夏季水冷式猪床的降温效果及其对母猪躺卧行为的影响

成年母猪夏季热应激问题一直是困扰现代养猪生产的一大技术难题。该研究利用猪场井水为自然冷源,开发一种水冷式母猪用降温猪床,试验研究不同舍内环境温度（以下简称舍温）条件下,小群饲养母猪的猪床降温效果和母猪对躺卧区域的选择行为。结果表明：舍温31.3℃、降温猪床进水温度21.5℃,猪床内的黑球温度较床外低2.7℃;试验组与对照组相比,母猪的皮肤温度和呼吸频率显著降低;舍温23～27℃,77%的猪选择在舍外运动场上躺卧,舍温在27～31℃时,有50%的猪躺卧在降温猪床内;舍温＞31℃时,选择在猪床内躺卧的比例达到75%。随着环境温度的升高,躺卧在降温猪床内猪的头数增多。该降温猪床可有效地减缓猪的热应激反应。     

保温灯变功率供暖对哺乳仔猪环境调控及节能效果

为探究保温灯温度自动控制对哺乳仔猪温度调控和节能效果,选用可控硅作为控制器的控制电路主体,以PID(proportional, integral and derivative)算法的单片机对保温灯进行变功率温度控制。选择北方地区某猪场2个产房单元(23头母猪、25个250 W保温灯/单元),对照单元恒定功率供暖,试验单元保温灯温度自动控制供暖。结果表明,试验期间,产房内平均温度为20.7℃,试验单元与对照单元保温灯正下方距离地面0.3 m高处日平均温度在仔猪出生后第1周均为27.4℃,第2周分别为27.2和27.5℃,第3周分别为26.8和27.4℃。试验单元和对照单元保温灯正下方实体地板表面温度的平均值范围分别为29.5～31.0和31.0～30.6℃,漏缝地板表面温度的平均值均为22.9～23.0℃。哺乳仔猪21日龄断奶每批次可节能25.4%,试验条件下,保温灯温度自动控制2个冬季可回收设备成本。试验单元和对照单元保温灯正下方、侧下方实体地板和漏缝地板仔猪躺卧比例分别为40.7%～66.5%、14.4%～33.4%和0.9%～8.7%。结合地暖供暖,在无仔猪保温箱情况下,保温灯温度自动控制系统基本满足哺乳仔猪21日龄内温度需求,不仅节能,而且有利于减少仔猪死亡率并提高日增质量。     

水冷式猪床冬季保温措施对妊娠母猪小群饲养的影响

为探讨在冬季低温条件下水冷式猪床保温措施对妊娠母猪小群饲养的影响,试验选用16头配种4周左右的母猪,随机分为对照组和试验组,每组各2圈栏,每圈栏4头。在试验组猪床单元两端设有门帘来提高猪床内环境温度,测试各组环境温度及观察母猪行为。结果表明:单个猪床单元内1头猪躺卧时,试验组单元内温度比对照组和舍内温度平均分别高3.2和6.9℃,当试验组和对照组舍内温度分别高于11和12℃,均未出现2头猪挤在1个单元内躺卧。试验组与对照组相比,母猪每天平均躺卧时间(18.6和17.8h)和饮水次数(18.5和23.3)差异显著(P<0.05),咬链次数(14.0和19.0)差异极显著(P<0.01)。对照组在猪床单元内排便和排尿分别占总次数的1.8%和12.1%,而试验组分别为0和3.2%。研究结果表明,猪床门帘可提高母猪躺卧区的局部温度和减少母猪的刻板行为。     

