Mixture Of Peat Research Articles

Use of Biochar-peat Mixture to Reduce Odour from Animal Farms

Abstract. Odour from agriculture causes local nuisance to the neighborhood. Litter and cover materials can be used in animal housing and in storage of manure to reduce the odour problem. The use of biochar as a covering for animal manures is a new innovation and enhances the possibility to minimize the emissions from animal farms. (Research purpose) To study the possibility of using a mixture of biochar and peat as a manure covering, in order to reduce the intensity of odor on livestock farms. (Materials and methods) The potential of a mixture of biochar and peat for the odour control was tested in a laboratory study. A 10 cm layer of fresh mink manure was placed on the bottom of a 5 liter test bucket and the manure was covered with biochar-peat mixture (mixed in 50/50 ratio by volume) using five different covering thicknesses. Uncovered manure was used as a reference. The odour emission was measured with an olfactometric method that is based on odour sensation of a person. Also the character of the odour was described. (Results and discussion) The results show that a biochar-peat covering of at least 3 cm is able to considerably reduce the odour from the manure. The character of the odour was at first peat-like for all covered buckets but with thin coverings it was changed to more manure-like after 2 days. The odour from buckets with thicker covers remained peat-like during the whole testing period. (Conclusion) It is recommended to apply a biochar-peat covering to neutralize ammonia and the unpleasant manure odour on livestock farms. The author has shown that the frequency of use and the thickness of a covering layer depend on the ambient temperature; therefore, it is not necessary to cover manure in winter.

The effect of rooting media and growth regulator concentrations on trema (Trema orientalis) rooting cuttings

Abstract. Danu, Pramono AA, Siregar N. 2018. The effect of rooting media and growth regulator concentrations on trema (Trema orientalis) rooting cuttings. Pros Sem Nas Masy Biodiv Indon 5: 299-302. Trema orientalis L. has the potential to be developed as a biomass-based renewable energy source. One of the factors that support the success of the development of the trema forest is the use of quality seeds, which include seedlings from vegetative propagation. This research was aimed at obtaining the optimal root media and growth regulator concentrations for rooting of shoot cuttings. The cuttings were obtained from 12-month-old seedlings. The study used factorial randomized complete design (RCD) with two factors, namely rooting media (sand, mixture of coco peat and rice husk, and mixture of organic compost and rice husk), and naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) growth regulator with a concentration of 0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 and 300 ppm. The difference in types of media, the concentration of growth regulators, and their interactions had a significant effect on the rooted cutting percentages, shoot length, shoot dry weight, root dry weight, and shoot root ratio. Media and growth regulators had no significant effect on root length. The number of roots was influenced by the differences in media. The use of sand as a medium with the addition of 300 ppm NAA produced the best percentage of rooted cuttings.

Effect of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus and humic acid application on the growth of Parkinsonia aculeata L. seedlings

The study is aimed at investigating the influence of mycorrhizal fungus and humic acid (HA) on the growthof Parkinsonia aculeata L. seedlings. The experiments were carried out during the period from July, 1st, 2017to March, 1st 2018. The inoculation with mycorrhiza was applied to the seedlings at age of 2 months. Twotypes of soils were used in this study as follows: a) a mixture of sand, peat and perlite at the ratio of 1:1:1, byvolume, and b) clayey soil. Humic acid (HA) was applied just after seed sowing at the rate of 1g/L (200 mlpots). The obtained results showed that there were significant differences between the two soil types tested.However, the seedlings grown in clayey soil displayed the highest shoot height (SH) (47.44cm), the highestshoot dry weight (SDW) (2.40g), the highest total dry weight (TDW) (3.59g) and the highest shoot/ root ratio(SRR) (2.26). The inoculation with VAM has brought about the highest SH (34.66cm), SDW (1.76g), TDW(1.76g), P% (1.81) and N% (2.73) in the leaves. However, the highest TDW was obtained in the inoculatedseedlings treated with HA acid and grown on clayey soil (4.498g). The highest P% was obtained in theinoculated seedlings of P. aculeata grown on clayey soil and untreated with HA (3.94 P%). Therefore, it isrecommended to inoculate the seedlings with VAM to achieve the highest growth and performance as animportant nursery practice in afforestation and windbreaks program and in poor soils as well.

