Characterising strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats in producing naked oat as a novel crop for northern growing conditions

Selostus: Paljasjyväinen kaura uutena viljelykasvina Suomen kasvuoloissa

Microbial quality of linseed and fibre hemp plants during growing and harvest seasons

Selostus: Pellavan ja kuituhampun mikrobiologinen laatu kasvukauden aikana

Yield formation and quality characteristics of early potatoes during a short growing period

Selostus: Typpilannoituksen ja nostoajankohdan vaikutus varhaisperunan satoon

Crescimento e conteúdo de nutrientes minerais em mudas de mirtileiro em sistema convencional e semi-hidropônico

O mirtileiro possui alto potencial econômico, no entanto, sua expansão de cultivo é limitada pela dificuldade de propagação. O cultivo hidropônico possibilita melhor crescimento devido à eficiência no fornecimento de nutrientes. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o crescimento e o conteúdo de nutrientes minerais de mudas micropropagadas de mirtileiro em sistema convencional e semi-hidropônico. Mudas das cultivares Bluebelle e Woodard, com 3 meses de aclimatização, foram submetidas a dois sistemas de cultivo: sistema convencional,em que foram mantidas em sacos de polietileno contendo Plantmax® + vermiculita (1:1) e irrigadas com solução nutritiva a cada 15 dias; e sistema semi-hidropônico, na qual permaneceram em floreiras plásticas contendo areia, sendo irrigadas com solução nutritiva diariamente. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos casualizados com quatro tratamentos, com quatro repetições compostas por doze plantas. Foram avaliados mensalmente a altura da parte aérea, número de brotações e comprimento médio das brotações, e aos 90 dias a massa fresca da parte aérea, massa fresca e seca radicular e análise nutricional das folhas. O sistema semi-hidropônico proporcionou melhores resultados para todas as variáveis avaliadas, em ambas as cultivares. As mudas cultivadas no sistema semi-hidropônico apresentaram teores de nutrientes mais elevados e adequados para esta cultura.

Enraizamento de microestacas de mirtileiro provenientes de microjardim clonal semi-hidropônico

O uso de microjardins clonais hidropônicos tem sido relatado com sucesso para espécies florestais e pode vir a se tornar uma excelente alternativa para espécies frutíferas de difícil propagação, como é o caso do mirtilo. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o enraizamento de microestacas de mirtileiro provenientes de dois sistemas de cultivo (convencional e semi-hidropônico), submetidas a diferentes concentrações de AIB (ácido indolbutírico). As microestacas de mirtileiro das cultivares Bluebelle e Woodard foram submetidas a diferentes concentrações de AIB (0; 500; 1.000; 1.500 e 2.000 mg.L-1), acondicionadas em caixas plásticas contendo vermiculita e, aos 90 dias de cultivo, avaliou-se o seu rendimento. O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado, com vinte tratamentos, contendo quatro repetições, compostas por dez microestacas cada. Foram avaliados as porcentagem de sobrevivência e de enraizamento, o comprimento da maior raiz, o número de brotações, o comprimento médio das brotações, o número de folhas e as massas fresca e seca radiculares. O sistema semi-hidropônico proporcionou um rendimento de microestacas significativamente superior ao convencional; entretanto, este material apresentou menores porcentagens de sobrevivência e enraizamento. Todos os tratamentos, inclusive aquele sem a presença de AIB, apresentaram porcentagens de enraizamento superiores a 50%.

Percolation of spatially constrained Erdos-R enyi networks with degree correlations

Motivated by experiments on activity in neuronal cultures [J. Soriano, M. Rodr ́ıguez Mart́ınez, T. Tlusty, and E. Moses, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 105, 13758 (2008)], we investigate the percolation transition and critical exponents of spatially embedded Erd̋os-Ŕenyi networks with degree correlations. In our model networks, nodes are randomly distributed in a two-dimensional spatial domain, and the connection probability depends on Euclidian link length by a power law as well as on the degrees of linked nodes. Generally, spatial constraints lead to higher percolation thresholds in the sense that more links are needed to achieve global connectivity. However, degree correlations favor or do not favor percolation depending on the connectivity rules. We employ two construction methods to introduce degree correlations. In the first one, nodes stay homogeneously distributed and are connected via a distance- and degree-dependent probability. We observe that assortativity in the resulting network leads to a decrease of the percolation threshold. In the second construction methods, nodes are first spatially segregated depending on their degree and afterwards connected with a distance-dependent probability. In this segregated model, we find a threshold increase that accompanies the rising assortativity. Additionally, when the network is constructed in a disassortative way, we observe that this property has little effect on the percolation transition.

Giant monopole energies from a constrained relativistic mean-field approach

Background:Average energies of nuclear collective modes may be efficiently and accurately computed using a nonrelativistic constrained approach without reliance on a random phase approximation (RPA). Purpose: To extend the constrained approach to the relativistic domain and to establish its impact on the calibration of energy density functionals. Methods: Relativistic RPA calculations of the giant monopole resonance (GMR) are compared against the predictions of the corresponding constrained approach using two accurately calibrated energy density functionals. Results: We find excellent agreement at the 2% level or better between the predictions of the relativistic RPA and the corresponding constrained approach for magic (or semimagic) nuclei ranging from 16 O to 208 Pb. Conclusions: An efficient and accurate method is proposed for incorporating nuclear collective excitations into the calibration of future energy density functionals.

