جستجوی مقالات مرتبط با کلیدواژه « soil amendment » در نشریات گروه « آب و خاک »

In arid and semi-arid areas, due to the lack of sufficient vegetation and the return of a small amount of plant residues to the soil, the amount of organic matter in the soil is very low, so the use of organic fertilizers can be a suitable solution to improve the physical and chemical conditions of the soil in these areas. In recent years, biochar has been used as a soil modifier (source of organic carbon) and as a method for carbon sequestration in the soils of dry and desert areas. this research aims to maintain and increase the water retention capacity in the soil and improve the physical characteristics of the loam sandy of the Sistan region by using different compositions and sizes.

In this research, the effect of three biochar diameter ranges (<0.25, 0.25-1 and 1-2 mm) and three amounts of Cenocarpus biochar (2, 4, and 8% by weight) on the properties Hydraulic and physical soil and evaporation from the soil surface with loam sandy texture of Sistan region were studied. Experiments were conducted in 3 replications in a completely randomized design. To carry out the work, polyethylene columns with a diameter of 10 cm and a height of 35 cm were prepared. The columns were covered with cloth from the floor. The soil with different treatments of size and amount of biochar was manually added to the columns and filled with gentle blows to the column body until reaching a height of 30 cm. To measure evaporation, 100 mm of water was added to the soil in 5 weeks (20 mm per week). Evaporation from the soil surface was measured by weight method every day. Hydraulic conductivity of saturated soil was measured by constant load method. Also, soil salinity and moisture were calculated at three depths of 0-10, 10-20 and 20-30 cm. The bulk density and water holding capacity of the soil were also measured.

The results showed that with the increase in the amount of biochar used, the bulk density and saturated hydraulic conductivity of the soil decreased by 29.32% and 48.1%, respectively, compared to the control treatment (treatment without biochar). By increasing the amount of biochar and decreasing its particle size, the water holding capacity in the soil increased. The treatment with 8% by weight of biochar and the particle size <0.25 mm had the greatest (43.54%) increase in the water holding capacity in the soil. By increasing the amount of biochar and decreasing its particle size, soil salinity increased compared to the control treatment. But the evaporation from the soil surface decreased with the increase in the amount of biochar and the decrease in its particle size.

According to the obtained results, it can be said that biochar has positive effects on improving the physical and hydraulic properties of soils with a relatively light texture. But these changes depend on the amount and size of biochar particles. Using biochar as a soil modifier in light textured soils that have low water holding capacity and high evaporation, especially in arid and semi-arid areas that are facing the problem of lack of water resources, is a very suitable solution. But it should be noted that increasing biochar levels in soil can increase soil salinity. Therefore, according to the obtained results and the positive effect of biochar on the physical and chemical parameters of the soil, the optimal selection of the biochar surface should be such that its use is economically viable, and this requires more research, especially It is in farm conditions.

In recent years, various studies have been conducted using natural and chemical amendments to reduce runoff and soil loss. However, in many cases, the idea of using special wastes in water and soil conservation has not been considered yet. In this regard, the present study aimed to apply three types of refinery sulfur wastes (i.e., clod, dusty, and mixed with soil) as an additive to evaluate the feasibility of inhibiting soil and water loss on a marl soil from the Marzanabad-Kandolus Region. The experiments were conducted in the Rainfall and Soil Erosion Simulation Laboratory of Tarbiat Modares University between February and July 2021. The study was conducted at a small plot scale with dimensions of 0.5×0.5×0.3 m in three replications. Three levels of one, two, and four g m-2 of any sulfur waste were applied to plots nested on a slope of 25% and subjected to a design rain with an intensity of 70 mm.h-1 and a duration of 30 min. The results showed that the total volume of runoff was significantly (P≤0.04) decreased due to the application of all three levels of sulfur wastes. The different types of sulfur wastes (i.e., clod, dust, and mixed with soil) also had a significant effect (P≤0.03) on runoff volume. Besides, the interaction between application level and type of sulfur waste was more significant (P≤0.00). The application of different levels of sulfur wastes significantly reduced (P≤0.02) soil loss. At the same time, types of sulfur wastes had a non-significant effect (P ≥ 0.06) on soil loss reduction. However, the interaction effect of level and type of sulfur wastes on soil loss reduction was significant (P ≤ 0.01) due to positive impacts of sulfur on quality and hydrologic behavior of the soil. Finally, it is concluded that the consumption of sulfur waste in each level or type is confirmed, preferentially use of 2 g m-2 of dust sulfur.

