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Sewage sludge contains plant nutrients and organic matter in its composition, making it a potential partial substitute for mineral fertilizers if it meets environmental, agronomic, and sanitary standards. The objective was to evaluate the content of nutrients and heavy metals in the sludge generated in four wastewater treatment stations (WWTPs) in Rio de Janeiro state and assess its potential value and usefulness. The samples of 19 batches from the WTTPs Alegria, Barra da Tijuca, Ilha do Governador, and Sarapuí were analyzed. The WWTPs differ in methods and processes used for treating sewage and sludge. The total contents of C, N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Al, Na, Co, Mn, As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Se, Pb, and Zn were evaluated, as well as the ratio C/N, pH, organic matter content, and electrical conductivity. The grouping of sludge samples was assessed using principal components (PCA) and cluster analysis. The economic valuation of sludge was conducted utilizing the substitute goods method, which compared the sludge's N-P-K contents with the prices of consolidated nutrient sources. All the evaluated sludge batches exhibited concentrations of heavy metals below the limits allowed by Brazilian law, along with high levels of nutrients and organic matter. Considering the chemical characteristics, all evaluated materials showed potential for agricultural use, but it is crucial to evaluate the microbiological characteristics of sludge batches before agriculture application. PCA and cluster analysis demonstrated that sludge samples from the same WWTP clustered close to each other, demonstrating higher similarity among themselves than with samples from other WWTPs. The sludge had an average added value of U$ 88.46 per megagram, considering the total contents of N, P, and K in its composition. Land application of sewage sludge can reduce the need to purchase mineral fertilizers, thereby supporting the feasibility of reusing this material in the agricultural sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field trail was conducted in Bennubyen flood plain of Wukari, Taraba State, Nigeria to evaluate the effect of cow dung and urea on some soil properties and growth of Amarathus hybridus, The experiment was laid out in a Randomized complete block design (RCBD), with seven treatments replicated three times, T1 receives 30 t/ha, T2 received 150 kg/ha, T3 received 75kg/ha + 30 t/ha, T4 received 15 t/ha + 150 kg/ha, T5 received 15 t/ha T6 received 75 kg/ha, and T7 received no treatment and serve as the control. The pre cropping soil analysis when compared with post cropping soil analysis showed that, application of organic and inorganic fertilizers improved soil OC, OM, N %, ECEC, and available P, while decrease was observed on the pH, Zn, Cu, Mn and Fe. The results on the growth parameters and yield of Amarathus hybridus were significantly (p<0.05) improved by the applications of urea and cow dung, the highest increase was observed on the treatment with cow dung (30 t/ha), urea (150 Kg/ha) and cow dung 15 t/ha combined with urea (75kg/ha). The use of urea and cow dung is therefore essential in increasing Amaranthus hybridus yield. Since no significant difference was found at 30 t /ha of cow dung, 150kg/ha of urea and 15t/ha of cow dung and 75kg /ha of urea combined, use of cow dung at the rate of 30t/ha is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Diversitas Journal is the property of Diversitas Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of German International Journal of Modern Science / Deutsche Internationale Zeitschrift für Zeitgenössische Wissenschaft is the property of Artmedia24 and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: Euryales Semen, a medicinal herb widely utilized in Asia, faces a critical constraint in its production, primarily attributed to fertilizer utilization. Understanding the impact of different fertilization schemes on Euryales Semen (ES) planting and exploring the supporting mechanism are crucial for achieving high yield and sustainable development of the ES planting industry. Methods: In this study, a field plot experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of four different fertilization treatments on the yield and quality of ES using morphological characteristics and metabolomic changes. These treatments included a control group and three groups with different organic fertilizer to chemical fertilizer ratios (3:7, 5:5, and 7:3). The results of this study revealed the mechanisms underlying the effect of the different treatments on the yield and quality of Euryales Semen. These insights were achieved through analyses of soil physicochemical properties, soil enzyme activity, and soil microbial structure. Results: We found that the quality and yield of ES were the best at a ratio of organic fertilizer to chemical fertilizer of 7:3. The optimality of this treatment was reflected in the yield, soil available nitrogen, soil available phosphorus, and soil enzyme activity of ES. This ratio also increased soil microbial diversity, resulting in an increase and decrease in Proteobacteria and Firmicutes abundances, respectively. In addition, linear discriminant analysis showed that Chloroflexi, Gammaproteobacteria, and Hypocreales-incertae-sedis were significantly enriched in the ratio of organic fertilizer to chemical fertilizer of 7:3. Variance partitioning analysis showed that the soil properties, enzyme activities, and their interactions cumulatively can explain 90.80% of the differences in Euryales Semen yield and metabolome. In general, blending organic and chemical fertilizers at a 7:3 ratio can enhance soil fertility, boost Euryales Semen yield and quality, and bring forth conditions that are agriculturally beneficial to microbial (bacteria and fungi) dynamics. Discussion: This study initially revealed the scientific connotation of the effects of different fertilization patterns on the planting of Euryales Semen and laid a theoretical foundation for the study of green planting patterns of Euryales Semen with high quality and yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green manure application is a common practice to improve soil fertility in China. However, the impact of different green manure-fertilizer combinations on the soil microbial communities in the low-fertility immature red soil in southern China remains unclear. In this study, we conducted a pot experiment using two common green manure crops, ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and Chinese milk vetch (Astragalus sinicus L.), along with a fallow treatment. We also considered three combined fertilizer management strategies, including mineral, humic acid, and organic manure fertilizers. We evaluated the soil microbial biomass, activity, communities, functional prediction and their correlation with soil properties during green manure growth and incorporation periods, to assess the potential alterations caused by different green manure and fertilizer combinations. Our findings indicate that green manure application, particularly in combination with organic fertilizers, increased the alpha diversity of the soil bacterial community, while the opposite trend was observed in the fungal community. The application of green manure altered the soil microbial communities during both growth and incorporation periods, especially the taxa that participate in carbon, nitrogen and sulfur cycles. Notably, ryegrass significantly increased the relative abundance of bacterial phylum Firmicutes and fungal phylum Ascomycota, whereas Chinese milk vetch significantly stimulated the bacterial phylum Acidobacteria and fungal phylum Glomeromycota. Compared with fallow treatments, green manure application significantly increased the soil pH by 4.1%-12.4%, and microbial biomass carbon by 29.8%-72.9%, regardless of the types of combined fertilizer. Additionally, the application of green manure resulted in a 35.6%-142.6% increase in urease activity and a 65.9%-172.9% increase in β-glucosidase activity compared to fallow treatments, while led to a 22.5%-55.6% decrease in catalase activity. Further analysis revealed that the changes in both bacterial and fungal communities positively correlated with soil pH, soil organic matter, total nitrogen and alkali hydrolyzed nitrogen contents. Moreover, the relationship between the soil microbial community and soil enzyme activities was regulated by the specific green manure species. In conclusion, our results provide insight into the effects of different green manure-fertilizer combinations on soil microorganisms and their underlying mechanisms in improving soil fertility in the low-fertility immature red soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It was found that low humus content and low biological activity of virgin chestnut soils of Western Transbaikalia cause a low gross amount of sulfur. The distribution of sulfur along the profile gradually decreases with some accumulation in the carbonate horizon. Prolonged irrigation caused by an increase in humus content and biological activity contributed to an increase in the amount of sulfur, which practically increases with the depth of the profile. The stock of mobile sulfates irrigated in a layer of 0–20 cm was three times higher than in virgin soil (7.3 and 2.4 kg/ha, respectively); it also was 1.3 times higher in the 0–50 cm layer and 2.9 times higher in the 0–100 cm layer. According to the content and reserves of mobile sulfur, chestnut soils in a layer of 0–20 cm are classified as low-income. After 3 years of using increasing doses of sulfur fertilizers (against the background of NPK) for irrigated potatoes, the content of all forms of sulfur in the soil increased depending on the dose size. The following pattern was revealed: the amount of Sorg in the soil and the enrichment of humus with it increased with an increase in the dose and the ratio C : Sorg decreased. A negative sulfur balance was found in the control and in the background versions. The introduction of the lowest dose of S15 has already formed a positive balance, but it is necessary to apply a dose of S30 (against the background of NPK) in compliance with irrigation standards because chestnut soils are depleted of mobile sulfur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to achieve optimal yields in soybean cultivation in the Shamkir region, careful attention to fertilizer application is essential. The proper calculation of fertilizer rates based on soil analysis results is a crucial element when implementing fertilizer ratios for soybean fields. Adjusting fertilizer application according to soil nutrient levels is vital for achieving success in soybean cultivation technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies have demonstrated dose-responses of the cannabis plant to supply of macronutrients. However, further development of precision nutrition requires a high-resolution understanding of temporal trends of plant requirements for nutrients throughout the developmental progression, which is currently not available. As plant function changes during development, temporal information on nutrient uptake should be considered in relation to gradients in developmental-related physiological activity. Therefore, the present study investigated tempo-developmental trends of nutritional demands in cannabis plants, and in relation to physiological performance. Three cultivars differing in phenotype and chemotype were analyzed to evaluate genotypic variability. The results demonstrate that nutrient acquisition and deposition rates change dramatically during plant development. Uptake of individual minerals generally increased with the progression of both vegetative and reproductive development and the increase in plant biomass, while the deposition rates into the plant demonstrated nutrient specificity. The average concentrations of N, P, and K in the shoots of the different cultivars were 2.33, 4.90, and 3.32 times higher, respectively, at the termination of the reproductive growth phase, compared to the termination of the vegetative growth phase. Surprisingly, the uptake of Ca was very limited during the second part of the reproductive growth phase for two cultivars, revealing a decrease in Ca demand at this late developmental stage. Root-to-shoot translocation of most nutrients, including P, K, Mg, Mn, and Zn, as well as Na, is higher during the reproductive than the vegetative growth phase, and Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, and Na displayed very little root-to-shoot translocation. The physiological characteristics of the plants, including gas exchange parameters, membrane leakage, osmotic potential, and water use efficiency, changed over time between the vegetative and the reproductive phases and with plant maturation, demonstrating a plant-age effect. The revealed tempo-developmental changes in nutritional requirements of the cannabis plant are a powerful tool required for development of a nutritional protocol for an optimal ionome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato quality is intricately regulated by a combination of factors, including the presence of bioactive compounds referred to as secondary metabolites and various organoleptic characteristics. These attributes are notably influenced and harmonized by the specific growing conditions, with a particular emphasis on the type of fertilization employed. Traditionally, chemical fertilizers have been favored in crop cultivation due to their cost-effectiveness and ability to accelerate crop growth. However, in pursuit of sustainable and intelligent agricultural practices, there is a growing need for alternative fertilizers. In this context, the present study aimed to assess the impact of fertilizers derived from waste materials, specifically sulfur bentonite and orange residue (referred to as SB), on tomato quality. This assessment extended to examining qualitative and quantitative alterations in aroma-related volatile compounds and the antioxidant systems of tomatoes, in comparison to the conventional use of fertilizers such as horse manure (HM) and nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK). The results obtained revealed distinct effects of different fertilizers on tomato quality. Notably, parameters such as TPRO (total protein), TCARB (total carbohydrate), LIC (lycopene content), TCAR (total carotenoid content), total phenols (TPHE), total flavonoids (TFLA), and aroma profiling exhibited significantly superior values in the group treated with sulfur bentonite (SB) fertilizer. These findings strongly suggest that the novel fertilizer functioned as a biostimulant, enhancing the nutraceutical and sensory attributes of tomatoes, with a pronounced impact on the synthesis of secondary metabolites and the aroma profile of the fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fertilizer is one of the crucial inputs to maximize nutrients needed by plants, especially rice. However, insufficient ameliorant application may affect the fertilizers' effectiveness. Humic acid is believed as one of the ameliorants to improve soil conditions resulting in higher nutrient availability. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of combining humic acid and micronutrients on growth, production, and nutrient contents in rice. Three treatments were applied, i.e., control (without humic acid), humic acid, and humic acid + micronutrients. The result showed that both humic acid treatments produced the highest number of tillers, humic acid application solely stimulated the highest root length, and humic acid + micronutrients stimulated the highest plant height, and fresh and dry biomass weight. Grain weight was not affected by treatments, but humic acid + micronutrients gave a higher weight of milled grain and number of filled grains. Humic acid application solely resulted in plant biomass and grains having higher N, P, and K contents. Overall, the application of humic acid + micronutrients is recommended to increase rice production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Docks are a widespread problem in grassland, necessitating novel management solutions as pesticides become increasingly regulated. The objective was to investigate the role of soil test Potassium (K) concentrations (Morgan's solution; Na acetate + acetic acid, pH 4.8; STK) on competitiveness of docks in grassland. The experimental site (52°21 N, 7°18 W) was reseeded with perennial ryegrass in October 2009. A plot experiment was laid down in a randomised complete block design with seven rates of fertiliser K (0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 and 300 kg ha−1) and eight replicates. Dock numbers were measured over 6 years (2010–2015) and herbage production over 5 years (2012–2016). There was poor alignment between fertiliser K and STK in the early years of the study, however this alignment improved over time. While fertiliser K had no effect on dock numbers, there were positive correlations between STK early in the study and dock numbers m−2 throughout the study. Dock numbers m−2 were relatively static between 2010 and 2012 and increased substantially between 2013 and 2015. Between 2013 and 2016 there were strong inverse relationships (r > −.765; p <.001) between dock and grass herbage production. Towards the end of the study the lower annual fertiliser K inputs (0 and 50 kg ha−1) resulted in lower (p <.01) dock root and herbage production with an associated increase (p <.05) in grass herbage production. It is evident there is a threshold STK for permanent grassland infested with docks at which grass is more competitive for plant‐available soil K than the docks to the detriment of the dock component of the sward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyhalite is a hydrated sulphate evaporate mineral containing potassium, sulphur, calcium and magnesium that crops require in significant quantities but has limited evaluation as a fertilizer for sugarcane. The sugarcane crop has a high demand for potassium for better quality. To keep the above facts in mind, the present experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of polyhalite and muriate of potash (MOP) on the quality attributes of sugarcane var. Co 11015 (Atulya) in sandy loam soil at Arachalur, Erode district. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design consisting of ten treatments. The treatment included were T1 -control, T2 - 50% K as MOP, T3 - 100% K as MOP, T4 - 100% K as Polyhalite, T5 - 100% K (1:1 ratio of Polyhalite and MOP), T6 - 100% K (1:3 ratio of Polyhalite and MOP), T7 - 150% K as MOP, T8 - 150% K as Polyhalite, T9 - 150% K (1:1 ratio of Polyhalite and MOP), T10 - 150% K (1:3 ratio of Polyhalite and MOP). The application of potassium fertilizers in different levels and ratios significantly (5%) influenced the quality attributes of sugarcane. The results of the experiment revealed that the application of 150% K (169.5 kg K2O ha-1) as polyhalite (T8) recorded maximum brix, pol, purity, CCS%, and extraction% and also this treatment was recorded minimum reducing sugar and fibre%. The present experiment would be helpful to sugarcane farmers for quality improvement through the application of polyhalite as a potassium fertilizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The overall effect of reactants in the form of sulfates of ammonium, calcium, copper(II), iron(III), manganese(II) and zinc on the thermal behavior of ammonium nitrate has been reported. Thermal stability assessment was performed with the use of thermogravimetric analysis and differential thermal analysis coupled with mass spectroscopy. Interestingly, sulfate anions present in the system were often not sufficient to properly inhibit the decomposition of ammonium nitrate. Sulfate ion and cation supplied with the selected compound significantly influence the studied process. Studied mixtures with ammonium sulfate and calcium sulfate were concluded to show the highest stability. Manganese and iron sulfate salts caused a significant acceleration of the initial thermal decomposition. The addition of these compounds led to visible changes in the process mechanism, which allowed them to be classified as catalysts of the decomposition of ammonium nitrate. Furthermore, small amounts of substances in the system, even those that are generally considered to be inhibitors, worsened the thermal stability of AN. Zinc and copper sulfates, under studied conditions, created double salts that were characterized by a higher thermal stability than pure ammonium nitrate. This property indicates the possibility of obtaining systems containing ammonium nitrate with significantly higher thermal stability, what could potentially have multiple useful applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water stress poses a significant challenge for plant growth and productivity, impacting both yield and quality. With the ongoing changes in global climate, mitigating the adverse effects of water deficiency on plants has become crucial. In this study, the focus is on enhancing the tolerance of Ocimum basilicum L., a plant highly susceptible to water stress. To achieve this, in this study examined the effects of zinc fertilizer supplementation at varying rates (2.5 - 5 and 10 mg/kg) on O. basilicum grown in silty sandy soil and subjected to water stress conditions. Several parameters, including mineral uptake, morphological characteristics, total phenol and flavonoid contents, and essential oil compounds, were evaluated in sweet basil. The results revealed that water stress had a detrimental impact on the morphological properties and secondary metabolites analysed. Estragole emerged as the main compound in the essential oil analysis, with the highest concentration (69.37%) observed in the group treated with 10 mg/kg of zinc fertilizer. Conversely, the lowest concentration (66.14%) was recorded in the water-stressed group without fertilizer. Notably, the application of zinc fertilizer at concentrations of 5 and 10 mg/kg significantly ameliorated the negative effects induced by water stress. Furthermore, zinc exhibited diverse mechanisms of action concerning the uptake of other nutrients from the soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomatoes are among the most widely grown vegetable crop, with more than 5-million hectares of land dedicated to its cultivation. To enhance production, many growers use conventional fertilizers which also contribute to non-point source pollution. While there are a variety of methods used to administer fertilizers to crops, some require expensive equipment, are labor intensive, or apply fertilizers not efficiently used by plants. This study considered an alternative approach that delivered controlled-released fertilizers to tomatoes using gelatin capsules; wherein both seed and fertilizer were planted together as a single unit. The objectives were to determine if seed encapsulation altered seedling performance, while also considering the possible use of encapsulation to deliver controlled-release fertilizers. Although seed vigor tests suggest gelatin can diminish seedling performance, seed encapsulation had minimal impact on seedling emergence when planted in soils. Capsule treatments (without fertilizers) were taller than controls, and the addition of fertilizers improve plant performance, with higher fertilizer content fostering greater growth. The results suggest that seed encapsulation may be an effective way to deliver fertilizers to crop plants, and that the combination of capsules and controlled-release fertilizer could possibly lead to a reduction in the quantity of fertilizers necessary for tomato cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The birth of potash industry was 1861 in Staßfurt, Duchy of Prussia with commissioning of the first potash plant. During the mining of rock salt in Staßfurt, seams containing potassium had previously only been discovered by chance and initially treated as overburden. Until 1918, potash production was only in the German Empire with a total capacity of about 0.83 million t K. Subsequently, a successful global exploration for further potash deposits began. Large and high‐quality potash deposits are found in the Northern Hemisphere in Europe, Canada, Russia, and Belarus. From around 1950 onward, the industry began to grow strongly. In 2021, the global production was about 36 million t K. More than 90% is marketed as fertilizer, mainly potassium chloride. Feeding the world's growing population requires a safe and adequate supply of fertilizer. The potash production capacities are correspondingly high and the global supply of potassium fertilizer is secured for centuries to come. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess the performance of advanced CIMMYT wheat germplasms for yield and related traits in diverse climatic conditions of Baluchistan. The field trial, conducted during the Rabi season 2022-23 at Agriculture Research Wayaro Farm, Lasbela, employed a randomized complete block design with 14 selected wheat lines. Genotypes G8 and G14 exhibited notable characteristics, such as maximum physiological maturity and spike initiation, respectively. G13 and G5 demonstrated high values for harvest index, grain yield, flag leaf, and grain filling duration, plant height, respectively. Positive correlations were observed among grain yield, spike initiation, harvest index, biological yield, and plant height, while negative correlations were noted between physiological maturity, spike initiation, and grain filling duration. The study suggests integrating high-yielding and long-spiked lines into a recurrent selection program. Further investigations on these genotypes in larger germplasm pools are recommended to evaluate combining ability and stress resistance for potential new variety releases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objectives] This study was conducted to find out the most suitable special formula fertilizer for flue-cured tobacco production in tobacco-growing areas of Zhaotong City. so as to provide a basis for scientific fertilization and reduced application of inorganic fertilizers with improved efficiency in tobacco production in Zhaotong City. | Methods] Different formulas of special base fertilizer and special topdressing for tobacco were designed by optimizing and adjusting the application amounts and proportions of nitrogen. phosphorus. potassium and medium trace elements in fertilizer formulas. and the formulas of special base fertilizer and special topdressing for flue-cured tobacco production were selected through a field plot experiment. [Results] The combination of special base fertilizer and special top-dressing was conducive to the early growth and rapid growth of tobacco plants under the condition of reduced fertilizer application. and the treatment using organie-inorganic compound fertilizer as the special base fertilizer was the most obvious, with an average growth period of two days increased. Compared with conventional fertilization. the yield. output value, average price. proportion of superior tobacco and proportion of medium and superior tobacco increased in the Ql'ganic-inorganic compound fertilizer treatment, with the yield increasing by 5.96%. the Output value increasing by 17. 08%. thé average price increasing by 10.49%. the proportion of superior tobacco increasing by 4. 63%, and the proportion of medium and superior tobacco increasing by 2.44%. It was concluded from indexes including growth period, agronomic traits, disease incidence and economic traits, the fertilization mode of organic-inorganic compound fertilizer with the addition of trace elements (boron, magnesium and zinc) applied as the base fertilizer and nitrogen and potassium topdressing was most efficient and economic. [Conclusions] This study provides a basis for scientific fertilization and reduced application of inorganic fertilizers with improved efficiency in tobacco production in Zhaotong City. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Shenyang Agricultural University is the property of Journal of Shenyang Agricultural University Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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Copyright of Journal of Governance & Administrative Reform is the property of Universitas Airlangga and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Due to the increase in horticultural production intensive techniques are needed. These techniques generate soil degradation, since the natural recovery time between crops is insufficient. The usual way to solve this problem is the use of fertilizers, as they are effective in the short time available. Conventional fertilizers are highly soluble salts, allowing their absorption by plant roots. However, they are dumped on the soils in more quantity than plants need, thus, the excess of unassimilated nutrients contaminates both the soil and groundwater. The main objective of this work was to develop and evaluate an alternative to conventional fertilizers, creating slow-release matrices from a protein by-product to which iron was incorporated. To carry out a more complete study, iron was incorporated in concentrations of 2.5, 5.0 and 10 wt%, using two different salts: iron(II) sulfate heptahydrate (FeSO4·7H2O) and iron chelated with N,N′-ethylenediamine-bis (2-hydroxyphenyl) acetic acid (Fe-EDDHA). Several tests were performed to compare their mechanical properties, micronutrient release profile, water absorption capacity and biodegradability, as well as their final effectiveness in crops. The protein-based matrices with both salts incorporated presented good mechanical properties. However, Fe-EDDHA matrices had a greater water absorption capacity, while FeSO4·7H2O matrices were more efficient in their final application in plants and had a longer biodegradation time. In conclusion, protein-based matrices present a high potential for the slow release of iron, thereby improving crop properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Inorganic Analytical Chemistry / Zhongguo Wuji Fenxi Huaxue is the property of Beijing Research Institute of Mining & Metallurgy Technology Group and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Greenhouse vegetable production systems use excessive phosphorus (P) fertilizer. This study is set out to look into the P fractionation, mobility, and risk of P leaching in ten greenhouse soils. The mean P concentrations in leachates varied from 0.4 to 1.6 mg l−1 (mean of 30 days of soil leaching). Between 5.7 and 31.0 mg kg−1 of P was leached from soils during 30 days of column leaching. Organic matter (OM) and Olsen-extractable P (Olsen P) correlated strongly with cumulative P leached after 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 days of leaching. The high correlation between OM and Olsen P with cumulative P leached at 5 days of leaching suggests that in future leaching experiments, the leaching period should be extended to 5 days of leaching. The first two P fractions correlated significantly with the total P leached in the primary days of leaching. The pH had little effect on P leaching but had a significant impact on soluble and exchangeable P fraction, suggesting that P mobility would increase in these calcareous greenhouse vegetable soils as pH rose. The calculated change point (194 mg kg−1) was high, indicating that a high percentage (40%) of the studied greenhouse soils had exceeded the change point. In conclusion, due to the high degree of P saturation and change point in greenhouse vegetable soils, P mobilization is a significant risk, and the findings can be used to provide future direction for fertilizing greenhouse vegetable soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The frequent use of chemical fertilizers in agricultural practices has developed into a serious environmental concern which urgently needs a solution to restrain their use in agricultural systems. Hence, there is an urgent need to investigate potential organic fertilizers from various natural resources to decrease the use of chemical fertilizers. Seaweed is among the natural resources with potential sustainability value. Our previous work has shown the effectiveness of seaweed fertilizer for increasing plant growth and soil beneficial microbiota. This study aims to evaluate the functional genes present in the soil of rice plants treated with seaweed fertilization. It involves amendments with reduced concentrations of chemical fertilizer in three groups: CF (only chemical fertilizer), CFSF1 (50% dose of CF + seaweed fertilizer 1 ton/ha), and CFSF2 (50% dose of CF + seaweed fertilizer 2 ton/ha). The rice plants supplemented with CFSF1 and CFSF2 were taller and faster to mature compared to CF. In addition, the primary macronutrients nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) were also significantly higher in soil supplemented with SF. Our findings showed increased ammonia-oxidizing archaea Crenarchaeota abundance in increasing SF treatments. The PICRUSt analyses indicated enriched functional genes and proteins in relation to amino acid, nucleotide, protein, and carbohydrate metabolism based on the KEGG, BioCyc, and PFAM databases. The current outcomes enhanced our understanding regarding the importance of microbial community for soil quality. Furthermore, seaweed supplementation has shown improvement in soil fertility, which significantly increases rice plant growth and productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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BACKGROUND: Fertilizers and pesticides are commonly used simultaneously in agriculture. However, the effects of common fertilizers on the dissipation, enantioselectivity, and metabolites of the chiral insecticide fipronil in soil are yet to be reported. RESULT: An enantioselective method for detecting fipronil enantiomers and their metabolites in different soil matrices was developed using ultra‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC‐MS/MS). The results showed that organic and compound fertilizers significantly decreased the degradation of S‐ and R‐fipronil, whereas phosphate and microbial fertilizers slightly reduced fipronil dissipation. The half‐life values for S‐ and R‐fipronil were 43.3 and 28.9 days, 99.0 and 63.0 days, 69.3 and 43.3 days, 46.2 and 30.1 days, and 43.3 and 31.5 days, respectively, in the control and the four fertilizer treatments, respectively. The enantioselectivity of fipronil enantiomers occurred and R‐fipronil exhibited preferential degradation with an enantiomeric fraction (EF) of 0.4900–0.6238 in all treatments; but the four tested fertilizers decreased enantioselectivity with EF values changed from 0.4970 to 0.6238 in the control to 0.4900–0.6171 in fertilizer treatments. Two metabolites, fipronil sulfone and sulfide, were produced, and their amounts increased with culture time in all treatments. Fertilization reduced the content of fipronil sulfide and sulfone but hardly reduced the total amount of fipronil and its metabolites. CONCLUSION: Fertilizers affect the environmental behavior of fipronil in the soil. Fertilization alters the soil bacterial community, which may be an important factor. This influence is relatively complicated and should be comprehensively considered in the environmental risk assessment of pesticides. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study developed a circular application for organic substrates to enhance the ecosystem services and build a sustainable organic waste supply chain using material flow analysis (MFA). The organic substrates included 35% agricultural wastes, 51% domestic household solid waste, and 14% food waste generated from restaurants and cafeterias in Zhaoquanying, Beijing. The substrates were recovered after anaerobic digestion, solid–liquid phase separation, and composting as fertilizers. The fertilizers generated from the organic substrates in Zhaoquanying was 1090.41 t as biomass residues and 4967.43 t as biomass slurry. Also, a total of 1,863,520 Nm3 biogas was produced by anaerobic digestion. Based on the required ratio of nutrients (N, P, and K) for each crop, linear programming found a maximum potential fertilized area of 813 ha, which accounts for 48% of the total land area in Zhaoquanying currently fertilized by mineral fertilizers. The use of mineral fertilizers could be significantly reduced by improving supply chains and economic feasibilities for recycling organic substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As nutrient-rich water in aquaponic systems cannot supply growing plants with all the required trace elements, supplementation with specific fertilizers is performed to make up for this deficit. While chelated fertilizers such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid–zinc disodium complex (Zn-EDTA) are becoming more popular in this context for improving plant growth in aquaponic systems, little is known about their effects on fish. During two experiments, a total of 576 individuals of catfish fry (0.19 g) and fingerlings (220.01 g) of the African catfish (Clarias gariepinus; Burchell, 1822) were kept separately for 32 days under experimental aquarium conditions. The fry was exposed to 0.125 and 0.5 mg/L, while the fingerlings were exposed to 0.5 and 2.0 mg/L Zn-EDTA in a plantless aquaponic system. The third treatment group consisted of a control group without Zn-EDTA. The growth, mortality, and ethological indicators were assessed for all growth stages, while the leukocyte distribution and histopathological changes were additionally determined for the fingerlings. As the feed intake in the experiment was limited, the investigations were focused on the effects of Zn-EDTA and not on the growth process of a respective fish growth stage. While the growth, mortality, and behavior were not significantly different in both growing stages, the number of mature neutrophils changed significantly in all treatments in fingerlings. Zn was not detected in the histologically investigated organs at the tested concentrations using the staining method. However, morphological alterations of the gill epithelium were found on the secondary lamellae. Quantitative multiplex PCR was used to simultaneously evaluate the expression of 17 genes related to Zn metabolism and stress physiology in head kidney samples. The transcripts of several selected genes changed by up to 70-fold. Due to high individual variances, only the copy numbers of the KMT2A (lysine-specific methyltransferase 2a) gene were significantly different across treatment groups and sampling points. However, the present results indicate that the addition of Zn-EDTA at the tested concentrations can be considered relatively benign for the health and welfare of C. gariepinus, as no toxic effects of Zn-EDTA were observed in moderately hard to hard water.

