Method for improving drought resistance of beet trees by using wormcast and sodium selenite

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for improving drought resistance of beet trees by using wormcast and sodium selenite, which comprises the following steps: adding wormcast or compost into soil for planting sweet trees in advance, or spraying sodium selenite to leaf surfaces independently or simultaneously in combination with the wormcast and the compost; the wormcast is the wormcast which is in accordance with the T / GDNB102-2022 standard; the compost is an organic fertilizer conforming to the NY / T525-2021 standard, the concentration of sodium selenite sprayed to the leaf surfaces is 20-40 mg / L, the spraying frequency is once a week, small liquid drops stop when the sodium selenite is sprayed to the leaf surfaces each time, the amount of the wormcast added to the soil is 5% of the dry weight of the soil of the plowing layer of the beet trees, and the amount of the compost added to the soil is 10% of the dry weight of the soil of the plowing layer of the beet trees. The drought refers to the condition that the water supply amount of the beet trees is reduced to 50%-25% of the normal water supply amount. According to the method, a new way is provided for cultivation, loss reduction and harvest preservation of the sweet trees under the drought condition, the drought resistance of the beet trees is effectively improved, and an environment-friendly solution is provided for ensuring safe production of the beet trees under the drought weather.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of beet planting, in particular to a method for improving the drought resistance of beet by using earthworm castings and sodium selenite. Background Art

[0002] Beet Tree ( Yunnanopilia longistaminea Beetroot is a rare plant of the citron family. It grows as a perennial shrub or small tree, primarily in the Red River Basin of Yunnan Province, becoming a local wild vegetable of the plateau. The beet tree is highly regarded for its nutritional value. Its young stems and shoots are rich in various minerals and vitamin C. Notably, the vitamin C content in its young stems and leaves is as high as 56.4mg / 100g, far exceeding that of other vegetables. Furthermore, the beet tree contains higher levels of crude fat and crude fiber than other vegetables, and its total amino acid content is as high as 5.98%, making it unique among vegetables. Beetroot also contains the special compound idiol, which imparts its unique sweetness. Due to its unique taste and high nutritional value, the young branches and leaves of the beet tree enjoy a huge market demand, fetching prices as high as 80-160 yuan per catty. This not only significantly increases farmers' income but also further highlights the tree's economic value. However, the beet tree is facing an endangered status, and its significant ecological and economic value warrants greater attention and protection. To restore sugar beet populations, protect resources, and ensure their sustainable use, large-scale artificial cultivation is urgently needed. However, the harm of drought to sugar beet trees cannot be ignored. Drought severely impacts their growth, weakening photosynthesis and leading to reduced yield and quality. Prolonged drought can also lead to soil degradation and ecological deterioration, further exacerbating the endangered status of sugar beets.

[0003] Worm castings have a wide range of applications in agriculture, including improving the soil environment, promoting crop growth, and reducing the use of chemical fertilizers. As a high-quality organic fertilizer, worm castings have been increasingly valued in agricultural production. This biological organic fertilizer not only contains rich nutrients and organic matter, but also improves soil structure and increases crop yield and quality. Composting, as a way to reuse organic waste, plays an important role in agricultural production. It not only effectively solves the problem of organic waste disposal, but also supports soil health and crop growth through its rich organic matter and nutrients. The application of sodium selenite in agriculture is mainly reflected in its use as a selenium fertilizer, which enhances the nutritional value of crops by increasing their selenium content. It can also be used for soil improvement and promoting crop growth.

[0004] Currently, there are no reports in the existing literature on the use of vermicompost, compost, or sodium selenite in dryland cultivation of sugar beets, and even less research on the effects of a combination of these three materials on sugar beet growth. Therefore, this technology has significant ecological, economic, and social value. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to propose a method for using existing fertilizer combinations and application methods to reduce or overcome the adverse effects of drought on beet trees under drought conditions, significantly increase the fresh weight of various parts of the beet tree plant, and promote the growth of beet trees with guaranteed quality and quantity, especially a method for using earthworm castings and sodium selenite to improve the drought resistance of beet trees, thereby solving the shortcomings of the existing technology.

[0006] The objects of the present invention are achieved by the following means.

[0007] A method for improving the drought resistance of sugar beets by using vermicompost and sodium selenite, characterized in that vermicompost or compost is pre-added to the soil where sugar beets are planted, or sodium selenite is sprayed on the leaves separately or simultaneously with vermicompost and compost; the vermicompost is vermicompost that meets the T / GDNB102-2022 standard; and the compost is an organic fertilizer that meets the NY / T525-2021 product standard.

[0008] The concentration of sodium selenite sprayed on the leaves is 20-40 mg / L, and the spraying frequency is once a week, and each time the spraying is continued until small droplets appear on the leaves.

