Global Forest Decimal Classification (GFDC)

The English and German sections are provides as two separate files

Prunus

The book of “Prunus” contains chapters on breeding, germplasm, fruit tree physiology, and production of Prunus species, written by authors from different parts of the world. Prunus is one of the most important fruit genera widely spread according to the various climatic and soil conditions. This wide adaptability of the Prunus genus gives an opportunity for it to be grown in many parts of the world. In modern taxonomy, subgenera of Prunus such as Amygdalus, Cerasus, Laurocerasus, Lithocerasus, Padus and Prunus include many species among which Prunus persica L., Prunus domestica L., Prunus armeniaca L., Prunus avium L. are the main ones. Briefly, this book is on Prunus species, which is one of the main fruit and nursery plants grown in the world

A prototype decision support system for streambank rehabilitation.

Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2001.The condition of a stream is often judged by the state of its banks. This, the lack of adequate advice for streambank rehabilitation, and the drive by legislation, particularly the National Water Act, 1998 (RSA Act no. 36 of 1998) and the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (RSA Act no. 107 of 1998), to restore South African riparian areas, created a need for more information into such systems. Identifying a gap in what we know about rehabilitating degraded streambanks led to the development of a decision support system for the selection of streambank rehabilitation techniques. The Streambank Rehabilitation Decision Support System, or SR-DSS, aims to provide riparian managers with advice on choice of technique at degraded streambank locations along a river system. Techniques were sought from the scientific literature and organised to recommend appropriate techniques for combating certain erosive processes. Rutherford et al. (1999) conclude that placing priority on sites of lower importance may be an inefficient manner of spending the resources at hand. Foreseeing this likelihood, a priority setting system was developed and based on the principles of Rutherfurd et al. (1999). These principles aim to prioritise human interests without compromising ecological interests. Along a given stream, the areas of degradation that compromise property will nearly always have the highest priority. Once these have been addressed, sites of ecological value are taken into consideration followed by sites that require substantial effort to restore. It is argued that sites taking substantial effort to restore have the least to 'loose' should they degrade further. To enable the use of these principles a site scoring system was developed, so that sites could be prioritised. This was based on the value and threat rating tables developed by Heron et al. (1999). It was soon realised that a framework was needed within which the above could be set. For this purpose, Kapitzke's (1999) planning and design procedure was adapted to form an eleven-step framework which would guide the rehabilitation venture from priority setting, to the treatment outcome. The rehabilitation approach was tested in the case of the Foxhill Spruit. The small size of the catchment allowed the different segments of the approach (framework, priority setting model, field assessment sheet and SR-DSS) to be tested in real world conditions. The approach was found to have a number of strengths. The framework brought to the attention of the user, the dominant forces at play at each site, and was useful in determining the recommendation given by SR-DSS. The priority setting model allowed sites to be arranged in order of priority, that, according to Rutherfurd et al. (1999), would be the most efficient in terms of ecological value maintained, and resources saved. The field assessment sheet was consistent in rating the degree of intervention required, and in each case directed the user to the appropriate sections in SR-DSS. SR-DSS recommended appropriate techniques that would match the erosive forces occurring at each site. Comparing the technique chosen by SR-DSS to techniques that may have been recommended instead substantiated this finding. The techniques chosen by SR-DSS were found to be superior. This approach considers all aspects of sound streambank rehabilitation and may be used to gain advice on small streams in South Africa

Case studies of Roots, Tubers and Bananas seed systems.

The seed systems of RTB (root, tuber, and banana) crops are unique because they are propagated from vegetative parts of the plant, not from true seed. RTB seed is thus bulkier, more perishable, and more subject to the attacks of pests and diseases than is true seed. Because of this, there is often a gap between potential and real crop yields, which seed interventions seek to narrow. Seed systems are formal or informal networks of people and organizations that produce, plant, and distribute seed. Informal systems may deliver low quality seed, but not always. This book describes 13 RTB seed system interventions, using a framework based on the concepts of seed availability, access, and quality. The 13 case studies included (1) a potato-growers’ association in Ecuador, (2) a hydroponic seed potato in Peru, (3) a yam seed technology in Nigeria, (4) a banana and plantain project in Ghana, (5) a sweetpotato seed project in Tanzania and (6) one in Rwanda, (7) a seed potato system in Kenya, (8) cassava in Nicaragua, (9) seed potato in Malawi, (10) disease-resistant cassava varieties in seven African countries, (11) a tissue culture banana project, (12) an emergency plantain and banana project in East Africa, and (13) a large cassava seed project in six African countries

Development of a Model Sustainability Management Plan for the City of Morgantown, West Virginia