IntroductionBrewers' spent grain (BSG) is the most important by-product of breweries. Currently, the primary method of recycling BSG is through its use in livestock feed production, due to its high fiber content, non-degradable protein, and water-soluble vitamins. Nonetheless, composting, vermicomposting, and biochar production pathways offer promising alternatives for managing this organic byproduct.MethodsBSG-based substrates were evaluated as bio-fertilizers for use during the transplantation of Lactuca sativa L. and without additional fertilization at the end of the crop cycle. Biochar (B), vermicompost (V), compost (CP), and compost enriched with a microbial consortium (CPE), each mixed at 2 and 4% with peat, were compared with two control treatments: 100% peat (C1) and peat with ternary chemical fertilizer (C2). The experiment was designed with six replicates, half of which were inoculated with Sclerotinia sclerotiorum mycelium during transplantation to assess the contribution of different substrates to pathogen resistance.ResultsOverall, it was found that the control treatment C2 was the most effective, yielding the greatest plant height at the seedbed stage and the best results across all parameters at harvest. The V 4%, CP 4%, and CPE 4% treatments showed similar results without significant differences compared to the control. At the end of the seedbed phase, plants treated with CP 4% and CPE 4% exhibited the most substantial root development, with statistically significant differences from all other treatments. Moreover, the CPE 4% treatment demonstrated superior performance, resulting in statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) in the chlorophyll content (α and β) and carotenoid parameters when compared to the control treatment C2. The interaction between the treatment and the pathogen was statistically significant only for the carotenoid content in the CPE 4% treatment and for the flavonoid content in most of the treatments.DiscussionThe most promising results were obtained at the nursery phase, highlighting the potential use of processed BSG-based substrates as bio-fertilizers. These products provided plants with both a growth substrate and nutrients, effectively contributing to waste recycling and aligning with the principles of a circular economy. Additional studies are required to investigate the potential use of brewer's spent grain as bio-fertilizers in other vegetable crop species.

