F. Mohammadi Navchinejad; A. R. Hosseinpur; H. R. Motaghian
Abstract
Introduction: Application of organic fertilizers such as vermicompost to agricultural calcareous soils with low organic matter content is a way to add nutrients to these soils. Different organic fertilizers have different effects on soil nutrient availability. Moreover, the study of nutrients distribution ...
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Introduction: Application of organic fertilizers such as vermicompost to agricultural calcareous soils with low organic matter content is a way to add nutrients to these soils. Different organic fertilizers have different effects on soil nutrient availability. Moreover, the study of nutrients distribution in the soil allows us to investigate their mobility and bioavailability. Zinc (Zn) deficiency is an important problem in many calcareous soils due to its effect on increasing the yield of agricultural products. Organic fertilizers can improve availability of Zn by impact on its fractionation. On the other hand, their interaction with chemical fertilizers requires careful consideration of availability and fractionation of Zn in soils treated with organic and chemical fertilizers. The aim of this research was to investigate the interaction effect of zinc sulphate, and vermicompost on availability and fractions of Zn in a calcareous clay soil.
Materials and Methods: This study was performed as a completely randomized factorial design including two levels of vermicompost (0 and 1% w/w) and three levels of Zn (0, 2, and 5 mg kg-1 as ZnSO4) with three replications. All treated soils were incubated for 120 days at 22 ± 1 0C and constant moisture (17% w/w). Zinc availability (DTPA-TEA) and other fractions (BCR method) were determined at the beginning of experiment, 60 days, and 120 days after incubation. The soil samples were sequentially extracted using an operationally defined sequential fractionation procedure, based on that employed by BCR in which increasingly strong extractants were used to release Zn associated with different soil fractions. Four Zn -fractions were extracted in the following sequence: Step 1: soluble, exchangeable, and associated with carbonates fraction (a 40 ml of 0.1 M CH3COOH for 16 h at room temperature), Step 2: iron-manganese oxides-associated fraction (40 ml of 1 M NH2OH.HCl in 1.5 M HNO3 for 16 h at 22 0C), Step 3: organic matter-associated fraction (50 ml of 1 M CH3COONH4 in 1.5M HNO3 for 16 h at 85 0C) and Finally step 4: residual fraction was determined using 4 M HNO3 (a 12.5 ml volume of 4 M HNO3, for 16 h at 80 0C). Concentrations of Zn in all extractants were determined by Atomic absorption spectroscopy..
Results and Discussion: The results of this study showed that the mean of Zn extracted by DTPA-TEA after vermicompost application increased significantly (P<0.05). The interaction between vermicompost and time on Zn extracted by DTPA-TEA was not significant (P>0.05). Zinc extracted by DTPA-TEA decreased with increasing incubation time. All forms of Zn increased by vermicompost application in soil samples treated with ZnSO4. Soluble, exchangeable, and bound to carbonates Zn and Zn associated to Fe-Mn oxides fractions (except vermicompost with 5 mg kg-1 Zn at 60 days after incubation) increased with increasing incubation time. Zinc associated to organic matter increased 60 days after incubation compared to the beginning of the experiment. However, difference between Zn associated to organic matter at 120 days after incubation and beginning of the experiment was not significant (except vermicompost with 5 mg kg-1 Zn at 60 days after incubation). The results of this study showed that residual Zn decreased with increasing incubation time. Results of this study demonstrated that the fractions of Zn in the soil samples treated with ZnSO4 were modified after vermicompost application and its availability increased. Therefore, the application of chemical fertilizers with organic fertilizers leads to increase Zn in the soil. The results of correlation study showed that the relation between available Zn and Zn associated to Fe-Mn oxides at 1 h (r=0.77 p<0.05), 60 days after incubation (r=0.95 p<0.05), and 120 days after incubation (r=0.95, p<0.05) was significant. There was a significant correlation between available Zn and Zn in forms of solution, exchangeable and associated with carbonates, associated with Fe-Mn oxides, and associated with organic matter, which indicate the effective role of these fractions in supplying the required Zn to plant.
Conclusion: Vermicompost application in calcareous soils increased available Zn and the effect of vermicompost was not dependent on time. Over time, there was a decrease in available Zn in the presence of chemical fertilizer. Vermicompost application in calcareous soils increased all Zn fractions. According to these results, the Zn fractions in the soil treated with zinc sulfate had been changed and its availability increased during incubation time. The results of this study demonstrated that the fractions of Zn in the soils treated with ZnSO4 and vermicompost were modified and its availability increased. Therefore, the application of chemical fertilizers with organic fertilizers can increase Zn in calcareous clay soils.
faeze lotfi; amir fotovat; reza khorasani; Mahdi Bahraini
Abstract
Introduction: The pollution of soils by heavy metals due to human activities poses a serious concern for human and environmental health. In order to evaluate the risks of heavy metal contamination such as cadmium in soil, it is necessary to understand its bioavailability which depends on its chemical ...
