Effect of Soil Application of Zinc on Growth, Yield and Zinc Concentration in Rice Varieties

Zinc (Zn) deficiency is widespread nutrient disorder in lowland rice growing areas in Asia, especially in Bangladesh. Intensive cropping with modern varieties causes depletion of inherent nutrient reserves in soils. The application of Zn fertilizers results in higher crop productivity and increases Zn concentration in crops. A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of Zn application on growth, yield, and grain-Zn concentration in eight varieties of rice. The experiment was laid out in a split plot design with a distribution of Zn rates (0 kg ha-1 and 3 kg ha-1 from ZnO) to the main plots and rice varieties (BRRI dhan49, BRRI dhan52, BRRI dhan56, BRRI dhan57, Kalizira, Biroin, Gainja and Khirshapath) to the sub-plots. Zinc application improved effective tillers hill-1, grains panicle-1 and 1000-grain weight which impacted the grain yield of rice. Among the eight rice varieties, a significant increase of grain yield was recorded in BRRI dhan49, BRRI dhan52, BRRI dhan56 and BRRI dhan57 due to application of Zn. Zinc concentration of grain significantly increased in all rice varieties except Biroin. The highest grain-Zn concentration (19.1 mg kg-1) was noted in BRRI dhan57 with 3 kg ha-1 Zn and the lowest value (11.3 mg kg-1) was observed in BRRI dhan52 without Zn application. The highest percent increase of grain Zn concentration over control was obtained in high yielding rice variety BRRI dhan49 and the lowest Zn concentration was found in local rice variety Biroin.

Long-term straw returning improve soil K balance and potassium supplying ability under rice and wheat cultivation

The aims of the present study were to provide scientific bases for rational use of crop straw to substitute chemical potassium (K) input. The effects of potassium fertilization and straw incorporation on soil K balance and K supplying in a long-term (14 years) field experiment. Five treatments were examined: (1) no fertilization (CK); (2) mineral fertilizing (NPK); (3) straw 6000 kg h m−2 (S); (4) NPK with straw 3000 kg h m−2 (NPK1/2S); and (5) NPK with straw 6000 kg h m−2 (NPKS). K composition, K balance and quantity-intensity (Q/I) relationship were studied. Under no fertilization or low straw returned conditions, soil K was unbalanced and deficienct seriously. Straw return at 6000 kg h m−2 per season with fertilization improved the soil potassium supply and K balance. Long-term K surplus (4 or 5 years), compared with NPK, the NPKS significantly increased non-special K adsorption (Knsa) and non-exchangeable K (Kne) by 5.7–11.2 mg kg−1 and 65.7–128.1 mg kg−1, respectively. Q/I relationship showed cropping without straw K or without fertilizer K resulted in lower quantity (nonspecifically and specifically held K i.e. – ∆K0 and Kx) and intensity (equilibrium activity ratio i.e. CR0K) of K in tested soils. K-fertilization with straw maintain higher exchangeable K (EK0) and a higher difference between EK0 and minimum exchangeable K(EKmin), and would help to prevent depletion in non-exchangeable pool of soil K under intensive cropping. Additionally, The straw return mainly decreased potential buffering capacity for exchangeable pool (PBCKn), 43.92–48.22% of added K in soil might be converted to exchangeable pool while it was 25.67–29.19% be converted to non-exchangeable pool. The contribution of exchangeable K towards plant K uptake would be higher in the soil with straw than the soil without straw and the non-exchangeable K would be the long-term fixed K as a supplement to the potassium pool. K fertilizer with 6000 kg h m−2 straw return in each crop season increased soil available K and slowly available K. The findings underlined importance of the straw return and contribution for sustain K supplying ability of soils.

Influence of coupled application of potassium and boron on growth and yield of late sown mungbean

To ensure both food and nutritional security of teeming millions of Bangladesh, cropping intensity must be increased along with nutritional food production. Mungbean, which is an important source of protein, can easily cope with the intensive cropping system due to short duration. But sometimes, to obtain maximum productivity per unit area in a calendar year, mungbean cannot be sown in optimum time. Considering this, a field study was carried out at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University to explore the effect of additional potassium and boron application to increase the yield of late sown mungbean which was sown on 25 October. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications and five treatments. Results revealed that additional potassium and boron along with recommended fertilizer dose had significant influence on growth, yield and yield contributing characters of late sown mungbean. The growth and yield of late sown mungbean is hampered due to temperature stress which cannot be overcome by recommended dose only but can be by addition of extra potassium and boron with recommended dose. The highest seed yield (1.12 t ha-1) was obtained from recommended dose along with 10 Kg K and 2 Kg B ha-1 which was 40% higher than recommended dose only. Similar results were recorded for other parameters also. So, supplementation of recommended dose with 10 Kg K and 2 Kg B may be suggested to increase growth and yield of late sown mungbean.

