African Journal of Crop Science

African Journal of Crop Science ISSN 2375-1231 Vol. 3 (9), pp. 230-233, November, 2015. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Influence of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer application on grain yield of upland rice in Eastern Uganda

Ochwoh V.A.¹, Nankya, E.², Abulo P.³, Obuo, P.³

¹Professor/Director-Directorate of Graduate Studies, Research and Innovations; Busitema University, P. O. Box 236, Tororo-Uganda.

²Soil Fertility Scientist-BuginyanyaZonalAgricultural Research and Development Institute (BugiZARDI)-Under National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO); P.O.Box 1356-Mbale-Uganda.

³Research Officers-National Semi-Arid Agricultural Resources Research Institute (NaSARRI)-NARO; P.O .Box Private bag-Soroti.

Corresponding Author: E-mail: [email protected]. Tel. +256- 772-479379

Accepted 15 July, 2015

Abstract

Rice (Oryzasativa) is increasingly becoming an important food and cash crop in Uganda especially among small-scale holder farmers. Declining soil fertility is thought to be the major production constraint leading to low yields. Nitrogen and phosphorus are the major limiting nutrients to rice production in most rice growing areas in Uganda especially in the Eastern region. A study was conducted to explore the yield benefits associated with nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization. Screen house experiments were conducted at Serere Agricultural and Animal Production Research Institute (SAAPRI). Two upland rice cultivars were grown in soil which had been continuously cultivated. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design arranged in split-split plots with variety as main plots, nitrogen and phosphorus treatments as sub-sub plots. Phosphorus at three rates (0, 25 and 50 kg P₂O₅ ha^-1) was applied at planting and Nitrogen at five rates (90, 150, 180 and 240 kg N ha^-1) was applied two weeks after planting. Nitrogen and phosphorus application significantly (P<0.05) influenced grain yield of upland rice. However, combined application of nitrogen and phosphorus at 150 kg N ha^-1 and 25kg P₂O₅ha^-1 respectively, gave highest and significant effect (P<0.05) on grain yield.

Key words:Oryzasativa, nitrogen, phosphorus, upland rice, Eastern Uganda.

African Journal of Crop Science ISSN 2375-1231 Vol. 3 (8), pp. 221-229, October, 2015. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Organic materials quality assessment by nutrient recovery, mineral fertilizer equivalency and maize (Zea mays L.) allometry

Girma Abera

School of Plant and Horticultural Sciences, Hawassa University, Ethiopia. E-mail: [email protected].

Accepted 10 April, 2015

Abstract

In Sub-Saharan African countries crop production and productivity is primarily limited by soil fertility decline. In view of this, organic materials can be used as fertilizer source. However, little basic information is available on the quality of locally available organic materials and how to synchronize nutrient release with plant nutrient requirement and growth stages. To this effect, locally available organic materials such as residues of soybean (SB), cow pea (CP), haricot bean (HB), chick pea (CHP), maize, (M) and farmyard manure (FYM) were evaluated along with different inorganic fertilizers (Yaramila (YM) and Urea + Di-ammonium Phosphate (UrDp) were applied to soil samples to grow a maize variety-Gibe 2 as test crop. The maize allometric parameters, nutrient ratios (NRs), nutrient recovery (NRy) and mineral fertilizer equivalency (MFE) were used to assess the mineral fertilizer value (MFV) of organic materials. MFE of organic materials was estimated as the available mineral N and P out of the fraction of total nitrogen and phosphorous applied relative to chemical fertilizers supply. The results revealed that maize allometry, NRy and MFE were significantly (p<0.05) influenced by fertilizer sources. Organic materials amendment resulted in poor maize allometry, low nutrient uptake and recovery perhaps due to their slow release of nutrients and microbial immobilization of nutrients. Interestingly, MFE of organic materials amended ranged from -201% with CHP to 63% with FYM, reflecting that extensive variation exist in terms of their MFV. This portrays that CHP residue is the poorest quality that displayed highest immobilization, and about 200% soil nutrient deficit, while FYM is the highest quality material that exhibited net mineralization and contributes 63% of the mineral fertilizer value of YM. The results suggest that the allometric parameters, NRy and MFE are the best methods to assess the MFV of organic materials for crop production under tropical soil.

Key words: allometry, organic materials, mineral fertilizer equivalency, mineral fertilizer value, nutrient ratios.

African Journal of Crop Science ISSN:  2375-1231 Vol. 3 (7), pp. 206-213, September, 2015. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

A study of sugarcane genotypes under flood stress condition and adaptive mechanisms

Fazle H.E, Fazlul A.A and Yunus M.O

Department of Crop Botany, Faculty of Agriculture, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, Bangladesh.

