Vegetative Yield Research Articles

Vegetative growth, yield quality, and phytochemical accumulation of Abelmoshus esculentus L. (Moench) influenced by priming with potassium nitrate

Seed priming is a promising technique that can improve the growth and yield of plants under optimum conditions. The specific priming duration and concentration required for adequate vegetative growth, yield quality, and phytochemical accumulation of Abelmoshus esculentus need clarification. This study was evaluated under screen house conditions, using a completely randomized design (CRD) approach. The seeds of Abelmoshus esculentus were subjected to priming with potassium nitrate for 6 and 12 h duration at a concentration of 0.5 and 1.00 mM while unprimed seeds served as the control. The results revealed that the primed seeds showed improved vegetative growth, yield components, and phytochemical constituents compared to the unprimed control seeds. This observation was irrespective of the priming duration and concentration of potassium nitrate used. Moreover, seeds primed for a 6 h duration at 1 mM were significantly higher in yield, fruit mineral, and phytochemical constituents compared to other treatments. At 12 h priming duration, seeds primed in 0.5 mM of potassium nitrate had higher growth and yield than at 1 mM. Priming with inorganic salts such as KNO3 induces faster growth and maximum crop yield of Abelmoshus esculentus. Priming for a short duration (6 h) 3 and at high concentration is sufficient to enhance the growth process and increased yield of Abelmoshus esculentus and has practical implications in the production of Abelmoshus esculentus .

An accurate green fruits detection method based on optimized YOLOX-m.

Fruit detection and recognition has an important impact on fruit and vegetable harvesting, yield prediction and growth information monitoring in the automation process of modern agriculture, and the actual complex environment of orchards poses some challenges for accurate fruit detection. In order to achieve accurate detection of green fruits in complex orchard environments, this paper proposes an accurate object detection method for green fruits based on optimized YOLOX_m. First, the model extracts features from the input image using the CSPDarkNet backbone network to obtain three effective feature layers at different scales. Then, these effective feature layers are fed into the feature fusion pyramid network for enhanced feature extraction, which combines feature information from different scales, and in this process, the Atrous spatial pyramid pooling (ASPP) module is used to increase the receptive field and enhance the network's ability to obtain multi-scale contextual information. Finally, the fused features are fed into the head prediction network for classification prediction and regression prediction. In addition, Varifocal loss is used to mitigate the negative impact of unbalanced distribution of positive and negative samples to obtain higher precision. The experimental results show that the model in this paper has improved on both apple and persimmon datasets, with the average precision (AP) reaching 64.3% and 74.7%, respectively. Compared with other models commonly used for detection, the model approach in this study has a higher average precision and has improved in other performance metrics, which can provide a reference for the detection of other fruits and vegetables.

Influence of plant covering with nonwoven agrotextile on the vegetative growth characteristics and yield of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.): A Slovenian case study

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of cultivar and covering with nonwoven agrotextile on vegetative growth parameters and the productivity value of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.). A field experiment was conducted during the 2018 growing season, at the experimental field of the Biotechnical Faculty in Ljubljana (46° 04′ N latitude; 14° 31′ E longitude, 305 m above sea level). The soil was gravel clay with a pH of 6.7, and a soil depth of 40–60 cm. The research involved the following Slovenian cultivars of sweet potatoes: Lučka, Janja, and Martina. Distance between rows was 1.2 m, while in-row distance was 1.4 m. The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with plots arranged factorially and replicated four times. The seedlings were planted on 20 May. A half of the plots were covered with polypropylene nonwoven textile (17 g/m2). The uncovered half of the plots served as control plots. The recommended cultural practices were performed as needed during the experiment. The temperature under the covers was on average 5.5 °C higher than in the unprotected area. The crops were harvested 132 days after planting. Covering significantly and positively affected vegetative growth – that is the height of the vines, leaf number, leaf area index, and haulm dry weight. In contrast, the nonwoven polypropylene cover had no significant effect on the number of branches per crop. The use of agrotextile significantly increased tuber length and diameter, tuber number, tuber weight, and total yield in comparison with traditional cultivation with no plant cover. Statistical analysis showed that cv. Janja had the significantly higher yield (7.49 t/ha) compared to cv. Lučka (6.68 t/ha) and cv. Martina (6.16 t/ha).