This report has been prepared to demonstrate the research for a model planning document with a focus on sustainability in Morgantown, WV. It discusses the role of three categories in the context of sustainability and proposes a design solution for selected areas of concern throughout the City of Morgantown in order to demonstrate opportunities for a sustainable approach toward resolution for city officials. The City of Morgantown, West Virginia, is a college town along the Monongahela River with a backstory of industrialism that is echoed by many other places in Appalachia. However, distinctively, in Morgantown 25,000 college students populate the city during the school year and vacate during the holidays leaving parts of the city depleted of its population for a quarter of the year. This system demands the infrastructure act like a rubber band, stretching to accommodate the steadily increasing population influx associated with West Virginia University, and snapping back to meet the needs of only local residents. In order to explore three areas of sustainability: storm water management, transportation, and land use, this report synthesized existing data on City of Morgantown infrastructure systems, demonstrates the impact of these data under the context of sustainability, and discovered that there is a lack of available resources for city officials on sustainable infrastructure planning. As a result, this document recommends proactive measures and provides potential design solutions that will assist in crafting a system of infrastructure that is able to respond to the increasing threat of climate change

High-throughput phenotyping of yield parameters for modern grapevine breeding

Weinbau wird auf 1% der deutschen Agrarfläche betrieben. Auf dieser vergleichsweise kleinen Anbaufläche wird jedoch ein Drittel aller in der deutschen Landwirtschaft verwendeten Fungizide appliziert, was auf die Einführung von Schaderregern im 19. Jahrhundert zurück zu führen ist. Für einen nachhaltigen Anbau ist eine Reduktion des Pflanzenschutzmittelaufwands dringend notwendig. Dieses Ziel kann durch die Züchtung und den Anbau neuer, pilzwiderstandsfähiger Rebsorten erreicht werden. Die Rebenzüchtung als solche ist sehr zeitaufwendig, da die Entwicklung neuer Rebsorten 20 bis 25 Jahre dauert. Der Einsatz der markergestützten Selektion (MAS) erhöht die Effizienz der Selektion in der Rebenzüchtung fortwährend. Eine weitere Effizienzsteigerung ist mit der andauernden Verbesserung der Hochdurchsatz Genotypisierung zu erwarten. Im Vergleich zu den Methoden der Genotypisierung ist die Qualität, Objektivität und Präzision der traditionellen Phänotypisierungsmethoden begrenzt. Die Effizienz in der Rebenzüchtung soll mit der Entwicklung von Hochdurchsatz Methoden zur Phänotypisierung durch sensorgestützte Selektion weiter gesteigert werden. Hierfür sind bisher vielfältige Sensortechniken auf dem Markt verfügbar. Das Spektrum erstreckt sich von RGB-Kameras über Multispektral-, Hyperspektral-, Wärmebild- und Fluoreszenz- Kameras bis hin zu 3D-Techniken und Laserscananwendungen. Die Phänotypisierung von Pflanzen kann unter kontrollierten Bedingungen in Klimakammern oder Gewächshäusern beziehungsweise im Freiland stattfinden. Die Möglichkeit einer standardisierten Datenaufnahme nimmt jedoch kontinuierlich ab. Bei der Rebe als Dauerkultur erfolgt die Aufnahme äußerer Merkmale, mit Ausnahme junger Sämlinge, deshalb auch überwiegend im Freiland. Variierende Lichtverhältnisse, Ähnlichkeit von Vorder- und Hintergrund sowie Verdeckung des Merkmals stellen aus methodischer Sicht die wichtigsten Herausforderungen in der sensorgestützen Merkmalserfassung dar. Bis heute erfolgt die Aufnahme phänotypischer Merkmale im Feld durch visuelle Abschätzung. Hierbei werden die BBCH Skala oder die OIV Deskriptoren verwendet. Limitierende Faktoren dieser Methoden sind Zeit, Kosten und die Subjektivität bei der Datenerhebung. Innerhalb des Züchtungsprogramms kann daher nur ein reduziertes Set an Genotypen für ausgewählte Merkmale evaluiert werden. Die Automatisierung, Präzisierung und Objektivierung phänotypischer Daten soll dazu führen, dass (1) der bestehende Engpass an phänotypischen Methoden verringert, (2) die Effizienz der Rebenzüchtung gesteigert, und (3) die Grundlage zukünftiger genetischer Studien verbessert wird, sowie (4) eine Optimierung des weinbaulichen Managements stattfindet. Stabile und über die Jahre gleichbleibende Erträge sind für eine Produktion qualitativ hochwertiger Weine notwendig und spielen daher eine Schlüsselrolle in der Rebenzüchtung. Der Fokus dieser Studie liegt daher auf Ertragsmerkmalen wie der Beerengröße, Anzahl der Beeren pro Traube und Menge der Trauben pro Weinstock. Die verwandten Merkmale Traubenarchitektur und das Verhältnis von generativem und vegetativem Wachstum wurden zusätzlich bearbeitet. Die Beurteilung von Ertragsmerkmalen auf Einzelstockniveau ist aufgrund der genotypischen Varianz und der Vielfältigkeit des betrachteten