Growth Parameters Research Articles

Rhexocercosporidium matricariae sp. nov. - a new pathogen on the medicinal plant Matricaria recutita.

A new disease was observed on chamomile plants (Matricaria recutita) in various commercially cultivated fields in 2016 and 2017 in Germany. From symptomatic stems and leaves, the fungal species described here was isolated repeatedly. Koch´s postulates using in planta experiments were fulfilled by inoculation of chamomile plants proving the fungus to be the causal agent of the disease. Morphological studies and phylogenetic analyses using internal transcribed spacer, large subunit, and translation elongation factor-1α sequences suggested that the fungus represents a new species within the genus Rhexocercosporidium (Helotiales). The data are presented together with a description of the growth parameters, and comprehensive illustrations of the new species, Rhexocercosporidium matricariae. All species so far assigned to Rhexocercosporidium are compared and discussed. The combination Rhexocercosporidium microsporum is validated.

A Solanum lycopersicum polyamine oxidase contributes to the control of plant growth, xylem differentiation, and drought stress tolerance.

Polyamines are involved in several plant physiological processes. In Arabidopsis thaliana, five FAD-dependent polyamine oxidases (AtPAO1 to AtPAO5) contribute to polyamine homeostasis. AtPAO5 catalyzes the back-conversion of thermospermine (T-Spm) to spermidine and plays a role in plant development, xylem differentiation, and abiotic stress tolerance. In the present study, to verify whether T-Spm metabolism can be exploited as a new route to improve stress tolerance in crops and to investigate the underlying mechanisms, tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) AtPAO5 homologs were identified (SlPAO2, SlPAO3, and SlPAO4) and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated loss-of-function slpao3 mutants were obtained. Morphological, molecular, and physiological analyses showed that slpao3 mutants display increased T-Spm levels and exhibit changes in growth parameters, number and size of xylem elements, and expression levels of auxin- and gibberellin-related genes compared to wild-type plants. The slpao3 mutants are also characterized by improved tolerance to drought stress, which can be attributed to a diminished xylem hydraulic conductivity that limits water loss, as well as to a reduced vulnerability to embolism. Altogether, this study evidences conservation, though with some significant variations, of the T-Spm-mediated regulatory mechanisms controlling plant growth and differentiation across different plant species and highlights the T-Spm role in improving stress tolerance while not constraining growth.

Optimizing Cucumis sativus seedling vigor: the role of pistachio wood vinegar and date palm compost in nutrient mobilization.

The goal of this research is to enhance the quality of cucumber seedlings grown in greenhouses by experimenting with various soilless culture mediums (CMs) and the application of pistachio wood vinegar (WV). The experimental setup was designed as a factorial experiment within a randomized complete block design (RCBD), in greenhouse conditions featuring three replications to assess the effects of different culture media (CMs) and concentrations of pistachio wood vinegar (WV) on cucumber seedling growth. Cucumber seeds were planted in three CMs: coco peat-peat moss, coco peat-vermicompost, and date palm compost-vermicompost mixed in a 75:25 volume-to-volume ratio. These were then treated with pistachio WV at concentrations of 0, 0.5, and 1%, applied four times during irrigation following the emergence of the third leaf. The study revealed that treating seedlings with 0.5% WV in the date palm compost-vermicompost CM significantly enhanced various growth parameters. Specifically, it resulted in a 90% increase in shoot fresh mass, a 59% increase in shoot dry mass, an 11% increase in root fresh mass, a 36% increase in root dry mass, a 65% increase in shoot length, a 62% increase in leaf area, a 25% increase in stem diameter, a 41% increase in relative water content (RWC), and a 6% improvement in membrane stability index (MSI), all in comparison to untreated seedlings grown in coco peat-peat moss CM. Furthermore, chlorophyll a, b, total chlorophyll, and carotenoid levels were 2.3, 2.7, 2.6, and 2.7 times higher, respectively, in seedlings treated with 0.5% WV and grown in the date palm compost-vermicompost CM, compared to those treated with the same concentration of WV but grown in coco peat-peat moss CM. Additionally, the Fv/Fm ratio saw a 52% increase. When plant nutrition was enhanced with the date palm compost-vermicompost CM and 1% WV, auxin content rose by 130% compared to seedlings grown in coco peat-peat moss CM and treated with 0.5% WV. The study demonstrates that using 0.5% WV in conjunction with date palm compost-vermicompost CM significantly betters the quality of cucumber seedlings, outperforming other treatment combinations.

