Canary Grass Research Articles

Biogas and combustion potential of fresh reed canary grass grown on cutover peatland

(1) In Finland, in recent years, the combustion of dry reed canary grass (RCG, Phalaris arundinacea) grown intensively on cutover peatlands, has decreased markedly. We therefore made experiments in two areas to assess the alternative of using freshly harvested RCG grown for biogas production on cutover peatland. We measured both biogas production and combustion energy release. (2) The experiments show that the RCG biomass yields in total solids (TS) in both areas, with two cuts a year, were surprisingly small (yields of 2.7 and 4.2 Mg ha-1 [1 Mg ha-1 = 100 g m-2 ]); having biogas and combustion potentials, on the two areas, of 277–348 dm3 kg-1 VS (volatile solids) and 14.8–16.3 MJ kg-1 TS, and 11.8–21.9 MWh ha-1 in combustion. (3) Fresh RCG may produce larger biomass yields if cut several times a year, together with lower lignin proportion, and better suitability for biogas production compared with spring harvested dry RCG. (4) For cutover peatlands there are several after-use possibilities, however, with different benefits and challenges. For example, peat soil emissions may be affected during the after-use period, and this should be considered when planning the use of cutover peatlands.

Too much fertilizer? An observational association between inputs at planting and crop yield on a Saskatchewan farming operation

Grain yield and its variability is a major driver of seeding rate and inorganic fertilizer use at planting among grain growers. Recommended rates for fertilizer application with regard to crop utilization and soil management are discretionary and vary between producer and agronomist. This observational case study with Bayesian inference examines the association between application rates of inorganic nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium chloride and sulphur at planting, and yield of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L.), large green lentils (Lens culinaris Medik.), canola (Brassica napus L.), canaryseed (Phalaris canariensis L.), and spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). Using precision agriculture, input and crop yield information for each parcel of cultivated land was collected over a 4 yr period from 2015 to 2018 on a continuous no-till farming operation in the semiarid region of Saskatchewan, Canada. Hierarchical models were derived that accounted for yield variability in crop types due to the random effects of field, cultivar, crop planted in previous year, planting year, combine machine, observation location within field, and elevation. Evidence from this longitudinal study suggests that seed-placed fertilizer above the recommended safe rate can be associated with yield decline on farming operations in the semiarid environment of Saskatchewan, Canada.

Health Promoting Bioactive Properties of Novel Hairless Canary Seed Flour after In Vitro Gastrointestinal Digestion.

The bioactive properties and health-promoting effects of two novel yellow (C09052, C05041) and two brown (Calvi, Bastia) hairless canary seed (Phalaris canariensis L.) cultivars were investigated in comparison to two common cereal grains (wheat and oat). The cereal flours were digested using the standardized INFOGEST in vitro human gastrointestinal digestion model. The three-kilo dalton molecular weight cutoff (3 kDa MWCO) permeate of the generated digestates was assessed in vitro for their antioxidant, chelating, antihypertensive and antidiabetic activities. The results showed no significant differences in studied bioactivities between yellow and brown canary seed cultivars, except for antioxidant activity by the DPPH and chelating Fe2+ assays, where brown cultivars had higher activities. Canary seeds had superior or equivalent antioxidant activity than those from oat and wheat. The anti-hypertensive activity (Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition) in yellow canary seed cultivars was significantly higher than that of oat and wheat, particularly for C09052 and Calvi varieties. Peptides exhibiting the highest antihypertensive activity from the permeate of the C09052 canary seed variety were further fractionated and identified by mass spectrometry. Forty-six peptides were identified belonging to 18 proteins from the Pooideae subfamily. Fourteen of the parent proteins were homologous to barley proteins. Peptides were analyzed in silico to determine potential bioactivity based on their amino acid composition. All 46 peptides had potential anti-hypertensive and anti-diabetic activities and 20 had potential antioxidant activity, thereby validating the in vitro assay data. Canary seed peptides also exhibited potential antiamnestic, antithrombotic, immunostimulating, opioid and neuro-activity, demonstrating important potential for health promoting effects, particularly against cardiovascular disease.

