Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition Research Papers (original) (raw)

Over half of the world's peat originated from Sphagnum, representing 10-15% of the terrestrial carbon stock. However, information regarding the release and exudation of organic carbon by living Sphagnum plants into the surface peat is scarce. In this study, we examined the contribution of recent Sphagnum subnitens (Russ. and Warnst.) photosynthate carbon to the peatland dissolved organic carbon (DOC) pool. This was done using a 13 CO 2 pulsechase experimental approach during the growing season. Despite the importance of Sphagnum in long-term carbon accumulation, results showed that the Sphagnum community rapidly contributes recently synthesized carbon to the peatland DOC pool. We estimate that by 4 h up to 4% of the total DOC in peat leachate was derived from 13 CO 2 pulse labelling at ambient CO 2 concentrations. Nonetheless, a huge 64% of the 13 C initially assimilated by photosynthesis was retained in Sphagnum subnitens for 23 days after labelling, consistent with the role of Sphagnum in peatland carbon accumulation. The majority of 13 C loss as respired CO 2 came within the few days post 13 CO 2 labelling, suggesting that it was derived from plant respiration of photosynthates.

SOIL samples collected from five newly reclaimed areas;
(namely; Al-Hamoul, Bern-Suer, Maryuit. AI-Arish and Al-Salhia) were intensively cropped with alfalfa in a greenhouse experiment for twelve months. The obtained results show that the highest rates of K uptake are found in the alluvial soils (I,e, AI- Hamoul and Beni-Suef) and the lowest in AI-Arish sandy loam soils. The contribution of non-exchangeable-K to plant uptake is about 44% for alluvial soils and 20% for sandy soils. The amounts of the non-exehangeable-K, which recovered during the latter periods of intensive cropping. are significant.
ly correlated to the K-hearing minerals content. (for mica,
r = 0.960**. and for K-feldspars, r = 0.922••).
The biological essay reveals also that AI-Salhia and AIArish
soils show good response. while the alluvial ones have weak response to K-fertilization. The field survey shows highly Significant correlations between available-K and plant-K in each of the studied soils. The fertility significance of the best fitting curves of this relation is discussed in relation to the future susceptibility of potassium in the newly reclaimed soils of
Egypt.

- by Reda Shahin
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- Plant Nutrition, Soil Mineralogy, Soil fertility management, Soil Fertility

Lampung is the largest cassava producers in Indonesia that contributed 26.3% of the national area. Majority of cassava in this region is planted as monocrop. Soil in this region dominated by acidic soil of Ultisol and Oxisol with very... more

- by abdullah taufiq
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- Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition

This study intends to assess the effect of compost types and rates on lettuce growth. A pot experiment was conducted at the greenhouse of the College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine experimental station, Saudi Arabia. Three types (chicken residues, animal residues, and mixed organic residues) and four rates (1%, 2%, 4%, and 6%) were added to sandy soil. Lettuce seeds were sown in a nursery. After two weeks, each seedling was transplanted to a pot that contained 15 kg of soil. The lettuce plants were irrigated regularly for 60 days, then harvested following dry weight (DW) and chemical analyses. The results showed great variation in the DW, nutrient content, and heavy metals concentrations between the different compost treatments. It noted that DW of lettuce decreased with increasing rates of compost in certain treatments. Moreover, no plant growth occurred in some treatments derived from the mixed organic residue with higher application rates. The nutrient status of lettuce tissues varies greatly among different types of compost. The concentration of heavy metals and microelements present within the lettuce tissues was significantly affected by the types of compost. Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), and Nickel (Ni) concentrations in lettuce tissues ranged between 7.4 and 9.6, 81.5 and 104, 23.3 and 28.2, 3.7 and 5.8, and 27 and 30mg kg1, respectively. It revealed that heavy metals concentration increased in lettuce tissues with an increasing application rate of composts. The content of Zn, Pb, Cd, and Ni in lettuce plants were higher and did not meet the requirement set by national standards.

- by فهد الرميان and +1
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- Plant Nutrition, Composting, Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition, Lettuce crop

A espectroscopia no infravermelho próximo (NIRS) surge no campo das ciências florestais como método não destrutivo, rápido e preciso capaz de predizer propriedades tecnológicas da madeira. O objetivo deste trabalho foi aplicar a técnica NIRS para desenvolvimento de modelos de calibração para estimar as propriedades químicas e a densidade básica da madeira de Eucalyptus. Foram utilizados clones de Eucalyptus de três anos de idade, provenientes de plantios comerciais nas localidades de Cocais,

- by Paulo F E R N A N D O Trugilho
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- Plant Biology, Genetic Algorithm, NIR spectroscopy, Soil sciences

LIMITED FACTORS OF RICE YIELD IN RED RIVER DELTA AND MEKONG RIVER DELTA Bui Hai An , Tran Minh Tien, Le Thi My Hao, Nguyen Van Bo The study was conducted by collecting information of rice yield, sampling and analyzing soil samples in... more

- by An H Bui
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- Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition

Bioenvironmental management, Plant Nutrition.
"The article on Rational Agriculture is entirely inspired by the words of Jerry Stoller
and his deep understanding of the living processes in the Plant. This small contribution to increasing quality and quantity production, which is certifiably Eco-friendly, owes a depth of gratitude to Stoller Products that have been prominently demonstrated in remote and poverty-stricken locations in Rural Pakistan. The earth-friendly tillers of the soil and especially the contact youth who shouldered the responsibility of applying the Stoller Advantage for the larger interest of Sustainable Poverty Alleviation and Nurturing Nature in order to ensure that Nature continues to Nurture us, are warmly acknowledged and humbly thanked.
Pakistan is expected to be one of the most affected Countries in South Asia by
climate change.3 With 45% of the labor force employed in the agricultural sector and 24% of the National GDP deriving from agriculture,4 the resilience of agricultural production is of high importance to the development of Pakistan’s economy. One adaptation could be to change the time that crop planting takes place. For instance, to counter rising temperatures, farmers could shift planting to cooler times of the year.

