Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: M.F. Qayyum Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Plant Nutrition, Research Centre for BioSystems, Land Use and Nutrition, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan Author-Name: D. Steffens Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Plant Nutrition, Research Centre for BioSystems, Land Use and Nutrition, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany Author-Name: H.P. Reisenauer Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Organic Chemistry, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany Author-Name: S. Schubert Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Plant Nutrition, Research Centre for BioSystems, Land Use and Nutrition, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany Title: Biochars influence differential distribution and chemical composition of soil organic matter Abstract: In the present study, three soils (Ferralsol, Luvisol topsoil, and Luvisol subsoil) were amended with biochars (charcoal, hydrothermal carbonization coal (HTC) of bark, and low-temperature conversion coal of sewage sludge), wheat straw and a control (no amendment) and incubated over a period of 365 days. Each amendment was applied at a rate of 11.29 g C/kg soil. After incubation, the soils were analyzed to retrieve three density fractions (free fraction (FF), intra-aggregate fraction (IAF), and heavy fraction) which were analyzed for total carbon (TC) contents and scanned by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The biochars and straw significantly increased the TC contents of soils as compared to control. Among soil organic matter (SOM) density fractions, higher TC contents were documented in the FF and IAF from biochar treatments as compared to the straw. The FTIR spectra of the FF from the charcoal and HTC treatments showed the presence of aluminosilicate minerals on surfaces of SOM. There were slight changes in the FF of straw and HTC treatments as compared to spectra of original amendments. The study suggests that the stability of charcoal and HTC in soils is due to the recalcitrant nature of biochar followed by occlusion into soil micro-aggregates. Keywords: carbon stabilization, C sequestration, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, density fractionation Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 337-343 Volume: 60 Issue: 8 Year: 2014 DOI: 10.17221/768/2013-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/768/2013-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-201408-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:60:y:2014:i:8:id:768-2013-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: M. Jiang Author-Workplace-Name: Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology of Jiangsu Province, Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, College of Agriculture, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, P.R. China Author-Name: X.P. Shen Author-Workplace-Name: Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology of Jiangsu Province, Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, College of Agriculture, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, P.R. China Author-Name: W. Gao Author-Workplace-Name: Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology of Jiangsu Province, Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, College of Agriculture, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, P.R. China Author-Name: M.X. Shen Author-Workplace-Name: Suzhou Key Station of Scientific Observation and Experiment of Paddy Field Author-Name: Q.G. Dai Author-Workplace-Name: Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology of Jiangsu Province, Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, College of Agriculture, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, P.R. China Title: Weed seed-bank responses to long-term fertilization in a rice-wheat rotation system Abstract: We studied the heterogeneity of soil weed seed-bank in a rice-wheat rotation system after long-term application of different organic or non-organic fertilizers, and the effects of major nutrients on the characteristics of the weed seed-bank. The soil was sampled in the Taihu area after a 31-year long-term fertilization experiment. Weed seeds were identified and counted in the surface soil of 12 differentially treated areas using microscopic examination, and analyzed by the Simpson, Shannon, Margalef, and Pielou indexes. The long-term application of organic fertilizers could significantly reduce the density of soil weed seed-bank; non-organic fertilizers and a combination of non-organic and organic fertilizers had a significant influence on the number of species and diversity of weeds. The application of organic fertilizers improved the Simpson, Shannon and Pielou indexes of soil weed seed-bank community and stabilized the community structure. In terms of the soil nutrient system itself, the soil organic materials and total nitrogen content are the main environmental factors affecting the distribution of soil weed seed-bank. Keywords: soil weed seed-bank, nutrient management, weed community, Taihu area, biodiversity Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 344-350 Volume: 60 Issue: 8 Year: 2014 DOI: 10.17221/871/2013-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/871/2013-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-201408-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:60:y:2014:i:8:id:871-2013-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: A. Das Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Bihar Agricultural University, Bhagalpur, Bihar, India