N moallemi; Esmaeil Khaleghi; Abas Danaeifar
Abstract
Acacia with the scientific name Acacia salicina is a tree or shrub from the leguminous family and a nitrogen fixer. This species is native to dry areas in southern Australia. In some areas, this species is used as a source of fodder for livestock, for ornamental purposes, and for revival areas without ...
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Acacia with the scientific name Acacia salicina is a tree or shrub from the leguminous family and a nitrogen fixer. This species is native to dry areas in southern Australia. In some areas, this species is used as a source of fodder for livestock, for ornamental purposes, and for revival areas without vegetation. Climate change is one of the most important concerns of the world's growing population. Drought is one of the most important abiotic stresses that affects the nutritional status of plants. Stresses constantly affect the growth and development of plants, which are considered the most important factors of yield reduction in the world. Stresses are the result of abnormal physiological processes that are caused by one or a combination of biological and environmental factors, and drought is one of the most important abiotic stresses that affect growth and performance, as well as this Stress can cause plant death and limits approximately 25% of agricultural production. One of the most common ways to withstand drought stress is the use of super absorbent polymers. Commercial superabsorbent polymers are hygroscopic materials similar to sugar, and the shape of these polymers must be maintained after absorbing water and swelling. They don't have harm for soil, plants and environment. Considering the increase in temperature and pollution the purpose of this research is the effect of using three types of super absorbent polymers to increase N.P.K. absorption, water retention, reduce irrigation, reduce costs and improve the growth of acacia plants under drought stress conditions for cultivation in areas free of vegetation in Khuzestan to contrast with fine dust. In order to improve the nutritional status of acacia, a research was conducted using three types of superabsorbent polymers in three concentrations at three levels of drought stress in a factorial format in a completely randomized block design with three replications in the agricultural faculty of Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz. The results showed that the use of superabsorbent polymers significantly increases the amount of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus absorption by leaves, stems and roots. The concentration of 2 g/kg of A200 hydrogel in the first week increased leaf nitrogen by 12.85%, leaf phosphorus by 17.64%, stem nitrogen by 50.29% and root nitrogen by 4.96%. In the first week, SNF superabsorbent had the highest amount of potassium in stem and phosphorus in the root. Among the hydrogels, SNF superabsorbent polymer had the highest amount of phosphorus in the stem in the second week and a concentration of 1 g/kg, and this increase was significant compared to some treatments, and the lowest amount of phosphorus in the stem were obtained s in the treatment of the first week and a concentration of 0 g/kg Super absorbent polymer A200 and SNF. Increasing the concentration of super absorbent polymers increased the amount of phosphorus in the stem in most cases. increase in the intensity of drought stress caused a decrease in the amount of leaf nitrogen compared to non-stressed conditions, so that the lowest amount of nitrogen was obtained in the third week of treatment with SNF superabsorbent polymer at a concentration of 0 g/kg, which caused a decrease of 29.04% compared to the control. The increase in the severity of drought stress caused a decrease in the amount of phosphorus in leaves compared to the first week, so that the lowest amount of phosphorus was obtained in the second week in the concentration of 2 g/kg of SNF,which had a decrease of 52.94% compared to the control. intensity of drought stress and increasing the frequency of irrigation caused a decrease in the amount of nitrogen in the stem, so that the lowest amount of nitrogen was obtained in the third week and the concentration of 0 g/kg of Barbari hydrogel, which was a 32.16% decrease compared to the control. The lowest amount of root phosphorus was obtained in the third week of treatment with a concentration of 2 grams per kilogram of Barbarii superabsorbent polymer, which caused a decrease of 54.54% compared to the control. Based on the results of this research, the use of A200 superabsorbent polymer compared to other hydrogels had the greatest effect on the nutritional status of the plant and the absorption of N.P.K elements.
Roghayeh Shahriaripour
Abstract
Introduction Phosphorus (P) is the second nutrient and plays a key role in plant growth. The availability of P in the soil depends on the P fractions, which influence the primary productivity of agricultural ecosystems. Having sufficient and accurate information about soil mineral phosphorus is very ...
