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Background As part of a larger food security project under Ethiopia’s Agricultural Growth Program (CASCAPE), 928 farms in the Ethiopian Highlands were surveyed between 2012 and 2017. The aim was to determine whether the Net Farm Income (NFI) is a relevant indicator that drives food security at the household and the farm level, and to determine its drivers across six study regions of Ethiopia (i.e., Addis Ababa, Hawassa, Haramaya, Bahir Dar, Jimma, and Mekelle). The effect of different socio-economic and environmental drivers on NFI was determined using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, k-means clustering and comparison of high and low NFI quartiles per region. Results The average annual NFI in Ethiopia was just below 1000 US$ per farm household, with Addis Ababa region leading. Jimma and Bahir Dar were just above average, and the others were at the lower end. In the correlation analysis, NFI was best explained by farm size, net cash flow and the use of nitrogen fertilizer. Male-headed households earned considerably more than female-headed households. The k-means clustering yielded two major farm types on the basis of significant differences in rainfall, farm size, education level, crop diversity, cash flow and N fertilizer use. An analysis of richest 25% versus poorest 25% per region showed Addis Ababa, Bahir Dar, Jimma and Mekelle regions all had significant differences between the two quartiles in farm size, crop diversity and N fertilizer use, whereas Hawassa and Haramaya regions seem more homogeneous. Conclusions The survey results present new entry points for informed decision making through targeted, area-specific food security policies in the Ethiopian Highlands by virtue of insight in the regional spread of NFI and its driving forces. Important deductions from the results are policy actions that are obtainable from the results. For example, the farm-size variable provides an indicator on the type of policy action that is required to determine the farm sizes that generate sufficient returns on the overall farming investment. Next, cash-flow is a variable that speaks to the idea on the amount of hard-cash needed by a household to enable it get meaningful returns on cash invested on farming, or a guaranteed minimum return on any specific crop(s) or animal production. Nitrogen fertilizer as an analysis variable is predominantly a crop productivity indicator. In order for the farming to be sustainable, there is need for policy articulation on the amount of nitrogen required for specific yields and crops. Finally, location and rainfall parameters require recommendations on location specific crop management policies that correspond to the rainfall amount, soil types, ecological zones and distance from the markets as maybe gleaned from the results.

Short-cycle horticulture crops often rely on fertigation to provide immediately available nutrients. This practice poses an environmental threat when nutrients, particularly phosphorus, leach from containers and enter waterways. One method that could be used to reduce the loss of phosphorus and other key anions from horticultural crops is incorporating activated aluminum into container substrates. This study investigates the incorporation of three rates of activated aluminum into a pine bark substrate, and the effects this amendment may have on the container leachate nutrient content and the growth of a popular short-cycle crop (Tagetes patula, French marigold). The addition of activated aluminum reduced the cumulative mass of phosphorus in container leachate by 69–96% compared to a standard pine bark substrate. The growth index and subjective plant quality scores of Tagetes were equivalent between the activated aluminum-amended substrates and pine bark only substrates, in all cases, producing a salable, quality crop. This study demonstrates that incorporating activated aluminum into container substrates is an effective way to reduce phosphorus loss to the environment without sacrificing crop quality.

The role of the tea commodity in the economy of Indonesia is quite strategic. Various types of microorganisms in nature have been known to increase the benefit of the root function, suppress disease, and accelerate plant growth. This study aimed to determine the potential of indigenous bacteria (Azoto II-1, Acinetobacter sp., bacteria Endo-5, bacteria Endo-65 and Endo-76) on the growth of tea plants and their potential in increasing resistance to blister blight disease. The test of microbes’ potential effect on growth and blister blight was conducted in Gambung, West Java in an experimental field using a randomized block design (RBD) with six treatments and each treatment was replicated four times. The composition of the treatments was: A) Endo-5; B) Endo-65; C) Endo-76; D) Azoto II-1; E) Acinetobacter sp.; and F) control (without microbes). Bacterial suspension was applied directly to the soil at a dose of 2 l · ha−1. The bacterial suspension was applied six times at 1 week intervals. The results of field observations indicated that the intensity of blister blight decreased in all treatments but did not significantly differ from the control. Meanwhile, the results of Acinetobacter sp. treatment in tea shoots was 17.26% higher than the control.

Labor scarcity requires double-season rice to be planted by direct seeding as an alternative to transplanting. Only ultrashort-duration varieties can be used in direct-seeded, double-season rice (DSD) in central China where thermal time is limited. Whether ultrashort-duration varieties grown in DSD can be as productive and efficient in nitrogen (N) use as transplanted double-season rice (TPD) remains unclear. Field experiments were conducted in Hubei province, central China with two establishment methods (DSD, TPD) and three N rates in the early and late seasons of 2017 and 2018. Nitrogen treatments included zero-N control (N0), total N rate of 60 kg N ha−1 with equal splits at basal, midtillering, and panicle initiation (N1), and weekly N application at 15 kg ha−1 from seeding/transplanting to heading (N2). Both early- and late-season rice under DSD matured within 95 days, on average 9 days shorter than rice under TPD. The grain yield of DSD was comparable to or higher than that of TDP in both seasons, although the daily yield was significantly higher under DSD than under TDP. Before heading, DSD had higher leaf area, stem number, intercepted radiation, and radiation use efficiency than TPD, which compensated for the negative effect of short growth duration on biomass production. Total dry weight and harvest index under DSD were comparable to or higher than those under TDP. In general, the recovery efficiency of fertilizer-N under DSD was higher than that under TPD, but the reverse was true for physiological N use efficiency. Thus, there was no significant difference in agronomic N use efficiency between DSD and TPD. These results suggested that DSD with ultrashort-duration varieties is a promising alternative to TPD in central China for maintaining high grain yield and N fertilizer use efficiency with less labor input.

Se establecieron dos experimentos en las mismas parcelas desde 1 de mayo a 1 de diciembre de 1991 y 1992 para determinar la extracción mensual de nutrimentos y producción de materia seca en el ñame 'Gunung'. En el primer año las plantas fueron abonadas a razón de 0; 667; 1,333; 2,000 y 2,667 kg/ha con un fertilizante 15-5-15-5 (N, P2O5, K2O y MgO) suplementado con elementos menores. El segundo año no se aplicó fertilizante. Se efectuaron seis cosechas de biomasa a los 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 y 7 meses después de la siembra. En cada cosecha las plantas fueron excavadas y separadas en láminas de hojas, tallos y peciolos, raíces y tubérculos. Se determinó el peso húmedo y seco de ios componentes de la planta y se obtuvieron muestras de tejido. Luego estas muestras se analizaron para determinar su contenido de N, P, K, Ca y Mg. Independientemente del año, los tratamientos de fertilizantes no afectaron significativemente el rendimiento en peso seco de los tubérculos mercadeables. La extracción máxima de nutrimentos fue 214 kg/ ha de N, 19 kg/ha de P, 223 kg/ha de K, 95 kg/ha de Ca y 9 kg/ha de Mg. La producción máxima de materia seca fue 11,303 kg/ha de los cuales 8,672 kg/ ha se acumularon en los tubérculos mercadeables. La extracción máxima de N, K, y Ca ocurrió a los cinco meses después de la siembra. La producción máxima de materia seca fue a los siete meses. Las plantas del ñame utilizaron 24.7 kg/ha de N, 2.2 kg/ha de P, 25.7 kg/ha de K, 11.0 kg/ha de Ca y 1.0 kg/ha de Mg por cada 1,000 kg/ha de materia seca comestible producida.

