Micronutrient Availability Research Articles

In situ measurements of micronutrient dynamics in open seawater show that complex dissociation rates may limit diatom growth

In this first in situ study of the dynamic availability of phytoplankton micronutrients, a SeaExplorer glider was combined with Diffusive Gradients in Thin Films and deployed in the Mediterranean Sea. On the basis of their labile metal complex pools, we discovered that Fe and Co can be potentially limiting and Cu co-limiting to diatom growth, contrary to the generally accepted view that phosphorus (phosphate) is the growth limiting element in the Mediterranean Sea. For flagellates and picoplankton, phosphorus remains the main element limiting growth. Our in situ measurements showed that organic complexes of Fe and Cu (>98% of total dissolved concentration), dissociate slower than inorganic complexes of Co, Cd and Ni (>99% of total dissolved concentration being free ions and inorganic complexes). This strengthens the potential growth limiting effect of Fe and Cu versus phosphate, which is present as a free ion and, thus, directly available for plankton.

Micronutrient Availability in Alternative Foods During Agricultural Catastrophes

Several catastrophes could block the sun, including asteroid/comet impact, super volcanic eruption, and nuclear war with the burning of cities (nuclear winter). Previous work has analyzed alternate food supplies (e.g., mushrooms growing on dead trees, bacteria growing on natural gas). This was shown to be technically capable of feeding everyone with macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and lipids) and minerals, although economics and politics remain uncertain. The present work analyzes vitamin availability in such alternative food scenarios. The vitamin content of various alternate foods is compared to the US recommended daily allowance (RDA) as well as the average requirement defined by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and insufficiencies of single food sources are discussed. Single alternate food sources are always deficient in some vitamins, and the problems associated with this are discussed. To prevent disease in an alternative food scenario a wide range of foods must be consumed, or the diet must be supplemented. Backup plans discussed include chemical synthesis of vitamins, plants grown with artificial light and growing bacteria rich in certain vitamins. Finally, insights from this analysis are provided for combating existing micronutritional deficiencies using alternative foods today.

Soil Micronutrient Availability as Affected by Land Use and Management in a Tropical Volcanic Mountain Area of West Sumatra, Indonesia

Soil Micronutrient Availability as Affected by Land Use and Management in a Tropical Volcanic Mountain Area of West Sumatra, Indonesia

Influence of long-term nitrogen fertilization on crop and soil micronutrients in a no-till maize cropping system

Sustaining or increasing micronutrient concentrations in food and feed is essential for human and animal health, yet little research has quantified the relative importance of nitrogen (N) fertilization on maize micronutrient concentrations. Nitrogen fertilization could dilute some micronutrients while increasing others (i.e., biofortification). Nitrogen fertilization also influences the amount of residue returned to the soil, potentially altering soil organic carbon (SOC) and micronutrients. While changes in soil micronutrients under long-term production are sometimes attributed to export via harvest or import via fertilization, available micronutrients are also influenced by soil organic matter — changes in SOC could impact available micronutrients. Our objectives were to (1) examine the long-term effects (14 years) of different N rates (0, 68, 120,173, 232 kg ha−1) on the concentration ([]), uptake, and cycling of N and micronutrients (Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn) in no-till continuous maize and (2) assess whether nutrient removal via grain harvest, or residue return have resulted in depletion or accumulation of SOC and available and total micronutrients. Results showed a positive impact of fertilization on stover [N], [Cu] and [Mn], and increased grain [N] and [Fe]. However, fertilization decreased [Zn] in all plant fractions, indicating that maize [Zn] is susceptible to yield dilution. Total and available soil micronutrients were not impacted by fertilization, despite widely differing rates of nutrient harvest and return. Available Cu and Mn followed changes in SOC, which declined in all depths except the surface 0–7.5 cm. Available Zn increased in the surface 0–7.5 cm, with slight increases in deeper depths. Available micronutrients appear to be closely regulated by SOC in this system. These findings give additional insights into how N fertilization impacts maize micronutrient concentrations, and suggest that SOC contributes to micronutrient availability, underscoring the role of SOC in sustaining long-term soil fertility.

