Soil pH shapes nitrogen competition between wheat and microbes, new study finds

Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University

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Quantifying NH4+ and NO3− uptake by wheat under microbial competition in acid and calcareous soils

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Credit: Xiaoqian He, Mengxiao Li, Jiaju He, Xuesong Gao, Minghua Zhou & Ting Lan

A new study reveals that soil acidity plays a critical role in determining how wheat competes with soil microorganisms for nitrogen, a nutrient essential for plant growth and global food production. The findings provide new insight into how farmers may optimize nitrogen use efficiency and improve crop productivity by considering soil chemical conditions.

Nitrogen is one of the most important nutrients limiting plant growth worldwide. Plants typically absorb nitrogen from the soil in two primary forms: ammonium and nitrate. However, plants are not the only organisms that rely on these nutrients. Soil microorganisms also compete for the same nitrogen sources, influencing how much nitrogen remains available for crops.

Researchers conducted a controlled laboratory experiment using wheat grown in two types of agricultural soil with contrasting pH levels: acidic soil and calcareous soil, which is more alkaline. By using nitrogen isotopes to track nutrient movement, the team was able to directly measure how wheat plants and soil microbes absorbed nitrogen over time.

“Our results show that soil pH fundamentally changes how wheat acquires nitrogen and how strongly microbes compete with plants for this vital nutrient,” said corresponding author Ting Lan. “Understanding these interactions is essential for developing more efficient and sustainable fertilization strategies.”

The study found that wheat displayed different nitrogen uptake patterns depending on soil type. In calcareous soil, wheat initially showed a strong preference for nitrate within the first 24 hours after nitrogen was applied. In acidic soil, however, wheat did not show a clear preference between ammonium and nitrate during the same period. Overall, wheat absorbed nitrogen more efficiently in calcareous soil compared with acidic soil.

The research also revealed dynamic competition between wheat and soil microbes. Microorganisms dominated nitrogen uptake immediately after fertilizer application, demonstrating a rapid response and strong short term advantage. However, within 48 hours, wheat surpassed microbial nitrogen uptake in both soil types. This suggests that while microbes quickly capture available nitrogen, crops may ultimately recover more nitrogen over time.

Interestingly, microbial nitrogen assimilation remained significantly higher in acidic soil than in calcareous soil. In acidic soil, microbes captured nearly as much nitrogen as wheat, highlighting stronger competition between plants and microorganisms under lower pH conditions. In contrast, microbial competition was weaker in calcareous soil, allowing wheat to dominate nitrogen uptake more effectively.

The researchers attribute these differences to soil chemical processes that regulate nitrogen availability. Calcareous soil showed higher nitrification rates, meaning more ammonium was converted into nitrate, which wheat tends to favor. Acidic soils, on the other hand, supported conditions that enhanced microbial nitrogen retention.

According to the study, these findings could have important agricultural implications. Improving soil pH management may help farmers balance microbial activity and crop nitrogen uptake, potentially reducing fertilizer loss and environmental pollution. Nitrogen fertilizers are often inefficiently used, with significant portions lost to the environment, contributing to water contamination and greenhouse gas emissions.

The study also highlights the complex and dynamic nature of plant microbe interactions in agricultural soils. Nitrogen uptake strategies can shift rapidly depending on soil chemistry, microbial activity, and nutrient availability. Understanding these processes may help scientists develop improved crop management practices that enhance nutrient efficiency while maintaining soil health.

The research demonstrates that soil pH is a key regulator of nitrogen competition between crops and microbes and offers new insights into improving nutrient management in modern agriculture.

The full study is available in the journal Nitrogen Cycling.

 

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Journal Reference: He X, Li M, He J, Gao X, Zhou M, et al. 2026. Quantifying NH4+ and NO3− uptake by wheat under microbial competition in acid and calcareous soils. Nitrogen Cycling 2: e004 doi: 10.48130/nc-0025-0016  

https://www.maxapress.com/article/doi/10.48130/nc-0025-0016  

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About Nitrogen Cycling:
Nitrogen Cycling (e-ISSN 3069-8111) is a multidisciplinary platform for communicating advances in fundamental and applied research on the nitrogen cycle. It is dedicated to serving as an innovative, efficient, and professional platform for researchers in the field of nitrogen cycling worldwide to deliver findings from this rapidly expanding field of science.

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DOI

10.48130/nc-0025-0016 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Quantifying NH4+ and NO3− uptake by wheat under microbial competition in acid and calcareous soils

 

Scientists develop algae-derived biochar nanoreactor to tackle persistent PFAS pollution

Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University

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Cage-like ulva biochar confined synthesis of Fe₃O₄/ZnO heterojunction nanoparticles for synergistic adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of PFOA

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Credit: Hua Jing, Daoqiong Zheng, Hao Du, Haojia Zhu, Mengshan Chen & Yingtang Zhou

Researchers have developed a new algae-based biochar material that shows remarkable ability to break down perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), one of the most persistent and hazardous members of the PFAS chemical family. The new material combines advanced nanotechnology with sustainable biomass resources and may provide a promising strategy for removing difficult contaminants from water.

