Levels Of Supply Research Articles

P106: Continuing the catheter pack quality improvement project

Abstract Background Up to 90,000 patients have a urinary catheter in the community. Although they can be life saving they have been estimated to cost the NHS £1 – 2.5 billion/yr in adverse events. Patient education, as well as ensuring the correct equipment is being used, has been shown to reduce ED attendances and improve patient satisfaction. However, the use of specific “catheter packs” containing replacement equipment and “catheter passports” with information on catheter care is an under researched area. Methods We surveyed 175 patients at our TWOC clinic post-intervention. Results Only 10/86 patients (11.63%) who did not receive a catheter pack reported having enough supplies. 75/85 patients (88.24%) who received a catheter pack reported having enough supplies (p<0.01). 45/143 patients (31.47%) that were not given a catheter passport reported complications. 5/20 patients (25%) that were given a catheter passport reported complications. In the group who were not given catheter packs the rate was 0.56 ED attendances per patient. The re-attendance rate in those who were given a catheter pack was statistically significantly lower at 0.20 (p<0.01). We have shown that the introduction of catheter packs has increased the number of patients with appropriate levels of home supplies, which corresponded with a reduced ED attendance rate before their TWOC clinic appointment. Conclusions Although we have shown a reduction in the number of reported complications in those who were given a catheter passport, our test was underpowered highlighting the need for further research in this area.

Soil microbial functional profiles of P-cycling reveal drought-induced constraints on P-transformation in a hyper-arid desert ecosystem

Soil water conditions are known to influence soil nutrient availability, but the specific impact of different conditions on soil phosphorus (P) availability through the modulation of P-cycling functional microbial communities in hyper-arid desert ecosystems remains largely unexplored. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a 3-year pot experiment using a typical desert plant species (Alhagi sparsifolia Shap.) subjected to two water supply levels (25 %–35 % and 65 %–75 % of maximum field capacity, MFC) and four P-supply levels (0, 1, 3, and 5 g P m−2 y−1). Our investigation focused on the soil Hedley-P pool and the four major microbial groups involved in the critical phases of soil microbial P-cycling. The results revealed that the drought (25 %–35 % MFC) and no P-supply treatments reduced soil resin-P and NaHCO3-Pi concentrations by 87.03 % and 93.22 %, respectively, compared to the well-watered (65 %–75 % MFC) and high P-supply (5 g P m−2 y−1) treatments. However, the P-supply treatment resulted in a 12 %–22 % decrease in the soil NH4+-N concentration preferred by microbes compared to the no P-supply treatment. Moreover, the abundance of genes engaged in microbial P-cycling (e.g. gcd and phoD) increased under the drought and no P-supply treatments (p < 0.05), suggesting that increased NH4+-N accumulation under these conditions may stimulate P-solubilizing microbes, thereby promoting the microbial community's investment in resources to enhance the P-cycling potential. Furthermore, the communities of Steroidobacter cummioxidans, Mesorhizobium alhagi, Devosia geojensis, and Ensifer sojae, associated with the major P-cycling genes, were enriched in drought and no or low-P soils. Overall, the drought and no or low-P treatments stimulated microbial communities and gene abundances involved in P-cycling. However, this increase was insufficient to maintain soil P-bioavailability. These findings shed light on the responses and feedback of microbial-mediated P-cycling behaviors in desert ecosystems under three-year drought and soil P-deficiency.

Bean Sprouts, Lettuce, and Milk as Water Sources in Tenebrio molitor Larval Growth.

