scholarly journals Partial Acidulation of Rock Phosphate for Increased Productivity in Organic and Smallholder Farming

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 607 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harun Cicek ◽  
Gurbir S. Bhullar ◽  
Lokendra S. Mandloi ◽  
Christian Andres ◽  
Amritbir S. Riar
Keyword(s):  
Rock Phosphate ◽  
Central India ◽  
Field Trials ◽  
P Availability ◽  
Organic Substrates ◽  
Smallholder Farming ◽  
P Deficiency ◽  
Organic Systems ◽  
On Farm

There is a need to investigate and identify locally available organic substrates with acidifying potential, which can be used as an additive in rock phosphate (RP)-organic material composting mixtures. This paper reviews attempts to increase P availability in the context of smallholder, low-input and organic farming, and presents a case study from Central India that used a participatory approach to address P deficiency issues in cotton-based organic systems. Study was conducted from 2010 to 2014 through 61 on-farm trials and investigated the agronomic effectiveness of buttermilk-acidulated RP compost. The application of buttermilk-acidulated RP manure resulted in higher yields of cotton in all field trials and higher yields of soybean in all but one field trials. While on majority of the farms (18 out of 28), wheat yields increased with the application of buttermilk-acidulated RP compost, a quarter of the field trials (7 out of 28) exhibited yields lower than farmers’ practices. The study showed that it was possible to develop a locally adoptable solution to an agronomic constraint using locally available resources including the indigenous knowhow. Buttermilk proved to be an effective acidulating agent that can be added to RP-amended compost.

Biodiversity on-farm in semi-arid agriculture: a case study from a smallholder farming system in Zimbabwe

2000 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Chivasa ◽  
D. Harris ◽  
C. Chiduza ◽  
P. Nyamudeza ◽  
A.B. Mashingaidze
Keyword(s):  
Farming System ◽  
Smallholder Farming ◽  
Arid Agriculture ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Semi Arid

Sex-specifically responsive strategies to phosphorus availability combined with different soil nitrogen forms in dioecious Populus cathayana

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiucheng Liu ◽  
Yuting Wang ◽  
Shuangri Liu ◽  
Miao Liu
Keyword(s):  
Root Length ◽  
Root Length Density ◽  
Specific Root Length ◽  
P Uptake ◽  
Root Tip ◽  
P Availability ◽  
P Deficiency ◽  
Populus Cathayana ◽  
Leaf P ◽  
P Supply

Abstract Aims Phosphorus (P) availability and efficiency are especially important for plant growth and productivity. However, the sex-specific P acquisition and utilization strategies of dioecious plant species under different N forms are not clear. Methods This study investigated the responsive mechanisms of dioecious Populus cathayana females and males based on P uptake and allocation to soil P supply under N deficiency, nitrate (NO3 −) and ammonium (NH4 +) supply. Important Findings Females had a greater biomass, root length density (RLD), specific root length (SRL) and shoot P concentration than males under normal P availability with two N supplies. NH4 + supply led to higher total root length, RLD and SRL but lower root tip number than NO3 − supply under normal P supply. Under P deficiency, males showed a smaller root system but greater photosynthetic P availability and higher leaf P remobilization, exhibiting a better capacity to adaptation to P-deficiency than females. Under P deficiency, NO3 − supply increased leaf photosynthesis and PUE but reduced RLD and SRL in females while males had higher leaf P redistribution and photosynthetic PUE than NH4 + supply. Females had a better potentiality to cope with P deficiency under NO3 − supply than NH4 + supply; the contrary was true for males. These results suggest that females may devote to increase in P uptake and shoot P allocation under normal P availability, especially under NO3 − supply, while males adopt more efficient resource use and P remobilization to maximum their tolerance to P-deficiency.

