Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: M. Váňová Author-Workplace-Name: Agrotest Fyto, Ltd., Kroměříž, Czech Republic Author-Name: P. Matušinsky Author-Workplace-Name: Agrotest Fyto, Ltd., Kroměříž, Czech Republic Author-Name: M. Javůrek Author-Workplace-Name: Crop Research Institute, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: M. Vach Author-Workplace-Name: Crop Research Institute, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Effect of soil tillage practices on severity of selected diseases in winter wheat Abstract: Soil tillage practices involving various depth, intensity, and different methods of loosening the soil and treating plant residues have changed significantly in recent years and have spread also due to technical advance. The reasons are not only in expected benefits for crop production economics but also in preserving and increasing soil fertility. Although the practices were known for decades, their greatest development and use was seen only in the last 15 years, when decreasing production costs, efficient technology and effective herbicides were the main reasons for their development. At present, they are regarded as important alternatives to conventional management practices with moldboard plowing. Minimum soil tillage practices can contribute to effective soil management, however, risks associated with using these practices in various farming conditions shall be regarded. For cereals, these risks also include disease severity that is conditioned by several circumstances, which change along with the crop management practice, variety assortment or weather in individual years. Diseases that can be of greater importance in relation to the conservation soil tillage practice are stem-base diseases, root diseases and Fusarium head blight. Our experiments did not demonstrate an increased demand for protection against Fusarium head blight, foot diseases and take-all in the given system (three-crop rotation where wheat followed white mustard). Individual years were an important factor. Keywords: eyespot, Fusarium head blight, take-all, stem-base diseases, soil management Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 245-250 Volume: 57 Issue: 6 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.17221/334/2010-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/334/2010-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-201106-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:57:y:2011:i:6:id:334-2010-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: J.B. Wang Author-Workplace-Name: Instituteof Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, P.R. China Author-Workplace-Name: Graduate University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China Author-Name: Z.H. Chen Author-Workplace-Name: Instituteof Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, P.R. China Author-Name: L.J. Chen Author-Workplace-Name: Instituteof Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, P.R. China Author-Workplace-Name: State Key Laboratory of Forest and Soil Ecology, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, P.R. China Author-Name: A.N. Zhu Author-Workplace-Name: State Experimental Station for Agro-Ecology, State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, P.R. China Author-Name: Z.J. Wu Author-Workplace-Name: Instituteof Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, P.R. China Title: Surface soil phosphorus and phosphatase activities affected by tillage and crop residue input amounts Abstract: The effects of tillage and residue input amounts on soil phosphatase (alkaline phosphomonoesterase ALP, acid phosphomonoesterase ACP, phosphodiesterase PD, and inorganic pyrophosphatase IPP) activities and soil phosphorus (P) forms (total P, organic P, and available P) were evaluated using soils collected from a three-year experiment. The results showed that no-till increased soil total and organic P, but not available P as compared to conventional tillage treatments. Total P was increased as inputs of crop residue increased for no-till treatment. There were higher ALP and IPP activities in no-till treatments, while higher PD activity was found in tillage treatments and tillage had no significant effect on ACP activity. Overall phosphatase activities increased with an increase of crop residue amounts. Soil total P was correlated negatively with PD activity and positively with other phosphatase activities. Organic P had a positive correlation with ACP activity, but a negative correlation with PD activity. Available P had no significant correlation with phosphatase activities. Our data suggests that no-till and residue input could increase soil P contents and enhance the activities of phosphatase. Keywords: straw mulching and burying, wheat-maize rotation, soil nutrient, soil biochemical activities Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 251-257 Volume: 57 Issue: 6 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.17221/437/2010-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/437/2010-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-201106-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:57:y:2011:i:6:id:437-2010-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: S. Vršič Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University Centre of Viticulture and Enology Meranovo, Hoče, Slovenia Title: Soil erosion and earthworm population responses to soil management systems in steep-slope vineyards .. Abstract: This study is aimed at investigating the effect of different vineyard soil management systems on soil erosion and earthworm (Lumbricidae) population. Three soil management systems were investigated: permanent green cover (control), straw-cover and periodic soil tillage. Inter-row periodic soil tillage was applied in 2002 and 2003 (May and August), and straw-cover in May 2002. Periodic soil tillage resulted in increased erosion, i.e. 1746 kg/ha of soil/per year, on average. The greater portion of erosive events occurred after tillage in summer (August 2002), which was accompanied by heavy rainfall and slow renewal of grass cover (slower than in spring). The lowest average amount of soil erosion was observed in the treatment with straw-cover (56 kg/ha per year). This management system provided better environment for earthworm populations, most of which were found close to the soil surface, especially in the dry year 2003. In periodical soil tillage, the majority of earthworms were found in the soil horizon not disturbed by the tillage, i.e. at the depth of 10-20 cm. The lowest number of earthworms (only 2 per m2) was recorded in the herbicide intra-row strip. Keywords: grapevine, tillage, straw-cover, permanent