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Introduction: The pollution of soils by heavy metals due to human activities poses a serious concern for human and environmental health. In order to evaluate the risks of heavy metal contamination such as cadmium in soil, it is necessary to understand its bioavailability which depends on its chemical forms in the soil. According to Tessier (1979), heavy metals can be found in various chemical forms in soil including exchangeable, bound to carbonates, bound to iron and manganese oxides and bound to organic matter and residual. These fractions significantly influence the cadmium mobility and bioavailability. Distribution of metals in chemical forms in soil depends on soil pH, amount of organic matter, oxidation-reduction potential and ionic strength. Root exudation, soil texture, cation exchangeable capacity and amount of calcium carbonate may also impact chemical forms of cadmium. Many studies have showed that plant root may affect the chemistry of heavy metals in soil root zone. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of organic matter on the distribution of cadmium in corn root media.
Materials and Methods: To investigate the effect of organic matter (cow manure) and root activity on chemical forms of cadmium, a greenhouse experiment was conducted using rhizobox. The contaminated soil sample used in the study was collected from Zanjan. This greenhouse experiment was conducted in a factorial design, with 2 replications, two levels of organic matter (0 and 1.5%) and three zones classified based on their distance from root. The soil samples were air dried and crushed to pass through a 2-mm sieve. The cultivation was conducted using a rhizobox. The rhizobox consisted of three parts: 1.central compartment (rhizosphere), 2.close to rhizosphere, and 3. soil bulk. Soil samples were mixed with fertilizer and packed in rhizobox. Eight pre-germinated maize seedlings were transferred to the central compartment and five days after germination, thinned to four plants. Ten weeks after planting, corn plants were harvested for analysis. The compartments of rhizobox were separated. The collected plant samples (root and shoot) were rinsed with deionized water and oven-dried at 70 °C. Soil samples were also measured for pH, CEC and total organic carbon. The chemical forms of cadmium in the soil and plant samples were identified by the sequential extraction procedure proposed by Tessier (1979). Bioavailable cadmium in soil was also extracted by DTPA-TEA.
Results and Discussion: Results showed that the highest amount of soil cadmium was found in carbonate fraction. Adding organic matter increased the soil pH, CEC and organic carbon amount, whereas none of chemical forms of cadmium were significantly affected by adding organic matter. Bioavailability of cadmium, however, decreased by adding organic matter to soil, It can be therefore concluded that increment in cadmium uptake due to increased organic matter led to decreased cadmium bioavailability. The exchangeable cadmium was negatively correlated to soil organic carbon, while bioavailable cadmium was negatively correlated to soil pH, CEC and amount of soil organic carbon. Moreover, our results indicated that the fractions of cadmium were not significantly affected by distance from the root. Moreover, adding organic matter insignificantly increased concentration of cadmium in shoots, roots and total plants.
Conclusion: In this study, among different chemical forms of cadmium, only bioavailable cadmium was significantly affected by adding organic matter to soil. Additionally, soil pH, CEC and organic carbon were significantly increased by adding organic matter. These results indicate that addition of organic matter to soil may indirectly influence chemical forms of cadmium through impacting soil properties (soil pH, CEC and organic carbon). The addition of organic matter had the most influence on carbonate fraction of cadmium which may be potentially available to plant. It seems that addition of organic matter (cow manure) may result in increase of cadmium concentration in plant. Therefore, it can be concluded that addition of cow manure to calcareous soils with neutral to slightly alkaline pH may lead to increased cadmium uptake by the plant (corn) and reduced soil cadmium concentration.
Mohamad Rahmanian; AliReza Hosseinpour; Ebrahim Adhami; Hamidreza Motaghian
Abstract
Introduction: Rhizosphere is commonly defined as the zone where root activity significantly influences the biological and chemical properties of the soil. Biological, physical and chemical characteristics of rhizosphere, especially metal availability and metal chemical forms are different than the bulk ...
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Introduction: Rhizosphere is commonly defined as the zone where root activity significantly influences the biological and chemical properties of the soil. Biological, physical and chemical characteristics of rhizosphere, especially metal availability and metal chemical forms are different than the bulk soil. Plant roots continuously release compounds such as sugars, amino acids, and carboxylic acids. Plant roots have the ability to transform metal fractions for easier uptake through root exudation in the rhizosphere. This study was conducted to investigate change in availability and fractions of Copper in the rhizosphere of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) in a sandy contaminated soil treated with chelators (EDTA, citric acid and poultry manure extract (PME)) in greenhouse condition.
