T3 Treatment Research Articles

Identification and evaluation of microbial consortium for accelerated sugarcane trash decomposition

The present study was carried out to evaluate the microbial consortium developed at Agricultural Research Station, Perumallapalle for accelerating the sugarcane trash decomposition during 2020-2023. Application of the microbial consortium @2kg/ton of sugarcane trash showed least decomposition time ie., 89 days with C:N ratio of 18.77:1 while it took about 147 days in control treatment with C: N ratio of 30: 1. Maximum loss in mass (37.34%) and volume (44.55%) was observed in T3 treatment as against the control treatment with 21.23 % loss in mass and 30.11%loss in volume. The nutrient content in terms of total nitrogen, total phosphorus and total potassium content was also estimated in each treatment and maximum values was observed in T3 treatment with 0.93% N, 0.45% P and 1.12% K.

Utilization of Crop Residues and Solubilizing Bacteria to Enhance the Dissolution of Moroccan Phosphate Rock

Phosphorus is essential for plant growth, but its availability in soils is limited due to low solubility of phosphate compounds. This study evaluated the combined effects of crop residues (CR) and phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) on the dissolution of Moroccan phosphate rock. Pot experiments were conducted for 60 days using different doses of MPR (450 kg/ha, 300 kg/ha, and 150 kg/ha), rice and maize crop residues, and a PSB consortium from a rice paddy field. Parameters such as pH, bacterial count, and phosphorus content were measured. The pH increase was significantly higher under the T3 treatment (CR + PSB) with pH 8.26 to 8.58, followed by T1 (CR alone) with pH 7.73 to 8.1, T2 (PSB alone) with pH 7.4 to 7.91, and T0 (control) with pH 7.27 to 7.67. The number of PSB was highest under the T3 treatment (1238.5 x 10-6 to 2081.1 x 10-6 bacteria/g dry matter), followed by T1 (127.2 x 10-6 to 249.03 x 10-6 bacteria/g dry matter) and T2 with 1.7 x 10-6 to 44.6 x 10-6 bacteria/g dry matter, regardless of the MPR dose. Phosphorus solubilization was 35% to 62% with PSB alone (T2), 72% to 88.5% with CR alone (T1), and over 83.98% when both CR and PSB were combined (T3). This increase was more pronounced with higher MPR doses (300 to 450 kg/ha). Incorporating PSB and crop residues as biofertilizers is a viable strategy for enhancing phosphate rock dissolution and improving soil fertility in agricultural systems.

Silicon Supplements Potentially Reduce the Sheath Blight Incidence and Severity of Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Sheath Blight is a disease causing up to 50% yield losses of rice depending on severity. Silicon (Si) is a beneficial nutrient for rice having the ability to protect against diseases. So, a pot experiment was carried out at the Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture Headquarters Farm, Mymensingh from July 2021 to November 2021 with artificial inoculation of Rhizoctonia solani to study the effect of different Si supplements and their doses on rice ShB incidence and severity. The test crop used in the study was Chinigura aromatic rice variety. The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. Among the nine treatments, except control, Si was applied from K2SiO3, CaSiO3, and MgSiO3 with three concentrations viz., 2, 4, and 6 mM Si respectively through the foliar spray. The application of different Si supplements showed a significant positive effect on the growth, yield contributing characters, and yield of rice. The highest yield was found at the application of Si as CaSiO3 6 mM. Disease incidence and severity matrix were significantly reduced due to the application of different Si supplements. The minimum disease incidence and severity matrix were found at T6 (CaSiO3 6 mM) treatment. The maximum disease incidence and severity matrix reduction was 35.27% and 54.3%, respectively at T6 (CaSiO3 6 mM) treatment over control (without Si application) which was statistically identical to T3 (K2SiO3 6 mM), T7 (MgSiO3 2 mM), and T8 (MgSiO3 4 mM). The overall disease incidence and severity matrix reduction over control was 24.68% and 35.59%, respectively due to different Si supplement applications. Again, the highest nutrient concentration was found in different Si supplement treatments over control. So, Si supplement applications such as K2SiO3, CaSiO3, and MgSiO3 may be an advisable option for the management of sheath blight disease of rice for successful crop production.

