Micronutrient Fertilizers Research Articles

Effect of Seed Priming and Coating through Micronutrient Application on Growth and Seed Yield of Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is a major oilseed crop which ranks 3rd among the oilseed crops of the world. It is one of the chief vegetable oil sources in the world. The kernel of groundnut contains 46-52 per cent oil, 18 per cent carbohydrates and 25-30 per cent crude protein. Micronutrients are vital for plant growth and human health. Soil and foliar applications are the most prevalent methods of micronutrient addition. However, the cost involved and difficulty in obtaining high quality micronutrient fertilizers are major concerns with these in developing countries. Micronutrient seed treatments, which include seed priming and seed coating, are an attractive and easy alternative. So, the aim was to provide micronutrient fortified seed to the farmers for better yield advantage. A field experiment was conducted during Rabi season of 2018-19 and 2019-20 at the experimental farm, OUAT, Bhubaneswar to study the effect of seed priming and coating through micronutrient application on growth and seed yield of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) with 21 different treatment combinations, laid out in Randomised Block Design (RBD) with three replications. Parameters measured were plant height, number of branches per plant, number of nodules per plant, days to 50% flowering, days to maturity and seed yield. The experimental findings revealed that the treatment (T17) seed priming with 0.5 g/l borax solution + 0.5 g/l sodium molybdate solution performed significantly (0.05 or 5% level) higher than other treatment i.e., plant height of 11.61 cm, 29.73 cm and 39.91 cm at 30, 60 and 90 DAS, numbers of branches per plant, i.e., 5.84, 7.41 and 9.10, number of nodules per plant 44.66, 57.76, and 29.88 at 45 DAS, 60 DAS and harvest time, least number of days to reach 50% flowering (25.57 days), least number of days to reach maturity i.e., 111.45 days and higher seed yield per hectare, i.e., 1565.70 kg ha-1. Molybdenum treatments recorded higher plant growth parameters as compared to boron application, whereas, boron application comparatively recorded higher yield attributing parameters and seed yield over molybdenum application. In general, seed priming treatments either with borax or sodium molybdate proved to be more effective than the seed coating treatments.

PENGARUH PUPUK MIKRO MAJEMUK DAN ASAM HUMAT TERHADAP KETERSEDIAAN P DAN HASIL PADI GOGO DI LAHAN PESISIR

[THE EFFECT OF MICRO-COMPOUND FERTILIZER AND HUMIC ACID ON AVAILABILITY OF P AND UPLAND RICE YIELD IN COASTAL LAND] Indonesia’s coastal areas are potential for the agriculture. However, coastal areas have poor physical, chemical and biological soil properties that unfavorable to the growth and yield of plants. Upland rice is a food crop that can be developed on coastal land using humic acid technology and micro-compound fertilizers. This study aims to determinate the effect of micro-compound fertilizers and humic acid on phosphor availability and upland rice yields on coastal land. This research was conducted from August to December 2021 in Beringin Raya Sub-District Muara Bangka Hulu, Bengkulu City. Soil and plant analysis was carried out in the Soil Science Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Bengkulu University. This research was organized in Randomized Completely Block Design (RCBD) with 2 factors. The first factor is micro-compound fertilizer which consists of 3 levels, namely 0, 70 and 140 g/ha and the second factor is humic acid which consists of 2 levels, namely 0 and 8 L/ha. Each treatment combination was reploicated 4 times. The results showed that there was no interaction between humic acid and micronutrient fertilizer on the observed variables. The application of humic acid at 8 L/ha increased phosphor available by 27.55%, the root colonization by 20.65%, the population of microorganisms by 14.77%, the number of productive tillers of 15.72% and the weight of the pithy grain per plant by 31.50% as compared to control. Also, the application of micronutrient fertilizer at 140 g/ha increased the weight of 1000 seeds, the number of productive tillers, the pithy grains by 7.22, 18.53, and 27.77% respectively as compared control. It is recommended that the upland rice variety can cultivate in coastal land with the application of 140 g/ha micronutrient fertilizer combined with 8 L/ha of humic acid.

