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The estimation of light transmittance through grassland canopy: Searching for a suitable indirect indicator
Do electromagnetic fields used in telecommunications affect wild plant species? A control impact study conducted in the field
Copper, lead and zinc interactions during phytoextraction using Acer platanoides L. - a pot trial
AbstractOf the many environmental factors that modulate the phytoextraction of elements, little has been learnt about the role of metal interactions. The study aimed to show how different concentrations of Cu, Pb and Zn in the cultivation medium influenced the biomass, plant development and phytoextraction abilities ofAcer platanoidesL. seedlings. Additionally, the impact on the content and distribution of Ca, K, Mg and Na in plant parts was studied with an analysis of phenols. Plants treated with a mixture of two metals were characterised by lower biomass of leaves and higher major elements content jointly than those grown in the salt of one element. Leaves ofA. platanoidescultivated in Pb5â+âZn1, Pb1â+âZn1and Pb1â+âZn5experimental systems were characterised by specific browning of their edges. The obtained results suggest higher toxicity to leaves of Pb and Zn present simultaneously in Knop solution than Cu and Pb or Cu and Zn, irrespective of the mutual ratio of the concentrations of these elements. Antagonism of Cu and Zn concerning Pb was clearly shown in whole plant biomass when one of these elements was in higher concentration (5 mmol Lâ1) in solution. In the lowest concentrations (1 mmol Lâ1), there was a synergism between Cu and Zn in plant roots. Plants exposed to Zn5, Cu1â+âPb5, Pb5â+âZn1and Cu1â+âZn1were characterised by higher total phenolic content than the rest plants. Both the presence and the concentration of other elements in the soil are significant factors that modulate element uptake, total phenolic content, and plant development.Graphical Abstract
Effect of Different Renovation Methods on the Productivity of Mid-Forest Meadows as Foraging Areas for Free-Living Red Deer Population
Mid-forest meadows are integral to maintaining biodiversity and ecological services in forested landscapes but face degradation due to various reasons. This study evaluated the effectiveness of renovation methods on sward yield and herbage quality in two mid-forest meadows in northwestern Poland (54°10âČ N, 16°78âČ E), aiming to maintain their function as the foraging areas for the free-living red deer population. The results indicated that overdrilling was insufficient to significantly enhance sward quality or productivity (with no significant differences in DM yield between treatment and control), largely due to competition with existing vegetation and suboptimal habitat conditions. The full tillage method, in combination with sowing dedicated seed mixtures, substantially improved the sward yielding and forage quality, especially in terms of DM yield (av. 7% on object W; 18% on object TD). The efficacy of renovation methods varied between experimental sites, suggesting that the renovation strategy of mid-forest meadows should be tailored according to the habitat conditions.
NarzÄdzia do informowania rolnikĂłw o plonach uĆŒytkĂłw zielonych, w warunkach skrajnych, w celu wsparcia zarzÄ dzania
Positive effects of plant diversity on dry matter yield while maintaining a high level of forage digestibility in intensively managed grasslands across two contrasting environments
AbstractThe local abiotic and environmental conditions of a grassâbased farming system may influence the agricultural benefits of mixtures in comparison to pure stands. We investigated the effects of species identities and interactions between grass, legume, and herb species on dry matter yield and sward digestibility and explored how contrasting environments may affect these relationships. We established experimental plots across 11 mixtures and 4 monocultures of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), chicory (Cichorium intybus L.), white clover (Trifolium repens L.), and red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) established at two seeding densities in two sites Brody and Szelejewo (Poland) and managed them over a 3âyear period. The two sites were close geographically and had similar climates, but differed in soil types (Luvisols and Cambisols, respectively). We confirmed that the annual DM yields were generally higher on Cambisols soil as compared to Luvisols soil; both individual species effects and species interaction strengths differed across the two contrasting environments. The predicted annual DM yield for the 4âspecies mixtures in general gave comparable or higher yields compared to monocultures across the 3âyears, with the mixtures giving around 10%â30% higher yields than the weighted average of the monocultures of the constituent species. Analysing the transgressive overyielding it turned out that there was no significant difference between the 4âspecies mixtures and best performing monoculture. The benefits of species diversity in our study was greater on less productive site because we found larger overyielding of the 4âspecies sward on the Luvisols soil than on the Cambisols soil. Additionally, the effect of mixtures composed by 4âspecies increased the yield stability compared to monocultures in the 3âyear period of our study, particularly on Cambisols soil. Sward digestibility applied to average values did not differ much between sites with mixtures performing similarly to monocultures. The reason for that could have been the dynamics of sward botanical composition during study years shifted towards increased perennial ryegrass and decreased proportions of chicory in the sward as well as the observed phenomenon that the species in mixed swards progressed to successive growth stages more slowly than in pure sowing.
