Abstract Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) community assembly has been investigated at regional and local scales, but was largely unknown at micro-scale. The AMF community at soil aggregate level was studied to promote the understanding of their distribution at micro-scale. Surface soil associated with Eremochloa ophiuroides, Imperata cylindrica and Paspalum notatum were sieved into three fractions:

Abstract This study was carried out to assess the influence of tillage systems on soil characteristics as well as barely yield. The two-year experiment with the tillage systems (NT, no-tillage; MT, minimum-tillage; and CT, conventional-tillage) and barley cultivars was done. Vetch was pre-planting in the rotation with barley. About 30% of vetch residue were remain in the NT and MT systems, but in CT

Abstract The aim of this research was to assess the effect of different fertilization on barley and millet resistance to drought stress under current and warmed climates. Barley grown with organic fertilizers showed 3.8 and 5.6% lower losses of photosynthetic rate than plants grown with mineral fertilizers, at current and warmed climates respectively. Enrichment with organic fertilizers also resulted

Abstract Film mulched ridge-furrow tillage (FMRF) with straw incorporation (S) can efficiently improve rain-fed maize yield and water use efficiency (WUE). The key mechanisms were investigated via a 3-year consecutive FMRF and S interactive experiments [CP (conventional planting, Control), CPS, FMRF, FMRFS] from 2014 to 2016. In comparison with CP, FMRFS increased the temperature by 1.8 °C to 4.8 °C

Abstract The application of bio-inoculant and biochar can be an effective strategy for stimulating crop growth, while improving soil fertility in an environmentally friendly manner. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to study the effects of biochar and TUAT-1 bio-inoculant under two N fertilization modes (basal and split) on the yield of forage rice and nutrient distribution in the soil rhizosphere

Abstract The performance of fertilizers may differ significantly in different soils. Here, we quantify effects of various phosphorus (P) fertilizers on maize yield and P uptake in soils with different pH values, using a pot experiment. Five P fertilizers were used; monoammonium phosphate (MAP), diammonium phosphate (DAP), calcium superphosphate (CSP), calcium magnesium phosphate (CMP) and, ammonium

Abstract As adsorption-desorption behavior of herbicide plays an important role in determining leachability, release rate and availability to target species, the present study aims to evaluate the influence of soil properties, temperature and ionic state of imazamox on its adsorption-desorption behaviour. The sorption was significantly influenced by above evaluated parameters and Freundlich adsorption

ABSTRACT The soil organic carbon (SOC) pool is larger than the biotic and atmospheric carbon pools, and understanding cultivated land SOC is critical for evaluating soil fertility and local agricultural management. Digital soil mapping (DSM) efficiently predicts soil properties by utilizing spatially distributed information. To date, many machine learning techniques have been applied in DSM, but model

Abstract We investigated how plant inoculation with two diazotrophic bacteria would influence the modulation of root architecture and parameters associated with N uptake rate under high and low NO3− availability. The treatments were arranged in a 2 × 3 factorial design, the first factor being N dose (0.3 and 3.0 mM, or low and high N, respectively) and the second being inoculation with Herbaspirillum

Abstract Soil erosion is the most important soil degradation process threatening semi-arid and arid areas. In this study, the change in the RUSLE-K soil erodibility values due to changed climatic conditions over a 10-year period was used as a tool to investigate soil erosion potential with Sequential Gaussian Simulation (SGS) method in the Mogan catchment in Turkey. For that purpose, soil erodibility

Abstract Few studies have tested the influence of climatic factors on yields by adjusting sowing dates at both low and high altitudes. We investigated the influence of the synergistic effects of temperature and solar radiation by conducting field experiments using different rice varieties and sowing dates in the low-altitude plains of Chongzhou and the high-altitude mountainous region of Hanyuan, Sichuan

Abstract Metagenomics is a contemporary discipline in science that introduces a new horizon in biomolecular and genetic studies and provides a standard method for understanding biological diversity. In this context, we can only assess the functional potential of a certain community through metagenomics, but by understanding the metaphenomics, we can assign the functional genetic potential with respect

