Asian Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition
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Nutritional Quality Response of Carrot (Daucus carota) to Different Rates of Inorganic Fertilizer and Biochar
No full textNutritional quality of most high valued crops including carrot can be influenced by soil management practices. A field study to evaluate soil management improvement effect on nutritional quality of carrot was carried out in two contrasting cropping seasons of two rainfall regimes ranging from 600 mm to 800 mm in 2016 and 2017 at Mampong in the Forest-Savannah transition zone of Ghana. Three rates of soil amendments using biochar rates of 0, 5 and 10 tons/ha and five rates of inorganic fertilizers (NPK 15:15:15 at 200 kg/ha; P&K 50:50 at 50 kg/ha; P&K 50:100 at 50 kg/ha; Liquid Fertilizer at 1 L: 200 L Water/ha; and the control were applied using 3x5 factorial in RCBD. The combined analysis for the different treatments showed that NPK at 200 kg/ha+10 ton/ha biochar gave the highest protein content while Liquid fertilizer+5 ton/ha biochar gave the highest beta-carotene and total carotenoid contents in carrot root during the minor cropping season of 2016. However, during the major copping season of 2017, a combination of liquid fertilizer +10 ton/ha biochar gave the highest protein content whilst NPK at 200 kg/ha +5 ton/ha biochar gave the highest carotenoid content for the carrot. Nutritional contents such as carbohydrate, beta-carotene and total carotenoids were boosted by soil amendments. This indicates that both biochar and inorganic fertilizers have varying effects on the nutritional qualities of carrot
Evaluation of Soil Fertility Status for Maize (Zea mays) Production in Moshi Rural, Kilimanjaro Region Tanzania
No full textThis study was carried out to assess the soil fertility status for maize (Zea mays) production in soils of sixteen villages of Moshi Rural, Kilimanjaro region in February 2019. Sixteen field soil samples were collected through random sampling approach. A total of sixteen soil parameters including soil reaction (pH), Organic carbon (OC), nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Sulfur (S) Exchangeable bases (Calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), and potassium (K), Extractable micronutrients (Manganese (Mn), aluminum (Al), Zinc (Zn), Iron (Fe) and Boron (B) was tested in the soil laboratory in Agricultural Research Institute Mlingano Tanzania.
The soil analysis results indicated that, the studied soils were strongly acidic (5.0-5.9) indicating the need for liming to raise up the soil pH. The concentration of total nitrogen in Moshi Rural maize growing farms was very low to low (0.01 to 0.1%). The concentration of phosphorus ranges from 1-3 mg/l with an average of 2.742 suggesting that all studied areas should be considered for P supplementation. Exchangeable Na in the studied soils varies from 0.01 to 0.1 cmol (+) kg-1 with the average of 0.0154. This value suggests that exchangeable Na in the studied soils is very low with the implication that the studied soils are not salt affected. Micronutrients were seen as not a problem in the studied soils.
The studied soils generally are poor in soil fertility. Total nitrogen levels are very low, phosphorus is very low to medium and exchangeable bases and extractable micronutrients and equally very low to medium. Application of farm yard manure available in the locality, in combination with Diammonium phosphate or NPK is recommended at the average rate of 50 Kg per acre during planting and CAN, MOP and NPK during top-dress
The African Paleotropical Influence on the Biogeography of the Flora of Jazan, KSA
No full textAims: To put all selected species in their proper place as in the phytogeographical affinities for each region.
Study Design: Field and jazan herbarium design was used in this study.
Place and Duration of Study: A total of 201 plant species were selected from Jazan of Saudi Arabia.
Methodology: About 201 plant species (seven species of Pteridophytes, one species of Gymnosperms and 193 species of Angiosperms) related to 59 families were recorded from a total of 524 species previously recorded in 2013 from Jazan region of Saudi Arabia. The selected plant species were revealed a distribution relationships between the three African paleotropical floristic regions and showed 9 African paleotropical floristic elements.