Cleome rutidosperma (fringed spiderflower).

C. rutidosperma is a common herb that grows as a weed in disturbed and ruderal habitats, principally in areas with humid and hot environmental conditions. It is often found as a weed of disturbed ground, roadsides, gardens, crops and abandoned lands, and has also been found growing as an epiphyte on trees, stone walls and cliff faces. This species is included in the Global Compendium of Weeds (Randall, 2012) where it is considered to have moderate economic impacts in a wide range of crops, due to its scrambling habit that smothers and stunts young crop plants. C. rutidosperma has been listed as invasive in China, Malaysia, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Australia, and the Domican Republic (Waterhouse and Mitchell, 1998; Kairo et al., 2003; Flora of China Editorial Committee, 2014, USDA-ARS, 2014). This species has had considerable environmental impacts in South East Asia and Australia. C. rutidosperma also has the potential to be moderately problematic in intensive cropping areas, greenhouses and nurseries.

Spatial modeling on land use change in regional scale of Java Island based-on biophysical characteristics

This study discusses biophysical-based spatial modeling for land-use change in Java Island considering neighborhood interactions between land use types and the changing area. These neighborhood characteristics used in the logistic regression model to estimate the probability of the change events occurrence. Moreover, the future role of land-use change is then projected using the Markov model based on the annual land-use changes map. The results indicate that paddy rice with an irrigation system (double cropping), especially in upland areas has a high positive spatial autocorrelation with the change areas. Residential area, paddy rice, and upland with intensive cropping have a high effect on the probability of change occurrence. Meanwhile, barren lands/dry land, bush-shrub, and mixed garden give a negative correlation to the change occurrences in agricultural lands. In the case of forestland, the results show some land-use types such as upland with intensive cropping and plantation have a positive contribution to the change of land. The accuracy of the model has also assessed through comparison of the projection with the actual area. The results indicate that the future role of each land-use type is different based on the trend period predictor in the model.

Smart Solution for Agriculture Leaf Disease

Agriculture is a very broad term encompassing all aspects of crop production,Livestock farming, Fisheries, Forestry etc. It may be defined as the art, the science and the business of producing crops and livestock for man’s use and employment. Agriculture is influenced by a large number of factors, some of which can be controlled by man(soil and irrigation) which others are beyond the control(climate). As we know Population pressure is increasing but area under cultivation is static, therefore more number of crops have to be grown on the same piece of land to increase the yield. As a result, intensive cropping has come into practice. for this purpose we are using the system which is pocket friendly as well as effective to the farmers. Through which they can get accurate information about their crop plants.

Rangeland Grazing Strategies to Lower the Dependency on Imported Concentrates in Norwegian Sheep Meat Production

Norway has vast rangeland resources (292,361 km2) with an estimated carrying capacity of nearly four million sheep and lambs, twice the current number. However, the intensive production system currently applied has led to more concentrate dependency, resulting in heavier animals in addition to poorer utilization of rangelands and homegrown feed. Intensive feeding systems indirectly influence the sustainability of ecosystems by promoting intensive cropping that can deplete soil fertility and threaten landscape preservation and biodiversity. By contrast, extensive grazing systems can produce environmentally and animal-friendly food products and contribute to regulating soil health, water and nutrient cycling, soil carbon sequestration, and recreational environments. In this paper, the economics of current sheep feeding practices in Norway, using a linear programming model, were compared with more extensive systems which allow for higher usage of on-farm feed resources. Changes in current sheep farming practices have the potential to increase lamb meat production relative to mutton production, in addition to improving the year-round supply of fresh meat. The investigated alternatives, using the Norwegian White Sheep (NWS) breed, suggest that delayed lambing is useful only on farms with abundant pastures available for autumn feeding. Lambs achieve a better market price than hoggets and mature sheep. Therefore, based on the current Norwegian meat market and price offered per kilogram of meat for lamb, an increase in NWS lamb production improves farm profits. On the other hand, when the aim is on greater use of homegrown feed and rangelands, this can be achieved through hogget production, and the quantity of concentrates required can be reduced substantially.