Current arable land and increasing food demand necessitates the practice of double and multiple cropping systems with inclusion of ultra-fast maize hybrids, which are characterized by smaller size, fewer leaves per pl...Current arable land and increasing food demand necessitates the practice of double and multiple cropping systems with inclusion of ultra-fast maize hybrids, which are characterized by smaller size, fewer leaves per plant, lower leaf area and fewer self-shading problems, under irrigation. In this context, a field experiment was conducted for two successive cropping seasons 2008/2009 to 2009/2010 at Kenilworth Experimental Station to evaluate the effect of row spacings and plant density on growth. Three row spacing （0.225, 0.45 and 0.90 m） and five plant densities （5, 7.5, 10, 12.5 and 15 plants m^-2） were used. Treatments were combined in a factorial combination and laid out in a completely randomized design with replications consisting of five single plants randomly selected from each treatment for destructive sampling. Growth factors reacted differently to row spacing by plant density. At crop establishment, growth indicators were not significantly affected by either main effects or a combination thereof. However, at the end of the vegetative phase, almost all growth indicators reached a maximum and were significantly affected by treatment interactions. Growth analysis showed that there was an interaction effect of row spacing by plant density on plant height, dry matter （DM） accumulation, leaf area index （LAI）, crop growth rate （CGR） and net assimilation rate （NAR） of maize. Therefore, the current investigation demonstrated that a row spacing of 0.45 m or 0.90 m with a plant density of 10 plants m^-2 was optimum for the selected ultra-fast maize hybrid under irrigation.展开更多
Sweet basil （Ocimum basilicum L.） is a popular culinary herbal crop grown for the fresh or dry leaf, essential oil and seed markets. Recently, basil has been shown to rank highest among spices and herbal crops for x...Sweet basil （Ocimum basilicum L.） is a popular culinary herbal crop grown for the fresh or dry leaf, essential oil and seed markets. Recently, basil has been shown to rank highest among spices and herbal crops for xanthophyll carotenoids, which are associated with a decreased risk of cancer and age-related eye diseases. Nitrogen fertilizer encourages vegetative growth and increases oil yield in aromatic plants by enhancing leaf area development and photosynthetic rate. Our goal was to determine the influence of different concentrations of nitrogen （N） fertilization on basil physiology. The trial examined the cultivation of Ocimum basilicum L. （variety Genovese gigante）. The experiment was carried out under Mediterranean climatic conditions. The experiment considered the adoption of three nitrogen （N） treatments （0, 160, 240 kg N ha-1）. The following biometric parameters were determined： plant height, leaves per plant, leaf to stem ratio, number of branchings per plant, leaf area index （LAI）, above-ground fresh and leaf biomass. Considering the parameters most strictly linked to the economic results （total fresh weight, fresh weight of the leaves and total dry weight）, we found that 160 kg N ha^-1 treatment showed the best performance.展开更多
A pot experiment has been conducted in Faculty of Agricultural and Forestry, Lath House of Horticultural Department, School of Plant Production, Duhok University during the growing season 2010-2011. The study consiste...A pot experiment has been conducted in Faculty of Agricultural and Forestry, Lath House of Horticultural Department, School of Plant Production, Duhok University during the growing season 2010-2011. The study consisted of testing the effects of four different growth media （Clay, Loam, Clay ＋ sheep manure （1：1） and Loam ＋ sheep manure （1：1） as volumetric rates on vegetative and flowering growth characters of five different cultivars of Hyacinths plant （Blue Giant, City of Haarlem, Jon Bos, Delf Blue and Fondante）. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design （RCBD） of two factors in three replicates. Media mostly affected the parameters studied during the experiment. Early emergence （22.53 days） and flowering （73.13 days） was recorded in medium consisting of loam and sheep manure, while maximum plant height （19.75 cm）, leaves number （6.13）, leaf area （31.47 cm2） were recorded in clay medium. Maximum number of florets plant-l （31.93） and spike length （7.95 cm） were recorded in medium consist of clay and sheep manure. Maximum length of spike stem （9.61 cm） and total chlorophyll percentage （53.45%） were recorded for loam medium. Among the cultivars, some parameters showed significant variation. Early emergence （20.42 days）, maximum plant height （20.35 cm）, leaf area per plant （33.01 cm2） and length of spike stem （15.10 cm） were given by cv. Fondante. Maximum number of florets plantl （35.58） and spike lengths （8.63 cm） were recorded by cv. Blue Giant. High percentage of total chlorophyll （58.15%） was recorded in cv. Jon Bos..展开更多
The Soil and Water Assessment Tool(SWAT) has been widely used throughout the world to model crop growth and nutrient uptake in various types of soils.A greenhouse experiment was performed to validate the process equat...The Soil and Water Assessment Tool(SWAT) has been widely used throughout the world to model crop growth and nutrient uptake in various types of soils.A greenhouse experiment was performed to validate the process equations embedded in SWAT for describing the growth and nutrient uptake of tomatoes in south Florida.The scaled growth curve of greenhouse-grown tomatoes was in close agreement with the theoretical model for field conditions,with the scaling factors being the maximum canopy height and the potential heat units.Similarly,the scaled leaf area index(LAI) growth curve and the scaled root depth curve for greenhousegrown tomatoes agreed with the SWAT functions,with the scaling factors being the maximum LAI and maximum root depth.The greenhouse experiment confirmed that the growth of biomass is a linear function of the intercepted photosynthetically active radiation.The fractions of nutrients in the plant biomass under greenhouse conditions were found to be on the order of 60% of those fractions observed in the field.Values of the initial P distribution(0.2 mg kg -1),initial ratio of mineral stable P to mineral active P(50:1),and initial ratio of humic N to humic P(2.4:1) were determined from soil measurements and can be used for field simulations.The conventional saturation-excess model for soil-water percolation was used to predict the movement of water in the top 10 cm of the greenhouse containers and the results agreed well with measurements.展开更多
