Phenotyping of Different Italian Durum Wheat Varieties in Early Growth Stage With the Addition of Pure or Digestate-Activated Biochars.

This study aims to highlight the major effects of biochar incorporation into potting soil substrate on plant growth and performance in early growth stages of five elite Italian varieties of durum wheat (). The biochars used were obtained from two contrasting feedstocks, namely wood chips and wheat straw, by gasification under high temperature conditions, and were applied in a greenhouse experiment either as pure or as nutrient-activated biochar obtained by incubation with digestate. The results of the experiment showed that specific genotypes as well as different treatments with biochar have significant effects on plant response when looking at shoot traits related to growth.

OrganoCat pretreatment of perennial plants: Synergies between a biogenic fractionation and valuable feedstocks.

A successful biorefinery needs to align suitable pretreatment with sustainable production of biomasses. Herein, four perennial plants, (Sida, Silphium, Miscanthus and Szarvasi) regarded as promising feedstocks for biorefineries were subjected to the OrganoCat pretreatment. The technology was successfully applied to the different perennial plants revealing that pretreatment of grasses was more efficient than of non-grasses.

Insights into cell wall structure of Sida hermaphrodita and its influence on recalcitrance.

The perennial plant Sida hermaphrodita (Sida) is attracting attention as potential energy crop. Here, the first detailed view on non-cellulosic Sida cell wall polysaccharide composition, structure and architecture is given. Cell walls were prepared from Sida stems and sequentially extracted with aqueous buffers and alkali.

Transfer of atrazine degradation capability to mineralize aged ¹⁴C-labeled atrazine residues in soils.

The degradation of environmentally long-term aged (22 years) ¹⁴C-labeled atrazine residues in soil stimulated by inoculation with atrazine-adapted soil from Belgium, the United States (U.S.), and Brazil at two different moisture regimes (50% WHCmax/slurried conditions) was evaluated.

Biochar-mediated [14C]atrazine mineralization in atrazine-adapted soils from Belgium and Brazil.

Biochar addition to soil has been reported to reduce the microbial degradation of pesticides due to sorption of the active compound. This study investigated whether the addition of hardwood biochar alters the mineralization of (14)C-labeled atrazine in two atrazine-adapted soils from Belgium and Brazil at different moisture regimens. Biochar addition resulted in an equally high or even in a significantly higher atrazine mineralization compared to the soils without biochar.

Dry-wet cycles increase pesticide residue release from soil.

Soil drying and rewetting may alter the release and availability of aged pesticide residues in soils. A laboratory experiment was conducted to evaluate the influence of soil drying and wetting on the release of pesticide residues. Soil containing environmentally long-term aged (9-17 years) (14) C-labeled residues of the herbicides ethidimuron (ETD) and methabenzthiazuron (MBT) and the fungicide anilazine (ANI) showed a significantly higher release of (14) C activity in water extracts of previously dried soil compared to constantly moistened soil throughout all samples (ETD: p < 0.

Still present after all these years: persistence plus potential toxicity raise questions about the use of atrazine.

As one of the worlds' most heavily applied herbicides, atrazine is still a matter of controversy. Since it is regularly found in ground and drinking water, as well as in sea water and the ice of remote areas, it has become the subject of continuous concern due to its potential endocrine and carcinogenic activity. Current findings prove long-held suspicions that this compound persists for decades in soil.