scholarly journals Growth Responses, Physiological Alterations and Alleviation of Salinity Stress in Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) Amended with Gypsum and Composted Cow Dung

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 6792
Author(s):  
Muhammad Naveed ◽  
Muhammad Kamran Aslam ◽  
Zulfiqar Ahmad ◽  
Tasawar Abbas ◽  
Asma A. Al-Huqail ◽  
...  

Salt accumulation in soils poses severe challenges for crop production in arid and semi-arid regions. Scarcity of rainfall and a high evaporation rate in these regions are considered major reasons for salt accumulation. It drastically reduces the leaching of excessive salts below the root zone of crops. The toxic effects of salts on plants can be greatly reduced with the use of biological and inorganic amendments. The present study was conducted to investigate the positive influence of gypsum (GP), composted cow dung (CCD) and the combined use of gypsum and composted cow dung (GP+CCD) on the growth, seed yield, and physiological and chemical attributes of sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) in salty soil conditions. Saline-sodic soil was prepared using salts that include NaCl, Na2SO4, MgSO4, and CaCl2. It contained three levels of electrical conductivity (EC), i.e., 1.8, 6, and 12 dS m−1, and had a sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) of 15. We noted significant deleterious effects of excessive salt stress on multiple attributes of the growth, produce, physiology, and chemical factors of sunflowers. However, treatment with GP+CCD improved all these attributes in all these conditions over the control treatment. Treatment with GP+CCD also significantly increased N, P and K contents over the control in the absence of salt stress, i.e., normal conditions. Conversely, treatment with GP+CCD caused an extreme decline in antioxidant enzyme activity (APX, GPX, CAT and SOD) and Na+/K+ ratio in seeds of up to 90, 75, and 71% over control at an EC level of 1.8, 6, and 12 dS m−1, respectively. This study suggests the combined application of gypsum and composted cow dung for better production of sunflowers in salt-affected soils, and augmented growth, yield, physiology, biochemistry and nutritional value in the sunflower seeds.

Plants ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 480 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bushra Niamat ◽  
Muhammad Naveed ◽  
Zulfiqar Ahmad ◽  
Muhammad Yaseen ◽  
Allah Ditta ◽  
...  

Soil salinity and sodicity are among the main problems for optimum crop production in areas where rainfall is not enough for leaching of salts out of the rooting zone. Application of organic and Ca-based amendments have the potential to increase crop yield and productivity under saline–alkaline soil environments. Based on this hypothesis, the present study was conducted to evaluate the potential of compost, Ca-based fertilizer industry waste (Ca-FW), and Ca-fortified compost (Ca-FC) to increase growth and yield of maize under saline–sodic soil conditions. Saline–sodic soil conditions with electrical conductivity (EC) levels (1.6, 5, and 10 dS m−1) and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) = 15, were developed by spiking soil with a solution containing NaCl, Na2SO4, MgSO4, and CaCl2. Results showed that soil salinity and sodicity significantly reduced plant growth, yield, physiological, and nutrient uptake parameters. However, the application of Ca-FC caused a remarkable increase in the studied parameters of maize at EC levels of 1.6, 5, and 10 dS m−1 as compared to the control. In addition, Ca-FC caused the maximum decrease in Na+/K+ ratio in shoot up to 85.1%, 71.79%, and 70.37% at EC levels of 1.6, 5, and 10 dS m−1, respectively as compared to the control treatment. Moreover, nutrient uptake (NPK) was also significantly increased with the application of Ca-FC under normal as well as saline–sodic soil conditions. It is thus inferred that the application of Ca-FC could be an effective amendment to enhance growth, yield, physiology, and nutrient uptake in maize under saline–sodic soil conditions constituting the novelty of this work.


Author(s):  
Muhammad Naveed ◽  
Syeda Sosan Bukhari ◽  
Adnan Mustafa ◽  
Allah Ditta ◽  
Saud Alamri ◽  
...  