Productivity of Nitrogen Accumulated in AlfalfaâGrass Sward Cultivated on Soil Depleted in Basic Nutrients: A Case Study
The productivity of fodder legumes, based on internal sources of N, may be limited due to an insufficient supply of nutrients responsible for the efficient use of N accumulated by the crop during the growing season. Production risk occurs on soils that are naturally poor or depleted in nutrients that are decisive for the fixation and utilization of N2 by alfalfa. This hypothesis was validated on the basis of a field experiment with an alfalfaâgrass mixture carried out over three main seasons (2012â2014) on soil low in available potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and sulfur (S). The experiment involved two factors that contained two levels of applied gypsum (GYP: 0, 500 kg haâ1) fertilized with P and K (POT: absolute controlâAC, P60K0, P60K30, P60K60, and P60K120). In each main season of the alfalfaâgrass mixture, the sward was mowed three times (three cuts). The total sward yield (TY) reached its maximum in the second main season (15.6 t DW haâ1), then it significantly decreased. The sward yield of the third cut was the main driver of the TY. The content of P in the first cut, and especially P and S in the third cut of the sward, affected the N:P and P:S ratios, which, in turn, determined the productivity of the alfalfaâgrass mixture. The total amount of accumulated N (TN) in the sward significantly responded to gypsum and PK fertilizers. In the first and third main seasons, the highest TN was found on the plot fertilized with both gypsum and 120 kg K2O haâ1. In the second main season, the TY was determined by PK dose, being variable in successive years. The highest total N accumulation (TN) was recorded in the second main season. It reached 504 kg N haâ1 on the plots with GYPâ0 and 436 kg N haâ1 for GYPâ500. However, the corresponding TY was 16.7 and 17.3 t DW haâ1. This apparent discrepancy was due to the much higher productivity of N, which was 33.2 and 39.6 kg fodder DW haâ1 TN, respectively. These two characteristics clearly indicate that the productivity of the accumulated N by the alfalfaâgrass sward was significantly restricted by the shortage of P and S. The studies clearly emphasized that the sward of the alfalfaâgrass mixture grown on soil depleted in available K, Ca, and S responds significantly to the combined application of gypsum and potassium, but provides effective control of the P supply, even on soil rich in available P.
Pozyskiwanie najwyĆŒszej jakoĆci woĆowiny kulinarnej w oparciu o ĆŒywienie pastwiskowe bydĆa sterowane za pomocÄ systemu IoT
WspĂłlna przestrzeĆ innowacyjna dla zrĂłwnowaĆŒonej produkcyjnoĆci uĆŒytkĂłw zielonych w Europie
LegacyNet: introducing an international multi-site experiment investigating potential benefits of increasing the species diversity of grassland leys within crop rotations
GrasSAT â Tools for Providing Farmers with Information on Grassland Yields Under Stressed Conditions to Support Management Practices
The Influence of Calcium Sulfate and Different Doses of Potassium on the Soil Enzyme Activity and the Yield of the Sward with a Mixture of Alfalfa and Grasses
Between 2012 and 2015, a field experiment was conducted at the Brody Experimental Farm, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Poland. The following two experimental factors were used in duplicate: calcium sulfate (CaSO4) fertilizationâtwo levels (0 and 500 kg haâ1); and potassium (K) fertilizationâfour levels (0, 30, 60, and 120 kg haâ1). The soil pH (in H2O) and enzyme activity (dehydrogenase, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase) were determined. The potassium fertilizer had a significant influence only on the dehydrogenase activity, which increased with the dose of potassium. The research showed that the fertilization of the sward mixture of alfalfa and grasses with potassium doses of 60 and 120 kg haâ1 in the K 60 and K 120 combinations resulted in higher yields of fresh matter than in the combination without the potassium fertilizer (K 0). In the last year of the research, the additional CaSO4 fertilization resulted in the highest increase in the yield of the mixture of alfalfa and grasses, as compared with the variant without this fertilizer. The application of this fertilizer in the first years of the research also increased the yield of fresh matter.
