Excessive release of engineered nanoparticles (NPs) into the environment can affect the biological and chemical properties of soils. This study evaluated the effects of two commercial metallic copper nanoparticles (Cu-NPs 25 nm; CuNPs/25, and Cu-NPs...
Tuber crops cultivated in basalt-derived soils are influenced by naturally high geochemical backgrounds, which may elevate heavy metal(loid) levels and associated health risks. To clarify the geochemical controls governing metal accumulation, this st...
Thinning can improve soil nutrient supply, but the effects of thinning on soil phosphorus (P) contents and bioavailable mechanisms in high-density and short-rotation Eucalyptus coppice forests are not well reported. Therefore, we conducted five inten...
Microelement deficiencies, often termed “hidden hunger”, represent a significant global health challenge. Optimal human health relies on adequate dietary intake of essential microelements, including selenium (Se), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu),...
Saline–alkali soils seriously restrict the soil functions and the growth and diversity of soil microorganisms. Biochar can alleviate the negative effects of saline–alkali stress. However, it remains unclear how biochar reduces saline&ndas...
Termite mound soils are reportedly utilized as an alternative to NPK fertilizers by cash
constrained smallholder farmers in some parts of Southern Africa. However, there is limited
knowledge regarding their mineral nutritional value. The intention of t...
Effects of three phosphorus fertilizers on the shoot biomass and on the accumulation of alkali, alkaline earth, and transition metals in the shoots and roots of ryegrass were studied with two contaminated garden soils. Phosphates were added in sustai...
In Florida, many agricultural soils contain up to 600 mg/kg of Mehlich-3 extractable phosphorus (P), yet potato growers continue to apply P fertilizers, indicating complex P dynamics that remain underexplored. Previous studies have mainly focused on...
Worldwide, over half of all preschool-aged children and two-thirds of non-pregnant women of reproductive age suffer from hidden hunger. This situation may worsen due to the expected increase in the world population and the effects of climate change....
9 April 2019
We investigated the effects of organic amendments (thermophilic compost, vermicompost, and coconut coir) on the bioavailability of trace heavy metals of Zn, Cd, Pb, Co, and Ni from heavy metal-spiked soils under laboratory conditions. To test switchg...
The thermal conversion of sewage sludge to biochar offers a promising alternative use for a hazardous waste material with potential benefits to agricultural productivity and soil quality. Three short-term greenhouse experiments were conducted to eval...
Most major crops in agricultural soils exhibit relatively low nutrient use efficiency for nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), often necessitating supplemental nutrient inputs to achieve sustainable yields. Furthermore, the increasing use...
Using waste products is a promising and sustainable alternative to conventional non-renewable peat and nutrient-rich renewable materials. Their products are gaining importance for closing the loop in the ornamental plant industry. Porous inorganic ma...
Micronutrient deficiencies, collectively known as hidden hunger, affect more than two billion people worldwide and remain a major challenge for sustainable agriculture, global food security and human nutrition. Crop biofortification has emerged as a...
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is a high-value crop that has potential to enhance its P-use efficiency. While phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient, supplies are finite and much of the P supply in agricultural soils is not bioavailable after appl...
The growth of the global population, coupled with concomitant economic development, has resulted in the generation of a substantial quantity of waste. The transition of the European Union’s economy towards a closed-loop model is prompting a com...
Biochar adsorption and microbial remediation have great potential in the field of soil remediation, but since both are stressed by high concentrations of toxic heavy metals when applied alone, combining the two may become an effective remediation met...
Nitrogen (N) is an essential nutrient that is highly abundant as N2 in the atmosphere and also as various mineral and organic forms in soils. However, soil N bioavailability often limits the net primary productivity of unperturbed temperate forests w...
Phosphorus is one of the major constraints to karst grassland productivity. Understanding the effects of different fertilization practices on soil phosphorus dynamics is essential for enhancing phosphorus bioavailability and rational management of so...
This work aimed to study the effects of compost (applied at two rates) and two commercial microbial biostimulants on the mobility and bioavailability of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in an industrial soil phytostabilized by Dactylis glomerata L....
This study explores the fertilizer potential of glauconitic soil by monitoring its impact on the growth of plants during the second growing season after application. Our study documents a higher growth of oats (Avena sativa) in glauconitic amended so...
Encephalartos spp. establish symbioses with nitrogen (N)-fixing bacteria that contribute to soil nutrition and improve plant growth. Despite the Encephalartos mutualistic symbioses with N-fixing bacteria, the identity of other bacteria and their cont...
Forest harvesting removes and redistributes nutrients through felling and forwarding. Substantial quantities of nutrients can accumulate in brash mats on permanent skid trails, but their availability and uptake after multiple thinnings on soils susce...
Processes controlling microbial access to soil organic matter are critical for soil nutrient cycling and C stabilization. The bioavailability of soil organic matter partly depends on the rate that substrates become water-soluble, which is determined...
An environmental forensic study was developed in a former industrial area in southern Spain. Previous information about the site revealed arsenic and hydrocarbons affection exceeding soil screening levels. A full characterisation of arsenic affection...
