Potassium Sulfate Research Articles

Potassium fertilization effects on dollar spot of annual bluegrass and creeping bentgrass

AbstractThe effect of potassium on dollar spot of annual bluegrass (ABG; Poa annua L. forma reptans (Hausskn.) T. Koyama) and creeping bentgrass (CBG; Agrostis stolonifera L.) is poorly understood. Two field trials were conducted in 2020 and 2021 to determine the effect of K fertilization on dollar spot of ABG and CBG turf grown on a sand mat layer overlying a sandy loam (fine‐loamy, mixed, semiactive, and mesic Typic Hapludults) and mowed at 2.8 mm. A 4 × 2 factorial, randomized complete block design evaluated K (potassium sulfate) applied at 0, 3.4, 6.9, and 13.8 kg ha−1 every 2 weeks and N (urea) applied at 4.9 kg ha−1 every 7 or 28 days over 20 weeks. Infection centers were counted over a 2‐week period each year after inoculation with Clarireedia jacksonii in mid‐September and used to calculate the disease severity. Increasing K fertilization rate consistently increased dollar spot severity on ABG and CBG. Higher N rate either slightly increased or did not affect disease severity on ABG, and either decreased or had no effect on CBG. This is the first study to document the impact of K fertilization on dollar spot severity of ABG turf. Regression analysis indicated that increases in both leaf tissue and mat layer K were associated with greater dollar spot severity on both species. Future research should determine whether the increased dollar spot response to K fertilization occurs at higher antecedent mat layer and leaf tissue K. Additionally, a broader range of N rates may clarify the dollar spot response.

Tolerance of Cu-SSZ-13 catalysts to potassium sulfate: Strong Brønsted acid sites and copper species

Potassium sulfate is one of the most important impurities deposited on the NH3-SCR catalysts from alkali-rich gas exhausts. In this work, two Cu-SSZ-13 catalysts synthesized by one-pot and ion-exchange methods were compared for their tolerance to potassium sulfate. The evolutions of copper species and acid sites, as the critical mechanisms of K2SO4 poisoning, were revealed by comprehensive characterizations. It was found that Si-O(H)-Al sites act as sacrificing sites upon K+ attacking to preserve Cu2+ ions as active sites. ZCuOH sites are preferentially detached by K+ ion-exchange and trapped predominantly by the surface sulfate anions as inactive Cu2OSO4. Therefore, the one-pot Cu-SSZ-13, with abundant acid sites and high Z2Cu proportion, shows superior K2SO4 resistance than the ion-exchanged catalyst.

Foliar Spraying of Potassium Sulfate during Fruit Development Comprehensively Improves the Quality of Citrus Fruits

Sugar accumulation is influenced by various fertilizer treatments, of which potassium spraying is the most effective. However, the effect of different potassium sources as a foliar application at different fruit development stages on citrus fruits is still unclear. In this study, three different potassium fertilizers and one water (F1: 0.65% KNO3, F2: 0.88% KH2PO4, F3: 0.56% K2SO4, and F4: water) were sprayed on Citrus reticulata cv. Nanfeng at cell division, cell expansion, fruit ripening, and throughout fruit developmental stages, respectively. Results showed that the six-time K2SO4 application had the best function in enhancing fruit physiological attributes such as fruit weight and the total carotenoids; also, this treatment significantly decreased TA (titratable acid), increased fruit TSS (total soluble solids), soluble sugar content, and TSS:TA ratio. Furthermore, K2SO4 spraying obviously increased the expression of CsCWINV-2/6 in the segment membrane, and CsSUT-1/2 and CsVPP-1/2 in fruit juices. Taken together, six-time application of K2SO4 throughout fruit developmental stages produced better fruit quality, at least through enhancing sink strength and promoting sugar transportation in citrus fruits. This study might effectively contribute to maximizing fruit quality and its marketability.

