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Effect of nano urea on growth and yield of scented geranium (Pelargonium graveolens L. Herit): Effect of nano urea on scented geranium
No full textNanotechnology holds promise for optimizing nutrient delivery in agriculture. This study examines the impact of nano urea, a nanoscale urea formulation, on scented geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) growth and yield. A randomized controlled trial compared nano urea with traditional urea on various growth and yield parameters. Nano urea treatment, T7-15 kg N neem coated urea + 0.5 ml l-1 nano urea improved the growth and yield of scented geranium. Plants sprayed with nano urea had maximum growth (plant height, number of leaves per plant, number of branches per plant, plant spread), yield (fresh herbage yield (1.53 and 1.26 kg per plant, 28.76 and 25.56 kg per net plot and 14.27 and 12.68 t per hectare) and essential oil yield per hectare (14.70 and 13.11 kg) in both the main as well as ratoon crops respectively
Evaluation of different moisture conservation practices on maize production and productivity in Dallomanna Districts of Bale Lowland Southeastern Ethiopia
Get PDFThe in-situ moisture conservation and mulching are techniques that help retain moisture at the root zone, reduce evapotranspiration, and increase the time of infiltration for maize production. This study was focused on the evaluation of the best moisture conservation techniques in combination with mulching under rain-fed conditions for maize production in the study area. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Five treatments, namely, control (without structure and mulching), mulching, furrow ridge with open-ended furrow with mulching, furrow ridge with closed-ended furrow with mulching, and tied ridge with mulching, were compared for two consecutive seasons (2021 and 2022) in terms of soil moisture conservation and maize grain yield. The highest mean grain yield (6134.84 kg ha-1) and soil moisture content were recorded from the plot of T5 (Tied Ridge + Mulching). The result revealed that tied ridges with mulching showed better grain yield and conserved moisture over the others, followed by furrow ridges with close-ended furrows with mulching, respectively. Therefore, tied ridges with mulching as in-situ moisture conservation practices is an effective technique for storing moisture and increasing the time of infiltration as compared to other practices
Begomovirus disease of pumpkin crop in India and its management strategies possibility: a review
Get PDFPumpkin is an important commercial crop grown worldwide in tropical and subtropical regions. The whitefly-transmitted Pumpkin yellow vein mosaic disease seriously threatens pumpkin cultivation worldwide. The advent of transgenic technology in the 1980s revolutionized the possibilities for introducing virus resistance into agriculturally important plant species. It offered a powerful tool to enhance crop protection and provided a pathway to potentially unlimited sources of resistance against viral diseases. The ongoing research and development in this field continue to explore and refine conventional and non-conventional approaches for effective virus management in agriculture crops. This review focuses on developing transgenic resistance against begomoviruses and discusses possible management strategies to address these challenges
Exploring the constraints of jute cultivation and analysis of market value: A case study in Bhugroil, Paba Upazilla, Rajshahi
Get PDFAs one of Bangladesh’s main cash crops, jute was known by many as the golden fiber. It has an important role in the economy. However, the existing conditions of the producer and trader of this cash crop are facing various problems and future advancement and economic growth are at risk. The study was conducted at Bhugroil in Paba Upazila of Rajshahi district. The researchers used both primary and secondary sources for data collection. The whole field survey was conducted using the PRA method and for primary data collection, different PRA tools were used. They selected some people for focus group discussion and collected information from key informants. In the study area, the researchers found out that the main problems of jute cultivation were less market value of jute fibers, water scarcity and insufficient rotten place, high production cost, lack of technological knowledge, plastic overtaking jute market, lack of subsidies and training, closing jute industries, pest attack, etc. The market analysis revealed that the market faced problems such as market syndicate, market price fluctuation, high transport cost, plastic overtaking jute market, closing of jute industries, low-quality jute fiber, unskilled labor force, less variety of jute products, no local market incentives for jute products, lack of market information, exporting only raw fiber and few products, etc. Considering the current situation, the researchers identified a few solutions and provided some recommendations like creating a government purchase center, price-determining policy, using modern technology and machinery, providing training and knowledge, discouraging plastic, creating new jute mills, credit facilities, skilled labor, improved transportation, versatile jute products, etc. The mentioned solution and recommendation can solve the problem of jute farmers and trades in selected areas and can be applied in areas facing similar problems
