Effect of pH on Soil Chemical Properties and Maize Performance in Abakaliki, Nigeria

Background: Low soil productivity in Nigeria and Africa sub sahara is considered as one of the major causes of food insecurity and under nutrition. This area is considered among the most regions affected by acidity on soil nutrients optimization. Despite of its severity, there is limited knowledge about limiting effect of pH on nutrients availability and maize yield in the state. Evolving a technology that does not depend on traditional system of amendment for pH assessment for increased soil productivity must first of all go through a good knowledge of the nature and distribution of soil studied. The present study aimed to evaluate three pH (4, 7 and 9) values on soil chemical properties in the state and assess maize performance under these conditions in order to control and manage pH related problems. Methods: In the field-laboratory investigation during 2018-2019 at different localities of Ebonyi State were surveyed. Three sampling localities were selected based on geographical situation, climate and local condition. In the laboratory, the soil samples of natural stock collected were processed for mean pH values and confirmed with pH meter using standard laboratory method. Maize was used as test crop to assess effect of pH on its performance. Result: Our investigations in Ebonyi State have allowed us to inventory three pH values. Among the inventoried pH values, some are regarded adverse for soil productivity. The implication of soil pH on nutrients availability and maize performance was discussed. The current work will be a complementary contribution of detailed study of effect of pH on soil productivity.

Cell surface receptor kinase FERONIA linked to nutrient sensor TORC1 signaling controls root hair growth at low temperature in Arabidopsis thaliana

Root hairs (RH) are excellent model systems for studying cell size regulation since they elongate several hundred-fold their original size. Their growth is determined both by intrinsic and environmental signals. Although nutrients availability in the soil are key factors for a sustained plant growth, the molecular mechanisms underlying their perception and downstream signaling pathways remains unclear. Here, we identified that a low temperature triggers a strong RH cell elongation response involving the cell surface receptor kinase FERONIA (FER) and nutrient sensor TORC1 pathway. We found that FER is required to perceive limited nutrients availability caused by low temperature, to interacts with and activate TORC1-downstream components to trigger RH growth. Nitrates perceived and transported by NRT1.1 were found to mimic this growth response at low temperature. Our findings reveal a new molecular mechanism by which a central hub composed by FER-TORC1 controls RH cell elongation under low temperature.

Aplikasi pupuk hayati ameliorant, dan pupuk NPK terhadap N total, P tersedia serta pertumbuhan dan hasil jagung pada inceptisols

Inceptisols umumnya memiliki tingkat kesuburan tanah rendah sampai sedang. Upaya peningkatan ketersediaan hara tanah Inceptisol dengan pupuk anorganik NPK perlu diimbangi dengan aplikasi pupuk hayati dan amelioran organik. Percobaan ini bertujuan untuk mengurangi dosis pupuk NPK dengan menggunakan pupuk hayati dan amelioran organik serta meningkatkan hasil tanaman jagung. Percobaan dilakukan di Pasir Banteng, Kabupaten Sumedang. Penelitian menggunakan RAK faktorial. Pupuk hayati dengan amelioran organik sebagai faktor pertama sebanyak empat taraf: tanpa pupuk hayati dan amelioran (kontrol), diberi pupuk hayati, amelioran organik, dan gabungan keduanya. Faktor kedua yaitu dosis pupuk NPK empat taraf: 100%, 80%, 60%, 40% NPK dosis anjuran. Dilakukan tiga kali ulangan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan terdapat interaksi antara pupuk hayati, amelioran organik, dengan pupuk NPK terhadap tinggi tanaman, N-total tanah, bobot tongkol berkelobot dan tanpa kelobot. Pemberian pupuk hayati dan amelioran disertai pupuk NPK 100% dan yang tanpa diberi amelioran menghasilkan bobot tongkol tanpa kelobot sebesar 1.089 g dan 1.064 g per tanaman. Pemberian pupuk hayati dengan amelioran dan pemberian pupuk NPK 100% menghasilkan bobot pipilan per tanaman 526,08 g dan 539,08 g. Aplikasi pupuk hayati dan amelioran organik belum mampu mengurangi dosis penggunaan pupuk NPK pada Inceptisols asal Pasir Banteng. Inceptisols generally have low to moderate soil fertility. The effort to increase the nutrients availability in Inceptisol through the application of NPK fertilizers need to be balanced with biofertilizers and organic ameliorants. This experiment aimed to reduce the dose of NPK fertilizer by using biofertilizers and organic ameliorants and to increase maizeyields. The experiment was conducted in Pasir Banteng, Sumedang Regency. The factorial RBD was used. The biofertilizer with organic ameliorant as the first factor: no biofertilizer and no ameliorant (control), biofertilizer, organic ameliorant, and combination of both. The second factor was dose of NPK fertilizer: 100%, 80%, 60%, 40% of recommended NPK dose. It was repeated three times. The results showed that there was interaction between biofertilizer, organic ameliorants, with NPK fertilizers on plant height, N-total soil, weight of cobs with and without husk. The application of biofertilizer and ameliorant with 100% NPK fertilizer and without ameliorant were 1,089 g and 1,064 g of cobs without husks, respectively. The application of biofertilizer with ameliorant and 100% NPK fertilizer had a grain weight of 526.08 g and 539.08 g, respectively. The application of biofertilizers and organic ameliorants has not been able to reduce the dose of NPK fertilizer on Inceptisols from Pasir Banteng.

