Prácticas de Topografía con el Observatorio Robotizado Montegancedo

En el programa formativo del actual Ingeniero Técnico en Topografía está presente la Astronomía Geodésica o de Posición con el fin de que el futuro profesional conozca los elementos de astronomía necesarios para poder calcular coordenadas latitud y longitud de puntos sobre la superficie terrestre, así como el acimut de direcciones a otros puntos a partir de observaciones a las estrellas. Aunque los métodos astronómicos se van sustituyendo por los métodos por observaciones a satélites (GNSS), ciertos conocimientos astronómicos son necesarios para poder comprender tanto los sistemas de referencias celestes y terrestres, como las observaciones geodésicas y geofísicas. Dentro de este programa formativo juegan un papel fundamental la realización de prácticas en las que el alumno vea y desarrolle sus habilidades para calcular parámetros astronómicos, resultado de su propia observación. En la ETSI de Topografía se viene realizando prácticas de observación a la estrella polar, con el fin de calcular el acimut de una dirección. También observaciones al Sol con el mismo objetivo. La utilización de equipos ópticos clásicos en esta observación entraña cierto riesgo al colocar el ojo sobre el ocular cuando se tiene enfocado el Sol. En prevención de fatales accidentes estas observaciones al Sol fueron retiradas del programa formativo. Recientemente, y gracias a la utilización de un telescopio robotizado, el observatorio Montegancedo (http://om.fi.upm.es), y con registro de imágenes, se ha podido rescatar este tipo de prácticas de observaciones al Sol en la formación de los ingenieros técnicos topográficos (ITT) de la Escuela. Se muestran en este artículo los objetivos perseguidos en esta experiencia, los métodos y materiales utilizados para la misma así como una serie de impresiones finales que se han encontrado en la realización de estas experiencias prácticas.

Aplicación web para la realización de experimentos astronómicos del proyecto GLORIA en la plataforma Facebook

La Ciencia Ciudadana nace del resultado de involucrar en las investigaciones científicas a todo tipo de personas, las cuales pueden participar en un determinado experimento analizando o recopilando datos. No hace falta que tengan una formación científica para poder participar, es decir cualquiera puede contribuir con su granito de arena. La ciencia ciudadana se ha convertido en un elemento a tener en cuenta a la hora de realizar tareas científicas que requieren mucha dedicación, o que simplemente por el volumen de trabajo que estas implican, resulta casi imposible que puedan ser realizadas por una sola persona o un pequeño grupo de trabajo. El proyecto GLORIA (GLObal Robotic-telescopes Intelligent Array) es la primera red de telescopios robóticos del mundo de acceso libre que permite a los usuarios participar en la investigación astronómica mediante la observación con telescopios robóticos, y/o analizando los datos que otros usuarios han adquirido con GLORIA, o desde otras bases de datos de libre acceso. Con el objetivo de contribuir a esta iniciativa se ha propuesto crear una plataforma web que pasará a formar parte del Proyecto GLORIA, en la que se puedan realizar experimentos astronómicos. Con el objetivo de fomentar la ciencia y el aprendizaje colaborativo se propone construir una aplicación web que se ejecute en la plataforma Facebook. Los experimentos los proporciona la red de telescopios del proyecto GLORIA mediante servicios web y están definidos mediante XML. La aplicación web recibe el XML con la descripción del experimento, lo interpreta y lo representa en la plataforma Facebook para que los usuarios potenciales puedan realizar los experimentos. Los resultados de los experimentos realizados se envían a una base de datos de libre acceso que será gestionada por el proyecto GLORIA, para su posterior análisis por parte de expertos. ---ABSTRACT---The citizen’s science is born out of the result of involving all type of people in scientific investigations, in which, they can participate in a determined experiment analyzing or compiling data. There is no need to have a scientific training in order to participate, but, anyone could contribute doing one’s bit. The citizen’s science has become an element to take into account when carrying out scientific tasks that require a lot dedication, or that, for the volume of work that these involve, are nearly impossible to be carried out by one person or a small working group. The GLORIA Project (Global Robotic-Telescopes Intelligent Array) is the first network of free access robotic telescopes in the world that permits the users to participate in the astronomic investigation by means of observation with robotic telescopes, and/or analyzing data from other users that have obtained through GLORIA, or from other free-access databases. With the aim of contributing to this initiative, a web platform has been created and will be part of the GLORIA Project, in which astronomic experiments can be carried out. With the objective of promoting science and collaborative apprenticeship, a web application carried out in the FACEBOOK platform is to be built. The experiments are founded by the telescopes network of the GLORIA project by means of web services and are defined through XML. The web application receives the XML with the description of the experiment, interprets it and represents it in the FACEBOOK platform in order for potential users may perform the experiments. The results of the experiments carried out are sent to a free-access database that will be managed by the GLORIA Project for its analysis on the part of experts.

