Biocontrol of Large Patch Disease in Zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica) by Bacillus subtilis SA-15: Identification of Active Compounds and Synergism with a Fungicide

Bacillus subtilis SA-15 is a plant growth-promoting bacterium isolated from non-farming soil. We aimed to identify lipopeptides produced by B. subtilis SA-15 and evaluate the control efficacy of B. subtilis SA-15 against large patch disease caused by Rhizoctonia solani AG 2-2 (IV) in zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica). Bacillus subtilis SA-15 inhibited mycelial growth of R. solani AG 2-2 (IV) in vitro and produced fengycin A and dehydroxyfengycin A, which are antifungal compounds. Fengycin A and deghydroxyfengycin A inhibited R. solani mycelial growth by 30.4 and 63.2%, respectively. We formulated B. subtilis SA-15 into a wettable powder and determined its control efficiency against large patch in a field trial. The control efficacy was 51.2–92.0%. Moreover, when B. subtilis SA-15 powder was applied together with half the regular dose of the fungicide pecycuron, the control efficacy was 88.5–100.0%. These results indicate that B. subtilis SA-15 can be used to control soil-borne diseases, including large patch caused by R. solani, because of lipopeptide production. The use of this bacterium can also reduce the amount of fungicide needed, providing an eco-friendly management option for turfgrass.

Selenium in wheat from farming to food

Selenium (Se) plays an important role in human health. Approximately 80% of the world's population does not consume the recommended Se levels. Wheat is an important staple food and Se source for most people in the world. This article summarizes literatures about Se from 1936 to 2020 to investigate Se in wheat farming soil, wheat, and its derived foods. Selenium fortification and the recommended Se level in wheat were also discussed. Results showed that Se contents in wheat farming soil, grain, and its derived foods were 3.8–552 (mean, 220.99), 0–8,270 (mean, 347.30), and 15–2,372 (mean, 211.86) μg ·kg-1, respectively. Selenium content could be increased by leaf Se fertilizer application, and the contents in grain, flour, and its derived foods could be improved from 93.94 to 1,181.92, 73.06 to 1,007.75, and 86.90 to 587.61 μg ·kg-1 in average. Both Se content in farming soil and grain, foliar Se fertilizer concentration rate and grain Se increased rate showed significant linear relationship. The recommended Se fortification level of wheat in different countries was calculated in China, India, and Spain, with recorded values of 18.53–23.96, 2.65–3.37, and 3.93–9.88 g ·hm-2, respectively. Thus, suitable Se fortification in farming effectively improved Se content in wheat grain and its derived foods. Appropriate milling processing and food type are also important factors to be considered to meet people's Se requirement by wheat.

SOIL HEALTH STATUS OF SELECT VILLAGE OF DISTRICT SONIPAT, HARYANA AND WAY FORWARD

Soil health and fertility are the basis for gaining sustainable profit through higher productivity by the farmers. Using optimal doses of fertilizers and cropping pattern as per the scientific recommendations is the first step towards sustainable farming. Soil organic carbon (SOC) is the most important component in maintaining soil quality because of its role in improving physical, chemical, and biological properties of the soil. Organic matter is an important source of nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur. Soil Health card is a Government of India's scheme promoted by the Department of Agriculture & Co-operation under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, apart from giving the health index of soil, will also indicate fertilizer recommendations and soil amendment required for the farm. Under Govt. of Haryana sanctioned Soil Health Card project, ARF carried out the fertility status study of 3000 acres of land of village Baroda Mor, block Mundlana, Tehsil Gohana, Sonipat, Haryana and distribute the cards well before the harvesting of Rabi crop with proper recommendation on dosage of appropriate fertilizer as per deficiency of essential nutrient parameter.

A Novel Approach to Optimize Water and Fertilizers in Agriculture using IoT

This paper presents a new method for supplying nutrients to the farm. This novel method uses IoT and Wireless Sensor Network in Farming. Soil Moisture sensor and humidity sensor monitor the soil properties. These results are updated to the IoT Server. Based on the values for humidity of the soil, drip irrigation to the plant is on/off through solenoid valve. In addition this paper concentrates on quantitative analysis of requirement of nutrients for the plant to avoid overdose or insufficiency of them. This work trains the machine using precision agriculture for supplying required nutrient to the plant using solenoid on/off valve through drip irrigation. It also alerts the user by sending SMS (Short Messaging Service) through GSM to the user on fertigation date and pesticides spraying date. This will be very helpful for the farmers to remember the fertigation date in their various activities. The limitation of this work is that the fertilizers used will only be liquid in state. This technology can also be improved to a large level agricultural production.

Soil Application of Almond Residue Biomass Following Black Soldier Fly Larvae Cultivation

