ABSTRACT Auxin, a plant growth-promoting hormone, is known to be produced by many if not all bacteria. Research has shown that bacteria produced auxin is associated with both positive and negative plant growth effects. Here we determined the relationship between auxin production capacity and wheat biomass productivity in culturally isolated bacteria. A total of 4320 individual bacteria were isolated

ABSTRACT At present, no commercial indigenous plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) is available for Capsicum crop in North-Western Himalayan Region. Therefore, PGPR were isolated from rhizosphere and root samples of capsicum collected from 28 locations of agro-climatic zones I, II and III of Himachal Pradesh. Thirty-four morphological distinct isolates were screened for multifarious plant growth-promoting

ABSTRACT A study was undertaken to investigate the rate of dissolution of the various Phosphorus (P) sources in an alluvial soil of Bihar under an incubation experiment in the laboratory for 35 days with 5 treatments viz., Control; RP (Rock Phosphate) @ 100% of the RDP (Recommended Dose of Phosphorus); 100% of RDF (Recommended Dose of Fertilizer NPK); REC (Rock phosphate Enriched Compost) @ 100% of

ABSTRACT Potentially mineralizable nitrogen (PMN) is a widely used indicator of a soil’s organic nitrogen (N) availability, and is often measured by incubation. While it is known that the handling of soil prior to incubation (i.e., pretreatment) may affect N mineralization during the incubation, the effect of pretreatments on the relationships in PMN between samples has not been fully evaluated. The

ABSTRACT Leaching losses of nutrients in the winter crops of tomato and pea cultivated in acidic soils of the eastern plateau and hill region were studied using nonweighing type lysimeters under different nutrient management practices involving the control (T1), inorganic (T2), organic (T3), and integrated (organic + inorganic, T4) sources of nutrients. The leaching loss of nutrients varied significantly

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of foliar spray of seaweed extract (SE) and amino acids (AA) on growth characteristics, antioxidant activity, and nutrient elements of yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.) in the field and greenhouse conditions. The experiment was conducted as a randomized complete block design with six replications. Treatments included foliar spray of SE (1

ABSTRACT Peanut cultivation during the summer needs precise management of nutrient and water resources particularly in arid and semi-arid areas to sustain agricultural productivity where water is a scarce commodity. Application of NPK fertilizers both normal and water-soluble was evaluated using soil and drip fertigation methods for their effect on productivity, profitability, enzyme activities, and

ABSTRACT The water deficit generated by inadequate management of irrigation can affect the development and yield of crops. However, little is known about irrigation and irrigation management for physalis (Physalis peruviana L.). The objective of this work was to study different soil water tensions as an indicative for irrigation management in physalis crop and to evaluate its effects on crop development

ABSTRACT A field experiment was conducted during 2015–18 to study the effect of integrated use of lime, inorganic and organic manures on soil health and yield performance of elephant foot yam (Amorphophallus paenifolius L) – black gram (Vigna mungo L) system in an acid Alfisol of Eastern India. Significantly highest mean corm yield of elephant foot yam (22.72 t ha−1), grain and haulm yields of black

ABSTRACT In sub-Saharan Africa, soil fertility depletion and limited access to mineral phosphorus (P) fertilizers are considered among the main constraints of crop productivity. The goal of our work is to make P fertilizer from locally available materials, thus reducing the costs due to importation and transportation for smallholder-farmers with limited financial capacities. Cattle bones collected

ABSTRACT We studied the effects of tillage, crop residues, and green manure on soil carbon pools and hydrolytic enzyme activity in a sandy loam after five cycles of the rice-wheat system (RWS). Four main plot treatments in rice were combinations of wheat straw and Sesbania green manure (GM) management: (1) puddled transplanted rice (PTR) with no wheat straw, (2) PTR with 25% wheat stubbles (12–15 cm

ABSTRACT Cattle manure (CM) is noted for its poor nutrient quality especially in Ghana where most cattle are fed on a free range. There is therefore a need to improve its quality since it is a vital nutrient resource for smallholder farmers. An experiment was thus carried out by composting cocoa pod husk (CPH), palm kernel cake (PKC) and rock phosphate (RP) to investigate their effectiveness for use

