Loamy Clay Soil Research Articles

Eggshells Improve Soil pH and P Availability in Sandy Loam and Sandy Clay Loamy Soil

The current effective method of mitigating soil acidity is the application of lime. However, the costs associated with acquiring lime make it challenging for small-scale farmers in South Africa. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the liming potential of ground eggshells relative to aglime and its effect on P availability in two acidic soils differing in textural classes, and its subsequent effect on the growth of Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris L.). Two soils used in the study were sandy clay loam, which had an initial pH of 4.52, and sandy loam with an initial pH of 5.23. Both lime sources were applied at a rate of 0, 1, 2.5, and 5 t/ha through incubation for 120 days. Our results indicated that applying eggshells and aglime significantly increased soil pH within 7 days (p < 0.05) compared to the 0-rate application across all application rates in both soil types. There were no differences (p > 0.05) in pH between the two applied lime sources. Plant-available P was not significantly different between the applied lime sources at all application rates and the 0-rate application; however, the two lime sources increased plant-available phosphorus above 25 ppm, which is the minimum health level of plant-available phosphorus. The results of plant yield showed no differences (p > 0.05) between the plant dry weights. However, Swiss chard growing at the 0-rate application in the sandy clay loam showed poor and stunted growth while Swiss chard growing at the 0-rate application in the sandy loam did not exhibit poor and stunted growth. According to the study’s results, eggshells have a similar liming effect as aglime and their dissolution rate is similar; therefore, eggshells can be used as a substitute of aglime to increase soil pH. Using eggshells as a substitute for aglime could offer substantial benefits to small-scale farmers by reducing input costs and providing a locally sourced, sustainable alternative. This approach can also enhance economic sustainability in rural communities by promoting the recycling of agricultural by-products and making essential soil amendments more affordable and accessible.

ASSESSING POTATO CULTIVATION TECHNIQUES IN PAKISTAN: AN ANALYSIS OF EXISTING METHODS AND IDENTIFIED GAPS

The potato is an important crop in vegetables. It is grown in sandy to clay-loamy soil in the winter season. Potassium and vitamin C are abundant in potatoes. Both governmental and private agriculture extension services actively educate farmers about suggested techniques for producing potatoes and offer guidance on how to implement these practices. This study aimed to investigate the discrepancy between accepted and advised potato production technology techniques. Pakistan's primary potato hub is Okara. Tehsil Okara was selected randomly from 3 tehsils (Okara, Depalpur, Renala Khurd) of district Okara. A random sampling was carried out for 120 Okara potato growers, the study's key data were gathered through a field survey. According to the survey, most farmers were aware of the suggested potato production technology and many had already embraced it. However, a sizable portion did not follow the advised guidelines. Therefore, to get a high yield of potatoes per acre, it is necessary to strengthen the efforts of extension services and implement more advanced advice. Extension activities must be adjusted to farmers' needs.

Amended soils with weathered coal exhibited greater resistance to aggregate breakdown than those with biochar: From the viewpoint of soil internal forces

