Tonnes Ha-1 Research Articles

Performance Study of Betelvine (Piper betle Linn.) Cultivars under Varying Doses of Phytohormone-Triacontanol

Betel vine (Piper betle Linn.) belongs to the family Piperaceae. The experiment was carried out with two factorial randomized block design combining 3 replications and 18 no. of treatments. Adopted plant spacing was 50 cm x10 cm and plot to plot distance was 60 cm. Treatment Details: Factor 1: Triacontanol – 0.1% (T1), Triacontanol – 0.05% (T2), Triacontanol – 0% (T3), Factor 2: Cultivars: Utkal Sudam, Kali Bangla, Kotki, Simurali Bhabna, Simurali Gol Bhabna, Chalani local. Nutrients were applied as FYM (10 tonnes ha-1) and N:P:K::200:100:100 Kg ha-1year-1. Regarding the interaction effect of cultivar with the effect of Triacontanol, the cultivar Kotki treated with Triacontanol @ 0.1% (T1) recorded highest average vine elongation per month (32.83 cm). Whereas both the cultivar Kotki and Kali Bangla, when treated with Triacontanol @ 0.1% (T1) recorded maximum number of leaves per vine per year (4.60). The highest content of total Chlorophyll (3.89 mg/g) and essential oil (0.82%) was obtained from the cultivar Simurali Gole Bhabna treated with Triacontanol @ 0.1% (T1). The cultivar Utkal Sudam with Triacontanol @ 0.05% (T2) was observed highest Phenol content (142.58 mg GAE /100g). Maximum shelf life (18 days) was obtained from the cultivar Kali Bangla and Kotki treated with Triacontanol 0.1% (T1). From this experiment, highest benefit:cost ratio (3.03) was obtained from the cultivar Kali Bangla treated with Triacontanol @ 0.1%(T1) and lowest benefit:cost ratio (1.75) was recorded in cultivar Chalani local without the use of Triacontanol i.e. in control plot.

Initial agronomic benefits of enhanced weathering using basalt: A study of spring oat in a temperate climate.

Addressing soil nutrient degradation and global warming requires novel solutions. Enhanced weathering using crushed basalt rock is a promising dual-action strategy that can enhance soil health and sequester carbon dioxide. This study examines the short-term effects of basalt amendment on spring oat (Avena sativa L.) during the 2022 growing season in NE England. The experimental design consisted of four blocks with control and basalt-amended plots, and two cultivation types within each treatment, laid out in a split plot design. Basalt (18.86 tonnes ha-1) was incorporated into the soil during seeding. Tissue, grain and soil samples were collected for yield, nutrient, and pH analysis. Basalt amendment led to significantly higher yields, averaging 20.5% and 9.3% increases in direct drill and ploughed plots, respectively. Soil pH was significantly higher 256 days after rock application across cultivation types (direct drill: on average 6.47 vs. 6.76 and ploughed: on average 6.69 vs. 6.89, for control and basalt-amended plots, respectively), likely due to rapidly dissolving minerals in the applied basalt, such as calcite. Indications of growing season differences in soil pH are observed through direct measurement of lower manganese and iron uptake in plants grown on basalt-amended soil. Higher grain and tissue potassium, and tissue calcium uptake were observed in basalt-treated crops. Notably, no accumulation of potentially toxic elements (arsenic, cadmium, chromium, nickel) was detected in the grain, indicating that crops grown using this basaltic feedstock are safe for consumption. This study indicates that basalt amendments can improve agronomic performance in sandy clay-loam agricultural soil under temperate climate conditions. These findings offer valuable insights for producers in temperate regions who are considering using such amendments, demonstrating the potential for improved crop yields and environmental benefits while ensuring crop safety.

