Displaying publications 801 - 820 of 1099 in total

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  1. Health risks assessment diagnosis of toxic chemicals (heavy metals) via food crops consumption irrigated with wastewater
    Khan MA, Mehmood S, Ullah F, Khattak A, Zeb MA
    Sains Malaysiana, 2017;46:917-924.
    The present study investigated the concentration of metals in commonly grown vegetables (Luffa acutangula L., Zea mays L., Solanum melongena L.) irrigated with waste water in District Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The pH (5.80) and electrical conductivity (13 dS/m) of waste water indicated the acidic nature that is not suitable for irrigation purposes. Soil and vegetables samples were analyzed for metals concentration through flame atomic absorption spectrometry (Varian FAAS-240). The findings showed that waste water irrigated soil was highly contaminated with Cd (4.62 mg/kg) which was above permissible limits set by European Union Standard (EU 2006, 2002). The concentrations of heavy metals such as Cr and Cd in vegetables were higher than the permissible limits set by World Health Organization/Food and Agriculture Organization U.S.A guidelines 2001. The health hazard quotient (HQ) of waste water irrigated vegetables was observed higher for Ni (0.699-0.1029 mg/kg), (0.0456-0.1040 mg/kg), (0.731-0.0994 mg/kg) in Luffa acutangula, Solanum melongena and Zea mays, respectively. The study concluded that the consumption of commonly grown vegetables in waste water zone of the study area may pose potential health threats in local population.
    Matched MeSH terms: Soil
  2. Field evaluation of newly-developed controlled release fertilizer on rice production and nitrogen uptake
    Mohammad Mu'az Hashim, Mohd Khanif Yusop, Radziah Othman, Samsuri Abd. Wahid
    Sains Malaysiana, 2017;46:925-932.
    Implementation of sound fertilizer management in rice cultivation is essential in optimizing productivity and profitability. The use of controlled release fertilizer (CRF) to improve crop production in various cropping systems has been widely explored, with new approaches and materials continually being studied to produce new CRF. A field study was carried out to determine the efficiency of local CRFs on rice production and N uptake using MR220 CL1 rice variety. Ten different types of CRFs consisting of two groups namely biochar impregnated urea (BIU 300-5, BIU 300-10, BIU 700-5 and BIU 700-10) and palm stearin (PS) coated urea with nitrification inhibitors (PS, PS+DMPP-100, PS+DMPP-50, PS+DMPP-150, PS+Cu and PS+Zn) were used as treatments. Plant height, SPAD reading, 1000-grain weight and harvest index (HI) showed significant improvement in rice treated with both biochar impregnated and palm stearin coated urea. With respect to grain yield, BIU 300-10, BIU 700-5, BIU 700-10, PS+DMPP-100, PS+DMPP-50, PS+DMPP-150 and PS+Cu treatments significantly increased rice yield. The CRFs mostly showed significantly higher N uptake in rice, especially in rice grains, however, there was no significant difference among treatments in soil residual ammonium (NH4+-N). The newly-developed CRFs showed huge potential as an alternative for common urea, especially BIU 700-5, BIU 700-10, PS+DMPP-100 and PS+DMPP-50, in increasing rice grain yield. With proper approaches, these CRFs can contribute in improving rice production to provide sufficient food for ever increasing population.
    Matched MeSH terms: Soil
  3. Nitric oxide increases Pb tolerance by lowering Pb uptake and translocation as well as phytohormonal changes in Cowpea (Vigna Unguiculata (L.) Walp.)
    Sadeghipour O
    Sains Malaysiana, 2017;46:189-195.
    Lead (Pb) is one of the most abundant toxic heavy metals which adversely affected growth and yield of crop plants. Nitric oxide (NO), an endogenous signaling molecule, has been suggested to be involved in defense responses to biotic and abiotic stresses in plants. The present study was done to induce Pb tolerance in cowpea plants by exogenous NO application using two levels of Pb, 0 and 200 mg Pb (NO3)2 kg-1 soil and three NO levels, 0, 0.5 and 1 mM sodium nitroprusside (SNP), as NO donor. The results showed that Pb treatment caused a significant increase in Pb concentration in all plant parts. Roots had higher levels of Pb than the stems, leaves and seeds. Furthermore, lead toxicity reduced auxin (IAA), cytokinin and gibberellic acid (GA3) content but increased abscisic acid (ABA) level. Moreover Pb stress decreased stomatal conductance, leaf area and consequently seed yield of cowpea. Exogenous application of NO at 0.5 mM noticeably alleviated the lead toxicity by improving the leaf area, stomatal conductance and seed yield. NO increased Pb tolerance by lowering Pb uptake and translocation, enhancing the promoting phytohormone (IAA, cytokinin and GA3) level and reducing ABA content.
