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Introduction: Improving photosynthetic use efficiency in dryland agroecosystems to sustain high agricultural yields is a key responsibility for ensuring food security. Methods: This study was conducted in the regions on the semiarid Loess Plateau of China during 2018-2020. Dryland maize of Xianyu 335 comprised four modes: basic yield input (CK, plastic film mulching, 37500 plant.ha-1 of plant density and unfertilized), farmer input (FP, plastic film mulching, 45000 plant.ha-1 of plant density and inorganic nitrogen(N) and phosphate(P) fertilizer were 150kg.ha-1 and 90kg.ha-1), high yield and high-efficiency input (HH, full plasticfilm mulching on double furrow, 67500 plant.ha-1 of plant density and N, P and organic manure(M) fertilizer were 230kg.ha-1, 140kg.ha-1 and 1500kg.ha-1), and super high yield input (SH, full plastic-film mulching on double furrow, 9000 plant.ha-1 of plant density and N, P and organic M fertilizer were 300kg.ha-1, 180kg.ha-1 and 7500kg.ha-1). The effects of different cultivation modes on yield, WUE, net photosynthetic rate(Pn), leaf area index(LAI), chlorophyll index(SPAD value) and root index were studied. Results: The results showed that the value average of yield and WUE for CK were 7790kg and 17480kg.ha-1 in three years. SH, HH and FP cultivation modes of yield and WUE was significant higher compared with CK cultivation mode (P<0.05). SH, HH and FP cultivation modes of yield and WUE increased by 34.01%, 48.68%, 56.39% and 34.34%, 47.99%, 57.99%, compared than CK cultivation mode. These differences were observed during the seedling stage, jointing stage, silking stage and filling stage. Year to year variation in performance of applied treatment, this improved in CK cultivation mode significantly enhanced SPAD value, Pn, LAI and the root index than SH, HH and FP cultivation modes. The yield exhibited a positive correlation with the WUE, SPAD value, Pn, LAI. The SH cultivation mode was the highest yields. Discussion: The results indicated that maize yield and WUE could be increased through integrating and optimizing cultivation techniques in maize production on the semiarid western Loess Plateau of China. The SH cultivation mode was the highest yields. The primary factor contributing to the increase in yield and WUE of maize due to increased density, increased fertilizer and covering measures is the augmentation of Pn, LAI, SPAD value, and root index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimal combination of the nitrogen fertilizer application and planting density with reference to the silage maize yield and quality remains unclear. We hypothesized that increasing both would increase yields following the law of diminishing returns. Yayu26, a silage maize cultivar, was used in a split-plot experiment to investigate the effects of nitrogen fertilizer and planting density on growth, nutrient characteristics, and chlorophyll fluorescence. The main plots were assigned to three planting densities: 60,000 (A1), 75,000 (A2), and 90,000 (A3) plants hm−2, and the subplots were assigned to four nitrogen fertilizer rates: 0 (B1), 120 (B2), 240 (B3), and 360 (B4) kg hm−2. The results showed that increasing the nitrogen application rate and planting density both enhanced silage maize yield. Nitrogen accumulation and agronomic use efficiency peaked at a planting density of 75,000 hm−2. Structural equation modeling showed that the nitrogen application rate and planting density affected nitrogen accumulation and nutrient properties by influencing chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and nitrogen agronomic efficiency, ultimately resulting in a positive effect on the yield. The A3 × B2 treatments exhibited higher nitrogen accumulation, potentially compensating for any deficiencies in the dry-matter yield. Therefore, the A3 × B2 treatment was evaluated as the optimal treatment to achieve sustainable and economically feasible silage maize production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which evaluated the effect of DAP and nano-DAP along with basal fertilizers on growth and yield of upland rice. The rice variety used for the study was prathyasa which was released from Rice Research Station in Mancombu, Kerala, India. The study consisted of treatments with levels of recommended dose of nutrients and of foliar fertilizers. The application of nitrogen and phosphorus along with DAP application was found to be the best treatment combination.

The article provides information on an experiment which evaluated the influence of organic and fertilizer nitrogen on grain yield, agronomic and economic efficiency of traditional rice varieties under Cauvery delta zone of Tamil Nadu. Topics discussed include calculation of agronomic efficiency, effect of integrated nutrient management (INM) practices on productivity and nitrogen use efficiency in traditional rice varieties, and economics of traditional rice varieties cultivation.

The article presents a study which evaluated the effect of various doses of inorganic fertilizer on growth and yield of Dragon fruit in Assam, India. Topics include treatment combinations, effect of various doses of fertilizer on vegetative growth characters of dragon fruit, and correlation analysis among characters studied.

THE CULTIVATION of Calendula officinalis has gained importance not only for its medicinal T properties but also for its ornamental value. C. officinalis flowers contain carotenoids and oleanolic acid, valuable phytoconstituents with various medicinal properties. However, to meet the increasing demand for this plant, it is necessary to adopt sustainable cultivation practices that optimize growth, enhance flowering, and maximize the content of bioactive compounds. An experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions during the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 seasons on C. officinalis using chemical fertilizer (NPK-RD: recommended dose of NPK), organic fertilizer (poultry manure), and biofertilizers. The biofertilizers included different combinations of plant growth-promoting microbes: N-fixing bacteria (Az), P-solubilizing bacteria, K-solubilizing bacteria (Bc), and vesicular- arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi. The results showed that the application of poultry manure was more pronounced compared to biofertilizers. The principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that NPK-RD, moderate and higher levels of organic fertilizer, and Az+Bc+VAM treatments achieved significant superiority in all tested parameters. A higher dosage of poultry manure (95.20 m³ ha¹) was significantly superior to chemical fertilizer in plant height, branch number, plant dry weight (DW), chlorophyll, carbohydrates, flower number, flower yield fresh weight (FW), and carotenoids content. However, the flowering start, flowering period, flower yield DW, and oleanolic acid content obtained by poultry manure at 95.20 m³ ha¹ were significantly equal to NPK-RD treatment. The inoculation with Az+Bc+VAM microbes positively impacted carotenoids content in the C. officinalis flower. These results underline the potential of organic fertilizer and plant growth-promoting microbes in improving growth, flowering and phytochemical quality of the C. officinalis plant with the possibility of avoiding chemical fertilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foliar application of selenium (Se) is an effective method for biofortification in rice, to ensure that sufficient Se is supplied by the crop to maintain human health. In order to improve Se concentration in rice and meet the daily recommended intake for humans, a foliar Se fertilizer was applied in five regions of Liaoning and Jilin provinces, China, and its effects on rice quality, leaf morphology, and wax characteristics were assessed in field tests. The effects of alkyl polyglycosides (APG) in the Se fertilizer were evaluated, and epicuticular waxes were measured to analyze the effects of the fertilizer on plant water status. The Se fertilizer effectively enhanced organic Se levels in rice (p < 0.05), ranging from 599.8 to 2002.0 µg kg−1. An