scholarly journals Surface-applied or incorporated biochar and compost combination improves soil fertility, Chinese cabbage and papaya biomass

Biochar ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justine Cox ◽  
Nguyen V. Hue ◽  
Amjad Ahmad ◽  
Kent D. Kobayashi
Keyword(s):  
Soil Ph ◽  
Chinese Cabbage ◽  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Nutrient Retention ◽  
Tropical Soils ◽  
Organic Soil ◽  
Chicken Manure ◽  
Total N ◽  
Surface Application

AbstractMany Hawaiian agricultural soils are acidic with low-nutrient retention; therefore, organic soil amendments are often used to improve soil properties and increase yields. Amendments can be incorporated for annual crops, but perennial orchards need surface application to avoid damaging surface roots. Pot trials compared responses to incorporated (IBC) or surface-applied (SBC) combination of hardwood biochar and chicken manure compost (4% v/v of each amendment) added to an Andisol and Oxisol. Soil pH was increased by 0.4–1.1 units in IBC and by 0.2–0.5 for SBC in the 0–10 cm soil layer. Both SBC and IBC increased soil total N, extractable P, Ca and Mg in the 0–10 cm soil layer. Soil pH, total C and extractable Ca were also higher in the 10–20 cm soil layer for IBC soil, indicating movement and/or leaching of amendments. Chinese cabbage biomass was 18–70% higher in the IBC and 14–47% higher in the SBC than that in the unamended soil, while papaya biomass was 23% and 19% higher in SBC and IBC, respectively. There was a greater response in the more acidic Andisol soil, with larger improvements in soil pH, plant nutrient uptake and root biomass than the Oxisol. Surface application was as effective in increasing plant growth as the incorporated amendment, providing evidence for farm scale assessment. Biochar and compost are recommended for use in tropical soils, and surface application may be beneficial to annual and perennial crops.

scholarly journals Comparative effects of jatropha seedcake, chicken and kraal manures on selected soil properties, growth and yield of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum)

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
W Mambo ◽  
M Mataa ◽  
BH Chishala
Keyword(s):  
Soil Properties ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Plant Height ◽  
Soil Ph ◽  
Fruit Weight ◽  
Chicken Manure ◽  
Growth And Yield ◽  
Total N ◽  
Organic Manures ◽  
Number Of Branches

A field trial was conducted to evaluate the comparative effects of jatropha seedcake, chicken and kraal manures on selected soil properties, growth and yield of tomato in Zambia during the cropping season of 2012-13. A Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four replicates and six treatments, namely- jatropha seedcake (5.0 t ha-1), chicken manure (5.0 t ha-1), kraal manure (5.0 t ha-1), jatropha seedcake (2.5 t ha-1) + chicken manure (2.5 t ha-1), jatropha seedcake (2.5 t ha-1) + kraal manure (2.5 t ha-1) and control (0.0 t ha-1) was used. Soil total N, P, K, Ca, Mg, SOM, soil pH, bulk density, plant height, number of branches, number of fruits plant-1, and mean fruit weight effects were subsequently monitored. Organic manures significantly increased total N, available P, exchangeable K, Ca, Mg, SOM, soil pH, plant height, number of branches, number of fruits, mean fruit weight and yield of tomato compared to the control. Organic manures also significantly reduced soil bulk density compared to the control. Among the organic amendments treated alone, jatropha seedcake gave the highest yield of 28.62 t ha-1 compared to chicken manure (28.20 t ha-1) and kraal manure (27.50 t ha-1). Maximum yield benefits came from a mixture of jatropha seedcake + chicken manure (29.60 t ha-1)and jatropha seedcake + kraal manure (29.00 t ha- 1) which could have been due to balanced proportions of major nutrients required for tomato growth. Jatropha seedcake mostly performed favourably the same or better than chicken and kraal manures in many aspects.Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. & Tech. 8 (1): 1-6, June, 2018

scholarly journals Biochars Improve Nutrient Retention Capacity of Highly Weathered Tropical Soils

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arnoldus Berek ◽  
Nguyen Hue ◽  
Theodore Radovich ◽  
Amjad Ahmad
Keyword(s):  
Chinese Cabbage ◽  
Soil Nutrient ◽  
Nutrient Retention ◽  
Tropical Soils ◽  
Test Plant ◽  
Retention Capacity ◽  
Randomized Design ◽  
Schleichera Oleosa ◽  
Highly Weathered Soils ◽  
The Tropics