PREDICTION OF MICRO PLASMA IMPACTS IN ORGANIC VEGETABLES USING DEEP LEARNING

The potential of micro plasma impacts in the growth of organic vegetables has been very difficult to predict. With the advent of deep learning methods, scientists are now able to develop predictive models that can accurately assess the effects of these impacts. Deep learning algorithms can be used to analyze the various environmental factors that influence the growth of organic vegetables, including temperature, humidity, sunlight, and soil type. With these inputs, the deep learning algorithms can learn complex relationships between these elements and the output of the growth of organic vegetables. By considering the interactions between environment and micro plasma impacts, the deep learning algorithms can make accurate predictions regarding the effects of these impacts on organic vegetable yields. The algorithm can be optimized to accurately predict the effect of these impacts in the future, allowing farmers to better plan for their crops. In addition, the deep learning algorithms can be used to analyze the effects of various factors on micro plasma impacts in organic vegetables. For example, the algorithm can analyze the effects of different combinations of fertilizer, water, and chemical inputs on the micro plasma impacts, allowing farmers to find the optimal crop growth conditions more quickly. The use of deep learning to predict the effects of micro plasma impacts on organic vegetable growth has the potential to improve crop yields, leading to more efficient agriculture practices.

ALLELOTOXICITY OF GREENHOUSE SUBSTRATES AFTER VEGETABLE CULTIVATION

It is known that stresses during the cultivation of agricultural plants reduce yields, and the occurrence of stressful effects leads to the release of allelotoxins by plants into the soil. It has been suggested that this factor can have a noticeable effect on the vegetation of vegetables in greenhouses, and a decrease in the concentration of allelotoxins in greenhouse substrates can improve the vegetation of plants. To verify these assumptions, the allelotoxicity of greenhouse substrates and the content of microorganisms in them under well and poorly vegetating plants of cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers were determined. It was found that there are significantly more allelotoxins and fewer prokaryotes in the substrates under poorly vegetating plants, which confirmed the assumption about the significance of the allelotoxins influence on the cultivation of vegetables in greenhouses. The introduction of humate solutions with a high sorption capacity in relation to allelotoxins into the root zone of plants makes it possible to significantly improve the vegetation of cucumbers and may be a promising direction for increasing vegetable yields in greenhouses.

Contribution of assisted natural regeneration (ANR) to climate change mitigation and diversification of ecosystem services in Dan saga village (Maradi-Niger)

As an agro-ecological intensification technique, assisted natural regeneration (ANR) protects agrosystems and guarantees cereal production in a Sahelian context of high demographic pressure and climate variability. This study aims to assess the local perception of assisted natural regeneration in mitigating the effects of drought and climate change and its impacts on soil fertility and crop production. Surveys, based on a participatory approach of individual and collective consultations, were conducted with stakeholders. The water profile and bulk density of areas under ANR and outside ANR were determined from soil samples taken in the rainy and dry seasons at different depths (0 - 200 cm). Vegetative growth and yield components were monitored on 100 plots of 100 m2 (10x10m) with 50 plots in ANR and 50 in non-ANR areas. The results showed that both zones had the same species composition for the dominant woody species, but their average densities were higher in the areas under assisted natural regeneration than in the areas without. Density is lower in the aureoles close to the village than those far from it in any zone. Soil moisture content is higher in the ANR and non-ANR areas than in the non-ANR area in the shallow horizons. However, in the deep horizons down to 200 cm, the volume moisture is higher in the Non-NAR and Uncovered NAR zones respectively than in the Under-Cover NAR zone. Apart from the seedling density, all agronomic performance parameters are significantly higher in the RNA zone than in the non-RAN zone. In terms of farmers' perception, the practice of ANR attenuates the impacts on natural resources (water, land, vegetation) and on production systems. More than 92.2% of the respondents reported that increased dust winds, increased night time temperature, decreased rainfall events as well as their amounts in height are the impacts experienced before the practice of ANR. The practice of ANR contributes to the mitigation of climate variability, improvement of soil structure and carbon sequestration.

