Amorphous silica increases the water holding capacity and the phosphorus mobility in soils - solving the two main problems of agriculture

Author(s):  
Jörg Schaller ◽  
Benjamin Gilfedder ◽  
Sven Frei

<p>The two primary problems currently facing agriculture are drought and the availability of mineable phosphorus minerals used for fertilization. More frequent and longer drought periods are predicted to threaten agricultural yields in future. The capacity of soils to hold water is a highly important factor controlling drought stress intensity for plants during the growing phase. High phosphorus availability in soils is necessary for high agricultural yield. For both drought and phosphorus availability in soils amorphous silica (ASi) has been suggested to be able to mitigate these problems. Amorphous silica pools in natural soils are in the range of 0-6%. However ASi pools have declined in agricultural soils since the development of high intensity agriculture to values of <1% due to yearly crop harvests, decreasing water the holding capacity of the soils. Here, we analyzed the effect of ASi on the water holding capacity (WHC) of soil and how the ASi effects the mobilization of phosphorus.  ASi was mixed at varying rates with different soils. Afterwards, the retention curve of the soils was determined. Here we show that ASi increases the soil water holding capacity substantially, by forming silica gels with a water content at soil saturation higher than 700%. An increase of ASi by 1% or 5% (weight) increased the water content at all studied water potentials and plant available water increased by >40% and >60%, respectively. Additionally, we fertilized soils with ASi and measured phosphorus mobilization from the solid phase into the soil pore waters. We found a strong mobilization of phosphorus by ASi. In a lysimeter experiment we found that ASi strongly increased the WHC of soils. Furthermore, as expected from the batch experiments the ASi is decreased phosphorus sorption to soil minerals and consequently increased its mobilization. Our results suggest that ASi addition to soils enhances the water availability, potentially decreases drought stress for plants as well as increasing phosphorus mobility in soil of terrestrial ecosystems.</p>

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joerg Schaller

<p>A main problem currently facing agriculture is drought. More frequent and longer drought periods are predicted to threaten agricultural yields in future. The capacity of soils to hold water is a highly important factor controlling drought stress intensity for plants during the growing phase. Amorphous silica (ASi) has been suggested to be able to mitigate these problems. Amorphous silica pools in natural soils are in the range of 0-6%. However, ASi pools have declined in agricultural soils since the development of high intensity agriculture to values of <1% due to yearly crop harvests, decreasing the water holding capacity of the soils. Here, we analyzed the effect of ASi on the water holding capacity (WHC) of soils. ASi was mixed at varying rates with different soils. Afterwards, the retention curve of the soils was determined. Here we show that ASi increases the soil water holding capacity substantially, by forming silica gels with a water content at soil saturation higher than 700%. An increase of ASi by 1% or 5% (weight) increased the water content at all studied water potentials and plant available water increased by >40% and >60%, respectively. In a lysimeter experiment we found that ASi strongly increased the WHC of soils, too. In a field experiment we found an increase of soil moisture after ASi fertilization over the whole growing season. Furthermore, wheat plant grown in this field experiment suffered less from drought and had a later onset of senescence. Our results suggest that ASi is a main control on soil water availability, potentially decreases drought stress for plants in future.</p>


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-64
Author(s):  
Svetlana Galimullovna Denisova ◽  
Antonina Anatolyevna Reut

In introduction studies, it is of great importance to determine how favorable the water balance of the studied species is under given environmental conditions. The aim of the research was to study the water regime of some varieties of chrysanthemums in the conditions of the Southern Ural. The study was conducted in 20182020 on the basis of the South-Ural Botanical Garden-Institute of the Ufa Federal Research Centre of Russian Academy of Sciences. The objects of the study were 23 varieties of Chrysanthemum hortorum Bailey. In the course of the research, the total water content, water-holding capacity, the content of mobile moisture, water deficit, and sublethal water deficit were determined. The analysis of water regime indicators is based on the method of artificial wilting (V.N. Tarenkov, L.N. Ivanova) and the method of saturation of plant samples (V.P. Moiseev, N.P. Reshetsky). Sublethal water deficit was determined by the method of T.K. Goryshina, L.I. Samsonova, modified by N.I. Bobrovskaya. The calculations were carried out by standard methods using statistical packages of the Microsoft Excel 2003 and the Agros 2.13 program. The studies made it possible to determine the value of the sublethal water deficit (28,4%) for the varieties of chrysanthemums in the conditions of the Bashkir Ural. It was found that the studied varieties during the growing season did not experience such a moisture deficit in the tissues that could lead to irreversible damage to the assimilating organs. Our experiments showed that chrysanthemum varieties in the Bashkir Cis-Ural under the same soil-climatic and agrotechnical conditions had the following range of indicators of total water content 70,090,4% and water-holding capacity 19,0064,6%. The analysis of variance revealed significant differences between water-holding capacity and the content of mobile moisture by varieties, the share of influence was 27,8531,71%. As a result of the correlation-regression analysis, the authors revealed a direct dependence of the indicators of mobile moisture content on the total water content, and an inverse one on the indicators of the content of mobile moisture and water-holding capacity.


