EJSS

Eurasian Journal of Soil Science

Eurasian J Soil Sci

2147 - 4249

Federation of Eurasian Soil Science Societies

http://ejss.fesss.org/10.18393/ejss.650546

10.18393/ejss.650546

Isolation, characterization and screening of PGPR capable of providing relief in salinity stress

Hina Javed hina_javed_2102@yahoo.com

Aneela Riaz

Amjad Qureshi

Komal Javed

Fakhir Mujeeb

Fraza Ijaz

Muhammad Saleem Akhtar

M. Asif Ali

Rehman Gul

Muhammad Aftab

85 - 91

2019-05-15

2019-11-05

2019-11-25

2020-04-01

Environmental stresses such as drought, temperature, salinity, air pollution, heavy metals, pesticides, and soil pH are major limiting factors in crop production because they affect almost all plant functions. Soil salinization is a serious stress condition causing major problem for crop productivity. To combat this salinity stress, Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) is considered as innovative, effective and ecofriendly approach. Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) have various direct and indirect mechanisms which can be correlated with their ability to form biofilms, chemotaxis, and the production of exopolysaccharide, indole-3-acetic acids (IAA) and aminocyclopropane-1- carboxylate (ACC) deaminase Investigations on the interaction of PGPR with other microbes and their effect on the physiological response of crop plants under different soil salinity regimes are still at an incipient stage. An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of PGPR on lowering down the salt stress. Treatments were control (T1), Salt tolerant isolate KH-1 (T2), Salt tolerant isolate KH-2 (T3), Salt tolerant isolate KH-3 (T4), PGPR-I (Pseudimonas) (T5), PGPR-II (Azotobacter) (T6). Rice was sown under saline conditions at Soil Salinity Research Institute, Pindi Bhattian. With the inoculation of salt tolerant PGPR, plant growth and yield was improved. Result showed significant increase in plant height, biomass and yield over control. Inoculation of salt tolerant isolate KH-2 produced maximum grain yield in rice (4267 kg/ha) followed by PGPR-II and it was statistically significant from all other treatments along with control. It is concluded that with the application of salt tolerant isolate (KH-2), there is significant increase in rice production.

PGPR, abiotic stresses, Azotobacter, Pseudomonas, auxin production.

http://ejss.fesss.org/10.18393/ejss.659830

10.18393/ejss.659830

Spatial variation of soil weathering processes in the tropical high reliefs of Cameroon (Central Africa)

Désiré Tsozué tsozudsir@yahoo.fr

Simon Djakba Basga

Aubin Nzeugang Nzeukou

92 - 104

2018-12-06

2019-12-11

2019-12-16

2020-04-01

The objective of the present work was to characterize the morphological, geochemical and mineralogical features of soil with regard to weathering processes as a function of topography and spatial variation of climate in tropical high reliefs of Cameroon. Field investigations permit to select three study sites Mbalam, Meleta and Secande respectively in the humid tropical zone, pseudotropical mountainous zone and in the tropical dry climate. Macroscopically, the studied soils are thick in Mbalam, medium thick in Meleta and relatively less thick in Secande. Globally, saprolite, a loose loamy clayey horizon and humiferous horizon were observed from the bottom to the top of the profiles. These profiles differ by their thickness, the differentiation of the saprolite horizons and the presence of humiferous horizons. They are characterized microscopically by in situ replacement of primary minerals by kaolinite/halloysite, gibbsite and iron oxides. Theses minerals are associated to anatase in Mbalam and to montmorilonite and calcite in Secande. Geochemical processes involving in the spatial differentiation of soils are monosiallitisation and allitisation in the humid tropical zone, monosiallitisation and high allitisation in the pseudotropical mountainous zone with Al2O3 content reaching 41% in the saprolite, and monosiallitisation associated to bisiallitisation in the tropical dry climate of Cameroon. The development of these geochemical processes is conditioned by topography, elevation, rainfall and temperature, which appear as the main factors responsible of the spatial variation of soil weathering processes in the tropical high reliefs of Cameroon.

