Organic Applications Research Articles

Effect Of Animal And Plant Organic Fertilizers On Growth And Yield Of Rice In Tana Delta, Kenya

Rice is the 3rd most consumed cereal in Kenya while production is merely 20% of the demand making the country a net importer of the commodity. With increased global concern on healthy foods, producing more rice to contribute to achieving food secure nation while conforming to environmental sustainability remains a subject of concern in the country. In this case, good agricultural practices are needed to strike the balance. This study was carried out during rice growing season (February – June, 2024) to investigate the effect of basal organic fertilizers; Rich Farm (RF), Han Daebak (BK) and Han Yoobak (MK) on growth and yield of AT054 and Komboka rice varieties in Tana Delta Irrigation Project-Rice (TDIP-R) Scheme during the trial Phase undertaken by Agri All Africa (AAA) in preparation for a Public Private Partnership (PPP) project programme. The study was conducted in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). Rich Farm (RF) at 200 Kg/Ha, Han Daebak (BK) at 200 Kg/Ha and Han Yoobak (MK) at 200 Kg/Ha were applied as basal fertilizers. Conventional fertilizers (200 Kg/Ha DAP + 120 Kg/Ha MOP) was applied as the positive standard check (CF). Data collected was subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA). The basal application of Rich Farm, Han Daebak and Han Yoobak organic fertilizers had significant positive effects on grain yield. Among the tested basal fertilizers, Rich Farm performed better at 4.9 and 5.3 ton/ha, followed by Han Yoobak at 4.7 and 4.1 ton/ha and Han Daebak at 4.3 and 3.9 ton/ha in AT054 and Komboka variety, respectively. Therefore, Rich Farm and Han Yoobak can be recommended as basal organic fertilizers in both AT054 and Komboka varieties, while Han Daebak can be used in AT054 variety for rice production. Further studies are of need to investigate the effects on these organic fertilizers on the soil properties of the area, as well as evaluating the optimal rates for higher rice production

Quantify the effects of water-soluble salts and available fractions of nutrient elements on mobility of cadmium in paddy soil: A case study of the Pearl River Delta

As one of the most toxic heavy metal, soil Cd mobility is crucial to understand Cd transfer in soil-crop system and ensure crop safety production. Water-soluble salts and available fractions of nutrient elements have important influence on soil Cd mobility. However, effects of multi-factor interactions in water-soluble salts and available fractions of nutrient elements on Cd mobility and their quantified contributions haven’t been enough emphasized. In this study, conditional inference tree and random forest were adopted to quantify effects of water-soluble salts, available fractions of nutrient elements and their interactions on Cd mobility in paddy soil from Pearl River Delta. The results suggested that cations (K+, Mg2+ and Na+) in water-soluble salts exerted important influence on Cd mobility, especially K+. Cd mobility is enhanced with the increase of K+ concentration and cation exchange capacity and their interaction. Available Si is the primary factor affecting Cd mobility, followed by available K and easily reducible Mn. With increases of their concentrations, interaction of available K and available Si boosts Cd mobility. When available K concentration is higher than 122 mg·kg-1, Cd mobility is primarily restricted by available Si. In general, cations improve Cd mobility through competitive adsorption with Cd in soil, and available Si affect Cd mobility by changing Cd fractionation. Therefore, measures can be taken to reduce Cd mobility in paddy soil and promote sustainable development of agriculture. Such as increasing application of organic fertilizer, reducing application of chemical fertilizer, and promoting straw carbonization to return to field and so on.

Divergent responses of soil aggregation and aggregate-carbon to fertilization regimes jointly explain soil organic carbon accrual in agroecosystems: A meta-analysis

