Effect of Nitrogen Fertilizer and Rate of Seeds on Some Growth Criteria and Dry Matter Production of Barley (Hordeum Vulgare L.)

A field experiment was carried out at the Second Agricultural Research and Experiments Station of the College of Agriculture/University of Al-Muthanna in Al Bandar region, during the winter season (2019-2020), in order to know the effect of nitrogen fertilization and seed rate on the production of dry matter for barley crop, and the experiment was applied according to the arrangement of the split plates. According to the design of randomized complete blocks with three replications, the number of experimental units was 120 units. The experiment included the secondary factor of five seed quantities (40, 60, 80, 100 and 120 kg ha−1) and the main factor included 4 levels of nitrogen fertilizer (0, 50, 100 and 150 kg ha−1). The results showed that the rate of seed were significantly superior in most of the growth characteristics and dry matter of the barley crop, where the rate of seeds 80 kg ha-1 outperformed in the characteristics of plant height, dry weight of the stem, dry weight of leaves, dry weight of ears and dry weight of the plant, where their averages were (96.64 cm, 10.34 g, 7.20 g, 4.78 g and 22.3 g) respectively, while the level of 120 kg ha−1 seed rate outperformed in increasing the area of the flag leaf, which amounted to 23.67 cm 2, and the lowest seed level 40 kg ha-1 gave an increase in the length of the spike, which reached 7.06 cm. As for nitrogen fertilizer levels, the levels were significantly higher in all studied traits, where the amount of fertilizer 100 kg ha−1 outperformed in all studied traits, plant height (100.20 cm) and area leaf flag (24.38 cm 2), the number of tillers (8.38 tillers Plant−1, the length of the spike (6.92 cm), the dry weight of the stem (10.84 g), the leaves (7.29 g), the spikes (5.38 g), and the dry weight of the whole plant (23.51 g). As for the interaction between the rate of seed and nitrogen fertilization, the combination (80 kg ha−1 seed * 100 kg ha−1 nitrogen) outperformed and gave the highest averages for most of the studied traits. And the weight of the full bat where their averages were (13.20, 10.51, 7.37 and 31.07 g) respectively.

The Role of Nano-Silicon and Other Soil Conditioners in Improving Physiology and Yield of Drought Stressed Barley Crop

A field experiment was conducted in sandy soil to assess the effect of different sources of soil conditioners on barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Giza 137) growth and its yield under drought stress. Plants were exposed to two levels of drought stress until grain maturity: (A) drought at 75% available water (AW) with NPK as control (treatment, T1); (B) mild drought stress at 50% AW with foliar spray of nano-silicon at 75 ppm (treatment, T2), foliar spray of nano-zeolite at 75 ppm (treatment, T3), perlite at 4 tons/h (treatment, T4), natural zeolite at 600 kg/ha (treatment, T5), bentonite at 4 tons/h (treatment, T6), and a combined treatment of T2+T3+T4+T5+T6 at the half amount of each material (T7). All the treatments received the recommended doses of organic matter. Vegetative growth and yield characters as well as anatomical characters were recorded. The physical and chemical soil properties were significantly improved by both foliar and soil conditioners application. The nutrients content of the barley crop were augmented under combined treatment (T7) as compared to other treatments. Under that treatment, barley crop chemical components, i.e. protein, ash, chlorophylls, amino acids, vitamins, and fibre were significantly higher compared to other treatments. In addition, gibberellic acid (GA3) and abscisic acid (ABA) content besides antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were significantly affected by all treatments. The economical profits were achieved, as reflected by an investment factor value equal to or higher than 3, and this was achieved for all tested nanosilicon, zeolite, and soil conditioners indicated the effectiveness and profitability of studied treatments.

