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Publications

NIBIOs employees contribute to several hundred scientific articles and research reports every year. You can browse or search in our collection which contains references and links to these publications as well as other research and dissemination activities. The collection is continously updated with new and historical material.

2017

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Abstract

The rapid increase of the world population constantly demands more food production from agricultural soils. This causes conflicts, since at the same time strong interest arises on novel bio-based products from agriculture, and new perspectives for rural landscapes with their valuable ecosystem services. Agriculture is in transition to fulfill these demands. In many countries, conventional farming, influenced by post-war food requirements, has largely been transformed into integrated and sustainable farming. However, since it is estimated that agricultural production systems will have to produce food for a global population that might amount to 9.1 billion by 2050 and over 10 billion by the end of the century, we will require an even smarter use of the available land, including fallow and derelict sites. One of the biggest challenges is to reverse non-sustainable management and land degradation. Innovative technologies and principles have to be applied to characterize marginal lands, explore options for remediation and re-establish productivity. With view to the heterogeneity of agricultural lands, it is more than logical to apply specific crop management and production practices according to soil conditions. Cross-fertilizing with conservation agriculture, such a novel approach will provide (1) increased resource use efficiency by producing more with less (ensuring food security), (2) improved product quality, (3) ameliorated nutritional status in food and feed products, (4) increased sustainability, (5) product traceability and (6) minimized negative environmental impacts notably on biodiversity and ecological functions. A sustainable strategy for future agriculture should concentrate on production of food and fodder, before utilizing bulk fractions for emerging bio-based products and convert residual stage products to compost, biochar and bioenergy. The present position paper discusses recent developments to indicate how to unlock the potentials of marginal land.

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Abstract

Phenological observations are considered to be sensitive tools for identifying plant responses to climatic changes. Over the last 10 years, the onset of the phenophases of sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) during spring tended to be earlier than the previous two decades in Ullensvang, western Norway. The effects of air temperature during the winter and spring months were evaluated during two quinquennia (5-year periods), 1996-2000 (Q1) and 2003-2007 (Q2) selected due to similar mean winter and early summer temperatures, but markedly different spring temperatures. Average January-February temperatures were similar (3.3°C) in both of these two 5-year periods. However, average March and April temperatures were slightly warmer (4.0 vs. 3.2°C) and (7.3 vs. 6.9°C), respectively, in Q2 vs. Q1. These increases resulted in significantly earlier flower development. Average temperatures during the first half of May were similar for both quinquennia (10.2 vs. 10.1°C). The start of flowering (first bloom) of early maturing ‘Burlat’ and mid-season ‘Van’ were significantly different. Timing of flowering phenophases were statistically different between Q1 and Q2 for both cultivars. Mean data for ‘Burlat’ and ‘Van’ first bloom were 8 days earlier during Q2, May 2 for ‘Burlat’ and May 1 for ‘Van’. Full bloom occurred 3 days after first bloom and flowering ended 14 days after first bloom. First bloom during Q2 required 221 Baskerville-Emin Growing degree days (GDD) using a base temperature of 2°C. For the same time period in Q1, only 197 GDD were accumulated, which supports the observed temperature differences. Furthermore, we propose a flowering model for full bloom of both ‘Burlat’ and ‘Van’ in Ullensvang, which requires 254 Baskerville-Emin GDD using a base of 2°C starting on March 1.

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Abstract

Anthocyanins are the main pigments in the Vaccinium berries. Besides contributing to the characteristic bluish to reddish colors of the berries, anthocyanins are also recognized as potential health beneficial compounds. The biosynthesis of anthocyanins is well understood and the key regulators have been characterized in many plant species. The final anthocyanin composition in ripe berries is regulated by developmental and environmental factors, determined by the genetic background. We have studied the role of different light and temperature conditions on the accumulation of anthocyanins in wild bilberry (V. myrtillus L.) and cultivated highbush blueberry (V. corymbosum L.), in controlled and in field experiments. These experiments include specific growth conditions with clones from northern and southern latitudes as well as from different altitudes. The results show speciesspecific interactions in quantitative and qualitative composition of anthocyanins as a response to light and temperature conditions. For instance, lower temperature and specific light wavelengths induced accumulation of delphinidin glycosides in bilberry.

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Abstract

To predict how the function of urban vegetation and the provision of ecosystem services respond to combinations of natural and anthropogenic drivers, a better understanding of multiple stress interactions is required. This study tested combined effects of moderate levels of drought, soil salinity and exposure to diesel exhaust on parameters of physiology, metabolism, morphology and growth of Pinus sylvestris L. saplings. We found that plant responses were primarily dominated by single stressors and a few two-way interactions. Stressor combinations did not have considerable additional negative effects on plant performance compared to single stressors. Hence, synergistic and antagonistic interactions were rare and additive effects frequent. Drought cycles caused most negative effects, from chlorophyll a fluorescence and epicuticular wax content to growth responses, while soil salinity caused fewer negative effects but contributed to reduction in fine root growth and fluorescence parameters at low air contamination. Interestingly, the air contamination alone had only marginal effects on plant morphology and growth, but contributed an antagonistic effect, dampening the negative effect of drought and salinity on the maximum quantum efficiency of PSII photochemistry (Fv/Fm) and fine root biomass. Although, these effects were moderate, it appears that exhaust exposure had a cross-acclimation effect on plant responses to drought and salinity. We also found that salinity had a negative effect on the accumulation of particulate matter on shoots, illustrating that the plant stress situation can affect the provisioning of certain ecosystem services like pollution attenuation. These findings have implications for the understanding of the complex natural and anthropogenic stress situation of urban, and how to maintain the ecological functions and delivery of ecosystem services.