Fertilizer Consumption Research Articles

Agricultural Land Quality Evaluation and Utilization Zoning Based on the Production–Ecology–Health Dimension: A Case Study of Huanghua City

Clarifying the constituent elements of agricultural land quality, carrying out multi-dimensional quality evaluation of agricultural land, and implementing precise land consolidation and utilization zoning all have important guiding significance for achieving efficient utilization of agricultural land in China. This work analyzed the multi-dimensional evaluation framework of agricultural land based on its comprehensive quality elements and the production, ecological, and health functions. This paper constructed a multi-dimensional agricultural land “production–ecology–health” quality evaluation index system and evaluation criteria, and carried out a multi-dimensional quality evaluation of agricultural land in Huanghua City, Hebei Province, China. The spatial superposition of each dimension′s evaluation results, combined with the logical relationship between agricultural land use and each dimension′s quality, realized the renovation and utilization zoning of agricultural land. The results are as follows: (1) The production, ecological, and health qualities of agricultural land in Huanghua City were below the average and there is spatial variability, whose proportions of grade III and below were 63.12, 66.23, and 69.32%, respectively. In addition, low score areas are mainly located in the south and northwest of the study area. (2) The obstacle factors to quality in different dimensions were different: The obstacle factors to production quality were matter content, soil pH, irrigation guarantee rate, and alkaline hydrolysis nitrogen; groundwater salinity and depth, soil pH, and chemical fertilizers consumption for ecological quality; and groundwater salinity and depth and soil pH for health quality. (3) Agricultural land in Huanghua city is divided into five types of remediation, including 30,277.34 hm2 for high efficiency utilization area, 10,576.54 hm2 for production quality cultivation area, 34,387.86 hm2 for health quality cultivation area, and 56,311.22 hm2 for comprehensive consolidation and restoration area; special remediation measures are proposed for different types of zones. The work improves the multi-objective quality evaluation index system for agricultural land and implements differentiated land remediation strategies by identifying obstacle factors through zoning. It provides methodological ideas to improve the efficiency of land remediation and utilization.

A biochar and Fulvic Acid Usage-Based Approach to Reduce Pollution Resulting from the use of Mineral Fertilizers

Nowadays, due to pollution in world due to due to excessive consumption of mineral fertilizers, the limiting or minimizing their use has become a major strategy for environmentalists. The research work objective was to reduce quantities of mineral fertilizers, especially NPK fertilizers, by gradually replacing nitrogen fertilizers with fulvic acid and biochar. Four different combinations of mineral fertilizers were used as soil application (NPK1: 120, 160 and 143, NPK2: 180, 310 and 190, NPK3: 240, 475 and 240 and NPK4: 300, 635 and 285 kg ha-1), biochar as soil application (B0: without biochar, B1: 15 and B2: 30 Mg ha-1) and fulvic acid as foliar addition (FA0: without fulvic acid and FA1: 0.2, gL-1) were studied using pot experiment during 2017/2018 season using wheat plants. The results indicated general increment trend in almost investigated parameters with increasing fertilizers level especially that combined with biochar at any rate and fulvic acid. The highest soil N and P contents (63.59 and 38.35 mgkg-1) were reported with NPK4 + B2 + F1 while the lowest values (31.09 and 2.96 mgkg-1) were recorded under the lowest fertilization level without application of B or FA. Unlike, maximum K contents (216.79 and 214.88 mgkg-1) were reported under adding the NPK4 or with B2 without FA. The grain yield recorded maximum values (5 Mg ha-1) under combined application of maximum NPK fertilizer level, 30 Mg ha-1 of biochar and fulvic acid while applying the minimum NPK fertilization level (level 1) without any applications of biochar or fulvic acid resulted in the lowest values (2.94 Mg ha-1). The results showed that it is possible to partially reduce the quantities of mineral fertilizers used and replace them with a complementary addition from fulvic acid and biochar, and this is reflected in the reduction of environmental pollution resulting from the use of mineral fertilizers. Also, the combination of NPK and biochar led to an improvement in the productivity of wheat grown in sandy lands, as it reduced the loss of nutrients, and the addition of fulvic acid led to an increase in plant resistance to stress conditions that appear under sandy soil conditions.

