A slow-release urea fertilizer encapsulated by a superabsorbent made from diatomite filter aid waste.
Built / tested: fertilizer coatings
As reported in: Dong, Qu, Jiang et al. (2023). Preparation and properties of multifunctional eco-friendly slow-release urea fertilizer encapsulated by diatomite filter aid waste-based superabsorbent. Progress in Organic Coatings. doi:10.1016/j.porgcoat.2023.107747
Abstract only
Paul and colleagues grew the cress-like plant Arabidopsis in soil from Apollo 11, 12 and 17. The plants germinated and grew, but slowly, and many showed severe stress, with gene activity resembling responses to salt, metals and reactive oxygen.
As reported in: Paul, Elardo, Ferl (2022). Plants grown in Apollo lunar regolith present stress-associated transcriptomes that inform prospects for lunar exploration. Communications Biology. doi:10.1038/s42003-022-03334-8
A meta-analysis of 40 studies by McClelland and colleagues found cover crops raised temperate soil carbon stocks by 12% on average (1.11 Mg C/ha).
As reported in: McClelland, Paustian, Schipanski (2021). Management of cover crops in temperate climates influences soil organic carbon stocks: a meta‐analysis. Ecological Applications. doi:10.1002/eap.2278
Abstract only
Beerling and colleagues assessed the potential and costs of large-scale CO2 removal by spreading crushed rock on croplands, by nation, for 2050.
As reported in: Beerling, Kantzas, Lomas et al. (2020). Potential for large-scale CO2 removal via enhanced rock weathering with croplands. Nature. doi:10.1038/s41586-020-2448-9
LaCanne and Lundgren compared regenerative and conventional corn farms, finding regenerative fields had 29% lower grain production but 78% higher profits.
As reported in: LaCanne, Lundgren (2018). Regenerative agriculture: merging farming and natural resource conservation profitably. PeerJ. doi:10.7717/peerj.4428
Velasco Ayuso and colleagues developed a greenhouse nursery process to grow multispecies biological soil crusts from local remnants for restoring degraded dryland soils in the U.S. Southwest.
As reported in: Velasco Ayuso, Giraldo Silva, Nelson et al. (2017). Microbial Nursery Production of High-Quality Biological Soil Crust Biomass for Restoration of Degraded Dryland Soils. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. doi:10.1128/aem.02179-16
Fu and colleagues reviewed decades of terracing, revegetation and check dams on China's Loess Plateau, calling it China's most successful ecological restoration zone, while noting reduced runoff and sediment downstream.
As reported in: Fu, Wang, Liu et al. (2017). Hydrogeomorphic Ecosystem Responses to Natural and Anthropogenic Changes in the Loess Plateau of China. Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences. doi:10.1146/annurev-earth-063016-020552
Wang, Fu, Piao and colleagues attributed the roughly 90% decline in Yellow River sediment load over 60 years to changes on the Loess Plateau, largely human activities.
As reported in: Wang, Fu, Piao et al. (2015). Reduced sediment transport in the Yellow River due to anthropogenic changes. Nature Geoscience. doi:10.1038/ngeo2602
Wamelink and colleagues grew plants including tomato, rye, wheat and cress on Mars and Moon soil simulants for 50 days without added nutrients; growth on the Mars simulant was much better than on the Moon simulant.
As reported in: Wamelink, Frissel, Krijnen et al. (2014). Can Plants Grow on Mars and the Moon: A Growth Experiment on Mars and Moon Soil Simulants. PLoS ONE. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0103138
A synthesis of biochar's agronomic impact beyond carbon sequestration.
As reported in: Spokas, Cantrell, Novak et al. (2012). Biochar: A Synthesis of Its Agronomic Impact beyond Carbon Sequestration. Journal of Environmental Quality. doi:10.2134/jeq2011.0069
Abstract only
Assessed the agronomic value of greenwaste biochar as a soil amendment.
Built / tested: soil amendments
As reported in: Chan, Van Zwieten, Meszaros et al. (2007). Agronomic values of greenwaste biochar as a soil amendment. Soil Research. doi:10.1071/sr07109
Abstract only
Bartels and Salamini reviewed how the resurrection plant Craterostigma plantagineum survives drying out.
As reported in: Bartels, Salamini (2001). Desiccation Tolerance in the Resurrection PlantCraterostigma plantagineum. A Contribution to the Study of Drought Tolerance at the Molecular Level. Plant Physiology. doi:10.1104/pp.010765