INTERACTION OF PHOSPHORUS CHEMICAL FERTILIZER AND BIOCHAR APPLICATION ON WHEAT PLANT

Phosphorus (P) is one of the most important elements required for the physiological and biochemical functions of plants. It is well known that there are many limitations to the uptake of phosphorus from soil. In this study, the interaction between different doses of chemical P fertilizer and biochar application on wheat plants was investigated. In this greenhouse experiment, P fertility was studied in calcareous soil with a high pH in southern Turkey. Wheat plants were grown for seven weeks with 3 biochar doses (0-20-40 tonnes ha-1) and 4 P fertilizer applications (0, 50, 100, and 200 kg P2O5 ha-1). Dry weight (DW), macro (nitrogen (N), P, potassium (K), magnesium (Mg)), and micronutrient (iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and manganese (Mn)) concentrations were evaluated in post-harvest plant samples. The efficiency of P utilization (agronomic, physiological, and apparent recovery) was also determined. The dry matter yield increased significantly with increasing biochar dose and P application. The highest agronomic efficiency and apparent recovery efficiency of wheat plants were found to be 13.16 mg-1 and 12.52 % when BOP50 was applied. Increases in N, K, Zn, and Mn concentrations in wheat plants were determined depending on biochar and P dose applications.

Seagrasses produce most of the soil blue carbon in three Maldivian islands

Blue carbon is fast garnering international interest for its disproportionate contribution to global carbon stocks. However, our understanding of the size of these blue carbon stocks, as well as the provenance of carbon that is stored within them, is still poor. This is especially pertinent for many small-island nations that may have substantial blue carbon ecosystems that are poorly studied. Here, we present a preliminary assessment of blue carbon from three islands in the Maldives. The higher purpose of this research was to assess the feasibility of using blue carbon to help offset carbon emissions associated with Maldivian tourism, the largest Maldivian industry with one of the highest destination-based carbon footprints, globally. We used stable isotope mixing models to identify how habitats contributed to carbon found in sediments, and Loss on Ignition (LoI) to determine carbon content. We found that for the three surveyed islands, seagrasses (Thalassia hemprichii, Thalassodendron ciliatum, Halodule pinofilia, Syringodium isoetifolium, and Cymodocea rotundata) were the main contributors to sediment blue carbon (55 – 72%) while mangroves had the lowest contribution (9 – 44%). Surprisingly, screw pine (Pandanus spp.), a relative of palm trees found across many of these islands, contributed over a quarter of the carbon found in sediments. Organic carbon content (‘blue carbon’) was 6.8 ± 0.3 SE % and 393 ± 29 tonnes ha-1 for mangrove soils, and 2.5 ± 0.2% and 167 ± 20 tonnes ha-1 for seagrasses, which is slightly higher than global averages. While preliminary, our results highlight the importance of seagrasses as carbon sources in Maldivian blue carbon ecosystems, and the possible role that palms such as screw pines may have in supplementing this. Further research on Maldivian blue carbon ecosystems is needed to: 1) map current ecosystem extent and opportunities for additionality through conservation and restoration; 2) determine carbon sequestration rates; and 3) investigate options and feasibility for tourism-related blue carbon crediting. Overall, the opportunity for blue carbon in the Maldives is promising, but the state of knowledge is very limited.

The study of soil organic carbon rate in Gunungsewu Karst Area, Pracimantoro District

Karst landscape has a notable role in carbon cycles. The role isn’t merely through the karstification (solutional) process but also on soil since Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) is the biggest terrestrial organic carbon stock. The purpose of this research was to discover characteristic and calculate organic carbon within rainfed paddy, dry land seasonal crops, shrubland, and homogenic forest in Gunungsewu Karst, Pracimantoro District. The soil sampling method was determined by purposive, then computed through a laboratory test to figure out the soil texture, permeability, bulk density, particle density, porosity, and organic carbon percentage. C-organic assessment refers to the calculation by National Standardization Agency. Permeability is the obvious parameter that was discovered. Soil permeability in the agricultural land uses has a higher value than in non-agriculture land uses. This matter is caused by soil tillage as a human agriculture activity. The result of the SOC assessment is that non-agriculture land use has a higher rate than agriculture land use. SOC within the homogenic forest was the highest rate (30,03 tonnes ha-1), and the dry land seasonal crops was the lowest rate (18,9 tonnes ha-1), whereas the rainfed paddy and shrubland, respectively 21,63 tonnes ha-1 and 23,62 tonnes ha-1. It caused by the litter on the agriculture land use was slightly than the litter that piled up on the non-agriculture land use because the land was tillage and cleaned as an agriculture activity. Research like this should be undertaken in order to gain information about soil or karst roles within carbon cycles as a mitigation to climate change.

