Plant, Soil and Environment, 2015 (vol. 61), issue 5
Influence of diesel and biodiesel fuel-contaminated soil on microorganisms, growth and development of plantsOriginal Paper
M. Hawrot-Paw, A. Wijatkowski, M. Mikiciuk
Plant Soil Environ., 2015, 61(5):189-194 | DOI: 10.17221/974/2014-PSE 
The paper presents the results of studies concerning the phytotoxicity of biodiesel and its diesel oil blends with a germination and root elongation test. The paper also analyses the effect of fuel on the number and activity of soil microorganisms and the reaction of plants used in the research. Fuel was introduced into the soil at a concentration of 10 and 50 g/kg dry mass soil. Based on the test results, it was found that from among 19 plants species representing 5 families taxonomically, only 4 species showed resistance to the presence of the fuel in soil, regardless of their type and dose (Glycine max (L.) Merill, Helianthus...
Zinc fertilization alters flour protein composition of winter wheat genotypes varying in gluten contentOriginal Paper
H.E. Liu, Q.Y. Wang, Z. Rengel, P. Zhao
Plant Soil Environ., 2015, 61(5):195-200 | DOI: 10.17221/817/2014-PSE
Wheat flour protein components affect the processing quality of wheat. While it is known that zinc (Zn) fertilization can change flour protein content, there is little knowledge about Zn influence on flour protein composition. A pot experiment was conducted with five Zn fertilization treatments and three wheat genotypes differing in protein concentration and gluten composition. Zn fertilization up to 10 mg Zn/kg soil increased activity of nitrate reductase and glutamine synthetase in flag leaves after flowering, but 40 mg Zn/kg soil caused a genotype-dependent decline in these activities. Similarly, an increase in Zn fertilization was associated with...
The relationships and sensibility of wheat C:N:P stoichiometry and water use efficiency under nitrogen fertilizationOriginal Paper
W. Yan, Y. Zhong, Z. Shangguan
Plant Soil Environ., 2015, 61(5):201-207 | DOI: 10.17221/28/2015-PSE
A field study was conducted to investigate the variations in the carbon:nitrogen:phosphorus (C:N:P) stoichiometry of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and its relationships with wheat growth rate (r) and water use efficiency (WUE) under different rates of N fertilization. The results indicated that the growth rate and WUE of wheat significantly increased with N fertilization and were strongly correlated with the N and P contents and C:N:P ratio. The C content in wheat was relatively stable, regardless of N fertilization, and the N contents were higher in the N fertilization treatments. In addition, the P contents were higher in...
Magnesium content in the leaves of winter wheat in a long-term fertilization experimentOriginal Paper
I. Jaskulska, D. Jaskulski, M. Piekarczyk, K. Kotwica, L. Gałęzewski, P. Wasilewski
Plant Soil Environ., 2015, 61(5):208-212 | DOI: 10.17221/60/2015-PSE
Long-term experiments facilitate the observations of changes in soil properties affected by agricultural activity as well as the reactions of crops to those properties. The aim of the study was the assessment of the relationship between the soil pH as well as contents of organic carbon, total nitrogen, available forms of phosphorus, potassium (Kav), magnesium (Mgav) and the magnesium content in flag leaves (Mgfl) in winter wheat. There was also determined the correlations between the Mgfl content and the nitrogen (Nfl), phosphorus, potassium (Kfl) and calcium (Cafl) contents...
Effects of tillage systems on soil water content and yield in maize and winter wheat productionOriginal Paper
K. Copec, D. Filipovic, S. Husnjak, I. Kovacev, S. Kosutic
Plant Soil Environ., 2015, 61(5):213-219 | DOI: 10.17221/156/2015-PSE
The four-year trial was conducted in north-western Slavonia (main arable crop producing region in Croatia) to evaluate the effects of different tillage systems on the water content of silty loam soil (Albic Luvisol) and yields of maize (Zea mays L.) and winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The tillage systems compared were: conventional tillage; reduced conventional tillage; conservation tillage I; conservation tillage II (CM); no-tillage (NT). During the study period, there were one dry, two wet and one average season. Soil water content (SWC) was measured at 0-5, 15-20 and 30-35 cm depths on a monthly basis. Tillage systems had...
Effect of salinity on seed germination, seedling growth, and inorganic and organic solutes accumulation in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)Original Paper
G.-Q. Wu, Q. Jiao, Q.-Z. Shui
Plant Soil Environ., 2015, 61(5):220-226 | DOI: 10.17221/22/2015-PSE
To investigate the effects of saline stress on seed germination, ion distribution, and organic solutes changes of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), in the present study, seeds and 3-week-old seedlings were subjected to a series of external NaCl concentrations (5-200 mmol). The results showed that high salinity (200 mmol) remarkably inhibited the germination of seed and delayed germination time in sunflower. It was found that 25-200 mmol NaCl significantly reduced both stem and leaf dry weight. Concentrations of 100 and 200 mmol also caused a clear reduction in tissues water content. With the increase of NaCl concentration, Na+ concentrations...
Evaluation of extractability of different extractants for zinc and copper in soils under long-term fertilizationOriginal Paper
A.K. Pradhan, K.S. Beura, R. Das, D. Padhan, G.C. Hazra, B. Mandal, N. De, V.N. Mishra, K.B. Polara, S. Sharma
Plant Soil Environ., 2015, 61(5):227-233 | DOI: 10.17221/971/2014-PSE
We aimed to evaluate the extractability of different extractants for zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) in soils of long-term field experiments covering different agro-ecological zones of India. The relationships between the amounts of Zn and Cu extracted by Mehlich 3, 0.1 mol/L HCl and AB-DTPA (ammonium bicarbonate-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid) with those extracted by DTPA, the conventional extraction method widely used in soil testing laboratories in India, were elucidated. The treatments of the long-term experiments included control (no fertilizer), 100% NPK, 50%NPK + 50% N through FYM (farm yard manure) and a fallow soil. Some important physico-chemical...
Potassium availability and soil extraction tests in agricultural soils with low exchangeable potassium contentOriginal Paper
M. Madaras, M. Koubová
Plant Soil Environ., 2015, 61(5):234-239 | DOI: 10.17221/171/2015-PSE
Low application of fertilizer potassium (K) in intensive agriculture leads to a gradual decrease and, afterwards, to a steady state of soil K determined by tests which are based on soil exchangeable K (Kexch) extraction. In this situation, non-exchangeable K (Knon-exch) is being released and therefore real plant availability does not necessarily correspond to soil test K. This incoherency was investigated in 14 agricultural soils with low K as determined by the Mehlich 3 method. Plant-available K released by exhaustive cropping of perennial ryegrass and K determined by the Neubauer seedling test were compared with 8 soil K extraction...