Soil science
H. Asgari; M. Barani Motlagh; S.A. Movahedi Naeini; A. Babaei
Abstract
Introduction
Wheat is considered the most important grain and one of the vital food products in Iran. After nitrogen, phosphorus is the most important nutrient required by plants and holds a high priority for the growth, yield and quality of plants. However, due to the introduction of phosphorus in ...
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Introduction
Wheat is considered the most important grain and one of the vital food products in Iran. After nitrogen, phosphorus is the most important nutrient required by plants and holds a high priority for the growth, yield and quality of plants. However, due to the introduction of phosphorus in various reactions in the soil, a small amount of consumed phosphorus fertilizer is removed by the plant and the rest of it is left in a non-absorbable form in the soil. The efficiency of using phosphorus fertilizers and the availability of this nutrient is considered as a limiting factor for the production of agricultural products in calcareous soils with alkaline reaction of Iran. Since graphene and its oxidized form, with large amounts of active oxygen groups and high specific surface area, have been proposed by many studies as non-toxic and biocompatible materials in the production of compounds with improved efficiency of using nutrient, therefore to increase the efficiency of phosphorus consumption in soil, in this study, phosphorus was loaded on graphene oxide (GO-P). The present study aims to assess the influence of this compound as a source of phosphorus and its mixing with triple superphosphate fertilizer (GO-P-TSP) compared to triple superphosphate soluble fertilizer (TSP) on the amount of water retention of fertilizers in soil and phosphorus concentration in aerial parts of wheat plant.
Methods and Materials
Graphene oxide was prepared based on the modified Hamers method. Then graphene oxide was adjusted to certain pH and iron sulfate as a source of iron ions was added to the graphene oxide suspension with vigorous stirring. The mixture was stirred for one hour and then centrifuged for 30 minutes. Then the supernatant was removed and the residue of the compound was dry frozen. In the next step, pH was adjusted with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution. Then a certain weight of potassium dihydrogen phosphate salt (KH2PO4) was added to the above suspension. The mixture was stirred for one hour and centrifuged for 30 minutes. After centrifugation, the supernatant was removed and the remains of the phosphorus composition based on graphene oxide were dry frozen. Loading tests were performed in three replicates. pH, EC, bulk density, total concentration of phosphorus and iron and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (EDS) analysis were measured in the sample of phosphorus composition based on graphene oxide. Then three fertilizer formulations were selected, which included (1) triple superphosphate fertilizer, (2) synthesized phosphorus fertilizer based on graphene oxide, and (3) mixing graphene oxide-phosphorus compound with triple superphosphate fertilizer in a ratio of 50:50% phosphorus.
To investigate the water retention behavior of fertilizers in the soil, dried samples of the three studied fertilizer formulations was added into a sandy soil completely and weighed. At the same time, dried sandy soil without fertilizer was placed in another beaker as a control. Then each beaker was added distilled water and weighed. The beakers were weighed once every three days at room temperature until they reached constant mass. The water-retention behavior of the soil was calculated.
In order to investigate the effect of three fertilizer formulations on phosphorus availability, soil with low amount of phosphorus was selected and physical and chemical properties of the soil sample were measured at a depth of 0-30 cm. A greenhouse experiment on wheat planting was conducted using a randomized complete design with 3 replications. The treatments included three fertilizer formulations at three fertilization levels (10, 15, and 20 mg kg-1) with 3 replications. The control treatment was performed without phosphorus fertilizer. Plants were harvested 72 days after planting, washed with distilled water and dry with tissue paper. The samples were air-dried and then oven dried at 70˚C to a constant weight in a forced air-driven oven. After harvesting, the weight of fresh and dry matter and phosphorus concentration in the soil and aerial parts of the plant were measured. Statistical data were analysed using SAS software (9.4) and the mean values were compared using LSD tests (at 1 and 5% level).
Results and Discussion
The composition of phosphorus based on graphene oxide (GO-P) in powder form had 35.5% of total P2O5, 31.1% of soluble in water P2O5, 19.6 of total iron and 15.28% of total potassium. The result of EDS analysis confirmed the loading of phosphorus on graphene oxide. The pH of the phosphorus composition based on graphene oxide was 5.8, approximately 2.5 units higher than triple superphosphate fertilizer. The bulk density of the compound (GO-P) was significantly lower than triple superphosphate fertilizer. The EC of the compound (GO-P) was similar to the EC of the triple superphosphate fertilizer. Soil water retention with synthesized phosphorus fertilizer based on graphene oxide (GO-P) was higher than soil (control) and other compounds added to soil. Experimental results showed that the addition of prepared fertilizer formulas (GO-P and GO-P-TSP) increased water retention in the soil for a longer period of time, while in the soil without adding fertilizer and triple superphosphate treatment, respectively, from 10 and 11 days, the absorbed water completely evaporated. Therefore, the combination of soil with GO-P and GO-P-TSP compared to the soil without fertilizer and the combination of soil with triple super phosphate (TSP) fertilizer had better water retention behavior. The greenhouse experiment results of wheat planting showed that all treatments were significant (P<0.01). Among all the treatments and measured levels, the control treatment showed the lowest value. The highest concentration of phosphorus in aerial parts of wheat (0.31%) and in soil after harvesting (9.5 mg kg-1), fresh (10.6 g per pot) and dry weight (2.03 g per pot) of aerial wheat plants were related to the treatment of phosphorus compounds based on graphene oxide at the level of 20 mg kg-1.
