Greenhouse tomato nutrition — A growth analysis study

Summary Chemical determination of the mineral content of a mature, healthy, high-yielding greenhouse tomato plant has shown that the total nutrient absorption is equivalent to 345 pounds per acre of nitrogen, 74 pounds per acre of phosphorus, 716 pounds per acre of potassium, 295 pounds per acre of calcium and 43 pounds per acre of magnesium. These figures form the basis for a more intelligent estimate of the fertilizer requirements of this crop than can be obtained from the more common empirical methods. The analysis of individual tissues of a whole plant harvested at mid-growth gives a clear picture of the distribution of nutrients throughout the plant.     

骆驼刺幼苗氮素特征对不同灌溉量的响应

氮素在植物所有必需营养元素中是限制生长的首要元素。氮素的来源和分配不但影响氮素利用效率,而且与氮素的周转和内循环有密切关系。为了解极端干旱区深根系植物的氮素特征(生物固氮、氮素分配、氮素利用效率),在塔克拉玛干沙漠南缘的策勒绿洲,依托策勒荒漠草地生态系统国家野外科学观测研究站,以骆驼刺幼苗为研究对象,采用15N稳定同位素法和分层分段挖根法,对3种灌溉量(CK、0.1、0.2m3/m2)下骆驼刺幼苗的氮素特征进行了1个生长季内的动态研究。结果表明:⑴灌溉提高生物固氮,但是灌溉量过多抑制生物固氮。在生长季末,3个灌溉量下的生物固氮比例分别为30.0%、42.8%、11.3%;生物固氮质量分别为0.4、0.8、0.2g/株。(2)灌溉使得分配到骆驼刺幼苗茎、叶中的氮素比例、氮素质量增加,根中氮素质量增加,在生长季初,分配到叶的氮素质量最大,分配到根中的氮素质量最小,在生长季末,3种灌溉量下根中氮素比例高达49.2%、44.5%、55.0%;灌溉有利于增加氮素利用效率,但是,灌溉量过多会降低氮素利用效率。在生长季末,3种灌溉量(CK、0.1、0.2m3/m2)下氮素利用效率分别是:77.9、104.3、84.5。(3)试验中,通过比较不同灌溉量对骆驼刺幼苗氮素特征的影响,发现0.1m3/m2灌溉量为较佳灌溉量。     

Nitrogen fertilization to optimize the greenhouse gas balance of hemp crops grown for biomass

Nitrogen trials were carried out on hemp crops grown in Ireland over a 3 year period to identify nitrogen fertilization strategies which optimize the greenhouse gas (GHG) and energy balances of hemp crops grown for biomass. Nitrogen rates up to 150 kg N ha^?1 were used in the study. Yield increased with nitrogen rate up to 120 kg N ha^?1 for early (Ferimon), mid (Felina 32) and late maturing (Futura 75) varieties. Variety had a significant effect on yield with yields increasing with maturation date. In 2 years of the study, certain application rates of nitrogen were applied either at sowing, at emergence, after emergence or split between these dates to determine if nitrogen rates could be reduced by delaying or splitting the applications. The application of nitrogen at times later than sowing or in splits during the early part of the growing season had no significant effect on biomass yield compared with the practice of applying nitrogen at the time of sowing. Late applications of nitrogen reduced leaf chlorophyll content and height early in the growing season. Later in the growing season, there was no difference in height between treatments although the highest concentrations of chlorophyll were found in the leaves of the late application treatment. Nitrogen rate and the timing of nitrogen application had no effect on plant density. Biomass yield, net energy and net GHG mitigation increased up to an application rate of 120 kg N ha^?1, this result was independent of soil type or soil nitrogen level. Net GHG and energy balance of hemp crops grown for biomass are optimized if late maturing varieties are used for biomass production and a nitrogen rate of 120 kg ha^?1 is applied at sowing.     