Increasing agricultural production is necessary due to the growing population in order to ensure food security. Also, a large part of agricultural lands in arid and semi-arid climates face the limitation of carbon storage and nutrients. This limitation is more visible in coarse textured soils with low clay content, due to the inability to supply elements required for plant growth and the ability to retain water in the soil. Therefore, modifying the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the soil is inevitable to achieve sustainable agriculture. In the meantime, with the high use of chemical fertilizers along with the excessive tillage activities while destroying the soil, management costs increase. Soil degradation is an increasing worldwide threat to the sustainability of agriculture. The use of organic amendments like biochar may prove a key for sustainable agriculture, as it could keep the carbon pool in soil over the long term, thus improving soil fertility and crop productivity, mitigating global climate change, and finally enhancing soil physicochemical quality. The ability of biochar to enhance the physical and mechanical properties of soils is dependent on the characteristics of biochar including its particle size, application rate, feedstock type, and pyrolysis conditions. This study aimed to assess the effect of applying different application rates, feedstock, and particle sizes of biochar on the soil’s physical and mechanical properties in sandy loam soil.

The study was conducted in a research greenhouse of Shiraz University in 2019. To investigate the effect of biochar feedstock, application rate, and particle size on soil bulk density, aggregate stability (mean weight diameter), penetration resistance, and shear strength in sandy loam soil, using two feedstock types (palm leaf biochar and lemon peel biochar) were pyrolyzed at a temperature of 500 °C for 3 h. Each biochar was fractioned by dry sieving into three sizes: 2-4, 0.8-2, and < 0.8 mm, and mixed with sandy loam soil at four application rates of 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 % (v/v) with zero application rates (control). The pots were incubated in standard conditions and water content was kept at near field capacity throughout the experiment for 15 months. In the production of biochar, plant residues of palm leaves and lemon peel were used, which are surplus plant wastes available in Fars province. The apparent specific gravity of the soil was measured by the conventional method of paraffin blocks. The statistical analysis of the results was done in order to check the influence of the studied treatments on the soil characteristics using SAS statistical software. The mean of the effect of each treatment separately and also the interaction of the effects of the investigated treatments (if significant) were compared using Duncan's multiple range test at the five percent probability level (p < 0.05).

This result indicated that applying biochar improved the physical properties of soil, including a significant decrease in soil bulk density from 5.4 to 19.8% by using application rates of 0.5 to 4% biochar, increase aggregate stability from 37.6 to 73.6% and increase shear strength from 3.2 to 15 by using application rates of 1 to 4% of biochar as compared to control. For a 4% biochar rate, penetration resistance increased by 5% as compared to control. The results show that lemon peel is more efficient in soil bulk density whereas palm leaf biochar was efficient in aggregate stability and shear strength (no significant difference in penetration resistance was observed with the application of different biochar sources). Moreover, irrespective of biochar sources, biochar with finer particle sizes (< 0.8 mm) improved aggregate stability and shear strength, when the biochar application rate was the same, but the most notable improvement in soil bulk density was observed at the coarse fractions (2-4 mm).

Biochar as a type of organic compound that has great compatibility with the environment, is of interest in advanced agriculture due to its stable carbon storage and its positive effects on the biochemical and physical characteristics of the soil. According to the results of this research, the use of biochar in soil had a significant effect on reducing the apparent specific mass of the soil and also a significant increase in the stability of soil grains and shear resistance, which improves the physical and mechanical properties of the soil can have an effect on protecting the soil against water and wind erosion. On the other hand, although at the application level of 4% biochar, the resistance to subsidence increased by a significant amount of 5%, but no significant changes were observed in this feature. Palm leaf biochar had a stronger role in increasing the stability of soil grains and shear resistance, on the other hand, lemon pomace biochar had a greater effect in reducing specific mass due to its structure similar to sand particles. Also, by increasing the levels of biochar to four percent as the most effective level of biochar application, the apparent specific mass values ​​decreased by 19.8% and the stability of soil grains and shear strength increased by 73.6% and 15% respectively. Also, the results showed that in general, by reducing the size of biochar particles from 4 mm to less than 0.8 mm, the weight average of soil grain diameter and shear strength increased significantly, but the average apparent specific mass increased with the increase of particle size (2-4 mm particles) reduced. Based on the above results, it can be concluded that choosing an optimal mode of sources, levels and size of biochar particles as an organic soil conditioner can lead to maximum productivity in agricultural production while reducing agricultural management costs. In this research, it was found that under the same conditions, the use of two percent palm leaf biochar with a particle size of less than 0.8 mm in sandy loam soil is useful. It should be kept in mind that the behavior of biochar is not only limited to the characteristics investigated in this research, and the change in the conditions of biochar production (thermal heating) causes a change in the characteristics of biochar. Therefore, it is suggested that in addition to the studied effects, the effects of characteristics based on the biochar production process, such as temperature and duration of thermodilution, should be investigated at different times on the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of different soils and in field conditions in order to obtain more comprehensive information on the optimal amounts of charcoal. Biologically, especially at the farm scale, to obtain soil amendment.

