2nd Crop Research Articles

Influence of the dynamics of stocks of mobile forms of nitrogen in gray forest soil and the use of fertilizers on the yield of oats under various weather conditions

In a long-term field experiment on the gray forest soils of the Vladimir opole, the influence of mineral fertilizers and the aftereffect of cattle manure, their interaction on the yield of oats going 2nd crop after the occupied steam, and the dynamics of mobile nitrogen forms under various weather conditions were studied. The determining role of ammonium nitrate nitrogen in the composition of NPK and the aftereffect of cattle manure in increasing the yield of oats has been established. The results of the study indicated that the culture was fed mainly with the nitrate form of nitrogen. A high degree of correlation was revealed between the reserves of N-NO3 in the soil layer of 0–40 cm, formed as a result of the transformation of soil nitrogen and fertilizers to oat seedlings, and its yield (0.981 R2 0.787). The influence of fertilizers and weather conditions on the formation of nitrate nitrogen reserves in the phases of growth and development of oats and their dynamics, ensuring the achievement of high grain yield and quality, are determined. Depending on weather conditions and fertilizer systems, the coefficients of using N-NO3 formed during the growing season of oats for nitrogen removal by grain (40.7–66.6%), grain and straw (58.3–75.0%), grain, straw and crop-root residues (71.2–88.6%) are calculated. In nitrogen-fertilized variants, on average, at 4 levels of manure aftereffect (0, 40, 60 and 80 t/ha), they were highest when using a single dose of N40P40K40, when using a double dose of N80P80K80, they significantly decreased. On average, at 4 levels of mineral fertilizer application (0, P40K40, N40P40K40 and N80P80K80), the utilization coefficients of N-NO3 formed during the growing season with the aftereffect of manure of 60 t/ha were maximum. When N80P80K80 is combined with the aftereffect of organic fertilizers of 80 t/ha, the highest losses of N-NO3 due to denitrification and leaching are possible.

Mode and Dose of Boron Nutrition on Growth, Productivity, Nutrient Uptake and Quality of a Rice-groundnut Cropping System

To assess the effect of boron (B) nutrition on growth, productivity, uptake and crop quality of rice-groundnut cropping system under medium land Inceptisols Odisha, a field experiment was conducted during Kharif and Rabi 2016-17 and 2017-18. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design (RBD) with eight treatments being replicated thrice. The results revealed that rice crop showed higher growth rate (9.4 mm day-1) than groundnut crop of 9.1 mm day-1. Soil application of B in split doses maintained higher growth rate than foliar spray irrespective of crops. B fertilization to rice crop reduced chaffiness from 35% in no B fertilization to 15% in B applied in split doses. It also showed 15.6% higher number of nodules than no B application in groundnut crop. Economic yield produced in different mode of B application in rice-groundnut cropping system, the 2nd crop was influenced by 22.5% against 16.0% for the 1st crop. B improved the economic yield by 19.5%over no B application. Application of B@1kg.ha-1 to each crops increased the economic yield by 8.7% compared to its half rate application (0.5 kg.ha-1). Based on rice-equivalent yields (REY) of rice-groundnut cropping system practices followed the order: Split application (288)>Full dose basal (250)>Full dose B to groundnut (199)>Half dose B basal to each crop (188)>Full dose B to rice (186) = Foliar spray of B (186)>STD (100). The recovery of added N increased by (42.2%) when B was applied to 1st crop with full dose (53.5%), again it increased further by 60.8% when applied in split. B nutrition to rice-groundnut system influenced P and K uptake by 36.4% and 48.4% respectively over no application. In rice-groundnut cropping system split application of B@0.5 kg.ha-1 to both crops at active growth stages improved the yield, uptake, crop quality and economic benefit was found superior over no or sub optimal dose of B application in a deficient medium land Inceptisols of Jajpur district.