Effects of short-chain polyphosphate fertilization on inorganic P transformation and mobilization of Fe, Mn and Zn in soils.

Understanding the transformation of P in polyphosphate form in the soil and its effect on P availability is the prerequisite for reasonable polyphosphate fertilizer application. A pot experiment was conducted to explore the effects of polyphosphate fertilizers and MAP on soil available-P, inorganic P transformation in soils, soil micro-nutrient availabilities of Fe, Mn and Zn. Meanwhile, the effects of different P fertilizer on rape P nutrition and PUE in both calcareous and acid soils were investigated. Compared with the MAP treatment, polyphosphate fertilizers significantly increased plant available P concentrations in calcareous soil. Soil water soluble-P and Olsen-P were increased by 19.0% and 25.4%, respectively, and soil resin-P and NaHCO3-P (high labile P) and NaOH-P (medium labile P) increased by 22.8%, 43.3% and 33.8%, respectively. Those results implied that polyphosphate could reduce the fixation of P in calcareous soil. However, there was no significant effect of polyphosphate fertilization on improving P availability and reducing P fixation in acid soil. In comparison with MAP treatment, polyphosphate treatments significantly mobilized micronutrient in soils and increased the uptake of Fe, Mn and Zn by rape plants. In the calcareous soil, the available Fe, Mn, and Zn increased by 2.1%, 16.2% and 20.8%, respectively. In acid soil, the available Fe, Mn, and Zn increased by 6.6%, 11.9% and 9.2%, respectively. In addition, polypho-sphate treatments significantly increased dry mass, P uptake concentrations and P use efficiency (PUE) of rape in calcareous soil, but not in acid soil. In conclusion, polyphosphate fertilizer could significantly increase P availability and micronutrient availability, plant P nutrition and PUE, especially in calcareous soil. Thus, polyphosphate could be used as alternative of P source substituting the orthophosphate-based P fertilizer in calcareous soil.

The Global Nutrient Database: availability of macronutrients and micronutrients in 195 countries from 1980 to 2013

SummaryBackgroundFew data are available on the supply and consumption of nutrients at the country level. To address this data gap, we aimed to create a database that provides information on availability (ie, supply) of 156 nutrients across 195 countries and territories from 1980 to 2013.MethodsWe matched 394 food and agricultural commodities from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Supply and Utilization Accounts (SUAs) to food items in the United States Department of Agriculture Food Composition Database and obtained data on nutrient composition of the SUAs' food items. Then, after adjusting for inedible portion of each food item, we added the contributions of individual food items to the availability of each nutrient and estimated the national availability of macronutrients and micronutrients in each year. We validated our estimates by comparing our results with those of national nutrition surveys from three countries (the USA, South Korea, and Ecuador). Using dietary consumption data from the Global Burden of Disease study and two popular machine learning algorithms (Random Forest and XGBoost [extreme gradient boosting]), we developed predictive models to estimate the consumption of each nutrient based on their national availability.FindingsGlobally 2710 kcal (95% UI 2660–2770) were available per person per day in 2013. Carbohydrates were the major contributor to energy availability (70·5%), followed by fats (17·4%), and protein (10·5%). The energy availability and the contribution of macronutrients to total energy widely varied across levels of development. Countries at the higher level of development (high Socio-demographic Index countries) had more energy available per person per day (3270 kcal, 3220–3310); greater contributions from fats (26·0%) and proteins (11·9%) to total energy availability; and lower contributions from carbohydrate (54·8%). During 1980–2013, energy availability and the contributions of protein and fats to energy availability have increased globally and across levels of development while the contribution of carbohydrates to total energy availability has decreased. The supply of the micronutrients has also increased during the same period globally and across levels of development. Our validation analysis showed that, after accounting for waste at the retail and household level, our estimates of macronutrient availability were very close to the consumption data in nationally representative surveys. Our machine-learning models closely predicted the observed intake of nutrients with the out-of-sample correlation of greater than 0·8 between predicted and observed intake for the nutrients included in the analysis.InterpretationOur global nutrient database provides a picture of the supply of various nutrients at the country level and can be useful to assess the performance of national food systems in addressing the nutritional needs of their population.FundingBill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

