Archives of Agriculture and Environmental Science

A review on seed priming to combat climate variability in agriculture

2024-07-03T06:58:53+00:00

Global agriculture faces immense challenges due to climate change, which causes unpredictable weather patterns, decreased agricultural productivity, and decreased food security. Seed priming is critical in combating climate variability because it has emerged as a promising method for improving seed germination and agricultural resilience. This review evaluates the efficiency of several seed priming techniques, including hydro-priming, halo-priming, osmo-priming, bio-priming, chemical priming, and hormone priming. These techniques improve seedling vigor, stress tolerance, and overall crop yield. Seed priming increases germination rates and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, such as salinity and drought, while improving agricultural output and disease resistance. Seed priming reduces the demand for chemical pesticides and fertilizers by increasing soil quality and nutrient absorption, which supports sustainable agriculture. This review highlights the potential benefits of seed priming as a practical, affordable, and practical strategy to reduce the negative effects of climatic variability on agriculture. Future studies should focus on developing the best priming
techniques for diverse crop varieties and conditions, as well as examining the combined impacts of various priming strategies. Seed priming will be crucial to preserving food security and agricultural sustainability in the face of ongoing climate change.

A review on abiotic stress vulnerability of wheat and its management in Terai, Nepal

2024-07-09T17:59:41+00:00

Wheat being one of the most important crops of Nepal after rice and maize is prone to abiotic stresses like heat and drought stress. Climate change, increasing temperature and decreasing precipitation is found to be the major cause of drought and heat stress, especially making developing countries like Nepal to be most vulnerable to the negative impacts on productivity and sustainability. Abiotic stress imposes devastating changes on morphology, biochemistry and physiological processes of wheat. Loss in seed vigor, decrease in germination rate, poor crop stand and abnormal embryo are common impact seen due to combined Abiotic stress. Though many trial has been performed on effect of heat and drought, there is a need for trial imposing wheat to combined stress environment. This review especially deals with the impacts of Abiotic stress along with management including tolerant varieties such as Bhrikuti, NL1420, BL4669, NL1350 and NL1368 and agronomic techniques like mulching, use of early varieties, early sowing and incorporation of Biochar.

A review on tillage system and no-till agriculture and its impact on soil health

2024-09-22T14:55:15+00:00

Soil tillage is a fundamental agriculture practice aimed at preparing the soil for planting, managing crop residues, controlling weeds, preparing the ground for the next crop, integrating leftover crops and nutrients into the soil, and enhancing soil structure. However, tillage practice significantly influences activities like soil moisture, temperature, aeration, and mixing the crop residues within the soil. This article explores the impacts of traditional tillage methods and alternative approaches to reduce production costs, environmental consequences, and safeguard soil for sustainable crop production through the secondary source of results as published research papers, documents, government official and institution reports. Traditional tillage method involves the mechanical disruption of soil, which affects critical factors such as moisture retention, temperature regulation, and aeration. While use of such heavy machines can improve short-term productivity, its long-term impacts include soil compaction, erosion, and loss of organic matter, leading to environmental degradation and declining soil health. In contrast, No-till and reduced tillage practices offers a promising solution to contemporary challenges such as global climate change, water conservation, rapid soil degradation, and desertification. Under this system, wide range of crops can be grown effectively in low production cost by reducing fuel and labor requirements. No-tillage and minimal tillage is being adopted across a wide range of farm sizes, from small plots of land to vast expanses, in various countries around the world with promising sustainability.

A review on genetic parameters estimation, trait association, and multivariate analysis for crop improvement

2024-08-05T03:36:30+00:00

This review paper aims to elucidate the critical genetic parameters essential for practical crop breeding, focusing on the nature and extent of variability, its inheritance, and the complexity of traits. By evaluating genetic parameters such as Genetic Coefficient of Variation (G.C.V.), Heritability, Genetic Advance as a percentage of the Mean (G.A.M.), correlation coefficients, path coefficient analysis, cluster analysis, and principal component analysis, the review provides a comprehensive framework for optimizing breeding strategies. Emphasizing higher G.C.V. values minimizes environmental effects while highlighting Heritability and G.A.M. aids in predicting trait transmission and potential genetic improvement. The review also underscores the importance of traits with high G.C.V., Heritability, and G.A.M. for effective selection and improvement. Additionally, cluster and principal component analyses are powerful tools for identifying genetically diverse parents and reducing trait dimensionality. The findings suggest that thoroughly understanding and applying these genetic parameters can significantly enhance decision-making in plant breeding programs, ultimately leading to more efficient and targeted genetic improvements.

Impacts of submergence stress on rice plants and its adaptation: A review

2024-08-18T20:51:49+00:00

The main aim of this review is to convey information in summarized form by compiling and interpreting the major findings of recent studies on the impacts of submergence stress on rice and tolerance mechanisms. Published research papers available in Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Pub Med, mainly by Elsevier and SpringerLink, were critically analyzed and
summarized for the preparation of the manuscript. In rice, plant survival rates, growth, and development are adversely affected by submergence. Major findings documented that submergence alters the soil aeration and creates hypoxic and anoxic conditions, which results in low photosynthetic efficiency and sugar status in rice plants. Compared to a tolerant cultivar, a sensitive cultivar produces more ethylene and causes injury to the plant. Controlled underwater shoot elongation, higher conserved non-structural carbohydrates, and better hormonal regulation, especially ethylene and gibberellin, and abscisic acid, are the primary adaptive mechanisms of tolerant plants in submergence, which helps better recovery at the post-submergence stage, too. The Sub1 gene and the associated QTLs are crucial for the superior performance of tolerant cultivars in submergence. Any agronomic management practices that can reduce ethylene production and enhance the nutrient status of plants can alleviate the severity of submergence. Understanding the intricate relationship between submergence and rice plant response is essential, mainly how submergence affects the rice plant and its tolerance mechanism to develop resilient rice cultivars that can grow in flood-prone regions.

Impact and tolerance mechanism of heat stress in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.): A review

2024-08-21T15:20:04+00:00

Wheat is one of the major cereal crops preferred by world’s population. About 55% of world’s population depend on wheat to meet their 20% calorie requirement. Wheat being a winter crop grows best in 15-25 degree Celsius of temperature range. But due to increasing global warming climatic requirement of wheat is not fulfilled and suffer different abiotic stresses such as heat, drought, salinity, cold, excess water etc. Among which heat stress is one of the major abiotic stresses faced by wheat. It has different morphological, biochemical and physiological consequences on wheat for instance poor grain quality, decreased grain number and weight, decreased photosynthesis due to disruption in chlorophyll structure and function, reduced starch content due to poor efficiency of enzyme required in biosynthesis. To cope up with all these impacts of heat stress wheat has developed various tolerance mechanisms such as release of heat shock protein, antioxidant defense mechanism, membrane thermostability, stay green, omics approaches etc. Heat shock protein helps to prevent death of cell, accumulation of denatured protein, refolding of protein, transmission of heat shock responses etc. While omics approaches help in gene profiling, protein identification etc. knowledge about both the effect and tolerance mechanism of heat stress in wheat helps to develop heat tolerant varieties with collaborative effort of plant breeder, physiologist etc. that helps to maintain food security.

Factors affecting the adoption of farm mechanization in Rupandehi, Nepal

2024-06-15T11:21:28+00:00

Agricultural mechanization is pivotal in farmer’s fields as it functions more efficiently and helps increase farm productivity. Despite the massive involvement of people in agriculture, farm productivity is relatively low. One main reason for this is the staggered implementation of farm mechanization. This paper aims to explore the factors affecting the adoption of farm mechanization using the Chi-square test and identify the major problems using relative frequency values. A total of 112 respondents, 28 each from 4 municipalities of Rupandehi district were interviewed based on stratified random sampling technique. The results showed that the adoption rates of various farm machinery were notably high, with tractors, cultivators, mills, and sprayers being universally employed by 93.75 % of the surveyed individuals. The government subsidies to only 7% of farmers facilitate machinery procurement. The size of the total cultivated land was found to be significant over the use of harvester, grass cutter, and power tiller, and owing of milling machine. The availability of subsidies and owning of mills were found inter dependent. The annual expenditures of farmers and their access to theCusto m Hiring Centre were found to be significant. Lastly, with index values of 0.402 and 0.393, the high costs of farm machinery and small land holdings were major problems in the adoption of farm mechanization. Therefore, addressing the high initial costs of modern farm equipment, providing targeted subsidies, innovative institution formation to provide better services to marginalized farmers, and expanding extension services are essential steps to promote the adoption of farm mechanization.

Status of farm mechanization and factor affecting its adoption among the rice (Oryzae sativa) farmers in Sarlahi district, Nepal

2024-06-24T08:46:20+00:00

This study aimed to investigate the degree of agricultural mechanization adoption and the factors influencing its acceptance in the Haripurwa municipality and Parsa rural municipality of Sarlahi district, specifically concerning rice agriculture using a multistage random sampling method. A total of 98 respondents were selected for the study, 52 were from Haripurwa municipality and 46 were from Parsa rural municipality. Primary data were collected using semi-structured questionnaires, focal group discussion, and key informant interviews whereas secondary data were obtained through review of relevant literature. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, scaling and indexing, chi-square tests, T-tests, and the logit model. By analyzing the adoption index, 62.245% and 37.755% of respondents were under the adopter and non-adopter categories respectively. In contrast to 100% physical labor for transplanting, fertilizer application, and other intercultural tasks like weeding and harvesting, the study found that land preparation was done mechanically (100%). The two biggest obstacles to the use of agricultural machinery were small farms scattered terrain and poor infrastructure with index values of 0.845 and 0.843, respectively. Major factors influencing agricultural mechanization were respondents' educational status, gender, farmers' experience, participation in organizations, loan availability, and primary source of family income. Thus, it can be said that socio-economic determinants which had a significant association with adoption status and most needed farm implements for farmers can be considered by the concerned authority to increase the farm mechanization and enhance profitability from rice farming.

Comparative analysis of manures and fertilizer on okra growth, yield and its economics in Baitadi, Nepal

2024-06-25T05:27:14+00:00

Embracing organic techniques can minimize environmental impacts and promote practices that enhance soil and ecological health. A field experiment to study, “Comparative Analysis of Manures and Fertilizer on Okra Growth, Yield and its Economics in Baitadi, Nepal” was conducted at Gokuleshwor Agriculture and Animal Science College in 2023. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with 3 replications and 7 treatments. The variety used in this experiment was ‘Arka Anamika’. The treatments used in the experiment were FYM, Goat manure, Poultry manure, Vermicompost, Sesame cake, RDF, and Control (no fertilizer). The fertilizer provided the necessary nitrogen, while the insufficient phosphorus and potassium were supplemented with single super phosphate and muriate of potash, respectively. Results revealed that the application of different fertilizers significantly affected various vegetative and reproductive parameters such as germination days, plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, number of branches, number of buds, number of open flowers, number of pods, pod’s length, girth of pods, weight of pods and yield. The results obtained were minimum germination days(4.64) for RDF. Maximum plant height(208.43cm), maximum stem diameter(9.4cm), and number of branches(24.27) were obtained by application of poultry manure at 60 DAS. A maximum number of buds, open flowers, and pods were recorded in poultry manure and RDF application at 75 DAS. The maximum length of the pod(12.52cm) in vermicompost and the maximum girth of the pod(1.59cm) in poultry manure were obtained while the maximum wt. of the pod(14.1gm) in sesame cake. The application of poultry manure obtained a maximum yield per hectare(15.51t/ha). Also in the B: C ratio, Poultry manure exhibited higher(2.65) as compared to other treatments. From this study, we can conclude that poultry manure could contribute to the higher yield and overall attributes of okra.