Material balance principle to estimate eco-efficiency of saffron-producers aiming reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in Iran

Introduction: During the last decades, environmental pollution has been considered one of the challenges of the agricultural sector, which has affected the relationship between the ecological and economic performance of agricultural products.Methods: In this study, the DEA-MBP approach based on the SBM model has been used to investigate the eco-efficiency of saffron farms in Iran. The main purpose of this approach is to decrease GHG emissions by mitigating the use of highly polluting production inputs.Results: The results showed that the average eco-efficiency is estimated at 74% and is 12% lower than technical efficiency without considering environmental issues. Therefore, saffron producers are 26% far from full efficiency, and they must change their consumption of inputs and production of inputs according to environmental issues in order to achieve it. Excessive use of diesel fuel and fungicides is cause of GHG emissions in these farms.Discussion: The use of sustainable and ecological cultivation methods in farms in order to reduce the consumption of chemical fertilizers and fungicides should be considered. Replacing old machinery and repairing them can also considerably reduce fuel consumption and GHG emissions.

Newspaper as an Intervention Tool: A KAP Study on Farmers of Haryana

Organic farming is gaining popularity across the globe. It has the potential to augment agricultural production methods in order to boost sustainability, farm profitability, and food safety. The main focus of this study is to measure the expanse of farmers' knowledge about organic farming. This study is conducted with the primary objective of examining the effectiveness of the newspaper as an intervention tool. The study area was chosen via certified random sampling. A systematic questionnaire was sent to 300 farmers from Haryana state. Closed-ended questions were utilized to elicit proportionate information from respondents. Respondents for the research were suitably chosen from six villages in three districts of Haryana. The questionnaire was tailored to assess farmers' knowledge, attitudes, and practice about organic farming. The study comprises of pre- and post-intervention investigations to assess the effect of the intervention. The findings reflect a considerable increase in the knowledge of farmers post intervention. The participants involved in the study agreed that there is a need to increase awareness about organic farming. They still trust in conventional techniques, notably for disease prevention and seed development. In reference to organic farming, respondents are aware of rotating plants, utilizing animal manure, plant and kitchen waste, composting and decreasing fertilizer consumption, manually applying green manure, and weed control. Yet, a heavy use of chemicals, and post-green revolution methods of farming remain prevalent in actual practice. The study concludes on the note that farmers' understanding of organic farming should be expanded and the newspaper is recommended as the ideal medium for raising awareness and encouraging its practice.

Quantification of rare earth elements in Australian and imported rice samples from different origins using ICP-MS

Rare earth elements (REEs) are also known as lanthanides and are comprised of seventeen elements including lanthanum to lutetium in the periodic table. Despite their increased utilization, little attention is given to them as emerging environmental contaminants and their associated health risks. The concentration of these elements in urban and agronomic soil may trigger bioaccumulation in plants and may enter the food chain. Also, the consumption of fertilizers in agricultural practices on a larger scale is a significant challenge. The REEs enriched fertilizers are a risk factor for contamination in soil and food. However, there is very limited data in the literature regarding the occurrence of these elements in a staple food such as rice. Thus, this study is aimed at quantification of rare earth elements in Australian and imported rice samples from different countries by using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The developed analytical method was validated by using two certified reference materials (CRMs) for precision and accuracy. The method was applied for analysing rice samples (including polished, brown, and parboiled) imported from different countries and sourced locally and consumed by the Australian population. The average concentration of REEs in Australian, Thailand and Vietnamese rice samples were quantified as 0.013–2.974 μg/kg, 0.012–3.113 μg/kg, 0.009–0.919 μg/kg respectively and were lower than other countries. The highest average concentrations of REEs were found in Pakistan (0.299–128.2 μg/kg), India (0.063–20.574 μg/kg), and Sri Lankan (0.022–11.522 μg/kg) rice samples imported to Australia. Scandium and yttrium were found in the range of 107.463–85.961 μg/kg. The pattern of Light rare earth elements (LREE) was more abundant than heavy rare earth elements (HREE). This study did not include field experiments to find the translocation factors of REEs from soil to different parts of plant bodies, thus cannot establish the correlation between fertilizers and REEs concentration in rice grains. However, this study presented the general interpretation of REEs quantification in rice grains from different Countries. The outcome of this study includes filling the subsequent knowledge gaps in analysing REEs in rice. This study indicated the need to establish a monitoring program for this type of staple cereals, aiming at promoting public health.

