The purpose of this study was to examine the characteristics of four crop straw decayed products (SDPs) and their ameliorating effects on an acidic Ultisol. The straws of peanut, canola, rice and pea were decayed for 150 d to obtain decayed products. The Ultisol collected from Jiangxi province was incubated with these SDPs for 30 d. Then, soil pH and soil pH buffering capacity (pHBC) were measured

We aimed to assess the changes in soil phosphorus (P) pools and legacy P after long-term phosphate fertilization. A field study was conducted for twelve years with cotton and soybean crop production in a yearly rotation. Treatments included initial P buildup with fives rates (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 kg ha−1 of P2O5), and annual band-applied P at five rates (0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 kg ha−1 of P2O5). Soil

Micro-drip irrigation promotes high water and nutrient use efficiency in crops. We aimed to develop a new micro-drip irrigation technology that can reduce the effects of chemical fertilizer input on soil quality while maintaining agricultural productivity. There were four treatments: micro-drip irrigation with 240 (LF), 300 (MF), and 360 kg ha−1 fertilization (HF) and subsurface drip irrigation (SDI)

The objective of this study was to determine whether integrated N management strategies can be used to increase yield and N use efficiency (NUE) of direct-seeded rice. Field experiments were conducted in the Chengdu Plain in China. Super hybrid, ordinary hybrid and inbred rice were grown under four N management practices, namely N0 (zero N), N1 (fix-timing N management), N2 (reduced basal N combined

Novel adsorbents that remove P from contaminated waters can be potentially used as slow release P-fertilizers. In this study, Mg-Al layered double hydroxide (Mg-Al-LDH) and Mg-Al-LDH functionalized apple wood biochar and hydrochar were prepared to remove phosphate from aqueous solutions and then P-loaded LDH-biochar/hydrochar composites used as fertilizers for maize production in calcareous soils under

Sorghum may be a good cellulosic material for bioenergy production because it can be cultivated in current row-crop systems. However, the production of sorghum for bioenergy and its impacts on Southeastern U.S. soils should be investigated to determine the most environmentally sustainable system. The objective of this study was to evaluate tillage (conventional vs. conservation systems), and irrigation

Generally, application of biochar is an important management practice that can affect soil physico-chemical and biological properties. However, biochar is characterized by high pH and ash content, and due to this, little is known of potential salinization risk of application of biochar to soil. Laboratory incubation experiments were conducted with three replications comprising five treatments according

Successful estimation of soil total nitrogen (TN) content by visible and near-infrared (Vis-NIR) reflectance spectroscopy depends on selecting appropriate variable selection techniques and multivariate methods for regression analysis. This study aimed to explore the potential of combining multivariate method and spectral variable selection for soil TN estimation by Vis-NIR spectroscopy. 95 soil samples

The effects of different nitrogen fertilizer types and rates on cotton leaf photosynthesis, yield and soil inorganic nitrogen were studied in two years of field experiments. Seven treatments were carried out: (1) Polymer-coated urea (PCU) mixed with urea (1:1 ratio) applied once at 126 kg N ha−1 (70% BBF); (2) PCU mixed with urea (1:1 ratio) applied once at 180 kg N ha−1 (100% BBF); (3) urea applied

Sheet erosion has been the major erosion process on steep grassland since the Grain-for-Green project was implemented in 1999 in the Loess Plateau with serious soil erosion, in China. Quantifying sheet erosion rate on steep grassland could provide scientific support for effectively controlling soil erosion and rationally managing grassland. Simulated rainfall experiments were conducted on grassland

Apple is an important fruit tree in semi-arid and arid regions, but increasing water scarcity limits apple production. Earlier studies have reported that partial root-zone irrigation (PRI) can increase water use efficiency (WUE), but the effects of PRI on fruit quality and nutritional value are still less known. To close this knowledge gap, a two-year field experiment conducted to evaluate the effect

A two-year field experiment was performed to investigate effects on greenhouse gas emissions from rice straw return to different return depths and soil types. The experiment comprised of six treatments: without straw return (silty clay loam, SC; sandy loam, SL); straw return to topsoil (SCT, SLT); and straw return to subsoil (SCS, SLS). SCT and SLT released 2402.18 and 2494.01 kg ha−1 more CO2 than