[0009] The optimal spraying concentration of sodium selenite is 30 mg / L.

[0010] The amount of earthworm castings added to the soil is 5% of the dry weight of the soil in the beet tree cultivated layer.

[0011] The amount of compost added to the soil is 10% of the dry weight of the soil in the beet tree cultivated layer.

[0012] The drought refers to a situation where the water supply to the sugar beet trees drops to 50%-25% of the normal water supply.

[0013] The invention discloses a method for maintaining the osmotic balance of cells and tissues and the activity of metabolic enzymes in sugar beet trees in a drought environment. The method is characterized in that the earthworm castings are added to the soil of the cultivated layer of sugar beet trees and sodium selenite is sprayed on the leaves at the same time.

[0014] The beet metabolic enzymes are hydrogen peroxide, superoxide dismutase and peroxidase.

[0015] The invention discloses a method for improving soil enzyme activity in sugar beet planting by adding compost and sodium selenite, which is characterized in that compost is added to the soil tillage layer under drought conditions and sodium selenite is sprayed on the surface of sugar beet leaves.

[0016] The soil enzymes of the sugar beet plantation are soil catalase (S-CAT), soil urease (S-UE), soil acid phosphatase (S-ACP) and soil sucrase (S-SC).

[0017] The beneficial effects of the present invention are: This approach provides a new way to cultivate sugar beet trees under drought conditions, minimizing losses and ensuring yields. By adding compost or vermicompost to the soil or spraying sodium selenite on the leaves of sugar beet trees in drought conditions, the drought resistance of sugar beet trees is effectively improved. This provides an environmentally friendly solution for ensuring safe production of sugar beet trees in drought conditions. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 It is a bar graph showing the effects of different drought and fertilization treatments on the fresh weight of different parts of sugar beet trees.

[0019] Figure (a): Leaf fresh weight; b: Root fresh weight; c: Stem fresh weight. The six columns under normal (WW), moderate drought (MD), and severe drought (SD) conditions, from left to right, represent the average of three biological replicates for each treatment from T0 to T5.

[0020] Figure 2 This is a bar graph showing the effects of different drought and fertilization treatments on the growth of sugar beet trees.

[0021] Figure (a): plant height; b: number of leaves; c: number of branches. The six columns under normal (WW), moderate drought (MD), and severe drought (SD) conditions, from left to right, represent the average of three biological replicates for each of the six treatments from T0 to T5.

[0022] Figure 3 This is a bar graph showing the effects of different drought and fertilization treatments on antioxidant enzyme activity and malondialdehyde content in sugar beet leaves.

[0023] Figure (a): Superoxide dismutase activity; (b): Catalase activity; (c): Malondialdehyde content. The six columns under normal (WW), moderate drought (MD), and severe drought (SD) conditions, from left to right, represent the average of three biological replicates for each treatment from T0 to T5.

[0024] Figure 4 This is a bar graph showing the effects of different drought and fertilization treatments on soil enzymatic properties in sugar beet cultivation soil.

[0025] Figure: (a) Soil catalase activity; (b) Soil urease activity; (c) Soil acid phosphatase activity; (d) Soil sucrase activity. The six columns under normal (WW), moderate drought (MD), and severe drought (SD) conditions, from left to right, represent the average of three biological replicates for each of the six treatments from T0 to T5. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, the present invention is further described in detail with reference to the following embodiments. Example

[0027] The pot experiment for studying the mitigation of drought stress in sugar beets included the following steps: (1) Soil was collected from a greenhouse near Yunnan University, Kunming, China (102.809' E, 24.84' N) at a depth of 0-30 cm. The soil was ground, mixed, and dried in the shade. Finally, the soil was sieved with a 5 mm sieve.

[0028] (2) Then, add 10% of the dry soil mass of compost or 5% of the dry soil mass of earthworm castings to the corresponding treated soil, mix thoroughly, and then let the improved soil stand for coupling for 60 days (during which time the soil moisture content is maintained at 55-75%, that is, the amount of water in the soil accounts for 55% to 75% of the total weight of the soil).

[0029] (4) One-year-old sugar beet seedlings of similar growth and size were planted in 30 cm high × 40 cm wide pots. Each treatment used a completely randomized design (CRD) with the following combinations: (WW = normal watering, MD = moderate drought, SD = severe drought; T0 = control, T1 = Na2SeO3 (30 mg L -1 ), T2 = compost (10%), T3 = vermicompost (5%), T4 = T1 + T2, T5 = T1 + T3), a total of 18 two-factor combinations with three replicates. Each pot contained 15 kg of soil and one plant. The pots were placed in a greenhouse with 90% shading, a daytime / nighttime temperature of 25 / 30°C, and a daytime / nighttime humidity of 70 / 90%. Watering was done every ten days, with a normal dose of 1000 ml per pot; a moderate drought dose of 500 ml; and a severe drought dose of 250 ml. Field drought severity was determined based on this standard and estimated from the average soil moisture content measured multiple times.

