Total Nutrient Content Research Articles

Afforestation alters soil microbial community composition and reduces microbial network complexity in a karst region of Southwest China

AbstractSoil microbial community plays important roles in altering ecological processes and biogeochemical cycles in ecosystems. However, little is known about how afforestation influences the diversity, composition, and ecological network of soil microbial community in karst regions. In this study, soil samples were collected from one farmland (FL) and three afforestation lands including one bamboo forest (BA), one landscape tree planting forest (LAT), and one orange orchard (ORO) in a karst region of Southwest China. The bacterial and fungal communities were characterized using the high‐throughput sequencing approach, and soil properties including soil organic carbon, pH, soil water content, and soil total and available nutrient contents were measured under different land use treatments. Results showed that conversion from FL to BA and LAT significantly reduced the Shannon diversity of bacterial community. At the phylum level (top 10), genus level (top 30), and operational taxonomic units (OTUs) level, afforestation from FL resulted in significant changes in nine phyla, 24 genera, and 31.32% OTUs of bacterial community, and in three phyla, 13 genera, and 11.62% OTUs of fungal community. The number of nodes, number of negative edges, connectivity, average degree, and relative modularity of the microbial network under afforestation lands decreased by 9.33%–18.66%, 47.98%–72.75%, 0.45%–5.93%, 14.73%–22.29%, and 6.46%–23.50%, respectively, compared with FL. The soil organic carbon, total potassium and total phosphorus were identified as the key soil properties affecting the microbial community. Compared with LAT and ORO, the changes in bacterial and fungal communities under BA were more obvious because of the higher contents in soil organic carbon (13.48%) and total potassium (27.18%). In conclusion, afforestation significantly changed compositions and ecological network complexity of soil microbial community in karst regions, and conversion from FL to BA had stronger influences on the changes of soil microbial community than other afforestation lands in Southwest China. These findings provide the context necessary to evaluate the responses of soil microbial community to land use changes in karst regions.

Comparative study on the nutrient recovery from source-separated urine using magnesium-air fuel cell in different operating modes

To address the paucity of phosphorus reserves, on-site resource recovery from urine was a viable approach in line with sustainable development imperatives. In this context, an electrochemically induced precipitation system based on the principle of Mg-air fuel cells (MAFC), capable of precipitating NH4+-N and PO43--P as struvite from urine, offered an alluring prospect. Given the dilemma of the recovered struvite quality and insufficient Mg utilization in batch mode MAFC (B-MAFC), a continuous-flow mode MAFC (CF-MAFC) was proposed to facilitate struvite crystallization via regulating liquid flow rates. The hydraulic retention time (HRT), electrode distance (D), and external resistance (R) of reactor were optimized to enhance CF-MAFC performance. Orthogonal experimental results showed that under optimal operating conditions (HRT = 108 min, D = 1 cm, and R = 10 Ω), more than 98% of PO43--P could be recovered in CF-MAFC. The PO43--P treatment load of CF-MAFC outperformed B-MAFC by 1.32 times, with a 22.57% increase in Mg utilization. The mass percentage of struvite in the recovered precipitate exceeded 85%, and the total nutrient content surpassed 35.70%, fulfilling China’s compound fertilizer quality criteria. The study findings demonstrated that a continuous-flow MAFC held significant potential for the on-site resource-oriented treatment of urine.

Effects of Inoculation of Lactobacillus plantarum at Different Doses on Triticale (Triticosecale wittmack) Silage on Quality, Fermentation and Aerobic Stability Properties and Feed Value

