荒漠绿洲农业生态系统养分平衡与调控

通过研究新疆绿洲农业生态系统历年养分平衡演变情况发现,N盈余为－26．9％－＋27．2％,P2O5盈余为188．1％,K2O则亏损,新绿洲化肥投入已占养分总投入的74．9％,有机养分投入逐年减少。提出了养分良性循环指数（MN）概念,当前新绿洲MN只有0．128。阐述了人为调控模式施肥制度,其NN可达到0．581,有机氮再循环系数（H）接近1。为了培肥地力,模式养分平衡要求N盈余在40％以上,以实现绿洲农业生态系统养分良性循环。     

不同利用方式红壤反硝化势和气态产物排放特征

采用厌氧培养-乙炔抑制法测定了4种不同利用方式红壤的反硝化势和气态产物N₂O和N₂的排放速率。结果表明，不同利用方式红壤反硝化势和N₂O和N₂的排放速率差异明显，土壤反硝化势强弱顺序依次为：竹林>茶园>林地>旱地。反硝化势与土壤有机碳(P<0.05)、厌氧培养期间土壤CO₂累积排放量(P<0.01)、nirS基因丰度( P<0.05)和nirK基因丰度(P<0.05) 呈显著正相关关系。逐步回归分析结果表明，CO₂累积排放量表征的易矿化碳是造成不同利用方式红壤反硝化势差异的主要原因，可以解释反硝化势变化的66%(P<0.01)。不同利用方式红壤N₂O和N₂排放速率差异明显，旱地红壤N₂O和N₂排放速率均最低，表明土壤pH的提升并没有增加旱地红壤的反硝化损失风险和N₂O排放速率。土壤易矿化有机碳含量也是影响不同利用方式红壤N₂O和N₂排放速率的主要因素。反硝化功能基因nirS、nirK和nosZ的丰度均与CO₂累积排放量呈显著正相关关系，进一步支持了土壤易矿化有机碳含量是影响不同利用方式红壤反硝化势和气态产物排放的主要因子。土壤pH是影响不同利用方式红壤反硝化气态产物N₂/N₂O的主要因素，但是pH影响红壤N₂/N₂O的微生物机制仍需要进一步研究。     

玉米脉动流化干燥数学模型的建立与验证

通过分析和试验研究，认为模型MR=(M-M_e)/(M₀-M_e)=exp(-kt^N)能较准确的描述玉米在脉动流化床干燥中的水分变化规律。模型中的系数k和N主要受干燥器入口风温、风速、脉动频率和床层高度的影响。采用四因素的二次回归正交组合设计来拟合系数k、N与上述4个因素的关系，建立了脉动流化床上干燥玉米的回归数学模型。通过试验确认回归数学模型可以较准确的预测玉米在脉动流化床干燥中的水分变化。     

金沙江干涸峡谷中6种固氮绿篱品种剪枝中氮的矿化研究

A litterbag experiment of 12 weeks was conducted to study nitrogen mineralization process of prunings of six nitrogen-fixing hedgerow species in a dry valley of the Jinsha River. Prunings were incorporated into soil or used as mulch. The results indicated that pruning N of the six hedgerow species was mineralized fast in the first week and then decreased slowly in the rest of the study period. When prunings were incorporated into soil, the amount of nitrogen mineralized by the end of the first week accounted for 69.9%, 58.2%, 54.5%, 43.0%, 29.6% and 20.6% of the total N in prunings of Desmodium rensonii, Tephrosia candida, Leucaena leucocephala, Albizia yunnanensis, Acacia dealbata, and Acacia mearnsii, respectively. When prunings of L. leucocephala were used as mulch materials, the amount of nitrogen mineralized in the first week was 16.2% less than that of prunings incorporated into soil. The mineralization pattern of pruning N could be simulated by an exponent model N_t% = N₀₁% (1 -exp(-k₁t)) + N₀₂% (1-exp (-k₂t)) where N_t% is cumulative mineralized N in time t, N₀₁% and N₀₂% are readily and less readily mineralizable N in prunings, respectively, and k₁ and k₂ are rate constants. A half-life period of pruning nitrogen mineralization could also be determined by this model. The nitrogen content in the pruning residues decreased quickly in the first week but fluctuated thereafter. The initial C/N ratio was negatively related to the mineralization rate of prunings.     