Nickel (Ni) bioavailable fraction in the soil is of utmost importance because of its involvement in plant growth and environmental feedbacks. High concentrations of Ni in the soil environment, especially in the root zone, may retard plant growth that ultimately results in reduced plant biomass and yield. However, endophytic microorganisms have great potential to reduce the toxicity of Ni, especially when applied together with zeolite. The present research work was conducted to evaluate the potential effects of an endophytic bacterium Caulobacter sp. MN13 in combination with zeolite on the physiology, growth, quality, and yield of sesame plant under normal and Ni stressed soil conditions through possible reduction of Ni uptake. Surface sterilized sesame seeds were sown in pots filled with artificially Ni contaminated soil amended with zeolite. Results revealed that plant agronomic attributes such as shoot root dry weight, total number of pods, and 1000-grains weight were increased by 41, 45, 54, and 65%, respectively, over control treatment, with combined application of bacteria and zeolite in Ni contaminated soil. In comparison to control, the gaseous exchange parameters (CO2 assimilation rate, transpiration rate, stomatal- sub-stomatal conductance, chlorophyll content, and vapor pressure) were significantly enhanced by co-application of bacteria and zeolite ranging from 20 to 49% under Ni stress. Moreover, the combined utilization of bacteria and zeolite considerably improved water relations of sesame plant, in terms of relative water content (RWC) and relative membrane permeability (RMP) along with improvement in biochemical components (protein, ash, crude fiber, fat), and micronutrients in normal as well as in Ni contaminated soil. Moreover, the same treatment modulated the Ni-stress in plants through improvement in antioxidant enzymes (AEs) activities along with improved Ni concentration in the soil and different plant tissues. Correlation and principal component analysis (PCA) further revealed that combined application of metal-tolerant bacterium Caulobacter sp. MN13 and zeolite is the most influential strategy in alleviating Ni-induced stress and subsequent improvement in growth, yield, and physio-biochemical attributes of sesame plant.


2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 145-159
Author(s):  
Mohammad Asadul Haque

A consecutive three year duration field experiment was carried out to identify which of a suitable mulch material and a planting bed or their combinations potentially reduce salt accumulation in soil and increase snake gourd yield in coastal saline soils. There were nine treatment combinations having three kinds of mulch materials: no mulch (control), rice straw mulch and plastic mulch, and three kinds of planting beds: convex bed, flat bed and concave bed. Plastic mulch reduced electrical conductivity of soil by 32% and increased soil temperature by 23% and gravimetric soil moisture content by 25% over control treatment. Plastic mulch had a fruit yield of 30.73, 28.06 and 26.32 t ha-1, which was 72, 237 and 268 % higher than control treatment in 2018, 2019 and 2020, respectively. The convex bed planting had significantly higher fruit yield than flat bed and concave bed planting. Plastic mulching and convex bed planting may therefore be recommended for reducing soil salinity and improving snake gourd yield in coastal saline regions. Journal of Bangladesh Academy of Sciences, Vol. 44, No. 2, 145-159, 2020


HortScience ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 1011C-1011
Author(s):  
Said Ennahli ◽  
Sorkel Kadir

Partial root-zone drying (PRD) irrigation management has been developed for grapevines as an efficient method to control excessive growth, improve fruit quality, and save water without compromising yield. PRD is based on knowledge of the mechanisms that control transpiration and requires slow dehydration of half of the plant root system, whereas the other half is irrigated. A study was conducted in the field to evaluate the effect of PRD on physiological characteristics, growth, yield, and fruit quality of three grape cultivars. The wetting and drying cycle of the PRD-vine root system is alternated on a 10–14 day schedule. Significant reduction in vigor was observed in treated plants compared with control plants. Root biomass was not affected, but fine roots significantly increased in PRD-treated plants, compared with that of the control. This contributed to the ability of PRD-treated plants to maintain leaf water potential similar to that of the control. Stomatal conductance of PRD plants was significantly reduced when compared with that of the control plants. Abscisic acid (ABA) concentration in leaves of PRD vines increased significantly when compared to the control vines. PRD treatment significantly increased yield and fruit quality when compared with the control treatment. PRD significantly increased water use efficiency (pruning weight per unit of water applied). This study shows that PRD stimulated ABA production in the drying roots, which caused reduction in stomatal conductance and transpiration rate, leading to a substantial reduction in vegetative growth without compromising yield and fruit quality.