Catalytic effect of potassium sulfate on propane dehydrogenation of alumina-supported Pt catalyst

Catalytic effect of potassium sulfate on propane dehydrogenation of alumina-supported Pt catalyst

LncRNA MIAT binding to GATA3 activates MAPK signaling pathway and influences bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) manifests in premature neonates with aberrant pulmonary function. Numerous long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of BPD. This study aims to elucidate the impact of the lncRNA myocardial infarction-associated transcript (MIAT) on the initiation and progression of BPD. Initially, BPD murine models were established through hyperoxia induction in newborn mice. Subsequently, MIAT and GATA binding protein 3 (GATA3) expression levels were assessed, and intravenous administration of short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) targeting MIAT and GATA3 was performed. Pulmonary histological alterations were examined through histological staining. Levels of inflammatory mediators were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. The interaction between MIAT and GATA3 was scrutinized through RNA immunoprecipitation, RNA pull-down, and fluorescence in situ hybridization. The downstream mechanisms of GATA3 were explored using bioinformatics analysis. In summary, lncRNA MIAT exhibited elevated expression in the lung tissues of BPD-afflicted mice. MIAT localized to the nucleus and interacted with GATA3, thereby activating the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. Knockdown of MIAT or silencing of GATA3 attenuated the inflammatory response, deactivated the MAPK pathway, and ameliorated BPD symptoms in mice, on the other hand, p-Cresyl sulfate potassium can activate the MAPK signaling pathway and attenuates the effects of si-MIAT or si-GAT3. These improvements were characterized by enhanced alveolar differentiation and reduced glycogen and collagen deposition. In conclusion, lncRNA MIAT plays a pivotal role in activating the MAPK pathway and exacerbating hyperoxia-induced BPD in mice through the binding to GATA3. It's an important discovery for the pathogenesis of BPD and may provide some new treatment for infants diagnosed with BPD.

Nitrogen Regime of the Agro-Grey Soil of a Cherry Orchard and the Yield of Trees when Applying Fertilizers

2018–2022 in order to estimate the nitrogen dozes essential for this fruit crop in the first decade after planting. The field experiment was carried out at an orchard located in the forest-steppe zone of the Central Russian upland (Orel region). Urea and potassium sulfate were applied to the soil once a year in early spring with doses arising from N30K40 to N120K160 kg/ha. The dynamics of N-NH4 in the soil of fertilized and unfertilized plots were similar, the lowest level of the indicator was in July during fruit ripening. The content of N-NO3 in unfertilized soil fluctuated slightly through the vegetation period. The fertilizer treatments led to more intensive seasonal fluctuations of N-NO3 in dependence of weather conditions. Annual fertilization led to annual increase of N-NH4 content by 2–12 and N-NO3 by 18–70 times, depending on the dose of nitrogen. But the accumulation of mineral nitrogen in root zone over the years was not revealed. The fertilizers did not affect sour cherry yield when it was lower than 15 t/ha. Still in the high-yielding season the fertilizers application in dose of N60K80 was necessary to reach the yield 20 t/ha.

Investigation of Dyeing Characteristics of Merino Wool Fiber Dyed with Sustainable Natural Dye Extracted from Aesculus hippocastanum

Recently there has been growing interest in dyeing biomaterials using natural sustainable plant extracts classified as eco-friendly. The microwave-assisted method provides fast heating and energy efficiency, more homogenous heat distribution in dyeing baths, less use of chemicals, and less heat loss, resulting in this method being greener—more sustainable and ecological. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) are used to predict the dyeing properties of fibers, which are often complex and dependent on multiple variables. This saves time and reduces costs compared to trial-and-error methods. This study presents the green dyeing of merino wool fiber with natural dye extracted from Aesculus hippocastanum (horse chestnut) shells using the microwave-assisted method. Before dyeing, the merino wool fiber underwent a pre-mordanted process with aluminum potassium sulfate with different concentrations using the microwave-assisted method. Spectrophotometric analysis of the light, washing, and rubbing fastness of the dyed merino wool fibers was performed. The color strength, light, washing, and rubbing fastness of the dyed merino wool fiber were developed using the pre-mordanting process. After the pre-mordanting process, the light fastness of the samples improved from 1–2 to 3, the color change increased from 2 to 3–4, and the rubbing fastness developed from 2–3 to 4 according to mordant concentration, mordanting time, and dyeing time quantities. The spectrophotometric analysis results indicate that color coordinates vary based on mordant concentration, mordanting, and dyeing duration. Furthermore, the results proved that microwave energy significantly shortened the mordanting and dyeing duration, resulting in an eco-friendly dyeing process. In this investigation, a feed-forward neural network (FFNN) model with sigmoid hidden neurons and a linear output neuron was used to predict the color strength dyeing property of merino wool fiber. Experimental results showed that the proposed model achieved a regression value of 0.9 for the color strength dyeing property. As demonstrated, the proposed FFNN model is effective and can be utilized to forecast the color strength dyeing properties of merino wool fiber.

