生物质炭对黑土硝态氮淋失的影响

为探究不同类型和不同用量生物质炭对黑土硝态氮(NO_3~-—N)淋失的影响,采用室内土柱模拟法进行淋溶试验,探究了3种来源(玉米秸秆、稻壳、松木)和4个添加比例(0.6%,1.2%,3.6%,6%)的生物质炭对黑土淋溶液的pH、电导率(EC)、体积、淋溶液中NO_3~-—N浓度及土壤NO_3~-—N淋失量的影响。结果表明:淋溶液的pH和EC与生物质炭的施用量呈正比,且3种生物质炭对淋溶液pH的影响表现为玉米秸秆稻壳松木;对淋溶液EC的影响表现为稻壳松木玉米秸秆。淋溶液体积与生物质炭的施用量呈反比,CK处理中累积淋溶液体积为2 530ml,玉米秸秆、稻壳和松木生物质炭的各处理中均为6%处理的累积淋溶液体积最低,分别比CK降低了16.91%,10.77%和10.70%。施用生物质炭可降低淋溶液中NO_3~-—N浓度,CK处理中淋溶液NO_3~-—N浓度范围为38.09~5.02 mg/L,玉米秸秆生物质炭中1.2%处理的淋溶液NO_3~-—N浓度最低,范围为21.31~0.74mg/L;稻壳、松木生物质炭中3.6%处理的淋溶液NO_3~-—N浓度最低,范围分别为21.86~1.06mg/L和22.76~1.11mg/L。施用生物质炭降低了土壤NO_3~-—N淋失量,不同生物质炭对其影响表现为玉米秸秆稻壳松木,当玉米秸秆生物质炭的添加比例为1.2%,稻壳及松木制备的生物质炭添加比例为3.6%时,土壤NO_3~-—N淋失量最低。因此,向黑土中施用生物质炭可以增加淋溶液的pH和EC,降低淋溶液体积和其中所含NO_3~-—N的浓度,从而减少了土壤中NO_3~-—N的淋失量。     

施用生物炭和秸秆对石灰性褐土氮肥去向的影响

为明确秸秆直接还田和秸秆炭化为生物炭后施入土壤对氮肥转化(植株吸收、土壤残留及损失)的影响,采用大田微区试验,运用15N标记示踪技术,分析了石灰性褐土施用生物炭和秸秆后氮肥的去向,并阐明其影响机制。试验共设3个处理,单施化肥(NPK)、施化肥并施生物炭(NPK+B)以及施化肥并施秸秆(NPK+S)。结果表明:石灰性褐土上高粱植株当季的氮肥吸收率、土壤残留率和损失率分别是18.41%～24.94%、22.67%～35.47%和46.12%～52.40%;与NPK处理相比,NPK+B和NPK+S处理高粱植株的氮肥利用率分别降低2.20个百分点和6.53个百分点(P0.05),土壤残留率分别增加5.58个百分点(P0.05)和12.80个百分点(P0.05),氮肥损失率分别降低3.40个百分点和6.28个百分点(P0.05);施用秸秆显著提高了土壤活性有机碳含量、土壤微生物数量及代谢活性,增强了氮肥转化过程中土壤微生物对肥料氮的固定,从而减少氮肥损失。因此,与施用生物炭比较,秸秆直接还田是提高石灰性褐土氮肥有效性及秸秆资源合理利用的更有效途径。     

