Pre- and post-harvest evapotranspiration, carbon exchange and water use efficiency of a mature peach orchard in semi-arid climate

Better knowledge of the evapotranspiration and carbon exchange of fruit trees is needed to optimize the trade-off between water use and carbon assimilation and to better understand the role of agriculture in the biogeochemical cycles. In this work we measured water and carbon fluxes with eddy covariance and transpiration with sap flow in a drip irrigated peach orchard of 70% ground cover located in southern Spain for two years. The empirically measured crop coefficient (Kc) under good watering conditions in the summer ranged from 1 to 1.1. The daytime Net Ecosystem Exchange (NEE) flux of the orchard averaged 30 g CO2 m2 day-1 during the period of maximum activity in July. The daytime ecosystem water use efficiency (WUE) of the orchard reached a minimum in late June, flattened around 4 g CO2 L-1 throughout the summer, and increased in autumn, but was unaffected by fruit removal or post-harvest irrigation reduction imposed by the farm (30% reduction). The response of instantaneous peach ecosystem WUE to VPD was also investigated. Both Kc, NEE, leaf water potential and stomatal conductance decreased sharply after harvest. Transpiration data from some purposely over-irrigated experimental trees demonstrated that the post-harvest alterations we found were not caused by fruit removal, but are result of mild water stress originated by the irrigation reduction. Hence, the often-observed alterations in water relations after harvest in well-watered trees were not observed in this experiment. This work adds insight on peach irrigation efficiency and on the contribution of orchards to agricultural carbon budgets

The pitfalls of water potential for irrigation scheduling

The water potential (Ψp), has been widely used as an indicator of plant water status for irrigation management purposes. The simple infrastructure needed for its measurement and its direct relation to basic plant physiological processes, have contributed to the popularity of the methodology. When used for irrigation scheduling, it is commonly assumed that an unavoidable relationship exists between plant transpiration (T), soil water content and Ψp. Nevertheless, it is worth remembering that variations in Ψp are not solely related to changes in soil water content, but are also an expression of the interaction between the plant and its environment. We used a soil-plant-atmosphere-continuum (SPAC) model to highlight the importance of considering such interactions through a series of in silico experiments. Our analysis shows that evaporative demand, the hydraulic architecture of the plant, and the texture and depth of the soil play key roles in the final Ψp observed. To establish irrigation programs based on Ψp, without considering the environmental and plant factors that influence it, can create the paradox of having a plant that suffers greater water stress even when high irrigation volumes are applied. The conclusions from our in silico analysis provide some warnings that should be considered when using Ψp to schedule irrigation.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Studying and modelling winter dormancy in olive trees

The abundance of scientific papers dealing with olive reproductive phenology contrasts with the scarce information available in relation to the winter dormant state of olive vegetative structures. In this study, three experiments with young olive trees were performed in Southern Spain, aiming to provide insight into some features of the winter rest period in this evergreen species. Experiment 1 evaluated the environmental cues triggering dormancy induction by measuring leaf appearance rates in trees subjected to different conditions of temperature and daylength over the course of the 2012 autumn. In Experiment 2, several sets of plants were placed into a greenhouse at different dates along the 2013/2014 winter, testing the ability of dormant plants to resume growth upon the return of favourable temperatures. Finally, Experiment 3 was carried out during the autumns of 2016 and 2017 in two locations, and was devoted to assess differences between five cultivars in the onset of dormancy under natural conditions. Our findings revealed that dormancy induction is not controlled by photoperiod, but by low temperatures. The subsequent winter rest state seems to be easily reversed after 1–2 weeks of exposure to warm conditions, irrespective of the initial date of exposure. With regard to cultivar variability, differences in the timing of growth cessation was found to be rather small. Finally, two simple models for predicting the onset of dormancy based on the accumulation of a certain amount of chilling (either considering or not a reversal of chilling by warm temperatures) are presented. Calibration and validation was performed with independent datasets from Experiments 1, 2 and 3. Validation tests highlighted the reliability of both models in reproducing the date of growth cessation.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Sistemas de energía renovable en las áreas rurales: una demostración en el sector vitivinícola

La investigación ha tenido como objetivo elaborar una propuesta novedosa para el suministro de energía de origen 100% renovable en el medio rural, en modo no conectado a la red y aplicado a la satisfacción de consumos concretos del sector vitivinícola (viñedo).En el marco de la tesis, se desarrolló el proyecto LIFE REWIND (Renewable Energy in the Wine Industry), cofinanciado por la Comisión Europea. El prototipo se instaló en un viñedo de la bodega Viñas del Vero, en Barbastro (Huesca).La tesis incorpora un compendio de cinco artículos publicados en revistas con indexadas en Journal Citation Reports:1. Carroquino, J.; Dufo-López, R.; Bernal-Agustín, J. L. Sizing of off-grid renewable energy systems for drip irrigation in Mediterranean crops. Renewable Energy 2015, 76, 566–574, doi:10.1016/j.renene.2014.11.069.2. Carroquino, J.; Roda, V.; Mustata, R.; Yago, J.; Valiño, L.; Lozano, A.; Barreras, F. Combined production of electricity and hydrogen from solar energy and its use in the wine sector. Renewable Energy 2018, 122, 251–263, doi:10.1016/j.renene.2018.01.106.3. Roda, V.; Carroquino, J.; Valiño, L.; Lozano, A.; Barreras, F. Remodeling of a commercial plug-in battery electric vehicle to a hybrid configuration with a PEM fuel cell. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 2018, doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2017.12.171.4. Garcia-Casarejos, N.; Gargallo, P.; Carroquino, J. Introduction of renewable energy in the Spanish wine sector. Sustainability 2018, 10, doi:10.3390/su10093157.5. Carroquino, J.; Bernal-Agustín, J.-L.; Dufo-López, R. Standalone Renewable Energy and Hydrogen in an Agricultural Context: A Demonstrative Case. Sustainability 2019, 11, 951, doi:10.3390/SU11040951.El título y temática de la tesis es Sistemas de energía renovable en las áreas rurales: una demostración en el sector vitivinícola.La primera parte de la tesis abordó seis casos de estudio de riego en cultivos mediterráneos de viñedo y olivar, dimensionando los sistemas óptimos de generación renovable. Al término de esa fase, se elaboró el primer artículo “Sizing of off-grid renewable energy systems for drip irrigation in Mediterranean crops”. En la segunda fase, se abordó el diseño de un prototipo de sistema de energía renovable para viñedo. Dicho prototipo incluye la producción de hidrógeno. El diseño y los resultados se abordan en los artículos “Standalone Renewable Energy and Hydrogen in an Agricultural Context: A Demonstrative Case” y “Combined production of electricity and hydrogen from solar energy and its use in the wine sector”. El hidrógeno producido se utilizó en un vehículo eléctrico al que se le incorporó una pila de combustible, cuyo diseño y resultados se abordan en el artículo “Remodeling of a commercial plug-in battery electric vehicle to a hybrid configuration with a PEM fuel cell”.Finalmente, se estudió la disposición del sector del vino español a incorporar sistemas de energía renovable y se identificaron las vías para fomentar su adopción, en el artículo “Introduction of renewable energy in the Spanish wine sector”.<br /

Análisis psicométrico de la Escala de Soledad de UCLA (Versión 3) en una muestra de guardias civiles

La soledad es un constructo psicológico complejo que influye en nuestra salud a través del estrés y el cortisol. En este estudio se analizó psicométricamente la traducción española de la UCLA Loneliness Scale (Versión 3) en una muestra de miembros de la Guardia Civil. Los resultados señalaron una fiabilidad adecuada (alfa de Cronbach 0,954) para fines de investigación y de evaluación de individuos concretos. Se calculó el índice KMO (0,969), la prueba de la esfericidad de Bartlett (χ2 (190)=14.406,221, ρ<0,000) y el determinante de la matriz de correlaciones (0,0000018), para estudiar la conveniencia de realizar un análisis factorial. Para dicho análisis se utilizó la matriz de correlaciones policóricas (explica el 81,49% de la varianza total), extrayendo dos componentes a través el método de Componentes Principales y la rotación Varimax (10.184 y 1.080). No parece necesario eliminar ni revisar ninguno de los ítems (correlación ítem-total 0,486-0,804). En consecuencia, se concluye que esta escala podría ser válida para estudiar cómo influye esta variable en el estado de salud de los miembros de este cuerpo de policía militarizado.Loneliness is a complex psychological construct that influences our health through stress and cortisol. In this study we examined psychometrically the Spanish translation of the UCLA Loneliness Scale (Version 3) in a sample of members of the Guardia Civil. The results showed adequate reliability (Cronbach’s alpha .954) for research and evaluation of specific individuals. KMO index was calculated (.969), the Bartlett’s test of sphericity (χ2 (190)=14406.221, ρ<.000) and the determinant of the correlation matrix (.0000018), to examine the appropriateness of analysis factorial. For this analysis we used the polychoric correlation matrix (explains 81.49 % of the total variance), extracting two components through the principal components analysis (PCA) and varimax rotation (10,184 and 1,080). On the other hand, does not seem necessary to delete or revise any items (item-total correlation .486-.804). Consequently, it is concluded that this scale might be valid to study how this variable influences the health of the members of this militarized police force

