THE EFFECT OF CLAY AMENDMENT ON SUBSTRATE PROPERTIES AND GROWTH OF WOODY PLANTS

Abstract MEISL, T., DUBSKÝ, M., ŠRÁMEK, F., NEČAS, T.: The eff ect of clay amendment on substrate properties and growth of woody plants. Acta univ. agric. et silvic. Mendel. Brun., 2012, LX, No. 8, pp. 163-170 This work deals with the eff ect of two clay products diff ering in particle size distribution on properties of growing substrate and on growth of containerized woody plants in substrates amended with these clay products. Fine and coarse clay were added to a peat substrate, each at two rates. The peat substrate without clay was used as a control. The substrates were tested in experiments with two woody ornamentals (Thuja occidentalis 'Smaragd' and Prunus cistena). Chemical and physical properties of the substrates were measured according to European Standards before planting. Proportion of water categories diff ering in availability to the plants were calculated from retention curves measured on the sand box. Properties of substrates in containers with and without plants were evaluated in the same way at the end of the culture. Clay addition changed chemical and physical properties of the tested substrates in terms: available nutrients content, particle density, bulk density, total pore volume, easy available water, water buff ering capacity, air capacity, and shrinkage. The eff ect of fi ne clay was much stronger. In comparison with the clear eff ect of clay addition on the substrate chemical and physical properties, the eff ect on the growth and quality of model woody plants was not so explicit

Implications of antimicrobial combinations in complex wound biofilms containing fungi

Diabetic foot ulcer treatment currently focuses on targeting bacterial biofilms, while dismissing fungi. To investigate this we used an in vitro biofilm model containing bacteria and fungi, reflective of the wound environment, to test the impact of antimicrobials. Here we showed that while mono-treatment approaches influenced biofilm composition it had no discernible effect on overall quantity. Only by combining bacterial and fungal specific antibiotics were we able to decrease the biofilm bioburden, irrespective of composition

Cutting forces during turning with variable depth of cut

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the problems with increasing the efficiency of turning cycles. This paper also describes and suggests the possibility of using effective strategies and their application in programming CNC turning centers. It proposes new roughing turning cycles where variable depth of cut is applied. Suggested roughing cycles with the use of variable depth of cut will ensure increasing the durability of the cutting tool and the efficiency during turning. The proposed research for the paper is an experimental work – measuring cutting forces and monitoring of the tool wear on the cutting edge. It compares the turning where standard roughing cycle is used and the turning where the proposed roughing cycle with variable depth of cut is applied

High Temperature Oxidation of Spark Plasma Sintered and Thermally Sprayed FeAl-Based Iron Aluminides

The presented work deals with the oxidation resistance of spark plasma sintered and thermally sprayed FeAl-based intermetallics. Gas-atomized binary single phase Fe-43(at.%)Al and dual phase Fe-55(at.%)Al powders were used for spark plasma sintering and/or thermal spraying. Coatings were deposited by two different plasma spray technologies - gas and water stabilized plasma guns. The prepared samples were exposed to oxidation in artificial air at 700°C. The mass gain was measured during oxidation at 700C up to 1000 h. Microstructures, phase and chemical compositions of the formed scales were characterized after the exposition by means of scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy)