Highly weathered mineral soils have highest transfer risk of radiocaesium contamination after a nuclear accident: A global soil-plant study.

Accidental release of radiocaesium (137Cs) from nuclear power plants may result in long-term contamination of environmental and food production systems. Assessment of food chain contamination with 137Cs relies on 137Cs soil-to-plant transfer data and models mainly available for regions affected by the Chornobyl and Fukushima accidents. Similar data and models are lacking for other regions. Such information is needed given the global expansion of nuclear energy. We collected 38 soils worldwide of contrasting parent materials and weathering stages. The soils were spiked with 137Cs and sown with ryegrass in greenhouse conditions. The 137Cs grass-soil concentration ratio varied four orders of magnitude among soils. It was highest in Ferralsols due to the low 137Cs interception potential of kaolinite clay and the low exchangeable potassium in these soils. Our results demonstrate, for the first time, the high plant uptake of 137Cs in tropical soils. The most recent 137Cs transfer model, mainly calibrated to temperate soils dominated by weathered micas, poorly predicts the underlying processes in tropical soils but, due to compensatory effect, still reasonably well predicts 137Cs bioavailability across all soils (R2 = 0.8 on a log-log scale).

Foliar applied potassium nanoparticles (K-NPs) and potassium sulfate on growth, physiological, and phytochemical parameters in Melissa officinalis L. under salt stress.

Salinity stress significantly constrains agricultural productivity and vegetation decline worldwide, particularly in Iran. Potassium, the second most prevalent nutrient in plants, is well known to be essential for cell metabolism. Here, the effects of potassium fertilizer in two biogenic nanoparticles (K-NPs) and conventional (potassium sulfate) forms (0.1 mg/ml) on Melissa officinalis L. under salinity (0, 50, 100, and 150 mM) were investigated. The results demonstrated that stress markers (electrolyte leakage, malondialdehyde, and hydrogen peroxide) increased as salinity levels increased. Plant growth parameters (shoot and root length, fresh and dry weight of shoot and root) and physiological and photosynthetic parameters (stomatal conductance, relative water content, chlorophyll fluorescence, and photosynthetic pigments) were reduced in salinized plants. The highest reduction in fresh weight root, dry weight root, fresh weight shoot, dry weight shoot, root length, and shoot length was recorded under 150 mM NaCl by 30.2%, 51.6%, 30.5%, 24.7%, 26.4%, and 21%, respectively. In contrast, bulk potassium sulfate and K-NPs increased these parameters. Furthermore, K-NPs improved M. officinalis tolerance to NaCl toxicity by enhancing the content of osmolytes such as proline, soluble sugars, and antioxidant enzymes, improving antioxidant contents such as phenols, tannins, anthocyanins, and flavonoids; increasing total protein; and lowering stress markers in plant tissues. Given the results of the physiological, biochemical, and phytochemical parameters obtained from this study, it can be stated that K-NPs, in comparison to the conventional form of potassium fertilizer, exhibit a greater potential to mitigate damages caused by salinity stress in M. officinalis plants.

Green potassium fertilizer from enzymatic hydrolysis lignin: Effects of lignin fractionation on wheat seed germination and seedling growth.

Sustainably sourced lignin presents great potential as a green feedstock for fertilizer production but commercial fulfillment is still challenging owing to the mediocre fertilizer activity of lignin. To address this issue, an effective strategy to enhance the activity of lignin-based potassium fertilizer (LPF) is proposed through lignin fractionation. Three lignin fractions subdivided from enzymatic hydrolysis lignin (EHL) were adopted as the feedstock for LPF preparation, and the effect of lignin fractionation on wheat seed germination and seedling growth was investigated. Compared with the potassium fertilizer from unfractionated lignin, LPF-F1 showed significantly improved effects on promoting seed germination and seedling growth, which can be attributed to the high potassium content resulted from its abundant phenolic hydroxyl and carboxyl contents. Under the optimal treatment concentration (100 mg/L), LPF-F1 showed comparable promotion effect to commercial fulvic acid potassium on wheat seedling growth, suggesting the potential of LPF-F1 as commercial potassium fertilizer. Overall, this work reveals that lignin heterogeneity presents critical effects on the wheat seed germination and seedling growth of LPF, and the fertilizer activity of LPF can be substantially improved using fractionated lignin with low molecular weight as the raw material.