Effect of almond shell addition to substrates in Phaseolus vulgaris L. (cv. Saxa) growth, and physiological and biochemical characteristics

PurposeIn the almond industry, the major by-product is the shell, the woody outer layer of the almond fruits. The goal of this research was to study the consequence of the incorporation of almond shell to cultivation substrates on green bean plant grown in a growth chamber.MethodsAlmond shell was mixed with peat (20%:80%) (AS), or used as mulch (AM) on top of the control (C) substrate (33.3%:66.6% vermiculite and peat). Evaluated parameters included green bean pod production and characteristics and their biochemical parameters, namely pigments, total phenolics and antioxidant activity, and soluble sugars and proteins, but also leaf gas exchange parameters.ResultsThe use of almond shell as a mulch resulted in unexpected higher crop growth rate, relative leaf growth rate, and leaf area index, with similar production and dimension of pods, when compared to the control assay, with comparable amounts of phenolic compounds, antioxidant capacity, and soluble sugars and proteins, even if gas exchange parameters were negatively affected. By other hand, the data from the almond shell:peat mixture indicate important increase of carotenoid content, contrasting to the control substrate.ConclusionThese results indicate that almond shell has some potential as growing medium for green bean cultivation, when mixed with peat or used as a mulch.

Kuraklık Stresinin Bazı Domates GenotiplerindeAntioksidatif Enzim ve Besin Elementi Değişimleri Üzerine Etkileri

Along with global warming, serious
 reductions occurred in water resources. The drought stress resulting from
 global warming has greatly affected production. As well as reducing yield and
 quality in production, drought also reduces farmer's income. One of the
 measures to be taken in order to minimize the damage caused by the effect of
 drought stress is to determine the tolerance of the genotypes to drought.
 Accordingly, three hybrids varieties, three standards varieties and three
 landraces of tomatoes were used in the present study. Tomato seeds were sown in
 a 2 liters-pot that contains 1:1 mixture of peat + perlite. After the true
 leaves emerged, the seedlings were irrigated with the Hoagland nutrient
 solution. While irrigation was carried on the control plants until the end of
 the application, irrigation was completely terminated during the seedling
 period in the plants that are exposed to drought. 12 days after the irrigation
 cut in tomato genotypes, the changes in the level of catalase (CAT), superoxide
 dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and magnesium were examined. It was observed that there were significant
 differences in these parameters examined for the determination of tomato
 genotypes that are tolerant and sensitive to drought stress.

Effective and universal tool for evaluating heavy metals—passive dust samplers

The study presents designating, accomplishing, optimizing, and validating a new tool - “passive sampler” (PS) that can be effectively used as a proxy to assess the level of traffic-related pollution. To construct the PS, a drainage pipe filled with a mixture of coarse sand and peat in a volume ratio of 1:1 was used; this was previously verified to exhibit high ability to accumulate pollutants. Magnetic methods supplemented with chemical method evaluating heavy metal content and electron microscopic observations were used to detect the effectiveness of the PS. The PS was validated in Warsaw, Poland, by observing the capacity and trends in the accumulation of traffic-related heavy metals as well as magnetic particles and by comparison of the properties of magnetic fraction of PS filling and street dust collected from the surface of road. A depth decreasing trend in distributions of magnetic susceptibility related to the concentration of magnetic particles and the content of heavy metals confirmed a very strong accumulation of pollution in the surface layer of samplers and their depth-migration. Magnetic fraction of PS filling and street dust revealed similarities in terms of magnetic mineralogy, grain size, domain state, morphology, and chemical composition. The good correlation of concentration of magnetic particles with traffic-related heavy metals indicates their similar transport pathway from road to sampler. Passive sampler is a compact, mobile, low-cost tool that does not require electricity for installation and can be effectively used for the identification of traffic-derived pollution. Moreover, the PS can overcome disadvantages of street dust arising from different geological backgrounds, cleaning of the road surface, runoff of deposited dust, etc., which cause the underestimation of pollution level.