Some significance of soil organic phosphorus mineralization in the phosphorus nutrition of cocoa in Ghana

Summary 1. Soil samples from a 2² NP:KMg factorial experiment, in which yield response of cocoa to NP was highly correlated to organic phosphorus content of the 0–2 layer, were studied.2. It was found that the organic phosphorus content ranged from 46.0 to 69.5 per cent of the total phosphorus and was correlated to the percentage total nitrogen, total phosphorus, organic carbon and pH.3. Incubation of the soils at 50 per cent of their water holding capacity and a temperature of 27°C for periods of 14, 28, 42, 56, and 70 days resulted in the average mineralization of organic phosphorus equivalent to 4,0. 13.6, 38.2, 50.0, and 54.0 pounds P per acre respectively.4. More organic phosphorus was mineralized at 50°C than at 27° or 40°C.5. The percentage of organic phosphorus mineralized was generally higher in the plots where NP had been applied.6. Laboratory application of nitrogen or phosphorus to the soils before incubation resulted in greater mineralization. The effect of nitrogen and phosphorus together was greater than in the presence of nitrogen alone but only in a few cases was it greater than in the presence of phosphorus alone. The effect of nitrogen and phosphorus was not additive.7. It is concluded that although the organic phosphorus increased in the NP-treated plots, increased mineralization occurred concurrently; and the effect of nitrogen and phosphorus application in increasing the mineralization of the soil organic phosphorus during laboratory incubation explained the high correlation found between cocoa yield response and organic phosphorus content of the top soil.     

Correction to: The biogeochemical consequences of litter transformation by insect herbivory in the Subarctic: a microcosm simulation experiment

Northern forest ecosystems are projected to experience warmer growing seasons and increased soil freeze–thaw cycles in winter over the next century. Past studies show that warmer soils in the growing season enhance nitrogen uptake by plants, while soil freezing in winter reduces plant uptake and ecosystem retention of nitrogen, yet the combined effects of these changes on plant root capacity to take up nitrogen are unknown. We conducted a 2-year (2014–2015) experiment at Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in New Hampshire, USA to characterize the response of root damage, nitrogen uptake capacity, and soil solution nitrogen to growing season warming combined with soil freeze–thaw cycles in winter. Winter freeze–thaw cycles damaged roots, reduced nitrogen uptake capacity by 42%, and increased soil solution ammonium in the early growing season (May–June). During the peak growing season (July), root nitrogen uptake capacity was reduced 40% by warming alone and 49% by warming combined with freeze–thaw cycles. These results indicate the projected combination of colder soils in winter and warmer soils in the snow-free season will alter root function by reducing root nitrogen uptake capacity and lead to transient increases of nitrogen in soil solution during the early growing season, with the potential to alter root competition for soil nitrogen and seasonal patterns of soil nitrogen availability. We conclude that considering interactive effects of changes in climate during winter and the snow-free season is essential for accurate determination of the response of nitrogen cycling in the northern hardwood forest to climate change.     

Chlorophyll-type compounds in soil

Summary The quantities of chlorophyll-type compounds in a group of 24 arable soils were significantly correlated with nitrogen uptake (r=0.79 and yield (r=0.84) of ryegrass grown in pots in the glasshouse. Partial correlation coefficients showed the amounts of mineral N released on incubating the rewetted air-dry soils were related both to chlorophyll units (measure of chlorophyll-type compounds) and organic C. The chlorophyll units (CU) apparently represented some fraction of organic matter that liberated inorganic nitrogen, because the quantities of chlorophyll-type compounds in the soil were too small (only 0.5–3.0 pounds per acre) to supply this nitrogen. It is likely that the compounds were a residue that resisted decomposition. The CU in soil that had been ploughed from ley decreased very slowly during 3 years of arable cropping.     

Contribution of winter processes to soil nitrogen flux in taiga forest ecosystems

We measured annual net nitrogen (N) mineralization, nitrification, and amino acid production in situ across a primary successional sequence in interior Alaska, USA. Net N mineralization per gram dry soil increased across the successional sequence, but with a sharp decline in the oldest stage (black spruce). Net N mineralization expressed per gram soil organic matter exhibited the opposite pattern, suggesting that soil organic matter quality decreases significantly across succession. Net N mineralization rates during the growing season from green-up (early May) through freeze-up (late September–early October) accounted for approximately 60% of the annual inorganic N flux, whereas the remaining N was released during the apparent dormant season. Nitrogen release during winter occurred primarily during October–January with only negligible N mineralization during early spring in stands of willow, alder, balsam poplar and white spruce. By contrast, black spruce stands exhibited substantial mineralization after snow melt during early spring. The high rates of N mineralization in late autumn through early winter coincide with high turnover of fine root biomass in these stands, suggesting that labile substrate production, rather than temperature, is a major controlling factor over N release in these ecosystems. We suggest that the convention of restricting measurements of soil processes to the growing season greatly underestimate annual flux rates of inorganic nitrogen in these high-latitude ecosystems.     

