Aboveground Biomass Accumulation Research Articles

Rates and drivers of aboveground carbon accumulation in global monoculture plantation forests

Restoring forest cover is a key action for mitigating climate change. Although monoculture plantations dominate existing commitments to restore forest cover, we lack a synthetic view of how carbon accumulates in these systems. Here, we assemble a global database of 4756 field-plot measurements from monoculture plantations across all forested continents. With these data, we model carbon accumulation in aboveground live tree biomass and examine the biological, environmental, and human drivers that influence this growth. Our results identify four-fold variation in carbon accumulation rates across tree genera, plant functional types, and biomes, as well as the key mediators (e.g., genus of tree, endemism of species, prior land use) of variation in these rates. Our nonlinear growth models advance our understanding of carbon accumulation in forests relative to mean annual rates, particularly during the next few decades that are critical for mitigating climate change.

Growth and yield responses to simulated hail damage in drip-irrigated cotton

The frequent occurrence of hailstorm in Xinjiang affects cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) production and causes enormous economic loss. The indeterminate growth habit of cotton allows for varying degrees of recovery and yield when different hail damage levels occur at different stages, which brings inconvenience to agricultural insurance claims and post-damage management. Therefore, this study aimed to elucidate cotton recovery and yield responses to different levels of simulated hail damage at different growth stages. Four levels of hail damage (0, 30, 60, and 90%) were simulated every 15 d from the five-leaf stage to the boll opening stage in 2018 and 2019, for a total of six times (I, II, III, IV, V, and VI). The results showed that seed cotton yield decreased as the damage level increased and yield reduction increased when the damage was applied to older plants (for 30, 60 and 90% damage levels, yield reduction was 9–17%, 22–37% and 48–71%, respectively). One possible reason was that the leaf area index and leaf area duration of plant canopy decreased after hail damage, resulting in a reduction in the accumulation of above-ground biomass. However, when hail damage occurred before bloom, due to the indeterminate growth habit of cotton, the vegetative organs produced a strong compensation ability that promoted the bud development. The compensation ability of vegetative organs decreased when hail damage occurred after bloom and the recovery time was too short to promote new boll maturity. As the first study to understand the recovery of cotton after hail damage, it analyzed the leaf area index, leaf area duration, above-ground biomass accumulation and yield, rather than the yield alone. The findings are of great importance for cotton production as they inform decisions about post-damage management practices, yield forecasts and insurance compensation.

Stand structure, biomass and carbon stock along disturbance gradients in differently managed tropical forests of Assam, northeast India

Forest ecosystems play an integral role in climate regulation through carbon sequestration and storage. Tropical forests in Assam (northeast India) have undergone major degradation which has threatened the standing biomass and carbon sequestration potential of these forests, apart from altering the dynamics of the ecosystem. In the present assessment, protected forests (PA), reserved forests (RF) and village forests (VF) were studied to understand how disturbances, or the lack of it, influence the plant species diversity, stand characteristics, biomass and carbon storage. In each forest a belt transect 250m in length and 20m in width was laid for enumeration of all woody individuals having a diameter at breast height (dbh) ≥5 cm. Disturbance index, community parameters and biomass and carbon stock were computed for each study site. Species richness, density, basal area, biomass and carbon varied between the forests and exhibited a negative correlation with the disturbance gradients under the different forest management regimes. The mean aboveground biomass (AGB) was 172.90±12.98 Mg ha−1 in the PAs, 82.89±8.47 Mg ha−1 in the RFs and 88.48±19.89 Mg ha−1 in the VFs. The corresponding mean belowground biomass (BGB) was 84.77±14.23, 40.81±1.50 and 40.20±8.18 Mg ha−1 in the PAs, RFs and VFs, respectively. The mean AGB C stock was 81.95±6.16, 39.29±4.01 and 41.94±9.42 Mg C ha−1 in the PAs, RFs and VFs, respectively. The BGB C stock ranged between 15.18 and 46.93 Mg C ha−1 among the study sites. The AGB accumulation was greater in the diameter class >56 cm in the PAs and RFs, whereas in VFs the intermediate diameter classes accounted to 44−58% of the total AGB. Species richness and stand characteristics were affected by human-induced disturbances in the study sites irrespective of the existing management regime, which in turn influenced the biomass and C stock. The study emphasizes the need of enhanced management practices in the disturbed tropical forests of Assam, which have a large potential in sequestering atmospheric CO2 and contributing to national development policies in climate change mitigation.