Leaching of heavy metals and barium from forest roads reinforced with fly ash

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of leaching of heavy metals (Cr, As, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, Co, Mo) and earth-alkaline metal, barium (Ba), on the percolation and ditch water quality from the forest roads that contained ash in the road structures. Water quality was studied in the immediate vicinity below the ash layers as well as deeper in the road structure. Water quality was also determined in the drainage water in ditches that crossed the forest roads. A mixture of wood and peat based fly ash was used in the road structures. The treatments were: 1) no ash, 2) a 15 cm layer of ash/gravel mixture, 3) a 20 cm layer of ash/gravel mixture, 4) a 25 cm layer of ash, and 5) a 50 cm layer of ash. Large variation in the concentrations of Cr, As, Cu, Ni, Pb, Mo and Ba in the percolation water, even within the same treatment, caused difficulties to generalize the results. The concentrations of Cr, As, Ni, Pb, Mo and Ba in water samples were high in some treatment plot lysimeters containing ash compared to the control (no ash). On the other hand, many lysimeters had low and similar concentrations in water samples in the treatment plots containing ash compared to concentrations in the control plots. The ash in the roads did not affect the concentrations in the ditches. The leaching is uneven and seems to take place only from some parts of the ash layer. Risk for leaching is minimal if such parts are not widely spread.

Enhanced solar still productivity using transparent walls with an integral trough and organic porous absorber material

ABSTRACTThis experimental work has been conducted to compare the performance of the modified stills with that of the conventional still. Three modified stills (S1, S2, and S3) and conventional still (S4) were fabricated, each with 0.5 m2 of the basin area. S1 and S3 had transparent double glass walls with air in between acting as insulation, whereas S2 has a single transparent wall. S4 has insulated plywood walls painted black from inside. A mixture of coco peat and charcoal was used in S1, S2, and S3, whereas there was no basin material for S4. Experiments were conducted by changing the water quantity in the solar still ranging from 5 to 10 kg. Maximum distillate output of 5.46 l/m2-d was obtained for S2, whereas it was 3.80 l/m2-d for S4 for an average solar radiation intensity of 675 W/m2 (24.3 MJ/m2-d). Use of transparent walls with troughs to collect condensate increased the condenser area by 78.4%. The distillate water cost per liter was estimated as Rs. 0.86 (0.013 US$) and Rs. 1.61 (0.025 US$) for S2 and S4, respectively. Energy payback time for S2 was estimated as 4 months. Theoretical and experimental values showed that there is a significant loss of incoming solar radiation due to wall shadow.

Закріплення гетерозису серед нащадків у Arabidopsis Thaliana (L.) Heynh. та інших самозапильних рослин

An important task of plant breeding is to develop methods of fixing heterosis in the second and subsequent generations. In many cross-pollination crops, in particular sunflower, corn, have to lead complex seed production. For self-pollinating plants of wheat, barley, oats, the use of the effect of heterosis is limited to a low percentage of tying of grains, a weak seed multiplication factor. The solution of the problem of preserving heterosis in plants in a number of generations would make it possible to simplify and reduce the cost of practical use in plant growing. Success in addressing the issue of fixing the effect of heterosis is the use of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. as a model plant. Studies on model objects are always considered to be advanced. They allow us to develop new genetic approaches that can later be used at other sites. The aim of the present study was to study the possibility of the emergence and fixation of heterosis in subsequent generations in self-pollinating plants by crossing the races of Col-O and La-0 Arabidopsis thalian a. The material for research was the plants Arabidopsis thaliana ecotype (race) Columbia (Col-O) and Landsberg (La-0). The plants were grown in a soil culture laboratory in a mixture of soil, sand and peat in a ratio of 4: 2: 1. Castration and forced hybridization were carried out under a microscope. Genetic analysis of plant inheritance was carried out in F1, F2. When crossing plants of different races, Col-0 and La-0, hybrids of the first generation showed somatic heterosis, which manifested itself in a more powerful development of the rosette of leaves compared to the original forms. In the second generation there was a process of splitting hybrids, and their superiority in diameter of the rosette of leaves over the parental forms was reduced. This is due to a decrease in the heterozygosity of plants in the F2 generation. In the cross examined, a stronger development of the diameter of the rosette of leaves is associated with the action of two pairs of polymer genes. To repeat the heterosis in self-pollinating plants in subsequent generations, without resorting to complex seed production and a system of recurrent, stepwise crossings, it is possible with the help of an analyzing crossing when crossing a dominant homozygote with a recessive homozygous of F 2 hybrids (AABB × aab → AB). Through the fact that the maternal form was the dominant homozygote, the phenotype does not split. In this case, in self-pollinating plants, it is possible to fix heterosis in subsequent generations when selecting such genotypes in F 2 with an extreme degree of expression of sign. In order to identify these genotypes in F 2 plants, it is possible, using the halves method, to conduct analyzing crosses with a recessive homozygote on the basis of heterosis. The use of analyzing crosses and the halves method with single individual selection in self-pollinating plants makes it possible to speed up the selection process by shortening the time for multiple inspection by progeny of selected individual plants, related to the phenomenon of splitting in generations of selected elite forms. In the case of a polymer in self-pollinators in the second generation, a transgression phenomenon is often observed. Transgressive variability, which usually appears in hybrids of the second generation, can be considered one of the forms of heterosis in self-pollinating plants. In this case, F2 plants have stable genotypes (dominant or recessive homozygotes), combining polymeric genes of additive action, causing the extreme manifestation of an economically valuable trait, in the selection of which in the future, it is possible to obtain a new variety whose yield exceeds the parent pairs by 20 -40%. Key words: Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh, heterosis, gene, mutation, race

