EFFECT OF DIFFERENT NITROGEN AND POTASSIUM LEVELS AND FOLIAR APPLICATION OF BORON ON WHEAT YIELD

From the present study, it could be concluded that the highest concentration of nitrogen in wheat grains was obtained at 90 kg N fed-1 in the presence of potassium and spraying with boron. Increasing nitrogen levels increased the amount of nitrogen uptake by grains of wheat. Also the crude protein (%) in grains increased gradually with increasing nitrogen level in the presence of potassium and spraying with boron. The highest concentration of K in grains of wheat was obtained at the high levels of nitrogen in the presence of potassium and spraying with boron. Also the highest amounts of K uptake by the grains of wheat were recorded by the high levels of nitrogen in the presence of potassium and spraying of boron

Wheat Fertilization with Special Reference to Soil Properties and Groundwater Composition in Heavy Clay Soil from Egypt

Egypt is considered to be a heavy user of chemical fertilizers, especially NPK fertilizers. Thus, sustainable NPK-fertilizer management should be considered to minimize nutrient losses to the environment via volatilization or leaching. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to investigate the effect of different levels of NPK fertilization on some soil chemical properties, the chemical composition of groundwater and the yield and yield components of wheat plant under different treatments of NPK. Field experiments were carried out to study the effect of NPK application on soil properties and groundwater quality as well as wheat yield. Groundwater and soil samples were collected after the first, the third irrigation as well as after harvesting from each treatment for chemical analysis. The highest value of soil salinity was 1.64 dS m-1 after wheat harvesting compared to it before planting (1.13 dS m-1). Values of pH after wheat harvesting ranged from 7.39 to 8.01 (7.67 before planting). Concentration of soluble cations in the ground water after harvesting was higher than it before planting. Concerning soluble salts, Na+ and Cl- was the dominate ions in the soil solution and cation concentration had the descending order: Na+ > Ca++ > Mg++ > K+ and anions had the following order: Cl- > SO4-- > HCO3-. The mean values of available N after wheat harvesting ranged from 8 to 19 mg N kg-1 (38 – 42 mg N kg-1 before planting). The highest value of available phosphorus after wheat harvesting was 11 mg P kg-1 (19.4 mg P kg-1 before planting). Available K ranged from 97 to 204 mg K kg-1 compared to it before planting (160 – 210 mg K kg-1). The balance fertilization of NPK (N80P22K50) gave the highest yield of wheat, improving soil fertility and decrease nutrient leaching to ground water. The grain yield of wheat was highly significant increased with increasing N levels up to 120 kg N acre-1. The highest mean value of grain yield over the two seasons was 3.5 Mg acre-1

Selenium and Nano-Selenium Biofortification for Human Health

Selenium is an essential micronutrient required for the health of humans and lower plants, but its importance for higher plants is still being investigated. The biological functions of Se related to human health revolve around its presence in 25 known selenoproteins (e.g., selenocysteine or the 21st amino acid). Humans may receive their required Se through plant uptake of soil Se, foods enriched in Se, or Se dietary supplements. Selenium nanoparticles (Se-NPs) have been applied to biofortified foods and feeds. Due to low toxicity and high e ciency, Se-NPs are used in applications such as cancer therapy and nano-medicines. Selenium and nano-selenium may be able to support and enhance the productivity of cultivated plants and animals under stressful conditions because they are antimicrobial and anti-carcinogenic agents, with antioxidant capacity and immune-modulatory efficacy. Thus, nano-selenium could be inserted in the feeds of fish and livestock to improvise stress resilience and productivity. This review offers new insights in Se and Se-NPs biofortification for edible plants and farm animals under stressful environments. Further, extensive research on Se-NPs is required to identify possible adverse effects on humans and their cytotoxicity.Peer Reviewe

Nano-Restoration for Sustaining Soil Fertility: A Pictorial and Diagrammatic Review Article

Soil is a real treasure that humans cannot live without. Therefore, it is very important to sustain and conserve soils to guarantee food, fiber, fuel, and other human necessities. Healthy or high-quality soils that include adequate fertility, diverse ecosystems, and good physical properties are important to allow soil to produce healthy food in support of human health. When a soil suffers from degradation, the soil’s productivity decreases. Soil restoration refers to the reversal of degradational processes. This study is a pictorial review on the nano-restoration of soil to return its fertility. Restoring soil fertility for zero hunger and restoration of degraded soils are also discussed. Sustainable production of nanoparticles using plants and microbes is part of the process of soil nano-restoration. The nexus of nanoparticle–plant–microbe (NPM) is a crucial issue for soil fertility. This nexus itself has several internal interactions or relationships, which control the bioavailability of nutrients, agrochemicals, or pollutants for cultivated plants. The NPM nexus is also controlled by many factors that are related to soil fertility and its restoration. This is the first photographic review on nano-restoration to return and sustain soil fertility. However, several additional open questions need to be answered and will be discussed in this work