No description available.

The discovery of sulphur-deficient agricultural soils has focussed concern on the dynamics of sulphur transformations in soils and on the important role of the soil microbial population in mineralising organic sulphur to forms more available to plants. This thesis reports a study carried out to investigate the dynamics of supply of plant available sulphur from soils and includes development of a method for determination of microbial biomass S, comparison of a perfusion system with a plant bioassay to assess soil S-supply, characterisation of a fertilizer S budget for a crop-soil system and assessment of the role of VA mycorrhizas in plant S uptake. The first experiment was carried out to investigate the factors involved in determination of microbial biomass S in soil in order to develop a more reliable assay. Biomass S-concentrations were determined by chloroform fumigation/direct extraction (with determination of the Ks calibration constant using 35S labelled microorganisms). The effects of period of fumigation, the need for chloroform evacuation, the type of extractant, and the time of extraction were investigated. The optimium values for biomass-S were obtained using a 5 day fumigation period without chloroform evacuation (use of 35S labelled microorganisms demonstrated that there is a vacuum sensitive non-biomass S pool), with CaC12 as an extractant over a 1 h extraction period. The second experiment consisted of a simple, open perfusion system for studying the S-supplying capacity of soils. A range of soils were perfused at frequent intervals and the leachates analysed for inorganic and total sulphur. Results were compared with plant S-offtake from the same soils. Although greater amounts of sulphur were removed in the perfusion system, data from the techniques correlated strongly, suggesting the perfusion system can be effectively used to estimate the S-supplying capacity of soils.

No description available.

No description available.

Multi-services cover crops (MSCC) grown during fallow period between two cash crops provide various ecosystem services. Among species used as MSCC, crucifers can efficiently prevent nitrate and sulphate leaching by catching residual soil mineral nitrogen (N) and sulphur (S) afterthe preceding cash crop (N and S catch crop services). Crucifers also have a unique capacity to suppress pathogens due to the biocidal hydrolysis products of endogenous secondary metabolites called glucosinolates (GSL). The aim of our study was to assess the provision of various ecosystem services linked to N, S cycles and biocontrol potential for a wide range of bispecific crucifer-legume mixtures in comparison to sole cover crops of legume and crucifer. We carried out experiments in 2 contrasted sites (Toulouse and Orléans regions, France) during 2 years in order to assess these services and the compatibility of various bi-specific crucifer-legume mixtures. We tested a great diversity of species, such as i) crucifers : rape, white mustard, Indian mustard, Ethiopian mustard, turnip, turnip rape, radish and rocket, and ii) legumes: Egyptian clover, crimson clover, common vetch, purple vetch, hairy vetch, pea, soya bean, faba bean, and white lupin. Our study demonstrated that crucifer-legume mixtures can provide and mutualize various ecosystem services by reaching from 2 thirds (GSL production, S and N green manure) to the same level ofservice (N and S catch crop) than the best sole family of species. GSL profile and concentration did not change in mixtures meaning that crucifer-pests interactions were identical. Through a literature review we also illustrated that biocontrol services of crucifers could be largely maintained in crucifer-legume mixtures for a wide range of pathogens and weeds while reducing potential disservices on beneficials and increasing N related service

Please read the abstract in the section, 00front, of this document / Dissertation (MSc (Microbiology))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Microbiology and Plant Pathology / unrestricted

Les cultures intermédiaires multi-services (CIMS) implantées en interculture entre deux cultures de rente permettent de produire de nombreux services écosystémiques. Parmi les familles d’espèces utilisées comme CIMS, les crucifères réduisent efficacement la lixiviation de nitrate et de sulfate en captant l’azote (N) et le soufre (S) minéral du sol (services de piège à N et à S). Les crucifères ont aussi la capacité de contrôler les pathogènes via des composés biocides issus de l’hydrolyse de métabolites secondaires appelés glucosinolates (GSL). L’objectif de nos travaux de recherche est d’évaluer les performances en termes de services écosystémiques liés à l’azote, au soufre et au potentiel de bio-contrôle d’une grande diversité de mélanges bispécifiques de crucifères et de légumineuses en comparaison aux CIMS pures. Nous avons réalisé des expérimentations sur 2 sites contrastés (région de Toulouse et Orléans, France) et sur 2 années pour tester les performances de mélanges crucifère-légumineuse en comparaison aux espèces pures. Les espèces testées sont i) pour les crucifères : colza, moutarde blanche, moutarde brune, moutarde éthiopienne, navet, navette, radis, roquette, et ii) pour les légumineuses : trèfle Egyptien, trèfle incarnat, vesce commune, vesce pourpre, vesce velue, pois, soja, féverole et lupin blanc. Nos travaux de recherche montrent que les mélanges crucifère-légumineuse peuvent produire simultanément divers services écosystémiques avec un haut niveau d’expression, allant de 2/3 (production de GSL, engrais vert à N et S), à quasiment 100% (piège à N et S) du service produit par la famille d’espèce pure la plus performante. La concentration et les types de GSL ne changeant pas en mélanges, les interactions des crucifères avec leurs pathogènes restent identiques. Via une revue de littérature nous concluons également que le service de bio-contrôle des cultures pures de crucifères peut être maintenu en mélanges crucifère-légumineuse sur une grande diversité de pathogènes et adventices tout en réduisant les potentiels dis-services sur les auxiliaires et sur le cycle de l’azote. / Multi-services cover crops (MSCC) grown during fallow period between two cash crops provide various ecosystem services. Among species used as MSCC, crucifers can efficiently prevent nitrate and sulphate leaching by catching residual soil mineral nitrogen (N) and sulphur (S) afterthe preceding cash crop (N and S catch crop services). Crucifers also have a unique capacity to suppress pathogens due to the biocidal hydrolysis products of endogenous secondary metabolites called glucosinolates (GSL). The aim of our study was to assess the provision of various ecosystem services linked to N, S cycles and biocontrol potential for a wide range of bispecific crucifer-legume mixtures in comparison to sole cover crops of legume and crucifer. We carried out experiments in 2 contrasted sites (Toulouse and Orléans regions, France) during 2 years in order to assess these services and the compatibility of various bi-specific crucifer-legume mixtures. We tested a great diversity of species, such as i) crucifers : rape, white mustard, Indian mustard, Ethiopian mustard, turnip, turnip rape, radish and rocket, and ii) legumes: Egyptian clover, crimson clover, common vetch, purple vetch, hairy vetch, pea, soya bean, faba bean, and white lupin. Our study demonstrated that crucifer-legume mixtures can provide and mutualize various ecosystem services by reaching from 2 thirds (GSL production, S and N green manure) to the same level ofservice (N and S catch crop) than the best sole family of species. GSL profile and concentration did not change in mixtures meaning that crucifer-pests interactions were identical. Through a literature review we also illustrated that biocontrol services of crucifers could be largely maintained in crucifer-legume mixtures for a wide range of pathogens and weeds while reducing potential disservices on beneficials and increasing N related service