The response of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) plants to various root and shoot environments (solution depth, temperature, ionic strength, nitrogen and calcium level and light intensity) were studied. Cucumber plants were grown in continuously circulating-solution in a heated-glasshouse. Dry weights of leaves, stems and roots, leaf area, leaf number, root length and root number were measured as well as uptake of potassium, calcium and nitrogen. The relationship between shoot and root in terms of functional equilibrium equations was also examined. The results presented show that: 1. Shoot growth of cucumber plants was reduced if grown in solutions of less than 50mm in depth; 2. When roots were grown in shallow solution depths at 1 or 5mm the dry weight allocated to the root increased. The ratio of root number/root length(no./cm) also increased. Lowering solution temperature to 12.5±2.5°C enhanced the production of root number relctive to root length, and 5 and 2% of full strength and 5% of full strength nitrogen level solution stimulated the growth of root length relative to root number; 3. Under low solution temperature treatment leaf number was maintained at the expense of leaf area. Under low total ionic strength and low nitrogen solution, enhanced root length growth was at the expense of leaf area growth; 4. Low solution temperature enhanced the dry weight allocated to the stem relative to the leaf. Low total ionic strength and low nitrogen solution increased the dry weight allocated to the leaf relative to the stem; 5. The specific activity of root, represented by specific absorption rate, increased when the shoot was under light stress and, the specific activity of shoot, represented by unit shoot rate, increased when the root was under nitrogen-stress; 6. The form of equation developed by Thornley (ΔM = fmΔW, where ΔM is the increment in weight of element M and ΔW the increment in total plant dry weight during a time period Δt with fm a constant) showed a better relationship than the equation developed by Davidson [root mass x rate(absorption) ∝ leaf mass x rate(photosynthesis)] and subsequently used by Hunt in the form of mass ratio(root/shoot) ∝ l/activity ratio; 7. The equation developed by Chung et al, total plant weight/(leaf number/leaf area) ∝ total "k"/(root number/root length), where k represents the total contents of elements or compounds, showed a good approximation of the relationship between shoot and root under all the environmental stresses imposed with the exception of calcium uptake. The results support the concept that the activity of the root or shoot in carrying out its function is influenced by the demand created by the opposite organ and appears to be a better assumption than that which proposes that the activity of an organ is solely dependent on its own size.

Destacam-se as semelhanças entre os nutrientes boro (B) e cálcio (Ca) quanto às formas e as funções que eles exercem nos vegetais. Partindo do princípio que a interação Ca - B afeta os atributos morfológicos, ultraestruturais e bioquímicos, bem como a nodulação nas plantas leguminosas, objetivou-se com esse estudo determinar a relação Ca:B mais adequada para a produção de grãos e matéria seca de soja, bem como avaliar os efeitos da interação B e Ca na fixação biológica de N2 (atividade da nitrogenase -N-ase [EC 1.18.6.1]), na morfologia de raízes (comprimento e superfície total), anatomia de raízes (nódulos) e de folhas, assim como as avaliações ultraestruturais dos mesófilos foliares, rendimento do teor de óleo nos grãos das plantas de soja (cultivar BRS 284), crescidas em solução nutritiva. Foram avaliadas ainda a produção de massa seca das plantas, as concentrações e os acúmulos de Ca, B, Mg, K e N na parte aérea e raízes. Foi empregado um esquema fatorial 5² incompleto, perfazendo treze combinações de doses de Ca (mmol L-1) e B (µmol L-1), as quais foram distribuídas segundo o delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso, com quatro repetições. As maiores atividades da N-ase foram obtidas com as maiores doses de Ca e B (7,25 mmol L-1 de Ca e 50 µmol L-1 de B). A menor dose de Ca resultou na inibição da N-ase em cerca de 90%. Os maiores comprimentos e superfícies totais de raízes foram obtidos na combinação de doses de 7,25Ca e 12,5B, enquanto que para a combinação das menores doses de Ca e B observou-se uma redução de cerca de 70% e 60% para comprimento e superficial