The process of manganese depositton in paddy soils

Abstract

The changes in quality and quantity of phenolic substances in the decaying process of rice straw in a soil were compared under moist and flooded conditions for 200 days. The amounts of phenolic substances divided into fractions of humic acid and fulvic acid, ether- and butanol-extractable and organic solvent-unextractable fractions, then the amounts of individual phenolic acids were determined. The following results were obtained.

1) Alkali-extractable total phenolics as well as individual phenolic acids decreased more rapidly under moist, than under flooded, conditions as rice straw decayed in the soil. The phenolics present were mainly attributable to the straw, not to the soil.

2) The decrease in the level of total phenolics in the early stage of the decaying process was mainly due to the decrease in ether-extractable phenolic compounds in the fulvic acid fraction, and in the later stage, was mainly due to the decrease in butanol-extractable phenolics in the humic acid fraction.

3) The amounts of butanol-extractable phenolics and organic solvent-unextractable phenolics were larger in humic acid than in fulvic acid. On the other hand, a larger amount of organic solvent-extractable phenolics, especially ether-extractable phenolics, was present in fulvic acid.

4) The degradation patterns and pathways of individual phenolic acids in the decaying process of rice straw in soil were found to be the lame as those of decaying straw without soil which were reported previously.

5) The level of phenolic substances in the humic acid was not greatly changed during the decaying process, but the phenolic substances in fulvic acid rapidly increased for 30 days and then rapidly decreased to a constant level.     

Behavior of phenolic substances in the decaying process of plants

The behavior of phenolic substances in the decaying process of rice straw, ladino clover, and fanen leaves of red oak under moist conditions, and also of rice straw under various conditions were compared in the laboratory. The amounts of phenolic substances, divided into either humic acid and fulvic acid fractions, or ether-extractable, butanol-extractable and organic solvent-unextractable fractions, and the amounts of individual phenolic acids were periodically determined during incubation for 150 days. The following results were obtained.

1) The amounts and behavior of phenolic substances in various fractions differed considerably among the plant materials. The total amount of phenolic substances was remarkably larger in red oak leaves than in the others during the whole period of incubation. The amounts of phenolics in the fulvic acid fraction changed to a larger extent than those in the humic acid fraction during the decaying process of plant materials. The changes in total amount of phenolics in decaying red oak leaves and ladino clover were mainly due to changes in the level of relatively hydrophilic phenolics in the fulvic acid fraction, but the changes in decaying rice straw were mainly due to changes in the level of relatively lipophilic phenolics.

2) Rice straw and ladino clover, especially the former, contained large amounts of p-coumaric and ferulic acids, but these decreased rapidly in the early stage of the decaying process. The amounts in red oak leaves were small, but did not decrease markedly during incubation.

3) The changes in amounts of phenolics in both humic acid and fulvic acid fractions in the decaying process of rice straw were largely influenced by temperature, moisture, and pH, but not to a large extent by C/N ratio and the presence of soil. At higher temperatures under moist conditions, phenolic substances disappeared rapidly. Also, acidification of the system inhibited the degradation process.     

Behavior of phenolic substances in the decaying process of plants: I. Identification and Quantitative Determination of Phenolic Acids in Rice Straw and Its Decayed Product by Gas Chromatography

Phenolic acids in rice straw and its decayed product were surveyed and quantitatively analyzed by gas chromatography.

1) Thirteen kinds of phenolic acids in rice straw and its decayed product were identified. Besides p-hydroxybenzoic, vanillic, P-coumaric, and ferulic acids which had been already reported, nine phenolic acids were newly identified; these were benzoic, salicylic, syringic, protocatechuic, β-resorcylic, caffeic, sinapic, gallic, and gentisic acids.

2) A gas chromatographic analysis was applied to the micro-determination of major phenolic acids in rice straw and . the decayed products. The methanolic alkaline extracts from them were washed with ether, acidified, transferred into ether, trimethylsilylated, and injected into a gas chromatograph equipped with a silicon SE-30 column. The recoveries of p-coumaric, p-hydroxybenzoic, vanillic, and syringic acids were more than 90%, and ferulic and syringic acids were recovered at about 70%.

