Crop Growth Research Articles

Exploring the Potential of Soil-less Farming through Hydroponics in India: A Review

Hydroponics is one of the modern and most demanded agricultural production technologies that ought to provide sustainability in agricultural production. It is identified as one of the most effective methods to combat the existing challenges like climate change, depletion in land and fresh water resources, and the unavailability of fresh and safe food. Furthermore, traditional agriculture encounters significant hurdles from biotic and abiotic stresses that impede crop production, resulting in economic losses. Consequently, it became imperative to develop innovative technology alongside sophisticated production methods to address the current situation and ensure future stability. Hydroponics is highly effective in eliminating many of the limitations associated with traditional soil farming and offers significant advantages, including higher crop yields, efficient water and nutrient use, and reduced environmental footprint. In this system, plants necessitate only water that is abundant in all essential macro- and micronutrients for their development, and the role of soil is nil. Plants can save enormous energy by providing nutrients directly to their roots, which would otherwise be squandered in the pursuit of these vital inputs. This review examines the potential of hydroponic technology and its contribution to boosting the productivity and quality of agricultural crops. Additionally, it covers various hydroponic systems used, their advantages and limitations, the role of different components, the market potential of hydroponics in India, and existing successful hydroponic firms. Relevant studies were analyzed to assess the performance of different hydroponic systems in growing different crops, in terms of crop growth, productivity, and resource efficiency. In conclusion, the hydroponics system can now serve as a potential method of sustainable agriculture, promising to cultivate resilience and ensure food availability for future generations amidst the challenges of land and water degradation and climate change.

COMMERCIAL PROPOSAL TO AN AGRICULTURAL MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE PRODUCTION OF BIODIESEL FUEL WITH THE CALCULATION OF ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY

The market of petroleum products in Ukraine, in particular diesel fuel, over the past three years has been analysed. A decrease in the use of the main types of fuel in 2022 compared to 2021 has been determined across the country due to shortages and price increases due to market reorientation in wartime conditions. The year 2023 showed an increase in the use of petroleum products due to the stabilization of supply and demand, although these volumes are still lower than in 2021. The amount of fuel used for growing of the main agricultural crops in Ukraine using various technologies is given, taking into account the productivity indicators and the area of sowing. A specific assessment of the component of production costs for fuel was carried out, on the basis of which, taking into account the price of diesel fuel and the area of arable land in Ukraine, the market shares of diesel fuel accounted for by agricultural production was estimated. The forecasts of scientists regarding the need for diesel fuel on the scale of the country, which will grow every year, increasing the demand for biodiesel fuel, are considered. A reasoned position is presented regarding the relevance of biodiesel production in Ukraine for the needs of agriculture. The measures and regulations that stimulate the production of biodiesel fuel in the countries of the European Union and the state of state support for it in our country, as well as the oil products market for 2023 from the point of view of sales volumes and fuel prices, are analysed. It is proposed to start the production of biodiesel fuel on the basis of agricultural farms or processing enterprises on the order of producers of agricultural products from their raw materials. A methodology for assessing the economic efficiency of biodiesel production has been developed, based on the price of raw materials, which involves primary and secondary processing (raw material - rapeseed), or only secondary processing (raw material – rapeseed oil). During the primary and secondary processing, the added value obtained from the by-products is taken into account, which reduces the cost price of the produced biofuel. This methodology also takes into account such a factor of increasing the cost of production of biodiesel fuel as an excise tax. When evaluating the economic efficiency by comparing it with the market value of standard diesel fuel, the concept of energy coefficient, which takes into account the ratio of the lower heat of combustion of two types of fuel, was introduced. This scientific work presents the results of the initiative research work 0122U002187.

US Corn Belt enhances regional precipitation recycling

Precipitation recycling, where evapotranspiration (ET) from the land surface contributes to precipitation within the same region, is a critical component of the water cycle. This process is especially important for the US Corn Belt, where extensive cropland expansions and irrigation activities have significantly transformed the landscape and affected the regional climate. Previous studies investigating precipitation recycling typically relied on analytical models with simplifying assumptions, overlooking the complex interactions between groundwater hydrology and agricultural management. In this study, we use high-resolution climate models coupled with an explicit water vapor tracer algorithm to quantify the impacts of shallow groundwater, dynamic crop growth, and irrigation on regional precipitation recycling in the US Corn Belt. We find that these coupled groundwater-crop-irrigation processes reduce surface temperatures and increase the growing season precipitation. The increase in precipitation is attributed to a significant enhancement of the precipitation recycling ratio from 14 to 18%. This enhanced precipitation recycling is stronger in a dry year than normal and wet years, depending on both large-scale moisture transport and local ET. Our study underscores the critical role of groundwater hydrology and agricultural management in altering the regional water cycle, with important implications for regional climate predictions and food and water security.