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Introduction Phosphorus (P) is the second nutrient and plays a key role in plant growth. The availability of P in the soil depends on the P fractions, which influence the primary productivity of agricultural ecosystems. Having sufficient and accurate information about soil mineral phosphorus is very important for the development of sustainable agriculture in arid regions. Awareness of phosphorus deformation in different soils is also very important for phosphorus fertilizer recommendation. When phosphorus is used in its soluble forms, it is rapidly converted into unusable forms for the plant. Native soil phosphorus is often in unusable form for the plant. Therefore, having enough information about phosphorus deformation in different soils is very important to recommend phosphorus fertilizer. The objective of this study was to find out the effects of long-term use of different sources of phosphorus on available P for pistachio plants in southeast Iran.Materials and Methods The aim of this study was to find the effects of long-term use of different sources of phosphorus fertilizers that can be used for pistachio plants. For that, 168 different soil samples from 63000 ha of Sirjan pistachio orchards of Kerman province. Jiang and Gu method was used to isolate and determine the mineral forms of phosphorus in the soil. Each P fraction was extracted as follows: 1g (oven-dry weight) of sample soil weighed out into a 50 mL polyethylene centrifuge tube. A volume of 40 mL of the first extractant, NaHCO3 (Table 1) was added and placed in an automated mechanical shaker at 25° C with 110 rpm for 1 h to allow time for the solution top equilibrate. The tubes were then centrifuged at 6000 × g for 15 min and the supernatant was carefully filtered through Whatman No. 42 with minimum loss of soil. Reactive P in the supernatant was determined using the ascorbic acid method at 882 nm. This method separates phosphorus in the forms of di calcium phosphate, octa calcium phosphate, aluminum phosphates, iron phosphates, occluded phosphates and apatite. The data showed that Ca10-P was the most abundant P forms in the soils tested. Results and Discussion Results showed that the total P was high in these soil samples and the abundance of P fractions was in order to Ca10-P type≥ Al-P >Ca2-P type> Occluded P ≥ Fe-P > Ca8-P type in two depths. These results suggested that continuous P application leads to plant available P convert into unavailable P forms such as Ca10-P. results indicate that NaOH-extractable P has resulted from active Fe oxides. Also, by comparing two depths of soil in the study area, it can be concluded that the occupied phosphorus in the surface layer is more than the deep layer. Finally, it can be concluded that by increasing the stability of various forms of phosphorus, their contribution to other forms of phosphorus increases, so that the concentration of apatite is much higher than phosphate-calcium phosphate. Results showed the amount of available phosphorus (Ca2-P) in the surface layer is more than the deep layer, which can be attributed to surface application of Phosphorus fertilizers. However, there are sections where phosphorus in the surface layer and the bottom is almost equal. Amount of this form of P is less than Al-P and Fe-P. It may be due to increase in Al and Fe contents in in calcareous soils.Conclusion High amounts of total P clarifies that by optimally managing the use of phosphorus fertilizers and soil conditions, the required P of the plant can be provided without additional use. From the results reported in this study, it appears that in the calcareous soils tested, the abundance of different forms of P was in order Ca10-P type≥ Al-P >Ca2-P type> Occluded P ≥ Fe-P > Ca8-P. furthermore, it observed that Fe-P, Al-P and Oc-P are important forms of P and on average constitute 30% of the sum of inorganic P forms. These findings demonstrate that the ability of NaOH to extract Al-P will be reduced with an increase in Al-P content and that NaOH is unable to remove Al-P completely. Therefore, it seems that more research is needed to find some light on whether NH4F can be omitted from the regular P fractionation schemes in the highly calcareous soils of Iran.
E. Shirmohammadi; H.A. Alikhani; A.A. Pourbabaee; H. Etesami
Abstract
Introduction The use of invitro hydroponic culture is one of the useful and practical methods for selection of superior isolates of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria with high colonization potential at root surface. In this regard, the present study was designed to select superior isolates isolated ...
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Introduction The use of invitro hydroponic culture is one of the useful and practical methods for selection of superior isolates of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria with high colonization potential at root surface. In this regard, the present study was designed to select superior isolates isolated from dry-land farming of Qazvin and Zanjan provinces during the previous stages of this investigation. Materials and Methods This experiment was carried out based on a completely randomized design (CRD), including: inoculation of wheat seeds with 16 bacterial isolates and culture of seedlings in Hoagland nutrient solution (EC 8 dS/m and osmotic potential (OP) -0.54 MPa) containing tricalcium phosphate (source of low-soluble phosphorus), as well as non-inoculated seedlings was cultured in Hoagland nutrient solutions containing monopotassium phosphate (control with source of soluble phosphorus) and tricalcium phosphate (control with source of low-soluble phosphorus) at three replications in growth chamber for 45 days. The length of the light (with 196 μmol photons m−2 s-1 light intensity) and dark period in these times was 16 and 8 h, respectively, The day and night temperature were 25±2 and 20±2 °C, respectively. At end of experiment (45 days after transportation of seedlings into invitro hydroponic culture) shoots and roots of plants were harvested separately; then, Population of phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) on root surface, pH and concentration of available phosphorus in nutrient solution, fresh weight, dry weight and length of both section of plants, P-concentration and P-uptake of plant, and relative water content (RWC) of leaf were measured. Ultimately, correlation (Pearson) among measured traits were calculated. Results and Discussion Results showed that inoculated wheat seedlings with B18 isolate perished. It seems that B18 isolate was either a highly pathogenic plant or its metabolites were highly inhibitory to the seedling which in short time killed the wheat seedling. Except B (14, 17, and 32) isolates; the rest of isolates had over 6×106 CFU/g root fresh weight. All bacterial isolates compared to the control with source of insoluble phosphorus, increased available phosphorus and decreased pH of nutrient solution. Dissolution of inorganic phosphates by PSB with chelating processes, secretion of inorganic and organic acids has been proven topic. Thus, reducing pH and increasing soluble phosphorus in nutrient solution at PSB treatments are reasonable. B (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14, 17, 32) isolates treatments compared to control with tricalcium phosphate, increased RWC of leaf, and also increased length, fresh weight and dry weight of root and shoot of wheat plants. Previous research has shown that inoculation of plants with PGPR under drought and salinity conditions improved RWC of plant leaves and plant growth indices; Of course, result of some experiment show that some of PGPR do not always improve plant growth under all conditions. There was a significant positive correlation among P-uptake, RWC, root length, shoot height, fresh and dry weight of root and shoot of wheat plant. Also, the pH of nutrient solution had a positive correlation with root length, but it had a negative and significant correlation with P-concentration of nutrient solution and P-concentration of plant. PSB population at root surface had a negative correlation with pH of nutrient solution and root length of plant, but with P-concentration of nutrient solution had positive and significant correlation. Conclusion All of screened and selected PSB isolates in lab (in respect of PGP traits) could not promote plant growth; even some of these isolates (such as B15 and B18) had negative effects on wheat growth indices. Inoculation of wheat with PSB isolates significantly increased the use of insoluble phosphorus. Solubility of tricalcium phosphate by isolates and increased phosphorus availability cannot lonely improve wheat growth indices; it seems that the outcome of the set of PGP effects of these bacteria and the secretion of their metabolites in the presence of plant root are determinative agents for improvement of wheat growth indices. Generally, B (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 32) isolates were superior isolates in respect of colonization at root surface, relative water content (RWC) and growth indices of wheat plant; and these isolates are recommended for further experiments in greenhouse and field (in order to production of suitable biofertilizer for dry-land farming of wheat).
Soil Chemistry and Pollution
Hasan Bolbol; Majid Fekri; Majid Hejazi-Mehrizi; Naser Bromand
Abstract
Introduction Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient for all forms of life on the earth, but in excess concentrations, it can act as a serious water pollutant through eutrophication. Thus, it is very important to remove P from aqueous solutions before their release into natural water resources. Among ...
