Potassium behavior and clay mineral composition in the soil with low effectiveness of potassium application

ABSTRACT

Increasing exchangeable potassium (ExK) content in soil to an appropriate level is important to mitigate the transfer of radioactive cesium to crops. We focused on a buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) field with a low ExK content, despite the application of K, in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan (Field A), following the Tokyo Electric Power Company Fukushima Dai-ichi (No. 1) Nuclear Power Plant accident in March 2011. We examined the relationship between K concentration and clay mineral composition in the soil of Field A and compared the findings with another field in Fukushima Prefecture (Field B) to clarify whether K applied to the soil was leached or remaining fixed. Pot experiments showed that K concentration in water seepage from pots following irrigation was significantly lower in pots from Field A than in those from Field B. Soil ExK content after soybean cultivation was lower in soils of Field A than those of Field B. These results indicate that K applied to Field A was fixed in the soil. Analysis of clay mineral composition confirmed the distinctive vermiculitic nature of Field A soils. This clay mineralogy would be associated with the higher K fixation ability of Field A than Field B soils. This study demonstrated that K fixation in vermiculite was a factor preventing the increase in ExK content from K application to Field A.     

Sedimentary and diagenetic features in saline lake deposits of the Monegros region, northern Spain

The Monegros region in northern Spain is marked by the occurrence of a large number of ephemeral to dry lake basins, occupying small karstic depressions. The lacustrine sediment fill of these basins contain various carbonate and silicate minerals whose origin and palaeoenvironmental significance is poorly understood. For the present study, 14 lake basins were sampled in order to establish vertical, lateral and regional variations in mineralogical and textural characteristics, aimed at determining the mode of formation of the various mineral phases present. In nearly all basins, the same sequence of three lithological units is recognized, including a basal clayey unit, a middle magnesite-bearing and gypsum-rich unit, and a calcite- and dolomite-dominated surface unit. Distribution patterns of carbonate minerals indicate that magnesite is a synsedimentary precipitate, dolomite formed as a diagenetic authigenic phase, and calcite is partly authigenic and partly allogenic. All clay minerals, including sepiolite and smectite, appear to be allogenic. Regional variations are marked by similarities between groups of neighbouring basins, but no overall trend related to regional drainage patterns is recognized. The middle lithological unit records a lake stage with predominantly chemical sedimentation (Unit II), overlying a less well documented interval corresponding to a perennial lake stage with lower salinity (Unit III), whereas the surface unit formed during a period with predominantly clastic sedimentation. Based on a comparison with other regional records, the middle unit is attributed to an Early Holocene humid stage, separated from the overlying Late Holocene deposits by a hiatus that corresponds to a Mid Holocene arid stage.     

Tolerance of Two Hydroponically Grown Salix Genotypes to Excess Zinc

Woody cuttings from two Salix genotypes (genotype I—clone LUC-31, Salix alba and genotype II- clone STOTT, Salix viminalis) were grown hydroponically for 14 days at increasing concentrations of Zn: control, 50, 100 or 150 μ M Zn. Genotype tolerance to excess zinc (Zn) was evaluated using a root elongation test. The changes in growth, Zn, iron (Fe), copper (Cu) and manganese (Mn) concentrations as well as photosynthetic performance were used as additional evaluation criteria. Photosynthetic pigments concentrations in Zn-exposed cuttings of genotype II decreased as compared with genotype I, which corresponded well with the higher leaf Zn accumulation, decreased Fe concentrations as well as lowered photosynthetic rate. Based on the indicators used, genotype I (Salix alba) was classified as more tolerant to excess Zn than genotype II (Salix viminalis).     

Yield and nutritional requirements of cassava in response to potassium fertilizer in the second cycle

Potassium (K) is one of the most absorbed nutrients by cassava because it acts on the synthesis and starch accumulation in the storage roots. Here, we show that K application at the beginning of the second vegetative cycle of cassava submitted to shoot pruning increased the yield of roots and starch, and the nutrient demand of plants. Application of 45–89 kg ha^?1 dipotassium oxide (K₂O) in the second cycle increased the yield of storage roots and starch from 36–49% and K applied at this time had a greater effect on the synthesis and allocation of starch in the storage roots. K supply increased the accumulation of N and S by 2.0- to 3.0-fold and the accumulation of other nutrients by 1.4- to 1.7-fold. The removal of phosphorus (P), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn) by storage roots was not affected by K application, whereas the removal of other nutrients increased by 1.3- to 4.3-fold.     

