The effect of sewage sludge and BAF inoculant on plant condition and yield as well as biochemical and microbial activity of soil in willow (Salix viminalis L.) culture as an energy crop

Excessive amounts of sewage sludge produced in sewage treatment plants along with the ban on its storage and dumping require rapid solutions to the problem of sewage sludge management. An example of a rational and environmentally viable method may be provided by its application in agriculture and environmental management. The optimal solution is to use sludge as a fertiliser for industrial plants, including energy crops, that is, those not used in food production. For environmental reasons it is essential to control soil quality and condition following sludge application. Analyses of the residual effect of sewage sludge and bacteria, actinobacteria, fungi microbial inoculant (BAF) on selected physiological parameters of plants and microbial activity of soil were conducted in the years 2013–2015 on experimental fields of the Poznan University of Life Sciences. The results indicate that the application of sewage sludge increased yields and improved selected photosynthesis activity and biometric traits of willow. Among the tested combinations the best results were obtained following the application of sewage sludge combined with the BAF medium microbial inoculant. Similar dependencies were observed when evaluating soil microbial activity

Tumor expression of survivin, p53, cyclin D1, osteopontin and fibronectin in predicting the response to neo-adjuvant chemotherapy in children with advanced malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor

Purpose Selected cell-cycle regulators and extracellular matrix proteins were found to play roles in malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) biology. We aimed to analyze whether initial tumor tissue expressions of survivin, p53, cyclin D1, osteopontin (OPN) and fibronectin (FN) correlate with the response to neo-adjuvant CHT (naCHT) in children with advanced inoperable MPNST. Methods The study included 26 children with MPNST (M/F 14/12, median age 130 months) treated in Polish centers of pediatric oncology between 1992 and 2013. Tissue expression of markers was studied immunohistochemically in the manually performed tissue microarrays and assessed semi-quantitatively as low and high, based on the rate of positive cells and staining intensity. Results Good response to naCHT was noted in 47.6%, while poor-in 52.4% of patients. The response to naCHT was influenced negatively by the presence of neurofibromatosis NF1 and high initial tumor tissue expression of OPN, survivin, p53 and cyclin D1. Patients with high tumor expression of either OPN, survivin or p53 and those with simultaneous high expression of ≥ 3 of the markers, responded significantly worse to naCHT, than patients, in whom expression of ≤ 2 markers were detected at diagnosis. Nearly, 85% of patients expressing ≥ 3 markers, responded poor to CHT; while 87.5% of children, expressing ≤ 2 markers, were good responders. Conclusion The initial tumor tissue expression of OPN, survivin, p53 and cyclin D1 may serve as markers to predict response to naCHT in pediatric advanced MPNST. Future studies in more numerous group of patients are needed to confirm these preliminary results

The Effect of In Vitro Coinoculation on the Physiological Parameters of White Lupine Plants (<i>Lupinus albus</i> L.)

The aim of the study was to select microbiological inoculants for a specific plant species, i.e., white lupine (Lupinus albus L.), to increase the efficiency of the diazotroph process. The research involved an in vitro assessment of interactions between the symbiotic bacteria (Bradyrhizobium sp. isolated from Nitragina and Nitroflora commercial preparations dedicated to white lupine) and selected endophytes (Pseudomonas fluorescens or Bacillus subtilis) used for seed coinoculation. In addition, selected morphological traits of plants (the weight and length of aboveground and belowground parts) were examined after the inoculation/coinoculation. The degree of root colonisation by selected endophytes used as individual inoculants and in combination with bacteria of the Bradyrhizobium genus was determined. The diazotrophic parameters were also investigated (nitrogenase activity, the number, and weight of nodules). The results showed no antagonistic interactions have been demonstrated between bacterial strains of the genus Bradyrhizobium sp. isolated from Nitragina and Nitroflora, and the endophytes Pseudomonas fluorescens or Bacillus subtilis used for the study. The applied coinoculation in vitro had a stimulating effect on the weight of the stems and roots of white lupine causing an average increase of 13% and 28%, respectively. The level of nitrogenase activity in the coinoculation variants increased from 3.5 nMC2H4 plant−1 h−1 to an average of 32.34 nMC2H4 plant−1 h−1

Changes in Pisum sativum L. Plants and in Soil as a Result of Application of Selected Foliar Fertilizers and Biostimulators

