The Humus Content and Soil Biological Properties as a Function of Organic and Mineral Fertilization

There is a growing recognition for the need to develop sensitive indicators of soil quality that reflect the effects of land management on soil and assist land users in promoting sustainability of agro-ecosystems. Three soil enzymes (dehydrogenase, phosphatase and invertase) microbial biomass as biological variables and soil organic matter content (SOM) were investigated relative to fertilization and soil fertility (estimated by crop yield) at a long-term fertilization trial (Keszthely, Hungary). 0-34.7-69.4-104.1t farmyard manure (FYM) ha m 1 5 yr m 1 and the corresponding amount of mineral fertilizers (NPK) were applied in two different crop rotation systems. There were four straw and/or stalk incorporating treatments in the second crop rotation 'B'. Enzyme activities, microbial biomass and the amount of SOM were generally higher in the fertilized soils than in the unfertilized soils. The type of amendments (mineral, FYM or mixed) had significant effects only on the amount of SOM. The correlations among the biological variables and the crop yield were generally low (r < 0.250. The differences in field management resulted only in the invertase activity.     

Developments in soil microbiology since the mid 1960s

Since the 1960s, soil microbiology underwent major changes in methods and approaches and this review focuses on the developments in some selected aspects of soil microbiology. Research in cell numbers of specific bacterial and fungal groups was replaced by a focus on biochemical processes including soil enzyme activities, and flux measurements of carbon and nutrients. Ecologists focused on soil microbial pools whereas soil microbial biomass as an important source and sink of nutrients were recognized in agriculture. Soil microbiologists started to use structural components like phospholipid fatty acids for quantification of specific microbial groups without the need to cultivate them. In the last decade, molecular approaches allowed new insights through the analysis of soil extract DNA showing an unexpected diversity of genomes in soil. At the end of the review a brief outlook is given on the future of soil microbiology which ranges from in situ identification of bacteria, to routine assays of microbial communities by microarray technology.     

Effect op foliar sprays of sulphuric acid with and without elemental sulphur in the prevention of chlorosis In Peanut (Arachis hypogaea. L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted on an alkaline calcareous soil of Agronomy farm of the College of Agriculture, University of Udaipur to study the effect of sulphur on crop yield, leaf elemental composition, chlorophyll synthesis and activities of haematin enzymes. Application of elemental sulphur 21 days before planting with and without 0.1 per cent foliar sprays of H₂SO₄. increased crop yield by 137 to 197 per cent. Application of all these treatnents had no effect on nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content of leaves but sulphur content was signficantly increased. Iron content of green leaves was decreased significantly 4 to 5 times together with an increase in the activity of catalase and peroxidase enzymes. Chlorosis in these soils appears to be on account of a reduced physiological availability of iron after absorption.     

Effect of cereal type and exogenous enzyme supplementation in pig diets on odour and ammonia emissions

A 2 × 2 factorial experiment was conducted to investigate the interaction between cereal type (wheat vs. barley) and exogenous enzyme supplementation (with or without) on odour concentration and ammonia emissions in grower–finisher pigs. The enzyme supplement used contained Endo-1, 3 (4)-β-glucanase (EC 3.2.1.6) and Endo-1, 4-β-xylanase (E.C 3.2.1.8). The diets were formulated to contain similar levels of digestible energy and lysine. The experimental treatments were as follows: (1) wheat-based diet, (2) wheat-based diet containing a β-glucanase and β-xylanase mixed enzyme supplement, (3) barley-based diet and (4) barley-based diet containing a β-glucanase and β-xylanase mixed enzyme supplement. The diets were offered to the pigs for 4 weeks and this was repeated 4 times (n = 4). Odour and ammonia emissions were measured on days 9, 11, 14, 16, 21 and 23 of each experimental period. Odour samples were collected in 20-litre Nalophan bags and analysed for odour concentration using an ECOMA Yes/No Olfactometer. Ammonia concentrations were measured using Dräger tubes. There was a cereal × enzyme interaction in odour emission rates (P < 0.05) and in ammonia emissions (P < 0.01). The addition of an enzyme supplement increased odour emissions and had no effect on ammonia emissions in the barley-based diet. The enzyme supplementation had no effect on odour but decreased ammonia emissions in the wheat based diet.     

Improvement of quality and shelf-life of strawberries with edible coatings enriched with chitosan

Strawberry fruit have a very short shelf-life and senescent period due to their high degree of perishability and infection caused by several pathogens that can rapidly reduce fruit quality. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose (HPMC) and composites with chitosan (CH) coatings on the shelf-life and overall quality of strawberry fruit. Strawberry fruit dipped for 2 min in solutions of CMC (1%), HPMC (1%), CMC (1%) + CH (1%) and HPMC (1%) + CH (1%) were stored at 11 ± 1 °C, 70–75% RH, while the uncoated fruit served as controls. Fruit coated with edible coatings showed significant delays in the change of weight loss, decay percentage, titratable acidity (TA), pH, total soluble solids (TSS) and ascorbic acid content as compared to uncoated control fruit. In addition, the edible coatings had a positive effect on maintaining higher concentrations of total phenolics and total anthocyanins, which decreased in control fruit due to over-ripening and senescence processes. Compared to the controls, all the coatings had positive effects on the inhibition of cell wall degrading enzymes and among all the tested coatings, CMC + CH and HPMC + CH was superior in inhibiting enzyme activity. These findings suggest that the use of CMC 1% + CH 1% and HPMC 1% + CH 1% coatings are useful for extending the shelf-life and maintaing quality of strawberry fruit.     

Variations in soil chemical properties and microbial biomass in artificial gaps in silver fir stands

Changes in soil chemical and microbiological parameters in small (185 m²) and medium (410 m²) gaps, created in mature silver fir (Abies alba Mill) stands (mean height 30 m) in the Calabrian Apennines (Southern Italy), were studied over 2 years. Medium gaps had high soil temperature and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) transmittance and low soil moisture. Within small gaps we detected a greater amount of organic matter, with respect to under canopy cover sites and medium gaps. Moreover, a different trend of the organic matter between small and medium gaps was observed. In the medium gaps, with respect to under canopy cover sites and small gaps, we found a relatively low content of organic matter, associated to a lower amount of humic acid, which suggested that the organic substrate undergoes a mineralization rather than a humification process. An opposite trend was observed in small gaps, where the increase of organic matter content, associated to an increase of humic acid and microbial biomass, suggested a better humification process. Moreover, in small gaps the highest level of urease and the greatest fluorescein diacetate (FDA) hydrolysis were observed. The different trend of organic matter observed in small and medium gaps may be related to changes in the environmental conditions. PAR transmittance, significantly higher in medium gaps, contributed to increase soil temperature and decrease soil moisture, affecting soil microbial populations and organic matter trend. These results suggest that the creation of small gaps represents the silvicultural practice with minor environmental impact.     

Influence of three diets on susceptibility of selected insecticides and activities of detoxification esterases of Helicoverpa assulta (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

The oriental tobacco worm, Helicoverpa assulta Guenée, is one of the most destructive pests of tobacco and peppers in China. We determined the susceptibility of H. assulta reared on an artificial diet, chili pepper and tobacco to four insecticides (fenvalerate, phoxim, methomyl, indoxacarb) under laboratory conditions associated with the activities of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), carboxylesterase (CarE) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) in its larvae. H. assulta larvae that were fed with chili pepper were more susceptible to fenvalerate, indoxacarb, and phoxim than those that were fed with tobacco and the artificial diet, but not to methomyl. The larvae that were fed with chili pepper were 3.65-, 2.49-, 1.92- and 2.44-fold more susceptible to fenvalerate, phoxim, methomyl, and indoxacarb than those fed with tobacco, respectively. The AChE activities of H. assulta larvae that were fed with chili pepper and tobacco were 2.12 and 1.07 μmol mg⁻¹ 15 min⁻¹, respectively, almost 2-fold difference. The CarE activity of H. assulta larvae that were fed with chili pepper, tobacco and the artificial diet was 4.12, 7.40 and 7.12 μmol mg⁻¹ 30 min⁻¹, respectively. Similarly, the GST activities of H. assulta larvae that were fed with chili pepper, tobacco and the artificial diet was 52.02, 79.37 and 80.02 μmol mg⁻¹ min⁻¹, respectively. H. assulta larvae that were fed with chili pepper were more resistance to the tested insecticides. The low activities of AChE and the high activities of CarE and GST lead to H. assulta become more susceptible to the tested insecticides.     

