Major Chemical Properties Research Articles

A moderate-Ti lunar mare soil simulant: IGG-01

Lunar soil simulants play a crucial role in scientific research, payload tests and in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) experiments. However, the currently available lunar soil simulants are either low in TiO2 content (≤3 wt%) or high in TiO2 content (≥6.7 wt%), despite orbital observations indicating lunar soils with moderate TiO2 content being widely distributed on the lunar surface. In December 2020, China's Chang'e−5 (CE-5) mission successfully returned a new mare soil sample characterized by high FeO content (22.5 wt%) and moderate TiO2 content (5.5 wt%), providing an opportunity to develop moderate-TiO2 lunar soil simulants. This study presents a newly developed simulant of the CE-5 lunar soil named IGG-01, which closely replicates the major physical and chemical properties of the CE-5 lunar soil. The median particle size of IGG-01 is 68.69 ± 4.44 μm, and its estimated specific surface area is 0.34 m2/g. It contains 17.6 wt% FeO and 4.8 wt% TiO2. It consists of pyroxene (49.3 wt%), plagioclase (40.9 wt%), ilmenite (6.1 wt%), and olivine (3.7 wt%), with specific gravity and bulk density are 3.33 g/cm³ and 1.86 g/cm³, respectively. The friction angle is 41.8°, and the cohesion is 19.2 kPa. It exhibits strong and weak reflectance absorption features in the 1 and 2 μm band centers. The physical properties of IGG-01 are also comparable to those of Apollo samples and typical lunar mare soil simulants. The unique chemical composition of IGG-01 makes it suitable for various scientific and engineering experiments, including but not limited to the study of dusty plasma migration, water formation via solar wind injection, oxygen preparation via hydrogen reduction, and tests involving the movement of rovers and excavation equipment.

Polypy: A Framework to Interpret Polymer Properties from Mass Spectroscopy Data.

Mass spectroscopy (MS) is a robust technique for polymer characterization, and it can provide the chemical fingerprint of a complete sample regarding polymer distribution chains. Nevertheless, polymer chemical properties such as polydispersity (Pd), average molecular mass (Mn), weight average molecular mass (Mw) and others are not determined by MS, as they are commonly characterized by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). In order to calculate polymer properties from MS, a Python script was developed to interpret polymer properties from spectroscopic raw data. Polypy script can be considered a peak detection and area distribution method, and represents the result of combining the MS raw data filtered using Root Mean Square (RMS) calculation with molecular classification based on theoretical molar masses. Polypy filters out areas corresponding to repetitive units. This approach facilitates the identification of the polymer chains and calculates their properties. The script also integrates visualization graphic tools for data analysis. In this work, aryl resin (poly(2,2-bis(4-oxy-(2-(methyloxirane)phenyl)propan) was the study case polymer molecule, and is composed of oligomer chains distributed mainly in the range of dimers to tetramers, in some cases presenting traces of pentamers and hexamers in the distribution profile of the oligomeric chains. Epoxy resin has Mn = 607 Da, Mw = 631 Da, and polydispersity (Pd) of 1.015 (data given by GPC). With Polypy script, calculations resulted in Mn = 584.42 Da, Mw = 649.29 Da, and Pd = 1.11, which are consistent results if compared with GPC characterization. Additional information, such as the percentage of oligomer distribution, was also calculated and for this polymer matrix it was not possible to retrieve it from the GPC method. Polypy is an approach to characterizing major polymer chemical properties using only MS raw spectra, and it can be utilized with any MS raw data for any polymer matrix.

Spatiotemporal variation in soil salinity under irrigated fields at Bochessa catchment in Central Ethiopia