Soil erosion is the first threat to soil functions. Reducing the soil aggregate breakdown strength is a key step to improve the soil’s ability to resist rainfall splash erosion. Soil internal forces have been found to be the initial and important forces driving aggregate turnover. The application of exogenous organic materials can effectively improve soil aggregate stability and the resistance to rainfall erosion of agricultural soils. However, from the perspective of soil internal forces, information about the reduction effects of the exogenous organic materials application on soil aggregate breakdown is scarce, especially in comparing the effects of different materials. In this study, weathered coal and biochar were individually applied to loamy clay soil at rates of 0 %, 1 %, 2 %, and 3 % (w/w). Soil internal forces, aggregate breakdown strength, and splash erosion rate of different amended soils were then examined after four years. The results showed that compared with unamended soils (0 %), both weathered coal and biochar applications clearly increased the van der Waals attractive pressure and thus decreased the positive net pressure between soil particles. Additionally, these materials reduced soil aggregate breakdown strength and splash erosion rate. The application effects of the two materials were increased with their application rates. Under a lower electrolyte concentration in soil solution (0.0001 mol L−1), the aggregate breakdown strength in the soils amended with weathered coal was lower than that with biochar by 9.6 %, 23.2 %, and 17.7 % (when the diameter of broken aggregate was < 10 μm) and by 10.3 %, 20.8 %, and 17.5 % (when the diameter of broken aggregate was < 20 μm) at the 1 %, 2 %, and 3 % application rates, respectively (P < 0.05). Additionally, soils amended with weathered coal exhibited lower splash erosion rates compared to those amended with biochar, particularly at the higher application rate of 3 %. From the viewpoint of soil internal forces, weathered coal appears to be a suitable exogenous organic material for improving soil aggregate stability and anti-erosion ability during rainfall events. Our findings provide valuable insights into utilizing exogenous materials to improve soil resistance to rainfall splash erosion, assisting agricultural soil management in areas frequently affected by rainfall erosion.

Comparative response of three tropical groundcovers to salt stress

The increasing interest in cultivating groundcover plants in warm and semiarid areas requires a better understanding of the salinity effects on landscape plants. This work aimed to study the response of three groundcovers (Alternanthera dentate, Sphagneticola trilobata, and Alternanthera amoena) to high sodium chloride concentrations. The trial was conducted in the natural greenhouse environment. Plants were raised in pots filling clay-loamy soil. Hewitt’s nutrient solution containing 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 mM NaCl irrigated the plants. Plant growth, antioxidative enzyme activity, and the relative water content (RWC), proline, sodium, potassium, and chloride were determined. The study indicated that increasing NaCl concentration in the nutrient solution led to: a) significant differences in the fresh weight of shoots among salinity treatments and among species; b) increased root growth with increasing salinity stress up to the mild stress level of 25 mM NaCl, however at different rates with three species; c) reduced RWC of the leaves of three species grown under salinity-induced stress; d) the increased proline content of the leaves, and more pronounced increases with A. dentate and A. amoena from 0 to 50 mM NaCl, and with S. trilobata from 0 to 100 mM NaCl; e) significant changes in the activities of antioxidative enzymes including superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase; f) significant decrease of the K+/Na+ ratio along with increase of salinity stress; g) increased ratio of leaf/ root content of Cl– in A. dentate and in particular, A. amoena; h) a significant reduction in visual qualities of all examined plants. Therefore, because of its ability to maintain leaf characteristics, visual quality, and salt-tolerance mechanisms even under high salinity, S. trilobata can be considered for urban landscaping projects in semiarid and saline areas where low-quality water is used for irrigation.

Modeling Irrigation of Tomatoes with Saline Water in Semi-Arid Conditions Using Hydrus-1D

In arid and semi-arid regions like Tunisia, irrigation water is typically saline, posing a risk of soil and crop salinization and yield reduction. This research aims to study the combined effects of soil matric and osmotic potential stresses on tomato root water uptake. Plants were grown in pot and field experiments in loamy-clay soils and were irrigated with three different irrigation water qualities: 0, 3.5, and 7 dS/m. The Hydrus-1D model was used to simulate the combined dynamics of subsurface soil water and salts. Successful calibration and validation of the model against measured water and salt profiles enabled the examination of the combined effects of osmotic and matric potential stresses on root water uptake. Relative yields, indirectly estimated from actual and potential transpiration, indicated that the multiplicative stress response model effectively simulated the measured yields and the impact of saline water irrigation on crop yields. The experimental and modeling results provide information to aid in determining the salinity levels conducive to optimal crop growth. The findings indicate that the selected salinity levels affect tomato growth to varying degrees. Specifically, the salinity levels conducive to optimal tomato growth were between 0 and 3.5 dS/m, with a significant growth reduction above this salinity level. The gradual salinization of the root zone further evidenced this effect. The scenario considering a temperature increase of 2 °C had no significant impact on crop yields in the pot and field experiments.

