Genotype, row spacing, and seeding rate effects on irrigated short-season soybean in southern Alberta

Non-Peer Reviewe

Duration of pre-plant chilling and its effects on garlic cloving

Non-Peer ReviewedFall-planted garlic (Allium sativum L.) has higher clove number and higher overall productivity than spring-planted garlic. Most Saskatchewan garlic producers, however, spring-plant their crops to avoid losses associated with winterkill. Pre-plant storage temperature of cloves affects bulbing and cloving of the subsequent crop. Temperature and daylength during crop development also affect bulbing and cloving. Studies were conducted to determine the optimum duration of pre-planting chilling (4 0C) treatment for enhanced cloving and increased bulb yield of the spring-planted garlic cultivars (a local unnamed selection, ‘California Early’ and ‘California Late’). In a greenhouse study, ‘California Early’ and ‘California Late’ cloves were planted after receiving chilling treatments of 4 0C for 0 (control), 30, 45, 60 and 75 days. For field studies, cloves from greenhouse-grown bulbs of all three cultivars were used and chilling treatments were similar to those for greenhouse studies. Pre-plant chilling treatments of cloves produced significant increases in cloving and bulb yield for all cultivars. The treatment effect on cloving and bulbing of garlic in relation to cultivar and environment is discussed. Chilling treatment periods exceeding 30 days (for field) and 45 days (for greenhouse) resulted in an increase of cloving in bulbs of all cultivars. Improved cloving resulted in significant increase in both bulb diameter and bulb weight per plant, particularly in greenhouse-grown garlic. In conclusion, results indicate that improved cloving and bulb yields are obtained if cloves have been stored at 40 C for 45 and 60 days prior to field and greenhouse planting, respectively

Effect of plant growth regulators on seed tuber yield in potatoes

Non-Peer ReviewedSeed potato growers seek to maximize the number of desirable sized tubers. This study examined how foliar application of plant growth regulators (PGRs) influence total tuber number (TTN) and drop (25 -50 mm) seed tuber number (STN) in Norland (NOR), Russet Burbank (RB) and Shepody (SH) potatoes under field conditions in 1993 and 1994. In 1993, PGRs, paclobutrazol (PTZ; 300, 450, 600 mg/L), kinetin (KIN; 10 and 20 mg/L), all possible combinations of the above rates of PTZ and KIN and Methyl jasmonate (MJ; 10-7, 10-6, 10-5 and 10-4 M) were applied to NOR and RB potatoes. In 1994, PTZ (300 mg/L), both KIN rates, and the two lowest rates of MJ were eliminated and KIN 20 mg/L or GA3 250 mg/L were applied to some of the PTZ treatments. The potato cultivar, SH was also included. Plants were treated with the PGRs at two growth stages; NOR (1993), RB (1993 and 1994) SH (1994) were treated when tubers were <10 mm or <20 mm in diameter). NOR potatoes (1994) were treated at stolon initiation (no tubers) or early tuber initiation (<8 mm in diameter). PTZ increased STN in RB by 29 to 40% and in SH by 57 to 70 % over the controls. However, PTZ had no effect on TTN and STN in NOR in either year. MJ had no effect on STN in NOR (1993), in RB in either year or in SH in 1994. In 1994, the highest rate of MJ increased STN in NOR by 40% over the control. Application of KIN alone, in combination with PTZ or following PTZ treatment and GA3 to PTZ treated plants had no beneficial effect on either TTN or STN of all three cultivars, compare to the PTZ treatments applied alone. This study suggests that under field conditions PTZ can be used to increase seed tuber production in RB and SH while MJ appears to be effective in NOR potatoes

Transport parameters of charge carriers in PEO-LiTf-based, plasticized, composite, and plasticized-composite electrolytes intended for Li-ion batteries

Solid polymer electrolytes are a key component in many electrochemical devices such as dye-sensitized solar cells, batteries, and supercapacitors. In this study, three electrolytes based on polyethylene oxide (PEO) host polymer, ethylene carbonate (EC) plasticizer, and Al2O3 filler were investigated. The polymer electrolytes (PEO)9(EC)9(LiCF3SO3)2, (PEO)9(LiCF3SO3)2(Al2O3)0.75, and (PEO)9(EC)9(LiCF3SO3)2(Al2O3)0.75 were characterized by analyzing DC conductivity, the frequency dependence of AC conductivity, and complex dielectric function. The conductivities of the plasticized, composite, and plasticized-composite electrolytes at 26 \ub0C increase from 6.25, 0.009, and 2.96 mS cm-1 to 21.5, 0.12, and 11.4 mS cm-1, respectively, when the temperature increased to 70 \ub0C. For the in-depth analysis of electrolytes, dielectric analysis was used to determine the charge carrier density (n), mobility (μ), and diffusion coefficient (D) using a newly developed method. Further, the investigation extended to study the temperature dependence of n, D, and μ. The study reveals that EC can increase the ionic conductivity by increasing n, and conversely, filler contributes by increasing μ, respectively. At 26 \ub0C, (PEO)9(EC)9(LiCF3SO3)2(Al2O3)0.75 shows D, μ, and n of 3.8 710-11 m2 s-1, 1.5 710-9 m2 V-1 s-1, and 1.3 71027 m-3, respectively. The values obtained for D, μ, and n parameters of the plasticized electrolytes agree with those available for similar electrolytes, while the composite electrolyte showed considerably lower values for n. The complex impedance analysis can be used to determine transport parameters of all the types (plasticized, composite, and plasticized composite) of polymer electrolytes