Biochar as soil amendment: impact on chemical properties and corn nutrient uptake in a Podzol

A study was conducted to investigate the impact of biochar amendment on chemical properties and corn nutrient uptake in a sandy Podzol soil. Four rates of biochar (0, 5, 10, and 15 g kg−1) and two rates of inorganic fertilizer (0 and local recommendation rate for corn) were randomly applied to a completely randomized design with four replicates. Corn was grown for 45 d in a glasshouse using sandy Podzol. The increase in pH of the soil was concomitant with a decrease of exchangeable Al. The fertilized soil significantly increased total N, with a concomitant decrease in soil pH due to a N nitrification. Positive changes did occur in the soil due to biochar application, leading to a significant increase in dry matter yield and corn height. Corn N and K uptakes were significantly increased by the addition of biochar, but the same was not true for Ca and Mg. However, it was found that the concentrations of N, Ca, and Mg in the corn tissue were still lower than their critical level. Our results demonstrate that application of biochar alone is not able to supply enough nutrients for the healthy growth of corn

Structural and paramagnetic behavior of spinel NiCr2O4 nanoparticles synthesized by thermal treatment method: effect of calcination temperature

Spinel nickel chromite nanoparticles were synthesized using a simple thermal treatment method. The effect of calcination temperatures on the final properties of obtained materials was carefully examined using various characterization techniques.The infrared spectra of nickel chromite (NiCr2O4) revealed the characteristic bonds of metal–oxygen for Nisingle bondO and Crsingle bondO bands around 600 and 470 cm−1, respectively. The powder X-ray diffraction patterns exhibited the formation of normal spinel phase of NiCr2O4 in the calcination process at temperature between 550 and 850 °C. From transmission electron micrographs, nanosized particles with average size of ~7–64 nm were observed at calcination temperatures of 550–850 °C, respectively. The calcined samples at 750 and 850 °C exhibited paramagnetic behavior with g-factor values of 1.92 and 2.15, peak-to-peak line width of 25.59 and 117.02 Oe and resonance magnetic field of 342.04 and 306.49 Oe, respectively. Variation in the value of g-factor, peak-to-peak line width and resonance magnetic field can be attributed to the dipole–dipole and super exchange interactions

J-Pine Enterprise / Mohamad Ramadhan Abdullah...[et.al]

Carbohypaper Pineapple Leaf is actually paper which is consist of waste product from pineapple leaf. By doing some of observation and studies, we have decided to choose and set up our company at Johor Darul Takzim. Our main office is located at No. 44 Jalan Temenggong Ahmad, 84000 Muar, Johor Darul Takzim near to Sekolah Kebangsaan Parit Pinang Seribu .Actually, there are sort of reason, why we are choosing this kind of product and business. It is because, our General Manager, Mohamad Ramadhan Bin Abdullah, have basic information, knowledge and experience about this product. Furthermore, the production of Carbohypaper Pineapple Leaf are only few in the market because, this Carbohypaper Pineapple Leaf is made from waste product. So we do get advantages from doing this business because it is (less number of competitors. It also can give a long term profit to the company. Moreover, all our share partners of this business were actually had same interesting towards the product that we have been made. In administration management, we are concentrating on the organization reason of the company. We might want to guarantee that our business will run easily, proficiently and successfully with the goal that we can pick up benefits as much as we can. Organization division is additionally a sort of office who dependable to deal with the organization obligations of the organization, for example, making rules for the occupation obligations and occupation in charge of each worker, setting up the compensation calendar of the representatives, deal with alternate organizations of the company, for example, about the bills, utilities and so on. Generally, an orderly and decent arranging can guarantee the business or organization achievement. In the marketing department, we are entering in how to advance our items and services to other individuals whether to our present clients or to our potential clients. With a specific end goal to enhance our showcasing and to get the benefits, we additionally think About our shortcoming and qualities in the business. Moreover, we likewise make some observation and learn about our rival to decide our rival quality and shortcoming in the business. Advertising office is capable to examination the objective market and fitting advancement to expand our deals . At that point, this department will watch other organization promoting systems so as to tum out with the best method to advertise our items and administrations all through the nation. In the operation division, we concentrate on the most proficient method to utilize and to work the organization effectively and effectiveness. Operation division will deal with the operation procedure of the organization. The office will decide the suitable approach to be utilized as a part of request to deliver our item and services. The division additionally will decide the procedure that will be required during the production process. Operation office likewise will decide the suitable measure of any measure of any materials of crude materials or crude materials to be utilized as a part of request to create a specific item. Last but not least, the other department in the J-Pine Enterprise is the financial department. The financial department will be the division which mindful to deal with the budgetary matter of the organization. Financial office likewise capable to watch the stream of the cash, set up the last records and make any essential expectations about what the organization can do to increase and upgrade our benefits

Student Motivation in Outdoor Recreation Engagement: Examining the Validity and Reliability of the Measuring Instruments

Motivation is a detailed, wide-researched concept in the tourism field, and it is often associated with the pull and push factors and their influence on student behaviour. Hence, using a quantitative method through a questionnaire survey, this study aims to measure motivation and its roles in influencing higher education students to engage in outdoor recreation activities. A total of 150 respondents had participated in this study and the data gathered from the questionnaires were analyzed using the IBM SPSS version 26 statistical software. Priorly, expert evaluations were conducted to measure the reliability, content validity, face validity, and normality of the data. The pilot study has verified the reliability of the measuring instrument, while the data evidenced rational normality. Overall, the findings supported the measuring instruments proposed in this study for further research

Synthesis and characterization of structure and magnetic properties of chromite spinel nanoparticles prepared by thermal treatment method

The simple preparation of fine-particle nickel chromite, cobalt chromite and nickel cobalt chromite nanoparticles have been prepared from an aqueous solution containing respective metal nitrate, chromium (III) nitrate, polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) as a capping agent and deionized water as a solvent. After proper mixing with appropriate amount of precursor concentrations, the mixtures were dried in the oven for 24 hours at temperature of 110°C. The samples were crushed into powder before putting into furnace for thermally treated at various temperatures from 550°C to 950°C. In thermal treatment, the samples undergo crystallization and become metal chromite nanoparticles due to calcination process.The polymer (PVP) which controls the growth of the nanoparticles by creating a uniform distribution of the particles size and also preventing their agglomeration; were gradually removed from the samples and found completely calcined at temperature of 850°C for NiCr2O4 and Ni0.5Co0.5Cr2O4, while for CoCr2O4 at temperature of 950°C. The synthesized powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron spin resonance (ESR). X-ray diffraction results for the calcined samples of the NiCr2O4, CoCr2O4 and Ni0.5Co0.5Cr2O4 nanoparticles at different temperatures show the reflection planes of (111), (220), (311), (400), (511) and (440). The main peak were centered at 2θ = 35.74°, 35.70° and 35.80° respectively, corresponds to a crystal plane with Miller indices of (311), which confirm the presence of single-phase NiCr2O4, CoCr2O4 and Ni0.5Co0.5Cr2O4 with face-centered cubic (FCC) spinels. The crystallographic studies of NiCr2O4, CoCr2O4 and Ni0.5Co0.5Cr2O4 show the intensification in crystallinity of the nanoparticles due to the particle size enlargement of the nuclei as the calcination temperature increased. The crystallization of NiCr2O4, and Ni0.5Co0.5Cr2O4 were completed at 850°C, whereas for CoCr2O4 at 950°C, as publicized by the absence of organic absorption band in FT-IR spectra measure in a range of 280-4000 cm-1. From FT-IR results, the absorption bands of pure NiCr2O4 spinel nanoparticles were observed at 594 cm-1 for Ni-O and 463 cm-1 for Cr-O at optimum temperature, 850°C. Whereas, the absorption bands of Co-O were observed at 608 cm-1, 480 cm-1 and Cr-O at 376 cm-1 for pure CoCr2O4 nanoparticles at optimum temperature, 950°C.For pure Ni0.5Co0.5Cr2O4 nanoparticles, the absorption bands appear at 604 cm-1 for Co-O, 478 cm-1 for Ni-O and 373 cm-1 for Cr-O at optimum temperature, 850°C. The average crystallite size observed from XRD data for NiCr2O4 (9-63 nm), CoCr2O4 (10-57 nm) and Ni0.5Co0.5Cr2O4 (10-51 nm) were found to increase with the calcination temperature as in a good agreement with the results obtained from TEM images. Three parameters namely g-factor, peak-to-peak linewidth (ΔHpp) and magnetic resonance field (Hr) that characterize the magnetic properties of unpaired electron were measured by ESR. All the samples exhibit paramagnetism. The results show that the values of g-factor and peak-to-peak linewidth (ΔHpp) of the nanoparticles increase with the increase of calcination temperature whereas the magnetic resonance field (Hr) decreases as the calcination temperature increases according to the equation g = hv/βH. TEM results show the cubical spinel chromite nanoparticles prepared by thermal treatment method, were uniform in both morphology and particle size distribution. The average size of the nanoparticles increases from 7 nm to 63 nm for NiCr2O4, 12 nm to 50 nm for CoCr2O4 and 10 nm to 51 nm for Ni0.5Co0.5Cr2O4 when the calcination temperature increases. This advocates that several neighbouring particles fuse together to increase particle sizes by melting their surfaces

Rancang Bangun Mesin Pemotong Padi Multifungsi

Potensi area persawahan Aceh mencapai 27.100 hektar dengan Produktivitas gabah 131.000 ton pada tahun 2013. Proses pemotongan batang padi secara konvensional dengan menggunakan sabit yang selama ini digunakan oleh masyarakat pedesaan mengalami beberapa kendala, diantaranya untuk memanen padi dibutuhkan 5-8 petani, waktu pemanenan  lebih lama, memungkinkan terjadinya kecelakaan pada saat pemanenan lebih besar, sedangkan peralatan mekanis tidak dapat dijangkau oleh masyarakat menengah kebawah disebabkan oleh harga yang relatif tinggi. Maka diperlukan altenatif mesin pemanen padi meaknis yang relatif lebih murah dan terjangkau serta memiliki fungsi lain selain memanen padi sehngga diharapkan lebih ekonomis. Proses desain dilakukan dengan menggunakan software AutoCAD dan Manufaktur Proses manufaktur dilakukan secara manual yang meliputi pembuatan, pembuatan rangka, memodifikasi mata potong, setelan tinggi rendah, dudukan solar sel, dudukan baterai, pengarah batang padi, dudukan mesin, poros roda, roda dan proses pengecatan. Hasil penelitian ini menghasil satu unit mesin pemanen padi multi fungsi yang selain bisa digunakan untuk memanen padi, juag bisa digunakan untuk memotong rumput dan tebu.Kata kunci : Rancang Bangun, AutoCAD, pemanen padi, Multifungsi

Formation and characteristics of Spodosols formed on sandstone in the extremely high rainfall area of Sarawak, Malaysia

Two Spodosols occurring in Sarawak, Malaysia, were studied to elucidate the physico-chemical properties of the soils and to explain their formation. The pedons derived from sandstone are located at the elevation of 30 to 60 m above sea level. Under high temperature and extremely high rainfall prevailing in the area, the weatherable minerals in the sandstone have been mostly weathered and removed from the soil system, resulting in the accumulation of resistant minerals such as kaolinite, quartz and/or muscovite in the topsoil. The soil materials were subjected to podzolization which eventually formed spodic horizon in the soils at varying depths. At 60 m above sea level where the drainage is excessive, the spodic horizon is about 50 cm thick (having Bhs and Bs horizons (Arenic Alorthods), while at the lower position with poorer drainage condition, the thickness of Bs horizon is only about 7 cm (Lithic Alaqoud). The spodic horizon in both pedons is compacted, not penetrable by plant roots. The samples from spodic horizons contain carbonyl group conjugated with aromatic ring (having band at 1615 cm−1). This peak is probably attributed to the vibrations of aromatic C–C structural vibrations and C–O stretching of amide, quinone and H–bonded conjugated ketone groups. Carbonyl group occurring in the soils was probably involved in the metal complexation (or ligand exchange) during the podzolization process. The migration of the organo-metallic complexes and its deposition into the subsoil leads to the formation of spodic horizon. The spodic horizon in both profiles is characterized by low pH and high exchangeable Al with trace amount of hematite. Throughout the profiles, basic cations and CEC are very low, consistent with the sandy nature of the soils

Biochar as soil amendments: Impact on chemical properties and corn nutrient uptake in a Podzol.

Syuhada et al. Biochar as soil amendment to a sandy Podzol. A study was conducted to investigate the impact of biochar amendment on chemical properties and corn nutrient uptake in a sandy Podzol soil. Four rates of biochar (0, 5, 10, and 15 g kg-1) and two rates of inorganic fertilizer (0, and local recommendation for corn) were randomly applied to a completely randomized design with four replicates. Corn was grown for 45 days in a glasshouse using sandy Podzol. The increase in pH of the soil was concomitant with decrease of exchangeable Al. The fertilized soil significantly increased total N with concomitant decrease in soil pH due to N nitrification. Positive changes did occur in the soil due to biochar application, leading to significant increase in dry matter yield and corn height. Corn N and K uptakes were significantly increased by the addition of biochar, but the same was not true for Ca and Mg. However, it was found that concentration of N, Ca and Mg in the corn tissue was still lower than their critical level. Our results demonstrate that application of biochar alone is not able to supply enough nutrients for the healthy growth of corn.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

The discursive construction of modern masculine identities in contemporary Malaysia

In recent years, the emphasis on studies of western masculinities has caused studies on local masculinities not only to be ignored but marginalised. The underrepresentation of studies relating to Asian masculinity, particularly on Malaysian men, has caused a significant gap in theorizing about Asian men in general and Malaysian men in particular. With globalization and the shift in societal expectations of gender roles, men are urged to redefine and reconstruct their contemporary identities in their personal and professional lives. Despite the growing interest in masculine studies, research concerning men, especially in the social transformation of masculinity within the contemporary society is largely absent. This study examined the perceptions and experiences of Malaysian men in their negotiation of masculinity. Drawing from in depth semi structured interviews and content analysis of survey questions, the study explores the discursive construction of new masculinity among 28 Malaysian men aged between 25-35. Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) was used for the analysis of interview transcripts. The study sought to investigate how new masculinity is constructed by analysing the interview discourse of the 28 respondents by paying close attention to the linguistic and lexical choices they used to describe masculine identities. This study examined whether the current notion of masculinity sustains or challenges the hegemonic concept. The findings of this study indicate that being seen as independent, competitive and a risk taker are among the important determinants of self-perceived masculinity. In some instances, traditional male identities which is linked with being dominant, muscular and being a provider are no longer considered as ultimate masculine identifications. The findings are of great importance to provide a refined and contextual understanding of how masculinity and complex male identities are constructed in contemporary society