Red Loam Research Articles

The effect of aeration and irrigation on the improvement of soil environment and yield in dryland maize.

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of long-term aerated seepage irrigation technology on soil fertility changes and maize yield under continuous maize cropping system in red loam soil, and to explain the mechanism of maize yield increase under this technology, which can provide theoretical basis for crop quality improvement and yield increase under aerated irrigation (AI) technology. Therefore, this research was conducted for four field seasons in 2020-2023 at the National Soil Quality Observation Experimental Station, Zhanjiang, China. Soil aeration, soil fertility, root growth, physiological traits, and yield indicators were evaluated by conventional underground drip irrigation (CK) and AI. Our results showed that AI treatment significantly improved soil aeration and soil fertility. Increases in soil oxygen content, soil respiration rate, soil bacterial biomass, and soil urease activity were observed, corresponding to increases from 3.08% to 21.34%, 1.90% to 24.71%, 26.37% to 0.09%, and 12.35% to 100.96%, respectively. The effect of AI on maize indicators increased year by year. Based on improvements in soil aeration and fertility, root length, root surface area, and root dry weight under AI treatment were enhanced by 15.56% to 53.79%, 30.13% to 62.31%, and 19.23% to 35.64% (p < 0.05) compared to the CK group. In addition, maize agronomic traits and physiological characteristics showed improved performance; in particular, over 1.16% to 14.42% increases were identified in maize yield by AI treatment. Further analysis using a structural equation model (SEM) demonstrated that the AI technology significantly promotes the improvement of root indicators by enhancing soil aeration and soil fertility. As a result, maize yield could be increased significantly and indirectly.

Study on the Temperature and Water Distribution of Hot Air in Red Loam Based on Soil Continuous Cropping Obstacles

In recent years, the problematic circumstances of the constant cropping problem in facility crops have become increasingly serious. Compared to chemical disinfection, soil steam disinfestation offers the benefits of environmental protection and being pollution-free, which can effectively reduce the problem of constant cropping in crops. However, during the steam disinfection procedure, a large quantity of liquid water is formed due to the condensation of high-temperature steam, which causes soil pore blockage, seriously affecting the mass and heat transfer efficacy of steam and, thus, affecting the disinfection efficiency. Therefore, to solve this problem, this paper proposes the use of hot air dehumidification to remove excess water from soil pores and achieve the goal of dredging the pores. However, further exploration is needed on how to efficiently remove excess water from different pore structures through hot air applications. Therefore, this paper first used CFD simulation technology to simulate and analyze the hot air flow field, mass, and heat transfer in soil aggregates of different sizes (&lt;2 mm to &gt;8 mm). Then, based on the soil hot air heating experimental platform, research was conducted on the mass and heat transfer mechanism of hot air under diverse soil pore conditions. The results show that as the soil particle size increases from &lt;2 mm to &gt;8 mm, the number of soil macropores also increases, which makes the soil prone to the formation of macropore thermal currents, and the efficiency of hot air heating for dehumidification first increases and then decreases. Among them, the 4–6 mm treatment has the best dehumidification effect through hot air heating, with a deep soil temperature of up to 90 °C and a water content reduction of 6%. The 4–6 mm treatment has a high-temperature heating and dehumidification area of 15–20 cm deep. The above results lay the theoretical foundations for the parameters of hot air heating and dehumidification operations, as well as the placement of the hot air pipe. This paper aims to combine hot air dehumidification technology, for the removal of excess water from soil, and dredging soil pores, ultimately achieving the goal of improving soil steam disinfection efficiency.

Evaluation of Soil Total Nitrogen as an Indicator of Soil Bacterial Community Response to Biochar and Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria Applications

Biochar and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are widely used as an amendment for soil physicochemical properties and soil bacterial community diversity. In Guangxi, China, we carried out a study to determine how PGPR and biochar influence the soil’s environmental stability in an Eucalypt plantation. We applied biochar and PGPR in a contrasting application manner to an acidic red loam soil. Thus, three treatments were set up as 5 × 1010 CFU·mL−1 PGPR-only (MB0), 20 t·hm−2 biochar-only (B20), and co-application of 20 t·hm−2 biochar and 5 × 1010 CFU·mL−1 PGPR (MB20), as well as no biochar and no PGPR (M0B0). Our results indicated that MB20 significantly decreased the soil total nitrogen (TN) and increased the soil total phosphorus (Soil TP), soil ammonium nitrogen (NH4+), and soil water content (SWC) when compared with the control. The MB20 also significantly increased the Simpson, ACE, and Chao indices of the soil bacterial community’s diversity relative to the control. We also observed a significant effect of the Soil TN on both the bacterial community and the functional diversity in soil. These findings may indicate that assessing the soil N status is expected to be an essential indicator of the soil microenvironment’s response to biochar and PGPR applications.

