Comparison of two sowing systems for CTF using commercially available machinery

ArticleThe crop establishment belongs to crucial technology operations. The quality of sowing is the basis for obtaining efficiency of production. Controlled Traffic Farming (CTF) is a technology which prevents excessive soil compaction and minimizes compacted area to the smallest possible area of perman ent traffic lanes (PTL). There were two sowing systems compared, namely row and band sowing when growing winter barley. Sowing parameters as well as all other field operations were identical for both compared systems. Measurements were conducted at an expe rimental field on non - compacted and traffic lane areas where CTF system was introduced in 2009, with 64% of compacted and 36% of non - compacted soil. Six crop parameters were analysed. Generally, it can be concluded that the band sowing performed better in yield (by 9.3% in non - compacted area; by 3.8 % in traffic lane), ear number (by 5.2% in non - compacted area; by 10.1% in traffic lane) and grain number (by 6.3% in non - compacted area; by 8.1% in traffic lane) as well as crop height (by 6.6% in non - compacted area; and by 2.4% in traffic lane). The only parameter performing worse was TGW with decrease of 6.6% in non - compacted area and decrease 2.8% in traffic lane for band system. Differences in number of grain per ear were negligible

Effect of controlled traffic farming on weed occurrence

ArticleSoil compaction caused by field traffic is one of the most important yield limiting factors. Moreover, published results report that soil over-compaction inhibits the uptake of plant nutrients and decreases their ability to compete with weeds. Controlled Traffic Farming (CTF) is technology which prevents excessive soil compaction and minimizes compacted area to the least possible area of permanent traffic lines. A long-term experiment was established at University farm in Kolinany (Slovakia) in 2010 with 6 m OutTrack CTF system. Random Traffic Farming (RTF) is simulated by 1 annual machinery pass crossing the permanent traffic lines. Aim of presented study was to assess the effect of CTF on weed infection pressure. To achieve this, weed occurrence at different traffic treatments was determined. Emerged weeds per square meter were counted, identified and recorded at 14 monitoring points. Results showed that higher weed infection was found at the area with one machinery pass compared to the non-compacted area. Following weeds were identified: Bromus secalinus L., Stellaria media (L.) VILL., Veronica persica POIR. in LAMK., Poa annua L., Polygonum aviculare L., Convolvulus arvensis L. Occurrence of these weeds could be used as soil compaction indicator. Based on these results it can be concluded, that CTF technology has potential to decrease weed infestation in comparison to RTF system due to ration of non-compacted to compacted area. Moreover, with exact localization of weeds in traffic lines together with exact identification of weed species, it is possible to target the application of herbicides

Comparison of simulation and analytical models for the distribution of a group of agents moving in random directions

This study focused on simulation and analytical models of a multidimensional random walk of many agent

Determining trafficked areas using soil electrical conductivity – a pilot study

ncrease in machinery size and its random traffic at fields cause soil compaction resulting in damage of soil structure and degradation of soil functions. Nowadays, rapid methods to detect soil compaction at fields are of high interest, especially proximal sensing methods such as electrical conductivity measurements. The aim of this work was to investigate whether electromagnetic induction (EMI) could be used to determine trafficked areas in silty clay soil. Results of randomized block experiment showed a high significant difference (p <0.01) in EMI data measured between compacted and non-compacted areas. EMI readings from compacted areas were, on average, 11% (shallow range) and 9% (deep range) higher than non-compacted areas, respectively. This difference was determined in both shallow and deep measuring ranges, indicating that the difference in soil compaction was detected in both topsoil and subsoil. Furthermore, the data was found to have a significant spatial variability, suggesting that, in order to detect the increase in EMI (which shows the increase in soil compaction), data within close surrounding area should be included in the analyses. Correlation coefficient of EMI and penetration resistance (average moisture content 32.5% and 30.8% for topsoil and subsoil) was found to be 0.66

