Effect of tillage and residue retention on maize productivity

In Bangladesh, maize is generally sown after extensive tilth and minimum residue retention. Conservation agriculture (CA) systems reduce the input costs, machinery use, CO2 emissions; and improve soil health (Raper et al., 1994). Crop residues are known to affect soil physical properties (Hulugalle et al., 1986), availability of nutrients (Wade and Sanchez, 1983; Asghar et al., 2006) and soil biological activity (Tian et al., 1993). Crop residue retention has been suggested to improve overall soil fertility and to support sustainable crop production. Crop residue retention under no tillage system reduce soil erosion, increase soil organic matter (SOM), and reduce requirement of labour and fuel under cereal grain and row crop culture (Salinas-Garcia et al., 1997). Kumar and Goh (2000) reported that incorporation of crop residues is essential for sustaining soil productivity through replenishing SOM that not only a key indicator of soil quality, but it also supplies essential nutrients upon mineralization (N, P, and S) and improves soil physical, chemical, and biological properties (Kumar et al., 2001). In our country, the crop residue is used mostly for cattle feed (Saadullah et al., 1991), fuel for stove and some cases burning. It is essential to estimate the amount of crop residue that should be retained in field to get the benefits. Therefore, the present research investigated to find out the minimum tillage with residue retention could be an effective element for maize production

Energy utilization in unpuddled transplanting of wet season rice

Energy is the key input in modern agriculture. Productivity of agriculture depends on adequate inputs such as power, improved seeds, fertilizers and irrigation water. One way to optimize energy consumption in agriculture is to use efficient crop production methods (Kitani, 1999). Crop yield is directly linked with energy input (Srivastava, 1982). In a conventional cropping system, the greatest energy consumer is soil tillage. In comparison to conventional cultivation fuel consumption can be reduced by 3 to 4 fold with the no-till system (Moitzi, 2005). Sayre (2000) summarized the potential advantages of reduced tillage planting systems as reduced fossil fuel use; reduced production cost; increased profit; reduced crop turn-around time; increased land-use efficiency; reduced drudgery in planting, especially suitable for female household members; more efficient crop water use (for both rainfed and irrigated conditions); improved soil physical, chemical and biological activities; enhanced carbon sequestration; and enhanced flora and fauna biodiversity. A change in soil tillage method also causes a slow, but substantial modification to the soil physico-chemical characteristics (bulk density, porosity, infiltration, moisture content and temperature), which becomes apparent in the medium to long term. Rice establishment under unpuddle transplanting system is the new phenomenon which was first time evaluated under the project "Addressing constraints to pulses in cereals-based cropping systems, with particular reference to poverty alleviation in north-western Bangladesh" during the dry cool boro rice season in 2009 in 8 farmers filed of Rajshahi district. These trials had provided some exciting results on irrigation water saving and reduction of tillage and cost without grain yield penalty. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to compare the operating energy involved in wet season transplanted rice culture under conventional puddling and a range of non-puddled (“unpuddled”) systems

Evaluation of the versatile multi-crop planter for establishing sprouted direct-seeded rice

Wetland rice seeding is an increasingly common practice for irrigated and favourable rainfed lowlands. Most developed countries sow rice seed in saturated water to minimize cost and labour requirements (Smith and Show, 1996). Farmers in developing countries increasingly are adopting wet seeding because of the migration of farm labour to non-farm jobs and the consequent labour shortage and high costs for manual transplanting (Ho, 1995; Pandey, 1995; Pingali, 1994). Wet seeding in irrigated areas occurs into aerobic, anaerobic, and wet soils based on the level of oxygen in the vicinity of the germinating seed or the depth of flood water at seeding. Direct seeded rice either broadcasted or line sown gave significantly higher grain yield than transplanting under proper management (Elahi et al., 1997; Hussain et al., 2000). Santhi (1999) reported that the establishment of sprouted rice seed under broadcasted systems flowered 7.2 days earlier than transplanted rice seedling. The sprouted rice manually sown in lines had 7 days earlier flowering than transplanted rice in both dry and wet seasons. The delayed flowering in transplanted rice might be due to transplanting shock of the rice seedling. Islam (2008) observed that the radicle and plumule length was increased with the increase of incubation duration. Islam (2008) also reported that significantly higher grain yield was attained after 96 hours of rice seed incubation; however, using a drum seeder, no difference was observed among 24, 48 and 72 hours incubation. Very recently, CIMMYT has developed a 2-WT tractor-operated Versatile Multi-crop Planter (VMP) with the provision to use adjustable row spacing of crops for zero tillage, strip tillage, single pass shallow tillage, bed planting, and even conventional tillage (Islam et al 2010). The VMP has facilities to sow seed and place basal fertilizer simultaneously in a single pass operation under different tillage systems. To obtain the direct-seeded rice establishment benefits, the VMP was evaluated to assess the performance of sprouted rice seed sowing. A field study was undertaken to determine the establishment of sprouted rice seed and estimate the damage of radicle and plumule during mechanized sowing; and to determine the optimum time of rice seed incubation for grain yield

Water and fuel saving technologies: Un-puddled bed and strip tillage for wet season rice cultivation in Bangladesh