Influence of biofertilizer produced using drumstick (Moringa oleifera L.) unused parts on the growth performance of two leafy vegetables

The non-edible parts of Moringa oleifera, such as stems, branches or leaf petioles, have often been discarded while the leaves are consumed as a vegetable or are used to produce organic fertilizer. This study aimed to determine the optimal conditions for producing Moringa organic fertilizer (MOF) from previously unused parts and to compare these fertilizers with cow manure and bio-organic fertilizer. Seventy kilograms of the unused Moringa parts were blended with fifty kilograms of manure, 0.2 kilogram of Trichoderma-based product and two kilograms of superphosphate. The mixture was incubated at different intervals, including 5, 7 or 9 weeks. Next, the effects of MOF on the growth, yield, ascorbic acid content and Brix of lettuce and mustard spinach were also determined and compared with other organic fertilizers (cow manure and bio-organic fertilizer). Results of the study revealed that 25 tons per ha of MOF were significantly superior to those treated with cow manure and bio-organic fertilizer in the case of vegetable yields. Further, 7 weeks of MOF incubation was found suitable to produce an optimal yield during the various incubation period. These results suggested that the Moringa non-edible parts can make organic fertilizer and enhance growth, yield, and leafy vegetable production.

The Impact of Foliar Fertilization on the Physiological Parameters, Yield, and Quality Indices of the Soybean Crop

Presented research was carried out in 2021 and 2022 on the Felix soybean variety at the Agricultural Research and Development Station Turda, located in the Transylvanian Plain, Romania. In this experiment, complex fertilizer NPK 20:20:0 was applied as a basic fertilizer in a dose of 200 kg ha−1 at the sowing stage, to which foliar fertilizer Agro Argentum Forte treatment was added in different doses and at different application stages. The main purpose of the study was to identify the suitable stages of foliar application in soybean cultivation for effective vegetative development, yield, and quality purposes. The impacts of the fertilization system and the climatic conditions on the physiological parameters, assimilation, yield, and quality were evaluated. Technology showed that the physiological parameters were positively influenced, following the foliar fertilization with Agro Argentum Forte, with average assimilation values recorded above 23.0 μmol CO2 m−2s−1 in the year 2021 and 22.4 μmol CO2 m−2s−1 in the year 2022. Soybean crop was influenced by climatic conditions and the application of foliar fertilizers in different phases of growth and development, obtaining higher yields, as well as higher protein and oil content. The soybean yield and quality indices (protein, oil, and mass of a thousand seeds) were higher in 2021 than in 2022 for the variants treated with foliar fertilizers compared to the control, resulting in an improvement in seed quality in 2021 with a yield of 3560 kg ha−1, while 2022 saw a lower yield of 1805 kg ha−1. The application of basic mineral fertilizers in combination with foliar fertilization had a significantly positive impact on the quality indicators of soybean seeds. The highest yields were achieved when the foliar treatment was applied in the early pod formation stage.