Soil aggregation can be substantially affected by fertilizers and contributes to soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration in agroecosystems. However, the mass and C distributions in different aggregates in responses to fertilization regimes are not often synchronous, which may largely affect soil C storage and stability. We conducted a meta-analysis of 2440 paired observations from 63 publications to assess the fertilization effects (i.e. inorganic, organic, and their combinations) on soil aggregation and aggregate-associated OC, as well as their linkages to the stimulated bulk soil C. Overall, fertilizer application significantly increased the mean weight diameter of soil aggregates by 27.8%. The proportion of large (> 2mm) and small (0.25-2mm) macroaggregates were significantly increased by 19.8% and 17.2%, and that of microaggregate (0.053-0.25mm) and silt-clay fraction (< 0.053mm) were significantly decreased by 6.0% and 18.4%, respectively. In contrast, fertilization significantly increased C concentration in all aggregates. Organic fertilizer applications had remarkably greater effects than inorganic fertilizer applications on soil C concentration but the effects declined with decreasing aggregate size (from 36.5% to 13.2%), while that of inorganic application changed very little among aggregates (from 14.1% to 10.0%). The fertilizer effects on soil aggregation and aggregate-associated OC divergently responded to the gradients of major agronomic conditions (i.e. climate, soil properties, and duration). Organic fertilizer applications tended to have distinctly greater promotion effect than solely inorganic fertilizer applications with temperate climate, neutral-to-alkaline pH and more sand-like texture of soil. The importance of mineral- rather than larger size aggregate-associated OC in contributing to the bulk SOC pool tended to increase in the long term. The inorganic-organic combinations exhibited the most lasting effect on SOC accrual. In conclusion, the responses of bulk soil C to fertilizer applications were not always in accordance with those of soil aggregation, but can be well explained when jointly considering soil aggregate C. Our findings highlight the varying contributions of aggregates to the soil C pool in diverse and complicated agronomic situations, which are important to the agricultural C sink stability.

Optimizing Sour Orange Growth and Chemical Properties through Foliar Application of Nano and Organic Fertilizers

This study, conducted at the Lath House of Agriculture College, Al-Qasim Green University during the 2021-2022 growth season, aimed to evaluate the effects of KHARZA nanoparticles (NPs) and organic fertilizer (Nutirgreen) on sour orange seedlings. Different concentrations of KHARZA NPs (0, 1, 2, and 3 g L-1) and organic fertilizer (0, 1.5, 3, and 4.5 ml L-1) were applied. The experimental design followed a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with two factors, each having four treatments, and each treatment replicated thrice. Our findings reveal that spraying KHARZA NPs at a concentration of 3 g.L-1 significantly enhanced various vegetative parameters, such as plant height, stem diameter, leaf number, and leaf area, alongside improvements in chemical properties such as mineral concentration, chlorophyll content, and carbohydrate levels in leaves. Similarly, applying organic fertilizer at a rate of 4.5 ml L-1 led to notable enhancements in both vegetative and chemical characteristics compared to the control group. Notably, combined application of KHARZA NPs at 3 g L-1 and organic fertilizer at 4.5 ml L-1 resulted in synergistic effects, yielding the most favorable outcomes in terms of vegetative growth and chemical properties. These results underscore the potential of utilizing KHARZA nanoparticles and organic fertilizers in enhancing the growth and physiological properties of sour orange seedlings, offering promising avenues for sustainable agricultural practices. Keywords: Optimizing, spray nutrients, KHARZA, organic fertilizer, growth, orange seedlings

Effects of Combined Application of Organic and Inorganic Fertilizers on Physical and Chemical Properties in Saline–Alkali Soil

To mitigate the issues of severe farmland soil salinization, the environmental degradation stemming from the overuse of chemical fertilizers, and suboptimal soil composition, a study was conducted to investigate the influence of different types and ratios of organic fertilizers on the physical and chemical attributes of saline–alkali soil. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between different types and proportions of organic fertilizers, soil moisture, organic fertilizer application rates, organic carbon molecular structure, and the soil environment in saline–alkali soils. Reducing the application of chemical fertilizers and substituting them with organic fertilizers can improve the soil quality of saline–alkali lands. The results indicated that replacing a part of the urea with organic fertilizer in saline–alkali farmland reduced the soil salinity by 11.1 to 22.8% in the 0–60 cm soil layer, decreased the soil pH by 0.11 to 1.52%, and increased the soil redox potential (Eh) values by 2.5 to 4.3% in the 0–20 cm layer of the mild and moderate saline–alkali soils. It also decreased the accumulation of the soil organic matter (OM) during the growing season. Compared to commercial organic fertilizers, natural organic fertilizers increased the accumulation of the soil soluble carbon (DOC) and nitrogen (DON), resulting in less soil salinity accumulation. When commercial organic fertilizer was applied in a 1:1 ratio with inorganic fertilizer, the salt accumulation was minimized. Compared to conventional fertilization, organic fertilizer reduced the accumulation of the NH4+-N (ammonium nitrogen) and NO3−-N (nitrate nitrogen) in the soil by 3.1 to 22.6%. In comparison to conventional chemical fertilizers, the application of organic fertilizer in the mild and moderate saline–alkali soils increased the accumulation of the DOC, DON, microbial biomass carbon (MBC), microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN), and microbial quotient during the grain-filling stage. Specifically, it increased the DOC, DON, and DOC/DON by 12.7 to 26.7%, 12 to 59.3%, and 15.2 to 35.5%, respectively. The application of commercial organic fertilizer in the mild saline–alkali soils increased the MBC, MBN, MBC/SOC, and MBN/TN by 37.1, 65.6, 36.7, and 4.7%, respectively. Through analyzing the relative proportions of soil surface organic carbon functional groups during the grain filling period, we observed that, after the application of organic fertilizer, the OM in the mildly salinized soils primarily originated from terrestrial plant litter, whereas, in moderately salinized soils, the OM was mainly derived from microbial sources.

