Crescimento de Mentha piperita L, cultivada em solução nutritiva com diferentes doses de potássio

The research aimed at the evaluation of the influence of different potassium doses on the growth and development of Mentha piperita L. The experiment was conducted with stalks rooted in a commercial substrate and transplanted to a complete nutritive solution varying the treatments as following: (a) 234 mg L-1 of K; (b) 117 mg L-1 of K; and (c) 58.5 mg L-1 of K. Plants were evaluated at 21, 42, 63, 84 and 105 days after transplanting (DAT). In this study there were determined the physiological indexes leaf area ratio (LAR), specific leaf area (SLA), net assimilatory rate (NAR) and relative growth rate (RGR) were determined. The results indicated that the decreasing of K concentration to 25% did not affect the LAR, SLA, NAR and RGR physiological indexes.

Análise de crescimento em clones de eucalipto submetidos a estresse hídrico

The aim of this study was to evaluate Eucaliptus grandis genotypes (Clones 105 and 433) in relation to drought tolerance, through growth plant analysis. Black PVC pots with 10 liter volume were used for cultivate plants in polyethilene greenhouse oriented east/west. Completely randonmized design with four treatments was used: two clones and two minimum soil water potentials (- 0.03 and -1,5 MPa) and sixteen replicates. Pots were weighed daily in order to evaluate water content and characteristic soli water curve was determined. Plant development was obtained each 15 days from planting until 60 days through total dry matter (DM), leaf area index (LAI), leaf area ratio (LAR), net assimilative ratio (NAR), specific leaf area (SLA), relative growth ratio (RGR) and absolute growth ratio (AGR). Results showed that clone 105 presented less sensibility to water deficit, which qualify it as genetic material for use under dry soil conditons. On the other hand, both clones had similar behavior with no water restrictions.

Developmental and growth controls of tillering and water-soluble carbohydrate accumulation in contrasting wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes: can we dissect them?

In wheat, tillering and water-soluble carbohydrates (WSCs) in the stem are potential traits for adaptation to different environments and are of interest as targets for selective breeding. This study investigated the observation that a high stem WSC concentration (WSCc) is often related to low tillering. The proposition tested was that stem WSC accumulation is plant density dependent and could be an emergent property of tillering, whether driven by genotype or by environment. A small subset of recombinant inbred lines (RILs) contrasting for tillering was grown at different plant densities or on different sowing dates in multiple field experiments. Both tillering and WSCc were highly influenced by the environment, with a smaller, distinct genotypic component; the genotypeenvironment range covered 350750 stems m(2) and 25210mg g(1) WSCc. Stem WSCc was inversely related to stem number m(2), but genotypic rankings for stem WSCc persisted when RILs were compared at similar stem density. Low tilleringhigh WSCc RILs had similar leaf area index, larger individual leaves, and stems with larger internode cross-section and wall area when compared with high tilleringlow WSCc RILs. The maximum number of stems per plant was positively associated with growth and relative growth rate per plant, tillering rate and duration, and also, in some treatments, with leaf appearance rate and final leaf number. A common threshold of the red:far red ratio (0.390.44; standard error of the difference0.055) coincided with the maximum stem number per plant across genotypes and plant densities, and could be effectively used in crop simulation modelling as a ocut-off' rule for tillering. The relationship between tillering, WSCc, and their component traits, as well as the possible implications for crop simulation and breeding, is discussed.

Synthesis of ZnO nanorods on a flexible Phynox alloy substrate: influence of growth temperature on their properties

A novel flexible alloy substrate (Phynox, 50 mm thick) was used for the synthesis of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods via a low-temperature solution growth method. The growth of ZnO nanorods was observed over a low temperature range of 60-90 degrees C for a growth duration of 4 hours. The as-synthesized nanorods were characterized using field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) for their morphology, crystallinity, microstructure and composition. The as-grown ZnO nanorods were observed to be relatively vertical to the substrate. However, the morphology of the ZnO nanorods in terms of their length, diameter and aspect ratio was found to vary with the growth temperature. The morphological variation was mainly due to the effects of the various relative growth rates observed at the different growth temperatures. The growth temperature influenced ZnO nanorods were also analyzed for their wetting (either hydrophobic or hydrophilic) properties. After carrying out multiple wetting behaviour analyses, it has been found that the as-synthesized ZnO nanorods are hydrophobic in nature. The ZnO nanorods have potential application possibilities in self-cleaning devices, sensors and actuators as well as energy harvesters such as nanogenerators.

