Zemanová V., Břendová K., Pavlíková D., Kubátová P., Tlustoš P. (2017): Effect of biochar application on the content of nutrients (Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Na, P) and amino acids in subsequently growing spinach and mustard. Plant Soil Environ., 63: 322-327.The objective of this study was to assess the effect of biochar on growth and metabolism of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) and mustard (Sinapis alba L.) planted in crop rotation: spinach (spring)-mustard-spinach (autumn). The impact of biochar soil application (5% per mass of soil) on the availability of Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Na and P to plants as well as the content of free proline and total amino acids contents were evaluated at degraded Chernozem soil. The results showed that biochar soil addition significantly increased spinach growth by 102% and 353% in spring and autumn, respectively. Biochar limited plant content of Ca, Mg and Na, however K content increased in all plants. Inconsistent effect was determined for Fe and P content in plants biomass. Total content of free amino acids was higher in plants harvested at amended treatments, except autumn spinach. Biochar increased proline content in all plants in comparison to control. The highest increase was obtained in mustard -by 186%. The results showed a more sensitive reaction of mustard to biochar application than spinach.
Keywords
322Vol. 63, 2017, No. 7: 322-327 Plant Soil Environ.doi: 10.17221/318/2017-PSE adjustment and the accumulation of compatible osmolyte, detoxification of active oxygen species and heavy metals, and intracellular pH regulation. Proline (Pro) is specific free AA which is involved in stress metabolism and tolerance of plants (Pavlíková et al. 2014). Our study aimed to compare the ability of spinach and mustard accumulation of nutrients and amino acids as a response to biochar application to soil.
MATERIAL AND METHODSExperimental design and soil characteristics. The experiment was conducted at greenhouse controlled conditions. Spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) and mustard (Sinapis alba L.) were chosen as experimental plants, while the crop rotation was spinach-mustard-spinach. Firstly, spinach was sown in March and harvested after 64 days. Mustard was sown in May and harvested after 35 days. Late spinach was sown in August, harvested after 64 days. Biomass of both spinaches was sampled once during vegetation, after 42 days. Modal Chernozem soil (2.5 kg; Prague-Suchdol, Czech Republic; pH KCl = 7.2, cation exchange capacity (CEC) = 258 mmol + /kg, C org = 1.83%, available content of elements: Ca = 6754 mg/kg; K = 233 mg/kg; Fe = 153 mg/kg, Mg = 191 mg/kg; P = 74 mg/kg) was uniquely fertilized with 0.1 g N, 0.16 g P and 0.4 g K per 1 kg of soil (applied in the form of NH 4 NO 3 and K 2 HPO 4 ), only at the beginning of the experiment. The experiment consists of 2 treatments: (i) control (without BC) and (ii) 5% of the applied BC from total mass of soil (BC 5%) thoroughly mixed with soil volume.Biochar characteristics. Detailed biochar properties were described in Břendová et al. (2016). Bioc...