Alterations in regulatory T cells and immune checkpoint molecules in pancreatic cancer patients receiving FOLFIRINOX or gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel

PURPOSE This pilot study aimed on generating insight on alterations in circulating immune cells during the use of FOLFIRINOX and gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). PATIENTS AND METHODS Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated before and 30~days after initiation of chemotherapy from 20 patients with advanced PDAC. Regulatory T cells (FoxP3+) and immune checkpoints (PD-1 and TIM-3) were analyzed by flow cytometry and immunological changes were correlated with clinical outcome. RESULTS Heterogeneous changes during chemotherapy were observed in circulating T-cell subpopulations with a pronounced effect on PD-1+ CD4+/CD8+ T cells. An increase in FoxP3+ or PD-1+ T cells had no significant effect on survival. An increase in TIM3+/CD8+ (but not TIM3+/CD4+) T cells was associated with a significant inferior outcome: median progression-free survival in the subgroup with an increase of TIM-3+/CD8+ T cells was 6.0 compared to 14.0~months in patients with a decrease/no change (p = 0.026); corresponding median overall survival was 13.0 and 20.0~months (p = 0.011), respectively. CONCLUSIONS Chemotherapy with FOLFIRNOX or gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel induces variable changes in circulating T-cell populations that may provide prognostic information in PDAC

Dirofilaria spp. And angiostrongylus vasorum: Current risk of spreading in central and northern europe

In the past few decades, the relevance of Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens, causing cardiopulmonary and subcutaneous dirofilariosis in dogs and cats, and of Angiostrongylus vasorum, causing canine angiostrongylosis, has steadily increased in Central and Northern Europe. In this review, a summary of published articles and additional reports dealing with imported or autoch-thonous cases of these parasites is provided for Central (Austria, Czechia, Germany, Hungary, Lux-emburg, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Switzerland) and Northern (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) Europe. Research efforts focusing on Dirofilaria spp. and A. vasorum have varied by country, and cross-border studies are few. The housing conditions of dogs, pet move-ments, the spread of competent vectors, and climate change are important factors in the spread of these nematodes. Dogs kept outside overnight are a major factor for the establishment of Dirofilaria spp. However, the establishment of invasive, diurnal, synanthropic, competent mosquito vectors such as Aedes albopictus may also influence the establishment of Dirofilaria spp. The drivers of the spread of A. vasorum remain not fully understood, but it seems to be influenced by habitats shared with wild canids, dog relocation, and possibly climatic changes; its pattern of spreading appears to be similar in different countries. Both Dirofilaria spp. and A. vasorum merit further monitoring and research focus in Europe

Field evaluation of controlled traffic farming in central Europe using commercially available machinery

The progressive increase in the size and weight of farm machinery causes concerns due to the increased risk of soil compaction that arises from non-organized vehicle traffic. Controlled traffic farming (CTF) offers an effective means to manage compaction by confining all load-bearing wheels to the least possible area of permanent traffic lanes. Although CTF is relatively well-established in Australia and in some countries in Northern Europe, its benefits and suitability for Central European conditions have not been demonstrated. A long-term experimental site was established in 2010 in Nitra, Slovakia, using a 6 m 'OutTrac-CTF' system with shallow non-inversion tillage practices. The 16 ha experimental field of loam soil is representative of land used for arable cropping in Central Europe. Four traffic intensities (non-trafficked, one traffic event per year with a single pass, multiple passes with permanent traffic lanes, and random traffic) were evaluated using two traffic systems: controlled (CTF) and non-controlled traffic farming (referred to as random traffic farming or RTF). This article reports the findings derived from the first four years of the project and focuses on the effects of traffic systems on yields observed in cereal crops (winter wheat, spring barley, and maize) grown at the site in a rotation cycle. Significant differences (p < 0.1) in yield are reported due to the heterogeneity of the field and the seasonal effect of weather. The results of this investigation suggest that CTF systems have potential to increase production sustainably in arable farming systems in Central Europe. Well-designed CTF systems using commercially available machinery allow for reductions in the area affected by traffic of up to 50% compared with random, non-organized traffic systems. Results also show that in years when soil moisture was not limiting, the yield penalty from a single (annual) machine pass was relatively small (~5%). However, in dry years, compaction caused by multiple machinery passes may lead to yield losses of up to 33%. When considering the ratio of non-trafficked to trafficked area within the different CTF systems evaluated in this study, yield improvements of up to 0.5 t ha-1 for cereals are possible when converting from RTF to CTF. Given the assumptions made in the analyses, such yield increases translate into increased revenues of up to 117 USD ha-1 (1 Euro= 1.1 USD). For Central European farming systems, the main benefit of CTF appears to be improved efficiency and enhanced agronomic stability, especially in dry seasons, where the significant yield penalty from machinery passes is likely

Review: Soil compaction and controlled traffic farming in arable and grass cropping systems

There is both circumstantial and direct evidence which demonstrates the significant productivity and sustainability benefits associated with adoption of controlled traffic farming (CTF). These benefits may be fully realised when CTF is jointly practiced with no-tillage and assisted by the range of precision agriculture (PA) technologies available. Important contributing factors are those associated with improved trafficability and timeliness of field operations. Adoption of CTF is therefore encouraged as a technically and economically viable option to improve productivity and resource-use efficiency in arable and grass cropping systems. Studies on the economics of CTF consistently show that it is a profitable technological innovation for both grassland and arable land-use. Despite these benefits, global adoption of CTF is still relatively low, with the exception of Australia where approximately 30% of the grain production systems are managed under CTF. The main barriers for adoption of CTF have been equipment incompatibilities and the need to modify machinery to suit a specific system design, often at the own farmers’ risk of loss of product warranty. Other barriers include reliance on contracting operations, land tenure systems, and road transport regulations. However, some of the barriers to adoption can be overcome with forward planning when conversion to CTF is built into the machinery replacement programme, and organisations such as ACTFA in Australia and CTF Europe Ltd. in Central and Northern Europe have developed suitable schemes to assist farmers in such a process

The Planetary Fourier Spectrometer (PFS) onboard the European Mars Express mission

International audience; The Planetary Fourier Spectrometer (PFS) for the Mars Express mission is an infrared spectrometer optimised for atmospheric studies. This instrument has a short wave (SW) channel that covers the spectral range from 1700 to 8200.0cm-1 (1.2- 5.5mum) and a long-wave (LW) channel that covers 250- 1700cm-1 (5.5- 45mum). Both channels have a uniform spectral resolution of 1.3cm-1. The instrument field of view FOV is about 1.6o (FWHM) for the Short Wavelength channel (SW) and 2.8o (FWHM) for the Long Wavelength channel (LW) which corresponds to a spatial resolution of 7 and 12 km when Mars is observed from an height of 250 km. PFS can provide unique data necessary to improve our knowledge not only of the atmosphere properties but also about mineralogical composition of the surface and the surface-atmosphere interaction. The SW channel uses a PbSe detector cooled to 200-220 K while the LW channel is based on a pyroelectric ( LiTaO3) detector working at room temperature. The intensity of the interferogram is measured every 150 nm of physical mirrors displacement, corresponding to 600 nm optical path difference, by using a laser diode monochromatic light interferogram (a sine wave), whose zero crossings control the double pendulum motion. PFS works primarily around the pericentre of the orbit, only occasionally observing Mars from large distances. Each measurements take 4 s, with a repetition time of 8.5 s. By working roughly 0.6 h around pericentre, a total of 330 measurements per orbit will be acquired 270 looking at Mars and 60 for calibrations. PFS is able to take measurements at all local times, facilitating the retrieval of surface temperatures and atmospheric vertical temperature profiles on both the day and the night side