Nitrate leaching losses and their control in a mixed farm system in the Cotswold Hills, England

Abstract. Nitrate leaching was measured for four years at the Royal Agricultural College 's Coates Farm in the Cotswolds, England. Coates is a typical Cotswold mixed farm with thin, well-drained calcareous soils especially prone to leaching. Over the duration of this study there were dairy, sheep and arable enterprises on the farm. A 'Farm Gate' nitrogen (N) budget was constructed. Small 120 m × 20 m 'farmlets' were sited in ten fields across the farm, covering all parts of the rotation, as the sites for detailed measurements. Each farmlet received the same management as the rest of the field in which they were situated. Using ceramic probes inserted to 60 cm, soil water was sampled every two weeks throughout the winter drainage season. The annual drainage varied from 135 mm under grassland in 1996/7 to 600 mm under cereals in 1998/9. Average N losses by leaching were determined mostly by rainfall and were 65 kg N ha^–1 yr^–1, accounting for 25% of the N inputs. Especially leaky parts of the rotation were the ploughing out of a lucerne ley and the grazing of stubble turnips with sheep, both typical Cotswold farm practices. The research highlights some of the difficulties in developing practicable, profitable management practices to decrease nitrate losses.     

不同水肥耦合对西芹收获期土壤硝酸盐累积的影响

采用三因素五水平二次通用旋转组合设计,研究了冀西北高寒半干旱区不同水肥耦合对旱棚西芹收获期0 ～ 40 cm土层中硝酸盐累积的影响.结果表明:①在高中低不同水肥处理组合中,较高肥在较高水下可减少0 ～ 40 cm土层土壤硝酸盐的累积,较高肥在较低水下可使土壤硝酸盐相对累积增多;综合因子效应分析表明:随着单因子水平增加,N、P和水(W)对0 ～ 40 cm土层土壤硝酸盐的相对累积依次表现为:增加、不明显和减少.②三因子其他组合下,0 ～ 40 cm土层土壤硝酸盐的累积效应表现为: 在PW一致下,随N量的增加而增加;在NP一致下,随灌水量增加而减少;在NW一致下,随施P量增加而有不确定性.各处理硝酸盐的累积均随土壤深度的增加而增加,体现了水对土壤硝酸盐淋洗的特点.     

Control of soil solution interferences in an automated nitrate method

Abstract

An AutoAnalyzer method for nitrate nitrogen based on hydrazine reduction followed by diazotization was re‐examined after certain soil solutions had given poor recoveries. Modifications to the reaction parameters, particularly in the reduction stage improved the recovery of nitrate as nitrite. Soluble organic compounds in the samples were more critical than inorganic salts, but the proposed method allowed tolerance of up to 30 mgl^‐1 total organic carbon. Concentrations of various inorganic ions in soil solutions and natural waters were usually below the limits shown to be critical for the improved method.     

Fiber‐optic spectrophotometry of cowpea nodules treated with nitrate or ammonium

Abstract

Cowpea nodules (Vigna unguiculata [L.] Walp. cv. CB5) were pierced with two opposing optical fibers (280 μm diameter), and absorbance spectra of 0.1 mm of nodule tissue were recorded from 415 to 600 nm using a modified spectrophotometer with a nodule sampling stage.

The nodule spectra exhibited two absorbance bands, a major band in the near‐UV (415–450 nm) and a lesser one in the green‐yellow region (510–585 nm); the latter exhibited a prominent peak at 550 nm. Nodule spectra were consistent with the superposition of the spectra of ferroleghemoglobin (Lb²⁺), oxyleghemoglobin (Lb²⁺‐ O₂), and cytochrome c (550 nm). The detection of leghemoglobin in vivo was confirmed by demonstrating the reversibility of binding of CO to Lb, and by comparing the spectra of live nodules with those obtained from anaerobic leghemoglobin preparations.

The effects on the nodule spectra of two successive applications (36 and 39 days after planting) of 5 and 10 mM NO₃ ^‐ or NH₄ ⁺ to the nutrient solution bathing the nodulated roots were determined. The spectra of NO₃ ^‐‐ and NH₄ ⁺‐treated nodules were indistinguishable; in each case the height of both the near‐UV and green‐yellow absorbance bands decreased with treatment. Treatment with N caused a significant reduction in the area of the green‐yellow absorbance band.

