稻田土壤微生物群落对稻鳖共作模式的响应特征

稻鳖共作是一种绿色、高效的生态农业种养模式,然而有关共作模式对稻田土壤微生物群落结构与功能特征的影响及其驱动因子的研究鲜有报道。为此,该研究以水稻单作（RM）和稻鳖共作（RT）处理的稻田土壤为研究对象,采用Illumina高通量测序技术分析土壤细菌和真菌群落结构的变化,并探讨土壤理化性质和微生物群落间的相关性。结果表明：1）稻鳖共作模式使土壤有机质（Soil Organic Matter,SOM）、总钾（Total potassium,TK）、碱解氮（Alkali-hydrolyzale Nitrogen,AN）、有效磷（Available Phosphorus,AP）和速效钾（Available potassium,AK）含量显著提高了37.72%、15.15%、13.80%、37.37%和21.57%（P<0.05）。2）稻鳖共作模式提高了土壤微生物丰富度和多样性,改变了微生物群落结构。共作使土壤细菌变形菌门（Proteobacteria）、酸杆菌门（Acidobacteriota）、真菌子囊菌门（Ascomycota）和罗兹菌门（Rozellomycota）相对丰度分别增加了6.42%、1.16%、0.44%和2.96%,真菌担子菌门（Basidiomycota）相对丰度降低了0.22%。3）共线网络分析表明,稻鳖共作增加了细菌微生物网络总节点数、边数、平均聚类数和模块化,增强了微生物网络复杂度,加强了群落间的联系;共作降低了真菌微生物网络节点数,但增加了正相互作用的微生物,增强了微生物间的协同合作。4）冗余分析（Redundancy Analysis,RDA）表明,土壤有机质、全钾和速效钾含量是影响细菌群落结构变化的主要环境因子,全钾、速效钾和有效磷含量是影响真菌群落结构变化的主要环境因子。综上,稻鳖共作有利于提高稻田土壤肥力,改变土壤微生物群落结构,并提高了微生物多样性,使微生物群落间的联系更紧密。该研究为探究科学合理的稻田栽培模式提供了重要的科学依据。     

一个红壤剖面微生物群落的焦磷酸测序法研究

利用定量PCR和454焦磷酸测序法,研究了湖南湘阴县一典型红壤剖面微生物相关基因的多度及微生物(古菌、细菌、真菌)群落结构.结果显示,随剖面深度增加,土壤黏粒含量增多,有机质和全氮含量、碳氮比则下降.每克干土微生物基因拷贝数也趋于下降,其值为:10 7.09～ 109.30(古菌16S rDNA),108.10～109.70(细菌16S rDNA),106.54～107.95(真菌18S rDNA),10 7.24～108.61(古菌amoA基因),104.76～106.25(细菌amoA基因),105.94～ 107.88(nirK基因),106.81～109.21(nirS基因),107.03～ 109.46(nosZ基因).焦磷酸测序得到了6 459条古菌16S rRNA基因序列,平均长度为496 bp;28 626条细菌16S rRNA基因序列,平均长度为448 bp;4 683条真菌18S rRNA基因序列,平均长度为534 bp.OTU(97％相似度)分析表明,微生物群落d-多样性与所测土壤理化性质均无显著相关.Jaccard差异度分析表明同一剖面各土壤层次间微生物群落结构更为相似,而不同位点的三个表层土之间的差异较大;Mantel检验发现,与微生物群落变化相关的主要土壤因子是黏粒含量.在所有土样中,古菌以泉古菌门中的热变形菌纲(89％)为主,其分布与土壤黏粒含量相关.细菌的主要类群为酸杆菌门(33％)、变形菌门(17％)、绿弯菌门(12％)、厚壁菌门(10％)和放线菌门(7％),分类地位不明确的细菌约占11％.其中,酸杆菌门和变形菌门的相对多度在表层土中高于非表层土;而绿弯菌门和厚壁菌门的相对多度则在非表层土中更高,与土壤深度呈显著正相关.所有真菌序列分属于三个门,即子囊菌门(87％)、担子菌门(9％)和球囊菌门(4％),在纲一级的分类水平上,各样品间群落结构无明显差异.     