A long-term horticultural experiment was conducted at two geographically distinct sites in southern Missouri in 2011–15 to study the response of American elderberry [Sambucus nigra (L.) subsp. canadensis (L.) Bolli] to various soil nitrogen (N) fertilizer levels. Three commercially available elderberry cultivars (‘Adams II’, ‘Bob Gordon’, and ‘Wyldewood’) were used. The three cultivars were each assigned to 16 of 48 four-plant plots in a completely randomized manner at each site. Four replications of four N fertilizer treatments (0, 56, 112, 169 kg⋅ha−1 N) were randomly assigned to each cultivar’s plots and applied for 4 years (2012–15). Fruit yields, plant growth, phenology, and pest incidence were determined each year. Fruit quality was assessed by analyzing basic juice characteristics as well as organic acids, carbohydrates, anthocyanins, and polyphenols from 2012–14 samples. Leaf tissue analysis determined the plants’ mineral contents in 2012–14. Most factors evaluated were significantly affected by site, year, and cultivar, whereas the effects of N fertilizer treatment were less definitive. Fruit yields and plant growth increased with increasing N levels. For example, plants fertilized with 0, 56, 112, and 169 kg⋅ha−1 N produced 123, 137, 155, and 161 fruiting cymes per plot (5.8 m2), respectively. The eriophyid mite incidence was higher on fertilized plants, but other pests were not influenced by the N treatment. Basic fruit juice characteristics (soluble solids, pH, titratable acidity, polyphenols) were not influenced by the N treatment, whereas total anthocyanins were statistically higher in unfertilized plants. Levels of organic acids and carbohydrates in juice varied statistically among N treatments, but patterns were difficult to discern. Leaf N concentrations were correlated with N fertilizer levels—2.75% N with the highest fertilizer level compared with 2.55% N in unfertilized plants. Leaf levels of most other macronutrients varied, but consistent patterns did not emerge, and none of the micronutrients was different among N treatments. Although elderberry plants responded positively to increased N fertilizer levels in terms of plant growth and fruit yield, genetics (cultivar) and environment (site, year) were more influential on most other experimental factors evaluated.

