Response of native (Quercus robur L.) and alien (Quercus rubra L.) species to water stress and nutrient input in European temperate ecosystems.

Drought and nutrient-poor soils can increase the invasive potential of non-native species, further changing the ecosystems they invade. The high adaptability of these alien species, especially in their efficient use of resources, improves their resilience against abiotic stress. Here, we evaluated the response of the North American Quercus rubra L.

Photosynthetic recovery in drought-rehydrated grapevines is associated with high demand from the sinks, maximizing the fruit-oriented performance.

To understand how grapevine sinks compete with each other during water stress and subsequent rehydration, carbon (C) allocation patterns in drought-rehydrated vines (REC) at the beginning of fruit ripening were compared with control vines maintained under drought (WS) or fully irrigated (WW). In the 30 days following rehydration, the quantity and distribution of newly fixed C between leaves, roots and fruits was evaluated through CO pulse-labeling and stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry. REC plants diverted the same percentage of fixed C towards the berries as the WS plants, although the percentage was higher than that of WW plants.

Legume-Based Mobile Green Manure Can Increase Soil Nitrogen Availability and Yield of Organic Greenhouse Tomatoes.

Information about the availability of soil mineral nitrogen (N) in organic greenhouse tomatoes after the application of mobile green manure (MGM), and its impact on plant nutrient status and yield is scarce. Considering this knowledge gap, the effects of legume biomass from faba beans that are cultivated outdoors (FAB), or from feed-grade alfalfa pellets at two different doses (AAL = 330 g m; AAH = 660 g m) that were applied as MGM on the nutrition and yield of an organic greenhouse crop of tomatoes were evaluated. All of the MGM treatments increased the mineral N concentrations in the soil throughout the cropping period, and the total N concentration in tomato leaves when compared to the untreated control.

Responses of hydroponically grown maize to various urea to ammonium ratios: physiological and molecular data.

To date urea and ammonium are two nitrogen (N) forms widely used in agriculture. Due to a low production cost, urea is the N form most applied in agriculture. However, its stability in the soil depends on the activity of microbial ureases, that operate the hydrolysis of urea into ammonium.

Impact of Legumes as a Pre-Crop on Nitrogen Nutrition and Yield in Organic Greenhouse Tomato.

An organic greenhouse crop of tomato was established in February following cultivation of cowpea (CP) or common bean (CB) for green pod production, or faba bean (FB) for green manuring. The vegetative residues of CP and CB were incorporated to the soil together with farmyard manure (FYM), prior to establishing the tomato crop. The FB plants were incorporated to the soil at anthesis together with either FYM or composted olive-mill waste (CO).