纳帕海高原湿地土壤微生物群落对土地利用方式改变的响应

【目的】探明高原湿地不同土地利用方式下土壤理化性质的改变对微生物群落结构及多样性的影响,为纳帕海高原湿地土地利用管理提供理论依据。【方法】以人类活动干扰下形成的放牧草地和耕地为研究对象,以自然沼泽湿地为对照,运用Illumina高通量测序技术比较不同土地利用方式下土壤微生物群落结构和多样性特征,并采用Mantel test分析土壤理化环境改变对土壤微生物群落的影响。【结果】(1)相较于自然沼泽湿地,耕作与放牧显著降低了土壤含水量、有机质、全氮和速效氮,却提高了全磷、碳氮比和容重（P <0.05）。(2)耕作和放牧显著增加土壤细菌与真菌α多样性（P <0.05）,三种利用方式间β多样性差异显著（P <0.01）。(3)耕作和放牧显著改变细菌和真菌群落结构,其中耕作使变形菌门、厚壁菌门和绿弯菌门相对丰度显著增加21.07%～123.61%,酸杆菌门、放线菌门和芽单胞菌门显著减小62.7%～75.29%;耕作使子囊菌门、担子菌门、接合菌门相对丰度显著减小71.33%～96.47%,未分类真菌门相对丰度显著增加722.97%;放牧使细菌浮霉菌门和疣微菌门增加57.46%、17...     

肥力提升措施对林地红壤生物结皮层微生物群落结构的影响

微生物在土壤生物结皮形成中起重要作用,但是目前对于南方红壤生物结皮层中微生物群落的研究鲜少涉及,尤其是在林地改良措施下红壤结皮层中微生物群落结构的变化尚不清楚。本研究以中亚热带典型第四纪红黏土严重侵蚀湿地松裸露林地为对照,添加有机肥、生物炭和石灰+微生物肥料为肥力提升措施,采用Illumina MiSeq高通量测序技术研究不同肥力提升措施对红壤生物结皮层细菌和真菌群落结构的影响。结果表明：该林地土壤生物结皮层共检测出21个细菌门和7个真菌门,优势细菌门为酸杆菌门（Acidobacteria）(27.39%)、变形菌门（Proteobacteria）(25.90%)、放线菌门（Actinobacteria）(16.68%)和绿弯菌门（Chloroflexi）(12.26%);优势真菌门为担子菌门（61.19%）和子囊菌门（29.48%）;肥力提升措施对细菌和真菌多样性无显著影响,却显著改变了其群落结构,作用大小依次为有机肥处理、生物炭处理、石灰+微生物肥料处理,且对细菌群落结构的影响高于真菌;三种措施均明显提高了变形菌门（Proteobacteria）细菌的相对丰度,降低了绿弯菌门（Ch...     

三种城市景观竹土壤微生物群落结构特征

为探究城市景观竹林对土壤微生物群落的影响,选取上海辰山植物园种植的3种景观竹,利用Illumina MiSeq高通量测序结合土壤理化指标分析研究了不同景观竹林对土壤理化性质和微生物群落结构特征的影响。结果表明：不同竹林土壤全磷、有效磷、有机质、全氮、全钾含量和电导率存在显著差异(P<0.05);土壤细菌丰富度和多样性指数在毛竹林土壤中最高,在淡竹林土壤中最低;土壤细菌优势门为放线菌门(Actinobacteriota)、变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、酸杆菌门(Acidobacteriota)和绿弯菌门(Chloroflexi),真菌优势门为子囊菌门(Ascomycota),其中放线菌门和绿弯菌门在淡竹林土壤中的相对丰度最高,且显著高于其他竹林,而变形菌门、粘球菌门(Myxococcota)的相对丰度在毛竹林土壤中最高,土壤真菌优势门在不同竹林间的差异不显著。此外,土壤细菌群落结构和丰度受土壤p H、硝态氮、电导率、全磷、铵态氮、含水率、速效钾和微生物生物量碳影响显著,而真菌群落变化受全磷、电导率和全钾影响显著。     

