bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Protonation-induced Cyclization of 1,8-Bis(arylethynyl)anthraquinones: Monopyrylium Salt Formation and Intensification of Donor–Acceptor Interaction
Authors: Rao Koya Prabhakara , Kondo Mio , Sakamoto Ryota , Kusamoto Tetsuro , Kume Shoko , Nishihara Hiroshi
Published: December 2011

We previously reported protonation-induced double cyclization reaction of 1,4-Ar2Aq and 1,5-Ar2Aq (Ar2Aq: bis(arylethynyl)anthraquinone) with strong acid HX that generated the corresponding dipyrylium salts [1,4-Ar2Pyl2]X2 and [1,5-Ar2Pyl2]X2. In this communication we disclose the protonation reactions of 1,8-Fc2Aq (Fc: ferrocenyl), 1,8-Am2Aq (Am: 4-N,N-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)aminophenyl), and 1,8-AmFcAq, which is the first example of heterodonor molecules in the Ar2Aq series, and synthesized by means of stepwise Sonogashira–Hagihara cross-coupling reactions. In contrast to the 1,4-Ar2Aq and 1,5-Ar2Aq series, 1,8-Ar2Aq undergoes protonation-induced single cyclization, so that it is converted into the corresponding monopyrylium salt [1,8-Ar2Pyl]X. [1,8-Ar2Pyl]X features an extremely small HOMO–LUMO gap (0.50–0.73 V), ascribable to the significant lowering of the LUMO level upon the pyrylium formation.
NC State's Supply Chain Resource Cooperative Educates in the Real World
Authors: Handfield Robert B. , Edwards Steven A. , Stonebraker Jeffrey S.
Published: December 2011

North Carolina State University's Supply Chain Resource Cooperative (SCRC) is a unique university-industry initiative that provides MBA and undergraduate students with opportunities to apply supply chain (SC) theory and concepts to field-based projects over a semester. We integrate field-based student course projects with real problems that companies are facing. The projects are led by SCRC directors, faculty at the Poole College of Management, and SC managers that financially support the SCRC. The SCRC focuses on improving the caliber of students entering the SC management profession. It accomplishes this by bringing the classroom into industry and involving students in finding viable solutions to real business problems, thus facilitating interactions between students and companies. Since 2000, 1,251 students have completed 331 projects with 39 companies. The SCRC is a self-funded small business that is supported by donor companies. Its organizational structure enables us to develop and maintain long-term relationships with donor companies, which are critical for a successful student-based outreach initiative with industry. In this paper, we describe the SCRC's evolution and benefits, and provide insights that may help other institutions interested in establishing similar organizations.
Editorial: The Ninth Rothkopf Rankings of Universities' Contributions to the INFORMS Practice Literature
Authors: Fricker Ronald D.
Published: December 2011

Continuing the work begun by Michael H. Rothkopf in 1996, this paper presents the ninth ranking of universities according to their contributions to the INFORMS practice literature. Two rankings are given, each based on a different metric: visibility is the number of times a university is listed as the primary academic affiliation in the INFORMS practice literature; yield is the equivalent number of INFORMS practice papers attributable to each university based on author primary academic affiliation. As with the Eighth Rothkopf Rankings for US universities, the Naval Postgraduate School earns the top ranking for visibility and second for yield, whereas the Colorado School of Mines earns the top ranking for yield and second for visibility; for non-US universities, the University of Chile earns the top ranking for both visibility and yield.
Treatment of Wastewater Phosphate by Reductive Dissolution of Iron: Use of Ferric Oxyhydroxide Media
Authors: Robertson W. D. , Lombardo P. S.
Published: December 2011

In smaller wastewater treatment systems such as septic systems, there is an interest in the development of passive phosphorus (P) removal methods. This study tested fixed‐bed filters containing ferric oxyhydroxide media for wastewater P removal in a laboratory column test and in a full‐scale domestic septic system. In the column test, during 30 mo of dosing with domestic wastewater, reductive iron dissolution reactions delivered consistent moderate concentrations of Fe into solution (2.9 ± 1.6 mg L−1), and influent PO4–P of 3.7 ± 1.0 mg L−1 was attenuated to 0.09 + 0.04 mg L−1 in the column effluent (98% removal). Phosphorus breakthrough at successive locations along the column indicated that in addition to sorption, mineral precipitation reactions probably also played an important role in the observed P attenuation. This was supported by electron microprobe analyses, which showed the presence of thick (20 μm) secondary Fe‐rich coatings containing P on the primary ferric media grains. Assays of NaHCO3–leachable and acid‐extractable P on the column solids showed accumulation of up to 5.4 mg g−1 acid‐extractable P near the column inlet, but <5% of this amount was easily desorbable, further indicating P attenuation from processes other than sorption. Over 19 mo of operation, the domestic septic system also showed generally consistent increased Fe in the filter effluent (2.6 ± 1.7 mg L−1) and achieved 99% P removal to 0.03 ± 0.02 mg L−1 when the effluent was subsequently oxidized in a sand filter. Ferric iron filters could be attractive options for P removal in smaller wastewater systems because of their passive nature.
Mobility of Acid‐Treated Carbon Nanotubes in Water‐Saturated Porous Media
Authors: Peng X. J. , Du C. J. , Liang Z. , Wang J. , Luan Z. K. , Li W. J.
Published: December 2011