Hippocampal gray matter volume in young adulthood varies with adolescent alcohol use.

Adolescent substance use is linked with negative future outcomes (e.g., depression, anxiety, substance use disorder). Given that the brain undergoes significant maturation during adolescence, this developmental period may represent a time of particular vulnerability to substance use. Neuroimaging research has largely focused on heavy or binge patterns of substance use; thus, relatively less is known about the neural impact of a broader range of adolescent substance use. Characterizing the neural impact of a broader range of adolescent substance use may inform prevention and treatment efforts. The present study investigated relationships between adolescent substance use trajectories (i.e., alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis) and gray matter volume in young adulthood. Substance use was assessed in 1,594 participants at ages 11, 13, 16, and 19. Following the last assessment, 320 participants completed a single magnetic resonance imaging session to assess brain gray matter volume. Latent growth curve models were used to estimate growth parameters characterizing alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis use trajectories for each participant. These growth parameters (i.e., intercept, linear slope, and quadratic slope) were then used as predictors of gray matter volume. The gray matter volume of the hippocampus was positively associated with age 14 alcohol use (i.e., intercept) but not other trajectories (i.e., progression or acceleration) or substances (tobacco or cannabis). These results provide new insight into the neural impact of distinct adolescent alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis use trajectories, which may help to refine prevention and treatment efforts. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Effect of apple pomace degraded by Pleurotus ostreatus on growth and meat quality parameters of broiler chickens

The objective of this work was to compare the growth and physicochemical parameters of the meat of broiler chickens (Gallus gallus), fed with a supplemented diet (SD) consisting of 3% pleurotin, compared to those obtained when using a traditional diet (CD). Pleurotin is the remaining material from the biodegradation of substrates such as apple pomace used to cultivate the Pleurotus ostreatus fungus. The experience lasted 48 days and in the first eight days, the birds were divided into two groups of 24 individuals, one group for each treatment. On day 12, each initial group was subdivided into four experimental units (replicates) of 6 chickens each. The growth parameters measured were total weight gain (TWG), final live weight (FLW), carcass weight (CW), average daily gain (ADG) in weight, and feed conversion ratio (FCR). Physicochemical parameters such as pH, water content (WC), CIE color, total fat (TF), and fatty acid composition (FAC) were also measured. Statistical analysis was carried out through the t-Student independent samples test. FLW was on average 7.6% significantly higher with SD than with CD, however, no difference was detected in CW. The total ADG was 7.4%, significantly higher with SD while the FCR was 32.0% lower with SD than with CD. No significant differences were found in any of the meat quality parameters measured for the same piece. Despite these latest results in terms of meat quality, it is concluded that the increase found in total ADG and FLW, and an improvement in FCR values with SD favor the use of this amendment in chicken rearing. In addition, the introduction of the by-product of the juice industries of the Río Negro Valley in other production cycles, such as edible mushrooms production and a supplement for bird diets (pleurotin), promotes a circular bioeconomic mechanism.

