Maize root growth and P uptake dependency on spatial distribution of sewage sludge, sewage sludge ash, and TSP

Shoot P uptake from TSP was largely increased by the localized placement. For the ASH, the localized placement clearly decreased shoot P uptake from the ash. For Sewage Sludge, localized placement decreased P uptake from the soil whereas P uptake from the sludge was almost unaffected. • Overall, total shoot P uptake was significantly affected by the treatment (p<0.005)

Nutritional evaluation of lowering consumption of meat and meat products in the Nordic context

The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) recommended in 2007 that consumer intake of red meat is minimized and processed meat eliminated. The recommendation was based on a systematic review of the available literature on the association between meat consumption and cancer. The recommendation to individuals was to ingest less than 500 grams of red meat per weeks, and very little - if anything - processed meats. In a new study, National Food Institute has assessed the nutritional consequences from living the recommendations of the WCRF, in Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark. The current consumption of meat in the Nordic countries is not far from the level WCRF has proposed on an individual level. The study also shows that it will have no significant nutritional consequences to reduce the intake of meat to the recommended, neither when it comes to red meat nor processed meat

Sentinel surveillance and epidemiology of Clostridioides difficile in Denmark, 2016 to 2019

BACKGROUND: Since 2008, Danish national surveillance of Clostridioides difficile has focused on binary toxin-positive strains in order to monitor epidemic types such as PCR ribotype (RT) 027 and 078. Additional surveillance is needed to provide a more unbiased representation of all strains from the clinical reservoir. AIM: Setting up a new sentinel surveillance scheme for an improved understanding of type distribution relative to time, geography and epidemiology, here presenting data from 2016 to 2019. METHODS: For 2─4 weeks in spring and autumn each year between 2016 and 2019, all 10 Danish Departments of Clinical Microbiology collected faecal samples containing toxigenic C. difficile. Isolates were typed at the national reference laboratory at Statens Serum Institut. The typing method in 2016–17 used tandem-repeat-sequence typing, while the typing method in 2018–19 was whole genome sequencing. RESULTS: During the study period, the sentinel surveillance scheme included ca 14–15% of all Danish cases of C. difficile infections. Binary toxin-negative strains accounted for 75% and 16 of the 20 most prevalent types. The most common sequence types (ST) were ST2/13 (RT014/020) (19.5%), ST1 (RT027) (10.8%), ST11 (RT078) (6.7%), ST8 (RT002) (6.6%) and ST6 (RT005/117) (5.1%). The data also highlighted geographical differences, mostly related to ST1 and temporal decline of ST1 (p = 0.0008) and the increase of ST103 (p = 0.002), ST17 (p = 0.004) and ST37 (p = 0.003), the latter three binary toxin-negative. CONCLUSION: Sentinel surveillance allowed nationwide monitoring of geographical differences and temporal changes in C. difficile infections in Denmark, including emerging types, regardless of binary toxin status

Early maize root and phosphorus uptake responses to localised application of sewage sludge derived fertilisers

Background: Phosphorus recycling from waste and localised placement of fertilisers can be means to improve sustainable P management in agriculture. However, knowledge about root and plant P uptake responses to placement of complex waste- derived fertilisers is lacking. Methods: Sewage sludge (SS) and sewage sludge ash (ASH) were tested against triple superphosphate (TSP) in a rhizobox setup where shoot and root growth of maize was followed for 30 days. The three P sources were either mixed homogenously into the soil (labelled with 33P) or localised in a patch close to the seed. Results: While localised TSP and SS both increased root length density around the fertiliser patch, it was at the expense of the remaining root system and soil P uptake for SS. Hence, total P uptake was slightly lower and dry matter yields similar to mixed SS. Thus, only TSP enhanced dry matter yield and fertiliser P uptake compared to the mixed source. No root response was found for localised ASH, and mixed ASH more than doubled dry matter yield and P uptake in comparison. Conclusions: Localised placement of fertilisers can be expected to be beneficial for young maize plants only for fertiliser types that can supply sufficient amounts of readily available P

Opportunity costs for maize associated with localised application of sewage sludge derived fertilisers, as indicated by early root and phosphorus uptake responses

Background: Phosphorus recycling from waste and localised placement of fertilisers can be means to improve sustainable P management in agriculture. However, knowledge about root and plant P uptake responses to placement of complex waste- derived fertilisers is lacking. Methods: Sewage sludge (SS) and sewage sludge ash (ASH) were tested against triple superphosphate (TSP) in a rhizobox setup where shoot and root growth of maize was followed for 30 days. The three P sources were either mixed homogenously into the soil (labelled with 33P) or localised in a patch close to the seed. Results: While localised TSP and SS both increased root length density around the fertiliser patch, it was at the expense of the remaining root system and soil P uptake for SS. Hence, total P uptake was slightly lower and dry matter yields similar to mixed SS. Thus, only TSP enhanced dry matter yield and fertiliser P uptake compared to the mixed source. No root response was found for localised ASH, and mixed ASH more than doubled dry matter yield and P uptake in comparison. Conclusions: Localised placement of fertilisers can be expected to be beneficial for young maize plants only for fertiliser types that can supply sufficient amounts of readily available P