intake of 50 g d−1 of Se-enriched rice can meet nutritional requirements, with total Se intake ranging from 30.0 to 100.1 µg d−1. The Se fertilizer increased the protein content and decreased the proportion of chalky rice (p < 0.05). APG increased the wettability of Se fertilizer on the surface of leaves, so Se could be better absorbed into the leaves and accumulate in rice. The Se fertilizer increased the epicuticular wax so that moisture loss from leaves was reduced. Mean cuticular wax thicknesses were 2.36 and 2.25 µg cm2 in Daohuaxiang and Wuyou 4, respectively. These results suggest a link between the quality of rice and epicuticular wax thickness, and the foliar application of Se fertilizer shows promise for increasing Se content in rice grown in Se deficient soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vermicompost tea (VCT), an eco-friendly biofertilizer, is becoming increasingly popular due to its notable benefits on plant and soil health. However, the reasons behind its efficacy, whether due to growth regulators, minerals, microorganisms, or their combination, remain ambiguous. Seedlings of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum cv. Rutgers) were treated with VCT, autoclaved VCT (AVCT), or water (control) for three times over 7 weeks to determine if the effects of this biological fertilizer on plant growth are due to the presence of microorganisms or chemical nutrients. A significant increase was observed in plant growth with either the VCT or AVCT treatments compared to the control, while for most measures, plant growth was higher in the AVCT versus the VCT treatment. Autoclaving VCT increased pH and plant-available minerals, including NH4+, NO3−, K, Mg, Zn, Fe, and Mn. Metagenomic analysis of bacterial specimens in VCT revealed the most abundant genera as Novosphingobium, Sphingobium, Luteimonas, Pseudomonas, Planctomyces, Rhodoplanes, Mycoplana, Bacillus, Achromobacter, and Devosia. Although many of these genera contain known plant-growth-promoting bacteria, the major benefits of VCT do not necessarily require living organisms as both VCT and AVCT increased plant biomass. Thus, the growth-promoting potential of VCT may not be associated with microbial biomass by itself but rather with the release of extracellular microbial signals/nutrients and/or the nutrient availability of the applied VCT. The advantages of autoclaving VCT are the increased shelf life and the potential use of biofertilizers within organic hydroponic systems without technical challenges due to clogging from microbial activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effectiveness of mineral fertilization on wheat productivity was determined in a field experiment on Alluvial-meadow soil (Fluvisol, FAO 2015) at the experimental field of Tsalapitsa village, Plovdiv region, during 2019-2020. Four increasing rates of nitrogen fertilization along with a constant background of phosphorus fertilization were tested in the following variants: N40P100; N80P100; N120P100; N160P100, and N0P0 (control) - without any fertilization. The influence of these variants on yield and the content of basic macro and microelements in wheat's dry biomass were assessed. Plant samples were collected at the full maturity phase of wheat, with each variant sampled in triplicate, to determine the concentrations of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, Zn, Mn, and Fe. Correlation analysis and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were employed to identify dependencies between observed variables. Significant differences between the variants for N% content in grain, chaff and straw of wheat were established. The highest nitrogen values were observed in the grain of the N160P100 and N120P100 variants, at 2.10% and 2.02%, respectively. The applied fertilization had a significant positive effect on the accumulation of potassium, calcium, copper, manganese and iron in wheat biomass. This finding was supported by the correlation coefficients between fertilizer rates and N (R = 0.948), Ca (R = 0.854), Cu (R = 0.681), Mn (R = 0.735), and Fe (R = 0.769) in the wheat grain. Significant yield differences were observed among the variants, with the highest yield recorded for N120P100 (7123.0 kg/ha), more than tripling that of the control variant. The uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium by the total biomass of wheat increased depending on the fertilization rates and it was the highest in the N120P100 variant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Application of organic fertilizers is an important strategy for sustainable agriculture. The biological source of organic fertilizers determines their s pecific functional characteristics, but few studies have systematically examined these functions or assessed their health risk to soil ecology. To fill this gap, we analyzed 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing data from 637 soil samples amended with plant- and animal-derived organic fertilizers (hereafter plant fertilizers and animal fertilizers). Results showed that animal fertilizers increased the diversity of soil microbiome, while plant fertilizers maintained the stability of soil microbial community. Microcosm experiments verified that plant fertilizers were beneficial to plant root development and increased carbon cycle pathways, while animal fertilizers enriched nitrogen cycle pathways. Compared with animal fertilizers, plant fertilizers harbored a lower abundance of risk factors such as antibiotic resistance genes and viruses. Consequently, plant fertilizers might be more suitable for long-term application in agriculture. This work provides a guide for organic fertilizer selection from the perspective of soil microecology and promotes sustainable development of organic agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article, published in the journal Environment & Ecology, discusses the impact of organic manure and bio-fertilizers on the growth and yield of summer squash. The researchers conducted an experiment with twelve different treatments and observed various growth and yield parameters. The results showed that the treatment with Azotobacter and vermicompost resulted in better growth, yield, and quality. The study suggests that the use of organic and bio-fertilizers can promote sustainable production of summer squash. Additionally, the document provides a list of references for further research on the effect of integrated nutrient management and fertilizers on various crops. [Extracted from the article]

Anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum capsici and C. gloeosporioides on chili is a disease that can reduce up to 80% of yield. Fungicide application has not been able to eliminate infection because Colletotrichum can spread due to splashing of water, especially during the rainy season. The use of antagonistic fungi against Colletotrichum spp. has been widely published but is still limited to the laboratory and greenhouse settings, while field conditions are unpredictable. This study aims to identify the potency of Trichoderma viride that can be used as a biofungicide to control anthracnose in chili and to determine aspects of agronomic that can reduce the risk of anthracnose in chili. Samples of stems, leaves, and fruits were collected from infected plants located at the experimental farm of Bogor Agricultural Development Polytechnic. The experiment was conducted using Randomized Complete Design and Randomized Complete Block Design. The percentage of disease intensity of the fungus C. capsici and the intensity of anthracnose in chili both under screen house and open fields. Effects of different fertilizer on plant height, fruit weight, number of fruits, and the percentage of intensity of C. capsici were also observed and analyzed. Results showed that four fungi isolates were able to be identified, including Penicillium sp., Aspergillus flavus, T. viride, and C. capsici. In vitro analysis showed T. viride ability to suppress C. capsici growth to up to 71%. The fungus T. viride with a density of 7×106 CFU/mL suppressed the development of anthracnose by 59 to 87% under screen house