ABSTRACT A31EXA - VT 2017     Funktion, gestaltning och enkelheten har varit mina värderingar under kandidat projektet. Dessa värderingar lag grunden i strukturens form och riktningen, som är en fortsättning av  denna K-märkt före detta marknadshallen hus 48. Öppenhet och okomplicerad formar har varit min generatorn för att driva fram alla programmets krav.     En okomplicerad form var min projektets syftet, därför att jag tror att det finns ett komplexitet i det enkla och jag skulle vilja forska hur detta tänkande sätt skulle påverkar processen i sin helhet. Jag testade med att bryter upp programmet med att delar upp verksamheten i två delar genom att lägga till ett annexhus för att aktiverar flödet mellan hus 48 och denna nya lärocenter.     Min vision var att bibehåller ett okomplicerad tänkande sätt likväl ett formulerar ett hållbart och sund struktur. Jag tror på minimalistiska arkitektur ,det finns någonting humanistiska i det enkla formen, vart livet spelar ut sig emellan.  Rocco Anthony Pacini / ABSTRACT A31EXA - VT 2012      Function, formality and simplistic form were the key values in candidate exam project. These said values composed  a creative foundation allowing for shape and direction of the structure, which is primarily a continuation of building 48,  an officially classified historical architectural building. Transparency and uncomplicated forms served as the generator, allowing me to progress forward within the program’s requirements.     Creating a straightforward, uncomplicated form was the sole purpose of my project as I do believe that there are many complexities within the simplistic. I tested breaking up the program by dividing the program into two separate parts by adding an annex building to activate a flow between building 48 and the new learning center. In practicing i.e. testing and researching this type of mindset was a function that ultimately affected the entire creative process.    My vision was to maintain an uncomplicated mindset,  whilst formulating a sustainable and healthy structure. I believe in minimalist architecture, there is something humanistic in the simple form, where life is interspersed. Rocco Anthony Pacini

The incidence, influencing factors and mechanisms of resistance to insecticides from a range of chemical groups were examined in UK and European populations of the glasshouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood). Toxicological assessments of populations from a range of plant production glasshouses and comparisons with the responses of a laboratory susceptible strain disclosed levels of resistance to pyrethroid, organophosphate, insect growth regulator (IGR) and neonicotinoid insecticides. Responses to conventional compounds indicated varying levels of resistance, potentially reflecting disparate usage between collection sites. All strains examined possessed resistance to the IGR, buprofezin; some populations were virtually immune to this commonly used control agent. Selection experiments demonstrated reciprocal crossresistance between buprofezin and a further IGR, teflubenzuron, both of which are frequently incorporated into integrated pest management (IPM) programmes for this species. Results for the leading neonicotinoid, imidacloprid, revealed resistance in both UK and European strains, representing the first documented cases of neonicotinoid resistance in this species worldwide, and the first in any insect species within the UK. The lethal effects of vapour emitted by applications of buprofezin and the anti-feedant effects of imidacloprid were demonstrated in T. vaporariorum for the first time. The potential consequences of these factors for both the control and selection of resistance were highlighted. Mechanistic studies using electrophoresis and kinetic spectrophotometer readings showed that neither non-specific esterases nor modified acetylcholinesterases were involved with resistance to either pyrethroid or specific organophosphate insecticides.