Optimizing seed priming techniques: Impact of halo priming with sodium chloride on fenugreek (Trigonella foenum L.) in germination and stress acclimatization

2024-06-26T07:24:26+00:00

Germination is a critical stage in plant development that determines the crop yield. Seed priming acts as a pre-sowing treatment that stimulates germination and activates metabolic process. Hydro-priming is widely practiced system which enhances germination but reduces seed storability whereas halo-priming enhances self-life and induces salinity tolerance. This study investigated the effects of sodium chloride (NaCl) priming on the germination of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum L.) seeds under moisture stress conditions. Despite stress condition, seed priming can noticeably increase the germination. A lab experiment was therefore, performed to study the effect of NaCl priming on different levels of moisture stress. NaCl priming was done at 0 ppm, 2 ppm, 4 ppm and, 8 ppm subjected to priming duration of 12 hours, 24 hours and 36 hours. The result demonstrated 100% germination at 0 g for all durations (12, 24, and 36 hours), and similar outcomes were observed at 8 g for 12, 24, and 36 hours, and at 4 g and 6 g for 12 and 36 hours. While the mean germination time, coefficient of velocity of germination increased with increment in priming duration at 0 g and decrease with increment in priming duration in 8gm NaCl concentration. Halo-priming was found superior above hydro-priming for fenugreek germination as salinity induces changes in lipid metabolism towards accumulation of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids in stressed plants. This research provides compelling evidence that NaCl priming can be used to promote germination and improves acclimatization of fenugreek seedlings under saline conditions.

Effect of different packaging materials on banana ripening and shelf-life in Dang, Nepal

2024-06-29T15:14:06+00:00

This research was conducted to evaluate the effect of different packaging materials on the shelf life and banana quality (cv G9) at the laboratory, Campus of Live Sciences, Tulsipur, Dang, Nepal. The different packaging materials were used as high-density non-perforated polyethylene bags, low-density non-perforated polyethylene bags, low-density perforated polyethylene bags, fiber bags, jute bags, paddy straw with cardboard, and a control treatment (in open trays). The research was conducted in a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. The bananas were packed in different packaging materials after being treated with a 250 ppm ethephon solution. Parameters such as peel color, physiological weight loss, pulp-to-peel ratio, total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), and Benedict test were assessed at two-day interval. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed highly significant differences for all the recorded parameters except TA. Unpackaged fruits lost 22.92% of their weight, while fruits packed in high-density non-perforated polythene (HDNP) and low-density non-perforated polythene (LDNP) bags lost 13.27% and 6.15%, respectively. Peel colour development from green mature to yellow was observed first in bananas packed in low-density perforated polyethylene (LDPP) bags followed by open trays, jute bags, and paddy straws. The lowest pulp-to-peel ratio was observed in HDNP and LDNP bags. It can be concluded that packaging bananas in high-density and low-density non-perforated polyethylene bags resulted in longer shelf life. The sweetness, aroma, and mouthfeel of bananas in jute bags, fiber bags, and paddy straws were highly accepted. Thus, LDPP bags were found effective in early ripening and uniform yellow colour development on bananas.

Integrated nutrient management improves the nutritional quality and yield of black rice

2024-07-02T17:53:36+00:00

Integrated nutrient management combining inorganic and organic fertilizers is a promising approach to sustain crop production and soil health. As a premium rice type, integrated nutrients to cultivate black rice are rarely studied in Bangladesh. So, this research was conducted to identify the best combination of inorganic fertilizer (IF) and cow dung (CD) for maximizing the yield and nutritional quality of black rice. The experiment was conducted in the field laboratory of the Department of Agronomy, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh following a Completely Randomized Design with four replications. Six treatments with single and combining IF and CD viz., 0% IF + 0% CD (IF₀CD₀), 100% IF + 0% CD (IF₁₀₀CD₀), 75% IF + 25% CD (IF₇₅CD₂₅), 50% IF + 50% CD (IF₅₀CD₅₀), 25% IF + 75% CD (IF₂₅CD₇₅), and 0% IF + 100% CD (IF₀CD₁₀₀) were applied. A significant variation was found among different treatments concerning plant growth, yield contributing characters, yield, and nutritional composition of black rice. Overall, a better performance was obtained from the application of 75% IF and 25% CD (IF₇₅CD₂₅) concerning most of the studied parameters with few deviations. The highest number of tillers hill^-1(8.33), effective tillers hill^-1 (7.33), panicle length (25.97 cm), spikelet’s panicle^-1 (22.87), grains panicle^-1 (129.7), grain yield (4 t ha^-1), protein (9.71%), and potassium (0.58%) were found at the treatment IF₇₅CD₂₅. The overall results suggest that 25% cow dung combined with 75% recommended inorganic fertilizers can be applied to achieve maximum yield and nutritional quality of black rice in non-calcareous soil.

