Winter-annual cover crops reduce soil erosion by providing ground cover, while producing energy-cheap N for a subsequent crop. Incorporated cover crops or those left as no-till mulch can enhance soil structure and water infiltration. A series of studies was designed to test agronomic advantages of growing mixtures of rye plus hairy vetch and hairy plus bigflower vetches. Plots were arranged in randomized complete blocks and the study conducted for two consecutive cover crop/corn sequences. I measured N yield of cover crops, their ground-covering ability, and their influence on soil structure and a subsequent corn crop. Nitrogen yields ranged from 53 to 187 kg/ha using either pure stands of hairy vetch or mixtures of hairy vetch plus bigflower vetch. Nitrogen yields for rye plus hairy vetch mixtures ranged from 90 to 179 kg/ha. Rye growing in association with vetch had lower C:N ratios (47:1) than pure rye (59:1), apparently deriving additional N from vetch. Vetches were poor at covering the ground in the fall (< 15% cover) as compared to rye (> 41% cover) or mixtures of rye and vetch (25 to 45% cover). When compared to vetch pure stands, corn yields were suppressed 5 to 42% by including rye with vetch due to N immobilization from the rye component and reduced N yield from the vetch component. Corn yields from hairy vetch or hairy: bigflower vetch mixtures were 15.5 Mg/ha and 16.2 Mg/ha respectively and statistically similar to rye + 140 kg N/ha (16.7 Mg/ha). Corn following the two-vetch mixture took up 129 kg N/ha, while corn following hairy vetch took up 114 kg N/ha. Using N fertilizer, corn N uptake was 183 kg N/ha following 140 kg N/ha fertilizer and 213 kg/ha following 210 kg/ha N fertilizer. Increased soil moisture seemed to be related to the presence of a surface mulch. I was unable to detect any changes in water-stable soil aggregates in the upper 15 cm after 2 years of cover cropping. During 1988, water infiltration in no-till plots was lower than in plots that had been disk incorporated, but a tillage effect was not seen in 1989. / Ph. D.

Thesis (DTech (Faculty of Applied Sciences)--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2009 / A 3-factorial experiment involving two cowpea densities (83,000 and 167,000 plants.ha-1), two cropping systems (i.e. monoculture and mixed culture) and five cowpea genotypes (i.e. three farmer-selected cultivars, Bensogla, Sanzie and Omondaw and two improved varieties, ITH98-46 and TVu1509) was conducted in the field for two consecutive years in 2005 and 2006. The aim was to assess the effect of plant density, cropping system and cowpea genotypes on: (i) chlorophyll and gas-exchange, (ii) rhizosphere mineral concentration and tissue uptake of nutrients, (iii) acid and alkaline phosphatase activities in the rhizosphere, (iv) plant growth and symbiotic performance, and (v) concentration of flavonoids and anthocyanins in seed extracts and plant organs and their effect on pest infestation and diseases. The results showed that high plant density (167,000 plants.ha-1) and mixed culture significantly decreased gas-exchange parameters, leaf chlorophyll content, 13C and %C in both cowpea and sorghum plants compared with low plant density (83,000 plants.ha-1) and monoculture. The data also showed significantly higher 13C and lower %C in ITH98-46 and TVu1509 compared with Bensogla, Omondaw and Sanzie genotypes with a significant correlation between 13C and water-use efficiency. At harvest, grain yield of cowpea and sorghum was significantly decreased by high plant density and mixed culture compared with low plant density and monoculture. Sanzie genotype was generally superior in grain yield (2,550 kg.ha-1) followed by cvs. Omondaw and Bensogla (2,250 and 2,150 kg.ha-1, respectively) compared with the improved cultivars. Sorghum plants in mixture with cv. TVu1509 or cv. ITH98-46 performed better (1,570 and 1,550 kg.ha-1, respectively) compared with those in mixture with other cultivars. The results also showed greater land equivalent ratio (LER = 1.42 to 1.52), suggesting that mixed culture produced greater total yields per unit land area compared with monoculture.

Bibliography: leaves 148-160. A series of experiments was conducted to examine the growth and nutrient uptake of durum and bread wheat at a number of sites in South Australia. The experiments examined response to water stress, the pattern of root and shoot growth, soil water extraction and nutrient uptake among a range of adapted bread wheat and durum wheat cultivars.