Although cassava is usually grown for its starchy roots, cassava leaves are an important vegetable and protein source in sub-Saharan countries. Eleven cassava mosaic disease (CMD) tolerant and two susceptible varieties were planted in 6 trials; leaves were harvested at 4, 8 and 11 months after planting (MAP) and storage roots were harvested at 12 MAP. Edible leaf and storage root dry matter yields

In the present study the effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, Funneliformis mosseae and Rhizophagus irregularis, on oxygen radical scavenging system (superoxide dismutase, catalase and peroxidase), osmotic adjustments (proline and soluble carbohydrates), relative water content, root colonization, leaf nutrients (N, P, K) and biological yield of Melilotus officinalis under rainfed and supplemental

The use of common vetch in smallholder crop-livestock systems has expanded widely in recent years, partly to relieve grazing pressure and improve seasonal supply of high-quality herbage. The aim of this work was to evaluate plant fraction biomass accumulation, forage quality attributes and nutrient yields, and water use efficiency (WUE) responses of a local and an improved cultivar of common vetch

The experiment was conducted to appraise whether exogenously applied selenium (Se) could alter nutrients acquisition and metabolism to mitigate the toxic effects of salinity in wheat. Seeds of two contrasting wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars (Auqab-2000 and Seher-2006) were pre-treated with different concentrations (0, 50, 100 µM) of sodium selenate for 12 h. The pots were irrigated with different

Sands have favourable physical properties for harvesting peanut, but improving S and water use efficiency on these soils remains a challenge. We studied partial S balance in irrigated peanut crops on sands of Central Vietnam to identify key factors of S fertiliser management affecting S inputs and outputs. Field trials were conducted in the spring seasons of 2015 and 2016 to determine the effects of

This study aimed at evaluating organic by-products vinasse and cassava wastewater on the sanitary and physiological quality of soybean seeds. Sanity tests, phytoalexin induction and physiological qualities were performed, conducted in a completely randomized design. The sanity test was carried out in a 3×5 factorial scheme (two by-products: vinasse - V, cassava wastewater - C and the junction between

To treat degraded agricultural wastewater due to non-point pollution source in cultivated area (Tina Plain), Egypt, a wetland system within branch drain network was proposed and designed, which consists of a sedimentation pond followed by four vegetated bed cells of reed (Phragmites australis), and an open water disinfection zone. The relaxed tank in series model was used to design the wetland. The

In an eight-year study, the influence of integrated fertilization (combination of organic and inorganic fertilizers) on maize (Zea mays L.) yield and nutrition, with respect to nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, at the different growth stages, was investigated in Quzhou County of the North China Plain. Three treatments were chosen for this study: inorganic fertilizers without organic fertilizers

The desorption kinetics of Cd, Pb, and Zn was investigated as a function of sewage sludge amount (0, 10, and 30 g kg−1), incubation time length (30 and 120 days) and plant cultivation (Mentha pipertia L.) using diffusive gradient in thin-film (DGT) technique. Kinetic parameters result of Cd, Pb, and Zn suggested that an increase in desorption rate constant (K−1) (325.7, 58.1, and 26.2 ×10−6 s−1, respectively)

Although biochar amendment could increase crop yield globally, it remains unclear how biochar improves grain yield. A two-year field experiment was conducted to investigate the role of plant roots in promoting crop growth under biochar amendment. The field experiment, started in 2015, was conducted in a rainfed region of North China. We hypothesized that biochar increases maize yield by promoting root

Estimating coefficient of variation (CV) and semi-variogram from sample data requires an appropriate sampling spacing. Although some recommendations on the optimal spacings exist, they focused on the simulated random fields. We collected surface soil (0–20 cm) samples from 689 sites based on a regular grid of 100 × 100 m in the Liudaogou watershed (6.89 km2) on the Loess Plateau, China. We grouped