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Introduction Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient for all forms of life on the earth, but in excess concentrations, it can act as a serious water pollutant through eutrophication. Thus, it is very important to remove P from aqueous solutions before their release into natural water resources. Among the various P removal techniques that have been developed, the sorption process is widely accepted to be an effective water treatment technique because of low cost, ease of operation, simplicity of design, and high sorption capacity in dilute solutions. Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are a type of two-dimensional nanostructure anionic clays with high capacities to sorption of anions. These non-silicate clays consist of positively charged brucite-like octahedral sheets which neutralize by a negatively charged interlayer containing relatively weak bonded anions and water molecules. The positive charges generated by the isomorphous substitution of trivalent cations for divalent cations are balanced by interlayer anions that can be exchanged by other anions making them good anion-exchangers with high selectivity. LDHs have been widely used as environmental sorbents because of their high charge density, large interlayer areas, good thermal stability, and high anion exchange capacities of the interlayer anions. The aim of the present study was to synthesize a Mg-Fe LDH as a sorbent for P removal from aqueous solution. Materials and Methods The Mg-Fe LDH was synthesized using the co-precipitation method. In brief, a mixture solution containing 0.03 mol MgCl2. 6H2O, and 0.01 mol FeCl3. 6H2O was added dropwise into a flask containing 100 ml of 1 M NaOH solution under vigorous stirring at pH=10. The obtained slurry was filtered and washed repeatedly with DW until the filtrate pH reached neutral. Mg-Fe LDH particles were then obtained by drying the filtrate at 70 °C in an oven overnight. The crystallinity of the sample was studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. In order to investigate the performance of the synthesized LDH as a P sorbent, batch experiments were carried out in polyethylene centrifuge tubes. The suspensions were shaken for 24 hours at 250 rpm, and the supernatant was then separated by centrifugation at 4000 rpm for 10 minutes and were filtered by Whatman ashless grade 42 filtration papers. Equilibrium P concentration was determined according to the ascorbic acid method using UV-vis spectrophotometer at the wavelength of 880 nm. The effects of pH, initial P concentration, and contact time on P sorption were investigated in the ranges of 2-10, 0-300 mg/L and 0-1440 min, respectively. Results and Discussion The XRD pattern of the LDH sample showed typical structure of hydrotalcite-like compounds with sharp and reflection peaks corresponding to the (003), (006), (012), (015), and (110) crystal planes which are characteristic planes of hydrotalcite-like compounds. The efficiency of LDH to remove P decreased with the increasing of initial P concentration and the maximum removal efficiency of LDH occurred in the range of 5-20 mg/L of initial P concentration. With increasing of initial P concentration from 20 to 300 mg/L, the P removal efficiency of LDH decreased from 98.7 to 24.6 %. The P removal efficiency was increased with time and reached equilibrium at 60 min. The P removal rate of LDH in this time was about 66 % and no significant decrease in residual P concentration was observed after 60 min. The sorption of P on LDH was highly pH dependent, and the maximum P removal was found at pH of 4. The sorption kinetic and isotherm data were well described by pseudo-second-order and Langmuir equations, respectively. According to the Langmuir equation, the maximum P sorption capacity (Qmax) of LDH was obtained as 13.96 mg/g. Conclusion It was found from the results of this study that the mechanisms involved in the P sorption onto LDH included electrostatic attraction, ligand exchange, and surface complex formation. In addition, the results suggested that the synthesized Mg-Fe LDH can be potentially used as an effective sorbent for the removal of P from aqueous solutions. Further research is needed on the regeneration of the LDH after P sorption and the evaluation of desorption behavior of P from LDH under different conditions.
Plant Nutrition, Soil Fertility and Fertilizers
Yaser Azimzadeh; Nosratollah Najafi; Adel Reyhanitabar; Shahin Oustan; Alireza Khataee
Abstract
Introduction Phosphorus (P) is an essential element for living organisms. Discharging P from various sources, such as industrial wastewater and agricultural waters, into surface water causes eutrophication and undermines the balance of aquatic ecosystems and imposes many costs due to water quality degradation. ...
