甜高粱茎秆固态发酵制取燃料乙醇中试项目能耗分析

对以甜高粱茎秆为原料燃料乙醇中试项目的工艺进行了描述,对乙醇及副产品生产进行了能耗分析。该项目采用固态发酵工艺,乙醇转化率达到理论值的95.8%,并对剩余的茎秆渣进行综合利用,实现了余热回收利用,具有低排放的环保特性。项目年产无水乙醇1000t/a、发酵秸秆蛋白饲料1500t/a和秸秆纤维纸浆5000t/a。能耗分析表明,在考虑余热回收情况下,系统全年生产总能耗为4.31×106kW·h/a,无水乙醇的单位生产能耗为2759.67kW·h/t,蛋白饲料的单位生产能耗为36.86kW·h/t,秸秆纤维纸浆的单位生产能耗为298.41kW·h/t。无水乙醇生产工艺中回收余热量8.9×105kW·h/a。该系统中乙醇生产能量回收率为62.9%,高于以玉米等粮食原料生产乙醇的能量回收率。     

玉米秸秆纤维/聚乳酸复合材料的力学及降解性能研究

利用热压工艺制备得到了玉米秸秆纤维/聚乳酸复合材料,研究了玉米秸秆纤维的含量对复合材料力学及降解性能的影响。研究表明:随着玉米秸秆纤维含量的增加,复合材料的力学性能(拉伸强度、断裂伸长率)出现先增大后减小的变化趋势,在玉米秸秆纤维含量为10%时复合材料的断裂伸长率达到20.3%,复合材料的拉伸强度在玉米秸秆纤维含量13%时达到最大值24.38MPa;在降解120 d后,玉米秸秆纤维/聚乳酸复合材料的质量损失率变大,同时随着玉米秸秆纤维含量的增加,复合材料的质量损失逐渐变大,聚乳酸分子量的降低速度加快。     

华北平原地区玉米秸秆连续供应模型的建立及应用

为保证秸秆连续稳定的供应,提高秸秆资源利用率,该文建立了基于秸秆田间收集-秸秆集中存储-秸秆利用的连续供应模型,并以华北平原地区（山东肥城）为例,确定了秸秆收储站的选址与数量,并分析了田间收集、初级运输、收储站存储、次级运输和原料装卸等5个环节的成本和能耗。结果表明,收集肥城市10万t玉米秸秆应用点的最优选址地理坐标为（N116.741,E36.069）,运用层次分析法确定收储站的优化选址与数量,拟建立10个收储站,秸秆供应成本约为169.14元/t,其中,按秸秆供应环节分析,收集成本和运输成本占比较高,分别占总成本的55%和23%;按运行成本分析,秸秆收购成本、人工成本以及燃料动力费占比较高,分别占总成本的41.39%、30.14%、25.90%。秸秆供应总能耗为186 MJ/t,其中,运输和打捆环节燃油能耗较高,分别占总能耗的45%和34%。该文建立的秸秆供应模型,对指导中国不同地区建立合理的秸秆供应模型提供参考,为秸秆综合利用过程中的原料持续稳定供应,节约供应成本和能耗具有积极的指导意义。     

有机土配方与生姜产量品质的关系

采用二次饱和D-最优设计,研究了有机土配方对生姜生长的影响,建立了以基质玉米秸秆和速效氮磷钾含量为变量因子,生姜产量和品质分别为目标函数的二元二次数学模型。模型解析表明,玉米秸秆对生姜产量和品质的影响大于速效氮磷钾。在低水平条件下,生姜产量和品质均随着栽培基质中玉米秸秆及速效氮磷钾含量的增加而增加,当氮磷钾含量分别为2588和1468 mg/kg时,生姜产量和品质达到最高值,分别为75.98 t/hm2和88.17;当玉米秸秆含量为41.5%时,生姜产量最高,为82.50 t/hm2,之后,继续增加玉米秸杆和速效氮磷钾含量,则产量逐渐降低;但生姜品质则以玉米秸秆含量为50.0%时最优,为98.02。通过计算机模拟得出,本试验条件下,生姜优质高产有机土配方为:玉米秸秆含量35.6%~46.0%、速效氮磷钾的含量2238～3180 mg/kg。     

秸秆覆盖量对土壤温度和春玉米耗水规律及产量的影响

为研究秸秆覆盖在春玉米种植过程中的适用性,试验以不覆盖(CK)为对照,设置秸秆覆盖量为5t/hm~2(JF_1),7.5t/hm~2(JF_2),10t/hm~2(JF_3)和12.5t/hm~2(JF_4)共5个处理对比研究了不同处理对春玉米耗水规律、土壤温度、产量及水分利用效率的影响。结果表明:全生育期内,春玉米阶段耗水量呈现先增大后减小的趋势,棵间土壤蒸发量则与之呈现相反的变化趋势,且二者在拔节—抽雄吐丝期分别达到全生育期的峰值和最低值。随秸秆覆盖量的增加,棵间土壤蒸发量呈现减小趋势,且当秸秆覆盖量达到10t/hm~2时,对棵间土壤水分蒸发的抑制作用开始呈现减弱趋势。秸秆覆盖在低温时起到了增温效果,而高温时具有明显的降温效应,春玉米苗期至拔节期,处理JF_1,JF_2,JF_3和JF_4平均较CK高2.14℃,4.23℃,5.53℃和6.56℃;春玉米抽雄吐丝至灌浆期的高温季节,处理JF_1,JF_2,JF_3和JF_4平均较CK低0.89℃,1.70℃,2.70℃和3.06℃,为春玉米的正常生长提供了良好的土壤温度条件。随秸秆覆盖量的增加,土壤温度平均日变幅呈现减小趋势,且当秸秆覆盖量达到10t/hm~2时,各土层温度变化趋于稳定。秸秆覆盖显著提高了春玉米产量及水分利用效率,且当覆盖量达到10t/hm~2时增幅趋于稳定,此时处理JF_3产量和水分利用效率平均较处理CK高24.89%和39.42%。综合分析,该地区春玉米种植过程中秸秆覆盖量宜采用10t/hm~2。     

