The aim of this work was to evaluate choosen group of 26 clones of apricot variety 'Velkopavlovická' and to select the best clone and subclone for growers in south Moravia. Beside of classical pomological and biological evaluation characteristics the objective was to verify some older as well as newer, less known methods for evaluation of relevant characteristics of clones. Descriptors for choosen biological and pomological characters were used for the evaluation of clones. The clones were analysed with molecular genetic methods to establish the genetic relationship and to search for the possibilities of distinguishing them. The floral morphology and its influence on bearing of the clones was evaluated in this work. Formation of bearing shoots according to their lenght, their morphological conformation, bearing potential and their longevity were evaluated using modern methods. The physiological performance was evaluated using calorimetry. After all, the health of the clones was studied by molecular identification of present patogens and biochemical aspects of plant defense response against patogens related to precocious dieback of apricots. For the data processing ANOVA, X2, Mantel tests were used. For the evaluation of clones, following 11 biological and pomological characteristics were assessed: 1. precocious dieback occurence, 2. stem necrotic injuries, 3. patogen occurence of Gnomonia erythrostoma, 4. flower set, 5. fruit set, 6. bearing, 7. yield efficiency , 8. flowering date, 9. fruit weight, 10. fruit width, 11. relative rate of the stone to whole fruit weight. Evaluation of genetic relationship using molecular genetic methods S-SAP offereds the possibility of parcial distinction of 'Velkopavlovická' clones to 5 groups based on the transposonal polymorphic loci. Molecular genetic methods AFLP, S-SAP and iPBS provided similar profiles of the evaluated clones and genotypes. Differences in floral morphology shows low ranking stability in the number of each floral organs of those clones and their considerably lower occurence in contrast to the current experience. Based on this results, this method seems to be not perspective for clonal selection. The evaluation of morphological structure of bearing shoots, their bearing and longevity gives many informations about the morphological structure of the clones and it seems to be a perspective method for clonal selection. Differences between the clones were found in the high number of generative organs on short shoots, medium shoots and their distribution along the central axis of scaffold branches. The physiological characteristics of adult idividuals of evaluated clones using net asimilation rate seems to be hard to interpret and its use in clonal selection need fruther research. Research of patogen presence using PCR method shows significant presence of ESFY and Cytospora cincta in the tissues of evaluated clones. Those patogens were most likely related to the precocious dieback of apricots. Salycilic acid and the number of transcript copies of the beta-1,3-glucanase and gene expresion of Pru ar1 markers are most likely associated with plant defense of apricots. Based on results of biochemical analysis of the substances assosiated with plant defense the possibility to evaluate plant health of apricots considering precocious dieback with help of used markers in field conditions can be suggested. There use for clonal selection need fruther researche. The best clones LE-108, LE-111, LE-120 and M.72A of variety 'Velkopavlovická' seems to be the most promising from the evaluated group of clones. As the best subclones following individuals were choosen: clone LE-120 - tree 36 (1. row), clon M.72A - trees 26, 37 a 49 (8. row), clon LE-108 trees 28 a 29 (3. row) and clon LE-111 tree 27 (6. row).