Does the timing of short-term biowaste compost application affect crop growth and potential nitrate leaching? The case studies of processing tomato and cauliflower under field conditions

The feasibility of municipal solid waste compost (MSWC) as a substitute for mineral nitrogen (N) fertiliser was tested for a spring-summer (i.e., processing tomato) and an autumn-winter (i.e., cauliflower) vegetable crop grown in Mediterranean open field conditions. Two different doses (10 and 20 t dm C ha–1) and two distribution timings for each dose (i.e., early application at about nine months before processing tomato transplanting and five months before cauliflower transplanting: C10_early and C20_early; late application at about one month before processing tomato and cauliflower transplanting: C10_late and C20_late) were compared in a two-year field experiment. An unfertilised control and a 100% mineral N fertilisation (MIN, 200 kg N ha–1 for processing tomato and 150 kg N ha–1 for cauliflower) were added to the experiment. The application of MSWC significantly reduced the aboveground DM accumulation compared to the MIN in both crops, and it was inadequate to ensure a high yield for spring-summer and autumn-winter vegetables. However, the timing of compost application seems to play an essential role in reducing the reduction of crop growth due to compost application. In both tomato and cauliflower, when the MSWC was applied a few months earlier than the transplanting (i.e., in the previous summer in tomato and the previous spring in cauliflower), the DM and yield reduction was less apparent than in soil where compost was applied immediately before transplanting. Despite the lowest N-uptake associated with the MSWC application, the N-NO3 concentration in the soil solution was reduced by MSWC. In addition to the amendment effect, compost use may positively impact lowering N leaching risks in the groundwater. Combining the use of MSWC applied early before the crop season with mineral N fertiliser, it is possible to gain high yield, increase soil organic carbon and reduce groundwater contamination risk both in spring-summer and autumn-winter vegetable crops. Highlights- Biowaste compost decreased the aboveground biomass accumulation and yield in processing tomato and cauliflower. - Biowaste compost alone did not meet the N requirement in processing tomato and cauliflower. - Biowaste compost distribution in the summer before the processing tomato growing season alleviated its depressive effect in reducing DM and yield. - Biowaste compost distribution in the spring before the cauliflower growing season alleviated its depressive effect in reducing DM and yield. - Biowaste compost decreased the N-NO3 concentration in soil solution compared to mineral fertilisation with a positive effect in reducing N leaching risks in the groundwater.

Tomato Comprehensive Quality Evaluation and Irrigation Mode Optimization with Biogas Slurry Based on the Combined Evaluation Model

Scientific and reasonable water and fertilizer regimes positively affected crop growth, yield, fruits quality and soil environment improvement. As a liquid quick-acting organic fertilizer to substitute chemical fertilizers, biogas slurry has been widely used in agricultural production. However, the lack of research on the proper comprehensive quality evaluation model and irrigation mode under biogas slurry limits the promotion and large-scale application of biogas slurry in agricultural production. In this study, three biogas slurry (BS) ratio (1:4BS, 1:6BS, 1:8BS; volume ratio of biogas slurry to water), three irrigation levels (W1, W2, W3) and three fertilizer control treatments (CF1, CF2, CF3) were conducted in field experiments. Eleven single indexes from four type qualities (external quality, taste quality, nutrition quality, storage and transportation quality) were adopted to establish the comprehensive evaluation index system of tomato. The principal component analysis, grey correlation analysis, membership function analysis and TOPSIS analysis model (based on the combination of objective entropy method and subjective analytic hierarchy process) were used to estimate the comprehensive quality of tomato fruits. Moreover, the objective combination evaluation mode based on overall diversity was used to evaluate the results obtained from the four independent comprehensive evaluation methods. The aim is to mitigate inconsistencies of multi-attribute evaluation models. The results showed that biogas slurry application was beneficial to the accumulation of aboveground biomass under the same irrigation amount, which can effectively improve the sugar to acid ratio and lycopene content of tomato. T3 (1:4BS, W3) and T1 (1:4BS, W1) obtained the highest yield and water use efficiency (WUE), respectively. The results of Kendall consistency test and Pearson correlation coefficients showed that there were good compatibility and high consistency among the four independent comprehensive evaluation models, and the combined quality evaluation model can be performed directly. As the correlation coefficients between combined evaluation model and each of four independent methods reached 0.965, the combined evaluation model was capable of reducing the differences of four independent comprehensive evaluation model. The combined quality evaluation results showed that T2 (1:4BS, W2) recommended strongly in this study could effectively improve the yield, quality and WUE of tomato.