Assessment of carbon footprint of a crop is an important component of sustainable crop production, as it helps in framing effectual and viable crop management strategies to minimize ecosystem tampering. Thus, in present investigation carbon footprint of potato production system in different agro-climatic zones viz. undulating plain zone, central plain zone and western plain zone of North-west India were estimated, and compared with the recommended practices of these zones. The carbon footprint was higher in undulating plain zone followed by central plain zone and western plain zone with values being 343, 296 and 220 kg CO2 eq./t tuber yield (TY), sequentially, whereas same were 198 kg CO2 eq./t tuber yield (TY) in case of recommended practices. The social cost of carbon (SCC), that represents economic damage from the CO2 emissions, was also estimated. The integrated net economic balance (net return from yield – SCC) was also better in case of recommended practices. The major sources of emission from potato production system were fertilizer (NPK) application (42 %), irrigation (20 %), seed (14 %), fertilizer production (13 %) and energy use (excluding Irrigation) (5 %). Top most in the list of carbon footprint contributors was fertilizer application which was due to imbalanced application of these, and for getting the clear picture of this imbalance as well as its impact, a new and exclusive index- Relative Imbalance Fertilization Index (RIFIcf) was developed and tested. Carbon footprints were also related to tuber yield and an empirical model was developed that can be used to predict tuber yield on the basis of carbon footprint of potato production system. An increase in tuber yield with increasing carbon footprint was noticed, which became somewhat static at higher emissions. The findings of this investigation provide a clear picture of quantitative GHG emissions due to imbalanced inputs that can be plummeted to some extent if already existing recommendations are followed.