Recycling potassium from cow manure compost can replace potassium fertilizers in paddy rice production systems.

The prevalence of K deficiency and negative K balance in rice production increases the demand for K fertilizer. However, the primary source of K fertilizer, potash rock, is limited. Recycling K from cow manure compost (CMC) is a sustainable solution. Nevertheless, the effects of substituting K fertilizer with CMC on rice yield, soil K fertility, and partial K balance (PKB) are not well understood. Therefore, a field experiment with four treatments (control - unfertilized, MNP K - CMC plus NPK fertilizer, MNP ½ K - CMC plus NP and 50 % K fertilizer, and MNP - CMC plus NP fertilizer) was conducted from 2020 to 2022 to study the effects of replacing K fertilizer with K from CMC on rice growth, yield, plant K uptake, soil K fertility, and PKB. The results indicated that K input from CMC exceeded the recommended K fertilizer level, sufficient for optimal rice growth and yield over three growing seasons and plant K uptake in the last two seasons. Plant K uptake increased with total K input and reached a plateau when total K input approached the maximum plant K uptake. In the MNP treatment, PKB was negative in the first two seasons but became positive in the last season, owing to the equivalence between K input from CMC and plant K uptake. Key factors influencing PKB in this treatment were K input from CMC and plant K uptake. Increasing the CMC application rate during the first two seasons could lead to a positive PKB. In this treatment, soil exchangeable K changed correspondingly with PKB, decreasing in the first two seasons but increasing in the last season. Overall, determining the appropriate amount of CMC application for a positive PKB is vital for the sustainability of substituting K fertilizer with K from CMC in paddy rice systems.

A Novel Composite Hydrogel Material for Sodium Removal and Potassium Provision.

Sodium ions are commonly found in natural water sources, and their high concentrations can potentially lead to adverse effects on both the water sources and soil quality. In this study, we successfully synthesized potassium polyacrylate (KMAA) hydrogel through free radical polymerization and evaluated its capability to remove sodium ions from and supply potassium ions to aqueous solutions. To assess its performance, inductively coupled plasma emission spectroscopy (ICP) was employed to analyze the sodium ion removal capacity and potassium ion exchange capability of the KMAA hydrogel at various initial sodium ion concentrations and pH values. The results demonstrated that the KMAA hydrogel exhibited remarkable efficiency in removing sodium ions and providing potassium ions. At pH 7, the maximum adsorption capacity for sodium ions was measured at 70.7 mg·g-1. The Langmuir model, with a correlation coefficient of 0.98, was found to be more suitable for describing the adsorption process of sodium ions. Moreover, at pH 4, the maximum exchange capacity for potassium ions reached 243.7 mg·g-1. The Freundlich model, with a correlation coefficient of 0.99, was deemed more appropriate for characterizing the ion exchange behavior of potassium ions. In conclusion, the successfully synthesized KMAA hydrogel demonstrates superior performance in removing sodium ions and supplying potassium ions, providing valuable insights for addressing high sodium ion concentrations in water sources and facilitating potassium fertilizer supply.

[Effects of Early Rice Straw Returning with Reducing Potassium Fertilizer on Late Rice Yield and Soil Fertility].