Biochar application has been proposed as a suitable amendment for soil properties to sustainable agriculture. However, its effect depends on biochar application and soil properties. The purpose of this study was to investigate the sole and combined effects of different sources, rates and particle size of biochar on soil bulk density, aggregate stability, penetration resistance and shear strength in a silty clay loam soil. Palm leaf and lemon peel biochar prepared at a pyrolysis temperature of 500∘C with three particle sizes 2–4, 0.8-2 and smaller than 0.8 mm, mixed in the soil at application rates of 0, 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 % (by weight). After 15 months (2019 to 2020) incubation at standard condition in research glasshouse of faculty of agriculture Shiraz University, soil properties analyzed by standard methods. In general, the applied biochar decreased soil bulk density, penetration resistance, and shear strength and increased aggregate stability significantly, as compared to the control. Palm leaf biochar played better roles in improving soil properties as compared to lemon peel biochar. On average, by increasing biochar rates to 4%, the soil bulk density, penetration resistance and shear strength decreased by 14.5, 85 and 59.8% respectively and the aggregate stability increased by 50.5%. The greatest effect of biochar was obtained at particle size smaller than 0.8 mm for aggregate stability and penetration resistance. Bulk density and tension strength of the soil did not considerably change using different particle size of biochar. Base on the results, improvement in soil physical properties can be accomplished by application of appropriate particle size and rate of different sources of biochar.

Biochar application to agricultural soils has been proposed as a way to increase crop production by improving soil properties. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of sources, amounts, and particle sizes of biochar on saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) in two silty clay loam and sandy loam soils. In this study, palm leaf and lemon peel biochars were pyrolyzed at 500 °C for 3h. The obtained biochar was sorted into three particle sizes of ≤ 0.8, 0.8-2, and 2-4 mm, mixed into the soils at rate of 0.5%, 1%, 2%, and 4%wt, and incubated in a research glasshouse of Shiraz University for 15 months (2019 to 2020). Results showed that the application of 0.5%, 1%, 2%, and 4% of biochar caused a significant decrease in the mean value of Ksat in sandy loam by about 9%, 32%, 58%, and 65%, respectively, and also caused significant increase in the silty clay loam soil (except for 0.5%) by about 51%, 104%, and 231%, respectively, as compared to the control. Compared to lemon peel biochar, palm leaf biochar caused a significant increase in Ksat by 42% in the silty clay loam soil, but a significant decrease by 12% in the sandy loam soil. Furthermore, greater effects of the Ksat in both soils were observed after application of the fine size fraction of biochar (< 0.8 mm). The highest increase of Ksat in the silty clay loam soil and the highest decrease of Ksat in the sandy loam soil was observed in the soils treated by 4% of palm leaf biochar with particle size of smaller than 0.8 mm. In general, the results of this study can be used as a guide for selecting the amount and size of the applied biochar in terms of their effects on soil saturated hydraulic conductivity..

Reuse of wastewater as an important and constant water resource for agriculture that as the world's largest water consumption has gained incredible attention. Wastewater contains a large number of microorganisms of which some can lead to microbial pollution for the environment. There are different management ways to reduce soil surface pollution such as using subsurface drip irrigation and some amendments. Subsurface drip irrigation could reduce the movement of pathogens in the soil. Moreover, Biochar is a carbon material that has gained more attention for removing various pollutions in soil. So, it is necessary to investigate water movement and distribution in conjunction with using tools and methods for preserving water in water scarcity situation and reducing subsequent problems of wastewater use in the soil. The main objectives of this study were (i) to assay the effect of irrigation management, different flow rates, and adding biochar into the soil on water distribution, under subsurface drip irrigation; and (ii) to validate the HYDRUS model for modeling distribution of water and its movement in different conditions in subsurface drip irrigation. The study was conducted in outdoor glasses’ lysimeters (70×60×17 cm) in the research farm of Shahrekord University, Shahrekord. First, the lysimeters' walls were treated with grease in order to prevent preferential flow along the walls. Then, the lysimeters were filled with air-dried clay loam soil. The dripper was installed at the depth of 20 cm below the soil surface. Treatments included two discharge drippers (Q2 and Q4), three levels of maximum allowable depletion (MAD) (30, 50, and 70%), and three application rates of biochar (0, 0.5, and 1%). Three irrigations were done for each lysimeter based on the defined MAD by polluted water containing fecal coliform bacteria. The soil moisture content in lysimeters was measured using a moisture meter device at different times including 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 24 hr after ceasing irrigation. Also, the HYDRUS-2D/3D was applied for simulating water movement and soil moisture content in various treatments under subsurface drip irrigation. Water distribution and moisture content depends on flow rate and soil hydraulic properties. In the current study, the biochar was an amendment that changed moisture distribution in soil due to creating various soil hydraulic properties, and it was more effective than MAD. Additionally, biochar affected the soil water content of a clay loam soil at various matric suctions especially between saturated content and field capacity. However, the moisture content at the permanent wilting point of any biochar rates did not change significantly. The horizontal direction of the wetting front in treatments mixed with biochar was smaller than the control. Treatments with a smaller discharge rate (2 l h-1) created the higher wetted area; because those treatments delivered the total amount of irrigation water in a long time so water had enough time to distribute in soil, in comparison with treatments with higher discharge rate (4 l h-1). Also, the irrigation interval in the biochar amended soils was higher than the counterparts. For all times, a higher soil water content around the dripper was observed at a higher discharge rate. Also for all times and both discharge rates, downward soil water movement was greater than upward soil water movement because capillary forces are small compared with gravity forces, and it can be the main point for soil and human health. It should be mentioned that the amount of moisture in soil surface in treatments mixed with 0.5 and 1 % biochar was less than 0% biochar; however, there is no significant difference between all treatments. The lowest and highest moisture content on the soil surface was observed in Q2B1 and Q4B0 treatments, respectively. MAD 30% with reducing irrigation interval, decreased the moisture fluctuations in soil surface than MAD 50 and 70%. Moreover, HYDRUS-2D/3D has an acceptable ability in simulating spatial-temporal changes in moisture under subsurface drip irrigation. The R2 and RMSE ranged from 0.62 to 0.78 and 0.037 to 0.053, respectively. Overall, the addition of biochar into the soil can reduce the risk of soil surface pollution resulting from using wastewater due to less moisture in the soil surface in arid and semi-arid regions with water scarcity. The porous structure of biochar improves water holding capacity and decreases evaporation from soils. Also creating a bigger saturated zone, using drippers with high flow rates can be suitable for short root plants.

