2种含铁材料对水稻土中砷和重金属生物有效性的影响

通过盆栽试验研究添加2种含铁材料(Fe(OH)3、FeCl3)对污染水稻土壤中As、Pb、Cd、Cu、Zn生物有效性的影响。结果表明,添加Fe(OH)3对土壤As交换态含量没有显著的影响,添加FeCl3显著降低了土壤As交换态含量,添加量为0.50g/kg时,土壤As交换态含量比对照下降46%。添加Fe(OH)3使土壤Pb、Cu交换态含量显著降低,2.00g/kg的添加量使Pb、Cu交换态含量分别下降63%,74%。添加FeCl3使土壤Pb、Cd、Zn交换态含量显著升高,2.00g/kg的添加量使Pb、Cd、Zn交换态含量分别升高3 834%,247%,1 744%。添加Fe(OH)3对糙米中无机As和重金属Pb、Cd、Cu、Zn含量没有显著的影响,添加FeCl3显著降低了糙米中无机As含量,但显著提高了糙米中Pb、Cu含量,1.00g/kg的添加量使糙米中无机As含量降低33%,Pb、Cu含量分别升高147%,50%。表明添加FeCl3能有效降低土壤As的生物有效性,但提高了土壤重金属的生物有效性。添加Fe(OH)3对土壤pH无显著影响,而添加FeCl3能显著降低土壤pH值,这是FeCl3能有效固定土壤As,提高土壤重金属交换态含量的重要原因之一。     

碳酸钙和壳聚糖联用对高pH值石灰性土壤砷污染的钝化

为明确碳酸钙-壳聚糖联用对高pH值石灰性土壤砷污染的钝化效果,该研究采用田间As污染模拟试验,设置对照(CK)、砷污染(As)、砷污染+碳酸钙(As+Ca)、砷污染+碳酸钙+壳聚糖(As+Ca+C)4个处理。研究了碳酸钙和壳聚糖添加对As污染石灰性土壤酶活性影响,污染土壤中As的形态变化,以及As在供试作物玉米体内的迁移特征。结果表明:As污染石灰性土壤上添加碳酸钙(Ca)有利于提高土壤酶活性,碳酸钙和壳聚糖(Ca+C)联用后,土壤脲酶、纤维素酶和过氧化氢酶活性分别显著提高了52.35%、74.92%、8.72%(P0.05)。高pH值石灰性土壤外源As的主要存在形态为残渣态,且残渣态占总砷含量的60%以上。与As处理相比,As+Ca和As+Ca+C处理的水溶态砷分别显著降低17.15%和27.03%(P0.05);As+Ca+C处理的钙-砷、铁-砷和铝-砷分别显著升高了13.97%、14.24%、13.85%(P0.05)。As+Ca和As+Ca+C钝化处理对As钝化率分别达9.78%和18.37%。As污染土壤上种植玉米会导致各部位As积累的增加,但Ca+C联用使玉米籽粒、根、茎、叶的As含量显著降低50%、13.98%、16.51%、14.94%(P0.05)。可见,Ca+C钝化剂联用方法可应用于高pH值石灰性土壤As污染修复。     

废旧汽车拆解区土壤重金属分布及Pb、Zn生物有效性分析

为了解废旧汽车拆解区土壤重金属污染问题,采集某废旧汽车拆解厂汽车拆解区垂向0~1000 cm深度的土壤样品,对重金属Cu、Zn、Pb、Cr、Ni、Cd、Hg和As元素含量进行检测和污染评价,并对土壤中重金属Pb和Zn的不同形态进行分析研究。研究发现:废旧汽车拆解区表层土壤存在一定程度的Cu、Zn、Pb、Cr、Ni、As污染,其中,Pb、Zn、Cu含量严重超标,呈现Cu、Ni、Pb、Cr、Zn、As多种元素复合污染的特性。同时,拆解区土壤中重金属含量随土壤深度显著下降,但是,Pb和As的污染超标深度可达150 cm。拆解区土壤中可离子交换态的Pb含量最低,土壤pH值对各种形态重金属Pb的控制作用不显著,随着土壤垂向深度的增加,可氧化态和弱酸提取态Pb的比例迅速降低,残渣态Pb的质量分数逐渐提高,Pb的生物有效性下降。土壤pH对可Zn的生物有效性具有显著相关性,弱酸性土壤中以生物有效性高的形态Zn存在,中性土壤中以可还原态和可氧化态Zn为主。     

