Pilot Plots Research Articles

Транслокация тяжёлых металлов в растения из почв вблизи Алавердского горно-металлургического комбината

The levels of heavy metals (HMs) in soil samples and plants grown on experimental plots near the Alaverdi copper smelting enterprise has been studied. The studies were conducted during the period of the enterprise’s operating in incomplete capacity (spring – summer 2022). The wind direction in the region was taken into account. The brown forest soils were taken from the topsoil horizon at a depth of 0–25 cm on the selected pilot plots located within 3; 10; 30 km from the enterprise. Potato, beet, carrot, pepper and eggplant were grown in field plots. The contents of HMs in soil and plant samples were determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy. A comparative series of Cu > Pb > Zn > Co > Mn was established according to the gross HMs content in soil samples from plots close to the enterprise (3 km). In this series of experiments the comparative series of mobile forms of HMs follows the same sequence but with lower values. The mobility of Cu, Pb, Zn and Co in soil samples was on average 15.5%, in the case of Mn – 25.5% (3 km). The highest mobility in soil samples from distant plots (30 km) in the wind-rose direction was detected for Cu, Co, and Mn (14.3% on average), and the mobility of Pb and Zn was 8%. Calculations of bio-ecological and geo-ecological coefficients showed that the studied plants are characterized by individual scenario of metabolic processes, but a common adaptation strategy to the stressor. It has been shown that HMs accumulate more in the reproductive organs of plants than in the vegetative ones. This explains the differences in plant tolerance to chemical elements.

Making technological innovations accessible to agricultural water management: Design of a low-cost wireless sensor network for drip irrigation monitoring in Tunisia

Unsustainable use of water resources and climate change will exacerbate the existing tensions surrounding resources, especially in the Mediterranean context. Despite investments in costly modern equipment, the performance of irrigated agriculture remains below expectations, notably because of the lack of available water data and the limited use of decision support tools. Although a variety of soil moisture sensors are available on the market, they are not widely used by the agricultural community because of their high cost and complexity. Access to information at an unprecedented level, via easily accessible low-cost and low-tech sensors, may be a major lever for improved identification of achievable gains in performance, and to guide actors toward efficient water management. To explore this hypothesis, an open source wireless soil moisture sensor, low-energy and economically and technically accessible, was developed. The tool was designed according to water users’ requirements and applied to a Tunisian irrigation scheme subject to major water use efficiency issues. The functioning of the wireless sensor network was tested on pilot plots over a growing season and compared with commercial sensors. A single parameter calibration can be performed in either the laboratory or the field. This low-cost sensor can be used for real-time irrigation monitoring and as a decision-making tool for water management.

Влияние гербицида Зеро и приемов зяблевой обработки почвы на урожайность и формирование фотосинтетического аппарата сортов льна масличного

Abstract. The purpose of the research was to identify the effect of the Zero herbicide introduced after harvesting the predecessor, the methods of autumn tillage on the productivity, photosynthetic activity of oil flax plants of the varieties VNIIMK 620 and Severnyy. Research Methods. Studies on the tasks were carried out in 2016–2018 in the pilot plots of JSC “Uchkhoz Iyul’skoye Izhevskaya GSKHA” according to generally accepted methods. The previous crop for oil flax in the crop rotation was winter triticale. The experiments were laid on sod-podzolic medium loamy soil. Results. It was revealed that the Zero continuous herbicide introduced after harvesting the precursor contributed to an increase of 0.6 c/ha or 7.0 % in seed yield, relative to the yield in variants without herbicide. The autumn tillage of KN-4, PLN-4-35, BDT-3 soil ensured an increase in the yield of seeds of oil flax varieties VNIIMK 620 and Severnyy 1.8–3.2 c/ha or 23.1–41.0 %, respectively, relative to the similar indicator in options without chaffing tillage. Subsurface autumn tillage of KN-4 soil in terms of seed yield of oil flax varieties VNIIMK 620 (10.8–11.3 c/ha) and Severnyy (10.3‒11.3 c/ha) was not inferior to seed yield (10.7–10.9 c/ha and 10.9–11.3 c/ha, respectively) in the variant with dump processing PLN-4-35. Small tillage BDT-3 reduced seed yield by 1.4‒1.6 c/ha (13‒15 %) in the variety VNIIMK 620 and by 1.4‒1.8 c/ha (12‒16 %) in the variety Northern, in comparison with productivity in options with KN-4 or PLN-4-35. The treatment of the stubble of the precursor with the Zero continuous herbicide contributed to an increase of 0.7 thousand m2/ha of the area of leaves of oil flax varieties in the flowering phase, photosynthetic potential (FP) by 41 thousand m2×day/ha during the growing season, relative to similar parameters in the options no herbicide. The highest AF during the growing season of plants of oil flax varieties was formed in the variants with autumn tillage KN-4 and PLN-4-35, which significantly exceeded the similar indicator by 97–375 thousand m2×day/ha for VNIIMK 620 and 84–423 thousand m2×day/ha for the Severnyy variety in the control variant. Scientific novelty. In the conditions of the Middle Cis-Urals, for the first time, effective techniques for autumn tillage of sod-podzolic medium loamy soil in the technology of cultivating flax varieties of oilseed VNIIMK 620 and Severnyy were revealed. The effect of Zero herbicide, methods of heap, subsurface, small chaffinch tillage on the yield and photo-synthetic activity of oil flax varieties was established.