Fatigue assessment of defective A357-T6 cast aluminum based on affected depth

Fatigue assessment of defective A357-T6 cast aluminum based on affected depth

Pregerminative Treatments to Improve Germination of Plant Species with Forage Potential in Conditions of the Colombian Amazonian Foothills

The research aimed to evaluate the germination of seeds of four forage species present in the Colombian Amazonian foothills, the speed of germination and the selection indices of Erythrina poeppigiana (EP), Guazuma ulmifolia (GU), Clitoria fairchildiana (CF), and Piptocoma discolor (PD) under nursery conditions, through a randomized complete block design with five repetitions and three pregerminative treatments, T0 (control): immersion in water for 24 h, T1: 24 h in water followed by 3 minutes in water at 80°C, and T2: 24 h in a solution of 600 mg/L of gibberellic acid (GA3) followed by 1 minute in water at 80°C. Additionally, GU seeds underwent mechanical scarification. In total, 750 seeds per species were used, resulting in 3,000 seeds in the experiment. An analysis of variance and a Tukey’s mean comparison test were performed for the variable proportion of germinated seeds, germination speed, and selection indices among treatments. Germination curves were analyzed using two growth models: logistic and Gompertz. The results of these models were evaluated based on Akaike (AIC), Bayesian (BIC), and R2 statistical criteria, with the Gompertz model selected for its better fit and biological interpretation of the data. The T2 treatment in EP recorded the highest germination with 88.8 ± 1.36% different (p < 0.05) from the results obtained in T1 79.6 ± 1.22% and the control 61.6 ± 0.94%, the previous treatments in CF had no effect, the control in this species was the best with 68.8 ± 2.94% as in the GU seeds, T1 presented a germination of 78.8 ± 6.21% equal to T2 73.6 ± 5.80% and different (p < 0.05) to the control 25.2 ± 2.01% highlighting the positive effect of manual scarification. PD seeds began germination after 25 days of experimentation, suggesting that this species requires a more extended experimental period. Under Amazonian foothill conditions, EP and GU seeds respond well to 24‐hour hydration and the addition of 600 mg of GA3; however, this dose may be excessive for PD and CF seeds.

Determination of Bed Width of Furrow Irrigation under Wheat at Tibla and Ketar-Genat Irrigation Scheme, Arsi Zone, Ethiopia

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of different bed width on yield and water productivity of wheat from (2022-2023) year at Tibila and Ketar-Genet irrigation scheme. Four bed widths (100cm, 80cm, 60cm and 40cm) were arranged in Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. Recently released bread wheat variety king-bird was used as test crop. From the result, it is found that, Planting wheat on different bed width had a substantial impact on wheat yield and water productivity of the crop. In this study, the highest grain yield (6.23tha-1 ) were obtained when the bread wheat was grown under T2 (60cm bed-width) at Tibila irrigation Scheme. Whereas, the highest grain yield (5.93tha-1 ) were obtained when the bread wheat was grown under T3 (80cm bed-width) treatments at Ketar-Genat irrigation scheme. In general, the result displayed the production of wheat under 60cm bed width with 14% yield advantage at Tibila and 80cm bed width 16.3% yield advantage at the Ketar-genat irrigation scheme as compared to extremely wider (T4) and farmer irrigation practice (T1) respectively. The water productivity among the treatment were also determined in this study where; highest value of 1.05kg m-3 was recorded in T2, at Tibila and T3 (1.21 kg m−3 ) at Ketar-Genat irrigation scheme. Here, the result revealed that water productivity was significantly affected by soil characteristics and the width of the bed. The 60cm bed width produced 17.1% in loam soil and 80cm bed width produce 26.4% in clay soil higher water productivity as compared to farmer practice (T1) at Tibila and Ketar-genet irrigation scheme respectively. T2 (60cm bed-width) and T3 (80cm bed-width) were the best treatment to obtain an optimum yield and maximum water use efficiency in Tibila and Ketar-Genat irrigation scheme, respectively. Therefore, it was recommended to the farmer of Tibla irrigation scheme to use 60cm bed width and 80cm bed width for Ketar-Genat irrigation scheme to enhance production and productivity of wheat in the study area.

