ALBERT

Notes: One hundred seven tomato varieties were grown in three different soil types in Minnesota and evaluated for pH in the underripe, ripe and overripe stages of maturity. The pH of one variety, Ace, exceeded 4.6 in the ripe stage of maturity. The pH of 12 varieties exceeded pH 4.6 in the overripe stage of maturity. Results indicate that the pH of cultivars increases as the tomato matures and that home canners’ should process only slightly underripe and firm ripe tomatoes. The growing location appears to affect the pH of the variety.

Notes: The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of ultrasonic treatment on muscle microstructure, breaking strength, cook yield, and protein extractability of ground cured ham rolls. A miniaturized system was designed which subjected ground ham to slow mixing and ultrasonic treatment. The samples were mixed for various times up to 2 hr, then stuffed into stoppered glass tubes for cooking in 80°C water bath. Controls were treated similarly, but without ultrasonic treatment. Results showed that ultrasound caused changes in muscle microstructure, increased breaking strength as measured in g/cm2 on an Instron Universal Testing Machine, decreased cooking loss and increased the extractability of salt-soluble protein. Ultrasound had no effect on the extractability of water-soluble protein.

Notes: A mathematical model which simulates a single-cut forage conservation system is described. It was designed to investigate the effect of machine performance on the nutrient content of conserved forage but its scope is much wider, so that the effects of such aspects as crop growth characteristics, climatic differences and management policy can be assessed. An example of the use of the model to determine the value of chemical additives to high moisture content hay is described in detail. Various uses of the model are discussed and some of its limitations are shown to be caused by a lack of data on factors determining dry matter losses.

Notes: The effects of applying nitrogen at different growth stages to S24 and S23 perennial ryegrass grown for seed were investigated in a series of field experiments from 1971 to 1976. These varieties of ryegrass were found to be insensitive to timing of nitrogen application from apex initiation to the stage when ears first emerged. However, if nitrogen application was delayed until about 30% or more of the ears had emerged, yields were lower compared with earlier applications, this effect being significant when nitrogen was delayed until 70–80% ear emergence because of a decrease in both numbers of fertile tillers and number of seeds per unit area. No advantages were found for splitting nitrogen applications between apex initiation and ear emergence.

Notes: Seventy-three samples of grass and legume herbage of known in vivo digestibility were used to compare an in vitro procedure comprising incubation with pepsin followed by cellulase (Jones and Hayward, 1975) with the Tilley and Terry (1963) procedure using rumen liquor followed by pepsin. The results obtained using the pepsin-cellulase method proved to be highly repeatable. On the basis of the residual standard deviation of the regression of in vivo dry matter digestibility (DMD) on dry matter digested in vitro (g/100 g DM), the pepsin-cellulase method was shown to be only slightly less accurate than the rumen liquor-pepsin method for combinations of both primary growth and regrowth of grasses (r.s.d. ±1.80 and ±1.46 respectively). However, the pepsin-cellulase method was noticeably less accurate than the rumen liquor-pepsin method when used on legume herbages (r.s.d. ±3.17 and ±1.91) or on grass and legume herbages combined (r.s.d. ±3.80 and ±1.60). For the rumen liquor-pepsin method one regression equation predicting DMD having the form, Y= 1.02 X− 0.41, was permissible. For the pepsin-cellulase method separate regression equations were necessary for grasses (species and growth stages combined) having the form, Y = 0.56 X+ 34.7, and for each legume species. It was concluded that the pepsin cellulase method was of value for grass samples, and, within species, for legumes because of its accuracy and precision and its speed and convenience relative to the rumen liquor-pepsin procedure; however, for legume species combined, and presumably for grass-legume mixtures, it was not sufficiently accurate.

Notes: In field trials in 1971–73, perennial ryegrass cv. S23 and S24 were given up to 200 kg ha−1 nitrogen (N) and dry weight, seed yields and seed yield components measured. Optimum levels of applied N ranged from 80 kg ha−1, where livestock had grazed the crop in the establishment year or where residual N levels were about 70 kg ha−1, to 120 kg ha−1 where residual N was low. Application of more than 120 kg ha−1 did not increase yields further because of increased lodging and increased production of vegetative tillers. Seed set was 37–55% in S24 and 25–29% in S23 and was decreased by lodging.

Notes: A field design using a decagonal geometric shape is described which enables twenty small plots, each 0.08 ha in size, to be evaluated under communal grazing condilions. The decagonal design was compared with a conventional design using botanical composition and plant density as discriminating parameters. The results showed that communal grazing in the decagonal design gave similar botanical composition and plant density as the conventional design. Since less materials per treatment were used in the decagonal design, it offers a means of minimizing costs in preliminary screening experiments. However, since animal production cannot be monitored under communal grazing the most successful treatments would have to be further evaluated using the conventional approach.