Nanoparticles Induced Restricted Cadmium Mobility and Accumulation in Wheat From Contaminated Soil

Nanotechnology has gained importance over conventional technologies to enhance crop yield and environmental sustainability. In agricultural soil, cadmium (Cd) contamination has been a serious issue, impacting food security and quality and caused serious human health and environmental problems. Nanoparticles (NPs) have large surface area and high adsorption capacity, due to which they are efficiently used to remediate Cd-contaminated agricultural soils. The aims to conduct this experiment were to evaluate the effects of iron (Fe), silicon (Si) and zinc (Zn) NPs on the growth, physiology, and accumulation of Cd in various parts of plants. Soil in bulk was collected and spiked with different Cd levels (0, 5, 10, 20 mg kg-1), and NPs @ 60 mg kg-1 of soil were applied at the time of wheat sowing. Plants showed significant increase in shoot length and grain yield with the NPs application compared to control (no NPs application). The results illustrated that NPs have a positive effect on stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, photosynthetic rate compared to control. The Cd concentration in roots, shoot and grains were reduced by 36%, 50% and 69% with the application of NPs. However, this reduction was more pronounced at 5 mg kg-1 Cd with Fe-NPs followed by Zn-NPS and Si-NPs. Overall, it was concluded that NPs play an important role in the enhancement of plant biomass, increase in nutrients availability, and decreasing the Cd accumulation in different plant parts.

Influence of humic preparations on productivity increase of cucurbits in arid farming conditions

The paper presents the results of studying the influence of liquid humic fertilizer produced from milled lowland peat on biological activity, the dynamics of nutrients in brown semi-desert soils in arid climate conditions with leaf fertilization of cucurbits. In arable farming of the Astrakhan region most of the harvest is formed by mobilizing soil fertility without compensation for the elements of nutrition carried out with the harvest, which leads to a negative balance of humus and nutrients, as a consequence, the soil is depleted, its fertility becomes lower. It is shown, that application of humates promotes increase of the content of humus in soil in arable horizons and reception of higher harvests of an early ripe watermelon that is caused by activization of biochemical processes in soil and increase of nutrients availability that has accelerated development and ripening of fruits of studied crop.

Species Composition, Abundance and Diversity of Phytoplankton Inhabiting around the Swatch-of-No-Ground of Northern Bay of Bengal

This study aimed to estimate the abundance and diversity of phytoplankton at different depth of water columns in Northern Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh. Samples were collected from 24 stations using Niskin water sampler from 0 to 250 m depths in four different cruises from January, 2017 to January, 2018 with the collaboration of Bangladesh Navy. Before sample identification, the samples were subjected to preservation using Lugol’s solution. A total of 70 phytoplankton species were identified of which Bacillariophyceae, Dinophyceae and Chlorophyceae covered 74.28%, 21.42% and 4.28% of species, respectively. The average phytoplankton density was 12,238±7,281 cells/L. Results showed phytoplankton abundance and distribution was comparatively lower in higher water depth than surface water. The highest phytoplankton abundance (39,342 cells/L) was recorded at surface water and the lowest abundance (16 cells/L) was observed in 200 m depth. Phytoplankton abundances significantly reduced at higher water depths (p < 0.05) which might be associated with higher light and nutrients availability at surface water and mixed layer depth. However, there was weak negative correlation since r = - 0.33. Phytoplankton abundance was also varied from station to station at similar water depth. Species richness was the highest in surface water. In this study, estimated Shannon-Wiener index was 0.58 that represented phytoplankton was moderately distributed at surface water than higher depth. The findings of the present study might be used as a baseline study to understand the phytoplankton community of the Northern Bay of Bengal which directly and/or indirectly help to manage existing ecosystem and sustainable fisheries of the Bay of Bengal. The Dhaka University Journal of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Vol. 10(1), 2021, P 11-21

PENGELOLAAN UNSUR HARA TERPADU DALAM BUDIDAYA TANAMAN PORANG (REVIEW)

Elephant food yam (Amorphophallus muelleri Blume) is an important tuber plant that is grown in most of the tropical countries including Indonesia and is a very profitable export commodity. Soil nutrients availability is one of the most important factors that determine the production of elephant food yam plants. However, there is no single nutrient source, either from inorganic fertilizers or organic fertilizers or biological fertilizers, which is able to meet all the nutrient needs of the plants grown. Therefore, integrated nutrient management (INM) of elephant food yam plants seems to be a way out to maintain sustainable production and increase profitability. This paper reviews the results of research on various issues of INM-based production management for elephant food yam plants and analyzes the extent of research on the use of INM both in Indonesia and abroad. The benefits of integrated nutrient management are well documented for vegetable crops. However, it is still very little available for elephant food yam plants, especially in Indonesia. Integrated nutrient management (INM) is a very important technological innovation to be applied to elephant food yam cultivation. Elephant food yam is a high nutrient consumeplant, so a wise and precise combination of inorganic and organic fertilizers as well as bio-fertilizer will result in sustainable and sinergistic use of soil nutrients of elephant foot yams. Therefore, recommendations for research need for INM of elephant food yam should be carried out in order to increase the production of it in a sustainable manner.