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Introduction Phosphorus (P) is an essential element for living organisms. Discharging P from various sources, such as industrial wastewater and agricultural waters, into surface water causes eutrophication and undermines the balance of aquatic ecosystems and imposes many costs due to water quality degradation. In addition, mineral resources of P-fertilizers in the world are unrecoverable and are coming to an end. Therefore, it is very important to develop adsorbents to remove P from contaminated water and then be used as P-fertilizer for surmounting the eutrophication and P-fertilizer exhausting challenges. In the last few years, biochar and hydrochar have been considered as low-cost porous eco-friendly adsorbents with a high surface area and easy to produce and use. Biochar and hydrochar are carbonaceous solids that are produced from the carbonization of biomasses and could be used as adsorbents and soil amendments. However, because of their high negative charge and very low ability to absorb anions, especially phosphate, they cannot be used as phosphate adsorbents. In recent years, several methods have been introduced to change the surface of biochar and hydrochar to increase their anion adsorption capacity. In this respect, the successful results of the production and the use of engineered biochars, such as layered double hydroxides (LDHs) functionalized biochar (LDH-biochar) and LDH-hydrochar composites have been provided. Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are brucite-like compounds with a large specific surface area, high positive charge, and exchangeable interlayer anions. LDHs functionalized biochar and hydrochar composites are environmentally friendly adsorbents for the removal of phosphate from aqueous solutions. Also, P-loaded LDH-biochar and LDH-hydrochar composites have the potential application as a P-fertilizer. These composites may increase soil available-P through the slow release of P and can improve soil properties and fertility due to the presence of the biochar and hydrochar in their structure. So, the P-loaded LDH-biochar and LDH-hydrochar may affect the availability of soil nutrients and plant growth. Nitrogen (N), P, and potassium (K) are the macronutrients that have a direct and great influence on plants growth. Therefore, the aims of this study were: (I) producing LDH-biochar and LDH- hydrochar composites and loading them with phosphate. (II) Investigating the effects of the biochar, hydrochar, LDH, LDH-biochar, LDH-hydrochar, the P-loaded LDH-biochar (LDH-biochar-P), and LDH-hydrochar (LDH-hydrochar-P) on dry matter and concentrations of P, N, and K in corn shoot and root. Materials and Methods Biochar was produced from applewood feedstock through slow pyrolysis at 600 ºC for 1 h under Argon flow conditions. Hydrochar was produced through hydrothermal carbonization of the applewood feedstock at 180 ºC and 11 bars pressure for 12 h. Then by precipitation of LDH particles on the biochar and hydrochar surfaces, LDH-biochar and LDH-hydrochar composites were prepared. The LDH particles were synthesized via a combined fast co-precipitation and hydrothermal treatment route. Each gram of LDH-biochar and LDH-hydrochar composites was loaded with 51 and 47 mg P, respectively. Then using a factorial experiment on the basis of completely randomized design with three replications, the effects of biochar, hydrochar, LDH, LDH-biochar, LDH-hydrochar, LDH-biochar-P, and LDH-hydrochar-P were studied in presence and absence of monocalcium phosphate fertilizer on corn dry matter and concentrations of N, P, and K in corn shoot and concentrations of P and K in corn root. Results and Discussion The results showed that the biochar had a higher yield and ash percentage, pH and electrical conductivity (EC) as compared with the hydrochar. The concentrations of all studied nutrients in the biochar, except for N, were greater than those of hydrochar and biomass. The P, K, Na, Fe, Mn, and Zn concentrations in biochar and hydrochar were significantly greater than the initial biomass. The application of P-fertilizer increased root and shoot dry matters in all treatments, except for LDH-biochar-P and LDH-hydrochar-P treatments. Biochar and hydrochar had no significant effects on root and shoot dry matter in non-P-fertilized treatments and had no significant effects on P and K concentrations of corn root and shoot. However, biochar and hydrochar increased shoot dry matter in P-fertilized treatments. The highest root and shoot dry matters, P concentrations of root and shoot, and N concentration of shoot were obtained in the presence of the LDH-biochar-P and LDH-hydrochar-P, and the lowest root and shoot dry matters of corn were observed in the presence of the LDH. Application of P-fertilizer increased P concentrations of corn root and shoot in the presence of the LDH-biochar and LDH-hydrochar but decreased the K concentration of root in biochar, LDH-biochar