Ebb-and-flow is a well-known and common greenhouse irrigation systems. In this paper, a specific numerical model for sensor-based flood-floor ebb-and-flow irrigation system has been developed using one-dimensional Richards’ equation for water flow and two-site sorption advection-dispersion model for simulation of solute transport. The model was validated against analytical and numerical results proposed

Brevicoryne brassicae is one of the most important pests of wide range of cruciferous host plants. In this study, the inhibitory effects of aqueous extracts of five cultivars of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), that includes white beans, pinto, red, cowpea and keshavarzi on the activity of the α-amylase enzyme of B. brassicae was studied. Aphids were reared under laboratory conditions with 25 ±

The aim of the study was to determine the yield and silage characteristics of maize hybrids (Burak, Efe and Şafak) under different irrigation levels designated as no irrigation (I0), irrigated 25% (I1), 50% (I2), 75% of I4 treatment (I3), and fully-irrigated treatment (I4), irrigated when 40% of available water content consumed, in drainage type lysimeters in 2012 and 2013. The results showed that

During flood irrigation, the physical and chemical properties of the soil change to some extent, and then alter the content and fraction of soil Se. At present, soil properties and the process of Se migration and transformation during flood irrigation are not fully understood. This study used indoor simulation experiments to analyze the variation of the soil Se fraction with time and its relationship

In scarce irrigated areas of India, pearl millet-wheat cropping system is depleting soil quality, system productivity and resources. The objective of study was to restore soil quality and sustain productivity, it was considered necessary to diversify cereal through legume based wheat system and shift of traditional to conservation technologies. A field experiment was assessed the rainy season cereal

This study investigated the current state and pollution loads of heavy metals in soils developed on diverse parent materials in southeastern Nigeria. Cu, Mn, Zn, Fe, and Al were analyzed to estimate pollution loads and ecological risk of the area. The result showed soils developed on granite gneiss to have a higher concentration (measured in mg kg−1) of Cu (1.79), Mn (78.39) and Zn (28.53), while soils

This study examined the effect of compost fortified with rock dust on the soil properties, soil microbial activity, and yield and fruit quality in a mature apple orchard from the Jiangsu province of China. The incorporation of rock dust significantly improved the microelement contents of Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn, B, and Al, but without increasing phytotoxicity of the compost. The fortified compost had higher

Studies on subsequent effects of Cu pollution on mineral nutrients uptake in different tissues of crops grown in sierozem are limited. A pot experiment was conducted to reveal the effects of exogenous Cu on the accumulation and translocation of Cu and the interaction with nutrients in different tissues of wheat in Cu-polluted sierozem in northwest China. Results showed that the average concentration

Nitrogen fertilizer supply and use play a vital role in determining crop growth and yield. However, the effects of nitrogen fertilizer levels on plant growth under waterlogging conditions remain elusive. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of nitrogen fertilizer rates (0, 90, 180, 270, and 360 kg N ha−1, designated N0, N1, N2, N3, and N4, respectively) on leaf physiological characteristics

There is still limited information about influence of different tillage and crop residue management on soil bacterial communities in paddy field. Therefore, the short-term effects of tillage and incorporated crop residue management on soil properties and bacterial communities in a double-cropping rice system of southern China were studied. The experiment included four tillage treatments: conventional

Improved knowledge of how tea planting age impacts the relationships of soil aggregates with microbial biomass and activity may help understand the mechanisms of improving soil organic matters (OM) sequestration in tea plantation ecosystem. In this study, soil samples (0–20 cm depth) were collected from tea plantations with various ages (8, 17, 25 and 43 years) in the southern Guangxi, China. Soil

Excessive application of nitrogen (N) fertilizer causes ammonium toxicity in Panax notoginseng production, but the mechanism of excessive NH4 + accumulation in planting soil remains unclear. To reveal the mechanism, this study investigated the N contents of P. notoginseng planting soils, field and lab experiments were designed to assess the plant growth and antioxidant system of P. notoginseng, as