Accepted 02  August, 2014

Abstract

Juice quality, adventitious roots, growth rate and senesced leaves, green leaves were examined under flood stress conditions for six sugarcane genotypes I 112-01, I 6-04, I 39-04, I 152-04, I 189-04 and Isd 38. The pot study was conducted in an artificially created flood in a concrete water tank in the Bangladesh Sugarcane Research Institute during the 2010-2011 cropping seasons to screen flood tolerant clones. The clones I 6-04 and Isd 38 exhibited high tolerance to flooding following 30, 60 and 90 days and 30 cm depth above pot soil sustained floods. These varieties had >45% green leaf after 120 days stress periods. Clones I 112-01, I 39-04 and I 189-04 showed tolerant reactions following 30, 60 and 90d flood stress periods with > 40% green leaf after 90d. Clone I 6-04 produced the highest adventitious root (AR) (145.0 g/plant) followed by Isd 38 (110.0b g/plant).The clones I 6-04 and Isd 38 showed highest growth rate. Isd 38 showed highest Brix percent (20.15) and pol percent (14.52) followed by I 6-04 (Brix 19.95 and pol 14.12). Our results indicate that clone I 6-04 and Isd 38 performed better under flood stress conditions than other clones for selecting a stress tolerant variety.

Key words: Saccharum Officinarum, dry and green leaves, adventitious root (AR), growth rate, chlorophyll, juice quality.

African Journal of Crop Science ISSN: ISSN 2375-1231 Vol. 3 (7), pp. 201-205, September, 2015. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper                     

Screening of Botanical extracts for the control of Japanese mint (Mentha arvensis L.) Leaf rust (Puccinia menthae) in Greenhouse and field condition 

Mihiret Mekonnen¹, Begashaw Manahile² and Beemnet Mengesha³

^1,3Wondo Genet Agricultural Research Center, EIAR, P.O.Box. 198, Shashemene, Ethiopia. 

²Department of Forestry, Wondo Genet College of Forestry and Natural Resource, Hawassa University, P.O. Box 128, Shashemene, Ethiopia.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 18 August, 2014

Abstract

Mentha arvensis is a robust perennial aromatic and medicinal herb that belongs to the Labiatae family. Its production is affected by many diseases. Among all diseases, Puccinia menthae has been found the most abundant diseases of Mint crop at the study site. The study was conducted to screen effective botanicals for the control of Japanese mint leaf rust. Crude extracts of L. camara, M. ferruginea, E. globules, M. anceolata, R. chalepensis, V. amygdallina, D. stramonium and C. citrates were evaluated for their efficacy. Propiconazole was used as a standard check and untreated plants as control. Treatments were arranged in completely randomized design and randomized complete block design for greenhouse and field experiments, respectively. The milled material (150gm) of each plant was treated with 150 ml of acetone as extract ant.  Spore suspension of the pathogen containing 10^-6 spores/ml was sprayed on two-month-old Japanese Mint seedlings. The filtered extract of each plant at 20% concentration was sprayed. All plant extracts had shown antifungal activity against Japanese mint leaf rust. The maximum (85.56%) control was recorded in M. lanceolata. Generally, extracts of M. lanceolata, D. stramonim and M. ferruginea were effective to protect Japanese mint leaf rust and hence enhanced yield.

Key word: Mentha arvensis, Puccinia menthae, crude extracts, disease control.

African Journal of Crop Science ISSN: 2375-1231 Vol. 3 (7), pp. 196-200, September, 2015. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper                                        

Screening of botanical extracts for the control of Artemisia rehan (Artemisia absinthium L.) Aphid (Coloradoa absinthii Li.) in green house and field condition

Mihiret Mekonnen¹, Begashaw Manahile² and Beemnet Mengesha³

1,3Wondo Genet Agricultural Research Center, EIAR, P.O.Box. 198, Shashemene, Ethiopia.
²Department of Forestry College of Forestry and Natural Resource, Hawassa University, P.O. Box 128, Shashemene, Ethiopia.

Accepted 18 August, 2014

Abstract

Artemisia absinthum L. is a perennial aromatic and medicinal herb that belongs to the family of Asteraceae and the genus Artemisia. A. absinthum production is practically affected by aphid, which causes up to 90% infestation at the study site. The objective of the study was to screen effective botanicals for the control of aphid on A. absinthum. Crude extracts of Pyrethrum, M. ferruginea, C. citrates, C. citrates + Pyrethrum and Pyrethrum + V. amygdalina were investigated. Diazinon® 60EC was used as a standard check and untreated plants as control. Treatments were arranged in completely randomized design and randomized complete block design for greenhouse and field experiments, respectively. In greenhouse experiment, the botanicals (20% v/v) were sprayed 20 days after introducing aphids. However, in field experiment, botanicals were sprayed on established plants before aphid occurrence and continued at 15 day interval for five rounds. Significant variations were observed among most treatments. Pyrethrum extract showed the highest efficacy against the target aphid with 91.81 and 87.27% mortalities in greenhouse and field conditions respectively. M. ferruginea extract ranked second with 72.7% and 64.5% mortalities in greenhouse and field conditions, respectively. About 87.27- 91.81% aphid population can be reduced by application of Pyrethrum crude extract.

Key word: A. absinthium, Aphid infestation, crude extract, mortality rate.