大田条件下草本及灌木豆科植物固氮能力的评价

Natural ¹⁵N abundance method was used in this study to investigate the N₂-fixing capacities of several herbaceous and shrub legumes by a field experiment. For herbaceous legumes, the results were in consistent with those obtained by a pot experiment. Crotalaria mucronata Desv. had a higher N₂-fixing capacity than Vigna sinensis (L.) Savi. For shrub legumes, N₂-fixing capacity under field condition was slightly different from that in pot experiment. These results demonstrated that the natural ¹⁵N abundance method was applicable to evaluating N₂-fixing capacities of herbaceous and shrub legumes, and that pot experiment was suitable for evaluating the N₂-fixing capacities of not only herbaceous legumes but also shrub legumes. Leguminous N₂-fixing plants differed in response to phosphorus fertilization. Phosphorus fertilizer application greatly increased the percentage of nitrogen derived from air (% N dfa) and total amount of N₂ fixed by Lespedeza formosa (Vog.) Koehne (Jiangxi). Phosphorus fertilizer showed no significant effect on the N₂-fixing percentage of Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. but increased its total biomass, thus increasing the total amount of N₂ fixed.     

不同供氮水平下玉米大豆间作体系干物质积累和氮素吸收动态模拟

玉米/大豆间作具有一定的养分利用优势,但是不同供氮水平对玉米/大豆间作体系干物质累积和氮素吸收的调控作用不同。本试验采用田间裂区设计,运用Logistic模型分析,模拟了4个氮水平下玉米/大豆间作作物干物质积累和氮素吸收的动态变化。结果表明,玉米、大豆干物质累积和氮素吸收动态符合Logistic模型,相关系数R²均在0.9以上。在N0（不施氮肥）、N1（180 kg·hm^-2）、N2（240 kg·hm^-2）和N3（300 kg·hm^-2）供氮水平时,间作玉米最大生长速率（I_max-B）分别比单作提高34.2%、46.7%、25.9%和25.1%,而相应的供氮水平下,大豆的I_max-B分别降低27.7%、30.3%、16.5%和23.7%,但整个间作系统的I_max-B平均增加32.1%;玉米和大豆干物质的其他模拟参数与I_max-B规律一致。氮素吸收动态与干物质积累表现出同步的变化特点,在N1水平下,单位面积间作玉米的氮素最大吸收量（K_-N）、最大吸收速率（I_max-N）和瞬时吸收速率（r-N）比相应单作分别提高18.4%、48.9%和25.8%,而间作大豆的K_-N、I_max-N和r-N值比单作处理分别降低15.9%、29.9%和16.69%,整个间作系统氮素分别提高0.4%、13.7%和7.8%;施氮水平对大豆r-N无显著性影响。间作显著地提高了氮素当量比（LER_N>1）,其中N0水平下LER_N值最高,随着施氮量的增加,LER_N有下降趋势。在本试验条件下,N2供氮水平下玉米/大豆间作体系干物质积累量和氮素吸收量最高,间作优势最明显。     

