Effects of organic matter addition on phosphorus availability to flooded and nonflooded rice in a P‐deficient tropical soil: a greenhouse study

Addition of organic matter (OM) to flooded soils stimulates reductive dissolution of Fe(III) minerals, thereby mobilizing associated phosphate (P). Hence, OM management has the potential to overcome P deficiency. This study assessed if OM applications increases soil or mineral fertilizer P availability to rice under anaerobic (flooded) condition and if that effect is different relative to that in aerobic (nonflooded) soils. Rice was grown in P‐deficient soil treated with combinations of addition of mineral P (0, 26 mg P/kg), OM (0, ~9 g OM/kg as rice straw + cattle manure) and water treatments (flooded vs nonflooded) in a factorial pot experiment. The OM was either freshly added just before flooding or incubated moist in soil for 6 months prior to flooding; blanket N and K was added in all treatments. Fresh addition of OM promoted reductive dissolution of Fe(III) minerals in flooded soils, whereas no such effect was found when OM had been incubated for 6 months before flooding. Yield and shoot P uptake largely increased with mineral P addition in all soils, whereas OM addition increased yield and P uptake only in flooded soils following fresh OM addition. The combination of mineral P and OM gave the largest yield and P uptake. Addition of OM just prior to soil flooding increased P uptake but was insufficient to overcome P deficiency in the absence of mineral P. Larger applications of OM are unlikely to be more successful in flooded soils due to side effects, such as Fe toxicity.     

Soil organic and inorganic carbon sequestration by consecutive biochar application: Results from a decade field experiment

Biochar addition can expand soil organic carbon (SOC) stock and has potential ability in mitigating climate change. Also, some incubation experiments have shown that biochar can increase soil inorganic carbon (SIC) contents. However, there is no direct evidence for this from the field experiment. In order to make up the sparseness of available data resulting from the long‐term effect of biochar amendment on soil carbon fractions, here we detected the contents and stocks of the bulk SIC and SOC fractions based on a 10‐year field experiment of consecutive biochar application in Shandong Province, China. There are three biochar treatments as no‐biochar (control), and biochar application at 4.5 Mg ha^?1 year^?1 (B4.5) and 9.0 Mg ha^?1 year^?1 (B9.0), respectively. The results showed that biochar application significantly enhanced SIC content (3.2%–24.3%), >53 μm particulate organic carbon content (POC, 38.2%–166.2%) and total soil organic carbon content (15.8%–82.2%), compared with the no‐biochar control. However, <53 μm silt–clay‐associated organic carbon (SCOC) content was significantly decreased (14%–27%) under the B9.0 treatment. Our study provides the direct field evidence that SIC contributed to carbon sequestration after the biochar application, and indicates that the applied biochar was allocated mainly in POC fraction. Further, the decreased SCOC and increased microbial biomass carbon contents observed in field suggest that the biochar application might exert a positive priming effect on native soil organic carbon.     

Sugar beet rotation effects on soil organic matter and calculated humus balance in Central Germany

In order to quantify the influence of land use systems on the level of soil organic matter (SOM) to develop recommendations, long-term field studies are essential. Based on a crop rotation experiment which commenced in 1970, this paper investigated the impact of crop rotations involving increased proportions of sugar beet on SOM content. To this end, soil samples were taken in 2010 and 2012 from the following crop rotation sequences: sugar beet–sugar beet–winter wheat–winter wheat (SB–SB–WW–WW = 50%), sugar beet–sugar beet–sugar beet–winter wheat (SB–SB–SB–WW = 75%), sugar beet–grain maize (SB–GM = 50%) and sugar beet-monoculture (SB = 100%); these were analysed in terms of total organic carbon (TOC) and microbial biomass carbon (MBC) content, MBC/TOC ratio and the TOC stocks per hectare. In addition, humus balances were created (using the software REPRO, reference period 12 years) in order to calculate how well the soil was supplied with organic matter. In the field experiment, harvest by-products (WW and GM straw as well as SB leaves) were removed. After 41 years, no statistically significant differences were measured between the crop rotations for the parameters TOC, MBC, MBC/TOC ratio and the TOC stock per hectare. However, the calculated humus balance was significantly affected by the crop rotation. The calculated humus balance became increasingly negative in the order SB–SB–WW–WW, SB–SB–SB–WW, SB monoculture and SB–GM, and correlated with the soil parameters. The calculated humus balances for the reference period did not reflect the actual demand for organic matter by the crop rotations, but instead overestimated it.     