de raízes, respectivamente. A maior produção de biomassa seca das plantas e de grãos, os maiores acúmulos de Ca, B, N, K e Mg nas folhas e o maior rendimento de óleo foram obtidos com o fornecimento de 4,25 mmol L-1 de Ca e 12,5 µmol L-1 de B, observando-se relação Ca:B na solução nutritiva próxima de 350:1 e nas folhas de 700:1. O teor de óleo nos grãos incrementou cerca de 20% com o aumento das doses de B de 3,125 para 50 µmol L 1. O número de camadas de células do córtex dos nódulos aumentou com o incremento das concentrações de Ca e B na solução. Observou-se ruptura da membrana dos cloroplastos no mesófilo foliar e elevado número de bactérias fixadoras de N2 penetrando o interior dos tecidos nodulares quando as plantas foram submetidas ao menor suprimento de Ca e maior de B. A combinação da menor dose de B junto a maior dose de Ca provocou ruptura da parede celular e o espessamento da lamela média das folhas. O aumento no fornecimento de Ca ameniza os efeitos negativos do baixo suprimento de B na produção de biomassa das plantas e de grãos, no comprimento e superfície de raízes e na atividade da nitrogenase. A relação Ca:B, tanto na solução, quanto no tecido vegetal, não pode ser entendida como parâmetro exclusivo de equilíbrio nutricional / Regarding mineral nutrition of plants, we highlight the similarities between nutrients boron (B) and calcium (Ca) in relation to similar functions they play in plant physiology. However, the mechanisms involved in the interaction between these nutrients are not very well known. Assuming that the interaction Ca - B affects the morphological, ultrastructural and biochemical attributes, as well as the nodulation in leguminous plants, the objective with this study was to determine the optimum Ca:B ratio, in the solution and plan tissue as well for dry matter yield of grain and dry matter of soybean, and to evaluate the effects of B - Ca interaction in the biological N2 fixation (nitrogenase activity - N-ase [EC 1.18.6.1]), root morphology (total root length and total root surface area), root anatomy (nodules), as well as in the ultrastructural evaluation of foliar mesophilic, and yield of oil content of soybean (cultivar BRS 284), grown in nutrient solution. Dry matter yield of plants, Ca-concentrations and amounts of Ca, B, Mg, K and N in shoots and roots were also evaluated. The experimental arrange used was an incomplete 5² factorial, making thirteen combinations of Ca (mmol L-1) and B (µmol L-1) rates, which were set in a randomized block design, with four replications. The highest N-ase activity was obtained with the highest doses of Ca and B (7,25 mmol L-1 of Ca and 50 µmol L-1 of B). The lowest Ca rate resulted in approximately 90% inhibition of N-ase. The highest total root length and total root surface area were obtained with combination of 7,25Ca and 12,5B rates, whereas the combination of the lowest Ca and B rates caused reduction of approximately 70% and 60% on root length and area, respectively. The highest dry matter and grain yield, highest accumulations of Ca, B, N, K and Mg on the leaves and the highest oil content in grains were obtained when 4,25 mmol L-1 of Ca and 12,5 µmol L-1 of B were supplied, resulting in a Ca:B ratio of approximately 350:1 on nutrient solution and 700:1 on leaves. The oil content in grains raised about 20% increasing B rates from 3,125 to 50 µmol L-1. The number of cell layers of nodule cortex raised with increasing Ca and B levels in the solution. It was observed membrane rupture of chloroplasts in leaf mesophyll and high number of N2-fixing bacteria entering the interior of nodular tissues when plants were supplied with the lowest Ca rate (1,75Ca) and the highest B (50B). The combination of the lowest B rate (3,125B) and the highest Ca rate (7,25) caused cell wall rupture and thickening of the middle lamella on the leaves. The increase of Ca levels on the solution mitigates the negative effects of the low B supply in plant biomass and grain yield, in root length and root surface area and in N-ase activity. The Ca:B ratio either in the solution or plant tissue, cannot be understood as an exclusive parameter of nutritional status