Integrative taxonomy of Meloidogye ottersoni (Thorne, 1969) Franklin, 1971 (Nematoda: Meloidogynidae) parasitizing flooded rice in Brazil

A root-knot nematode (RKN) parasitizing rice (Oryza sativa L.) and causing damage in Santa Catarina (SC), Rio Grande do Sul (RS) and Parana (PR) states (Brazil) was identified as Meloidogyne ottersoni (Thorne 1969) Franklin 1971. The species is redescribed from the Brazilian population from Meleiro (SC) and compared with the description of M. ottersoni from Wind Lake (Wisconsin, USA) with additional morphological, biochemical and molecular characterization. The female and male bear smaller stylets: 10-12 μm, 14-16 μm, respectively, when compared with M. graminicola: 12-14 μm, 16-18 μm, and M. oryzae: 14-16 μm, 18-20 μm. Meloidogyne ottersoni presents perineal patterns located on the contour of a slight protuberance. Striae are mostly continuous, never raised by transverse irregular striae, as frequently observed in M. graminicola and M. oryzae. Meloidogyne ottersoni belongs to the RKN group 11 described by Jepson (1987); the reproduction is by meiotic parthenogenesis and the somatic chromosome number is 18. The tail of second-stage juveniles is very long and thin, and tapers to a long, narrow, irregular hyaline terminus (M. ottersoni, 20.5 μm vs M. graminicola, 17.9 μm and M. oryzae, 22.0 μm, respectively). The ability of the Brazilian M. ottersoni population to parasitize canary grass, Phalaris arundinacea L. (type host), and barnyard grass, Echinocloa crus-galli, was confirmed. Biochemically, the esterase profile of M. ottersoni lacks any band (Est Ot0, Rm=0), which differentiates it from M. graminicola and M. oryzae (Est VS1, Rm=0.70 and Est O1, Rm=1.02, respectively). In Maximum Likelihood analysis of ITS, D2D3 and COXII-16S rRNA sequences, populations of M. ottersoni from different states of Brazil clustered together and were separated from other Meloidogyne spp., thus confirming that all four populations are very similar and conspecific.

Allelopathic efficiency of orange fruit waste as a natural bioherbicid in controlling canarygrass and cheeseweed infested common bean plants.

This study was conducted to evaluate the bioherbicidal properties of orange peelsagainst canary grass and cheeseweed mallow and the response of common bean plants.Two successive pot experiments were conducted with twelve treatments. The first fourtreatments were applied by incorporating of orange peels powder with the soil surface atsuccessive rates (10, 20, 30 and 40 g/pot) one week pre-sowing of common bean. Inthe other corresponding four treatments, the orange peels powder was incorporated withthe soil surface at the same rates but directly at the same time with sowing of commonbean seeds. Additionally, four untreated control treatments were applied for comparison.The recorded results revealed the inhibitory allelopathic effects of orange peels powderon both weeds with direct relationship between the orange peels rate and it's inhibitoryeffects. However, the pre-sowing treatments were more effective than the others whichapplied at the time of sowing. Orange peels at 40g/pot at one week pre-sowing gave thehighest inhibitory effect on both weeds. This superior treatment subsequently recordedthe highest growth parameters and yield traits of common bean. Estimated phenoliccompounds, flavonoids and essential oils in orange peels may be responsible for thisinhibitory effect.

Comparison of cool and warm season perennial grasses for biomass yield, quality, and energy balance in two contrasting semiarid environments

Perennial grasses are valuable biomass feedstocks due to their potentially high biomass yield and environmental benefits. This study aimed to compare 7 cool season: tall wheatgrass, bulbous canary grass, reed canary grass, tall fescue, perennial ryegrass, orchard grass, and smooth brome grass and 3 warm season perennial grasses: miscanthus, switchgrass, and giant reed for biomass yield, quality, and energy balance at 2 harvesting periods (autumn and winter to early spring) over 3 growing seasons in cold (Cankiri, Turkey) and warm (Adana, Turkey) semiarid environments. Harvests in winter and spring both led to considerable yield losses with all of the grass species in both locations, while it promoted biomass quality by reducing the moisture and ash contents of the warm season grasses in both locations, and the cool season grasses only in Cankiri. In contrast, autumn harvest provided significantly lower moisture and ash contents in the cool season grasses grown in Adana over the 3 years, where it was observed that, on average, giant reed exhibited the highest biomass productivity in both locations. Furthermore, bulbous canary grass and tall wheatgrass were found to be the most productive species in the study among the cool season grasses. Additionally, bulbous canary grass in Adana and tall wheatgrass in Cankiri achieved considerably higher energy ratios than the warm season grasses, mainly as a result of a lack of energy input for irrigation. In this sense, these 2 cool season grasses may be considered as alternative bioenergy crops in semiarid environments for sustainable biomass production.

