ABSTRACT We examined the linkages between topography and electron donors for denitrification on in-stream NO3 − concentration in headwater catchments in the Lake Hachiro watershed having marine sedimentary rock, Japan. In 35 headwater catchments (0.07–16.9 km2), we sampled stream water every season in 2 years. The water samples were analyzed for NO3 –, dissolved nitrous oxide (dN2O), and SO4 2 – concentrations

ABSTRACT Extensive areas of Andosols in tropical Indonesia have been subjected to long-term (>100 years) alterations from native forest to agricultural land use. This study assessed the mineralogical and surface charge characteristics of Andosols in West Java, Indonesia and assessed their resilience upon conversion from rainforest (PF1) to tea plantation (TP1) and horticultural practices. Soils developed

ABSTRACT It is essential to manage nitrogen (N) fertilization to obtain the appropriate protein contents in wheat grains. In this study, N uptake from the booting stage to flag leaf appearance, and the tiller number at the booting and panicle formation stages was estimated using a handheld active optical sensor of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) under different measurement conditions

ABSTRACT The time has come to promote a new paradigm for promoting the concept that soil is alive. Soil is generally defined as a natural body formed in response to factors such as climate, living things, parent material, topography, and time. However, in order to restore land, it is necessary to recognize that soil is alive like organisms. For that purpose, I will demonstrate that soil is alive based

ABSTRACT In organic farming, intensive tillage for weed eliminating may cause physical and biological soil degradation. Weed residue mulch can be used to stabilize the organic carbon in the soil by improving soil aggregation and increasing microbial activity. However, the effectiveness of weed mulch in no-tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT) systems remains unclear. Therefore, we studied the

ABSTRACT The oxalate-extractable Al (Alo) of weathered Nantai-Imaichi (Nt-IK) tephra sampled at Kiwadajima in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan is more than twice as high as that of weathered Nantai-Shichihonzakura (Nt-SK) tephra. This difference is peculiar because the Nt-IK horizon is directly under the Nt-SK tephra, without a buried A horizon in between, and the Nt-IK compares with the Nt-SK in age. The

Understanding of the long-term soil fertility trends is the basis for rational and sustainable management of the soil resources in agricultural fields. In tropical Asia, the Green Revolution initiated in the late 1960s contributed to a drastic increase in both food production and human population. Among the tropical Asian countries, Thailand is known as a rice-exporting country, but the country’s rice

Salinity degrades the environment, reducing the productive capacity of affected land. This presents a significant challenge in agriculture; however, different crops are known to vary in their tolerance to salt stress. This study investigated the tolerance of two oat (Avena sativa L.) lines, Baiyan2 and Mengnongda1, to salinity stress. Oat lines were subjected to salt treatments (100 mM NaCl) for a

Ciliates play important ecological roles as microbial predators in soil. Although arable soils can experience a wide range of temperatures caused by agricultural land management, the effect of temperature on soil ciliates has been poorly documented, particularly for high temperatures over 30°C. Here, we studied the response of the soil ciliate community to different temperatures in comparison with

Paddy fields are generally submerged during the growing season and drained in the fallow season, and occasionally stimulating the air-drying effect and drying-rewetting effect on soil nitrogen (N) mineralization and soil carbon (C) decomposition. It is important to understand how these two effects take place in Andosol field under organic farming. To elucidate these effects, we incubated fresh, air-dried

Conservation agriculture (CA), which consists of minimum soil disturbance, soil cover, and crop rotation/association, has been promoted as an indivisible three-component package to control water erosion in the Sudan Savanna. However, CA has not been adopted by local smallholder farmers, probably because the three-component package constitutes a large burden for the farmers. Our previous study revealed

Soil acidification is a natural pedogenetic process in forest ecosystems, but is accelerated by acidic deposition. Soils on Yakushima Island, in southwestern Japan, are derived from granitic bedrock and volcanic parent materials influenced by eolian dust inputs. Acid deposition and low acid-neutralizing capacity (ANC) of granite-derived soils are hypothesized to be the cause of acidic stream water