Morphogenesis of Miscanthus × Giganteus in vitro

Aim. To obtain planting material of Miscanthus × giganteus in a large amount in order to study the peculiari- ties of morphogenesis of isolated meristem culture. Methods. The explants were sterilized using 70 % etha- nol and 0.1 % mercury bichloride, after that, the methods of plant cultivation and reproduction in vitro and statistical processing of the obtained data was performed. Results. The study presents the results of obtaining the regenerate plants from dormant buds of 3-year-old rhizomes of Miscanthus × giganteus. The Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) (0.75 mg/L) and kinetin (1.2 mg/L) was found to be the best for regeneration of microsprouts, providing the maximum value of the regeneration index (95 %) and contributing to the development of the main sprouts and tillering. The obtained sprouts were rooted in Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with half-dose of macro- and micronutrients without growth regulators. In doing so, rooting index made up 95.0–97.0 %. The best substrate for the adaptation of miscan- thus plants in vivo was found to be a mixture of peat, sand, and perlite in a ratio of 2 : 1 : 1, respectively. In this substrate, plant establishment reached 91 %. Conclusions. The peculiarities of morphogenesis in Miscan- thus × giganteus isolated meristem were studied. At the same time, the index of sprouts regeneration varied from 90.0 to 100.0 %. In addition, the development of the main sprout and multiple tillering occurred in 85.0– 100.0 % explant. The highest survivability of micro-plants (91–95 %) was provided in the peat-sand-perlite substrate in a ratio of 2 : 1 : 1.

Effect of irrigation suspension on the growth, water state and production of spinach (Spinacia olerácea L.) plants

Spinach is susceptible to drought conditions, and, because of climate change, it is necessary to optimize water application to crops. Therefore, a test was carried out in a completely randomized design (CRD) with four treatments consisting of the following irrigation suspension durations: T1: 0 d, T2: 4 d, T3: 7 d and T4: 10, with six replicates for a total of 24 experiment units (EU). Each EU consisted of 6 plants, for a total of 120 plants that were transplanted to 2 L pots with a mixture of peat and soil (2:1). The upper part of the substrate was maintained with a higher moisture content in the treatment without irrigation suspension and in the one with irrigation suspended for 4 d. An inversely proportional relationship was observed between the moisture content and the leaf water potential. The treatment without irrigation suspension recorded the highest leaf water potential value during the measurement period. There were no significant differences between the chlorophyll content in the SPAD units or for the leaf area, stomatal conductance and dry mass. The fresh mass presented significant differences and had the highest value in the treatment without suspension of irrigation.

Objectives and conditions for protection of unique peatlands in the south of Western Siberia in connection with issues of conservation and use of unique reed mire in suburbs of Tomsk

The article covers the issues of protection of the wetlands located in different natural and economic conditions of Western Siberia. The main focus is on preservation and wise use of the peatlands in the southern part of the West Siberian Plain, which was greatly altered and transformed during the long-term economic development. The field research was conducted in the southern suburbs of Tomsk. A unique peatland, which is an object of a special protection effort, is described in this work. The peatland develops in the conditions of a rich groundwater feed. The peatland deposits are a mixture of peat and travertine. The extension area and the maximum thickness of organo-mineral deposits were determined. The composition of the peat deposits waters and feeding springs was studied. The specific properties of the surface waters formed under the influence of the wedging-out underground waters of the Paleozoic horizons were considered. The flora and vegetation of the study area were analyzed. A list of rare and endangered plant species was compiled. The ecological and social value of the investigated territory was substantiated. As a result we defined pertinent measures needed to protect the natural landscape and to use wisely its resources.