ABSTRACT Enriching the micronutrient content of staple crops via biofortification provides a sustainable solution to iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) deficiency in food. Analytical techniques such as colorimetry, atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS), inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), and advanced nondestructive estimation methods like X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF)

ABSTRACT Biochar plays an important role in improving soil quality and carbon (C) sequestration. However, the effects of different biochar application rates on soil organic C content and its fractions in the Loess Plateau of northwest China are still unclear. In this work, six biochar treatments were studied, with application rates of 0, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 t·ha−1 (CK, T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5, respectively)

ABSTRACT Maize (Zea mays L.) yield increases from sulfur (S) fertilizer have recently been documented in Iowa, but responses have not been consistent. The objective for this study was to evaluate the response of juvenile maize to S applied as ammonium sulfate (AMS), ammonium thiosulfate (ATS), and S-enhanced mono-ammonium phosphate (MAPS). Clarion loam (Typic Haplaquolls), Fayette silt loam (Typic

ABSTRACT Spring wheat is produced in Kazakhstan and Western Siberia on a large area exceeding 16 mln ha. The crop grows during the short season from May till September in the extensive production system. The objective of the study was the evaluation of wheat grain for the concentration of macroelements Calcium (Ca), Potassium (K), Magnesium (Mg), Phosphorus (P), and Sulfur (S); toxic heavy metals Arsenium

ABSTRACT Calcareous soil may limit plant growth depending upon plant nutrient uptake. The change of apoplastic pH and deficiency of nutrients in high lime soils negatively affects plant growth with chlorophyll synthesis, root growth, enzyme synthesis. To overcome this abiotic stress, control (non-inoculated) and six bacterial strains; Alcaligenes 637Ca, Agrobacterium A18, Staphylococcus MFDCa1, Staphylococcus

ABSTRACT Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) as a strategic crop is moderately susceptible to salinity. Therefore, it is essential to recognize the defense mechanisms upon which potato plants respond to salinity stress and adopt strategies to enhance their salinity tolerance. An open field experiment was conducted at different saline irrigation water (0.5, 5, 8, and 12 dS.m−1) to investigate the physicochemical

ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate the role of biochar properties and application rate in the alleviation of negative impacts of salinity stress on the growth of salt-sensitive common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). The biochar was obtained by slow pyrolysis of olive pruning at 400°C and characterized as high alkaline (9.3) and having a high cation exchange capacity (CEC) and low electrical conductivity

ABSTRACT Nutrient losses through leaching and surface runoff are the main problems in no-till upland soils in Mississippi. A two-year study was conducted in 2016 and 2017 on an Atwood silt loam soil to evaluate the impact of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cover crop (WCC) in no-till dryland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) received poultry litter (PL) on nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) losses in

ABSTRACT Calcareous and sandy soils generally have soil fertility problems, and these problems have been revealed to be improved by applying compost and biochar produced from the distinct biomass. However, comparing the effects of compost and biochar originating from the same biomass on soil fertility are still not clearly explained. The comparing impacts of compost and biochar both made from the same

ABSTRACT Determining how soil-crop management practices affect phosphorus partition and lability in soil may further our understanding of the soil P cycle. The objective of the work was to assessed the long-term effect of P fertilization on different soil P fractions. This study evaluated changes in soil P fractions as affected by long-term P fertilization under conventional tillage. Different P level

ABSTRACT During the last decade, several nanoparticles have been synthesized such as nano-silver, nano-silica, nano-aluminum, nano-zinc oxide, nano-copper, carbon nanotubes, and nano-titanium dioxide. The use of these nanoparticles is rapidly increasing in various areas such as textiles, pharmaceutics, cosmetics, and environmental remediation. In sustainable agriculture and crops improvement, these

ABSTRACT Chemical soil and plant analyses are time-consuming, expensive, and labor-intensive. There are some optical systems used for this purpose; however, they are expensive and require expertise for their operation. The aim of this study was to develop a low-cost prototype optical sensor and compare it with three commercial systems (GreenSeeker NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) meter

