Dung decomposition and pedoturbation in a seasonally dry tropical pasture

Rates of dung decomposition and the associated accumulation of soil transported to the surface were compared for dung deposited during a dry and a wet season in a Costa Rican pasture. Average decomposition rates for the first 140 days after deposition were significantly lower for dung patches deposited at the beginning of the dry season than for patches deposited at the beginning of the wet season (0.73 vs. 1.50 g/day^-1 on a dry weight basis). A strong linear relationship was found between dung removal and soil accumulation at the original soil surface, with an average of 2.0 g soil accumulated for every gram of dung which was removed. This relationship was not affected by deposition season. The lack of a seasonal difference, along with the relatively low decomposition rates during the wet season, were explained by the dominance of termites in the dung patches throughout the year. Evidence of dung beetle activity was never recorded during the dry season and was found in only 18 of the 45 dung patches recovered during the wet season.     

The comparative effects of surface applications of organic mulch versus chemical soil conditioners on physical and chemical properties of the soil and on plant growth

An experiment has been carried out to evaluate the influence of different soil conditioners on the physical and chemical properties of the soil and to compare the relative effectiveness of these conditioners in protecting the soil surface against water erosion with organic surface mulching.The results indicated that the physical conditions were highly affected by the different treatments, whereas practically no changes in the chemical status of the soil could be observed.After 2 years, total porosity and infiltration rate were highest in the organic mulch treatment.Surface treatment with organic material and chemical conditioning with bitumen and polyacrylamide had a positive influence on soil aggregation and therefore on water erosion control.Very high soil temperatures as compared to the other treatments were recorded for the soil with bitumen treatment when the solar radiation was high.Mulching and treating the soil surface with bitumen result in higher yields of cowpea and maize.     

Tillage effects on soil degradation, soil resilience, soil quality, and sustainability

Soil degradation, decrease in soil's actual and potential productivity owing to land misuse, is a major threat to agricultural sustainability and environmental quality. The problem is particularly severe in the tropics and sub-tropics as a result of high demographic pressure, shortage of prime agricultural land, harsh environments, and resource poor farmers who presumably cannot afford science based recommended inputs. Tillage methods and soil surface management affect sustainable use of soil resources through their influence on soil stability, soil resilience, and soil quality. Soil stability refers to the susceptibility of soil to change under natural or anthropogenic perturbations. In comparison, soil resilience refers to soil's ability to restore its life support processes after being stressed. The term soil quality refers to the soil's capacity to perform its three principal functions e.g. economic productivity, environment regulation, and aesthetic and cultural values. There is a need to develop precise objective and quantitative indices of assessing these attributes of the soil. These indices can only be developed from the data obtained from well designed and properly implemented long-term soil management experiments conducted on major soils in principal ecoregions.     

Tillage force prediction from terrain characterization with the bevameter

The relationship between the soil parameters measured during soil testing using the bevameter system and horizontal forces acting on a simple tillage tool were investigated. Field experiments were conducted on untilled, compacted and recently tilled soil. On both soils, five sites were randomly chosen where bevameter and draft measurements were performed. The parameters measured were modulus of soil deformation, wet and dry bulk density, soil moisture content, tool operating depth, tool operating speed and horizontal draft.

A statistical analysis of data indicated that a mathematical model for predicting draft should include operating depth, dry bulk density and modulus of deformation.     

Long-term tillage and wheel traffic effects on a poorly drained mollic ochraqualf in northwest Ohio. 1. Soil physical properties, root distribution and grain yield of corn and soybean

Effects of 12 years of 4 tillage systems, were studied on soil bulk density, infiltration rate, penetration resistance, structural stability of aggregates, root length density, moisture release characteristics and grain yield. The objective of this study was to assess long-term effects of tillage methods and guided traffic on soil properties and crop response on a heavy-textured poorly drained soil. Tillage systems included: (A) continuous no-till for 12 years; (B) no-till for 10 years followed by plow-till for 2 years; (C) plow-till for 10 years followed by no-till for 2 years; (D) continuous plow-till for 12 years. Wheel tracks had significant effects on soil physical properties. Soil in the traffic zone (TZ) in no-till treatment had higher bulk density and penetration resistance (PR) for the upper 0–30-cm layer than plow-till treatment. The PR for the surface layer in TZ was 25–46% more than in the row zone (RZ). Mean soil bulk density in the TZ of no-till plots was about 12% more than in the RZ (1.53 vs. 1.36 g cm⁻³). Changeover from no-till to plow-till decreased PR in RZ and TZ by 50–60% while that from plow-till to no-till increased PR by 10–20%. Similar effects were observed in percent aggregation and the mean weight diameter. In no-till treatments both initial and equilibrium infiltration rates were significantly lower in TZ than RZ (27.5 vs. 6.8 cm h⁻¹ initial and 10.0 vs. 1.5 cm h⁻¹ final). There were more macropores (> 2 mm) for the TZ in no-till compared with the plow-till treatments. Fine or micropores were comparatively more numerous in the sub-soil of no-till than plow-till treatments. The median aggregate size (D₅₀) was 6.2, 4.2, 4.8 and 3.5 mm for Treatments A, B, C and D, respectively. Root length density of corn in plow-till plots was significantly more than that in no-till plots for the top 0–20-cm layer. Corn and soybean yields were greater in plow-till than no-till treatments. Grain yields in Treatment D were greater than those in Treatment A by 10% for corn and by 6% for soybean.     

Molecular Variability in Different Indian Isolates of Equine Herpesvirus-1

Three abortigenic Indian isolates of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) (Tohana, Hisar and Bikaner), along with two exotic abortigenic isolates (AB4 and V592) and another EHV-1 isolate (Jind) obtained from a case of perinatal foal mortality, were studied for variability. For this purpose, PCR and restriction endonuclease (RE) digestion techniques were used simultaneously as a DNA fingerprinting system. Nine different regions of EHV-1 virus were amplified by PCR using primer pairs specific for the regions and the products obtained from these regions were subsequently subjected to various restriction endonucleases to further assess the variability in the number of RE sites as well as in their positions. No difference was observed in all the four abortigenic isolates in terms of the size of different PCR products amplified by all the nine primer pairs, except for primer pairs ‘E’ and ‘C’. PCR products obtained with primer pair E revealed that Tohana and Bikaner isolates were most similar while Hisar isolate was like V592 isolate. However, the PCR product obtained from Jind isolate had a size between the PCR products of Hisar and Tohan/Bikaner isolates. The primer pair ‘C’ used to amplify the region between 1151 to 3679 in ‘Gene 1,2,3’ clearly differentiated the EHV-1 isolate obtained from a case of perinatal foal mortality from isolates obtained from abortion cases. This primer pair needs to be exploited more extensively for use as a potential marker for differentiating the EHV-1 isolates, mainly the abortion cases from perinatal foal mortality ones. Restriction endonuclease studies done with PCR product of all the isolates with various primer pairs did not reveal any changes in the position or number of RE sites present in the products amplified, indicating no variation in different RE sites within the amplified PCR products. However, this study clarified that all the Indian isolates belonged to the IP group of EHV-1.     

Landscaping and performance of some aesthetic plant species in hot, arid conditions of India

Establishment of ornamental and aesthetic plants in hot, arid conditions of India is difficult due to the prevailing climatic, edaphic and biotic factors. Effect of turfgrass on the growth of ornamental plants in hot arid conditions has not been studied so far anywhere in the world. A study was conducted on the campus of Arid Forest Research Institute, Jodhpur, India to assess the performance of a few ornamental plant species in combination with turfgrass and without turfgrass with respect to different soil tilling intervals. Growth of plants was better with turfgrass than without turfgrass. We suggest adopting a soil tilling interval of 30 days to achieve optimum growth of ornamental plant species in terms of height and crown diameter. Our results can help reduce labor costs and achieving better landscapes in fewer days in hot urban conditions of Indian sub continent.     

Status and Regeneration of Himalayan Maple in the Himachal Pradesh: Honing Red List of Plants

The population status and regeneration of a data-deficient tree species were examined in both protected and unprotected areas. The target species was found in six habitat types, seven aspects between 2,100- to 3,300-m altitude, and sites dominated by different species. The species was best represented in a shady moist habitat, north and northwest aspects, altitudinal range >2,700 m, and sites dominated by Acer caesium in both protected and unprotected sites; but the generalized linear model indicated nonsignificant effect of sites, habitat, altitude, and dominance except for aspects. Difference in sapling and seedling density among aspects and sites only was significant. Probability of use and resource use index indicated poor preference and less pressure as fuel. It can be concluded that the species is not under any significant threat in the study area. But, further studies on population status, regeneration, and relationship with environmental factors in a wider geographic region are suggested to evaluate species and place under suitable priority category.     