Study on the Efficacy of Recessed Green Space in Rainwater Harvesting and Utilization in Urban Roads

Abstract In order to confirm the performance of recessed green space in rainwater collection and utilization of urban roads, this paper proposes a corresponding experimental test program, which mainly covers the evaluation of rainwater infiltration, the evaluation of rainwater purification, and the simulation of rainfall-runoff reduction. Using the above test methods, the effectiveness of recessed green space in collecting and utilizing rainwater was analyzed. The results showed that in the one-way analysis of the compositional structure of the undercroft green space, the gravel layer, the media layer, and the vegetation layer had no significant difference in the infiltration rate sig&lt;0.05, and all three had no significant difference with the infiltration rate. The order of rainwater infiltration effect of the four reactors was 3/7 mixed media reactor (23.08 ml/min) &gt; red loam reactor (23.04 ml/min) &gt; 2/8 mixed media reactor (23 ml/min) &gt; black loam reactor (23.08 ml/min), while the order of purification effect was 3/7 mixed media &gt; 2/8 mixed media &gt; red loam &gt; black loam. In addition, the combined high infiltration hypolimnetic green space had a better retention effect (flow yield range from 0 to 10 L) in rainfall-runoff with a reproduction period of 3 and 4 years. Based on the analysis results, the application effect of undercroft green space in urban road rainwater collection and utilization is comprehensively verified, and it is hoped that the investigation of this paper can bring certain references and references to the relevant personnel.

Influence of pore structure on steam disinfection heat and mass transfer in Yunnan red loam

The obstacles to the continuous cropping of Chinese herbs in Yunnan have become increasingly prominent. Many soil-borne diseases can infect the roots of crops, affect the growth of crops, and eventually lead to quality and yield reduction. Soil steam disinfection can still be used as one of the first methods to solve the problem of continuous cropping obstacles of Chinese herbs such as Panax notoginseng. However, the steam will condense into a large amount of liquid water when it is cold, which will cause soil pore blockage and seriously affect the steam diffusion efficiency. Therefore, it is necessary to study the influence mechanism of the pore structure of Yunnan red loam on heat and mass transfer of steam disinfection. The experimental research was conducted on steam disinfection's heat and mass transfer patterns under different soil pore structure conditions. Image processing technology was used to collect accurate soil profiles and to establish real soil pore structure analysis. Then, fluid simulation technology was used to simulate the heat and mass transfer process and trend of steam distribution within the soil profile under different soil pore structures. The results showed that the steam heat flow of <2 mm, 2–4 mm and 4–6 mm treatments were uniformly diffused in the form of matrix flow in a 1/4 ellipse, and the effective disinfection range was 18 cm horizontal distance and 20 cm vertical distance, in which the highest temperature could reach more than 90 °C. The steam heat flow of the 6–8 mm and >8 mm treatment groups diffused irregularly in large pore steam flow. Therefore, some devices for breaking soil and rotary tillage need to finely rotate the soil in the future. The end effector's disinfection pipe spacing can refer to the effective disinfection range.

Investigation of an Empirical Creep Constitutive Model of Changsha Red Loam

To describe and predict the creep deformation of Changsha red loam (including sandy soil and silty clay) in China, an empirical creep model was proposed based on a laboratory consolidation compression test. Two classical soil layers were sampled from the deep foundation pit site and fourteen samples were designed for tests under different loading conditions. Results show that the deformation process illustrates deceleration and stabilization creep with its vertical load lower than 500 kPa, while it may illustrate acceleration with its vertical load higher than 500 kPa. By analyzing the experimental results, the empirical creep model of the red loam was established. Adopting the model to predict the deformation of red loam shows the prediction curves match the actual situation, proving that the model plays a significant role in predicting the creep deformation of Changsha red loam.

