ABSTRACT Nitrogen (N) fixation by rhizobia plays an important role in N assimilation of soybean (Glycine max). Nitrogenase, the enzyme responsible for N fixation in rhizobia, contains a large amount of sulfur (S) molecules and requires phosphorus (P) in adenosine triphosphate. Thus, S and P are essential for plant growth and N fixation by rhizobia. However, P in soils forms insoluble PO43 – salts with

ABSTRACT Increasing carbon storage in soil is a potential measure against global warming, but the mechanisms of carbon accumulation in soil are not well understood. Clarifying the mechanism would help in the development of new methods for soil carbon storage, such as in agricultural systems. We grew high-biomass forage rice cultivars for 11 years under conditions of potassium and silicic acid deficiency

ABSTRACT We designed a new approach for modeling the nitrous oxide (N2O) derived from nitrogen (N) mineralization associated with loss of soil organic matter (SOM) that meets the current IPCC guidelines (GL) because the method currently used in the National GHG Inventory Report (NIR) of Japan does not. Loss of soil carbon (C) was calculated by using the previously developed nationwide soil C calculation

ABSTRACT The capacity for regeneration of the substrate for Rubisco, ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP), is one of the candidates for the bottleneck in photosynthesis in transgenic rice plants with overproduction of Rubisco. As the overproduction of chloroplast glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) was suggested to slightly enhance RuBP regeneration capacity, transgenic rice plants with co-overproduction

ABSTRACT We monitored fatty acid compositions of the triacylglycerol (TAG) fractions in flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) seeds cultivated in pots with different seeding dates and nitrogen (N) fertilizing conditions in a temperate region Wakayama, Japan. Five flax cultivars were seeded in early and late December 2017, and in late January 2018, and matured in April, May, June and July in the order of planting

ABSTRACT Intercropping with cereal and phosphorus (P)-mobilizing leguminous crops is a traditional agricultural practice in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is essential to evaluate the effect of intercropping (i.e., rhizosphere sharing) on fractionated rhizosphere soil P dynamics under the various soil P conditions and legumes, to improve the soil-plant P dynamics in this region. This study aimed to identify

ABSTRACT Transferring plants between different nutritional media is a common technique in plant nutrition research. Solidified sterile media are often used for plant culture and subsequent transfer experiments. Transplanting is generally performed one plant at a time using sterile tweezers. This method has several challenges: it is time-consuming, which makes analyzing short-term responses to nutritional

ABSTRACT Surface geology is a key factor regulating the geographical patterns of P export; however, geographically extensive data on P export mechanisms from natural coastal mountain regions are lacking. We compared stream-water characteristics in forested headwater catchments with different types of surface geology (marine sedimentary rocks [MSRs] and igneous rocks [IRs]) and evaluated the factors

ABSTRACT Calcareous, alkaline and kaolinite soils, despite external P fertilization, are low in plant extractable P because of their P fixing nature. Use of Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) are eco-friendly technologies for enhancing plant P nutrition and total crop production. However, use of potentially viable amongst numerous strains is of significant

(2021). Correction. Soil Science and Plant Nutrition. Ahead of Print.

ABSTRACT Identifying the soil properties that control soil organic carbon (SOC) storage is a critical step to monitor and manage SOC at regional and global scales. While clay content has been commonly used to explain SOC variation and to model SOC dynamics, recent studies point to the significant control of extractable metal phases such as pyrophosphate extractable Al (Alp) for a range of soil types

ABSTRACT Precise use of fertilizers has been a focal point in world agriculture for years because it increases crop production and reduces the negative impact of over-fertilization. Smart fertilizer management using information/data, sensors, and smart tools allows correct fertilization in precision agriculture, smart agriculture, and integrated nutrient management. Recent progress in prediction methods

ABSTRACT Soil salinization in the Yellow River Delta, China, is a matter of concern from agricultural and environmental perspectives. This study characterizes the relationship between the permeability and microstructure of saline–alkali soil. Soil microstructure, including mineral composition, pore distribution, and particle morphology of soils at different depths, was analyzed using X-ray diffraction