    Matched MeSH terms: Soil
  4. Phytoaccumulation of heavy metals and protein expression by different vegetables collected from various parts of Khyber Pukhtunkhawa Province, Pakistan
    Jehan Bakht, Laleena Khan, Mohammad Shafi
    Sains Malaysiana, 2016;45:167-176.
    The present study investigates heavy metal uptake and protein expression by different vegetables collected from various districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhawa province of Pakistan. Statistical analysis of the data showed that maximum concentration of Cd, Cr, Ni, Zn were found in radish and spinach, respectively, collected from Peshawar. Maximum Pb and Mg accumulation were found in cauliflower and pea at Swat followed by coriander at Haripur and minimum Pb uptake was noticed in radish taken from Nowshehra. Highest Cu uptake was detected in spinach at Nowshehra. Data regarding Cd, Cr, Pb, Cu, Ni, Mg and Zn concentration in water samples gathered from different sites of KPK indicated that maximum concentration of Cd was observed in Swat. Maximum Cr and Cu concentration were measured in water samples from Peshawar while maximum concentration of Pb and Ni were detected in water samples from Haripur. In case of soil samples, maximum Cd, Cr, Mg and Zn uptake was observed in soil sample at Nowshehra. Maximum Pb and Ni concentration was found in soil samples collected from Peshawar. Cu concentration was observed to be the highest in soil at Swat. Protein profile of different vegetables i.e. cauliflower, radish, carrot, turnip, pea, spinach, coriander and garlic sampled across five different sites showed that uptake of Cd, Cr, Pb, Cu, Ni, Mg and Zn by these vegetables caused the expression of numerous polypeptides.
    Matched MeSH terms: Soil
  5. Captan utilization by a soil bacterium planomicrobium flavidum strain EF
    Eman Mohamed, Fatma Ahmad Mostafa
    Sains Malaysiana, 2018;47:85-89.
    The fungicide captan, which is commonly used to control fungal diseases in many plants, causes soil infertility and cancer to human beings. Hence, this fungicide was tested for utilization as a sole carbon source by a newly soil isolate, Planomicrobium flavidum strain EF. This bacterium resists captan up to 2000 ppm and showed higher growth patterns in minimum salt medium supplemented with captan only, if compared with minimum salt medium without captan. Moreover, almost 77.5% of captan has been utilized by Planomicrobiu flavidum after only 2 h of growth under shaking conditions and only 0.8% of the fungicide was remained after 24 h of bacterial growth. Captan residues in both soil samples and minimal salt medium were accurately estimated using GC-ECD (gas chromatography - electron detector) and GC-MS/MS (gas chromatography - mass spectrum) technologies. According to current results, Planomicrobium flavidum strain EF is highly recommended for captan and may be other fungicides bioremediation.
    Matched MeSH terms: Soil
  6. Nitrate sources and processes in the surface water of a tropical reservoir by stable isotopes and mixing model
    Fadhullah W, Yaccob NS, Syakir MI, Muhammad SA, Yue FJ, Li SL
    Sci Total Environ, 2020 Jan 15;700:134517.