不同炭化温度下玉米秸秆和沙蒿生物炭的结构特征及化学特性

掌握不同生物炭材料的结构特征和化学特性是合理利用生物炭的基础。通过无氧炭化法制备了不同炭化温度下的玉米秸秆生物炭和沙蒿生物炭,对比了不同材料和不同炭化温度下生物炭性质的差异。结果表明:炭化温度低于400℃时,两种材料生物炭的孔隙结构保存完整,600℃以上时,两种材料生物炭的蜂窝状结构均遭到破坏,玉米秸秆生物炭被破坏得更严重;同一炭化温度下,玉米秸秆生物炭的比表面积及总孔容和平均孔径均大于沙蒿生物炭,两种生物炭的比表面积随炭化温度的升高均增大,总孔容呈"V"形变化;两种材料的生物炭均呈碱性,炭化温度越高,pH越大,400℃~800℃,每升高10℃,玉米秸秆生物炭和沙蒿生物炭的pH均以0.02的幅度增加,同一温度下,玉米秸秆生物炭的pH大于沙蒿生物炭,在400℃、600℃和800℃下分别比沙蒿生物炭高0.31、0.35和0.29单位;随炭化温度的升高,玉米秸秆生物炭和沙蒿生物炭的C、P、K和灰分含量增加,400℃~800℃,玉米秸秆生物炭的C、P、K含量以炭化温度每升高10℃分别增加2.94、0.11、0.20 g/kg的幅度变化,沙蒿生物炭也以4.35、0.07、0.24 g/kg的幅度增加,与此同时,玉米秸秆生物炭的N、H含量以每升高10℃分别以0.13 g/kg和0.86 g/kg的幅度降低,沙蒿生物炭的N、H含量分别以0.04 g/kg和0.82 g/kg的幅度下降,S含量无明显变化,C/N和C/H增大,且不同材料生物炭的元素含量差异显著;两种材料生物炭的N、P、K有效性随炭化温度的升高均下降,400℃~600℃,玉米秸秆生物炭和沙蒿生物炭的速效N含量分别下降了57.89%和19.05%,800℃时两种生物炭的速效N均接近0 mg/kg,400℃~800℃玉米秸秆生物炭和沙蒿生物炭的速效P含量分别降低了67.41%和52.36%,此时速效K含量也分别降低了45.62%和90.16%。总之,不同材料和炭化温度对生物炭的物理特征和化学特性都有较大影响。     

黑土区农田氮磷淋溶消减措施

黑土是我国重要的土壤资源,承载了全国50%以上的玉米产量。但过量的化肥施入和不合理的农业管理造成黑土土壤氮磷大量残留,氮磷淋溶风险增强。相关研究表明,尽管黑土区旱地农田氮磷淋溶损失相对较低,肥料残留效应仍致使其潜在淋溶风险增强。因此,本研究综合分析了环境因子和农业管理措施对黑土区农田氮磷淋溶特征的影响规律,明确了黑土氮磷淋溶消减措施,并针对玉米农田和蔬菜地提出消减策略。具体结果如下:施肥和降水是影响黑土农田氮磷淋溶的重要因素,灌溉是影响蔬菜地氮磷淋溶的关键农田管理措施;按需施肥、有机无机配施、避免雨热同期追肥、节水灌溉、免耕秸秆覆盖、不同作物轮作和添加生物炭等均是适合于当地气候和土壤条件的氮磷淋溶阻控措施。建议玉米农田采用一次性基肥施入,有机肥占比50%～70%,采用免耕秸秆覆盖技术;蔬菜地在常规施肥和灌溉频次下分别降低20%的施肥量和灌溉量,推荐蔬菜秋季收获后秸秆粉碎深埋等管理措施。本研究明确了黑土区农田氮磷淋溶消减策略,有助于实现黑土区农业绿色可持续发展和绿色生态环境的构建。     

不同来源氮素配合施用提高东北春玉米氮素利用与改善土壤肥力的可持续性研究

【目的】研究不同氮素形态对东北春玉米氮素利用和土壤肥效的影响,为氮素养分持续高效利用和培肥土壤提供理论依据。 【方法】2013～2015 年连续三年在东北典型春玉米种植区开展田间定位试验,在相同磷钾肥施用前提下,试验设 4 个处理:1) 50% 玉米秸秆氮 (N0);2) 100% 速效氮 165 kg/hm2 (N1);3) 60% 速效氮 + 20% 有机肥氮 + 20% 缓释氮,施氮量 165 kg/hm2 (N2);4) N2 + 生物炭,生物炭量相当于 50% 玉米秸秆 (N3)。收获期测定耕层土壤基本理化指标、作物产量及氮素利用率、基肥和追肥后土壤 N₂O 排放量。 【结果】1) 三年玉米平均产量 N1、N2 和 N3 处理分别比 N0 处理显著增加了 62.7%、67.7% 和 80.1% (P < 0.05);N2 和 N3 处理分别比 N1 处理增产 3.0% 和 10.7%;N3 处理玉米产量可持续性指数 (SYI) 最高,产量可持续性最好。2) 与 N1 处理相比,2013 年和 2014 年累计化肥氮利用率 N2 和 N3 处理分别增加了 8.4% 和 12.7%、10.2% 和 15.5%,2015 年分别显著增加了 8.4% 和 12.7% (P < 0.05)。N2 和 N3 处理累计化肥氮利用率呈现逐年增加的趋势,且 N3 处理增加幅度大于 N2 处理,说明 N3 处理氮肥的后效更加明显。3) 施氮处理显著提高了土壤 N₂O 累积排放量 (P < 0.05),N3 处理较 N1 处理显著降低了 53.2%;4) N3 处理的综合土壤肥力指数 (IFI) 最高,N3 处理在农学、土壤肥力和环境效应评价中最优。 【结论】在总氮施用量不变的前提下,以添加适宜比例生物炭、有机肥和缓释氮肥替代部分速效化肥氮,可协同实现东北春玉米持续稳产、氮素养分持续高效利用和土壤肥力的可持续改善。     

