Application of Sentinel Images 2-A in Estimation of Potassium in Potatoes

Potato production in Indonesia decreased by 2.43% from 1,314,657 in 2019 and 1,282,768 tons in 2020. One of the causes of the decline in potato production is a lack of potassium. Potassium nutrient deficiency can be caused by fertilization that is not yet precise and is still done conventionally. The purpose of this study was to estimate the nutrient content of potassium using Sentinel 2-A. This study observed 50 points that were determined through the free grid method. Sentinel 2-A was transformed into GLI, GNDVI, NDVI which is the vegetation index and NDSI, and SAVI which is the soil index. The results showed that plant K correlated with GLI CS index (r = -0,46), NDVI CS (r = -0,48) and NDSI CS (r = -0,46). NDVI CS (R2 =2 3%) is the most accurate index in estimating the nutrient content of Potassium than GLI CS (R2 = 21%) and NDSI CS (R2 = 21%). Based on the results of the plant K regression test and NDVI CS, the regression equation y = 1,8003 + (-0,5716 NDVI CS) was obtained. The results of the validation test showed that the t table (-3.18) > t count (2.15) so that there is a significant difference in the estimation results of potassium with the results of potassium obtained in the field. Based on the results of the validation test which were significantly different, the productivity estimation model could not be used to estimate the potassium nutrient in potatoes.

Crop prediction using machine learning

For most developing countries, agriculture is their primary source of revenue. Modern agriculture is a constantly growing approach for agricultural advances and farming techniques. It becomes challenging for the farmers to satisfy our planet’s evolving requirements and the expectations of merchants, customers, etc. Some of the challenges the farmers face are-(i) Dealing with climatic changes because of soil erosion and industry emissions (ii) Nutrient deficiency in the soil, caused by a shortage of crucial minerals such as potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorus can result in reduced crop growth. (iii) Farmers make a mistake by cultivating the same crops year after year without experimenting with different varieties. They add fertilizers randomly without understanding the inferior quality or quantity. The paper aims to discover the best model for crop prediction, which can help farmers decide the type of crop to grow based on the climatic conditions and nutrients present in the soil. This paper compares popular algorithms such as K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN), Decision Tree, and Random Forest Classifier using two different criterions Gini and Entropy. Results reveal that Random Forest gives the highest accuracy among the three.

NUTRITIONAL STATUS ASSESSMENT OF ORPHANAGE CHILDREN IN RAWALPINDI

Objective: To evaluate the health and nutritional status of the orphanage, to find frequency of nutritional deficiencies by physical examination findings and to assess their dietary intake and contrast it with individual recommended daily allowances. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Four orphanages of Rawalpindi, from Jan to May 2020. Methodology: Study was conducted at four orphanages of Rawalpindi on 276 children and adolescents. Children and adolescents in age group of 5-18 years and if they are resident of institution for more than 60 months were included in the study, while children who were extremely sick and mentally retarded were excluded from the study. Data was collected through questionnaire including demographic information, anthropometric assessment, nutritional deficiencies on physical examination and 24 hours food recall. Data was analyzed on SPSS 24. Results: Results showed that 34 (17%) children and adolescents were underweight, 99 (49.5%) stunted, 21 (10.5%) showed thinness and 9 (4.5%) were overweight. Most common nutrient deficiency was protein calorie malnutrition, Iron deficiency and vitamin A and B 12 deficiency. Study population was consuming less protein, Iron and fats in diet as compared to recommended daily allowances. Conclusion: Institutionalized children and adolescents are at risk of developing malnutrition due to financial constraints and ignorance of caregivers, which can lead to ill health of children. Programs are required to be undertaken for nutritional development of the orphanage children.

Accumulation and Combined Effect of Salinity and Heavy Metals on Growth, Yield and Uptake of Green Pea Grown in Piped Hydroponics

This research is to study the accumulation and combined effect of three salinity levels (750, 1500 and 3750 ppm) and of heavy metals (3.26, 3.2, 2 ppm, 2, and 0.2 of Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Mo, respectively) on growth, yield, and uptake of green pea plants grown in piped hydroponic. Due to freshwater shortages, the use of hydroponic growth system was encouraged and used. The experiment consists of planting green peas from seeds into a 6” PVC piped system. After 2.5 months of growing, the experiment was stopped and plants parts were separated and divided into pods, leaves, stems, and roots, Then, physical, and chemical measurements conducted on them. Results indicated that (1) Salt concentration above 1500 mg/l was detrimental on the growth of green pea, (2) the best growth, yield, and biomass weight were observed at salinity of 750 mg/l, (3) heavy metals had positive effect on stems and roots of plants, but declined effect plant growth in general, (4) lines with nutrient deficiency were deficient in growth too, (5) sodium increased in plant’s organs in response to increased salinity in the feed solution, (6) the largest concentration of copper and zinc were found at the roots of the highest salinity level lines (36.05 and 211.58 mg/kg dry plant, respectively), (7) the hydroponic system proved to be efficient and economical and therefore, it is recommended for use for Palestinian farmers, and (8) results obtained in this study agree with previously published research with extent differences.

