Nutrient-use Efficiency Research Articles

Nutrient uptake and nutrient use efficiency of Valencia peanut genotypes with different levels of drought tolerance under terminal drought

Selection of suitable peanut genotypes with resistance to drought is an important strategy to combat problems of drought. This study aimed to investigate nutrient uptake and nutrient use efficiencies of Valencia peanut genotypes in response to terminal drought. A pot experiment was conducted in a factorial randomized complete block design with 4 replications. Factor A consisted of two soil water regimes (field capacity and 1/3 available water), and ten Valencia peanut genotypes were assigned as factor B. Macronutrient uptakes and nutrient use efficiencies (NUE) were examined; drought reduced nutrient uptakes, NUE for biomass and NUE for pod yield. Unique behaviors of some tested Valencia peanut genotypes on given traits were found. Genotype PI536121 had the highest K, Ca and Mg uptakes, while two genotypes ICG10890 and ICG10092 showed the highest NUE for biomass and pod yield. Genotype ICG14127 performed well regarding K, Ca and Mg uptakes and NUE for pod yield. Total nutrient uptakes of N, P, K, Ca and Mg were significantly positively correlated with biomass and pod yield (r = 0.48**–0.76**), whereas the number of seeds per pod and 100-seed weight were positively correlated with total nutrient uptakes of N, K, Ca and Mg (r = 0.23*–0.47**). Three tested genotypes ICG10092, ICG10890 and ICG14127 are promising genetic sources for further improvements of Valencia peanuts for drought tolerance.

Pengaruh Pupuk Organik Cair (POC) Teknologi Nano terhadap Pertumbuhan Pakcoy (Brassica rapa L.) yang Dibudidayakan secara Hidroponik

The use of AB Mix in hydroponic cultivation has side effects on body health because AB Mix is a chemical fertilizer. Liquid organic fertilizer is fertilizer in liquid form made from a mixture of compost and fermented water which can provide nutrients according to plant needs. Providing nutrients in hydroponic cultivation has a weakness, namely that nutrient deposition occurs, especially when using a wick system because the nutrients in the wick system are passive. To reduce the deposition of nutrient solutions in the wick system used in this research, nanotechnology is needed which can reduce the particle size so that it is more efficient use of nutrients. This research used the RAL method with 3 treatments and 5 repetitions P1 Control (AB Mix 100%), P3 AB Mix 50% + POC nano 50%, P5 POC nano 100%. The observation data obtained was analyzed using the ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) test using the SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) application. And continued with the DMRT test at the 5% level. The results obtained from the influence of POC nanotechnology on the growth of pakchoy plants can be seen from the average height of P1 plants, namely 17.44 cm, number of leaves 28.2, wet weight 32.44 g, and dry weight 2.1 g. The use of POC nano technology does have effect on the growth of pakchoy plants.

Amino Acids Biostimulants and Protein Hydrolysates in Agricultural Sciences.

The effects of different types of biostimulants on crops include improving the visual quality of the final products, stimulating the immune systems of plants, inducing the biosynthesis of plant defensive biomolecules, removing heavy metals from contaminated soil, improving crop performance, reducing leaching, improving root development and seed germination, inducing tolerance to abiotic and biotic stressors, promoting crop establishment and increasing nutrient-use efficiency. Protein hydrolysates are mixtures of polypeptides and free amino acids resulting from enzymatic and chemical hydrolysis of agro-industrial protein by-products obtained from animal or plant origins, and they are able to alleviate environmental stress effects, improve growth, and promote crop productivity. Amino acids involve various advantages such as increased yield and yield components, increased nutrient assimilation and stress tolerance, and improved yield components and quality characteristics. They are generally achieved through chemical or enzymatic protein hydrolysis, with significant capabilities to influence the synthesis and activity of some enzymes, gene expression, and redox-homeostasis. Increased yield, yield components, and crop quality; improved and regulated oxidation-reduction process, photosynthesis, and physiological activities; decreased negative effects of toxic components; and improved anti-fungal activities of plants are just some of the more important benefits of the application of phenols and phenolic biostimulants. The aim of this manuscript is to survey the impacts of amino acids, different types of protein hydrolysates, phenols, and phenolic biostimulants on different plants by presenting case studies and successful paradigms in several horticultural and agricultural crops.

