Persistence of herbicide fenoxaprop ethyl and its acid metabolite in soil and wheat crop under Indian tropical conditions

The persistence of fenoxaprop ethyl {Ethyl (RS)-2-[4-(6-chloro-1,3-benzoxazol-2-yloxy) phenoxy] propionate} herbicide and its active metabolite fenoxaprop acid was investigated in soil and wheat crop. Fenoxaprop acid was prepared by alkaline hydrolysis of fenoxaprop ethyl. A HPLC method was developed in which fenoxaprop ethyl herbicide and its acid metabolite showed sharp single peak at 6.44 and 2.61 min respectively. The sensitivity of the method for ester and acid was 2 and 1 ng respectively with limit of detection of 0.1 and 0.05 μg mL^?1. The recovery of fenoxaprop ethyl and fenoxaprop acid from soil, wheat straw and grain ranged between 73.8–80.2%. In a field experiment fenoxaprop ethyl (Puma super® 10 EC) when applied to wheat crop at the rate of 120 g and 240 g a.i. ha^-1 as post emergence spray, fenoxaprop ethyl converted to fenoxaprop acid. Residues of fenoxaprop ethyl and acid dissipated in soil with a half-life of 0.5 and 7.3 days, respectively. At harvest no detectable residues of fenoxaprop ethyl or acid were observed in soil, wheat grain and straw samples.     

Effect of wheat and rice straw biochars on pyrazosulfuron-ethyl sorption and persistence in a sandy loam soil

The objective of this research was to investigate the effect of wheat and rice biochars on pyrazosulfuron-ethyl sorption in a sandy loam soil. Pyrazosulfuron-ethyl was poorly sorbed in the soil (3.5–8.6%) but biochar amendment increased the herbicide adsorption, and the effect varied with the nature of the feedstock and pyrolysis temperature. Biochars prepared at 600°C were more effective in adsorbing pyrazosulfuron-ethyl than biochars prepared at 400°C. Rice biochars were better than wheat biochars, and higher herbicide adsorption was attributed to the biochar surface area/porosity. The Freundlich constant 1/n suggested nonlinear isotherms, and nonlinearlity increased with increase in the level of biochar amendment. Desorption results suggested sorption of pyrazosulfuron-ethyl was partially irreversible, and the irreversibility increased with increase in the level of biochar. Both sorption and desorption of pyrazosulfuron-ethyl correlated well with the content of biochars. The free energy change (ΔG) indicated that the pyrazosulfuron-ethyl sorption process was exothermic, spontaneous and physical in nature. Persistence studies indicated that biochar (0.5%) amendment did not have significant effect on herbicide degradation, and its half-life values in the control, 0.5% WBC600- and RBC600-amended rice planted soils were 7, 8.6, and 10.4 days, respectively.     

Impact of a smelter closedown on metal contents of wheat cultivated in the neighbourhood

BACKGROUND: The contamination of soils by heavy metals engenders important environmental and sanitary problems in Northern France where a smelter has been located for more than one hundred of years. It has been one of the most important Pb production sites in Europe until its closedown in March 2003. Ore smelting process generated considerable atmospheric emissions of dust. Despite an active environmental strategy, these emissions were still significant in 2002 with up to 17 tonnes of Pb, 32 tonnes of Zn and 1 tonne of Cd. Over the years, the generated deposits have led to an important contamination of the surrounding soils. Previous studies have shown pollutant transfers to plants, which can induce a risk for human and animal health. The objective of this study was to evaluate the consequences of the smelter closedown on the Cd and Pb contents of wheat (grain and straw) cultivated in the area. METHODS: Paired topsoil and vegetable samples were taken at harvest time at various distances to the smelter. The sample sites were chosen in order to represent a large range of soil metal contamination. Sampling was realised on several wheat harvests between 1997 and 2003. 25 samples were collected before the smelter closedown and 15 after. All ears of about 1 m long of two rows were manually picked and threshed in the lab. Similarly, straw was harvested at the same time. Total metal contents in soil and wheat samples were quantified. RESULTS: A negative correlation between metal concentrations in soil and the distance to the smelter was shown. The wheat grain and straw showed significant Cd and Pb contents. The straw had higher metal contents than the grain. During the smelter activity, the grain contents were up to 0.8 mg kg(-1) DM of Cd and 8 mg kg(-1) DM of Pb. For the straw, maximum contents were 5 mg kg(-1) DM of Cd and 114 mg kg(-1) DM of Pb. After the smelter closedown, we observed a very large decrease of Pb in the grain (82%) and in the straw (91%). A smaller decrease was observed for Cd in grain. Despite this improvement, 80% of the studied samples remained non-acceptable for human consumption, according to the European legislation values, due to a high Cd content. DISCUSSION: Results highlighted a difference in metal accumulation in the plant organs as well as a difference in metal uptake. The approach pointed out the importance of atmospheric fallout in the wheat contamination pathways for Pb. The smelter closedown has lead to a decrease of the Pb content in wheat. It is interesting to relate this finding with the lead blood levels in children living close to the smelter. CONCLUSIONS: Those results have confirmed the importance of dust fallout in the plant contamination pathways. Before the closedown, Pb measured in the plant was principally originating from the smelter dust emissions. It raised the question of the sanitary risks for humans and animals living in the surrounding a of the smelter. RECOMMENDATIONS AND PERSPECTIVES: In the literature, very few articles take the dust deposit as contamination pathways for crops into consideration. However, in highly contaminated sites, this pathway can be very important. Thus, it would be worthy studying the uptake of metal contaminants by plants through the foliar system.     

