Sulfonamide antibiotics are a commonly used group of compounds in animal husbandry. They are excreted with manure, which is collected in a storage lagoon in certain types of confined animal feeding operations. Flood irrigation of forage fields with this liquid manure creates the potential risk of groundwater contamination in areas with shallow groundwater levels. We tested the hypothesis that-i...

Biochar land application can potentially be used for carbon sequestration, improving soil quality, and reducing non-point source pollution. Understanding biochar mobility is important because its transport in soil greatly influences its stability, the dynamics of soil microbial communities and organic matter, and the movement of biochar-associated contaminants. Here, the transport of biochar pa...

Soil fertility and crop production are affected by biological processes and these processes, including enzyme activites, are influenced by pH. We investigated the potential of using alkaline phosphatase (AlkP) and acid phosphatase (AcdP) activities, for determining the optimum soil pH for crop production and the amount of lime required to achieve this optimum. Five acid soils, which varied wide...

The nutrient elements uptake in many of soils, is a problem because of high pH and plenty of calcium ions in them. Some of these elements are phosphorus and microelements. It is possible to increase absorption of these nutrient elements by addition of sulfur in soil and biological oxidation. The rate of this reaction is very slow and Thiobacillus bacteria are the most important oxidators of sul...

Adsorption-desorption of the herbicide glyphosate (GPS) onto the clay mineral montmorillonite has been studied in presence of copper, in order to clarify the effects that this strongly complexing metal could have on the availability and mobility of GPS in soil environment. In contrast with previous findings, GPS adsorption on montmorillonite decreases in the presence of Cu, in solution or adsor...

Pineapples grown in acid soils containing high levels of manganese (Mn) can exhibit iron deficiency because Mn interferes with iron bio-functioning. This situation is commonly corrected with regular iron sprays. Soil Mn concentration can be reduced by liming, but pineapple growers keep the soil pH below 5.0 because it helps reduce the incidence of rots caused by Phytophthora sp. This study was ...

Irrigation of vegetables during both air and soil-born drought has very positive effect on growth, development and yield. The impact of irrigation on the metabolism of plants is very complex because the increase in soil moisture affects plant physical, chemical and biological properties. Increasing the amount of water in the soil increases its heath capacity. Irrigated (wet) soil is cooler in s...

The mobility of fluorescein and bromide used as tracers in packed soil columns was investigated. Five different soils were used in two application methods: soil surface application and soil incorporation, both of which simulate accepted methods of soil application of termiticides to prevent structural infestation. The breakthrough of bromide and fluorescein in column eluates were measured. The ...

Seed treatment with a 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol (DAPG)-producing Pseudomonas strain ameliorated abiotic stress disorder in corn caused by growth in a low-pH soil. In two consecutive growing seasons, Wood1R-treated seed gave rise to plants that grew taller (P<or=0.05), had fewer foliar lesions (P<or=0.10), and provided greater yields (P<or=0.1) than the negative controls when grown in soil with...