Impacts of Long-Term Micronutrient Fertilizer Application on Soil Properties and Micronutrient Availability

Deficiencies of micronutrients in calcareous soils have been reported in different areas of China's Loess Plateau. The objective of this research was to study the influence of the continuous application of micronutrient fertilizers on soil properties and micronutrient availability in this region. The micronutrient fertilizer field plot experiment began in 1984. It included Zn, Mn and Cu fertilizer treatments and the control treatment. The crop system was continuously cropped winter wheat. The soil properties and available Zn, Mn, Cu and Fe were measured. Their relationships were analyzed through correlation and path analysis. After 31 years, the soil pH, CaCO3 and available P levels decreased; in contrast, the organic matter, fulvic acid, reducing substances and soil moisture levels in the surface soil increased in the micronutrient fertilized treatments compared to the control treatment. Cu and Zn fertilizers promoted the available Cu and Zn levels in the surface and deep soil, but available Mn was not significantly affected by Mn fertilizer. It can be seen from the interaction between the micronutrient availability and micronutrient fertilizers that Zn, Cu and Mn fertilizers can increase the available Fe level; Mn fertilizer can increase the available Cu level, and Cu and Mn fertilizers can increase the available Zn level. This means that Fe, Cu and Zn availability were easy to implement, whereas the soil-available Mn was difficult to improve in calcareous soils on the Loess Plateau. Fulvic acid and organic matter showed a significant and direct effect on the available Zn; the available Mn and Fe were mainly affected by the soil CaCO3 and moisture; the available Cu was mainly affected by the soil organic matter, available P and reducing substances. These results indicate the importance of organic matter in calcareous soils; it can not only directly affect the availability of micronutrients but also indirectly affect their availability through the indirect interaction with fulvic acid, reducing substances, available P and CaCO3. The above conclusions suggest that the long-term micronutrient fertilizers changed some important soil properties and increased the micronutrient availability in the loess-derived soil.

Effects of Different Fertilization Methods on Double-Rice Yield and Bacterial Community in Paddy Soil

Fertilizer regimes have profound effects on crop yield, soil fertility, and microbial community structure. However, the impacts of partially substituting mineral nitrogen (N) with organic N and/or controlled-release mineral N and combining with micronutrient fertilizers on soil properties and microbial communities are still unclear in double-rice systems. The objective of this study was to compare rice yield, soil nutrient condition, and bacterial alpha and beta diversity in paddy soil that had been subjected to four fertilizer treatments from 2012 to 2016. The treatments were FP: farmers’ practice with 100% urea N; T1: 64% urea N + 16% manure N; T2: T1 + micronutrient fertilizers; and T3: 40% urea N + 24% controlled-release N + 16% manure N + micronutrient fertilizers. The results showed that there were no considerable differences between rice yields under fertilizer treatments, meaning that reducing farmers’ practice N by 20% did not decrease rice yield. Soil organic matter, total N, pH, and microbial biomass receiving manure did not increase significantly compared with FP. Bacterial beta diversities did not alter under the four treatments. Only two (Verrucomicrobia and Aminicenantes) out of eleven dominant phyla considerably varied under manure treatments. These results indicate that 20% reduction and partial substitution of mineral fertilizer with manure can maintain double-rice yield in paddy soil with limited effects on soil properties and bacterial community structure.

Effects of Alkaline Calcareous and Magnesium Soil Amendments on the Incidence of Bacterial Wilt of Tomato

Bacterial wilt of tomato caused by Ralstonia solanacearum is one of the major hindrances in tomato production. Previously, we demonstrated that increases of field soil pH up to the weakly alkaline condition at approximately pH 7.5 using slag fertilizer led to the reduction of disease severity caused by bacterial wilt. However, the method was laborious and needed large quantities of slag fertilizer. Therefore, in this study, I develop a labor- and cost-effective method that can be used in integrated pest management (IPM) programs based on the previous information. First, the effects of several alkaline minerals on the incidence of bacterial wilt were examined. Alkaline minerals alone did not cause a stable reduction of disease incidence. Then, the efficacy of the representative alkaline minerals calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and magnesium carbonate (MgCO3) against the disease were tested in the combination with supplemental minerals. In 2018, the disease incidences were reduced by the combined treatment CaCO3 + a micronutrient fertilizer (MF) + iron (III) oxide (Fe2O3) + a silicon fertilizer (SF) or MgCO3 + MF + SF. Furthermore, synergistic effects were detected among the alkaline and supplemental minerals. Thus, the combinations of CaCO3 or MgCO3 with the MF, Fe2O3, or SF were synergistic against the disease and were labor and cost saving. However, in 2019, the disease incidences were not significantly reduced by each of the combined treatments, which suggests that more combinations with other IPM tools are needed for sufficient control of bacterial wilt. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .

Effect of different levels of irrigation and micronutrient fertilization on productivity of Seewy date palms

Effect of different levels of irrigation and micronutrient fertilization on productivity of Seewy date palms

Increasing the bioproductivity of Ammi majus L. with the use of growth regulators and microfertilizers

It is possible to optimize the bioproductive process by adjusting the hormonal status of the plant organism. In this regard, in the development of advanced growing technologies in medicinal plant growing, much attention is paid to the use of natural bioregulators for the treatment of seeds and vegetative plants with various active substances. The development of an effective system for the use of growth regulators and microfertilizers is an important link in resource-saving technologies for medicinal crops, since they are environmentally safe, harmless and highly effective at low consumption rates of biologically active substances of polyfunctional action. In 2020-2021, in the Middle Volga branch of the Federal State Budget Scientific Institution VILAR, an experiment was conducted to study the effect,of growth regulators and micronutrient fertilizers on the growth, development, increasing the yield of Ammi majus L. fruits. For two years of research, Albit showed the best results in the use of raw material areas, the average yield of Ammi majus L. fruits was 819 kg/ha, which is 162 kg/ha more than the control variant.

Highly Dispersed Blast-Furnace Sludge as a New Micronutrient Fertilizer: Promising Results on Rapeseed

Due to the growing population of Earth, the problem of providing food comes to the fore. Therefore, the search for new, economically available sources of trace elements for crop production is relevant. One of these potential sources is blast-furnace sludge: highly dispersed metallurgical waste, the industrial processing of which is difficult due to its high zinc content. We studied the effect of blast-furnace sludge on rapeseed plants in laboratory, greenhouse, and field experiments and also assessed the accumulation of sludge components in plant organs. The studied sludge sample consisted of micron and submicron particles containing compounds of iron, silicon, aluminum, zinc, calcium, and sulfur. Used concentrations: laboratory—0.01, 0.1, 1%, 10, and 100 g L−1; greenhouse—0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, and 100 g kg−1; field—0.5, 2, and 4 t ha−1. During a laboratory experiment, a decrease in the germination of rapeseed seeds exposed to 0.01, 0.1, 10, and 100 g L−1 waste was observed, but 1 g L−1 promoted the increase of this indicator by 7% regarding control (0 g L−1). While inhibiting seed germination, the sludge had a beneficial effect on the vegetative performance of plants. Reverse effects were noted in the greenhouse experiment as an increase in seed germination (introduction of 1 g kg−1 of sludge to the substrate caused maximum stimulation) and a decrease in rapeseed morphometric parameters were observed. However, at a concentration of 10 g kg−1, the root mass increased by 43% and the stem mass by 63%. In the same group, the highest content of chlorophylls was noted. The number of pods in all experimental groups of plants was less than in control (0 g kg−1) plants, but at the same time, in the variants of 0.01 and 1 g kg−1, the weight of seeds was noticeably increased, by 15.6 and 50%, respectively. Under the conditions of the field experiment, the sludge had a positive effect on the indicators of biological and economic productivity. Thus, exposure to 0.5 and 2 t ha−1 of sludge significantly increased the dry matter and leaf area. The highest values of photosynthetic capacity were recorded at a dose of 2 t ha−1. The maximum increase in yield was ensured by the introduction of sludge at a concentration of 0.5 and 2 t ha−1. The sludge dose of 4 t ha−1, which was also used, either had no effect or suppressed the development of the analyzed traits. The study of the accumulation of zinc and iron in the organs of plants showed the absence of a pronounced dose-dependent accumulation of zinc in the organs of rapeseed, while for iron, an increase in the content of the element in the organs of plants associated with an increase in the concentration of sludge in the soil was recorded. Our results demonstrate the promise of further research and development of methods for the agricultural use of highly dispersed sludge from wet gas cleaning of blast furnace production.