我国近地层臭氧污染对水稻和冬小麦产量的影响概述

地表监测数据表明,我国近地层O3污染日趋严重,已对水稻和冬小麦的生长造成严重威胁。为评估O3污染对我国农业生产的风险,综合已有剂量反应实验结果,对我国南北五个地区(北京、定兴、江都、嘉兴、东莞)水稻和冬小麦的O3敏感性进行了比较分析。研究发现:(1)随着实验地区和实验品种的变化,两种作物的O3敏感性存在明显差异,其中,水稻对O3的敏感程度由北到南逐渐增加;(2)两种作物的产量均随O3剂量的增加而降低,且冬小麦的减产程度高于水稻;(3)基于FACE实验得到的作物O3敏感性高于基于OTC实验的研究结果。利用上述研究得到的O3剂量反应方程和O3浓度预测数据,对未来我国水稻和冬小麦的产量损失进行了评估。预计到2020年,我国五个主要作物产地水稻和冬小麦的产量损失范围分别为3.2~28.8%和7.8~36.9%。上述结果表明,O3污染已对我国主要粮食作物的生长造成巨大威胁,且作物品种间存在明显的O3抗性差异,有必要采取有效措施缓解O3浓度的上升,同时,需要利用更科学的实验方法进行O3抗性品种的选育,这对降低O3的农业风险具有重要意义。     

冬小麦抗霜性与抗冻性的关系

拔节期霜冻害是制约冬小麦生产的主要因素之一。然而关于冬小麦拔节期抗霜性的鉴定工作,国内外的研究报导还很少。选取了13个起源地和春化特性不同的小麦品种,通过利用人工霜箱模拟田间自然霜冻发生过程的试验方法,在小麦幼穗分化进程中的低温敏感期——药隔期进行抗霜性鉴定。同时,对这13个小麦品种越冬期间的抗冻性进行了鉴定。最后对冬小麦品种的抗冻性与抗霜性之间的相关性进行了分析。结果表明:抗霜性与抗冻性之间不存在显著的相关关系。抗冻力较强的冬性品种,抗春霜冻的能力不一定就强;相反,抗冻力较低、发育进程快的早熟品种也可能具有较强的抗霜性。     

Distribution of White Whales (Delphinapterus leucas) in the White Sea and the Southeastern Region of the Barents Sea during the Ice Season

The habitats, relative occurrence, and distribution of the white whale in the White Sea and the southeastern Barents sea in every month of the ice season have been studied using the results of an aerial ice survey along standard routes from 1970–1991. In these seas, white whales have been found in each month of the ice season, with single animals, groups, schools or gams, herds, and large congregations of several hundred animals accounting for 10, 22.8, 47.2, 12.9, and 7% of all aggregations of white whales observed, respectively. The relative occurrence of white whales in the White Sea is higher in March and May (32.5 and 30%, respectively) and lower in February, January, and November (15, 10, and 7.5%, respectively); in December and April, the whales are observed very seldom (2.5% in both months). In the southeastern Barents Sea, the relative occurrence of white whales is highest in May (53.3%) and considerably lower in December and February (16.7 and 10%); only a few animals are found during the remaining ice season. Regarding different habitats, the relative occurrences of white whales in open water, in water openings in the ice, near the edge of pack ice, and in ice packs with different degrees of closeness are 21.5, 11.4, 45.7, and 21.4%, respectively.     