conditions. However, under field conditions, the fungus T. viride was not able to suppress the development of anthracnose. Agronomic aspects such as plant height, number of fruits and production, and productivity of chili did significantly affect anthracnose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing crop yield is a significant objective in modern agriculture, with adjusted planting density and rational fertilization strategies standing out as the foremost approaches for attaining such a goal. Through the use of modern artificial intelligence techniques such as genetic algorithms and neural networks, the CPDOS (Crop Planting Density Optimization System), an online intelligent system that can automate the modeling, optimization, and analysis of the two models, was developed in the present study. The goal of the system is to optimize the planting density model and fertilizer application in combination with other computer system development techniques. The CPDOS comprises three main modules: yield density optimization module, optimal planting density range module, and fertilization and planting density optimization module. The three modules are complemented by two modules for data input and result visualization, culminating in the comprehensive process of optimizing planting density and fertilizer allocation through the CPDOS. The CPDOS was tested using potato, corn, and soybean data, and the results show that the optimization effects of planting density and fertilizer application were satisfactory. The CPDOS is an automated crop planting optimization system that integrates algorithms and models and is driven by artificial intelligence technology. The introduction of the CPDOS reduces the barriers to utilizing these algorithms and models, facilitating wider adoption of intelligently optimized planting technology. The platform's launch will accelerate the swift advancement of this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of organic and inorganic fertilizers on the growth attributes and yield of wheat varieties in intermediate zone of Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir during winter 2018-19 and 2019- 20 at Regional Agricultural Research Station Rajouri, Jammu and Kashmir. The study comprised 4 varieties (WH 1080, WH 1025, VL 907 and VL 967) in main plots and 5 levels of nutrient combinations (N1: Control, N2: 100% RDF, N3: 50% RDF + 50% RDF through FYM, N4: 50% RDF + 50% RDF through vermicompost (VC), N5: 50% RDF + 50% RDF through FYM + 50% RDF through VC + biofertlizers). The experiment was laid out in split plot design with three replications. The pooled mean (2018-19 and 2019-20) showed that plant height (98.9 and 99.8 cm) and dry matter accumulation per plant (22.3 and 26.6 g) at 150 DAS and at harvest respectively were found significantly highest in variety VL 907 over all the varieties. Leaf area index was highest (6.3 and 3.2) in VL 907 at 120 and 150 DAS respectively. Shoot length at 120 DAS (78.9 cm) and grain yield (4,891 kg/ha) were also observed highest in VL 907. Maximum plant height (100.2 and 101.7 cm) and dry matter accumulation per plant (22.9 and 26.0 g) at 150 DAS and at harvest respectively were recorded in RDF (100%) treatment. Leaf area index (6.1 and 3.0) was maximum in RDF (100%) at 120 and 150 DAS respectively. RDF (100%) also resulted in highest shoot length (79.1 cm) at 120 DAS and grain yield (4,757 kg/ha). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of organic amendments and appropriate nutrient management practices is essential for sustainable agricultural production. The present study investigated the effect of Gliricidia sepium leafy biomass and NPK (15:15:15) on the growth and yield of tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum L.). A randomised complete block design with five treatments and four replicates was employed in this experiment. The treatments included T1 (Control), T2 (100% G. sepium leafy biomass), T3 (25% G. sepium leafy biomass + 75% NPK fertiliser), T4 (50% G. sepium leafy biomass + 50% NPK), T5 (100% NPK), and T6 (75% G. sepium leafy biomass + 25% NPK). The application of G. sepium leafy biomass and NPK had significant effects on tomato growth and yield (p<0.05). The combined application of G. sepium leafy biomass and NPK (T4) and the sole application of G. sepium leafy biomass (T2) resulted in the highest plant height, stem girth, and fruit yield compared to the other treatments. Additionally, treatment with 75% Gliricidia leafy biomass and 25% NPK fertiliser (T6) resulted in a superior fruit weight compared to the other treatments. The application of G. sepium leafy biomass (T2) alone and NPK alone (T5) showed a significant improvement in plant growth parameters and fruit yield compared to the control (T1), although the effects were not as pronounced when combined with NPK (T4). The application of NPK fertiliser (T3) also positively influenced plant growth and yield, but the effects were lower compared to T2, T4, and T6. Further studies are warranted to optimise the application rates of G. sepium leafy biomass and NPK for different tomato cultivars and growing conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to investigate the effect of nitrogen fertilizer and plant density on the agronomic characteristics of rice cv. Tarom Hashemi, a field experiment was carried out as a randomized complete blocks design with three replications during 2018 and 2019 in a farm located in Sari, north of Iran. The present study consisted of 10 levels of plant density (hills m-2 ) and N fertilizer, named T1 (20 hills + [50 percent after transplanting + 50 percent at the beginning of tillering]), T2 (20 hills + [33.3 percent after transplanting + 33.3 percent at the beginning of tillering + 33.3 percent at panicle formation]), T3 (20 hills + [40 percent after transplanting + 40 percent at the beginning of tillering + 20 percent at the end of panicle emergence]), T4 (20 hills + [33.3 percent after transplanting + 33.3 percent at panicle formation + 33.33 percent at the end of panicle emergence]) as a control, T5 (30 hills + [33.3 percent after transplanting + 33.3 percent at the beginning of tillering + 33.3 percent at panicle formation]), T6 (30 hills + [40 percent after transplanting + 40 percent at the beginning of tillering + 20 percent at the end of panicle emergence]), T7 (30 hills + [33.3 percent after transplanting + 33.3 percent at panicle formation + 33.3 percent at the end of panicle emergence]), T8 (30 hills + [25 percent after transplanting + 25 percent at the beginning of tillering + 25 percent at panicle formation + 25 percent at the end of panicle emergence]), T9 (40 hills + [33.3 percent after transplanting + 33.3 percent at panicle formation + 33.3 percent at the end of panicle emergence]), and T10 (40 hills + [40 percent after transplanting + 40 percent at panicle formation + 20 percent at the end of panicle emergence])..The results showed that the effect of year was not significant on grain yield. But the grain nitrogen concentration was lower in the second year (with a difference of 0.185 percent). The maximum total number of tillers per hill (18.61 tillers), panicle length (25.0 cm) and harvest index (40.9 percent) were obtained under T1, T2 and T3 treatments, respectively. Grain yield was not affected by the experimental treatment, however, its maximum (6865 kg ha-1 ) was obtained under T9 treatment due to an increase in the number of panicles per square meter (510 panicles), indicating an increase of 19.0 percent compared to the control treatment (T4). A density of 40 hills per square meter with nitrogen splitting of 33.3 percent after transplanting + 33.3 percent at panicle formation + 33.3 percent at the end of panicle emergence (T9) is recommended to achieve maximum grain yield of rice under the conditions of this experiment in northern Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The heavy use of mineral fertilizers causes imbalances in the biological processes that take place in soil. Therefore, it is necessary to develop more effective fertilizers or fertilizer complexes that ensure agricultural productivity and soil conservation. There