AbstractSoil salinity and sodicity problems are one of the major challenges to the permanence of irrigated agriculture in Ethiopia. This manuscript, therefore, concerns its spatial and temporal variation under irrigated fields and suggests possible management options. For this investigation, eight monitoring locations were selected based on the irrigation intensity that farmers practised in the area. With each location, three irrigated farmers' fields were randomly selected for sampling purposes. Likewise, six farmers' fields from the rain‐fed system were also selected for comparison purposes. Sampling was performed at the beginning and end of each cropping season for three consecutive years from 2017 to 2019. The major physical and chemical properties of the soil were analysed in accordance with standard laboratory procedures. A linear model of two‐way analysis of variance was used to analyse parameters across time and space. The results indicated that the majority of the soil properties studied showed significant differences (p < 0.05) over time. This implies that the change is in accordance with the seasonal soil property, possibly due to irrigation practices. Similarly, approximately 90% of the soil properties studied showed noticeable differences (p < 0.05) across locations. Almost all salinity indicators showed an increasing trend in irrigated fields compared to their situation in rain‐fed fields. For instance, the electrical conductivity (EC) and exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) values across the fields ranged from 0.54 to 0.82 dS m−¹ and 8–1%, respectively, with maximum values observed in irrigated fields. This implies that irrigation practices influence soil properties in the area. In addition, the ESP values approaching the maximum permissible limit suggest that sodicity may cause more problems than salinity in the area. Therefore, agronomic practices (e.g. residue management, deep tillage, salt‐tolerant crops and periodic fallowing), irrigation and drainage management practices, and amendments may help farmers mitigate salinity and sodicity problems in the area.

Modelling and prediction of major soil chemical properties with Random Forest: Machine learning as tool to understand soil-environment relationships in Antarctica

Digital Soil Mapping includes quantitative estimations of soil attributes in areas with little or no soil information, being important in remote landscapes such as the Antarctic ice-free areas. Our objective was to predict the spatial distribution of major soil chemical attributes in two important Antarctic Peninsula regions; as well as to identify the main environmental drivers of these attributes. For this, we compiled one of the largest soil databases of Antarctica and applied the machine learning algorithm Random Forest to predict seven soil chemical attributes. We also used covariates selection and partial dependence analysis to better understand the relationships of the attributes with the environmental covariates. Bases sum was the attribute which presented the highest prediction performance, whereas Na and P predictions presented the lowest. Both accuracy and uncertainty indicators showed the difficulties of Random Forest in handling natural outliers. The soil attributes distribution was related to the mean annual temperature and annual precipitation, multispectral bands and indexes related to the vegetation response, rookeries distance expressing the birds’ activity, and topographic attributes. The attributes showed a climatic gradient, with higher values of bases sum, pH, and Na in Northern Antarctic Peninsula, and higher total organic carbon, H + Al and P in Maritime Antarctic. This shows the climate covariates influence the soil variability in a macroscale, whereas terrain predictors control the soil at local scales. This study showed the Digital Soil Mapping potential to surpass the limitations of conventional mapping and indicated the feasibility in obtaining interpretable predictions which can be directly associated with the soil forming factors. Finally, the data generated can be used as reference to monitor the impacts of the climate changes on the soils of Antarctica.

Variability of pH and EC of Selected Rice Cultivated Soils of Sri Lanka

Soil pH and electrical conductivity (EC) are two major chemical properties affecting nutrient availability and rice grain yield. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the variation of pH and EC in the topsoil layer (0-15 cm) of rice fields as affected by major water source used for rice cultivation, rice-based cropping system adopted and rice growing soil orders in different agro-climatic zones (ACZs) in Sri Lanka. A total of 998 soil samples were collected from lowland rice fields. Both pH and EC were measured in 1:5 soil: water extracts. The pH of soil samples was in the range of 3.0-7.7 with a mean value of 5.0. Moreover, 75% of the soil samples had pH values below the optimum range for rice cultivation (5.5-7.0). Values of pH observed in Dry Zone soils were higher (5.2) than those in Wet Zone (4.4). Soil EC values ranged between 1.0 - 3,100 μScm−1 with a mean value of 148.5 μScm−1. Soil EC was similar among climatic zones (P>0.05). Upcountry Intermediate zone recorded the highest soil EC than that in other ACZs (P<0.05). Moreover, 73%, 22%, 3%, 2% and 0.1% of soil samples recorded EC values in the ranges of less than 150 (non-saline), 150-400 (slightly saline), 400-800 (moderately saline), 800-2000 (highly saline) and more than 2000 (very highly saline) μScm−1, respectively. Considering micro (e.g. paddy track) and macro (e.g. ACZ) scale spatial heterogeneity in soil pH and EC, appropriate site-specific strategies need to be adopted to improve soil pH and EC to suit sustainable rice crop production.

