Co-application of compost or inorganic NPK fertilizer with biochar influences soil quality,grain yield and net income of rice

Most agricultural soils in sub-Saharan Africa are degraded,compromising the grain yield of rice and farmers return on investment.A 3-year field study was undertaken to explore the effect of the application of compost or inorganic NPK fertilizer applied alone or in combination with biochar on soil quality,grain yield of rice and net income.The five treatments were laid out using a randomized complete block design with four replications.The treatments were applied to supply approximately 75 kg N ha–1.The best fertilizer input was compost+biochar which resulted in the greatest improvement in soil physico-chemical properties by reducing bulk density and increasing porosity and moisture retention,organic matter content,percent nitrogen,available phosphorus and cation exchange capacity.Apart from treatment with inorganic fertilizer alone,treated soils showed a decrease in pH.Bacterial and fungal counts and basal respiration decreased in soils in the following order:compost+biochar>compost only>inorganic NPK fertilizer+biochar>inorganic NPK fertilizer>control.The increase in pooled grain yield and net income in response to treatment followed the order:compost+biochar>NPK+biochar>NPK>compost>control.The findings suggest that the use of compost or NPK alone might improve soil quality and increase grain yield and net income,but it is greatly recommended to co-apply these fertilisers with biochar.

The bio-interactions between plants,insecticides and fertilizers:an innovative approach for the research of xenobiotic substances

In this experiment carried out on Caribbean chili pepper plants(Capsicum chinensis),the bio-insecticide azadirachtin in combination with an NPK fertilizer proved to have a greater lethal impact on the larvae of Aedes albopictus than each substance on its own.This synergistic effect is noticeably important when both inputs are sprayed directly on the leaves of the plant(foliar application).While the plants treated with azadirachtin or NPK alone cause a 33.6%and 36.4%mortal-ity respectively of the Ae.albopictus larvae,the combination of the two inputs induces a 74.4%mortality on the mosquito larvae.To account for this synergistic effect phenomenon inside the plant,the azadirachtin+NPK combination most likely interacts with the capsaicinoid compounds naturally produced by the plant.Not only does this study carried out on azadirachtin reveal major results but the methodology itself offers a most interesting approach on how to boost the agricultural inputs within the plants.As a matter of fact,this research axis demands developing since the control of pests harmful to men has been dramatically lacking insecticide molecules acting on new targets over the past three decades.

Influence of Organic and Inorganic Fertilizers on Floating Bed Cultivation of Okra and Cucumber during Summer Season in Southern Part of Bangladesh

Some trails were carried out with a view to evaluate the performances of organic and inorganic fertilizers on growth and yield of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) and cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) in floating bed cultivation applying water hyacinth in 2014 and 2015 at Gopalpur union under Tungipara upazila of Gopalganj district in Bangladesh. The single factor experiment was conducted following Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) involving four treatments with three replications viz. T1: control (without organic and inorganic fertilizer), T2: cow dung, T3: recommended dose of NPK and T4: 50% cow dung + 50% recommended dose of NPK. Different growth parameters in respect of okra grown in 2014 and 2015, the longest plant height (171.73 cm and 164.03 cm), maximum number of branches (5.67 and 5.67) and leaves (60.33 and 69.67) were found in the treatment T3. Regarding yield parameters, significantly higher number of fruits plant-1, fruit length (cm), fruit diameter (cm), individual fruit weight (g), fruits weight plant-1 (g) and yield (t·ha-1) were 24.00 & 23.33, 16.61 & 16.59 cm, 6.01 & 6.17 cm, 23.47 & 24.74 g, 617.33 & 660.33 g, 13.01 & 13.21 t·ha-1 obtained respectively grown in 2014 and 2015 by applying the treatment T3 were identically similar with those in receiving the treatment T4. The lowest output was recorded in control in both seasons for all the cases. Similar trend of growth and yield were also observed during the cultivation of cucumber under the same treatment conditions in both the seasons. Results revealed that there was no identical differences in growth and yield attributes in between the treatments T3 and T4, where as the production cost was subjected to lower in T4 compare to T3. However, from the economic point of view, the treatment T4 i.e. application of 50% cow dung + 50% recommended dose of NPK fertilizers in floating bed cultivation was exposed to be more feasible and suitable as cost effective for the growth and yield of okra and cucumber in the experimental area.