This study was conducted to determine the effects of different doses of Lactobacillus plantarum (LP) inoculation into triticale silage on fermentation, quality, feed value, and aerobic stability. This study used three doses of LP bacteria strains (MF098786 strain) isolated from homemade pickles as inoculants. As LP dose, 1×106, 1×108 and 1×109 cfu/mL levels were used. The LP inoculation was applied by spraying onto by using a sterile injector at 1 mL per 1 kg material. The prepared silages were incubated for 60 d. The treatment groups in the study consisted of triticale control (TC), 1×106 (LP6T), 1×108 (LP8T) and 1×109 cfu/kg DM (LP9T) LP inoculated triticale. The LP inoculation of triticale silage improved silage fermentation, chemical and microbiological properties, silage quality, and feed value, and aerobic stability of the product, regardless of dose application. This application did not change the silage's organic matter, ash, and hemicellulose contents but decreased the crude fiber, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent fiber contents. While there was no significant change in color parameters in all silages, a decrease in the ultimate pH value, and improvement in Flieg score and RFV were detected. The LP inoculation into triticale silage increased the number of lactic acid bacteria and decreased the number of yeast in the silages. This application improved the total digestible nutrient and energy values of LP9T silage compared with other silages. When LP doses were evaluated within themselves, it was determined that all doses gave almost similar results in terms of the parameters studied. However, when the data obtained from the research are evaluated as a whole, LP inoculation at the level of 1×109 cfu/mL can be recommended to triticale silage, because of the positive effects of silage on total digestible nutrient, digestible energy, metabolizable energy, and net energy contents.

Nutrient content of vegetation and soil of four conifer species growing under different site and competing vegetation management conditions

In this study we examined the long-term effects of competing vegetation control on the total nutrient content of different ecosystem components of 19-year-old Douglas-fir (DF), western hemlock (WH), western redcedar (WRC), and grand fir (GF) stands growing in Oregon’s central Coast Range (CR) and of DF and WRC growing in Oregon’s Cascade mountain foothills (CF). Nutrient content responses were evaluated under two contrasting vegetation control treatments, including the Control (no herbicide application post-planting), and VM (5 consecutive years of herbicide application post-planting). Both treatments involved a pre-planting herbicide application. The ecosystem components were divided into overstory (planted crop trees), midstory, understory, forest floor, fine roots, and mineral soil. All samples were analyzed for content (mass per unit ground area) of total carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, boron, copper, iron, manganese, sodium, and zinc. VM effects on total plant derived nutrient masses were more prominent than differences in concentrations. Ca was the only nutrient for which all species showed higher plant derived masses in the VM condition. Plant derived tissue content of C, Cu, P, and B all tended to be higher in VM plots, with the exception of WRC plots at the CR site. This case was an outlier due to the fact that Control plots developed significantly more biomass as a result of high midstory biomass, whereas the VM plots developed relatively little midstory and crop tree biomass. There were few differences in soil nutrients content between species and treatments, and those that were significant were unable to be explained by differences in uptake by plant species. Notably, total soil N of WRC at the CR site was significantly lower for VM plots. This may indicate the potential for VM applied to a slow growing species, such as WRC, to reduce ecosystem retention of N. With the exception of C and N, total soil nutrient reserves were orders of magnitude greater than total plant derived masses. This indicated that there is low probability of an adverse effect of VM on soil nutrient stores.

Migration of Nutrient Substances and Characteristic Changes of Chicken White Soup Emulsion from Chicken Skeleton during Cooking

The protein and fat in chicken skeleton can be emulsified in a boiling state to form milky white chicken soup. White chicken soup has a delicious taste, good nutritional value, a beautiful color, and volatile flavor compounds. However, cooking time significantly impacts the quality of white chicken soup. Herein, we investigated the influence of cooking time (30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, and 210 min) on the migration of nutrient substances and characteristics changes in white chicken soup from chicken skeletons. The results showed that nutrients such as total lipids, water-soluble protein, total sugars, solid matter, and oligopeptides in the chicken skeletons’ tissue continuously migrated into the soup during the cooking process. The total nutrient content in the chicken soup was highest after cooking for 180 min. Simultaneously, the white chicken soup obtained after cooking for 180 min had low interfacial tension and high whiteness, viscosity, and storage stability. The high stability index was associated with increased ζ potential and decreased particle size. The contact angle analysis results also indicated that the stability of the white chicken soup was improved when the cooking time reached 180 min. This research provides basic information for the production of high-quality white chicken soup.

