Characteristics of canopy interception and its simulation with a revised Gash model for a larch plantation in the Liupan Mountains, China

Canopy interception is a significant proportion of incident rainfall and evapotranspiration of forest ecosystems. Hence, identifying its magnitude is vital for studies of eco-hydrological processes and hydrological impact evaluation. In this study, throughfall, stemflow and interception were measured in a pure Larix principis-rupprechtii Mayr.（larch） plantation in the Liupan Mountains of northwestern China during the growing season（May–October） of 2015, and simulated using a revised Gash model. During the study period, the total precipitation was 499.0 mm; corresponding total throughfall, stemflow and canopy interception were 410.3, 2.0 and 86.7 mm,accounting for 82.2, 0.4 and 17.4% of the total precipitation, respectively. With increasing rainfall, the canopy interception ratio of individual rainfall events decreased initially and then tended to stabilize. Within the study period, the simulated total canopy interception, throughfall and stemflow were 2.2 mm lower, 2.5 mm higher and 0.3 mm lower than their measured values, with a relative error of 2.5, 0.6 and 15.0%, respectively. As quantified by the model, canopy interception loss（79%） mainly consisted of interception caused by canopy adsorption, while the proportions of additional interception and trunk interception were small. The revised Gash model was highly sensitive to the parameter of canopy storage capacity,followed by the parameters of canopy density and mean rainfall intensity, but less sensitive to the parameters of mean evaporation rate, trunk storage capacity, and stemflow ratio. The revised Gash model satisfactorily simulated the total canopy interception of the larch plantation within the growing season but was less accurate for some individual rainfall events, indicating that some flaws exist in the model structure. Further measures to improve the model’s ability in simulating the interception of individual rainfall events were suggested.

The current status of nitrogen fertiliser use efficiency and future research directions for the Australian cotton industry

Fifty years of sustained investment in research and development has left the Australian cotton industry well placed to manage nitrogen（N） fertiliser. The average production in the Australian cotton industry today is greater than two tonnes of lint per hectare due to improved plant genetics and crop management. However, this average yield is well below the yield that would be expected from the amount of N fertiliser used. It is clear from the recent studies that across all growing regions, conversion of fertiliser N into lint is not uniformly occurring at application rates greater than 200-240 kg·hm;of N. This indicates that factors other than N availability are limiting yield, and that the observed nitrogen fertiliser use efficiency（NFUE） values may be caused by subsoil constraints such as sodicity and compaction. There is a need to investigate the impact of subsoil constraints on yield and NFUE.Gains in NFUE will be made through improved N fertiliser application timing, better targeting the amount of fertiliser applied for the expected yield, and improved soil N management. There is also a need to improve the ability and confidence of growers to estimate the contribution of soil N mineralisation to the crop N budget. Many Australian studies including data that could theoretically be collated in a meta-analysis suggest relative NFUE values as a function of irrigation technique; however, with the extensive list of uncontrolled variables and few studies using non-furrow irrigation, this would be a poor substitute for a single field-based study directly measuring their efficacies. In irrigated cotton, a re-examination of optimal NFUE is due because of the availability of new varieties and the potential management and long-term soil resilience implications of the continued removal of mineralised soil N suggested by high NFUE values. NFUE critical limits still need to be derived for dryland systems.

A review of phosphorus nutrition in irrigated cotton farming systems of Australia

Australian cotton production predominantly occurs on Vertisols.The average lint yield of cotton grown in Australia is 2260–2700 kg·hm^(−2),which is 2.5 to 3 times the world average.This high productivity per unit of land area requires efficient use of resources such as water and nutrients.However,high yields accelerate the export of nutrients such as phosphorus(P)in seed,depleting the soil reserves of P more than in other countries with lower cotton yields.Recent surveys of cotton industry indicate that P application rates should match seed P export(30~40 kg·hm−2),but historical depletion within subsoil is still evident and is continuing.Depletion of soil P is typically more pronounced in the subsoil than in the topsoil(0~20 cm)where P fertiliser is applied,as cotton roots rely on these layers as important sources of plant available water and available P.This mismatch between zones of P uptake and resupply may increase stratification of available P in the soil profile.Recent studies showed that cotton responded poorly to banded applications of fertiliser P,while dispersal of fertiliser throughout the plant beds was more successful.Researchers have also observed sporadic cotton responses to applied P fertiliser in soils where available P concentrations were well above the previously determined critical concentrations indicative of fertiliser P responses in Australia.To sustain highyielding cotton production in Australia,a greater understanding of cotton root acquisition of applied P,as well as a re-examination of critical soil P concentrations for each production region are required.

A Comparison Study of Phenolic Contents and <i>in Vitro</i>Antioxidant Activities of Australian Grown Faba Beans (<i>Vicia faba</i>L.) Varying in Seed Coat Colours as Affected by Extraction Solvents

Twelve Australian grown faba bean genotypes with seed colour ranging from white, different shades of buff/beige, green, red and purple, were extracted using 80% methanol (v/v) or 70% acetone (v/v). The findings showed that commonly consumed buff-coloured genotypes have comparable phenolic contents and antioxidant activities to those with exotic seed coat colour (red, green and purple). In general, the extraction yield for methanol and acetone extracts of faba bean genotypes were similar. However, the acetone extracts of faba bean varieties with coloured seed coats exhibited higher antioxidant activities than their methanol extracts counterparts. Phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities of the genotypes were compared in an array of chemical-based assays and profiled using an on-line high-performance liquid chromatography-post column derivatization (HPLC-PCD) system. The total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) of acetone extracts were approximately twice those of methanol extracts. The acetone extracts contained six times higher levels of di(phenyl)-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl) imi- noazanium radical scavenging activity (DPPH), six times higher Total Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (TEAC) and two times higher Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) than those of methanol extracts. In general, the methanol extracts of white-coloured faba bean genotype exhibited comparable phenolic contents and antioxidant activities to varieties with coloured seed coats. However, the TPC, TFC, DPPH, TEAC and FRAP of acetone extracts from white-coloured genotype were 2 - 4, 1 - 2, 5 - 9, 2 - 3 and 1 - 2 times lower than those of faba bean varieties with coloured seed coats. HPLC-PCD analyses showed substantial antioxidant responses, represented as a dense “hump” of peaks in the HPLC chromatograms of acetone extracts from coloured-genotypes. This “hump” was not detected in the chromatograms of white-genotype acetone extracts, or in chromatograms of methanol extracts regardless of genotype or seed coat colour. All coloured-beans had higher phenolic contents and antioxidant activities than the white-genotype. Hydroxybenzoic acids/flavanols, hydroxycinnamic acids and flavonols were dominant in coloured beans. The findings suggest potentials in selecting commonly consumed buff-coloured faba bean genotypes within the breeding programs for enhanced levels of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities, potentially increasing their health-promoting properties. And, there might also be potentials in developing faba bean extracts for pharmaceutical or natural medicines.