Highly weathered soils in the tropics are low in fertility, negatively affecting plant growth. The potential of biochar for improving soil nutrient retention is reportedly promising, triggering this study to assess the nutrient retention capacities of two biochars when applied at 2% in combination with two composts also applied at 2% to an Ultisol (Ustic Kanhaplohumult, Leilehua series) and an Oxisol (Rhodic haplustox, Wahiawa series) of Hawai’i. Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa cv. Bonsai) was used as the test plant in two greenhouse plantings, which had a factorial completely randomized design with three replicates per treatment. The results indicated that the combined additions of biochar and compost significantly increased the pH, EC, P and K of the soils; improved Ca, Mg and Fe uptake; and increased shoot and total cabbage fresh and dry matter. Exchangeable aluminum in the Ultisol was decreased from 2.5 cmol+/kg to virtually zero. Extractable Mn and Fe in the high Mn-Oxisol were decreased by 55 and 42%, respectively. Chinese cabbage growth in the Ultisol amended with the lac tree (Schleichera oleosa) wood biochar and vermicompost was almost twice over lime at 2 cmol+/kg. Essential nutrients in the plant tissues, with the exception of N and K, were sufficient for the cabbage growth, suggesting increases in nutrients and reduced soil acidity by the additions of biochar combined with compost were the probable cause.

scholarly journals Lowland Bamboo (Oxytenanthera abyssinica) Deforestation and Subsequent Cultivation Effects on Soil Physico-Chemical Properties in Southwestern Ethiopia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zebene Tadesse ◽  
Melkamu Abere ◽  
Belayneh Bayu ◽  
Kaiwen Pan ◽  
Yigardu Mulatu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Ph ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Soil Depth ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Bamboo Forest ◽  
Agricultural Lands ◽  
Total N ◽  
Soil C ◽  
Southwestern Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, bamboo thickets and woodlands play an important role in soil-water conservation and climate change mitigation in arid and semi-arid regions. However, bamboo mass flower-ing, rapid demographic changes and expansion of agricultural investments to bamboo domi-nated areas have led to deforestation and land degradation. In this study, we determined the effects of deforestation and subsequent cultivation on soil physical and chemical properties along a chronosequence of closely located agricultural lands with different ages (1, 3, 5 and 7 years) since converted from natural lowland bamboo forest. Hence, soil samples (n = 90) have been taken from both natural bamboo forests and adjacent agricultural lands at two soil depths (0-20 cm and 20-40 cm). Our result showed that CEC, K+, Ca+, Mg+ and available P were varied significantly with respect to cultivation periods and soil depth, while soil pH and Na+ varied with soil depth (P < 0.001). Soil C and total N contents (g/kg) in 0-20 cm soil layer declined significantly and exponentially with increasing years under cultivation. Conversion of natural bamboo forest to cropland during the past seven-year period significantly increased soil pH with soil depths, while CEC was declined throughout the cultivation period and soil depth. In general, the result revealed that conversion of natural lowland bamboo and subsequent cultivation of soil had negative effects on measured soil physicochemical properties.

Compressive response of some agricultural soils influenced by the mineralogy and moisture

2013 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 239-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.E. Ajayi ◽  
M.S. Dias Junior ◽  
N. Curi ◽  
I. Oladipo
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Tropical Soils ◽  
Homogeneity Test ◽  
Confined Compression ◽  
Moisture Retention ◽  
Soil Mineralogy ◽  
Undisturbed Soil ◽  
Statistical Homogeneity ◽  
Compressive Response ◽  
Fine Clay

Abstract This study aimed to investigate the mineralogy, moisture retention, and the compressive response of two agricultural soils from South West Nigeria. Undisturbed soil cores at the A and B horizons were collected and used in chemical and hydrophysical characterization and confined compression test. X-ray diffractograms of oriented fine clay fractions were also obtained. Our results indicate the prevalence of kaolinite minerals relating to the weathering process in these tropical soils. Moisture retention by the core samples was typically low with pre-compression stress values ranging from50 to 300 kPa at both sites. Analyses of the shape of the compression curves highlight the influence of soil moisture in shifts from the bi-linear to S-shaped models. Statistical homogeneity test of the load bearing capacity parameters showed that the soil mineralogy influences the response to loading by these soils. These observations provide a physical basis for the previous classification series of the soils in the studied area. We showed that the internal strength attributes of the soil could be inferred from the mineralogical properties and stress history. This could assist in decisions on sustainable mechanization in a datapoor environment.

scholarly journals Coal Fly Ash and Polyacrylamide Influence Transport and Redistribution of Soil Nitrogen in a Sandy Sloping Land

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 47
Author(s):  
Kai Yang ◽  
Zejun Tang ◽  
Jianzhang Feng
Keyword(s):  
Fly Ash ◽  
Sandy Soil ◽  
Coal Fly Ash ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Nutrient Retention ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Rainfall Event ◽  
N Losses ◽  
N Concentration ◽  
Application Rates