Exploring the recuperative potential of brassinosteroids and nano-biochar on growth, physiology, and yield of wheat under drought stress

Drought stress as a result of rapidly changing climatic conditions has a direct negative impact on crop production especially wheat which is the 2nd staple food crop. To fulfill the nutritional demand under rapidly declining water resources, there is a dire need to adopt a precise, and efficient approach in the form of different amendments. In this regard, the present study investigated the impact of nano-biochar (NBC) and brassinosteroids (BR) in enhancing the growth and productivity of wheat under different drought stress conditions. The field study comprised different combinations of amendments (control, NBC, BR, and NBC + BR) under three irrigation levels (D0, D1 and D2). Among different treatments, the synergistic approach (NBC + BR) resulted in the maximum increase in different growth and yield parameters under normal as well as drought stress conditions. With synergistic approach (NBC + BR), the maximum plant height (71.7 cm), spike length (17.1), number of fertile tillers m–2 (410), no. of spikelets spike–1 (19.1), no. of grains spike–1 (37.9), 1000 grain weight (37 g), grain yield (4079 kg ha–1), biological yield (10,502 kg ha–1), harvest index (43.5). In the case of physiological parameters such as leaf area index, relative water contents, chlorophyll contents, and stomatal conductance were maximally improved with the combined application of NBC and BR. The same treatment caused an increase of 54, 10, and 7% in N, P, and K contents in grains, respectively compared to the control treatment. Similarly, the antioxidant response was enhanced in wheat plants under drought stress with the combined application of NBC and BR. In conclusion, the combined application of NBC and BR caused a significant increase in the growth, physiological and yield attributes of wheat under drought stress.

Bagasse Yield and Quality Traits of Silage Made From Juice-Extracted Sweet Sorghum

This study was conducted to investigate possible use of juice-extracted sweet sorghum stalks (bagasse) as a quality roughage source through silage making. A total of 21 different sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor var. saccharatum (L.) Mohlenbr.) genotypes supplied from different sources were used as the primary material of the study. Field experiments were conducted in a randomized blocks design with 4 replications on the experimental fields of Eastern Mediterranean Agricultural Research Institute under 2nd crop conditions during the growing seasons of 2016 and 2017 years. Plants were harvested for bioethanol production at milk-dough stage of panicle grains. Plant leaves and panicles were stripped and remaining stalks were extracted through squeezing. Juice-extracted stalks (bagasse) were ensilaged for 60 days and quality traits were analyzed at the end of silage period. As the average of two years, bagasse yields varied between 42.6-113.9 t ha-1, silage DM yields varied between 11.6-40.0 t ha-1. In addition, crude protein (CP) content, acid detergent lignin (ADL), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) values varied between 29.79 - 50.84 g/kg DM, between 49.3 - 91.4 g/kg DM, between 525.1-694.8 g/kg DM and between 351.2-486.8 g/kg DM, respectively. It was concluded based on present findings that silages made from juice-extracted stalks of sweet sorghum grown under 2nd crop conditions of Cukurova region could be used as quality roughage source for livestock. Keywords: Bagasse yield; Genotype; Silage quality; Sweet sorghum

Improving crop nutrition, soil carbon storage and soil physical fertility using ramial wood chips

Ramial wood chips (RWC) amendment has great potential in sustainable agriculture; however more data is needed to assess its effect on soil fertility and carbon (C) storage. In this study, we investigated the effect of a single application of RWC amendment on a silty clay loam soil. During the 5 year experiment, we measured biomass production, grain yields and crop nutrient uptake. At the end of the experiment, we measured soil micro- and macronutrients, soil organic C (SOC) content and thermal stability, microbial biomass C (Cmic), and organic C and total N contents in soil particle size fractions. Soil physical properties, including structural porosity, air and water capacity, were also measured. Neither crop biomass production nor grain yields were affected by RWC. However, RWC was found to affect nutrient uptake, with improved N, P and Mg uptakes for the 2nd and 3rd crops after RWC amendment, and decreased Mn, Fe and Zn uptakes in the second half of the study period. The initially low SOC content increased by 10%, mainly in the mineral-associated organic matter fraction, resulting in a higher SOC stability. The increase in SOC following RWC amendment decreased the bulk density and increased the easily available water capacity due to a larger structural porosity. The increased porosity in the 15–30μm diameter range was ascribed to a change in SOC quality. In conclusion, RWC amendment improved macronutrient uptake in the short term, but decreased micronutrient uptake in the medium term. RWC increased SOC content and positively affected SOC quality, thus improving soil physical properties including water capacity and aeration.