藏北高原退化高寒草甸土壤团聚体有机碳变化特征

采用湿筛法对藏北高原退化高寒草甸表层(0~10cm)、亚表层(10~20cm)土壤团聚体有机碳及其变化进行了研究。结果表明,高原冷湿环境中退化草地表层、亚表层SAOC的下降幅度随草地退化加剧均趋于显著提高,轻度、严重退化草地表层各粒级SAOC降幅均明显高于亚表层;草地退化缩小了不同土层间SAOC含量的差异,草地退化程度越高则表层、亚表层间SAOC含量的差异越小,退化草地大团聚体(0.25mm)SOC、微团聚体(0.25mm)SOC含量的土层分布亦呈相同趋势。轻度退化草地不同土层大团聚体SOC降幅均较高,严重退化草地不同土层微团聚体SOC降幅则较高;正常草地、轻度退化草地、严重退化草地表层大团聚体SOC/微团聚体SOC比值分别为0.95,0.87,1.55,亚表层分别为0.96,0.72,2.33,表明轻度、严重退化草地中大团聚体SOC含量随土层加深分别更趋下降、更趋提高。退化草地表层、亚表层SAOC贡献率在总体上亦均按2~0.25 mm,2 mm,0.25~0.053mm,0.053mm的顺序依次大幅降低,表明不同土层大团聚体SOC贡献率均较高。土壤团聚体与SAOC、SOC与SAOC间的关系受草地退化程度的影响。     

Nutritional significance of amino acids,vitamins and minerals as nutraceuticals in poultry production and health – a comprehensive review

Nutraceuticals have gained immense importance in poultry science recently considering the nutritional and beneficial health effects of their constituents. Besides providing nutritional requirements to birds, nutraceuticals have beneficial pharmacological effects, for example, they help in establishing normal physiological health status, prevent diseases and thereby improve production performance. Nutraceuticals include amino acids, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, etc. which are important for preventing oxidative stress, regulating the immune response and maintaining normal physiological, biochemical and homeostatic mechanisms. Nutraceuticals help in supplying nutrients in balanced amounts for supporting the optimal growth performance in modern poultry flocks, and as a dietary supplement can reduce the use of antibiotics. The application of antibiotic growth enhancers in poultry leads to the propagation of antibiotic-resistant microbes and drug residues; therefore, they have been restricted in many countries. Thus, there is a demand for natural feed additives that lead to the same growth enhancement without affecting the health. Nutraceuticals substances have an essential role in the development of the animals’ normal physiological functions and in protecting them against infectious diseases. In this review, the uses of amino acids, vitamins and minerals as well as their mode of action in growth promotion and elevation of immune system are discussed.     

磷对铝胁迫紫花苜蓿幼苗根系生长和生理特征的影响

为了探究磷对铝胁迫下紫花苜蓿幼苗生长和生理特征的影响,分别用不含和含200 μmol·L^-1磷（P）、100 μmol·L^-1铝（Al）、200 μmol·L^-1 P+100 μmol·L^-1 Al的简易 ［Ca（NO₃）₂］营养液（pH=4.5）处理铝敏感紫花苜蓿品种‘Wl440’幼苗。结果表明,在铝处理中添加磷后,苜蓿幼苗根系和叶片中的铝含量分别比铝处理降低81.53%和61.47%,苜蓿幼苗的根长和根系活力显著提高,叶片电导率和丙二醛（MDA）含量显著下降;光合生理得到明显改善,与铝处理相比,磷添加处理幼苗叶片的叶绿素含量、蒸腾速率、气孔导度和光合速率明显提高,光系统Ⅱ和光系统I的电子传递速率增加;磷添加处理明显提高了铝胁迫苜蓿根系的草酸和苹果酸含量,体内有机酸螯合铝离子的能力增强,光合能力提高。因此,磷能够通过增加根系有机酸含量,改善铝胁迫苜蓿光合系统,从而缓解苜蓿铝毒害。     

发酵豆粕在犊牛饲料中的应用进展

豆粕是一种优质的植物性蛋白来源,含有丰富的氨基酸,但也含有胰蛋白酶抑制因子、抗原蛋白以及大豆凝集素等抗营养因子,容易引起犊牛消化功能紊乱,造成营养性腹泻,限制了其在犊牛上的使用量。微生物发酵可以改善豆粕的营养价值,使抗营养因子得到充分的降解,生成的小肽和有机酸有利于犊牛消化吸收和肠道健康,进而提高犊牛断奶日增重和免疫能力,降低犊牛的腹泻率和断奶应激。本文综述了豆粕经过发酵后带来营养价值的变化,并就发酵豆粕在犊牛上的应用进行概述,为其今后在犊牛中的应用提供参考。     

