The entomogenous nematode Steinernema feltiae was encapsulated in an alginate matrix containing a tomato seed. When these capsules were placed on 0.8% agar for 7 days, the seed germinated and ca. 20% of the nematodes escaped from the capsules, whereas only 0.1% escaped from capsules without seeds. When capsules containing nematodes and a seed were planted into sterilized or nonsterilized soil, ...

Meloidogyne incognita-infected tomato seedlings were transplanted into sterilized soil or unsterilized soil collected from 20 California tomato fields to measure suppression caused by Paecilomyces lilacinus, Verticillium chlamydosporium, and other naturally occurring antagonists. Unsterilized soils Q, A, and H contained 35, 39, and 55% fewer M. incognita second-stage juveniles (J2) than did ste...

Triazine-2-(14)C metsulfuron-methyl is a selective, systemic sulfonylurea herbicide. Degradation studies in soils are essential for the evaluation of the persistence of pesticides and their breakdown products. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the degradation of triazine-2-(14)C metsulfuron-methyl in soil under laboratory conditions. A High Performance Liquid Chromatograph (HP...

The study was aimed at investigating the role of microorganisms in the degradation of BC (black carbon). CO2 evolution was measured under sterilized and non-sterilized soil using BC and straw amendments. Black carbon and straw were produced from homogenously C labelled roots of barley (Hordeum vulgare) with a specific activity 2.9 MBq g C. Production of BC was implemented at 300 oC for 24 h in ...

Proper protocol for mycorrhizal inoculation of container grown landscape trees is uncertain. Therefore, vegetative and commercial spore inoculum of Pisolithus tinctorius were applied to Quercus palustris (pin oak) and Q. coccinea (scarlet oak) seedlings. All plants were grown in containers filled with 0.9 liters of milled pine bark, sterilized milled pine bark, sterilized mineral soil, or steri...

Seed treatments with Bacillus cereus UW85 increased nodulation of soybeans in three field seasons and in three different sterilized soils in the growth chamber. In the field, 28 and 35 days after planting, UW85-treated plants had 31 to 133% more nodules than untreated plants. From 49 days after planting until seed harvest, there were no significant differences between nodulation of UW85-treated...

Nitrate immobilization into organic matter is thought to require catalysis by the enzymes of soil microorganisms. However, recent studies suggest that nitrate added to soil is immobilized rapidly and this process may include abiotic pathways. We amended living and sterilized soil with 15N-labeled nitrate and nitrite to investigate biotic and abiotic immobilization. We report rapid transformatio...