Osmolyte-producing microbial biostimulants regulate the growth of Arachis hypogaea L. under drought stress

Globally, drought stress poses a significant threat to crop productivity. Improving the drought tolerance of crops with microbial biostimulants is a sustainable strategy to meet a growing population’s demands. This research aimed to elucidate microbial biostimulants’ (Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria) role in alleviating drought stress in oil-seed crops. In total, 15 bacterial isolates were selected for drought tolerance and screened for plant growth-promoting (PGP) attributes like phosphate solubilization and production of indole-3-acetic acid, siderophore, hydrogen cyanide, ammonia, and exopolysaccharide. This research describes two PGPR strains: Acinetobacter calcoaceticus AC06 and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens BA01. The present study demonstrated that these strains (AC06 and BA01) produced abundant osmolytes under osmotic stress, including proline (2.21 and 1.75 µg ml− 1), salicylic acid (18.59 and 14.21 µg ml− 1), trehalose (28.35 and 22.74 µg mg− 1 FW) and glycine betaine (11.35 and 7.74 mg g− 1) respectively. AC06 and BA01 strains were further evaluated for their multifunctional performance by inoculating in Arachis hypogaea L. (Groundnut) under mild and severe drought regimes (60 and 40% Field Capacity). Inoculation with microbial biostimulants displayed distinct osmotic-adjustment abilities of the groundnut, such as growth parameters, plant biomass, photosynthetic pigments, relative water content, proline, and soluble sugar in respective to control during drought. On the other hand, plant sensitivity indexes such as electrolyte leakage and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents were decreased as well as cooperatively conferred plant drought tolerance by induced alterations in stress indicators such as catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Thus, Acinetobacter sp. AC06 and Bacillus sp. BA01 can be considered as osmolyte producing microbial biostimulants to simultaneously induce osmotic tolerance and metabolic changes in groundnuts under drought stress.

The use of He buffer gas for moderating the plume kinetic energy during Nd:YAG-PLD growth of EuxY2−xO3 phosphor films

We have investigated the He buffer gas process of moderating the kinetic energy of the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) plume during EuxY2−xO3 phosphor film growth. When using a neodymium yttrium aluminum garnet laser for PLD thin film growth, the kinetic energy of the ablation plumes can be high enough to cause the formation of point defects in the film. The buffer gas pressure is an important process parameter in PLD film growth. We find that the presence of the He buffer gas reduces the kinetic energy of the laser deposition plume through many low-angle collisions in the gas phase by a factor of 7 without reducing the deposition rate. This is because He is much lighter than any of the elements in the plume and it does not affect the composition of the oxide films. Consequently, the resputtering of the Y2O3 film surface by the plume was significantly suppressed in the presence of the He gas moderator, leading to a decrease of the defect density in the Y2O3 films. The improvement of the film quality was verified by a systematic analysis of time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) data for EuxY2−xO3 composition–gradient films. The PL lifetime and intensity of Eu0.2Y1.8O3, which shows the highest PL intensity, increased by 13.3% and 36.4%, respectively, when the He gas moderation process was used. The He buffer gas process is applicable to the PLD growth of the other oxide materials as well, where the reduction of the kinetic energy of the plume would bring the PLD process closer to the molecular beam epitaxy growth condition.

Green Manure for Sustainable Crop Production: A Review

Green manuring is an economical and eco-friendly scientific approach to achieve more resilient and sustainable food production for agricultural systems. Incorporation of green manure improves soil condition by increasing soil physical, chemical and biological properties such as organic matter, availability of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and also improves soil structure by preventing soil erosion, increasing water holding capacity etc. Green manure acts as a natural fertilizer, releasing nutrients into the soil as it decomposes and increases the nutrient content in the soil and shows positive effect on plant growth and development. Addition of green manure crops contribute to greater fixation of atmospheric nitrogen, and when decomposed, makes the nitrogen availability in the soil, reducing the need for synthetic nitrogen fertilizers in crops. Furthermore, it has a significant impact on several plant growth and yield parameters, resulting in increased agricultural productivity and ecosystem health.

Influence of herbicide-based integrated weed management strategies on growth and yield of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) it Indogangetic plains

In the present study, a field experiment was conducted over two years to evaluate the efficacy and economic performance of imidazolinones. The combined application of imidazolinones with pendimethalin exhibited enhanced effectiveness in controlling the weed populations compared to their individual application. PRE application of pendimethalin + imazethapyr (Ready mix) at 1500 g ha-1, followed by one hoeing at 3-4 leaf stage, proved highly effective in suppressing the dominant weed flora and recorded higher growth parameters and significantly increased the seed yield of fenugreek. Moreover, it emerged as a profitable alternative to the current recommendation of weed control in fenugreek, which involves two hoeing sessions at 25 and 45 days after sowing (DAS).