Effect of fertilizer composition and different varieties on yield, methane and nitrous oxide emission from rice field in East Java Indonesia

IntroductionRice, as a staple food in several Asian countries, contributes to approximately 10% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions during its cultivation. Furthermore, nitrogen fertilization increases the accumulation of GHG emissions. This study aims to investigate GHG emissions, including methane (CH4) and nitrous Oxide (N2O) resulting from the common fertilizer variations used by farmers in Indonesia for two rice varieties, Way Apo Buru and Inpari 32, and their relationship to rice yield. MethodsThe research was conducted from August to November 2022 in an open field located in Jember, Indonesia. Two rice varieties, Inpari 32 and Way Apo Buru, were employed in this study. Fertilization variations included Urea (46%-N), ZA (21%-N 24%-S), SP-36 (36%-P & 5%-S), KCl (250:100:50:50 kg ha-1) (P1); NPK (16%-N:16%-P:16%-K), Urea (46%-N), ZA (21%-N & 24%-S) (225:175:100 kg ha-1) (P2); NPK (12%-N:12%-P:17%-K), Urea (46%-N), ZA (21%-N & 24%-S) (175:150:100 kg ha-1) (P3); and NPKS (P1) + chicken manure fertilizer 5 tonnes ha-1 (P4).ResultsIn this research, Inpari 32 rice achieved greater yields while also exhibiting higher global warming potential. Applying NPKS fertilizer in combination with 5 tonnes ha-1 of manure fertilizer (referred to as P4) resulted in a substantial increase in rice yield compared to alternative fertilizer formulations. DiscussionsThe various inorganic fertilizers had a relatively similar influence on growth, production yield, and greenhouse gas emissions (CH4 and N2O). However, the fertilizer NPKS and 5 tonnes manure fertilizer resulted in the lowest CH4 emissions and global warming potential values.

Morpho-agronomic performance M5 mutant generation of aceh rice (Oryza sativa L.) of different organic fertilizer treatment

The use of organic fertilizers is one of the efforts made to increase the levels of organic matter in the soil, especially paddy soil. This study aims to determine the effect of organic fertilizer of different treatments on the morpho-agronomic performance of the M5 mutant generation of Aceh rice (Oryza sativa L ). This research was conducted in ARRI, Aceh Rice Research Institute Banda Aceh, from April to July 2023. In this study, the experimental design used was a split-plot design with three replications where the subplots were nested in the main plot. The factors studied included the dose of organic fertilizer, which consisted of three levels: 0 ton ha-1, 5 ton ha-1, and 10 ton ha-1. The rice lines consisted of 5 groups: Mustajab Varieties, UM 14, UM 69, UM 8, and UM 89. The research results show that best of organic fertilizer was found with doses 10 tonnes ha-1 provides a significant effecton the number of tillers in harvest time 12,34 tillers. The best line/variety was found in the UM-89 treatment line with number of panicles 9,79 which was significantly different from the Mustajab variety which had a 7,88 panicles.

Sustainable Management Practices to Enhance Rainfed Soybean Productivity under Changing Climate

Soybean being rainfed crop encounters various problems associated with climate change. Flood, poor distribution of rainfall, dry spell at critical stage during cropping season, pest and disease incidence, imbalance nutrient application and soil degradation resulted stagnation in country soybean productivity (<1.0 tones ha-1). Therefore, adaption of climate smart sustainable management practices could be viable options. The development of crop specific sustainable management practices under changing climate is continuous process. Hence, effort has made to describe some of the sustainable management (conservation agriculture, integrated crop management, organic farming and natural farming) practices in rainfed soybean to enhance productivity, restore soil fertility and farm profitability under changing climate.

