• Rural Digital Europe

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An assessment of soil nutrient status based on farmers’ samples was carried out in the Capricorn, Sekhukhune, and Waterberg Districts of the Limpopo Province of South Africa. A total of 336 soil samples were collected and analysed for pH, phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg). The results showed that the pH of more than 80% of the submitted soil samples was suitable for the production of most field crops ,while less than 20% required liming to make them productive. Phosphorus levels were very low (<8 mg kg-1), with most soils (≥95%) needing P fertilisation to improve crop yields. Potassium was adequate (>250 mg kg-1) for most districts' crops. Between 70% and 74% of soils from Sekhukhune and Waterberg Districts were deficient in Ca (<200 mg kg-1). Magnesium was adequate (>300 mg kg-1) in more than 60% of the analysed samples. Apart from soil pH, all soil properties showed a high degree of variability across all districts. Further studies are needed to investigate the role of field management, crop rotation, field position in the landscape, lithology, and socioeconomic conditions of the farmer on the observed trends of soil nutrients.

This paper presents the important results of the soil analysis of the Taj Baj pond bottom of Hajipur, North Bihar during the session 2019-2020. Pond soil samples of Hajipur (North Bihar) have been analysed regarding their suitability for useable purpose. The samples were analysed after every three months for various parameters like pH, organic carbon, Phosphate, Ca & Mg, Carbonate and Bicarbonate.

End of Project Report The Bellsgrove catchment is located in the south-east of County Cavan, on the north-west border of Lough Sheelin and is approximately 9.2 km2 in size. The Bellsgrove stream feeds into Lough Sheelin. Phosphorus loss from agricultural soils to water is perceived as an important water quality issue in the region. E u ropean Union Structural Funding (EAGGF)

There is growing concern over the environmental and human health impacts of chemical contaminants in agricultural systems. The environmental persistence of veterinary antibiotics applied to agricultural fields during manure fertilization could lead to increased antibiotic resistance. New generation, neonicotinoid pesticides pose a threat to aquatic ecosystem health due high water mobility and increased potential for non-target exposure. The objectives of this research were to develop a sensitive, analytical method for quantification of pirlimycin (PLY) in soils to be used in field research and determine the ability of second-generation neonicotinoids to move through soil when applied as a seed coating using a greenhouse study. Liquid-solid extraction of PLY from soil using (1:6, v/v) ammonium hydroxide/methylene chloride produced good PLY recovery (67-140%). Liquid-chromatography coupled with tandem mass-spectrometry for instrumental analysis provided good sensitivity with minimal matrix interferences. The mass balance distribution of neonicotinoid treatment coated onto corn seeds was determined in plant and soil samples for a single pot after 3 weeks of growth. A large percent (83-87%) of initial pesticide coating applied to seed was un-detected in plant in soil. Of the detected portion of neonicotinoid treatment, between 96-98% was observed to move out into the soil. This suggests the potential for long-range transport of seed-coated neonicotinoids. Master of Science