Duration of the Aftereffect of Mineral Fertilizers in the Experience of the Kurgan Research Institute

The effect of nitrogen-phosphorus fertilizer for 5 rotations of a 4-field grain crop rotation in the stationary experiment of the Kurgan Research Institute was studied. Different nitrogen distribution between crop rotation crops was tested. When the entire crop rotation dose of nitrogen was applied to the first field, the fertilizer had an aftereffect on the yield of the next 3 crops. Similarly, when dividing the nitrogen dose into the 1st and 3rd fields, an increase in crop yields was noted in the 2nd and 4th crops. The different distribution of nitrogen between crop rotation crops gave similar effects under experimental conditions with the manifestation of the advantage of using nitrogen in crop rotation in a year. For the next 27 years, fertilizers were not applied on these backgrounds and the aftereffect of fertilizer applied in total doses of N1050–1575P840 for 21 years was taken into account in permanent wheat crops. At the 1st dose of nitrogen, the fertilizer had a significant aftereffect for 5 years, at the 2nd – 9, but also later. In years with sufficient moisture, an increase in yield was observed from the aftereffect of nitrogen-phosphorus fertilizer.

Chickpea Varieties and Time of Sowing Effects on Growth and Yield under North-East Monsoon Influenced in Andhra Pradesh, India

Background: In Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh, India where North-East monsoon is predominant. During this season, chickpea crop sown during October to November 1st fortnight (FN) causing total crop loss due to high intensity rains in the changing climate scenario. In this context, there is a need for identification of suitable varieties of chickpea with ideal time of sowing for Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore district under changing climatic situations to enhance the yields of chickpea. Methods: Field experiment was carried out during rabi 2019-20 at Agricultural Research Station, Podalakur (14°22°N latitude, 79°44°E longitude and 43 m above mean sea-level), Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore district andhra Pradesh to identify the suitable chickpea variety and optimum time of sowing. The field experiment was laid out in Split plot design with 4 varieties of chickpea (V1: Nandyala gram-49, V2: Dheera, V3: Nandyala Senaga-1 and V4: JG-11) as main plot treatments and 3 time of sowings (D1: November 2nd FN, D2: December 1st FN, D3: December 2nd FN) as sub plot treatments in three replications. Result: Nandyala Senaga-1 and Dheera have taken more number days to 50% flowering and maturity. Crop sown on November 2nd FN took significantly more days (42.8) to bear 50% flowering and maturity, while the lowest number of days per 50% flowering and maturity was taken by December 2nd FN sown crop. Chickpea variety Nandyala Gram-49 recorded the highest grain yield (1491 kg ha-1), which was statistically on par with Nandyal Senaga-1 (1465 kg ha-1). The crop sown on November 2nd FN recorded significantly the highest grain yield (1462 kg ha-1), but which was statistically on par with December 1st FN (1424 kg ha-1) sown crop.

