Application Of Organic Materials Research Articles

Research progress of biomass materials in the application of organic phase change energy storage materials

Biomass composite phase change materials (PCMs) play an important role in different applications by balancing energy supply and demand, while also improving energy efficiency through phase change.

Growth and productivity of traditional scented rice in organic cultivation

Utilizing the production potential of scented rice verieties via organic farming methods is a viable option to support the increasing population's food needs. Employing organic nutrient sources like Sesbania and vermicompost has the potential to significantly enhance rice yield and positively impact soil quality, presenting a promising approach. In order to study the effect of organic mode of cultivation on ten different scented rice varieties namely Kubri Mamhani, Kudrat-5, Chinar-20, Kesho Pohu, DRK, Kudrat-5, Pusa-1121, Type-3, Taraori and Tilak Chandan in tarai region of Uttarakhand, India, a field experiment was conducted at the Norman E. Borlaug Crop Research Centre, located within G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology in Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, during the kharif season of 2020. The varieties were evaluated in Randomized Block Design with three replications. The results revealed that the application of organic source of nutrients significantly improved the growth parameters and yield of scented rice over control. Among the varieties, Kudrat-5 recorded higher values for tiller/m2 (273) and grain yield (42.46 q/ha). Application of organic matter in the form of Sesbania and vermicompost significantly produced higher plant height, tillers/m2, culm height, culm thickness, days to 50% flowering, straw yield and harvest index. So, it is inferred that ten scented rice varieties differ widely among themselves when grown under organic cultivation. In terms of grain yield Kudrat-5 variety performed better under organic production system.

Application of Various Organic Materials and Urea on Soybean Growth and Production in Nickel Contaminated Soil

The research was conducted at the Experimental Garden of Hasanuddin University (UNHAS) located in Baraya, Makassar, South Sulawesi from March to June 2022. This research was in the form of experiments conducted in soybean plant pots. The media used was soil obtained from post-nickel mining in Sorowako, East Luwu Regency, South Sulawesi. Research in the field is arranged according to a Randomized Block Design (RAK) with 3 replications. The treatment design used a 2-factor factorial design. The first factor is the type of Organic Material or Compost (K) consisting of 4 levels, namely; K0 (without organic matter), K1 (Kirinyuh compost), K2 (gamal compost) and K3 (rice husk compost) and the second factor is Urea (U) fertilization treatment consisting of 4 levels, namely; U0 (without Urea fertilizer), U1 (100 kg ha–1 Urea), U2 (200 kg ha–1 Urea), U3 (300 kg ha–1 Urea). The number of pots used was 4 units per treatment so there were 192 units of observation. The two factors tested resulted in 16 treatment combinations. The results showed that gamal compost (Gliricidia sepium) gave the best effect in increasing plant height, number of soybean leaves and weight of 100 soybean seeds. The results showed that urea dose of 100 kg ha–1 gave the best effect in increasing plant height and number of soybean leaves. The results showed that there was no interaction between the administration of the type of organic matter and the dose of urea

The Plant Growth Analysis of Cucumis sativus L. Affected by Various Types of Organic Matter

Organic matter can be used to increase the growth and metabolism activities of Cucumis sativus L. plants. Plant growth analysis is a simple method that can be used to determine physiological activities that support plant growth. The study aims to describe plant activities through plant growth analysis which is influenced by the use of organic matter. The research was conducted at the Experimental Garden, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Perjuangan Tasikmalaya. The study used a Completely Randomized Design - single factor (types of organic matters) i.e. control, rice straw compost, rice husk, leaf green compost, and cow manure. Four replications were used in this study. Based on our study, the application of organic matter significantly affects LAI 2 WAP, LAI 4 WAP, WC 2 WAP, WC 4 WAP, NAR, PGR, and HI. Cow manure, green leaf compost, and rice straw compost can increase LAI, while rice husk, rice straw, and green cow manure can increase WC. Furthermore, the application of rice husk and cow manure was able to increase in NAR, CGR, and HI. The increase NAR, CGR, and HI in this study was positively correlated with r= 0.622 and r= 0.284, respectively.

