Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: T.Y. Ning Author-Workplace-Name: State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Slow/Controlled Release Fertilizers, Agronomy College, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong, P.R. China Author-Name: G.Q. Shao Author-Workplace-Name: Agrotechnology Extension Station, Agricultural Bureau of Weishan County, Jining, Shandong, P.R. China Author-Name: Z.J. Li Author-Workplace-Name: State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Slow/Controlled Release Fertilizers, Agronomy College, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong, P.R. China Author-Name: H.F. Han Author-Workplace-Name: State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Slow/Controlled Release Fertilizers, Agronomy College, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong, P.R. China Author-Name: H.G. Hu Author-Workplace-Name: State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Slow/Controlled Release Fertilizers, Agronomy College, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong, P.R. China Author-Name: Y. Wang Author-Workplace-Name: State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Slow/Controlled Release Fertilizers, Agronomy College, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong, P.R. China Author-Name: S.Z. Tian Author-Workplace-Name: State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Slow/Controlled Release Fertilizers, Agronomy College, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong, P.R. China Author-Name: S.Y. Chi Author-Workplace-Name: College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai?an, Shandong, P.R. China Title: Effects of urea types and irrigation on crop uptake, soil residual, and loss of nitrogen in maize field on the North China Plain Abstract: Water and nitrogen managements are both very important to increase crop yield. An experiment was carried out in split plot design to study the effects of urea types (normal urea and coated urea) and irrigation on soil and fertilizer nitrogen use in maize (Zea mays L.) field in 2006 and 2007. Irrigation was used as main plot, and urea types were used as split-plot. Two irrigation levels, no irrigation in the whole growth duration and 85 mm irrigation at the blister stage, were designed. There were five nitrogen treatments, which were no nitrogen used as control (N0), normal urea 75 kg N/ha (N1), normal urea 150 kg N/ha (N2), coated urea 75 kg N/ha (C1) and coated urea 150 kg N/ha (C2). The results showed that, at the same level of irrigation and nitrogen, the soil nitrogen contents of the treatments with coated urea (CU) applied were higher in 0~40 cm soil layers, but lower in deeper soil layers, than those with normal urea (NU) applied. Irrigation increased the nitrate losing, but the nitrate loss of CU was lower than those of NU. Using CU with irrigation could increase the nitrogen uptake by maize, and more nitrogen was transfered to grain. At the same nitrogen level, CU had higher N recovery efficiency but lower soil N dependent rate than NU. When applied with CU, the nitrogen release rate was lower and the nitrogen was quickly absorbed by maize, which reduced the risk of nitrogen loss and increased the use efficiency of soil and fertilizer nitrogen. These results suggest that coated urea combined with deficit irrigation should be applied for high yield and nitrogen use efficiency of maize on the North China Plain. Keywords: irrigation, coated urea, maize, nitrate nitrogen, nitrogen utilization Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 1-8 Volume: 58 Issue: 1 Year: 2012 DOI: 10.17221/156/2011-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/156/2011-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-201201-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:58:y:2012:i:1:id:156-2011-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: A. Madani Author-Workplace-Name: Gonabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Gonabad, Iran Author-Name: A.H. Makarem Author-Workplace-Name: Varamin-Pishva, Islamic Azad University, Varamin, Iran Author-Name: F. Vazin Author-Workplace-Name: Gonabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Gonabad, Iran Author-Name: M. Joudi Author-Workplace-Name: Agriculture Faculty, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Moghan, Iran Title: The impact of post-anthesis nitrogen and water availability on yield formation of winter wheat Abstract: The effects of irrigation regimes (full irrigation and water-withholding at anthesis) and post-anthesis nitrogen supplies (LN: 0, MN: 20 and HN: 40 kg N/ha) on grain yield and its components in winter wheat were studied, with attention to biomass gain by assimilation and its loss by respiration. Fully-irrigated wheat responded to N fertilization with increased grain number (GN) and decreased grain weight (GW) and achieved similar grain yields (5.2 to 5.5 t/ha) at different N supplies. However, drought-stressed wheat responded to N with higher GN without significant changes in GW, and achieved higher grain yields (2.7 vs. 3.3 t/ha) with HN compared to LN. Net assimilation rates during grain