Role of composted organic material in reducing hazardous effect of salinity stress on biological nitrogen fixation and plant growth in salt affected soils of arid region

Application of organic matter (OM) has shown positive effects on growth and yield of crop grown under soil salinity stress. The present study was conducted to estimate effectiveness of OM in enhancing Biological Nitrogen Fixation (BNF) in soil and in return improving growth and yield of cowpea. Therefore, role of (OM) in alleviating impact of salinity stress on (BNF) in soils of arid region was evaluated in medium textured soils of different content of salts content. Experiment was conducted in pots under greenhouse conditions. Salinity range studied was 3.5, 8.2 and 12.4 dSm-1 in J1, J2, and J3 soil respectively. Compost as OM was added at 15, 25 and 50 g Kg-1 soil. Cowpea local variety was used as a test crop. Total nitrogen in soils without the addition of organic matter after harvesting was the least at the highest salinity level and the highest was in the soil of the least salinity level. Number of root nodules reduced by 27.0% and 49.0% when soil salinity increased to 8.2 and 12.4 dSm-1, respectively, compared to that in soil of 3.5 dSm-1. Total N in Cowpea plant linearly increase with the increase of level of (OM) addition. Rate of Increase in total N was the highest at the lowest salinity level soil and was the least at the highest salinity level soil. Weight of root nodules decreased by 45% when soil salinity increased by 42%. Addition of OM at a rate of 25 g OM Kg-1 soil to J1 soil of (3.5 dSm-1) and soil J3 of 12.4 dSm-1 weight of root nodules increased by 47.0%. and 21.7%, respectively. Dry weight of Cowpea plant grown in the three soils received different levels of OM decreased with the increase of soil salinity irrespective of level of OM addition. Addition of OM at a rate of 15, 25, and 50 g kg-1 soil of 3.5 dSm-1 seed yield increased by 65%,130%, and 136% respectively. These results had confirmed the role of OM in alleviating salinity stress on BNF process in soil.</jats:p

Optimum γ- irradiation dose for the highest biological nitrogen fixation of bradyrhizobium

This study was conducted to evaluate the possibility of increasing Bradyrhizobium efficiency in fixing biological nitrogen in soil. Bradyrhizobium isolates were obtained from cowpea field in certain Iraqi provinces. Isolates were purified, propagated and authenticated. Isolates were then subjected to a range of Gamma ray dose of irradiation of 0 to 800 Gy. For all isolates number of nodules formed by all isolates increased with the increase of Irradiation dose to 400 Gy after which numbers of nodules of all isolates were markedly reduced. Highest nodules numbers of all isolates were observed under 400 GY irradiation dose. Under the same irradiation dose of 400 GY numbers of nodules differ with different isolates being the highest under isolate No. 2.</jats:p

Guest Editorial: Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency in Africa and the Middle East, despite year-round sunny days

Exposure to sunlight, specifically ultraviolet B (UVB), is essential for cutaneous vitamin D synthesis. Despite significant daily sunlight availability in Africa and the Middle East, persons living in these regions are frequently vitamin D insufficient or deficient. Vitamin D insufficiency (25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) between 15 and 20 ng/mL (37.5 - 50 nmol/L)) has been described in various population groups, ranging from 5% to 80%. Risk factors include traditional dress and avoidance of sunlight exposure, and multiple dietary factors as a result of specific cultural beliefs. Vitamin D resistance due to calcium deficiency mechanisms has been described in similar population groups, which may lead to hypovitaminosis D.Should the new diseases related to hypovitaminosis D prove to be truly associated, Africa and the Middle East will become an epicentre for many of these conditions. Urgent attention will need to be paid to cultural dress and dietary behaviours if hypovitaminosis D is to be taken seriously. Should such factors not be correctable, new strategies for supplementation or food fortification will have to be devised

Radiative Hydromagnetic Flow of Jeffrey Nanofluid by an Exponentially Stretching Sheet

Two-dimensional hydromagnetic flow of an incompressible Jeffrey nanofluid over an exponentially stretching surface is examined in the present article. Heat and mass transfer analysis is performed in the presence of thermal radiation, viscous dissipation, and Brownian motion and thermophoresis effects. Mathematical modelling of considered flow problem is developed under boundary layer and Rosseland's approximations. The governing nonlinear partial differential equations are converted into ordinary differential equations via transformations. Solution expressions of velocity, temperature and concentration are presented in the series forms. Impacts of physical parameters on the dimensionless temperature and concentration are shown and discussed. Skin-friction coefficients are analyzed numerically. A comparison in a limiting sense is provided to validate the present series solutions