Results: The chorological analysis revealed the highest percentages of 51.24% was inhabiting in Afromontane archipelago-like regional center of endemism (AF) of the total recorded species. The distribution relationships among the African paleotropical floristic elements was subjected to numerical analysis which showed the similarity and dissimilarity between the elements based on the UPGMA dendrogram software.
Conclusion: The program was constructed two main groups, the first group (I) were included with Afromontane archipelago-like regional center of endemism (AF) flowed by the Guineo-Congolian regional center of endemism (GC). The second group (II) in which Sahara Regional Subzone (SS1) was recognized in a separated in a single level
Effect of Biofertilizer on Growth and Yield Characteristics of Zea mays L. in Different Ecological Zones in Kenya
No full textIn order to reduce the dependence on chemical fertilizers, alternative methods should be developed which will provide nutrients to plants. The increased cost of inorganic fertilizers, including their inability to condition the soil and their polluting effect on the environment, has directed attention towards other sources of soil fertilization to enhance maize production. Hence, this study was carried out to determine the effect of Effective Micro-organisms (biofertilizer) comprising Pseudomonas spp, Saccharomyces spp, Bacillus subtilis and Lactobacillus spp. on the growth and yield components of Zea mays L. The trial plots measured 4 m×3 m and the experimental design was randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 4 treatments namely; Biogrovit (biofertilizer) alone; conventional fertilizer alone, Biogrovit plus conventional fertilizer combined and the control. It was replicated three times. Biogrovit was soil drenched in plants at an interval of 14 days in crops established at two sites in Kirinyaga and Machakos County. Significant differences were observed in the leaf area where application of the biofertilizer had the largest (995 cm2) while the least was under the control (529 cm2). The grain yield was notably influenced by application of treatments at both sites, where the highest was recorded under the biofertilizer in Kirinyaga (8.6 t/ha) and Machakos (7.77 t/ha) which was not significantly different from that of the conventional fertilizers in Kirinyaga and Machakos at 7.55 t/ha and 6.87 t/ha respectively. The control had the lowest grain yield in both sites. The 1000-grain mass, ear length, cob weight, number of cobs per plant and the number of kernels per cob directly influenced the actual grain yield as they were higher for both biofertilizer and chemical treatments. The application of Biofertilizer and conventional fertilizer combined at full rates were antagonistic as most of the parameters tested had lower counts than when independently applied. Therefore, the findings of this study suggest that biofertilizers enhance the growth of maize and as such its use should be encouraged because it is eco-friendly
Effect of the Organic and NPK Fertilizers on the Growth and Yield of Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas (L) Lam) in the Centre of Côte d’Ivoire
No full textIn Côte d’Ivoire, the sweet potato is little cultivated but stays however a culture of pension and a food mattering in certain regions. This study was conducted to assess the effect of the application of mineral (NPK 15-15-15, NPK 12-22-22) and organic (poultry manure) fertilizers on yield components of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L) Lam). The experiment was conducted over two years (2016 to 2017) in experimental station of National Center of Agronomic Research (CNRA) of Bouaké in the centre of Côte d\u27Ivoire. The experiment was conducted following a split plot with 2 factors (variety and fertilizers) and 3 replicates. The main factor was variety with 2 levels (variety Irene and variety TIB-440060) and the subplot was fertilizers application consisted 13 levels (200, 300, 400, 500 kg ha-1 of NPK fertilizers combined 5, 10, 15 t ha-1 of organic fertilizer). Thirteen treatments based on poultry manure (T6, T7), chemical fertilizer NPK 15 15 15 (T1, T3, T4, T5) and NPK 12 22 22 (T8, T10, T11, T12) and their combination (T2 and T9) were tested. The experimental results revealed that that the effects of chemical fertilizer treatments, manure and their combination with mineral fertilizers did not influence the measured parameters. The results also showed that fertilizers improved all the agronomic parameters of sweet potato compared to the control treatment during two years of experiment. However, the Irene variety with a mean weight of 180 g tuberous roots was significantly different from the TIB variety with a mean weight of 138.73 g.