ABSTRACT Soil acidification induced by nitrogen (N) deposition has important effects on species diversity and ecosystem function. The potential role of phosphorous (P) limitation on these effects was overlooked and observed only after decades of atmospheric N deposition. Few studies have addressed the long-term effect of P addition on soil acidification resulting from N deposition. Changes in precipitation

ABSTRACT Fertilizer-derived P is accumulated in cropland soils and their phytoavailability is variable depending on the speciation of P, which is affected by soil properties. In this study, we aimed to clarify how soil properties affect the speciation of P accumulated in fertilized soils. Soil samples were collected from the cultivated soil layers of 137 vegetable fields in Aichi prefecture, Japan

ABSTRACT Rice cultivation and ruminants are the top two sources of methane (CH4), a potent greenhouse gas, in agriculture. The supplementation of ruminants with cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL), a by-product of the cashew nut industry, can reduce CH4 production through alteration of the rumen microbiota. To assess the effects of CNSL addition and its rate on rice growth and CH4 emissions from a paddy

ABSTRACT The soil cation exchange capacity (CEC), which is contributed by constant and variable charges, is a vital indicator of soil fertility and affects elemental cycling. Climate is expected to affect soil CEC by controlling soil secondary minerals and organic matter distributions. The objective of this study was to clarify the effects of climate on the charge characteristics of the soil in Mt

ABSTRACT To clarify the effects of long-term fertilization on the depth profile of plant nutrients and soil acidity in non-allophanic Andosols, a soil survey was conducted on fertilized grassland and adjacent secondary forest in Kuju highland, Oita Prefecture, Japan. Both of the experimental plots had been managed as a semi-natural grassland (managed by cutting, mowing, and burning for raising cows)

ABSTRACT Anaeromyxobacter and Geobacter, iron-reducing bacteria belonging to Deltaproteobacteria, are newly discovered nitrogen-fixing bacteria predominant in paddy soils. We hypothesized that adding ferric iron oxide as an electron acceptor for respiration of the iron-reducing bacteria could enhance the nitrogen-fixing activity of Anaeromyxobacter and Geobacter in paddy soils. In the soil microcosm

ABSTRACT This study aimed to explore the effect of Chinese milk vetch (CMV) on soil fertility and rice production in double rice cropping systems. A field experiment was conducted including the following six treatments: Ck (no NPK mineral fertilizer and no CMV), CMV0 (NPK mineral fertilizer and no CMV), and CMV1–4 (NPK mineral fertilizer and 7500 kg ha−1 CMV, 15,000 kg ha−1 CMV, 22,500 kg ha−1 CMV

(2020). Preface to the special section “Research frontiers on the use of sensing technologies and ICT for soil and fertilizer managements (Sensing-ICT)”. Soil Science and Plant Nutrition: Vol. 66, No. 6, pp. 797-797.

ABSTRACT Present climate and socioeconomic issues would threaten the global food and environmental security. Smart farming (SF) based on advances in sensing, robotic, and information and communication technologies is a promising approach to support the efficient, sustainable, and profitable crop production. This paper discusses the background needs for SF and the role of remote sensing. Recent advances

ABSTRACT Farmland in the Fukushima region of Japan experienced unprecedented radioactive contamination as a result of the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant disaster in 2011. Many fields (4,950 ha; over 30,000 fields to date) have been decontaminated by replacing the top surface soil with non-contaminated soil. However, the fertility of these fields is quite low and within-field heterogeneity is marked

(2020). Acknowledgment to the Reviewers. Soil Science and Plant Nutrition: Vol. 66, No. 6, pp. 919-920.

ABSTRACT Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) is an important industrial crop in fiber production. This study is aimed to isolate specific germplazms with high potassium efficiency. Totally 50 flax germplazms were planted in an experimental field in Heilongjiang, China (126°28′E, 46°27′N). Fertilizer was applied under the soil before seeding with two potassium levels (K0, 0 kg/ha K2SO4; K50, 50 kg/ha K2SO4)

(2021). Correction. Soil Science and Plant Nutrition. Ahead of Print.

