ABSRACT Acacia senegal is a multipurpose drought-tolerant tree or shrub legume, and is commonly used in agroforestry systems in sub-Saharan Africa for gum arabic production and soil fertility improvement. Despite its relatively wide distribution in Nigeria, there has not been exhaustive evaluation on the effects of the tree/shrub on soil physicochemical properties under its canopy forsustainable utilization of the tree. Accordingly, three sitesin the semi-arid regionof Nigeria representing three plantation ages of 7, 27and 37 years old were selected for assessment. Soil samples were collected under tree canopies and were compared with the soils from the open canopies. Results indicated that there were significant differences in soil physicochemical properties among the three ages (P<0.05 and P< 0.01). Generally, soil nutrients under the canopies were higher than in the open canopiesirrespective of the age mainly due to effects of litter accumulation. The tree/shrubhas beneficial effects on soil nutrient status in their natural ecosystems and would most likely improve crop productivity in agroforestry systems such as alley cropping. The resultant improvement in soil nutrients status can increase herbage production in agricultural rangelands thus enhancing animal production in the study area. The tree/shrub growing under different soil types may have an effect on their gum Arabic production and quality.
High fertilization rates and pesticides are required for the intensive production of strawberries, which offer several therapeutic health benefits. Recently, chitosan (CHI), and phosphorus fertilizer based on Micro Carbon TechnologyTM (MCT-P) were applied to encourage strawberry sustainable production and enhance phosphorus-use efficiency. Field trials were conducted throughout 2020/2021 and 2021/2022, to evaluate the effectiveness of MCT–P and CHI in improving strawberry cv. Fortuna growth and yield as well as their quality. Foliar spraying of CHI and MCT-P considerably improved strawberry plant growth (i.e., plant height, secondary crown number per plant, leaf number and area per plant, and foliage fresh weight), photosynthetic pigment concentration (chlorophylla, chlorophyllb, and carotenoids), as well as its yield and quality (early fruit yield, total yield, average fruit weight, fruit firmness, fruit dry matter %, soluble solid content, total sugars (%), ascorbic acid, acidity, and anthocyanin). Compared to untreated plants, 1200 mgL−1 MCT-P and 1000 mg/L CHI supplementation was the most effective concentration for improving all studied characteristics. The interaction between CHI and MCT-P had a greater impact on all examined characteristics. It is recommended to spray strawberry cv. Fortuna with 1200 mg/L MCT-P plus 1000 mg/L CHI every two weeks, from 60 days after transplanting until two weeks before the end of harvesting season for the best fruit yield and quality.
Two successive winter field experiments were performed at 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 seasons at Vegetables Research Station, Faculty of Agric., Mansoura Univ., Egypt to study the effect of different fertilization treatments in terms of NPK fertilizer ratios and rates on growth, yield and quality of cauliflower (cv. Fargo) cultivated under silty clay loam soil conditions by furrow irrigation system. Four NPK fertilizer ratios (1.
Global warming is by far the most significant issue caused by climate change. Over the past few decades, heat stress has intensified into a serious issue that has a negative impact on crop production. Hence, it is crucial to modify cultivation systems to cope with this kind of stress, particularly in arid dry regions. In comparison to open-field cultivation, tomato production under protected cultivation techniques in walk-in tunnels that are suited for different farmers’ financial abilities was evaluated during the late summer season. The studied tunnels included a shaded net tunnel with natural ventilation, net tunnel with a fogging system and plastic tunnel with evaporative cooling (wet pad and fans). For the operation of fogging and evaporative cooling systems, solar energy was used as a sustainable, eco-friendly energy source. The results indicated that the solar energy system successfully operated the studied cooling systems. All studied protective cultivation techniques mitigated heat stress on tomato plant and improved the microclimate under walk-in tunnels. Moreover, evaporative cooling and fogging systems significantly increased plant leaf area, cell membrane efficiency and the contents of chlorophyll, relative water and proline compared to the net tunnel with natural ventilation. Furthermore, a marked reduction in physiological disorders was noticed. Improved physiological and biochemical parameters and limited physiological diseases led to higher fruit set, marketable fruit yield and total productivity. The percentage of marketable fruit yield increased by around 31.5% with an evaporative cooling system, 28.8% with a fogging system and 17% with a shaded net tunnel with no positive cooling as compared to an open field. However, the plants grown in open-field cultivation without protection significantly deteriorated from heat stress and had a high incidence of physiological disorders. The most incident physiological disorders were blossom-end rot, cracking, internal white tissues, sunscald, puffiness, blotchy ripening, cat face and exserted stigma. It is recommended to use a solar energy system to modify microclimate conditions through fogging or evaporative cooling under walk-in tunnels to ameliorate heat stress on grown tomato in the late summer season for higher fruit yield and fewer physiological disorders.
This exploration work target was to upgrade the micropropagation of potato cultivars through the utilization of new light sources in the development rooms. The experiment consisted of two potato cultivars (Diamant and agria), and five light sources (white, blue, green and red LEDs; and white fluorescent lights). The explants comprised of nodal segments containing one bud, segregated from plantlets developed in vitro. The experimental design was completely randomized arranged in a 2x5 factorial, with 4 replications. Each experimental unit consisted of a flask with five explants. Three 28-day successive subcultures were done in MS medium and incubated under controlled conditions (temperature = 25+2ºC; photoperiod = 16 hours; light intensity = 20 μmol m -2 s -1 ). Toward the finish of every subculture, plantlet length, number of nodes per plantlet, internode length and plantlet fresh weight were assessed. After the second subculture, differences were found among the two potato cultivars developed in vitro: "Agria" performed better than "Diamant" in most plantlet growth parameters. Different light sources influenced the potato plantlet development: red and green LEDs were the most and least prescribed for plantlet advancement respectively, in view of the after effects of bud number per plantlet, plantlet length. Photosynthetic pigment contents were significantly different under the different light treatments. Chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids were higher in plantlets grown under Red, and less in plantlets under green LED light.
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