Application of Precision Agriculture for the Sustainable Management of Fertilization in Olive Groves

Olive tree growing (Olea europaea L.) has considerably increased in the last decades, as has the consumption of extra virgin olive oil in the world. Precision agriculture is increasingly being applied in olive orchards as a new method to manage agronomic variability with the aim of providing individual plants with the right input amount, limiting waste or excess. The objective of this study was to develop a methodology on a GIS platform using GEOBIA algorithms in order to build prescription maps for variable rate (VRT) nitrogen fertilizers application in an olive orchard. The fertilization plan was determined for each tree by applying its own nitrogen balance, taking into account the variability of nitrogen in soil, leaf, production, and actual biometric and spectral conditions. Each olive tree was georeferenced using the S7-G Stonex instrument with real-time kinematic RTK positioning correction and the trunk cross section area (TCSA) was measured. Soil and leaves were sampled to study nutrient variability. Soil and plant samples were analyzed for all major physical and chemical properties. Spectral data were obtained using a multispectral camera (DJI multispectral) carried by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platform (DJI Phantom4). The biometric characteristics of the plants were extracted from the achieved normalized vegetation index (NDVI) map. The obtained prescription map can be used for variable rate fertilization with a tractor and fertilizer spreader connected via the ISOBUS system. Using the proposed methodology, the variable rate application of nitrogen fertilizer resulted in a 31% reduction in the amount to be applied in the olive orchard compared to the standard dose.

Analysis of Soil Fertility in Oil Palm Plantation (Elaeis guineensis Jacq) Smallholder Farmers in East Luwuk District, Banggai Regency

One of the factors that influence the production of oil palm plantations is the condition of the land favorable for their growth and development, especially regarding the physical and chemical properties of the soil and the status of soil fertility. The purpose of this study was to determine soil’s physical and chemical properties, as well as its fertility status on smallholder oil palm plantations. Soil sampling was conducted through a descriptive exploratory survey method, involving six sampling points and representing three oil palm ages (11, 16, and 22 years old). The soil chemical and fertility status were analyzed using the National Criteria of Soil Chemical Properties developed by Soil Research Institute and Five Major Soil Chemical Properties approach developed by Soil Research Center. All observed soil exhibited clay textures and varying soil color matrix. The soil had neutral acidity, medium to high base saturation/BS and cation exchange capacity/CEC, moderate P2O5, as well as low organic C and K2O. Soil fertility status on the entire sites were classified as low, which primarily caused by low soil organic C and K contents. In order to improve soil condition favorably for oil palm growth and development, further studies must be conducted using more direct approach, relating the oil palm requirement with current state of soil and land conditions.

Impact of Industrial Effluents on Spatial Distribution of Soil Chemical Properties In Gazipur

Rapid industrialization contributes to the rising economic growth rate in Bangladesh. Gazipur district is one of the largest industrial zones in Bangladesh. Every day a huge amount of untreated industrial effluents is produced and delivered to the nearby crop field or water body. These effluents might have influenced the major chemical properties of soils. Hence, the present study was conducted to assess the impact of untreated industrial effluents on soil chemical properties expressed through a spatial distribution pattern map of the industrial zone of Gazipur district. A total of one hundred and four agricultural soil samples were collected with grid basis from different unions of the industrial areas of Sreepur and Gazipur Sadar upazilas. In Sreepur upazila, the mean values of soil pH, organic carbon (OC), N, P, S, K, Ca and Mg were 4.85, 0.81%, 0.11%, 6.08 ppm, 26.5 ppm, 0.13 meq/100g soil, 0.53 meq/100g soil and 0.19 meq/100g soil, respectively in uncontaminated soil, while the mean values of soil pH, OC, N, P, S, K, Ca and Mg were 5.15, 1.96%, 0.23%, 14.2 ppm, 187.61 ppm, 0.15 meq/100g soil, 0.64 meq/100g soil and 0.2 meq/100g soil, respectively due to industrial contamination. In both the upazilas, soil pH was strongly to slightly acidic while soil organic carbon was low to medium and N content was low. A weak spatial variation was detected for soil pH and N in these industrial areas indicating less influence on both the parameters by the effluents. Similarly, the contents of K, Ca and Mg were low in most of the areas of these two upazilas and a very little or no spatial variation was observed. On the other hand, OC and P contents were low to medium whereas S content was high in most of the study areas. Ann. Bangladesh Agric. (2022) 26 (1) : 15-28

