Sampling and analysis of the soil fumigants 1,3-dichloropropene and methyl isothiocyanate in the air

Methods of sampling and analysis have been developed to measure concentrations of the soil fumigants 1,3-dichloropropene and methyl isothiocyanate (formed from metham-sodium) in air. We tested these methods under laboratory and field conditions. Air samples were taken with glass tubes containing charcoal as adsorbent. The charcoal was extracted with acetone and subsamples of the extracts were injected into a gas Chromatograph with a capillary column. 1,3-dichloropropene was determined by an electron capture (EC) detector and methyl isothiocyanate by a nitrogen-phosphorus (NP) detector. Concentrations of these fumigants in 40 L of air as low as 0.2 μg m^?3 and 1.0 μg m^?3, respectively, could be determined. A study on the influence of storage temperature and time on the recovery from charcoal showed that charcoal tubes can be stored for up to 4 d at ?20 °C. A test program on the breakthrough of the charcoal tubes when sampling at different flow rates and air humidity revealed no significant breakthrough from the first to the second (check) tube. Similar results were obtained from sampling the air during fumigation of the soil in a greenhouse and in two fields.     

Measured and computed concentrations of 1,3-dichloropropene and methyl isothiocyanate in air in a region with intensive use of soil fumigants

A sampling programme was set up to measure 1,3-dichloropropene and methyl isothiocyanate in air in a region with intensive agricultural use of these soil fumigants. In two consecutive autumns, 6-hour air samples were taken at two locations in that region with charcoal tubes using automatic samplers. Most (81%) of the 6-hour concentrations of 1,3-dichloropropene measured in both years were below 3.2 μg m^?3 and a few percent could not be measured with a detection limit of around 0.3 μg m^?3. Only 4% of the 6-hour concentrations exceeded 10 μg m^?3, almost all of which were measured at a location where a field just upwind of the measuring site had been treated. For methyl isothiocyanate, 73% of the 6-hour concentrations of both years could not be measured with a detection limit in the two years of 1 and 2 μg m^?3, respectively. A small fraction (3%) of the concentrations were in the range of 3.2 to 10 μg m^?3 and only 1% exceeded 10 μg m^?3. The rates of emission of 1,3-dichloropropene and methyl isothiocyanate into air were estimated for weeks with many applications in the region studied. Using the PAL model, the concentration of fumigant in air at a receptor site was computed for representative fumigations at different upwind positions. The computed concentrations in air ranged up to 9.9 μg m^?3 for 1,3-dichloropropene and up to 2.5 μg m^?3 for methyl isothiocyanate.     

Responsiveness of Kansas soil series to sulfur application under greenhouse conditions

Abstract

Soil series of extensive acreage were selected to evaluate their S‐supplying power under greenhouse conditions using alfalfa in one study and corn and grain sorghum as test crops in a second study. The soils were divided into two major groups by textural classification for statistical evaluations. The addition of sulfur significantly increased dry matter yields and sulfur content of the plant material on all soils through the course of these studies. Significant predictors of sulfur uptake include extractable SO₄‐S and organic matter. Organic matter was a significant predictor of the percent yield response above the check yields on soils receiving S applications using corn and grain sorghum as test crops. Based on this equation, yield response would be expected in this greenhouse study with an organic matter content of 2.6% or less.     

Determination of methyl isothiocyanate in air downwind of fields treated with metam-sodium by subsurface drip irrigation

Air concentrations of methyl isothiocyanate (MITC) were determined near two fields treated with metam-sodium (MS) by subsurface drip irrigation. The two study fields showed measurable airborne MITC residues during application of MS and for periods up to 48 h postapplication. Using a Gaussian plume dispersion model, flux values were estimated for all of the sampling periods. On the basis of the flux estimates, the amount of MITC that volatilized within the 48 h period was about 1.4% of the applied material. Compared to other studies, MITC residues in air measured during application by subsurface drip irrigation were up to four orders-of-magnitude lower than those previously published for applications involving delivery through surface irrigation water. Our measured concentrations of MITC in field air were at levels below current regulatory guidance and thresholds for adverse human health effects.     