Preweaning Purified Fucoidan Drench: Effects on Growth, Immune Response, and Intestinal Morphology in Weaned Piglets

Weaning stress imposes considerable physiological challenges on piglets, often manifesting in intestinal disturbances, such as inflammation and compromised barrier function, ultimately affecting growth and health outcomes. While conventional interventions, including antimicrobials, have effectively mitigated these sequelae, concerns surrounding antimicrobial resistance necessitate the exploration of alternatives. Fucoidan, derived from brown seaweed, offers promise due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Previous research has been limited to the in-feed supplementation of partially purified fucoidan extracted from brown seaweed. The focus of the present study is assessing the effect of a preweaning drench with highly purified (85%) fucoidan on piglet growth, immune response, and intestinal morphology post-weaning. Forty-eight male piglets at 17 ± 3 days of age (5.67 ± 0.16 kg) were assigned to a saline (control), fucoidan, or antimicrobial group, receiving treatment as a single 18 mL oral drench three days before weaning. Monitoring for seven days post-weaning included body weight measurements, blood sample collection for the inflammatory protein assay, and small intestine morphological analysis. The findings revealed that the preweaning fucoidan drench did not elicit adverse effects on piglets. However, neither fucoidan nor antimicrobial drenches significantly enhanced growth parameters, immune markers, or intestinal morphology compared to that of the control-treated piglets (p > 0.05). The lack of response may be attributed to the high health status of the experimental cohort and the limitation of a single dosage. Future research should consider a more challenging production setting to evaluate the viability and optimal application of fucoidan as an antimicrobial alternative in the pig industry.

Assessment of textile effluent treatment by immobilized Trametes pubescens MB 89 for plant growth promotion.

Industrialization and the ever-increasing world population have diminished high-quality water resources for sustainable agriculture. It is imperative to effectively treat industrial effluent to render the treated water available for crop cultivation. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of textile effluent treated with Trametes pubescens MB 89 in supporting maize cultivation. The fungal treatment reduced the amounts of Co, Pb and As in the textile effluent. The biological oxygen demand, total dissolved solids and total suspended solids were within the permissible limits in the treated effluent. The data indicated that the irrigation of maize with fungal-treated textile effluent improved the growth parameters of the plant including root, shoot length, leaf area and chlorophyll content. Moreover, better antioxidant activity, total phenol content and protein content in roots, stems and leaves of maize plants were obtained. Photosynthetic parameters (potential quantum yield, electron transport rate and fluorescence yield of non-photochemical losses other than heat) were also improved in the plants irrigated with treated effluent as compared to the control groups. In conclusion, the treatment of textile effluent with the immobilized T. pubescens presents a sustainable solution to minimize chemical pollution and effectively utilize water resources.

