Wheat performance is affected by the substitution of chemical fertilisers with animal manure under different soil moisture regimes

به‌منظور بررسی اثر کودهای آلی و شیمیایی بر عملکرد و اجزای عملکرد کلزا، آزمایشی در مزرعه‌ی دانشکده کشاورزی مشهد در سال 1391 اجرا شد. تیمارهای این آزمایش شامل کود‌های آلی و آبیاری بود. تیمارهای کودی شامل، کمپوست زباله شهری، ورمی‌کمپوست، کود دامی کاملاً پوسیده و کود شیمیایی نیتروژنه بود. آزمایش به‌صورت اسپلیت‌پلات و در قالب طرح بلوک‌های کامل تصادفی و در سه تکرار اجرا شد. تیمارهای آبیاری در کرت اصلی و تیمارهای کودی در کرت‌های فرعی قرار گرفتند. در طول فصل زراعی از صفات مورد‌نظر یادداشت‌برداری به‌عمل آمد. نتایج آزمایش نشان داد که عملکرد دانه، تعداد غلاف در بوته و وزن هزار‌دانه در تیمار آبیاری در مقایسه با کم‌آبیاریبه‌ترتیب 21 ، 5/9و 17درصدبیشتر بود. تیمار استفاده از 50‌تن در هکتار کود دامی در مقایسه با بقیه تیمارها در شرایط کم‌آبیاری بیشرین عملکرد دانه را تولید نمود (875‌کیلوگرم در هکتار).بعد از تیمار 50‌تن در هکتار کود دامی، تیمار کود شیمیایی و تیمار 11‌تن در هکتار ورمی‌کمپوست با عملکردی معادل، 820 و 814‌کیلو‌گرم در هکتار در مرحله بعدی قرار داشتند. در شرایط آبیاری کامل اختلاف تیمارهای کودهای آلی با کود شیمیایی بیش‌تر شد و تیمار کود شیمیایی با عملکرد دانه‌ای معادل 1284‌کیلو‌گرم در هکتار تفاوت زیادی با بقیه تیمارها نشان داد. بنا‌براین به‌نظر می‌رسد که گیاه کلزا در شرایط کمبود رطوبت عکس‌العمل بهتری به کودهای دامی و ورمی‌کمپوست نشان می‌دهد و در صورتی‌که از نظر اقتصادی مقرون به‌صرفه باشد، امکان جاگزینی آن‌ها در این‌گونه شرایط با کودهای شیمیایی میسر می‌باشد.

تأثیر منابع نیتروژن و فسفر بر خصوصیات شیمیایی خاک و غلظت عناصر در آفتابگردان(Helianthus annuus L.)

This study explored the effect of the combined application of chemical and organic fertilizers on phosphorus morphology and its conversion to an active state. A long-term field positioning experiment comprising five treatments was conducted in black soil. The results concluded that the soil total phosphorus (TP), available phosphorus (AP), inorganic phosphorus, and organic phosphorus contents of all treatments ranked as follows: 1.5M1NPK > M2NPK > M1NPK > NPK > CK. The long-term application of chemical and organic fertilizers increased the proportion of soil reactive phosphorus and moderately reactive phosphorus but decreased the proportion of mildly active phosphorus and residual phosphorus. A phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance (31P NMR) spectral analysis showed that the contents of orthophosphate, pyrophosphate, phosphoric acid diesters, and orthophosphate acid monoesters increased with the application of chemical and organic fertilizers, of which 1.5M1NPK usually resulted in the highest increases. In conclusion, the long-term application of chemical fertilizers could promote the conversion of soil phosphorus into active phosphorus and improve the effectiveness of soil phosphorus, and the long-term use of organic and chemical fertilizers was more effective than the use of chemical fertilizers only, with 1.5M1NPK providing the best effects.