Water erosion process induces differences to the nitrogen (N) functional microbial community structure, which is the driving force to key N processes at soil-water interface. However, how the soil N transformations associated with water erosion is affected by microorganisms, and how the microbial respond, are still unclear. The objective of this study is to investigate the changes of microbial diversity and community structure of the N-cycle function microorganisms as affected by water erosion under application of organic manure and straw cover. On the basis of iso-nitrogen substitution, four treatments were set up: 1) only chemical fertilizer with N 150 kg ha−1, P2O5 60 kg ha−1 and K2O 90 kg ha−1 (CK); the N was substituted 20% by 2) organic manure (OM); 3) straw (SW); and 4) organic manure + straw (1:1) (OMSW). The results showed that applying organic manure and straw to sloping farmland can increase soil N contents, but reduce runoff depth, Kw, sediment yield and N loss, especially in the OMSW. Straw cover and straw + organic manure increased the diversity (Chao1) of nitrifier (AOB), and both diversity and uniformity (Shannon) of denitrifier (nirK/S) were increased in the OMSW. All erosion control measures reduced N-fixing bacteria diversity and increased their uniformity, and the combined application of organic manure and straw cover was a better erosion control measure than the single application of them. Improved soil chemistry and erodibility were the main drives for the changes of N-functional microbial community structure and the appearance of dominant bacteria with different organic materials.

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is a major vegetable crop world-wide and grown in high tunnels in many regions. This study investigates the use of two fertilizer sources, chemical and integrated (composted poultry manure plus urea) fertilizers, and grafting on growth, nitrate-N content, yield, and fruit quality of tomato grown in high tunnels in northwestern Washington. Grafting treatments consisted of ‘Panzer’ tomato grafted on one of three tomato rootstocks ‘Estamino’, Maxifort’, ‘DRO138TX’, or non-grafted (control). Application of chemical fertilizer increased number of leaves per plant, plant height, and cumulative fresh biomass of pruned suckers relative to tomato plants grown with the integrated fertilizer treatment. Grafted tomato plants had greater plant growth than non-grafted plants throughout the growing season. There was no significant difference between fertilizer treatments on nitrate-N concentration in plant tissue or fresh petiole sap; however, grafted plants contained higher levels of nitrate-N than non-grafted plants. Total and marketable fruit weight and number did not differ due to fertilizer source, but total and marketable fruit weight was higher for grafted plants than for non-grafted plants in 2016. There was no significant effect due to fertilizer source on fruit firmness, water content, pH, titratable acidity, and β-carotene; however, total soluble solids (TSS) and lycopene content were higher for fruit grown with integrated fertilizer in 2016. Grafting enhanced water content of tomato fruit in 2015, and TSS (°Brix) in 2016.

The amount of yield and adaptation of a cultivar to a new environment is strongly related to nutrient uptake ability. This study was carried out during 2019, 2020 and 2021 seasons to investigate the effect of different forms of chemical compose 20.20.20 fertilization alone or incombination with other fertilizers on morphological plant parameters (number of leaves per shoot, stem length and stem thickness) and leaf nutrient contents (N, P, K and Mg) of young Frantoio olive tree grown in Turkestan region, South Kazakhstan. The study was conducted on 1 years old olive trees of Frantoio in sierozem, under surface drip irrigation, system and uniform in shape and received the common horticultural practices. It was determined that fertilizer treatments significantly influenced number of morphological plant parameters and leaf plant nutrients compared to control treatments at all seasons. Results revealed that all fertilizers as well as the combination between 20.20.20 and Biohumus treatment and/or Nitroammophos treatment significantly increased morphological plant parameters and nutrient contents of young Frantoio olive trees. It can be concluded that the variation in the nutrient uptake ability may be used as a criterion for adaptation of a variety to a new ecological environment.

The role of natural factors and the interaction of anthropogenic resources with them was researched. The meadow agroecosystems based on income balance, accumulation, and expenditure of energy yield were assessed. The study has been carried out during 2011-2015 at the long-term (47 years) field experiment of the Institute of Agriculture of the Carpathian region, which includes permanent and temporary grasslands. The dry matter (DM) yield and energy yield (EY) of permanent grassland, mainly depend on mineral fertilization. Application of NPK which includes 60 kg P per ha, 90 kg K per ha, and 90 kg N per ha promotes the acquisition of 8.22 t/ha DM with 155.4 GJ/ha EY. The sum of energy yield from the aboveground mass (71.5 GJ/ha), the root (65.9 GJ/ha) and the soil energy (112.7 GJ/ha) is 250.1 GJ/ha. Production of gross energy is 260.1 GJ/ha from this grassland. The use of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, lime and growth enhancer has a positive impact on the DM yield, soil fertility, and EY of temporary legume-grass grasslands. This combined fertilizer yields 6.65 t/ha DM and 260.3 GJ/ha of EY. Grasslands for the accumulation of total EY used 91-96% of energy from renewable, that is, natural factors provide a positive balance of energy in the Earth biosphere processes.

Waste from apple juice and cider industries (pomace) compares poorly against spent grains and other relatively high-nutrient wastes as a substrate for bioconversion by the black soldier fly (BSF: Hermetia illucens). However, global pomace production exceeds 24 million tonnes annually and novel management approaches are required to reduce waste to landfill. We examined the effects of BSF inoculation densities (intraspecific competition) and larval size categories on cohort weight gains and apple pomace waste reduction. We found that, by increasing larval densities, cohort biomass and bioconversion rates (BRs) increased; however, at very high densities (overcrowding), BRs declined and cohorts lost weight. Furthermore, larger larval size classes accelerated substrate desiccation, possibly because of greater demands for water by older larvae. Larger larvae have slower relative growth rates and BRs compared to smaller size categories and require comparatively less dry weight substrate. Our results suggest that overcrowding on low-nutrient substrates reduces BRs and could exaggerate differences between BSF relative performances in comparative studies, particularly if intraspecific interference competition for space and exploitation competition for water diminish BSF weight returns at the end of the bioconversion cycle. We make a series of recommendations for the use of BSF in pomace waste reduction.

The American landscape is well defined by the presence of turfgrass. To maintain the lush, green carpet, irrigation, fertilizer, and other necessary inputs are required. When these inputs are excessively applied, which is not uncommon, they are harmful to the natural environment. To mitigate potential adverse impacts, local and state governments are interested in policies that incentivize homeowners to maintain their lawns sustainably. But are there homeowners who are environmentally conscious and are willing to minimize their use of fertilizers or water? In this study, we evaluate the Floridian homeowners’ preferences for high- and low-level inputs of irrigation water and fertilizer using latent class logit (LCL) regression models based on data collected from an online choice experiment survey. Results indicated that there are heterogeneous preferences for the level of irrigation water and fertilizer application by Floridian homeowners, including high-input users (33% of the sample), irrigation-conscious users (27%), fertilizer-conscious users (23%), and moderate-input users (17%). The policy and marketing implications for relevant stakeholders are discussed.

Flue-gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum, a byproduct of coal-fired electrical utility plants, has been shown to effectively reduce phosphorus (P) leaching in many agricultural systems. However, its applications in horticultural production systems have been insufficiently researched resulting in limited industry adoption. To evaluate the efficacy of FGD gypsum to reduce P leaching in horticultural media, pine bark substrates were amended with FGD gypsum at 2.5, 5, and 10% (v/v). In accordance with industry practice, controlled release fertilizer (19N-3P-10K) was amply incorporated into all potting media treatments to support primary nutrient sufficiency of transplanted stock. The greatest P leaching occurred in the control substrates containing only pine bark and fertilizer. The standard pine bark substrate treatment, containing lime and micronutrients, reduced total P leaching by 35% and should be considered a best management practice. The addition of FGD gypsum at 2.5, 5, and 10% (v/v) reduced the total P collected in leachate by 47, 59, and 70%, respectively. Gypsum amendments increased potassium leachate concentrations but elevated potassium levels normalized after ~20 days. With little to no effect on substrate physical properties or pH, pine bark substrates can be amended with FGD gypsum to effectively reduce P leaching in short-term crops.

