Guest Editors
Dr. Weijun Fu, Zhejiang A & F University, China
Dr. Keli Zhao, Zhejiang A & F University, China
Dr. Zhengqian Ye, Zhejiang A & F University, China
Dr. Lingli Lu, Zhejiang University, China
Dr. Peng Liu, Zhejiang Normal University, China
Summary
Soil quality normally indicated soil fertility quality, soil environment quality and soil health quality. Due to the long-term intensive management from farmers and industrial activities, more and more agroforestry lands are suffering soil degradation, including soil fertility decrease, soil heavy metal pollution and soil microbial communities changes, which further influence the plant growth, quality and food safety. Since soil plays the directly important role in the healthy plant/crop growth, protective measures should be carried out. In order to explore the soil-plant correlation under the soil quality degradation, this special issue will mainly focus on the following topics:
New methodology and index to reveal soil quality degradation of agroforestry ecosystem;
Crop quality and safety assessment under the threat of soil quality degradation;
The transfer and transportation of nutrients, toxic elements etc. in the soil-plant systems of subtropical region;
The protective measures which could be used to improve the soil quality degradation such as heavy metal pollution, nutrients imbalance, soil erosion etc.
Keywords
Soil-Plant Interaction; Soil Quality Degradation; Agroforestry Ecosystem; Management Measures
Published Papers
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Open Access
ARTICLE
Effects of Different Chinese Hickory Husk Returning Modes on Soil Nutrition and Microbial Community in Acid Forest Soil
Qian Liu, Sayikal Duyxanale, Yongqian Tang, Xinyu Shen, Yuanlai Zhao, Xinru Ma, Shuai Shao, Chenfei Liang
Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.92, No.3, pp. 943-954, 2023, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2022.023225
（This article belongs to this Special Issue:
The Effect of Soil Quality Degradation on the Plant Growth, Quality and Food Safety in Subtropical Agroforestry Ecosystems)
Abstract Chinese hickory (
Carya cathayensis Sarg.) is an important economic forest in Southeastern China. A large amount
of hickory husk waste is generated every year but with a low proportion of returning. Meanwhile, intensive management has resulted in soil degradation of Chinese hickory plantations. This study aims to investigate the effects
of three Chinese hickory husk returning modes on soil amendment, including soil acidity, soil nutrition, and
microbial community. The field experiment carried out four treatments: control (CK), hickory husk mulching
(HM), hickory husk biochar (BC), and hickory husk organic fertilizer (OF). The phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA)
biomarker method was employed…
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Open Access
ARTICLE
Effects of Fertilization on Soil CO2 Efflux in Chinese Hickory (Carya cathayensis) Stand
Juan Liu, Meiqun Zheng, Xueshuang Chen
Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.92, No.1, pp. 271-283, 2023, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2022.023397
（This article belongs to this Special Issue:
The Effect of Soil Quality Degradation on the Plant Growth, Quality and Food Safety in Subtropical Agroforestry Ecosystems)
Abstract Chinese hickory (
Carya cathayensis Sarg.) is a popular nut tree in China, but there is little information about the
influences of fertilization on soil CO
2 efflux and soil microbial biomass. This study evaluated the short-term
effects of different fertilizer applications on soil CO
2 efflux and soil microbial biomass in Chinese hickory stands.