This work focused on the amounts and distribution of organic C (OC), organic phosphorus (Po), and acid phosphomonoesterase (AcP) and β-glucosidase (βG) activities in volcanic soils, as well as on the effect of inorganic P (Pi) on potential P-acquiring effort. The OC and Po contents are correlated with the active aluminum (Alox) and iron (Feox) and with the stratified gradients of the enzyme activities

Nitrogen (N) is the most important and limiting factor in crop production. Thus, a clear understanding of its cycle is important to improve its efficiency and reducing environmental pollution. A 2-year experiment was conducted to investigate the N flows on a winter-wheat field during 2017 to 2019 in Ehime Prefecture, Japan. We also evaluated N budgets based on N input and N output among different N

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) grown in flooded paddy fields is a large contributor of inorganic arsenic (As) to human diets. The absorption pathway of arsenite via rice roots is known to be similar to that of silicon (Si). However, the spatiotemporal dynamics of As and Si in the aboveground parts of rice plants at different growth stages are not yet fully understood. In this study, we aimed to compare the

Phosphorus (P) is a macronutrient essential for plant growth and productivity. Plants uptake P as inorganic phosphate (Pi); however, in the natural ecosystem, Pi availability is frequently a severe limiting factor for plant growth. Thus, plants have evolved several mechanisms, such as the expression of Pi starvation-responsive genes, to adapt to Pi deficient conditions. Although we recently reported

Feld experiments were undertaken at the ICAR–Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi in the winter seasons of 2013–14 and 2014–15. The objective of the study was to evaluate the significance of three crop establishment methods viz., conventional drill sown wheat, the system of wheat intensification, and zero tillage wheat and rates of nitrogen, phosphorus (P), and zinc (Zn) fertilization

Precision agriculture has been developed in order to achieve more productive, more profitable and environmentally sound agriculture by adjusting the input level in the site-specific manner. Therefore, the delineation of management zone in spatially variable farmland was thought to be crucial for a site-specific management of crops. Recent introduction of ICT (Information and Communication Technology)

The conversion between the two different systems, ISSS and FAO/USDA, of particle size distribution and soil texture classification is useful to characterize soil physical properties and usage of each published. The objective of this study is to test some functions that have been published for conversion from ISSS to FAO/USDA system for Japanese paddy soils and to select the best method. We tested the

Chitin, which is the polymer of N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) linked by β1,4 glycoside bonds, has been reported as a soil amendment to mitigate plant soil diseases, increasing the population of chitin-degrading bacteria, and chitinolytic enzymatic activity in the soil. In some chitin-degrading bacteria, whose chitinolytic systems have been intensively studied, the chitin degradation product N,Nʹ-diacetylchitobiose

The fertilizer absorption characteristics of strawberries are not clear, although appropriate fertilization is definitely necessary to ensure produce quality and quantity. This study aimed to determine the amounts of macro- and micronutrients absorbed during cultivation of strawberries and their biodistribution and utilization in the plant body. We cultivated Japanese strawberries ‘Benihoppe’ and ‘Kirapika’

Alternative saturation and reduction are frequent in the Ultisols on aged alluvial terraces in Taiwan, which forms various redoximorphic features (RMFs) that depend on a seasonally high water table and geographic positions. The abundance and distribution of RMFs in the soil profile are criteria for the classification categories of Plinthite in Soil Taxonomy. Thus, we proposed an empirical relationship

The soil map of Madagascar has not been substantially updated since the 1960s. The number of reported soil profiles that meet the criteria of the Reference Pedon Description – the highest level of data reliability used to ascertain FAO soil unit classification – is also limited for a country-scale soil map. Therefore, we conducted a soil survey in the east coast and the central highlands, the most

Following the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident of 2011, the potential for radiocesium transfer from contaminated soils, such as Andosols, to agricultural crops became a significant concern. Andosols account for up to 70％ of paddy soils in the northern and northwest areas of Tochigi Prefecture, where the radiocesium concentration is 1000 Bq kg−1 or greater in the soil of some fields. The

(2020). Abstracts of Nippon Dojo-Hiryogaku Zasshi 91-02. Soil Science and Plant Nutrition: Vol. 66, No. 3, pp. 527-529.