智能电子饲喂系统下猪采食时间对行为节律和生长的影响

为探究智能电子饲喂系统猪的采食行为分布,该研究分析了种猪性能测定站（Pig Performance Testing Station,PPTS）和母猪电子饲喂系统（Electronic Sow Feeding,ESF）中猪只采食次数、采食量、采食时长的昼夜分布,结果表明,智能电子饲喂系统在应用中由于猪只轮流采食普遍存在猪群夜间采食的现象,其中ESF使约1/4的猪仅在夜间采食,说明群体等级制度也是造成猪只采食时间紊乱的重要原因。进一步探究猪只采食时间对猪行为节律和生长的影响,选用26只香猪分别采用白天饲喂和夜间饲喂以模拟智能电子饲喂系统引起的采食时间变化,发现白天饲喂使生长猪采食量提高了135.68 g/d,但两组间日增质量没有显著差异。白天饲喂使生长猪主要在白天采食、饮水和蹭痒,夜间躺卧休息;而夜间饲喂使生长猪的采食行为主要集中在19:00喂料时刻和7:00昼夜交替时刻。白天饲喂分别提高了猪采食、饮水和躺卧行为时长44.28、14.22和61.95 min/d,降低了站立行为时长48.75 min/d、走动行为时长 57.40 min/d和蹭痒行为时长20.30 min/d,改善了猪只舒适性。因此,智能电子饲喂系统会破坏部分猪采食节律,增大猪个体生长差异,该研究为智能电子饲喂系统在生猪养殖中的应用提供参考。     

冬季暖床对断奶仔猪躺卧行为的影响

为了了解新型局部加热设施——暖床在断奶仔猪舍内的使用情况,本文通过测量挂帘与不挂帘暖床内外的温度和定时观察仔猪在暖床内外的躺卧情况,以分析暖床挂帘与否对仔猪躺卧行为的影响。试验结果表明,当舍内温度维持在13.0℃时,挂帘暖床和未挂帘暖床内部温度分别达到28.6℃和17.9℃;当舍内温度低于9.9℃,仔猪日龄小于48日龄时,超过98.9％仔猪选择挂帘暖床躺卧。随着仔猪日龄的增长,仔猪在挂帘暖床内躺卧比例由98.9％～83.3％下降到35.6％～54.1％,在未挂帘暖床内躺卧比例由15.3％上升到41.1％,表明冬季暖床可为仔猪提供良好的躺卧环境。     

太阳能猪舍地道通风方式对舍内热环境的影响

为了调控猪舍地面的温度及降低舍内相对湿度,该文的太阳能猪舍采用了地道通风方式。猪只一天之中70%以上的时间以躺卧休息为主,躺卧区的温度环境,尤其是地面的温度调控极为重要。该文以长春地区的猪舍为研究对象,利用附加阳光间吸收太阳辐射为猪床和猪舍提供热量。在通风道内正压通风、负压通风和无风机的不同工况下,对采用地道通风方式的太阳能猪舍进行试验研究。结果表明：在寒冷季节室外温度大约是?13℃,试验猪舍比对照猪舍的温度平均高3.0℃,相对湿度RH（relative humidity）平均降4%;在试验猪舍中,距离地道进风口2 m的地面,白天通风道正压通风比通风道无风机温度平均高0.7℃,比通风道负压通风的温度平均高1.5℃,晚上正压通风比无风机温度平均高1.1℃,比负压通风的温度平均高2.9℃;距离进风口1 m的地面,白天正压通风比无风机温度平均高3.6℃,比负压通风的温度平均高3.8℃;晚上正压通风比无风机温度平均高6.4℃,比负压通风的温度平均高6.9℃。因此,在太阳能猪舍采用地道通风方式对提高猪舍的地面温度,降低舍内相对湿度具有重要意义。     

猪排泄地点选择及其对圈栏污染程度的影响

该文论述了影响猪排泄地点的选择和圈栏内污染程度的各种环境(温度、湿度、光、气流速度、垫草)、设备布局(圈栏尺寸、形状、设备相对位置、隔栏方式)、管理(调教、喂料)等因素,并对评价圈栏内污染程度的方法进行探讨。旨在指导科学布置圈栏,将圈栏设计成长窄形,漏缝地板设在短向一侧;并尽量育成和育肥分开饲养,避免在育成阶段饲养面积偏大;通过工程手段实现漏缝地板处和躺卧区在温度和气流速度上的差异,以实现猪群在局部漏缝地板排泄。在生产管理中,避免饲养密度过大;通过通风系统控制圈栏内的温度以及空气污染;转群时进行调教,喂料有规律并对疾病进行及时诊断和治疗,都能降低圈栏污染程度,以实现真正意义的清洁生产。     

