Casamance is a region in southern Senegal that traditionally produces rainfed rice, but Senegal produces only 1/3 of its rice consumption. Lowland areas, where rice is primarily produced, have acid sulfate soils with low pH and potential aluminum and iron toxicity. The goal of this work was to determine if soil amendments can alleviate soil acidity, counteract the negative biogeochemical effects that occur in flooded conditions, and increase rice yield. A two-year experiment was conducted to test the following soil treatments – agricultural lime, pulverized oyster shell, biochar, and control (no amendment) – in flat and raised beds. Plots amended with lime and shell materials had increased soil pH, base saturation, Ca, and cation exchange capacity. Meanwhile, biochar elevated particulate organic matter and C:N ratios. Exchangeable Fe and Al were negatively correlated with soil pH, while Geobacteraceae populations (Fe reducing bacteria) increased with pH. A greater proportion of the total Fe was strongly bound in fractions that were less bioavailable in plots amended with shell or lime, and overall rice yields were significantly higher following amendment with shell or lime. During the second growing year these effects diminished, suggesting that liming effects did not persist as expected. These results demonstrate the benefits of soil amendments that raise soil pH and suggest that this effect operates by influencing overall soil nutrient availability to rice plants, but further research is needed regarding the timing and sustainability of the beneficial liming effect. / Master of Science

Vor dem Hintergrund des weltweit wachsenden Bedarfes an Bodenverbesserungsmitteln, durch die Humus-, Nährstoff- und Wassermangel auf Problemstandorten kompensiert werden sollen, war es das Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit, Bodenwasser-speicher auf Basis der nachwachsenden Biopolymere Stärke und Lignin zu entwickeln. Durch Derivatisierung der Stärke wurde deren Hydrophilie deutlich gesteigert, was Voraussetzung für die Bildung von Hydrogelen war. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass durch Vernetzung der wasserlöslichen Stärkederivate Carboxymethylstärke und Monostärkemonophosphat mit Di-/Tricarbonsäuren quellfähige Hydrogele erzeugt werden, deren Quellungsvermögen und rheologische Eigenschaften über die Wahl des Vernetzers und die Vernetzerstoffmenge gezielt eingestellt werden können. Die Modifizierung von Lignin wurde durch Oxidation mit Wasserstoffperoxid, z.T. in Kombination mit Fe(II)- bzw. Mn(II)-Chloriden realisiert. Dadurch wurde die Vernetzbarkeit von Lignin deutlich verbessert, was auf oxidativ bedingte Strukturänderungen des Lignins zurückzuführen war. Diese bestanden im Wesentlichen in der Spaltung und Oxidation der Lignin-Seitenkette sowie der Hydroxylierung der Seitenkette und aromatischer Strukturen. Die Vernetzung von Lignin mit Poly-(ethylenglycol)-diglycidylether ergab quellfähige Hydrogele, deren Wasseraufnahmevermögen und rheologische Materialfunktionen von der eingesetzten Vernetzerstoffmenge abhängig sind. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass durch den Einsatz von Stärkephosphat- und Lignin-Hydrogelen das Wasserspeichervermögen erhöht und die Evaporationsraten eines entsprechend behandelten Sandbodens verringert werden. Im Wachstumsversuch wurden die Frischmasseerträge von Gelbsenf (Sinapis alba) durch Behandlung eines Sandbodens mit Hydrogelen gesteigert. / Soil degradation leading to a lack of humus, nutrients and water especially on exploited sites causes the worldwide need in soil amendments. Aim of the work was the development of hydrogels from renewable biopolymers starch and lignin improving water retention especially in degraded soils. A significant increase of hydrophilic properties of starch was obtained by chemical modification with the objective of forming starch based hydrogels. Swellable hydrogels were formed by cross-linking of water soluble starch derivatives like carboxymethyl starch and monostarch monophosphates with di- and tricarboxylic acids. Swelling capacity and rheological properties of the starch gels were selective adjusted by variation of cross linking agent and whose amounts. Modification of lignin was realized by oxidation with hydrogen peroxide partly in combination with ferrous and manganese chlorides, respectively. In consequence of oxidative structural changes which were cleavage and oxidation of side chain as well as aliphatic and aromatic hydroxylation, gelation of lignin was improved significant. Lignin hydrogels with different swelling capacities and rheological functions were formed by cross-linking lignin with different amounts of poly (ethylene glycol) diglycidyl ether. Application of hydrogels based on starch and lignin causes increased water storing capacity/field capacity and decreased evaporation of a sandy soil as well as an increased biomass yield of yellow mustard (Sinapis alba).