Integrating climate-smart agriculture for sustainable agriculture: Opportunities, challenges and future directions

2024-07-13T08:22:36+00:00

Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) has emerged as a valuable strategy to address the challenges of food insecurity, climate change, and environmental degradation. This study assesses the impact of six key CSA practices: technologies including water smart, energy smart, nutrient smart, carbon smart, weather smart, and knowledge smart for farming regarding the increasing world population and decreased shift in arable land. This paper employs a literature review and case analysis to demonstrate how these practices improve resource utilization, worsen environmental impacts and strengthen agriculture production systems. Several studies carried out in agriculture have stipulated that water-smart practices can help achieve improvements in water use efficiency by at least 30 percent, nutrient-smart practices can help increase soil health by a range of 20 percent, and carbon-smart practices could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by between 15 percent. This brings us back to the question of the role that CSA can play in support of processes that are directed at realizing the Sustainable Development Goals SDG 2 (Ending Hunger) and SDG 13 (Taking Action on Climate Change) on development processes across the world. However, inefficient and insecure land rights, water deficits, and high initial investment hinder the widespread adoption of the technologies. The consequences are that policies concerning the matters, a well-developed institutional environment, and farmer’s knowledge should be introduced to eliminate these issues. As to further research, the continuous improvements of the models of CSA and the financing of the CSA also need future action research. Overall, CSA offers hope for establishing strong foundations for food security and climate-resilient agricultural systems.

Effect of nitrogen levels on growth and yield of popcorn maize (Zea mays var. everta) in Mid Hills, Parbat District, Nepal

2024-09-22T09:32:38+00:00

A field experiment was conducted from March to July 2020 to investigate the impact of varying nitrogen levels on the growth and yield of popcorn maize in Parbat. The experiment was laid out in single factorial Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) comprising nine levels of nitrogen: 0, 50, 75, 100, 120, 125, 150, 175 and 200 kg ha^-1 as treatment with three replications. "Lumle Yellow" variety was cultivated in an acidic (pH 4.9) clay loam soil with moderate levels of total nitrogen (0.19%), high levels of available phosphorus (126.6 kg ha^-1), potassium (427.68 kg ha^-1), and moderate organic matter content (4.36%). The findings showed that an increased N-level significantly increased plant height and the leaf area index, reaching a maximum at 175 kg N ha^-1. While number of cob plant^-1 and kernel row cob^-1 were non-significant, yield attributing parameters such as cob length, cob diameter, number of kernel rows^-1, thousand grain weight, and grain yield were significant and determined to be maximum at 150 kg N ha^-1. With subsequent increases in N to 175 and 200 kg N ha^-1, the yield-attributing features did not show an increase. The highest grain yield (4.97 Mt ha^-1) produced from 150 kg N ha^-1was 98 percent higher than the yield obtained from control (2.5 Mt ha^-1) and 28 percent higher as compared to lowest level of N (50 kg ha^-1). However, reduction in grain yield was found with increase in N levels above 150 kg ha^-1.

Yield performance of aromatic fine rice as influenced by nitrogen fertilization and weed control techniques

2024-07-18T02:28:08+00:00

Nitrogen fertilization and weed management is the major concern to yield maximization of rice. The study was conducted to assess the influence of nitrogen and weed control to yield improvement of aromatic rice BRRI dhan34. The experiment included three nitrogen levels viz. 50, 100 and 150 kg N ha^-1 as well as three weeding schedules viz. one hand weeding at 15 days after transplanting (DAT), two hand weeding at 15 and 30 DAT and three hand weeding at 15, 30 and 45 DAT. The experiment was conducted with randomized complete block design. The findings demonstrated important correlations between weeding techniques, nitrogen levels and yield components. When the crop was fertilized with 50 kg N ha^-1 the highest numbers of total tillers hill^-1 (8.53), effective tillers hill^-1 (7.51), grains panicle^-1 (128.0) and grain yield (3.97 t ha^-1) were resulted. Regarding weeding practices, two manual weeding carried out at 15 and 30 DAT reported the highest numbers of effective tillers hill^-1 (7.62), grains panicle^-1 (128.1) and grain yield (4.10 t ha^-1). The highest effective tillers hill^-1 (8.33), the most grains panicle^-1 (129.8), the grain yield (4.36 t ha^-1) and straw yield (6.40 t ha^-1) were found in two hand weeding at 15 and 30 DAT combined with 50 kg N ha^-1 and the lowest grain yield (3.53 t ha^-1) was obtained from one hand weeding given at 15 DAT along with 150 kg N ha^-1. Therefore, the study demonstrated that BRRI dhan34 can be fertilized with 50 kg N ha^-1 along with two hand weeding at 15 and 30 DAT to obtained higher yield.

Growth yield performance of different hybrid cauliflower (Brassica oleraceae var. botrytis L.) cultivars in Dang, Nepal

2024-07-20T13:35:33+00:00

Cauliflower is commonly grown in terai and mid-hills during the winter season (September to December), thus known as mid-season cole crop in the context of Nepal. As this cropping period possess favorable environmental condition to grow, and the production cost is comparatively lower and productivity is higher as compared to early and late seasons crop. Farmers are cultivating various hybrid (F1) cultivars to increase the yield and income. Every year, several hybrids are being imported in Nepal and there needs a varietal trial before being recommended at farmer’s field. Thus, this experiment was conducted at horticulture farm of Campus of Live Sciences. Tulsipur, Dang, Nepal for two consecutive years (2021 and 2022 AD) to evaluate the growth and yield attributes of five hybrid cauliflower cultivars. Cultivars viz. Snow Best, Snow Crown, Super White Top, Rami and Damy were treated as treatment and replicated four times in Randomized Complete Block Design. The experiment showed that cultivar Super White Top and Snow Crown had desirable vegetative characteristics, better yield, and higher harvest index as compared to other cultivars. Hence, Super White Top and Snow Crown could be promoted for cultivation in the agro climatic zones related to that of Tulsipur, Dang. Considering the economically important growth and yield attributes Super White Top and Snow Crown were found to be the suitable mid-season hybrid cultivars in Dang condition.