For evaluation of the effect of different levels of zeolite and nitrogen on yield and some quality traits of potato under field condition, an experiment was carried out as a split plot based on a randomized complete blocks design in three replications in research fields of University of Kurdistan in 2018. The experimental treatments were clinoptilolite zeolite application at four levels (0, 5, 10 and 15 ton ha-1) as the main plot and nitrogen application at five levels (0, 50, 100 150 and 200 kg N ha-1) as the sub plot. The results indicated that with the application of different levels of zeolite, tuber yield, biological yield, average tuber weight, tuber dry matter, significantly increased, while, tuber NO3- concentration significantly decreased. Also, the results indicated that the nitrogen application led to significant increase in the tuber yield, biological yield, average tuber weight, tuber dry matter and NO3- concentration. The greatest tuber yield was recorded at 200 kg ha-1 N application treatment.  The highest tuber yield and harvest index were recorded at 10 ton ha-1 zeolite application treatment. The tuber yield in this treatment was 13.9% higher than the control treatments (no zeolite application). In general, the results of this study demonstrated that the zeolite application at 10 ton ha-1 can be a suitable practice for improving potato yield and quality.

The application of biochar in the soil in order to improve soil quality and also waste management, has received considerable interest in recent years. Success of such management requires expert knowledge about the impact of a given biochar on soil and plant properties, before its field application. For this purpose, the effect of five different levels of biochar (0, 1, 2, 3 and 5% w/w), produced from residual of pistachio, on growth and water productivity of maize plants in a sandy and a silt loam soil was investigated. The study was performed in 2018 as a greenhouse experiment with a completely randomized design. The results showed that the effect of biochar on plant growth is strongly soil dependent. The biochar application had a negative effect on the growth of maize in the sandy soil. Root and shoot dry biomass as well water productivity were reduced more than 90% by application of 2 and 3% of biochar as compared to the control (0%), and the plant growth was hindered by further increase of biochar (at 5%). Consequently, water productivity was also reduced significantly. This negative effect of biochar application in sandy soil was attributed to an induced salinity as a result of biochar application and the low water holding capacity of the soil. In contrast, the effect of biochar on salinity of silty loam soil was not remarkable and only at application rate of 5%, it was increased significantly as compared to the control. Although the application of biochar in silty loam soil did not show a significant effect on root biomass, plant height, and chlorophyl index but shoot biomass and water productivity were increased till the application rate of 2% compared to the control. In conclusion, the results showed that i) one should be cautious with application of biochar (originated from pistachio residual) in coarse-textured soils, ii) and also the efficient application rate of each biochar should be determined in each soil before its application.

