Plant, Soil and Environment, 2008 (vol. 54), issue 1
Differences in phenolic content and antioxidant activity in yellow and purple-fleshed potatoes grown in the Czech Republic
J. Lachman, K. Hamouz, M. Šulc, M. Orsák, P. Dvořák
Plant Soil Environ., 2008, 54(1):1-6 | DOI: 10.17221/2779-PSE 
The aim of this study was to determine the total phenolic (TP) content and antioxidant activity (AA) in yellow (cvs. Impala, Karin, Dita, Saturna) and purple-fleshed (cvs. Valfi, Violette) potatoes grown in the Czech Republic in 2004 in four locations in precise field trials. TP content was determined by Folin-Ciocalteau assay and AA by DPPH assay both in freeze-dried tuber matter. Results showed a statistical significant difference in TP content and AA between yellow and purple-fleshed potatoes. Purple-fleshed cultivars showed higher TP content (by 60%) than yellow-fleshed cultivars; AA in purple-fleshed cultivars was twice as high as in yellow-fleshed...
Reduction of drought stress effect in spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) by nitrogen fertilization
M. Krček, P. Slamka, K. Olšovská, M. Brestič, M. Benčíková
Plant Soil Environ., 2008, 54(1):7-13 | DOI: 10.17221/2781-PSE
An effect of nitrogen rates (0.0 g, 1.0 g, 2.0 g N per pot) on NRA (nitrate reductase activity) in leaves of spring barley (cultivar Kompakt) was investigated in a pot experiment. Plants were grown under optimum moisture regime and drought stress was induced during the growth stages of tillering, shooting and earing. Before and after respective stress period plants were grown under optimal water regime. In all the fertilized and unfertilized treatments, NRA was significantly higher under optimal water regime than in drought stress conditions. Nitrogen fertilization alleviated adverse effects of drought stress on the yields of grain; the rate of 1 g...
Water potential characteristics and yield of summer maize in different planting patterns
L. Quanqi, C. Yuhai, L. Mengyu, Z. Xunbo, D. Baodi, Y. Songlie
Plant Soil Environ., 2008, 54(1):14-19 | DOI: 10.17221/2777-PSE
A study was conducted in the Shandong province in North China to investigate the effects of different planting patterns on water potential characteristics of soil-plant-atmosphere continuum (SPAC) and yield of summer maize. Three planting patterns were applied, i.e. bed planting (BE), furrow planting (FU) and flat planting (FL). The results showed that although soil moisture content in 0-20 cm soil layer in BE was decreased, soil temperature was increased; as a result, soil water potential in BE was increased. Compared with FL, leaf water potential in BE and FU was enhanced, but water transfer resistance between soil-leaf and leaf-atmosphere was decreased;...
Effects of leaching on soil desalinization for wheat crop in an arid region
B. Mostafazadeh-Fard, M. Heidarpour, A. Aghakhani, M. Feizi
Plant Soil Environ., 2008, 54(1):20-29 | DOI: 10.17221/2780-PSE
Leaching is one of the most practical methods for improvement of saline soils and both the quality and the quantity of leaching water play an important role in desalinization of these soils. To determine the effects of different qualities and quantities of leaching water on salinity of drainage water during the growing season of wheat, pot experiments were conducted with a silty clay loam soil, a typical salt-affected soil in an arid region of central part of Iran. The experiment comprised the treatments of three irrigation water salinities (4, 9 and 12 dS/m) and four leaching levels (3, 20, 29 and 37%), using a factorial design with seven replications...
Mobilisation of arsenic in soils and in rice (Oryza sativa L.) plants affected by organic matter and zinc application in irrigation water contaminated with arsenic
D.K. Das, P. Sur, K. Das
Plant Soil Environ., 2008, 54(1):30-37 | DOI: 10.17221/2778-PSE
The experiments were conducted to study the effects of arsenic-contaminated irrigation water, zinc and organic matter on the mobilization of arsenic in an Aeric Endoaquept in relation to rice (cv. IET 4786). The results show that the amount of extractable arsenic increased with the progress of submergence decreased with zinc application. The magnitude of such decrease varied with the Zn amount, being greater (0.70 to 1.08 mg/kg) in the treatment where zinc was applied at the rate of 20 mg/kg. With regards to organic matter application, the arsenic content in soil markedly decreased, especially with farmyard manure application. The results of the greenhouse...
Growth and yield responses of castor bean (Ricinus communis L.) at two enhanced CO2 levels
M. Vanaja, M. Jyothi, P. Ratnakumar, P. Vagheera, P. Raghuram Reddy, N. Jyothi Lakshmi, S.K. Yadav, M. Maheshwari, B. Venkateswarlu
Plant Soil Environ., 2008, 54(1):38-46 | DOI: 10.17221/386-PSE
Growth and yield responses of castor bean (Ricinus communis L.) to two elevated CO2 levels (550 and 700 ppm) were evaluated up to the maturity of first order spikes in open top chambers (OTCs). The growth characteristics - root and shoot lengths, root volume, root:shoot ratios, leaf area, dry weights of different plant parts, leaf area duration and crop growth rate increased with 550 and 700 ppm of CO2 levels compared with ambient control. The spike length, pod and seed yield of first order spikes increased under enhanced CO2 levels over ambient control. Elevated CO2 levels significantly increased...