遮阳网性能与夏白菜的覆盖栽培技术研究

连续3个夏季在南京测试了不同覆盖方式和规格型号的遮阳网性能及其对夏白菜产量与品质的影响,结果表明:不同类型遮阳网的遮光率、透射光质、照度均不同。蒸散量减少率与遮光率基本同步。降温效应主要表现为地面最高温度,地上至地下各20cm范围和叶温均显著降低。在夏季最高气温超过35℃的晴热型气候下,地面最高气温上限达56.2C,下限41C,覆盖后平均降温9～13℃,最大降幅达19.9℃,夏白菜覆盖增产63％～435％(1992年);最高气温在30～35℃时,地面最高温度变幅为33.7～44.5℃。在冷夏多阴雨的1991和1993年,黑网覆盖的均减产,仅45％～50％遮光率的灰网大棚覆盖的增产;最高气温在25～30℃时,覆盖降温效应很弱。覆盖栽培的夏白菜外观商品性优于露地产品,但内涵营养品质均下降,硝酸盐积累量上升。如在采收前5天揭网处理,各项营养品质指标均赶上或超过露地的,硝酸盐含量也低于露地产品,故采前揭网是必不可少的栽培措施。     

空气源热泵用作北京保育猪舍地暖的供暖效果研究

中国"2+26"城市禁煤供暖,猪场迫切需要找到可以替代燃煤、满足供暖需求的供暖方式。为了解空气源热泵在猪舍地暖的供暖效果,选择北京猪舍,配置空气源热泵设备,进行供暖期间保育猪舍热环境效果试验。结果表明:试验期间,室外最低和最高温度分别为-11.0和12.1℃;在地暖供暖猪舍中,地面温度与供水温度、室外温度都呈正比例相关关系,与供暖距离呈反比例线性关系;在系统供水温度范围为30.0～41.0℃时,猪舍无猪单元距离分水器最近(24 m)测点和最远(60 m)测点地面温度为19.1～28.6℃;实际供水温度平均值较设定温度降低1.8～4.0℃;距离分水器最近(24 m)测点地面温度较实际系统供水温度下降8.3～13.1℃;距离分水器最远(60 m)测点较最近测点(24 m)地面温度下降0.5～1.8℃。无猪时,0.3 m高温度较地面温度降低5.0℃;距离地面0.3 m以上不同高度温度变化不明显。对于北京保育猪舍适宜采用空气源热泵地暖供暖,推荐蓄水罐设定温度宜为43～32℃,实际供水温度宜为40.6～29.9℃。     

奶牛卧床冷水管局部降温系统应用效果分析

为缓解奶牛热应激,该研究基于奶牛胸颈部热敏感区产热及散热理论,开发了一套卧床冷水管局部降温系统。该研究在自然通风牛舍,通过水管壁温与试验组卧床表面温度变化测试了系统性能,并通过试验组与对照组奶牛核心体温、呼吸频率、产奶量及躺卧行为的差异分析了系统的应用效果。试验期间,系统水管壁温的变化范围为18～22 ℃,进出水温差1.7 ℃;试验组卧床表面平均温度维持在21～23 ℃,比对照组显著降低2.1 ℃（P<0.01）。结果表明,卧床冷水管局部降温系统水管壁温与距进水口的管道长度呈线性正相关关系。当温湿指数（Temperature-Humidity Index, THI）达到72时,试验组奶牛核心体温比对照组降低0.3 ℃（P<0.01）,呼吸频率降低9次/min（P<0.01）,证明卧床冷水管局部降温系统可有效缓解奶牛热应激。该研究为牛舍环境局部降温及缓解奶牛热应激提供了方法支撑。     