Sandy soils are prone to nutrient losses, and consequently do not have as much as agricultural productivity as other soils. In this study, coal fly ash (CFA) and anionic polyacrylamide (PAM) granules were used as a sandy soil amendment. The two additives were incorporated to the sandy soil layer (depth of 0.2 m, slope gradient of 10°) at three CFA dosages and two PAM dosages. Urea was applied uniformly onto the low-nitrogen (N) soil surface prior to the simulated rainfall experiment (rainfall intensity of 1.5 mm/min). The results showed that compared with no addition of CFA and PAM, the addition of CFA and/or PAM caused some increases in the cumulative NO3−-N and NH4+-N losses with surface runoff; when the rainfall event ended, 15% CFA alone treatment and 0.01–0.02% PAM alone treatment resulted in small but significant increases in the cumulative runoff-associated NO3−-N concentration (p < 0.05), meanwhile 10% CFA + 0.01% PAM treatment and 15% CFA alone treatment resulted in nonsignificant small increases in the cumulative runoff-associated NH4+-N concentration (p > 0.05). After the rainfall event, both CFA and PAM alone treatments increased the concentrations of NO3−-N and NH4+-N retained in the sandy soil layer compared with the unamended soil. As the CFA and PAM co-application rates increased, the additive effect of CFA and PAM on improving the nutrient retention of sandy soil increased.

Potentially mineralizable nitrogen, decomposition rates and their relationship to temperature for five Queensland soils

Soil Research ◽  
1981 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 323 ◽  
Author(s):  
CA Campbell ◽  
RJK Myers ◽  
KL Weier
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Soils ◽  
Exchange Capacity ◽  
Total Carbon ◽  
Surface Soils ◽  
Total N ◽  
Net Nitrogen Mineralization ◽  
Subsurface Soil ◽  
Potentially Mineralizable Nitrogen ◽  
Red Earth ◽  
Mineralizable Nitrogen

The procedure of Stanford and coworkers was used to quantitatively relate net nitrogen mineralization in five Queensland semi-arid soils to temperature. The concentration of potentially mineralizable nitrogen (No) (1) ranged from 67 �g nitrogen g-1 for a red earth subsoil to 256 for a recently cultivated cracking clay surface soil, (2) was directly proportional to total soil carbon, (3) was greater in surface than in subsurface soil, and (4) was greater in subtropical than tropical soils. Expressed as a fraction of total nitrogen (No/Total N), it ranged between 8 and 21%, and was directly proportional to cation exchange capacity, perhaps implicating expanding lattice clays in stabilization of cell lysates and metabolites. The mineralization rate constant (k) was directly proportional to total carbon, the fuel for microbially mediated reactions in soil. The average k for surface soils was interpolated to be 0.058, 0.031, and 0.018 week-1, corresponding to half-lives of 11.9, 22.4 and 38.5 weeks, at 35�, 25� and 15�C, respectively; these values are similar to those reported for U.S.A. and Chilean soils. The Arrhenius relationship between k and temperature for surface soils (log k = 6.14-2285/T) was similar to that reported by Stanford for U.S.A. soils, and indicates that this relationship might be a general one.

A study on bioluminescence and photoluminescence in the earthworm Eisenia lucens

2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. Pes ◽  
A. Midlik ◽  
J. Schlaghamersky ◽  
M. Zitnan ◽  
P. Taborsky
Keyword(s):  
Soil Layer ◽  
Organic Soil ◽  
Lines Of Evidence

Eisenia lucens is a bioluminescent earthworm found in the organic soil layer of decomposing wood. Many lines of evidence indicate that riboflavin stored in coelomycetes plays an important role in this glowing reaction.

scholarly journals Soil greenhouse gas fluxes from different tree species on Taihang Mountain, North China

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1649-1666 ◽  
Author(s):  
X. P. Liu ◽  
W. J. Zhang ◽  
C. S. Hu ◽  
X. G. Tang
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Temperature ◽  
Soil Ph ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Soil Bulk Density ◽  
Total N ◽  
Gas Fluxes ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Fluxes

