Land Evaluation and Suitability
Sina Bigdeli; Heidar Ghafari; Mojtaba Norouzi Masir; Abdolamir Moezzi
Abstract
Introduction: Today, the concept of soil quality (SQ) has been widely used to know the capacity and limitations of soils in different environmental systems. The degree of suitability of land is determined by its capacity to provide services and its flexibility against external conditions. Production ...
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Introduction: Today, the concept of soil quality (SQ) has been widely used to know the capacity and limitations of soils in different environmental systems. The degree of suitability of land is determined by its capacity to provide services and its flexibility against external conditions. Production of plant biomass is one of the most important functions of soil in relation to food security. The share of dry land in Iran's agricultural production, especially wheat, is very significant. So that in terms of area, about half of the total area of agricultural lands, in terms of volume of production, about 10% of all agricultural products and about 30% of the country's wheat production are related to these lands. Therefore, maintaining the soil quality of these lands is very important. The main goal of this research is to model and quantify the soil quality of part of the rainfed agricultural lands of Dezpart city using integrated multivariate analysis and also to determine the minimum effective data set.Materials and methods: This study was carried out in a part of the rainfed agricultural area of Dezpart County. First, 119 soil samples were prepared using the composite method from the soil depth of 0-30 cm. Soil sampling was done in a stratified random manner to include all the different geomorphological units. The geographic location of the sampling points was also recorded. The samples were transferred to the laboratory and their chemical-fertility and physical characteristics include reaction (pH), electrical conductivity (EC), organic matter (OM), total nitrogen, available potassium, absorbable phosphorus, calcium carbonate equivalent (CCE), texture, bulk density, mean weight diameter (MWD) of soil aggregates, soil gravel content and cation exchange capacity (CEC) were measured. Then the soil quality was determined using two datasets of total (TDS) and minimum (MDS), and multivariate analysis method. In this method, by using appropriate scoring functions, a score between zero and one was considered for each member of the data set. Also, a weight coefficient was calculated for each member, and finally, the soil quality index, which indicates its degree of desirability, was obtained by three indices including Nemero (NQI), cumulative weighted index (IQI) and simple cumulative index (AQI). Finally, a spatial variation map of soil quality was prepared using the Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) method in geographic information system (GIS) software.Results and Discussion: The results of the principal component analysis (PCA) test indicated that there are three main components that cover 78% of the total variance changes. The first component alone accounts for about 41% and the second and third components account for 25% and 12% of the total data variance, respectively. Based on the correlation analysis between soil components and characteristics, five characteristics including organic matter (OM), silt content, gravel, pH and EC were selected as MDS members. Became in the TDS collection, the highest weights related to silt and sand (0.093 and 0.095, respectively) and the lowest weight with 0.050 was assigned to bulk density (BD). In the MDS set, the highest weight was related to organic matter and silt and the lowest weight was related to pH. The soil quality of the region was generally classified as medium based on the two indexes of AQI and WQI. However, the NQI method indicated that the soil quality was low. Among the three selected indices with different functions and data sets, the weighted soil quality index with the minimum data set and nonlinear function (WQI_MDS_NL) was chosen as the superior model due to having a higher sensitivity index (or a larger standard deviation). The spatial soil quality map, which was prepared for this study, showed that approximately 50% of the lands in the region had an average soil quality and 50% had a low soil quality.Conclusion: Organic matter, silt, pH, gravel and EC are the main characteristics to determine the soil quality of the region. In addition, stability of soil aggregates, bulk density and lime are the most important limiting factors of soil quality in the region. Therefore, it is suggested to use appropriate management practices such as conservation tillage and use of organic fertilizers to improve these characteristics.
H. Sorkheh; A. Moezzi; N. Enayatizamir
Abstract
Introduction In Khuzestan province, Iran, huge amounts of organic waste is generated annually, leading to challenges for its safe disposal, with the waste being usually either burned or land filled.Agro-industrial wastes such as sugarcane pith, have been recognized as important renewable sources ...