In-depth characterization of diazotroph activity across the western tropical South Pacific hotspot of N<sub>2</sub> fixation (OUTPACE cruise)

Abstract. Here we report N2 fixation rates from a ∼ 4000 km transect in the western and central tropical South Pacific, a particularly undersampled region in the world ocean. Water samples were collected in the euphotic layer along a west to east transect from 160∘ E to 160∘ W that covered contrasting trophic regimes, from oligotrophy in the Melanesian archipelago (MA) waters to ultra-oligotrophy in the South Pacific Gyre (GY) waters. N2 fixation was detected at all 17 sampled stations with an average depth-integrated rate of 631 ± 286 µmolNm-2d-1 (range 196–1153 µmolNm-2d-1) in MA waters and of 85 ± 79 µmolNm-2d-1 (range 18–172 µmolNm-2d-1) in GY waters. Two cyanobacteria, the larger colonial filamentous Trichodesmium and the smaller UCYN-B, dominated the enumerated diazotroph community (> 80 %) and gene expression of the nifH gene (cDNA > 105 nifH copies L−1) in MA waters. Single-cell isotopic analyses performed by nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (nanoSIMS) at selected stations revealed that Trichodesmium was always the major contributor to N2 fixation in MA waters, accounting for 47.1–83.8 % of bulk N2 fixation. The most plausible environmental factors explaining such exceptionally high rates of N2 fixation in MA waters are discussed in detail, emphasizing the role of macro- and micro-nutrient (e.g., iron) availability, seawater temperature and currents.

In vitro digestion for assessing micronutrient bioavailability: the importance of digestion duration

Static digestion in vitro is a commonly used technique for investigating micronutrient availability which allows the nutrients or foods of interest to be exposed to conditions that simulate those found within the stomach and small intestine. The activity of these digestive enzymes throughout their respective simulated digestion phases has been reported to decline due to the autolytic activity of the proteases and therefore incomplete digestion may result. The degree of protease inactivation under commonly simulated digestion conditions requires further quantification. Pepsin and pancreatic protease activities were assessed throughout a simulated digestion protocol in vitro over multiple time points using stop-rate spectroscopy. The protease activity of both pepsin and pancreatin decreased significantly during their respective digestion phases. Results suggest that gastric and intestinal proteases are destroyed or inactivated during their respective digestive phase. For this reason, prolonged digestion protocols may require protease supplementation throughout digestion to correctly simulate physiological conditions.

Cover crops in the Southeastern region of Buenos Aires, Argentina: effects on organic matter physical fractions and nutrient availability

In the Southeastern region of Buenos Aires province, soybean monoculture has led to a decline in soil organic matter (SOM) levels in soil, mostly the labile fractions. The reduction of SOM has a negative impact on the soil environment. Cover crops (CC) constitute an alternative to maintain or improve SOM levels. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of oat as CC on (a) the SOM dynamics and (b) the availability of macro- and micronutrients in a representative soil of the Southeastern region of Buenos Aires province. Total organic carbon (TOC) and nitrogen (TON), as well as their labile and mineral-associated fractions, and macro- and micronutrient availability were determined. The treatments were soybean monoculture with and without oat as cover crop. The increases in SOC and TON were 22.7% and 11%, respectively, when CC was included to the soybean monoculture. These increases were observed mostly in the labile fractions, with increases of 61.3 and 38.7% for the particulate coarse organic carbon (PCOf) and particulate fine organic carbon (PCOf), respectively, and 79.2% for the particulate coarse organic nitrogen (NOPg). Regarding the nutrients, an increase of 47.6% was observed in manganese (Mn) in the first 5 cm of soil depth, and a decrease in phosphorous (P) availability in the same soil layer due to its consumption and retention by CC. It can be conclude that CC presented a surface soil effect on the dynamic of SOM, increasing C, N, and available Mn contents, but decreasing soil P availability.