Comparison of recirculation and drain-to-waste hydroponic systems in relation to medical cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) plants

Rising temperatures, higher water consumption for irrigation, and the discharge of agricultural wastewater may soon adversely affect water resources across the entire planet and its people. Agriculture consumes large amounts of water, and there is a pressing need to explore possibilities for recirculation and reuse of nutrient solutions to reduce the associated environmental and economic costs of hydroponics. This study compared two different nutrient systems for hydroponic cultivation (recirculation, RS, and drain-to-waste system, DS), and assessed their effect on the growth and concentration of elements and secondary metabolites in medical cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) plants. The dry decomposition method with flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS) and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) were used for the elemental analysis of plant organs. Nitrogen content was measured using the Kjeldahl method. A high-performance liquid chromatograph equipped with a diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) was used to analyze the phytocannabinoid profile in ethanolic flower extracts. Gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID) and gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were employed to determine the content of terpenic compounds in hexane extracts. Cultivation of plants with the RS system, achieved an 87% higher maximum yield of the main cannabinoid of medical cannabis chemotype I, tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), with lower total water and nutrient consumption, but with a longer cultivation time and a lower concentration of the sesquiterpene, β-caryophyllene. In contrast, the DS system enabled better control over the nutrient solution with stable delivery of the exact concentrations of nutrients. DS accelerated plant maturation, but at the cost of higher water and fertilizer consumption and a significantly lower total yield of THCA and monoterpenes.

Modification of Fabrication Process for Prolonged Nitrogen Release of Lignin-Montmorillonite Biocomposite Encapsulated Urea.

Crop production faces challenges in achieving high fertilizer use efficiency. To address this issue, slow-release fertilizers (SRFs) have emerged as effective solutions to minimize nutrient losses caused by leaching, runoff, and volatilization. In addition, replacing petroleum-based synthetic polymers with biopolymers for SRFs offers substantial benefits in terms of sustainability of crop production and soil quality preservation, as biopolymers are biodegradable and environmentally friendly. This study focuses on modifying a fabrication process to develop a bio-composite comprising biowaste lignin and low-cost montmorillonite clay mineral for encapsulating urea to create a controllable release fertilizer (CRU) with a prolonged nitrogen release function. CRUs containing high N contents of 20 to 30 wt.% were successfully and extensively characterized using X-Ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The results showed that the releases of N from CRUs in water and soil extended to considerably long periods of 20 and 32 days, respectively. The significance of this research is the production of CRU beads that contain high N percentages and have a high soil residence period. These beads can enhance plant nitrogen utilization efficiency, reduce fertilizer consumption, and ultimately contribute to agricultural production.

The Role of Mycobiota in the Process of Composting of Biomass and Assessment

Various fungi play a crucial part in the decomposition of organic materials during composting, which is a cost-effective process of converting various unstable and complicated organic substances into a stable and humus-like substance. Composting is the regulated transformation of wastes and biodegradable organic materials into stable products with the help of microbes. Although composting has been around for a while, it still has significant drawbacks that limit how widely it is utilized and how effectively it works. Microbes detection, nutrient status that is low, a lengthy composting process, a lengthy mineralization process, and odor creation are some of the drawbacks. The consumption of synthetic chemical fertilizers can be decreased through composting. These fertilizers are used to feed crops with the macro and micronutrients they need. The current study explains how to compost quickly, biodegradable solid wastes without endangering the environment.

The Global Dilemma of Soil Legacy Phosphorus and Its Improvement Strategies under Recent Changes in Agro-Ecosystem Sustainability.

Phosphorus (P) is one of the six key elements in plant nutrition and effectively plays a vital role in all major metabolic activities. It is an essential nutrient for plants linked to human food production. Although abundantly present in both organic and inorganic forms in soil, more than 40% of cultivated soils are commonly deficient in P concentration. Then, the P inadequacy is a challenge to a sustainable farming system to improve the food production for an increasing population. It is expected that the whole world population will rise to 9 billion by 2050 and, therefore, it is necessary at the same time for agricultural strategies broadly to expand food production up to 80% to 90% by handling the global dilemma which has affected the environment by climatic changes. Furthermore, the phosphate rock annually produced about 5 million metric tons of phosphate fertilizers per year. About 9.5 Mt of phosphorus enters human food through crops and animals such as milk, egg, meat, and fish and is then utilized, and 3.5 Mt P is physically consumed by the human population. Various new techniques and current agricultural practices are said to be improving P-deficient environments, which might help meet the food requirements of an increasing population. However, 4.4% and 3.4% of the dry biomass of wheat and chickpea, respectively, were increased under intercropping practices, which was higher than that in the monocropping system. A wide range of studies showed that green manure crops, especially legumes, improve the soil-available P content of the soil. It is noted that inoculation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi could decrease the recommended phosphate fertilizer rate nearly 80%. Agricultural management techniques to improve soil legacy P use by crops include maintaining soil pH by liming, crop rotation, intercropping, planting cover crops, and the consumption of modern fertilizers, in addition to the use of more efficient crop varieties and inoculation with P-solubilizing microorganisms. Therefore, exploring the residual phosphorus in the soil is imperative to reduce the demand for industrial fertilizers while promoting long-term sustainability on a global scale.

DRIP IRRIGATION SYSTEM IN THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT OF THE FOREST NURSERY

In order to use drip irrigation in forest nurseries, the possibility of additional key nodes of the drip irrigation system of the school branch of the nursery was considered in order to improve the quality and efficiency of irrigation, as well as reduce the cost of fertilizers and maintenance of the irrigation system.Improving the drip irrigation system with an additional key unit (tank + fertilizers, nutrient mixtures) will reduce the time and consumption of fertilizers and nutrients for the growth and development of balsamic poplar planting material.

ENERGY- AND RESOURCE-SAVING PROCESSES INVOLVING THE POLYMER PHASE

The paper deals with the processes of application and production of various polymer materials. By coating the surface of mineral fertilizer granules with hydrophobic polymer films, fertilizers with controlled release of nutrient components were obtained. Such fertilizers can prevent the leaching of nutrients, prevent the negative impact on the environment and reduce fertilizer consumption. Methods for calculating the particle distribution function by the degree of coating characterizing the uniformity of coating on fluidized bed particles for stationary and non-stationary modes of operation of the apparatus are considered. The process of applying a thick composite coating to the surface of urea granules in a pan granulator was also investigated. A simple method for calculating the size distribution of the obtained granules with a composite shell is proposed. The actual problem of developing a method for predicting the kinetics of nutrient release from polymer-coated fertilizer granules based on a fairly simple mathematical model of the process has been solved. Studies of the combined polymerization and drying process in the synthesis of polyacrylamide and sodium methacrylate copolymer with methacrylic acid amide have shown that its use at the final stage of obtaining water-soluble acrylic polymers is very effective. This technique allows to reduce the total time of the technological cycle. The process of obtaining polyethylene powder by the method of elastic-deformation grinding of polymer gel and a two-stage process of solvent removal from polymer powder with the return of the solvent to the technological cycle has been developed. The rational technological parameters of the electrodialysis process of contaminated steam condensate of mineral fertilizers plant have been identified, which allows to obtain a more concentrated salt solution, which is used as a secondary raw material, as well as a desalinated solution used as process water. For citation: Lipin A.G., Lipin A.A. Energy- and resource-saving processes involving the polymer phase. ChemChemTech [Izv. Vyssh. Uchebn. Zaved. Khim. Khim. Tekhnol.]. 2023. V. 66. N 7. P. 203-213. DOI: 10.6060/ivkkt.20236607. 6836j.