Four fertilizer treatments were established: control (CK, no fertilizer), inorganic fertilizer (IF), organic fertilizer
(OF), and equal parts organic and inorganic N fertilizers (OIF). A field experiment was conducted to measure
soil CO
2 effluxes using closed chamber and gas chromatography techniques. Regardless of the fertilization practices, soil CO
2…
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Open Access
ARTICLE
Observation on Flower Bud Differentiation of Crape Myrtle in Red Soil Environment
Linxue Shang, Dandan Ma, Sidan Hong, Yu Zhao, Guozhe Zhang, Qingqing Ma, Qun Wang, Cuihua Gu
Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.91, No.12, pp. 2607-2617, 2022, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2022.022485
（This article belongs to this Special Issue:
The Effect of Soil Quality Degradation on the Plant Growth, Quality and Food Safety in Subtropical Agroforestry Ecosystems)
Abstract Flower bud differentiation is a key component of plant blooming biology and understanding how it works is vital
for flowering regulation and plant genetic breeding, increasing the number and quality of flowering. Red soil is the
most widely covered soil type in the world, and it is also the most suitable soil type for crape myrtle planting. The
flower buds of crape myrtle (
Lagerstroemia indica) planted in red soil were employed as experimental materials in
this study, and the distinct periods of differentiation were identified using stereomicroscopy and paraffin sectioning. We optimized the steps of dehydration, transparency, embedding, sectioning and…
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Open Access
ARTICLE
Diagnosis and Recommendation Integrated System Assessment of the Nutrients Limiting and Nutritional Status of Tomato
Rabia Manzoor, Mohammad Saleem Akhtar, Khalid Saifullah Khan, Taqi Raza, Muhammad Ishaq Asif Rehmani, Carl Rosen, Muhammad Khalil ur Rehman, Nahla Zidan, Fahad M. Alzuaibr, Nisreen M. Abdulsalam, Najla A. Khateeb, Majid Alhomrani, Abdulhakeem S. Alamri, Javeed Ahmad Lone, Muhammad Ammar Raza, Ayman El Sabag
Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.91, No.12, pp. 2759-2774, 2022, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2022.022988
（This article belongs to this Special Issue:
The Effect of Soil Quality Degradation on the Plant Growth, Quality and Food Safety in Subtropical Agroforestry Ecosystems)
Abstract Tomato is an important field crop, and nutritional imbalances frequently reduce its yield. Diagnosis and Recommendation Integrated System (DRIS), uses ratios for nutrient deficiency diagnosis instead of absolute concentration in plant tests. In this study, local DRIS norms for the field tomatoes were established and the nutrient(s)
limiting tomatoes yield were determined. Tomato leaves were analyzed for nutrients, to identify nutritional status
using the DRIS approach. One hundred tomatoes fields were selected from Chatter Plain Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
and the Sheikupura Punjab Pakistan. The first fully matured leaf was sampled, rinsed, dried and ground for analyzing P, K, Ca, Mg, Cu,…
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Open Access
ARTICLE
Health Risks Assessment of Heavy Metal Pollution in the Soil-Crop System from an E-Waste Dismantling Area
Shengting Rao, Jia Fang, Keli Zhao
Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.91, No.12, pp. 2669-2685, 2022, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2022.022416
（This article belongs to this Special Issue:
The Effect of Soil Quality Degradation on the Plant Growth, Quality and Food Safety in Subtropical Agroforestry Ecosystems)
Abstract Soil is an essential resource for agricultural production. In order to investigate the pollution situation of heavy metals in the soil-crop system in the e-waste dismantling area, the crop and soil samples (226 pairs, including leaf vegetables, solanaceous vegetables, root vegetables, and fruits) around the e-waste dismantling area in southeastern Zhejiang Province were collected. The concentrations of Cd, Cu, Pb, and Cr were determined. The average concentrations of Cd, Cu, Pb, and Cr in soils were 0.94, 107.79, 80.28, and 78.14 mg kg-1, respectively, and their corresponding concentrations in crops were 0.024, 0.7, 0.041, and 0.06 mg kg-1, respectively. The… More >
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Open Access
ARTICLE
Role of Organic Amendments to Mitigate Cd Toxicity and Its Assimilation in Triticum aestivum L.