Mineralization and residue characteristics of chloramphenicol in aerobic soils: evidence from a carbon-14 study.

Chloramphenicol, a broad-spectrum antibiotic employed for controlling bacterial infections, presents an intriguing aspect in terms of its environmental fate in soils. 14C-labeled chloramphenicol was used to explore its mineralization and residue characteristics in three distinct agricultural soils in China. The findings revealed a nuanced pattern in the fate of 14C-chloramphenicol, with notable variations among the different soils under investigation. The chloramphenicol extract residue exhibited a reduction of 18.04% in sandy clay soil, 23.04% in clay loam soil, and 21.73% in loamy clay soil. Notably, the mineralization rate in sandy clay soil was 25.22% surpassed that in the other two soils, particularly during the initial stages of incubation. Over time, the diminishing extract residue underwent conversion into minerals and bound residue. The formation rate of bound residue was increased from 44.59 to 53.65% after adding 10% manure, suggesting that chloramphenicol easily binds with soils rich in organic matter. The bound residue is predominantly localized in the humin fraction across all soils. Additionally, the sterilized soil experiments indicated the pivotal role of microorganisms in influencing the fate of chloramphenicol under the specified experimental conditions. In conclusion, this study offers valuable insights into the environmental dynamics of chloramphenicol in soils, emphasizing the importance of soil composition, organic matter content, and microbial activity. The findings contribute to a scientific understanding of the environmental safety implications associated with chloramphenicol usage.

In vivo application of potent probiotics for enhancing potato growth and controlling Ralstonia solanacearum and Fusarium oxysporum infections

Plant probiotics are live microbial cells or cultures that support plant growth and control plant pathogens through different mechanisms. They have various effects on plants, including plant growth promotion through the production of indole acetic acid (IAA), biological control activity (BCA), and production of cellulase enzymes, thus inducing systemic resistance and increasing the availability of mineral elements. The present work aimed to study the potential of Achromobacter marplatensis and Bacillus velezensis as plant probiotics for the field cultivation of potatoes. In vitro studies have demonstrated the ability of selected probiotics to produce IAA and cellulase, as well as antimicrobial activity against two plant pathogens that infect Solanum tuberosum as Fusarium oxysporum and Ralstonia solanacearum under different conditions at a broad range of different temperatures and pH values. In vivo study of the effects of the probiotics A. marplatensis and B. velezensis on S. tuberosum plants grown in sandy clay loamy soil was detected after cultivation for 90 days. Probiotic isolates A. marplatensis and B. velezensis were able to tolerate ultraviolet radiation (UV) exposure for up to two hours, the dose response curve exhibited that the D10 values of A. marplatensis and B. velezensis were 28 and 16 respectively. In the case of loading both probiotics with broth, the shoot dry weight was increased significantly from 28 in the control to 50 g, shoot length increased from 24 to 45.7 cm, branches numbers increased from 40 to 70 branch, leaves number increased from 99 to 130 leaf, root dry weight increased from 9.3 to 12.9 g, root length increased from 24 to 35.7 cm, tuber weight increased from 15 to 37.0 g and tubers number increased from 9 to 24.4 tuber, the rot percentage was reduced to 0%. The addition of both probiotic isolates, either broth or wheat grains load separately has enhanced all the growth parameters; however, better results and increased production were in favor of adding probiotics with broth more than wheat. On the other hand, both probiotics showed a remarkable protective effect against potato pathogens separately and reduced the negative impact of the infection using them together.

