Asian Soil Research Journal

Saline soils contain multiple types of soluble salts.  Role of alkaline salts (AS) may be different than neutral salts (NS) for crop growth. Usually these types of salinity frequently co-exist. Neutral salts generally induce osmotic stress and ion-induced injury to growing crop plants. Behavior of AS may be different due to high pH. This study was conducted to see the response of wheat growth and Na⁺/ K⁺ ratio under AS and NS application as nutrient solution study. Germinated disinfected seeds of wheat (Cv. Pak-13) and raised in sand. Ten days seedlings were transferred to pots containing standard nutrients solution, with the application of 30 and 60 mM of NS (NaCl, Na₂SO₄) and AS (NaHCO₃ and Na₂CO₃) separately in 1:1 ratio using complete randomize design in triplicates. The seedling growth period in salt solution comprised 33 days. Biomass and the selected inorganic ions were affected significantly (p< 0.01) under salt stress. The magnitude of loss of bio mass was 11 percent higher in AS than that of NS application. Phosphorus and sulphur concentration were lower 10 and 7 percent with AS than NS respectively besides high Na^+/K⁺ ratio and pH.  Further such studies on salt tolerant crop varieties can be carried out to differentiate response under different types of salts.

Aim: To determine the effect of different rates of sawdust (SD) and poultry manure (PM) applied on some soil physical properties of acid sandy Ultisol, and some growth parameters and yield of cocoyam.

Study Design: 2 x 5 factorial arrangement in a randomized complete block design replicated three times. 

Place and Duration of Study: The experiment was conducted in Eastern farm of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike during 2014 and 2015 planting seasons.

Methodology: The treatments comprised of two manure sources at five levels each: sawdust (0, 2, 10, 15 and 20t/ha) and poultry manure (0, 2, 4, 6 and 8t/ha). The treatments were assigned randomly to the plots and incorporated into the soil two weeks before planting. Data were collected on plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, corms, cormels and total yield. Soil samples were collected with core samplers for physical properties such as Soil Bulk density and Total Porosity. All the data collected were subjected to ANOVA for factorial experiment in RCBD at 5% probability level.

Results: The result showed that the interactions of poultry manure and sawdust significantly (p<0.05) improved soil bulk density and total porosity with the lowest value obtained with 0t/ha SD + 8t/ha PM in both 2014 and 2015. The result showed that the interactions of poultry manure and sawdust significantly (p<0.05) increased the leaf area with the highest value obtained with 20t/ha SD + 8t/ha PM in both 2014 and 2015. Also, only the increasing rates of treatment applied significantly (p<0.05) increased the number of leaves, plant height, leaf area and cocoyam yield with the highest value obtained with 20t/ha SD + 8t/ha PM. Also, the various rates of treatment application significantly (p<0.05) increased the cocoyam yield (weight of corms and cormels) with the highest value obtained with 20t/ha SD + 8t/ha PM.

Conclusion: Improvement in growth and yield of cocoyam resulted from the improved nutrient status of the soil as a result of the amendments applied.

Field experiments were conducted in three sites of Western Tigray, Ethiopia. The experiments aimed at identifying optimum the rate of the newly introduced NPS fertilizer impact with different levels on growth, yield attributes, yield and economics of sesame in vertisols of Western Tigray at the Humera station, Banat and Kebabo Kafta Humera and Tsegede Wereda’s. The treatments consisted of six levels of NPS 0, 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 kg ha^-1 and one blanket recommendation N and P was applied. The experiment was laid out in an RCBD with three replications. Yield of Sesame and yield related components showed significant difference (p < 0.001) compared to control. Results showed that number of branches plant^-1, length of pod bearing zone (cm), plant height (cm), number of capsules plant^-1, seeds capsule^-1 and seed yield was significant differences at (P< 0.001) Grain yield increases from 444.8 kg ha^-1 to 671.9 kg ha^-1 as NPS and 444.8 kg ha^-1 to 628 kg ha^-1 as NP increases from 0 (control) to 100 kg ha^-1 NPS and 41 kg N and 46 kg P₂0₅ ha^-1 respectively. But NPS was not significant with blanket recommendation of N and P (41 kg N and 46 kg P₂0₅ ha^-1), therefore no need to replace the NP by NPS fertilizer in the study area.

Aims: An experiment to quantify the changes in soil fertility in terms of available nutrient content was carried out between 1995 to 2016.

Study Design: The design of the study was a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD).

Place and Duration of Study: Bheramara upazilla of Kuahtia district in Bangladesh; between the years 1995 (considered as base line database) to 2016.

Methodology: Soil Resource Development Institute (SRDI) conducted semi-detailed soil survey at Bheramara upazilla of Kushtia district in 1995 and collected 18 soil samples and analyzed in the laboratory for chemical parameters. These data considered as baseline information for the present study (2016) and 18 soil samples were collected from the same or adjacent sampling point in 1995. Land use, organic matter application, crop yield and fertilizer use related information were also collected during the survey. Chemical analysis was performed in the regional laboratory, SRDI, Kushtia by following standard methods.

Results: Results revealed that soil pH and boron decreased significantly in most of the soil series. Organic Matter in all the series except Ganges silt significantly increased over the year. The variation in potassium content over the year was insignificant in all soil series except Sara series. In some soil series phosphorus and sulfur either increased or decreased over the year while soil zinc content did not varied significantly over the year.

Conclusion: Soil nutrient data of the study area revealed that most of the parameters assessed showed positive direction towards fertility development due to agricultural knowledge development and advance soil and fertilizer management practices.

Potassium and sulfur are among the most important nutrients limiting sesame production. EthioSIS soil testing map indicate that nutrients such as K and S are deficient in the study site. Study was carried out to investigate response of sesame to K and S application at Humera Agricultural Research Center, Kafta Humera district, Tigray, Ethiopia in 2016 main cropping season. Treatments consisted four levels of potassium (0, 20, 40 and 60 kg K₂O ha^-1 as KCl) and four levels of sulfur (0, 20, 40 and 60 kg ha^-1 as CaSO_4.2H₂O). The experiment was laid out as Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) in factorial arrangement with three replications using Setit-1 sesame variety. Soil sample was taken, result of soil analysis revealed that the soil was clayey textural class, neutral in soil reaction (pH = 7.35), low organic matter content (0.73%), very low total N (0.03 %) and very low available P (0.74 mg kg^-1), high  soil cation exchange capacity (CEC) (40 cmol(+) kg^-1), medium exchangeable K (0.26 cmol(+) kg^-1) and low extractable sulfur (4.78 mg kg^-1). Maximum sesame grain yields (1371.67 kg ha^-1) was obtained from plot treated with 20 kg K₂O ha^-1 + 40 kg S ha^-1 which resulted 145.3% increase over the control  plot`s yield. From plots fertilized with K and S levels at a rate of 20 kg K ha^-1 and 40 kg S ha^-1 was obtained higher yield of sesame. It is conclude, therefore, it will be good to promote K and S for further demonstration.