Potential chemical time bombs in the schelde estuary

The Schelde estuary is heavily polluted with many different (micro)pollutants. This results in high concentrations in the abiotic and biotic compartments of the Schelde estuary and in various effects. the present day suboxic and anoxic conditions in the upper estuary are probably responsible for the high distribution coefficients for some trace metals in the lower Schelde estuary (Western Schelde). a future reduction in discharges with a high biological oxygen demand will therefore not only result in higher oxygen concentrations, but probably also in lower distribution coefficients for trace metals in the Western Schelde. Simulations show that lower trace metal distribution coefficients will probably result in higher concentrations of dissolved (bioavailable) trace metals, even with substantially reduced discharge rates, due to the desorption of trace metals from resuspended bottom sediments.     

Applications of black walnut husks can improve orchardgrass and red clover yields in silvopasture and alley cropping plantings

Black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) produces both valuable lumber and a nut crop. Because of this, it is an important tree for agroforestry plantings in the Midwest USA. However, during processing of the nut crop, the outer tissue of the nut (husks) accumulates in great quantities. Applying this material to pastures is a possible method of disposal. However, black walnut has been implicated in allelopathic interactions with numerous plant species and may inhibit the growth of pasture species. Greenhouse and field studies and a chemical analysis of the husks were conducted to determine the effects of applying walnut husks to orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) or red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) pastures. Applying husks at rates up to 68 Mg ha⁻¹ to pot-grown orchardgrass resulted in root and shoot yields that were greater than in pots receiving no husks. Field studies indicated that orchardgrass and red clover benefited from the application of husks. For orchardgrass, significant increases in growth occurred when husks were applied at a rate of 34 Mg ha⁻¹ while red clover responded to rates up to 68 Mg ha⁻¹. A chemical analysis of husks indicated that significant quantities of N and K were present in walnut husks. A whole effluent toxicity test (WETT) indicates that runoff from walnut husk-treated pastures, at the rates used in this study, would not adversely affect aquatic organisms.     

吉林省西部新开稻田要走环境友好型发展之路

针对吉林省增产50亿kg商品粮的战略任务而进行的西部水田大开发的实际,提出了西部新开稻田生产技术要走环境友好型可持续发展之路,对其可行性进行了论证;同时,对新开水田在发展有机水稻过程中存在的不利因素和趋弊措施进行了阐述。     

成型和灼烧温度对垃圾衍生燃料灰渣理化特性的影响

以生活垃圾衍生燃料(refuse derived fuel,RDF)为研究对象,通过挤压成型的RDF与非成型的RDF在600~1 100℃条件下灼烧,所产生的灰渣进行质量、粒径、化学成分等特性进行分析,探索RDF灰渣随温度变化的规律以及潜在的应用价值。研究结果表明,在1 000℃以下,RDF灰渣随着温度提高,灰分组分发生分解反应,主要是残余有机物、碳酸盐、硫酸盐的分解,灰渣粒径减小;当温度升至1 000℃以上,灰分组分发生化合反应,生成产物以复合硅酸盐为主,灰渣粒径增大甚至结块;灰渣在化学反应过程中,非金属元素C,Cl,S转化为气体化合物逸出主体,使灰渣质量减小;成型RDF灰渣晶体含量比非成型RDF高;成型RDF灰渣粒径比非成型RDF灰渣大。     