ÍNDICE DE SUSTENTABILIDAD DE LA PRODUCCIÓN DE PAPA (Solanum tuberosum L.) EN CUTERVO, PERÚ

<p><strong>Background:</strong> Potato cultivation in the northern highlands of Peru has intensified due to the high demand of the national market for the nutritional quality of this tuber, however, the conventional system presents critical points in social, economic and environmental terms that limit the profitability of the cultivation, being relevant the identification of these critical points to carry out the intervention and propose strategies to improve said agricultural system. <strong>Objective:</strong> Determine the sustainability index of potato producing farms in the province of Cutervo, Cajamarca, Peru. <strong>Methodology:</strong> 165 questionnaires with structured questions were applied to farmers whose main activity is potato cultivation. Multiple correspondence analysis was used to determine the reliability of these surveys. The values of the economic, social and environmental indicators were found through multidimensional analysis and an ordinal scale from 1 to 5, in which "1" was considered the least sustainable and "5" as a maximum level of sustainability. <strong>Results:</strong> The analysis of internal consistency of data for the 14 indicators and 24 sub-indicators presented Cronbach's alpha coefficients of 0.977 and 0.968 respectively, indicating high reliability and acceptable internal consistency of the evaluated indicators and therefore, the questionnaire presents high reliability. Likewise, the sustainable analysis of the potato agroecosystem in Cutervo reported that the farms are socially and environmentally sustainable, with indexes of 3.39 and 3.11, respectively, while the economic dimension presented critical conditions with a value below the minimum sustainable threshold (2.93) being the critical points: "percentage that causes the incidence of pests and diseases in potatoes", "number of marketing channels", "dependence on external inputs", "application of organic matter", "internal conservation”, “situ of native varieties”, “degree of damage from the use of pesticides” and “use of pesticides”. Regarding the general sustainability index, the potato agroecosystem is not sustainable. <strong>Implications:</strong> Potato producers in the mountains need to reduce environmental impact and increase productivity and profitability.<strong> Conclusion: </strong>The sustainability index of the potato agroecosystem in Cutervo, Peru, reported that the social and environmental dimensions exceeded the critical conditions while the economic dimension presented values below the minimum threshold of sustainability, resulting that the potato production system is not sustainable. Therefore, it is necessary to intervene in the sub-indicators that presented critical points and thus establish strategies to improve the potato agroecosystem in the northern highlands of Peru.</p>

Potential of Compost Enriched with Bacillus velezensis B-27 and Bacillus cereus RC76 for the Management of Twisted Disease on Shallots

Shallot (Allium cepa var. aggregatum.) is a horticultural plant that is widely consumed in the world. However, the productivity of shallots in Indonesia is still relatively low, if compared to the actual optimum production potential of shallot. Shallot cultivation in Indonesia often experiences many problems. One of the problems is twisted diseases caused by Fusarium sp. This research aimed to study the effect of the application of organic material enriched with Bacillus in suppressing the development of twisted disease of shallot. This study was arranged in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with 5 treatments namely (A) compost + Bacillus velezensis isolate B-27, (B) compost + Bacillus cereus isolate RC76, (C) B. velezensis isolate B-27+B. cereus isolate RC76+compost, (D) compost + Trichoderma asperellum and (E) control (compost 1 ton/ha) with 5 replications on glasshouse treatment and 3 replications on field treatment. The results showed that the combination of B. velezensis in compost effectively reduced the incidence of twisted disease, the number of Fusarium spp. colonies, and the number of infected bulbs by Fusarium sp. Besides, the combination of compost with microbial agents showed better results than compost single treatment.

Enhancing soil resilience in Iranian Haploxeralfs: A study on the impact of two organic matters on aggregate stability and mechanical resistance