The study was aimed to evaluate the effect of successive applications of increasing biochar rates along with other mineral fertilizers and poultry manure on onion nutrition and yield. The experiment consisted of 2 (agricultural year) × 11 (treatments) factorial combinations over two cropping years (2017 and 2018). Thus, 11 treatments were tested as follows: C = control; MF = mineral fertilizer; PM = poultry manure; B1+ MF = 1 Mg ha−1 of biochar+MF; B1+ PM = 1 Mg ha−1 of biochar+PM; B2+ MF = 2 Mg ha−1 of biochar+MF; B2+ PM = 2 Mg ha−1 of biochar+PM; B4+ MF = 4 Mg ha−1 of biochar+MF; B4+ PM = 4 Mg ha−1 of biochar+PM; B10+ MF = 10 Mg ha−1 of biochar+MF; B10+ PM = 10 Mg ha−1 of biochar+PM. The highest onion yield (39.9 Mg ha−1) was obtained in 2017 with the biochar rate of 5.9 Mg ha−1 while an increase of 308 kg ha−1 in onion yield was found for each Mg ha−1 of biochar added to soil in 2018. The use of biochar combined with mineral fertilizers increased onion yield; and the use of biochar combined with poultry manure improved soil fertility status.

BACKGROUND Foliar application of highly concentrated ZnSO4 fertilizer improves Zn biofortification in wheat grains. However, excess ZnSO4 ·7H2 O concentration (≥ 5 g kg-1 , w v-1 ) has been associated with leaf burn and yield loss, necessitating the need for Zn sources with high threshold concentration. Therefore, the aim of this study, based on a 2-year field experiment conducted on wheat cultivated in acidic and alkaline soil, was to identify a suitable Zn formulation with a high Zn concentration or efficient adjuvant to achieve optimal Zn biofortification levels without compromising agronomic performance. RESULTS There was a continued increase in the Zn concentration of wheat grains and a decrease in grain yield with an increase in the concentration of the Zn foliar sprays in both soil types examined. Wheats treated with chelated Zn foliar sprays (ZnGly and ZnEDTA) had less foliar injury compared with those treated with unchelated Zn fertilizers. Furthermore, respective of wheat cultivars and soil types, ZnEDTA applied to wheat at a concentration of 10 g kg-1 achieved the highest grain Zn concentration without negatively affecting the wheat performance. Adjuvant type and concentration caused no significant variation in grain Zn concentration. CONCLUSION Overall, without foliar burn, wheat treated with 10 g kg-1 ZnEDTA foliar spray had the best performance with regards to grain Zn concentration and grain yield, which could have considerable implications for Zn biofortification of wheat grain. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

BACKGROUND Rapeseed (Brassica napus) is highly sensitive to nitrogen (N) and boron (B) deficiency; however, the synergistic effects of these elements on rapeseed production are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of co-application of N and B on seed yield, N uptake and N use efficiency (NUE) of rapeseed. Three rapeseed cultivars (W10, ZS11 and HG) were treated with different N and B application rates, and the seed yield, N uptake and NUE were examined in two-year field experiments. RESULTS The application of B fertilizer (4.5, 9 kg borax ha-1 ) improved N uptake, NUE and seed yield. However, the magnitude of increase in seed yield by B fertilization was dependent upon the rate of N supply and genotype. The benefit of B was much greater at 180 kg N ha-1 than at 0, 60 kg N ha-1 . The combination of N and B also improved N remobilization from sources (stems and husks) to sinks (seeds) and increased N recovery efficiency (NRE). Compared with the B-inefficient cultivar W10, the B-efficient cultivars ZS11 and HG were superior in growth, seed yield, N uptake and NUE on B deficient soils. Furthermore, B-efficient cultivars showed great potential in saving N input, and the yield increased by more than 40% under B deficiency conditions. CONCLUSION This study highlights a markedly synergistic effect of N and B nutrition on rapeseed NUE and yield production and shows that B-efficient genotypes can increase yield and reduce N inputs under B-deficient conditions. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Under small and marginal farm conditions, allocation of land exclusively for forages is not possible. Hence, integration of forages in existing crop geometry can ensure production of grain and fodder, simultaneously under rainfed conditions. A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of different nutrient management practices on rice and fodder intercropping systems under rainfed conditions during 2015–2017. The intercropping system comprised (i) sole rice (R), (ii) rice and cowpea (5:2) (CP) and (iii) rice and ricebean (5:2) (RB) whereas the different nutrient management practices comprised (i) application of farm yard manure (FYM) at 5 t ha–1 (farmers’ practice) (N1), (ii) application of inorganic fertilizer (recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) of rice, 60:30:30 kg ha–1 of N:P2O5:K2O) (N2) and (iii) application of both FYM at 5 t ha–1 and 50% of RDF inorganic fertilizer (N3). The results of the experiment revealed that the growth attribute such as leaf area was influenced significantly when fodder crops were taken as intercrops because rice plant was getting more nitrogen from soil due to nitrogen fixation of leguminous fodder crops. Among the nutrient management practices, significant differences in leaf area were found beween N2 and N1, and between N3 and N1 treatments. However, regarding total number of effective tillers, significant differences were found neither between nutrient management practices nor between cropping systems. The rice equivalent yield (REY) based on price (REYP) was found to be significantly lower in CP (2 615 kg ha–1; –6.4%) and RB intercropping systems (2 571 kg ha–1; –8.0%) than in R monocropping system (2 794 kg ha–1). However, the REY based on energy (REYE) of CP (2 999 kg ha–1; +7.3%) and RB (2 960 kg ha–1; +5.9%) were found to be significantly higher than that of R (2 794 kg ha–1) irrespective of nutrient management practices. Between different nutrient management practices, the N3 treatment recorded the highest REYP and REYE which was at par with the N2 treatment and significantly higher than the N1 treatment irrespective of cropping systems. The combined application of both organic and inorganic sources of nutrients helped to supply nutrients throughout the growing season, which led to improved growth parameters and rice yield. The R monocropping system resulted in more income and rain water use efficiency (RWUE) closely followed by rice and fodder intercropping systems. However, the REYE and energy use efficiency (EUE) of rice and fodder intercropping systems were higher than those of R. Also, fodder helped to meet the requirement of cattle feeding in the off-season. Hence, the intercropping system is advocated in the study zone. Further study can be done on ecosystem services and carbon sequestration potential of the intercropping system, as well as the system’s coping ability in response to short drought through observing periodic soil moisture regime in root zone.

Horticultural systems, specifically vegetable production systems, are considered intensive agricultural systems as they are characterized by high nitrogen (N) fertilizer application rate, frequent tillage, and irrigation operations. Accordingly, horticultural production in temperate climates is prone to N losses — mainly during post-harvest (during fall and winter) or pre-plant (spring) periods — such as N2O emissions and nitrate leaching. The risk for N losses is linked to low crop N use efficiency (NUE) combined with a narrow C:N and high N content of crop residues. Here we reviewed the studies conducted in Canada and similar climates to better understand the risk of N2O emission and potential agronomic management strategies to reduce N2O emissions from horticultural systems. Current knowledge on N2O emissions from horticultural systems indicate that increasing crop NUE, modifying the amount, type, time, and rate of N fertilizer inputs, and adopting cover crops in crop rotations are some of the effective approaches to decrease N2O emissions. However, there is uncertainty related to the efficiency of the existing N2O mitigation strategies due to the complex interactions between the factors (soil characteristics, type of plant species, climatic conditions, and soil microbial activity) responsible for N2O production from soil. Little research on N2O emissions from Canadian horticultural systems limits our ability to understand and manage the soil N2O production processes to mitigate the risk of N2O emissions. Thus, continuing to expand this line of research will help to advance the sustainability of Canadian horticultural cropping systems.

