Ammonium and nitrate status of the first crop corn fields at Cukurova region

The ammonium (NH4) and nitrate (NO3) are the available nitrogen (N) forms that plants need in large quantities. Their existence in the soil is limited, and concentrations are kept low due to the losses by leaching in the soil profile and microbial consumptions. Sustainability of the plant available nitrogen forms in soil profile is important for plant growth and crop production. In this research, our main objective was to evaluate mineral nitrogen (Nmin) status of the first crop corn soils and plants in Akarsu Irrigation District of Cukurova Region in 2007. Soil samples prior to sowing and after harvest were taken from 0-30, 30-60 and 60-90 cm soil depths, and analyzed for ammonium and nitrate concentrations. Plant samples were also taken during harvest, and analyzed for N content for determination of total N uptake. There was considerable amount of ammonium and nitrate in the soil profile during preplanting and postharvest. Since the soils were mostly heavy texture, there is tendency to have ammonium also in the soil solution. However, ammonium concentration was far below the nitrate concentration throughout the profile. Plant nitrogen uptake in the irrigation district was very close to the amount that was applied by the local farmers. The results indicated that soil mineral nitrogen level is an important criteria for fertilization practices, especially the preplant Nmin values need to be considered to decrease the amount of N fertilizer that will be applied

Development and use of genic molecular markers (GMMs) for construction of a transcript map of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

A transcript map has been constructed by the development and integration of genic molecular markers (GMMs) including single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), genic microsatellite or simple sequence repeat (SSR) and intron spanning region (ISR)-based markers, on an inter-specific mapping population of chickpea, the third food legume crop of the world and the first food legume crop of India. For SNP discovery through allele re-sequencing, primer pairs were designed for 688 genes/expressed sequence tags (ESTs) of chickpea and 657 genes/ESTs of closely related species of chickpea. High-quality sequence data obtained for 220 candidate genic regions on 2–20 genotypes representing 9 Cicer species provided 1,893 SNPs with an average frequency of 1/35.83 bp and 0.34 PIC (polymorphism information content) value. On an average 2.9 haplotypes were present in 220 candidate genic regions with an average haplotype diversity of 0.6326. SNP2CAPS analysis of 220 sequence alignments, as mentioned above, provided a total of 192 CAPS candidates. Experimental analysis of these 192 CAPS candidates together with 87 CAPS candidates identified earlier through in silico mining of ESTs provided scorable amplification in 173 (62.01%) cases of which predicted assays were validated in 143 (82.66%) cases (CGMM). Alignments of chickpea unigenes with Medicago truncatula genome were used to develop 121 intron spanning region (CISR) markers of which 87 yielded scorable products. In addition, optimization of 77 EST-derived SSR (ICCeM) markers provided 51 scorable markers. Screening of easily assayable 281 markers including 143 CGMMs, 87 CISRs and 51 ICCeMs on 5 parental genotypes of three mapping populations identified 104 polymorphic markers including 90 markers on the inter-specific mapping population. Sixty-two of these GMMs together with 218 earlier published markers (including 64 GMM loci) and 20 other unpublished markers could be integrated into this genetic map. A genetic map developed here, therefore, has a total of 300 loci including 126 GMM loci and spans 766.56 cM, with an average inter-marker distance of 2.55 cM. In summary, this is the first report on the development of large-scale genic markers including development of easily assayable markers and a transcript map of chickpea. These resources should be useful not only for genome analysis and genetics and breeding applications of chickpea, but also for comparative legume genomics

Macro element status of mandarin orchards in southern turkey

Citrus nutrition and fertility of the orchards are not intensively studied in Turkey compared to the size of orchards and amount of production. A survey study was conducted in Eastern Mediterranean Coast of Turkey to evaluate the macro element status of Mandarin orchaids and to define potential correlations between the soil parameters and leaf element contents. Twenty five mandarin orchards were selected for the survey study. Soil and leaf samples were collected from each orchard based on the size and uniformity. The amounts of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) were measured in soil and leaf samples. The results indicated that there were not apparent nutrient deficiencies in the soils, however, the macro element deficiencies in the leaves were detected. Only a few number of correlations existed between the soil and leaf parameters. Previous fertilizer applications by growers should be considered in the current fertilizer programs. © 1994, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved

Yield and elemental composition of cucumber as affected by drip and furrow irrigation