The present study was firstly aimed at producing the AM fungal inocula by using soil-based and soil-less culture techniques, including the in-vitro axenic technique, and secondly to assess the infectivity and effectiveness of the inocula so produced in glasshouse and field conditions. Indigenous AM fungi from 5 different sites of New South Wales were successfully propagated and multiplied using the pot-culture and atomizing disc aeroponic culture techniques, and their infectivity was measured using the MPN bioassay method. The coarse and fine sand mix was proven to be very effective for the production of AM fungal inocula. The findings indicated that aeroponic culture technique is far superior to that of conventional pot-culture technique, and could possibly substitute the most commonly used pot-culture technique of AM fungal inoculum production. The ultra-sonic nebulizer technology could possibly be an alternative to conventional aeroponic systems for producing AM fungal isolates in commercial quantities. The introduction of the sheared-root inoculum of Glomus intraradices, produced by the ultra-sonic nebulizer technique, into agricultural soils can substantially reduce the intake of P-fertilizers as much as 50% of the recommended level. The study also indicated that soil phosphorus is a critical factor in limiting mycorrhizal colonization, possibly limiting mycorrhizal responses.The research suggests that various commercially produced single or 'cocktail' inocula may work on mycorrhiza dependent plants in soils where the indigenous AM flora is either not abundant and/or efficient. Furthermore, ecophysiology of the same AM species have different effects on plant growth. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The current rice varieties grown by Australian farmers are susceptible to low temperature events particularly during the reproductive stage of plant development. The best management practices of sowing within the recommended time period and maintaining deep water (20–25 cm) through the microspore development stage only offer limited protection. There is a need to develop more cold tolerant varieties and to do so requires the development of low-temperature screening capacity for the NSW rice breeding program. This study looked at the requirements of adapting a controlled-temperature glasshouse facility to enable screening for tolerance to low temperatures during the reproductive stage of rice development. The investigations were grouped into two areas; 1) the physical aspects of the low temperature facility including the location of plants within the facility and within the tubs used to grow the plants and whether these can influence the reliability of the screening and 2) the biological effects of nitrogen (N) concentration in the plant at panicle initiation (PI) and plant susceptibility to low temperatures, and whether growth stage of the plant relative to PI at the start of low temperature treatment influenced floret sterility. A series of nine experiments were conducted at the Deniliquin Agricultural Research and Advisory Station glasshouse facility using up to five rice varieties selected for their divergence in low-temperature tolerance. One other experiment was conducted in a different facility. The modified glasshouse facility in Deniliquin was effective in providing the targeted screening environment of 27°C day and 13°C night temperature regime. There was however a smaller than expected effect of the low temperature exposure in some of the experiments with sterility following low temperature ranging from 9.9% to 27.7%. There was also a higher than expected level of sterility in the controls (i.e. not exposed to low temperature) with sterility levels up to 58% recorded in one experiment. The causes of these overall effects are not known. Notwithstanding these overall effects there were a number of findings that are important for developing a reliable screening facility. The spatial arrangement of the plants within the low temperature facility effected the level of sterility highlighting the need for experimental design to consider spatial variation. The existence of edge effects was identified within the tubs used to maintain permanent water on the potted plants whereby the outer plants in the tubs were less damaged by the low-temperature treatment. The overall N level in the leaf tissue was low even at the equivalent rate of 250 kg N ha-1 and there was only a very modest and inconsistent response in N concentration at PI to N application rates ranging from 0 to 250 kg ha-1. However, the method of growing the plants in pots and of nitrogen fertiliser application did not alter the N concentration. The concentration was the same when N was added either, on the same day as permanent water application, or three days prior to permanent water application. Also restricting the direction of water movement through the pots and therefore the soil within the pots did not alter the amount of N in the plants at PI. The low plant N concentrations were consistent across two glasshouses in which soil from the same source was used suggesting a soil limitation. A soil test identified that the soil phosphorus (P) was at a level at which plants have responded to P application under field conditions, and the loamy texture of the soil had an associated low cation exchange capacity in comparison to medium to heavy clay soil types commonly associated with rice growing. These factors may have reduced the N retention and uptake and, in part, explain the low injury from the low temperature exposures. In the variety Millin, there was no significant effect of timing of the exposure on sterility until it commenced 12 to 15 days after PI. This is a significant finding for a breeding program that must expose lines of unknown phenological development. It means that even though there are small differences in the rates of development, there is no large effect of this on sterility. However, this response was not seen in the other varieties tested and thus requires further validation. It was difficult to induce repeatable levels of floret sterility in this series of experiments most likely due to the low N concentrations in part due to the properties of the soil used to grow the plants. This highlights the importance of standardising all cultural aspects in order to provide uniform and repeatable screening information. The spatial effects highlight importance of experimental design for effective exposure to low temperature treatments, incorporation of the capacity for spatial analysis in the statistical design, the use of standard variety checks for floret sterility after low temperature treatment, and the determination of N concentration in plant tissue prior to exposure.

Phosphorus (P) is poorly soluble in most soils and, thus, has poor plant uptake efficiency. AVAIL® and Carbond P (CBP) are new fertilizer products shown to increase P use efficiency (PUE) and increase crop yields when grown in P limiting soils. Carbond P has specifically been seen to increases P uptake and crop yields in soils low in P, although effectiveness in regards to soil organic matter is unknown. The objectives of these studies were to determine if the mode of action for these products is related to physiological response, to determine if Carbond P is toxic to plant roots when in direct contact at high rates, and determine the limitations of Carbond P in regards to biomass (yield), P uptake and concentration. We used a hydroponic study to compare CBP to AVAIL in evaluating plant toxicity and plant philological response. AVAIL and CBP were also compared to ammonium polyphosphate (APP) at pH 6 or 8 for hydroponically grown maize (Zea mays L.). Additionally, a glasshouse study evaluated the PUE of CBP with soil in which maize was grown. Soils were moderate or high in organic matter, with 0, 5, 15, 45, or 135 kg P2O5 ha-1 applied as either APP or CBP. Both studies showed that CBP is a suitable PUE enhancing fertilizer. In the greenhouse study, the high organic matter soil revealed that both CBP and APP fertilization resulted in similar increases in biomass yield and P concentration and uptake. However, in the moderate organic matter soil, biomass and total P uptake was significantly greater for CBP than APP at the two lowest P rates of fertilization and significantly higher for APP than CBP at the highest P application rate. In the hydroponic study, neither AVAIL nor CBP had any positive or adverse effects on the plants as compared to APP. These results, coupled with this and previous soil-based greenhouse and field studies with AVAIL and CBP, show that the increase in PUE is not a physiological growth stimulant response, but rather likely the result of impacts on P solubility in the soil. However, the presence of high organic matter in the soil seemed to negate the effects of the organic acid bonded P used in Carbond P. We conclude that CBP, and possibly other organic acid based fertilizers, can assist in furthering agricultural goals, as well as environmental responsibility with these known limits.

