International Journal of Plant & Soil Science
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Organic and Biodynamic Agriculture: A Review in Relation to Sustainability
No full textThis paper focuses on organic and biodynamic farming systems - sectors growing rapidly in many countries - and particularly on their relationship with the concept of sustainability. Both technical packages promote and improve the health of the agro-ecosystems related to biodiversity, nutrient biocycles, soil microbial and biochemical activities. In addition to the common tools of organic agriculture, biodynamic agriculture uses specific manure and fermented herbal preparations as compost additives and field sprays. Organic farming and biodynamic agriculture have been regarded as having different provenances and having arisen independently, but the authors suggest to consider organic and biodynamic farming systems as a unique sustainable system driven by a common holistic approach
Effect of Factors on Conidium Germination of Botrytis cinerea in vitro
No full textBotrytis cinerea is a necrotrophic fungal plant pathogen distributed worldwide. The early stages of epidemiology namely spore germination is a topic of great interest among researchers. In the current study, the effect of various physical, chemical and nutritional factors on germination of B. cinerea conidia were studied in vitro. Results showed that there was no particular influence of spore age (5-14 days) on germination in 10 mM fructose. In addition, germination-self-inhibition was found to be associated with increased spore concentrations (above 4.5×105 conidia/ml) without significant differences between fungal isolates. When setting different pH values in the medium, conidial germination of B. cinerea was impaired by pH values below 6 and above 8. However, germination of B. cinerea was strongly enhanced (>90% after 24 hours) in the presence of sugars (i.e. fructose, sucrose and glucose) at concentrations above 100 mM, whilst the cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, and Fe2+ ) had no visible influence on conidial germination at a wide range of concentrations (0.001-1mM). With other additives and in the presence of inorganic nitrogen forms (i.e. NH4 and NO3), conidial germination responded similarly with no particular influence on germination, whilst germ tube growth and elongation increased progressively with increasing concentrations of both N-forms
Strategies and Mechanisms of Building up and Stabilizing Organic Matter Stocks in Soils
No full textSoil organic matter (SOM) has very important functions in the soil. It affects the soil physical, chemical and biological properties, and eventually affecting the overall soil and crop productivity. Increase in SOM matter is associated with an increase in soil and crop productivity. It also contributes to climate change mitigation through soil carbon sequestration. This paper discusses various soil management and/or farming strategies that contribute to the building up of SOM. The paper also highlights mechanisms that stabilize organic matter in the soil and protect it from rapid decomposition and its loss from the soil. Through reviewing of various research papers, literature shows that a number of strategies provide substantial contributions to building up of SOM. These include: conservation agriculture, crop rotations, cover cropping, agroforestry and afforestration, improved fallows, well managed pastures and organic farming. Various physical, chemical and biochemical mechanisms contribute to stabilization of organic matter and protect the accumulated SOM from rapid decomposition. Quantity and quality of organic materials, soil matrix and clay minerals, organo-mineral interactions and soil management practices are all important factors in SOM stabilization. From this review it can be pointed out that research based knowledge of both SOM accumulation strategies and SOM stabilizing mechanisms is very beneficial in making recommendations and implementation of soil management practices that can increase and build up organic matter in the soil
Study of Phytoremediation Potential of Fluted Pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis) for Soil Contaminated with Heavy Metals
No full textAims: To investigate the phytoremediation potential of fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis) for some heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Pb, Cr and Co) in soil.Study Design: The experimental design was based on the assumption of homogeneity of points where the experimental soils were collected.Place and Duration of Study: Department of Chemistry, Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Kaduna, Nigeria, between January 2011 and April 2012.Methodology: Surface soil (0 -20 cm) taken from various points of the department were used for the experiment. Pumpkin seeds were planted in polythene bags containing 1.5 kg of the soil which was contaminated with the metals of interest. The experiment consisted of six (6) contamination treatments and a control. These treatments were 5 mg kg-1, 20 mg kg-1, 75 mg kg-1, 100 mg kg-1, 200 mg kg-1 and 220 mg kg-1 of each metal. The soil and the pumpkin tissues (roots, stems and leaves) were analyzed for the metals, eight (8) weeks after planting, through atomic absorption spectroscopic (AAS) method. The physical and chemical characteristics of the soil were also determined.Results: The plant’s shoot length, 8 weeks after planting, showed that Telfairia occidentalis grew better on uncontaminated (control) soil. Generally, the trend showed that the higher the metals level in the soil the shorter was the plant shoot length. The metals (Pb and Co) accumulated more in the shoot than in the roots (Translocation factor- TF > 1) and also than in the soil (Bioaccumlation factor- BF >1). Copper and chromium on the other hand accumulated more in the root and in the soil than in the shoot (both the TF and BF values are less than one).Conclusion: The plant (pumpkin) can tolerate and survive high metals level in soil. It can be used as phytoremediator of soil contaminated with Pb and Co and to a lesser extent Cd
Effect of Phosphorus or Silicon on the Arsenic Content of Japanese Mustard Spinach (Brassica rapa var. perviridis) Grown on Arsenic Contaminated Soil