有机物料还田对冬小麦农田土壤温室气体排放影响的研究

探讨有机物料还田对冬小麦田温室气体排放特性的影响,对提高经济效应和环境效应有积极意义。本研究应用静态箱-气相色谱法对秸秆还田（J）、秸秆还田+牛粪（JF）和秸秆还田+菌渣（JZ）3种有机物料还田下分别施氮肥243 kg （N）·hm^-2（减氮10%,N1）、216 kg （N）·hm^-2（减氮20%,N2）对冬小麦农田N₂O、CO₂和CH₄的排放通量进行监测,探讨了不同施肥措施对麦田温室气体累积排放量、增温潜势的影响。试验期间同步记录每项农事活动机械燃油量、施肥量和灌溉量,测定产量,地上部生物量,估算农田碳截留。结果表明,冬小麦农田土壤N₂O和CO₂是排放源,是CH₄的吸收汇,氮肥施入、灌溉以及强降水促进了土壤N₂O和CO₂的生成,却弱化了CH₄作为大气吸收汇的特征。牛粪+秸秆（JF）处理N₂O和CO₂排放总量最高,分别为3.5 kg （N₂O-N）·hm^-2和19 689.67 kg （CO₂-C）·hm^-2,但CH₄的吸收值最大,为5.33 kg （CH₄-C）·hm^-2,均显著高于菌渣+秸秆（JZ）和秸秆（J）处理（P<0.05）;各处理N₂O和CO₂的总量随施氮量的增加呈升高趋势,CH₄的总量随施氮量的增加而呈降低趋势。JFN2、JN2和JZN2处理农田综合增温潜势（GWP）均为负值,表明有机物料还田且减氮20%条件下农田生态系统为大气的碳汇,麦季净截留碳1 038~2 024 kg·hm^-2,其他处理GWP值均为正。JZN2处理小麦产量为8 061 kg·hm^-2,显著高于JFN2处理（P<0.05）。综上所述,JZN2处理不仅能够保证小麦产量,且对环境效应最有利,为本区域冬小麦较优的施肥管理模式。     

等高绿篱--坡地农业复合系统土壤N2O排放特征

N2O是一种重要的温室气体, 具有很强的温室效应。当前全球变化条件下, 人类活动和农业生产行为产生的N₂O排放增加是当前倍受关注的问题。本研究于2008年11月-2009年10月, 利用静态箱 气相色谱技术对亚热带地区紫穗槐(Amorpha fruticosa L.)绿篱枝叶还田条件下冬小麦 夏玉米轮作田土壤N₂O排放通量进行原位监测, 观测紫穗槐枝叶移出(AR)、翻施(AI)、表施(AC)及作物单作(CK)4种处理下整个生长季土壤N₂O的排放量, 对等高绿篱 坡地农业复合生态系统土壤N₂O排放通量变化及其影响机制进行研究。结果表明, 整个冬小麦 夏玉米轮作期, 4个处理土壤N₂O排放通量呈现出相似的季节变化特征, AR、AI、AC、CK处理全生长季的排放总量为127.62 mg·m^-2、209.66 mg·m^-2、208.73 mg·m^-2、77.52 mg·m^-2。作物不同生育阶段N₂O日均排放通量在冬小麦季表现为: 开花-成熟期>拔节-开花期>出苗-拔节期; 在夏玉米季表现为: 拔节-抽雄期>播种-拔节期>抽雄-成熟期。本试验综合评估了等高绿篱 坡地农业复合生态系统土壤N2O排放通量变化及其影响机制。研究显示, 土壤N₂O排放通量在冬小麦季与土壤温度相关性显著, 在夏玉米季与土壤水分相关性显著。在复合生态系统中紫穗槐复合种植及枝叶还田显著促进土壤N2O排放, 翻施处理产生的N2O量大于表施处理。     