Merkmals komplex und zeitintensiv. Als erster Schritt in Richtung Hochdurchsatz (HT) Phänotypisierung von Ertragsmerkmalen wurden zwei voll automatische Bildinterpretationsverfahren für die Anwendung im Labor entwickelt. Das Cluster Analysis Tool (CAT) ermöglicht die bildgestützte Erfassung der Traubenlänge, -breite und -kompaktheit, sowie der Beerengröße. Informationen über Anzahl, Größe (Länge, Breite) und das Volumen der einzelnen Beeren liefert das Berry Analysis Tool (BAT). Beide Programme ermöglichen eine gleichzeitige Erhebung mehrerer, präziser phänotypischer Merkmale und sind dabei schnell, benutzerfreundlich und kostengünstig. Die Möglichkeit, den Vorder- und Hintergrund in einem Freilandbild zu unterscheiden, ist besonders in einem frühen Entwicklungsstadium der Rebe aufgrund der fehlenden Laubwand schwierig. Eine Möglichkeit, die beiden Ebenen in der Bildanalyse zu trennen, ist daher unerlässlich. Es wurde eine berührungsfreie, schnelle sowie objektive Methode zur Bestimmung des Winterschnittholzgewichts, welches das vegetative Wachstum der Rebe beschreibt, entwickelt. In einem innovativen Ansatz wurde unter Kombination von Tiefenkarten und Bildsegmentierung die sichtbare Winterholzfläche im Bild bestimmt. Im Zuge dieser Arbeit wurde die erste HT Phänotypisierungspipeline für die Rebenzüchtung aufgebaut. Sie umfasst die automatisierte Bildaufnahme im Freiland unter Einsatz des PHENObots, das Datenmanagement mit Datenanalyse sowie die Interpretation des erhaltenen phänotypischen Datensatzes. Die Basis des PHENObots ist ein automatisiert gesteuertes Raupenfahrzeug. Des Weiteren umfasst er ein Multi-Kamera- System, ein RTK-GPS-System und einen Computer zur Datenspeicherung. Eine eigens entwickelte Software verbindet die Bilddaten mit der Standortreferenz. Diese Referenz wird anschließend für das Datenmanagement in einer Datenbank verwendet. Um die Funktionalität der Phänotypisierungspipeline zu demonstrieren, wurden die Merkmale Beerengröße und -farbe im Rebsortiment des Geilweilerhofes unter Verwendung des Berries In Vineyard (BIVcolor) Programms erfasst. Im Durschnitt werden 20 Sekunden pro Weinstock für die Bildaufnahme im Feld benötigt, gefolgt von der Extraktion der Merkmale mittels automatischer, objektiver und präziser Bildauswertung. Im Zuge dieses Versuches konnten mit dem PHENObot 2700 Weinstöcke in 12 Stunden erfasst werden, gefolgt von einer automatischen Bestimmung der Merkmale Beerengröße und -farbe aus den Bildern. Damit konnte die grundsätzliche Machbarkeit bewiesen werden. Diese Pilotpipeline bietet nun die Möglichkeit zur Entwicklung weiterer innovativer Programme zur Erhebung neuer Merkmale sowie die Integration zusätzlicher Sensoren auf dem PHENObot.Grapevine is grown on about 1% of the German agricultural area requiring one third of all fungicides sprayed due to pathogens being introduced within the 19th century. In spite of this requirement for viticulture a reduction is necessary to improve sustainability. This objective can be achieved by growing fungus resistant grapevine cultivars. The development of new cultivars, however, is very time-consuming, taking 20 to 25 years. In recent years the breeding process could be increased considerably by using marker assisted selection (MAS). Further improvements of MAS applications in grapevine breeding will come along with developing of faster and more cost efficient high-throughput (HT) genotyping methods.Complementary to genotyping techniques the quality, objectivity and precision of current phenotyping methods is limited and HT phenotyping methods need to be developed to further increase the efficiency of grapevine breeding through sensor assisted selection. Many different types of sensors technologies are available ranging from visible light sensors (Red Green Blue (RGB) cameras), multispectral, hyperspectral, thermal, and fluorescence cameras to three dimensional (3D) camera and laser scan approaches. Phenotyping can either be done under controlled environments (growth chamber, greenhouse) or can take place in the field, with a decreasing level of standardization. Except for young seedlings, grapevine as a perennial plant needs ultimately to be screened in the field. From a methodological point of view a variety of challenges need to be considered like the variable light conditions, the similarity of fore- and background, and in the canopy hidden traits.The assessment of phenotypic data in grapevine breeding is traditionally done directly in the field by visual estimations. In general the BBCH scale is used to acquire and classify the stages of annual plant development or OIV descriptors are applied to assess the phenotypes into classes. Phenotyping is strongly limited by time, costs and the subjectivity of records. Therefore, only a comparably small set of genotypes is evaluated for certain traits within the breeding process. Due to that limitation, automation, precision and objectivity of phenotypic data evaluation is crucial in order