Stronger conservation promotes mangrove biomass accumulation: Insights from spatially explicit assessments using UAV and Landsat data

AbstractChinese mangroves have been recovered in area over the past two decades from previous declining trend, and about half of existing mangroves are still in their young growth stage. This provides a unique opportunity to assess mangrove conservation by examining the growth dynamics of young mangroves over different conservation periods. However, we are currently short of effective assessment tools for spatially explicit quantification of mangrove conservation effects. To fill up this gap, we proposed a novel remote sensing approach using readily available unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and Landsat enhanced vegetation index (EVI) data to assess the spatial evolution of aboveground biomass (AGB) of young mangroves. With the space‐for‐time hypothesis, the approach implemented with an empirical EVI‐height‐AGB equation was tested in four subtropical estuarine mangroves in the southeastern coast of China. The results indicated: (a) the UAV‐based Structure from Motion (SfM) technology served as an effective and low‐cost means for capturing the spatial heterogeneity of mangrove canopy heights; (b) a maximum stand age of 15 years could be used to define the young growth stage of mangroves, for which the EVI‐height relationships could be described by exponential equations without suffering significant spectral saturation effects; (c) mangrove forests had overall faster annual AGB accumulation during the young growth stage over the post‐2000 versus pre‐2000 conservation period. This study is one of the first attempts to develop a remote sensing approach for quantifying spatially explicit AGB accumulation rates of young mangroves. It highlights the practicability and advantage of the UAV‐SfM technology and confirms that stronger conservation efforts promote mangrove AGB accumulation over the past two decades. The developed EVI‐height‐AGB framework fueled with readily available UAV and Landsat data provides a unique tool for assessing mangrove conservation effects from landscape to regional scales.

Comparative Proteomic Analysis by Isobaric Tags for the Relative and Absolute Quantification Reveals the Responses of Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) Roots to Different Soil Types.

Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) root affects the yield and quality of tobacco leaves. To gain insight into the responses of the tobacco root system to different soil types, we integrated morphological characteristics, the physiological index, the metabolic pathways of the root system, and the aboveground biomass of tobacco cultivated in limestone soil (LS), paddy soil (PS), and red soil (RS). Compared with plants growing in LS and PS, the chemical composition of tobacco leaves in RS tended to be coordinated. Red soil facilitated the accumulation of aboveground and belowground biomass of flue-cured tobacco and had the most significant effect on the dry matter quality of the roots. In addition, it promoted an increased root length, root surface area (RSA), root volume, and a higher number of root forks and improved root vigor and nitrate reductase (NR) activity; however, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) were decreased. We studied differentially the abundant proteins (DAPs) of the flue-cured tobacco roots cultivated in different soil types by isobaric tags for the relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) of the proteomic profiles of cultivar. In total, 699, 650, and 569 differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) were identified from limestone soil (LS) vs. PS, LS vs. RS, and PS vs. RS, respectively, including 412/287, 291/359, and 323/246 up-/downregulated proteins, respectively. These DAPs were mainly involved in starch and sucrose metabolism, phenylalanine metabolism, the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, microbial metabolism in different environments, and ribosomes. The parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) and quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis showed that the results of the iTRAQ proteomics were reliable. Overall, our study facilitates a new understanding of the responses of tobacco roots to different soil types at the protein level.

