Browsing by department "Maataloustieteiden laitos"
Now showing items 61-80 of 415
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(2013)Tutkimus liittyi moniosaiseen, Maa- ja metsätalousministeriön ja Helsingin yliopiston eläinlääketieteellisen tiedekunnan rahoittamaan projektiin Hyvinvoinnin lisääminen sianlihantuotannossa (INWEPP). Tarkoituksena oli selvittää häkki-, karsina- ja pesäporsimisympäristöjen vaikutukset ja yhteydet alkuimetyskaudella emakon vapaiden rasvahappojen (NEFA) vapautumiseen sekä oksitosiini-, prolaktiini- ja kortisolieritykseen ja porsastuotokseen. Yorkshiren ja maatiaisen 11 risteytysensikkoa ja 22 risteytysemakkoa jaettiin kolmeen erilaiseen porsimisympäristöön noin seitsemän päivää ennen odotettua porsimista. Jokaisessa ryhmässä oli lähes yhtä monta ominaisuuksiltaan samanlaista ensikkoa ja useammin kuin kerran porsinutta emakkoa. Porsimisympäristöinä olivat häkki (2,1m x 0,8m) ja karsina (2,8m x 2,1m) vähäisillä kuivikkeilla sekä karsina runsailla kuivike- ja pesäntekomateriaaleilla (pesä). Kaikki emakot laitettiin heti porsimisen jälkeen häkkeihin. Verinäytteiden ottoa varten ensikoille ja emakoille laitettiin katetri ja verinäytteet otettiin kolmena peräkkäisenä päivänä ennen odotettua porsimispäivää ja neljänä päivänä porsimisen jälkeen. Näytteistä määritettiin NEFA, oksitosiini, kortisoli ja prolaktiini. Porsaiden kuolleisuudessa ei ollut eroja ympäristöjen välillä. Huomioitaessa myös kuolleena syntyneet porsaat, kuolleisuus oli 14,2 % häkkiympäristössä, 24,6 % karsinaympäristössä ja 12,6 % pesäympäristössä. Vapaissa porsimisympäristöissä oli parhaat porsaiden kasvutulokset, erityisesti karsinaympäristössä. Pesäympäristössä oli suurin pahnuepaino porsaiden syntymähetkellä. Häkki- ja karsinaympäristöissä emakoilla oli ensikoita suuremmat pahnueet seitsemän päivän kuluttua porsimisesta. Pahnuepainojen ja pahnuekokojen erot olivat suuntaa-antavia. Porsimisen jälkeen kortisolin tai oksitosiinin pitoisuuksissa ei ollut eroja sen suhteen oliko emakko porsinut yhden vai useamman kerran tai missä ympäristössä porsiminen tapahtui. Prolaktiinipitoisuus oli emakoilla ensikoita korkeampi, mutta pitoisuudet eivät eronneet porsimisympäristöjen välillä. Karsina- ja pesäympäristöissä ensikot mobilisoivat emakoita enemmän kudosrasvoja. Pesäympäristössä porsineilla ensikoilla oli korkeampi plasman NEFA-pitoisuus verrattuna häkki- ja karsinaympäristöissä porsineisiin. Erot olivat suuntaa-antavia. Plasman NEFA-pitoisuuksien erot ympäristöjen välillä eivät selitä karsinaympäristössä porsineiden emakoiden ja ensikoiden hyvää porsaskasvua. Pesäntekomateriaalien tarjoaminen emakoille ja ensikoille saattaa vähentää kuolleena syntyneiden porsaiden määrää ja liikkumisen mahdollistaminen porsimisen päättymiseen asti voi edesauttaa porsaiden hyvää kasvua. Pesäntekomateriaalien tarjoaminen ei tässä tutkimuksessa vaikuttanut yksiselitteisesti emakoiden emo-ominaisuuksiin tai stressiin alkuimetyskaudella.