HYBRID VIGOUR EFFECT IN SORGHUM SELECTION

The authors see application of hybrid vigour in the hybrids obtained on the basis of mother lines with cytoplasmic male sterility as a promising way of sorghum selection. The selection is aimed at increasing sorghum productivity. Hybrid vigour is observed in the first generation of hybrids which was caused by interaction among genes (dominance and epistasis) and additive effect of dominant genes. Its effect is weakened in further generations. The paper explores the effect of heterosis of F1 hybrids obtained on the basis of CMC lines with A1, A2, A3, A4, M-35-1A, 9E types of sterility and productive pollinator varieties which are resistant to biotic and abiotic factors in the region. The experiment was carried out on the pilot plots of Research and Technological Institute of Sorghum and Corn “Rossorgo” in 2015-2016. The area of the plot was7.7 m2; frequency observed was three times; landfill location was random. The density of new hybrids, standards and parental forms was 100 thousand plants pro a hectare. The frequency of pure (superior to the superior parental form), hypothetical (superior to the average value of parental forms) and competitive (excess of the sign of hybrid F1 over the released hybrid) heterosis in terms of: plant height, inflorescence length, grain mass per panicle and 1000 grains, yield. Heterosis was more frequent in terms of plant height, inflorescence length, weight of 1000 grains, and less frequently (mainly in 2016) in terms of yield and weight of grain from a panicle. The authors indicate the prospective combinations of crosses with low effect of competitive heterosis in plant height and the highest yield as: A1 O-Yang 1/Avance, A1 O-Yang 1/Topaz, A3 Feterita 14/Mercury, A4 KP 70/Volzhskoe 4. These hybrids form the grain yield of 4.09-9.15 t/ha (2015-2016) and are characterized by the effect of competitive heterosis in2016 interms of grain yield from 2.1 to 71.4%. Hybrids A1 O-Yang 1/Volzhskoe 4 and A2 KVV 114/Avance differ in competitive heterosis by weight of 1000 grains (51.7-60.0%) and grains from one panicle (5.8-52.9%). The hybrids outlined are expected to be relevant for further tests.

Differentiating forest types using TerraSAR–X spotlight images based on inferential statistics and multivariate analysis

This study investigated the potential of applying statistical analysis tests, for example, two sample Z-test and the Factor Analysis (FA) tool, on the TerraSAR-X backscattering coefficient, for distinguishing between different types of forests and detecting changes in distribution and extent of them. Two sample Z-test is an inferential statistical test that determines whether there is a statistically significant difference between the means in the data from two independent groups. FA is a multivariate analysis that can examine the structure or relationship between variables. Twelve pilot plots for forests of 17 ha were surveyed in a water protection catchment near Hanover, Germany. The forest types were deciduous, coniferous, and mixed. In order to sustain groundwater quality, deciduous trees were planted over a period of several years to gradually replace the coniferous trees in the catchment area. Regular forest observations were required to ensure that the percentages of deciduous and mixed forests in this catchment area were increasing relative to coniferous forests. Fourteen dual-co-polarized TerraSAR-X (HH/VV) images were used to monitor the forests in the period from March 2008 to January 2009. The values of the backscattering coefficient (σ0) for the test plots were statistically analyzed using the two sample Z-test and the Factor Analysis tools.The study showed that Factor analysis tools succeeded in differentiating between the coniferous forest and both the deciduous forest and the mixed forest, but failed to discriminate between the deciduous and the mixed forest. Only one factor was extracted for each sample plot of the coniferous forest with approximately equal loadings during the whole acquisition period from March 2008 to January 2009. However, two factors were extracted for each deciduous or mixed forest sample plot, where one factor had high loadings during the leaf-on period from May to October, and the other one had high loadings during the leaf-off period from November to April. Furthermore, the research revealed that the two sample Z-test differentiated the deciduous and mixed forests from the coniferous forest, and discriminated between deciduous forest and mixed forest. Statistically significant differences were observed between the mean backscatter values of the HH-polarized acquisitions for the deciduous forest and the mixed forest during the leaf-off period from November to April, but no statistically significant difference was found during the leaf-on period from May to October. Moreover, plot samples for the deciduous forest had slightly higher mean backscattering coefficients than those for the mixed forest during the leaf-off period.Applying the Factor Analysis and the two sample Z-test on the backscattering coefficient of multi-temporal TerraSAR-X data facilitates distinction of forest types, tracks changes in forest patterns, and estimates the extent of environmental disasters in forest regions. This accomplishes sustainable forest management, which can play an important role not only in preserving groundwater quality but also in achieving climate change adaptation goals.