No full textTwo experiments were conducted about the effect of the application of phosphorus (P) or silicon (Si) on the arsenic (As) contents of Japanese mustard spinach (JMS) (Brassica rapa var. perviridis) grown on As contaminated soil (30.6 mg As kg-1). The P was applied with four different P fertilizers derived from both organic or inorganic sources viz. chicken manure (CM), bone powder (BP), fused magnesium phosphate (FMP), and super phosphate (SP). The P was applied at two rates (50 and 100 kg citrate soluble P2O5 ha-1). The As contents (mg kg-1 dry weight [DW] and/or µg plant-1) in the edible part of JMS reduced significantly as compared to the As contents in control plant with the application of P, irrespective of the form of fertilizer and to the application rate of P. There was no significant difference among the P fertilizers as well as the rate of P application in reducing As contents in the plant. The growth of the plant and P concentration in the plant part increased significantly with the application of P. In the Si application experiment, Si was applied from three different sources viz. potassium silicate (PS), magnesium trisilicate pentahydrate (MTP) and lherzolite (LE). Silicon was applied at the rate of 1,050 kg SiO2 ha-1. The As contents in the edible part of JMS increased, but not significantly, as compared to the As contents in control plant with the application of Si irrespective of the source of Si. There was no significant difference in the As contents in the edible part of the plant among the Si sources. The magnesium content in the plant part was increased significantly with the application of MTP and LE. The growth of the plant and the other mineral concentrations in the plant part was statistically similar as compared to the control plant. The results of two experiments indicated that the application of P could reduce the As contents in the edible part of JMS whereas Si had no effect to reduce As content in JMS under the employed condition
Maize Grain Yield Response to Changes in Acid Soil Characteristics with Yearly Leguminous Crop Rotation, Fallow, Slash, Burn and Liming Practices
No full textAn experiment was conducted for 4 years to assess the effectiveness of fallow, slash and burn farming systems on maize grain yield and soil chemical characteristics. It was also meant to measure the response to yearly rotation of maize and leguminous crops (cowpea and mucuna), as options for managing the acidity of the soil of the study site. The maize tolerant cultivar (cvr) out yielded the sensitive cvr and the farmers’ variety by 43% and 16% respectively. On the maize/grain legume rotation plots, the tolerant and sensitive cvr yielded 5% and 7% respectively more than their corresponding yields on plots with fallow, slash and burn rotation. Maize/grain legume rotation demonstrated one of the least soil acidifications, exhibiting the least increase in exchangeable Al (23%), H (24%), and Al saturation (5%) resulting in improved soil fertility through increase in available Ca (2%), Mg (85%), P (75%), and CEC (14%). The fallow, slash and burn rotation, associated with the tolerant cvr showed similar grain yield with grain legume rotation, but contributed more to soil acidification. Maize/leafy legume rotation gave a similar yield to the above mentioned practices. The yearly application of 250 kg ha-1 of dolomitic lime for four consecutive years did not result in significant changes in soil characteristics and grain yield especially for the Al tolerant cvr. However, application of 2250 kg ha-1 of lime neutralized the Al toxicity, regardless of the rotation scheme. The study concluded that the four years maize cultivation through fallow/ slash and burn rotation extensively used in the humid forest zone is not the best option on acid soil
Spontaneous Plants Used in the Traditional Soap Making in Cote D’Ivoire
No full textThe study focused on the spontaneous plants used in the traditional soap making. The aim is to create a directory of the main plant species used in traditional soap making in the Sudan savanna zone.An ethnobotanical investigation based on direct structured or semi-structured individual interviews was carried out with 193 people. 33 plants were recorded, among which 7 plants are used for the extraction of the fat and 28 for potash manufacture. The frequency of plant use, level of abundance plant and origin of each plant species were estimated.At the end of the study, 33 plants were recorded and 22 are abundant in study zone. Carapa procera was used much and on the other hand Ceiba pentandra, Cussonia arborea, Elaeis guineensis and Vitellaria paradoxa were moderately used. 28 plants are spontaneous and 84 % of respondents reported their involvement in the traditional soap making. 7 plants were used for fat extraction while 28 plants species were use to potash manufacture. Stems and fruit were most requested as organs of plants for soap making.The intensive use of the stem (trunk and branches) of these species is a real pressure on the resources itself and may lead to the extinction of the most vulnerable one. Plants inventoried were ranked according to their importance for the soap makers. Several types of plants were identified, from the most known, commonly used and abundant in the study site (Carapa procera, Ceiba pentandra and Cussonia arborea) to the least known, little used and scarce. The valorization of these resources can be beneficial to concerned population, it is urgent to adopt a sustainable management approach for the preservation of the used species. So, 3 plants species (C. procera, P. butyracea and C. arborea) were proposed for possible revalorization
Response of L. leucocephala L. (IpilIpil) to Different Soil Media and Phosphorus Fertilization
No full textThe research was conducted in shade house to investigate the effect of different soil media and phosphorus (P) fertilization in tubes on early growth of the Leucaenaleucocephala. Three growth media sandy medium (only sand), clayey medium (sand and clayey soil ratio; 1:1) and farm yard manure (FYM) medium (sand, clayey soil and FYM ratio; 1:1:1) were prepared. Each medium was fertilized with three rates of phosphorus, i.e., 0, 20, 40 mg P kg-1 medium. Nitrogen and potassium were also applied as basal dose @ 50 N and 100 mg K2O kg-1 media, respectively. The results indicated that shoot length (20 cm), root length (16 cm), shoot dry weight (947 mg plant-1) and root dry weight (134 mg plant-1) were the highest in FYM medium with 20 mg P kg-1. The P concentration in shoot and root, total P uptake and P recovery were also significantly improved when plants were grown in FYM medium supplied with 20 mg P kg-1. It is concluded from this study that L. leucocephalaseedling growth was improved with P application, particularly in FYM medium compared to clayey and sandy media. Further, the P level i.e. 20 mg P Kg -1 was found best among all P rates used. This shows the significance of P and FYM medium in improving growth for the best survival of L. leucocephala seedlings and its raising for plantation on large scale