不同种植年限宁夏枸杞根际微生物多样性变化

为了解长期人工种植枸杞根际土壤微生物的种群结构变化特征,利用Illumina Mi Seq测序平台分别对种植5 a、10 a和15 a宁夏枸杞根际土壤微生物基因组总DNA中16S和18S r DNA基因的部分区域进行测序,经UPARSE pipeline和RDP classifier软件进行聚类分析和物种注释。结果表明,长期种植宁夏枸杞不会改变其根际土壤p H,但会导致根际土壤全磷、有效磷、全盐含量和电导率升高。测序结果表明,不同种植年限枸杞根际土壤细菌群落α多样性无显著变化,但真菌群落多样性在种植10 a枸杞中较种植5 a时显著降低(p0.05),表明根际细菌群落多样性受种植年限影响较小。从门的分类水平看,酸杆菌门、放线菌门、拟杆菌门、厚壁菌门、绿弯菌门、泉古菌门、蓝菌门、芽单胞菌门、变形菌门以及真菌子囊菌门、担子菌门、接合菌门的比例在不同种植年限的枸杞根际土壤中显著改变(p0.05)。属水平的分析也表明,共有27个细菌属和16个真菌属的比例发生改变(p0.05),这些结果表明枸杞根际土壤微生物群落组成受种植年限的影响更大。相关性分析结果表明,种植年限、土壤全磷及有效磷含量是影响枸杞根际微生物群落结构的主要因子。     

秸秆还田与施肥方式对稻麦轮作土壤细菌和真菌群落结构与多样性的影响

为探索秸秆还田与施肥方式2种农田措施对水稻-小麦(稻麦)轮作土壤微生物群落的影响,阐释其对土壤细菌和真菌群落结构和多样性的影响机制,本研究通过7年稻麦轮作长期定位监测试验,设置无肥空白(CK)、常规施肥(RT)、秸秆还田+常规施肥(RS)和秸秆还田+缓释肥(SS) 4个处理,采用Illumina Miseq高通量测序技术,分析土壤细菌和真菌群落结构和多样性,探索影响微生物群落的主控环境因子。结果表明, SS作物产量在2016年和2017年分别比RT显著提高11.6%和8.2%(水稻)、4.8%和3.6%(小麦),与RS无显著差异。相比RT,秸秆还田处理显著降低了土壤pH,提升了土壤有机碳和铵态氮含量;与RS相比,SS处理提高了铵态氮含量。秸秆还田处理提升了真菌群落多样性,但对细菌群落多样性无显著影响。SS与RS在细菌真菌群落多样性方面均无显著差异。相关性分析表明,细菌群落多样性与土壤pH呈负相关,与总氮含量呈正相关;真菌群落多样性则与土壤有机碳含量显著正相关。NMDS分析表明,施肥对于细菌群落结构影响较大(55.61%),真菌群落结构则对秸秆还田响应更明显(26.94%)。与RT相比,秸秆还田显著提升了细菌放线菌门、绿弯菌门、厚壁菌门的相对丰度,同时显著提升了真菌中子囊菌门的相对丰度,降低了担子菌门和接合菌门的相对丰度,加强了土壤碳氮循环能力并抑制了病原菌。SS与RS相比,仅提升了真菌中子囊菌门的相对丰度。综上,秸秆还田配施缓释肥有助于维持或者提高土壤养分有效性、作物产量及细菌真菌群落多样性,可以促进土壤碳氮循环。     

