Photodegradation of fenarimol

The photodegradation of aqueous alcoholic solutions of fenarimol at λ ≥ 250 nm has been examined. UV irradiation of an aqueous methanolic solution for 24 h yielded two photoproducts, identified as 2,4′‐dichlorobenzil and p‐chlorobenzoic acid, while irradiation of a solution in aqueous isopropanol yielded p‐chlorobenzoic acid and two additional products identified as 2,4′‐dichlorobenzophenone and o‐chlorobenzoic acid. A mechanism for the formation of the photoproducts is suggested. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry     

Tillage and irrigation effects on crop yields and soil properties under the rice-wheat system in the Indian Himalayas

Conservation tillage systems generally improve soil organic C (SOC), plant available water capacity (PAWC), aggregation and soil water transmission. A field experiment was conducted for 4 years (2001-2002 to 2004-2005) to study tillage (conventional tillage (CT) and zero tillage (ZT)) systems. The selected irrigation treatments were at four levels (I₁: pre-sowing (PS), I₂: PS + active tillering (AT)/crown root initiation (CRI), I₃: PS + AT/CRI + panicle initiation (PI)/flowering (FL), and I₄: PS + AT/CRI + PI/FL + grain filling (GF)), applied at the critical growth stages on rice (Oryza sativa L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Their effects on direct seeded rice productivity and soil properties (SOC and selected physical properties) after rice and wheat harvest were investigated. Soil organic C contents after rice and wheat harvest in the 0-15 cm soil depth were higher under ZT than under CT. Soil organic C increased significantly with I₂ over I₁ for both crops and with I₄ over I₂ for the wheat crop. The PAWC was significantly higher with ZT than CT. Zero tilled and frequently irrigated plots showed enhanced infiltration characteristics (infiltration rate, cumulative infiltration and sorptivity) and saturated hydraulic conductivity. Both direct seeded rice and wheat yields were not significantly different in the plots under ZT and CT. There was a significant increase in both rice and wheat yields in the plots under I₂ over I₁. However, water use efficiency between irrigation treatments was not significantly different. Hence, under direct seeded rice-wheat system in a sandy clay loam soil of the sub-temperate Indian Himalayas, farmers may adopt ZT with two irrigations in each crop for optimum resource conservation.     

Effect of Flue Gas Treatment on the Solubility and Fractionation of Different Metals in Fly Ash of Powder River Basin Coal

Studies were conducted to examine the effect of flue gas carbon dioxide (CO₂) on solubility and availability of different metals in fly ash of Powder River Basin (PRB) coal, Wyoming, USA. Initial fly ash (control) was alkaline and contains large amounts of water-soluble and exchangeable metals. Reaction of flue gas CO₂ with alkaline fly ash resulted in the formation of carbonates which minimized the solubility of metals. Results for metal fractionation studies also supported this fact. The present study also suggested that most of the water-soluble and exchangeable metals present in the control (untreated) fly ash samples decreased in the flue gas-treated samples. This may be due to the transfer of the above two forms to more resistant forms like carbonate bound (CBD), oxide bound (OXD), and residual (RS). Geochemical modeling (Visual MINTEQ) of water solubility data suggested that the saturation index (SI) values of dolomite (CaMg(CO₃)₂) and calcite (CaCO₃) were oversaturated, which has potential to mineralize atmospheric CO₂ and thereby reduce leaching of toxic metals from fly ash. Results from this study also showed that the reaction of flue gas CO₂ with alkaline fly ash not only control the solubility of toxic metals but also form carbonate minerals which have the potential to fix CO₂.     

Impact of nitrogen fertilization and tillage practices on nitrous oxide emission from a summer rice ecosystem

ABSTRACT

Identification of the combination of tillage and N fertilization practices that reduce agricultural Nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions while maintaining productivity is strongly required in the Indian subcontinent. This study investigated the effects of tillage in combination with different levels of nitrogen fertilizer on N₂O emissions from a rice paddy for two consecutive seasons (2013–2014 and 2014–2015). The experiment consisted of two tillage practices, i.e., conventional (CT) and reduced tillage (RT), and four levels of nitrogen fertilizer, i.e., 0 kg N ha^–1 (F1), 45 kg N ha^–1 (F2), 60 kg N ha^–1 (F3) and 75 kg N ha^–1 (F4). Both tillage and fertilizer rate significantly affected cumulative N₂O emissions (p < 0.05). Fertilizer at 45 and 60 kg N ha^–1 in RT resulted in higher N₂O emissions over than did the CT. Compared with the recommended level of 60 kg N ha^?1, a 25% reduction in the fertilizer to 45 kg N ha^?1 in both CT and RT increased nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and maintained grain yield, resulting in the lowest yield-scaled N₂O-N emission. The application of 45 kg N ha^?1 reduced the cumulative emission by 6.08% and 6% in CT and RT practices, respectively, without compromising productivity.     

