Estimated nitrogen use efficiency,surplus, and partitioning in young apple trees grown in varied organic production systems

A certified organic apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) orchard was established to study the interaction of ground cover management systems (GMS) and nutrient sources (NS) on nitrogen (N) use efficiency and N surplus in the Southern U.S. for three years. Trees treated with green compost (GC) and wood chips (WC), regardless of the NS, had greater N accumulation and leaf N use efficiency compared to the shredded paper or mow-and-blow treated trees. The WC-treated trees had comparably low N surplus relative to the GC trees that induced more [NO₃⁻] in soil or soil solution in the rooting zone in September in year 3. GC trees had the highest [NO₃⁻] mineralization in the soil during winter. GMS had greater overall effects on the tree response variables than did the NS.     

家畜排泄物综合处理工艺的研究

对我国广大农村家畜排泄物常规处理存在的利弊进行了调查研究,最终揭示出厌氧发酵制沼气、好氧发酵制复混肥的一套符合我国可持续发展、创建和谐社会、节约型社会的家畜粪便处理的科学、实用方法。     

华南地区覆盖旱种水稻节水及其水分利用效率研究

大田试验条件下设置常规水稻(T11)、覆膜旱作水稻(T12)、覆草旱作水稻(T13)和裸地旱作水稻(T14)4个处理,研究旱作水稻的节水效率及水分利用效率。水稻本田期T11用水总量545.40 mm,显著高于各旱作处理水稻,以此为参照,T12、T13和T14节水效率分别为35.1%、22.8%和21.2%。以裸地旱作处理T14为参照,T12节水率17.7%,而T13无明显节水效果。旱作水稻的节水效果主要发生在水稻移栽后前2个月,之后无明显节水效果。各处理以籽粒产量/耗水量为基础计算的水分利用效率(WUE),T12、T13、T14和T11处理分别为1.47、1.31、1.21和1.05 g/kg,以干物质量/耗水量为基础计算的WUE各处理之间的趋势与以籽粒产量/耗水量计算的WUE基本一致。     

载体好氧预处理对厌氧消化反应器运行性能的影响

将用于厌氧消化反应器的载体经好氧挂膜预处理，采用有机负荷递增法启动厌氧附着膜膨胀床（AAFEB）反应器，好氧预处理后的反应器比对照提前15天完成启动，并且具有较好的耐冲击负荷能力和耐水力负荷能力。这与污泥结构良好，持留能力强，污泥流失量小呈正相关。在反应器的稳态运行和再启动运行期间，反应器的主要运行参数与对照反应器无明显差异。     

BAF反应器中好氧反硝化细菌的筛选分离及反硝化特性研究

针对BAF反应器出水总氮浓度显著减少这一现象,以反应器中的生物膜为接种物,采用倍比稀释和酸碱指示剂培养基相结合的方法,成功筛选得到2株能有效降解硝酸盐氮的菌株N1和H1,从而证明好氧BAF反应器的生物膜中确实存在好氧反硝化细菌。经形态观察和生理生化特征分析,初步鉴定菌株N1和H1均为假单胞菌属（Pseudomonas）。菌株N1和H1好氧反硝化特性测试表明其对硝酸盐氮的反硝化作用主要发生在对数生长期。生态影响因子试验确定菌株好氧反硝化过程主要影响因素是投菌量、温度、初始pH和C/N。适宜的反硝化运行参数分别为：投菌量5%和10%,温度30℃和25℃,初始pH值6.0, C/N（摩尔比）12.0:1和4.6:1。该研究可为好氧BAF工艺短程同步硝化反硝化的设计和运行提供理论和技术支持。     

Characterization and partial purification of a bacteriocin‐like substance produced by thermophilic Bacillus licheniformis H1 isolated from cow manure compost

The production and partial characterization of bacteriocin‐like substances (BLSs) produced by bacteria isolated from cow manure compost were investigated. Eight BLS producers, which exhibited inhibitory activity against pathogenic bacteria, were isolated from cow manure compost at different stages of the composting process. The pile temperature ranged from 9.1°C to 73.2°C. The BLSs showed thermostability, but the BLS producers were not thermostable except for the H1 producer. Thermophilic Bacillus licheniformis H1 was further characterized. The culture supernatant of B. licheniformis H1 exhibited antagonistic activity against various species of Gram‐positive bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes ATCC19111 but not against Gram‐negative bacteria except Pseudomonas fluorescens ATCC11251. Inactivation of bacteriocin‐like activity by α‐chymotrypsin, trypsin, and papain was highly significant (P < 0.001). The BLS was found to be stable under a pH range from 3 to 9 and at temperatures up to 75°C for 60 min, but it lost activity after being autoclaved at 121°C for 15 min. The optimum production of BLS by B. licheniformis H1 was obtained at a temperature of 55°C. Sodium dodecyl sulfate – polyacrylamide electrophoresis analysis of concentrated partially purified supernatants collected after resting the bacterial cells at 55°C revealed a bacteriocin‐like protein with a molecular mass of approximately 3.5 kDa. This study is the first report of a BLS from thermophilic B. licheniformis with an animal compost origin.     

Carbon Sequestration in Restored Soils by Applying Organic Amendments

The study of different natural carbon sinks has become especially important because of climate change effects. The restoration of contaminated areas can be an ideal strategy for carbon sequestration. The studied area was affected by toxic Aznalcóllar mine spill in 1998. Restoration process of the contaminated area was based, mainly, on the use of two organic amendments: leonardite (LE) and biosolid compost (BC). The objective of this study was to verify whether the application of these amendments promotes the long‐term carbon sequestration in this soil. Five treatments were established: untreated control, biosolid compost (doses 4 and 2) and leonardite (doses 4 and 2). The addition of amendments implied an improvement in soil quality that was directly related to the amendment dose: decrease in bulk density, increase in pH, higher respiration rates and an improvement in the stratification ratio. Dose‐dependent changes in the molecular composition of soil organic matter were shown by nuclear magnetic resonance analysis. Both amendments promoted carbon retention, although because of the low mineralization rates of soil organic matter in LE treatments, the carbon storage was higher. The dosage effect on the carbon balance was more important in LE treatments, whereas in the BC treatments, the balance was similar for both doses. Our findings suggest that LE4 significantly increased the total organic carbon and it was the most suitable treatment for long‐term carbon storage, because of its molecular composition rich in relatively stable aromatic and lignin‐derived compounds. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Eukaryotic communities associated with the decomposition of rice straw compost in a Japanese rice paddy field estimated by DGGE analysis

To estimate the succession and phylogenetic composition of the eukaryotic communities responsible for the decomposition of rice straw compost under flooded conditions during the cultivation period of paddy rice, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis targeting 18S rDNA followed by sequencing was conducted in a Japanese paddy field. The eukaryotic communities in rice straw compost incorporated into the flooded paddy field were influenced by the mid-season drainage and mainly composed of fungi (Ascomycota, Zygomycota, and Chytridiomycota) and protozoa (Ciliophora, Euglyphida, and Dactylopodida), most of which existed continuously during the cultivation period of paddy rice. The results indicated that these eukaryotic members were associated with the decomposition of rice straw compost in paddy field soil directly or indirectly.