A multi-disciplinary expert group met to discuss vitamin D deficiency in the UK and strategies for improving population intakes and status. Changes to UK Government advice since the 1st Rank Forum on Vitamin D (2009) were discussed, including rationale for setting a reference nutrient intake (10 µg/d; 400 IU/d) for adults and children (4+ years). Current UK data show inadequate intakes among all age groups and high prevalence of low vitamin D status among specific groups (e.g. pregnant women and adolescent males/females). Evidence of widespread deficiency within some minority ethnic groups, resulting in nutritional rickets (particularly among Black and South Asian infants), raised particular concern. Latest data indicate that UK population vitamin D intakes and status reamain relatively unchanged since Government recommendations changed in 2016. Vitamin D food fortification was discussed as a potential strategy to increase population intakes. Data from dose–response and dietary modelling studies indicate dairy products, bread, hens’ eggs and some meats as potential fortification vehicles. Vitamin D3 appears more effective than vitamin D2 for raising serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration, which has implications for choice of fortificant. Other considerations for successful fortification strategies include: (i) need for ‘real-world’ cost information for use in modelling work; (ii) supportive food legislation; (iii) improved consumer and health professional understanding of vitamin D’s importance; (iv) clinical consequences of inadequate vitamin D status and (v) consistent communication of Government advice across health/social care professions, and via the food industry. These areas urgently require further research to enable universal improvement in vitamin D intakes and status in the UK population.

A common feature of successful ancient states was the role of elites in maintaining and regulating socioeconomic structures and, in particular, emphasising their own social difference. The Wari (AD 600–1000) are considered the earliest expansive state in South America, and excavations have demonstrated the rich variety of exotic goods imported from across the region into the polity's heartland. Here, the authors argue that the importation of raw materials, plants, animals and people from distant regions was crucial for defining and sustaining Wari social differentiation and ideology. They emphasise the importance of studying material provenance and their archaeological contexts in order to understand the role of exotic goods in legitimising ruling groups in ancient states.

Five rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars were evaluated in the greenhouse for tolerance to fenoxaprop {(±)-2-[4-[(6-chloro-2-benzoxazolyl)oxy]phenoxy]propanoic acid}. Rice was more tolerant to fenoxaprop when flooded at 7 days after spraying, based on trends in reduction of weight of seedling topgrowth. ‘Lebonnet’ was the only cultivar that responded differently when five cultivars were compared. In the field, rice yield was not adversely affected by fenoxaprop applied at 168 g ai/ha and flooded 1 to 10 days after treatment, but yield increased as the time interval between application of 336 g ai/ha and flooding increased. Yield data suggested that flooding should be delayed at least 5 days when rice is treated with the high rate. The cultivar ‘Newbonnet’ was slightly less tolerant than 'Starbonnet’ in the field.

Environmental control chamber experiments showed that cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L. ‘Stoneville 213′) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr. ‘Bragg’] root and shoot growth were reduced when treated with increasing rates of dinitramine (N4,N4-diethyl-α,α,α-tri-fluoro-3,5-dinitrotoluene-2,4-diamine), profluralin [N-(cyclopropylmethyl)-α,αα-trifluoro-2,6-dinitro-N-propyl-p-toluidine], and trifluralin (α,α,α-trifluoro-2,6-dintrio-N,N-dipropyl-p-toluidine). Viusal root ratings, dry root weights, and fresh and dry herbage weights were used to evaluate plant response to herbicide treatments in environmental chambers. The order of increasing GR50 values for cotton on two soils and with all response measurements, except dry root weights on one soil, was trifluralin, dinitramine, and profluralin. The order of increasing GR50 values for soybeans on two soils and with all response measurements was dinitramine, trifluralin, and profluralin.

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) response was evaluated when quinclorac was applied prior to cotton emergence (preemergence) and to cotton in the cotyledon and pin-head square stages in 1988, 1989, and 1990. Quinclorac applications at 9, 17, 35, 70, and 140 g ha−1 prior to cotton emergence had little effect on cotton growth, with only 140 g ha−1 causing stand reduction or stunting. Quinclorac application to cotton in the cotyledon stage caused more damage, and 70 g ha−1 caused crop injury. Greatest phytotoxicity was observed when quinclorac was applied to cotton at pin-head square, with all rates including 9 g ha−1 causing injury. Cotton injury consisted of leaf strapping and malformation of reproductive structures. Regression analysis revealed yield was reduced by quinclorac applications to cotton in the cotyledon or pin-head square stage. The approximate regression equation to predict cotton yields after pin-head square application of quinclorac was [yield] = [yield with no injury] − 10(quinclorac rate in g ha−1).

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) was grown in the presence of common cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium L. # XANST) on a Lucedale fine sandy loam. Cotton was maintained weed free or allowed to compete with common cocklebur for 0, 3, 5, 7, 9, or 11 weeks after planting. Mathematical predictions of seed cotton yield were optimum when maintained free from common cocklebur interference for 8 weeks or more after cotton emergence in 1981 and 1982, and 10 weeks or more in 1980. Common cocklebur adversely affected yield when allowed to compete longer than 4 weeks in 1981 and 1982, and 2 weeks in 1980.

Field studies were conducted from 1985 to 1989 on a Sharkey clay to examine injury to a semi-dwarf rice cultivar, ‘Lemont’, from triclopyr or triclopyr plus propanil. Triclopyr applied in the booting stage reduced yield two of three years, with the observed yield reduction possibly caused by epinasty of the rice flag leaf. Triclopyr application to three- to four-leaf rice caused hyponasty. Triclopyr did not reduce plant height, seed weight, germination, or total milling yield. Triclopyr plus propanil caused more leaf burn that triclopyr alone, but yields were not reduced compared with the untreated control. This research indicated that triclopyr and triclopyr plus propanil can be used in rice production with the semi-dwarf cultivar, Lemont, with the potential to minimize drift to non-target crops due to the greater flexibility in application timing compared with 2,4-D application.

