Local Soil Conditions Research Articles

Ground failures and foundation performances in Adıyaman–Gölbaşı following the 6 February 2023 Kahramanmaraş–Türkiye Earthquake Sequence

The 6 February 2023 Kahramanmaraş–Türkiye earthquake sequence (M7.8 and M7.6) presents an exceptional opportunity to investigate both the effects of local soil conditions on damage patterns under strong shaking conditions and the performance of building foundations in areas that experienced ground failure. The significant ground failure and structural damage in Adıyaman–Gölbaşı triggered an intensive series of detailed reconnaissance and field surveys. This article aims to present the resulting database of observations on ground failures, building, and foundation performances. The field reconnaissance of ground failures and their effects on building performances involved aerial and walk-down surveys, including high-quality photographs taken across the town. In addition, data on building damage statistics compiled by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change were accessed and analyzed. The subsurface characteristics of the town were characterized using available data from pre-earthquake site investigation campaigns employed for town planning purposes. It is concluded that the ground failures in the town primarily resulted from soil liquefaction and cyclic softening. Most of the poor building and foundation performances and ground failures were documented in the northern part of Atatürk Boulevard, closer to the lake of Gölbaşı, where soil site characteristics were unfavorable. This revealed once again the significant effects of local soil site conditions, particularly soil liquefaction, on the intensified ground failures, foundation, and structural damage levels.

Chloroplast Genome Variation and Phylogenetic Relationships of Autochthonous Varieties of Vitis vinifera from the Don Valley.

The autochthonous grape varieties of the Don Valley, situated in southern Russia, constitute a distinctive element of regional cultural heritage. These varieties have been adapted over centuries to the region's specific local climatic and soil conditions. For the most part, these varieties are not imported from other countries. They are closely related to varieties found in Crimea and the North Caucasus. In this study, we obtained the first complete, unfragmented sequences of the chloroplast genomes of eight autochthonous varieties from the Don Valley and one from Crimea. We also performed a comparative analysis of their genomic features. The size of Vitis vinifera chloroplast genome sequences varied from 160,925 to 160,991 bp, depending on the cultivar, with a uniform GC ratio of 37.38%. Each genome consists of four subregions: a single copy region (LSC) ranging from 89,158 to 89,336 bp, a small single copy region (SSC) ranging from 19,070 to 19,073 bp, and a pair of inverted repeat regions (IRa and IRb) in the range of 26,292 to 26,353 bp. The chloroplast genomes of the studied V. vinifera varieties contained 130 genes, including 85 protein-coding genes, 8 rRNA genes, and 37 tRNA genes. The sequence divergence analysis has enabled the identification of four highly variable regions, which may be utilized as potential markers for phylogenetic analysis. The analysis revealed the presence of 58 to 61 SSRs and multiple long repeated sequences in the chloroplast genomes of these varieties. The phylogenetic analyses of the sequences obtained and complete chloroplast genomes available from public databases indicated that the majority of autochthonous V. vinifera varieties do not have a direct origin from any European variety.

Introduction of varieties of чубушник (Philadelphus L.) selected by N.K. Vekhov in the Stavropol Botanical Garden

To create sustainable and long-lasting landscape gardening, gardeners need a wide range of ornamental plants, among which considerable importance is given to Philadelphus L. For recreational development of territories and enrichment of the assortment of ornamental plants in the zone of insufficient moisture, varieties with good xerothermal characteristics, high decorative qualities and adaptive capabilities are proposed.The biological and decorative features of seven varieties Philadelphus L. in the soil and climatic conditions of the Stavropol upland have been studied. Earlier and later periods of vegetation onset in different years are highlighted. The dates of the beginning and end of flowering have been set. The average duration of flowering was 18–23 days, the maximum was 25 days, the minimum was 16 days. The analysis of habitual indicators is carried out, the characteristic of the crown shape is given. The study of phytoentomological resistance has shown high resistance of these varieties to diseases and pests in local soil and climatic conditions. According to the results of the introduction variety study, seven varieties of Philadelphus L. with high decorative qualities and resistance to a complex of adverse environmental factors were proposed for mass use in decorative gardening in the Stavropol territory.