Optimización del Abonado Nitrogenado en el Melón (Cucumis Melo L.) Tipo Piel de Sapo

Spain is the fifth-largest producer of melon (Cucumis melo L.) and the second exporter in the world. To a national level, Castilla-La Mancha emphasize and, specifically, Ciudad Real, where is cultivated 27% of national area dedicated to this crop and 30% of melon national production. Melon crop is cultivating majority in Ciudad Real and it is mainly located in the Alto Guadiana, where the major aquifers of the region are located, the aquifer 23 or Mancha Occidental and the aquifer 24 or Campo de Montiel, both declared overexploited and vulnerable zones to nitrate pollution from agricultural sources. The problem is exacerbated because in this area, groundwater is the basic resource of supply to populations, and even often the only one. Given the importance of melon in the area, recent research has focused on the irrigation of melon crop. Unfortunately, scant information has been forthcoming on the effect of N fertilizer on melon piel de sapo crop, so it is very important to tackle in a serious study that lead to know the N requirements on the melon crop melon by reducing the risks of contamination by nitrate leaching without affecting productivity and crop quality. In fact, the recommended dose is often subjective and practice is a N overdose. In this situation, the taking of urgent measures to optimize the use of N fertilization is required. To do it, the effect of N in a melon crop, fertirrigated and on plastic mulch, was studied. The treatments consisted in different rates of N supply, considering N fertilizer and N content in irrigation water, so the treatment applied were: 30 (N30), 85 (N85), 112 (N112) and 139 (N139) Kg N ha-1 in 2005; 93 (N93), 243 (N243) and 393 (N393) kg ha-1 in 2006; and 11 (N11), 61 (N61), 95 (N95) and 148 (N148) kg ha-1 in 2007. A randomized complete-block design was used and each treatment was replicated four times. The results showed a significant effect of N on dry biomass and two patterns of growth were observed. On the one hand, a gradual increase in vegetative biomass of the plant, leaves and stem, with increasing N, and on the other hand, an increase of fruit biomass also with increasing N up to a maximum of biomass corresponding to the optimal dose determined in 90 kg ha-1 of N applied, corresponding to 160 kg ha-1 of N available for melon crop, since this optimum dose, the fruit biomass suffers a decline. A significant effect was observed in concentration and N uptake in leaf, steam, fruit and whole plant, increasing in all of them with increasing of N doses. Fast N uptake occurred from 30-35 to 70-80 days after transplanting, coinciding with the fruit development. The N had a clear influence on the melon yield, its components, skin thickness and flesh ratio. The melon yield increased, as the mean fruit weight and number of fruits per m2 with increasing N until achieve an above 95% of the maximum yield when the N applied is 90 kg ha-1 or 160 kg ha-1 of N available. When N exceeds the optimal amount, there is a decline in yield, reducing the mean fruit weight and number of fruits per square meter, and was also observed a decrease in fruit quality by increasing the skin thickness and decrease the flesh ratio, which means an increase in fruit hollowed with excessive N doses. There was a trend for all indexes of N use efficiency (NUE) to decline with increasing N rate. We observed two different behaviours in the calculation result of the NUE; on the one hand, all the efficiency indexes calculated with N applied and N available had an exponential trend, and on the other hand, all the efficiency indexes calculated with N uptake has a linear trend. The linear regression cuts the exponential curve, delimiting a range within which lies the optimum quantity of N. The N leaching as nitrates increased exponentially with the amount of N. The increase of N doses was affected on the N mineralization. There was a negative exponential effect of N available on the mineralization of this element that occurs in the soil during the growing season, calculated from the balances of this element. The study of N leaching for each N rate used, allowed to us to establish several environmental indices related to environmental risk that causes the use of such doses, a simple way for them to be included in the code of Best Management Practices.