Film fully-mulched ridge-furrow cropping affects soil biochemical properties and maize nutrient uptake in a rainfed semi-arid environment

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of plastic mulched ridge-furrow cropping on soil biochemical properties and maize (Zea mays L.) nutrient uptake in a semi-arid environment. Three treatments were evaluated from 2008 to 2010: no mulch (narrow ridges with crop seeded next to ridges), half mulch (as per no mulch, except narrow ridges were mulched), and full mulch (alternate narrow and wide ridges, all mulched with maize seeded in furrows). Compared to the no mulch treatment, full mulch increased maize grain yield by 50% in 2008 and 25% in 2010, but reduced yield by 21% in 2009 after low precipitation in early growth. Half mulch had a similar grain yield to no mulch in the three cropping years, suggesting half mulch is not an effective pattern for maize cropping in the area. Mulch treatments increased aboveground nitrogen (N) uptake by 21?34% and phosphorus (P) uptake by 21?42% in 2008, and by 16?32% and 14?29%, respectively, in 2010; but in 2009 mulching did not affect N uptake and decreased P uptake. Soil microbial biomass and activities of urease, β-glucosidase and phosphatase at the 0?15 cm depth were generally higher during vegetative growth but lower during reproductive growth under mulch treatments than no mulch. Mulching treatments increased carbon (C) loss of buried maize residues (marginally by 5?9%), and decreased light soil organic C (15?27%) and carbohydrate C (12?23%) concentrations and mineralizable C and N (8?36%) at harvest in the 0?20 cm depth compared with no mulch, indicating that mulching promotes mineralization and nutrient release in soil during cropping seasons. As a result of these biological changes, mineral N concentration under mulch was markedly increased after sowing in upper soil layers compared with no mulch. Therefore, our results suggest that mulched cropping stimulated soil microbial activity and N availability, and thus contributed to increasing maize grain yield and nutrient uptake compared with no mulch.     

Effects of Broomrape Parasitism on Sunflower Plants: Growth,Development, and Mineral Nutrition

Sunflower broomrape (Orobanche cumana Wallr.) is a parasitic plant that infects sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) plants. In this work, sunflower plants were grown under greenhouse conditions in pots with the substrate infested or non-infested with broomrape seeds. At different numbers of days after sowing, plant height, internode lengths, number of leaves, head diameter, mineral composition of leaves, and potassium (K) concentration in stem were measured. The negative effects of broomrape parasitism were assessed from 57 d after sowing, when broomrape started to emerge. Parasitized plants exhibited lower shoot dry weight, height, and head diameter than control plants. The reduction in internode lengths was associated with a decrease in the gradient of K concentration from basal to apical stem. The mineral composition of leaves was also affected in parasitized plants. The concentrations of calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn) in leaves of parasitized plants were lower than those of the control plants, while there were few differences for K, phosphorus (P), iron (Fe), and copper (Cu). The effects of parasitism are discussed in relation to their competition for resources and to perturbations of the host physiology such as hormonal and water balance.     

The Effect of Calcium Sprays and Fruit Thinning on Bitter Pit Incidence and Calcium Content in ‘Honeycrisp’ Apple

‘Honeycrisp’ is a recently released cultivar of apple (Malus x domestica) developed by the University of Minnesota, now in high demand by growers and consumers. This cultivar is susceptible to bitter pit, especially when the trees are young and the fruit load is low. The effects of calcium (Ca) sprays, fruit thinning, vegetative growth, fruit and leaf nutrient concentration on bitter pit incidence, and two sampling methods for nutrient analysis were studied. Bitter pit incidence was associated with several variables, including Ca and phosphorus (P) concentrations in leaves and fruits, magnesium (Mg) concentration in leaves, and yield parameters. Fruit Ca concentration and content for the growing season were modeled, which allowed the determinations of Ca levels associated with bitter pit incidence. Our data suggest that plug analysis was less sensitive than fruit-segment analysis for finding differences in Ca concentrations.     