Constructing bimetal, alloy, and compound-modified nitrogen-doped biomass-derived carbon from coconut shell as accelerants for boosting methane production in bioenergy system

Accelerants can enhance methane production in biomass energy systems. Single-component accelerants cannot satisfy the demands of anaerobic co-digestion (AcoD) to maximize overall performance. In this work, nitrogen-doped bio-based carbon derived from coconut shells, containing bimetallic Ni/Fe nanoparticles, FeNi3 alloys, and compounds (Fe2O3, FeN, and Fe3O4), was constructed as hybrid accelerants (Ni-N-C, Fe-N-C, and Fe/Ni-N-C) to boost CH4 production and CO2 reduction. The cumulative biogas yield (553.65, 509.65, and 587.76 mL/g volatile solids), methane content (63.58%, 57.90%, and 67.39%), and total chemical oxygen demand degradation rate (60.15%, 54.92%, and 65.38%) of AcoD with Ni-N-C (2.625 g/L), Fe-N-C (3.500 g/L), and Fe/Ni-N-C (2.625 g/L) were higher than control (346.32 mL/g volatile solids, 40.13%, and 32.03%), respectively. These digestates with Ni-N-C, Fe-N-C, and Fe/Ni-N-C showed excellent stability (mass loss: 22.97%-32.75%) and total nutrient content (4.43%-4.61%). Based on the synergistic effects of the different components of the hybrid accelerant, an understanding of the enhanced methanogenesis of AcoD was illustrated.

Fe/BC co-conditioners with environmental and economic benefits on composting: reduced NH3 emissions and improved fertilizer quality

The significant volatilization of NH3 during aerobic composting causes nitrogen (N) losses and environmental risks. Both iron (Fe) and biochar (BC) can influence the N conversion process in composting. Fe application can delay the maturation of materials, while biochar can enhance the quality of organic fertilizer. The combination of these two conditioners may help decrease NH3 emissions and improve organic fertilizer quality. Therefore, this study investigates the effects of different doses of FeCl3 and BC on NH3 emissions and organic fertilizer quality during composting. The results demonstrated that Fe/BC co-conditioners reduced the accumulation of NH3 emissions during composting by 11.1–48.2%, increased the total nutrient content by 0.6–15.3%, and enhanced economic and environmental benefits by 0.1–23.6 $ t−1. At the high-temperature stage of composting, Fe/BC co-conditioners decreased the pH by 0.3–1.2, but there was no significant difference compared to the control at the end of composting, and they did not affect compost maturation. The structural equation model analysis suggested that the reduction in NH3 emissions was related to ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), NH4+–N, and total nitrogen (TN). As a result, the Fe/BC co-conditioners reduced NH3 emissions by lowering the pH at the beginning of composting and increasing the content of NH4+–N. This study concludes that Fe/BC co-conditioners could complement each other to significantly reduce NH3 emissions and improve the quality of organic fertilizers.Graphical

Valor nutritivo e características fermentativas da silagem de milheto com diferentes níveis de casca de café

ABSTRACT: The research was conducted to test the hypothesis that the inclusion of coffee husk (Coffea sp.) would improve the fermentative characteristics and quality of pearl millet silage (Pennisetumglaucum). Thus, the objective was to assess the effect of the inclusion of different levels of coffee husk in pearl millet silage on the chemical composition, fermentative characteristics and degradability in situ of silage. The experimental design used was completely randomized and the treatments consisted of the silage of the whole pearl millet plant with the inclusion of increasing levels of coffee husk: 0%, 7%, 14% and 21%, based on natural matter. After 60 days of fermentation, the silages were evaluated for chemical characteristics, fermentative, degradability in situ dry matter (DM) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF). The inclusion of coffee husk did not alter (P > 0.05) the contents of crude protein (11.94%), NDF (44.89%) and total digestible nutrients (65.09%). There were increases in the concentrations of DM and fiber in acid detergent, accompanied by a reduction in the concentrations of mineral matter and ether extract, as the proportion of coffee husks in silages increased. There was an increase in the lignin content up to the level of 7.59% inclusion of the coffee husk. There was no effect of the inclusion of the coffee husk on the pH of the silage (3.60). However, the inclusion of coffee husk resulted in a reduction in temperature, gas losses, and degradability in situ of silage DM and NDF. It is recommended to include coffee husk up to the level of 14.0% of the natural matter to improve the fermentation pattern and the quality of the pearl millet silage.