Author-Name: R.P. Sharma Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agronomy, Bihar Agricultural University, Bhagalpur, Bihar, India Author-Name: N. Chattopadhyaya Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Bihar Agricultural University, Bhagalpur, Bihar, India Author-Name: R. Rakshit Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Bihar Agricultural University, Bhagalpur, Bihar, India Title: Yield trends and nutrient budgeting under a long-term (28 years) nutrient management in rice-wheat cropping system under subtropical climatic condition Abstract: We measured the long-term (28 years) sustainability of rice-wheat cropping system under integrated nutrient management practices emphasizing the trends in grain yields, sustainable yield index (SYI) and nutrient budgeting. The data of long-term experiment revealed that grain yield of both rice and wheat declined under control and sub-optimal fertilizer inputs (50% or 75% recommended fertilizer NPK). Negative yield trend (slope) was observed in control plots for rice (-0.0296) and wheat (-0.0070); whereas positive yield trend was observed under treatments receiving organic supplements. The SYI values indicate that rice yields are more sustainable than wheat. Data on apparent nutrient balance showed a deficit of N (-42.2 kg/ha/year), P (-9.1 kg/ha/year) and K (-52.2 kg/ha/year) under control plots. Surprisingly, there was net depletion of K under the organic supplemented plots. Correlation study revealed that apparent balance of K was negatively correlated with SYI (r = -0.921 for rice; r = -0.914 for wheat) and yield slope (r = -0.870 for rice; r = -0.896 for wheat). If the trend of K imbalance is not reversed, the potential to improve N and P fertilizer use efficiency and crop yields will be limited. Keywords: apparent nutrient balance, K imbalance, sustainable yield index, organics, ustochrept Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 351-357 Volume: 60 Issue: 8 Year: 2014 DOI: 10.17221/46/2014-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/46/2014-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-201408-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:60:y:2014:i:8:id:46-2014-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: M. Madaras Author-Workplace-Name: Crop Research Institute, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: M. Koubová Author-Workplace-Name: Czech Geological Survey, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: M. Smatanová Author-Workplace-Name: Central Institute for Supervising and Testing in Agriculture, Brno, Czech Republic Title: Long-term effect of low potassium fertilization on its soil fractions Abstract: In the Czech Republic, negative potassium (K) budget in agricultural soils is caused by non-fertilization by K and by a decline of manure application. We investigated soil available, fixed (acid-extractable, Kfix) and structural K pools in the field trial with graduated K application rate, established in 1972 at 8 sites of different climate and soils. The content of K-bearing minerals was evaluated on semi-quantitative scale by XRD diffraction. K-feldspars were a dominant source of structural K. Total soil K consisted of 1.7-7.1% of fixed K, which was in a positive relation to mixed-layer phyllosilicates. Differences in available K in treatments with K budget lower than -30 kg K/ha/year were small compared to those of fixed K. In control treatments, calculated average depletion of available K was -18 kg K/ha/year and the average depletion of fixed K was -12 kg K/ha/year; however at sites of higher altitude fixed K depletion prevailed. Fixed K accounted for 6-31% of the K budget. In negative K budget, monitoring of Kfix is advisable to avoid fertility loss of soil with low K supplying capacity. Keywords: plant nutrition, soil mineralogy, X-ray diffraction, non-exchangeable potassium, long-term experiments Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 358-363 Volume: 60 Issue: 8 Year: 2014 DOI: 10.17221/290/2014-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/290/2014-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-201408-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:60:y:2014:i:8:id:290-2014-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: K.J. Jankowski Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agrotechnology and Crop Management, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Olsztyn, Poland Author-Name: W.S. Budzyński Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agrotechnology and Crop Management, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Olsztyn, Poland Author-Name: Ł. Kijewski Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agrotechnology and Crop Management, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Olsztyn, Poland Author-Name: A. Klasa Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agricultural Chemistry and Environment Protection, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Olsztyn, Poland Title: Concentrations of copper, zinc and manganese in the roots, straw and oil cake of white mustard (Sinapis alba L.) and Indian mustard (Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. et Coss.) depending on sulphur fertilization Abstract: The purpose of this experiment was to determine the influence of the soil application of sulphur (S) on concentrations of micronutrients in the root residues, straw and oil cake of white and Indian mustard. The plant material for chemical analyses originated from a controlled field experiment conducted in experimental fields at the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland (2006-2008). In both white and Indian mustard, the