Effects of Mela Organics&amp;apos; New Liquid Fertilizer on Tomato Yield in Semi-Arid Areas of Ethiopia

Soil organic matter depletion is mainly caused by crop residue removal, and low or no application of organic fertilizers often results in nutrient exhaustion and low crop yields. This challenge requires the evaluation of different organic fertilizer resources to provide new alternative fertilizer products to an Ethiopian production system. Based on this fact, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of mela organic fertilizer as a supplementary fertilizer to improve the yield of tomatoes under irrigation in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia from 2020 to 2021. The experiment consisted of eight treatments (Control, 100% recommended fertilizer, 100% recommended fertilizer + 30 L/ha Mela, 100% recommended fertilizer + 45 L/ha Mela, 75% recommended fertilizer +30 L/ha Mela, 75% recommended fertilizer + 45 L/ha Mela, 50% recommended fertilizer +30 L/ha Mela and 50% recommended fertilizer + 45 L/ha Mela) laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications. The results revealed that the highest agronomic yield was obtained by applying the 100% recommended fertilizer + 30 L/ha Mela. However, based on the partial budget analysis, the highest marginal rate of return was obtained from 50% recommended fertilizer + 45 L/ha Mela. Thus, it can be concluded that the application of Mela Organics up to 45 L/ha, integrated with chemical fertilizer applications, can increase tomatoes&amp;apos; economic yields and reduce fertilizer costs.

Effects of Organic Fertilizer Application on Cultivated Land Productivity and Carbon Pool

The promotion and application of organic fertilizers in agriculture not only enhance the soil organic carbon pool but also offer viable solutions for addressing climate change. This paper, grounded in a comprehensive review of existing literature, analyzes the effects of organic fertilizers on cultivated land productivity and soil carbon pools. It summarizes the mechanisms through which organic fertilizers improve agricultural productivity and evaluates their carbon sequestration potential within the soil carbon pool. Finally, the environmental impact of organic fertilizer application process was discussed. In the future, through scientific application methods, organic fertilizer will play a more positive role in achieving food security, protecting soil health, and promoting carbon sink capacity.

A Review of the Current Status of Soil Organic Matter in China's Arable Land

Soil organic matter (SOM) in China's arable land is a critical foundation for maintaining agricultural productivity and ecosystem health. However, in recent years, the content of SOM has shown a declining trend due to unsustainable agricultural practices, excessive use of chemical fertilizers, and land degradation. This decline has adversely affected soil fertility, water retention capacity, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration. Although certain regions have seen improvements through the application of organic fertilizers, straw return, and conservation tillage, the overall SOM levels remain low. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop comprehensive management strategies to increase SOM content, promote sustainable agricultural development, and protect the ecological environment.

Phytomanagement of cadmium using Tagetes erecta in greenhouse and field conditions

Greenhouse and field studies investigated the phytoextraction potential of soil cadmium (Cd) by Tagetes erecta L., a popular ornamental flower in Asia. The effects of organic fertilizer, cattle manure, and pig manure in supporting plant growth and enhancing Cd uptake were also examined. Plants grown in soil supplemented with pig manure produced greatest biomass (12.8 ± 1.6 and 11.8 ± 0.9 g plant−1 in greenhouse and field experiments, respectively). Plant parts accumulated Cd in the order: shoot > root > flower in all treatments. Furthermore, T. erecta had a high phytoextraction potential as evidenced by translocation factors and enrichment coefficients > 1 for shoots. Marigolds cultivated in Cd-contaminated soil supplemented with organic fertilizer (CdOrg) exhibited Cd concentrations in flowers below the Maximum Permissible Level for consumption (< 0.2 mg kg−1), indicating that the edible flowers pose no health risk to humans. The flowers additionally contained significant quantities of total phenolics and phenolic acids, which may indicate their potential as an indicator of Cd-initiated oxidative stress. The phenolic compounds can furthermore function as precursors for manufactured medicinal products by acting as antioxidants and antimicrobials. Application of organic fertilizer and selected organic amendments may have contributed to the greater concentrations of phenolics. The Cd alone treatment resulted in lowest production of bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity. It is proposed that T. erecta be applied for Cd phytoextraction while enhancing local economies as an ornamental species, and for plant extracts for application of bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity.

