31 research outputs found
Microbial status of different carbon sequestering systems in the semi-arid tropics
Microorganisms perform a key role in nutrient cycling for sustaining the productivity of soils. Microbial status was studied in soil samples from nine long-term experiments at different locations, with different carbon sequestering systems in the semi-arid tropics of India, Microbial population counts were analyzed using spread plate method and were in turn compared with different parameters such as soil treatments, soil type, soil microbial biomass C, soil organic C (SOC), soil respiration rainfall and soil pH. The counts were high in the soil with different treatments. The counts were also high in treatments where a combination of organic and inorganic fertilizers was applied. Vertisols (28 x lO4 CFU g-1 soil) recorded four times more counts of microbial populations than Alfisols (7 x 1Q4 CFU g-1 soil). In few locations, significant correlation was observed with the values of soil microbial biomass C, SOC, soil respiration and microbial populations
Vermicomposting: Recycling wastes into valuable manure for sustained crop intensification in the semi-arid tropics
Producing more food sustainably from the limited and scarce land and water resources to feed ever-growing population of 9 billion people in the world by 2050 is a challenge for the human kind in the 21st century. Neither the quantity of available water or land has increased since 1950, but the
availability of water and land per head has declined significantly due to increase in global human population. For example in India per capita arable land availability has decreased from 0.39 ha in 1951 to 0.14 ha in 2001 due to
increased population from 361 million in 1951 to 1.02 billion in 2001 which is expected to rise to 1.39 billion by 2025 and 1.64 billion by 2050 with associated decrease in per capita arable land availability 0.1 ha in 2025 and 0.08 ha by 2050. Distribution of land varies differently in different countries and regions in the world and also the current population as well as anticipated growth which is
expected to grow rapidly in developing countries
Microbial Status of Different Carbon Sequestering Systems in the Semi-Arid Tropics: Global Theme on Agroecosystems Report no. 25
Microorganisms perform a key role in nutrient cycling for sustaining the productivity of soils. Microbial status was studied in soil samples from nine long-term experiments at different locations, with different carbon sequestering systems in the semi-arid tropics of India, Microbial population counts were analyzed using spread plate method and were in turn compared with different parameters such as soil treatments, soil type, soil microbial biomass C, soil organic C (SOC), soil respiration rainfall and soil pH. The counts were high in the soil with different treatments. The counts were also high in treatments where a combination of organic and inorganic fertilizers was applied. Vertisols (28 x lO4 CFU g-1 soil) recorded four times more counts of microbial populations than Alfisols (7 x 1Q4 CFU g-1 soil). In few locations, significant correlation was observed with the values of soil microbial biomass C, SOC, soil respiration and microbial populations
Quantification of Nutrients Recycled by Tank Silt and its Impact on Soil and Crop - A Pilot Study in Warangal District of Andhra Pradesh
Tanks were an integral part of rural life in India traditionally. However, with decreasing collective action by the community inappropriate soil and water management practices adopted by the farmers, encroachments of tanks and waterway by the individuals resulted in neglect of the tanks in villages. Good practices such as desilting and application of silt to agricultural fields were abandoned. Continued mining by crops and reduced application of organic manures have resulted in deficiency of several nutrients particularly that of micronutrients. ICRISAT in association with Modern Architects of Rural India (MARI), an NGO conducted a pilot project and quantified major and micro-nutrients present in the tank silt and also its impact on soil health and crop yields.