The composition of the leachate through cropped and uncropped soils in lysimeters compared with that of the rain

Summary The composition of the leachate from undisturbed monolith lysimeters cropped with white clover or meadow fescue or maintained bare was compared with that of the rain falling on them. No nitrogen fertilizer was applied only an initial dressing of phosphorus and potassium. The grass received much more nitrogen from the rain than it lost by leaching whereas the clover lost more than it received. Most of the leached nitrogen was NO₃-N - 92 per cent on the bare soil and 90 per cent on the clover. About 27lb nitrogen per acre (30 kg/ha) per year was drained from the actively growing clover sward rising to about 117lb N/acre/year (131 kg/ha) when the clover died or was removed. Only 2.3lb/ac (2.5 kg/ha) was drained from the actively growing grass sward. It was estimated that the clover fixed at least 270lb N/ac/year (303 kg/ha/year. The rates of leaching of potassium from a grass sward was about 1.7lb/ac/year (1.9 kg/ha) and 0.8 lb (0.9 kg) phosphorus. The quantities were similar for clover. The grass received from the rain more phosphorus and potassium than was leached but only 60 per cent of the calcium and 13 per cent of the magnesium, similar results being obtained with white clover. During the year of establishment of the grass sward there was evidence of loss of gaseous nitrogen (elemental and/or compound) from the soil: subsequently the nitrogen content of the soil slowly increased. Calcium loss from the bare soil with an average rainfall of 26″ (650 mm) was about 100 lb Ca/ac/year (112 kg/ha).     

不同降雨年型磷肥对旱地小麦根系特征、磷素吸收利用和产量的影响

为了明确旱地小麦生育特性、养分运转对磷肥的响应机制,探索不同降雨年型旱地小麦磷肥施用技术,于2012-2016年在山西农业大学旱地小麦试验示范基地开展大田试验,研究不同降雨年型中4个施磷量(0、75、150和225 kg· hm-2)对旱地小麦根系生长、产量形成和磷肥利用的影响.结果 表明:与不施磷相比,施磷可以显著增...     

Boron-deficiency dieback in pines

Summary and Conclusions Leaf analyses have indicated that the dieback investigated was due to boron deficiency and this has been proved by field experiments. Incidence of boron deficiency is tentatively related to the weathered condition of the soils on which it occurs and a climatic regime which may be alternately too wet and too dry for optimum availability of soil boron. The best means of correcting the deficiency appears to be the application of a small amount of borax — 15 pounds per acre — to the soil towards the end of the rainy season.     

Nitrogen nutrition of ginger (Zingiber officinale)

Summary Two fertilizer experiments were conducted in the field at Beerwah, South-East Queensland. In the first experiment leaf nitrogen concentrations, and the yield of ginger shoots and rhizomes at early and late harvests increased both with the total amount of nitrogen applied up to the highest level studied (336 kg N/ha as ammonium nitrate) and with the number of applications making up the total. At all levels of nitrogen application the apparent recovery of fertilizer nitrogen increased in the order 1 application <2 applications <4 applications. At 33.6 kg N/ha there appeared to be no advantage in dividing the total N applied into more than 4 applications but the data suggested higher recoveries of nitrogen with 8 applications at 112 kg N/ha and 336 kg N/ha. In the second experiment, ammonium nitrate, urea, and ammonium sulphate were found to be equally effective as nitrogen fertilizers for ginger when applied at equal rates of nitrogen per hectare. However, in terms of cost effectiveness they rated in the order urea > ammonium nitrate > ammonium sulphate.All three nitrogen sources acidified the soil, the decrease in soil pH during the growing season increasing with increasing rate of application. In Experiment 1 split applications, which increased the recovery of applied nitrogen in the crop, also increased the extent of acidification. In Experiment 2 ammonium sulphate tended to be more strongly acidifying than the other fertilizers but the difference was statistically significant only at the highest rate of nitrogen application. Because of the strong effects of nitrogen supply on both yield and soil pH, the highest yields were associated with end-of-season pH values below 5.0.     