- by Sardar Taimur Hyat-Khan
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- Organic agriculture, Sustainable Development, Pakistan, Agriculture

Carnivorous plants may benefit from animal-derived nutrients to supplement minerals from the soil. Therefore, the role and importance of their roots is a matter of debate. Aquatic carnivorous species lack roots completely, and many hygrophytic and epiphytic carnivorous species only have a weakly developed root system. In xerophytes, however, large, extended and/or deep-reaching roots and sub-soil shoots develop. Roots develop also in carnivorous plants in other habitats that are hostile, due to flooding, salinity or heavy metal occurance. Information about the structure and functioning of roots of carnivorous plants is limited, but this knowledge is essential for a sound understanding of the plants’ physiology and ecology. Here we compile and summarise available information on: The morphology of the roots. The root functions that are taken over by stems and leaves in species without roots or with poorly developed root systems; anchoring and storage occur by specialized chlorophyll-less stems; water and nutrients are taken up by the trap leaves. The contribution of the roots to the nutrient supply of the plants; this varies considerably amongst the few investigated species. We compare nutrient uptake by the roots with the acquisition of nutrients via the traps. The ability of the roots of some carnivorous species to tolerate stressful conditions in their habitats; e.g., lack of oxygen, saline conditions, heavy metals in the soil, heat during bushfires, drought, and flooding.kg]Key words

- by Wolfram Adlassnig
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- Physiology, Nutrition, Adaptation, Ecology

Sistema fisiológico de la producción La historia en 4 capítulos … Dinámica del Ca en el suelo Ca en solución suelo Ca intercambiable Silicatos CaCO 3 CaSO 4 sorption desorption lixiviación Remocion por el cultivo El contenido de Ca en la solución del suelo es relativamente bajo ya que es preferencialmente adsorbido en los sitios de intercambio del suelo 4 Ca 2+ Mg 2+ Incrementando la adsorción de cationes por las partículas del suelo Sodio < Amonio < Protón<Potasio<Magnesio < Calcio<Aluminio H Al 3+ Na + Mg 2+ Deficiencia inducida de Ca debido a antagonismo • En términos de absorción por la planta, el Ca compite con otros cationes principales, como Na + , K + , Mg 2+ , NH 4+ , Fe 2+ y Al 3+ . • Por tanto, la absorción de Ca es deprimido cuando: La relación Ca:K or Ca:Mg no son adecuadas Cuando se aplica altos niveles de amonio En suelos sodicos el Na compite con el Ca Manteniendo los balances -Guía general para relaciones deseadas • Relación Ca:Mg en el suelo [meq] (Tisdale et al. 1985) • Relación deseable 5:1 • Deficiencia de Ca < 2:1 • Deficiencia de Mg 20:1 • Relación Ca:K en la solución del suelo[ppm] (Hartz et. Al 1994; Tisdale et al. 1985)

- by ENRIQUE MORENO ENMI
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- Riego, Riego Agricola, Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition

Agriculture mostly depends on suitable supply of water for irrigation. Before application of water, water quality must be measured because of secure in-toxic food production If the Poor quality of irrigation water is not managed properly then it poses many hazards to plant production. So for the better plant and crop production the quality of the water need to be analyzed properly and improving further management. With the finality to analyze the irrigation water quality (physicochemical parameters), different places of Pabna District were evaluated. Twenty water samples were collected in the winter season (January-march) and then they were examined for temperature, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), soluble sodium percentage (SSP), residual sodium carbonate (RSC), and so on. The study indicates that waters were found within the permissible limits for irrigation purposes. So, The irrigation water samples from surface water, Ground water and deep tube-wells water can be used in agricultural purposes.

This paper presents the influence of selected methodological aspects on the results of particlesize distribution (PSD) as measured by the laser diffraction method (LDM). The investigations were carried out using the Mastersizer 2000 with Hydro MU attachment (Malvern Ltd., UK). It was found that for the investigated soils: (1) optimal speed of pump and stirrer was 2500 rpm, (2) optimal measurement time was ≈ 1 min, (3) there are two, practically equivalent methods for soil-sample dispersion: chemical (with the use of a solution of sodium hexametaphosphate) or physical (by means of ultrasound application for 4 min at a maximum power of 35W), (4) one must not use the chemical and physical dispersing methods simultaneously, because this can lead to aggregation (not dispersion) of soil particles, (5) the Fraunhofer theory (physical models) can be used to convert scattered-light data to PSD. In the case of the Mie theory, the best results were obtained for a refractive index (RI) in the range of 1.5-1.6 and an absorption index (AI) of 1.0. It was also found that most of the discussed parameters depend on design of the measuring device and on the type and volume of the investigated suspensions. It is necessary, therefore, to explain how the data was obtained every time and to specify the details in the methodological part of the paper.