Bibliography: leaves 290-324. This thesis investigates two avenues suggested by Graham and Ascher (1993) for approaching the problems of subsoil infertility, with particular reference to zinc. Field experiments with wheat and barley were established at Minnipa, on Eyre Peninsula in South Australia to investigate the effects of applying nutrients (principally zinc, nitrogen and phosphorus) to the subsoil to a depth of 0.4 m with a modified deep ripper. A deep pot experiment was designed to measure the zinc efficiencies (in terms of dry matter production) of a range of species grown in siliceous sand. The effects of added zinc on root growth were compared. A pot experiment was also designed to measure the effects of zinc placement in the soil on the zinc concentrations and uptake in Excalibur, particularly with respect to concentrations in grain.

This dissertation contributes to our understanding of how people build and use social capital – resources embedded in social relations – in organizational settings. Whereas the extant literature has tended to focus on the structure of interpersonal networks within organizations and the link to various indicators of individual attainment, this dissertation instead uncovers the dynamics of network action. I tackle two central questions: (1) During times of organizational change, how do organizational actors use the social resources accessible to them by virtue of their position in the structure? and (2) What organizational interventions can help people forge valuable new connections in the workplace? Core to this investigation is the concept of social capital activation – that is, the conversion of latent social ties into active relationships. Three empirical studies illuminate different facets of social capital activation during commonly experienced forms of organizational change: (1) an organizational restructuring; (2) large-scale transformations that create individual-level threat or opportunity; and (3) the introduction of a novel employee cross-training program. Because organizational change is often accompanied by significant shifts in resources and power, network activation choices in these periods can have significant consequences for individual attainment and organizational performance. I draw on unique data from three disparate settings – a global information services firm; a large health care organization; and a software development lab based in Beijing, China. Multiple research methods, including a large panel data set of archived electronic communications, qualitative interviews, experimental studies conducted with samples of working professionals, and a longitudinal field experiment, are used to identify how organizational actors marshal social resources through individual-level network activation choices. Findings from these studies contribute to research on: (1) organizational social capital; (2) the structural dynamics of organizational change; (3) ascriptive inequality in organizations; (4) cognition and social networks; and (5) workplace practices and network change.

Bibliography: leaves 290-324. / xxii, 324 leaves, [5] leaves of plates : col. ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / This thesis investigates two avenues suggested by Graham and Ascher (1993) for approaching the problems of subsoil infertility, with particular reference to zinc. Field experiments with wheat and barley were established at Minnipa, on Eyre Peninsula in South Australia to investigate the effects of applying nutrients (principally zinc, nitrogen and phosphorus) to the subsoil to a depth of 0.4 m with a modified deep ripper. A deep pot experiment was designed to measure the zinc efficiencies (in terms of dry matter production) of a range of species grown in siliceous sand. The effects of added zinc on root growth were compared. A pot experiment was also designed to measure the effects of zinc placement in the soil on the zinc concentrations and uptake in Excalibur, particularly with respect to concentrations in grain. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Agronomy and Farming Systems, 1997

Made available in DSpace on 2014-08-13T14:51:01Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2014-04-24Bitstream added on 2014-08-13T17:59:36Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000776569.pdf: 1805226 bytes, checksum: 94588b2444e12e74c27a7e8e9682b188 (MD5) / A matéria orgânica do solo (MOS) apresenta um amplo conjunto de funções e tem sua quantidade e sua qualidade alteradas pelas diferentes possibilidades de rotações de culturas e manejo do solo. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os teores e a qualidade da matéria orgânica do solo em função de culturas em rotação sob Sistema Semeadura Direta (SSD). A pesquisa foi realizada em duas áreas conduzidas em SSD por no mínimo oito anos, com diferentes rotações de culturas, na Fazenda Experimental Lageado, Botucatu, SP. No experimento I, em um Latossolo Vermelho distroférrico de textura argilosa, as culturas em rotação foram sorgo granífero (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench), braquiária ruziziensis (Urochloa ruziziensis (R. Germ. & C. M. Evrard) Crins), e o consórcio de ambas no outono/inverno; milheto (Pennisetum glaucum L.), sorgo forrageiro (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) e crotalária júncea (Crotalaria juncea L.), na primavera, como subparcelas, antecedendo a cultura da soja no verão. O segundo experimento foi conduzido em Nitossolo Vermelho distroférrico de textura muito argilosa. As parcelas foram constituídas pelas culturas de outono/inverno triticale (X Triticosecale Wittmack) e girassol (Helianthus annuus L.); e as subparcelas ... / Soil organic matter (SOM) plays major functions in agricultural soils, and its contents and quality can be altered by crop rotations and soil management. The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in soil organic matter as affected by crop rotations under no-tillage system. The study was carried out at two no-till managed field sites for at least eight years, in Botucatu, SP, Brazil. In the first experiment, the soil was a Rhodic Ferralsol, in which grain-sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) and ruzigrass (Urochloa ruziziensis (R. Germ. and C. M. Evrard) Crins), single or intercropped in the fall/winter period, were the plots. Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.), forage sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) and sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.) were cropped in the spring, as subplots, before the summer crop (soybean). In the second experiment, the soil 4 was a Typic Rhodudalf under no-till since 2003 and the crop rotations studied were: triticale (X Triticosecale Wittmack) and sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) as autumn-winter crops (plots); pearl millet, forage sorghum, sunn hemp and chiseling (performed in 2003 and 2009) in spring as subplots, before the summer crop (soybean). Organic matter humification degree (HLIF) was determined by laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (LIF) in soil samples collected from 0-0,10; 0,10-0,20; 0,20-0,40 and 0,40-0,60 m depths in April 2012. Soil aggregates stability was assessed from soil samples collected from 0-0,10 and 0,10-0,20 m depths in November 2012. The remaining soil organic matter assessments were carried out from samples collected in April 2013. Total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), particulate organic carbon (POC), and mineral associated organic carbon (MOC) contents were determined from soil samples collected from 0-0,10; 0,10-0,20; 0,20-0,40 and 0,40-0,60 m depths; soil microbial biomass C and N were determined from soil samples coll ...