秸秆生物炭输入对冻融期黑土表层无机氮磷垂直迁移的影响

为研究秸秆生物炭输入对冻融期黑土表层无机氮磷垂直迁移的影响,采用室内模拟冻融循环试验,设置冻融与不冻融、冻融循环次数和生物炭施加量3个影响因素,分析冻融作用下不同秸秆生物炭输入量土壤表层无机氮磷垂直迁移特征。结果表明:(1)冻融与不冻融、冻融循环次数及生物炭施加量对黑土表层NO3-—N、NH4+—N和PO43-—P垂直迁移液总体积、迁移液总浓度及迁移总量均有极显著影响。(2)淋溶时间随冻融作用增强而缩短,随生物炭施加量增加而延长。所有处理迁移液总体积均随生物炭输入量的增加呈降低趋势。未冻融组迁移液总体积随培养期增加呈现缓慢下降趋势,冻融组处理迁移液总体积在第5次冻融循环试验出现急剧增加,而后趋于平稳。(3)分析冻融作用下秸秆生物炭施入对无机氮磷垂直迁移累积影响,同一控制时间内生物炭对冻融组无机氮磷垂直迁移量的抑制作用大于不冻融组,且随生物炭施入量增加对无机氮磷垂直迁移的抑制作用增强。由于土壤物理性质的改变,冻融组NO3-—N、NH4+—N和PO43-—P累积迁移量均在第5次冻融循环左右发生急剧变化。综上可知,生物炭在冻融期可以有效的固持养分,研究结果可为寒冷地区解冻期面源污染防治提供一定的理论支持。     

南方丘陵地区生物黑炭和有机肥配施化肥的应用研究

研究生物黑炭和有机肥配施化肥对旱地作物种植和养分损失的影响,旨在进一步探索高温多雨的南方丘陵地区旱地作物合理施肥和高产高效种植以及资源优化利用的有效途径。采用田间小区试验,设置了5个处理:不施肥(CK)、单施化肥(CF)、化肥+生物黑炭(CF+B)、有机无机肥配施(OF+CF)和有机无机肥配施且添加生物黑炭(OF+CF+B),探讨了生物黑炭和有机肥施用对春玉米产量、地表氮磷径流损失、作物氮磷肥料利用率的影响。结果表明:生物黑炭或有机肥的施用可显著增产8.2%~11.1%,但有机肥和生物黑炭结合施用增产效果最佳,增产率可高达13.7%。相比CF处理,CF+B处理可显著降低15.9%的氮素径流损失和24.2%磷素径流损失,显著提高26.3%和11.8%的地上部氮磷累积量;OF+CF处理可显著降低17.5%的氮素径流损失和25.0%磷素径流损失,提高36.5%(P0.05)和8.2%(P0.05)地上部氮磷累积量;OF+CF+B处理可显著降低33.3%的氮素径流损失和35.2%磷素径流损失,显著提高52.1%和29.0%地上部氮磷累积量,且氮磷肥料利用率最高,分别达49.1%和26.4%。OF+CF+B处理施肥方式一方面可促进春玉米旺盛生长,增加地表植被覆盖度和增强土壤的抗蚀性,显著降低了地表的径流体积;另一方面可以全面降低土壤氮磷养分溶解态和颗粒态的径流损失,培肥了地力。因此,从产量经济效益和环境效益方面综合来看,认为添加生物黑炭和有机肥部分替代化肥结合化肥施入土壤是最合理的施肥方式,值得在该区域进行推广和应用。     