The Tenebrio molitor larva (yellow mealworm) holds great potential as a sustainable ingredient in food and feed. Optimizing its growth under mass farming requires careful water management. However, the availability and cost of fresh fruit and vegetables, which are the most widely used sources of water, can vary geographically, which calls for the search for relatively affordable, effective, and readily available alternatives. We evaluated the effect of three water sources (bean sprouts, lettuce leaves, and milk) as well as their quantity on weights and nutrient profiles of reared T. molitor larvae. Newly hatched mealworm larvae were maintained in controlled conditions of 25 °C and 60% relative humidity under a 12-h light-dark cycle for 15 weeks. When provided as sole-supplements, bean sprouts induced the highest larval weight gains compared to fresh lettuce leaves, which in turn performed better than milk and water. However, the addition of milk to the vegetable supplements enhanced growth. Furthermore, doubling the level of water supply resulted in 70% higher larval weights by week 14 post hatching. Moreover, water sources did not change the nutrient content of the harvested larvae. These findings suggest that mealworm productivity can be enhanced by increasing water feed levels and that bean sprouts may be a superior alternative to lettuce.

Optimizing bike rebalancing strategies in free-floating bike-sharing systems: An enhanced distributionally robust approach

Bike-sharing systems are important components of urban transportation systems that facilitate short-distance travel. In recent years, free-floating bike-sharing systems have become popular. However, a major problem in such systems is the increasing number of idle bikes due to their spatial dispersion, which leads to a loss of demand and difficulty in bike rebalancing. To overcome these drawbacks, operators reserve parking areas, and laborers are incorporated into the bike rebalancing operation. We propose a novel dynamic bike rebalancing strategy based on trucks and laborers for free-floating bike-sharing systems. This strategy combines bike collection by laborers and bike transportation by trucks for rebalancing operations. In addition, we consider broken bike detection by laborers and user dynamics in two extension models. Because of the demand uncertainty in bike-sharing systems, we employ an enhanced distributionally robust optimization (EDRO) approach to protect against uncertainty. A target-level constraint is added to the general distributionally robust optimization (DRO) model to further improve the out-of-sample performance. An adaptive robust strategy is also employed to avoid overly conservative solutions. Furthermore, a linear decision rule is adopted to reformulate the EDRO model into a mixed-integer programming model, which guarantees computational tractability. The results of numerical experiments show that the EDRO model outperforms other benchmark models on a series of measures. Moreover, we verify the value of laborers in dynamic rebalancing operations and explore the effect of different bike supply levels and several other parameters on the value of laborers. We also test how the target-level parameter affects the model performance.

The Influence of Geographical Environment on Public Social Trust: What Role Do Tourism Activities Play?

Social trust is derived from the interaction of environmental and social factors, which has important significance for the sustainable development of society and social governance. In particular, in the post-pandemic era, tourist activity will receive special attention in terms of its role in the development of the public's social trust. On the basis of the sample of big data, this research takes China as an example to study the influences of different geographical and environmental elements on individuals' social trust as well as the common role played by the tourist activity. The research showed that the geographical environment and tourism activities have interacting effects on public social trust. This influencing mechanism is specifically manifested as the rice-growing ratio and tourist reception level can have interacting effects on the social trust of the residents in a tourist destination; pathogen stress and tourist supply level can exert interacting effects on the social trust of the residents in an area from which tourists originate; and economic development and tourist reception level can have interacting effects on the social trust of the residents in a tourist destination. By doing so, this research provides theoretical support and practical suggestions for the recovery of the public's social trust from the perspective of tourism geography in the post-pandemic era.

ОБОСНОВАНИЕ ПРИМЕНЕНИЯ ЭЛЕМЕНТА КАПЕЛЬНОГО ПОЛИВА ДЛЯ ОПТИМИЗАЦИИ ГИДРОТРОФИЧЕСКОГО РЕЖИМА ДЫНИ В УСЛОВИЯХ ЗАЩИЩЕННОГО ГРУНТА