低氮和干旱胁迫对富士和秦冠生长及氮素利用的影响

【目的】以富士（Fuji）、 秦冠（Qinguan）嫁接在平邑甜茶（Malus hupehensis Rehd.）上的当年生盆栽苗为试验材料,采用砂培方法,研究了缺氮胁迫和干旱对富士和秦冠生长情况、 光合参数、 植株各部位氮磷钾含量及氮素利用效率的影响,分析比较了低氮干旱条件下富士和秦冠生长及氮素利用的差异,以期为果树生产高效肥水利用提供理论指导。【方法】试验共设四个处理: 正常氮正常水（ZZ）、 低氮正常水（DZ）、 正常氮干旱（ZG）、 低氮干旱（DG）。氮素和水分均设置两个水平,分别为正常氮（6 mmol/L NO-3-N）、 低氮（0.3 mmol/LNO-3-N）、 正常供水（保持盆中砂子相对含水量为饱和含水量的80%~85%）、 干旱处理（保持盆中砂子相对含水量为饱和含水量的60%~65%）。【结果】富士和秦冠的生物量（茎和叶）、 株高茎粗等生长指标以及光合速率、 气孔导度、 蒸腾速率均为正常氮正常水（ZZ）＞低氮正常水（DZ）＞正常氮干旱（ZG）＞低氮干旱（DG）,并且相对应处理下秦冠的以上指标均高于富士;正常供水下,缺氮处理使富士、 秦冠的根冠比比正常氮处理均有所增加,富士提高了2.05%,秦冠提高了22.40%。富士和秦冠的氮、 磷、 钾含量均表现出正常氮正常水（ZZ）＞低氮正常水（DZ）＞正常氮干旱（ZG）＞低氮干旱（DG）; 氮、 钾元素含量在植株各部位的分布顺序依次是叶＞根＞茎,磷元素则是根＞叶＞茎;光合氮素利用效率（PNUE）和氮素利用效率表现为秦冠处理之间差异极显著,富士处理之间差异不显著;秦冠的PNUE和NUE明显高于富士,在低氮正常水（DZ）处理下,秦冠氮肥利用率比富士高42.07%,在低氮干旱（DG）处理下高64.14%;低氮胁迫下富士和秦冠的NUE显著提高,并且秦冠提高的幅度高于富士。【结论】施用氮肥能够显著提高富士与秦冠的干物质量,同等水肥条件下,秦冠生长优于富士;水分亏缺会减少叶片对氮的吸收,干旱条件下适度增施氮肥,可提高果树的抗旱能力;低氮干旱胁迫下秦冠的生长指标、 光合指标及氮素利用效率指标均优于富士,表现出较强的抗低氮干旱胁迫的能力。     

Pasture Vegetation Elemental Analysis by Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a new technique for the analysis of plant material. This study investigates the application of LIBS to pasture-based plant samples. The LIBS measurements were obtained from pelletized pasture samples (100 samples) that had been also analyzed by inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) following microwave digestion for calibration and comparison purposes. Comparisons for elements sodium (Na), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), boron (B), phosphorus (P), and sulfur (S) showed that LIBS could be used for almost all the standard profile total elements with concentrations down to low mg/kg levels (observed error of Na: 0.024 percent, K: 0.18 percent, Mg: 0.016 percent, Ca: 0.073 percent, P: 0.017 percent, Mn: 31 mg/kg, Fe: 150 mg/kg, Zn: 6.6 mg/kg, and B: 1.1 mg/kg). Elemental analysis at less than mg/kg levels was not possible using LIBS. The elements S and Cu were particularly difficult to analyze with reliability using LIBS at the concentration levels found in the plant samples. Replacing microwave digestion and subsequent ICP analysis with a direct analysis of dried plant samples using LIBS has the potential to improve the productivity and reduce the cost of testing.     

