scholarly journals Alleviating soil acidity through plant organic compounds

2001 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 185-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anderson R. Meda ◽  
Marcelo E. Cassiolato ◽  
Marcos A. Pavan ◽  
Mário Miyazawa

A laboratory experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of water soluble plant extracts on soil acidity. The plant materials were: black oat, oil seed radish, white and blue lupin, gray and dwarf mucuna, Crotalaria spectabilis and C. breviflora, millet, pigeon pea, star grass, mato grosso grass, coffee leaves, sugar cane leaves, rice straw, and wheat straw. Plant extracts were added on soil surface in a PVC soil column at a rate of 1.0 ml min-1. Both soil and drainage water were analyzed for pH, Ca, Al, and K. Plant extracts applied on the soil surface increased soil pH, exchangeable Ca ex and Kex and decreased Al ex. Oil seed radish, black oat, and blue lupin were the best and millet the worst materials to alleviate soil acidity. Oil seed radish markedly increased Al in the drainage water. Chemical changes were associated with the concentrations of basic cations in the plant extract: the higher the concentration the greater the effects in alleviating soil acidity.

2002 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 183-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcelo E. Cassiolato ◽  
Mário Miyazawa ◽  
Anderson R. Meda ◽  
Marcos A. Pavan

Water-soluble plant organic compounds have been proposed to be efficient in alleviating soil acidity. Laboratory methods were evaluated to estimate the efficiency of plant extracts to neutralize soil acidity. Plant samples were dried at 65ºC for 48 h and ground to pass 1 mm sieve. Plant extraction procedure was: transfer 3.0 g of plant sample to a becker, add 150 ml of deionized water, shake for 8 h at 175 rpm and filter. Three laboratory methods were evaluated: sigma (Ca+Mg+K) of the plant extracts; electrical conductivity of the plant extracts and titration of plant extracts with NaOH solution between pH 3 to 7. These methods were compared with the effect of the plant extracts on acid soil chemistry. All laboratory methods were related with soil reaction. Increasing sigma (Ca+Mg+K), electrical conductivity and the volume of NaOH solution spent to neutralize H+ ion of the plant extracts were correlated with the effect of plant extract on increasing soil pH and exchangeable Ca and decreasing exchangeable Al. It is proposed the electrical conductivity method for estimating the efficiency of plant extract to neutralize soil acidity because it is easily adapted for routine analysis and uses simple instrumentations and materials.


HortScience ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 50 (5) ◽  
pp. 744-749
Author(s):  
Muqiu Zhao ◽  
Huaibao Zhao ◽  
Qianjin Du ◽  
Yunfeng Shi

Hydrolysis and nitrification are the key steps of biological transformation of urea in soils, which control the loss of nitrogen (N) in terrestrial ecosystem. The inhibitory effects of plant materials on N transformation provide potential benefits for agricultural production and environmental protection. In this study, water-soluble and ethanol-soluble compounds were extracted from 24 tropical medicinal plant species in Hainan Island, southern China, with the aim of measuring their effects on urease activity (UA), nitrification potential (NP), and ammonium oxidizer number in a paddy soil, by a series of short (5 hours) and long-term (14 days) incubation experiments. Total solid yields and phenols contents of 48 medicinal plant extracts were also analyzed in this study. There were big differences in total solid yield and phenols content among the extracts of the selected tropical medicinal plant extracts. The phenols content of the plant extracts varied from 15.1 to 273.4 mg GAE/g extract (milligrams of gallic acid equivalents per gram of extract). A significant relationship between UA and NP of the soil treated with plant extracts and their phenols content was found, indicating that phenolic compounds are the major contributors to the inhibitory properties of these plants. Further studies indicated that the water extracts of Epimeredi indica aerial and Melia azedarach leaf, containing a high content of phenols, exhibited notable urease and nitrification inhibitory effects and reduced the number of soil ammonia–oxidizing bacteria, being promising sources of natural inhibitors for soil N transformation.


Soil Research ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 40 (7) ◽  
pp. 1171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Damayanthi Peiris ◽  
Antonio F. Patti ◽  
W. Roy Jackson ◽  
Marc Marshall ◽  
Christopher J. Smith

