Localized application of soil organic matter shifts distribution of cluster roots of white lupin in the soil profile due to localized release of phosphorus.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Phosphorus (P) is a major factor controlling cluster-root formation. Cluster-root proliferation tends to concentrate in organic matter (OM)-rich surface-soil layers, but the nature of this response of cluster-root formation to OM is not clear. Cluster-root proliferation in response to localized application of OM was characterized in Lupinus albus (white lupin) grown in stratified soil columns to test if the stimulating effect of OM on cluster-root formation was due to (a) P release from breakdown of OM; (b) a decrease in soil density; or (c) effects of micro-organisms other than releasing P from OM. METHODS: Lupin plants were grown in three-layer stratified soil columns where P was applied at 0 or 330 mg P kg(-1) to create a P-deficient or P-sufficient background, and OM, phytate mixed with OM, or perlite was applied to the top or middle layers with or without sterilization. KEY RESULTS: Non-sterile OM stimulated cluster-root proliferation and root length, and this effect became greater when phytate was supplied in the presence of OM. Both sterile OM and perlite significantly decreased cluster-root formation in the localized layers. The OM position did not change the proportion of total cluster roots to total roots in dry biomass among no-P treatments, but more cluster roots were concentrated in the OM layers with a decreased proportion in other places. CONCLUSIONS: Localized application of non-sterile OM or phytate plus OM stimulated cluster-root proliferation of L. albus in the localized layers. This effect is predominantly accounted for by P release from breakdown of OM or phytate, but not due to a change in soil density associated with OM. No evidence was found for effects of micro-organisms in OM other than those responsible for P release.

[Effects of forms and level of nitrogen fertilizer on the content of chlorophyll in leaves of maize seedling].

The level and form of nitrogen fertilizer could significantly influence the growth and development of plant. The present paper studied the content of chlorophyll by the instrument SPAD-502 after treated with different nitrogen fertilizer level and different nitrogen fertilizer form. The results showed that the contents of chlorophyll in the last expanding leaf of maize seedling treated by levels of 0, 100 and 200 kgN x hm(-2) respectively had no significant difference, with the value of SPAD ranging from 43.3 to 43.7, but when the nitrogen fertilizer level got to 400 kgN x hm(-2), the content of chlorophyll in the last expanding leaf of maize seedling increased significantly, which can be caused by other components in the nitrogen fertilizer, which needs to be further studied. The experiments of nitrogen form showed that maize seedling treated by ammonia nitrogen ((NH4)2SO4) contained more chlorophyll than that treated by saltpeter nitrogen (Ca(NO3)2), and the statistical analysis was significant. The reason for the effect of nitrogen form on the content of chlorophyll of maize seedling leaf could be: (1) it is easier for plants to absorb ammonia nitrogen ((NH4)2SO4) than saltpeter nitrogen (Ca(NO3)2); (2) ammonia nitrogen ((NH4)2SO4) contains more trace elements which can promote the growth and development of plants.

[Contents of nutrient elements in NH4(+)-N fertilizer and urea].

Fertilizer contains not only one compound or one element, so it is important to determine the contents of other elements necessitous and beneficial to plant. All the other nutrient elements for plant, including necessitous elements and beneficial elements in ammonia nitrogen fertilizer ((NH4)2SO4) and CO(NH2)2, were analyzed by method of ICP-MS. The results showed that ammonia nitrogen fertilizer ((NH4)2SO4) and CO(NH2)2 both contain many necessitous elements, Mg, P, K, Ca, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn and Mo, thereinto the contents of Mg, P, K, Ca, Mn and Fe were on microg x g(-1) the level, and Ni, Cu, Zn and Mo were on the ng x g(-1) level; compared with CO(NH2)2, ammonia nitrogen fertilizer ((NH4)2SO4) contains more necessitous elements and beneficial elements except Mo and Si. All the above elements could influence the results of nitrogen fertilizer efficiency experiments, so pure fertilizer should be used in the future nitrogen fertilizer efficiency experiments and the comparative experiments of different form nitrogen fertilizer.

[Application of ICP-MS to determination of heavy metal content of heavy metals in two kinds of N fertilizer].

Environmental safety has been the focus worldwide, where involved are the pollutions of heavy metals, pesticides and persistent organic pollutants. Fertilizer has become one of the polluting sources of heavy metals, which are very deleterious to human health and environmental safety. Heavy metals are difficult to metabolize in human body and very harmful, so research on the pollution of heavy metals is considered increasingly important. The pollution sources of heavy metals include waste residue, waste water and exhaust gas from industry and automobile, and garbage from human life. The heavy metals in fertilizer can endanger the human body by the crop containing heavy metals. Two kinds of nitrogen fertilizer were analyzed in terms of the content of heavy metals by ICP-MS, and the results showed that the content of 10 kinds of heavy metals (Al, Ti, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Hg and Pb) in (NH4)2SO4 was 1345.13, 35.12, 2539.27, 287.26, 674.05, 270.79, 42.54, 22.13, 27.20 and 123.87 ng x g(-1) respectively; and in CO(NH2)2 it is 71.59, 5.36, 1167.71, 188.60, 7.46, 64.45, 10.55, 0.00, 0.09 and 3.71 ng x g(-1) respectively. All the data showed that CO(NH2)2 contained much less heavy metals than (NH4)2SO4, so we should select CO(NH2)2 as the nitrogen fertilizer in agricultural production.