Organic nutrient availability and extracellular enzyme activities influence harmful algal bloom proliferation in a coastal aquaculture area

Small-scale but highly destructive harmful algal blooms (HABs) are increasingly observed in coastal aquaculture areas. However, the impact of elevated organic nutrients generated during mariculture production and their bioavailability for HABs are not yet fully understood. This study investigated the population dynamics of HAB-causing species and the hydrolytic dynamics of different extracellular enzyme activities (EEAs) along with variations in environmental inorganic and organic nutrients during a dinoflagellate bloom of Prorocentrum shikokuense adjacent to the coastal aquaculture area in Sansha Town, located in the East China Sea. The results indicated that both inorganic and organic nutrients were enriched in the study area, with organic nutrients comprising more than half of the total nutrient content. The presence of enriched organic nutrients and a high N:P ratio significantly contributed to bloom occurrence. Organic nutrient concentrations played a predominant role in controlling both the density and duration of the P. shikokuense bloom. The significant increase in EEAs during the bloom stages, primarily contributed by P. shikokuense, emphasized the crucial hydrolytic role of extracellular enzymes in nutrient recycling and supply for the bloom. The enzymatic kinetic parameters indicated enhanced efficiency in the recycling of organic nutrients as the bloom progressed. This study highlights the significant role of organic nutrients facilitated by EEAs in determining the occurrence, duration, and magnitude of HABs in coastal aquaculture areas.

Prediction Total Digestible Nutrient value of forage and feedstuffs from their chemical characteristics

Total Digestible Nutrient Value of forage and concentrate and nutritional characteristics and develop a prediction equation using the chemical composition variables as predictors. Nutrient chemical characteristics data were obtained from 278 forage and 87 feedstuffs. The data included dry and organic matter, crude protein, ether extract, ash, fiber composition, and non-fiber Carbohydrate. Stepwise regression was used to eliminate variables that did not influence variation in the model and used 0.05 as the critical probability level. Data were then randomly divided into two parts; two-thirds of the data was used to estimate the Total Digestible Nutrient, whereas the remaining part was used to validate the estimated Total Digestible Nutrient and was analyzed by multiple linear regressions. Total Digestible Nutrient in forage was negatively correlated with Ether Extract, Acid Detergent Lignin, and Non-fibre Carbohydrate (P<0.01) but positively correlated with Crude Protein (P<0.01), ash, Neutral Detergent Fibre, and Acid Detergent Fiber. Total Digestible Nutrient in feedstuffs was negatively correlated with NFC (P<0.01) but positively correlated with Neutral Detergent Fibre (P<0.01), Acid Detergent Lignin (P<0.01), Ether Extract (P<0.01), Crude Protein (P<0.01), ash, and Acid Detergent Fiber (P<0.01). The results show that the Total Digestible Nutrient content can be accurately estimated starting from the chemical composition. Keywords: total digestible nutrient; forage; concentrate; feed analysis.

Effect of continuous planting on Casuarina equisetifolia rhizosphere soil physicochemical indexes, microbial functional diversity and metabolites.