and no amendment treatments and had no significant effects on N and K concentrations in the shoot. The application of P-fertilizer decreased P translocation factor in presence of the LDH-biochar and LDH-hydrochar and had no significant effect on P translocation factor in all other treatments. Using P-fertilizer had no significant effect on K translocation factor in all treatments. Biochar, hydrochar, LDH, LDH-biochar, and LDH-hydrochar had no significant effects on P and K translocation factors. The translocation factor of P was greater than 1 in all treatments, except for the LDH-biochar-P and LDH-hydrochar-P treatments. Also, the translocation factor of K was greater than that of P in all treatments. Conclusion Due to the structural similarities between biochar and hydrochar, LDH-biochar and LDH-hydrochar, and LDH-biochar-P and LDH-hydrochar-P, the root and shoot dry matter and concentrations of the studied elements in corn root and shoot were not significantly different between the biochar and hydrochar, LDH-biochar and LDH-hydrochar, and LDH-biochar-P and LDH-hydrochar-P treatments, respectively. P-fertilizer had synergistic relationships with biochar, hydrochar, LDH-biochar, and LDH-hydrochar but antagonistic relationships with LDH, LDH-biochar-P, and LDH-hydrochar-P composites in terms of dry matter and P concentrations in corn root and shoot. So, applications of the biochar, hydrochar, LDH-biochar, and LDH-hydrochar accompanied by P-fertilizer and the use of LDH-biochar-P and LDH-hydrochar-P without the application of P-fertilizer can be proposed for corn cultivation under similar conditions.
Plant Nutrition, Soil Fertility and Fertilizers
banafsheh rezaee niko; Naeimeh Enayatizamir; mojtaba norozi masir
Abstract
Introduction Zinc is one of the imperative micronutrients required relatively in small concentrations in tissues for healthy growth and reproduction of plants. Zinc deficiency in plants leads to reduced membrane integrity and synthesis of carbohydrates, auxins, nucleotides, cytochromes, and chlorophyll ...
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Introduction Zinc is one of the imperative micronutrients required relatively in small concentrations in tissues for healthy growth and reproduction of plants. Zinc deficiency in plants leads to reduced membrane integrity and synthesis of carbohydrates, auxins, nucleotides, cytochromes, and chlorophyll and develops susceptibility to heat stress. The solubility of Zn is highly dependent upon soil pH and moisture and hence arid and semiarid areas are often zinc-deficient. The use of microorganisms with the aim of improving nutrients availability for plants is an important practice and necessary for agriculture. Zinc-solubilizing microorganisms can solubilize zinc from inorganic and organic pools of total soil zinc and can be utilized to increase zinc availability to plants. Therefore, the present study was carried out to isolate and characterize native zinc-solubilizing bacteria from Zea mays rhizosphere and evaluate their zinc-solubilizing potential and the effect of zinc solubilizing isolate on Zea mays growth.Materials and Methods: In vitro zinc solubilization assay of isolates was done using 0.1% zinc from zinc oxide in both plate and broth assays. Actively growing cultures of each isolates were spot-inoculated (7 µL) onto the agar and plates were incubated at 28°C for 48 h. The clearing zone around colony was recorded. Quantitative study of zinc solubilization was studied in 150 mL conical flasks containing 50 mL of liquid mineral salt medium. The broth was inoculated with 10 µL of overnight grown bacterial inoculum and incubated for 72 h at 160 rpm in an incubator shaker at 28°C. After incubation, the culture broth was centrifuged and the concentration of Zn in the supernatant was estimated in atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Among these isolates, 18 isolates with a solubility index of 1 and higher were selected based on morphological, biochemical and physiological characteristics for further studies. An isolate with more ability to dissolve zinc, phosphorus, potassium and auxin production were selected for investigation the effect of isolate on Zea mays growth. Maize seeds of cultivable variety were surface sterilized with 1% sodium hypochlorite for 5 min and washed several times with sterile distilled water. Seeds were treated with inoculum containing 108 cfu•g−1 of isolate. A factorial experiment in a completely randomized design with five replications was conducted. The treatments included two levels of bacteria B1 (control), B2 (Stenotrophomonas) and zinc sulfate fertilizer at three levels of Zn0 (control), Zn20 (20 kg/ha) and Zn40 (40 kg/ha). After 60 days of sowing, plants were removed from the tubes carefully and biometric parameters like root length, shoot length and dry mass of plants were recorded as the indicative of plant growth. Results and Discussion: A total of 50 bacterial isolates were isolated