Leaf traits are good predictors of woody species distribution after bamboo expansion in a mountain forest

The expansion of bamboo into neighboring plant communities is a common phenomenon in nature reserves. However, the role of climate factors and plant functional traits in the distribution of woody species after bamboo expansion remains unclear. Six functional traits of leaves of 180 individuals of 52 species, soil properties and air temperature were measured along an elevational gradient with different bamboo densities on Mt. Fanjingshan, Tongren City, Guizhou. Then, the direct and indirect effects of climate, soil properties, leaf traits and bamboo density on woody species distribution were detected. Our results showed that leaf traits were represented by two independent dimensions. The first dimension (PC1) is represented by the trade-off between the pairs leaf P, leaf N and leaf dry matter content, leaf C, representing nutrient use efficiency (NUE). The second dimension (PC2) was positively associated with leaf area, specific leaf area and leaf N, representing the leaf economics spectrum (LES). Climate, soil, leaf traits and bamboo density significantly explained 18% and 21% of the variance in species importance values for all species and evergreen species, respectively, but not for deciduous species. Air temperature had a positive indirect impact on the species importance value of all species via a negative direct impact on PC2, and air temperature affected the evergreen species importance value in two indirect ways: the first was to affect the species importance value positively and indirectly via PC2; the second was to affect the species importance value positively and indirectly through PC2 and PC1. However, bamboo expansion alone had no significant direct or indirect effects on species distribution. These results suggest that leaf traits are good predictors of woody species distribution after bamboo expansion in a mountain forest, and the effects of bamboo expansion are dependent on tree growth type, air temperature and leaf traits.

Sensor based precise nitrogen application augmented productivity and profitability of mustard (Brassica juncea L.).

Unremitting decline in crop productivity and nutrient recovery are resulted due to dearth of need based fertilizer recommendation over blanket application apart from nitrogen pollution in several means. An advance nutrient management tactic, GreenSeeker (GS) has developed and used in many field crops following the principle of four "R" (right source, right amount at right time, and place) nutrients stewardship technologies. But no studies have been conducted for evaluation of GS in mustard for improving productivity, profitability and nutrient use efficiency (NUE) while minimizing environmental risks. With this objective, a study was planned to conduct an experiment in rabi season of 2021-22 and 2022-23 to assess optical sensor based nitrogen management in mustard over blanket recommendation. The experiment was comprised of ten N treatments including control in randomized block design in triplicates. Research findings indicated that application of GreenSeeker based N significantly improved all growth traits and yield parameters in Brassica juncea L. Per cent enhancement in seed yield, net monetary returns and benefit-cost ratio was higher as 19.3 and 64.5%, 125.1 & 36.2% and 58.8 & 24.4%, respectively under GS based multi split N application over RDF and control. Further, real time N management with GS acquired higher crop production efficiency (CPE) (19.9 kg/day) with lesser cost/kg production (Rs 15.7/kg). Split application of N using GS increased oil yield by 79.9 and 26% over control and recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) with maximum oil content (42.3%), and increases soil organic carbon (SOC) content by 16.1% from its initial value. Moreover, GS crop sensor could be the probable solution to minimize the crop nitrogen requirement by 15-20% with a yield enhancement of about 18.7% over RDF.

Automated Drift Compensation System for Electrical Conductivity and pH Probes in Hydroponic Systems