3) The content of each of the above described major phenolic acids in rice straw ranged from 0.002 to 0.037% per dry weight. p-Coumaric acid was contained in the largest amount. Ferulic and vanillic acids followed. In the decayed straw, these contents decreased to 0.002–0.017%. The whole phenolic substances in ether-extracted fraction were present at 0.34%, and the amount decreased to one-third during the decaying process.     

淹水土壤有机酸积累与秸秆碳氮比及氮供应的关系

有机酸积累和毒害是稻田秸杆还田中受到广泛关注的问题。本文以水稻与小麦秸杆为材料，采用淹水培养研究了甲酸、乙酸、丙酸及丁酸在士壤中的积累及其与秸秆碳氮比、氮肥添加量的关系。结果表明，在不施用氮肥的情况下。随秸秆用量的增加，秸秆处理的有机酸积累均显著增多。与稻秸处理相比，麦秸处理的有机酸（尤其足丙酸）积累量显著较高，土壤溶液中NH4^＋浓度显著较低。加入尿素明显减少有机酸积累，促进CH4排放，但对CO2的排放无显著影响；氮素的影响在麦秸处理中表现的尤为明显。上述结果说明麦秸的高碳氮比增加了无机氮的生物固定，抑制有机酸向CH4转化，从而导致麦秸处理有机酸积累量高于稻秸处理。施用氮肥是减少麦秸还田后有机酸积累的有效措施之一，但此措施将可能促进CH4的排放。     

稻草等有机物料腐解过程中酚酸类化合物的动态变化

采用湿润好气培养法 ,研究稻草等有机物料腐解过程中酚酸类化合物的动态变化。结果表明 ,稻草、锯木屑、猪粪均含有对羟基苯甲酸、香豆酸、阿魏酸等酚酸化合物。稻草、猪粪中香豆酸含量最高 ,阿魏酸次之 ;木屑中对羟基苯甲酸含量最高 ,香豆酸次之。稻草、猪粪在腐解过程中生成酚酸化合物主要是香豆酸和阿魏酸 ,木屑主要是对羟基苯甲酸和香豆酸 ;三种有机物料中酚酸化合物总量表现为稻草 >猪粪 >木屑 ,在腐解 2 0～ 30天时酚酸量为最高 ,40～ 5 0天时基本稳定 ,酚酸量为最少     

Effect of phenolic acids on the formation and stabilization of soil aggregates

ABSTRACT

To examine the effects of phenolic acids, which are generated by the decomposition of cell walls in plant residues, and other constituents on the stability of soil aggregates, phenolic acids and carbohydrates were mixed into three different types of soil. After a 1-month incubation, the plot containing soil mixed with phenolic acids showed the greatest mean weight diameter of all the soils. In the treated soils, before incubation, the decline of saturated water permeability during continuous water percolation was mitigated in the plot containing soil mixed with phenolic acids compared with that in the other plots. Soil aggregates were synthesized with the addition of phenolic acids and carbohydrates using two methods (mixing and surface brushing) and were incubated for 153 days. The aggregate stability was greatest in the plots surface-brushed with phenolic acids for Andosol and gray lowland soil, whereas the aggregate stability was most stable in the plots mixed with phenolic acids for yellow soil. This difference in the effectiveness of application methods is rationalized by the densities of the active Al and Fe contents, the carbon content, and the specific surface area of the soils. The phenolic acids also affected sandy soil. In a similar experiment using a gray lowland soil, mixing a portion of p-coumaric acid into synthetic aggregates was found to shift the molecular weight distribution of substances to larger molecular weights, as determined by size exclusion chromatography of the liquid extracted from the aggregates, which was likely accompanied by an increase in aggregate stability. The effects of fungi and bacteria on soil long-term stability were not greater than those of phenolic acids. Our findings and previous results show that microorganisms aid in soil-aggregate formation during the early stages, and phenolic acids not only aid in the formation of aggregates but also strongly stabilize them.     