Continuous planting has a severe impact on the growth of Casuarina equisetifolia. In this study, the effects of three different long-term monocultures (one, two and three replanting) on the physicochemical indexes, microbial functional diversity, and soil metabolomics were analyzed in C. equisetifolia rhizosphere soil. The results showed that rhizosphere soil organic matter content, cation exchange capacity, total and available nitrogen, total and available phosphorus, and total and available potassium contents significantly decreased with the increasing number of continuous plantings. The evaluation of microbial functional diversity revealed a reduction in the number of soil microorganisms that rely on carbohydrates for carbon sources and an increase in soil microorganisms that used phenolic acid, carboxylic acid, fatty acid, and amines as carbon sources. Soil metabolomics analysis showed a significant decrease in soil carbohydrate content and a significant accumulation of autotoxic acid, amine, and lipid in the C. equisetifolia rhizosphere soil. Consequently, the growth of C. equisetifolia could hinder total nutrient content and their availability. Thus, valuable insights for managing the cultivation of C. equisetifolia and soil remediation were provided.

Moss crusts mitigate the negative impacts of shrub mortality on the nutrient multifunctionality of desert soils

AbstractThe distribution of biological soil crusts (BSCs) and shrubs in temperate deserts often forms a common landscape surface feature. As climate change continues, desert shrubs experience varying rates of mortality, which can have severe negative impacts on soil structure and function. However, it remains uncertain whether moss crusts, prevalent beneath shrub canopies, can mitigate the effects of shrub mortality on soil nutrient environments. Therefore, this study focuses on the Gurbantunggut Desert, a typical temperate desert in northern China, with a primary focus on the dominant shrubs, Ephedra przewalskii, and the advanced stage of moss crust development within BSCs. We collected soil samples from bare sand and moss crusts under living shrubs and dead shrubs and analyzed them for their carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium contents. Additionally, we calculated soil nutrient multifunctionality, which measures a soil's ability to sustain multiple ecosystem services simultaneously, to provide a comprehensive assessment of the effects of shrub mortality on soil nutrient function. Our results indicate that shrub mortality led to reductions in soil moisture, pH, electrical conductivity, and levels of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in exposed sand compared to the sand under living shrubs. However, the presence of moss crusts significantly alleviated the adverse effects of shrub mortality on soil carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium levels. The nutrient multifunctionality index of the moss crust only decreased by 4%, while bare sand experienced a 67% reduction following shrub mortality. Standard error of the mean analysis results revealed that when shrubs and crusts coexisted, the impact of shrubs on soil nutrient multifunctionality was much stronger than that of the moss crust. Specifically, total nutrient content was the most influential factor driving changes in soil nutrient multifunctionality. In conclusion, in desert ecosystems with declining shrubs, moss crusts can mitigate the reduction in soil nutrient contents caused by shrub degradation, thereby maintaining soil stability and nutrient multifunctionality as a viable substitute.

Effect of oil extraction methods on walnut oil quality characteristics and the functional properties of walnut protein isolate

Walnut oils were obtained by supercritical carbon dioxide extraction (SCB), cold-pressing (CP), hexane extraction (HE), and subcritical butane extraction (SBE), and walnut protein isolates (WPI) from the walnut cakes were performed. The results indicate that SCB has the highest oil yield for walnut oil, which was 62.72%, and the total content of trace nutrients (total tocopherols, total phytosterols, and total phenolic compounds) in SCB-walnut oil was also the highest at 2186.75 mg/kg, approximately 1.05 times higher than CP-walnut oil and 1.21 times higher than SBE-walnut oil. Meanwhile, the treatment of WPI with SCB results in a decrease in β-Sheet and α-Helix structures and an increase in β-Turn and Random coil structures. Thereby increasing its oil-holding capacity (OHC) and solubility by approximately 1.16 times and 1.27 times compared to CP, respectively. Interestingly, SCB as a green oil production technology, also has good prospects for retaining WPI functionality characteristics.