Hazardous waste leachates induced changes in plant water relation, photosynthetic pigments, heavy metal accumulation and yield of mustard (Brassica juncea L.) plant

Chromium (Cr) contamination by industrial sites in water and agricultural soils is common and responsible for the human body being at risk from this heavy metal. The present study aims to assess the plant growth, yields, photosynthetic pigments, water relation, and heavy metal accumulation to understand the nature of the adaptation of Cr overload in mustard plants. An experiment was conducted at different levels of Basic Chrome Sulphate (BCS) sludge leachates i.e., T1 (control without leachates), T2 (25% leachates+75% DW); T3 (50% leachates + 50% DW); T4 (75% leachates + 25% DW) and T5 (100% leachates) on mustard (Brassica juncea L.) plant in completely randomized design (CRD). The primary leachates were collected from the dumping site of BCS sludge which was situated at 26⁰24′57′' NL and 80⁰3′28′' EL at Khanchandpur Kharanja, Rania, Kanpur Dehat district of Uttar Pradesh, India. Results indicated that the vegetative growth and yield were significantly decreased on increasing the dose of leachates. The linear regression coefficient (R2) values showed that the number of seeds, biomass, and seed yields per plant were more significantly affected (R2 = 0.963, R2 = 0.955, and R2 = 0.872 respectively) than vegetative growth (R2 = 0.706). The photosynthetic pigments like chlorophyll `a' (Chl. a), chlorophyll `b' (Chl. b), and carotenoid contents were significantly increased on increasing the dose of leachates while the Chl.`a'/Chl.`b' ratio decreased but carotenoid/ chlorophyll ratio increases. The leaf surface area and relative water contents (RWC) were significantly decreased while the degree of succulence and specific water content were significantly increased. Maximum Cr concentration was observed in the root up to T4 levels and further sharply declined while shoot and seed, it was not detected up to T4 but further sharply increased which may be due to Cr being restricted in the root up to a certain limit of Cr load in mustard plant and further on increasing the load it enters into the shoot and affects to growth and yields. The accumulation of Cr, Ni, and Pb was increased on increasing leachate dose because leachates also contain these heavy metals. The results of the Pollution Load Index (PLI) indicated that Cr scored maximum (1.792) pollution load and showed descending order as Cr > Zn >Pb>Cu>Cd>Ni.

Yield and Rhizosphere Soil Environment of Greenhouse Zucchini in Response to Different Planting and Breeding Waste Composts.

Composting, planting, and breeding waste for return to the field is the most crucial soil improvement method under the resource utilization of agricultural waste. However, how the vegetable yield and rhizosphere soil environment respond to different composts is still unknown. Therefore, eight formulations were designed for compost fermentation using agricultural waste [sheep manure (SM), tail vegetable (TV), cow manure (CM), mushroom residue (MR), and corn straw (CS)] without fertilizer (CK1) and local commercial organic fertilizer (CK2) as controls to study the yield and rhizosphere soil environment of greenhouse zucchini in response to different planting and breeding waste compost. Applying planting and breeding waste compost significantly increased the soil's organic matter and nutrient content. It inhibited soil acidification, which T4 (SM:TV:CS = 6:3:1) and T7 (SM:TV:MR:CS = 6:2:1:1) treatments affected significantly. Compared to CK2 treatment, T4 and T7 treatments showed a greater increase, with a significant increase of 14.69% and 11.01%, respectively. Therefore, T4, T7, and two control treatments were selected for high-throughput sequencing based on yield performance. Compared with the CK1 treatment, although multiple applications of chemical fertilizers led to a decrease in bacterial and fungal richness, planting and breeding waste compost maintained bacterial diversity and enhanced fungal diversity. Compared to CK2, the relative abundance increased in T7-treated Proteobacteria (Sphingomonas, Pseudomonas, and Lysobacter) and T4-treated Bacteroidetes (Flavobacterium) among bacteria. An increase in T4-treated Ascomycota (Zopfiella and Fusarium) and Basidiomycota among fungi and a decrease in T7-treated Mortierellomycota have been observed. Functional predictions of the bacterial Tax4Fun and fungal FUNGuild revealed that applying planting and breeding waste compost from the T4 treatment significantly increased the abundance of soil bacterial Metabolism of Cities, Genetic Information Processing, and Cellular Processes decreased the abundance of Pathotroph and Saprotroph-Symbiotroph fungi and increased the abundance of Saprotroph fungi. Overall, planting and breeding waste compost increased zucchini yield by improving soil fertility and microbial community structure. Among them, T4 treatment has the most significant effect, so T4 treatment can be selected as the optimized formulation of local commercial organic fertilizer. These findings have valuable implications for sustainable agricultural development.

