Influence of Fruit Tree Types and Arrangements on Yield, Quality and Economic Returns of Cotton of Intercropping System in Southern Xinjiang

[Objective] The aim was to provide a theoretical basis for stable and highly effective intercropping arrangements and scientific management measures by selecting apple, pear, peach, apricot, walnut, jujube and other fruit trees to study their influence on yield, fiber quality and economic returns of intercropped cotton in southern Xinjiang. [Method] Based on major cropping pattern in production, randomized block design was adopted to explore growth indicators, canopy micrometeorological indicators, yield and fiber quality in key growth stage. [Result] Shading has a significant effect on cotton canopy micro-environment and canopy diameter is proportional to shading effect. According to comparisons of the same tree type, the change of canopy micro-environment was as follows： under canopyouter canopymiddle points and peachpearapplewalnutjujube for comparisons among different tree types. Canopy diameter is directly proportional to the number of tree branch and boll weight reductions and shading is the main cause of yield reduction. The canopy expansion is the major cause of decline of light intensity, temperature and humidity of cotton canopy. [Conclusion] Fruit trees, which will promote cotton yield,quality and canopy-environment, are as follows： jujube walnut apple pear peach trees. In practice, trees, which are small in canopy or well trimmed, are popular in production, such as jujube trees, to improve cotton yield and fiber quality.

Use of chemically activated cotton nut shell carbon for the removal of fluoride contaminated drinking water: Kinetics evaluation

Chemically activated cotton nut shell carbons （CTNSCs） were prepared by different chemicals and they were used for the removal of fluoride from aqueous solution. Effects of adsorption time, adsorbent dose, pH of the solution, initial concentration of fluoride, and temperature of the solution were studied with equilibrium, ther- modynamics and kinetics of the adsorption process by various CTNSC adsorbents. It showed that the chemically activated CTNSCs can effectively remove fluoride from the solution. The adsorption equilibrium data correlate well with the Freundlich isotherm model. The adsorption of fluoride by the chemically activated CTNSC is spon- taneous and endothermic in nature. The pseudo first order, pseudo second order and intra particle diffusion kinetic models were applied to test the experimental data. The pseudo second order kinetic model provided a better correlation of the experimental data in comparison with the pseudo-first-order and intra particle diffusion models, A mechanism of fluoride adsorption associating chemisorption and physisorption processes is presented allowing the discussion of the variations in adsorption behavior between these materials in terms of specific surface area and porosity. These data suggest that chemically activated CTNSCs are promising materials for fluoride somtion.

Performance of a Pectinase from Bacillus Subtilis WSHB04-02 Used in Bioscouring of Cotton Fabrics

A pectinase produced by Bacillus subtilis WSHB04-02 isolated from soil with lyase activity operating at alkaline pH was studied. The Michaelis-Menten kinetic parameters of this newly isolated pectinase on different substrates, such as citrus pectin and polygalacturonic acid (PGA), were determined, and pectin proved to be the most suitable substrate. The effects of temperature and pH on pectinase activity and stability were also investigated. The optimal temperature for pectinase was 55℃ with a stable range of 45℃-55℃. In general, pectinase was pH insensitive and the stable pH ranged from 8.6 to 10.0. Ultimately the bioscouring effects of cotton fabrics using this pectinase were evaluated and some promising results were obtained.

Ecological Consequences of Elevated CO2 and Bt Cotton on Soil Collembola

Transgenic cotton was modified to express a gene derived from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis （Bt） to combat agriculturally important Lepidopteran pests. Elevated CO2 is expected to further alter the chemical composition of the plant, and this change may affect the role soil fauna plays in decomposition of Bt plants. A 3 months litterbag field study, consisting of four treatments using leaves from Bt cotton and near-isolines of non-Bt cotton grown under ambient and elevated CO2 levels, was conducted to investigate the abundance and community structure of soil Collembola that developed on the decaying leaf material. A total of 4,884 collembolans, including 13 genera of five families, were extracted in the present study. These results suggest that collembolan distribution was relatively uniform among the Bt cotton, elevated concentration of CO2 and control treatments, except for a significant difference in the densities of Onychiurus and Folsomides. No significant effects were detected in the decomposition rate between the two cotton varieties and two CO2 treatments. These findings indicated that transgenic Bt cotton plants and elevated CO2 do not have any adverse effect on the soil collembolans through the decomposition way in soil ecosystem.

捻线·糊骨子

冬天被称为农闲季节,其实,真正闲了的是男人和孩子,女人们闲不了。冬天的妇女们真忙,她们有做不完的事。纳鞋底,编钮扣,织毛衣,绗褡绊,剪样子,钩假领……这些活计费工费时,哪一样都要有极好的耐心。捻线是其中最需耐心的活。捻线的工具叫捻线陀子。这是一个半球状的木制品,是木器厂车床车出来的。

农村自然资源,为幼儿手工活动插上翅膀

每个孩子的心里都住着一颗美的种子。《3-6岁儿童学习与发展指南》中指出:"幼儿艺术领域学习的关键是在于充分创造条件和机会,在大自然和社会文化生活中萌发幼儿对美的感受和体验,丰富其想象力和创造力,引导幼儿学会用心灵去感受和发现美。

Effects of neem-based insecticides on beet armyworm （Lepidoptera： Noctuidae）

Three commercial neem [Azadirachta indica A. Juss (Meliaceae)]-basedinsecticides, Agroneem, Ecozin, and Neemix, and a non-commercial neem leaf powder, were evaluatedfor oviposition deterrence, antifeedant effect on larvae, and toxicity to eggs and larvae of thebeet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Huebner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), on cotton leaves in thelaboratory. Oviposition deterrence in no-choice, and two- and five-choice assays, was observed forthe neem-based insecticide treatments when compared with a non-treated control. Neem-basedinsecticides also deterred feeding by beet armyworm larvae. Direct contact with neem-basedinsecticides decreased the survival of beet army-worm eggs. Survival of beet armyworm larvae fed for7 days on leaves treated with neem-based insecticides was reduced to 27, 33, 60, and 61% for neemleaf powder, Ecozin, Agroneem, and Neemix, respectively. Possibilities for adoption of neem-basedinsecticides in commercial cotton for beet armyworm control are discussed.