RESPONSE OF SOYBEAN TO SOIL APPLIED SULFUR AND BORON IN A CALCAREOUS SOIL

A greenhouse experiment with soybean grown on sulfur (S) and boron (B) deficient calcareous soil was conducted for two years in northwest India to study the influence of increasing sulfur and boron levels on yield and its attributing characters at different growth stages (55 days, maturity). The treatments included four levels each of soil applied sulfur viz. 0, 6.5, 13.4, 20.1 mg S kg^?1 and boron viz. 0, 0.22, 0.44, 0.88 mg B kg^?1 at the time of sowing. The highest dry matter yield at 55 days after sowing, DAS (19.3 g pot^?1) and maturity (straw yield ?25.2 g pot^?1 and grain yield ?7.3 g pot^?1) was recorded with B_0.44 S_13.4 treatment combination. The combined applications of sulfur and boron yielded highest oil content with B_0.44S_13.4 (21.7%) treatment level. Chlorophyll ‘a’ and ‘b’ increased significantly with successive levels of sulfur and boron addition at 55 DAS. The mean sulfur and boron uptake in straw and grains increased significantly with increasing levels of sulfur and boron up to 13.4 mg kg^?1 and 0.44 mg kg^?1 and decreased non-significantly thereafter. At both the growth stages, a synergistic interactive effect of combined application of sulfur and boron was observed with B_0.44 S_13.4 treatment level for sulfur and boron uptake in straw and grains.     

BORON NUTRITION OF PEANUT GROWN IN BORON-DEFICIENT CALCAREOUS SOILS: GENOTYPIC VARIATION AND PROPOSED DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA

Field studies were conducted to assess boron (B) requirement, critical concentrations in diagnostic parts based on yield response curves and genotypic variation by growing three peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) cultivars (‘Golden’, ‘BARD-479’, ‘BARI-2000’) on two B-deficient calcareous soils. Boron application significantly increased pod yield of all the cultivars over control. Maximum pod yield increases were: ‘Golden’, 16?23%; ‘BARD-479’, 21?27%; and ‘BARI-2000’, 25?31%. The cultivars varied in B efficiency and cv. ‘Golden’ was the most B efficient (81?86%) while cv. ‘BARI-2000’ was the least efficient (76?80%). Boron requirements for near-maximum (95%) dry pod yield were 0.65 kg ha^?1 for ‘Golden’, 0.75 kg ha^?1 for BARD-479 and 0.80 kg ha^?1 for BARI-2000. Critical B concentrations in shoots and seeds were: ‘Golden’, 33 mg kg^?1 and 26 mg kg^?1; ‘BARD-479’, 38 mg kg^?1 and 31 mg kg^?1; and ‘BARI-2000’, 42 mg kg^?1 and 33 mg kg^?1.     

EFFECT OF APPLIED LIME AND BORON ON THE AVAILABILITY OF NUTRIENTS IN AN ACID SOIL

Productivity of resources on acid soils occupying one fourth of the total area in India is abysmally low. Lime is applied to such soils with the primary objective of increasing the productivity of crops by enhancing the availability of native and applied plant nutrients. Greenhouse pot experiments and laboratory experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of lime and boron (B) on the availability of nutrients in soils and their uptake by plants. The application of lime enhanced the available nitrogen (N,), phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sulfur (S), and zinc (Zn) content in soils, which was reflected in their uptake by sunflower (Helianthus annus). On the contrary, availability of copper (Cu), iron (Fe), and manganese (Mn) in soil was reduced due to liming. Sunflower responded very well in terms of dry matter yield to B application to the extent of 175% and 188% under 1 and 2 mg kg^?1 applied levels of B, respectively. Dry matter yield of sunflower was reduced to the tune of 29.2 and 42.7% under 2/3 and 1 lime requirement (LR), respectively, over control. Lime application at 1/3 LR with 2 mg kg^?1 of applied B emerged as an optimum combination in acid soils.     

APPLICATION OF INCREASING LEVELS OF ZINC TO SOIL REDUCED ACCUMULATION OF CADMIUM IN LUPIN GRAIN

Yellow lupin (Lupinus luteus L.) and narrow-leafed lupin (L. angustifolius L.) are grown as grain legumes in rotation with spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) on acidic sandy soils of south-western Australia. Yellow lupin can accumulate significantly larger cadmium (Cd) concentrations in grain than narrow-leafed lupin. A glasshouse experiment was undertaken to test whether adding increasing zinc (Zn) levels to soil increased Zn uptake by yellow lupin reducing accumulation of Cd in yellow lupin grain. Two cultivars of yellow lupin (cv. ‘Motiv’ and ‘Teo’) and 1 cultivar of narrow-leafed lupin (cv. ‘Gungurru’) were used. The soil was Zn deficient for grain production of both yellow and narrow-leafed lupin, but had low levels of native soil Cd (total Cd <0.05 mg kg^?1) so 1.6 mg Cd pot^?1, as a solution of cadmium chloride (CdCl₂·H₂O), was added and mixed through the soil. Eight Zn levels (0–3.2 mg Zn pot^?1), as solutions of zinc sulfate (ZnSO₄·7H₂O), were added and evenly mixed through the soil. Yellow lupin accumulated 0.16 mg Cd kg^?1 in grain when no Zn was applied, which decreased as increasing Zn levels were applied to soil, with ～0.06 mg Cd kg^?1 in grain when the largest level of Zn (3.2 mg Zn pot^?1) was applied. Low Cd concentrations (<0.016 mg Cd kg^?1) were measured in narrow-leafed lupin grain regardless of the Zn treatment. When no Zn was applied, yellow lupin produced ～2.3 times more grain than narrow-leafed lupin, indicating yellow lupin was better at acquiring and using indigenous Zn from soil for grain production. Yellow lupin required about half as much applied Zn as narrow-leafed lupin to produce 90% of the maximum grain yield, ～0.8 mg pot^?1 Zn compared with ～1.5 mg Zn pot^?1. Zn concentration in whole shoots of young plants (eight leaf growth stage) related to 90% of the maximum grain yield (critical prognostic concentration) was (mg Zn kg^?1) 25 for both yellow lupin cultivars and 19 for the narrow-leafed lupin cultivar. Critical Zn concentration in grain related to 90% of maximum grain yield was (mg Zn kg^?1) 24 for both yellow lupin cultivars compared with 20 for the narrow-leafed lupin cultivar.     

Upper and lower levels of boron for cotton and wheat as influenced by calcium carbonate

Abstract

Pot studies were conducted to study effect of the boron (B) levels (0, 0.12, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.0, 2.0 3.0, 4.0, 5.0 and 10?mg?B?kg^?1) and calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) (0, 1.25, 2.5 and 5.0%) on cotton and wheat crops in cropping system. In absence of CaCO_3, reduced growth of cotton and wheat were observed when B was applied @ 2.0?mg?kg^?1 soil. Necrosis of leaves in cotton and purple coloration of plumule in wheat was observed @ 10.0?mg?B?kg^?1. Irrespective of CaCO₃, 0.57 and 7.67?mg?kg^?1 Hot Water Soluble B (HWS-B), 62 and 940?mg?kg^?1 B dry matter (DM) of leaves, 45 and 210?mg?B?kg^?1 DM of petioles and 20 and 51?mg?B?kg^?1 DM of sticks, produced 90 and 50%of the maximum dry matter yield (DMY) of cotton, respectively. The values for wheat were 0.66 and 6.71?mg HWS-B kg^?1, 7.94 and 27.0?mg?B?kg^?1 grain and 15.3 and 170?mg?B?kg^?1 straw, respectively.     

Geochemistry of Manganese in Neutral to Alkaline Soils of Punjab,Northwest India and Its Availability to Wheat and Rice Plants

Manganese (Mn) release in 18 soil–water suspensions after their equilibration for 24 and 240 h periods at 25°C was studied in a laboratory experiment. Total dissolved Mn released into the soil solution was observed to increase from a range of 0.03–0.41 mg L^?1 (mean = 0.13 mg L^?1) to a range of 0.45–44.44 mg L^?1 (mean = 22.40 mg L^?1) with the increase in incubation periods from 24 to 240 h, respectively. The increase in Mn released was observed to be related with the redox potential (pe) induced by incubation conditions. After 24 h of equilibration period, pe of soil–water suspension ranged from ?1.75 to 0.77 (mean = ?0.24). Increasing the incubation period to 240 h, pe of soil–water suspensions declined in the range of ?4.49 to ?2.74 (mean = ?3.29). Laboratory results of redox pe and corresponding dissolved manganese concentrations of some soil–water equilibrated systems were compared with the leaf Mn content in wheat and rice plants grown in the fields, from where soil samples were collected for laboratory experiment. These results demonstrated that decline in pe due to longer equilibration period (240 h) of soil–water systems in the laboratory experiment or keeping standing water for a couple of weeks in the fields for cultivation of rice crop results in higher release of Mn and eventually its higher uptake in rice than in wheat plants. Leaf manganese content in rice ranged from 94 to 185 mg kg^?1, which was markedly higher than its range from 25 to 62 mg kg^?1 found in the wheat grown at 10 different sites. Pourbaix diagrams were drawn for different soil–water systems containing carbonate, phosphate, or sulfate along with manganese. The presence of carbonate and phosphate anions along with manganese oxides minerals in the soil–water systems of all soils results in its precipitation as MnCO₃ and MnHPO₄, respectively, in both oxidized and reduced soil field environment. In Punjab, wheat and rice crops are generally cultivated on soils heavily fertilized with P fertilizers. The presence of phosphate anion with manganese oxides minerals in the soil–water systems of all soils results in the precipitation MnHPO₄ in both oxidized and reduced soil field environment. Thus, in P-fertilized soil, MnHPO₄ compound is even more predominant than aqueous Mn²⁺ and its solubility actually controlled the availability of Mn²⁺ to plants.     

Critical Levels of Boron in Soils for Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea Var. Botrytis)

Influence of boron (B) application to cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) was investigated in a pot experiment taking 15 Inceptisols with four levels of B. The critical levels of B for deficiency, adequacy and toxicity in soil and in cauliflower plant were also determined. Hot-calcium chloride (CaCl₂) extractable B in these soils varied from 0.33 to 0.78 mg kg^-1 and its content for deficiency to cauliflower was 0.48 mg kg^-1. Boron application significantly increased cauliflower yield, plant B concentration and uptake of B. The critical plant B concentrations for deficiency, sufficiency and toxicity varied with the growth stages and the values being 26, 31 and 48 mg kg^-1 at 50 days of growth and 17, 24 and 35.5 mg kg^-1 at harvest, respectively. The study also recommends application of fertilizer B at the rate 0.9–4.5 kg ha^-1 for optimum B nutrition to cauliflower in Inceptisols of the Gangetic plains of India.     

Effects of Broiler Litter Management Practices on Phosphorus,Copper, Zinc,Manganese, and Arsenic Concentrations in Maryland Coastal Plain Soils

Abstract

The objective of this research was to assess the long‐term effects of broiler litter applications on soil phosphorus (P), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), and arsenic (As) concentrations in Chesapeake Bay watershed Coastal Plain soils. Litter and soil samples were collected from 10 farms with more than 40 years of broiler production and from wooded sites adjacent to fields and were analyzed for P and metal contents. Averaged over farms, total P and metal concentrations in the litter were 12.8 g kg^?1 P and 332, 350, 334, and 2.93 mg kg^?1 Cu, Zn, Mn, and As, respectively. Surface (0–15 cm) soil pH values were greater than (5.7–6.4) the 0‐ to 15‐cm depth at wooded sites (3.5–4.3). Surface soil Bray 1 P values (149–796 mg kg^?1) in amended fields were greater than wooded sites (4.4–17 mg kg^?1). The 1N nitric acid (HNO₃)–extractable metal concentrations were higher in amended soils than in wooded areas and were 7.7–32, 5.7–26, 12.3–71, and 0.6–3.0 mg kg^?1 for Cu, Zn, Mn, and As, respectively, compared to 0.76–14, 4.6–22, 1.6–70, and 0.14–0.59 mg kg^?1 for the same metals, respectively, in wooded areas. Results from this study demonstrated that long‐term broiler litter applications have altered the chemical properties of the Coastal Plain soils of the Maryland Eastern Shore. Metal concentrations were low in the surface layer of amended fields and typically decreased with depth. Phosphorus additions rather than metals are most likely to contribute to the degradation of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.     

BORON DEFICIENCY IN RAINFED WHEAT IN PAKISTAN: INCIDENCE,SPATIAL VARIABILITY AND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Boron (B) deficiency is potentially an important nutrient constraint in calcareous soils. We determined B deficiency incidence and spatial distribution in rainfed wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in 1.82 Mha Pothohar plateau in Pakistan, its relationship with soil types, crop responses to B, and internal B requirement and B fertilizer use efficiency of wheat. Plant and soil analyses indicated deficiency in 64% of the 61 sampled fields; geostatistics-aided contour maps delineated B deficient areas. In rainfed field experiments, B use increased wheat yields up to 11%. Fertilizer requirement was 1.2 kg B ha^?1; critical B concentration (mg kg^?1) ranges were: young whole shoots, 4–6; flag leaves, 5–7. Boron uptake by wheat was 0.14–0.58% of applied dosage, leaving substantial residual impact. Highly cost-effective B use or B-efficient genotype adoption can enhance wheat productivity and grower-income. Such effective nutrient assessment and management approaches can be beneficially adopted elsewhere as well.     

Influence of Gyttja on Shoot Growth and Shoot Concentrations of Zinc and Boron of Wheat Cultivars Grown on Zinc‐Deficient and Boron‐Toxic Soil

Abstract

Greenhouse experiments were carried out to study the influence of gyttja, a sedimentary peat, on the shoot dry weight and shoot concentrations of zinc (Zn) and boron (B) in one bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L., cv. Bezostaja) and one durum wheat (Triticum durum L., cv. Kiziltan) cultivar. Plants were grown in a Zn‐deficient (DTPA‐Zn: 0.09 mg kg^?1 soil) and B‐toxic soil (CaCl₂/mannitol‐extractable B: 10.5 mg kg^?1 soil) with (+Zn = 5 mg Zn kg^?1 soil) and without (?Zn = 0) Zn supply for 55 days. Gyttja containing 545 g kg^?1 organic matter was applied to the soil at the rates of 0, 1, 2.5, 5, and 10% (w/w). When Zn and gyttja were not added, plants showed leaf symptoms of Zn deficiency and B toxicity, and had a reduced growth. With increased rates of gyttja application, shoot growth of both cultivars was significantly enhanced under Zn deficiency, but not at sufficient supply of Zn. The adverse effects of Zn deficiency and B toxicity on shoot dry matter production became very minimal at the highest rate of gyttja application. Increases in gyttja application significantly enhanced shoot concentrations of Zn in plants grown without addition of inorganic Zn. In Zn‐sufficient plants, the gyttja application up to 5% (w/w) did not affect Zn concentration in shoots, but at the highest rate of gyttja application there was a clear decrease in shoot Zn concentration. Irrespective of Zn supply, the gyttja application strongly decreased shoot concentration of B in plants, particularly in durum wheat. For example, in Zn‐deficient Kiziltan shoot concentration of B was reduced from 385 mg kg^?1 to 214 mg kg^?1 with an increased gyttja application. The results obtained indicate that gyttja is a useful organic material improving Zn nutrition of plants in Zn‐deficient soils and alleviating adverse effects of B toxicity on plant growth. The beneficial effects of gyttja on plant growth in the Zn‐deficient and B‐toxic soil were discussed in terms of increases in plant available concentration of Zn in soil and reduction of B uptake due to formation of tightly bound complexes of B with gyttja.     

Different Fractions of Soil Potassium,Olsen Phosphorus,and Available Sulfur Status of Intensively Cultivated Berpura Soil Series of India and Nutrient Indexing of Rice Crop

Berpura alluvial soil series of the Indo‐Gangetic Plains is situated in the Ambala District of the Haryana State of India. Soils of this series had medium concentrations of both potassium (K) and phosphorus (P) and large concentrations of sulfur (S) before 1970. To study different fractions of K, Olsen P, and 0.15% calcium chloride (CaCl₂)–extractable (available) S of soils of the Berpura series and to create nutrient indexing of rice crops growing on this series, surface soil samples were collected from 100 farmers' fields after the harvest of the wheat crop in 2005. During kharif season of same year, samples of upper two leaves at anthesis growth stage of rice crop were also collected from the same 100 farmers' fields that had earlier been sampled for soil analysis. Analysis of soil samples showed more K depletion in soils of this series, of which 86% of farmers' fields were deficient in ammonium acetate (NH₄OAc) K (available K). Thirty and 62% of leaf samples of the rice crop growing on the 100 fields of this series were extremely and moderately deficient in K, respectively. The mean values of water‐soluble, exchangeable, nonexchangeable, lattice, and total K were 10.6, 30.3, 390.0, 8204, and 8635 mg kg^?1, respectively. In soils of this series, 0.123, 0.351, 4.517, and 95.009% of total K were found in water‐soluble, exchangeable, nonexchangeable, and lattice K forms, respectively. On the other hand, long‐term farmers' practice of more application of P fertilizer in wheat crop has resulted in P buildup in the soils of the Berpura series. Olsen P in soils of farmers' fields of this series ranged from 9.0 to 153.0 mg kg^?1, with the mean value of 41.8 mg kg^?1. Eighty‐two percent of leaf samples of rice crops grown on this series without application of P fertilizer were sufficient in P. The analysis of soil and rice crops for P and K proved the suitability of 0.5 M sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃) and 1 N NH₄OAc for extracting available P and K, respectively, in alluvial soils of the Indo‐Gangetic Plains. The 0.15% CaCl₂–extractable S in this soil ranged from 9.6 to 307 mg kg^?1 with a mean value of 34.6 mg kg^?1. Four and 26% of soil samples had low and medium, respectively, in 0.15% CaCl₂–extractable S. S deficiency was recorded in rice crops, as 29% of the leaf samples were extremely deficient in S and 58% were moderately deficient in S. This indicated the unsuitability of the 0.15% CaCl₂ to extract available S from the Udic ustochrept utilized for cultivation of rice crops.     

RESPONSES OF TOMATO VAR. TINY TOM TO APPLICATION OF COPPER AND ZINC FERTILIZERS IN THREE LIMED TROPICAL PEAT SOILS OF SARAWAK

We assessed the response of the tomato variety “Tiny Tom” to the application of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) fertilizers in three tropical peat soils of Sarawak: mixed swamp forest, Alan forest and Padang Alan forest. Limed soils were used because peat soils in their natural condition are unsuitable to sustain healthy growth of most crops. Yield responses were correlated with added Cu and Zn using Mitscherlich model. Adequate levels of applied Cu and Zn were calculated as those which resulted in 90% of the maximum obtainable shoot dry weight. Application of Cu and Zn significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased the shoot dry weight and the shoot Cu and Zn concentrations of tomato. Application of the equivalent of 8.3 kg Cu and 5.2 kg Zn per ha was required to achieve 90% of the maximum shoot dry weight. In tomato shoots, the critical concentration for Cu was 18 mg/kg and for Zn, 92 mg/kg. The corresponding concentrations for diethylenetriaminepentaaceticacid (DTPA) extractable Cu and Zn in the soils were 2.3 mg Cu kg ^?1 and 3.6 mg Zn kg ^?1 . However, the addition of Cu fertilizer also increased Zn uptake by tomato plant, probably by displacing native Zn that was weakly sorbed to the soil solid phase.     

Determining critical limit of boron in soil for wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Abstract

Critical values of boron (B) for wheat nutrition in soil and plant were determined through a pot experiment with twenty-one surface soils of Alluvial flood plain and Red-latertic belt comprising three major soil orders (Entisols, Alfisols, Inceptisols) with four levels of boron. Application of boron significantly increased the dry matter yield as well as uptake of B by plants. Critical concentration of hot calcium chloride (CaCl₂) extractable B in soil for wheat was found to be 0.53?mg?kg^?1. The critical plant B concentration varied with growth stages and values were 7.4?mg?kg^?1 at panicle initiation and 4.18?mg?kg^?1 at maturity, respectively. The findings of this investigation also recommend the application of 2?kg?B^?1?ha^?1 for ensuring B sufficiency to wheat in Indo-gangetic alluvial and Red-Lateritic soils.     

Laboratory Assessment of Nostoc 9v (Cyanobacteria) Effects on N2 Fixation and Chemical Fertility of Degraded African Soils

The potential of Nostoc 9v for improving the nitrogen (N)₂–fixing capacity and nutrient status of semi‐arid soils from Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and South Africa was studied in a laboratory experiment. Nostoc 9v was inoculated on nonsterilized and sterilized soils. Inoculum rates were 2.5 mg dry biomass g^?1 soil and 5 mg dry biomass g^?1 soil. The soils were incubated for 3 months at 27 °C under 22 W m² illumination with a photoperiod of 16 h light and 8 h dark. The moisture was maintained at 60% of field capacity. In all soils, Nostoc 9v proliferated and colonized the soil surfaces very quickly and was tolerant to acidity and low nutrient availability. Cyanobacteria promoted soil N₂ fixation and had a pronounced effect on total soil organic carbon (SOC), which increased by 30–100%. Total N also increased, but the enrichment was, in most soils, comparatively lower than for carbon (C). Nitrate and ammonium concentrations, in contrast, decreased in all the soils studied. Increases in the concentration of available macronutrients were produced in most soils and treatments, ranging from 3 to 20 mg phosphorus (P) kg^?1 soil, from 5 to 58 mg potassium (K) kg^?1 soil, from 4 to 285 mg calcium (Ca) kg^?1, and from 12 to 90 mg magnesium (Mg) kg^?1 soil. Positive effects on the levels of available manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn) were also observed.     

Identifying critical limit in soil and plant for determining response of groundnut (Arachis hypogea) to boron application in Madurai soils of Tamil Nadu,India

To establish critical limit in soils and plant, soil samples were collected from twenty; 12, 5 and 3 soil locations of low, medium and high boron (B) status from Madurai district of Tamil Nadu, India for pot culture experiment. Based on the results of pot culture experiment, the critical limit was determined to be 42.7 mg kg^?1 for groundnut plants and 0.39 mg kg^?1 in Madurai soils. Groundnut plants were highly responded to B application in soils below the critical limit whereas soils with B greater than 0.51 mg kg^?1 did not respond. For the confirmation of pot culture results, a field experiment was conducted with different B treatments comprised of soil and foliar applications and results revealed that the pod yield of groundnut increased with increasing levels of B and the soil application of 20 kg ha^?1 as borax has showed significantly higher pod yield in the district.     

Effect of High‐Molybdenum Compost on Soils and the Growth of Lettuce and Barley

A pot experiment evaluated the growth of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) and barley (Hordeum vulgar) and accumulation of molybdenum (Mo) in plants and soils following amendments of Mo compost (1.0 g kg^?1) to a Truro sandy loam. The treatments consisted of 0 (control), 12.5, 25, and 50% Mo compost by volume. The Mo compost did not affect dry‐matter yield (DMY) up to 25% compost, but DMY decreased at the 50% compost treatment. The 50% compost treatments increased the soil pH an average of 0.5 units and increased the nitric acid (HNO₃)–extractable Mo to 150 mg kg^?1 and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA)–extractable Mo to 100 mg kg^?1 in the growth medium; the same treatment increased tissue Mo concentration to 569 and 478 mg kg^?1 in the lettuce and barley, respectively. Plants grown in the 25% compost produced about 55 mg kg^?1 of total Mo in the growth medium; this resulted in tissue Mo concentration of 348 mg kg^?1 in lettuce and 274 mg kg^?1 in barley without any phytotoxicity. Our results suggested that 55 mg Mo kg^?1 soil would be an appropriate limit for Mo loading of soil developed from compost additions, a value which is presently greater than the Canadian Council for Ministers of the Environment (CCME) Guidelines for the use of type B compost in Canada.     

Copper Accumulations in Soils,Coffee, Banana,and Bean Plants Following Copper-Based Fungicides in Coffee Farms in Arusha and Kilimanjaro Regions,Tanzania

This study was carried out to investigate the levels of copper (Cu) contamination in coffee fields in Kilimanjaro and Arusha regions, Tanzania, to increase the database on the contamination of soils by Cu-based fungicides in coffee fields. Surface (0–20 cm deep) soil samples were collected from different farms in Kilimanjaro and Arusha regions. Coffee, banana, and bean plant samples were collected from the locations of soil sampling. Soil and plant samples were analyzed at the Department of Soil Science, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania. It was found that the calcium chloride (CaCl₂)–extractable Cu was less than the detection limit of flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA)–extractable (24 to 366 mg Cu kg^?1 soil) and aqua regia–extractable (80 to 806 mg Cu kg^?1 soil) Cu levels were high enough to raise environmental alarm (based on European Union guidelines) in the Cu fungicide–treated soils as compared with natural Cu levels in untreated soils (1 to 12 mg Cu kg^?1 soil for DTPA and 22 to 32 mg Cu kg^?1 soil for aqua regia–extractable Cu). Coffee, banana, and bean plants grown on soils contaminated by Cu fungicides had varied concentrations of Cu that were greater than the concentrations of Cu in the plants collected from the uncontaminated soils. Stepwise regression analysis carried out to investigate the relationships between the soil properties and the concentrations of Cu in plants revealed a significant (P = 0.01) positive relationship (R² = 0.4) between organic carbon and the concentration of Cu in banana leaves. Aqua regia–extractable Cu was positively correlated (P = 0.03, R² = 0.4) with the concentrations of Cu in banana leaves. For bean leaves, electrical conductivity (EC) had a positive significant (P = 0.01) relationship (R² = 0.56) with the concentrations of Cu in the plants. It is recommended that further research be carried out to investigate the dynamics and bioavailability of Cu for the different crops interplanted in the coffee fields.     

Organic Matter Influence in Cadmium Uptake by Sorghum

Abstract

The influence of soil organic matter (OM) in the uptake of cadmium (Cd) by Sorghum will be studied in order to get a better knowledge in the yield and understanding of detoxification mechanisms of soils. Plants were grown for 60 days in a greenhouse pot experiment using a contaminated soil with 4.5 and 35 mg Cd kg^?1, in absence and presence of OM. An Irish peat moss (70 g kg^?1 of soil) was added as OM. In the presence of OM the biomass production of root and shoot was increased with a positive correlation between biomass increment and contamination level. For experiments with 35 mg Cd kg^?1 of soil the biomass production was increased of about 7 times in the presence (vs. absence) of OM. Although the presence of OM had decreased Cd root concentration by decreasing Cd bioavailability in soil, the increase of biomass in presence of OM led to an increase of about 3 times on the Cd amount in shoot, result that can be important in soil phytoremediation.     

Distribution of Boron in Different Fractions in Some Alkaline Calcareous Soils

Distribution of boron (B) in different fractions is still not well defined when it is applied in B-deficient alkaline calcareous soil and after harvesting of the sown crop. In the present greenhouse experiment with green gram crop, three B-deficient soils with calcium carbonate contents of 0.8 (S I), 2.1 (S II), and 4.6 (S III) percent were collected from different sites in Ludhiana and Bhatinda Districts, Punjab, India. The treatments composed of five levels of soil-applied B (0, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0, and 1.5 mg B kg^?1) soil and the experiment was laid out in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) factorial design with three replications. Mean readily soluble, specifically adsorbed, and oxide-bound B fractions got increased significantly with increase in B applications. Distribution of readily soluble B was more in low calcareous soil than in high calcareous soil. Mean values of specifically adsorbed, oxide-bound, residual, and total B were significantly more in high calcareous soils as compared to low calcareous soils. At maturity, specifically adsorbed B converted into other fractions to maintain equilibrium in soil solution. Organically bound B was greater than the oxide-bound B fraction. Among all fractions, residual fraction accounted for the major portion of the total B. Available B was negatively and significantly correlated with calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) content of soil (r = ?0.99*). At the same time, specifically bound B was also negatively and significantly correlated with readily soluble B (r = ?0.99*) whereas organically bound B was positively correlated with organic carbon content of soil (r = ?0.99*).     

Internal Boron Requirement of Young Sunflower Plants: Proposed Diagnostic Criteria

Abstract

In a greenhouse study, a significant increase in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L., cv. Hysun 33) dry matter yield was observed with boron (B) application to a B-deficient (hot water-extractable, 0.23 mg B kg^?1) calcareous soil of Missa series (Typic Ustochrept). Six rates of B, ranging from 0 to 8 mg B kg^?1 soil, were applied as H₃BO₃ along with adequate basal fertilization of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and zinc (Zn). Four plants of sunflower were grown in each pot; two were harvested after 4 weeks of germination and the other two after 8 weeks. Maximum crop biomass was produced with 1.0 mg B kg ^?1, and application of ≥2.0 mg B kg^?1 proved toxic, resulting in drastic yield suppressions. Critical B concentration range for deficiency diagnosis in 4‐week‐old sunflower whole shoots appears to be 46–63 mg B kg^?1. However, critical concentration in 8‐week‐old plants was much less (i.e., 36 mg B kg^?l), presumably due to a dilution effect. As plant's internal B requirement can vary, in fact manifold, depending on the species, plant part, and plant age, only a relevant criterion can help in diagnosing the deficiency effectively.