不同滴灌带布设方式对苹果-大豆间作系统土壤化感物质与微生物的影响

为探究不同滴灌带布设方式对果农间作系统土壤酚酸类物质、酶活性和微生物分布特性影响，初步探明间作滴灌条件下，土壤酚酸类物质与土壤生物因子的相互关系。以晋西黄土区典型的苹果—大豆间作系统为研究对象，设置3种(L1、L2、L3)滴灌带间距，分析不同水分分布下土壤酚酸类物质、酶活性和微生物数量的空间分布变化，并在相关性基础上利用逐步回归模型，分析3个土壤因子之间的相互关系。结果表明：除苯甲酸和间苯三酚外，滴灌带间距对酚酸类物质分布影响显著(p<0.05),除过氧化氢酶外，滴灌带间距对酶活性、微生物数量分布有显著影响(p<0.05)。在垂直方向上，不同滴灌带布设方式使酚酸更多地分布在深层土壤，微生物数量和部分酶活性在L1、L2处理中随土层加深而先减后增；在水平方向上，不同滴灌带布设方式对土壤酚酸类物质、细菌和真菌分布影响与间作对照处理一致，随距树距离增加而增加。滴灌条件下，除对羟基苯甲酸外，酚酸类物质受脲酶、过氧化氢酶和放线菌的抑制作用显著，间作处理土壤酚酸总量较单作有所减少。L1处理土壤酶活性、微生物总量最高，L2处理土壤酚酸类物质累积量最低。其中L2处理在酚酸累积量最低的基础上，...     

Faster anaerobic decomposition of a brittle straw rice mutant: Implications for residue management

Rice (Oryza sativa) in Asia is typically grown on submerged soils in intensive cropping systems with only a brief interval between harvest of one crop and planting of the next. Incorporation of crop residues can be challenging because the fallow period between crops is often too short to allow sufficient decomposition. During early stages of anaerobic residue decomposition in flooded soils, plant growth may be inhibited by nutrient immobilization or by the production of potentially toxic organic acids. Straw from a brittle stem mutant of rice (Oryza sativa L. var. IR68) was tested in a 30-d incubation experiment under continuously flooded conditions in a greenhouse to determine if it would decompose more rapidly than the non-brittle phenotype, thereby allowing shorter fallow time between crops. Brittle straw decomposed faster, as indicated by 51% total C loss as CO₂ or CH₄ within 3 weeks of incorporation, compared with 28% for non-brittle straw. However, brittle straw also produced a significantly higher (P<0.0001) amount of formic, acetic, aconitic, propionic, and butyric acids than non-brittle straw. There was no difference in soil N immobilization pattern between the two straw types, or in P or K availability in the soil, perhaps due to the short duration of the experiment. To maximize the potential advantage of faster decomposition of brittle straw in intensive rice cropping systems, it may be helpful to manage water for sufficient soil aeration to mitigate the negative organic acid and methane production effects.     

Flooding effects on soil phenol oxidase activity and phenol release during rice straw decomposition

Phenol oxidase (Pox) plays a key role in soil C cycle and its presence may affect soil C mineralization during crop residue decomposition. To examine soil dynamics and relationships between Pox, phenols, Fe²⁺, and C mineralization, we designed a 53‐d laboratory experiment conducted with and without rice straw addition and under non‐flooded and flooded conditions. The results demonstrate that rice straw can indeed decompose faster under flooded conditions. The addition of rice straw significantly increased soil Pox activity (up to 15‐fold), but only under flooded conditions. Rice straw application increased alkali extractable phenol (AEP) concentration by 129% at day 4. However, flooded conditions reduced soil AEP by 61% and 49% at day 53 with and without rice straw application, respectively. Phenol oxidase activity was positively correlated with dissolved organic C and Fe²⁺, while negatively related to AEP, which itself was positively correlated with C mineralization (i.e., CO₂ emission rates). Also, all relationships between soil Pox, AEP, Fe²⁺, and C were stronger under flooded conditions. We therefore conclude that flooded conditions in paddy soil may promote straw decomposition as a result of the stimulation of Pox activity and phenol decomposition.     