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Nitrogen (N) is the nutrient that has the greatest ability to influence and increase the productivity of grains of corn. The N is available in insufficient amounts in Brazilian soils, increasing the cost of crop production. So there is interest in using alternative sources to meet the demand of the plant, such as fixation, which is held by a group of bacteria called diazotrophic, which are able to fix nitrogen and make it available to plants. Among the most used in association with grasses is Azospirillum brasilense. Positive interaction with corn has been evaluated in several studies, however there are few studies that evaluate the foliar application, the contribution of N input and the enzymatic activity of inoculated plants. Thus the aim of the study was to establish the relationship between productivity components, enzymatic and morphological changes of different genetic bases of corn with seed inoculation and leaf of A. brasilense. This work is divided into two chapters. Chapter I aimed to establish the relationship between the hybrids and application forms of A. brasilense, unfolding the direct and indirect effects of the main components of grain yield and estimating the relative contribution of nitrogen. Therefore, we conducted experiments in 2013/14 and 2014/15 seasons, consisting of single cross hybrids, double and triple inoculated with A. brasilense via seed treatment and foliar application in growth stages V2, V4 + V2, V4 and without application of the bacteria. There was varied response as hybrid and year. In the 2013/14 harvest, grain yield was significant for the simple hybrid AG9045 applied via seed and leaf in V2. The seed inoculation showed grain yield increases for the triple hybrid BG7051 in season 2014/15. The variables in the path analysis have direct influence on grain yield, especially, the thousand grain weight. Considering the increase in hybrid it is estimated that there was accumulation of N fixed for the simple hybrid AG9045 and triple hybrid BG7051 in applications via seed and leaf in V2 and via seed, respectively. Thus it is concluded that there is no established relationship between the forms of application A. brasilense and genetics based hybrid. Chapter II aimed to evaluate the enzymatic and morphological changes of corn hybrids submitted to seed inoculation and leaf with A. brasilense. The test was composed of six corn hybrids inoculated with A. brasilense in the treatment of seeds and leaf via the V2 stage. Analyzed in shoots and roots, biochemical variables: lipid peroxidation, activity of superoxide dismutase, guaicaol peroxidase and nitrate reductase and chlorophyll content and carotenoids; and morphological leaf area, shoot dry weight, root length, projected area, surface area, diameter, volume, number of branches and dry mass of roots. The increased activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) of the shoot was the BG7060 with application V2, which prevented damage to the lipid membrane. The nitrate reductase, the shoot was most active in the control treatment, noting that the presence of bacteria reduced the activity of the enzyme. The bacteria showed to be efficient in the area of variables designed and superficial root area in the AG8025 and AG2040 hybrids. Thus, it can be seen that the hybrids have different behaviors in the presence of the bacterium, and the same positively affects the activity of antioxidant enzymes and increase the root system and plant leaf area. / O nitrogênio (N) é o nutriente que tem a maior capacidade de influenciar e aumentar a produtividade de grãos da cultura do milho. O N está disponível em quantidades insuficientes nos solos brasileiros, elevando o custo de produção da cultura. Assim há o interesse na utilização de fontes alternativas para suprir a demanda da planta, como a fixação biológica, que é realizada por um grupo de bactérias denominadas diazotróficas, as quais são capazes de fixar N e disponibiliza-lo para as plantas. Dentre as mais utilizadas em associação com gramíneas está a Azospirillum brasilense. A interação positiva com o milho tem sido avaliada em diversas pesquisas, entretanto são poucos os estudos que avaliam a aplicação foliar, a contribuição no aporte de N e a atividade enzimática das plantas inoculadas. Dessa forma o objetivo do trabalho foi estabelecer relação entre os componentes de produtividade, alterações enzimáticas e morfológicos de diferentes bases genéticas de milho com a inoculação via semente e foliar de A. brasilense. O presente trabalho é dividido em dois capítulos. O Capítulo I teve o objetivo de estabelecer relação entre os híbridos de milho e formas de aplicação de A. brasilense, desdobrando