Previous workers have demonstrated the amelioration of soil acidity with Ca-saturated, at least slightly soluble, organic materials. This study investigated the effectiveness of a new source of such materials, the humate- or fulvate-rich products of oxidation (hydrogen peroxide) of Loy Yang brown coal. The products were characterised by physical and spectroscopic measurements and by elemental analysis. Two products, one approximately half fulvate (fulvate-rich), the other predominantly humate (humate-rich) were mixed with CaCl2 and then used to treat columns of an acid red podzol soil from Book Book, NSW. Leachate fractions were collected and analysed for pH, ionic strength, and concentration of Ca, Mg, K, Mn, Fe, and Al. After leaching (3 pore volumes), each soil column was sectioned and exchangeable Ca and Al contents were determined. The results were compared with those obtained from lime-treated and untreated columns.The Ca-fulvate-rich product was the most effective in lowering the exchangeable Al content of the soil whilst increasing exchangeable Ca and soil pH. About 90% of the reduction in exchangeable Al was due to loss of Al in the leachate rather than immobilisation. The pH increased over the top 15 cm of the column from 3.8 ± 0.1 to 4.5–5.4. The Ca-humate-rich oxidised product was less effective in ameliorating soil acidity, as expected from its chemical properties, but it increased soil pH (to 4.0–4.7) and exchangeable Ca in the top 6 cm of the column and decreased exchangeable Al in the top 12 cm. More of the reduction in exchangeable Al than for the treatment with Ca-fulvate-rich material was due to conversion to an immobile form. This material was superior to lime, which only gave significant improvement near the soil surface. The leachates from treated columns contained the same amounts of Mg, Mn, and K as a control, but more Fe was leached from treated columns, particularly that treated with the Ca-fulvate-rich product.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
NARENDRA SINGH ◽  
N. S. BHADAURIA ◽  
PRADYUMN SINGH

The Bio-efficacy of eleven plant extracts namely viz.Neem Kernel; Rhizome of Ginger; Leaves of Datura, Gajarghas, Harsingar, Oak and Latjeera; Bulb of Garlic and Onion; Flowers of Chrysenthemum and Fruits of Chilli in the concentration of 5 percent and imidacloprid @ 40 g ai/ha was tested against mustard aphid, Lipaphiserysimi and their effect on D. rapae and Coccinellid beetle were tested in the Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Gwalior (M.P.). All the tested plant materials and imidacloprid @ 40 g ai/ha were effective significanty in reducing the aphid population over control.The aphid population in treated plots ranged from 7.2 to 40.0 as against 85.4 aphid/twig in untreated control. Among the plant material, three sprays of Neem Kernel were found most effective followed by three sprays of chilli fruits.All the plant extracts were found significantly safer to D. rapae and coccinellid bettle in comparision to insecticide (imidacloprid).


Weed Science ◽  
1979 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 595-598 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. V. Toai ◽  
D. L. Linscott

We studied the effects of temperature (5, 10, 20, and 30 C) on the phytotoxic activity of decaying quackgrass [Agropyron repens (L.) Beauv.] leaves and rhizomes that were incubated in soils for 0, 1, 2, 4, and 6 weeks. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) seeds were grown for 96 h in water, water extracts of control soils, and water extracts of soil with quackgrass rhizomes or leaves. Dried quackgrass rhizomes and leaves contained water-soluble toxins that inhibited alfalfa seedling development and growth. There was a strong interaction between incubation time and temperature on the development of additional toxins by decomposing quackgrass. High incubation temperature (30 C) accelerated toxin formation and ultimate decay. Intermediate temperature (20 C) delayed toxin formation and decay. Low incubation temperatures (5 C and 10 C) prevented formation of additional toxin. In all extracts of quackgrass and soil that had been incubated for 6 weeks, normal alfalfa seedling number equaled that in water. However, seedling growth varied with incubation temperatures.Treatment of quackgrass with glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl) glycine] in the greenhouse did not influence the toxicity of decaying quackgrass leaves. The highest toxic effect was noted after 1 week of decay on the soil surface.


Weed Science ◽  
1974 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. E. Holm ◽  
D. E. Stallard

Five 2,5-dimethyl-1-pyrrolidinecarboxanilides were effective inhibitors of the Hill reaction. However, only thecisisomers were active; thetransisomers were totally inactive. Experiments were conducted using14C-5328 (cis-2,5-dimethyl-1-pyrrolidinecarboxanilide). A correlation existed between resistance of various plants to 5328 and their ability to metabolize it to water soluble metabolites. Velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrastiMedic.) and proso millet (Panicum miliaceumL.) seedlings were very susceptible to 5328 and were unable to metabolize it. Tall morningglory [Ipomoea purpurea(L.) Roth] seedlings were highly tolerant to 5328 and converted it completely to its metabolites. Corn (Zea maysL. ‘DeKalb variety XL-45′) seedlings which were slightly susceptible to 5328 injury were able to metabolize up to 90% of the parent compound. Corn foliage uptake of14C-5328 applied to the soil surface occurred through the adventitious roots.


