2009 JAN 8 - (VerticalNews.com) -- "Residues of captan in tomato plant and soil conditions were investigated. Nonsystemic phthalimide fungicide, captan was applied in pre-emergence at 1.5. 3 and 6 kg ha(-1)," investigators in Corlu, Turkey report.

  "Soil and plant samples were collected at 4 h I day and 30 days after the application and analyzed for captan residues. A gas chromatographic method using aceytone, dichioromethane and petroleum ether as extraction solvents, was used to analyse residual captan. Captan residues were determined by gas chromatography-electron capture detection (GC-ECD), using an activated silica gel capillary column. The recovery of captan in soil and tomato was 83.7%. 84.4%, respectively. The concentration levels of captan residues in tomato field samples at the recommended preharvest interval were below the EU Codex and Turkish Food Codex established MRL values. The results showed that captan dissipation in soil and tomato coincided with C = 4.1628 e(-0.8959t), C = 2.0874 e(-0.4993t), the DT50 were about 2.1 and 2.6 d, respectively," wrote F. Ekmekyapar and colleagues ...read more

  2009 JAN 8 - (VerticalNews.com) -- "A two-year field experiment was carried out to study the potential utilisation of anaerobic digestates as substitute of mineral fertilisers. To accomplish this objective, Cumulative dry matter, plant nutrient and heavy metals content were determined oil alfalfa and cocksfoot crops," scientists in Bari, Italy report.

  "Soil chemical properties and heavy metals content at the end of the experiment were also investigated. In alfalfa, no significant difference Was found for cumulative dry weight among fertiliser treatments in both years, while in cocksfoot the mean yield of anaerobic digestates was higher than control. in first and second year, of the 41.3 and 23.0%, respectively. Therefore, the utilisation of these amendments could provide nutritive elements. Plant nutrient contents were not affected by fertiliser applied in both years and crops, showing no effects due to soil nutrient availability," wrote F. Montemurro and colleagues ...read more

  2009 JAN 8 - (VerticalNews.com) -- "Milk production from grazing, although moderate, is all attractive option because of low capital investment and operation costs. This study characterized a non-seasonal grazing system in the Mexican central plateau, evaluating environmental effects oil variables related to milk yield with 120 lactation records of New Zealand bred Holstein-Friesian cows from 2001 to 2004," scientists in Juriquilla, Mexico report ...read more