Plant, Soil and Environment, 2009 (vol. 55), issue 10
Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis as a fingerprinting method for the analysis of soil microbial communities
V. Valášková, P. Baldrian
Plant Soil Environ., 2009, 55(10):413-423 | DOI: 10.17221/132/2009-PSE 
In soil microbial ecology, the effects of environmental factors and their gradients, temporal changes or the response to specific experimental treatments of microbial communities can only be effectively analyzed using methods that address the structural differences among whole communities. Fingerprinting methods are the most appropriate technique for this task when multiple samples must be analyzed. Among the methods currently used to compare microbial communities based on nucleic acid sequences, the techniques based on differences in the melting properties of double-stranded molecules, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) or temperature...
Soil micromorphology use for modeling of a non-equilibrium water and solute movement
R. Kodešová
Plant Soil Environ., 2009, 55(10):424-428 | DOI: 10.17221/137/2009-PSE
Soil micromorphology was applied to specify flow domains in different soils and to select a suitable numerical model for simulation of water flow and herbicide transport. Pore structure detected on soil micromorphological images represented in all cases domains of prevailing water flow and solute transport. Depending on pore configuration and boundary conditions either water immobilization or preferential flow was observed and simulated. The benefits and limitations of the soil micromorphology imaging are discussed and compared with the more often used X-ray computer tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and dye tracer imaging.
Microbial pollution of water from agriculture
D. Baudišová
Plant Soil Environ., 2009, 55(10):429-435 | DOI: 10.17221/131/2009-PSE
Microbial contamination of small streams in agricultural areas was monitored for two years. Microbiological indicators of faecal pollution (faecal coliforms, Escherichia coli and intestinal enterococci were detected by standard methods based on the cultivation of bacteria on selective media). The obtained results showed that running contamination of streams from agricultural areas was not extremely high, but it showed marked seasonal fluctuations (the average values and maximal values revealed great differences). Microbial contamination also increased several times in relation to high precipitation. The water quality in three (and/or four) localities...
Mycorrhiza has a direct effect on reactive oxygen metabolism of drought-stressed citrus
Q.S. Wu, Y.N. Zou
Plant Soil Environ., 2009, 55(10):436-442 | DOI: 10.17221/61/2009-PSE
A greenhouse experiment was conducted to investigate the dynamic trend of symbiotic development in Citrus sinensis/Poncirus trifoliate trees colonized by Glomus versiforme during 12-day lasting drought and to evaluate correlation between symbiotic development and reactive oxygen metabolism of citrus. One year after planting, water was withheld from all trees for 12 days. During the drought stress mycorrhizal colonization and arbuscles showed a durative reduction. Mycorrhizal trees maintained significantly lower contents of superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde than non-mycorrhizal control throughout the experiment. There...
UV radiation, elevated CO2 and water stress effect on growth and photosynthetic characteristics in durum wheat
H.R. Balouchi, S.A.M.M. Sanavy, Y. Emam, A. Dolatabadian
Plant Soil Environ., 2009, 55(10):443-453 | DOI: 10.17221/1024-PSE
Climate change studies are of considerable interest in agriculture and environmental science. The objective of this research was to investigate the changes in photosynthetic pigments and other physiological and biochemical traits of durum wheat exposed to ultraviolet A, B and C radiation, elevated CO2 and water stress. The results showed that carotenoids, anthocyanins, flavonoids and proline content increased significantly by decreasing ultraviolet wavelength compared to control. Elevated CO2 increased only height and specific leaf area. Water stress induced a significant increase in carotenoids, anthocyanins, flavonoids, proline...
Qualitative properties of Mentha × piperita (L.) after application of the fungicide Hattrick DP-50
Š. Vaverková, I. Mistríková, M. Hollá
Plant Soil Environ., 2009, 55(10):454-459 | DOI: 10.17221/2802-PSE
The aim of this work was to study and verify the effect of the Hattrick DP-50 fungicide on quality and content of essential oil in Mentha × piperita (L.) HUDS. Cv. Perpeta (peppermint) during different developmental phases. The fungicide was applied approximately one month before the first collection. The results have shown that the phase of full bloom may be regarded as a period with the highest content of essential oil in herb and leaves of peppermint; its greatest amount was found in the youngest leaves. The content of menthol gradually increased to its maximum value in the full bloom phase, while that of menthone was decreasing. The treatment...