Phase conversion characteristics of lead sulfate in ferric sulfate medium

The phase transformation characteristics of lead sulfate (PbSO4) in a sulfuric acid (H2SO4) system were studied, focusing on the effects of temperature, H2SO4 concentration, ferric iron (Fe3+) concentration, sodium sulfate (Na2SO4), and potassium sulfate (K2SO4). The conversion of PbSO4 was analyzed by characterizing the composition and structure of the solid product through XRD, SEM/BSE-EDS, and FT-IR. The results indicated that the effect of temperature on PbSO4 transformation was influenced by H2SO4 concentration. The temperature threshold for PbSO4 conversion to lead jarosite (Pb-J) decreased from 150 to 90 ℃ as H2SO4 concentration decreased from 20 to 5 g/L. At 150 ℃, the amount of jarosite generated decreased significantly from 86.04 to 9.76 %. Subsequently, when H2SO4 concentration exceeded 40 g/L, PbSO4 was essentially unchanged. Concurrently, Pb-J formation correlated with the partial formation of hydronium jarosite (H-J). The production of jarosite was inhibited when the solution pH was ∼ 0.3 or lower. Furthermore, the increase in Fe3+ concentration facilitated Pb-J formation, whereas Na2SO4 and K2SO4 inhibited Pb-J formation, leading to the formation of potassium jarosite (K-J) and sodium jarosite (Na-J), respectively. This study provided insights into regulating PbSO4 conversion during sulfide ore oxygen pressure leaching.

Growth Inhibition of Algae in Aquaculture Fishponds Using Banana Peel Powder: A Mesocosm Experiment

Cyanobacterial blooms and algal problems in aquaculture fish-ponds have become a significant concern for fish farmers due to the resultant decline in fish production. While numerous studies have been conducted globally on cyanobacterial blooms in oceans and lakes, relatively few have focused on the inhibition of algal biomass affecting aquaculture fish ponds. This study evaluated the potential of banana peel ashes and potassium sulphate to inhibit algal growth in fish ponds through a six-week mesocosm experiment using varying ash concentrations (i.e., 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 g·L−1). Differences among treatments in nutrient variables (nitrates, ammonium, and phosphates) were analyzed at the conclusion of the experiment. Factorial repeated measures ANOVA was employed to assess significant experimental differences in physicochemical variables across the study weeks (i.e., 1–6 weeks), treatments (three levels, including controls), and ash concentrations. Additionally, algal growth inhibition was assessed by measuring chlorophyll-a concentration over the six-week period. Banana peel ashes exhibited significantly greater efficacy in inhibiting algal growth compared to potassium sulphate, with the exception of the controls. However, no clear patterns were observed on nutrient dynamics throughout the experiment. The study demonstrated that banana peel ashes were more effective in inhibiting algal biomass compared to potassium sulphate, while physicochemical variables remained largely unchanged from the start to the end of the experiment. Given the efficacy of banana peel ashes as an inhibitor in this study, further research is recommended to investigate their potential impacts on fish within the ponds.

Exploring the anti-osteoarthritic effect of Hemp Tribe Orthogo granules on monosodium iodoacetate induced osteoarthritis rat model

: Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint condition characterized by the deterioration of joint structures, resulting in pain and reduced joint motion. It results in joint degeneration marked by the gradual deterioration of cartilage, leading to pain and reduced joint motion. It is a debilitating disease with no available treatment, and the discovery of a medication that benefits the joints is a significant area of research.: This study examined the anti-osteoarthritis effects of the OrthoGo formulation on monosodium Iodoacetate (MIA)-induced osteoarthritis in rats by measuring the activity of the standard painkiller Diclofenac Sodium. : Osteoarthritis models were established using the intra-articular injection of monosodium iodoacetate in rats. Following a three-week induction, measurements conducted include Eddy’s hot plate, inclined plane test, staircase ascent, and gait assessment. The impact of the preparation in mitigating the degenerative characteristics of the joints was examined via radiographic and histological analyses.: The results indicated an enhancement in analgesic efficacy in Eddy's hot plate, an increased duration on the inclined plane, enhanced gait performance, and reduced degenerative alterations in animals administered OrthoGo granules. : The OrthoGo formulation comprises hemp seed powder, glucosamine sulfate potassium chloride, and collagen peptides, which limit the progression of osteoarthritis by delaying cartilage deterioration, reducing inflammation, and enhancing locomotor performance. Consequently, OrthoGo granules containing hemp seeds may serve as a viable treatment agent for osteoarthritis, potentially exhibiting fewer adverse effects than standard analgesics such as Diclofenac Sodium.