The aim of the study is to investigate the possibilities of using drip irrigation to optimize the hydrotrophic regime of melon in protected ground conditions. The object of the study is the melon crop of the F1 Polidor variety. The study was carried out in 2021–2023 at the enterprise of OJSC Vysokovsky Greenhouse Plant (Kostroma Region) under the adopted technology for growing F1 Polidor melon (control – drip irrigation) and using an additional element of the GTK drip irrigation system (experiment). The experiment was carried out on an area of 200 m2 (the size of the survey site is 25 m2) in accordance with the approved methods. Hydrotrophic capsules were installed when planting seedlings in the ground at the rate of 1 hydrocapsule per 2 plants, while 2 capillaries of the automated irrigation system were mounted in the lid. The frequency and level of water and nutrient solutions supply were programmed in accordance with the requirements of the biology of the crop and were carried out centrally. The experiment was repeated 4 times. Optimization of the water and nutrient supply regime for melons contributed to the development of a powerful root system with a positively changed anatomical and morphological (increase in root system weight by 125.7 g/plant, decrease in the number of root hairs and increase in the size of xylem vessels to 0.32 mm) and functional structure (101 % more working adsorbing surface of roots), increasing the physiological activity of above-ground organs in terms of photosynthetic productivity to 0.99 mgC/dm2/h and reducing water losses by 3.4 %/h/plant, which affected the formation of additional melon production of 8.9 t/ha with high accumulation of sugars (16.4 %) and vitamin C (8.9 mg%). Reducing the costs of additional water consumption will have a positive effect on the cost of production and on the economy of the enterprise as a whole. In greenhouse conditions, a favorable climate will be created for the working personnel, the amount of weeding will be reduced, and the risk of allergic reactions to mold spores will be reduced.

Military Experience of Senior Executives and Business Credit Supply of Enterprises

This study is based on the data of Chinese A-share listed companies from 2005 to 2022 and empirically examines the relationship between senior executives' military experience and the supply of commercial credit by enterprises. The research findings suggest that senior executives with military experience can significantly enhance the level of commercial credit supply by the company. The mechanism analysis indicates that top executives' military experience promotes the provision of greater business credit through two pathways: mitigating the level of information asymmetry within the company and strengthening the effectiveness of internal controls. Heterogeneity tests reveal that the positive impact of top executives' military experience on the acquisition of commercial credit supply is particularly pronounced in eastern region companies as well as state-owned holding companies. This study addresses the existing research gap by shedding light on the specific effects and pathways of top executives' military experience in promoting the provision of business credit, thus enhancing our understanding of their personal traits and life experiences. Furthermore, it provides valuable insights for improving the evaluation system of commercial credit within enterprises.

Evaluation Framework for Multi-Modal Public Transport Systems Based on Connectivity and Transfers at Stop Level

Multi-modal public transport (PT) networks within metropolitan areas are often characterized by complexity resulting mainly from their infrastructure, design, operations, and demand. This complexity leads to a significant amount of effort on behalf of the transit agencies to properly evaluate their performance at certain locations and proceed with improvements. This study proposes a methodology based on clustering techniques that facilitates the evaluation of PT networks. The evaluation framework refers to the comparison between the levels of supply and demand at a certain stop. Service supply is quantified through an existing connectivity index, whereas demand is considered through the number of transfers that are performed at each stop. Transfers are critical within multi-modal mobility and often serve as a hindrance for choosing PT. The case study here is the Helsinki PT network in Finland. General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) data are used for quantifying connectivity and a dataset deriving from smartphone ticketing application for quantifying transfers. Results include the evaluation for each PT mode and for the overall multi-modal PT network. Focusing on the evaluation of the overall multi-modal PT network, connectivity and transfers levels for 75.60% of stops are found to be well aligned. Therefore, these stops could be eliminated from the list of candidate stops for performing improvements. Of the remaining stops, 19.73% belongs to the case of higher connectivity than transfers and 4.67% to the case of lower connectivity than transfers. Stops included in these two cases require further attention and prioritization during planning processes.

