Effects of Chemical Fertilizer, Fym and Bio-Inoculants On Nutrient Content, Uptake and Quality of Wheat (Triticum Aestivum L.)

Effects of different levels of chemical fertilizer, farmyard manure (FYM) and bio-inoculants on nutrient content, uptake and quality parameter of wheat were studied. Results indicated that increasing levels of chemical fertilizer, FYM and bio-inoculants significantly enhanced nutrient content and uptake by wheat, while quality parameters of wheat showed significant results with bio-inoculants application. Maximum N, P and K content and their uptake in grain (80.3, 11.07 and 25.29%, respectively) and straw (32.18, 7.14 and 95.92%, respectively) were noticed with 100% NPK over control. Application of FYM @ 10 t/ha significantly increased nutrient content (NPK) in grain and straw and their uptake over the control. The total N, P and K uptake by wheat were found to be maximum 80.97, 12.68 and 86.10 kg/ha, respectively with the application of FYM over control. Combined use of fertilizer levels and FYM, and combined use of fertilizer levels and bio-inoculants significantly increased the nutrient uptake by wheat. Bangladesh J. Bot. 50(4): 1109-1117, 2021 (December)

Is It Possible to Control the Nutrient Regime of Soils with Different Texture through Biochar Substrates?

Understanding nutrient management is essential to ensure healthy and adequate food production, especially in the context of biochar applied to soil with different soil textures. Additionally, farmers are beginning to understand the importance of nutrient management and there are still several knowledge gaps in this area. Several studies on biochar showed its positive effects, especially in sandy and nutrient-poor soils. There is still a lack of information on the impact of biochar on nutrient regimes in texturally different soils with sufficient nutrient supply and favorable soil chemistry. This study investigates the effect of two biochar substrates (a) biochar blended with farmyard manure (BS1), and (b) biochar blended with farmyard manure and digestate (BS2) applied at rates of 10 and 20 t ha−1 alone or in combination with fertilization on the changes in sorption capacity and nutrient regime of two texturally different soils: (a) sandy Arenosol, and (b) loamy Chernozem, (both in western Slovakia) which have a favorable nutrient content. The results showed that in sandy soil, the BS2 at rate of 20 t ha−1 increased the sum of basic cations (by +112%) and CEC (by +93%) compared to the control. In sandy soil, the content of total P increased by +35 and +16% in BS1 20 t ha–1 and BS2 20 t ha−1, respectively, when compared to the unfertilized control. The content of total P increased by +18% in BS1 20 t ha−1 after fertilization compared to the fertilized control. In loamy soil, the content of total P increased significantly by +53 and +14% in unfertilized treatment BS2 20 t ha−1 and fertilized treatment with BS1 at 20 t ha−1 compared to the respective controls. Available Ca increased in sandy soil by +50 and +53% in fertilized treatments with BS2 at 20 t ha−1 and BS1 at 20 t ha−1, respectively, when compared to fertilized control. In loamy soil, available Mg increased by +13% in fertilized treatment with BS1 applied at 20 t ha−1. In conclusion, BS application at a dose of 20 t ha−1 had a stronger positive effect on soil sorption parameters in sandy soil than the application dose of 10 t ha−1. The same BS application rate significantly increased total P in both soils.

Organic Amendments and Elemental Sulfur Stimulate Microbial Biomass and Sulfur Oxidation in Alkaline Subtropical Soils

Sulfur deficiency arising due to intensive cultivation, use of sulfur free fertilizers and reduction in atmospheric sulfur depositions has become a major issue limiting crop production in many parts of the world. Elemental sulfur could be a good source of available S, but its slow oxidation is a problem for its efficient use as a sulfur fertilizer. Main objective of the study was to assess the effect of organic amendments (OA) and elemental sulfur (ES) on microbial activities, sulfur oxidation and availability in soil. A laboratory incubation experiment was carried out for a 56 days period using two sulfur deficient alkaline soils. Organic amendments (OA), i.e., farmyard manure (FYM), poultry litter (PL) and sugarcane filter cake (SF), were applied (1% w/w) with or without elemental sulfur (ES) at 50 mg kg−1. Application of ES alone or in combination with OA significantly increasedCO2-C evolution, microbial biomass, and enzyme activities in the soils, except dehydrogenase activity (DHA) which was not affected by ES application. Combined application of OA and ES had a more pronounced effect on microbial parameters compared to ES or OA applied alone. Ratios of dehydrogenase activity-to-microbial biomass C and arylsulfatase activity-to-microbial biomass C were high in ES+FYM and ES+SF treatments, respectively. Elemental sulfur got sufficiently oxidized resulting in significant improvement in plant available S. Relatively more ES was distributed into C-bonded-S than ester bonded-S. Increase in sulfur availability in ES+OA amended soils was the combined function of sulfur oxidation and mineralization processes through improved microbial activity.

