The effect of cattle manure and mineral fertilizers on soil chemical properties and tuber yield of purple-fleshed sweet potato in the dryland region of East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Nur MSM, Arsa IGBA, Malaipada Y. 2019. The effect of cattle manure and mineral fertilizers on soil chemical properties and tuber yield of purple-fleshed sweet potato in the dryland region of East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. Trop Drylands 3: 56-59. A field experiment was carried out to study the effect of combination of cattle manure and mineral fertilizer on the soil chemical properties and yield of purple-fleshed sweet potato in the Integrated Field Laboratory of Archipelagic Dryland Center of Excellence, Universitas Nusa Cendana during November 2017 to March 2018. The experiment was arranged in a Randomized Block Design, with six treatments and four replicates. The assigned treatments were P0 = without manure and without mineral fertilizer, P1 = 100% recommended dosage of manure (20 tons ha-1), P2 = 75% recommended dosage of manure (15 tons ha-1) + 25% recommended dosage of mineral fertilizer (25 kg urea ha-1, 25 kg SP-36 ha-1 and 37.5 kg KCl ha-1), P3 = 50% recommended dosage of manure (10 tons ha-1) + 50% recommended dosage of mineral fertilizer (50 kg urea ha-1, 50 kg SP-36 ha-1 and 75 kg KCl ha-1), P4 = 25% recommended dosage of manure (5 tons ha-1) + 75% recommended dosage of mineral fertilizer (75 kg urea ha-1, 75 kg SP-36 ha-1 and 112.5 kg KCl ha-1), and P5 = 100% recommended dosage of mineral fertilizer (100 kg urea ha-1, 100 kg SP-36 ha-1, 150 kg KCl ha-1). The results showed that P1 and P2 treatments produced the highest contents of organic-C, total-N, available-P, exchangeable-K and soil Cation Exchange Capacity. However, the highest tuber weight was obtained in the treatment P3. These results indicated that the combination of 50% recommended manure dosage (10 tons ha-1) + 50% recommended mineral fertilizer dosage (50 kg urea ha-1, 50 kg SP-36 ha-1 and 75 kg KCl ha-1) could provide a balanced nutrient content in sufficient quantities that meet the sweet potato requirements from the early growth stage to the tuber formation stage, and create soil physical conditions that support the sweet potato tuber development.

Yield and yield component performances of local pigmented upland rice cultivars from East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia in three locations

Ndiwa ASS, Mau YS. 2019. Yield and yield component performances of local pigmented upland rice cultivars from East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia in three locations. Trop Drylands 3: 49-55. Several pigmented upland rice cultivars from East Nusa Tenggara Province have been selected based on their agronomic performance, blast resistance, and drought tolerance traits. This study aimed to further elucidate the selected upland rice cultivars for their yield performance and stability in a multi-location trial in three locations. The results showed the significant effect of rice genotype, location, and interactions between rice genotype and location (GxE) on most observed variables, both in each location and across the three locations. Five genotypes produced average grain yield of ≥ 4.0 t/ha over three locations, i.e., NGR-22, PMK-01, ADN-05, Inpago 7 and Aek Sibundong. These five genotypes were found to produce high and stable grain yield under the three growing environments.

Formulating strategies for development of lontar sugar industry in Rote Ndao District, East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia

Fahrizal, Jasman, Nggandung Y, Kartiwan. 2019. Formulating strategies for development of lontar sugar industry in Rote Ndao Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province. Trop Drylands 3: 41-48. Lontar (Borassus flabellifer) is a kind of palm tree exploited by home industries in Rote Ndao District, East Nusa Tenggara Province, for making sugar. Generally, the lontar sugar produced is molded sugar and crystal sugar. However, the home industries produce molded sugar more than the crystal one. This research aimed to formulate and determine the priority of strategies for development of the crystal sugar industry in Rote Ndao District. Depth interview techniques, observation, and literature studies were used to identify the strategic factors, which were then displayed in the form of EFE and IFE matrix. The value of each factor was obtained from pairwise comparison method. SWOT analysis released 5 strategies to be applied. The priority order of the strategies are: (i) development of crystal sugar industry by partnership system, (ii) application of technology for improving quality and quantity of the product, (iii) training of Good Manufacturing Practice and Good Agricultural Practice, (iv) institutional assistance from the related department, and (iv) increasing of marketing networks.