Full cycle rice growth monitoring with dual-pol SAR data and interpretable deep learning

ABSTRACT Addressing challenges in crop growth monitoring, such as limited assessment dimensions, incomplete coverage of growth cycles, and limited deep learning (DL) interpretability, a novel dual-pol SAR rice growth monitoring method using a new crop growth index (CGI) and an interpretable DL architecture is proposed. Initially, radar vegetation indices, polarimetric decomposition parameters, and backscattering coefficients characterize rice growth in multiple dimensions. Subsequently, a CGI is designed, combining fractional vegetation cover and leaf chlorophyll content to accurately depict rice growth status, capturing both the structural and physiological activity of rice. Finally, an interpretable DL architecture incorporating a feature selection explainer and a feature-aware enhanced segmentation model is introduced. This architecture incorporates feature-wise variable learning networks, interprets the importance of individual features, and optimizes the feature composition, significantly enhancing the interpretability of the DL model. This architecture is also applicable to other neural networks. The method is applied in Suihua City, Heilongjiang Province, China, using Sentinel-1 dual-pol data from 2022 and 2023. Experiments indicate that the proposed method achieves an overall accuracy of 90.57% in the test set and a generalization accuracy of 90.43%. The integration of CGI and the interpretable DL architecture enhances the reliability of rice growth monitoring results.

Estimation of the Impact of Climate Warming on Spring Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Phenology From Observations and Modelling in the Arid Region of Northwest China

ABSTRACTClimate warming has induced shifts in the phenological period and thus affected cultivar selection and effective crop management. Particularly, the great climate warming in the dry environment could have more effects on the phenology of spring wheat with the distinct cycle of biological events during growth. In this study, the daily observations of spring wheat phenology and meteorology from 1991 to 2018 were used to analyse changes in phenology concerning accumulated temperature in the Hexi Corridor region of Northwest China. Five crop growth models (WheatGrow, WOFOST, CropSyst, CERES‐Wheat and APSIM‐Wheat) were selected to evaluate the reliability of the phenological stage simulations in the study region. Results show that in the past 28 years, the annual accumulated temperature in the whole growth period from sowing to maturity increased by 3.08°C–8.35°C/a at three sites of the region. Climate warming shortened the phenological period at rates of 3.56–4.49 days/10a, mostly attributed to the shortened duration from anthesis to maturity. Statistical analysis demonstrated that the shortened phenological period cannot be simply expressed by the linear correlation between the length of phenological phases and accumulated temperature in the respective growth stages. The five wheat growth models after parameter validation can generally capture the phenological dates, and WOFOST performed best at the three sites. However, when the calibrated model was used for simulations of long‐term variations of phenological dates, the accumulated errors in simulations could result in large deviations of the predicted physiological change to the observations.

Sustainable Soil and Crop Management Practices to Boost the Crop Productivity and Soil Properties

Reducing poverty and attaining zero hunger and adequate nourishment are critical concerns confronting agronomic planners globally. Enhancing various agronomic methods, which significantly impact crop growth and output, is urgently required to achieve this objective. Soil deterioration has transpired globally due to soil pollution, eroding, salinity, and acidity. The intense farming practices devoid of sustainable practices have resulted in deteriorating soil quality, destruction of land, and significant environmental issues. Future initiatives to feed the expanding population should focus on enhancing agricultural output within sustainable ecosystems. Creative measures are essential in this context since conventional policies are insufficient to address these difficulties. The work proposed Sustainable Soil and Crop Management Practices (SS-CMP) to boost Crop Productivity (CP) and Soil Properties (SP). This includes Nutritional Management (NM), Location-Specific Nutrient Management (LSNM), Comprehensive Nutrition Management (CNM), Comprehensive Fertility Management (CFM) for soil, Comprehensive Soil-Crop Governance (CSCG), Sustainable Water Use (SWU), Agricultural Conservation (AC), Sustainable Soil Management (SSM), vertical cultivation, combined CMP, breeding methods, and additional methodologies amalgamated with scientific and behavioral modifications. Minimizing the use of substances, including herbicides and pesticides, and enhancing the effectiveness of agricultural supply use might reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GGE) and safeguard biodiversity. SS-CMP offers potential benefits for humanity and the World, and its success relies on the collaboration of both rich and developing countries to pursue a shared vision of producing more food with less ecological impact.

