Potential of Biochar-Based Fertilizers for Increasing the Productivity of Okra in Gajuri, Dhading

Sustainable agricultural production depends on increasing crop productivity while preserving soil health and reducing environmental risk. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential of biochar (10 t ha-1) based organic and inorganic fertilizer for increasing okra productivity through a field experiment conducted in Gajuri, Dhading. A 130 m2 area was divided into six treatment groups, each with four replications, using a Randomized Complete Block Design. The following were the treatments: i) inorganic fertilizer (RF); ii) biochar plus inorganic fertilizer (BF); iii) biochar plus vermicompost (BVC); iv) biochar plus poultry manure (BPM); v) biochar (BC); vi) control; neither biochar nor fertilizer (CK). The recommended rates of urea, di-ammonium phosphate (DAP), and muriate of potash (MOP) were applied to the mineral NPK fertilizers in RF and BF. The rate whereby organic fertilizers were applied was 200 kg N ha-1. Plots treated with biochar and various fertilizer groups were compared in terms of growth and yield efficiency. The BVC treatment was found to exhibit poorer growth performance in terms of plant height, number of leaves, primary branches, and nodes compared to the combination of biochar and poultry manure. Fruit output rose by 170% over CK (7.13 mt ha-1) and by 53.26% over RF (12.58 mt ha-1) after BPM treatment (19.28 mt ha-1). While BF and RF did not significantly differ in terms of growth characteristics, BF outproduced RF by 29% and CK by 126.79% in terms of pod yield. BF and BPM offered greater financial rewards than alternative treatments

Growth and Yield of Summer Squash (Cucurbita pepo var. sunny house) in Response to Organic and Inorganic Mulching Materials at Rampur, Chitwan

Mulching, a widely employed agricultural practice, has been recognized for its influence on soil moisture retention, temperature regulation, and weed suppression, thereby improving growth and yield of crops. An experiment was conducted to study the effect of mulching materials on growth and yield attributes of summer squash under water constraint condition during March to May 2023 in Chitwan, Nepal. The experiment was laid in single factor Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four different mulches (rice straw, wheat straw, rice husk and silver on black plastic mulch 30 microns) and control replicated 4 times. All the Plant growth parameters, including plant height, number of leaves per plant and plant spread, were highest in silver plastic mulch and the poorest in the un-mulched plots. Mulching also significantly influenced floral characters, with plastic mulch demonstrating superiority in traits such as days to flowering, number of flowers per plant, and sex ratio compared to organic mulches and the control. Fruit length, diameter, and weight exhibited the highest values under plastic mulch and the lowest values under the control, while all organic mulches showed similar results. The highest yield of 41.44 Mt ha-1 was achieved with silver plastic mulch, highlighting its effectiveness in enhancing crop productivity, while the lowest yield of 11.77 Mt ha-1 was recorded in the control plots. Despite its higher cost, silver pastic mulch exhibited highest net return and benefit-cost ratio. Rice husk mulch, with the second highest benefit-cost ratio and relatively low cost of production, emerged as promising alternative. Although mulching did not notably affect the soil pH, the varying soil organic matter percentages were observed, with the highest on rice straw mulch and the lowest on silver plastic mulch. The study suggests that while plastic mulch can significantly boost productivity during water scarcity, rice husk mulch offers a cost-effective alternative with substantial economic benefit

Weed Management Effects on Weed Dynamics, Yield and Economics of Spring Maize at Dang, Nepal

Weeds pose a significant challenge in maize fields in the Dang district, leading to a substantial 52% reduction in yield. Hence, this study was conducted in Satbariya village of Dang, Nepal, in 2023 to evaluate the impact of various weed management practices on weed dynamics, growth, and yield of spring maize. The experiment included seven treatments: a weedy check, weed-free plot, pre-emergence application of atrazine at 1.25 a.i. kg/ha (AtPrE), post-emergence application of atrazine at 1.25 a.i. kg/ha (AtPoE), manual weeding at 30 DAS, mini-tiller at 30 DAS, and LaPoE (tembotrione 42% SC + atrazine 50% WP) applied as post-emergence. The Subarna variety of maize was chosen for the study. Fifteen weed species from seven different families were identified in the experimental area. Specific morphological and phenological parameters, such as plant height and days to tasseling and silking, were not significantly influenced by the weed control methods. However, significantly lower weed density and biomass were observed in the weed-free plot and LaPoE. Similarly, weed-free plots and LaPoE exhibited significantly higher weed control efficiency (WCE) and weed control index at both 45 and 60 DAS, leading to a lower weed index (0.00–16.71%) and more effective weed control. Concerning the yield parameters, cob length, number of kernels per row, and 1000-grain weight were significantly higher in weed-free plots, followed by LaPOE, and the highest grain and biological yield were observed in weed-free plot (6.14–15.18 tons/ha) and LaPoE (5.12–13.32 tons/ha). Moreover, the benefit-cost ratio and net return were observed to be highest with LaPoE. This study suggests that LaPoE can be an effective and economical weed management strategy for increasing maize yield and profitability. Further research could explore the long-term effects of using LaPoE on weed control and crop productivity