Drying-wetting cycle enhances stress resistance of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in a model soil.

Outbreaks of Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7 in farms are often triggered by heavy rains and flooding. Most cells die with the decreasing of soil moisture, while few cells enter a dormant state and then resuscitate after rewetting.

Spatial variation in stability of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) straw phytolith-occluded carbon in China.

Global climate warming, driven by human activities emitting greenhouse gases like CO, results in adverse effects, posing significant challenges to human health and food security. In response to this challenge, it is imperative to enhance long-term carbon sequestration, including phytolith-occluded carbon (PhytOC). Currently, there is a dearth of research on the assessment and distribution of the stability of PhytOC.

Remobilization of Cd caused by iron oxide phase transformation and Mn competition after stabilization by nano zero valent iron.

Stabilization techniques are vital in controlling Cd soil pollution. Nano zero valent iron (nZVI) has been extensively utilized for Cd remediation owing to its robust adsorption and reactivity. However, the environmental stress-induced stability of Cd after nZVI addition remains unclear.

Patterns and abiotic drivers of soil organic carbon in perennial tea (Camellia sinensis L.) plantation system of China.

Understanding soil organic carbon (SOC), the largest carbon (C) pool of a terrestrial ecosystem, is essential for mitigating climate change. Currently, the spatial patterns and drivers of SOC in the plantations of tea, a perennial leaf crop, remain unclear. Therefore, the present study surveyed SOC across the main tea-producing areas of China, which is the largest tea producer in the world.

Nitrogen addition increased soil particulate organic carbon via plant carbon input whereas reduced mineral-associated organic carbon through attenuating mineral protection in agroecosystem.

Nitrogen (N) addition can have substantial impacts on both aboveground and belowground processes such as plant productivity, microbial activity, and soil properties, which in turn alters the fate of soil organic carbon (SOC). However, how N addition affects various SOC fractions such as particulate organic carbon (POC) and mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC), particularly in agroecosystem, and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, plant biomass (grain yield, straw biomass, and root biomass), soil chemical properties (pH, N availability, exchangeable cations and amorphous Al/Fe - (hydr) oxides) and microbial characteristics (biomass and functional genes) in response to a N addition experiment (0, 150, 225, 300, and 375 kg ha) in paddy soil were investigated to explore the predominant controls of POC and MAOC.

Nitrogen addition reduces phosphorus availability and induces a shift in soil phosphorus cycling microbial community in a tea (Camellia sinensis L.) plantation.

Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are two important nutrient elements that limit the growth of plants and microorganisms. The effect of the N supply on soil P cycling and its mechanism remain poorly known. Here, we characterized the effects of different N application rates on soil P availability, the abundances of P-cycling functional genes, and microbial communities involved in P-cycling following the application of N for 13 years in a tea plantation.

Production of potassium-enriched biochar from Canna indica: Transformation and release of potassium.

Potassium (K) is one of the essential macronutrients for plant growth, while most agricultural soils are suffering from K deficiency worldwide. Therefore, it is a promising strategy to prepare K-enriched biochar from biomass waste. In this study, various K-enriched biochars were prepared from Canna indica at 300-700 °C by pyrolysis, co-pyrolysis with bentonite, and pelletizing-co-pyrolysis.

Effect of planting and mowing cover crops as livestock feed on soil quality and pear production.

Introduction: The increasing demand for animal-products has led to an increasing demand for livestock feed. Using cover crop as green manure in orchards is an effective measure to improve fruit yield and quality. However, the effect of mowing cover forage crops as livestock feed on soil quality and crop production is unclear.

Long-term nitrogen addition increases denitrification potential and functional gene abundance and changes denitrifying communities in acidic tea plantation soil.

The response of soil denitrification to nitrogen (N) addition in the acidic and perennial agriculture systems and its underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Therefore, a long-term (12 years) field trial was conducted to explore the effects of different N application rates on the soil denitrification potential (DP), functional genes, and denitrifying microbial communities of a tea plantation. The study found that N application to the soil significantly increased the DP and the absolute abundance of denitrifying genes, such as narG, nirK, norB, and nosZ.

Metagenomics reveals N-induced changes in carbon-degrading genes and microbial communities of tea (Camellia sinensis L.) plantation soil under long-term fertilization.

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is an important C pool of the global ecosystem and is affected by various agricultural practices including fertilization. Excessive nitrogen (N) application is an important field management measure in tea plantation systems. However, the mechanism underlying the impact of N fertilization on SOC, especially the microscopic mechanism remain unclear.

Sustainable strategies related to soil fertility, economic benefit, and environmental impact on pear orchards at the farmer scale in the Yangtze River Basin, China.

Pears are an important income source in China, and unreasonable management practices have had a negative impact on the sustainability of pear orchards. However, multi-objective synergistic strategies are unclear on a farmer scale. In this study, we quantified indicators of soil fertility (soil organic matter (SOM)), environmental impact (global warming potentials (GWP)), and economic benefit (ratio of benefit and cost (BCR)) and analysed the synergetic strategies based on survey data from 230 smallholders in the Yangtze River Basin (Shanghai City, Chongqing City, Zhejiang province, and Jiangxi province).