基于高通量测序研究草莓根际微生物群落结构和多样性

研究草莓根际土壤微生物群落组成和结构,对健康草莓土壤生态系统的构建和保持具有重要意义。以不同地区草莓根际土壤为研究样本,利用MiSeq平台Illumina第二代高通量测序技术并结合相关生物信息学分析土壤细菌16S rRNA基因V4+V5区域和真菌ITS1+ITS2区域的丰富度和多样性指数以及群落结构。结果表明:从15个草莓根际土壤样本中获得4554个细菌分类操作单元OTU和1298个真菌OTU,草莓根际土壤的优势细菌门为变形菌门、厚壁菌门、放线菌门、酸杆菌门和绿弯菌门,主要的优势细菌属有16种;优势真菌门为子囊菌门、接合菌门和担子菌门,主要的优势真菌属有8种。冗余分析(RDA)显示,全氮和pH对土壤微生物群落结构的影响最大,共解释了61%的群落变化,各因子的贡献率大小依次为土壤全氮pH有效磷全钾全磷有机质速效钾碱解氮;相关性分析也表明,土壤理化指标均与不同优势菌门存在密切的相关关系。本研究结果加深了对草莓根际微生物群落结构和多样性的认识,为深入研究草莓根际微生物多样性及功能与环境因子之间的关系提供了借鉴。     

微生物菌剂对连作地块草莓生长、土壤养分及微生物群落的影响

为了研究微生物菌剂对连作地块草莓（Fragaria×ananassa Duch.）生长和土壤性状的影响，设置3个处理：不施用微生物菌剂（CK）、施用单一微生物菌剂（T1）和施用复合微生物菌剂（T2），统计草莓存活率和产量，并测定土壤样品的理化性状和微生物群落结构变化。结果表明，微生物菌剂处理有助于草莓的生长和增产。与CK相比，T1、T2的草莓存活率分别提高17.99和25.19个百分点，草莓产量分别增加30.16%和41.79%。微生物菌剂处理有效改善了土壤养分。与CK相比，T2土壤有效磷和速效钾含量显著提高18.31%和55.27%。然而，微生物菌剂处理提高了土壤电导率并降低了土壤pH值，长期施用微生物菌剂存在土壤盐渍化和酸化的风险。微生物群落结构分析结果表明，草莓土壤中细菌和真菌的优势菌门分别为厚壁菌门和子囊菌门，优势菌属分别为芽孢杆菌属和曲霉属。微生物菌剂施用提高了土壤真菌群落的丰富度和多样性，但对土壤细菌群落影响较小。与CK相比，微生物菌剂处理增加了芽孢杆菌属、根霉属和假霉样真菌属的相对丰度，其中根霉属和假霉样真菌属相对丰度在T2达到显著水平；降低了鞘氨醇单胞菌属、曲霉属和青霉...     

烟株生长过程中土壤微生物的变化特征

为有效防治烟草青枯病等土传病害,探究了烟株生长过程中土壤微生物的变化特征。分别在烟株不同生长期采集根部土壤进行可培养微生物数量测定和16S/18S rDNA基因测序,以分析烟株生长过程中微生物数量、多样性以及群落结构的变化。结果表明,可培养细菌、放线菌数量随烟株生长先增多后减少,其中旺长期数量最多;真菌数量先减少后增多,以旺长期数量最少。细菌群落多样性无明显变化,真菌群落多样性在旺长期最低。微生物群落结构在旺长期变化较大,细菌优势菌群Acidobacteria(酸杆菌门)丰度较团棵期减少30%±12%,Actinobacteria(放线菌门)丰度增加116%±19%,真菌优势菌群Ascomycota(子囊菌门)丰度增加57%±36%,norankk-Fungi丰度减少83%±17%。烟株生长发育改变了土壤微生物的数量和群落结构,旺长期微生物群落结构的改变与青枯病发生存在一定联系,特别是真菌优势菌的变化可能会影响青枯病的发生。     