Degradation of atrazine, glyphosate, and 2,4-D in soils collected from two contrasting crop rotations in Southwest Chaco, Argentina

Argentina stands as one of the leading consumers of herbicides. In a laboratory incubation experiment, the persistence and production of degradation metabolites of Atrazine, 2,4-D, and Glyphosate were investigated in a loamy clay soil under two contrasting agricultural practices: continuous soybean cultivation (T1) and intensified rotations with grasses and legumes (T2). The soils were collected from a long-term no-till trial replicating the influence of the meteorological conditions in the productive region. The soil was enriched with diluted concentrations of 6.71, 9.95, and 24 mg a.i./kg-1 of soil for the respective herbicides, equivalent to annual doses commonly used in the productive region. Samples were taken at intervals of 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 16, 32, and 64 days, and analysis was conducted using high-resolution liquid chromatography UPLC MS/MS. An optimal fit to the first-order kinetic model was observed for each herbicide in both rotations, resulting in relatively short half-lives. Intensified crop sequences favored the production of biotic degradation metabolites. The impact of the high frequency of soybean cultivation revealed a trend of soil acidification and a reduced biological contribution to attenuation processes in soil contamination.

Relationship between Bacterial Bio-Fertilization at Different Levels of Plowing Depths and Some of Soil Physical Characteristics, Growth and Yield af Wheat Crops (Triticum astivum L.)

The study included the implementation of a factorial field experiment at the agricultural extension station affiliated with the Agricultural Extension Department in the Warka District, located north of Al-Muthanna Governorate, during the winter season 2022-2023. The soil texture of the field was loamy clay soil and the wheat variety was Research 22. The factorial experiment was designed according to the split-plot arrangement and (RCBD) design with three replications. The first factor represents the biological inoculum with B. subtilis and B. megaterium bacteria, with four levels, B0 without the addition of the inoculum, B1 with B. megaterium bacteria, and B2 with B. subtilis bacteria, and the fourth treatment, B3, included the double inoculum B1 + B2, and the second factor represents plowing depths with four levels, D1 represents zero plowing depth, D2 represents 10 cm plowing depth, D3 represents 20 cm plowing depth and D4 represents 30 cm plowing depth. The results showed the following. The results showed that the plowing depth D4 was superior to the control treatment and recorded the highest values in both plant height (100.74 cm) and moisture content was 41.26, 15.59 % in both flowering and harvesting stages respectively, while the depth D3 recorded a significant superiority in the weight of 1000 grains (49.14 gm). The B3 bacterial inoculum addition treatment was significantly superior to the control treatment.The highest values were recorded for plant height, weight of 1000 seeds, and moisture content in the harvest and flowering stages .The values were 100.26 cm, 46.63 g, 13.25%, 31.91% respectively. The results of the statistical analysis showed that the interaction treatment of the bacterial inoculum and plowing depth D4B1 was superior in plant height, the D3B2 treatment increased in the weight of 1000 seeds, and the D3B3 treatment was superior in moisture content for the flowering and harvesting stages. The values were 104.09 cm, 54.76 g, 44.35% and 17.50% respectively

The Effect of Tillage Depth on some Machinery Unit Performance Indicators, Soil Physical Properties and Germination Percentage using Combine Equipment

A field experiment was conducted to determine the effect of the locally manufactured agricultural machine on some performance indicators of the mechanical unit and some physical soil properties in a silty clay loamy soil texture in one of the fields of the College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences / University of Baghdad/Al-Jadriya for the spring season of 2023. The experiment used a tractor type (MF-650), and the study included one factor, the plowing depths, with three levels: 15, 20, and 25 cm. The study examined some performance indicators of the mechanical unit, including: pulling force, fuel consumption, slippage percentage, soil bulk density, soil moisture content, total soil porosity, germination percentage, number of dropped seeds, and the percentage of broken or damaged dropped seeds. The experimental design used was a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications, and the least significant difference (LSD) test was used at a significance level of 0.05 to compare the means of the variables. The results indicated that increasing the plowing depth from 15 to 20 and then to 25 cm led to a significant increase in the percentage of slippage, which increased from 4.37% to 7.37% and then to 14.33%, respectively. The pulling force also increased from 5.33 to 9.67 and then to 14.44 kilonewtons, respectively. The fuel consumption increased from 43.32 to 56.84 and then to 66.67 liters per hectare, respectively. The bulk density of the soil increased from 1.06 to 1.08 and then to 1.15 micrograms per cubic meter, respectively. There was an increase in soil moisture content from 14.11 to 15.19 and then to 16.63%, respectively. There was no significant effect of plowing depth on the percentage of germination, the number of dropped seeds, and the percentage of broken seeds.

