The Evangelistic and Developmental Importance of Creation of Anglican Dioceses in Igboland (1864-2009)

The Church Missionary Society (CMS) which is the missionary society that brought Anglican mission into Igboland believed that Christian mission must be done in the context of a Diocese. The purpose of this paper is to attempt a historical exploration of the history of creation of Anglican Dioceses in Igboland and to critically examine the evangelistic and developmental importance of the system in the Igbo society from inception till the year 2009 when the last set of Anglican Dioceses were created in Igboland sequel to an official embargo placed on creation of Dioceses by the Primate of Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) the same year. This study essentially adopted descriptive phenomenology for data collection and analysis.  In the process, it was discovered that the first Anglican Diocese in Igboland was created in 1864 and that between 1864 and 2009 about 50 Dioceses were created in Igboland. The analysis also showed that the Anglican Diocesan system did not only constitute a religious factor in the Igbo society but also a factor of human and social development. Keywords: Anglican church, Dioceses, Evangelicalism, Development, Importance

Reduction of nutrient run-off by the use of coated slow-release fertilizers on two container-grown nursery crops

The agricultural district of Pistoia (Tuscany, Italy) is one of the most important sites in Europe for the production of Hardy Ornamental Nursery Stock (HONS). One of the main problems of this sector is the environmental impact of the pot cultivation, mainly due to an incorrect irrigation scheduling that leads to high nitrogen and phosphorus losses. The aim of this research has been to compare the effects of the traditional fertigation versus new fertilization strategies, based on the use of controlled slow-release fertilizers (CRFs), on plant growth and on nitrogen and phosphorus run-off in two container HONS species (Photinia × fraseri and Prunus laurocerasus). Every week, plant height, cumulate irrigation and drainage volume were measured on four replicates for each treatment and species. Every four weeks two average samples of drainage water and irrigation water for each treatment and species were analysed, determining total nitrogen and phosphorus content, in order to draft a water and nutrient balance. The three different fertilization strategies did not produce any relevant effect on the final plant height and all plants were ranked in the top quality market category. The data confirmed that the use of CRFs could contribute to a huge reduction of nitrogen and phosphorus run-off in the environment and could be a winning strategy for the fertilization of HONS in nitrate vulnerable zones

Reusing greenhouse growing media.

The disposal of used growing media represents one of the weak points for the application of hydroponic technology to greenhouse and nursery production. In many cases, especially mineral wools, exhausted substrates are disposed to landfill. However, landfill costs are increasing and landfill sites are becoming ever more unavailable. Thus, substrate reutilization must be strongly encouraged along with the reduction of substrate volume applied per plant. The paper reports a literature survey on the biological, technological and environmental implications of the reuse of exhausted substrates in soilless culture

An integrated model for the management of nitrogen fertilization in leafy vegetables.

Optimal nitrogen (N) supply is crucial for high yield, produce quality and crop sustainability of leafy vegetables. In spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.), N availability in the root zone is positively correlated with biomass production, tissue minerals and antioxidants content, and other commercial quality attributes such as leaf colour and wrinkledness. An erroneous N supply may cause crop N deficiency or overfertilization, which in turn results in waste of fertilizers with increased production costs and environmental impact. Nevertheless, growers very often supply N at constant rate based on empirical protocols, without taking into consideration climate variables and crop rotations. During a four-year long study (2007-2011), we assembled, calibrated and validated an integrated model (DSS, decision support system) that simulates N concentration in the root zone (daily basis) and gives information on the amount of N that should be delivered to the crop for maintaining the desired (i.e. optimal) N mineral content in the root zone. Simulations run on the basis of climate parameters, chemical-physical soil characteristics, and crop characteristics. Main outputs of the DSS are: crop cumulated biomass and N uptake, soil water balance and nitrogen balance. The DSS was tested on spinach grown in open field, in sandy-loam soil, under Mediterranean climate conditions. A significant linear correlation was found between simulated and measured data. The DSS was effective to support the management of N fertilization: in some cases, it allowed a reduced N supply in comparison to standard protocols applied by local growers, with no significant reduction in yield and quality