The Effect of Ammonium Nitrate Ratio and Support Types on the NPK Uptake and Growth of Black Pepper (Piper nigrum L.) in Field Conditions

The study’s objective was to determine the effect of the NO3-: NH4+ratio and types of support on NPK uptake and pepper plant growth in field conditions. The study used a completely randomized block design with three replications. The first factor was the type of support, being the deadwood and living supports in the form of Gliricidia sp. and Ceiba pentandra. The second factor was the ratio of N fertilizer forms, which were 100% NO3-, 100% NH4+, 50% NO3-:50% NH4+, 75% NO3-:25% NH4+ and 25% NO3-:75% NH4+. The results have demonstrated that the uptake of N, P, and K, as well as the plant growth, were not affected by the interaction of the N fertilizer form ratio with the types of support. In field conditions, the black pepper prefers the N fertilizer in the form of 50% NO3-:50% NH4+. The pepper plants that were given N fertilizer in a combination of 50% NO3-:50% NH4+ have demonstrated an N, P, and K uptake, and morphology and plant dry weight were higher than the ratio of other forms of N fertilizers.

Effect of Irrigation and N-fertigation Levels on Broccoli Performance in a Polynet House

The purpose of this study is to see how the microclimate of the polynet house, irrigation, and fertigation levels affect broccoli output. The experiment was set up in a randomized block design within bounds beneath a polynet house with 320 m2 floor area covered with 50% perforated green colour net. Plant height, dry matter production yield, and its attributes were found to be maximum in drip irrigation (1.0Epan) + 125 % N at all growth stages, as per effect of scheduled irrigation and fertigation levels on crop biometric performance. Drip irrigation (1.0Epan) + 125% N resulted in a high higher yield (22.02 t ha-1); while treatments drip irrigation (1.5 Epan) + 75% N resulted as in lowest yield (18.02 t ha-1).The treatment drip irrigation (1.0Epan) + 125% N had a maximum NPK uptake. Polynet house covered with 50% perforation of green colour is suitable for realizing favorable microclimate for broccoli cultivation. Drip irrigation scheduled at 1.0 E pan with 125%N in the poly net house is recommended for broccoli production in central Telanganaagro-climatic conditions as it maintained high yield and water use efficiency.

IMPACT OF INORGANIC AND ORGANIC SOURCES OF NUTRIENTS ON NPK UPTAKE BY AMBRETTE AND ITS POST-HARVEST SOIL NPK STATUS

The roots, leaves and seeds of ambrette are considered as valuable traditional medicines. The bitter, sweet, acrid, aromatic seeds are used as tonic and are considered to possess cooling, aphrodisiac, ophthalmic, cardiotonic, digestive, stomachiecm carminative, pectoral diuretic, stimulant, antispasmodic and deodorant properties. Crop removes nutrients continuously from soil and therefore, their replenishment though fertilizers and manures are essential. To find out the integrated effect of inorganic fertilizers, neem coated urea, enriched pressmud compost and sea weed extract on NPK uptake by ambrette and its post – harvest soil NPK status, a field investigation was carried out at Farmer’s Field Sivapuri Village, Chidambaram Taluk, Cuddalore District during Kharif, 2018. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with eight treatments and three replications. The crop was grown to maturity with proper cultural practices. The results revealed that application of integrated application of inorganic fertilizers, neem coated urea, enriched pressmud compost and sea weed extract resulted in significantly highest NPK uptake by ambretee and influenced the post – harvest soil fertility status with respect to available NPK.

Dry Matter Yield and Nutrient Uptakes of Arabica Coffee Seedlings as Influenced by Lime and Coffee Husk Compost Amendments at Western Ethiopia

Nursery experiment was conducted at Haru Agricultural Research Sub Center (HARSC) of Jimma Agricultural Research Center, Western Ethiopia, to investigate dry matter yield and its nutrient uptake of Arabica coffee seedlings under different lime and coffee husk compost rates and establish optimum combination of theseagricul tural inputs that produce seedlings with better dry matter yield for field planting. The experiment was laid out in a factorial experiment arranged in randomized complete block design with three replications. The treatments included four levels of lime (0, 1.6, 3.2 and 4.8 t ha-1) and coffee husk compost (0, 5, 10 and 15 t ha-1). Nutrient uptake and dry matter yield data of coffee seedlings were collected and subjected to analysis of variance using SAS package and treatment means were compared at 0.05 probability using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test. The results revealed that lime and coffee husk compost rates significantly (P< 0.01) affected NPK uptake and total dry matter yield of coffee seedlings. The highest NPK uptake and total dry matter yield of coffee seedling were obtained from the application of 15 t.ha-1 coffee husk compost and combined lime and coffee husk compost at the modest levels of 3.2 t.ha-1 lime and 10 t.ha-1 coffee husk compost with a nonsignificant variation. From the study, it can be concluded that application of 15 t.ha-1 coffeehusk compost or combining 10 t.ha-1 of coffee husk compost and 3.2 t.ha-1 of agricultural lime could be a promising alternative amendment for acid soil management and production of vigorous coffee seedlings with high nutrient uptake and high dry matter yield in HARSC areas.