    PMID: 31629263 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134517
    Nitrate is one of the primary nutrients associated with sedimentation and fuels eutrophication in reservoir systems. In this study, water samples from Bukit Merah Reservoir (BMR) were analysed using a combination of water chemistry, water stable isotopes (δ2H-H2O and δ18O-H2O) and nitrate stable isotopes (δ15N-NO3- and δ18O-NO3-). The objective was to evaluate nitrate sources and processes in BMR, the oldest man-made reservoir in Malaysia. The δ15N-NO3- values in the river and reservoir water samples were in the range +0.4 to +14.9‰ while the values of δ18O-NO3- were between -0.01 and +39.4‰, respectively. The dual plots of δ15N-NO3- and δ18O-NO3- reflected mixing sources from atmospheric deposition (AD) input, ammonium in fertilizer/rain, soil nitrogen, and manure and sewage (MS) as the sources of nitrate in the surface water of BMR. Nitrate stable isotopes suggested that BMR undergoes processes such as nitrification and mixing. Denitrification and assimilation were not prevalent in the system. The Bayesian mixing model highlighted the dominance of MS sources in the system while AD contributed more proportion in the reservoir during both seasons than in the river. The use of δ13C, δ15N, and C:N ratios enabled the identification of terrestrial sources of the organic matter in the sediment, enhancing the understanding of sedimentation associated with nutrients previously reported in BMR. Overall, the nitrate sources and processes should be considered in decision-making in the management of the reservoir for irrigation, Arowana fish culture and domestic water supply.
    Matched MeSH terms: Soil
  7. Fulltext Correlation between Soil-Transmitted Helminths Infection and Serum Iron Level among Primary School Children in Medan
    Arrasyid NK, Sinambela MN, Tala ZZ, Darlan DM, Warli SM
    Open Access Maced J Med Sci, 2017 Apr 15;5(2):117-120.
    PMID: 28507613 DOI: 10.3889/oamjms.2017.016
    BACKGROUND: The latest estimates indicate that more than 2 billion people worldwide are infected by Soil-Transmitted Helminths (STH). The burden of STH infection is mainly attributed to the chronic effect on health and quality of life of those infected. It is also contributed to micronutrient deficiencies such as iron-deficiency anaemia. The prevalence of worm infection in Public Primary School students in Medan was quite high (40.3%), and 33.3% was anaemic in the latest study.

    AIM: To determine the correlation between STH infection with serum iron (SI) level on primary school children, as well as to determine the prevalence of SI level and worm infection, and the type of worm that infects the most of them.

    METHODS: This study was conducted in the cross-sectional method. Consecutive sampling technique was used and a total of 132 students age 8-12 years old were included. The study took places in Public Primary School 060925 Amplas, Medan and 101747 Hamparan Perak, Deli Serdang throughout May-October 2016. Fisher Exact test was used to analyse the correlation between STH infection and SI level.

    RESULTS: The prevalence of STH infection was 7.6%, and low SI was 11.4%.

    CONCLUSION: There was no significant correlation between STH infection and SI level (P = 0.317). The prevalence of low SI level was not significantly dependent on STH infection (RP = 1.877, 95% CI = 0.481-7.181).

    Matched MeSH terms: Soil
  8. Endophytic strains of Trichoderma increase plants' photosynthetic capability
    Harman GE, Doni F, Khadka RB, Uphoff N
    J Appl Microbiol, 2021 Feb;130(2):529-546.
    PMID: 31271695 DOI: 10.1111/jam.14368
    The world faces two enormous challenges that can be met, at least in part and at low cost, by making certain changes in agricultural practices. There is need to produce enough food and fibre for a growing population in the face of adverse climatic trends, and to remove greenhouse gases to avert the worst consequences of global climate change. Improving photosynthetic efficiency of crop plants can help meet both challenges. Fortuitously, when crop plants' roots are colonized by certain root endophytic fungi in the genus Trichoderma, this induces up-regulation of genes and pigments that improve the plants' photosynthesis. Plants under physiological or environmental stress suffer losses in their photosynthetic capability through damage to photosystems and other cellular processes caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS). But certain Trichoderma strains activate biochemical pathways that reduce ROS to less harmful molecules. This and other mechanisms described here make plants more resistant to biotic and abiotic stresses. The net effect of these fungi's residence in plants is to induce greater shoot and root growth, increasing crop yields, which will raise future food production. Furthermore, if photosynthesis rates are increased, more CO2 will be extracted from the atmosphere, and enhanced plant root growth means that more sequestered C will be transferred to roots and stored in the soil. Reductions in global greenhouse gas levels can be accelerated by giving incentives for climate-friendly carbon farming and carbon cap-and-trade programmes that reward practices transferring carbon from the atmosphere into the soil, also enhancing soil fertility and agricultural production.