Comprehensive review of rock dust for soil remineralization in sustainable agriculture and preliminary assessment of nutrient values in micronized porous basalt rock from Nghe-An province, Vietnam

This review delves into the utilization of rock powder as a mineral-derived fertilizer to support soil remineralization in the context of sustainable agriculture. Soil remineralization has emerged as a key strategy for ensuring long-term soil fertility and reducing the dependency on synthetic fertilizers. This review critically assesses the methodological approaches applied in various studies, taking into account factors such as local rock mineralogy, soil conditions, crop types, and nutrient uptake by plants. The review covers a range of methods, including nutrient value analysis, assessment of nutrient release rates, crop cultivation experiments in both laboratory and field settings, and the resulting implications for soil remineralization. Additionally, we present findings from a preliminary study focusing on the nutrient content of basalt rock from Nghe-An Province, Vietnam. This experimental investigation is centered on the assessment of nutrient values in a specific porous basalt material, which has been processed into micro-nanometer particles using a high-energy ball mill, thereby enhancing nutrient release efficiency. The study employs a range of analytical techniques, including XRD, XRF, SEM/EDS, and ICP-MS, to quantify macro- and micro-nutrient compositions. While the basalt rock samples may exhibit limitations in providing macronutrients (such as K) compared to commercial azomite rock, they offer distinct advantages in furnishing secondary macronutrients (like Ca). This comprehensive analysis provides insights into the potential use of micronized basalt rock for soil remineralization.

Bioactive Compounds in the Oils of the Autochthonous Slovenian Olive Varieties 'Buga', 'Črnica' and 'Drobnica'.

The adaptation of autochthonous olive varieties to local soil and climatic conditions can lead to a unique chemical composition and characteristics of olive oils that may differ from the generally accepted quality standards set out in the International Olive Oil Council strategy documents and EU regulations. Therefore, the fatty acid composition, biophenol, tocopherol, sterol and triterpenic dialcohol content and composition of the autochthonous Slovenian olive varieties 'Buga', 'Črnica' and 'Drobnica' were studied for a three-year period with the aim of valorising the characteristics of the three olive varieties. Standardised and accredited analytical methods in accordance with SIST EN ISO/IEC 17025:2017 were applied. The results of the investigation showed that the highest average amount of oleic acid (75.75%) was found in the oils of the 'Črnica' variety, followed by the 'Drobnica' (72.06%) and the 'Buga' (68.73%). All three varieties are a good source of total biophenols ('Buga' 616 mg/kg, 'Drobnica' 569 mg/kg and 'Črnica' 427 mg/kg) and α-tocopherol ('Buga' 378 mg/kg, 'Drobnica' 279 mg/kg, and 'Črnica' 243 mg/kg). 'Buga' and 'Drobnica' are characterised by high amounts of total sterols, 2468 mg/kg and 2391 mg/kg, respectively, while 'Črnica' oils, in comparison, showed a lower average value of total sterols (1351 mg/kg). Due to their exceptional chemical composition, 'Buga', 'Črnica' and 'Drobnica' show great potential for the further cultivation and valorisation of traditional olive oil production in the region, thus contributing to the preservation of biodiversity and local traditions. The quality parameters of olive oil from the autochthonous Slovenian olive varieties 'Buga', 'Črnica' and 'Drobnica' also fulfil the limits for extra virgin olive oil according to the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/2104, despite local climatic influences. However, accelerated growth due to climatic changes affecting early harvest can lead to them falling outside these limits, which was observed in particular for the 'Buga' variety in terms of the linoleic acid content. This study emphasises the importance of timing the harvest to achieve optimum maturity and meet EU quality standards, taking into account the genetic makeup of the varieties and their response to the current climatic conditions.