os efeitos diretos e indiretos dos principais componentes da produtividade de grãos e estimando a contribuição nitrogenada relativa. Para tanto foram conduzidos experimentos nas safras 2013/14 e 2014/15, compostos por híbridos simples, duplos e triplos inoculados com A. brasilense via tratamento de sementes e via aplicação foliar, nos estádios fenológicos V2, V2+V4, V4 e sem aplicação da bactéria. Houve resposta variada conforme o híbrido e o ano. Na safra 2013/14, a produtividade de grãos foi significativa para o híbrido simples AG9045 aplicado via semente e foliar em V2. A inoculação via semente apresentou aumentos de produtividade de grãos para o híbrido triplo BG7051 na safra 2014/15. As variáveis avaliadas, na análise de trilha têm influência direta sobre a produtividade de grãos, principalmente, a massa de mil grãos. Considerando o incremento dos híbridos estima-se que houve acúmulo de N fixado para o híbrido simples AG9045 e híbrido triplo BG7051 nas aplicações via semente e foliar em V2 e via semente, respectivamente. Assim conclui-se que não há relação estabelecida entre as formas de aplicação de A. brasilense e a base genética do híbrido. O Capítulo II objetivou avaliar as alterações enzimáticas e morfológicos de híbridos de milho submetidas a inoculação via semente e foliar com A. brasilense. O ensaio foi composto por seis híbridos de milho inoculados com A. brasilense no tratamento de sementes e via foliar no estádio V2. Analisou-se, na parte aérea e em raízes, as variáveis bioquímicas: peroxidação lipídica, atividade das enzimas superóxido dismutase, guaicaol peroxidase e nitrato redutase e conteúdo de clorofila total e carotenóides; e morfológicas: área foliar, massa seca da parte aérea, comprimento de raiz, área projetada, área superficial, diâmetro, volume, número de ramificações e massa seca de raízes. A maior atividade da superóxido dismutase (SOD) da parte aérea, foi no BG7060 com aplicação em V2, o qual evitou danos nos lipídeos de membrana. A nitrato redutase, na parte aérea apresentou maior atividade no tratamento controle, observando que a presença da bactéria reduziu a atividade da enzima. A bactéria apresentou-se eficiente para as variáveis de área projetada e área superficial da raiz nos híbridos AG8025 e AG2040. Assim, pode-se observar que os híbridos têm comportamentos diferentes com a presença da bactéria, sendo que a mesma afeta positivamente a atividade das enzimas antioxidantes e aumenta o sistema radicular e a área foliar das plantas.

Nitrogen (N) is a central nutrient in cropping systems. However, a considerable N fraction is lost through runoffs and leaching with detrimental consequences for environment and controversial effects on human health. Increasing the plant N uptake by optimizing the degree of root branching for exploring a larger soil volume in search of the mobile nitrate resource may contribute to limit soil leaching and subsequently to rely more efficiently on the soil mineralization and fertilizer inputs. Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) is a major oil crop that highly depends on N fertilization. This doctoral thesis aims at exploring the diversity of root morphology in recently selected cultivars and in a large set of rapeseed inbred lines, and at understanding the genetic control on root morphology and how it is impacted by N nutrition.Firstly, a panel of twenty-eight European recently selected cultivars of winter oilseed rape were tested in laboratory and field conditions. Upon hydroponic culture, these hybrids showed a great diversity for biomass production and root morphological traits. Differences in root and shoot dry biomasses and lateral root length were mainly explained by the genotype, while differences in primary root length by the nutrition. The cultivars were tested in a pluriannual field trial. The observed variation for yield and seed quality traits attributed to the genotype was more important than the year or the genotype x year interaction effects. The total root length measured in laboratory could predict the proportion of nitrogen taken-up from the field and reallocated to the seeds. The genetic interrelationship between cultivars, established with polymorphic markers, indicated a very narrow genetic base. Positive correlations were found between the genetic distance measures, root morphological trait distances during nitrogen depletion conditions, and agronomic performance. Secondly, three cultivars