The effect of levels of calcium sulphate on the yield and composition of a grass and clover pasture

Summary 1. Gypsum was applied at various levels to a grass-clover association, and its effect noted on the yields and composition of both components.2. Both clover and grass responded markedly and a three-fold increase in dry matter and a four-fold increase in yield of N were noted.3. The extra nitrogen in the grass was shown to have been derived almost certainly by underground transference from the clover, the amount involved approximating to the amount of N retained in the aerial part of the clover.4. Whilst a high proportion of the S applied was recovered at rates up to 50 lb gypsum per acre, a low recovery was obtained from greater applications, and as residual SO₄ was very low, it is presumed that SO₄ was readily leached during one or two periods of heavy summer rainfall. The ease with which SO₄ is lost by leaching may merit attention to forms, times and rates of application of S.5. Nearly all the S in the clover was organic, whereas a big fraction of the S in the grass was SO₄-S. In regions where atmospheric returns of S are small and where no S is being made available from the weathering of S-containing minerals, S must be applied in some form or other to promote optimum N-fixation by legumes as grass may utilise almost all the mineral N and S made available from soil organic matter.6. Over large areas of the South Island of New Zealand it is doubtful if more than 1 lb S per acre is returned annually from the atmosphere and the application of S is of some considerable importance to promote N-fixation by clovers and hence high production from grass-clover associations.     

Minimum leaching scheduling of nitrogen fertilization and irrigation

This paper develops and applies a dynamic mathematical model for optimal scheduling of nitrogen fertilization and irrigation that minimizes nitrogen leaching subject to a target level of yield. The analysis assumes a single crop grown during a single growing season of a given length. It is shown that substitution of water for nitrogen along a given plant growth path decreases nitrogen leaching and, therefore, groundwater contamination. It is proved that a minimum leaching solution to the optimization problem is obtained with a single nitrogen application at the beginning of the season and irrigation scheduling that maintains a wet soil throughout the growing period. A numerical example utilizing experimental data for an irrigated summer corn in Israel confirms and quantifies the analytical findings.     

The effect of foliar nutrition on yield of greenhouse tomatoes and quality of the crop

Tomatoes grown in traditional mediums such as peat moss are usually supplied with essential nutrients by preplant fertilization and in the later growth stages by top dressing application to the root zone. According to the data from literature the efficient method of nutrient supply during the intensive stage of growth may be estimated as by foliar spraying. In the greenhouse experiment conducted in 1998–1999 a preplant fertilization by multicomponential fertilizer MIS-4 was applied to peat moss growing medium in full (4 kg per m³) and half (2 kg per m³) of recommended rate. Supplemental fertilization during the growing period was provided to the root zone or by using liquid multicomponential fertilizers Ekolist S and Mikrosol U in 5 sprays conducted at two week intervals. Results of the study proved that advantageous effect of foliar tomato nutrion grown in eat substrate was observed only in treatments with restricted supply of fertilizers to the growing medium. The maximum fruit yield was received from plots provided by the reduced preplant MIS-4 dose to 50 % of recommended rate combined with foliar sprays by Ekolist S. Such system of fertilization enhanced the marketable yield of fruit by 9.8 % and early yield by 11.3 % as compared to that obtained with preplant and top dressing soil application. Foliar nutrion did not change dry matter and vitamin C content and increased total and reducing sugars accumulation in tomato fruits.     

