scholarly journals Differential Biomass Accumulation among African Leafy Vegetables as Affected by Wastewater Irrigation in Kitui County, Kenya

Author(s):  
Judy Mwende Wambua ◽  
Shadrack Ngene ◽  
Nicholas K. Korir ◽  
Winnie Ntinyari ◽  
Joseph P. Gweyi-Onyango

Water scarcity of fresh water in Sub-Saharan has led to utilization of the wastewater in home gardening and also in commercial production of vegetables. Wastewater is associated with various substances including nutrients and heavy metals hence it is pertinent to evaluate its effects on growth and yield of vegetables. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of waste water released from the municipal council on the biomass accumulation in African leafy vegetables. Field experiments were carried out in two seasons and one greenhouse experiment. The field trial was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) and in the greenhouse the treatments were arranged in Complete Randomized Design (RCD) replicated three times. Four leafy vegetables were the treatments replicated three times. The vegetables were irrigated with waste water. Plant samples were collected at 6 WAP and 12 WAP, partitioned and dried in an oven and later weighed using electronic weighing balance. The findings revealed differences in biomass accumulation into various organs. Black nightshade depicted the highest leaf dry matter in the greenhouse at both 6 weeks after plant (WAP) and 12 WAP (24.62 g and 81.12 g respectively). Cowpea showed the highest increment (7 folds) in leaf weight between 6 to 12 WAP as compared to was paltry 3.6 folds. The highest stem dry weight was obtained in the amaranth species at 6 WAP and 12 WAP both in the greenhouse; recording 32.59 g and 90.12 g respectively. A similar trend was noted in root dry weight and root: shoot ratio. Cowpea had the least biomass accumulation potential across all the parameters in both seasons and in the greenhouse. The increased biomass growth is an indication sufficient availability of nutrient that promoted vibrant plant growth and also less toxicity from the heavy metals. Therefore, waste water can be put into use to enhance improved productivity of African leafy vegetables.

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 1021-1033
Author(s):  
Nguyen Thi Loan ◽  
Tran Thi My Can

To study the effects of cover methods and nitrogen (N) levels on the growth and yield components of tomato Cv. Pear F1, field experiments with a 4x3 factorial design were conducted in the 2019 spring and winter seasons using a randomized complete block design with three replications. The cover methods included four treatments: bare soil (BS), black plastic mulch (BPM), transparent polypropylene row cover (RC), and a combination of BPM and RC (BPMRC) with the RC removed approximately 30 days after transplanting. Nitrogen (N) was applied at three levels (150, 180, and 210 kg N ha-1). Using BPM and RC generally led to an increased air temperature, air humidity, soil moisture, and soil temperature compared to the BS treatment. Higher N rates (180 and 210 kg N ha-1) did not result  in different tomato fruit sizes and fruit weights but positively increased fruit yield and quality (Brix values and fruit dry weight) as compared to the 150 kg N ha-1 addition. The cover methods positively affected the yield components and fruit yield of tomato as well as the fruit characteristics compared to the BS treatment. Using cover materials (BPM and RC) combined with a higher N application significantly increased the yield attributes and fruit yield. The highest fruit yield was achieved under the mulching treatment by black plastic (BPM treatment) combined with a 210 kg N ha-1 application, resulting in 50.90 tons ha-1 in the spring and 58.27 tons ha-1 in the winter.


HortScience ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 1074C-1074
Author(s):  
Hector Valenzuela ◽  
Ted Goo ◽  
Ray Uchida ◽  
Susan Migita

Home gardening is a popular year-round recreational activity in Hawaii that helps to increase community food security in suburban and rural communities where high levels of poverty and unemployment exist. Updated fertilizer recommendations and accurate information about the latest products allows home gardeners to improve crop growth, and to minimize nutrient imbalances in the soil, pest problems, and environmental risks from nutrient runoff or leaching. Two field experiments were conducted in Oahu, Hawaii, to evaluate several new products in the market for the production of two home-garden Chinese cabbage varieties. The treatments included Miracle Grow, a new Miracle Grow Plus formulation, Plant Power 2003 nutrient solution, a Maui Liquid Compost product, and a standard fertilizer control (150 kg·ha-1 N rate). Each treatment consisted of a 6-m long row with 30-cm plant spacing in the row. Each treatment was replicated four times in a completely randomized block design, for a total of 40 plots (two varieties × five treatments × four replications). Data collected included soil fertility before initiation and after experiment completion, tissue nutrient analysis, plant height collected twice during the growing cycle, and head weight and length measured at harvest time. The variety Pagoda was more responsive to fertilizer applications, showing an average of 30% yield increases between the best and poorest treatment, compared to 20% for `China Express'. Overall, the Miracle Grow formulations outperformed the other products. The tissue nutrient data showed tissue nutrient levels above those recommended by the Extension Service. The treatments with highest yield response also showed greater symptoms of “black heart” from possible boron deficiency.