En Puembo, Pichincha a 2400 m.s.n.m. se evaluó la respuesta de Hypericum (Hypericum androsaemum L.), a dos niveles de los macronutrientes: Potasio, Calcio y Magnesio. Se uso el Diseño de Bloques Completos al Azar, con un arreglo factorial 2 x 2 x 2 + 1, con tres repeticiones. La unidad experimental neta tuvo forma rectangular de 5.50m x 0.40 m dando una superficie de 2.20m², en la que existieron 177 plantas de Hypericum. Las variables analizadas fueron: Longitud del tallo, diámetro del tallo, grosor de la baya, color de follaje, días a la floración, días a la cosecha y análisis económico. Los principales resultados de la investigación. Los principales resultados de la investigación fueron: la mayor longitud del tallo se presentó en la interacción k1ca2mg1 (130kg/ha, 100kg/ha, 50kg/ha); con 102.10cm, el mayor diámetro del tallo alcanzó la interacción k1ca1mg1 (130kg/ha, 100kg/ha, 50kg/ha) con 6.57mm; en cuanto a grosor de la baya la interacción k1ca1mg1 (130kg/ha, 100kg/ha, 50kg/ha) obtuvo la mejor respuesta con 10.71mm; el menor número de días a floración se obtuvo con la interacción k1ca2mg1 (130kg/ha, 200kg/ha, 50kg/ha), con 100.33 días; en tanto que, el menor número de días a la cosecha se presentó en las interacciones k1ca1mg2 (130kg/ha, 100kg/ha, 100kg/ha), k1ca2mg1 (130kg/ha, 200kg/ha, 50kg/ha) y Finca con 150.00 días. El análisis económico identifica que la interacción k1ca1mg1 (130kg/ha, 100kg/ha, 50kg/ha) presentó el mejor beneficio/costo con 1.78.

- by Sarra ouertatani
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- Soil Science, Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition

Background and Objective: Unproductive soil has been a major problem to farmers, recent interest in the use of a stable organic manure (biochar) as soil amendment and poultry manure to increase soil fertility is also increasing. Hence, the experiment was conducted to assess the condition of poultry manure and biochar on the growth and yield of tomato. Materials and Methods: A greenhouse experiment was conducted at the Federal College of Forestry Ibadan, using polyethylene bag with 5 kg soil collected at two (2) soils depths, 0-15 cm and 15-30 cm depth at the botanical garden, Federal College of Forestry Ibadan. The experiment was arranged in a completely randomized design (CRD) with four replicates. The treatments used were poultry manure (5t/ha), biochar (10t/ha), mixture of poultry manure and biochar (1:1) and control (no amendment).The tomato seeds (UC82B) were sourced from NIHORT, Ibadan and raised in a germination basket. Data were collected weekly on plant height, collar diameter and number of leaves, 50% days to flowering and yield of tomato plants from two weeks after transplanting (WAT). Data collected were analyzed statistically using ANOVA while means were separated using LSD (p<0.05) where applicable. Results: In 0-15 cm soil, the growth variables (plant height, number of leaves and collar diameter) increased with various treatments used. The highest tomato height was observed with the application of biochar (10t/ha). All the treatments applied affected the number of tomato leaves at all weeks after transplanting (WAT) with poultry manure 5t/ha having the highest number of leaves at 7WAT, while collar diameter was significantly affected by various treatments from 2 to 5 WAT, with the mixture of P.M + BIO (1:1) recording the highest value and the control plot recorded the least values in all weeks. However, in 15-30 cm soil, there was significant difference in the number of leaves of tomato among all the amended soil from 5 to 7 WAT, the highest tomato leaves were obtained when the soil was amended with poultry manure (5t/ha) and can be compared with other treatments. Interaction of poultry manure and biochar(1:1) and poultry manure 5 t/ha resulted in highest height of tomato plant from 3-7 WAT as compared to the control that had the least value but were not significantly different from the sole application of biochar 10t/ha. Interaction of poultry manure + biochar (1:1) and poultry manure (5t/ha) gave the highest tomato flowering and fruits. Conclusion: Based on this result, biochar and poultry manure when added to soil, boosted the mineralization of the soil after amendment.

Olive-oil production has a vital impact on the socioeconomic development in most Mediter-ranean countries, where 97.5 % of the world oil is produced. However, the olive-oil extraction process generates considerable quantities of an agro-industrial effluent, olive mill wastewater (OMW), which has negative impact on the environment and biological life. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential use of OMW treated by different technologies in irrigation and determine its effect on the plant growth and soil quality parameters. Different technologies were used to treat the OMW, the resultant treated OMW was used to irrigate the maize planted in the pot experiment. The results indicated that UOMW increased soil salinity and reduced plant growth, while the treated OMW by different technologies improved plant growth and resulted in lower soil pH. The impact on other soil properties varied depending on the techniques used for treatments. Although treated OMW enhanced plant growth compared with the untreated, the plant growth remained lower than that obtained using the potable water with fertilizers, indicating lack of some essential plant nutrients.