Faculty positions:Center for Agricultural Resources Research,Chinese Academy of Sciences

正The Center for Agricultural Resources Research(CARR),the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology(IGDB),Chinese Academy of Sciences,invites applicants for several research group leader positions.CARR is one of the research organizations in Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS).We seek nominations and applications from individuals who have expertise and a record of accomplishment in research areas related to ecology,agro-hydrology,     

Macroinvertebrates in North American tallgrass prairie soils: effects of fire, mowing, and fertilization on density and biomass

The responses of tallgrass prairie plant communities and ecosystem processes to fire and grazing are well characterized. However, responses of invertebrate consumer groups, and particularly soil-dwelling organisms, to these disturbances are not well known. At Konza Prairie Biological Station, we sampled soil macroinvertebrates in 1994 and 1999 as part of a long-term experiment designed to examine the effects and interactions of annual fire, mowing, and fertilization (N and P) on prairie soil communities and processes. For nearly all taxa, in both years, responses were characterized by significant treatment interactions, but some general patterns were evident. Introduced European earthworms (Aporrectodea spp. and Octolasion spp.) were most abundant in plots where fire was excluded, and the proportion of the total earthworm community consisting of introduced earthworms was greater in unburned, unmowed, and fertilized plots. Nymphs of two Cicada genera were collected (Cicadetta spp. and Tibicen spp.). Cicadetta nymphs were more abundant in burned plots, but mowing reduced their abundance. Tibicen nymphs were collected almost exclusively from unburned plots. Treatment effects on herbivorous beetle larvae (Scarabaeidae, Elateridae, and Curculionidae) were variable, but nutrient additions (N or P) usually resulted in greater densities, whereas mowing usually resulted in lower densities. Our results suggest that departures from historical disturbance regimes (i.e. frequent fire and grazing) may render soils more susceptible to increased numbers of European earthworms, and that interactions between fire, aboveground biomass removal, and vegetation responses affect the structure and composition of invertebrate communities in tallgrass prairie soils.     

Assessing the effectiveness of conservation measures: Resolving the “wicked” problem of the Steller sea lion

“Wicked” problems are those that are complex and that change when solutions are applied. Many conflicts in conservation fall into this category. The study approached the problem of how to constrain the apparent wickedness of a problem in the conservation management of a species by using simple empirical indicators to carry out iterative assessment of the risk to a population and to document how this risk evolves in relation to the addition of new data and the implementation of management actions. Effects of high levels of uncertainty within data and also concerning population structure were examined through stochastic simulation and by exploration of scenarios. Historical trends in the example used, the Steller sea lion, showed rapid declines in abundance in some regions during the 1980s. The current total population is 130,000-150,000 Steller sea lions through Alaska and British Columbia and this number has been stable since about 1990 in spite of regional differences in population dynamics. Regional differences in the sequence of changes in the number of pups and non-pups, suggested that an internal re-distribution of juveniles could have happened between 1980 and 1990. Current productivity also appears close to the long-term mean. Stochastic population projection using various scenarios showed that, based upon this history, the risk of extinction for the population has declined and is below reasonable thresholds for considering the population to be endangered. The trends in risk suggest that management actions taken since 1990 have probably been effective. Consequently, the conservation management objectives for the Steller sea lion are probably being met. The approach provides a mechanism, based upon experience and scenario analysis, for exploring future policy options and may help to constrain the debate amongst stakeholders about the cost-benefit trade-offs associated with different options.     