Highlights Used one- and two-point normalization to compensate for drifts in EC and pH probes in hydroponic systems. Developed automated sensor drift compensation systems for hydroponic systems. Evaluated the compensation systems for open- and closed-hydroponics. Application of the normalization methods increased the accuracy of the EC and pH measurements. Abstract. In hydroponic systems, the nutrient solutions are dispensed based on pH and electrical conductivity (EC) to ensure that the nutrient components in the solution are optimal for crop growth. However, the pH and EC probes may exhibit signal drifts when immersed in the solution for a considerable period, which deteriorate the measurement accuracy and the nutrient and water use efficiency. Notably, the existing hydroponic systems require manual calibration of the pH and EC probes and do not provide any information regarding their accuracy. Consequently, faults in the probes are challenging to detect. In this study, two types of automated drift compensation systems for EC and pH probes, based on one- and two-point normalization, were developed to accurately monitor changes in the pH and EC values in hydroponic solutions and enhance sensor management. The proposed framework can provide information regarding the drifts of the pH and EC probes through automated normalization solution measurements. The effectiveness of the developed system in scenarios involving plant growth with open and closed hydroponics was evaluated through comparison with a standard method involving sampling and laboratory analysis. The results indicated that the one-point normalization strategy had a simple structure and was effective in compensating drifted offsets of sensors. A two-point normalization strategy could effectively predict the sensor drifts as well as variations in the sensitivities, which could be used in the compensation processes. Application of the one-point normalization-based system increased the accuracy of the EC and pH measurements, with root mean square errors decreasing from 50 to 28.5 µS·cm-1 and 0.43 to 0.17 pH in the open hydroponic systems and from 68.7 to 38.3 µS·cm-1 and 0.15 to 0.11 pH in the closed systems, respectively. The two-point normalization-based system decreased the RMSEs from 44.6 to 33.4 µS·cm-1 and 0.55 to 0.20 pH for the EC and pH measurements, respectively. In addition, the decreased slope and coefficient of determination in the linear regression according to the system application proved the system can compensate for the drifts of the EC and pH probes. The proposed system provided accurate EC and pH measurements and sensor status information, promoting more efficient nutrient use and sensor maintenance. Keywords: Automation, Compensation, Drift, EC, Hydroponics, pH.

Enhancing maize yield and zinc uptake through foliar application of zinc sulfate in calcareous soil of Peshawar, Pakistan

Zinc deficiency in maize plants is a common problem, particularly in calcareous soils with pH above 7. This study aimed to investigate the impact of zinc sulfate (ZnSO4) applied in different forms (foliar and soil application) and concentrations on maize yield, zinc uptake, and nutrient use efficiency (NUE) in calcareous soil. The results demonstrated that zinc application significantly increased maize yield, zinc uptake, NUE, and the uptake of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium. Foliar application of ZnSO4 was more effective than soil application in enhancing zinc uptake, with the highest uptake observed in plants treated with 1.5% ZnSO4 foliar spray. Additionally, zinc application increased zinc content in grains and surface soil, with the highest zinc content in grains found in plants treated with 1.5% ZnSO4 foliar spray and the highest zinc content in surface soil observed in plants treated with 10 kg ha-1 ZnSO4 soil application. These findings suggested that foliar application of ZnSO4 is an effective strategy for improving zinc uptake and grain zinc content in maize plants grown in calcareous soils.

Enhancing Nutrient Use Efficiency through Nano Urea in Pigeon Pea Based Intercropping System

A field experiment was conducted at Birsa Agricultural University Ranchi during the kharif seasons of 2021 and 2022 to evaluate N uptake and Nutrient Use Efficiency (NUE) for nitrogen as influenced by pigeon pea-based intercropping systems and nitrogen management. Pigeon pea + sweet corn intercropping systems with 100% recommended nitrogen (N1), recorded significantly higher total nitrogen uptake (196.6 kg/ha) which was at par with 50% RDN + 2 spray of nano urea (189.1 kg/ha). Whereas partial factor productivity (PFP), agronomic efficiency (AE), apparent recovery use efficiency (ARUE), economic nutrient use efficiency (ENUE), partial nutrient balance (PNB) of pigeon pea + sweet corn intercropping was recorded maximum (27.4 kg/kg, 13.4 kg/kg, 64.8 %, 1.66 kg yield/ ₹ invested in nitrogen & 0.88 kg/kg) respectively, while in nitrogen management, 50% RDN + 2 sprays of Nano urea performed better in terms of PFP, AE, ARUE, ENUE & PNB (52.5 kg/kg, 24.1 kg/kg, 115.4 %, 3.20 kg yield/ ₹ invested in nitrogen & 1.43 kg/kg respectively) when compared to the other nitrogen management.

Phosphate-related genomic islands as drivers of environmental adaptation in the streamlined marine alphaproteobacterial HIMB59.

These results shed light on the evolutionary strategies of microbes with streamlined genomes to adapt and survive in the oligotrophic conditions that dominate the surface waters of the global ocean. At the individual level, these microbes have been subjected to evolutionary constraints that have led to a more efficient use of nutrients, removing non-essential genes named as "streamlining theory." However, at the population level, they conserve a highly diverse gene pool in flexible genomic islands resulting in polyclonal populations on the same genomic background as an evolutionary response to environmental pressures. Localization of these islands at equivalent positions in the genome facilitates horizontal transfer between clonal lineages. This high level of environmental genomic heterogeneity could explain their cosmopolitan distribution. In the case of the order HIMB59 within the class Alphaproteobacteria, two factors exert evolutionary pressure and determine this intraspecific diversity: phages and the concentration of P in the environment.