The use of organic sources presents itself as a viable alternative to mitigate the excessive reliance on chemical fertilizers in agricultural practices. However, in the realm of pineapple cultivation, research exploring the synergy between chemical and organic fertilizers remains scarce. In this context, the objective of this research was to evaluate the impact of the combination of chemical and organic fertilizers on the growth and yield of the MD-2 pineapple cultivar under two shade net conditions (installed 45 and 250 days after planting). The experiment was conducted in a split-plot design, with the main plot being the shade net conditions and the sub-plots the five fertilization treatments, which were applied 18 times via drip irrigation (control, 100% chemical fertilization, 50% reduced chemical fertilization, organic fertilization, and a combination of 50% chemical fertilization with organic fertilization). The results showed that the early installation of shade netting 45 days after planting decreases the growth and yield of pineapple; thus, the use of shade netting at this age is not recommended. Regarding fertilization, the combination of 50% chemical fertilization with organic fertilization showed similar growth and yield values compared to 100% conventional chemical fertilization under both shade net conditions. Furthermore, this combination presented similar nitrate and potassium values in the plant and did not negatively affect malic acid content. Therefore, the use of organic fertilizers in pineapple cultivation is a promising strategy to reduce the excessive use of chemical fertilizers, and it could also improve soil fertility.

BackgroundCorn silage is an important feed for intense ruminant production, but the growth of corn relies heavily on the use of chemical fertilizers. Sustainable crop production requires careful management of all nutrient sources available on a farm, particularly in corn-based cropping systems.MethodsExperiments were conducted to determine the appropriate technique of corn-legume intercropping in conjunction with the supplemental use of chemical fertilizers, organic manure, and biofertilizers (BFs). Acetylene reduction assays (ARAs) were also performed on corn and soybean roots.ResultsCombining chemical fertilizers with chicken manure (CM) in a 50:50 ratio and applying 50% NPK+50% CM+BF produced fresh forage and dry matter (DM) yields that were similar to those produced in the 100% nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) treatment. Among the lone fertilizer treatments, the inorganic fertilizer (100% NPK) treatment produced the highest DM yield (13.86 t/ha) of forage and outyielded the 100% CM (9.74 t/ha) treatment. However, when CM was combined with NPK, the resulting DM yield of forage (13.86 t/ha) was the same as that resulting from 100% NPK (13.68 t/ha). Compared with CM applications alone, combinations of NPK and CM applications resulted in increased plant height, crop growth rates (CGRs) and leaf area index (LAI), but the values of these parameters were similar to those resulting from 100% NPK application. Fertilizers in which the ratio was 50% CM+50% NPK or 50% CM+50% NPK+BF resulted in protein yields that were similar to those resulting from conventional fertilizers. Similarly, the CP content did not significantly differ between applications of the 100% NPK and 50% CM+50% NPK fertilizers. The use of BFs had no significant impact on improving either the yield or quality of forage fertilized with inorganic or organic fertilizer. Lactic acid responded differently to different fertilizer applications and was significantly higher in the fertilized plots than in the unfertilized plots. Compared with treatments of lone chemical and lone organic manure fertilizers, treatments involving applications of BF and a combination of BF and NPK or CM resulted in higher ARA values.DiscussionThere is no simple and easy approach to increase biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) in grain legumes grown as part of a cropping system under realistic farm field conditions. Overall, evidence recorded from this study proves that, compared with corn monocrops combined with CM and chemical fertilizers, corn-soybean intercrops could increase forage yields and quality, produce higher total protein yields, and reduce the need for protein supplements and chemical fertilizers.