This thesis studied the viability of recycling filter substrates as soil amendments after being used in on-site systems for phosphorus (P) removal from wastewater. Focus was put on the materials Filtra P and Polonite, which are commercial products used in compact filters in Sweden. A prerequisite for this choice was to review filter materials and P sorption capacity. The filter substrates (Filtra P, Polonite and wollastonite tailings) were recycled from laboratory infiltration columns as soil amendments to a neutral agricultural soil and to an acid meadow soil to study their impacts on soil properties and yield of barley and ryegrass. The amendments tended to improve the yield and showed a liming effect, significantly increasing soil pH and the availability of P. In another experiment, samples of Filtra P and Polonite were equilibrated in batch experiments with the two soils in order to study the P dynamics in the soil-substrate system.  Batch equilibrations confirmed the liming potential of Filtra P and Polonite and showed that improved P availability in soils was strongly dependent on substrate P concentration, phase of sorbed P, and soil type. Finally, samples of Polonite used for household wastewater treatment were recycled as soil amendments to a mountain meadow and to an agricultural field for wheat cropping. The liming effect of Polonite was confirmed under field conditions and the results were similar to those of lime for the mountain meadow soil. However, the results were quite different for the agricultural field, where Polonite did not affect soil pH or any other chemical and physical soil properties investigated and had no impact on wheat yield and quality. The results from field experiments suggested that Polonite can be safely recycled to meadows and cropping fields at rates of 5-10 ton ha-1 but long-term studies are needed to forecast the effects of accumulation. / QC 20100708

Vor dem Hintergrund des weltweit wachsenden Bedarfes an Bodenverbesserungsmitteln, durch die Humus-, Nährstoff- und Wassermangel auf Problemstandorten kompensiert werden sollen, war es das Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit, Bodenwasser-speicher auf Basis der nachwachsenden Biopolymere Stärke und Lignin zu entwickeln. Durch Derivatisierung der Stärke wurde deren Hydrophilie deutlich gesteigert, was Voraussetzung für die Bildung von Hydrogelen war. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass durch Vernetzung der wasserlöslichen Stärkederivate Carboxymethylstärke und Monostärkemonophosphat mit Di-/Tricarbonsäuren quellfähige Hydrogele erzeugt werden, deren Quellungsvermögen und rheologische Eigenschaften über die Wahl des Vernetzers und die Vernetzerstoffmenge gezielt eingestellt werden können. Die Modifizierung von Lignin wurde durch Oxidation mit Wasserstoffperoxid, z.T. in Kombination mit Fe(II)- bzw. Mn(II)-Chloriden realisiert. Dadurch wurde die Vernetzbarkeit von Lignin deutlich verbessert, was auf oxidativ bedingte Strukturänderungen des Lignins zurückzuführen war. Diese bestanden im Wesentlichen in der Spaltung und Oxidation der Lignin-Seitenkette sowie der Hydroxylierung der Seitenkette und aromatischer Strukturen. Die Vernetzung von Lignin mit Poly-(ethylenglycol)-diglycidylether ergab quellfähige Hydrogele, deren Wasseraufnahmevermögen und rheologische Materialfunktionen von der eingesetzten Vernetzerstoffmenge abhängig sind. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass durch den Einsatz von Stärkephosphat- und Lignin-Hydrogelen das Wasserspeichervermögen erhöht und die Evaporationsraten eines entsprechend behandelten Sandbodens verringert werden. Im Wachstumsversuch wurden die Frischmasseerträge von Gelbsenf (Sinapis alba) durch Behandlung eines Sandbodens mit Hydrogelen gesteigert. / Soil degradation leading to a lack of humus, nutrients and water especially on exploited sites causes the worldwide need in soil amendments. Aim of the work was the development of hydrogels from renewable biopolymers starch and lignin improving water retention especially in degraded soils. A significant increase of hydrophilic properties of starch was obtained by chemical modification with the objective of forming starch based hydrogels. Swellable hydrogels were formed by cross-linking of water soluble starch derivatives like carboxymethyl starch and monostarch monophosphates with di- and tricarboxylic acids. Swelling capacity and rheological properties of the starch gels were selective adjusted by variation of cross linking agent and whose amounts. Modification of lignin was realized by oxidation with hydrogen peroxide partly in combination with ferrous and manganese chlorides, respectively. In consequence of oxidative structural changes which were cleavage and oxidation of side chain as well as aliphatic and aromatic hydroxylation, gelation of lignin was improved significant. Lignin hydrogels with different swelling capacities and rheological functions were formed by cross-linking lignin with different amounts of poly (ethylene glycol) diglycidyl ether. Application of hydrogels based on starch and lignin causes increased water storing capacity/field capacity and decreased evaporation of a sandy soil as well as an increased biomass yield of yellow mustard (Sinapis alba).

A long-held practice is to mix agricultural soil with a soil amendment to improve growing conditions in crops. A common soil amendment is biosolids produced from both municipal and dairy wastewater due to the macro- and micronutrients within it. Both the agricultural and wastewater industries are participating in the Circular Economy concept (CEC). Two experiments explored using expended bioelectrochemical systems (BES) that treated either synthetic dairy wastewater (DWW) or synthetic municipal wastewater (SWW) as soil amendments to improve corn plant growth when treated with three different nutrient treatments: 100%- 50%- and 0% Hoagland Nutrient Solutions. Biochar and used terracotta clay were used as soil amendments too. Additionally, the DWW and SWW soil amendments are being invested to see if soil moisture can be retained during simulated drought conditions. The experiments took place in the late fall and winter of 2021 and summer of 2022 in Starkville, Mississippi.