The Complete Chloroplast Genome Sequencing and Comparative Analysis of Reed Canary Grass (Phalaris arundinacea) and Hardinggrass (P. aquatica).

There are 22 species in the Phalaris genera that distribute almost all over the temperate regions of the world. Among them, reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea, tetraploid and hexaploid) and hardinggrass (P. aquatica, tetraploid) have been long cultivated as forage grass and have received attention as bio-energy materials in recent years. We aimed to facilitate inter-species/ploidies comparisons, and to illuminate the degree of sequence variation within existing gene pools, chloroplast (cp) genomes of three Phalaris cytotypes (P. aquatica/4x, P. arundinacea/4x and P. arundinacea/6x) were sequenced and assembled. The result indicated that certain sequence variations existed between the cp genomes of P. arundinacea and P. aquatica. Several hotspot regions (atpI~atpH, trnT-UGU~ndhJ, rbcL~psaI, and ndhF~rpl32) were found, and variable genes (infA, psaI, psbK, etc.) were detected. SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) and/or indels (insertions and deletions) were confirmed by the high Ka/Ks and Pi value. Furthermore, distribution and presence of cp simple sequence repeats (cpSSRs) were identified in the three Phalaris cp genomes, although little difference was found between hexaploid and tetraploid P. arundinacea, and no rearrangement was detected among the three Phalaris cp genomes. The evolutionary relationship and divergent time among these species were discussed. The RNA-seq revealed several differentially expressed genes (DEGs), among which psaA, psaB, and psbB related to leaf color were further verified by leaf color differences.

Evaluation of Co and Nox Emissions in Real-Life Operating Conditions of Herbaceous Biomass Briquettes Combustion

Abstract The issue of carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides emissions into the atmosphere is very current. This article thus focuses on the assessment of elemental composition of selected herbal biomass species and emission concentrations during combustion in a commonly available grate combustion device for briquetted fuel. In tests, emission concentrations were evaluated in contrast to the oxygen concentration in flue gas and flue gas temperatures. Samples of camelina (Camelina sativa), giant miscanthus (Miscanthus gigantheus), reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea L.) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) were used. Elementary and stoichiometric combustion analyses were conducted for these samples (LECO AC-600 semi-automatic calorimeter, CHN628 + S elemental analyser and LECO TGA-701 analyser). Analyses of C, H, N and S concentrations and calorific values showed that samples of briquetted herb biomass had insignificant differences and could be used for energy purposes without limitation. The limiting factor was the high amount of ash, which amounted to 6.59% of dry weight in reed canary grass briquette sample. Furthermore, a high percentage (1.91% wt.) of nitrogen was observed in reed canary grass briquettes. Such a high amount of nitrogen during combustion tests resulted in an increase in NOx emission levels in flue gas of the Phalaris arundinacea L. sample, in which it reached the maximum concentration of 375.20 mg·m−3. The combustion tests showed that even under steady-state conditions, high concentrations of carbon monoxide could not be avoided for tested briquetted biofuels without active regulation of the combustion process.

Inoculation of exogenous lactic acid bacteria exerted a limited influence on the silage fermentation and bacterial community compositions of reed canary grass straw on the Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau

This study evaluated the effects of exogenous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on silage fermentation and bacterial community of reed canary grass (RCG) straw. The leaf, stem and whole crop of RCG straw were separately ensiled in small bag silos, without (control) or with inoculation of two exogenous LAB (LP, Lactobacillus plantarum; LB, Lactobacillus buchneri), and stored at ambient temperature of <20°C. Inoculation of exogenous LAB decreased (P<0·05) bacterial alpha diversity and shifted (P<0·05) bacterial community compositions, but did not change (P>0·05) the relative abundance of Lactobacillus. Particularly, inoculation of LB increased (P<0·05) acetic acid and propionic acid contents, decreased (P<0·05) butyric acid (BA) and ammonia-N contents, separated (P<0·05) the bacterial community in silage. However, the exogenous LAB inoculated silages were characterized by main distribution of yeasts, presence of undesirable bacterial genera such as Clostridium and high levels of BA and ammonia-N. Inoculation of exogenous LAB exerted a limited influence on the silage fermentation and bacterial community compositions of RCG straw on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Commercial LAB inoculants are not always efficient on enhancing silage quality and stability. Thus, an alternative additive for inhibiting undesirable microbes during storage is important to improve RCG silage quality on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

A Farmer’s Account: Case Study on the Effect of Rainfall and Temperature to Grain Cultivation in Southwestern Saskatchewan, Canada