Conclusion
The highest concentration of phosphorus in aerial parts of wheat was related to the treatment of phosphorus compound based on graphene oxide at the level of 20 mg kg-1. Therefore, with more research in the future to produce "nutritious plants" in sustainable, efficient and flexible agricultural systems, we can benefit from technologies based on carbon materials.
Hamidreza BEHRAVAN; REZA KHORASANI; Amir Fotovat; Abdol Amir Moezei; Mehdi Taghavi
Abstract
Introduction: Sugarcane cultivation has been revived in Khuzestan province of Iran since the 1960s and due to good results, it gradually began to grow from north to south of this region. Currently, sugarcane is cultivated in more than 100,000 hectares of the provinceand almost 25% of the country needs ...
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Introduction: Sugarcane cultivation has been revived in Khuzestan province of Iran since the 1960s and due to good results, it gradually began to grow from north to south of this region. Currently, sugarcane is cultivated in more than 100,000 hectares of the provinceand almost 25% of the country needs for sugar arebeing produced in this region. Sugarcane fields of Khuzestan province are mainly rich in lime percentage and poor in organic matter and phosphorus. Soil pH in this region of the country also is about 8-8.5 and phosphorus uptake by plants and phosphorus fertilizer efficiency in these soils (alkaline and calcareous soils) are expected to be low. The optimum use of phosphorus fertilizer and proper phosphorus uptake is essential for the quantitative and qualitative function of sugarcane plants. Due to the very low mobility of phosphorus in the soil, its uptake by plants such as sugar cane is affected by number of soil and plant factors (especially plant root characteristics). Changes in these factors can lead to a reduction or increase of P uptake by the crop.
Materials and Methods: Because of the role of organic compounds in the improvement of mobility and phosphorus uptake, the use of organic material has been considered in many types of research. Organic compounds can play a direct and indirect role in plant factors and in phosphorous uptake improvement. In this regard, a greenhouse pot experiment was conducted in 2016-2017 at Farabi Agro Industry Co, 35 km south of Ahvaz, Iran (48º 36' E, 30º 59' N). This research carried out by using three levels of humic acid (immersion of settes in three concentrations of 0, 0.3 and 0.5% of humic acid) as well as three levels of phosphorus fertilizer (triple super phosphate) 0, 50 % and 100% of the recommended amount in the region (250 kg/ha) in two different harvesting periods (45 and 90 days after planting). The experiment set up as a factorial, based on complete randomized design with three replicates. In this experiment, the effects of different levels of phosphorous fertilizers and humic acid on aerial part (shoot height, shoot dry weight), underground part (root length, root dry weight and root hair length), and also root CEC of sugar cane plant in two harvest times were studied. Finally, uptake and influx of phosphorus in different treatments were investigated.
Results and Discussion: As the results show, although the range of the changes was different, the use of humic acid could improve almost all of these factors. Shoot height, shoot dry weight in humic acid treatments showed a significant increase in both harvests compared to non-used humic acid treatments and also in phosphorus fertilizer treatments as the fertilizer levels rose. These results show that humic acid can increase the uptake of phosphorus from the soil reservoir (treatments without phosphorus fertilizer) and source of soil and phosphorus fertilizer (phosphorus fertilizer treatments). The underground plant parts have also shown similar results. Root length and root dry weights have also been shown positive results in humic acid treatments. Therefore, an increase in phosphorus uptake in non-use phosphorous fertilizer treatments or phosphorous fertilizer treatments, along with humic acid, relative to non-humic acid treatments could be explained. The humic acid application seems to increase the uptake capacity of phosphorus from soil and fertilizer sources by increasing root length and root dry weight. In addition, the use of humic acid in alkaline soil can increase the solubility of phosphorus in water and therefore the phosphorus uptake by the roots of the plant could be increased. Based on the results, using humic acid due to improved phosphorus fertilizer use efficiency, phosphorous uptake by plant is expected to be increased and hence the fertilizer use would be reduced. Phosphorus influx results had not the same direction with uptake and application of phosphorus fertilizer. P influx results showed an inverse relationship with root length. In other words, phosphorus uptake was more dependent on the root growth.