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of selected biostimulators and foliar fertilizers on plant development, plant yield, soil fertility and soil biochemical activity (dehydrogenases, phosphatases, catalases) during the cultivation of pea (Pisum sativum L.). A field experiment was conducted between 2016 and 2018 at the Gorzyń Experimental and Educational Station, Poznań University of Life Sciences in Poland. The following treatments were tested: (1) control; (2) Titanit; (3) Optysil; (4) Metalosate potassium; (5) Rooter; (6) Bolero Mo; (7) Adob Zn IDHA; (8) Adob B and (9) Adob 2.0 Mo. Adob Zn IDHA stimulated yields, especially under average moisture conditions and less so in drought conditions, and the differences compared to control amounted 8.36 and 4.3%, respectively. The results showed a close relationship between the effects of the biostimulators and foliar fertilizers and weather conditions during the study. It was not possible to determine whether any of the biostimulators or foliar fertilizers had a positive effect on pea seed yield in any year. Similarly, it was difficult to clearly determine the effect of the biostimulators and fertilizers on biochemical activity in the soil, although soil enzyme activity was influenced most by application of the Bolero Mo fertilizer. In all study years, biological nitrogen fixation was always greater after the application of a biostimulator/fertilizer treatment

The Influence of Bio-Stimulants and Foliar Fertilizers on Yield, Plant Features, and the Level of Soil Biochemical Activity in White Lupine (Lupinus albus L.) Cultivation

The aim of this study is to assess the effect of two biostimulators (Titanit, Rooter) and six foliar fertilizers (Optysil, Metalosate Potassium, Bolero Bo, ADOB 2.0 Zn IDHA, ADOB B, ADOB 2.0 Mo) on white lupine. In addition, we evaluated the enzymatic activity of dehydrogenase, acid, and alkaline phosphatases, catalase, the level of biological nitrogen fixation, yield, plant biometric, chlorophyll fluorescence and chlorophyll content. A field experiment was conducted between 2016 and 2018 at the Gorzyń Experimental and Educational Station, Poznań University of Life Sciences in Poland. The best effects in plant yield were obtained after the application of Optysil or ADOB Zn IDHA. The three years results of dehydrogenase (DHA), alkaline phosphatase (PAL), and the biological index of soil fertility (BIF), show that the bio-stimulants and most of the foliar fertilizers used did not always stimulate the activity of these enzymes and index in the white lupine crops, as compared with the control treatment. Analysis of the results of the acid phosphatase activity (PAC) shows that during the entire white lupine growing season the foliar fertilizers and bio-stimulants decreased the activity of this enzyme. This effect was not observed when the Metalosate potassium foliar fertilizer was applied. The field analyses of biological nitrogen fixation showed that the fertilizers and bio-stimulants significantly stimulated nitrogenase activity under the white lupine plantation. The best effects in plant yield were obtained after application Optysil or ADOB Zn IDHA

Visible Tobacco Leaf Injury Indices as Indicators of Cumulative Tropospheric Ozone Effect

Tropospheric ozone is one of the most reactive air pollutants, which causes visible injuries, as well as biomass and yield losses. The negative effect of ozone is cumulative during the growing season; hence crops are the most sensitive plants. Visible symptoms and biomass losses can cause economic losses. Tobacco plants have been recognized as one of the best bioindicators, but data on the cumulative effect of ozone on this species are limited. Results of an experiment with ozone-sensitive tobacco plants grown on sites varying in ozone concentration are presented in this paper. Two indices were used for data presentation of visible leaf injury degree. Higher solar radiation was the main cause of higher ozone concentration at the rural site. Higher tropospheric ozone concentrations were noted in 2010 in comparison to 2011, which was reflected in visible leaf injury. Canonical variate analysis did not reveal highly significant differences between sites, however, differences were observed in certain investigation periods. Moreover, higher leaf injury was noted at the rural site at the end of the experiment in both experimental years. This indicates the cumulative effect of ozone during the growing season. However, higher injury variability was noted at the urban site, even though lower ozone concentrations were noted there. Lower variability of injury at the rural site might suggest lack of influence of particulate matter and occurrence of higher injury even though lower ozone concentrations occurred. Better detection of ozone injury was shown by the first index based on three mean values