Effect of integrated nutrient management on soil fertility and yield of maize crop (Zea mays) in Entic Haplustart in Tamil Nadu, India

A field experiment was conducted to study the integrated use of organic and inorganic fertilizers on the soil fertility status of Entic Haplustart in maize at Malayalathanpatti village, situated at Madurai district during Kharif season of 2008-2009. The experiment was conducted in Randomized Block Design with three replications in Annaiyur soil series (Entic Haplustert). The results revealed that highest grain yield of 4402 kg ha-1 was recorded in treatment that received vermicompost @ 5t ha-1 with 75 percent Recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) and it was found to be superior to over treatments. Application of vermicompost @ 5t ha-1+75 percent RDF recorded the highest calcium and magnesium content in pot harvest soil sample (0.139 and 0.281%). And also increased the crude protein (16.67 %) and starch (81.34 %) content in maize crop and it was followed by the treatment which received sewage sludge 2t ha-1 with 75 percent RDF (Recommended dose of fertilizers) and green leaf manure @12.5t ha-1whereas the lowest value was recorded in control plot respectively. The vermicompost along with inorganic fertilizers were efficiently used by maize crop for their growth and development and also maintainined soil fertility and increased yield of the crop

Differential response of phosphorus utilization efficiency in rice by tracer technique using phosphorus-32 under phosphorus stress environment

In most soils, soil and fertilizer Phosphorus (P) are easily bound by either soil organic matter or chemicals and thus are unavailable to plants unless hydrolyzed to release inorganic phosphate. Therefore, the development of P-efficient rice varieties that can grow and yield better with low P supply is a key to improve crop production. P efficient plants play a major role in increasing crop yields due to shortage of inorganic P fertilizer resources, limited land and water resources and increasing environmental concerns. Based on the P uptake efficiency, four rice genotypes viz.,TNRH 180, CB08504, CB06732 and ADT 47 were selected from the field experiment and used in pot culture experiment with three levels of P using radio isotope technique to quantify the P acquisition efficiency (PAE) and P use efficiency (PUE) and also to determine the native P supplying power of the soils using 32P in low P soils. Growth and yield parameters, grain and straw yield and major nutrients uptake of rice genotypes were increased with enhanced level of phosphorus application. Among the four genotypes, TNRH 180 recorded the highest grain yield and uptake. Increasing the P application rate from 25 to 50 kg P2O5 ha-1 increased the %Pdff in grain and straw for all the genotypes. The mean per cent phosphorus utilization (PPU) ranged between 18.74 and 23.72. The PPU of the genotypes followed the order TNRH 180 (23.72 %) > CB08504 (23.36 %) > CB06732 (20.54%) > ADT 47 (18.74%). The PPU values were higher at lower level of P application (25 kg P2O5 ha-1) for the genotypes TNRH 180, CB08504 and CB06732. From this study showed that rice genotypes have the ability to utilize the both available and unavailable form of phosphorus by secreting some organic acids in the root portion to solubilize. Hence rice genotypes indicated above have the ability to increase phosphorus utilization efficiency

Combined effect of different plant nutrients of organic and inorganic sources on nutrient uptake and yield of groundnut crop

A pot culture experiment was conducted to study the effect of combined use of organic manures with inorganic fertilizers on uptake of available nutrients and yield of groundnut crop at Tamil Nadu Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai during kharif season of 2008-2009. The experiment was laid out in completely randomized design (factorial) with two replications. Main pot treatments comprised of three types of manures viz, control ( M0 ), pressmud @ 5 t ha-1 ( M1 ), vermicompost @ 2 t ha-1 ( M2 ), farmyard manure @12.5 t ha-1 ( M3 ) and sub pot treatment comprised of 4 levels of K viz, 0 (K0), 100 ( K1 ) , 75 ( K2 ) and 50 kg of K20 ha-1 ( K3 ) with a recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) respectively. The results revealed that highest nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium uptake of 1.01, 0.96 and 0.80 g/pot was recorded in the treatment that received 75 kg K2O ha-1 and Pressmud @ 5 t ha-1 (K1M1) and in the pots which treatment received K1M1 showed the highest Haulm and pod yield of (28.25 and 24.5 g/pot) of groundnut crop respectively

Dynamics of potassium by the combined use of organic manures and inorganic potassium fertilizers on available nutrients of groundnut crop (Arachis hypogea) in Madukkur soil series