Influence of Integrated Application of Nano-Chelated Trace Elements and Sulfur on Desi Chickpea in the Short-Season Mediterranean-Type Environment

AbstractChickpea is one of the most important legume crops in the Mediterranean semiarid regions. Soils of these regions generally have free CaCO3, high pH and low organic matter, which reduce the availability of micronutrients and cause their deficiencies. In order to study the effects of integrated application of different level of elemental sulfur (0, 15, 30 kg·ha−1) and nano-chelated micronutrients (Zn, Fe, Mn) on growth and agro-morphological traits of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), a field experiment was conducted in the semiarid regions of the northwestern part of Iran. Evaluation of morphological traits showed that application of high level of sulfur significantly improved plant height, the number of primary branches and canopy width compared to the control. The longest growth period was recorded for plants grown by application of high level of sulfur and nano-chelated Zn fertilizer. The obtained data revealed that application of nano-chelated Zn fertilizer resulted in a significant increase in seed number per plant and seed weight compared to other nano-micronutrient fertilizers. Overall, the best growth performance and the highest seed yield were obtained from the integrated application of Zn and high level of sulfur. The findings showed that soil micronutrient deficiencies are partly due to high alkalinity of the soil, and application of sulfur beyond 15 kg·ha−1 can be an effective method to increase the efficacy of nanofertilizers. Integrated application of micronutrient and sulfur should be considered as an efficient agronomic management option for chickpea production systems in semiarid region.

Microbial biofilm inoculants benefit growth and yield of chrysanthemum varieties under protected cultivation through enhanced nutrient availability

Protected cultivation of ornamental flowers, as a commercial venture, becomes less profitable with excessive use of fertilizers. The present study examined the influence of microbial biofilm inoculants (Anabaena–Azotobacter, Anabaena–Trichoderma and Trichoderma–Azotobacter) on the availability of soil nutrients and structure of rhizosphere microbial communities in three varieties of chrysanthemum (var. White Star, Thai Chen Queen and Zembla). Varietal-specific responses in growth, enzyme activities, flower yield of plants and availability of soil nutrients were recorded. Dehydrogenase activity was highest in var. White Star treated with the Anabaena–Trichoderma biofilm inoculants. The Anabaena–Azotobacter inoculant enhanced the availability of nitrogen, phosphorus and micronutrients in the soil, besides 40–50% increase in soil organic carbon, as compared to carrier alone or no inoculation. PCR-DGGE profiling of the cyanobacterial communities and qPCR quantification of 16S rRNA abundance of bacteria, archaea and cyanobacteria in the rhizosphere soils, revealed the stronger influences of these inoculants, especially in var. Zembla. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) helped to illustrate that the enhanced microbe-mediated availability of soil macro-and micronutrients, except iron content (Fe), was the most influential factor facilitating improved plant growth and yield parameters. The Anabaena–Azotobacter, and Anabaena–Trichoderma biofilm inoculants, proved superior in all three chrysanthemum varieties.

Influence of Oxalate on Ni Fate during Fe(II)-Catalyzed Recrystallization of Hematite and Goethite.

During biogeochemical iron cycling at redox interfaces, dissolved Fe(II) induces the recrystallization of Fe(III) oxides. Oxalate and other organic acids promote dissolution of these minerals and may also induce recrystallization. These processes may redistribute trace metals among the mineral bulk, mineral surface, and aqueous solution. However, the impact of interactions among organic acids, dissolved Fe(II), and iron oxide minerals on trace metal fate in such systems is unclear. The present study thus explores the effect of oxalate on Ni release from and incorporation into hematite and goethite in the absence and presence of Fe(II). When Ni is initially structurally incorporated into the iron oxides, both oxalate and dissolved Fe(II) promote the release of Ni to aqueous solution. When both species are present, their effects on Ni release are synergistic at pH 7 but inhibitory at pH 4, indicating that cooperative and competitive interactions vary with pH. In contrast, oxalate suppresses Ni incorporation into goethite and hematite during Fe(II)-induced recrystallization, decreasing the proportion of Ni substituting in a mineral structure by up to 36%. These observations suggest that at redox interfaces oxalate largely enhances trace metal mobility. In such settings, oxalate, and likely other organic acids, may thus enhance micronutrient availability and inhibit contaminant sequestration.