To close the water use budget of irrigated agricultural fields in floodplains with substantial riparian corridors, it is necessary to understand groundwater usage by dominant phreatophytic vegetation, particularly when the primary source of water for irrigation comes from groundwater abstraction. We report here results of estimated evapotranspiration (ET) of a riparian forest, which were based on measurements of sap flow in phreatophytic vegetation within a riparian corridor. The riparian corridor was within a study area 75 to 140 meters wide in the lower portion of the Scotts Creek watershed, which is bounded to the west by the Pacific Ocean in Santa Cruz County, California. Canopy coverage in the study area often approaches 100% during the growing season, with dominant trees being red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.), arroyo willow (Salix lasiolepis Benth.), and pacific willow (Salix lasiandra Benth. var. lasiandra). Other trees include boxelder (Acer negundo L.), bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum Pursh.), California bay laurel (Umbellularia californica (Hook. & Arn.) Nutt.), and coastal redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens (D. Don) Endl.). Common understory vegetation includes California blackberry (Rubus ursinus Cham. and Schlecht.), stinging nettle (Urtica dioica subsp. gracilis L.), poison hemlock (Conium maculatum L.), Cape ivy (Delairea odorata Lem.), Italian thistle (Carduus pycnocephalus L. subsp. pycnocephalus), and western poison oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum (Torr. & A. Gray) Greene). We hypothesized that the ET of a riparian forest could be estimated by measuring the sap flow of riparian phreatophytic trees. For the study reported here, only the two most dominant phreatophytic species, namely red alders and arroyo willows, were instrumented with thermal dissipation probes. In addition to diurnal fluctuations, sap flow data collected hitherto also showed expected seasonal variation with summer maxima and winter minima, with transition fall and spring periods. Sap flow measurements from the study area were used to estimate riparian forest ET by projecting them across the canopy areal extent of the riparian forest using sampled tree sapwood areas from six sample plots. The sap flow-based ET results were then compared to ET results reported by two other methods. Additional research, including increased number of trees with thermal dissipation probes, further analysis of sap flow behavior, and continued long-term measurement of sap flow, is needed to further improve the method of using long-term sap flow measurements to estimate the ET of a riparian forest.

No description available.

Carbon dioxide efflux rates (CER) of stems and roots of overstory and understory black cherry (<i>Prunus serotina</i> Ehrh., BC), red maple (<i>Acer rubrum</i> L., RM) and northern red oak (<i>Quercus rubra</i> L., RO) trees were monitored over two growing seasons at two contrasting sites in the Great Smoky Mountains to investigate diurnal and seasonal patterns in respiration and to develop prediction models based on environmental and plant parameters. CER of small roots (d<0-8 mm) was measured with a newly developed system which allows periodic <i>in situ</i> measurements by using permanently installed flexible cuvettes. Temperature-adjusted CER of roots showed no diel variation. The moderate long-term changes occurred simultaneously in all species and size classes, suggesting that they were driven mostly by environmental factors. Mean root CER ranged from 0.5 to 4.0 nmol g⁻¹ d.w. s⁻¹. Rates were up to six times higher for fine roots (d<2.0 mm) than for coarse roots. CER (per unit length) of boles (d>10 cm) and twigs (d<2 cm) was related to diameter by the function lnCER = a+<i>D</i>·lnd, with <i>D</i> between 1.2 and 1.8. A new, scale-invariant measure of CER, based on <i>D</i>, facilitated comparisons across diameters. Q₁₀ varied with the method of determination, and it was higher in spring (1.8-2.5) than in autumn (1.4-1.5) for all species. Daytime bole CER often fell below temperature-based predictions, likely due to transpiration. The reduction (usually <10%) was less pronounced at the drier site. Twig CER showed more substantial (often >±50%) deviations from the predictions. Deviations were higher in the canopy than in the understory. Mean bole maintenance respiration (at 20°C and d=20 cm) was 0.66, 0.43 and 0.50 μMol m⁻¹, while the volume-based growth coefficient was around 5, 6 and 8 mol cm⁻³ for BC, RM and RO, respectively. In a controlled study, BC and RM seedlings were fumigated in open-top chambers with sub-ambient, ambient and twice-ambient levels of ozone. The twice-ambient treatment reduced stem CER in BC by 50% (p=0.05) in July, but there was no treatment effect in September or in RM. Ozone reduced root/shoot ratio and diameter growth in BC, and P_max in both species. / Ph. D.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(エネルギー科学) / 甲第20479号 / エネ博第348号 / 新制||エネ||69(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院エネルギー科学研究科エネルギー社会・環境科学専攻 / (主査)教授 坂 志朗, 教授 梅澤 俊明, 准教授 河本 晴雄 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Energy Science / Kyoto University / DGAM

No description available.