Conclusion: This study showed that it is possible to use humic acid in the practical form during the cultivating of sugarcane setts, but it seems that further research is needed to examine other important points such as the use of humic acid during plant growth season and other its application forms, such as spraying or application in irrigation water.
J. Ghaderi; F. Nourgholipour
Abstract
Introduction: Due to the compatibility of canola with different conditions, economic value, its price and importance of rotation with cereals, it has the highest level of cultivation area among the oilseed crops in Iran. Phosphorus (P) deficiency is a widespread macronutrient deficiency and is one of ...
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Introduction: Due to the compatibility of canola with different conditions, economic value, its price and importance of rotation with cereals, it has the highest level of cultivation area among the oilseed crops in Iran. Phosphorus (P) deficiency is a widespread macronutrient deficiency and is one of the major limiting constraints for canola production. Despite its importance, it limits crop yield on more than 40% of the world’s arable land and 70.2% in Iran. Moreover, global P reserves are being depleted at a higher rate and according to some estimates, there will be no economic P reserve by the year 2050. This is a potential threat to sustainable canola production. Most of the P applied in the form of fertilizers may be adsorbed by the soil, and would not be available for plants lacking specific adaptations. It is widely accepted that the most realistic solution to the problem of P deficiency is to develop new plant cultivars that adapt to P-deficient soils. Phosphorus efficiency is a term that generally describes the ability of crop species/genotypes to give higher yield under P-limiting condition. Plant species as well as genotypes within the same species may differ in P efficiency. This study was conducted to determine the effect of phosphorus fertilization on the grain yield and phosphorus efficiency indices in different canola cultivars.
Materials and Methods: The present study was carried out at the research farm of the Mahidasht Agricultural Research Station located 20 km away from Kermanshah (with elevation of 1265 m). This experiment was conducted as factorial in a randomized complete block design with three replications with 2 factors including canola varieties and different amounts of phosphorus fertilizer. The first factor consisted of five triple superphosphate (TSP) levels (0, 16, 32, 49, and 61 kg per ha) and the second factor consisted of three cultivars (Okapi, Opera and Zarfam). This research was conducted on soil where the amount of available phosphorus was lower than the critical level required for canola (15 mg kg-1). Prior to sowing, all phosphorus treatments with 30 kg ha-1 of zinc sulfate fertilizer as well as one-third of nitrogen fertilizer (100 kg ha-1 urea) were applied during planting and mixed thoroughly with the soil. The remaining urea fertilizer was applied at two stages of stem growth (120 kg ha-1) and early flowering (100 kg ha-1). Each experimental plot had an area of 12 m2. Irrigation method was sprinkler. Grain and straw yield were determined after the harvest and seed samples (harvesting stage) were taken and rinsed with distilled water, oven dried at 70 °C, ground, digested and analyzed for determining the P concentration. Analysis of variance was performed using SAS software and mean comparisons performed by Duncan’s multiple range tests (P ≤ 0.05).
Results and Discussion: The results showed that the interaction effects of phosphorus fertilizer rate and canola cultivars on leaf P concentration, grain and straw yield, grain P concentration and uptake, and P efficiency indices were significant. In average of the two-years, the highest grain and straw yields (3203 and 4613 kg ha-1, respectively) were obtained from 300 kg ha-1 P fertilizer rate for Okapi cultivar. Under the P deficiency condition, no significant difference was observed between cultivars in terms of grain yield. Significant differences were observed among three cultivars in terms of P efficiency. Opera cultivar was efficient in absorption (0.84) and Zarfam cultivar was efficient in phosphorus utilization (152 kg grain / kg fertilizer), but Opera was phosphorus efficient. With application of phosphorus fertilizer, phosphorus use efficiency decreased and the highest amount was found for the control treatment which produced 169 kg seeds per kg of phosphorus. The lowest amount of this characteristic was obtained for 300 kg phosphorus fertilizer treatment. Considering the correlation between phosphorus stress factor and P uptake efficiency, it seems that P efficiency was dependent on P uptake (R2 = 0.477 **) rather than P utilization (R2 = 0.076 ns).
Conclusion: Phosphorus uptake efficiency can be used for selecting P efficient cultivars of canola under farm condition. Application of Opera and Okapi cultivars with 80 kg of fertilizer per ha in similar conditions of this experiment would be advisable and excess phosphorus fertilizer application would not significantly increase grain yield. Selecting suitable varieties could decrease application of chemical fertilizers in the soil.