Winter wheat productivity depending on the systems of primary tillage against the background of short-term crop rotations in the South of Ukraine

Topicality. In the current agricultural environment, there is a trend towards simplification of tillage, wrong crop rotation sequences, narrowing of specialisation of most agricultural enterprises, and therefore the role of the predecessor and tillage systems as one of the least costly ways to optimise winter crop cultivation will only increase. For this reason, the development and research of various schemes of primary tillage on the background of short-term crop rotation will continue to be a topical issue and will always be subject to scientific and practical interest. Purpose. Our research aimed to development of environmental friendly technologies for competitive production of high-quality crop production in the Black Sea Steppe of Ukraine. Methods. The field method was the main method, which was supplemented by analytical studies, measurements, calculations and observations in accordance with generally accepted methods and guidelines in agriculture and crop production. In the experiment, the systems of crop rotations and primary tillage were studied. Results. The influence of different systems of primary tillage on the winter wheat yield in short-term crop rotation was studied. It was found that in the conditions of the Southern Steppe of Ukraine, the moldboardless tillage created the best conditions for the formation of winter wheat yield in the 1st, 2nd and 4th crops. The highest yields were in all experimental variants after such predecessors as black fallow and green manure fallow with winter vetch. Conclusions. For all experimental variants, the best results in terms of yield were observed after black fallow and green manure fallow with winter vetch in the 1st and 4th crops. In the 2nd crop, green manure fallow with winter vetch had an advantage of 4.9 % compared to black fallow. In winter wheat, a positive effect on the formation of yields was manifested by moldboardless tillage. Key words: crop rotation, predecessors, primary tillage system, yield, winter wheat

Balance sheet of Nitrogen in Soil as Influenced by Differential Substitution of Nutrients through Organics in Rice Based Cropping System

Field experiment was conducted for two consecutive years from kharif 2015 and summer 2017at research farm of Division of Agronomy, Skuast Jammu to study the effect of differential substitution of nutrients through organics on yield, nitrogen uptake and balance sheet of nitrogen of four crops basmati rice (1st crop) - knolkhol (2nd crop) - knolkhol (3rd crop) - green gram (4th crop) in cropping sequence for two years in Irrigated subtropical conditions of Jammu and Kashmir. The result of two year studied showed that significantly highest yield of all the four crops in two crop cycles in the rice based cropping system viz., basmati rice, knolkhol-1, knolkhol-2 and green gram were recorded with 100 % recommended dose of fertilizer which was found statistically at par with yields recorded with treatments 75 % NPK +25 % N through vermicompost and Fym (1:1),25% yearly replacement of RDF through vermicompost and Fym (1:1) on N basis,75% NPK+25% N through vermicompost,25 % yearly replacement of RDF through vermicompost on N basis,75 % NPK+ 25 % N through Fym and 25% yearly replacement of RDF through Fym on N basis. Further, highest mean total nitrogen uptake (544.95 kg/ha) in rice based cropping system were recorded with treatment 25% yearly replacement of RDF through Fym on N basis followed by treatment 75 % NPK+ 25 % N through Fym (541.29 kg/ha) whereas highest build-up of available nitrogen in soil after two crop cycles (8.79 kg/ha) was recorded with treatment 100 % N through Farmyard manure followed by treatment 100% N through Vermicompost whereas lowest build-up of available nitrogen (4.53 kg/ha) in soil was recorded with treatment 100 % Recommended dose of fertilizer in rice based cropping system.

Increased microbial biomass and turnover underpin efficient phosphorus acquisition by Brassica chinensis

Root-microbe interactions are critical in influencing crop productivity. Microbial phosphorus (P) mobilization in soil determines P availability to plants, but how plants modify root acquisition strategies in response to microbially mediated P availability remains unknown. We conducted a pot experiment with rice straw addition to investigate effects of microbial P on plant-available soil P (CaCl2-P and NaHCO3-P) as well as root morphological and exudation traits related to P acquisition in Brassica chinensis. Microbial P immobilization caused by straw addition decreased plant-available P in soil and induced growth of short and thick roots at day 21. In parallel with decline in microbial P in straw-amended soil from the 21st to 42nd day, B. chinensis stimulated root elongation to get close to length of roots without straw. Rhizosphere carboxylate exudation by B. chinensis was greater by seven-fold in the treatment with than without straw at day 42. Field experiments with five successive B. chinensis crops were used to test whether root-microbe interactions can be manipulated by straw amendment to increase crop P uptake and yield. Phosphorus uptake by the first three successive B. chinensis crops was similar with or without straw addition. However, further repeated straw addition increased soil microbial P pool by one-fold and quantity of phosphate-solubilizing bacterial phoD gene by fifty-eight percent, after the 4th compared with those after the 2nd crop. Phosphorus released from microbial biomass turnover underpinned growth of roots with large specific length and low tissue density that are highly efficient in P acquisition, resulting in increased shoot P accumulation and yield in the 4th and 5th B. chinensis crops. In summary, crops shift root strategies from the P-conservative towards P-acquisitive traits in response to microbial biomass turnover. Straw amendment can facilitate root-microbe interactions governing sustained P availability and effective root P-acquisition strategies, thus increasing P-use efficiency.