is currently a lack of knowledge regarding the effectiveness of biologically enriched, complex mineral fertilizers for spring barley fertilization. The hypothesis of this study was that bacteria-enriched (Paenibacillus azotofixans, Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus mucilaginosus, and Bacillus mycoides), complex mineral fertilizers (N5P20.5K36) have significant impacts on the yield and potential for economic use of spring barley. Experimental studies were carried out for three years (2020–2022) with sandy loam soil in southern Lithuania. Four different spring barley fertilization scenarios (SCs) were investigated. In SC-1 (control), complex mineral fertilizer (N5P20.5K36) was not applied. In the other SCs, spring barley was sown with a drill and fertilizers were incorporated locally during the sowing operation: fertilization scenario SC-2 used 300 kg ha−1, SC-3 used 150 kg ha−1 preceded by a bacteria-inoculated complex mineral fertilizer (N5P20.5K36), and SC-4 used 300 kg ha−1 with the same bacterial complex. The results showed that the bacterial inoculant increased the efficiency of the mineral fertilizer and had an effect on plant growth in barley. For three consecutive years in the same plots, the bacterial inoculant showed significant positive effects on grain yield (changes of 8.1% in 2020, 6.8% in 2021, and 17.3% in 2022 between SC-2 and SC-4). Comparing the several different fertilizer scenarios from an economic point of view, it was observed that the highest profit per hectare was obtained with SC-4 in all three years of the study. Comparing SC-4 and SC-2, an increase of 13.7% was observed in 2020, followed by 9.1% and 41.9% in 2021 and in 2022, respectively. This study will be useful for farmers, biological inoculant manufacturers, and scientists researching the effectiveness of biological inoculants for growing agricultural crops. We found that it is possible to increase the yield of barley (7–17%) using the same rate of mineral fertilization by enriching it with bacterial inoculants. Further studies should be conducted to determine the effects of the bacterial inoculant on crop yield and soil over a period longer than 3 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Among the tasks set for agriculture is the development of new phosphorus fertilizers with increased bioenergetic efficiency, necessary for the development of cotton. Purpose: based on vegetation experiments, to compare the dynamics of cotton growth under the influence of traditional and new concentrated phosphate fertilizers, to identify the effectiveness of their use. Methodology. Agrotechnical studies were carried out according to the methodology of the Scientific Research Institute of the USSR Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Uzbekistan in a comparative vegetative experiment. Originality. In view of the lack of knowledge of the object of study on neutral and slightly alkaline soils, a new approach to characterizing the effectiveness of fertilizers is proposed. Findings. Phenological observations indicate a positive effect of the test fertilizer on plant nutrition, the formation of vegetative and reproductive organs, in comparison with the control variant, on the quality and quantitative characteristics of the raw cotton crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A commercially available arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi was applied to investigate the response of okra plants, particularly the yield components. Okra plants were separately treated with inorganic fertilizer, organic fertilizer, and mycorrhiza. Untreated plants were used as a control (without fertilizers and mycorrhiza). Based on the results, the fruit number per plant, fruit length, and yield were significantly affected by treatments. The high fruit number and yield were observed in plants with mycorrhiza than those plants with fertilizers. The fruit length in plants applied with mycorrhiza was higher than the organic fertilizer, but mycorrhiza and organic fertilizer showed a similarity with inorganic fertilizer and control. The increase yield of okra by application of mycorrhiza was due to the positive association of number of fruits per plant. The fruit length and yield also showed a positive correlation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of research carried out in 2022 at Ezăreni Farm (47°05'-47°10 ' North latitude and 27°28'-27°33' Eastern longitude) belonging to the Ia Şi University of Life Sciences, was to analyze the competitiveness of the species Festuca arundinacea Schreb. and Trifolium pratense L., grown alone or in simple mixtures, under different conditions of fertilization with complex mineral fertilizers, under the climatic conditions from Moldavian Forrest Steppe. The studied factors were: species or mixture of grasses and perennial legumes, with 5 graduations, respectively a1 - Festuca arundinacea Schreb. (100%); a2 - Festuca arundinacea Schreb. (75%) and Trifolium pratense L. (25%); a3 - Festuca arundinacea Schreb. (50%) and Trifolium pratense L. (50%); a4 - Festuca arundinacea Schreb. (25%) and Trifolium pratense L. (75%); a5 - Trifolium pratense L. (100% ) and fertilization with mineral fertilizers, with 5 graduations, respectively b1 - unfertilized, b2 - N50P50; b3 - N75P75; b4 - N100; b5 - N150P150. In the second year of vegetation, the RYT index (Relative Yield Total) recorded values >1, except for variants fertilized with N150P150, showing that the Festuca arundinacea Schreb. and Trifolium pratense L. species competes for the same vegetation factors, and the CR index for the Festuca arundinacea Schreb. species was higher than in the case of the Trifolium pratense L. species only at a percentage of participation in the mixture of 75%, under fertilization conditions, in which case the species was more competitive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was conducted to determine the effects of chemical fertilizers, some organic fertilizers, and control applications on seed yield and some agricultural characteristics of fresh beans in 2021. The trial was carried out in the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Selçuk more precisely in the research and application station of Prof. Dr. Abdülkadir AKÇİN. In the study, pure bean lines PV2001, Riberia, PV2002, and PV2003 developed by hybridization were used as materials in the experiment. Then the seed yield, some agricultural characteristics, and the protein rate were determined. In this study, it was determined that the effects of chemical fertilizers and some organic fertilizer applications on all other traits examined were found to be statistically significant. As a result of the research, it was determined that the height of the bean plant ranged between 39.81 cm (control) and 51.19 cm (cow manure), the number of pods per plant changed between 14.36 (control) and 27.92 per plant (chemical fertilizer), the number of seeds per plant was 53.76 (control) and 127.52 (chemical fertilizer), the seed yield changed between 116.81 kg da-1 (control) and 239.48 kg da-1 (fertilizer chemical), the weight of 100 g of the seeds ranged between 36.632 g (control) and 40.91 g (sheep manure) and the protein content varies between 26.48 % (cow manure) and 27.49 % (control). The reactions of the bean lines used in the study to chemical fertilizers and some organic fertilizer applications showed differences. As a result, when the results obtained in this one-year study were reviewed, it was revealed that cow and sheep manure could be used in the organic cultivation of beans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Turfgrasses are prime verdure covers on parks, golf courses, athletic fields, airports, schools, cemeteries, home lawns, commercial buildings, and roadsides. The addition of fertilizers in turfgrass is necessary for uniform growth and color. An experiment was conducted to assess the effect of different fertilizers on plant growth of two famous turf grass species viz., Korean (Zoysia japonica)" and Tif way (Cynodon transvaalensis × C. dactylon). Different fertilizers applications viz., urea, diammonium phosphate (DAP), and NPK (20:20:20) were tested and compared with control (no fertilizer) for plant growth of turf grass. All the treatments were applied at 4.68 kgm-2. DAP was applied just before plugging while Urea and NPK (20:20:20) were applied after two weeks of plugging. The experiment was laid down in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) and replicated thrice. Data recorded about Korean grass treated with NPK (20:20:20) depicted maximum numbers of tillers (17.9), height of tiller (7.5 cm), fresh weight of tiller (3.4 g), uniformity (7.1) and smoothness (6.9) while in case of Tif way, maximum numbers of tillers (21.9), height of tiller (9.0 cm), fresh weight of tiller (2.8 g), dry weight of tiller (1.2 g), uniformity (5.3) and smoothness (5.9) were recorded under NPK (20:20:20) too. In short, best fertilizer is NPK (20:20:20) in both turfgrass species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was conducted during the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 cultivation seasons in Sheikh Mohamed location, which is about 25 km to the north of Mosul city in order to evaluate yield, yield components and quality of three sesame genotypes (Promo, Uzbekistan and Kenana), three rates of phosphorus fertilizer (0, 50 and 100 kg P2O5) and three plant densities (41666, 55555 and 83333 plant.ha-1). The trials were conducted according to Complete randomize block design with split - split plot with three replications. Analysis showed that yield and most of the yield components and quality were affected by fertilizers, genotypes, and plant density. The addition of 100 kg.ha-1 of phosphorus treatment gave higher seed and oil yield than that of control and 50 kg.ha-1 application. Genotypic difference was observed in all traits. Uzbekistan genotype gave a high level for plant height, number of primary branches, number of capsule.plants-1, number of seeds.capsule-1, 1000 seeds weight, seed yield, total seed yield, seed oil content and oil yield in the two growing seasons. Plant densities of 41666 plant.hectar-1gave the highest number of primary branches, number of capsule per plants-1, number of seeds.capsule-1 and 1000 seeds weight in the two growing seasons 2017-2018 and 2018-2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current investigation was focused to develop a nano-iron-based phycofertilizer to enhance crop quality in an environment-friendly manner. Biosynthesis of nano-iron occurred when Spirulina biomass was exposed to a 0.05M FeCl 3 solution for 48h at pH 5.5 in the dark, resulting in the synthesis of spindle-shaped nano-iron both inside and outside the cells. The particles' sizes were 24.77 ± 5.264 nm as observed in transmission electron microscopy. Further characterizations were carried out using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The performance of various fertilizers, including those derived from phycosynthesized nano iron (INP), dried Spirulina biomass (SB), and nano-iron loaded Spirulina biomass i.e., nano-phycho-fertilizer (NPF) was compared against conventional NPK fertilizer. The results from field applications indicated significant improvements in rice, with NPF outshining the rest. Notably, NPF demonstrated a remarkable 37.6% increase in shoot length, a 47% boost in crop productivity, and a 15% rise in grain weight of rice compared to NPK. Both unpolished and polished grains of NPF-treated plants contained higher iron contents (44% and 28%) than the NPK-treated plants. Furthermore, the cost-effectiveness analysis underscored the superiority of NPF over conventional fertilizer, representing it as a highly effective and eco-friendly nano-iron-based phycofertilizer. • Spirulina platensis , a blue green algal member, can synthesize both in situ and ex situ iron nanoparticles spontaneously within 24–48 h. • Although algal fertilizer and iron nanoparticles separately are well-established growth stimulators, their combining effect on plants as fertilizer is a novel study. • NPF could be used as an affordable organic fertilizer to replace ordinary conventional-fertilizer since it significantly improves the growth, yield, and iron content of rice plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plantago ovata (Forsk.) is an important cash and medicinal crop belonging to Plantaginaceae family. Isapghol is popular in traditional and modern medicinal plants due to its pharmacological properties and placed in leading medicinal crop in worldwide. Research plot was located at Bahawalpur divisions at different location under (Pakistan Agriculture Research Council PARC), Arid Zone Research Institute in two crop seasons 2022-2023. Five different germplasm were used for the study 21213, 21474, 20617, 21260 and 21988. The study was carried out to calculate the effects of chemical plant fertilizer include N and P (chemical fertilizing system), animal manure (Farmyard Manure), combination with chemical fertilizer (also known integrated fertilizer) at clay loam soil of AZRI, Bahawalpur during 2022-2023. Each germplasm contained following treatments including control (C0) chemical, in C1 (30 P+50 N), C2 (15 P+25 N), organic matter; M2 (Cow Dung 10 t/ha) M1 (Cow Dung 20 t/ha), and integrated 1N2 C1 (5 P+10 N+10 Cow dung t/ha) and 1N1 (C1 10 P+20+N+20 Cow dung t/ha) were tested. The plot design was adopted RCBD (Randomize complete block design) with single row method for sowing with three replications. SL (Spike length) is non-significant and has negative effect with DFI (-0.1856), DF (0.2161), NTPP (0.6880), DM (-0.1100) and SYPP (0.5901). SYPP (Seed yield per plant) shows negative correlation with DFI (-0.4126), DF (-0.0489), and DM (-0.3370) and positive correlation with NTPP, NSPP, SL and PH. The mean DFI values differ across treatments, with C0 having the greatest mean (95.998) and IN2 is having the lowest mean (89.66). The F-Value (11.12) illustrates the difference in DFI among treatments. Yield is variable, with the highest mean in IN1 (501.50) and the lowest in C0 (295.08). F-Value (304.13) shows significant yield differences between treatments. P-value (0.0000) indicates statistical significance. This study is dependable for improvement of fertilizer distribution patterns in Plantago ovata production techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides cause severe hazards to human health and becomes a part of the food web. A comprehensive analysis of wastewater-treated crops and soil was carried out to determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) via GC/MS, and their health risk potential was calculated. Results showed that the mean concentrations of Ʃ10PAHs and Ʃ11OCP in crops, soil, and sewage sludge samples ranged from 10.68 ± 0.32 to 19.42 ± 0.58, 8.28 ± 0.25 to 11.65 ± 0.34, and 6.73 ± 0.2 to 14.93 ± 0.45 and 581.09 ± 17.4 to 6219.07 ± 186.5, 229.6 ± 6.8 to 547.4 ± 16.4, and 131.5 ± 3.9 to 1107.4 ± 33.2 ng g−1 respectively. Concentrations of Ʃ7PCB in crops and Ʃ2PCB in sludge sample ranged from 6.03 ± 0.18 to 480.39 ± 14.4 and 49.42 ± 1.48 to 386.06 ± 11.5 ng g−1. In soil samples, only PCB 18 was detected and ranged from below the detected limit to 180.02 ± 5.4 ng g−1. The maximum total health risk (ingestion, dermal, and inhalation) for PAHs was found in adults (1.5E − 07) as compared to children (9.92E − 08). Incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) was slightly higher in children (2.39E − 08) as compared to adults (4.96E − 08). The total health risk of OCP was at the threshold level in children (3.05E − 07 to 6.39E − 07) and adults (1.21E − 07 to 2.60E − 07). The total risk of PCB 8 in children ranged from 3.43E − 07 to 3.23E − 09 and in adults was 2.20E − 07 to 6.98E − 09. All the ranges were under the safe limits of USEPA. There has been much previous research, but unfortunately, no serious implementation or proper monitoring was in practice. This study generates the basic data about contamination of organic pollutants in wastewater irrigated soil and crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Scientiarum Naturalium Universitatis Sunyatseni / Zhongshan Daxue Xuebao is the property of Sun-Yat-Sen University 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.)