The spectra of green leghemoglobin pigments were obtained from senescent nodules; these exhibited a reduction in the height of the near‐UV absorbance band and a flattening of the green‐yellow band similar to that of nodules treated with N, but the broadening of the near‐UV band was greater in green nodules.     

磁场处理对紫苏种子萌发的影响

试验采用20.9mT和42.5mT两个剂量的磁场对紫苏种子进行处理,处理时间分别为0h、1h、2h、3h、4h、5h。结果表明：20.9mT磁场强度处理紫苏种子,处理3h时发芽率最高,可达89%;在42.5mT磁场强度处理下,不同处理时间内种子发芽率均达到90%以上,远远高于对照,说明42.5 mT磁场强度处理紫苏种子有利于种子萌发;在42.5mT的磁场强度下,3h的磁场处理对株高、根长和须根数的增加都有明显促进作用;POD和硝酸还原酶活性在3h时相对增幅最大,说明42.5mT的磁场强度处理紫苏种子时,3h为最佳处理时间。     

Effects of elevated carbon dioxide and ozone on potato tuber quality in the European multiple-site experiment ‘CHIP-project’

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L cv. Bintje) was exposed to ambient and elevated carbon dioxide (CO₂), to ambient and elevated ozone (O₃) and to elevated levels of both gases during two growing seasons, 1998 and 1999. Experiments in open-top chambers (OTC) were carried out in Finland, Sweden, Ireland, United Kingdom, Germany and Belgium and a FACE (Free Air Carbon dioxide Enrichment) experiment was carried out in Italy. In OTCs the plants were grown under ambient CO₂ concentrations or with 550 and 680 μl l⁻¹ CO₂ alone or in combination with ambient or elevated O₃ concentrations (target seasonal mean of 60 nl l⁻¹ 8 h per day). In the FACE systems the plants were exposed to ambient or 550 μl l⁻¹ CO₂. In the OTC experiments the reducing sugar content of potato tubers decreased significantly with increased concentration of O₃. The starch content of potato tubers decreased, with negative impact on tuber quality, but the ascorbic acid concentration increased as a function of the AOT40 (The sum of the differences between hourly ozone concentration and 40 nl l⁻¹ for each hour when the concentration exceeds 40 nl l⁻¹ during a relevant growing season). However, simultaneous exposure to elevated CO₂ counteracted the ozone effect. With increase in the CO₂ exposure, glycoalkaloid and nitrate concentrations decreased yielding improved quality, while the citric acid concentration decreased causing a higher risk for discoloration after cooking. The amount of dry matter and starch increased significantly in the FACE experiment.     

Assessing ground water quality in the irrigated plain of Triffa (north-east Morocco)

Irrigated agriculture in (semi-)arid regions may exert serious pressures on groundwater resources and jeopardise further agricultural and socio-economical developments. For assessing these pressures, we present in this paper results from a groundwater quality survey performed in 2005 within the irrigated agricultural Triffa plain in north-east Morocco. The study focuses on the physico-chemical and bacteriological quality of the groundwater body within the plain and exploits the correlation and spatial dependency of the quality parameters. It is demonstrated that the water quality in this region is critical. Nitrate levels are situated between 2 and 153 mg/l, with 73% of the observations exceeding the critical level of 50 mg/l. Nitrite, ammonia, orthophosphate and dissolved organic matter content do not exceed existing norms. Bacteriological residues (faecal, total coliforms, faecal streptococcus and clostridium sulfido-reductants), however, are retrieved in nearly all water samples. Bacteriological contamination is merely correlated with nitrite and ammonia content rather than with nitrate content, indicating a possible contribution of local pollution sources to groundwater deterioration. The variability of the nitrate and bacteriological pollution is important and spatially correlated. The spatially dependency is modelled using spherical and Gaussian semi-variograms and is used to map the nitrate and bacteriological contamination using ordinary kriging techniques. The results shown are significantly different as compared to earlier studies on groundwater quality for the studied aquifer. The differences may be explained partially by modified but inappropriate fertilizer management practices in combination with intensive irrigation. Given the agricultural developments in this area, further deterioration of the groundwater quality is expected if no mitigation strategies are developed.     

QTLs and candidate genes for chlorate resistance in rice (Oryzasativa L.)