To clarify the factors affecting 137Cs transfer from soil to brown rice in comparison with 133Cs transfer and also to determine the key parameters of the solid-liquid partition coefficient (K d), concentration factor from soil solution to brown rice (CF), and transfer factor from soil to brown rice (TF), we analyzed the results of our previous paper in which a rice pot-culture experiment under different

Soil microorganisms play important roles in crop growth and nutrient cycling. This study investigated the influence of the temporal changes in soil fatty acids (FAs) mainly derived from microorganisms by the incorporation of different green manures on the subsequent crop yield of winter wheat. Plants (Sesbania rostrata or Sorghum bicolor) as green manure were cultivated as the preceding crop, followed

Iron (Fe) is an essential element for most organisms since it is involved in various biological reactions. Fe deficiency is a major constraint for plant growth and leads to low crop yields and poor nutritional quality. Fe uptake and translocation in plants require the coordinated expression of multiple genes, which is regulated by various transcription factors (TFs), especially members of the basic

Photosynthetic activity is expected to be maintained during leaf senescence if the amount of Rubisco is maintained. As the mRNA level of the Rubisco gene decreases rapidly just before the stage of full expansion, its overexpression after full expansion would be effective. We previously found that the mRNA level of the Rubisco activase gene (RCA) is maintained during leaf senescence. In the present

There are limited studies on the mineralogy of tidal flats in Japan even though the composition would affect the functions of water purification and organic matter preservation. This study investigated the mineralogy of major Japanese tidal flats and clarified factors affecting the mineralogy. Sediment samples were collected at 46 sites from 21 tidal flats throughout Japan. Primary minerals in the

Arctic wetlands are significant sources of atmospheric methane and the observed accelerated climate changes in the arctic could cause a change in methane dynamics. Methane oxidation would be the key process to control methane emission from wetlands. In this study, we determined the potential methane oxidation rate of the wetland soils of a taiga–tundra transition zone in northeastern Siberia. Peat

Plant growth regulators(PGR)-assisted phytoremediation is a technique which could improve the efficiency of heavy metal accumulation in hyperaccumulator plants. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of PGR combination with nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) on Cd extraction and distribution in Cd hyperaccumulator. To achieve this objective, a pot experiment was carried out to investigate the effects

Most peatlands in Indonesia border mineral upland, yet research reporting the effects of the presence of mineral upland on the distribution of mineral nutrients are limited. We collected multiple samples in surface layers from a peatland located between the Siak River and a mineral upland in Riau Province, Indonesia and measured electrical conductivity, pH, and exchangeable Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, and Na+

In 2017, the Japanese Society of Pedology (the Fifth Committee for Soil Classification and Nomenclature) established the Japanese soil classification system. In the classification system, all the soils derived from volcanic ejecta (volcanic ash, pumice, scoria, etc.) are classified into the Great Group of Andosols, excluding Man-made and Organic soils, although some volcanic soils were classified into

The WRB (World Reference Base for Soil Resources) 2014 adopted ‘effective base saturation (EBS),’ which is the ratio of exchangeable bases (Ca + Mg + K + Na) to effective CEC (Ca + Mg + K + Na + Al), instead of base saturation (BS), the ratio of exchangeable bases to the cation exchange capacity, as the criterion for the addition of qualifiers concerning the condition of exchangeable bases. An EBS

Grape is intolerant of aluminum. This intolerance leads to severe aluminum poisoning when the plants are cultivated in acidic soil, resulting in a decline in their yield and quality. To reduce and prevent the dangers of aluminum toxicity to grape, a method of identifying tolerance to aluminum was discussed, and genotypes tolerant to aluminum were screened. Twenty-six grape germplasm resources from

