Accumulation of heavy metals in soil and paddy crop (Oryza sativa), irrigated with water of Ramgarh Lake,Gorakhpur, UP,India

Heavy metals, a highly polluting group of constituents known to exert adverse effects, tend to accumulate in living organisms. The objective of this study was to determine the accumulation and translocation of heavy metals in soil and in paddy crop irrigated with lake water compared to soil and paddy crop irrigated with bore-well water. The quantities of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn, As, Mn, and Hg) were determined in different parts of rice plants (Oryza sativa). Results revealed that the mean levels of soil Cd, Cr, Pb, Zn, As, Mn, and Hg in experimental soil and in different parts of rice plant (root, straw, and grain) were higher than the control except for Cu. The content of eight toxic metals was significantly higher in root than in aerial parts of the rice (straw and grains). Rice roots were enriched in Cd, As, Hg, and Pb from the soil, while Cr, Cu, Zn, and Mn were hardly taken by the roots. Bioaccumulation factor for Hg was significantly higher than other heavy metals. Metal transfer factors from soil to rice plants were significant for Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn, As, Mn, and Hg. The concentrations of metals in lake water were found to be within the permissible limit of Indian standard prescribed by Central Pollution Control Board (2000), except for Hg and As, which were higher than the limit of Indian standard. However, the concentrations of heavy metals in soil and rice grains were still below the maximal levels, as stipulated by Indian Prevention of Food Adulteration Act (PFA, 1954) and World Health Organization (WHO, 1993) guidelines.     

Traditional crop diversity for sustainable development of Central Himalayan agroecosystems

SUMMARY

A rich diversity of traditional crops occurs generally in the Himalaya and more particularly in Central Himalaya. Over forty species of food grains are grown in traditional agroecosystems of Central Himalaya, which have been managed by the local farming communities since time immemorial. These traditional crop varieties have evolved over centuries and are well adapted to the particular area. A number of edaphic, topographic and climatic factors associated with different selection pressures over centuries of cultivation resulted in immense variations in the crop species.

The grain and by-product yield of the majority of the traditional crops cultivated across an altitudinal gradient were worked out and compared with common food crops (paddy, wheat, mustard) at two points in time (1970-74, 1990–94) and it was found that almost all the traditional crops had slightly higher yields during 1970–74 than between 1990–94. However, common food crops grown during the Kharif season had higher yields during 1990–94 whereas, Rabi season crops exhibited higher yield during 1970–74. The yield of rainfed paddy remained static over the years across the altitudinal gradient. Among the traditional crops cultivated during the Kharif and Rabi seasons in mixed and pure forms at different altitudes were Macrotyloma uniforum (at higher altitude), Parilla frutescens and Vigna mungo (at middle altitude) and Panicum miliaceum (at lower altitude) which were found to be eco-energetically efficient. Avena sativa (oat) and mixed cropping of Fagopyrum esculentum and potato had higher energy efficiency ratios whereas the latter also exhibited a higher monetary output/input ratio. Crops like paddy and wheat with mustard, grown in irrigated land were found to be more eco-energetically efficient than the same crops grown in the rainfed land. In general, traditional crops possess higher nutritive value than the common food crops. The contribution of traditional crops to the local diet (kg/capita/year) and their energy and protein equivalents were higher during both time periods. It was observed that while exporting these traditional crops, the locals of the region are highly exploited by middlemen. Despite having huge potential, traditional crop diversity of this region has been reduced to a great extent during the last two decades. Besides, the area under cultivation with these crops has been declining rapidly. However, many of these crops possess immense potential to meet the growing food demand and ensure food security of an increasing population. Therefore, a comprehensive programme of conservation through various means and improvement of agronomic yield in their natural habitats is urgently needed.     

Dynamics of Organic Carbon and Microbial Biomass in Alluvial Soil With Tillage and Amendments in Rice-wheat Systems

Rice-wheat cropping systems of the Indo-Gangetic plains (IGP) occupying 12 million ha of productive land are important for the food security of South Asia. There are, however, concerns that yield and factor productivity trends in these systems are declining/stagnating in recent years. Decrease in soil organic carbon is often suggested as a reason for such trends. A field experiment was conducted to study the soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC) dynamics in the rice-wheat systems. Use of organic amendments and puddling of soil before rice transplanting increased SOC and MBC contents. Microbial biomass carbon showed a seasonal pattern. It was low initially, reached its peak during the flowering stages in both rice and wheat and declined thereafter. Microbial biomass carbon was linearly related to SOC in both rice and wheat indicating that SOC could be used as a proxy for MBC.     

植物生物技术在黑麦草遗传改良中的应用

黑麦草是重要的牧草和草坪草,是畜牧业和草坪业重要的产业支柱.由于高度自交不亲和,传统遗传改良困难而复杂.生物技术尤其是转基因技术为其遗传改良带来希望.本文概述了组织培养技术、基因遗传转化技术、分子标记及数量性状基因定位、分子标记辅助育种等技术在黑麦草遗传改良中的应用及获得的成果;评述了遗传改良的重要意义,以及黑麦草遗传改良的主要目标,如品质改良、提高病害抗性、降低毒性生物碱浓度、控制花粉致敏性、抗除草剂品种的培育、提高抗逆性及其作为生物反应器的潜在应用价值等;并分析了功能基因组学的研究及RNA干扰技术在黑麦草研究中可能的应用前景.     

