Pedogenical Distribution of some Micronutrients in Prevailing Sub Great Soil Group in Iraq

The study included the analysis of (341) samples from eight pedons cover most of the prevailing sub great soil groups in Iraq, which are (Typic Torrifluvents, Typic Torrients, Typic Gypsiorthids, Typic Calciorthids, Aquollic Salorthids, Typic Chromoxerects, Typic Xerrochrepts and Typic Calcixerects) to study the pedogenetic distribution of total and bioavailable content of the manganese, zinc, copper, and iron also its relationship with some soil properties. Results showed significant differences between the studied regions of total content of microelements, the bioavailability content also showed a significant deference between the studied regions. The physical and chemical soil properties clearly affected on their content of micronutrient and 77% of the studied samples were below the critical limit for zinc, but 65% of the studied samples were under the critical limit for iron. This refers to the response of the cultivated crops in such sub great soil groups to the addition of Zn and Fe fertilizers, also pedogenetic distribution of the content of these microelements showed a decrease with depth and compatible with the distribution of each of the separated clay and organic matter and decrease with the increase in the soil content of calcium carbonate.

PSVI-24 Effects of early-life exposure to topsoil on the muscle fiber characteristics and gene expression of weaned piglets

The objective of this experiment was to investigate the influence of early exposure to topsoil on the muscle fiber characteristics and transcription-related myogenesis, intramuscular fat metabolism, muscle fiber types, and mTOR signaling pathway of weaned pigs. A Total of 180 piglets were separately assigned to the No soil, Antibacterial soil, and Normal soil group (each group, n = 60), and were fed ad libitum with common antibiotic-free corn-soybean meal diets until day-31. Ten pigs from each group with similar body weight were selected to be slaughtered, and the Longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle samples were collected for histological analysis and measurements of genes and protein expression levels. In the present study, the muscle fiber diameter and the area of the Normal soil and Antibacterial soil group were significantly higher than the No soil group (P < 0.05). The Normal soil significantly upregulated the gene expression of MyoG compared to No soil and Antibacterial soil groups (P < 0.05). The gene expression of CD36 and CPT-1 of the Normal soil group was significantly lower than the No soil group (P < 0.05), while HSL expression of the Normal soil group was significantly higher than the Antibacterial and No soil groups (P < 0.05). The MyHC I of the Normal soil group was significantly higher than the No soil group (P < 0.05), but the expression MyHC IIa was lower than the No soil group (P < 0.05). The protein expression expressed a similar result with gene expression. In addition, the Normal soil significantly increased the AMPK and mTOR phosphorylation compared to No soil and Antibacterial soil groups (P < 0.05). These data suggest that early exposure to topsoil regulates muscle fiber growth, modulates the expression pattern related to myogenesis, muscle fiber type, intramuscular fat metabolism, and increases the phosphorylation of mTOR and AMPK pathways.

Assessing the Role of Phosphorus as a Macropollutant in Four Typical Mediterranean Basin Soils

Available phosphorus (AP) is a key macropollutant predictor of ecosystem services as well as a crucial indicator of soil productivity. Long-term applications of this macronutrient and its implications on sustainability in the face of peak phosphorus harvest have raised some concerns in recent years. This study aimed to characterise the edaphic AP in nearly 15,000 ha of the Mediterranean basin, an agricultural study area whose intensification is increasing with time. Four typical Mediterranean reference soil groups (RSG)—Calcisols, Luvisols, Fluvisols and Cambisols—were analysed and compared for their AP in two different agricultural settings—rain-fed and irrigation—from 2002 to 2012, where 1417 and 1451 topsoil samples were taken, respectively. AP increased from 2002 to 2012 in the irrigated Luvisols (p < = 0.05), Fluvisols (p < = 0.01) and Cambisols (p < = 0.05), while irrigated Calcisols maintained its concentrations (p > 0.05) over time. For rain-fed soils, the AP did not reveal significant differences in time for all RSG (p > 0.05). Additionally, irrigated Fluvisols and Cambisols presented 9% (p < = 0.01) and 68% (p < = 0.01) higher AP concentrations, respectively, than the corresponding rain-fed RSGs in 2012. We provide predictive maps for both 2002 and 2012. These results suggest that this area is departing from the sustainable goals of ecosystem services equilibrium; proper management practices that counteract the anthropogenic pressures in the area should be adopted.

Effects of early-life exposure to topsoil on the muscle fiber characteristics and gene expression of weaned piglets

