• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.56-64
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• 2001

Composting of livestock feces is economic and safe process to decrease the possibility of direct leakage of organic pollutants to ecosystem from commercial and environmental point of view. This study was conducted with three different experiments related to composting of livestock feces. The purpose of experiment 1 was to investigate changes of characteristic of compost pile during composting period by low temperature in cold season. To compare composting effect of experimental compost pile and control pile exposed in cold air, experimental compost piles were warmed up by hot air until their temperatures were reached at $35^{\circ}C$. Sawdust, Ricehull and Ricestraw were mixed with livestock feces as bulking agent. The highest temperatures of compost pile during composting period were in sawdust, rice hull, rice straw, and control were $75^{\circ}C$, $76^{\circ}C$, $68^{\circ}C$, $45^{\circ}C$ respectively. Moisture content, pH, C/N and volume of compost were decreased during composting period. Experiment 2 was carried out to study utilization effect of compost by plant. A corn was cultivated for 3 years on fertilized land with compost and chemical fertilizer. The amount of harvest and nutrition value of corn were analyzed. In first year of trial, the amount of harvest of corn on land treated with compost was lower by 20% than that of land treated with chemical fertilizer. In second year, there was no difference in yield of com between compost and chemical fertilizer. In third year, the yield of com on land fertilized with compost was much more than that of land fertilized with chemical fertilizer. The purpose of experiment 3 was to estimate the decrease of malodorous gas originating from livestock feces by bio-filter. Four types of bio-filters filled with saw dust, night soil, fermented compost and leaf mold were manufactured and tested. Each bio-filter achieved 87-95% $NH_3$ removal efficiency. This performance was maintained for 10 days. The highest $NH_3$ removal efficiency was achieved by leaf mold on the first day of operation period. It reduced the concentration of $NH_3$ by about 95%. Night soil and fermented compost showed nearly equal performance of 93 to 94% for 10 days from the beginning of operation. The concentration of hydrogen sulfide and methyl mercaptan originating for compost were equal to or less than $3mg/{\ell}$ and $2mg/{\ell}$, respectively. After passing throughout the bio-filter, hydrogen sulfide and methyl mercaptan were not detected.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.587-595
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• 2016

Salt stress in crops in reclaimed tidal lands can be reduced by applying soil amendments. To evaluate the effects of compost, gypsum, and phosphate on the growth of Chinese cabbage in saline-sodic soil conditions, we conducted a pot experiment in 2013 and 2014. The treatments consisted of a standard fertilizer application of a mix of compost and N-P-K fertilizer (S) and standard fertilizer applications with additional compost (S + C), gypsum (S + G), phosphate (S+P), and gypsum and phosphate (S + GP). The mean dry matter yield of cabbage in 2014 was three times as great as that in 2013, although soil EC (Electrical conductivity) in 2014 was not decreased. However, the mean ratio of sodium ion in soil solution ($SAR_{1:5}$) significantly decreased from $17.3{\pm}1.1$ in 2013 to $11.2{\pm}2.7$ in 2014. Application of gypsum had the greatest positive impact on the growth of Chinese cabbage. The S + G treatment increased dry matter yield by 7.0 (48.2) and 7.9 g/plant (16.6%) in 2013 and 2014, respectively, compared to the S treatment. Applying gypsum increased soil EC, but decreased $SAR_{1:5}$ by 14 and 38% in 2013 and 2014, respectively. The application of compost and phosphate had a small effect on the growth of Chinese cabbage. These results suggest that applying gypsum in reclaimed tidal lands can reduce the sodicity of the soil and improve crop growth.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.1222-1229
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• 2012

The total area of a reclaimed tidal soil distributed on the south-west coast is approximately 156,600 ha, and the soil contains high contents of sand and silt as well as highly saline. Most of the reclaimed tidal soils are used as a paddy due to bad permeability and high groundwater table, resulting in easy accumulation of salts on the soil surface by capillary rise. Therefore, resalinization may occur because of rise of groundwater table after desalinization. The researches related to the reclaimed tidal soil mainly focused on desalinazation while most of the researches completed were limited to yields of crop based on desalinazation. pH of old reclaimed tidal soil is neutral or less than 7 while that of newly developed reclaimed tidal soils is greater than 7, that cause N-fertilizer to be volatile as ammonia. Thus, the physical and chemical properties should be investigated to be used as an arable upland instead of a paddy soil due to change in government policy. We need to develop measures to make soils grow crops normally by identifying problems related to reclaimed tidal soils.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.313-318
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• 2007