Integrated Forest Management Systems: Evaluation of forest soil properties for Environmental Quality and Agricultural Productivity

Soil physical and chemical properties do affect forests (plant) growth and soil management systems. Some key and important physical and chemical properties of soil are mineral content, texture, cation exchange capacity, bulk density, structure, porosity, organic matter content, carbon-to-ni- trogen ratio, color, depth, fertility, and pH. Sustainable forest management and soil quality parameters may include such terrestrial functions as carbon sequestration, land use management, erosion control, plant productivity and a soil’s capacity to produce biomass. Sustainable forest management consistently requires enhancement of both the chemical and physical properties of forest soil quality. Land use and change in land use as well as forest management systems, are main indicators that may determine which soil properties induce changes in any forest site. Forest management and crop yield are key issues of environmental/productivity quality in addressing carbon mitigation and absorption in plant species and agricultural productivity. Five distinct forest soils under major physical properties and chemical properties were evaluated at the forest ecology laboratory. The results were determined while considering regional forest management regimes. Correlation analysis in Deqing forest soil showed that higher correlation of NMC at 25-50cm depth, BD at 0-25cm as well as 25-50cm while EC was high on 0-40 and 0.60 At the Guangzhou site, acidic levels (pH 0-25cm) indicated minor correlation and soil salinity (EC 25-50cm) also showed minor correlation. The trend was same the at the Changtan forest site where soil salinity showed only minor significant relationship (0-25cm). A percentage assessment of SOC (g/kg) among the forest sites by plot observation showed that Deqing forest site, Changtan and Nanling were well distributed which confers best forest management regimes that yield to good forest soil chemical and physical properties. This study gave scientific insight and boast plant functional nutrient interaction as well as stability towards better agricultural productivity and forest management systems. This is in agreement that good management and less disturbance in forest soils are major component of physical and chemical properties interaction, thereby for effective integrated forest and agricultural management systems.

Spatio-temporal mapping and analysis of soil salinity: an integrated approach through electromagnetic induction (EMI), multivariate and geostatistical techniques

The information on salt load in soil is needed to enable suitable soil, crop and water management practices for crop production in salt affected land. An investigation was conducted to test the hypothesis that an integrated approach of electromagnetic induction (EMI), multivariate and geostatistical techniques can provide rapid and reliable information on soil salinity (ECe) at spatio-temporal scale. EMI survey and the analyzed data indicated that ECe better correlates with horizontal mode (EMH) of apparent soil electrical conductivity (R 2=0.83) than the vertical (EMV). Principal component (PCA) and Pearson correlation analysis revealed that Na+1, Ca2++Mg2+ and Cl−1 are the major soil chemical properties affecting apparent soil electrical conductivity. The spatial map of soil salinity based on EMH showed close proximity with the area represented by ECe observations. Study indicated that EMI methodology can be effectively used to predict, map and identify salinity zones for devising strategies for reclamation of saline soils.

Soil microbial properties of subalpine steppe soils at different grazing intensities in the Chinese Altai Mountains

