Establishment of Retama sphaerocarpa L. seedlings on a degraded semiarid soil as influenced by mycorrhizal inoculation and sewage‐sludge amendment

A field experiment was carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of mycorrhizal inoculation with three arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi (Glomus intraradices Schenck & Smith, Glomus deserticola (Trappe, Bloss. & Menge), and Glomus mosseae (Nicol & Gerd.) Gerd. & Trappe) and the addition of composted sewage sludge (SS) with respect to the establishment of Retama sphaerocarpa L. seedlings, in a semiarid Mediterranean area. Associated changes in soil chemical (nutrient content and labile carbon fractions), biochemical (enzyme activities), and physical (aggregate stability) parameters were observed. Six months after planting, both the addition of composted SS and the mycorrhizal‐inoculation treatments had increased total N content, available‐P content, and aggregate stability of the soil. Values of water‐soluble C and water‐soluble carbohydrates were increased only in the mycorrhizal‐inoculation treatments. Rhizosphere soil from the mycorrhizal‐inoculation treatments had significantly higher enzyme activities (dehydrogenase, protease‐BAA, acid phosphatase, and β‐glucosidase) than the control soil. In the short‐term, mycorrhizal inoculation with AM fungi was the most effective treatment for enhancement of shoot biomass, particularly with G. mosseae (about 146% higher with respect to control plants). The addition of the composted SS alone was sufficient to restore soil structural stability but was not effective with respect to improving the performance of R. sphaerocarpa plants.     

Genetic diversity of Musa diploid and triploid accessions from the Brazilian banana breeding program estimated by microsatellite markers

Banana (Musa spp.) is one of the most consumed fruits worldwide. Production is based mainly on triploid cultivars, and most genetic improvement programs aim to generate tetraploid hybrids obtained from the crossing of established triploid cultivars with a diploid parent genotype, improved or wild, exhibiting the trait of interest, normally resistance to biotic factors. Microsatellites were used to investigate the genetic variability and relationships between 58 Musa genotypes, including 49 diploids and nine triploid cultivars maintained at the Musa germplasm collection of the Brazilian dessert banana breeding program. Thirty-three primer pairs developed for banana were tested, and nine amplified reproducible and discrete fragments, producing a total of 115 alleles. The average number of alleles amplified per primer was 12.8, ranging from 10 to 15. The diploid genotypes presented the largest genetic variability, demonstrated by the large number of alleles detected, and the low similarity between the clones. The phenetic analysis clustered the triploid cultivars in a separated group, with the exception of the Nanica and Gros Michel cultivars, which showed high similarity with the diploid cultivar Mambee Thu. It was not possible to separate the wild diploid genotypes from the cultivated ones, indicating a common origin of these genotypes. A high proportion of duplicated alleles and/or loci was observed for diploid and triploid genotypes. The information gathered about the similarity between diploid and triploid accessions will help to define potential crosses to maximize the recovery of the typical fruit qualities required in Brazil (AAB, Pome and Silk dessert banana).     

Loading of VO2+ and Cu2+ to partially oxidized charcoal fines rejected from Brazilian metallurgical industry

Purpose

Charcoal is utilized in Brazil for the metallurgical industry. Small size pieces, called charcoal fines, are rejected and sometimes are used to produce energy by burning. This charcoal can be used as soil conditioner to improve retention of metal ions in soil. However, changing the charcoal's surface chemistry via oxidation may increase retention of metal ions.

Materials and methods

Two kinds of oxidants were employed, nitric acid and selenium dioxide/hydrogen peroxide. Vanadyl ion (VO²⁺) and copper ion (Cu²⁺) were utilized as probe to study the metal ion complexation by the partially oxidized charcoal obtained. FTIR and EPR spectroscopy were used to characterize the materials.

Results and discussion

Oxidation with nitric acid increased nitrogen content, while oxidation with SeO₂/H₂O₂ elevated carbon content of treated charcoals. Organic free radicals (OFRs) with the unpaired electron in p orbitals of aromatic structures were confirmed by the EPR g-factors that ranged from 2.0038 to 2.0031. The oxidation with selenium dioxide/hydrogen peroxide formed charcoal with largest quantity of OFR. Loading charcoal with VO²⁺ and Cu²⁺ resulted in formation of complexes were oxygen acted as coordination atom. The formed complexes were of axial symmetry. The configurations around the Cu²⁺ ions were: CUNCu²⁺ complex (more stable square planar symmetry) and CFNCu²⁺ complex (less stable distorted tetrahedral configuration). Both complexes had oxygen as coordinating atoms. CFNVO²⁺ and CFSeVO²⁺ complexes presented complexation sites of axial symmetry, C_4v, with oxygen as coordinating atoms.

Conclusions

The oxidative treatment of charcoal with SeO₂/H₂O₂ is more appropriate to produce soil organic conditioner for complexation of metal ions.     

Sorption of humic acid on Fe oxides,bacteria, and Fe oxide-bacteria composites

Purpose

Sorption of humic substances on other soil components plays an important role in controlling their function and fate in soil. Sorption of humic substances by individual soil components has been studied extensively. However, few studies reported the sorption characteristic of humic substances on composites of soil components. This study aimed to investigate the sorption characteristics of humic acid on Fe oxide-bacteria composites and improve the understanding on the interaction among humic substance Fe oxide bacteria in soil.

Materials and methods

Humic acid was purchased from Sigma-Aldrich and was purified. Hematite and ferrihydrite were synthesized in the lab. Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas putida were cultivated in Luria-Broth medium and harvested at stationary growth phase. Batch sorption experiments were carried out at pH 5.0. Various amounts of humic acid were mixed with 20 mg of Fe oxide, bacteria, or Fe oxide-bacteria composite (oxide to bacteria of 1:1) in 10 mL of KCl (0.02 mol L^?1) to construct sorption isotherms. The effects of phosphate concentration and addition order among humic acid, Fe oxide, bacteria on the sorption of humic acid were also studied. The sorption of humic acid was calculated by the difference between the amount of humic acid added initially and that remained in the supernatant.

Results and discussion

The maximum sorption of humic acid on hematite, ferrihydrite, B. subtilis and P. putida was 73.2, 153.5, 69.1, and 56.7 mg C g^?1, respectively. The maximum sorption of humic acid on examined Fe oxide-bacteria composite was 28.2–57.2 % less than the predicted values, implying that the sorption of humic acid was reduced by the interaction between Fe oxides and bacteria. The presence of phosphate exerted negligible influence on the sorption of humic acid on bacteria while it inhibited the sorption of humic acid on Fe oxides. On Fe oxide-bacteria composites, inhibiting influences followed by promoting or weak inhibiting effects of phosphate with increasing concentration on the sorption of humic acid were found.

Conclusions

The interaction between Fe oxides and bacteria reduced the sorption of humic acid; moreover, the reduction was greater by the interaction of bacteria with ferrihydrite than that with hematite. Phosphate exerted negligible and inhibiting influence on the sorption of humic acid by bacteria and Fe oxides, respectively. On Fe oxide-bacteria composites, humic acid sorption was initially inhibited and then promoted or weakly inhibited by phosphate with increasing concentration.     

Evolution and phosphorus fractionation in saline Spolic Technosols flooded with eutrophic water

Purpose

The aim of this study was to evaluate the behaviour of P in saline Spolic Technosols flooded with eutrophic water, with and without plant rhizosphere, in order to assess the role of these soils as sinks or sources of this nutrient.

Materials and methods

Samples were taken from basic (pH?~7.8), carbonated and acidic (pH?~6.2), de-carbonated soils of salt marshes polluted by mine wastes. Three treatments were assayed: pots with Sarcocornia fruticosa, pots with Phragmites australis and pots without plants (bare soil). The pots were flooded for 15?weeks with eutrophic water (PO ₄ ^3? ~6.92?mg?L^?1) and pH, Eh and water-soluble organic carbon and PO ₄ ^3? concentrations were monitored in the soil solution. A soil P fractionation was applied before and after the flooding period.

Results and discussion

The PO ₄ ^3? concentration in the soil solution decreased rapidly in both soils, with and without plant, being diminished by 80?C90?% after 3?h of flooding. The Fe/Mn/Al oxides and the Ca/Mg compounds played an important role in soil P retention. In pots with S. fruticosa, the reductive conditions due to flooding induced P release from metal oxides and P retention to Ca/Mg compounds. In turn, P. australis may have favoured the release of P from carbonates, which was transferred to Fe/Mn/Al compounds.

Conclusions

The retention of P by the soil was the main mechanism involved in the removal of PO ₄ ^3? from the eutrophic flooding water but to evaluate the capacity of these systems as long-term P sinks, the combined effect of metals, Ca/Mg compounds and specific plant species should be considered.     

Effect of nitrate and humic substances of different molecular size on kinetic parameters of nitrate uptake in wheat seedlings

The kinetic parameters of nitrate uptake (I_max, Km and C_min) were evaluated in young seedlings of Triticum durum L., cv. Appulo, exposed to nitrate and/or to soil‐extracted humic acids (HAs) of different molecular weight. The uptake was enhanced after induction at low levels of nitrate (50 μM KNO₃), while it was inhibited after induction at higher concentrations (2000 μM). The kinetic parameters of uptake were selectively influenced by pre‐treatment with HAs: total (TE) and, at a greater extent, low (LMS, < 3500 Da) molecular size humic fraction increased either the nitrate uptake rate (I_max) and the efficiency of the whole transport system (low Km and C_min), while an opposite result was evidenced in high molecular size (HMS, > 3500 Da)‐treated plants. An additive effect was shown when nitrate and humic substances were provided simultaneously: the uptake rate was enhanced in TE‐ and LMS‐treated plants, but was strongly delayed in HMS‐treated plants. Removal of nitrate and/or humic fractions de‐induced the system and NO₃^— uptake rate decreased. Exposure to HAs was not able to induce nitrate reductase activity in root and leaf tissues. Inhibitors of protein synthesis p‐fluorophenylalanine and cycloheximide reversed the positive effect of LMS fraction on nitrate uptake. This would support the hypothesis of a promoting effect of HAs on the molecular expression of proteins of the nitrate transport system.     

A comparison between the spatial distribution pattern of flagellates and some physicochemical parameters in a waste stabilization pond

Protozoological and physicochemical analyses were performed in a waste stabilization pond at Sto. Tomas Atzingo, a small town near Mexico City, in order to discern the internal dynamics of the pond water through the study of the spatial distribution pattern of flagellates and the parallel water volume distribution pattern of some selected physicochemical determined parameters. The statistical method applied to the data obtained was by cluster analysis. The results showed a slight trend to heterogeneity in the system, when it was evaluated through the physicochemically determined parameters. On the other hand, the spatial distribution pattern of the flagellates pointed out a remarkable heterogeneity in the pond. In systems like the one studied where the main feature is an organic matter overload, such a difference in findings indicates a low correlation between the biological parameters, in this case the flagellates, and the physicochemical variables, that should be considered when evaluating the water quality of such systems, either through the physicochemical, the biological or both scopes.     

A comparative study of the precipitation acidity in two cities in Cantabria (Spain) with different degrees of industrialization

A study was carried out on the pH values obtained from bulk (wet and dry) precipitation samples collected simultaneously in two cities in Cantabria (Spain), Santander and Torrelavega over a period of a year. It was observed that the annual weighted average values for the pH of precipitation, 4.42 and 4.21, respectively, differ significantly although the difference is less than that existing between their pollution levels. The difference is greater when total annual H⁺ depositions are compared. The study also demonstrated the strong influence of long-range transport effect on acidity and to a lesser degree the effect of mid-range transport.     

Poultry manure and banana waste are effective biofertilizer carriers for promoting plant growth and soil sustainability in banana crops

The aims of our study were to compare the effectiveness of poultry manure (PM) and banana waste (BW), with regard to their use as inoculant carriers of a bacterial consortium constituted by strains of Azospirillum, Azotobacter and P-solubiliser bacteria and to establish the most efficient dose of biofertilizer for a soil cultivated with banana (Musa paradisiaca AAA Simmonds), with respect to improving plant performance and soil physical and microbiological properties. Six months after planting, plant growth had increased with increase in dose of the biofertilizers applied. The biofertilizer prepared on BW enhanced the density of P-solubiliser bacteria, the concentrations of available P and foliar P to a greater extent than with the biofertilizer prepared on PM. The increases produced by the biofertilizer prepared on PM for the soil aggregate stability, enzymatic activities and the labile carbon fractions were highly correlated to the dose applied. Both biofertilizers can be considered potentially useful as inoculant carriers of PGPR but the usefulness of BW appears to be restricted to moderate doses of application (≤3%).     

Heterogeneity in soil hydrological response from different land cover types in southern Spain

This paper reports results from the analysis of the soil hydrological response to simulated rainfall in a cork oak forest in Los Alcornocales Natural Park (SW Spain). Four different soil/vegetation units were selected for the field experiments: [1] cork oak woodland, [2] heathland, [3] grassland, and [4] cork oak/olive tree mixed forest. Rainfall simulations tests were performed on circular plots of 1256.6 cm² at an intensity of 56.5 mm h^− 1 for 30 min.Marked differences in the hydrological behavior of the studied vegetation types were observed after the rainfall simulations. The soils under woodland showed low runoff rates and coefficients. The highest runoff rates were measured on the heath and grass-covered parts of the hillslope. Water repellency of the soil, measured from water drop penetration tests, reduced infiltration (especially under the heathland), and seems to be the cause of fast ponding and runoff generation during the first stages of rainstorms.The mosaic of different patterns of hydrological response to rainfall, such as runoff generation or infiltration, is governed by the spatial distribution of vegetation and its influence on the soil surface.