Results of Introducing Innovative Thermal Mining Technologies at Yaregskoye Oilfield

Presented in this paper are results of the introduction of a modernized single-horizon system of development with heat-insulated pipes at the inclined block ÐiевеN€Ð½N‹Ð¹ (“North”) Oil Mine № 2 on the Substation Control «SC-2 bis» (ОПУ-2биN) and Substation Control «SC-3 bis» (ОПУ-3биN) pilot plots of Yaregskoye Oilfield. In plots SC-2 bis and SC-3 bis, thermometry is systematically carried on the control wells to determine the temperature distribution in the reservoir, as well as the rational distribution of steam injection in the developed plot. A method for determining the effectiveness of injection wells on pilot plots was developed by staff at Ukhta State Technical University. In line with the method, studies which helped to determine the acceleration of underground injection wells necessary for calculating the volume of steam injection at each pilot plot were carried out. Also, regular sampling of water extracted from wells for determining the presence of chlorides is carried out. Based on the analysis of these samples, wells in which have inflows of reservoir water from the aquifer are detected and develop measures to isolate them are then developed.

Chickpea Genetic Resources Regeneration and Safety Duplication in Georgia

A set of most released 46 chickpea accessions maintained in the collection of the Legume’s Genebank of the Agrarian University of Georgia (AUG) was regenerated using advance growing technology of seed pilling and nano herbicides. For AUG grain legumes are mandatory crops in the frame of country regulations. The level of genetic diversity and the affectivity of new germplasm acquisition for the collection enrichment were evaluated. All of them, safety duplicated 6 years ago, needed regular regeneration for future breeding works, as well as for sending to genebanks of our collaborators and breeder in abroad in accordance with international agreements. A new material was obtained from all the accessions special pilot plots of chickpea. Recently acquired new germplasm contributed all of new entire collection, i.e. almost 100% of collected diversity originated from the recently obtained accessions. Remarkable is also, that all accession carries a unique germination, not present in the remaining collection. Field and lab analysis revealed the importance of collecting missions for the enrichment of collections of genetic resources. They will be used locally and sent to international scientific institutions.

Immobilization of antimony in waste-to-energy bottom ash by addition of calcium and iron containing additives

The leaching of Sb from waste-to-energy (WtE) bottom ash (BA) often exceeds the Dutch limit value of 0.32mgkg−1 for recycling of BA in open construction applications. From the immobilization mechanisms described in the literature, it could be concluded that both Ca and Fe play an important role in the immobilization of Sb in WtE BA. Therefore, Ca and Fe containing compounds were added to the samples of the sand fraction of WtE BA, which in contrast to the granulate fraction is not recyclable to date, and the effect on the Sb leaching was studied by means of batch leaching tests. Results showed that addition of 0.5 and 2.5% CaO, 5% CaCl2, 2.5% Fe2(SO4)3 and 1% FeCl3 decreased the Sb leaching from 0.62±0.02mgkgDM−1 to 0.20±0.02, 0.083±0.044, 0.25±0.01, 0.27±0.002 and 0.29±0.02mgkgDM−1, respectively. Due to the increase in pH from 11.41 to 12.53 when 2.5% CaO was added, Pb and Zn leaching increased and exceeded the respective leaching limits. Addition of 5% CaCO3 had almost no effect on the Sb leaching, as evidenced by the resulting 0.53mgkgDM−1 leaching concentration. This paper shows a complementary enhancement of the effect of Ca and Fe, by comparing the aforementioned Sb leaching results with those of WtE BA with combined addition of 2.5% CaO or 5% CaCl2 with 2.5% Fe2(SO4)3 or 1% FeCl3. These lab scale results suggest that formation of romeites with a high Ca content and formation of iron antimonate (tripuhyite) with a very low solubility are the main immobilization mechanisms of Sb in WtE BA. Besides the pure compounds and their mixtures, also addition of 10% of two Ca and Fe containing residues of the steel industry, hereafter referred to as R1 and R2, was effective in decreasing the Sb leaching from WtE BA below the Dutch limit value for reuse in open construction applications. To evaluate the long term effect of the additives, pilot plots of WtE BA with 10% of R1 and 5% and 10% of R2 were built and samples were submitted to leaching tests at regular intervals over time. The Sb leaching from untreated WtE BA was just below or above the Dutch limit value. The Sb leaching from the pilot plots of BA with additives first remained stable around 0.13mgkg−1 but had a tendency to slightly increase after 6months, indicating the need for further research on the effect of weathering, and more specifically of carbonation, on Sb leaching from WtE BA.

