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Heavy clay soils are globally widespread but their poor drainage and poor aeration limit their use for agriculture. This study was designed to test the effect of the amendment of biochar (BC) from woody shrubs on drainage/saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat), soil aeration/air capacity, available water capacity and biomass and grain yields of maize. In a field experiment, BC from Gliricidia sepium was applied in planting basins or rip lines at 2.5% and 5% w/w in addition to a control without BC. The maize biomass and grain yields were higher in BC treated plots compared to control (p<0.05) during the 2012 and 2013 seasons. There was no significant difference in the yields between 2.5% and 5% BC treatments (e.g. grain yield were 6.6 and 8.1 t ha-1 in 2012 and 9.3 and 10.3 t ha-1 in 2013 compared to control with 4.2 and 6.7 t ha-1 in 2012 and 2013, respectively). Soil from the same field site was also mixed with a similar woody shrub BC from Eupatorium adenophorum in the laboratory at rates of 2.5%, 5% and 10% BC w/w and a control without BC. The mixtures were then incubated and subjected to two wet-dry cycles for two weeks. Core samples were taken from the incubated soil and tested for bulk density, Ksat and pF measurements. Total porosity and moisture at field capacity and wilting point were 72.3%, 43.7% and 23.7%, respectively, and not affected by BC amendment (p>0.05). In contrast, bulk density decreased linearly by 0.011±0.002 g cm-3 per percent BC added (p<0.001). Ksat and air capacity of the soil were 288 cm day-1 and 30.9%, respectively falling within the generally accepted optimal range. Both Ksat and air capacity followed a significant quadratic relation (p<0.05) upon BC addition, decreasing at low BC doses, reaching a minimum at 3–5% BC and increasing at higher doses. Results allowed a partial attribution of the yield increases to changes in soil physical properties such as changes in bulk density and not clearly to Ksat and air capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the effects of external organic and inorganic components on soil fertility and quality is essential for improving low-yielding soils. We conducted a field study over two consecutive rice growing seasons to investigate the effect of applying chemical fertilizer (NPK), NPK plus green manure (NPKG), NPK plus pig manure (NPKM), and NPK plus straw (NPKS) on the soil nutrient status, enzyme activities involved in C, N, P, and S cycling, microbial community and rice yields of yellow clayey soil. Results showed that the fertilized treatments significantly improved rice yields over the first three experimental seasons. Compared with the NPK treatment, organic amendments produced more favorable effects on soil productivity. Notably, the NPKM treatment exhibited the highest levels of nutrient availability, microbial biomass carbon (MBC), activities of most enzymes and the microbial community. This resulted in the highest soil quality index (SQI) and rice yield, indicating better soil fertility and quality. Significant differences in enzyme activities and the microbial community were observed among the treatments, and redundancy analysis showed that MBC and available N were the key determinants affecting the soil enzyme activities and microbial community. The SQI score of the non-fertilized control (0.72) was comparable to that of the NPK (0.77), NPKG (0.81) and NPKS (0.79) treatments but significantly lower compared with NPKM (0.85). The significant correlation between rice yield and SQI suggests that SQI can be a useful to quantify soil quality changes caused by different agricultural management practices. The results indicate that application of NPK plus pig manure is the preferred option to enhance SOC accumulation, improve soil fertility and quality, and increase rice yield in yellow clayey soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the findings of a study to describe the new plant species Miconia nordestina found in Brazil. It notes that M. nordestina has been collected in several states in Brazil since 1939 and had been recognized through its decorticant branches, opposite leaves with basal nerves, and the well-defined calyx lobes of its 5-merous flowers. The study cites that Miconia nordestina usually grows in mountainous areas, riparian forests, and clay soil.

The response to P and water deficiencies of forage Lotus species has not been sufficiently studied in the Andisol and Vertisol soil orders in Chile's marginal areas. A pot experiment under cover was carried out between October 2007 and March 2008 to study the effects of P and soil water availability (SWA) on DM production, P absorption, and P use efficiency in Lotus spp. The experiment included three Lotus (L. corniculatus L., L. tenuis Waldst. & Kit. ex Willd., and L. uliginosus Schkuhr) species, two soils (Andisol and Vertisol), two contrasting P levels (low and high), and two SWA levels (10% and 100%). A completely randomized design with a 3 x 2 x 2 x 2 factorial arrangement with four replicates was used. Accumulated shoot and root DM, P absorption and efficiency, and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) colonization were measured. Phosphorus absorption was significantly higher in Andisol with 100% SWA and high P in the three species, which was reflected in P efficiency where the species exhibited higher P absorption efficiency (PAE) and P utilization efficiency (PUE) with low P, and mean of the three species with low P and high SWA. When the P level was low, L. uliginosus showed the highest PAE and L. corniculatus exhibited the highest PUE. Phosphorus efficiency was also influenced by AM colonization since on the average mycorrhization in the three species was significantly higher in the low P treatments. Differences existed among species for DM production, response to P, P absorption, PAE, and PUE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study variation in zinc efficiency (ZE) among current Chinese rice genotypes, a pot experiment was conducted with 15 aerobic and 8 lowland rice genotypes. Aerobic rice is currently bred by crossing lowland with upland rice genotypes, for growth in an aerobic cultivation system, which is saving water and producing high yields. A Zn deficient clay soil was used in our screening. Zn deficiency resulted in a marked decrease in shoot dry matter production of most genotypes after 28 days of growth. Genotypes were ranked according to their tolerance to Zn deficiency based on ZE, expressed as the ratio of shoot dry weight at Zn deficiency over that at adequate Zn supply. Substantial genotypic variation in ZE (50–98%) was found among both lowland and aerobic genotypes. ZE correlated significantly ( P < 0.05) with Zn uptake ( R 2 = 0.34), Zn translocation from root to shoot ( R 2 = 0.19) and shoot Zn concentration ( R 2 = 0.27). The correlation with seed Zn content was insignificant. In stepwise multiple regression analyses, variation in Zn uptake and Zn translocation explained 53% of variation in ZE. Variation in Zn uptake could be explained only for 32% by root surface area. These results indicate that Zn uptake may be an important determinant of ZE and that mechanisms other than root surface area are of major importance in determining Zn uptake by rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gray's Post Oak Woodland is an open wooded community located on the western edge of the Wabash Border Natural Division about 9 km southeast of Harrisburg, Saline County, IL. Associated with a clayey soil missing most of the surface layer, the trees were stunted and gnarled. Quercus stellata dominated the canopy, accounting for nearly all of the importance value. Although six other tree species were present, few individuals exceeded 15 cm dbh. The open understory contained few saplings, averaged 1520 stems/ha, with young post oaks common. The herbaceous layer was sparse with a bare ground and litter cover of 48.90%. Danthonia spicata dominated, along with various moss and lichen species, some tree seedlings, and Carex spp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluates the interactions between the decomposition of plant residues and clay microstructural organization. Structural organization of clay; Classes of pores; Significance of clay decomposition; Occurrence of biological densitification.