Tillage systems affect soil nitrogen availability and interact growth parameters of different faba bean cultivars

Abstract. Al-Enezy AFM, Zaidan BA, Almehemdi AF, Hussein AA, Salih MAA. 2023. Tillage systems affect soil nitrogen availability and interact growth parameters of different faba bean cultivars. Biodiversitas 24: 5558-5564. A field trial was conducted during the winter season of 2021-2022 in one of the agricultural lands of Hamid Shaban village, which belongs to Abu Ghraib District of Baghdad Province (33°17'51.3"N, 44°04'55.0"E). The aim of the experiment was to investigate nitrogen availability in two different tillage systems and the growth characteristics of six broad bean varieties on clay-loamy soils. The field trial was triplicated using the Randomized Complete Block (RCBD) method. The first factor was the six broad bean varieties (Turkish, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, American and local), the second factor was the cultivation system Conservation Tiltage (no-till) and the traditional cultivation with a mouldboard plow. The results showed that the availability of nitrogen in the soil in the traditional tillage system corresponds to the superior to conservative tillage systems. Where this gives an average available nitrogen concentration of 23.3 mg kg-1, an increase of 21 in relation to conservation tillage, which resulted in an average concentration of available nitrogen of 19.1 mg kg-1. In addition, all the growth characteristics of the plants favored the traditional agricultural system. In the variety comparison, the Italian variety was characterized by the highest nitrogen content available in the soil of 26.10 mg kg-1 as well as the highest values ??of plant growth properties among the six varieties.

The Influence of Glomus Mosseae, Palm Frond Compost and Irrigation Duration on the Growth of Millet Plant (Panicum miliaceum L.) and on the Availability of Iron and Zinc in the Soil

To study the effect of inoculation with Gloums Mosseae inoculum, organic residues (palm fronds compost), and irrigation duration on the growth and availability of iron and zinc for millet plant Pamicum Miliaceum L., a field trial was carried out for the summer season 2022 in one of the fields of Al-Diwaniyah Governorate - Sumer district in sandy clay loamy soil. The experiment was implemented following a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The experimental treatments were distributed randomly. They were: with and without fungal inoculum (F0 and F1), three levels of organic residue applications C0 = control, C1 = 3 tons of compost application, C2 = 5 tons of compost application, and three irrigation durations R1= Irrigation every 10 days, R2 = irrigation every 15 days, R3 = irrigation every 20 days. The results are summarized as follows: The results present a significant increase in all the studied traits, plant height, shoot dry weight, and iron concentration in the soil during the flowering and full maturity stages, except for the zinc concentration in the soil, which the increase was not significant. The values of these traits were 88.84 cm plant-1, 56.15 gm plant-1, 290.2 mg Fe kg soil-1, and 230.9 mg Fe kg soil-1, respectively, compared to the control treatment (no application + irrigating every twenty days) 50.62 cm plant-1, 23.53 g plant-1, 135.4 mg Fe kg soil-1,120.8 mg Fe kg soil-1.