Comparative effect of Pediococcus acidilactici and Lactococcus lactis on growth performance, survival and enzyme activity of western white leg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

This study was done in Shahid Kiani Marine Aquaculture Development Center, Choebde, Abadan in order to evaluate the effects of Pediiococcus acidilactici, Lactococcus lactis and vitamin C on growth performance, survival, enzymatic activities and immune responses of L. vannamei during three months. Treatments were included control group, Pediiococcus and Lactococcus treatments which fed with diet containing 1×10P9P cfu gP_1P bacteria and vitamin C. At the end of the experiment, the growth factors, immune parameters, digestive enzymes, intestinal, histology of intestine, carcasses and microbial flora (bacterial total count and lactic acid count) were evaluated. The results indicated that administration of lactobacillus had significant effects on the growth factors as the highest weight, increase specific growth rate, relative growth rate, feed conversion ratio and protein efficiency in the shrimps received pediococcus and then Lactococcus (P<0.05). The best immune function was also observed in the shrimps fed by probiotics, so that proteins and hemoglobin̛ hemolymph, phenoloxidase activity and challenged with V. parahaemolyticus showed a statistical difference comparing to the control group and the group received vitamin C (P<0.05). Some digestive enzymes, in pediococcus treatment showed a significant increase when compared to other treatments (P<0.05). Significant changes in bacterial intestinal flora were observed in probiotic groups compared with control and vitamin C groups (P < 0.05). Histological results showed the positive effects of probiotics in the gut (P < 0.05). While these supplements cannot caused to significant impacts on the shrimp carcass composition (P ˃ 0.05). As a result pediococcus group had the best performance among treatments.

Phosphine-Free Synthesis of High-Quality CdSe Nanocrystals in Noncoordination Solvents: "Activating Agent" and "Nucleating Agent" Controlled Nucleation and Growth

CdSe nanocrystals (NCs) are prepared in noncoordination solvents (1-octadecene (ODE) and paraffin liquid) with Ion g-chain primary alkylamine as the sole ligand, ODE-Se, and cadmium fatty acid salt as precursors. The obtained NCs meet the four fundamental parameters for high-quality NCs: high crystallinity, narrow size distribution, moderate photoluminescence quantum yield, and broad range size tunableness. Further, by simply regulating the relative molar ratio of alkylamine to cadmium precursor, the regular sized "nuclei" and final obtained NCs can be produced predictably within a certain size range.

Differences in growth and nitrogen productivity between a stay-green genotype and a wild-type of Lolium perenne under limiting relative addition rates of nitrate supply

James Macduff, Neil Raistrick and Mervyn Humphreys (2002). Differences in growth and nitrogen productivity between a stay-green genotype and a wild-type of Lolium perenne under limiting relative addition rates of nitrate supply. Physiologia Plantarum, 116 (1), 52-61. Sponsorship: BBSRC RAE2008

Legume rotation effects on early growth and rhizosphere microbiology of sorghum in West African soils

Cereal yield increases in legume rotations on west African soils were the subject of much recent research aiming at the development of more productive cropping systems for the mainly subsistence-oriented agriculture in this region. However, little has been done to elucidate the possible contribution of soil microbiological factors to these rotation effects. Therefore a pot trial was conducted using legume rotation and continuous cereal soils each from one site in Burkina Faso and two sites in Togo where cropping system experiments had been conducted over 4 yrs. All soils were planted with seedlings of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench). From 21 days after sowing onwards relative growth rates in rotation soils were higher than in the continuous cereal soils, resulting in between 69 and 500% higher shoot dry matter of rotation sorghum compared to sorghum growing in continuous cereal soils. Across sites rotation soils were characterized by higher pH, higher microbial N and a lower microbial biomass C/N ratio and, with the exception of one site, a higher fungal biomass in the rhizosphere. The bacterial and eukaryal community structure in the soil, assessed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), differed between sites. However, only at one site differed the bacterial and the eukaryal community structure in the rotation soil significantly from that in the continuous cereal soil. Although the results of this study confirmed the marked plantgrowth differences between sub-Saharan legume-rotation soils and their continuous cereal counterparts they also showed the difficulties to differentiate possible microbiological causes from their effects.

Growth and yield analysis in different methods of beet (Cv. 'tall top early wonder') plantation

This objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different methods of red beet seedling production and direct sowing on the development of the plant in field conditions. 'Tall Top Early Wonder' was used as the cultivar. The experimental design was a randomized blocks with 4 replications of each treatment: T1 - seedling produced in trays of 288 cells; T2 - 200 cells; T3 - 128 cells; T4 - 128 cells; T5 - direct sowing and T6 - bare-root seedling. The seedlings produced in trays and bare root seedlings were transplanted in the field 28 DAS with spacing of 0.20 x 0.10m. The mean height of plants, leaf area, leaf dry matter, petiole dry matter, shoot dry matter, root dry matter, relationship between shoot dry matter and root dry matter, absolute growth rate, relative growth rate, net assimilation rate, leaf area ratio and specific leaf area were determined. Storage root fresh matter and mean storage root diameter were determined starting from 77 DAS. Initial growth of the plants were superior for the direct sowing, resulting in smaller RGR and NAR than the other treatments. Independent of the production method, an increase of the cycle of the crop was verified. T6 had larger delay in the initial development. There was no difference for productivity. Method T1, had less expenses with respect to substrate and space in the vegetation home, without reduction in production.

Copper oxychloride fungicide and its effect on growth and oxidative stress of potato plants

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Growth of the crabgrass species Digitaria ciliaris and Digitaria nuda

The aim of this research paper was to compare the growth of D. ciliaris and D. nuda crabgrass species under non-competitive conditions. To this end, two experiments were conducted, one from March - July 2010 and the other from February - June 2011. The experimental design of both trials was completely randomized making a factorial (2 seasons x 2 species crabgrass x 12 evaluation periods) with four replications. Assessments began at 15 days after sowing (DAS), and repeated weekly until 92 DAS. The variables evaluated were total dry matter (roots+leaves+stems), leaf area, leaf number and tiller. The results were submitted to analysis of variance and the absolute growth rate, relative growth rate and leaf area ratio were calculated using the means, which were adjusted regression models. The crabgrass species were significantly different in leaf area, leaf number, tiller number and dry matter per plant. D. ciliaris for all variables was statistically higher than D. nuda. Regarding the speed at which the growth of the species occurred, the absolute growth rate and relative growth rate of D. ciliaris was also greater than D. nuda. In addition, D. ciliaris also had a lower leaf area ratio indicating greater efficiency in converting light energy into carbohydrates. It can be concluded that D. ciliaris has a higher growth rate in conditions where there is no limitation of nutrients and water availability in relation to D. nuda, mainly due to D. ciliaris have greater leaf area, number of leaves and dry matter accumulation per plant.

Influence of fertilization on the growth of radicchio "Rosso di Chioggia" cultivated in two different environments

Este trabajo evalúa la influencia de la fertilización en radicchio tipo "Rosso de Chioggia" (precocidad media) sobre algunos índices de crecimiento. Se realizaron ensayos durante dos campañas en Rovigo (Italia) y una en Mendoza (Argentina), aplicándose dosis crecientes de NPK, identificadas como N0P0K0, N1P1K1, N2P2K2, en Mendoza y en Rovigo, además, N3P2K2. Durante el cultivo se calcularon índices de crecimiento como: relative growth rate (RGR), net assimilation rate (NAR), leaf area ratio (LAR), specific leaf area (SLA), leaf weigh ratio (LWR), crop growth ratio (CGR), leaf area index (LAI) and leaf area duration (LAD). En Mendoza, el CGR estuvo fuertemente influenciado por NAR desde el trasplante hasta alcanzar 776 grados días (GDD); desde 1052 a 1653 GDD el CGR fue afectado por el LAI el cual aumentó marcadamente debido a las condiciones ambientales favorables. Entre los 1052 y 1653 GDD el incremento del LAI determinó una reducción en la eficiencia fotosintética. En Rovigo, la tendencia de los índices fue disímil en los dos años, encontrándose respuestas diferentes en LAR y en SLA. En el segundo año, el CGR siempre arrojó valores más altos, mientras que NAR no difirió en ninguno de los años. En la segunda mitad del ciclo, CGR estuvo fuertemente asociado a una menor eficiencia fotosintética, debido a la formación de la cabeza. Valores elevados de LAI indicaron una extensión del ciclo, retrasando la formación de la cabeza. Las plantas alcanzaron la madurez comercial con LWR entre 0,35 - 0,40 g g-1. En ambos ambientes, no se observó claramente el efecto de la fertilización sobre los índices; si bien las dosis más altas mostraron mayor actividad de crecimiento en las etapas tempranas.

Growth and gas exchange responses of Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius) and native South Florida species to salinity

Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi (Schinus) is an invasive exotic species widely found in disturbed and native communities of Florida. This species has been shown to displace native species as well as alter community structure and function. The purpose of this study was to determine if the growth and gas exchange patterns of Schinus, under differing salinity conditions, were different from native species. Two native upland glycophytic species (Rapanea punctata and Randia aculeata) and two native mangrove species (Rhizophora mangle and Laguncularia racemosa) were compared with the exotic. Overall, the exotics morphologic changes and gas exchange patterns were most similar to R. mangle. Across treatments, increasing salinity decreased relative growth rate (RGR), leaf area ratio (LAR) and specific leaf area (SLA) but did not affect root/shoot ratios (R:S). Allocation patterns were however significantly different among species. The largest proportion of Schinus biomass was allocated to stems (47%), resulting in plants that were generally taller than the other species. Schinus also had the highest SLA and largest total leaf area of all species. This meant that the exotic, which was taller and had thinner leaves, was potentially able to maintain photosynthetic area comparable to native species. Schinus response patterns show that this exotic exhibits some physiological tolerance for saline conditions. Coupled with its biomass allocation patterns (more stem biomass and large area of thin leaves), the growth traits of this exotic potentially provide this species an advantage over native plants in terms of light acquisition in a brackish forested ecosystem.

Comparison of growth traits between abundant and uncommon forms of a non-native vine, Dolichandra unguis-cati (Bignoniaceae) in Australia

Cat’s claw creeper vine, Dolichandra unguis-cati (L.) Lohmann (syn. Macfadyena unguis-cati (L.) Gentry) (Bignoniaceae), is a major environmental weed in Australia. Two distinct forms of this weed (‘long’ and ‘short’ pod), with differences in leaf morphology and fruit size, occur in Australia. The long pod form has only been reported in less than fifteen localities in the whole of south-east Queensland, while the short pod form is widely distributed in Queensland and New South Wales. This study sought to compare growth traits such as specific leaf area, relative growth rate, stem length, shoot/root ratio, tuber biomass and branching architecture between these forms. These traits were monitored under glasshouse conditions over a period of 18 months. Short pod exhibited higher values of relative growth rates, stem length, number of tubers and specific leaf area than long pod, but only after 10 months of plant growth. Prior to this, long and short pod did not differ significantly. Higher values for these traits have been described as characteristics of successful colonizers. Results from this study could partly explain why the short pod form is more widely distributed in Australia while long pod is confined to a few localities.

The creative sector in New Zealand : mapping and economic role : report to New Zealand Trade and Enterprise