In arid regions around the world, erosion is a frequent occurrence due to low annual rainfall weakening plants, which in turn affects the concentration of soil organic matter (SOM). When the soil is exposed, sudden and heavy rainfall can lead to soil degradation, particularly in soil with high sodicity where unstable aggregates are easily ruptured, initiating the first phase of soil erosion. To investigate this phenomenon, soil samples were collected from an erosion‐prone area near Maharloo Salt Lake, specifically Chah‐angiri (soil 1) and Kamal-abad (soil 2), which are loam and silty clay loam soils with low SOM.<strong> </strong>To evaluate the effect of organic matter sources on soil stability, cow manure (animal source) and wheat straw (plant source) were applied to both soil samples at four different rates (0.0, 10.0, 20.0, and 40.0 g kg<sup>−1</sup>) and incubated for four months. The soil’s aggregate stability and mechanical resistance were then assessed using two different methods: mechanical resistance, which was measured as the module of rupture and penetration resistance, and aggregate stability, which was evaluated using the conventional and Le Bissonnais methods.<strong> </strong>The application of organic matter resulted in a linear increase in aggregate stability in both soils, with the increase in Chah‐angiri (with lower sodicity) being greater than Kamal‐abad (with higher ESP). Both linear and exponential equations showed that organic matter treatment reduced soil mechanical resistance exponentially, with wheat straw proving more effective than cow dung at stabilizing aggregates against slaking and lowering soil mechanical resistance in both soils.<strong> </strong>Furthermore, the stability of aggregates changed by mechanical breakdown (MWD<sub>stir</sub>) was found to have the strongest relationship among three Le Bissonnais treatments (MWD<sub>slow</sub>, MWD<sub>fast</sub>, and MWD<sub>stir</sub>) and the aggregate stability test using the usual technique (Kemper and Rosenau). The organic matter rate had a significant effect (<em>P </em>< 0.001) on MWD<sub>stir</sub>, which increased with rate in a linear relationship (<em>r</em><sup>2</sup> = 0.957, <em>P </em>= 0.022). Finally, the stability of soil aggregates in water was also investigated.

Evaluating a mass balance model for soil trace metals using the historical data from the King’s Kitchen Garden (Versailles, France)

The mass balance of reconstituted Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn fluxes from 1683 to 2021 was compared to the current levels of the soil used only for vegetable production in the King's Kitchen Garden in Versailles (France). This comparison was made on the basis of 4 scenarios of organic matter application in the 18th and 19th centuries and by an uncertainty analysis over the entire period. The topsoil contamination falls within that of French kitchen gardens. Modelling of past fluxes predicted the correct trend (an increase) and order of magnitude of the soil metal contents. It produced a relatively accurate evaluation of the Cu and Zn contents. The model underestimated the Pb contents by about 80%, revealing a large and unknown source of soil contamination by this metal. The calculation overestimated the current Cd levels by about 100%, probably due to various biases, for example on atmospheric fallout or the composition of organic amendments. This assessment shows that modelling the mass balance of trace metal fluxes can be used to predict the long-term trend in the levels of these elements in cultivated soils, providing the input data are chosen according to realistic scenarios.

OPTIMIZATION OF NITROGEN FERTILIZATION FOR AGRICULTURAL CROPS UPON ADDITIONAL APPLICATION OF FRESH ORGANIC MATTER TO THE SOIL

Objective. Using biological testing, determine the environmental appropriate rates of mineralnitrogen, applied in the background of effect and aftereffect of straw and biomass of intermediatelupine green manure, in the fertilization system of potatoes and spring barley. Methods. Field experiment (growing crops in crop rotation in the conditions of a long-term (since 2009) stationaryexperiment on leached chornozem); gas chromatographic (to determine the potential nitrogenfixing (nitrogenase) and potential denitrifying activities in the rhizosphere soil of plants dependingon the fertilizer); statistical. Results. With the systematic application of fresh organic matter to thesoil in the form of 5.0 t/ha of straw and 5.3 t/ha of dry biomass of intermediate lupine green manure, the excess of nitrogen mineral compounds is metabolically bound (immobilized) by microorganisms, the process of nitrogen fixation is restored, the emission of N2O decreases, and the ratesof mineral fertilizers not exceeding N80P80K80 become environmentally appropriate when growingpotatoes. At the same time, the introduction of straw does not require additional provision of mineral nitrogen to optimize the C/N ratio. The highest rate of mineral fertilizers N120P120K120 in theexperiment, even when combined with organic matter for a long time is environmentally inappropriate — only at the end of the growing season, the studied indicators demonstrate its acceptability.When growing spring barley on leached chornozem, the optimization of the processes of biologicaltransformation of nitrogen compounds is achieved if mineral fertilizers are applied on the background of aftereffect of organic matter in a rate not exceeding N60P60K60. Systemic application ofN90P90K90 suppresses the activity of nitrogen fixation and ensures significant losses of nitrous oxide.This rate of fertilizers should be applied only on the condition that it is applied against the background of the aftereffect of straw and green manure mass, which contributes to the mitigation ofenvironmental consequences. Conclusion. The use of mineral fertilizers against the backgroundof systematic application of winter wheat straw and intermediate lupine green manure biomass tothe soil contributes to the optimization of the biological state of the leached chornozem. The improvement of environmental indicators contributes to the growth of the yield of agricultural crops.

