The Admont Grassland Experiment: 70 years of fertilizer application and its effects on soil and vegetation properties in an alluvial meadow managed under a three-cut regime.

Fertilizer application is a widely used management technique for increasing forage production from agricultural grassland. Fertilization is also a key driver of changes in soil nutrient status and plant species composition of grassland as shown in many short-term studies. Results from long-term experiments can further improve understanding of plant-soil relationships and help with management recommendations for agricultural and environmental outcomes.

New photorotor for the induction of anisotropy.

A new class of photosensitive compounds generates optical anisotropy comparable to azobenzene systems upon irradiation with linearly polarized light, but, in contrast to these systems, the new photorotor system does not absorb in the visible range. High values of dichroism and birefringence are induced and in the case of LC polymers the light induced order can be amplified by self-organization.

Application of plant-based antimicrobials for the growth inhibition of clostridia in pressed beet pulp silage.

Background: In this study the inhibition of hop beta acids on the growth of clostridia in soil-contaminated pressed sugar beet pulp silages was investigated. Hop beta acids are natural substances which display their effect at low concentrations. Fresh pressed beet pulp material was mixed with soil to artificially contaminate it with clostridia.