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Argania spinosa (L.) Skeels is an endemic species to Morocco that has multiple uses. It plays multiple important roles in terms of its botanical, ecological, and economic properties. However, the domestication of this species will open up considerable economic opportunities for Morocco. Here, for the first time, we assessed the effect of different doses of compost and NPK fertilizers on the vegetative growth parameters, biochemical and antioxidant potential of the Argania spinosa plant, and soil properties. Over a two-year period (2022-2023), eight different treatments were applied across two experimental sites. These treatments included the following: T0 (Control), T1 (F1-80.50.70 g NPK/plant), T2 (F1-125.75.100 g NPK/plant), T3 (F2-160.100.140 g NPK/plant), T4 (F2-250.150.200 g NPK/plant), T5 (F1-2.5 kg/plant compost), T6 (F1-5 kg/plant compost), T7 (F2-5 kg/plant compost), and T8 (F2-10 kg/plant compost), with F1 and F2 being the frequencies of application. We compared several doses of fertilizers with no fertilization as a control. The results showed a significant influence of the compost and NPK fertilizer on the vegetative growth parameters. For the Tamjlojt site, the first year is important because treatments T3 and T4 significantly increased height by 71.94 ± 21.15% and 74.31 ± 12.31%, respectively. For the circumference, the results showed a significant improvement by the treatments T4 and T3, and T1 demonstrated the highest gain. For the collar diameter, all treatments showed a significant difference. The most notable difference was observed with treatments T3 and T7 with 115.63 ± 33.88% and 101.09 ± 20.84%, respectively. For the Rasmouka site, the second year was the most important. The treatments with the most important height increase were T7 and T8, with a value of 43.14 ± 10.06% and 36.44 ± 9.95%; the same was observed for collar diameter as a significant increase was found in T8 and T7 with a value of 55.05 ± 15.7% and 54.08 ± 9.64%. For the circumference parameter, the treatments that increased significantly this parameter were T8 and T7 with a value of 53.36 ± 15.11% and 50.34 ± 11.29% in 2023. In addition, the highest content of carbohydrates was recorded for the treatment T3 with a value of 148.89 ± 8.11 (mg EG/g). For phenolic determination, the highest value was 2532 ± 457.13 (µg GAE/mL), shown for treatment T1. For flavonoids, the treatments that showed a significant effect were T1 and T6 with a value of 2261.98 ± 184.61 and 1237.70 ± 95.65 (µg QE/mL), respectively. For the impact on soil properties, the electrical conductivity, at the Tamjlojt site, treatment T1 showed a significant increase to 1139.00 ± 241.30 (ms/cm), while at the Rasmouka site, treatment T8 showed a significant increase to 303.33 ± 9.33 (ms/cm). Concerning organic carbon, all treatments resulted in increased percentages of this parameter in the soil. For the Tamjlojt site, the T7 treatment had a significant positive effect on this parameter with a value of 0.87 ± 0.12%. For the Rasmouka site, the T3 treatment increased the percentage of organic carbon with a value of 1.17 ± 0.07%. In addition, the organic matter content showed an improvement with a value of 2.02 ± 0.12%. As there are no previous studies in Argania spinosa fertilization, this study greatly contributes to our understanding of the benefits of using different fertilizers at different doses, in particular T8 and T7 as organic fertilizers and T3, T4 as chemical ones, on argan growth, the biochemical and antioxidant properties of leaves, and its soil properties.