Nutrisi Seimbang dan Pengolahan Pangan Lokal Untuk Anak

Local food is often fresher and has a higher nutritional content. Local foods have usually adapted to local soil and climate conditions, which makes them easier to grow and process by local people. Local food consumption is often in harmony with the culture and traditions of local communities, which usually have recipes and processing methods that support nutritional balance. The purpose of writing the article is to understand the growth and development of babies and toddlers to grow into healthy children by providing a balanced diet. Community service activities are carried out by professional nurse lecturers who teach community and family nursing courses. Community service together with professional nursing students who are practicing community and family nursing. The counseling and simulation will be held on Friday 12 June 2024 at 09.00 – 12.00 WIB in the Madrasah Marga Jaya room RT 02 RW 05 Kertamaya Village, Bogor City. Local plant ingredients are very useful for maintaining nutritional balance in babies and toddlers. Increasing public interest in using local food ingredients as a source of nutrition requires a multifaceted and integrated approach.

Site database for national strong motion stations in mainland China

Ground motion amplification and spectral content are significantly influenced by local soil and geological conditions. This article summarizes the development of the China Site Database (CNSDB) in the China Ground Motion Flatfile project. CNSDB contains site information for 1450 strong-motion recording stations within the National Strong Motion Observation Network System (NSMONS) in China. The primary site information in CNSDB includes the time-averaged shear-wave velocity in the upper 30 m (VS30), and site class according to the seismic design code in China. These site data are derived using different methods from various data sources. Priority is given to approaches that minimize bias and dispersion relative to measurement-based results. Recommended VS30 values and site class are derived from reliable velocity profiles or field survey results whenever available. A China-specific VS30 extrapolation model is developed using 6179 engineering boreholes and is then utilized to estimate VS30 for profiles <30 m. VS30 values and site class are estimated from horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) curves of earthquake recordings using machine-learning techniques. For the remaining sites without velocity profiles or sufficient ground-motion recordings for HVSR computation, VS30 values are determined as the weighted average of proxy-based estimates using geological attributes, topographic slope, and terrain categories. We also discuss the potential application of CNSDB in the development of China seismic hazard map considering site amplification factors.

Harnessing Soil Diversity: Innovative Strategies for Potato Blight Management in Central-Eastern Poland

Faced with increasing climate challenges, this pioneering study introduces groundbreaking approaches to ensure the resilience of potato crops in east-central Poland. Our research was aimed at developing an innovative, cost-effective system tailored to the diverse local conditions of this region. Conducted between 2018 and 2020, the study analyzed integrated and organic production systems across different soil types and potato varieties. The experiment was conducted using a randomized block design with three replications in two locations. Integrated production systems involve the strategic use of mineral fertilization and chemical protection to optimize crop growth and health, whereas organic production systems rely solely on natural inputs and biological pest control methods. Integrated practices, enhanced by mineral fertilization and chemical protection, notably delayed the onset of late blight by 16 days and extended the critical infection period by 17% compared to their organic counterparts. Remarkably, the integrated systems resulted in a 49% increase in total production and a 52% increase in commercial yields, demonstrating their effectiveness in enhancing crop resilience. Different potato varieties exhibit varied responses to cultivation systems, influencing both yield and disease resistance. Further investigation into these varietal responses can help optimize cultivation practices, leading to improved efficiency and sustainability in potato farming. Location and soil conditions have a significant impact on potato yield and the spread of potato blight. Specific soil properties such as pH levels, organic matter content, soil texture (clay, silt, and sand composition), moisture retention capacity, and nutrient availability are crucial in determining potato productivity and disease dynamics. Further research into these soil properties and the adaptation of varieties to local conditions can contribute to increased productivity and stability in potato production. This study not only paves the way toward sustainable agriculture but also highlights the crucial role of soil diversity in shaping resilient farming practices. Potato producers in the eastern-central region of Poland should implement integrated production systems using mineral fertilization and chemical plant protection, adapted to local soil conditions and potato varieties. These practices can delay the appearance of late blight and increase the total and marketable potato yield. Further research on soil properties and variety adaptation may increase production stability and efficiency. Promoting soil diversity and modern technologies will ensure resilient and sustainable agricultural production in the face of climate change.