国内外有机肥标准对比及风险评价

中国是人口最多的发展中国家,生产生活中产生的有机废弃物数量巨大,堆制有机肥是降低有机废物污染风险的重要方式,而有机肥标准则是防止有机肥成为新的土壤污染源,规范有机肥产业健康发展的重要保障。目前我国有机肥不合格现象时有发生,针对有机堆肥的标准仅有一个8年前的行业标准（NY 525—2012）的现状,本文对比了中国、日本、澳大利亚、欧盟、美国有机肥标准的重要指标,对存在的重金属残留、抗生素污染、病原体污染、营养富集及土壤盐渍化等有机肥质量安全风险问题进行分析,为我国有机肥行业未来绿色、健康、可持续发展提出建议。尽管我国现有有机肥质量标准,在具体指标要求方面优于美国,但和欧盟相比还有差距,比如我国重金属Cu、Zn、Ni限量缺失,对Cd等重金属限值要求不够严格,长期施用会导致土壤重金属含量超过风险筛选值,严重影响农作物安全;同时,由于部分畜禽养殖业不合理使用抗生素,加之有机肥生产企业技术的欠缺,农户施用时缺乏指导,监管部门执法不严等因素,我国有机肥施用过程存在较大风险隐患。因此,进一步完善有机肥标准体系,强化对原料中有毒有害物质的限制,要求选用原料批批检,加大准入和过程的落实力度,才能保障我国有机肥产业有序健康发展。     

加快青海省有机畜牧业发展的对策与建议

对青海省有机畜牧业发展的意义及对策措施进行探讨,以期为有关部门提供决策参考。     

Should spring wheat breeding for organically managed systems be conducted on organically managed land?

Organic spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) producers in the northern Great Plains use cultivars which have been bred for conventional management systems or heritage cultivars released before the widespread use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. To investigate the feasibility of organic wheat breeding and to determine common genetic parameters for each system, we used a random population of 79 F₆-derived recombinant inbred sister lines from a cross between the Canadian hard red spring wheat cultivar AC Barrie and the CIMMYT derived cultivar Attila. The population, including the parents, was grown on conventionally and organically managed land for 3 years. Heritability estimates differed between systems for 6 of the 14 traits measured, including spikes m⁻², plant height, test weight, 1,000 kernel weight, grain protein, and days to anthesis. Direct selection in each management system (10% selection intensity) resulted in 50% or fewer lines selected in common for nine traits, including grain yield, grain protein, spikes m⁻², and grain fill duration. The results of this study suggest that indirect selection (in conventionally managed trials) of spring wheat destined for organically managed production would not result in the advance of the best possible lines in a breeding program. This implies that breeding spring wheat specific to organic agriculture should be conducted on organically managed land.     

Can mineral and organic fertilization help sequestrate carbon dioxide in cropland?

The soil organic matter content represents a huge reservoir of plant nutrients and an effective safeguard against pollution; beside it can sequestrate atmospheric CO₂. Since 1966 up to now in the Southeast Po valley (Italy), the soil organic C (SOC) and total N (TN) dynamics in the 0–0.40 m soil layer under a maize–wheat rainfed rotation are studied as influenced by organic and mineral N fertilizations. Every year in the same plots cattle manure, cattle slurry, and crop residues (i.e. wheat straw and maize stalk) are ploughed under to 0.40 m depth at a same dry matter rate (6.0 and 7.5 t DM ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ after wheat and maize, respectively) and are compared to an unamended control. Each plot is splitted to receive four rates of mineral fertilizer (0–100–200–300 kg N ha⁻¹). In the whole experiment, in 2000 SOC concentration was lower than in 1966 (6.77 and 7.72 g kg⁻¹, respectively), likely for the deeper tillage that diluted SOC and favoured mineralization in deeper soil layer. From 1972 to 2000 SOC stock did not change in the control and N fertilized plots, while it increased at mean rates of 0.16, 0.18, and 0.26 t ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ with the incorporation of residues, slurry and manure, corresponding to sequestration efficiencies of 3.7, 3.8 and 8.1% of added C with the various materials. TN followed the same SOC dynamic, demonstrating how it depends on the soil organic matter. Manure thus confirmed its efficacy in increasing both SOC content and soil fertility on the long-term. In developed countries, however, this material has become scarcely available; slurry management is expensive and implies high environmental risks. Moreover, in a C balance at a farm (or regional) scale, the CO₂ lost during manure and slurry stocking should be considered. For these reasons, the incorporation of cereal residues, even if only a little of their C content was found capable of soil accumulation, appears the best way to obtain a significant CO₂ sequestration in developed countries. Our long-term experiment clearly shows how difficult it is to modify SOC content. Moreover, because climate and soil type can greatly influence SOC dynamic, to increase CO₂ sequestration in cropland, it is important to optimize the fertilization within an agricultural management that includes all the agronomic practices (e.g. tillage, water management, cover crops, etc.) favouring the organic matter build up in the soil.     

