Asian Soil Research Journal
Not a member yet
217 research outputs found
Sort by
Impact of Irrigation with Saline Water on the Production of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) under Soilless and Traditional Techniques
No full textA greenhouse experiment was carried out to evaluate the response of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) to saline water irrigation under soilless and traditional techniques. A special fertigation technique with two different salinity levels (1 dS m-1 and 4 dS m-1) of water was used under different soilless media, namely, perlite, gravel, and pozzolana as inert media, in addition to traditional techniques. Results showed that among the three soilless substrates, perlite medium produced the highest total yields with larger fruit sizes. Furthermore, the perlite medium enabled significant savings in water, compared to gravel (-15%) and pozzolana (-20%). Moreover, the results corroborated the existing knowledge on the tolerance of tomato to brackish water irrigation, since there was no significant difference in yield of plants grown in the soil irrigated with water with salinity levels of 1.1 dSm-1 and 4-5 dS m-1. Plant biometric data revealed a better and quicker development of plants grown in the soilless media compared to those grown in the soil, even in the case of freshwater irrigation
Enhancement of the Productivity of Soybean in Malawi through Foliar Application of Nutrients
No full textIn Malawi, inoculating soybean with rhizobia, has been advocated for decades as a way of boosting productivity through enhancement of biological nitrogen fixation. The effectiveness of this strategy however, has been constrained by the low soil fertility status of soils in Malawi, necessitating the use of mineral fertilizer to supply nutrients to the soybean for increased productivity. Alternative strategies like foliar feeding of nutrients to improve grain yields are yet to be widely promoted due to lack of research evidence. Therefore experiments involving the soybean were conducted during the 2016/17 cropping season, laid in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) replicated four times, at Bvumbwe, Bembeke and Chitala in Malawi to evaluate yields response to foliar feeding using a foliar fertilizer (Allwin-legumes). Agronomic data were analyzed in Genstat Discovery Edition 4 and were subjected to analysis of variance at 95% level of confidence. Means were separated using the least significant difference (LSD0.05). Generally, the result indicate that foliar feeding produced significantly higher (p<0.05) grain yields ranging from 33.7-364.7%, above the control across the different agro-ecological zones. The result underscores the importance of judicious and methodical application of nutrients to soybean under the changing climate and conditions of low soil fertility. In general, foliar feeding using Allwin fertilizer particularly when conducted twice can increase significantly soybean productivity in Malawi. The grain yields increase is attributable to the enhanced crop growth and development through foliar supply of nutrients
Biofortification of Rice Grain as Affected by Different Doses of Zinc Fertilization
No full textThe experiment was conducted in the research farm at Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) to investigate the zinc biofortification ability of rice grain at different doses of zinc fertilization. In this experiment two rice varieties (BRRI dhan28 and Binadhan-16) and five doses (0, 1.5, 3.0, 4.5 and 6.0 kg ha-1) of zinc fertilization were used following split-plot design with three replications. Except 1000-grain weight and plant height, all other plant characters viz., tillers hill-1, panicle length and grains panicle-1 were significantly influenced by zinc fertilization. The treatment receiving Zn at 4.5 kg ha-1 (Zn 4.5) produced the highest grain yield (7.70 t ha-1) in BRRI dhan28 which was statistically similar with the yield obtained with Zn 3.0 treatments. The zinc control treatment (Zn 0) produced the lowest grain yield in both varieties. The concentrations of N, Zn and Fe were significantly and positively influenced by the Zn treatments. The crop varieties did not differ significantly in respect of N and Fe concentrations, but the grain Zn concentration was considerably higher in BINA dhan16 than in BRRI dhan28. The grain N content as well as grain protein content linearly increased with the rates of Zn application. Thus, application of Zn at the rate of 6.0 kg ha-1 demonstrated the highest Zn fortification in both varieties but maximum zinc fortification was observed in Binadhan-16 (24.1 µg g-1) in rice grain which was 12.2% higher over control treatment
Soil Mechanical Composition and Texture as Indices for On-site and Field Precise Choice of Land Use Type to Adopt