Biochar and Sewage Sludge Application Increases Yield and Micronutrient Uptake in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

ABSTRACTA greenhouse experiment was conducted in the Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi (U.P.), India, during kharif 2013 to find out the effect of biochar and sewage sludge (SS) on growth, yield, and micronutrient uptake in rice crop. Nine treatments were employed using six different doses of biochar (2.5, 5.0, 7.5 10, 15, and 20 t ha−1) amended with a fixed dose of SS (30 t ha−1) and 50% recommended dose of nitrogen (50% RDN), i.e., 60 kg ha−1. Other three treatments were absolute control (no fertilizers), 100% recommended dose of fertilizers (100% RDF) which was 120:60:60 kg ha−1 as nitrogen (N): phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5):dipotassium oxide (K2O), and 30 t ha−1SS + 50% RDN. Experimental results showed a significant increase in yield of rice crop with increasing levels of biochar along with SS. Application of biochar at 20 t ha−1 along with 30 t ha−1SS increased grain yield to the extent of 2.5 times over absolute control (no fertilizers) and 8.5% over control (100% RDF). The uptake of iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and manganese (Mn) (micronutrients) increased significantly with graded doses of biochar application from 2.5 to 20 t ha−1 in the soil. The maximum micronutrient uptake and grain yield of rice were found in T9 where 30 t ha−1SS along with 20 t ha−1 biochar was applied with only 50% RDN. The maximum availability of micronutrients in soil was found with 30 t ha−1 of SS + 50% RDN (T3) followed by conjoint application of 20 t ha−1 of biochar and 30 t ha−1 SS + 50% RDN (T9).

The Effect of Temperature on the Methanogenic Activity in Relation to Micronutrient Availability

In the view of microbial community, thermophilic microorganisms were reported to have faster biochemical reaction rates, which are reflected by a higher methane production rate. However, there has no research to discuss the effect of temperature on methanogenic activity in relation to micronutrient transport and availability. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of temperature on methanogenic activity in relation to nutrient uptakes, micronutrient transports, and mass balance using anaerobic sequencing batch reactors (ASBR) with recycled biogas for treating ethanol wastewater at mesophilic (37 °C) and thermophilic (55 °C) temperatures. The increase in temperature from 37 to 55 °C increased in both of the optimum chemical oxygen demand (COD) loading rate and methanogenic activity, corresponding to the results of N and P uptakes, energy balance, and mass balance. The higher temperature of the thermophilic operation as compared to the mesophilic one caused a lower water solubility of the produced H2S, leading to lowering the reduction of divalent cation micronutrients. The thermophilic operation could prevent the deficit of micronutrients, thus causing a higher methanogenic activity, while the mesophilic operation still had the deficit of most micronutrients, leading to the lower activity.

Coral bleaching is linked to the capacity of the animal host to supply essential metals to the symbionts

Massive coral bleaching events result in extensive coral loss throughout the world. These events are mainly caused by seawater warming, but are exacerbated by the subsequent decrease in nutrient availability in surface waters. It has therefore been shown that nitrogen, phosphorus or iron limitation contribute to the underlying conditions by which thermal stress induces coral bleaching. Generally, information on the trophic ecology of trace elements (micronutrients) in corals, and on how they modulate the coral response to thermal stress is lacking. Here, we demonstrate for the first time that heterotrophic feeding (i.e. the capture of zooplankton prey by the coral host) and thermal stress induce significant changes in micro element concentrations and isotopic signatures of the scleractinian coral Stylophora pistillata. The results obtained first reveal that coral symbionts are the major sink for the heterotrophically acquired micronutrients and accumulate manganese, magnesium and iron from the food. These metals are involved in photosynthesis and antioxidant protection. In addition, we show that fed corals can maintain high micronutrient concentrations in the host tissue during thermal stress and do not bleach, whereas unfed corals experience a significant decrease in copper, zinc, boron, calcium and magnesium in the host tissue and bleach. In addition, the significant increase in δ65 Cu and δ66 Zn signature of symbionts and host tissue at high temperature suggests that these isotopic compositions are good proxy for stress in corals. Overall, present findings highlight a new way in which coral heterotrophy and micronutrient availability contribute to coral resistance to global warming and bleaching.