The production, use, and disposal of nanomaterials may inevitably lead to their appearance in water. With the development of new industries around nanomaterials, it seems necessary to be concerned about the transport of nanomaterials in the environment. In this paper, the transport of acid‐treated carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in porous media was investigated. Before the mobility investigation, the stability of acid‐treated CNT dispersions was studied using ultraviolet‐visible spectra and it was indicated that, under the chemical conditions employed in this work, there was no apparent aggregation. The mobility investigation showed that transport of acid‐treated CNTs increased with treatment time due to increase in particle zeta potential. Carbon nanotubes treated with nitric acid for 2, 6, and 12 h possessed measured zeta potentials of −30.0, −43.0, and −48.5 mV, respectively. Utilizing clean‐bed filtration theory, we showed that acid‐treated CNTs have the potential to migrate 3.28, 5.67, and 7.69 m in saturated glass beads, respectively. We showed that solution ionic strength and pH have important effects on the mobility of acid‐treated CNTs. Increasing the pH from 6.0 to 7.9 resulted in an increase in migration potential from 2.96 to 10.86 m. Increasing the ionic strength from 0.005 to 0.020 M resulted in a decrease in CNT migration potential from 5.67 to 1.42 m.
Potential Risks of Copper, Zinc, and Cadmium Pollution due to Pig Manure Application in a Soil–Rice System under Intensive Farming: A Case Study of Nanhu, China
Authors: Shi Jiachun , Yu Xiulin , Zhang Mingkui , Lu Shenggao , Wu Weihong , Wu Jianjun , Xu Jianming
Published: December 2011

Heavy metal (copper [Cu], zinc [Zn], and cadmium [Cd]) pollution of soils from pig manures in soil–rice (Oryza sativa L.) systems under intensive farming was investigated, taking Nanhu, China, as the case study area. Two hundred pig manures and 154 rice straws, brown rice samples, and corresponding surface soil (0–15 cm) samples were collected in paddy fields from 150 farms in 16 major villages within the study area. The mean Cu and Zn concentrations in pig manures consistently exceeded the related standard. About 44 and 60% of soil samples exceed the Chinese Soil Cu and Cd Environmental Quality Standards, respectively. The concentration of Cu, Zn, and Cd in brown rice did not exceed the Chinese Food Hygiene Standard. There was a significant positive correlation between total Cu and Zn contents in soil and application rate of pig manures. Strong correlation was observed between the extractable Cu, Zn, and Cd in soil and the Cu, Zn, and Cd contents in the brown rice. The spatial distribution maps of Cu and Zn concentrations in brown rice, straw, and extractable soil Cu and Zn concentration also showed similar geographical trends. Further analyses on heavy metals loading flux and accumulation rates from pig manure applied suggested that Cu and Cd contents in soil currently have already exceeded the maximum permissible limit, and Zn, if still at current manure application rates, will reach the ceiling concentration limits in 9 yr. This study assists in understanding the risk of heavy metals accumulating from pig manure applications to agricultural soils.
Removal of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons from Aqueous Solution on Soybean Stalk–based Carbon
Authors: Kong Huoliang , He Jiao , Gao Yanzheng , Han Jin , Zhu Xuezhu
Published: December 2011

Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] stalk–based carbons were prepared by phosphoric acid activation at different carbonization temperatures. Characteristics of the prepared carbon, including specific surface area, iodine number, and amount of methylene blue sorption, were determined. Experiments on phenanthrene, naphthalene, and acenaphthene, as representatives of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), removal from aqueous solution by the prepared carbon were conducted at different levels of carbon addition. The results indicated that the specific surface area, iodine number, and amount of methylene blue sorption increased with an increase of carbonization temperature. The maximum values were observed at 700°C and were 287.63 m2 g−1, 508.99 mg g−1, and 90.14 mg g−1, respectively. The removal efficiencies of phenanthrene, naphthalene, and acenaphthene tended to increase with increasing carbon amounts and carbonization temperature. The optimal removal performance was obtained under the experimental conditions of carbon concentrations of 0.04 g 32 mL−1 and carbonization temperature of 700°C, and the removal efficiencies of phenanthrene, naphthalene, and acenaphthene were 99.89, 100, and 95.64%, respectively. The performance of the prepared carbon was superior to that of commercial activated carbon. Additionally, for the same carbon concentrations, the removal efficiency of PAHs on prepared carbons followed the order: phenanthrene > naphthalene > acenaphthene. Results obtained from this work provide some insight into the reuse of an agricultural residue, and also provide a new application for the treatment of PAHs in contaminated water utilizing activated carbon prepared from agricultural residues.
From Agricultural Intensification to Conservation: Sediment Transport in the Raccoon River, Iowa, 1916–2009
Authors: Jones Christopher S. , Schilling Keith E.
Published: December 2011