ABSTRACT A one-time, large application of biochar (charcoal) could increase soil carbon (C) content and improve overall soil quality. It is known that nematodes have effects on soil organic matter and nutrient cycling and are plant diseases; moreover, nematodes affect nutrient mobilization in C-rich soil conditions; however, information is scant on the effect of biochar addition on nematode communities

ABSTRACT The aim of this study is to determine the optimal soil bulk density in newly added cultivated land for maintaining soil moisture and crops growing. In this work, a field experiment was conducted to study the effect of 5 different soil’s bulk density (BD) on soil moisture and crop yield in newly created land on gravel: T23 (BD = 1.3 g/cm3), T24 (BD = 1.4 g/cm3), T25 (BD = 1.5 g/cm3), T26 (BD = 1

ABSTRACT Zinc appeared to be an important modulator with specific functions in plant physiology and increase resistance against different abiotic stresses. Many advances regarding role of zinc under abiotic stress in plants have been made since its revelation, therefore, present study was intended to understand the ameliorating role of zinc on morpho-physiological and biochemical responses of the okra

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate growth, biomass production and mineral composition of forage grasses subjected to different times of potassium (K) application. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse, from May to October 2017, under randomized block design in a factorial scheme with four replications. The factors consisted of three forage grasses (Brachiaria brizantha – Marandú

ABSTRACT Soil organic matter and especially soil carbon is one the major component of soil health to sustain crop productivity and soil sustainability. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the most promising organic source for the highest wheat yield production and its impact on soil quality. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of charcoal and compost on wheat yield and soil quality

ABSTRACT The present investigation was carried out to study the efficacy of foliar feeding of brassinosteroid on growth, yield and quality of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) cv. Winter Dawn. The experimental finding revealed that the physiological growth in terms of leaf number, specific leaf weight, leaf relative water content and total chlorophyll content in the leaf has increased significantly

ABSTRACT Conservation agriculture practices have been widely implemented to improve soils and their sustainability. Here, we investigated the impacts of long-term conservation tillage (CS) on soil aggregates and their associated carbon (C) in a typical sandy Ultisols. The short-term effect of cover cropping was also investigated. Soils (0–5 and 5–15 cm) were collected from fields under 40-years CS

ABSTRACT Lower solubility of P in poultry litter ash (PLA) than conventional P fertilizers such as triple superphosphate (TSP) may reduce P losses in drainage and runoff, however, lower P solubility may reduce its efficacy as a P source. The mineral composition of PLA and acid-induced P release from it were determined. Effects of PLA, TSP or no P fertilization at different initial soil pH values (5

ABSTRACT It is necessary to know the effect of organic matter on soil physical properties for successful soil management. A short-term incubation study was carried out to investigate the effects of different compost materials on soil aggregation and mechanical properties. Compost materials derived from cattle, sheep, poultry manure, plant residues, and a blend of an equal amount of those residues/wastes

ABSTRACT A pot experiment was carried out to identify the effect of biochar rates on the performance of Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) Rhizoglomus irregularis and the growth and phosphorus (P) uptake of maize (Zea mays L.) plants under calcareous soil conditions. Eight integration treatments, four biochar rates (zero (control) (B0), 5 (B1), 7.5 (B2), 10 g biochar/kg soil (B3)), and two AMF inoculations

ABSTRACT Silicon (Si) is the second most abundant element on the earth’s crust. Growth and defense responses of plants can be influenced by Si availability. To evaluate the effect of Si on lettuce growth and properties of its drainage water, two experiments were conducted. The first experiment was conducted in a factorial template with four different cultivars (”Romana,” “Angelֹ,” “Monocasa,” and “Primavera”)

ABSTRACT Upland soils in Sierra Leone are strongly weathered and leached with poor physical and chemical properties in the effort to curtail the adverse effects caused by the poor status of soils in Sierra Leone. A study was conducted to evaluate the effects of the palm kernel cake (PKC) as an ameliorate on upland acid soils. This study was conducted in the Quality Control Laboratory at Njala University