Infiltration rate, soil penetration resistance, and soil aggregate stability at pineapple plantation as a consequence of in situ resistance organic matter application

Long-term intensive land management practice has been proven to decrease soil quality due to soil compaction. Theoretically, it would be easy to overcome by applying organic matter. However, conventional organic matter application in pineapple plantation may have some problems since the growing season of pineapple is eighteen months. In contrast, conventional organic matter would decompose at less than six months. In situ resistance organic matter is one of the alternatives and at the same time, supports the zero-waste program of the industry. A set of field research has been done on the pineapple plantation site of PT Great Giant Pineapple Plantation Lampung for one year based on randomized block design. Bromelain extraction waste product and chopped bamboo trees were used as the resistance organic matter resource. The resistant organic matters were applied at the rate of 0, 20, 40, 60, and 80 ton ha-1 to investigate its effect on soil infiltration rate, soil penetration resistance, and soil aggregate stability. The application of resistance organic matter has a positive impact on the parameters investigated. The infiltration rate was very high at the first month of application but tended to decrease at 5th month of application and then leveling off. However, the value is constantly and significantly higher than control. Soil penetration resistance was significantly lower than control either at a soil depth of 0 – 10 cm, 10 – 20 cm, or 20 – 30 cm. Soil aggregate stability is higher than control at 5th month of application, the values slightly decreased at 11th month of application.

Characteristics and potential of tidal swampland to support the lowland rice development: a case study in Maliku Sub-District, Pulang Pisau Regency, Central Kalimantan Province

Tidal swampland is an agroecosystem with distinct characteristics. Studying on this land was very important to support national food security. This study aims to identify the soil characteristics and the potential of tidal rice fields in the Maliku Sub-District, Pulang Pisau Regency, Central Kalimantan Province, Indonesia. Four representative soil profiles were characterized in the field and laboratory to determine the soil’s chemical, physical, and mineralogical properties. The results showed that these soils were generally fine textured, had very acid to acid reaction (soil pH 3.2-4.7), moderate to high C-organic (2-6%), varied potential P2O5 (22-289 mg/100g), low potential K2O (11-17 mg/100g), varied available P2O5 (8.6-56.1 mg/kg), very low exchangeable Ca (<2 cmolc/kg), varied exchangeable Mg (0.6-3.0 cmolc/kg), moderate soil CEC (18-22 cmolc/kg), very low base saturation (<20%), and shallow to very deep (35 - >100 cm) of pyrite depth. The sand fraction mineral is mainly composed of quartz and rock fragments, while the clay fraction is dominated by kaolinite. The lands are marginally suitable for tidal rice fields with the limiting factor being very acid soil reaction and shallow pyrite depth. The application of balanced fertilization, liming, organic matter, minimum tillage, and micro-water control can increase land productivity.

Effect of Organic Matter Application to the Soil and Spray its Extracts to Shoot on the Elements Availability and Yield of Pumpkin Squash (Cucurbita pepo L.)

A field experiment was conducted in autumn season of 2012 in a private farm in Anbar state/city of Ramadi, in the soil of sedimentary soil (silty loam alluvial ) categorized as Typic Torrifluvent to study the effect of added organic sources of different fertilizers Peat moss and reeds and straw fermented aerobically level (10 tons H-1) and spray extracts of fertilizer after fermentation mentioned with four concentrations (0, 5, 10, 15 g liter -1) on the total vegetative plant pumpkin squash (Cucurbita pepo L.) cv. Amjid. The factorial experiment was used according to Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replicates. The total yield and early yield and NPK concentration was estimated in the shoot and the soil after planting. The Peat moss fertilizer showed a normally superior level of probability of 0.05 in the rate of overall early yield and yield of (4.23 tons h-1, 3546 kg Plant-1), respectively compared with other fertilizers. The Peat moss treatment give the highest concentration of N (1.60%), while Peat moss and straw gave the highest concentration of P in the shoot plant (0.53%), and reeds fertilizer gave the highest rate of concentration of K (1.28%). Peat moss gave the highest concentration of NPK in the soil after harvest(122.17 mlg kg-1, 12.40 mlg kg-1, 212.72 mlg kg−1) compared with other fertilizers. The (15 g L-1) concentration a significant superiority in the rate of overall and early yield of (3.35 tons h-1, 2.627 kg plant-1) respectively, compared with other concentrations, the same concentration had the highest concentration of NPK in shoot vegetation of ( 1.60, 0.54, 1.28 %). As well as, the concentration (15 g L−1) gave the highest rate in NPK concentration in the soil after planting at a rate of ( 112.91 mlg kg−1, 11.37 mlg.kg−1, 197.51 mlg.kg−1), respectively, compared to other treatments. The interaction between the (Peat moss and concentration 15 g. L−1) treatments, gave a significant superiority on the interaction of fertilizers and levels of other additions in the rate of overall yield and the concentration of NPK in the shoot of the plant and inside the soil after planting (4.92 tons h−1, 1.64 %,0.56%, 1.31 %, 130.00 mg kg−1,13.64 mlg kg−1, 223.29 ml kg−1), respectively. While the early yield characters excelled in the interaction treatment of (Peat moss and 10 g L−1 concentration) at a rate of (3.893 kg plant−1).