2005 ◽  
Vol 77 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Gurib-Fakim ◽  
H. Subratty ◽  
F. Narod ◽  
J. Govinden-Soulange ◽  
F. Mahomoodally

The Mauritian population has a long tradition in the use of ethno-medicine, and the practice is still strong, especially in the treatment of minor ailments. Such interest stems from an existing culture, and many “tisanes” are still prepared from plant materials and sold in several markets around the island.This paper will focus on the various chemical/biological screening techniques currently being used to evaluate the biological properties of medicinal plant extracts. Particular emphasis will be put on extraction and various screening for biological/pharmacological properties. Due consideration will be given to the pharmacological approaches that utilize different animal models for the in vitro and in vivo screening of medicinal plant extracts.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaocheng Liu ◽  
Chenming Zhang ◽  
Yue Liu ◽  
David Lockington ◽  
Ling Li

<p>Estimation of evaporation rates from soils is significant for environmental, hydrological, and agricultural purposes. Modeling of the soil surface resistance is essential to estimate the evaporation rates from bare soil. Empirical surface resistance models may cause large deviations when applied to different soils. A physically-based soil surface model is developed to calculate the surface resistance, which can consider evaporation on the soil surface when soil is fully saturated and the vapor flow below the soil surface after dry layer forming on the top. Furthermore, this physically-based expression of the surface resistance is added into a numerical model that considers the liquid water transport, water vapor transport, and heat transport during evaporation. The simulation results are in good agreement with the results from six soil column drying experiments.  This numerical model can be applied to predict or estimate the evaporation rate of different soil and saturation at different depths during evaporation.</p>


2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (22) ◽  
pp. 5239-5252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Puppe ◽  
Axel Höhn ◽  
Danuta Kaczorek ◽  
Manfred Wanner ◽  
Marc Wehrhan ◽  
...  

Abstract. The significance of biogenic silicon (BSi) pools as a key factor for the control of Si fluxes from terrestrial to aquatic ecosystems has been recognized for decades. However, while most research has been focused on phytogenic Si pools, knowledge of other BSi pools is still limited. We hypothesized that different BSi pools influence short-term changes in the water-soluble Si fraction in soils to different extents. To test our hypothesis we took plant (Calamagrostis epigejos, Phragmites australis) and soil samples in an artificial catchment in a post-mining landscape in the state of Brandenburg, Germany. We quantified phytogenic (phytoliths), protistic (diatom frustules and testate amoeba shells) and zoogenic (sponge spicules) Si pools as well as Tiron-extractable and water-soluble Si fractions in soils at the beginning (t0) and after 10 years (t10) of ecosystem development. As expected the results of Tiron extraction showed that there are no consistent changes in the amorphous Si pool at Chicken Creek (Hühnerwasser) as early as after 10 years. In contrast to t0 we found increased water-soluble Si and BSi pools at t10; thus we concluded that BSi pools are the main driver of short-term changes in water-soluble Si. However, because total BSi represents only small proportions of water-soluble Si at t0 (< 2 %) and t10 (2.8–4.3 %) we further concluded that smaller (< 5 µm) and/or fragile phytogenic Si structures have the biggest impact on short-term changes in water-soluble Si. In this context, extracted phytoliths (> 5 µm) only amounted to about 16 % of total Si contents of plant materials of C. epigejos and P. australis at t10; thus about 84 % of small-scale and/or fragile phytogenic Si is not quantified by the used phytolith extraction method. Analyses of small-scale and fragile phytogenic Si structures are urgently needed in future work as they seem to represent the biggest and most reactive Si pool in soils. Thus they are the most important drivers of Si cycling in terrestrial biogeosystems.


Planta Medica ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luiz C. Klein-Junior ◽  
Maira R. de Souza ◽  
Johan Viaene ◽  
Tania M. B. Bresolin ◽  
André L. de Gasper ◽  
...  

AbstractHerbal medicines are important options for the treatment of several illnesses. Although their therapeutic applicability has been demonstrated throughout history, several concerns about their safety and efficacy are raised regularly. Quality control of articles of botanical origin, including plant materials, plant extracts, and herbal medicines, remains a challenge. Traditionally, qualitative (e.g., identification and chromatographic profile) and quantitative (e.g., content analyses) markers are applied for this purpose. The compound-oriented approach may stand alone in some cases (e.g., atropine in Atropa belladonna). However, for most plant materials, plant extracts, and herbal medicines, it is not possible to assure quality based only on the content or presence/absence of one (sometimes randomly selected) compound. In this sense, pattern-oriented approaches have been extensively studied, introducing the use of multivariate data analysis on chromatographic/spectroscopic fingerprints. The use of genetic methods for plant material/plant extract authentication has also been proposed. In this study, traditional approaches are reviewed, although the focus is on the applicability of fingerprints for quality control, highlighting the most used approaches, as well as demonstrating their usefulness. The literature review shows that a pattern-oriented approach may be successfully applied to the quality assessment of articles of botanical origin, while also providing directions for a compound-oriented approach and a rational marker selection. These observations indicate that it may be worth considering to include fingerprints and their data analysis in the regulatory framework for herbal medicines concerning quality control since this is the foundation of the holistic view that these complex products demand.


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