Intake of Raw Fruits and Vegetables Is Associated With Better Mental Health Than Intake of Processed Fruits and Vegetables.

Background: Higher intakes of fruits and vegetables, rich in micronutrients, have been associated with better mental health. However, cooking or processing may reduce the availability of these important micronutrients. This study investigated the differential associations between intake of raw fruits and vegetables, compared to processed (cooked or canned) fruits and vegetables, and mental health in young adults.Methods: In a cross-sectional survey design, 422 young adults ages 18–25 (66.1% female) living in New Zealand and the United States completed an online survey that assessed typical consumption of raw vs. cooked/canned/processed fruits and vegetables, negative and positive mental health (depressive symptoms, anxiety, negative mood, positive mood, life satisfaction, and flourishing), and covariates (including socio-economic status, body mass index, sleep, physical activity, smoking, and alcohol use).Results: Controlling for covariates, raw fruit and vegetable intake (FVI) predicted reduced depressive symptoms and higher positive mood, life satisfaction, and flourishing; processed FVI only predicted higher positive mood. The top 10 raw foods related to better mental health were carrots, bananas, apples, dark leafy greens like spinach, grapefruit, lettuce, citrus fruits, fresh berries, cucumber, and kiwifruit.Conclusions: Raw FVI, but not processed FVI, significantly predicted higher mental health outcomes when controlling for the covariates. Applications include recommending the consumption of raw fruits and vegetables to maximize mental health benefits.

Priority Zoning of Available Micronutrients in the Soils of Agro-ecological Sub-regions of North-East India Using Geo-spatial Techniques

An attempt was made to identify priority zones of available micronutrients in the soils of agro-ecological sub-regions (AESR) of north-eastern states of India (Assam, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura) using geo-spatial techniques. Surface soil samples (0–25 cm) were collected from Assam (AESRs 15.2, 15.3, 15.4 and 17.1), Nagaland (AESR 17.1), Sikkim (AESR 16.2) and Tripura (AESR 17.2) and analysed for pH, organic carbon and DTPA-extractable micronutrients (Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu) by standard procedures. Regular Spline was employed as spatial interpolation techniques for obtaining spatial distribution of available micronutrients in soils. The AESR map was overlaid on spatial distribution layers to obtain spatial variability of micronutrients in the AESRs of north-eastern regions of India. Zinc deficiency was common in all the AESR. Maximum deficient area of Zn, Mn and Cu was observed in AESR 15.4, and it was regarded as the high-priority zone, whereas AESR 16.2 and AESR 17.2 were considered as low-priority zone. Rainfall, pH and organic carbon appeared to be the key factors in controlling micronutrient availability in soils of north-eastern regions of India.

Biosurfactants as a Biological Tool to Increase Micronutrient Availability in Soil: A Review

Addressing micronutrient deficiencies in agricultural soils to meet the growing demands of crops is a matter of great concern worldwide. The use of biosurfactant, a multifunctional microbial metabolite, to enhance nutrient availability may be a sustainable way of enhancing agricultural productivity. Biosurfactants are generally less toxic than synthetic surfactants. The application of biosurfactants in agricultural soils is anticipated to improve nutrient status, increase wettability, and achieve a more even dissemination of complex nutrients. Numerous studies have evaluated the influence of biosurfactants on bioremediation, antimicrobial activity, and soil flushing efficiency. This manuscript reviews the possibility of employing biosurfactants to mobilize and solubilize soil nutrients and make them available to plants through the formation of metal-biosurfactant complexes. Although significant progress regarding an explanation of the mechanisms behind many biosurfactant-induced effects has been made, there are still many aspects of this area that are not sufficiently elucidated, such as differences in specificity for nutrients (e.g., Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn) and toxins (e.g., Cd and Pb). Biosurfactants from various isolates have been considered for their potential role in plant growth promotion and other applications related to improving the effectiveness of agricultural soils.