The production of cereal, legume and oilseed crops on the prairie region of Canada is largely rainfed, with high variability in the accumulation and timing of precipitation. In turn, the fluctuation of climate imparts change in farming practice. The objective of the current study is to measure the effect of rainfall and temperature on grain yield, based on longitudinal data for multiple crops on a Saskatchewan farming operation. Adjustment was made for days to maturity, fertilizer management, crop inputs, and procedures (e.g., harvest method). Detailed and thorough records of rainfall and farming routine were obtained from a farm operator on different field plots over 33 consecutive growing seasons from 1986 to 2018. The efficacy of multiple adaptive farming practices to crop yield were also evaluated, and included seed treatment, swathing, desiccation, and in-crop spraying of fungicide or pesticide. Statistical models were formulated for the association of these factors to crop yield for canaryseed (Phalaris canariensis L.), canola (Brassica napus L.), lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) and wheat (Triticum turgidum L.). Results from this study show that temperature and rainfall above the long-term average were negatively associated with wheat yield, although the effect modification between average temperature and cumulative rainfall was positively associated with wheat yield. Over 63% of the observed variation in crop yield was attributable to planting year on this farming operation. Crop diversification is key to mitigate the effects of extreme rainfall and temperature variation on yield in this agroregion.

Качество травяного сырья и вынос питательных веществ на долголетних среднеспелых трехукосных злаковых травостоях

The studies were conducted on long-term (1–34th years of use) mid-ripening three-cut agrocenoses. It was found that during irrigation and application of N260P75K220, an increase in the yield of 1 ha compared to non-irrigated grasses when feeding N180P35K160 amounted to 21–23% on the agrocenoses with awnless brome grass and 30–31% with reed canary grass. Consumption of nitrogen by herbs increased by 20–24 (herbage with awnless brome grass) and 27–29% (with reed canary grass), and phosphorus (P2O5) — by 20–25 and 34–35%. The increase in the removal of potassium and calcium during irrigation did not depend on the composition of agrocenoses and amounted to 17–22 (for K2O) and 47–51% (for CaO). With each centner of dry matter is carried out: 2.1–2.2 kg of nitrogen; 2.2–2.4 K2O; 0.6–0.7 P2O5 and 0.6–0.8 kg CaO. Some of these substances are extracted from the grass soil. To maintain the productivity of grass stands at a high level with long-term intensive use of the meadow, the reserves of nutrients available to herbs in the soil are not enough. Multi-cut use of agrocenoses is possible only with the systematic feeding of each subsequent mowing with optimal doses of fertilizers. In the mowing conveyor system, mid-season grass stands allow to extend the harvesting period of high-quality green mass for haylage and silage by 7–10 days in each mowing. The obtained grass raw materials on three-mowing agrocenoses (during irrigation and without irrigation) in terms of the content of crude protein and crude cellulose meet the requirements of GOST in the first mowing on grass stands with awnless brome – the second class, with reed canary grass – of the third class. In the second mowing of all agrocenoses, the raw material mass corresponded to the second class, in the third mowing – to the first class. According to the content of macronutrients (phosphorus, potassium and calcium) in the dry matter of grass raw materials obtained on agrocenoses with awnless brome and reed canary grass during irrigation and natural moisture, the green mass corresponds to zootechnical norms of animal feeding. The use of high-quality bulky feeds prepared from the green mass of the middle link of the raw material conveyor will reduce the consumption of concentrates and mineral additives in the winter diet of animals.

Controlling dietary cation-anion differences in forages by chloride fertilisation

Rations with low to negative dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD) given to dairy cows before calving reduce the risk of hypocalcaemia (milk fever). Different strategies for increasing forage DCAD were investigated in field trials in Central and Western Norway. Fertilisation with 70, 140 or 210 kg Cl per hectare as calcium chloride and low supply rates of K reduced DCAD in forage harvested at late developmental stages in spring growth of timothy and meadow fescue. The ideal negative DCAD was only attained on soils very low in plant available K. Timing (spring versus late spring) and source of Cl (CaCl2 versus MgCl2) were of no importance for the result. When pure stands of seven grasses were fertilised in spring either without chloride or with 140 kg chloride per hectare, the lowest values of DCAD after chloride fertilisation were found in perennial ryegrass and reed canary grass. By comparison, cocksfoot had equally high or higher Cl concentrations in its tissues, but accumulated more K, and seemed to be poorly suited for low DCAD forage production. It was concluded that Cl fertilisation is a more efficient means of controlling DCAD than sward species composition.