Proximate composition and aroma quality of five aromatic upland-rice accessions from Sumba Barat Daya District, East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia

Arsa IGBA, Lalel HJD, Pollo R. 2019. Proximate composition and aroma quality of five aromatic upland-rice accessions from Sumba Barat Daya District, East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia. Trop Drylands 3: 35-40. This research aimed to know the proximate composition and aroma quality of five aromatic upland-rice accessions from South West Sumba, East Nusa Tenggara Province and their correlation with the physical and chemical properties of the soil taken from the planting area of each accession. The five accessions are ACC-04, ACC-05, ACC-06, ACC-08, and ACC-09. Proximate composition analysis of each aromatic upland-rice accession was carried out by method recommended by AOAC (1970) to determine the water content, ash, fat, protein, carbohydrate, starch, amylose, and amylopectin contents of the rice. The rice aroma score was determined by a sensory test. Analysis of physical and chemical characters of soil was done on a composited soil taken from planting area of each aromatic upland-rice accession at the time of harvest. The results showed that ACC-04 had the highest ash content, AC-09 had the highest fat content and protein contents, and ACC-06 showed the highest carbohydrate content of rice. Furthermore, the best aroma quality of rice based on aroma score and 2-AP content was shown by, respectively, ACC-06 and ACC-05. There was no significant correlation between proximate composition and aroma quality with any component of environmental factors, thus, they were more likely to be determined by genetic factors.

Various dosages of active powder of cassava improved sustainability of physical and chemical characteristics of Vertisol and Alfisol on dryland farming system

Soetedjo IP. 2019. Various dosages of active powder of cassava improved sustainability of physical and chemical characteristics of Vertisol and Alfisol on dryland farming system. Trop Drylands 3: 29-33. Vertisol and Alfisol are two kinds of dominant soil in dryland farming system of East Nusa Tenggara and other areas with similar ecological conditions. However, both soils generally have a low content of some nutrients such as N, P, K, C organic, and are dominated by clay, high water saturated, and prone to Al, Fe, and Mn poisonings. Some studies reported that improvement practices by application of inorganic and organic fertilizers increased soil compaction and soil microbiology dormancy. An innovation product called active powder may improve soil microbiology activity and physical characteristics of soil, which might then improve the availability of soil nutrients. Research had been done to know the effect of various dosages of active powder to enhance the physical and chemical characteristic of Vertisol and Alfisol in dryland farming system in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara. The research was a factorial treatment designed laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design, and four replicates. The treatments employed were two types of soil (Vertisol and Alfisol) and various dosages of active powder (0, 100, 200, and 300 g ha-1). Parameters observed were subjected to ANOVA and was followed by a Least Significant Different Test at 0.05 level. Results of the research showed that dosage of active powder of 300 g ha-1 was able to improve number colony of soil bacteria, soil porosity, soil bulk density, total N, P availability, and K availability. Generally, the physical and chemical characteristic of Vertisol was better improved than Alfisol. The yield of mungbean was significantly affected by the dosage of the active powder of 200-300 g ha-1 in which yield of mungbean grown at Vertisol was higher than that at Alfisol.