Cover crops biomass yield grown as a 2nd summer crop in relation to sowing periods

The aim of this study was to evaluate cover crop precocity and biomass yield growth as a 2nd summer crop after soybean at different sowing periods (January 2nd; February 2nd and March 2nd at 2019 and January 27th and March 3rd at 2020). Experiment was laid out as a randomized block design in a 3x3 factorial for each sowing period, in the 2019 and 2020 off-seasons, being factor A represented by the cover crops (Urochloa brizantha cultivar Xaraés, Crotalaria juncea cultivar IAC-KR-1 and Pennisetum glaucum cultivar ANm 38,) and factor B by the evaluation periods along cover crops development cycle. There was an interaction between cover crops and evaluation period for plant height and dry matter yield for both years. C. juncea and P. glaucum showed faster growth, regardless of the evaluation period and sowing periods, compared to U. brizantha in both years. Cover crop biomass yield reduced as sowing period is delayed from January to March to an extend that P. glaucum yield dropped from 14.6 to 4.2 t DM ha-1 at 2019 and from 14.4 to 6.9 t DM ha-1 at 2020 as a result shorter photoperiod and lower temperature. The same was noticed to U. brizantha and C. juncea which showed yields of 11.676 and 8.800 and 2.220 and 2.555 kg ha-1 at April 29th of 2019 and 12.507 and 7.812 and 3.041 and 2.346 kg DM ha-1 at June 18th 2020 respectively for January and March sowing periods. U. brizantha and C. juncea are more viable 90 days, while P. glaucum showed the fastest dry matter accumulation rate. All species are viable due to the benefits they provide to the productive system, which becomes more diversified and therefore more sustainable

Rice Monitoring and Yield Estimation in Dumangas, Iloilo, Philippines Using Satellite Imagery

An agricultural monitoring procedure utilizing the combination of remotely sensed data, vegetation indices, ground truth information, and local knowledge on the phenology and development of rice, which is the staple crop produced in Dumangas, Iloilo, Philippines, was established and analyzed in this study. The areas with standing crops and their corresponding growth stage were reported for the 2nd and 3rd cropping of 2020. The spatio-temporal analysis determined that NDVI is directly correlated with the photosynthetic activity and development of the crop. Dry season cropping lasted from October to January, while the 3rd cropping lasted from February to April. The percentage of the rice areas planted per month were also studied and observed that the area spatially and numerically increased as farmers planted during the start of the season. The ground data from the 20 GCPs were compared with the Sentinel 2 NDVI. The phenological metrics for each point characterized the development of the crop. From the investigation, the municipality commonly used hybrid varieties, which have a growth duration of 85 to 100 days. The NDVI ranges were 0.163 to 0.309, 0.35 to 0.682, 0.535 to 0.671, and 0.235 to 0.533 for seedling, vegetative, reproductive, and ripening. APSIM was used for yield modeling of the cropping season 2019 and observed to have a good correlation during the wet season. Underestimation was detected for cropping seasons during times with limited rainfall. This study was beneficial for the LGU in crop estimation as it produced highly reliable spatial and temporal results.