Foliar Spray of Urea: A Sustainable Way to Minimize the Rate of Fertilizer Application for Mustard Production in Drought Prone Area of Bangladesh

From the beginning of November 2021 to February 2022, an agricultural investigation was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory of Rajshahi University, Bangladesh. Three sets of replications including a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) were used by this design. In this study mustard variety BARI Sarisha-11 was used with five fertilizer levels viz. T₁ = control (no fertilizer), T2 =60 % of recommended dose (RD) urea [50% of RD as soil application (SA) + 10% RD as foliar application (FA)], T3=85% of recommended dose (RD) urea [70% of RD as soil application (SA) + 15% of RD as foliar application (FA)], T4= 100% of recommended dose of urea (Traditional practice), T5= 100% of recommended dose of urea +3% magic growth as foliar application. In case of T2 and T3 (except T1 & T4) magic growth was sprayed with urea i.e. liquid fertilizers, in case of T5, only magic growth given by three times (25 DAS, 35 DAS and 45 DAS). The yield indicators under investigation were all significantly impacted by liquid fertilizer. The use of T3 treatment yielded the best figure (2.45 t ha-1 ) across yield as well as yield attributes. The following second positional values was displayed in the circumstances where T4 (2.24 t ha-1 ) or customary methods were used. The lowest values for all of traits were observed from T1 (1.45 t ha- ¹) treatment. So, it is concluded that, through the foliar application of liquid fertilizer (urea with magic growth), 15% urea can be saved compared to traditional practice.

Assessment of Various Gibberellic Acid Concentrations on Seed Germination and Seedling Growth of Chilgoza (Pinus gerardiana Wall. ex D. Don)

Chilgoza (Pinus gerardiana) forests naturally exist on the highest elevations of the Himalaya Mountains in the provinces of Paktia, Kunar, Nangarhar, Nuristan, and Paktika in the southeast of Afghanistan. These natural chilgoza forests provide a sizable source of income for the people living in these areas. The spread and natural regeneration of chilgoza pine forests is declining in the natural environment as a result of overharvesting, erratic annual seed production, and prolonged dormancy; therefore, it is necessary to find an effective method to enhance seed germination and seedling growth. Different Gibberellic Acid (GA3) hormone concentrations (50 ppm, 75 ppm, and 100 ppm), the removal of the seed coat, and control (untreated) treatments were used to conduct an experiment for this study. For each treatment, seedling growth parameters and the percentage of seeds that germinated were examined. The results showed that the T4 treatment had the highest average length of seedling, shoot, and root, measuring 13.34 cm, 8.1 cm, and 8.4 cm, respectively; whereas the T1 treatment had the shortest average lengths of seedling, shoot, and root, measuring 11.22 cm, 6.5 cm, and 6.2 cm, respectively. The greatest percentage of germination (78.66%) was observed in T4 (100 ppm), whereas the lowest percentage (26%) was documented in T1 (Control). The highest average number of leaves was recorded in T4 (22.25) and the lowest in T1 (15.02) treatment. The results indicated that treating chilgoza pine seeds in a 100 ppm solution of GA3 for 24 hours enhances both the seed germination and sprouting seedling growth.

Feasibility of rice-crab (Scylla olivacea) co-cultures in the south-west coastal ghers of Bangladesh

