Nanotechnology, utilizing nanoparticles (NPs) with unique physicochemical properties, has significant potential in enhancing sustainable agriculture through innovations in plant nutrition, growth, and protection.
This review aims to assess how nanotechnology, particularly NPs, contributes to sustainable agriculture by improving plant nutrition and growth, enhancing stress resistance, and offering solutions for phytoremediation and agricultural efficiency.
We examine studies showcasing the application of NPs in agriculture, focusing on their effects on plant growth, nutrient delivery, stress mitigation, pollutant removal, and the enhancement of food shelf life through nano-encapsulated fertilizers and nano-sensors.
NPs have demonstrated promising results in slow-release fertilizers for targeted nutrient delivery, improved germination and physiological activity under stress, and enhanced efficiency in phytoremediation by aiding the removal of pollutants. Nano-sensors in food packaging detect deterioration and extend food shelf life, whereas nano-encapsulation of agrochemicals offers environment-friendly pest and nutrient management solutions.
Nanotechnology presents a forward-looking approach to sustainable agriculture by enhancing crop productivity, resource use efficiency, and environmental protection. Continued research is essential to unlock the full potential of NPs in agriculture, emphasizing safe and efficient application methods to mitigate abiotic and biotic stresses and promote sustainability.
The current transformation of the entire energy system leads to a large-scale expansion of extra-high-voltage underground transmission lines (UTL). Knowledge of the impact on soil temperature and soil moisture dynamics is fundamental for environmental evaluation.
We investigated the impact of an existing 320 kV underground cable in continuous operation on soil temperature and moisture dynamics.
A soil-monitoring programme was established at four study sites in Western Germany. Data were continuously recorded in soil up to 120 cm depth using soil sensors over a period of 1 year.
Soil warming was in a range of 0.6 K in the topsoil, approx. 1–1.3 K in the rooting zone and 1.7 K in the subsoil at 120 cm depth and was restricted mainly to the immediate vicinity of the cable route. Likewise, the impact on soil moisture dynamics was on average in a range of −1.00 wt.-% in 0–60 cm depth and −2.45 wt. 2-% in the subsoil relative to control. Although at a calculated maximum load capacity of 100% in regular operation, soil warming might remain moderate, with 1.5 K in the topsoil, 2.3–3.1 K in the rooting zone and 4.1 K in the subsoil.
It is assumed that the reasons for the low-to-moderate influence of the UTL are to be found in the operational cable load (on average 65%), heat loss of cables (approx. 12 W m−1 per cable) and the quality of the imbedding material for the cables.
The use of sulfuric acid (SA) to acidify biochars is known to enhance their phosphorus (P) fertilizer value. Potentially, biological approaches such as lowering the pH of biochar by lactic acid co-fermentation or applying biochar with a nitrification inhibitor (NI) to reduce rhizosphere pH are an alternative to SA.
This study aimed to evaluate the two methods for increasing plant P availability from two biochars and compare them with SA-treated biochars (as a reference) in a pot experiment.
Meat and bone meal biochar (MB-C) and digestate solids biochar (DS-C) were bio-acidified (BA) by lactic acid fermentation with organic waste. The untreated, SA-treated, BA biochars, and biochars co-applied with a NI (3,4-dimethylpyrazolephosphate) were tested in a pot experiment with maize.
The fermentation reduced the pH of the organic waste biochar mixtures to <4.3 and increased water-extractable P (WEP) to 30% of total P. The untreated biochars had a mineral fertilizer replacement value of >50% and SA increased replacement values to ≈100%. The application of NI did not affect rhizosphere pH or P uptake. The BA MB-C increased soil solution P concentration, but P uptake did not significantly increase. The application of the BA DS-C raised soil pH and reduced plant P uptake and biomass.
The untreated biochars showed considerable P fertilizer effectiveness, suggesting that acidification may not always be necessary. Rhizosphere acidification and the bio-acidification of biochars were not effective in further increasing P uptake, despite higher levels of WEP.