Patterns of accumulation and baseline values for metals in agricultural soils from a copper mining region in southern Peru

As global copper demand surges, it's vital to conduct a thorough analysis of metal concentrations in the agricultural soils of mining districts. This is especially pertinent for the Andean region, where, in the face of clear soil degradation, there's a notable lack of in-depth research. This study is the first attempt to characterize variations in the concentration of 17 metals in the agricultural soils of Moquegua – a region with a long history of mining activity that contributes significantly to Peru's position as the world's second-largest producer of copper. The surface horizons of 336 agricultural soils under vegetable crops were sampled between 9 and 3,934 m above sea level (m.a.s.l.) to determine the total content of metal nutrients (MNs) (Ca, Mg, K, Na, Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn) and heavy metals (HMs) (Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, As, Co, Ba, V, Al) by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The accumulation of metals was found to increase with altitude. The study identified hotspots with a high concentration of metals and spatial patterns in their geographic distribution. The observed median values for As (70.9 mg/kg), Cd (7.1 mg/kg), and Pb (89.7 mg/kg) represent the highest metal concentrations among the identified clusters. Notably, these values surpass the Environmental Quality Standards (ECA) set for agricultural soils in Peru. As there are no local standards for all the metals studied, our results can serve as reference values for guiding land management practices, particularly in the context of copper mining.

Effect of simulated litterfall and sapling growth of invasive Quercus rubra and native Q. robur on soil in a pot experiment

Quercus rubra is an invasive species which can modify soil properties and change the structure and functions of the forest ecosystem. Its effect on soil physicochemical properties, including the content of nutrients (total and available) and phenolic compounds, was compared with that of native Quercus robur in a two-year pot experiment. Three treatments were applied to pots with soil: adding leaf litter (L), planting a sapling (S), and their combination (S + L). The litter was analyzed for its chemical composition before being added to the pots to determine whether it varied between species and whether this variation was reflected in the properties of L and S + L soils. The treatments were compared with the control, which consisted of soil-only pots, i.e., without litter and sapling. Both species increased the content of available nutrients (except N-NO3) and the content of phenolic compounds in the soil, with the former (namely N-NH4, P-PO4, and exchangeable K, Ca, and Mg) more affected by Q. robur and the latter (especially t-ferulic acid, myricetin, and quercetin) more affected by Q. rubra. Interestingly, this effect was pronounced for pots with saplings (S and S + L), while it was almost insignificant for pots with litter (L) only. When compared to the control, the treatments generally did not affect the total nutrient content in the soil. However, when comparing species, there was less total K and Mg under Q. rubra than under Q. robur saplings. The litter used in the experiment was significantly different between the two species. The Q. rubra leaves contained less N, P, K, Ca, total phenolics, and condensed tannins, and more organic C, (+)-catechin, ellagic acid, (–)-epicatechin, t-ferulic acid, kaempferol, and syringic acid than the leaves of Q. robur. However, since the effect of adding litter was negligible, these differences did not translate into differences in soil properties. Based on the obtained results, it is expected that the growth of invasive Q. rubra will result in worse soil conditions (less total and available nutrients and more phenolics) in the short term than the growth of native Q. robur in the same habitat. This means that planting Q. rubra outside its native range is associated with a risk of soil deterioration and, therefore, should be avoided, and the spontaneous dispersal of this species should be prevented.

Components of sludge from municipal wastewater treatment plants and its evaluation for land application in JiUJiang city of China