Diversity of mycoparasitic Pythium sensu stricto and Globisporangium species in West Azarbaijan province of Iran

AbstractPythium sensu stricto (s.s.) and Globisporangium species are important components of the soil microbial community and exhibit diverse lifestyles, including mycoparasitism. However, a comprehensive understanding of the species diversity of these mycoparasites in the West Azarbaijan province of Iran is lacking. In this study, a total of 114 mycoparasitic Pythium s.s. and Globisporangium isolates were obtained from agricultural soils collected from six regions in the province. Through DNA barcoding, all Globisporangium isolates were identified as G. nunn, while the barcode markers were insufficient to accurately resolve species boundaries in Pythium s.s. By combining morphological and multilocus sequence data, five species within the genus Pythium s.s. were identified: P. salmasense sp. nov., a potentially new species, and three known species, P. acanthicum, P. ornamentatum, and P. periplocum. Pythium ornamentatum was the most common species and found in all regions studied, followed by G. nunn and P. acanthicum, which were both isolated from four regions. While the isolates of G. nunn showed no mycoparasitic activity against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, all Pythium s.s. species were capable of infecting the hyphae of this pathogen. The existence of mycoparasitic species is promising for biological control of soil‐borne fungal pathogens in the province. The widespread occurrence of P. ornamentatum, G. nunn, and P. acanthicum may suggest their adaptation to local soil and environmental conditions, indicating their potentially superior effectiveness in controlling plant diseases across different regions if used as biocontrol agents.

Chemical and Microbial Differences of Root and Rhizosphere Soil among Different Provenances of Fokienia hodginsii

Aims: Fokienia hodginsii is a threatened conifer tree species, known as the dominant nursery-grown species capable of colonizing the challenging woodland environments in southern China due to its strong root penetrating ability. The ecological phenotype of Fokienia hodginsii is not well documented during its breeding process, which limits the potential planting area and its ecological function. This study aims to understand how Fokienia hodginsii associates with microbes to conduct its key ecological function and provide a theoretical basis for further improving the forest nursery management of Fokienia hodginsii. Methods: This study explored the ecological traits of 11 main Fokienia hodginsii provenances in a homogeneous garden experiment by analyzing their nutrient utilization strategies and associated microbial features in the rhizosphere soil and roots. Results: The study found that the paramount difference in the rhizosphere soil among provenances is in Ca and Fe content. Some microbial communities, namely Crenarchaeota, Verrucomicrobiota, and Desulfobacterota, were positively correlated with the amounts of the soil nutrient elements, whereas Abditibacteriota and Dependentiae were negatively correlated. The abundance of N- and Fe-related bacteria in the Fu Jian Chang Ting (FJCT) provenance was significantly higher than that in other provenances, while the C-, P-, K-, and Mg-related fungal communities, respectively, had higher abundances in the FJCT, Fu Jian Long Yan (FJLY), Fu Jian Gu Tian (FJGT), and Fu Jian Xian You (FJXY) provenances than the others. The impacts of the Gui Zhou Li Ping (GZLP), Hu Nan Dao Xian (HNDX), Jiang Xi Shang Yao (JXSY), and Guang Dong Shi Xing (GDSX) provenances on the rhizosphere soil are similar, but the differences in nutrient utilization arise from the plant itself. Conversely, the root nutrient contents of the FJCT, Fu Jian You Xi (FJYX), Fu Jian An Xi (FJAX), FJLY, Fu Jian De Hua (FJDH), FJGT, and FJXY provenances are highly correlated with soil nutrient features. Conclusions: For the native provenances, their economic traits are better than the exotic provenances. The native provenances are more sensitive to local soil conditions, so they should benefit more from human interventions, rendering them more suitable for artificial cultivation. The growth of the exotic provenances is less affected by the soil environment, making them better suited for the ecological transformation of forest stands and soil improvement.

