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Despite being extensively studied as a white-rot fungus, there have been no efforts to explore and cultivate the high-yielding wild Trametes versicolor strains in Ethiopia. Thus, this study was initiated to assess the growth performance of T. versicolor on various growth media. Accordingly, ten substrates (S1–S10) were formulated by a combination of agro-industrial by-products that mainly constituted sugarcane wastes and animal manures. The effect of substrates on yields, biological efficiencies, and nutritional compositions was examined. The mushroom developed a white mycelium on the growth media. T. versicolor cultivated on the S5 blend, comprising 80% sugarcane bagasse, 12% horse manure, and 8% poultry manure, exhibited the most substantial fruiting body yield (158.33 g/500 g bag) and the highest biological efficiency (31.5%), with an optimal C:N ratio of 31:1. It has shown good mycelial growth, short colonization, and short pinhead formation time compared to other substrates. S7, lacking nitrogen supplementation, yielded low biological efficiency and fruiting bodies at 11.50% and 57.67%, respectively. The crude protein, fiber, low fat, and carbohydrate content ranged from 7.46 to 14.65%, 12.89 to 18.38%, 0.42 to 0.53%, and 48.75 to 66.75%, respectively. Notably, the highest nutritional values, excluding carbohydrates, were obtained from S5, while the sugarcane bagasse had the highest carbohydrate content among substrates. Consequently, S5 emerged as a suitable medium for cultivating wild T. versicolor mushrooms, particularly in regions abundant in poultry, horse manures, and sugarcane bagasse. Therefore, S5 represents an optimal substrate for T. versicolor cultivation, offering improved productivity and nutritional quality at reduced costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study evaluated the phytotoxicity effect of poultry, goat and cow manure on Okra, Tomato and Pepper vegetables using appropriate standard methods. In the current study, of the three different manure collected and used on the three vegetable crops, GI value of <50% was recorded on Okra and Pepper seeds mounted on PM medium (48.51% and 41.36% respectively), GI value of between 50% and 80% was recorded on Okra, Tomato and Pepper seeds mounted on GM medium (64.76%, 79.77% and 73.70% respectively) also Pepper seeds mounted on CM medium (76.48%) and Tomato seeds mounted on PM medium (75.41%) while GI Value of >80% was observed on Okra and Tomato Seeds mounted on a CM medium (81.63% and 94.10% respectively). Overall result of all the animal manure evaluated, poultry manures was phytotoxic on okra and pepper seed and moderately phytotoxic on Tomato seed based on the plant bioassay evaluated. It is possible that other chemicals that were not analyzed in this study could potentially be responsible for the phytotoxic effects of poultry manure on the vegetable seeds, indicating that some curing in the form of composting or vermicomposting may be necessary to degrade or reduce the presence of phytotoxic compounds in the poultry manure used for the study before use as soil amendments and thus would help to render the resultant end product environmentally safer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cultivation of shiitake mushrooms (Lentinula edodes) is increasing rapidly due to their nutritional and medicinal benefits. Previously, we evaluated different substrates for cultivating L. edodes mushrooms but did not determine the impact of these substrates on the nutritional contents. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the nutritional values of Lentinula edodes mushrooms cultivated on seven different substrates. Samples of fruiting bodies were oven-dried at 45°C for 72 h and grinded by a mill to a particle size of

The present study evaluated the phytotoxicity effect of poultry, goat and cow manure on Okra, Tomato and Pepper vegetables using appropriate standard methods. In the current study, of the three different manure collected and used on the three vegetable crops, GI value of 80% was observed on Okra and Tomato Seeds mounted on a CM medium (81.63% and 94.10% respectively). Overall result of all the animal manure evaluated, poultry manures was phytotoxic on okra and pepper seed and moderately phytotoxic on Tomato seed based on the plant bioassay evaluated. It is possible that other chemicals that were not analyzed in this study could potentially be responsible for the phytotoxic effects of poultry manure on the vegetable seeds, indicating that some curing in the form of composting or vermicomposting may be necessary to degrade or reduce the presence of phytotoxic compounds in the poultry manure used for the study before use as soil amendments and thus would help to render the resultant end product environmentally safer.

Purpose Catha edulis, commonly called as khat or chat is an evergreen plant cultivated in Ethiopia for its stimulant leaves. The young leaves are chewed as a part of social recreation and the older leaves along with the twigs are discarded. This forms the major part of municipal solid waste that is dumped in large quantity in Harar region. The present study was carried in Haramaya University, Ethiopia to decompose the khat wastes along with crop residues and different animal manures (cow dung, goat manure, poultry manure and swine manure) using the earthworm Eisenia foetida. Methods The collected khat wastes along with crop residues and different animal manures were vermicomposted and assessed for nutrient contents using standard procedures. Results The result of the experiment indicated that all the parameters were improved by the decomposition using earthworms and the C/N ratio was within the limits that indicate the maturity of the compost. The organic carbon, organic matter, total nitrogen, phosphorus, copper, iron, zinc and manganese contents were analyzed and found to be improved after decomposition. The added crop residues and animal manures enhanced the decomposition process and manurial value of the khat leaf waste. Conclusion The nutrient content of the vermicomposts revealed khat to be a suitable substrate for vermicomposting thereby making efficient utilization of solid wastes. This can be an effective technology to reduce the solid waste and the resultant product can be used for improving soil fertility and crop production by the farmers.