The Host Range of Fusarium proliferatum in Western Canada

The Host Range of Fusarium proliferatum in Western Canada

Light as an Orthogonal Synthetic Parameter in Metal Nanoparticle Growth

Light as an Orthogonal Synthetic Parameter in Metal Nanoparticle Growth

The Impact of Music on Orchid plants Growth in Polyhouse Environments

Nature and music, two seemingly disparate elements of human experience, are deeply interconnected in ways that resonate across cultures and time. Both evoke emotions, stir the soul, and inspire creativity, offering profound insights into the human condition and our relationship with the world around us. In essence, nature and music are two expressions of the same universal impulse—the longing to connect with something greater than ourselves, to find beauty and meaning in the world around us. Whether we're listening to the songs of birds at dawn or the symphonies of Beethoven, we are reminded of our place in the vast tapestry of creation, where every note, every sound, is a testament to the wonder and mystery of existence. By carefully considering the environmental factors and designing experiments that account for them, researchers can gain a better understanding of how music influences plant growth and optimize its use in agricultural and horticultural practices. This research paper investigates the potential effects of music on orchid growth within polyhouse environments. Orchids are renowned for their delicate beauty and are cultivated worldwide, often in controlled environments like polyhouses. While studies have explored the influence of various environmental factors on orchid growth, the impact of music remains relatively unexplored. This study aims to fill this gap by examining how exposure to music may affect the growth, development, and overall health of orchids in polyhouse conditions. The research employs a combination of experimental methods, including controlled trials, measurements of plant growth parameters, and analysis of physiological indicators. Additionally, the study considers factors such as the type of music, frequency, volume, and duration of exposure. The findings of this research contribute to our understanding of the complex relationship between plants and their acoustic environment, with potential implications for optimizing orchid cultivation practices in polyhouse settings.

Characterization of Bacillus velezensis DCJ 2 isolated from the rhizosphere soil of aglaonema ‘Maria’ and investigation of its plant growth-promoting effects

Aglaonema ‘Maria’ is one of the key foliage plants that has gained high demand in foreign destinations in the last few years. This study was conducted to characterize Bacillus velezensis DCJ 2, assess its plant growth promotion effect and investigate the effectiveness of different delivery methods of the bacterial inoculum for the growth promotion of Aglaonema ‘Maria’. In this context, DCJ 2, isolated from the rhizosphere soil of A. Maria was screened to investigate its potential as a plant growth-promoting bacterium. The pure culture of DCJ 2 maintained on nutrient agar was utilized for morphological, biochemical and physiological examinations. The molecular characterization of the strain was performed with different primer pairs targeting 16SrRNA, gyrA, pgsB and sugar kinase genes of DCJ 2. A pot experiment was carried out to investigate the plant growth promotion effect. It was conducted in the greenhouse as per the complete randomized block design with eight treatments and five replicates. . Healthy plants of A. ‘Maria’ established in field soil and solarized soil were treated with 100 ml of the suspension of the DCJ 2 at the rate of 10 8 CFU/ml either as a soil drench or foliar spray. The partial 16SrRNA, gyrA, pgsB and sugar kinase gene sequences of DCJ 2, BLAST searched in the NCBI database revealed that it has a high similarity to Bacillus velezensis. The pot experiment showed that the application of strain DCJ 2 as a soil drench to solarized soil (Treatment 6) yielded a significant increase in growth parameters at p=0.05. Based on molecular analysis, morphological, biochemical, and physiological reactions, DCJ 2 was identified as Bacillus velezensis. This study revealed that B. velezensis DCJ 2 has the potential to boost the growth of A. Maria and hence serve as a base for developing a biofertilizer.

Effect of dietary seaweed Caulerpa racemosa on growth, biochemical, non-specific immunity, and disease resistance to Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Cirrhinus mrigala

BackgroundThe green seaweed Caulerpa racemosa possesses highly potential elements in animal forages and human use since ancient times. The current study was designed to investigate the antioxidants, phytochemical properties of C. racemosa, as well as their effects on growth parameters, biochemical components, non-specific immunological parameters, and disease resistance to P. aeruginosa in Cirrhinus mrigala. The experimental group, divided into five groups as T1–T5. T2–T5, was given C. racemosa extract at concentrations of 0.5%, 2.5%, 4.5%, & 6.5% supplemented with basal diets. T1's group food is devoid of extract and acts as a control, and the trial lasted forty-five days.ResultsC. racemosa exhibited dose-dependent antioxidant activity. The highest levels of DPPH (61.21%), ABTS (70.55%), and H2O2 (66.55%) scavenging activities were obtained at 100 µg/ml 100 μg/ml. GC–MS analysis revealed phytoconstituents in the crude extract, such as palmitolinoleic acid, butanoic acid, arachidonate, linoleic acid, vaccenic acid, octadecenoic acid, trans-phytol, and eicosanoids. Among these different concentrations, 4.5% C. racemosa supplemented diet produced a significantly higher growth metrics of C. mrigala’s (WG, SGR, FCR), biochemical constituents, when compared to other concentrations. In a post-challenge trial, 4.5% C. racemosa extract meals increased C. mrigala SOD, CAT, non-specific immune response (lysozyme, NBT, phagocytic activity), and haematological (RBC, WBC, HCT & Hb) parameters when compared to other experiments.ConclusionsThe findings revealed that 4.5% of C. racemosa may be supplied in the diet of C. mrigala to regulate better survival growth performance and haematological parameters.