A 2-yr field study was conducted to determine effects of posttreatment irrigation timing on pendimethalin efficacy and dissipation in turfgrass. Factors investigated included herbicide rate, formulation, and the interval between pendimethalin application and the initial posttreatment irrigation. Plots received an initial posttreatment irrigation of 1.25 cm 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28 d after treatment. Pendimethalin efficacy on smooth crabgrass was evaluated, and turfgrass foliage and the upper 2.5-cm layer of soil were periodically assayed for pendimethalin residues. Pendimethalin 1.71% granular provided better weed control than pendimethalin 60% wettable powder at all rates, irrigation events, and years. Efficacy of granular pendimethalin was not affected by a delay in posttreatment irrigation, whereas efficacy of pendimethalin in the wettable powder formulation was reduced when irrigation was applied later than the day of treatment. Chromatographic analyses indicated that an average of 54% of the applied pendimethalin (wettable powder formulation) was retained on turfgrass foliage immediately after treatment, compared to 9% for the granular formulation. Soil residue analyses confirmed that a greater proportion of applied pendimethalin reached the soil surface immediately after treatment in the granular formulation than in the wettable power formulation.

Experiments were conducted for 3 yr to evaluate the effects of the ethyl ester of fenoxaprop {(±)-2-[4-[(6-chloro-2-benzoxazolyl)oxy] phenoxy] propanoic acid} on rice (Oryza sativa L. 'Starbonnet′) applied at 112 and 168 g ai/ha or as two applications of 112 g ai/ha applied 10 to 14 days apart. Fenoxaprop did not adversely affect grain yield, panicle weight, seed weight, or seed germination when applied before the booting stage of both sprinkler-irrigated and flooded rice. Rice height was sometimes reduced by treatment at earlier growth stages, but yields were not affected. With the exception of applications at early jointing (internode elongation = 6 mm) in 1983, milling yield was not adversely affected by fenoxaprop applications made prior to booting of both sprinkler-irrigated and flood-culture rice. Applications during heading adversely affected most yield parameters.

To determine the competitiveness of common cocklebur (Xanthium pensylvanicum Wallr.) with cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L. 'Stoneville 213′), experiments were conducted on a Lucedale fine sandy loam from 1978 through 1980. Common cocklebur dry weight increased with increasing density up to 16 plants/15 m of row. No further increase in dry matter occurred beyond this density. Regression analysis showed that common cocklebur produced an average of 342 kg/ha of dry weight for each plant per 15-m row. Seed-cotton yields decreased as weed density increased up to 16 common cocklebur plants/15 m of row. Regression equations revealed yield losses ranging from 72 to 115 kg/ha for hand-harvested seed cotton and 57 to 90 kg/ha for machine-harvested seed cotton for each common cocklebur plant/15 m of row. Cotton stem diameter and height were reduced by weed competition in the same manner as seed cotton yields, but reductions were not as pronounced, indicating that these parameters were not good indicators of common cocklebur competition.

A study was conducted in 1994 and 1995 at two Mississippi locations to evaluate preplant incorporated (PPI) and preemergence (PRE) applications of alachlor, clomazone, SAN 582, metolachlor, pendimethalin, and trifluralin, and postemergence (POST) applications of AC 263,222 and imazethapyr alone or followed by clethodim late postemergence (LPOST) for red rice control in soybean. Applications of 110 g ai/ha clethodim increased red rice control when following any earlier herbicide application at one location that harbored a high natural infestation. In 1 yr at one location, red rice seedhead suppression from PPI and PRE herbicide applications alone was greater than 95% due to high activity from herbicides and drought conditions during red rice seedhead development. Early postemergence (EPOST) applications of 30 g ae/ha AC 263,222 suppressed at least 95% of red rice seedheads, regardless of year, location, or clethodim LPOST application. At one location, any treatment where 110 g/ha clethodim followed an earlier herbicide application suppressed red rice seedheads at least 95%. Compared to the nontreated control, only AC 263,222 injured soybean (30%) and reduced soybean yield (200 kg/ha).

The ethyl ester of fenoxaprop {(±)-2-[4-[(6-chloro-2-benzoxazolyl)oxy] phenoxy] propanoic acid} was applied to rice (Oryza sativa L.) that was heavily infested with barnyardgrass [Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv. # ECHCG] during a 3-yr study. Applications were made to two- to three-leaf, three- to four-leaf, five- to six-leaf, or tillering barnyardgrass. Barnyardgrass control at 9 weeks after final treatment was greater than 90% for all growth stages except the 0.1 kg ai/ha rate applied to three- to four-leaf barnyardgrass in 1983. In 1984, the sequential application of fenoxaprop made at the three- to four-leaf stage controlled more than 95% when rated at 9 weeks. Rates of 0.17 and 0.2 kg ai/ha and the sequential treatment of 0.1 kg ai/ha followed by 0.1 kg ai/ha 7 to 10 days later controlled greater than 90% at 9 weeks when applied to three- to four- and five- to six-leaf barnyardgrass in 1985. In general, barnyardgrass was controlled by fenoxaprop rates greater than 0.1 kg ai/ha when applied to any growth stage evaluated up through the five- to six-leaf stage. However, acceptable control of tillering barnyardgrass was achieved in only 1 of 3 years. Yields were increased due to barnyardgrass control all years with all treatments except those applied at tillering. However, control was sufficient to increase yields over that of the check for all tillering treatments except the 0.1 kg ai/ha rate in 1984 and 1985 and the 0.17 kg ai/ha treatment in 1985.