ABSTRACT The objective of this project was to investigate if integrating cover crops into the lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) production can control weeds and improve various components of soil health. A two-year field study was conducted at the research farm of the University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran, during the 2017 and 2018 growing seasons. In this study, we used monoculture, two-way, and

ABSTRACT The response of plant growth, yield, dry matter (DM), accumulation (NAC) and recovery efficiency (RE) of nutrients in the first crop (broccoli), and its residual effect on DM and NAC in the second crop (Brachiaria brizantha) were determined, using as nutrient sources, the green manure velvet-bean (GM) and mineral fertilization (MF). The treatments were: plant unfertilized (control), 100% of

ABSTRACT Bulk density (BD) is a key soil indicator for the assessment of the sustainability of production from agricultural land. However, it is difficult to obtain data on BD from field studies because sampling is an extremely labor-intensive, time-consuming and expensive task at the large scale needed to generate meaningful amounts of data. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate different

ABSTRACT Concerns about fossil fuel conservation and greenhouse gas emissions have oriented higher research on energy balance in crop production systems. The purpose of this study was to investigate the yield and energy indices of mung bean crops cultivated in Darehshahr research fields in two years (2017 and 2018). The experiment was conducted in a split randomized complete block design with three

ABSTRACT Field experiments were conducted to study the effect of calcium (Ca), Boron (B) and their combination, i.e., 0, (0.03%Ca), (0.06%Ca), (0.02%B), (0.04%B), (0.03%Ca) + (0.02%B), (0.03%Ca) + (0.04%B), (0.06%Ca) + (0.02%B) and (0.06%Ca) + (0.04% B) on production and quality of autumn potato crop. Results revealed that different sowing dates, Ca, B treatments and their interaction significantly

ABSTRACT In the present investigation, an attempt was made to determine the direct effects of fertilizers on various soil properties like acidification, organic matter content, the content of essential and toxic trace metals in soils and food grains under long term (>25 years) fertilizer experiment. Soil and plant samples were collected from Bengaluru center of All India Coordinated Research Project

ABSTRACT Salinity is affecting a large area of Pakistan. The country is situated in a semiarid and arid region where the climate is subtropical continental and the process of salinization and sodification is in progress. Excessive salt rates are adversely influencing the biological, chemical, and physical properties of soils. These physical and chemical changes influence the activity of soil microbes

ABSTRACT Salinity is a spatially complex and dynamic property of soil that adversely impacts plant metabolism and rhizobium capacity for symbiotic nitrogen fixation, thus affecting alfalfa (Medicago sativa) growth. The objective of present study was to conduct the first meta-analysis to understand the influence of soil salinity, experimental growth condition, and soil type on alfalfa shoot dry matter

ABSTRACT In this study, the effects of zinc and iron treatments in different growth stages on yield and yield components of soybean (Glycine max L.) plants were evaluated by principal component analysis (PCA). Field experiments were conducted over during the second crop seasons of the years 2018 and 2019. The experiment was designed as a split-split plot design with three replications. Three varieties

ABSTRACT Soil microbial biomass carbon (Cmic) and nitrogen (Nmic) dynamics were studied in five representative land use of Mediterranean agroecosystems over two consecutive years on a seasonal basis on the island of Lesvos, Greece. Soil samples from natural forests, olive groves, wheat cultivations, pasture, and annual crop rotation were collected from plots that had been managed conventionally according

ABSTRACT A profound consideration of soil organic carbon (SOC) and SOC pools as affected by the long-term use of fertilizer in a fixed crop sequence is essential to understand and maintain the health and productivity of soil. The dynamics of SOC pools, i.e. total soil organic carbon (TOC) and its different fractions under a rice-wheat cropping system subjected to various fertilizer management strategies

ABSTRACT Soil organic matter composition controls many microbial processes in the soil matrix. How these processes interact to drive carbon cycling through greenhouse gas fluxes or carbon stabilization through biochemical transformations continues to evolve. From laboratory incubations, it is clear that low molecular weight compounds (LMWCs; e.g. dextrose, mannitol, and trehalose) can have a profound