Deep placement of nitrogen fertilizer is a key strategy for improving nitrogen use efficiency. A two-year field experiment was conducted during the early rice growing seasons (March–July) of 2016 and 2017. The experimental treatments comprised two rice cultivars: Wufengyou 615 (WFY 615) and Yuxiangyouzhan (YXYZ), and three N treatments: mechanical deep placement of all fertilizers as basal dose at 10 cm soil depth (one-time deep-placement fertilization, namely OTDP fertilization); manual surface broadcast (the common farmer practice) of 40% N fertilizer at one day before sowing (basal fertilizer) followed by broadcast application of 30% each at tillering and panicle initiation stages; and no fertilizer application at any growth stage as a control. One-time deep-placement fertilization increased grain yield of both rice cultivars by 11.8%–19.6%, total nitrogen accumulation by 10.3%–13.1%, nitrogen grain production efficiency by 29.7%–31.5%, nitrogen harvest index by 27.8%–30.0%, nitrogen agronomic efficiency by 71.3%–77.2%, and nitrogen recovery efficiency by 42.4%–56.7% for both rice cultivars, compared with the multiple-broadcast treatment. One-time deep-placement fertilization reduced CH4-induced global warming potential (GWP) by 20.7%–25.3%, N2O-induced GWP by 7.2%–12.3%, and total GWP by 14.7%–22.9% for both rice cultivars relative to the multiple-broadcast treatment. The activities of glutamine synthetase and nitrate reductase were increased at both panicle-initiation and heading stages in both rice cultivars following one-time deep-placement fertilization treatment. Larger leaf area index at heading stage and more favorable root morphological traits expressed as larger total root length, mean root diameter, and total root volume per hill were also observed. One-time deep-placement fertilization could be an effective strategy for increasing grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency and lowering greenhouse-gas emissions under mechanical direct-seeded cropping systems.

Increased grain yield (GY) and grain protein concentration (GPC) are the two main targets of efforts to improve wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production in the North China Plain (NCP). We conducted a three-year field experiment in the 2014–2017 winter wheat growing seasons to compare the effects of conventional irrigation practice (CI) and micro-sprinkling irrigation combined with nitrogen (N) fertilizer (MSI) on GY, GPC, and protein yield (PY). Across the three years, GY, GPC, and PY increased by 10.5%–16.7%, 5.4%–8.0%, and 18.8%–24.6%, respectively, under MSI relative to CI. The higher GY under MSI was due primarily to increased thousand-kernel weight (TKW). The chlorophyll content of leaves was higher under MSI during the mid–late grain filling period, increasing the contribution of post-anthesis dry matter accumulation to GY, with consequent increases in total dry matter accumulation and harvest index compared to CI. During the mid–late grain filling period, the canopy temperature was markedly lower and the relative humidity was higher under MSI than under CI. The duration and rate of filling during the mid–late grain filling period were also higher under MSI than CI, resulting in higher TKW. MSI increased the contribution of post-anthesis N accumulation to grain N but reduced the pre-anthesis remobilization of N in leaves, the primary site of photosynthetic activity, possibly helping maintain photosynthate production in leaves during grain filling. Total N at maturity was higher under MSI than CI, although there was little difference in N harvest index. The higher GPC under MSI than under CI was due to a larger increase in grain N accumulation than in GY. Overall, MSI simultaneously increased both GY and GPC in winter wheat grown in the NCP.

Intercropping of maize (Zea mays L.) and peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) often results in greater yields than the respective sole crops. However, there is limited knowledge of aboveground and belowground interspecific interactions between maize and peanut in field. A two-year field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of interspecific interactions on plant growth and grain yield for a peanut/maize intercropping system under different nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) levels. The method of root separation was employed to differentiate belowground from aboveground interspecific interactions. We observed that the global interspecific interaction effect on the shoot biomass of the intercropping system decreased with the coexistence period, and belowground interaction contributed more than aboveground interaction to advantages of the intercropping in terms of shoot biomass and grain yield. There was a positive effect from aboveground and belowground interspecific interactions on crop plant growth in the intercropping system, except that aboveground interaction had a negative effect on peanut during the late coexistence period. The advantage of intercropping on grain came mainly from increased maize yield (means 95%) due to aboveground interspecific competition for light and belowground interaction (61%72% vs. 28%-39% in fertilizer treatments). There was a negative effect on grain yield from aboveground interaction for peanut, but belowground interspecific interaction positively affected peanut grain yield. The supply of N, P, or N + P increased grain yield of intercropped maize and the contribution from aboveground interspecific interaction. Our study suggests that the advantages of peanut/maize intercropping for yield mainly comes from aboveground interspecific competition for maize and belowground interspecific facilitation for peanut, and their respective yield can be enhanced by N and P. These findings are important for managing the intercropping system and optimizing the benefits from using this system. (C) 2021 Crop Science Society of China and Institute of Crop Science, CAAS. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.

The recovery of sludge produced in the wastewater treatment process in WWTPs is often limited by the high content of toxic forms of contaminants of both an inorganic and organic nature. One of the options for the effective treatment of the world’s ever-increasing quantities of sewage sludge is the pyrolysis process. Thermochemical conversion of sewage sludge is emerging as a promising method for treating these heterogeneous and highly complex wastes with increasing research work. Pyrolysis-treated sewage sludge (PM) prepared at 603–615 °C was characterized by pH, EC, and CHN-S analysis; total and bioavailable concentrations of P and heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Fe and Zn); fractionation of bound forms of P and heavy metals in the material and determination of the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The studied material was subjected to ecotoxicological tests (Daphnia pulex L.) and cultivation tests (Lactuca sativa L.). Elemental analysis revealed the concentrations of heavy metals in PM: Fe (137,600 mg/kg), Zn (2602 mg/kg), Cu (582 mg/kg), Cr (107 mg/kg), Pb (87 mg/kg), Ni (67 mg/kg), As (

Plant biomass in the form of waste materials and by-products from various industries can be a valuable material for the production of composts and growing media for urban gardening. In this study, pulp and paper mill sludge, fruit-vegetable waste, mushroom spent substrate and rye straw were used to produce compost that was further used as a medium component in container cultivation of tomato. The plants were grown in containers with a capacity of 3 dm3 filled with three types of compost-based growing media supplemented with high peat, fen peat, pine bark and wood fiber. The tomato plants grown in 100% peat substrate served as controls. The plants grown in the compost-enriched media had a higher leaf greening index and percentage of ripe fruit, and exhibited an increased content of total polyphenols and flavonoids, potassium, calcium, magnesium and copper in fruit as compared with the control. The tomatoes grown in a medium consisting of 25% compost, 30% high peat, 15% low peat, 20% pine bark and 10% wood fiber reached the highest fresh fruit weight, total polyphenol content and L-ascorbic acid levels. This study demonstrated that the compost produced from natural materials from various sources was a valuable potting medium supplement with positive effects on tomato yield and nutritional value.

A factorial experiment consisting of three factors, namely six fertilizer doses including different combinations of potassium (K) and silicon (Si) along with nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) and the control (NP100 [control], NP100 + K100, NP100 + Si100, NP100 + K75 + Si25, NP100 + K50 + Si50, NP100 + K25 + Si75), three soil water potential levels (0, –15, –30 kPa), and two cultivation methods (wet direct seeding, transplanting), was conducted to evaluate the response of rice in terms of growth, physiological traits, yield, and water productivity. The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design with three replications and the data were collected on selective growth parameters, physiological traits, yield components, and grain yield of rice. Supplementing N and P with only K (NP100 + K100) helped in alleviating the harmful effect of water-deficit stress, and resulted in 11%, 8%, 47%, 40%, 40%, and 42% higher leaf greenness, leaf relative water content, net photosynthetic rate, free proline content (wet direct-seeded plants), grain yield (wet direct-seeded plants), and water productivity, respectively, than NP100 at – 30 kPa, while transpiration rate was reduced by 22% for the same treatment combinations. Silicon supplementation either with NP100 alone or in combination with different proportions of K also promoted rice growth, physiological traits, and grain yield; however, the response of rice was largely similar among different K and Si combinations, except for NP100 + K25 + Si75. Inclusion of K and Si with N and P in a fertilizer management program where the share of K is at least 50% could be a promising approach to minimize the harmful impact of water-deficit stress in rice cultivated through either wet direct seeding or transplanting method.