Adsorption, mobility, and degradation of the pesticide propaquizafop in five agricultural soils in China

Propaquizafop is a fatty acid synthetic herbicide used to control annual and perennial grasses. To understand the potential environmental risks of propaquizafop to crops and food safety, the adsorption, mobility, and degradation of propaquizafop in five different soils were studied. At an initial concentration of 5 mg L−1 propaquizafop, its adsorption equilibrium was reached within 24 h, and the adsorption rates were between 46.98 and 57.76%. The Elovich kinetic model provided the best fit for the kinetic model, with R2 values between 0.9882 and 0.9940. For the isothermal adsorption tests, the Freundlich model was used to better fit the adsorption characteristics of propaquizafop in different soils, with R2 values between 0.9748 and 0.9885. Increasing the concentration of Ca2+ was beneficial for propaquizafop adsorption. In the soil thin-layer chromatography tests, the Rf of propaquizafop in the five soil samples ranged from 0.076 to 0.123. The results of the soil column leaching tests showed that propaquizafop did not migrate in the five soil columns; it was not detected in the leachate of each soil column, and propaquizafop in the soil columns only existed in the 0–5 cm soil layer. The results of soil thin-layer chromatography and soil column leaching tests showed that propaquizafop is a pesticide with a weak migration ability. Under the same environmental conditions, the degradation rate of propaquizafop in different soils followed the order LF fluvo–aquic soil (T1/2 = 1.41 d) > CS red loam (T1/2 = 2.76 d) > SX paddy soil (T1/2 = 3.52 d) > CC black soil (T1/2 = 5.74 d) > BS ginseng soil (T1/2 = 7.75 d). Considering the effects of soil moisture, incubation temperature, and microorganisms on propaquizafop degradation in the soil, temperature was found to have the greatest influence on its degradation rate.

Factors on the distribution, migration, and leaching of potential toxic metals in the soil and risk assessment around the zinc smelter

Mining activities usually caused soil polluted by potential toxic elements (PTEs). This paper used the analysis of correlation, variance, and power analysis to clarify the relationship and migration characteristic of 90 samples in 30 sampling points at the depths of 30, 100, and 200 cm. The results showed in the weakly alkaline red loam, pH had no significant effect on the total concentration of PTEs in the soil. The greater the depth was, the greater the total concentration of PTEs in the soil. And depth had no significant effect on the soil pH. The cadmium (Cd) migration process in the soil was more severe than other elements. The arsenic (As) migration ability was lower than other elements. Except for chromium (Cr), lead (Pb) and antimony (Sb) had the strongest migration ability. Soil depth and total PTEs concentration had no significant effect on the leaching concentration of As and Sb, whether it was by water leaching or acid leaching. From the perspective of the potential ecological risk index, Pb and Cr had low or no risk, while As, Sb, and Cd needed to be dealt with. From the perspective of Hazard Quotient, Pb, Cr, and Cd have low or no non-carcinogenic risk, while As and Sb did the opposite. This research inspired understanding the process of soil PTEs migration, and helping local government to control the distribution of PTEs.

Persistence of fluopyram under varying moisture conditions in laterite and red loam soils of Kerala, India

Persistence of fluopyram under varying moisture conditions in laterite and red loam soils of Kerala, India

Water Content Variations and Pepper Water-Use Efficiency of Yunnan Laterite Under Root-Zone Micro-Irrigation.

Understanding the water content variations in Yunnan laterite (red loam soil, SR) in small-scale environments and exploring the potential for crop water-use efficiency (WUE) improvement are crucial for improving water-saving irrigation technologies used in greenhouse agriculture in Yunnan, China. In this study, a closed-loop model for calculating soil water in greenhouse potted cultivation was established based on water conservation. A Yunnan SR, yellow sand soil (SY), and a 1:1 SR–SY mixture (SM) subjected to root-zone micro-irrigation or surface-drip irrigation were experimentally examined to compare their water content variations and pepper WUEs. The results showed that the soil type and soil type–irrigation mode interaction had significant effects on both soil evaporation and pepper WUE, and that the variations in soil evaporation with respect to time can be expressed using a cubic polynomial function. In small-scale greenhouse cultivation, IG has good water-saving potential and is suitable for the SR (which has a better water-retention capacity), whereas IM is more suitable for the SY (which has a better water-penetration capacity). Mixing certain proportions of the SY into the SR will effectively impact the water content variations and crop WUE and provide opportunities for further improving the water-saving efficiency.