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(2011)Tämän maisterin tutkielman tarkoituksena oli testata eri maitohappobakteerien ja niiden annostustason vaikutusta säilörehun käymislaatuun ja aerobiseen stabiilisuuteen. Biologisilla säilöntäaineilla eli ympeillä säilöttyjen rehujen laatua verrattiin kontrolleina toimiviin painorehuun ja muurahaishapolla tehtyyn rehuun. Koerehut tehtiin Helsingin yliopiston Maataloustieteiden laitoksella 7.6.2010. Timotei (Phleum pratense) - nurminata (Festuca pratensis) kasvusto korjattiin tähkimisen alkuvaiheessa D-arvon ollessa 711 g/kg ka. Nurmikasvuston kuiva-ainepitoisuus oli 170 g/kg heti niiton jälkeen määritettäessä ja neljän tunnin esikuivauksen jälkeen 208 g/kg. Rehuraaka-aine jaettiin kuuteen erään, joihin lisättiin säilöntäaine. Säilöntäainekäsittelyt olivat: 1) ei säilöntäainetta (painorehu), 2) muurahaishappo (100 %:na 4 l/t), 3) Lactobacillus plantarum ja Pediococcus acidilactici 1x10? pmy/g sekä pektinaasi-, ksylanaasi- ja sellulaasientsyymi, 4) L. plantarum 1x10? pmy/g, 5) L. plantarum 1x10? pmy/g ja 6) L. plantarum ja L. buchneri 2x10? pmy/g. Rehut säilöttiin laboratoriosiiloissa kolmena rinnakkaisena. Laboratoriosiilojen lisäksi rehua säilöttiin jokaisesta säilöntäainekäsittelystä kuuteen rinnakkaiseen minisiiloon säilönnän alkuajan fermentaation ja rehujen pH:n muutoksen seuraamiseksi. Minisiiloista seurattiin kaasuntuotantoa 21 päivän ajan. Raaka-aineen koostumus ja rehujen säilönnällinen laatu sekä aerobinen stabiilisuus määritettiin. Säilörehujen kuiva-ainepitoisuus oli suhteellisen pieni (n. 210 g/kg), jotta voitiin testata biologisten säilöntäaineiden tehoa märässä rehussa. Kosteassa rehussa biologisten säilöntäaineiden toiminnan onnistuminen on haastavaa. Koska raaka-aineen sokeripitoisuus oli kuitenkin erittäin suuri (196 g/kg ka), onnistui ymppirehujen säilöntä hyvin. Kaikkien koerehujen pH oli alle 4:n. Painorehu ei täyttänyt hyvän rehun kriteerejä ammoniumtypen osalta. Muurahaishapporehu oli laadultaan tyydyttävää etikkahapon pitoisuuden osalta. Rehussa tapahtui epätyypillistä etanolikäymistä hiivojen toimesta, jonka johdosta rehussa muodostui suuri määrä kaasua säilönnän aikana. Muurahaishapporehu ei kuitenkaan lämmennyt aerobisen stabiilisuuden mittauksen aikana, johtuen todennäköisesti suuresta etikkahapon määrästä ja toisaalta pienestä sokerin määrästä. Maitohappobakteerisäilöntäaineilla saatiin käymislaadultaan parempaa säilörehua verrattuna painorehuun, lukuun ottamatta maitohappobakteeri-entsyymirehua. Entsyymilisäyksestä ei todennäköisesti ollut hyötyä rehun säilöntälaadun kannalta. Raaka-aineen suuren sokeripitoisuuden johdosta säilörehussa oli koko säilönnän ajan tarpeeksi sokeria maitohappobakteerien käytettäväksi ja sokeri toimi siten substraattina haitallisille mikrobeille tuottaen suuren etikkahappopitoisuuden. Maitohappobakteeri-entsyymiseoksella tehty rehu oli etikkahappopitoisuuden perusteella heikkolaatuista. Lactobacillus plantarumin molemmilla annostustasoilla (1x10? ja 1x10? pmy/g rehua) saatiin laadultaan hyvää rehua. Suuri sokeripitoisuus molemmissa rehuissa johtui todennäköisesti raaka-aineen tavallista suuremmasta sokerin määrästä. Molempien rehujen maitohappo-etikkahappo-suhde oli melko korkea, viitaten homofermentatiiviseen maitohappokäymiseen. Lactobacillus buchneri –lisäyksellä rehu oli säilönnälliseltä laadultaan hyvää. Heterofermentatiivisen ympin lisäys nosti tyypillisesti rehun pH:ta sekä pienensi maitohappoetikkahappo-suhdelukua verrattuna homofermentatiiviseen ymppiin. L. buchneri –lisäys paransi hieman säilörehun aerobista stabiilisuutta verrattuna homofermentatiivisella maitohappobakteerilla säilöttyyn rehuun, mutta tulos ei ollut tilastollisesti merkitsevä.
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(2015)The aim of this study was to investigate the ensilability of field pea and faba bean bi-crop with spring wheat when ensiled as whole-crop with different additives. In this study we attempted to clarify use of pea – wheat and faba bean – wheat bi-crop in organic farming. Forages was sown at 4th to 7th of June in Luonnonvarakeskus (Luke) Ruukki and forages were ensiled in laboratory silos at 26th of August 2013. Silages were ensiled without additive (PR), with formic acid (MH) and with two different heterofermentative inoculants (B1 and B2) as additive. Each treatment were made three replicants. Silos were opened after 106 ensiling days at 9th of December in Luke Jokioinen. Chemical and microbiological compositions were determined from samples of herbage. From silage samples were analysed fermentation quality, microbiological composition and aerobic stability. All samples were wet. Faba bean – wheat bi-crop was a little wetter than field pea – wheat bi-crop. Field pea – wheat forage contained more crude protein, water-soluble carbohydrates, starch and had stronger buffering capacity than faba bean – wheat. Faba bean – wheat bi-crop contained more neutral-detergent fiber (NDF) and had also lower digestibility. Both of crops were easy to ensile and growth stage were different between crops. All samples included lot of micro-organism especially yeast, moulds and epiphytic lactic acid bacteria. Field pea – wheat silage contained more fermentation products than faba bean – wheat silage. MH- treated silages had better fermentation quality than other silages although there were higher pH values in MH silages. MH silages contained less lactic and acetic acids and ammonium nitro-gen. Inoculant treated silages mostly did not differ from PR treatment in fermentation parameters. That is probably due to high epiphytic lactic acid bacteria account in herbage. Silages contained only a little butyric acid. Microbiological quality of silages predisposed them to aerobic deteriora-tion because there were considerable high amounts of yeasts and moulds. Field pea –wheat silages were more aerobically stable than faba bean - wheat. This is probably due to higher concentration of fermentation acids in field pea-wheat silages. MH treatment was the most aerobically stable of field pea – wheat silages. B2 treatment was the most stable of field pea – wheat silages. Mixed ration of these silages were more prone to aerobically deterioration than silages.