土壤磷素解吸模型及其特征值的作物效应

土壤有效磷数量和强度及其缓冲系数是评价土壤磷素供应能力的重要指标。通过解吸实验、盆栽和田间试验研究土壤磷解吸特性及其与供试蔬菜的效应。38个磷素解吸实验表明,土壤镉解吸模型的修正式能很好地模拟土壤磷素解吸动态特征,有32个回归模型达到显著水平。土壤磷解吸模型可同时求得表征土壤磷有效性的磷可解吸数量Q和土壤溶液初始磷浓度Cli及其缓冲系数b。盆栽试验表明,土壤磷解吸特征值Q和Cli与空心菜(Iponoea aqatica)和菜心(Brassica parachinensis)吸P量有显著水平的抛物线型关系,且与土壤类型无关。田间试验表明,Q值与供试蔬菜鲜重产量亦有显著水平的抛物线型关系,可求得试验条件下空心菜和莴苣(Lactuca sativa)磷肥施用的Q值临界指标分别为11mg/kg和13mg/kg。解吸模型研究为评价土壤磷素有效性提供了一种新方法。     

Impact evaluation of agrotechnologies in watersheds

The special project RAISA (Advanced Researches for Innovation in Agricultural Systems) of the National Research Council of Italy concerns the development of new methodologies for the study and evaluation of the impact of agrotechnologies on the environment. In the project, several trans-disciplinary Units have worked together since 1990. The aim of the project is to define systems, using tools such as remote sensing and Geographical Information Systems, for decision making support in land planning and land use management, with particular attention to groudwater table pollution. The fundamental steps for evaluation of the impact of agrotechnologies on the Po river watershed, 75,000 km² in northern Italy, and Tevere (Tiber) river watershed, 17.169 km² in Central Italy are described here. The study concerns particular areas located in the western part of the Po River plain, where flooded rice is the main crop, and in the central plain of the Tevere basin where the risk of water pollution is considerable, due to small and medium sized swine breeding farms. The aspects considered were water pollution due to mineral nitrogen used to fertilize the rice crop and the nitrogen contained in the waste water from pig farms. For the Po river basin the methodology developed was based on the integration of satellite remote sensing images, and the available cartography, such as topographic and thematic maps, together with the hydrological and the toxicological data of the chemical fertilizers employed, summarized in maps of the groundwater table pollution hazard. A simpler evaluation was obtained in the Tevere river basin: the thematic layers were crossed in bi-directional matrices and the result merged with the map of the territorial distributionof the swine. In both cases the selected information was integrated and processed in Integrated sub-basin scale. The GISs led to the development of a user-friendly system for formalizing our knowledge of the degree of pollution hazard in simple and readable maps.Research supported by National Research Council of Italy, Special Project RAISA, sub-project N. 1 Paper N.     

有限供水条件下农田灌溉时量优化——以河北省运东地区为例

本文探讨了灌溉水源限定条件下,农田灌溉时量优化计算方法,并以河北省运东地区3种主要作物为例进行了系统演算。从计算结果及其分析看,时量优化的经济效益明显,时量优化模型作为一种计算方法亦具有一定的实用意义。     

Arsenic mobility in brownfield soils amended with green waste compost or biochar and planted with Miscanthus

Degraded land that is historically contaminated from different sources of industrial waste provides an opportunity for conversion to bioenergy fuel production and also to increase sequestration of carbon in soil through organic amendments. In pot experiments, As mobility was investigated in three different brownfield soils amended with green waste compost (GWC, 30% v/v) or biochar (BC, 20% v/v), planted with Miscanthus. Using GWC improved crop yield but had little effect on foliar As uptake, although the proportion of As transferred from roots to foliage differed considerably between the three soils. It also increased dissolved carbon concentrations in soil pore water that influenced Fe and As mobility. Effects of BC were less pronounced, but the impacts of both amendments on SOC, Fe, P and pH are likely to be critical in the context of As leaching to ground water. Growing Miscanthus had no measurable effect on As mobility.     

基于修正遗传算法的夏玉米作物系数及蒸散发估算

农田蒸散量是作物蒸腾量和土壤蒸发量的总和,准确估算农田蒸散量对制定合理的灌溉计划至关重要,进而对农作物的增产保收具有重要的意义.研究作物系数及蒸散量估算模型已成为一个热点科学问题.淮河流域是中国主要的农业生产基地,而夏玉米是淮河流域最主要的粮食作物之一.为研究夏玉米全生育期蒸散估算模型,反映夏玉米逐日作物系数及蒸散量的...     

抗除草剂转基因作物基因流及其安全性评估方法的探讨

针对目前抗除草剂转基因作物基因流及其安全性评估方法存在的问题,提出了以亲和性为依据的抗性基因流的评估方法;同时以时间关系序列、空间关系序列和种群数量关系序列为原则,探讨了近缘种选择的标准。