Regularities of weeding in crop rotation fields against the background of different tillage systems

It was found that during the research in winter wheat crops, 40 species of weeds of different biological groups and classes were registered. The most common weeds in the research are: spring (Polygonum aviculare, Fumaria officinalis); winter (Descurainiasophia, Capsella bursa-patoris, Veronica hederifolia, Thlaspiarvense), perennial (Cirsium arvense, Convolvulus arvensis). All of these weeds are non-parasitic weeds. They have roots, stems and green leaves, resulting in an independent diet. It is shown that on average for 5 years of research the least number of weeds was recorded after black fallow (53,7 pcs / m²). Weeds were 22,0 % higher after winter weeds, 55,9 % more after a mixture of peas and mustard, and 95,3 % higher after peas for grain. In the experiments, almost identical results on weediness of winter wheat crops were obtained with two tillage schemes, namely tillage and chisel tillage. However, there is a slight tendency to reduce the number of weeds (0,8 %) during chisel tillage. There was an increase in the number of weeds on the 2nd (83,5 pcs / m2) and on the 4th (76,6 pcs / m2) crops compared to the 1st (64,3 pcs / m2). The highest tweediness (83,5 units / m2) of winter wheat crops was observed in the 2nd crop. This indicates a large potential contamination of the arable soil layer. Key words: crop rotation, tillage, black fallow, green fallow, weeds, winter wheat, oats.

A Brief Overview for the Development of Herbicide-Resistant Sugarcane Transformation Approaches


 Weeds are the undesirable and unwanted plants in the wrong place in a situation that can significantly decrease the yield of desirable plant such as sugarcane. One solution to tackle this problem is the development of herbicide resistant crops like sugar cane that are highly resistant to several herbicides or broad-spectrum herbicides which is done in most cases by genetic transformation, site-directed mutagenesis, and plant breeding. Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) is the 2nd vital cash crop of Pakistan, placed at 6th position in world cane acreage and 15th in sugar production. Hence, sugarcane occupies a crucial position in the economy of Pakistan and acts like a backbone in economic development of country. There are several reasons for the lower sugarcane yield in Pakistan but the most important is the large number of weeds that covered most of the area of sugarcane cultivated fields which results in major loss of sugarcane yield in terms of quality and quantity. Broad spectrum herbicide resistant plants are produced to tackle this issue by the insertion of CP4 EPSPS (Glyphosate tolerant gene; 5-enolpyruvulshikimate-3-phosphate synthase from Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain CP4) into sugarcane which provides them the ability to survive after the spray of glyphosate but weeds do not survive in this condition. The most common herbicide resistant technology is Glyphosate resistant technology which gives broad-spectrum weed control feasibility along with the flexibility in the application time of herbicide. There are numerous methods of transformation which are available now-a-days for insertion of foreign DNA into plant cells like Agrobacterium-mediated transformation, micro-projectile bombardment (gene gun) and protoplast transformation. Glyphosate tolerant gene expression is showed by three sugarcane cultivars (CPF-213, SPF-234 and HSF-240). Transgenic sugarcane plants showed these expressions are most stable against herbicide to control weeds. Several farmers in many countries have rapidly and extensively utilized herbicide-tolerant crops due to low production and labour costs, huge profit, increased weed control and many environmental benefits.

Interfaces between biodegradable organic matrices coating and MAP fertilizer for improve use efficiency