The experiment was done on finger millet during the zaid season of 2021-22 at crop research farm, Department of Agronomy, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences (SHUATS), Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh). The treatments consisted of three planting geometry viz., 20 cm × 20 cm, 25 cm × 25 cm and 30 cm × 30 cm and three NPK levels viz., 75%, 100% and 125%. The experiment was conducted in randomized block design with nine numbers of treatments and replicated thrice. The results showed that treatment with 30 cm × 30 cm spacing at 125 % NPK/ha growth parameters viz., maximum plant height (69.73 cm), number of tillers per plant (17.36 g/plant), dry weight per plant (7.36 g) while yield were recorded highest with treatment 20 cm × 20 cm spacing at 125 % NPK/ha. viz., Grain yield (45.76 t/ha), Straw yield (4.33 t/ha) and harvest index (44.91) of finger millet at harvest. This may due to the highest plant population with close spacing treatment and higher number of heads/m2 as compare with wide spacing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted to findout the salt tolrant mustard variety for semi-arid region because this region has higher amount of poor quality water for irrigation and nutrient accumulation under saline environment is the most limiting factor in the sustainable crop production. For this four mustard varieties in main plots (Kranti, Giriraj, CS-54, and CS-58) and three fertilizer doses in sub-plots (100, 125 and 150% RDF). During the experimentation, saline water irrigation (7 dS m-1) was applied. The physiological parameters like RWC (75.54 to 80.34 %), total chlorophyll content (1.60 to 1.91 mg g-1 FW), and photosynthetic rate (10.09 to 14.79 μmol CO2 m-2s-1) were significantly increased with increasing dose of fertilizers. Yield stability index was highest with the application of 150% RDF. HI index showed a decline trend with the increasing dose of fertilizers, whereas oil content decreased non-significantly. Irrespective of fertilizer doses, variety CS-58 recorded maximum seed yield (22.89 q ha-1), biological yield (11.22 q ha-1); and other physiological parameters followed by CS-54, Giriraj, and Kranti mustard varieties. Variety CS-58 had the highest nutrient content (N, P, and K) in straw, with reaching to 125% RDF being at par with 150% RDF, followed by CS-54, Giriraj, and Kranti, respectively. The salt ratio (Na+:K+)decreased non-significantly with fertilizer doses, its mean value was however lowest in CS-58. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land reclamation may expand the supply of usable land for food security. Soil microorganisms have been considered as an amendment in immature soil to improve its quality. However, different microbial fertilizers' effects on plant growth in immature soil have largely been unexplored. In order to evaluate the effects of different microbial fertilizers on immature soil, the soil quality and microbial community structure of corn rhizosphere soil samples under different microbial fertilizers were investigated. The results revealed a significant difference between microbial fertilizers (especially seaweed microbial fertilizer, SMF) and commercial chemical compound fertilizers in the soil properties and microbial community structure. Indeed, SMF caused a 486.21%, 23.17%, 21.08%, 38.33%, and 482.39% increase in Flavobacteriaceae, Planctomycetaceae, Chitinophagaceae, Acidobacteria_Gp3, and Mortierellaceae but a 23.82%, 18.66%, 42.36%, 29.12%, 81.97%, 42.19%, and 99.33% reduction in Cytophagales, Comamonadaceae, Rhodospirillaceae, Sinobacteaceae, Aspergillaceae, Myrmecridiaceae, and Typhulaceae, respectively; while CCF caused an 85.68% and 183.22% increase in Xanthomonadaceae and Mortierellaceae but a 31.29%, 36.02%, and 65.74% reduction in Cytophagales, Spartobacteria, and Cyphellophoraceae compared with the control based on 16S and ITS amplicon sequencing of soil microflora. Furthermore, redundancy discriminant analysis of the microbial communities and soil properties indicated that the main variables of the bacterial and fungal communities included exchangeable Ca, organic matter content, total N, and available P. Overall, the results of this study revealed significant changes under different fertilizer conditions in the microbiota and chemical properties of corn soil. Microbial fertilizers, particularly SMF and SM, can be used as a good amendment for newly reclaimed land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is a high economic value oil crop commonly grown in low-land semi-arid areas of Ethiopia. The crop production is constrained by low soil fertility; however, the nutrient management practice has been given low attention. This study was therefore conducted during the main cropping season of 2015/2016 at Babile and Fedis sites of East Hararghe, Ethiopia to evaluate the growth, nodulation, and yield response of groundnut varieties to the application of combined mineral nitrogen, phosphorus, and vermicompost fertilizers, and zinc. Treatments consisted of a factorial combination of three varieties (Ba-ha-Gudo, Ba-ha-Jidu, and Roba); three fertilizers combinations (0: 0 kg N: P2O5 ha-1 with no VC, 46: 46 kg N: P2O5 ha-1 with no VC, and 46: 46 kg N: P2O5 ha-1 with 2.5 t VC ha-1); and three rates of Zn (0, 5, and 10 kg Zn ha-1) in a randomized complete block design at both sites. The growth, nodulation, yield components, and yield data were subjected to analysis by SAS. The result revealed that plant height was significantly affected by variety and fertilizers combination, the number of branches plant-1 affected by the interaction of variety and fertilizers combination while canopy spread and nodulation parameters were affected by the interaction of variety, fertilizers combination, and Zn rate. Pod plant-1 and hundred seed weight, dry biomass, pod and seed yields, and seed oil content were significantly affected by the interaction of variety, fertilizers combination, and Zn rate. The highest dry biomass (7.26 t ha-1), pod (3.13 t ha-1), seed (2.16 t ha-1) yields and seed oil content (51.3%), net benefit ($1704.2 ha-1) with a marginal rate of return of 242% were obtained from variety Ba-ha Gudo received the combined application of 46: 46 kg N: P2O5 ha-1 and 2.5 t VC ha-1 with 5 kg Zn ha-1. Therefore, it can be concluded that the Ba-ha Gudo variety is preferably produced using the combined application of 46: 46 kg N: P2O5 ha-1 and 2.5 t VC ha-1 with 5 kg Zn ha-1 for high productivity in the study sites and similar agro-ecologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-density planting aggravates competition among plants and has a negative impact on plant growth and productivity. Nitrogen application and chemical control can improve plant growth and increase grain yield in high-density planting. Our experiment explored the effects of nitrogen fertilizer and plant growth regulators on maize root-bleeding sap, phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) accumulation and translocation, and grain yield and quality in high-density planting. We established a field study during the 2017 and 2018 growing seasons, with three nitrogen levels