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Potato is a crucial food and cash crop with high yield potential in many parts of the Bajhang district. However, achieving optimal yields can be hindered by inconsistent NPK fertilizer application rates and suboptimal potato variety selection, including instances where no fertilizers are used at all by the farmers. To address these challenges and determine the most effective NPK fertilizer rates and potato varieties, a field experiment was conducted in Surma rural municipality of Bajhang district. The experiment utilized a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications, to evaluate the effects of four NPK fertilizer rates (0:0:0, 50:50:50, 100:100:60, and 150:150:90 kg NPK/ha) and three potato varieties (Khumal Seto, Cardinal, and Bajhang Local), on growth, yield, and economic profitability. Statistical analysis, including analysis of variance and Duncan's multiple range test (DMRT), indicated that the highest values for plant height, canopy diameter, number of leaves, number of main stems, tuber weight, fresh weight of leaves and stems, average tuber diameter and number of marketable tubers per hill were consistently observed higher in either the Khumal Seto or Bajhang Local potato varieties. Similarly, these results were particularly prominent with the application of 150:150:90 kg NPK/ha. Economic analysis demonstrated that the Khumal Seto variety showed superior performance in terms of gross benefit, net benefit, and benefit-to-cost ratio (NPR 1,805,714.29, NPR 1,306,168.83, and 3.61, respectively) when compared to other varieties. Similarly, the application of 150:150:90 kg NPK/ha resulted in higher economic returns (NPR 1,645,714.29, NPR 1,129,908.83, and 3.19). In conclusion, using higher levels of mineral fertilizers (150:150:90 kg NPK/ha) with high yielding and well adapted potato varieties such as Khumal Seto and Bajhang Local significantly enhances growth, yield, and profitability in potato cultivation, as demonstrated by the findings of this study.

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Overuse of artificial chemical fertilizers could be detrimental to the environment. Utilizing beneficial microorganisms as biofertilizers is a sustainable technique that promotes soil health, crop yield, and ecosystem preservation. Curcuma longa L. is utilized as a medication since it has its antibacterial, anti-microbial, and anti-tumor characteristics, which reduce inflammation and hasten wound healing. The effect of E. cloacae strain MSR1, which is common in the roots of alfalfa grown in the Al-Ahsaa region, on C. longa plants is being investigated. C. longa rhizomes were planted under greenhouse conditions after being submerged in a solution of E. cloacae strain MSR1 (OD 500) or water treatment as a control for 12 hours. After 240 days of growing, ten randomly selected plants from each treatment were collected, and the vegetative growth and yield metrics were assessed. To investigate how E. cloacae influences C. longa production and chemical composition (photosynthetic pigment, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and curcuminoid), measurements were conducted as well as genes diketide-CoA and curcumin synthases genes. Our research showed that C. longa's growth and yield were favorably impacted by E. cloacae. Significant increases in the related plants' chlorophyll a,b, carotenoid, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium levels were likewise a reflection of the enhanced effects shown in the growth and yield parameters. Treatment with E. cloacae raised the curcuminoid's three sub-components' compositions to varying degrees: bisdemethoxycurcumin, demethoxycurcumin, and curcumin. Comparing E. cloacae treated plants to the control, high expression levels of the genes diketide-CoA and curcumin synthase-1, -2, and 3 were also found. The treatment of E. cloacae is a good biostimulant candidate for boosting growth and yield as well as raising the medicinal qualities of C. longa, according to the overall results.

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In the past few decades, the pressure of higher food production to satisfy the demand of ever rising population has inevitably increased the use synthetic agrochemicals which have deterioration effects. Biostimulants containing beneficial microbes (single inoculants and microbial consortium) were found as an ideal substitute of synthetic chemical fertilizers. In recent years, microbial consortium is known as a better bioinoculant in comparison to single inoculant bioformulation because of multifarious plant growth-promoting advantages. Looking at the advantageous effect of consortium, in present investigation, different bacteria were isolated from rhizospheric soil and plant samples collected from the Himalayan mountains on the green slopes of the Shivaliks, Himachal Pradesh. The isolated bacteria were screened for nitrogen (N) fixation, phosphorus (P) solubilization and potassium (K) solubilization plant growth promoting attributes, and efficient strains were identified through 16S rRNA gene sequencing and BLASTn analysis. The bacteria showing a positive effect in NPK uptake were developed as bacterial consortium for the growth promotion of eggplant crop. A total of 188 rhizospheric and endophytic bacteria were sorted out, among which 13 were exhibiting nitrogenase activity, whereas 43 and 31 were exhibiting P and K solubilization traits, respectively. The selected three efficient and potential bacterial strains were identified using 16S rRNA gene sequencing as Enterobacter ludwigii EU-BEN-22 (N-fixer; 35.68 ± 00.9 nmol C2H4 per mg protein per h), Micrococcus indicus EU-BRP-6 (P-solubilizer; 201 ± 0.004 mg/L), and Pseudomonas gessardii EU-BRK-55 (K-solubilizer; 51.3 ± 1.7 mg/mL), and they were used to develop a bacterial consortium. The bacterial consortium evaluation on eggplant resulted in the improvement of growth (root/shoot length and biomass) and physiological parameters (chlorophyll, carotenoids, total soluble sugar, and phenolic content) of the plants with respect to single culture inoculation, chemical fertilizer, and untreated control. A bacterial consortium having potential to promote plant growth could be used as bioinoculant for horticulture crops growing in hilly regions.