Effect of salicylic acid application on growth, production, fungal decay, and overall quality of strawberry

Salicylic acid (SA), a plant growth regulator, induces various physiological and metabolic processes that affect plant growth and development. A study conducted at PMAS-Arid Agriculture University in 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 examined the preharvest application of SA on the growth and fruit quality of strawberry (cv. Chandler). A 4 mM concentration of SA was found to be the most effective, improving plant height (14.60 cm), average number of leaves per plant (5.27), leaf area (68.40 cm²), and average fruit weight (13.53 g). In terms of postharvest parameters, SA-treated strawberries showed higher total soluble solids (5.10 °Brix), ascorbic acid content (12.41 mg/100 ml of juice), and total sugar content (6.54%). A similar trend was observed in the activity of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POD, and CAT) as well as physiological parameters such as photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, and stomatal conductance. The SA treatments helped maintain the overall quality of the strawberries and also reduced damage caused by fungal decay. The data revealed that the minimum mean fungal decay (4.28%) was recorded after 4 days of storage, while the maximum percentage of fungal decay (20.38%) was observed after 12 days of storage. Therefore, foliar application of SA at 4 mM is recommended as the most effective treatment for enhancing strawberry growth and fruit quality. The study explains how SA can be used to preserve the quality of strawberries before harvest. An additional goal of this research is to provide growers with detailed information about the influence of SA on strawberry crop growth and production.

Quinoa productivity and quality under irrigated conditions through crop establishment methods in Pakistan

AbstractQuinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is gaining global recognition for its nutritional benefits and adaptability to various environments. However, there is limited data on how different planting methods affect the productivity and quality of quinoa genotypes with varying panicle shapes, especially under irrigated conditions. We hypothesized that different crop establishment techniques influence the performance of quinoa genotypes in terms of phenology, weeds, growth, and yield aiming to enhance both yield and grain quality. To test this, a 2‐year field experiment (2021–2022 and 2022–2023) was conducted at Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad, Pakistan. The experiment used split‐plot design with three replications incorporating three sowing methods in main plots: ridge sowing (RS), line sowing (LS), and broadcasting (BC) and three quinoa genotypes with different panicle architectures: UAF‐Q7 (intermediate), Line‐105 (glomerulate), and Line‐22 (amarantiform) in subplots. Results indicated that LS method improved morphological and yield attributes like stem thickness, terminal panicle length and weight, grain yield, 1000‐grain weight, and biological yield compared to RS and BC. Among genotypes, Line‐105 showed superior performance in morphology, biomass, and yield, while UAF‐Q7 had higher grain protein content. Panicle number per plant showed positive correlation with terminal panicle weight, grain yield, 1000‐grain weight, and harvest index. LS also resulted in highest crop growth rate and grain quality. The study suggests that LS is a better planting technique and Line‐105 is a suitable genotype for achieving high grain yield under irrigated conditions.

Assessment of wheat (Triticum aestivum) growth, yield and economics under varying nutrient and weed management options

A field experiment was carried out during rabi seasons of 2020–21 and 2021–22 at research farm of ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, to study the effect of nutrient and weed management on crop growth, yield and economics of wheat. Experiment was carried out in factorial randomized complete block design and replicated thrice. First factor, nutrient management comprised of three levels viz., control, 100% recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) and 75% RDF + biofertilizer (BF) consortia and second factor weed management comprised of five levels viz. weedy check, Sulfosulfuron 75% + Metsulfuron 5% WG @40 g/ha (ready mix) at 28-30 DAS of wheat, hand weeding at 45 DAS + Sulfosulfuron 75% + Metsulfuron 5% WG) @40 g/ha (ready mix) at 28-30 DAS, mulch + hand weeding at 45 DAS and weed free check. Crop growth, yield attributes and grain yield (4.63 and 4.48 t/ha) of wheat were recorded higher under 100% RDF and these were at par with 75% RDF + BF and the lowest growth and yield was reported under control. The plant growth, yield attributes, grain and straw yield were highest under weed free check and those were at par with hand weeding + sulfosulfuron + metsulfuron and sulfosulfuron + metsulfuron. Gross returns were significantly higher with 100% RDF over 75% RDF + BF and control but net returns and B: C with 100% RDF were at par with 75% RDF + BF over control. Significantly higher net returns and B:C was obtained with Sulf + Mets and HW + Sulf + Mets. It was concluded that 75 % RDF + biofertilizer consortia application in along with Sulfosulfuron + metsulfuron ready mix use met the nutrition and weed management requirement in wheat and gave higher growth, productivity and profitability of the crop.