不同NaOH/球磨复合预处理对玉米秸秆酶解效果的影响

农作物秸秆的生物转化是木质纤维类生物质能源化利用的重要手段之一。为了探究室温条件下不同机械化学复合预处理对玉米秸秆酶解效果的影响，该研究以玉米秸秆为研究对象，以单独NaOH处理为对照，在不同NaOH质量分数（0、1%、2%和3%）条件下，分别进行了干法和湿法2种NaOH/球磨复合预处理。使用CellicCtec2（Novozymes，丹麦）进行了不同预处理玉米秸秆72 h酶解试验，系统表征了不同预处理玉米秸秆的粒径、结晶度、表面微观形貌、木质纤维组成和官能团变化，分析了不同预处理玉米秸秆理化性质对酶解影响及其相关性。结果表明：干法和湿法NaOH/球磨复合预处理均显著提高了玉米秸秆葡萄糖产率，且随NaOH质量分数增加（从1%提升至3%），不同NaOH/球磨复合预处理玉米秸秆葡萄糖产率显著提升（P＜0.01），当NaOH质量分数为3%时，其葡萄糖产率分别达到71.0%和73.1%。无论干法和湿法NaOH/球磨复合预处理，其酶解葡萄糖产率均与纤维素质量分数和平均粒径D50显著正相关（P＜0.01），与木质素质量分数显著负相关（P＜0.01）；干法NaOH/球磨复合预处理显著降低了玉米秸秆的结晶度，从而一定程度增强改善了玉米秸秆酶解葡萄糖产率。该研究为深入揭示和解析玉米秸秆机械化学复合预处理作用机理提供了数据支撑。     

玉米秸在亚/超临界乙醇-水中液化的初步研究

在间歇高压釜实验装置上，采用环境友好的溶剂(乙醇和水)在亚/超临界状态下对玉米秸秆进行液化反应，考察了乙醇摩尔含量对玉米秸秆在超/亚临界乙醇-水中萃取过程的影响，并对液化产物进行了初步分析。研究结果表明，随着乙醇摩尔分数的增加，玉米秸液化的转化率和萃取率呈现先增加后减少的趋势，在乙醇摩尔分数为0.09～0.35范围内，存在一个最优值。在本实验条件下，乙醇摩尔分数为0.21时，玉米秸秆的转化率和萃取率均达到最高值，分别为88.51%，52.52%。利用极性不同的有机溶剂对液化产物进行分离，得到有机水溶物，油溶物和残渣。结果表明，随着乙醇含量的增加，油溶物含量增大，有机水溶物含量减小。     

中国玉米秸秆草谷比及其资源时空分布特征

针对玉米秸秆资源量及时空区域分布不清等问题，该研究分析9个典型省的玉米秸秆草谷比差异性，并基于草谷比实测值，评价近10a中国玉米秸秆资源量的时空变化情况，预测玉米秸秆的资源潜力。研究结果表明，玉米秸秆草谷比实测值为（0.84±0.23），不同地区、不同品种草谷比差异显著，随着年份变化，玉米品种和种植方式在不断变化，草谷比逐年变小，从2009年1.2减小到2018年的0.84，估算2018年全国玉米秸秆理论资源量为2.16×108 t，比2009年仅增加3.9%。玉米秸秆东北和华北地区资源量最高，占50%以上，与2009年相比，东北、华北、西北地区资源量有所增加，华东、华中、西南、华南略有下降；单位面积玉米秸秆可收集资源量4.51 t/ha，比2009年增加23%，东北地区最高，其次华北、华东和西北地区，然后是华中和西南地区，华南地区最低。预测2025年玉米秸秆的理论资源量为(2.53±0.58)×108 t，可收集资源量为(1.86±0.51)×108 t。研究为全国各个地区的秸秆合理规划利用提供基本参考数据。     

甜高粱茎秆固态发酵制取燃料乙醇中试项目经济评价

对建立在中国山东省威海市的甜高粱茎秆固态发酵制燃料乙醇中试项目工艺进行了描述,采用成本效益法对该项目进行了技术经济评价。该项目采用固态发酵法,乙醇转化率达到理论值的95.8%,剩余酒糟渣再进行发酵,获得含粗蛋白8%左右的发酵蛋白饲料。成本效益分析表明,无水乙醇的生产成本为5033.8元/t,蛋白饲料的生产成本为101元/t。现金流分析表明,当社会折现率取10%时,项目的净现值为281.75万元,内部收益率为16.05%;益本比为0.953,动态投资回收期为9～10 a,项目具有一定的获利能力。敏感性分析表明,内部收益率对产品价格和运行成本变化的敏感性最高,对初始投资的敏感性较低,在现有规模和工艺条件下,该项目的市场风险主要来自产品价格。     

Mn2+和卵磷脂对以植物秸秆为原料发酵生产乙醇的影响

考察了不同浓度Mn2+和卵磷脂对以玉米秸秆水解糖为原料发酵生产乙醇的影响。结果表明,在酵母发酵培养基中同时添加0.6 mmol/L Mn2+和60 mg/L卵磷脂进行乙醇发酵,终点乙醇浓度可达15.46%(V/V),乙醇的得率达到49%。     

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.