    Matched MeSH terms: Soil
  9. Phytoassessment of Vetiver grass enhanced with EDTA soil amendment grown in single and mixed heavy metal-contaminted soil
    Ng CC, Boyce AN, Abas MR, Mahmood NZ, Han F
    Environ Monit Assess, 2019 Jun 14;191(7):434.
    PMID: 31201562 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-019-7573-2
    Over the years, ethylene-diamine-tetra-acetate (EDTA) has been widely used for many purposes. However, there are inadequate phytoassessment studies conducted using EDTA in Vetiver grass. Hence, this study evaluates the phytoassessment (growth performance, accumulation trends, and proficiency of metal uptake) of Vetiver grass, Vetiveria zizanioides (Linn.) Nash in both single and mixed heavy metal (Cd, Pb, Cu, and Zn)-disodium EDTA-enhanced contaminated soil. The plant growth, metal accumulation, and overall efficiency of metal uptake by different plant parts (lower root, upper root, lower tiller, and upper tiller) were thoroughly examined. The relative growth performance, metal tolerance, and phytoassessment of heavy metal in roots and tillers of Vetiver grass were examined. Metals in plants were measured using the flame atomic absorption spectrometry (F-AAS) after acid digestion. The root-tiller (R/T) ratio, biological concentration factor (BCF), biological accumulation coefficient (BAC), tolerance index (TI), translocation factor (TF), and metal uptake efficacy were used to estimate the potential of metal accumulation and translocation in Vetiver grass. All accumulation of heavy metals were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in both lower and upper roots and tillers of Vetiver grass for Cd + Pb + Cu + Zn + EDTA treatments as compared with the control. The single Zn + EDTA treatment accumulated the highest overall total amount of Zn (8068 ± 407 mg/kg) while the highest accumulation for Cu (1977 ± 293 mg/kg) and Pb (1096 ± 75 mg/kg) were recorded in the mixed Cd + Pb + Cu + Zn + EDTA treatment, respectively. Generally, the overall heavy metal accumulation trends of Vetiver grass were in the order of Zn > Cu > Pb > Cd for all treatments. Furthermore, both upper roots and tillers of Vetiver grass recorded high tendency of accumulation for appreciably greater amounts of all heavy metals, regardless of single and/or mixed metal treatments. Thus, Vetiver grass can be recommended as a potential phytoextractor for all types of heavy metals, whereby its tillers will act as the sink for heavy metal accumulation in the presence of EDTA for all treatments.
    Matched MeSH terms: Soil
  10. Seasonal fluxes and sources apportionment of dissolved inorganic nitrogen wet deposition at different land-use sites in the Three Gorges reservoir area
    Cui J, Zhang Y, Yang F, Chang Y, Du K, Chan A, et al.
    Ecotoxicol Environ Saf, 2020 Apr 15;193:110344.
    PMID: 32092583 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2020.110344
    To identify seasonal fluxes and sources of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) wet deposition, concentrations and δ15N signatures of nitrate (NO3-) and ammonium (NH4+) in wet precipitation were measured at four typical land-use types in the Three Gorges reservoir (TGR) area of southwest China for a one-year period. Higher DIN fluxes were recorded in spring and summer and their total fluxes (averaged 7.58 kg N ha-1) were similar to the critical loads in aquatic ecosystems. Significant differences of precipitation δ15N were observed for NH4+-N between town and wetland sites in spring and between urban and rural sites in summer. For NO3--N, significant differences of precipitation δ15N were observed between town and rural sites in spring and between urban and town sites in autumn, respectively. Quantitative results of NO3--N sources showed that both biomass burning and coal combustion had higher fluxes at the urban site especially in winter (0.18 ± 0.09 and 0.19 ± 0.08 kg N ha-1), which were about three times higher than those at the town site. A similar finding was observed for soil emission and vehicle exhausts in winter. On the whole, DIN wet deposition averaged at 12.13 kg N ha-1 yr-1 with the urban site as the hotspot (17.50 kg N ha-1 yr-1) and regional NO3--N fluxes had a seasonal pattern with minimum values in winter. The contribution to NO3--N wet deposition from biomass burning was 26.1 ± 14.1%, which is the second dominant factor lower than coal combustion (26.5 ± 12.6%) in the TGR area during spring and summer. Hence N emission reduction from biomass burning, coal combustion and vehicle exhausts should be strengthened especially in spring and summer to effectively manage DIN pollution for the sustainable development in TGR area.
