Plant, Soil and Environment, 2013 (vol. 59), issue 7
Content of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soils polluted with petrol and diesel oil after emediation with plants and various substancesOriginal Paper
M. Wyszkowski, A. Ziółkowska
Plant Soil Environ., 2013, 59(7):287-294 | DOI: 10.17221/21/2013-PSE 
The study was undertaken to determine the influence of compost, bentonite and calcium oxide on the content of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soils polluted with petrol and diesel oil, using plants as phytoremediators. Contamination of soil with petrol and diesel oil caused an increase in the total PAHs in soil. The effect of diesel oil on the content of PAHs in soil was stronger than that of petrol in the treatments with spring barley and yellow lupine - maize, in reverse to spring rape - oat. Pollution of soil with petroleum substances led to the increased contribution of naphthalene to the total PAHs at the expense of other hydrocarbons....
Effects of tillage on soil physical properties and root growth of maize in loam and clay in central ChinaOriginal Paper
B. Ji, Y. Zhao, X. Mu, K. Liu, C. Li
Plant Soil Environ., 2013, 59(7):295-302 | DOI: 10.17221/57/2013-PSE
Subsoil compaction can result in unfavourable soil physical conditions and hinder the root growth of maize. The effects of deep tillage and conventional tillage on soil physical properties and root growth of maize were studied during 2010-2011 at two sites (loam at Hebi and clay at Luohe) in central China. The results showed that soil penetration resistance, bulk density, water content and root length density were significantly affected by tillage, soil depth and year. Deep tillage had lower penetration resistance and lower soil bulk density, but higher soil water content than conventional tillage across years and depths. Averaged over the whole soil...
Elevated CO2 concentrations alter nitrogen metabolism and accelerate senescence in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) plantsOriginal Paper
L. De la Mata, P. De la Haba, J.M. Alamillo, M. Pineda, E. Agüera
Plant Soil Environ., 2013, 59(7):303-308 | DOI: 10.17221/70/2013-PSE
Elevated CO2 concentrations were found to cause early senescence during leaf development in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) plants, probably by reducing nitrogen availability since key enzymes of nitrogen metabolism, including nitrate reductase (NR); glutamine synthetase (GS) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), were affected. Elevated CO2 concentrations significantly decreased the activity of nitrogen assimilation enzymes (NR and GS) and increased GDH deaminating activities. Moreover, they substantially rose the transcript levels of GS1 while lowering those of GS2. Increased atmospheric CO2 concentrations doubled...
Growth and reproductive characteristics of C4 weeds under climatic conditions of the Czech RepublicOriginal Paper
J. Satrapová, T. Hyvönen, V. Venclová, J. Soukup
Plant Soil Environ., 2013, 59(7):309-315 | DOI: 10.17221/77/2013-PSE
Climate change could promote the altitudinal spread of C4 weed species since they can benefit from warmer climate. The effects of altitude and climatic conditions (the sum of temperatures above 5°C and precipitation) on the biomass and seed production of two annual C4 weeds - Amaranthus retroflexus L. and Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P.Beauv. - were studied in the Czech Republic. We included both temperature and precipitation variables in the study since they both serve as basic indicators of climate change and thus they have the greatest impact on plant development. The experiment was carried out by sowing both weed species on m2...
Impact of double Zn and Se biofortification of wheat plants on the element concentrations in the grainOriginal Paper
M. Germ, P. Pongrac, M. Regvar, K. Vogel-Mikuš, V. Stibilj, R. Jaćimović, I. Kreft
Plant Soil Environ., 2013, 59(7):316-321 | DOI: 10.17221/6/2013-PSE
Optimisation of the concentrations of essential mineral elements in staple grain diet and reduction in non-essential and potentially toxic elements would considerably alleviate mineral malnutrition and improve the health of humans. Here, wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plants were biofortified with Zn and/or Se to determine the changes across 36 elements in the grain. The element concentrations were determined by multielemental k0-instrumental neutron activation analysis (k0-INAA). In comparison to grain from non-biofortified plants, Zn fertilisation increased the grain Zn, Ca, and Mo concentrations, whereas the foliar application...
Uptake of Cu, Zn, Fe and Mn by maize in the strip cropping systemOriginal Paper
A. Głowacka
Plant Soil Environ., 2013, 59(7):322-328 | DOI: 10.17221/122/2013-PSE
A field experiment was conducted in 2008-2010 at the Experimental Station of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences in Zamość (50°42'N, 23°16'E), University of Life Sciences in Lublin. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of cropping method and weed control methods on the content of Cu, Zn, Fe and Mn in maize and on their uptake. Two cropping methods were studied - sole cropping and strip cropping (common bean, dent maize and spring barley in adjacent strips) and two weed control methods - mechanical and chemical. Strip cropping reduced Mn content in maize, did not significantly affect Zn content, and increased accumulation of Cu and Fe. The...
Effect of long-term fertilizer application on yield and concentrations of elements (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, As, Cd, Cu, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn) in grain of spring barleyOriginal Paper
M. Hejcman, M. Berková, E. Kunzová
Plant Soil Environ., 2013, 59(7):329-334 | DOI: 10.17221/159/2013-PSE
Little attention has been paid to the effect of long-term fertilizer application on concentrations of elements in grain of barley produced on the metal non-contaminated agricultural soil. In 2010, we analyzed yield and concentrations of elements in grain of spring barley in unfertilized control, mineral fertilizer application (N4P2K2 - 70, 60 and100 kg N, P and K per ha) and combinations of farmyard manure or poultry litter with mineral fertilizer (FMN4P2K2 and PLN4P2K2) treatments in the Ruzyně Fertilizer Experiment established on Luvisol in 1955 in...