\documentclass[english,german]{scrartcl}
\usepackage[latin1]{inputenc}
\usepackage{geometry}
\geometry{verbose,a4paper,tmargin=1.75cm,bmargin=2cm,lmargin=2cm,rmargin=2cm,headheight=0.8cm,headsep=0.5cm,footskip=0.5cm}
\usepackage{babel}
\usepackage{url}
\urlstyle{same}
\newcommand\email{\begingroup \urlstyle{same}\Url}\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{units}
\usepackage{tabularx}
\usepackage{wasysym} % enable use of \permil instead of \textperthousand
\usepackage{marvosym}
\usepackage{arabtex}
\usepackage{hyphenat}
\usepackage{booktabs}
\usepackage{mdwlist}
\renewcommand{\thefootnote}{\relax}
\usepackage{index}
\newindex{key}{kdx}{knd}{Keywords}
\newindex{author}{idx}{ind}{Authors}
\usepackage{fancyhdr}
\pagestyle{fancy}
\renewcommand{\headrulewidth}{0pt}
\fancyfoot{}
\usepackage{ifpdf}
\ifpdf
%\usepackage[activate]{pdfcprot}
%\usepackage[owner=Tapioka, print=true, copy=true, edit=false, annotate=false,set]{pdfcrypt}
%encryption: not supported any more (since pdftex 1.10)
\usepackage[pdftex]{thumbpdf}
\usepackage[pdftex]{hyperref}
\hypersetup{pdftitle={Effect of Biochar on Maize Physiology and Soil Water Content in Danish Sandy Soils},pdfauthor={Fauziatu Ahmed, Emmanuel Arthur, Finn Plauborg, Mathias N. Andersen},pdfsubject={Tropentag 2016: Abstract},pdfkeywords={Deficit irrigation, Maize physiology, Sandy soil, Soil water content, straw biochar},pdfpagemode=None,colorlinks=true}
\else
\usepackage{ae}
\usepackage{textcomp}
\fi
\begin{document}
\ifpdf
\parbox[b]{2.5cm}{\resizebox*{2.5cm}{!}{\includegraphics{dtt2016.jpg}}}
\else
\parbox[b]{2.5cm}{\resizebox*{2.5cm}{!}{\includegraphics{dtt2016.eps}}}
\fi
\hfill
\parbox[b]{13.4cm}{\centering \large{\textbf{Tropentag, September 18-21, 2016, Vienna, Austria}}\\[1ex] \Large{``Solidarity in a competing world ---\\fair use of resources''\\[2ex]}}
\hspace{0.1cm}
\begin{center}
\Large{\textbf{Effect of Biochar on Maize Physiology and Soil Water Content in Danish Sandy Soils\footnote{\textbf{Contact Address:} Fauziatu Ahmed, Aarhus University, Department of Agroecology, Blichers Allé 20 Postboks 50, DK-8830~Tjele, Denmark, \mbox{e-mail}: \email{fauzia.ahmed@agro.au.dk}}\\[0.8ex]}}
\normalsize{\textsc{Fauziatu Ahmed$^{1}$, Emmanuel Arthur$^{2}$, Finn Plauborg$^{3}$, Mathias N. Andersen$^{4}$}}
\end{center}
\begin{itemize*}
\item[]{\small{\textit{$^{1}$Aarhus University, Department of Agroecology, Denmark}}}
\item[]{\small{\textit{$^{2}$Aarhus University, Department of Agroecology, }}}
\item[]{\small{\textit{$^{3}$Aarhus University, Department of Agroecology, }}}
\item[]{\small{\textit{$^{4}$Aarhus University, Department of Agroecology and Environment, Denmark}}}
\end{itemize*}
\index[author]{Ahmed, Fauziatu}
\index[author]{Arthur, Emmanuel}
\index[author]{Plauborg, Finn}
\index[author]{Andersen, Mathias N.}
\begin{center}
\vspace{1.1cm}
\textbf{Abstract}
\begin{abstract}
\normalsize{
Sandy soils facilitate maize growth in cold regions due to higher soil temperature than loamy soils. However, Danish coarse sandy soils have poor water and nutrient retention capacity which may constrain crop development during dry spells. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to determine the effect of biochar on soil water content, maize physiology and yields. Straw biochar was applied to subsoil on dry weight basis at concentrations of 0, 1, 2, and \mbox{3\,\%} one week before planting maize. All the plants were initially fully irrigated until the flowering stage. Thereafter, half of the plants were subjected to drought until \mbox{76\,\%} of soil water content was depleted in the pots without biochar. Plant height and number of leaves were not significantly different at flowering although they were significantly lower for \mbox{3\,\%} biochar at stem elongation stage. Leaf water potential, stomatal conductance as well as photosynthesis and transpiration were maintained in biochar 2 and \mbox{3\,\%} treatment during the drying cycle reflecting the increase in soil water content observed in those treatments. In the drought treatments, total aboveground biomass tended to be greater for biochar \mbox{2\,\%} but decreased for biochar 1 and \mbox{3\,\%} relative to the control. Cob weight was increased by biochar \mbox{3\,\%} but decreased by 1 and \mbox{2\,\%}. Biochar however decreased total aboveground biomass and cob weight under irrigation. The decrease was significant for the latter for biochar \mbox{1\,\%}. The significant maintenance of photosynthesis and transpiration under drought conditions without corresponding significant increases in maize yield may be due to toxic effect of biochar \mbox{3\,\%} on roots observed in the early stages following incorporation into soil.







}

\vspace{0.5cm}
\end{abstract}
\end{center}
\noindent \textbf{Keywords:} Deficit irrigation, Maize physiology, Sandy soil, Soil water content, straw biochar
\index[key]{Deficit irrigation}
\index[key]{Maize physiology}
\index[key]{Sandy soil}
\index[key]{Soil!water content}
\index[key]{Straw biochar}
\end{document}