Fluvial sediment is a ubiquitous pollutant that negatively affects surface water quality and municipal water supply treatment. As part of its routine water supply monitoring, the Des Moines Water Works (DMWW) has been measuring turbidity daily in the Raccoon River since 1916. For this study, we calibrated daily turbidity readings to modern total suspended solid (TSS) concentrations to develop an estimation of daily sediment concentrations in the river from 1916 to 2009. Our objectives were to evaluate long‐term TSS patterns and trends, and relate these to changes in climate, land use, and agricultural practices that occurred during the 93‐yr monitoring period. Results showed that while TSS concentrations and estimated sediment loads varied greatly from year to year, TSS concentrations were much greater in the early 20th century despite drier conditions and less discharge, and declined throughout the century. Against a backdrop of increasing discharge in the Raccoon River and widespread agricultural adaptations by farmers, sediment loads increased and peaked in the early 1970s, and then have slowly declined or remained steady throughout the 1980s to present. With annual sediment load concentrated during extreme events in the spring and early summer, continued sediment reductions in the Raccoon River watershed should be focused on conservation practices to reduce rainfall impacts and sediment mobilization. Overall, results from this study suggest that efforts to reduce sediment load from the watershed appear to be working.
Removal of Radium from Groundwater Using a Modified Bauxite Refinery Residue
Authors: Clark M. W. , Akhurst D. J. , Fergusson L.
Published: December 2011

Radium (Ra) removal by an unconventional sorbent, a modified bauxite refinery residue (MBRR), is investigated for a groundwater extracted in Missouri, USA. The MBRR treatment causes substantial reductions of both gross α and combined 226/228Ra activities from 0.955 ± 0.005 and 0.66 ± 0.005 Bq L−1 to below detection limits (0.037 Bq L−1 or 1 pCi L−1). Column breakthrough occurs at 0.555 Bq L−1 for gross α and 0.185 Bq L−1 for combined 226/228Ra (15 and 5 pCi L−1; USEPA's maximum contaminant levels) after 54 and 40 d run time, respectively. At 84 d the MBRR media continues to remove 24.3% of raw water gross α and 39.7% of the combined 226/228Ra. The treatment effluent has an initial pH of 10.9, outside the USEPA guides (6.5–8.5); this may be readily mitigated by posttreatment acid injection, or by raw water blending. The MBRR simultaneously removes other potentially hazardous trace elements (e.g., Cu, Zn, and Fe) to extremely low concentrations. In addition, toxicity characteristic leaching procedure testing of spent MBRR suggests that metals are bound tightly, such that it is nonhazardous, permitting cost‐effective disposal to landfill without special confinement or storage. Consequently, MBRR may be utilized as an alternative adsorbent for treating Ra‐contaminated groundwater.
Nonpoint Source Pollution, Environmental Quality, and Ecosystem Health in China: Introduction to the Special Section
Authors: Zhang Minghua , Xu Jianming
Published: December 2011

The rapid economic and industrial growth of China, exemplified by a 10‐fold increase in its gross domestic product in the past 15 years, has lifted millions of its citizens out of poverty but has simultaneously led to severe environmental problems. The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 2.4 million deaths in China per year could be attributed to degraded environmental quality. Much of China's soil, air, and water are polluted by xenobiotic contaminants, such as heavy metals and organic compounds. In addition, soil quality is degraded by erosion, desertification, and nutrient runoff. Air quality is further compromised by particulates, especially in heavily populated areas. Research shows that 80% of urban rivers in China are significantly polluted, and poor water quality is a key contributor to poverty in rural China. Economic and industrial growth has also greatly expanded the demand for water sources of appropriate quality; however, pollution has markedly diminished usable water resource quantity. Desertification and diminishing water resources threaten future food security. In recent years, China's government has increased efforts to reverse these trends and to improve ecosystem health. The Web of Science database showed that the percentage of articles on China devoting to environmental sciences increased dramatically in recent years. In addition, the top 25 institutes publishing the papers in environmental sciences were all in China. This special issue includes seven articles focusing on nonpoint source pollution, environmental quality, and ecosystem health in China. The major issues, and results of these studies, are discussed in this introduction.
Long‐Term Influence of Tillage and Fertilization on Net Carbon Dioxide Exchange Rate on Two Soils with Different Textures
Authors: Feiziene Dalia , Feiza Virginijus , Slepetiene Alvyra , Liaudanskiene Inga , Kadziene Grazina , Deveikyte Irena , Vaideliene Asta
Published: December 2011

The importance of agricultural practices to greenhouse gas mitigation is examined worldwide. However, there is no consensus on soil organic carbon (SOC) content and CO2 emissions as affected by soil management practices and their relationships with soil texture. No‐till (NT) agriculture often results in soil C gain, though, not always. Soil net CO2 exchange rate (NCER) and environmental factors (SOC, soil temperature [Tsoil], and water content [Wsoil]), as affected by soil type (loam and sandy loam), tillage (conventional, reduced, and NT), and fertilization, were quantified in long‐term field experiments in Lithuania. Soil tillage and fertilization affected total CO2 flux (heterotrophic and autotrophic) through effect on soil SOC sequestration, water, and temperature regime. After 11 yr of different tillage and fertilization management, SOC content was 23% more in loam than in sandy loam. Long‐term NT contributed to 7 to 27% more SOC sequestration on loam and to 29 to 33% more on sandy loam compared with reduced tillage (RT) or conventional tillage (CT). Soil water content in loam was 7% more than in sandy loam. Soil gravimetric water content, averaged across measurement dates and fertilization treatments, was significantly less in NT than CT and RT in both soils. Soil organic carbon content and water storage capacity of the loam and sandy loam soils exerted different influences on NCER. The NCER from the sandy loam soil was 13% greater than that from the loam. In addition, NCER was 4 to 9% less with NT than with CT and RT systems on both loam and sandy loam soils. Application of mineral NPK fertilizers promoted significantly greater NCER from loam but suppressed NCER by 15% from sandy loam.
Reductive Dechlorination of Activated Carbon‐Adsorbed Trichloroethylene by Zero‐Valent Iron: Carbon as Electron Shuttle
Authors: Tang Hao , Zhu Dongqiang , Li Tielong , Kong Haonan , Chen Wei
Published: December 2011