Patch scale evapotranspiration of wetland plant species by ground-based infrared thermometry

Accurate estimation of evapotranspiration (ET) is essential to calculate the wetland water balance. However, wetlands are often composed of patches of different species of vegetation, raising the question whether different species will have different ET rates. Standard field-based meteorological methods to estimate ET, e.g., Priestley-Taylor (P-T), are sensitive to changes in climate drivers of ET but not to spatial variations in vegetation. To investigate whether ET is sensitive to vegetation type, we used thermal infrared (TIR) temperature-based surface energy balance (SEB) and Bowen ratio (β) ET estimation methods in four wetlands in northern New York State. The four wetlands had different plant communities including hardstem bulrush (Scirpus acutus), reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea), cattail (Typha Spp.) and meadow willow (Salix petiolaris). Across all four sites, the TIR-based methods generally had similar results as P-T methods, with mean absolute difference (MAD) of 17.1–53.0 W m−2 and root mean squared difference (RMSD) of 23.4–62.4 W m−2 across sites. This suggests that ET was not strongly dependent on vegetation type and topography in these northern wetlands. However, different methods showed different sensitivities to atmospheric variables including wind speed and relative humidity, suggesting that under certain conditions TIR-based methods may better represent differences in ET from different vegetation architectures.

Energy Evaluation and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Reed Plant Pelletizing and Utilization as Solid Biofuel

This paper presents the results of research on the preparation and use for energy purposes of three reed herbaceous energy plants: reed (Phragmites australis) and bulrush (Typha); both grown in local vicinities on lakes and riverbanks and reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea L.). The physical-mechanical characteristics (density, moisture, and ash content) of chopped and milled reeds were investigated. The investigation of mill fractional compositions determined the largest amount of mill—reed mill, collected on the sieves of 0.63 mm (40.0%). The pellet moisture ranged from 10.79% to 6.32%, while the density was 1178.9 kg m−3 for dry matter (DM) of reed. The ash content of reed, bulrush and reed canary grass pellets was 3.17%, 5.88%, and 7.99%, respectively. The ash melting temperature ranged from 865 to 1411 °C; these temperatures were high enough for ash melting. The determined pellet calorific value varied from 17.4 to 17.9 MJ kg−1 DM. The disintegration force, indicating pellet strength, ranged from 324.25 N for reed canary grass to 549.24 N for reed. The determined emissions of harmful pollutants—CO2, CO, NOx, and unburnt hydrocarbons (CxHy)—did not exceed the maximum permissible levels. The assessment of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from technology showed that the CO2 equivalents ranged from 7.3 to 10.1 kg CO2-eq. GJ−1 for reed and reed canary grass, respectively.

Vegetation trajectories of restored agricultural wetlands following sediment removal

Recognition of wetland ecosystem services has led to substantial investment in wetland restoration in recent decades. Wetland restorations can be designed to meet numerous goals, among which reestablishing a diverse native wetland plant community is a common aim. In agricultural areas, where previously drained wetland basins can fill with eroded sediment from the surrounding landscape, restoration often includes excavation to expose buried seed banks. The extent to which excavation improves the diversity of wetland plant communities is unclear, particularly in terms of longer‐term outcomes. We examined plant species diversity and community composition in 24 restored agricultural wetlands across west‐central Minnesota, U.S.A. In all study wetlands, hydrology was restored by removing subsurface drainage and plugging drainage ditches, thus reestablishing groundwater connectivity and hydroperiod (“business as usual” treatment). In half of the wetlands, accumulated sediment was removed from the basin and redeposited on the surrounding landscape (“excavated” treatment). Initially, sediment removal significantly decreased invasive species cover, particularly of hybrid cattail (Typha × glauca) and reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea), and increased community diversity and evenness. Over time, the effects of sediment removal diminished, and eventually disappeared by approximately 6 years after restoration. While our results demonstrate that sediment removal improves initial restoration outcomes for plant communities, longer‐term benefits require sustained management, such as invasive species control or resetting of basins through additional excavation.