磷肥在旱地红壤上的后期效应及其作用机制

红壤地区施入的磷肥很容易被吸附固定而留存于土壤中,降低磷肥利用效率,留存于土壤中的磷对土壤生态功能和作物养分供应的后续效应值得关注。基于旱地红壤长期施肥定位试验,探讨常规施肥处理（CK）以及短期施入不同磷肥量（P₂O₅,0、50、100、150和1 000 kg·hm^–2）多年后土壤养分、土壤氮循环过程和作物产量的变化特征。通过多元统计分析方法探讨不同磷肥处理下,土壤全碳、全氮和微生物生物量碳和氮转化过程的潜在速率以及产量等因子间的相互关系及其与磷的后期效应的关系。结果表明,在短期投入高剂量磷肥（1 000 kg·hm^–2,P1000）27年后,土壤全碳、全氮和微生物生物量碳与常规施肥处理相比无明显差异,但显著提高了土壤pH和氮循环相关过程速率,包括氮矿化速率（Nitrogen mineralization rate,N_min）、固氮酶活性（Soil nitrogenase activity,SNA）、潜在硝化速率（Potential nitrification rate,PNR）（P <0.05）,同时降低了净N₂O排放潜能（Net N₂O production rate,N_N2O）（P<0.05）。与不施磷（P0）和短期投入低剂量磷肥处理（50,100,150 kg·hm^–2）相比,P1000处理中,土壤有效磷（AP）、氮矿化速率、固氮酶活性、潜在硝化速率和潜在N₂O产生速率（P_N2O）分别增加了33.3%～76.4%、88.2%～388.1%、111.4%～4 826.3%、22.6%～152.4%和13.8%～78.9%（P <0.05）,同时净N₂O排放潜能也降低了64.6%～78.9%（P<0.05）,表现出明显的磷后效,且在作物生长季更为明显。相关分析和冗余分析表明AP和pH是影响以上土壤生物化学活性最主要的因子。近三年作物平均产量在所有处理中无显著差异,但与土壤TP、AP和pH呈显著正相关;但在长期尺度上（1992—2019年）,P1000处理相对于其他低磷处理累积增产效应达3%～23%。以上结果表明,酸性红壤中短期大量施用磷肥多年后,由于大量磷肥投入导致的土壤pH提升和磷的缓释效应,使得磷肥在促进土壤肥力、微生物活性和土壤氮循环转化活性方面表现出较明显的后期效应。     

无芒雀麦与苜蓿混播草地生产力提升的水氮调控模式

针对西北干旱草原区天然草地退化、水土流失严重以及人工草地生产力低下等问题,研究种植模式和水氮调控对牧草产量、品质和水氮利用效率的影响,以期获得高产高效的草地管理模式。以3年生紫花苜蓿和无芒雀麦(2018年播种)为试验材料,分析种植模式(无芒雀麦与苜蓿混播D1,无芒雀麦单播D2)、施氮(纯氮)量(N1:60 kg/hm²;N2:120 kg/hm²)和灌水量(以灌水下限占田间持水量θ_f的百分比计,轻度亏水 65%θ_f、中度亏水 55%θ_f、重度亏水 45%θ_f分别记为W1、W2、W3,灌水上限均为85%θ_f)3个因素对牧草产量、品质和水氮利用效率的影响。结果表明:(1)增加灌水量和施氮量有利于牧草株高和茎粗的生长,与W3N1处理相比,W1N2处理混播苜蓿、混播无芒雀麦和单播无芒雀麦三茬平均株高分别增加27.41%,20.26%和26.55%,茎粗分别增加11.32%,4.11%和20.98%;混播对无芒雀麦株高有促进作用,对茎粗有抑制作用。(2)灌水量和施氮量的增加有利于提高牧草产量和品质,W1N2处理牧草年产量和粗蛋白(CP)含量最高,与W3N1处理相比,W1N2处理下混播牧草年产量、CP含量分别增加42.16%,27.00%,单播牧草年产量、CP含量分别增加38.59%,37.26%,混播牧草ADF和NDF分别降低19.56%和33.86%,单播牧草ADF和NDF分别降低21.29%和25.53%。(3)随着灌水量的增加,IWUE和WUE减小,PFP_N增大;增加施氮量,混播模式IWUE、WUE和PFP_N均减小,单播模式IWUE和PFP_N减少,WUE增大。(4)基于主成分分析得出,混播模式轻度亏水(灌水下限65%θ_f)高氮量(120 kg/hm²)处理综合得分最高,为适宜的水氮管理模式。研究结果可为西北干旱半干旱草原区牧草的种植管理提供理论依据。     

中国华北地区近40年物候春季变化

根据华北地区7个观测站物候资料,分析了华北地区1963-1996年及北京1963-2005年物候春季的变化特征及其与气温的关系。结果表明:华北地区的物候春季有明显提早来临的趋势,而造成这一变化的主要因素是本地区近40 a来冬春季气温的明显上升。其中1963-1996年间华北地区1-3月及4月的平均气温分别上升了2.3℃与1.7℃,物候春季起止日期分别提前了9d和4d,因而使得春季长度也延长了5d;北京1963-2003年间1-3月及4月的平均气温分别上升了3.5℃与2.6℃,物候春季的起止日期分别提前了11d和10d,但春季长度没有明显变化。     

