Global market economy and the growing concern about environment have been moving agricultural production into the area of conflict between economy and ecology. Increased efficiency in agricultural productivity via plant breeding, mechanization, and management techniques have all been important factors in maintaining the balance between food supply and world demand. Necessary improvements in the...

Nutrient management plans are used to reduce non-point source pollution from animal operations. These plans require manure analysis and use indices to determine nutrient availability. This study evaluated a modified method for determining nitrogen fractions in swine slurry stored under slatted floors, calculating plant available nitrogen, and characterizing nitrogen fractions by holding pit dep...

to study the effect of nitrogen form and ph of nutrient solution on the uptake and concentration of fe, zn, cu and mn in roots and shoots of spinach plant, a factorial experiment was conducted with two factors including nutrient solution ph in three levels (4.5, 6.5 and 8.0) and nitrate to ammonium ratio of nutrient solution in five levels (100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75 and 0:100). the experiment ...

The soil supports plants, is the physical determinant of root growth and extent, and is the main reservoir for plant-available water and nutrients. Therefore, the soil controls the availability of most essential plant nutrients. It regulates availability by means of biophysiochemical processes, which are functions of soil and plant properties. This chapter introduces the concept of soil nutrien...

Plants modify nutrient availability by releasing chemicals in the rhizosphere. This change in availability induced by roots (bioavailability) is known to improve nutrient uptake by individual plants releasing such compounds. Can this bioavailability alter plant competition for nutrients and under what conditions? To address these questions, we have developed a model of nutrient competition betw...

Changes in precipitation can influence soil water and nutrient availability, and thus affect plant nutrient conservation strategies. Better understanding of how nutrient conservation changes with variations in water availability is crucial for predicting the potential influence of global climate change on plant nutrient-use strategy. Here, green-leaf nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentratio...

Ecologists hold two views about the role of herbivory in ecosystem dynamics. First, from a food web perspective in population/community ecology, consumption by herbivores reduces plant abundance. Second, from a nutrient cycling perspective in ecosystem ecology, herbivory sometimes slows down cycling, which decreases plant abundance, but at other times speeds up cycling, which possibly increases...

The current emphasis on sustainable agricultural systems has led to a renewed interest in the use of cover crops to reduce soil erosion losses and retain soluble nutrients during the dormant season. Cover crop choices include a broad range of plant material, such as ryegrass (Secufe cereale L.), winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), forage grasses, and legumes. Historically, cover crops were use...