Significance of chitosan foliar spraying on the growth and yield of vegetable crop under protected cultivation: A Review

Chitosan is a naturally occurring substance that is manufactured industrially from crab shells. It has been used as a better material for improving vegetable growth and yields, as well as a protective mechanism against fungi, bacteria and viruses. Because of its excellent biocompatibility, biodegradability and bioactivity, the biopolymer "Chitosan" has generated a lot of interest for its potential wide application in agriculture. Chitosan acts as an inducer in many species of plants. It not only works by triggering the immune system of plants, but it also enhances crop yields. Chitosan increased plant efficacy in reducing the negative effect of adverse circumstances as well as plant growth. The main objective of this review paper is to synthesize the most recent literature on the influence of chitosan foliar spraying on the development and yield properties of various vegetables, as well as to foster academic collaboration.. For instance, 100 ppm level of foliar spraying of chitosan have effects on the average plant height, medium number of leaves, area of leaves, the content of chlorophyll and fruits weight of tomato plant growth parameters, whereas chitosan at 4 mL per litre improved the minerals situation in cucumber and this substance also significantly lowered the damaging Powdery mildew in okra. This study demonstrates the beneficial effect of foliar spraying chitosan in conjunction with other chemical substances on plants. The current research has been done for future studies aimed at improving the foliar application of chitosan for horticultural production, particularly vegetable yield and growth.

Optimizing nitrogen and water management for sustainable greenhouse vegetable production with less greenhouse gas emissions

Intensive greenhouse vegetable production is considered a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and ammonia volatilization in China because the overuse of nitrogen (N) fertilizers is extremely common. Therefore, the emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), and ammonia (NH3) from five different fertilizer treatments (conventional practice (CN) and four reduced N rate treatments (synthetic fertilizer, combined without (RN1) or with a nitrification inhibitor (3,4-dimethypyrazole phosphate, DMPP) (RN1 +DMPP), and a mixed application of synthetic and organic fertilizers, combined without (RN2) or with straw (RN2 +S))) were determined during a tomato and melon rotation. The results showed that the CN treatment had high total emissions of N2O (9.81 ± 0.81 kg N ha−1 yr−1) and CO2 (6.43 ± 0.75 kg C ha−1 season−1), which were 2.1–6.5 times and 1.2–1.91 times greater than those of other reduced N treatments, respectively. The annual direct N2O emission factor of the CN treatment was 0.94 %, which was higher than that of the reducing N treatments. The RN1, RN2 and RN2 +S treatments significantly (p < 0.05) decreased NH3 volatilization. The RN1 +DMPP treatment significantly (p < 0.05) increased NH3 volatilization in comparison with the RN1 treatment; however, it reduced the net global warming potentials (GWP) due to decreasing both N2O and CO2 emissions. Reducing the N application rate did not compromise vegetable yields in comparison with the CN treatment, but it significantly decreased the yield-scaled N2O emissions (p < 0.05). The combination of synthetic fertilizer and manure significantly (p < 0.05) increased N2O emissions relative to synthetic fertilizer alone. Compared to the other treatments, the RN1 +DMPP treatment significantly reduced the net GWP. Therefore, RN1 +DMPP is a better practice to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and simultaneously maintain crop yield in intensive vegetable production.