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(2017)In previous studies of Natural Resources Institute Finland it was noticed that Sphagnum moss had almost as good growing media properties as the white horticultural peat. In addition the Sphagnum moss based growing media prevented efficiently seed-borne Alternaria seedling blight and mosses were not molded with Peziza ostracoderma Korf that appears commonly on white horticultural peat. This thesis was part of the project of Natural Resources Institute entitled “Disease suppressive features of Sphagnum mosses”. The research aimed to survey the existence and applicability of fungistasis of Sphagnum moss as growing media. In the greenhouse experiments comparisons were made between mosses from six different sphagnum bog origins in their ability to suppress damping-off caused by Alternaria, Rhizoctonia and Pythium. Disease suppressive features of four sphagnum bogs mosses from three harvest depths were also determined. In the end of experiments the coverage by molds was determined and the fresh weights of seedlings were measured. In laboratory the amounts of common antagonist microbes in Sphagnum mosses were studied using different selective growth media. Results of different experiments were compared to white peat. In greenhouse experiments it was noticed that disease suppressive features varied a lot depending on the origin of the mosses and had different effects against different damp-ing-off pathogens. Mosses in the uppermost layers had best disease suppressive features against all three pathogens. The healthiest and biggest seedlings were obtained in growing media that contained mainly Sphagnum mosses and only a minimum amount of other peatland vegetation. There were only small amounts of molds on the top of Sphagnum moss growth media but also some phytotoxicity on seedlings was obtained Sphagnum mosses had only small amounts of antagonistic microbes as compared with peat. The results indicated that Sphagnum mosses have potential as growing medium that could efficiently prevent damping-off diseases and molds. However variation of disease suppressive was observed, which calls for more experiments to verify these effects. Minor amounts of antagonistic microbes detected in Sphagnum, as compared with white peat, suggests that disease suppressiveness may be caused by the phenolic compounds of Sphganum mosses.
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(2014)In Finland, the most common envelope materials around the drain pipe are gravel together with coconut prewrapping and thin fabric sheet. The use of prewrapped envelopes has increased due to the benefits in drainage installationtime compared with other envelope materials. However, failure of subsurface drains with prewrapped envelope materials have been reported in several studies. This has caused disagreement in the use of prewrapped envelopes. Disfunction of subsurface drains leads to wetness of soil, which can cause problems in the bearing capacity of the soil and in the field crop production. Prewrapped envelope materials are important element in subsurface drainage, but there isn t enough information on their functionality in Finnish drainage. The purpose of this study was to examine how prewrapped envelope materials have worked in clay and sandy soils for over 10 years. The most important task was to find out the tendency to the degradation of the envelope materials, and how the degradation influenced in the function of envelopes. Studied prewrapped envelope materials were coconut fibre and a Finnish thin fabric sheet, which didn t meet the standards of prewrapped materials. The chosen soil types, clay and sand soils, had different characteristics, and their influence on the functionality of the prewrapping and clogging of the drain pipe was examined. Field investigations were carried out on subsurface drained fields in seven localities across Finland. Drain pipes were dug open at least in three places of the field and soil samples were collected until the depth of the drain pipe. Particle-size distribution and soil type were determined in the laboratory. Degradation of the envelope material around the pipe was examined visually. The drain pipe was cut open and the quantity and texture of the sediment in the pipe were studied. A sewer camera was used to inspect the condition of the pipe. According to the results, degradation of envelopes had advanced greatly in most of the sites. The thin fabric sheet had decayed totally except one research field. Envelope degradation was also found on quite new drains. The coconut prewrapping was better preserved than the thin fabric sheet in most of the target fields. Clogging of the drain pipes was not directly explained by degradation of the envelopes. Pipes were clogged more sensitively in envelope s problem soil areas, especially when envelopes around the pipes were degradated.
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(2017)Leaf area index (LAI) is an important biophysical variable which helps to estimate vegetation biomass, radiation use efficiency and potential yield. Traditional LAI-determination methods tend to be slow and they require a lot of labor and data processing. Vegetation indices are one way to estimate LAI of the crops, but it is hard to create a vegetation index that would be suitable for all crops, environments and optical occasions. This is caused by saturation of indices under high LAI and differences in structure between various crop species Leaf inclination angle affects spectral reflectance with LAI (Zou et al. 2014, Zou & Mõttus 2015, Zou et al. 2015). The aim of this study was to investigate effects of leaf inclination angle on LAI-sensitive vegetation indices. LAI-sensitive narrow-band vegetation indices were selected from literature and they were calculated based on reflectance of measured field data and simulated model data. After calculation of vegetation indices, regression between vegetation indices and LAI was performed. Regression was performed with both true field data and simulated model data. Finally, simulated data was plotted based on mean leaf tilt angles (20, 30, 40, 50 and 65) and on low, medium and high chlorophyll contents (25-30, 55-60, 95-100). Regression was determined between vegetation indices and LAI based on plotted data. LAI could be estimated from vegetation indices in true field data (R2=0,36-0,52, RMSE 0,65-0,74 m2/m2) and simulated model data (R2=0,25-0,52, RMSE 0,81-1,02 m2/m2) and they acted similarly. When simulated data was plotted, coefficients of determination were higher (R2=0,50-0,99, RMSE 0,12-0,91 m2/m2). The best goodness of fit was found under MTA-levels 40 and 50. Lowest coefficients of determination occurred on highest MTA-level. Chlorophyll amount effected on the way MTA effects on indices performance: variance between MTA-classes seems to be larger under higher chlorophyll levels. As expected, leaf inclination angle affects performance of LAI-sensitive vegetation indices, and chlorophyll amount has effect on this. These observations should be taken into account while choosing index to estimate LAI of crops.