As the secondary nutrients in soils, exchangeable base cations can form cationic bridges with clay particles and organic matters to promote the formation of soil aggregates, and to protect soil organic carbon (Corg) and nutrients from loss. To have a comprehensive understanding toward the dynamics of soil exchangeable base cations in the tea planting process, it requires to evaluate these cations’

Conservation Agriculture approach could be strategic for Soil Quality (SQ) conservation under the Mediterranean conditions of Southern Europe’s environments. In this study, we reported the results obtained during a 2-year field experiment (split-plot design) of a 7-year experiment started in 2010–2011, combining two tillage practices (Conventional Tillage (CT) and Zero Tillage (ZT)) with two crop sequences

New calibration method of the capacitance and frequency domain reflectometry (ECH2O EC-5) for soil water monitoring was developed by introducing the slope-intercept relationship derived from the relationship between the RAW data recorded by the Em50 datalogger and the thermogravimetrically measured volumetric water content of soil. Numerous soil samples taken from paddy–upland rotational fields in

Andosols (or Andisols) are the typical soils developed from volcanoclastic materials. They possess several distinctive properties that are rarely found in other groups of soils. These properties are largely due to the dominance of short-range ordered minerals (allophane, imogolite, and ferrihydrite) and/or mineral–humus complexes (Al/Fe–humus complexes). In this review, I survey the diversity of volcanic

Understanding how plants use of various nitrogen (N) sources is important for improving plant N use efficiency in organic farming systems. This study investigated the effects of farming management practices (organic and conventional) on pakchoi short-term uptake of glycine (Gly), nitrate (NO3 −) and ammonium (NH4 +) under two N level conditions. Results showed that plant N uptake rates and N contributions

Soil fertility in many parts of the north‒western Himalayan region (NWHR) has declined owing to accelerated nutrient mining under existing crop regime. Therefore, this study aimed to assess effect of the predominant horticulture‒based land uses on soil fertility and health in mid and high hills of NWHR. Soil samples (0‒20 cm) were collected, analyzed for different soil chemical attributes (pH, electrical

The stability of black soil carbon in the deep layers of Japanese volcanic ash soil (i.e., buried A horizons) is often explained by its unique chemical (molecular structure) and physical (associated with short-range-order minerals) recalcitrance. However, the stability of black soil C in buried A horizons may be changed by labile C supply for soil microbes. Here, we hypothesized that the mineralization

There are many nitrogen (N) pools in soil, so their availability and different status can give information about bulk soil response to N deposition. However, the different size of N pools in forest soils and the relationship between them have not been well studied under N deposition when considering the role of litter. Here soil in an N-deposition experiment carried out for 5 years in a broad-leaved

The thermal-activated serpentine prepared by heating natural serpentine at different temperatures was used to immobilize cadmium (Cd) in simulated contaminated soils. The results showed that the increasing soil pH induced by adding serpentine was primarily responsible for reducing the content of TCLP-Cd (toxicity characteristic leaching procedure-Cd) in soil. Furthermore, adding thermal-activated serpentine

Cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) are toxic trace elements which are not essential for plants but can be easily taken up by roots and accumulated in various organs, and cause irreversible damages to plants. A pot experiment was carried out to investigate the individual and combined effects of Cd (0, 10, 20 mg kg−1) and Pb (0, 500, 1000 mg kg−1) level in a calcareous soil on the status of mineral nutrients

ABSTRACT Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) is an important nitrogen source for both N2-fixers and their neighboring plants in natural and managed ecosystems. Biological N fixation can vary considerably depending on soil conditions, yet there is a lack of knowledge on the impact of varying soils on the contribution of N from N2-fixers in mixed swards. In this study, the amount and proportion of BNF

(2019). Acknowledgment to the Reviewers. Soil Science and Plant Nutrition: Vol. 65, No. 6, pp. i-iv.