The depth of silt in 12 tanks de-silted ranged from 1.2 m to 3.0 m. The pH of the tank silt ranged from 6.5 to 8.5, while the organic carbon content was found to be low (0.5% to 0.8%). The available N content of tank silt ranged from 328 mg kg-1 to 748 mg kg-1, available P 5 to 35 mg kg-1 and K 271 to 522 mg kg-1 silt. Similarly, available S ranged from 12 mg kg-1 to 30 mg kg-1 zinc from1.2 mg kg-1 to 5.6 mg kg-1 and boron 0.4 to 0.8 mg kg-1 silt. Microbial population was found to be low and it could be due to excessive use of pesticides for cash crops like cotton and chilli grown in the catchment area. Textural analysis indicated 70 to 80% clay, while the silt ranged from 15 to 25%. Addition of tank silt at 50, 100, 150 and 375 tractor loads per hectare improved the available water content by 0.002, 0.007, 0.012 and 0.032 g g-1 of soil, respectively in the plough layer and enhanced the tolerance of rain-fed crops to moisture stress by three to five days. The farmers could recover the investment made on transport of the silt through increased net profit in cotton
and chilli compared to turmeric and maize. Further, the saving on pesticides alone was to the tune of Rs. 2500 ha-1 in cotton and chilli crops, which has indirect beneficial impact on the ecosystem. De-silting was found to be an economically viable activity both in terms of farmers’ and project’s perspective to create more storage capacity as well as to return the silt back to the fields. De-silting activity needs greater support
from the government and non-governmental agencies for achieving multiple outputs like employment generation for landless, rejuvenating of the tanks and for enhanced productivity of dryland crops
Participatory Biodiversity Assessment Enabling Rural Poor for Better Natural Resource Management Global Theme on Agroecosystems Report no. 18
Microbial properties of soils as affected by cropping and nutrient management practices in several long-term manurial experiments in the semi-arid tropics of India
Microorganisms play a critical role in nutrient transformation, soil health and for sustaining the productivity of soils. Effects of long-term cropping, fertilization, manuring and their integration on microbial community were studied in soil samples from five long-term
fertilizer experiments under various rainfed production systems in the semi-arid tropics (SAT) of India. Microbial population counts were analyzed by dilution plating and were in turn compared with different parameters such as soil treatments, soil type, soil microbial biomass C, soil organic C, rainfall and soil pH. The counts were high in treatments where combinations of organic and inorganic fertilizers were applied compared to control. Vertisols
showed larger organic carbon levels than Alfisols. Fungal population was higher in acidic soils and in treatments under continuous inorganic fertilization treatments whereas
a high number of bacteria were found in integrated use of organic and inorganic fertilizers. At most of the locations soil organic C and microbial biomass C showed significant positive ( p � 0.05) correlation with microbial populations. Thus, results suggest that even under arid
and semi-arid tropical conditions, regular addition of nutrients in an integrated manner could improve soil organic carbon and microbial population counts. For each production system, better carbon sequestration management practices were identifie
Participatory biodiversity assessment: enabling rural poor for better natural resource management.
Harnessing the Potential of Jatropha and Pongamia Plantations for Improving Livelihoods and Rehabilitating Degraded Lands
Current increase in demand of knowledge for alternative sources to fossil fuel has triggered
lot of interest in use of non-edible oils as green knowledge source in de;eloped and developing
countries. ICRISAT is adopting pro-poor bio-fuel strategy to benefit vulnerable sections of the
society through development of degraded common property resources and individual lands
which are not suitable for food production by adopting consortium approach. Research and
development options for harnessing the potential of Jatropha and Pongamia are undertaken
to increase productivity of Jatropha and Pongamia plantations. Large vmiability in the
accessions of Jatropha and Pongamia was observed for total oil content varying from 27.4%
to 40.6% in case of Jatropha and from 21 to 41 % in case of Pongamia. These accessions
are evaluated for different agronomic characters along with yield potential under rain-fed
conditions at ICRISAT, Patancheru, India. Application of nitrogen and phosphorus at different
levels .indicated that during the 4'h year harvest index (pod to seed ratio) varied from 53-56%
with different fertilizer treatment. The plant yield of Jatropha within an accession with 3x2
spacing varied upto 1.4 to 1.6 kg ha per plant (2.3 to 2.7 t ho" under rainfed conditions).Water use efficiency of three years old Jatropha plantations indicated that evapo-transpiration
demand under no moisture stress for Jatropha varied from 1150-1350 mm per yem. Under
the semi-arid tropical conditions Jatropha is able to use water relatively 40-57% of nonstress
situation. Intercropping with Jatropha and Pongamia plantations is feasible and even
during 4'h year in pruned Jatropha plantations with yield of different crops varying from 0.29
t ho" in case of green gram to 1.5 t ha" for sorghum. Intercrops like sorghum, pearimillet,
pigeon pea, soybean, mung bean, chickpea, sunflower, safflower with Jatropha and pearl
millet and pigeon pea with Pongamia could be successfully grown. An additional income of
Rs.5,000 to Rs.16,OOO per ha can be obtained on low-quality (but reasonably able to support
crop growth) soil.Nutrient budgeting approach can -be used successfully to work aut nutrients requirement
needed to achieve targeted yields in crop like Jatropha_ Fallen leaves quantity and nutrient
content of Jatropha varied with plant age and fertility treatment and contained 9500 mg N
kg" which is lowest amongst different plant parts such as shoots and seeds as well as deoiled
seed cake_ One year plantation returned 16 kg N ha,l and three-year plantation returned 21
kg N ha" through fallen leaves_ The fallen leaves also added 1 000 kg ha" organic C to soil
in addition to carbon fixed in seeds which will replace fossil fuel C De-oiled seed cake after
extracting necessary oil can be used as plant nutrient source on the farmers' fields, Benefits
of oil seed cake application in terms of increased yields of maize, cotton and other crops
were higher than N applied through mineral fertilizer source
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Effect of Hydrocortisone on Mortality and Organ Support in Patients With Severe COVID-19: The REMAP-CAP COVID-19 Corticosteroid Domain Randomized Clinical Trial.
