Interview: Kimi Eisele

Kimi Eisele1 is a writer, dancer/choreographer, performer, director, visual artist, and educator based in Tucson, Arizona. Drawing on her MA in geography and a long-standing interest in place and space, she creates works that engage local landscapes, including ecosystems, political systems, and human communities. In 1997, while a graduate student in geography at the University of Arizona, she founded you are here: the journal of creative geography, an interdisciplinary outlet for place-based writing and art, a publication that is still going strong

On solvability of the first Hochschild cohomology of a finite-dimensional algebra

For an arbitrary finite-dimensional algebra $A$, we introduce a general approach to determining when its first Hochschild cohomology ${\rm HH}^1(A)$, considered as a Lie algebra, is solvable. If $A$ is moreover of tame or finite representation type, we are able to describe ${\rm HH}^1(A)$ as the direct sum of a solvable Lie algebra and a sum of copies of $\mathfrak{sl}_2$. We proceed to determine the exact number of such copies, and give an explicit formula for this number in terms of certain chains of Kronecker subquivers of the quiver of $A$. As a corollary, we obtain a precise answer to a question posed by Chaparro, Schroll and Solotar

WECOF: A new project developing enhanced weed control through improved crop and plant architecture

A primary objective of the EU-funded WECOF project is to optimise the natural competitiveness of winter wheat in reducing weed growth, and thus reduce the need for direct weed control interventions. Crops are characterised by ranking the relative importance of key plant and crop factors in shading weed growth. A series of core trials have been established in Germany, Scotland, Poland and Spain comparing plant structure by the use of different varieties and crop architectural factors by the use of different sowing row widths and direction. Variety trials have also been established in Scotland with constant row width and sowing direction to give more detailed varietal comparisons. Results from the first set of trials in Scotland are described. There are clear varietal differences in weed suppression; row-width has a bigger effect than sowing direction. Results will be used to develop models to assist breeders in producing improved crop ideotypes for organic production, and in production of a decision support system to assist farmers and advisers in variety selection and management for improved weed suppression. WECOF also includes work on allelopathy and photocontrol, and on the related economic factors

Fruitgrowers towards a new approach to enhance biodiversity in organic orchards

In the frame of the project “Arbeitsnetz zur Weiterentwicklung der Anbauverfahren des ökologischen Obstbaus” (BOEL-project Nr. 03OE178) a group of fruitgrowers and advicers started to discuss new measures and new concepts to enhance biodiversity in organic orchards. Strips with flowering plants that can be integrated in the normal mulching system and thus, do not originate vole problems, are actually tested on the farms. Other measures as single bushes at the top and end of the rows are in discussion. If such measures are to be integrated successfully in the practice of organic fruit growing, the impulse must spring from growers themselves and their requirements regarding the different risks must be considered. Otherwise, an acceptance in practice is not very probable. This activites are reported here since we want more people to join us

Competitiveness of winter wheat stands against weeds: Effects of cultivar choice, row width and drilling direction

The need for competitive crop stands can be regarded as a basic requirement for weed control, potentially reducing the need for direct control measures. One way the crop may suppress weed growth is by the restriction of light through crop shading. As part of the EU-project ²Strategies of weed control in Organic Farming² (WECOF) trials with winter wheat were carried out to evaluate the potential of wheat shading ability as a weed control measure. Factors included were cultivar, row width and drilling direction. Results of the first experimental year are presented