Influence of Organic Compounds on Ni, Co, Cu, Cr, and Pb Accumulation by Nodules in Agro-Dark-Humus Podbels (Planosols) in the South of Primorskii Region

The involving of organic compounds in accumulation of Ni, Co, Cu, Cr, and Pb by Fe–Mn nodules in agro-dark-humus podbels (Planosols (Aric)) under different types of long-term agrotechnical impact has been studied in the south of Primorskii region. The profile patterns of the level of SOC content in soils and in nodules indicate the active deposition of organic compounds in nodules in the lower parts of soil profiles in the of fallow and phytomeliorative variants of the experiment. Fulvic acids were noted to predominate in the composition of humus in the nodules in these variants. The long-term application of organic fertilizers contributed to the decrease of SOC incorporation into nodules and to the increase of the part of humic acids in nodules. Nodules were characterized by a high accumulation levels of Co and Pb in all variants of the experiment. Accumulation of Ni, Cr, and Cu was recorded in nodules from particular horizons of studied soils. The intensity of elements accumulation in nodules of different variants of the experiment varied. Accumulation of Ni was controlled by the content of Mn-containing compounds. The most active sorption phases of nodules from soils with a longer period of organic matter transformation (fallow variant and long-term addition of manure variant) were Fe-containing and organic compounds.

Fertilization and tillage influence on soil organic carbon fractions: A global meta-analysis

Soilorganic carbon(SOC), as the largest terrestrial carbon pool, plays an important role in global carbon cycling, which is significantly impacted by agricultural practices. However, our ability to accurately detect and predict the impacts of fertilization and tillage onSOC dynamicsis still limited. Investigating the effects of fertilization and tillage on different SOC fractions [i.e. mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC), particulate organic carbon (POC), free POC (frPOC), occluded POC (oPOC), coarse POC (cPOC), and fine POC (fiPOC)]can aid in the understanding of overall SOC accumulation and stabilization. To this end, we evaluated the fertilization and tillage influences on SOC fractions through a global meta-analysis. We also quantified the role of environmental and agronomic factors in modulating these effects. Fertilization increased SOC fractions by mean percent change (MPC)13 %-77 %, while tillage decreased by MPC 4 %-63 %. Among them, cPOC was the most sensitive to fertilization, while frPOC had the highest sensitivity to tillage. MAOC was the least sensitive to both practices. The application of organic fertilizer increased MAOC, SOC, and POC the most (MPC 20 %-77 %), while mineral-organic fertilizer increased frPOC, oPOC, fiPOC, and cPOC the most (MPC 81 %-126 %). Fertilization in alkaline soils with warm and humid (MAT=16–24 °C, MAP>1000 mm) climate could maximally increase SOC contents from various fractions in surface layer (<20 cm depth), particularly when the altitude was 500–1000 m. However, tillage in acidic soils with low temperatures and rainy climate (MAT=8–16 °C, MAP>1000 mm) reduced the contents of SOC fractions the most in deep layer (>40 cm depth), especially at altitudes greater than 2000 m. Whether under fertilization or tillage, POC (occupying 62 %-74 %) consistently contributed more to SOC than MAOC (26 %-38 %). Overall, we suggest that SOC fractions should be prioritized over total SOC when evaluating the effects of site-specific management strategies on carbon sequestration in agricultural lands.