    Matched MeSH terms: Soil
  11. Fulltext Effects of saline irrigation water on morphological characteristics of banana (Musa spp.)
    Al Harthy, K. M., Siti Aishah, H., Yahya, A., Roslan, I., Al Yahyai, R.
    International Food Research Journal, 2018;25(102):195-200.
    MyJurnal
    Banana is one of the most important food crops after rice, wheat and corn around the world. It is susceptible to a wide spectrum of non-infectious problems such as abiotic stresses resulting in restricting growth and production. Studies were conducted to determine the effects of four salinity levels (0.17 (control), 3.0, 6.0, and 9.0 dS m-1) on morphological characteristics of four banana cultivars at vegetative growth stage. Banana cultivars from the Cavendish group (Williams, Malindi) and plantains group (FHIA18 and Diwan) were grown in 61 x 76 cm polyethylene bags filled with soil mixture comprising of top soil, sand and peat moss (3:1:2 v/v), with pH ranging from 6 - 6.5 and EC 0.02 mScm-1. The experiment was carried out under a rain-shelter in split-plot design with three replicates. Plants were irrigated manually. Data were collected at 3, 6 and 9 months after transplanting. The results revealed that, the number of leaves, stem height, stem girth and total leaf area were significantly affected by salinity, variety and plant age. Significant interaction was also found between salinity and variety, salinity and plant age, as well as variety and plant age. The morphological characteristics of banana were negatively affected by higher salinity levels (6.0 and 9.0 dS m-1). Under similar salinity level, cultivar Malindi had higher number of leaves, stem height, stem girth and total leaf area as compared to cultivar Williams. Among plantains banana, cultivar FHIA18 was more tolerance to high salinity levels than Diwan cultivar, while Malindi from Cavendish group shows high salt tolerant than Williams. Therefore cultivars Malindi and FHIA18 could be grown in arid and semiarid environment depend on their tolerance to high salinity level above 1.0 dS m-1.
    Matched MeSH terms: Soil
  12. Fulltext Growth and metal uptake of spinach with application of co-compost of cat manure and spent coffee ground
    Mohd Noor Keeflee SNK, Wan Mohd Zain WNA, Mohd Nor MN, Jamion NA, Yong SK
    Heliyon, 2020 Sep;6(9):e05086.
    PMID: 33015401 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e05086
    Cat manure (CM) possesses high level of nutrients for growing food crop. However, animal manure may contain toxic elements that may contaminate food crop. Spent coffee ground (SCG) may be used to reduce mobility of heavy metals and reduce crop uptake. In this study, SCG was composted with CM for 31 days to produce a co-compost (SCG-CM) for growing spinach (Spinacia oleracea). The growth rate of spinach was assessed until its maturity, and the metal uptake of spinach shoot was determined thereafter using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The effect of soil treatment with SCG-CM on the height and elemental composition of spinach were compared with that of chicken manure compost (CMC). The prepared composts were primarily organic matter (72.9-81.4 % w/w) with the rest are ash (13.3-23.4 % w/w) and moisture (1.2-2.6 % w/w). Zinc content in SCG-CM (1261 ± 0.1 mg/kg) is significantly higher than that of soil and CMC (p < 0.05) and has exceeded the maximum permissible limit set by European Union Standard (2002) and the Malaysian Compost Quality Standard and Guidelines (2000). Matured spinach reached maximum plant height after 33 days. The amendment of SCG-CM significantly increased the height of spinach (32 ± 6 cm) compared to that of CMC (13 ± 1 cm) (p < 0.05). However, contents of Zn, Cu, Pb and Cd were not increased for spinach grown in the SCG-CM-amended soil, and the level of those elements are below permissible limit set by the Malaysian Food Act 1983 and Food Regulations 1985. This study shows that SCG-CM is effective in improving yield without causing accumulation of toxic trace elements in spinach.
    Matched MeSH terms: Soil
  13. Fulltext Projected Streamflow in the Kurau River Basin of Western Malaysia under Future Climate Scenarios
    Adib MNM, Rowshon MK, Mojid MA, Habibu I
    Sci Rep, 2020 05 20;10(1):8336.