In the context of black soldier fly (BSF) rearing, often the residues from production — mainly faeces but also undigested substrate — are addressed as frass in a broader sense. As BSF production is expanding, the valorization of BSF frass as organic fertilizer is gaining importance. However, in contrast to established organic fertilizers, little is known on the properties and variation of this by-product, which is essential for assessing possible application purposes. To elaborate a first overview on this relatively new waste stream, BSF frass analyses from the literature and anonymized frass analyses enquired from BSF producers were compiled. For a possible agricultural use as a fertilizer, their nutrient patterns were assessed. With a balanced nitrogen:phosphorous pentoxide:potassium oxide (N:P2O5:K2O) ratio of 1:0.9:1.1, BSF frass can be characterized as a slightly alkaline (pH 7.5), nutrient-rich compound fertilizer, with the nutrient and especially the micronutrient contents showing high variation. The comparably high carbon-to-nitrogen ratio and low shares of ammonium nitrogen indicate a limited immediate nutrient release and point to possible applications of frass as a long-term fertilizer. The use of frass as an organic fertilizer as one element in a fertilization strategy is promising. By improving nutrient cycling back to the field, BSF frass can represent an important element of sustainable circular agriculture. However, more information on BSF feed and production systems needs to be combined with the nutrient analyses to better understand the variation in frass nutrient contents.

Made available in DSpace on 2022-04-28T19:47:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2022-03-01 Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG) The use of biosolids in agriculture contributes to soil fertility and plant nutrition. However, the presence of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) can limit its use as a fertilizer. In this context, we propose to evaluate PTEs bioaccumulation in lettuce and soil fertility treated with biosolid. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with five replications. The treatments consisted of five doses of biosolids (0, 20, 40, 60, and 80 t ha−1) in an Oxisol. The fresh and dry matter of the aerial part and root of lettuce, PTEs concentration in the leaves of lettuce, and the soil chemical fertility after the application of the biosolid were determined. The biosolid application increased soil fertility, enhance soil pH, cation exchange capacity, and organic carbon concentration, providing greater production of lettuce fresh matter (121 g per plant at a dose of 67 t ha−1). With the increment of biosolid doses, a reduction in the concentration of As, Cr, Cu, Ni, Se, and Zn in lettuce leaves was observed. There was a negative correlation between the PTEs concentration in the plants and the soil attributes, which represents a reduction in the PTEs bioavailability as biosolid dose increases. However, the levels of Cd and Pb were above the limit established by Brazilian resolution for consumption, with or without biosolid application, indicating a high natural concentration of these elements in the soil. Biosolid increased soil fertility and lettuce production and decreased PTEs concentration in the leaves of lettuce. School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”(Unesp), SP Agrarian Science Institute Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), MG Center of Nuclear Energy in Agriculture Universidade de São Paulo (USP), SP V&V Engenharia E Meio Ambiente LTDA, MG School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”(Unesp), SP

The objective of this research was to examine how the same amount of N provided by pure or mixture composition of legume and grass affects the growth and yield of the first following crop (broccoli) and two more subsequent crops (broccoli and brachiaria grass). The first broccoli crop was fertilized with jack bean (JB) and pearl millet (PM) in the following proportions (%): control, 100JB, 75JB25PM, 50JB50PM, 25JB75M, and 100PM. The treatment residual effect was measured on a second broccoli crop and brachiaria grass, with no addition of fertilizer. Biochemical metabolism, canopy area, dry matter production, fresh matter yield, and nitrogen (N) accumulation were evaluated. In broccoli crops (first and residual), higher canopy area, fresh matter yield, dry matter, N accumulation, protein, and amino acid concentrations were detected with 100JB and 75JP25PM compared to the control. In the third crop (brachiaria grass), a greater residual effect on the dry matter and N accumulation were obtained with 25JB75PM and 100PM compared to the control. Protein, amino acids, growth, yield, dry matter production, and N accumulation reached the highest values in two successive broccoli crops when fertilized with mixtures with a higher proportion of JB. A higher residual effect is obtained in brachiaria grass fertilized with higher proportion of pearl millet.

Foliar application of fertilizers can guarantee nutrient availability to beans, leading to higher yield and seed quality. Different approaches including glycine have been used to improve mineral nutrient status of plants toward safer products and improved human health. However, limited research has been undertaken to understand the response of beans to amino Zn and Mg foliar fertilizer application in Ghana. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of zinc, magnesium, and combined zinc and magnesium foliar fertilizer application on two improved common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) varieties locally referred to as Adoye and Nsroma in the forest (Fumesua) and forest-savannah transition (Akumadan) agro-ecological zones of Ghana during the 2018 and 2019 cropping seasons. The treatments were arranged in split-plot design with the two improved common bean varieties as the main plot, and foliar fertilizer options (zinc, 200 g/ha; magnesium, 224 g/ha; combined zinc and magnesium, 100 g/ha Zn and 112 g/ha Mg) and water spray (control) as the subplot treatments. The zinc and combined zinc and magnesium treatments had similar and significantly ( P ≤ 0.05 ) higher plant height of 37.1 cm and 38.7 cm compared to the control and magnesium treatments. The results also showed that chlorophyll content was approximately 15.6% higher in plants treated with zinc plus magnesium compared to the other treatments. Similarly, stomatal conductance was significantly ( P ≤ 0.05 ) increased by 35.6% with zinc plus magnesium treatment relative to the other treatments. The improved chlorophyll content and stomatal conductance in those treatments resulted in ∼55.3–80.6% increase in crop biomass and seed yield. Crop performance parameters such as plant height, canopy spread, and chlorophyll content were significantly higher ( P ≤ 0.05 ) at Akumadan, resulting in a greater seed yield of 1486.2 kg/ha compared to 1365.3 kg/ha at Fumesua. Combined application of zinc and magnesium appears to be a potential soil improvement strategy for common bean production in tropical soil environment of Ghana.

A better understanding of the fate of nitrogen (N) fertilizer is critical for designing appropriate N management and for evaluating the total N use efficiency under plastic mulching on farmland. A two-year field experiment was conducted to determine the effects of manure and plastic mulching on the fate of 15 N-labelled urea. Urea was applied at the same rate to spring maize (Zea mays L.) growing in soils under three different treatments (no film mulching + mineral fertilizer, CK; film mulching + mineral fertilizer, FN; and film mulching + mineral fertilizer + cow manure, FNM) in 2018 and 2019, but 15 N-labelled urea was applied in 2018 only. FN and FNM increased the maize grain yields for both years. FN increased the total N uptake in the aboveground biomass by 20% in 2018, whereas no significant difference in 15 N uptake was observed in 2018 compared with that of the CK. The residual 15 N in the 0–1 m soil layer fell within a range of 8–20% two years later and was mostly retained in the top 0.2 m. FN and FNM significantly increased the total N uptake after two years, while the opposite trend was observed for potential N loss. The decreases in potential loss were 6% under FN and 39% under FNM. Therefore, our results indicate that plastic film mulching combined with manure application could not only increase maize grain yields and N uptake but also reduce the loss of fertilizer N, affecting the fate of urea-N in maize production.