Notes: The acetylene-reduction method was used to estimate the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen by non-symbiotic micro-organisms in soils from England and Wales. Significant fixation was found only in the surface horizon of the soil (0–1 cm) and was much higher in the light than in the dark. The highest rates were found with samples having a well-developed surface film of blue-green algae and were from 6 to 10 g ha−1 N per h. Generally, rates were very much lower. The addition of fertilizer nitrogen at 100 kg ha−1 markedly reduced N fixation by blue-green algae.

Notes: Counts of Aphis fabae Scop, eggs in winter and of the active stages in May on the spindle bush, Euonymus europaeus L., are used to predict the need for chemical control of the black bean aphid on spring-sown field beans, Vicia faba L. For the purposes of forecasting, most of England south of the Humber is divided into 18 areas for which separate forecasts are made. A level of 5 per cent of plants colonized on the SW. headlands of fields in early to mid-June is used as an economic threshold above which control measures are justified.From 1970 to 1975, area forecasts of the probability of attack were successful. According to the sampled fields there was considerable annual variation in the size of infestations, ranging from widespread, potentially damaging populations in 1973 and 1974 to very small populations in 1975. There was also considerable variation between areas: for example, in East Anglia and the East Midlands treatment was justified only in 1973 and 1974, whereas in Hampshire and Worcestershire/Herefordshire treatment was justified in all years except 1975. It was estimated that, from 1970 to 1975, control based on forecasting would have led to a gain of £11·4/ha over no treatment, and £3·8/ha over correctly timed routine preventive treatment applied annually irrespective of the aphid situation.

Notes: A root bioassay was used to determine the effect of various soils, and the chloride salts of Fe+++, Fe++, Al +++, Ca ++, K +, and Na+ on the activity of glyphosate (N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine]. Mineral soils significantly reduced the inhibitory effects of glyphosate on root growth. One muck soil inactivated glyphosate, but another muck soil and bentonite clay had little effect. Soils with the greatest inactivation capabilities had high concentrations of weak-acid-extractable iron. Glyphosate inactivation showed no correlation between cation exchange capacity and organic matter of the muck soils. FeCl3, FeCl2 and AlCl3, significantly reduced the activity of glyphosate, and, when allowed to stand in solution, combinations of FeCl3 and glyphosate formed a precipitate. CaCl2, KCl and NaCl did not inactivate glyphosate. Inactivation du glyphosate par divers sols et sels métalliques Un test biologique sur racines a été utilisé pour déterminer l'action de divers sols et de sels chlorés de Fe+++, Fe++, Al++, Ca++, K +, et Na+ sur I'activité du glyphosate N-(phosphono-méthyl) glycine. Les sols minéraux ont réduit significativement les effets inhibiteurs du glyphosate sur la croissance des racines. Un sol organique a inactivé le glyphosate, mais un autre sol organique, ainsi que la bentonite. n'ont eu que peu d'effet. Les sols qui ont présenté les plus grandes possibilités d'inactivation renfermaient des concentrations élevées dc fcr extractible par des acides faibles. II n'a pas été observé, en ce qui concerne l'inactivation du glyphosate, de corrélation entre la capaeité d'échange des cations et la teneure matiére organique des sols organiques. FeCl3, FeCl2, et AlCl3 ont significativement réduit l'activité du glyphosate et, lorsqu'ils ont été mis en présenceen solution, la combinaison de FeCl3 et du glyphosate a provoqué la formation d'un précipité, CaCl2, KCl et NaCl n'ont pas inactivé le glyphosate. Die Inaktivierung von Glyphosat durch verschiedene Böden und Metallsalze Die Wirkung verschiedener Bödden und der Chloride von Fe+++, Fe++, Al+++, Ca++, K+ und Na+ auf die Aktivität von Glyphosat N-(Phosphonomethyl)glycin wurde mit einem Wurzel-Biotest festgestellt. Mineralische Böden verringerten signifkant den Hemmeffekt von Glyphosat auf das Wurzelwachstum. Durch einen der organischen Böden wurde Glyphoat inaktiviert, ein anderer und das Tonmineral Bentonit, wirkten jedoch nur wenig inaktivierend. Böden mit der stärksten Inaktivierungsfähigkeit besassen hohe Konzentrationen an mit schwacher Säure extrahierbarem Eisen. Die Inaktivierung von Glyphosat war nicht mil der Kationen-Austauschkapazität und dem Gehalt der Böden an organischer Substanz korreliert Durch FeCl3, FeCl2 und AlCl3 wurde die Aktivitat von Glyphosat signifikant verringert. Wenn FeCl3 und Glyphosat in Lösung zusammengebracht wurden, bildete sich beim Stehenlassen dieser Kombination ein Niederschlag. CaCl2, KCl und NaCl wirkten auf Glyphosat nicht inaktivierend.