Promising soybean breeding lines of the northern ecotype for developing forage crops

The article presents the results of comparative assessment of soybean breeding lines of the northern ecotype for selection of the most promising ones for developing forage varieties suited for cultivation in mixed crops. The studies were carried out in 2018-2021 in the conditions of the Chuvash Republic on gray forest heavy loamy soil. The experiment included four soybean lines in comparison with the SibNIIK 315 standard recommended for growing in the Volga-Vyatka region. The crops were evaluated according to the dynamics of accumulation of aboveground biomass during the phases of formation and filling of beans. Based on the results of a 4-year observation period, correlations between the productivity of soybean lines of the northern ecotype with weather factors have been established. It has been revealed that the yield of aboveground mass during the phases of formation and filling of beans depended mostly on atmospheric precipitation (r = -0.49…-0.86). It has been established, that breeding lines No. 314 and No. 320 of middle early and mid-season ripening period had rather high productivity. The yield of green mass in single-crop sowings was 39.7 t/hа in line No. 314 and 36.7 t/hа in line No. 320 that 1.5 times exceeded the standard variety. The selected lines are worth noting and according to bush architectonics are rather high (90- 91 cm), foliate (46-44 %), branched, nutate plants.

Carbon balance in grapevines (Vitis viniferaL.): effect of environment, cultivar and phenology on carbon gain, losses and allocation

Background and Aims Measuring the carbon assimilation and respiration during vine phenology can provide an understanding of the dynamics of carbon fluxes from different organs and their relationship. Most field studies to date do not consider the respiratory losses of different plant organs and their variability under environmental, genetic and phenological changes. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of genotype and water regime on carbon assimilation, respiration and allocation during vine phenology. Methods and Results Field trials were carried out during 2013 and 2014 to study the effect of genotype and water status on carbon assimilation, respiratory losses from leaves, shoots, fruits and roots during the vine phenological cycle, and on biomass production. Carbon respiration varied during plant phenology and represented a significant proportion of the total vine carbon assimilation. The integrated carbon respiratory loss in leaves, fruits and roots was greater in irrigated vines than in non-irrigated vines. Tempranillo recorded the highest carbon assimilation, leaf and stem respiration, as well as the highest above-ground biomass. Garnacha showed a higher root respiration loss and allocated more biomass to the permanent organs. Accumulation of above-ground biomass was influenced by plant carbon budgets during the growing season. Conclusions Vine phenology, cultivar and plant water status affected carbon assimilation, carbon loss and carbon allocation. Non-irrigated vines had a higher respiratory carbon loss in respect to the total carbon assimilation by photosynthesis. Above- and below-ground carbon fluxes were coupled during vine phenology. Significance of the Study The present work illustrates the importance of respiratory processes on the carbon balance and the relationship among different carbon balance components during vine phenology.

Aboveground biomass accumulation and tree size distribution in seasonal Atlantic Forest restoration sites

Tropical forests undergoing restoration can present high biomass accumulation rates, especially in the first 20 years. However, native species reforestations often present a bias toward fast growth, low wood density, and small maximum adult size species, contrasting with most mature forest species. Since tree species adult size and wood density are key traits that influence biomass accumulation, these induce uncertainty regarding carbon uptake capabilities of restoration projects in the long term. We compared the density of individuals (DI), basal area (BA), aboveground biomass (AGB), and weighted average wood density (WDW) in 13–14‐year‐old restoration sites and in mature seasonal Atlantic Forest fragments. We also assessed the contribution of pioneer and non‐pioneer and planted and non‐planted species on these variables at restoration sites. Furthermore, we investigated the DI and WDW for saplings and seedlings, in order to foresee changes in forest structure that may result from natural recruitment of dense‐wood mature species. The BA and WDW at restoration sites were similar to forest fragments, except for large trees (DBH ≥50 cm). Restoration sites recovered AGB to the level of forest fragments only for the smaller size class (DBH 5–19.9 cm). Planted pioneer and non‐pioneer species accumulated the greatest AGB (93%), BA (94%), and DI (90%) at restoration sites. The DI of non‐planted non‐pioneer species with higher WDW increased among saplings and seedlings at restoration sites. The presence of species with a larger adult size and higher WD may indicate long‐term increase in biomass accumulation at restoration sites.