CH4 and N2O emissions and their potential control by rice biomass biochar: The case of continuously flooded paddy fields in Indonesia - A review

Methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) are the two most important greenhouse gases (GHG) from flooded paddy fields in Indonesia. This review aims to characterise CH4 and N2O emissions from flooded paddy fields by published data analysis and to examine the potential of biochar from rice straw (RSB) and rice husk (RHB) to mitigate the emissions in Indonesia. A comparison of various box-plot datasets of CH4 emissions showed that the different types of flooded paddy field soil cause varying amounts of CH4 emissions from various regions in Indonesia. Sequentially, CH4 emissions of flooded paddy fields from highest to lowest are Alluvial of Kalimantan and Sulawesi, Andisols of Java, Ultisols of Sumatra, Alfisols of Java and Bali and Inceptisols of Java and Bali, with a mean of 1062, 505, 446, 135 and 64 kg ha-1 season-1, respectively. The organic amendments application combined with chemical fertilisers is the principal driver of anthropogenic CH4 emissions from paddy fields. However, N chemical fertiliser application contributes only about 0.37% of the N2O flux, 0.69 kg ha-1 season-1. The produced biochar number was insufficient effectively to reduce CH4 and N2O emissions, at least 20 tonnes ha-1 year-1, in addition to the pyrolysis process to produce biochar, releasing CH4 emissions. Yet, with its recalcitrant properties and continuous application, RSB and RHB potentially reduce CH4 and N2O emissions from paddy fields.

The Effect of Spraying with Micronutrients using Different Types of Nozzles on the Growth and Yield of Corn (Zea mays L.)

A field experiment was conducted in the north of Basra Governorate during the fall season of 2019 to determine the effect of the nozzles type and spraying of zinc and iron on the growth, yield, and quality of maize (Al-Maha cultivar). The first factor was (spraying zinc 90 mg L-1 F1, iron 300 mg L-1 F2, and zinc 90 mg L-1 + iron 300 mg L-1 F3). The second factor (Nozzles type: Tip Nozzle N1, Flat fan Nozzle N2, Hollow Cone Nozzle N3). R. C. B.D design with three replications was utilized. The application of micronutrients through spraying yielded positive outcomes. Specifically, treatment F2 exhibited the tallest stem height, measuring 139.68 cm. Treatment F4 demonstrated the largest stem diameter, measuring 1.91 cm. Furthermore, treatment F4 resulted in the highest mean values for grain yield (5.44 tonne ha-1), chlorophyll content (31.73 spad), and protein content (11.039%). Regarding the second factor, it was observed that N1 exhibited superior performance in stem diameter, measuring 1.889 cm. The F2N2 treatment demonstrated superior performance in stem height, with an average measurement of 148.05 cm. Conversely, the F4N2 treatment exhibited excellence in stem diameter, with an average measurement of 1.94 cm.

Pemanfaatan Bahan Organik Kirinyuh (Chromolaena odorata L.) terhadap Komponen Hasil Beberapa Varietas Cabai Besar (Capsicum annuum L.) IPB