Direct growth of highly oriented GaN thin films on silicon by remote plasma CVD

We report on low-temperature (500 °C) and low-pressure (0.3 mbar) direct growth of GaN thin films on silicon (100) substrates using remote plasma chemical vapour deposition (RP-CVD). In the custom-designed reactor, an RF inductively coupled plasma is generated remotely from the substrate’s area to facilitate the decomposition of group-V precursor, N2 with added H2, while group-III precursor trimethylgallium (TMGa), is directly injected into the growth chamber mixed with H2 carrier gas. Growth parameters such as RF power, process pressure and gas flow rates have been optimized to achieve a film growth rate of about 0.6 µm h−1. Several characterization techniques were used to investigate the plasma and the properties of the grown thin films in terms of their crystallinity, morphology, topography, and composition. The films are highly textured with a preferential orientation along the c-axis of the wurtzite structure. They present a small roughness in the nanometer range and a columnar microstructure with a grain size of one hundred nanometer, and a gallium polarity (+c plane oriented). Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and nuclear reaction analysis show that the chemical composition is homogeneous through the depth of the layer, with a III/V ratio close to 1, a very low content of oxygen (below the detection limit ∼1%) and a carbon content up to 11%. It was shown that the increase of plasma power helps to reduce this carbon contamination down to 8%. This research paves the way for a growth method compatible with cost reduction of III–V thin film production achieved through reduced gas consumption facilitated by RP-CVD operation at low pressure.

Low-cost Nursery Media for Improving Germination of Chip Budded Seedlings for SSI

The quality and vigour of the chip budded seedlings are important components in SSI technology which in turn, depends on the nature of growing media. The most commonly used media for chip budded seedlings is pure coco peat which is a costlier one and availability is also restricted. Hence an alternate organic media to pure coco peat compressing low cost organic sources viz., Press mud, Coco peat, Coir pith, Town Compost and Vermicompost are essential to widespread this technology. Hence, an experiment was conducted at Sugarcane Research Station, Sirugamani in 2013-14 to find out suitable low cost media for producing vigorous seedlings of chip budded seedlings of Sugarcane. The experiment was conducted in RBD with 11 treatments comprising of different media with three replications. The treatments include Composted Coir pith :Vermicompost @2:1 ratio (T1), Composted coir pith + press mud @ 2:1 ratio (T2),Composted Coir pith :Vermicompost @3:1 ratio (T3), Composted coir pith + press mud @ 3:1 ratio (T4), Bagasse + Press mud @ 1:1 ratio (T5), Banana leaf compost: Press mud @1:2ratio (T6), Sugarcane trash Compost + press mud @ 1:1ratio (T7), Municipal Waste (Town Compost) + Sugarcane trash compost + Press mud @ 1:1 ratio (T7), Municipal waste (town Compost) + Sugarcane trash compost @ 1:1 ratio (T8), Composted Coir pith clone (Coco peat) (T9), Press mud alone (T10), Farm boon (composted press mud) (T11). Single budded chip buds from the healthy mother canes o TNAU Sugarcane Si 7 variety were prepared using bud chipper machine and the same was treated with 0.05% Carbendazim, Malathion 2% and Urea @ 1 for 15 minutes. The chip buds were shade dried for 2 hours and then planted in the pro trays filled with the media as per the treatments. The nursery media in different treatments were prepared using bud chipper machine and the same materials as per the treatments, half filed in the pro trays and the treated chip buds were planted in slanting position in the canes of the trays and then covered with the respective media. The trays were incubated for 5 days to induce sprouting and then kept under 50 % shade ned and water was sprinkled every day on the pro trays the grown up seedlings were observed for different growth parameters viz., Germination %, Survival percentage, Root and Shoot length, Shoot and root dry weight, dry matter production and vigour index.The results revealed that there was a significant difference on germination recorded at 20 DAS due to different nursery media tried. Higher germination of 66.93% was observed with T3 treatment (coir pith + Vermicompost @ 3: 1 ratio) It was on par with T6 treatment (Banana leaf Compost: Press mud % 1:2 ratio) and T10 treatment (Press mud alone). Regarding survival % recorded at 30 DAS, the higher revival % was recorded with T3 treatment. However, it was on par with T4, T5 & T10 treatments (Bagasse: press mud @ 1:2 ratio). The lower shoot length was recorded with T11 treatment where the nursery media of farm boon was used. There was no significant difference in influencing root length and number of leaves / seedling and root / shot ratio due to different treatments (nursery media) tried.