Harnessing the power of native biocontrol agents against wilt disease of Pigeonpea incited by Fusarium udum

Fusarium wilt, caused by (Fusarium udum Butler), is a significant threat to pigeonpea crops worldwide, leading to substantial yield losses. Traditional approaches like fungicides and resistant cultivars are not practical due to the persistent and evolving nature of the pathogen. Therefore, native biocontrol agents are considered to be more sustainable solution, as they adapt well to local soil and climatic conditions. In this study, five isolates of F. udum infecting pigeonpea were isolated from various cultivars and characterized morphologically and molecularly. The isolate from the ICP 8858 cultivar displayed the highest virulence of 90%. Besides, 100 endophytic bacteria, 100 rhizosphere bacteria and three Trichoderma spp. were isolated and tested against F. udum isolated from ICP 8858 under in vitro conditions. Out of the 200 bacteria tested, nine showed highest inhibition, including Rb-4 (Bacillus sp.), Rb-11 (B. subtilis), Rb-14 (B. megaterium), Rb-18 (B. subtilis), Rb-19 (B. velezensis), Eb-8 (Bacillus sp.), Eb-11 (B. subtilis), Eb-13 (P. aeruginosa), and Eb-21 (P. aeruginosa). Similarly, Trichoderma spp. were identified as T. harzianum, T. asperellum and Trichoderma sp. Notably, Rb-18 (B. subtilis) and Eb-21 (P. aeruginosa) exhibited promising characteristics such as the production of hydrogen cyanide (HCN), cellulase, siderophores, ammonia and nutrient solubilization. Furthermore, treating pigeonpea seedlings with these beneficial microorganisms led to increased levels of key enzymes (POD, PPO, and PAL) associated with resistance to Fusarium wilt, compared to untreated controls. In field trials conducted for four seasons, the application of these potential biocontrol agents as seed treatments on the susceptible ICP2376 cultivar led to the lowest disease incidence. Specifically, treatments T2 (33.33) (P. aeruginosa) and T3 (35.41) (T. harzianium) exhibited the lowest disease incidence, followed by T6 (36.5) (Carbendizim), T1 (36.66) (B. subtilis), T4 (52.91) (T. asperellum) and T5 (53.33) (Trichoderma sp.). Results of this study revealed that, P. aeruginosa (Eb-21), B. subtilis (Rb-18) and T. harzianum can be used for plant growth promotion and management of Fusarium wilt of pigeonpea.

Central Asia's desertification challenge: Recent trends and drives explored with google earth engine

Achieving land degradation neutrality (LDN) is considered critical to achieving sustainable development goals. However, further research and an improved large-scale desertification assessment framework are needed. We constructed a comprehensive land desertification status index (LDSI) to assess desertification and its driving mechanisms in Central Asia from 2001 to 2020. Our spatial distance models and principal component analysis were verified by combined field data. The results indicate that desertification levels in Central Asia fluctuated, decreasing from south to north and increasing from west to east. The extent of increased desertification (45.75%) and recovery (45.65%) were nearly equivalent. According to optimal parameters-based geographical detectors, climate factors are the main contributors to desertification, the most significant being reference evapotranspiration. We also found regional differences in the driving mechanisms of desertification. Based on Theil–Sen, Mann–Kendall, and Hurst tests, future desertification intensification of 9.69% is possible, with hotspots mainly in northwestern Central Asia, while 9.73% restoration may occur in other areas. The findings have relevance for achieving LDN. Policymakers should monitor the impact of global climate change and develop recovery measures based on comprehensive consideration of local climate, soil, and terrain conditions.