abstract: The role of environmental factors that influence atmospheric propagation of sound originating from freeway noise sources is studied with a combination of field experiments and numerical simulations. Acoustic propagation models are developed and adapted for refractive index depending upon meteorological conditions. A high-resolution multi-nested environmental forecasting model forced by coarse global analysis is applied to predict real meteorological profiles at fine scales. These profiles are then used as input for the acoustic models. Numerical methods for producing higher resolution acoustic refractive index fields are proposed. These include spatial and temporal nested meteorological simulations with vertical grid refinement. It is shown that vertical nesting can improve the prediction of finer structures in near-ground temperature and velocity profiles, such as morning temperature inversions and low level jet-like features. Accurate representation of these features is shown to be important for modeling sound refraction phenomena and for enabling accurate noise assessment. Comparisons are made using the acoustic model for predictions with profiles derived from meteorological simulations and from field experiment observations in Phoenix, Arizona. The challenges faced in simulating accurate meteorological profiles at high resolution for sound propagation applications are highlighted and areas for possible improvement are discussed. A detailed evaluation of the environmental forecast is conducted by investigating the Surface Energy Balance (SEB) obtained from observations made with an eddy-covariance flux tower compared with SEB from simulations using several physical parameterizations of urban effects and planetary boundary layer schemes. Diurnal variation in SEB constituent fluxes are examined in relation to surface layer stability and modeled diagnostic variables. Improvement is found when adapting parameterizations for Phoenix with reduced errors in the SEB components. Finer model resolution (to 333 m) is seen to have insignificant ($<1\sigma$) influence on mean absolute percent difference of 30-minute diurnal mean SEB terms. A new method of representing inhomogeneous urban development density derived from observations of impervious surfaces with sub-grid scale resolution is then proposed for mesoscale applications. This method was implemented and evaluated within the environmental modeling framework. Finally, a new semi-implicit scheme based on Leapfrog and a fourth-order implicit time-filter is developed. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Mechanical Engineering 2014