Do Cover Crops Increase Subsequent Crop Yield in Temperate Climates? A Meta-Analysis

Cover crops (CCs) are a promising strategy for maintaining and enhancing agroecosystem sustainability, yet CCs’ effects on the subsequent crop yield are highly variable. To quantitatively synthesize the effects of CCs on subsequent crop yield, a meta-analysis of 672 observations collected from 63 recent studies (2015 to 2021) in temperate climates was conducted. Legume CC species increased subsequent crop yield significantly more than grass (by 14%), nonlegume broadleaves (by 7%), and mixtures (by 2%). Incorporation of CC residue into soil increased crop yield by approx. 15% compared to leaving the CC residue on the soil surface. Relative to the no-CC control, the adoption of grass and legume CC species in non-organic vegetable cropping systems enhanced crop yield by 14% and 19%, respectively. Likewise, crop yield with legume CCs in coarse and medium textured soil, and under high precipitation conditions (&gt;700 mm), was significantly greater than the no-CC control by 18%, 4%, and 11%, respectively. Cover crops significantly increased vegetable crop yields and decreased the silage corn yield; however, grain corn, soybean, and winter wheat yield did not decrease with CC. Adoption of CC in no-tillage and plow tillage systems contributed to an increase in crop yield compared to the no-CC control. Our meta-analysis highlights that crop yield response to CC might become more robust when pedo-climatic conditions and agronomic factors are considered.

Side dressing nitrogen fertilization in soybean in association with inoculation

The soybean is a crop that demands high levels of nitrogen (N) to express its productive potential. Supplemental fertilization with N can be a management strategy to increase the yield. This study aims to assess the effect of the N side dressing fertilization at the V4 stage of soybean, with and without inoculation, as well as its effects on the process of biological nitrogen fixation (BNF). The experimental design was randomized complete-block design with four replications in factorial scheme 2 × 5, where the seeds were either inoculated or not and received 5 doses of N: 0, 10, 20, 30, and 40 kg ha−1. Vegetative growth, nodulation, and yield components were evaluated. The stem diameter, plant height, and grain yield were not affected by inoculation, only by the N doses, with positive linear responses to the N supply. The leaf area responded positively to the seed inoculation and to the N supply. The node mass and viable node mass were not altered by seed inoculation or the supply of mineral N; and, until the dose of 40 kg ha−1, the node formation did not decrease. The number of pods per plant and the thousand-grain weight showed an interaction between inoculation and doses of N. The side dressing N fertilization at the V4 stage, until the dose of 40 kg ha−1, did not affect the vegetative growth and BNF, while it contributed to increase grain yield, even in the presence of inoculation.

Successional effects of cover cropping and deep tillage on suppression of plant-parasitic nematodes and soilborne fungal pathogens.

Cover crops can suppress soilborne nematodes and fungal pathogens by serving as a poor host to pathogens and producing allelopathic compounds. Yet, cultural practices can influence their effectiveness. Cover crop and weedy fallow rotations and their interactions with deep tillage were evaluated from 2019 to 2021 in a three-season vegetable cropping system (spring tomato, fall squash, and winter cabbage) for their suppressive effects on soilborne diseases. Experimental plots were arranged in a split-plot 2 × 4 factorial design in randomized complete blocks. Whole-plot tillage treatments were shallow-tilled or deep-tilled. Subplots had two factors of crop rotations: rotation type (cover crop [spring or fall sunn hemp or winter rye] or weedy fallow) and rotation season. Independent of tillage practice, sunn hemp and weedy fallow reduced population density and root galling severity of root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) for the first subsequent vegetable compared to the all-vegetable rotation (P < 0.05) but had little effect on fungal pathogens. Fall sunn hemp had higher plant biomass and reduced gall severity for the second subsequent vegetable. Spring and fall sunn hemp improved vegetable yields. Winter rye only reduced ring nematodes (Mesocriconema spp.) population density in the first subsequent vegetable. Deep tillage reduced incidence of fungal pathogens of Rhizoctonia solani and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, and population density of stubby-root nematode (Nanidorus minor). Sunn hemp is effective in suppressing M. incognita, whereas deep tillage can be used to suppress R. solani, S. sclerotiorum, and N. minor in vegetable production systems. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Pollinators of Home Garden Fruit Vegetables Along the Altitudinal Gradient in Kanglung Gewog, Trashigang, Bhutan