Current and potential demand of fertilizers in Mexico

Objective: To diagnose the market situation of fertilizers through the statistical analysis of the main market variables, considering the importance of fertilizers as a strategic input for increasing productivity in the agricultural sector. Methodology: The growth of the apparent domestic consumption of fertilizers for the 2007-2020 period, the variables that determine it, and the current and potential demand per state in 2019 were estimated. Results: During the period under analysis, fertilizer consumption grew at an annual rate of 4.8 %, reaching 6.3 million tons in 2020. Almost 75 % of consumption was supplied by imports and only 25 % was supplied by domestic production. If 100 % of the sown area was fertilized, the potential demand for fertilizers would exceed 8 million tons. Implications: The country's heavy dependence on fertilizer imports means that the Mexican agricultural sector is vulnerable to a potential increase in fertilizer prices, as a result of the crisis that the global agrochemicals market is currently facing. Conclusions: Given Mexico's dependence on fertilizer imports, the domestic industry must be strengthened, in order to increase production and satisfy a greater percentage of the domestic demand.

Integrated nutrient management prescription for late-sown wheat (Triticum aestivum)

Integrated nutrient management prescription was developed for late-sown variety of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) (HD 3059) through soil test based crop response study. A field experiment was conducted at the research farm of ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi during winter (rabi) season of 2020–21 and 2021–22 to develop the integrated nutrient management prescription for late-sown wheat. Experiment was laid out in factorial randomized block design with 24 treatments having 3 levels of each N (60,120,180 kg/ha), P2O5 (30, 60, 90 kg/ha) and K2O (20, 40, 60 kg/ha). The basic parameters, viz. nutrient requirement (NR), percentage contribution of nutrients from soil (CS); fertilizer (CF) and farmyard manure (FYM) (CFYM) were quantified. Fertilizer prescription equations in integration with FYM were developed from the data obtained in the study. In order to produce 100 kg of late-sown wheat, the amount of major nutrients needed were 2.24 and 2.27, 0.45 and 0.47, 1.89 and 1.92 kg of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) during 2020–21 and 2021–22, respectively. Phosphorus as soil nutrient contributed the maximum towards crop production; while the contribution of K from fertilizer (118.38 and 125.03) was highest for both seasons. Contribution of N from fertilizer (50.05, 51.38) was more than that of soil (33.81, 33.65). However, contribution of all the nutrients from FYM was lower. The equations developed were used to formulate ready reckoner for a range of soil test values to get a yield target of 55 q/ha for late-sown wheat. Nutrient management of late-sown wheat involving inorganic fertilizer in integration with FYM (10 t/ha) was prescribed through the ready reckoner. The study suggests that the excessive amount of fertilizer consumption as well as the subsequent adverse effect on the environment can be curtailed if FYM is used in combination with inorganic fertilizer.

Impact of climate change on rice production in African countries: A panel data analysis

Agriculture plays a key role in the overall economic and social wellbeing in Africa. Now, Africa appears to emerge as a key player in food production because there exists enormous unused land for cultivation. On the basis of availability of data, this study aims at investigating the impact of the climate change on rice production in the twenty-five African countries from 2002 to 2014 following a static panel data approach using World Bank and Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) data. Considering CO2 (Carbon Di Oxide) emissions as average precipitation in depth and temperature change as climate change indicators along with other control variables such as fertilizer consumption and use of pesticides, this study observes that these climate indicators have significant adverse impact in explaining variations in spatial and temporal change in rice production in African countries. It may be demonstrated from the empirical analysis that those climate variables like CO2 emissions, pesticide use and temperature change are statistically significant at a 5 %, 10 % and 5 % levels, respectively. All the indicators have negative effects on rice production in African countries. The coefficients associated with these indicators are negative and statistically significant indicating that higher CO2 emissions adversely affect rice production in Africa. Moreover, pesticides used per kg in production have an inverse relation with rice production in this continent. Further, temperature harms rice production in African countries. Temperature changes negatively affect rice production as indicated by its coefficient value being -199958.10. The results also demonstrate that adaptation of new rice seed varieties that are more tolerant to higher temperature will be more effective in response to climate change. The study suggests that there is need for enormous development in the agriculture sector, to reach the ultimate goal. In particular, development of irrigation system and large-scale funding by the government in African countries is required. Key words: Rice Production, Climate Change, Static Panel Approach, Average Precipitation