The study, published in Biochar, introduces a unique photocatalytic nanoreactor constructed from biochar derived from Ulva, a common marine algae. The material forms a cage-like structure that hosts iron oxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles. This design allows the material to both capture and chemically degrade PFOA, a contaminant widely used in industrial and consumer products such as textiles, electronics, and coatings.

PFOA is notoriously difficult to remove from the environment because of the strength of its carbon fluorine bonds, which makes it highly stable and resistant to conventional treatment methods. The chemical has been detected in drinking water, groundwater, sediments, and even remote regions of the planet, raising serious concerns about its toxicity and potential cancer risks. Recent regulatory standards for PFOA in drinking water have become increasingly strict due to these health concerns.

To overcome these challenges, the research team designed a novel nanoconfined structure that improves the efficiency of photocatalytic reactions. When exposed to light, photocatalysts generate highly reactive oxygen species that can attack and break down complex pollutants. However, these reactive species normally have short lifetimes and limited diffusion distances, which reduces treatment efficiency. The new cage-like architecture creates a confined reaction environment that allows these reactive species to form and interact with pollutants more effectively.

The newly developed material demonstrated exceptional performance. Laboratory experiments showed that the optimized composite catalyst removed more than 97 percent of PFOA from water within four hours. The catalyst also exhibited strong stability and could be reused multiple times without losing effectiveness. In addition, its magnetic properties allow it to be easily recovered from treated water using an external magnetic field, improving its practical applicability.

The biochar structure plays a crucial role in enhancing treatment efficiency. The porous material provides an extremely large surface area and helps disperse the nanoparticles, preventing them from clumping together. It also shortens the distance between reactive molecules and pollutants, allowing faster and more efficient degradation. The researchers found that the confined structure promoted the generation of several types of reactive oxygen species, further strengthening pollutant breakdown.

“This study demonstrates how marine biomass can be transformed into a high-performance material for environmental remediation,” the researchers noted. “By creating a confined nanoreactor environment, we significantly enhanced the efficiency of photocatalytic degradation and opened new possibilities for sustainable water purification technologies.”

Beyond its strong degradation performance, the material also performed well under varying water conditions. The catalyst maintained high removal efficiency across a wide range of pH levels and in the presence of common dissolved ions, suggesting its potential suitability for real-world water treatment systems.

The findings highlight the growing importance of biochar-based materials in environmental engineering. By combining renewable biomass with advanced nanostructure design, researchers are developing cost-effective and environmentally friendly solutions for emerging contaminants.

The team believes that this work not only offers a promising approach for PFAS removal but also provides new insights into designing next-generation photocatalysts for water purification and environmental protection.

 

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Journal Reference: Jing, H., Zheng, D., Du, H. et al. Cage-like ulva biochar confined synthesis of Fe₃O₄/ZnO heterojunction nanoparticles for synergistic adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of PFOA. Biochar 8, 11 (2026).   

https://doi.org/10.1007/s42773-025-00525-4  

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About Biochar

Biochar (e-ISSN: 2524-7867) is the first journal dedicated exclusively to biochar research, spanning agronomy, environmental science, and materials science. It publishes original studies on biochar production, processing, and applications—such as bioenergy, environmental remediation, soil enhancement, climate mitigation, water treatment, and sustainability analysis. The journal serves as an innovative and professional platform for global researchers to share advances in this rapidly expanding field. 

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Journal

Biochar

DOI

10.1007/s42773-025-00525-4 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Cage-like ulva biochar confined synthesis of Fe₃O₄/ZnO heterojunction nanoparticles for synergistic adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of PFOA

 

Rates of autism in girls and boys may be more equal than previously thought

Study raises questions around why female individuals are diagnosed later than males

BMJ Group

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Autism has long been viewed as a condition that predominantly affects male individuals, but a study from Sweden published by The BMJ shows that autism may actually occur at comparable rates among male and female individuals.

 

The results show a clear female catch-up effect during adolescence, which the researchers say highlights the need to investigate why female individuals receive diagnoses later than male individuals.

 

The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has increased over the past three decades, with a high male-to-female diagnosis ratio of around 4:1.

 

The increase in prevalence is thought to be linked to factors including wider diagnostic criteria and societal changes (eg, parental age), whilst the high male to female ratio has been attributed to better social and communication skills among girls, making autism more difficult to spot. However so far no large study has examined these trends over the life course.

 

To address this, researchers used national registers to analyse diagnosis rates of autism for 2.7 million individuals born in Sweden between 1985 and 2022 who were tracked from birth to a maximum of 37 years of age.

 

During this follow-up period of more than 35 years, autism was diagnosed in 78,522 (2.8%) of individuals at an average age of 14.3 years.

 

Diagnosis rates increased with each five year age interval throughout childhood, peaking at 645.5 per 100,000 person years for male individuals at age 10-14 years and 602.6 for female individuals at age 15-19 years.

 

However, while male individuals were more likely to have a diagnosis of autism in childhood, female individuals caught up during adolescence, giving a male to female ratio approaching 1:1 by age 20 years.