    PMID: 32433561 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-65114-w
    Climate change-induced spatial and temporal variability of stremflow has significant implications for hydrological processes and water supplies at basin scale. This study investigated the impacts of climate change on streamflow of the Kurau River Basin in Malaysia using a Climate-Smart Decision Support System (CSDSS) to predict future climate sequences. For this, we used 25 reliazations consisting from 10 Global Climate Models (GCMs) and three IPCC Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP4.5, RCP6.0 and RCP8.5). The generated climate sequences were used as input to Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to simulate projected changes in hydrological processes in the basin over the period 2021-2080. The model performed fairly well for the Kurau River Basin, with coefficient of determination (R2), Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) and Percent Bias (PBIAS) of 0.65, 0.65 and -3.0, respectively for calibration period (1981-1998) and 0.60, 0.59 and -4.6, respectively for validation period (1996-2005). Future projections over 2021-2080 period show an increase in rainfall during August to January (relatively wet season, called the main irrigation season) but a decrease in rainfall during February to July (relatively dry season, called the off season). Temperature projections show increase in both the maximum and minimum temperatures under the three RCP scenarios, with a maximum increase of 2.5 °C by 2021-2080 relative to baseline period of 1976-2005 under RCP8.5 scenario. The model predicted reduced streamflow under all RCP scenarios compared to the baseline period. Compared to 2021-2050 period, the projected streamflow will be higher during 2051-2080 period by 1.5 m3/s except in February for RCP8.5. The highest streamflow is predicted during August to December for both future periods under RCP8.5. The seasonal changes in streamflow range between -2.8% and -4.3% during the off season, and between 0% (nil) and -3.8% during the main season. The assessment of the impacts of climatic variabilities on the available water resources is necessary to identify adaptation strategies. It is supposed that such assessment on the Kurau River Basin under changing climate would improve operation policy for the Bukit Merah reservoir located at downstream of the basin. Thus, the predicted streamflow of the basin would be of importance to quantify potential impacts of climate change on the Bukit Merah reservoir and to determine the best possible operational strategies for irrigation release.
    Matched MeSH terms: Soil
  14. Fulltext Pulse Crop Genetics for a Sustainable Future: Where We Are Now and Where We Should Be Heading
    Sahruzaini NA, Rejab NA, Harikrishna JA, Khairul Ikram NK, Ismail I, Kugan HM, et al.
    Front Plant Sci, 2020;11:531.
    PMID: 32431724 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.00531
    The last decade has witnessed dramatic changes in global food consumption patterns mainly because of population growth and economic development. Food substitutions for healthier eating, such as swapping regular servings of meat for protein-rich crops, is an emerging diet trend that may shape the future of food systems and the environment worldwide. To meet the erratic consumer demand in a rapidly changing world where resources become increasingly scarce due largely to anthropogenic activity, the need to develop crops that benefit both human health and the environment has become urgent. Legumes are often considered to be affordable plant-based sources of dietary proteins. Growing legumes provides significant benefits to cropping systems and the environment because of their natural ability to perform symbiotic nitrogen fixation, which enhances both soil fertility and water-use efficiency. In recent years, the focus in legume research has seen a transition from merely improving economically important species such as soybeans to increasingly turning attention to some promising underutilized species whose genetic resources hold the potential to address global challenges such as food security and climate change. Pulse crops have gained in popularity as an affordable source of food or feed; in fact, the United Nations designated 2016 as the International Year of Pulses, proclaiming their critical role in enhancing global food security. Given that many studies have been conducted on numerous underutilized pulse crops across the world, we provide a systematic review of the related literature to identify gaps and opportunities in pulse crop genetics research. We then discuss plausible strategies for developing and using pulse crops to strengthen food and nutrition security in the face of climate and anthropogenic changes.
    Matched MeSH terms: Soil
  15. Fulltext Nitrogen Pollution Impact and Remediation through Low Cost Starch Based Biodegradable polymers
    Ibrahim KA, Naz MY, Shukrullah S, Sulaiman SA, Ghaffar A, AbdEl-Salam NM
    Sci Rep, 2020 Apr 03;10(1):5927.