به منظور بررسی اثر سیستم های گوناگون تغذیه ای بر عملکرد و اجزاء عملکرد گیاه روغنی آفتابگردان رقم یوروفلور (Helianthus annuus L.) در شرایط تنش رطوبتی، آزمایشی به صورت کرت های خرد شده در قالب طرح بلوک های کامل تصادفی در سه تکرار در مزرعه تحقیقاتی دانشکده کشاورزی دانشگاه بوعلی سینا همدان در سال 93-1392 اجرا شد. تیمارها شامل دو سطح آبیاری بهینه و تنش کم آبیاری (به ترتیب آبیاری پس از 60 و 120 میلی متر تبخیر از تشتک تبخیر کلاس A) به عنوان کرت های اصلی و تیمارهای گوناگون تغذیه گیاهی شامل: 1- عدم کاربرد هر گونه کود شیمیایی و زیستی (شاهد)، 2- کاربرد 100 درصد کود شیمیایی پیشنهاد شده (NPK)، 3- کود آلی ورمی‌کمپوست، 4- کود زیستی فسفونیتروکارا، 5- ورمی‌کمپوست+ فسفونیتروکارا، 6- ورمی‌کمپوست+ 50 درصد کود شیمیایی نیتروژن و فسفر پیشنهاد شده، 7- فسفو نیتروکارا+ 50 درصد کود شیمیایی نیتروژن و فسفر پیشنهاد شده، 8- ورمی‌کمپوست+ فسفونیتروکارا+ 50 درصد کود شیمیایی نیتروژن و فسفر پیشنهاد شده و9 - 50 درصد کود شیمیایی نیتروژن و فسفر پیشنهاد شده به عنوان کرت های فرعی بود. نتایج حاصل از این بررسی نشان داد که تنش کم آبی و تیمارهای تغذیه ای به طور معنی داری تمامی صفات اندازه گیری شده را تحت تأثیر قرار دادند. همچنین اثر متقابل سیستم تغذیه در آبیاری بر صفات وزن طبق، تعداد دانه در طبق، عملکرد دانه و عملکرد بیولوژیک معنی دار بود. بالاترین عملکرد دانه در شرایط آبیاری بهینه با کاربرد کامل کود شیمیایی به دست آمد (591 گرم در مترمربع)، در حالی که در شرایط تنش کم آبی، بیشترین عملکرد (314 گرم در مترمربع) به کاربرد ورمی‌کمپوست به همراه نیمی از کود شیمیایی توصیه شده تعلق داشت. به طور کلی، از مقایسه کودهای بررسی شده چنین به نظر می رسد که کاهش مصرف کودهای شیمیایی و جایگزینی آن با ورمی‌کمپوست می تواند در راستای نیل به کشاورزی پایدار در شرایط تنش رطوبتی، مؤثر واقع شود.

به منظور بررسی اثرات کود‌‌های آلی و شیمیایی بر برخی ویژگی‌های کمی و کیفی چای ترش آزمایشی در قالب طرح بلوک‌های کامل تصادفی با 10 تیمار و 4 تکرار در مزرعه تحقیقاتی دانشکده کشاورزی دانشگاه زابل انجام شد. تیمار‌ها شامل: (T1) عدم مصرف کود (شاهد)، (T2) 300 کیلوگرم کود نیتروژن، فسفر و پتاسیم در هکتار به نسبت 2:1:1، (T3) 20 تن کود گاوی در هکتار، (T4) 10 تن کمپوست در هکتار، (T5) 5 تن ورمی‌کمپوست در هکتار، (T6) محلول پاشی اسید هیومیک به نسبت 5/1 در هزار، (T7) 50 درصد T2 + T6، (T8) 50 درصد T3 + T6، (T9) 50 درصد T4 +T6 و (T10) 50 درصد T5 + T6 بودند. نتایج نشان داد در اکثر صفات مورد بررسی اختلاف معنی‌داری بین تیمارهای اعمال شده و شاهد وجود داشت، به طوری که بیشترین مقدار ارتفاع و تعداد شاخه‌های جانبی و قطر ساقه در نتیجه کاربرد تیمار کودهای آلی توأم با اسید هیومیک (T8، T9 و T10) حاصل شد. تأثیر کود‌ کمپوست توأم با اسید هیومیک (T9) بر وزن‌تر و خشک کاسبرگ (31/157، 69/22 گرم در بوته)، تعداد میوه در بوته، وزن میوه، تعداد دانه در بوته، و در مورد میزان آنتوسیانین، تأثیر کود گاوی توأم با اسید هیومیک (T8) نسبت به سایر تیمارها بیشتر بود. نتایج این تحقیق نشان داد که کاربرد کودهای آلی در بهبود عملکرد کمی و کیفی گیاه دارویی چای ترش و همچنین در جهت پایداری تولید و حفظ محیط زیست تأثیر مثبتی داشته و به نظر می‌رسد کودهای آلی جایگزین مناسبی برای کودهای شیمیایی باشند.