Anti-biofilm activity of Barleria acanthoides Vahl against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Get PDFMethicillin-resistant Staphylococcu aureus (MRSA) biofilms are notoriously difficult to treat due to their high resistance to antibiotics. This study examines the antibiofilm, antibacterial, and molecular docking potential of Barleria acanthoides ethanol extract against MRSA. A total of 18 compounds were identified in GC-MS analysis and the major compounds were beta-asarone (34.09%), Neophytadiene (15.09%) and caryophyllene (9.65%). The extract was very good at killing bacteria; at a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.5 mg/mL, it stopped MRSA biofilm formation by 80.07%. Molecular docking studies revealed the binding affinities of key compounds to regulatory proteins LasR and SarA, which are essential in biofilm formation and quorum sensing. These findings suggest B. acanthoides as a promising source for developing new therapeutic agents to combat MRSA biofilm-related infections
The role of Zai pits and integrated soil fertility management options in improving crop productivity for smallholder farmers in the drylands of Sub-Saharan Africa
Get PDFThe drylands of Africa are experiencing food insecurity due to prolonged drought and water scarcity which has a negative effect on crop production. In the drylands of Sub-Saharan Africa, many small holder farmers are experiencing low crop yields and economic returns as a result of poor soil fertility and water scarcity. This is because of the inappropriate soil and water conservation strategies used in the region. Zai pits have been used as a soil and water conservation strategy in the drylands of Africa in combination with integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) options to improve soil fertility, increase the overall crop yields and the economic returns. This review deals on the role of zai pits and integrated soil fertility management options in improving productivity for the small holder farmers in the drylands of Sub-Saharan Africa. Zai pits have been used to harvest water which ultimately improves soil moisture for crop production with the different fertility inputs applied in the pits for nutrient efficiency. To evaluate productivity and profitability in zai tillage system, yield, benefit cost ratio (BCR) and net benefits are used. In this study, different studies by researchers on the use of zai pits and integrated soil fertility management options have been discussed and this would be beneficial for other researchers who have interest in this field. Most studies have indicated that the zai pit technology is an important soil and water conservation strategy which in combination with the integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) options improves crop productivity in terms of yield and economic returns
Impact of combined cow dung and zinc on growth traits and yield of tomato
Get PDFIn the present study, the combined effects of cow dung (CD) and zinc (Zn) fertilizers on tomato growth and yield was studied. Seven (7) treatments as T0=CD0Zn0 (Control), T1=CD5Zn0, T2=CD0Zn1, T3=CD0Zn1.5, T4=CD5Zn2, T5=CD5Zn2.5, T6=CD5Zn3 were used in a RCBD with three replications using two factors like cow dung (0 and 5 t ha-1) and zinc fertilizers (0, 1, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0 kg ha-1).The use of CD and Zn fertilizers had a substantial impact on all of the assessed growth, yield contributing attributes, and yield. The result revealed that the highest yield and yield contributing characters such as plant height (51.33, 73.00 and 105.00 cm at 35, 50 and 65 DAT, respectively), number of leaves plant-1 (17.00, 19.33 and 24.00 at 35, 50 and 65 DAT, respectively), number of branches plant-1 (11.00, 12.00 and 14.00 at 35, 50 and 65 DAT, respectively), maximum number of flower clusters plant-1 (7.00 and 15.60 at 50 and 65 DAT, respectively), number of fruits plant-1 (8.00 and 46.09 at 50 and 65 DAT, respectively), the highest individual fruit weight (73.00 g), weight of fruit plant-1 (4.83 kg), fruit length (7.50 cm), fruit diameter (4.17 cm) and yield (55.00 t ha-1) were produced at T6 (5 t CD ha-1 and 3 kg Zn ha-1) but lowest in T0 (control) in all parameters. The results of the study suggest that combining CD and Zn fertilizers is an excellent source of tomato fertilization, with T6 treatment (5 t CD ha-1 and 3 kg Zn ha-1) being found to be the most suitable due to the use of fewer treatment factors than recommended doses for obtaining economically viable yield
Agricultural land measures for climate change adaptation in arid regions: Can the farmers do it alone?