ABSTRACT Blossom-end rot (BER) is a physiological disorder related to calcium (Ca) deficiency in tomato fruits. However, adequate Ca supply is not sufficient to inhibit the BER incidence. The Ni-Ca interaction has increased the Ca content in Ni hyperaccumulators plants. However, studies with commercial plants are still incipient. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of Ni-Ca interaction

Abstract Nickel-enriched soil acidity amendments (SAA) may be advantageous for neutralizing acidity and providing safe/uniform distribution of Ni in soils. We evaluated the short-term effects of Ni application on field-grown soybean yield, growth, and soil chemical attributes using three sources of SAA, two enriched with Ni (Ni-rich mining by-product and Ni-salt) and a commercial SAA. The tested Ni-enriched

ABSTRACT Solar heating techniques were tested to enhance the dissipation of eight herbicides belonging to four different chemical families (phenylurea, triazine, dinitroaniline and diphenylether derivatives). Guano, vermicompost, green manure, and goat manure were used as biofumigants for biosolarization. In all experiments, the soil was covered with high-density polyethylene (HDPE) film along 60 d

Abstract The integrated management of water and fertilizer has been widely applied for effectively utilizing limited rainwater resources in rainfed farming systems. However, the combined effect of straw mulching and urea blended with slow-release nitrogen fertilizer (SU) on rainfed maize has been seldom studied. A two-year field experiment (2016-2017) was conducted to evaluate the effects of various

Abstract Little is known about how biochar incorporation frequency affect soil C sequestration and stabilization, particularly through living microbial carbon (MBC) and dead microbial carbon (amino sugar C, AS-C). Based on a field trial conducted in Northeast China for three years, in which we applied maize straw-derived biochar once (F1) versus annually for three years (F2). Incorporation frequency

ABSTRACT Seed priming is a vital seed enhancement tool used for mitigating various biotic and abiotic stresses, improving seedling growth and enhancing crop productivity. Alternate wetting and drying (AWD), a water-saving technique, reduces irrigation water input in rice production without compromising yield. A factorial experiment consisting of seven priming treatments (non-primed control, hydropriming

Abstract In recent years, the sustainability of rice-wheat cropping system in Indo-Gangetic Plains is facing many problems in various fronts viz., agricultural, ecological, environmental and economical. Therefore, to ensure long-term sustainability, the rice-wheat cropping system needs to be diversified. The present study was conducted to identify alternative cropping system for Indo-Gangetic Plains

ABSTRACT The present study aims at estimating net and gross water requirements of eight major irrigated crops in the agro-ecological regions Tina Plain (AER 1), and East South ELKantara (AER 2) in Egypt using FAO-CROPWAT 8.0 and its attached meteorological parameters CLIMWAT 2.0 model. Historical weather data at Ismailia and Port Said stations for 40 years (1975 to 2014) were recalled from the CLIMWAT

Abstract Seed germination is one of the key processes in nature, with several studies focused on improving this process. One successful strategy is to expose seeds to hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a cytotoxic reactive molecule at high concentrations, but a signaling molecule with positive physiological effects at low concentrations. This review describes and discusses (1) the signaling and physiological

Abstract To investigate the effect of different chitosan composites on the immobilisation of chromium in soil, a pot factorial experiment was conducted in greenhouse conditions using a completely randomised design with three replications. Factors studied were soil chromium levels (0, 20, 60, and 180 mg kg−1) and types of adsorbent applied to the soil, including pure chitosan, biochar, zeolite, manganese

ABSTRACT The current cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) fallow farming system causes soil degeneration and cotton yield reduction. Cover cropping is commonly associated with improved soil fertility and crop productivity, while the effect of cover crops on soil quality and cotton productivity remains unclear in the region. Using a monoculture cotton (cotton-fallow) as the control, a field experiment was

Abstract Drought stress is one of the major yield limiting factors in grain legumes. The severity and intensity of drought stress are predicted to increase in the future. Drought stress in grain legumes at any stage causes significant yield reduction owing to a decrease in stand establishment (misfunctioning of germination enzymes like proteases and amylases), and nutrient uptake (decreasing water