Above-Ground Biomass and Nutrient Accumulation in Ten Eucalyptus Clones in Leizhou Peninsula, Southern China

Selecting suitable clones and regulating nutrients for Eucalyptus plantation are a key management practice for improving productivity and nutrient use. Therefore, this study evaluated growth performance, above-ground biomass, nutrient content (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium) and nutrient use efficiency (NUE) of ten Eucalyptus Clones for three sites in Leizhou Peninsula. The present study showed a significant genetic variation among clones in growth parameters. Organs have different characteristics in biomass and nutrient content. Stemwood had the highest biomass but lowest total nutrient concentration. While, the stembark exhibited high contents of nutrients and biomass. On average, the NUE of clones was in the following order: phosphorus > magnesium > nitrogen > potassium > calcium. Taken together, among ten clones tested, clones LH1-9211, TH9224, DH32-13, M1 and DH32-22 showed consistently growth and production performance, as well, their NUE were superior in ten clones. Maximum amount of biomass was allocated to economically harvestable component (stemwood) and nutrients in non-harvestable components (stembark and foliage). While nutrients are removed from the planting area as part of the harvest, we can calculate nutrients loss by NUE and biomass. These findings provided useful insights for selection of Eucalyptus Clones and regulating nutrient export during the harvest of Eucalyptus Clones from a planted forest system.

Chloride accumulation in aboveground biomass of three macrophytes (Phragmites australis, Juncus maritimus, and Typha latifolia) depending on their growth stages and salinity exposure: application for Cl- removal and phytodesalinization.

Anthropogenic activities can be the source of saline solid wastes that need to be treated to reduce their salt load to meet the purposes of reuse, valorization or storage. In this context, chloride remediation can be achieved using high-salt accumulating plants. However, there is very limited information on the comparative potential of different species in the same environment, and only scarce data concerning their efficiency as a function of growth stage. In order to rationalize these selection criteria, three macrophytes i.e., common reed (Phragmites australis), sea rush (Juncus maritimus), and cattail (Typha latifolia), were cultivated at two growth stages (6-months old and 1-year old) for 65 days in Cl− spiked substrates (from 0 up to 24 ‰ NaCl). The plants’ survival and potential capacity for removal of Cl− from substrates and accumulation in shoots were investigated. For the three studied species, mature and juvenile plants display a high tolerance to salinity. However, mature specimens with higher shoot biomass and Cl− contents are capable of greater chloride removal than juvenile plants. The sole exception is P. australis which displays just the same phytoremediation potential for both mature and juvenile specimens. Moreover, P. australis has the lowest potential when compared with other species, being 1.5 and 3 times lower than for J. maritimus and T. latifolia. When considering the plant growth and the shoot biomass production, chloride removal rates from the substrate point that mature J. maritimus should preferentially be used to design an operational chloride remediation system. The results highlight the relevance of considering the growth stage of plants used for Cl− removal.Highlights1) Mature and juvenile specimens of J. maritimus, P. australis, and T. latifolia have high salinity tolerance in solid media spiked up to 24 ‰ NaCl.2) Mature plants have generally better Cl− removal and phytoremediation performances than juvenile specimens.3) J. maritimus is the most effective species for chloride phytoremediation with high survival and high Cl− sequestration in shoots.4) T. latifolia has high Cl− removal in shoots and good remediation capacities but also shows sign of stress.5) P. australis shows low Cl− sequestration and is a poor candidate for chloride remediation from substrate.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11356-021-17591-3.

Nutrient accumulation and distribution in different bamboo species under semi-arid climatic condition of Entisol

A long-term field experiment initiated in the year 2018-19 at National Agricultural Research Project, was selected for conduct of present investigation during the year 2020-21 in order to determine the effect of different bamboo species on nutrient accumulation and distribution in different biomass components as a result of bamboo plantation grown on Entisol under semiarid climatic condition. In the average effect of bamboo biomass components, the nitrogen concentration was found highest in bamboo leaves (1.51% N), phosphorus and potassium concentration was significantly highest in bamboo branches (0.095% P and 0.64% K respectively), while, carbon concentration was numerically highest in bamboo stem (43.53% C). The bamboo species treatment, Bambusa nutans recorded significantly highest nitrogen uptake (457.83 kg ha-1), whereas Bambusa tulda recorded the highest phosphorus and potassium uptake (49.70 and 409.77 kg ha-1, respectively). The maximum carbon uptake of 27.83 t C ha-1 was recorded in Bambusa nutans. All of the tested bamboo species had shown greater amounts of nutrient accumulation in above ground biomass, i.e. Stem > Branches > Leaves > Leaf-litter > Rhizome > Roots, due to maximum partitioning of total biomass towards above ground components. The results indicate that the relative proportions of nutrients accumulated in different biomass components in tested bamboo species vary greatly due to variations in elemental concentrations and biomass output after 2nd year of bamboo plantation under semi-arid climatic conditions of Entisol.