Long-term provision of ecosystem services by grasslands is threatened by increasing stocking densities. The functions of grassland ecosystems depend on a mutual relationship between aboveground and belowground biota. While the effects of increasing stocking density on plant biomass are well studied, little is known about its impact on soil microbial properties. To fill this knowledge gap a grazing experiment was conducted on a summer pasture in the Chinese Altai Mountains during the summers of 2014 and 2015 using a randomized block design with stocking densities of 0, 8, 16, and 24 sheep ha−1 replicated four times. After two summer grazing periods (each 56 days), topsoil samples (1–7 cm) were taken in September 2015 and analyzed for major physical, chemical, and microbial soil properties. Except for the metabolic quotient (qCO2; p < 0.05), the examined soil properties remained unaffected by the increasing stocking densities, likely due to high spatial variability. The qCO2 declined from 13.5 mg CO2–C g−1 microbial biomass C d−1 at zero grazing to 12.2 mg CO2–C g−1 microbial biomass C d−1 at a stocking density of 24 sheep ha−1. Low values of qCO2 indicate an aged and dormant microbial community that diverts less soil organic carbon (SOC) to catabolic processes within their cells, characteristic for C limiting conditions. The aboveground biomass affected by grazing intensity correlated positively with SOC (rs = 0.60, p = 0.015) and ergosterol (rs = 0.76, p = 0.001) pointing indirectly to the effect of stocking density. Additionally to the relatively high values of qCO2, highest values of SOC (39.2 mg g−1 soil), ergosterol (6.01 µg g−1 soil), and basal respiration (10.7 µg g−1 soil d−1) were observed at a stocking density of 8 sheep ha−1 indicating that a low grazing intensity is recommendable to avoid soil degradation.

Study the Effect of Catalyst -to- Oil Ratio Parameter (COR) on Catalytic Cracking of Heavy Vacuum Gas Oil

This work deals with the production of light fuel cuts of (gasoline, kerosene and gas oil) by catalytic cracking treatment of secondary product mater (heavy vacuum gas oil) which was produced from the vacuum distillation unit in any petroleum refinery. The objective of this research was to study the effect of the catalyst -to- oil ratio parameter on catalytic cracking process of heavy vacuum gas oil feed at constant temperature (450 °C). The first step of this treatment was, catalytic cracking of this material by constructed batch reactor occupied with auxiliary control devices, at selective range of the catalyst –to- oil ratio parameter ( 2, 2.5, 3 and 3.5) respectively. The conversion of heavy vacuum gas oil which was obtained, reaches to (50, 70, 75 and 80) % for (2, 2.5, 3 and 3.5 catalysts -to- oil ratio parameter respectively. The second step for this study was distillation of this cracking heavy vacuum gas oil liquid by atmospheric distillation device for these several catalyst -to- oil ratio parameter, according to obtained light fuel cuts (gasoline, kerosene and gas oil). The percentage volume of light fractions at various COR are (7, 25 and 18) for COR 2, (10, 20 and 40) for COR 2.5, (10, 30 and 35) for COR 3 and (15, 30 and 35) for COR 3.5 which separates according to its boiling point. The light cuts were distilled by atmospheric distillation device in order to obtained distillation curve. The third step was study the major physical and chemical properties for feed (heavy vacuum gas oil) and catalytic cracking liquid of HVGO at various COR with its light fuel fractions, the results refers to acceptable properties compared with other commercial properties.

Soil cover of the Fildes Peninsula (King George Island, West Antarctica)

Data on the morphology and major physical and chemical properties of 130 pedons sampled in the ice-free area of the Fildes Peninsula and adjacent Ardley Island (King George Island, West Antarctica) are analyzed, and the soil-geomorphological map of the surveyed area on the scale of 1:10 000 is presented. The soils have been classified according to the WRB (2014/2015) system. The map provides information on the soil cover patterns in relation to geomorphic elements and also reflects the degree of anthropogenic load on the studied territory. Nearly half (42.9%) of the total area is covered by different subgroups of Cryosols. Flat watersheds are mainly occupied by Protic Arenosols (Turbic) (22.9%). Leptosols are mainly represented by the Lithic (Ochric) subgroup covering 13.8% of the area. Fluvisols are locally developed in the tidal zone (3.3% of the total area) and are represented by the Tidalic (Skeletic) subgroup. The unique area of Fibric Cryic Histosol (0.02%) is separately delineated. Various Hyperskeletic Technosols (Toxic, Transportic, and Urbic) are formed under the influence of human loads and cover about 0.9% of the Fildes Peninsula and Ardley Island. The map as the main result of the study can be used for monitoring and forecasting the environmental changes of soil cover pattern under the global climate change and local anthropogenic impact.

Bacterial diversity and microbial functional responses to organic matter composition and persistent organic pollutants in deltaic lagoon sediments

Lagoons in river deltas are highly productive systems that receive high loads of organic matter and nutrients. Among the major environmental stress factors and human health-related issues, the anthropogenic contamination is of particular concern, since coastal lagoons are intensively exploited for aquaculture activities. Although microbial communities constitute the most abundant fraction of the benthic biomass, also providing valuable ecosystem services, the links between sediment quality and microbial processes were largely disregarded. In this study, we aimed to elucidate whether different levels of riverine influence could provide favourable or adverse environmental conditions to sustain microbial diversity and processes. Sediments collected from four lagoons of the Po River delta were analysed to assess biochemical composition (biopolymeric carbon, Bio-PC), target organic pollutants (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, PAHs; nonylphenols; bisphenol A), and microbial community properties (bacterial community composition, prokaryotic biomass, prokaryotic carbon production rate, PCP, community respiration rate, CR, extracellular enzyme activities, EEAs). The major physical and chemical sediment properties allowed identifying two statistically distinct groups of sediments with relatively low (LI) and high (HI) riverine influence. HI sediments were characterised by higher Bio-PC and PAHs concentrations, along with relatively high PAHs potential toxicity estimated by the Toxic Equivalent concentration approach. Contrasting results were obtained by linking the occurrence of dominant bacterial taxa (i.e.,Desulfobulbaceae and Desulfobacteraceae families) to sediment contamination patterns. Notably, the increasing pollution levels were likely to positively affect the occurrence of the Desulfuromonadales Sva1033 family, whereas detrimental effects were found against the family Ectothiorhodospiraceae. In addition, the concurrent increase of PCP/CR ratio along with key EEAs, highlighted that the benthic microbial community could consistently contribute to accelerate the degradation of persistent organic pollutants, with potential implication on the sediment self-purification processes.

High spatial resolution landscape indicators show promise in explaining water quality in urban streams

Urban streams are subject to a myriad of complex stressors associated with impervious surfaces, which impact delivery of pollutants. Landscape indicators (e.g. the amount and arrangement of land cover) are widely used to help monitor water quality, yet their application in highly urbanized settings remains poorly understood. Here, we explored the utility of landscape indicators for explaining water chemistry and bacterial concentrations in streams throughout the Greater Vancouver Regional District, British Columbia, Canada. First, we compared high and moderate spatial resolution imagery to evaluate their relative efficacy in characterizing impervious surfaces. Second, we linked a suite of landscape indicators to major chemical properties and pollutants (e.g. dissolved oxygen, nitrate, turbidity, fecal coliform, E. Coli.) using a series of comparative statistical models. Land cover at 30-m resolution often over-estimated the proportional area of impervious surface by 0.10–0.30, sometimes doubling the amount detected using finer resolution imagery. Finer 5- and 2-m resolution imagery demonstrated little difference in estimating impervious cover. Therefore, 5-m resolution imagery was adopted for spatial analysis in the study region. Watershed-level landscape indicators explained nearly 50% of the variability in wet season concentrations of dissolved oxygen and fecal coliform. When considering the spatial configuration of impervious areas, edge density within the riparian zone explained more than 30% of the variability in fecal coliform and E. Coli. Our approach is potentially transferable to many cities worldwide facing similar challenges in monitoring urban streams.

Potential Use of a Poultry Manure Digestate as a Biofertiliser: Evaluation of Soil Properties and Lactuca sativa Growth

Anaerobic digestion is a process that is widely used for the treatment of organic wastes. The digestate can be used as a soil amendment or crop fertiliser. The aims of our work were to evaluate 1) the physicochemical composition and pathogen content in a digestate from poultry manure, according to international regulations, and 2) the effect of its soil application on the major chemical and biological soil properties and on the growth of Lactuca sativa. The experiment consisted of two groups of pots (with and without crop). Treatments applied to each group were as follows: low and high doses of digestate and inorganic fertiliser, and no application (control) (low dose: 70 kg nitrogen (N) ha−1 and 21 kg phosphorus (P) ha−1; high dose: 210 kg N ha−1 and 63 kg P ha−1). Soil samples were taken 7 and 34 d (harvest) after treatment applications. Heavy metal and pathogen contents in the digestate were below the upper limit values. Despite the high pH and electrical conductivity values of the digestate, both soil parameters presented acceptable values for crop growth. Although there were no initial increases in total inorganic N and available P in soil with digestate application, an increase in the fresh weight of crop was observed with the high dose application. This is probably associated with the slow nutrient release from the digestate during the development of the crop. Changes in the microbial community were temporary and occurred at the initial sampling stage of the experiment.