Lettuce is the most popular of the leafy vegetables. It is known worldwide and its consumption occurs mainly
in the natural form. The objective was to evaluate the effect of macronutrient omission on the growth and
nutritional status of the lettuce cv. Veronica, and to describe the visual symptoms of nutritional deficiency. The
treatments complete consisted of the solution and the individual omission of N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S, under a completely randomized design with three replications. Plants were grown in Hoagland & Arnon, in pots (8L). At
56 days after transplant we evaluated plant height, leaf number, leaf area, SPAD index, dry matter of shoots,
roots and whole plant, levels of macronutrients in shoots and roots, and the nature of nutritional disorders. The
omission of nutrients affected the growth variables. The nutrients found in lettuce plants from nutrient solution
and the complete omission in the shoot were, respectively, N= 23.2 to 9.5, P= 5.4 to 1.3, K= 58,9 to 3.2, Ca=
12.1 to 3.6, Mg= 5.5 to 0.7 and S= 3.2 to 1.5g.kg-1. The omission of macronutrients caused quality losses, since
it affected the nutrition of the vegetables and this resulted in morphological changes, reflected as symptoms of
deficiency for each nutrient.

- by Aline Puga
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- Soil Science, Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition

Ten soil samples (0-15cm depth) of Tetulia Tea garden from Islambag, Panchagarh district (AEZ 1) were collected on October 2017 to evaluate the color, moisture content, particle density, texture, pH, EC and organic matter content of soil and available and total nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulfur. The dominant colour of the soil was gray. Mean particle density was 1.45 g/cm 3 and mean moisture content was 20.63%. Average sand, silt and clay were 49.27%, 33.08% and 17.65%, respectively. The texture of the soils was silty loam. The sand was by far the dominant fraction in the soils. Mean pH value was 4.22, organic matter was 2.12% and EC was 58.03 µS/cm. Mean available nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulfur of the soils were 71.8 mg/kg and 0.08%, 7.3 mg/kg and total nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulfur of the soils were 0.16% and 22.15 mg/kg and 0.45%, 0.17% and 13.51 mg/kg, respectively. The mean concentration of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulfur in the ten leaf samples was 4.18, 0.43, 2.12 and 0.39%, respectively. The land is above normal flood-level. The overall edaphic, climatic and drainage conditions are suitable for tea cultivation. Additionally, the soils are moderately fertile for tea plantation. The main goal of this investigation is to assess the fertility status and physicochemical properties of soil in the tea garden of North Bengal in Bangladesh. Results from the present study can be of great help in the further development of reliable and accurate data on nutrient conditions and can be used in assessing soil fertility program for tea growing areas in the country.

- by Farhana F I R O Z Meem
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- Soil Science, Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition

Background Crop production in China has been greatly improved by increasing phosphorus (P) fertilizer input, but overuse of P by farmers has caused low use efficiency, increasing environmental risk and accumulation of P in soil. From 1980 to 2007, average 242 kg P ha−1 accumulated in soil, resulting in average soil Olsen P increasing from 7.4 to 24.7 mg kg−1. China is facing huge challenges to improve P use efficiency through optimizing corresponding technology and policies. The problem is exacerbated because people have been shifting their diet from plant-based to animalenriched foods. This results in higher P load in the food chain and lower P use efficiency. Scope A multidisciplinary approach has been used to improve P management at the field and national level in China. Management strategies based on the soil and on the plant rhizosphere have been developed to increase efficient use of P. A national soil testing and fertilizer recommendation program has been used since 2005 to control build-up and maintenance of P levels. Interac-tions between root growth and the rhizosphere have been manipulated in intercropping systems and plant genetic traits have been exploited. Phosphorus surplus is highly associated with animal concentrated feed. Conclusions The P-saving potential by the integrated P management strategies of P flow reaches 1.46 Mt P in 2050 compared to 2005.

- by F. Zhang
- •
- Genetics, Biological Sciences, Phosphorus, Environmental Risk

A pot experiment was conducted during Kharif season, 2005 to ascertain the response of different organic sources viz., wheat straw, farm yard manure (FYM), vermicompost and poultry manure to rice (Oryza sativa) and also to monitor the effect of manuring on soil carbon pools. Application of poultry manure and vermicompost alongwith chemical fertilizers for supply of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK) resulted in highest grain yield rice. Soil carbon, labile carbon and water soluble carbon contents also improved with application of organic sources of N application.

- by Sanjay Arora
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- Soil Science, Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition

Abstract
A field experiment was conducted at the University of Calabar Teaching and Research Farms during
2011 and 2012 planting seasons to evaluate the effects of different levels of poultry manure on the
performance of fluted pumpkin in a degraded Ultisol. Five levels of poultry manure (0, 60, 90, 120, 150 kg
N/ha) were applied, with the 0 kg N/ha (without amendment) serving as control. These treatments were
applied in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Results showed that the
application of different levels of poultry manure (PM) significantly (P < 0.05) increased soil pH, available
phosphorus (P), exchangeable aluminum and base saturation status of the soil. The longest mean vine
length (168.3 cm) and highest number of leaves (79.6) were produced by plants treated with 150 kg N/ha
PM, whereas shortest vine length (104.9 cm) and lowest number of leaves (48.0) values were obtained by
the control (0 kg N/ha). The fresh yield of fluted pumpkin was significantly (P < 0.05) increased across all
stages of growth with higher yield obtained at higher levels of poultry manure application when compared
with the control. Relative yield increase obtained from the 150 kg N/ha PM treated soil when compared with
control was 49.4, 64.0 and 71.9 % at 4, 7 and 10 WAP, respectively. The study showed that poultry manure
applied at 150 kg N/ha best supports the performance of fluted pumpkin in this degraded Ultisol.
Keywords: Fluted pumpkin, poultry manure, soil chemical properties, Telfairia occidentalis