The rate of chemical fertilizers’ utilization by crops does not exceed 40%. Environmental pollution and resource waste caused by the excessive application of chemical fertilizers have led to increased interested in using organic fertilizers as replacements for chemical ones. The present study investigated the impact of the combined application of chemical and organic fertilizers on the growth and nutrient utilization efficiency of highland barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). Compared to the application of 100% chemical fertilizers (OFR0), the substitution of chemical fertilizer with 40% organic fertilizer (OFR40) resulted in a significant increase in root length by 4% and improved the nutrient absorption capacity. The crop yields at harvest were not diminished in the combined fertilizer group compared to the OFR0 treatment group, while simultaneously achieving a 60% reduction in chemical fertilizer application. However, a complete substitution with 100% organic fertilizer (OFR100) resulted in a lower yield. This suggests that appropriate proportions of organic fertilizer replacement can maintain yield by increasing root length and enhancing the crop’s nutrient absorption capacity. In order to elucidate the mechanisms by which organic fertilizer modulates crop growth and nutrient utilization efficiency, combined transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis revealed that as the concentration of organic fertilizer increased, the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) shifted from secondary metabolite synthesis toward nitrogen metabolism. In addition, the gene expression and enzymatic activity of NR (nitrate reductase), GS (glutamine synthetase), and GOGAT (glutamine oxoglutarate aminotransferase) (key genes in the nitrogen metabolism pathways) were significantly enhanced in the OFR40 group. This study’s omics-based approach demonstrates that the combined use of chemical and organic fertilizers enhances nitrogen absorption and utilization through an increased expression of key genes and enzymatic activities within the nitrogen metabolic pathways. This synergistic effect not only maintains crop yields but also reduces the reliance on chemical fertilizers, offering a sustainable strategy for agricultural production.

The influence of NaCl salinity on evapotranspiration, yield traits, antioxidant status, and mineral composition of lettuce grown under deficit irrigation

Land use changes and economic effects of alternative fertilizer policies: A simulation analysis with a bio-economic model for a Tank Village of Sri Lanka

Introduction Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), an annual with indeterminate growth, is one of the most important food legumes. Loss of seeds due to pod borer (Heliothis armigera) attack is prevalent. Such loss of pods may affect the yield and yield components. The source-sink relationship changes during growth stages. Some factors influence this relationship including nitrogen fertilizer and water. This experiment was conducted in order to study the effects of nitrogen fertilizer, supplementary irrigation and depodding on yield and yield components of chickpea (var. ILC482). Materials & Methods The experiment was conducted as split-split plot based on a randomized complete block design with three replications at Agricultural Research Station of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, during growing season of 2012. Main plot was nitrogen fertilizer including 30, 75 and 150 kg N/ha and sup plot was irrigation regimes including full irrigation, supplementary irrigation at flowering and supplementary irrigation at flowering, seed podding and depodding including 0, 25%, 50% and 75% as sub subplot. Leaf and stem dry weight, seed weight per plant, shoot weight, pod number per plant, grain number per plant, 100-seed weight and harvest index of chickpea were all recorded. Results & Discussion The results indicated that all traits excluded of harvest index were higher in 150 kg N/ha treatment than other treatments. Nitrogen rate of 150 kg/ha produced the highest seed weight (3.8 g/plant). The highest harvest index (36%) was obtained from 30 kg/ha N treatment. Supplementary irrigation at flowering and podding stages with grain yield 4.4 g/plant was higher than full and supplementary irrigation at flowering. Supplementary irrigation at flowering and podding stages produced the highest harvest index (39%). In irrigation regimes including full irrigation and supplementary irrigation at flowering stage, 75% depodding decreased seed weight to 60%, but this was 45% in Supplementary irrigation at flowering and podding stages. In this interaction, full irrigation and 0% depodding (control), produced the highest seed weight (195 g/m2). The lowest seed weight (40 g/m2) was obtained from supplementary irrigation at flowering stage and 75% depodding. Supplementary irrigation at flowering and podding stages with 25% depodding produced the highest harvest index (45%) too. Increase of harvest index mostly was related to improve photosynthesis and remobilization in mid drought stress and also low depodding (by devotion photosynthetic assimilates to un-removed pods). The highest shoot weight was obtained from 150 kg N/ha (12.8 g/plant) and full irrigation (14.3 g/plant). Depodding decreased the most of mentioned traits significantly. 75% depodding decreased seed weight and shoot dry weight to 56% and 30% respectively compared to control. The lowest harvest index (23%) was obtained from 75% depodding. In nitrogen rate of 75 kg/ha, the highest (177 g/m2) and lowest (46 g/m2) seed weight was obtained from 0% and 75% depodding, respectively. This result also was observed in traits of seed number and pod number in this interaction. High N application improved the ability of plant to compensate the pods that removed. All of traits including pod number, seed number, harvest index and shoot dry weight had positive and significantly correlation with seed weight. Pod number (75%) had highest correlation with yield. Conclusion Generally, increasing depodding intensity decreased grain yield. But nitrogen fertilizer application decreased the negative effects of depodding in low levels. Among irrigation regimes, supplementary irrigation at flowering and depodding stages was best treatment, therefore under water deficit condition, supplementary irrigation at flowering and podding stages recommend. Under severe stress condition (supplementary irrigation at flowering stage), high nitrogen application did not effect on seed weight. In this condition, favorite yield will obtain by 30 kg nitrogen fertilizer application as starter.