Relating crop yield to soil properties at the field scale is a tool in site-specific management planning for sustainable crop production. This study investigated the relationship between some soil properties and the yield of three crops (cowpea, maize and cassava + maize) grown on Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme Training Farm in Ado Ekiti, Nigeria using descriptive, multivariate and geostatistical

A 32-year field experiment was performed to examine the impact of applications of pig manure and mineral fertilizers alone or in combination on phosphorus (P) forms, transformations, and availability in a Mollisol. The concentrations of total P, Olsen P, inorganic P (Pi) and organic P (Po) and their fractions were generally higher in treatments with than without mineral fertilizers and manure, and

There is a trend in organic dairy farming towards higher milk yields associated with more concentrates and less grazing. Grazing is usually compulsory but grass intake from grazing varies greatly. This has consequences for nitrogen (N) transfer from stable to field and for the risk of N leaching. Our aim was to compare different management options for grazing in moderate to intensive organic farming

Adsorption and desorption rates play an important role in availability and mobility of Lead (Pb2+) in soils treated with biochar. However, information is still limited about the effects of pyrolysis temperature, presence of Zn, and incubation times on these processes. This study was performed to investigate the effects of 1% (w/w) walnut leaves biochars produced at different temperatures (200 (B200)

A field micro-plot experiment with nitrogen isotope (15N) labelling was performed to study the impacts of the timing of a side-dressed N application on urea-15N in a maize-soil system. The treatments comprised three application timings, each of which consisted of the identical total rate of N, i.e., 280 kg ha−1. In all treatments 40% of the N was used the day prior to sowing, and the rest was used

Azolla is a free-floating hydrophyte fern grown in temperate and tropical regions. The specialized dorsal leaves of the fern possess cavity that harbors cyanobacteria capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen (N) through biological processes. It is either incorporated into the soil before rice transplanting or grown as an inter-crop with rice crop. Its intercropping also improves efficiency of applied

Tillage erosion coupled with water erosion complicates soil erosion process on hilly croplands. This study aims to investigate the role of water discharge and slope gradient in the impact of tillage erosion on runoff and sediment yield by simulated tillage and scouring experiments. Results show that simulated tillage duration (10-, 20-, 30-, 35-, 40-year tillage) had positive effect on runoff yield

Biochar can affect soil microbial abundance and community structure due to its excellent physiochemical properties. Our previous study of soil bacterial community discovered that the relative abundance of Acidobacteria was significantly influenced by biochar. In this study, we further investigated the effect of biochar on acidobacterial community composition generated with Acidobacteria-specific primers

Ammonia (NH3) volatilization is one of the major forms of nitrogen (N) losses from soil after N fertilization, especially in salt-affected soil, which leads to low N use efficiency. To evaluate the effect of biochar on NH3 volatilization from salt-affected soil with two different N fertilizers (urea and ammonium sulfate (AS)), experiments were conducted with two salt-affected soils (electrical conductivity

This study evaluates the effectiveness of potassium sulphate (K2SO4) fertilization under salt stressed conditions on physiological and biochemical characteristics and sugar contents of two soybean cultivars (Pioneer and Jack). The treatments including 0 mM K2SO4, 9 mM K2SO4, 0 mM salinity and 90 mM salinity were tested in combination with both cultivars of soybean. Analysis of electrical conductivity

Cadmium happens to interfere with chlorophyll synthesis, calvin cycle and phosphate pathway and the resulting changes in biochemical attributes induce disorders in physiology, biochemistry and genetics of the germinating plants. Its hazardous effects disturb the phenolic contents, sugars, soluble proteins and activities of antioxidant enzymes. We employed mercapto-triazoles as wheat seed priming agents

The establishment of high-yielding agricultural production systems are severely restricted by low soil organic carbon (SOC) and high Na+ concentration in saline-alkaline soils. In order to confirm the effects of biochar and phosphorus (P) fertilization on SOC sequestration, soil physical structure and inorganic P (Pi) fractions, as well as optimize the amount of P fertilizer, a field experiment was

Changes in land use are very important factors affecting soil quality and especially the concentration and stock of soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN). Very little is known about changes in spectroscopic properties of SOM after conversion of forestland to cropland. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to determine impact of agriculture on the concentration and stock of SOC and TN