Effects of sewage sludge stabilization on fertilizer value and greenhouse gas emissions after soil application

Application of sewage sludge on agricultural land becomes more and more common in many parts of the world in order to recycle the nutrients from the sludge. A range of sewage sludge stabilization techniques are available to make the sludge more stable prior to storage, transportation, and application. These stabilization techniques include dewatering, drying, anaerobic digestion, composting, and reed bed sludge treatment. However, very few studies have investigated the effect of these techniques after the sludge has been applied to agricultural land. The objective of the current study was therefore to investigate the effect of sewage sludge stabilization techniques on the C and N mineralization and gaseous emissions from soil. A soil incubation was conducted to determine the rate of C and N mineralization and N₂O and CH₄ emissions of sewage sludge stabilized using different techniques. Unstabilized sludge released up to 90% of their C content as CO₂, part of which could be caused by release of CO₂ from carbonates. Compared with this, sludge stabilization including anaerobic digestion and drying resulted in a reduction of the C mineralization rate of about 40%. Liming reduced C mineralization with around 29%, while treatment in a reed bed system reduced it by 74%. The current study thus clearly demonstrated that stabilization techniques resulted in sludge that was more stable once they were applied to agricultural land. Stabilization also reduced the N immobilization phase, potentially improving the value of the sludge as a fertilizer. Emissions of CH₄ were also reduced through sludge stabilization and mainly occurred after application of easily degradable sludge types, which is likely to have enhanced the creation of anaerobic microsites. The stabilization processes also decreased emissions of N₂O. The results for both CH₄ and N₂O indicate that the stabilization tends to reduce the chance of developing conditions where these gases could be produced.     

Impact of biochar addition to soil on greenhouse gas emissions following pig manure application

The application of biochar produced from wood and crop residues, such as sawdust, straw, sugar bagasse and rice hulls, to highly weathered soils under tropical conditions has been shown to influence soil greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, there is a lack of data concerning GHG emissions from soils amended with biochar derived from manure, and from soils outside tropical and subtropical regions. The objective of this study was to quantify the effect on emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrous oxide (N₂O) and methane (CH₄) following the addition, at a rate of 18 t ha⁻¹, of two different types of biochar to an Irish tillage soil. A soil column experiment was designed to compare three treatments (n = 8): (1) non-amended soil (2) soil mixed with biochar derived from the separated solid fraction of anaerobically digested pig manure and (3) soil mixed with biochar derived from Sitka Spruce (Picea sitchensis). The soil columns were incubated at 10 °C and 75% relative humidity, and leached with 80 mL distilled water, twice per week. Following 10 weeks of incubation, pig manure, equivalent to 170 kg nitrogen ha⁻¹ and 36 kg phosphorus ha⁻¹, was applied to half of the columns in each treatment (n = 4). Gaseous emissions were analysed for 28 days following manure application. Biochar addition to the soil increased N₂O emissions in the pig manure-amended column, most likely as a result of increased denitrification caused by higher water filled pore space and organic carbon (C) contents. Biochar addition to soil also increased CO₂ emissions. This was caused by increased rates of C mineralisation in these columns, either due to mineralisation of the labile C added with the biochar, or through increased mineralisation of the soil organic matter.     

Greenhouse gas production and emission from a forest nursery soil following fumigation with chloropicrin and methyl isothiocyanate

Soil fumigation is commonly used to control soil-borne pathogens and weeds. Our aim was to examine the effects of soil fumigation with chloropicrin (CP) and methyl isothiocyanate (MITC) on CH₄, N₂O and CO₂ production and emission. These effects on a SE USA forest nursery soil were examined in field and laboratory experiments. Following field fumigation, CH₄ surface emissions and concentrations in the soil atmosphere were unaffected. Both fumigants increased N₂O emissions rates significantly compared to non-fumigated controls, and the effects were still evident after 48 d. These findings are in contrast to fertilizer-induced N₂O emissions, which generally return to background within 2 wk after application. Depths of N₂O production were different for the two fumigants as determined by soil gas sampling, suggesting fumigant-specific stimulation mechanisms. CO₂ emissions (0-15 d) were not altered significantly, although sub-surface CO₂ concentrations did increase following fumigation with CP or MITC and remained elevated for CP treatment on d 48. CP-induced N₂O production was also stimulated in aerobic laboratory incubation studies, with surface soils exhibiting 10 to 100-fold greater production rates. MITC and a combination of CP/MITC also stimulated N₂O production, but the effect was significantly less than for CP alone. MITC suppressed and CP did not effect CO₂ production in the laboratory incubation. By comparing sterilized to non-sterile soils, >95% of these effects appear to be of biotic origin.     

