Asian Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition
Not a member yet
620 research outputs found
Sort by
Impact of Cluster Front Line Demonstration (CFLD) on Yield & Economics of Toria in Rain-fed North Eastern Coastal Plain Zone of Odisha
No full textToria is one of the most important oilseed crop after harvest of Kharif rice in rainfed areas of Balasore district of Odisha. Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Balasore conducted Cluster Front Line Demonstration programme on Toria during Rabi 2019-20 to assess its impact on yield and income gap through scientific cultivation practices. The study was conducted in four villages of the district covering 180nos. farmer to find out the extension gap, technology gap, technology index and economic indexes of the crop before and after the intervention. The study revealed that, average yield of 8.5q/ha was obtained in the CFLD plot which was 44.06 per cent higher than the farmer’s practice. Similarly, the technology gap, extension gap and technology index were found to be 1.5q/ha, 2.6q/ha and 15 per cent, respectively. The average gross income in demonstrated plot was found to be Rs.34840/ ha as compared to Rs.23420/ha in farmers practice. Likewise, average net income of Rs.17040/ha was found in demonstration plot while it was Rs.8420/ha in farmers plot. The Benefit-cost ratio was found to be 1.96 in the demonstration plot which is higher as compared to 1.56 at farmer’s practices. The Study was conducted by Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Balasore to analyze the yield gap of Toria (Brassica campestris var. toria) through Cluster frontline demonstration in North Eastern Coastal Plain Zone of Odisha
Soil Health: Indicators of Soil Management for Vegetable Cultivation under the Clove Plant
No full textLow soil health indicates poor productivity soil optimal for supporting agricultural businesses because it will reduce the production of agricultural commodities for vegetable crop farmers in Ternate City which are carried out under plantation crops. This study aims to determine the level of soil health of vegetable farms under clove plantations. Field observation methods and laboratory analysis were carried out to observe the characteristics of the land (soil and plants) which became the research variables. The drill and soil profile approach is used in observing and taking soil samples. Research data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively by using a scale (scoring value) and then determined the level of soil health of agricultural land in the study location. Soil variables observed were physical properties (including soil morphology), chemical properties soil, and soil biological properties. The results showed that the level of soil health on vegetable farms under clove stands in Tobololo Village was in the medium (53-58%) and high (63-67%) classes. Soil health indicators which are variables that affect the decline in the value of soil health on vegetable farms under clove stands are C-organic, base saturation, total nitrogen, and available potassium. The provision of organic matter, nitrogen, and potassium fertilizers will increase base saturation as well as soil fertility and health
Integration of TOPSIS and Geostatistical Technique for Soil Quality Assessment under Different Land Uses: A Case Study
No full textThis study aims to assess the soil quality under different land uses by utilizing technique for order preference by similarity to the ideal solution method (TOPSIS) and geostatistical Technique in the Northern part of Sohag Governorate, Egypt. Various soil parameters such as sand, silt, clay content, CEC, ESP OC, ECe, pH, and CaCO3 were determined. Afterward, the geostatistics approach using ordinary kriging interpolation and semivariogram was applied to produce a spatialized and detailed map for each soil parameter. Spherical, Exponential, Gaussian, and J-Bessel geostatistical models were used to define the spatial variability of soil properties based on RMS, MSE, and RMSSE. Based on the TOPSIS method, the soil quality index (SQI) and its ranking under land use types in the study area were calculated. The results of SQI ranged from 38.75% to 55.82% and 27.53% to 52.72%, and 5.75% to 26.73% for old cultivated, new cultivated, and desert soil, respectively. The SQI was classified into three regions. The first has a fair quality index and covers 56.48% (403.91 km2) of the total geographical area (TGA). The soils of this region are located mainly in old cultivated soils and some new ones. The second region was observed in some newly reclaimed soils and desert soils and extended over an area of about 27.75% (198.45 km2). These soils have low values of favorable studied indicators, leading to negative effects on the SQI that are defined as poor. The third region is very poor quality, covers about 15.77% (112.78 km2) of TGA, and is located mainly in desert soils with low beneficial and high non-beneficial studied indicators. Finally, the results indicate that the integration of TOPSIS and geostatistical technique allow for an accurate and practical assessment of the SQI
