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.
2018
Abstract
Background and aims Layered profiles of designed soils may provide long-term benefits for green roofs, provided the vegetation can exploit resources in the different layers. We aimed to quantify Sedum root foraging for water and nutrients in designed soils of different texture and layering. Methods In a controlled pot experiment we quantified the root foraging ability of the species Sedum album (L.) and S. rupestre (L.) in response to substrate structure (fine, coarse, layered or mixed), vertical fertiliser placement (top or bottom half of pot) and watering (5, 10 or 20 mm week−1 ). Results Water availability was the main driver of plant growth, followed by substrate structure, while fertiliser placement only had marginal effects on plant growth. Root foraging ability was low to moderate, as also reflected in the low proportion of biomass allocated to roots (5–13%). Increased watering reduced the proportion of root length and root biomass in deeper layers. Conclusions Both S. album and S. rupestre had a low ability to exploit water and nutrients by precise root foraging in substrates of different texture and layering. Allocation of biomass to roots was low and showed limited flexibility even under water-deficient conditions.
Abstract
In regions with short growth seasons, it is of great importance to use potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) seed tubers with a high growth vigour and a short growth cycle. Such qualities may be obtained by treatments advancing the physiological age of the seed tubers. In this study, we have exposed tubers from four cultivars to various combinations of temperature and light conditions (greensprouting) for 3–7 months in controlled climate. Subsequent sprout quality, seed tuber health and performance were studied in laboratory, greenhouse and field trials. Satisfactory short, sturdy and leafy sprouts were produced even after 7 months storage at 15 °C under light exposure. An assay of black scurf (Rhizoctonia solani) on the tuber skin showed that light exposure significantly reduced the occurrence compared with dark-stored tubers, while the average effect of storage temperatures was insignificant. In general, green-sprouting advanced emergence and plant growth by 1–2 weeks, and showed early tuber initiation and growth, compared to untreated material. Yields, 107 days after planting in the field trial, did not deviate significantly from untreated tubers. However, plant development at harvest was in accordance with general responses to physiological ageing of potato seed tubers, i.e. still tall and immature plants from untreated tubers, and short and mature plants from aged tubers. Results demonstrated the possibility of successful long-term storage of potato seed tubers in light at elevated temperatures and a potential for earlier harvests and higher early yields from such treatments.
Abstract
Interest in localized agri-food systems has grown significantly in recent years. They are associated with several benefits and are seen as important for rural development. An important share of the academic debate addresses the contribution of localized food systems to the current and/or future sustainability of agriculture. Sustainability is defined in several ways, but many scholars recognize that sustainability can only be achieved by a combination of socio-economic, cultural, and environmental aspects. However, the attributes and indicators used for sustainability analyses also differ. Biodiversity is, for instance, often not included in analyses of environmental sustainability even if biodiversity is of crucial importance for longer-term ecological sustainability. To contribute to the debate about the importance of localized food production for sustainability from the environmental point of view, specifically with regard to biodiversity, this is therefore discussed based on the results of several studies presented in this paper. The studies focus on Nordic low-intensity livestock systems related to species-rich semi-natural grasslands. All the studies show that low-intensive agriculture and use of semi-natural grasslands may play an important role in maintaining biodiversity on both small and large scales. They also show that milk and dairy products from free-ranging livestock in heterogeneous landscapes with semi-natural grasslands may have a unique quality associated with local grazing resources. Thus, producers can combine production of food of documented high nutritional and gastronomic value with maintenance of biodiversity, i.e., localized agri-food production based on low-intensive agriculture systems and semi-natural grasslands may be a win-win recipe for both farmers and the society.
Abstract
A number of factors such as low soil temperature, desiccation and thatch can be serious limiting factors for the successful reestablishment of golf greens following winter damages. The rate of germination and seedling root growth have important implications for competition between species on a golf green. This research project has shown that P. annua is a very competitive species, due to quicker germination at lower temperatures, especially compared to A. stolonifera and F. rubra ssp communtata. Root growth of P.annua was also significantly quicker than of the Agrostis species tested. Seedlings of Agrostis species and F.rubra ssp commutata that germinate in close proximity to P. annua seedlings stand a large chance of being choked out. In order to reduce competition with P.annua, early seeding should be avoided. In this study, no difference in turfgrass establishment wasobserved when seedlings were grown using soil water extracts or soil from an ice-encased green,compared to a control. However, further investigations regarding reestablishment following iceencasement are warrant, and should be investigated on older greens with a higher organic mattercontent. The results from the demonstration trials emphasize the importance of using a sowingtechnique that ensures proper seed – soil contact. This is of particular importance for theestablishment of turfgrass species on golf greens, due to the high risk of desiccation.
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Authors
Synnøve Rivedal Samson Øpstad Torbjørn Haukås Johannes Deelstra Peter Dörsch Trond Børresen Sissel Hansen Sverre HeggsetAbstract
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