chemical soil research News
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Household compost as good for soil as conventional fertilisers, say EU researchers
Since 2005, conventional disposal of organic waste has been prohibited in Sweden. Instead, this waste is incinerated or separated at source, processed (composted or anaerobically digested) and recycled as fertiliser on crop land. A new study has investigated the use of organic waste from different sources as a fertiliser and found that residue from biogas production is an effective fertiliser. ...
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Controlling resilient plant viruses with steam
Combining steam with heat-producing chemicals could control pathogenic viruses in soil, finds new research. The study examined how effective different forms of heat sterilisation of soil were at inactivating three plant viruses. While steam alone was enough to eradicate two of the viruses, the highly resilient tobacco mosaic virus required the addition of exothermic chemicals to reduce it by 97%. ...
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Management of rice paddy fields affects greenhouse gas emissions
How rice paddy fields are managed significantly influences the release of greenhouse gases (GHGs), a recent study concludes. Permanently flooded soils release more methane than soils that are flooded and then dried between production periods, for example. In general, the researchers recommend growing other crops in dried soil between production cycles, as well as limiting nitrogen fertilisers, to ...
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Cultivation affects pesticide–soil interactions
Pesticides are often used to enhance crop production by killing unwanted animals or plants. Unfortunately, they can also negatively impact humans and environmental health. The degree of impact, in part, depends on the fate and behavior of pesticides in the environment. The latter is governed by complex interactions of pesticides with soil components. One such important interaction is sorption ...
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Integrated weed management can reduce need for herbicides
The use of herbicides on crops causes environmental concerns. A new French study assesses the performance of cropping systems to manage weeds and finds that these techniques could control arable weeds in the long-term and reduce reliance on herbicides. In Europe, herbicides provide the conventional means of managing weeds on farmland. Although effective, herbicides are expensive and can build up ...
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Increasing potato production
Despite sophisticated nutrient management of potato crops, quality and yield still see wide variability. Although nutrients are already well understood, the influence of other environmental factors remains understudied. A research team from Michigan State University conducted a study to determine how the chemical and physical properties of soil, along with the light waves the plant absorbs and ...
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Polluted urban soil damages lime trees
The impact of polluted urban soil on trees is highlighted in a recent study from Latvia. The researchers found that high salt levels from de-icing chemicals and nutrient imbalance in soil damaged lime trees growing in the city of Riga. Trees planted in cities are an important part of the urban landscape, providing a range of benefits, from enhancing biodiversity to promoting a feeling of ...
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Forest soils recovering from effects of acid rain
Before the United States 1970 Clean Air Act, rainfall all over the country was acidic. As precipitation would fall from the sky, it would mix with gases from industrial plants, emissions from cars, and especially coal and fossil fuel consumption. That caused the water to become acidic – also called “acid rain.” Besides the air pollution hurting plants and humans, this acid rain ...
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Increasing diversity through crop rotation boosts soil microbial biodiversity and productivity
Planting a variety of crop species in rotation in agricultural fields increases the diversity of soil microbes below ground, recent research has found. This in turn positively affects soil organic matter, soil structure and aids the healthy functioning of the soil. The researchers say that rotational diversity can help farmers to grow crops in a more sustainable way that promotes soil stability. ...
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Delta-T Devices soil sensors used by Rothamsted Research for the world`s oldest continuously-running agricultural field experiment
Rothamsted Research is the longest-running agricultural research institute in the world, with a history dating back to the middle of the 19th century. Sir John Bennet Lawes, an archetypal Victorian scientist, entrepreneur and benefactor, became interested in agricultural science after leaving Oxford University. On assuming responsibility for the family estate at Rothamsted (Harpenden, ...
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American society of agronomy presents 2011 class of fellows
The American Society of Agronomy (ASA) will recognize the following individuals at the 2011 Awards Ceremony during their Annual Meeting on Oct. 16-19 in San Antonio, TX, www.acsmeetings.org. ASA has been selecting outstanding members as Fellows since 1924. Members of the Society nominate worthy colleagues based on their professional achievements and meritorious service. Only .3 percent of the ...
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