[0030] Sodium selenite should be applied by foliar spraying once a week at a concentration of 20-40 mg / L, preferably 30 mg / L. Apply enough each time until small droplets form on the leaves.

[0031] (3) Three months after planting, fresh leaves from the top of the treated sugar beet seedlings were collected between 09:00 and 10:00 am. The fresh leaves were cleaned and immediately stored in liquid nitrogen before further analysis. The plant height was measured from the root to the top of the seedling using a ruler. The seedlings were separated into leaves, stems, and roots, and their fresh weights were recorded using a weighing scale after cleaning.

[0032] (4) Determine the physiological indicators of the collected leaves and evaluate the growth status of the sugar beet trees under the treatment conditions; (5) Determine the activities of soil catalase (S-CAT), soil urease (S-UE), soil acid phosphatase (S-ACP), and soil sucrase (S-SC) in the soil and evaluate the impact on the soil.

[0033] The test results of this embodiment are as follows Figure 1 、 Figure 2 、 Figure 3 、 Figure 4 shown Figure 1 Both drought levels reduced sugar beet biomass. Severe and moderate drought reduced root fresh weight by 62.33% and 37.65%, stem fresh weight by 63.11% and 27.18%, and leaf fresh weight by 72.69% and 40.45%, respectively. The sodium selenite combined with vermicompost treatment showed the highest biomass across all drought levels. This combination of sodium selenite and vermicompost can promote sugar beet biomass production and mitigate drought-induced biomass loss.

[0034] Figure 2 Data analysis showed that drought stress affected the growth attributes of sugar beet seedlings under greenhouse conditions. All growth attributes decreased linearly with increasing drought severity. However, the addition of compost and vermicompost to the soil combined with foliar application of Na2SeO3 significantly (p ≤ 0.05) improved the growth attributes of sugar beet trees. Figure 1 Compared to well-watered conditions (control), severe drought conditions reduced plant height (32.92%), branch number (55.56%), and leaf number (52.61%). Foliar application of Na₂SeO₃ combined with vermicompost increased plant height (37.00%), branch number (69.23%), and leaf number (43.33%) compared to the control. All growth attributes of drought stress followed the order of normal watering > moderate drought stress > severe drought stress.

[0035] Figure 3Results showed that antioxidant enzyme activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content in sugar beet leaves under drought stress followed the order of severe drought stress > moderate drought stress > normal watering. Under different drought conditions, combined vermicompost and Na₂SeO₃ treatment reduced superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, catalase (CAT) activity, and malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation. The combined treatment of vermicompost and Na₂SeO₃ affected the osmotic balance of cells and tissues in sugar beet leaves at different drought levels, as well as the activity and concentration of enzymes required for important metabolic activities within cells.

[0036] Figure 4 The results showed that the application of Na2SeO3 in combination with soil organic amendments alone significantly (p ≤ 0.05) improved soil enzymatic properties ( Figure 4 ). Drought stress affects the properties of soil enzymes according to the severity of the stress. As the severity of drought increases, the soil enzymatic properties decrease linearly. Compared with the control, the addition of sodium selenite increased soil catalase activity (33.42%), soil urease activity (55.54%), soil acid phosphatase activity (34.17%), and soil sucrase activity (79.85%). The improvement of these soil enzymatic property indicators plays an important role in improving soil fertility, promoting plant growth, increasing agricultural yield and quality, and protecting the soil ecological environment. The experimental results show that this cultivation method, by adding 5% dry soil mass of earthworm castings and spraying 30mg / L Na2SeO3 on the leaves, can significantly increase the fresh weight of various parts of beet plants under normal or drought conditions, promote the growth of beet trees, maintain the osmotic balance of cells and tissues in beet plants, and protect the enzyme activity required for important metabolic activities in cells. At the same time, it can increase the activity of four soil enzymes and improve the soil environment, showing its applicability in beet cultivation and safe production.

[0037] The production method and standards for vermicompost described in this invention are as follows, primarily referencing the "Process for Producing Organic Fertilizer from Vermicompost" (DB15 / T 3405.2-2024) and the "Vermicompost Products" (T / GDNB 102-2022). The vermicompost production process includes raw material preparation, raw material fermentation, earthworm cultivation, vermicompost collection, and vermicompost processing. First, organic solid wastes such as livestock and poultry manure and straw are mixed, and the carbon-nitrogen ratio, moisture content, and pH are adjusted. The compost is then piled and fermented, with controlled temperature and time, and the compost is turned during fermentation. Next, earthworms are inoculated and cultured under suitable conditions, with regular maintenance during this period. The earthworms and vermicompost are then separated. Finally, the vermicompost is air-dried, crushed, and sieved to meet the requirements for organic fertilizer. Vermicompost standards cover multiple aspects, including appearance, nutrient content, pH and conductivity, maturity, safety, and impurity content.