from corn rhizosphere. Of all, sixteen isolates showed solubilization halo on plate agar medium. Among the cultures, Z1, Z3, Z16 and Z12 showed the highest solubilisation zone in ZnO amended medium with maximum solubility index (1.3). Quantitative assay for zinc solubilisation revealed that Z14 were able to dissolve 44.8 ppm from ZnO in liquid medium. While solubility index of this isolate was lower that above mentioned isolates (1). Of all, the isolate Z14 with highest zinc solubilisation by broth assay was characterized and identified as Stenotrophomonasspecies based on Gram-negtive reaction and other biochemical and physiological properties. This isolate was able to produce auxin and dissolve insoluble phosphorus and potassium from the source tricalcium phosphate and vermiculte, respectively. One of these strains (Z14), Stenotrophomonas was used as inoculum in corn culture. Seed bacterization of maize with zinc solubilising Stenotrophomonas enhanced the plant growth significantly after 15 days. Results indicated a significant interaction effect of bacterium and fertilizer on shoot dry weight and chlorophyll content (p < 0.01). The maximum spad index and wet weight of aerial part obtained at present of bacterium and without using of zinc sulfate. The main effect of bacterium on wet and dry weight of root and wet weight of aerial part, root length and shoot height was significant (p < 0.01). َApplication of bacterium in all treatments caused to increased all measured parameters in th eperesence of zinc fertilizer or absence of zinc fertilizer.Conclusion: PGPR is known as a group of useful rhizospheric bacteria that increase plant growth. Today, the increasing use of PGPRs in agriculture as an alternative to chemical fertilizers to prevent environmental contamination.
Plant Nutrition, Soil Fertility and Fertilizers
Esmaeil Dordipour; Zeinab Bastamikojour; Mojtaba Baranimotlagh; Abdolreza Gharanjiki; Mohsen Olamaee
Abstract
Introduction The most important constraint in maize crop yield in developing contries worldwide, and especially among resource-poor farmers, is soil infertility. Therefore, maintaining soil quality can reduce the problems of land degradation that decreases soil fertility and rapidly declining production ...
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Introduction The most important constraint in maize crop yield in developing contries worldwide, and especially among resource-poor farmers, is soil infertility. Therefore, maintaining soil quality can reduce the problems of land degradation that decreases soil fertility and rapidly declining production levels that occur in large parts of the world which needing the basic principles of good farming practice. For optimum plant growth, nutrients must be available in sufficient and balanced quantities. After nitrogen, phosphorus is the most limiting nutrient for crop yields, and is essential for maize growth and development. Large quantities of chemical fertilizers are used to replenish soil N and P, resulting in high costs and severe environmental contamination. Maize quantity and quality are increased by utilization of fertilizers, which has become the most important objective of these products worldwide. Phosphorus, is the second most important macronutrient required by the plants, next to nitrogen, and is reported to be a critical factor of many crop production systems due to its limited availability in soluble forms in the soils. The low availability of P to plants is because the vast majority of soil P is found in insoluble forms, and plants can only absorb P in two soluble forms, the monobasic (H2PO4-) and the dibasic (HPO42-) ions. Crop plants can therefore utilize only a fraction of applied phosphorus, which ultimately results in poor crop performance. To rectify this and to maintain soil fertility status, frequent application of chemical fertilizers is needed, though it is found to be a costly affair and also environmentally undesirable. Moreover, phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrientionl element for plant growth. Calcareous soils are frequently characterized by the low availability of P for plant uptake due to the low solubility of P compounds present in soils at high pH and the formation of relatively insoluble complexes, e.g., Ca-P. Many soils in Iran have received large amounts of P fertilizer and consequently contained a high level of available P. On the other hand, the root exudation of organic acids has been suggested to increase P availability in calcareous soils. The most common low-molecularweight organic acids (LMWOAs) identified in soils include oxalic, succinic, tartaric, fumaric, malic, and citric acids and are derived from the decomposition of soil organic matter in the upper soil horizons, microbial metabolites, canopy drip, and root exudation. The concentrations of organic acids in the rhizosphere or in soil solutions vary greatly and range from 10-2μM to over 80 mM. The ability of organic acids