A comparative evaluation of the effects of seed invigoration treatments with precursor zinc salt and nano-sized zinc oxide (ZnO) particles on vegetative growth, grain yield, and quality characteristics of Zea mays

IntroductionThe zinc micronutrient fertilizers have a critical impact on the grain productivity and quality attributes of maize. However, the low use-efficiency issues of the applied Zn-fertilizers are required to be addressed through the development of novel formulations and alternative application techniques.ObjectivesThis field study investigates the comparative impact of seed invigoration (including seed priming and coating) treatments with bulk zinc and ZnO nanoparticles (ZnONPs).MethodsThe two seed treatments with two different zinc sources at three different concentrations of 0, 20, and 40 mg L−1 each, for a total of ten treatments, were evaluated for vegetative growth, photosynthetic pigments, grain yield, and quality traits in Zea mays.ResultsThe total chlorophyll content was improved by ZnONPs seed priming at the V8 stage. However, there were plants that grew tall, bearing longer ears with bulk ZnSO4 and the untreated control. Yield-contributing factors like number of seeds per cob, and 1000-grain weight were marginally improved by ZnONPs treatment. Overall, only cob weight, starch, total soluble protein, and soil nutrient (N, P, K, and Zn) content were significantly enhanced by ZnONPs treatment. Furthermore, no negative effect was recorded on the soil microbiological and enzymatic activities seed treatment with both the zinc sources.ConclusionThe seed treatment, i.e. coating and priming with ZnONPs, did not significantly alter the grain yield, but the seed starch and total soluble protein content were improved.

The impact of Nano-ZnO micronutrient fertilizer on growth and yield parameters of commercially-cultivated traditional rice varieties (Oryza sativa L.) in Sri Lanka

The impact of Nano-ZnO micronutrient fertilizer on growth and yield parameters of commercially-cultivated traditional rice varieties (Oryza sativa L.) in Sri Lanka

Reducing Macronutrients and Increasing Micronutrient Fertilizers Are Key to Improving the Quality of Pomelo Citrus grandis (L.) Osbeck Cv. “Guanxi”

Due to long-term excessive fertilization, the fruit quality of the Guanxi pomelo (Citrus grandis) has been declining. The classification of fruit quality and its relationship with nutrients in soils and trees were studied to declaim the characteristics of nutrients in Guanxi pomelo orchards, ultimately guiding the fertilization for high-quality fruit production. By cluster analysis, 281 samples were grouped into four clusters. High-quality fruit (HF) showed a gourd shape with moderate weight size, high sweetness, edible rate (ER) up to 73%, and vitamin C content over 40 mg/100 g. Compared to sub-quality fruit (SF), common fruit (CF), and inferior fruit (IF), the content of magnesium (Mg) in the leaves of HF was 11.76, 11.76, and 18.75% higher, while the content of iron (Fe) was 6.45, 5.76 and 10.97% higher, respectively. Meanwhile, the contents of Zinc (Zn, 8.51, 6.44, and 11.22% higher than SF, CF, and IF, respectively) and Boron (B, 13.47, 13.83, and 25.40% higher than SF, CF, and IF, respectively) were also found to increase. However, the contents of Mn (35.34, 27.51, and 25.53% higher) and Cu (31.90, 31.99, and 5.64% higher) in IF were significantly higher than in HF, SF, and CF. Acid soils (4.24–4.40) with low OM content (23.00–26.71 g kg−1) led to an imbalance uptake of nutrients of citrus, ultimately resulting in poor quality. These results indicated that farmers should reduce the application of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and K fertilizer and pesticides and increase micronutrient and organic fertilizer, which provides a theoretical basis for scientific fertilization to improve the fruit quality of Guanxi pomelo (Citrus grandis) of Pinghe County.

Effect of Varying Nitrogen and Micronutrient Fertilization on Yield Quantity and Quality of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) Achenes