Effect of Drought Stress on Leaf Productivity and Liquor Quality of Tea: A Review
No full textTea (Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze) is a highly valued plant known for its refreshing taste, medicinal properties, and health benefits. It is an evergreen shrub or small tree belonging to the Theaceae family. The productivity and quality of tea leaves and liquor are strongly influenced by edaphic and environmental factors. However, the cultivation of tea faces significant challenges due to the increasing occurrence of drought associated with global warming and climate change. In this review, we have summarized the potential effects of drought on the growth, productivity, and liquor quality of tea. Drought exerts substantial impacts on the physiological, biochemical, and morphological features of tea plants. For instance, under drought stress, there is a reduction in leaf activity, including chlorophyll production, photosynthetic rate, and CO2 uptake. Drought periods also lead to decreased shoot initiation and extension rates. However, it is important to note that responses to drought can vary depending on factors such as tea variety, cultivar diversity, agricultural management practices, and study techniques. While drought-induced biochemical damage may occur, it is often reversible, and the plant can recover upon rehydration. Irrigation strategies employed during dry periods have been shown to have a significant positive effect on tea yields, making it a promising option for enhancing productivity in drought-prone regions. Furthermore, the cultivation of drought-tolerant tea cultivars, along with the application of micro and macro-nutrients, as well as hormone treatments, can contribute to improving the post-drought recovery process. Studying the influence of drought on tea productivity offers an opportunity for frontier research, aiming to understand the intricate relationship between tea leaf productivity and liquor quality. Additionally, investigating the factors that contribute to stress recovery in tea plants holds promise for enhancing cultivation practices and ensuring the sustainability of tea production in the face of changing climatic conditions
Land Suitability for Chili and Tomato Crops in Wayamiga Village East Bacan Sub-District South Halmahera District, Indonesia
No full textChili (Capsicum annum L.) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) crops are two vegetable horticultural commodities with high economic value and market demand and it’s becomes extremely important to consider land suitability and environmental sustainability factors to reduce losses and increase the probability of success. This research aimed to identify land suitability, land limiting factors, and land management for the development of chili and tomato crops in Wayamiga Village East Bacan Sub-district. The research uses a land survey method with a free survey observation distance system. The land characteristics identification employs the Boring Technique on 13 land units and land sampling of 7 samples. Land suitability analysis refers to the FAO’s land suitability classification system (1976) up to the sub-class of land suitability using a matching method. The research results indicate that the land is actually suitable for chili in Wayamiga Village with the analysis result suggesting a suitable land and S3(write this in full since it is the first time it appears) for chili and tomato is 1.940,7 ha (42,1%) and not suitable (N) is 2.666,3 ha (57,9%). Suitable land for chili and tomato crops is usually moderately suitable land (S2) (do same as foe S3) and marginally suitable land (S3). The land limiting factors that affect the land suitability for chili and tomato crops include rainfall during the growth period, humidity, soil drainage, base saturation, soil pH, organic C, soil salinity, total nitrogen nutrients (N-total), phosphorus (P2O5), potassium (K2O), flood hazard class, land average temperature, soil effective depth, surface rocks, and slope. Land management applied to maintain the sustainability of chili and tomato farming in Wayamiga Desa consists of the improvement of environmental humidity conditions, tillage, construction of drainage channels, application of lime and organic fertilizers, application of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers, and flood prevention
Raising the Efficiency of Mineral Fertilization Using Azolla with Microelements