生物炭/石灰混施对重金属复合污染土壤的稳定化效应

采用室内模拟实验,以南方砷镉铅复合污染的酸性红壤为对象,利用化学钝化原理,探讨钝化材料对重金属稳定化的技术效果及应用配方,以期为砷镉铅复合污染红壤修复与安全利用提供依据。具体做法为：选择生物炭（BC）和石灰（SH）为钝化材料,以土壤重量的1%、4%为材料添加量,单一或混合施用于砷镉铅复合污染土壤,并于恒温（25℃）条件下培养60d,在实验进行至第1天、第30天、第60天时取样,测定红壤酸碱度（pH）和水溶态（Water soluble）有效砷（As）、镉（Cd）、铅（Pb）即WSAs、WSCd、WSPb含量,以及土壤重金属As、Cd、Pb结合态含量与占比的变化,明确生物炭石灰单/混施对重金属的稳定化效应。结果表明：生物炭/石灰无论单施或混施均能不同程度地降低土壤中水溶态WSCd和WSPb含量,钝化效率分别为33.51%～78.89%和9.05%～96.24%。而材料单施（1BC、4SH）和两者混施高用量（4BC4SH）处理,均能大幅降低土壤中有效As含量,钝化效率为10.25%～55.27%,其中以两者混施高用量（4BC4SH）处理对土壤重金属As、Cd、Pb协同钝化的效果最佳,当培养实验进行至第60天时,钝化效率依次达55.27%、76.39%和96.24%。培养后土壤中As形态由易被植物吸收的非专性吸附态、专性吸附态转化为稳定的残渣态,土壤中Cd和Pb则由活性最强的酸可提取态转化为残渣态,土壤中As、Cd、Pb的稳定化效应明显,迁移系数下降;此外,生物炭/石灰的单施及混合施用,均可导致土壤酸碱度（pH）显著提升（P<0.05）,有利于南方酸化土壤的改良。总体而言,本研究中生物炭/石灰两者混施高用量水平下（4BC4SH）土壤重金属的钝化效果最优,可实现对As、Cd和Pb复合污染红壤的稳定化修复。     

喀斯特林地土壤重金属形态特征及其评价

通过野外调查与室内分析,对喀斯特林地土壤重金属全量及形态构成进行了调查,对土壤重金属污染及其生物有效性进行了评价,并探讨分析了土壤重金属与土壤pH值的相关性。结果表明:中性土壤As,Cd,Cu,Ni,Pb,Zn及Cr全量均大于酸性土壤的全量;As以酸溶态为主,Cd,Cu,Ni,Pb,Zn及Cr以残渣态为主,残渣态土壤重金属比例为中性高于酸性土壤;酸性和中性土壤重金属Pb全量、中性土壤的As和Cu全量均高于贵州土壤背景值;中性和酸性土壤重金属As,Cd和Ni全量及酸性土壤重金属Cu全量超过土壤环境质量二级标准值;酸性土壤为轻度污染,中性土壤为中度污染;重金属生物有效性表现为AsCdCrNiPbZnCu,酸性土壤As生物有效性指数最高,与中性土壤相比,酸性土壤重金属生物有效性高;Cu全量、可氧化态Pb、残渣态Cu与pH值呈极显著正相关,酸溶态Zn与pH值呈极显著负相关,酸溶态Cr与pH值呈显著负相关,残渣态As与pH值呈显著正相关。喀斯特林地土壤主要受到As,Cd,Cu,Ni这4种重金属的影响,除As外,其余3种元素属于"高背境,低活性"状态。     

模拟酸雨条件下海泡石对污染红壤镉、铅淋溶的影响

采用填充土柱淋溶试验研究不同pH值模拟酸雨和海泡石添加量对重金属污染红壤Cd、Pb淋溶的影响.结果表明,Cd在酸雨pH值较低时累积淋溶量较大,Pb的累积淋溶量随酸雨pH值的降低逐渐增加,pH值为3.5处理的Pb总累积淋溶量显著高于其他pH值处理(高出54.9％).与对照相比,模拟酸雨pH值为3.5时,添加5 g/kg和10 g/kg海泡石处理Cd的总累积淋溶量明显增加(分别增加24.6％和26.3％),而Pb的总累积淋溶量分别显著降低34.7％和25.7％;酸雨pH值为4.5时,添加5 g/kg和10g/kg海泡石处理降低了Cd的累积淋溶量(分别降低13.0％和1.4％),而Pb的淋溶量随海泡石添加量的增加而降低,10 g/kg海泡石处理的Pb总累积淋溶量显著下降17.6％;pH值为5.5和6.5时,海泡石处理Cd累积淋溶量均有所下降,而对Pb的淋溶无显著降低效果.酸雨酸性强度的增大增加了Cd、Pb的淋溶风险,且Pb比Cd敏感.添加海泡石可有效减少酸雨对土壤中Pb的淋溶,但其对Cd淋溶的影响受酸雨酸性强度的影响.     