filling (NARg) increased with increasing post-anthesis N fertilization for drought-stressed wheat (NARg: 3.8 and 4.5 g/m/day for LN and HN). Apparent whole-plant respiration (RA) was not influenced by increased post-anthesis N fertilizer. Thus, in drought-stressed wheat, the total biomass and straw yield at maturity were increased by increasing N supply. These results suggest that high N supply at anthesis satisfied the grains' increased demand for N by increasing post-floral assimilation, and the surplus assimilates not only compensated for the low-N-induced biomass loss by respiration but may also have increased the Keywords: biomass, drought, grain number, grain weight, photosynthesis, respiration Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 9-14 Volume: 58 Issue: 1 Year: 2012 DOI: 10.17221/299/2011-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/299/2011-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-201201-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:58:y:2012:i:1:id:299-2011-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: J. Lachman Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: M. Orsák Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: V. Pivec Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: K. Jírů Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Antioxidant activity of grain of einkorn (Triticum mono-coccum L.), emmer (Triticum dicoccum Schuebl [Schrank]) and spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties Abstract: Wheat and cereals generally are largely consumed worldwide and contribute significantly to antioxidant intake with beneficial health effects. In the precise two-year field experiments, two varieties of wheat einkorn, two varieties of emmer wheat and three varieties of spring wheat in 2008 and moreover further two spring wheat varieties, three einkorn varieties and three emmer wheat varieties in 2009, were evaluated for antioxidant activity (AOA) using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay (DPPH). The higher grain AOA was observed in emmer (215.4-257.6 mg Trolox/kg DM) and einkorn (149.8-255.8 mg Trolox/kg DM) varieties, while in spring varieties the AOA ranged between 195.8 and 210.0 mg Trolox/kg DM. A linear correlation between total polyphenols and AOA was determined (r = 0.739, P ≤ 0.05). Emmer and einkorn wheat varieties showed high AOA and can be promising sources of these nutritionally appreciated grain constituents. Keywords: minority wheat varieties, radical scavenging activity Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 15-21 Volume: 58 Issue: 1 Year: 2012 DOI: 10.17221/300/2011-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/300/2011-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-201201-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:58:y:2012:i:1:id:300-2011-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Q.J. Liu Author-Workplace-Name: MicroelementsResearch Center, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, P.R. China Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology for Agro-Products, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China Author-Name: C.M. Zheng Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology for Agro-Products, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China Author-Name: C.X. Hu Author-Workplace-Name: MicroelementsResearch Center, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, P.R. China Author-Name: Q.L. Tan Author-Workplace-Name: MicroelementsResearch Center, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, P.R. China Author-Name: X.C. Sun Author-Workplace-Name: MicroelementsResearch Center, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, P.R. China Author-Name: J.J. Su Author-Workplace-Name: MicroelementsResearch Center, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, P.R. China Title: Effects of high concentrations of soil arsenic on the growth of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L) and rape (Brassica napus) Abstract: Soil arsenic (As) levels are particularly high in parts of China, where wheat and rape are widely grown. Understanding the effects of As concentration on the growth of these two major crops is of significance for food production and security in China. A pot experiment was carried out to study the uptake of As and phosphorus (P), and the soil As bioavailability at different growth stages of wheat and rape. The results indicated that winter wheat was much more sensitive to As stress than rape. Wheat yields were elevated at low rates of As addition (< 60 mg/kg) but reduced at high rates of As concentrations (80-100 mg/kg); while the growth of rape hadn't showed significant responses to As addition. Phosphorus concentrations in wheat at jointing and ear sprouting stages increased with increasing soil As concentrations, and these increases were assumed to contribute a lot to enhanced growth of wheat at low As treatments. Arsenic did not significantly affect P concentrations in rape either. The highest As concentrations in wheat shoot and rape leaf were 8.31 and 3.63 mg/kg, respectively. Arsenic concentrations in wheat and rape