The excessive use of conventional fertilizers has led to low nutrient-use efficiency and significant environmental challenges. To address these limitations, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of Fe2O3 and CuO nanoparticles (NPs) as potential na...
Low redox potential (Eh) leads to low bioavailability and utilization efficiency of several nutrients, including selenium (Se), in paddy soil. Applying oxidants with a slow-release function to maintain soil Eh at a sufficiently high level during the...
The widespread use of pesticides in modern agriculture has significantly enhanced food production by managing pests and diseases; however, their degradation in soil can lead to unintended consequences for soil fertility and nutrient cycling. This rev...
Macro- and microelements in waste can be returned to the soil as fertilizers and their sustainable use can reduce the need to extract natural resources. For example, the use of carbonate-clay flour, sewage sludge and waste sulfate sulfur to improve s...
Identifying natural alternatives to conventional chemical fertilizers is critical to preventing the widespread soil degradation and environmental damage caused by modern agriculture. Microbe-based biofertilizers have emerged as promising candidates d...
Traditional arsenic (As) risk assessments rely predominantly on total arsenic (TAs) concentrations and overlook nutrient-driven masking effects on As biotoxicity. Microbial biomarkers hold promise for As pollution diagnosis, yet existing indicators o...
This study investigates the current application and ageing effects of various Zn sources on acidic Mediterranean soil. Two successive lettuce crops were grown in soil fertilised with 0, 15, 30, 60, and 140 mg Zn kg−1 using commercial ZnO nanopa...
Heavy metal contamination in agricultural soils threatens food security and public health, especially in volcanic regions where ash alters soil properties. This study evaluates the effects of soil amendments on physicochemical properties, nutrient av...
Limited availability of nutrients to crops is a major agricultural concern. Deteriorated soil health and poor fertility status decrease the bioavailability of essential nutrients to the plants. Consequently, organic soil amendment biochar is gaining...
Excessive irrigation of saline-alkaline soils with Cd-contaminated wastewater has resulted in deterioration of both soil and plant quality. To an investigate this, a study was conducted to explore the effects of biochar (applied at 10 t ha−1),...
The rhizosphere is a complex microecosystem where soil, roots, and microbes interact to maintain soil ecological functions. Blueberry (Vaccinium spp.), an economically important fruit, has a shallow, fibrous root system with few root hairs, limiting...
Soil amendments combined with low cadmium (Cd)-accumulating crops are commonly used for remediating Cd contamination and ensuring food safety. However, the combined effects of soil amendments and the cultivation of faba beans (Vicia faba L.)—kn...
The amendment of soil with biochar has been demonstrated to have an effect not only on the soil physicochemical properties, but also on soil microbial community composition and activity. Previous reports have demonstrated significant impacts on so...
The rapid expansion of greenhouse agriculture demands sustainable strategies to maintain soil health and productivity from the outset. Priestia megaterium, a plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR), has shown promise in improving plant growth an...
Cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) co-contamination in construction and demolition waste landfill soils presents a significant challenge to ecosystem health, necessitating effective remediation strategies. This study investigated a synergistic approach combi...
Soil is the main component in the agroecosystem besides water, microbial communities, and cultivated plants. Several problems face soil, including soil pollution, erosion, salinization, and degradation on a global level. Many approaches have been app...
Phosphogypsum (PG), a major by-product of the phosphate industry, has potential for improving acidic and nutrient-poor red soils, yet its agronomic benefits and heavy metal risks require systematic evaluation. A field experiment was conducted with fi...
Biochar has been suggested for application in acidic soils for increasing agricultural productivity, as it may result in the benefits of sustainable carbon offset into soils and of increasing soil fertility improvement. However, the role of biochar i...
8 December 2021
This study presents the behavior of white mustard seedlings Sinapis alba grown for three months in laboratory polluted soil containing As, Cd, Ni and Pb. Four different experiments were performed in which As was combined with the other three toxic me...
This study investigated the impacts of reclaimed water (RW) irrigation on soil properties and landscape plant growth in a coastal monsoon city over a 13-month period. Soil properties in plots irrigated with RW and tap water (TW) were monitored monthl...
Heavy metal pollution remains a major global environmental challenge due to persistent ecological risks and potential threats to food safety. Microbial remediation and phytoremediation represent sustainable alternatives to conventional treatments; ho...
Agriculture can play a primary role in the context of nutrients recovery by promoting the use of organic fertilizers (OFs). In order to use them efficiently, it is necessary to predict the nitrogen (N) bioavailability, which is a challenging matter d...
Sulphur (S) plays a vital role in improving the quality of mulberry leaves because of its involvement in protein synthesis. The knowledge of different pools of S in soils and its bioavailability for mulberry nutrition is thus, required for optimizing...
Biochar, a pyrogenic carbon, has been receiving incremental attention for potential contribution to soil health, agricultural productivity enhancement while mitigating climate change by sequestering carbon and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions....
Nickel (Ni) is an essential micronutrient for plants, responsible for metabolizing urea nitrogen (urea-N) by urease and mitigating abiotic and oxidative stresses through the glyoxalase (Gly) and glutathione (GSH) cycles. However, excess Ni is toxic t...
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