pH和磷的交互作用对稳定化土壤砷释放的影响

以3种含Fe材料稳定化土壤(FeSO_4、FeS和Fe~0稳定化土壤)为研究对象,研究了不同pH和P的交互作用对As释放量的影响及其作用机理。结果表明,在pH=3条件下,随着时间的延长能够促进释放的As重新趋于稳定化,而pH=11时3种稳定化土壤中As的释放量显著增加,144 h后分别约为pH=3时的10.5、16和10倍。添加P时,在3种pH条件下都促进了稳定化土壤中As的释放,尤其在酸性条件下,相对于无P体系As的释放量增加最为明显。FeSO_4稳定化土壤中As的释放特征能用Elovich方程较好地描述,而双常数方程拟合FeS和Fe~0稳定化土壤效果更优。在pH=3条件下,3种稳定化土壤中As的释放量与Ca、Mg、Mn的溶出量呈(极)显著相关,而pH=11时FeSO_4和FeS稳定化土壤中As的释放量与SO_4~(2–)的溶出量呈(极)显著相关,表明在酸性条件下,稳定化土壤As的释放主要受Ca、Mg、Mn氧化物结合态As溶解的影响,而碱性条件下,FeSO_4和FeS稳定化土壤中As的释放可能与硫化物的溶解有关。     

茶皂素对污染土壤中重金属的修复作用

采用振荡离心的方法研究了生物表面活性剂茶皂素在不同浓度、pH值和离子强度下对污染土壤中重金属去除效果的影响;并采用BCR法研究了茶皂素处理前后土样中各形态的重金属含量变化。试验结果表明:随着茶皂素浓度的增加,重金属的去除率随之增加,在茶皂素浓度为7%时,对供试土样中重金属的去除率达到最大值,去除率分别为Cd 96.36%,Zn 71.73%,Pb 43.71%,Cu 20.56%;随着土壤环境pH值的增加,重金属的去除率随之减少,适宜的pH范围在5.0左右;离子强度对Pb,Cu的去除效率影响不大,Zn,Cd的去除率随着离子强度的增加而减少。比较茶皂素处理前后土样中重金属各形态含量的变化,发现酸溶态的重金属更易被茶皂素去除,其次为可还原态、可氧化态和残渣态的重金属很难被去除。     

草海湖湿地重金属分布特征及污染负荷

该文测定了草海湿地土壤和草海表层沉积物中7种毒性重金属的含量,对比研究了重金属元素含量的时空变异特征,同时应用单因子污染指数法和污染负荷指数法对底泥、沼泽草地、农用地和林地土壤中重金属污染进行了评价。结果表明:本研究中7种重金属中,Cd,Zn,Hg含量明显高于贵州省土壤背景值,重金属Cd和Zn分布特征为:底泥农用地沼泽草地林地;Cr的分布特征为:沼泽草地林地农用地底泥;Pb和Cu含量的分布特征为:农用地底泥沼泽草地林地;Hg的分布特征为:底泥沼泽草地农用地林地;As的分布特征为:林地农用地沼泽草地底泥;草海湖周边的农用地和沼泽湿地中Cd,Hg达到重污染程度,Zn为中度污染,Pb和As为轻度污染。草海底泥中Cd,Hg和Zn达到重污染水平,其余4种重金属尚未构成污染;草海底泥重金属污染水平为中等污染,枯水期污染略重,且靠近湖心的采样点污染较重,3个采样区都呈现距岸边越远污染越重的趋势。草海湿地底泥重金属污染较重,农用地次之,沼泽草地再次,林地无重金属污染。研究可为草海湿地重金属污染放置与治理提供基础数据。     

