Plant, Soil and Environment, 2012 (vol. 58), issue 12
Index of volume 58Index
editors
Plant Soil Environ., 2012, 58(12):I-VI | DOI: 10.17221/6443-PSE 
Changes in soil fertility status of maize-wheat system due to long-term use of chemical fertilizers and amendments in an alfisol
G. Verma, R.P. Sharma, S.P. Sharma, S.K. Subehia, S. Shambhavi
Plant Soil Environ., 2012, 58(12):529-533 | DOI: 10.17221/133/2012-PSE
The present study was undertaken to quantify changes in the status of soil nutrients, their depletion and build-up after continuous long intensive cropping for last 36 years in a permanent manorial trial which has been in progress since 1972 in an alfisol of western Himalayas. The rotation was maize-wheat which included various combinations of N, P, K, Zn and FYM (farmyard manure). Continuous cultivation influenced pH, OC (organic carbon), available N (nitrogen), P (phosphorus) and K (potassium). An increase in the status of organic carbon was observed in 100% NPK + FYM treatments for more than three decades from initial value of 7.9 to 12.0 g/kg....
Response of growth and antioxidant enzymes to osmotic stress in two different wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars seedlings
G.Q. Wu, L.N. Zhang, Y.Y. Wang
Plant Soil Environ., 2012, 58(12):534-539 | DOI: 10.17221/373/2012-PSE
To investigate the responses of growth and antioxidant enzymes to osmotic stress in two different wheat cultivars, one drought tolerant (Heshangtou, HST) and the other drought sensitive (Longchun 15, LC15), 15-day-old wheat seedlings were exposed to osmotic stress of -0.25, -0.50, and -0.75 MPa for 2 days. It is found that osmotic stress decreased shoot length in both wheat cultivars, whereas to a lesser degree in HST than in LC15. The contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) of shoot in both wheat cultivars were increased by osmotic stress. It is clear that MDA contents...
Relationships between winter wheat yields and soil carbon under various tillage systems
O. Mikanová, T. Šimon, M. Javůrek, M. Vach
Plant Soil Environ., 2012, 58(12):540-544 | DOI: 10.17221/512/2012-PSE
Soil quality and fertility are associated with its productivity, and this in turn is connected to the soil biological activity. To study these effects, well designed long-term field experiments that provide comprehensive data sets are the most applicable. Four treatments (tillage methods) were set up: (1) conventional tillage (CT); (2) no tillage (NT); (3) minimum tillage + straw (MTS), and (4) no tillage + mulch (NTM). Our objective was to assess the relationships between soil microbial characteristics and winter wheat yields under these different techniques of conservation tillage within a field experiment, originally established in 1995. The differences...
Potassium leaching following silage maize on a productive sandy soil
M. Kayser, M. Benke, J. Isselstein
Plant Soil Environ., 2012, 58(12):545-550 | DOI: 10.17221/523/2012-PSE
Relatively little is known about potassium leaching losses following harvest of silage maize. While direct negative impacts on the environment are unlikely, losses of K with leaching need to be known for accurate balancing, especially on coarse textured soils, where K can be a critical element. In a four-year field experiment the effects of fertilizer forms (inorganic, cattle slurry and pig slurry) and four levels of N input (0, 80, 160, 240 kg N/ha) with corresponding amounts of K on the nutrient balances and leaching of K from silage maize grown on a sandy soil were investigated using suction cups. After four years, surplus of K from cattle slurry...
The heavy metal availability in long-term polluted soils as affected by EDTA and alfalfa meal treatments
G. Mühlbachová, J. Száková, P. Tlustoš
Plant Soil Environ., 2012, 58(12):551-556 | DOI: 10.17221/524/2012-PSE
A 38-day incubation experiment was carried out in order to evaluate the response of plant-available portions of heavy metals in long-term contaminated arable and grassland soils on addition of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) meal. Soils with different soil management (arable and grassland) from the vicinity of a lead smelter were used in the experiment. Readily available heavy metal fractions of Cd, Pb, Zn and Cu increased in the presence of EDTA at the beginning of experiment. The increase of heavy metal availability was higher in the arable soil with lower content of soil organic carbon than in the...
Modification of the standard method for determination of non-exchangeable NH4-N in soil
P. Beuters, H.W. Scherer
Plant Soil Environ., 2012, 58(12):557-560 | DOI: 10.17221/575/2012-PSE
It is well accepted that non-exchangeable NH4-N plays an important role in the N dynamics of arable soils. However the widely-used Silva/Bremner method for determining this N fraction is very time consuming and the use of the hazardous hydrofluoric acid (HF) is indispensable. In the modification the use of HF is avoided and the quantity of analysed samples per unit of time could be increased by a factor of 2.5. After pretreating soil samples with KOBr to destroy soil organic matter soil samples are dried and the content of non-exchangeable NH4-N is measured using a CNS analyzer. The results of the analysis of 3 out of 4 different...
Effect of quick lime and superphosphate additives on emergence and survival of Rumex obtusifolius seedlings in acid and alkaline soils contaminated by As, Cd, Pb, and Zn
M. Hejcman, S. Vondráčková, V. Müllerová, K. Červená, J. Száková, P. Tlustoš
Plant Soil Environ., 2012, 58(12):561-667 | DOI: 10.17221/612/2012-PSE
Rumex obtusifolius is a troublesome weed widely spread in temperate grasslands and can be potentially used for detection of soils contaminated by trace elements. We asked how emergence and survival of its seedlings are affected by application of quick lime (Ca) and superphosphate (P) additives in soils contaminated by trace elements. We performed the pot seeding experiment with slightly acid Litavka soil contaminated by arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) and alkaline Malín soil contaminated by As, Cd, and Zn. We used a control without any additives, Ca and P treatments in both soils. Higher and quicker emergence, together...
Density and surface tension of aqueous solutions of adjuvants used for tank-mixes with pesticides
J. Janků, L. Bartovská, J. Soukup, M. Jursík, K. Hamouzová
Plant Soil Environ., 2012, 58(12):568-572 | DOI: 10.17221/556/2012-PSE
Adjuvants are surface active agents that are added to pesticide formulations or tank-mix to facilitate the mixing, application, or efficacy of these products. Addition of adjuvants changes the physico-chemical properties of spray liquid. In this work, we have focused in particular on surface tension and density of aqueous solutions of different adjuvants registered for mixing with herbicides. Eleven different adjuvants were subject of this study under laboratory conditions. An equation which enables determination of density of aqueous solutions in concentration range of 0-15 g/kg was designed. Average difference between the experimental and calculated...