Usages of Mobile Application Developed by Krishi Vigyan Kendra Banavasi

A survey was conducted to assess the impact of mobile applications developed by theKrishiVigyan Kendra Banavasi with 150 farmers in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh inthe year 2020. KVK Banavasi developed three mobile applications namely ANGRAU-ATARI CFLD, ANGRAU Pashu Poshan and Fertilizer Calculator for benefiting farmingcommunity. Majority (64.67%) of the respondents were found in medium usage of mobileapplications, in agriculture. Fertilizer Calculator mobile application was found highest usage(74.50%) among the farmers when compared with other two applications. ANGRAUATATRI CFLD application was used by an average of 46.83 per cent farmers forinformation on new improved varieties, 75 % for control measures of pest and diseasesand 29 per cent for market related information. ANGRAU Pashu Poshan application wasused by 75 per cent livestock farmers for sheep management, 56 per cent for cattlemanagement and 45 per cent for poultry related information. Fertilizer calculator applicationwas used by 80 per cent farmers for recommended dose of fertilizers and 10 per cent forsoil test based fertilizer application.

Detection of Antimicrobial Residues in Poultry Litter: Monitoring a Risk through a Selective and Sensitive HPLC–MS/MS Method

Tetracyclines, sulphonamides, and quinolones are families of antimicrobials (AMs) widely used in the poultry industry and can excrete up to 90% of AMs administrated, which accumulate in poultry litter. Worryingly, poultry litter is widely used as an agriculture fertilizer, contributing to the spread AMs residues in the environment. The aim of this research was to develop a method that could simultaneously identify and quantify three AMs families in poultry litter by high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC–MS/MS). Samples of AMs free poultry litter were used to validate the method according to 657/2002/EC and VICH GL49. Results indicate that limit of detection (LOD) ranged from 8.95 to 20.86 μg kg−1, while limits of quantitation (LOQ) values were between 26.85 and 62.58 µg kg−1 of tetracycline, 4-epi-tetracycline, oxytetracycline, 4-epi-oxytetracycline, enrofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, flumequine, sulfachloropyridazine, and sulfadiazine. Recoveries obtained ranged from 93 to 108%. The analysis of field samples obtained from seven commercial poultry flocks confirmed the adequacy of the method since it detected means concentrations ranging from 20 to 10,364 μg kg−1. This provides us an accurate and reliable tool to monitor AMs residues in poultry litter and control its use as agricultural fertilizer.

Radiometric properties of sepiolite minerals from quarries in central Anatolia of Turkey

Sepiolite is a naturally occurring clay mineral of sedimentary origin and is a magnesium hydrosilicate. Sepiolite has been widely used as an additive raw material in ceramics and cement industry, pharmaceutical, cleaning-detergent, paper, paint, cosmetic agriculture, fertilizer, etc. In this study, the natural radioactivity levels, radon emanation coefficients and radon exhalation rates of 30 sepiolite samples collected from open three sepiolite quarries (Beylikova, Polath and Sivrihisar) in Central Anatolia region of Turkey were determined by using a gamma-ray spectrometry with an HPGe detector. The average absorbed gamma dose rates directly measured in Beylikova, Polath and Sivrihisar open three sepiolite quarries located in Central Anatolia region of Turkey were found as 59, 65, and 64 nGyh?1, respectively. The average activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K in 30 sepiolite samples collected from those quarries were found as 38.6, 12.4, and 67.4 Bqkg?1, respectively. The average emanation coefficient and exhalation rate of radon of sepiolite samples were determined as 22 % and 0.065 Bqkg?1h?1, respectively. Also, radiological parameters (outdoor absorbed gamma dose rate, annual effective dose rate, external and internal index) were estimated to evaluate the use of sepiolite samples as additive raw materials in the building sector.

Phosphorus Budget for a Forested-Agricultural Watershed in Korea

Despite increased attention to the need for sustainable agriculture, fertilizer application rates above crop requirements remain common agricultural practices in South Korea, causing eutrophication of freshwater and coastal ecosystems. The aim of this study is to quantify phosphorus (P) inputs, outputs, and retention in a forested-agricultural watershed. The P budget showed that the combined use of chemical fertilizer and organic compost was the largest source of P (97.6% of the total) followed by atmospheric wet deposition (2.1% of the total P), whereas forest export (0.2% of the total) and sewage treatment plants (STPs) (0.1% of the total) were negligible. The P outputs were crop harvesting and hydrologic export to surface water. The P balance showed that P inputs are higher than the P outputs; approximately 87% of the total P input was retained in the soils within the watershed. However, P concentrations in drainage water were still high enough to cause eutrophication of downstream reservoirs. The results provide important details on the proportion of P export and retention in the watershed. This will help efforts to improve water quality and design better management strategies for agricultural nonpoint source pollution.

Effect High Salinity and Red-Blue Light Treatment on Lipid Content of the Microalgae Chlorella zofingiensis Dönz as Biodiesel Source

Chlorella zofingiensis Dönz is not only known as feed in aquaculture industry, but also it has been developed as biodiesel source. In order to optimize the microalgae as a biodiesel feedstock, it is necessary to study its environmental factors, such as light and medium salinity. This study was conducted to determine the effect of red-blue light in a wide range of salinity medium. C. zofingiensis Dönz used in this study were cultured for 21 days on a laboratory scale using a medium consisted of ZA, Urea and Farmpion (local agriculture fertilizer) with a ratio of 4: 2: 1. There were three variations of salinity treatments, including culture without the addition of NaCl (its medium salinity was 14 ppm); the addition of NaCl 5 ppm (its medium salinity was 19 ppm) and NaCl 10 ppm (its medium salinity was 24 ppm). Its cell density and dry weight were measured every 7 days. Neutral lipid content was determined with Nile Red staining method and analyzed with CellProfiler software every 7 days. The highest lipid content was achieved by treatment of blue light and the addition of NaCl 5 ppm, accounted for 344.6 mg L-1 or 50% of the dry weight.