grains did not exceed the maximum permissible limit for food stuffs of 1.0 mg/kg. When soil As concentration was less than 60 mg/kg, both wheat and rape could grow satisfactorily without adverse effects; when soil As concentration was 80-100 mg/kg, rape was more suitable to be planted than wheat. Keywords: arsenic, stimulation, phytotoxicity, phosphorus Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 22-27 Volume: 58 Issue: 1 Year: 2012 DOI: 10.17221/311/2011-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/311/2011-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-201201-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:58:y:2012:i:1:id:311-2011-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: J.J. Wang Author-Workplace-Name: State Key Laboratory of Forest and Soil Ecology, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, P.R. China Author-Workplace-Name: Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, P.R. China Author-Name: X.Y. Li 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 Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, P.R. China Author-Name: X.K. Zhang 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: H.W. Zhang 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: W.J. Liang Author-Workplace-Name: State Key Laboratory of Forest and Soil Ecology, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, P.R. China Title: Effects of tillage and residue management on soil microbial communities in North China Abstract: The impacts of tillage system (conventional tillage and no-tillage) and residue management (0, 50, and 100%) on soil properties and soil microbial community structure were determined in the Fengqiu State Key Agro-Ecological Experimental Station, North China. The microbial community structure was investigated by phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiles. The results showed that tillage had significant effects on soil properties and soil microbial communities. In no-tillage (NT), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), total N, microbial biomass carbon/soil organic carbon (MBC/SOC), total microbes, and arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi increased, while actinomycetes, G+/G- bacteria ratio and monounsaturated fatty acids/saturated fatty acids (MUFA/STFA) decreased, compared with those in conventional tillage (CT). Residue had a significant positive effect on C/N ratio and MUFA/STFA. Canonical correspondence analysis indicated that tillage explained 76.1%, and residue management explained 0.6% of the variations in soil microbial communities, respectively. Soil microbial communities were significantly correlated with MBC, total N, C/N ratio and MBC/SOC. Among the six treatments, NT with 100% residue application obviously improved soil microbiological properties, and could be a proper management practice in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain of China. Keywords: arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi, microbial biomass carbon, no-tillage, PLFA, soil organic carbon Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 28-33 Volume: 58 Issue: 1 Year: 2012 DOI: 10.17221/416/2011-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/416/2011-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-201201-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:58:y:2012:i:1:id:416-2011-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 Author-Name: T. Vodovnik Author-Workplace-Name: The Maribor Agriculture and Forestry Institute, Maribor, Slovenia Title: Reactions of grape varieties to climate changes in North East Slovenia Abstract: This work examined the trend of changes in temperature from 1950 to 2009 recorded by the Maribor meteorological station, and from 1980 to 2009 the dynamics of grape ripening of early-, medium late-, and late-ripening vine varieties in the Slovenian Styria wine-growing region in North East Slovenia. Based on the data associated with the content of soluble solids, total acidity, and the recommended date of harvest in a particular year, the trends towards shortening of the grapevine growing period were calculated. In general, temperature changes were more significant since 1980 than between 1950 and 1979. The mean annual and seasonal temperature significantly increased, i.e. 0.06°C per year. The growing season was shortened in all studied varieties from 15 to 27 days. Trends showed significantly decreasing content of total acidity, which can be considered explicitly as a consequence of higher temperatures during the growth period and ripening of grape berries. Grapes now ripen at temperatures which are approximately by 2°C higher than 30 years ago. Regarding the total acidity content of the late-ripening varieties, the influence of higher temperatures is positive. Minor changes were found in precipitations rates. Keywords: vine, growth period, grape ripeness Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 34-41 Volume: 58 Issue: 1 Year: 2012 DOI: 10.17221/352/2011-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/352/2011-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-201201-0006.