Impact of yearly conditions on major physical and chemical properties of fresh, semi-dried and sun-dried fig (Ficus caricaL. ‘Sarılop’) fruit

Impact of yearly conditions on major physical and chemical properties of fresh, semi-dried and sun-dried fig (<i>Ficus carica</i>L. ‘Sarılop’) fruit

Evaluation of physicochemical, microbiological and sensory properties of croissants fortified with Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina)

The major physical, chemical, microbiological, and sensory properties of croissants enriched with Spirulina at concentrations ranging between 0.5 and 1.5% were evaluated. The results showed that the use of A. platensis biomass for the production of croissants improved the textural and organoleptic properties of the final products. Spirulina fortification also increased the protein and moisture levels and water-holding capacity, whereas it decreased the crumb firmness and lightness of croissants. Optimum sensory results were obtained when Spirulina was applied at a rate of 1%. Besides these benefits, the A. platensis biomass enhanced the levels of biologically active substances (i.e. essential amino acids, chlorophyll, phycocyanin, carotenoids, minerals, vitamins, and essential fatty acids) in croissant samples. To our knowledge, this is the first scientific study on Spirulina-fortified croissants.

Cover crops for managing weeds, soil chemical fertility and nutritional status of organically grown orange orchard in Sicily

Cover crops can offer significant advantages in the agronomic management of citrus orchards in Mediterranean environments. Therefore, a three-year research was conducted in eastern Sicily aimed at studying the effects of four cover crop sequences (Sinapis arvensis-Trigonella foenum-graecum-T. foenum-graecum; Medicago scutellata-Avena sativa-Lolium perenne; Vicia faba minor-A. sativa-A. sativa; A. sativa-V. faba. minor-L. perenne) on weeds, major soil chemical properties and nutritional status of an organically grown orange orchard. The results highlighted that, among the studied cover crop sequences, Vicia faba-Avena-Avena was the most beneficial for weeds control within the orchard (92%, of cover crop cover, and 586 and 89 g DW m–2 of cover crop aboveground biomass and weeds aboveground biomass, respectively). Overall, the chemical fertility of the soil was positively influenced. In particular, it was observed an increase of the content of total nitrogen and available phosphorus in the soil by both Sinapis-Trigonella-Trigonella (0.75 g kg–1 and 59.0 mg kg–1, respectively) and Vicia faba-Avena-Avena (0.70 g kg–1 and 56.0 mg kg–1, respectively) cover crop sequences. Medicago-Avena-Lolium sequence seemed to be the most useful to ensure a better nutritional status of the orange orchard.

Predicting radiocaesium sorption characteristics with soil chemical properties for Japanese soils

The high variability of the soil-to-plant transfer factor of radiocaesium (RCs) compels a detailed analysis of the radiocaesium interception potential (RIP) of soil, which is one of the specific factors ruling the RCs transfer. The range of the RIP values for agricultural soils in the Fukushima accident affected area has not yet been fully surveyed. Here, the RIP and other major soil chemical properties were characterised for 51 representative topsoils collected in the vicinity of the Fukushima contaminated area. The RIP ranged a factor of 50 among the soils and RIP values were lower for Andosols compared to other soils, suggesting a role of soil mineralogy. Correlation analysis revealed that the RIP was most strongly and negatively correlated to soil organic matter content and oxalate extractable aluminium. The RIP correlated weakly but positively to soil clay content. The slope of the correlation between RIP and clay content showed that the RIP per unit clay was only 4.8mmolg−1 clay, about threefold lower than that for clays of European soils, suggesting more amorphous minerals and less micaceous minerals in the clay fraction of Japanese soils. The negative correlation between RIP and soil organic matter may indicate that organic matter can mask highly selective sorption sites to RCs. Multiple regression analysis with soil organic matter and cation exchange capacity explained the soil RIP (R2=0.64), allowing us to map soil RIP based on existing soil map information.