The effects of no-tillage and conventional tillage on greenhouse gas emissions from paddy fields with various rice varieties

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) production worldwide strives to meet the challenges of the millennium and ensure food for the overgrown population. Improving traditional rice-growing techniques could effectively increase productivity, reduce water and fertilizer consumption, and mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The current study attempts to examine the effect of two rice cultivation (RC) methods, viz. conventional tillage (CT) and no-tillage (NT) and “rice varieties (RV), namely var. MTU 1010, var. IET 4786, var. IET 17430 and var. IET 9947″, on methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions during the rice-growing season (Kharif) in India. The results showed CH4 and CO2 fluxes were higher under the CT plots than under the NT plots. There was a trade-off between CH4 and N2O production in paddy fields (PF), with CT plots showing lower N2O flux than NT. The “CO2-eq emission (pGWP)” and “yield-scaled CO2-eq emission (YpGWP)” in NT were significantly lower compared to CT with increased rice yields (p < 0.05). Analysis of the energy budget showed that energy use was reduced to 41.67% when replaced with the NT method. When compared to CT cultivation, the energy saved through the NT cultivation was around 2.33 MJ for every kilogram of rice produced. The study showed that the NT is one of the promising methods that should be encouraged among farmers to curb GHG emissions and increase rice production.

Global catalyst fertilizers market report 2023: Rising decline in arable land & increasing fertilizer consumption bolsters growth

Global catalyst fertilizers market report 2023: Rising decline in arable land & increasing fertilizer consumption bolsters growth

Effect of municipal biowaste derived biostimulant on nitrogen fate in the plant-soil system during lettuce cultivation

A main concern of agriculture is to improve plant nutrient efficiency to enhance crop yield and quality, and at the same time to decrease the environmental impact caused by the lixiviation of excess N fertilizer application. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential use of biopolymers (BPs), obtained by alkaline hydrolysis of the solid anaerobic digestate of municipal biowastes, in order to face up these main concerns of agriculture. The experimental trials involved the application of BPs (at 50 and 150 kg/ha) alone or mixed with different amounts (100%, 60% and 0%) of mineral fertilizer (MF). Three different controls were routinely included in the experimental trials (MF 100%, 60% and 0%). The effect of BPs on lettuce was evaluated by monitoring growth parameters (fresh and dry weights of shoot and root, nitrogen use efficiency), and the N-flux in plant-soil system, taking into account the nitrate leached due to over irrigation events. The activities of enzymes involved in the nitrogen uptake (nitrate reductase, glutamate synthase and glutamine synthase), and the nitrogen form accumulated in the plant tissues (total N, protein and NO3−) were evaluated. The results show that the application to the soil of 150 kg/ha BPs allows to increase lettuce growth and nitrogen use efficiency, trough stimulation of N-metabolism and accumulation of proteins, and hence to reduce the use of MF by 40%, thus decreasing the nitrate leaching. These findings suggest that the use of BPs as biostimulant greatly contributes to reduce the consumption of mineral fertilizers, and to mitigate the environmental impact caused by nutrients leaching, according to European common agricultural policy, that encourages R&D of new bioproducts for sustainable eco-friendly agriculture.

