humidity level before or after flowering alone did not affect bean yield, but the humidity from the start of flowering onwards did affect the number of beans per plant. The possible significance of the results for soya bean production In the Australian environment is considered.

Testkammerverfahren zum nachweis phytotoxischer immissionskomponenten

To identify the presence of phytotoxicants in the air, particularly in areas with several pollutants, portable exposure chambers have been developed in which plants are exposed to filtered and unfiltered air. These chambers consist of a plexiglass cap covering the plants to be exposed and a box below containing air filter, blower, and watering system. An experimental unit includes at least two such chambers. Ambient air is passed directly through the test chamber, whereas it is filtered before entering the control chamber in order to remove any phytotoxicants present. By comparing plant reactions in both chambers, effects of pollutants can be accurately identified. Individual pollutants are identified by using special filtering systems and with combinations of indicator plants with differing resistance. A filter material coated with silver and silver-oxide is used to remove the most important pollutants, SO 2, HF and HCl. Leaf injuries on the tobacco variety BEL W 3, which is very sensitive to oxidants, can be prevented by using this filter material. These exposure chambers can be used to carry out fumigation experiments both in the field and in climatic chambers as well as to test pesticides.

Effects of Nipple and Trough Watering Systems on Broiler Performance

WATER represents a major part of the nutrient intake of poultry. The vital role of water is indicated by the observation that the body can lose practically all of its fat and over one-half of its protein while the loss of one-tenth of its water results in serious physical disorders. (Maynard, 1951; and Kellerup et at., 1965).Feed wastage may be markedly influenced by the form of the feed and the type of waterer. Feed wastage of approximately ¼ gram per bird per day was recovered from the drinking water of birds fed finely ground feed, while a negligible amount was recovered when birds were fed pellets (Eley and Hoffman, 1949). The wastage of mash was reduced by the use of dew-drop waterers to approximately 1/10th to 1/20th of that obtained with trough and pan waterers, respectively (Weiss, 1960).The dew-drop waterer is similar to the more recently accepted nipple…

Performance of Laying Hens Maintained in Colony Cages under Low Intensity “Panelescent Tape-Lites”

This investigation was undertaken to determine the effects of red, blue, green and white phosphor “Panelescent tape-lites” on egg production, feed consumption, body weight and incidence of feather pulling of laying hens maintained in colony cages.PROCEDURECage reared White Leghorn Strain Cross hens were maintained in an environmentally controlled windowless facility divided into eight light proof rooms. Each room contained two 106.7 X 121.0 cm. colony cages. At 26 weeks of age, hens reared under incandescent light, were randomly assigned to cages of fourteen hens each. One “Panelescent tape-lite” 213 cm. in length, utilizing 0.33 watts of electricity per 30.5 cm. was placed in each.pen over the colony cages in such a manner as to illuminate the “Peck-a-Drink” watering system. Two replicates of each of the following colored tapes were used; red, green, blue, and white. Intensity was measured at 2.1 lux 5 cm. below the light source, thus,…

An Evaluation of Feed Lost in the Drinking Water: Comparison Among Management Systems and Individual Birds

ROUTINE observation shows that chickens normally transfer variable but often considerable quantities of feed to the drinking water, where such feed is generally discarded in the cleaning operation. This paper attempts to quantify such feed wastage under several different combinations of feeding, watering, and bird-handling systems. Included are data on wastage patterns of individual birds in relationship to feed and water intake.PROCEDUREAll data in this report are based on one group of 10 W. L. pullets, housed in individual cages (12 in. × 16 in. × 18 in.) of a commercial, multitiered laying battery. At the start of the study the birds were laying between 60–70%. They were alternately exposed to various combinations of management conditions, designed to simulate commercial operations, as follows:1. Feeding Systems: All mash or all pellet-laying rations, replenished daily either in individual-bird-feeders or multibird-hoppers mounted in front of the cage. The feeding …

The Effect of Soil Water Movement vs. Phosphate Diffusion On Growth and Phosphorus Content of Corn and Soybeans

AbstractThe effect of soil water movement vs. phosphate diffusion on plant growth and composition was studied by soil‐sand dilution and continuous movement of the soil solution by recirculation. Yield, percent P, and P uptake of corn and soybeans remained approximately constant at soil‐sand dilutions up to 1:1.1 by volume, but decreased at greater dilutions in both the recirculated and noncirculated (normal watering) systems. Recirculation increased yield and percent P of corn and soybeans. These increases were attributed partly to the sampling of a larger soil volume for replenishment of the soil solution. The diffusion process alone was unable to renew P at the root surface as fast as the observed uptake rate. Soil water movement probably accounts for a much greater transfer of P to the root surface than diffusion.

Heating Poultry Drinking Water Electrically Heating Poultry Watering Systems by Different Methods Tested for Economy of Operation

Abstract not Available – first paragraph follows: Tests on three methods of heating poultry watering systems electrically indicated that it was most economical to run the heating cable through the water pipe.

SOME EFFECTS OF PHOSPHORUS ON THE DEVELOPMENT, THE B VITAMIN CONTENT, AND THE INORGANIC COMPOSITION OF OATS

ganic ions on the content of plant tissue. The principal constituents which have been studied to date include carotene, ascorbic acid, and the inorganic ions. Of the work done on the effects of major elements, the main emphasis has been on the study of plant tissue grown in nutrient solutions completely devoid of one element with very little work done on the effect of high and low concentrations of specific inorganic ions. Recently a number of articles have been published suggesting a relationship between the fertility of soils and human and animal nutrition. Before any positive conclusions are justified as to the mechanism of this relation, a comprehensive study of the effect of varying concentrations of inorganic ions (available to the plant) on the nutritive content of plants will be necessary. The work described in the present paper was designed to study the effect of high and low concentrations of phosphorus on the folie acid, biotin, niacin, calcium pantothenate, and inorganic content of oats. Experimental procedure Wintok Oats no. CI-3424 from the Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station were the plants used in this study. The seeds were germinated in flats containing pure quartz sand which had been previously leached with hydorchloric acid and washed with distilled water. The seeds were planted in flats, then watered with distilled water. When 11 days old the seedlings were transplanted into pure quartz sand in four-inch glazed soil jars, and the different treatments were watered with their respective nutrient solutions. The following watering systems was used: Approximately 100 ml. of nutrient solution was introduced into each pot every day. Every fourth day the pots were flushed with distilled water to prevent undue salt accumulation. There were ten pots to each treatment with two plants per pot. The compositions of the nutrient solutions were based on Solution 1, Method B, of Hoagland and Arnon (6) and are listed in table I. The nutrient solu

A Watering System for Culture Vessels

A Watering System for Culture Vessels