to (1) reduce the existing phenotyping bottleneck, (2) increase the efficiency of grapevine breeding, (3) assist further genetic studies and (4) ensure improved vineyard management. In this theses emphasis was put on the following aspects: Balanced and stable yields are important to ensure a high quality wine production playing a key role in grapevine breeding. Therefore, the main focus of this study is on phenotyping different parameters of yield such as berry size, number of berries per cluster, and number of clusters per vine. Additionally, related traits like cluster architecture and vine balance (relation between vegetative and generative growth) were considered. Quantifying yield parameters on a single vine level is challenging. Complex shapes and slight variations between genotypes make it difficult and very time-consuming.As a first step towards HT phenotyping of yield parameters two fully automatic image interpretation tools have been developed for an application under controlled laboratory conditions to assess individual yield parameters. Using the Cluster Analysis Tool (CAT) four important phenotypic traits can be detected in one image: Cluster length, cluster width, berry size and cluster compactness. The utilization of the Berry Analysis Tool (BAT) provides information on number, size (length and width), and volume of grapevine berries. Both tools offer a fast, user-friendly and cheap procedure to provide several precise phenotypic features of berries and clusters at once with dimensional units in a shorter period of time compared to manual measurements.The similarity of fore- and background in an image captured under field conditions is especially difficult and crucial for image analysis at an early grapevine developmental stage due to the missing canopy. To detect the dormant pruning wood weight, partly determining vine balance, a fast and non-invasive tool for objective data acquisition in the field was developed. In an innovative approach it combines depth map calculation and image segmentation to subtract the background of the vine obtaining the pruning area visible in the image. For the implementation of HT field phenotyping in grapevine breeding a phenotyping pipeline has been set up. It ranges from the automated image acquisition directly in the field using the PHENObot, to data management, data analysis and the interpretation of obtained phenotypic data for grapevine breeding aims. The PHENObot consists of an automated guided tracked vehicle system, a calibrated multi camera system, a Real-Time-Kinematic GPS system and a computer for image data handling. Particularly developed software was applied in order to acquire geo referenced images directly in the vineyard. The geo-reference is afterwards used for the post-processing data management in a database. As phenotypic traits to be analysed within the phenotyping pipeline the detection of berries and the determination of the berry size and colour were considered. The highthroughput phenotyping pipeline was tested in the grapevine repository at Geilweilerhof to extract the characteristics of berry size and berry colour using the Berries In Vineyards (BIVcolor) tool. Image data acquisition took about 20 seconds per vine, which afterwards was followed by the automatic image analysis to extract objective and precise phenotypic data. In was possible to capture images of 2700 vines within 12 hours using the PHENObot and subsequently automatic analysis of the images and extracting berry size and berry colour. With this analysis proof of principle was demonstrated. The pilot pipeline providesthe basis for further development of additional evaluation modules as well as the integration of other sensors

Creating a Resilient Design for the Hinsdale Island Greenway: Linking Research and Practice

The Hinsdale Island Greenway proposes a community driven vision for the reuse of Hinsdale Island, the Anna Hunt Marsh Bridge, and the Charles Dana Bridge as a resilient public landscape that balances recreation and conservation goals. Within the project context, three research questions are investigated. 1) How does resiliency theory inform the design of riverine landscapes? 2) How can designed experiments be applied within public landscapes? 3) How can a transect framework be applied to organize design interventions at a site scale? A literature review, interviews with experts, case studies, and lessons learned during the course of this project are all used to identify key takeaways for each question. Original work generated includes proposing the first design experiment within a public landscape that employs a randomized complete block design and long-term monitoring program. Additionally, the term transect frameworks is proposed and defined in this project, demonstrated as applicable at the scale of individual project sites, and based on this project\u27s insights a series of four rules are proposed that outline the applicability and use of transect frameworks