One of the efforts to increase the production of large chilies is to utilize organic sources such as kirinyuh (Chromolaena odorata L.). In addition to organic materials, the use of adaptable and high-yielding seeds is also an option in the development of large chili plants. This study aims to determine the effect of giving kirinyuh organic matter and several varieties on the yield components of large chili and the interaction between the two factors. This research was conducted at Experimental Farm 2, Faculty of Agriculture, Syiah Kuala University from May-October 2022. This study used factorial Randomized Block Design (RBD) with 2 factors and 3 replications. The first factor was the dose of organic matter left (D) consisting of 4 levels, namely control (D0), 10 tons ha-1 (D1), 20 tons ha-1 (D2) and 30 tons ha-1 (D3). The second factor was the chili variety (V) consisting of 3 levels, namely F1 Gada (V1), Anies (V2) and Seloka (V3). The results showed that the dose of kirinyuh organic matter of 10 tons ha-1 was able to increase the diameter of large chili pods. Meanwhile, the dose of kirinyuh organic matter of 30 tonnes ha-1 was able to increase the number of fruits, fruit weight per plant and yield potential of large chilies. The Anies variety gave better results on the characters of fruit number, fruit weight, fruit diameter, fruit weight, stalk length and yield potential of large chili plants. While the F1 Gada variety showed better results on fruit length characters. There was no interaction between the doses of kirinyuh organic matter and chili varieties on yield components.

Standardization of Cultivation Practices of Kod (Kutaki, Picrorhiza kurroa Royle ex Benth.): An Endangered Medicinal Plant Species of Kashmir Himalaya, India

Picrorhiza kurroa Royle ex Benth (Scrophulariaceae) is a small creeping herbaceous alpine species commonly known as Kod or Kutaki, used by local and tribal people for curing fever, asthma, jaundice, stomach ache, indigestion, common fever and bronchial asthma. This has resulted in the loss of biodiversity of the species. Roots of P. kurroa have been used in traditional medicine for years for treating various kinds of diseases. The species has been ruthlessly harvested from the wild source and has become endangered. In the present investigation, an attempt was made to standardize the cultivation practices using organic manures and inorganic fertilizers in P. kurroa. The experiment comprised of 28 treatments {M1P0N0, M1P0N1, M1P0N2, M1P1N0, M1P1N1, M1P1N2, M1P2N0, M1P2N1, M1P2N2, M2P0N0, M2P0N1, M2P0N2, M2P1N0, M2P1N1, M2P1N2, M2P2N0, M2P2N1, M2P2N2, M3P0N0, M3P0N1, M3P0N2, M3P1N0, M3P1N1, M3P1N2, M3P2N0, M3P2N1, M3P2N2 and M0P0N0} with three replications each, including one control treatment. The dry root weight recorded by the application of poultry (20 tonnes ha-1), sheep (25 tonnes ha-1) and farm yard manure (25 tonnes ha-1), was 533.60, 509.60 and 476.70 kg ha-1, respectively. Dry root yield increased significantly with increasing levels of phosphorus (453.6 to 550.4 kg ha-1), and nitrogen (444.8 to 565.6 kg ha-1) as well. Application of organic manure and higher levels of inorganic fertilizers resulted in increase in the root weight with maximum dry root biomass of 640.00 kg ha-1 was observed in treatment M1 P2 N2 (20 tonnes of PM, 100 kg P and 150 Kg N ha-1) compared to the lowest dry yield of 328.0 kg ha-1 as observed in control treatment M0P0N0 (zero tonnes of FYM, 0 kg P and 0 kg N ha-1), although the effect of their interaction was non-significant. It is concluded that highest dry weight of root (692.80 kg ha-1) in P. kurroa was obtained by the application of phosphorus @ 100 kg ha-1 as compared to various organic manures or/different levels of nitrogen used and among the organic manures used viz. poultry, sheep and farmyard manure, the highest root biomass of 533.60 kg ha-1 was recorded by the application of poultry manure. Since the species in Kashmir Himalayan region is endangered but has high commercial demand, hence immediate conservation measures are needed to protect the species from extinction.