Get PDFClimate change has become an unequivocal issue; changing precipitation patterns and climate variability will have disastrous impacts on the fragile agricultural land resources of arid regions. Farmers, equipped with indigenous knowledge and readily available resources, are the most direct stakeholder interacting with agricultural lands; examining farmers’ capacity to successfully implement farm-level adaptive measures is a pressing matter. This paper provides an overview on various agricultural measures for climate change adaptation in arid regions and discusses some major relevant constrains and the extent of farmers’ capabilities to implement such strategies. Various techniques such as shifting sowing dates, conservation agriculture, and rainwater harvesting have shown potential to serve as adaptive strategies. These can help reduce crop failure risks, improve soil moisture conservation and increase water availability for crops, and could help adapt to precipitation variability in arid regions. However there is strong evidence that many farmers in arid regions may not be able to implement such strategies successfully as adaptive measures and there is no clear evidence that climate variability is currently less of a risk with existence of such measures. This can be attributed to the various constraints such as the need for reliable access to resources, climatic data, and research output by farmers for successful implementation. These constraints could be circumvented by institutional-level measures such as agricultural subsidies, relevant and dynamic policies, and programs. Overwhelming evidence suggests that this is only possible by involvement of various stakeholders in the planning process such as researchers, farmers and the private sector
Effects of copper, nickel and lead on growth parameters and antioxidative defense system of Solanum lycopersicum L.
Get PDFThe current study assessed the effects of lead (Pb), copper (Cu), and nickel (Ni) in roots and shoots on growth indices, the antioxidative defense system, and metal uptake in Solanum lycopersicum L. variety Punjab Kesar Cherry. For 60 days, S. lycopersicum seeds were exposed to varying amounts of three metals (0-100 μM of Cu and 0-60 μM of Ni and Pb). In comparison to the control, the percentage of germination, root and shoot length, and fresh and dry weight of the roots and shoots all decreased, according to the results. The bioaccumulation factor of both roots and shoots, along with the translocation factor, increased at lower concentrations and decreased at higher concentrations; for Pb, on the other hand, the translocation factor increased with increasing concentrations. At 60 μM, the order of the bioaccumulation factor was Cu>Ni>Pb for roots, and Cu>Pb>Ni for shoots. The antioxidative enzyme activities, including ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT), dehydro ascorbate reductase (DHAR), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione S transferase (GST), peroxidase (POD), and superoxide dismutase (SOD), were increased at lower concentrations and decreased at higher concentrations under Cu, Ni, and Pb treatments. The order of toxicity in terms of decrease in protein content was observed as Pb>Ni>Cu for both roots and shoots
Effect of integrated vermicompost and chemical nitrogen fertilizer for productivity of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)
Get PDFThe study was conducted at Horo district on six (6) farmers’ fields to investigate the effect of integrated vermicompost and chemical nitrogen fertilizer for bread wheat and the soil nutrient content. The treatments consist of without any fertilizer, recommended chemical NP fertilizer, 100% N equivalent vermicompost + recommended P2O5, 75% N equivalent Vermicompost + 25% recommended N + recommended P2O5, 50% equivalent Vermicompost + 50% recommended N + recommended P2O5 and 25% equivalent Vermicompost + 75% recommended N + recommended P2O5. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Dendea seed variety with a rate of 150 Kg ha-1 was used for the trial. ANOVA analysis for after harvesting soil parameters showed significant (P<0.05) differences among treatments for available phosphorus, organic carbon, exchangeable acidity and cations exchange capacity while pH and exchangeable Ca and Mg were not statistically significant among the treatments. ANOVA showed that the treatments significantly influenced all collected yield and yield related parameters of the crop. Relatively the highest crop yield and yield related traits were obtained from T2 (recommended chemical fertilizer) while the lowest was from control (without fertilizer). The highest net income (91971.70 birr/ha) was obtained from 25% equivalence vermicompost + 75% recommended N + recommended P2O5. To have more confidence in the technology; it should be verified in the same area with the same management procedure