The present study was conducted to determine the response of greenhouse grown cucumber to nitrogen applied by fertigation or furrow irrigation. Cucumber cv Seyhan was treated with nitrogen at 0, 100, 200, and 300 ppm. In the drip-fertigation treatment (DF), the nitrogen solutions were applied twice a week and also a 200 ppm K, 40 ppm Mg and 2.5 ppm Fe containing solution was supplied to all replicates once a week. In the furrow irrigation treatment (FI), plants received the same amount of nitrogen and potassium as in the DF treatment. In these plots half of the total N and K were incorporated into the soil before transplanting and the rest was applied at the fruit setting stage. Drip fertigated plants gave a higher yield (78 ton/ha) when compared to furrow irrigated plants (72 ton/ha). However, early yield (7.8 ton/ha) was higher with furrow irrigation. Irrespective of the irrigation, 200 ppm nitrogen level produced the highest yield (89.3 ton/ha). Although there was a significant difference between irrigation treatments for total fruit number per plant, there was no significant effect on mean fruit weight. Nitrogen level had significant effects on both total fruit number and mean fruit weight. They both increased with increasing nitrogen level. While stem diameter was affected neither by irrigation nor by nitrogen treatment, root length was affected by irrigation treatment. The DF plants had the shorter roots. Irrigation treatments also significantly effected leaf composition, resulting in higher leaf N, P and K contents in drip-fertigated plants. Neither irrigation nor nitrogen level had significant effects on soil pH, EC and P content of the soil. However soil K was affected by both treatments. Drip-fertigated plots had higher soil K compared to furrow-irrigated plots and increasing nitrogen level also gave rise to an increase in soil K. The results of this study, conducted on a sandy loam soil, showed that cucumber can be grown successfully by applying 200 ppm N twice a week and 200 ppm K, 40 ppm Mg and 2.5 ppm Fe once a week via a drip irrigation system, beginning three weeks after transplanting and terminating one week before the last harvest. Phosphorus should be incorporated into the soil before transplanting

Distribution and fractionation of soil phosphorus in particle-size separates in soils of western turkey

Evaluation of soil phosphorus (P) status is not possible without considering the various forms of P present and distribution of these forms in the soil fractions. Distribution of organic and total P on the whole soil and soil separates were examined in the selected three soil profiles representative to three great soil groups found in Izmir province in the Aegean region of Turkey. The results obtained indicated that total and organic P decrease, to a certain depth, as the depths of the soil profile increases. However, there is an increase in total P content in the lower parts of the B or in the upper parts of the C horizons in Profile I. In all the profiles other than Profile I, two-thirds or more of the total and organic P contents of the whole soil were concentrated in the clay plus silt fractions. The total P contents of the silt and sand fractions in Profile I were much more higher than the clay fraction throughout the profile. In all the profiles, aluminum-(Al), iron-(Fe), and reductant-(Red) phosphate contents of the three fractions, namely clay, silt, and sand, were highest in the surface and subsurface horizons, but tends to decrease at the expense of calcium (Ca)-P as the depths of the profiles increase. © 1994, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved

DISTRIBUTION AND FRACTIONATION OF SOIL-PHOSPHORUS IN PARTICLE-SIZE SEPARATES IN SOILS OF WESTERN TURKEY

WOS: A1994PM88700007Evaluation of soil phosphorus (P) status is not possible without considering the various forms of P present and distribution of these forms in the soil fractions. Distribution of organic and total P on the whole soil and soil separates were examined in the selected three soil profiles representative to three great soil groups found in Izmir province in the Aegean region of Turkey. The results obtained indicated that total and organic P decrease, to a certain depth, as the depths of the soil profile increases. However, there is an increase in total P content in the lower parts of the B or in the upper parts of the C horizons in Profile I. In all the profiles other than Profile I, two-thirds or more of the total and organic P contents of the whole soil were concentrated in the clay plus silt fractions. The total P contents of the silt and sand fractions in Profile I were much more higher than the day fraction throughout the profile. In all the profiles, aluminum-(Al), iron-(Fe), and reductant-(Red) phosphate contents of the three fractions, namely clay, silt, and sand, were highest in the surface and subsurface horizons, but tends to decrease at the expense of calcium (Ca)-P as the depths of the profiles increase

Response of field-grown tomatoes to nitrogen and potassium applied with drip or furrow irrigation

A field study was conducted on a sandy loam soil in order to determine the response of tomatoes (H-2274 cv) to nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) applied with irrigation water through drip irrigation system or with conventional furrow irrigation. Treatments tested were as follows: a. Drip-fertigation (DF): 84 kg N/ha, 105 kg K/ha,17 kg Mg/ha, and 1.05 kg Fe/ha were applied with irrigation water throughout the growing season via a drip irrigation system. b. Furrow Irrigation (FI1): In this treatment, the same amount of N and K were applied to the plant as in the DF treatment; (84 kg N/ha - 105 kg K/ha) c. Furrow Irrigation (FI2): In this treatment, 220 kg N and 270 kg K per ha were applied to the plant. There were significant differences between treatments in terms of yield and quality parameters. The highest yield (71 ton/ha) was obtained from the drip-fertigated treatment. In DF treatment, total yield was 1.21 and 0.72 times higher when compared to FI1 and FI 2 treatments, respectively. The increased yield resulted from both an increased fruit set and fruit size. Large fruit yield percentages were found to be 47% for DF, 28% for FI1 and 33% for FI2 treatment. Total fruit number and mean fruit weight (80 fruit/m2 and 88 g/fruit, respectively) were also higher in DF than in FI1 and FI2 treatments. Total soluble solid (TSS) and titratable acidity (TA) of fruit were lower in DF treatment. N, P and K contents of the leaves were slightly lower in DF treatment than the others. Soil salinity and P contents were higher in DF treatment than those of furrow irrigated treatments. This study showed that drip-applied N and K produced higher yield and quality of tomatoes than N and K applied with conventional furrow technique. The data also revealed that increasing the amounts of N and K applied is not enough to obtain the highest yield and quality unless the water is regularly supplied

Non-exchangeable and exchangeable potassium status of soils in relation to clay mineralogy and other soil properties in Hilvan area of upper Mesopotamia in southeastern Anatolia

Non-exchangeable and exchangeable potassium (K) contents in relation to clay mineralogy of the 105 soil samples collected from 35 soil series in the Hilvan area of the upper Mesopotamia in the southeastern Anatolia were studied. It was concluded that the major part of the non-exchangeable K is located in the clay fraction which is predominantly of smectite, with some kaolinite and a small amount of paligorskite. In addition, a strong positive correlation between the non-exchangeable and exchangeable K fraction indicated that as the non-exchangeable K increases, the amount of exchangeable K also increases, resulting in higher buffering capacity of soils in terms of K than that of soils low in non-exchangeable K

Inorganic phosphorus and manure effects on bahiagrass production on a Spodosol

Bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flugge) pasture fertilization recommendations have traditionally been based upon clipping studies. Inclusion of P from manure, not originally considered when P recommendations were developed for pastures, may minimize the need for P fertilization without reducing bahiagrass production or P uptake. The objective of this research was to determine if manure contributes greatly to the P crop nutrient requirement. A 2-year field study utilized a factorial arrangement of 0 and 6.9 Mg air-dried manure ha-1 with 0, 17, 34, 51, and 68 kg inorganic P ha-1 from triple superphosphate to evaluate bahiagrass yield, root distribution, and P uptake response on a Myakka fine sand (sandy, siliceous, hyperthermic Aeric Alaquod). Because air-dried manure was used in the field study, a greenhouse study was employed to confirm that there were no differences in bahiagrass yield or P uptake from either air-dried or fresh cattle (Bos spp.) manure sources. There were no manure or manure by P interaction effects on yield or P uptake of bahiagrass indicating that manure source did not effect grass production in the greenhouse. In the field study, bahiagrass roots were distributed into the Bh horizon, and the Bh horizon had at least four times more Mehlich-1 extractable P than that of the Ap horizon. This horizon was most likely acting as a main source for P-uptake by the grass. This observation was further confirmed by no yield response to levels of inorganic P application in 1989. A linear-response-and-plateau (R2=0.196) relationship with a critical point of 15.4 kg P ha-1 was found in 1990. Bahiagrass yield and P uptake were not dependent on P fertilization, either from manure or inorganic P, due to the availability of P from the Bh horizon

Chickpea leaves as a vegetable green for humans: Evaluation of mineral composition

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum) is generally consumed as a seed food, being a good source of protein and other essential human nutrients. However, young chickpea leaves are also eaten as a cooked vegetable green in certain parts of the world and could be a useful source of dietary nutrients, especially in malnourished populations. Because little information is available on the mineral content of this food, we characterised leaf mineral concentrations in 19 diverse accessions of chickpea. Both desi and kabuli chickpea types were studied. All plants were greenhouse-grown and were fertilised daily with a complete mineral solution. Young, fully expanded leaves (fourth through seventh nodes from the apex) were harvested at both early and late vegetative stages. The leaves were dried, ashed and analysed for mineral concentrations. Macronutrient mineral (Ca, Mg, K, P) concentrations varied from 1.3-fold to 1.8-fold and micronutrient mineral (Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, B, Ni) concentrations varied from 1.5-fold to 2.4-fold across all accessions. No major differences were observed in leaf mineral concentrations between the kabuli and desi types; mineral concentrations were generally lower in leaves collected at the later harvest date. Microscopic analyses demonstrated that all accessions contained crystal inclusions, suggestive of calcium oxalate crystals. Overall, chickpea leaves were found to be a good source of several minerals required by humans, and the levels of most of these minerals significantly exceeded those previously reported for spinach and cabbage