Stereoisomerization of p-coumaric and ferulic acids during their incubation in peat soil extract solution by exposure to fluorescent light

Abstract

We studied two unknown substances which were produced by incubation of p-coumaric and ferulic acids in a peat soil extract solution. The substances were identified as the cisforms of these acids, which were isomerized from their trans-forms during the incubation by exposure to fluorescent light. Such isomerization did not take place during incubation under dark conditions. After 5 days of incubation by exposure to fluorescent light, the maximal ratio of cis-form to trans-form p-coumaric and ferulic acids was 0.61 and 0.45, respectively.     

Effect of organic residue amendment on mineralization of nitrogen in flooded rice soils under laboratory conditions

Abstract

This study was undertaken to assess the mineralization of nitrogen (N) in rice soils amended with organic residues under flooded condition. A lab incubation study with a 3x3 factorial design (two replications) was conducted with three rice soils (Joydebpur, Faridpur, and Thakurgaon) receiving the following treatments: 1) control, 2) rice straw (Oryza sativa L.), or 3) pea vine (Pisum sativum L.). The organic residue (25 mg straw g^‐1 soil) was mixed with soil and glass beads (1:1, soil to beads ratio), and transferred into a Pyrex leaching tube, flooded and then incubated at 35°C for up to 12 weeks. The soils in the leaching tubes were leached (while maintaining flooded condition) at 1,2,4, 8, and 12 weeks with deionized water for determination of NH₄‐N, NO₃‐N, pH, and Eh. Nitrogen mineralization in soils amended with rice straw was somewhat different than that of soils treated with pea vine. Soil treated with rice straw had a higher N mineralization rate than soils treated with pea vine, which was due to a lower carbon (C):N ratio for rice straw. The potentially mineralizable N pool (N_o) in soils amended with rice straw and pea vine under flooded conditions, estimated using a 1st order exponential equation, were 7 to 15 times, and 3 to 9 times greater for rice straw N_o values and pea vine, respectively, than the control. The K_N values for unamended soils ranged from 0.35 to 0.52 mg N kg^‐1 wk^‐1 and rice straw and pea vine treated soils were from 0.75 to 1.22 and 0.46 to 0.58 mgN kg^‐1 wk^‐1. The lower N_o and K_N values in pea vine treatments suggested there was greater immobilization of N than in rice straw treatments.     

作物秸秆碳在土壤中分解和转化规律的研究

采用14C标记秸秆,在大田和实验室的研究结果表明,秸秆的分解速率主要取决于C/N比。施入土壤后,土壤微生物迅速增加,尤其是细菌。秸秆降解首先形成非结构物质,其中大部分转化为富里酸,进而转化为胡敏酸。分解产物对土壤腐殖质的更新,从腐殖质表面官能团或分子断片开始,逐步进行。非结构物质可与腐殖酸的单个分子产生交联作用,在一定条件下,交联的复合分子可进入腐殖质分子核心的成分中。腐殖酸单个组分在土壤中的转化和重新分配,仅仅与腐殖质表面官能团的反交换过程密切相关。粘土矿物选择性吸附胡敏酸,而且优先吸附胡敏酸中低分子成分。     

Relationship between mineralization and immobilization of nitrogen influenced by various conditions of submerged soils

The relationship between mineralization of soil nitrogen and immobilization of added nitrogen in submerged soils were studied under various soil conditions in a laboratory experiment. Selected factors which constituted soil conditions were content of soil organic nitrogen, quantity of nitrogen addition, temperature, soil drying, puddling, and period of incubation. Each factor contained some treatments in it.

The ratio of mineralization to immobilization, M/I, was relatively constant under various soil conditions. The values of M/I were around 2 except the soil drying treatments, indicating that the amount equivalent to about half of mineralized nitrogen is immobilized simultaneously under nitrogen added condition. Even so, if considered in detail, treatments that stimulate the microbial activities were observed to have increasing effect on M/I.