green-cover Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 258-263 Volume: 57 Issue: 6 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.17221/439/2010-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/439/2010-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-201106-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:57:y:2011:i:6:id:439-2010-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: J. Pokorný Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Crop Production, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: J. Pulkrábek Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Crop Production, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: P. Štranc Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Crop Production, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: D. Bečka Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Crop Production, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Photosynthetic activity of selected genotypes of hops (Humulus lupulus L.) in critical periods for yield formation Abstract: This paper evaluates the influence of genotype on the photosynthetic activity of hops in the period critical for generating yield. Results over three years from measuring the photosynthesis rate statistically show an increase in the photosynthetic activity of hop plants in the flowering stage. The average photosynthetic rates from measurements on the second date (BBA 65) in the years 2007, 2008, and 2009 increased by 17.9%, 45.6%, and 49.2%, respectively. Different photosynthesis curve trends during the final stage of ontogenesis of the plants indicate the maturity level of each hop genotype. As regards the genotypes for which photosynthesis did not reduce significantly, it may be assumed that such plants had not reached technical maturity. The results from the three-year study also show that any promising genotype, with respect to the photosynthesis rate and yield, is the result of breeding of new varieties with greater resistance to drought and high temperatures. Very good results in photosynthetic activity were reached by the new varieties exhibiting high yield and a similar chemical composition to Saaz hop and those sharing the same origins to Saaz, showing a higher content of bitter substances. In 2008 and 2009, all three new forms reached yield levels of 2.35 to 3.12 t/ha of dry hops. Keywords: hops, photosynthesis rate, varieties, hop cone yield Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 264-270 Volume: 57 Issue: 6 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.17221/30/2011-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/30/2011-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-201106-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:57:y:2011:i:6:id:30-2011-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: D.S. Sun Author-Workplace-Name: MOE Key Laboratory of Arid and Grassland Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, P.R. China Author-Name: K. Wesche Author-Workplace-Name: Karsten Wesche, Botany Department, Senckenberg Natural History Museum, Goerlitz, Germany Author-Name: D.D. Chen Author-Workplace-Name: MOE Key Laboratory of Arid and Grassland Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, P.R. China Author-Name: S.H. Zhang Author-Workplace-Name: MOE Key Laboratory of Arid and Grassland Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, P.R. China Author-Name: G.L. Wu Author-Workplace-Name: State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A and F University, Yangling, P.R. China Author-Name: G.Z. Du Author-Workplace-Name: MOE Key Laboratory of Arid and Grassland Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, P.R. China Author-Name: N.B. Comerford Author-Workplace-Name: Soil and Water Science Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA Title: Grazing depresses soil carbon storage through changing plant biomass and composition in a Tibetan alpine meadow Abstract: Grazing-induced variations in vegetation may either accelerate or reduce soil carbon storage through changes in litter quantity and quality. Here, a three-year field study (2005-2007) was conducted in Tibetan alpine meadow to address the responses of surface soil (0-15 cm) organic carbon (SOC) storage in the plant growing season (from May to September) to varying grazing intensity (represented by the residual aboveground biomass, with G0, G1, G2, and G3 standing for 100%, 66%, 55%, and 30% biomass residual, respectively), and to explore whether grazing-induced vegetation changes depress or facilitate SOC storage. Our results showed that: (i) Higher grazing intensity resulted in lower biomass of grasses and sedges, lower root biomass, and in a change in plant community composition from palatable grasses and sedges to less palatable forbs. (ii) Increased grazing reduced the SOC content and storage with only G3 showing an SOC loss during the plant growing season. (iii) Soil organic carbon storage exhibited a highly positive correlation with the residual aboveground biomass and root biomass. Our results imply that a grazing-induced reduction in plant biomass productivity and changes in species composition would depress soil carbon storage, and that an increase in grazing pressure can lead to a gradual change of alpine meadow soils from being 'carbon sinks' to become 'carbon sources'. Keywords: ground cover, root biomass, summer pasture, soil carbon loss, grazing management Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 271-278 Volume: 57 Issue: 6 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.17221/7/2011-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/7/2011-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-201106-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:57:y:2011:i:6:id:7-2011-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: M. Robiul Islam Author-Workplace-Name: National Research Center for Intelligent Agricultural Equipments, Beijing, P.R. China Author-Workplace-Name: College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, P.R. China Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agronomy and Agricultural Extension, Rajshahi University, Rajshahi, Author-Name: Z. Zeng Author-Workplace-Name: College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, P.R. China Author-Name: J. Mao Author-Workplace-Name: National Research Center for Intelligent Agricultural Equipments, Beijing, P.R. China Author-Workplace-Name: College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, P.R. China Author-Name: A. Egrinya Eneji Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Soil Science, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria Author-Name: X. Xue