Replacing chemical fertilizers with organic and biological ones in transition to organic farming systems in saffron (Crocus sativus) cultivation

Fertilizer subsidies may constitute a key economic tool with which to provide food for the growing population. Therefore, this work aimed to (i) assess the effectiveness of subsidized chemical (NPK) fertilizer use in food production by comparing the crop output between developed and developing regions and (ii) examine the benefits of organic fertilizer and the need for its use in developing regions such as Africa. Secondary data from 2000 to 2019 on global subsidized fertilizer use, crop production, income, and other agro-environmental parameters, such as climate and soil, were collected from the international databases of the World Bank, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Forest Resources Assessment (FRA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and World Income Inequalities Database (WID), as well as countries’ national statistics. Data were analyzed using qualitative, quantitative, and geospatial software and techniques, such as SPSS, averages, multivariate analysis, and spatial analytical Geographic Information System (GIS) tools. The results reveal that the total global fertilizer use continuously increased from 79 million tonnes in 2000 to 125 million tonnes in 2019. Subsidized fertilizer use and crop production increased with countries’ economic status. For example, countries or regions with more economic resources tended to have higher fertilizer subsidies. More than 95% of North American and European countries recorded the highest total chemical fertilizer use, ranging from 855,160 to 18,224,035 kg ha−1. In terms of organic fertilizer production, the percentage contribution in Africa relative to global production was only 2%, which was about 932,538 million tonnes below the production yield in North America. More organic fertilizer and less inorganic fertilizer should be encouraged instead of the total eradication of chemical fertilizers. This is especially applicable to developing countries, where food production is low due to poor soil and high food demand owing to a harsh environment and rapid population growth.

Soybean is known for its high protein content, which is the reason why it is widely used as one of the main food sources for humans and animals. In order to optimize soybean growth, farmers tend to add excessive dosage of chemical fertilizer to this crop. Furthermore, a continuous chemical fertilizer application without organic fertilizer addition may cause a rapid depletion of nutrients in the soil. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of organic fertilizer treatment to reduce the amount of urea as chemical fertilizer needed in soybean cultivation. A complete randomized design was conducted using 21 treatments of organic and chemical fertilizer in triplicate with a 4x3 m plot size. Analysis of variance was carried out to compare the means of measurement data and Duncan multiple range test (DMRT 5%) was applied. The treatment 2,000 kg ha-1 compost + 50 kg ha-1 urea (O2K2A1) resulted the highest dry yield in soybean and had significant differences with urea-only treatment. A mixture of chemical and organic fertilizers had no significant result over the yield compared to the use of chemical fertilizer only. Compost application of 1,000-2,000 kg ha-1 with urea 50-100 kg ha-1 (O2K2A1 and O 2K1A2) showed an increase in seed yield of 35-38 % with a profit reaching 333-340 USD ha-1 compared to standard treatment using urea 50 kg ha -1 + SP-36 50 kg ha-1 + 50 KCl kg ha-1 (O0K0A1).

Chemical fertilizers could be completely replaced by manure to maintain high maize yield and soil organic carbon (SOC) when SOC reaches a threshold in the Northeast China Plain