Rare bacterial and fungal taxa respond strongly to combined inorganic and organic fertilization under short-term conditions

Soil microbial communities play a crucial role in driving multiple ecosystem functions. Although numerous studies have investigated the effects of fertilization on the entire soil microbial community, the responses of abundant (relative abundance ≥ 1 % in all samples, or ≥ 1 % in some samples but never < 0.01 % in any samples) and rare (relative abundance < 0.01% in all samples, or < 0.01% in some samples but never≥ 1% in any samples) microbial taxa, as along with their relative contributions to ecosystem functions in agricultural soils under combined organic and inorganic fertilization, have been less explored. Here, a field experiment revealed that rare bacterial and fungal taxa were more sensitive to short-term fertilization than abundant taxa. The combined application of inorganic and organic fertilizers maintained the alpha-diversity of rare bacterial taxa and enhanced the alpha-diversity of rare fungal taxa. The significant impact of fertilization on the bacterial community was primarily induced by alterations in soil pH (decreased from 6.01 to 5.46), total phosphorus (0.32 – 0.37 g/kg), available phosphorus (1.24 – 4.76 mg/kg), and available potassium (41.11 – 58.78 mg/kg), whereas the fungal community was less influenced by fertilization. The dissimilarity of both abundant (Mantel r = 0.38, P = 0.001) and rare (Mantel r = 0.26, P = 0.014) bacterial taxa exhibited positive relationships with ecosystem multifunctionality. Additionally, ecosystem multifunctionality was positively associated with the relative abundance of specific genera and keystone species, particularly rare bacterial taxa (e.g., Melioribacter, Aquisphaera, Sunxiuqinia, Methylobacterium, and Thermosporothrix), the abundant fungal genus Achroiostachys, and rare fungal taxa (e.g., Paraphelidium, Pseudallescheria, Scutellinia, Niesslia, Tilletia, Coprinopsis, Poaceascoma, Entrophospora sp., Acremonium persicinum, Hydropisphaera erubescens, and Rozellomycota sp.) (ρ = 0.52–0.75, P < 0.05). A partial least-squares path model indicated that soil nutrients (path coefficient = 0.83, p = 0.001) and microbial beta-diversity (path coefficient = 0.18, p = 0.049) exerted primary direct and positive effects on ecosystem multifunctionality, with soil nutrients also indirectly influencing ecosystem multifunctionality through microbial beta-diversity. Collectively, these findings underscore the significant response of rare, rather than abundant, microbial taxa and their contributions to ecosystem multifunctionality. This highlights the potential of appropriately combined inorganic and organic fertilizers, which promote rare microbial taxa, to enhance the multifunctionality of agricultural ecosystems.

Response to The Use of Liquid Organic Fertilizer on Vegetative Growth in Soybean Plants Black (Glycine Soja L. Merrill) with Two Different Cultivars

Soybean-based food business and population growth drive the increase in soybean consumption every year in Indonesia. Soybean varieties and liquid organic fertilizer applications can help overcome losses in soybean plant growth and productivity. This study used a randomized block design (RAK) with treatment consisting of 2 factors with 3 repetitions. Factor i liquid organic fertilizer (p), consists of 4 levels, namely: p0 = 0 ml, p1 = 20 ml, p2 = 40 ml, p3 = 60 ml. the 2nd factor cultivar (k), consists of 2 types, namely: k1 = cultivar detam 1, k2 = cultivar detam 3. The results showed that the response and effectiveness of the application of soybean peel poc and different cultivars did not significantly affect the vegetative growth of black soybean plants, but when viewed as a whole p3 (60 ml) gave the highest value on the parameters of leaf area index 21 hst, root nodules, chlorophyll a, and chlorophyll b content.

Optimizing Organic Fertilization for Marguerite Daisy (Argyranthemum frutescens): Impact of Application Rate and Frequency on Growth and Yield

Edible flowers are a new market for horticulture plants. Beyond their attractive shapes and colors, this group of plants contains secondary metabolites that benefit human health. This study aims to investigate the growth and flower yield of marguerite daisies using organic fertilizer at different rates and frequencies. The experiment was designed as a factorial, completely randomized design with two factors: fertilizer rate (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 times compared to the total nitrogen content in chemical fertilizer) and frequency of organic fertilizer application (every 30 and 15 days). Slow-release chemical fertilizer (Osmocote 13-13-13) was used as a control. The experiment reveals that the rate of organic fertilizer application significantly affected the growth and flower yield of Marguerite daisy. Still, the frequency of organic fertilizer application did not significantly affect it. Application at 1.5 times yielded the most significant growth and flower production compared to 0.5 and 1 times of application. When comparing the results of organic fertilizer application with 13-13-13 chemical fertilizer, it was found that applying organic fertilizer 1.0 times and 1.5 times every 15 or 30 days resulted in similar plant growth and flower size as with the chemical fertilizer (p&gt;0.05). However, chemical fertilizer produced the highest chlorophyll index (SPAD), accumulated flower buds, and flower blooming per pot (p&lt;0.05). The plant requires more than 1.5 times the organic fertilizer application to achieve flower production equivalent to chemical fertilizer.