氮磷肥配施对苦荞根系生理生态及产量的影响

以苦荞品种‘迪庆’为材料,在盆栽试验条件下,研究了氮(纯氮用量分别为0g/kg、0.1g/kg、0.2g/kg)、磷(P2O5用量分别为0.1g/kg和0.2g/kg)配施对苦荞根系生长、生理指标及其产量的影响,旨在为黄土高原苦荞高产优质栽培提供理论依据。结果表明:(1)在相同施磷量条件下,苦荞幼苗的株高、茎粗、茎叶干重、主根长、根表面积、根系体积、根系直径、根系干重以及壮苗指数等均随施氮量的增加而呈先升后降的趋势,但根冠比随施氮量的增加而呈先降后升的趋势;叶片叶绿素含量以及根系活力、酸性磷酸酶(Apase)活性、可溶性蛋白含量和植株氮积累量随施氮量的增加呈抛物线变化趋势,根系硝酸还原酶(NR)活性和植株氮含量随施氮量的增加而增加;而根系可溶性糖含量、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性、过氧化物酶(POD)活性、丙二醛(MDA)含量和游离脯氨酸含量等指标均随施氮量的增加而呈先降后升的趋势,0.1g/kg施氮处理各指标均显著低于其他处理;成熟期单株粒重、百粒重随施氮量的增加呈先升后降的趋势,0.1g/kg施氮处理各指标均显著高于其他处理。(2)在相同施氮量条件下,随着施磷量的增加,苦荞根系酸性磷酸酶(Apase)活性、SOD活性、POD活性、MDA含量、可溶性糖含量、可溶性蛋白以及游离脯氨酸含量等指标均降低,其余各指标则呈增加趋势。(3)无论施磷量条件如何,0.1g/kg的施氮处理下苦荞产量最高,与其他施氮处理相比,在低磷和高磷处理下的增产幅度分别为7.04%~37.40%和14.73%~68.26%;在施氮量一定的情况下,高磷处理比低磷处理增产15.96%~42.00%。(4)在该试验条件下,适当的氮磷肥配施表现出了明显的正加和效应,但过量施肥也有可能导致增产幅度下降,中氮高磷(施纯N量0.1g/kg,施P2O5量0.2g/kg)配施效果最优。     

植株密度和氮素互作对垂穗披碱草生物量分配的影响

垂穗披碱草（Elymus nutans）是高寒地区建植和改良栽培草地的首选草种。虽然合理植株密度和氮素添加量是垂穗披碱草栽培草地稳产的关键因子,但两者之间是否存在最佳互作组合仍不清楚。采用盆栽试验,通过分析不同植株密度（58、102、146株/m²）和氮素添加量（0、200、400 mg/kg）组合状态下垂穗披碱草株高、单株分蘖数、地上生物量、地下生物量、根系体积和地上地下生物量比,以确定理论上是否存在植株密度和氮素添加量的最佳组合。结果表明：随植株密度增加,垂穗披碱草株高、地上生物量和地上地下生物量比值均先增加后降低,而单株分蘖数逐渐减小,根系体积和地下生物量先增加后保持相对稳定;随氮素添加量增加,垂穗披碱草单株分蘖数、地上生物量和地上地下生物量比值均表现为先增加后降低,地下生物量逐渐降低。植株密度与氮素添加量互作虽然对垂穗披碱草的根系体积和单株分蘖数没有显著影响,但两者互作显著影响了垂穗披碱草株高、地上生物量、地下生物量、地上地下生物量比（P<0.01）,这些指标与植株密度和氮素添加量的关系均表现为一个开口向下的抛物面。当植株密度为102株/m²和氮素添加量为200 mg/kg时,垂穗披碱草栽培草地产量最大,生物量分配最优。垂穗披碱草植株密度和氮素添加互作时理论上存在最佳组合,这为垂穗披碱草栽培草地的田间管理提供了理论依据。     

Dependence of Yields of Wheat Varieties on their Leaf Area Durations

In a field experiment three wheat varieties: autumn-sown CappelleDesprez, Prestige, both autumn-sown and spring-sown, and spring-sownJufy I, each supplied with 0.5 or 1.0 cwt nitrogen/acre (6₃or 126 kg/ha), had grain yields nearly proportional to theirLeaf Area Durations (D) during grain development. Squarehead'sMaster had a smaller grain yield relative to its total D, butwith 0.5 cwt N/acre the ratio of its grain yield to D of partsabove the flag leaf node (D_F) was similar to the other varieties.The difference in this ratio between varieties was less whenD_Fwas calculated from anthesis than from ear emergence to ripening.Squarehead’s Master with 1.0 cwt N/acre had a smallerratio of grain yield to D_F than other treatments, implying lessgrain per ear relative to D_Y per shoot, perhaps because of lodging,or because factors limiting size of ears restricted their abilityto accept all the assimilate the shoots could produce with thisamount of N.     