Comparative Analysis of Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Boro Rice under Long-term Inorganic and Organic Fertilization Practices

An experiment was conducted during Boro rice in the permanent experimental field of the Department of Soil Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh to investigae the long term outcome of manure and fertilizers on the yield and Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) of BRRI dhan29 in floodplain (Subtropical) soil (Aeric Haplaquepts). The experiment was designed in a randomized complete block design with three replications. There were ten treatment combinations viz, control; Nitrogen (N); (Nitrogen Phosphorus) NP; Nitrogen Potassium (NK); Nitrogen Phosphorus Potassium (NPK); Nitrogen Zinc (NZn); Nitrogen Sulphur (NS); Nitrogen Sulphur Zinc (NSZn), Nitrogen Phosphorus Potassium Sulphur Zinc (NPKSZn) and NPK+FYM. The yield contributing characters and yield of BRRI dhan29 significantly increased due to different treatments. Grain and straw yields were highly influenced by the application of nutrients in various combinations. The longest panicle length (25.3 cm), the highest 1000 grain weight (22.7 g), the maximum grain yield (6.29 t ha-1), the highest nitrogen uptake in grain (70.4 kg ha-1) were found for the NPKSZn treatment. Grain yield increased by 24.8%, 85.8%, 40.7%, 68.9%, 29.2%, 33.2%, 107.1%, 28.9% and 78.9% due to N, NP, NK, NPK, NS, NSZn, NPKSZn, NZn and NPK+FYM treatments respectively and the corresponding straw yields attainment by 49.6%, 51.1%, 82.0%, 95.3%, 37.8%, 34.4%, 82.7%, 41.8% and 90.2%. The maximum value of apparent nitrogen use efficiency was obtained with NPKSZn (54.06%) treatment which evidently suggested its resultness for the long term fertilized soil.

Effect of alkali metal sulfates on hydration properties of alpha-calcium sulfate hemihydrate for 3D printing

Three-dimensional printing (3DP) technology is an important means of achieving decorative convenience, personalization, and functional integration for future building construction. However, the setting time and hydration process of calcium sulfate hemihydrate (HH) present chanllenges for the 3DP application. This study aims to investigate the accelerating effect of alkali metal sulfates accelerators on the hydration transformation of HH into calcium sulfate dihydrate (DH). The setting time, conductivity, Ca2+ ion concentration, size distribution, and zeta (ζ) potential of gypsum slurries with different accelerators were measured. The results demonstrated that the accelerators significantly enhanced the hydration process of αlpha-calcium sulfate hemihydrate (α-HH). On the effect of accelerators, the setting times of gypsum slurries containing 30 wt% lithium sulfate (LS), sodium sulfate (NS) and potassium sulfate (KS) were accelerated by 82.56 %, 86.06 % and 97.13 %, respectively, compared to the control sample. The crystal particle sizes of hydration products decreased, and the absolute values of ζ potential increased to 1.85 mV, 3.1 mV, and 5.3 mV, respectively. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis revealed a shift in the peak values of the hardened specimens towards higher electric fields. This was accompanied by improved ion dispersion within the slurry, resulting in enhanced supersaturation of calcium sulfate dihydrate and crystallization of the crystal nuclei. Thus, the suitable accelerators can effectively achieve rapid solidification and hardening of high-fluidity gypsum slurries.

