Effects of Farmyard Manure and Inorganic Fertilizer Application on Soil Physico-Chemical Properties and Nutrient Balance in Rain-Fed Lowland Rice Ecosystem

A field experiment was conducted to assess the effects of combined application of farm yard manure (FYM) and inorganic NP fertilizers on soil physico-chemical properties and nutrient balance in a rain-fed lowland rice production system in Fogera plain, northwestern Ethiopia. The study was carried out during the main cropping seasons of 2010 and 2011. Twenty-seven treatments comprising a factorial combination of three rates of FYM (0, 7.5, and 15 t·ha-1), three rates of nitrogen (0, 60, 120 kg·N·ha-1) and three rates of phosphorus (0, 50 and 100 kg·P2O5·ha-1) were tested. The experiments were laid out as a randomized complete block design with three replications. Bulk density, organic matter content, and available water holding capacity, total N, and available P of the soil were measured just after harvesting the rice crop. Results showed that application of 15 t·FYM·ha-1 significantly increased soil organic matter and available water holding capacity but decreased the soil bulk density, creating a good soil condition for enhanced growth of the rice crop. Application of 15 tFYM·ha-1 increased the level of soil total nitrogen from 0.203% to 0.349%. Combined application of 15 t·ha-1·FYM and 100 kg·P2O5·ha-1 increased the available phosphorous from 11.9 ppm to 38.1 ppm. Positive balances of soil N and P resulted from combined application of FYM and inorganic N and P sources. Application of 15·t ha-1·FYM and 120 kg·N·ha-1resulted in 214.8 kg·ha-1·N positive balance while application of 15 t·ha-1·FYM and 100 kg·P2O5·ha-1 resulted in a positive balance of 69.3 kg·P2O5·ha-1 available P. From the results of this experiment, it could be concluded that combined application of FYM and inorganic N and P fertilizers improved the chemical and physical properties, which may lead to enhanced and sustainable production of rice in the study area.

Ground cover management and farmyard manure effects on soil nitrogen dynamics, productivity and economics of organically grown lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. subsp, secalina)

Ground cover management and farmyard manure （FYM） management have important roles in organic lettuce production. However, there is not enough information about their combined effects. In order to assess the effects of individual and combined ground cover and FYM management on soil mineral N （NH4-N and NO3-N） dynamics, lettuce yield and economics in organic farming, a two-year field experiment was conducted on a certified organic farm in Kisa6 （Vojvodina, Serbia）. The experiment had a two-factorial split-plot completely randomized block design. FYM was applied on the half of the experimental field as a whole-plot factor, while ground cover management included the following four treatments： （I） control, without ground cover management （0）; （11） hoeing （H）; （111） agrotextile cover; （IV） straw mulch （SM）, which were applied on split plots. The applied SM and AT increased soil moisture by 12.83 and 3.73%, respectively, compared to the control treatment. FYM increased soil mineral N concentration, the lettuce fresh matter （FM） yield and nitrate concentration in lettuce. However, nitrate concentration in lettuce in all treatments was below the limit required by the European Commission （EC） （2001）. The highest lettuce yield was obtained by AT （39 122 kg）, followed by SM （33 925 kg）, and it was higher with FYM application by 16.85%. Hoeing did not positively affect the yield, probably due to its negative effect on soil moisture. Additional profit was higher with FYM, showing the following decreasing order： AT〉H〉SM〉Ф. However, value/cost ratio （VCR） was in the order Ф〉H〉SM〉AT on FYM fertilized plots. FYM application led to higher lettuce yield and higher profit and VCR. In case a farm does not have FYM, SM is the best alternative due to its positive effect on the yield and low investment costs. Keywords： hoeing, agrotextile cover, straw mulch, farmyard manure, FYM, mulch

Competitive Relationships and Yield Advantage of Intercropping Faba Bean with Sugar Beet under Bio-Organic Additives and Mineral Nitrogen Fertilizer Rates

A field experiment was conducted at El-Serw Agricultural Research Station, Damietta Governorate, Egypt during 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 seasons to reduce mineral N inputs of sugar beet with increased land use efficiency and profitability under intercropping conditions. Seven treatments included five treatments (90 kg nitrogen “N” + 30 m3 farm yard manure “FYM”/fad, 80 kg N +30 m3 FYM/fad, 70 kg N +30 m3 FYM/fad and 400 g of Cerealine + 30 m3 FYM/fad for intercropping faba bean cultivar Spanish with sugar beet cultivar Gloria) and two treatments (90 and 20 kg N/fad for solid culture of sugar beet and faba bean, respectively, as recommended mineral N fertilizer rate) were compared in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Solid culture of sugar beet with the application of recommended rate (90 kg N/fad) gave the highest top, root and sugar yields/fad, as well as the percentage of purity compared with the other treatments in both seasons. Intercropping faba bean with sugar beet plants with application of 90 kg N + 30 m3 FYM/fad gave the highest number of leaves/plant, leaf area/plant, root length, root diameter and root weight/plant followed by intercropped sugar beet plants that fertilized with 80 kg N + 30 m3 FYM/fad compared with the other treatments in both seasons. On the other hand, intercropped sugar beet that received 400 g of Cerealine + 30 m3 FYM/fad had the highest percentages of T.S.S. and sucrose followed by 70 kg N + 30 m3 FYM/fad compared with the other treatments in both seasons. Solid culture of faba bean with the application of 20 kg N/fad gave the highest plant height, number of seeds/pod and seed yield/fad, meanwhile the highest number of branches/plant and pod length were achieved by intercropping faba bean with sugar beet with application of 90 kg N + 30 m3 FYM/fad followed by intercropped faba bean plants that fertilized with 80 kg N + 30 m3 FYM/fad compared with the other treatments in both seasons. However, intercropped faba bean plants that fertilized with 70 kg N + 30 m3 FYM/fad gave the highest number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, seed index and seed yield per plant compared with the other treatments in both seasons. Land equivalent ratio (LER), land equivalent coefficient (LEC) and relative crowding coefficient (RCC) were high by intercropping faba bean with sugar beet with the application of 80 kg N + 30 m3 FYM/fad indicating yield advantage was achieved. The value of aggressivity (Agg) of sugar beet was negative for all combinations indicating that sugar beet is dominated component in the present study. Intercropping faba bean with sugar beet with the application of 80 kg N + 30 m3 FYM/fad achieved higher total income and monetary advantage index (MAI) than the other treatments. Growing sugar beet plants in both sides of beds (1.2 m width) with one faba bean row in middle of sugar beet beds with the application of 80 kg N + 30 m3 FYM/fad decreased mineral N fertilizer rate by 10.00% of the recommended sugar beet mineral N fertilizer rate, as well as increased land usage and profitability for Egyptian farmers compared with sugar beet solid culture.

Effect of Micronutrient Application with Different Sources of NPK on Growth and Yield of Finger Millet Crop in Red Laterite Zone

A field experiment had been conducted during spring season of 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 at Regional Research Sub-station of Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya,Raghunathpur,Purulia,West Bengal with the objective to study the effect of micronutrient application with different sources of NPK on growth and productivity of finger millet.The experiment was laid out in split plot design with two main plot treatments(sources of NPK,F1:100%recommended dose of NPK(RDF)i.e.,N:P2O5:K2O,40:20:20 kg/ha,F2:75%RDF+2.5 t/ha farmyard manure(FYM))and six subplot treatments(method and dose of micronutrient application,M1:ZnSO4 at a rate 12.5 kg/ha as soil application,M2:ZnSO4 at a rate 0.5%as foliar spray,M3:borax at a rate 10 kg/ha as soil application,M4:borax at a rate 0.5%as foliar spray,M5:ZnSO4 at a rate 12.5 kg/ha+borax at a rate 10 kg/ha as soil application and M6:ZnSO4 at a rate 0.5%+borax at a rate 0.5%as foliar spray)with three replications.The results of the experiment indicated(from pooled data)that there was a significant influence of sources of NPK and application of micronutrients on growth and performance of finger millet.The highest grain yield(2.24 and 2.30 t/ha)was recorded by 2.5 t/ha FYM+75%RDF in combination with ZnSO4 at a rate 0.5%+borax at a rate 0.5%foliar spray.So,organic and inorganic combination of NPK(75%RDF+2.5 t/ha FYM)along with foliar application of both the micronutrients(Zn and B)together can boost up the yield and could be recommended for the cultivation of finger millet crop in red and laterite zone of West Bengal.