To assess the production performance in terms of growth, survival and intactness of mud crab in co-culture with rice plants an experiment was conducted for a period of 120 days in the ghers of two villages under Paikgacha Upazilla, Khulna. The crab juvenile was collected from adjacent Shibsha River and stocked in two experimental ghers of 0.004 ha area each without considering male female ratio. The stocking density was 50 per decimal, 75 per decimal, 100 per decimal in T1, T2 and T3 treatments of two experiments, respectively. Fresh chopped tilapia fish was fed to the crab and the requirement of supplied tilapia fish was adjusted periodically in accordance with the growth performance or body weight of crab. Production and physico-chemical parameters were recorded and analyzed according to standard methods. Among these parameters salinity had significant (p<0.05) role on survival of mud crab. After 120 days of rearing we obtained average final weight of cultured crab (Scylla olivacea) was 154.6±12.19g, 135.46±21.30g and 107.23±14.87g; with the estimated yield of 995.96±193.43 kg/ha, 1179.4±266.68 kg/ha and 1144.22±544.05 kg/ha, survival was 45%, 47% and 42% in T1, T2 and T3 treatments respectively in Bayra village; On the other experimental site in Gopalpur village we obtained average final weight of cultured crab was 169.2±19.20g, 155.22±17.73g and 167.53±18.60g; with the estimated yield of 476.83±160.51 kg/ha, 793.73±361 kg/ha and 1636.19±868.32 kg/ha, survival was 25%, 27% and 22% in T1, T2 and T3 treatments respectively The yield of rice was found 6006±1021 kg/ha, 6026±991 kg/ha, 5995±1005 kg/ha in T1,T2,T3 treatments respectively in the experiment of Bayra village on the other hands in Gopalpur village the yield was 5877±1297 kg/ha, 5743±1350 kg/ ha, 5468±1190 kg/ha in T1,T2,T3 treatments respectively. Results and findings of the present study suggested that yield of rice was not hampered for rice-crab co-culture in ghers. According to the experimental results poor salinity level, temperature, water level fluctuation and winter seasons are the potential constraints in the growth, survival and intactness of rice crab co-culture in the coastal ghers of Bangladesh.

Effect of Vermicompost Treatment on Oil Quality and Fatty Acid Composition of Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

This study examined the impact of vermicompost treatment on the oil quality and fatty acid contents of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) in 2020-2021 under the ecological conditions of Osmaniye. The research was designed in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Peanut variety NC 7 was used in the study. Vermicompost was applied in nine different doses. In the research oil content, linoleic acid, oleic acid, stearic acid, palmitic acid, arachidic acid, behenic acid, iodine value, and O/L ratio were examined. According to the results, it has been found that oil content varies between 48.38% (T9) and 50.43% (T5). The ratio of oleic acid was recorded between 56.90% (T9) and 59.42% (T5) while the ratio of linoleic acid was between 21.15% (T9) and 23.59% (T8). The lowest palmitic acid value (8.87%) was recorded for the T8 treatment whereas the highest palmitic acid value (9.21%) was obtained from the T6 treatment. The lowest O/L ratio (2.42) was obtained from the T8 treatment while the highest O/L ratio (2.77) was obtained from the T4 treatment. The iodine value varied between 85.56% and 90.28% for T9 and T5 applications, respectively. The findings indicate that under the ecological conditions of Osmaniye, soil and leave treatments of vermicompost show a significant increase in oil content, oleic acid, linoleic acid, and iodine values of peanut.

EFFECT OF THREE TYPES OF GROWING MEDIA AND VERMICOMPOST TEA ON THE GROWTH AND INDIVIDUAL WEIGHT OF CHINESE KALE (Brassica oleracea var. alboglabra Bailey)

The intensive use of inorganic fertilizers is an effective means to promote crop productivity. However, continuous and improper use of inorganic fertilizers alone can lead to soil degradation, resulting in lower yield, environmental pollution, and human health. Organic fertilizers maintain soil quality, increase soil organic matter, and improve soil properties, consequently enhancing crop yield. This present study aimed to investigate the effects of growing media and vermicompost tea on the growth and yield of Chinese kale plants under pot conditions. Consequently, the experiment of the present study included six treatments, including control. The results showed that mixing cow manure and vermicompost with growing media and VT application significantly positively affected plant height, number of leaves, stem diameter, and individual weight of Chinese kale plants. Particularly, the highest plant height, the number of leaves, and individual weight were seen in the T6 treatment [GM3 (the mixture of 50% soil, 20% cocopeat, and 30% vermicompost) + VT application], but T2 treatment [GM2 (the mixture of 50% soil, 20% cocopeat, and 30% cow manure) + no VT application] had the highest stem diameter. Noticeably, VT application increased the individual weight of the plants in the T4 treatment (GM of 100% soil + VT application) by 119.9%, as compared to the control (GM of 100% soil + no VT application). Consequently, the findings of this present study demonstrated that vermicompost tea may have great potential for use as a foliar fertilizer for leaf vegetables to promote growth in plant height and weight.