Zinc outperforms other foliar fertilisers in enhancing lentil yield and harvest index in semi-arid regions

ABSTRACT Lentil yield in semi-arid regions is limited by heat, drought stress and nutrient deficiencies induced by high soil pH and water scarcity. In this study, we investigated the effect of foliar fertiliser treatments on lentil yield and yield components in a semi-arid region of South-East Anatolia, Türkiye. The control treatment and six foliar treatments were as follows: (i) Control: non-amended control, (ii) Zn: zinc sulphate, (iii) K: potassium sulphate, (iv) Zn + K (zinc sulphate + potassium sulphate), (v) Flo: Florea-UPL (containing boron and molybdenum), (vi) Mac: Macarena-UPL, an organomineral foliar fertiliser and (vii) Flo + Mac. Foliar fertilisers were applied at the first blooming stage of field-grown lentils. Total biomass yield was largely unaffected across treatments except in the K treatment. However, foliar Zn supply was the only treatment that significantly increased grain yield (55% higher), harvest index and total grain N uptake compared to the control, likely due to enhanced translocation of nitrogen-containing assimilates. SPAD values and total N analysis showed that stover N content depleted more rapidly in the Zn treatment than in other treatments during the grain-filling phase. The tested commercial products slightly increased SPAD values, biomass and grain yield. Among the treatments, Zn, as a foliar fertiliser, was the most cost-effective solution for improving grain yield in this region.

Chitosan-based NPK nanostructure for reducing synthetic NPK fertilizers and improving rice productivity and nutritional indices

Researchers have repeatedly emphasized how urgently we have to decrease the massive nitrogen fertilizer consumption to support agricultural productivity and maintain a sustainable ecosystem. Using chitosan (CS) as a carrier for slow release is considered a potential tool for reducing synthetic fertilizer and improving crop productivity. Therefore, two field experiments were arranged in a randomized complete block design to investigate the effects of seven treatments including synthetic fertilizer and exogenous application of chitosan-based NPK nano-structure (Ch/NPs-NPK) on growth, productivity, and nutrient uptake traits of rice as a worldwide strategy crop during 2022 and 2023 growing seasons. The experimental treatments were: T1 = full recommended synthetic NPK (recommended urea, superphosphate, potassium sulfate; control treatment), T2 = 70% of T1 + Ch/NPs-NPK 100 ppm, T3 = 70% of T1+ Ch/NPs-NPK 200 ppm, T4 = 70% of T1+ Ch/NPs-NPK 300 ppm, T5 = 30% of T1+ Ch/NPs-NPK 100 ppm, T6 = 30% of T1+ Ch/NPs-NPK 200 ppm, and T7 = 30% of T1 + Ch/NPs-NPK 300 ppm. The results revealed that T4 (i.e., 70% of recommended NPK+ Ch/NPs-NPK 300 ppm) and T1 (full recommended synthetic NPK) resulted in the highest and most significant growth and yield traits of rice as well as nutrient grain contents compared to other treatments. Therefore, combining 70% of recommended NPK with Ch/NPs-NPK 300 ppm as an exogenous application can be a smart choice for reducing synthetic NPK fertilizers by 30% in paddy fields without producing a significant decline in terms of growth, yield characteristics, or nutrient grain contents when applying the full recommended synthetic NPK.

Sensitivity of Rhizoctonia solani to fertilizers and fungicides and their synergistic effects

AbstractRhizoctonia solani reduces yield and quality of potato worldwide and some studies report the appearance of resistant strains due to the extensive use of fungicides. To overcome this problem, we studied the effect of commercial fertilizers alone and in combination with fungicides on the in‐vitro growth of R. solani in order to manage the use of fungicides and reduce the risk of resistance development in this pathogen. First, the study of the effect of three fungicides, azoxystrobin, pencycuron and fludioxonil, on the in‐vitro growth of R. solani showed that fludioxonil (EC50 = 0.06 × 10−3 μg a.i./mL) and pencycuron (EC50 = 0.1 × 10−3 μg a.i./mL) were very effective in inhibiting the growth of this pathogen at very low concentrations; however, azoxystrobin showed less antifungal activity (EC50 = 74.85 × 10−3 μg a.i./mL). The effect of five commercial fertilizers, namely di‐ammonium phosphate, superphosphate, phosphoric acid, potassium sulphate and ammonium nitrate, at different concentrations (0, 0.01, 0.1, 1 and 10 mg of fertilizer element [P2O5, K2O or N]/mL) showed that all fertilizers reduced the in‐vitro growth of R. solani. Furthermore, the studied fertilizers, particularly phosphorus‐based ones, improved the antifungal activity of the three fungicides. For instance, superphosphate at 0.1 mg of P2O5/mL in combination with pencycuron reduced the diameter of the fungal colony by 76.7% in comparison to the fungicide alone. In addition, the antifungal activity of azoxystrobin was improved by the NPK fertilizers, indicating their effect in reducing the risk of resistance development in R. solani to this fungicide. This study demonstrates the usefulness of fertilizers in an integrated management programme to enhance fungicide efficacy against R. solani, reducing the risk of resistance development in this pathogen.