田间增强UV-B辐射对麦田生态系统Fe营养和累积的影响

研究大田栽培和自然光条件下,模拟ＵＶ－Ｂ辐射（ＵＶ－Ｂ,２８０ｎｍ ～３１５ｎｍ ）增强对麦田生态系统Ｆｅ营养和累积的影响．在４ 个生育期中,ＵＶ－Ｂ辐射显著增加叶和穗Ｆｅ含量,显著降低根Ｆｅ 含量,并改变茎Ｆｅ 含量．叶Ｆｅ累积对ＵＶ－Ｂ辐射的响应有明显的生育期之间的差异． 分蘖期无显著变化,拔节期和扬花期显著增加,而成熟期显著降低．在各生育期,ＵＶ－Ｂ辐射显著降低叶、根和穗Ｆｅ累积．ＵＶ－Ｂ辐射显著降低春小麦不同生育期Ｆｅ总累积,在５．３１ｋＪ·ｍ^-2 ＵＶ－Ｂ辐射下,降低最显著．ＵＶ－Ｂ辐射还降低春小麦群体Ｆｅ输出．麦田土壤速效Ｆｅ含量增加是春小麦群体Ｆｅ输出降低的结果,可能导致土壤库中Ｆｅ 储量的增加．     

冬小麦中轻度水分胁迫的增产节水效应研究

利用大型水分试验场的防雨棚遮挡自然降水,采用人工定量补水进行冬小麦土壤含水量占田间持水量40%～50%、45%～50%、50%～55%、50%～60%、55%～60%、60%～70%持续时间分别为5、10、15天水分胁迫处理的控制试验。试验结果表明:50%～70%的中轻度水分胁迫处理,冬小麦具有显著的增产节水效果;2年平均,增产6.3%～7.4%,节水28.2%～34.1%。中轻度水分胁迫下,冬小麦增产节水作用机制的实现,主要是通过水分胁迫效应诱发增强:①冬小麦根系的找水功能;②产量构成因子的优化;③复水后光合速率的提高。冬小麦水分胁迫效应的最佳利用时间为返青-拔节期,此时进行水分胁迫效应利用最有利于冬小麦稳产增产。     

双季稻区冬种覆盖作物对土壤微生物量的影响

利用氯仿熏蒸浸提法研究了南方双季稻区4种冬季覆盖作物对土壤微生物量碳、氮周年动态的影响.结果表明:冬季种植紫云英(Astragalus sinicus L.)、黑麦草(Lolium multiflroum Lam.)和马铃薯(Solanum tuberosum L.)土壤微生物量碳含量分别为:248.8mg·kg-1、256.7mg·kg-1和238.9mg·kg-1均显著高于冬闲田的218.3 mg·kg-1(P<0.05),增幅为9.43%～17.59%;冬季种植油菜(Brassica campestris L.)土壤微生物量碳比冬闲田提高了0.63%,没有显著性差异.4种覆盖作物土壤微生物量氮含量分别为:紫云英,100.3 mg·kg-1、黑麦草,153.8 mg·kg-1、马铃薯,99.9 mg·kg-1和油菜,86.2 mg·kg-1,均显著高于冬闲田,73.5 mg·kg-1(P<0.05).对比冬闲田,各个覆盖作物均显著提高土壤有机质含量(P<0.05).说明种植冬季覆盖作物可以提高土壤有机质含量和有效养分含量,促进了土壤微生物的活动,有利于保持土壤肥力.     

不同灌水条件下冬小麦的产量、水分利用与氮素利用特点

了解不同灌水量(次数)处理条件下华北平原地区冬小麦的产量形成、氮素利用与水分利用的特点.在大田相同的施肥量与施肥方式、播前浇底墒水750m3.hm-2条件下,设置春季不灌水、春季灌2水(拔节+开花)和春季灌4水(起身+孕穗+开花+灌浆)3个水分处理(每次灌水定额750 m3.hm-2),分析了不同灌水量(次数)对植株氮素吸收利用、产量、土壤水分动态及利用效率的影响.冬小麦生育期内总耗水量和开花后耗水量均表现为随灌水次数(量)增加而增大的趋势,但耗土壤水量却随灌水增加而显著减少.春季灌水处理的经济产量均显著高于春季不灌水处理,但春灌2水和春灌4水之间无显著差异.水分利用效率(WUE)在春不灌水和春灌2水间无显著差异.但它们均显著高于春季灌4水处理.植株总吸氮量均随着灌水次数(灌水量)的增加而呈现出上升的趋势,春灌2水和灌4水处理的总吸氮量无显著差异,但它们均显著大于不灌水处理.氮素生理效率和氮素收获指数随灌水量(次数)增加略有下降,不同灌水处理之间并无显著差异.春灌2水处理相对春季不灌水处理显著提高了经济产量和植株总吸氮量,水分利用效率并没有明显下降;与春灌4水处理相比,经济产量和植株总吸氮量没有明显降低.但水分利用效率和水分边际效益显著提高.冬小麦节水栽培(春灌2水)有利于节水、氮素高效利用和高产的实现.