Citrus growers' knowledge, attitudes, and implementation towards Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) in Palpa, Nepal

2024-07-25T07:47:41+00:00

There is a high demand of citrus fruits in mid-hills region of Nepal. To increase its productivity, it is important to incorporate sustainable practices into orchard management. Therefore, the study was conducted in summer 2022 to understand commercial citrus farmers' knowledge on Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and correspond production methods of GAP aware farmers with GAP standards in the Palpa, Nepal. Altogether, 64 commercial citrus growers were interviewed with pre-tested semi-structured questionnaires for the data collection. The farmers were categorized into GAP aware and unaware based on the criteria made by the group discussion with the leading farmers and GAP standards. The result revealed that out of ten selected standards, adoption of GAP standards by GAP aware farmers are positive in relation to orchard management practices (99%), plantation (90%), harvest and storage (90%), soil management and fertilization (63%), and hygiene and environment management (61%)— with human welfare (100%) adopted by all of the aware respondents and GAP related to documentation and records (25%) were found to be least adopted. The entire aware respondents agreed to the fact that GAP produced fruit have a better appearance and improved quality, satisfies national and international standards and enhances the export potential of fruits but 97% of respondents didn’t agree that adopting GAP helps in providing incentives or support from governmental organizations. The understanding of GAP among the citrus growers is limited and hence, it is crucial to organize awareness programs and provide supplementary training sessions to enhance their understanding and adoption of GAP practices.

Purification of biodiesel-derived crude glycerol and its application in plasticizing cassava starch bioplastics

2024-09-22T10:17:20+00:00

This study focused on purifying crude glycerol, a by-product of biodiesel production, using acid-precipitation, methanol extraction, and adsorption with acid-activated charcoal. Among the acids tested—sulfuric, phosphoric, and hydrochloric—phosphoric acid proved most effective, producing the clearest glycerol with minimal salt deposition. The purified glycerol was then used to produce bioplastics, which were tested for mechanical properties. The results indicated that Phosphoric acid yielded the clearest glycerol with minimal salt deposition. The resultant salt, potassium phosphate (K₂PO₄), has potential as a fertilizer. The purified glycerol showed increased density and viscosity, indicating higher purity compared to crude glycerol. The density of the purified glycerol was closer to that of analytical-grade glycerol. Bioplastic 1 (using analytical-grade glycerol) exhibited the highest tensile strength, withstanding up to 4.3N and extending about 104mm before breaking. Bioplastic 2 (using glycerol purified with hydrochloric acid) withstood up to 4.1N, while Bioplastic 3 (using glycerol purified with acetic acid) endured the least stress, withstanding up to 3.8N and extending up to 87mm before breaking. The study demonstrates that phosphoric acid is an effective agent for purifying crude glycerol, significantly enhancing its quality. The purified glycerol, in turn, improves the mechanical properties of bioplastics, making them more durable and suitable for a range of applications. This process not only adds value to the biodiesel production by-product but also contributes to the development of stronger, more versatile bioplastics.

Combined hot water extract of lentil and grass pea increase weed control efficiency and yield of boro rice

2024-07-28T10:16:24+00:00

The agriculture sector is continuously adopting environmentally friendly and sustainable methods to reduce the harmful effects of herbicides on crop production. In this context, an experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory (AFL), Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh, from December 2021 to May 2022, to investigate the effect of combined hot water extracts of lentil and grass peas (ELG) on weed control efficiency and yield performance of boro rice. The experiment involved four varieties of boro rice (BAU dhan3, BRRI dhan28, BRRI dhan81, and BRRI dhan96) and four treatments of crop residues. For most weed species, varieties and crop residue extracts significantly impacted weed population (WP) and weed dry weight (DW). The highest numbers of effective tillers (NET) hill^-1, numbers of spikelets panicle^-1 (NSP), 1000-grain weight (TGW), grain yield (GY), and straw yield (SY) were observed in the three-times hand weeding treatment. This was followed by the combination of hot water ELG applied as a pre-emergence treatment three days after transplanting and post-emergence ten days after transplanting, with the lowest values found in the no-extract treatment. Considering interaction effects, the highest GY (7.07 t ha^-1) and SY (8.23 t ha^-1) were observed with hand weeding combined with the variety BAU dhan3. The results of this study indicated that hand weeding, followed by the combined application ELG crop residue, showed potential activity to suppress WP and significantly affected the yield of boro rice.

Evaluating the characteristics, trends and challenges of marine fisheries in Iraq

2024-09-22T10:38:36+00:00

The characteristics, trends and challenges of the marine fisheries of Basrah province, Iraq were studied in this study. Information on fish landings was gathered from the main landing site of the marine fisheries at Al-Fao port from January 2023 to December 2023. The total landing of marine fisheries was 29,446 tons for 28 fish species and two shrimp species. Threadfin bream constituted 10.87% of the landing, followed by Mullets (9.72%) and Emperor (9.39%). Shrimp formed about 13.87% of the total catches. The landings of Threadfin bream and Emperor, as well as shrimp, significantly increased in 2023, while the contribution of historically more important species such as the landing of river shad has decreased to the lowest level. Therefore, from a fisheries management perspective, it is crucial to manage the stock of various species, especially River shad by ensuring the right amount of water is obtained from the upper Tigris and Euphrates Rivers to marine waters through the Shatt Al-Arab River, implementing national fishing regulations to deter illegal fishing methods and safeguard the fish during their migration, reproduction, and in their nursery habitats in inland waters.