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Introduction In Khuzestan province, Iran, huge amounts of organic waste is generated annually, leading to challenges for its safe disposal, with the waste being usually either burned or land filled.Agro-industrial wastes such as sugarcane pith, have been recognized as important renewable sources of value-added organic products such as compost.Compost is a mixture of decayed organic material decomposed by microorganisms in a warm, moist, and aerobic environment that release nutrients into readily available forms for plant use. Recycling of organic wastes by the process of composting in agriculture brings in the much needed organic matter to the soils and improves the overall soil fertility and soil productivity Thus, composting is a process for appropriate disposal of waste and is also beneficial from ecological and economic point of view. Lignocellulosic materials are not easily degraded due to the lignin, crystalline and structural complexity of cellulose matrix. Application of chemical and biological treatments may increases waste degradation and decrease composting process time. Bacteria and fungi are the two main microbes that help in decomposition of organic waste and forces of composting. In addition, efficient composting is dependent on the microbial activity. The objective of this research was to investigate the effect of chemical (gypsum) and microbial treatments (consortium of bacteria and fungi) on reduce C/N and shortening process of compost maturity which is used in agricultural fields. Materials and Methods In this research, an incubation experiment was carried out in laboratory condition as a factorial experiment based on a randomized complete design with two factors: 1) gypsum application in three levels including, 1%, 5% and 10% w/w, and 2) microbial inoculation in four levels including control (without microbial inoculation), inoculation of substrate with consortium of bacteria, consortium of fungi and consortium of bacteria + fungi, with three replications. The sugarcane pith for compost production was collected from Dehkhoda sugarcane Agro-industry, Ahvaz, SW Iran. The sugarcane pith was initially boiled for 2h, then air-dried. Sugarcane pith samples were sterilized in an autoclave and 1% w/w urea were added to each samples to reduce their C/N ratio. Then, sterilized gypsum and microbial treatments were added to samples in plastic jars. Samples were incubated for 90 days at constant temperature of 25 ± 2 °C. Samples moisture content was maintained at 80% of field capacity. The samples were weighted every day and the required amounts of distilled water were added. At the end of incubation period, sample properties such as organic matters loss percent (OM loss), ash content, carbon (C), nitrogen (N), hydrogen (H) and sulfur (S) content were measured. Also oxygen (O) content and atomic ratio including carbon to nitrogen (C/N), hydrogen to carbon (H/C), oxygen to carbon (O/C) and hydrogen to oxygen (H/O) ratio were determined. All statistical analyses were performed using SAS software. Means of different treatments were compared using the Duncan’s test at probability level of 5%. Results and Discussion The results of variance analysis showed that the gypsum levels and microbial treatments significantly affected the organic matters loss percent, carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen and sulfur content and O/C, H/O and H/O ratio. In addition interaction effect of gypsum and microbial treatments was significant on nitrogen, hydrogen content and C/N ratio. The results indicated that the gypsum addition and inoculation of bacteria and fungi consortium to sugarcane pith significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the carbon content and C/N, H/C and H/O ratio, while significantly (P < 0.05) increased nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen content as well as O/C ratio. With increasing gypsum levels (from 1 to 10% w/w) the carbon content and C/N, H/C and H/O ratio significantly (P < 0.05) reduced, while nitrogen, oxygen and organic matter loss percent, hydrogen content and O/C ratio significantly (P < 0.05) increased. Comparison of microbial treatments showed that consortium of bacteria + fungi had higher effect on changes in organic matter loss percent, carbon and nitrogen content and C/N, H/C, H/O and O/C ratio. Maximum organic matter lost and nitrogen content as well as minimum and C/N, H/C and H/O ratio were recorded for co-inoculation of bacterial and fungi consortium combined with application of 10% gypsum treatments. Reduction of C/N, H/O and H/C as well as increasing O/C in the above mentioned treatment, indicating that maturation of sugarcane peat composting was completed three months after composting process. Conclusion From the results of this study, it can be concluded that inoculation of consortium of bacteria and fungi with 10% gypsum led to hasten the sugarcane pith degradation and shortening composting process duration.