The ratio of additional mineralization caused by nitrogen addition to immobilization, ΔM/I, is considered to be an index to know the influence of nitrogen addition on the quantitative change of soil nitrogen level. This value was around 1 in the soil without any application of organic matters, and around 0.6 in the soil receiving straw compost for 10 years. Factors that have close relations with the value of ΔM/I were soil organic nitrogen level, temperature, soil drying, and period of incubation.     

Bt-transgenic rice straw affects the culturable microbiota and dehydrogenase and phosphatase activities in a flooded paddy soil

There have been few investigations of the possible effects of genetically engineered plants on the microbiota and enzyme activities in flooded soil. We studied the influence of the transgenic rice KeMingDao (KMD) straw on the culturable microbiota and enzymatic activities in a flooded paddy soil under laboratory conditions. KMD contained a synthetic cry1Ab gene from Bacillus thuringiensis under the control of a maize ubiquitin promoter and linked in tandem with the gusA and hpt genes. The results showed that there were only some occasional significant differences (P<0.05) in the number of Colony forming units of aerobic bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi and in the number of anaerobic fermentative bacteria, denitrifying bacteria, hydrogen-producing acetogenic bacteria, and methanogenic bacteria between the paddy soil amended with Bt-transgenic rice straw and with the non-Bt parental rice straw during the early stages of incubation. From d14 to d84 there were significant increases (P<0.05) in soil dehydrogenase and soil neutral phosphatase activity in soils amended with rice straw compared to soil without added straw. The dehydrogenase activity was significantly greatly (almost 1.95-fold) in soil amended with Bt-transgenic straw from d7 to d14 but from d21 to d49 there was significantly greater activity (about 1.47-fold) in the soil amended with non-Bt-straw. There were no apparent differences between the activity of soil neutral phosphatase in the soils to which non-Bt-straw and Bt-straw had been added. However, both soils to which rice straws were added demonstrated significant differences in the number of microorganisms except for aerobic bacteria and enzymatic activities with respect to the control soil throughout the incubation. The above results indicated that the Bt-straw from KMD transgenic rice is not toxic to a variety of culturable microorganisms in the studied flooded paddy soil.     

Liquid laccase production by Phomopsis liquidambari B3 accelerated phenolic acids degradation in long-term cropping soil of peanut

The accumulation of phenolic acids in soil is one of the main problems associated with continuous cropping of peanut. Although laccases secreted by fungi can efficiently transform phenolic acids, there are few reports on the use of these enzymes to bioremediate continuous cropping soil. Food waste and wheat straw are waste products; however, they could be used productively as resources for laccase production by the endophytic fungus Phomopsis liquidambari B3. We cultured Phomopsis liquidambari B3 in medium containing food waste as the main nitrogen source and wheat straw as the main carbon source. In order to study the effects of fermentation liquid on phenolic acid degradation, rhizosphere soil microbial communities and peanut seedling growth, the fermentation product, which had high laccase activity, was added to continuously cropped soil of peanut. The concentration of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, vanillic acid, and coumaric acid in soil had decreased by 57.4, 52.5, and 49.4%, respectively, compared with no-treatment control during 28 days. Analysis of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis profiles showed that the bacterial and fungal community structures in rhizosphere soil were affected by changes in the phenolic acids concentration. The biomass of peanut plants and the number of root nodules were increased 68.3% and 5.9-fold, respectively. These results showed that the laccase product reduced the accumulation of phenolic acids in soil, the decrease in phenolic acids concentration and the increase in certain dominant microorganisms promoted peanut seedling growth and nodulation. This technology provides a new strategy for bioremediation of continuous cropping soil, while simultaneously reducing waste and protecting the environment.     