Soil erosion is a major global challenge that its control by appropriate and proportionate methods is necessary. In recent years, various studies have been carried out using amendments and chemical stabilizers to reduce the detrimental effects of runoff and soil erosion. Environmental problems, low efficacy and time-consuming, low availability and high volume requirements have challenged the use of amendments in the usual form. Therefore, due to the proper performance of the amendments to reduce runoff and soil loss, improving the quality of the amendment is inevitable. Nowadays, various wastes are currently produced in important industries, including wood and papermill. In this regard, the fine corrugated and small particles in the effluent of paper mills can be mentioned. Residual fine amendments is a part of fibers that are unavoidably crushed in paper production and recycling processes. Therefore, due to the problems caused by the excessive amount of fines in the process of paper production and the ability to store water in the soil, it seems that it can be used as a natural amendment to reduce runoff and soil loss.

The present study was carried out to investigate the effectability of runoff generation and soil loss from fine corrugated amendments at small experimental plots. To conduct the study, the soil carried out from the marginal area of the Marzanabad-Kandalous region located in the west of Mazandaran Province. The soil was air-dried and then crossing a 3 mm sieve to put into 50×50 cm plots with a height of 30 cm was filled from the bottom to a depth of 18 cm of mineral pumices as a drainage layer and for the top layer of soil 2 and 8 mm. Treatments were studied at three levels of 0.5, 1 and 1.5 )L m-2 ( and each with three replications in liquid form and uniform spraying on 18 plots with pure water additive and control (dry) and in laboratory scale under rainfall simulation was performed with intensity of some 70 )mm h -1 ( and duration of 30 minutes.

The results showed that use of fine amendment with three levels of 0.5, 1 and 1.5 )L m-2 ( decreased runoff volumes (P>0.05) and soil losses (P<0.05) of -35, -5 and +15; 47, 84 and 71% compared to those of the treated plots by fine, respectively.

The results of this study show that the application of biocompatible amendment from wastewater of papermills is recommended to prevent entering into the water and soil resources in order to reduce runoff generation and soil losses in sensitive areas of the country facilitating sustainable development. It further leads to reduce runoff generation and soil losses in sensitive areas of the country facilitating sustainable development.

Nowadays, the use of polymers and soil and water reclamation agents has a significant bearing on agriculture. Polyacrylamide is one of the most important polymers that reduces soil erosion and increases water penetration in the soil by the PAM brand. Research on the effect of using PAM on soil physical properties (such as saturated hydraulic conductivity) has not had the same results. In this study the effect of six concentrations 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25and 30 mg/l dissolved PAM on saturate hydraulic conductivity 3 different soil textures (sandy loam, loam and silty clay loam) were studied in laboratory. Saturation hydraulic conductivity was measured with constant head method. For each treatment five replications were considered. Results showed that PAM viscosity increased about 1.9 % relative to water for each mg/l increase in PAM concentration. In sandy loam soil, with increasing PAM concentration, the hydraulic conductivity of soil saturation decreased linearly and significantly. With increasing of 5 mg / l of PAM solution, the hydraulic conductivity of sandy loam soil 2.6 cm / h decreased. In sandy loam soil, the effect of increasing the viscosity of PAM solution passing through the porous medium was more evident than the effect of the bond between clay and PAM particles. In loamy and silty clay loam soil texture, the trend of saturation hydraulic conductivity changes was compared to the PAM concentration as a parabolic curve. In the loam soils up to 20 mg / l PAM concentration and in the silty clay loam soil up to 25 mg / l PAM, the hydraulic conductivity of soil saturation increased and in concentrations greater than these values, the saturated hydraulic conductivity decreased. For loam soil and silty clay loam with increasing concentration of PAM solution to the optimum amount, the effect of bond between clay and PAM particles and later on the effect of viscosity PAM solution was evident.

One of the most important limitation factors the production of medicinal crops is water deficit and water stress in arid and semiarid regions of the world. Therefore, in this study, the medicinal crop Isabgol was selected as one of the valuable medicinal plants. The purpose of this study was to increase water use efficiency in Isabgol. Research carried out as a factorial experiment in a randomized complete block design with four replications. The treatments were A200 superabsorbent polymer at one level (125 kg ha-1) and zeolite at one level (2.08 gr/ kg soil) and control plot without adding soil amendments and 3 levels of water stress including 50, 75 and 100 The percentages water requirement. The measured factors included morphological traits (germination percentage, leaf area, dry matter weight, number of spikes per plant), biological traits (seed weight per plot, 1000 seed weight and mucilage) and water use efficiency. The results showed that treatments had significant effect on morphological and biological traits and grain water use efficiency. The best results were obtained for the morphological traits in the substrate containing superabsorbent polymer at 12.75 gr. The best results were observed for biological traits of 12.89 kernel weight and WUE 11.76 kg / m3 in zeolite bed.