Abstract Multivariate analyzes such as selection indexes are one of the ways to select superior papaya genotypes with adequate quality to the consumer market, becoming more efficient after inferences made in the population from the estimate of genetic parameters. Thus, this study aimed to estimate genetic parameters and select papaya topcross hybrids for traits related to fruit quality through selection

ABSTRACT Agricultural practices that are water-saving and high-yielding are vital to sustainable development. We investigated two planting patterns and two tillage methods in four winter wheat growing seasons in North China Plain (NCP). They’re conventional tillage (CT) and no-tillage (NT) under wide-precision planting (W) and conventional planting (C). Soil water content, dry matter accumulation (DM)

ABSTRACT Charland is newly developed land in river beds which is poor in fertility. Sugarcane bagasse (SB) biochar was produced and characterized, and its performances were evaluated on carbon sequestration and yields of maize and groundnut in charland. The bagasse after pyrolysis ≈ at 600°C temperature produced 55% biochar. The pH value increased from 6.5 (SB) to 8.8 (biochar), C from 42% to 58%,

ABSTRACT The aim of this work was to evaluate the possibility of reclamation and management of mine dump material in degraded and devastated areas containing hazardous substances. In this paper we focused on the determination of changes in electrical conductivity coefficients and physicochemical parameters of mine soils for biological reclamation needs. The waste substrate material studied here showed

Abstract This long-term fertilization experiment was conducted since 1981, included non-fertilization (NF), chemical fertilizer (CF), double chemical fertilizer (DCF), and chemicals with organic fertilizer (COF). In 2017, soil samples were collected at the tillering, heading, and maturity stages of early-season rice (Oryza sativa L.). The activities of urease (UR), α-glucosidase (AG), glucosaminidase

Abstract Soil aggregates and associated carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) stocks are important for soil organic matter (SOM) consequences and quality. The study is meaningful to understand the mechanisms of how fertilization management affect C and N stocks. Tobacco monocropping systems with four fertilizer treatments (0, 75, and 112 kg N ha−1, and 60 kg N ha−1 + Manure) were established in 1998. After 19

ABSTRACT Dicyandiamide (DCD) has been extensively used to retard nitrification process and decrease nitrogen (N) losses. However, its efficacy is variable and inconsistent depending upon the environmental conditions. The effects of temperature and moisture on DCD degradation and carbon dioxide (CO2) release from calcareous soil are not well-known. Therefore, an incubation experiment comprising three

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term effect of magnesium and iron nanoparticles on solute transport and its parameters, which has not been investigated to date. Different concentrations of two types of nanoparticle metal oxides, MgO and Fe3O4, were mixed with a loamy soil and their effects on solute transport and its parameters after three years were investigated. Nanoparticles

Abstract The prediction of fruit yield in next generation is one of the most important breeding objectives in agricultural research. For this purpose, different generations of coriander consisted six quietly divergent parents, their 15 F1 hybrids and 15 F2 families were evaluated during the 2014-2017 growing seasons. The artificial neural network (ANN) models were constructed to predict the fruit yield

Abstract Three-year field experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of ridge film mulching plus furrow planting (RFMF) and traditional flat planting (FP) on the seed quality, oil yield and nitrogen-use efficiency of winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus) and to determine the optimal rate of nitrogen (N) application under the two planting patterns. Six N rates, 0, 60, 120, 180, 240 and 300

Abstract Synthetic chelating agents have high cost and low biodegradation in the environment; thus, the use of natural complexing agents for iron increases the sustainability in crop production. The aim of this study was to verify the efficiency of natural organic acids added to the nutrient solution on the Fe acquisition. For that purpose, two experiments were carried out using soybean and maize.