1982 ◽  
Vol 99 (3) ◽  
pp. 569-576 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. A. I Brathwaite

SUMMARYExperiments were conducted in association with farmers during 1977, 1978 and 1979 on a River Estate sandy loam at Valsayn and on a Cunupia clay loam at Piarco, Trinidad, to assess the relative importance of components in a set of practices for wetseason production of ‘yellow shell’ pods of ‘blackeye’ type of cow pea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.). Though the response of the cow pea growth, yield and seed quality characteristics were similar at both locations, crop performance was consistently better at Valsayn and was attributed to more favourable soil conditions and to a lower incidence of pests (mainly Ceratoma beetles), cow pea severe mosaic virus, and weeds. Overall, it was found that pest control was the most important management factor, accounting for a mean yield increase of 144%. The adoption of the improved cultivar, California Blackeye No. 5, increased yield by 77%. Other inputs resulting in significant yield increases were, in order of magnitude, weed control (40%), roguing of mosaic infected plants (37%) and high plant density of 110000 plants/ha (23%). A fertilizer treatment did not significantly increase yield. The results suggest that adoption of the insect control treatment by farmers in their cultivation of an improved cultivar sown at high plant density, the use of herbicide and roguing of mosaic infected plants have practical potential and would be economically justified for the production of high yields and good quality ‘yellow shell’ pods of vegetable cow pea for processing.


2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (6) ◽  
pp. 55-60
Author(s):  
Bushra Islam Binte ◽  
Mahmuda Akter ◽  
Mariam Khanam ◽  
Md. Ashraful Alam ◽  
Md. Parvez Kabir ◽  
...  

Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) is a novel strategy to achieve sustainable crop production in degraded soils through judicious and balanced plant nutrients utilization. Sole application of chemical fertilizers in crop production causes soil and environmental pollution. The present study was designed to assess the effects of application of organic manures conjointly with chemical fertilizers on growth and yield of okra in acid soil. The experiment was consisted of four treatments viz. T0 [Control], T1 [Recommended dose of chemical fertilizers (RDF)], T2 [Dolomite (D) @ 1t ha-1 + RDF], T3 [Poultry manure (PM) @ 3t ha-1 + RDF], T3 [Cow dung (CD) @ 5t ha-1 + RDF] with six replications in a randomized complete block design. The results indicated that the use of PM with RDF showed better performance in the growth and yield attributes of okra. Compared with others plots, the highest plant height (114.10 cm), fresh weight plant-1 (591.58 g) and dry weight plant-1 (86.73 g) were observed in the PM-treated plot. Similarly, the highest number of fruits plant-1 (20.33) and fruit yield (13.58 t ha-1) were also found in PM-treated plants. Therefore, under acidic soil conditions, organic and inorganic fertilization may have a significant positive impact on the growth and yield of Okra.


2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (11) ◽  
pp. 400-413
Author(s):  
Babajide Peter ◽  
OpasinaIfeoluwa ◽  
Ajibola Adijat ◽  
Noah ◽  
Oyedele Temitope ◽  
...  

It is not unreasonable to state that, even before the introduction of organic agriculture, African local farmers have numerous of undocumented environment-friendly, nature-inclined indigenous techniques for boosting soil fertility and enhancing crop yield. However, despite the versatility of indigenous knowledge, setback is always experienced from western science, which tags such knowledge as being non-scientific and not worthy of scholarly engagements. A field experiment was carried out in the year 2013, at the Teaching and Research Farms, LadokeAkintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, to assess the soil fertility and yield promoting potentials of some indigenous plant species’ botanicals used as pre-planting treatments on different maize varieties. It was a 3 by 5 factorial experiment. The treatments introduced were: Three (3) maize varieties (V1 = ACR-DMR-SR-Y, V2 = Local EM-W and V3 = Suwan Solo Yellow and five (5) other treatments (comprising pre-sowing botanical treatments of: Kigeliaafricana only, Glyphea brevis only, combination of Kigeliaafricana and Glyphea brevis only, NPK fertilizer application (as a reference) and the control (treated with ordinary water only). The trial was laid out in Split Plot in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD), replicated three times. Data were collected on growth and yield parameters, and the data collected were analysed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). Means were compared using Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT). All the botanical treatments significantly influenced germination, growth, yield and nutrient uptakes of maize, compared to the control. Either of the botanicals tested (with ordinary basal manure application of the pre-existing plant residues on the field), competed effectively with NPK fertilized plants. Hence, since maize responded better to sole treatments of either Kigeliaafricana or Glyphea brevis extracts, irrespective of varieties than the combined treatment of the two botanicals, any of the maize varieties is therefore recommended as being suitably compatible with either of the sole botanical treatments, in the study area. Thus, this research is reasonable, particularly in the aspects of fertilizer economy, environment-friendliness, organic farming and more profitable crop production in the tropics, where soils are continuously cropped and marginal.