ABSTRACT Agriculture depends on nitrogen (N) fertilizer, but its continuous application also causes several serious ecological and environmental problems. In desert oasis farmlands, environmental issues caused by N loss from excessive chemical N application have been previously reported. However, assessed N loss from desert oasis farmland ecosystems in northwestern China is lacking. Here, we assess

ABSTRACT There have been few studies in Japan on the effects of the application of lime materials, especially in regard to the soil calcium-to-magnesium ratio (Ca:Mg). The aim of this study was to explore the effects of changes in the soil Ca:Mg on soybean growth via pot and field tests over two growing seasons: 2018–2019. The field tests were conducted in two different fields, one in each year, and

ABSTRACT The increasing demand for sugarcane residue to produce industrial biofuels competes with organic-matter inputs to tropical soils for increasing fertility. Soil nitrogen (N) availability to plants and carbon (C) storage can be optimized by the selection of substrate types and quantities. We tested whether substrate-induced microbial growth increases soil N mineralization and C stabilization

(2021). Acknowledgment to the Reviewers. Soil Science and Plant Nutrition. Ahead of Print.

ABSTRACT Salinity is one of the major problems when it comes to soil fertility and agricultural productivity. In this regard, this study aimed to elucidate the influence of four salinity levels (0, 20, 50, 100 mM NaCl) on the soybean growth and the nodulation by rhizobia inoculated on the soybean variety CNS. Additionally, the compatibility of soybean varieties with the seven representative strains

ABSTRACT The root phosphorus (P) uptake efficiency (RE), defined as plant P uptake per unit root mass or root area, may contribute to the P efficiency of upland rice grown in acid, P-deficient soils. The identification of root traits conferring RE of rice has been compromised by the lack of attention given to P speciation when evaluating P-mining mechanisms. Here we disentangled the effect of soluble

(2020). Abstracts of Nippon Dojo-Hiryogaku Zasshi. Soil Science and Plant Nutrition. Ahead of Print.

(2020). Abstracts of Nippon Dojo-Hiryogaku Zasshi 91-03. Soil Science and Plant Nutrition: Vol. 66, No. 4, pp. 662-663.

ABSTRACT Nickel (Ni) is an essential cofactor for various microbial enzymes, but in higher plants, few Ni-containing enzymes (e.g., urease) have been identified. Here, we explored the use of liquid chromatography–inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) to identify novel Ni-containing proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana. Water-soluble proteins were extracted from the roots of A. thaliana,

ABSTRACT Increasing soil organic carbon (SOC) content in agricultural fields is one of the strategies for mitigating climate change through carbon (C) sequestration, and could improve soil fertility. However, only a few field experimental studies have been conducted to determine the SOC stock changes in tropical areas. A field experiment was conducted under various soil management approaches in a maize-mung

ABSTRACT Mycorrhizal symbiosis may help plants to compensate the water deficit-induced macronutrients, secondary metabolites and osmotic adjustments as the basis of crop production. The present investigation was undertaken to evaluate the physiological responses of the lavender (Lavandula officinalis L.), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) and thyme (Thymus vulgaris) host plants to inoculation with

ABSTRACT Burial of the surface soil by volcanic ash deposition plays roles in organic matter accumulation. Assuming that decomposition of the buried humus is limited solely by labile substrate inputs, glucose inputs are hypothesized to stimulate microbial activity in buried humic horizons. We describe patterns of microbial mineralization of 14C-labeled glucose in volcanic soil profiles to test whether

ABSTRACT Many crops are colonized with arbuscular mycorrhizae fungi (AMF), which can efficiently absorb nutrient from the soil and induce plant immunity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of AMF and rock phosphate (P) fertilizer applications on available P and some secondary plant metabolite in robusta coffee. The experiments were laid out in a 3 × 4 factorial randomized complete

ABSTRACT Genetic variations in the root traits of rice remain unexplored in relation to varietal groups and diverse ecosystems. Therefore, we evaluated 257 Bangladeshi accessions, which included landraces and improved varieties belonging to four ecotypes (Aus, Aman, Boro and Jhum), to understand genetic variations in the total root length (TRL), maximum root length and root number under different concentrations

