Sulfate-containing amendments to reduce methane emissions from rice fields: mechanisms,effectiveness and costs

Application of sulfate-containing amendments is oftensuggested as a mitigation option to reduce methane (CH₄) emissionsfrom rice (Oryza) fields. This paper discusses the mechanism andpotential of this mitigation option, reviews the relevant experimental data,and presents first, indicative costs of application. CH₄ emission datafor rice fields with sulfate-containing amendments are compiled toreinterpret the resulting reduction in CH₄ emission and find a generalrelationship between emission reduction and amount of sulfate applied. Thereduction in CH₄ emission depends on the amount of sulfate applied.However, absolute emission reduction is location specific and cannot bederived from the amount of sulfate (SO^2- ₄) applied only. We established alogarithmic relationship, across locations, between SO^2- ₄ application andfractional emission reduction relative to the emission of the non-amendedcontrol field. Recycling of SO^2- ₄ in the rhizosphere was essential to explainthe observed reductions in CH₄ emission for a number of theexperiments. The cost of applying SO^2- _{_4}-containing fertilizers varies acrosscountries and depends on local fertilizer prices. Since a fractional reductionis obtained, the cost-efficiency in terms of CH₄ mitigation per unitof SO^2- ₄ applied will be highest in high-emitting rice production systems.Provided the proper target areas are selected, the cost of SO^2- ₄-containingfertilizer as a mitigation option to reduce CH₄ emissions in rice fieldsis estimated at 5–10 US dollar per Mg CO₂-equivalent.     

Public Investment and Environrnental Sustainability of Agricultural Production in China

The excessive application of fertilizer and pesticides in grain production in China has posed a threat to the environrnental sustainability of agricultural production. One of the major reasons of the increasing usage of chemical inputs by farmers is their trying to reach higher yields, especially in absence of adequate public inputs, such as development and extension of appropriate technology and necessary production infrastructure, etc. Based on the cropspecific data of the past 20 years, this paper examines how the public investments in agricultural researches could impact on the reduction of farmers' private material inputs of major grain crops in China. It manifests that the increased investments in public sector, especially in agricultural researches, is a favorable and effective way to reduce farmers' private material inputs and should be given a priority consideration in the policy emendation to increase yields and improve production sustainability.     

Mechanism of Microbial Degradation of Slow-Release Fertilizers

Methyleneureas are condensation products of urea and formaldehyde of different molecular mass and solubility; they are used in large amounts both as resins, binders, and insulating materials for industrial applications, as well as a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer for greens, lawns, or in bioremediation processes. In the present study, the microbial breakdown of these products was investigated. The nitrogen was released as ammonia and urea, and the formaldehyde released immediately oxidized via formiate to carbon dioxide. The enzymatic mechanism of metabolization of methyleneureas was studied in microorganisms isolated from soil, which were able to use these compounds as the sole source of nitrogen for growth. A strain of the Gram-negative bacterium Ralstonia paucula (formerly Alcaligenes sp. CDC group IVc-2) completely degraded methylenediurea and dimethylenetriurea to urea, ammonia, formaldehyde, and carbon dioxide. The enzyme initiating this degradation (methylenediurease) was purified and turned out to be different from the previously described enzyme from Ochrobactrum anthropi with regard to its regulation of expression and physicobiochemical properties. Fungal degradation of methyleneureas may occur via the formation of organic acids, thus leading to a nonenzymatic degradation of methyleneureas, which are unstable under acidic conditions.     

餐厨垃圾好氧生物处理菌株的选育

文章以枯草芽孢杆菌、巨大芽孢杆菌等10株细菌为出发菌株,以耐高温、生长速度快、生物安全性、生物拮抗性以及产酶能力为筛选原则,从中筛选得到4株细菌,分别为:地衣芽孢杆菌(Bacillus licheniformis,TKFW1003)、巨大芽孢杆菌(Bacillus megaterium,TKFW1005)、纳豆芽孢杆菌(Bacillus natto,TKFW1102)、枯草芽孢杆菌(Bacillus subtilis,TKFW1108)。然后将筛选得到的4株细菌按10%的比例添加到30 L固态发酵罐中,再添加10%的麸皮和50%的水为辅料,对餐厨垃圾进行固态发酵处理。最后将固态发酵结束后得到的产品取出烘干粉碎,经检测:经好氧微生物处理后得到的产品,其有效活菌数、有机质含量、水分含量及蛔虫卵死亡率等指标均达到了农业部农用有机肥标准,此法实现了餐厨垃圾的无害化、资源化、减量化处理,具有生产成本低、无二次污染、可操作性强等优点。     

铁肥形态及施用方式对印度芥菜镉积累的影响

利用实际镉污染土壤(含镉0.08~1.89 mg/kg)进行盆栽试验,研究FeSO4、Fe(2SO4)3、EDTA.Na2Fe 3种铁肥和底施、追施2种施肥方式对印度芥菜(Brassica juncea)镉积累的影响。结果表明:施用Fe(2SO4)3的印度芥菜生物量与对照非常接近,而施用FeSO4和EDTA.Na2Fe的印度芥菜生物量均明显高于对照;底施EDTA.Na2Fe时,印度芥菜地上部Cd含量最低,比对照低76%~85%;追施Fe(2SO4)3时,印度芥菜地上部Cd含量、吸Cd量、对土壤中Cd的净化率均最高,分别比对照提高48%~236%、52%~63%、110%~260%。研究认为底施EDTA.Na2Fe等络合态亚铁肥,可用于改善食用印度芥菜的品质;追施Fe(2SO4)3时,可用于强化印度芥菜对镉污染土壤的修复。为铁基复合肥生产及其在镉污染土壤修复和无公害农产品生产中的应用提供了依据。     

