585 research outputs found
Potential of Entomopathogenic Nematodes to Control the Cabbage Stem Flea Beetle Psylliodes chrysocephala
Cabbage stem flea beetle (CSFB) is an important pest of oilseed rape that was controlled by neonicotinoid seed treatments until they were banned for this use in 2013. Since then, CSFB
has been a difficult pest to control, partly due to widespread resistance to pyrethroid insecticides. Alternate solutions are necessary. Here, four entomopathogenic nematode (EPN) species were tested against CSFB adults under laboratory conditions. In addition, a bioassay was completed to test for EPN compatibility with a range of adjuvants (glycerin, xanthan gum and flame retardant) to protect EPNs from UV radiation and desiccation. Results show that EPNs have the potential to control CSFB adults under laboratory conditions. Heterorhabditis bacteriophora caused 75% CSFB mortality at a
concentration of 4000 nematodes/mL after six days, Steinernema feltiae caused 80% CSFB mortality when applied at a concentration of 40,000 nematodes/mL after two days, Steinernema carpocapsae caused 85% mortality at a concentration of 10,000 nematodes/mL after six days, and Steinernema
kraussei caused no more than 70% CSFB mortality overall compared to the water control, which led to 23% mortality. Steinernema feltiae and H. bacteriophora survival was 100% when exposed to adjuvants, except S. feltiae with glycerin and H. bacteriophora with flame retardant. Further research to evaluate the efficacy of EPN and adjuvants under field conditions is necessary
Variational Approximations in a Path-Integral Description of Potential Scattering
Using a recent path integral representation for the T-matrix in
nonrelativistic potential scattering we investigate new variational
approximations in this framework. By means of the Feynman-Jensen variational
principle and the most general ansatz quadratic in the velocity variables --
over which one has to integrate functionally -- we obtain variational equations
which contain classical elements (trajectories) as well as quantum-mechanical
ones (wave spreading).We analyse these equations and solve them numerically by
iteration, a procedure best suited at high energy. The first correction to the
variational result arising from a cumulant expansion is also evaluated.
Comparison is made with exact partial-wave results for scattering from a
Gaussian potential and better agreement is found at large scattering angles
where the standard eikonal-type approximations fail.Comment: 35 pages, 3 figures, 6 tables, Latex with amsmath, amssymb; v2: 28
pages, EPJ style, misprints corrected, note added about correct treatment of
complex Gaussian integrals with the theory of "pencils", matches published
versio
Water conservation under reduced tillage systems
Water is important for dryland crop production. Seldom is rainfall
sufficient or adequately distributed during a growing season so that dryland
crops can produce to their fullest potential. It is necessary to have
stored water available in the soil to supplement inadequate growing season
rainfall for economical crop production. Stored water is especially
important in the Inland Pacific Northwest of north central Oregon,
southeastern Washington, and northern Idaho, where 65% of annual
precipitation occurs during the six-month (Sept. 1 to Feb. 28) winter period
and 30% during the four-month (March 1 to June 30) growing season. Stored
water is also important in the Eastern Idaho Plateau where the low annual
precipitation is nearly evenly distributed over the months of the year.
The water balance equation tells us that change in water content in the
soil - precipitation + inflow - runoff + upward flow - drainage -
evapotranspiration (ET). Any cultural practice that decreases runoff or ET
can result in increased water in the soil. To store adequate quantities
of water, deep soils (> 60 inches) with good infiltration and water holding
capacity are required. Summer fallow has long been the traditional practice
for storing water in soils for later use by crops. Fallow periods vary from
14 to 15 months where winter small grains are seeded to 21 months where
spring small grains are seeded. Water storage efficiency for fallow is low,
ranging from 10 to 35% in the Great Plains and the Southwest; to 30-37% in
eastern Idaho and northern Utah; to 40-45% of precipitation in the Inland
Pacific Northwest (Evans and Lemon, 1957). Good water conservation yields
increased crop production, stability of production, and increased water use
efficiency. Soil tillage and residue management play significant roles in
collection and storage of precipitation in the soil.
Our objectives are to discuss insights in water conservation gained under
the STEEP (Solutions to Economic and Environmental Problems) program
(Oldenstadt et al., 1982) during these last ten years and problems that
remain. New research information will be discussed under topics of crop
residues, conservation tillage systems, fallow and models
Invasive species
Globally, about 2,000 marine non-indige¬nous species (NIS) have been introduced to new locations through human-mediated movements. A few of those have econom¬ic value, but most have had negative eco¬logical, socioeconomic or human health impacts. With increased trade and climate change, biological invasions are likely to increase
Linear Contraction Behavior of Low-Carbon, Low-Alloy Steels During and After Solidification Using Real-Time Measurements
A technique for measuring the linear contraction during and after solidification of low-alloy steel was developed and used for examination of two commercial low-carbon and low-alloy steel grades. The effects of several experimental parameters on the contraction were studied. The solidification contraction behavior was described using the concept of rigidity in a solidifying alloy, evolution of the solid fraction, and the microstructure development during solidification. A correlation between the linear contraction properties in the solidification range and the hot crack susceptibility was proposed and used for the estimation of hot cracking susceptibility for two studied alloys and verified with the real casting practice. The technique allows estimation of the contraction coefficient of commercial steels in a wide range of temperatures and could be helpful for computer simulation and process optimization during continuous casting. © 2013 The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society and ASM International
Modeling Hot Tearing during Solidification of Steels: Assessment and Improvement of Macroscopic Criteria through the Analysis of Two Experimental Tests
International audienceHot tearing is an unacceptable defect found in products and parts obtained by solidification processes such as ingot and continuous casting. It consists of the development of cracks during solidification, in regions that are not completely solidified, more precisely, in areas of mushy zones with a high fraction of solid (typically 0.9 and beyond), when the material undergoes deformations associated with tensile stress. In this study, two hot tearing tests have been studied in order to evaluate the predictive capability of several macroscopic criteria published in the literature. The first test is a new test specifically designed for constrained shrinkage by the present authors, while the second test is an ingot bending test developed in the 1980s. For both tests, a thermal-mechanical analysis is performed, in order to provide the key variables for the different selected criteria. A comparison with experimental results allows us to make a critical assessment of those criteria regarding their ability to predict crack occurrence. The criterion initially proposed by Won et al.[7] has been found to be the best suited for the prediction of solidification cracking. Because this criterion is essentially based on the "brittle temperature range," (BTR) critical considerations regarding nonequilibrium solidification have led to suggest an extension of this criterion. This new macroscopic criterion improves the prediction capacity
Electroweak Radiative Corrections to Associated WH and ZH Production at Hadron Colliders
Higgs-boson production in association with W or Z bosons, p pbar -> WH/ZH +
X, is the most promising discovery channel for a light Standard Model Higgs
particle at the Fermilab Tevatron. We present the calculation of the
electroweak O(alpha) corrections to these processes. The corrections decrease
the theoretical prediction by up to 5-10%, depending in detail on the
Higgs-boson mass and the input-parameter scheme. We update the cross-section
prediction for associated WH and ZH production at the Tevatron and at the LHC,
including the next-to-leading order electroweak and QCD corrections, and study
the theoretical uncertainties induced by factorization and renormalization
scale dependences and by the parton distribution functions.Comment: 32 pages, LaTeX, 21 figures. Uses axodraw.sty and feynarts.sty. Added
reference
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