No full textSynthetic nitrogen fertilizers can contribute to environmental hazards. Moreover, their manufacturing is an energy-intensive process which causes greenhouse gas emissions, which can lead to climate change. Therefore, it should evaluate the possibility to use organic sources such as Azolla as a partial substitute for synthetic nitrogen fertilizers in cultivation, as this may reduce the cost of fertilizer inputs, and promote sustainable agriculture. So, a field trial was carried out in the Tag El-Ezz Experimental Farm (30°56\u27 12.88" E longitude and 31°31\u27 47.64" N latitude) during seasons of 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 to assess the additive of nitrogen recommended dose (NRD=178.6 kg N ha-1) as combined treatments of urea (46.5%N) as mineral nitrogen source and Azolla (4.0 %N) as organic nitrogen source. Also, the exogenous application of zinc (zinc sulfate, 22.8% Zn) and copper (copper sulfate, 21.8 %Cu) was evaluated. The tested plant was wheat (Cv. Giza 171). The nitrogen treatments [T1: 100% of NRD as urea (control),T2:75% of NRD as urea+25% of NRD as Azolla,T3:50% of NRD as urea+50% of NRD as Azolla, T4: 25% of NRD as urea +75% of NRD as Azolla and T5: 100% of NRD as Azolla] represented the main plots, while exogenous application of the studied elements [F1: control (without spraying),F2:Zn (at rate of 200 mgL-1) and F3: (Cu at rate of 20 mgL-1)] represented the sub main plots. The findings illustrate that wheat plants grown under T2 treatment had the highest values of growth performance (e.g., fresh and dry weights and total chlorophyll), yield and its components (e.g., grain yield, spike length and weight of 1000 grain) and biochemical traits (e.g., carbohydrates and total protein) compared to the corresponding wheat plants grown under other studied N treatments, as T1 treatment (control) came in the second order followed by T3 treatment, while T4 and T5 treatments came in the last order, respectively. Regarding the external applications, the cu foliar application was the superior treatment followed by Zn treatment, while the control treatment came in the last order. Generally, the maximum values were recorded under combined treatment of (T2xF3). On the other hand, some soil fertility parameters like A-N, A-P and A-K were affected due to all studied treatments. Finally, it can be concluded the possibility of using Azolla as a partial substitute for synthetic nitrogen fertilizers. Also, the obtained results confirm the vital role of both Zn and Cu in wheat plants
Mapping Coffee Tree Fertilizer Requirements in Côte d’Ivoire
No full textCoffee production in Côte d\u27Ivoire has been declining sharply for more than twenty years due to degradation in soil fertility status. The objective of this study was to map the mineral requirements of coffee trees in different production regions and to recommend immediate and long-term intervention strategies for soil management. In this study, the diagnosis of the chemical needs of 156 soil samples from major coffee production areas was used. We used a soil diagnostic model specific to coffee fertilization combined with geographic information systems (GIS). The combination of fertilizer formulas from the coffee soil diagnostic model, recent climatic data and soil units of the coffee growing areas allowed the elaboration of a thematic map showing a total of five basic formulas (N-P2O5-K2O-CaO-MgO) adapted to the real nutritional needs of coffee trees according to their agropedoclimatic environments. Two of these formulas cover 90% of the area studied. This study will enable appropriate soil management for the sustainable productivity of coffee trees in Côte d\u27Ivoire
Soil Fertility Reclamation of Abandoned Mining Sites through Organic Intervention
No full textTin mining in the period of its boom left large areas of land unsuitable for crop production. The financial benefits of tin mining were short-lived and cannot be quantified with the consequences of its devastation, which is still negatively impacting on the environment. Many of the devastated lands were abandoned due to soil infertility. Smallholder farmers are battling with restoring soil fertility for crop production. This study was conducted on smallholder farms in a devastated and abandoned area due to tin mining of the Bukuru-Rayfield, Sabon-Gida mining zone of Jos Plateau where contrasting organic interventions by farmers were observed. This was also confirmed by laboratory and geostatic spatial variation. A total of 35 soil samples were taken at a depth of 0-20cm, prepared and analyzed in the laboratory. Continuous surfaces were later generated through geostatistics. Results indicated that organic matter had significant negative correlations with exchangeable acidity (-0.879), clay (-0.633) and silt (-0.616) but significant positive