Impact of construction activities on the air quality of Agra city, Uttar Pradesh, India

2024-08-01T14:05:40+00:00

The current research work was carried out to comprehensively assessed the impact of construction activities on the air quality. Seven sites were chosen along the metro line construction in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India, to meet the study's goals. The monitoring was performed for 24 hours at each site using the respirable dust sampler (RDS) with a gaseous sampling attachment. The raw data was processed to calculate the Air Quality Index (AQI). The data obtained indicate that all the examined sites had PM₁₀ (particulate matter having the diameter less than or equal to 10 micron) values above the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQ) values of 100 µg/m³, while SS-05 and SS-06 had PM_2.5(particulate matter having the diameter less than or equal to 2.5 micron) values above the NAAQ values of 60 µg/m³. Values of CO, SO₂, and NO₂ were discovered to be lower than the NAAQ standard limits. Because PM10's sub index (Si) was found to be the greatest across all locations, it was determined to be the criterion pollutant among all the metrics. Based on the AQI value, the research area's overall air quality was determined to be moderately polluted. At every location, a variety of management techniques, including mist guns, water spraying, and planting, are regularly used to reduce air pollution. Effective implementation of applied air pollution control measures is required to make the air clean and safe for breathing.

Exploring economic viability: A study on profitability and resource efficiency in Polycarp production within the fish super zone of Dhanusha district, Nepal

2024-08-01T16:40:25+00:00

Dhanusha district of Nepal is recognized as a fish hub of the country still operative fish farming in a semi-commercial level. This study evaluated and analyzed the profitability and resources utilization efficiency in the Polycarp production within the fish super zone of Dhanusha district. Along with it, the study covers socio-demographic characteristic of respondent, determine the factor affecting fish production, rank such challenges based on farmer’s experience, and evaluate returns to scale fish production of this site. 64 farmers were randomly selected and surveyed through a semi-structured questionnaire. In order to collect primary data, pre-tested interview schedule, focus group discussion, key informant Interview, and field survey were conducted. Secondary data were collected by reviewing relevant publications. Analysis of socio-demographic data revealed a predominantly male participation rate (98.44%), with overall aged between 30 and 50 years, among whom the Yadav caste showed maximum engagement (27%). Regarding land ownership, the majority (68.76%) leased land for this activity. Carp polyculture exhibited an average water surface area of 1.55 hectares. The average yearly cost of producing carp fish was Rs.1069644.00, or Rs. 891370.00 per hectare of water surface, per year with fixed costs 15.55% and variable costs 84.45%. Notably, feed costs constituted the largest expense at 49.87%, followed by labor (15.52%) and fingerlings (9.40%). Silver carp emerged as the primary market contributor, comprising 22.96% of total production (6010 kg), followed by common carp, Grass carp, Rohu, Naini, Bighead carp, and Bhakur. Net returns per hectare was Rs. 2,24,348.87, with a resulting B:C ratio of 1.33, indicating economic viability. Challenges identified in the study area included the timely unavailability of fingerling, high feed cost and theft.

Seed germination and seedling development of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) landraces under elevated salinity conditions

2024-08-05T13:13:27+00:00

Due to osmotic stress, ion toxicity, and nutrient imbalances, salinity is a common environmental problem that affects about 20.87% of agricultural land. It severely limits crop production, including wheat, by making it harder for seeds to germinate and for seedlings to grow. To study the effect of salinity stress on wheat landraces, we aimed to examine the seedling characteristics of wheat landraces under salinity stress. The study followed a two-factor Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with four replications. Four different concentrations of NaCl (0 mM, 25 mM, 50 mM, 75 mM) and five landraces (Bhartale, Jhuse, Rato Gahun, Mudule, and Aadhikhole) were used for investigation during the germination and early seedling stages of wheat landraces. The highest germination percentage (GP) (97.25%) and seed vigour index (SVI) (92886) were observed in Jhuse, whereas the lowest GP (60.50%) and SVI (11494) were observed in Rato Gahun. Rato gahun had the highest mean germination time (5.99 days), and Mudule had the lowest mean germination time (4.82 days). The maximum fresh weight (0.12 g) and dry weight (DW) (0.042 g) were recorded by Aadhikhole and Jhuse, and the minimum fresh weight (DW) (0.10 g) and DW (0.032 g) were observed in Mudule. The maximum shoot and root lengths were observed in Bhartale (3.05 cm) and Jhuse (3.54 cm), whereas the minimum shoot length (SL) (2.07 cm) and root length (RL) (2.41 cm) were observed in Rato Gahun. Above all, salinity stress negatively impacts wheat seedling characteristics, and Mudule shows some promising stress tolerance compared to others.

Effect of different organic manures on the growth and yield of Zucchini in Khotang, Nepal

2024-08-08T17:30:43+00:00

This experiment was conducted from February 2022 to May 2022 in ward no 1 of Diktel Rupakot Majuwagadi Municipality, Khotang district of Nepal to evaluate the efficacy of different organic manures in the growth and yield of zucchini in Khotang. We aimed to identify the most effective organic manure (goat manure, poultry manure, farm yard manure (FYM), vermicompost experiment, and control), and the research was carried out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with five treatments and four replications. The Cheongma variety of zucchini was used as a test crop. The recommended dose of manure (goat manure at 20 t/ha, poultry manure at 15 t/ha, FYM at 20 t/ha, vermicompost at 6 t/ha, and control) was applied to each treatment. There is no significant difference observed between treatments and vegetative parameters but a significant difference was found in yield. Furthermore, results showed that the highest yield was obtained from the field treated with poultry manure (1.84 kg), followed by FYM (1.40 kg) and 1.38 kg on vermicompost, respectively. The minimum yield was recorded at 1.09 kg from control, followed by goat manure (1.29 kg). The study by (Farhan, 2021; Eifediyi, 2010) found that the application of poultry manure and FYM significantly increased fruit yield and our research study also demonstrated the same findings.

