1,721,023 research outputs found
Root growth dynamic and plant performance of nectarine trees amended with biochar and compost
No full textA 2-year experiment was carried out outdoor on 1-year-old nectarine trees (Big Top grafted on Adesoto 101 Puebla (P. insititia) grown in large ((similar to)0.5 m(3)) pots filled with a sandy and poorly fertile soil in which, with 4 replicates, the following soil-applied amendment strategies were compared: a) unamended control; b) biochar (16.4 g kg(-1) (d.w.)); c) compost (40.0 g kg(-1) (d.w.)) and d) biochar mixed with compost, at the same rates of the previous two strategies. Only the first two strategies received mineral fertilizers. We monitored root growth dynamic and assessed tree growth, nutritional status, leaf photosynthetic rate, yield, fruit quality, tree architecture and tree biomass partitioning. Our findings demonstrate that benefits on soil properties and tree growth were mainly attributable to the addition of compost and, to a less extent, by biochar alone (mostly without significant effects), indicating that perennial agro-ecosystems may not immediately respond to biochar application. Strategies influenced root physiology rather than morphology or biomass, as a possible adaptation to the changed growing conditions. However, root growth pattern did not reflect the aboveground tree performance. Compost extended root lifespan and increased photosynthetic leaf efficiency, while biochar reduced root survivorship and increased root turnover, signifying that amendment strategies modify C fixation and alter C budget partitioning within tree organs. The PCA analysis suggests that biochar-induced benefits on tree yield could presumably occur over time. Tree physiology and performance were not outperformed by the mixture of the two amendments, likely because compost hindered potential synergism with biochar. While we conclude that the contemporaneous addition of biochar and compost may not always reflect additive responses on plant performance, we speculate that these matrices can be conveniently combined in the sustainable management of nectarine trees with the aim to replace mineral inputs, preserve soil fertility and fight climate changes
Using chorographic sources to reconstruct past agro-forestry systems. A methodological approach based on the study case of the northern Apennines
Full text linkHistorical-geographical (chorographic) descriptions provide some of the earliest formal documentation about landscape. We propose a methodological approach aimed at reconstructing a spatial-explicit picture of the agroforestry system of a eighteenth-century landscape, detecting the main land-use drivers, and analysing existing legacies of past agro-forestry productivity in the present landscape. The study area was the Bologna Apennines, and our data source was a chorographic dictionary from 1781-83. We obtained a matrix of 240 administrative units per 18 agro-forestry products with related productivity indices. Multivariate analysis showed that environmental constraints influenced products and productivity. Agricultural areas (and related products) mainly shaped the hillside, while forests and semi-natural areas (and related products) characterized the mountainside. Such former clustering is still recognizable: agricultural land mostly changed to artificial land-cover, whereas semi-natural areas and forests still exist. The proposed approach confirms that chorography can be a useful tool as a primary source in landscape research
Carbon balance and soil carbon input in a poplar short rotation coppice plantation as affected by nitrogen and wood ash application
No full textThe increasing importance of short rotation coppice (SRC) plantations for bioenergy production makes it crucial to evaluate their carbon (C) sink potential and to understand which sustainable practices could increase productivity and C sequestration. This study examined the combined effect of woody ash and nitrogen (N) fertilization on the productivity, net C balance (NECB) and soil C sink capacity of a poplar SRC plantation established on a former arable land in northern Italy. Above- (ANPP) and below-ground (BNPP) primary productivity, including both root litter and rhizodeposition (Croot litter), were estimated by a combination of inventory methods, soil respiration measurements and C budgeting approaches. NECB was estimated as changes in both plant and soil C pools, and the portion of soil organic carbon (SOC) derived from poplar leaf and root litter was estimated using a combination of in-growth cores and isotopic measurements. Nitrogen application at 100 kg ha−1 increased ANPP in terms of C accumulation only in the first year, while NECB was not affected by treatments and was 9.96 Mg C ha−1 year−1 on average. Irrespective of the treatment, the plantation accumulated on average 0.7 Mg C ha−1 year−1 of SOC and the poplar-derived soil C input was 3.0 Mg ha−1 year−1. Positive NECB shows that the studied SRC resulted in an important C sink even in the first years after the establishment. However, long-term studies are needed to better assess the effect of N and ash application on C and nutrient cycles over more than one rotation period
In vitro shoot multiplication and rooting of wild Paeonia officinalis L., subsp. officinalis
No full textPaeonia officinalis L., subsp. officinalis, is a herbaceous peony spontaneously growing on rocky slopes, up to 1,800 m of altitude, from Southern France to Albany, that includes Tuscan and Emilian Apennines. Its propagation occurs by rhizome or seeds under natural growing conditions; however, seeds need a couple of years to germinate. The aim of the present research was to set up a protocol for the in vitro propagation of this species, useful for its reintroduction in the natural environment, and suitable at nursery level. The combined effect of 6-benzyladenine (BA) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) was investigated on shoot multiplication of single shoots and small shoot clusters, in agarized culture media. A two-step rooting procedure was used, providing one-week culture of shoots in complete darkness on media enriched with indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and their transfer to auxin-free media. Agarized media or perlite soaked in liquid media were used for both root induction and elongation phases.Complete culture survival was obtained with 1.0 g L-1 PVP and the use of small shoot clusters as explants. BA at 2.0 mg L-1 gave the maximum mean shoot multiplication (2.7) from a single shoot at the 3rd subculture; however, very short shoots were produced by shoot clusters after three further subcultures. BA at 1.0 gL(-1) allowed a constant multiplication (about 2:1) of well-elongated shoots regardless of the explant type. The multiplication rates reported here are quite low, but comparable to data available in the literature for in vitro grown shoots of wild herbaceous P lactiflora. The maximum rooting percentage (50%) was obtained in liquid media, for shoots from 1.0 mg BA treated with 2.5 mg L-1 IBA, although not different from other IBA treatments (1 and 5 mg L-1 ). The present results are promising with regard to the in vitro phases. However, they also suggest further research in improving rooting and achieving successful acclimatization of healthy plants. If this goal is reached, micropropagation might represent an alternative vegetative propagation method for the reintroduction in the natural environment of this species, and its release at nursery level as plant for gardens
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