低氮和干旱胁迫对富士和秦冠生长及氮素利用的影响

【目的】以富士（Fuji）、 秦冠（Qinguan）嫁接在平邑甜茶（Malus hupehensis Rehd.）上的当年生盆栽苗为试验材料,采用砂培方法,研究了缺氮胁迫和干旱对富士和秦冠生长情况、 光合参数、 植株各部位氮磷钾含量及氮素利用效率的影响,分析比较了低氮干旱条件下富士和秦冠生长及氮素利用的差异,以期为果树生产高效肥水利用提供理论指导。【方法】试验共设四个处理: 正常氮正常水（ZZ）、 低氮正常水（DZ）、 正常氮干旱（ZG）、 低氮干旱（DG）。氮素和水分均设置两个水平,分别为正常氮（6 mmol/L NO-3-N）、 低氮（0.3 mmol/LNO-3-N）、 正常供水（保持盆中砂子相对含水量为饱和含水量的80%~85%）、 干旱处理（保持盆中砂子相对含水量为饱和含水量的60%~65%）。【结果】富士和秦冠的生物量（茎和叶）、 株高茎粗等生长指标以及光合速率、 气孔导度、 蒸腾速率均为正常氮正常水（ZZ）＞低氮正常水（DZ）＞正常氮干旱（ZG）＞低氮干旱（DG）,并且相对应处理下秦冠的以上指标均高于富士;正常供水下,缺氮处理使富士、 秦冠的根冠比比正常氮处理均有所增加,富士提高了2.05%,秦冠提高了22.40%。富士和秦冠的氮、 磷、 钾含量均表现出正常氮正常水（ZZ）＞低氮正常水（DZ）＞正常氮干旱（ZG）＞低氮干旱（DG）; 氮、 钾元素含量在植株各部位的分布顺序依次是叶＞根＞茎,磷元素则是根＞叶＞茎;光合氮素利用效率（PNUE）和氮素利用效率表现为秦冠处理之间差异极显著,富士处理之间差异不显著;秦冠的PNUE和NUE明显高于富士,在低氮正常水（DZ）处理下,秦冠氮肥利用率比富士高42.07%,在低氮干旱（DG）处理下高64.14%;低氮胁迫下富士和秦冠的NUE显著提高,并且秦冠提高的幅度高于富士。【结论】施用氮肥能够显著提高富士与秦冠的干物质量,同等水肥条件下,秦冠生长优于富士;水分亏缺会减少叶片对氮的吸收,干旱条件下适度增施氮肥,可提高果树的抗旱能力;低氮干旱胁迫下秦冠的生长指标、 光合指标及氮素利用效率指标均优于富士,表现出较强的抗低氮干旱胁迫的能力。     

Pasture Vegetation Elemental Analysis by Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a new technique for the analysis of plant material. This study investigates the application of LIBS to pasture-based plant samples. The LIBS measurements were obtained from pelletized pasture samples (100 samples) that had been also analyzed by inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) following microwave digestion for calibration and comparison purposes. Comparisons for elements sodium (Na), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), boron (B), phosphorus (P), and sulfur (S) showed that LIBS could be used for almost all the standard profile total elements with concentrations down to low mg/kg levels (observed error of Na: 0.024 percent, K: 0.18 percent, Mg: 0.016 percent, Ca: 0.073 percent, P: 0.017 percent, Mn: 31 mg/kg, Fe: 150 mg/kg, Zn: 6.6 mg/kg, and B: 1.1 mg/kg). Elemental analysis at less than mg/kg levels was not possible using LIBS. The elements S and Cu were particularly difficult to analyze with reliability using LIBS at the concentration levels found in the plant samples. Replacing microwave digestion and subsequent ICP analysis with a direct analysis of dried plant samples using LIBS has the potential to improve the productivity and reduce the cost of testing.     