to release inorganic anions, such as P, has been reported and has been attributed to desorption of inorganic anions and solubilization of phosphate compounds. LMWOAs and their corresponding anions play a very important role to increase P bioavailability. Many studies have been conducted about the role of organic acids in increasing P availability, but these studies focused on acid soils in which Fe- or Al-bound P is the main P fraction. For calcareous soils where Ca-bound P is the main P fraction, questions that whether organic acids can mobilize P or not still exist. Although, a number of results show that addition of organic acids, especially citric and oxalic acids to soils can solubilize significant quantities of fixed P and reduce the sorption of newly applied fertilizer P. However, there are few studies on the transformations of P fractions induced by organic acids or organic anions, which are important for understanding the mobilization mechanisms of P and for exploring better ways of using different forms of P in soils. The objective of this study is to examine the effects of some organic acids and anions on the solubilization and plant uptake of soil P in some calcareous soils of Golestan province, Iran. Material and Methods For this purpose, a factorial pot experiment in a completely randomized design with three replications was conducted on maize. The first factor was comprised of 6 soil types from various areas of the province and the second factor was consisted of a combination of phosphorus fertilizer and organic acids (1) control, (2) 50 mg P kg-1, (3 and 4) 50 mmol kg-1 of organic acids (oxalic and malic acids), (5) P + oxalic acid and, (6) tomato fruit residue (25% w). After 10 weeks, plants were harvested and the parameters such as plant height, fresh and dry weights, phosphorus concentration and its uptake were determined. Results and Discussion Results indicated that soil type effect was statistically significant on the plant fresh and dry weights (P≤ 0.05), height, concentration and uptake of P (P≤ 0.01), respectively. Results also showed that the tomato fruit residue treatment in comparison with P fertilizer and malic acid treatments results in a significant increase in P taken up, and fresh and dry weights (P≤ 0.05). There was a significant difference between P fertilizer + oxalic acid and oxalic acid alone treatments in only plant height (P≤ 0.05). Also, no significant differences in terms of measured plant parameters were observed between malic acid and blank treatments (P≤ 0.05). Conclusion Application of tomato fruit residue rather than P fertilizer can help to take up residual soil P, to grow plants and to decrease of environmental pollution, and to be also affordable economically.
Arezoo Mohammadi; Mohammad Bahmanyar; Mehdi Ghajar Sepanlou
Volume 36, Issue 1 , September 2013, , Pages 1-11
Abstract
Salinity limited plant growth and will decrease the yield with decrease in solution osmotic pressure, nutrient imbalance and toxicity of some specific elements. Application of amendment materials such as gypsum and cattle manure can adjust the undesirable effects and increase the nutrient elements in ...
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Salinity limited plant growth and will decrease the yield with decrease in solution osmotic pressure, nutrient imbalance and toxicity of some specific elements. Application of amendment materials such as gypsum and cattle manure can adjust the undesirable effects and increase the nutrient elements in leaf and grain. In this regard a pot experiment was conducted during 2009 growing season based on split factorial with four replications in complete randomize design. In this experiment the main factor was inclusive different level of salinity in irrigation water {0, 3, 6, 9 and 12 dS/m as NaCl and CaCl2 (1:1 w/w)} and subsidiary factors were inclusive gypsum (0, 15 and 30 ton/ha) and the cattle manure (0 and 30 ton/ha). The results showed that increasing the salinity content of irrigation water causes reduce the amount of phosphorus and increase nitrogen and potassium in wheat leaves. Also, with increasing in salinity of irrigation water the amounts of phosphorus and potassium in grain decreased and the amount of nitrogen in grain increased. Application of gypsum increased the amounts of the nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium 6.31, 10.89 and 14.82 percent in leaves and the amounts of the nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium 10.32, 10.84 and 3.45 percent in grain, respectively. Using manure at different salinity treatments was significant affecting on the amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus in leaves and phosphorus and potassium in grain. The highest amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus in leaves and grain were obtained using 15 and 30 tons of gypsum per ha while the highest amount of potassium in leaves and grain were obtained using 30 tons of gypsum per ha.