2011 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nurdilek GULMEZOGLU ◽  
Nihal KAYAN

This research aimed to determine the effect of different levels of nitrogen (N) on the growth, yield and the N accumulation of lentil plants grown under rain-fed conditions. The two-year field experiments with lentil were arranged in a randomised complete block design. Nitrogen was applied at four rates (0, 20, 40 and 60 kg ha-1) and all of the plots received half of the N rates before sowing in October and the remaining N rate in spring. The plants were harvested in the following stages: the first multifoliate leaf unfolding at the fifth node (V5) full seed or seed on nodes 10-13 that fill pod cavities (R6) and maturity (R8). The dry weight and N concentration of the shoot (leaf+stem), pod wall, and seed were then measured. It has been found that N application significantly affected the lentil characteristics. The maximum biomass accumulation and N accumulation were obtained at R6, and the N fertiliser had a positive effect on the seed weight and N accumulation. It can be suggest that 20 kg N ha-1 will increase the per-plant dry matter and N accumulation of the seeds under rain-fed conditions.


2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Seyed Abbas Mirjalili ◽  
Elahe Poorazizi

Overmuch usage of chemicals in crops, especially in leafy vegetables, caused people exposed to health and environmental risks. In Iran, spinach used as a winter vegetable that believed has high Iron and is useful for anemia. The objective of the experiment was determining optimum usage of each macronutrients for obtaining safe with maximum growth and yield in order to extension among farmers. Treatments were chemical fertilizers including ammonium sulfate, super phosphate triple and potassium sulfate at 50, 100, 150 and 200 kg/h against control in a randomized complete block design. Results showed that nitrogen caused elevation of fresh and dry weight in spinach as the maximum obtained in 200 kg/h ammonium sulfate. Results obtained from effect of phosphorus showed that super phosphate increased fresh and dry weight of spinach; but potassium sulfate had no effect on its growth and yield. Analysis of variance on cross effect of data showed significant differences in fresh and dry weight, number of leaves, chlorophyll content and nitrate, but no in length and wide of leaves.


2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 66
Author(s):  
Restu Dwi Nugroho ◽  
Muhammad Anshar Pasigai ◽  
Bahrudin Bahrudin

This research aimedto study the influence ofthe right type and concentration organic waste on the growth and yield of bok choy. This research was compiled using a randomized block design factorial with two treatment factors, The first factor type of waste, second factor of concentration spraying. Thus obtained 8 experimental unitsconsists oforganic liquid waste cow urine (concentration of  20%, 40%, 60% and 80%), organic liquid waste water catfish pond (concentration of  20%, 40%, 60% and 80%). Each unit treatment was repeated three times so that there were 24 experimental units. The observed variables includeplant height (cm), leaves number, fresh weight of roots stems and leaves (g), dry weight of roots, stems and leaves (g), the amount of leaf(cm2), and the fresh weight of the plants (ton ha-1). The results showed that interaction between the type of organic liquid waste concentration of 40% (equivalent to 40 mL L-1)gives better results than other  concertation , Types of organic waste liquid cow urinegave better resultsthanorganic liquid waste water catfish pond, and the concentration better of organic liquid waste in a concentration of 40% (equivalent to 40 mL L-1).


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 222-227
Author(s):  
Sagarika Malik ◽  
◽  
B. Duary ◽  
D. K. Jaiswal ◽  
◽  
...  

The field experiments were conducted during the wet season of 2015 and 2016 (June to October) at Agricultural Farm, Institute of Agriculture, Visva-Bharati, Sriniketan, India to study the impact of integrated use of weed mulch and herbicide with closer spacing on weed growth and yield of direct seeded dry sown rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivar MTU 1010. The experiment consisted of twelve treatments involving sole or integrated application of pre-emergence herbicide pendimethalin, mulching with water hyacinth and Indigofera weed and closer row spacing of 20 cm. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with three replications. The experimental field was infested with 14 weeds out of which the predominant species were Cynodon dactylon, Echinochloa colona, Cyperus iria, Ludwigia parviflora, Hydrolea zeylanica, Spilanthes acmella, Alternanthera sessilis, Commelina benghalensis and Cyanotis axillaris. Integration of pendimethalin at 0.75 kg ha-1 and mulching with water hyacinth and closer spacing reduced weed dry weight by 75.92% over the weedy check. Integration of mulching with water hyacinth and closer spacing increased grain yield by 37.27 and 41.12% over sole application of pendimethalin and water hyacinth mulch, respectively. Weed competition resulted in 57% reduction in grain yield of rice. Hand weeding twice (25 and 45 DAS) had a significant effect on the reduction of weed density and dry weight and increasing grain yield of rice which was followed by application of pendimethalin 0.75 kg ha-1 along with mulching with water hyacinth at a closer row spacing of 20 cm.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
E. K. Al-Fahdawe ◽  
A. A. Al-Sumaidaie ◽  
Y. K. Al-Hadithy