To Fight or to Grow: The Balancing Role of Ethylene in Plant Abiotic Stress Responses

Plants often live in adverse environmental conditions and are exposed to various stresses, such as heat, cold, heavy metals, salt, radiation, poor lighting, nutrient deficiency, drought, or flooding. To adapt to unfavorable environments, plants have evolved specialized molecular mechanisms that serve to balance the trade-off between abiotic stress responses and growth. These mechanisms enable plants to continue to develop and reproduce even under adverse conditions. Ethylene, as a key growth regulator, is leveraged by plants to mitigate the negative effects of some of these stresses on plant development and growth. By cooperating with other hormones, such as jasmonic acid (JA), abscisic acid (ABA), brassinosteroids (BR), auxin, gibberellic acid (GA), salicylic acid (SA), and cytokinin (CK), ethylene triggers defense and survival mechanisms thereby coordinating plant growth and development in response to abiotic stresses. This review describes the crosstalk between ethylene and other plant hormones in tipping the balance between plant growth and abiotic stress responses.

Transient Nutrient Deficiencies in Pea: Consequences on Nutrient Uptake, Remobilization, and Seed Quality

Legume plants, such as peas, are of significant nutritional interest for both humans and animals. However, plant nutrition and thus, seed composition, depends on soil mineral nutrient availability. Understanding the impact of their deprivation on the plant mineral nutrient content, net uptake, and remobilization is of key importance but remains complex as the elements of the plant ionome are linked in intricate networks, one element deprivation impacting uptake and remobilization of other nutrients. To get a better insight into pea mineral nutrition, the transitory deprivations of 13 mineral nutrients were imposed during the vegetative growth phase. Thereafter, plants were grown under optimal mineral conditions until physiological maturity. Plant nutritional status and seed quality impacts caused by the deprivations were characterized using measurement of mineral nutrient concentration and plant biomass allocation. Our results highlight: (i) the preferential allocation of dry weight and elements to shoots at the expense of the roots under non-limiting conditions, and more particularly to the tendrils in comparison to the other shoot organs, (ii) the positive and/or negative impact of one mineral nutrient deprivation on other elements of the ionome, (iii) four different remobilization strategies for eight mineral nutrients, and (iv) possible strategies to improve seed quality via fine control of fertilization during a period of mineral nutrient deficiency.

Adaptive strategies under prolonged starvation and role of slow growth in bacterial fitness

Adaptive evolution has the power to illuminate genetic mechanisms under a pre-defined set of selection factors in a controlled environment. Laboratory evolution of bacteria under long-term starvation has gained importance in recent years because of its ability to uncover adaptive strategies to overcome prolonged nutrient limitation- a condition thought to be encountered often by natural microbial isolates. In this evolutionary paradigm, bacteria are maintained in an energy-restricted environment in the growth phase called as long-term stationary phase or LTSP. This phase is characterized by a stable viable population size and highly dynamic genetic changes. Multiple independent iterations of LTSP evolution experiments have given rise to mutants that are slow-growing compared to the ancestor. Although the antagonistic regulation between rapid growth and stress response is fairly well-known in bacteria (especially Escherichia coli), the reason behind the growth deficit of many LTSP-adapted mutants has not been explored in detail. In this review, I revisit the trade-off between growth and stress response and delve into the regulatory mechanisms currently known to control growth under nutrient deficiency. Focusing on the theme of sigma-factor competition I try to search for the evolutionary reasoning of slow growth amongst mutants adapted to prolonged starvation. Additionally, I present novel experimental data indicating the dynamics of four such slow-growing variants that evolved during a 30-day long LTSP evolution experiment with Escherichia coli.

Biochar Enhanced Growth and Biological Nitrogen Fixation of Wild Soybean (Glycine max subsp. soja Siebold & Zucc.) in a Coastal Soil of China

The high salinity and nutrient deficiency in degraded coastal soil restricts crop growth and grain production. The development of effective and novel technology for coastal soil remediation is of great requirement. The effect of wood waste biochar (WB) on the growth and biological nitrogen fixation of wild soybean (Glycine max subsp. soja Siebold & Zucc.), a legume with high economic values and salt tolerance in coastal soil, were explored using a 42-day pot experiment. With the optimal rate of WB addition (1.5%, w/w), the biomass and plant height of wild soybean increased by 55.9% and 28.3%, respectively. WB addition enhanced the photosynthesis (chlorophyll content) and biological nitrogen fixation (nodule number) of the wild soybean. These results may attribute to the improvement of the soil properties including the SOM, NO3−-N content, and WHC. In addition, the shifted bacterial community following WB addition in the coastal soil favored the nitrogen fixation of wild soybean, which was evidenced by the increased abundance of nifH gene and Pseudarthrobacter, Azospirillum, and Rhizobiales. The results of our study suggested the potential of using biochar-based technology to reclaim the coastal degraded soils and enhance the crop growth to ensure food security.