Environmental assessment of dehydrated alfalfa production in Spain

Alfalfa is the major forage crop produced in temperate regions worlwide. Although this crop is currently used mainly for producing high-value livestock feed, its application for bioenergy production is a recent focus of interest. Even though it is not mandatory, alfalfa is normally dried in order to improve the quality of the final product. In this study, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was used to quantify the environmental impacts linked to alfalfa production in the major cultivation zone in Spain (Ebro Valley), including field activities, dehydration and transport to farms for livestock feeding. In addition, the identification of the most relevant processes contributing to the environmental impact and the potential improvements actions were also defined as objectives. Inventory data were obtained mainly from interviews with farmers complemented with published literature and comments from experts.LCA results were obtained for global warming, acidification, eutrophication, photochemical oxidant formation, land use, non-renewable cumulative energy demand and human, terrestrial and aquatic ecotoxicities. Within the life cycle of alfalfa, the dehydration process, production of phosphate fertilizer, application of nitrogen fertilizers and pesticides, water consumption and final transport to the consumer (by road and ship) were identified as hot spots. Based on these, some improvement measures were proposed and evaluated: (i) reduction of the moisture content of alfalfa and the use of a higher percentage of biomass for combustion in the dehydration process, (ii) no application of nitrogen fertilizer in maintenance years and (iii) use of more efficient trucks for transport. Their implementation would produce significant reduction of eutrophication, global warming, acidification, non-renewable cumulative energy demand and, to a lesser extent, photochemical oxidation formation and human toxicity impacts.     

DDT uptake by arbuscular mycorrhizal alfalfa and depletion in soil as influenced by soil application of a non-ionic surfactant

A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to investigate the colonization of alfalfa roots by the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus Glomus etunicatum and application of the non-ionic surfactant Triton X-100 on DDT uptake by alfalfa and depletion in soil. Mycorrhizal colonization led to an increase in the accumulation of DDT in roots but a decrease in shoots. The combination of AM inoculation and Triton X-100 application enhanced DDT uptake by both the roots and shoots. Application of Triton X-100 gave much lower residual concentrations of DDT in the bulk soil than in the rhizosphere soil or in the bulk soil without Triton X-100. AM colonization significantly increased bacterial and fungal counts and dehydrogenase activity in the rhizosphere soil. The combined AM inoculation of plants and soil application of surfactant may have potential as a biotechnological approach for the decontamination of soil polluted with DDT.     

Uptake and translocation of sulfamethazine by alfalfa grown under hydroponic conditions

Antibiotics are routinely used in intensive animal agriculture operations collectively known as Concentrated Animal Feed Operations(CAFO) which include dairy, poultry and swine farms. Wastewater generated by CAFOs often contains low levels of antibiotics and is typically managed in an anaerobic lagoon. The objective of this research is to investigate the uptake and fate of aqueous sulfamethazine(SMN) antibiotic by alfalfa(Medicago sativa)grass grown under hydroponic conditions. Uptake studies were conducted using hydroponically grown alfalfa in a commercially available nutrient solution supplemented with 10 mg/L of SMN antibiotic. Analysis of alfalfa sap, root zone, middle one-third, and top portion of the foliage showed varying uptake rate and translocation of SMN. The highest average amount of SMN(8.58 μg/kg) was detected in the root zone, followed by the top portion(1.89 μg/kg), middle one-third(1.30 μg/kg), and sap(0.38 μg/kg) samples, indicating a clear distribution of SMN within the sampled regions. The ultraviolet(UV) spectra of parent SMN and translocated SMN identified in different parts of the plant present the possibility of metabolization during the uptake process. Uptake of SMN using alfalfa grown under hydroponic conditions has potential as a promising remediation technology for removal of similar antibiotics from wastewater lagoons.     