Purpose Increase in global population and food demands have necessitated the need to enhance the health status of agricultural soils to overcome retrogresses in crop yields. Thus, amply use of animal manures is critical to improving low fertility status that characterised most agricultural soils in the tropics.Method This study investigated the effects of various animal manure types on soil properties and performance of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L) grown on a degraded coarse-textured ultisol. The treatments were: T1, poultry manure; T2, cow manure; T3, pig manure applied at 702 g pot-1 (equivalent to 30 t ha-1) to a 10 kg potted soil and T4, control unamended soil.Results Amended treatments had 0.73-10.9% increase in organic matter, 191-370% increase in soil N, 30.4-170% and 25.5-76.5% increase in soil P and K, respectively relative to the control treatment. Amended treatments recorded significantly higher (p

For 50 years, UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) has contributed to dairy water quality policy in California and helped, with partner organizations, to implement it in the dairy industry. When conditional waivers for waste discharge requirements expired in 2003, UC ANR shared research and best professional practices as regional water quality control boards developed new orders. UC ANR academics then worked with water quality control boards' staff and dairy industry representatives to develop feasible, staged implementation plans. Collaboratively, more than 50 hours of workshop curriculum were developed and disseminated, helping dairy producers to accept scientifically sound management practices that are more protective of groundwater. Research by UC ANR to better understand system dynamics, nitrogen management and practices to minimize the impact of manure application on groundwater quality continues, as does a program in environmental stewardship.

Copyright of Academic Journal of Agriculture / Akademik Ziraat Dergisi is the property of University of Ordu, Faculty of Agriculture, Academic Journal of Agriculture 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.)