The main cause of magnesium (Mg2+) deficiency in plants is its competition with potassium (K+). Besides uptake antagonism, previous studies also suggested that high [K+] inhibits root-shoot translocation of Mg2+. In this study on oat, root elemental analysis revealed an evident but, with further increasing K+/Mg2+ ratio, limited suppression of Mg2+ uptake. In contrast, shoot [Mg2+] showed little or no reduction. This indicated a translocation synergism, as the suppression of the root [Mg2+] by K+ was counterbalanced. Oat thus provides new insights and raises new questions about the interactions of K+/Mg2+, in particular on the role of specific Mg2+ transporters. A better understanding of this interaction may help to counter the worldwide Mg deficiency more effectively.
The increasing vulnerability of forests in the temperate zone due to climate change has led to modification in the forest structure to secure woody raw materials and ecosystem benefits. Such changes will influence hydrological processes both at the stand and catchment scale. Soil hydraulic properties (SHP) play an important role in assessing the water cycle in these ecosystems. Yet, knowledge regarding the effect of forest- and site-specific conditions on SHP in temperate climates is scarce.
This work addresses this research gap by assessing the variation of SHP under two common European forest stands, Fagus sylvatica and Picea abies (1) with comparable site conditions, and (2) across differing site conditions.
We determined the soil water retention curve (WRC) and the hydraulic conductivity curve (HCC) in several plots with the bimodal Kosugi–Mualem's hydraulic model. These functions were determined using combined field and laboratory measurements, including hydraulic conductivity and water content from soil samples.
(1) We observed distinct variations in SHP between beech and spruce forest stands with comparable site conditions; however, no clear pattern in the variation was discernible. (2) A noticeable effect of the site-specific characteristics on the SHP was detected. Moreover, SHP in each analysed forest type presented individual variations.
This study demonstrates that SHP present a wide range of variations in terms of both forest- and site-specific conditions. Hence, due to its heterogeneity, we emphasise the need for more research to better characterise SHP in temperate zone forests. Moreover, this study underlines the urgent use of a minimum set of parameters in studies when addressing SHP (e.g., tree age, soil texture).
Anthropogenic ammonia emissions, primarily derived from agriculture, lead to air pollution, soil acidification, and surface water eutrophication, all of which adversely affect human health and ecosystems. Slurry treatment technologies in the form of additives represent an underutilized means of reducing gaseous emissions. Information regarding the potential of additives to reduce ammonia in soil surface-applied slurries is scarce.
This study aims to develop a 15N mass balance technique to quantitatively measure ammonia losses from different slurries containing multiple additives that are applied to outdoor soil-filled containers.
The experiments were performed under free-air conditions. Isotopically labeled slurries from biogas, cattle, and pigs containing 18 additives were surface-applied to soil-filled containers and exposed for 72 or 48 h. The additives included inorganic and organic adsorbents, five amounts of sulfuric acids, molasses ± effective microorganisms, and water dilution. After termination of the ammonia loss period, a suite of soil preparation steps for the quantitative recovery of the labeled ammonium remaining in the soil was developed, and subsequently the loss of NH4-N was determined.
In the control treatments, ammonia losses from biogas, cattle slurries, and pig slurries averaged 54.4%, 33.9%, and 11.0%, respectively. The adsorbents did not decrease or only slightly decreased ammonia emissions. Ammonia abatement by sulfuric acid was nearly complete at pH values of 5.9 and 5.8 for the biogas and pig slurry, respectively, and about 80% at pH 5.2 for the cattle slurry. In comparison, more moderately decreased pH values with sulfuric acid showed a similar reduction as molasses and a 1:1 dilution for the three slurries. Adding microorganisms to the molasses did not further decrease ammonia losses.
The newly developed 15N mass balance technique, which allows a precise estimate of ammonia losses, can serve as a reference method to assess ammonia losses from field-applied slurries containing various additives and as a standard comparison technique for other ammonia measurement techniques.
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