The Macaulay Institute, formally the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute and sometimes referred to simply as The Macaulay, is a research institute based at Aberdeen in Scotland, which is now part of the James Hutton Institute. Its work covers aspects such as landscape, soil and water conservation and climate change.
A Biolog (sole carbon source utilisation) user database of tropical and temperature rhizobial strains was created and used in conjunction with the partial 16S rRNA sequencing method to characterise 12 rhizobial isolates from African acacias and other tropical woody legumes. There was close agreement between the two methods but also some significant discrepancies. A high degree of diversity was shown in the relatively small sample of isolates, with 4 out of 5 of the currently proposed rhizobial genera represented. This is the first time Biolog has shown congruence with genotypic fingerprinting using a wide selection of rhizobial reference and test strains.
Land consolidation is an effective solution for the hindrances in agricultural production and rural development caused by land fragmentation. In the Red River Delta of Vietnam, where land is still highly fragmented, the application of land consolidation is required. By using a bottom-up approach, the paper aims to clarify the effect of land consolidation on farm households in selected communities (as case studies) of two provinces (Hung Yen and Vinh Phuc) in the Red River Delta. With the primary structured and semi-structured interview method, 172 household questionnaires and 22 in-depth questionnaires (from local officials) were collected. The results indicated that land consolidation could either change the spatial structure or expand the area of land parcels, facilitate the conversion of crop structure, increase household incomes, accelerate mechanization in agricultural production, and create more job opportunities for agricultural laborers. However, we also found that the land consolidation process conducted in the case studies is inadequate and lacks integration with other related policies.
Light weight fly ash cenosphere (FAC) ceramic composites were developed by simple slip casting method. Thermal properties, Bulk density, Microstructure, flexural strength, and phase analysis of the FAC ceramic composites were measured. The results proved that the FAC have ability to lower bulk density and thermal conductivity effectively. The lowest thermal conductivity achieved for FAC ceramic composites (0.27W/m.K) was further reduced 0.21W/m.K by adding combustible additives ie activated charcoal and corn starch. The flexural strength, bulk density and thermal conductivity of FAC ceramic composites reduced consistently with an increase in FAC content. The maximum flexural strength of 13.45MPa was achieved with 50% FAC and the minimum flexural strength of 4.07MPa was obtained with 80% FAC. The open porosity increased from 35.51% to 43.76% and 38.19% with an addition of 15% activated charcoal and corn starch, respectively, when compared to no additives. The bulk density of 699, 619, and 675kg/m(3) was achieved with 80% FAC, 80% FAC with the addition of 15% activated charcoal and corn starch, respectively. The 80% FAC ceramic composite shows low thermal expansion coefficient 6.54x10(-6)/degrees C at the temperature of 50 degrees C then it varies between 3.7 and 5x10(-6)/degrees C in the temperature range above 100 degrees C. These results prove that the developed light weight FAC ceramic are excellent low-cost thermal insulating materials.
As with other ruminants, buffaloes utilize micro-organisms in the rumen to digest the feed. In buffaloes, a higher rumen degradability of nitrogen and carbohydrates in concentrates, promotes the growth and the synthesis of rumen bacteria, even when fed diets with low protein content. It appears that buffaloes use more efficiently nitrogen coming out from rumen fermentation and metabolism and by recycling it. This efficient accommodation to more limiting feeding condition is enhanced by a higher availability of purine derivatives (PD) of metabolic origin. Many measurements done on buffaloes of various breeds have shown a lower PD nitrogen excretion in urine. In buffaloes, urinary PD excretion is not linked to i) the availability of microbial cells in the rumen or ii) small intestine uptake of purines. Such PD excretion seems to be related more to tissue metabolism differences of which the mechanisms are not yet fully understood. Some explanation is emerging with new studies on swamp buffaloes, summarized in the following two: i) in the first study, weaning of swamp buffalo and cattle calves was accomplished by colostrum administration, and rearing followed by milk bottle feeding. To assess differences in the endogenous secretion of purines, urine samples from the two species were collected. Solid food was not made available in the course of the first month, but access to it was granted in the course of the intervening 2 successive months in order to stimulate rumen development. Then a mixed ration of purines and milk was given to the animals, together with an infusion of intravenous allantoin, so that the effect of the introduced purines in the plasma could be tested. From the results obtained in the course of the suckling period, no differences between the two species in purine excretion was reported. Following rumen development though, purine excretion from buffaloes was less than half when compared to cattle, and likewise, following allantoin infusion, purine recovery in buffaloes was half the amount when compared to cattle; ii) in the second study in the course of fasting and bottle milk feeding, a determination of urinary PD, basal PD excretion and glomerular filtrate (GFR) rate was made. Following access of the animals to solid feed, an assessment of urinary PD, basal PF excretion and glomerular filtrate rate was also performed. No significant differences were observed between the two species in the course of the milk feeding period in terms of urinary PD excretion, although the same differences were highly significant between the two species at 3 months of age and following 2 months of access to solid feed. In buffaloes, both during the milk feeding and following solid food access, GFR was found lower in buffaloes when compared to cattle. To date it can be stated that some studies report a higher rumen fluid NH3 concentrate in swamp buffaloes in comparison to yellow cattle. Other studies have shown that only following rumen development, a difference in PD excretion can be seen, and the difference between buffaloes and cattle is due to differences in GFR, so that more urea and PD are recycled, highlighting the fact that buffaloes can tolerate less N in the feed to satisfy microbial needs.