Land Evaluation for Cassava Cultivation in Southern Slope of Mount Merapi: Case Study in Palemsari Hamlet, Umbulharjo Village (Cangkringan, Sleman)

Palemsari Hamlet (Umbulharjo Village, Cangkringan District, Sleman Regency) is one of areas located in Southern Slope of Mt. Merapi, which was directly affected by the eruption cycle of Mt. Merapi. The aftereffect of 2010 eruption had reduced land productivity, making it less suitable for crop cultivation. Therefore, this study was aimed to re-evaluate the land suitability of Palemsari Hamlet, particularly for cassava cultivation, after 10 years of eruption. This study was carried out from June – November 2021 in Palemsari Hamlet. Physiographic conditions and soil properties were observed through survey. The data obtained were analyzed descriptively and spatially to determine the characteristics through a series of laboratory analysis. This data was used to determine the class of land suitability. Results showed that the land suitability in PalemsariHamlet was considered as moderately suitable (S2) for cassava cultivation. This area was found to have less suitable soil texture due to the high percentage of sand fraction. According to this result, the soil condition in Palemsari Hamlet is potential to be used for cassava cultivation with the support of organic matter application to improve its physical properties. This recommendation could be beneficial for the future land use planning in the affected areas of Mt. Merapi eruption.

SIFAT AIR LINDIAN DAN TANAH SERTA RESPON TANAMAN PADA MODIFIKASI TEKSTUR, TEHNIK PENGAIRAN DAN APLIKASI LIMBAH PERIKANAN PADA TANAH LAHAN BASAH GARAMAN DARI DESA PANTAI HARAPAN TANAH LAUT KALIMANTAN SELATAN UNTUK PRODUKSI BAWANG MERAH DAN SAWI SISTEM POT

The nature of the soil is massive and saline, not fertile for horticultural crops such as shallots and mustard greens. The soil properties of Tidal Wetland Type-A (direct), the soil sample mentioned above, is known from the analysis results to have an EC value of 153.5 ds/m (very high), Na (1 NH4Oac) 1.21 me/ 100 g soil (very high), pH (1: 5 H2O) 6.74 (neutral), C-organic (Walkley-Black) 2.08% (medium), clay soil texture (clay 76%) and massive structure, Such land is very difficult for agricultural plants such as horticulture to grow, because it is difficult for the soil to pass water and salt which poisons plants. The application of sand, irrigation methods, and organic materials can change the properties of the soil and support the growth of shallots and mustard greens.

Effects of Fertilizer Application Patterns on Foxtail Millet Root Morphological Construction and Yield Formation during the Reproductive Stage in the Loess Plateau of China