Altitudinal gradient influences plant and pollinator diversity in mountain ecosystems. Small home gardens in these ecosystems are highly dependent on pollinators for fruit-vegetable production. The study evaluated the change in fruit-vegetable diversity, their pollinator species richness, abundance, crop yield and, income in the home gardens along the altitudinal gradient. Correlation between pollinator species diversity, abundance and species of fruit-vegetables and yield were studied and statistically tested for their significance. The study recorded 25 species of pollinators belonging to Vespidae, Syrphidae, Apidae, Andrenidae, Colletidae, Ichneumonidae and Scoliidae. 12 species of fruit vegetables were recorded from Cucurbitaceae, Solanaceae, Fabaceae, Brassicaceae and Lamiaceae. Correspondingly, the pollinator and vegetable species richness were found to decrease with increasing altitude, with significant negative correlation. As with increasing altitude, the vegetable yield was found to decrease significantly, affected by the decreasing pollinators. Income from the fruit-vegetables were lower at places with low diversity (i.e., higher altitudes), which is influenced by decreased yield. The fruit-vegetable and pollinator species richness and abundance, fruit set, yield and income decreased with increasing altitude, having a significant negative correlation.

Rye–vetch residue quality and plastic mulch affect soil nitrogen dynamics in vegetable production systems

AbstractCover crops can be an important source of nitrogen (N) for organic vegetable production, but N availability depends on the characteristics of the cover crop residues and crop management practices following termination. A 2‐year field experiment in Michigan investigated (1) how the proportion of cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) and hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) sown in a cover crop mixture (seven treatments ranging from 100% rye to 100% vetch plus a no‐cover‐crop control) influences cover crop residue quantity and quality and (2) how rye–vetch residue characteristics and the use of black polyethylene mulch (PM) interact to affect soil N dynamics, crop quality, and yield in bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) and slicing cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) production. Positive correlations among pepper marketable yield, leaf chlorophyll content (SPAD), and average soil inorganic N support that N fertility was a key driver of treatment effects. Higher sown proportions of vetch and the use of PM were generally associated with higher vegetable yields and soil N. The magnitude of yield response to PM was greater in a year with higher precipitation and greater for pepper than cucumber. Percentage of nonmarketable fruit decreased (pepper) and increased (cucumber) with PM. Pore water nitrate concentration below the root zone reflected plow layer N under PM but was more responsive to precipitation under bare ground. Our results demonstrate that PM can be an important tool for preserving N fertility benefits from high N cover crop residues for vegetable production, particularly on sandy soils.

Biostimulants as a Response to the Negative Impact of Agricultural Chemicals on Vegetation Indices and Yield of Common Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench)

Weed control during common buckwheat cultivation is hindered by the crop’s high sensitivity to agrochemicals. This study evaluates whether biostimulants (Asahi SL, Kelpak SL, B-Nine) could reduce the adverse effect of abiotic stress caused by these substances on buckwheat’s vegetation indices and yield. To this end, a four-factor field experiment was performed according to the 3 4−1 Box–Behnken design on chernozem soil with silt texture at the Experimental Station of the Agricultural University of Krakow (Poland, 50°07′ N, 20°04′ E). The results showed that calcium cyanamide fertilization was effective in reducing the abundance of dicotyledonous weeds by 39% and the dry weight of weeds per unit area by 20% relative to ammonium nitrate-fertilized sites. However, the most effective method of weed control was the application of metazachlor together with clomazone. The mixture of these active substances reduced the abundance of monocotyledonous weeds, dicotyledonous weeds, and dry weight of weeds by 83%, 40.5%, and 36.4%, respectively. The use of herbicides adversely affected the leaf area index (LAI). Nitrophenol treatment of buckwheat grown on soil fertilized with calcium cyanamide resulted in increased achene yield and number of seeds per plant compared to ammonium nitrate fertilization. The application of daminozide on chemically protected plants resulted in improved vegetation indices such as normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and soil plant analysis development (SPAD) compared to sites not exposed to herbicides.