This diploma project deals with architectural study and functional use of the Uherčice castle grounds with regard to its character, location in the countryside and in the village, preservation of monuments and requirements of the inserted functions, as well as the creation of new opportunities for visitors and the reconnection to life of the inhabitants of the Uherčice village. And as a place of rest, education, employment and as a re-center of the area. A proposal of modification of the selected part of the castle and the park with the restoration of the French garden in its original place is a part of the project. The reconstruction of the former orangery and the new greenhouse building are proposed. Re-build greenhouse is attached with an apartment for the gardener. The second greenhouse complements one of the castle's axes and is designed for the world's largest water lily, Victoria Amazonica. In the selected part of the chateau, I mainly dealt with its use for cultural and social events that could take place here and the facilities that would be needed, including an apartment for short-term accommodation of visitors to these events. In addition, the entrance area and the operational facilities of the castle with a castellan apartment and accommodation for tourist guides are also solved.

This master thesis deals with design of a load-bearing steel structure, i tis located in ZOO Zlín areal. The building serves as a glasshouse. It is a single-storey building with circle plan, 39,04 m diameter and 15,63 m height. Space construction follows spherical cap of a sphere with diameter 40 m. Variant A building is design as a fuller dome. Variant B building consists of hexagons, which are getting smaller with height, at the upper part is the hexagonal geometry cancelled and geometry made from triangles follows. This thesis contains design of a pedestrian bridge, which carries all technical loads. The thesis contains static report of the beams a design of main joints.

An injection technique, in which undisturbed soil cores are labelled with ³²P to study dissolution of phosphate fertilisers in the soil, was evaluated in field and glasshouse trials. When ³²P was injected between 0-150 mm depths of the undisturbed soil columns and fertilisers applied at the surface, the amounts of fertiliser P dissolved, as measured by the increases in the exchangeable P pools, were overestimated. Three possible reasons were suggested: (i) the interaction between surface-applied fertiliser, ³²P injected through the whole soil column, and the vertical decline in root density, (ii) the decline of specific activity in the exchangeable P pool due to losses of ³²P to nonexchangeable P pools and continuous addition of P from fertiliser dissolution, and (iii) non-uniform distribution of ³²P vis-a-vis ³¹P phosphate. The injection technique may be employed to assess the effectiveness of phosphate fertilisers by introducing a concept, the fertiliser equivalent (FE). The FE is a measure of the amounts of soil exchangeable P that the fertilisers are equivalent to in supplying P to plants, when applied at the specific location. Soluble single superphosphate (SSP) applied at the surface of undisturbed grassland soil cores (Tekapo fine sandy loam), was much more effective than surface-applied unground North Carolina phosphate rock (NCPR) and 30% acidulated NCPR with phosphoric acid (NCPAPR) within the 56 day period of plant growth. An isotopic dilution method, based on tracer kinetic theory, was developed to study the rates of dissolution (F in) and retention (F out) of phosphate fertilisers in the soil in growth chamber experiments. The estimation of F in and F out required labelling of the soils with carrier-free ³²P and determination of the corresponding values of the specific activities of the exchangeable P pools, SA₁ and SA₂, and the sizes of the exchangeable P pools, Q₁ and Q₂, at times t₁ and t₂. Most of the phosphate in the monocalcium phosphate (MCP) solution entered the exchangeable P pool immediately after addition to the soils (Tekapo fine sandy loam and Craigieburn silt loam), and there was little further phosphate input. With increasing periods of incubation, the phosphate was quickly transformed to less rapidly exchangeable forms. In the soils treated with ground North Carolina phosphate rock (<150 µm, NCPR) or partially acidulated (30%) NCPR with phosphoric acid (NCPAPR), the initial exchangeable P pools were not as large as those in the soils treated with MCP, but were maintained at relatively stable concentrations for extended periods, due to the continuous dissolution of PR materials and to lower rates of pretention. An increase in P-retention caused a slight rise in the rate of PR dissolution, but also a rise in the rate of P-retention by the soil. The rate of dissolution was higher at a lower application rate in relative terms, but smaller in absolute terms. The trends in the changes of plant-available P in the soils, measured by the water extractable P, Bray I P and Olsen P, correspond to those predicted by the F in and F out values. The average rates of dissolution between 1-50 and 50-111 days estimated by the F in, however, were higher than those estimated by extractions with 0.5 M NaOH followed by 1 M HCl, and with 0.5 M BaCl₂/TEA. This is partly because the Fin values reflect a plant growth effect on PR dissolution. The relative agronomic effectiveness of NCPR and NCPAPR with respect to MCP was higher after 50 and 111 days of incubation than after 1 day. The F in values were included in all the two-variable models constructed by stepwise regression to describe the relationship between plant P uptake and soil measurements. The amounts of variation in plant P uptake accounted for by the regression model was significantly improved by including F in in the model. This indicates the importance of fertiliser dissolution rates in affecting soil P supply, when phosphate fertilisers differing in solubility are applied.