Levels of anthocyanin, βeta carotene and antioxidant activity of functional biscuits flour of purple, yellow and white fleshed sweet potato

Abidin Z, Jutomo L, Harini TS. 2019. Levels of anthocyanin, βeta carotene and antioxidant activity of functional biscuits flour of purple, yellow and white fleshed sweet potato. Trop Drylands 3: 22-28. This study aimed to determine the levels of anthocyanin, beta carotene and antioxidant activity of functional biscuit formulas based on flour of purple, yellow and white fleshed sweet potato from Sumba Barat Daya District, East Nusa Tenggara Province. The levels of anthocyanin, beta carotene and antioxidant activity were analyzed using UV-Visible Spectrophotometry. The results showed that the highest levels of biscuit anthocyanin (95.05 ppm) was found in 75% purple sweet potato flour + 25% wheat flour formula. The highest beta carotene level of biscuit (10,190.44 µg/100 g) was found in 75% of yellow sweet potato flour + 25% flour formula. In biscuit products, the highest antioxidant activity (61.57%) was found in the treatment of 75% purple sweet potato flour + 25% flour formula.

Amino acids profile and protein functional properties of Chrozophora oblongifolia seeds from Kordofan Region, Sudan

Abdalgader SIA, Ahmed AI. 2019. Amino acids profile and protein functional properties of Chrozophora oblongifolia seeds from Kordofan Region, Sudan. Trop Drylands 3: 17-21. The present research was conducted to study the amino acids profile and protein functional properties of Chrozophora oblongifolia seeds. The fresh seeds samples were procured from North and West Kordofan regions, Sudan. The protein functional properties, i.e., water absorption capacity, oil absorption capacities, emulsifying capacity, foaming stability, bulk density and crude protein were determined, then the amino acids profile was investigated using an amino acids analyzer (L-8900 Hitachi-hitech, Tokyo, Japan) under the experimental conditions recommended for protein hydrolysates. The results found that there were seven essential amino acids namely lysine, histidine, threonine, methionine, valine, isoleucine, and phenylalanine and nine non essential amino acids namely arginine, aspartic acid, serine, glutamic acid, glycine, proline, alanine, cystine and tyrosine were qualified and quantified in present investigation according to the following values: Glycine with a range of 0.99-1.02 g/100g proteins, while arginine with a range of 8.43-8.87 g/100g protein was the highest. Leucine and isoleucine which were limiting amino acid in most foodstuffs, were presented in ranges of 7.27-7.59g/100g protein for leucine and 5.24-56 4.19 g/100g protein for isoleucine. Statistical analysis of the seeds protein concentrates showed that a significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) in crude protein and water absorption capacities, oil absorption capacities, foaming stability and bulk density were found between the two different collection regions, while there were no significant (p ≤ 0.05) differences found in emulsifying capacity and foaming capacity in the two different locations of which samples were procured. The protein concentrates indicated higher protein content for North Kordofan seeds (83.33%) than that of 80.6% for West Kordofan seeds. This study concluded that C. oblongifolia seeds can be considered as a cheap source of edible protein which had a rich of essential amino acids

The effect of vermiwash and vermicompost produced from leaves of Azadirachta indica and Citrus aurantifolia on the growth parameters of celery through hydroponic system

Ansari AA, Raghubeer H, Jaikishun S. 2019. The effect of vermiwash and vermicompost produced from leaves of Azadirachta indica and Citrus aurantifolia on the growth parameters of celery through hydroponic system. Trop Drylands 3: 11-16. This research was designed to determine the physico-chemical composition of vermiwash and vermicompost produced from neem (Azadirachta indica) and lime (Citrus aurantifolia) and their influence on the growth parameters on celery (Apium graveolens) through hydroponic system. Plants were treated with six treatments-A (nutrient solution for hydroponic systems), B (vermiwash and vermicompost made from T1), C-control (water), D (vermiwash and vermicompost made from T2), E (vermiwash and vermicompost made from T3). All treatments were replicated six times in a complete randomized block design (CRBD). Results indicated that vermiwash and vermicompost when used in combination can be substituted for chemical hydroponic solution used in hydroponic systems. T2 had a significant effect on celery plant where it produced plants with greater heights and stem diameter. Maximum amount of sodium was seen in plants treated with F. Plants treated with T1 had the highest number of leaves and branches. This research will further enhance the need for hydroponic agriculture as it has less detrimental effect on the environment and produces greater yield and better quality of crops.