In vitro propagation of Silene bolanthoides Quézel, Contandr. & Pamukç. and assessment of genetic stability by flow cytometry

Silene bolanthoides Quezel, Contandr. & Pamukc. is an endemic species from Kazdagi (Mt. Ida), Canakkale-Balikesir, Turkey. In order to develop an efficient shoot regeneration protocol, the leaf, nodal and internodal explants of S. bolanthoides were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing benzyladenine (BA) alone or in combination with α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). The highest number of regenerated shoots (5.75±0.1) was obtained from nodal explants that were cultured on MS medium with 8.8 µM BA+0.54 µM NAA. Regenerated shoots were rooted on MS medium without plant growth regulators (PGRs). Rooted plants (2-3 cm) were separately transferred to pots containing a mixture of peat and perlite (3:1 v/v) and acclimatized successfully in a growth chamber. Genetic stability of the propagated plants was assessed by flow cytometry and cytological analysis. Flow cytometry analysis demonstrated that regenerated plants had 2.61±0.01 pg nuclear DNA (2C) and seed-derived plants had on average 2.58±0.02 pg/2C. Cytological analysis showed that the regenerated plants had the same chromosome number as seed-derived plants of S. bolanthoides (2n=24). It was determined that regenerated plants were uniform in chromosome number and had a similar DNA content to the seed-derived ones, indicating that the described efficient shoot regeneration protocol can be applied for ex situ conservation of this species. https://doi.org/10.2298/ABS170410033C Received: April 10, 2017; Revised: August 9, 2017; Accepted: August 16, 2017; Published online: September 12, 2017 How to cite this article: Corduk N, Yucel G, Akinci N, Tuna M, Esen O. In vitro propagation of Silene bolanthoides Quezel, Contandr. & Pamukc. and assessment of genetic stability by flow cytometry. Arch Biol Sci. 2018;70(1):141-8.

Analysis of leachate from solidified peat soil

Peat soil is very compressible where this characteristic is lead to an excessive settlement. Solidification of peat soil is a method to improve engineering properties of peat soil. Currently, solidification of peat soil is increasing, wherefore it is a critical need to study the environmental effects from solidified peat soil leachate due to solidification peat mixtures usually used materials of generation wastes from coal-fired electric power. The effect of leachate from solidified peat to the environment is one of the most important criteria that should be investigated. This study aims to investigate the environmental impacts of leachate from solidified peat affected by rainwater. In this study, solidification of hemic peat soil was done by mixing hemic peat soil with ordinary Portland cement (OPC), fly ash (FA) and bottom ash (BA). Leachate is the liquid that has percolated through a soil column outlets. Therefore, this study was to analysis the leachate from solidified hemic peat when it is saturated by rainwater in two different conditions, which are a dry and wet season by using physical model (soil column). The leachate samples were analyzed by using Ionic Chromatography (IC) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (IC-MS). The anions concentration of leachate from solidified peat has increased for Cl-SO42-in wet condition as result rainwater inflow was increased during the wet condition, and the chemical composition of rainwater contains Cl-and SO42-. The concentration of cations on the leachate from solidified peat has increased at Fe+2 and Al+3 in wet condition, which proven solidified peat has an effect on the leachate In comparison with leachate of non-solidified peat. The concentration of anions for Cl-and SO42-the leachate still consider in the normal range of groundwater concentration that classified as freshwater, but in case FA, BA, and OPC are used excessively in the mixture for solidifying peat in a wetland, leachate from solidified peat will effect on elements concentration of groundwater and land properties.