沈阳市城市表土中微生物区系变化的初步研究

在沈阳市远郊-近郊-市区等不同城市化水平区内选取林地、草地和路边土几种不同利用方式下的表层土壤,对土壤中的微生物状况进行了初步分析。结果表明,随着城市化水平的提高,土壤中微生物的数量表现为明显的减少趋势。其中变化较大的是细菌,而真菌和放线菌的变化不明显。     

不同种植模式下菜地土壤腐殖质组分特性的动态变化

通过在南京普朗克有机农场开展的9年长期定位监测,研究了有机(露地和大棚)和常规种植模式下蔬菜地耕层土壤有机碳和土壤腐殖质组分特性的动态变化。结果表明,有机露地、有机大棚和常规露地种植土壤有机碳含量分别从11.41、9.29、9.00 g k g-1提高至15.35、20.90、10.00 g kg-1;胡敏酸碳(CHA)分别从1.79、1.23、1.14 g kg-1提高至2.11、3.11、1.31 g kg-1;富里酸碳(CFA)分别从2.19、1.88、1.73 g kg-1提高至2.44、2.68、1.91 g kg-1。两种有机种植模式的土壤有机碳及腐殖质组分含量增加达到显著水平,而常规种植模式下的变化不显著。两种有机种植模式下表征土壤腐殖质品质的胡/富比(CHA/CFA)、胡敏酸占总腐殖物质的比例(PQ值)均高于常规种植模式,土壤富里酸的E4/E6值、色调系数(ΔlogK)值随着种植时间增加的幅度较常规种植模式更大,土壤胡敏酸芳化度呈现先降低后增高的趋势,但在常规种植下变化不明显。说明土壤在长期有机种植模式下不仅更有利于土壤有机碳的积累,而且能促进土壤腐殖化进程。     

闽北不同土地利用方式径流量动态变化特征

采用定位研究方法和小集水区试验技术方法,通过两年的降雨量数据观测,对闽北地区木荷林地、杉木林地、封山育林地和对照等不同土地利用方式的小集水区进行坡面径流动态规律研究。研究结果表明:试验小区地表径流的产生主要是受降雨量的影响,而与降雨强度的关系不大,地表径流量与降雨量之间呈现出极显著的非线性二次抛物线关系(P<0.01)。4种不同土地利用方式的月平均径流量一般随月降雨量的增大而增大,并且在同1月份间其平均地表径流量的大小趋势为:对照>封山育林>杉木>木荷,均是在6月份达到最大值,9月份出现最小值。对照比木荷林地、杉木林地、封山育林地更容易产生地表径流,林地具有较好的涵养水源和保持水土作用。     

