Methylmercury (MeHg) accumulation in rice has great implications for human health. Here, effects of selenium (Se) on MeHg availability to rice are explored by growing rice under soil or foliar fertilization with Se. Results indicate that soil amendment with Se could reduce MeHg levels in soil and grain (maximally 73%). In contrast, foliar fertilization with Se enhanced plant Se levels (3-12 fol...

Farmers have been interested in using foliar-applied nutrient products to increase soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] yield since at least the 1970s, despite limited evidence that these offer consistent increases when used prophylactically. Recently, interest foliar fertilizer for production has renewed, likely related elevated prices. Over 2019 and 2020 growing seasons (46 site-years), agronomis...

Nitrogen (N) fertilizer management in young hardwood plantations is difficult due to our lack of understanding of the site-specific mechanisms that control tree response. Differences in landuse history and soil characteristics can alter the plant response to added N considerably. Foliage biomass, N content, N concentration, resorption, and soil N supply characteristics were measured on two 4 ye...

Fertilization of hybrid poplar (HP) plantations with papermill by-products is a promising solution to improve soil fertility and nutrient availability, increase plantation productivity, provide added value these materials that would otherwise be incinerated or sent the landfill. We assessed growth foliar nutrition HP clone (Populus x. canadensis × P. maximowiczii) at six sites aged three five y...

Concentrations of total soluble phenolics, catechin, proanthocyanidins (PA), lignin and nitrogen (N) were measured in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) needles exposed to either ambient CO(2) concentration ([CO(2)]), ambient plus 175 or ambient plus 350 micromol CO(2) mol(-1) in branch chambers for 2 years. The CO(2) treatments were superimposed on a 2 x 2 factorial combination of irrigation and f...

Plant intraspecific variability has been proposed as a key mechanism by which plants adapt to environmental change. In boreal forests where nitrogen availability is strongly limited, nitrogen addition happens indirectly through atmospheric N deposition and directly through industrial forest fertilization. These anthropogenic inputs of N have numerous environmental consequences, including shifts...

The endemic tree Acacia koa is used to reforest abandoned agricultural lands in Hawaii. Growth may be constrained by soil infertility and toxic concentrations of aluminum (Al) and manganese (Mn) in acidic Oxisols and Ultisols. The effects of phosphorus (P) fertilization at time of planting, soil type, and seed source on koa growth were studied for three years. Phosphorus, applied as triple supe...