47 research outputs found
Assessing the relationship between the soil dielectric constant and electrical conductivity using 5TE sensors in the field conditions
Postprint (published version
Metabolomic and phenotypic implications of the application of fertilization products containing microcontaminants in lettuce (Lactuca sativa)
Cultivation practice using organic amendments is plausible to ensure global food security. However, plant abiotic stress due to the presence of metals and organic microcontaminants (OMCs) in fertilization products cannot be overlooked. In this study, we monitored lettuce metabolism and phenotypic response following the application of either sewage sludge (SS), the organic fraction of municipal solid waste, swine manure (SM), chemical fertilizers (CF), or no amendment (C) in a greenhouse facility.Postprint (published version
Transfer function and time series outlier analysis: modelling Soil salinity in loamy sand soil by including the influences of irrigation management and soil temperature
In variable interval irrigation, simply including soil salinity data in the soil salinity model is not valid for making predictions, because changes in irrigation frequency must also be taken into account. This study on variable interval irrigation used capacitance soil sensors simultaneously to obtain hourly measurements of bulk electrical conductivity (sb), soil temperature (t) and soil water content (¿). Observations of sb were converted so that the electrical conductivity of the pore water (sp) could be estimated as an indicator of soil salinity. Values of ¿, t and sp were used to test a mathematical model for studying how sp cross-correlates with t and ¿ to predict soil salinity at a given depth. These predictions were based on measurements of sp, t, and ¿ at a shallow depth. As a result, prediction at shallow depth was successful after integrating intervention analysis and outlier detection into the seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model. We then used the (multiple-input/one-output) transfer function models to logically predict soil salinity at the depths of interest. The model could also correctly determine the effect of the irrigation event on soil salinityPeer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft
Effects of tetracycline, sulfonamide, fluoroquinolone, and lincosamide load in pig slurry on lettuce: Agricultural and human health implications
The application of pig slurry as fertilizer in agriculture provides nutrients, but it can also contain veterinary
medicines, including antibiotic residues (ABs), which can have an ecotoxicological impact on agroecosystems.
Furthermore, uptake, translocation, and accumulation of ABs in crops can mobilize them throughout the food
chain. This greenhouse study aims to assess AB uptake from soil fertilized with pig slurry and its phenotypical
effects on Lactuca sativa LThe authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the
Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through project AGL 2017-
89518-R. IDAEA-CSIC is a Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence (Spanish
Ministry of Science and Innovation, Project CEX 2018-000794-S).
Monica Escola Casas wishes to thank the Beatriu de Pinos 2018 grant
program (MSCA grant agreement number 801370) for the funding. The
authors likewise thank Miquel Massip, Daniel Fenero, and Nerea Gran-
ados for their technical assistance in the greenhouse facilityPostprint (published version
Aproximació a les condicions del moviment de l'aigua en una conca experimental de Torre Marimon
Peer Reviewe
Occurrence and bioaccumulation of chemical contaminants in lettuce grown in peri-urban horticulture
Peri-urban horticulture performs environmental and socio-economic functions and provides ecological services to nearby urban areas. Nevertheless, industrialization and water pollution have led to an increase in the exposure of peri-urban vegetables to contaminants such as trace elements (TEs) and organic microcontaminants (OMCs). In this study, the occurrence of chemical contaminants (i.e., 16 TEs, 33 OMCs) in soil and lettuce leaves from 4 farm fields in the peri-urban area of the city of Barcelona was assessed. A rural site, outside the peri-urban area of influence, was selected for comparison. The concentration of TEs and OMCs ranged from non-detectable to 803¿mg/kg¿dw and from non-detectable to 397¿µg/kg¿dw respectively in the peri-urban soil, and from 6¿·¿10-5 to 4.91¿mg/kg¿fw and from non-detectable to 193¿µg/kg¿fw respectively in lettuce leaves. Although the concentration of Mo, Ni, Pb, and As in the soil of the peri-urban area exceeded the environmental quality guidelines, their occurrence in lettuce complied with human food standards (except for Pb). The many fungicides (carbendazim, dimetomorph, and methylparaben) and chemicals released by plastic pipelines (tris(1-chloro-2-propyl)phosphate, bisphenol F, and 2-mercaptobenzothiazole) used in agriculture were prevalent in the soil and the edible parts of the lettuce. The occurrence of these chemical pollutants in the peri-urban area did not affect the chlorophyll, lipid, or carbohydrate content of the lettuce leaves. PCA (Principal Component Analysis) showed that soil pollution, fungicide application, and irrigation water quality are the most relevant factors determining the presence of contaminants in crops.Postprint (updated version
Implications of the use of organic fertilizers for antibiotic resistance gene distribution in agricultural soils and fresh food products. A plot-scale study
The spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARG) into agricultural soils, products, and foods severely limits the use of organic fertilizers in agriculture. In order to help designing agricultural practices that minimize the spread of ARG, we fertilized, sown, and harvested lettuces and radish plants in experimental land plots for two consecutive agricultural cycles using four types of fertilizers: mineral fertilization, sewage sludge, pig slurry, or composted organic fraction of municipal solid waste. The analysis of the relative abundances of more than 200,000 ASV (Amplicon Sequence Variants) identified a small, but significant overlap (<10%) between soil's and fertilizer microbiomes. Clinically relevant ARG were found in higher loads (up to 100 fold) in fertilized soils than in the initial soil, particularly in those treated with organic fertilizers, and their loads grossly correlated to the amount of antibiotic residues found in the corresponding fertilizer. Similarly, low, but measurable ARG loads were found in lettuce (tetM, sul1) and radish (sul1), corresponding the lowest values to samples collected from minerally fertilized fields. Comparison of soil samples collected along the total period of the experiment indicated a relatively year-round stability of soil microbiomes in amended soils,
whereas ARG loads appeared as unstable and transient. The results indicate that ARG loads in soils and foodstuffs were likely linked to the contribution of bacteria from organic fertilizer to the soil microbiomes, suggesting that an adequate waste management and good pharmacological and veterinarian practicesmay significantly reduce the presence of these ARGs in agricultural soils and plant products.Postprint (published version