Efficacy and Safety of a New Technique Combining Injection Sclerotherapy and External Hemorrhoidectomy for Prolapsed Hemorrhoids: A Single-center Observational Study.

To date, there have been no reports on the long-term effects of a method that combines external hemorrhoidectomy with aluminum potassium sulfate and tannic acid (ALTA) sclerotherapy. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of external hemorrhoidectomy combined with ALTA sclerotherapy (EA) in reducing postoperative complications associated with conventional hemorrhoidectomy. EA was performed under sacral epidural anesthesia, and ALTA sclerotherapy was applied to the remaining internal hemorrhoids after resection of the external hemorrhoids. Mixed internal and external hemorrhoids were treated with EA, whereas internal hemorrhoids without external hemorrhoids were treated with ALTA sclerotherapy. The three EA patterns were defined as EA1, EA2, and EA3, depending on the number of EAs performed. This study included 3,403 patients who underwent EA for grade II-IV mixed hemorrhoids. EA1 was the most common, with 1,789 (52.6%) cases, followed by EA2 (36.2%) and EA3 (11.2%). Postoperative complications occurred in 120 (3.5%) patients and increased with the number of EAs, with fever and bleeding being common in the early postoperative period, and perianal abscess and/or fistula being common after 1 month. The mean postoperative follow-up period was 26.4 months, and 136 (4.0%) patients underwent reoperation for recurrent internal or mixed hemorrhoids. The reoperation rate for EA1 was significantly higher than that for EA2 and EA3. The 5- and 10-year cumulative recurrence-free rates were 92.5% and 67.2%, respectively. EA is as curative as conventional hemorrhoidectomy and reduces postoperative complications. Therefore, EA is the preferred procedure for patients with mixed hemorrhoids.

Potassium sulphate production from an aqueous sodium sulphate from lead‐acid battery recycling: Impact of feedstock impurities on products yields

AbstractThe increasing demand for renewable energy highlights the need for efficient energy storage solutions. Despite various available technologies, lead‐acid batteries remain preferred for many industrial applications due to their inherent advantages. However, their expanded use necessitates proper waste management and recycling practices. During lead‐acid battery recycling, Na₂SO₄ is generated as a waste product, which cannot be directly sold due to quality concerns and limited market demand. Consequently, advanced waste management techniques are required to comply with government regulations on industrial waste disposal. Despite these challenges, Na2SO4 serves as a vital precursor for producing K2SO4, a valuable fertilizer. Prior research on the glaserite process for converting Na2SO4 to K2SO4 has assumed Na2SO4 to be pure—without traces of impurities. However, Na2SO4 recovered from battery recycling contains various contaminants. To address this, HSC Chemistry software was used to model K2SO4 and NaCl production from impure Na2SO4 and KCl, considering feed impurities. Under ideal conditions—a 1 bar pressure, 25°C feed temperature, and 40°C reactor temperature—over 90% yield of K2SO4 and NaCl was achieved in the absence of impurities. However, the addition of impurities resulted in a reduction in yields. Notably, impurity levels ranging from 1% to 4% by weight still allowed for yields exceeding 90%. Furthermore, a review of reactor compositions revealed a significant depletion of potassium and chlorine ions which are crucial for K2SO4 and NaCl production as impurity levels varied from 0% to 10%. These findings emphasize the negative impact of impurities on K2SO4 and NaCl yields.

