• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.392-399
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• 1998

Nitrogen fertilizers such as urea are readily hydrolyzed in soils to produce ammonium ions which pass through nitrification and denitrification processes. These serial processes have drawn attention due to nitrogen losses, eutrophication, blue baby syndrome, and ozone depletion problems. The purpose of this study was to test the inhibitory effects of hot-water extract and organic solvent fractions of Artemisia asiatica leaves on soil urea hydrolysis and nitrification. In addition, the effects of organic solvent fractions on urease activity and ureolytic bacterial population were also investigated. First, hot-water extract of Artemisia asiatica leaves inhibited soil nitrification substantially with a marginal stimulatory effect on soil urea hydrolysis. Soils treated with hot-water extract of Artemisia asiatica leaves showed significant decreases in the accumulation of soil $NO_3-N$ (~68% decrease) compared with the control soil without the treatment of hot-water extract. In contrast, $CHCl_3$/MeOH fraction and basic aqueous layer of Artemisia asiatica leaves inhibited soil urea hydrolysis very strongly, causing 5.8 and 4.3-fold higher accumulation in amounts of remaining urea-N compared with the non-treated soil. Meanwhile, non of the organic solvent fractions showed any significant effects on soil nitrification inhibition. The inhibition of ureolytic bacterial activity by $CHCl_3$/MeOH fraction and aqueous basic layer of Artemisia asiatica leaves without any effects on urease activity itself led us to conclude that the inhibitions of soil urea hydrolysis were caused by the antagonistic effects on ureolytic bacterial activity.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.97-105
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• 2023

Concentration of nitrogen, one of the major elements, and ratio of two nitrogen forms (NH₄⁺ and NO₃^-) in the nutrient solution affect the quality and food safety of fresh vegetable produce. This study was conducted to find an appropriate strength and NH₄⁺:NO₃^- ratio of a nutrient solution for growth and development of a Romaine lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. var. longiflora) 'Caesar Green', a representative leafy vegetable, grown in a home hydroponic system. In the first experiment, plants were grown using three types of nutrient solution: A commercial nutrient solution (Peters) and two strengths (GNU1 and GNU2) of a multipurpose nutrient solution (GNU solution) developed in a Gyeongsang National University lab. Plants grown with the GNU1 and GNU2 had greater shoot length, leaf length and width, and biomass yield than Peters. On the other hand, the root hairs of plants grown with Peters were short and dark in color. Tissue NH₄⁺ content in the Peters was higher than that of the GNU1 and GNU2. The higher contents of NH₄⁺ in this solution may have caused ammonium toxicity. In the second experiment, eight treatment solutions, combining GNU1 and GNU2 solutions with four ratios of NO₃^- :NH₄⁺ named as 1, 2, 3 and 4 were used. Both experiments showed more growth in the GNU2 group, which had a relatively low ionic strength of the nutrient solution. The growth of Romaine lettuce showed the greatest fresh weight along with low tissue NO₃^- content in the GNU2-2. This was more advantageous in terms of food safety in that it suppressed the accumulation of surplus NO₃^- in tissues due to the low ionic trength of the GNU2 subgroup. In addition, this is preferable in that it can reduce the absolute amount of the input of inorganic nutrients to the nutrient solution.