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(2013)Four different Bradyrhizobium sp. (lupin) inoculants were investigated in both greenhouse and field experiments to compare their effects on growth, yield and biological nitrogen fixation. Narrow-leafed and white lupin of the greenhouse experiment compared the strains test in different potting media in a controlled environment, while field experiment tested their performance in field conditions. The greenhouse experiment was conducted with 3 narrow-leafed lupin cultivars (Haags Blaue, Boruta and Sonet) and 1 white lupin cultivar (Ludic). Plants were grown in 3 different potting media (soil, 2 peat : 1 sand and 1 peat : 2 sand) with 5 Bradyrhizobium treatments (uninoculated control, commercial peat inoculant of HAMBI 3118 and liquid cultures of HAMBI 3115, HAMBI 3116 and HAMBI 3118). Plants were grown in a greenhouse unit with average day and night temperature of 22°C and 18°C. Plants were illuminated by using cool white fluorescent tubes maintaining 18 hours day and 6 hours night. In the greenhouse experiment, inoculation significantly increased shoot (117.1-141.9%), root (45.8-64.4%) and nodule (237.0-266.6%) dry weight, plant height (38.3-46%), nodule number (620-659%) and chlorophyll content (29.0-38.5%) over the values found in uninoculated controls. Soil type or potting medium also influenced lupin growth and yield, with better results observed in soil, poorer in 2 peat : 1 sand and poorest in 1 peat : 2 sand. Best performaces were obtaind by inoculating with HAMBI 3115 strain in soil. Uninoculated plants and even inoculated plants grown in peat-sand potting medium, showed relatively poor results, which was more obvious in high-yielding cultivars, Boruta and Ludic, than in low-yielding cultivars, Haags Blaue and Sonet. Inoculation treatments also showed significantly higher shoot (3.15-3.39% N) and root (1.96-2.54% N) nitrogen content. Biological nitrogen fixation rate, measured by the nitrogen difference method, ranged between 87.9 and 90.8% depending on both bacterial strain and host cultivar. The field experiment showed significant increases in shoot (14.4-47.9%), root (11.9-29.1%) and seed (13.8-68.6%) dry weight, plant height (3.6-10.7%), pod plant-1 (10.7-50.6%) and chlorophyll content (5.7-20.7%) following inoculation of the three narrow-leafed lupin cultivars. Uninoculated plants grown in soil in the greenhouse experiment and in the field experiment both produced some nodules, which showed the evidence of presence of indigenous nodule-forming and nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Among the 3 liquid cultures, HAMBI 3115 performed best in terms of lupin growth, yield and biological nitrogen fixation in both greenhouse and field experiments. The performance of the peat-based commercial inoculant of HAMBI 3118 strain exceeded all other inoculants in the field experiment but not in the greenhouse experiment, showing the importance of the carrier. The results indicated that lupin growth and yield are strongly affected by Bradyrhizobium inoculation and soil characteristics. Selection of a suitable Bradyrhizobium strain for inoculation and growing cultivars according to their soil preferences can maximize lupin yield. The suitability of HAMI 3115 for making peatbased inoculants should be tested.
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(2019)The Oxford Nanopore MinION is a third generation sequencer utilizing nanopore sequencing technology. The nanopore sequencing method allows sequencing of either DNA or RNA strands as they pass through the membrane-embedded nanopores. By measuring the corresponding fluctuations in the ion flow passing through the nanopore the passing strands can be sequenced directly without additional second-hand reactions or measurements. The MinION sequencing has very distinctly different characteristics compared to the market leaders of the sequencing field. The small form factor of the device further helps it to separate itself from the other alternatives. However, the technology has only been on the market for a very short time and thus very little golden standards regarding its capabilities or usage have been established. This thesis describes our experiences testing the capabilities of the MinION sequencer both before its commercial release as a part of a special early access program, as well as our continued experiments with the device following its commercial launch. The main results of this study include successfully sequencing and aligning E.coli and human gDNA samples to their respective reference genomes. Using our sequencing and analysis pipeline specifically tuned to the MinION we were able to sequence the entire E.coli genome on a single MinION flow cell with an average depth of around 180. Over the course of the thesis project the MinION sequencing protocol was evaluated and optimized in order to determine whether it has the potential to achieve our ultimate goal of reliably sequencing the previously inaccessible genomic regions of the human genome. The possibility of augmenting the sequencing protocol by adding the pre-sequencing target enrichment was also explored. Ultimately we were able to confirm that the MinION sequencer can be used to sequence long DNA fragments from a multitude of sample types. The majority of the produced reads could successfully be aligned against a reference genome. However, the limited yield and sequencing quality of a single experiment does limit the applicability of the method for more complicated genomic studies. These issues can be addressed with various techniques, chiefly target enrichment, but adapting such methods into the sequencing pipeline has its own challenges.
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(2013)The objective of this study was to develop functional method for producing doupled-haploid plants for faba bean. Microspore culture is an advanced method to produce doubled-haploids and it is based on the totipotent nature of plant cells, since even a microspore, which is an immature pollen cell with haploid genome, can develop into a plant. This plant is either haploid or doupled haploid depending on whether there has been chromosome doubling or not and because the chromosomes either do not have pairs or the pairs are pure copies of each other, the plant is completely homozygous. Doubled haploids are already used in breeding programs with several crops such as wheat, barley and oilseed rape. Faba bean is an important legume for food, feed and crop rotation. Together with other legumes it has the potential to replace soybean imports entirely in Finland. Faba bean yield stability and anti-nutritional factors restrain its use and active breeding is required to improve the crop. In Finland, where pea and faba bean are the only grain legumes actively cultivated, the breeding of faba bean has been recently reactivated and its objectives are earliness, higher yield, protein content and improved quality factors. Big bottle neck in faba bean breeding is the creation of pure homozygote lines because the partial cross-breeding in the species sets restrains for the procedure. In this study promising pea and chick pea protocols that were developed in 2009 and an efficient rapeseed protocol were applied with faba bean. The interaction of various stress treatments and two different induction media with five genotypes of faba bean on microspore culture were analysed. Pro-embryos and cell divisions were observed from the cultures. Heat shock was the most effective stress treatment. Effects of density and induction medium were high and cultivar’s low tannin content seemed to impact positively to induction efficiency. These results suggest that for faba bean microspore culture is as suitable method as anther culture is and that there is hope to produce doubled-haploid faba beans in the future.
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(2015)This thesis is a Rapid Rural Analysis (RRA) of the farmers’ perceptions of potato production in Nicaragua. The thesis data was collected during the summer of 2011 in the main potato production areas of Nicaragua (Matagalpa, Jinotega and Estelí) through structured interviews. The structured interviews gave consideration to the five different capitals of the Sustainable Rural Livelihood- approach (SRL). These five capitals (social capital, natural capital, human capital, financial capital and physical capital) were incorporated in the study in order to achieve the multidisciplinarity of the RRA- methodology. The thesis data, consisting of 63 individual interviews, was compacted and analysed utilizing cross tabulation. A further statistical analysis was then conducted with Cramer’s V allowing a more detailed view of the dependencies between variables (detected in the cross tabulation). The main finding of this study is that the situation of the potato producers cannot be determined by the size of the production, as has been previously suggested. The size of the farm does not determine yield levels nor perceived financial incentive for production. This study gives a more complex view of potato producers and production in Nicaragua. This study suggests an alternative approach to developmental program planning for the potato production sector in Nicaragua; the production environmental zones. Utilizing the production environmental zones as a basis for planning takes the project to a more practically suitable level that considers the existing variance in yields and access to extension. The main conclusion of this study is that sector development of potato production in Nicaragua is complex. Inclusion of the project beneficiaries in the planning processes may significantly improve development programme planning, outcomes and resilience in time. A development programme, like the one implemented by FAO (United Nations Food- and Agriculture Organization) in Nicaragua, with an overly simplified view of the sector, may lead to severe misjudgements and potentially even cause harm.
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(2014)Nitrogen leaching is the main cause of nitrogen loss from Finnish agricultural soils. Nitrogen leaching can exceed 20 kg/ha/year. The Finnish waters and the Baltic Sea are affected by nitrogen leaching due to that nitrogen increases algae blooming. Studies have shown that the loss of nitrogen can be decreased by cultivating catch crops. Nitrogen leaching can in some cases be decreased by up to 90 %. In Finland catch crops are seldom grown. Catch crops are thought to be too costly and time consuming. The aim of this study was to investigate how efficiently winter wheat, rye and winter turnip rape function as catch crops and what effect the preceding crops of fallow, barley and peas have on autumn sown crops, with regard to nitrogen levels. A three year-long field experiment was established in 2010 at Viikki research farm in Helsinki. Winter wheat, rye and winter turnip rape were cultivated as catch crops; the preceding crops were fallow in 2010-2011 and barley and pea in 2011-2012. In 2012 winter wheat, rye and winter turnip rape were cultivated with fallow, peas and barley as preceding crops. In this study the soil’s mineral nitrogen content was measured before sowing in autumn and in spring. In 2010-2011 the soil’s mineral nitrogen content was also measured after harvest. The nitrogen content of the plants was measured in autumn. The seed quality and the seed yield were also measured. In autumn 2011 the mineral nitrogen content of the soil was higher after barley than after peas. However, there was more mineral nitrogen after cultivating fallow, compared to peas and barley in autumn 2012. The loss of mineral nitrogen between autumn 2010 and spring 2011 was slight. The nitrogen loss was greatest where winter turnip rape was cultivated, due to the plant’s high nitrogen assimilation. Winter turnip rape accumulated much more nitrogen than rye and winter wheat, whereas rye accumulated more nitrogen than winter wheat in 2010 and 2011. Mineral nitrogen loss between autumn 2011 and spring 2012 was high, over 80 % of the nitrogen was lost due to heavy rainfall and a mild winter.