甲基溴替代技术对番茄温室土壤养分及微生物量碳的影响

试验于2001~2003年研究了甲基溴替代技术对温室番茄土壤养分及微生物量碳的影响,替代技术为太阳能配合生防制剂木霉菌(SS BCA)、甲基溴及减量甲基溴(常规用量75%)覆盖不透膜(MB VIF)、威百亩(MS)及减量威百亩(常规用量75%)覆盖不透膜(MS VIF)。结果表明:2001~2002年各处理对土壤pH、有效磷、有效钾及阳离子交换量影响不显著,甲基溴熏蒸(VIF膜和PE膜)提高了土壤铵态氮的释放;4个化学处理(MB,MB VIF,MS及MS VIF)可显著降低土壤微生物量碳含量,但彼此之间差异不显著。2002~2003年增施有机肥后,4个化学处理效果与2001~2002年相同,太阳能消毒则提高了土壤铵态氮的释放,对土壤微生物碳的影响也达到化学处理的水平。两季番茄中土壤微生物量碳均季节性波动明显,施用有机肥可加速微生物的周转。     

Biochar application to temperate soils: Effects on soil fertility and crop growth under greenhouse conditions

Biochar (BC) application as a soil amendment has aroused much interest and was found to considerably improve soil nutrient status and crop yields on poor, tropical soils. However, information on the effect of BC on temperate soils is still insufficient, with effects expected to differ from tropical soils. We investigated the effects of BC on soil nutrient dynamics, crop yield, and quality in a greenhouse pot experiment. We compared three agricultural soils (Planosol, Cambisol, Chernozem), and BCs of three different feedstocks (wheat straw [WS], mixed woodchips [WC], vineyard pruning [VP]) slowly pyrolyzed at 525°C, of which the latter was also pyrolyzed at 400°C. The BCs were applied at two rates (1% and 3%, which would correspond to 30 and 90 t ha^–1 in the field). Three crops, namely mustard (Sinapis alba L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), and red clover (Trifolium pretense L.) were grown successively within one year. The investigated soil properties included pH, electrical conductivity (EC), cation‐exchange capacity (CEC), calcium‐acetate‐lactate (CAL)–extractable P (P_CAL) and K (K_CAL), C, N, and nitrogen‐supplying potential (NSP). The results show a pH increase in all soils. The CEC increased only on the Planosol. The C : N ratio increased at 3% application rate. Despite improving the soil nutrient status partly, yields of the first crop (mustard) and to a lesser extent of the second crop (barley) were significantly depressed through BC application (by up to 68%); the yield of clover as third crop was not affected. Only the BC from WS maintained yields in the range of the control and even increased barley yield by 6%. The initial yield reduction was accompanied by notable decreases (Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn) and increases (Mo) in micronutrient concentrations of plant tissues while nitrogen concentrations were hardly affected. The results of the pot experiment show that despite additional mineral fertilization, short‐term growth inhibition may occur when applying BC without further treatment to temperate soils.     

施用不同种类氮肥对日光温室土壤溶液离子组成的影响

采用土培模拟试验研究了施用不同量的尿素[CO(NH2)2]、碳酸氢铵（NH4HCO3）、硫酸铵[(NH4)2SO4]对培养期间日光温室土壤溶液电导率（EC）和不同离子组成及比例的影响。结果表明,不同氮肥种类对土壤溶液电导率（EC）的影响主要表现在培养的前一周左右,之后不同品种间无明显差异。土壤溶液中NO3--N含量随施氮量和培养时间呈明显的上升趋势,不同氮肥种类NO3--N含量无明显差异;不同氮肥种类处理土壤溶液中NH4+-N含量在培养的前7 d有所差异,之后亦无差异。随着氮肥施用量的增加,日光温室土壤溶液的EC及K+、Na+、Ca2+、Mg2+离子的浓度升高;增施氮肥同时提高了土壤溶液中Ca/K、Mg/K的比值,而对土壤溶液钾的活度比（ARK）无显著影响。说明氮肥施用量是影响土－液界面离子交换的重要因素;由此带来的日光温室土壤盐分累积以及K+、Na+、Ca2+和Mg2+离子的淋失等问题值得关注。     

Assessment of soil aggregation properties after conversion from rice to greenhouse organic cultivation on SOC controlling mechanism

Journal of Soils and Sediments - Organic manure is beneficial for macro-aggregate formation and soil organic carbon (SOC), but how SOC change in aggregate fractions in time-series is still...     