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 from individuals who have expertise and a record of accomplishment in research areas related to ecology,agro-hydrology,     

Biodiversity and ecogeography of wild Lactuca spp. in some European countries

Staff members of the Department of Botany of Palacký University in Olomouc and Gene Bank Department – Workplace Olomouc, Research Institute of Crop Production in Prague, Czech Republic, conducted an expedition in seven European countries (Austria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland) in August/September 1999 to collect wild Lactuca spp. germplasm and study its geographic distribution, ecology and biodiversity. During the mission, more than 600 locations were visited resulting in the collection of 602 seed samples (accessions) of wild Lactuca species and 13 seed samples of related genera (Chondrilla and Mycelis). Lactuca serriola f. serriola, L. serriola f. integrifolia, L. saligna and L. viminea subsp. chondrilliflora were prevalent in southern Europe (Italy, France), however, only L. serriola was common in central and western Europe (Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland). The greatest diversity of Lactuca species was found in France, where also the most seed samples (165) were collected. The most characteristic habitats with a high density of Lactuca spp. populations were observed along roads and highways, grassy ditches, ruderal communities, and dust-heaps. Natural infections by powdery mildew (Erysiphe cichoracearum) and downy mildew (Bremia lactucae) on some wild Lactuca spp. were observed. Recent observations concerning the geographic distribution, population structure, habitats, and natural occurrence of diseases of Lactuca spp. are discussed. This assemblage of genetic resources of Lactuca spp. can serve as the basis of future studies of species diversification, spatial population structure, plant microevolution, domestication processes, and genetic variability of host-parasite interactions.     

Macroinvertebrates in North American tallgrass prairie soils: effects of fire, mowing, and fertilization on density and biomass

The responses of tallgrass prairie plant communities and ecosystem processes to fire and grazing are well characterized. However, responses of invertebrate consumer groups, and particularly soil-dwelling organisms, to these disturbances are not well known. At Konza Prairie Biological Station, we sampled soil macroinvertebrates in 1994 and 1999 as part of a long-term experiment designed to examine the effects and interactions of annual fire, mowing, and fertilization (N and P) on prairie soil communities and processes. For nearly all taxa, in both years, responses were characterized by significant treatment interactions, but some general patterns were evident. Introduced European earthworms (Aporrectodea spp. and Octolasion spp.) were most abundant in plots where fire was excluded, and the proportion of the total earthworm community consisting of introduced earthworms was greater in unburned, unmowed, and fertilized plots. Nymphs of two Cicada genera were collected (Cicadetta spp. and Tibicen spp.). Cicadetta nymphs were more abundant in burned plots, but mowing reduced their abundance. Tibicen nymphs were collected almost exclusively from unburned plots. Treatment effects on herbivorous beetle larvae (Scarabaeidae, Elateridae, and Curculionidae) were variable, but nutrient additions (N or P) usually resulted in greater densities, whereas mowing usually resulted in lower densities. Our results suggest that departures from historical disturbance regimes (i.e. frequent fire and grazing) may render soils more susceptible to increased numbers of European earthworms, and that interactions between fire, aboveground biomass removal, and vegetation responses affect the structure and composition of invertebrate communities in tallgrass prairie soils.     

Properties of anaerobically digested and composted municipal solid waste assessed by linking soil mesofauna dynamics and nitrogen modelling

We have studied the effect of anaerobically digested (ADMSW) and composted municipal solid waste (CMSW) on mineralization and foodweb dynamics to verify the hypothesis that ADMSW would immobilize N right after addition to soil in contrast to addition with CMSW. Another hypothesis was that the mesofauna (enchytraeids and microarthropods) would stimulate N release from the decomposer community. We measured excretion of -N and urea-N from the mesofauna and hypothesized that enchytraeids would release urea. ADMSW and CMSW were amended to pots with sandy loam and barley. The pots were divided into treatments with or without mesofauna. Mesofauna, plant N and biomass, soil N and ergosterol (fungal biomass) were measured over a 113-day period of four equidistant samplings. Soil respiration, N mineralization and N release by the mesofauna were modelled from concurrent studies. ADMSW- and CMSW-treated soils initially (<20 days) immobilized N. The amendments did not increase plant growth substantially, and this was probably due to N-limitation in the early stages of plant growth. Enchytraeid abundance was about three times higher in ADMSW- than CMSW-treated soils, indicating that ADMSW contained more labile compounds, bacteria, and microfauna. The mesofauna did not affect N-content, but the cumulated -N excreted by the mesofauna was estimated to be substantial and about one-fifth of total plant N in ADMSW. An explanation for this discrepancy might be that in the absence of the mesofauna, other members of the detrivore and microbivore community performed the mesofauna’s function. Neither enchytraeids nor microarthropods excreted urea.     

