Biochar Effects on Soil–Plant Properties after Six Month Adaptation in Soil

The effects of earthworm inoculation and cropping systems on upland rice systems were examined over a four-year period in the Highlands of Madagascar. Each year, endogeic earthworms Pontoscolex corethrurus (Rhinodrilidae) were inoculated (EW+) at a density of 75 ind m−2 or were not inoculated (EW0). Inoculation was tested in three cropping systems: conservation agriculture (CA) and traditional tillage with or without residues restitution. Soil and plant properties were measured during the first three years while soil biological properties were assessed at the fourth year. At the end of the experiment, earthworm density was three-fold higher in EW+ than in EW0, demonstrating the success of the inoculation. Earthworm density was more important in CA than in tillage systems. Earthworm inoculation had higher significant effects on soil and plant properties than cropping systems. Earthworm inoculation had positive effects on soil macroaggregation (+43%), aboveground biomass (+27%), rice grain yield (+45%), and N grain amount (+43%). Intensifying earthworm activity in field conditions to meet the challenge of ecological transition is supported by our study.

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THE EFFECT OF GROWING MEDIAAND HUMIC ACID TREATMENTS ON SOME PLANT PROPERTIES OF PURSLANE (Portulaca oleracea L.)

Applied Ecology and Environmental Research ◽

10.15666/aeer/1906_44314441 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 19 (6) ◽

pp. 4431-4441

Author(s):

A. UGUR ◽

C. KOCAMANOGLU

Keyword(s):

Humic Acid ◽

Portulaca Oleracea ◽

Plant Properties ◽

Acid Treatments

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Application of Multi-Component Conditioner with Clinoptilolite and Ascophyllum nodosum Extract for Improving Soil Properties and Zea mays L. Growth and Yield

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy10122005 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (12) ◽

pp. 2005

Author(s):

Jacek Długosz ◽

Anna Piotrowska-Długosz ◽

Karol Kotwica ◽

Ewelina Przybyszewska

Keyword(s):

Zea Mays ◽

Soil Properties ◽

Management Practices ◽

Zea Mays L ◽

Growth And Yield ◽

Water Capacity ◽

Available Water ◽

Available Water Capacity ◽

Study Sites ◽

Plant Properties

The application of various conditioners in agriculture is one of the management practices used to improve soil quality and plant growth and development. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of a multi-component conditioner on the selected soil properties and maize (Zea mays L.) growth and yield. The effect of a conditioner on a set of soil properties and maize growth and yield was studied in one-year experiments carried out at three study sites, which were under a conventional tillage system. All of the study sites were located on farms in three geographic mezoregions in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Region (Midwestern Poland). The studied soils were Haplic Luvisol (Janocin and Kobylnica) and Albic Luvisols (Krukówko) that were composed of sandy loam. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine the effect of a conditioner Solactiv on the soil and plant properties. The conditioner significantly affected the soil enzyme activities such as dehydrogenase (DHA), fluorescein sodium salt hydrolysis level (FDAH) and carboxymethylcellulose cellulase (CMC—cellulase); wherein the last one increased by about 16–20%. The application of Solactiv also increased the available K content (about 11%) but not the content of the microbial biomass C and N. Total porosity (TP), which was significantly higher in the soil treated with conditioner than in the control soils, increased the available water capacity (AWC) (about 2.2%). The higher AWC in the treated soil indicated the greater contribution of the mesopores in the TP (about 4%). A significantly higher readily available water capacity (RAWC) and small pores available water capacity (SAWC) was determined in the treated soils compared to the controls. Of the plant properties, only plant height, fresh cob biomass (BBCH 87–89) and fresh plant biomass (BBCH 84–85) were significantly increased by the conditioner. The application of Solactiv is considered to be a promising approach for developing sustainable agriculture by improving the soil’s biological activity and water-related properties.

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Importance of Lignin Coniferaldehyde Residues for Plant Properties and Sustainable Uses

ChemSusChem ◽

10.1002/cssc.202001242 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (17) ◽

pp. 4400-4408

Author(s):

Masanobu Yamamoto ◽

Leonard Blaschek ◽

Elena Subbotina ◽

Shinya Kajita ◽

Edouard Pesquet

Keyword(s):

Plant Properties

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A chemometrics investigation of sugarcane plant properties based on the molecular composition of epicuticular wax

Chemometrics and Intelligent Laboratory Systems ◽

10.1016/j.chemolab.2004.10.004 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 76 (2) ◽

pp. 135-147 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Deborah E. Purcell ◽

Graham J. Leonard ◽

Michael G. O'Shea ◽

Serge Kokot

Keyword(s):

Epicuticular Wax ◽

Molecular Composition ◽

Sugarcane Plant ◽

Plant Properties

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A Combination of Biochar–Mineral Complexes and Compost Improves Soil Bacterial Processes, Soil Quality, and Plant Properties

Frontiers in Microbiology ◽

10.3389/fmicb.2016.00372 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 7 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

Jun Ye ◽

Rui Zhang ◽

Shaun Nielsen ◽

Stephen D. Joseph ◽

Danfeng Huang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soil Quality ◽

Soil Bacterial ◽

Plant Properties

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Revisiting the wet and dry ends of soil integral water capacity using soil and plant properties

Soil Research ◽

10.1071/sr17025 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 56 (4) ◽

pp. 331 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Fatemeh Meskini-Vishkaee ◽

Mohammad Hossein Mohammadi ◽

Mohammad Reza Neyshabouri

Keyword(s):

Experimental Data ◽

Sandy Loam ◽

Limiting Factors ◽

Clay Loam ◽

Water Capacity ◽

Available Water ◽

Physiological Properties ◽

Physical Limitations ◽

Plant Available Water ◽

Plant Properties

The integral water capacity (IWC) approach takes into account various soil physical limitations for calculating plant available water. However, the IWC approach cannot distinguish the differences in water uptake between various plants. Therefore, the objectives of this study were i) to modify the approach to include plant physiological properties to redefine the wet and dry ends of the IWC, called IWCplant and ii) to evaluate the performance of the IWCplant approach using experimental data. The restrictions imposed by poor soil aeration and rapid drainage flux were calculated using both soil and plant properties to modify the wet end of the IWC. The soil hydraulic resistance was considered to redefine the dry end of the IWCplant. Based on these approaches, physically meaningful weighting functions were developed for three proposed limiting factors at both ends of the wet and dry ranges of soil. Experimental data were obtained from a greenhouse trial with wheat and canola plants in two soil textures (sandy loam and clay loam) for 2 years. The IWCplant obtained values of 0.202 and 0.205 m3 m–3 for wheat and 0.189 and 0.194 m3 m–3 for canola in sandy loam and clay loam soils, respectively. These differences in the IWCplant between wheat and canola in the same soils demonstrate the importance of plant properties to estimate actual plant available water using IWC. These differences would be even more appreciable for root systems with a wider range of different properties.

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