Anionic polyacrylamide (PAM) has been sold since 1995 to reduce irrigation‐induced erosion and enhance infiltration. Its soil stabilizing and flocculating properties improve runoff water quality by reducing sediments, N, dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) and total P, chemical oxygen demand (COD), pesticides, weed seeds, and microorganisms in runoff. PAM used for erosion control is a large (12–15 Mg mol −1 ) water‐soluble (non‐cross‐linked) anionic molecule, containing by PAM or can be slightly reduced. Typical seasonal application totals in furrow irrigation vary from 3 to 7 kg ha −1 . Research has shown little or no consistent adverse effect on soil microbial populations. Some evidence exists for PAM‐related yield increases where infiltration was crop‐limiting, especially in field portions having irregular slopes, where erosion prevention eliminated deep furrow cutting that deprives shallow roots of adequate water delivery. Modified water management with PAM shows great promise for water conservation. High effectiveness and low cost of PAM for erosion control and infiltration management, coupled with easier implementation than traditional conservation measures, has resulted in rapid adoption. About 800,000 ha of US irrigated land use PAM for erosion and/or infiltration management. In recent years, PAM has been deployed for uses beyond agricultural erosion control, including construction site erosion control, use in storm water runoff ponds to accelerate water clarification, soil stabilization and dust prevention in helicopter‐landing zones, and various other high‐traffic military situations. Among the newest topics being researched is the use of PAM to reduce ditch, canal, and pond seepage, using specific application protocols that take advantage of its increase of water viscosity at higher concentrations.

/pdf/polyacrylamide-in-agriculture-and-environmental-land-w6z93qyw10.pdf

Polyacrylamide in agriculture and environmental land management

Mulches provide aesthetic, economic and environmental benefits to urban landscapes. Mulching is especially useful in the establishment of trees in landscapes that receive minimal care, such as restoration sites. In general, mulches improve soil health, creating healthy populations of plants and associated animals. These biodiverse, stable landscapes are more resistant to stress, are more aesthetically pleasing, require fewer applications of pesticides and fertilizers, and are ultimately more sustainable than those without mulch cover . All mulches are not created equally, however, and this review compares the costs and benefits of landscape mulches as reported in the scientific literature. It also presents real and perceived problems associated with various landscape mulches. Significance to the Nursery Industry There is a vast array of mulch materials available for landscape use, benefiting plants and soils through weed suppression, evaporation reduction, and other environmental modifications. Given the available choices, it can be dif ficult to determine which mulch materials are best suited for a par ticular landscape. The purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the scientific research on the benefits and drawbacks of mulches used in ornamental and ur ban landscapes. The article will be of particular value to industry professionals who sell, apply, or manage mulch materials, allowing them to make informed recommendations specific to their customers’ landscaping needs.

/pdf/impact-of-mulches-on-landscape-plants-and-the-environment-a-18b9vin333.pdf

Impact of Mulches on Landscape Plants and the Environment — A Review

Rapid industrialization and urbanization have resulted in elevated global temperature over the years consequently disturbing the balance of agro-ecological systems worldwide. Therefore, new eco-friendly agricultural practices for sustainable food production are needed. Mulching could potentially serve the purpose by reducing soil evaporation, conserving moisture, controlling soil temperature, reducing weed growth, and improving microbial activities. Additionally, mulches could provide economical, aesthetic, and environmental advantages to agriculture and landscape. Moreover, in the restoration sites, mulches are widely used for the plantation of trees which need no significant care. Mulches combat with different stress conditions in agricultural lands as well as in landscapes. This review paper focuses on multiple significant impacts of mulches for the production and establishment of different crops in nature. Mulches conserve the soil moisture, enhance the nutrients status of soil, control the erosion losses, suppress the weeds in crop plants, and remove the residual effects of pesticides, fertilizers, and heavy metals. Mulches improve the aesthetic value of landscapes and economic value of crops. This paper also describes some problems associated with various mulch materials. There are contradictions about mulching materials as some researchers favor mulches and others have denoted some concerns. The selection of mulching material is important with respect to crop type, management practices, and climatic conditions. The appropriate mulching technique could provide the aforementioned benefits to the agro-ecological systems. Therefore, the impacts of low-cost, eco-friendly, and biodegradable mulching materials on soil microbes, nutrient balance, plant growth, and soil erosion should be explored in the future.