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Under salinity conditions, growth and productivity of grain crops decrease, leading to inhibition and limited absorption of water and elements necessary for plant growth, osmotic imbalance, ionic stress, and oxidative stress. Microorganisms in bio-fertilizers have several mechanisms to provide benefits to crop plants and reduce the harmful effect of salinity. They can be effective in dissolving phosphate, fixing nitrogen, promoting plant growth, and can have a combination of all these qualities. During two successful agricultural seasons, two field experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of bio-fertilizer applications, including phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB), nitrogen fixation bacteria and a mix of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria and nitrogen fixation bacteria with three rates, 50, 75 and 100% NPK, of the recommended dose of minimal fertilizer on agronomic traits, yield and nutrient uptake of barley (Hordeum vulgare) under saline condition in Village 13, Farafra Oasis, New Valley Governorate, Egypt. The results showed that the application of Microbein + 75% NPK recorded the highest values of plant height, spike length, number of spikes/m2, grain yield (Mg ha-1), straw yield (Mg ha-1), biological yield (Mg ha-1), protein content %, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) uptakes in grain and straw (kg ha-1), available nitrogen (mg/kg soil), available phosphorus (mg/kg soil), total microbial count of soil, antioxidant activity of soil (AOA), dehydrogenase, nitrogen fixers, and PSB counts. The application of bio-fertilizers led to an increase in plant tolerance to salt stress, plant growth, grain yield, and straw yield, in addition to the application of the bio-fertilizers, which resulted in a 25% saving in the cost of mineral fertilizers used in barley production.

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Improper pesticide handling is the main cause of contamination of the environment in agricultural systems. This could be caused by leakage of spraying liquid, leftovers, and inappropriate washing of spraying equipment. This study assessed the ability of suggested biomixture modules for remediate repetitive cycles of high chlorpyrifos doses. In three consecutive treatments, four tested modules were contaminated with 160 µg g-1 chlorpyrifos. Chlorpyrifos residues, dehydrogenase activity, and microbial respiration were continuously monitored for 22 weeks. Six bacterial consortia were isolated at the end of the experiment from four treated modules (B+3, BF+3, S+3, and SF+3) and two from untreated modules (B and S). The isolated consortium efficiency in degrading chlorpyrifos was studied. The results revealed that the best chlorpyrifos removal efficiency was achieved when using the stimulated biomixture module (BF) recorded 98%, 100%, and 89%, at the end of three chlorpyrifos treatments, respectively. Such removal efficiency was compatible with the biological activity results of the tested modules: dehydrogenase activity and microbial respiration. There was no difference in the efficiency among the S, B, and BF+3 consortia. The results presented here demonstrate that the combination of vermicompost, wheat straw, soil, and NPK (stimulated biomixture module) can successfully reduce the risk of a point source of pesticide pollution.

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Machine learning (ML) can make use of agricultural data related to crop yield under varying soil nutrient levels, and climatic fluctuations to suggest appropriate crops or supplementary nutrients to achieve the highest possible production. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of five distinct ML models for a dataset sourced from the Kaggle repository to generate practical recommendations for crop selection or determination of required nutrient(s) in a given site. The datasets contain information on NPK, soil pH, and three climatic variables: temperature, rainfall, and humidity. The models namely Support vector machine, XGBoost, Random forest, KNN, and Decision Tree were trained using yields of individual data sets of 11 agricultural and 10 horticultural crops, as well as combined yield of both agri-horticultural crops. The results strongly suggest to evaluate individual data sets separately for each crop category rather than using combined the data sets of both categories for better predictions. Comparing the five ML models, the XGBoost demonstrated the highest level of accuracy. The precision rates of XGBoost for recommending agricultural crops, horticultural crops, and a combination of both were 99.09 % (AUC 1.0), 99.3 % (AUC 1.0), and 98.51 % (AUC 0.99), respectively. This non-intrusive method for generating crop recommendations in diverse environmental conditions holds the potential to provide valuable insights for the development of a user-friendly AI cloud-based interface. Such an interface would enable rapid decision-making for optimal fertilizer applications and the selection of suitable crops for cultivation at specific sites.