Abstract. The objectives of this study were to investigate seasonal variation of greenhouse gas fluxes from soils on sites dominated by plantation (Robinia pseudoacacia, Punica granatum, and Ziziphus jujube) and natural regenerated forests (Vitex negundo var. heterophylla, Leptodermis oblonga, and Bothriochloa ischcemum), and to identify how tree species, litter exclusion, and soil properties (soil temperature, soil moisture, soil organic carbon, total N, soil bulk density, and soil pH) explained the temporal and spatial variation in soil greenhouse gas fluxes. Fluxes of greenhouse gases were measured using static chamber and gas chromatography techniques. Six static chambers were randomly installed in each tree species. Three chambers were randomly designated to measure the impacts of surface litter exclusion, and the remaining three were used as a control. Field measurements were conducted biweekly from May 2010 to April 2012. Soil CO2 emissions from all tree species were significantly affected by soil temperature, soil moisture, and their interaction. Driven by the seasonality of temperature and precipitation, soil CO2 emissions demonstrated a clear seasonal pattern, with fluxes significantly higher during the rainy season than during the dry season. Soil CH4 and N2O fluxes were not significantly correlated with soil temperature, soil moisture, or their interaction, and no significant seasonal differences were detected. Soil organic carbon and total N were significantly positively correlated with CO2 and N2O fluxes. Soil bulk density was significantly negatively correlated with CO2 and N2O fluxes. Soil pH was not correlated with CO2 and N2O emissions. Soil CH4 fluxes did not display pronounced dependency on soil organic carbon, total N, soil bulk density, and soil pH. Removal of surface litter significantly decreased in CO2 emissions and CH4 uptakes. Soils in six tree species acted as sinks for atmospheric CH4. With the exception of Ziziphus jujube, soils in all tree species acted as sinks for atmospheric N2O. Tree species had a significant effect on CO2 and N2O releases but not on CH4 uptake. The lower net global warming potential in natural regenerated vegetation suggested that natural regenerated vegetation were more desirable plant species in reducing global warming.

scholarly journals Influence of soil pH on inorganic phosphorus sorption and desorption in a humid brazilian Ultisol

2005 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 685-694 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shinjiro Sato ◽  
Nicholas Brian Comerford
Keyword(s):  
Soil Ph ◽  
Ph Value ◽  
Tropical Soils ◽  
Inorganic Phosphorus ◽  
Phosphorus Sorption ◽  
Tropical Regions ◽  
P Sorption ◽  
Phosphorus Desorption ◽  
P Desorption ◽  
P Bioavailability

Liming is a common practice to raise soil pH and increase phosphorus (P) bioavailability in tropical regions. However, reports on the effect of liming on P sorption and bioavailability are controversial. The process of phosphorus desorption is more important than P sorption for defining P bioavailability. However few studies on the relationship between soil pH and P desorption are available, and even fewer in the tropical soils. The effects of soil pH on P sorption and desorption in an Ultisol from Bahia, Brazil, were investigated in this study. Phosphorus sorption decreased by up to 21 and 34 % with pH increases from 4.7 to 5.9 and 7.0, respectively. Decreasing Langmuir K parameter and decreasing partition coefficients (Kd) with increasing pH supported this trend. Phosphorus desorption was positively affected by increased soil pH by both the total amount of P desorbed and the ratio of desorbed P to initially sorbed P. A decreased K parameter and increased Kd value, particularly at the highest pH value and highest P-addition level, endorsed this phenomenon. Liming the soil had the double effect of reducing P sorption (up to 4.5 kg ha-1 of remaining P in solution) and enhancing P desorption (up to 2.7 kg ha-1 of additionally released P into solution).

scholarly journals Heavy metals in the organic soil layer of beech forests in Serbia

2005 ◽  
pp. 55-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ratko Kadovic ◽  
Olivera Kosanin ◽  
Snezana Belanovic ◽  
Milan Knezevic
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metals ◽  
Heavy Metal ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Forest Litter ◽  
Organic Soil ◽  
Organic Horizon ◽  
Beech Forests ◽  
Metal Contents ◽  
Level I ◽  
And Migration

During the last decades, forest ecosystems have been strongly exposed to the effect of different harmful pollutants, especially from the atmosphere. Harmful substances from the air, in addition to the direct effect on forest trees, also deposit in the soil, and have an adverse effect on soil chemistry and pedogenetic processes. The results of previous studies in Serbia (Kadovic, Knezevic, 2002, 2004) show some specificities regarding the accumulation and migration of heavy metals in the soil. The highest concentrations were found in the layers of forest litter and in the surface organo-mineral horizons. This paper presents the results of the study of heavy metal contents (Zn, Mn, Cu, Fe, Cd, Pb, Ni and Cr) in the organic horizon (forest litter) of beech forests in Serbia. The study of the heavy metal content in the organic horizon (forest litter) is very significant primarily in the aim of monitoring the trend of their migration through the soil profile and the effect on the soil properties and genesis. The soil quality in beech forests in Serbia was assessed within the Project ICP Forest, Level I, by the methodology UN/ECE-EC, 2000.

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