Municipal sewage sludge has a potential for widespread application on land, but the implementation of new standards for the agricultural use of sludge in China support a cautious approach. The organic matter, nutrients, and heavy metals in sewage sludge from four municipal wastewater treatment plants in Jiujiang City of China were continuously monitored. The feasibility for its land use was analyzed from three aspects such as sludge nutrients, heavy metal pollution levels, and potential ecological risks in soil. The average content of Cd, Cu, Zn, Cr, Ni, Pb, Hg and As in the sludge of Jiujiang City are 1.85, 305.25, 764.48, 170.57, 42.45, 42.27, 0.59, 28.79 mg∙kg-1, which are less than or close to mean value of heavy metals in China (except As), and all meet the minimum standards of heavy metal content in the sludge according to Chinese Quality of sludge from municipal wastewater treatment plant (GB24188-2009). The maximum content of Cu, Zn, Cr, and As exceed the control standards of pollutants in sludge for agricultural use, and the maximum value of Cu and Cr are close to the limit of landscaping standards. The average contents of organic matter, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, total potassium, and total nutrients in sludge are 385.16, 34.14, 11.05, 7.87, 53.06 g∙kg-1, respectively. The organic matter content meets the limit value (no less than 200 g∙kg-1) of Chinese Control standards of pollutants in sludge for agricultural use (GB 4284-2018), and the total nutrients content meets certain content limit (no less than 40 g∙kg-1) of total nutrients in China’s organic fertilizer. The single-factor pollution index and Nemerow’s synthetic pollution index methods were used to assess the pollution of heavy metals. The heavy metal pollution indexes (PI) are in descending order: Cd > Cu > Zn > Cr > As > Ni > Pb > Hg. The PI shows that Cd and Cu are in strong pollution level, Zn is in moderate pollution level, and As, Ni, Pb, Hg are in absolute safe level. The potential ecological risk levels of heavy metal are ranked in the following order: Cd> Cu> As> Ni> Zn> Cr > Pb. The monomial potential ecological risk coefficients reveal that Cd is in extremely strong ecological risk, Cu is in medium ecological risk and other heavy metals are in slight ecological risk. The results indicate that Cd and Cu are the main contributors to the pollution and potential ecological risks of heavy metals in soil, to which more attention should be paid during sludge disposal. Being rich in organic matter and inorganic plant nutrients，sewage sludge in Jiujiang City may be widely used on soil, but availability of potential toxic metals exceeding the limit value often restricts its uses. Before being harmlessly treated, the sludge in Jiujiang City should not be used on agricultural land and may be applied with highly caution on landscaping and land improvement, but it can be used as cover materials for co-landfilling.

Determination of Loss Macro Nutrient (N, P And K) Carrying Out The Harvest of Arabika Coffee Fruits (Coffea Arabica) In Five Locations of Situbondo Coffee Farmers

The coffee plant (Coffea sp.) is one of the plantation commodity crops that has been developed since the Dutch colonial era. The productivity of Arabica coffee from people's fields is equal to 0.48 tons/ha while the company's Arabica coffee plantations 0.71 tons/ha. Low productivity is one of them caused by fertilization that is not in accordance with the needs of coffee plants. So, it is necessary to know the nutrient content of N, P and K in each plantation. The content of N, P and K nutrients can be determined through the development of fertilization methods based on the loss of N, P and K nutrients carried by the harvested coffee cherries. The aim of this research is to find out of N, P and K nutrients are carried by Arabica coffee berries. The treatment was carried out at 5 different coffee fields locations and an analysis of the N, P, and K nutrient content of the harvested coffee cherries was carried out. The results showed that the nutrients N, P, and K carried by the coffee cherries were different in each plantation. Soil Analysis results on pH (bit acid) and Total Nutrient Content N (low), P (moderate – very high), and K (low) in the soil of each field. The variables for observing the weight of sun-dried coffee beans and skins and the weight of oven-dried coffee beans and skins were significantly different in each plantation. Conclusions from this research, a). The total N, P, and K contained in 1 kg of fresh coffee fruit is 24.71 g N; 8.66 g P and 39.08 g K. b). The total N, P, and K contained in 1 kg of dry coffee beans is 74.3 g N; 26.1 g P and 117.5 ​​g K.