Soil aggregate formation and stability induced by starch and cellulose

Soil aggregate (SA) can be formed and stabilized when soil organic matter (SOM) is decomposed in the soil. However, the relationships between the SA dynamics and SOM with different decomposition rates have not been clarified. Therefore, this study examined the effects of the addition of polysaccharides to soil on SA formation and stability. A Japanese tropical soil was incubated for 99 d at 30 °C in a dark environment following the addition of 0.5% (w/w) starch or cellulose. The decomposition rates of the amendments, and SA formation and stability were evaluated by measuring soil respiration rates, and distribution fractions of soil aggregate sizes and mean weight diameter (MWD) of SA, respectively. The cumulative soil respirations with all treatments rapidly increased until Day 12 of the incubation. The initial slope of the cumulative soil respiration in the soil with starch was significantly higher than that in the soil with cellulose. In either soil with starch or cellulose, the fractions of macro-aggregates (>1000 μm in diameter) significantly increased, respectively, compared with control soil. However, the fractions of meso-aggregates (250–1000 μm) and nano-aggregate (<20 μm) in the soil with starch significantly decreased, while those fractions in the soil with cellulose fluctuated until Day 6. The MWDs reached the maximum on Day 6, indicating the SA formation in the soils with starch or cellulose. The increasing rate of the SA formation in the starch-amended soil was greatly higher than that in the cellulose-amended soil. After Day 6, the MWDs in the soils with either polysaccharide decreased with similar trends with no significant differences between treatments, indicating similar stability of the SA in both treatments. This study showed that the different decomposability of the organic amendments might influence the SA formation differently, but not the SA stability.     

Impact of Land Use and Land Cover Changes on Organic Carbon Stocks in Mediterranean Soils (1956–2007)

During the last few decades, land use changes have largely affected the global warming process through emissions of CO₂. However, C sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems could contribute to the decrease of atmospheric CO₂ rates. Although Mediterranean areas show a high potential for C sequestration, only a few studies have been carried out in these systems. In this study, we propose a methodology to assess the impact of land use and land cover change dynamics on soil organic C stocks at different depths. Soil C sequestration rates are provided for different land cover changes and soil types in Andalusia (southern Spain). Our research is based on the analysis of detailed soil databases containing data from 1357 soil profiles, the Soil Map of Andalusia and the Land Use and Land Cover Map of Andalusia. Land use and land cover changes between 1956 and 2007 implied soil organic C losses in all soil groups, resulting in a total loss of 16·8 Tg (approximately 0·33 Tg y⁻¹). Afforestation increased soil organic C mostly in the topsoil, and forest contributed to sequestration of 8·62 Mg ha⁻¹ of soil organic C (25·4 per cent). Deforestation processes implied important C losses, particularly in Cambisols, Luvisols and Vertisols. The information generated in this study will be a useful basis for designing management strategies for stabilizing the increasing atmospheric CO₂ concentrations by preservation of C stocks and C sequestration. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Formulation challenges of organic poultry diets with readily available ingredients and limited synthetic methionine

Organic agriculture has increased greatly over the past several years as consumer demand for these products has risen. Organic meat production, including poultry, has grown especially quickly, resulting in increasingly stringent guidelines being put in place to ensure safe, uniform, and ideal products for these consumers. Feed formulation and manufacturing for organic poultry in the United States are strictly regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture National Organic Program. Currently, no synthetic amino acids are allowed to be used in organic poultry diets in the United States except for limited quantities of synthetic methionine since it is typically considered the first or second limiting amino acid in corn and soybean meal based poultry diets and it is a critical nutrient for maintaining bird growth and productive performance, especially regarding egg size in laying hens. The aim of the review herein is to discuss the impacts that current organic regulations on synthetic methionine have on diet formulation when using readily available ingredients. High levels of crude protein must be used to meet bird methionine requirements with this restriction in place, which both increases feed costs and can have negative impacts on bird health and on air quality and the surrounding environment due to increased ammonia emissions. Atypical feed formulation strategies have been explored to address this issue, including such methods as feeding alternative ingredients and providing forage materials. Another possibility would be to use an average lifetime maximum inclusion rate for synthetic methionine, which may allow for better flexibility to provide sufficient methionine throughout various phases of growth and production since the requirements of the bird change with age.