Tauqeer Ahmad Yasir, Sobia Aslam, Muhammad Shahid Rizwan, Allah Wasaya, Muhammad Ateeq, Muhammad Naeem Khan, Sikander Khan Tanveer, Walid Soufan, Basharat Ali, Allah Ditta, Arpna Kumari, Ayman EL Sabagh
Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.91, No.11, pp. 2491-2504, 2022, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2022.022473
（This article belongs to this Special Issue:
The Effect of Soil Quality Degradation on the Plant Growth, Quality and Food Safety in Subtropical Agroforestry Ecosystems)
Abstract In soil biota, higher and enduring concentration of heavy metals like cadmium (Cd) is hazardous and associated
with great loss in growth, yield, and quality parameters of most of the crop plants. Recently, in-situ applications of
eco-friendly stabilizing agents in the form of organic modifications have been utilized to mitigate the adverse
effects of Cd-toxicity. This controlled experiment was laid down to appraise the imprints of various applied
organic amendments namely poultry manure (PM), farmyard manure (FYM), and sugarcane press mud (PS)
to immobilize Cd in polluted soil. Moreover, phytoavailability of Cd in wheat was also accessed under an alkaline…
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Open Access
ARTICLE
N-Exponential Fertilization Could Affect the Growth and Nitrogen Accumulation of Metasequoia glyptostroboides Seedling in a Greenhouse Environment
Jiasen Wu, Genping Tong, Rui Guo, Zihao Ye, Jin Jin, Haiping Lin
Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.91, No.10, pp. 2211-2220, 2022, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2022.021382
（This article belongs to this Special Issue:
The Effect of Soil Quality Degradation on the Plant Growth, Quality and Food Safety in Subtropical Agroforestry Ecosystems)
Abstract Metasequoia glyptostroboides (
M. glyptostroboides) is a unique plant species related to relic flora in China. It plays a positive role in afforestation and its long-term protection with high paleoclimate research value. However, due to the nutrients-supply deficiency, it is a big challenge to cultivate the high-quality seedlings of
M. glyptostroboides. In this study, a pot experiment in a greenhouse environment was carried out to identify the effect of N-exponential fertilization on the growth and nutrient distribution of
M. glyptostroboides seedling. The
M. glyptostroboides rooted seedlings with 12-month growth were chosen. Different N fertilizer levels with conventional fertilization (CF: 5.0 g…
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Open Access
ARTICLE
Spatial Heterogeneity of Selected Soil Nutrients Related to Torreya grandis cv. Merrillii Plantation in Southeastern China
Longlong Bai, Yong Zhang, Min Wang, Ying He, Tao Ye, Keli Zhao
Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.91, No.10, pp. 2221-2233, 2022, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2022.021422
（This article belongs to this Special Issue:
The Effect of Soil Quality Degradation on the Plant Growth, Quality and Food Safety in Subtropical Agroforestry Ecosystems)
Abstract Chinese
Torreya grandis (
Torreya grandis cv.
Merrillii) is a unique economic tree species in China. Intensive management related to application of chemical fertilizer and herbicides caused serious soil quality degradation of Chinese
Torreya grandis plantations. Totally, 120 soil samples were collected from the main disbtributed areas of Chinese
Torreya grandis in Southeastern China. In this area, soil pH values varied from 3.68 to 6.78, with a median value of 4.91, implying a trend of acidification. The average concentrations of organic matter, available nitrogen, available phosphorus and available potassium were 27.52 g kg
−1, 135.77 mg kg
−1, 15.12 mg kg
−1, and 153.43…
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Open Access
ARTICLE
How Physical Disturbance and Nitrogen Addition Affect the Soil Carbon Decomposition?
Muhammad Junaid Nazir, Xiuwei Zhang, Daolin Du, Feihai Yu
Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.91, No.9, pp. 2087-2097, 2022, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2022.021412
（This article belongs to this Special Issue:
The Effect of Soil Quality Degradation on the Plant Growth, Quality and Food Safety in Subtropical Agroforestry Ecosystems)
Abstract The decomposition of soil organic carbon (SOC) plays a critical role in regulating atmospheric CO
2 concentrations and climate dynamics. However, the mechanisms and factors controlling SOC decomposition are still not
fully understood. Here, we conducted a 60 days incubation experiment to test the effects of physical disturbance
and nitrogen (N) addition on SOC decomposition. N addition increased the concentration of NO
3- by 51% in the
soil, but had little effect on the concentration of NH
4+. N addition inhibited SOC decomposition, but such an
effect differed between disturbed and undisturbed soils. In disturbed and undisturbed soils, application of N
decreased SOC…
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Open Access
ARTICLE
Land Consolidation with Seedling Cultivation Could Decrease Soil Microbial PLFA Diversity
Shen Zhang, Yongqi Jian, Bingjing Yan, Jin Jin, Jiasen Wu, Chenfei Liang, Juan Liu
Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.91, No.8, pp. 1745-1756, 2022, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2022.021076
（This article belongs to this Special Issue:
The Effect of Soil Quality Degradation on the Plant Growth, Quality and Food Safety in Subtropical Agroforestry Ecosystems)
Abstract The impact of land consolidation on the soil microbial PLFA diversity is of great importance for understanding the effective arable land usage, improving agricultural ecological conditions and environment. In this study, we collected the soil samples (0–20 cm) in experimental plots with 0 (Z
0), 1 (Z
1a) and 4 (Z
4a) years of land consolidation in the forest station of Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province, southeastern China. The results were analyzed using ANOVA for randomized block design. Compared with control (Z
0), the soil pH value under Z
1a treatment increased by 14.6%, soil organic carbon (SOC) content decreased by 65.4%, so did the PLFA…
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Open Access
ARTICLE
Organic Materials Could Improve the Phytoremediation Efficiency of Soil Potentially Hazardous Metal by Sedum alfredii Hance
Peifan Wang, Shengting Rao, Jia Fang, Yongqiang Lv, Anying Zhao, Zhengqian Ye, Weijun Fu
Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.91, No.7, pp. 1529-1542, 2022, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2022.019368
（This article belongs to this Special Issue:
The Effect of Soil Quality Degradation on the Plant Growth, Quality and Food Safety in Subtropical Agroforestry Ecosystems)
Abstract Soil potentially hazardous metal (PHM) is continually attracting public attention worldwide, due to its highly toxic properties and potentially huge damage to human being through food chain. Phytoremediation is an effective and eco-friendly way in remediation technology. A pot experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of different organic materials (biogas residue (BR), mushroom residue (MR), and bamboo-shoot shell (BS)) application on phytoremediation of two PHM-contaminated soils (Fuyang soil as ‘heavily-polluted soil’ and Wenzhou soil as ‘moderately-polluted soil’, respectively) by
Sedum alfrecdii Hance. The results indicated: 1) for moderately-polluted soil, the 5% BR treatment had the strongest activation to…
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Open Access
ARTICLE
Seasonal Changes in Soil Respiration with An Elevation Gradient in Abies nephrolepis (Trautv.) Maxim. Forests in North China
Zhijie Tian, Xueying Jia, Tingting Liu, Eryan Ma, Lamei Xue, Yanqiu Hu, Qingrong Zheng
Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.91, No.7, pp. 1543-1556, 2022, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2022.020329
（This article belongs to this Special Issue:
The Effect of Soil Quality Degradation on the Plant Growth, Quality and Food Safety in Subtropical Agroforestry Ecosystems)
Abstract Soil respiration (Rs) plays an important role in regulating carbon cycle of terrestrial ecosystems and presents temporal and spatial heterogeneity.
Abies nephrolepis is a tree species that prefers the cold and wet environment and is
mainly distributed in Northeast Asia and East Asia. The Rs variations of
Abies nephrolepis forests communities
are generally environmental-sensitive and can effectively reflect the adaptive responses of forest ecosystems to
climate change. In this study, the growing-seasonal variations of Rs, soil temperature, soil water content and soil
properties of
Abies nephrolepis forests were analyzed along an altitude gradient (2000, 2100, 2200 and 2300 m)
over…
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Open Access
ARTICLE
Optimization of Organic Mulches Thickness Improves Soil Moisture Retention under Controlled Conditions
Jiayi Zhang, Guohua Fu, Zhiyang Jin, Lihang Chi, Guocheng Xu, Daran Yue
Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.91, No.4, pp. 841-857, 2022, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2022.017938
（This article belongs to this Special Issue:
The Effect of Soil Quality Degradation on the Plant Growth, Quality and Food Safety in Subtropical Agroforestry Ecosystems)
Abstract Organic mulch can improve the moisture, chemical composition, dust, and dust suppression of soil, and beautify the environment. In view of the rapid evaporation rate and serious loss of soil water in tropical areas, this paper explored the effect of organic mulch materials with different thickness on the increase of soil water retention rate and the improvement of soil water loss caused by evaporation. Rubberwood sawdust (RWS), rubberwood bark (RWB), coconut fiber (CF), and Mulch (MC) were selected as the mulching materials. Field experiment and laboratory experiment were performed, and soil-moisture content and temperature were continuously monitored. However, from the…
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Open Access
ARTICLE
Diversity of Saxicolous Lichens along an Aridity Gradient in Central México