Dracocephalum kotschyi Boiss has safe anticancer properties, and is regarded as an endangered plant in Iran. The indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers and the resulting environmental damages made it essential to shift to utilizing organic fertilizers and soil amendments for increasing the water and fertilizer efficiency in sustainable agriculture. This study aimed to investigate the changes in yield and essential oil compositions of Dracocephalum kotschyi in response to azocompost, vermicompost, nitroxin, and urea under different irrigation regimes. To investigate the effects of both nutrient inputs and water availability on yield and essential oil composition of D. kotschyi, at a semiarid site of Iran, a split-plot experiment was conducted based on a randomized complete block design with three replications in 2018–2019. The main plots were four irrigation regimes including irrigation up to field capacity after depletion of 20% (unstressed control), 40% (mild stress), 60% (moderate stress), and 80% (severe stress) soil available water. The subplots consisted of unfertilized control and four fertilizer sources (urea, nitroxin, vermicompost, and azocompost). The highest biomass was observed through vermicompost application in unstressed treatment at the third harvest (4058.9 kg ha−1). Moreover, the highest essential oil content was obtained under water deficit stress in the first harvest. The highest essential oil yield was also produced with application of vermicompost (40.90 kg ha−1) and azocompost (40.42 kg ha−1) under unstressed conditions at the third harvest. In harvest summations, urea fertilizer had the highest essential oil yield under unstressed control (75.19 kg ha−1), mild (64.79 kg ha−1), and severe (65.63 kg ha−1) stress conditions, while it was produced from nitroxin treatment under moderate stress (53.63 kg ha−1). Geraniol, dl-limonene, cis-sabinene hydrate, neral, geranial, methyl geranate, and geranyl acetate were the main components of the essential oil profile. D. kotschyi showed different responses to water availability in conjunction with various fertilizer sources. Therefore, we can say that it tries to make better response to different conditions for its survival and development by changing essential oil content and compounds. Our findings suggest that organic fertilizers, especially vermicompost, can improve soil properties and essential oil yield. Finally, based on the results of this study, urea is recommended for unstressed, mild, and severe water stress conditions, and nitroxin for moderate conditions.

espanolLa reproduccion por semilla promueve la diversidad genetica en el maguey (Agave salmiana), si la fertilizacion es la adecuada, podria incrementarse el crecimiento. En el maguey pulquero es una practica poco comun que es necesario estudiar, por lo cual los objetivos de esta investigacion fueron: 1) evaluar el efecto del abono y la fertilizacion en el crecimiento; 2) determinar la tasa de intercambio de CO2 (TIC) en dos condiciones de humedad del suelo, de tres variantes de A. salmiana (subsp. crassispina, var.salmiana y var. ferox)obtenidas de semilla yplantadas en San Bar-tolome Actopan, municipio de Temascalapa, Estado de Mexico. La hipotesis fue que las plantas tratadas con fertilizacion quimica tendran mayor crecimiento que las abonadas y el testigo; y las plantas fertilizadas y abonadas tendran mayor TIC en las dos condiciones de humedad del suelo. El diseno experimental fue completamente al azar con n=11 para variables de crecimiento, n=3 para contenido nutrimental y tasa de intercambio de CO2. El crecimiento se midio cada mes en plantas de 2.9 a 3.6 anos; la tasa de intercambio de CO2 se midio en plantas de 3.6 anos con riego y 3.75 anos con estres hidrico. El abono con cerdaza favo-recio la altura, el diametro de la planta y el numero de pencas. La subespecie crassispina mostro los valores mas altos en las variables evaluadas y A. salmiana var. salmiana cultivada con fertilizacion destaco por los hijuelos emitidos. La tasa maxima de intercambio de CO2 ocurrio entre las 22:00 y 02:00 h y fue mayor en plantas con humedad abundante en el suelo (riego) que en las plantas con humedad por debajo de marchitez permanente (PMP); en esta ultima condicion, las plantas abonadas y fertilizadas tuvieron 60% mas de asimilacion que en el testigo EnglishReproduction by seed promotes genetic diversity in maguey (Agave salmiana), and if fertilization is adequate, it can increase growth. In pulque maguey, although reproduction by seed is not a common practice, its study is necessary. For this reason, the objectives of this study were 1) to evaluate the effect of organic and chemical fertilization on growth and 2) to determine the CO2 exchange rate (CER) in two conditions of soil moisture in three variants of A. salmiana (subsp. crassispina, var. salmiana andvar. ferox) obtained from seed in San Bartolome Actopan, municipality of Temascalapa, State of Mexico. The hypothesis was that plants treated with chemical fertilizer will have greater growth than those treated with organic fertilizer and the control, and plants fertilized with organic and chemical fertilizer will have a higher CER in two conditions of soil moisture. The experimental design was completely randomized with n=11 for growth variables, n=3 for nutrient content and CO2 exchange rate. Growth was measured every month in 2.9- to 3.6-year-old plants, and CO2 exchange rate was measured in 3.6-year-old plants with irrigation and in 3.75-year-old plants under water stress. Organic fertilizer from pig manure favored plant height and diameter and number of leaves. The subespecies crassispina had the highest values of the evaluated variables, and A. salmiana var. salmiana cultivated with chemical fertilization was outstanding for the number of shoots emitted. The highest CO2 exchange rate occurred between 22:00 and 02:00 h and was higher in plants with abundant soil moisture (irrigated) than in plants with moisture below permanent wilting point. In the latter condition, the plants grown with organic and chemical fertilizer assimilated 60% more CO2 than the control.

Optical sensors have grown in popularity for estimating plant health, and they form the basis of midseason yield estimations and nitrogen (N) fertilizer recommendations, such as the Oklahoma State University (OSU) nitrogen fertilization optimization algorithm (NFOA). That algorithm uses measurements of normalized difference vegetative index (NDVI), yet not all producers have access to the sensors required to make these measurements. In contrast, most producers have access to smartphones, which can measure fractional green canopy cover (FGCC) using the Canopeo app, but the usefulness of these measurements for midseason yield estimations remains untested. Our objectives were to (1) quantify the relationship between NDVI and FGCC, (2) assess the potential for using FGCC values in place of NDVI values in the current OSU Yield Prediction Model, and (3) compare the performance of NDVI and FGCC-based yield prediction models from the collected dataset. This project, implemented on 13 winter wheat sites over the 2019-2020 growing season, used a range of nitrogen (N) rates (0, 34, 67, 101, and 134 kg N ha−1) to provide different levels of yield. Our results indicated that while NDVI and FGCC are highly correlated (r2 = 0.76), FGCC is not suitable for direct insertion into the current yield prediction model. However, a yield prediction model derived from FGCC provided similar estimates of yield compared to NDVI (Nash Sutcliffe Efficiency = −3.3). This new FGCC-based model will give more producers access to sensor-based yield prediction and N rate recommendations.

Purpose Soil bacteria and fungi play critical roles in mediating soil nutrient cycling. Exploring the effect of fertilization on soil microbial communities is of great importance to comprehend the sustainability of agricultural ecosystem. Methods In this study, responses of the bacterial and fungal communities in the wheat rhizosphere and bulk soils to four fertilization regimes: no fertilizer (CK), 100% chemical NPK fertilizers (NPK), 50% chemical NPK fertilizers + 50% manure (NPKM), and 100% manure (OM) were investigated. Results Chemical fertilization significantly decreased the bacterial alpha-diversity, while manure fertilization maintained the bacterial diversity in both rhizosphere and bulk soils. Fertilization increased the relative abundance of the bacterial orders Flavobacteriales and Xanthomonadales by 46.0-61.6% and 36.3-59.4% compared with CK in the rhizosphere soils. Application of both chemical fertilizers and manure enhanced the bacterial network complexity and stability. Chemical fertilizer addition significantly weakened the fungal network complexity, while manure fertilization maintained the fungal network complexity and connectivity. Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes were the two prominent keystone taxa of bacterial networks in CK and NPK, while Actinobacteria was the prominent keystone taxa in NPKM and OM. In addition, Myrothecium became the keystone taxa of fungal networks induced by manure addition. Conclusions Our results suggest that soil bacteria were more sensitive than fungi to fertilization, and manure amendment was beneficial to increase soil microbial network complexity and stability. These findings provide a comprehensive understanding of how fertilization affects the productivity and sustainability of agricultural ecosystems via soil microbial communities.