Optimum intra-row spacing and clove size for the economical production of garlic (Allium sativum L.) in Northwestern Highlands of Ethiopia

Abstract Garlic is one of the most important cash crops cultivated by smallholder farmers throughout Ethiopia. However, due to inappropriate agronomic practices including clove size and intra-row spacing, the productivity of the crop is low in the country. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted during the 2019 main cropping season under rain feed conditions to identify the optimum clove size and intra-row spacing for the economical production of garlic in Lay Gayint district, Northwestern Ethiopia. Local garlic cultivar obtained from farmers was used as a test crop. A factorial combination of three clove sizes and four intra-row spacings was used in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The results revealed that the main as well as the interaction effects of clove size and intra-row spacing influenced most of the tested growth and yield parameters of garlic. The longest plant height (73.77 cm) was recorded from garlic plants grown at 5 cm intra-row spacing, while the shortest plant height (66.98 cm) was from plants grown at 12.5 cm. The treatment combination of large-sized clove and 12.5 cm intra-row spacing recorded the longest leaf length (61.07 cm), the highest leaf number (7.79), bulb diameter (4.98 cm), bulb weight (33.83 g), and clove weight (2.71 g) of garlic. However, the treatment combination of large-sized cloves and 7.5 cm intra-row spacing produced the highest marketable (13.44 t ha−1) bulb yield. Based on the partial budget analysis, however, medium-sized cloves (1.5–1.99 g) planted at 10 cm intra-row spacing recorded the highest net benefit (723,205 Eth-Birr ha−1) with an acceptable marginal rate of return (3277.3%). Therefore, growing garlic using medium-sized cloves (1.5–1.99 g) at 10 cm intra-row spacing is recommended for economical production of garlic by smallholder farmers in the study area and areas with similar agroecology.

Effect of FYM and Different Levels of Panchgavya on Growth and Establishment of Papaya (Carica papaya L.) cv. Red Lady

Today, with the advancement of environment pollution and health that is obtained from the improper use of inorganic fertilizer, production and use of organic fertilizer is considered as an important approach in the field of soil science in the world’s interest to investors. Research was conducted during the period 2023 on central research farm of department of horticulture, (NAI) SHUATS, Prayagraj. Field trial was designed on Randomized Block Design with three replications and ten treatments. Seedling were raised in polybag and 45 days old seedling were transplanted to the main field. Manure and fertilizer were applied as per treatment in ten equal split doses at 30,60 and 90days intervals. The treatment T9 (RDF) FYM+ Panchgavya (90ml/l) registered significantly maximum vegetative growth, chlorophyll content and survivality %. On the basis of our experimental findings, it can be concluded that the best result was found in treatment T9 (RDF) FYM+ Panchgavya (90ml/l) in term of vegetative growth parameters viz., plant height (cm), Number of leaves per plant, stem diameter (mm), leaf area (cm2) and root to shoot ratio, leaf area index (LAI), chlorophyll content and survivality % of papaya (Carica papaya L.) cv. Red lady.