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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.

2009

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Abstract

Techniques for the production of raspberry long canes with high yield potential were studied on a research station and in two commercial nurseries in South Norway. Potted 'Glen Ample' plants were grown in the open and in polyethylene greenhouses during two seasons in order to optimize Cultural practices. Dates of propagation and transfer to the production sites were varied. Following cold storage from December to early June, the canes were tipped (cut) at 160 cm height and grown in open plastic tunnels in the fruiting season for the evaluation of growth and yield performance. Remarkable berry yields of 1.5-3.8 kg per plant (cane) were regularly achieved. When grown in the open, later starts than June 1 (June 15 and July 1) successively reduced yields. On the other hand, an earlier start involves risks of growth cessation due to low spring temperature. When grown in greenhouses, high yields were still possible when plants were transferred from propagation conditions as late as July 1, although optimal yields of nearly 4 kg per plant were obtained with transfer on June 15. In a year with unusually high summer temperatures, the yields of canes produced in the open and in greenhouses did not vary significantly, whereas in the second year with normal summer temperatures, canes produced in greenhouses consistently out-yielded those produced in the open by about I kg per cane. Regression analyses revealed that high yields were associated with fruiting cane architecture traits such as cane height, number and length of laterals, and a low proportion of dormant buds. The single most important component was lateral length which alone accounted for 82% of the yield variation. Since lateral lengths increased from the shoot tip towards the base, cane heights in excess of 2 m are required for the attainment of top yields as the uppermost nodes with short and low-yielding laterals then can be eliminated by tipping. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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Abstract

The objective of tills article wits to explore how marginalization of revenues front timber sales relative to income from agriculture and employment affects profit efficiency (the ratio of actual profit to maximum obtainable profit). We also sought to identify and measure the effects of other relevant inefficiency factors. A translog profit. frontier function with all inefficiency module was estimated using a panel of 2.265 observations of 385 active Norwegian forest. owners for 1991-2004. We found that profit efficiency decreases as the revenues from timber sales fall relative to agricultural or wage income. Other factors decreasing the efficiency were logging distance (beyond what can be explained by logging costs), fragmentation of the forest property, and time. Factors increasing profit efficiency were experience (age). information (possession of a management. plan). and geographical location (centrality). Oil the basis of our results we make recommendations oil how forest owners can improve their profit. efficiency. We also suggest further developing and streamlining contract regimens as policy instruments for promoting efficiency. FOR. SCI. 55(6).524-532.

Abstract

The vine weevil, Othiorynchus sulcatus, is a serious pest in strawberries and biological control methods are needed to combat this pest. Formulations of the insect pathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae is registered for use against Otiorhynchus spp. in several countries but no fungal control agents are avilable for control of O. sulcatus in Norway. All developmental stages of Otiorhynchus spp. are susceptible to virulent insect pathogenic fungal species, but best control has been achieved against the larvae (Moorhouse et al. 1992). A number of studies have shown that M. anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana have good potential against Otiorhynchus spp. (Cross et al. 2001). In field grown strawberries, good control with Metarhizium has been reported when environmental conditions for the fungus are favourable (Oakley 1994). Temperatures in excess of 15oC are required for good control by most fungal isolates. Low temperature is therefore a major restricting factor for use of fungi outdoors (Gillespie et al. 1989, Soares et al. 1983). Isolates with low temperature optimums could therefore be well suited for field conditions in Northern Europe, where soil temperatures at the time when most larvae are found in the soil in autumn are 10-12oC. Norwegian M. anisopliae and B. bassiana isolates have shown promising results against O. sulcatus larvae at low temperatures in laboratory bioassays (Hjeljord & Klingen 2005). One of the Norwegian M. anisopliae isolates has also shown good competition with other soil fungi in laboratory experiments (Hjeljord & Meadow 2005). In addition to being cold tolerant, rhizosphere competence is important for fungal control agents that are used to control root feeding pests. "Rhizosphere competence" has been defined when considering biological control agents as "the ability of a microorganism, applied by seed treatment, to colonize the rhizosphere of developing roots" (Baker 1991). In this study we therefore aimed at testing the survival and rhizosphere competence of two different cold active Norwegian isolates (M. anisopliae isolate NCRI 250/02 and B. bassiana NCRI 12/96) in a semi field experiment in Norway. These were compared with the commercially avilable M. anisopliae isolate Ma43 originating from Austria (the isolate is also known to have many other names (Eilenberg 2008)). The study was conducted by estimating fungal concentrations in the bulk and rhizosphere soil surrounding the strawberry plant roots by counting colony forming unists (CFUs). The highest numbers of B. bassiana NCRI 12/96 CFUs were seen in the rhizosphere at 1.87x109 per liter soil 3 months after application. The highest numbers of M. anisopliae NCRI 250/02 CFUs were seen in the rhizosphere at 2.41x109 per liter soil 1 year after application. Numbers of CFUs for the M. ansiopliae Ma43 CFUs were generally lower than for the Norwegian isolates, but also for this isolate a higher fungal concentration was found in the rihzosphere soil than in the bulk soil.