With crop yields continually increasing, chemical fertilizer consumption in China is increasing in parallel. The excessive use of synthetic fertilizer can lead to soil compaction, acidification, and degeneration, which can all be mitigated through additional organic manure application. The combined application of organic manure and inorganic fertilizer plays crucial roles in the root morphology and yield formation of dryland crops. In this study, foxtail millet (Chang Sheng 07) was used as the experimental material and sown in a dry farming area with five different fertilizing patterns, which were composed of chemical N, P, organic manure, and microbial manure. These patterns included a single application of 45 kg·ha−1 of nitrogen fertilizer as the control (N45), the combined application of 60 kg·ha−1 of nitrogen fertilizer with 30 kg·ha−1 of phosphorus fertilizer (N60P30), the combined application of 90 kg·ha−1 of nitrogen fertilizer with 45 kg·ha−1 of phosphorus fertilizer (N90P45), 60 kg·ha−1 of nitrogen fertilizer and 40 kg·ha−1 of phosphorus fertilizer with 2000 kg·ha−1 of organic manure (N60P40-O), and 60 kg·ha−1 of nitrogen fertilizer and 40 kg·ha−1 of phosphorus fertilizer with 5 kg·ha−1 of microbial manure (N60P40-M). Each treatment was performed with four repeats. The results show that (1) the different fertilization patterns had significant effects on the morphological construction of foxtail millet roots, and the root length (RL) with N60P40–O underwent a significant increase of 88.23% and 61.59% in the two stages, respectively, (2) as confirmed by the correlation analysis, the root surface area (RSA) was positively correlated with the RL and root volume (RV), (3) the yields with N90P45 and N60P30 exhibited a significant increase of 54.43% and 59.86%, and those with N60P40–O and N60P40–M stably increased by 13.12–24.11% compared to those with N45, and (4) the water use efficiency (WUE) of foxtail millet under the N60P30 and N90P45 patterns significantly increased by 33.40–62.39%, while that under the N60P40–O and N60P40–M patterns increased by 12.89–29.20%. In summary, the application of additional organic matter and microbial manure promoted the morphological construction of foxtail millet roots, led to better stability in grain production, and is an ecofriendly option in terms of sustainable land use.

Heterostructured organic/MoS2 nanowall with synergistic SERS enhancement enabling direct and sensitive detection of contaminants

In recent years, the π-conjugated organic molecular system has attracted considerable attention for its surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) properties. However, the practical application of π-conjugated organic materials as SERS substrates is limited due to the inefficient dissociation of excitons, weak enhancement, and poor reproducibility. Herein, we proposed a novel nanowall SERS heterocomposite based on 3D D(C7CO)-BTBT nanowalls and 2D few-layer MoS2 flakes. A significant SERS activity of the D(C7CO)-BTBT/MoS2 nanowall heterocomposite can be achieved by the charge transfer (CT) resonance enabled by the π-conjugated interactions between D(C7CO)-BTBT and MoS2 and the electromagnetic field spatial distribution induced by the D(C7CO)-BTBT nanowalls. The concentration limit of detection (LOD) of the methylene blue (MB) molecules absorbed on the heterostructured D(C7CO)-BTBT/MoS2 nanowall substrate is as low as 8.2 × 10−11 M, which is excellent among the reported organic-based substrates. A practical SERS detection for the 100 nm polystyrene (PS) nanoparticles on the D(C7CO)-BTBT/MoS2 substrates can be down to 4.5 × 105 ng/L, which is exceptional for the real-time monitoring of emerging contaminants based on SERS technology. This research not only provides a new SERS enhancement strategy for organic-based materials, but also may be helpful in exploring a potential candidate for SERS detection of emerging contaminants.

Mechanical characterisation of Aerosil-polycarbonate-based ceramic nanocomposites: 3D printing versus injection moulding technology

The 3D printing of composite materials especially, nanocomposites, is an essential step in exploring new perspectives for the applications of organic matrix composite materials for industrial applications. In this work, the effect of ceramic nanofillers on the mechanical properties of a thermoplastic matrix is studied using different wt% of nanofillers (AEROSIL). The results showed that the increase in the wt% of AEROSIL resulted in an increase in the mechanical properties in terms of hardness, stiffness, ductility, and tensile strength. Moreover, these samples were 3D printed and were compared with the samples prepared by conventional injection moulding. The comparison characterized the influence of the manufacturing method on the mechanical performance of materials. Although there was very little behavior difference in both samples, the 3D-printed samples showed a weight reduction. This has broadened the possible applications of this material and technique in areas where weight is of utmost significance.