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Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) are three macronutrients that are crucial in plant growth and development. Deficiency or excess of any or all directly decreases crop yield and quality. There is increasing awareness of the importance of rhizosphere microorganisms in plant growth, nutrient transportation, and nutrient uptake. Little is known about the influence of N, P, and K as nutrients for the optimal production of Chrysanthemum morifolium. In this study, a field experiment was performed to investigate the effects of N, P, and K on the growth, nutrient use efficiency, microbial diversity, and composition of C. morifolium. Significant relationships were evident between N application rates, C. morifolium nutrient use, and plant growth. The N distribution in plant locations decreased in the order of leaf > stem > root; the distributions were closely related to rates of N application. Total P fluctuated slightly during growth. No significant differences were found between total P in the roots, stems, and leaves of C. morifolium vegetative organs. Principle component analysis revealed that combinations of N, P, and K influenced soil nutrient properties through their indirect impact on operational taxonomic units, Shannon index, and abundance of predominant bacterial taxa. Treatment with N, P, and K (600, 120, and 80 mg·plant-1, respectively) significantly improved plant growth and quality and contributed to the bacterial richness and diversity more than other concentrations of N, P, and K. At the flowering time, the plant height, leaf fresh weight, root dry weight, stem and leaf dry weight were increased 10.6%, 19.0%, 40.4%, 27% and 34.0%, respectively, when compared to the CK. The optimal concentrations of N, P, and K had a positive indirect influence on the available soil nutrient content and efficiency of nutrient use by plants by increasing the abundance of Proteobacteria, decreasing the abundance of Actinobacteria, and enhancing the potential functions of nitrogen metabolism pathways. N, P, and K fertilization concentrations of 600, 120, and 80 mg·plant-1 were optimal for C. morifolium cultivation, which could change environmental niches and drive the evolution of the soil microbial community and diversity. Shifts in the composition of soil microbes and functional metabolism pathways, such as ABC transporters, nitrogen metabolism, porphyrin, and the metabolism of chlorophyll II, glyoxylate, and dicarboxylate, greatly affected soil nutrient cycling, with potential feedback on C. morifolium nutrient use efficiency and growth. These results provide new insights into the efficient cultivation and management of C. morifolium.

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This research examined the bioremediation of pesticides (Carbofuran and Paraquat) contaminated farmyard soil using compost and Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium (NPK) fertilizer. Microcosms representing each treatment were set-up in triplicates. Biostimulation was done using two concentrations (0.5 % and 1.0 % w/w) of NPK fertilizer and compost, following pesticides application at recommended rates [Carbofuran (1 g/kg) and Paraquat (5 ml/kg)] and four times the recommended rates. Two control soils were set-up; Abiotic control (sterile farmyard soil + pesticide) and Control (farmyard soil without treatment). Monitoring of the dynamics in microbial community abundance, and pesticide residues during the biostimulation period was done weekly for 28 days, using standard enumeration method, and High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), respectively. At the end of the monitoring period, considerable reduction in pesticide residues across the treatment set-ups was recorded. In Carbofuran-treated soils, there were no complete, but considerable losses in residual pesticide, however, in most of the Paraquat-treated soils, there were complete losses within 21 days. Lower pesticide residues were recorded in set-ups amended with compost than NPK, across both Carbofuran and Paraquat-treated soils. After pesticides application, decreases in microbial counts were recorded at Day 7 across all the treatments, followed by increases from Day 14-21, then decreases at Day 28. Microbial counts were lower in Carbofuran than in Paraquat-treated soils irrespective of nutrient (compost and NPK) amendments. Bacterial and fungal counts were in the magnitude of 106 and 105 CFU/g soil, respectively. Also, increased counts were recorded for Actinomycetes, Nitrifiers, Phosphate solubilizers across all treatments, and were in magnitude of 103-104 CFU/g soil. Soil microorganisms could breakdown and eliminate large concentrations of Carbofuran and Paraquat in compost-amended soils than in NPK-amended soils. This study suggests that bioremediation of pesticides contaminated soils can be achieved and enhanced by stimulating the indigenous microbial community with requisite nutrients (compost).