Author-Workplace-Name: National Research Center for Intelligent Agricultural Equipments, Beijing, P.R. China Author-Name: Y. Hu Author-Workplace-Name: College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, P.R. China Title: Feasibility of summer corn (Zea mays L.) production in drought affected areas of northern China using water-saving superabsorbent polymer Abstract: In arid and semiarid regions of northern China, there is an increasing interest in using water-saving superabsorbent polymer (SAP) for field crop production. Experiments were conducted during 2009 and 2010 to study the growth and yield characteristics of summer corn (Zea mays L.) under different (control, 0; low, 10; medium, 20; high, 30 and very high, 40 kg/ha) rates of SAP in a drought-affected field of northern China. Corn yield increased slightly following SAP application at low and medium rate, but significantly at high and very high rates by 22.4 and 27.8%. At the same time, plant height, stem diameter, leaf area, biomass accumulation, harvest index and relative water content as well as protein, sugar and starch contents in the grain increased significantly following SAP treatments. The optimum application of superabsorbent polymer for corn cultivation in the study area would be 30 kg/ha as it best increased the grain yield and quality and maintained higher levels of soil nutrients. Lower rates (10 and20 kg/ha) or higher (≥ 40 kg/ha) rates would neither be sufficient nor economical. We suggest that the application of SAP at 30 kg/ha could be an efficient and economic soil management practice for summer corn production in the drought affected regions of northern China or other areas with similar ecologies. Keywords: drought stress, soil water conservation, grain yield, soil fertility Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 279-285 Volume: 57 Issue: 6 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.17221/101/2011-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/101/2011-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-201106-0006.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:57:y:2011:i:6:id:101-2011-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: H. Wang Author-Workplace-Name: Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of MOE, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin Province, P.R. China Author-Name: Z. Wu Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agronomy, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin Province, Author-Name: Y. Chen Author-Workplace-Name: Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of MOE, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin Province, P.R. China Author-Name: C. Yang Author-Workplace-Name: Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of MOE, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin Province, P.R. China Author-Name: D. Shi Author-Workplace-Name: Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of MOE, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin Province, P.R. China Title: Effects of salt and alkali stresses on growth and ion balance in rice (Oryza sativa L.) Abstract: Rice seedlings were stressed with salt stress or alkali stress. The growth, organic acids (OAs) and inorganic ions in stressed seedlings were measured to investigate the physiological adaptive mechanism by which rice tolerates alkali stress. The results showed that the injury effect of alkali stress on rice was stronger than salt stress. Under salt stress, inorganic anions were dominant in maintaining intracellular ionic equilibrium; however, under alkali stress, the contents of inorganic anions decreased, which caused a severe deficit of negative charge. The deficit of negative charge was remedied by greatly accumulated OAs, especially malate and citrate, and OAs were the dominant components and contributed to 61-81% of total negative charge, indicating that OA accumulation might be necessary for intracellular ion balance in rice. In addition, the OA metabolism adjustment of rice differed from that of other plant species, implying that rice may have a special alkali-tolerance mechanism. Keywords: ion accumulation, osmotic regulation, inorganic ion, organic acid, change balance Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 286-294 Volume: 57 Issue: 6 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.17221/36/2011-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/36/2011-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-201106-0007.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:57:y:2011:i:6:id:36-2011-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: S.A. Abro Author-Workplace-Name: College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, P.R. China Author-Name: X.H. Tian Author-Workplace-Name: College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, P.R. China Author-Name: D.H. You Author-Workplace-Name: College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, P.R. China Author-Name: X.D. Wang Author-Workplace-Name: College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, P.R. China Title: Emission of carbon dioxide influenced by nitrogen and water levels from soil incubated straw Abstract: An incubation study was carried out to investigate the influence of nitrogen rates to determine optimum C/N ratio under various moisture levels for straw decomposition and sequester carbon (C) in the soil. The aim was to observe straw carbon mineralization through measuring the amount of CO2 evolution. A clay loam topsoil mixed with maize straw was supplied with four nitrogen rates (0.04, 0.08, 0.16, 0.32 g N/kg) using (NH4)2SO4 to adjust C/N ratios at 82, 42, 20, and 10. Soil moisture was maintained at 55%, 70%, 85%, and 100% of field capacity incubated at 25°C for 53 days. The experiment was set up with 16 treatments arranged in complete randomized design. Results showed that mixing of straw with soil increased 50% cumulative CO2-C compared to controls. Averagely, about 44% of added maize straw C was mineralized to CO2-C. Straw addition along with nitrogen and moisture had significant relationships (P < 0.05) to cumulative CO2-C, soil organic C and microbial biomass C. There was a highly significant relationship (R2 = 0.99) between CO2-C emission and incubation time. Keywords: CO2-C evolution, moisture, nitrogen, straw decomposition Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 295-300 Volume: 57 Issue: 6 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.17221/387/2010-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/387/2010-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-201106-0008.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:57:y:2011:i:6:id:387-2010-PSE