Green synthesis, Characterization of Iron-Based Nanofertilizer for Sustainable Release, and Efficient Use of Nutrients of Iron Nanoparticles Using Green Tea Extract

Green synthesis, Characterization of Iron-Based Nanofertilizer for Sustainable Release, and Efficient Use of Nutrients of Iron Nanoparticles Using Green Tea Extract

Long-term assessment of diverse nutrient management strategies in a rice-rice cropping system: analyzing yield trends, resource use efficiency and economic viability over a sixteen-year period

In recent times, the sustainability of rice-rice cropping systems has been threatened by a yield plateau, high input cost, declining water and labor availability, and increasing food demand. Hence, the rice-based cropping systems seek more attention in relation to nutrient management. This study evaluated the impact of 16-year long-term fertilizer application on crop and water productivity, yield trend, nutrient use-efficiency, and profitability of a rice-rice system (eight treatments and four replications; randomized block design). The study showed that the integrated application NPK and FYM (BInOF) significantly increased grain yield up to (∼3949 kg ha−1) and benefit cost ratio (2.01 and 1.62) in monsoon and winter rice. Furthermore, organic manure along with inorganic fertilizers significantly increased the nutrient uptake up to (80-89 kg ha−1 N; ∼16-19 kg ha−1 P; ∼85-106 kg ha−1 K; 0.22-0.25 kg ha−1 Zn) in monsoon and winter rice. The largest N recovery was observed under BInOF plots (54.9 to 59.8%). The highest carbon sequestration (2.06 t ha−1 after 16 years of cultivation) and water productivity (3.5-4.5 kg grain ha-mm−1) was observed under BInOF system (NPK + FYM). The sustainable yield index (SYI, 0.7), an indicator of rice sustainability was highest in BInOF. This study offers valuable insights into the impacts of chemical fertilizers and organic manures on the sustainability of the rice-rice cropping system. Such findings can guide policymakers in formulating strategies for crop diversification and underscore the importance of incorporating organic matter for optimal crop performance.

Effect of Tillage and Precision Nitrogen Management Practices on N Uptake and Nutrient Use Efficiency (NUE) in Wheat in Western Uttar Pradesh, India

At the Crop Research Center of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture & Technology, Meerut, (U.P.), during the rabi seasons of 2021–22 and 2022–23, an investigation titled " Effect of tillage and precision nitrogen management practices on N uptake and Nutrient Use Efficiency (NUE) in wheat in western UP " was conducted. The experiment was carried out using a split plot design with three replications. The treatments included four precise nitrogen treatments (N1-Control, N2-State recommendations, N3- Leaf Colour Chart (LCC) based nitrogen Application, and N4- Soil Plant Anaylsis Development (SPAD) meter based treatments) as sub plot treatments, and three conservation tillage treatments (C1- Conventional tillage, C2- Reduced tillage, and C3- Furrow irrigated raised bed (FIRB)} as main plots. The soil of the experimental site was sandy loam having low organic matter (0.43%), low in available nitrogen, low in available phosphorus and high in available potassium. The maximum N uptake and NUE was recorded under furrow irrigated raised beds plots during both the years. The maximum total N uptake and NUE was recorded under SPAD and was at par with LCC treatments.

Disentangling the effects of region, forest-management intensity and plant diversity on litterfall quantity, quality and turnover in temperate forests

PurposeSimultaneous effects of more than one global change driver on ecosystem functioning have rarely been assessed.MethodsWe disentangled the effects of region encompassing climatic and edaphic conditions, forest-management intensity and community plant diversity on litterfall quantity, quality and turnover in 27 temperate forests across an environmental gradient.ResultsRegion significantly influenced litterfall and organic layer mass and chemical quality and litter and element turnover. After accounting for the influence of region, increasing forest-management intensity (ForMI) significantly decreased litterfall mass, N, P and K concentrations and nutrient fluxes and slowed down litter and nutrient turnover. Because increasing ForMI reflected the man-made contributions of coniferous trees, these results can partly be attributed to the lower litterfall at our study sites and slower litter turnover of coniferous than deciduous trees. After accounting for the influences of region and ForMI, increasing diversity of the vascular plant community on the study plots measured as species richness or Shannon index significantly increased C and decreased N, P and S concentrations in litterfall. Together with the significantly decreased N and P concentrations in the organic layer with increasing plant diversity, these results indicated an increased within-stand nutrient-use efficiency and a more complete soil nutrient use with increasing plant diversity.ConclusionsOur results demonstrate that increasing ForMI, which is associated with increasing conifer shares, leaves element stocks in the organic layer unchanged but slows down C turnover and thus increases temporary C storage in soil organic layers. Moreover, community vascular plant diversity helps close nutrient cycles.