Sunflower is a good alternative crop in rotation, even in light soils. This is due to the changing climate, economic factors and the need to reduce agriculture pressure on the environment. In this field experiment, the effect of soil nitrogen doses (60 and 90 kg ha−1) and additional foliar fertilization (B, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Zn) on selected plant characteristics, yield and quality of sunflower achenes was assessed. The single-factor experiment was conducted in 2020 and 2021 on Luvisol soil. It was shown that a higher nitrogen dose had a positive effect on plant biometric features, protein content in achenes, as well as LAI (leaf area index) and SPAD (soil plant analysis development) indices. Additionally, the applied double foliar spraying resulted in an increase in yield components and quality of achenes. Sunflower yielding depended on the interaction of weather conditions with fertilization. In the first year of the research, high yields were obtained after applying 60 or 90 kg N ha−1 in combination with double foliar fertilization (3.68 and 3.65 t ha−1, respectively). A significantly lower yield was recorded after applying only the 60 kg N ha−1 dose. This was not statistically confirmed in the second year of the study, with a higher average yield of 3.79 t ha−1. Economic calculations showed that the optimal option was to use 60 kg N ha−1 together with single or double foliar fertilization. Fertilizing with 90 kg N ha−1 in combination with micronutrient spraying was the least profitable.

Effect of B-Forge Micronutrient Fertilizer on Zea mays Yield in the Southern Slope of the Greater Caucasus (Azerbaijan)

The data on the effect of B-Forge micronutrient fertilizer on the Zea maysyield on the southern slope of the Greater Caucasus in Azerbaijan are presented, and the geological-geomorphological and soil-climatic characteristics of the Sheki-Zakatala zone of the Greater Caucasus are given. The effect of B-Forge micronutrient fertilizer on the development and growth of plants is considered.

Effects of micronutrient fertilization on soil carbon pools and microbial community functioning

Fertilization with macronutrients, e.g., nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), has wide-ranging and well-characterized effects on terrestrial ecosystem functions. In contrast, influences of other elements, e.g., sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), and potassium (K), hereafter, ‘micronutrients’, are poorly understood. To determine effects of macronutrients, micronutrients, and their interactions on soil carbon (C) cycling, we conducted a full factorial experiment where treatments consisted of fertilizing experimental plots with Na, Ca, and K (each manipulated individually) and macronutrients (N + P added together). Each year of the experiment we measured aboveground plant biomass and sampled soils to quantify mineralizable C pools and active microbial biomass. To further explore micronutrient effects on microbial-mediated soil C cycling, in the final year of the experiment we assessed microbial C cycle functions using a catabolic profiling technique and quantified multiple additional soil C pools: particulate (POM-C), mineral-associated (MAOM-C), and total (TC). Macronutrients (N + P) affected nearly all measured variables – when N + P was added, active microbial biomass increased, catabolic profiles were altered, and mineralizable C, POM-C, and TC pools all increased. Micronutrients also had effects on soil C cycling that were generally smaller than effects of macronutrients – Ca addition reduced mineralizable C pools relative to the other treatments and K addition increased POM-C and TC pools. Further, Ca + K addition altered microbial catabolic profiles, but only when N + P was also added. Our study reveals several influences of micronutrients on soil C cycling – specifically, that Ca and K may influence the size of soil C pools by influencing the C cycle functions of soil microbial communities.

Biomass-based micronutrient fertilizers and biofortification of raspberries fruits

The increasing amount of bio-waste creates the need to develop a method for efficient management based on processes that are more environmentally friendly than incineration and composting. This research aimed to utilize the waste of raspberry seeds after supercritical CO2 extraction. The biomass was enriched with micronutrients by the biosorption process to prepare micronutrient fertilizers for organic farming and biofortification of raspberries fruits. It was observed that at 100% dose of micronutrients, raspberry crop yield increased by 3%, and transfer of micronutrients to fruit biomass increased by 4.7%, 6.4%, and 8.8% (Cu, Mn, Zn, respectively) compared to commercial fertilizer. The supply of micronutrients at a dose of 150% led to a significant increase in micronutrient content of 3%, 41%, and 8% (Cu, Mn, and Zn, respectively) compared to commercial fertilizer. Research shows that the application of higher doses of micronutrients leads to the enrichment of edible parts of fruits, and fertilizers ensure environmental safety. The fruits contained on average 11.5% more microelements compared to the groups fertilized with the commercial product. The fruit yield (9.09–10.4 Mg per hectare) and the sugar content (9.82–10.2%) were also the highest. The micronutrients released from fertilizers and available to plants throughout the vegetation period affect the increase in yield, especially in the case of plants fruiting several times a year.