Restoring Wetlands Dominated byPhalaris arundinacea(Reed Canary Grass) with Multiple Treatments: Haying, Spraying, and Establishing Aggressive Competitors

Restoring Wetlands Dominated by<i>Phalaris arundinacea</i>(Reed Canary Grass) with Multiple Treatments: Haying, Spraying, and Establishing Aggressive Competitors

Live barriers and associated organic amendments mitigate land degradation and improve crop productivity in hillside agricultural systems of the Ecuadorian Andes

AbstractLand degradation caused by erosion and nutrient depletion in the Andes poses serious existential threats to small‐scale farming. Although the potential of hedgerows to decrease water erosion is well recognised, their potential dual‐use as a source of organic amendments to supplement farmer inputs is much less studied. The objective of this investigation was therefore to explore locally developed options for hedgerows that address these twin challenges. Experimental plots were installed to assess water erosion control by hedgerows and the effect of organic amendments harvested from the hedgerows on soil productivity, soil moisture, and soil fertility over the course of 2 years and three crop cycles (two of barley and one of rye). The experiment was conducted in two sites within the community at distinct elevations and associated biophysical contexts. At each site, four treatments were established, comparing a control treatment versus three types of hedgerows: (a) Andean alder, (b) canary grass strips, and (c) mixed canary grass and Andean alder. Results demonstrated that hedgerows and associated organic inputs comprised canary grass, and mixed canary grass and Andean alder reduced water erosion by 50–60% and increased biomass production by up to 1.1 Mg ha−1 and grain yield by up to 0.5 Mg ha−1. We conclude that although hedgerows are unlikely to produce sufficient quantities of organic resources to satisfy all nutrient input requirements, their potential to decrease erosion and supplement existing organic matter inputs indicates that they should be strongly considered as an option for improved agricultural management within this and similar resource constrained contexts.

Accumulation of germanium (Ge) in plant tissues of grasses is not solely driven by its incorporation in phytoliths

Ge/Si ratios of plant phytoliths have been widely used to trace biogeochemical cycling of Si. However, until recently, information on how much of the Ge and Si transferred from soil to plants is actually stored in phytoliths was lacking. The aim of the present study is to (i) compare the uptake of Si and Ge in three grass species, (ii) localize Ge and Si stored in above-ground plant parts and (iii) evaluate the amounts of Ge and Si sequestrated in phytoliths and plant tissues. Mays (Zea mays), oat (Avena sativa) and reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea) were cultivated in the greenhouse on soil and sand to control element supply. Leaf phytoliths were extracted by dry ashing. Total elemental composition of leaves, phytoliths, stems and roots were measured by ICP-MS. For the localization of phytoliths and the determination of Ge and Si within leaf tissues and phytoliths scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and laser ablation inductively coupled mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) was used. The amounts of Si and Ge taken up by the species corresponded with biomass formation and decreased in the order Z. mays > P. arundinacea, A. sativa. Results from LA-ICP-MS revealed that Si was mostly localized in phytoliths, while Ge was disorderly distributed within the leaf tissue. In fact, from the total amounts of Ge accumulated in leaves only 10% was present in phytoliths highlighting the role of organic matter on biogeochemical cycling of Ge and the necessity for using bulk Ge/Si instead of Ge/Si in phytoliths to trace biogeochemical cycling of Si.

Methane fluxes from a rewetted agricultural fen during two initial years of paludiculture

Rewetting agricultural peatland abates carbon dioxide (CO2) emission, but the resulting waterlogged anaerobic soil condition may create hotspots of methane (CH4) emissions. In this study, we measured CH4 emissions from side-by-side replicated plots in an agricultural fen cultivated with reed canary grass under a control and two experimental rewetting (i.e., paludiculture) conditions as either continuously flooded to soil surface or semi-flooded where water from the flooded plots intruded from sub-surface. Fluxes were measured for two successive years at 1–2 week intervals (total 59 measurement dates) using static chambers. Annual emissions were estimated by trapezoidal linear interpolation of the measured fluxes between the measurement dates. Two-year time-weighted average ground water tables (GWT) in the flooded, semi-flooded and control plots were 1, 3 and 9 cm below soil surface, respectively. The annual average emissions from flooded plots were 82 and 116 g CH4 m−2 yr−1 in Year 1 and 2, respectively, which were significantly higher than the emissions from semi-flooded plots (35 and 69 g CH4 m−2 yr−1 in Year 1 and 2, respectively) and from control plots (3 and 9 g CH4 m−2 yr−1 in Year 1 and 2, respectively). Overall, the results showed that the GWT in paludiculture should be maintained few cm below soil surface during high temperature periods to prevent risks of high CH4 emissions.

Protective activity of phalaris canariensis against methotrexate-induced nephrotoxicity via BCL2 pathway

Protective activity of phalaris canariensis against methotrexate-induced nephrotoxicity via BCL2 pathway