Physicochemical characteristics and antibiotic resistance patterns of enteric bacteria isolated from harvested rainwater (HRW) in Oraukwu, Anambra State, Nigeria

2024-08-09T12:00:51+00:00

infections temperature, colour, turbidity, DO, TDS, TSS, alkalinity, hardness, chloride, and some heavy metals of the water samples were examined using APHA method. Bacteriological analyses were performed using the membrane filtration technique. Colonies formed were counted and expressed in CFU/100mL. Enteric bacteria were enumerated and characterized by their morphological characteristics and biochemical tests. Axenic cultures of the isolates were further subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) using the modified Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method, based on the guidelines by CLSI. Results revealed that physicochemical parameters and some heavy metals were within acceptable limits, except for Fe (0.01-0.72 mg/L) and Pb (0.01-0.25 mg/L). Total bacterial counts ranged from 1.2×10⁴ to 6.8×10⁴CFU/100mL, indicating high contamination. Morphological characteristics revealed twelve (12) isolates of enteric bacteria, comprising Escherichia coli (41.67%), Salmonella sp. (33.33%) and Shigella sp. (25%). All the isolates exhibited 100% resistant to augmentin and tetracycline, but showed varying degrees of susceptibilities; E. coli to levofloxacin (60%), Salmonella sp. to ertapenem, imipenem, levofloxacin and nalidixic acid (100%), and Shigella sp. to ceftriaxone and ertapenem (100%). ‘First flush’ diverters are recommended to be installed within the water collecting system, in order to divert runoff from the rooftop after a period of no rainfall. Antibiotics which the isolates were susceptible to are recommended for the treatment of infections caused by these pathogens.

Effect of stocking density on growth performance, survival and production of Monosex Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) under nursery ponds in northern regions of Bangladesh

2024-08-13T10:27:15+00:00

The present study was to assess and evaluate the culture potential of Tengra with short-cycle species in the seasonal water bodies of farmers’ fields and disseminate the cultural technologies in a different part of the country. The research study was evaluating the improvement of nursery management technique in drought prone area of Northern region in farmer field level. Before conducting research fish farmers of Different upazila were selected by departmental authority and pre training management. Growth, survival and production performances of Oreochromis niloticus fingerlings were evaluated for 40 days in nine nursery ponds having an area of 20 decimal each with an average depth of 1.0 m. Three stocking densities such as 1000 dec^-1 (T₁=Treatment-1), 1200 dec^-1 (T₂= Treatment-2) and 1400 dec^-1 (T₃=Treatment-3) were tested with three replications. Fry were fed with commercial nursery feed (30% crude protein). The rate of feeding was 25% to 8% of the estimated body weight of fry. The physico-chemical and biological parameters of pond water were within the suitable range for fish culture. Growth in terms of final weight, final length, weight gain, length gain and specific growth rate was significantly higher in T₁ than those obtained from T₂ and T₃. The survival of fish fingerlings was higher in T₁(85.67%) than T₃(76%) and T₂(83%) respectively. Maximum of fingerlings was produced in T₂ than those in T₁ and T₃. Among the treatments evaluated, 1000 dec^-1 was the best stocking density considering the growth performance of the fingerlings of monosex Tilapia, O. niloticus in nursery ponds.

Determination of fertilizer requirement of Indonesian black rice in winter season under different plant spacing at Agro-ecological Zone-9 of Bangladesh

2024-08-17T07:25:29+00:00

Indonesian black rice is quite popular for its highly nutritive value and profitable production. The distinct knowledge about optimum fertilizer doses and plant spacing contributes to its promising yield. The experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, from December 2022 to May 2023 to find out the effect of fertilizer management and plant spacing on the growth and yield of Indonesian black rice in the winter season. The experiment was conducted with 5 treatments of fertilizer management viz., F₁(70% of recommended doses); F₂(80% of recommended doses); F₃(90% of recommended doses); F₄(100% of recommended doses) and F₅(110% of recommended doses) with 4 plants spacing viz., S₁(20 cm × 15 cm); S₂(20 cm × 20 cm); S₃(25 cm × 15 cm) and S₄(25 cm × 20 cm). The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design where the fertilizer management was allocated in main plots and the plant spacing was distributed in sub-plots with three replications. The result revealed that the fertilizer doses and plant spacings along with the interaction effects significantly influenced the growth and yield parameters of Indonesian black rice. Regarding vegetative growth, plant height (79.3cm), total tiller plant^-1(21.27cm), and total leaf number plant^-1(58.47) were maximal at 100% recommended dose of fertilizer(F₄) at DAT 65. Similarly, S₂(20 cm × 20 cm) had better result in crop growth and yield attributes. The interaction effects of the treatments showed significant impact on plant height, total tiller and leaf number where F₄S₂gave satisfied results. The highest values for the yield parameters including the maximum number of grains panicle^-1(100.70), 1000-grain weight (28.33g), and grain yield (5.69g) were found from the combination treatment of F₄S₂. On the other hand, the lowest grain (3.68g) yield was found from F₁S_4. Therefore, observing the results of the experiment, the best consideration was F₄S₂at Agro-ecological Zone-9 in the winter season for the desirable growth and yield of Indonesian black rice.