The profitable production of cabbage is primarily constrained by improper irrigation and fertilizer management. A field experiment comprising of four drip irrigation levels (0%, 25%, 50%, and 75% of ASMD) and four fertilizer levels (RDF @ 150:60:90, STCR50 @ 215:115:150, STCR55 @ 258:148:203 and farmers’ conventional dose @ 92:240:240 kg NPK ha−1) was conducted on cabbage in an inceptisol during rabi season in two consecutive years. The results revealed that drip irrigation at 0% ASMD with STCR55-based fertilization produced the tallest plant (27.39 cm), greatest leaf area per plant (4208 cm2), the highest LAI (1.75), and the greatest length of head (18.86 cm), diameter of head (17.78 cm), fresh weight of head (951 g), and head yield (73.9 t ha−1). Conversely, the lowest plant height (21.34 cm), leaf area per plant (3433 cm2), LAI (1.43), length of head (15.12 cm), diameter of head (14.33 cm), fresh weight of head (722 g), and head yield (51.4 t ha−1) were produced by drip irrigation at 75% ASMD and the farmers’ conventional dose. Irrigation water at 323.44 mm through the drip system was found to be optimal for water-yield production function. Deficit irrigation at 75% ASMD with STCR55-based fertilizers recorded the highest CWP (50.13 kg m−3). The crop yield response factor (Ky) for the total crop growing period was found to be 1.19 (R2 = 0.91). The maximum FUE (0.21 t kg−1 of nutrient applied) was obtained with drip irrigation at 0% ASMD with general RDF. The moisture component (volumetric moisture content) was introduced in TYE to enhance its predictability using machine learning algorithms. Based on higher yield, CWP, FUE, and economic analysis, the imposition of drip irrigation at 0% ASMD coupled with STCR55-based fertilization may be recommended to the cabbage growers of the Indo-Gangetic inceptisols of West Bengal, India or, those in similar agro-climatic condition.

Zinc deficiency is the most common abiotic stress observed worldwide and its omission from fertilizer schedule reduces crops yields, productivity, and quality of crop produces. Zinc use efficiency is generally low (

Yield performance in cereal and legume intercropping is related to nutrient management, however, the yield response of companion crops to nitrogen (N) input is inconclusive and only limited efforts have focused on rationed phosphorous (P) fertilization. In this study, two multi-year field experiments were implemented from 2014–2019 under identical conditions. Two factors in a randomized complete block design were adopted in both experiments. In field experiment 1, the two factors included three planting patterns (mono-cropped wheat (MW), mono-cropped faba bean (MF), and wheat and faba bean intercropping (W//F)) and four N application rates (N0, 0 kg N ha–1; N1, 90 and 45 kg N ha–1 for wheat and faba beans, respectively; N2, 180 and 90 kg N ha–1 for wheat and faba beans, respectively; and N3, 270 and 135 kg N ha–1 for wheat and faba beans, respectively). In field experiment 2, the two factors included three P application rates (P0, 0 kg P2O5 ha–1; P1, 45 kg P2O5 ha–1; and P2, 90 kg P2O5 ha–1) and the same three planting patterns (MW, MF, and W//F). The yield performances of inter- and mono-cropped wheat and faba beans under different N and P application rates were analyzed and the optimal N and P rates for intercropped wheat (IW) and MW were estimated. The results revealed that intercropping favored wheat yield and was adverse to faba bean yield. Wheat yield increased by 18–26%, but faba bean yield decreased by 5–21% in W//F compared to MW and MF, respectively. The stimulated IW yield drove the yield advantage in W//F with an average land equivalent ratio (LER) of 1.12. N and P fertilization benefited IW yield, but reduced intercropped faba bean (IF) yield. Nevertheless, the partial LER of wheat (pLERwheat) decreased with increasing N application rates, and the partial LER of faba bean (pLERfaba bean) decreased with increasing P application rates. Thus, LER decreased as N input increased and tended to decline as P rates increased. IW maintained a similar yield as MW, even under reduced 40–50% N fertilizer and 30–40% P fertilizer conditions. The estimated optimum N application rates for IW and MW were 150 and 168 kg ha–1, respectively, and 63 and 62 kg ha–1 for P2O5, respectively. In conclusion, W//F exhibited yield advantages due to stimulated IW yield, but the intercropping yield benefit decreased as N and P inputs increased. Thus, it was concluded that modulated N and P rates could maximize the economic and ecological functions of intercropping. Based on the results, rates of 150 kg Nha–1 and 60 kg P2O5 ha–1 are recommended for IW production in southwestern China and places with similar conditions.

Tillering is an important phenological stage, which is strongly related to the yield in spike components and final grain yield during winter wheat growth. Precipitation during the fallow season (fallow precipitation) influences tillering in winter wheat on the semi-arid Chinese Loess Plateau. However, little work has been done regarding tiller number changes under various types of fertilization and amounts of fallow precipitation on a long-term scale. Effects of fallow precipitation and fertilization on tiller were investigated in a winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) system in a 28-year field study (1990 to 2017) in a semiarid agro-ecosystem. Tiller number, spike number and grain yield were measured in four fertilization conditions: control without fertilizer (CK); mineral nitrogen fertilizer alone (N); mineral phosphorus fertilizer alone (P); mineral nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer together (NP). Based on the long-term annual fallow precipitation, dry years (mean annual fallow precipitation) were distinguished. Phosphorus fertilization alone significantly increased the mean annual tiller number (23%), and the increase in tiller number was higher in wet years (29%) than in the dry years (17%). However, nitrogen fertilization alone had little effect on mean tiller number, while nitrogen and phosphorus together significantly increased mean annual tiller number (30%), mean tiller number in wet years (45%) and mean tiller number in dry years (17%). Tiller number was significantly and positively correlated with fallow precipitation in dry years for all fertilizer treatments, whereas it was weakly and either positively or negatively correlated with fallow precipitation in wet years depending on the treatment. This study found positive correlations between tiller number and fallow precipitation in the CK and NP treatments, and it found negative correlations between tiller number and fallow precipitation in the treatments with nitrogen fertilization alone or phosphorous fertilization alone in wet years. Understanding the impacts of fallow precipitation and fertilization on tiller development shed light on ways to improve crop production in rain-fed agricultural regions.

Fertilizer application and tillage practices have been found to influence root growth and soil properties. The objectives of the current study were to assess the response of early season root growt...

The application of controlled-release fertilizer was an effective measure to improve the fertilizers utilization, increase yield, and reduce environmental pollution. This study aimed to explore the effects of application times and frequency and fertilization ratio of controlled-release compound fertilizer with different nutrient release periods on apple production. The experimental design consisted of controlled-release compound fertilizers with nutrient release period of 3 months (C3), controlled-release compound fertilizers with nutrient release period of 6 months (C6), and common compound fertilizer (CCF). The treatments included (1) one-time application of C6 in March (B-C6); (2) one-time application of C6 in October (H-C6); (3) one-time application of 50% C3 and 50% C6 in March (B-(50C3 + 50C6)); (4) one-time application of 70% C3 and 30% C6 in March (B-(70C3 + 30C6)); (5) common compound fertilizer (CCF) with one-time application of CCF in March (B-CCF); and (6) common compound fertilizer with three-time application of CCF in March, June, and October (CT). The index of apple yield, apple tree growth index, fruit quality, and soil nutrient status were evaluated in 2-year filed production system. The results indicated that the treatment of B-(50C3 + 50C6) significantly improved the growth of apple trees on trunk diameter, plant height, new shoot growth and chlorophyll content, and the apple yield increased by 8.82%. By comprehensive comparison of yield, soil nutrients, and fruit tree growth indexes, the treatment with (B-(50C3 + 50C6)) was considered to be the best controlled-release fertilizer application method.