不同含水率下日光温室土壤温度变化规律的峰拟合法拟合

为了探讨中国西北寒冷干旱地区冬季日光温室内土壤含水率和温度变化规律,该文对内蒙古呼和浩特市日光温室内土壤温度和含水率进行了测试,并利用峰拟合法对不同含水率下的土壤温度进行了拟合。试验表明,在强蒸发条件下,随着土壤温度的升高,土壤非饱和导水率提高,从而将干湿发生面下方的液态水引入干湿发生面。峰拟合函数的最小拟合度为0.95907。通过计算得知,降低含水率能提高白天和夜间的土壤平均温度。验证估计Extreme函数得知,只要确定偏移y0、中心xc、宽度w、幅值A即可得土壤温度对时间的变化函数。该方法可以有效地减少测试点的数量,并把离散的数据点转化为连续函数从而进行微积分分析,提高检测效率。     

Chemical fixation of ammonia to soil organic matter after application of urea

Chemical fixation of NH₃ to soil organic matter was studied in two Swedish soils with different contents of organic matter: a clay soil with 2.3% C and an organic soil with 36.6% C. ¹⁵N‐labelled urea was applied at different rates to both sterilized and non‐sterilized soils. After 10 days, the soils were extracted and washed with K₂SO₄ and determined for total N and atom% ¹⁵N excess. Urea N was recovered as non‐extractable N in sterilized soil corresponding to 9.7% of supplied ^l5N‐labelled urea in the organic soil and 2.2% in the clay soil. Since no biological immobilization is thought to occur in the sterile soil, this non‐extractable N is suggested to be chemically fixed to soil organic matter. Owing to urea hydrolysis in the clay soil, pH increased from 6.3 to 9.3 and in the organic soil from 5.7 to 6.9 and 8.8, respectively, at the low and high urea supply.     

Fulvic acid displaces manure to improve soil in vegetable greenhouse

Acid soil has led to a significant decrease in vegetable yield in high-yield greenhouse vegetable production system. Chicken manure and fulvic acid (FA) application experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects on chemical properties of soil in vegetable greenhouse so as to confirm whether FA could replace chicken manure in acid soil amelioration under the same addition levels of nutrient, when compared to the effect of chemical fertilizers application alone on acid soil improvement. The results showed that the pH of soil added with chicken manure and FA, respectively, increased from the original value of 5.4 to 5.99 and 6.32 at the end of the experiment, while soil pH applied only with chemical fertilizers decreased to 5.43. Correlation analysis indicated that cation exchange capacity (CEC) of soil was positively correlated with soil pH buffering capacity. The peak values of soil CEC and pH buffering capacity occurred in April each year and subsequently tended to decrease in August and December throughout the experiment. Data demonstrated that chicken manure and FA in combination with soil contributed to soil base saturation that increased from 26.5%, 33.8% to 36.7%, 45.9% in chicken manure and FA treated soil during December 2011 to December 2012, respectively; however, chemical fertilizers displayed an adverse effect on soil base saturation that decreased from 17.1% to 5.6% on the same time period. Exchangeable aluminum (Al) concentration showed a weak but significant increase by 5.2% on August 2012 in comparison to April 2012, as chemical fertilizers were added into soil alone. Unlike to chemical fertilizer, chicken manure and FA significantly decreased soil exchangeable Al concentration from the original value of 5.37 cmol kg^?1 to 4.56 and 4.22 cmol kg^?1 at the end of experiment respectively. Compared to total yield treated solely with chemical fertilizers, chemical fertilizers combination with chicken manure or FA resulted in an increase in total yield in 2011 and 2012. Although chicken manure and FA possessed the same trend of improving acidic soil in vegetable greenhouse, a greater contribution was attributed to FA due to its lower mineralization rate of organic matter. Therefore, it was suggested that FA could completely displace chicken manure in improvement in acidic soil in vegetable greenhouse.     