2013年我国种植业化肥施用状况分析

【目的】我国农用化肥消费量大,数据来源不同,统计口径各异,行业内大多引用国家统计局公布的数据,但该数据无法推算出氮肥、磷肥、钾肥分类消费量。我国区域间、季节间、作物间化肥消费情况的报道很少,在调节化肥供需、指导化肥行业健康发展时显得依据不足。调查种植业化肥施用状况可以为指导肥料生产、供应提供重要依据。【方法】以农业部339个国家级基层肥料信息网点为依托,根据我国农业生产习惯和我国政府部门统计习惯,将一年分为三个用肥季,1 5月份为春耕季,6 8月份为夏播季,9 12月份为秋冬种季。在三个季节,每个网点随机调查30个农户的主要种植作物施用氮肥、磷肥、钾肥、复合(混)肥(包括配合式)量,经两级土壤肥料部门审核后,采用省份、相似种植区域、全国三级逐级加权平均的方法,推算了不同区域、不同季节、不同作物单位面积施肥量;再用作物单位面积施肥量、该作物全国种植总面积、样本中施肥面积占该作物种植面积的比例推算了作物全年、不同季节化肥施用量。同时,分析了主要作物、不同季节化肥施用状况以及供需平衡情况,不同季节、不同区域供肥情况和农民的购肥习惯。【结果】2013年我国种植业化肥施用量5498万吨(折纯下同),其中,氮肥(实物量)3382万吨,磷肥1175万吨,钾肥941万吨。粮食作物化肥总用量为2782万吨,占种植业化肥总用量的50.6%;其次是果树和蔬菜,三类作物占种植业化肥施用总量的82.8%,经济、园艺作物单位面积化肥施用量大于粮食作物。春耕、夏播、秋冬种化肥施用量分别占全年化肥施用量的34.2%、35.6%、30.2%。复混肥料和尿素是农民最常购买的两种肥料,从全年来看,农民施用复混肥料和尿素的样本数分别占总样本数的72.5%和71.6%,春耕、夏播、秋冬种农民购买尿素和复合(混)肥的样本数分别占该阶段样本数的70.9%和62.9%、84.9%和78.1%、56.6%和83.9%。春耕和夏播时期农民多数选用尿素,秋冬种多数选用复混肥料,东北、西北、华中南地区农民多选用尿素,华北、西南、华东地区农民多选用复混肥料。另外,我国氮肥、磷肥供应分别过剩1080万吨、680万吨,钾肥缺口370万吨,供需矛盾突出。氮、磷、钾养分配合式为15-15-15的复混肥样本数占农民选购复混肥总样本数的33.3%,说明复混肥养分结构不尽合理。【结论】建议国家进一步遏制氮肥、磷肥过剩产能,优化产品结构,大力推广科学施肥技术。     

红壤区不同肥力水稻土根际硝化作用特征

通过根际培养箱(三室)——速冻切片技术研究了红壤地区高、低两种肥力下水稻苗期根表、根际和土体土壤矿质态氮含量和硝化强度,以及水稻生长、氮素积累的差异。结果表明,肥力水平对水稻根表和根际土壤铵态氮(NH4+-N)含量无显著影响,但高肥力显著提高土体土壤NH4+-N含量,以及根表、根际和土体土壤硝态氮(NO3--N)含量及硝化强度。两种肥力水稻土硝化强度最大值均出现在距根表2 mm处,分别为0.20和0.31μmol kg-1 h-1。土体土壤硝化强度随距根表距离增加而降低,低肥力土壤在距根表10～40mm处时硝化强度接近本底值,而高肥力土壤在距根表20～40 mm处时接近本底值。与不种水稻的CK相比,种植水稻显著提高根际土壤硝化强度。高肥力能显著改善水稻生长,增加植株氮素积累量,尤其显著促进根系生长及通气组织发育。由于红壤稻田肥力水平的差异造成水稻根际硝化强度以及水稻吸收NO3-的差异,导致高肥条件下水稻显示出更强的生长势和氮素吸收利用能力。因此,合理提高红壤稻田肥力水平对改善红壤区水稻根际土壤硝化作用及水稻氮素营养具有重要意义。     

Current trends in conservation education in Japan

Conservation education (CE) is an important component of environmental education. Its goal is to teach the theory and practice of preservation and restoration of biodiversity affected by human activities so that people can increase their awareness of conservation issues and change their attitudes and behavior to promote environmental conservation.This paper describes two successful case studies to highlight trends in CE in Japan. One case is a project implemented to create “agricultural wetlands” that resulted in the establishment of a Ramsar Convention site comprised of a restored wetland and its adjacent rice paddy in a rural area near Sendai City in northern Japan. Rice paddy fields are a major component of Satoyama, which are traditional agricultural ecosystems in Japan and occupy 40% of the undeveloped landscape in Japan (Ministry of the Environment Government of Japan, 2007. Third National Biodiversity Strategy of Japan. Ministry of the Environment Government of Japan, Tokyo). Restoration of Satoyama and wetlands by local citizens is a key component of CE practices in Japan, where practical, hands-on, community-based learning is important. The second CE project, geared toward university students and citizens in Yokohama, restored degraded dragonfly ponds and created butterfly biotope in the second largest city in Japan. Restoration of habitat that is centered around highly visible, popular species such as dragonflies and butterflies also benefits other, less prominent species that share these habitats, yet allows residents to easily monitor the benefits of the project.     

