Ideal Soil Research Articles

Study Assessment of Soil and Water Quality Conditions on Barren Agricultural Lands in Tropical Regions

Barren land is non-productive land that is difficult to use as a medium for integrated agricultural cultivation. The aim of this research is to determine the profile and feasibility status of land in barren agricultural areas quantitatively. The research method used was descriptive with purposive data collection. Data analysis included SQI and WQI parametric analyses. The research results indicate that the ideal soil parameter is only pH 7.5-7.7, while for water parameters it is pH 8.0-8.1, meeting water quality standards. SQI values range from 0.44 to 0.49 and WQI from 0.45 to 0.57. SQI and WQI values at the research site fall into the poor category, indicating difficulty in converting the land into agricultural use. SQI and WQI show a strong correlation as depicted in the model Y = 4.113 + 0.026 (R2 = 0.789). Correlation tests showed strong correlations in soil between redox potential and soil pH (0.449), and redox potential and organic matter (0.377). Weak correlations were found between cation exchange capacity and soil pH (0.009), and nitrate and total N (0.517). In water, strong correlations were found between water pH and nitrite (0.302) and ammonia (0.529). Additionally, water pH showed weak correlations with carbon dioxide (0.752) and organic matter (0.659). The values of soil and water parameters have an immediate impact on plant growth patterns. Therefore, integrated agricultural cultivation patterns need to be developed. In conclusion, empirically, the condition of barren land indicates poor land use feasibility. The poor profile and biophysical feasibility conditions of barren land are attributed to environmental pollution and runoff from other land areas.

Differences in growth and survival of two varieties of Ochroma pyramidale in rustic plantations in southern Mexico

Ochroma pyramidale (Cav. Ex Lam.) is a rapidly growing pioneer tree native to the Americas. This species is important for rehabilitating degraded areas as well as commercially due to the wood`s low density and high resistance, making it useful for producing structural cores and lightweight plywood, as well as in the wind energy industry. For at least 50 years, two varieties of this species have been recognized by botanists as well as the Lacandon people of Chiapas, Mexico. This study provides comparative data regarding three years of growth of the white and red varieties of Ochroma pyramidale, indicating ideal soil and climatic conditions for commercial plantations. The white variety had a greater rate of growth and thrives with a high average annual precipitation (2330–3236 mm) and Luvisol or Leptosol with a neutral pH and a high P content. The red variety appears to be the most widely used in other regions of the world, while the white variety is rarely used commercially.

Small soil wetted proportion and emitter flow rate of drip irrigation enhance potato yield by improving soil water and aeration in the sandy loam in arid Northwest China

Creating an ideal soil microclimate through appropriate drip irrigation management practices is crucial for enhancing potato production. Field experiments were conducted during 2021 and 2022 in Wuwei, Gansu Province, Northwest China, with two soil wetted proportion levels (P1: 35 %, and P2: 55 %) and three emitter flow rates (F1: 1.3 L/h, F2: 2.0 L/h, and F3: 3.0 L/h). Results showed that for the same soil wetted proportion, soil water content was reduced in the 0–20 cm soil layer and increased in the 20–40 cm for F1 compared to F2 and F3, with no differences in the 40–60 cm depth. During the tuber initiation and bulking stages, the soil wetted proportion P1 increased soil oxygen saturation by 2.8 % and 0.7 % and reduced CO2 concentration by 26.7 % and 19.2 % in 2021 and 2022, respectively, compared to P2 in the 20–40 cm soil layer. The emitter flow rate F1 exhibited significantly greater soil oxygen (0.7–4.6 %) and lower CO2 concentration (16–46 %) than F2 and F3 in the 0–20 cm. Soil oxygen was significantly higher (0.5–2.1 %) and CO2 concentration was significantly lower (10–39 %) in the 20–40 cm in F1 than in F3. In the 0–40 cm soil layer, both the highest soil oxygen concentration and lowest CO2 concentration were observed for the P1F1 combination. The soil wetted proportion P1 increased average yield by 5.6 % in 2021 and 11.9 % in 2022 compared to P2, while F2 and F3 reduced yield by 2.4 % and 4.6 % in 2021, 4.1 % and 13.8 % in 2022 compared to F1. The soil wetted proportion P2 promoted source growth compared to P1 but limited sink expansion. Source capacity, sink growth, and average tuber growth rates decreased from F1 to F3. Overall, the 35 % soil wetted proportion and 1.3 L/h emitter flow rate are recommended for potato cultivation in sandy loam. This study clarified the importance of coordinating soil water and aeration by drip irrigation management to improve potato tuber production.

Application of ZigBee Technology in Smart Soil Temperature and Humidity Control Systems

As global food security increasingly becomes a focus, challenges faced by Chinese agriculture are particularly prominent. This study introduces an intelligent monitoring and control system for soil temperature and humidity using ZigBee technology, aimed at enhancing agricultural production efficiency and crop yield. The system's core, equipped with an STC89C52 microcontroller and DHT11 temperature and humidity sensors, gathers data and wirelessly transmits it to a central control unit via ZigBee modules, which then automatically adjusts the agricultural production environment to ensure crops grow in the most ideal soil temperature and humidity conditions. Compared to traditional methods, this system achieves remote monitoring and precise control, providing an innovative solution for modern agricultural production. Experiments prove that the system not only improves control accuracy but also significantly enhances operational convenience and response speed, playing an important role in promoting the development of smart agriculture.

СHERNOZEM SCIENCE - THE SCIENCE ABOIT CHERNOZEM

The article outlines views on the modern scientific and practical significance of chernozem, emphasizing its special role in the history of science and humanity. The main attention is paid to the issues of geographical distribution, genesis, composition, structure, properties, rational use, restoration, preservation and protection. Problems related to the manifestation of degradation processes are considered: erosion, deflation, compaction, dehumification, destructuring, etc. Emphasis is placed on the role and importance of chernozems in the world of soils as a phenomenon of nature, ideal soil, feeder and means of work. In the Cenozoic period, three events stand out - not destructive, but creating, large in their progressive consequence. In the world of plants, this is the development of angiosperm families and genera, and among them cereals, which played a prominent role in the composition of specific herbaceous and cereal phytocenoses, and later in the food base of humans and domestic animals. Mammals began to predominate in the animal world, primates appeared, as a result of their long evolution, the first humanoids appeared already in the anthropogenic period. In the world of soils, the formation of chernozems began. The initial stage is the expansion of cereals and the formation on extensive, but mainly loess plains of meadow and grass-cereal steppes, under which chernozems began to form - soils of the "gathering" type, in contrast to the already existing podzolic and feralitic soils of the "dispersive" type, which are characterized by weak accumulation humus and dispersion - removal of chemical elements - biogens and many trace elements. Based on the analysis of extensive scientific research and publications about chernozem and its importance in society, it is expedient to develop a doctrine about chernozem and to single out a separate direction in the development of the science of soil science - chernozemology. Black geology is a field of soil science that studies the formation (genesis), structure, composition and properties, patterns of geographical distribution, processes of interaction with the external environment, which determine the formation and development of the main property - fertility, ecological and social functions, aesthetic value, ways of rational use, reproduction, preservation and protection. The question of chernozem and its degradation in the modern world is not only agronomic, ecological, economic, legal, aesthetic, but also political. Radical and tough decisions are needed so that the quiet crisis of the planet does not turn into a loud one in the foreseeable future. Evaluating the global importance of chernozem in the world of soils, it is advisable to develop a special course "Chernozem Science" for students of natural and agricultural specialties of higher educational institutions of Ukraine. Key words: chernozem, natural phenomenon, degradation, erosion, morphology, properties, ideal of perfection, aesthetic value.

Monitoring And Controlling System Based on Internet of Things (IoT) for Ornamental Chrysanthemum Plants

Monitoring and controlling system based on Internet of Things has been developed for ornamental chrysanthemum plants. User interface of the system is a website application created using PHP programming language and MySQL as Database Management Systems. The IoT system built are the result of literature review of chrysanthemum plants, such as an ideal soil moisture for chrysanthemum plants is in the range of 40% to 60%, the average plant water requirement is 16.05 ml/day, it is also recommended to apply liquid fertilizer with a high N content of 2g per litre of water every week. This knowledge then applied in the IoT system. Research findings indicated that the device could be controlled through the website and was capable of transmitting real-time soil moisture data. This system not only triggers watering when the soil humidity falls below 41%RH and stops it when reaching 60%RH but also incorporates scheduled fertilizer according to predetermined schedules, meeting the anticipated outcomes. Water and fertilizer pumps produced volumetric flow rate that changed as the level of liquid in the storage tank decreases. The lower the height, the smaller the volumetric flow rate produced, this is due to the influence of hydrostatic pressure.