No description available.

Soil moisture deficits often hinder rangeland revegetation efforts. Due to sheer numbers and germination timing, invasive annual species can easily outcompete those of desired seeded species for resources, including water. One way to increase seedling establishment may be to increase the amount of water available to seeded species. Superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) can absorb and release hundreds of times their weight in water and slowly release it. Concentrated SAP bands at or near seedling rooting depth may act as a soil water reservoir for germinating seedlings and increase rangeland seedling establishment. The objective of these studies was to evaluate the effect of banded SAP on soil moisture and seedling establishment through a series of eight glasshouse and field trials with different combinations of: species, SAP band rate, SAP band placement depth, seeding rate, fertilizer application, and seedling distance from the SAP band. Two grasses, bottlebrush squirreltail (Elymus elymoides) or Siberian wheatgrass (Agropyron fragile) were used as test species in all studies but one. In that study six species commonly used in rangeland restoration [bottlebrush squirreltail, crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum (L.)), Lewis flax (Linum lewisii Pursh), yellow sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis), Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nuttall ssp. wyomingensis Beetle Young), and forage kochia (Kochia prostrata (L.) Schrad.)] were used. Concentrated band of SAP at rates up to 6000 kg ha-1 were placed below the seeds at depths ranging from the soil surface to 15 cm deep or mixed into the top 8 or 15 cm of soil. Measurements varied with trial. Soil moisture measurements included gravimetric water content, volumetric water content, and/or soil matric potential. Seedling growth parameters included seedling time to emerge, number emerged, longevity, percent of seedlings alive, shoot length, blade count, root length, root biomass, shoot biomass, and/or root:shoot ratio. Banded SAP at high rates increased usable soil moisture up to 49 days in the glasshouse and in spring of the first year after installation in the field. Rates ? 1500 kg ha-1 increased seedling longevity up to 12 days in the glasshouse but resulted in raised and cracked soil. This negatively impacted seedling survival in the field but not the glasshouse and may also reduce the amount of available soil moisture over time. Banded SAP at rates < 1500 kg ha-1, intended to reduce soil cracking, had no impact on soil moisture or live seedlings in the field. Further work is needed to investigate alternative application methods, such as blending the SAP into the soil.

Problematic school absenteeism is a growing problem that affects society as a whole. Every youth is unique and the educational path does not look the same for everyone. The aim of this qualitative study was to investigate how social workers handle and collaborate on problematic school absenteeism in Sweden. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six social workers from different professional fields. When analyzing results, the bioecological model and its system levels were applied. Internal factors that were shown to contribute to absenteeism were anxiety, communication difficulties and neuropsychiatric diagnoses. External factors that emerged were the institutional policies, norms, family, school and relational conditions. The social workers consider home visits to the pupils' families and close relationships as some important and successful factors in reducing school absenteeism. Cooperation needs to take place on several levels for pupils to return to school and integrate into society.

Frequently evidentiary items contain an insufficient quantity of DNA to obtain complete or even partial DNA profiles using standard forensic gentotyping techniques. Here, various methods of post PCR purification were evaluated for their effects on the sensitivity of fluophore-based allelic detection. A method of post PCR purification is described which increases the sensitivity of standard 28 cycle PCR such that low copy number DNA templates (<100 pg DNA) can be analyzed. Full profiles were consistently obtained with as little as 20 pg template DNA without increased cycle number. In mock case type samples with dermal ridge fingerprints, genetic profiles were obtained by amplification with 28 cycles followed by post-PCR purification whereas no profiles were obtained without purification of the PCR product. Allele drop-out, increased stutter, and contamination (allele drop-in) typical of LCN analysis were observed. A single incident of contamination was observed in a reagent blank (not duplicated upon re-amplification) however, no contamination was observed in negative amplification controls.