Diagnosis and Recommendation Integrated System Assessment of the Nutrients Limiting and Nutritional Status of Tomato

Tomato is an important field crop,and nutritional imbalances frequently reduce its yield.Diagnosis and Recommendation Integrated System(DRIS),uses ratios for nutrient deficiency diagnosis instead of absolute concentration in plant tests.In this study,local DRIS norms for the field tomatoes were established and the nutrient(s)limiting tomatoes yield were determined.Tomato leaves were analyzed for nutrients,to identify nutritional status using the DRIS approach.One hundred tomatoes fields were selected from Chatter Plain Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Sheikupura Punjab Pakistan.The first fully matured leaf was sampled,rinsed,dried and ground for analyzing P,K,Ca,Mg,Cu,Fe,Mn and Zn using an Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrophotometer(ICP AES).Plant tissue N and S were measured by the combustion method.The tomatoes yields were recorded at each location.The data were divided into high-yielding(≥3.79 kg/10 plant)and low-yielding(<3.79 kg/10 plant)populations and norms were computed using standard DRIS procedures.High-yielding plant population had a statistically greater mean S and Fe than the low-yielding population.The average balance index,the sum of functions,for S and Fe were−11.04 and−5.17 which reflected deficiency of S and Fe.Plant nutrients norms established may optimize plant nutrition in field tomatoes for high yield.

Transport patterns of micro nutrient elements from the continental shelf of the East China Sea to the Kuroshio area

On the basis of the in situ data of DO2, pH, SiO2. PO4-P, NO3-N and NO2-N collected in the north of the East China Sea during 1987-1988, the following points are mainly expounded.1.The inorgonic nutrients are obviously affected by continent runoff in the north of the East China Sea. Their distributions are characteristic of its distribution of terrigenous materials.2.There are three transport paths of nutrients from the shelf to the Kuroshio area. The first is mixing-diffusing-advec-tion and upwelling process, the process of biology and biochemistry belongs to the second, and the sinking process is the last one.3.The swing of the Kuroshio axis affectes both the range of the migration of substances through mixing-diffusing-advec-tion process and the upwelling degree of the subsurface Kuroshio water to the shelf.4.Most part of the substances sink as macroparticles to the deep layer before reaching the Kuroshio area.

Proximate composition and antimicrobial activity of three wild edible mushrooms consumed by ethnic inhabitants of Tripura in northeast India

The study was focused on edible mushrooms consumed by the ethnic inhabitants of Tripura,northeast India.Three mushrooms namely Lentinus squarrosulus,Lentinus tuber-regium and Macrocybe gigantea were evaluated quantitatively for proximate composition and mineral nutrients.In addition,the efficacy of the mycelial extract was tested for antimicrobial activity against the bacteria.The results of this study indicated that mushrooms were rich in protein and carbohydrate with low fat content.Macrocybe gigantea proved to the best source of protein and carbohydrate among the three mushrooms.There were varied amount of micronutrients recorded in all the three mushrooms.The antimicrobial activity of mycelial extract of M.gigantea was found against all the tested strains of bacteria.The study suggested that these mushrooms are rich in nutrients particularly M.gigantea which could be used as an alternative source of vegetarian food to the ethnic people of Tripura.The antimicrobial activity exhibited by these mushrooms indicated their medicinal properties.

Balanced Fertilizer Use through Soil Testing Leads to Higher Yields and Nutrient Contents of Maize Grains

Fertilizers use can be optimized through soil testing and leaf analysis. This paper deals with using soil analysis as a base for fertilizer use in maize. A field experiment was carried out in two summer seasons of 2013 and 2014 with maize (triple hybrid) in Oraby Village, Mariut sector, Alexandria, Egypt. Soil testing shows that soil was clay loam, with high Na and CaCO3 contents with high pH, low organic matter, medium P and K and low micronutrient contents (Fe, Zn, Mn and Cu), seven treatments were designed. The most promising treatment was when P and K were increased and micronutrients were added based on soil testing. This treatment resulted in the highest yield with better grain contents of protein and nutrients which indicated that soil-test based on fertilizer use was superior. Soil analysis at the end of the experiment showed higher P and K contents. This approach could be adopted for regions with similar soil conditions in other parts of the world.