No full textThe soils of Agoi-Ibami in central Cross River State of Nigeria were evaluated for their mechanical and textural compositions in the field. The objective was to present to small scale, subsistence farmers, with limited access to external farm-inputs for time consuming and expensive laboratory analysis, soil data for on-site and field land use and management decisions. Three profile pits were sunk, along three well defined and selected toposequences, on three landscape elements of crest, middleslope and valley bottom in three land use types of forest (FS), rubber (RS), and arable (AS). Relevant environmental properties were inventorized and the profiles described in the moist state. Their textures were determined by the feel method in the field among other morphological properties. The field investigation showed the soils to be predominatly loamy soils. After the field investigation, soil samples were collected from the morphogenetic horizons for determination of their mechanical composition in the laboratory to supplement the field investigation. Their loamy textures and mechanical composition inferred from their loamy texture impact unique physical and chemical properties like good water holding capacity, good drainage, fertile and productive soils and good for irrigation. Loamy soils exhibit properties intermediate between sandy and clayey soils. Loamy soils are considered best for agricultural production because they hold more water and nutrients than sandy soils and have better drainage, aeration and tillage properties than clayey soils. They have slight plastic and sticky workable properties ideal for crop growth and crop productivity. Therefore knowing the texture of soils and their mechanical composition in the field their properties can be inferred and land use and management decisions can be taken on-site without recourse to expensive and time consuming laboratory analyses which are beyond the capacity of resource poor small-scale and subsistence farmers in developing countries and or sub-Saharan Africa. The land use and management decisions are taken after mutual adaptation and adjustments of the description of the land use and the increasingly known soil qualities in the field
Assessment of Physicochemical Properties and Heavy Metal Load in Soils of Ebocha Gas Flaring Site in Rivers State, Nigeria
No full textThe negative impact of gas flaring on the environment cannot be overemphasised. This study assessed the effect of gas flaring on the physicochemical properties and heavy metal contents in soils of Ebocha gas flaring site in Rivers State. It involved the assessment of various distances from gas flaring point to 200 meters away (50 m, 100 m, 150 m, and 200 m) which represents the extent of gas flared pollution on soils to determine the physicochemical properties and heavy metal load. The gas flaring significantly decreased soil organic carbon and calcium content when compared with non-gas flaring polluted soils. Soil acidity increased, soil exchangeable ions decreased. N, P and K were altered in gas flared soils when compared to the controls. There were detrimental effects on soils physicochemical properties. Heavy metals observed were Cd (Cadmium), Ni (Nickel), As (Arsenic), Cr (Chromium), while Pb (Lead) was not detected. The concentration of heavy metals in gas flared soils decreases down soil depth from 0-15 cm to 45-60 cm respectively. The gas flaring extremely caused the acidic nature of gas flared soils. Coefficient of variation (CV) in percentage shows significant increase in acidic nature of the gas flared soils when compared with the control soils
Measurement and Estimation of Annual Variability of Water Loss at Njuwa Lake Using Class ‘A’ Pan Evaporation Method
No full textAim: To measure and estimate the annual variability of water loss at Njuwa Lake using Class ‘A’ Pan Evaporation Method.
Place and Duration of Study: Njuwa Lake in Yola South LGA, Adamawa State Nigeria between November, 2019 and May, 2020.
Methodology: Direct measurements of morphometric characteristics of the lake were adopted using simple bathymetric method. Evaporation rates data and other related weather variable for the periods of ten (2007-2016) years were obtained from Upper Benue River Basin Development Authority located near the lake where the volume of water in the lake and the annual water loss were estimated using FAO estimate of water requirement procedures.
Results: The results revealed that Njuwa Lake has morphometric characteristics of 1, 325 m average length, 180m average width, average depth 3.4 m, 238, 500 m2 of surface area, 1,445 m shoreline length and 0.834 m shoreline development with an estimated water volume of 810, 900 m3 respectively. Similarly, highest Class ‘A’ Pan evaporation rates were found in the year 2011, 2007 and 2008 with the corresponding total annual values of 2688.06 mm, 2403.64 mm and 2389.63 mm having an estimated values of water lost from the lake of 641, 102.310 m3 (79.07%), 573, 268.140 m3(70.7%) and 569, 926.755 m3 (70.29 %) correspondingly. Conversely, the year 2013,2012 and 2014 were found with the lowest measured Pan evaporation rates (1585.00 mm, 1611.54 mm and 1663.27 mm) with an estimated water lost on the lake of about 378, 022.500 m3 (46.6 %), 384, 352.290 m3 (47.4 %) and 396, 689.895 m3 (48.9 %).