José Carmen Soto-Correa, Abraham Saldaña-Vega, Víctor Hugo Cambrón-Sandoval, Laura Concostrina-Zubiri, Mariela Gómez-Romero
Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.91, No.4, pp. 827-840, 2022, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2022.017929
（This article belongs to this Special Issue:
The Effect of Soil Quality Degradation on the Plant Growth, Quality and Food Safety in Subtropical Agroforestry Ecosystems)
Abstract Lichens are symbiotic organisms that comprise a fungus and a photosynthetic partner wich are recognized as a good indicator of climate change. However, our understanding of how aridity affects the diversity of saxicolous lichens in drylands is still limited. To evaluate the relationship between saxicolous lichen diversity and aridity in a central México dryland, a geographical transect was established of 100 km to build an aridity gradient in the semiarid zone of the State of Querétaro, Mexico, comprising ten sampling sites with a 10 km separation. Species richness, abundance and diversity of soil lichen species were recorded using two sampling methods: the…
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Open Access
ARTICLE
EoPHR2, a Phosphate Starvation Response Transcription Factor, Is Involved in Improving Low-Phosphorus Stress Resistance in Eremochloa ophiuroides
Ying Chen, Chuanqiang Liu, Qingqing He, Jianjian Li, Jingjing Wang, Ling Li, Xiang Yao, Shenghao Zhou, Haoran Wang
Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.91, No.3, pp. 651-665, 2022, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2022.017633
（This article belongs to this Special Issue:
The Effect of Soil Quality Degradation on the Plant Growth, Quality and Food Safety in Subtropical Agroforestry Ecosystems)
Abstract As a macronutrient, Phosphorus (P) takes many roles in plant growth and development. It should be significant to explore the molecular mechanism of low-phosphorus stress response of plants. Phosphate starvation response (PHR) transcription factors play important roles in response to phosphorus deficiency stress in plants. In this study, we isolated a gene related to the plant phosphorus signaling system from the acid-soil-resistant centipedegrass (
Eremochloa ophiuroides [Munro] Hack.), termed
EoPHR2. The subcellular localization of EoPHR2 protein was observed to be nuclear located. The expression patterns of
EoPHR2 in different tissues and Al/Pi-stress conditions were analyzed by qRT-PCR, they suggested a potential…
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Open Access
ARTICLE
Effects of Nitrogen Exponential Fertilization on Growth and Nutrient Concentration of Hydrangea macrophylla Seedlings
Xueying Wang, Yonghong Hu, Fiza Liaquat, Xianquan Zhang, Kang Ye, Jun Qin, Qunlu Liu
Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.91, No.2, pp. 395-407, 2022, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2022.017981
（This article belongs to this Special Issue:
The Effect of Soil Quality Degradation on the Plant Growth, Quality and Food Safety in Subtropical Agroforestry Ecosystems)
Abstract Slow growth rate restricts the development and growth of seedlings due to nutrients deficiency or nutrient imbalance. Exponential fertilization can enhance the internal nutrient reserves in seedlings at the nursery-stage and strengthen their resistance to adverse conditions. In this study, nitrogen requirements for producing
Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Hanatemari’ that robust seedlings, nutrient dynamics, biomass and growth, was examined utilizing exponential fertilization. The potted seedlings were fertilized with urea under exponential regime at rates of 0.5, 1.5 and 2.0 g nitrogen/plant (EF1, EF2, and EF3), respectively. In addition, an unfertilized group treated with equal volume of deionized water was used as control.…
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Open Access
ARTICLE
Integrated Fertilization Regimes Boost Heavy Metals Accumulation and Biomass of Sedum alfredii Hance
Kangning Zhou, Yingying Zhang, Jiasen Wu, Chunying Dou, Zihao Ye, Zhengqian Ye, Weijun Fu
Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.90, No.4, pp. 1217-1232, 2021, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2021.014951
（This article belongs to this Special Issue:
The Effect of Soil Quality Degradation on the Plant Growth, Quality and Food Safety in Subtropical Agroforestry Ecosystems)
Abstract The hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii Hance (S. alfredii) may be employed for zinc (Zn) and cadmium (Cd)-polluted soil remediation. However, the low phytoremediation efficiency, related to the low biomass production, limits its use with that purpose. In this experiment, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) fertilizers, and organic manure were applied to investigate the phytoremediation ability of S. alfredii. Hydroponic and pot experiments were conducted using Zn-Cd polluted soil. The hydroponic experiment indicated that appropriate fertilizer application could increase (p < 0.05) the amount of accumulated Zn and Cd in S. alfredii. When N supply ranged from 0.5 to 2.5… More >
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