Growth and Yield Response of Bambara Groundnuts (Vigna subterranea L ) to the Mixed of Peat and Mineral Soil with Several Dosage of Dolomite

Bambara groundnut (Bogor groundnut) was an alternative food crops having high nourishing, better taste and bigger size nut than the soy beans and peanuts. To meet the need for food and industrial needs, the program to increase production of Bogor groundnut was required, one of which is the use of peat as a growing medium using the technology of mixing peat and mineral soil. The research objective was to obtain a mixture of peat with mineral soil and dolomite lime dose suitable for the highest growth and yield of Bogor groundnut. This study was conducted in May 2015-September 2015 in the Greenhouses of Faculty of Agriculture, University of Bengkulu. The experiment was arranged in a completely randomized design (CRD) with two treatment factors and three replications. The first factor was soil mix of peat and mineral soil (G0: 100% peat + 0% mineral soil; G1: 75% peat + 25% mineral soil; G2: 50% peat + 50% mineral soil; G3: 25% peat + 75% mineral soil) and the second factor was the dose of dolomite (D0: without lime dolomite; D1: 3 ton ha-1 and D2: 4 ton ha-1). The results showed that the response of biomass dry-weight to a mixture of peat with mineral soil was influenced by the dose of dolomite, but there was no interaction on other variables. Treatment of a mixture of peat 100% alone was capable of generating the highest number of leaf, biomass fresh- and dry-weight. Bogor groundnut plants showed the same response to the dose variation of dolomite lime.Keywords: Bogor groundnut, peat, mineral, dolomite

First Report of Sunflower Broomrape, Orobanche cumana Wallr., in Morocco

Sunflower broomrape (Orobanche cumana Wallr.) is a chlorophyll-lacking and holoparasitic plant that parasitizes a limited range of hosts. In the wild, it parasitizes on a few species of the Asteraceae, whereas in agricultural fields, it is exclusively found growing on sunflower (Fernandez-Martinez et al. 2015). Sunflower broomrape is a serious threat for sunflower production in Europe and Asia (Shi et al. 2015). In northern Africa, this parasitic weed was first identified in Tunisia in 2010 (Amri et al. 2012). It was not until 2016 that sunflower broomrape was observed for the first time in Morocco, when some sunflower fields were heavily infested with this parasite in the area of Souk Al Arbaa (34°41′N, 5°59′W, 37 m above sea level), in the province of Kenitra. The degree of virulence varied from 0 to 20 shoots per sunflower plant, and seed yield losses reached more than 80%, according to farmers’ statements and our own estimations. Sunflower broomrape populations are classified into physiological races, named A through H in the literature. Races F, G, and H are the most commonly reported in several countries (Martin-Sanz et al. 2016). However, no differential lines are currently available to differentiate between races G and H. Therefore, a nomenclature has been proposed to name populations overcoming race F resistance as race G with an indication of the region of collection (Martin-Sanz et al. 2016). To identify the race of sunflower broomrape population collected in Souk Al Arbaa, eight differential sunflower lines were used, from line B117, having no resistant genes, to line DEB2, resistant to all race G populations evaluated thus far. Evaluation of the virulence of the broomrape population against these lines was conducted under growth chamber conditions at 25/20°C (day/night) with a 16-h photoperiod and photon flux density of 300 µmol/m²·s. Twenty plants of each differential line were evaluated in multipot tray with a pot volume of 40 cm³. Pots were filled with a soil mixture of sand and peat (1:1 by volume) inoculated with broomrape seeds at a concentration of 0.28 mg per gram of soil. Sunflower seeds were germinated in moistened filter paper and then planted in the pots. Evaluation of parasitization symptoms was done after 8 weeks by uprooting the plants and counting the number of nodules in the roots of each sunflower plant. All differential lines resistant to races B to F were parasitized by the sunflower broomrape population, and only line DEB2 was completely resistant, which indicated that the Moroccan population should be classified as a race G. Because the evaluation included line P96, which is resistant to the race G populations of the Guadalquivir Valley in Southern Spain (Martin-Sanz et al. 2016), which is the closest infested area, it can be discarded that the Moroccan broomrape population originated from that area. Following the recently proposed nomenclature, the name of the Souk Al Arbaa (Province of Kenitra) population is proposed as race GKE. This is the first report of O. cumana on sunflower in Morocco. Urgent measures must be taken to manage this population of broomrape and protect sunflower cultivation in Morocco.