Maize bioengineering with c-repeat binding factor 1 (CBF1) as a technique for desiccation toleration

Kuria EK, Machuka J, Runo S. 2019. Maize bioengineering with c-repeat binding factor 1 (CBF1) as a technique for desiccation toleration. Trop Drylands 3: 1-10. Africa is a desiccation inclined continent leading to riskful cultivation particularly to small-scale cultivators who rely on rain-fed agriculture. Maize is the most widely cultivated main crop in Africa with more than 300 million people relying on it as their principal dietdiet fount. Desiccation causes crop fiasco, famine and poverty and this is being aggravated by climate change. There is therefore an obligation to flourish desiccation tolerablish maize. Traditional propagation techniques have been implementedcarried out in the establishment of desiccation tolerablish plants but are restricted by their requirement for labour, time and space, suggesting a limited genetic diversity within genotypes and transition of undesired traits along with the wanted ones. These restrictions are handled by utilizing these techniques along with bioengineering. Desiccation triggers a range of physiological and biochemical reactions in plants at cellular and molecular levels. These reactions include initiation of genes with several usefulness. Plant alteration for expanded desiccation toleration is generally based on the administration of either transcription and/or signaling factors or genes that directly secure plant cells contra water shortage. C-repeat binding factor (CBF) is a transcriptional factor that interacts with the desiccation responsive element (DRE), a cis-acting promoter element that governs gene expression in reaction to desiccation, brine and freezing stress. Over expression of these transcription factors, escalates stress toleration to freezing, desiccation and high brininess. In this study, three maize inbred lines and one hybrid were altered with CBF1 gene and appointed with mannose utilizing the Phosphomannose isomerase (PMI) gene. Genetic alteration was conducted through Agrobacterium tumefaciens and PCR was utilized to ascertain altered plants. Alteration frequency, alteration effectiveness and regeneration effectiveness were equated among the distinct genotypes altered. There were no remarkable dissimilarities in alteration frequency among the four maize genotypes. CML216 had the highest alteration effectiveness and regeneration effectiveness followed by A188. No alleged transgenic plants were regenerated from TL27 and A188×TL18 under the circumstances implemented on acount of their low regenerability. Further molecular analysis and desiccation stress tentatives on the expanded transgenic maize are significant prior to commercial release. Availability of desiccation tolerablish maize would bear a considerable positive collision contra famine particularly in Africa.

The diversity of wood-boring beetles caught by different traps in northern forests of Iran

Varandi HB, Kalashian M, Barari H, Rezaei Taleshi SA. 2018. The diversity of wood-boring beetles caught by different traps in northern forests of Iran. Trop Drylands 2: 65-74. Efficacy of trap types is an important factor for sampling, faunistic survey, evaluation of the population density, seasonal dynamic and monitoring of wood-boring beetles. In the present research, the diversity of Wood-boring beetles (i.e., Buprestidae and Cerambycidae) was studied by using different types of trap (window trap, color pan trap, color sticky trap and Malaise trap) in northern forests of Iran (Mazandaran Province, Iran). Different types of traps employed in five study areas, collected a total of 3120 beetles belonging to 55 species (29 Buprestidae and 26 Cerambycidae). The majority of captured specimens were buprestid beetles (79.87%), while only one-fifth of the specimens were Cerambycidae (20.13%). All of the collected beetle specimens were identified to species's level. One genus (Agrilus spp) and the following five species were the dominant species: Acmaeodera rufoguttata Reitter, Anthaxia hyrcana Kiesenwatter et Kirsch, Anthaxia intermedia Obenberger, Chrysobothris affinis (Fabricius) and Stenoprerus rufus (Linnaeus).