Effect of Soil Contamination with Crude Petroleum on Cowpea: An Insight into the Prospects of Crop Production in Nigerian Frontier Basins

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 50-62
Author(s):  
Haruna Yahaya Ismail ◽  
Ahmad Ali Farouq ◽  
Abdullahi Bako Rabah ◽  
Aminu Bayawa Muhammad ◽  
Rabiu Umar Aliyu
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Crude Oil ◽  
Contaminated Soil ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Hydrocarbon Contamination ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Oil Exploration ◽  
Concentration Dependent Manner

Petroleum hydrocarbon contamination remains a major challenge confronting soil health, environmental sustainability, and food security in oil exploration areas. In this study, the effect of Bonny Light crude oil on cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) was investigated with a view to assessing its toxicity to plant growth and performance. Pristine soil samples were collected in different pots and contaminated with crude oil to achieve 0.0%, 2.5%, 5.0%, 7.5% and 10.0% v/w contamination levels. Viable seeds of cowpea were planted and monitored for the emergence and subsequent growth for a period of 12 weeks. Results showed that the crude oil extended the period of seed germination and delayed the emergence of sprouts by 2 days at a rate of 96.7%, 80.0%, 50.0%, 96.7%, and 73.3% emergence respectively. The plants’ shoots, roots, and leaves lengths were longer in control than in the contaminated soil. Phytotoxicity study showed that shoots, roots and leaves lengths of the plants were significantly reduced by ≥ 50% of the control. The relative plants' weights, chlorophyll, and the number of leaves were worst affected especially in plants grown in higher crude oil concentrations where fewer or absence of leaves was observed at the end of the experiments. No yield parameter was observed in all plants grown in contaminated soil as opposed to the control where flowers, fruits, and seeds were produced. The findings illustrated that the growth rate of V. unguiculata was severely affected due to hydrocarbon contamination in a concentration-dependent manner. It further demonstrated the imminent danger to food security especially in frontier basins with impending oil exploration activities. Therefore, there is a need to identify and integrate effective measures that minimize or prevent oil spillage in the course of oil exploration activities with a view to avoiding the repeat of persistent pollution problems disturbing host communities.

scholarly journals Assessment of the biodegradation capacity of Azolla on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in crude oil

2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 465-470
Keyword(s):  
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽  
Crude Oil ◽  
Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Measured Intensity ◽  
Azolla Filiculoides ◽  
Concentration Dependent Manner ◽  
Plant Samples ◽  
Polycyclic Aromatic

<p>In this study, the potential use of Azolla filiculoides Lam. for the bioremediative solution to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) pollution due to crude oil spills in freshwater was investigated. The plants were grown in nitrogen-free Hoagland nutrient solution media containing 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3%, 0.4% and 0.5% crude oil by volume for 15 days under greenhouse conditions. Relative growth rates of A. filiculoides decreased in the presence of crude oil in a concentration-dependent manner. The probable influence of A. filiculoides on the biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons was measured by using synchronous UV fluorescence spectroscopy. GC-MS analysis were also carried out to elucidate the behavior of the oil in experimental and control samples. Although 1-2 rings PAHs have not been encountered in control or plant samples, the measured intensity for 3-4 ring PAHs in plant samples was remarkably lower in comparison to the control. Furthermore, these results demonstrated that the predominant efficacy of the A. filiculoides was for 3-4 ring PAHs at the range 0.05 to 0.2% crude oil concentrations. It could be concluded that the bioremediative potential of A. filiculoides for the removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons strongly depends on the amount of oil in the contaminated water resource. In other words, A. filiculoides could be used more effectively after the removal of excess crude oil in the spilled freshwater areas.</p>

scholarly journals The Livelihoods Impacts of Irrigation in Western Africa: The Ghana Experience

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 5677
Author(s):  
Mamudu Abunga Akudugu ◽  
Katherine Kaunza-Nu-Dem Millar ◽  
Margaret Atosina Akuriba
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Waterborne Diseases ◽  
Smallholder Agriculture ◽  
Western Africa ◽  
Key Policy ◽  
Farm Business ◽  
Regression Adjustment ◽  
Strategic Policies