Soil test based fertilizer prescriptions under integrated plant nutrient management system for carrot in an Inceptisol

A field experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research Farm, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi in an Inceptisol during rabi 2020-21 to develop a targeted yield equation for carrot crop. After developing three levels of fertility gradient with respect to available NPK in soil, the main experiment was conducted by taking carrot as a test crop. Initial soil data, carrot yield and NPK uptake by carrot crop were used for obtaining four important basic parameters, viz., nutrients required to produce a quintal of carrot roots (NR%), contribution of nutrients from fertilizers (CF%), contribution of nutrients from soil (CS%) and contribution of nutrients from organic matter (%C-OM). It was found that 0.65, 0.11 and 0.83 kg of N, P2O5 and K2O, respectively were required for producing one quintal carrot yield. The per cent contribution of nutrients from soil, fertilizer and FYM were 45.33, 65.91 and 67.26 for N; 58.45, 67.86 and 108.12 for P2O5 and 5.54, 3.35 and 10.53 for K2O, respectively. The ready reckoner for fertilizer doses with NPK alone and integrated use of NPK and FYM was also made using developed basic parameters for varying soil test values and desired yield targets of carrot yield.

Potential Networks of Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium Channels and Transporters in Arabidopsis Roots at a Single Cell Resolution

Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) are three major macronutrients essential for plant life. These nutrients are acquired and transported by several large families of transporters expressed in plant roots. However, it remains largely unknown how these transporters are distributed in different cell-types that work together to transfer the nutrients from the soil to different layers of root cells and eventually reach vasculature for massive flow. Using the single cell transcriptomics data from Arabidopsis roots, we profiled the transcriptional patterns of putative nutrient transporters in different root cell-types. Such analyses identified a number of uncharacterized NPK transporters expressed in the root epidermis to mediate NPK uptake and distribution to the adjacent cells. Some transport genes showed cortex- and endodermis-specific expression to direct the nutrient flow toward the vasculature. For long-distance transport, a variety of transporters were shown to express and potentially function in the xylem and phloem. In the context of subcellular distribution of mineral nutrients, the NPK transporters at subcellular compartments were often found to show ubiquitous expression patterns, which suggests function in house-keeping processes. Overall, these single cell transcriptomic analyses provide working models of nutrient transport from the epidermis across the cortex to the vasculature, which can be further tested experimentally in the future.

EFFECT OF DIFFERENT BORON SOURCES AND LEVELS ON MACRO AND MICRONUTRIENT UPTAKE AND POST-HARVEST AVAILABILITY IN SALINE SODIC SOIL

The study was conducted to assess the effect of different boron sources and levels of macro and micronutrient uptake andpostharvest availability in saline sodic soil. Four levels of B (0, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mg kg-1) was supplied through three different sources, namely borax, sodium octaborate and magnesium boro humate complex. A total of twelve treatment combinations were laidin factorial CRD design with three replications. Cotton var. LRA5166 was chosen as the test crop. The results revealed that application of 1.5 mg B kg-1 as magnesium boro humaterecorded the highest NPK uptake of 3.05, 0.99 and 2.55 g pot-1, respectively and the highest mean Zn, Fe, Mn and Cu uptake of 8.78, 13.69, 5.93 and 1.84 mg pot-1, respectively.The available NPK and other micronutrient status in post-harvest soil were invariably not influenced by the source and levels of the boron sources.

Study of Different Drip Irrigation and NK Fertigation Levels on Performance of Cauliflower

A field experiment on cauliflower with different drip irrigation and NK fertigation levels was conducted at Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, Telangana during rabi 2019-2020. The experiment was laid out in a split plot design with nine treatments, comprising of three drip irrigation regimes viz., 0.6 Epan (I1), 0.8 Epan (I2) and 1.0 Epan (I3) as main plots and three drip NK fertigation levels of control (N0K0-F1), 50 % recommended dose of NK (N40 K50- F2) and 100 % recommended dose of NK (N80 K100- F3) as sub plots and replicated thrice. Growth and yield attributes were significantly higher at irrigation scheduled at 1.0 Epan. Plant height and yield attributes were comparable between 1.0 Epan and 0.8 Epan. Whereas plant height and dry matter production between 0.8 and 0.6 Epan were comparable. Drip irrigation scheduled at 1.0 Epan recorded significantly higher curd yield (18.7 t ha-1) than 0.8 Epan (17.1 t ha-1) and 0.6 Epan (15.0 t ha-1). NPK uptake were significantly higher in irrigation scheduled at 1.0 Epan than 0.8 and 0.6 Epan. All growth, yield attributes and NPK uptake at harvest increased significantly with increase in NK fertigation level from control to 100% recommended dose of NK. Drip fertigation at 100 % recommended dose of NK recorded significantly higher curd yield (23.8 t ha-1) than 50 % recommended dose of NK (19.7 t ha-1) and N0K0 (7.2 t ha-1). Application of 1.0 E Pan irrigation and 100% recommended dose of NK performed better than other treatments.