A COMPARISON OF HIGH AND LOW VOLUME SPRAYS FOR CONTROL OF THE BEAN APHID, APHIS FABAE SCOP. ON FIELD BEANS

Insecticides were sprayed in different amounts of water to control Aphis fabae Scop. attacking spring-sown field beans. The single application of each insecticide was timed to coincide with the end of aphid migration from the winter host to the crop. A tractor-mounted row-crop hydraulic sprayer was used.
In one experiment seven different insecticide sprays were compared at high volume (in 140 gal. of water per acre); the most effective were nicotine at 22.4 oz. of active constituent per acre, demeton at 5.6 oz. and demeton-methyl at 11.2 oz.
A further comparison was made of five insecticides for each of which a selected dose of active ingredient was applied in 60 gal. (medium volume) and in 10 gal. of water per acre (low volume). The amount of insecticide retained on the plant following the low-volume application was not less than that from the medium-volume spray; the efficiency of A. fabae control was not affected by the volume sprayed except with malathion which did better at the medium volume. The systemic insecticides demeton-methyl at 6 oz. of active constituents per acre, the related compound 4741 at 3 oz. and fluoroacetamide at 3 oz. stopped the aphid numbers from rising above a peak of eight per plant compared with 230 per plant for malathion (low volume) at 12 oz. 2400 per plant for lindane at 6 oz. and 3550 per plant for check treatments sprayed with wetter only. Grain yields ranged from around 4 cwt. per acre on check treatments to around 27 cwt. per acre on plots sprayed once with the systemic insecticides. There was a curvilinear relationship between grain yield and log number of A. fabae per plant.     

Temporal Asynchrony in Soil Nutrient Dynamics and Plant Production in a Semiarid Ecosystem

A central goal of ecosystem ecology is to understand how the cycling of nutrients and the growth of organisms are linked. Ecologists have repeatedly observed that nutrient mineralization and plant production are closely coupled in time in many terrestrial ecosystems. Typically, mineralization rates of limiting nutrients, particularly of nitrogen, during the growing season determine nutrient availability while pools of mineral nutrients remain low and relatively constant. Although several previous reports suggest nitrogen mineralization has the potential to vary seasonally and out of phase with plant production, such a phenomenon has been poorly documented. Here we report results from a semiarid savanna ecosystem characterized by distinct temporal asynchrony in rates of soil nitrogen cycling and plant production. Periods of positive plant growth following the onset of rains coincide with periods of low N turnover rates, whereas higher rates occur late in the wet season following plant senescence and throughout dry seasons. Plant uptake from the substantial mineral N pool present early in the growing season is sufficient to explain most of the N allocation to aboveground plant biomass during the growing season, even in the absence of any wet-season mineralization. The mineral N pool is subsequently recharged by late wet- and dry-season mineralization, plus urine inputs at sites with high levels of ungulate activity. These findings suggest fundamental changes in the quality of substrates available to decomposers over a seasonal cycle, with significant implications for the partitioning of limiting nutrients by plant species, the seasonal pattern of nutrient limitations of aboveground production, and the effective use of N fertilizers in semiarid ecosystems.     

Nitrate distribution in tropical soils

Summary The downward movement of the nitrate ion in the top 5 ft of Tippera clay loam was followed by applying sodium nitrate at the rate of 2000 pounds per acre to bare fallow soil after different rain intervals during the 1957/58 wet season. At the end of the season soil samples were collected at 6-inch intervals and compared with samples from adjacent plots that received an equivalent anion quantity of sodium chloride after the same rain intervals. After 23.7 inches of rain the distribution of nitrate and chloride anions the soil profile was nearly identical and it was concluded that the anions are equally mobile in this soil.The mean movement of the anion was 1.075 inches for each inch of rainfall. A high positive correlation of 0.946 was obtained between mean movement and rainfall. The downward movement of both anions out of the topsoil appeared to be enhanced by channels left by partly decomposed roots.Application of sodium chloride on sandier soils revealed a much higher mean movement of anions on Blain sand than on Tippera clay loam after equal amounts of rain, but on Florina sand with a high silt content in the topsoil the mean anion movement approached that of the clay soil. The difference is explained in terms of low infiltration rate into the Florina soil.The practical implications of leaching of nitrate in Tippera soil are briefly discussed.