Assessment of wheat (Triticum aestivum) growth, yield and economics under varying nutrient and weed management options

A field experiment was carried out during rabi seasons of 2020–21 and 2021–22 at research farm of ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, to study the effect of nutrient and weed management on crop growth, yield and economics of wheat. Experiment was carried out in factorial randomized complete block design and replicated thrice. First factor, nutrient management comprised of three levels viz., control, 100% recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) and 75% RDF + biofertilizer (BF) consortia and second factor weed management comprised of five levels viz. weedy check, Sulfosulfuron 75% + Metsulfuron 5% WG @40 g/ha (ready mix) at 28-30 DAS of wheat, hand weeding at 45 DAS + Sulfosulfuron 75% + Metsulfuron 5% WG) @40 g/ha (ready mix) at 28-30 DAS, mulch + hand weeding at 45 DAS and weed free check. Crop growth, yield attributes and grain yield (4.63 and 4.48 t/ha) of wheat were recorded higher under 100% RDF and these were at par with 75% RDF + BF and the lowest growth and yield was reported under control. The plant growth, yield attributes, grain and straw yield were highest under weed free check and those were at par with hand weeding + sulfosulfuron + metsulfuron and sulfosulfuron + metsulfuron. Gross returns were significantly higher with 100% RDF over 75% RDF + BF and control but net returns and B: C with 100% RDF were at par with 75% RDF + BF over control. Significantly higher net returns and B:C was obtained with Sulf + Mets and HW + Sulf + Mets. It was concluded that 75 % RDF + biofertilizer consortia application in along with Sulfosulfuron + metsulfuron ready mix use met the nutrition and weed management requirement in wheat and gave higher growth, productivity and profitability of the crop.

Leaf Na+ effects and multi-trait GWAS point to salt exclusion as the key mechanism for reproductive stage salinity tolerance in rice.

Since salinity stress may occur across stages of rice (Oryza sativa L.) crop growth, understanding the effects of salinity at reproductive stage is important although it has been much less studied than at seedling stage. In this study, lines from the Rice Diversity Panel 1 (RDP1) and the 3000 Rice Genomes (3KRG) were used to screen morphological and physiological traits, map loci controlling salinity tolerance through genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and identify favorable haplotypes associated with reproductive stage salinity tolerance. Salt exclusion was identified as the key tolerance mechanism in this study based on reduced panicle length as flag leaf Na+ increased, and a lack of effect of trimming the leaves in the salinity treatment on genotypic rankings. Since larger biomass showed a negative effect on the number of filled grains in multiple experiments, future studies should investigate the effect of whole-plant transpiration levels on salt uptake. In addition to genome-wide significant peaks identified in the single trait GWAS analyses, six loci showed colocations for multiple traits across experiments. Among these co-locating loci, three candidate loci that exhibited favorable haplotypes were also characterized to be involved in co-expression networks among which apoplast and cell wall functions had been annotated - further highlighting the role of salt exclusion. The loci identified here could be considered as potential sources for improving reproductive stage salinity tolerance in rice.

Fullerenol nanoparticles and AMF application for optimization of Brassica napus L. resilience to lead toxicity through physio-biochemical and antioxidative modulations

