We analyse more than 500 000 songs released in the UK between 1985 and 2015 to understand the dynamics of success (defined as ‘making it’ into the top charts), correlate success with acoustic features and explore the predictability of success. Several multi-decadal trends have been uncovered. For example, there is a clear downward trend in ‘happiness’ and ‘brightness’, as well as a slight upward trend in ‘sadness’. Furthermore, songs are becoming less ‘male’. Interestingly, successful songs exhibit their own distinct dynamics. In particular, they tend to be ‘happier’, more ‘party-like’, less ‘relaxed’ and more ‘female’ than most. The difference between successful and average songs is not straightforward. In the context of some features, successful songs pre-empt the dynamics of all songs, and in others they tend to reflect the past. We used random forests to predict the success of songs, first based on their acoustic features, and then adding the ‘superstar’ variable (informing us whether the song’s artist had appeared in the top charts in the near past). This allowed quantification of the contribution of purely musical characteristics in the songs’ success, and suggested the time scale of fashion dynamics in popular music.

Early emergence and stand establishment of cowpea are considered to be the most important yield-contributing factors in rainfed areas. Laboratory tests and afield experiment were conducted in RCB design in 2011 at a research farm in Ramhormoz, Iran, to evaluate the effects of hydropriming (8, 12 and 16 hours duration) and halo priming (solutions of 1.5% KNO 3 and 0.8% NaCl) on seedling vigor and field establishment of cowpea. Analysis of variance of laboratory data showed that hydropriming significantly improved germination rate, seed vigor index, and seedling dry weights. However, germination percentage for seeds primed with KNO 3 and non-primed seeds were statistically similar, but higher than those for NaCl priming. Overall, hydropriming treatment was comparatively superior in the laboratory tests. Invigoration of cowpea seeds by hydropriming and NaCl priming resulted in higher seedling emergence and establishment in the field, compared to control and seed priming with KNO 3 . Seedling emergence rate was also enhanced by priming seeds with water, suggesting that hydropriming is a simple, low cost and environmentally friendly technique for improving seed and seedling vigor of cowpea.

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Resources of water are limited in many agricultural areas of West Asia. Therefore, effective use of this scarce resource is very important in this region. So, this research was conducted in 2009-2010 growing season at Research Farm of Agricultural Researches Center of Khuzestan, Iran, to investigate the effects of two irrigation regime (I 1 : normal irrigation and I 2 : no irrigation in post-anthesis growth stage) on grain yield of five wheat cultivars ('Chamran' , 'S-78-11' , ' A' , 'S-80-18' and 'S-82-10'). A split plot experiment based on randomized complete block design in three replications was used, with the irrigation regime in main plots and wheat cultivars in subplots. The results showed that 1000-grain weight, grains per spikelet and grain yield were decreased by water limitation. Despite of their significant differences (P<0.05) in 1000-grain weight, spikelets per spike and grains per spike, the grain yield of wheat cultivars was not significantly different. It was resulted by different grain yield reduction of genotypes under different irrigation regimes. Genotypes 'S-80-18' and 'S-78-11' produced highest yield under normal irrigation and drought stress conditions, respectively. The yield reduction of 'S-80-18' genotype was highest under drought stress conditions. 'S-78-11' was the most tolerant genotype to water deficit occurrence.