文摘Current arable land and increasing food demand necessitates the practice of double and multiple cropping systems with inclusion of ultra-fast maize hybrids, which are characterized by smaller size, fewer leaves per plant, lower leaf area and fewer self-shading problems, under irrigation. In this context, a field experiment was conducted for two successive cropping seasons 2008/2009 to 2009/2010 at Kenilworth Experimental Station to evaluate the effect of row spacings and plant density on growth. Three row spacing （0.225, 0.45 and 0.90 m） and five plant densities （5, 7.5, 10, 12.5 and 15 plants m^-2） were used. Treatments were combined in a factorial combination and laid out in a completely randomized design with replications consisting of five single plants randomly selected from each treatment for destructive sampling. Growth factors reacted differently to row spacing by plant density. At crop establishment, growth indicators were not significantly affected by either main effects or a combination thereof. However, at the end of the vegetative phase, almost all growth indicators reached a maximum and were significantly affected by treatment interactions. Growth analysis showed that there was an interaction effect of row spacing by plant density on plant height, dry matter （DM） accumulation, leaf area index （LAI）, crop growth rate （CGR） and net assimilation rate （NAR） of maize. Therefore, the current investigation demonstrated that a row spacing of 0.45 m or 0.90 m with a plant density of 10 plants m^-2 was optimum for the selected ultra-fast maize hybrid under irrigation.
文摘Sweet basil （Ocimum basilicum L.） is a popular culinary herbal crop grown for the fresh or dry leaf, essential oil and seed markets. Recently, basil has been shown to rank highest among spices and herbal crops for xanthophyll carotenoids, which are associated with a decreased risk of cancer and age-related eye diseases. Nitrogen fertilizer encourages vegetative growth and increases oil yield in aromatic plants by enhancing leaf area development and photosynthetic rate. Our goal was to determine the influence of different concentrations of nitrogen （N） fertilization on basil physiology. The trial examined the cultivation of Ocimum basilicum L. （variety Genovese gigante）. The experiment was carried out under Mediterranean climatic conditions. The experiment considered the adoption of three nitrogen （N） treatments （0, 160, 240 kg N ha-1）. The following biometric parameters were determined： plant height, leaves per plant, leaf to stem ratio, number of branchings per plant, leaf area index （LAI）, above-ground fresh and leaf biomass. Considering the parameters most strictly linked to the economic results （total fresh weight, fresh weight of the leaves and total dry weight）, we found that 160 kg N ha^-1 treatment showed the best performance.
文摘A pot experiment has been conducted in Faculty of Agricultural and Forestry, Lath House of Horticultural Department, School of Plant Production, Duhok University during the growing season 2010-2011. The study consisted of testing the effects of four different growth media （Clay, Loam, Clay ＋ sheep manure （1：1） and Loam ＋ sheep manure （1：1） as volumetric rates on vegetative and flowering growth characters of five different cultivars of Hyacinths plant （Blue Giant, City of Haarlem, Jon Bos, Delf Blue and Fondante）. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design （RCBD） of two factors in three replicates. Media mostly affected the parameters studied during the experiment. Early emergence （22.53 days） and flowering （73.13 days） was recorded in medium consisting of loam and sheep manure, while maximum plant height （19.75 cm）, leaves number （6.13）, leaf area （31.47 cm2） were recorded in clay medium. Maximum number of florets plant-l （31.93） and spike length （7.95 cm） were recorded in medium consist of clay and sheep manure. Maximum length of spike stem （9.61 cm） and total chlorophyll percentage （53.45%） were recorded for loam medium. Among the cultivars, some parameters showed significant variation. Early emergence （20.42 days）, maximum plant height （20.35 cm）, leaf area per plant （33.01 cm2） and length of spike stem （15.10 cm） were given by cv. Fondante. Maximum number of florets plantl （35.58） and spike lengths （8.63 cm） were recorded by cv. Blue Giant. High percentage of total chlorophyll （58.15%） was recorded in cv. Jon Bos..
文摘The Soil and Water Assessment Tool(SWAT) has been widely used throughout the world to model crop growth and nutrient uptake in various types of soils.A greenhouse experiment was performed to validate the process equations embedded in SWAT for describing the growth and nutrient uptake of tomatoes in south Florida.The scaled growth curve of greenhouse-grown tomatoes was in close agreement with the theoretical model for field conditions,with the scaling factors being the maximum canopy height and the potential heat units.Similarly,the scaled leaf area index(LAI) growth curve and the scaled root depth curve for greenhousegrown tomatoes agreed with the SWAT functions,with the scaling factors being the maximum LAI and maximum root depth.The greenhouse experiment confirmed that the growth of biomass is a linear function of the intercepted photosynthetically active radiation.The fractions of nutrients in the plant biomass under greenhouse conditions were found to be on the order of 60% of those fractions observed in the field.Values of the initial P distribution(0.2 mg kg -1),initial ratio of mineral stable P to mineral active P(50:1),and initial ratio of humic N to humic P(2.4:1) were determined from soil measurements and can be used for field simulations.The conventional saturation-excess model for soil-water percolation was used to predict the movement of water in the top 10 cm of the greenhouse containers and the results agreed well with measurements.