Retrospective assessment of the dynamics of nitrogen availability in pine forests of the near-Moscow region based on the data of phytoindication

Earlier published data on the long-term geobotanic monitoring in permanent pilot plots have been used to analyze changes in trophic conditions and estimate nitrogen nutrition availability to pine forests of the Serebryanyi Bor Forestry located in the Moscow oblast. The assessments of habitats based on the ecological scales of soil richness with nitrogen, which were developed by D.N. Tsyganov and G. Ellenberg, and analysis of the dynamics of stenobiont species have revealed the properties of changes in the species composition and conditions of nitrogen availability to forests for the period from 1957–1961 to 2003. The results indicate increased nitrogen availability to forests in the studied period for all permanent plots, but reflect different intensities of the trend of eutrophication in different monitoring stages. A more intense growth in soil richness with nitrogen in all permanent plots was in the period since 1957–1961 to 1989–1990. In the next years, the level of nitrogen availability to phytocenoses almost did not change. The improvement in the trophic conditions was accompanied by the growth in total species richness and increase in the number of stenobionts with high requirements to nitrogen nutrition. The results from analyzing the dynamics of stenobionts confirm the division of the period under consideration into two stages. From 1957–1961 to 1989–1990, changes in the species composition of plant communities in the pine forests under consideration were similar but differed in intensity. From 1989–1990 to 2003 (against the background of total deceleration of the eutrophication trend), the similarity of species dynamics in the communities was disturbed. The impact of air pollution by NOx on nitrogen nutrition availability to forests was examined with consideration for the fact that the studied area is within the capital agglomeration. The dynamics of the intensity of air nitrogen deposition is in good agreement with the revealed changes in the species composition of phytocenoses and nitrogen soil richness. It gives reasons to suppose that the trend of forest eutrophication in the 1960s–1980s was strengthened by the impact of increased levels of atmospheric nitrogen deposition.

Constructed Wetlands as Green Tools for Management of Boron Mine Wastewater

Constructed wetlands are of increasing interest worldwide given that they represent an eco-technological solution to many environmental problems such as wastewater treatment. Turkey possesses approximately 70% of the world's total boron (B) reserves, and B contamination occurs in both natural and cultivated sites throughout Turkey, particularly in the north-west of the country. This study analyzes B removal and plant uptake of B in pilot plots of subsurface horizontal-flow constructed wetlands. Constructed wetlands were vegetated with Typha latifolia (referred to as CW1) and Phragmites australis (referred to as CW2) to treat wastewater from a borax reserve in Turkey-the largest of its type in the world and were assessed under field conditions. The B concentrations of water inflows to the systems were determined to be 10.2, 28.2, 84.6, 232.3, 716.4, and 2019.1 mg l−1. The T. latifolia in the CW1treatment group absorbed a total of 1300 mg kg−1 B, whereas P. australis absorbed 839 mg kg−1. As a result, CW1had an average removal efficiency of 40.7%, while that of CW2was 27.2%. Our results suggest that constructed wetlands are an effective, economic and eco-friendly solution to treating B mine wastewater and controlling the adverse environmental effects of B mining.

Cunaxidae (Acari: Prostigmata) diversity and population dynamics in garlic (Allium sativum) crop fields

Agroecosystems are altered systems whose soil structure has changed affecting the dynamics of soil organisms. This paper aims at evaluation of the effects of garlic farming practices on phenology, richness, abundance, composition and diversity of soil-dwelling Cunaxidae. Ten pilot plots in Guanajuato State were sampled from August 2002 to July 2005, every month, 8 months per year. Ten soil samples (1 kg) were taken from each plot and extracted in Berlese-Tullgren funnels. A total of 108 cunaxids were found, belonging to 11 species. Neocunaxoides andrei was the most abundant, and Cunaxa evansi and Armascirus sp. were least abundant. Relative abundance was highest after harvesting and during plant growth, and lowest during planting. Dactyloscirus nicobarensis and D. candylus were present from planting to harvesting. According to Sörensen's similarity coefficient between cultivation stages, Cunaxidae communities were similar during plant growth and harvesting, sharing 80 % of the species. The highest abundance and diversity were found in 2004, during and after harvesting. Cunaxid species increased over 100 % from planting to the harvesting phase, suggesting that they play an important role in the soil agrosystems food web. Species composition and diversity in cunaxid communities present in garlic crop fields varied with agricultural phase, but little change was observed among the years studied. All species found in this study are new records for the state of Guanajuato and for the garlic crop fields.