- by Iren O. B.
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- Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition

utiliza la solución de Olsen modificada como extractante para la determinación de fósforo (P) disponible en el suelo. Este procedimiento no siempre funciona adecuadamente cuando se utiliza en suelos de origen volcánico (Andisoles) cultivados con papa. El presente trabajo se realizó en dos fases: campo y laboratorio. En campo se estudió el efecto de dosis de P en el rendimiento de papa y el contenido de P en el suelo en cuatro localidades, representativas de la zona papera de la sierra, por tres ciclos consecutivos. En la fase de laboratorio, se extrajo el P disponible utilizando los métodos Olsen Modificado, Bray P1 y Mehlich 3 y estos resultados se correlacionaron y calibraron con el rendimiento relativo utilizando Modelos Discontinuos. En los suelos de Cochabamba, Santa Ana y Chaupi, los extractantes Olsen Modificado y Mehlich 3 reportaron coeficientes de correlación altos (r>0.8) entre el P extraído y el rendimiento relativo de papa. En Quinua Corral se encontró correlación solo con Mehlich 3, sin embargo, el coeficiente de correlación fue bajo (0.64). Por otro lado, Bray P1 presentó correlaciones bajas para todas las localidades. El nivel crítico de P para el cultivo de papa fue diferente según el método de extracción. Se encontró que Olsen Modificado y Mehlich 3 son los mejores métodos de extracción de P para la generalidad de los suelos volcánicos cultivados con papa.

Los micronutrientes son elementos esenciales para el crecimiento y la reproducción vegetal, requeridos en proporciones menores a los macronutrientes. Su concentración en tejido vegetal es del orden de mg kg-1. Hasta el momento, se ha demostrado la esencialidad de siete elementos en todas las especies vegetales: boro (B), cloro (Cl), cobre (Cu), hierro (Fe), manganeso (Mn), molibdeno (Mo) y cinc (Zn). Existen otros elementos que actúan en el metabolismo vegetal de manera no específica, denominados nutrientes funcionales debido a que no intervienen en reacciones bioquímicas reconocidas en las plantas: cadmio (Cd), plomo (Pb), silicio (Si), vanadio (V), y otros que cumplen funciones únicamente en ciertas especies vegetales (sodio, Na; niquel, Ni; Si) o que son esenciales para los animales (cobalto, Co; iodo, I; selenio, Se). Por otro lado, ciertos elementos como arsénico (As), Cd, Cu, Pb, y Zn, entre otros, son tóxicos para los vegetales y los animales cuando son absorbidos por encima de determinados niveles. Esto es debido a que inhiben distintos procesos metabólicos. La mayor parte de los elementos mencionados, junto con otros que se presentan en concentraciones extremadamente bajas en la naturaleza, en general, y en los tejidos vegetales, en particular, suelen denominarse elementos traza. Debido a que esta denominación es amplia e imprecisa, se utiliza el término micronutriente para denominar específicamente a los elementos traza que son esenciales y así diferenciarlos de los que son no esenciales.

- by Silvana Torri and +1
- •
- Soil Science, Plant Biology, Trace Metals, Soil fertility management

The soil exploitation for intensive agricultural production such as tillage, chemical fertilizer and pesticide uses, monoculture cropping and continuously crop cultivation (without fallowing system) caused soil degradation and resulted some environmental pollutions. The application of green manure can be one of the alternatives in order to minimize the negative effects of some applications in intensive agriculture practices on the soil and the environment. The application of green manure increases soil organic matter and nitrogen and keeps the availability of other soil nutrients. The use of legume forage crops as green manure can increase the amount of nitrogen in the soil by atmospheric nitrogen fixation. This makes it more economically efficient than other green manure and chemical fertilizers. The legumes have a taproot that can absorb the nutrients from the deeper soil and improve the physical structure of the soil. For these reasons, this study discusses the importance of legume forage crops as green manure crops for the soil sustainabilities.

- by Ade Sumiahadi
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- Soil Science, Environmental Soil Science, Rhizobium, Biological Nitrogen Fixation
- by Angel M A R C E L O Calvache Ulloa
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- Soil Science, Agronomy, Soil Physics, Water balance
- by ana rose durias
- •
- Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition

Soil is a critical part of successful agriculture and is the source of the nutrients that we use to grow crops. There are different types of soil and there are different properties of each soil. On these different properties, several types of crops grow. We need to know the properties and characteristics of various soil types to understand which crops sow in certain soil types. Machine Learning allows the user to feed a computer algorithm on an immense amount of data and have the computer analyze, make data-driven recommendations and decisions based to analyze the input data. Machine Learning techniques are used to model this process. Machine Learning has come into the picture with the big data technologies and high-performance computing that create new opportunities for data-intensive science in the multidisciplinary agri-technology domain. In this paper, we have proposed a model that can find whether the soil is fertile or not, Sowing crop seed on fertile soil, and at last predicting the crop yield on different soil features. According to prediction, it can be suggested and recommended which crops grow more. Various Machine Learning algorithms such as Support Vector Machine (SVM), Random Forest, Naive Bayes, Linear Regression, Multilayer perceptron (MLP), and ANN are used for soil classification and crop yield. Test results show that the proposed ANN method follows a deep learning architecture which means it has several layers for input and output are connected to achieve better accuracy than numerous existing methods.

King coconut waste (KCW) has become a major environmental concern at present. This waS t e can be converted into biochar'and incorporate to coconut lands to improve soil fertility. This stud~ was conducted to produce biochar from KCW and characterizethem prior application in coconut lands. Bzochar was made using a retort method at a pyrolysing efficiency of 37%. Produced biochar had very hig~ pH (9. 76),EC (0.959Sm-1) , and were also high in plant available P and cations due to intrinsic propertzes of the K~W This study has suggested that biochar technology could be effectively employed to recycle KCW znto coconut lands in an environmentally friendly manner.