Spatial variation, weathering processes, soil, tropical high reliefs, Cameroon.

http://ejss.fesss.org/10.18393/ejss.663486

10.18393/ejss.663486

Effect of potassium levels on teff (Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter) growth and yield in Central Highland Vertisols of Ethiopia

Mulugeta Demiss Mulugetadem@gmail.com

Tekalign Mamo

Sheleme Beyene

Selamyihun Kidanu

105 - 118

2018-02-19

2019-12-15

2019-12-23

2020-04-01

Nutrient depletion and imbalance are among the major attributes that contribute to declining soil productivity in the highlands of Ethiopia. The blanket fertilizer recommendation, which considered only urea and Di-ammonium phosphate (DAP), was used over the past four decades to improve soil fertility for enhancing crop production. Nevertheless, the average national yields of small cereal including teff were low, despite application of nitrogen and phosphorus (NP) fertilizers. On-farm trials were conducted in the 2015/16 and 2016/17 cropping seasons at 18 locations on Ethiopian highland Vertisols to determine the response of teff to potassium (K) fertilization along with other limiting nutrients. Five K levels (0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 kg ha-1) in the form of murate of potash (KCl) were used in randomized complete block design with three replications. Separate analysis of variance was conducted for each sites and year. Least Significant Difference (LSD) test at P ≤ 0.05 was used to separate means whenever there were significant differences. Analysis of variance revealed a highly significant difference (P < 0.01) between treatments in both straw and grain yields and tissue nitrogen (N) and K concentrations of teff over the two-cropping seasons in 67% of the test locations. Additionally, responses to K were obtained on soils with available K test ranging between 166 and 282 mg kg-1. The Ca: K and Mg: K ratios were strongly and negatively correlated with relative yield and the correlations suggest that soil with Ca: K > 50:1 and Mg: K >15:1 are likely to respond to potassium fertilization. The yield advantage accrued due to K application ranged from 30 to 77% in 2015/16 and 8 to 51% in 2016/17 seasons. The economic optimum K fertilizer application rates varied between 60 kg K ha-1 in 44% of the sites to 90 kg K ha-1 in 23% of the sites. The findings highlighted the need for revisiting fertilizer program to enhance the yield and nutrient uptake of teff in K responsive soils and developing critical levels for K in the study sites.

Critical level, murate of potash, grain yield, balanced nutrition, crop response.

http://ejss.fesss.org/10.18393/ejss.663502

10.18393/ejss.663502

Impact of No-Till on physicochemical properties of Vertisols in Chaouia region of Morocco

Rachid Aboutayeb rachid.engineer@gmail.com

Brahim El Yousfi

Oussama El Gharras

119 - 125

2019-07-26

2019-12-18

2019-12-23

2020-04-01

Conservation agriculture (CA) relies on low soil disturbance, mulching, and crop rotation, and these characteristics present CA as a good candidate to control soil degradation and preserve soil fertility. Therefore, agricultural scientists promote it as an efficient technique to sustain agricultural production. Conventional tillage (CT) dominates many semi-arid regions of Morocco, like Chaouia. However, crop/livestock management worsens degradation of soil organic matter and thus soil fertility. Since the eighties’, controlled experimental trials tried to promote No-Till (NT) system in these regions. But it is still experiencing a low level of adoption. This on-farm research study aimed to evaluate NT effect on some Vertisols' physicochemical properties of this region. Analysis of variance only found a significant NT effect on soil organic matter (SOM), but factorial analysis provided evidence of a behavior of its effect on several physicochemical properties such as active limestone (CaCO3), total nitrogen (TN), nitrate (NO3-), calcium (Ca2+), potassium (K+) and cation exchange capacity (CEC). Furthermore, pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC) and sodium (Na+) did not show any significant difference between the two tillage treatments. This study also found that continuous cereal cropping with no mulching management mostly explains this low improvement in soil quality. This last approach, reduce CA to NT process. To promote CA in these regions, more efforts are still needed for a satisfactory up-scaling and a sustainable soil fertility conservation.

Conservation agriculture, Morocco, No-Till, on-farm research, semi-arid region, soil quality.