Supply of Medical Aids in home Mechanical Ventilation: needs-Based and Safe? - The Views of Stakeholders Related to the Care Process on the Current Status and Perspectives

The supply of medical aids is essential for patients with home mechanical ventilation. However, it is largely unclear to what extent this supply is needs-based and safe. As part of a health services research project, 20 expert interviews were conducted with a heterogeneous group of stakeholders related to ventilation-specific medical aids supply. The interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The interviewees pointed to challenges and problems regarding structural, procedural and personal aspects at all levels of medical aids supply. In particular, deficits in task performance, coordination and cooperation between the stakeholders and authorities involved became apparent. Such might result in avoidable safety risks and hinder needs-oriented supply of medical aids. Further development in ventilation-associated medical aids supply is needed, with focus on evidence-based practices, a comprehensive, cross-sectoral and cross-professional design as well as systematic evaluation.

Public policies to foster green hydrogen seasonal storage: Portuguese study case model until 2040

Portugal made a climate commitment when it ratified the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015. As a result, Portugal, along with other EU members, has created a national roadmap for the deployment of hydrogen as a crucial component of Portugal's energy transition towards carbon neutrality, creating synergies between the electric and gas systems.The increased variability of generation from variable renewable power sources will create challenges regarding the security of supply, requiring investment in storage solutions to minimize renewable energy curtailment and to provide dispatchability to the electric power system. Hydrogen can be a renewable energy carrier capable of ensuring not only the desired transformation of the infrastructures of the gas system but also an integrator of the Electric System, such as in Power-to-Power (P2P) systems. Hydrogen can be produced with a surplus of renewable electricity from wind and solar, allowing a long-term energy seasonal storage strategy, namely by using underground salt caverns, to be subsequently transformed into electricity when demand cannot be supplied due to a shortage of renewable generation from solar or wind.P2P investments are capital intensive and require the development of transitional regulation mechanisms to both create opportunities to market agents while fostering the energy surplus valuation and decreasing the energy dependency. In order to maintain the electric system's security of supply, the suggested methodology innovatively manages the importance of seasonal storage of renewable energy surplus using hydrogen in power systems. It suggests a novel set of regulatory strategies to foster the creation of a P2P solution that maintains generation adequacy while assisting in decarbonising the electric power industry. Such methodology combines long-term adequacy assessment with regulatory framework evaluation to evaluate the cost of the proposed solutions to the energy system.A case study based on the Portuguese power system outlook between 2030 and 2040 demonstrates that the considerable renewable energy surplus can be stored as hydrogen and converted back into electricity to assure adequate security of supply levels throughout the year with economic feasibility under distinct public policy models.

Variable analysis for supporting reservoir impounding modeling

The impounding stage of the reservoir is a stage after the implementation of dam construction is finished. The process of reservoir impounding is started by closing the tunnel diversion gate and the elevation of the water level will be moving up slowly. The speed of the increasing reservoir water level elevation is affected by the dry season or rainy season, so it is arranged in such a way for obtaining the daily increase is not more than 1.0 m/day, due to dam safety. This research intends to build this modeling, at first by studying which variables are affecting in order to get the safe period of impounding. The methodology consists of a correlation analysis of inflow, outflow, and the ratio between storage volume and inflow volume to the optimal impounding equation. The statistical hydrology approach is used in this modeling that will assess the 7 observed reservoir impounding which is started from base elevation until Full Supply Level (FSL). This modeling will help in decision-making about the selection of the safe and optimal period of reservoir impounding. At the end of impounding, the reservoir will be full and it starts to be allocated regarding the utilization that has been designed.