IMPACT OF FERTILISER APPLICATION ON BASAL STEM ROT AND LOWER FROND DESICCATION IN OIL PALMS ESTABLISHED IN PEAT SOIL

For oil palms established in deep peat soils in the Labuhan Batu district, North Sumatra, Ganoderma basal stem rot (BSR) and lower frond desiccation (LFD) are the two main maladies that have a serious impact on their long-term sustainability. Past experiences have shown that solitary control measures are unlikely to be successful in managing these two maladies and a number of integrated control strategies would be a prerequisite for their management. As nutrition is an important factor influencing fungal disease infection in many crops, nutrient manipulation can be considered as a vital component of any integrated disease management (IDM) system. This paper summarises the impact of fertiliser application on the level of BSR and LFD infection in five fertiliser trials, established in the affected areas from 1996-2021. In both trials established on first and second generation oil palms, application of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) elicited a significant and linear increase in BSR infection levels, the higher the dosage, the higher the BSR incidence. In contrast, potassium (K) inputs had the reverse effect and significantly reduced BSR infection in the first trial but not in the second. A significant negative additive interaction between N x P and P x K was also observed in both trials. Increasing the rates of N together with P or P with K, increased BSR infection, with the highest infection levels being recorded at the highest N2P2 and P2K2 rates evaluated. Unlike macronutrients, application of boron (B), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) micronutrient fertilisers did not have any significant impact on BSR incidence. A similar trend was recorded on LFD incidence in both immature and mature second generation oil palms. Application of N and P also elicited a significant and linear increase in LFD and a strong negative and additive interaction effect between N x P and P x K was also observed. As for BSR, impact of K fertiliser was inconsistent, producing no positive or negative effects in immature palms and only significantly reducing LFD levels in two out of the 6 years of evaluation in mature oil palms. Likewise, application of B, Cu and Zn micronutrient fertilisers also had no impact on LFD incidence. Although peat is reported to be low in silica, application of silica fertilisers, even up to a dosage of 6 kg per palm per year produced no positive benefits. The relationship between nutrients and BSR/LFD infection and the physiological and biochemical mechanisms involved, remains unclear. However, it is interesting to note, that in all three NPK trials, the lowest infection rates were consistently recorded in the zero fertiliser plots. A possible hypothesis is that long-term application and concentration of N and P fertilisers in the weeded palm circles (WPC) could have had a negative impact on beneficial soil microbes inhabiting the root rhizosphere and associated with oil palm root protection or inducing systemic resistance in the oil palm. However, more detailed studies are required to ascertain the complex relationship between nutrients, soil microbes and disease infection. Keywords: Basal stem rot, fertilisers, lower frond desiccation, oil palm, peat.

Bioavailability, Speciation, and Crop Responses to Copper, Zinc, and Boron Fertilization in South-Central Saskatchewan Soil

An appropriate fertilization strategy is essential for improving micronutrient supply, crop nutrition, yield and quality. Comparative effects of different application strategies of micronutrient fertilizer were evaluated in two contrasting sites/soils (upper slope Chernozem and lower slope Solonetz) within a farm field located in the Brown soil zone of Saskatchewan, Canada. The study objective was to examine the impact of Cu, Zn, and B fertilizer application strategies on their mobility, bioavailability and fate in the soil as well as crop yield responses. The application strategies were broadcast, broadcast and incorporation, seed row banding, and foliar application of Cu, Zn, and B on wheat, pea, and canola, respectively. The study was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four treatment replicates for a specific crop and site. Crop biomass yields were not significantly influenced by micronutrient placement strategies at both sites. Pea tissue Zn concentration (35.2 mg Zn kg−1 grain and 5.15 mg Zn kg−1 straw) was increased by broadcast and incorporation of Zn sulfate on the Solonetz soil. Residual levels of soil extractable available Cu were increased significantly to 3.18 mg Cu kg−1 soil at Chernozem and 2.53 mg Cu kg−1 soil Solonetz site with the seed row banding of Cu sulfate. The PRS™-probe supply of Cu (1.84 µm Cu/cm2) and Zn (1.18 µm Zn/cm2) were significantly higher with broadcast application of corresponding micronutrient fertilizer in the Chernozem soil. Both the chemical and spectroscopic speciation revealed that carbonate associated Cu and Zn were dominant species that are likely to control the bioavailability of these micronutrients under field conditions.