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The properties of paddy field (DT) and dry land (HD) soil and food production can be enhanced by the cultivation of Morchella esculenta (ME) during the fallow period. However, whether ME cultivation affects the soil health and microbial diversity of paddy fields and drylands during the cultivation period remains unclear, and this has greatly limited the wider use of this cultivation model. Here, we analyzed the soil chemical properties and bacterial diversity (via metabarcoding sequencing) of DT and HD soils following ME cultivation. Our findings indicated that ME cultivation could enhance soil health. The content of soil phosphorus and potassium (K) was increased in DT soil under ME cultivation, and the K content was significantly higher in HD soil than in DT soil under ME cultivation. ME cultivation had a weak effect on alpha diversity, and ME cultivation affected the abundance of some genera of soil bacteria. The cultivation of ME might reduce the methane production capacity of DT soil and enhance the nitrogen cycling process of HD soil based on the results of functional annotation analysis. Network analysis and correlation analysis showed that Gemmatimonas, Bryobacter, and Anaeromyxobacter were the key bacterial genera regulating soil chemical properties in DT soil under ME cultivation, and Bryobacter, Bacillus, Streptomyces, and Paenarthrobacter were the key taxa associated with the accumulation of K in HD soil. The results of our study will aid future efforts to further improve this cultivation model.

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In order to grow crops that reduce the negative impact on the environment, as well as meet the nutritional needs of the increasing human population, it is necessary to include new and more sustainable production strategies into current agricultural systems. The aim of our study was to evaluate the optimal nutritional conditions of semi-leafless pea productivity and ascertain the influence of meteorological factors on the productivity of these plants under boreal environmental conditions. The test involved three semi-leafless pea varieties, one of which was a new variety, and eight N fertilization treatments were used: (1) without fertilizers (N0), (2) without N fertilizers (N0), (3) N15, (4) N30, (5) N45, (6) N15+15, (7) N60, and (8) N60. Plots of the second-seventh treatment received a base application of P40K80; the eighth treatment received P80K160. Fertilizer efficiency depended on the meteorological conditions. Based on their productivity, the pea varieties were arranged in the following descending order: Ieva DS ˃ Respect ˃ Simona. Compared with unfertilized peas, NPK fertilizers enhanced the seed yield by 10.6-12.9% on average. Splitting the N30 rate and applying N60, under a background of P40K80, was not efficient. The optimal rate of N15-45P40K80 fertilizers for peas was determined. Meteorological factors significantly influenced seed yield by 75.2%, 44.1%, and 79.9% for varieties Ieva DS, Simona, and Respect, respectively.

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In this work, wastepaper powder was used as a modifying agent for a biodegradable hydrogel composite of starch, itaconic acid, and acrylic acid. After the addition of an optimum amount of the modifying agent, the swelling ability of the hydrogel was enhanced from 503 g/g to 647 g/g. Further, the hydrogel was also used for sustained release of NPK fertilizer and subsequent effect of the fertilizer loaded hydrogel in okra seed germination was also studied. The NPK loaded-hydrogel showed good sustained-release behavior and 98 % of N, 81 % of P and 95 % of K release were observed after 20th day of incubation. Moreover, the release study was explained by using different kinetic models. In seed germination study, a higher and faster germination rate for okra seeds was observed in case of NPK loaded hydrogel compared to the control system, which was attributed to the synergistic effect of essential macronutrients (N, P, and K) and water that were inside the hydrogel. Most importantly, the hydrogel was found to be biodegradable by using soil burial method and further confirmed by FTIR and SEM analyses. Thus, this work provides an efficient way for utilization of wastepaper in the production of a biodegradable hydrogel for agricultural applications.