[Determination of major elements in superphosphate by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry].

Phosphate fertilizer is one of the most important fertilizers. The authors determined nine kinds of major elements in superphosphate, the most important phosphate fertilizer, by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. The detection range of SiO2, Al2O3, TFe2O3, MnO, MgO, CaO, Na2O, K2O and P2O5 is 15.0%-90.0%, 0.20%-25.0%, 0.20%-25.0%, 0.01%-0.35%, 0.20%-40.0%, 0.10%-35.0%, 0.10%-7.50%, 0.05%-7.50% and 1.00%-100.00% respectively, and the precision of the method for SiO2, Al2O3, TFe2O3, MnO, MgO, CaO, Na2O, K2O and P2O5 range from 0.20% to 0.005%, so the method of X-ray fluorescence spectrometry is a fast and effectual method for detecting the composition of phosphate fertilizer. The contents of the above elements showed (1) the detected superphosphate content is 18.101% of P2O5, which is accordant to the labeled level (> or = 16%); (2) the detected superphosphate contains much SiO2, TFe2O3, MgO, CaO and K2O, which are necessary for plant growth and the content of which is 16.954%, 1.495%, 1.580%, 21.428% and 1.585% respectively. These data showed that phosphate fertilizer sometimes can supply some trace elements for plants, but we should eliminate the interference effect of these elements when we research the role of phosphorus; (3) superphosphate contains 3.225% of Al2O3, so the authors should attention to the aluminium poison when superphosphate is used chronically.

[Application of ICP-MS to detecting ten kinds of heavy metals in KCl fertilizer].

With the rapid development of society, more and more attention has been focused on environmental safety, especially on the pollutions of heavy metals, pesticides, persistent organic pollutants and deleterious microorganism. Heavy metals are difficult to metabolize in human body are quite harmful, so research on the pollution of heavy metals is increasingly important. There are many pollution sources of heavy metals, including waste residue, waste water and exhaust gas from industry and automobile, and garbage from human life. The contents of 10 kinds of heavy metals (Cr, Ni, Cu, As, Cd, Sn, Sb, Hg, Tl and Pb) in potassium fertilizer (KCl) from Russia were analyzed by ICP-MS. The results showed that potassium fertilizer (KCl) contained less heavy metals than organic-inorganic compound fertilizer; the content of heavy metals Cr, Ni, Cu, As, Cd, Sn, Sb, Hg, Tl and Pb is 0.00, 65.54, 238.85, 190.60, 0.98, 14.98, 2.97, 10.04, 1.28 and 97.42 ng x g(-1), respectively, which accords with the correlative standards. All the data showed that if potassium fertilizer (KCl) is manufactured through normal channel, the content of heavy metals should be little and safe.

[Effects of nitrogen form and its supply position on maize seedling growth under partial root-zone water stress].

A split root system consisting of two compartments was installed to study the effects of nitrogen form and its supply position on the growth of maize seedlings under partial root-zone water stress. Polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000) was added to the nutrient solution in one compartment to simulate partial root-zone water stress, while nitrogen was set as three forms (nitrate nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen, and their 1 : 1 mixture) and supplied to just one compartment (water-stressed or non-water-stressed compartment). Photosynthetic and other physiological indices were examined. Comparing with the nitrogen supplied to water-stressed compartment, the nitrogen supplied to non-water-stressed compartment improved the photosynthetic rate (P(n)), maximum net photosynthetic rate (P(max)), light saturation point (LSP), CO2 saturation point (CSP), chlorophyll content, root activity, nitrogen uptake, and biomass accumulation, but reduced the photorespiration rate (R(p)), CO2 compensation point (CCP), abscisic acid (ABA) concentration in xylem sap, and nitrogen- and water use efficiency of the plants. Supplying nitrate nitrogen or its mixture with ammonium nitrogen improved the P(n), P(max), LSP, CSP, nitrogen uptake, and biomass accumulation, but reduced the CCP, R(p), ABA concentration in xylem sap, and nitrogen- and water use efficiency of the plants, compared with supplying ammonium nitrogen. All the results showed that supplying same nitrogen forms to non-water-stressed compartment was more beneficial to the plant growth but disadvantageous to the plant nitrogen- and water use, compared with supplying the nitrogen forms to water-stressed compartment, and supplying nitrate nitrogen or its mixture with ammonium nitrogen promoted the plant growth but reduced the plant nitrogen- and water use, compared with supplying ammonium nitrogen.