Effect of Bio-Fertilizer and Banana Peel Extract on the Vegetative Traits and Yield of Carrot Plants

The field experiment was conducted in the training extension farm in Al-Mahanawiya / Al-Musayyab district, 25 km northwest of Hilla city center / Babylon province. The seeds of the stinger carrot hybrid were planted during autumn season on October 3, 2021. To study the effect of adding biofertilizers and banana peel extract on the vegetative growth and yield of carrots. The experiment was designed according to a split plot-system using a randomized complete block design with three replications. The results of the experiment were statistically analyzed according to the method of analysis of variance and according to the significant differences between the treatments at the probability level of 0.05 using the least significant difference LSD. The results indicated that bio-fertilization had a significant effect on (percentage of dry matter in the vegetative total) and (Fulzyme) scored a significantly excelled in (number of leaves, relative content of chlorophyll, percentage of dry matter in the root, root length, root diameter, average root weight and total yield). Treatment with the organic extract of banana peels showed at the concentration of 40 ml. L-1significantly excelled in (plant height, number of leaves, percentage of dry matter in vegetative and percentage of dry matter in the root) and at a concentration of 20 ml. L-1 in (relative content of chlorophyll in leaves, root size, average weight of the root and total yield). The bi-interaction of the biofertilization treatment and the organic extract indicated significant differences, where the interaction of Fulzyme and concentration 40 ml.L-1 was significantly excelled in the percentage of dry matter in the vegetative and root (29.67% and 13.09%), respectively. As for the Biohealth interaction and the concentration of 40 ml.L-1, it significantly excelled in the plant height (25.26 cm). The interaction Fulzyme and concentration 20 ml.L-1 recorded the highest root volume and average root weight (135.8 cm3, 80.9 g), respectively, The interaction between Biohealth and concentration of 20 ml.L-1 recorded the highest total yield (12.73 tons. ha-1) while it was the lowest for all studied traits when the control treatment of both biofertilization and banana peel extract.

Effect of Fertilizing with Sludge and Two Strains of PGPB Bacteria on Improving Growth and Yield of Broccoli

A field experiment was conducted during the autumn season 2021-2022 in the Al-Azzawiya area of Al-Mahaweel District, which is located 30 km north of the center of Babylon provainc, to study the effect of sludge, and it was used with four concentrations (0,10,20,30) tons. ha-1 and two types of microorganisms are (Enterobacter aerogenes and Serratia marcescens) isolated from soil in growth and yield of broccoli. As sludge was added to the main plot before planting, and then microorganisms were added when planting seedlings. The results showed that the addition of sludge caused a significant effect and gave the highest significant increase in leaf area 14422.93 cm 2, chlorophyll concentration 76.88 spad, the total yield of the plant 66.9 tons. ha-1, the percentage of nitrogen in the leaves is 2.30%. The percentage of phosphorous in the leaves is 0.45%, the percentage of potassium in the leaves is 2.91%, and ascorbic is 133.06 mg per 100 g in curd. Also, the microorganisms gave a significant response in all traits of vegetative growth, yield and qualitative indicators. The bacterial isolate of S. marcescens achieved a significant response and gave the best percentage in leaf area, total yield of the plant, percentage of phosphorous in leaves, percentage of potassium in leaves, percentage of nitrogen in leaves, ascorbic in curd except for chlorophyll, which affected E. aerogenes bacteria signifacnt in this respect. As the treatment 20 tons. ha-1 excelled and gave the highest total yield of 66.9 tons. ha-1. As for the interaction between sludge and microorganisms, it had a significant and positive effect on all the studied growth traits. As the treatment 20 tons. ha-1 x S. marcescens excelled and gave the best values for all studied indicators except for leaf area and chlorophyll concentration, where the treatment 20 tons. ha-1 x E. aerogenes increase excelled in this trait.