Improving phosphorus (P) use efficiency is a challenge to promote a circular economy and greening the phosphorus cycle towards planetary sustainability. The disruptive innovation for phosphate fertilizers may help to reduce some unwelcome reactions that occur to P in soils. Monoammonium phosphate (MAP) coating with biodegradable organic polymers and the addition of magnesium (Mg) - a nutrient with a synergistic effect on the uptake of P, zinc (Zn), and boron (B) - emerge as a smart strategy to applying these micronutrients uniformly in soils. The objectives of this study were: to characterize the coated-MAP with biodegradable organic polymers, quantify the diffusion and availability of P in the soil, and evaluate the corn crop nutrition and yield during two crop seasons. The treatments were: MAP, MAP coated with biodegradable organic polymer (BOP), MAP + BOP + 1.3% of Zn + 0.33% of B, and MAP + BOP + 1.76% of Mg. The laboratory tests showed that the diffusion of MAP-based fertilizers was: MOMg (7.86 mm) = MO (8.82 mm) = MAP (8.84 mm) = MOM (8.51 mm) after 432 h. Coatings did not cause delays in the P-release in water at 25 °C since more than 95% of P was released within 24 h. In the field trials, the application of Mg, Zn, and B in the MAP coating did not increase nutrient leaf concentration. In the summer crop season, grain yield increased up to the P-rates of 85 kg of P2O5 ha−1, reaching the value of 6731 kg ha−1. Physical and chemical characteristics of MAP-fertilizers tend to improve with the coatings. The addition of biodegradable organic polymers, Mg, B, and Zn, as MAP-coatings did not enhance P diffusion, release, and availability in the soil and the crop nutrition. Coated-MAP improved corn yield only in the 2nd crop season.

Comparison of Common Vetch Plant Growth, Arsenic and Nutrients Uptakes in the Clean and Arsenic-Contaminated Soils

ABSTRACT Common vetch plant (Vicia sativa L.) growth under various arsenic (As) loads was investigated in the clean (1st year cultivation) and As-contaminated soils (2nd year cultivation). The total dry weight (DW) of common vetch gradually increased by the application of low concentration of As-contaminated irrigation waters (IWs) while the decrease of total DW to lower than the control plant at high As loads was observed. Compared with the control plant, the aboveground biomass yield loss was 7.6% and 61.6% in the 1st and 2nd cultivation years, respectively. The root dry (RDW) loss was about 36% in the 2nd cultivation year while the 1st year crop root yield loss was 56.5%. In the 1st cultivation year crops, the root As amount was about 1.8–1.9 fold higher than in the shoots while it reached to about 4–11 fold in the 2nd year crops. Although, common vetch might be defined as a highly tolerant plant to As in the clean soil, results demonstrated that the As tolerance of plant could decline when the usage of As-contaminated IWs for a prolonged time. Application of As-contaminated waters for a long time caused the changes of macro (N, P, Ca, Mg, and K) and microelements (Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn) transportation from the root to aboveground biomass.

Irrigation water management to increase planting index in Boyolali Regency, Indonesia

Climate change will have a negative impact on water resources, agriculture, forestry, health and the vulnerability of public infrastructure and the extinction of various species. Water sources as the main means of agriculture, especially rice fields are the main thing in irrigation. Water sources for irrigation of paddy fields in Boyolali include weirs, trenches, springs that are collected in the form of ponds and a small part is a reservoir. Within 2 years after operation, the use of ponds of water for irrigation was able to accelerate yield increases. With various models of water sources, the cropping patterns include paddy-paddy-paddy, paddy-paddy-palawija (crop planted as 2nd crop in dry season), paddy-palawija-palawija and paddy-palawija-fallow. Water management arrangements in each area that use irrigation channels have an Association of Farmers Using Water who is tasked with making a schedule for the distribution of irrigation between blocks, especially if there is water scarcity such as during the dry season. Types of activities that are usually coordinated by farmer groups are pest control, channel maintenance, and irrigation arrangements. For channel maintenance, usually coordinating with the officers of association of water user farmer and development coordinators in their respective villages.

Growth, yield and postharvest quality of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum Mill.) as influenced by different rates of nitrogen fertilizer