A Tale of Two Tributaries: Source Delineation of Chloride in a Distressed Watershed (Grand Lake St. Marys, Ohio)

Various sources of pollution have been assigned as contributing to the Freshwater Salinization Syndrome (FSS), by which water bodies are undergoing concurrent salinization and alkalinization. In many urban areas that receive substantial snowfall, road salt application has been ascribed as the main source of chloride driving the FSS. In rural areas, however, inorganic (e.g. chemical) and organic (e.g. manure) fertilizer applications have been found to be the most important sources of chloride. Herein, we compared daily mean concentrations of chloride over the past decade of time between Coldwater Creek and Chickasaw Creek, two tributaries of Grand Lake St. Marys, the largest reservoir in Ohio. We also used Weighted Regressions on Time, Discharge, and Season (WRTDS) analyses to visualize trends in chloride data and compared chloride vs. nitrate levels to delineate likely sources of chloride for the two streams. We found that road salt application increased over time in both subwatersheds and that 37% and 25% of the chloride could be apportioned to road salt as a source in Coldwater Creek and Chickasaw Creek, respectively. Additionally, in Coldwater Creek, 37% of the chloride was apportioned to animal or septic sources, while 25% was apportioned to inorganic fertilizers, in comparison with 30% and 42% for Chickasaw Creek. Monitoring and assessing salinized streams for both chemical and biological water quality is important, particularly since the FSS has become increasingly linked to declines in water quality (e.g. harmful algal blooms, including recent upticks in Prymnesium parvum blooms) and is expected to be exacerbated with global climate change (e.g. increased precipitation causing increased runoff of chloride from the land).

Effect of combined application of organic manures, biofertilizers and inorganic fertilizers on soil fertility after harvest of paddy

Effect of combined application of organic manures, biofertilizers and inorganic fertilizers on soil fertility after harvest of paddy

Extraction and characterization of novel alternative cellulosic fiber for sustainable textiles from Aloe barbadensis Miller stems (agricultural waste)

Novel research has been conducted on Aloe vera, focusing on stems fiber (agricultural waste), for the extraction of cellulosic fiber, an area lacking prior scientific exploration. This fiber is being reported for the first time in the scientific community. Aloe barbadensis Miller variety was subjected to various cultivation methods, including the application of inorganic and organic fertilizers, along with the removal of lower leaves to promote stem growth. Stem fibers were extracted using the water retting method and subsequently analyzed. The moisture content was 55.35 % and 6.99 % ash content in the fibers. The bacteriostatic analysis of Aloe vera fibers was assessed against four bacterial strains, with both ethanol and water extracts showing varying degrees of inhibition zones. The UV–Visible spectrum exhibited a distinct λmax at 247 nm in ethanol, while FT-IR analysis provided characteristic peaks at 3759, 1590, 1750, 1663, 1250, 564, SEM images displayed the smooth surface morphology of the fibers, and X-ray diffraction analysis indicated a high degree of crystallinity (78.67 %), suggesting a well-structured and crystalline nature. Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis was conducted to determine the elemental composition of the fibers, revealing the presence of carbon, oxygen, calcium, and copper, with carbon being the predominant element in cellulose. These results showed promising properties suggesting potential applications in textile industry as an alternative sustainable natural cellulosic fiber.

Penerapan prosedur operasional standar budi daya tanaman jeruk ramah lingkungan untuk menekan infestasi kutu perisai merah Aonidiella aurantii (Maskell) (Hemiptera: Diaspididae)