苯甲酸和肉桂酸对番茄幼苗根部保护酶及膜质过氧化的影响

研究了苯甲酸和肉桂酸对番茄幼苗根部保护酶及膜质过氧化的影响.以珍珠岩作为基质,通过施加不同浓度的苯甲酸和肉桂酸研究在番茄苗期,不同浓度自毒物质主要成分对其根部超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化物酶(POD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)、丙二醛(MDA)的影响.结果表明:两种物质的作用与其浓度和作用时间密切相关,不同浓度的苯甲酸和肉桂酸都促进了MDA含量的增加,其中以10 mmol/L的苯甲酸在第20天时促进作用最为明显;不同浓度的苯甲酸和肉桂酸在处理后的第5天使SOD的活性显著升高,但是从第10天开始苯甲酸促进作用减弱,5 mmol/L和10 mmol/L的苯甲酸转为抑制作用,而肉桂酸则在第20天转为抑制作用;两种自毒物质使POD的活性在处理后的第5和第10天显著高于对照水平,并且低浓度促进作用明显大于高浓度,但是在第20天急剧下降;不同浓度的苯甲酸和肉桂酸使CAT的活性在处理后的第10天达到最高,但是在第20天完全低于对照水平.可见,苯甲酸和肉桂酸的施用打破了番茄根部保护酶系统原有的平衡,造成了根系的膜质过氧化.     

锌对黄瓜幼苗根系生长及保护酶活性的影响

为促进科学合理施用微量元素肥料、培育黄瓜壮苗,进一步提高黄瓜产量和品质,以‘新津春4号’黄瓜为材料,缺锌的1/2 Hoagland营养液为基础,设置4个不同浓度的ZnSO4?7H2O处理(0、0.1、0.2、0.4 mg/L)。通过营养液水培的方法,研究不同锌浓度对黄瓜幼苗根系生长及保护酶活性的影响。结果表明：（1）随着锌浓度的增加,黄瓜幼苗根系的总长度、平均直径、总面积、总体积、根尖数逐渐提高,Zn3(0.4 mg/L)时达到最大。（2）在Zn0(0 mg/L)到Zn2(0.2 mg/L)范围内,随着锌浓度的提高,POD、CAT活性升高,当锌浓度大于Zn2时,POD、CAT活性降低;SOD活性随着锌浓度的增加显著提高;丙二醛(MDA)含量随着锌浓度的增加显著降低。（3）综合考虑的黄瓜生长生理指标,黄瓜幼苗根系生长的最佳ZnSO4?7H2O浓度为0.2 mg/L的1/2 Hoagland营养液。     

獭兔日粮中添加酶制剂的效果

以９０只生长獭兔为试验动物,研究日粮中添加酸性蛋白酶（Ｐ）和纤维素酶（Ｃ）对日增重、屠宰性能、产品品质的影响,并对经济效益进行分析。结果表明：日粮中添加０．７５％和１．５％的纤维素酶后日增重分别比对照组提高１６．８８％（Ｐ＜０．０５）和２０．５５％（Ｐ＜０．０１）;添加０．７５％Ｐ＋０．７５％Ｃ和０．７５％Ｐ＋１．５％Ｃ后日增重分别比对照组提高１７．６２％（Ｐ＜０．０５）和２２．８２％（Ｐ＜０．０１）;各试验组间无显著差异（Ｐ＞０．０５）;单独添加纤维素酶和同时添加两种酶制剂,对屠宰性能、产品质量无明显影响（Ｐ０．０５）;经济效益以添加０．７５％Ｐ＋１．５％Ｃ为最好,每千克增重较对照组降低成本１．６８元。