Rice straw is an important organic fertilizer in the region for double-cropping rice in South China. To reveal the effects of early rice returning with reducing potassium fertilizer on the yield of late rice and soil fertility, field experiments were carried out in Baiyun and Huiyang district in Guangdong province. The biomass, K content, and yield of late rice and the soil fertility properties, such as soil available potassium, soil organic carbon, bacterial diversity, and bacterial community structure were analyzed under three treatments (CK, conventional fertilization; RS, straw returning with conventional fertilization; RS-K, straw returning with reducing 20% potassium fertilizer). The results showed no significant differences in the biomass and yield of late rice between the RS-K treatment and CK treatment. Compared with that in CK, the RS treatment significantly increased the K contents of rice by 3.97% (Baiyun) and 6.91% (Huiyang). The K contents of late rice under the RS-K treatment were significantly lower than that under the CK treatment during the early growth period in rice, but there was no significant difference between them during the late growth period. Compared with that in CK, the soil available K in the RS treatment increased by 13.90% (Baiyun) and 21.67% (Huiyang) (P<0.05), and the soil available K in the RS-K treatment also increased by 3.56% (Baiyun) and 4.23% (Huiyang). Compared with that in the CK treatment, the soil dissolved organic carbon increased significantly in the RS and RS-K treatments (P<0.05). Compared with that in CK, the straw returning treatments (RS and RS-K) significantly improved the Chao1 and Shannon indexes of soil bacteria (P<0.05). Straw returning treatments (RS and RS-K) increased the relative abundance of Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Nitrospirae compared with that in CK, whereas they decreased the relative abundance of Acidobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes. Redundancy analysis showed that the soil bacterial community was mainly influenced by soil organic carbon, dissolved organic carbon, microbial biomass carbon, available P, and available K. In summary, early rice returning could increase soil available K and K content in late rice. Early rice straw returning with reducing potassium fertilizer had no negative impacts on the growth and yield of late rice and could also improve soil organic carbon and the diversity of soil bacteria. Therefore, early rice straw returning with reducing potassium fertilizer can guarantee the grain yield of late rice and improve soil fertility.

N2O emissions and product ratios of nitrification and denitrification are altered by K fertilizer in acidic agricultural soils.

Potassium (K) fertilizer plays an important role in increasing crop yield, quality, and nitrogen use efficiency. However, little is known about its environmental impacts, such as its effects on emissions of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O). A nitrogen-15 (15N) tracer laboratory experiment was therefore performed in an acidic agricultural soil in the suburbs of Wuhan, central China, to determine the effects of K fertilizer on N2O emissions and nitrification/denitrification product ratios under N fertilization. During 15-d incubation periods with a fixed initial N concentration (80 mg kg-1), K application increased average N2O emission rates significantly (1.6-10.8-fold) compared to the control treatment. N2O emissions derived from nitrification and denitrification both increased in K-treated soil, and denitrification contributed more to the increase; its contribution ratio rose from 32% without K fertilizer to 53% with 300 mg kg-1 of K applied. The increase in N2O emissions under K fertilization is probably due to an increase in the activity of denitrifying microorganisms and acid-resistant nitrifying microorganisms caused by higher K+ concentrations and lower soil pH. Combined treatment with potassium chloride (KCl) and N fertilizer produced lower N2O emissions than combined treatment with potassium sulfate (K2SO4) and N fertilizer during 15-d incubation periods. Our results imply that there are significant interaction effects between N fertilizers and K fertilizers on N2O emissions. In particular, combining N fertilizers with fertilizers that reduce soil acidity or contain Cl or K ions may significantly affect agricultural N2O emissions.

Investigating the effect of biochar on the potential of increasing cotton yield, potassium efficiency and soil environment.

Potassium (K) is an essential macronutrient for plant growth and development. However, in China, available K is relatively low in the soil, and with the extensive use of chemical fertilizer, K use efficiency is constantly reducing, and consequently increasing the potential risk of environmental pollution and economic loss. Therefore, it is essential to reduce the negative impact of over-fertilization on the environment to obtain optimal crop yield. Biochar as a soil amendment has been applied to improve soil fertility and increase crop yield. However, the effects of successive biochar application on cotton yield, agronomy efficiencies and potash fertilizer reduction are not well documented. Our results of a pot experiment showed that the application of 1% biochar to soil under different K levels significantly improved dry mass accumulation and K content of different plant parts, and increased the number of buds, bolls and effective branches of cotton. Particularly, plants treated with 150 mg/kg K2O and 1% biochar had the highest growth parameters. The most important characteristics including the harvest index, K fertilizer contribution index, partial factor productivity, agronomic efficiency and apparent recovery efficiency of K under C1 (1% biochar) were generally greater than those under C0 (without biochar). The 75 mg/kg K2O application was optimal to produce the highest yield with 1% biochar, demonstrating that biochar can increase cotton yield and therefore, reduces chemical K fertilizer application and alleviates agricultural environment risks of chemical fertilizer.

Morpholine-Based Gemini Surfactant: Synthesis and Its Application for Reverse Froth Flotation of Carnallite Ore in Potassium Fertilizer Production.