There is no consensus on how much N can be applied to plants under salt stress. In our research we tested the hypothesis that such response depends on salt tolerance of the plant species. So, this study aimed to evaluate the uses and losses of N by cotton (salt-tolerant) and maize (moderately salt-sensitive) plants irrigated with waters of different electrical conductivity (0.5, 2.0, 4.0, and 6.0 dS

Zinc (Zn) deficiency is common on calcareous soils due to fixation with soil components and precipitation with other ions. ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) may serve a better source of Zn for improved growth and biofortification in maize grains. Pot and field experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of ZnO nanoparticles in comparison with conventional Zn fertilizer (ZnSO4) on growth and grain Zn

This research was to assess the effect of exogenous organic matter (composted sheep manure, CSM) on the sorption, disappearance and leaching of four pesticides (boscalid, flonicamide, myclobutanil and penconazole) using an agricultural soil from a semiarid area (SE Spain) to determine their potential for groundwater pollution. Results of batch equilibrium experiments show that the sorption capacity

To investigate the interactive effects of elevated CO2 (e[CO2]), nitrogen (N) supply and irrigation regimes on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L., cv. Elin) yield, water use efficiency (WUE) and fruit quality, potted plants were grown in glasshouse compartments with CO2 concentration of 400 and 800 ppm, separately, with 0 or 0.5 g N kg−1 soil. Since anthesis, the plants were subjected to three irrigation

Information on the various nickel (Ni) fractions and mobility in soils in relation to parent materials is critical in understanding the contribution of parent materials to nickel bioavailability and mobilization within the ecosystem. Sixty soil samples were collected from 0 - 20, 20 - 40, 40 - 60 cm depths of five pedons dug in each of the parent material locations (Coastal plain sands (CPS), alluvium

Application of biochar and nitrification inhibitors (NIs) to soil has been suggested as a strategy for mitigating climate change and promoting nitrogen use efficiency. However, few studies have focused on how N2O, NO and NH3 emissions and vegetable yield are affected by simultaneous biochar and NI application in vegetable fields. This study aims to investigate the effects of biochar and 3,4-dimethylpyrazole

Maca (Lepidium meyenii) is a high-Andean crop whose subterranean storage organs (hypocotyls) show distinctive colors that are related to pharmacological properties. Little is known about seed color variation and its influence on germination performance, hypocotyl pigmentation and plant survival. Germination rate is critical for maca plants to survive frost events during early development. We evaluated

Capturing site-specific variability in soil attributes is crucial for precision agriculture. A study was conducted in Kelapur block of Yavatmal district, Maharashtra, covering 83,000 ha area in the basaltic region of central India for investigating the spatial distribution of soil fertility parameters viz., pH, EC, organic matter, available macro (AvN, AvP, AvK and AvS) and cationic micronutrients

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of hydrochar addition to soil (i.e., non-hydrochar, 20, 50, 70 and 100 g kg−1 soil) on different nutrients contents (sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc), enzymatic (catalase, peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase) and non-enzymatic antioxidants (phenolic compounds, ascorbic acid, and α-tocopherol) activities and growth of Zea

This study aimed to apply statistical response surface models (RSMs) to evaluate morphological parameters of plant root system changes in response to humic acid (HA). The study was carried out in a growth chamber. Experimental treatments consisted of HA extracted using IHSS methodology at increasing doses: 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, 110, and 150 mg HA L−1. Seedlings were collected at 24, 48, 72, 96, 120 and

Understanding the influence of tillage and fertilizer management on soil physical properties, and their roles in soil stoichiometry are critical for estimating the ecological implications of agricultural management. The study investigated the 3-yr effects of tillage and fertilizer management on soil physical properties, nutrients, and stoichiometry. The study included two tillage methods: rotary tillage

Thermal conductivity of saturated soil (λsat ) is a critical parameter for environmental and engineering applications. A wide variety of models used to predict λsat have been presented in the literature, but there is a lack of systematic evaluation of their performance. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of available λsat models with a compiled dataset containing λsat measurements