Socioeconomic impact of livestock production in Gokuleshowor, Baitadi, Nepal

2024-08-17T08:32:46+00:00

The study was carried out at the Baitadi district's Dilashaini rural municipality. The study area was primarily based on agriculture. Farmers in the studied area adopted a complex type of farming system that includes livestock, crops, fruits, forestry, and vegetable farming. This study was mainly conducted to identify key problems faced by farmers and the socioeconomic importance of livestock farming. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to randomly choose respondents for a key informant interview. 61 households were randomly selected without the replacement method. The results showed that most of the households were headed by men (52 households). The primary occupation was agriculture (72%), followed by business (22%). A benefit-to-cost ratio of 1.65 was discovered. Milk was priced at 48.08
rupees per liter. We found feeding management to be the main problem. Farmers invest a huge amount of their income in managing feed for livestock. Natural breeding was largely prevalent in the study area (96%); artificial insemination was still rare. In the studied area, the dairy sector was profitable, so it emphasized improved breeding programs, improved feeding management, and the establishment of well-managed dairy cooperatives, which helped in the development of the rural economy and the lifestyle of farmers.

Comparative study of mash vs pellet feed on growth performance and feed utilization by goat

2024-09-05T13:23:40+00:00

This study was conducted in Bharatpur-11, Chitwan, Nepal, to evaluate the effects of two feed forms (mash and pellet) on the growth performance and feed utilization in goats. Twenty Boer cross female goats, averaging five months in age, were assigned to either mash or pellet feed treatments, with 10 goats in each group, for a 90-day period, with two weeks of adaptation. The experimental animals were given concentrate feed at 1% of their body weight daily, along with ad libitum access to Napier grass and clean drinking water. Both feed types had a dry matter content of 90% and a crude protein level of 17%. Key parameters assessed included feed and forage intake, body weight changes, and feed wastage. Goats on pelleted feed showed a significantly higher average daily weight gain of 62.00 g/day compared to 26.11 g/day for those on mash feed. Final body weights were also greater in the pellet-fed group (28.88 kg) compared to the mash-fed group (25.04 kg). Additionally, pelleted feed led to higher intake of concentrate and forages and significantly reduced feed wastage, with pellet feed waste being 1.22 g/day versus 27.65 g/day for mash feed. These findings indicate that pelleted feed enhances growth performance, feed intake, and feed efficiency in goats. Therefore, this study indicated that pelleted feed is a more effective option for enhancing goat productivity and reducing feed wastage.

Biophysical and temporal factors influenced population dynamics of woolly aphid, codling moth and mealybug in apple (Malus domestica B.) production of southern Ethiopia

2024-09-09T12:43:00+00:00

Apple is one of the most popular fruit crops globally, including Ethiopia. However, its productivity is adversely influenced by many constraints. Insect pests, such as woolly apple aphids, codling moths, and mealybugs, are major damaging biotic constraints globally, including Ethiopia, and their population dynamics are significantly influenced by biophysical and temporal changes. Field surveys were conducted in the Chencha highlands of southern Ethiopia during the 2021 and 2022 main rainy and off seasons to determine the prevalence and incidence of these insect pests and the associations of biophysical and temporal factors with these pests’ population changes. Multistage random sampling approaches were followed for data collection, and consequently, 164 apple fields were inspected for insects’ occurrence. Logistic regression analyses were employed to determine the association of independent variables with the incidence of each insect pest. Results showed that the prevalence (90.18, 75.61, and 50.45% in 2021 and 70.26, 54.15 and 36.48% in 2022, respectively), incidence, and number of individual insects per tree varied across years, seasons, and other biophysical factors. These parameters were higher in the off-season in 2021 than in the main rainy season in 2022. Accordingly, incidences of aphids, codling moths, and mealybugs were recorded at about 57.56, 54.93, and 33.29% in 2021, and 37.01, 40.78%, and 21.23% in 2022, respectively. Association analyses revealed that independent variables such as years, seasons, altitude, age of tree, growth stages, cropping systems, weed infestation, and tree management were significantly (P<0.001) associated with the incidences of all studied insects in the reduced multiple regression model. Apple cultivation at an altitude of ≤2500 m and main rainy season with recently planted trees (≤5 years), flowering to fruit development growth stages, high weed infestation, and tree management through composting and pruning had significant associations with low wooly aphids (≤15%), codling moths (≤40%), and mealybug (≤20%) incidence and can be considered as management options to reduce the aforementioned insects and associated yield losses to ensure apple production.

Effects of feeding regime on growth, production, and economics of Oreochromine cichlids (Oreochromis mossambicus) in earthen ponds of Bangladesh

2024-09-22T13:57:39+00:00

The experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of feeding frequency on the growth, production, and economic aspects of Oreochromine cichlids (Oreochromis mossambicus) in nine earthen ponds for 120 days. Three different feeding regimes (T₁, T₂, and T₃) with three replications each were used. The stocking density was uniform across all treatments at 25,000 fish per hectare. The fish were fed a commercially available pelleted feed with the same feeding rate in all treatments, but the feeding frequency varied. The feeding rate was 10%, 8%, 7%, 6 %, 5%, and 4% which was consecutively adjusted after each fortnightly sampling and 3% for the last 4 weeks of the study period. Feeding frequencies were once a day for T₁, twice a day for T₂, and three times a day for T₃. The average weight gain of Oreochromine cichlids in T₃ (295±5 gm) was significantly higher (P<0.05) than those of T₂ (240.67±6.66 gm) and T₁ (217.17±7.64 gm). The survival rates were 95.20%, 96.99%, and 97.33% for T₁, T₂, and T₃, respectively. The net production of fish in T₃ (2882.00±62.00 kg/ha) was significantly higher (P<0.05) than in T₂ (2413.00± kg/ha) and T₁ (2223±30.55). Furthermore, the highest net return (USD 1163/ha with a cost-benefit ratio of 1.42) was achieved from T₃, followed by T₂ (USD 527/ha with a cost-benefit ratio of 1.19) and T₁ (USD 270/ha with a cost-benefit ratio of 1.09). The results demonstrated that increasing the feeding frequency has positive effects on the growth and production of Oreochromine cichlids.