Potassium fertilizer plays a critical role in increasing the food production. Carnallite is concentrated by reverse froth flotation and used as a raw material to produce potassium fertilizer (KCl) in agriculture. However, all the surfactants used in the carnallite reverse flotation process are conventional monomeric surfactants contain a single similar hydrophobic group in the molecule, which results in a low production efficiency. In this work, a new morpholine-based Gemini surfactant, 1,4-bis (morpholinododecylammonio) butane dibromide (BMBD), was prepared and originally recommended as a collector for reverse froth flotation separation of halite (NaCl) from carnallite ore. The flotation results indicated BMBD had higher flotation recovery and stronger affinity of halite against carnallite compared with conventional monomeric surfactant N-(n-Dodecyl) morpholine (DDM). Fourier transform infrared spectra suggested that BMBD molecules were adsorbed on halite surface rather than the carnallite surface. Additionally, BMBD molecules can strongly reduce the surface tension of NaCl saturated solution. Considering the BMBD's unique properties, such as double reactive centers to mineral surfaces, double hydrophobic groups, and stronger surface tension reducing ability, made it be a superior collector for reverse flotation desalination from carnallite ores than DDM.

Effects of Potassium Fertilizer Rates on Soybean Looper (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Development.

Potassium (K) has an important impact on physiological and biochemical processes in plants. Soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merrill, requires high K availability for optimal yield. However, changes in nutrient availability in plants may also affect herbivore population size and/or development. Soybean looper, Chrysodeixis includens (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is one of the most destructive pests of soybean in the southern United States. In this study, we evaluated the effects of different K fertilization rates on soybean looper development, soybean seed weight, and soybean seed nutritional quality. Soybean plants were supplied with six different rates of K fertilizer (0, 33.6, 67.3, 100.9, 134.5, and 168.1 kg/ha as K2O). Soybean leaves were sampled at R1, R3, R5, and R6 stages and fed to soybean looper in laboratory bioassays. Soybean looper mortality, fecundity, and fertility were not significantly affected by feeding on leaf tissues of soybean treated with different potassium fertilizer rates. However, soybean looper consumed more leaf tissue and spent less time completing larval development when fed on foliage from treatments of 134.5 and 168.1 kg/ha. Pupal weight significantly increased at 134.5 and 168.1 kg/ha. There was no significant difference in percentage of protein, oil, and fiber in soybean seeds among six K fertilizer rates. Percentage of K in soybean seeds and 100 seed weight were significantly enhanced at 168.1 kg/ha. Nitrogen (N) content of foliage was not affected by applying K fertilizer at different rates. Our results indicate that higher K fertilizer rates can enhance soybean seed weight but also facilitate soybean looper development.

Concentration of radiocaesium in rice and irrigation water, and soil management practices in Oguni, Date, Fukushima.

The concentration of radiocaesium ((134) Cs and (137) Cs) in brown rice collected from Oguni, Date, Fukushima in 2011 was over 500 Bq kg(-1) , which was the provisional regulation value in 2011, and rice cultivation was prohibited in 2012. Rice culture was resumed following the application of K fertilizer as a countermeasure in 2013. The concentration of (137) Cs in soils and irrigation water in 2013 was in the range of 1200 to 4000 Bq kg(-1) (n = 31) and 0.078 to 1.1 Bq L(-1) (n = 7), respectively. The concentration of (137) Cs in the dissolved fraction in irrigation water filtered with 0.45 µm pore-size membrane filter was a relatively constant at 0.019 to 0.038 Bq L(-1) (n = 7). The concentration of (137) Cs in brown rice cultivated in the paddy fields after implementing the countermeasure was 1.1 to 24 Bq kg(-1) dry weight (n = 29), which was lower than the Standard Limits (100 Bq kg(-1) ). However, the concentration of Cs in rice cultivated under a similar agricultural management as in 2011 and prior to the Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings' (TEPCO) Fukushima accident was over the Standard Limits. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2016;12:659-661. © 2016 SETAC.

Influence of water management and fertilizer application on (137)Cs and (133)Cs uptake in paddy rice fields.