In the conditions of our study and over the two-year period, producers of sweet potatoes would benefit from using organic fertilizers with the Irene variety
Ameliorative Effects of Potassium on the Salinity Stress in Plants: A Review
No full textSalt stress is one of the major abiotic stresses decreasing crop production, particularly in dry and semi–arid regions. Reclamation of salt–damaged soil is important as it is sweeping cultivable land day by day. Potassium is an essential element for plant development which is an extremely active ion in the soil system. Potassium is second to nitrogen in plant tissue levels ranging from 1 to 3% by weight. As a cation, potassium is highly mobile in plant and moderately mobile in the soil system. The essentiality of potassium is identified with its multiple roles in plants. Among these are the maintenance of cell turgor pressure and cell lengthening, osmoregulation, leaf and stomata movements, enzyme activation, phloem solute transport, cation/anion balancing, control of membrane polarization, cytoplasmic pH regulation, chloroplast structure and functioning, protein and starch synthesis, and energy preservation across membranes. As almost all of these processes are directly associated to plant adaptation to the in hospitable environment. It could be concluded that potassium uptake, transportation, and homeostasis play important role in conferring salt tolerance in plants
Possibility of Allelopathic and Residues Effects of the Rotated Crops on Productivity, Chemical Composition, Nitrogen Utilization of Wheat (Triticum aestivum) and Soil Fertility
No full textAims: To evaluate the possibility of allelopathic effects of the rotated crops on productivity, chemical composition, N utilization of wheat and soil fertility.
Study Design: A split plot design with three replications was used. The main plots were assigned with three previous crops, The sub plots were assigned by three nitrogen fertilizer rates (0, 35 and 70 kg N fed-1).
Place and Duration of Study: A field study was carried out at Sakha Agricultural Research Station farm, ARC, Kafr El-Sheikh governorate, Egypt, during two successive seasons of 2016/2017and 2017/2018
Methodology: The local wheat cultivar (Sids 12) was sown after three crops (fahl berseem) after rice, (Drawa) after rice and Fallow after rice as preceded crops.
Results: The results showed that fahl berseem roots and residues in the clover (berseem)-wheat rotation secreted biologically active chemical compounds which have a positive effect on growth and development of wheat. The preceding clover (fahl berseem) wheat rotation appeared to be promising for wheat productivity, N, P, K concentrations, N-uptake, N utilization, protein content of wheat grain and straw, availability of N, P and K after wheat harvest compared with fallow after rice, green maize (drawa-wheat rotation). The interaction between the preceded crops and N fertilizer rates was significantly for all the studied traits. The highest performance of wheat traits were observed when wheat was grown after fahl berseem and fertilized with 70 kg N.fed-1. While the lowest performance was obtained following cereal crops rice (fallow) and the lowest N level in both seasons. Treatment of fahl berseem with nitrogen fertilizer (70 kg N.fed-1) had given a best values from grain yield with relative increments of (37.54%) compared with preceding rice-wheat rotation and (23.26%) compared with rice-drawa rotation.
