scholarly journals Effect of Substrate Flow Rate on Nutrient Uptake and Use Efficiency in Hydroponically Grown Swiss Chard (Beta vulgaris L. ssp. cicla ‘Seiyou Shirokuki’)

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 2050
Author(s):  
Bateer Baiyin ◽  
Kotaro Tagawa ◽  
Mina Yamada ◽  
Xinyan Wang ◽  
Satoshi Yamada ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Growth ◽  
Nutrient Uptake ◽  
Beta Vulgaris ◽  
Flow Rate ◽  
Growth Parameters ◽  
Nutrient Use Efficiency ◽  
Soil Culture ◽  
Nutrient Use ◽  
Swiss Chard ◽  
Use Efficiency

Unlike in soil culture, a substrate (nutrient solution) in a hydroponics system can flow, and this can affect both nutrient uptake and plant growth. In this study, we hydroponically cultivated Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris L. ssp. cicla) under different flow rates to analyze changes in the growth, nutrient uptake, and nutrient use efficiency. When the flow rate was intensified from 2 to 4 L/min, leaf area, the fresh weight, dry weight, and root length increased. However, when the flow rate was increased from 4 to 8 L/min, values of these growth parameters decreased. The nutrient uptake had a similar trend relative to the growth parameters and nutrient use efficiency of macronutrient elements, increased as the flow rate increased. This indicates that the flow rate affects plant growth by influencing the nutrient uptake, and an increase in the flow rate can aid in improving nutrient use efficiency. In hydroponics, regulating the flow rate at a reasonable volume is recommended to increase yield by enhancing nutrient use efficiency, but too intensive a flow rate may cause excessive physical stimulation to plants and inhibit their growth. Therefore, it is important to choose an appropriate substrate flow rate for optimal hydroponics production.

scholarly journals Use of Carbon Nanoparticles to Improve Soil Fertility, Crop Growth and Nutrient Uptake by Corn (Zea mays L.)

Nanomaterials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 2717
Author(s):  
Fengliang Zhao ◽  
Xiaoping Xin ◽  
Yune Cao ◽  
Dan Su ◽  
Puhui Ji ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Zea Mays ◽  
Plant Growth ◽  
Nutrient Uptake ◽  
Carbon Nanoparticles ◽  
Zea Mays L ◽  
Nutrient Use Efficiency ◽  
Application Rates ◽  
Nutrient Use ◽  
Use Efficiency ◽  
Dose Dependent

The use of carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) as a fertilizer synergist to enhance crop growth has attracted increasing interest. However, current understanding about plant growth and soil response to CNPs is limited. In the present study, we investigated the effects of CNPs at different application rates on soil properties, the plant growth and nutrient use efficiency (NUE) of corn (Zea mays L.) in two agricultural soils (Spodosol and Alfisol). The results showed that CNPs affected corn growth in a dose-dependent manner, augmenting and retarding growth at low and at high concentrations, respectively. The amendment at the optimal rate of 200 mg CNPs kg−1 significantly enhanced corn growth as indicated by improved plant height, biomass yield, nutrient uptake and nutrient use efficiency, which could be explained by the higher availability of phosphorus and nitrogen in the amended soils. The application of CNPs largely stimulated soil urease activity irrespectively of soil types. However, the responses of dehydrogenase and phosphatase to CNPs were dose dependent; their activity significantly increased with the increasing application rates of CNPs up to 200 mg kg−1 but declined at higher rates (>400 mg kg−1). These findings have important implications in the field application of CNPs for enhancing nutrient use efficiency and crop production in tropical/subtropical regions.

Smart Fertilizer Strategy for Better Crop Production

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Karthik ◽  
M. Uma Maheswari
Keyword(s):  
Controlled Release ◽  
Plant Growth ◽  
Crop Yield ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Nutrient Use Efficiency ◽  
Crop Productivity ◽  
Nano Particles ◽  
Nutrient Use ◽  
Use Efficiency ◽  
Controlled Release Fertilizers

Food security is one of the major concerns for all developing countries of the world. Even though we had attained the highest food production with the use of new technologies, we may not able to feed the burgeoning population adequately in coming years due to stagnant crop productivity. Natural source of nutrients like organic manures and external source of nutrients, viz. fertilizers, are considered as the two eyes in plant nutrient management. Nutrient use efficiency of fertilizer is very low due to numerous pathways of losses such as leaching, denitrification, microbial immobilization, fixation and runoff. It has been estimated that around 40-70% of nitrogen, 80-90% of phosphorus, 50-70% of potassium and more than 95% of micronutrient content of applied fertilizers are lost in to the environment and results in pollution (Kanjana, 2017). Smart fertilizers like slow and controlled release fertilizers, nanofertilizers and bioformulation fertilizers are the new technologies to enhance the nutrient use efficiency their by improving crop yield in sustainable manner. The use of slow and controlled release fertilizers increase nutrient use efficiency, minimize the risks like leaf burning, water contamination and eutrophication. Nano-fertilizers are the nano-particles-based fertilizers, where supply of the nutrients is made precisely for maximum plant growth, have higher use efficiency, exploiting plant unavailable nutrients in the rhizosphere and can be delivered on real time basis into the rhizosphere or by foliar spray (Priyanka Solangi et al., 2015). The small size, high specific surface area and reactivity of nano fertilizers increase the solubility, diffusion and availability of nutrients to plants and enhance crop productivity. Bioformulation is microbial preparations containing specific beneficial microorganisms which are capable of fixing or solubilizing or mobilizing plant nutrients for promoting plant growth and crop yield. Smart fertilizers are the better option for the farmers to increase their crop yield with low input cost in sustainable way without degrading natural environment.

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