Rancang Bangun Sistem Penyiraman Otomatis pada Tanaman Sawi dengan Sistem Irigasi Tetes untuk Lahan Pertanian Lereng Gunung Ungaran

Cultivating mustard greens requires maintaining the ideal soil moisture level within the range of 50% to 70% Relative Humidity (RH). To fulfill water requirements and preserve soil moisture, irrigation processes are essential. Historically, farmers have employed manual irrigation methods, such as flooding entire agricultural fields, leading to water wastage and requiring significant labor. This research aims to develop an automated irrigation system based on soil conditions to assist farmers in the irrigation process. The automated irrigation system operates by responding to soil conditions. It initiates irrigation when the soil is dry and automatically ceases when the soil becomes adequately moist. This system utilizes Arduino as the central control unit, soil moisture sensors as input devices, an LCD for monitoring, and a water pump for distributing water to the agricultural fields through drip irrigation. The research methodology follows engineering design principles and encompasses three stages: design, installation, and implementation. The design phase involves creating the system, programming, and designing the drip irrigation system. Installation entails assembling the components of the automated irrigation system, while implementation involves deploying the system in agricultural fields and conducting tests. The research findings indicate that the automated irrigation system effectively irrigates when soil moisture falls below 50% and halts when it reaches 70%. Calibration tests reveal a 2% variance between the capacitive soil moisture sensor and the Soil Moisture Meter. The water requirement for a single mustard greens plant to reach the ideal soil moisture level (50-70% RH) is approximately 150 ml.

Effects of depth of straw returning on maize yield potential and greenhouse gas emissions.

Appropriate straw incorporation has ample agronomic and environmental benefits, but most studies are limited to straw mulching or application on the soil surface. To determine the effect of depth of straw incorporation on the crop yield, soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN) and greenhouse gas emission, a total of 4 treatments were set up in this study, which comprised no straw returning (CK), straw returning at 15cm (S15), straw returning at 25cm (S25) and straw returning at 40cm (S40). The results showed that straw incorporation significantly increased SOC, TN and C:N ratio. Compared with CK treatments, substantial increases in the grain yield (by 4.17~5.49% for S15 and 6.64~10.06% for S25) were observed under S15 and S25 treatments. S15 and S25 could significantly improve the carbon and nitrogen status of the 0-40cm soil layer, thereby increased maize yield. The results showed that the maize yield was closely related to the soil carbon and nitrogen index of the 0-40cm soil layer. In order to further evaluate the environmental benefits of straw returning, this study measured the global warming potential (GWP) and greenhouse gas emission intensity (GHGI). Compared with CK treatments, the GWP of S15, S25 and S40 treatments was increased by 9.35~20.37%, 4.27~7.67% and 0.72~6.14%, respectively, among which the S15 treatment contributed the most to the GWP of farmland. GHGI is an evaluation index of low-carbon agriculture at this stage, which takes into account both crop yield and global warming potential. In this study, GHGI showed a different trend from GWP. Compared with CK treatments, the S25 treatments had no significant difference in 2020, and decreased significantly in 2021 and 2022. This is due to the combined effect of maize yield and cumulative greenhouse gas emissions, indicating that the appropriate straw returning method can not only reduce the intensity of greenhouse gas emissions but also improve soil productivity and enhance the carbon sequestration effect of farmland soil, which is an ideal soil improvement and fertilization measure.