Jeruk merupakan tanaman hortikultura yang sudah dikembangkan diberbagai daerah di Indonesia. Setiap tahun permintaan buah jeruk selalu meningkat, namun tidak terpenuhi karena produksi rendah. Permasalahan ini disebabkan oleh adanya serangan organisme penggangu tanaman, yaitu hama kutu perisai merah Aonidiella aurantii (Maskel). Upaya yang dilakukan untuk menekan infestasi A. aurantii, yaitu dengan penerapan prosedur operasional standar (SOP) pada budi daya tanaman jeruk ramah lingkungan. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui efektifitas penerapan SOP dalam menekan populasi dan intensitas serangan hama kutu perisai merah A. aurantii pada tanaman jeruk. Penelitian dilaksanakan bulan Januari sampai Agutus 2020 di kebun jeruk milik petani di Kota Batu. Penelitian eksperimen ini menggunakan metode teori research design. Perlakuan terdiri atas petak penerapan SOP berupa pemangkasan pemeliharaan, sanitasi kebun, dan aplikasi pupuk organik; dan petak konvensional kebiasaan petani yang tidak melakukan pemangkasan, membersihkan gulma di seluruh kebun, penggunaan pupuk anorganik NKP Mutiara 16-16-16. Luas setiap petak perlakuan adalah 1.500 m2. Pada setiap pelakuan diambil 10 tanaman sampel secara sistematik. Pengamatan setaiap tanaman dilakukan pada ranting atau cabang yang tersebar pada 4 arah mata angin. Pengamatan meliputi jumlah buah terserang, kelimpahan musuh alami, populasi, dan intensitas serangan A. aurantii. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa perlakuan penerapan SOP budi daya jeruk mampu menurunkan kepadatan populasi dan intensitas serangan hama A. aurantii secara nyata serta mampu meningkatkan kelimpahan musuh alami dan kualitas buah jeruk apabila dibandingkan dengan cara budi daya jeruk pada perlakuan konvensional.

Unraveling the characteristics of microplastics in agricultural soils upon long-term organic fertilizer application: A comprehensive study using diversity indices

Microplastics negatively impact soil health and productivity. Organic fertilizers constitute significant contributors of microplastics in agricultural soils. Nevertheless, comprehensive data on the diversity of microplastics in long-term fertilized soils remain unavailable. In this study, we assessed the presence of microplastics in soils subjected to application of three different organic fertilizers (pig manure, chicken manure, and sludge composts) over 12 years, and evaluated the potential ecological risks posed by microplastic accumulation. The average microplastic abundance in soil was 368.88 ± 207.97 (range: 90–910) items/kg. Microplastic abundance differed among fertilization treatments, with substantial increases of 16.67%, 71.67%, and 61.43% upon low to high application of the three treatments, respectively. Overall, the microplastics predominantly comprised fibers (70.94%) and fragments (25.25%), of which a substantial proportion constituted light-colored microplastics (transparent and white). The size of microplastics was mainly concentrated in the 1–2 mm range (39.96%), with rayon, polypropylene, polyester, and polyethylene being identified as the major types. The risk assessment indices of the three treatments were 229.38, 257.64, and 175.89, respectively, and were all classified as level 4 (high risk). The microplastic diversity integrated index and principal component analysis revealed that microplastics were uniformly distributed throughout the 0–20 cm soil depth consequent to tillage activity. Together, these findings provide a comprehensive assessment of microplastic pollution in long-term fertilized soils and serve as a scientific basis for reducing microplastic contamination in agricultural soils.

Effect of Poultry Manure and NPK (15: 15: 15) Fertilizer on The Growth and Yield of Tomato (&amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Lycopersicon esculentum&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; L.)

Agricultural practices such as the application of organic and inorganic fertilizers play a crucial role in enhancing crop productivity. The impact of poultry manure and NPK (15:15:15) fertilizer on the growth and yield of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) was examined in Owo, South Western Nigeria. This study employed a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three treatments (No manure as control, NPK (15:15:15) at 200 kg/ha, and poultry manure at 2.5 t/ha) allocated randomly across plots using balloting methods, each replicated thrice. Seedlings were spaced at 30 x 60 cm, resulting in a total of 108 stands across nine plots. Various parameters including plant height, stem girth, number of leaves, number of flowers, number of fruits, and fruit weight were assessed through statistical analysis. Results showed that poultry manure significantly enhanced vegetative growth parameters such as plant height, leaf number, and leaf area compared to the control. At 2, 4, and 6 weeks after transplanting (WAT), poultry manure consistently outperformed NPK in terms of plant height and leaf area. However, NPK showed a superior number of flowers and fruit yield, highlighting its rapid nutrient release and immediate availability. Despite NPK&amp;apos;s effectiveness, the overall yield attributes of poultry manure were comparable, suggesting its potential as a sustainable alternative due to its soil-enriching properties and long-term benefits. This study underscores the importance of integrating organic and inorganic fertilizers to optimize tomato yield and soil health, advocating for further research into the economic and long-term impacts of organic fertilization in tropical agriculture.