Many citrus species and cultivars are grown successfully in tropical and subtropical countries, as well as in arid and semi-arid regions with low levels of organic matter and low cation exchange, resulting in lower nutrient uptake by the plant. The essential nutrients needed for citrus flowering and fruit set are limited in winter due to a reduction in transpiration rate, negatively effecting vegetative growth, flowering, yield, and fruit quality. The present investigation was carried out to assess the nutritional status, fruit yield parameters, and fruit quality of Valencia orange trees after foliar spraying of seaweed extract (SW) combined with calcium chloride and boric acid and their combinations in the 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 seasons. The treatments were arranged in a split-plot design (three levels spraying seaweed extract × four levels spraying calcium chloride and boric acid and their combinations × four replicates × one tree/replicate). The results indicated that all of the characteristics measured, including leaf chlorophyll, leaf mineral contents, fruit yield parameters, fruit physical properties, and fruit chemical properties, were significantly affected by the foliar spraying of seaweed extract (SW) combined with calcium chloride and boric acid and their combinations. Although all treatments increased the productivity and the physical and chemical properties of Valencia orange fruits compared to the control, a treatment of 10 g/L SW combined with 0.5 g/L boric acid and 1 g/L calcium chloride produced superior results. This ratio of SW, boric acid, and calcium chloride is therefore recommended to enhance productivity and improve the physico-chemical properties of Valencia orange for greater fruit yield.