LA RESTAURACIÓN DEL GRUPO DE LAS ANGUSTIAS DE CEHEGÍN: NUEVAS APORTACIONES DOCUMENTALES A LA ESCULTURA REGIONAL

The restauration of a piece of art offers a unique opportunity for the compilation of historical information. al1 of which is given by the piece of art itself. In this case the restauration of the group Virgen de las Angustias has taken us to a change of authorship: it was ascribed firstly to Roque López and certified as Marcos Laborda's work after it was intervened. This new authorship can make us reconsider the origin of many reIated pieces, advising the revision of the historography of regional scuIpture.La restauración de una obra de arte se muestra como una oportunidad única para la recopilación de datos históricos aportados por la propia obra. En este caso, la restauración del gmpo de la Virgen de las Angustias de Cehegín ha permitido el cambio de autoria, atribuida anteriormente a Roque López y que, tras la intervención, se ha certificado como obra de Marcos Laborda. Esta nueva autoria puede hacer reconsiderar el origen de otras muchas obras relacionadas, aconsejando revisar la historiografía actual sobre escultura regional

Sevilla, Patrimonio Mundial: guía cultural interactiva para dispositivos móviles

El proyecto presentado reflexiona sobre la búsqueda de nuevas estrategias que incrementen el interés por el patrimonio cultural de las ciudades históricas, en este caso Sevilla, a través de una mejor comprensión de sus bienes. Con tal fin se ha recurrido al uso de las infraestructuras de datos espaciales, herramientas concebidas para gestionar y publicar la información a diferentes escalas y niveles de complejidad. De este modo, se presenta el diseño de una aplicación smartphone que integra mapas de carácter interactivo y apuesta por el uso de nuevos formatos divulgativos relacionados con las nuevas tecnologías de la información y la comunicación. El resultado final se ha materializado en una guía cultural disponible en cincoidiomas, que utiliza la tecnología cartográfica aportada por la Gerencia de Urbanismo del Ayuntamiento de Sevilla y se difunde a través de los canales proporcionados por el Consorcio de Turismo de la ciudad. Accediendo a los contenidos diseñados por investigadores de la Universidad de Sevilla, el usuario puede consultar información relativa a los monumentos y su entorno, recorriendo sus principales espacios y obteniendo datos de interés sobre sus obras de arte más representativas. Con esta experiencia de carácter multidisciplinar se ha desarrollado un proyecto pionero, que aporta una estructura de conocimiento novedosa y susceptible de ser aplicada en numerosas tipologías arquitectónicas y artísticas.Instituto Andaluz del Patrimonio Históric

Potentiometric study of carbon nanotube/surfactant interactions by ion-selective electrodes. Driving forces in the adsorption and dispersion processes

The interaction (adsorption process) of commercial ionic surfactants with non-functionalized and functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNTs) has been studied by potentiometric measurements based on the use of ion-selective electrodes. The goal of this work was to investigate the role of the CNTs' charge and structure in the CNT/surfactant interactions. Non-functionalized single- (SWCNT) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT), and amine functionalized SWCNT were used. The influence of the surfactant architecture on the CNT/surfactant interactions was also studied. Surfactants with different charge and hydrophobic tail length (sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), octyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (OTAB), dodecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (DoTAB) and hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB)) were studied. According to the results, the adsorption process shows a cooperative character, with the hydrophobic interaction contribution playing a key role. This is made evident by the correlation between the free surfactant concentration (at a fixed [CNT]) and the critical micellar concentration, cmc, found for all the CNTs and surfactants investigated. The electrostatic interactions mainly determine the CNT dispersion, although hydrophobic interactions also contribute to this process.Fil: Ostos, Francisco José. Universidad de Sevilla; EspañaFil: Lebrón, José Antonio. Universidad de Sevilla; EspañaFil: Moyá, María Luisa. Universidad de Sevilla; EspañaFil: Bernal, Eva. Universidad de Sevilla; EspañaFil: Flores, Ana. Universidad de Huelva; EspañaFil: Lépori, Cristian Marcelo Oscar. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola; ArgentinaFil: Maestre, Ángeles. Universidad de Huelva; EspañaFil: Sánchez, Francisco. Universidad de Sevilla; EspañaFil: López Cornejo, Pilar. Universidad de Sevilla; EspañaFil: López López, Manuel Carlos. Universidad de Huelva; Españ