Performance evaluation of a rotary clod pulverizer

Rotary clod pulverizer is an agricultural implement, which help in reducing time used for farm operation in preparing the soil for planting. The objectives of this study were to carry out the performance evaluation of a tractor driven rotary clod pulverizer at different soil depth of 9, 18, 27, 36 and 45 cm of a sandy clay loamy textural soil. The parameters determined before, during and after experiment were; soil moisture content, bulk density, theoretical field capacity, effective field capacity, field efficiency. Thereafter, models were developed for the predictions of effective field capacity and field efficiency, as a function of the soil depth and the tractor speed. Results showed that the soil moisture content ranged between 17.07% and 19.78%, bulk density of the soil before penetration ranged between 1.25 gm/cm³ and 1.52 g/cm³, and ranged between 1.17 – 1.28 g/cm³ after penetration. Across the soil depth and tractor speed, the theoretical field capacities (TFC) ranged 0.1165 ha/hr and 0.357 ha/hr, while the effective field capacity (EFC) ranged between 0.1327 and 0.2347 ha h-1. The field efficiency (FE) ranged between 51.61 and 80.18% in across the soil depths and tractor speeds at 1.1, 1.6 and 2.5 km/h. The TFC values increase with tractor speed, indicating that the time required for the rotary clod pulverizer operation was lesser at higher speed than the time required for the operation at lower speed. Also, coefficient of determination (R2) of the developed regression equation between the soil depth and tractor speed for EFC and FC prediction were 73 and 94%, respectively. This showed that the developed model is reliable and accurate for the prediction of EFC and FC.

Comparison of some species in genus Brassica cultivated on clay loamy soils under semi-arid agroecosystem for suitability to biodiesel production

ABSTRACT Instead of using canola purelines, the use of other species in genus Brassica will be a novel concept to obtain sustainable biodiesel production. This study compares the crude oil percentage, fatty acid composition, and biodiesel characteristics of spring and autumn sown Brassica juncea, B. rapa ssp. oleifera, Sinapis alba, B. nigra purelines appropriateness for biodiesel production. The results indicated that crude oil percentage and fatty acid composition are significantly affected by an interaction between years × genotypes. The crude oil percentage in all species in genus Brassica changed between 14.31 and 30.46% in spring crops and 22.29 and 36.88% in autumn crops. Erucic acid (C22:1; 10.2–42.8%), oleic acid (C18:1; 14.2–34.9%), and linoleic acid (C18:2; 6.8–25.1%) were identified as major fatty acids in all genotypes. Technical features of biodiesel produced by transesterification of species in genus Brassica oil such as acid value (0.18–0.50 mg KOH g−1), water content (110–480 mg kg−1), iodine value (97.30–119.89 g iodine 100 g−1), cold filter plugging point (−5–5°C), flash point (170–205°Ϲ), and glyceride (0.003–0.46% mm−1). These values indicated that regardless of the time of sowing, these lines are appropriate for biodiesel production in accordance with the TS EN 14,214 standards. Br2 (B. rapa ssp. oleifera) autumn and Bj3 (B. juncea) spring crops are preferable compared to other genotypes to achieve higher yield and quality. Therefore, these genotypes are recommended for further evaluation and sustainable biodiesel production.

Identifying SNP markers associated with distinctness, uniformity, and stability testing in Egyptian fenugreek genotypes.

Distinctness, uniformity, and stability (DUS) test is the legal requirement in crop breeding to grant the intellectual property right for new varieties by evaluating their morphological characteristics across environments. On the other hand, molecular markers accurately identify genetic variations and validate the purity of the cultivars. Therefore, genomic DUS can improve the efficiency of traditional DUS testing. In this study, 112 Egyptian fenugreek genotypes were grown in Egypt at two locations: Wadi El-Natrun (Wadi), El-Beheira Governorate, with salty and sandy soil, and Giza, Giza governorate, with loamy clay soil. Twelve traits were measured, of which four showed a high correlation above 0.94 over the two locations. We observed significant genotype-by-location interactions (GxL) for seed yield, as it was superior in Wadi, with few overlapping genotypes with Giza. We attribute this superiority in Wadi to the maternal habitat, as most genotypes grew in governorates with newly reclaimed salty and sandy soil. As a first step toward genomic DUS, we performed an association study, and out of 38,142 SNPs, we identified 39 SNPs demonstrating conditional neutrality and four showing pleiotropic effects. Forty additional SNPs overlapped between both locations, each showing a similar impact on the associated trait. Our findings highlight the importance of GxL in validating the effect of each SNP to make better decisions about its suitability in the marker-assisted breeding program and demonstrate its potential use in registering new plant varieties.