Biochar-graphene oxide composite is efficient to adsorb and deliver copper and zinc in tropical soil

Highly weathered soils have low micronutrient availability and very low efficiency for most soluble fertilizers . In this article the effect of poultry litter biochar-graphene oxide composite (PLB-GO) as a novel adsorbent for copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) was evaluated, as well as its fertilizing effects on plant growth, nutrient use efficiency and soil fertility . In order to do so, poultry litter biochar (PLB) and PLB-GO were produced, characterized and evaluated by isotherm adsorption and kinetics studies regarding their Cu and Zn sorption and desorption properties. Cu and Zn loaded on PLB and PLB-GO as biochar-based fertilizers (BBF) were also evaluated. PLB-GO showed 16.2% and 17.7% higher Cu and Zn adsorption capacity , respectively, than pristine PLB, and in both cases <0.5% of the sorbed metal content was released in water. Plant effects on growth and nutrient uptake were, in general, higher or similar to the results obtained for sulfates . The application of PLB increased Cu availability while PLB-GO increased Zn availability after cultivation, even after increasing nutrient uptake and being little soluble in water. Addition of small amounts (≤0.5%) of GO in biochar has potential to increase its properties to retain micronutrients and enhance the fertilizer use effectiveness in highly weathered soils. • Biochar enrichment with graphene oxide increased metals adsorption from 16.2% to 17.7%. • Copper and zinc adsorbed by graphene oxide-biochar showed low water solubility (<0.5%). • Biochar-based micronutrient fertilizer increased grain production from 8% to 17%. • Biochar-based micronutrient fertilizer showed enhanced efficiency in highly weathered soil.

(Invited) Recycling and Upcycling Electrode Materials from Spent Lithium-Ion and Alkaline Batteries

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and alkaline batteries have been widely used in electric vehicles and portable electronics, dominating the energy storage market for decades,[1] but their recycling/upcycling has lagged far behind. Re/up-cycling batteries is urgently needed because it can not only preserve raw materials such as Li, Co, Ni, Mn, Al, and Cu for LIBs as well as Zn, Mn, Fe for alkaline batteries but also reduce hazardous wastes towards the environment.[2] Despite previous efforts made on re/up-cycling LIBs and alkaline batteries, there remains an urgent demand for simple, economic, environmentally benign, and energy-saving approaches.For LIB recycling, the dominated recycling methods including pyrometallurgy and hydrometallurgy are destructive and criticized of high energy consumption, undesirable economic outputs, and water contamination. By contrast, non-destructive methods such as solid-state sintering[3] and hydrothermal treatment coupled with short annealing (HT-SA) [4-5]are more promising. However, these emerged direct recycling approaches are deficient at regenerating outdated cathode materials to meet current market need. As such, upcycling (i.e., upgraded regeneration of cathodes) through surface engineering (coating[6] and doping[7-9]) or bulk reconstruction[10] has been developed. In our work, we demonstrate one upcycling approach to regenerate LiCoO2 cathode through an improved HT-SA approach in which a coating layer is prepared accompanied with the regeneration process. The upcycled cathode material shows improved electrochemical performance surpassing the pristine electrode materials.For alkaline battery recycling, the major recycling still focuses on hydrometallurgy and pyrometallurgy. Hydrometallurgical processes generally follow different steps of pre-treatment and subsequent leaching and separation of different metals by electrolysis, extraction or precipitation.[11] Another approach for treating spent alkaline battery materials is upcycling towards other applications such as supercapacitors,[12] catalysis[13], micronutrient fertilizer,[14] Mn alloy fabrication.[14] In our work, for the first time, we directly upcycle both zinc anode and Mn-based cathode for their use in rechargeable Zn-MnO2 batteries by a simple yet efficient annealing procedure. Zn was regenerated in a reductive atmosphere and the regenerated Zn shows high Coulombic efficiency and long life in symmetric cells while the regenerated Mn-based cathode shows superior performance than fresh MnO2 with regards to capacity, rate, and life. Under optimized N/P ratio, the regenerated Zn and MnO2 was paired to make rechargeable Zn-MnO2 batteries delivering excellent performance, comparable or even superior to state-of-the-art Zn-MnO2 batteries. Reference [1] Li, M.; Lu, J.; Chen, Z.; Amine, K.Advanced Materials 2018, 30, 1800561.[2] Rarotra, S.; Sahu, S.; Kumar, P.; Kim, K.-H.; Tsang, Y. F.; Kumar, V.; Kumar, P.; Srinivasan, M.; Veksha, A.; Lisak, G. ChemistrySelect 2020, 5, 6182.[3] Fan, M.; Chang, X.; Guo, Y.-J.; Chen, W.-P.; Yin, Y.-X.; Yang, X.; Meng, Q.; Wan, L.-J.; Guo, Y.-G., Energy Environ. Sci. 2021, 14 (3), 1461-1468.[4] Xu, P.; Dai, Q.; Gao, H.; Liu, H.; Zhang, M.; Li, M.; Chen, Y.; An, K.; Meng, Y. S.; Liu, P.; Li, Y.; Spangenberger, J. S.; Gaines, L.; Lu, J.; Chen, Z., Joule 2020, 4 (12), 2609-2626.[5] Shi, Y.; Chen, G.; Liu, F.; Yue, X.; Chen, Z., ACS Energy Lett. 2018, 3 (7), 1683-1692.[6] Meng, X.; Cao, H.; Hao, J.; Ning, P.; Xu, G.; Sun, Z., ACS Sustain. Chem. Eng. 2018, 6 (5), 5797-5805.[7] Wu, J.; Lin, J.; Fan, E.; Chen, R.; Wu, F.; Li, L., ACS Appl. Energy Mater. 2021, 4 (3), 2607-2615.[8] Fan, X.; Tan, C.; Li, Y.; Chen, Z.; Li, Y.; Huang, Y.; Pan, Q.; Zheng, F.; Wang, H.; Li, Q. J. Hazard. Mater. 2021, 410, 124610.[9] Xu, B.; Dong, P.; Duan, J.; Wang, D.; Huang, X.; Zhang, Y., Ceram. Int. 2019, 45 (9), 11792-11801.[10] Gaines, L.; Dai, Q.; Vaughey, J. T.; Gillard, S. Recycling 2021, 6 (2).[11] Ferella, F.; De Michelis, I.; Vegliò, F. Journal of Power Sources 2008, 183, 805.[12] Farzana, R.; Hassan, K.; Sahajwalla, V.Scientific Reports 2019, 9, 8982.[13] Gallegos, M. V.; Falco, L. R.; Peluso, M. A.; Sambeth, J. E.; Thomas, H. J.Waste Management 2013, 33, 1483.[14] Hu, X.; Robles, A.; Vikström, T.; Väänänen, P.; Zackrisson, M.; Ye, G., Journal of Hazardous Materials 2021, 411, 124928.