ABSTRACT Silicon (Si) is a beneficial element for plants, which helps to mitigate various biotic and abiotic stresses. Since the last review on Si published in this journal in 2004, great progress has been made in understanding transport system of Si in different plant species. The discovery of two different transporters for Si (Lsi1 and Lsi2) in rice led to intensive investigation of Si transporters

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to estimate local calibration models for 30 chemical and 4 physical soil properties, based on visible and near-infrared subsurface soil reflectance spectra (VNIR-SRS). Further, we discussed a case of decision-making for precision farming by a grower, using high-resolution soil maps. The experimental sites were located in rotational upland fields of taro in Saitama

ABSTRACT Combined applications of plant residues and nitrogen (N) fertilizer in agroecosystems may increase N immobilization and reduce N loss through microbial propagation using fresh organic matter (FOM). However, the effects of different carbon (C) availabilities in FOM to microbes on the immobilization of two forms of fertilizer-N (NH4+-N and NO3−-N) are still not clear. In this study, starch (high

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to investigate the current soil properties in lowland paddy fields in Peninsular Malaysia and to assess the long-term changes in the soil fertility status during 50 years after the Green Revolution. Forty paddy fields were selected close to the study sites surveyed in 1965 and grouped based on six physiographic environments: the brackish swamp (including acid

ABSTRACT Several region-specific vegetable varieties in Japan have an extensive cultivation history. Distinct tastes and aromas make them suitable for use in spices and pickles, and varieties with a high content of functional sulfur-containing compounds have been preferentially selected over the years. In the present study, we investigated the effects of different rhizosphere sulfate concentrations

ABSTRACT Azorhizobium caulinodans ORS571 is a rhizobium of the tropical legume Sesbania rostrata. This bacterium possesses the reb operon, which is associated with pathogenic R-bodies. To establish symbiosis with host plants, the expression of reb operon is suppressed at a low level by multiple regulators, such as PraR transcription factor and Lon protease. The reb operon is highly expressed in the

(2020). Preface to the special section on ‘New frontiers of the nature, function and use of volcanic soils’. Soil Science and Plant Nutrition. Ahead of Print.

ABSTRACT Azorhizobium caulinodans ORS571 is a microsymbiont of the tropical legume Sesbania rostrata. This bacterium induces nodules on the stems and roots of host plants, and fixes nitrogen in the host cells within such nodules. It is also an endophytic bacterium of some non-leguminous plants, such as Arabidopsis thaliana, rice, wheat, and tomato. It is known that this bacterium colonizes in the intercellular

ABSTRACT Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi is expected to be utilized in low input agriculture for their function to supply nutrients and water to host plants. AM fungal inoculum has been provided, but it has been known that their effect is context dependent. To clarify the factors that determine the effect of AM fungal inoculation to forage corn, a pot experiment was conducted using different indigenous

(2021). Sustainable soil management in East, South and Southeast Asia. Soil Science and Plant Nutrition: Vol. 67, No. 1, pp. 1-9.

ABSTRACT In Lotus japonicus, quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for nitrogen fixation activity (acetylene reduction activity, ARA) and seed weight are located in the same region on chromosome 4 as the gene responsible for the Fix− mutant sen1. The SEN1 gene of L. japonicus Gifu B129 has a deletion of three nucleotides in comparison with that of L. japonicus Miyakojima MG20, which results in a deletion

ABSTRACT Wide-area surveys have been conducted on a prefectural or regional scale in Japan for revealing soil chemical properties affecting soybean yield. However, they vary by region and thus, the common chemical factors through Japan remain unclear. This study aims to identify the soil chemical properties involved in soybean yield based on field data in various prefectures throughout Japan. We collected

ABSTRACT Continuous cropping often leads yield losses via deteriorated soil biological and chemical properties. In this mini review, the importance of organic matter amendment is focused in relation to the management of soilborne plant pathogens and plant parasitic nematodes. A wide range of examples are shown for organic matter amendment including composts, cover crops and simple organic compound

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 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 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

ABSTRACT 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