Variations in weathering characteristics of soil profiles and response of the Atterberg limits in the granite hilly area of South China

Red loam hills with granitic parent material are susceptible to gully erosion under continuous runoff. Laterite soils from granitic parent material in South China are continuously weathered. Soil profile weathering and Atterberg limits, as indirect indicators of soil erosion resistance, are often neglected. Here, three typical granite weathering profiles in Hubei (HB), Fujian (FJ) and Guangxi (GX) were selected to investigate the granite weathering zonation characteristics and their relationships with the Atterberg limits. The main soil profile oxides were SiO2, Fe2O3 and Al2O3, and their total content exceeded 80.00%. Moreover, the chemical weathering indicators consistently showed highly weathered states and increase in weathering degree from bottom to top in the soil profiles; the weathering degree had zonal characteristics from north to south, and the weathering mantle thickness gradually increased. The liquid limit (LL), plastic limit (PL), shrinkage limit (SL), plasticity index (PI) and shrinkage index (SI) decreased as the soil profile depth increased, while the liquidity index (LI) decreased, indicating more stability and less susceptibility to erosion in the surface soil layers. During heavy rainfall, the soil moisture content in the sandy layer was more likely to approach the PL or even LL, which easily cause soil loss. Further, the red soil layers tended to shrink under higher moisture contents, thereby forming fissures and leading to preferential flow, which increased the interstitial pressure of the soil and led to a reduction in shear strength, and resulted in gully erosion. Regression analyses showed that Si mobility was significantly positively correlated with LL (R2 = 0.712), PL (R2 = 0.732), SL (R2 = 0.669), SI (R2 = 0.709), and PI (R2 = 0.592) and significantly negatively correlated with LI (R2 = 0.554). The correlations between Fe mobility and Atterberg limits were the opposite of those for Si. According to path analysis, the Fe2O3 content and Atterberg limits had the largest decision coefficients, indicating that the weathering intensity was significantly correlated with the Atterberg limits.

Effect of differential addition of water on mobility of fluopyram in two different soils of Kerala

ABSTRACT Fluopyram, a pyridyl ethyl benzamide broad-spectrum fungicide and nematicide, used for the management of plant parasitic nematodes and soil-borne fungi, is recommended for use in crops like tomato, potato and tobacco. Fluopyram being a pesticide used for drenching soil, there is every possibility of it getting leached down with water, ultimately leading to contamination of waterbodies. An experiment was conducted to study the downward movement of fluopyram in laterite and red loam soils in Kerala, India. Fluopyram and fluopyram benzamide, each at150 µg, were loaded separately on top of the respective soil column and were eluted separately with 20, 40, 80 and 160 mL each of water equivalent to 50, 100, 200 and 400 mm rainfall. It was observed that 76.84% and 74.85% of fluopyram and 73.48% and 64.24% of fluopyram benzamide were confined to the top 0–10 cm soil with application of 20 mL water in laterite and red loam soil, respectively. More than 50% of fluopyram and fluopyram benzamide were detected in the top 0–10 cm layer of soil with the application of 40 and 80 mL water. With the application of 160 mL water, considerable reduction in the concentration of both compounds was observed and the residues moved beyond 30 cm. Leaching of residues was more in laterite soil than in red loam soil, and they are in direct relation to the volume of water applied and the residues moved beyond 30 cm depth with 160 mL water.

Simulation of Total Dry Matter Production of Glycine Max L Merrill Under Weed Management Practices

An investigation on “Weed Management and Crop Growth Modeling in Soybean” was carry out on red sandy loam soil at UAS, Main Research Station, Hebbal, Bangalore during Rabi 2010 (September to December). The weed control practices included in the study were i) Pendimethalin 30 EC 1.0 kg a.i./ha – 3 days after sowing, ii) Imazethapyr 10 SL 100 g a.i./ha – 20 days after sowing, iii) Quizalofop-p-ethyl 5 EC 50 g a.i./ha – 20 days after sowing, iv) Chlorimuron ethyl 25 WP 6 g a.i./ha – 20 days after sowing, v) Hand weeding (20 &amp; 40 DAS) and vi) un-weeded control. The experiment was designed as RCBD with four replications. Growth models – Richards, Logistic, Cubic polynomial and Quadratic polynomial simulated the course of dry matter production/plant by &gt;97per cent under all weed management practices, indicating that weed competition did not alter the pattern of crop growth, but affected the total production substantially.