15N示踪法研究生物炭施用对水稻—土壤系统氮肥去向的影响

为探究施用水稻秸秆生物炭对水稻产量、氮肥利用率、氮肥残留及损失的影响,采用盆栽试验结合¹⁵N示踪技术,分析了施用水稻秸秆生物炭对水稻生物量、氮素积累量、肥料氮去向以及氨氧化微生物的影响。研究共设置5个处理:不施氮肥(N0)、单施化肥(CF)、施化肥配施0.5%生物炭(BC1)、施化肥配施1%生物炭(BC2)和施化肥配施2%生物炭(BC3)。结果表明:与CF处理相比,BC2和BC3处理均显著提高水稻产量,增产率分别为19.3%和22.0%。施用生物炭显著增加水稻氮素积累量和表观利用率。施用生物炭的水稻籽粒肥料氮积累和总肥料氮积累量较CF处理分别提高18.6%~23.4%和18.5%~26.5%。然而,施用生物炭处理与CF处理之间的籽粒土壤氮吸收量没有显著差异。BC1、BC2和BC3处理的氮肥利用率分别为30.4%,28.5%和29.3%,均显著高于CF处理(24.1%)。施用生物炭有利于肥料氮在土壤中的 残留,从而减少损失。因此,施用生物炭的肥料氮损失率(25.7%~27.5%)显著低于单施化肥处理(38.4%)。与CF处理相比,高量施用生物炭(BC3)显著降低氨氧化细菌的amoA基因拷贝数,但施用生物炭对氨氧化古菌丰度没有显著影响。综上表明,施用水稻秸秆生物炭是提高水稻产量和氮肥利用率,同时还是有效减少氮素损失的一种有效措施。     

褐土区农田土壤氮磷淋溶特征及其管理措施

自20世纪90年代以来,持续过量氮磷化肥投入导致农业面源污染日益严重,了解农田土壤氮磷淋溶特征是降低地下水污染的基础。基于田间调查、长期定位肥料试验和田间试验,分析褐土区氮磷的盈余状况,阐明该区农田土壤氮磷的盈余变化、淋溶特征;评价田间管理措施对农田土壤氮磷淋溶的影响。结果表明,典型褐土区关中平原过量施氮的土壤达到83%以上,大量土壤硝态氮已经迁移到100cm土层以下,15%的水井地下水的硝态氮含量超过10 mg·L~(-1)(WHO饮用水标准);80%耕层土壤有效磷(Olsen-P)含量已超过20mg·kg-1,富磷土壤已出现可溶性磷素向耕层以下迁移的现象。氮肥和磷肥的投入量、氮磷吸收量和土壤氮磷残留量之间存在着3个发展阶段:环境友好-资源高效阶段、环境低风险-资源低效阶段和环境有害-资源无效阶段。与当地常规水肥投入量相比,在保证产量的前提下,化肥减量、降低灌溉量、施用生物炭或秸秆还田都可以降低氮磷淋失量;其中化肥减量、降低灌溉可显著降低氮磷的淋失,其次是施用生物炭和秸秆。施用秸秆条件下,阻控硝态氮淋失与微生物生物量碳氮的提高、土壤硝化势降低或反硝化势升高有关。此外,需要关注褐土区粮果复合系统中土壤氮磷淋溶的环境效应、地下水硝酸盐污染的溯源等问题。     

控释氮用量及生物炭对玉米产量及土壤生物化学性质的影响

为探明控释氮肥、生物炭及秸秆还田对作物产量及土壤的作用,通过玉米盆栽试验研究不同施氮量普通尿素与控释肥、添加生物炭及秸秆还田对玉米产量及土壤性质的影响。研究结果表明:控释肥和秸秆还田能够显著提高玉米产量,推荐施氮量控释肥(100%CRF)、70%推荐施氮量控释肥(70%CRF)和推荐施氮量普通尿素+秸秆还田(100%Urea+S)处理玉米产量比推荐施氮量普通尿素(100%Urea)处理分别提高46.62%,22.12%和27.24%;70%CRF比70%推荐施氮量普通尿素(70%Urea)处理产量提高36.37%;添加生物炭增产不显著,但显著提高土壤pH;控释肥及添加生物炭处理提高土壤氮素有效性;生物炭和秸秆还田提高土壤中有机碳的含量;控释肥和秸秆还田提高土壤脱氢酶、脲酶、中性磷酸酶活性,添加生物炭提高土壤脲酶活性,抑制土壤脱氢酶和中性磷酸酶活性;所有不同处理间土壤过氧化氢酶活性差异不显著。     

胶结型缓释肥在小麦上应用效果的研究

在盆栽条件下,以不施肥CK1和施用等NPK养分化肥CK2为对照,研究了胶结型缓释肥塑料-淀粉胶结肥和粘土-聚酯胶结肥对冬小麦生长发育、产量、植株内养分含量、土壤中有效养分含量的影响。结果表明,施用粘土-聚酯胶结肥和塑料-淀粉胶结肥均能显著增加冬小麦产量,与CK2相比分别增产14.85%、27.48%;施用胶结型缓释肥能够促进小麦各生育时期叶绿素合成;与CK2相比,施用粘土-聚酯胶结肥和塑料-淀粉胶结肥分别使小麦中后期干物重增加9.24%～45.56%和7.53%～45.64%;使植株内氮素含量分别增加4.43%～12.96%,5.70%～14.42%;与CK2相比,土壤中碱解氮和速效磷含量均表现为小麦生长前期低生长中后期高,充分体现了胶结型缓释肥的养分缓释效果。     