ORGANIC FARMING: DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTS IN RUSSIA, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET

The production of organic agriculture products has become one of the most growing areas of economic activity, with projected annual growth of 10-12%. At the same time, the demand for organic products significantly exceeds the supply, which is largely due to the lack of land that can be allocated for this production. Russia, which has significant areas of virtually unused land on which mineral fertilizers and pesticides have not been used for a long time, reaching 19.7 million. ha, has a significant potential for development in this direction. At the same time, considering that a significant part of unused territories is located within the zone of risky agriculture, and also has soils with a low level of natural fertility, degraded, arid, waterlogged, etc., the actual amount of land resources that can be involved in organic agriculture is significantly less. For the most complete introduction into circulation of unused agricultural lands, it is necessary to increase the knowledge intensity and manufacturability of organic agriculture, for which research work in the following areas is highly relevant: 1) optimization of the balance of humus and nutrients in soils, 2) breeding and seed production of crops for organic agriculture, 3) development of biological products for disease and pest control, 4) development of optimal farming systems taking into account local soil and climatic conditions, 5) optimization of agricultural landscapes based on increasing the diversity of agricultural land use. Along with the involvement of unused lands in the organic production system, the development of the industry largely depends on the system of training qualified personnel in this area, which should take into account the specifics of the technologies used, which differ significantly from traditional farming systems. To do this, it is necessary to update existing professional standards, which should include generalized labor functions related to the development and implementation of organic farming technologies, as well as knowledge and skills in organizing organic production. On the basis of updated professional standards, universities should form new professional competencies and a corresponding set of academic disciplines. The personnel training system for the industry should include various levels of training: agricultural classes, higher education, additional professional education.

Distance decay effects predominantly shape spider but not carabid community composition in crop fields in north-western Europe

Agricultural intensification and expansion are regarded as main drivers of biodiversity loss. This conclusion is mainly based on observed declines of local diversity (α-diversity), while effects on community composition homogenization (decrease of β-diversity) at a larger spatial scale are less well understood. Carabid beetles and spiders represent two widespread guilds and are important predators of pest species. Here we surveyed carabid beetles and spiders in 66 winter wheat fields in four northwestern European countries (Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and UK) and analyzed how their community composition was related to geographic distance (separation distance between any pairwise fields) and three environmental variables: crop yield (proxy for land-use intensity), percentage cropland (proxy for landscape complexity) and soil organic carbon content (proxy for local soil conditions). We further analyzed whether the relationship between carabid beetle and spider community composition and geographic distance was influenced by environmental variables. We found that, 55 % and 75 % of all observed carabid and spider individuals, respectively, belonged to species that occurred in all four countries. However, individuals of species that were unique to a particular country only accounted for 3 % of all collected individuals for both taxa. Furthermore, we found a negative relationship between distance and similarity of spider communities but not for carabid beetle communities. None of the environmental variables were related to similarity of carabid beetle and spider communities, nor moderated the effects of distance. Our study indicates that across a great part of the European continent, arthropod communities (especially carabid beetles) in agricultural landscapes are composed of very similar species that are robust to current variations in environment and land-use.

CPTU-based permeability evaluation of clays

The piezocone penetration test (CPTU) is an efficient in-situ testing method for delineating subsurface stratigraphy and interpreting geoparameters continuously with depth. However, owing to the regional sensitivity and geological diversity, the applicability of CPTU-based geotechnical parameter evaluation methods is limited when applied to specific sites. This requires further scrutiny considering the different geological histories and local soil conditions. In this study, a database that included a collection of CPTU test sites in Jiangsu Province, China, was compiled containing high-quality sampling and laboratory testing performed to characterize the permeability of clay soils. Several published CPTU correlations for determining soil permeability were summarized and compared with laboratory-measured soil permeability as a benchmark reference. The evaluation results indicated that the I c-based correlations can provide a reasonably good determination of the permeability for the investigated soils with root mean squared error of 0.89 and mean absolute error of 0.77. Finally, a modified approach was presented to evaluate the permeability coefficient of Jiangsu clay soils, which was calibrated using two additional case studies.

Environmental drivers of increased ecosystem respiration in a warming tundra.