scholarly journals Morphological and Metabolite Responses of Potatoes under Various Phosphorus Levels and Their Amelioration by Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (10) ◽  
pp. 5162
Author(s):  
Leangsrun Chea ◽  
Birgit Pfeiffer ◽  
Dominik Schneider ◽  
Rolf Daniel ◽  
Elke Pawelzik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Plant Growth ◽  
Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria ◽  
Shoot Biomass ◽  
Root Surface Area ◽  
Limiting Factor ◽  
P Availability ◽  
P Deficiency ◽  
Plant Growth Promoting ◽  
Growth Promoting

Low phosphorus (P) availability is a major limiting factor for potatoes. P fertilizer is applied to enhance P availability; however, it may become toxic when plants accumulate at high concentrations. Therefore, it is necessary to gain more knowledge of the morphological and biochemical processes associated with P deficiency and toxicity for potatoes, as well as to explore an alternative approach to ameliorate the P deficiency condition. A comprehensive study was conducted (I) to assess plant morphology, mineral allocation, and metabolites of potatoes in response to P deficiency and toxicity; and (II) to evaluate the potency of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) in improving plant biomass, P uptake, and metabolites at low P levels. The results revealed a reduction in plant height and biomass 60–80% under P deficiency compared to P optimum. P deficiency and toxicity conditions also altered the mineral concentration and allocation in plants due to nutrient imbalance. The stress induced by both P deficiency and toxicity was evident from an accumulation of proline and total free amino acids in young leaves and roots. Furthermore, root metabolite profiling revealed that P deficiency reduced sugars by 50–80% and organic acids by 20–90%, but increased amino acids by 1.5–14.8 times. However, the effect of P toxicity on metabolic changes in roots was less pronounced. Under P deficiency, PGPR significantly improved the root and shoot biomass, total root length, and root surface area by 32–45%. This finding suggests the potency of PGPR inoculation to increase potato plant tolerance under P deficiency.

Assessment of impact of ash ponds on groundwater quality: a case study from Koradi in Central India

2012 ◽  
Vol 69 (7) ◽  
pp. 2437-2450 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. S. Ramya ◽  
V. U. Deshmukh ◽  
Vijendra J. Khandekar ◽  
C. Padmakar ◽  
L. SuriNaidu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Quality ◽  
Central India ◽  
Ash Ponds

A steady-state N balance approach for sustainable smallholder farming

2021 ◽  
Vol 118 (39) ◽  
pp. e2106576118
Author(s):  
Yulong Yin ◽  
Rongfang Zhao ◽  
Yi Yang ◽  
Qingfeng Meng ◽  
Hao Ying ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Steady State ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
N Balance ◽  
Smallholder Farming ◽  
N Losses ◽  
Application Range ◽  
High Yields ◽  
N Management ◽  
On Farm

Hundreds of millions of smallholders in emerging countries substantially overuse nitrogen (N) fertilizers, driving local environmental pollution and global climate change. Despite local demonstration-scale successes, widespread mobilization of smallholders to adopt precise N management practices remains a challenge, largely due to associated high costs and complicated sampling and calculations. Here, we propose a long-term steady-state N balance (SSNB) approach without these complications that is suitable for sustainable smallholder farming. The hypothesis underpinning the concept of SSNB is that an intensively cultivated soil–crop system with excessive N inputs and high N losses can be transformed into a steady-state system with minimal losses while maintaining high yields. Based on SSNB, we estimate the optimized N application range across 3,824 crop counties for the three staple crops in China. We evaluated SSNB first in ca. 18,000 researcher-managed on-farm trials followed by testing in on-farm trials with 13,760 smallholders who applied SSNB-optimized N rates under the guidance of local extension staff. Results showed that SSNB could significantly reduce N fertilizer use by 21 to 28% while maintaining or increasing yields by 6 to 7%, compared to current smallholder practices. The SSNB approach could become an effective tool contributing to the global N sustainability of smallholder agriculture.

Small-scale biodiesel production: a case study of on-farm economics

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel K Mullenix ◽  
Sushil Adhikari ◽  
Max Runge ◽  
Timothy P McDonald ◽  
Ahjeong Son ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biodiesel Production ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Farm Economics
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