Elicitation Induced α-Amyrin Synthesis in Tylophora indica In Vitro Cultures and Comparative Phytochemical Analyses of In Vivo and Micropropagated Plants.

Tylophora indica (Burm. f.) Merrill is an endangered medicinal plant that possesses various active agents, such as tylophorinine, kaempferol, quercetin, α-amyrin and beta-sitosterol, with multiple medicinal benefits. α-amyrin, a triterpenoid, is widely known for its antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, gastroprotective and hepatoprotective properties. In this study, we investigated the metabolite profiling of tissues and the effects of cadmium chloride and chitosan on in vitro accumulation of alkaloids in T. indica. First, the callus was induced from the leaf in 2,4-D-, NAA- and/or BAP-fortified MS medium. Subsequent shoot formation through organogenesis and in vitro roots was later induced. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)-based phytochemical profiling of methanolic extracts of in vivo and in vitro regenerated plants was conducted, revealing the presence of the important phytocompounds α-amyrin, lupeol, beta-sitosterol, septicine, tocopherol and several others. Different in vitro grown tissues, like callus, leaf and root, were elicited with cadmium chloride (0.1-0.4 mg L-1) and chitosan (1-50 mg L-1) to evaluate the effect of elicitation on α-amyrin accumulation, measured with high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC). CdCl2 and chitosan showed improved sugar (17.24 and 15.04 mg g-1 FW, respectively), protein (10.76 and 9.99 mg g-1 FW, respectively) and proline (7.46 and 7.12 mg g-1 FW), especially at T3 (0.3 and 25 mg L-1), in the leaf as compared to those of the control and other tissues. The antioxidant enzyme activities were also evaluated under an elicitated stress situation, wherein catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) displayed the highest activities in the leaf at T4 of both of the two elicitors. The α-amyrin yield was quantified with HPTLC in all tested tissues (leaf, callus and root) and had an Rf = 0.62 at 510 nm wavelength. Among all the concentrations tested, the T3 treatment (0.3 mg L-1 of cadmium chloride and 25 mg L-1 of chitosan) had the best influence on accumulation, irrespective of the tissues, with the maximum being in the leaf (2.72 and 2.64 μg g-1 DW, respectively), followed by the callus and root. Therefore, these results suggest future opportunities of elicitors in scaling up the production of important secondary metabolites to meet the requirements of the pharmaceutical industry.

Performance of sunflower at different pruning regimes in Acacia albida based agroforestry system

A study was conducted in albida (Acacia albida) based agroforestry research field of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (BSMRAU) from November/2020-March/2021 to evaluate the performance of sunflower at different light intensity created by pruning off the albida canopy at different levels. The experiment was set up in a single-factor Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. Five different treatments of the experiment were as follows; T1: albida tree (no pruning) T2: albida tree (25% pruning), T3: albida (50% pruning, T4: albida (75% pruning) and T5: sunflower sole cropping in open field. The results revealed that T1 treatment produced the tallest plant (100.72cm) followed by T2 (97.48cm) while the treatment T5 produced the shortest (72.95cm) plant. The fresh weight (81.67g) and dried weight (13.95g) of sunflower leaves were found maximum in T4 and the minimum fresh weight (53.48g) and dry weight (8.34g) were recorded in T1 treatment. The highest CGR (1.169mg/cm2/day) and RGR 66.58 (mg/g/day) values were found in T5 and was not significant with T4. The yield parameters of sunflower such as head diameter (15cm) and 1000 seeds weight (43.34g) were found maximum in T5 (open field) which was statistically similar to that of T4 treatment. The T5 yielded the highest (1.13t/ha) sunflower seeds followed by T4 (1.09t/ha). The study indicated that sunflower can be grown successfully under the albida tree canopy with 75% trimming. Ann. Bangladesh Agric. 27(2): 119-128