We investigated a series of long-term soil samples (1976–2015) collected from a paddy field that underwent a conversion of cropping systems from double cropping to single cropping in 1991, with consistently different fertilization treatments. The fertilization treatments include (i) chemical fertilizer, (ii) chemical fertilizer + rice straw, (iii) chemical fertilizer + cattle manure compost, and (iv)

This study was conducted to determine the effects of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs) on growth, root system development, nutrient absorption, and expression of genes related to root development in rice seedlings. Bacillus pumilus TUAT1, a beneficial PGPR bacterium that is used as a component of commercially available biofertilizer, was inoculated onto rice seedlings once weekly for 3 weeks

(2019). Abstracts of Nippon Dojo-Hiryogaku Zasshi. Soil Science and Plant Nutrition: Vol. 65, No. 5, pp. 534-535.

Mungbean is an important crop species cultivated in Southeast Asia and middle east regions where expanded salinity is a central point restricting plant development and yield profitability. In the present study, the impact of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) inoculation on improving biomass, plant resilience, nodulation, AM colonization, sporulation, yield, yield traits, nutrient concentration and uptake

Our analyses revealed the spatial variability of the vertical distribution of fallout radiocesium measured in small cylindrical soil cores taken in a non-disturbed paddy field contaminated by the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident in 2011. The field is in Iitate Village 40km northwest of FDNPP and had been designated as an off-limit area. In December 2012, soil samples were taken

Despite the economic importance of sorghum in Sudan, its productivity is low. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) enhance sorghum growth, survival, and nutrient uptake, and their manipulation may have potential in mitigating biotic and abiotic stresses during droughts. However, information on the AMF community in Sudan and the host-AMF specificity at the sorghum genotype level are unknown. We investigated

Soil color has been conventionally measured using a Munsell soil color chart. Recently launched colorimeters can also measure the color of an object at a reasonable cost. This study was undertaken to evaluate to what extent such low-cost colorimeters (< 500 USD) can be useful for soil color analysis in the laboratory as compared with conventional colorimeters (> 3000 USD) and a Munsell soil color chart

Breeding new rice cultivars that are tolerant to low-nutrient condition is a solution to saving the usage of commercial fertilizer. We isolated Hitomebore EMS mutant, 520-6. Seedling growth of 520-6 is tolerant to low-nutrient supply, especially to low phosphorus (low P) supply and genetic mapping revealed the existence of nonsynonymous substitution within Os03g0793500 9th exon in 520-6. Os03g0793500

Radiocesium (RCs) discharged by the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (Tokyo Electric Power Co., Inc.) accident has extensively contaminated agricultural land in Fukushima Prefecture and its neighboring areas. Many studies have demonstrated that Cs (RCs and 133Cs) uptake of plants is affected by the exchangeable K (Ex-K) concentration in soil. However, the precise plant–soil interaction in relation

Excessive input of nitrogen fertilizer causes nitrogen pollution in aquatic environments. Utilizing microbial inoculants seems to be effective in decreasing the extent of nitrogen fertilizer application. Genome sequencing analysis of Azoarcus sp. strain KH32C, which was isolated from a paddy-upland rotation paddy field in Japan, showed that the strain may interact with plants. In this study, we examined

Camelina sativa is an oilseed crop that produces large quantities of oil and has several agronomic traits that are advantageous. Recently, C. sativa has gained attention as a feedstock for biofuel production because of these properties. Different studies have been performed in many countries to improve C. sativa yield. In this study, we focused on using soil-dwelling bacteria to improve the yield of

Plant nitrogen (N)-acquisition strategy affects soil N availability, community structure, and vegetation productivity. Cultivated grasslands are widely established to improve degraded pastures, but little information is available to evaluate the link between N uptake preference and forage crop biomass. Here an in-situ 15N labeling experiment was conducted in the four cultivated grasslands of Inner