Influence of INM on Growth and Yield of Green Gram (Vigna radiata L.) NEPZ

At the United University's Agricultural Research Farm in Rawatpur, Jhalwa, Prayagraj (U.P.), India, during the Kharif season of 2022, a research on green gram (Vigna radiata L.) was carried out to examine the effects of integrated nutrient management on growth, yield, and economics. On green gram (Vigna radiata L), the experiment was conducted using a randomized bock design with three replications in all allowable combinations of inorganic fertilizers, Rhizobium, and PSB together with FYM. This study showed that plant height (91.99 cm), dry weight (105.45 g), and number of root nodules (111.33) were all significantly enhanced by 100% RDF + 5.0 tonnes FYM ha-1 + Rhizobium and PSB seed inoculation. In terms of increasing yield and yield-related indicators, such as number of pods plant-1 (31.43), number of seeds pod-1 (12.46), test weight (37.26 g), and harvest index (34.90%), the same treatment combination likewise showed the best results. As a result, adding farm yard manure at a rate of 5 tonnes per hectare coupled with Rhizobium and PSB increased yield compared to the control. But using 100% RDF, bio fertilizer, and FYM @ 5.0 tonnes ha-1 greatly boosts gross returns (₹ 104,120.00), net returns (₹ 76,017.00), and benefit: cost ratio (2.70). These results showed that the addition of organic matter, inorganic fertilizers, and bio-fertilizers all combined to boost yield while using various nutrition sources.

The Role of Zeolite and NPK Fertilizer on Maize (Zea mays L.) Growth in Inceptisol, Southern Solok District

The research objective was to determine the role of zeolite in increasing the efficiency of NPK fertilizer on the growth and yield of maize in Inceptisol Southern Solok. This research was conducted in July - November 2022, in Sangir District, Southern Solok Regency, West Sumatra with an elevation of 998 m above sea level, the soil type is Inceptisol, with a soil pH of 5.76, belonging to the slightly acidic. The experiment was arranged in a randomized block design with a factorial arrangement of treatments in 2 treatment factors. The 1st factor was the dose of zeolite from 0, 100 and 200 kg ha-1, the 2nd factor was NPK fertilizer (15-15-15) with a dose of; 100, 200, and 300 kg ha-1, arranged in 3 blocks. The data obtained was analyzed using the F test with a significance level of 5%, and then using the DNMRT follow-up test with a significance level of 5%. The parameters; soil pH, plant height, leaf area index, weight of 100 maize kernels, moisture content of 14%; and yield per hectare. The data obtained were presented in the form of tables and figures, establishing the interaction relationship between the two treatments in the form of graphs. The resulted was giving 100 kg ha-1 NPK was able to provide optimal NPK nutrient uptake, plant height and LAI at 54 DAP. The combination of 100 kg ha-1 zeolite and 200 kg ha-1 NPK provided optimal yields of dry shelled maize reaching 5.44 tonnes ha-1.

The Effect of Different Nutrient Management Practices on Yield and Leaf Nutrient Composition of Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osbec)

The present study was carried out during three successive seasons. The experiment was laid out in Randomized block design (RBD) with thirteen treatments replicated four times to study the effect of different nutrient management practices on fruit yield and leaf nutrient composition. The result revealed that among the different treatments combination treatment (T13) with Application of NPK in 8 splits with drip irrigation + vermicompost @ 3 tonne ha-1 and biofertilizers i.e Azotobacter and PSB @ 2000 ml per ha and trichoderma @ 1 kg ha-1 + 8 spraying of Zn (0.5%), Fe (0.5%) and B (0.2%) found to be most effective in producing better yield and yield attributes. However, soil fertility as evident by changes in soil available N, P, K, S, Fe and Zn as well as leaf concentration of N, P, K, S, Fe, Zn and B significantly improved with combining application RDF, vermicompost and biofertilizer with or without fertigation along with foliar feeding of micronutrients viz. Zn, Fe and B.

Field-efficacy of fungicides for the management of purple blotch of onion in Jalandhar, Punjab

1Onion (Allium cepa L.) is one of the most important vegetable crop grown worldwide. It is called as “Queen of the Kitchen” belongs to family Alliacea. It is a rich source of carbohydrates, proteins, vitamin C besides minerals like phosphorus and calcium (Scott 2007). It is also used as medicine in controlling human and plant diseases (Slimestad et al. 2007, Yadav et al. 2017). India is the second largest producer of onion in the world, next to China with an area of 1.31 million ha with a production of 22.1 million tonnes and productivity of 16.87 tonnes ha-1 (FAOSTAT 2018). Onion is cultivated on an area 10.35 thousand hectare having annual productivity of 246.52 thousand tonnes with average yield of 238.27 quintal per hectare in Punjab (Anonymous 2021a).

