Plant, Soil and Environment, 2024 (vol. 70), issue 4
Co-application of biochar and melatonin enhances pea (Pisum sativum L.) performance and alleviates cadmium contamination stressOriginal Paper
Yanfang Wang, Jinzhao Liu, Dong Li, Zhengyang Yan, Ling Liu
Plant Soil Environ., 2024, 70(4):195-202 | DOI: 10.17221/462/2023-PSE 
Sole biochar addition or exogenous melatonin application can decrease cadmium (Cd) toxicity in polluted soils and improve plant performance and growth. Yet the additive effects of biochar and melatonin application on plant growth, oxidative stress modulation and Cd absorption remain unclear. We conducted a pot experiment to study the combined effects of melatonin, biochar and Cd stress on pea (Pisum sativum L.) seedling growth, antioxidant enzyme activities, photosynthesis parameters and Cd uptake. Results showed that Cd addition significantly decreased pea growth, chlorophyll content, net photosynthesis rate (Pn), transpiration rate...
The effects of biochar grain size on radish plants under low water availabilityOriginal Paper
Lenka Botyanszká, Justína Vitková, Natália Botková, Lucia Toková, Ján Gaduš
Plant Soil Environ., 2024, 70(4):203-209 | DOI: 10.17221/414/2023-PSE
Low water availability is a significant constraint on global crop production. Exploration is needed regarding plant responses to drought in interaction with biochar, encompassing optimised water use and carbon allocation strategies. The size of the biochar particles also plays an important role, especially in influencing the dynamics of water and plant growth. This study explored the potential impact of biochar treatment on radish growth and drought tolerance. Finer biochar particles lead to the most substantial available water content for plants, increasing at around 30%, while medium and larger fractions increase by about 22% and 16%, respectively,...
Characteristic of soil moisture utilisation with different water-sensitive cultivars of summer maize in the North China PlainOriginal Paper
Haoze Zhang, Mingliang Gao, Fuying Liu, Huabin Yuan, Zhendong Liu, Mingming Zhang, Quanqi Li, Rui Zong
Plant Soil Environ., 2024, 70(4):210-219 | DOI: 10.17221/401/2023-PSE
Summer maize cultivars are differently sensitive to soil moisture. To better understand the differences in water productivity of summer maize cultivars with different water sensitivity, a field experiment was conducted from 2020 to 2022. Three different water-sensitive summer maize cultivars were selected, including TY808 (high water-sensitive cultivar), DH605 (medium water-sensitive cultivar), and ZD958 (low water-sensitive cultivar). Soil water content (SWC), soil water storage (SWS), water consumption, water use efficiency, and grain yield were determined. The results showed that under rainfed conditions, the SWC of the medium water-sensitive cultivar...
Effects of combined application of animal slurry and mineral fertiliser on rice yield and soil nitrogen cycle microbesOriginal Paper
Pengcheng Wang, Siyuan Jin, Henglin Xiao, Zhi Zhang, Cheng Hu, Yan Qiao, Donghai Liu, Xifa Guo, Xiangrong Peng
Plant Soil Environ., 2024, 70(4):220-228 | DOI: 10.17221/315/2023-PSE
This paper studied the response of rice yield and soil nitrogen (N) cycling microorganisms to the combined application of animal slurry and mineral fertiliser. A pot experiment was conducted on typical yellow-brown paddy soil. There were five treatments: (1) CK – no N fertilisation; (2) S0 – mineral fertilisation; (3) S30 – 30% slurry with 70% mineral fertilisation; (4) S60 – 60% slurry with 40% mineral fertilisation; and (5) S100 – slurry application. Rice yield, yield components, and soil properties were investigated at harvest. The abundance of soil N cycle functional genes abundance was quantified via quantitative...
Ecological and human health risk assessment of tungsten and other heavy metal(loid)s in farmland around a typical tungsten mining area in southern Jiangxi, ChinaOriginal Paper
Qi Li, Li Tian, Xiaojun Zheng, Weijiang Chen, Buchan Zhou, Ming Chen
Plant Soil Environ., 2024, 70(4):229-244 | DOI: 10.17221/344/2023-PSE
The ecological and human health risks of heavy metal(loid)s (HMs) in soils around tungsten (W) mining sites have often disregarded the presence of W. In this study, we aimed to investigate the concentrations of 10 HMs (including W and other accompanying elements) in 18 agricultural soil samples obtained around a W mining site in southern Jiangxi, China. Furthermore, we determined the contamination status, source identification, and ecological and health risks of HMs in soils. Our findings revealed that HMs were extensively accumulated in soils within the study area, with the highest mean concentrations of W found. W concentrations were above background...
Dissipation dynamic of nicosulfuron in different types of agricultural soilsOriginal Paper
Siniša Mitrić, Amer Sunulahpašić, Dragana Šunjka, Slavica Vuković, Mirjana Žabić, Saud Hamidović, Biljana Kelečević
Plant Soil Environ., 2024, 70(4):245-251 | DOI: 10.17221/503/2023-PSE
This work aimed to evaluate the influence of soil characteristics and the applied amount of nicosulfuron on the degradation rate in soil. Soil samples were collected at three localities in Bosnia and Herzegovina – Manjača, Kosjerovo and Tunjice. The experiment was carried out under controlled laboratory conditions. Plant protection product based on nicosulfuron (40 g a.s./L, OD) was applied in concentrations of 0.075, 0.15, and 0.30 mg a.s./kg of soil. Nicosulfuron residues were analysed by the modified QuEChERS method, followed by LC-MS/MS. Soils are classified as silty loams, with variations in mechanical composition and chemical properties....