The Analysis of Groundwater Quality and the Impact of Remedial Measures Adopted by the Wheat Growers: Using Endogenous Switching Regression Model Approach

Groundwater pollution is a serious problem, posing severe problems on many economic activities. The study's main objectives were to access the groundwater quality in the study area and analyze the role of farmers in improving the groundwater quality. Total 108 groundwater samples were collected from different locations along the 11-L distributary located in District Sahiwal, Punjab-Pakistan. Samples were tested to analyze the quality of groundwater for agriculture and livestock. The parameters included pH, Ec, and TDS, were tested. Results showed that 14 samples were found to be fit, 23 were marginally fit and 71 were declared unfit for agricultural consumption. The results of CCME water quality index were also in favour of lab reports. Most wheat-growing farmers were using gypsum as a remedial measure to minimize the side effects of poor groundwater quality. Few farmers were using farmyard manure to improve groundwater quality. There are many factors that influence the adoption of remedial measures to compensate for the poor groundwater. Farmers were facing a few limitations that compelled them to avoid incurring any further costs in order to improve groundwater quality. The financial constraint was the main issue. The endogenous switching regression model was used for data analysis. The findings revealed that family workers, experience, education, and soil quality positively impact remedial measures adoption. The study recommended that proper groundwater quality monitoring is required on a regular basis. Farmers should be educated regarding the proper use of gypsum. The sewerage system was absent in many villages of the study area. To avoid the further leaching of hazardous materials into groundwater, it is critical to construct an effective waste management system.

Farmyard Manure as K-Fertilizer Modulates Soil Biological Activities and Yield of Wheat Using the Integrated Fertilization Approach

Potassium fertilization is often ignored by assuming alluvial soils have sufficient K reserves in the North West Plain Zone of India under cereal-based cropping systems. There is scanty information on the impact of integrated K fertilization on soil enzymes, nutrients availability, microbial population, and wheat yield cultivated in the corn–wheat cropping system. The current study exhibits that treatment (T7) applied with a dose of 90 kg K ha−1 [30 kg K by farmyard manure (FYM) and 60 kg K by muriate of potash (MOP)] significantly enhances the various microbial populations from 48.00 to 123.10% and 39.00 to 124.00%, soil enzymatic activities from 70.31 to 180.00% and 102.42 to 175.68%, and available nutrients from 2.43 to 8.44% and 14.79 to 22.87% for the first and second years of wheat cultivation, respectively. It also improved various yield parameters (12.39–41.71% and 18.24–41.14%) during both the consecutive years of cultivation. Statistical analyses revealed that the treatments (T4, T5, and T7) applied with integrated fertilization of wheat cultivation through FYM and MOP were more promising for improving soil enzymatic activities (11.59–57.22%), microbial populations (5.14–15.70%), available nutrients in soil (7.60–16.54%), and crop yield (1.06–5.85%) during the second year of cultivation as compared to the first year of cultivation. This study might be helpful to reclaim soil health and reduce chemical fertilizers used in agricultural lands.

Effect of Milky Mushroom (Calocybe indica) in Different Agricultural Residues with Different Casing Materials

Present study entitled was carried out in field irrigation lab, Department of Agricultural Engineering, Aditya Engineering College, Surampalem. In the present experiment locally available agricultural substrate paddy straw, sugarcane bagasse and cocopeat were tested with black soil and farm yard manner as casing materials. For parameters such as days required for spawn run, pinhead formation, harvest days, total yield and biological efficiency were determined. Significant results were obtained for all the experimental parameters and also for the stem length and cap diameter. Best substrate found was the paddy straw in the recent experiment with days required for spawn run (14 days), pin head formation (11.2 days), days for first harvest(50 days), stem length (8.07 cm), capdiameter (8.67 cm), first harvest (489.45 gm), second harvest (453.68 gm), total yield (925.24 gm), biological efficiency (94.31%). The next best in the order was coco peat followed by sugarcane bagasse. Hence this study confirms the suitability of paddy straw for cultivation to mushroom growers and farmyard manure with 15 cm casing thickness as substrate for its cultivation for achieving higher yield. The benefit cost ratio was estimated as 1.57.