多环芳烃污染土壤的微生物-紫花苜蓿联合修复效应

微生物-植物联合修复技术作为一种低耗高效的新型修复手段已经被广泛应用于有机污染土壤的修复领域并取得了较好的效果,新型生物资源的应用将推动该方法的进一步发展。本研究采用温室盆栽实验,以里氏木霉（Trichodermaressei FS10-C）、根瘤菌（Rhizobium meliloti）和紫花苜蓿（Medicago sativa L.）作为供试生物,设置添加灭活菌剂-无紫花苜蓿（CK）、添加灭活菌剂-种植紫花苜蓿（A）、接种木霉菌剂-种植紫花苜蓿（TA）、接种木霉菌根瘤菌复合菌剂-种植紫花苜蓿（TRA）4种处理,探究微生物-植物联合修复对多环芳烃（PAHs）污染土壤的生物修复效果及其微生态效应。结果表明,经过60 d的培养,微生物不仅促进了紫花苜蓿的生长,而且在紫花苜蓿的协同作用下进一步提高了土壤中PAHs降解率。TA处理中紫花苜蓿生物量增加了5.88%,而TRA处理进一步促进了紫花苜蓿的生长,其生物量增加了11.15%;A、TA和TRA处理下土壤中PAHs的降解率分别为17.02%、25.62%、32.93%,显著（p〈0.05）高于处理CK（5.67%）。此外,接种菌剂处理（TA、TRA）对土壤中高分子量PAHs具有更好的降解效果,A处理土壤中4-、5（＋6）环PAHs的降解率分别为18.13%、24.74%,TA处理为21.41%、28.34%,而TRA处理则为21.29%、30.11%。同时,紫花苜蓿能够通过其根际效应显著促进土壤微生物活性,相较于CK处理,A、TA、TRA处理土壤脱氢酶活性分别提高了33.20%、34.58%、32.65%,A、TA、TRA处理AWCD值和微生物群落多样性指数均显著（p〈0.05）高于CK。通过木霉、根瘤菌与紫花苜蓿联合作用不仅可以有效地降解土壤中的PAHs,而且能够恢复土壤微生物生态功能多样性和稳定性。因此,该方法是一种极具潜力的生物修复手段,具有广阔的市场应用前景。     

紫花苜蓿改良盐渍土对土壤微生物活性和养分含量的影响

为探讨干旱地区种植紫花苜蓿改良盐渍土对土壤微生物生物量及其活性和土壤养分的影响,选择河西走廊黑河流域国有临泽农场的草甸盐土荒地作为对照,研究了种植紫花苜蓿2、3、4年后的改土效果。结果表明：与CK相比,连续种植4年后,所测定的土壤化学性质和微生物化学性质指标都发生了极显著（P〈0.01）的有利变化,电导率下降5.96 mS.cm-1,pH下降0.25,有机碳增加1.50 g.kg-1,微生物生物量碳增加48.93 mg.kg-1,微生物熵上升0.43%,荧光素二乙酸酯水解率提高10.87μg.g-1.h-1,碱解氮增加17.37 mg.kg-1,速效磷增加2.87 mg.kg-1,速效钾增加44.93 mg.kg-1。相关分析表明,微生物生物量碳、微生物熵、荧光素二乙酸酯水解率、碱解氮、速效磷、速效钾与土壤有机碳之间极显著（P〈0.01）正相关,相关系数分别为0.86、0.80、0.87、0.85、0.79、0.80,而与电导率之间极显著（P〈0.01）负相关,相关系数分别为-0.83、-0.79、-0.84、-0.86、-0.88、-0.78。研究认为,种植紫花苜蓿对草甸盐土有显著的改良效果,电导率下降,有机碳含量提高,微生物活性增强,速效养分含量增加。     

Responses to ozone pollution of alfalfa exposed to increasing salinity levels

Stomatal closure and biosynthesis of antioxidant molecules are two fundamental components of the physiological machinery that lead to stress adaptation during plant's exposure to salinity. Since high stomatal resistance may also contribute in counteracting O₃ damages, we hypothesized that soil salinization may increase O₃ tolerance of crops. An experiment was performed with alfalfa grown in filtered (AOT40 = 0 in both years) and non-filtered (AOT40 = 9.7 in 2005 and 6.9 ppm h in 2006) open-top chambers. Alfalfa yield was reduced by O₃ (−33%) only in plants irrigated with salt-free water, while the increasing levels of soil salinity until 1.06 dS m⁻¹ reduced both stomatal conductance and plant O₃ uptake, thus linearly reducing O₃ effects on yield. Therefore a reliable flux-based model for assessing the effects of O₃ on crop yield should take into account soil salinity.     