2种含铁物质对底泥中砷的固化效果

研究通过向砷污染底泥中添加FeCl3和Fe(OH)3作为稳定剂,通过五步连续提取法来评鉴其固化效果。结果表明:(1)0.5~5g/kg的FeCl3(以Fe计)使底泥的pH降低了0.01~0.65个单位,而0.5~5g/kg的Fe(OH)3使底泥pH升高0.05~0.11个单位。(2)FeCl3和Fe(OH)3均能降低底泥中交换态砷(A-As)含量,与对照相比,最大添加量(5g/kg)分别使A-As降低了85.71%和10.38%。此外,FeCl3显著降低了底泥中Al-As和Ca-As含量,增加了Fe-As含量,对R-As的影响不明显。而Fe(OH)3降低了底泥中Fe-As含量,增加了Ca-As和R-As含量,对Al-As的影响不明显。(3)FeCl3明显降低了底泥中As的TCLP毒性浸出量,而Fe(OH)3却使底泥中As的TCLP毒性浸出量微略增加。综上,FeCl3对固化底泥中的砷具有较好的效果。     

“绿色革命”以来大气CO2浓度升高对C3作物营养品质的影响

自20世纪60年代"绿色革命"以来,育种技术和农耕技术的发展促进了农作物产量的大幅提升,然而作物的营养品质出现下降趋势。在相似的遗传背景下,大气CO_2浓度升高会使单位体积农作物产品的营养元素含量下降,因此"绿色革命"至今,农作物产品的营养元素下降可能受大气CO_2浓度升高影响。通过植物生长箱模拟"绿色革命"初期和目前的大气CO_2浓度水平(310μmol/mol和400μmol/mol),针对主要C_3作物水稻、小麦和大豆,研究"绿色革命"以来大气CO_2浓度升高对其籽粒的C、N、Fe、Zn元素含量的影响,结果表明:CO_2浓度升高对3种作物籽粒的C元素含量几乎没有影响,变化幅度在±1.5%之间;籽粒的N、Fe、Zn元素含量普遍呈现下降趋势,但均未达到显著水平。     

Potential of wild species for genetic enhancement of some semi-arid food crops

Discovery and incorporation of genes from wild species provide means to sustain crop improvement, particularly when levels of resistance in the cultigens are low and virulent strains of pests and pathogens overcome the host plant resistance. The extent of utilization and the potential of the wild genepool for genetic enhancement were reviewed in five important food crops viz. sorghum, pearl millet, chickpea, pigeonpea and groundnut grown in the semi-arid tropics. Introgression from compatible wild germplasm in the primary gene pool resulted in transfer of new cytoplasmic male sterility systems in pearl millet and pigeonpea, development of high protein, cleistogamous flower and dwarf pigeonpea lines and foliar disease resistant groundnut cultivars. Utilization of wild species in secondary and tertiary gene pools has been generally limited due to sterility, restricted recombination or cross incompatibility. Nevertheless, these species are extremely important as they contain high levels of resistance to several important biotic and abiotic stresses. Several of them, like those belonging to the Parasorghum section and the rhizomatous Arachis species are sources of multiple resistances and hold great promise to sustain crop productivity.     

Faculty positions:Center for Agricultural Resources Research,Chinese Academy of Sciences

正The Center for Agricultural Resources Research(CARR),the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology(IGDB),Chinese Academy of Sciences,invites applicants for several research group leader positions.CARR is one of the research organizations in Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS).We seek nominations and applications     

Soil-profile distribution of primary and secondary plant-available nutrients under conventional and no tillage

Nutrient distributions under no tillage (NT) compared with conventional disk-and-bed tillage (CT) management in the warm, humid region of the southeastern USA need to be assessed so that future placement, quantity, and type of fertilizers can be altered, if necessary, to efficiently match crop demands. We determined soil-profile distributions of pH, N, P, S, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu to a depth of 0.9 m at the end of 8.5 years of continuous CT and NT management on a Weswood silty clay loam (fine, mixed, thermic Fluventic Ustochrept) in southcentral Texas. Most dramatic changes occurred within the 0–0.05 m depth, where soil under NT had lower pH, Fe, and Cu than under CT, but greater P, K, Zn, and Mn. Greater P and K under NT than under CT also occurred below the till-zone (0.15–0.3 m). At a depth of 0–0.3 m, soil under NT contained greater amounts of extractable P, K, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu than under CT. Nitrogen fertilization had little effect on nutrient distributions, except resulting in greater extractable K at 0–0.05 m and greater nitrate at 0–0.15 m. Few changes in soil-profile distributions were observed for extractable S, Ca, Mg, and Na. Long-term continuous use of NT on this fine-textured, high-fertility (except for N) soil had no apparent adverse effects on nutrient distributions relative to CT, but enhanced conservation and availability of P, K, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu near the soil surface where crop roots proliferate.     