of N100 (100 kg ha−1), N200 (200 kg ha−1), and N300 (300 kg ha−1) at high-density planting (90,000 plants ha−1), and applied Yuhuangjin (a plant growth regulator mixture of 3% DTA-6 and 27% ethephon) at the 7th leaf. Our results showed that N200 application combined with chemical control could regulate amino acid and mineral nutrient concentration delivery rates in root-bleeding sap and improve its sap rate. Also, the treated plant exhibited higher P and K uptake and translocation ability. Furthermore, chemical control and N200 treatment maintained a high level of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase (RuBPCase), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPCase), nitrate reductase (NR), and glutamine synthetase (GS) enzymatic activities in leaves. In addition, plant growth regulator and nitrogen application improved the enzymatic activities of GS, glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), and glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) and the contents of crude protein, lysine, sucrose, and soluble sugar in grain and ultimately increased maize yield. This study suggests that N200 application in combination with chemical control promotes root vitality and nutrient accumulation and could improve grain yield and quality in high-density planting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment was conducted to determine the effects of fertilizer types on plant characteristics, forage yield, seed yield and chemical composition of Rhodes grass at Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. The experiment was laid in a randomized complete block design (RCBD). The treatments were: no fertilizer (T1), Bio-slurry compost (T2), NPS fertilizer (T3) and mixture of bio-slurry and NPS (T4) with four replications. Data collected were morphological characteristics such as plant height (PH), number of tillers per plant (NTPP), leaf length per plant (LLPP), leaf to stem ratio (LSR), number of leaves per plant (NLPP), forage dry matter yield and forage qualities harvested at 90 days (50% of blooming stage) except seed yield at three weeks after full flowering stage. Samples of forages were weighed, dried and then ground subsamples taken for analyses of crude protein (CP), ash, dry matter (DM), acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent lignin (ADL). All data were subjected to two way ANOVA procedures of SAS version 9.0. The results showed that the effects of organic and inorganic fertilizer had a significant (p<0.01) effect on all of morphological characteristics were better result with mixing of NPS and bioslurry fertilizer application than other treatments, but a lone of bioslurry and NPS fertilizers also almost similar result but less than in some extent from combined fertilizer treatment. Combining chemical fertilizers with bioslurry gave the highest DM yield (12.63 t/ha) of forage than sole bioslurry (11.8 t/ha) and sole chemical fertilizer (12.03 t/ha). Combined chemical fertilizers with bioslurry gave the highest CP contents (11.25%) of forage than other treatments. In contrast control plot obtained lowest result in all morphological parameters. DMY, seed yield and lowest nutritive value with higher fiber contents. Therefore, the application of combination of bio-slurry and inorganic fertilizer shown the best result in terms of morphological, nutritive value, forage dry matter and seed yield followed by either of fertilizers. Hence, based on the current result, it can be concluded that use of combination of organic and inorganic fertilizer is the best fertilizer as far as Rhodes grass production is concerned in the current study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a field stationary experiment and laboratory conditions, an assessment was made of the varietal responsiveness of oil flax plants to the effect of the microbiological fertilizer "Baikal EM-1" in the soil and climatic conditions of the Penza region. It has been established that in the technology of growing varieties of oil flax plants, the microbiological fertilizer "Baikal EM-1" used for seed inoculation before sowing + foliar treatment of flax plants in the "Christmas tree" phase + foliar treatment of flax plants in the budding phase, contribute to an increase in germination energy, field germination, as well as increasing the length of the seedling and germinal root. This leads to an increase in plant height in the herringbone phase of 14.2 cm, in the control variant 11.4 cm, in the flowering phase 49.1 cm, which is 10 cm higher than the control variant. Leafiness in the "herringbone" phase was 75.8%, in the control variant 64.8%. The seed yield of the Lirina variety was 19.3 c/ha and straw was 38.63 c/ha, while in flax plants of the Kinelsky 2000 variety, the seed yield was 18.4 c/ha and the straw was 36.8 c/ha. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was carried out in the canopy-covered by Alsaran of the Faculty of Agriculture and Marshes, University of Dhi Qar on 01.11.2020. The experiment was terminated on 15.06.2021 on the rosemary plant that old of age was one year at three seedlings per unit experimental, thus became the number of seedlings 81 seedlings in plastic anvils, container on sandy loam soil and peat moss with a percentage 3:1. The experiment included the treatment of the balanced compound Nano-NPK fertilizer by spray on leaves of the plant at concentrations (0, 25, 75) mg.l-1 by three times for a period 15th day between one adding and another and the biological factor was added at concentrations (0, 10, 20) ml by one adding and carried out an experiment factorial according to Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications for each treatment. The results were compared according to the least significant difference test at the probability level of 5%. The statistical analysis results showed superiority in the compound Nano-fertilizer by height and number of branches, amount of oil and its density and some of the active substances Cymen and the Camphene and Rose Mari acid reached (53.44 cm, 78.66 branches, 2.2989 g 00.gm-1, 1.0348, 4.671, 135.70), respectively compared to the lowest value for the comparison treatment. The biological factor was superior in the characteristics (height, branches number, oil quantity, oil density and active compounds). Cymen and the Camphene and Rose Mari acid reached (49.77 cm, 67.44) and 2.3277g.100.g-1), respectively, compared with the lowest value for comparative treatment. As for the interaction, the treatment outperformed N2B2 in the adjective of the number of branches insignificant and the treatment of N2B1 in the amount of oil, oil density and some active compounds, Rose Mari acid. It had a significant effect on the treatment N0B1 significant effect on the active compound Camphene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Colombiana de Ciencias Hortícolas is the property of Revista Colombiana de Ciencias Horticolas 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 Tropical Grasslands / Forrajes Tropicales is the property of International Centre for Tropical Agriculture - CIAT 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.)