The objective of this experiment was to investigate the influence of early exposure to topsoil on the muscle fiber characteristics and transcription related myogenesis, intramuscular fat metabolism, muscle fiber types, and mTOR signaling pathway of weaned pigs. A Total of 180 piglets were separately assigned to No soil, Antibacterial soil, and Normal soil group (each group, n=60), and were fed ad libitum with common antibiotic-free corn-soybean meal diets until day-31. Ten pigs from each group with similar body weight were selected to be slaughtered, and the longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle samples were collected for histological analysis and measurements of genes and proteins expression levels. In the present study, the muscle fiber diameter and the area of Normal soil and Antibacterial soil group were significantly higher than No soil group (P < 0.05). The Normal soil significantly upregulated the gene expression of MyoG compared to No soil and Antibacterial soil groups (P < 0.05). The gene expression of CD36 and CPT-1 of Normal soil group was significantly lower than No soil group (P < 0.05), while HSL expression of Normal soil group was significantly higher than Antibacterial and No soil groups (P < 0.05). The MyHC I of Normal soil group was significantly higher than No soil group (P < 0.05), but the expression MyHC IIa was lower than No soil group (P < 0.05). The protein expression expressed the similar result with gene expression. In addition, the Normal soil significantly increased the AMPK and mTOR phosphorylation compared to No soil and Antibacterial soil groups (P < 0.05). These data suggest that early exposure to topsoil regulates the muscle fiber growth, modulates the expression pattern related to myogenesis, muscle fiber type, intramuscular fat metabolism, and increases the phosphorylation of mTOR and AMPK pathways.

Corn Cob-Derived Biochar Improves the Growth of Saline-Irrigated Quinoa in Different Orders of Egyptian Soils

Biochar is one of the important recycling methods in sustainable development, as it ensures the transformation of agricultural wastes into fertilizers and conditioners that improve soil properties and fertility. In the current study, corn cob-derived biochar (CB) was used to reduce the negative effects of saline water on quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa cv. Utosaya Q37) grown on Aridisols and Entisols, which are the major soil groups of Egyptian soils. Quinoa plants were cultivated in pot experiment and were irrigated with saline water (EC = 10 dS m−1). The experiment contained three treatments, including control without any treatment, biochar at a rate of 1% (w/w) (BC1), and biochar at a rate of 3% (w/w) (BC3). The findings of the current study showed that BC treatments realized significant effects on soil salinity, pH, soil organic matter (SOM), and plant availability and nutrients’ uptake in the two soils types. BC3 increased the SOM in Entisols and Aridisols by 23 and 44%; moreover, the dry biomass of quinoa plants was ameliorated by 81 and 41%, respectively, compared with the control. Addition of biochar to soil increased the nutrients’ use efficiencies by quinoa plants for the two studied Egyptian soils. Biochar addition caused significant increases in the use efficiency of nitrogen (NUF), phosphorus (PUE), and potassium (KUE) by quinoa plants. BC3 increased NUE, PUE, and KUS by 81, 81, and 80% for Entisols, while these increases were 40, 41, and 42% in the case of Aridisols. Based on the obtained results, the application of corn cob biochar improves the soil quality and alleviates the negative effects of saline irrigation on quinoa plants grown on Aridisols and Entisols Egyptian soils. Biochar can be used as a soil amendment in arid and semi-arid regions to reduce the salinity hazards.

SPATIAL EVALUATION OF LAND AND SOIL PROPERTIES IN THE EXAMPLE OF NEVŞEHİR PROVINCE, TURKEY

In this study, some land and soil properties were spatially evaluated with the help of 1/25.000 scaled digital soil maps belonging to Center of province in the Central Anatolia Region, Turkey. Land use capability, large soil groups, soil depths, erosion, slope and spatial distributions of current land uses were carried out in the research. Arc GIS 10.3.1 software, which is one of the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software, was used for spatial analysis. With a maximum of 262518 in the study area, VI. class lands. Class I cover an area of ​​247 . In terms of large soil groups, and soils are dominant and the area covered by these soils is 450187 . The least area was found to be reddish brown soils with 124 . It has been determined that the least area in the depth classes is A class (greater than 150 cm) soils. In the study area, it is the soil with the maximum C class (50-90 cm) depth. When the land was examined in terms of slope, it was determined that the land with the highest 3rd degree slope (12-20%) was formed. The research area consists of soil structure that can be exposed to the 2nd degree erosion class at most. When the current land uses are examined, it is the garden area with the least usage area in the region and the area it covers is 3400 . It has been observed that the most dry farming areas are located in the study area. It is thought that the results obtained as a result of the study will be the basis for the agricultural studies to be carried out in Center of province.

Temporal Variability of Soil Reaction Among Surface and Near-Surface Horizons of Soils of Dissimilar Lithology in a Humid Tropical Environment

The study investigated changes in soil reaction among surface and near surface horizons of four soil groups as affected by wet and dry seasons in Southeastern Nigeria. A geological map of the area guided soil sampling. Free survey approach was used in locating soil profiles. Soil samples were collected based on horizon differentiation and samples were collected from the AB-horizon (near-surface) and the A-horizon (Surface). Routine laboratory analyses were conducted on these soil samples after sieving through a 2-mm sieve. Data were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) using SAS Statistical Computer Package. There were significant (p<0.05) changes in soil reaction in A- and AB-horizons in the dry seasons of 2016 and 2017. Similarly, in the wet season, soil pH varied significantly (p<0.05) in 2016 and 2017. Soil reaction significantly (p<0.05) differed in AB-horizons in both 2016 and 2017 irrespective of the season. All soil samples were acidic irrespective of lithologic material and season with pH values ranging from 4.20-5.60 and 3.31-5.42 in the A- and AB-horizons, respectively.