Changes in Soil Aggregate,Carbon, and Nitrogen Storages Following the Conversion of Cropland to Alfalfa Forage Land in the Marginal Oasis of Northwest China

Maintenance of soil organic carbon (SOC) is important for sustainable use of soil resources due to the multiple effects of SOC on soil nutrient status and soil structural stability. The objective of this study was to identify the changes in soil aggregate distribution and stability, SOC, and nitrogen (N) concentrations after cropland was converted to perennial alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. Algonguin) grassland for 6 years in the marginal oasis of the middle of Hexi Corridor region, northwest China. Significant changes in the size distribution of dry-sieving aggregates and water-stable aggregates, SOC, and N concentrations occurred after the conversion from crop to alfalfa. SOC and N stocks increased by 20.2% and 18.5%, respectively, and the estimated C and N sequestration rates were 0.4 Mg C ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ and 0.04 Mg N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ following the conversion. The large aggregate (>5 mm) was the most abundant dry aggregate size fraction in both crop and alfalfa soils, and significant difference in the distribution of dry aggregates between the two land use types occurred only in the >5 mm aggregate fraction. The percentage of water-stable macroaggregates (>2, 2–0.25 mm) and aggregate stability (mean weight diameter of water-stable aggregates, WMWD) were significantly higher in alfalfa soils than in crop soils. There was a significant linear relationship between total SOC concentration and aggregate parameters (mean weight diameter) for alfalfa soils, indicating that aggregate stability was closely associated with increased SOC concentration following the conversion of crops to alfalfa. The SOC and N concentrations and the C/N ratio were greatest in the >2 mm water-stable aggregates and the smallest in the 0.25–0.05 mm aggregates in crop and alfalfa soils. For the same aggregate, SOC and N concentrations in aggregate fractions increased with increasing total SOC and N concentrations. The result showed that the conversion of annual crops to alfalfa in the marginal land with coarse-texture soils can significantly increase SOC and N stocks, and improve soil structure.     

Toxic effects of arsenic on Sinorhizobium-Medicago sativa symbiotic interaction

Recently, the Rhizobium-legume symbiotic interaction has been proposed as an interesting tool in bioremediation. However, little is known about the effect of most common contaminants on this process. The phytotoxic effects of arsenic on nodulation of Medicago sativa have been examined in vitro using the highly arsenic resistant and symbiotically effective Sinorhizobium sp. strain MA11. The bacteria were able to grow on plates containing As concentrations as high as 10 mM. Nevertheless, as little as 25-35 microM arsenite produced a 75% decrease in the total number of nodules, due to a 90% reduction in the number of rhizobial infections, as could be determined using the strain MA11 carrying a lacZ reporter gene. This effect was associated to root hair damage and a shorter infective root zone. However, once nodulation was established nodule development seemed to continue normally, although earlier senescence could be observed in nodules of arsenic-grown plants.     

Dissipation of Phosalone and Diazinon in Fresh and Dried Alfalfa

The objectives of this study were to determine the persistence of phosalone (S-6-chloro-2,3-dihydro-2-oxobenzoxazol-3-ylmethyl O, O-diethyl phosphorodithioate) and diazinon (O,O-diethyl O-2-isopropyl-6-methylpyrimidin-4-yl phosphorothioate) residues in fresh and baled alfalfa under field conditions. Plots of alfalfa were sprayed with each insecticide. Fresh alfalfa was sampled up to 20 days after treatment, and dried alfalfa was sampled up to 25 weeks after baling. Samples were analyzed for residues using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) equipped with a UV detector. The half-lives of diazinon and phosalone in fresh alfalfa were 1.8 and 3.3 days, respectively. In baled alfalfa the half-life of diazinon and phosalone were 2.8 and 16.7 weeks, respectively. No diazinon residues were detected in baled alfalfa, sampled after week 9, although the concentration of phosalone found at week 25 was 5.51 mg/kg.