Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Elisabeth Srihayu Harsanti Author-Workplace-Name: Indonesian Research Center for Horticultural and Estate Crops, Research Organization for Agriculture and Food, National Research and Innovation Agency, Cibinong, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia Author-Name: Asep Nugraha Ardiwinata Author-Workplace-Name: Indonesian Research Center for Horticultural and Estate Crops, Research Organization for Agriculture and Food, National Research and Innovation Agency, Cibinong, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia Author-Name: Sukarjo Author-Workplace-Name: Indonesian Research Center for Horticultural and Estate Crops, Research Organization for Agriculture and Food, National Research and Innovation Agency, Cibinong, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia Author-Name: Hidayatuz Zu'amah Author-Workplace-Name: Indonesian Research Center for Horticultural and Estate Crops, Research Organization for Agriculture and Food, National Research and Innovation Agency, Cibinong, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia Author-Name: Asep Kurnia Author-Workplace-Name: Indonesian Research Center for Horticultural and Estate Crops, Research Organization for Agriculture and Food, National Research and Innovation Agency, Cibinong, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia Author-Name: Mas Teddy Sutriadi Author-Workplace-Name: Indonesian Research Center for Food Crops, Research Organization for Agriculture and Food, National Research and Innovation Agency, Cibinong, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia Author-Name: Dedi Nursyamsi Author-Workplace-Name: Indonesian Agency of Extension and Development for Agricultural Human Resource, Ministry of Agriculture, Indonesia Author-Name: Wahida Annisa Yusuf Author-Workplace-Name: Standardization Agency Agricultural Instruments, Ministry of Agriculture, Jakarta, Indonesia Author-Name: Anicetus Wihardjaka Author-Workplace-Name: Indonesian Research Center for Food Crops, Research Organization for Agriculture and Food, National Research and Innovation Agency, Cibinong, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia Title: Nitrogen losses (N2O and NO3-) from mustard (Brassica juncea L.) cropping applied urea coated bio-charcoal Abstract: Most farmers use urea as a nitrogen fertiliser to raise mustard (Brassica juncea L.), although its nitrogen (N) content is quickly lost due to its hygroscopic nature. Nitrogen loss in the form of nitrous oxide (N2O) and nitrates (NO3-) has been causing low nitrogen fertiliser efficiency in vegetable cultivation. This investigation aims to assess the impact of urea fertiliser coated with biochar or activated charcoal on losses of N2O and NO3- concentration in the soil during mustard production. The experiment used a randomised block design with five treatments of urea fertiliser coated with biochar/activated charcoal. The observed data included N2O flux, nitrate, and ammonia content in soil and water. The results showed that urea fertiliser coated with activated charcoal from corn cobs tended to suppress N loss more effectively than urea coated with biochar or activated charcoal from coconut shells. Biochar and activated charcoal from coconut shells suppressed N-N2O loss as much as 3.1% and 52.5% (7 days after planting (DAP)), respectively, and 68.7% and 71.6% (21 DAP), respectively. Biochar and activated charcoal from corn cob reduce N-N2O loss by 46.5% and 66.5% (7 DAP), respectively, and by 70.7% and 77.8% (21 DAP). Urea-coated activated charcoal fertiliser increases mustard plant biomass and nitrogen uptake. Biochar and activated charcoal from coconut shells and corncobs increase nitrogen use efficiency by 5, 24, 6, and 17%, respectively. Biochar/activated charcoal coatings are a promising technology for boosting nitrogen use efficiency in vegetable crops, including mustard crops. Keywords: nutrient, nitrification, greenhouse gas emission, natural charcoal, coating of urea fertiliser Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 1-10 Volume: 70 Issue: 1 Year: 2024 DOI: 10.17221/282/2023-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/282/2023-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-202401-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:70:y:2024:i:1:id:282-2023-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Anikó Südiné Fehér Author-Workplace-Name: Doctoral School of Plant Sciences, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Gödöllő, Hungary Author-Name: Mihály Zalai Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Integrated Plant Protection, Plant Protection Institute, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Gödöllő, Hungary Author-Name: György Turóczi Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Integrated Plant Protection, Plant Protection Institute, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Gödöllő, Hungary Author-Name: Ferenc Tóth Author-Workplace-Name: Hungarian Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (ÖMKI), Budapest, Hungary Title: Six-year results on the effect of organic mulching on potato yield and tuber damages Abstract: Due to its positive effects, mulching with organic matter is a popular soil conservation tool. However, opinions are divided on the effects of mulching on pests and pathogens. Our research aimed to investigate the effect of organic mulch on potato tuber damage caused by soil-dwelling pests and soil-borne pathogens. Therefore, mulching trials were carried out at four sites over six years, comparing the effects of straw, walnut leaves, mixed leaves, compost and two sowing methods (in soil, on soil surface, and under mulch). The total yield of the mulched plots was equal (2013, 2014) or significantly higher (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018) than the control, while the weight of damaged tubers did not increase. Total yield was higher in plots mulched with compost, walnut leaves and mixed leaves than in control and straw-mulched plots. The seeding method had no effect on yield or tuber damage for any of the cover crops. Mulching potatoes with organic matter, especially compost and leaves, is recommended, as their application positively affected yield but did not increase the number of damaged tubers. Sowing potatoes under mulch can reduce the digging work and cutting damage without reducing the yield. Keywords: Solanum tuberosum L., organic mulch materials, soil protection, tuberous crop, intact tuber Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 11-16 Volume: 70 Issue: 1 Year: 2024 DOI: 10.17221/353/2023-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/353/2023-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-202401-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:70:y:2024:i:1:id:353-2023-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Ying Wang Author-Workplace-Name: Agricultural College, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan, P.R. China Author-Workplace-Name: Luoyang Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Environmental Ecology, Luoyang, Henan, P.R. China Author-Name: Qing Zhu Author-Workplace-Name: Agricultural College, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan, P.R. China Author-Workplace-Name: Luoyang Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Environmental Ecology, Luoyang, Henan, P.R. China Author-Name: Zhiwei Wang Author-Workplace-Name: Agricultural College, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan, P.R. China Author-Workplace-Name: Luoyang Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Environmental Ecology, Luoyang, Henan, P.R. China Author-Name: Junpei Wang Author-Workplace-Name: Agricultural College, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan, P.R. China Author-Workplace-Name: Luoyang Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Environmental Ecology, Luoyang, Henan, P.R. China Author-Name: Zhen Wang Author-Workplace-Name: Agricultural College, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan, P.R. China Author-Workplace-Name: Luoyang Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Environmental Ecology, Luoyang, Henan, P.R. China Author-Name: Feiyan Yu Author-Workplace-Name: Agricultural College, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan, P.R. China Author-Workplace-Name: Luoyang Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Environmental Ecology, Luoyang, Henan, P.R. China Author-Workplace-Name: Henan Jinxiwang Agricultural Science and Technology Company Limited, Luoyang, Henan, P.R. China Author-Name: Lianhe Zhang Author-Workplace-Name: Agricultural College, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan, P.R. China Author-Workplace-Name: Luoyang Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Environmental Ecology, Luoyang, Henan, P.R. China Author-Workplace-Name: Henan Jinxiwang Agricultural Science and Technology Company Limited, Luoyang, Henan, P.R. China Title: Effects of foliar application of amino acid-chelated selenite on photosynthetic characteristics of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) leaves at the podding stage Abstract: Foliar application of selenium (Se) is an effective measure to increase Se concentrations in peanut pods. However, how the foliar application of amino acid-chelated selenite affects the photosynthetic characteristics of peanut leaves at the podding stage is still unclear. Here, the effects of Se on the activities of antioxidant enzymes, the concentrations of chlorophyll, soluble protein, soluble sugar, and reduced glutathione (GSH), photosynthetic parameters, and Se concentration of peanut leaves were investigated by spraying selenite, L-lysine-chelated selenite, and amino acid-chelated selenite solutions, respectively. The results indicated that foliar application of Se could significantly increase leaf Se concentration. The net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (gs), and transpiration rate (Tr) of leaves were significantly higher than those in the control. However, peanut leaves' intercellular CO2 concentration (ci) decreased significantly. Further study found that the concentrations of chlorophyll, soluble protein, soluble sugar, and GSH in peanut leaves increased significantly, and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (POD) in peanut leaves were significantly higher than those in control. However, there were no significant differences between the foliar application of selenite, L-lysine-chelated selenite, and amino acid-chelated selenite. Thus, foliar application of selenite, L-lysine-chelated selenite, and amino acid-chelated selenite could effectively enhance the photosynthetic functions of peanut leaves, which was closely associated with the improvement of antioxidant enzyme activities and the concentrations of soluble sugar, soluble protein, and GSH, resulting in inhibiting chlorophyll degradation and improving the photosynthetic functions of peanut leaves. Keywords: chelated selenium, beneficial element, foliage spray, oil crop, physiological parameters Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 17-25 Volume: 70 Issue: 1 Year: 2024 DOI: 10.17221/406/2023-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/406/2023-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-202401-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:70:y:2024:i:1:id:406-2023-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Hossam S. El-Beltagi Author-Workplace-Name: Agricultural Biotechnology Department, College of Agriculture and Food Sciences, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia Author-Workplace-Name: Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt Author-Name: Khairiah Mubarak Alwutayd Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Author-Name: Umair Rasheed Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agronomy, University of Layyah, Layyah, Pakistan Author-Name: Abdul Sattar Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agronomy, University of Layyah, Layyah, Pakistan Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agronomy, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan Author-Name: Qasim Ali Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Soil Science, The Islamia University Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan Author-Name: Basmah M. Alharbi Author-Workplace-Name: Biology Department, Faculty of Science, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia Author-Name: Ghadah Hamad Al-Hawas Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Biology, College of Science, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia Author-Workplace-Name: Basic and Applied Scientific Research Centre, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia Author-Name: Zahid Khorshid Abbas Author-Workplace-Name: Biology Department, Faculty of Science, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia Author-Name: Doaa Bahaa Eldin Darwish Author-Workplace-Name: Biology Department, Faculty of Science, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia Author-Name: Samy F. Mahmoud Author-Name: Manal Abdullah Al-Shaqhaa Author-Name: Ahmed Abou El-Yazied Author-Name: Maha M.A. Hamada Title: Sole and combined foliar application of silicon and putrescine alleviates the negative effects of drought stress in maize by modulating the morpho-physiological and antioxidant defence mechanisms Abstract: Drought stress is one of the major threats to food security in the climate change scenario. Reducing the deleterious impacts of drought stress on the productivity of cereal crops is crucial. Hence, limited information has been available about the effect of the combined use of plant growth regulators and mineral fertilisers on promoting drought tolerance in maize seedlings. In this study, a pot experiment was carried out to evaluate the potential of sole or combined application of silicon (Si) and putrescine (Put) to mitigate the detrimental effects of drought on maize. The experimental treatments were, i.e. control (CK), water spray, 4.0 mmol Si, 0.5 mmol Put, and 4.0 mmol Si + 0.5 mmol Put on maize crop grown at two different water-holding capacity levels (80% well-water condition and 40% drought stress). The experiment was arranged in a complete randomised design with factorial arrangements having three replications. Exposure of maize plants to drought stress at the reproductive phase (VT-tasseling) reduced the photosynthetic pigments, including chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and chlorophyll a + b, relative water contents, leaf area, yield and yield attributes. However, foliar application of Si and Put individually and Si + Put dramatically reduced these negative effects by improving photosynthetic pigments, relative water contents, and activities of enzymatic antioxidant defence. Drought stress-induced lipid peroxidation in the form of more production of malondialdehyde content, hydrogen peroxide and electrolyte leakage significantly declined due to the combined application of Si and Put compared to the respective control. Drought stress boosted the activities of key enzymatic antioxidants (catalase, superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and ascorbate peroxidase) irrespective of the treatment application. Moreover, it was noted that the accumulation of osmolytes (proline and soluble protein) contents was increased by the combined application of Si and Put. Under drought stress conditions, combined foliar application of Si and Put considerably improved 22.70% cob length, 12.77% number of grains per cob, and 18.30% 100-grain weight, which ultimately enhanced maize's 10.29% grain yield. From the current study's findings, it was concluded that a combined foliar spray of silicon and putrescine at the reproductive phase is an effective strategy to enhance the maize yield in drought-prone areas. Keywords: mineral nutrients, abiotic stress, deficiency of water, Zea mays L., osmoprotectants Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 26-39 Volume: 70 Issue: 1 Year: 2024 DOI: 10.17221/423/2023-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/423/2023-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-202401-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:70:y:2024:i:1:id:423-2023-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Zhen Liu Author-Workplace-Name: Shandong Key Laboratory of Eco-Environmental Science for Yellow River Delta, Shandong University of Aeronautics, Binzhou, P.R. China Author-Workplace-Name: Key Laboratory of Crop Water Physiology and Drought-Tolerance Germplasm Improvement of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, P.R. China Author-Name: Mengkun Zhang Author-Workplace-Name: Key Laboratory of Crop Water Physiology and Drought-Tolerance Germplasm Improvement of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, P.R. China Author-Name: Zengjiao Wang Author-Workplace-Name: Key Laboratory of Crop Water Physiology and Drought-Tolerance Germplasm Improvement of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, P.R. China Author-Name: Ying Shen Author-Workplace-Name: Key Laboratory of Crop Water Physiology and Drought-Tolerance Germplasm Improvement of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, P.R. China Author-Name: Deheng Zhang Author-Workplace-Name: Key Laboratory of Crop Water Physiology and Drought-Tolerance Germplasm Improvement