The impact of food assistance on food insecure populations during conflict: Evidence from a quasi-experiment in Mali

Abstract Mali, a vast landlocked country at the heart of West Africa in the Sahel region, is one of the least developed and most food insecure countries in the world. Mali suffered from a series of political, constitutional and military crises since January 2012, including the loss of government control of northern territories from April 2012 until January 2013. A range of humanitarian aid interventions were scaled up in response to these complex crises. In this study, we exploit data from a unique pre-crisis baseline to evaluate the impact of humanitarian aid on the food security of rural populations. We design a quasi-experimental study based on two survey rounds, five years apart, in the Mopti region in Northern Mali. Data was collected from 66 communities randomly selected from within food-insecure districts. Study outcomes include household expenditures and food consumption and a proxy for child nutritional status (height measurements). We estimate program impact by combining propensity score matching and difference-in-difference. Food assistance was found to increase household non-food and food expenditures and micro-nutrient availability. Disaggregating by degree of conflict exposure showed that the effects on children’s height and caloric and micro-nutrient consumption were mostly concentrated in areas not in the immediate vicinity of the conflict, unlike the increase in food expenditures that were driven by households located in close proximity to armed groups. The effects were also concentrated on households receiving at least two forms of food assistance. In villages where armed groups were present, food assistance improved household zinc consumption and also appeared to support food expenditures. Food transfers are thus found to exert a protective effect among food insecure population in conflict context.

Influence of Different Management Practices and Fertilizer Levels on the Growth and Yield of Rice in Sodic Soil

A field experiment was conducted during rabi season of 2017-2018 at Anbil Dharmalingam Agricultural College and Research Institute, Tiruchirapalli to enhance the rice yield in sodic soil through combined application of different management practices and fertiliser level. The experiment was laid out in split plot with three replications. There are six main plot treatments viz., Rice transplanting (M1 ), Rice wet seeding (M2 ), Daincha incorporation followed by rice wet seeding (M3 ), Rice wet seeding + daincha inter cropping (M4 ), Daincha incorporation followed by rice wet seeding + biofertiliser (M5 ), Rice wet seeding + daincha inter cropping + biofertiliser (M6 ). Subplot treatments consist of different levels of fertiliser viz., Control (S1 ), 75 % soil test based NPK (S2 ), 100% soil test based NPK (S3 ), 125 % soil test based NPK (S4 ). The result revealed that daincha incorporation followed by rice wet seeding + biofertiliser recorded higher growth parameters like plant height, leaf area index, dry matter production, total number of tillers m-2, yield attributes viz., productive tillers, length of panicle, weight of panicle and thousand grain weight which was on par with rice wet seeding + daincha inter cropping + biofertilizer (M6 ). Among the different fertiliser levels, 125% soil test based NPK (S4 ) significantly increased the growth parameters, nutrient uptake and availability of micronutrients as compared to other treatments. Grain and straw yield were significantly higher under daincha incorporation followed by rice wet seeding + biofertiliser which was on par with rice wet seeding + daincha inter cropping + biofertiliser respectively. Among the fertiliser level 125 % soil test based NPK recorded significantly higher grain and straw yield which was on par with 100 % soil test based NPK. Application of extra dose of fertiliser from the base dose of 100 % soil test based NPK does not make any yield difference. Hence 100 % of soil test based NPK is economical for producing optimum yield of rice in sodic soil which can be recommended for higher productivity of rice under sodic soil condition..