沼渣改性复混肥对小白菜生长及品质的影响

将沼渣有机肥与不同比例的化肥配制成不同配方的沼渣复混肥,用作为小白菜生长的基肥。通过对小白菜生长指标及品质的比较,分析不同配方沼渣复混肥对小白菜生长和品质的影响,选出适合小白菜生长并提高其品质的复混肥配方。结果表明,E处理小白菜VC含量为1.582 8 mg/g,可溶性糖含量为42.34%,硝酸盐含量为77.86 mg/kg,叶绿素SPAD值为50.33,更有利于小白菜的生长和品质的改善。     

化肥过度使用所导致的农业面源污染立法思考

农业面源污染已成为当今世界各国环境污染治理最棘手的难题之一。通过分析无机化肥与面源污染两者之间的关系,以及一些发达国家在农业面源污染方面的法制状况,提出我国应在法律制度层面规范化肥的使用,出台一部化肥综合性立法及完善现有的水资源立法,对缓解我国农业面源污染的严峻局面意义重大。     

高产粮区不同施肥模式下玉米季农田氮素损失途径分析

研究不同施肥模式下土壤氮素损失的途径,有助于制定合理的施肥措施.2009年在山东桓台典型高产粮区设置了4种施肥模式：对照(CK)、 农民习惯(FP)、 优化施肥(OPT)和控释肥(CRF）,监测了土壤水氮动态和作物生长状况,采用水氮管理模型（WNMM）模拟了不同施肥模式下玉米季土壤的水分动态和氮素去向.2009年夏玉米季3个施肥处理的氮素淋失量占施肥量的比例范围为6%～18%,平均为12.7%,其中优化施肥处理的氮素淋失量最低,仅为14.5 kg·hm^-2.氨挥发量所占的比例范围为5%～34%,平均为20.7%,其中控释肥处理的氨挥发量最低,仅为7.6 kg·hm^-2.4个处理的氮素总损失量顺序为：FP处理> OPT处理>CRF处理≈CK处理.本研究表明在保证作物产量的前提下,优化施肥和施用缓控释肥均可以有效减少氮素损失,提高氮肥利用效率和保护生态环境.     

农民水稻施肥行为研究与政策涵义

农业面源是造成太湖富营养化的重要污染源。通过对太湖西岸重点保护区内农民进行随机入户调查,系统地研究了当地农民在水稻种植中的施肥行为特征及其主要影响因素。研究结果表明：(1)在普遍过度施用氮肥的背景下,个体农户在施肥量和施肥种类上存在显著差异;(2)农户施肥行为普遍具有主观性和盲目性的特征。农民的年龄阶段和其对控制化肥用量的态度对氮肥施用量具有显著性影响;(3)在分析化肥施用态度和环境意识对施肥量的影响中,出现了一些与预期相反的趋势。这进一步显示了当地农民在施肥方面缺乏科学引导,导致部分农民尽管存在着良好的控制化肥施用的意愿,却不知如何有效实施。因此,针对当地农民年龄大、文化低等普遍特征,有针对性地设计一些不用复杂模型和流程的简单施肥改善项目,并辅以参与激励措施与风险保障措施,在降低当地氮肥施用量和流失量方面具有巨大潜力,并对太湖流域的水污染控制起到事半功倍的效果     

Ammonia volatilization from a Chinese cabbage field under different nitrogen treatments in the Taihu Lake Basin, China

Ammonia(NH_3) volatilization is a major pathway of nitrogen(N) loss from soil-crop systems.As vegetable cultivation is one of the most important agricultural land uses worldwide,a deeper understanding of NH_3 volatilization is necessary in vegetable production systems.We therefore conducted a 3-year(2010–2012) field experiment to characterize NH_3 volatilization and evaluate the effect of different N fertilizer treatments on this process during the growth period of Chinese cabbage.Ammonia volatilization rate,rainfall,soil water content,p H,and soil NH_4~+were measured during the growth period.The results showed that NH_3 volatilization was significantly and positively correlated to topsoil p H and NH4+concentration.Climate factors and fertilization method also significantly affected NH_3 volatilization.Specifically,organic fertilizer(OF) increased NH_3 volatilization by 11.77%–18.46%,compared to conventional fertilizer(CF,urea),while organic–inorganic compound fertilizer(OIF) reduced NH_3 volatilization by 8.82%–12.67% compared to CF.Furthermore,slow-release fertilizers had significantly positive effects on controlling NH_3 volatilization,with a 60.73%–68.80% reduction for sulfur-coated urea(SCU),a 71.85%–78.97% reduction for biological Carbon Power~#174; urea(BCU),and a 77.66%–83.12% reduction for bulk-blend controlled-release fertilizer(BBCRF)relative to CF.This study provides much needed baseline information,which will help in fertilizer choice and management practices to reduce NH_3 volatilization and encourage the development of new strategies for vegetable planting.