Changes in proteolytic bacteria in paddy soils in response to organic management

Proteolytic bacterial communities, which mineralize organic nitrogen, play a key role in agricultural systems. In this study, alkaline metalloprotease (apr) gene fragments from proteolytic bacteria were investigated in bulk and rhizosphere paddy soil from four fields under organic management (for 2, 3, 5, and 9 years), and from one field under conventional management (for 2 years). We analyzed the abundance and structure of the proteolytic bacterial communities using real-time quantitative PCR and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. Our results showed that the abundance of proteolytic bacteria ranged from 1.57?×?10⁸ to 8.02?×?10⁸?copies/g of soil. In addition, the abundance of the proteolytic bacteria in the paddy soils under organic management was significantly higher than those in the paddy soil under conventional management. Moreover, the gene copy numbers in the rhizosphere soils were significantly higher than those in the bulk soils. The abundance of proteolytic bacteria tended to increase with the duration of organic management, with the highest abundance being found in the soil that had been under organic management for 5 years. However, the proteolytic bacteria communities in the paddy soils were not significantly affected by management practices. Phylogeny analysis showed that all gel bands obtained represented genes from Pseudomonas. Additionally, correlation analysis and canonical correspondence analysis showed that C/N, C, and N were important factors that influenced the abundance and community structure of the proteolytic bacteria. These results suggest that proteolytic bacteria are indicators in organic management systems, depolymerize organic N and hence maintain soil sustainability.

Abbreviations: CM: conventional management; OM: organic management; DGGE: denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis; qPCR: real-time quantitative PCR detecting system; COFCC: China organic food certification center; CCA: canonical correspondence analysis     

Variability in growth and nutrient accumulation in sorghum grown in waterlogged soils

Abstract

Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is a potential crop for use in lowland paddy soils following rice in the Philippines. Little is known about the variability in sorghum germplasm with respect to yield potential in these soils, or the alterations in mineral uptake which might occur if late season rains resulted in waterlogging. Eight sorghum cultivars including the most widely used Philippine cultivar were grown after rice under flooded or non‐flooded conditions. Flooding was initiated 30 days after seeding and terminated when most cultivars were at or near the boot growth stage. Flooding markedly reduced dry matter production, and delayed bloom date on the average of 5.5 days. Grain yield was reduced about 57% over all cultivars. Early maturing cultivars were not reduced in days to bloom as much as the late maturing types, and there was a significant cultivar x treatment interaction for both bloom date and grain yield. Later maturing cultivars outyielded the other cultivars at physiological maturity in both flooded and non‐flooded conditions. Concentrations of the major nutrients N, P, K, Ca, Mg, and S were decreased in foliage at the boot stage due to flooding. The only nutrient to fall below published “critical” levels in leaf tissue, however, was N, and plants growing in these conditions showed classical N deficiency symptoms. Iron and Mn concentrations were significantly higher in foliage at the boot stage with flooding, but not high enough to be considered toxic. Most differences observed at boot still existed at maturity, but of less magnitude. Marked variability existed in the response among cultivars to waterlogging. It would appear that flooding tolerant genotypes could be selected which would improve existing cultivar choices for use in these difficult soils.     

Bacteria-grazing amoebae in situ in the rhizosphere

Summary An ultrastructural investigation of amoebae in situ in the rhizosphere showed that the protozoa are closely associated with soil aggregates and produce long pseudopodia that penetrate micropores. This could partly explain why bacteria are generally confined to the interiors of microaggregates. The presence of cytologically intact and partly digested bacteria in the food vacuoles indicates that rhizosphere bacteria are both ingested and digested by the amoebae. This digestion could lead to the recycling of P and N immobilized in rhizosphere microorganisms.