previously selected from a root morphology screen at a young developmental stage were field tested with two nitrogen applications. The purpose was to examine the relationship between root morphology and Nitrogen Uptake Efficiency (NUpE) and to test the predictiveness of canopy optical indices for seed quality and yield. A tube-rhizotron system was used to incorporate below-ground root growth information. One-meter length clear tubes were installed in soil at an angle of 45°. The root development was followed with a camera at key growth stages in autumn (leaf development) and spring (stem elongation and flowering). Autumn was a critical time window to observe the root development and exploration in deeper horizons (36-48 cm) was faster without any fertilization treatment. Analysis of the rhizotron images was challenging and it was not possible to clearly discriminate between cultivars. Canopy reflectance and leaf optical indices were measured with proximal sensors. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was a positive indicator of biomass and seed yield while the Nitrogen Balance Index (NBI) was a positive indicator of above-ground biomass N concentration at flowering and seed N concentration at harvest.Thirdly, the natural variability offered by a diversity set of 392 inbred lines was screened to apprehend the genetic control of root morphology in rapeseed and how it is impacted by nitrogen nutrition. Seedlings grew hydroponically with low (0.2 mM) or elevated (5 mM) nitrate supplies. Low nitrate supply triggered the primary root and lateral root growth, while elevated supply promoted shoot biomass production. A considerable variation degree in the root morphological traits was observed across the diversity set, and there was no trade-off between abundant lateral root branching and shoot biomass production. Root traits were mainly dependent on the genotype and highly heritable. A genome wide association study identified some genomic regions associated with biomass production and root morphological traits. A total of fifty-nine QTLs were identified and thirty of them were integrated into seven clusters on chromosomes A01 and C07. Some candidate genes were identified with Arabidopsis orthologs related to root growth and development, nitrogen nutrition or hormone regulation.This study provides promising routes for redesigning the root system architecture by uncovering nitrogen-interactive genomic regions shaping root morphology. A perspective is to develop genetic markers associated with root morphological traits that could be used for assisted breeding. / Doctorat en Sciences agronomiques et ingénierie biologique / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Магистерская диссертация на тему «СТРОЕНИЕ КОРНЕЙ ОСОК ИЗ МЕСТООБИТАНИЙ С РАЗНОЙ СТЕПЕНЬЮ УВЛАЖНЕНИЯ» состоит из 52 страниц машинописного текста, включая 19 рисунков, 2 таблицы и 113 литературных источников. Работа посвящена изучению морфологического и анатомического строения корней осок из местообитаний с разной степенью увлажнения и разных экоморф, или экологических групп по отношению к увлажнению. В исследованный материал входят собственные сборы и зафиксированные растительные образцы научных руководителей. Цель – изучение строения корней осок из местообитаний с разной степенью увлажнения и разных экоморф по отношению к увлажнению. Задачи: Изучить внешние признаки корневых систем и строение поглощаю-щих корней у осок разных экоморф и местообитаний; Установить, какие признаки и в какой степени связаны с экоморфой видов, а какие изменяются под действием режима увлажнения местообитаний независимо от принадлежности к экоморфе. Растения собраны в начале июня в период цветения большинства исследован-ных видов 2019-2021 гг. в местообитаниях, образующих градиент по увлажнению: водоем-луг-лес-сухой склон. Экологические группы по степени увлажнения среды (гигрофиты, мезофиты, ксеромезофиты) выделены по литературному источнику [Овеснов и др., 2007]. С помощью стандартных методик структурной ботаники изучены внешние признаки корневых систем и строение поглощающих корней 23 вида осок. Регистрировали параметры: число порядков ветвления корней, тип волосков, длина типичных волосков, диаметр корня; диаметр стелы; толщину паренхимы; число слоев клеток в паренхиме; число слоев клеток в экзодерме, толщину коры. Расчетные показатели – парциальный объем коры и стелы, %. В работе представлены 2 способа формирования учетных единиц. При