Assessing the effectiveness of conservation measures: Resolving the “wicked” problem of the Steller sea lion

“Wicked” problems are those that are complex and that change when solutions are applied. Many conflicts in conservation fall into this category. The study approached the problem of how to constrain the apparent wickedness of a problem in the conservation management of a species by using simple empirical indicators to carry out iterative assessment of the risk to a population and to document how this risk evolves in relation to the addition of new data and the implementation of management actions. Effects of high levels of uncertainty within data and also concerning population structure were examined through stochastic simulation and by exploration of scenarios. Historical trends in the example used, the Steller sea lion, showed rapid declines in abundance in some regions during the 1980s. The current total population is 130,000-150,000 Steller sea lions through Alaska and British Columbia and this number has been stable since about 1990 in spite of regional differences in population dynamics. Regional differences in the sequence of changes in the number of pups and non-pups, suggested that an internal re-distribution of juveniles could have happened between 1980 and 1990. Current productivity also appears close to the long-term mean. Stochastic population projection using various scenarios showed that, based upon this history, the risk of extinction for the population has declined and is below reasonable thresholds for considering the population to be endangered. The trends in risk suggest that management actions taken since 1990 have probably been effective. Consequently, the conservation management objectives for the Steller sea lion are probably being met. The approach provides a mechanism, based upon experience and scenario analysis, for exploring future policy options and may help to constrain the debate amongst stakeholders about the cost-benefit trade-offs associated with different options.     

Collection and preliminary evaluation of native turfgrass accessions in Italy

Despite a raising interest on turfs in Italy, all theavailable varieties of this kind in the Country are of foreign origin, and areoften poorly adapted to the prevailing climatic conditions. This prompted tobegin a collection activity of indigenous turfgrass species, with the ultimategoal of identifying promising materials for future breeding based on localgenetic resources. The collection was carried out in three areas of Italy, viz.the northern Po Plain, the coastal region of Liguria, and the island of Sardiniathat are characterised, respectively, by subcontinental, warm temperate, andtypical Mediterranean climate. Altogether, 141 sites were visited, yielding 226accessions belonging to eight species of potential interest for turfs:Poa pratensis, Poa trivialis,Festuca rubra, Festuca arundinacea,Lolium perenne, Agrostis stolonifera,Agrostis tenuis, and Cynodon dactylon,this last being a warm-season grass. Poa pratensis andCynodon dactylon were mostly collected in northern Italyand Sardinia, respectively, whereas Festuca arundinacea andLolium perenne were rather ubiquitous. The collection sitesranged from 0 to 1040 m asl, but sites over 750 m wereonly visited in the inner part of Sardinia. All the accessions, collected aswhole plants, were transplanted at Lodi, northern Italy, where they are beingevaluated. Their preliminary evaluation for traits of importance for turf use,such as sward colour and overall quality, highlighted the great variation andthe occurrence of interesting accessions in all species. Other characters wererecorded, bearing specific importance in individual species, and in all casespromising accessions were identified. The germplasm of Festucarubra, Festuca arundinacea, and Loliumperenne proved highly infected by endophytic (symbiotic) fungi of thegenus Neotyphodium.     

Enhanced establishment and growth of giant cardon cactus in an eroded field in the Sonoran Desert using native legume trees as nurse plants aided by plant growth-promoting microorganisms and compost

To evaluate the feasibility of long-term desert reforestation technology of mixed vegetation, cardon cactus (Pachycereus pringlei) seedlings from indoor and outdoor nurseries were planted in the field adjacent to one seedling of potential legume nurse trees: mesquite amargo (Prosopis articulata), yellow palo verde (Parkinsonia microphylla), and blue palo verde (Parkinsonia florida). Some of the planting holes were also supplemented with common dairy compost. Additionally, the combinations of legume tree–cactus were inoculated with either a consortium of desert arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB; the diazotroph Azospirillum brasilense Cd, and the phosphate solubilizer Paenibacillus sp.), or a mixture of all. The field experiments were evaluated periodically during 30 months for survival and growth. Cardons reared in an outdoor screen house survived better in the field than those reared in a controlled growth chamber and hardened later outdoors. Association with any legume nurse tree increased survival and enhanced growth of untreated cardons. For cardons growing alone, application of either compost, AM fungi, and all the treatments combined increased survival. For these plants, no treatment affected plant growth during the first 3 months after transplanting. Later, all treatments, except for AM fungi, enhanced plant growth. However, only 2 years after transplanting the enhanced growth effect of AM fungi was also significant. In the presence of the legume nurse trees, transient positive effects on cardon growth were recorded. General evaluation after 30 months of cultivation showed that the treatments positively affected cardon growth when growing alone or in combination only with mesquite amargo but not with the other two legume trees. This study proposes that young legume trees have the capacity to enhance survival and growth of cardon cactus, depending on the legume cactus combination. Additional treatments such as compost or PGPB can either amplify the effect or else attenuate it.     