richest source of Cu (7.2; 7.0 mg/kg dry matter (DM)) and Zn (64.6; 55.3 mg/kg DM) was the oil cake from mustard seeds. Regarding Mn, both white and Indian mustard accumulated the highest content of this element in roots (48.2; 50.8 mg/kg DM), less in oil cake (31.9; 35.5 mg/kg DM) and the least Mn was determined in straw of both species (24.0; 17.1 mg/kg DM). The application of sulphur caused a significant increase in the concentration of Zn and Mn in white mustard roots. The content of micronutrients in roots of Indian mustard was not differentiated significantly by S fertilization. The application of sulphur caused a significant decrease in the content of Mn in white mustard straw and Cu in Indian mustard straw. The content of micronutrients in white mustard oil cake and Indian mustard oil cake was not significantly changed by S fertilization. Keywords: oilseed crops, S fertilization, post-harvest biomass, micronutrients content Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 364-371 Volume: 60 Issue: 8 Year: 2014 DOI: 10.17221/225/2014-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/225/2014-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-201408-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:60:y:2014:i:8:id:225-2014-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: P. Beuters Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Plant Nutrition, Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany Author-Name: T. Eichert Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Plant Nutrition, Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany Author-Name: H.W. Scherer Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Plant Nutrition, Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany Title: Influence of pre-crop and root architecture on the mobilization of non-exchangeable NH4+ Abstract: It is well established that non-exchangeable NH4+ is an important N source for plants. However, release from clay minerals only occurs when the NH4+ concentration of the mineral environment declines below a certain level. This may be conditioned by the growing plant. Although root development differs depending on plant species, the influence of root architecture on the mobilization of non-exchangeable NH4+ is still open to question. We found that mobilization of non-exchangeable NH4+ was higher under oilseed rape as compared to barley; oilseed rape even has allorhize and fescue homorhize roots. This observation could be proved by labeling soil samples with 15NH4+, which were incubated in soil holders under oilseed rape and barley. The higher mobilization of non-exchangeable NH4+ by oilseed rape is therefore assumed to be caused by higher release of H+, displacing interlayer NH4+. Although allorhize roots from pre-crops create more stable biopores with an increasing diameter and living roots of the subsequent crop enter these biopores, we could not find an influence of the pre-crop on the mobilization of non-exchangeable NH4+. Keywords: ammonium, fixation, availability, roots, biopores Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 372-378 Volume: 60 Issue: 8 Year: 2014 DOI: 10.17221/260/2014-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/260/2014-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-201408-0006.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:60:y:2014:i:8:id:260-2014-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: M. Kołodziejczyk Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Crop Production, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland Title: Effect of nitrogen fertilization and microbial preparations on potato yielding Abstract: The effect of nitrogen fertilization and microbial preparations on yielding and development of potato tuber yield components were assessed in field experiments conducted under soil conditions of Luvic Chernozem. The factors of the experiment were nitrogen fertilization levels: 0, 60, 120 and 180 kg N/ha and the following preparations: BactoFil B10, effective microorganisms and UGmax soil fertilizer. Nitrogen fertilization caused a significant increase in marketable yield of potato tubers. Yield increments on individual fertilizer treatments ranged from 66% to 140%. An evident effect of this factor was also visible regarding the yield components values. Increase in the number of main stems per 1 m2 under the influence of growing nitrogen doses occurred from the fertilization level 120 kg N/ha, whereas the number of tubers per 1 stem increased only to the level of 60 kg N/ha. Each nitrogen dose applied within the range to 180 kg N/ha caused a marked increase in an average tuber weight. Conducted investigations demonstrated an unfavourable effect of microbial preparations on the marketable crop yield of tubers and formation of yield components. On the objects where microbial preparations were applied, the marketable yield was lower by 1.5 to 2.3 t/ha than in the control. Analysis of linear regression revealed occurrence of significant dependencies between the total tuber yield and the values of individual yield components. The relationships were the most visible for an average tuber weight formation as evidenced by the value of coefficient of determination (R2 = 0.983). Keywords: Solanum tuberosum, marketable yield, average weight of tuber, number of tubers per stem, number of stems Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 379-386 Volume: 60 Issue: 8 Year: 2014 DOI: 10.17221/7565-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/7565-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-201408-0007.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:60:y:2014:i:8:id:7565-PSE