Author(s):  
Ardiyan Dwi Masahid ◽  
Maria Belgis ◽  
Helyas Vintan Agesti

Adlay is a nutritious grain that has the potential as an alternative food because it has a high protein and fat content of 14.10% and 7.90%, respectively. The use of Adlay as flour still has a weakness, namely the functional properties of Adlay flour such as low swelling power. One way to improve the characteristics of Adlay flour is by fermentation using Rhizopus oligosporus. The fermentation duration is the time that allows changes in the characteristics of the flour due to the fermentation. This study aims to determine the effect of differences in fermentation duration using Rhizopus oligosporus on the physical, chemical, and functional characteristics of Adlay flour produced from fermented Adlay seeds. This study used one factor, namely the lengths of fermentation for 0, 12, 24, 30, 36 and 48 hours. The analysis in this study included whiteness, yield, pH, water content, ash content, protein content, fat content, carbohydrate content, swelling power and solubility, oil holding capacity (OHC) and water holding capacity (WHC). The results have shown that the longer the fermentation duration the lower rate of whiteness, pH, yield, water content, fat content, and carbohydrate content will become, while some functional properties of Adlay flour become better with increasing values of ash content, protein content, swelling power, solubility, Oil Holding Capacity (OHC), and Water Holding Capacity (WHC).


2021 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 19
Author(s):  
SITI N. W. ◽  
I N. S. SUTAMA ◽  
N. M. S. SUKMAWATI ◽  
I N. ARDIKA

The research objective was to know the effect of fermented papaya leaf meal in diet to quality of female bali duck meat. The design used was Completely Randomized Design with 3 treatments and 5 replicates, each treatment used 2 female bali duck on the age of 12 weeks. The 3 treatments were levels of fermented papaya leaf meal i.e. 0%, 8% and 16% for treatment A, B, and C respectively. Variables observed were diminishing cook meat, water holding capacity, pH, water content, protein content, fat content and dry matter content. The research results showed that water content, diminishing cook and pH of the treatments A, B and C were non significantly different (P>0.05). Di- minishing row meat of the treatment B was significantly higher (P<0.05) but, its water holding capacity was lower significantly different (P<0.05) than the A and C. Meat protein content of the treatment C was higher significantly (P<0.05) but, its muscular fat was lower significantly (P < 0.05) compare to the treatments A and B. From the re- sults of the study it can be concluded that the addition of fermented papaya leaf meal at the level of 8%-16% in the ration can improve the quality of the meat of female bali ducks aged 26 weeks.


2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Meisya Asri Widiyanti ◽  
Lukita Purnamayati ◽  
Romadhon Romadhon

Kekian is a processed product from fish meat added with seasoning, fillers and binders then formed and wrapped with tofu skin. Kekian has a low dietary fiber so that the addition of seaweed porridge can be used to increase the content of dietary fiber in kekian. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of adding different seaweed porridge (Eucheuma cottonii) to characteristics of manyung (Arius thalassinus) kekian and determine the best seaweed porridge to the best kekian fish characteristics. The research method used was experimental laboratories using a completely randomized design of one factor is concentration of the addition of porridge (0%, 20%, 30% and 40%) with 3 replications. Sensory value data were analyzed by the Kruskal-Wallis test, while tests of dietary fiber, air content, protein content, water holding capacity and gel strength were analyzed using ANOVA. The results showed that the difference in the addition of seaweed porridge had a significant effect (P <0.05) on sensory values, dietary fiber, water content, protein content, water holding capacity and gel strength. Manyung kekian with the addition of E. cottonii porridge 20% is the best product with quality criteria: sensory of 7.61 <µ <7.86, dietary fiber of 6.03%, water content of 69.31%, protein content by 11.49%, Water Holding Capacity by 39.69% and gel strength by 773.82 kgf.


