Plant, Soil and Environment, 2014 (vol. 60), issue 1
The impact of nitrogen fertilizer injection on kernel yield and yield formation of maizeOriginal Paper
K. Kubešová, J. Balík, O. Sedlář, L. Peklová
Plant Soil Environ., 2014, 60(1):1-7 | DOI: 10.17221/208/2013-PSE 
In field experiments over three vegetation periods (2010-2012) we studied impact of the CULTAN (controlled uptake long term ammonium nutrition) method on yield and yield parameters of kernel maize. The field experiments were conducted at three sites with different soil-climatic conditions. CULTAN treatments were fertilized once with the total amount of nitrogen using an injection machine (at the canopy height of 20 cm) and compared to conventional fertilization with calcium ammonium nitrate application at pre-sowing preparations. In all treatments the amount of nitrogen was the same, 140 kg N/ha. In 2010 at Humpolec site, CULTAN urea ammonium nitrate...
Contribution of root respiration to soil respiration in a rape (Brassica campestris L.) field in Southwest ChinaOriginal Paper
Q. Hao, C. Jiang
Plant Soil Environ., 2014, 60(1):8-14 | DOI: 10.17221/425/2013-PSE
This study aimed to separate the respective contributions of root and microbial respiration to soil respiration in a rape field in Southwest China. The soil respiration was measured with a closed chamber technique and a regression method was used to apportion root and microbial respiration. Microbial and root respiration ranged from 70.67 to 183.77 mg CO2/m2/h and 21.99 to 193.09 mg CO2/m2/h, averaged 127.16 and 116.66 mg CO2/m2/h during the rape growing season, respectively. Root respiration coefficient ranged from 0.41 to 5.39 mg C-CO2/g C/h and was negatively correlated...
Effect of land use on soil enzyme activities at karst area in Nanchuan, Chongqing, Southwest ChinaOriginal Paper
Q. Li, J.H. Liang, Y.Y. He, Q.J. Hu, S. Yu
Plant Soil Environ., 2014, 60(1):15-20 | DOI: 10.17221/599/2013-PSE
The study of soil enzyme activities under different land use is of importance for exploration of the soil quality evolution and its evaluation during the revegetation at karst area in Nanchuan, Chongqing, China. Seven kinds of land use were chosen as subject, aiming at revealing the changes in soil enzyme activities through experimental and statistical analysis. The results showed that different land use significantly influenced the enzyme activities. Soil urease, invertase, catalase and amylase behaved the different change. A descending order of urease activity was artificial forest, natural forest, shrubbery, grassland, slope field into terrace,...
Soil structure and carbon distribution in subsoil affected by vegetation restorationOriginal Paper
F.Z. Zhao, X.H. Han, G.H. Yang, Y.Z. Feng, G.X. Ren
Plant Soil Environ., 2014, 60(1):21-26 | DOI: 10.17221/353/2013-PSE
The depth of sampling is an important factor for evaluating soil stability. The objective of this study was to test soil aggregate particle-size fractions and soil organic carbon (SOC) in water-stable aggregate by vegetation restoration through 0-60 cm soil profile. We collected soil samples in 30 years old Robinia psendoacacia (Rr); Platycladus orientalis (Po); Pinus tabulaeformis (Pt); abandoned land (Ab), and slope cropland (Sc), which were separated into > 2, 2-1, 1-0.25, 0.25-0.053, and < 0.053 mm fractions. The > 0.25 mm water-stable aggregates (WSA) and mean weight diameter (MWD) were calculated in 0-60 cm...
Effect of site-specific weed management in winter crops on yield and weed populationsOriginal Paper
P. Hamouz, K. Hamouzová, L. Tyšer, J. Holec
Plant Soil Environ., 2014, 60(1):27-35 | DOI: 10.17221/574/2013-PSE
Site-specific weed management (SSWM) methods allow spatially variable treatment of weed populations according to actual weed abundance, thus offering the opportunity for herbicide savings. However, SSWM's effect on weed population dynamics is not sufficiently understood. In this study, SSWM was conducted based on various application thresholds to analyse the effects on crop yield and weed infestation in the succeeding crop. SSWM was used on a 3.07 ha experimental field in winter wheat (2011) and winter oilseed rape (2012). The whole area was split into application cells of 6 × 10 m and abundance of all weed species was evaluated manually in each cell....
Machinery guidance systems analysis concerning pass-to-pass accuracy as a tool for efficient plant production in fields and for soil damage reductionOriginal Paper
Z. Kvíz, M. Kroulik, J. Chyba
Plant Soil Environ., 2014, 60(1):36-42 | DOI: 10.17221/622/2012-PSE
Machines without satellite navigation in fields have a tendency to pass-to-pass errors, especially unwanted overlaps, resulting in waste of fuel and pesticides, longer working times and also environmental damage. This paper evaluates the accuracy of individual machinery passes in fields. Real pass-to-pass errors (omissions and overlaps) in a field were measured on different tractor-implement units with and without guidance system utilization and a comparison between observed guidance arrangements was made regarding final working accuracy and possible benefits from navigation utilization. Additionally, intensity of machinery passes, and repeated passes...
Cadmium uptake and translocation in durum wheat varieties differing in grain-Cd accumulationOriginal Paper
I. Arduini, A. Masoni, M. Mariotti, S. Pampana, L. Ercoli
Plant Soil Environ., 2014, 60(1):43-49 | DOI: 10.17221/416/2013-PSE
Wheat grain products are the primary source of dietary Cd-intake for humans. Since varieties differ markedly in grain-Cd accumulation, efforts are needed to find traits associated with low, or high, accumulation. Two durum wheat varieties, selected in a field screening as low (Creso) and high (Svevo) grain-Cd accumulating, were grown on soil spiked with 1.5, 3 and 4.5 mg Cd/kg. Growth patterns, Cd uptake and translocation were investigated at heading and maturity. Cadmium did not affect plant growth and grain yield, but grain-Cd concentration always exceeded the permissible limit of 0.2 mg Cd/kg, and was approximately double in Svevo than in Creso....