May 2012
Adoption rate of sustainable agricultural practices: A focus on Malaysia’s vegetable sector for research implications
Sustainable agriculture practices (SAPs) have been widely promoted to improve the sustainability of agricultural systems. The promotion of SAPs is intended to encourage their voluntary adoption. Therefore, the development of sustainable agriculture can be understood through the adoption rate of recommended SAPs. However, little is known about the progress of sustainable agriculture, particularly in Asian countries. To...
May 2012
Types of aborted seed and quality evaluation of ‘Wuheli’ litchi (Litchi Chinensis Sonn.)
This study investigated types of aborted seed, embryo abortion period and fruit quality changes during the development process of ‘Wuheli’ litchi. ‘Wuheli’ litchi has four types of seeds: normal seeds, later aborted seeds, middle aborted seeds and early aborted seeds (similar to aborted ovules). The three types of abnormal seeds resulted from embryo abortion, whose pyrenes, similar to an aborted...
May 2012
Comparison of chemical composition of different transgenic insect-resistant cotton seeds using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)
The comparison of chemical composition of genetic modification (GM) crops to their conventional counterparts forms the basis of safety assessment process for GM crops. In this study, we used Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to detect the chemical and conformational changes between transgenic cotton seeds and their non-transgenic counterparts. The assignment of absorption bands and comparison in band areas...
May 2012
Effects of various tillage systems on soil CO2-C fluxes and on bacteria and fungi populations in Zea mays
The objective of this study is to determine the effects of strip tillage and full-width tillage treatments on soil carbon (IV) oxide-carbon (CO2-C) fluxes, bacterial and fungal populations in growing period of Zea mays. A row-crop rotary hoe with C type blades was used to create three strip widths by changing the connection of blades of the rotary hoe on the flanges. Strip widths were 22.5 (T30), 30 (T40) and 37.5...
May 2012
Impact of drained and un-drained soil conditions on water table depths, soil salinity and crop yields
The purpose of this study was to determine the comparison of salt accumulation in soil profile and crop yields under drained and un-drained conditions. Current field conditions were used to represent poorly drained conditions where drainage system was not installed yet. Simulations were performed to illustrate well drained condition using the water management simulation model while controlling soil...
May 2012
Phylogenetic differentiation of wild and cultured Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) populations based on phenotype and genotype analysis
Variation in phenotype based on morphometric character indices and meristic counts and in genotype based on random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) fingerprinting among different wild and cultured Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) populations were analyzed phylogenetically to study and compare the amount of differences in phenotype with the amount of differences in genotype and to help assess the degree of...
May 2012
Production of salinity tolerant tilapia through interspecific hybridization between Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and red tilapia (Oreochromis sp.)
The present work aims to produce a salinity tolerant fish through interspecific hybridization of Nile tilapia,Oreochromis niloticus × Red tilapia, Oreochromis sp. Growth performance, proximate body composition and feed utilization of the offspring produced of Nile tilapia, red tilapia and their diallelic interspecific hybridization under different salinity levels were evaluated and...
May 2012
Identification of critical source areas of soil erosion on moderate fine spatial scale in Loess Plateau in China
Critical Source Areas (CSAs) are considered as priority areas for soil conservation and it is essential to identify CSAs for effective watershed management. Soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) model is a useful tool in identifying CSAs. Previous studies that used SWAT for CSAs identification were almost carried out on the basis of sub-watershed level which was too coarse to capture spatial detail of soil erosion. This...
May 2012
A study on crop coefficients of jujube under drip-irrigation in Loess Plateau of China
Jujube, as a kind of drought-tolerant species with great economic value, is widely grown in Loess Plateau of China. The yield of jujube depends on irrigation, and crop coefficient is the basis for calculating the amount of irrigation. The experimental area was located in Mizhi experimental station in Loess Plateau of China. According to the meteorological data observed by automatic weather station of Mizhi experimental...
May 2012
Lateral-pipe layout design in fixed-pipeline sprinkler irrigation systems
The lateral pipes in traditional fixed-pipeline sprinkler irrigation systems are usually the terminal pipes and are configured in a single-pipe longitudinal arrangement without further branching. All of the sprinkler heads are evenly distributed along each branch. However, conventional systems have a high-density sprinkler lateral-pipe layout, which leads to increased costs for fixed pipeline sprinkler irrigation...
May 2012
Turnip rape yield and yield components response to different sowing dates under different irrigation regimes
Water stress is the most important factor limiting crops production in the world. Water stress effect could be modified in different ways such as choosing the most appropriate sowing date. To assess the effect of sowing date on yield and yield components of turnip rape (Brassica campestris L.-cv. Goldrush) under different irrigation regimes, a field experiment was...
May 2012
Molecular cloning, in silico chromosome location and expression analysis of gamma-tocopherol methyltransferase gene in common wheat
Tocopherols, known collectively as vitamin E, are micronutrients with antioxidant properties synthesized only by photosynthetic organisms that play important roles in human and animal nutrition. The enzyme gamma-tocopherol methyltransferase (γ-TMT) converts δ- and γ-tocopherol to β- and α-tocopherol, which is a committed step to elevate vitamin E activity and nutrition value. Here, we...
May 2012
Effects of exogenous jasmonates on free amino acid contents in needles of Larix olgensis seedlings
Jasmonates (JAs) are plant signal compounds and can induce many biochemical responses. In the current study, the effects of three concentrations of exogenous JAs plus control on the free amino acid (FAA) contentsin needles of Larix olgensis Herry seedlings were investigated. Our results showed that the proportions of nineessential FAAs...
May 2012
Nutritive evaluation and acceptability of two aquatic weeds (Eichhornia crassipes and Acroceras zizanioides) by West African dwarf goats
Aquatic weeds are plants which grow and reproduce in rivers, streams, brooks, swamps and dams without agronomic care. They have potentials as forage for ruminants. The chemical composition, forage acceptability, secondary metabolites and N- balance of Eichhornia crassipes (EC) and Acroceras zizanioides (AZ) were studied using West African Dwarf goats. The effect of rainy and dry seasons in EC was not...
May 2012
Taro corm quality in response to planting date and post-harvest storage: I. Starch content and reducing sugars
The effect of four planting dates (October, November, December and January) and three fertilizer application rates (0, 160 and 320 kg ha-1 of nitrogen) on starch and reducing sugar content was investigated for three taro landraces (Dumbe-dumbe, MgingqeniandPitshi) from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, which were produced at two sites, Ukulinga and Umbumbulu. The effect of two storage temperatures (12°C and...
May 2012
Leaf trait patterns of monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest in relation to growth form
Recent studies into the interrelationships of plant traits have generated important insights into plant form and function. However, knowledge of the relationships between leaf area, leaf shape and plant height remains poorly resolved. We explored the relationships between leaf traits by testing differences in leaf area (LA), specific leaf area, specific leaf weight, leaf nitrogen content, leaf phosphorus content (leaf...
May 2012
Morphological properties and chemical compositions of some sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) populations cultivated in Kilis, Turkey
In this study, the morphological and biochemical properties of local sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) populations which are widely cultivated in Kilis and its districts, collected from 12 different fields were determined. Sesame oil content and protein content varied between 25.59 to 35.23% and 19.81 to 24.45%, respectively. Main components of seed fatty acids were found to be...
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