Sequestration of organic contaminants in carbonaceous materials can significantly affect contaminant fate and transport. We investigated the reductive dechlorination of granular‐activated carbon (GAC)‐adsorbed trichloroethylene (TCE) by nanoscale zero‐valent iron (nZVI) to understand the effect of sequestration on abiotic reactivity of organic contaminants. Significant reduction of TCE sequestered in GAC micropores was observed, even though direct contact with nZVI was unlikely. Reduction of sequestered TCE by reactive Fe(II) species or molecular hydrogen was ruled out as the reaction mechanisms. We propose that GAC served as the conductor for the transfer of electrons or atomic hydrogen from nZVI to the micropores, wherein adsorbed TCE molecules were reduced. An important implication for environmental remediation is that carbonaceous adsorbents not only function as a superb sink for organic contaminants but also allow them to be slowly degraded while being trapped.
Grain Yield Response to Planting Density in Forage Rice with a Large Number of Spikelets
Authors: Nakano H. , Morita S. , Kitagawa H. , Wada H. , Takahashi M.
Published: December 2011

Because forage rice (Oryza sativa L.) must be cost‐competitive with other forage crops, high grain yield is essential. The objective of the present study was to determine the effects of planting density (11, 25, or 100 hills m−2) and N application method (the 79‐21N method, with 79% of the N applied before the panicle initiation stage and 21% after, or the 36‐64N method, 36% before and 64% after) on grain yield and its components in the cultivar Mizuhochikara, which produces an unusually large number of spikelets per square meter. Grain yield was not different between N application methods but increased from 799 g m−2 to 870 g m−2 with increasing planting density. The number of spikelets per square meter was not strongly influenced by the planting densities. The percentage of filled spikelets and the 1000‐grain weight was higher at 100 and 25 hills m−2 than at 11 hills m−2. The amount of nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC) in the leaf sheaths plus stems per square meter at the full heading stage was larger at 100 and 25 hills m−2 than at 11 hills m−2. The percentages of both primary and secondary spikelets increased with increasing planting density, whereas that of tertiary spikelets decreased. Grain weight per spikelet was generally higher at primary and secondary spikelets than at tertiary spikelets. At each position in the panicle, grain weight per spikelet was heavier at 100 and 25 hills m−2 than at 11 hills m−2. Thus, dense planting may increase the grain yield, the percentage of filled spikelets, and the 1000‐grain weight by increasing NSC at full heading stage and decreasing the number of tertiary spikelets even at a large number of spikelets per square meter in Mizuhochikara.
Effects of Temperature and Light on Photosynthetic Heterosis of an Upland Cotton Hybrid Cultivar
Authors: Zeng Bin , Xu Xiaoming , Zhou Shixiang , Zhu Chunshen , Tang Canming
Published: December 2011

The hybrid vigor of crops is related to photosynthesis. However, the effects of environmental factors on the heterosis of the net photosynthesis rate (Pn) of upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) hybrids remain largely unknown. The objective of this study was to identify the relationship between the heterosis of Pn and temperature and light intensity by using reciprocal hybrids of upland cotton (G. hirsutum cv. Xiangzamian 3) and their corresponding parental lines at the flowering‐boll stage. Both the effects of heterosis on the diurnal variations of Pn throughout the day and Pn responses to light under different temperatures in the fourth leaves from the tops of the main stems were surveyed. The maximum values of Pn for all plants were observed at 1000 h. A reduction in Pn was noticeable between 1000 and 1200 h. The maximum heterosis of the obverse F1 and reverse F1 of Pn was observed between 1300 and 1700 h under high light intensities (>1000 μmol m−2 s−1), high temperatures (≥40°C), and low relative humidity (≤40%). The effects of heterosis on the self‐cooling abilities of the F1 leaves may be related to the heterosis of Pn in the hybrids that were under heat stress. The resistance of hybrids to high temperatures under high light intensities may act as the heterotic mechanism affecting cotton photosynthetic rates and may also allow for a new method of selecting cotton cultivars with high Pn.
Molecular Variation Among and Within Improved Cultivars in the U.S. Cotton Germplasm Collection
Authors: Hinze Lori L. , Dever Jane K. , Percy Richard G.
Published: December 2011