In this research, the yield and qualitative parameters of tomato cultivar Hector F1 grown in various fertilization and plant protection treatments in two successive growth seasons were investigated. Estimation of fertilization and protection impact on the properties of tomato fruits was carried out using a two-factor ANOVA test, whilst correlation between individual parameters was conducted using a heatmap. Tomato yield was significantly lower in the control compared to the fertilized and chemically/biologically protected tomato, whilst significant differences in yield were not observed between the fertilized and protected treatments. The mean total soluble solids and fruit acids were most pronounced in the treatment with chemical fertilizers and biological protection, whilst the highest vitamin C content was observed in the control. The highest K and Cu content was observed in the organically fertilized and biologically protected tomato. A clustergram showed a positive correlation between the three groups of parameters: i). nitrates, vitamin C and total N; ii). fruit acids, total soluble solids and Cu; and iii). other parameters. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the combined effects of fertilizers and plant protection products on tomatoes grown in conventional and organic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a comprehensive study of the features of growth and development of coriander. The study aims to assess the effect of fertilizers, sowing time and seeding rates on the passage of phenological phases, plant height, sowing quality of seeds, leaf area and essential oil content. The paper addresses the issue of using carbon derivatives (fullerenes) as growth stimulants. The effects of fertilizers and fullerenes on plant height and laboratory seed germination are compared. The effects of the pre-sowing application of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers and of foliar application of double superphosphate are highlighted and described. It is shown that the change in coriander leaves is dependent on the level of plant nutrient supply. The effects of sowing time and soil nutrient levels on the seed yield are considered. The study shows which factors had a greater impact on the content of essential oil in coriander fruits and, accordingly, on its harvest. The practical experience of coriander cultivation in the conditions of the foothill zone of the Republic of Ingushetia is summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Substrates 40:60 with inoculation optimized morphophysiological performance. • Organic compound with inoculation decreased root nitrogen content. • Organic compound with inoculation increased root phosphorus and potassium content. Organic compounds from the compost of agricultural waste have been increasingly used in the formulation of substrates for fruit seedlings production. Microorganisms can enhance the beneficial effects of fertilizers on the plant, but reports on the use of endophytic strains to promote banana plant growth are rare. The goal of this study was to investigate the ideal mixture of soil and organic compound with Bacillus sp. and Trichoderma asperellum inoculations for optimal growth and nutrient content of banana seedlings. A Greenhouse experiment was arranged in a factorial scheme (3 × 2 × 2)+3, five times replicated, with the following factors: (a) substrates consisting of three organic compound and soil ratios – 20:80, 40:60, 60:40 (v/v); (b) Bacillus sp. inoculation – with [B+] and without [B-]; and (c) Trichoderma asperellum inoculation – with [T+] and without [T-]. Additionally, the following controls for substrates consisting of soil free of organic compound (0:100) were also considered: [B+T-], [B-T+], and [B-T-]. After 100 days from planting, plant height (H), pseudostem diameter (D), H/D ratio, number of leaves, total leaf area, root volume, shoot and root dry mass, net photosynthesis, and contents of chlorophyll, carotenoid, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) were evaluated. Results showed that the substrate 40:60 with Bacillus sp. or Trichoderma asperellum inoculation provides the best morphophysiological quality to banana seedlings. The strains also showed potential to promote plant growth in different ways, either by helping phosphate solubilization or by favoring auxins and hydrolytic enzymes synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to determine the effects of nitrogen (N) doses (0, 40, 80 and 120 kg N ha-1) and two different N fertilizer sources [ammonium nitrate (AN) and calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN)] on yield, yield parameters and quality of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) grown under the environmental conditions of Central Anatolia, Turkey. Experimental layout was randomized blocks with four replications, and the Önceler-98 bean variety was used as the plant material. The first pod height, number of pods per plant, number of beans per pod, grain yield, 100 grain weight, protein content, wet weight, dry weight, cooking time, water absorption index and swelling capacity of grains were determined. Nitrogen fertilizer sources caused a significant difference (P < 0.05) in 100 grain weight and number of branches per plant. Application of CAN increased the number of branches per plant and AN fertilizer increased the 100 grain weight. The results indicated that the effect of CAN fertilizer is greater compared to AN due to the providing calcium demand of plants grown in soils with low lime content. Higher effect of CAN fertilizer on plant growth can be attributed to the slower solubility of CAN than that of the AN fertilizer. The results concluded that 40 kg N ha-1 may be sufficient to obtain optimum yield, yield parameters and quality of bean, and higher doses of N (>40 kg N ha-1) applications are not needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was carried out during the spring season of 2018 in the station (A) - Department of Horticulture and Gardening Landscape - College of Agriculture Engineering Sciences, University of Baghdad-Al-Jadriya. In order to study the effect of organic, chemical fertilizers and spraying of alpha-tocopherol on growth and yield of tomato (Hybrid Sereen). The experiment included two factors, the first factor was used different types of fertilizers which included the chemical fertilizers according to the recommendation N: 120, P2O5: 150 and K2O: 120 kg ha-1 (T1) it was added in two batches, and the organic fertilizer of the cows manure at 30 ton ha-1(T2), It was added before planting. The Organic Fertilizer Manufacturer (Care Ball supermix) added in two levels, each level being as fertilizer treatment, 20 kg per 1000 m² (T3), the second level is 40 kg per 1000 m2 (T4), as well as the control treatment (T0). The second factor was spraying the alpha tocopherol with two levels. The first level is the spraying alpha tocopherol at concentration of 100 mg L-1 (E1), the second level was spraying alpha tocopherol at concentration of 200 mg L-1 (E2), in addition to the control treatment, which sprayed with distilled water only (E0). Results showed the treatment T2 traits superior in all vegetative growth of plant: height plant, number of branches, number of leaves, leaf area and dry weight of vegetative growth, Also excelled (T2) of the number of fruits, highest yield per plant and total yield, while the treatment T1 gave highest of weight of the fruit. In addition, the foliar spraying of alpha tocopherol showed significant superiority in treatment (E2) in all traits of vegetative growth and yield characteristics. Treatment T2E2 gave the highest plant length (145.3 cm), greatest number of plant branches (16.84 branch Plant-1), highest number of leaves (138.7 Leaf Plant-1), largest leaf area (264.7 dcm2Plant-1), highest dry weight of vegetative growth (233.6 g Plant-1), highest number of fruits and highest yield per plant and total yield (40.55 fruit Plants-1, 3.99 kg Plants-1 and 66.33 ton ha-1 respectively). While treatment T1E2 was superior by giving the highest fruit weight (111.8 g fruit-1). The suggestion could be that using cow manure (organic fertilizer) 30 ton ha-1 and foliar spraying of alpha tocopherol in concentration 200 mg L-1, resulted in highest of vegetative growth and yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]