Integrative effect of activated biochar to reduce water stress impact and enhance antioxidant capacity in crops

Biochar is a soil amendment that can change soil's physical and hydraulic properties. However, biochar application is far from being a ‘one size fits-all’ approach. The impact of the management practices is dependent on biochar type (feedstock and production conditions), application depth and method, climate and site characteristics. Hence, this study aims to enrich the available inconclusive information on how biochar could affect clay loamy soil and to assess the potential impact of the induced change on water stress mitigation of rain-fed durum wheat under the specific condition of the semi-arid environment of North West of Tunisia. A field experiment was investigated in which three biochar rates 0 (B0), 10 (equivalent to 0.5% of weight) (B1) and 20 t/ha (equivalent to 1% of weight), (B2), were tested. Other laboratory analysis allowed the evaluation of soil water retention curve (SWRC), saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks), dry density (ρb) and biostress biomarkers such as glutathione-S-transferase (GST), catalase activities (CAT) and malondialdehyde content (MDA) as well as yield attributes. Results showed that treatment B2 significantly decreased ρb and Ks with relative change values of about −3.1% and −19%. Consequently, SWRC showed a better water retention capacity, mostly from saturation to matric potential value (h) of 33 kPa. Total (TAWC), plant (PAWC) and readily (RAWC) available water contents, significantly increased under B2 with relative changes of +6%, +44% and +44% respectively. Moreover, GST and CAT were also boosted under B2. Consequently, biological and grain yields as well as grain water use efficiency (GWUE) significantly increased. GWUE increased from 0.81 ± 0.04 in B0 to 1.09 ± 0.01 kg/m3 in B2. The correlation analysis showed a significant and positive correlation, between GWUE and soil water parameters (θs, θfc and θmre) suggesting the indirect effect of biochar on water-use efficiency for grain yield of wheat. Therefore, among the tested rates 20 t/ha could be suggested to improve plant soil water availability and reduce the harmful impact of drought stress on rain-fed durum wheat.

Greater mineral and aggregate protection for organic carbon in the soil amended by weathered coal than by biochar: Based on a 3-year field experiment

Soil carbon pool stability plays an important role in reaching carbon neutrality and mitigating global warming. Applying soil amendments is a practical strategy in agricultural production to improve soil environment. Weathered coal (WC) is an organic amendment that can be used to improve soil quality. However, the effects of WC application on soil organic carbon pool stability, and its differences from the effects of biochar (BC, a common amendment) application remains unclear. In this study, BC was selected as a comparison to further evaluate the potential of WC based on a 3-year field experiment, in which WC and BC were individually applied into a loamy clay soil at 0%, 1%, and 3% (w/w) rates. Soil organic carbon and its fractions (including particulate organic carbon and mineral-bound organic carbon), soil aggregate fractions and its stability, and the organic carbon content in aggregates were examined. The results showed that both WC and BC significantly increased soil total organic carbon, particulate and mineral-bound organic carbon (P < 0.05). The mineral-bound organic carbon content in WC treatment was significantly higher than that in BC treatment (by 32% under the 3% rate) (P < 0.05), whereas, there were no significant differences in soil total organic carbon content. Both WC and BC increased the soil organic carbon content in all aggregate fractions. While only the WC improved the soil aggregate stability, and which was 15% (under 1% rate) and 28% (under 3% rate) higher in WC treatments than in BC treatments (P < 0.05). The proportion of mineral-bound organic carbon to soil total organic carbon content and the soil aggregate stability were obviously related the soil C/N, and the WC treatments had a higher proportion of mineral-bound organic carbon and soil aggregate stability than BC treatments under the same soil C/N. The results indicated that the application of WC may be more effective than BC in increasing mineral and aggregate protection for soil organic carbon and thus improving soil carbon pool stability. Additionally, the purchase cost of WC was clearly lower than that of BC. Combined with the low cost and the benefits in soil structure and carbon pool stability, the application of WC appeared to have advantages over BC. Our findings provide robust evidence that WC is more effective than BC in improving soil carbon pool stability.