Materials and Methods: In this study, EDTA and citric acid were used at concentrations of 0, 0.5 and 1 mmol kg-1 soil and PME was used at concentrations of0, 0.5 and 1 g kg-1 soil. Three seeds of sunflower were planted in the rhizobox. After 10 weeks, plants were harvested and rhizosphere and bulk soils were separated. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), available Cu (by using 7 chemical procedures including DTPA-TEA,AB-DTPA, Mehlich1, Mehlich3, CaCl2 0.01 M, rhizosphere-based method and distilled water) and Cu-fractions were determined in the rhizosphere and bulk soils.
Results and Discussion: Rhizosphere soils properties were different with bulk soils. The results showed that the mean of DOC and MBC in the rhizosphere soils were higher than the bulk soils, but this difference was significant in some treatments. The mean value of pH in the rhizosphere soils was significantly (p
shahrzad kabirinejad; mahmoud kalbasi; amir khoshgoftar manesh; M. Hoodaji; Majid Afyuni
Abstract
Introduction: Preceding crops as a source of organic matter are an important source of micronutrient and can play an important role in the soil fertility and the micronutrients cycle of soil. In addition to the role of the organic matter in increasing the concentration of micronutrients in soil solution, ...
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Introduction: Preceding crops as a source of organic matter are an important source of micronutrient and can play an important role in the soil fertility and the micronutrients cycle of soil. In addition to the role of the organic matter in increasing the concentration of micronutrients in soil solution, attention also should be paid to the role of the kind and the quantity of the root’s exudates that are released in response to the incorporation of different plant residues in the rhizosphere. Present research was conducted with the objective of studying the effect of the kind of preceding crops: Trifolium (Trifolium pretense L), Sofflower (Carthamus tinectirus L), Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L), Sunflower (Heliantus annus L) and control (fallow) on the chemical forms of copper in the wheat rhizosphere and the bulk soil and Cu uptake by wheat and also investigating the correlation between the fractions of Cu in soil and Cu uptake in wheat.
Materials and Methods: The present research was conducted as split plot in a Randomized Complete Block design (RCBD) with 3 replications and 5 treatments, in field conditions. In the beginning, the preceding crops were cultivated in the experimental plots and after ending growth, preceding crops were harvested. Then the wheat was cultivated in the experimental plots. Finally, after harvesting the wheat, soil samples were collected from the two parts of the root zone (the wheat rhizosphere and the bulk soil). The soil samples were air dried ground and passed through a 2-mm sieve and stored for chemical analysis. Soil pH (in the soil saturation extract) and organic matter (Walkley–Black wet digestion) were measured in standard methods (1). The Total Organic Carbon (TOC) was measured by Analyzer (Primacs SLC TOC Analyzer (CS22), Netherlands). The available Cu in soil was extracted by DTPA and determined using atomic absorption spectroscopy (2). The fractionation of soil Cu was carried out using the MSEP method (3).
Results and Discussion: The results showed that the preceding crops significantly decreased soil pH, also significantly increased the DOC and DTPA-extractable Cu.These changes were higher in the Trifolium preceding treatment in the rhizosphere soil. Also, the preceding crops significantly decreased Carbonate -Cuand Residual-Cu fractions in the wheat rhizosphere compared with the bulk soil. The preceding crops (except Trifolium) significantly increased Oxide-Cu fraction. The soil Oxide- Cu fraction was higher in the rhizosphere in comparison with the bulk soil. The preceding crops increased the Organic-Cu in both the wheat rhizosphere and the bulk soil and it was higher in Trifolium treatment. The preceding crops increased Cu uptake by wheat and Organic-Cu positively correlated with Cu uptake by wheat.
Conclusion: The Organic-Cu fraction increased in the rhizosphere compared with the bulk soil, whereas Oxide- Cu, Carbonate–Cu and Residual-Cu fractions decreased. According to the results, the observed increase in the copper concentration of organic fraction in the rhizosphere was due to the decrease in the copper concentration of carbonate, oxide and residual fractions. In fact, the main process is the transmission of copper from carbonate, oxide and residual fractions to another fraction. Also, the results showed that the root exudates of the preceding crops and wheat affected the different forms of copper in the soil solid phase. Furthermore, the results of copper forms correlation analysis with Cu uptake by wheat showed that the Organic-Cu fraction had more important role in supplying copper was needed for wheat. Therefore, the preceding crops increased the copper concentration of organic fraction in the rhizosphere compared with the bulk soil, and these changes are associated with increasing the amount of copper uptake in wheat.