Yield Response of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) to Poultry Waste Application With Different Rates of Potassium and Phosphorus Inorganic Fertilizers

Poultry waste is a rich source of nitrogen nutrient compared to other elements. In crop cultivation, combined application of organic manures and inorganic fertilizers increase soil nutrients which are available to plants. Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. walp) is a significant grain legume production and it is used as a source of low cost protein for human consumption particularly in the developing countries. Thus, the experiment was conducted to determine the effects of poultry waste with phosphorus and potassium inorganic fertilizers on seed yield of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.). The pot experiment was designed in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with six treatments and seven replicates. Treatments included T1 – 100% inorganic fertilizer [35 kg ha-1 urea, 100 kg ha-1 triple superphosphate (100% TSP) and 75 kg ha-1 muriate of potash (100% MOP)], T2 – 10 t ha-1 poultry waste alone, T3 – 10 t ha-1 poultry waste + 25% TSP + 25% MOP, T4 – 10 t ha-1 poultry waste + 50% TSP + 50% MOP, T5 – 10 t ha-1 poultry waste + 75% TSP + 75% MOP, T6 – 10 t ha-1 poultry waste + 100% TSP + 100% MOP. The result confirmed that the poultry waste with potassium and phosphorus inorganic fertilizers had significant differences (P<0.05) on most of the agronomic parameters tested in this experiment. Results revealed that application of 10 t ha-1 poultry waste with 100% TSP and 100% MOP treatment (T6) showed the best treatment for cowpea yield in term of seed yield. But significant variation on seed yield was not observed between T5 (10 t ha-1 poultry waste with 75% TSP and 75% MOP treatment) and T6 (10 t ha-1 poultry waste + 100% TSP + 100% MOP) treatments. Therefore, application of 10 t ha-1 poultry waste reduces the usage of inorganic fertilizers (urea by 100%, TSP by 25% and MOP by 25%) for obtaining better seed yield in cowpea cultivation.

Physiological effects of Acmella ciliata essential oil on root development of Nicotiana tabacum

In this study, the essential oil of Acmella ciliata, characterized by the presence of significant amounts of spilanthol, α-phellandrene epoxide, and carvotanacetone, was assessed for its influence on the growth of Nicotiana tabacum cv. Xanthi, with the focus primarily on root hair density and primary root length. Following its extraction through microwave-assisted hydrodistillation, the oil was stored at 4°C in amber vials, distinguishable by its unique yellowish-reddish hue, with a refractive index of 1.3478 and a density of 0.847 g cm-3. Among the various dilutions evaluated, the undiluted oil (T3) and the dilution 1.5:0.5 (Oil:EtOH) (T6) demonstrated the most prominent effects. The T3 and T6 treatments markedly enhanced root hair numbers, with T6 additionally promoving root length compared to other treatments. Considering the presence of bioactive alkamides such as spilanthol in the oil, these compounds may have contributed to the observed root growth modulation. When compared against the positive control, affinin, Acmella ciliata essential oil displayed a more pronounced effect on root hair proliferation, while affinin predominantly boosted primary root elongation. The findings highlight the differential effects of the essential oil on specific plant growth parameters.

Response of Different Levels of Boron Fertilizer on Growth and Yield of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.)

The study was carried out at the Agricultural Research Field of IUBAT to investigate the impact of varying levels of boron (B) fertilizer on the growth and production of okra (Hybrid Okra-Shomy). The experiment followed a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four replications. The experiment included four treatments: T0 (Control), T1 (1kg B ha-1), T2 (2kg B ha-1), and T3 (3kg B ha-1). These treatments were implemented in order to assess the optimal outcomes of the study. The findings of the study showed that T2 (2kgB/hac) treatment performed better in all aspects of growing parameter especially yield contributing traits like number of fruit/plant (89.75), number of fruit/treatment (387.98), individual fruit weight (17.34gm), number of seed/fruit (57.50),100 seed weight (8.15gm), yield/plant (387.98gm), yield/hac (1549.7kg), yield (17.09) ton/hac, Plant fresh weight/plant (524.81gm) and root length (20.40cm), respectively. IUBAT Review, 6(2): 106-114