Soil is the basic natural resource on which the human civilization survives. Failure to protect it will undermine
sustainability and long term competitiveness of our country. Today it is under increasing threat from several
anthropogenic activities. These activities are damaging the capacity of soil to continue to perform in full its
broad variety of crucial functions. Moreover, soil degradation has strong impacts on other areas of common
interest to the community, such as food safety, water, human health, climate change, and nature and biodiversity
protection. We must work out strategy on protection of soil to halt and reverse soil degradation. The national
policies governing the land and agriculture appears to have not emphasised much on the protection of health
of agricultural soils and related ecosystems and their services and to ensure sufficient agricultural land for
assured food security. This paper brings out the status of our existing policies and highlights the need for a
national soil policy

- by ENRIQUE MORENO ENMI
- •
- Riego Agricola, Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition

This research was undertaken to characterize the ability of natural zeolite and bentonite minerals in the ratio of 1:10 (w/w), to change soil chemical and hydro-physical characteristics and some morphological growth parameters as well as the yield production of faba bean (Viciafaba L.) and corn (Zea maize) grown under drip irrigation system and natural drainage conditions. Completely randomized field experiments were conducted at Ismailia governorate in EL-Salhya project, during the winter season of 2009/2010 and the summer one of 2010. Soil conditioner was applied in the rate of 0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 ton/fed. Obtained results reveal that soil chemical properties, i.e. EC, pH, soluble cations and anions as well as SAR values are directly affected by increasing conditioner application rate. Modification in soil textural class from sandy to loamy sand was made with the increase in clay content. Bulk density, macro-pores and saturated hydraulic conductivity values were markedly decreased, while the values of total porosity, water holding capacity, field capacity and available moisture were progressively increased. The greatest improvement in these soil characteristics is pronounced under the highest rate of conditioner doses. Moreover, growth parameters of the two crops as well as their seed yields were beneficially increased with increasing the rate of applied conditioner. This reveals to the highly magnitude of combining natural zeolite and bentonite conditioners in a proper amount to improve sandy soils properties and enhancing their productivity.

The phosphorous (P) availability on acid soil is generally low, so that need P fertilization. Phosphorous fertilization based on the status of soil P content can increase the effectiveness and efficiency of P fertilization. The fertilizer requirement can be assessed based on soil test calibration. Calibration of the soil test is a trial about the response
of a crop to fertilizer application on certain nutrient contain in the soil. The nutrient availability in the soil is expressed as low, medium, and high level, or in a range of certain nutrient contain. The calibration test also can be carried out on location with varying soil nutrient status from low to high. The available P concentration in dry land Ultisol extracted with Bray I for soybean, groundnut, and mungbean classified as low if the soil contain <5 ppm P2O5, <9 ppm P2O5, dan <7 ppm P2O5 respectively. The Bray I and Bray II methods are good methods to assess availability of P on Ultisol for soybean, groundnut, and
mungbean.
Keywords: available P, soybean, groundnut, mungbean, Ultisol

- by abdullah taufiq
- •
- Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition
- by Ouertatani Sarra and +1
- •
- Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition
- by ENRIQUE MORENO ENMI
- •
- Riego Agricola, Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition

ABSTRACT
Balanced fertilization involves the application of both macro- and micro-nutrients in the right amount and proportions for optimum crop yield.
R The experiment was conducted to compare the effectiveness of sole and combined application of agrolyser (micronutrient) and NPK fertilizer using
foliar and soil application methods on soil properties and yield of maize in the humid forest zone of south-eastern Nigeria. The experiment was laid
R out in a randomized complete block design with three replications comprising of 10 treatments. The treatments were three levels of agrolyser (0.2,
-1 -1 0.3 and 0.4 kg ha ) using two methods of application (foliar spray and soil placement). Equal basal rate of NPK fertilizer (150 kg N ha , 40 kg
-1 -1 R -1 P O ha and 90 kg K O ha ) was applied to all the treatments, except the controls. The control plots had only agrolyser applied at 0.3 kg ha as 2 5 2
foliar spray and soil placement, and plots without amendment (absolute control). There was also a check plot where only NPK fertilizer was applied.
The experimental soil was loamy sand in texture, strongly acidic and low in fertility. The result shows a significant (P ≤ 0.05) increase in soil pH
R amongst treatments when compared with the absolute control. The combination of agrolyser and NPK fertilizer significantly improved the
availability of total nitrogen, available phosphorus, and exchangeable Ca and Mg in the soil. Application of NPK fertilizer alone or in combination
R R with agrolyser significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased maize grain yield. The method and rate of agrolyser application did not significantly (P > 0.05)
increase maize grain yield. Minor differences existed between plots that received only NPK fertilizer (82 % increase over absolute control) and those
R R that received NPK fertilizer and agrolyser (84 % increase). Plots that received only agrolyser using foliar and soil placement had only 18 %
-1 -1 -1 (399.63 kg ha ) and 17 % (392.92 kg ha ) increase, respectively over the absolute control (327.87 kg ha ). It was therefore concluded that
R R agrolyser cannot be substituted for NPK fertilizer but that it could be used as a supplementary treatment to supply micronutrients. Agrolyser could
be applied either as a foliar spray or mixed with NPK fertilizer and applied directly to the soil.
R Keywords: Agrolyser , micronutrient, application method, soil properties, maize grain yield

