Finesse and atrazine residual effects on soybean, wheat, and cotton in different pH soils

Finesse and Atrazine herbicides are often used by producers as a pre-emergence control method for annual weeds. Across the state of Oklahoma, there are varying levels of soil pH that generally follow a geographical trend. In this study, we attempted to simulate the pH's possibly found in Oklahoma to get a grasp on how these residual herbicides interact with a range of pH soils and the plants growing in them. We conducted a 28-day trial to test effectiveness of these herbicides at different pH levels on sensitive crops. We are looking for a crop response from the pH levels and the activity of the herbicides therein. The pH was chemically altered to attain batches of soil at levels of 4, 5, 6, and 8. In each pH treatment, soybean, wheat, and cotton. Finesse was sprayed at a rate of 0.4 oz/acre and Atrazine was sprayed at a rate of 2 qts/acre. The pots were watered every other day or as needed for duration of the trial. Pictures were taken periodically to note significant events, at 21 days post-planting, and 28 days post-planting. Crop injury reports were also taken at 21 days and 28 days. At the end of the trial we took biomass weights. Nothing germinated in pH 4. Results showed crop injury and biomass were lower in pH 5 in all three crops. However, in soybean pH 6 & 8, data showed increased injury from atrazine. In wheat there was significant injury from atrazine, but surprisingly, also injury from finesse. This was shown by both the injury reports and the biomass data. Cotton showed in pH 5, initial injury and recovery after a week, but this is because of judging injury off the non-treated plants. pH of 5 soil caused the cotton plants to have equal injury. At pH 8 we see a reduction in injury from pH 6. We expected the injury to be higher in pH 8 due to the herbicide being more available in the soil in higher pH's. This leaves the question open to why this happened. Perhaps, in higher pH soils, herbicide activity is reduced initially, but residual is extended. Overall, we learned that pH does have an effect on how residual herbicides interact with plants and it varies in different crops. Further studies need to be conducted to investigate the extent of these effects. With more research we can better predict how long herbicide residuals stick around in Oklahoma's wide range of pH soils and how these also affect the weeds we are managing

Chemical and physical modification of the polymer membrane of polyalkylcyanoacrylate based nanocapsules

In dieser Arbeit wurden auf Polyalkylcyanoacrylaten basierende Öl-in-Wasser- und Wasser-in-Wasser-Nanokapseln hinsichtlich anwendungsorientierter Parameter, wie die Kontrolle der Kapselgröße, die Lösemittelbeständigkeit, die mechanische Stabilität, die Permeabilität der Kapselmembran, die Oberflächenladung und die Stabilität der Dispersion optimiert. Dazu wurde die Kapselhülle vor allem durch chemische Vernetzung mit Biscyanoacrylaten und durch nachträgliche Funktionalisierungen der Kapseloberfläche durch Click-Chemie modifiziert. Ebenso konnte erfolgreich nachgewiesen werden, dass Nano- und Mikrokapseln zur Funktionalisierung von Lackoberflächen hinsichtlich der Etablierung selbstheilender Fähigkeiten gut geeignet sind.This thesis deals with oil-in-water- and water-in-water-nanocapsules with capsule membranes consisting of polyalkylcyanoacrylates. The polymer membrane between the inner and outer phase is the main issue to set defined application parameters as capsule size, solvent resistance, mechanical stability, membrane permeability, surface functionalization and dispersion stability. To fulfill these requirements, the membrane properties were modified by chemical crosslinking and surface functionalization (click chemistry). Furthermore, it could be successfully shown that the incorporation of nanocapsules and microcapsules into coatings lead to self-healing properties

Spätfolgen des Steinkohlenbergbaus in Südlimburg/Niederlande: Bestandsaufnahme und Prognosen

Das niederländische Wirtschaftsministerium hat 2014 eine umfassende Studie über alle zukünftig noch sicherheitlich relevanten Themenbereiche des Nachbergbaus für das Südlimburger Steinkohlenrevier beauftragt. Der Bergbau wurde hier bis 1974 stillgelegt; der Grubenwasseranstieg ist aber aufgrund der hydraulischen Verbindungen zu dem erst in 1992 stillgelegten Aachener Steinkohlenrevier noch nicht abgeschlossen. Der Auftrag wurde an ein deutsch/niederländisches Projektteam vergeben, das sowohl detaillierte Kenntnisse der regionalen Hydrogeologie besitzt als auch eine Bearbeitung von Fragestellungen im Zusammenhang mit Risiken durch bergbauliche Hinterlassenschaften auf dem aktuellen Stand der Technik und nach neuesten Forschungsergebnissen gewährleisten konnte. Auf der Grundlage einer umfassenden Bestandsaufnahme sowie einem regionalen Grundwassermodell wurden eine Risikobewertung vorgenommen und Konzepte für Maßnahmen und ein Monitoring erarbeitet. Die Studie wurde Ende 2016 veröffentlicht; der vorliegende Beitrag liefert eine Zusammenfassung der Ergebnisse und Empfehlungen.The Ministerie van Economische Zaken (EZ) of the Netherlands in 2014 initiated the project „Na-ijlende gevolgen steenkolenwinning Zuid-Limburg“ and commissioned a comprising study considering all future safety aspects with respect to the potential consequences of the former hard coal exploitation in South Limburg. The coal mines were abandoned until 1974; due to hydraulic connections to the Aachen mining district, that was abandoned in 1992, the rise of the mine water has not finished yet. The study was assigned to a German-Dutch project group with comprising references of the regional Hydrogeology as well as excellent expertise in all questions regarding risks from mining relicts. Based on a comprising inventory and a regional groundwater model a risk assessment was carried out and a concept for measures and monitoring elaborated. The study was published in 2016; the paper in hand provides a summary of the results and recommendations