анализе экологических групп, учетной единицей считается вид. Исследуя группы осок из местообитаний с разной степенью увлажнения, учетной единицей считается особь. Статистический анализ проводился с помощью программы STATISTICA 10. Использовали однофакторный дисперсионный анализ (F) (ANOVA) Непараметриче-ские критерии Краскела –Уоллиса (H) и Критерий (χ2) Пирсона. Результаты магистерской диссертации показали, что признаками тонких корней изученных осок, наиболее чувствительными к режиму увлажнения, являются: число порядков ветвления корней; встречаемость выпуклых корневых волосков; длина типичных корневых волосков; диаметр среза, толщина коры; выраженность экзодермы; У изученных осок от переувлажненных местообитаний к засушливым: а) увеличивается число порядков ветвления корней; б) уменьшаются: встречаемость выпуклых корневых волосков, длина корневых волосков, диаметр среза, толщина первичной коры за счет уменьшения слоев экзодермы. Несмотря на таксоноспецифичное строения корней осок, существует явно выраженная экологическая пластичность ряда признаков внутри обширного рода Carex. Полученные результаты согласуются с опубликованными данными. Результаты были представлены в устном докладе на Всероссийской конференции молодых ученых «Экология: факты, гипотезы, модели», проходившей в апреле 2021 года. Планируется публикация данных в сборнике конференции в виде тезисов. / The master's thesis on the topic "STRUCTURE OF SEDGE ROOTS FROM HAB-ITS WITH DIFFERENT DEGREES OF HUMIDIFICATION" consists of 52 pages of typewritten text, including 19 figures, 2 tables and 113 literature sources. The work is devoted to the study of the morphological and anatomical structure of sedge roots from habitats with varying degrees of moisture and different ecological groups. The analysis of the work consists of materials from our collection and recorded plant material [Konoplenko et al., 2017]. The goal is to study the structure of sedge roots from habitats with varying degrees of moisture and different ecomorphs in relation to moisture. Tasks: 1) To study the external signs of root systems and the structure of absorbing roots in sedges of different ecomorphs and habitats; 2) Establish which features and to what extent are associated with the ecomorph of the species, and which ones change under the influence of the habitat moistening regime, regardless of belonging to the ecomorph. To tackle these problems, the plants were collected in habitats forming a moisture gradient: reservoir-meadow-forest-dry slope. The ecological groups of sedge species were identified according to the literature [Ovesnov et al., 2007] according to the degree of en-vironmental moisture: hygrophytes, mesophytes, Xeromesophytes. Using the methods of structural botany, the external signs of root systems and the structure of absorbing roots of 23 species of sedges were studied. The following parameters were recorded: the number of orders of root branching, hair type, length of typical hairs, root diameter; stele diameter; parenchyma thickness; the number of cell layers in the parenchyma; the number of cell layers in the exoderm, the thickness of the cortex. Integral indicators - the partial volume of the cortex and ste-le,%. Statistical analysis was carried out using the STATISTICA 10 program. One-way analysis of variance (F) (ANOVA) was used. Nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis tests (H) and Pearson's test (χ2). The results of the master's thesis showed that the features of the thin roots of the studied sedges, the most sensitive to the moisture regime, are:the number of orders of root branching; the occurrence of convex root hairs; length of typical root hairs; cut diameter, bark thickness; the severity of exoderm; In the studied sedges, from waterlogged to arid habitats: a) the number of orders of branching of roots increases; b) decrease: the occurrence of convex root hairs, length of root hairs, cut diameter, thickness of the primary cortex due to a decrease in exoderm layers. Despite the taxon-specific structure of sedge roots, there is a pronounced ecological plasticity of a number of characters within the vast genus Carex. The results obtained are consistent with published data. These results were presented in an oral report at the All-Russian Conference of Young Scientists "Ecology: Facts, Hypotheses, Models", held in April 2021. It is planned to publish data in the conference collection in the form of abstracts.