Start-Timing for Calcium Chloride Spray Programs Influences Fruit Calcium and Bitter Pit in ‘Braeburn’ and ‘Honeycrisp’ Apples

Early-season sprays of calcium chloride (CaCl₂) have been reported to sometimes be more effective than later-season sprays for controlling bitter pit in apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.). We conducted a two-year study examining the influence of start-timing of CaCl₂ spray programs on fruit Ca concentrations and at-harvest bitter pit incidence in ‘Braeburn’ and ‘Honeycrisp’ apples in Washington State, USA. Six biweekly sprays of CaCl₂ were applied starting in mid-May (early-start), mid-June (mid-start, the normal commercial start timing), or mid-July (late-start) 2002 and 2003. Although leaf marginal necrosis occurred in all of the CaCl₂-treated plots, no spray damage on fruit was observed. All of the CaCl₂ spray treatments consistently reduced bitter pit incidence relative to the unsprayed control treatment and usually but not always increased the Ca concentration of subdermal cortical tissue at harvest. The early and mid-start spray programs produced lower bitter pit incidence than the late-start program in only one of four situations. Fruit Ca concentrations in the control and early-start spray program did not differ. Fruit Ca concentrations in the mid- and late-start spray programs were not different, and often were higher than that of the early-start spray program. Bitter pit incidence for each cultivar was inversely related to fruit Ca concentration. Substituting cortical Ca/potassium (K) or Ca/magnesium (Mg) concentration ratios for Ca concentration failed to substantially improve and usually degraded the correlations with bitter pit incidence. The results confirm that starting CaCl₂ spray programs in June sometimes is more effective at controlling bitter pit that delaying the start of the spray program until July. The later season sprays tend to be more effective at increasing fruit Ca concentration. There appears to be no detectable advantage for starting spray programs earlier than June. Applying CaCl₂ sprays throughout the growing season, starting sometime in June, appears to be the most economical and effective spray management practice for maximizing fruit Ca and minimizing risk of bitter pit development.     

Effect of Foliar Salicylic Acid Applications on Growth,Chlorophyll, and Mineral Content of Cucumber Grown Under Salt Stress

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of foliar salicylic acid (SA) applications on growth, chlorophyll, and mineral content of cucumber grown under salt stress. The study was conducted in pot experiments under greenhouse conditions. Cucumber seedlings were treated with foliar SA applications at different concentrations (0.0, 0.25, 0.50, and 1.00 mM). Salinity treatments were established by adding 0, 60, and 120 mM of sodium chloride (NaCl) to a base complete nutrient solution. The SA was applied with spraying two times as before and after transplanting. Salt stress negatively affected the growth, chlorophyll content and mineral uptake of cucumber plants. However, foliar applications of SA resulted in greater shoot fresh weight, shoot dry weight, root fresh weight, and root dry weight as well as higher plants under salt stress. Shoot diameter and leaf number per plant increased with SA treatments under salt stress. The greatest chlorophyll content was obtained with 1.00 mM SA treatment in both saline and non-saline conditions. Leaf water relative content (LWRC) reduced in response to salt stress while SA raised LWRC of salt stressed cucumber plants. Salinity treatments induced significant increases in electrolyte leakage. Plants treated with foliar SA had lower values of electrolyte leakage than non-treated ones. In regard to nutrient content, it can be interfered that foliar SA applications increased almost all nutrient content in leaves and roots of cucumber plants under salt stress. Generally, the greatest values were obtained from 1.00 mM SA application. Based on these findings, the SA treatments may help alleviate the negative effect of salinity on the growth of cucumber.     

甘薯矿质元素吸收与分配特性研究

在大田条件下,研究了甘薯品种北京553不同时期不同器官干物质的积累与分配规律,并分析其中各矿质元素含量的变化情况。结果表明,甘薯干物质前期积累少,中后期快速积累,并逐渐由地上部转移至块根中。各矿质元素在甘薯不同器官的积累量随植株生长而增加,但分配率不同,前期各元素集中于地上部,中后期逐渐转移至块根中。甘薯一生吸收最多的元素是氮、钾和钙,其中氮和钙主要在前中期积累且分布在地上部,钾则主要在中后期积累且分布于块根。微量元素中,甘薯对铁的需求较大,主要时期是生长中期并多分布于地上部。单位产量的需肥规律与矿质元素的吸收规律一致,可以根据需肥规律来指导生产,合理施肥。