ABSTRACT Conservation management is necessary to ensure soil sustainability. We investigated the response of soil chemical, biological properties, and bacterial community to 11 years of different mulch and tillage practices in an aeolian sandy soil in a maize continuous cropping system. Treatments included: no-till + straw coverage (ZT+R), rotary tillage + straw coverage (RT+R), and normal tillage

Abstract N fertilization and straw incorporation often disturb the soil and may affect nitrite oxidation (NO); however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we collected soil samples through a 4-year field experiment including no N fertilization, normal N application, excess N application (EN), and EN plus straw incorporation (ES) treatments. We measured the community composition, abundance

Abstract Manure application can enhance soil fertility and crop yield; however, knowledge of optimum application rates of manure is needed to prevent negative impacts on soils and environment. This study was aimed to compare the long-term effects of manure and inorganic fertilizer application at different rates on soil nutrients, aggregate stability, organic carbon, and nitrogen in different aggregate

Abstract Different soil management strategies may either promote or degrade soil structure. This study aimed to test the Visual Evaluation of Soil Structure (VESS) method in a smallholder agroforestry system in the eastern Amazon. Three plots (P1, papaya field; P2, banana intercropped with cassava; P3, banana, cassava, and açaí), as well as an adjoining area under native vegetation (NV), were evaluated

Abstract To elucidate effects of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) on cotton growth and yield, field studies with four N treatments (506, 402.5, 299, and 195.5 kg ha−1 designated as N1, N2, N3, and N4) and four managements (M) of P and K application, designated as PK-M1(total P and K applied at squaring stage(SS)), PK-M2 (25%:75% at SS and bloom-bolling stage(BS)), PK-M3 (50%:50% at each

ABSTRACT The high-quality phosphorus (P) rocks on the Earth will be depleted within the next 50 years. P-mobilizing microbes can mobilize soil unavailable P and reduce P fertilizer use in agriculture. Therefore, incubation and field experiments were conducted to study the effects of a new white-rot fungus Ceriporia lacerata HG2011 on soil P mobilization and canola yield and P uptake to understand the

ABSTRACT Crop rotations and residue management contributes to the sustainability of the soil and environment and reduction of fertiliser use. However, appropriate crop and residue level combinations have yet to be determined to maximise productivity, while ensuring the preservation of soil resources in different agricultural production systems. The experiment evaluated production and soil chemical

Abstract This study aimed to evaluate effects of Funneliformis mosseae on plant growth and root exudate compositions and contents, soil and root phosphatase activity, soil glomalin concentrations, and thus soil aggregate stability and distribution in trifoliate orange under well-watered (75% of maximum water holding capacity) and drought stress (55% of maximum water holding capacity) conditions. After

Abstract Soil organic carbon (SOC) content can greatly affect soil quality by determining and maintaining important soil functions. The study examined SOC, humic substances and molecular composition characteristics of acid soil (Dystric Retisol) with different long – term (54 years) fertilization in Western Lithuania. Farmyard manure (FYM 60 t ha−1) and alternative organic fertilizers (wheat straw

Abstract Biochar has the potential to effectively improve yield and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of upland crops in different soil types. However, it is unclear for rapeseed in purple soil under N reduction. A 2-yr field experiment was conducted in southwest China, to evaluate the combined effects of nitrogen (180, 144 and 108 kg ha−1, named N100, N80 and N60, respectively) and biochar (0, 10, 20

Abstract To study the effects of mulching on fine roots and fruits of Camellia oleifera Abel, four materials (Peanut stalk + straw, black mulch, eco-film, C. oleifera shell) were used to mulch on the C. oleifera forest land. The nondestructive minirhizotrons were used to in-situ monitor the growth, death, and turnover of fine roots for one year, and the fruit properties were measured for three years

Abstract Reducing the water loss sources, i.e. soil evaporation and weeds presence, is an essential act for keeping well soil moisture to crop growth, especially under drought conditions. Therefore, two–year field trials were conducted for seeking the best compatible practice between irrigation regime and weed control method in onion onion. Three irrigation water regimes (60%, 80% and 100% of the crop

Abstract Zinc deficient soils cause low crop production leading to malnutrition in humans and livestock. A two years field experiments were conducted on cowpea crop with six ZnSO4·H2O (33%) treatments viz. no Zn, soil application of 16 kg ZnSO4·H2O ha−1 (SZn), one foliar spray of 0.3% ZnSO4·H2O at early bloom (EB) stage (F1Zn), two foliar sprays of 0.3% ZnSO4·H2O at EB and full bloom (FB) stages (F2Zn)