Many cotton (Gossypium spp.) accessions conserved in the U.S. Cotton Germplasm Collection are not characterized sufficiently to encourage breeders’ interest in using these accessions. This study was conducted to determine the genetic variability of several groups of improved Gossypium hirsutum L. accessions and how this variability can be used to enhance current breeding programs. These groups were selected based on region or era of development and included cultivars from China and northern and southern Africa and obsolete and recent U.S. cultivars. Both inter‐ and intracultivar diversity were observed among these cultivars, but larger patterns of diversity based on region or era of development were poor or lacking. Heterozygosity levels averaged 44% for all groups, with Chinese cultivars showing the lowest polymorphism (72%) and polymorphism information content (PIC) values (0.332). The African cultivars showed the highest levels of intracultivar molecular variation with 13.4% polymorphic loci. The majority of molecular diversity was found within groups (62.2%) and within cultivars (31.0%) rather than among groups (6.8%). The average genetic similarity between cultivars was 0.832, ranging from 0.675 to 0.999. This information will provide cotton breeders with more accurate guidance in the selection of unique and desirable accessions to introduce diversity that possibly will reduce vulnerability to disease and insect pressures and could provide improvements for yield, agronomic, and fiber quality traits.
Comparative Quantitative Trait Loci Mapping for Gibberella Ear Rot Resistance and Reduced Deoxynivalenol Contamination across Connected Maize Populations
Authors: Martin M. , Miedaner T. , Schwegler D. D. , Kessel B. , Ouzunova M. , Dhillon B. S. , Schipprack W. , Utz H. F. , Melchinger A. E.
Published: December 2011

Gibberella ear rot (GER) of maize (Zea mays L.) caused by Fusarium graminearum Schwabe leads to yield loss and contamination with deoxynivalenol (DON), the most commonly detected mycotoxin. To enhance the efficiency of marker‐assisted selection (MAS), it is necessary to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL), which are effective across different genetic backgrounds. The objectives of the present study were to (i) map QTL for GER resistance and reduced DON contamination, (ii) examine the congruency of QTL across four connected populations (three from this study and one from an earlier study), and (iii) draw conclusions about the prospects of MAS. The populations under study comprised doubled haploid (DH) lines derived from crosses of four flint inbreds. The traits were recorded under artificial inoculation. Estimates of genotypic variances were significant and heritabilities were moderately high to high. We mapped QTL together explaining 21 to 49% of for GER severity and 19 to 30% for DON concentration. Colocalized QTL for GER resistance and reduced DON contamination were identified in each mapping population. Further, QTL located at similar positions were detected across three populations in two chromosomal regions and across two populations in additional two regions. The study indicated that a combination of classical phenotypic selection and MAS is a promising strategy to breed maize for GER resistance and reduced DON contamination.
Genetic Gains in Grain Yield and Physiological Traits of Winter Wheat in Shandong Province, China, from 1969 to 2006
Authors: Xiao Y. G. , Qian Z. G. , Wu K. , Liu J. J. , Xia X. C. , Ji W. Q. , He Z. H.
Published: December 2011

Knowledge on the changes in yield potential and associated physiological traits is essential for understanding the main yield‐limiting factors and guiding future breeding strategies. Our objective was to identify physiological traits associated with genetic gains in grain yield of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in Shandong province, China. Thirteen milestone cultivars and two advanced lines released from 1969 to 2006 were examined over 3 yr at Tai'an during 2006 to 2009. The genetic gain in grain yield was 62 kg ha−1 yr−1, largely associated with increased kernels per square meter, biomass, and harvest index (HI) and reduced plant height. Significant genetic changes were also observed especially for apparent leaf area index (LAI) at heading and anthesis, chlorophyll content (Chl) at anthesis, photosynthesis rate during grain filling, and stem water‐soluble carbohydrate (WSC) content at anthesis. Comparing genotypes having Rht‐D1b and others with both Rht‐D1b and Rht8c (Rht‐D1b+Rht8c) showed increased grain yield, thousand kernel weight, kernels per spike, kernel weight per spike, HI, canopy temperature depression, and Chl at anthesis and LAI at heading with the latter but no difference in height. The results suggested that genetic gains in grain yield in Shandong province were mainly contributed by increases in kernels per square meter and biomass, which were achieved through improving crop photosynthesis at and after heading, and the source for grain filling may have benefited from increased WSC in stems at anthesis.
Screening Methods for Aluminum Tolerance in Alfalfa
Authors: Khu Dong‐Man , Reyno Rafael , Brummer E. Charles , Monteros Maria J.
Published: December 2011

Reliable phenotypic assays are essential to identify genetic variation for factors limiting crop productivity. Aluminum in the soil is highly phytotoxic and is a major limitation to crop production. Current methods to evaluate Al tolerance in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) based on root characteristics are time consuming, labor intensive, and subject to microenvironmental variation. Our objective was to develop two rapid whole‐plant assays, one in culture media and one in soil, to evaluate acid and Al tolerance in alfalfa. The culture‐media method involved measuring root growth and architecture 2 wk after growing the plants in media at pH 7.0 without Al, pH 4.0 without Al, and pH 4.0 with Al. The greenhouse‐based soil method is simpler, faster, and more efficient than previously used soil assays. The two assays produced similar results, consistently distinguishing between Al‐sensitive and Al‐tolerant alfalfa genotypes in accord with previously described assays. These whole‐plant assay methods will enable the screening of breeding populations to improve Al tolerance and the dissection of the genetic determinants underlying variation in tolerance responses.
Winter Wheat and Red Clover Intercrop Response to Tillage and Compost Amendment
Authors: Blaser Brock C. , Singer Jeremy W. , Gibson Lance R.
Published: December 2011