Effects of Macroeconomic Variables on the Performance of Mutual Funds: Evidence from Bangladesh Financial Market

Using multiple regression analysis in this research paper, this is examined that these macroeconomic variables (Money Supply-M2, Inflation Rates and Exchange Rates) have significant relationships with the performance of mutual funds (represented by monthly return based on NAV) in Bangladesh. According to this project paper, money supply M2 has negative relationship with the performance of mutual funds in the financial market of Bangladesh. Because, higher level of money supply in the market weaken the monetary value of taka which makes the market more vulnerable. And this vulnerable market leads a negative impact on the whole financial market as well as mutual fund industry. Interest rates have positive relationship with the performance of mutual funds in the financial market of Bangladesh because higher level of interest rate increases the tendency of savings in the ultimate consumers and they try to consume less and save more. This savings is going to be invested in the capital market as well as in mutual fund industry which leads the market to a better position for the fund managers. Inflation rates have negative relationship with the performance of mutual funds in the financial market of Bangladesh as the higher level of inflation make the price of commodities higher and the monetary price of the taka lower. This tendency of making the less value of money, most of the investors want to withdraw their investment from the market which leads a downturn in the financial market as well as in the mutual fund industry. At the end, exchange rates have positive relationship with the performance of mutual funds as the higher level of exchange rate makes the Bangladeshi taka more powerful in the international market.

The values of cultural goods and cultural capital externalities: state of the art and future research prospects

Cultural economics has largely looked toward environmental economics and used non-market valuation techniques such as contingent valuation to estimate the total economic value of cultural goods. These methods are well suited to the valuation of cultural heritage goods, where the benefits are mostly related to the level of supply and mainly take the form of existence and bequest values. This stands in contrast to cultural institutions such as theatres, libraries, exhibitions, and concerts, where the value is produced, when the goods are consumed. For this type of cultural goods, I suggest that cultural economics rather turn to find inspiration in the economics of education. The value of schooling can be divided into private returns and social returns (human capital externalities). Likewise, the value of cultural consumption can have a private and a public component, where I suggest labeling the public component cultural capital externalities. The idea is that when private consumption of arts and culture is taking place, the individual will accumulate cultural capital. This accumulated cultural capital can impact other people (e.g., through changed behavior, future decisions or interactions) and create externalities, i.e., the cultural capital externalities. The size of the externalities is expected to increase (or decrease) with the level of consumption. Without the consumption by the users, no externalities are produced. While this is one of the most fundamental arguments for cultural policy, it has not yet been extensively studied within cultural economics.

Impact of Deficit Irrigation Strategies Using Saline Water on Soil and Peach Tree Yield in an Arid Region of Tunisia

Sustainable fruit orchard development in arid areas is severely affected by the scarcity of fresh water. To mitigate the lack of fresh water, the use of low-quality water for irrigation is becoming a common practice in several margin areas. However, salinity is considered one of the most important environmental constraints limiting the successful crop production. Therefore, the effects of deficit irrigation strategies using saline water (3.1 dS m−1) on soil water content, soil salinity, and yield of commercial peach orchard were investigated. Three irrigation treatments were considered: a Control, full irrigated (FI); and partial root-zone drying (PRD50); and deficit irrigation (DI) strategies irrigated at 50% ETc. These levels of water supply allowed for contrasting watering conditions with clear distinction between irrigation treatments. The differential pattern in soil moisture was accompanied by that of soil salinity with an increase in all FI treatments (16–25%). The results indicated that soil salinity increased with increasing water supply and evaporative demand during the growing season from January (3.2 dS m−1) to August (6.6 dS m−1). Deficit irrigation strategies (DI, PRD50) induced more soil salinity along the row emitter compared to the Control due to insufficient leaching fractions. By the end of the growing season, the soil salinity under long-term saline drip irrigation remained stable (5.3–5.7 dS m−1). An efficient leaching action seemed to be guaranteed by rainfall and facilitated by sandy soil texture, as well as the high evaporative demand and the important salt quantity supplied, which maintain the deficit irrigation strategies as valuable tools for water saving and improving water productivity. The significant water saving of 50% of water requirements induced a fruit yield loss of 20%. For this reason, DI and PRD50 could be reasonable irrigation management tools for saving water and controlling soil salinity in arid areas and on deep sandy soil.

Comparison of the nutritional composition of supermarket plant-based meat and dairy alternatives with the Australian Food Composition Database

Globally, plant-based alternatives for meat and dairy have become readily available in supermarkets, and their nutritional composition varies due to the broad range of ingredients used. Food composition databases, such as the Australian Food Composition Database (AFCD), provide nutrient reference values for a range of foods. However, it is unclear if, and to what extent, the data within the AFCD of core plant-based alternatives reflects the food supply. This study aimed to examine the range and nutrient composition of plant-based meat and dairy alternatives available in Australian supermarkets and compare this with the AFCD. In 2022, 249 dairy alternatives and 455 meat alternatives were collected from eight supermarkets (Melbourne, Australia). Two thirds of dairy alternatives and one third of meat alternatives were not reflected in the AFCD. This was due to more product options within categories, such as the variety of canned beans/legumes (n = 96) and flavoured milk substitutes (n = 34) available in supermarkets, and a greater variety of main ingredients used, most notably for cheese substitutes (n = 52). Findings highlight the challenges of food composition databases in keeping up to date with the fast-growing plant-based sector. Outcomes from this study have implications for monitoring the food supply and population level dietary data.

Nitrogen Loss and Migration in Rice Fields under Different Water and Fertilizer Modes.

Irrigating aquaculture wastewater in appropriate irrigation and drainage modes in paddy fields could reduce water and fertilizer loss. However, the precise mechanisms involved in the degradation and movement of nitrogen in various water and fertilizer modes are still not fully understood. This study involves conducting a controlled experiment using barrels to examine the effects of various water quality, irrigation and drainage methods, and fertilization levels. The aim is to analyze the patterns of nitrogen degradation, loss, migration, and absorption in surface water, underground drainage, and soil leakage at different depths. The results showed the following: (1) The paddy field has a significant purification effect on aquaculture wastewater after one day of irrigation, reached at 78.55-96.06%. (2) Aquaculture wastewater irrigation increased nitrogen concentration in the plough layer, which helps rice roots absorb nitrogen and boosts plant TN. (3) In special dry years, underground seepage is the predominant method of nitrogen loss, and underground drainage nitrogen concentration peaks 2-6 days after fertilization. (4) Under aquaculture wastewater irrigation, the TN loss load of II decreased by 27.65-42.45% than FSI. Compared with IA-80, the TN degradation rate of IA in surface water increased by 18.51%, TN loss load decreased by 5.48%, TN absorption rate significantly increased by 14.61%, and yield increased by 31.14% significantly. IA is recommended in special dry years, which can improve the TN absorption rate and ensure high yield while significantly reducing the loss load of nitrogen. The findings can provide a basis for the purification of aquaculture wastewater through paddy field ecosystems in response to fertilizer supply levels.

The effects of atmospheric nitrogen deposition in coral-algal phase shifts on remote coral reefs

Remote seawater has been considered a potential refuge for corals in the face of anthropogenic disturbances. However, these remote areas may receive increased atmospheric N deposition, and the ecological consequences remain unclear. This field survey revealed coral-algal phase shifts in the mid-north of the South China Sea. These shifts were observed in 44%, 13.6%, and 26.5% of the sampled reef sites at depths of 1-4 m, 5-8 m, and 10-15 m, respectively. Over 50% of sections in the deeper depths hosted fewer corals compared to shallower areas, coinciding with a higher abundance of macroalgae in the deeper layers. Furthermore, based on long-term observation of atmospheric N flux, laboratory experiments were conducted to explore the cause of coral declines. The results indicate that N supply efficiently promoted macroalgae growth. The saturation of N absorption by macroalgae occurred within 2 weeks, leading to nutrient accumulation in seawater, especially nitrate, which had a direct impact on corals. While moderate N fluxes appeared to mitigate coral bleaching, high N fluxes, even with a balanced P supply or medium level of nutrients with an imbalanced N/P ratio, can both increase the susceptibility of corals to heat bleaching. This study explains the coral-algal phase shift in remote and relatively deep seawater and improves understanding of the cause-and-effect relationship between atmospheric N deposition and coral reef decline.