No description available.

Afin d'établir l'impact et le risque lié aux fertilisants chimiques depuis leur fabrication jusqu'à leur amendement sur la contamination des sols par les éléments traces métalliques, une étude de leur mobilité et leur transfert s'avère nécessaire. L'objectif de ce travail de thèse était d'évaluer la source de contamination du sol par les éléments traces autour de l'industrie des fertilisants chimiques et suivre l'évolution temporelle de la mobilité et du transfert de ces éléments dans un profil du sol agricole amendé par des engrais phosphatés du type simple superphosphate (SSP) ou du phosphogypse. Pour cela nous avons utilisé des techniques permettant la caractérisation structurale et minéralogique des sols collectés comme la diffraction des rayons X et la microscopie électronique. Puis une caractérisation chimique des sols collectés concernant la concentration totale des éléments traces et des éléments majeurs a été établie. Comme la mobilité n'est pas stable au cours du temps dépendant de plusieurs paramètres physico-chimiques comme le pH, le potentiel redox, la teneur en matière organique, une extraction séquentielle a été adoptée le long de l'étude au cours du temps et dans le profil du sol amendé jusqu'à une profondeur de 55 cm. En outre, l'absorption des éléments traces par les plantes cultivées sur le terrain agricole amendé par les engrais ou le phosphogypse a été analysée au cours du temps afin d'évaluer le risque lié à la chaîne alimentaire et plus particulièrement la chaîne alimentaire humaine induisant des effets négatifs sur la santé. Une comparaison entre l'application du phosphogypse et celle des engrais a été mise en évidence à la finalité de ce travail / To determine the impact and risk of chemical fertilizers, from their manufacture to their amendment, on soil contamination by trace metals, the study of their mobility and transfer would be necessary. The objective of this work was to evaluate the source of soil contamination by trace elements around the industry of chemical fertilizers, and to follow the temporal evolution of mobility and transfer of these elements in the profile of agricultural soil amended by superphosphate (SSP) fertilizers or phosphogypsum. To achieve our objective, we used techniques allowing the determination of structural and mineralogical characterization of collected soil samples, such as X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. Chemical characterization related to the total concentration of trace and major elements of collected soils was established. As mobility was unstable over time, depending on several physico-chemical parameters such as pH, redox potential, and organic matter content, a sequential extraction was adopted throughout the study over time in the amended soil profile to a depth of 55 cm. In addition, the absorption of trace elements by agricultural crops cultivated over land amended with fertilizer or phosphogypsum was analyzed over time to assess the risk of their transfer to the food chain, especially the human food chain, imposing health hazards. A comparison between the effects of the application of phosphogypsum and phosphate fertilizer was carried out in concluding this work

Department of Ecology and Resource Management / PhDENV / The main aim of the research was to contribute means for converting conventional, high-input production systems to more sustainable ecological systems, thereby improving the sustainability of macadamia production and ultimately contributing to food security. This was achieved by a) investigating the potential use of cover crops and compost to enhance soil quality in macadamia orchards and b) investigating the potential use of use of cover crops and orchard heterogeneity to control stinkbug pests that target macadamia crops. Field experiments were conducted in three phases: phase one tested the potential of six cover crops for crop protection (as trap crops) and simultaneously for soil restoration or fertility enhancement purposes in macadamia orchards. Phase two repeated the trials of phase one (both soil restoration and trap crops) but with modifications to both categories. Soil restoration treatments were conducted with trees which were growing in what appeared to be healthy soils, and then repeated with trees in the same orchard where the topsoil had been degraded (totally removed) by agricultural operations. The third phase repeated the trap crop trials only, but this time on three different study areas (all commercial farms) with the single cover crop which performed the best as a trap crop during phase two. Trials were modified from the first to the last phase to overcome practical implementation problems encountered along the way and to adapt to local conditions experienced in the commercial macadamia farming systems which served as research sites. Diversity of natural orchard vegetation was enhanced in phase three to improve conditions for natural predators as part of the trap crop treatments in the last phase and cover crops were finally first composted and then returned to the root zones of the macadamia trees as part of the soil quality enhancement treatments in the second phase. The results from the trap crop trials shows a significant effect of trap crops combined with increased orchard diversity in reducing unsound kernel percentages caused by stinkbug pests and demonstrate that trap crops combined with an increase in orchard diversity could be utilized in macadamia orchards as a more sustainable alternative to inorganic pesticides against the stinkbug complex. The most notable changes in the soil that took place with soil quality enhancement treatments were the significant increases in soil phosphorous content and pH which resulted not in an improvement in soil quality in terms of these two indicators but revealed an important issue about the use of compost containing animal manure originating from dairies or feedlots. In summary however, it was clear that although not all the soil quality indicators that were employed to assess changes in the soil with compost treatments improved significantly, a holistic consideration of all indicators portrays an overall improvement which was particularly significant in the degraded soil plots where the topsoil had been removed by prior agricultural activities. / NRF