周年耕作方式对砂姜黑土农田土壤养分及作物产量的影响

为探明适宜于砂姜黑土农田的周年耕作方式, 提升砂姜黑土农田地力及作物产量, 在冬小麦?夏玉米一年两熟种植制度下, 设置多年定位夏玉米季?冬小麦季免耕?旋耕(对照)、免耕?深耕、深松?旋耕、深松?免耕、免耕?免耕5种周年耕作方式田间试验, 在定位处理的第4个周年研究耕作方式对砂姜黑土农田土壤有机碳含量、土壤养分及其对作物产量的影响。结果表明, 在秸秆全量还田条件下, 与试验开始前相比, 各处理0~20 cm土层土壤有机碳、全氮、速效钾含量均有所增加。与对照相比, 其他处理均增加周年内0~20 cm土层土壤有机碳和全氮含量。免耕?深耕、深松?旋耕、免耕?免耕处理显著增加周年内0~20 cm土层土壤有效磷含量, 而深松?免耕处理显著增加冬小麦开花期和收获期0~20 cm土层土壤有效磷含量, 整个周年内对照在20~40 cm土层土壤的有效磷含量均最低。深松?免耕处理增加周年内0~20 cm土层土壤速效钾含量, 而深松?免耕、免耕?免耕处理20~40 cm土层土壤速效钾含量在夏玉米苗期、大口期、开花期和灌浆期显著高于对照处理。深松?旋耕和深松?免耕处理显著增加夏玉米?冬小麦周年籽粒产量, 增幅分别为7.67%和10.21%。综上所述, 在秸秆全量还田基础上, 深松?旋耕和深松?免耕能够改善土壤有机碳和养分状况, 显著提高周年作物产量, 可作为黄淮区砂姜黑土农田相对适宜的周年耕作方式。     

Soil physical fertility, soil structure and rooting conditions after ploughing organically managed grass/clover swards

Effective management of soil structure and organic matter are essential in organic cropping to ensure good rooting conditions and to optimize the production of mineralized N and thus minimize greenhouse gas emissions. We investigated how mid‐winter or early spring ploughing and three grazing duration treatments prior to ploughing influenced soil structure, soil organic matter and plant root growth under the first spring barley crop after a grass–clover ley. The experiment was carried out over two seasons. We also studied the soil under first‐year oats in a long‐term rotations experiment where 2 or 3 years of arable crops followed 3 or 4 years of grass. Pore size distribution and pore continuity, bulk density, particulate (light fraction) organic matter, readily oxidizable organic matter (ROM), aggregate size distribution and root length densities were measured. Macroporosity appeared to be the best indicator of soil physical fertility; it was sensitive to changes in soil structure arising from compaction and root growth. This, along with visual examination, revealed the loosening resulting from ploughing. The generally favourable macroporosity amongst small, stable aggregates reduced the likelihood of development of anaerobism. Macroporosity and aggregate size can be estimated from visual examination of the soil, a method that offers the advantage of being quick and of sampling a large volume. The content of ROM was high 6.1–6.4 g 100 g^?1 whole soil. However, particulates formed only a small fraction (6–9%) of the ROM. Despite the favourable ROM and structure, the soil was susceptible to compaction damage during seedbed preparation in wet soil after ploughing which reduced grain yield in some plots. Grazing by sheep before ploughing and date of ploughing had minor effects on soil quality. Grazing for 2 months prior to ploughing increased root length density in the upper topsoil in the following arable crop, possibly because of the higher quality of the animal and grass–clover residues. Conservation of soil quality was related more to secondary tillage and sowing operations after ploughing than to duration and timing of grazing.