Foliar fertilization of micronutrients on the performance of zucchini squash (Cucurbita pepo) under the Old Meghna Estuarine Floodplain of Bangladesh

Zucchini squash is a popular vegetable linked to many health benefits. Micronutrients although used in a small quantity, play a significant role for optimal plant growth and development however, little is known about foliar feedings of micronutrients on this crop. Therefore, the current research was conducted during 2020 to evaluate foliar micronutrient treatments viz., boron (B), zinc (Zn), silicon (Si), chlorine (Cl), and their combination on growth and yield-related attributes of ‘zucchini squash cv. Surma F:‘. The 12 micronutrient treatments were untreated control, 0.2% boron, 0.2% ZnSO4, 0.2% SiO2, 0.2% NaCl, 0.2% boron + 0.2% ZnSO4, 0.2% boron + 0.2% SiO2, 0.2% boron + 0.2% NaCl, 0.2% ZnSO4 + 0.2% SiO2, 0.2% ZnSO4 + 0.2% NaCl, 0.2% SiO2 + 0.2% NaCl, and mixture of 0.2% boron + 0.2% ZnSO4 + 0.2% SiO2 + 0.2% NaCl. Eight out of 16 parameters viz., stem length (38.94 cm), stem diameter (3 cm), number of leaves (25.64), length of the largest leaf (30.24 cm), length of plant canopy (133.65 cm), number of marketable fruits (6.54), yield plot−1 (18.76 kg) and total yield ha−1 (46.89 tons) was meaningfully influenced with the foliar spray of the treatments whereas the combination of 0.2% boron and 0.2% ZnSO4 was found to relatively be better regarding growth and yield-related attributes of zucchini squash. The results suggest that foliar spray of micronutrients might play significant role in zucchini production.