Simulation of Total Dry Matter Production of (Glycine Max L. Merrill) Under Weed Management Practices

An investigation on “Weed Management and Crop Growth Modeling in Soybean” was carry out on red sandy loam soil at UAS, Main Research Station, Hebbal, Bangalore during Rabi 2010 (September to December). The weed control practices included in the study were i) Pendimethalin 30 EC 1.0 kg a.i./ha – 3 days after sowing, ii) Imazethapyr 10 SL 100 g a.i./ha – 20 days after sowing, iii) Quizalofop-p-ethyl 5 EC 50 g a.i./ha – 20 days after sowing, iv) Chlorimuron ethyl 25 WP 6 g a.i./ha – 20 days after sowing, v) Hand weeding (20 &amp; 40 DAS) and vi) un-weeded control. The experiment was designed as RCBD with four replications. Growth models – Richards, Logistic, Cubic polynomial and Quadratic polynomial simulated the course of dry matter production/plant by &gt;97per cent under all weed management practices, indicating that weed competition did not alter the pattern of crop growth, but affected the total production substantially.

Red loam soils blocks modified using cement-lime: Assessment of its optimum ratio, performance, and practice

This paper reports the optimal ratio of cement-lime modified rammed earth materials for red loam soils in the Changsha area. The optimal moisture content of 8%∼12% was determined by key indicators such as test block effect, compressive strength, and weather resistance. Subsequently, the physical properties, water resistance, and weather resistance of red loam soil blocks with different cement and lime ratios were compared, and the suitable ratios of cement-lime modified rammed earth material for the Changsha area were determined as follows: soil: sand: stone: lime: cement - 5:3:2:1/3:1:1. To verify the reasonableness and practicability of the experiments, the rammed simulated tests and practical applications were carried out.

Effects of soil type, moisture content and organic amendment rate on dimethyl disulfide distribution and persistency in soil

Understanding the distribution and persistence of the fumigant dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) under different soil conditions would contribute to a more environmentally sustainable use of this gas. We determined the effects of soil type, soil moisture content and soil organic amendment rate on DMDS distribution and persistency using soil columns in the laboratory. The peak concentrations of DMDS at 60 cm soil depth in sandy loam soil, black soil and red loam soil were 1.9 μg cm−3, 0.77 μg cm−3, 0.22 μg cm−3, respectively. The total soil residues of DMDS in sandy loam soil, black soil and red loam soil were 0.4, 1.3 and 1.3%, respectively. The peak concentrations of DMDS at 60 cm soil depth and the total soil residues of DMDS applied decreased from 3.2 μg cm−3 to 0.9 μg cm−3 and 3.3 to 0.5% when soil moisture content increased from 6 to 18%, respectively. Incremental increases (0–5%) in organic amendment rates decreased DMDS distribution through the soils and increased soil residues. Wait periods were required of 7, 21 and 21 days after polyethylene (PE) film was removed to reduce residues sufficiently for cucumber seed germination in sandy loam soil, black soil and red loam soil with 12% moisture content and 0% organic amendment rate, respectively. However, no wait period was required for successful cucumber seed germination in sandy loam soils (Beijing) with 6, 12 or 18% moisture content or organic amendment rates of 1 or 5%, respectively, but in commercial practice 7 days delay would be prudent. Our results indicated that soil type, soil moisture content and organic amendment rates significantly affected DMDS distribution, persistency and residues in soil. Those factors should be taken into consideration by farmers when determining the appropriate dose of DMDS that will control soil pests and diseases in commercially-produced crops.

Dissipation kinetics and distribution of fipronil and its toxic metabolites in Banana, cv. Nendran (AAB)