Assessment of crop damage by rodent pests from experimental barley crop fields in Farta District, South Gondar, Ethiopia

This study was conducted in Farta district, south Gondar from 2019 to 2020 cropping years to identify rodent pest species and estimate damage caused on barley crops. Four independent barley crop fields (40 x 40 m each) were sampled randomly to estimate the loss. Two were located near Alemsaga Priority State Forest and the other two were away from the forest. Four (2 x 2 m) rodent exclusion plots were established at 10 m interval as control units in each selected experimental barley fields using fine wire mesh. Rodent pest species were collected using both Sherman and snap traps throughout the different crop growing stages. The damaged and undamaged barley tillers by pest rodents were counted on five 1 x 1 m randomly sampled quadrats for each selected experimental fields. Variations on pest rodent population between cropping years and sites were analyzed using Chi square test. The mean crop damages between cropping years and experimental field sites were analyzed using two way ANOVA. Arvicanthis abyssinicus, Mastomys natalensis, Arvicanthis dembeensis, Mus musculus, Lophuromys simensis, Tachyoryctes splendens and Hystrix cristata were identified as pest rodents in the study area. A total of 968 individual rodents (427 in 2019 and 541 in 2020) were trapped during the study period. There was a statistical variation (χ2 = 13.42, df = 1 and P<0.05) between trapped individuals of the two successive years. The crop fields near the forest were more vulnerable than away from the forest during both cropping years. Statistical variations was observed on mean crop losses between cropping years and experimental barley crop sites. The highest crop damage was seen at maturity stage and the lowest during sowing in all experimental plots and cropping years. The percentage of barley yield loss due to rodent pests was 21.7 kg ha-1. The monetary value of this yield loss was equivalent to 4875 Birr (121.9 US$ h-1). Alemsaga Forest as shelter and conservation strategies like free of farmland from livestock and terracing for soil conservation have great role for the high rodent pest populations in the study area. Field sanitation, trapping and using restricted rodenticides like zinc phosphide are the possible recommendation to local farmers against rodent pests.

COMPARATIVE EFFICACY OF PURPLE NUTSEDGE ALLELOPATHY AND OTHER METHODS ON WEED MANAGEMENT IN BARLEY (HORDEUM VULGARE L.)

This research was made for the comparison of the effects of purple nutsedge allelopathy and other methods on the weed management in barely at Students’ Experimental Farm, Department of Agronomy, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam for weed as well as barely parameters having eight treatments with three replications. The data revealed that maximum weed number (45.6 m-2), weed fresh weight (20.6 g m-2), weed dry weight (6.3 g m-2) was observed under T1= No weeding (control). However, the maximum weed control (91.3%) was recorded under T7= Puma super 75 EW at 0.625 L ha-1, 50 reduced (30 DAS) + Purple nutsedge water extract at 15 L ha-1 (45 DAS). The barley crop results revealed that maximum tillers (355.6 m-2), plant height (106.3 cm), spike length (11.5 cm), grains spike-2 (47.3), seed index (51 g), biological yield (11737 kg ha-1), grain yield (4493 kg ha-1) and harvest index (41.9%) was recorded under T7= Puma super 75 EW at 0.625 L ha-1 50 % reduced (30 DAS) + Purple nutsedge water extract at 15 L ha-1 (45 DAS). Hence, current results manifested that proper application of puma super 75 EW at 0.625 L ha-1 50 % reduced (30 DAS) + Purple nutsedge water extract at 15 L ha-1 (50 DAS) produce maximum growth and yield parameters of barley crop. So, it was suggested that application of puma super 75 EW at 0.625 L ha-1, 50 % reduced (30 DAS) + Purple nutsedge water extract at 15 L ha-1 (45 DAS) apply for getting higher yield (4493 kg ha-1) of barley crop. It was finalized that this study will be very fruitful for the future progress of barley production.

Spatial Distribution of Strategic Crops by Administrative Units in Anbar Governorate for The Year 2018

The strategic crops in Anbar are represented by wheat, yellow corn, and barley, as the total area of them reached (314763) denims, of which (211984) denims of wheat, (66997) denims of corn, and (35755) denims of barley, and for the various administrative units of the governorate, Also, with different production quantities amounted to (204918) tons for wheat, (33497) tons for yellow corn, and (10725) tons for barley, achieving a significant moral difference when applying the Kay square to the cultivated areas and production quantities, as the standard value of wheat crop reached (147,376) The cultivated area, and (144,330) of the production amount. As for the standard value of the maize crop, it reached (43,100) for the area, and (82,119) for production, as for the barley crop, the standard value for the cultivated area was (77,465) and (128,604) for the amount of production, the moral difference between the cultivated area and the amount of production for all strategic crops cultivated in the governorate reached (0.01), representing a significant moral difference between them.