The present experiment was carried out during the 2010 planting season, at
the Teaching and Research Farms, School of Agriculture, Lagos State Polytechnic,
Ikorodu, Lagos State with the view to produce liquid fertilizer from
water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipies) and compare its effectiveness with
poultry manure on the performance and yield of fluted pumpkin (Telfairia
occidentalis). Data on number of leaves and length of main vine 2 weeks
before fertilizer application (BFA) and 3, 6 and 9 weeks after fertilizer application
(WAFA) and the yield at harvesting were collected and subjected to
Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and means compared using Least Significance
Difference (LSD). The results showed that at 3 WAFA, water hyacinth had the
highest number of leaves (245) and longest length main vine (2.04 cm) and in
terms of yield at harvesting, water hyacinth (16.08 kg) was not significantly
different (P>0.05) compared to poultry manure (18.13 kg) application. From
the study it can be concluded that water hyacinth liquid fertilizer can be utilized
as good source of organic fertilizer for the growth of fluted pumpkin and
thus serve as veritable means of curbing the menace of water hyacinth on
our water ways.

Makanan sebagai sumber protein, karbohidrat, lemak, vitamin, dan mineral sangat diperlukan bagi kesehatan fisik, pertumbuhan, dan mengatur proses metabolisme. Makanan yang berkualitas, aman dan menarik dapat diperoleh melalui perlakuan yang tepat pada setiap tahapan produksi, mulai dari persiapan, pengolahan, penyimpanan, pemasaran dan penggunaannya. Makanan yang tidak aman jika dikonsumsi dapat menimbulkan gangguan kesehatan bahkan berakibat pada kematian (Suryana, 1994, dalam Sundari, 2013). Undang-undang Nomor 7 Tahun 1996 menyatakan bahwa kualitas pangan yang dikonsumsi harus memenuhi beberapa kriteria, diantaranya adalah aman, bergizi, bermutu, dan dapat dijangkau oleh daya beli masyarakat. Aman maksudnya mencakup bebas dari cemaran biologis, mikrobiologi, kimia, logam berat, dan cemaran lain yang dapat mengganggu, merugikan dan membahayakan kesehatan manusia (Mudjajanto, 2014). Dalam Islam dikenal dengan istilah makanan halalan thayyiban. Makanan halalan (halal) yaitu makanan yang tidak diharamkan, dan tidak menyalahi hukum syari`at Islam untuk dikonsumsi sesuai Al-Qur'an dan sunnah nabi. Makanan yang baik atau dalam istilah agama thayyiban yaitu baik dari sudut pemenuhan kebutuhan gizi bagi tubuh, pengolahan makanan baik, dan bahan campuran yang baik. Saat ini, Industri pangan di Indonesia telah berkembang dengan pesat, ditandai dengan munculnya industri kecil dan industri rumah tangga yang 1

- by Muthi Rahmah
- •
- Nutrition and Dietetics, Ruminant Nutrition, Nutrition, Public Health Nutrition

THIS IS NATURE SIGNALING THE END OF DUALITY THIS IS HUGE - CHANGE THE ENTIRETY OF CREATION - NO DUALITY ANYWHERE. IT IS VERY CLEARLY A PREDETERMINED ADVANCEMENT OF HUMAN CONSCIOUSNESS - THIS BUBBLE IS TOO WELL DESIGNED - EUPHORIA... more

THIS IS NATURE SIGNALING THE END OF DUALITY
THIS IS HUGE - CHANGE THE ENTIRETY OF CREATION - NO DUALITY ANYWHERE.
IT IS VERY CLEARLY A PREDETERMINED ADVANCEMENT OF HUMAN CONSCIOUSNESS - THIS BUBBLE IS TOO WELL DESIGNED - EUPHORIA CANCELS KARMA

- by MIKE EMERY
- •
- Earth Sciences, Soil Science, Consciousness (Psychology), Water
- by ENRIQUE MORENO ENMI
- •
- Riego, Riego Agricola, Soil Fertility, Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition

Maize is an important cereal crop grown throughout the world for its grain and green fodder. It is used as food for human and feed for animals. Maize is a crop that is most susceptible to Zinc deficiency. The selection of high yielding cultivars and chemical fertilizer use is of high purity under intensive cropping system. Mungbean is being used as food and protein supplements. It is being cooked with vegetables, incorporated with bread and cakes, used as boiled or roasted in syrup. It is also generally used for vegetable dishes and sprout for egg rolls. The present review discussed about the use of zinc sulphate for the improvement of crop yield and quality of maize with mungbean in intercropping system. The present review revealed that plant uses Zinc in many of its vital processes such as protein synthesis, membrane’s structure and functions, expression of genes and tolerance against oxidative stress. The impacts of zinc deficiency cannot be ignored as it has very much serious implication regarding immune system and growth. The use of Zinc for improvement of grain yield of maize and munbean plays an important role. Hence, it should be used as micro nutrient for improving output of maize and mungbean in sole and intercropping growing patterns.