There is no available information on optimal nitrogen (N) fertiliser rates to maximise tomato production in the Philippines hence excessive N application is a problem. This research was conducted to determine the optimum rate of N to enhance production of different tomato cultivars. The experiment was a randomized complete block factorial design evaluating a range of N rates (72.8, 122.8, 172.8, 222.8, 272.8 and 322.8 kg N ha-1) in combination with two cultivars ('Harabas Rescuer 746' and 'AVTO1173') and replicated four times. On the 2nd crop, an N rate of 222.8 kg ha-1 produced the highest total plant dry matter yield (176 g plant-1), the largest and heaviest fruits (mean 49.6 g) and the lowest weight loss. The highest fruit yields were also recorded at an N rate of 222.8 kg ha-1 for the first (14.4 t ha-1) and second (28.1 t ha-1) crops. 'AVTO1173' had the earliest flowering, a 47% higher dry matter value and produced the largest diameter fruit (5.33 cm in first crop and 4.9 cm in the second crop). 'AVTO1173' was less susceptible to diseases compared with 'Harabas Rescuer 746' and had less shrivelling in the 1st cropping cycle. It is recommended that nitrogen fertilization at 222.8 kg N ha-1 should be used for producing high yields and good tomato fruit quality. © 2021 International Society for Horticultural Science. All rights reserved.

Determination of Mineral Elements in Nanyang Mugwort (Artemisia argyi) Leaves Harvested from Different Crops by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry and Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry.

Due to high need for medical purposes, multiple harvests of mugwort (Artemisia argyi) have been extensively applied in China for the increase of mugwort yield recently. However, the investigation on the mineral elements in different crops, which are significantly related to mugwort growth and the clinical efficacy of this medicinal herb, has not been conducted. This study provided an analytical method and quality evaluation for mineral elements in Nanyang mugwort leaves harvested from three different crops. The contents of 35 mineral elements were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). ANOVA, principal component analysis and factor analysis were applied to evaluate the results. Four principal components were identified and their comprehensive evaluation function was as follows: F = 0.7008Fl + 0.1236F2 + 0.0936F3 + 0.0321F4. The comprehensive scores of the mugwort leaves from different crops were ranked as follows: 3rd crop > 2nd crop ≈ 1st crop. These findings can provide a reference for the quality control and clinical use of mugwort leaves, and a guidance of differential nourishing strategies for different crops.

Participatory analysis of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) cropping system and production constraints in Burkina Faso

BackgroundGroundnut is one of the major legume crops grown as food and cash crop across the different agroecological zones of Burkina Faso. It is ranked the 2nd important legume crop for household food, nutrition, and income generation for both rural and urban zones, contributing significantly to food supply and economy of the country. Despite its importance and breeding efforts to develop improved varieties, groundnut productivity remains low. Assessing and describing the present groundnut cropping system and production constraints as well as gender dynamics in the main production areas will help in defining the groundnut breeding priorities.MethodsA participatory rural appraisal study was conducted in three groundnut production regions (central-eastern, central-northern, and central-western). In each region, 4 villages were selected with a total of 124 farmers interviewed to collect data on socio-demographics, farming systems, cropping practices, and production constraints. Data analysis was carried out for qualitative and quantitative variables using STATA 14. Analysis of variance was conducted across regions and gender, and also between and within regions. Kendall’s coefficients were determined for qualitative variables across regions for the constraints using the pairwise rank. Pearson’s correlation was carried out to assess the relationship between variables, and the chi-square test was used to assess the difference in farmer preferences.ResultsThe study revealed a cropping system of groundnut in an environment largely affected by climate change and in a subsistence and extensive agriculture. There is a variation in the groundnut cropping system across the regions. Gender plays a key role in the production of the groundnut, and 48.39% of women are engaged in groundnut cropping with less access to land and production resources. A yield gap between men and women was observed with men achieving more yield than women. There was a strong correlation between the use of improved varieties and technical assistance. A strong correlation was observed between farm size and production, and farm size and sex denoting an extensive production. Production constraints, although similar, were perceived and ranked differently between regions. The lack of improved varieties, absence of agricultural credit, lack of production tools, the high price of seeds, the high price of fertilizer, drought, and disease are some of the important constraints affecting groundnut productivity.ConclusionThis study provides a recent view of groundnut cropping, allowing a good understanding of the farmers’ situation. The result will contribute to the refining of breeding priorities and guide further activities in groundnut breeding in Burkina Faso.