2017 ◽  
pp. 143-148
Author(s):  
Mahama Salifu

Maize (Zea mays L.) is the most important consuming cereal crop in the world after rice and wheat. This requires an understanding of various management practices as well as conditions that affect maize crop performance. Water deficit stress during crop production is one of the most serious threats to crop production in most parts of the world and drought stress or water deficit is an inevitable and recurring feature of global agriculture and it is against this background that field study of crops response to water deficit is very important to crop producer and researchers to maximize yield and improve crop production in this era of unpredicted climatic changes the world over.A pot experiment was carried out to determine the effects of water deficit on growth and yield formation of maize. Two maize cultivars were used Xundan20 and Zhongdan5485. Three levels of soil water content were used in two stages of water control levels at two stages of the maize plant development1. The JOINTING STAGE: A. CONTROL (CK) soil water content: from 70% to 80% of soil water holding capacity at the field, soil water content: from 55% to 65% of soil water holding capacity at the field, soil water content: from 40% to 50% of the Soil water holding capacity at the field.2. The BIG FLARE PERIOD: A. CONTROL (CK) soil water content: from 75% to 85% of soil water holding capacity at the field, soil water content: from 58% to 68% of soil water holding capacity at the field, soil water content: from 45% to 55% of the soil water holding capacity at the field.This research mainly studied the effects of water deficit on physiological, morphology and the agronomical characteristics of the maize plant at the different water stress levels.The importance of these results in this experiment will enable plant producers to focus and have a fair idea as to which stage of the maize plant’s development that much attention must be given to in terms of water supply.


2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 117
Author(s):  
Le Van Trong Trong ◽  
Bui Bao Thinh

This paper presents the results about effect of Mo, Cu, Mn to some physiological indexes of common bean variety NHP04 at seedling stage. The results showed that Mo, Cu and Mn affected water content in leaves, water holding capacity, transpiration intensity and chlorophyll content in leaves, in which Mo had the most effect. The results of this research can serve as scientific basis to enhance the tolerance and productivity of the common bean varieties and the plant.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2(26) ◽  
pp. 89-99
Author(s):  
R.Sh. Zaremuk ◽  
◽  
T.A. Kopnina ◽  
Yu.A. Dolya ◽  
◽  
...  

There is an abnormal increase in average summer temperature in the southern region (Krasnodar Territory). This, more than ever, actualizes the problem of identifying drought-resistant varieties of fruit crops, including cherry. The purpose of this research was to study the physiological indicators of water regime: loss of water, water-holding capacity, leaf water content, abscisic acid content in leaves of different varieties of Cerasus vulgaris Mill., which determine resistance to temperature stress, as well as to identify the most drought-tolerant varieties to optimize the range of varieties for the south of our country. The studies were carried out in 2018–2019 in the Prikuban fruit-growing zone of the Krasnodar Territory. Sixteen varieties of Cerasus vulgaris Mill. were the objects of the research. Varieties ʻKrasnodarskaya sladkayaʼ and ʻKazachkaʼ served as a control. Planting schemes – 6 × 4 m and 5 × 3 m. Soil – chernozems leached. pHwater – 6.8–7.22. Humus content – 3.47 %. In summer, meteorological conditions were characterized by an abnormal temperature rise (up to 39.3 ℃) and extended periods of drought. Studying of water regime was carried out according to the modified methodology of M. D. Kushnerenko using the gravimetric method. In laboratory experiments, we used the capillary electrophoresis “Kapel 104 P” (power supply with a positive polarity; equipped with a photometric detector; set wavelength – 254 nm). In the course of the research, we revealed that the water content in cherry leaves during the period of the adverse draught (in July) was 57.9 %; in the context of studied cherry varieties, it varied insignificantly (Cv = 4.4 %). For two hours, the loss of water by the leaf apparatus was not high – from 6.5 % to 11.9 % with a low coefficient of variation by varieties (Cv = 1.9 %). The water-holding capacity of leaf tissues was 19.6 %, the range of variability of which was insignificant by varieties (Cv = 18.0–24.2 %). The average content of abscisic acid in cherry leaves was 4.3 mg/kg and varied depending on the studied cherry varieties within the range of 1.5–14.2 mg/kg. According to the complex of physiological indicators of the water regime (low water loss (6.5–7.9 %), high water-holding capacity (19.4–24.2 %) and leaf water content (58.1–61.9 %), as well as increased abscisic acids content (11.0–14.2 mg/kg)), such cherry varieties/cultivars as ʻDuke Ivanovnaʼ, ʻDuke Khodosaʼ, ʻFeyaʼ, ʻMolodezhnayaʼ and ʻErdi Botermoʼ were classified as highly drought-resistant. They are recommended for expanding the range of adaptive cherry varieties/cultivars in the southern part of Russia.


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