Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a greenhouse gas that is also capable of destroying the ozone layer. Agricultural soil is the largest source of N2O. Soybean is a globally important leguminous crop, and hosts symbiotic nitrogen-fixing soil bacteria (rhizobia) that can also produce N2O. In agricultural soil, N2O is emitted from fertilizer and soil nitrogen. In soybean ecosystems, N2O is also emitted from the degradation of the root nodules. Organic nitrogen inside the nodules is mineralized to NH4+, followed by nitrification and denitrification that produce N2O.

Flooded rice fields are an important source of the greenhouse gas CH4. Possible carbon sources for CH4 and CO2 production in rice fields are soil organic matter (SOM), root organic carbon (ROC) and rice straw (RS), but partitioning of the flux between the different carbon sources is difficult. We conducted greenhouse experiments using soil microcosms planted with rice.

Traditional agro-systems in arid areas are a bulwark for preserving soil stability and fertility, in the sight of “reverse desertification”. Nevertheless, the impact of desert farming practices on the diversity and abundance of the plant associated microbiome is poorly characterized, including its functional role in supporting plant development under drought stress. We assessed the structure of the microbiome associated to the drought-sensitive pepper plant (Capsicum annuum L.) cultivated in a traditional Egyptian farm, focusing on microbe contribution to a crucial ecosystem service, i.e.

The present study on the plant nematodes associated with Bt cotton crop growth in northern Karnataka, India covered several aspects like a nematode random survey in Bt cotton-growing areas of the state, nematode community analysis, pathogenicity and biology of a dominant nematode and reaction of Bt cotton cultivars and hybrids to that nematode. A random survey undertaken in the Bt cotton-growing districts of northern Karnataka for the associated nematodes in

Phytolith occluded carbon (PhytOC) which is stable in the soil environment is considered to be an important
fraction of soil organic carbon and substantially contributes to the terrestrial carbon sequestration for long periods (millennia). Phytoliths are silica bodies produced by plants as a result of biomineralization process. During this process, occlusion of carbon also takes place within the phytoliths. Some of the major agricultural crops like barley, maize, rice, sorghum, sugarcane and wheat are known to be prolific producers of phytolith and PhytOC. In India, an estimate

Arid and semi-arid ecosystems cover ~40% of Earth’s terrestrial surface, but we know little about how climate change will affect these widespread landscapes. Like many drylands, the Colorado Plateau in southwestern United States is predicted to experience elevated temperatures and alterations to the timing and amount of annual precipitation. We used a factorial warming and supplemental rainfall experiment on the Colorado Plateau to show that altered precipitation resulted in pronounced mortality of the widespread moss Syntrichia caninervis.

Grasslands are structured by climate and soils and are increasingly affected by anthropogenic changes, including rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations. CO2 enrichment can alter grassland ecosystem function both directly and through indirect, soil-specific effects on moisture, nitrogen availability and plant species composition, potentially leading to threshold change in ecosystem properties. Here we show that the increase in aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) with CO2 enrichment depends strongly on soil type.

A numerical model of salt marsh evolution shows that competition between mineral sediment deposition and organic matter accumulation determines the net impact of climate change on carbon accumulation in intertidal wetlands.

Temperate climatic condition of Kashmir is well suited for bivoltine sericulture. The sericulture in Kashmir valley sustains on tree type of mulberry. These plants are available on roadside, river bund and the borders of agricultural fields as they can grow under
diverse climatic conditions. The present trend is towards establishing intensive tree type of mulberry plantations, which will serve as a source of leaf for the rearers and will have positive effect on the environment.