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(2017)Over the last decade the focus on locally produced food has notably grown in Finland. The same trend has been visible globally for longer, but the trend has picked up speed in recent years. This is visible by assessing the amount of media attention and the growing interest shown by consumers. This master’s thesis focuses on local food, and specifically on what the consumers value when buying locally produced food in a farm shop. It also studies their attitudes and motivations related to local food and organic products. The material that is used for the study originates from a farm in Southern Finland. The farm’s focus lies on selling all that is produced directly to the consumer via their own farm shop. The study was carried out using a questionnaire that was given to the customers visiting a farm shop in the summer of 2014. 54 customers in the farm shop of Mörby gård filled out a questionnaire consisting of 27 questions. The questionnaire featured both open-end questions and questions with given answers to choose from. The data was analysed with both qualitative and quantitative methods. Most of the participants were female, and more than three quarters had a degree from either a vocational university or a university. The two most commonly used borders for what can be defined as locally produces was the municipality or the county where one resides. Most of the participants identified taste as an important aspect when they buy products in the farm shop. Simultaneously a great many stated that the price wasn’t that important, or they had a neutral viewpoint for this factor. As a negative aspect of shopping for local food in a farm shop participants stated the amount of logistical effort it takes when one has to drive out to a lot of different places in order to get a hold of all the products one wants to buy. At the same time many stated that they value the fact that they can see the production site and the animals for themselves when they visit the farm shop. The study didn’t find that one’s income affected how important one found the price aspect to be. Neither was there statistically significant correlation between how many times per week a person cooked food and the importance of the price aspect.
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(2019)Ruokasipuli (Allium cepa L.) on yksi Suomen eniten viljellyistä avomaan vihanneksista. Sipulin fosforinotosta on vähän kotimaisia tutkimustuloksia ja nykyiset fosforilannoitusmäärät perustuvat asiantuntija-arvioihin ja laskennallisiin keskiarvoihin fosforin otosta. Fosfori on kasveille välttämätön makroravinne, jonka puute heikentää merkittävästi kasvien kasvua. Lannoitteiden sisältämä fosfori on louhittu pääosin uusiutumattomista luonnonvaroista, joten fosforilannoitteiden käytön tulisi olla ympäristön kannalta järkevää. Sipulin fosforinottoa tutkittiin 2014 kahdella maalajilla (karkea hieta, korkea fosforipitoisuus ja hiuesavi, välttävä fosforipitoisuus) Luonnonvarakeskuksen toimipaikalla Piikkiössä. Tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli selvittää fosforilannoitustasojen vaikutus sipulin kasvuun, ravinteikkuuteen ja satoon sekä seurata maaperän liukoisen fosforin pitoisuutta kasvukaudella. Tutkimuksessa mitattiin sipulin lehtien kasvu ja ravinnepitoisuus kerran kasvukauden aikana, sekä sadonkorjuun jälkeen satotaso, sipulien ja lehtien ravinnepitoisuus sekä sadon mukana poistuneet ravinteet. Maan helppoliukoisen fosforin pitoisuutta seurattiin viikoittaisilla maanäytteillä. Neliportaisen lannoituskokeen tulokset osoittivat, ettei yksivuotisella lannoituskokeella saatu esiin tilastollisesti merkitseviä eroja satomäärissä tai sadon mukana poistuneiden ravinteiden määrissä eri lannoitustasojen välillä. Fosforilannoitus vaikutti sipulien ravinnepitoisuuksiin vain yksittäisten ravinteiden osalta. Myös maan liukoisen fosforin pitoisuudet tasoittuivat lannoituseroista huolimatta nopeasti samalle tasolle kummallakin maalajilla. Sipulin ravinteiden otto oli hietamaalla 22–26 kg P /ha, 86–102 kg N /ha ja 92–111 kg K /ha ja savimaalla 18–20 kg P/ha, 84–90 kg N /ha ja 92–101 kg K /ha. Sipuleissa ei havaittu fosforinpuutosta, eikä kasvustonäytteiden perusteella voida sanoa, soveltuuko sipulikasvuston mittaaminen tai lehtien ravinteiden analysointi mittaamaan kasvuston fosforin ottoa tai tunnistamaan fosforinpuutoksen oireita. Kokeen tulosten perusteella nykyisin käytettävät fosforilannoitusmäärät ovat sipulin sadonmuodostuksen kannalta riittävät.
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(2019)Some horses experience a problem called free faecal liquid (FFL). The condition is not characterized by classical diarrhoea but by free liquid that is voided separately from the solid part of the faeces. Problems with FFL include irritation and abrasive lesions in the skin in the rear end. No health issues of more severe character are usually present in these horses, apart from preliminary findings indicating a higher risk of colic when compared to horses without FFL. The reason for why horses develop FFL, and its effects on the horse, are unknown as the subject has not been studied much. It has been suggested that one reason could be in how the horses are fed. It has been speculated that haylage could have an impact on the development of FFL. A study was done with the aim to collect information about feeding and management of horses affected with FFL in Sweden and Norway (n = 100), and to compare faecal composition in horses with and without FFL. This particular part of the study focused on the faecal properties. The objective was to compare chemical composition of the faeces of affected and unaffected horses, in order to detect possible reasons for FFL, which could be studied further. The study was performed with three repeated samplings on all horses. Case and control horses were paired and were housed at the same farm and were fed the same forage. The horse owners were collecting faecal samples using a standardized protocol. The variables examined in faecal samples were dry matter (DM), pH, volume of free liquid after centrifugation, sand, osmolality, acetate, propionate, isobutyrate, n-butyrate and total volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration of the samples. In samples from the first sampling occasion, differences (P < 0.05) between cases and controls were found in concentration of acetate, isobutyrate and total amount of VFA. Tendencies toward differences (0.10 < P > 0.05) were found in the volume of liquid and sand as well as in n-butyrate concentration. At the second sampling tendencies toward differences were found in the amount of sand and in n-butyrate concentration. In samples from the third sampling a tendency toward difference was present for pH value. All values were or tended to be higher for horses with FFL. Also, clear correlations were found between nearly all the variables. The pH value was found to correlate negatively with osmolality and all the VFAs except for isobutyrate where no correlation was found in any of the sampling occasions. Osmolality was also found to correlate positively with all the VFAs. VFAs correlated positively with one another. The results showed a tendency toward difference in n-butyrate concentration and presence of sand in faecal samples when case and control horses were compared, although not with consistency as samples form the third sampling occasion did not follow results from the first and second samplings. As the results were not constant throughout the study, these two variables may not be reliable when trying to find possible reasons for FFL. Almost all the variables were found to correlate with one another, exception being isobutyrate with pH. As butyrate is a major source of energy for horses and important for the health of the equine intestine, this information could be useful in further studies concerning the possible reasons for FFL.