The Coupling Relationship and Driving Factors of Fertilizer Consumption, Economic Development and Crop Yield in China

China has become the largest consumer of chemical fertilizers. The excessive application of chemical fertilizers has resulted in a series of problems including environmental pollution, seriously threatening China’s sustainable development. Therefore, it is highly important to study the factors driving chemical fertilizer consumption. In this study, we used the panel data of 31 provinces in China and the Tapio decoupling model to explore the coupling relationship between fertilizer consumption, economic growth and crop yield increase, build the IPAT-LMDI model, and identify and analyze the factors driving the observed changes. The results show the following: (1) Since 2015, the consumption of chemical fertilizers in most provinces of China has decreased significantly, and the implementation of the zero-fertilizer policy in various regions has generally achieved remarkable results. (2) Since 1980, China’s crop production and economic development have undergone coordinated growth, but the decoupling relationship between chemical fertilizer consumption and economic growth has changed from weak to strong, and the dependence of China’s crop production on chemical fertilizers has gradually been reduced. (3) Fertilizer consumption in China is promoted by factors related to economic level (Pg), crop value (Cval), fertilizer efficiency (Feff), fertilization intensity (Fein), per capita arable land area (Clap) and population size (P), while it is restrained by factors related to science and technology level (Ffag), agricultural population (P1) and industrial structure (Inst). (4) Fertilizer consumption has arrived at its peak in East China, South China and Central China, while there is still room for growth in the western areas; gaps in economic and technological development between different provinces are the main factors affecting changes in fertilizer consumption. Finally, we offer specific suggestions for improving the efficiency of chemical fertilizers from the perspectives of farming modes and science and technology.

Specific Streptomyces strain enhances the growth, defensive mechanism, and fruit quality of cucumber by minimizing its fertilizer consumption

BackgroundThe required amounts of chemical fertilizers (NPK) are determined by plant yield, and product quality is given less consideration. The use of PGPRs is an environmentally friendly approach that, in addition to increasing yield, also improves fruit quality. This study examined the role of specific Streptomyces strains in aiding cucumber plants to 1) use fewer NPK fertilizers in the same quantity 2) improve the quality of cucumber fruit, and 3) promote growth and defense system.ResultsIn this study, the effect of 17 Streptomyces strains on the vegetative traits of cucumber seedlings of the Sultan cultivar was evaluated as the first test. Four strains of Streptomyces with the highest root and shoot dry weight were selected from the strains. This experiment was performed to determine the interaction effect of selected strains and different amounts of NPK on cucumber yield, quality, physiological and biochemical responses of plants. The first experiment’s results revealed that strains IC6, Y7, SS12, and SS14 increased significantly in all traits compared to the control, while the other strains dramatically improved several characteristics. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed significant differences between the effect of strains, NPK concentrations, and their interactions on plant traits. The treatments containing 75% NPK + SS12, yielded the most fruit (40% more than the inoculated control). Antioxidant enzymes assay showed that SS12 substantially increased the activity of POX, PPO, and the expression of the genes related to these two enzymes. Hormone assay utilizing HPLC analysis revealed that various strains employ a specific mechanism to improve the immune system of plants.ConclusionsTreatment with strain SS12 led to the production of cucumbers with the highest quality by reducing the amount of nitrate, and soluble sugars and increasing the amount of antioxidants and firmness compared to other treatments. A specific Streptomyces strain could reduce 25% of NPK fertilizer during the vegetative and reproductive growth period. Moreover, this strain protected plants against possible pathogens and adverse environmental factors through the ISR and SAR systems.

Is India Moving Away from Coarse Cereals? Examining Evidence from Trends in Rice, Wheat and Coarse Cereals

India’s agricultural production of cereals since the 1950s mainly comprises of rice, wheat and coarse cereals. Data shows that coarse cereals despite having maximum area under cultivation post independence and a high growth rate of production, have registered a declining trend in the recent decades. With global warming becoming a threat to monsoon- dependent grains like rice and wheat, India needs to start focusing more on coarse cereals. They are not only climate resilient using one-third the amount of water as compared to rice and wheat, but are also nutritionally superior to these grains. Data analysis for top five rice, wheat and coarse cereal producing states show that the decadal growth rates and yield per hectare have been declining for rice and wheat. Detailed inter-state comparisons are done to evaluate various aspects of these foodgrains. Finally, a fixed effects regression model is estimated to analyze the effect of area, annual rainfall, fertilizer consumption and MSP on the productivity of coarse and fine cereals, results show coarse cereals to be less dependent on rainfall and fertilizer use.