Crop plants are severely affected by heavy metals (HMs), leading to food scarcity and economical loss. Lead (Pb) is outsourced by use of lead-based fertilizers, batteries, mining, smelting and metal processing. It significantly reduces growth, development and yield of crops cultivated on contaminated sites. In this study, the ameliorative role of carbon based fullerenol nanoparticles (FNPs) in combination with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) inoculation was examined in Brassica napus L. grown in Pb contaminated soil. A pot experiment in three-ways completely randomize fashion with three replicates was conducted. For Pb stress, a 200 µM PbCl2 solution was applied at a rate of 1 L per pot. FNPs were applied via foliar spray at a concentration of 3 mM. For AMF inoculation rhizospheric soil was collected from Sorghum bicolor fields and used in this experiment. Results of the study showed that Pb toxicity greatly reduced growth (shoot length; 15%, root length; 25%) of B. napus plants. It lowered photosynthesis (38%) and gas exchange related attributes. Pb contamination caused oxidative stress, evident from elevated level of malondialdehyde (62%), and reactive oxygen species (H2O2; 60%, OH−; 103% and O2•−; 23%). It also triggered the antioxidant defense system of B. napus. These plants also had high Pb metal ions in their root and shoot compared with control. Foliar application of FNPs along with AMF inoculation effectively mitigated oxidative stress caused by Pb via increasing antioxidant enzymes activities. Catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione reductase, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and polyphenol peroxidase activities were increased by 37, 19, 96, 200, 47, 117 and 47%, respectively. In conclusion, these treatments modulated photosynthetic machinery, antioxidant defense mechanism and nutrients uptake in B. napus plants to alleviate Pb stress. It is presumed that use of carbon-based nano particles in combination with AMF inoculation could effectively mitigate HMs stress in crop plants grown in contaminated soil.

Effect of exogenous treatment with zaxinone and its mimics on rice root microbiota across different growth stages

Enhancing crops productivity to ensure food security is one of the major challenges encountering agriculture today. A promising solution is the use of biostimulants, which encompass molecules that enhance plant fitness, growth, and productivity. The regulatory metabolite zaxinone and its mimics (MiZax3 and MiZax5) showed promising results in improving the growth and yield of several crops. Here, the impact of their exogenous application on soil and rice root microbiota was investigated. Plants grown in native paddy soil were treated with zaxinone, MiZax3, and MiZax5 and the composition of bacterial and fungal communities in soil, rhizosphere, and endosphere at the tillering and the milky stage was assessed. Furthermore, shoot metabolome profile and nutrient content of the seeds were evaluated. Results show that treatment with zaxinone and its mimics predominantly influenced the root endosphere prokaryotic community, causing a partial depletion of plant-beneficial microbes at the tillering stage, followed by a recovery of the prokaryotic community structure during the milky stage. Our study provides new insights into the role of zaxinone and MiZax in the interplay between rice and its root-associated microbiota and paves the way for their practical application in the field as ecologically friendly biostimulants to enhance crop productivity.

Water use efficiency (WUE) and nutrient concentration of selected fodder radish (Raphanus sativus L.) genotypes for sustainable diets

Changing climates threaten crop growth and fodder yields in dryland farming. This study assessed two radish genotypes (LINE 2, ENDURANCE) under three water regimes (W1 = well-watered, W2 = moderate stress, W3 = severe stress) and two leaf harvesting options over two seasons (2021/22 and 2022/23). Key findings revealed that water regime significantly (P < 0.05) affected WUE, with W2 yielding (4.71 kg ha-1 mm-1) higher values. The combination of W3 and LINE 2 biomass were reduced by ≈ 60.09% in 2021/22 and ≈ 71.06% in 2022/23, whereas ENDURANCE declined by ≈ 63.9% and ≈ 53.33%. Tuber yield was highest under W1 and W2, with ENDURANCE yielding 59 t ha-1 (W1) and 48 t ha-1 (W2). Generally, W2 reduced micronutrient concentration (iron, zinc, β-carotene and vitamin C). For example, W2 improved vitamin E and key findings showed that human dietary for women and children can be met. The W3 exceeded vitamin E, iron, and zinc recommendations for all ages. The genotypes showed similar biomass and CP yield under W2 and W1, indicating moderate water stress can sustain yields. These findings highlight the importance of strategic water management for food and fodder security, while meeting nutritional needs in water-scarce regions.

Hydrothermal biochar enhances the photosynthetic efficiency and yield of alfalfa by optimizing soil chemical properties and stimulating the activity of microbial communities

Hydrothermal biochar has demonstrated potential in enhancing crop growth by improving soil properties and microbial activity; however, its effectiveness varies with application rate, with excessive amounts potentially inhibiting plant growth. This study employed a pot experiment approach to compare varying application rates of hydrothermal biochar (ranging from 0 to 50 t/ha) and to analyze its effects on alfalfa biomass, photosynthetic efficiency, soil nutrient content, and microbial community composition. Biochar application increased alfalfa dry weight by 12.22-21.20% in leaves, 31.60-55.60% in stalks, and 5.62-38.05% in roots. It also enhanced the light utilization efficiency of photosystem II. However, excessive biochar (50 t/ha) reduced biomass and photosynthesis. The addition of biochar amendments enhances soil nutrient availability, particularly increasing the accessibility of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, while also lowering soil pH and enriching microbial interactions within bacterial communities. However, the effects on fungal communities are not pronounced. In conclusion, a moderate application of biochar (10-20t/ha) is recommended to maximize the growth of alfalfa and improve soil health, offering a practical approach for the sustainable cultivation of alfalfa.