Emergency Marsh Restoration as Part of Response to the Swanson Creek (Maryland) Oil Spill

ABSTRACT This oil spill on 7 April 2000 offers a case example where marsh restoration was made as part of the response effort to successfully enhance environmental recovery at a marsh heavily contaminated from a pipeline break (126,000–139,000 gallons of Numbers 2 and 6 fuel oils, >46,000 gallons eventually recovered). Marsh operations guided by U.S. EPA included mechanical trenching, limited low-to-moderate pressure flushing, hand recovery using sorbent pads and working from placed boardwalks, and the aerial application of fertilizer (bio-stimulation). After proving that planting would be successful in pilot plots and in a heavily damaged portion of the marsh, almost all of ‘ground zero’ (W01A) was hand-planted between 21 June and 31 July 2000 with 24,048 plugs of Spartina alterniflora and 1,728 plugs of S. patens (saltmeadow cordgrass). Both species were locally grown, nursery stock from native seed. Plants were placed in a 3” (8 cm) diameter hole containing 10 grams of slow release fertilizer and back-filled with washed masonry sand. Field surveys indicate recovery of 70–80% after one year and near complete recovery two years after. In spite of no apparent credit being given for replanting by government-lead Damage Assessment studies (NOAA et al., 2002), results clearly indicate that proactive planting during the response results in an environmental benefit and reduces the time needed for marsh recovery after an incident.

Disturbance effects on soil solution chemistry due to heating cable installation

Installation of heating cables for warming soil was used to evaluate the effect of disturbance on soil solution chemistry within a northern hardwood forest (Adirondack Mountains, New York). Differences in response among treatments suggested the importance of both the depth and timing of cable installation. There were increases (p>0.05) in many solutes within pilot study plots in which “surrogate cable” was installed at 15 cm depth. Most notably, mean nitrate concentrations for the 1st year following disturbance were 744 μeq l-1 at 15 cm depth compared to 7 μeq l-1 for the non-disturbed control. A comparison of pilot plots with 5 cm cable depth and an unheated soil-warming control plot with the same cable disturbance showed that the seasonality of soil disturbance may have a key role in response to disturbance. The soil solution response was diminished if installation occurred during the spring, a period of rapid uptake of nitrogen by vegetation. Mean nitrate concentrations were 176 μeq l-1 for 5-cm pilot plots (installed in fall 1991) versus 6 μeq l-1 for 5-cm, unheated soil-warming control plots (installed in spring 1992). Disturbance effects were attenuated over time and not generally apparent 1 year after installation.

Evaluation of nitrate leaching in a vulnerable zone: effect of irrigation water and organic manure application

Sustainable agricultural practices are needed to minimize nitrate leaching. The crop-soil simulation model STICS coupled with a geographic information system was used to estimate the amount of NO3 – leaching and to assess the ability of alternative management practices to reduce NO3 – leaching in a nitrate vulnerable zone (NVZ) in La Rioja, Spain. Model performance was examined by comparing the simulations and measurements of irrigated grapevine crops (variety Tempranillo) over various soil types. The measurements were obtained from five pilot plots over a period of three years and included the mineral nitrogen, the water content of the soil profiles and the nitrogen content of the crops. The simulated and measured values were in satisfactory agreement with each other. Then, eight management scenarios were simulated, combining two NO3 – concentrations of irrigation water and four levels of organic manure applications. The simulations identified good agricultural practices (GAP) for mitigating NO3 – pollution. High soil mineral nitrogen (SMN) and water pollution were driven by both the NO3 – concentration of irrigation water and the level of organic manure application. The use of aquifer water for irrigation would lead to diminish aquifer pollution at the expense of maintaining high SMN, non desirable for grape quality production. River water would offer an opportunity for the recovery of soils and the improvement of underground water quality if the application of organic manure was limited according to soil type. Differences in NO3 - leaching of the NVZ soils depended more on their ability to store N than on their annual drainage.