Effect of Different Fertilization Strategies on Infestation of Brown Wheat Mite and Wheat Productivity

The brown wheat mite, Petrobia tritici, poses a significant threat to wheat fields. While fertilizers can increase crop productivity, imbalanced application may exacerbate plant susceptibility to pests. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of various NPK fertilization programs on P. tritici infestations over two consecutive cropping seasons. The results revealed significant differences in mite infestation among the treatment groups (p < 0.001). The lowest populations (1.1 and 3.0 mites/leaf) were observed in the treatments sprayed with phosphoric acid (at 0.75 and 1.00 cm/L), where the infestation appeared approximately 120 days after sowing; in contrast, it appeared early at 75 days in the other treatments. Conversely, treatments lacking potassium fertilizer presented the greatest degree of mite injury levels (49.5–57.7 mites/leaf). Although these treatments provided moderate leaf nutrition and crop yield, the highest nutritional content and total yield (10.49 and 9.71 1 t/ha for the two years) were observed in the treatment that received 224:70:100 kg fad−1 commercial fertilizers (=178:25:114 kg ha−1 NPK units) as soil fertilization, which was followed by the treatment with a foliar application of phosphoric acid (1.00 cm/L) with a total yield of 9.34 and 8.53 1 t/ha for the two years. In this treatment, the P. tritici density was moderately high at 9.40 and 6.32 mites/leaf over the two years, respectively. The consistency of P. tritici density and total yield ranking across both years indicated reliable estimates of the impact of fertilization. This study suggests that potassium sulfate application is crucial for reducing P. tritici density and that foliar phosphoric acid application instead of soil application reduces the number of P. tritici and delays its occurrence.

Enhancing yield and economics of banana cultivar Rasthali (Silk-AAB) through bunch spray of growth regulators and nutrients

Aim: Poor finger filling is often observed in Rasthali bananas, which results in low fruit yield. Hence, different growth regulators and nutrients were sprayed at various concentrations to enhance the yield and economics of Rasthali banana. Methodology: The experiment was conducted at Dharumathupatti village, Dindigul district, Tamil Nadu during 2022 and 2023 in a Randomized Block Design with eight treatments, replicated thrice. The treatments included Gibberellic acid @ 50 ppm (T1), NAA @ 50 ppm (T2), 2,4-D @ 25 ppm (T3), Ethephon @ 100 ppm (T4), Urea @ 10000 ppm (T5), Potassium nitrate @ 10000 ppm (T6), Potassium sulphate @ 20000 ppm (T7) and Control (T8). The spraying was done twice; the first spray at emergence of the last hand and the second, one month after the first spray. The observations on various growth, bunch and finger parameters as well as the benefit: cost ratio (B:C ratio) were recorded. Results: T7 treatment produced the highest number of leaves (8.97) whereas T4 treatment registered the minimum number of days taken from last hand opening to harvest (98.67). The highest bunch, finger parameters and benefit-to-cost ratio were also recorded in T7 treatment. Interpretation: Potassium sulphate (20000 ppm) effectively enhanced the growth, yield and economics of Rasthali banana. Key words: Banana cultivar, Bunch spray, Growth regulator, Potassium, Yield

Improving fruit set and quality of Daisy mandarin through foliar application of nutrients

Daisy mandarin is a widely cultivated citrus species valued for its nutritional qualities and organoleptic properties, favored for both fresh consumption and processing. Optimal growth and fruit production is depend upon the availability of essential nutrients. However, soils of the central zones of Punjab are deficient in potassium which hinders the quality and production and their deficiency impairs physiological and biochemical processes, reducing fruit set, yield and quality. Potassium and calcium are vital for metabolic functions and cell wall integrity. A deficiency in any of these nutrients can results in smaller fruits, lower fruit retention and diminished organoleptic and nutritional qualities, such as reduced antioxidants content. So that, a research was conducted to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of potassium nitrate, potassium sulfate, calcium nitrate and boric acid along with paddy straw mulching on Daisy mandarin during the years 2021–22. The pooled data of this research showed that potassium nitrate (2%), is the best treatment with maximum fruit set (14.37%) and retention (72.35%) in Daisy mandarin. Additionally, the average fruit weight (207.50 g), number of fruits (162), fruit yield (33.79 kg/tree), fruit length (6.25 cm) and breadth (6.73 cm) also enhanced. Furthermore, potassium nitrate (2%) application increased the antioxidant activity (39.43%), phenolic content (230.00 mg kg−1 FW) and flavonoid content (3.69 mg RE g−1 FW). The findings suggest that application of potassium nitrate presents a promising strategy for enhancing fruit set, yield and quality of Daisy mandarin, providing valuable insights for improved cultivation practices.