Optimum Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium Fertilizer Application Increased Chrysanthemum Growth and Quality by Reinforcing the Soil Microbial Community and Nutrient Cycling Function

Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) are three macronutrients that are crucial in plant growth and development. Deficiency or excess of any or all directly decreases crop yield and quality. There is increasing awareness of the importance of rhizosphere microorganisms in plant growth, nutrient transportation, and nutrient uptake. Little is known about the influence of N, P, and K as nutrients for the optimal production of Chrysanthemum morifolium. In this study, a field experiment was performed to investigate the effects of N, P, and K on the growth, nutrient use efficiency, microbial diversity, and composition of C. morifolium. Significant relationships were evident between N application rates, C. morifolium nutrient use, and plant growth. The N distribution in plant locations decreased in the order of leaf > stem > root; the distributions were closely related to rates of N application. Total P fluctuated slightly during growth. No significant differences were found between total P in the roots, stems, and leaves of C. morifolium vegetative organs. Principle component analysis revealed that combinations of N, P, and K influenced soil nutrient properties through their indirect impact on operational taxonomic units, Shannon index, and abundance of predominant bacterial taxa. Treatment with N, P, and K (600, 120, and 80 mg·plant−1, respectively) significantly improved plant growth and quality and contributed to the bacterial richness and diversity more than other concentrations of N, P, and K. At the flowering time, the plant height, leaf fresh weight, root dry weight, stem and leaf dry weight were increased 10.6%, 19.0%, 40.4%, 27% and 34.0%, respectively, when compared to the CK. The optimal concentrations of N, P, and K had a positive indirect influence on the available soil nutrient content and efficiency of nutrient use by plants by increasing the abundance of Proteobacteria, decreasing the abundance of Actinobacteria, and enhancing the potential functions of nitrogen metabolism pathways. N, P, and K fertilization concentrations of 600, 120, and 80 mg·plant−1 were optimal for C. morifolium cultivation, which could change environmental niches and drive the evolution of the soil microbial community and diversity. Shifts in the composition of soil microbes and functional metabolism pathways, such as ABC transporters, nitrogen metabolism, porphyrin, and the metabolism of chlorophyll II, glyoxylate, and dicarboxylate, greatly affected soil nutrient cycling, with potential feedback on C. morifolium nutrient use efficiency and growth. These results provide new insights into the efficient cultivation and management of C. morifolium.

Applications of seaweed extracts in agriculture: An Australian perspective

AbstractSociety depends on food production. However, agricultural productivity is greatly challenged by extreme climate events and volatility. Seaweed extracts (SWE) have a key role in food production and their use is central to improving agricultural productivity by increasing crop tolerance to stress, improving the efficiency of plant nutrient use, and by contributing to sustainable farm practices. The benefits of SWE to crops have previously been reviewed in the context of the northern hemisphere, but not since 2015 in Australia – specific to its crops and unique stressors. This review is focused on the scientific progress since 2015 and insights from Australian research related to: (i) SWE-stimulated plant responses, (ii) field research on SWE, (iii) optimising the use of SWE in agriculture. The review considers the effects of SWE (made from Durvillaea potatorum and Ascophyllum nodosum) in the field, across crops, seasons, regions, and farming systems in Australia, and research conducted in the laboratory under controlled conditions on model and crop plants at the molecular, cellular, and physiological levels. The results from the review highlight the role of SWE in plant priming responses in laboratory experiments and its association with improved plant tolerance in the field. The review discusses the field effects related to production and fruit quality. The uniqueness of the Australian research is the inclusion of the same SWE in laboratory and field research, and the characterisation of plant responses under challenged and un-challenged conditions. This information provides deeper insights into the actions of SWE and enables growers and agronomists to optimize their field application in Australian agriculture.