Acetamiprid fate in a sandy loam with contrasting soil organic matter contents: A comparison of the degradation, sorption and leaching of commercial neonicotinoid formulations.

The impacts of neonicotinoids have generally focussed on the responses of the pure active ingredient. Using a selection of two commercial formulations and the active ingredient, we ran three laboratory studies using C-labelled acetamiprid to study the leaching, sorption and mineralisation behaviours of the commercially available neonicotinoid formulations compared to the pure active ingredient. We added C-spiked acetamiprid to a sandy loam soil that had received long-term additions of farmyard manure at two rates (10 t/ha/yr and 25 t/ha/yr) and mineral fertilisers, as a control.

Crop rotation stage has a greater effect than fertilisation on soil microbiome assembly and enzymatic stoichiometry.

Agronomic practises, such as fertilisation and crop rotation, affect soil microbial communities and functions. However, limited information is available regarding the relative importance of fertilisation and crop rotation stages in determining the soil microbiome and assembly processes. In addition, insights into the connections between the soil microbiome and enzymatic stoichiometry are scarce.

Spraying high concentrations of chelated zinc enhances zinc biofortification in wheat grain.

Background: Foliar application of highly concentrated ZnSO fertilizer improves Zn biofortification in wheat grains. However, excess ZnSO ·7H O concentration (≥5 g kg , w v ) has been associated with leaf burn and yield loss, necessitating Zn sources with a high threshold concentration. The aim of this study, based on a 2 year field experiment conducted on wheat cultivated in acidic and alkaline soil, was to identify a suitable Zn formulation with a high Zn concentration or efficient adjuvant to achieve optimal Zn biofortification levels without compromising agronomic performance.

Nano zero-valent iron-induced changes in soil iron species and soil bacterial communities contribute to the fate of Cd.

Nano zero-valent iron (nZVI) is used for soil remediation; however, the impact of nZVI on soil solid iron phases and its interactions with soil microorganisms in relation to the fate of Cd in soil remains unclear. In the current study, we investigated the mechanisms underlying the change in mobility of Cd in exogenous Cd-contaminated soil with nZVI and γ radiation treatments. The results showed that nZVI treatment decreased Cd availability but also increased the soil pH and dissolved Mn and poorly crystalline Fe contents.

Poorly crystalline Fe(Ⅱ) mineral phases induced by nano zero-valent iron are responsible for Cd stabilization with different soil moisture conditions and soil types.

Nano zero-valent iron (nZVI) is a promising remediation material for Cd-contaminated soil, but questions remain regarding the effects of nZVI-induced Fe oxides on Cd availability with different soil types and moisture conditions. To identify the changes in Cd availability and Fe mineral phases resulting from the application of nZVI, three types of Cd-spiked soils with 0.1% nZVI amendment were incubated under different moisture conditions with water-holding capacities (WHCs) of 30%, 60%, and 180%.

Substrate control of sulphur utilisation and microbial stoichiometry in soil: Results of C, N, C, and S quad labelling.

Global plant sulphur (S) deficiency is increasing because of a reduction in sulphate-based fertiliser application combined with continuous S withdrawal during harvest. Here, we applied C, N, C, and S quad labelling of the S-containing amino acids cysteine (Cys) and methionine (Met) to understand S cycling and microbial S transformations in the soil. The soil microorganisms absorbed the applied Cys and Met within minutes and released SO within hours.

The inhibition effect of tea polyphenols on soil nitrification is greater than denitrification in tea garden soil.

Tea polyphenols are the most widely distributed class of secondary metabolites (Camellia sinensis) and account for a considerable proportion of the pruning residues of tea. A large amount of tea polyphenols have fallen down over soil with prunning residues every year. However, the effect of tea polyphenols on soil nitrogen cycle, especially the denitrification process and its related microbial communities, remains unclear.

Identification and quantitative chemical analysis of betaines in different organic wastes and their bioconversion composts.

Global organic waste is increasing, bioconversion of organic waste arises because it can recover valuable nutrients and produce bioactive substances. Betaines are important bioactive substances in plants under environmental stress, but have received limited attention in vermicompost/larvae bioconversion compost. In this study, betaines in organic waste and vermicompost/larvae bioconversion compost were identified and quantified by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS.

Temporal variation in nutrient requirements of tea (Camellia sinensis) in China based on QUEFTS analysis.

Fertilisation datasets collected from field experiments (n = 21) in tea-producing areas from 2016 to 2018 were used to build a quantitative evaluation of the fertility of tropical soils (QUEFTS) model to estimate nutrient uptake of tea plants, and to investigate relationships between tea yield and nutrient accumulation. The production of 1000 kg spring tea (based on one bud with two young expanding leaves) required 12.2 kg nitrogen (N), 1.

Impact of water table levels and winter cover crops on greenhouse gas emissions from cultivated peat soils.

Drainage and cultivation have turned peatlands from carbon (C) sinks into hotspots for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Raising the water table and planting of winter cover crops are potential strategies to help reduce peat oxidation and re-initiate net C accumulation during the non-cropping period. However, the effects of these practices as well as their interactions on GHG emissions remain unclear.