Dissolution of Dominant Soil Phosphorus Fractions in Phosphorus-Responsive Soils of Bihar,India: Effects of Mycorrhiza and Fertilizer Levels

We investigated the effects of Arbuscular Mycorrhiza (AM) fungi and various phosphorus (P) levels on the distribution and availability of P in dominant soils of Bihar, India. Potassium chloride (KCl)-P (labile P), sodium hydroxide (NaOH)-P (Fe-Al-bound P), hydrochloric acid (HCl)-P (Ca-bound P), and residual P (Res-P) fractions were analyzed in the soils under maize plant. Ca-bound P was the most abundant P fraction in the alkaline soils (65% of the total P) followed by neutral soil (35% of the total P), whereas it was less abundant (<4%) in the acidic soil type. Fe-Al-bound P was found to be highest for acidic soil (65% of the total P). Soils under the inoculation with Glomus mossae and control gave the highest and lowest values (15.63 mg kg^?1 and 10.74 mg kg^?1 respectively) for the labile fraction which was similar to the organically bound residual fractions of P (200.17 mg kg^?1 and 193.66 mg kg^?1 respectively. Inoculation of the soils with AM fungi leads to the redistribution of P fractions in different soils which consequently helps in improvement of available P in soil conducive for plant uptake.     

红豆和白扁豆种子萌发和生长对盐胁迫的响应及其生理机制

为探讨红豆和白扁豆种子萌发及幼苗生长对盐胁迫的响应及其生理机制,以红豆品种‘渝红豆2号’和传统白扁豆品种为材料,分别用不同浓度NaCl （0 mmol·L^-1、20 mmol·L^-1、40 mmol·L^-1、60 mmol·L^-1、80 mmol·L^-1、100 mmol·L^-1）溶液处理种子,测定不同NaCl浓度胁迫下红豆和白扁豆种子的发芽指标及幼苗生长指标、叶片丙二醛（MDA）含量、超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）和过氧化物酶（POD）活性,分析NaCl胁迫对红豆和白扁豆种子萌发及幼苗生长的影响。结果表明：1）随NaCl浓度增加,红豆和白扁豆种子发芽率、发芽势、发芽指数和活力指数均呈下降趋势。当NaCl浓度为80 mmol·L^-1时,白扁豆发芽势、发芽指数、活力指数降为0,红豆的发芽势、发芽指数、活力指数分别为20.00%、2.00、0.83;NaCl浓度为100 mmol·L^-1时,红豆的发芽率为16.67%,但白扁豆为0,这表明在盐胁迫下红豆较白扁豆具有更高的萌发能力。2）红豆与白扁豆相对盐害率随NaCl浓度的增加而增加,当NaCl浓度为80 mmol·L^-1和100 mmol·L^-1时,白扁豆相对盐害率为96.58%和96.67%,红豆相对盐害率为47.05%和83.18%,说明红豆受盐害程度较低。3）红豆与白扁豆幼苗胚根、胚芽及鲜重均随NaCl浓度增加而下降。NaCl浓度为100 mmol·L^-1时,白扁豆胚根长为0,红豆胚根长为0.23 cm。4）随NaCl浓度升高,红豆和白扁豆叶片的MDA含量均增加,造成细胞膜透性逐渐增大,但是红豆幼苗MDA积累量低于白扁豆,这表明红豆叶片细胞膜损伤较小。5） NaCl胁迫下,红豆与白扁豆SOD活性均显著升高,但红豆SOD活性显著高于白扁豆;NaCl胁迫下,POD活性显著升高,但白扁豆POD活性显著下降。研究发现红豆可通过提高SOD和POD活性以降低细胞膜氧化伤害,减少MDA积累量,进而提高种子萌发能力。在相同浓度NaCl胁迫下红豆较白扁豆有更高的耐盐性,能更好地适应盐胁迫环境。