Tomato is a widely cultivated and consumed vegetable crop in the world. It is a valuable source of nutritional compositions and healthpromoting phytochemicals. This study aimed to evaluate the growth response of tomato seedlings to the use of media mixtures formulated from rice husk ash (RHA), coir (C), canna residue (CR), and animal manures, including pig manure (PM), chicken manure (CKM), and cow manure (CM). Five treatments were applied at proportions: 25% RHA + 25% C + 25% CR + 25% PM (T1), 25% RHA + 25% C + 25% CR + 25% CKM (T2), 25% RHA + 25% C + 25% CR + 25% CM (T3), 25% RHA + 25% C + 25% CR + 25% peat (T4), and 100% TS2 (Kultursubstrat aus Weibtorf White Peat Potting Substrate) commercial product (T5). Our results suggested that, in comparison with the treatment of T5 the experimented media showed positive effects on the growth of tomato plants during the nursery stage. The best response was recorded in the treatment T1 with the highest germination rate (96.05%) after 10 days of sowing. Also, T1 obtained great values of plant height, leaf number, and root volume on day 30 after sowing, which were 7.85 cm, 3.5 leaves per plant, and 1.08 cm3, respectively. These findings indicated that the tested byproduct materials offer a viable and sustainable alternative to producing growing media for tomato seedling practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Increase in global population and food demands have necessitated the need to enhance the health status of agricultural soils to overcome retrogresses in crop yields. Thus, amply use of animal manures is critical to improving low fertility status that characterised most agricultural soils in the tropics. Method This study investigated the effects of various animal manure types on soil properties and performance of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L) grown on a degraded coarse-textured ultisol. The treatments were: T1, poultry manure; T2, cow manure; T3, pig manure applied at 702 g pot-1 (equivalent to 30 t ha-1) to a 10 kg potted soil and T4, control unamended soil. Results Amended treatments had 0.73-10.9% increase in organic matter, 191-370% increase in soil N, 30.4-170% and 25.5-76.5% increase in soil P and K, respectively relative to the control treatment. Amended treatments recorded significantly higher (p <0.05) plant height, stem girth, okra biomass and yields compared with the control treatment. Poultry manure showed superiority over cow manure and pig manure for pH, soil nutrients, okra yield, okra growth and yield parameters measured. Conclusion The results indicate that animal manure application increased okra yield and enhanced the fertility status of a degraded coarse-textured ultisol. Thus, application of animal manures can help overcome low fertility challenges associated with degraded tropical soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal manures positively affect soil microbial activity and inorganic phosphorus (Pi) accumulation. However, how different types of manures affect microbial-driven Pi transformation at the aggregate scale is largely unclear. Here, we conducted a field experiment focused on maize cultivation in a reclamation site. Five fertilization treatments included no fertilizer (CK), chemical fertilizer (CF), chicken manure (CHM), pig manure (PM), and cow manure (CM). We examined microbial biomass, soil extracellular enzyme activities associated with carbon and phosphorus cycling, and Pi fractions (Labile-P, Moderately labile-P, and Stable-P) in three aggregate sizes (> 2 mm large macro-aggregates, 0.25–2 mm small macro-aggregates, and < 0.25 mm micro-aggregates), as well as grain yield. The results showed that manures addition significantly increased the proportion of large macro-aggregates and aggregate stability compared to chemical fertilizer. Stable-P constituted the largest proportion among the Pi fractions, accounting for 63 %–72 %. However, manures reduced Stable-P (5.4 %–10.7 %) and increased Labile-P (111 %–190 %) in Pi, especially in micro-aggregates. Both chemical fertilizer and manures increased microbial biomass and enzyme activities in aggregates, with manures causing a greater enhancement of soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC) and C-cycling enzymes, especially under pig manure, and improving soil microbial biomass phosphorus (SMBP) and P-cycling enzymes, especially under chicken manure. Phytase, phosphatase and SMBP accounted for 81.4 %, 81.2 % and 87 % of the differences in large macro-aggregates, small macro-aggregates, and micro-aggregates, respectively. The structural equation model (SEM) demonstrated that manures facilitated the transformation of Stable-P to Labile-P by regulating aggregates and microbial activity, which consequently increased yield. In summary, manures addition, particularly chicken manure, can enhance inorganic phosphate (Pi) accumulation and transformation, thereby mitigating phosphorus (P) limitation in calcareous reclamation soils. • Manures (especially chicken manure) promoted Pi accumulation and transformation. • Phytase, phosphatase, and soil microbial biomass phosphorus were the main factors causing the differences in Pi. • Manures promote Stable-P to Labile-P via interactions with aggregates and microbes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increased demand for agricultural produce can be attained by optimizing the productivity potential and minimizing losses caused by notorious plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) in crops. Given the exacerbation of the environmental pollution problem with pesticides, the use of potential biocontrol agents is the most acceptable way of nematode management by the farming community. This study conducted a survey to evaluate three animal [chicken (3.0 g/plant), sheep (5.0 g/plant), and cow (5 g/plant)] manures on soil nematode communities on cucumber under greenhouse conditions and inoculated with plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and their infectivity and the plant growth and crop production of tomato under field conditions compared to oxamyl (0.3 mL/plant). The survey concluded to spread 10 PPN genera, free-living nematodes (FLNs; Genus: Rhabditis), and predacious nematodes (PNs; Order: Mononchida). The root-knot nematode Meloidogyne spp. occupied the highest population density (PD; 60.41%), followed by the lesion nematode Pratylenchus spp. (38.72%) and then the spiral nematodes Helicotylenchus spp. (9.89%) and Tylenchus spp. (9.54%). The frequency of occurrence of phytonematode genera illustrated that Meloidogyne (35.41%), Pratylenchus (17.18%), Tylenchorhynchus (15.62%), and Tylenchus (11.45%) were the most frequent genera of phytonematodes. The higher prominence value was recorded with Meloidogyne, followed by Pratylenchus and Tylenchus. Under greenhouse conditions, an increase in plant growth parameters was recorded in cucumber plants that received the recommended rate of chicken, cow, and sheep manures, with no significant differences between chicken manure and oxamyl in root length and stem diameter. However, chicken manure treatment surpassed oxamyl in fresh root weight. Animal manure effects were extended for a long period in protective cucumber plants compared to control treatment by recording the lowest PD of Helicotylenchus spp., Tylenchorhynchus spp., and Pratylenchus spp. and the maximum decrease in galling and reproduction of Meloidogyne incognita. In the field experiment, test manures and PGPR combinations achieved maximum enhancement in tomato yield/plant compared to animal manures alone. The minimized numbers of M. incognita population coincided with the sustainable numbers of FLNs and PNs. Thus, the application of animal manures mixed with PGPR is a potential alternative to pesticides for the biological control of nematodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For 50 years, UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) has contributed to dairy water quality policy in California and helped, with partner organizations, to implement it in the dairy industry. When conditional waivers for waste discharge requirements expired in 2003, UC ANR shared research and best professional practices as regional water quality control boards developed new orders. UC ANR academics then worked with water quality control boards' staff and dairy industry representatives to develop feasible, staged implementation plans. Collaboratively, more than 50 hours of workshop curriculum were developed and disseminated, helping dairy producers to accept scientifically sound management practices that are more protective of groundwater. Research by UC ANR to better understand system dynamics, nitrogen management and practices to minimize the impact of manure application on groundwater quality continues, as does a program in environmental stewardship.

The presence of livestock in or near fresh-market vegetable fields has raised concerns about the potential for contaminating produce with pathogenic bacteria. To develop buffer zones for grazing near production of leafy greens, we assessed the prevalence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella species in  sheep that were grazed on alfalfa fields during the winter in California’s Imperial Valley. We found E. coli O157:H7 in 1.8% of fecal samples and 0.4% of soil samples, and Salmonella in 0.8% of fecal samples and 0.4% of soil samples. Our results indicate that sheep grazing on alfalfa in the Imperial Valley have a low prevalence of these pathogens in their feces and that these bacteria are rarely found in soil from fields with grazing sheep. The California Leafy Green Products Handler Marketing Agreement guideline of 30 feet between grazing lands or domestic animals and the crop edge is adequate to minimize potential contamination of nearby crops.

Copyright of Egyptian Journal of Agronematology is the property of Egyptian Society for Agronematology 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.)