Potential effect of wetting agents added to agricultural sprays on the stability of soil aggregates

A potential effect of adjuvants/wetting agents added to the spray mixture on the water stability of soil aggregates (WSA) in agricultural soil was studied. Nine sites were chosen in the Czech Republic. Each site was mapped using representative soil pits (depth min. 1.3 m). A total of 54 mixed samples were collected from topsoil horizons on the selected sites. The samples were exposed to the action of four different types of wetting agents (organosilicone wetting agent; methyl ester of rapeseed oil; mixture of methyl ester palmitic and oleic acids; isodecyl alcohol ethoxylate), which are the most common wetting agents used in agriculture in the Czech Republic. WSA was determined before and after the addition of wetting agents (WA). Initial WSA values were at the same level in a majority of sampling points. Two sites were an exception, on which Haplic Luvisols and Relictistagnic Fluvisols occurred. These soil types featured the lowest WSA values. After the addition of WA across the sampling points, average WSA values exhibited a demonstrable trend: WSA of control sample (without the WA application) was at all times higher than in samples with the addition of WA. If the measured WSA values are compared in terms of overall means, it is evident that the control variant always exhibited the highest WSA value (on average 44.04 %) and the variants with the application of WA showed always WSA values lower by min 16 %. The worst effect on WSA was that of wetting agents whose basic component was methyl ester of rapeseed. These wetting agents caused a decrease in WSA by more than 50 %. All soil samples were also analysed for basic soil parameters (glomalin, oxidizable carbon - C-ox, pH, Na, P, Ca, K, Mg) in order to determine their potential influence on aggregate stability and to possibly eliminate the negative impact of WA. In this respect, only a significant influence of C-ox content on WSA was recorded, which positively correlated with the stability of soil aggregates.O

Soil Crusts

This publication is based on the research conducted by the scientists associated with the Western Regional Research Project W-66 during the period 1964 to 1970. Significant progress was made toward understanding and improving the management of crusting soils, and the W-66 members felt that a regional publication would be the best way to organize and disseminate the new information. Since the subject is relatively narrow, it was possible to cover most aspects of crusting in a single publication. The first chapter is written for a broad audience, including all those who are faced with practical problems involving soil crusts. Chapters 2 through 5 are more detailed, and provide the technical background required for in-depth understanding of soil crust behavior. In addition to the information presented in this bulletin that has not been previously published, a rather extensive review and discussion of appropriate literature has also been included to provide a balanced approach to the subject

Ambient air quality assessment in opencast metal mines

The term ‘mining’ is more or less synonymous to environmental pollution. The growing emphasis on open cast mining operation in recent years to achieve ever increasing production targets has further aggravated the problem of air pollution. Great amount of respirable dust concentration are added into the environment by the mining activities due to mechanization, escalating production, large scale blasting etc. Major sources of air pollution in open cast mines are drilling, blasting, overburden loading and unloading, material handling and workshops. The National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) are the basis for India’s Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to regulate air pollutants including particulate matter and five other criteria pollutants. PM2.5 and PM10 particles are currently accepted indicators for respirable pollutants. Several methods normally exist to measure the amount the dust

Spring 1969

Design Features the Golfer Wants by Geoffrey S. Cornish & William G. Robinson (page 3) How Water Moves in the Soil by Walter H. Gardner (6) Course Care in Winter (8) Spray-on Protein Boosters by S. K. Ries (9) 1969 Turf Conference Program (12) How to Get More Benefits from Our Next Conference (13) Budget Control by Ken Voorhies (15) Turf Analysis Test by Dale Kern (18) Tolerance of Various Turfgrasses to Foliar Applications of Road Salt by W.E. Cordukes (22) He \u27Fitz\u27 the Bill by Gerry Finn (24

Soilguide (Soil guide) : a handbook for understanding and managing agricultural soils

This handbook integrates the current knowledge of soils in south-western Australia in a user-friendly form. It describes how to assess which soil properties influence production and land degradation in the agricultural area and summarises management options to remedy or minimise soil limitations. The potential for growing a large range of crops and pastures can be assessed. In particular, the links between soil morphology, soil properties, management and agronomy are emphasised. The manual is designed for use at the paddock scale or for site assessment, but it can also be used at a catchment or regional scale. It is specifically designed for rain fed agriculture in south-western Australia but many sections will be relevant elsewhere as the manual works from first principles and does not require prior knowledge of the nature and distribution of soils.https://researchlibrary.agric.wa.gov.au/bulletins/1001/thumbnail.jp