Comparative morphological, physiological, and biochemical traits in sensitive and tolerant maize genotypes in response to salinity and pb stress

Salinity and lead are two important abiotic stresses that limit crop growth and yield. In this study, we assayed the effect of these stresses on tolerant and sensitive maize genotypes. Four-week-old maize plants were treated with 250 mM sodium chloride (NaCl) and 250 µM lead (Pb). Our results show that NaCl or Pb treatment of the sensitive genotype caused a significant reduction in the root length, plant height, total fresh and dry weights, as well as chlorophyll, and carotenoid content. Salt stress led to a significant decrease in the relative water content, shoot and root length, fresh and dry weight as well as leaf area and K+ content but increase Na+ content. Both NaCl and Pb stresses increased the antioxidant enzyme activity, proline content, malondialdehyde, and hydrogen peroxide levels. Principal component analysis (PCA) accounted for 69.8% and 16.5% of the total variation among all the variables studied. PCA also suggested a positive correlation between hydrogen peroxide, malondialdehyde, peroxidase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase levels, and Na+ content and a negative correlation between K+ content, chlorophyll content, relative water content, leaf area, root length, plant height, and total fresh, and dry weights. Together, these results suggest that the salt-tolerant maize genotype is more suitable for adapting to Pb stress compared to the salt-sensitive genotype.

Maize (Zea mays L., 1753.) evapotranspiration ando crop coefficient in semi-arid region of Ethipia

Maize (Zea mays L.,1753) plays an important role in the economy of maize-growing nations. Supplying the right amount of water to a crop based on its needs is the main agenda for implementing water-saving agriculture. Non-weighting lysimeters were used to determine the actual crop evapotranspiration and crop coefficient of maize at the experimental farmland of the Melkassa Agricultural Research Center, Ethiopia. Soil-water balance approaches were applied to obtain actual crop evapotranspiration, while the Penman-Monteith technique was used to compute reference evapotranspiration. The growth stages-wise crop coefficient was calculated as the ratio of the actual crop evapotranspiration ratio to the reference evapotranspiration. The total seasonal maize actual crop evapotranspiration during the 2017 and 2018 experimental years was 503.7 and 511.06 mm, respectively. The 2-year average maize actual crop evapotranspiration was 507.4 mm. The mean locally developed actual crop coefficient values of 0.55, 1.19, and 0.56 were observed for the initial, mid, and end seasons, respectively. The FAO-adjusted crop coefficient for the mid-season was 1.15. The developed Kc values differed considerably from the FAO-adjusted Kc values. Therefore, the determination of actual crop evapotranspiration and crop coefficients for crop growth under local climatic conditions is vital for decision-making concerning agricultural water management in areas where irrigation is practiced.

Lighting design affects the uniformity and growth of plants in a vertical farming system

Light is essential for plant production and has various effects on plant quality. Vertical farms typically use light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as light sources. However, the cost of LEDs varies with wattage and the initial installation costs are generally high. Therefore, to explore more cost-effective LED designs, we aimed to investigate the impact of red LED chips density on light distribution and plant growth under the same total electricity consumption. To this end, we exposed baby leaf soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.; 5 days) and kale (Brassica oleracea var. acephala; 18 days) to LEDs light with different arrangements of red and white chips. Plants were exposed to either 2 W chips with a red: white ratio of 4: 64 (2W4R treatment) or 1 W chips with a red: white ratio of 8: 64 (1W8R treatment) across the entire LED bar. We observed that the distribution of red light in the cultivation room differed depending on the density of the red LED chips. We found that arranging low-power red LED chips at narrow intervals resulted in uniform light distribution across the entire cultivation bed, positively affecting crop growth. Baby leaf soybean and kale exhibited uniform growth under 1W8R and growth was particularly enhanced in kale. This may be because of the dense leaf structure of kale, which promotes photosynthesis under a uniform light environment. The results of this study demonstrate that a favorable light environment can be created by altering the position and distribution of red LED chips, thereby inducing uniform growth in plants.