Changes in bacterial community structure and carbon metabolism in sandy soil under the long-term application of chitin-rich organic material and attapulgite

Continuous expansion of sandy soil deeply threatens crop security and has become one of the main challenges facing modern society. Chitin-rich organic material and attapulgite have been considered efficient materials to improve degraded soil based on their rich nutrient contents and unique structures. However, their potential effects on microbial community and functions in sandy soil are poorly understood. Therefore, we conducted a 4-year field experiment featuring amendment with chitin-rich organic material and attapulgite and investigated the effect of amendments on microbial community diversity, structure and function using amplicons (16S and ITS) and metagenomic sequencing. The four treatments were as follows: (1) CK: no soil amendment; (2) SA: CK + attapulgite amendment; (3) SC: CK + chitin-rich organic material; and (4) SCA: CK + chitin-rich organic material + attapulgite amendment. The results indicated that the concentrations of soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen, available phosphate (AP), available potassium, and enzyme activities increased while pH decreased in the treatments with chitin-rich organic material application (SC and SCA). Microorganisms have different responses to different soil amendments. Bacteria are the main components of microorganisms and their community structure was altered under chitin-rich organic material treatments (SC and SCA). Furthermore, 14 OTUs belonging to five phyla (Proteobacteria, Actinobacteriota, Firmicutes, Gemmatimonadota, and Patescibacteria) related to the decomposition of organic matter were enriched in SC, while 22 OTUs belonging to six phyla (Proteobacteria, Actinobacteriota, Firmicutes, Gemmatimonadota, Patescibacteria, and Cyanobacteria) were enriched significantly in SCA, suggesting that the combination of the two amendments had the potential to further alter the bacterial community compared with a single amendment. The metagenomic analysis revealed a decrease in the relative abundance of genes involved in carbon metabolism in SCA, with soil pH, AP, enzyme activity, SOC, and bacterial community structure identified as primary influencing factors. In conclusion, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of the effects of chitin-rich organic material and attapulgite on microorganisms in sandy soil and found a robust link between soil properties, bacterial community structure, and microbial carbon metabolism function.

Fabrication of multifunctional cotton fabric with “pompon mum” shaped surface by ZIF-8 for applications in oil-water separation and anti-icing

The application of metal organic framework materials (MOFs) in superhydrophobic modification has a broad prospect. In this work, a multifunctional flexible superhydrophobic cotton fabric (PSZDC) with no fluorine, high oil-water separation efficiency, and excellent anti-icing performance was prepared through the modification of cotton fabric by dopamine (DA), ZIF-8, stearic acid (SA) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). SEM and 3D ultra-depth of field stereo microscope results revealed the unique “pompon mum” shaped surface of PSZDC. ATR-FTIR, XRD, and XPS analyses confirmed the composition of the hydrophobic layer. PSZDC had a water contact angle of 165.4° and showed stability in mechanical robustness and chemical resistance tests. The oil-water separation efficiency of PSZDC was close to 100 %, and the permeation flux was as high as 36,000 (L·m−2h−1). PSZDC also exhibited excellent effect in anti-icing test, which was expected to be used as ice rescue suits and oil-water separation materials. In addition, this method was universal and repeatable, as evidenced by its application to four common fabrics: nylon-6, polyester, wool, and silk.

Effects of Continuous Manure Application on the Microbial Community and Labile Organic Carbon Fractions

The application of organic materials contributes to the sustainable development of agriculture. Increased manure inputs have a fundamental effect on the composition and dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC). In this study, we conducted a 10-year field experiment in Changchun, Jilin, Northeast China, to investigate the effects of manure addition on soil organic carbon components and soil microorganisms. Specifically, we established four treatments: (i) chemical fertilizer or no addition of manure (CK), (ii) pig manure with chemical fertilizer (ZF), (iii) cow manure with chemical fertilizer (NF), and (iv) chicken manure with chemical fertilizer (JF). The results showed that the JF treatment significantly increased the soil organic carbon (SOC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and readily oxidized organic carbon (ROC) content by 20.36%, 105.9%, and 61.32%, respectively, relative to CK. The microbial biomass carbon (MBC) content in JF, ZF, and NF treatments were significantly higher than that of CK, which increased by 107.24%, 116.45%, and 96.71%, respectively. The particulate organic carbon (POC) content in NF and JF treatments differed significantly, increasing by 25.61% and 19.01%, respectively, relative to CK. Redundancy analysis showed that continuous manure application had a positive effect on soil microbial community diversity and abundance, which was favorable for the accumulation of soil carbon. We also found that soil fungi were more sensitive than bacteria to changes in soil carbon composition following manure application. In conclusion, adding different organic materials can better support biodiversity conservation and realize ecosystem services of surface carbon storage and soil conservation. Our results reveal the importance of microbial fixation in soil carbon dynamics according to the different distribution of active organic carbon pools, which will help enhance our understanding of the carbon cycle.