Substrates with organic residues in Fritillaria cirrhosa seedlings for bulbus production / Substratos com resíduos orgânicos em mudas de Fritillaria cirrhosa para produção de bulbos

China is abundant in organic residues from agricultural and forestry efforts. Bulbus Fritillaria cirrhosa D. Don (BFC) is a precious wild herb of Liliaceae that grows in the Tibetan area of China and the bulbs are used as a source of medicine. The shortage of germplasm resources restricts the development of traditional Chinese medicinal materials, so improved cultivation methods are urgently needed. The objective of this study was to study the effects of different substrates on the growth of F. cirrhosa seedlings. Sawdust and vermi-compost are common organic residues and were selected as nursery materials to supplement efforts to cultivate Fritillaria cirrhosa D. Don from ripe seeds and bulbs. The experiments were conducted in a plastic greenhouse in Ya’an of Sichuan Province from January to May 2013. Vegetative parameters of leaf length, leaf width, seedling fresh weight, seedling dry weight, and bulb size and fresh weight were measured. Additionally, the emergence ratio and preservation rate were calculated. The following results were obtained: (1) Sowing seeds of F. cirrhosa with 70% vermi-compost and 30% sawdust gave the best emergence rate, leaf length (60 days after seedling emergence, 60 DAS), and bulb dry weight (at harvest, 93 DAS). (2) The leaf nitrogen content (60 DAS) was positively correlated with the nitrogen content of bulbs (at harvest, 93 DAS). From the data, we concluded that forestry residues such as sawdust and vermi-compost can serve as excellent growing substrates of BFC seedlings.

A China é abundante em resíduos orgânicos agrícolas e florestais. Fritillaria cirrhosa D. Don, família Liliaceae, é uma planta herbácea que cresce na área da China tibetana, cujos bulbos são utilizados na medicina tradicional chinesa. A escassez de mudas limita o uso deste medicamento, portanto são necessários métodos de cultivo mais eficientes para a multiplicação da planta. O objetivo foi estudar os efeitos de substratos à base de serragem e vermicomposto no crescimento e produção de bulbos de F. cirrhosa. Os experimentos foram realizados em estufa plástica na província Ya’an - Sichuan, de janeiro a maio de 2013. Foram avaliados parâmetros vegetativos de comprimento e largura de folha, diâmetro longitudinal e transversal de bulbo, massa fresca e seca das plantas e massa fresca e tamanho de bulbos. Além disso, foi calculada a taxa de conservação dos bulbos. O uso de 70% de vermicomposto + 30% de serragem provocou maior comprimento de folha aos 60 dias após a emergência das mudas (DAE) e maior massa seca de bulbos (na colheita aos 93 DAE). O teor de N nas folhas (60 DAE) foi positivamente correlacionado com o teor de N de bulbos (93 DAE). Os resíduos florestais serragem e vermicomposto podem ser usados satisfatoriamente como substratos para F. cirrhosa.

Substrates with organic residues in Fritillaria cirrhosa seedlings for bulbus production / Substratos com resíduos orgânicos em mudas de Fritillaria cirrhosa para produção de bulbos

China is abundant in organic residues from agricultural and forestry efforts. Bulbus Fritillaria cirrhosa D. Don (BFC) is a precious wild herb of Liliaceae that grows in the Tibetan area of China and the bulbs are used as a source of medicine. The shortage of germplasm resources restricts the development of traditional Chinese medicinal materials, so improved cultivation methods are urgently needed. The objective of this study was to study the effects of different substrates on the growth of F. cirrhosa seedlings. Sawdust and vermi-compost are common organic residues and were selected as nursery materials to supplement efforts to cultivate Fritillaria cirrhosa D. Don from ripe seeds and bulbs. The experiments were conducted in a plastic greenhouse in Yaan of Sichuan Province from January to May 2013. Vegetative parameters of leaf length, leaf width, seedling fresh weight, seedling dry weight, and bulb size and fresh weight were measured. Additionally, the emergence ratio and preservation rate were calculated. The following results were obtained: (1) Sowing seeds of F. cirrhosa with 70% vermi-compost and 30% sawdust gave the best emergence rate, leaf length (60 days after seedling emergence, 60 DAS), and bulb dry weight (at harvest, 93 DAS). (2) The leaf nitrogen content (60 DAS) was positively correlated with the nitrogen content of bulbs (at harvest, 93 DAS). From the data, we concluded that forestry residues such as sawdust and vermi-compost can serve as excellent growing substrates of BFC seedlings.(AU)

A China é abundante em resíduos orgânicos agrícolas e florestais. Fritillaria cirrhosa D. Don, família Liliaceae, é uma planta herbácea que cresce na área da China tibetana, cujos bulbos são utilizados na medicina tradicional chinesa. A escassez de mudas limita o uso deste medicamento, portanto são necessários métodos de cultivo mais eficientes para a multiplicação da planta. O objetivo foi estudar os efeitos de substratos à base de serragem e vermicomposto no crescimento e produção de bulbos de F. cirrhosa. Os experimentos foram realizados em estufa plástica na província Yaan - Sichuan, de janeiro a maio de 2013. Foram avaliados parâmetros vegetativos de comprimento e largura de folha, diâmetro longitudinal e transversal de bulbo, massa fresca e seca das plantas e massa fresca e tamanho de bulbos. Além disso, foi calculada a taxa de conservação dos bulbos. O uso de 70% de vermicomposto + 30% de serragem provocou maior comprimento de folha aos 60 dias após a emergência das mudas (DAE) e maior massa seca de bulbos (na colheita aos 93 DAE). O teor de N nas folhas (60 DAE) foi positivamente correlacionado com o teor de N de bulbos (93 DAE). Os resíduos florestais serragem e vermicomposto podem ser usados satisfatoriamente como substratos para F. cirrhosa.(AU)

Evaluation of an electron Monte Carlo dose calculation algorithm for electron beam.

The electron Monte Carlo (eMC) dose calculation algorithm of the Eclipse treatment planning system is based heavily upon Monte Carlo simulation of the linac head and modeling of the linac beam characteristics with minimal measurement of beam data. Commissioning of the eMC algorithm on multiple identical linacs provided a unique opportunity to systematically evaluate the algorithm with actual measurements of clinically relevant beam and dose parameters. In this study, measured and eMC calculated dose distributions were compared both along and perpendicular to electron beam direction for electron energy/applicator/depth combination using measurement data from four Varian 21EX CLINAC linear accelerator (Varian Medical System, Palo Alto, CA). Cutout factors for sizes down to 3 x 3 cm were also compared. Comparisons between the measurement and the eMC calculated values show that the R90, R80, R50, and R10 values mostly agree within 3 mm. Measure and Calculated bremsstrahlung dose Dx correlates well statistically although eMC calculated Dx values are consistently smaller than the measured, with maximum discrepancy of 1% for the 20 MeV electron beams. Surface dose agrees mostly within 2%. Field width and penumbra agree mostly within 3mm. Calculation grid size is found to have a significant effect on the dose calculation. A grid size of 5 mm can produce erroneous dose distributions. Using a grid size of 2.5 mm and a 3% accuracy specified for the eMC to stop calculation iteration, the absolute output agrees with measurements within 3% for field sizes of 5 x 5 cm or larger. For cutout of 3 x 3 cm, however, the output disagreement can reach 8%. Our result indicate that eMC algorithm in Eclipse provides acceptable agreement with measurement data for most clinical situations. Calculation grid size of 2.5 mm or smaller is recommended.