Karyotypic and genome size variation in Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. (pigeonpea) and some wild relatives

Detailed karyotypes and 4C DNA amounts have been studied in five cultivars of Cajanus cajan and 20 species belonging to Cajanus, Rhynchosia, Dunbaria, Flemingia and Paracalyx. C. cajan shows intraspecific variability and its karyotype is most similar to that of C. cajanifolius (sect. Cajanus) in the morphology and number of satellite chromosomes and the lack of any correlation between chromosome size within the complement and asymmetry. Karyotypes of C. lineatus and C. sericeus belonging to sect. Atylia are similar with respect to maximum r-index and the ratio of longest and shortest chromosomes in their respective complements. C. acutifolius (sect. Frutocosa) is distinct in having a very low ratio (1.44) between the longest and the shortest chromosomes, while in C. albicans, C. goensis, C. scarabaeoides (sect. Cantharospermum) there is no chromosome pair with r-index >2.0. C. mollis and C. volubilis (sect. Volubilis) show similarity with regard to ratio between the longest and the shortest chromosomes and a distinct chromosome pair with an arm ratio of 2.7 and C. platycarpus is distinct (sect. Rhynchosoides) in having the smallest ratio (1.36) between the longest and the shortest chromosomes. 4C DNA amounts in Cajanus and Rhynchosia vary between 3.28 pg to 11.69 pg and 4.92 pg to 11.13 pg respectively, while in Dunbaria, Flemingia and Paracalyx these vary between 4.70 and 7:06 pg. In the genus Cajanus karyotypic features and 4C DNA amounts agree with the sectional classification and bring out a close relationship between C. cajan and C. cajanifolius. This is supported by studies based on seed protein patterns, isozyme analysis, trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitor patterns, RFLP and RAPD data and crossability relationships. A clear relation between DNA amount and abnormalities effecting the extent of pairing and recombination in interspecific hybrids shows the importance of this study in developing future breeding programme involving C. cajan and its wild relatives that are of potential value.     

Effect of some fungicide seed treatments on the survival of Bradyrhizobium japonicum and on the nodulation and yield of soybean [Glycine max. (L) Merr.]

Several commercial fungicide seed treatments were evaluated for their possible effect on the survival of Bradyrhizobium japonicum on seeds and on the nodulation and yield of soybeans in a greenhouse and a field experiment. quinolate Pro (carbendazim and oxine copper), Vitavax 200FF (carboxin and thiram), and Monceren (pencycuron) had a small effect or no effect on the survival of B. japonicum and on the nodulation and yield of soybeans. They can thus be considered compatible with soybean seed inoculation. Germipro UFB (carbendazim and iprodione), Apron 35J (metalaxyl), and Tachigaren (hymexazol) decreased B. japonicum survival and the nodulation and yield of soybeans and thus cannot be considered compatible with soybean seed inoculation.     

Leaf position and genotype differences for mineral element concentrations in sorghum grown on tropical acid soil 1

Mineral element deficiencies and toxicities are common problems associated with sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] production on acid soils. To better understand some of the mineral element problems and the analysis of plant tissue of sorghum plants grown on acid soils, four sorghum genotypes were grown on an acid Oxisol at Carimagua, Colombia limed with dolomite at 2 and 6 Mg ha^‐1.

Samples for mineral element analyses were obtained from leaves at different positions on the four genotypes. Concentrations of P and Mg were highest in the flag leaf (Leaf No. 1) and decreased as the position on the plant declined from the top of the plant for plants grown at 2 Mg lime ha^‐1. Similar decreases in P, Mg, K, and Zn concentrations occurred in plants grown with 6 Mg lime ha^‐1. Concentrations of Ca, S, Si, Mn, Fe, Cu, and Al increased as leaf position declined from the flag leaf for plants grown at 2 and 6 Mg lime ha^‐1. The higher lime supply enhanced Ca and reduced Mn and Fe concentrations in leaves. Differences in mineral element concentrations for the four genotypes used were fairly extensive. The elements to show the greatest range among genotypes were Al and Si and the elements to show the least range among genotypes were P, K, and S. Care should be used in collecting leaf samples for plant analysis and genotypic differences for accumulation of mineral elements should be considered in interpretation of results.