of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, P.R. China Author-Name: Shenghao Zhang Author-Workplace-Name: Key Laboratory of Crop Water Physiology and Drought-Tolerance Germplasm Improvement of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, P.R. China Author-Name: Xingchao Qi Author-Workplace-Name: Shandong Key Laboratory of Eco-Environmental Science for Yellow River Delta, Shandong University of Aeronautics, Binzhou, P.R. China Author-Name: Xuepeng Zhang Author-Workplace-Name: Crop Research Institute, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, P.R. China Author-Name: Tao Sun Author-Workplace-Name: State Key Laboratory of Nutrient Use and Management, Key Laboratory of Wastes Matrix Utilisation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, P.R. China Author-Name: Shenzhong Tian Author-Workplace-Name: State Key Laboratory of Nutrient Use and Management, Key Laboratory of Wastes Matrix Utilisation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, P.R. China Author-Name: Tangyuan Ning Author-Workplace-Name: Key Laboratory of Crop Water Physiology and Drought-Tolerance Germplasm Improvement of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, P.R. China Title: Responses of soil nutrients, enzyme activities, and maize yield to straw and plastic film mulching in coastal saline-alkaline Abstract: To address the issue of low soil nutrients and low crop yields in coastal alkaline salines, a field experiment of straw combined with plastic film mulching in coastal alkaline salines was conducted in this study to explore the effects of different treatments on soil nutrients, enzyme activities and maize yield. Four treatments, including no mulching (NM), straw mulching (SM), plastic film mulching (PM), and straw mulching combined with plastic film mulching (SP), were set up during 2019-2020. In the 0-20 cm soil layer, compared with NM, the soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil catalase activity (SCA) of SM significantly increased by 23.4% and 46.2%, respectively (P < 0.05). The soil total nitrogen (STN), soil available phosphorus (SAP), available potassium (SAK), sucrase activity, urease activity, alkaline phosphatase activity, and maize yield (MY) of SP significantly increased by 40.7, 26.8, 13.9, 34.6, 73.8, 36.2 and 19.0%, respectively (P < 0.05). SOC, STN, SAP, SAK and SCA were significantly correlated with MY. Therefore, straw mulching combined with plastic film mulching has the best effect on increasing soil nutrients, soil enzyme activity, and maize yield and is suitable for promotion and application in coastal alkaline salines. Keywords: soil covering, soil salinisation improvement, soil fertility, land productivity Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 40-47 Volume: 70 Issue: 1 Year: 2024 DOI: 10.17221/284/2023-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/284/2023-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-202401-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:70:y:2024:i:1:id:284-2023-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Xue Zhang Author-Workplace-Name: Shenyang Academy of Environmental Sciences, Shenyang, P.R. China Author-Workplace-Name: School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, P.R. China Author-Name: Xiaodong Yu Author-Workplace-Name: Shenyang Academy of Environmental Sciences, Shenyang, P.R. China Author-Name: Yunxiao Cao Author-Workplace-Name: Shenyang Academy of Environmental Sciences, Shenyang, P.R. China Author-Name: Jiani Yue Author-Workplace-Name: Shenyang Academy of Environmental Sciences, Shenyang, P.R. China Author-Name: Shan Wang Author-Workplace-Name: Shenyang Academy of Environmental Sciences, Shenyang, P.R. China Author-Workplace-Name: Shenyang Collaborative Human Resources Service Co., Ltd, Shenyang, P.R. China Author-Name: Yunxia Liu Author-Workplace-Name: Shenyang Academy of Environmental Sciences, Shenyang, P.R. China Title: The effects of diverse microbial community structures, driven by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi inoculation, on carbon release from a paddy field Abstract: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play a key role in regulating the carbon cycle in terrestrial ecosystems. However, there is little information on how AMF inoculation affects the carbon fluxes of paddy fields, which are major sources of global carbon emissions. We, therefore, designed an experiment to study the effects of AMF inoculation on methane and carbon dioxide emissions from a paddy field. Results showed that: (1) Among the tested factors, the C/N ratio was the main environmental determinant of microbial community structure in the investigated soil; (2) compared with traditional fertilisation (control), the soil C/N ratio increased by 2.1~15.2% and 1.4~10.5% as a result of AMF application alone (M) or in combination with mineral fertiliser (FM) throughout the growing season, respectively. This change shifted microbial community composition to higher G+/G- bacterial and fungal/bacterial ratios; (3) the microbial community change favoured soil carbon retention. Methane (CH4) emission peaks were reduced by 59.4% and 76.0% versus control in the M treatment and by 52.5% and 29.4% in the FM treatment in the midseason and end-of-season drainage periods, and CO2 emission peaks were reduced by 70.1% and 52.3% in the M plots and by 55.4% and 66.4% in the FM plots. Keywords: Rhizophagus irregularis, global warming, gram-positive bacteria, chemoautotroph, decomposition Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 48-59 Volume: 70 Issue: 1 Year: 2024 DOI: 10.17221/340/2023-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/340/2023-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-202401-0006.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:70:y:2024:i:1:id:340-2023-PSE