http://ejss.fesss.org/10.18393/ejss.687052

10.18393/ejss.687052

Use of sewage sludge in agricultural soils: Useful or harmful

Sezai Delibacak sezai.delibacak@ege.edu.tr

Lyudmila Voronina

Ekaterina Morachevskaya

Ali Rıza Ongun

126 - 139

2019-06-12

2020-02-06

2020-02-10

2020-04-01

Sewage sludge is an important type of organic wastes among the various categories of solid waste. Organic matter resources in soils are relatively low and frequently require replenishment. Therefore, the use of sewage sludge in agricultural soils is a desirable method of their utilisation. The addition of sewage sludge to soils may be an inexpensive and effective alternative to the methods applied currently (mineral fertilisation, manure etc.). In spite of the undisputable advantages resulting from the application of sewage sludge in agriculture, it also involves some serious threats. Among those we should mention the presence of pathogens, heavy metals, and organic pollutants. In the current scenario of increasing global population, the generation of solid wastes like biosolids is bound to increase remarkably. Improper and unscientific disposal of biosolids results in several environmental issues such as surface and groundwater contamination, degradation of land, and food chain contamination. According to the principles of waste management hierarchy, agricultural recycling of biosolids will be a more environmentally preferred option over the traditional disposal methods. Utilizing the potential of biosolids to recycle valuable plant nutrients and as an effective soil amendment will not only help in sustainable management of this waste but also in minimizing the negatives associated with its traditional disposal. Every country must obey their regulations and legislations for managing their sewage sludge as a basic solution for use of sewage sludge in agricultural soil.

Sewage sludge, biosolids, organic matter, waste management.

http://ejss.fesss.org/10.18393/ejss.689428

10.18393/ejss.689428

Quantifying the role of chemical weathering rates on soil developed along an altitudinal transect in the mountainous environments, Turkey

Omar Alsalam omertareq_82@yahoo.com

Cevdet Şeker

Mert Dedeoğlu

140 - 150

2019-06-21

2020-02-07

2020-02-14

2020-04-01

Climate and elevations play an important role in controlling rate of weathering and soil formation. The role of chemical weathering rate on soil developed along an altitudinal transect in the mountainous environments in Turkey was investigated to determine the effects of climate on the geochemical characteristics of the soil. The main purposes of this study were: i) To characterize the geochemical characteristics of soils as a function of climate ii) To evaluate the soil formation and decomposition rates in Climosequence depending on the elevation by using geochemical data. For this purpose, four representative profiles were dug at different elevations. The transect of four soils formed in limestone elevations from 1139 to 1809 m. Our results showed that the rate of chemical weathering of CIA, CIW, PIA and MIA indicators decreased with the increase in elevation. In contrast, WIP value increased at higher altitudes and exhibited different weathering directions by deviating from the main trend in the A–CN–K diagram that composition of weathered soils was easily influenced by the quantity of precipitation, degree of gradient and height differences. Therefore, it was concluded that the main factors determining soil development was climate and elevations, and both determine the leaching regime and weathering rates.

Climosequence, elevations, geochemical, soil development, weathering index

http://ejss.fesss.org/10.18393/ejss.706686

10.18393/ejss.706686

The evaluation of basal respiration and some chemical properties of soils under cover crop treatments in a cherry orchard

Zeynep Demir zdemir06@yahoo.com

151- 164

2019-10-20

2020-03-18

2020-03-20

2020-04-01

Effects of different cover crops (CCs), mechanical cultivation and herbicide treatments on some soil chemical properties [pH, EC, total N, available P, exchangeable cations (Ca, Mg, K, Na) and the DTPA-extractable micronutrients (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu)] and basal soil respiration (BSR) were investigated in a cherry orchard from 2013 to 2014. The present study was conducted in a cherry orchard located at the Experiment Station of Black Sea Agricultural Research Institute in Samsun province on the Northern side of Turkey. CC treatments, included Trifolium repens L. (TR), Festuca rubra subsp. Rubra (FRR), Festuca arundinacea (FA), T. repens (40%)+F. rubra rubra (30%)+F. arundinacea (30%) mixture (TFF), Vicia villosa (VV) and Trifolium meneghinianum (TM). Control treatments included mechanical cultivated (weed-free), herbicide treated (weed-free) and control plots, i.e., bare ground plots (with no cover crop) were allowed to become weedy. The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with four replicates. The CCs were mowed in the flowering stages of the plants. After 90 days following seed harvest, soil samples were collected from two depths (0-20 and 20-40 cm) in each plot. All cropping species showed positive effects on soil chemical properties and BSR. The CC treatments decreased soil pH and exchangeable Na and increased EC, total N, available P, exchangeable cations (Ca, Mg, K) and the DTPA-extractable micronutrients (Fe, Mn, Zn). Effects of mechanical cultivation and herbicide treatments on soil chemical properties and BSR values were not found significant for both soil depths as compared to control (p

Basal soil respiration, cherry orchard, cover crops, macronutrients, micronutrients.

http://ejss.fesss.org/10.18393/ejss.707659

10.18393/ejss.707659

Accumulating capacity of herbaceous plants of the Asteraceae and Poaceae families under technogenic soil pollution with zinc and cadmium