A Review on the Degradation of Ionic and Non Ionic Surfactants in Water

The ability to respond to changing consumer and industrial wastes is critical for water treatment. Surfactants are of importance because of their increasing prevalence in home and industrial settings, as well as the challenges they provide to standard treatment. Surface active agents (SAAs) are chemical compounds that are discharged into the environment. They may have a deleterious impact on ecosystem biotic components. They also produce an increase in the aqueous phase solubility of organic contaminants. The destiny of SAAs in the environment is currently uncertain. Recognizing this issue will help to safeguard live species and maintain the quality and balance of a diverse ecosystem.This critical evaluation considers studies from several technical disciplines to offer an up-to-date summary of the environmental effects of surfactants. A variety of technologies are discussed, as well as their drawbacks and potential solutions

Controlled Release from Agricultural Spray Deposits

Copper chlorophyllin (CuChl) is an antioxidant from renewable sources, which has shown as a potential active ingredient in agricultural crop sprays. The major objectives of this thesis are to understand the colloidal and interfacial behaviors of CuChl, and to develop strategies for improving its effectiveness in field applications. In this project, the following three areas are examined and analyzed. In practice, CuChl-based formulations are sprayed directly onto a plant’s foliage. As such, there is a need to understand how CuChl interacts with relevant plant surfaces. To this end, quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) was used to quantify the adsorption of CuChl aqueous solutions onto four model surfaces: polystyrene, cellulose, pullulan, and silica. The results showed that cellulose adsorbed the highest amount of CuChl, followed by polystyrene and pullulan. In addition, the results also showed that the surfactants, SDS or DTAB, could alter the binding of CuChl to cellulose when used in concentrations above the critical micelle concentration. CuChl is composed of water-soluble and dispersed components, therefore it is not intrinsically rainfast, which limits its field application. To immobilize CuChl on leaves, a polymer combination of CMC (carboxymethyl cellulose) and PAE (polyamidoamine-epichlorohydrin) was designed for use as a spray adjuvant. The release behaviors of CuChl from dried spray deposits were investigated using varied polymer compositions and concentrations and compared with those of a water-soluble dye, brilliant sulfaflavine (BSF). The results indicated that a small amount of CuChl was immediately released upon exposure to water whereas BSF’s release behavior was dependent on the square root of time. The unusual behavior of CuChl was attributed to the presence of particles in the solution. These nanoparticles were coated with CMC:PAE complex, with the result of being immobilized on parafilm. Suspoemulsion is the most complex agricultural formulation that is composed of both dispersed particles and emulsion droplets. The objective of this work is to understand the relationship between the solution properties of suspoemulsions and the resulting dried deposits on hydrophobic surfaces. The results showed that the distribution of polychlorinated Cu (II) phthalocyanine (PG7) particles in dried deposits was related to the extent to which PG7 particles were adsorbed on or entrained in oil droplets. The PG7 particles that mainly ended up in the center (dome) area after drying were bound to the oil/water interface in the suspoemulsion, whereas individually dispersed particles ended up in the annulus.ThesisDoctor of Philosophy (PhD)Agricultural formulations have been developed and widely applied to crops in an effort to maximize yields to keep up with the food demands of the world’s ever-growing population. However, there are still many challenges associated with the application of these formulations, such as huge losses due to spray drift, wash-off, and degradation during spraying. These issues can reduce the formulation’s overall efficacy and pose serious risks to the environment and human health. The primary objective of this thesis is to explore the agricultural application of a new environmentally-friendly active ingredient, copper chlorophyllin (CuChl). To this end, this work begins by determining CuChl’s colloidal and adsorption behaviors, with a particular focus on its binding tendencies for relevant plant surfaces. Next, a polymer combination was designed as a spray adjuvant to enhance CuChl’s rainfastness performance and CuChl’s release from dried deposits was characterized. Finally, the distribution of dispersed particles in dried suspoemulsion deposits was determined

Trisiloxane Surfactant Adjuvants in Pollen

Chemicals are often added to agricultural pesticide mixes to help increase the efficiency of the field spray solution, and one of the main groups of chemicals used for this purpose are trisiloxane surfactants (TSSs). Normally TSSs are considered non-toxic, but recent studies have shown TSSs to have negative impacts on organisms like honey bees. Though TSSs have recently been found in environmental sources like water, pollen, and beeswax, little is known about how TSSs behave in the environment or affects active ingredients, like pesticides. To help determine the environmental prevalence and fate of TSSs, several studies were performed. Pollen was collected from across the United States and analyzed for TSS-H, TSS-COCH3, and TSS-CH3, where TSS-H and a TSS-COCH3 like compound were found, along with nine pesticides. The likelihood for TSSs to be found in the air, water, roots, and plants was looked at as well. TSSs were determined to not be of a great concern in the air and were rapidly degradable in water in basic or acidic conditions with half of the compound disappearing in less than two days. TSSs were also found to sorb to many different surfaces, including pollen and polypropylene, a type of commonly used plastic. Lastly, TSSs were not found to readily travel from plant root solution to the leaves and flowers. This means that overall, TSSs are not stable in the environment and are not likely to travel into pollen at significant concentrations except potentially through direct contact onto the pollen or repeat exposures to the roots or leaves