Perbandingan Kualitas Pot Hitam dan Softpot Terhadap Pertumbuhan Vegetatif Anggrek Dendrobium sonia ersakul

The aim of this research is to compare the quality of black pots and soft pots on the vegetative growth of the Dendrobium sonia ersakul orchid. The method used was perfect randomization with one treatment, namely black pot and soft pot. Data analysis used a two-way t-test at the 5% level. The results of the research show that using different types of pots can make a real difference to the parameters of plant height, length of shoots and number of new roots, but does not make a real difference to root length. The difference in the quality of the two pots is influenced by the level of water supply to the plant, plant drainage, and the level of oxygen absorption in the roots. Keywords: Dendrobium Orchid, Vegetative Growth, Black Pot, Softpot

ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИЕ МЕТОДА «ЗАТРАТЫ – ВЫПУСК» ДЛЯ ОБОСНОВАНИЯ СТРАТЕГИЧЕСКИХ ПРОЕКТОВ ОБЕСПЕЧЕНИЯ ПРОДОВОЛЬСТВЕННОЙ БЕЗОПАСНОСТИ РОССИИ

The article contains a theoretical justification for the methods of intersectoral economics of the agri-food complex, based on the use of the author’s modification of input-output tables for the development and implementation of strategic projects to ensure food security in Russia. The key factors for sustainable growth of gross value added and final products in the country’s agri-food complex have been identified. A methodology has been developed for forecasting the vector of Russian food exports as a process with a high level of uncertainty. The influence of the spatial factor on the level and quality of food supply for the regional population has been revealed. The features of the matrices of direct and total cost coefficients have been studied, their relative stability in the medium term has been proven, opening up new opportunities for using the inputoutput method to justify strategic projects. A multi-level system of models is proposed, the basis of which is the inter-product balances of enterprises in the agri-food complex. The priorities for the structural modernization of the agri-food complex have been identified. The strategic directions for the development of institutions that ensure the growth of food consumption by the regional population are substantiated. Methodological recommendations have been developed for managing strategic projects to ensure the country’s food security in the context of new global challenges.

Exploring the Effect of Humic Acid on Chlorophyll Levels in Japanese Mint under Drip and Flood Irrigation Amidst Water and Nutrient Constraints

A field experiment on Mentha (Mentha arvensis L.) was conducted during the spring seasons of 2022 and 2023 at G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar. The objective was to investigate the impact of foliar spray of humic acid on SPAD values under conditions of limited water and nutrients. The experiment comprised two drip irrigation levels (80% and 100% of crop evapotranspiration) and four nutrient management practices. These practices included: 25% NPK basal + 75% NPK fertigation, 50% NPK basal + 50% NPK fertigation, No basal + 75% NPK fertigation + three foliar sprays of humic acid at 0.3%, and 25% NPK basal + 50% NPK fertigation + three foliar sprays of humic acid at 0.3%. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with three replicates (factorial), and an extra control was included. The control followed conventional practices, where the crop received recommended doses of fertilizers (N: P2O5: K2O @ 120:60:40 kg/ha) and was irrigated at an IW: CPE ratio of 1.2 with a 5 cm irrigation depth. Significantly higher SPAD values were observed when the crop was irrigated at 100% ETc level of drip irrigation and with nutrient management practices involving foliar application of humic acid, compared to 80% ETc level of drip irrigation and total NPK supply through chemical fertilizers, respectively. At harvest, crops irrigated at 100% ETc level recorded SPAD readings that were 11.1% and 18% higher than those irrigated at 80% ETc level during 2022 and 2023, respectively. The humic acid application helped to maintain the SPAD values even after a 25% reduction in nutrient dosage. SPAD values for control were significantly lower than the combination of best nutrient management practices with either 80 or 100% ETc level of drip irrigation.