Frost‐seeding red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) into winter cereals is an efficient establishment method, although performance under contrasting soil management practices remains unclear. Wheat and intercropped red clover productivity were evaluated in intensive tillage (IT), moderate tillage (MT), and no tillage (NT) with and without compost amendment in a corn (Zea mays L.)–soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]–winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and red clover rotation between 2005 and 2010. Wheat yields were not affected by tillage system and averaged 3.80 Mg ha−1 but were 10% higher in compost amended soil compared to no compost. Red clover plant density and dry matter (DM) at cereal grain harvest averaged 127 plants m−2 and 32 g m−2 and were not affected by tillage or amendment treatments. Maximum wheat canopy light interception was attained in late May to early June and ranged from 84 to 91% and typically exceeded 77% light interception for at least 22 d. Red clover root DM increased on average 378% between wheat harvest and 40 d after harvest compared with a 64% average increase in red clover root length. Red clover shoot:root averaged 8.5 at wheat harvest compared with 11.2 40 d after wheat harvest. Producers using this wheat and red clover intercrop should expect no difference in wheat yield or red clover productivity when using IT, MT, or NT.
Genetic Diversity of Rapeseed Accessions from Different Geographic Locations Revealed by Expressed Sequence Tag‐Simple Sequence Repeat and Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Markers
Authors: Li Wei , Jiang Wei , Zhao Hui xian , Vyvadilova Miroslava , Stamm Michael , Hu Sheng wu
Published: December 2011

Genetic diversity information will be very valuable for future rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) improvement. The genetic diversity and relationships among 92 rapeseed accessions, including 44 from China, 22 from Europe, 16 from the United States, and 10 from Canada, were assessed by 60 random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and 22 expressed sequence tag (EST)‐simple sequence repeat (SSR) primers. In total, 618 RAPD and 117 EST‐SSR polymorphic fragments were detected. The average number of polymorphic fragments found by each RAPD primer was 10.3 ranging from 3 to 17 and that detected by each pair of EST‐SSR primer was 5.3 ranging from 4 to 7. The unweighted pair‐group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) cluster analysis revealed that these 92 accessions could be classified into three major clusters. Cluster I consisted of accessions mainly from China, which belong to the semi‐winter type. Cluster II contained accessions from Europe and the United States, which belong to the winter type. Cluster III was a semi‐winter and spring type mixture group, which contained accessions mainly from China and Canada. The principal component analysis and population structure analysis revealed similar results to the cluster analysis. Analysis of molecular variance result based on four geographic groups indicated that genetic variation was 8.24% among populations of geographic regions and 91.76% within geographic regions. Rapeseed accessions from the United Stated have the greatest genetic distance from accessions of other geographic origins, especially those from China. United States rapeseed could be important germplasm resources for enriching the genetic background of Chinese rapeseed and vice versa.
Genetic Diversity and Structure of Pepper (Capsicum AnnuumL.) from Northwestern Mexico Analyzed by Microsatellite Markers
Authors: Pacheco‐Olvera Antonio , Hernández‐Verdugo Sergio , Rocha‐Ramírez Víctor , González‐Rodríguez Antonio , Oyama Ken
Published: December 2011

The analysis of the variability and genetic structure of wild and landrace populations of pepper (Capsicum annuumL.) is important for the management and conservation of valuable genetic resources and to understand the consequences of domestication on the patterns of neutral genetic variation. For this purpose, 12 populations of wild peppers, 3 landrace populations and 7 hybrid populations from northwestern Mexico were studied using microsatellites. On average, 3.62 alleles per locus were detected in the wild relatives, 3.37 in the landraces, and 3.08 in the hybrids. According to the average values of expected heterozygosity (He), slightly greater genetic diversity was found among the wild relatives (He = 0.466) than in the hybrids (He = 0.440) or the landraces (He = 0.422). In terms of the average number of alleles per locus and the average expected heterozygosity, reductions of 8.18 and 10.25% were found in the genetic diversity of the landraces and hybrids, respectively, with respect to the wild populations. The genetic differentiation among the populations was the highest among hybrids (GST= 0.324), followed by landraces (0.309) and wild relatives (the lowest, at 0.208). Cluster analysis clearly demarcated the wild relatives and domesticated populations into different groups. The high levels of genetic diversity found amongC. annuumin northwestern Mexico suggest that the wild and landrace populations are a valuable resource that should be conserved.
QTL Mapping for Milling Quality in Elite Western U.S. Rice Germplasm
Authors: Nelson J. C. , Jodari F. , Roughton A. I. , McKenzie K. M. , McClung A. M. , Fjellstrom R. G. , Scheffler B. E.
Published: December 2011

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) milling yield is a key export and domestic grain quality trait whose genetic control is poorly understood. To identify genomic regions influencing grain quality, quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping was performed for quality‐related traits including head‐rice yield (HR) in 205 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross of L‐204, a high‐HR long‐grain cultivar, with 01Y110, a low‐HR advanced breeding line with high yield potential in the temperate U.S. rice‐growing region. In replicated trials planted in California during 2007–2008, four QTLs carrying the HR‐increasing allele from L204 and three from 01Y110 were consistently expressed. Multi‐QTL models accounted for 30% of genetic variation for HR and up to 58% for other quality‐related traits. Measures of kernel damage, though correlated with HR, were poor predictors of HR. Heading time, kernel dimension, apparent amylose content, and other highly heritable traits showed no correlation with HR. Stable QTLs for HR are likely to be revealed best by multienvironment experiments employing larger population sizes or more direct measurement of kernel structure and development traits involved in kernel breakage.
Lateral Spread and Dry Matter Partitioning of Creeping Bentgrass Cultivars
Authors: Jones Marcus A. , Christians Nick E.
Published: December 2011

Creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) cultivars are available that possess varying vegetative characteristics. A better understanding of the vegetative growth among creeping bentgrass cultivars is essential to its culture and would aid breeders in selecting for improved turf characteristics in germplasm screening programs. Our objectives were to identify differences in establishment rates among cultivars of creeping bentgrass and to determine the factors associated with differing growth rates by using growth analysis techniques. Spaced plantings of 24 cultivars of creeping bentgrass were evaluated for stolon characteristics and lateral spread. Two cultivars with differing lateral spread were used for further growth analysis in a growth chamber. ‘Penncross’ exhibited greater lateral spread and longer internodes compared with recently developed cultivars. ‘Bengal’ had the slowest lateral spread and the shortest mean stolon and internode length. Internode and stolon length were positively correlated as well as internode length and establishment rate indicating that cultivars with long internodes also possess fast establishment rates and longer stolons. Growth analysis indicated that Penncross and Bengal produce similar amounts of dry matter but Penncross allocates more dry matter into stolons than leaves. Variation in dry matter partitioning could partially explain differences in lateral spread among cultivars of creeping bentgrass. The vegetative characteristics should be matched with desired site usage requirements for optimum performance when selecting cultivars of creeping bentgrass.
Accumulation of Leginsulin, a Hormone‐Like Bioactive Peptide, is Drastically Higher in Asian than in North American Soybean Accessions
Authors: Kim Won‐Seok , Jang Sungchan , Krishnan Hari B.
Published: December 2011

Leginsulin, a peptide made up of 37 amino acids, is homologous to pea (Pisum sativum L.) albumin (PA1b) and belongs to the cysteine‐knot family. Even though the physiological function and three‐dimensional structure of leginsulin have been explored, little is known about its expression, accumulation, and distribution among soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] accessions. An antibody generated against leginsulin was used to screen a diverse array of soybean accessions from the USDA Soybean Germplasm Collection to identify soybean accessions that are enriched in leginsulin. Analysis of 50% isopropanol‐soluble proteins from 485 soybean lines by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS‐PAGE) and western blot analysis enabled the identification of 75 accessions that significantly accumulated leginsulin. Remarkably, all these accessions with the exception of two had their origin from Japan, Korea, or China. Leginsulin was barely detected in most of the commercial North American soybean cultivars used in this study. Western blot analysis revealed low accumulation of leginsulin in the embryonic axis but not in the cotyledons of North American soybean cultivar Williams 82 while in the Chinese PI 458249 leginsulin was abundantly present in both types of tissue. Examination of the soybean cultivar Williams 82 genome sequence revealed the presence of two homologous leginsulin genes (Gm13 g26330 [leginsulin 1] and Gm13 g26340 [leginsulin 2]) on chromosome 13. We have cloned the two leginsulin genes from PI 458249 and found them to be highly similar to that of Williams 82. Northern blot analysis indicated that leginsulin messenger RNA (mRNA) was abundant in Williams 82 embryonic axis but not in the cotyledon. In contrast, leginsulin mRNA was abundantly present in PI 458249, both in the embryonic axis and the cotyledons.
Reconceptualising Vocational Education and Training Systems in Broader Policy Domains: Monitoring and Evaluation
Authors: Eddington Noela , Eddington Ian
Published: December 2011

The article focuses on how the present vocational education and training (VET) system in Australia might be modified to better accommodate possible VET futures change. It begins with the premise that VET's role is to contribute to skills acquisition through formal education and training. The authors propose a simple VET futures role and purpose statement and outline a possible futures public policy environment in which its actualisation might need to be achieved. They continue, first by developing a policy intervention framework and a monitoring and evaluation framework germane to that futures purpose and policy mix, and second, by employing those frameworks to explain how a futures VET system might function. They discuss the present VET system in the context of the constructed futures VET system and draw conclusions from comparisons made. They find (a) that skills policy should be redefined to accommodate broader economic and social policy contexts in general, and sustainable industry policy in particular; and (b) that a more sophisticated policy mix, consisting of unified and complementary supply-side and demand-side interventions, should replace the VET sector's reliance on simplistic supply-side policy responses alone. They outline an incremental approach for transforming the present VET system into the envisioned futures VET system and check and balance their findings through international comparisons.
The Use of Large-Scale Administrative Data Sets to Monitor Progression from Vocational Education and Training into Higher Education in the UK: Possibilities and Methodological Challenges
Authors: Hayward Geoff , Hoelscher Michael
Published: December 2011

This article describes two administrative data sources - UCAS applicant data and Higher Education Statistical Agency (HESA) data - and demonstrates how they can be utilised to monitor the progression of students from vocational and educational training (VET) programmes in to higher education (HE) in the UK. First the article provides a general discussion of the administrative data sets, their coverage and resulting limitations. Second, it illustrates how a combined HESA-UCAS data set can be utilised to provide a descriptive statistical analysis that demonstrates that including VET students within HE programmes widens participation for under-represented groups in the UK but shows that VET students are at a disadvantage compared with those progressing through academic pathways in terms of their probability of gaining access, which types of higher education institution (HEI) they gain access to, and an increased risk of dropping out during their first year of study. Third, multilevel modelling indicates that drop-out risks differ across HEIs and suggests that HEIs can take actions that will reduce the risk of VET students dropping out. Finally some conclusions about the utility of administrative data to answer substantive research questions are presented, with suggestions for improving the quality and access to such data for researchers.
Entscheidungskriterien im Umgang mit Naturgefahren (Essay)
Authors: Rheinberger Christoph M.
Published: December 2011

