Effect of Root Storage and Forcing on the Carbohydrate and Secondary Metabolite Composition of Belgian Endive ( L. Var. ).

Belgian endive is grown in a two-step cultivation process that involves growing of the plants in the field, cold storage of the taproots, and a second growth period in dark conditions called forcing to yield the witloof heads. In this study, the changes in the carbohydrate content and the secondary metabolite composition were studied in different tissues of Belgian endive during the cultivation process. Belgian endive heads contain between 336-388 mg/g DW of total soluble carbohydrates, predominantly fructose and glucose.

Chemical staining of particulate organic matter for improved contrast in soil X-ray µCT images.

Degradability of organic matter (OM) in soil depends on its spatial location in the soil matrix. A recent breakthrough in 3D-localization of OM combined dual-energy X-ray CT-scanning with OsO staining of OM. The necessity for synchrotron-based µCT and the use of highly toxic OsO severely limit applications in soil biological experiments.

Nitrogen Limitations on Microbial Degradation of Plant Substrates Are Controlled by Soil Structure and Moisture Content.

Mineral nitrogen (N) availability to heterotrophic micro-organisms is known to impact organic matter (OM) decomposition. Different pathways determining the N accessibility depend to a large extent on soil structure. Contact between soil mineral and OM substrate particles can facilitate N transport toward decomposition hot spots.

Quantifying the Contribution of Entire Free-Living Nematode Communities to Carbon Mineralization under Contrasting C and N Availability.

To understand the roles of nematodes in organic matter (OM) decomposition, experimental setups should include the entire nematode community, the native soil microflora, and their food sources. Yet, published studies are often based on either simplified experimental setups, using only a few selected species of nematode and their respective prey, despite the multitude of species present in natural soil, or on indirect estimation of the mineralization process using O2 consumption and the fresh weight of nematodes. We set up a six-month incubation experiment to quantify the contribution of the entire free living nematode community to carbon (C) mineralization under realistic conditions.