Soil-profile distribution of primary and secondary plant-available nutrients under conventional and no tillage

Nutrient distributions under no tillage (NT) compared with conventional disk-and-bed tillage (CT) management in the warm, humid region of the southeastern USA need to be assessed so that future placement, quantity, and type of fertilizers can be altered, if necessary, to efficiently match crop demands. We determined soil-profile distributions of pH, N, P, S, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu to a depth of 0.9 m at the end of 8.5 years of continuous CT and NT management on a Weswood silty clay loam (fine, mixed, thermic Fluventic Ustochrept) in southcentral Texas. Most dramatic changes occurred within the 0–0.05 m depth, where soil under NT had lower pH, Fe, and Cu than under CT, but greater P, K, Zn, and Mn. Greater P and K under NT than under CT also occurred below the till-zone (0.15–0.3 m). At a depth of 0–0.3 m, soil under NT contained greater amounts of extractable P, K, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu than under CT. Nitrogen fertilization had little effect on nutrient distributions, except resulting in greater extractable K at 0–0.05 m and greater nitrate at 0–0.15 m. Few changes in soil-profile distributions were observed for extractable S, Ca, Mg, and Na. Long-term continuous use of NT on this fine-textured, high-fertility (except for N) soil had no apparent adverse effects on nutrient distributions relative to CT, but enhanced conservation and availability of P, K, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu near the soil surface where crop roots proliferate.     

Variation in quality parameters between and within 14 Nordic tree fruit and berry species

Abstract

A 3-year study was carried out to investigate quality parameters in 14 tree fruit and berry species grown in southern Norway. The species were blueberry, apple, aronia, sour cherry, sweet cherry, red raspberry, strawberry, blackcurrant, gooseberry, red currant and elderberry, harvested along with wild bilberry, cloudberry and lingonberry. Significant differences between species were identified for all quality parameters. The coefficient of variation between species was lowest for pH (12.5%), dry matter (18.9%) and soluble solids (25.3%), followed by titratable acids (59.3%), total phenolics (83.8%), antioxidant capacity FRAP (85.7%) and antiradical power by the DPPH-assay (97.8%), total monomeric anthocyanins (132%) and ascorbic acid (137%). Average coefficient of variation within species were lower and ranged from 4 (pH) to 62% (ascorbic acid). Only the FRAP values were significantly affected by harvesting year with lower levels in 2004 than in 2005 and 2006. There were significant interactions between species and harvesting year for dry matter, soluble solids, pH, ascorbic acid and FRAP. The results indicate generic ranges in composition within species independent upon growing location and climate, and the composition of the tree fruits and berries is not likely to deviate from these ranges. It is concluded that desirable composition of tree fruits and berries and their products should primarily be achieved by selection among species rather than searching fors broadened variation within individual species.     

Potassium Fixation and Release Characteristics in Rhizosphere and Nonrhizosphere Soils for a Rapeseed–Rice Cropping Sequence

Potassium (K) fixation and release in soil are important factors in the long-term sustainability of a cropping system. Changes in K concentration and characteristics of K fixation and release in rhizosphere and nonrhizosphere soils in the rapeseed (Brassica napus L.)–rice (Oryza sativa L.) rotation were investigated using a rhizobox system. The concentrations of different forms of K in both rhizosphere and nonrhizosphere soils decreased with plants compared to without plants, regardless of K fertilizer application. Potassium uptake by crops mainly came from the rhizosphere soil. In the treatment without K fertilizer (–K), the main form of K supplied by the soil to the crops was 1.0 mol L^?1 nitric acid (HNO₃) nonextractable K, followed by nonexchangeable K, and then exchangeable K. In the treatment with K fertilizer (+K), the main K forms supplied by the soil to the crops were exchangeable K and nonexchangeable K. The amount and rate of K fixation after one cycle of the rapeseed–rice rotation was greater in rhizosphere soil than in nonrhizosphere soil. The amount and rate of K fixation of soil in the +K treatment were significantly less than in the –K treatment. The cumulative amounts of K released with 1.0 mol L^?1 ammonium acetate (NH₄OAc) and 1.0 mol L^?1 HNO₃ extraction increased with the increasing numbers of extractions, but the K-releasing power of soil by successive extraction decreased gradually and finally became almost constant. The release of K was less in rhizosphere soil than in nonrhizosphere soil. The release of K in the +K treatment was similar to that in the –K treatment in rhizosphere soil, but the K release in nonrhizosphere soil was greater with the +K than the –K treatment. Overall, the information obtained in this study will be helpful in formulating more precise K fertilizer recommendations for certain soils.     