Effects of conifer wood biochar as a substrate component on ornamental performance, photosynthetic activity, and mineral composition of potted Rosa rugosa

ABSTRACTA greenhouse experiment was conducted to assess the performance of biochar obtained from pyrolysis of conifer wood as a substrate component for growing potted Rosa rugosa plants. Rose plants were grown with different mixtures of sphagnum peat and biochar (100% peat, 75% peat–25% biochar, 50% peat–50% biochar, 25% peat–75% biochar; v:v). Increasing the biochar content from 25% to 75% increased the air content, bulk density, electrical conductivity, and K and Na concentration in the substrates. The addition of 25% biochar to the substrate showed promising potential for R. rugosa when compared with 100% peat given the similar growth performance, water-use efficiency, and ornamental quality (number of flowers and leaf colour). The Ca and Na concentrations in leaves and roots as well as the Mg content in roots increased as the biochar percentage in the substrate increased, whereas an opposite trend was observed for P and K concentrations. The best performance and ornamental quality of R. rugosa grown with 100% peat and 75% peat–25% biochar compared with 50 and 75% biochar treatments were attributed to a higher degree of photosynthesis, Soil Plant Analysis Development index, and pigment content. Overall, adding 25% of conifer wood biochar as a substrate component could be applied for economic purposes without detrimental effects on the yield and quality of potted roses.

Kuraklık Stresinin Bazı Yerli ve Ticari Domates Çeşitlerinde Bitki Gelişimi Üzerine Etkileri

One of the important factors that adversely affect tomato production is drought. As well as reducing yield and quality of tomato production, drought also reduces farmer's income. One of the most important ways of alleviating its adverse effects is to determine the varieties that are tolerant to drought. For this reason, our study aimed to determine the tolerance of the varieties to drought. Accordingly, three hybrids varieties, three standards varieties and three landraces were used in the study. Tomato seeds were planted in a 2 litres-pot that contains 1:1 mixture of peat + perlite. After the cotyledon leaves busted out, the plant was irrigated with the Hoagland nutrient solution. While irrigation was carried on the control plants until the end of the application, irrigation was suddenly halted during the seedling period in the plants that are exposed to drought. After 12 days, plant fresh and dry weights, growth rates, leaf numbers, stem diameters, plant weights, 0-5 scale values, membrane damage indices and leaf proportional water contents were investigated. It was observed that there were significant differences in these parameters examined for the determination of tomato varieties that are tolerant and sensitive to drought stress.

Exposure of refractory materials during high-temperature gasification of a woody biomass and peat mixture

Finding resilient refractory materials for slagging gasification systems have the potential to reduce costs and improve the overall plant availability by extending the service life. In this study, different refractory materials were evaluated under slagging gasification conditions. Refractory probes were continuously exposed for up to 27h in an atmospheric, oxygen blown, entrained flow gasifier fired with a mixture of bark and peat powder. Slag infiltration depth and microstructure were studied using SEM EDS. Crystalline phases were identified with powder XRD. Increased levels of Al, originating from refractory materials, were seen in all slags. The fused cast materials were least affected, even though dissolution and slag penetration could still be observed. Thermodynamic equilibrium calculations were done for mixtures of refractory and slag, from which phase assemblages were predicted and viscosities for the liquid parts were estimated.

Hydrochars from Biosolids and Urban Wastes as Substitute Materials for Peat

AbstractPeat is the most widely used substrate component and extensively used in greenhouse cultivation, landfill cover soils, urban parks and gardens, urban agriculture or green roofs, due to its excellent combination of physicochemical properties. The production of hydrochar by hydrothermal carbonization (a process at lower temperatures than pyrolysis and using wet conditions) could industrially reproduce the initial conditions of biomass humification and lead to materials with similar properties to those of peat. The objective of this work was to compare peat (PT, Control), a hydrochar prepared from biosolids (HSL), a hydrochar prepared from the organic fraction of urban wastes (HUW) and two mixtures (PT + HSL and PT + HUW) at a 50% volume rate for their potential use as substrates with multiple applications. Ryegrass was established at a rate of 40 g seeds cm−2 in the potting mixtures. Hydrophysical and biochemical properties (microbial biomass and the enzymes dehydrogenase, β‐glucosidase and phosphomonoesterase) were analyzed for PT, HSL, HUV and their combination (PT + HSL and PT + HUW). Treatments with biosolids hydrochar increased ryegrass production by 184% (HSL) and by 216% (PT + HSL) dry weight compared to the control (peat). Biochemical properties depended strongly on hydrochar type, while the hydrophysical properties of the hydrochars were similar to those of peat. Overall, our results found hydrochar–peat mixtures (PT + HSL and PT + HUW) to be suitable for the preparation of growing media. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.