/pdf/potential-agricultural-and-environmental-benefits-of-mulches-51omkw782m.pdf

Potential agricultural and environmental benefits of mulches—a review

The supply of composts has increased in many countries due to the enforced diversion from landfill of organic biodegradable wastes. Disposal is often the primary financial and environmental incentive for composting this organic waste, with benefits from low value end-products such as organic soil amendments being a secondary or negligible consideration. The use of composts can also pose risks from populations of plant and animal pathogens which may have survived the composting process. However, the suppressive effect of amending soils with composts on crop and turf grass diseases caused by soil-borne plant pathogens can be a significant benefit. The increasing environmental unacceptability and unavailability of effective chemical fungicide treatments has increased this potential value of composts. Information on the effects of compost amendment of soil or sand on diseases caused by soil-borne pathogens was reviewed. Out of 79 container experiments, where soil was generally amended with ≥ 20 %v/v compost, 59 showed a disease suppressive effect and only 6 showed a disease promoting effect of the compost amendment. Following amendment of soil in the field with compost, generally at ≥ 15 t/ha, disease suppression occurred in 45 out of 59 experiments, and disease promotion in only one. Although abiotic factors such as increases in soil pH or release of volatiles following compost amendment explained control of some diseases, loss of suppressiveness following compost sterilisation frequently demonstrated a biological control mechanism such as microbial antagonism or induced plant resistance. Prediction of the disease suppressiveness of composts or compost amended soils from their microbial activity by measurement of the hydrolysis of fluorescein diacaetate, dehydrogenase activity, or basal respiration has been variable. Changes in microbial community structure detected using T-RFLP and DGGE analyses have been more reliable indicators of the disease suppressiveness of compost amended soils. Inoculation of composts with biological control agents is also a promising technique for improving the efficacy and reliability of disease suppression following soil amendment.

Risks and benefits of soil amendment with composts in relation to plant pathogens

Verticillium dahliae Kleb. is a soilborne fungal pathogen of many crops. In potato, it is the major causal agent of Early Dying. In Manitoba, potato fields planted with cv. Russet Burbank are infested with highly pathogenic V. dahliae isolates, which can produce up to 90 % disease severity. The objective of the study was to evaluate selected compost, green manure, and seed-meal treatments, in comparison with the soil fumigant Vapam, for their ability to reduce propagule density of V. dahliae in soil and decrease disease, and to enhance potato yield. Select green manure crops (oriental and white mustard, Canada milk vetch, sorghum-sudangrass, rye, alfalfa, oat/pea mixture), organic amendments (composted cattle manure and mustard seed-meal), and Vapam, and crop sequences that contribute to the suppression of Verticillium, or the improvement of potato yield were used in a 3-year field study initiated in 2006. Survival in soil of microsclerotia was evaluated as a measure of treatments’ success in potentially reducing Early Dying. Compost and seed-meal treatments, compared to an untreated control, reduced incidence to 30 and 40 %, respectively, but only seed-meal reduced V. dahliae propagule density. Overall, green manures over 1 or 2-years were ineffective in reducing propagule density or improving potato yield. Vapam was partially effective in reducing the propagule density only at the beginning of the potato season, but it did not reduce disease incidence compared to the control. Compost and seed-meal are promising as alternative control of V. dahliae. Only compost reduced disease and increased potato yield, which was associated with improved nutrient availability (phosphorus and sulfate) in soil.

/pdf/potato-early-dying-and-yield-responses-to-compost-green-m5v9bp0s7n.pdf

Potato Early Dying and Yield Responses to Compost, Green Manures, Seed Meal and Chemical Treatments

Indigenous soil microorganisms contribute to disease suppression in cropping systems by reducing and competing with pathogen populations, thereby limiting disease severity. Various communities of indigenous microorganisms in any particular soil have adapted to the specific environmental conditions. If the soil around the plant roots could be altered to favor the indigenous soil microorganisms relative to the plant pathogen, the survival and proliferation of indigenous soil microorganisms, and thus effectiveness of biological control, may be increased. Wood chip-poiyacrylarnide (PAM) cores were used to alter the soil environment in a greenhouse study to favor indigenous soil microorganisms in vegetable and manure compost to reduce Verticillium dahliae infection of potato (Solarium tuberosum L.) plants. Potato plants growing in soils amended with vegetable compost-wood chip-PAM cores had significantly lower visible (V vi,) and isolation (V.so) dahliae infection rates than control soils and soils with dairy or vegetable compost alone. Soils amended with wood chip-PAM-dairy compost cores had significantly lower IC and isolation V. than control soils and soils with dairy compost. Soils with wood chip-PAM cores ana soils with wooirchipPAM-vegetable compost had greater microbial biomass/ Verticillium dahliae biomass (MB/ VB) ratios in soil than control soils or in soils amended with compost alone. MB / VB ratios in wood chip-PAM cores and wood chip- PAM-vegetable compost were greater than in wood chip-PAM-dairy compost cores. V correlated in a quadratic relationship with the MB /VB ratio (r 2=0.76). As MB /VB ratio increased Although field studies with several crops and economic evaluations are necessary, this greenhouse study provides evidence that a wood chip-PAM or wood chip- PAM-vegetable compost soil amendment may be a viable method to control some soil diseases in high value crops.

/pdf/compost-amendments-decrease-verticillium-dahliae-infection-46jwz0g2ul.pdf

Compost amendments decrease Verticillium dahliae infection on potato

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Compost amendments decrease Verticillium dahliae infection on potato