Shortages of water and the rapid spread of two-wheel tractors (2WT) have created the opportunity to develop locally-adapted conservation agriculture (CA) techniques for crop establishment by rice-based smallholders in South Asia. During 2009, the wet season rice (Oryza sativa L.) was transplanted into minimum tillage puddled; unpuddled-bed and strip tillage conditions in the drought-prone area of Bangladesh, to assess establishment methods that could reduce crop production cost and water use. Land preparations were done by the 2-WT operated, Versatile Multi-crop Planter (VMP) recently developed by CIMMYT, Bangladesh. Tillage treatments did not influence the shoot dry matter production. There was 65 % less diesel fuel required in the strip tillage treatment than with beds formed by VMP. Labour requirement for land preparation in beds formed by a shaper were 4.5 times higher than single pass puddling and beds formed by VMP. Time required to transplant seedlings was almost doubled in unpuddled plots relative to puddled plots. Weeding cost was higher in beds formed by VMP and strip tillage plots compared to other tillage treatments. Regardless of tillage treatment, 41-43 % less irrigation water was used by crops established by VMP planting operations as compared to a traditional tillage system

Quantity-to-intensity (Q/I) relationships can efficiently characterize intensively cultivated agricultural soils in Bangladesh for better potassium supplying capacity

Aim of the study: Firstly, to evaluate the K dynamics of soils through a quantity-intensity isotherm study; and secondly, to characterize the soils on the basis of quantity-intensity (Q/I) parameters. Area of study: Gazipur, Bangladesh Material and methods: Eleven soils collected from major agro-ecological zones in Bangladesh were evaluated for their varying K dynamics parameters, and K supplying capacities of these soils were described. Main results: The Q/I plot showed both linear and polynomial relationships for soils in the study. The eleven soils had labile K ranging from 0.022 in Palashbari clay loam to 1.35 cmol kg-1 in Barisal clay. The latter soil had the highest equilibrium K activity ratio (0.003 mol L-1)1/2 and potential buffering capacity (PBC) (460.4 (cmol kg-1) (mol L-1)1/2). The PBC of soils for non-exchangeable pool (PBCne) was much higher than that of exchangeable pool (PBCe) in most soils. The largest amount of PBCne and PBCe occurred in Barisal clay, Gopalpur clay, Jhalokathi clay and Nachol loam which had a higher K desorption rate than all the other soils. The equilibrium exchangeable K, critical exchangeable K and equilibrium solution K of the soils varied widely (0.0006-0.035, 0.06-0.61 and 0.06-0.604 cmol kg-1, respectively). The added K was converted almost equally for the respective soils, with specific reference to the respective exchangeable and non-exchangeable pool for Barisal clay and Nachol loam. Research highlights: All the studied parameters revealed wide variations among the soils. The linear and polynomial relationships for soils can efficiently characterize intensively cultivated soils in Bangladesh

Nitrogen fertilizer management for tidal submergence tolerant landrace rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars

In tidal submergence ecosystem, nitrogen (N) is a crucial nutrient for improved and sustainable rice production. Therefore, a series of on-farm and on-station field experiments were conducted to develop a suitable N management practice for tidal submergence tolerant landrace aman rice. In on-farm, urea deep placement (UDP) through urea super granule before panicle initiation (PI) stage was compared with no fertilizer application. Similarly, five N fertilizer management practices viz. (i). two splits of prilled urea (PU), (ii). UDP at 10 DAT, (iii). UDP before PI, (iv). full dose PU before PI and (v). No urea (control) were compared at on-station trial. Tidal submergence tolerance aman rice varieties (Rajashail, Kutiagni, Sadamota and Lalmota) were used as testing materials. In on farm experiment, aman cultivars produced 2.0–2.5 t ha−1 grain without N fertilizer. But, cultivated Rajashail, Kutiagni, Sadachikon, Sadapajam, Lalmota and Sadamota gave 3.0–3.5 t ha−1 grain yield with the UDP before PI in tidal prone areas. Though UDP required fertilizer and application cost but it gave profit upto 22,000 BDT ha−1 (Bangladeshi Taka). In on-station experiment, UDP before PI stage significantly increased rice yield and economic return although it was comparable to two splits of PU and top dressing of PU before PI stage. However, UDP at 10 DAT increased straw yield but failed to increase grain yield even compared to control. It could be concluded that UDP before PI stage of rice is an effective method for increasing rice yield and farm income in tidal prone areas

Cost analysis of MXene for low-cost production, and pinpointing of its economic footprint

MXene, a two-dimensional (2D) carbide, carbonitride, and nitride, was discovered in 2011. A certain number of elements in the periodic table have contributed to the synthesis of MXene from the beginning to the present. Most researchers, however, are focused on a particular type of MXene, Ti3C2Tx, although the scientific community seldom considers the synthesis cost of this outstanding and potentially helpful substance. Herein, we explore the cost of MXene by going through each stage of the production process. Instead, the actual cost may vary by a small margin due to differences in the materials and procedures. However, this study provides a clear understanding of the cost, which is governed by the steps directly involved in the synthesis and characterization of MXene. The cost associated with various essential characterization tools like scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis), and x-ray diffraction (XRD) is necessary to ensure the successful synthesis of MXene. All local expenses are converted into USD, except for the instrumental life cycle analysis and infrastructure cost values. The cost of each gram of MXene is predicted to be $20.33. The predicted cost is close to the market price of MXene, proving the accuracy of the cost calculation presented in this research. This work will assist the scientific community in planning and optimizing MXene's synthesis procedures so that the production cost can be potentially reduced if this material is produced on a larger scale