Lukáš Kaplan

Applications of organic and inorganic amendments induce changes in the mobility of mercury and macro- and micronutrients of soils.

Both soil organic matter and sulfur (S) can reduce or even suppress mercury (Hg) mobility and bioavailability in soil. A batch incubation experiment was conducted with a Chernozem and a Luvisol artificially contaminated by 440 mg·kg−1 Hg showing wide differences in their physicochemical properties and available nutrients. The individual treatments were (i) digestate from the anaerobic fermentation of biowaste; (ii) fly ash from wood chip combustion; and (iii) ammonium sulfate, and every treatment was added with the same amount of S. The mobile Hg portion in Chernozem was highly reduced by adding digestate, even after 1 day of incubation, compared to control. Meanwhile, the outcome of these treatments was a decrease of mobile Hg forms as a function of incubation time whereas the contents of magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and phosphorus (P) were stimulated by the addition of digestate in both soils. The available calcium (Ca) contents were not affected by the digestate addition. The experiment proved digestate application as the efficient measure for fast reduction of mobile Hg at extremely contaminated soils. Moreover, the decrease of the mobile mercury portion was followed by improvement of the nutrient status of the soils.

The effect of NPK fertilizer with different nitrogen solubility on growth, nutrient uptake and use by chrysanthemum

ABSTRACT The effect of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK) fertilizer with different nitrogen forms on N, P, K use, uptake and growth of potted chrysanthemum plants during three vegetation phases was observed in two - years experiment. In the experiment, NPK fertilizer with slow soluble nutrients with different nitrogen forms: ureaform, (IBDU) isobutyledenediurea and melamin, was used. At control treatment the identical fertilizer was applied but the nitrogen was in ammonia and urea forms as usually used in horticulture. The experiment clearly showed the positive effect of NPK fertilizer containing half nitrogen amount in ureaform, on growth and plant nutrient uptake. This effect of nitrogen ureaform was confirmed by both the highest uptake of N, P, K and the highest yield of biomass. The NPK fertilizer with half nitrogen content in ureaform ensured optimal nutrient release according chrysanthemum nutrient requirement.