Utilization of organic phosphates and insoluble phosphates for the gradual generation of plant-available phosphorus (P) is the only sustainable solution for P fertilization. Enzymatic conversions are one of the best sustainable routes for releasing P to soil. Phosphatase enzyme aids in solubilizing organic and insoluble phosphates to plant-available P. We herein report the preparation of highly functional chitosan beads co-immobilized with acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase enzymes via a glutaraldehyde linkage. The dual enzyme co-immobilized chitosan beads were characterized using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), thermogravimetric (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive x-ray (SEM-EDX) analyses to confirm the immobilization. The co-immobilized system was found to be active for a broader pH range of ∼4–10 than the individually bound enzymes and mixed soluble enzymes. The bound matrix exhibited pH optima at 6 and 9, respectively, for acid and alkaline phosphatase and a temperature optimum at 50°C. The phosphate-solubilizing abilities of the chitosan-enzyme derivatives were examined using insoluble tri-calcium phosphate (TCP) for wide pH conditions of 5.5, 7, and 8.5 up to 25 days. The liberation of phosphate was highest (27.20 mg/mL) at pH 5.5 after the defined period. The residual soil phosphatase activity was also monitored after 7 days of incubation with CBE for three different soils of pH ∼5.5, 7, and 8.5. The residual phosphatase activity increased for all the soils after applying the CBE. The germination index of the Oryza sativa (rice) plant was studied using different pH buffer media upon the application of the CBE in the presence of tri-calcium phosphate as a phosphate source. Overall, the dual-enzyme co-immobilized chitosan beads were highly effective over a wide pH range for generating plant-available phosphates from insoluble phosphates. The chitosan-enzyme derivative holds the potential to be used for sustainable phosphorus fertilization with different insoluble and organic phosphorus sources.

This study aimed to identify the environmental impact on cocoa production and processing based on the life cycle assessment method (LCA). The major contribution of this study is to evaluate the environmental performance of a chocolate liquor in order to reveal the significant environmental hotspots along the entire supply chain. This is achieved through two main steps. First, the LCA method is applied to identify the environmental implications of managing the production and processing cocoa to become chocolate liquor. The LCA is performed based on the international ISO 14040–14043 series. Secondly, a sensitivity analysis was carried out to evaluate the impact of five proposed improvement options to discover whether any occurring potential environmental impacts will be reduced. The kind of scenarios are: reducing pesticides by 50 % (option 1); using compost instead of fertilizer (option 2); avoid burning stubble (option 3), conserving soil water (option 4) and applying alternative energy sources (option 5). As a result, the most significant environmental impact for the upstream and core processing was human toxicity potential (HTP) and cumulative energy demand (CED), 89 % and 59 %, respectively. In addition, the impact of the proposed improvement has significantly reduced environmental impacts (HTP, 68 %) and achieved savings (IDR 18800, 17.7 %). Survey data includes the entire supply chain, with a detailed focus on production and processing stages for an Indonesian chocolate company. This study only dealt with cocoa beans that generated 1 kg of chocolate liquor.

All through human existence, the ability to cultivate crops to better human life has been affected by the nature of the soil; different crops strive in different regions. The relationship between humans, the earth and food production affirms soil as the foundation of crop production. Hence, the objective of this paper as to the effects of farming conditions on the nutritional contents of Manihot esculenta planted in four regions of Niger Delta, Nigeria. Using appropriate standard methods. Data obtained revealed that the moisture contents varied in the order; herbicide > oil-spilled > inorganic fertilizer > normal. The amount of water-soluble vitamins varied in the order; normal > oil spilled > inorganic fertilizer > herbicide. The amount of crude lipids varied in the order; herbicide > normal > inorganic fertilizer > oil-spilled. The amount of hydrogen cyanide varied in the order; inorganic fertilizer > herbicide > oil-spilled > normal. The amount of carbohydrate varied in the order; inorganic fertilizer > oil-spilled > normal > herbicide. The amount of crude protein and fiber varied in the order; herbicide > normal > inorganic fertilizer > oil-spilled. Root tubers from the normal practice was most abundant in ash contents, while that from the use of herbicide was the least. These results indicated that the normal practice showed commended amount of moisture content, water soluble vitamins and ash content; the herbicide induced land produced cassava tuber with the highest amount of crude lipids, crude fibre and crude proteins; that with the use of inorganic fertilizer produced the highest amount of hydrogen cyanide. All practices were adoptive for carbohydrate formation, except the herbicide induced soil.

This study was conducted in a farmer’s field at Balantay, Dimasalang, Masbate, Philippines, to evaluate the performance of different eggplant varieties with different levels of vermicast fertilizers. The different varieties were arranged in the plot while the levels of vermicast applied were set in the sub-plot using a two-factorial design in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). Growth parameters such as the number of days to flowering and plant height at maturity were evaluated. The fruit yield and other parameters like yield per treatment in kgs, number of marketable fruits, number of non-marketable fruits, yield per hectare basis, and the chemical analysis of the nutritional value of eggplant fruits were also gathered. Based on the result of the study, growth parameters, and yield performance, particularly on the number of days to flowering, plant height in cm at maturity period, yield per treatment in kilograms, number of marketable fruits, number of non-marketable fruits, and yield in tons were significantly affected by the varying levels of vermicast application. However, a non-significant result was observed between different varieties of eggplant. For nutritional analysis, it was found that the application of higher rates of vermicast (10 tons/ha) resulted in a higher calcium, magnesium, and sodium content. In light of these findings, applying vermicast at 10 tons/ha as a substitute for synthetic fertilizer in eggplant production is recommended for a higher fruit yield and better farm profit.

A prospective life cycle assessment was performed for global ammonia production across 26 regions from 2020 to 2050. The analysis was based on the IEA Ammonia Roadmap and IMAGE electricity scenarios model for three climate scenarios related to a mean surface temperature increase of 3.5 °C, 2.0 °C, and 1.5 °C by 2100. Combining these models with a global perspective and new life cycle inventories improves ammonia's robustness, quality, and applicability in prospective life cycle assessments. It reveals that complete decarbonisation of the ammonia industry by 2050 is unlikely from a life cycle perspective because of residual emissions in the supply chain, even in the most ambitious scenario. However, strong policies in the 1.5 °C scenario could significantly reduce climate impacts by up to 70% per kilogram of ammonia. The cumulative greenhouse gas emissions from the ammonia supply chain between 2020 and 2050 are estimated at 24, 21, and 15 gigatonnes CO2-equivalent for the 3.5 °C, 2.0 °C, and 1.5 °C scenarios, respectively. The paper examines challenges in achieving these scenarios, noting that electrolysis-based (yellow) ammonia, contingent on electricity decarbonisation, offers a cleaner production pathway. However, achieving significant GHG reductions is complex, requiring advancements in technologies with lower readiness, like carbon capture and storage and methane pyrolysis. The study also discusses limitations such as the need to reduce urea demand, potential growth in ammonia as a fuel, reliance on CO2 transport and storage, expansion of renewable energy, raw material scarcity, and the longevity of existing plants. It highlights potential shifts in environmental impacts, such as increased land, metal, and mineral use in scenarios with growing renewable electricity and bioenergy with carbon capture and storage.

Until now, Indonesia is still a world exporter of essential oils, including citronella oil. So that the role of farming communities in the development of Indonesia's essential oil industry is very helpful. For this reason, a study was carried out on response of fertilization and harvest interval on the intensity of leaf spot diseases of citronella grass, and productivity in ultisols soil which was carried out from October 2020 to September 2022. The experiment was arranged in a randomized block design in factorial with 9 treatments, as the first factor is 3 levels of an organic fertilizer (NPK); P1 = 25 g clumps −1, P2 = 37.5 g clumps −1 and P3 = 50 g clumps −1. The second factor is the harvest interval with three levels which is 4 = harvest interval once every 4 months, 3 = harvest interval every 3 months and 2 = harvest interval once every 2 months, repeated three times. Each treatment plot consisted of 24 clumps with a plant spacing of 1 × 1 × 1 m. Varieties used is Serai wangi 1. Parameters observed were intensity of leaf spot diseases, vegetative growth, livestock production, oil production, quality analysis and R/C ratio. The results showed that there was an effect of fertilizer doses and harvest intervals on the development of leaf spot disease. It was seen that at the application of fertilizer doses of 37.5 g clumps −1 with harvest intervals once every three months showed the lowest disease attacks, namely on Cuvularia sp and Pestalotia sp (5.98%, 5.42% and 7.98 %, 7.44 %). In addition, the development of vegetative growth is also influenced by the application of fertilizer doses and harvest intervals on the parameters of canopy width, plant height, leaf length, leaf width and number of tillers. The best fertilizer dose is 37.50 g clump −1 successively (175.40 cm, 172.29 cm, 113.62 cm, 2.36 cm and 119.59 stems), with harvest intervals every 3 months (179.40 cm, 187.29 cm, 119.44 cm, 2.45 cm and 120.00 stems), as well as fresh leaves production tons/ha/year and oil production kg/ha/year the best is the application of fertilizer doses of 37.50 g clumps−1 with harvest intervals once every 3 months (67.81 tons−ha-year and 578.61 kg−ha- year,with, 67.40 tons–ha-th and 517.60 kg–ha-th). For oil quality, numerically, the application of fertilizer at a dose of 37.50 g of clump −1 with harvest intervals every 3 months is still high. The proper R/C ratio for farming occurs in the 2 nd year by administering a fertilizer dose of 37.50 g clump−1 and harvesting intervals once every 3 months with an increase of 116.67%. So, the citronella grass variety Serai wangi 1 can be developed on ultisol soil types by applying an organic fertilizer (NPK).

State-owned enterprises (SOE)s tend to be rigid, bureaucratic, and hierarchical, making competition difficult. In addition, the change in fertilizer policy to a free market has suppressed the competitiveness of state-owned fertilizer companies in Indonesia. This research is intended to strengthen the competitiveness of SOE fertilizer companies. It employs Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to elaborate data from a survey of 344 respondents at the middle-up management level in state-owned fertilizer-producing companies. The research results show that dynamic and marketing capabilities shape a company's competitiveness more strongly than strategic fit or knowledge management. Agility and resilience are vital for measuring a company's competitiveness. Therefore, SOE fertilizer producers must respond quickly and effectively by reconfiguring resources to change by forming an implementation task force for future business transformations. The agility and resilience of a company are the two most vital indicators of competitiveness of a state-owned fertilizer enterprise. Dynamic capabilities and marketing capabilities primarily influence competitiveness. Therefore, state-owned fertilizer enterprises must shift their attention to innovation and market orientation to enhance their future competitiveness.

Food crops are grown with fertilizers containing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (macronutrients) along with magnesium, calcium, boron, and zinc (micronutrients) at different ratios during their cultivation. Soil and plant-associated microbes have been implicated to promote plant growth, stress tolerance, and productivity. However, the high degree of variability across agricultural environments makes it difficult to assess the possible influences of nutrient fertilizers on these microbial communities. Uncovering the underlying mechanisms could lead us to achieve consistently improved food quality and productivity with minimal environmental impacts. For this purpose, we tested a commercially available fertilizer (surface-mined volcanic ash deposit Azomite) applied as a supplement to the normal fertilizer program of greenhouse-grown tomato plants. Because this treatment showed a significant increase in fruit production at measured intervals, we examined its impact on the composition of below-ground microbial communities, focusing on members identified as "core taxa" that were enriched in the rhizosphere and root endosphere compared to bulk soil and appeared above their predicted neutral distribution levels in control and treated samples. This analysis revealed that Azomite had little effect on microbial composition overall, but it had a significant, temporally selective influence on the core taxa. Changes in the composition of the core taxa were correlated with computationally inferred changes in functional pathway enrichment associated with carbohydrate metabolism, suggesting a shift in available microbial nutrients within the roots. This finding exemplifies how the nutrient environment can specifically alter the functional capacity of root-associated bacterial taxa, with the potential to improve crop productivity. IMPORTANCE Various types of soil fertilizers are used routinely to increase crop yields globally. The effects of these treatments are assessed mainly by the benefits they provide in increased crop productivity. There exists a gap in our understanding of how soil fertilizers act on the plant-associated microbial communities. The underlying mechanisms of nutrient uptake are widely complex and, thus, difficult to evaluate fully but have critical influences on both soil and plant health. Here, we presented a systematic approach to analyzing the effects of fertilizer on core microbial communities in soil and plants, leading to predictable outcomes that can be empirically tested and used to develop simple and affordable field tests. The methods described here can be used for any fertilizer and crop system. Continued effort in advancing our understanding of how fertilizers affect plant and microbe relations is needed to advance scientific understanding and help growers make better-informed decisions.