No description available.

Urbanisation is characterised by mass migration of people to urban areas and conversion of land from rural to urban land uses. Changes in population dynamics have led to half the world’s population living in urban areas; in developed countries, urban dwellers account for three-quarters of the total population. Though populations have shifted from rural to urban areas, people continue to rely on their environment, and trees in particular, for tangible and intangible benefits alike. A great deal of factual and anecdotal knowledge supports the role of trees for ecological, social, and economic well-being. In spite of this, during urbanisation, previously vegetated land is converted to housing, roads, or utility corridors, all of which are necessary to support growing populations. This thesis investigates tree growth in these modified urban landscapes, in particular, the effects of pavements on urban trees. Pavements are truly pervasive, covering more than half of all land in highly developed urban areas. Their durability and strength are of great importance to transportation, but large-scale soil sealing is not without consequence. Pavements affect the hydrologic cycle, soil and air temperature, and nutrient cycling. Because of their effect on the surrounding environment, pavements inherently affect remnant or planted trees. They are believed to negatively affect tree growth and survival, thereby compromising the ecological, social, and economic benefits otherwise derived from the urban forest. In recent times, porous pavements have been increasingly installed in favour of impervious pavements. Porous pavements are perceived to be an environmentally-sound alternative to standard impervious pavements. This thesis begins by reviewing the literature concerning porous pavement’s effect on underlying soil and urban vegetation, thus illustrating the scarcity of empirical data describing the effect of porous pavement on tree growth. A greater understanding of porous pavement’s impact on the surrounding environment is needed, if its installation is to continue. With this aim in mind, this thesis describes an experiment in Christchurch, New Zealand, which monitored the impacts of porous and impervious pavement on underlying soil conditions, and subsequent tree growth. The experiment comprised 50 Platanus orientalis trees planted in an augmented factorial design, which consisted of controls and four treatments. Trees were split evenly amongst plots, such that ten replicates existed per treatment. The pavement treatments measured 2.3m by 2.3m, and were based on the combination of pavement type (2 levels: porous, impervious) and pavement profile design (2 levels: +/- subbase compaction and gravel base). The resulting four treatments were impervious concrete pavement (IP), impervious concrete pavement with compacted subbase and gravel base (IP+), porous concrete pavement (PP), and porous concrete pavement with compacted subbase and gravel base (PP+). From December 2007 to March 2009, data were collected to determine the effect of these treatments on soil moisture, aeration, pH, and nutrient concentration. Final tree height, stem diameter, shoot and root biomass, and root distribution were also measured at the conclusion of the experiment. Results of this experiment indicated that the effects of pavement porosity on soil moisture and aeration were dynamic, varying with season and soil depth. Increased soil moisture beneath porous pavements resulted from rapid infiltration following precipitation. This decreased the duration of plant stress resulting from drought. Relative to bare soil, paved plots had consistently greater soil moisture, likely because pavements reduced evaporation. The inclusion of a gravel base in the profile design limited capillary upflow, which resulted in lower soil moisture under pavements designed with a gravel base. Soil aeration was significantly lower beneath pavements relative to unpaved plots. This is likely related to greater soil moisture beneath pavements. Finally, soil pH increased beneath pavements, in particular beneath porous pavements. Though all growth parameters increased for trees surrounded by porous, rather than impervious pavement, this occurred only in the absence of a compacted subgrade and gravel base. Evidently, the impact of the compacted subgrade superseded the impact of pavement porosity. Furthermore, root growth was relatively shallow beneath pavements, likely due to favourable soil moisture directly beneath pavements. This research highlights (i) the dramatic effect of pavements on underlying soil conditions; (ii) that pavements do not inherently limit tree growth; (iii) that porous pavements can conditionally improve tree growth; and (iv) that soil compaction limits potential benefits resulting from porous pavements.