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:58:y:2012:i:1:id:352-2011-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: A.R. Hosseinpur Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Soil Science, College of Agriculture, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran Author-Name: M. Zarenia Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Soil Science, College of Agriculture, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran Title: Evaluating chemical extractants to estimate available potassium for pinto beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) in some calcareous soils Abstract: Evaluation of the nutrient status in soil is important for nutritional, environmental, and economical aspects. The objective of this study was to determine potassium (K) available to Pinto beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) in 15 soils from the Charmahal Va Bakhtyari province. The treatments included two K levels [0 and 200 mg K/kg as potassium sulfate (K2SO4)] and 15 soils in a factorial experiment in a randomized block design with three replications. The results indicated that in some soils K application increased yield, K concentration and K uptake by bean. The 9 extracting solutions used in this study were classified in 4 groups on the basis of the mechanism of the extraction. The first group of extractants were acidic extractants, boiling 1 mol/L HNO3, 0.1 mol/L HNO3, 0.1 mol/L HCl, and Mehlich 1. The second group includes 0.1 mol/L BaCl2, and 0.01 mol/L CaCl2. The third group includes 1 mol/L NH4OAc (ammonium acetate), and AB-DTPA (ammonium bicarbonate-diethylenetriamine pentaaceticacid), and finally distilled water. The correlation studies showed that NH4OAc, AB-DTPA,0.1 mol/L BaCl2, 0.1 mol/L HCl, and boiling 1 mol/L HNO3 could not be used as available K extractants. But the correlation of other extractants with relative yield, plant response, concentration K, and K uptake were significant. Therefore, these extracting solutions can be used as available K extractants. Potassium critical levels by extractants were also determined by Cate-Nelson method. Potassium critical levels for 90% of relative yield were 22, 190, 28, and 50 mg/kg for distilled water, 0.1 mol/L HNO3, Mehlich 1, and 0.01 mol/L CaCl2, respectively. Keywords: available K, chemical methods, bean plant, critical level Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 42-48 Volume: 58 Issue: 1 Year: 2012 DOI: 10.17221/314/2011-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/314/2011-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-201201-0007.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:58:y:2012:i:1:id:314-2011-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Kh. Elbanna Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture, Fayoum University, Fayoum, Egypt Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Biology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Author-Name: R.M. El-Shahawy Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture, Fayoum University, Fayoum, Egypt Author-Name: K.M. Atalla Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture, Fayoum University, Fayoum, Egypt Title: A new simple method for the enumeration of nitrifying bacteria in different environments Abstract: In this work, a simple, safe and rapid method for enumerating nitrifying bacteria was used as an alternative to traditional harmful chemical methods. The enumeration of nitrifying bacteria was based upon the change of color of the growth media containing pH indicators in response to acid production during nitrification. The oxidation of ammonia to strong acids by nitrifiers leads to pH decrease, which can be detected by pH indicators such as methyl orange (MO), bromocresol green (BCG), methyl red (MR), bromothymol blue (BTB), and phenol red (PhR) using the Most Probable Number (MPN) technique. The use of these pH indicators revealed a higher estimate than the classical chemical methods in all tested samples. Ammonium oxidizer counts always exceeded those of nitrite oxidizers in the surveyed environments. The time required for the detection of growth (positive tubes in MPN) was descending in the following order: MO, BCG, MR, BTB and PhR. The time to detection was shorter for ammonium oxidizers than for nitrite oxidizers. Generally, nitrifier counts were very low in soils compared with farmyard manure or sewage effluent. Incubation periods for both organisms differed from 4 to 8 weeks depended upon the indicator used. Finally, it could be concluded that the use of pH indicators, especially phenol red, as proposed in this study was accurate, sensitive and successfully applicable for the enumeration of nitrifiers in different environments. Keywords: ammonium oxidation, nitrite oxidation, Most Probable Number, pH indicators, environmental samples Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 49-53 Volume: 58 Issue: 1 Year: 2012 DOI: 10.17221/412/2011-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/412/2011-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-201201-0008.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:58:y:2012:i:1:id:412-2011-PSE