Plant, Soil and Environment, 2011 (vol. 57), issue 6
Effect of soil tillage practices on severity of selected diseases in winter wheat
M. Váňová, P. Matušinsky, M. Javůrek, M. Vach
Plant Soil Environ., 2011, 57(6):245-250 | DOI: 10.17221/334/2010-PSE 
Soil tillage practices involving various depth, intensity, and different methods of loosening the soil and treating plant residues have changed significantly in recent years and have spread also due to technical advance. The reasons are not only in expected benefits for crop production economics but also in preserving and increasing soil fertility. Although the practices were known for decades, their greatest development and use was seen only in the last 15 years, when decreasing production costs, efficient technology and effective herbicides were the main reasons for their development. At present, they are regarded as important alternatives to conventional...
Surface soil phosphorus and phosphatase activities affected by tillage and crop residue input amounts
J.B. Wang, Z.H. Chen, L.J. Chen, A.N. Zhu, Z.J. Wu
Plant Soil Environ., 2011, 57(6):251-257 | DOI: 10.17221/437/2010-PSE
The effects of tillage and residue input amounts on soil phosphatase (alkaline phosphomonoesterase ALP, acid phosphomonoesterase ACP, phosphodiesterase PD, and inorganic pyrophosphatase IPP) activities and soil phosphorus (P) forms (total P, organic P, and available P) were evaluated using soils collected from a three-year experiment. The results showed that no-till increased soil total and organic P, but not available P as compared to conventional tillage treatments. Total P was increased as inputs of crop residue increased for no-till treatment. There were higher ALP and IPP activities in no-till treatments, while higher PD activity was found in...
Soil erosion and earthworm population responses to soil management systems in steep-slope vineyards ..
S. Vršič
Plant Soil Environ., 2011, 57(6):258-263 | DOI: 10.17221/439/2010-PSE
This study is aimed at investigating the effect of different vineyard soil management systems on soil erosion and earthworm (Lumbricidae) population. Three soil management systems were investigated: permanent green cover (control), straw-cover and periodic soil tillage. Inter-row periodic soil tillage was applied in 2002 and 2003 (May and August), and straw-cover in May 2002. Periodic soil tillage resulted in increased erosion, i.e. 1746 kg/ha of soil/per year, on average. The greater portion of erosive events occurred after tillage in summer (August 2002), which was accompanied by heavy rainfall and slow renewal of grass cover (slower than in spring)....
Photosynthetic activity of selected genotypes of hops (Humulus lupulus L.) in critical periods for yield formation
J. Pokorný, J. Pulkrábek, P. Štranc, D. Bečka
Plant Soil Environ., 2011, 57(6):264-270 | DOI: 10.17221/30/2011-PSE
This paper evaluates the influence of genotype on the photosynthetic activity of hops in the period critical for generating yield. Results over three years from measuring the photosynthesis rate statistically show an increase in the photosynthetic activity of hop plants in the flowering stage. The average photosynthetic rates from measurements on the second date (BBA 65) in the years 2007, 2008, and 2009 increased by 17.9%, 45.6%, and 49.2%, respectively. Different photosynthesis curve trends during the final stage of ontogenesis of the plants indicate the maturity level of each hop genotype. As regards the genotypes for which photosynthesis did not...
Grazing depresses soil carbon storage through changing plant biomass and composition in a Tibetan alpine meadow
D.S. Sun, K. Wesche, D.D. Chen, S.H. Zhang, G.L. Wu, G.Z. Du, N.B. Comerford
Plant Soil Environ., 2011, 57(6):271-278 | DOI: 10.17221/7/2011-PSE
Grazing-induced variations in vegetation may either accelerate or reduce soil carbon storage through changes in litter quantity and quality. Here, a three-year field study (2005-2007) was conducted in Tibetan alpine meadow to address the responses of surface soil (0-15 cm) organic carbon (SOC) storage in the plant growing season (from May to September) to varying grazing intensity (represented by the residual aboveground biomass, with G0, G1, G2, and G3 standing for 100%, 66%, 55%, and 30% biomass residual, respectively), and to explore whether grazing-induced vegetation changes depress or facilitate SOC...
Feasibility of summer corn (Zea mays L.) production in drought affected areas of northern China using water-saving superabsorbent polymer
M. Robiul Islam, Z. Zeng, J. Mao, A. Egrinya Eneji, X. Xue, Y. Hu
Plant Soil Environ., 2011, 57(6):279-285 | DOI: 10.17221/101/2011-PSE
In arid and semiarid regions of northern China, there is an increasing interest in using water-saving superabsorbent polymer (SAP) for field crop production. Experiments were conducted during 2009 and 2010 to study the growth and yield characteristics of summer corn (Zea mays L.) under different (control, 0; low, 10; medium, 20; high, 30 and very high, 40 kg/ha) rates of SAP in a drought-affected field of northern China. Corn yield increased slightly following SAP application at low and medium rate, but significantly at high and very high rates by 22.4 and 27.8%. At the same time, plant height, stem diameter, leaf area, biomass accumulation,...
Effects of salt and alkali stresses on growth and ion balance in rice (Oryza sativa L.)
H. Wang, Z. Wu, Y. Chen, C. Yang, D. Shi
Plant Soil Environ., 2011, 57(6):286-294 | DOI: 10.17221/36/2011-PSE
Rice seedlings were stressed with salt stress or alkali stress. The growth, organic acids (OAs) and inorganic ions in stressed seedlings were measured to investigate the physiological adaptive mechanism by which rice tolerates alkali stress. The results showed that the injury effect of alkali stress on rice was stronger than salt stress. Under salt stress, inorganic anions were dominant in maintaining intracellular ionic equilibrium; however, under alkali stress, the contents of inorganic anions decreased, which caused a severe deficit of negative charge. The deficit of negative charge was remedied by greatly accumulated OAs, especially malate and...
Emission of carbon dioxide influenced by nitrogen and water levels from soil incubated straw
S.A. Abro, X.H. Tian, D.H. You, X.D. Wang
Plant Soil Environ., 2011, 57(6):295-300 | DOI: 10.17221/387/2010-PSE
An incubation study was carried out to investigate the influence of nitrogen rates to determine optimum C/N ratio under various moisture levels for straw decomposition and sequester carbon (C) in the soil. The aim was to observe straw carbon mineralization through measuring the amount of CO2 evolution. A clay loam topsoil mixed with maize straw was supplied with four nitrogen rates (0.04, 0.08, 0.16, 0.32 g N/kg) using (NH4)2SO4 to adjust C/N ratios at 82, 42, 20, and 10. Soil moisture was maintained at 55%, 70%, 85%, and 100% of field capacity incubated at 25°C for 53 days. The experiment was set up with...