Determination of the uptake and translocation of nitrogen applied at different growth stages of a melon crop (Cucumis melo L.) using 15N isotope.

In order to establish a rational nitrogen (N) fertilisation and reduce groundwater contamination, a clearer understanding of the N distribution through the growing season and its dynamics inside the plant is crucial. In two successive years, a melon crop (Cucumis melo L. cv. Sancho) was grown under field conditions to determine the uptake of N fertiliser, applied by means of fertigation at different stages of plant growth, and to follow the translocation of N in the plant using 15N-labelled N. In 2006, two experiments were carried out. In the first experiment, labelled 15N fertiliser was supplied at the female-bloom stage and in the second, at the end of fruit ripening. Labelled 15N fertiliser was made from 15NH415NO3 (10 at.% 15N) and 9.6 kg N ha−1 were applied in each experiment over 6 days (1.6 kg N ha−1 d−1). In 2007, the 15N treatment consisted of applying 20.4 kg N ha−1 as 15NH415NO3 (10 at.% 15N) in the middle of fruit growth, over 6 days (3.4 kg N ha−1 d−1). In addition, 93 and 95 kg N ha−1 were supplied daily by fertigation as ammonium nitrate in 2006 and 2007, respectively. The results obtained in 2006 suggest that the uptake of N derived from labelled fertiliser by the above-ground parts of the plants was not affected by the time of fertiliser application. At the female-flowering and fruit-ripening stages, the N content derived from 15N-labelled fertiliser was close to 0.435 g m−2 (about 45% of the N applied), while in the middle of fruit growth it was 1.45 g m−2 (71% of the N applied). The N application time affected the amount of N derived from labelled fertiliser that was translocated to the fruits. When the N was supplied later, the N translocation was lower, ranging between 54% at female flowering and 32% at the end of fruit ripening. Approximately 85% of the N translocated came from the leaf when the N was applied at female flowering or in the middle of fruit growth. This value decreased to 72% when the 15N application was at the end of fruit ripening. The ammonium nitrate became available to the plant between 2 and 2.5 weeks after its application. Although the leaf N uptake varied during the crop cycle, the N absorption rate in the whole plant was linear, suggesting that the melon crop could be fertilised with constant daily N amounts until 2–3 weeks before the last harvest.

Mapping and Introgression of QTL Involved in Fruit Shape Transgressive Segregation into 'Piel de Sapo' Melon (Cucumis melo L.)

A mapping F2 population from the cross ‘Piel de Sapo’ × PI124112 was selectively genotyped to study the genetic control of morphological fruit traits by QTL (Quantitative Trait Loci) analysis. Ten QTL were identified, five for FL (Fruit Length), two for FD (Fruit Diameter) and three for FS (Fruit Shape). At least one robust QTL per character was found, flqs8.1 (LOD = 16.85, R2 = 34%), fdqs12.1 (LOD = 3.47, R2 = 11%) and fsqs8.1 (LOD = 14.85, R2 = 41%). flqs2.1 and fsqs2.1 cosegregate with gene a (andromonoecious), responsible for flower sex determination and with pleiotropic effects on FS. They display a positive additive effect (a) value, so the PI124112 allele causes an increase in FL and FS, producing more elongated fruits. Conversely, the negative a value for flqs8.1 and fsqs8.1 indicates a decrease in FL and FS, what results in rounder fruits, even if PI124112 produces very elongated melons. This is explained by a significant epistatic interaction between fsqs2.1 and fsqs8.1, where the effects of the alleles at locus a are attenuated by the additive PI124112 allele at fsqs8.1. Roundest fruits are produced by homozygous for PI124112 at fsqs8.1 that do not carry any dominant A allele at locus a (PiPiaa). A significant interaction between fsqs8.1 and fsqs12.1 was also detected, with the alleles at fsqs12.1 producing more elongated fruits. fsqs8.1 seems to be allelic to QTL discovered in other populations where the exotic alleles produce elongated fruits. This model has been validated in assays with backcross lines along 3 years and ultimately obtaining a fsqs8.1-NIL (Near Isogenic Line) in ‘Piel de Sapo’ background which yields round melons.