The aim of this study was to achieve maximum decolorization of molasses spent wash (MSW) in absence of any additional carbon or nitrogen source using soil as inoculum. Soil samples were collected from the MSW disposal site. Colored soil samples exhibited higher pH, sugar and protein as compare to less colored samples. A decolorization of 69% was obtained using 10% (w/v) soil and 12.5% (v/v) MSW...

Sulfonamide antibiotics are a commonly used group of compounds in animal husbandry. They are excreted with manure, which is collected in a storage lagoon in certain types of confined animal feeding operations. Flood irrigation of forage fields with this liquid manure creates the potential risk of groundwater contamination in areas with shallow groundwater levels. We tested the hypothesis that-i...

Soil fertility and crop production are affected by biological processes and these processes, including enzyme activites, are influenced by pH. We investigated the potential of using alkaline phosphatase (AlkP) and acid phosphatase (AcdP) activities, for determining the optimum soil pH for crop production and the amount of lime required to achieve this optimum. Five acid soils, which varied wide...

Biochar land application can potentially be used for carbon sequestration, improving soil quality, and reducing non-point source pollution. Understanding biochar mobility is important because its transport in soil greatly influences its stability, the dynamics of soil microbial communities and organic matter, and the movement of biochar-associated contaminants. Here, the transport of biochar pa...

Adsorption-desorption of the herbicide glyphosate (GPS) onto the clay mineral montmorillonite has been studied in presence of copper, in order to clarify the effects that this strongly complexing metal could have on the availability and mobility of GPS in soil environment. In contrast with previous findings, GPS adsorption on montmorillonite decreases in the presence of Cu, in solution or adsor...

Pineapples grown in acid soils containing high levels of manganese (Mn) can exhibit iron deficiency because Mn interferes with iron bio-functioning. This situation is commonly corrected with regular iron sprays. Soil Mn concentration can be reduced by liming, but pineapple growers keep the soil pH below 5.0 because it helps reduce the incidence of rots caused by Phytophthora sp. This study was ...

Irrigation of vegetables during both air and soil-born drought has very positive effect on growth, development and yield. The impact of irrigation on the metabolism of plants is very complex because the increase in soil moisture affects plant physical, chemical and biological properties. Increasing the amount of water in the soil increases its heath capacity. Irrigated (wet) soil is cooler in s...

Seed treatment with a 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol (DAPG)-producing Pseudomonas strain ameliorated abiotic stress disorder in corn caused by growth in a low-pH soil. In two consecutive growing seasons, Wood1R-treated seed gave rise to plants that grew taller (P<or=0.05), had fewer foliar lesions (P<or=0.10), and provided greater yields (P<or=0.1) than the negative controls when grown in soil with...

[1] We studied soil properties of frost boils at nine zonal-vegetation locations across the North American Arctic Transect (NAAT) in order to better understand arctic soils and their interaction with other biogeophysical components of frost boil ecosystems. Soil genetic horizons were analyzed for particle size, pH, electrical conductivity, total organic carbon (OC) and nitrogen (N), bulk densit...

Soil sickness is a critical problem for eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) under continuous cropping that affects sustainable eggplant production. Relay intercropping is a significant technique on promoting soil quality, improving eco-environment, and raising output. Field experiments were conducted from September 2010 to November 2012 in northwest China to determine the effects of relay intercrop...