Investigating ecosystem resiliency in different flood zones of south Brooklyn, New York

With climate change and rising sea levels, south Brooklyn is exposed to massive flooding and intense precipitation. Previous research discovered that flooding shifts plant species distribution, decreases soil pH, and increases salt concentration, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium levels. We predicted a decreasing trend from Zone 1 to 6: high-pH, high-salt, and high-nutrients in more flood-prone areas to low-pH, low-salt, and low-nutrient in less flood-prone regions. We performed DNA barcoding to identify plant species inhabiting flood zones with expectations of decreasing salt tolerance and moisture uptake by plants' soil from Zones 1-6. Furthermore, we predicted an increase in invasive species, ultimately resulting in a decrease in biodiversity. After barcoding, we researched existing information regarding invasiveness, ideal soil, pH tolerance, and salt tolerance. We performed soil analyses to identify pH, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) levels. For N and P levels, we discovered a general decreasing trend from Zone 1 to 6 with low and moderate statistical significance respectively. Previous studies found that soil moisture can increase N and P uptake, helping plants adopt efficient resource-use strategies and reduce water stress from flooding. Although characteristics of plants were distributed throughout all zones, demonstrating overall diversity, the soil analyses hinted at the possibility of a rising trend of plants adapting to the increase in flooding. Future expansive research is needed to comprehensively map these trends. Ultimately, investigating trends between flood zones and the prevalence of different species will assist in guiding solutions to weathering climate change and protecting biodiversity in Brooklyn.

Effects of corncob carbon on peanut growth and soil properties

In this paper, corncob biochar was prepared by pyrolysis, and the basic physicochemical properties of the carbon were analysed by characterisation, and potting tests were used to study the effects of different carbon application rates on peanut growth indexes and soil conventional physicochemical properties. The results showed that the corncob carbon at 500°C for 30 min was suitable for soil improvement; the carbon had a pH of 9.98 and could regulate soil pH; it had a rich pore structure with a specific surface area of 11.6 m2·g-1, which could improve soil pore density; and its N,P,K contents were 5.8,8.3,49.5 g·kg-1, respectively, which could provide exogenous nutrients to the soil. The higher the amount of carbon applied, the better the effect on soil physicochemical properties and yield promotion. When the amount of carbon applied was 7%, the soil capacity was reduced by 8.8%, the plant height was reduced by 5.5%, the stem thickness was increased by 18.4%; soil pH increased by 3%, CEC by 20.2 %, and organic matter by 52.03%, resulting in a 40.8% increase in peanut yield.. This corncob carbon has good physicochemical properties and is an ideal soil conditioner.

Comparative Study of the Seismic Response Characteristics of Three Special Soils

Because of its special material composition, formation environment and special structure, special soil usually shows different seismic response characteristics from general soil, and sometimes causes serious seismic disasters. Therefore, the study of seismic response characteristics of special soil has important practical significance for engineering construction and disaster prevention in special land areas, and a site seismic response analysis is an important way to study the impact of site conditions on ground motions. Based on the existing research work, the uniform and single ideal soil layer profiles of three special soils are established, and the seismic response analysis program of the soilquake soil layer is used to study the effects of the dynamic shear module ratio, damping ratio and shear-wave velocity of soft soil, loess and laterite on the characteristic period and platform value of the design response spectrum under different input ground motion intensities. At the same time, three typical actual drilling data values are selected to establish the calculation model of the site soil layer. On the basis of the seismic response analysis and calculation of the soil layer, three special soil dynamic characteristics are compared from the aspects of peak acceleration and characteristic parameters. Based on the research results of this paper, the recommended values of the dynamic shear module ratio and damping ratio of three special soils are given. This work has important reference value for seismic design in soft soil, loess and laterite areas, and also enriches the research results of soil dynamic parameters.

Amelioration of Soil Acidity in Ferralsols of Central Uganda

Soil acidity is one of the major constraints limiting crop productivity in Central Uganda. Thus, the ideal soil pH for crop production ranges from 5.5 to 6.8, but in Central Uganda, crops are believed to be cultivated in soils with pH below these ranges. Given the adverse effects of soil acidity to agricultural production, appropriate measures such as the use of lime could be an option to improve the productive capacity. Henceforward, soils were sampled from farmers’ fields in Mpigi, Mubende and Wakiso Districts representing Central Uganda to evaluate rates of CaCO3 and corncob biochar in a greenhouse incubation study. Afterwards, 2 kg of soil was weighed, placed in a plastic container and thoroughly mixed with 0, 1, 3 and 5 g equivalent to 0, 1, 3 and 5 tons/ha CaCO3 and corncob biochar. Soils were arranged in a Complete Randomized Design (CRD) and moistened with 500 ml of water to bring it to about field capacity and pH determination done for a period of three (3) months until equilibration. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed significant effect (P<0.001) on soil pH when CaCO3 and corncob biochar were applied with the three districts recording a near neutral pH of 6.7.
 After pH equilibration in the greenhouse, rates of CaCO3 and corncob biochar that raised the soil pH in each medium were used to calculate the lime rates i.e., 0, 120, 360 and 600 g applied in the fields. In a Complete Randomized Design (CRD) consisting of four replications, soybean varieties were applied as the main plots while rates of CaCO3 and corncob biochar were applied as the sub plots. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that CaCO3 had significant effect (p<0.001) on soil pH with Mpigi recording the highest soil pH (6.7) followed by Mubende (pH 6.6). Rates of CaCO3 and corncob biochar also showed significant effect (p<0.001) on soybean grain yield compared to 0 g CaCO3 and corncob biochar. Application of 600 g of corncob biochar showed significant effect (p<0.001) on soil pH in the different study locations. Besides, increased in CaCO3 rate to 600 g recorded the highest (7137.5 kg ha-1) soybean grain yield in Wakiso District while 600 g of corncob biochar recorded the highest (5637.5 kg ha-1) soybean grain yield in Mpigi District thus signifying the potential effect of CaCO3 and corncob biochar in Acid Ferralsols.

Soil water stress alters differentially relative metabolic pathways affecting growth performance and metal uptake efficiency in a cadmium hyperaccumulator ecotype of Sedum alfredii.

Modeling plants for biomass production and metal uptake from surrounding environment is strongly dependent on the moisture content of soil. Therefore, experiments were conducted to find out how soil moisture affects the phenotypic traits, photosynthetic efficiency, metabolic profile, and metal accumulation in the hyperaccumulating ecotype of Sedum alfredii (S. alfredii). A total of six water potential gradients were set: 0 ~ -15 kPa (T1), -15 ~ -30 kPa (T2), -30 ~ -45 kPa (T3), -45 ~ -60 kPa (T4), -60 ~ -75 kPa (T5), and -75 ~ -90 kPa (T6). Different water potential treatments had a significant effect on plant growth and metal uptake efficiency. Compared to T3, T2 was more effective in promoting plant growth and development, with an increase in biomass of 23% and 17% in both fresh weight (FW) and dry weight (DW), respectively. T2 and T3 had the highest cadmium (Cd) content in the shoot (280.2 mg/kg) and (283.3 mg/kg), respectively, whereas T1 had the lowest values (204.7 mg/kg). Cd availability for plants in the soil was affected by moving soil moisture cycles. Changes in soil moisture that were either too high or too low compared to the ideal soil water content for S. alfredii growth resulted in a significant reduction in Cd accumulation in shoots. Tryptophan, phenylalanine, and other amino acids were accumulated in T5, whereas only tryptophan and phenylalanine slightly increased in T1. Sugars and alcohols such as sucrose, trehalose, mannitol, galactinol, and mannobiose increased in T5, while they decreased significantly in T1. Interestingly, in contrast to T1, the two impaired metabolic pathways in T5 (galactose and starch metabolism) were identified to be glucose metabolic pathways. These findings provide scientific information (based on experiments) to improve biomass production and metal uptake efficiency in hyperaccumulating ecotype of S. alfredii for phytoremediation-contaminated agricultural fields.

Rock Phosphate Solubilizing Potential of Soil Microorganisms: Advances in Sustainable Crop Production

Phosphorus (P) is one of the most important elements required for crop production. The ideal soil pH for its absorption by plants is about 6.5, but in alkaline and acidic soils, most of the consumed P forms an insoluble complex with calcium, iron, and aluminum elements and its availability for absorption by the plant decreases. The supply of P needed by plants is mainly achieved through chemical fertilizers; however, in addition to the high price of these fertilizers, in the long run, their destructive effects will affect the soil and the environment. The use of cheap and abundant resources such as rock phosphate (RP) can be an alternative strategy for P chemical fertilizers, but the solubilization of P of this source has been a challenge for agricultural researchers. For this, physical and chemical treatments have been used, but the solution that has recently attracted the attention of the researchers is to use the potential of rhizobacteria to solubilize RP and supply P to plants by this method. These microorganisms, via. mechanisms such as proton secretion, organic and mineral acid production, siderophore production, etc., lead to the solubilization of RP, and by releasing its P, they improve the quantitative and qualitative performance of agricultural products. In this review, addressing the potential of rhizosphere microbes (with a focus on rhizobacteria) as an eco-friendly strategy for RP solubilization, along with physical and chemical solutions, has been attempted.