Studies on the humus forms of forest soils

Samples described in the previous paper were analyzed for humus composition by the method of Kumada el al,, elementary composition of humic acids, nitrogen distribution among humic acid, fulvic acid, and humin, and organic matter composition by the modified Waksman method. The samples obtained by physical fractionation from each horizon of Higashiyama soil were as follows: f₁ and f₂ from the L layer, f₁, f₂ and f₃ from the F layer, f₁ f₂, sand, silt, and clay fractions from the H-A and A horizons.

With the progress of decomposition, the following tendencies were rather clearly observed.

The extraction ratio of soluble humus, amounts of humic acid and fulvic acid, and PQ, value tended to increase with some exceptions. The degree of humification of humic acid proceeded. Most humic acids belonged to the Rp type, but those of the clay fractions belonged to the B type.

As for the elementary composition of humic acid, transitional changes from the Lf₁ to the clay fraction of the A horizon were observed. But differences in elementary composition among humic acids were far less, compared with those among whole fractions.

Nitrogen contents in humic, fulvic, and humin fractions increased with the progress of decomposition and humiliation, and the largest relative increase was found in fulvic acid nitrogen.

According to the modified Waksman's method, the amounts of residues and protein increased, while the total amounts of each extract, except for the HCl extract, and the amounts of sugars and starch, phenolic substances, hemicelluloses and pectin, and cellulose decreased. Sugars and starch comprised only a small portion of the hot water extract, and polyphenols substances comparable to sugars and starch were also found in the extract. Hemicelluloses and pectin accounted for only about one-half of the HCl extract. Several characteristic differences in the elementary composition of extracts and residues were found.

Pheopigments existed in benzene-ethanol extracts and their amounts seemed to decrease from Lf₁ to Ff₂.     

Effect of organic residue amendment on mineralization of sulfur in flooded rice soils under laboratory conditions

Abstract

This study was undertaken to assess the mineralization of sulfur (S) in laboratory conditions of three rice soils (Joydebpur, Faridpur, and Thakurgaon), receiving the following treatments: 1) control, 2) rice straw (Oryza sativa L.), and 3) pea vine (Pisum sativum L.). The organic residue (25 mg g^‐1) was added and mixed with soil and glass beads (1:1, soil to bead ratio) and placed into a Pyrex leaching tube. The soils were flooded and incubated at 35°C, after which they were leached with deionized water at 1, 2,4, 8, and 12 weeks for analysis of SO₄ and other chemical properties in the leachates. Potentially mineralizable S (S_o) and C (C_o) pools and first‐order rate constants (K_s for S and K_c for C) in soils amended with rice straw and pea vine under flooded conditions were estimated using an exponential equation. The S_o and K_s varied considerably among the soils and types of added organic residues, and their values in rice straw and pea vine ranged from 8.70 to 29.55 and 0.124 to 0.732 mg S kg^‐1 wk^‐1, respectively. Except for the Thakurgaon soil, the S_o and K_s values in Joydebpur and Faridpur soils were higher in the unamended treatments. Higher S_o values in the unamended soils were probably due to less microbial activity to mineralize organic S from organic residues. The results indicate that the amount of SO₄ in flooded soils amended with organic residues are dependent on soil type, nature of organic residues, and time of incubation. The C_o and K_c values under flooded incubation were higher in residue amended soils than in unamended soils. Pea vine treated soils had higher C_o and K_c values than the soils treated with rice straw.     

Aromatic constituents of humic acids released by na-amalgam reductive cleavage,koh fusion and zinc dust fusion

Eight humic acids showing different degree of humification were treated with HCI (1:1). The hydrolyzed humic acids were subjected to reductive cleavage with Na-amalgam, KOH fusion and zinc dust fusion. The yields of degradation products were determined by colorimetry gas chromatography.

The perimental results Were summarized as follows:

l. The amounts of ether-soluble substances obtained by reductive cleavage with Naamlagan ranged from 21.6% for Kuragari (A type) to 7.8% for Kisokoma B₂ (Rp type). The yields of phenolic substances expressed in terms of vanillic acid content ranged from 3.0% for Kuragari (A type) to 1.8% for Kisokoma B₂ (Rp type). Resorcinol. p.hydroxybenzoic acid, vanillic acid, protocatechuic acid and syringic acid were detected in the gas chromatograms of the ethe-soluble substances and their total yield comprised less than 0.6% of the Kisokoma F (Rp type).

