Hopp til hovedinnholdet

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.

2012

To document

Abstract

NoFence is a virtual fencing system with the aim of finding a solution to the problems with keeping animals within a predefined when physical fences not are an option. The system consists of a collar based on GPS technology. When an animal wearing an activated collar crosses a predefined border, a sound signal will be given. If the animals then turns and walks back into the grazing area, the sound signal will stop. If the animal instead continue to walk over the border, the collar will give the animals an electric correction through two electrodes placed on the neck of the animal. Bioforsk Økologisk was hired to perform an independent evaluation about the welfare situation among animals on NoFence pastures. The aim with the trials 2012 was hence to do a first evaluation if/how NoFence affects sheep welfare and how quick the animals can learn the system.

Abstract

The algae industry in Norway has long tradition in exploiting natural resources. The seaweed constitute an important part of the ecosystem and are of important commercial value. This article describes the established seaweed industry in Norway.

Abstract

Aspen trees are exposed to a range of attackers and employ varied strategies to reduce their impact. The diversity of responses may have importance for resistance properties at the stand level, and justifies the search for varied defensive strategies in natural populations. We used transcriptomic tools to evaluate diverse responses at the gene activity level in Populus tremula in response to wounding, and to inoculation with two pathogenic fungi (Melampsora magnusiana vs Ceratocystis sp.) that differ in life style (biotroph vs necrotroph) and host tissue requirement (live leaf vs dead wood tissues). Two aspen genotypes from the SwAsp collection with differences in growth and phenolic composition were used to study differences in resistance properties. High defence gene induction, high growth and elevated defence properties toward the biotroph appeared to support each other in this study exemplified in the more resistant SwAsp clone, whereas the more susceptible SwAsp clone was much less responsive to infections, and displayed more symptoms when infected with M. magnusiana. Interestingly, in the more resistant clone wounding gave greater systemic activity of selected candidate genes than when combined with the necrotroph, suggesting that this pathogen has some ability to suppress the induction or translocation of the systemic defence signal in this particular clone.

Abstract

Climate and weather variability affect agricultural crop production. The North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) is the variation in air pressure difference in the northern Atlantic Ocean. A positive NAO index with higher than normal air pressure near the Azores and lower than normal near Iceland results in warm and wet winters in northwestern Europe. A negative NAO index gives opposite climatic effects in this region. We determined the effect of the NAO on the risk of frost injury in winter wheat for conditions that represent northwestern Europe by applying the FROSTOL model to dynamically simulate hardening, de-hardening and other physiological processes determining frost tolerance and frost injury in winter wheat. This model uses soil surface temperature and snow cover as driving variables. In total, 53 winter seasons from 1957-58 to 2009-10 were simulated to account for historical trends and variations in the NAO. Monthly and seasonal mean NAO indices for all years within this period were categorised into positive, neutral or negative phases. The winter wheat simulations included 3 locations in Norway (Apelsvoll, ås and Kvithamar), 2 wheat frost tolerance types and 3 planting dates. The results showed that negative NAO phases, especially in February and March, increased the risk of frost injury in winter wheat. The risk of frost injury was higher at Apelsvoll and ås than at Kvithamar, especially in negative NAO phases or after early planting. The results obtained can be used to design crop management practices and systems with higher production security.