A greenhouse research study was conducted at Eastern New Mexico University, Portales, NM, USA, in 2019 to examine the effects of different nutrient solutions on the growth and weight of two lettuce cultivars grown in a floating hydroponic system. Two lettuce cultivars, Buttercrunch and Black Seeded Simpson, were subjected to one of four different nutrient concentrations of N, K and Ca at 150, 100, and 150 ppm (N1), 210, 235, and 200 ppm (N2), 250, 300 and 250 ppm (N3), and 300, 350, and 350 ppm (N4), respectively. The Buttercrunch cultivar and N3 treatment proved significantly more productive than the other cultivar/treatment combinations. The greatest fresh weights were recorded in the N3 nutrient solution, 115.33 and 93.17 g/plant for Buttercrunch and Black Seeded Simpson, respectively. Buttercrunch had the greatest fresh weight, leaf number, and leaf and root length in all nutrient solutions. The nitrogen content of the solutions showed a significant positive relationship with chlorophyll content for both cultivars. It is expected that the development of a cheap and easy-to-use hydroponic system will help growers produce high-quality organic vegetables including lettuce.

The rate of pesticide application in the agricultural field is surging. Farmers are getting exposed to pesticide hazards from the misuse and unsafe handling of pesticides. The study was conducted among 101 potato growers in Kaverpalanchok district of Nepal in 2018. The objective of the study was to assess the knowledge, status, and pesticide handling practices among potato growers. Around 94% farmers applied pesticides against early and late blight. Only 5% growers treated seed before potato sowing. About 93 and 73% farmers sprayed pesticides 2-10 times/season into the field and spent 2-6 hours/pesticide spray respectively. More than 2/3rd growers did not read the pesticide labels, and nearly 95% growers received information on pesticide applications from agrovet rather than authorized government bodies. Only 13% farmers had received Integrated Pest Management (IPM) training. However, 1/4th of them had practiced IPM techniques. The majority of the growers used masks, rubber boots, and long-sleeved clothes during pesticide handling. Nearly 2/3rd growers threw pesticide containers anywhere in the environment. Concerned authorities should provide IPM training, skill-building programs on pesticide handling and awareness on waiting period and environmental hazards to avoid pesticide risk.

Ginger is a high value crop belongs to family Zingiberaceae. Ginger has multiple health benefits and can be easily grown in mid-hill regions of Nepal. The major challenge is the limited availability of information on factors affecting ginger yield. The objective of this project was to analyze different factors influencing ginger production. The study was conducted in Surkhet district of Nepal in 2018. A total of 100 farmers (60 and 40 from Barahtal and Chingad rural municipalities respectively) were selected using simple random sampling technique. Primary data were collected using interview schedule, focus group discussion and key informant interview. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and Microsoft Excel. The descriptive statistics, chi-square test and correlation were used to derive conclusion. The average age and land under ginger cultivation were 41 years and 0.093 hectare respectively. Average ginger production in the study area was 980 kg per ropani. There was a strong positive relationship between farm size and ginger production. Training, subsidy and labor crisis had positive association with ginger production. However, family size and years of schooling were not significant but positively correlated. It is recommended that concerned authorities should give emphasis on farmer training, extension services, and subsidy to enhance ginger production. Int. J. Appl. Sci. Biotechnol. Vol 7(2): 269-273

Rice is an annual plant belongs to family Poaceae. It is the major staple food crop of Nepal and can be grown from plain to mountainous regions of Nepal. The crop varieties differ from each other in terms of production cost, gross return and gross margin. The objective of this study was to analyze benefit cost ratio for production of different rice varieties. The study was carried out in Kapilvastu district of Nepal in 2018. A sample size of 120 respondents were selected randomly. Four different rice varieties: Gorakhnath, Radha-4, Ramdhan, and Sawa were used for the study. The primary data were collected through household survey using interview schedule. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences and Microsoft Excel. The average cost of production was amounted to NRs. 77,100/ha for all four rice varieties. Sawa variety had the highest gross return (NRs. 1,01,212.5/ha). The benefit cost ratio was observed highest for Sawa (1.312) and lowest for Radha-4 variety (1.005). Sawa is the most economic rice variety in terms of gross and net production in the study area. The findings will help farmers to choose and cultivate rice variety with greater profitability. It is recommended that concerned authorities should give emphasis on subsidies, farmers training and ensuring floor price of rice.

Urea cocrystal materials have recently emerged as high nitrogen (N) content fertilizers with low solubility capable of minimizing N loss and improving their use efficiency. However, their effects on crop productivity and N2O emissions remain underexplored. A greenhouse study was designed to evaluate sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) yield, N uptake, and N2O emissions under six N treatments: C0 (without fertilizer), UR100 (urea), UC100 (CaSO4⋅4urea cocrystal) at 150 kg N ha−1, and CaSO4⋅4urea cocrystal at 40%, 70%, and 130% of 150 kg N ha−1 (UC40, UC70, and UC130, respectively). The results demonstrated that UR100, UC100, and UC130 had 51.4%, 87.5%, and 91.5% greater grain yields than the control. The soil nitrate and sulfur concentration, N uptake, and use efficiency were the greatest in UC130, while UR100 had significantly greater N2O loss within the first week of N application than the control and all the urea cocrystal treatments. UC130 minimized the rapid N loss in the environment as N2O emissions shortly after fertilizer application. Results of this study suggest the positive role of urea cocrystal in providing a balanced N supply and increasing crop yield in a more environmentally friendly way than urea alone. It could be good alternative fertilizer to minimize N loss as N2O emissions and significantly increase the N use efficiency in sorghum.

Decline in water table in the Ogallala Aquifer, along with soil degradation, has threatened the sustainability of agriculture in the US High Plains region. Circular grass buffers in center pivot irrigated cropping systems could support sustainable crop production by providing multiple ecosystem services. This study evaluated soil organic matter (SOM), nutrients, and other selected soil health indicators under circular buffer strip grasses (BSG), adjacent buffer strip corn (Zea mays L.) (BSC), and continuous conventional corn (CCC) in the 0-80 cm soil profile. Soil samples were collected from the center of corn and grass strips for 5 years (2017-2021) and analyzed for nitrate N (NO 3 − -N), soil pH, electrical conductivity, cation exchange capacity, SOM, and soil nutrients. The NO 3 − -N under CCC in 0-20 cm (18.4 mg kg −1 ) and 60-80 cm (4.97 mg kg −1 ) were 1.56 and 1.96 times higher than BSC.The NO 3 − -N was significantly lower under BSG than other treatments in 0-20 cm, 20-40, and 40-60 cm depths. The SOM was similar among all treatments. Response of other nutrients varied among treatments and inter-annually. Soil pH in 0-20 cm depth was 0.1 and 0.3 units lower in CCC (pH = 7.7) than in BSC and BSG. Soil electrical conductivity was 37.5% and 25% greater in CCC than BSG (0.24 and 0.24 dS m −1 ) in 0-20 and 20-40 cm depths, respectively. Grass buffer strips maintaining SOM despite no irrigation, less residual N under corn with grass buffer, and less rapid changes in soil pH suggest the potential of grass buffer to maintain soil health in semi-arid cropping systems facing the transition to dryland.

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