氰氨化钙在农业生产中的应用研究进展

简述了氰氨化钙的发展概况,阐述了氰氨化钙的水解机理,以及氰氨化钙颗粒肥作为药肥、土壤改良剂和植物生长调节剂的作用机理。对其在大田作物和园艺作物中的应用研究现状进行了综述,并对未来的研究方向和重点提出了建议。     

新型缓释氮肥肥效及经济效益分析研究

采用盆栽试验的方法研究了自制的缓释氮肥在菠菜和樱桃萝卜上的应用效果。通过对蔬菜产量、氮素利用率和硝酸盐含量的分析测定得出:缓释氮肥Ⅰ的肥效最好,经济效益最高。在不同的氮素水平下蔬菜的产量随着施肥量的增加,呈现先增加后减少的趋势,当施肥量达到每盆(2.5 kg土)0.33 g时,产量达到最高,符合肥料的报酬递减率。比较不同氮肥品种可以看出,施用缓释氮肥的蔬菜产量均高于尿素,并且缓释氮肥Ⅰ高于缓释氮肥Ⅱ;氮素利用率随着施肥量的增加而逐渐降低,自制的缓释氮肥的实际效果表现较好,其氮素利用率也高于尿素,并且在第二茬作物中氮素利用率仍然很高;硝酸盐含量随着施肥量的增加而增加;经济效益为缓释氮肥Ⅰ在0.33 g/盆的水平下达到最高。     

木质素吸附缓释性质及在肥料中的应用

综述了木质素的吸附缓释性质,介绍了其作为载体基质材料在肥料中的应用开发研究进展情况,为工业木质素的综合利用和解决造纸行业及由于普通肥料流失所带来的环境污染问题提供了一条新的途径。     

非包膜缓释复合肥对水稻氮素营养的效应研究

采用盆栽试验研究了非包膜缓释复合肥（SRCF）、包膜缓释复合肥（Multicote）和普通复合肥（CCF）对水稻植株生长和氮素营养的影响。结果表明,盆栽试验施用SRCF的水稻茎叶重、根冠比、含氮量、对肥料氮的吸收量和利用率与Multicote处理的相应指标较为相近,明显优于普通无机复合肥,这表明SRCF的氮素养分具有缓慢释放性能,并能满足水稻不同生长期的氮素需要。     

非包膜缓释复合肥对水稻氮素营养的效应研究

采用盆栽试验研究了非包膜缓释复合肥(SRCF)、包膜缓释复合肥(Multicote)和普通复合肥(CCF)对水稻植株生长和氮素营养的影响。结果表明,盆栽试验施用SRCF的水稻茎叶重、根冠比、含氮量、对肥料氮的吸收量和利用率与Multicote处理的相应指标较为相近,明显优于普通无机复合肥,这表明SRCF的氮素养分具有缓慢释放性能,并能满足水稻不同生长期的氮素需要。     

Short-Term Response of Soil Microbial Biomass to Different Chabazite Zeolite Amendments

Zeolitites (ZTs) are rocks containing more than 50% of zeolite minerals and are known to be a suitable material for agricultural purposes by improving soil physicochemical properties and nitrogen (N) use efficiency. However, little is known about their effects on soil microbial biomass. This study aimed to evaluate short-term effects of different chabazite-rich ZT (CHAZT) amendments on soil microbial biomass and activity. A silty-clay agricultural soil was amended in three different ways, including the addition of natural (5% and 15%) and NH_4~+-enriched (10%) CHAZT. Soil dissolved organic carbon (C), total dissolved N, NH_4~+, NO_3~-, NO_2~-, microbial biomass C and N, and ergosterol were measured periodically over 16 d in a laboratory incubation. To verify the microbial immobilization of the N derived from NH_4~+-enriched CHAZT, a high15N source was used for enriching the mineral to measure the microbial biomass δ15N signature. An increase in the ergosterol content was observed in the soil amended with 5% natural CHAZT. However, no similar result was observed in the soil amended with 15% natural CHAZT, suggesting that the fungal biomass was favored at a lower CHAZT application rate. In the soil amended with NH+ 4-enriched CHAZT, microbial biomass N was related to NO_3~-production over time and inversely related to NH_4~+, suggesting high nitrification process. Isotopic measurements on microbial biomass confirmed immediate assimilation of N derived from NH_4~+-enriched CHAZT. These results suggested that the NH_4~+-enriched CHAZT used in this study supplied an immediately available N pool to the microbial biomass.     