Gross N mineralization rates after application of composted grape marc to soil

Grape marc is a common waste product of the wine production industry. When partially composted and applied to soil it may contain enough N to affect vine growth and hence wine quality. Yet little is known about the quantity and timing of N release from composted grape marc. A laboratory incubation was conducted where composted grape marc amended and non-amended soils were periodically sampled over 148 days at 15 °C for gross N mineralization rates, C mineralization and microbial biomass-C. Gross N mineralization rates were determined by ¹⁵N pool dilution using both analytical equations and the numerical model FLUAZ (Mary, B., Recous, S., Robin, D., 1998. A model for calculating nitrogen fluxes in soil using 15N tracing. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 30, 1963-1979.). Both analytical and FLUAZ determined gross N mineralization rates were in close agreement in the control soil. However, in composted grape marc amended soils there was a discrepancy between the two solutions. Findings indicate that composted grape marc caused a net immobilization of N for the first 50-days of incubation, after which enough N was released to require consideration in fertilizer-N strategies.     

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。     

常规灌溉条件下施氮对温室土壤氨挥发的影响

为明确温室土壤的氨挥发特征,探讨适宜的减量施氮措施对氨挥发损失量及黄瓜产量的影响,在常规灌溉条件下设置了3个施氮（尿素）处理,采用通气法测定了冬春季黄瓜地中的氨挥发速率。结果表明：温室土壤在氮肥基施后7 d出现氨挥发速率峰值,但在氮肥追施后,施肥带与非施肥带的氨挥发速率峰值分别在第1 d与第5 d出现,氨挥发速率的峰值比氮肥基施时下降了8.6%～46.3%,施肥带的累积氨挥发量是非施肥带的0.91～1.54倍。冬春季黄瓜地的氨挥发损失量为16.7～26.6 kg/hm2,其中减施氮25%处理N900（900 kg/hm2）与减施氮50%处理N600（600 kg/hm2）与习惯施氮处理N1200（1 200 kg/hm2）相比,氨挥发损失量分别降低了22.1%和37.2%。而2 a黄瓜产量的平均值以处理N600（600 kg/hm2）最高,比处理N1200（1 200 kg/hm2）增加了6.52%。综合考虑氨挥发损失量、黄瓜产量及施氮量,在河北省的温室冬春季黄瓜生产中,比农民习惯氮用量（1 200 kg/hm2）减少25%～50%的措施是可行的。     

Impact of soil solarization on the ciliate community structure of a greenhouse soil

Soil solarization is an ecologically friendly method of controlling various plant pathogens and pests, but also affects non-pathogenic members of the soil biota. Here, we studied the impact of soil solarization on the community structure of soil ciliates using a culture-independent molecular approach, namely denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of targeted 18S rRNA gene fragments. Greenhouse soil with added organic fertilizers was solarized for 33 days at an average temperature of 47–48°C. Solarization caused a drastic change in the ciliate community. The variation between replicates was large, which suggested that the distribution of ciliates was spatially heterogeneous in the soil, probably due to their decreased numbers. In contrast, non-solarized soil had a stable and homogeneous ciliate community during the experimental period. In solarized soil, most of the original ciliate community recovered 76 days after solarization. Sequence analysis of DGGE fragments indicated that both r-selected and K-selected species of ciliates were affected by solarization but recovered with time after solarization. Our results demonstrated both the vulnerability and resilience of the ciliate community to soil solarization and also the utility of using molecular-based analysis of ciliate communities as bioindicators of soil stress caused by solarization.     

The influence of soil deformations on the permeability to air

Samples were reconstituted in the laboratory from a cracking grey clay soil. Some samples were created with a granular structure in which there was no preferred macropore orientation, others were created with a strongly preferred macropore orientation. The samples were compressed and their air permeability measured. They were then sheared and their air permeability measured again. In the samples with a granular structure the change in permeability was dominated by the change in the volume of the pore space. Volume increase led to permeability increase and volume decrease led to permeability decrease. At low shear strains and low volume increases there was some loss of pore continuity leading to small permeability decreases. In contrast, permeability change in the samples with a preferred macropore orientation was dominated by macropore continuity. Permeability decreased both when volume decreased and also over a wide range of volume increases. These results are interpreted in terms of critical-state soil mechanics and used to construct ‘critical state for permeability’ lines analogous to the usual critical-state lines. It is suggested that these forms of behaviour encompass the likely bounds of behaviour of soils in many circumstances.