Short-term Effects of Applying Olive Mill Waste on Turfgrass

The reuse of wastes in agriculture and landscape is often viewed as one way to conserve existing resources. Among the organic waste materials produced by agricultural activities, olive mill wastes derived from the olive oil extraction process may represent a suitable soil amendment. This study evaluated the effect of olive mill wastewater (OMW) application on turfgrass growth and quality and on soil electrical conductivity and pH. Olive mill wastewater at different doses (0, 3.0, and 6.0 L/m2) was applied on a sodded turfgrass grown in clay loamy soil, identically irrigated with fresh water, and without any chemical fertilizer application. The results revealed that OMW application had a positive effect on the tested turfgrass, improving visual quality and increasing the dry weight of the clipping yield, in proportion to doses applied. An increase in electrical conductivity was observed in wastewater-irrigated soil while OMW did not remarkably change the initial soil pH.

Effect of T. harzianum and G. mosseae Biological Inoculation and Phosphate Rocks on the Availability of NPK in the Rhizosphere of Barley Crop (Hordium Valgari L.)

When it comes to increasing crop yields, biological fertilizers are crucial. So, researchers looked into how different concentrations of phosphate rock and T. harzianum and G. mosseae fungal fertilizers affected NPK availability in the rhizosphere of a barley crop. In the fall of 2021, farmers in the Al-Qadisiyah Governorate tested out a new barley variety they’d come up with, calling it “Samir 1,” on clay loamy soil. A randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates was used to create the factorial experiment. The experiment used four different doses of phosphate rock (P0, P1, P2, and P3) at concentrations of (0,1000,1500, and 2000) t/ha-1, as well as two doses of T. harzianum inoculum (T0, control; T1, fungal inoculation); and two doses of G. mosseae inoculum (G0, control; G1, fungal inoculation). According to the findings, nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium (NPK) availability in the soil were significantly increased by 41.32, 16.54, and 225.43 mg/kg/soil-1 in the interaction treatment compared to the control.

Macroscopic assessment of environmental trace evidence dynamics in forensic settings

Environmental trace evidence offers useful circumstantial intelligence to link persons and scenes of forensic interest. An increasing empirical research base is dedicated towards understanding the transfer and persistence dynamics of environmental indicators including pollen, soils, and diatoms, within a diverse range of experimental frameworks. This paper presents two discrete studies exploring transfer and persistence of soils and sediments on footwear and diatomaceous earth adhered to clothing in forensically pertinent scenarios. Variables including sediment type, foot position, clothing type, and body positioning were also explored throughout. Both experiments incorporated a field-based methodology during the sampling effort. Photographs were collected of an initial transfer sample and of a retained assemblage following hours, days, and up to one-week of wear, facilitating macroscopic assessment of trace evidence dynamics. All images were processed using accessible, open-source software before spatial analysis of evidence distribution within and temporal assessment (% retention) upon each evidential surface. The results highlighted consistent loss of transferred sediment from footwear with significantly greater retention of loamy clay soil than dune sand which was absent beyond 24 h of wear. Loss was not influenced by wearer gait but was more rapid from those areas of the shoe sole in direct contact with the ground. Diatomaceous earth was retrieved from all three clothing types tested after one week – significant losses of material occurred before 48 h with a consistent assemblage identified beyond this. Denim was significantly more effective than acrylic and fleece for diatomaceous earth retention and significantly more material was lost from clothing worn on the lower body. These findings highlight the value of using visual environmental markers and a macroscopic analytical approach during the investigation of environmental trace dynamics. The methodology offers a novel, non-destructive assessment of soil and diatom transfer and persistence, complementing more extensive laboratory-based examinations to ensure the development of a well-rounded research base within the forensic sciences.