 

This is an observational study and the authors acknowledge that they did not consider other conditions associated with autism, such as ADHD and intellectual disability. Nor were they able to control for shared genetic and environmental conditions like parental mental health.

 

However, they say the study size and duration enabled them to link data for a whole population and disentangle the effects of three different time scales: age, calendar period and birth cohort.

 

As such, they write: “These findings indicate that the male to female ratio for autism has decreased over time and with increasing age at diagnosis. This male to female ratio may therefore be substantially lower than previously thought, to the extent that, in Sweden, it may no longer be distinguishable by adulthood.”

 

“These observations highlight the need to investigate why female individuals receive diagnoses later than male individuals,” they conclude.

 

These findings align with recent research and seem to support the argument that current practices may be failing to recognise autism in many women until later in life, if at all, says Anne Cary, patient and patient advocate, in a linked editorial.

 

She notes that studies like this are essential to changing the assumption that autism is more prevalent in male individuals than in female individuals, but points out that as autistic female individuals await proper diagnosis, “they are likely to be (mis)diagnosed with psychiatric conditions, especially mood and personality disorders, and they are forced to self-advocate to be seen and treated appropriately: as autistic patients, just as autistic as their male counterparts.”

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Journal

The BMJ

DOI

10.1136/bmj-2025-084164 

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Time trends in the male to female ratio for autism incidence: population based, prospectively collected, birth cohort study

Article Publication Date

4-Feb-2026

COI Statement

s://www.icmje.org/disclosure-of-interest/ and declare: support from the Simons Foundation for the submitted work; no financial relationships with any organisations that might have an interest in the submitted work in the previous three years; no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

 

Testing menstrual blood for HPV could be “robust alternative” to cervical screening

Could offer a practical way to expand access to screening, say researchers

BMJ Group

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Testing menstrual blood for human papillomavirus (HPV) could be a “robust alternative or replacement” for current cervical cancer screening by a clinician, finds a study from China published by The BMJ today.

 

The researchers say using menstrual blood for HPV testing is convenient and non-invasive, allowing women to collect samples at home, and therefore could offer a practical pathway to expand access to screening.

 

Certain types of HPV infection can develop into cervical cancer and HPV testing is a key part of cervical screening. But not all women attend screening appointments for reasons including fear of pain, concerns about privacy and stigma, and lack of awareness.

 

Testing menstrual blood for HPV infection shows promise as a convenient, non-invasive alternative to screening, but evidence is limited.

 

To address this gap, researchers in China compared the diagnostic accuracy of menstrual blood versus clinician collected cervical samples for detecting high grade (CIN2+ / CIN3+) cervical lesions, which typically require treatment.

 

Their findings are based on 3,068 women aged 20-54 years with regular menstrual cycles, enrolled between September 2021 and January 2025 at four urban and three rural communities in Hubei Province, China.

 

Each participant provided three samples for testing: a menstrual blood sample collected using a minipad - a sterile cotton strip attached to the absorbent area of a standard sanitary pad (index test), a clinician collected cervical sample (comparator test), and an additional clinician collected cervical sample for laboratory processing.

 

A WeChat mobile app (Early Test) was also available to participants to access test results and advice from healthcare providers.

 

The main outcome measure was diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of the tests. Sensitivity indicates how well a test picks up people who have a disease and specificity indicates how well a test picks up those who don’t.

 

Minipad collected samples for HPV testing showed a sensitivity of 94.7% for detecting CIN2+ which was comparable to clinician collected samples (92.1%).

 

Although minipad samples showed a lower specificity than clinician samples (89.1% v 90.0%), the negative predictive value - the probability that a person with a negative test result truly does not have the disease - was identical (99.9%) for both collection methods.

 

There was also no significant difference in positive predictive value - the probability that a person with a positive test result truly has the disease - between both collection methods (9.9% v 10.4%) and referral for further testing (colposcopy) was comparable (10.1 v 9.6 referrals per CIN2+ detected).

 

Integration with the Early Test mobile app further streamlined result reporting and patient communication, enhancing the feasibility of large scale implementation of screening, note the authors.

 

These are observational findings so no firm conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect, and the authors acknowledge several study limitations that warrant careful consideration.

 

However, they say: “The results of this large scale community based study show the utility of using minipad collected menstrual blood for HPV testing as a standardised, non-invasive alternative or replacement for cervical cancer screening.”

 

“The findings of this study support the integration of menstrual blood based HPV testing into national cervical cancer screening guidelines.”

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Journal

The BMJ

DOI

10.1136/bmj-2025-084831 

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Testing menstrual blood for human papillomavirus during cervical cancer screening in China: cross sectional population based study

Article Publication Date

4-Feb-2026

COI Statement

All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form at www.icmje.org/disclosure-of-interest/ and declare: support the Key Technology R&D Programme of Hubei and the Academician Expert Workstation of the Central Hospital of Wuhan in China. RSL reports consulting for Organon, Celmatix and Exeltis. All other authors declare no financial relationships with any organisations that might have an interest in the submitted work in the previous three years; and no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work