Efficacy of Bio-Rational Insecticides in Controlling Thrips in Summer Country Bean

Aims: To study the efficacy of biorational insecticides in controlling thrips in summer country bean.
 Study design: The study used a single component Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications.
 Place and Duration of Study: The experiment was conducted in the central farm of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, Bangladesh from March to May 2021.
 Methodology: The experiment consisted of seven treatments and was laid in a single factor Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The experiment consists of the following management practices: T1=Spraying Neem oil @ 6 ml/L of water at 7 days interval, T2=Spraying Neem leaf extract @ 200 mg/L of water at 7 days interval, T3= Mehgoni leaf extract @ 200 mg/L of water at 7 days interval, T4=Tobacco leaf powder @ 30 mg/L of water at 7 days interval, T5= Spraying Spinosad @ 0.4 ml/L of water at 7 days interval, T6=Spraying Biotrin @1.4 ml/L of water at 7 days interval and T7= Untreated control.
 Results: Among the seven (7) treatments the lowest number of thrips (2.50 plant-1) was observed in T5 (Spraying Spinosad @ 0.4 ml/L of water at 7 days interval), while highest number of thrips (16.67 plant-1) was observed in T7 (Untreated control). The highest percentage of thrips reduction over control (85.50%) was observed in T5 (Spraying Spinosad @ 0.4 ml/L of water at 7 days interval) treatment. The present study revealed that the lowest number of thrips as insect pest and increased plant, leaf, inflorescence and pod infestation, different yield contributing characters and yield of country bean might be obtained by using the treatment T5 (Spraying Spinosad @ 0.4 ml/L of water at 7 days interval) besides T6 (Spraying Biotrin @ 1.4 ml/L of water at 7 days interval) performed as second best treatment whereas, T7 (Control) and T3 (Mehgoni leaf extract @ 200 mg/L of water at 7 days interval) may protect the country bean at lowest rate in summer.
 Conclusion: It can be concluded that, spraying of Spinosad @ 0.4ml/L of water at 7 days interval as a bio-rational management practice for thrips population control for country bean variety BARI Sheem-4 in summer reduced the infestation of thrips at the most satisfactory level.

Mineral solubilizing microorganisms and their combination with plants enhance slope stability by regulating soil aggregate structure.

The stability of exposed slopes is prone to natural disasters, seriously threatening socio-economic and human security. Through years of exploration and research, we proposed an active permanent greening (APG) method based on patented mineral solubilizing microorganisms (MSMs) as an improvement over the traditional greening method. In this study, we selected two MSMs (Bacillus thuringiensis and Gongronella butleri) and a plant species (Lolium perenne L.) set up six treatments (T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, and T6) to investigate the effectiveness of the MSMs and their combinations with the plant species on the soil stability using APG method. We noted that both MSMs and the plant species significantly improved soil aggregate stability and organic matter content. Of all the treatments, the T1 treatment exhibited better results, with soil aggregate stability and organic matter content increased to 45.63% and 137.57%, respectively, compared to the control. Soil stability was significant positively correlated with macroaggregate content and negatively with microaggregates. Using structural equation modeling analysis, we further evaluated the mechanism underpinning the influence of organic matter content and fractions on the content of each graded agglomerates. The analysis showed that the macroaggregate content was influenced by the presence of the plant species, primarily realized by altering the content of organic matter and aromatic and amide compounds in the agglomerates, whereas the microaggregate content was influenced by the addition of MSMs, primarily realized by the content of organic matter and polysaccharide compounds. Overall, we observed that the effect of the co-action of MSMs and the plant species was significantly better than that of using MSMs or the plant species alone. The findings of this study provide reliable data and theoretical support for the development and practical application of the APG method to gradually develop and improve the new greening approach.