ABSTRACT Balanced application of phosphorus (P) fertilizer is important for productive agricultural systems with a reduced environmental footprint. This study aimed to assess the effect of P on the leaf yield, P use efficiency, P concentration and uptake by Aloe vera. A pot trial experiment was conducted using a completely randomized design, with six levels of P applied at 0, 30, 45, 60, 80, and 120

ABSTRACT Excess soluble salts in the soil and irrigation water creates difficulties for plant growth and lowers nutrient availability in the soil. Organic ameliorants such as biochar are believed to be one of the effective treatments for soil improvement and salt stress alleviating. To access the response of different types of salt in irrigation water and bamboo biochar amendment on okra growth and

ABSTRACT Boron (B) fertilization management of alfalfa, as perennial crop, requires to identify its sensitivity to B and its nutrients status after B supply for different forage harvests. The response of alfalfa to B supply, when grown on a Mediterranean sandy soil, was evaluated at different cuts. The native soil B content was around 0.15 mg kg−1, which was considered as B deficient. 19 cuts were

ABSTRACT Salinity is a global challenge to agriculture production. Cicer arientinum L. grows under wide range of climatic conditions and is highly sensitive to salt stress. Salt stress causes osmotic, ionic and secondary stress, impairing various metabolic processes in plants and eventually results in a decline in the plant yield. The aim of the present study was to study the effect of salinity on

ABSTRACT In order to identify critical limit of copper (Cu) in soil, grain, and straw of rice plant, soil samples were collected from twenty; 12, 5, and 3 soil locations of low, medium, and high Cu status from Madurai district, Tamil Nadu, India for pot culture experiment. Based on the results of pot culture experiment, the critical limits of Cu established for straw and grain of rice both by graphical

ABSTRACT Determining and predicting both the spatial and temporal variability of soil moisture content is a critical factor in crop production in semi-arid agricultural systems. The objective of this research was to predict the spatial distribution of soil moisture content using ordinary kriging (OK), regression kriging (RK) and cokriging (CK) models. For that purpose, the soil moisture was monitored

ABSTRACT Drought is a detrimental abiotic stress limiting wheat growth and yield. Harmful impacts of drought stress can be ameliorated by the use of different growth enhancers either applied as soil amendment or by the foliar spray. The Present research was conducted under semi-arid conditions at Research area of Agronomy Department, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan. Investigations

ABSTRACT Organic wastes can also be used to increase the amount of organic matter in humus-poor agricultural soils and thus maintain soil fertility. After obtaining sugar from sugar beet plant, a food industry waste rich in organic matter and nutrients called vinasse emerges. In this study, it was aimed to determine the effects of vinasse compost on soil fertility. In this context, the compost was

ABSTRACT Balanced application of phosphorus (P) fertilizer is important for productive agricultural systems with a reduced environmental footprint. This study aimed to assess the effect of P on the leaf yield, P use efficiency, P concentration and uptake by Aloe vera. A pot trial experiment was conducted using a completely randomized design, with six levels of P applied at 0, 30, 45, 60, 80, and 120

ABSTRACT A profound consideration of soil organic carbon (SOC) and SOC pools as affected by the long-term use of fertilizer in a fixed crop sequence is essential to understand and maintain the health and productivity of soil. The dynamics of SOC pools, i.e. total soil organic carbon (TOC) and its different fractions under a rice-wheat cropping system subjected to various fertilizer management strategies

ABSTRACT Soil organic matter composition controls many microbial processes in the soil matrix. How these processes interact to drive carbon cycling through greenhouse gas fluxes or carbon stabilization through biochemical transformations continues to evolve. From laboratory incubations, it is clear that low molecular weight compounds (LMWCs; e.g. dextrose, mannitol, and trehalose) can have a profound

ABSTRACT Poor soil fertility conditions limit agricultural production and development in saline-alkali areas. At the same time, in order to solve the problem of environmental pollution caused by agricultural wastes, agricultural wastes are used for organic fertilization of saline-alkali soils. In this study, the amount and structure of soil dissolved organic carbon after the application of different