A pot culture experiment was conducted to study the effect of combined use of organic manures with inorganic Potassium (K) fertilizers on available nutrients of groundnut crop under Madukkur soil series at Tamil Nadu Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai during kharif season of 2008-2009. The experiment was laid out in completely randomized design (factorial) with two replications. Main pot treatments comprised of three types of manures viz., control (M0), pressmud @ 5 t ha-1 (M1), vermicompost @ 2 t ha-1 (M2), farmyard manure @12.5 t ha-1 ( M3 ) and sub pot treatment comprised of 4 levels of K viz., 0 (K0), 100 (K1), 75 (K2) and 50 kg of K2O ha-1 (K3) with a recommended dose of fertilizer respectively. The results revealed that the among the various levels of treatments, Among the nutrient level 100 kg K2O ha-1(K1) with pressmud @ 5 t ha-1 (M1) (K1M1) levels have recorded the highest values of available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (211.77, 12.76, and 256.87 kg ha-1) while the untreated control registered the lowest values. The available calcium and magnesium content was found highest (228.83 and 123.55 ppm) when applied with 100 kg K2O ha-1with pressmud @ 5 t ha-1( K1M1 ) respectively and the lowest value recorded in the control pot

Efficacy of new herbicide (bispyribac sodium 10% SC) against different weed flora, nutrient uptake in rice and their residual effects on succeeding crop of green gram under zero tillage

Field experiment was conducted in the wetland farms of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore during rabi season (August to February) of 2011-12 to evaluate the herbicide (Bispyribac sodium 10% SC) on weed control and their nutrient management in direct seeded lowland rice. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications. The results revealed that Early Post Emergence (EPOE) application of bispyribac sodium 10% SC 40 g ha-1 recorded higher weed control efficiency and lesser weed density, nutrient uptake at reproductive stage of the crop. Different weed management practices imposed on rice crop did not affect the germination of succeeding green gram

<span style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language: HI" lang="EN-GB">Integrated use of animal manures along with inorganic fertilizers on soil available major and secondary nutrients in bhendi crop <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">(<i>Abelmoschus esculentus</i> L.)</span></span>

690-694<span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: " times="" new="" roman","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" roman";mso-bidi-font-family:="" mangal;mso-ansi-language:en-gb;mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:="" hi"="" lang="EN-GB">A field experiment was conducted in Agricultural college and Research Institute, Madurai, TamilNadu Agricultural university to evaluate integrated use of animal manures along with inorganic fertilizers on soil available major and secondary nutrients in bhendi crop (Arka anamika) with organic sources like goat manure and pig manure combined with inorganic fertilizers on availability of soil available major and secondary nutrients. There were ten treatment combinations replicated thrice in Randomized block design (RBD) in Maddukkur soil series (Typic Haplustalf). Thus result showed that the combined application of 50 per cent Recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) + goat manure @ 6.5 t ha-1 at different stages of bhendi viz., vegetative flowering, fruit and post harvesting stages was found superior and increased the soil available nutrients then other treatments, organic carbon (0.653%), available Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) & Potassium (K) (216.1, 12.4 and 252.40 kg ha-1) and Calcium (Ca) & Magnesium (Mg) (0.138 & 0.280%) and lowest value registered in the control plot viz., organic carbon (0.435%), available N, P & K (183.8, 8.5 and 189.40 kg ha-1) and Ca & Mg (0.109 &0.229%) respectively.</span

From Agricultural Waste to Biofuel: Enzymatic Potential of a Bacterial Isolate Streptomyces fulvissimus CKS7 for Bioethanol Production

Purpose To avoid a negative environmental and economic impact of agricultural wastes, and following the principles of circular economy, the reuse of agricultural wastes is necessary. For this purpose, isolation of novel microorganisms with potential biotechnological application is recommended. The current researches in bioethanol production are aimed to reduce the production costs using low-cost substrates and in-house produced enzymes by novel isolated microorganisms. In line with this, in this study valorization of these agricultural by-products by novel isolate S. fulvissimus CKS7 to biotechnological value added products was done. Methods Standard microbiological methods were used for the isolation and characterization of strain. Enzymes activities were determinated using DNS method while, the ethanol concentration was determined based on the density of the alcohol distillate at 20 degrees C. Results The maximal enzymatic activities for amylase, cellulases (carboxymethyl cellulase and Avicelase), pectinase and xylanase were achieved using rye bran as a waste substrate for CKS7 growth. Obtained crude bacterial enzymes were used for enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic materials including horsetail waste, yellow gentian waste, corn stover, cotton material and corona pre-treated cotton material. The maximum yield of reducing sugars was obtained on horsetail waste and corona pre-treated cotton material. Waste brewer's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was successfully used for the production of bioethanol using horsetail waste hydrolysate and corona pre-treated cotton material hydrolysate. Conclusion The obtained results showed that bacterial strain CKS7 has a significant, still unexplored enzymatic potential that could be used to achieve a cleaner, environmental friendly and economically acceptable biofuel production. [GRAPHICS]