Environmental Problems From Tea Cultivation in Japan and a Control Measure Using Calcium Cyanamide

A field experiment, involving lime N (calcium cyanamide, CaCN2) fertilization as a control measure, was conducted to study environmental problems induced by long-term heavy N application in Japanese tea fields. Long-term tea cultivation caused serious soil acidification. Seventy-seven percent of the 70 tea fields investigated had soil pH values below 4.0, and 9% below 3.0, with the lowest value of 2.7. Moreover, excess N application in tea fields put a threat to plant growth, induced serious nitrate contamination to local water, and caused high nitrous oxide loss. Compared with the conventional high N application treatment (1100 kg N ha-1) without lime N, the low N application (400 kg N ha-1) with calcium cyanamide effectively stopped soil acidification as well as achieved the same or slightly higher levels in tea yield and in total N and amino acid contents of tea shoots. The application of calcium cyanamide could be a suitable fertilization for the prevention of environmental problems in tea cultivation.

Impact of chilling accumulation and hydrogen cyanamide on floral organ development of sweet cherry in a warm region

The microscopic investigation of the floral development of sweet cherry（Prunus avium L. cv. Hongdeng） from a warm winter climate（Shanghai） and cold winter climate（Tai＇an, Shandong Province, China） was conducted to explore the reason of low fruit set. The effect of hydrogen cyanamide（HCN） on floral development under warm winter conditions was also investigated. Trees grown in Shanghai with insufficient chilling accumulation exhibited little difference in the progression of microspore development compared to trees in Tai＇an that accumulated adequate chilling, but showed substantial delays in ovule and embryo sac development. The growth of nucelli did not proceed beyond the macrospore mother cell and macrospore stages with abortion rates of 13, 15 and 45% by 6, 3 and 0 d before full bloom, respectively. These abnormalities in the ovule and embryo sac in the Shanghai-grown trees were eliminated by HCN application. These results suggest that chilling regulates the development of female floral organs in winter dormancy; therefore, insufficient chilling accumulation, causing abnormality of the female floral organs, restricts the cultivation of sweet cherry in warm winter regions. Interestingly, HCN application, which decreased the chilling requirements for Hongdeng, may be a potential strategy for sweet cherry cultivation in warm winter regions.

Metal cyanamides: Open-framework structure and energy conversion/storage applications

Metal cyanamides are an emerging class of functional materials with potential applications in sustainable energy conversion and storage technologies such as catalysis,supercapacitors,photoluminescence and next-gen batteries.The[NCN]^(2-)as the anion,which is isolobal with[O]^(2-)endows metal cyanamides with similar physicochemical properties as oxides and chalcogenides.Whereas the unique quasI-linear structure and electronic resonance between[N=C=N]^(2-)and[N-C≡N]^(2-)of[NCN]entity bring out superior properties beyond oxides and chalcogenides.In this review,we present research status,challenges,and the recent striking progress on the metal cyanamides in the synthesis and applications.Specifically,the characteristic structures,physicochemical properties,synthetic methods with corresponding merits/demerits and latest applications in energy conversion and storage of cyanamides are summarized.The detailed outlooks for the new compounds design,morphology manipulation and potential applications are also exhibited.

Facile Solid-State Synthesis Route to Metal Nitride Nanoparticles

By a facile and efficient solid-state reaction route using an organic reagent cyanamide （CN2H2） as a precursor with another one being metal oxides, we successfully synthesized seven technologically important metal nJtrJdes including cubic VN, CrN, NbN, hexagonal GaN, AIN, BN, and WN at moderate temperatures. The experimental results show that cyanamide （CN2H2） is a powerfully reducing and nitridizing reagent and the metal oxides are completely converted into the corresponding nitride nanoparticles at lower temperatures than that reported in the conventional methods. It is found that EN2H2 can exhibit some interesting condensation processes, and the final products, highly active carbon nitride species, play a crucial role in the reducing and nitridizing processes.

The Allelopathic Potential of Hairy Vetch (Vicia villosa Roth.) Mulch

Hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth.) has been recognized as a good candidate for weed suppressive mulch in organic no-till cropping systems. In our study, the allelopathic potential of hairy vetch, fall rye (Secale cereale L.) and winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) (extracted species) were evaluated at both vegetative and reproductive developmental stages (extract stage) based on the germination and radicle elongation of five response species using aqueous extracts in soil microcosms. Our study found hairy vetch shoot extract to have little allelopathic potential compared to fall rye or winter wheat, both species for which the allelopathic potential is well documented. Interestingly, hairy vetch was the only extracted species to increase in allelopathic suppression of radicle elongation at the reproductive stage when plant biomass is near maximum. This result was conceivably due to the increased concentration of the putative allelochemical cyanamide in reproductive tissue. Chemical inhibition of radicle elongation in this extract, however, was only observed in the domesticated response species wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and canola (Brassica napus L.). The allelopathic effect on germination varied and depended on extracted species, extract stage, and response species;whereas the effect on radicle elongation was similar among extracted species, yet unique within response species. This research demonstrated that allelopathy studies should include multiple allelopathic and response species to accurately quantify the magnitude of chemical effects among allelopathic species and to rule out potential phytotoxic chemical defense/detoxification mechanisms that exist in some response species.

Dynamic changes in soil chemical properties and microbial community structure in response to different nitrogen fertilizers in an acidified celery soil

To determine the effects of different kinds of nitrogen fertilizer,especially high-efficiency slowrelease fertilizers,on soil pH,nitrogen(N)and microbial community structures in an acidic celery soil,four treatments(CK,no N fertilizer;NR,urea;PE,calcium cyanamide fertilizer;and SK,controlled-release N fertilizer)were applied,and soil pH,total soil N,inorganic N,and soil microbial biomass C were analyzed.Phospholipid fatty acids(PLFAs)were extracted and detected using the MIDI Sherlock microbial identification system.The PE treatment significantly improved soil pH,from 4.80 to>6.00,during the whole growth period of the celery,and resulted in the highest celery yield among the four treatments.After 14 d application of calcium cyanamide,the soil nitrate content significantly decreased,but the ammonium content significantly increased.The PE treatment also significantly increased soil microbial biomass C during the whole celery growth period.Canonical variate analysis of the PLFA data indicated that the soil microbial community structure in the CK treatment was significantly different from those in the N applied treatments after 49 d fertilization.However,there was a significant difference(P<0.05)in soil microbial community structure between the PE treatment and the other three treatments at the end of the experiment.Calcium cyanamide is a good choice for farmers to use on acidic celery land because it supplies sufficient N,and increases soil pH,microbial biomass and the yield of celery.