A Comparison of High-Throughput Imaging Methods for Quantifying Plant Growth Traits and Estimating Above-Ground Biomass Accumulation

A Comparison of High-Throughput Imaging Methods for Quantifying Plant Growth Traits and Estimating Above-Ground Biomass Accumulation

A Comparison of High-Throughput Imaging Methods for Quantifying Plant Growth Traits and Estimating Above-Ground Biomass Accumulation

A Comparison of High-Throughput Imaging Methods for Quantifying Plant Growth Traits and Estimating Above-Ground Biomass Accumulation

Differential Responses of Plant Primary Productivity to Nutrient Addition in Natural and Restored Alpine Grasslands in the Qinghai Lake Basin.

Climate, land-use changes, and nitrogen (N) deposition strongly impact plant primary productivity, particularly in alpine grassland ecosystems. In this study, the differential responses of plant community primary productivity to N and phosphorus (P) nutrient application were investigated in the natural (NG) and “Grain for Green” restored (RG) alpine grasslands by a continuous 3-year experiment in the Qinghai Lake Basin. N addition only significantly promoted plant aboveground biomass (AGB) by 42% and had no significant effect on belowground biomass (BGB) and total biomass (TB) in NG. In comparison with NG, N addition elevated AGB and BGB concurrently in RG by 138% and 24%, respectively, which further significantly increased TB by 41% in RG. Meanwhile, N addition significantly decreased BGB and the AGB ratio (R/S) both in NG and RG. Compared with N addition, P addition did not perform an evident effect on plant biomass parameters. Additionally, AGB was merely negatively influenced by growing season temperatures (GST) under the N addition treatment in NG. AGB was negatively associated with GST but positively related to growing season precipitation (GSP) in RG. By contrast, changes in the R/S ratio in RG were positively correlated with GST and negatively related to GSP. In sum, the results revealed that plant community biomass exhibited convergent (AGB and R/S) and divergent (BGB and TB) responses to N addition between NG and RG. In addition, the outcomes suggested that climate warming would enhance plant biomass allocation to belowground under ongoing N deposition, and indicated the significance of precipitation for plant growth and AGB accumulation in this restored alpine grassland ecosystem.

Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics in Mexican Management Forest: Simulation of Biomass Harvesting and C and N Amendments

AbstractSustainable silvicultural management requires the maintenance of long-term ecosystem processes. We used the CENTURY model to simulate the impact of wood extraction and organic amendments on aboveground biomass, carbon (C) storage, and the availability of nitrogen (N) in the two dominant silvicultural methods in Mexico: the silvicultural development method (SDM) and irregular forest management (IFM). The values of the mean absolute percentage error for the SDM and IFM were 2.1% and 3.3% for C in aboveground biomass, 5.7% and 5.0% for soil organic carbon (SOC), and 14.9% and 21.6% for N, respectively. Simulation for the SDM (1967–2068) suggested a reduction of ~7% in C in soil, microbial biomass, and litter, 9% in aboveground biomass C, and ~20% in the mineral N available. For IFM, the simulation (2009–2019) suggested a reduction of 14% in the accumulation of aboveground biomass and 13% in the mineral N available. Simulation of the adoption of management practices suggested that N mineral availability would increase by 2%–3% without drastically reducing the SOC, improving aboveground biomass production by ~7%, in each management system.Study ImplicationsIn Mexico, current silvicultural management is causing alterations in the biological and chemical processes of the soil, but the future impacts on the production of forest wood and loss of fertility cannot be estimated by direct measurements. We simulated two silvicultural management alternatives with two rotation cycles and measured the response in terms of SOC, nitrogen availability, and aboveground biomass. The model shows that improving forest residue management by adding organic amendments to the soil would counteract changes in soil microbial activity, nitrogen availability, SOC, and aboveground biomass in the future. Managers should consider this information to reorient current crop residue management to achieve the objectives and the sustainability of forest management in Mexican temperate forests.

Hillslope Processes Affect Vessel Lumen Area and Tree Dimensions.

The height growth of the trees depends on sufficient mechanical support given by the stem and an effective hydraulic system. On unstable slopes, tree growth is affected by soil pressure from above and potential soil erosion from below the position of tree. The necessary stabilization is then provided by the production of mechanically stronger wood of reduced hydraulic conductivity. Unfortunately, the interaction between tree growth (both radial and axial) and stabilization in the soil is still insufficiently understood. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to quantify the impact of hillslope dynamics on the degree of tree growth and hydraulic limitation, and the potential effect on tree height growth and growth plasticity. To evaluate this effect, we took four cores from 80 individuals of Quercus robur and Fraxinus excelsior and measured tree-ring widths (TRWs) and vessel lumen areas (VLAs). The tree heights were evaluated using a terrestrial laser scanner, and local soil depth was measured by a soil auger. Our data showed a significant limitation of the tree hydraulic system related with the formation of eccentric tree-rings. The stem eccentricity decreased with increasing stem diameter, but at the same time, the negative effect of stem eccentricity on conduit size increased with the increasing stem diameter. Even though this anatomical adaptation associated with the effect of stem eccentricity differed between the tree species (mainly in the different degree of limitations in conduit size), the trees showed an increase in the proportion of hydraulically inactive wood elements and a lowered effectiveness of their hydraulic system. In addition, we observed a larger negative effect of stem eccentricity on VLA in Quercus. We conclude that the stabilization of a tree in unstable soil is accompanied by an inability to create sufficiently effective hydraulic system, resulting in severe height-growth limitation. This affects the accumulation of aboveground biomass and carbon sequestration.

Integrated analysis of energy and resource use indicators in rose production systems in open-field and protected condition in India

Comprehensive studies assessed the role of inputs on efficiency parameters in rose production systems in open-field and protected conditions at Bengaluru, India during 2017–2020. Results highlight that precision application of critical inputs based on assessment of crop demand contribute to 4-fold increase in flower yields and substantial accumulation of above-ground biomass in open-grown roses. The net return per each unit investment can be trebled in loose flower rose and doubled in cut flower rose. Critical inputs such as nutrients and water account for maximum energy consumption (93.5–94.7%). Loose flower rose registers better energy efficiency indices than cut flower rose. In protected condition, variations in flower yields, carbon stocks and energy efficiency indices are significant among rose genotypes. Arka Swadesh genotype is efficient in resource use accruing maximum net benefit per rupee investment. Nutrients are the maximum consumers of energy (41.2%) followed by irrigation (20.9%). In protected condition, the productivity levels are similar among nutrient levels implying lesser nutrient application is sufficient for rose due to higher efficiency indices and optimum soil fertility. The results imply that rose production systems are highly productive and sustainable at optimum input levels and would reduce environmental pollution due to higher resource use efficiencies. • Yields increase four-fold in open-grown roses with precision input application • Rose production system is an important carbon sink both in open-field and polyhouse • Net return trebles in loose flower rose and doubles in cut flower rose in open-field • Critical inputs are maximum energy consumers in open-grown roses than in polyhouse • Energy use efficiency is more in loose flower rose than in cut flower roses

PECULIARITIES OF SALT TOLERANCE OF SUGAR SORGHUM (SORGHUM SACCHARATUM (L.) PERS.) VARIETIES

This article is devoted to the study of the toxic effect of NaCl on sorghum plants, as one of the environmental stress factors and the release of stress-active substance (proline), as one of sensitive response of plant to salinity. The results of the study showed that the Russian variety Larets and the Kazakh variety Kazakhstan-20 germinate and grow well on saline soils. In a comparative study of sorghum varieties, a high degree of salt tolerance was determined in varieties Larets and Kazakhstan-20 and a high sensitivity to salinity of the Chinese variety Kulzha. It was found that the salt-sensitive cultivar Kulzha had a high level of synthesis of stress-active substances. The research results showed that the synthesis of proline, as one of the indicators of resistance to salinity, is not directly related to the accumulation of aboveground biomass. It was noticed that as the concentration of salt in the soil in the variety Kazakhstan-20 increased, the aboveground biomass was high for some time (from 78.22 to 69.82) and the amount of proline was also high for some time, but due to an increase in the concentration of salt in the soil, the content of proline significantly decreased. On the other hand, in the Larets cultivar, on the contrary, with the accumulation of biomass, the synthesis of proline immediately decreased. In the cultivar Kulzha, which is most sensitive to salinity, as the biomass of the stem decreased, the synthesis of proline, on the contrary, increased. This indicates that proline synthesis is not associated with a stress tolerance response in a crop such as sorghum.