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(2019)The complex inflorescence architecture in Asteraceae is characterized by the presence of morphologically distinct flowers having specialized functions. In gerbera, the presence of three different flower types (ray, trans and disc), intricate inflorescence organization and an underlying complex molecular control makes it an excellent target for research on functional genomics, flower development and evolution. The genes governing flower development have been shown to have undergone sub- and neo-functionalization in gerbera leading to morphological features that are not present in the conventional model plant species. The genes encoding the CYC2 subclade of CYC/TB1-like TCP domain transcription factors are known to regulate the flower type identity in gerbera inflorescence. Although most genes of the CYC2 subclade have demonstrated functional redundancy, one such gene, GhCYC5, was found to have diverged function in regulating rate of initiation of flowers. This study aimed at investigating and affirming the function of GhCYC5 by studying two RNAi lines. Phenotypic analysis of the RNAi inflorescences showed that the length of ray ligules was significantly decreased along with the number of disc flowers and the number of involucral bracts. However, gene expression analysis could not confirm the downregulation of GhCYC5 in the RNAi lines mainly due to low endogenous expression of the gene. However, GhCYC3, another CYC2 clade gene was found to be downregulated due to the off-target silencing effect of the RNAi product and the observed phenotype was associated with suppression of GhCYC3. Further, the role of GhCYC5 in regulating the rate of involucral bract and flower initiation was unclear based on the SEM imaging and expression analysis of the inflorescence meristem, and still requires further studies.
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(2017)The Rosaceae family accounts for more than 90% of the total fresh fruit production in Finland and for more than 25% worldwide in 2013. Thus, improving the yield potential of Rosaceae species works in favor of economic growth and food security. To achieve that, expanding the knowledge on Rosaceae species is required. Fragaria vesca (F. vesca), particularly the everbearing F. vesca semperflorens accession ‘Hawaii-4’ (H4), provides several features that makes it formidable as a model organism for the study of physiological processes in Rosaceae species, where the CENTRORADIALIS/TERMINALFLOWER 1/SELF-PRUNING (CETS) genes play a remarkable role. In this Thesis, I have studied the expression patterns and functions of the CETS genes by performing gene expression analysis, generation of H4 transgenic lines and observation on H4 plants (both transgenic and wild type) grown under different sets of conditions. My results confirmed the expression patterns and functions previously reported for F.vesca TERMINAL FLOWER1 and F.vesca FLOWERING LOCUS T1. I showed that F.vesca CENTRORADIALIS-LIKE2 is a floral repressor and demonstrated that F.vesca FLOWERING LOCUS T3 is a flowering promoter. Additionally, our data suggest that F.vesca MOTHER OF FT is directly related with stolon formation and that F.vesca CENTRORADIALIS-LIKE1 is most likely a floral repressor. This new information could be used in the future to improve the efficiency of Rosaceae crops farming by adapting flowering and vegetative responses and also for breeding more productive Rosaceae crops.
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(2013)The transition from vegetative growth to flower formation is especially crucial for the reproduction of flowering plants. This transition is controlled through the regulatory activities of a group of genes named as floral meristem identity genes, of which LEAFY (LFY) is thought as the most important one. As a plant-specific transcription factor, LFY controls flower formation and floral patterning, which has been most intensively studied in the model annual plant Arabidopsis. In contrast to the plant architecture and flower morphology in Arabidopsis, Gerbera (Gerbera hybrida), belonging to the large sunflower family (Asteraceae), processes head-like inflorescences with different types of flowers distinct in floral morphs, sex and sometimes coloration. Within the last decades, a number of MADS-box and TCP transcription factor genes have been functionally characterized using stable transgenic plants. Recently, another functional assessment method using virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) has been developed in Gerbera hybrida. In this study, the expression pattern of GhLFY was analyzed in wild-type Gerbera and TRV-based GhLFY silencing was conducted in two Gerbera cultivars – Terra Regina and Grizzly. It could be concluded that the activity of GhLFY is involved in regulating flower development. In VIGS:GhLFY lines, leaf-like organs emerged in disc flowers and the identity of stamen and carpel was interrupted. However, further VIGS trials are needed verify the observed phenotypes. At the same time, two potential lfy mutants – Pingpong and Marimbo were analyzed in both phenotype and genotype. These cultivars show phenotypic alteration in inflorescence development and floral organ structures that were distinct from WT Gerbera. Although the expression level of GhLFY did not change among these cultivars, but the GhLFY sequences contained amino acids mutation sites and four missing proline amino acids in Marimbo were detected. The role of these mutation sites need to be further analyzed in later experimental steps.