In greenhouse farming, a variety of humic acids have been applied to improve soil conditions and plant growth. However, it is still unclear that how humic acids combined with chemical fertilizers affect growth and quality of fruit vegetable crops. This study was conducted to determine the combination effect of humic acids and chemical fertilizers on the growth and fruit quality of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum MILL.) grown under greenhouse conditions. Three different formulation types of humic acid were used: liquid type A, liquid type B and solid type C. The tomato plants were grown in three treatment combination plots and in conventional fertilizer (CF) plot with recommended levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium: HA combined with CF (HA+CF), HB combined with CF (HB+CF) and HC combined with CF (HC+CF). For most of growth characteristics (i.e. leaf number, internode length, maximum leaf length, leaf width and chlorophyll contents) determined in this experiment, no significant differences were observed between all combination treatments and CF. However, integrated fruit qualities (i.e. averaged weight, sugar contents and acidity) were slightly improved in the humic acid combined with CF treatments when compared with CF alone treatment. No phytotoxicity was observed with humic acid treatments. However, further studies will probably be needed to use widely and safely these humic acids, in order to ensure a maximizing growth, fruit yield and quality of tomato.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.472-481
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• 2017

Agricultural field near at the abandoned metal mine and industrial area has a high possibility to be polluted by heavy metals. However, concern about chemical properties including heavy metal concentration has been increased and biological properties such as soil respiration has been minimal in heavy metal polluted field. Therefore, main objective of this research was to evaluate soil respiration as an indicator of heavy metal pollution in agricultural field. Total of 60 sampling sites including each 30 sites of abandoned metal mine and industrial area were selected and heavy metal concentration, soil respiration, and chemical properties were measured. Results showed that heavy metal concentration in metal mine area was ranged Cu: $6.21~85.23mg\;kg^{-1}$, Pb: $23.84{\sim}1,044.72mg\;kg^{-1}$, As: $1.88{\sim}691.44mg\;kg^{-1}$, Zn: $18.72{\sim}527.55mg\;kg^{-1}$, Cd: $0.58{\sim}4.27mg\;kg^{-1}$, and Cu: $0.29{\sim}30.62mg\;kg^{-1}$, Pb: $4.41{\sim}19.77mg\;kg^{-1}$, As: $2.23{\sim}11.76mg\;kg^{-1}$, Zn $39.98{\sim}109.59mg\;kg^{-1}$, Cd $0.29{\sim}0.57mg\;kg^{-1}$ for industrial area respectively. While no sampling site was exceed the threshold value of each heavy metals in industrial field, metal mine area was highly polluted with Pb, As, Zn, and Cd. Soil respiration in the metal mine and industrial area was ranged $12.05{\sim}299.80mg\;O_2\;kg^{-1}$ and $27.68{\sim}330.94mg\;O_2\;kg^{-1}$, respectively. Correlation analysis between heavy metal concentration in soil and soil respiration showed that negative correlation was observed in metal mine area while no correlation was observed in industrial area. This result might indicate that as heavy metal concentration was increased, microbial activity in soil was decreased resulting decrease of soil respiration rate. Overall, soil respiration can be used as indicator of heavy metal pollution in soil and more biological properties need to be evaluated to better understand heavy metal pollution in soil.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.469-476
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• 2015

Button mushroom compost (BMC) was prepared by fermenting the mixture of waste button mushroom bed collected from Boryeong area in South Korea (4): sawdust (8) : pig and fowl manure (1) for 40 days at $30^{\circ}C$. The BMC compromised diverse microorganisms including aerobic bacteria $8.1{\times}10^6cfu\;g^{-1}$, Gram negative bacteria $1.7{\times}10^7cfu\;g^{-1}$, genus Bacillus $6.4{\times}10^6cfu\;g^{-1}$, genus Pseudomonas $1.5{\times}10^4cfu\;g^{-1}$, actinomycetes $1.0{\times}10^4cfu\;g^{-1}$, and fungi $3.5{\times}10^3cfu\;g^{-1}$. BMC was used as a microbial inoculant for estimating the mobilization of heavy metals in soil or plant. When metal solubilization potential of BMC was assessed in a batch experiment, the inoculation of BMC was shown to increase the concentrations of water soluble Co, Pb, Cd, and Zn by 29, 26, 27, and 43% respectively, than those of non-inoculated soils. BMC-assisted growth promotion and metal uptake in sunflower (Helianthus annuus) was also evaluated in a pot experiment. In comparison with non-inoculated seedlings, the inoculation led to increase the growth of H. annuus by 17, 15, 18, and 21% respectively in Co, Pb, Cd, and Zn contaminated soils. Moreover, enhanced accumulation of Co, Pb, Cd, and Zn in the shoot and root systems was observed in inoculated plants, where metal translocation from root to the above-ground tissues was also found to be enhanced by the BMC. The apparent results suggested that the BMC could effectively be employed in enhancing phytoextraction from the soils contaminated with heavy metals such as Co, Pb, Cd, and Zn.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.29-36
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• 2009

Fourteen bacterial strains were isolated from crop rhizosphere and identified as phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) by 16S rRNA analysis. Only 3 strains exhibited a strong ability to solubilize insoluble phosphate in agar medium containing a hydroxyapatite. The rates of P solubilization by isolates were ranged from 200 and $2300\;mg\;L^{-1}$, which are inversely correlated with pH in culture medium. Furthermore, HPLC analyses reveal the production of organic acid from the culture filtrates of PSB. Among these, strain Acinetobacter sp. released only gluconic acid, Pseudomonas orientalis produced gluconic acid which was subsequently converted into 2-ketogluconic acid, and Enterobacter asburiae released acetic acid and succinic acid. On the other hand, P. orientalis and E. asburiae released $372\;mg\;L^{-1}$ and $191\;mg\;L^{-1}$ of IAA into broth culture, respectively, while Acinetobacter sp. did not produce IAA. Furthermore, in vivo study showed that plant growth promoting effect by bacteria generally seemed to be increased IAA production and phosphate solubilization.

• Mycobiology
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.64-71
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• 2018

The aim of this study was to investigate the pattern of distribution of mating type (MAT) genes of Tuber indicum in ectomycorhizosphere soils from natural T. indicum-producing areas and cultivated truffle orchards and ascocarp samples from different regions. Quantitative real-time PCR and multiplex PCR were used to weight the copy numbers of MAT1-1-1 and MAT1-2-1 in natural truffle soils and cultivated orchard soils. The effect of limestone on the pattern of truffle MAT genes and the correlation between soil properties and the proportion of MAT genes were also assessed. These results indicated that an uneven and nonrandom distribution of MAT genes was common in truffle-producing areas, cultivated truffle orchards, and ascocarps gleba. The competition between the two mating type genes and the expansion of unbalanced distribution was found to be closely related to truffle fructification. Limestone treatments failed to alter the proportion of the two mating type genes in the soil. The content of available phosphorus in soil was significantly correlated with the value of MAT1-1-1/MAT1-2-1 in cultivated and natural ectomycorhizosphere soils. The application of real-time quantitative PCR can provide reference for monitoring the dynamic changes of mating type genes in soil. This study investigates the distributional pattern of T. indicum MAT genes in the ectomycorhizosphere soil and ascocarp gleba from different regions, which may provide a foundation for the cultivation of T. indicum.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.253-259
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• 2013

The use of subsurface drip fertigation using slurry composting bio-filtration (SCB) as nitrogen (N) fertilizer source can be beneficial to improve fertilizer management decision. The objective of this study was to evaluate effects of SCB liquid fertilizer by subsurface drip fertigation on cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) yield and soil nitrogen (N) distribution under greenhouse condition. Cucumber in greenhouse was transplanted on April $4^{th}$ and Aug $31^{st}$ in 2012. N sources were SCB and urea. Four N treatments with 3 replications consisted of control (No N fertilizer), SCB 0.5N + Urea 0.5N (50:50 split application), SCB 1.0N, Urea 1.0N. 100% of N recommendation rate from soil testing was denoted as 1.0N. The subsurface drip line and a tensiometer were installed at 30 cm soil depth. An irrigation was automatically started when the tensiometer reading was -15 kPa. The growth of cucumber at 85 days after transplanting was 5% higher in all N treatment than control. Semi-forcing culture produced more fruit yield than retarding culture. Fruit yields were 62.2, 76.3, 76.4, and 75.1 Mg $ha^{-1}$ for control, SCB 1.0N, Urea 1.0N, and SCB 0.5N + Urea 0.5N, respectively. Although fruit yields were similar under SCB 1.0N, Urea 1.0N, and SCB 0.5N + Urea 0.5N, 176 kg K $ha^{-1}$ can be over applied if cucumber is grown twice a year under SCB 1.0N that may result in K accumulation in soil. N uptake was 172, 209, 213, 207 kg $ha^{-1}$ for control, SCB 1.0N, Urea 1.0N, and SCB 0.5N + Urea 0.5N, respectively. N use efficiency was the highest (37%) at SCB 0.5N + Urea 0.5N under semi-forcing culture. Nitrate-N concentration in soil for all N treatments except control in semi-forcing culture was the highest between 15 and 30 cm soil depth at the 85 days after transplanting and between 0 and 15 cm soil depth after cucumber harvest. These results suggested that SCB 0.5N + Urea 0.5N can be used as an alternative N management for cucumber production in greenhouse if K accumulation is concerned.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.424-431
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• 2016

The nutrients in livestock manure produced during fermentation processes in public livestock recycling centers are used as fertilizers. However, the large amounts of swine manure produced in intensive livestock farms can be a nonpoint source of pollution. In this experiment, we investigated the chemical properties, inorganic components, and heavy metal contents in 101 samples of liquid swine manure collected from 28 public livestock recycling centers throughout the nation. Results showed that the average pH of the samples was alkaline (pH range 5.18 to 9.54), and their maximum EC was $53.2dS\;m^{-1}$. The amounts of total nitrogen and total phosphorus were in the range of 1000 - 2000 and $200-800mg\;L^{-1}$ while potassium, which constituted 47% of the total inorganic ions recovered from the liquid swine manure, amounted to $1500mg\;L^{-1}$. The most distinctive heavy metals recovered from the liquid swine manure were copper and zinc although the amounts of both heavy metals were much lesser than those of the standards as livestock liquid fertilizer set by the Rural Development Administration. On the other hand, the amount of nitrogen decreased rapidly with an increasing fermentation period from immature to mature, assumed to be lost as volatile compounds, such as ammonia, which are the major odor components during the fermentation process.