Cesium-137 derived from the Tokyo Electric Power Company's Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident contaminated large areas of agricultural land in Eastern Japan. Previous studies before the accident have indicated that flooding enhances radiocesium uptake in rice fields. We investigated the influence of water management in combination with fertilizers on (137)Cs concentrations in rice plants at two fields in southern Ibaraki Prefecture. Stable Cs ((133)Cs) in the plants was also determined as an analogue for predicting (137)Cs behavior after long-term aging of soil (137)Cs. The experimental periods comprised 3 y starting from 2012 in one field, and 2 y from 2013 in another field. These fields were divided into three water management sections: a long-flooding section without midsummer drainage, and medial-flooding, and short-flooding sections with one- or two-week midsummer drainage and earlier end of flooding than the long-flooding section. Six or four types of fertilizer subsections (most differing only in potassium application) were nested in each water management section. Generally, the long-flooding treatment led to higher (137)Cs and (133)Cs concentrations in both straw and brown rice than medial- and short-flooding treatments, although there were some notable exceptions in the first experimental year at each site. Effects of differing potassium fertilizer treatments were cumulative; the effects on (137)Cs and (133)Cs concentrations in rice plants were not obvious in 2012 and 2013, but in 2014, these concentrations were highest where potassium fertilizer had been absent and lowest where basal dressings of K had been tripled. The relationship between (137)Cs and (133)Cs in rice plants was not correlative in the first experimental year at each site, but correlation became evident in the subsequent year(s). This study demonstrates a novel finding that omitting midsummer drainage and/or delaying drainage during the grain-filling period enhances uptake of both (137)Cs and (133)Cs.

Relationship between potassium fertilization and nitrogen metabolism in the leaf subtending the cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) boll during the boll development stage.

The nitrogen (N) metabolism of the leaf subtending the cotton boll (LSCB) was studied with two cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) cultivars (Simian 3, low-K tolerant; Siza 3, low-K sensitive) under three levels of potassium (K) fertilization (K0: 0 g K2O plant(-1), K1: 4.5 K2O plant(-1) and K2: 9.0 g K2O plant(-1)). The results showed that total dry matter increased by 13.1-27.4% and 11.2-18.5% under K supply for Simian 3 and Siza 3. Boll biomass and boll weight also increased significantly in K1 and K2 treatments. Leaf K content, leaf N content and nitrate (NO3(-)) content increased with increasing K rates, and leaf N content or NO3(-) content had a significant positive correlation with leaf K content. Free amino acid content increased in the K0 treatment for both cultivars, due to increased protein degradation caused by higher protease and peptidase activities, resulting in lower protein content in the K0 treatment. The critical leaf K content for free amino acid and soluble protein content were 14 mg g(-1) and 15 mg g(-1) in Simian 3, and 17 mg g(-1) and 18 mg g(-1) in Siza 3, respectively. Nitrate reductase (NR), glutamic-oxaloace transaminase (GOT) and glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT) activities increased in the K1 and K2 treatments for both cultivars, while glutamine synthetase (GS) and glutamate synthase (GOGAT) activities increased under K supply treatments only for Siza 3, and were not affected in Simian 3, indicating that this was the primary difference in nitrogen-metabolizing enzymes activities for the two cultivars with different sensitivity to low-K.

The inhibitory effects of potassium chloride versus potassium silicate application on (137)Cs uptake by rice.

After the accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant owned by the Tokyo Electric Power Company on 11 March 2011, potassium fertilizer was applied to agricultural fields in the southern Tohoku and northern Kanto regions of Japan to reduce the uptake of radiocesium by crops. In this study, we examined the effects of two types of potassium fertilizers, potassium chloride (a readily available potassium fertilizer) and potassium silicate (a slow-release potassium fertilizer), as well as a split application of potassium, on the accumulation of (137)Cs by rice plants in two pot experiments. The (137)Cs concentrations in the brown rice and in the above-ground plants were significantly lower after potassium chloride application than after potassium silicate application. The potassium ion (K(+)) concentrations in soil solutions sampled 9 and 21 d after transplanting were significantly higher for the potassium chloride application than for the potassium silicate application. The K(+) concentrations in soil solutions observed in the application of potassium silicate were similar to those in the treatment when no potassium was applied. This finding indicates that the application of potassium silicate did not sufficiently increase the available K(+) for rice plants in the soil, which led to a greater uptake of (137)Cs after the potassium silicate application than after the application of potassium chloride. The (137)Cs concentration in brown rice was higher in the split application of potassium fertilizer with the second application at the full heading stage than that without split application and the split application with the second application before heading.