Although agriculture remains the mainstay of the African economy, it is currently going through stress because of a multitude of factors including climate change. Thus, many countries in their efforts to transform their agricultural sectors are employing climate-smart initiatives including the provision of water harvesting technologies for irrigated crop production during the dry season. This paper examines the role of irrigation in the drive towards a transformation of smallholder agriculture in Africa. Focus group discussions, key informant interviews and individual questionnaires were employed for the data collection. The data were analyzed using the regression adjustment (RA) technique. The results indicate that irrigation has significant and positive impacts on farm incomes, employment, consumption, food security and non-farm businesses, all of which are necessary conditions for a successful transformation of smallholder agriculture in Africa. The impacts of irrigation on health and environmental sustainability are mixed—the positive being the ability of irrigators to pay for improved healthcare for their families and the negatives include the outbreak of waterborne diseases associated with irrigation water. Construction of irrigation facilities causes destruction to the environment but improves provisioning ecosystem services. It is generally concluded that access to irrigation is associated with higher farm incomes, employment, consumption, food security and engagement in non-farm business activities. The key policy implication of these findings is that African governments must formulate strategic policies that will accelerate investments in the provision of irrigation facilities to better promote the agenda to transform smallholder agriculture in the continent.

scholarly journals Biostimulants as Plant Growth Stimulators in Modernized Agriculture and Environmental Sustainability

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Amjad Bashir ◽  
Abdur Rehim ◽  
Qurat-Ul-Ain Raza ◽  
Hafiz Muhammad Ali Raza ◽  
Limei Zhai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Growth ◽  
Greenhouse Gases ◽  
Growth Regulators ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Nutrients Cycling ◽  
Research Gap ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Heavy Metals Bioavailability

Plant growth stimulators (growth regulators + biostimulants; PGS) are chemical substances (organic/inorganic), helpful in plant growth and development. These are not considered as the replacement of fertilizers but can help in improved crop and soil quality. Both compounds can amplify the root biomass, nutrients translocation, enzymatic activities, crop yield, physiology, and nutrient uptake. Biostimulants are rich in minerals, vitamins, plant hormones, oligosaccharides, and amino acids. These compounds have a serious role to improve soil health, fertility, sorption, and desorption of nutrients. Hence, have a vital character in nutrients cycling, abiotic stress control, heavy metals bioavailability, and greenhouse gaseous emission. This chapter focuses on the discussions about the influence of plant growth regulators and biostimulants in crop production, soil health, heavy metal cycling, greenhouse gases emission with environmental sustainability. Whereas, the impact of biostimulants on greenhouse gases is a research gap.

scholarly journals Review on the Potentials of Cow (Bos indicus) Based Bioenhancers in Increasing Crop Yield and Farmers Income as well as the Soil Health and Environmental Sustainability

2018 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Ashwani Kumar ◽  
Suman Baliyan ◽  
Akansha Kushwaha ◽  
Amit Panwar ◽  
Nidhi Pundir
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Bos Indicus ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Strong Support ◽  
Production Quality ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Organic Input ◽  
Healthy Environment

The haphazard use of the chemical fertilizers and pesticides has detrimental effects on soil health, human health, groundwater quality and environment. This will cause more dangerous consequences for future productivity. Present status of all food grain production is in enough quantity for the population of our country but there is need to enhance the quality of food production, quality of soil, quality of ground water and quality of a healthy environment for better livelihood. These qualities can be obtained by replacing toxic chemicals through natural and organic input which is more vital for present prospect and future outlook. The “Cow” occupies the highest place of honour in Indian civilization. She is supposed to fulfil all desires of human beings, hence known as “Kamdhenu”. Owing to ignorance, after stopping of milk production, they are left uncared for forced to live extensively and eat polythene and other wastes in towns and cities. It is interesting that in Indian agricultural systems “Cow” particularly those with a hump (indigenous breed) is one of the key components, hence provision of at least one cow per hectare need to be promoted for Jaivik Krishi activities in organic farming. This review paper attempts to bring together the different use of cow based organic formulations in crop production and protection. It has been reported that organic formulation in crop production is productive and sustainable, but there is a need for strong support to it in the form of manifestation of subsidies, agricultural extension services and intensive research with solid proofs. With these efforts we can fulfil the dream of our present government; to double the income of Indian farmers.

scholarly journals Three Active Phytotoxic Compounds from the Leaves of Albizia richardiana (Voigt.) King and Prain for the Development of Bioherbicides to Control Weeds

Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 2385
Author(s):  
Kawsar Hossen ◽  
Kaori Ozaki ◽  
Toshiaki Teruya ◽  
Hisashi Kato-Noguchi
Keyword(s):  
Weed Management ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Italian Ryegrass ◽  
Lepidium Sativum ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Concentration Dependent Manner ◽  
Allelopathic Potential ◽  
Methanolic Extracts ◽  
Albizia Richardiana ◽  
Global Population

