The phenology of winter rye in Poland: an analysis of long-term experimental data

The study of the phenology of crops, although quite popular, has limitations, mainly because of frequent changes to crop varieties and management practices. Here, we present data on the phenology and yield of winter rye in western Poland collected between 1957 and 2012 from a long-term field experiment. Data were examined for trends through time and compared to climatological factors using regression analysis. Both annual air temperature and precipitation increased during the study period, equivalent to 2 °C and 186 mm, respectively, over the 52-year period for which met data were available. We detected significant delays in sowing date and recently in emergence, but significant advances were apparent in full flowering date equivalent to 4 days/decade. Yield and plant density experienced a step like change in 1986; yield increasing by ca. 70 % and plant density increasing by ca. 50 %, almost coinciding with a similar change in annual mean temperature, but most likely caused by a changed seed rate and use of herbicides. Future climate change is expected to have a greater impact on this crop, but farmers may be able to adapt to these changes by modifying water regimes, using new machinery and sowing new rye varieties

Yield and chosen quality traits of winter rye grown in the period of conversion to organic cropping system

W latach 2004-2005 w Rolniczym Zakładzie Doświadczalnym w Bałcynach (53o35’ N; 19o51’ E), należącym do Uniwersytetu Warmińsko-Mazurskiego, prowadzono badania nad określeniem skutków przestawiania uprawy owsa z systemu konwencjonalnego na ekologiczny. W jednym płodozmianie uprawiano go zgodnie z zasadami rolnictwa konwencjonalnego, stosując nawozy mineralne i pestycydy. W drugim realizowano dwuletni okres przestawiania uprawy roślin na system ekologiczny. W uprawie konwencjonalnej i w obiekcie z uprawą przestawianą na ekologiczną nagoziarnistą odmianę owsa wysiewano w stanowisku po pszenicy ozimej. W płodozmianie konwencjonalnym, średnio z dwóch lat, uzyskano 4,81 t·ha-1 ziarna owsa. Przestawianie jego uprawy na ekologiczną obniżyło wydajność o 28,7%. Zmniejszeniu plonów ziarna towarzyszyło pogorszenie wszystkich elementów morfometrii roślin i struktury plonu. Zawartość białka i P w ziarnie owsa w obiekcie z uprawą przestawianą na ekologiczną była mniejsza, natomiast K i Mg – większa niż w obiekcie konwencjonalnym. Zawartość Ca w ziarnie owsa pochodzącego z obu systemów uprawy była identyczna.In the period of 2004-2005 researches were done at the Agricultural Experimental Station in Bałcyny (53o35’ N; 19o51’ E) of the University of Warmia and Mazury to determine the results of conversion of oat growing from the conventional system to the organic one. In the first crop rotation it was cultivated according to the principles of the conventional cropping system, applying mineral fertilizers and pesticides. In the second one, a two-year period of conversion of crops to the organic system was realized. In the conventional cropping and in the plot being converted to the organic one naked-grain oat cultivar was sown in the fields after winter wheat. In the conventional crop rotation, as mean from 2 years, 4.81 t∙ha-1 of oat grain was obtained. The conversion of its growing to organic system decreased the yield by 28.7%. The decrease in grain yield was accompanied by the worsening of all the morphometric elements of the crops and yield structure. The content of protein and P in oat grain in the field of cropping converted to organic system was lower, whereas the contents of K and Mg were higher than those in the field with conventional cropping. The content of Ca was identical in oat grains coming from the two cropping systems

Cardiac phenotype in ATP1A3-related syndromes: A multicentre cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To define the risks and consequences of cardiac abnormalities in ATP1A3-related syndromes. METHODS: Patients meeting clinical diagnostic criteria for Rapid-onset Dystonia-Parkinsonism (RDP), Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood (AHC), and Cerebellar ataxia, Areflexia, Pes cavus, Optic atrophy, and Sensorineural hearing loss (CAPOS), with ATP1A3 genetic analysis, and had at least one cardiac assessment, were included. We evaluated the cardiac phenotype in an Atp1a3 knock-in mouse (Mashl+/-) to determine the sequence of events in seizure-related cardiac death. RESULTS: 98 AHC, nine RDP, and three CAPOS patients (63 females, mean age 17 years) were included. Resting EKG abnormalities were found in 52/87 (60%) AHC, 2/3 (67%) CAPOS, and 6/9 (67%) RDP patients. Serial EKGs showed dynamic changes in 10/18 AHC patients. The first Holter EKG was abnormal in 24/65 (37%) AHC and RDP cases, with either repolarization or conduction abnormalities. Echocardiography was normal. Cardiac intervention was required in 3/98 (∼3%) AHC patients. In the mouse model, resting EKGs showed intra-cardiac conduction delay; during induced seizures, heart block or complete sinus arrest led to death. CONCLUSIONS: We found increased prevalence of EKG dynamic abnormalities in all ATP1A3-related syndromes, with a risk of life-threatening cardiac rhythm abnormalities equivalent to that in established cardiac channelopathies (∼3%). Sudden cardiac death due to conduction abnormality emerged as a seizure-related outcome in murine Atp1a3-related disease. ATP1A3-related syndromes are cardiac diseases as well as neurological diseases. We provide guidance to identify patients potentially at higher risk of sudden cardiac death who may benefit from insertion of a pacemaker or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator