Reclamation of Saline-Sodic Soils with Gypsum and MSW Compost

The effectiveness of sequential application of gypsum followed by matured mixed municipal solid waste (MSW) compost was investigated for the reclamation of saline-sodic soils. Soil plots were treated with 50 dt/ha (dry tone/hectare) of gypsum, followed by the addition of matured MSW compost at the 50, 100, and 150 dt/ha with five replications for each treatment. A number of physical, chemical and biological properties were investigated. The results from different treatments were compared with the Tukey-Kramer method. The results of this study show that the sequential application of gypsum followed by matured MSW compost can effectively restore degraded soils suffering from high soluble salts and exchangeable sodium content.     

A NEW STRATEGY TO ENRICH CALCIUM NUTRITION OF FRUIT: SYNERGISTIC EFFECTS OF POSTHARVEST FOLIAR CALCIUM AND BORON SPRAYS

The objective of the study is to investigate the role of calcium (Ca) and boron (B) synergy in higher maintenance of Ca in fruit buds during senescence. To study the hypothesis, an experiment was conducted for two years in two ‘Starking Delicious’ apple (Malus domastica Borkh.) orchards established on seedling rootstocks in Banaz, Usak, Turkey. Treatments composed of postharvest foliar sprays of Ca at rate of 15.13 kg h^?1, B at rate of 2.47 kg h^?1 and their combination (Ca+B) compared with control trees sprayed with water. Fruiting spurs, flower ovaries, young and mature fruits were sampled and analyzed for their Ca, B, potassium (K) and magnesium (Mg) contents. Fruit were stored for six months and quality attributes were studied. Results put forth that Ca+B treatments significantly increase fruit Ca and B concentrations and firmness. The results displayed that postharvest B spray improves Ca nutrition of fruits through synergism of Ca+B on Ca translocation.     

Exploration of biosorption potential of forest industry by-product for removal of reactive dye from aqueous solution

Natural sawdust of Calabrian pine was explored as low-cost industrial by-product for a hetero-bireactive dye removal from aqueous solution in this study. Batch experiments were carried out to investigate the effects of contact time and dye concentration on biosorption efficiency. Maximum biosorption amounts were achieved almost in the 20-30 min of contact for the studied dye range (50-200 mg l ^-1). An increase in the dye concentration resulted in decrease in the percent dye removal and increase in the biosorption capacity of biosorbent. Different kinetic and isotherm models were used to examine the biosorption experimental data for elucidating the dye removal mechanism. The equilibrium data were best represented by Freundlich isotherm model confirming multilayer coverage. The kinetics of dye biosorption best obeyed the pseudo-secondorder equation. The negative value of standard Gibbs free energy change (-3.61 kJ mol^-1) indicated that physical forces were involved in the spontaneous dye biosorption. Thus, the sawdust as a possible non-conventional biosorbent presented an interesting option for bioremediation of contaminated environments by such unsafe dyes.     

A promising biosorbent for biosorption of a model hetero-bireactive dye from aqueous medium

In this study, residual shell biomass of Corylus avellana L. was used as potential biosorbent for biosorption of a model industrial hetero-bireactive dye. The biosorbent was characterized by FTIR and SEM. The batch biosorption studies were performed as a function of dye concentration and contact time. The biosorption of dye was found to be very quick. Various kinetic and isotherm models were used to evaluate the obtained experimental data. The biosorption kinetic was best represented by the pseudo-second-order model while the biosorption equilibrium was best described by Langmuir model. The maximum dye biosorption capacity of biosorbent based on Langmuir isotherm was obtained as 74.527 mg g^-1. These results showed that the use of such plant waste biomass in biosorption system could be a feasible method for the removal of such recalcitrant dye from industrial effluents to reduce operating costs.     

Extraction of Heavy Metals from Manure and their Bioavailability to Spinach (Spinacia Oleracea L.) after Composting

An investigation was carried out on the extractability of heavy metals (HM) from livestock manure during composting and their uptake by spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) from compost-amended soil. Significant temporal changes were recorded for elements during composting of manure. Higher concentrations of metals were observed during the early stages of composting. Conversely, later stages of composting produced higher amounts of calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg) and sodium (Na) in the water extract. Total carbon (C) in the samples was inversely related to the length of composting. The application of composted manure increased spinach growth as compared to the fresh manure. Concentrations of HM in spinach varied in the order iron (Fe) > zinc (Zn) > manganese (Mn) > cadmium (Cd) > lead (Pb) > copper (Cu) and their release from post-harvest soil was identical to that in manure samples. The low extractability of HM may suggest that the use of composted manures would lessen environmental pollution problem in the fields.     

Phosphate solubilization potentials of soil Acinetobacter strains

Many phosphate solubilizing microorganisms (PSM) require external pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) for strong phosphorus (P) solubilization in vitro. The objective of this study was to isolate efficient and PQQ-independent PSM. A total of 21 PSM were isolated from the rhizosphere soil of wheat and maize grown in the pots. Acinetobacter strains were the only PQQ-independent and most effective solubilizers of tricalcium phosphate containing agar. The mean P dissolved in liquid cultures of Acinetobacter strains in a 5-day incubation ranged from 167 to 888 μg/ml P. The pH dropped to below 4.7 from 7.8 in six isolates, which produced gluconic acid in concentrations ranging between 27.5 and 37.5 mM. There was a linear regression between soluble P and gluconic acid concentrations in the bacterial cultures (P < 0.05; R ² = 0.59). Inoculation with Acinetobacter sp. WR922 significantly (P < 0.05) increased wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) P content by 27% at 15 days after emergence (DAE) and dry matter by 15% at 30 DAE compared to the control. The plant P content in inoculated plants at 30 DAE was linearly correlated with soluble P of the bacterial cultures (P < 0.05; R ² = 0.69). Gluconic acid production directly affected phosphate solubilization in vitro, which in turn influenced plant P content of inoculated plants in PQQ-independent P-solubilizing Acinetobacter strains.     

Identification of recombinants carrying stripe rust resistance gene Yr57 and adult plant stem rust resistance gene Sr2 through marker‐assisted selection

Many stem rust resistance genes have been formally named in wheat. Adult plant stem rust resistance gene Sr2 was mapped in the short‐arm of chromosome 3B. Stripe rust resistance gene Yr57, identified in Aus91463, was mapped about 5 cM away from Sr2 based on its linkage with Sr2‐linked marker gwm533. The objective of this study was to combine Sr2 and Yr57 in a single genotype. A mapping population containing 107 recombinant inbred lines was developed from a cross between Aus91463‐Yr57 and Hartog‐Sr2. This population was tested at the seedling stage in the glasshouse for variation in stripe rust response, and high temperature induced Sr2‐linked seedling chlorosis. The RIL population was screened for Sr2‐linked pseudo black chaff phenotype at the adult plant stage in field. Five recombinants carrying Sr2 and Yr57 in coupling were detected using phenotypic and marker data. Four recombinants also carried leaf rust resistance gene Lr23 from Aus91463. These recombinants are being used as triple rust resistance source in the Australian Cereal Rust Control Program.