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 from individuals who have expertise and a record of accomplishment in research areas related to ecology,agro-hydrology,     

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 from individuals who have expertise and a record of accomplishment in research areas related to ecology,agro-hydrology,     

Variation in quality parameters between and within 14 Nordic tree fruit and berry species

Abstract

A 3-year study was carried out to investigate quality parameters in 14 tree fruit and berry species grown in southern Norway. The species were blueberry, apple, aronia, sour cherry, sweet cherry, red raspberry, strawberry, blackcurrant, gooseberry, red currant and elderberry, harvested along with wild bilberry, cloudberry and lingonberry. Significant differences between species were identified for all quality parameters. The coefficient of variation between species was lowest for pH (12.5%), dry matter (18.9%) and soluble solids (25.3%), followed by titratable acids (59.3%), total phenolics (83.8%), antioxidant capacity FRAP (85.7%) and antiradical power by the DPPH-assay (97.8%), total monomeric anthocyanins (132%) and ascorbic acid (137%). Average coefficient of variation within species were lower and ranged from 4 (pH) to 62% (ascorbic acid). Only the FRAP values were significantly affected by harvesting year with lower levels in 2004 than in 2005 and 2006. There were significant interactions between species and harvesting year for dry matter, soluble solids, pH, ascorbic acid and FRAP. The results indicate generic ranges in composition within species independent upon growing location and climate, and the composition of the tree fruits and berries is not likely to deviate from these ranges. It is concluded that desirable composition of tree fruits and berries and their products should primarily be achieved by selection among species rather than searching fors broadened variation within individual species.     

Potassium Fixation and Release Characteristics in Rhizosphere and Nonrhizosphere Soils for a Rapeseed–Rice Cropping Sequence

Potassium (K) fixation and release in soil are important factors in the long-term sustainability of a cropping system. Changes in K concentration and characteristics of K fixation and release in rhizosphere and nonrhizosphere soils in the rapeseed (Brassica napus L.)–rice (Oryza sativa L.) rotation were investigated using a rhizobox system. The concentrations of different forms of K in both rhizosphere and nonrhizosphere soils decreased with plants compared to without plants, regardless of K fertilizer application. Potassium uptake by crops mainly came from the rhizosphere soil. In the treatment without K fertilizer (–K), the main form of K supplied by the soil to the crops was 1.0 mol L^?1 nitric acid (HNO₃) nonextractable K, followed by nonexchangeable K, and then exchangeable K. In the treatment with K fertilizer (+K), the main K forms supplied by the soil to the crops were exchangeable K and nonexchangeable K. The amount and rate of K fixation after one cycle of the rapeseed–rice rotation was greater in rhizosphere soil than in nonrhizosphere soil. The amount and rate of K fixation of soil in the +K treatment were significantly less than in the –K treatment. The cumulative amounts of K released with 1.0 mol L^?1 ammonium acetate (NH₄OAc) and 1.0 mol L^?1 HNO₃ extraction increased with the increasing numbers of extractions, but the K-releasing power of soil by successive extraction decreased gradually and finally became almost constant. The release of K was less in rhizosphere soil than in nonrhizosphere soil. The release of K in the +K treatment was similar to that in the –K treatment in rhizosphere soil, but the K release in nonrhizosphere soil was greater with the +K than the –K treatment. Overall, the information obtained in this study will be helpful in formulating more precise K fertilizer recommendations for certain soils.