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Due to short post-harvest seasons, it is not always possible to grow worthy cover crops (CCs). This research aims to clarify the impact of undersown red clover (Trifolium pratense L., RC) and post-sown white mustard (Sinapis alba L., WM) management on their biomass, accumulated nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) content and the nutrient release to subsequent main crops. During the study period, RC mass yields varied from 220 to 6590 kg ha-1 DM and those of WM from 210 to 5119 kg ha-1 DM. WM shoot biomass increased with the increase in rainfall in August and the average daily temperature of the post-harvest period. CC productivity and efficiency were higher when growing short-season spring barley than winter wheat. In the warm and rainy post-harvest period, undersown WM after winter wheat increased the biomass by 34.1% compared to post-harvest sowing. The application of straw (+N) increased the accumulation of nutrients in WM biomass. The intensive fertilization of the main crop had a negative effect on RC yield and NPK accumulation. RC shoot biomass was characterized by a higher N content and WM by a higher P concentration. Well-developed CCs could reduce soil mineral nitrogen content by 28.5-58.8% compared to a plot without CCs. Nutrient transfer to spring barley was dependent on the N content of CC biomass and the carbon and nitrogen ratio (C:N < 20). We conclude that CC growth and efficiency were enhanced by the investigated measures, and in interaction with meteorological conditions.

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Introduction: Greater amounts of fertilizer are applied every year to meet the growing demand for food. Sugarcane is one of the important food sources for human beings. Methods: Here, we evaluated the effects of a sugarcane-Dictyophora indusiata (DI) intercropping system on soil health by conducting an experiment with three different treatments: (1) bagasse application (BAS process), (2) bagasse + DI (DIS process), and (3) the control (CK). We then analyzed soil chemistry, the diversity of soil bacteria and fungi, and the composition of metabolites to clarify the mechanism underlying the effects of this intercropping system on soil properties. Results and discussion: Soil chemistry analyses revealed that the content of several soil nutrients such as nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) was higher in the BAS process than in the CK. In the DIS process, a large amount of soil P was consumed by DI. At the same time, the urease activity was inhibited, thus slowing down the loss of soil in the DI process, while the activity of other enzymes such as ß-glucosidase and laccase was increased. It was also noticed that the content of lanthanum and calcium was higher in the BAS process than in the other treatments, and DI did not significantly alter the concentrations of these soil metal ions. Bacterial diversity was higher in the BAS process than in the other treatments, and fungal diversity was lower in the DIS process than in the other treatments. The soil metabolome analysis revealed that the abundance of carbohydrate metabolites was significantly lower in the BAS process than in the CK and the DIS process. The abundance of D(+)-talose was correlated with the content of soil nutrients. Path analysis revealed that the content of soil nutrients in the DIS process was mainly affected by fungi, bacteria, the soil metabolome, and soil enzyme activity. Our findings indicate that the sugarcane-DIS intercropping system can enhance soil health.

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Three brands of NPK fertilizers that contain variable concentrations of natural radioactivity are commonly used in tobacco plantations in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Tobacco plants are known for hyper-accumulation of natural radionuclides, particularly 238U. This study investigated if the elevated radioactivity in phosphate fertilizers could enhance radioactivity in soils and tobacco plant leaves. The 232Th, 238U, and 40K radionuclide levels in NPK-fertilized soils and tobacco leaves were measured using gamma-ray spectroscopy. The research included a one-year reference experiment with tobacco growing in plots, a ten-year semi-controlled experiment in well-managed tobacco farms, and a field survey of radioactivity in soils and tobacco leaves at three traditional tobacco fields in Migori (Kenya), Urambo (Tanzania), and Kanungu (Uganda). The findings demonstrated that soils and tobacco leaves exposed to NPK fertilizers with increased radioactivity had activity concentrations of 232Th, 238U, and 40K that were considerably higher (at all sites) than in the control samples (with no use of NPK fertilizers). As the continued application of NPK fertilizers raises concentrations of 232Th, 238U, and 40K in agricultural soils, the study assessed radiological risks for humans from exposure to agricultural soils enriched with phosphate fertilizers, and it was found to be below the exposure limit of 1 mSvy-1 suggested by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). However, tobacco consumers, both by snuffing and smoking, may face significant radiological risks, as the snuffing and smoking resulted in effective doses that were 2.41 to 6.53 and 1.14 to 2.45 times greater than the average yearly dose that the general public receives from inhalation of natural radionuclides (United Nations Scientific Committee on Atomic Radiations estimates). Furthermore, the results indicate that the lifetime excess cancer risk for tobacco snuffers and smokers ranged from 5 × 10-5 to 24.48 × 10-3 and 2.0 × 10-5 to 9.18 × 10-3, respectively. The influence of phosphorus-derived fertilizer containing relatively high natural radioactivity, potential human radiation exposure, and radiological risk due to gamma radionuclides is estimated and discussed. The results reveal that applying phosphate fertilizers enhances natural radioactivity in soil and is subsequently influenced by soil to tobacco plant uptake. Therefore, the study recommends that countries use fertilizers with lower radionuclide content to conserve soil quality and reduce gamma-emitting radionuclides in tobacco plants.