Arctic and alpine tundra ecosystems are large reservoirs of organic carbon1,2. Climate warming may stimulate ecosystem respiration and release carbon into the atmosphere3,4. The magnitude and persistency of this stimulation and the environmental mechanisms that drive its variation remain uncertain5-7. This hampers the accuracy of global land carbon-climate feedback projections7,8. Here we synthesize 136 datasets from 56 open-top chamber in situ warming experiments located at 28 arctic and alpine tundra sites which have been running for less than 1 year up to 25 years. We show that a mean rise of 1.4 °C [confidence interval (CI) 0.9-2.0 °C] in air and 0.4 °C [CI 0.2-0.7 °C] in soil temperature results in an increase in growing season ecosystem respiration by 30% [CI 22-38%] (n = 136). Our findings indicate that the stimulation of ecosystem respiration was due to increases in both plant-related and microbial respiration (n = 9) and continued for at least 25 years (n = 136). The magnitude of the warming effects on respiration was driven by variation in warming-induced changes in local soil conditions, that is, changes in total nitrogen concentration and pH and by context-dependent spatial variation in these conditions, in particular total nitrogen concentration and the carbon:nitrogen ratio. Tundra sites with stronger nitrogen limitations and sites in which warming had stimulated plant and microbial nutrient turnover seemed particularly sensitive in their respiration response to warming. The results highlight the importance of local soil conditions and warming-induced changes therein for future climatic impacts on respiration.

ANALISIS NILAI CBR SEBAGAI PARAMETER KRITIS UNTUK PERENCANAAN JALAN RAYA

&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Infrastructure development is one indicator of a country's progress that cannot be ignored. Road infrastructure is an important part of the transportation system that connects different locations, facilitates human mobility, and transports goods. In the construction and maintenance of road infrastructure, soil plays a crucial role, so the condition and strength of the soil must be considered. Soil plays a significant role in construction as it serves as the foundation or base for building structures. Soil that has sufficient strength to support road loads will facilitate road construction. This study was conducted to determine the California Bearing Ratio (CBR) value, so that appropriate actions can be taken to construct roads based on local soil conditions. The CBR method is commonly used in soil geotechnical testing for road planning. This method involves laboratory testing of soil samples to determine the California Bearing Ratio (CBR). The results show a CBR value of 22.5%, which falls under the category of very good. This indicates that there is no need for improvement efforts in the construction of the Jl. Panglima Besar Sudirman, Dsn. Bolawen Ds. Tiron Kec. Banyakan Kab. Kediri highway, allowing resources to be allocated to other areas in need of road infrastructure improvements to enhance accessibility and overall regional development.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Urban food waste for soil amendment? Analysis and characterisation of waste-based compost for soil fertility management in agroecological horticultural production systems in the city of Rosario, Argentina

Urban and peri-urban lands can be an important source of food production for localised and sustainable food systems, however, their soils can be of poor quality, degraded or damaged by anthropic activities, and little is known about their suitability or safety. This paper aims to contribute to this knowledge gap by assessing the soil remediation capacity and qualities of different types of compost made from urban and peri-urban organic wastes for agroecological food production. Prepared over the course of 2021, and used in 2022 for food growing, five different composts were observed and analysed, in two different farms in the city of Rosario, Argentina. Four raw materials generated largely by local industries were used to make the composts: chicken manure, rumen (cow’s stomachs), brewer’s bagasse (byproducts of the beer industry) and urban leaves collected from the municipality waste collection. These were mixed in different proportions (all reaching the 20–30 C/N ratio, typical of quality compost) to produce viable growing substrates where radishes and lettuces were grown. The aim of the study was to assess the possibility, quality and limitations to use locally available organic inputs for soil fertility management in agroecological farming, in the context of urbanisation and to assess pathways to develop closed-cycle agroecological agriculture at metropolitan level. Natural manure substrates (raw and composted) were analysed, as well as crops grown and fertilised with each of the substrates. The attributes and limiting factors of each substrate and their response to local soil conditions were compared and physicochemical, biochemical, and microbiological analyses were performed, including among others, the study of microbial biomass, biological activity, biophytotoxicity, pH, aerobic heterotrophs, nitrogen fixation, and the presence of antibiotics, agrochemicals and heavy metals. The results of the analyses show that all the composted materials improved the physical, chemical and biological properties. However, in some cases, pollutants were present even after composting. Analysis carried out on the vegetables generally indicate undetectable levels or levels below the admissible limits, demonstrating the filtering capacity of the different composts and the soil.