    PMID: 32246028 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-62793-3
    The world does not have too much time to ensure that the fast-growing population has enough land, food, water and energy. The rising food demand has brought a positive surge in fertilizers' demand and agriculture-based economy. The world is using 170 million tons of fertilizer every year for food, fuel, fiber, and feed. The nitrogenous fertilizers are being used to meet 48% of the total food demand of the world. High fertilizer inputs augment the reactive nitrogen levels in soil, air, and water. The unassimilated reactive nitrogen changes into a pollutant and harms the natural resources. The use of controlled-release fertilizers for slowing down the nutrients' leaching has recently been practiced by farmers. However, to date, monitoring of the complete discharge time and discharge rate of controlled released fertilizers is not completely understood by the researchers. In this work, corn starch was thermally processed into a week gel-like coating material by reacting with urea and borate. The granular urea was coated with native and processed starch in a fluidized bed reactor having bottom-up fluid delivery system. The processed starch exhibited better thermal and mechanical stability as compared to the native starch. Unlike the pure starch, the storage modulus of the processed starch dominated the loss modulus. The release time of urea, coated with processed starch, remained remarkably larger than the uncoated urea.
    Matched MeSH terms: Soil
  16. Fulltext Potential PGPR Properties of Cellulolytic, Nitrogen-Fixing, Phosphate-Solubilizing Bacteria in Rehabilitated Tropical Forest Soil
    Tang A, Haruna AO, Majid NMA, Jalloh MB
    Microorganisms, 2020 Mar 20;8(3).
    PMID: 32245141 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8030442
    In the midst of the major soil degradation and erosion faced by tropical ecosystems, rehabilitated forests are being established to avoid the further deterioration of forest lands. In this context, cellulolytic, nitrogen-fixing (N-fixing), phosphate-solubilizing bacteria are very important functional groups in regulating the elemental cycle and plant nutrition, hence replenishing the nutrient content in forest soils. As is the case for other potential plant growth-promoting (PGP) rhizobacteria, these functional bacteria could have cross-functional abilities or beneficial traits that are essential for plants and can improve their growth. This study was conducted to isolate, identify, and characterize selected PGP properties of these three functional groups of bacteria from tropical rehabilitated forest soils at Universiti Putra Malaysia Bintulu Sarawak Campus, Malaysia. The bacteria were isolated based on their colonial growth on respective functional media, identified using both molecular and selected biochemical properties, and were assessed for their functional quantitative activities as well as PGP properties based on seed germination tests and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) production. Out of the 15 identified bacterial isolates that exhibited beneficial phenotypic traits, a third belong to the genus Burkholderia and a fifth to Stenotrophomonas sp., with both genera consisting of members from two different functional groups. The results of the experiments confirm the multiple PGP traits of some selected bacterial isolates based on their respective high functional activities, root and shoot lengths, and seedling vigor improvements when bacterized on mung bean seeds, as well as significant IAA production. The results of this study suggest that these functional bacterial strains could potentially be included in bio-fertilizer formulations for crop growth on acid soils.
    Matched MeSH terms: Soil
  17. Microplastics in the freshwater and terrestrial environments: Prevalence, fates, impacts and sustainable solutions
    Wong JKH, Lee KK, Tang KHD, Yap PS
    Sci Total Environ, 2020 Jun 01;719:137512.
    PMID: 32229011 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137512
    The ubiquitous occurrences of microplastics in the environment have raised much concern and resulted in voluminous studies related to microplastics. Studies on microplastics pollution of the marine environment have received significantly higher attention compared to those of the freshwater and terrestrial environments. With the impetus to better understand microplastics in the freshwater and terrestrial environments, this review elucidates the findings of >100 articles related to the prevalence, fates and impacts of microplastics therein and the sustainable solutions, mostly in the past 10 years. This review shows the interconnection between terrestrial and freshwater microplastics with wastewater and sewage treatment plants as the most significant contributors of environmental microplastics via sludge and effluent discharges. Microplastics in both ecosystems comprise the primary and secondary forms with the latter resulted from weathering of the former. Besides retaining in soil and infiltrating with rainwater underground, terrestrial microplastics also enter the freshwater environment. The environmental microplastics interact with the biotic and abiotic components resulting in entrainment, settlement, biofouling, degradation, fragmentation and entry into the food chain, with subsequent transfer across the food chain. The abundance of environmental microplastics is attributed to population density and urbanization though tidal cycle, storms, floods and human activities can affect their distribution. The leaching of additives from microplastics poses major health concern and sustainable solutions target at reduction of plastics use and disposal, substitution with bioplastics and wastewater treatment innovations. Further studies on classification, detection, characterization and toxicity of microplastics are necessary to permit more effective formulation of solutions.