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The application of organic matter (OM) to peach orchards is currently uncommon in commercial operations but could potentially replace synthetic fertilizers and improve long-term orchard sustainability. The purpose of the study was to monitor how annual applications of compost to replace synthetic fertilizer would change soil quality, peach tree nutrient and water status, and tree performance during the first four years of orchard establishment within a subtropical climate. Food waste compost was incorporated before planting and added annually over four years with the following treatments: 1) 1x rate, applied as dry weight at 22,417 kg ha-1 (10 tons acre-1) incorporated during the first year and 11,208 kg ha-1 (5 tons acre-1) applied topically each year after; 2) 2x rate, applied as dry weight at 44,834 kg ha-1 (20 tons acre-1) incorporated during the first year and 22,417 kg ha-1 (10 tons acre-1) applied topically each year after; and 3) control, with no compost added. Treatments were applied to a virgin orchard location, where peach trees had never previously been grown, and to a replant location, where peach trees had been grown previously for more than 20 years. Synthetic fertilizer was reduced in the 1x and 2x rates by 80 and 100% during the spring and all treatments received the summer application according to standard practice. Soil OM, phosphorus and sodium all increased with the addition of 2x compost in the replant location at 15 cm depth, but not within the virgin location compared to the control treatment. The 2x rate of compost improved soil moisture during the growing season, but tree water status was similar between treatments. Tree growth was similar between treatments in the replant location, but the 2x treatment had larger trees compared to the control by the third year. Foliar nutrients were similar between treatments over the four years, while 2x compost rate increased fruit yield in the virgin location compared to the control the second year of harvest. The 2x food waste compost rate could be considered as a replacement for synthetic fertilizers and to potentially increase tree growth during orchard establishment.

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Overseeded perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) turf on dormant bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon Pers. L) in transitional climatic zones (TCZ) experience a severe reduction in its growth due to cold stress. Primary plant nutrients play an important role in the cold stress tolerance of plants. To better understand the cold stress tolerance of overseeded perennial ryegrass under TCZ, a three-factor and five-level central composite rotatable design (CCRD) with a regression model was used to study the interactive effects of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) fertilization on lipid peroxidation, electrolyte leakage, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and their detoxification by the photosynthetic pigments, enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants. The study demonstrated substantial effects of N, P, and K fertilization on ROS production and their detoxification through enzymatic and non-enzymatic pathways in overseeded perennial ryegrass under cold stress. Our results demonstrated that the cold stress significantly enhanced malondialdehyde, electrolyte leakage, and hydrogen peroxide contents, while simultaneously decreasing ROS-scavenging enzymes, antioxidants, and photosynthetic pigments in overseeded perennial ryegrass. However, N, P, and K application mitigated cold stress-provoked adversities by enhancing soluble protein, superoxide dismutase, peroxide dismutase, catalase, and proline contents as compared to the control conditions. Moreover, N, P, and, K application enhanced chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, and carotenoids in overseeded perennial ryegrass under cold stress as compared to the control treatments. Collectively, this 2-years study indicated that N, P, and K fertilization mitigated cold stress by activating enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants defense systems, thereby concluding that efficient nutrient management is the key to enhanced cold stress tolerance of overseeded perennial ryegrass in a transitional climate. These findings revealed that turfgrass management will not only rely on breeding new varieties but also on the development of nutrient management strategies for coping cold stress.