Current perspective on nutrient solution management strategies to improve the nutrient and water use efficiency in hydroponic systems

Hydroponics, a soilless cultivation technique using nutrient solutions under controlled conditions, is used for growing vegetables, high-value crops, and flowers. It produces significantly higher yields compared to conventional agriculture despite its higher energy consumption. The success of a hydroponic system relies on the composition of the nutrient solution, which contains all the essential mineral elements necessary for optimal plant growth and high yield. This review delves into the discussion of enhancing nutrient solution management strategies across different hydroponic systems. The aim of this review is to discuss various techniques for monitoring nutrient solutions in order to improve nutrient use efficiency (NUE) and water use efficiency (WUE). The conventional approach of monitoring the hydroponic nutrient solution using electrical conductivity measurement may not provide precise information about ion concentrations, potentially resulting in poor yields or excessive fertilizer usage. To overcome these limitations, alternative management strategies have been developed to enable more accurate monitoring and efficient management. One such strategy is the nitrogen-based approach, where nitrogen concentration becomes the primary controlled element in the nutrient solution and leads to WUE and NUE development by prolonging nutrient solution recirculation. Furthermore, various methods have been devised to improve nutrient solution strategies. These include using ion-selective electrodes to measure individual ions in the hydroponic nutrient solution, using sensors to monitor substrate moisture content, estimating water requirements, and implementing programmed nutrient addition methods. In addition to introducing different management techniques to optimize hydroponic performance, this review provides a better understanding of hydroponic systems.

Quantifying synergistic effects of artificial and environmental variables on potato nutrient use efficiency in China

Excessive use of fertilizer has decreased nutrient use efficiency (NUE), which leads to serious resource waste and environmental pollution. Improving potato NUE is instrumental in reducing fertilizer loss and ensuring agricultural sustainable development. Currently, potato NUE exhibits great spatial variation, and the explanatory variables of potato NUE have not been comprehensively elucidated. To address these challenges, 1850 samples and 56 corresponding explanatory variables were extracted from 19 provinces in the main potato producing areas, and the NUE models were established using random forest model, in which the uncertainty was determined by quantile regression forest model. The results indicated that the partial factor productivity (PFP) and partial nutrient balance (PNB) for nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in northeast China were the highest, while the PFP and PNB for potassium (K) in the northwest were the highest. South China exhibited the lowest NUE. The prediction models had good performance, with better performance of PFP models than PNB models. The models demonstrated that the relative importance of explanatory variables was agricultural management practices (AMPs) > topography > climate > soil > crop > economy. NUE model uncertainty was higher in northwest China (Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia) and southwest China (Hubei). In this case, model prediction might have higher performance when constructing a model with data from each region. The findings of this study could have far-reaching implications for policymakers toward understanding the spatial variation of potato NUE. More efforts should be undertaken to investigate the effects of AMPs and topography, which are beneficial for the cleaner production of potato and environmental sustainability.

Influence of foliar application of boron, iron and magnesium on quality attributes and leaf nutrient status of guava cv. Hisar Surkha

Foliar application of nutrients escalates efficient use of nutrients along with quick response. An experiment was undertaken to study the effect of foliar application of mineral nutrients viz., boron (B), magnesium (Mg) and iron (Fe) sprayed at different growth stages viz., at fruit set and one month after first spray at the experimental orchard of Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana during year 2020–21 and 2021–2022. The experiment was conducted in a Randomized Block Design with 21 treatments and 3 replications with a spacing of 6 × 6 m. Foliar sprays with boron, magnesium and iron significantly affected the physio-chemical properties of the fruits. Total soluble solids, TSS acidity ratio, ascorbic acid, total sugar, reducing sugar, non-reducing sugar and pectin content were found to be maximum under the treatment T21 [FeSO4 (0.5%) + H3BO3 (0.5%) + MgSO4 (0.5%)] while in case of titratable acidity was found significantly lowest under the treatment T21 [FeSO4 (0.5%) + H3BO3 (0.5%) + MgSO4 (0.5%)]. Treatments also affected the leaf chlorophyll content and leaf nutrient status significantly. It can be concluded from this study that foliar sprays of boron, magnesium and iron are beneficial for improving fruit quality, leaf chlorophyll content and leaf nutrient status of guava cv. Hisar Surkha. Further, 0.5 per cent each of FeSO4, H3BO3 and MgSO4 foliar sprays two times at one month’s interval can obtain the best results in terms of quality of fruits.

Development and testing of environment friendly nanohybrid coatings for sustainable agriculture technologies

Less than 50% of the applied urea fertilizer is taken up by plants due to poor nitrogen (N) use efficiency which affects overall agricultural productivity and leads to serious environmental and economic problems. Additionally, soils with high salinity might limit zinc (Zn) availability. Low Zn use efficiency (<30%) when applied as synthetic salts, e.g., zinc sulfate has therefore minimized their applicability. Within the past two decades, nanotechnology has gained a lot of interest in the development of effective nano fertilizers with high nutrient use efficiency (NUE). In this perspective, the approach of coating conventional fertilizers with nano materials especially, the ones which are essential nutrients has researched because of their high use efficiency and reduced losses. In this work, a novel and innovative formulation of hybrid nano fertilizer has been prepared for the sustainable release of nutrients. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs <50 nm) were incorporated into the biodegradable polymer (gelatin) and coated on urea using a fluidized bed coater. Among all the formulations, GZnSNPs (1.5% gelatin+0.5% elemental Zn as ZnO-NPs) showed a significant delay in urea release (<80 %) after 120 min). The sand column experiment showed sustainable Zn release for GZnSNPs i.e., 2.7 ppm vs. 3.5 ppm (GZnS) after the 6th day. Moreover, a substantial increase in wheat grain yield (6500 kg/ha), N uptake (46.5 kg/ha) and Zn uptake (21.64 g/ha) were observed for fields amended with GZnSNPs. The composition of GZnSNPs was valuable since this attracted the highest return relative to the other treatments. Gelatin supplied small N-containing molecules, resulting in extra value addition with ZnO-NPs thus increasing yield and fertilizer properties more relative to the same amount of elemental Zn given via bulk salt. Therefore, the findings of the current study recommend the use of ZnO-NPs in the agricultural sector without any negative effects on yield and NUE.

Use of intercropping and mulch to improve the water and natural resources use efficiencies of forage cactus and millet production in a semiarid region

1. CONTEXT - Improving the use of natural resources (e.g., water, nutrients, and radiation) within production systems under different technologies (mulch and intercropping) is fundamental to intensifying sustainable agriculture. 2. OBJECTIVE - The objective was to quantify the parameters of water consumption and the efficiency of using natural resources of forage cactus and millet under different technologies of crops in a semiarid environment. 3. METHODS - The forage cactus (clone Orelha de Elefante Mexicana) and millet (cv. IPA Bulk-1-BF) were evaluated to six cropping arrangements: single cactus with mulch (CWM), single cactus with no mulch (CNM), single millet with mulch (MWM), single millet with no mulch (MNM), a cactus-millet intercropping system with mulch (CMWM), and cactus-millet intercropping system with no mulch (CMNM). Data on crop growth, crop production, and soil moisture were collected, and the following were determined: crop evapotranspiration (ETc), crop transpiration (T), soil water evaporation (E), single crop coefficient (Kc), dual crop coefficient (Kcb and Ke), water use efficiency (WUE), nutrient use efficiency (NUE) and radiation use efficiency (RUE). Biological efficiency and competitive ability indicators were calculated for the intercropped systems. 4. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS - The ETc (mm day −1) was higher under MWM (4.69), MNM (3.60), and CMWM (3.81). There was little variation in the values of ETc, T, or E between CNM and CWM, unlike between MNM and MWM. Intercropping reduced E compared to the single crops of cactus (8%) and millet (58%). On average, Kc was higher under MWM (0.98), CWM (0.69), and CMWM, (0.88), compared to MNM (0.75), CNM (0.63), and CMNM (0.48). The intercrops were more efficient for WUE (44%) and RUE (2.28 g MJ −1), with no difference for NUE. It can be concluded that the cactus-millet intercropping system is a good alternative for more-resilient agriculture in semi-arid environments, especially when the use of mulch. 5. SIGNIFICANCE - The results of this study are significant for the management of water resources in the semi-arid region, as they favour knowledge of the water needs of these crops in different production systems, and how the adoption of technologies such as intercropping and mulching can improve efficiency in the use of available natural resources, compared to exclusive planting.