Chlorate resistance is one of the reliable characters in Indica/Japonica classification. To understand the genetic basis of chlorate resistance is very important for revealing the evolutionary mechanism of Indica/Japonica differentiation. In this study, a doubled haploid (DH) population derived from anther culture of ZYQ8/JX17, a typical Indica and Japonica hybrid, was used as the genetic material to investigate chlorate sensitivity of the parents and DH lines. The quantitative trait loci (QTLs) of chlorate resistance were analyzed based on the molecular linkage map of this population. Total of 3 QTLs (qCHR-2, qCHR-8 and qCHR-10) for chlorate resistance were detected on chromosomes 2, 8 and 10, respectively. A QTL × QTL epistatic interaction was detected between qCHR-2 and qCHR-10. Genes involved in nitrogen assimilation, such as nitrate reduction, molybdenum cofactor biosynthesis and nitrate transport were strong candidates of QTLs for chlorate resistance. A putative nitrate reductase gene (8611.t00011), and two putative nitrate reductase genes (9319.t00010 and 9319.t00012) were in the genomic region of qCHR-2, and qCHR-8, respectively, and a putative nitrate transporter gene (756.t00011) was in the region of qCHR-10. The expression of 8611.t00011, 9319.t00010 and 756.t00011 were confirmed by the corresponding cDNAs, and 2 in/del and 12 SNPs in the coding regions of these three genes were found between Indica (cv. 9311) and Japonica (cv. Nipponbare) in silico. These results indicated that these three genes were candidates of the chlorate resistance QTLs. An in/del in the coding region of 8611.t00011 was used to develop a new PCR marker. A polymorphism was detected between JX17/Nipponbare and ZYQ8/9311. This polymorphism corresponds to the chlorate sensitivity of Nipponbare and 9311. This marker was located between Y8007R and RM250 on chromosome 2 in the DH population, where qCHR-2 was also located.     

蚯蚓发酵液对果蔬品质的影响

为探索蚯蚓发酵液对果蔬品质的影响,以番茄、黄瓜、辣椒、枸杞、葡萄、西瓜和甜瓜为材料,设置不施肥（CK1）、单施化肥（CK2）、施用蚯蚓发酵液（T）3种施肥处理,测定了维生素C（V_c）、可溶性糖、可溶性蛋白、游离氨基酸、有机酸等果蔬营养品质指标和硝酸盐含量。结果表明：施用蚯蚓发酵液可显著增加7种果蔬的V_c、可溶性糖、可溶性蛋白、游离氨基酸含量,显著降低有机酸和硝酸盐含量,即蚯蚓发酵液有利于营养品质的形成,并能改善果蔬的适口性。     

Optimized denitrification bioreactor treatment through simulated drainage containment

In the design of wood-based, enhanced-denitrification bioreactors to treat nitrate in agricultural drainage, the consideration of the highly variable flow rates and nitrate concentrations inherent to many drainage systems is important. For optimized mitigation of these nitrate loads, it may be best to contain drainage water prior to treatment in order to facilitate longer, more constant retention times rather than to allow cycles of flushing and dry periods in the denitrification bioreactor. Simulated containment prior to bioreactor treatment compared to passing drainage directly through a bioreactor was investigated with the use of six pilot-scale denitrification bioreactors constructed with plywood and filled with Pinus radiata woodchips at Massey University No. 4 Dairy Farm (Palmerston North, New Zealand). Initial bromide tracer tests were followed with a series of five simulated drainage events each at successively declining inflow nitrate concentrations. During each drainage event, three pilot bioreactors received a simulated hydrograph lasting 1.5 days (Non-Containment treatment) and three pilot bioreactors received the same total drainage volume treated over 4 days at a constant flow rate (i.e. constant retention time; Containment treatment). Results showed significantly different total mass removal efficiencies of 14.0% vs. 36.9% and significantly different removal rates of 2.1 g N m⁻³ day⁻¹ vs. 6.7 g N m⁻³ day⁻¹ for the Non-Containment and Containment treatments, respectively, which indicated that treating drainage at constant retention times provided more optimized nitrate removal. While this work was done to evaluate treatment under New Zealand drainage conditions, it also provides valuable information for optimizing agricultural drainage denitrification bioreactor performance in general.