Orientador: Juliano Carlos Calonego / Banca: Ciro Antonio Rosolem / Banca: Rodrigo Arroyo Garcia / Resumo: A matéria orgânica do solo (MOS) apresenta um amplo conjunto de funções e tem sua quantidade e sua qualidade alteradas pelas diferentes possibilidades de rotações de culturas e manejo do solo. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os teores e a qualidade da matéria orgânica do solo em função de culturas em rotação sob Sistema Semeadura Direta (SSD). A pesquisa foi realizada em duas áreas conduzidas em SSD por no mínimo oito anos, com diferentes rotações de culturas, na Fazenda Experimental Lageado, Botucatu, SP. No experimento I, em um Latossolo Vermelho distroférrico de textura argilosa, as culturas em rotação foram sorgo granífero (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench), braquiária ruziziensis (Urochloa ruziziensis (R. Germ. & C. M. Evrard) Crins), e o consórcio de ambas no outono/inverno; milheto (Pennisetum glaucum L.), sorgo forrageiro (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) e crotalária júncea (Crotalaria juncea L.), na primavera, como subparcelas, antecedendo a cultura da soja no verão. O segundo experimento foi conduzido em Nitossolo Vermelho distroférrico de textura muito argilosa. As parcelas foram constituídas pelas culturas de outono/inverno triticale (X Triticosecale Wittmack) e girassol (Helianthus annuus L.); e as subparcelas ... / Abstract: Soil organic matter (SOM) plays major functions in agricultural soils, and its contents and quality can be altered by crop rotations and soil management. The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in soil organic matter as affected by crop rotations under no-tillage system. The study was carried out at two no-till managed field sites for at least eight years, in Botucatu, SP, Brazil. In the first experiment, the soil was a Rhodic Ferralsol, in which grain-sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) and ruzigrass (Urochloa ruziziensis (R. Germ. and C. M. Evrard) Crins), single or intercropped in the fall/winter period, were the plots. Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.), forage sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) and sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.) were cropped in the spring, as subplots, before the summer crop (soybean). In the second experiment, the soil 4 was a Typic Rhodudalf under no-till since 2003 and the crop rotations studied were: triticale (X Triticosecale Wittmack) and sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) as autumn-winter crops (plots); pearl millet, forage sorghum, sunn hemp and chiseling (performed in 2003 and 2009) in spring as subplots, before the summer crop (soybean). Organic matter humification degree (HLIF) was determined by laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (LIF) in soil samples collected from 0-0,10; 0,10-0,20; 0,20-0,40 and 0,40-0,60 m depths in April 2012. Soil aggregates stability was assessed from soil samples collected from 0-0,10 and 0,10-0,20 m depths in November 2012. The remaining soil organic matter assessments were carried out from samples collected in April 2013. Total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), particulate organic carbon (POC), and mineral associated organic carbon (MOC) contents were determined from soil samples collected from 0-0,10; 0,10-0,20; 0,20-0,40 and 0,40-0,60 m depths; soil microbial biomass C and N were determined from soil samples coll ... / Mestre

Ce travail étudie la préférence pour le pouvoir, de sa définition à sa rencontre en laboratoire ou sur le terrain, de manière expérimentale. Nous construisons cette thèse autour de trois questions : qu'est-ce que le pouvoir et la préférence pour le pouvoir ? Comment l'identifier, en la distinguant des autres types de préférences sociales ? Quels sont les éléments, conditions d'expériences ou situation des sujets, qui l'affectent ? Nous définissons le pouvoir comme une capacité à caractère dispositionnel, qui peut être mise en application, ou non. Ceci nous permet de définir ensuite la notion de préférence pour le pouvoir qui n'est autre qu'une version formalisée de celle de volonté de puissance que l'on rencontre depuis l'antiquité. Nous définissons alors quatre types de préférence : préférence pure ou instrumentale pour le pouvoir potentiel ou effectif. Dans la deuxième partie nous construisons un modèle de pouvoir que nous testons en laboratoire. Nous identifions cette préférence pour le pouvoir sous ses quatre aspects, ce qui est le résultat central de ce travail. Nous cherchons ensuite à comprendre ce qui impacte cette préférence, pour observer que seul le genre a un effet important. Nous mesurons enfin cette préférence, pour découvrir qu'il peut exister une relation importante de corrélation entre préférence pure pour le pouvoir potentiel et pour le pouvoir effectif. La troisième partie a pour but d'étudier ces comportements de préférence pour le pouvoir chez des décideurs dans le cadre du monde synthétique d'Eve Online qui, nous l'observons, constitue à ce titre un bon substitut au laboratoire. De manière contre intuitive, nos observations montrent que les décideurs du monde virtuel ne manifestent pas plus de préférence pour le pouvoir que les autres sujets. / The goal of this thesis is to study preference for power from its definition to laboratory and field experiments. We construct this thesis around three questions: What are power and preference for power ? How to identify this preference and how to distinguish it from other social preferences ? What are the elements, experimental conditions and settings that have an impact on it ? We define power as a dispositional capacity. Hence, preference for power is a formalized version of the power motive and we distinguish four types: pure or instrumental preference for potential or effective power. In the second part of this thesis, we design a model of power and we test it in the laboratory. We identify the four types of preference for power which is the central result of this work. Then, we show that treatment effects are almost nonexistent whereas we find a strong gender effect. We finally measure this preference and find a strong correlation between pure preference for potential power and for effective power. The aim of the third part is to study this behavior in a decision maker population of the Eve Online synthetic world. We first show that field experiments in Eve Online are a good proxy for the lab. We then observe that decision makers don't manifest a stronger preference for power that other subjects.