Response of potato to ash as an alternative source of potassic fertilizer

An experiment was carried out during rabi season of 2011-2012 in the experimental field of Soil Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh. The objectives of present research work was to evaluate ash as an alternative source of potassic fertilizer for potato cultivation. The treatment combinations were i) Control (No K), ii) 100% K of recommended dose from muriate of potash (MoP), iii) 75% K from MoP+ 25% K from ash, iv) 50% K from MoP + 50% K from ash, v) 25% K from MoP + 75% K from ash, and vi) 100% K from ash. The result of the experiment indicated that various combinations of ash and MoP influenced the yield, yield contributing characters (length of the tubers, breadth of the tubers, number of tubers per hill, weight of tubers per hill, weight of ten tubers and gross yield of tubers per plot), K content of potato as well as weed infestation. Among the treatments the highest yield was obtained from 50% K from MoP + 50% from ash (T3) treated plot. The K content in the potato tuber and weed infestation was also highest for that plot. Considering the yield contributing parameters, yield and number of weeds the T3 (50% K from MoP + 50% K from ash) treatment was found more suitable than others

Nutritional improvement of wheat by foliar application of moringa leaf extract

A field experiment was conducted at the Soil Science Field Laboratory of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh, during rabi season to evaluate the effect of foliar application of moringa leaf extract on productivity and nutrient uptake efficiency of wheat plants. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with six treatments and three replications. The treatments were T1 (Control), T2 [moringa leaf extract (MLE) sprayed only at tillering stage], T3 (MLE sprayed at tillering and jointing stages), T4 (MLE sprayed at tillering, jointing and booting stages), T5 (MLE sprayed at tillering, jointing, booting and heading stages) and T6 (MLE sprayed only at heading stage). The application of moringa leaf extract significantly increased nutrient content as well as nutrient uptake by grain and straw. The content of N, P, K and S in both grain and straw of wheat was the highest in T4 treatment which produced the maximum biological yield of 9.05 t ha-1. Again, treatment T4 resulted in the highest total uptakes of N, P, K and S in wheat, which were 131.91, 15.55, 122.27, and 24.16 kg ha-1, respectively. The results of this study indicate that foliar application of MLE can potentially be a viable option to increase biological yield and nutrient uptake efficiency of wheat plants, particularly N, P, K and S. In this study, the foliar application of moringa leaf extract on tillering, jointing and booting stages of the crop showed the best performance and therefore, it might be used due to its eco-friendly nature for yield enhancement as well as nutrient enrichment in wheat. [Fundam Appl Agric 2018; 3(3.000): 565-572

Mineralogical Composition of Some Selected Paddy Soils of Bangladesh

Soil mineralogy, which largely affects the productivity of soil in low input agriculture, was determined for 28 widely distributed paddy soils from different agroecological regions (AEZs) of Bangladesh. In addition, particle–size distribution was analyzed through fractionation of soil particles into five groups viz. < 2, 2–20, 20–53, 53–200 and 200–2000 μm fractions. They represented 3–45, 6–59, 6–41, 3–41 and 0–49% of soil particles, respectively. The 2–20 μm silt fraction appeared to be the dominant fraction for most of our studied soils (17 out of 28 soils). The XRD patterns of the < 2 μm clay fraction indicated the presence of five layer silicate (mica, smectite, chlorite, vermiculite and kaolinite) and four complex minerals (quartz, feldspar, goethite and lepidocrocite) and two interstratified minerals (vermiculite–chlorite and mica–chlorite). Mica (20–50%) was the most predominant mineral identified in all the studied soils. Next to mica, chlorite (5–20%) and kaolinite (2–37%) were present in all the soils. Vermiculite (2–16%) was identified in 20 soils while smectite (1–11%) was identified in only 5 soils. In addition, vermiculite–chlorite intergrade (1–11%) and interstratified mica–chlorite (1–13%) was detected both in 11 soils. Other than layer silicates, quartz (4–21%) was the predominant non–silicate mineral identified in all the studied soils. Next to quartz, feldspars was identified in 26 soils with an approximate relative percentage ranges between 3 and 12%. Very small amount of goethite (1–2%) and lepidocrocite (1–3%) were identified only in 4 and 5 soils, respectively. According to the clay mineralogical composition, most of the studied soils were found at the initial stage of weathering, indicating the high potential to sustain low input subsistence agriculture