2. The KOH fusion of humic acid yielded a larger amount of degradation products as compared to reductive cleavage. The amount of ether-soluble substances ranged from 42.7% for Kisokoma F (Rp type) to 12.6% for Sochiken 1 (A type). The yields of phenolic substances, expressed in terms of amount of protocatechuic acid, ranged from 10.6% for Kisokoma F (Rp type) to 4.6% for Inogashira (A type). Exept for syringic acid, the same compounds released after ramged from 2.1% for Sochiken 2 (B type) to 0.4% for Sochiken 1 (A type).

3. The amounts of benzene-soluble substances and hydrocarbons obtained from Goshikigahara (P type) by zinc dust fusion were 20.9% and 5.2%, respectively. The yields of the hydrocarbons tended to increase in the order; P type > Rp type ≥ B type. Perylene and 2-methylanthracene were detected in the gas chromatograms of the hydrocarbons fractions and, in the case of Goshikigahara (P type), their yields were 0.031% and 0.010%, respectively.     

Influence of Soil Chemical Properties on Adsorption and Oxidation of Phenolic Acids in Soil Suspension

Relationships between abiotic oxidation and adsorption of phenolic acids added to soils and soil chemical properties were investigated by using 32 soil samples and ferulic, vanillic, and p-hydroxybenzoic acids. Soil properties studied were as follows: (as adsorption factors) contents of acid oxalate extractable Al (Alo), Fe (Feo), dithionite-citrate-bicarbonate (DCB) extractable Fe (Fed), total carbon and clay, and (as oxidation factors) level of soil oxidative activity (Cr oxidation) determined by the amount of Cr(VI) converted from Cr(III) added to soils. Soil samples were divided into 3 types based on chemical properties: Andosols A (A horizon of Andosols), Andosols B (B horizon of Andosols and light-colored Andosols), and non-Andosols.

The recovery of all phenolic acids (RPA) was negatively correlated with the total carbon and Feo contents in Andosols A and B, respectively, which suggested adsorption onto soil organic matter in Andosols A and onto Feo in Andosols B. It was considered that almost no oxidation of phenolic acids occurred in Andosols A, because a very small amount of Cr(VI) was obtained. The recovery of ferulic acid (RFA) and vanillic acid (RVA), however, was negatively correlated with Cr oxidation in non-Andosols, suggesting that these phenolic acids were oxidized, while almost all of the p-hydroxybenzoic acid was recovered.

These results were also supported by the comparison between RFA and recovery of dissolved organic carbon (RTOC). RFA was very similar to RTOC in Andosols A and B, which indicated that adsorption occurred, whereas RFA was lower than RTOC in the non-Andosols that showed a high level of Cr oxidation, indicating that oxidation took place. Manganese dissolution which occurred when phenolic acids were added to soils was also examined.     

The amelioration effects of low temperature biochar generated from nine crop residues on an acidic Ultisol

Biochar was prepared using a low temperature pyrolysis method from nine plant materials including non‐leguminous straw from canola, wheat, corn, rice and rice hull and leguminous straw from soybean, peanut, faba bean and mung bean. Soil pH increased during incubation of the soil with all nine biochar samples added at 10 g/kg. The biochar from legume materials resulted in greater increases in soil pH than from non‐legume materials. The addition of biochar also increased exchangeable base cations, effective cation exchange capacity, and base saturation, whereas soil exchangeable Al and exchangeable acidity decreased as expected. The liming effects of the biochar samples on soil acidity correlated with alkalinity with a close linear correlation between soil pH and biochar alkalinity (R² = 0.95). Therefore, biochar alkalinity is a key factor in controlling the liming effect on acid soils. The incorporation of biochar from crop residues, especially from leguminous plants, can both correct soil acidity and improve soil fertility.