Conclusions: Cereal winter crops can be sow after preceding legume crops rather than summer cereal crops. We can sow fahl berseem crop as a forage to animals after cereal crop (rice) and before sowing wheat crop to improve soil properties and its availability of the essential elements and consider additional revenue to farmer. Fahl barseem had be sown in the end of august month after rice crop to produce approximetly 20 ton fresh forage.fed-1 (~ 9 ton dry grass.fed-1) which provides farmers with (~ 9 thousands EL) in 88 days only
Soil Fertility Levels in Bangladesh for Rice Cultivation
No full textDetermination of soil fertility with minimum data set for crop zoning and devising fertilizer recommendations as well as soil fertility evaluation method based on soil properties. The data were collected from existing literatures and scoring was done on 0–100 scale. The lowest score was assigned for the minimum value of tested attributes and then gradually higher scoring values. Arithmetic, weighted, geometric and most minimum of mean scores were calculated and their performances were compared with grain yield of dry season irrigated (Boro) rice. Soil fertility in 10-12 and 39-52% areas in Bangladesh are very low and low, respectively. Medium fertile and fertile soils are distributed in 17-41% and in about 8% areas of the country. About 55% soils scored 70–95 (medium to high SOC) and the rest belongs to inferior quality. In some areas P build up has taken place (25% areas), but widespread K mining. Sulphur and Zn status in about 40% areas are low to very low (scored <35 and <40). Soils of the major areas of the country are with low pH (5.0-6.0) and CEC in the range of 15-25 cmolc kg-1. Weighted mean score and most minimum of eight attributes score showed good relationships with dry season irrigated rice yields than other tested methods indicating that this technique can be used for soil fertility rating in tropical countries
Influence of Foliar Application with Plant Aqueous Extracts on Growth, Yield and Chemical Constituents of Chamomile
No full textThe main target of sustainable agriculture including organic farming is to use natural compounds such as plant aqueous extracts to elevate plant growth and productivity. The subject of the present study is to determine the plant growth and inflorescences production, some biochemical constituents of shoot and inflorescences and antioxidative activities of essential oil obtained from chamomile plants exogenously sprayed with aqueous extracts of dried roselle calyces, turmeric rhizomes, safflower flowers and red beet roots. A pot experiment was conducted during the two successive seasons of 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 in the open field of Experimental Farm of Agricultural Botany Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams university, Qalyubia, Egypt. Transplants of chamomile, 45 days old, were separately sprayed after 15 days from transplanting by the four different aqueous extracts and distilled water was used as a control. Generally, spraying with tested plant aqueous extracts on chamomile plants caused high efficiency in growth promotion, inflorescences and essential oil production. Red beet and safflower extracts gave the highest number of branches and inflorescences per plant. Chlorophyll a, b, carotenoids, reducing sugars and amino acids were increased in chamomile shoots when red beet and safflower extracts were sprayed while flavonoids and phenolic compounds were significantly decreased in comparing with roselle and turmeric extract treatments. Different concentrations of essential oil and inflorescences ethanolic extracts obtained from chamomile plants treated with safflower and red beet extracts showed the highest scavenging activities on DPPH radical and lowest IC50 values. Finally, it could be concluded that application of plant aqueous extracts considered as alternative method to chemical compounds which achieved sustainability of organic farming
Soil Chemical Properties as Influenced by Long Term Manuring and Nitrogen Fertilization in Bangladesh
No full textOrganic fertilizers are enriched in plant nutrients which may enhance the soil chemical properties. However, studies on the effect of long term fertilization on soil chemical attributes is yet lacking in Bangladesh. Therefore, an experiment was conducted to assess the changes of soil chemical properties as influenced by long term manuring and nitrogen fertilizer in silt clay loam soil under rice-wheat cropping system. The experimental plot received different organic materials for the last 26 years (1988-2014). Five types of organic materials treatments such as control (no manure), cowdung, compost, green manure and rice straw were applied at the rate of 0, 25, 25, 7.5 and 1.5 t ha-1, respectively in a yearly sequence. Three levels of nitrogen viz. 0, 75 and 100 kg ha-1 for rice and 0, 80 and 120 kg ha-1 for wheat were applied in this study. Long term application of different organic materials positively increased soil organic carbon and total N, P, S and decreased pH and K, Ca and Mg availability. Increase in soil organic carbon was found maximum under green manure and lowest in rice straw applied soil. The green manure contributed to the maximum accumulation of soil nitrogen. N dose of 80 kg ha-1 was found effective in increasing availability of soil nutrients