Effect of fertilization combinations of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium on yield and quality of flowers of Chrysanthemum indicum / 中草药

Objective: To study the effect model of various fertilization combinations of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) and its effects on the yield of flowers of Chrysanthemum indicum (FCI) and linarin content. Methods: The "3414" mis-classification orthogonal design was used in the fertilization test of three factors (N, P, and K), quadratic regression design was adopted, and analyses on variance and the DPS were carried out by using C. indicum as material. Results: After statistical analysis, the optimized effect model of N, P, and K and the the relationship between the yield and quality of FCI were established. The optimum efficiency was the treatment with N2P2K2 in various fertilizations. No treatment or single treatment of N, P, or K could cause the reduction of yield and quality. Single-factor analysis showed that the yield and linarin content were first increased and then decreased steadily with the increase of the N, P, and K application. The two factor interaction analysis indicated that there existed an interaction range among N, P, and K with the yield as the index. Synergistic effect was observed while the amount of N, P, and K was lower than the range while antagonistic effect was observed while higher than the range. When taking the content of linarin as the index, the reaction between N-K and P-K existed a range, and the trend of linarin showed the same trend as the yield. While N-P always kept the synergistic effect. Conclusion: The optimal fertilization amounts in the optimized model of FCI are 131.280-187.254 kg/hm2 for N, 113.415-170.460 kg/hm2 for P, 118.335-220.845 kg/hm2 for K, respectively.

Métodos de extração de fósforo e potássio no solo sob sistema plantio direto / Soil phosphorus and potassium extractant in soils under no tillage

A análise de fósforo e potássio no solo, nos Estados do Rio Grande do Sul e de Santa Catarina, é realizada com a solução de Mehlich-1, e os estudos de seleção de métodos de análise para esses elementos foram feitos apenas para o sistema de cultivo convencional. Neste trabalho, a solução de Mehlich-1 foi comparada com a solução de Mehlich-3 e com o método da resina de troca iônica para análise de fósforo e potássio, em solos sob plantio direto, com experimentos de resposta das culturas à adubação fosfatada e potássica instalados no Rio Grande do Sul. As quantidades de fósforo extraídas pelos métodos da resina e Mehlich-3 foram maiores com a solução de Mehlich-1, independentemente da profundidade de amostragem. As quantidades de fósforo extraídas pelos métodos apresentaram alto grau de associação entre si. Para o potássio as quantidades extraídas foram semelhantes entre as metodologias estudadas, com alto grau de associação entre si, independentemente da profundidade de amostragem. As metodologias estudadas são eficientes na extração de fósforo e potássio no solo, em sistema plantio direto. Porém, devido às menores quantidades de P extraído pela solução de Mehlich-1, os erros em laboratório podem ser maiores pela menor amplitude de extração.

The current soil test method used to evaluate soil phosphorus and potassium available to the plants in soils from Rio Grande do Sul e Santa Catarina state is the Mehlich-1 solution. The soil test methods studies for these nutrients were conducted based on the conventional soil tillage. The aim of this work was to compare the soil phosphorus and potassium amounts extracted by the Mehlich-1 solution and the nutrients amounts extracted by the Mehlich-3 solution, and resin membrane in soils from the Rio Grande do Sul state, under no tillage soil system and nutrients crop response. The phosphorus amounts extracted by the resin method and by the Mehlich-3 solution were higher than that those extracted by the Mehlich-1 solution in both of them sampling depth. The correlation coefficients among the phosphorus amounts extracted by the methods were high association degree. The potassium amounts extracted by the methods were similar, and the correlation coefficients among the potassium amounts extracted by the methods were high association degree in all soil sampling depth. The soil testing methods that have studied in this work are efficient for soil phosphorus and potassium extraction in soils under no tillage; however, the lowest soil phosphorus amounts extracted by the Mehlich-1 solution, increase the laboratory errors.