Plant, Soil and Environment, 2025 (vol. 71), issue 3
Effects of exogenous 2, 4-epibrassinolide and its inhibitors on the seed setting and yield of Tartary buckwheatOriginal Paper
Peiuyn He, Huangdanni Ran, Kaifeng Huang
Plant Soil Environ., 2025, 71(3):161-170 | DOI: 10.17221/669/2024-PSE 
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of exogenous 2, 4-epibrassinolide (EBR) on the yield of Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum (L.) Gaertn.). A 2-year field experiment was conducted on Tartary buckwheat (cv. Jinqiao 2) with different concentrations (0, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mg/L) of EBR and brassinolide (BRZ, inhibitor of brassinolide synthesis). The seed setting rate, agronomic traits, and yield initially increased and then decreased with an increase in the EBR application rate. The seed setting rate, agronomic traits, and yield decreased gradually with an increase in BRZ concentration, and yield was the lowest at 2.0 mg/L....
Effects of different mulching measures on soil physicochemical properties and phosphorus fractions in orchards in the southeast hilly region of ChinaOriginal Paper
Bangning Zhou, Heming Li, Zuopin Zhuo, Lei Wang, Maojin Yang, Jinshi Lin, Fangshi Jiang, Yanhe Huang, Yue Zhang
Plant Soil Environ., 2025, 71(3):171-184 | DOI: 10.17221/675/2024-PSE
Soil phosphorus plays an important role in the soil ecological environment and sustainable development of the fruit industry in the soil hilly region of southern China, but the impact of different mulching measures on soil available phosphorus and phosphorus fractions in orchards remains unclear. In this study, soil basic physicochemical properties, available phosphorus, inorganic phosphorus fractions and their interrelationships under natural grass cover (NG), film mulch (FM) and clean tillage (CK) in orchards were explored. Compared to CK treatment, both FM and NG treatments have been shown to increase the contents of soil organic carbon (SOC), total...
Irrigation methods and nitrogen-form interactions regulate starch-metabolising enzyme activity to improve rice yield and qualityOriginal Paper
Haojing Li, Hairun Li, Danke Zhang, Mengmeng Jiang, Jing Cao, Guowei Xu
Plant Soil Environ., 2025, 71(3):185-201 | DOI: 10.17221/530/2024-PSE
Nitrogen management and irrigation methods play crucial roles in determining rice’s grain yield and quality (Oryza sativa L.). However, limited knowledge exists on how interactions between nitrogen forms and irrigation regimes regulate starch-metabolising enzyme activity to influence rice yield and quality. A soil-growth experiment was conducted using a high-lodging-resistance rice cultivar under three irrigation methods, namely, submerged irrigation (0 kPa), alternate wetting and moderate drying (−20 kPa), and alternate wetting and severe drying (−40 kPa), as well as three nitrogen forms, namely, ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N),...
Assessment of cadmium toxicity in buffaloes grazing on forages cultivated in diverse irrigated soils: a comprehensive analysisOriginal Paper
Zafar Iqbal Khan, Menal Hamdani, Kafeel Ahmad, Asma Ashfaq, Shehnaz Fatima, Saqib Bashir, Ijaz Rasool Noorka, Hafsa Memona, Saif Ullah, Shahzad Akhtar, Mahmoud F. Seleiman, Nawab Ali
Plant Soil Environ., 2025, 71(3):202-212 | DOI: 10.17221/42/2025-PSE
This study investigated the potential risks of cadmium (Cd) toxicity in buffaloes grazing on forages that were cultivated in soils irrigated by various sources of wastewater. The absorption of trace metals (TM) by plants and their subsequent entry into the food chain pose a significant danger to grazing animals through the accumulation of contaminated fodder. The mean concentration of Cd in the water ranged from 0.18–1.78 mg/L, in the soil 0.63 to 1.87 mg/kg, in the forage 0.20 to 1.32 mg/kg, and in the blood 0.26 to 1.98 mg/L. Among all three sites, canal water (CW Site I), groundwater (GW Site II), and sewage water (SW Site III), the concentration...
Long-term effects of sugarcane monoculture on soil pedomorphology and physicochemical properties in tropical agroecosystemsOriginal Paper
Anna Kusumawati, Amir Noviyanto
Plant Soil Environ., 2025, 71(3):213-231 | DOI: 10.17221/648/2024-PSE
This study investigates the impact of prolonged sugarcane cultivation on the pedo-morphological characteristics and physicochemical properties of three soil types: Entisols, Inceptisols, and Vertisols, as a basis for determining the improvement step ensuring the sustainability of sugarcane production in Indonesia. Soil samples were collected from fields of sugarcane cultivated for 10, 20, and 30 years to analyse pedo-morphological and physicochemical properties. The results indicate that while Entisols and Inceptisols exhibited significant changes in soil properties with increasing cultivation duration, the pedo-morphology of Vertisols remained relatively...
Inorganic improver and straw returning promote corn growth and improve the quality of saline soilsOriginal Paper
Jipeng Wang, Junchuan Huang, Xinyu Hou, Quangang Yang, Hong Pan, Hui Wang, Fei Han, Yanhong Lou, Yuping Zhuge
Plant Soil Environ., 2025, 71(3):232-247 | DOI: 10.17221/35/2025-PSE
Soil salinisation is a major constraint on food security and agricultural development, and remains a critical concern in the agricultural sector. In this study, we examined the effects of three straw return methods – straw mulching, straw burial, and a combination of straw mulching and burial – along with inorganic amendments (CaSiO3 and MgSO4) on maize growth, soil organic matter, bulk density, salinity, and the contents of individual salt base ions. A 120-day planting experiment was conducted using soil columns and included maize cultivation under irrigation and drenching conditions. The combined treatments (straw...