Insect farming has the potential to transform abundant residual biomass into feed that is compatible with non-ruminant animal production systems. However, insect cultivation generates its own by-products. There is a need to find valuable and sustainable applications for this material to enable commercial-scale insect farming. Soil application of by-products, which may be either basic broadcasting incorporation or part of a sustainable soil borne pest management practice, such as biosolarization, could offer an agricultural outlet. The objective of this study was to assess the potential of applying black soldier fly larvae (BSFL)-digested substrate as soil amendment for soil biosolarization and evaluate its impact on soil health. Sandy loam (SL) and sandy clay loam (CL) soils amended with BSFL-digested almond processing residues, i.e., spent pollinator hulls (SPH), at 2% dry weight (dw) were incubated under aerobic and anaerobic conditions for 15 days under a daily fluctuating temperature-interval (30–50°C). The microbial respiration, pH, electrical conductivity, volatile fatty acids, macronutrients, and germination index using radish seeds (Raphanus sativus L.) were quantified to assess the soil health after amendment application. Incubation showed a statistically significant (p < 0.05) increase in electrical conductivity related to amendment addition and a decrease potentially linked to microbiological activity, i.e., sequestering of ions. Under aerobic conditions, SPH addition increased the CO2-accumulation by a factor of 5–6 compared to the non-amended soils in SL and CL, respectively. This increase further suggests a higher microbiological activity and that SPH behaves like a partially stabilized organic material. Under anaerobic conditions, CO2-development remained unchanged. BSFL-digested residues significantly increased the carbon, nitrogen, C/N, phosphate, ammonium, and potassium in the two soil types, replenishing soils with essential macronutrients. However, greenhouse trials with lettuce seeds (Lactuca sativa) lasting 14 days resulted in a decrease of the biomass by 44.6 ± 35.4 and 35.2 ± 25.3% for SL and CL, respectively, compared to their respective non-amended soil samples. This reduction of the biomass resulted from residual phytotoxic compounds, indicating that BSFL-digested SPH have the potential to be used for biosolarization and as soil amendments, depending on the concentration and mitigation strategies. Application and environmental conditions must be carefully selected to minimize the persistence of soil phytotoxicity.

Design and Manufacturing Analysis of Multi-purpose Vertical baler/trash Compactor Machine

Humans have always had an impact on their surroundings. Solid waste is one of our biggest effects on nature. Unlike other animals, humans create too much waste for nature to keep up. With the continually rising of the earth’s population, the situation is going to get harder and harder to slow it down, or fix it. With garbage pollutioncomes; from the burning of garbage we are destroying the atmosphere just as fast as we are just leaving the garbage on the ground. When you burn garbage it gives off extremely poisonous gases into the atmosphere. If a person breathes this air it can hurt their lungs and if untreated can result in cancers or even death. Even if we burry our garbage not all of it will decompose, as there are some material needs centuries to decompose. By polluting the ground it can seep into our farming soil and even into our ground water, which can cause dramatic consequences.Compacting trashes is considered a great solution for the problem of throwing garbage as it was examined in well developed countries and solved the problem of thrown garbage in the streets or burning extra garbage which is the same problem that each developing countryis facing, and in result it also reduce the pollution amount due to the smoke of burning garbage and the diseases caused because of the uncovered garbage in streets where people walk through and others live nearby

The role of bacterial symbionts in the biodegradation of chlorpyrifos in the digestive tract of Plutella xylostella larvae

Hadi MS, Abadi AL, Himawan T, MAsruri, Lestari SR, Rahardjo BT, Aini LQ, Setiawan Y, Tarno H. 2021. The role of bacterial symbionts in the biodegradation of chlorpyrifos in the digestive tract of Plutella xylostella larvae. Biodiversitas 22: 702-712. Several species in the order Lepidoptera act as plant pests, one of which is Plutella xylostella. Plutella xylostella is one of the most destructive pests of cabbage and other horticultural crops. The use of chemical insecticides as pest control for P. xylostella causes many problems, such as the increased pest resistance to pesticides. The objectives of this study are: (i) to obtain and characterize symbiont bacteria in the digestive tract of P. xylostella collected from organic and conventional agriculture soils; (ii) to evaluate the potential of bacterial symbionts in the digestive tract of P. xylostella from organic and conventional soils in degrading the active ingredient of chlorpyrifos insecticide; (iii) To determine the biodegradation process of chlorpyrifos insecticide by symbiont bacteria in the digestive tract of P. xylostella; and (iv) to identify the derivative compounds from the biodegradation of chlorpyrifos insecticide. The results showed 30 symbiont bacteria isolated from the digestive tract of P. xylostella collected from organic soil and 36 symbiont bacteria isolated from the digestive tract of P. xylostella from conventional farming soil. There are 15 species of symbiont bacteria in 5 genera from the digestive tract of P. xylostella from organic and conventional farming capable of degrading the chlorpyrifos insecticide. They are identified as Providencia sp., Pseudomonas sp., Serratia sp., Proteus sp., and Aeromonas sp. Chlorpyrifos-derived compounds from the biodegradation of symbiont bacteria are less toxic than chlorpyrifos compounds.

New challenges for sunflower ideotyping in changing environments and more ecological cropping systems

As a rainfed spring-sown crop, sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is increasingly exposed to negative impacts of climate change, especially to high temperatures and drought stress. Incremental, systemic and transformative adaptations have been suggested for reducing the crop vulnerability to these stressful conditions. In addition, innovative cropping systems based on low-input management, organic farming, soil and water conservation practices, intercropping, double-cropping, and/or agroforestry are undergoing marked in agriculture. Because of its plasticity and low-input requirements (nitrogen, water, pesticides), sunflower crop is likely to take part to these new agroecological systems. Aside from current production outputs (yield, oil and cake), ecosystem services (e.g. bee feeding, soil phytoremediation…), and non-food industrial uses are now expected externalities for the crop. The combination of climatic and societal contexts could deeply modify the characteristics of genotypes to be cultivated in the main production areas (either traditional or adoptive). After reviewing these changes, we identify how innovative cropping systems and new environments could modify the traits classically considered up to now, especially in relation to expected ecosystem services. Finally, we consider how research could provide methods to help identifying traits of interest and design ideotypes.