correlations with potential hydrogen (pH) (0.885), nitrogen (N) (0.991), phosphorus (P) (0.954), potassium (K) (0.911), calcium (Ca) (0.920), magnesium (Mg) (0.911) and sand (0.824). Most of these correlations were done at 0.01 level of significance. High concentration of pH, organic matter (OM), N, K, Ca, Mg and sand occurred in the north western part of the study area (Farm A). In contrast, exchangeable acidity, silt and clay had less concentration in the north western part of the study area (Farm A), with highest concentration in the W and SW parts (Farm C). Spatial variability from geostatistics indicated that all the soil variables had strong spatial dependency. The results of this study unveiled that nutrients needed for higher productivity were made available by the smallholder farmer of farm A through dumping of households’ domestic wastes for ten years. These abandoned mining sites later became agriculturally productive. This study will serve as advisory to smallholder farmers as a way of improving soil productivity in tin-devastated farmlands
Phytostimulatory Potential of Turan Biostimulant on the Growth and Yield of Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis (Pechay)
No full textThe growth and yield of pechay affected by Turan Biostimulant under field conditions were studied in Oogong, Sta. Cruz, Laguna Philippines to evaluate its effects and determine its best level for the optimum growth and yield of pechay. Turan is a patented high-analysis formulation with plant nutrients complexed by bioactive polyphenols that enhances nutrient availability to plants and provides a biostimulant effect to improve plant vitality and activate natural bio-defenses to protect the plant from stresses. There is a need for a plant food supplement that can promote quick nutrient absorption in the organic pechay production process, thus a randomized complete block design with four replications experiment was conducted. Parameters such as total fresh yield, marketable yield, non-marketable yield, plant height, number of leaves, leaf width, and root length/biomass were gathered from a sample of 40 plants per treatment (10/rep) and analyzed using statistical methods. The study showed that the test product was able to slightly enhance pechay production in terms of total fresh yield, plant height, leaf length, leaf width, root length, and root biomass with an estimated increase of more than 1.18%, 1.06%, 1.04%, 1.03%, 1.13%, and 1.12%, respectively, compared to inorganic fertilizer application alone. In general, pechay is very responsive to granular fertilization and the application of Turan biostimulant. The findings also showed that the addition of a biostimulant would further enhance the amount and quality of harvested pechay. One and a half doses of Turan biostimulant, or even more, is strongly recommended in terms of its viability in pechay cultivation to maximize profits
Enhancing Drought Tolerance of Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) Through Potassium and Boron Application
No full textAims: Pakistan is facing a severe water shortage and the situation is further aggravated due to elevated temperature, leading to drastic yield reduction of quinoa. Hence, there is a dire need to maintain or increase agricultural production by utilizing sustainable methods of production to tackle changing climate. Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) is a crop, recognized by United Nations due to its nutritional and health benefits.
Methodology: Therefore, a field study was carried out to evaluate the drought tolerance of quinoa through soil application of potassium (K) and boron (B) under Randomized Completely Block Design (RCBD) with a split-split plot arrangement and three replications. The crop was sown on November 06, 2021, using a seed rate of 8 kg ha-1 on 75 cm apart ridges with hand dibbling maintaining plant to plant distance of 120 cm. The experiment contained the following treatments; soil application of K at 0, 50, and 75 kg K2O ha-1 and B (H3BO3) at 0, 6 kg ha-1 in well-watered and drought-induced experimental units.
Results: Data related to crop physiological response and yield attributes were recorded using standard procedures and protocols. Quinoa performance decreased under drought stress but it was improved by potassium (K) supplementation at 75 kg K2O ha-1. Supplementation of K improved the seed yield of quinoa in drought-stressed conditions up to 41% and was also found economically viable because the value of benefit cost ratio was 2.2 in drought conditions as compared to the respective control (1.65).
Conclusion: Drought is an environmental factor that negatively interferes with crop growth and yield. So application of potassium and boron can enhance drought tolerance of quinoa through soil application