CHALQUEÑO MAIZE (Zea mays L.) YIELD UNDER DIFFERENT FERTILIZATION SCHEMES IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF APAN, HIDALGO, MEXICO

<p><strong>Background.</strong> In Mexico, corn is the most important crop, being an important input with food, economic, political, and social implications. However, intensive cultivation methods, based on chemical pesticides, monoculture and synthetic agrochemicals have caused a reduction in soil fertility and crop yields. An alternative, which can help restore soil fertility, increasing organic matter, moisture retention and the load of microorganisms, is mixed fertilizer. Stimulating, in addition, the defense systems of the plants and thus increasing the yield of the crops. <strong>Objective.</strong> To evaluate some fertilization schemes in Chalqueño maize plants through the measurement of some growth and yield variables. <strong>Methodology.</strong> A completely randomized block experimental design was established with three repetitions, where four fertilization schemes were evaluated (T1, control without fertilizer input; T2, chemical fertilizer; T3, organic fertilizer; and T4, chemical fertilizer + organic fertilizer) during the crop years 2019-2020. <strong>Results.</strong> The analyzes showed significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) between the evaluated treatments and years of cultivation. Being the T4 treatment, the one that obtained the best grain yield for the years 2019 and 2020, with values of 5.11 ± 0.05<sup>b</sup> t ha<sup>-1</sup> and 6.57 ± 0.95<sup>a</sup> t ha<sup>-1</sup>, while the T1 treatment, recorded 1.59 ± 0.12<sup>f</sup> t ha<sup>-1</sup> and 2.15 ± 0.38<sup>e</sup> t ha<sup>-1</sup>, respectively. <strong>Implications.</strong> With the information generated, it will be possible to implement the best fertilization scheme that provides the corn plants with all the necessary nutrients so that year after year they obtain the best grain yields. <strong>Conclusion.</strong> Through the results it was possible to demonstrate the negative effect of environmental factors (higher temperature and less rainfall), on the yield of the corn crop during the year 2019, with respect to the best yield result obtained for all the treatments during the year 2020 where a lower temperature and higher rainfall were recorded. Being equally evident the positive effect on the yield when plants were fertilized with the T4 treatment that provided to the corn crop with an adequate dose of moisture and macro and micronutrients.</p>

DOSIS DE BIOESTIMULANTE Y DISTANCIAMIENTO DE SIEMBRA EN CORRELACIÓN CON LOS PARÁMETROS PRODUCTIVOS EN AGUAYMANTO (Physalis peruviana L.)

<p><strong>Background: </strong>The aguaymanto has aroused great interest in both the national and international markets for its different uses: aesthetic, medicinal, nutritional and gastronomic. However, agronomic management strategies for this crop with commercial potential are unknown, resulting in low yields and profitability. <strong>Objective:</strong> To evaluate the effect of different doses of Biogen 1 biostimulant (Bg) and planting distances<strong> </strong>(PD) on the production and economic analysis of aguaymanto. <strong>Methodology:</strong> Two factors were evaluated: planting density and dose of biostimulant, resulting in 6 treatments: T1- control (250 ml Bg/200 L + 1m x 1m); T2 (250 ml Bg/200 L + 1.5m x1.5m); T3 (500 ml Bg/200 L + 1m x 1m); T4 (500 ml Bg/200 L + 1.5m x 1.5m); T5 (750 ml Bg/200 L + 1m x 1m) and T6 (750 ml Bg/ 200 L + 1.5m x 1.5m), using a randomized complete block design. The following production parameters were evaluated: number of fruits per plant-NFP, fruit weight-FW (g), fruit diameter-FD (cm), yield per plant-YPP (kg/plant), yield per hectare-YPHA (kg ha<sup>-1</sup>). <strong>Results: </strong>T6 had the best yields per plant; however, in the yield per hectare and in the economic analysis, T5 performed better. The correlation in NFP was positive on FD, YPP and YPHA; also, FW with respect to FD and YPP. FD was positively correlated with YPP. However, YPP presented a very weak correlation with YPHA.<strong> Implications: </strong>Proper use of biostimulants and planting distance increases crop yields. <strong>Conclusion:</strong> The T6 treatment improved the parameters evaluated per plant, and T5 improved YPHA and the B/C ratio. This positive correlation indicates the directly proportional effect between the parameters</p>