Effect of Supplemental Irrigation on Wheat Performance Grown in Semi-Arid Environment

This study was carried out to determine the effects of different supplemental irrigation (SI) treatments on yield, yield components, and some drought-related traits in eight wheat varieties grown in the semi-arid environment of Jordan. Two SI treatments were used in addition to the control (i.e. rainfed treatment with 262.8mm accumulated rains): partially SI treatment (PSI=262.8mm rains+220mm irrigation at anthesis stage) and continuous SI treatment (CSI= 262.8mm rains + 377.5mm at 2-3 weeks intervals during different stages of wheat growth). Seven durum wheat varieties; namely Sham1, Omqais, Acsad65, Bani Suef6, Bani Suef4, Horani Nawawi, and Dairalla6 in addition to one bread wheat variety (Ammon) were included in this study. Yield and yield components were significantly increased and the time required to anthesis and maturity were delayed by SI. PSI treatment significantly increased grain yield by 50.2%, while CSI increased yield by 121% as compared to the control treatment. Considerable variations among varieties were observed under different irrigation treatments. Sham1 (2266.7 kg ha-1), Omqais (2253.3 kg ha-1), and Acsad65 (1963.3 kg ha-1) gave the highest grain yield under control treatment with low drought susceptibility indices, implying their low grain yield losses under control as compared with SI treatments with high genetic potentials for drought tolerance. The top-yielding varieties under CSI were Acsad65 (4716.7 kg ha-1), Dairalla6 (4586.7 kg ha-1), Bani Suef6 (4460 kg ha-1), and Omqais (4360 kg ha-1). Under PSI, Sham1 (3303 kg ha-1) followed by Dairalla6 (3193.3 kg ha-1), Horani Nawawi (3130 kg ha-1), and Bani Suef6 (3026.7 kg ha-1) gave the highest grain yield. All yield components (number of kernels per spike, number of tillers, and grain size) significantly contributed to increasing grain yield under SI. In conclusion, SI under rainfed conditions improves yield-attributing traits, which led to a substantial increase in grain yield. It would be possible to increase GY by more than 3 and 4 tonnes ha-1 with PSI and CSI, respectively.

Phenolic Content and Antioxidant Activity of Centella asiatica L. in Response to Organic and Chemical Fertilizer

Background: Centella asiatica L. is a traditional medicinal plant popular in several Asian countries. The cultivation of this herb is facing the problem of overuse of chemical fertilizers and quality deterioration. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of organic and non-organic fertilizer on growth, yield and phytochemical content of centella. Methods: The set-up was performed in the field from June to November 2021. The treatments were: no fertilizer (control); inorganic fertilizer (the famer’s recommended rate; 150 kg N ha-1:50 kg P ha-1: 50 kg K ha-1); organic compost (10 tones ha-1); inorganic fertilizer (a half of recommendation rate; 75 kg N ha-1:25 kg P ha-1: 25 kg K ha-1);organic compost (5 tones ha-1) plus inorganic fertilizer (a half of recommendation rate; 100 kg N ha-1:25 kg P ha-1: 25 kg K ha-1). Result: The application of fertilizer increased the plant growth, biomass production and total chlorophyll content of centella. Nonetheless, the high amount of inorganic fertilizer led to a reduction in the phytochemical content and antioxidant activity in centella leaf. The combination of organic compost and inorganic fertilizer produced maximum growth and increased the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity.