Sweet potato Batat (lat. Ipomoea batatas L.) is a perennial vegetable culture that originates in South America. The aim of this study was to determine the agrochemical properties of soil in the area of Virovitica-Podravina County and to estimate the productivity and the suitability sweet potato growing in that area. Ten samples of soil were analyzed on the surface of the Virovitica-Podravina County, as part of the research conducted on the IPA SWEET (IPA IV Human Resources Development) project. The analyzed samples were taken at a depth of 0-30 cm and the basic agrochemical properties of the soil were determined: pH value, concentration of phosphorus and potassium, organic matter content and hydrolytic acidity. The analyzed samples with the pHKCl 5.04 average belonged to moderately acidic soil classes. The content of organic matter were ranged from 1.38% to 1.75% with an average of 1.55%, and this soil belongs to poorly humid soils, while the concentration of phosphorous phosphorus in the analyzed soils were ranged from 3.05 to 18.23 mg / 100 g of soil, and most of the analyzed samples belongs to the very low and low phosphorous class. The samples were well and highly potassium-rich with a potassium concentration of 17.93 to 32.11 mg / 100 g. Individual (N, P, K) and dual fertilizers (NP, NK, PK) were better for use because they provided precision balanced nutrition with a certain element according to the fertilizer recommendation. The recommended MAP doses were ranged from 200 to 280 kg / ha and 60% potassium chloride (KCl) from 10 to 410 kg / ha. The largest difference between the precise fertilization of individual fertilizers compared to the conventional fertilization of complex fertilizers was observed in samples recommended for the highest doses of complex fertilizers 10:20:30 as a result of potassium balance assessment. Due to the results obtained, the area of Virovitica-Podravina County is suitable for the sweet potato growing. Batat (lat. Ipomoea batatas L.) ili slatki krumpir (eng. Sweet potato) višegodišnja je povrtna kultura koja je podrijetlom iz Južne Amerike. Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je utvrditi agrokemijska svojstva tla na području Virovtičko-podravske županije i procjeniti produktivnost te pogodnost tala za uzgoj batata na tom području. Ukupno je analizirano deset uzoraka tla na površinama Virovitičko-podravske županije, u sklopu istraživanja provedenih na IPA projektu SWEET (IPA IV Razvoj ljudskih potencijala). Analizirani uzorci uzeti su na dubini 0-30 cm te su utvrđena osnovna agrokemijska svojstva tla: pH vrijednost, koncentracija fosfora i kalija, sadržaj humusa, te hidrolitička kiselost. Analizirani uzorci s prosjekom pHKCl 5,04 pripadali su klasi umjereno kiselih tala. Sadržaj humusa kretao se od 1,38 % do 1,75 % s prosječnim sadržajem humusa od 1,55 % te takvo tlo pripada slabo humoznim tlima, dok se koncentracija lakopristupačnog fosfora u analiziranim tlima kretala od 3,05 do 18,23 mg/100 g tla, te većina analiziranih uzoraka pripada klasi vrlo niske i niske opskrbljenosti fosforom. Uzorci su bili dobro i visoko opskrbljeni kalijem sa koncentracijom kalija od 17,93 do 32,11 mg/100 g. Pojedinačna (N, P, K) i dvojna gnojiva (NP, NK, PK) bila su bolja za primjenu nakon provedene analize tla jer su omogućila precizno izbalansirnu ishranu pojedinim elementom prema preporuci gnojdbe te su se tako preporučene doze MAP-a kretale od 200-280 kg/ha te 60 %-tnog kalijevog klorida (KCl) 10 – 410 kg/ha. Najveća razlika precizne gnojidbe pojedinačim gnojivima u odnosu na konvencionalnu gnojidbu kompleksnim gnojivima zabilježena je kod uzoraka za koje su preporučene najviše doze kompleksnih gnojiva 10:20:30 što je posljedica bilanciranja ishrane kalijem. S obzirom na dobivene rezultate područje Virovitičko-podravske županije pogodno je za ugoj batata.

This paper integrates soil science variables into an economic analysis of agricultural output among small-scale farmers in Kenya’s highlands. The integration is valuable because farmers’ choice of inputs depends on both the status of the soil and socio-economic conditions. The study uses a stochastic production frontier in which the individual farm’s distance to the frontier depends systematically on individual factors. We show the importance of including key soil properties and find that phosphorus has a negative output elasticity, suggesting that farms may be using the wrong fertilizer mix. Hence, the central policy implication is that while fertilizers are generally beneficial, their application needs to be based on better soil information. This highlights the importance of strengthening agricultural extension, increased access to markets, and more diversified supply of production inputs.

Soil samples were analyzed from cadaver decomposition islands (CDI) of 63 human decomposition sites at the Forensic Anthropology Research Facility (FARF), Texas State University, in order to develop a method to estimate the postmortem interval (PMI) for each donation from these data. An additional 5 control site samples were also analyzed to establish a baseline record of undisturbed soils. Fifteen soil parameters were measured or calculated that included pH, electroconductivity, nitrate-N, ammonium-N, total dissolved nitrogen, dissolved organic nitrogen, orthophosphate-P, organic carbon, inorganic carbon, total carbon, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium and carbon/nitrogen ratio. Accumulated Degree Days (ADD) at a base temperature of 4°C (ADD_4) were also calculated for each donation. The data were analyzed using multiple regression with PMI and ADD_4 as the dependent variables and the soil parameters as independent variables. Regression formulae for 13 models were run that had R squared values ranging from 0.60 to 0.98 All of the models were statistically significant. The regression formulae results for ADD_4 were similar to PMI, indicating that ADD_4 may be used as a surrogate for estimating PMI. Measures of soil parameters derived from predator and microbial mediated decomposition of human remains show promise in estimating PMI accurately for a period up to nearly 5 years at FARF. This persistent change in soil chemistry extends the ability to estimate PMI in consort with the traditional methods of entomology and forensic anthropology in support of medical-legal investigations, humanitarian recovery efforts, and criminal and civil cases. This project has also recorded a baseline soil analysis for a new human decomposition research site.