A Mobile NMR Sensor and Relaxometric Method to Non-destructively Monitor Water and Dry Matter Content in Plants.

Water content (WC) and dry matter content (DMC) are some of the most basic parameters to describe plant growth and yield, but are exceptionally difficult to measure non-invasively. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) relaxometry may fill this methodological gap. It allows non-invasive detection of protons in liquids and solids, and on the basis of these measures, can be used to quantify liquid and dry matter contents of seeds and plants.

Comparing straw, compost, and biochar regarding their suitability as agricultural soil amendments to affect soil structure, nutrient leaching, microbial communities, and the fate of pesticides.

The emission of nutrients and pesticides from agricultural soils endangers natural habitats. Here, we review to which extent carbon-rich organic amendments help to retain nutrients and pesticides in agricultural soils and to reduce the contamination of surrounding areas and groundwater. We compare straw, compost, and biochar to see whether biochar outperforms the other two more traditional and cheaper materials.

Coming Late for Dinner: Localized Digestate Depot Fertilization for Extensive Cultivation of Marginal Soil With .

Improving fertility of marginal soils for the sustainable production of biomass is a strategy for reducing land use conflicts between food and energy crops. Digestates can be used as fertilizer and for soil amelioration. In order to promote plant growth and reduce potential adverse effects on roots because of broadcast digestate fertilization, we propose to apply local digestate depots placed into the rhizosphere.

Legume Intercropping With the Bioenergy Crop on Marginal Soil.

The cultivation of perennial biomass plants on marginal soils can serve as a sustainable alternative to conventional biomass production via annual cultures on fertile soils. is a promising species to be cultivated in an extensive cropping system on marginal soils in combination with organic fertilization using biogas digestates. In order to enrich this cropping system with nitrogen (N) and to increase overall soil fertility of the production system, we tested the potential of intercropping with leguminous species.