In the last decade, the use of biochar as a soil amendment has been of interest to researchers. Many researchers have conducted studies on the effects of biochar on soil physical and chemical properties. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of rice husk biochar on some physical characteristics of soil and corn growth. For this purpose, experimental pots with three replicates were filled with a mixture of loamy soil and three levels of biochar: zero (control), 2% and 4 % (wt). The pots were planted to seed corn cv. Single Cross 704 and studied for three months. Rice husk biochar was produced at a temperature of 500 °C during the pyrolysis process in an electrical furnace. The physical properties of soils were measured after plant growth period. Data collection on plant height was done weekly. Root expansion was also evaluated at the end of the growth period. The results showed that biochar application improved soil physical properties by decreasing soil bulk density, increasing saturated hydraulic conductivity, increasing porosity, and increasing the amount of available water in soil. The height of the plant in the ninth week of growth period was 85 cm in the soil containing 4% biochar, significantly higher than 75 cm in the control soil. The shoot dry weight in 2% and 4% biochar was 154. 7 and 156. 8 g, respectively, which was significantly higher than the control (148. 8 g). No significant effect was observed in root surface, root dry weight, root diameter and root length. In general, it can be concluded that the addition of biochar causes changes in some physical properties of the soil such as bulk density, porosity, water content of the soil as well as saturated hydraulic conductivity. Also, the results showed that increasing the level of biochar application from 2% to 4% would have more potentially positive effects in the soil. Performing larger-scale experiments will definitely help to confirm the findings of this study. It is also necessary to investigate the effects of long-term biochar in soil.

The water infiltration into the soil is an effective factor on runoff generation and watershed situation. Although many approaches have been therefore developed to improve infiltration process, but, less attention has been paid to use nano-paticels individually and in combination with organic amendment with the aim of improvement of water infiltration into the soil. The present research has been hence planned to assess the effect of organic vermicompost (V) amendment in 100 g m-2 and silica nanoparticles in 3 levels of 3, 7 and 10 g m-2 individually and in compound on infiltration of a sensitive soil to erosion from Marzanabad-Kandelus at small plots scale under experimental situation. The water infiltration measured under rainfall simulation with intensity of 50 mm h-1 and 50 min duration and different treatments and the statistical analysis was accordingly conducted. The results showed that all treatments except silica nanoparticles level three (NS3), increased the infiltration and decreased runoff volume compared to the control treatment. The water infiltration into soil in the cases of (V), silica nanoparticles (level one( (NS1), silica nanoparticles (level two) (NS2), vermicompost and silica nanoparticles (level one ) (VNS1), vermicompost and silica nanoparticles (level two) (VNS2), vermicompost and silica nanoparticles (level three) (VNS3) increased by 24.79, 30.63 , 10.18, 14.05, 15.09 and 23.30 %, respectively and the (NS3) decreased by 0.24 %. The differences between performance of individually and combined application of vermicompost and silica nanoparticles confirmed the necessity of the correct usage of amendment in soil and water management.

The adaptability of Haloxylon appilium to adverse environmental conditions and especially its capability for an appropriate establishment in saline and desert soils has introduced this plant as a suitable means for biological methods to stabilize sand dunes, control erosion and prevent desertification in arid regions. In order to evaluate the ecophysiological characteristics of Haloxylon appilium some characteristics of soils under the long term establishment, survival and development of this plant and ion composition of this plant growing in Yazd province in thirty two growing trees of similar ages and traits within 8 locations of Chah Afzal and Ashkezar were investigated and their height (H), crown diameter (CD) and the above ground biomass index (Yi) were measured. Also, after cutting the trees from their collars, soil profiles were dug underneath the tree locations and soil samples were taken at depths of 0-30, 30-60, 60-90 and 90-120cm from four sides of each profile. The samples were then analyzed for Electrical Conductivity (EC), pH and Cl, Na, Ca, Mg, K concentrations in 1:5 soil to water extracts. The results showed statistically significant differences in soil parameters between the two regions, except for pH and Mg concentrations. The ion concentration of the plants in the two regions showed statistically significant differences for only Cl in shoots and Ca in roots. Based on the plant growth indices the Chah Afzal and Eshkezar regions were respectively evaluated as suitable and unsuitable for Haloxylon appilium growth. In spite of a higher salinity, the higher Ca and K concentration and lower Na/K ratio of Chah Afzal soils may explain the better plant performance in this region against Eshkezar, however, comprehensive researches on application of Ca and K fertilizer are needed to confirm this hypothesis