Responses of soil microbial activities to soil overburden thickness in restoring a coal gangue mound in an alpine mining area

This study analyzes the changes in soil microbial community diversity after five years of restoration in an alpine mining area using different soil overburden thicknesses, in which MiSeq high-throughput sequencing technology was applied to analyze soil microbial community diversity and its influential environmental factors. The results showed that vegetation restoration obviously changed the species composition of soil microorganisms at the OTUs (Operational Taxonomic Units) level under different soil overburden thicknesses, and the OTUs species of soil fungi and bacteria changed significantly in the 15 cm soil overburden thickness. The bacterial diversity index was higher than that of fungal microorganisms in all three soil overburden thicknesses, and the microbial diversity index without soil overburden thickness was significantly higher than that in the soil overburden thickness (P < 0.05). The dominant phyla and genera of soil bacteria and fungi were almost the same. The bacteria were Proteobacteria, Pseudoarthrobacter and Sphinomonas, and the fungi were Ascomycota and Tricharina. The relative abundance of soil bacteria and fungi varied with the soil overburden thickness. Vegetation height, coverage, moss coverage, soil temperature, moisture, organic matter, nitrogen content, pH and soil overburden thickness were the key factors affecting the soil microbial community structure. A soil overburden thickness of 10 cm was recommended as an ideal soil reconstruction measure in apline mining areas. During the restoration period of the coal gangue mound in the alpine region, significant improvement was observed in the sensitivity of soil microorganisms to thickness over the course of five years. However, in order to facilitate continuous restoration of microorganisms, it is recommended to implement measures such as covering the area with non-woven fabrics and adjusting the pH of the soil to create more favorable conditions for microbial growth.

Effect of Magnetic Water Treatment on the Growth, Nutritional Status, and Yield of Lettuce Plants with Irrigation Rate

Climate change is causing an increase in dry spells, altering rainfall patterns and soil moisture, and affecting water and nutrient plant uptake, which inevitably affects vegetable production. To mitigate this issue, some technologies that allow the maintenance of the ideal soil moisture for the uptake process are being investigated. Considering this, we hypothesize that the use of water treated with a magnetic field can increase water use efficiency in lettuce crop production. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the effect of the irrigation rate of magnetically treated water on biomass accumulation and nutrient uptake by lettuce plants. An experiment was conducted in a randomized block design with a 2 × 5 factorial arrangement of two water sources (conventional water and magnetically treated water) and five irrigation application rates to replace crop evaporation: 25, 50, 75, 100, and 125%, with five replicates. The use of magnetically treated water increased the concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus in leaves, meaning that it induced higher nitrogen assimilation, leading to increases in agronomical characteristics (leaf number, fresh and dry shoot weight, fresh and dry root weight). The conclusions of this study showcase that magnetically treated water has beneficial effects on lettuce plants, improving their nutritional status and yield. Moreover, the results presented can lead to an increase in water use efficiency, thus optimizing irrigation management.

Seedling Recruitment of Rhododendron arboreum: an important NTFP species of North-Western Himalaya, India

We examined the recruitment, survival, mortality, growth, and development of Rhododendron arboreum Smith, one of the important Non- Timber forest Product species (NTFPs). Ten permanent plots (10 x 10 m2) were created in four sites of mixed broad-leaved temperate forests of Garhwal Himalaya. We measured seedling shoot length and collar diameter at the beginning of the experiment and re-measured at three-month intervals with maximum seedling recruitment recorded in Triguginaryan (36.36 %, during Nov and Aug), and most seedlings were found established either on the boundary or in either partially or fully gaps. While a higher rate of mortality occurred in the winter season. Maximum height increment for seedlings was recorded in Adhwani (1.005 cm-1). R. arboreum recorded the highest recruitment during post-rainy, with an overall increment of 0.60 cm-1. Seasonal variations were seen in the overall relative growth rate for height (RGRH) for Rhododendron seedlings. Seasonal variation in temperature and light is a crucial factor in determining growth. Because of the favorable temperature and soil moisture during the rainy season, vigorous shoot growth continued for the longest period of time at all four sites. The current study's findings also show that seedlings develop and survive better in gaps than in the understory. The current study also demonstrates that ideal soil moisture and temperature conditions are essential for seedling growth and development.

Clogging Prevention of Slurry–Earth Pressure Balance Dual-Mode Shield in Composed Strata with Medium–Coarse Sand and Argillaceous Siltstone

The slurry–earth pressure balance dual-mode shield has an earth pressure balance (EPB) and slurry shield functions. Based on a shield tunnel project of Guangzhou Metro Line 12 in China, this study investigates the clogging prevention of a slurry–earth pressure balance dual-mode shield in a composed stratum with medium–coarse sand and argillaceous siltstone. The results show that the slurry mode was not applicable to the composed stratum with medium–coarse sand and argillaceous siltstone. The excavated soil accumulated easily in the slurry chamber, causing shield clogging. The total thrust force of the shield increased significantly, the tunneling speed gradually decreased to 0, and the torque of the cutterhead increased slightly after the slurry shield was clogged. The fluctuation in the total thrust force, the cutterhead torque, and the tunneling speed also increased significantly. The EPB mode is recommended for composed strata with medium–coarse sand and argillaceous siltstone. The dispersible foam agent and water needed to be used for soil conditioning. The injection amount of foam and water was determined according to the status of the mud discharged by the screw conveyor. Water absorption can be used to characterize the water absorption capacity of particles larger than 0.15 mm. The ideal soil state was that the consistency index of the particles smaller than 0.15 mm was less than 0.5 to prevent the EPB shield from clogging. The water absorption of soil with a particle larger than 0.15 mm should be removed when calculating the consistency index.

Unearthing soil-plant-microbiota crosstalk: Looking back to move forward.

The soil is vital for life on Earth and its biodiversity. However, being a non-renewable and threatened resource, preserving soil quality is crucial to maintain a range of ecosystem services critical to ecological balances, food production and human health. In an agricultural context, soil quality is often perceived as the ability to support field production, and thus soil quality and fertility are strictly interconnected. The concept of, as well as the ways to assess, soil fertility has undergone big changes over the years. Crop performance has been historically used as an indicator for soil quality and fertility. Then, analysis of a range of physico-chemical parameters has been used to routinely assess soil quality. Today it is becoming evident that soil quality must be evaluated by combining parameters that refer both to the physico-chemical and the biological levels. However, it can be challenging to find adequate indexes for evaluating soil quality that are both predictive and easy to measure in situ. An ideal soil quality assessment method should be flexible, sensitive enough to detect changes in soil functions, management and climate, and should allow comparability among sites. In this review, we discuss the current status of soil quality indicators and existing databases of harmonized, open-access topsoil data. We also explore the connections between soil biotic and abiotic features and crop performance in an agricultural context. Finally, based on current knowledge and technical advancements, we argue that the use of plant health traits represents a powerful way to assess soil physico-chemical and biological properties. These plant health parameters can serve as proxies for different soil features that characterize soil quality both at the physico-chemical and at the microbiological level, including soil quality, fertility and composition of soil microbial communities.

Determination of Quantity Fertilizer for Sugarcane Based on Wireless Sensor Network

Fertilization plays a very large role in crop yields if done in the right way, effective and efficient fertilization will be achieved if the soil fertility conditions are known in advance. However, the problem is that farmer fertilization is still carried out by means of estimates based on land area without estimating the factor of soil needs.In this study the system uses a Wireless Sensor Network where there are 2 nodes installed on the land to monitor the measurement of soil moisture, soil pH, and nutrients using soil moisture sensors, soil pH sensors, and NPK sensors. From these sensors, it will be integrated through the Arduino Uno microcontroller which will later be connected to the LoRa system to send measurement information data on the land to the raspberry pi.The communication system between nodes is designed with a peer to per topology. The results of this study are the use of appropriate fertilizers and then can restore soil conditions to ideal soil conditions. From the experimental results, it is found that the peer to peer communication system can work well.