Teklay Tesfay and Girmay Gebresamuel (2016): Agronomic and economic evaluations of compound fertilizer applications under different planting methods and seed rates of tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] in Northern Ethiopia. Journal of the Drlylands, 6(1): 409-422 Nowadays tef is becoming the most preferred crop both for consumption and market value. However, its production and productivity is still very low due to traditional agronomic practices, nutrient deficiencies and susceptibility of the crop to lodging. Thus, this research work was conducted to examine the agronomic and economic performance of alternative ways of compound fertilizer applications under different planting methods and seed rates. The experiment was conducted in Tahtay-Koraro district, North Ethiopia on two soil types (Vertisol and Cambisol) during the 2011 main crop season. An improved tef variety, 'Quncho' (Dz-Cr-387), was used as a test crop, and treatments were evaluated using Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) replicated three times. The treatments were: (1) band application of complete fertilizer under row planting tef at 5 Kg ha –1 seed rate; (2) broadcast seed at 25 Kg ha –1 seed rate with complete fertilizer; (3) band application of Di-Amonium Phosphate (DAP) and urea under row planting tef at 5 Kg ha –1 seed rate; (4) broadcast seed at 25 Kg ha –1 seed rate with DAP and urea; (5) broadcasting tef at 25 Kg ha –1 seed rate with no fertilizer application (control). Band application of complete fertilizer under row planting tef at 5 Kg ha –1 seed rate significantly improves grain yield by 320% on Vertisol and by 396% on Cambisol. However, the result of the economic analysis (marginal rate of return) revealed that band application of DAP and urea under row sowing tef at 5 Kg ha –1 seed rate provides economically profitable values of grain and straw. Band applications of compound fertilizer integrated with sowing methods at different seeding rates appreciably affect all the studied agronomic parameters.

- by Teklay Tesfay
- •
- Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition

Agroforestry has the capacity to reduce the poverty, enhance livelihood, improve food security and mitigate the climate change impact. The agroforestry suitability mapping is performed using geospatial technology based on similar guideline documented by FAO for Land suitability mapping. The study aims for applying remote sensing and GIS technology towards various spatial (soil and environmental) datasets in Dumka district of Jharkhand, India to achieve a nutrient availability and agroforestry suitability map. The Landsat satellite data, ASTER DEM and decadal annual rainfall datasets were utilized to generate wetness, landuse/ land cover (LULC), elevation, slope, and rainfall map. LULC map was utilized to identify the open area land in which agroforestry suitability was evaluated. Various thematic layers such as soil nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), organic carbon (C), pH and sulphur (S) were used for generating nutrient availability map. The agroforestry suitability map was generated utilizing the layers viz. nutrient availability, slope, wetness, rainfall and elevation by GIS integration/modeling in ArcGIS 10.1 software by providing different weight to each thematic layer as per its importance in the study area. The thematic layer weight was calculated based on pairwise comparisons (a standard statistical procedure). Finally agroforestry suitability maps were generated in the form of high, medium and low grid with spacing (1km × 1km). We also generated poverty map, one of the complete watersheds in the part of the study area and drainage map in whole study area to understand its proximity toward high agroforestry suitability grid. The study shows that the total open area land grids were 3421 out of which 50% of grid was found to be highly suitable towards agroforestry. Furthermore a watershed, drainage pattern and poverty map were analyzed based on its proximity toward high agroforestry suitability. The study reveals high agroforestry suitability land grid proximity towards high poverty grid was approximately more than 70%, whereas the proximity to the drainage pattern was roughly 60%. One of the completed watershed in the part of the study area evaluation reveals approximately 50% of the watershed area grid has the proximity of high agroforestry suitable land grid. The high agroforestry suitability and its proximity/relationship with high poverty, drainage pattern and in watershed based analysis provides golden opportunity to the local poor people to harness agroforestry practices by adopting intensive soil and water conservation measures if supported by sufficient funds/technology will largely help in mitigating poverty and enhancing the livelihood. The ongoing agroforestry projects can be further extended in the open areas of high agroforestry suitability grid for long term benefits of diversified output.

- by Firoz Ahmad
- •
- Agroforestry, Remote sensing and GIS, Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition

Helps in vegetative growth Formation of enough amino acids hence proteins  Nitrogen Deficiency Symptoms:  Small leaves with general yellowing  Undersized leaves  Severe growth retardation. Affect:  Smaller fruits and early maturity Treatment:  Application of recommended nitrogen fertilizers(80kg N/ha) or foliar application of urea 2-4% at fortnightly interval

- by Jay Prakash
- •
- Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition

Abdul Rashid holds PhD (Agronomy & Soil Science) from University of Hawaii, USA, and is a Distinguished Alumnus of East-West Center, Hawaii, USA. He is an eminent crop nutrition and soil fertility expert; his micronutrient R&D has international implications & recognition and his farmer-friendly fertilizer use technologies are adopted in Pakistan.
Dr. Rashid’s >300 publications include journal articles & reviews, first-ever Soil Science textbook in Pakistan, Encyclopedia & book chapters, acclaimed Soil-Plant Analysis Lab Manual (in English, Russian & Arabic), advisory materials, and technical reports.
Dr Rashid is Past-President of Soil Science Society of Pakistan and Editorial Board Member for journals published by Elsevier and Taylor & Francis. His R&D contributions earned him top science leadership positions in Pakistan: Director General of National Agricultural Research Center and Member (Bio-Sciences) of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission. He has received of several prestigious honors and awards, locally & globally, like IFA Norman Borlaug Award, IPNI Science Award and Fellow of Pakistan Academy of Sciences.
Currently, he is pursuing R&D on agronomic biofortification of staple cereals with micronutrients to combat ‘hidden hunger’.

- by Dr Abdul Rashid
- •
- Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition