Experiments in 1976 and 1977, in south-east Scotland, with sunflower (cv. Fransol) examined the effects of bitumen mulch applied after sowing, date and depth of sowing on emergence, flowering and yield. Bitumen mulch increased soil temperatures in April and May by 1–4·5 °C resulting in earlier emergence (6–7 days), more complete emergence under adverse conditions of early and deep sowing, and earlier flowering (2–5 days). Delaying sowing from 7 April to 5 May reduced emergence time and time from sowing to first anthesis. Larger seedlings, having an increased leaf area, resulted from bitumen mulching and early sowing.

In the laboratory, increasing temperatures from 5 to 20 °C reduced the average germination time by 0·75 days for each increase of 5 °C. Germination percentage was not affected by temperature over this range.

Average seed yields and oil content were markedly different in 1976 and 1977; 2·22 t/ha and 44·7% for 1976 and 0·95 t/ha and 36·9% for 1977. Bitumen mulch and sowing depth had no effect on seed yield or oil content but delaying sowing until 5 May reduced both. Lower seed yields in 1977 resulted from fewer and smaller seeds. Infection of the seed heads with grey mould (Botrytis cinerea) after flowering was high in both years.

The effect of substituting different amounts of heated and unheated beans for barley in diets to cows, on the flow of total nitrogen (N), total amino acid nitrogen (TAA-N) and individual amino acids into the proximal duodenum was studied. Neither heating of the beans nor increasing their proportion in the diet significantly increased the flow of total N at the duodenum; however, increasing the proportion of beans did increase the flow of TAA-N. The substitution of both forms of cracked beans for barley, and at both levels significantly increased the flows of leucine and aspartic acid; flows of histidine, isoleucine, phenylalanine and serine were increased by substitution of both forms of beans but only at the higher level. In the bean supplemented diets significant proportions of all of the ingested amino acids except methionine were apparently destroyed in the forestomachs. The substitution of beans for barley resulted in a net increase of 0·2 g TAA-N flow into the proximal small intestine for each gram of additional dietary N.

Experiments made over a period of 2 years (1975–6) covering three crop seasons at Pantnagar, India, on the comparative utility of intercropping the principal maize crop with legumes in economizing fertilizer N requirements of the former, indicated that among soya bean, cowpea, pigeonpea and groundnut, soya bean was the most suitable. At 40 kg N/ha intercropping maize with soya bean gave 19·5% more yield than taking it as a pure crop. When the option to use adequate fertilizer N does not exist, as is invariably the case with the average Indian farmer, intercropping maize with legumes, such as soya bean, is the logical way out. All the intercropping treatments left sufficient residual fertility to significantly increase yield of a wheat crop given no fertilizer which followed maize.

In a study of two coarse-wool breeds (Awassi and Hamdani) the birthcoat and adult fleece were sampled from six body positions. Mean fibre diameter, mean fibre length, mean staple length and the percentages of fibre types were studied in relation to the birthcoat fibre type arrays.

The birthcoat of the two coarse wool breeds showed only plateau and saddle fibre type arrays. In Awassi lambs, plateau arrays were all P3 type whereas in Hamdani 28·6% of the plateau arrays were Po and the rest were P3 indicating a stronger base in the latter. S/P ratios, calculated from fibre types, were 2·22 and 2·27, at birth, and 3·56 and 2·93 at 4–8 weeks of age, in Awassi and Hamdani respectively. Awassi birthcoats showed more precipice within the CT group than those of Hamdani and plateau arrays were more endowed with the precipice than were saddle arrays.

A composite sample from the back and mid-side, in Awassi, and from the back and britch, in Hamdani, was found to be most representative of the birthcoat fibre types.

In the adult fleece of the Awassi breed, the mean fibre length following plateau arrays exceeded those following saddle arrays.

In Hamdani, the saddle arrays developed into coarser fibres in average diameter than those of plateau arrays whereas in Awassi no difference occurred. Awassi plateau arrays were followed by higher within-staple variability in distribution of fibre length than were saddle arrays, whereas in the distribution of fibre diameter there was no difference. In Hamdani, however, saddle arrays were followed by slightly higher within-stable variability in both length and diameter than were plateau arrays.

Birthcoat samples that had a transition in the CT group or had saddle array developed into adult fleeces with greater frequency of normal distribution in both fibre length and diameter, within staple. Adult fleeces that showed frequent bimodal distribution of both diameter and length, within staple, were those with birthcoats that had a precipice in length, or in coarseness and length, within their CT group or those with birthcoats that had plateau arrays.

The spring wheat varieties Kolibri, a typical north temperate variety, Pitic 62, a Mexican variety known to respond to vernalization and two selections from the Institute's breeding programme TW 161 and TJB 155 were sown early (2–5 March), during the normal sowing period (27 March) and late (17 April). Primordium initiation was observed until the time of terminal spikelet initiation and the number of leaves and the number of spikelets were analysed in terms of rate and duration of leaf and spikelet primordium initiation. The rate of leaf initiation was affected by time of sowing but not in a systematic way and there were differences between varieties in the way in which the number of leaves changed in response to sowing time. The rate of spikelet initiation increased and the duration decreased with later sowing. There were strong variety × time of sowing interactions. For almost all characters measured, Pitic 62 responded least to time of sowing. Varieties differed in the way in which the number of spikelets per ear responded to time of sowing but in all cases the changes were only small. This waa because the change in the rate of spikelet initiation was almost exactly compensated for by a change in the duration of spikelet initiation. In each variety, the period from terminal spikelet initiation to ear emergence was similar in all sowing treatments and was of similar duration in the main shoot and in the ear-bearing tillers.

The number of leaves per shoot on the tillers was less than the number of leaves on the main shoot and the rate of spikelet primordium initiation of the tillers was faster than in the main shoot. These changes tended to synchronize the time of terminal spikelet initiation. Because of the changes in the number of leaves per shoot and the rate of spikelet initiation the number of spikelets borne on the main shoot and the tillers were similar although the growth period of the tillers was shorter than that of the main shoot.

A rapid method for measuring gas production during incubation of feedingstuffs with rumen liquor in vitro is described. Gas production in 24 h from 200 mg feed dry matter was well correlated with digestibility of organic matter, determined in vivo with sheep. Multiple regression analysis, when it included data from proximate analysis, resulted in an equation (R = 0·98) for prediction of metabolizable energy content, based on 30 experiments with rations varying in protein and crude fibre content, and 59 other experiments with concentrates. Energy content was in the range of 7·7–13·2 MJ ME/kg D.M. (± S.D. = 11·17 ± 1·08). The residual standard deviation of the equation was 0·25 MJ. Gas production was measured in calibrated syringes. The only chemical determinations needed are dry matter, protein and fat. Differences in activity between batches of rumen liquor are corrected by reference to gas production with standard feedingstuffs (hay meal and maize starch).

Experiments on outdoor bush tomatoes cv. Sleaford Abundance were conducted during 3 years to compare seedling establishment from fluid-sown pre-germinated seeds with that from conventionally sown dry seeds and to compare the effects on ripening and yields of these establishment methods with transplanting. Fluid-sown pre-germinated seeds emerged about 15 days earlier than conventionally sown dry seeds from sowings made in late April (mean soil temperature at seed depth from sowing to emergence ranged from 9 to 11.5 °C) and about 6 days earlier from sowings made in mid-May (mean soil temperature ranged from 12 to 15 °C). The percentage seedling emergence from pregerminated fluid-sown seeds was, on average, 57% from the earlier sowings and 65% from the later sowings, 34 and 24% higher, respectively, than from dry seeds sown conventionally. Plants from fluid-sown pre-germinated seeds were about 50% heavier than those from dry seeds at all stages of growth up to flowering. Crops established by fluidsowing started to ripen 7 days earlier than those established from dry seeds, when averaged over sowing dates and years. Yields of ripe marketable fruit > 35 mm in. size from crops established from pre-germinated seeds were 35·2 t/ha, averaged over sowing and planting dates, 37% higher than from dry seeds though 51% lower than from transplants. In the two years with good growing seasons crops fluid sown in late April gave as good yields as those transplanted in late May and early June, after the last frosts, though in the cool wet year yields from fluid-sown crops were considerably lower than those from transplanted crops. Yields of ripe, marketable fruit from ‘bare-root’ plants raised from pre-germinated seeds in unheated Dutch-light structures were, on average, 48·5 t/ha, 25% higher than from plants raised in soil blocks in a heated glasshouse.

Two hundred and ten Finn–Dorset ewes were mated to ten rams, five Suffolks and five Texels, in 2 years, to evaluate Texel rams as fat lamb sires. Three hundred and ninetyseven lambs were born and used in the study until the 6th week of age, after which 155 lambs were available for the rest of the experiment. From 6 weeks of age they were grazed with their dams and weighed weekly until slaughtered at 30 kg (females) or 36 kg (males) live weight. Carcasses were assessed by the Meat and Livestock Commission and a random sample of 16 left sides were fully dissected.

Fertility and prolificacy of the ewes were 95 and 190% respectively, and were not affected by sire breed. Texel-sired lambs did not differ from Suffolk in birth weight, weight at 6 weeks, growth rate from 6 weeks to slaughter, overall growth rate or age at slaughter. Except for growth rate from birth to 6 weeks, sex difference was significant (P < 0·05) in all growth estimates.

No significant breed or sex difference was found in dressing percentages or carcass weight for age. Mean dressing percentage was 47·4 ± 3·48 and 47·5 ± 3·78 for Texel and Suffolk crosses, respectively. Texel cross carcasses had significantly (P < 0·05) lower fat scores and males did not differ from females. Texel cross carcasses had significantly (P < 0·05) higher lean and bone percentages, but significantly (P < 0·01) lower total fat percentage.

Apart from demonstrating the capacity to produce leaner lambs compared with Suffolk, the results suggest that Texel sires offer the possibility of producing heavier carcasses without excess fat production.

Reduced glutathione (GSH) is synthesized within blood erythrocytes from the constituent nonessential amino acids, glutamic acid, cysteine and glycine. The concentration of GSH in. erythrocytes can therefore be affected by the permeability of erythrocyte membranes to certain of these amino acids and their availability within the erythrocyte (Young, Ellory & Tucker, 1976; Smith, 1977). Alterations in the activity of the two enzymes responsible for GSH synthesis, γ-glutamyl cysteine synthetase and glutathione synthetase can likewise influence GSH concentration (Smith, Lee & Mia, 1973; Blume, Paniker & Beutler, 1974; Wellner et al. 1974; Board, Morris & Peter, 1976).

Khan, Ghosh & Sasidharan (1978a) and Khan, Sasidharan & Ghosh (1978b) have reported on Barmer goats' efficiency in water economy under the conditions of the Rajasthan desert, India. Some earlier reports also pointed to the superiority of dosert-adapted goats of other breeds in this respect (Maloiy & Taylor, 1971; Shkolnik, Borut & Choshniak, 1972; Dawson et al. 1975). Recently, Khan, Sasidharan & Ghosh (1978 c) have recorded evidence which indicates that Banner goats' management of the body's water balance is decidedly superior to that of desert sheep. However, just as these two species exhibit wide divergence in their behavioural responses to environmental stresses, they appear to exhibit physiological responses of different types in combating such stresses. In the present note, information on a few important indices of adaptation to water insufficiency conditions, namely, glomerular nitration rate (GFR) and blood and urinary urea concentrations in Barmer goats are presented.

It has been reported recently (Stott, 1974) that in cattle, reproductive efficiency is increased by keeping the animals under cool climatic conditions. However, in buffaloes very limited information is available. Roy, Sengupta & Misra (1962) have reported that all buffaloes exhibited oestrus and were inseminated in a group protected from direct sun radiation whereas in a non-protected group only one showed oestrus. There is no systematic information available on the effect of wallowing and showers on the oestrual behaviour of buffaloes. Therefore, the present investigation was undertaken to study the effect of cooling on oestrual behaviour in buffaloes.

Lipid production across the liver was measured in catheterized dairy cows in vivo in the fed state and during 6 days of fasting. Production rates were calculated from the lipid concentrations in arterial, portal and hepatic-venous plasma and from the rates of plasma flow in the portal vein and the hepatic veins.

There was a consistent net hepatic output of triacylglycerol and a net hepatic uptake of free fatty acids in the fed state.

In the fasted state there was a significant change to a net hepatic uptake of triacylglycerol and an increased hepatic uptake of free fatty acids. Both factors are likely to result in an accumulation of triacylglycerol in the liver.