Conclusion: The rate of water loss was through evaporation was estimated to be greater than the stored water in the Lake in most of the years under study which led to untimely drying of the lake thereby affecting the irrigation farming in the area. Valuable strategies of water use efficiency and irrigation scheduling for effective utilization of the limited stored water in the lake for sustainable food production should be therefore adopted. The research work, however, need further work to make a comparison between the class ‘A’ Pan method and other empirical models method to revalidate the reliability
Panchagavya: A Multidimensional Review Article through the Lens of an Agriculture Scholar
No full textTraditional agriculture has been generally considered everywhere as a joint effort of man and cattle. In recent past, a great deal of importance has been given to individual animal product and formulation. Among the liquid formulations, the most widely used is Panchagavya. This traditional organic input has been mentioned in Ayurveda, prepared by using five components derived from cow viz. milk, curd, ghee, urine, dung and all these five products are individually called \u27Gavya\u27 and collectively termed as \u27Panchagavya\u27 [1]. Besides these five components, enriched panchagavya also contains some additional components like coconut water, sugarcane juice or jaggery, banana and toddy. Coconut water is a cheaper substitute for kinetin which helps in increasing the chlorophyll content of rice. It plays a crucial role in each and every component of crop management like integrated nutrient management [2], integrated pest management disease management. Panchagavya also has a great impact on human and animal health. It holds an important place in Ayurvedic medicine due to its disease curing properties. Ancient Indian scriptures such as Bhel Sanhita, Kashyap Sanhita, Charak Sanhita, Sushrut Sanhita hail about the glory of the mixture of cow’s five essences- the panchagavya. It is believed that consumption of panchagavya results in removal of physical as well as mental disorders and acts as an enhancer of physical strength and life span
Evaluation of Conservation Farming Practices in Improving Sorghum Yield at Tanqua Abergelle Wereda, Northern Ethiopia
No full textTraditional farming, particularly tillage has long been used by farmers to loosen the soil, make a seed bed and control weed. However, it has been discovered that tillage operations, overtime, cause a decline in soil fertility and overall productivity resulting from deterioration of soil physical, chemical and biological properties. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effect of minimizing soil disturbance on sorghum yield. The research was conducted at Tanqua Abergelle Wereda in specific localization called Gereb Giba testing site. Six treatments replicated three times according to Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) and plot size of 3.75 m x 4 m were used. The conservation farming practices used were basin and tie-ridger, one month earlier from its sowing date. Moreover, sorghum seeds were sown on nursery in the month of June, and was latter transplanted to field experiments. Agronomic data were collected for three consecutive years (2014 to 2016) and subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA). The obtained result indicates that there was significant difference (0.05%) between treatments especially with comparison to conventional tillage. The highest grain yield (1.41 t/ha) was obtained in the treatment (Ripper + tie-ridger + transplanting), followed by basin + transplanting, Ripper + tie-ridger + inter-cropping, Ripper + tie-ridger and conventional tillage with 1.33 t/ha, 1.21 t/ha, 1.16 t/ha and 0.95 t/ha respectively and the lowest was obtained from basin 0.72 t/ha, due to sandy soils, i.e siltation affects at initial growth stage. Therefore, using tie-ridger and basin with transplanting are more important in low receiving and eratic type of rainfall, due to moisture stress prone areas and to increase grain yield. Though, practicing such kinds should be taken as compulsory issue particularly in dry land areas
Response of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) to Time of Application and Nitrogen Fertilizer on the Degraded Soil of Southern Guinea Savanna Zone of Nigeria
No full textField trials were conducted during 2017 and 2018 rainy season, to investigate the effect of nitrogen fertilizer rates and time of application on the growth and yield of cowpea. The treatment consisted of three levels of urea: 0, 40, 80 kg N ha-1 and the times of fertilizer application: during planting of cowpea, 2 weeks after planting, 4 weeks after planting and 6 weeks after planting; which were factorially combined to form twelve treatments and laid in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). The results showed that, Nitrogen fertilizer rates and time of application had a significant increased on all the growth and yield parameters of cowpea in both years of trials. Application of 80 kg N ha-1 produced the highest number of cowpea leaves (134.45 and 139.23), number of branches (9.45 and 10.54), vine length (78.23cm and 80.12cm) and highest seed weight of 0.52 t ha-1 in both 2017 and 2018 trials. However, the control plots produced plants with the highest number of root nodules (14.78 and 12.49) in both years of cropping. Also, application of nitrogen fertilizer at two weeks after planting of cowpea produced the highest growth and seed weight of 0.68 t ha-1 in 2017 cropping; while in 2018 trial, application of nitrogen fertilizer at two weeks after cowpea planting produced seed yield of 0.69tha-1 which is statistically similar with application of nitrogen fertilizer on the fourth week after planting which produced 0.55 t ha-1 of cowpea seeds. The interaction between nitrogen fertilizer application rates and time of application did not showed any significant difference in cowpea yield and yield components in both years of cropping
Evaluation of Different Level of Vermicompost on Yield and Yield Components of Wheat at Vertisols of L/Machew District
No full textA field experiment was carried out to evaluate different rates of vermicompost, and inorganic NPS(Nitrogen-Phosphate Fertilizer With Sulphur) fertilizers for wheat production in 2015-2017 main cropping seasons at L/machew district of the Tigray Regional State. There were five systematically combined rates of vermicompost and one rate of NPS treatments during the study. The experimental design was randomized complete block with three replications. Surface soil samples were collected before planting to analyze selected soil properties. The textural class of the soil was clay. The pH of the soil was rated under moderately acidic. Available P was rated under medium in most of the experimental sites while total N was low in all experimental sites. The treatments significantly affected crop phenology, yield and yield components of wheat. Thus tallest plant height was found from treatments that received 100kg/ha NPS, followed by 8.75t/ha vermicompost which resulted in (73.25cm) while the shortest plant (62.73cm) was obtained from control plots, respectively. Highest mean wheat grain yield (2642.8kg/ha) was obtained in response to 100kg NPS from inorganic fertilizer application followed by the second highest dose of vermicompost (7t/ha) with grain yield of 2620 kg/ha. At the wheat plants grown in plot received vermicompost compost at 7t/ha of vermicompost increased the grain yield by 67.78% over the control. Though highest grain yield was obtained from highest dose of vermicompost the partial budget analysis shows that the highest marginal rate of return (456) was obtained from 3.5t/ha VC ha-1 plus 100kg/ha urea at the study area