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Using urban residues to produce organomineral fertilizers (OMF) is an environmentally friendly strategy that can enhance soil fertility by adding organic matter and mineral nutrients. Herein we investigated the availability of N, P, and K, under organomineral fertilization in sandy soils. An incubation study was conducted using OMF formulated with biosolids as organic matrix and N source, rock phosphate, and potassium sulfate as P and K sources, respectively. Two forms of isolated N, P, and K sources (granulated and non-granulated), five N:P:K granulation proportions (1-2-0, 1-4-0, 1-0-2, 1-2-2, 1-2-4), and a control (unfertilized) were mixed with soil and assessed over a 112 days incubation period. Soil samples were collected at 0, 7, 14, 28, 56, and 112 days to quantify available soil concentrations of ammonium (N-NH4+), nitrate + nitrite (N-NO2- + N-NO3-), P, and K. The results showed that OMF formulated with NPK had better nitrogen efficiency indexes (NEI) than other formulations and did not induce N immobilization throughout the experiment. Regarding P and K efficiency, OMFs containing phosphorus and potassium increased the indexes compared to the single fertilizer sources. When comparing non-granulated potassium sulfate with granulated, the latter showed a steadier release due to the granulation process. In comparison with rock phosphate at the end of the experiment, the OMFs 1-2-0 and 1-4-2 had higher P available by 116 and 41%, respectively. Based on these results, OMFs have the potential to alter the dynamics of nutrient availability serving as a strategy for nutrient management in agriculture.

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RESUMEN

Screen house experiment was conducted in 2020 at the Landmark University Teaching and Research Farm Omu-aran, Kwara State. The experiment was carried out to evaluate the potential of dried unripe plantain peel and Tithonia diversifolia as soil amendments and its effect on growth, yield and fruit quality of tomato. Four rates each of dried plantain peel (0, 5, 10 and 15 t/ha) and Tithonia diversifolia (0, 10, 20 and 30 t/ha) were applied sole and combined. The experimental layout was a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replicates. Parameters were collected on the plant height, number of leaves, number of branches, stem girth, yield and fruit quality. Data collected were subjected to Analysis of variance (ANOVA) using the GENSTAT Discovery Software, Edition 4. Comparison of the treatment means were carried out using Duncan Multiple range test (DMRT) at 0.05 level of probability. Results showed that dried plantain peel and Tithonia diversifolia improved, number and weight of fruits as well as the fruit quality of tomato and were comparable to the application of NPK fertilizer. Treatment P5T30 (T8) increased number of leaves and number of branches while P15T20 (T15) and P10T30 (T12) increased plant height and stem girth respectively. Treatment P5T30 (T8) and P10T20 (T11) also significantly improved the fruit quality (minerals, lycopene and Vit. A) of tomato fruits. It can therefore be concluded that application of dried plantain peel and Tithonia diversifolia at P5T30 (T8) and P10T20 (T11) increased the vegetative, yield and quality parameters of tomato in the screen house of the study area.

RESUMEN

Foxtail millet [Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv.], as a rich source of folates, has been cultivated on arid infertile lands, for which N deficiency is one of the major issues. Growing environments might have a significant influence on cereal folate levels. However, little is known whether N deficiency modulates cereal folate levels. In order to obtain enriched folate foxtail millet production in nutrient-poor soil, we conducted a study investigating the content of folate derivatives of 29 diverse foxtail millet cultivars under two N regimes (0 and 150 kg N ha-1) for 2 years to explore folate potential grown under low N. The contents of total folate and most derivatives were reduced by N deficiency. The effect on total folate content caused by N was stronger than cultivar genotype did. Folate content of enriched folate cultivars was prone to be reduced by N deficiency. Structural equation models (SEMs) revealed that N fertilization had a positive indirect effect on grain folate content through influencing plant N and K accumulation. Collectively, the results indicate much more attention should be paid to N management when foxtail millet is cultivated in infertile soil, to improve foxtail millet folate contents.