A pots experiment was conducted at the Department of Biology/College of Education for Girls/University of Anbar during Autumn season of 2018-2019 to study the effect of the salinity irrigation water and spray by humic acid in some of morphological, physiological, growth and yield traits of wheat cv. IPa. The experiment was randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The first factor was assigned for irrigation by saline water at four level (S0, S1, S2 and S3), while the second factor was the foliar spraying of humic acid in three level (0.0, 1.0 and 1.5 g l-1). The results showed that there was significant reduction in plant height, vegetative dry weight, biological yield and chlorophyll leaves content when the plants were irrigated by saline water approached to 41.09 cm, 0.747 g, 0.849 g plant-1 and 38.67 SPAD, respectively at salinity level of 8.3 ds m-1 compared with the plants which irrigated by fresh water. The total carbohydrates were significantly decreased at the treatment of 8.3 ds m-1 reached 18.71 mg g-1. Spray levels humic acid achieved a significant increase in plant height, dry weight of the vegetative part, biological yield and chlorophyll leaves content sprayed at 1.0 and 1.5 g l-1 compared to no sprayed. Nitrogen concentration was significantly increased, while both phosphorus and potassium were decreased in the vegetative parts of wheat as the salinity of irrigation water increased. However, the increase of humic acid levels led to significant increasing in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium concentration.


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 507-523
Author(s):  
Amir Ehsan ◽  
Muhammad Ehsan Safdar1 ◽  
Amjed Ali

ABSTRACT There is little understanding about ecological interference of weeds in direct-seeded rice. To get estimates of economic thresholds of two weeds in direct seeded rice, two-year field trials were conducted at research area of College of Agriculture, University of Sargodha, Punjab-Pakistan. Treatments included 0, 22, 44, 66 and 88 plants m-2 densities of each of Echinochloa colona and Digera arvensis laid out in randomized complete block design. Augmented densities of E. colona (0, 22, 44, 66 and 88 weed plants m-2) enhanced its plant dry biomass up to 348 and 353%; and relative competitive index maximally to 80 and 77% in years 2015 and 2016, respectively. While the corresponding increases in plant dry weight and relative competitive index of D. arvensis were 367 and 360% and 79 and 82%. The enhancement in N (up to 258 & 257 %), P (up to 220 & 232%) and K (up to 293 & 301%) uptake in years 2015 and 2016, respectively were made by E. Colona whereas the corresponding increases in N, P and K assimilation by D. arvensis were as far as 265 & 257%, 238 & 233% and 305 & 298%, respectively. The declines in growth and yield of rice were observed in response to growing number of both the weeds. Rice grain yield losses ranged between 9.8 to 80% and 28 to 80% by E. Colona and D. arvensis. The economic thresholds of false amaranth and jungle rice were estimated to be 1.6-1.4 plants m-2 and 2.2-2.6 plants m-2, respectively.


2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominic J. Udoh ◽  
Otobong B. Iren ◽  
Jeremiah E. Jonathan

<p class="1Body">Two field experiments were conducted from 2012 to 2013 cropping seasons to evaluate the efficacy and also determine the optimum rates of application for fish pond waste water in comparison with three other manures including one inorganic fertilizer and two organic manures under garden egg (<em>Solanum spp.</em>) crop.Garden egg was fertilized with pond waste water (PW), poultry manure (PM), pig manure (PG) and NPK15:15:15 at equivalent nitrogen (N) rates (0, 150, 300, 450 kg/ha). The treatments were arranged in a split plot under randomized complete block design (RCBD).The results obtained indicated a slight drop in soil pH but soil OM, total N, available P, exchangeable Ca and K increased generally with increasing rates of manures. The PW and PG treatments supported significantly (P&lt;0.05) the highest yields of the crop compared to PM and NPK with the 150 and 300 kg/ha treatments recording the highest increase. These results have shown that under the high rainfall and acidic soil conditions of Akwa Ibom State in Nigeria, PW is useful for the improvement of soil conditions and achievement of higher crop yields when applied at rates that supply N in the range of 150 – 300 kg/ha.</p>


2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 249
Author(s):  
Solikin ,

Dioscorea is potentially used as staple food to support food security. The research was aimed to determine the effect of stake length and time of  stem twining  on  the growth of Dioscorea sansibarensis Pax. The experiment was conducted  in  Purwodadi Botanic Garden from December 2014 until May 2015 using split plot randomized block design consisted of two factors, i.e. the stake length and time of stem twining. The stake length was the main plot consisted of 150 cm, 100 cm and 50 cm above soil surface and without stake (control). The time of stem twining as subplots, i.e. stem twined early, twined at the time of 4 leaves stage, and twined at 8 leaves stage. Each combination of the treatments was replicated three times. The results showed that there was significant effect on the stake length  and the time of stem twining treatments on the plant growth and yield. The stake  length of 150 cm treatment produced the highest fresh tuber and total plant dry weight, i.e., 257.24 g and 132.77 g per plant, respectively. On the contrary, the plant without stake produced the lowest fresh tuber and  total dry weight of plant, i.e., 112.10 g and 48.65 g per plant, respectively.<br /><br />Keywords: biomass,leaf area, photosyntesis, tuber weight


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document