Growth and production of irrigated vitória pineapple grown in semi-arid conditions

This study aimed to evaluate the growth characteristics of irrigated Vitória pineapple plants grown in semi-arid conditions and determine its developmental stages based on those characteristics. It was used a randomized block design with four replicates. The experimental treatments were: plant harvest at 270, 330, 390, 450, 510, 570, 690, 750, and 810 days after planting (DAP). The following variables were determined: plant height, stem diameter, D-leaf length, D-leaf fresh and dry mass, biomass production of plants and plant parts (organs), and vegetative biomass. Five phenological stages are proposed based on vegetative biomass production: < 20% biomass production (V1); 21-40% (V2); 41-60% (V3); 61-80% (V4); and > 80% (V5). The maximum growth rate for plant height, D-leaf length, and stem diameter was observed at the end of the phenological stage V1 (390-411 DAP), and at the end of stage V5 these plant traits had average values of 106, 82, and 7 cm, respectively. The maximum biomass accumulation rates were observed at stages V4 and V5, resulting in a final fruit yield and total fresh biomass of 72 t ha-1 and 326 t ha-1, respectively. Finally, we estimated that 80% of the accumulated biomass may remain in the field after fruit and slip harvest, and could be incorporated as plant residue into the soil.

HARVEST LABOR QUALITY AND PRODUCTIVITY:CASE STUDY OF CHERRY GROWING IN CHILE

In Chile, the cherry tree has been one of the fastest growing and most profitable crops in the last ten years. However, increasing production costs, the scarcity of hired labor, and unfavorable exchange rates have reduced the productivity and competitiveness of the Chilean fruit sector. The aim of this article is to evaluate the harvest labor quality in cherry growing in Chile through the use of productivity indicators. A harvest labor evaluation system (HLES) was designed and four indicators were measured: Average Weight of Harvested Box, Average Daily Production per Worker, Percent of Export Fruit, and Percent of Fruit Discarded. Significant differences werefound between the 2010/11 season (with the HLES implementation) and the previous seasons without HLES. The average worker yield, average weight of a filled box, and fruit quality improved, while the amount of discarded fruit decreased. Hired labor management in agriculture is crucial for improving the productivity of the fresh fruit export producers. The use of HLES and the adoption of new technologies could help to solve the competitiveness problem in the Chilean fruit sector.

Secondhand tobacco smoke exposure in open and semi-open settings: a systematic review

Background: Some countries have recently extended smoke-free policies to particular outdoor settings; however, there is controversy regarding whether this is scientifically and ethically justifiable. Objectives: The objective of the present study was to review research on secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure in outdoor settings. Data sources: We conducted different searches in PubMed for the period prior to September 2012. We checked the references of the identified papers, and conducted a similar search in Google Scholar. Study selection: Our search terms included combinations of"secondhand smoke,""environmental tobacco smoke,""passive smoking" OR"tobacco smoke pollution" AND"outdoors" AND"PM" (particulate matter),"PM2.5" (PM with diameter ≤ 2.5 µm),"respirable suspended particles,""particulate matter,""nicotine,""CO" (carbon monoxide),"cotinine,""marker,""biomarker" OR"airborne marker." In total, 18 articles and reports met the inclusion criteria. Results: Almost all studies used PM2.5 concentration as an SHS marker. Mean PM2.5 concentrations reported for outdoor smoking areas when smokers were present ranged from 8.32 to 124 µg/m3 at hospitality venues, and 4.60 to 17.80 µg/m3 at other locations. Mean PM2.5 concentrations in smoke-free indoor settings near outdoor smoking areas ranged from 4 to 120.51 µg/m3. SHS levels increased when smokers were present, and outdoor and indoor SHS levels were related. Most studies reported a positive association between SHS measures and smoker density, enclosure of outdoor locations, wind conditions, and proximity to smokers. Conclusions: The available evidence indicates high SHS levels at some outdoor smoking areas and at adjacent smoke-free indoor areas. Further research and standardization of methodology is needed to determine whether smoke-free legislation should be extended to outdoor settings.

Brief cognitive assessment instruments in schizophrenia and bipolar patients, and healthy control subjects: A comparison study between the Brief Cognitive Assessment Tool for Schizophrenia (B-CATS) and the Screen for Cognitive Impairment in Psychiatry (SCIP)

Cognitive impairment in schizophrenia and psychosis is ubiquitous and acknowledged as a core feature of clinical expression, pathophysiology, and prediction of functioning. However, assessment of cognitive functioning is excessively time-consuming in routine practice, and brief cognitive instruments specific to psychosis would be of value. Two screening tools have recently been created to address this issue, i.e., the Brief Cognitive Assessment Tool for Schizophrenia (B-CATS) and the Screen for Cognitive Impairment in Psychiatry (SCIP). The aim of this research was to examine the comparative validity of these two brief instruments in relation to a global cognitive score. 161 patients with psychosis (96 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and 65 patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder) and 76 healthy control subjects were tested with both instruments to examine their concurrent validity relative to a more comprehensive neuropsychological assessment battery. Scores from the B-CATS and the SCIP were highly correlated in the three diagnostic groups, and both scales showed good to excellent concurrent validity relative to a Global Cognitive Composite Score (GCCS) derived from the more comprehensive examination. The SCIP-S showed better predictive value of global cognitive impairment than the B-CATS. Partial and semi-partial correlations showed slightly higher percentages of both shared and unique variance between the SCIP-S and the GCCS than between the B-CATS and the GCCS. Brief instruments for assessing cognition in schizophrenia and bipolar disorders, such as the SCIP-S and B-CATS, seem to be reliable and promising tools for use in routine clinical practice.