Pollution of Llukac River from Sweage and Atmospheric Water and its Floss into the Ereniku River

The town of Gjakova is situated between the river Ereniku, Krena, and Llukac which is situated in the west region of Kosovo, meters in the central part of Dukagjini valley in an attitude of meters above the sea level. The pollution of the rivers by sewage and atmospheric waters as in the case in the Llukac and without proper maintenance brings to the thoughts about the future of the river because the quality is very valuable and we have it in limited qualities. The evaluation of the quality traditionally was based on the measurement of the concentration of organic and inorganic ingredients. The study of the project was done during 2011 and it was monitored its condition during 12 months. The outcome of the results conducted at physical-chemical labs as well as bacteriologic lab gives a general evaluation of the quality of the water at Llukac river which flows into Ereniku river. Based on analyses results, pollution shows that the pollution of Llukac river as results of urban sewage and quantity of flowing pollutants.Keywords: atmospheric, water, analyzes, quality, Llukac

Albanian Journal of Agricultural Science

Field experiments were carried out in Southern Italy (Apulia Region) to evaluate the effect of biochar amendment on nitrogen (N) potential losses from the soil. Three vegetable crops were grown in close succession on a clay loam soil: chicory (Chicorium intybus, L.), processing tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum, L.) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa, L.). N fertilization was performed according to the local standard practices. Biochar obtained from wood chips was mixed within the upper 0.20 m soil layer. Seven treatments were compared: B0, no biochar addition (control); B10, and B20, a single and a double biochar dose (10 and 20 t ha-1, respectively), both applied only once; B10+ and B20+, similar to the previous treatments but with biochar applied twice; B0-N1/2 and B20-N1/2, like B0, and B20, respectively, but providing half of the N supply. The apparent soil N balance was estimated considering the topsoil (0.20 m). N balance was affected by N fertilization and biochar application. When N fertilization rate was halved (N1/2), the apparent deficit was significantly reduced, particularly in tomato (119 kg ha-1 of N), but also in chicory and lettuce crops (55 and 64 kg ha-1 of N, respectively). Similarly, biochar application (both B10 and B20) significantly reduced apparent deficit in the three crops, as compared to B0. Considering the highest biochar rate (B20), again a higher effect was detected in tomato (84 kg ha-1 of N), than in chicory and lettuce crops (39 and 41 kg ha-1 of N, respectively). The experimental outcomes showed that biochar application to cultivated soils could be an effective option in mitigating N losses, particularly in highly risky conditions of unbalanced N supply

Simple device, experimental approach and data analysis for evaluating hydration kinetic and water retention of soils

International audienc

Effect of organic amendments on nitrate leaching mitigation in a sandy loam soil of Shkodra district, Albania

European lacustrine systems are frequently exposed to nitrate (NO3–) pollution causing eutrophication processes. An example of these lakes is Shkodra Lake, a large, shallow lake shared by Albania and Montenegro, in the Balkans Peninsula. Shkodra Lake is a natural sink that collects NO3– from agricultural activities, widely diffused in the surrounding area. The additions of wheat straw and biochar have been suggested to increase soil NO3– retention of agricultural lands. To better understand the role of these two organic soil amendments in mitigating NO3– leaching from arable lands, a pot experiment using a representative sandy loam soil of the Skodra Lake basin was performed. More specifically, a greenhouse experiment with Lolium multiflorum L. and Zea mays L., was carried out for three months, to evaluate the concentrations of NO3–-N in leachate and the cumulative leaching losses of NO3–-N, after wheat straw (10 Mg ha–1) and biochar (10 Mg ha–1) soil addition, under the same rate of NPK fertiliser (300 kg ha–1). The effect of the two organic amendments on nitrate retention, was evaluated according to two methods: i) Soil NO3–-N leaching with distilled water; and ii) Soil NO3–-N extraction with 2M KCl. The leached NO3–-N and the Potentially Leachable NO3–-N (2M KCl extraction) were respectively determined. N uptake by plants, as well as the Nitrogen Use Efficiency were also calculated. A retention effect on nitrate was found in Lolium multiflorum L. and wheat straw treatments compared to control, by reducing leached NO3–-N almost to 35%. In SBFL (soil+biochar+fertiliser+Lolium) treatment, biochar effectively reduced the total amount of nitrate in leachate of 27% and 26% compared to SFL (soil+fertiliser+Lolium) and SSFL (soil+straw+fertiliser+Lolium) treatments, respectively. The potentially leachable NO3–-N was two to four times higher than the leached NO3–-N. The amount of potentially leachable NO3–-N per hectare ranged from 220 in SL (soil+Lolium) treatment, to 500 kg ha–1 in SFL. N plant uptake values ranged from 18.16 mg kg–1 in the non- fertilised treatment to 58.06 mg kg–1 soil in SSFM (soil+straw+fertiliser+maize) treatment. The NUE showed a similar trend (from 0 in the non-fertilised treatment to 47.9 % in SSFM). Results indicated a mitigating action of biochar on leaching of NO3–-N (leached up to 100 kg ha–1), despite the retention effect of the two different amendments applied

Improving the Agronomy of <i>Alyssum murale</i> for Extensive Phytomining: A Five-Year Field Study

<div><p>Large ultramafic areas exist in Albania, which could be suitable for phytomining with native <i>Alyssum murale</i>. We undertook a five-year field experiment on an ultramafic Vertisol, aimed at optimizing a low-cost Ni-phytoextraction crop of <i>A. murale</i> which is adapted to the Balkans. The following aspects were studied on 18-m² plots in natural conditions: the effect of (i) plant phenology and element distribution, (ii) plant nutrition and fertilization, (iii) plant cover and weed control and (iv), planting technique (natural cover vs. sown crop). The optimal harvest time was set at the mid-flowering stage when Ni concentration and biomass yield were highest. The application of N, P, and K fertilizers, and especially a split 100-kg ha⁻¹ N application, increased the density of <i>A. murale</i> against all other species. It significantly increased shoot yield, without reducing Ni concentration. In natural stands, the control of graminaceous weeds required the use of an anti-monocots herbicide. However, after the optimization of fertilization and harvest time, weed control procured little benefit. Finally, cropping sown <i>A. murale</i> was more efficient than enhancing native stands and gave higher biomass and phytoextraction yields; biomass yields progressively improved from 0.3 to 9.0 t ha⁻¹ and phytoextracted Ni increased from 1.7 to 105 kg ha⁻¹.</p></div

Effect of organic amendments on nitrate leaching mitigation in a sandy loam soil of Shkodra district, Albania

European lacustrine systems are frequently exposed to nitrate (NO3–) pollution causing eutrophication processes. An example of these lakes is Shkodra Lake, a large, shallow lake shared by Albania and Montenegro, in the Balkans Peninsula. Shkodra Lake is a natural sink that collects NO3– from agricultural activities, widely diffused in the surrounding area. The additions of wheat straw and biochar have been suggested to increase soil NO3– retention of agricultural lands. To better understand the role of these two organic soil amendments in mitigating NO3– leaching from arable lands, a pot experiment using a representative sandy loam soil of the Skodra Lake basin was performed. More specifically, a greenhouse experiment with Lolium multiflorum L. and Zea mays L., was carried out for three months, to evaluate the concentrations of NO3–-N in leachate and the cumulative leaching losses of NO3– -N, after wheat straw (10 Mg ha–1) and biochar (10 Mg ha–1) soil addition, under the same rate of NPK fertiliser (300 kg ha–1). The effect of the two organic amendments on nitrate retention, was evaluated according to two methods: i) Soil NO3 –-N leaching with distilled water; and ii) Soil NO3–-N extraction with 2M KCl. The leached NO3–-N and the «Potentially Leachable» NO3–-N (2M KCl extraction) were respectively determined. N uptake by plants, as well as the Nitrogen Use Efficiency were also calculated. A retention effect on nitrate was found in Lolium multiflorum L. and wheat straw treatments compared to control, by reducing leached NO3–-N almost to 35%. In SBFL (soil+biochar+fertiliser+Lolium) treatment, biochar effectively reduced the total amount of nitrate in leachate of 27% and 26% compared to SFL (soil+fertiliser+Lolium) and SSFL (soil+straw+fertiliser+Lolium) treatments, respectively. The potentially leachable NO3–-N was two to four times higher than the leached NO3–-N. The amount of potentially leachable NO3–-N per hectare ranged from 220 in SL (soil+Lolium) treatment, to 500 kg ha–1 in SFL. N plant uptake values ranged from 18.16 mg kg–1 in the non- fertilised treatment to 58.06 mg kg–1 soil in SSFM (soil+straw+fertiliser+maize) treatment. The NUE showed a similar trend (from 0 in the non-fertilised treatment to 47.9 % in SSFM). Results indicated a mitigating action of biochar on leaching of NO3–-N (leached up to 100 kg ha–1), despite the retention effect of the two different amendments applied