Decision criteria for the management of natural hazards (essay)

Protection against natural hazards is of great relevance to the Swiss people. In recent years a number of tools have been developed to foster cost awareness and efficiency in the mitigation of natural hazards. Since the beginning of 2008, the calculation program EconoMe is used nationwide to evaluate new mitigation projects that exceed investment costs of one million CHF. EconoMe relies on two decision criteria; the maximum acceptable risk threshold (personal safety goal) and the benefit-cost ratio of the mitigation project. From an economics perspective one may ask whether the use of these criteria leads to an efficient allocation of resources. In this article I will scrutinize the criteria used in EconoMe. I will first show that the benefits from a mitigation project are not simply equal to the expected reduction in losses. The utility calculus propagated by welfare economists is but one possible decision criterion to evaluate risks from natural hazards. In the second part of the article I will discuss alternative decision criteria for natural hazard management and outline the consequences resulting from the use of these criteria. The article will conclude with some suggestions on how EconoMe could be further improved. In particular, I suggest the use of a more customized incremental cost criterion, the equal discounting of costs and benefits, and the use of the net benefit (instead of the benefit-cost ratio) as decision criterion.
Registration of ‘NI04421’ Hard Red Winter Wheat
Authors: Baenziger P. S. , Graybosch R. A. , Regassa T. , Nelson L. A. , Klein R. N. , Santra D. K. , Baltensperger D. D. , Krall J. M. , Xu L. , Wegulo S. N. , Jin Y. , Kolmer J. , Chen Ming-Shun , Bai Guihua
Published: December 2011

Water for irrigation is a major constraint in the Great Plains, and it is expected that the proportion of irrigated crop land to grow irrigated wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), which requires less water than other crops, will increase to conserve irrigation water. ‘NI04421’ (Reg. No. CV‐1064, PI 659690) hard red winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was developed cooperatively by the Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station and the USDA‐ARS and released in 2010 by the developing institutions and the Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Station. NI04421 was released primarily for its superior performance under irrigation and rainfed conditions in western Nebraska and eastern Wyoming. NI04421 was selected from the cross NE96644/Wahoo (sib) where the pedigree of NE96644 is ‘Odesskaya P’/‘Cody’//‘Pavon 76’/*3 ‘Scout 66’. The cross was made in the spring of 1998. NI04421 was selected using a modified bulk‐breeding method as an F3:4 line (F3‐derived line in the F4 generation) in 2002, and in 2004 was assigned experimental line number NI04421. After extensive testing, it was released in July 2010.
Registration of ‘Rex’ Southern Long‐Grain Rice
Authors: Solomon Walter L. , Kanter Dwight G. , Walker Timothy W. , Baird George E. , Scheffler Brian E. , Lanford Leland S. , Shaifer Sanfrid
Published: December 2011

‘Rex’ (Oryza sativa L.) (Reg. No. CV‐136, PI 661111) is a conventional, southern, long‐grain rice cultivar developed at the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, Delta Research and Extension Center, Stoneville, MS, and officially released in February 2010. Rex is a semidwarf cultivar with good straw strength, good standability, and good milling, and it exhibits exceptional and stable yield performance. Rex was tested in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Texas in a total of 35 environments from 2006 to 2010. Averaged over the 35 replicated trials, Rex had an average grain yield of 10.16 t ha−1. Its consistency in grain yields across production sites and years can be contributed, in part, to its excellent straw strength as shown by a lodging incidence of less than 1% over the same number of environments. Furthermore, Rex averaged a whole milling yield of 579 g kg−1 and a total milling yield of 692 g kg−1. While Rex is susceptible to rotten neck blast [caused by Pyricularia grisea (Cooke) Sacc.] and sheath blight disease (caused by Rhizoctonia solani J.G. Kühn), its level of field tolerance has permitted its overall field performance to match or numerically exceed the performance of other similar susceptible varieties. Rex should be well adapted to the growing conditions found in the southern USA.
Registration of ‘Mallard’ Kentucky Bluegrass
Authors: Bonos Stacy A. , Hignight Debra , Hignight Kenneth , Brown Tami , Meyer William A.
Published: December 2011

Kentucky bluegrass is a pseudogomous facultative apomict, requiring viable pollen to stimulate seed set. Since Kentucky bluegrass is a facultative apomict, low levels of sexuality occur that allow for hybridization and genetic recombination. ‘Mallard’ (Reg. No. CV‐100, PI 632598) Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) is a turf‐type cultivar released by the Pennington Seed (Athens, GA) in 2002. Mallard was selected as an open‐pollinated progeny of ‘Unique’ Kentucky bluegrass. Mallard is comparable with ‘Midnight’ (standard) in many turf characteristics, including turf quality and disease resistance. Mallard is significantly better in drought resistance compared with Unique (parent). The combination of these traits makes Mallard a unique, widely adapted, functional cultivar that should perform well in home lawns, golf courses, and municipalities in the Northeast, transition, North Central, and Upper West, and Mountain regions.