Survivability and growth performance of using Rhizophora mangrove life stages in the revegetation of mangrove forest

Mangrove forests play critical environmental, social and economic roles; however, these forests have been threatened globally for decades. In Nigeria, oil spills in mangroves are among the leading causes of mangrove degradation in the Niger Delta. This study analyses the survivability and growth performance of three Rhizophora racemosa mangrove life stages, propagules, sprouted propagules, and seedlings planted on a remediated mangrove forest. Three sites were used for the study; before planting, the total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) and nutrient concentration (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Sulphur) in the sediments of each site were analysed. Surface and subsurface composite sediment samples were analysed for TPH, while sub-surface sediment samples were analysed for nutrient concentration. A total of 100 propagules, 46 sprouted propagules, and 141 seedlings were planted in three sites. Monitoring for growth and survivability started after one month, and plants were monitored for one year. Growth monitoring (Increase in height and leave count) was limited to 20 tagged propagules, 5 tagged sprouted propagules, and 25 tagged seedlings, while survivability monitoring was done for the entire plant. The average TPH values at all sites were 192 mg/kg for surface samples and 145 mg/kg for subsurface samples. Nutrient concentration values slightly varied at all sites. A one-way ANOVA showed no significant difference in the TPH values (p = .205) and nutrient concentration values (p = .411) across the three sites. Sprouted propagules had the best growth rate and showed a significant height difference (p = .02) from propagules. Seedlings had a better growth rate than propagules after one year. Survival rates for sprouted propagule were 100%, while seedlings had a 95% survival rate, and propagule had a survival rate of 87% after one year of monitoring.

The potential of black soldier fly larvae faeces and sludge residue as fertilizer under Cu and Cd stress

Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) are used to digest municipal sludge, and its excretion and the sludge residue (BSFL sand) have attracted much attention. However, little research has been conducted on the quality of the BSFL sand produced with high concentrations of copper (Cu) and cadmium (Cd) and its effect on plant growth. We collected BSFL sand from previous studies to assess its feasibility as an organic fertiliser. The results showed that with the increase in Cu and Cd concentrations, pH (5.84–6.73), electrical conductivity (2.38–3.37), and organic matter (82–96%) increased continuously, moisture (20–25%), and total nutrients (4.19–5.26%, TN + P2O5+K2O) content decreased. Cu and Cd stress significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the content of free amino acids and fatty acids in the BSFL sand, and the germination index of cucumber seed also decreased continuously (30–73%), especially the mildew phenomenon that occurred in the Cu-1500 (mg/kg) group. In conclusion, BSFL sand can be considered a fertiliser when Cu and Cd concentrations in the initial sludge are lower than 900 and 120 mg/kg, respectively. However, considering the problems of Cu and Cd enrichment, their concentrations should be lower than 222 and 2.54 mg/kg, respectively. This study provides a theoretical basis for applying BSFL sands in agricultural production. Environmental implicationStudies on the effects of Cu and Cd on the quality of insect and sludge co-composting products.

Tissue-level distribution and speciation of foliar manganese in Eucalyptus tereticornis by µ-SXRF and µ-XANES shed light on its detoxification mechanisms

This study is the first to investigate the speciation and spatial distribution patterns of manganese (Mn) accumulated at elevated concentrations in Eucalyptus leaves by X-ray fluorescence (µ-XRF) and absorption near-edge spectroscopy (µ-XANES). Eucalyptus tereticornis is a tree species with great economic value and potential to accumulate and tolerate high Mn despite not being considered a hyperaccumulator. Seedlings grown under glasshouse conditions were irrigated with two Mn treatments: control Mn (9 µM) and high Mn solution (1000 µM). Biomass and total nutrient concentrations were assessed in roots, stems and leaves. Manganese, calcium (Ca) and potassium (K) spatial patterns were imaged by µ-SXRF in different foliar structures, and Mn speciation was conducted in these compartments by µ-XANES. Under high supply, Mn was distributed across the leaf mesophyll suggesting vacuolar sequestration in these cells. High Mn decreased cytosolic Ca by almost 50% in mesophyll cells, but K remained unaltered. Speciation suggests that a majority of the Mn fraction was complexed by organic ligands modeled as Mn-bound malate and citrate, instead of as free aqueous Mn2+ or oxidised forms. These two detoxification mechanisms: effective vacuolar sequestration and organic acid complexation, may be responsible for the impressively high Mn tolerance found in eucalypts.