The global population is increasing day by day. To meet the food demand for such a huge number of people, crop production must increase without damaging the environment, and to prevent synthetic chemical herbicides from polluting the environment, controlling weeds using bioherbicides is essential. Accordingly, using phytotoxic substances obtained from plants for biological weed management has attracted attention. The plant Albizia richardiana possesses phytotoxic compounds that have been previously recorded. Hence, we have conducted this research to characterize more phytotoxic compounds in Albizia richardiana. Aqueous methanolic extracts of Albizia richardiana plant significantly restricted the growth of the examined plants lettuce and Italian ryegrass in a species- and concentration-dependent manner. Three active phytotoxic compounds were isolated through various chromatographic methods and identified as compound 1, 2, and 3. Compound 3 exhibited stronger phytotoxic potentials than the other two compounds and significantly suppressed the growth of Lepidium sativum (cress). The concentration of the compounds required for 50% growth reduction (I50 value) of the Lepidium sativum seedlings ranged between 0.0827 to 0.4133 mg/mL. The results suggest that these three phytotoxic compounds might contribute to the allelopathic potential of Albizia richardiana.

scholarly journals Management of Crop Residues for Improving Input Use Efficiency and Agricultural Sustainability

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (23) ◽  
pp. 9808
Author(s):  
Sukamal Sarkar ◽  
Milan Skalicky ◽  
Akbar Hossain ◽  
Marian Brestic ◽  
Saikat Saha ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Crop Residue ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Crop Residues ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Residue Management ◽  
Crop Residue Management ◽  
Input Use ◽  
The Impact

Crop residues, the byproduct of crop production, are valuable natural resources that can be managed to maximize different input use efficiencies. Crop residue management is a well-known and widely accepted practice, and is a key component of conservation agriculture. The rapid shift from conventional agriculture to input-intensive modern agricultural practices often leads to an increase in the production of crop residues. Growing more food for an ever-increasing population brings the chance of fast residue generation. Ecosystem services from crop residues improve soil health status and supplement necessary elements in plants. However, this is just one side of the shield. Indecorous crop residue management, including in-situ residue burning, often causes serious environmental hazards. This happens to be one of the most serious environmental hazard issues witnessed by the agricultural sector. Moreover, improper management of these residues often restrains them from imparting their beneficial effects. In this paper, we have reviewed all recent findings to understand and summarize the different aspects of crop residue management, like the impact of the residues on crop and soil health, natural resource recycling, and strategies related to residue retention in farming systems, which are linked to the environment and ecology. This comprehensive review paper may be helpful for different stakeholders to formulate suitable residue management techniques that will fit well under existing farming system practices without compromising the systems’ productivity and environmental sustainability.

scholarly journals Applications of Nanotechnology in Plant Growth and Crop Protection: A Review

Molecules ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (14) ◽  
pp. 2558 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yifen Shang ◽  
Md. Kamrul Hasan ◽  
Golam Jalal Ahammed ◽  
Mengqi Li ◽  
Hanqin Yin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Crop Protection ◽  
Controlled Delivery ◽  
High Tech ◽  
Agricultural Systems ◽  
And Control

In the era of climate change, global agricultural systems are facing numerous, unprecedented challenges. In order to achieve food security, advanced nano-engineering is a handy tool for boosting crop production and assuring sustainability. Nanotechnology helps to improve agricultural production by increasing the efficiency of inputs and minimizing relevant losses. Nanomaterials offer a wider specific surface area to fertilizers and pesticides. In addition, nanomaterials as unique carriers of agrochemicals facilitate the site-targeted controlled delivery of nutrients with increased crop protection. Due to their direct and intended applications in the precise management and control of inputs (fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides), nanotools, such as nanobiosensors, support the development of high-tech agricultural farms. The integration of biology and nanotechnology into nonosensors has greatly increased their potential to sense and identify the environmental conditions or impairments. In this review, we summarize recent attempts at innovative uses of nanotechnologies in agriculture that may help to meet the rising demand for food and environmental sustainability.

scholarly journals Effect of Climate Change on Soil Health and Implications on Food Security: A Review

2021 ◽  
pp. 38-46
Author(s):  
Wycliffe Tumwesigye ◽  
Bobe Bedadi ◽  
Johnson Atwiine
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Large Contribution ◽  
Soil Water Retention ◽  
Human Welfare ◽  
Human Wellbeing ◽  
The Impact

Climate change and soil health are intertwined complex processes that affect each other. The aim of this review was to find out the impact of climate change on soil health, its implication on food security and human welfare across the globe. The study found out that soil health is affected by land use practices and several anthropogenic activities carried out on landscapes; climate change and variability. Soil health also contributes to soil water retention, crop productivity, households’ food and income security culminating into a large contribution towards achieving sustainable development goals across the globe. Soil components affect climate and climate affects soil health and human wellbeing. The review article concluded that climate change and soil health are complex and intertwined multidisciplinary processes that require multidisciplinary approaches for better understanding and improvement of crop production. Appropriate climate smart agricultural practices are recommended to enhance soil health and mitigate and adapt to the changing climate for the improved farmers’ income, food security and human wellbeing across the globe.

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