Importance: Evidence regarding corticosteroid use for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is limited. Objective: To determine whether hydrocortisone improves outcome for patients with severe COVID-19. Design, Setting, and Participants: An ongoing adaptive platform trial testing multiple interventions within multiple therapeutic domains, for example, antiviral agents, corticosteroids, or immunoglobulin. Between March 9 and June 17, 2020, 614 adult patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 were enrolled and randomized within at least 1 domain following admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) for respiratory or cardiovascular organ support at 121 sites in 8 countries. Of these, 403 were randomized to open-label interventions within the corticosteroid domain. The domain was halted after results from another trial were released. Follow-up ended August 12, 2020. Interventions: The corticosteroid domain randomized participants to a fixed 7-day course of intravenous hydrocortisone (50 mg or 100 mg every 6 hours) (n = 143), a shock-dependent course (50 mg every 6 hours when shock was clinically evident) (n = 152), or no hydrocortisone (n = 108). Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary end point was organ support-free days (days alive and free of ICU-based respiratory or cardiovascular support) within 21 days, where patients who died were assigned -1 day. The primary analysis was a bayesian cumulative logistic model that included all patients enrolled with severe COVID-19, adjusting for age, sex, site, region, time, assignment to interventions within other domains, and domain and intervention eligibility. Superiority was defined as the posterior probability of an odds ratio greater than 1 (threshold for trial conclusion of superiority >99%). Results: After excluding 19 participants who withdrew consent, there were 384 patients (mean age, 60 years; 29% female) randomized to the fixed-dose (n = 137), shock-dependent (n = 146), and no (n = 101) hydrocortisone groups; 379 (99%) completed the study and were included in the analysis. The mean age for the 3 groups ranged between 59.5 and 60.4 years; most patients were male (range, 70.6%-71.5%); mean body mass index ranged between 29.7 and 30.9; and patients receiving mechanical ventilation ranged between 50.0% and 63.5%. For the fixed-dose, shock-dependent, and no hydrocortisone groups, respectively, the median organ support-free days were 0 (IQR, -1 to 15), 0 (IQR, -1 to 13), and 0 (-1 to 11) days (composed of 30%, 26%, and 33% mortality rates and 11.5, 9.5, and 6 median organ support-free days among survivors). The median adjusted odds ratio and bayesian probability of superiority were 1.43 (95% credible interval, 0.91-2.27) and 93% for fixed-dose hydrocortisone, respectively, and were 1.22 (95% credible interval, 0.76-1.94) and 80% for shock-dependent hydrocortisone compared with no hydrocortisone. Serious adverse events were reported in 4 (3%), 5 (3%), and 1 (1%) patients in the fixed-dose, shock-dependent, and no hydrocortisone groups, respectively. Conclusions and Relevance: Among patients with severe COVID-19, treatment with a 7-day fixed-dose course of hydrocortisone or shock-dependent dosing of hydrocortisone, compared with no hydrocortisone, resulted in 93% and 80% probabilities of superiority with regard to the odds of improvement in organ support-free days within 21 days. However, the trial was stopped early and no treatment strategy met prespecified criteria for statistical superiority, precluding definitive conclusions. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02735707