2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 2128-2132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Surabhi Hota ◽  
K. Arulmozhiselvan

A method of crop production of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) was attempted in field using Nutriseed Packs with drip irrigation. Nutriseed Pack is a tubular assembly composed of degradable polymer paper encapsulated fertilizer and manure pellet, designed for placing in the root zone soil of seedling at the time of transplanting. Urea/Diammonium phosphate (DAP) as source of N, single superphosphate (SSP)/ DAP as source of P, and muriate of potash (MOP) as source of K were used. The effect of paper wrap and addition of maida flour as a natural gel to fertilizer pellet was tested. The highest values for growth parameters such as plant height, number of main branches per plant and number of lateral branches per main branch were recorded for Nutriseed Pack with 50% NP(SSP)K with Wrap + Gel in all stages. Total fruit yield was highest in Nutriseed Pack with 50%NP(SSP)K with Wrap + Gel (43.1 t ha-1), which was 4.6 t ha-1 (11.9 %) higher than yield obtained in surface broadcast as 100%NP(SSP+DAP)K (38.5 t ha-1).The highest uptake of N(112.4 kg ha-1) and P (13.32 kg ha-1) was recorded for Nutriseed Pack with 50% NP(SSP) K with Wrap + Gel, while the highest K uptake (105.6 kg ha-1) was recorded in surface broadcast at 100%NP (SSP+DAP)K. The promising effect of placement of Nutriseed Pack has been brought out in the present study as an alternative means of crop production in terms of increase in fertilizer use efficiency upto 50% in place of surface application of fertilizers.


2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 152
Author(s):  
Sabah Anwer Almasraf ◽  
Ahmed Hatif Salim

Sustainable crop production in a coarse soil texture is challenging due to high water permeability and low soil water holding capacity. In this paper, subsurface water retention technology (SWRT) through impermeable polyethylene membranes was placed at depth 35 cm below ground surface and within the root zone to evaluate and compare the impact of these membranes and control treatment (without using the membranes) on yield and water use efficiency of eggplant inside the greenhouse. The study was conducted in Al-Fahamah Township, Baghdad, Iraq during spring growing season 2017. Results demonstrated the yield and water use efficiencies were 3.483 kg/m2 and 5.653 kg/m3, respectively for SWRT treatment plot and 3.286 kg/m2 and 3.709 kg/m3, respectively for treatment without using SWRT. The increasing percentages for yield and water use efficiency were 6% and 52%, respectively. Additionally, saving in irrigation water in the SWRT membrane was about 44% of the total applied depth comparing with the control treatment.    


Agronomy ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nur Abdul Halim ◽  
Rosazlin Abdullah ◽  
Saiful Karsani ◽  
Normaniza Osman ◽  
Qurban Panhwar ◽  
...  

In Malaysia, about 0.5 million ha of acid sulfate soils are found scattered over the east, west, and Sabah and Sarawak regions that can potentially be cultivated with paddy. This type of soil is acidic and not immediately suitable for crop production unless improved by applying some amendments. Thus, the current study was carried out to investigate the effects of various types of soil amendments on the growth, yield, and physiological responses of rice grown in extremely acidic conditions using ground magnesium limestone (GML), basalt, biochar, and compost as soil amendments. The acid sulfate soil with a pH of 3.76 was obtained from a paddy field in Merbok, Kedah. The plant responses were evaluated based on agronomic, physiological, and yield performance. The compost-treated rice showed the best performance in all three criteria. Compost treatment increased the soil pH up to 6.25. Physiological performances such as chlorophyll, photosynthetic rate, and water use efficiency were higher after compost treatment, while transpiration and stomatal conductance showed the highest after GML treatment. It can be concluded that the addition of compost as a soil amendment can increase soil pH and create favorable soil conditions for rice cultivation in acid sulfate soil, leading to improved rice growth performance.


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