Luydmila Iljina iljina@ssc-ras.ru

Vishnu Rajput rvishnu@sfedu.ru

Mahmoud Mazarji mahmoudmazarji@gmail.com

Natalia Chernikova nat.tchernikova2013@yandex.ru

Coskun Gülser cgulser@gmail.com

Rıdvan Kızılkaya ridvank@omu.edu.tr

Dina Nevidomskaya dnevidomskaya@sfedu.ru

Anatolii Barahov tolik.barakhov@mail.ru

Svetlana Sushkova snsushkova@sfedu.ru

Tatiana Minkina tminkina@mail.ru

Saglara Mandzhieva msaglara@mail.ru

Victor Chaplygin otshelnic87.ru@mail.ru

165-172

2019-09-12

2020-03-18

2020-03-23

2020-04-01

In this study, the environmental monitoring of the long-term technogenic pollution zone of Novocherkassk, a region containing numerous heavy metal contaminations, was carried out. In the plants growing in the 5 km zone around Novocherkasskaya power station, contamination with the studied elements was revealed. The dependence of the content of Zn and Cd in herbaceous plants of the families Asteraceae and Poaceae on the distance to the source of the anthropogenic load was established. The selectivity of accumulation of metals by studied species of herbaceous plants at different levels of technogenic pollution is revealed. Achillea nobilis has the least pollutants resistant from the soil. Poa pratensis has the highest resistance to Zn and Cd pollution in terms of the set of assessment indicators. The granulometric composition of the soil has a significant impact on the availability of metals to plants.

Heavy metals, technogenic pollution, soil-plant system.

http://ejss.fesss.org/10.18393/ejss.707667

10.18393/ejss.707667

Changes in selected soil properties across a chronosequence of exclosures in the central dry lowlands of Ethiopia

Kiros Meles Hadigu

Aster Gebrekirstos

Kibebew Kibret

Fikrey Tesfay fikreytesfay@gmail.com

173 - 185

2019-08-19

2020-03-12

2020-03-24

2020-04-01

In Ethiopia, rehabilitation of the natural resource-base in degraded lands through area exclosures has become a necessary intervention, albeit empirical studies on the impact of these exclosures are limited. This study was conducted to investigate changes in selected soil properties along exclosures’ age and slope positions in Kewet district, central dry lowlands of Ethiopia. Soil samples were collected from three slope positions of three purposively selected exclosures of 5, 15 and 20 years old and one adjacent open grazing land from 0-10 cm soil depth for analysis of pertinent soil properties. The effect of exclosure age on bulk density, contents of sand, clay, organic carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, CEC, and exchangeable Mg+ and K+ was significant (P<0.05). All exclosures had low bulk density (1.14-1.16 g cm-3) as compared to the grazing land. Higher available water content (173 mm m-1) was recorded in the old exclosure. Soil organic carbon ranged from 2.58% (young exclosure) to 3.37% (middle age exclosure). Soil total nitrogen increased from 0.24-0.34%, while available phosphorus increased from 27-34%, from young to the old exclosure respectively. However, the influence of exclosures’ age on other soil properties was not significant. The young exclosure had the highest CEC (57 cmolc kg-1), whereas the grazing land had the highest total nitrogen and exchangeable Ca2+. From this result, it can be concluded that area exclosures, if managed properly, can improve some of the dynamic soil properties of open degraded grazing lands in the dry lowlands of Ethiopia.

Age, degradation, grazing land, restoration, slope position.

http://ejss.fesss.org/10.18393/ejss.708898

10.18393/ejss.708898

Efficiency of using the rangeland hydrology and erosion model for assessing the degradation of pastures and forage lands in Aydarly, Kazakhstan

Maira Kussainova mairakussainova@gmail.com

Kenneth E. Spaeth

Ermekkul Zhaparkulova

186 - 193

2019-08-11

2020-03-24

2020-03-25

2020-04-01

This study examined the use of a novel web-tool for Rangeland Hydrology and Erosion Model (RHEM) as a prediction runoff and erosion as a function of vegetation structure and behavior of different plant community phases and the amount of coverage for the different states in the Aydarly village of Jambul district of Almaty province. US Department of Agriculture experts and Kazakhstani scientists jointly conducted this study, where, based on the results, they received recommendations on improving rangeland. Results suggested that the model could be further improved with additional measured experimental data on infiltration, runoff, and soil erosion within key ecological sites in order to better quantify model parameters to reflect ecosystem changes and risk of crossing interdependent biotic and abiotic thresholds. These additions were further improved and implemented in other regions of Kazakhstan on other projects.

RHEM, Kazakhstan, Rangeland, Aydarly, soil erosion, pastureland erosion.