The New Zealand creative sector was responsible for almost 121,000 jobs at the time of the 2006 Census (6.3% of total employment). These are divided between • 35,751 creative specialists – persons employed doing creative work in creative industries • 42,300 support workers - persons providing management and support services in creative industries • 42,792 embedded creative workers – persons engaged in creative work in other types of enterprise The most striking feature of this breakdown is the fact that the largest group of creative workers are employed outside the creative industries, i.e. in other types of businesses. Even within the creative industries, there are fewer people directly engaged in creative work than in providing management and support. Creative sector employees earned incomes of approximately $52,000 per annum at the time of the 2006 Census. This is relatively uniform across all three types of creative worker, and is significantly above the average for all employed persons (of approximately $40,700). Creative employment and incomes were growing strongly over both five year periods between the 1996, 2001 and 2006 Censuses. However, when we compare creative and general trends, we see two distinct phases in the development of the creative sector: • rapid structural growth over the five years to 2001 (especially led by developments in ICT), with creative employment and incomes increasing rapidly at a time when they were growing modestly across the whole economy; • subsequent consolidation, with growth driven by more by national economic expansion than structural change, and creative employment and incomes moving in parallel with strong economy-wide growth. Other important trends revealed by the data are that • the strongest growth during the decade was in embedded creative workers, especially over the first five years. The weakest growth was in creative specialists, with support workers in creative industries in the middle rank, • by far the strongest growth in creative industries’ employment was in Software & digital content, which trebled in size over the decade Comparing New Zealand with the United Kingdom and Australia, the two southern hemisphere nations have significantly lower proportions of total employment in the creative sector (both in creative industries and embedded employment). New Zealand’s and Australia’s creative shares in 2001 were similar (5.4% each), but in the following five years, our share has expanded (to 5.7%) whereas Australia’s fell slightly (to 5.2%) – in both cases, through changes in creative industries’ employment. The creative industries generated $10.5 billion in total gross output in the March 2006 year. Resulting from this was value added totalling $5.1b, representing 3.3% of New Zealand’s total GDP. Overall, value added in the creative industries represents 49% of industry gross output, which is higher than the average across the whole economy, 45%. This is a reflection of the relatively high labour intensity and high earnings of the creative industries. Industries which have an above-average ratio of value added to gross output are usually labour-intensive, especially when wages and salaries are above average. This is true for Software & Digital Content and Architecture, Design & Visual Arts, with ratios of 60.4% and 55.2% respectively. However there is significant variation in this ratio between different parts of the creative industries, with some parts (e.g. Software & Digital Content and Architecture, Design & Visual Arts) generating even higher value added relative to output, and others (e.g. TV & Radio, Publishing and Music & Performing Arts) less, because of high capital intensity and import content. When we take into account the impact of the creative industries’ demand for goods and services from its suppliers and consumption spending from incomes earned, we estimate that there is an addition to economic activity of: • $30.9 billion in gross output, $41.4b in total • $15.1b in value added, $20.3b in total • 158,100 people employed, 234,600 in total The total economic impact of the creative industries is approximately four times their direct output and value added, and three times their direct employment. Their effect on output and value added is roughly in line with the average over all industries, although the effect on employment is significantly lower. This is because of the relatively high labour intensity (and high earnings) of the creative industries, which generate below-average demand from suppliers, but normal levels of demand though expenditure from incomes. Drawing on these numbers and conclusions, we suggest some (slightly speculative) directions for future research. The goal is to better understand the contribution the creative sector makes to productivity growth; in particular, the distinctive contributions from creative firms and embedded creative workers. The ideas for future research can be organised into the several categories: • Understanding the categories of the creative sector– who is doing the business? In other words, examine via more fine grained research (at a firm level perhaps) just what is the creative contribution from the different aspects of the creative sector industries. It may be possible to categorise these in terms of more or less striking innovations. • Investigate the relationship between the characteristics and the performance of the various creative industries/ sectors; • Look more closely at innovation at an industry level e.g. using an index of relative growth of exports, and see if this can be related to intensity of use of creative inputs; • Undertake case studies of the creative sector; • Undertake case studies of the embedded contribution to growth in the firms and industries that employ them, by examining taking several high performing noncreative industries (in the same way as proposed for the creative sector). • Look at the aggregates – drawing on the broad picture of the extent of the numbers of creative workers embedded within the different industries, consider the extent to which these might explain aspects of the industries’ varied performance in terms of exports, growth and so on. • This might be able to extended to examine issues like the type of creative workers that are most effective when embedded, or test the hypothesis that each industry has its own particular requirements for embedded creative workers that overwhelms any generic contributions from say design, or IT.