Poor and variable crop responses to fertilizer applications constitute a production risk and may pose a barrier to fertilizer adoption in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Attempts to measure response variability and quantify the prevalence of non-response empirically are complicated by the fact that data from on-farm fertilizer trials generally include diverse nutrients and do not include on-site replications. The first aspect limits the extent to which different studies can be combined and compared, while the second does not allow to distinguish actual field-level response variability from experimental error and other residual variations. In this study, we assembled datasets from 41 on-farm fertilizer response trials on cereals and legumes across 11 countries, representing different nutrient applications, to assess response variability and quantify the frequency of occurrence of non-response to fertilizers. Using two approaches to account for residual variation, we estimated non-response, defined here as a zero agronomic response to fertilizer in a given year, to be relatively rare, affecting 0–1 and 7–16% of fields on average for cereals and legumes respectively. The magnitude of response could not be explained by climatic and selected topsoil variables, suggesting that much of the observed variation may relate to unpredictable seasonal and/or local conditions. This implies that, despite demonstrable spatial bias in our sample of trials, the estimated proportion of non-response may be representative for other agro-ecologies across SSA. Under the latter assumption, we estimated that roughly 260,000 ha of cereals and 3,240,000 ha of legumes could be expected to be non-responsive in any particular year.

Enhancing agricultural and environmental benefits of biochar through physical, chemical, or thermal modifications is frequently employed, but information on the concentration, transformation rate, and half-life of available phosphorus (P) in chemically modified-biochar amended P-fertilized calcareous soils is yet lacking. For this reason, we investigated here the effect of citric acid–modified biochar (CAMB) derived from low-ash agricultural wastes (wheat straw) on P transformation and changes in its plant availability indices in a calcareous sandy soil. An incubation experiment comprising three biochar treatments, viz. control (CK, unamended soil), soil amended with 4% CAMB (CAMB1), and soil amended with 8% CAMB (CAMB2), was conducted under laboratory conditions. The soil samples were incubated at 80% soil moisture (v/w) for 9, 18, 27, 36, 46, and 54 d at 25 ± 1 °C, and Olsen-P was measured after each incubation period. Soil pH and EC were also measured after 9 and 54 days of incubation. To describe the release of P and to determine its rate of transformation, first-order equation, parabolic diffusion, power function, and simple Elovich were used. Parabolic equation exhibited a good ability to describe the decrease in P release in soil (0.82 R2 and 0.2 SE). Plant available P in CAMB-amended soil was substantially higher than the unamended soil. The lower pH and P transformation rate indices and the release of available P for a more extended period were found in CAMB-amended soils. The half-life of available P in the CAMB-amended soils exceeded 80% over unamended soil. The rate of P diffusion in CAMB-amended soils was lower (0.05–0.06 day−1) than the unamended soil (0.2 day−1). Integrated use of citric acid–modified biochar with inorganic P in calcareous sandy soil acts as a slow-release fertilizer, has a low cost, and is a clean alternative to mineral fertilization.

Phosphorus (P) is an essential macronutrient required for the survival and reproduction of all living organisms. Its inorganic form (Pi) is taken up by the roots to support plant growth and development, and its availability directly determines agricultural productivity. The primary source of P replenishment in agriculture is chemical phosphate (Pi) fertilizers. While application of Pi-fertilizers to croplands ensures high yield agriculture, its intensive use leads to several environmental implications, including loss of soil fertility and pollution of water bodies with runoff fertilizer. Global non-renewable P-reserves are finite and would last for only a few hundred years. Therefore, a holistic approach is needed to combine Pi-use efficient germplasm with the targeted fertilization, agronomically superior fertilizer formulations for better P-management. The latest technologies to reclaim Pi from alternative sources need to be explored. In the present review, we first outline the challenges and environmental consequences of Pi-intensive fertilization, followed by plants' response and adaptive strategies to Pi starvation. Next, we discuss the role of microbes and Pi-nanofertilizer to plant Pi nutrition. Finally, a few cutting-edge technologies and innovative solutions available for reclaiming Pi from waste are argued.

Background and Objective: Justicia gendarussa (family Acanthaceae) is regarded as a medicinal plant valued for its beneficial pharmacological activities. A polybag experiment has been conducted at Bogor (Indonesia) to determine the effects on growth, photosynthetic and yield of various NPK ratios and manure fertilizer application in J. gendarussa. Materials and Methods: Six treatments (control: 50 g/plant manure, NPK (1.1 g/plant N:0.7 g/plant P2O5 and 0.6 g/plant K), 50+50%/plant (manure+NPK), 10+50%/plant (manure+NPK) and 50+10%/plant (manure+NPK) were performed in a randomized complete block design. Data of individual plants were extracted from various treatments: plant height, number of leaves, number of branches, chlorophyll content, photosynthetic parameters, yield and sugar content were collected. Results: The plant treated with 10+50%/plant (manure+NPK) demonstrated a statistically significant increase in plant height, number of leaves and number of branches with the value of 59.00 cm, 85.00 per plant and 9.50 per plant, respectively. Chlorophyll a (0.538 mg g1 FW), chlorophyll b (0.192 mg g1 FW) and total chlorophyll (0.730 mg g1 FW) were significantly improved by the treatment of NPK fertilizer. The application of manure and NPK at (50+50%) and (50+10%) was significantly increased stomatal conductance and transpiration rate, respectively. Leaves yield (9 g/plant DW) was improved by the application of 10+50%/plant (manure+NPK) fertilizer. The highest sugar content was obtained from J. gendarussa growth with 50+50%/plant (manure+NPK) followed by 10+50% plant (manure+NPK) fertilizer. Conclusion: The J. gendarussa plants could benefit from combined manure and NPK fertilizer application in growth, stomatal conductance, intercellular CO2 concentration, transpiration rate, leaves yield and sugar content.

The nitrous oxide (N2O) reductase gene (nosZ) control the last step of denitrification, thus affect N2O emissions. However, our understanding of seasonal dynamics of nosZ-denitrifying bacteria community under different fertilization regimes in rice paddy field remains limited. Here, the nosZ community abundance, diversity, and structure were investigated across two rice seasons of double-rice cropping system under four fertilization regimes: no nitrogen fertilization (NF), inorganic fertilization (CF, urea), organic fertilization (CM, Chinese milk vetch), and organic–inorganic mixed fertilizer (CMCF). Fertilization addition but not seasonal change significantly influenced nosZ abundance. Compared with NF, CM reduced nosZ abundance by 47% while CF increased nosZ abundance by 74% in early rice, and CMCF increased nosZ abundance by 44% in late rice. Moreover, Shannon index of nosZ changed with both fertilization and seasonal change. Specifically, Shannon index in early rice was higher than that in late rice, while Shannon index of nosZ with CM treatment was significantly lower than that of the CF and CMCF treatments in early rice. In addition, PCoA showed that both fertilization and seasonal change drive changes in the nosZ community, but fertilization resulted in less variation in relative abundance of dominant OTUs in early rice, while most changes occurred in late rice. RDA and Pearson correlation analysis indicated that soil NO3−-N was the main factor in shaping nosZ communities. Our study demonstrated that both the seasonal change and fertilization played a decisive role in shaping nosZ community in double-rice cropping systems.