Using Principal Component Analysis to Assess Soil Chemical Properties in the Mwea Irrigation Scheme, Kenya: Implications for Rice Agronomic Management

Sub-Saharan Africa faces significant challenges as a net importer of rice, with self-sufficiency rates plummeting to as low as 14% in countries like Kenya. The Mwea irrigation scheme shoulders the bulk of rice cultivation, contributing over 80% of the country’s production. However, productivity within the scheme has seen a concerning decline, dropping from 5.6 ─ 6.0 t ha-1 to 1.3 ─ 4.6 t ha-1 between 1977 and 2018. This decline could be attributed to site-specific nutritional deficiencies and/or toxicities, rendering generalized agronomic recommendations ineffective in certain areas. To address this problem, our study aimed to assess soil chemical properties variability within the Mwea irrigation scheme, identify clusters with similar nutritional status, and tailor area-specific agronomic recommendations. During May to September 2020, we collected and analyzed four hundred samples from five sections of the scheme for total organic carbon, soil pH, macro and micronutrients, and exchangeable cations. Principal component analysis was conducted on the mean values of the soil chemical properties to identify significant contributors to variation and establish zones with similar patterns. Principal components 1 to 4 collectively explained 72.2% of the total variability. Cluster analysis revealed four distinct clusters, namely MW, TB, KT, and MU. Within cluster MW, soil pH was below the optimum range for rice cultivation, suggesting a need for liming. Potassium deficiency was observed across all clusters, with rice straw incorporation recommended as a long-term solution. Furthermore, zinc deficiency was noted in cluster WU, necessitating zinc fertilizer application. Conversely, iron toxicity was a concern in cluster MW, suggesting the adoption of alternating wetting and drying techniques and cultivating tolerant varieties. By proving tailored recommendations based on localized soil conditions, we aim to bolster rice productivity within the Mwea irrigation scheme and contribute to regional food security efforts.

Using local ensemble models and Landsat bare soil composites for large-scale soil organic carbon maps in cropland

National soil organic carbon (SOC) maps are essential to improve greenhouse gas accounting and support climate-smart agriculture. Large-scale SOC models based on wall-to-wall soil information from remote sensing remain a challenge due to the high diversity of natural soil conditions and the difficulty of accounting for the spatial location of the soil samples. In this study, we tested if the implementation of local ensemble models (LEM) can be used to improve the SOC predictions from Landsat-based soil reflectance composites (SRC) for Germany. For this, we divided the research area into 30 times 30 km tiles and calculated local generalized linear models (GLM) based on random, nearby observations. Based on the GLMs, local SOC maps were predicted and aggregated using a moving window approach. The local variable importance was analyzed to identify spatial dependencies in the correlation between the SRC and SOC. For the final SOC map, a Random Forest (RF) model was trained using the aggregated local SOC predictions, the SRC, and a full set of training samples from the agricultural soil inventory. The results show that the LEM was able to improve the accuracy (R2 = 0.68; RMSE = 5.6 g kg−1), compared to the maps based on a single, global model (R2 = 0.52; RMSE = 6.8 g kg−1). The local variable importance of the spectral bands showed clear spatial patterns throughout the research area. Differences can be explained by the local soil conditions, influencing the correlation between SOC and the spectral properties. Compared to the widely adopted integration of distance covariates such as geographical coordinates, the LEM was able the reduce the spatial autocorrelation to a greater extent and to improve the prediction accuracy, especially for underrepresented SOC values. The LEM presents a new method to integrate spatial information and increase the interpretability of DSM models.