Effects of Artificial Soil Fertility Gradient Strategy on the Soil Fertility, Nutrient Uptake and Growth Attributes of Chakravarthi Keerai (Chenopodium album)

The effect of artificial soil fertility gradient techniques on crop growth attributes, nutrient uptake, soil fertility and soil biological properties were studied in a field trial conducted in 2023 at Horticulture Research Station, Ooty, Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu. It was done using an inductive methodology. The field was split into three equal strips, with three graded levels of fertilizers viz., N (Urea), P2O5 (Single Super phosphate) and K2O (Muriate of Potash) applied to strip I (N0P0K0), II (N1P1K1) and III (N2P2K2). The N1 level has been determined on the basis of the blanket recommendation to Chakravarthi keerai, while the P1 and the K1 levels have been determined based on the fixing capacity of the soil phosphorus (250 kg ha-1) and the potassium (100 kg ha-1). Gradient crop, Chakravarthi keerai variety Ooty 1 was cultivated and green yield of Chakravarthi keerai was observed at the time of harvesting. At the time of harvesting, plant samples were taken and examined for N, P &amp; K content and the uptake of N, P &amp; K was calculated. The results showed that graded levels of fertilizer N, P2O5, K2O had a significant impact on soil fertility status and NPK uptake, as well as plant growth parameter. The article clearly shows a significant influence of the organic carbon, chlorophyll content, soil enzymes activity, microbial population, and Microbial biomass carbon.

Better growth and yield performance of lentil under different level of phosphorus,sulphur and zinc in sub-humid Southern plain of Rajasthan

A field experiment was conducted during the winter (rabi) season of 2020–21 and 2021–22 at Instructional Farm, Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Udaipur (Rajasthan) to assess the impact of different levels of phosphorus, sulphur and zinc on growth parameters and yield of lentil. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications and 18 treatment combinations. Phosphorus factor comprised of 3 levels, viz. 30, 40 and 50 kg P2 O5 /ha along with sulphur that comprised of 3 levels, viz. 15, 20 and 25 kg/ha; and zinc factor with 2 levels, viz. control and 0.5 % ZnSO4 foliar spray at 55 Days after sowing (DAS). Results revealed that the higher plant height, dry matter accumulation (DMA) and primary branches/plant were recorded with application of 40 kg P2 O5 /ha in combination of 25 kg/ha sulphur and foliar spray of 0.5% ZnSO4 at 55 DAS. The dry matter accumulation (0.838**) and plant height (0.871**) had a significant and positive correlation with the seed yield. The crop growth rate (CGR) enlaced by 10.49% and root-shoot ratio by 7.21% with application of 40 kg P2 O5 /ha over 30 kg P2 O5 /ha. Similarly, the CGR and root-shoot ratio of lentil were significantly enhanced by 11.95 and 5.19%, respectively with 25 kg/ha over 15 kg/ha sulphur application at 60-90 DAS. Likewise, the significantly increased CGR by 5.09% and root-shoot ratio by 3.72% with application of 0.5% ZnSO4 as foliar spray over control. Moreover, the effective nodules increased by 22.68% and fresh and dry weight by 20.9 and 8.0% respectively with 50 kg P2 O5 /ha during both the years. The effective nodules and fresh and dry weight of nodules/ plant increased by 13.59, 12.68 and 6.52% respectively with 25 kg/ha over 15 kg/ha suphur application while it was increased by. 6.71%, the by 6.39 and 4.08% respectively with 0.5% foliar spray of ZnSO4 over control. Furthermore, significantly higher seed, haulm and biological yields increased by 9.34, 12.90 and 11.75%, respectively with 40 kg P2 O5 /ha followed by 50 kg P2 O5 /ha over 30 kg P2 O5 /ha. Similarly, the application of 25 kg/ha sulphur significantly enhanced seed yield, haulm and biological yields of lentil but it has no significant effect on the harvest index. The foliar spray of 0.5% ZnSO4 increased the seed yield by 4.71 per cent, haulm yield by 7.30 per cent and biological yield by 6.45% over control. The plant growth parameters, yield attributes and yield of lentil were significantly enhanced with the application of P2O5 (40 kg/ha) and sulphur (25 kg/ha) along with ZnSO4 (0.5%) as foliar spray at 55 days after sowing as compared to other treatment combinations. These treatment combinations could be adopted to achieve better growth performances and bridging yield gap of lentil in sub-humid agro ecologies.