Soil Chemical Properties as Affected by Tillage Method, Phosphorus and Lime Application

Continuous land degradation and soil acidity are some of the major causes of below optimal crop yields in Kenya. Sustainable crop production therefore calls for efficient soil health management strategies. Field experiments were carried out at Waruhiu Farmers Training Centre, Kiambu for two seasons to evaluate the effects of tillage methods, phosphorus and lime application on selected properties of acid soils. Ploughing, strip tillage and hand hoe tillage methods and, DAP + lime (DAPL), TSP + lime (LP), TSP (P) were evaluated. Burnt lime at 3.2 tones ha-1 rate was used as lime source while 52kg P ha-1 was used as Phosphorus source. Obtained data indicated that the soils were strongly acidic with high exchangeable Al3+ and Al saturation, low cation Exchange capacity (CEC) and available P. Combination of Ploughing, lime and phosphorus in form of TSP significantly (P ≤ 0.05) led to > 38% increase of soil pH, >75% extractable P, 51% exchangeable Ca, >60% CEC, 54% Exchangeable Mg and reduced Al concentrations by >83% compared to the control. Similarly, combination of ploughing, DAP and lime significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased CEC by 42% and available P by 81% compared to control. DAPL was observed to significantly (P ≤ 0.05) promote higher levels of exchangeable Al Compared to control and LP in both seasons. Plough DAPL also increased available P by 49% compared to strip DAPL. Strip LP significantly increased Exchangeable Ca by 46% compared to control. Sole tillage methods did not significantly affect soil properties. It can, be concluded that integrating ploughing with either DAPL or LP improves the selected acid soil properties. There is however need for long term studies to understand long term effects of the fertilizer- lime -tillage methods interaction on soil acidity management.

APPRAISAL OF CLIMATE CHANGE DISASTER AND FOOD SECURITY IN KHYBER PAKHTUNKHAW PAKISTAN USING GEOSPATIAL TECHNOLOGIES

Abstract. Drought is one of the most severe natural disasters. It negatively influences the crop output considerably as water resources are inadequate across large geographic areas. Food insecurity, hunger, and poverty are widespread in three Pakistani provinces: Baluchistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Sindh. Until March/April 2022, roughly 4.66 million people, or 25% of the population examined, were severely food insecure. Historically, the severity of a drought is evaluated using several different indicators, with the selection of indices depending on the data that is easily accessible. By multiple aspects, including potential evapotranspiration and rainfall data on a standard timescale and computing monthly, seasonal, or annual data, the Reconnaissance Drought Index (RDI) has a significant advantage over the other indices in determining drought severity. When rainfall in a region is significantly lower than the amount of potential evapotranspiration, drought situations can occur on the earth. Rainfall will often occur in locations with an increase in the relative humidity of the air. The reconnaissance drought index (RDI) for Khyber Pakhtaunkhawa province in Pakistan was calculated from 1981 to 2020 for 3-, 6-, and 12-month timeframes. This research employed rainfall, minimum and maximum temperature data from KPK province to describe drought using the DrinC program, the Man Kendall test, and Sen's slope calculator to determine drought patterns and variation. All regions had moderate, severe, and extreme droughts, with RDIs between -1.0 and -3.5. RDI 3-, 6-, and 12-month evaluations highlighted 1991, 1994, 2000, 2010, 2015, and 2017. These results indicate that productivity declines in dry and subsequent years due to seasonal rainfall and soil moisture retention.Wheat production averaged 1.7 tones ha-1 year-1, with significant variations. Between October and December, it is an essential to have favorable growing conditions to increase productivity. If droughts occur in this era, the yield will be substantially more negatively impacted than if they occur later in the growing cycle. The 3-month RDI values offer a more accurate description of this variation than the six-month and twelve-months RDI Values. Geospatial drought analysis indicates a considerable variance in drought patterns across the Kpk province over the last 4 decades. Because long-term droughts sometimes affect water quality, especially groundwater, a rise in the intensity of long-term droughts could pose a risk to the water management in the regions that have been examined. Analysis of the Landsat TM 30 m data took place. At the same time, Landsat imageries were utilized to generate the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) for drought evaluation. The findings of the NDWI indicate an increase in value from 0.58 to 0.7 for the KPK region.