Heavy Metals Accumulation in Topsoils from the Wine-growing Regions Part 1. Factors which Control Retention

The problem of exposure of agricultural soils to different anthropogenic inputs of heavy metals has been investigated in soils from two wine-producing subregions in northwestern Croatia. The aim of this study was to explore :(i) the main soil properties and topsoil accumulation of heavy metals in vineyards under long-term cultivation, and (ii) the origin and the preferential feature of metal retention in vineyard topsoil using the multivariate statistical method. The investigated area was marked on regular square grid with 1-km spacing. Topsoil samples (0-10 cm) were collected from each sampling point and analyzed for soil chemical properties, particle size distribution and heavy metal concentrations after aqua region digestion. All soil data were incorporate into the GIS base. Summary statistics of the data set were first calculated to evaluate the distributions, and afterward processed by means of R-mode factor analysis, applying the varimax-raw rotational technique. Anthropogenic input of metals in soils of the studied wine-growing regions mostly originates from agrochemicals, since the direct influence of the urban environment or industry is almost negligible. Accumulation of copper and zinc in topsoil, determined in this research, is the most common effect of continuing fertilization and protection against diseases and pests in vineyards

Comparison of Transpiration Models in Tomato Soilless Culture

A two-year greenhouse study was performed to determine the possibility of estimating the transpiration rate in hydroponically grown tomato on the basis of climate parameters. Transpiration rate, determined by the water balance method on different substrates, was compared to the transpiration rate calculated using the Penman Monteith equation. Regression analysis of the comparison of two different approaches to water consumption determination confirmed that the transpiration rate of greenhouse grown tomato for the studied area can be estimated with high accuracy (R2 > 0.95)

Surface and Ground Water Regime in Biđ-field Soils

The aim of this work was to determine, through several-years stationary investigations, the water regime of soils in the Biđ-field district. Investigations were carried out during a three-year period (2001-2003) on 8,700 ha of agricultural areas. Detailed hydropedological investigations were done in 2000 and a soil map of the district (scale 1:10,000) was produced. Five pedosystematic units were detected: semigley, pseudogleyed, eugley hypogley, eugley amphigley, humogley, and drained soils. Based on three-year continuing monitoring of surface and ground waters the following main types of moistening of the soils were identifi ed: eugley-pseudogley, hypogley, amphigley and drained. Stochastic relation between the Sava and Biđ water levels and groundwater in the agrological profile of studied soils was determined by crosscorrelation with one decade shift s (c = 1). It was found that the ground waters in the profi les of studied soils communicate more intensively with the River Biđ water (r = 0.65-0.69) compared to the River Sava water (r = 0.23-0.69). This especially applies to ground water of hypogley soils, which cover 57% of the studied area. Marked vertical communication of ground water in the deep aquifer with water of the shallow soil aquifer was detected, indicating that the surface layer, mainly made up of silty clayey loams, is not impervious