Soil Biology, Biochemistry and Biotechnology
Naeimeh Enayatizamir; A Moezzi; Shila Khajavi
Abstract
Introduction Biosurfactants or microbial surfactants are surface active molecules that are produced from a variety of microorganisms. Due to its amphiphilic nature, these biomolecules are capable of lowering the surface tension, interfacial tension and forming micro-emulsion to enable mixing of two immiscible ...
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Introduction Biosurfactants or microbial surfactants are surface active molecules that are produced from a variety of microorganisms. Due to its amphiphilic nature, these biomolecules are capable of lowering the surface tension, interfacial tension and forming micro-emulsion to enable mixing of two immiscible solutions. Such properties exhibit excellent detergency, emulsifying, foaming and dispersing traits, which can be applied in various industries. The features that make them commercially promising alternatives to chemically synthesized surfactants are their lower toxicity, higher biodegradability, better foaming properties, and greater stability towards temperature and pH. Limited full scale production has been realized for many biosurfactants due to expensive raw material, low production yield and high purification cost. In order to alleviate these problems, many studies have been carried out using cost-free or low-cost feed stocks or agricultural byproducts as substrates for biosurfactant production. Oil pollution and remediation technology has become a global phenomenon of increasing importance. Materials and Methods In this study, Potential strains of microorganism were isolated from various hydrocarbon polluted area on nutrient agar medium using sterile saline (0.85% NaCl) method and different bacterial isolates were selected based on the colony morphology on nutrient agar. The selected isolates were screened for the production of biosurfactants using following screening methods. Pure culture of bacterial isolates were streaked on the freshly prepared blood agar and incubated at 37°C for 48-72 h. Results were recorded based on the type of clear zone observed i.e. α-hemolysis when the colony was surrounded by greenish zone, β-hemolysis when the colony was surrounded by a clear white zone and γ-hemolysis when there was no change in the medium surrounding the colony. Surface tension reduction and emulsification index of isolates was determined by culturing the isolates in minimal mineral salt solution containing glucose as carbon source. Based on the screening test results, the positive isolates were inoculated into the mineral salt medium for the biosurfactant production and then identified by its microscopic appearance, biochemical tests based on Bergey’s manual of determinative bacteriology and molecular method. Bio-surfactant production by superior isolate was evaluated in minimal mineral salt medium containing different carbon sources (kerosene, sugar cane molasses, phenanthrane and glucose) at 30 and 37 °C within the incubation periods of 48 and 156 hours. Emulsification activity, oil spreading, drop collapse, cell hydrophobicity and surface tension activity of isolate were used to detect biosurfactant production. Results and Discussion Out of 13 isolates of microorganism, strain S10 showed positive response to biosurfactant tests (hemolytic activity, surface tension reduction and emulsification index) and was select for identification and considering the effect of different carbon sources on its biosurfactant production. The biochemical and molecular identification results showed isolate S10 belongs to Bacillus pumilus. Results showed that Bacillus pumilus was able to grow in all carbon sources. Based on bio-surfactant production, this strain had a positive or β hemolysis on blood agar medium. Results showed that this bacterium was able to grow in all carbon sources. The compound produced by this strain in each of carbon sources at both temperatures (30 and 37 °C) and incubation periods (48 and 156 hours) collapsed down. The maximum surface tension reduction was recorded in the samples containing molasses as carbon source incubated at 30 ° C for 48 hours, in which bacterium reduced surface tension to 20.33 mNm-1. The highest bacterial growth with a higher surface tension reduction selected this isolate as a potential biosurfactant producing microorganism. The maximum emulsifying and cell hydrophobicity were also recorded in molasses (28%) and kerosene (70%) respectively. Conclusion In conclusion, the study represented surfactant activity of the bacterial strain isolated from oil contaminated soils. This confirms that environment has an influence on the metabolism of the tested microbes. This study suggests that, Bacillus pumilus isolated from oil contaminated soil showed biosurfactant producing ability. Further study on the utilization of agro industrial wastes as substrates for the large-scale production of biosurfactants is recommended.
P Khaji; N Enayatizamir; A Moezzi