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(2010)Towards the year 2030 in Finland, sustainability issues will be dominated by climate change, the worsening state of the Baltic Sea, technological and technical development, globalization, the degradation of ecosystem services and increasing energy consumption. At the decision-making level, setting strategic objectives towards the year 2030 should consist of increasing energy efficiency, halting the reduction of biodiversity and changing consumption habits. Furthermore, promoting public transportation, limiting greenhouse gas emissions, increasing the proportion of renewable energy sources and linking climate policy to all sustainable development policies should be targeted in strategic long-term planning. This master’s thesis research was implemented as a Delphi study, a method commonly used in futures research. In a Delphi study the expertise of a chosen panel is utilized to gather information on a given topic. The research aimed at investigating the experts’ views on 1) the most important driving forces – changes and trends – affecting sustainable development towards the year 2030 2) the desirability and probability of different sustainability objectives and 3) recognizing the potential political conflicts brought by these strategies. The Delphi study was carried out during February 2010 – April 2010. It consisted of two rounds. The first round questionnaire was sent 43 experts (response rate 56 %). During the second round the most interesting first round results were completed with qualitative arguments (response rate 50 %). The results were analyzed in the manner that the research issues of most interest were 1) the trends having the most importance towards the year 2030 2) the most desirable strategic objectives with a high probability for political conflicts. The results indicate a high risk for political conflict especially with the targets on halting the reduction of biodiversity and changing consumption habits. These two objectives were considered difficult to grasp and often overruled by economic interests. Changing the current societal system based on continuous growth and consumption would require profound alterations in economy, society and individual values. The results also indicate that energy is a key issue for the coming decades: setting strategic objectives for replacing fossil fuels should be among the top priorities of the Finnish national government. Also, in addition for climate change being an important trend, the deviation of rankings in importance among the panel indicated a possibility for social and economic trends to have unexpected, sudden effects as we move towards the year 2030. These include global poverty and inequality, changing age structures and the sustainability of the Finnish economy.
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(2018)The Khwe San, the residents of Bwabwata National Park (BNP), were hunter-gatherers who used to acquire their food by hunting and collecting veld food in the past. However, they are not allowed to practice their traditional methods anymore due to the status of the park as a national park and the army trying to prevent increased poaching in the bush. Nowadays they are highly dependent on food aid provided by the Namibian government. In addition, small-scale subsistence agriculture is practiced but due to drought and wild animals, harvests are insufficient to meet required food demand on a daily basis. The objective of this research was to investigate gardening opportunities of the Khwe San in the Eastern part of BNP. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 38 respondents and several stakeholders. Four different groups were found which were home gardeners, community gardeners, participants of gardening workshop and non-gardeners. The data were analysed using a thematic content analysis, a SPPS statistic programme and a sustainable rural livelihoods framework. In addition, one positive deviance gardener was selected, and his production methods is described in more detail. The main results highlighted the importance of having gardens. All the respondents indicated that gardening is important or very important in terms of food production and income generation. However, the majority of the residents are willing to have home gardens due to the challenges of community gardens in the past e.g. the lack of cooperation, jealousy and stealing as well as the lack of needed goods. Current challenges are that there are only one or two water sources in each village and the distances from the boreholes to gardens are long, which complicates irrigation. In addition, poor fences and lack of seeds and tools are the major challenges that home gardeners face. Future training should include specific things because the interviews showed that the general gardening knowledge is presented. As a conclusion, the focus of gardening should be on home gardens, not on community gardens due to their challenges. However, in order to make gardening sustainable, several activities need to be addressed, including an active agriculture extension officer for monitoring, training on specific things and seed distribution provided by the government. In addition, the gardening support needs to be aimed to dedicated people who are willing to practice gardening
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(2014)Genetic variation within a population is shaped by the life history traits of the species and the properties of the surrounding ecosystem. It is an important factor in the preservation of populations. According to the emerging field of community genetics, genetic variation within a population of one species may also influence the dynamics and diversity of associated species, extending the conservational relevance of intraspecific genetic diversity. Finnish populations of pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) offer an interesting study system for population genetics. Q. robur grows in south-western Finland at the northern limit of its natural range. Here, its distribution has been shaped by long-term climatic and geological changes as well as by human disturbance, and the current populations are small and strongly fragmented. As Q. robur supports a high diversity of associated species, it is considered to have great ecological and conservational importance. In this thesis, I studied the amount and distribution of genetic diversity within and among three Q. robur populations in south-western Finland using population genetic parameters. I also described the spatial and temporal sub-population structure of one population, on the island of Wattkast. The genetic data was based on 15 nuclear microsatellite loci. Additionally, I examined the effect of the genetic diversity and genotypic identity of the oaks within Wattkast on associated herbivore communities. In the analysis, I used observational data from two years. As predicted for widespread, long-lived tree species, the microsatellite loci showed high levels of diversity within the populations, but also significant differentiation among them. This may be due to fragmentation and to the marginality of the populations. Within the population on Wattkast, I observed patterns of spatial and temporal sub-population differentiation. The characteristics of the site, including the ongoing shift to less extensive land use, suggest that the population is in genetic disequilibrium. As both the genetic distance and the community dissimilarity between pairs of trees increased with increasing geographic distance, I could not conclude the genotypic identity of the host trees to have an effect on the herbivore community structure. However, higher heterozygosity was associated with higher richness and abundance of species. This result supports the notion that intraspecific genetic variation may increase associated species richness. Based on the results of my study, both the life history traits of the species and the historic habitat changes may be observed in the genetic structure of Q. robur populations in Finland. The results also suggest that preservation of genetic variation within the remaining stands may be a factor not only in the preservation of these populations, but also in the conservation of associated species diversity.
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