    Matched MeSH terms: Soil
  18. El Niño driven haze over the Southern Malaysian Peninsula and Borneo
    Khan MF, Hamid AH, Rahim HA, Maulud KNA, Latif MT, Nadzir MSM, et al.
    Sci Total Environ, 2020 Aug 15;730:139091.
    PMID: 32413602 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139091
    The Southeast Asian (SEA) region is no stranger to forest fires - the region has been suffering from severe air pollution (known locally as 'haze') as a result of these fires, for decades. The fires in SEA region are caused by a combination of natural (the El Niño weather pattern) and manmade (slash-and-burn and land clearing for plantations) factors. These fires cause the emissions of toxic aerosols and pollutants that can affect millions of people in the region. Thus, this study aims to identify the impact of the SEA haze on the Southern region of the Malaysian Peninsula and Borneo region of East Malaysia using the entire air quality observation data at surface level in 2015. Overall, the concentration of PM10 was about two-fold higher during the haze period compared to non-haze period. The concentrations of CO, flux of CO and flux of BC were aligned with PM10 during the entire observation period. The wind field and cluster of trajectory indicated that the Southern Malaysian Peninsula and Borneo were influenced mainly from the wildfires and the combustion of peat soil in the Indonesian Borneo. This study finds that wildfires from Borneo impacted the Southern Malaysian Borneo more seriously than that from Sumatra region.
    Matched MeSH terms: Soil
  19. Burkholderia pseudomallei pathogenesis and survival in different niches
    Yip CH, Ghazali AK, Nathan S
    Biochem Soc Trans, 2020 04 29;48(2):569-579.
    PMID: 32167134 DOI: 10.1042/BST20190836
    Burkholderia pseudomallei (Bp) is the causative agent of melioidosis, a disease of the tropics with high clinical mortality rates. To date, no vaccines are approved for melioidosis and current treatment relies on antibiotics. Conversely, common misdiagnosis and high pathogenicity of Bp hamper efforts to fight melioidosis. This bacterium can be isolated from a wide range of niches such as waterlogged fields, stagnant water bodies, salt water bodies and from human and animal clinical specimens. Although extensive studies have been undertaken to elucidate pathogenesis mechanisms of Bp, little is known about how a harmless soil bacterium adapts to different environmental conditions, in particular, the shift to a human host to become a highly virulent pathogen. The bacterium has a large genome encoding an armory of factors that assist the pathogen in surviving under stressful conditions and assuming its role as a deadly intracellular pathogen. This review presents an overview of what is currently known about how the pathogen adapts to different environments. With in-depth understanding of Bp adaptation and survival, more effective therapies for melioidosis can be developed by targeting related genes or proteins that play a major role in the bacteria's survival.
    Matched MeSH terms: Soil
  20. Fulltext Dataset on the influence of relative humidity on the pathogenicity of Metarhizium anisopliae isolates from Thailand and Malaysia against red palm weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, Olivier) adult
    Cheong JL, Azmi WA
    Data Brief, 2020 Jun;30:105482.
    PMID: 32368576 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2020.105482
    Red palm weevil (RPW), Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, is a polyphagous insect that caused economic damage in various palm species, particularly coconut plantation in Malaysia. Therefore, entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae was being introduced in attempts to control biologically the RPW. The entomopathogenicity of an indigenous (Met-Gra4) and foreign (Met-TH) strains of M. anisopliae isolated from the soil of Malaysia and Thailand, were tested against RPW adults in laboratory bioassays at 50, 70, 90% relative humidity (RH). Bioassays indicate no significance differences in efficacy between both the conidia of M. anisopliae strains against RPW adults. Met-Gra4 showed the highest efficacy at 90% RH (LT50 = 6.17 days). However, LT50 only slightly differed from Met-TH (6.33 days; 90% RH). Scanning el ectron microscopy for the treated RPWs showed that Met-Gra4 (90% RH) was densely sporulated within the abdomen, while Met-TH can be found mainly across cuticular surface of RPW.
    Matched MeSH terms: Soil
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