Soil structure is the most important property which affects other soil properties such as erosion, water infiltration into soil. Application of soil onditioners is one ways to improve soil physical properties. Nanoparticles are one of the newest materials that can influence the soil physical properties. The results of reseravhers show that application of nanomaterial affect soil mechanical properties (liquid and plastic limits). Therfore, the aim of this research was to study the effect of nanomaterials, including nano silicon oxide (nSio2) and nano Aluminum oxide (nAl2o3) on soil structural stability indicators.
In order to investigate the effect of nano-aluminum oxide and nano-silicon oxide on stractiral stability indicators a silt loam soil was selected. The studied soil was collected from Agricultural Research Center of Khorasan Razavi province, was air dried, and passed through 4.0-mm sieve. The experiment was conducted as a completely randomized design with 9 treatments and 3 replications. The studied treatments include control (without any amendment) nano aluminum oxide (0.002, 0.005, 0.01 and 0.02 % w/w) and nanao silicon oxide (0.002, 0.005, 0.01 and 0.02 % w/w). After addition the different treatments to soil in boxes of 5 Kg, they were incubated for 4 months at moisture range from field capacity (FC) to 50% FC at 18-25oC in greenhouse conditions. Then some soil structural stability indices including mean weight diameter of wet (MWDwet) and dry (MWDdry) aggregates, aggregate stability (AS) and percentage of aggregate destruction (PAD) were measured. Statistical analysis by one way analysis and comparison of means at P The results showed that application of amendments had a significant effect on structural stability indicators and addition of both nanomaterials to the soil increased MWDwet, MWDdry and AS and decreased PAD, siginificantly. The maximum value of MWDwet and MWDdry was obtained by application of 0.02 % nano-aluminum oxide and by increasing the concentration of both nano materials MWDdry and MWDwet increasd. The minimum percentage of aggregate destruction (PAD) was obtained by application of 0.01 % nano silicon oxide and regard to PAD, there was no significant difference between the different concentrations of nano silicon oxide.
According to the results of this research, application of nano aluminum oxide and nano silicon oxide improved structural stability and nano silicon oxide was better than nano aluminium oxide in decreasing the percentage of destruction aggregate.

Lack of organic matter in numerous soils in Iran caused unstable soil structure, compaction and land degradation. One of the methods for improving soil quality is the application of cheap organic conditioner such as biochar and compost. Biochar is the carbon-rich product obtained by heating biomass in a closed system under limited supply of oxygen. Biochar represents a soil conditioner that can change soil physical and chemical properties, but little information is available about the biochar-induced changes on physical properties of fine textured soils. This research was conducted to study the effects of biochar and compost sugarcane bagasse on some soil dynamic properties (shear strength, coefficient of linear extensibility (COLE), liquid limit (LL), plastic limit (PL) moistures and plasticity index). The experiment was conducted with randomized completely design with three replicates. The treatments were including biochar at 4 rates (0, 2%, 4% and 6%) and compost at 3 rates (0, 10, 20 and 30 tons/ha) were added into columns of PVC with diameter of 10 cm and length of 45 cm after 6 month in a soil. A lab-scale slow pyrolyzer was used for biochar production under oxygen-limiting conditions at 550 C. The produced biochars were sealed in an airtight container at 550 C and stored at room temperature until use. After preparation the soil columns treatments were incubated for 6 in a greenhouse with field capacity moisture content of 70%. The results showed that biochar and compost values significantly decreased shear strength and COLE in comparison with the control (P

High chemical fertilizer applications caused many environmental problems particularly contamination of water and soil resources. One of the suitable solutions to prevent these problems and improve the quality of agricultural product, is applying biological fertilizers and mineral soil amendments. This study was carried out to consider the effects of mycorrhizal fungi and zeolite on some morphological and agronomic characteristics of maize (single cross 704) at different levels of phosphate fertilizer at agricultural faculty of Shahrood university. The factorial experiment was performed based on the randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The experiment factors included mycorrhizal fungi at two levels (with and without), zeolites at two levels (0 and 9 tons per hectare) and triple superphosphate fertilizer at three levels (0, 50 and 100 kg per hectare). The results showed that zeolite and phosphate fertilizer increased the height (25/67%) and stem diameter (13/80 %) of corn plant. In zeolite with mycorrhizal fungi treatment plant height and LAI increased 24/96%, 11/46% respectively. The 100-seed weight of corn increased in phosphate fertilizer, mycorrhizal fungi treatment. Phosphorus content of corn seed was significantly amplified by mycorrhizal fungi. The interaction of zeolite and mycorrhizal significantly amplified the k content of corn seed. The use of mycorrhizal fungi with zeolite improved the physiological and agronomic characteristics of maize. The results of this experiment can be used in organic and sustainable agricultural systems.