[0038] The composting method and standards described in this invention are as follows, with reference to standards such as "Organic Fertilizer" (NY / T 525-2021) and "Technical Specifications for Pollution Control of Biomass Waste Composting" (HJ 1266-2022). The method includes raw material preparation, site selection, material handling, fermentation, composting, and post-processing. Raw materials such as livestock and poultry manure and straw are mixed in appropriate proportions. The site must be flat, well-ventilated, and close to a water source and the raw material production area. During mixing, the carbon-nitrogen ratio, moisture content, and pH value are adjusted, and an organic composting agent is inoculated. During fermentation, the temperature is controlled, the compost is turned regularly, and finally, crushing and screening are performed. Composting standards cover sensory indicators, nutrient content, pH and conductivity, maturity indicators, safety, and fermentation conditions. Specifically: the finished compost product should be uniformly brown or dark brown in color, have a soil smell, and be free of odor, foul odor, and large pieces of material; total nutrients (N+P2O5+K2O) ≥5%, organic matter ≥30%; pH value between 6-8, conductivity ≤3.0ms / cm; aerobic respiration volume does not exceed 20mgO2 / (g organic matter), seed germination rate and seedling growth rate are both greater than 70%; ascaris egg mortality rate ≥95%, fecal coliform count ≤100 / g, and heavy metal content meets the prescribed limit value; the medium-term high temperature of windrow composting is maintained at 50-60℃ for no less than 15 days, and that of trough composting for no less than 7 days.

[0039] The embodiments described in the present invention are only descriptions of the preferred implementation methods of the present invention. The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned implementation 1. Without departing from the design concept of the present invention, various modifications and improvements made to the technical solutions of the present invention by technicians in this field should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. The technical contents for which protection is sought in the present invention have been fully recorded in the claims.

Claims

1. A method for improving the drought resistance of beet trees by using earthworm castings and sodium selenite, characterized in that Add worm castings or compost to the soil where the sweet tree is planted in advance, or spray sodium selenite on the leaves alone or simultaneously with worm castings and compost; the worm castings are worm castings that meet the T / GDNB102-2022 standard; the compost is an organic fertilizer that meets the NY / T525-2021 standard.

2. The method for improving the drought resistance of sugar beet trees by using earthworm castings and sodium selenite according to claim 1, characterized in that The concentration of sodium selenite for foliar spraying is 20-40 mg / L, and the spraying frequency is once a week, spraying until small droplets appear on the leaf surface.

3. The method for improving the drought resistance of sugar beet trees by using earthworm castings and sodium selenite according to claim 2, characterized in that The optimal spraying concentration of sodium selenite is 30 mg / L.

4. The method for improving the drought resistance of sugar beet trees by using earthworm castings and sodium selenite according to claim 1, characterized in that The amount of vermicompost added to the soil was 5% of the dry weight of the soil in the beet tree tillage layer.

5. The method for improving the drought resistance of sugar beet trees by using earthworm castings and sodium selenite according to claim 1, characterized in that The amount of compost added to the soil was 10% of the dry weight of the soil in the beet tree tillage layer.

6. The method for improving the drought resistance of sugar beet trees by using earthworm castings and sodium selenite according to claim 1, characterized in that A drought is a condition where the water supply to a beet tree drops to 50%-25% of its normal supply.

7. Use of earthworm castings and sodium selenite to maintain osmotic balance of cells and tissues and activity of metabolic enzymes in sweet trees in arid environments, characterized in that: Add earthworm castings to the topsoil of beet trees and apply sodium selenite to the leaves.

8. The use of earthworm castings plus sodium selenite as claimed in claim 7 for maintaining osmotic balance of cells and tissues and maintaining metabolic enzyme activity in sweet trees in arid environments, characterized in that Beet metabolic enzymes are hydrogen peroxide, superoxide dismutase, and peroxidase.

9. Use of compost plus sodium selenite as a method for improving soil enzyme activity in sweet tree planting, characterized in that: In drought conditions, compost is added to the soil tillage layer and sodium selenite is sprayed on the beet leaves.

10. The use of compost plus sodium selenite as claimed in claim 9 for improving soil enzyme activity in planting sweet trees, characterized in that: The soil enzymes of sugar beet trees are soil catalase (S-CAT), soil urease (S-UE), soil acid phosphatase (S-ACP) and soil sucrase (S-SC).

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