Die Anwendung von Biokohlen in der Landwirtschaft gewinnt durch die positiven Aspekte der Kohlenstoffsequestrierung, Bodenverbesserung und eines erhöhten Pflanzenwachstums in den letzten Jahren an Bedeutung. Deshalb geht die vorliegende Arbeit den Fragen nach, welche Wirkungen unterschiedliche Biokohlen in Kombination mit oder ohne Gärrest und / oder Stickstoffdünger auf die Bodenchemie, Bodenbiologie und Wachstum, Entwicklung, Ertrag, Ertragsstruktur, Nährstoffe sowie Qualität von Nutzpflanzen haben. Außerdem wurden die Effekte unterschiedlicher Biokohlen auf die Wurzelmorphologie von Sommerweizen quantifiziert. Eine weitere Frage war, inwiefern Biokohlen Stickstoffquellen sorbieren. Es wurden ein Feldversuch und mehrere Gefäßversuche durchgeführt, um die Änderungen der Bodenchemie, den Einfluss auf die Bodenbiologie am Beispiel von Collembolen und die Pflanzenparameter zu bestimmen. Für die Wurzeluntersuchungen wurden Rhizoboxversuche durchgeführt und zur Quantifizierung der Stickstoffsorption ein in vitro Versuch angelegt. Die Ergebnisse der Feld- und Gefäßuntersuchungen zeigten, dass die Biokohlen die Bodeneigenschaften positiv beeinflussten. Die Biokohlen nahmen keinen konsistenten Einfluss auf die Erträge von Kulturpflanzen. Die Nährstoffgehalte der Kulturpflanzen konnten zum Teil positiv beeinflusst werden. Die Collembolenabundanzen zeigten sowohl in der Feldstudie als auch im Gefäßversuch keine signifikanten Unterschiede zwischen den getesteten Biokohlen. Hohe Mengen der fermentierten HTC-Biokohle führten zu negativen Wirkungen auf die Collembolenabundanz im Gefäßversuch. Die Rhizoboxversuche zeigten einen positiven Einfluss der Pyro-Biokohle auf die oberirdische und unterirdische Trockenmasse sowie die Wurzelmorphologie von Sommerweizen. Unterschiedliche Stickstoffquellen wurden von der HTC-Biokohle stärker sorbiert als von der Pyro-Biokohle. Generell lässt sich aus den differenzierten Wirkungen der Biokohlen weitere Forschung mit dem Fokus Boden ableiten. / Over the past few years the use of biochars in agriculture has gained more importance due to positive effects on carbon sequestration, soil improvement and increased plant growth. Therefore, the present work pursues the question which effects different biochars have in combination with or without digestate and / or nitrogen fertilizer on soil chemistry, soil biology and growth, development, yield, yield components, nutrients and quality of crops. In addition, the effects of different biochars on root morphology of spring wheat were quantified. Further to elucidate potential mechanisms underlying biochar effects on crops it was studied how biochars sorb various nitrogen sources. A field test and several pot experiments were conducted to determine the changes in soil chemistry, the impact on soil-dwelling Collembola and plant parameters. For the root studies rhizobox experiments were performed. To quantify the nitrogen sorption of biochars an in vitro experiment was conducted. The results of the field test and pot experiments showed that biochars positively affected soil chemical characteristics. However, yields of crops were not consistently affected by biochars. The nutrient content of crops were positively influenced to some extent. The abundance of Collembola was not significantly influenced by the biochars tested in the field study and in the pot experiment. High amounts of fermented HTC-biochar had negative effects on the abundance of Collembola in the pot experiment. Rhizobox experiments showed a positive influence of Pyro-biochar on the aboveground dry matter, belowground dry matter and root morphology (e.g. root length) of spring wheat. Amount and reversibility of nitrogen sorption was dependent on the type of biochar with HTC-biochar sorbing more nitrogen than Pyro- biochar. Generally it can be concluded that because of the different effects of biochars further research with a focus on soil is needed.

No description available.

No description available.