Impact of elevated CO<Subscript>2</Subscript>, flooding,and temperature interaction on heterotrophic nitrogen fixation in tropical rice soils

Response of N₂ fixation to elevated CO₂ would be modified by changes in temperature and soil moisture because CO₂ and temperature or water availability has generally opposing effects on N₂ fixation. In this study, we assessed the impacts of elevated CO₂ and temperature interactions on nitrogenase activities, readily mineralizable C (RMC), readily available N (NRN) contents in an alluvial and a laterite rice soil of tropical origin. Soil samples were incubated at ambient (370 μmol mol^-1) and elevated (600 μmol mol^-1) CO₂ concentration at 25oC, 35oC, and 45oC under non-flooded and flooded conditions for 60 days. Elevated CO₂ significantly increased nitrogenase activities and readily mineralizable C in both alluvial and laterite soils. All these activities were further stimulated at higher temperatures. Increases in nitrogenase activity as a result of CO₂ enrichment effect over control were 16.2%, 31.2%, and 66.4% and those of NRN content were 2.0%, 1.8%, and 0.5% at 25oC, 35oC and 45oC, respectively. Increases in RMC contents were 7.7%, 10.0%, and 10.6% at 25°C, 35°C and 45°C, respectively. Soil flooding resulted in a more clear impact of CO₂ enrichment than the non-flooded soil. The results suggest that in tropical rice soils, elevated CO₂ increased readily available C content in the soil, which probably stimulates growth of diazotrophic bacteria with enhanced N₂ fixation and thereby higher available N.     

An Atmosphere on Ganymede from Its Occultation of SAO 186800 on 7 June 1972

On 7 June 1972 the third , Jovian satellite Ganymede occulted the eighth-magnitude star SAO 186800. Successful photoelectric observations obtained at Lembang, Java (Indonesia), and Kavalur, India, show nonabrupt immersions and emersions, indicating the presence of an atmosphere whose surface pressure is greater than about 10(-3) millibar. By fitting the two occultation durations as chords to a model disk, the diameter is found to be 5270 (+30, - approximately 200) kilometers, the major error contribution arising from the uncertain atmospheric thickness below the occultation layer. The derived mean density is 2.0 (-0.03, + approximately 0.2) grams per cubic centimeter.     

Effect of MSW Compost on Microbiological and Biochemical Soil Quality Indicators

This laboratory incubation study was conducted to evaluate the effect of municipal solid waste compost (MSWC) as a soil amendment on soil quality indicators, such as microbial biomass, and their activities. The MSWC was compared against cow dung manure (CDM), a traditional organic supplement. The comparative study was carried out in water regimes of 60% water holding capacity (WH) of soil and under waterlogged (WL) condition. MSWC was applied to an alluvial soil (Typic Fluvaquent) at the rates of 0, 2.5, 10, 20 and 40 and CDM at 0, 20 and 40 t/ha. Microbial biomass-C (MBC), glucose induced soil respiration (SR), urease and acid phosphatase activities in soil were analyzed following 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 days of incubation. The parameters studied were significantly higher in CDM-treated than in MSWC-treated soils. Increase in graded doses of MSWC from 2.5 to 40 t/ha substantially increased the MBC, SR, urease and phosphatase activities in the soil. In 60% WH regime, MBC and SR increased for the first 30 days of incubation and then declined. Under the WL regime, the MBC declined while SR increased from 15 days till 120 days of incubation. Urease and phosphatase activities of soil increased for up to 60 days during incubation in 60% WH regime and then decreased. Activities of both the enzymes under WL regime decreased progressively during incubation. There were no negative impacts on the soil quality indicators from high application rates of MSWC.     

Evaluation of MSW Compost as a Component of Integrated Nutrient Management in Wetland Rice

The potential of municipal solid waste compost (MSWC) was evaluated for rice cultivar, IET- 1444, during the wet seasons of 1997-99. Field experiments were conducted at the Agriculture Experimental Farm of Calcutta University, West Bengal, India using MSWC and cow dung manure (CDM), with or without urea (U), and fertilizers (F). Dry matter accumulation was highest with CDM + U, followed, in a descending order, by MSWC + U and F. Panicle length was largest and thousand–grain-weight were highest for F. Application of CDM alone gave 30% higher grain yield over MSWC but the latter, along with urea, increased grain yield by 49% over MSWC alone. Uptake of N by straw and grain was significantly higher with CDM as compared to MSWC. Percent N recovery was higher when fertilizer in the form of urea was applied with either CDM or MSWC. Uptake of heavy metals (Zn, Cu, and Pb) by straw and grain of rice was lower with the application of MSWC alone than with the other treatments except control. Uptake of Cd was below detection limit. There was no significant variation between the physico-chemical properties of soil due to the application of these treatments. Results indicated that MSWC application to rice was effective and safe to be used as an alternative organic supplement.     

Modification of Soil Quality Near a Pulp and Paper Mill

The Nagaon Pulp and Paper Mill (Assam, India) produces 100,000 tonnes of paper annually from bamboo. The mill is surrounded by a vast spread of agricultural land on all sides excepting the southern side, which is covered with hills and deep forests. The present study was undertaken with a view to assess the impact of the paper mill operations on the quality of the surrounding soil. Surface soil samples (0–15 cm depth) were collected in both dry and wet seasons over a four-year period from 19 points at different distances from the mill. The soil quality was determined with respect to a large number of representative physico-chemical properties. Estimation of the major oxides, e.g., SiO₂, Al₂O₃, Fe₂O₃, MnO, and TiO₂ showed a preferential accumulation of Al₂O₃, Fe₂O₃, and MnO in soil near the mill due to the dumping of fly ash and other solid wastes in the surrounding low lying land. Definite directional trends were observed not only with respect to these oxides, but also with the metals Ca, Mg, Na, and Pb, which decreased away from the mill. The soil pH had a tendency to turn alkaline near the mill owing to the discharge of highly alkaline effluent by the mill. The physical characteristics of the soil, viz., water holding capacity and bulk density increased with distance from the mill while the hydraulic conductivity had an opposite trend. N, P, K, B, Cl^-, and organic C contents of the soil had shown a rapid decreasing trend away from the mill indicating that the dumping of solid waste and discharge of nutrient-rich treated effluent had contributed to raised levels of these constituents near the mill.