In the study under taken to analyze the dissipation, metabolism and persistence of fipronil in banana, cv. Nendran (AAB), in red loam soils (AEU 8-southern laterites) of Trivandrum, Kerala, India, with treatments as, absolute control (No application of fipronil), recommended practice of soil application of 30 mg a.i. of fipronil per plant per application, applied 3 times on 0, 60 and 150 days of planting and double dose of fipronil, in samples viz., leaves, fingers bunches and flower bud, central core of pseudo-stem and corm sampled and analyzed for residue at definite time intervals revealed that QuEChERS method can be conveniently applied for extracting the residue from various parts of banana plant and has resulted in satisfactory values for validation parameters. Residue of fipronil and their toxic metabolites in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd leaves of banana on penultimate day of completion of pre-bunching application was found to be below the detectable levels (BDL) throughout the period of sampling and this may be attributed to low absorption, very fast metabolism of very low levels of absorbed molecule and mobility. However, on 40th day the fipronil was detected in the 4th leaf to the extent of 0.034 μg g-1 and was not detectable (i.e., BDL) on 50th day indicating safety from residue of harvested produce for consumption especially at recommended dose. Sample matrices of blossom bud, flower bract alone, bunch on 15th day of emergence, bunch on 30th day of emergence, peel, bunch on harvest, pseudo stem and corm were below detectable level of fipronil and their metabolites and even with an additional application of treatment on the day of bunching also did not register any detectable level of fipronil and their metabolites.

Boron dynamics in red loam soil amended with different organic fertilizers

Boron is an essential micronutrient which is required in trace amount by the crop plants for their growth and development. There is a widespread deficiency of B in Indian soils and it has emerged as the second most deficient micronutrient after zinc. As its requirement is less, the deficiency can be corrected with the application of organic manures to a certain extent. The boron present in the soil exists in different chemical forms. The different fractions of B in the soil are readily soluble (Rs-B), specifically adsorbed (Spa-B), oxide bound (Ox-B), organically bound (Org-B) and residual B (Res-B). All these fractions together form the total B (T-B) content in the soil. As application of organic manures had a positive influence on the B availability, an incubation study was conducted for period of 24 weeks to analyze the release pattern of B and their dynamics in red loam soil amended with different organic fertilizers. The availability of B in the soil was mainly influenced by the dynamics of B fractions in the soil. Addition of organic amendments enhanced the readily available and specifically adsorbed B fractions in the soil and thereby increased B availability. The highest availability was from fortified thermochemical organic fertilizer (F-TOF) amended soil. It was mainly due to their higher B content than other organic fertilizers. The study of B dynamics in the soil provides a clear idea on its availability as well as the potential B reserve in the soil.

Effect of Different Rates of Nitrogen Fertilization on Crop Yield, Soil Properties and Leaf Physiological Attributes in Banana Under Subtropical Regions of China.

Excessive nitrogen (N) application is widespread in Southern China. The effects of N fertilization on soil properties and crop physiology are poorly understood in tropical red loam soil. We conducted a field experiment to evaluate the effect of nitrogen fertilization rates on physiological attributes (chlorophyll, plant metabolic enzymes, soluble matters) on banana leaves, soil properties (soil enzymes, soil organic matter (SOM), soil available nutrients) as well as banana crop yield in a subtropical region of southern China. The N rates tested were 0 (N0), 145 (N145), 248 (N248), 352 (N352), 414 (NFT), and 455 (N455) g N per plant. The correlations among soil factors, leaf physiological factors and crop yield were evaluated. The results indiated that the high rates of N fertilization (NFT and N455) significantly decreased soil available potassium (K) content, available phosphorus (P) content, glutamine synthetase (GS) activity, and soluble protein and sugar contents compared with lower N rates. The N352 treatment had the highest crop yields compared with higher N rates treatments, followed by the N455 treatment. However, there were no significant differences in crop yields among N fertilization treatments. Factor analysis showed that the N352 treatment had the highest integrated score for soil and leaf physiological factors among all treatments. Moreover, the N352 treatment was the most effective in improving carbon and nitrogen metabolism in banana. Crop yield was significantly and positively linearly correlated with the integrated score (r = 0.823, p < 0.05). Path analysis revealed that invertase, SOM and sucrose synthase (SS) had a strong positive effect on banana yield. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) suggested that available K, invertase, acid phosphatase and available P were the most important factors impacting leaf physiological attributes. Cluster analysis demonstrated distinct differences in N application treatment related to variations in soil and leaf factors. This study suggested that excessive N fertilization had a negative effect on soil fertility, crop physiology and yield. The lower N rates were more effective in improving crop yield than higher rates of N fertilization. The N rate of 352 g N per plant (N352) was recommended to reduce excess N input while maintaining the higher yield for local farmers’ banana planting.

Effect of organic nutrition on chemical and biological properties of red loam soils under baby corn (Zea mays L) cultivation

Effect of organic nutrition on chemical and biological properties of red loam soils under baby corn (Zea mays L) cultivation