Improvement of application method of liquid fertilizer with irrigation water for uniform topdressing and change in nitrogen concentration of flooded water after application

(pp. 811–816)
The application method of liquid fertilizer with irrigation water was tested in large scale paddy fields using a newly developed fertilizer supplier which can make a supplying rate of liquid fertilizer constant. Uniformity of fertilization, change in the nitrogen concentration of flooded water and absorption of applied nitrogen by paddy rice were examined. High uniformity of fertilization was achieved with this method as compared with a conventional broadcast application of granular fertilizer, or an inflow fertilization of granule-like fertilizer with irrigation water.
When urea was applied as liquid fertilizer, the fertilizer-N disappeared quickly from ponding water under shallow conditions of ponding water depth. In the case of the same depth of ponding water, the rate of reduction was large under conditions of large permeability of water.
The nitrogen utilization rates of urea and ammonium sulfate labeled with ¹⁵N were not related to the depth of ponding water at the time of fertilization. When ammonium sulfate was supplied the nitrogen utilization rate was around 50% regardless of fertilization conditions however, the urea-N utilization rate fell to 40% or less at a permeability of ponding water of 0.8 cm day⁻¹ or less, while it increased to 50% equivalent to ammonium sulfate, at 0.8 cm day⁻¹ or more permeability.     

Slow-release of potassium from fused potassium silicate fertilizer

Original Papers

(pp. 805–810)

K₂Ca₂Si₂O₇, the major component of fused potassium silicate fertilizer, released potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and silicon (Si) in a slow manner. The 10% of K in K₂Ca₂Si₂O₇ was quickly solubilized in water. Further K dissolution was very slow. The amounts of dissolved Ca and Si in water were much smaller than that of K. The decrease of the Ca and Si concentration in water indicated the occurrence of a re-deposit of Ca and Si at a later stage.

The surface imaging method was used in order to study the slow-release process of K₂Ca₂Si₂O₇ in water. The surface analysis of K₂Ca₂Si₂O₇ particles after dissolution in water for 30 min showed that there were Ca- and Si-rich particles stuck on the fertilizer surface. The results of the analysis of the cross section of K₂Ca₂Si₂O₇ particles showed that the K content was lower than those of Ca and Si in the surface boundary layer. On the other hand, the mole ratio of K, Ca and Si was same inside the fertilizer particle. In the portion between the inside and the surface of the fertilizer particle, the content of K and Ca was lower than that of Si. These results indicated that the order of dissolution of fertilizer components from K₂Ca₂Si₂O₇ particle was first K, then Ca, and Si last.

From the results mentioned above, the process of slow-release K was speculated to be as follows: 1) K on the particle surface was released quickly by an ion exchange reaction with hydrogen ions in water. 2) K inside the particle was released slowly because of dissolution through Si-O-Si bonds.     

Nitrogen mineralization of silk waste applied to soil under aerobic conditions

Silk waste which is a byproduct of silk reeling consists mainly of silk proteins such as sericin and fibroin. Although silk waste has a high N content (164 g kg^-1) and low CjN ratio (2.16), net N mineralization in soil at 30°C under aerobic conditions was very slow (21.4% in 184 d). The N mineralization rate of silk waste applied to soil after hydrolysis with HCI was higher than that of untreated silk waste. The effect of hydrolysis with 0.2 M HCI for 60 min at 97°C on the net N mineralization for 56 d was twice as high as that with 1 M HCI for 60 min at 97°C. Molecular mass distribution of silk proteins shifted to the lower range by hydrolysis, whose effect with 1 M HCI was more pronounced than that with 0.2 M HCI. The content of the crystal region in silk protein was estimated to be approximately 45% based on the relationship between the reaction (acid hydrolysis) time and the weight of insoluble residues. X-ray diffraction patterns of these residues showed that the crystal structure persisted until at least 180 min after hydrolysis with 1 M HCI at 97°C. These results suggest that crystal regions and the scattered distribution in silk proteins inhibit the decomposition of silk waste in soil. Silk waste could thus be utilized as slow-release fertilizer.