Scientists Seek to
Secret of Soybean
Researchers at the year from the air. From
University of Missouri are decomposed organic matter
working on a project that in the soil, the 50-bushel crop
could help answer one of the draws an additional 50 to 100
mopst puzzling questions of pounds of nitrogen,
soybean research: Where However, it is known that
does the soybean plant get this same 50-bushel crop
all of its nitrogen? actually takes up a total of
Under normal field con- 300 pounds of nitrogen,
ditions, an acre of so,, weans Where does the additional
with a 50-bushel yield takes 170-220 pounds of nitrogen
up 30 pounds of nitrogen per come from? Researchers
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What is this season? Atimeforfamily
gatherings. Atimeforfond remembrance, happy
anticipation. Atime for reflection, rededioation.
Atimefor reaching outto others. Atime for
joy. Atimefor kindness. Atime for love. Atime
for peacey yßest wishes for this holiday season.
Commonwealth
National Bank
«*
N Usage
don’t know.
With so little knowledge of
how the soybean plant ob
tains nitrogen, and in view of
the soybean’s need for such
large amounts of the
element, researchers fear,
that nitrogen could some day
become a limiting factor in
producing higher yields.
To prevent this from
happening, the American
Soybean Association (ASA)
Research Foundation is
funding a project at the
University of Missouri to
learn more about how the
soybean plant obtains and
metabolizes nitrogen.
When the project began, it
was believed that the
soybean plant converted
nitrogen into amino acids,
the building blocks of
protein, in only two ways:
-Nitrates from the soil
are transported to the
leaves, where they are
converted, or reduced, to
Unlock
amino acids. This process
occurs largely in the early
part of the growing season.
-- A strain of bacteria
called rhizobia form nodules
on the roots of the soybean
plant and draw nitrogen
from the air for the plant to
use. This occurs in the latter
part of the season.
However, researchers at
the University of Missouri
soon made an important
discovery: The nodules not
only fix atmospheric
nitrogen, but also reduce a
significant amount of
nitrates from the soil.
In fact, early results in
dicate that nodules may be
more important for the
reduction of soil nitrates
than for the fixation of at
mospheric nitrogen.
This new information
changes the whole picture of
soybean metabolism
research and gives all
scientists studying the
Lancaster Farming. Saturday, Dec. 28,1974—17
soybean a better and more
complete basis for their
work.
From experiments last
summer, the Univcrsityof
Missouri team obtained the
general pattern of nitrate
reduction and fixation over
the season. This winter, the
scientists are running
growth chamber and
greenhouse experiments in
which they completely
control the environment,
enabling them to account for
all of the nitrogen
metabolized by soybeans.
They are using a stable
isotope of nitrogen to trace
the pathway of soil nitrates
and atmosphjeric nitrogen
through the plant in order to
calculate more precisely the
relative importance of
reduction and fixation in the
nodules.
Information gained will
help answer the soybean
nitrogen mystery and assure
higher yields in the future.
Kublai Khan
Kublai Khan was the Mongol
ruler of 13th century China A de
vout Buddhist, Kublai completed
his father’s conquest of China,
adding Koica and Burma to the
reign The tolerant ruler was
highly appicciative of teaming
and the arts
Eiie Canal
Lake Erie’s wateis rushed
through the Ene Canal foi the
fust time on October 26,1825 The
Canal provided a vital link be
tween the lake and the Hudson
River at Tioy Four feet deep,
28*2 feet wide the canal was built
b> the state of New Yoik Govci
nor De Witt Clinton speai heading
the elloit
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Quarantine
Birds After
Farm Show
By Jay W. Irwin
Associate Agent
Lancaster Co.
Poultry exhibited at the
Farm Show are exposed to
many diseases not common
to their flock of origin. These
show birds should be kept
separate from the main flock
after the show for at least 30
days.
Most infections contracted
by poultry at shows will
break before the 30-day
isolation period is up. If
there are no breaks, then it is
probably safe to place these
birds back with the flock. In
the event that disease
strikes, they should not be
put back with the flock.
Recovered birds remain
carriers and shedders of
certain diseases.
Many disease breaks can
be averted by establishing a
sound vaccination program.
However, there is no reliable
vaccine available for some
of the bacterial diseases for
which the recovered birds
remain carriers. Examples
of these are coryza and fowl
cholera. Be on guard for
coccidiosis, too, because the
show birds may have no
immunity to certain species.
Look for a coccidiosis break
1 to 3 weeks after bringing
the birds home.
READY
SUPERIOR
Corn, Sorghum, Alfalfa