Enhanced establishment and growth of giant cardon cactus in an eroded field in the Sonoran Desert using native legume trees as nurse plants aided by plant growth-promoting microorganisms and compost

To evaluate the feasibility of long-term desert reforestation technology of mixed vegetation, cardon cactus (Pachycereus pringlei) seedlings from indoor and outdoor nurseries were planted in the field adjacent to one seedling of potential legume nurse trees: mesquite amargo (Prosopis articulata), yellow palo verde (Parkinsonia microphylla), and blue palo verde (Parkinsonia florida). Some of the planting holes were also supplemented with common dairy compost. Additionally, the combinations of legume tree–cactus were inoculated with either a consortium of desert arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB; the diazotroph Azospirillum brasilense Cd, and the phosphate solubilizer Paenibacillus sp.), or a mixture of all. The field experiments were evaluated periodically during 30 months for survival and growth. Cardons reared in an outdoor screen house survived better in the field than those reared in a controlled growth chamber and hardened later outdoors. Association with any legume nurse tree increased survival and enhanced growth of untreated cardons. For cardons growing alone, application of either compost, AM fungi, and all the treatments combined increased survival. For these plants, no treatment affected plant growth during the first 3 months after transplanting. Later, all treatments, except for AM fungi, enhanced plant growth. However, only 2 years after transplanting the enhanced growth effect of AM fungi was also significant. In the presence of the legume nurse trees, transient positive effects on cardon growth were recorded. General evaluation after 30 months of cultivation showed that the treatments positively affected cardon growth when growing alone or in combination only with mesquite amargo but not with the other two legume trees. This study proposes that young legume trees have the capacity to enhance survival and growth of cardon cactus, depending on the legume cactus combination. Additional treatments such as compost or PGPB can either amplify the effect or else attenuate it.     

Karyotypic and genome size variation in Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. (pigeonpea) and some wild relatives

Detailed karyotypes and 4C DNA amounts have been studied in five cultivars of Cajanus cajan and 20 species belonging to Cajanus, Rhynchosia, Dunbaria, Flemingia and Paracalyx. C. cajan shows intraspecific variability and its karyotype is most similar to that of C. cajanifolius (sect. Cajanus) in the morphology and number of satellite chromosomes and the lack of any correlation between chromosome size within the complement and asymmetry. Karyotypes of C. lineatus and C. sericeus belonging to sect. Atylia are similar with respect to maximum r-index and the ratio of longest and shortest chromosomes in their respective complements. C. acutifolius (sect. Frutocosa) is distinct in having a very low ratio (1.44) between the longest and the shortest chromosomes, while in C. albicans, C. goensis, C. scarabaeoides (sect. Cantharospermum) there is no chromosome pair with r-index >2.0. C. mollis and C. volubilis (sect. Volubilis) show similarity with regard to ratio between the longest and the shortest chromosomes and a distinct chromosome pair with an arm ratio of 2.7 and C. platycarpus is distinct (sect. Rhynchosoides) in having the smallest ratio (1.36) between the longest and the shortest chromosomes. 4C DNA amounts in Cajanus and Rhynchosia vary between 3.28 pg to 11.69 pg and 4.92 pg to 11.13 pg respectively, while in Dunbaria, Flemingia and Paracalyx these vary between 4.70 and 7:06 pg. In the genus Cajanus karyotypic features and 4C DNA amounts agree with the sectional classification and bring out a close relationship between C. cajan and C. cajanifolius. This is supported by studies based on seed protein patterns, isozyme analysis, trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitor patterns, RFLP and RAPD data and crossability relationships. A clear relation between DNA amount and abnormalities effecting the extent of pairing and recombination in interspecific hybrids shows the importance of this study in developing future breeding programme involving C. cajan and its wild relatives that are of potential value.