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of polyacrylamide (PAM) on runoff volume (R) and soil loss (SL) subjected to freeze-thaw (FT) cycle from small experimental plots induced under rainfall simulation condition. A completely randomized design with FT cycle and none use of PAM as control were used to compare the effect of application of different rates of PAM (0.25, 0.5 and 0.75 g.m-2) on runoff generation time (TR), R and SL. The ANOVA results showed that the PAM had significant increasing effect on TR. Application rates of 0.25 and 0.50 g.m-2 decreased R and SL at tune of 49, 23 and 77 and 52, respectively, compared to those recorded for the control plot. In contrast, R and SL increased 1.62 and 4.5 times subjected to 0.75 g.m-2 application rate. It was also understood from the results that the PAM with the particle flocculation capability and increasing penetration rate could control the effects of FT cycle, with further effect on SL. Whereas, the PAM treatment of 0.75 g.m-2 had increasing effect on runoff yield and soil loss.The present study aimed to investigate the effects of polyacrylamide (PAM) on runoff volume (R) and soil loss (SL) subjected to freeze-thaw (FT) cycle from small experimental plots induced under rainfall simulation condition. A completely randomized design with FT cycle and none use of PAM as control were used to compare the effect of application of different rates of PAM (0.25, 0.5 and 0.75 g.m-2) on runoff generation time (TR), R and SL. The ANOVA results showed that the PAM had significant increasing effect on TR. Application rates of 0.25 and 0.50 g.m-2 decreased R and SL at tune of 49, 23 and 77 and 52, respectively, compared to those recorded for the control plot. In contrast, R and SL increased 1.62 and 4.5 times subjected to 0.75 g.m-2 application rate. It was also understood from the results that the PAM with the particle flocculation capability and increasing penetration rate could control the effects of FT cycle, with further effect on SL. Whereas, the PAM treatment of 0.75 g.m-2 had increasing effect on runoff yield and soil loss.The present study aimed to investigate the effects of polyacrylamide (PAM) on runoff volume (R) and soil loss (SL) subjected to freeze-thaw (FT) cycle from small experimental plots induced under rainfall simulation condition. A completely randomized design with FT cycle and none use of PAM as control were used to compare the effect of application of different rates of PAM (0.25, 0.5 and 0.75 g.m-2) on runoff generation time (TR), R and SL. The ANOVA results showed that the PAM had significant increasing effect on TR. Application rates of 0.25 and 0.50 g.m-2 decreased R and SL at tune of 49, 23 and 77 and 52, respectively, compared to those recorded for the control plot. In contrast, R and SL increased 1.62 and 4.5 times subjected to 0.75 g.m-2 application rate. It was also understood from the results that the PAM with the particle flocculation capability and increasing penetration rate could control the effects of FT cycle, with further effect on SL. Whereas, the PAM treatment of 0.75 g.m-2 had increasing effect on runoff yield and soil loss.The present study aimed to investigate the effects of polyacrylamide (PAM) on runoff volume (R) and soil loss (SL) subjected to freeze-thaw (FT) cycle from small experimental plots induced under rainfall simulation condition. A completely randomized design with FT cycle and none use of PAM as control were used to compare the effect of application of different rates of PAM (0.25, 0.5 and 0.75 g.m-2) on runoff generation time (TR), R and SL. The ANOVA results showed that the PAM had significant increasing effect on TR. Application rates of 0.25 and 0.50 g.m-2 decreased R and SL at tune of 49, 23 and 77 and 52, respectively, compared to those recorded for the control plot. In contrast, R and SL increased 1.62 and 4.5 times subjected to 0.75 g.m-2 application rate. It was also understood from the results that the PAM with the particle flocculation capability and increasing penetration rate could control the effects of FT cycle, with further effect on SL. Whereas, the PAM treatment of 0.75 g.m-2 had increasing effect on runoff yield and soil loss.

Spent mushroom compost (SMC) is a by-product of the mushroom industries. It is made from straw, manure, gypsum and horse-bedded straw, hay and poultry manure. SMC has been used as a soil amendment, particularly for intensive horticultural production. In this study the effects of various SMC's types (fresh, one year old, two years old) on changes of chemical characteristics of a loamy soil was studied for 12 weeks in a laboratory column incubation under controlled conditions. Different rates of each SMC (0, 15, 30, 60 t ha-1) were mixed with a loamy soil. The columns were leached with deionized water every week. Leachates were collected and analyzed for EC, pH, soluble cations (Sodium, Potassium, Calcium, and Magnesium), and anions (Chloride, Bicarbonate, Nitrate) content. Similar data collection was conducted on the soil samples at the beginning and at the end of the test. The results showed that EC and concentration of nutrients was the lowest in two years old SMC. It is probably due to the amount of salts leached out during the weathering of SMC. The leachate contained a higher amount of Calcium and Magnesium over the 12 week period. Two years old SMC had less Cl and Na and had less effect on soil salinity and sodification. Since the slow inorganic-N release rate from SMC-amended soil is predominantly the result of the slow mineralization of recalcitrant organic- N in SMC, therefore, nitrate content in two years old SMC can provide the primary requirements of plants. Comparison of different levels of SMC showed that using 30 t ha -1 is more favorable as compared with other levels. The 60 t ha -1 level caused higher EC and salinity in the soil. As a general rule if SMC with proper aging is used at an appropriate level it can affect the chemical and physical characteristics of the soil and can be used as a soil amendment.