Crop yield in sub-Saharan Africa is often limited by low phosphorus fertility. Farmers in the region can apply phosphate rock, which should increase the plant-available phosphorus level, but this may be prone to sorption in acid soils of the Sahel. The objective of this study was to determine phosphorus (P) sorption characteristics of four representative soil series in Sahelian Mali namely, Longorola (Gleysol), Danga (Fluvisol), Niessoumana (Arenosol) and Konobougou (Acrisol) under Tilemsi Phosphate Rock (TPR) treatment. Data for phosphorus sorption was obtained by equilibrating 5 g of soils for 7 days at room temperature in 50 ml of 0.01M CaCl2 containing six (6) rates of phosphate as TPR (0, 10, 20, 40, 80,160 mg/L). The linear form of the Langmuir equation was used to calculate sorption parameters of the soils. The Gleysol with the greatest clay content had the highest phosphorus sorption maximum which was over three times greater than that of the Acrisol with the least clay content. The sorption maxima in the range of 59–200 mg/kg were well estimated with Langmuir sorption isotherm (R2 ≥ 0.78). Soil organic matter and clay contents influenced phosphorus sorption from the TPR. The degree of phosphorus saturation ranged from 2.39 to 6.47 %, being greater in the Arenosol. In a two-season field experiment on the Haplic Acrisol, we tested on maize, the TPR in two forms (powder and pellet) in addition to water-soluble diammonium phosphate at different rates (0, 11 and 16 kg P /ha). The water-soluble DAP and TPR (powder) had similar effects (p < 0.05) on soil P availability but with DAP producing greater grain yields. This shows that application of TPR in powder form can improve phosphorus availability as water-soluble DAP with positive impact on grain yield. The study provides useful information on P sorption characteristics of TPR amendment in the Sahel.

Abstract The numerous types of African Indigenous Vegetables (AIVs) in sub-Saharan Africa are not extensively cultivated, even after the realization of their superior nutritional, health benefits, and higher resistance to climate change. The recent increase in demand for AIVs brings about the need to match cultivation with consumption to prevent the extinction of these nutritious vegetables through overexploitation. This review aims to assess the most common AIVs and the associated agronomic practices in their production by smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe and SSA in general for potential commercialization. Amaranthus, Cleome gynandra, Bidens pilosa, Abelmoschus esculentus, Vigna unguiculata, Cucurbita spp. and Corchorus molitorius are some of the most consumed AIVs in sub-Saharan Africa. Plant density should balance between leaf quality and leaf and seed yield per unit area. Transplanting and sowing AIVs in lines as pure stand can optimize production when compared to broadcasting. Nutrient application whether organic or inorganic is crucial together with harvesting leaves in 1 to 2 weeks interval and removing flowers to increase budding for optimized AIVs production. There is vast information on the indigenous vegetables found and preferred in SSA but scarce information on their performance under different plant nutrition management regimes and different agroecological regions. Research is required to increase production and to improve the nutrient content of AIVs.

Micronutrients Mn and Zn are essential elements required in trace amounts, although they play an important role in plant growth. This study aimed to investigate the impact of manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn) fertilizer on growth and productivity of sorghum. This study was conducted in farmer’s field at Pasar 6 Kwala Mencirim Village, Sei Bingai District, Langkat Regency, North Sumatera started in December 2020 until April 2021. A non-factorial randomized block design with eight treatments and four replications was used, consisted of control (without fertilizer), 100% N, P, K (local fertilizer recommendation), and the level of Mn and Zn fertilizer combined with 75% and 50% dose of N, P, K fertilizer. Measurements were taken for plant height and plant production. The data was analyzed using ANOVA and DMRT at a significance level of 5%, and RAE equation. This study showed that Mn and Zn fertilizers significantly affected sorghum growth and production. The highest productivity was 4770 kg ha-1, while the control was 2260 kg ha-1. This study concluded that applying 1 dose Mn and Zn fertilizer combined with 75% N, P, K increase the yields and reduces 25% the use of N, P, K fertilizers in sorghum field.

The provision of appropriate technology for farmers was necessary to optimize the productivity of rice plants, especially in acidic sulfate fields. The purpose of study were to determine optimal dose of NPK fertilizer and right pruning time to increase growth and yield of rice plants in acidic sulfate fields. Research was conducted in acidic sulfate fields of Rasau Jaya Tiga village, Kubu Raya district, from August to December 2022. This experiment utilized a factorial randomized design group, with two factors namely: factor I and factor II. Factor I was NPK fertilizer (N): N1 = 0.9 kg/plot, N2 = 1.8 kg/plot, N3 = 2.7 kg/plot, N4 = 4.5 kg/plot. Factor II was leaf pruning (P): P0 = No Pruning, P1 = Pruning 30 days after planting (dap), P2 = Pruning 37 dap, P3 = Pruning 44 dap, P4 = Pruning 51 dap, and P5 = Pruning 58 dap. Observed variables were plant height, number of tillers, number of productive tillers, number of grains per panicle, amount of grain contained per panicle, and dry weight of grain per plot. Data were analyzed using F and Tukey tests at a 5% level of significance. The interaction of pruning treatment and NPK has an unsignificant effect on all observed parameters. NPK treatment and pruning singularly have a significant effect on all observed parameters. Pruning of the plant at 44 dap (P3) and NPK fertilizer dose of 4.5 kg/plot (N4) yielded the best results in all observed variables.

The rapid, high increase in production costs and prices of mineral fertilizers leads to a reduction in their use by farmers, while fertilizer manufacturers consider the use of alternative raw materials and reducing the energy consumption of fertilizer production processes. Given these circumstances, special attention is warranted for suspension fertilizers. The manufacturing of suspension fertilizers is simplified and less energy intensive in comparison with solid fertilizers. This is achieved by omitting certain production stages such as granulation, drying, sifting, which usually contribute to more than half of the production costs. This paper presents the production procedure of suspension fertilizers tailored for cabbage cultivation, utilizing alternative raw materials such as sewage sludge ash and poultry litter ash. The final products are thoroughly characterized. The obtained fertilizers were rich in main nutrients (ranging from 23.38% to 30.60% NPK) as along with secondary nutrients and micronutrients. Moreover, they adhere to the stipulated standards concerning heavy metal content as outlined in the European Fertilizer Regulation. A distribution analysis has showed that suspension fertilizers contain nutrients in both liquid and solid phases. This arrangement facilitates their easy availability for plants and subsequent release upon dissolution in soil conditions. To assess process consistency, the production of the most promising fertilizer was upscaled. A preliminary technological and economic analysis was also conducted. The method of producing suspension fertilizers using alternative raw materials is a simple waste management solution offering nutrient recycling with the principles of circular economy. This approach not only encourages nutrient recycling but also curtails reliance on imported raw materials.

A universal conical spreader for uniform distribution of granular fertilizers and seeds of grain crops, grasses is proposed. The developed universal conical spreader is designed for subsurface application of above-mentioned granular materials using seed drills and can be used as a passive distributor in a wide variety of applications. The methods of theoretical mechanics and descriptive geometry, particularly the method of replacement of projection plane have been applied to arrive at the design of the cone – the shape of conical spreader. A parametric equation was derived for the truncated part of the cone, which is an ellipse. The unique design of the cone-shaped distributor has a truncating form in the direction transverse to the movement of the seeder. In order to determine the interval of variability of spreader parameters more precisely, an analysis was carried out using a Mathcad-15 software. The results of theoretical research were confirmed in the laboratory and field conditions. The width of seed distribution, uniformity, and stability of distribution were studied to arrive at the most effective cone distributor design. The smallest values of non-uniformity and instability of material distribution of experimental coulter are reached at the values of factors D = 117–119 mm, h = 17–18 mm, and H = 32–35 mm.