Abstract Organic incorporation is widely recommended to increase SOC content, but little was done to compare the effects of using manure and straw in different soil layers. The study was set up to assess the changes of SOC and oxidizable organic carbon fractions in three soil depths (0-15, 15-30 and 30-45 cm) in a double-rice paddy field subjected to 37-years fertilization schemes [control (CK), combined

Abstract Measurements of availability and mobility are required in order to prevent potential toxic hazards. Column leaching experiments were conducted to determine the degree of mobility and the distribution of zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), and lead (Pb) following spiking of the sediments. Metal distribution and release from sediments was related to pH, clay and sand. This study

Abstract A novel biodegradable super absorbent polymer (SAP) was synthesized by γ-poly (glutamic acid) (γ-PGA) and poly (ethylene glycol) with the units of glycidyl ether as chain ends (PEGGE). The resultant γ-PGA SAPs with different PEGGE contents were characterized and their effects on soil total available water (TAW) were investigated. The γ-PGA SAP was synthesized at 45 °C for 48 h when γ-PGA was

Abstract Changes in the bioavailability of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) due to biochar have been frequently reported, raising concerns about the management and effectivity of biochar as soil amendment. We investigated the availability of N and P to maize plants cultivated in soil amended with 20 t ha−1 and 30 t ha−1 of biochar from sewage sludge (SSB20, SSB30) and coconut husk (CHB20, CHB30), in

Abstract The relation between chemical attributes of complexed Fe sources and the efficiency of foliar fertilization is still unclear. This study aimed to investigate the influence of Fe-complex stability on iron accumulation and redistribution in maize by foliar application. The iron complexing agents used were biodegradable citric acid (CA), malic acid (MA), tartaric acid (TA), and oxalic acid (OA)

Abstract Plants and microorganisms sense and respond to biotic and abiotic signals in the environment to competitively optimize their fitness. These specific adjustments which are pertinent to prevailing environmental conditions bring about distinct signal-induced behavioural responses that appear intelligent. A suite of cellular and molecular networks underlie the generation of such attributes in

Abstract Organic soil amendments such as modified lignite and biostimulants like arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) may have the potential to improve soil biological conditions of agricultural soils. The aim of the study was to test if nitrogen-modified lignite granules (NH) are beneficial for mycorrhization, root and shoot development compared to common mineral nitrogen (Nmin) in a nitrogen and phosphorus

Abstract In this study, Pb was added to the soil at rates of 0, 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 mg kg−1 as Pb (NO3)2 and then incubate at 27 ºC and soil moisture of 0.7 field capacity for 180 d. Soil biological characteristics including acid and alkaline phosphomonoesterases (ACP and ALP), nitrate reductase (NR), and urease (UA) activities, microbial biomass carbon (MBC), and basal respiration (BR) were

Abstract Low wheat grain yield under conservation tillage has been reported, and growth duration could determine the yield. Thus, an 11-year field experiment was conducted to assess the relationship between growth duration and grain yield under different tillage and residue management. Four treatments were investigated: no-till with residue removal (NT0), conventional tillage with residue removal (CT0)

Abstract Accurate forecasts of cotton yield are of great interest for the development of the market, increasing the sustainability of the sector worldwide. Thus, the objectives of this study were: 1) to evaluate the influence of climatic elements on cotton yield in Brazil, 2) to predict cotton yield using machine learning algorithms based on climatic elements, 3) to calibrate and test machine learning

ABSTRACT The current experiment envisages estimating nitrification and elucidates the mechanistic processes of nitrogen mineralization in a long-term fertilizer experiment (LTFE) on a soybean-wheat cropping system. The experiment had four treatments: fallow (no fertilizer and no crop), control (no fertilizer), inorganic (recommended dose as 100% NPK), and integrated (100% NPK + farmyard manure FYM)

ABSTRACT Fertilization with suitable amendment in acidic soil is crucial to achieve long-term high crop yield without deteriorating soil health in intensive cropping system. We studied the chemical and biological properties of soil, soybean, and wheat yield after 47 years of long-term fertilization in an acidic Alfisol. Treatments were: unfertilized (control); recommended N dose (N); recommended N