International Journal of Horticulture and Floriculture

International Journal of Horticulture and Floriculture ISSN 2167-0455 Vol. 8 (1), pp. 001-005, January, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Plant performance of ANTHURIUM  ANDREANUM  as affected by shade conditions and different conventional nutrient sources

Nuchhungi Khawlhring¹*, James L. T. Thanga² and F. Lalnunmawia³

¹Department of Horticulture, Aromatic and Medicinal Plants, Mizoram University, Tanhril-796009, Aizawl, Mizoram, India.

²Department of Economics, Mizoram University, Tanhril-796009, Aizawl, Mizoram, India.

³Department of Forestry, Mizoram University, Tanhril-796009, Aizawl, Mizoram, India.

Accepted 26 July, 2019

Abstract

Investigation was done on the performance of ANTHURIUM ANDREANUM plant as affected by shade conditions as well as the effects of different conventional nutrient sources. Anthuriums were planted on beds containing a media of cocopeat, charcoal and vermicompost. The beds were constructed under two shade conditions, that is, shade house (netlon with 75% shade) and natural tree shade. Different sources of nutrients such as NPK, biofertilizers, cattle manure, pig and poultry manure were supplemented. Better performance in terms of consistent growth as well as taller plant heights were obtained from those grown under shade house. Under shade house, NPK and biofertilizer application resulted in best performance of plant height whereas cattle manure treatment resulted in tallest average plant height under tree shade.

Key words: Anthurium, shade effect, nutrient sources, plant height.

International Journal of Horticulture and Floriculture ISSN 2167-0455 Vol. 8 (1), pp. 001-014, January, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Simulation of water uptake and redistribution in growing media during ebb-and-flow irrigation

R. Anlauf*, P. Rehrmann and H. Schacht

Osnabrueck University of Applied Sciences, P. O. Box 1940, 49009 Osnabrueck, Germany.

Accepted 11 November, 2019

Abstract

To optimize ebb-and-flow irrigation on concrete floors, the relative importance of substrate type, flooding depth and flooding time on water uptake of growing media in containers is important information for the grower. Describing water uptake and distribution in the container with a dynamic simulation model may overcome the disadvantages of the static parameters such as container capacity and air capacity. Water uptake and redistribution was investigated for two different growing media, a coarse white peat and a fine seedling substrate, two flooding depths (1 and 4 cm) and three flooding durations (5, 10 and 15 min). The results were used to evaluate the use of the simulation model HYDRUS1D to describe water uptake and redistribution. The hydraulic functions water retention curve and hydraulic conductivity needed for the simulation model were determined in the laboratory. The results show that substrate properties and flooding height are the main parameters determining water uptake during ebb-and-flow irrigation while flooding time has a minor effect only. Therefore, the slope of concrete floors should be at a minimum to ensure an even flooding depth for all containers. The longer flooding times and the longer drainage durations have a very small effect on water uptake. The simulation model HYDRUS1D is able to describe water uptake and redistribution in containers filled with the two growing media sufficiently well only if the hysteresis of the water retention curve is taken into account.

Key words: Horticultural substrate, hysteresis, water retention curve, HYDRUS1D, simulation model.

International Journal of Horticulture and Floriculture ISSN 2167-0455 Vol. 7 (12), pp. 001-006, December, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Effect of alcoholics extract on rat livers and antibacterial screening of Citrullus colocynthis

¹Rasool Khatibi, ²Mohammadreza DahmardehGhaleno and ³Akbar Fakhireh

¹Department of Natural Resource, University of Zabol, Iran.

² Department of Raneland and Watershed Managemennt, Facultyof Natural Resources Uuniversity of Zabol, 98615, Zabol,

³Department of Raneland and Watershed Managemennt, Facultyof Natural Resources Uuniversity of Zabol, 98615, Zabol, Iran.

Accepted 10 May, 2019

Abstract

Crude ethanolic extracts of fruits, leaves, stems and roots of Citrulus colocynthis Schrad were examined for their antibacterial potentialities against Gram positive and Gram negative bacilli. Ethanolic extracts of fruits, leaves, stems and roots were found to be active against Gram positive bacilli, viz., Bacilus pumilus and Staphylococcus aureus, while fruit and root extracts in double strength gave positive results against Gram positive bacillus (Bacillus subtilis). The Gram negative bacilli viz., Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed no response, and in order for it to affect the alcoholics extract of rat liver, 50 rats were randomly divided into five groups (4 experimental and 1 controls). In the experimental groups a single daily dose of alcoholic extract of C. colocynthis (50, 100, 200, 400 g/kg) was administered intraperitonally. Normal saline was administered in control group. After two weeks, the rats were killed and the livers were removed and fixed with formalin (10%). Specimens were then processed and stained with H&E and Reticuline. The results indicated that there is a morphological change in liver cells including karyrrhexis, chromatolysis, and granulation of the cytoplasm. Additionally, collagen and reticular fibers were evident in liver parenchyma in high doses. Citrullus colocynthi can have toxic effects on liver cells which may induce hepatocyte necrosis and liver fibrosis. These effects were dose dependent. Further studies are necessary to clarify the issue.

Key words: Citrullus Colocynthis, Bacilus pumilus, Staphylococcus aureus, liver, necrosis, zabol.

International Journal of Horticulture and Floriculture ISSN 2167-0455 Vol. 7 (12), pp. 001-006, December, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Effect of root zone salinity on mineral nutrition and growth of beri (Zizyphus mauritiana lam) and jaman (Eugenia jambolana lamk)

Asrar Sarwar¹ and Zahoor Aslam²

¹Research Officer, Rural Business Development Center, Lok Sanjh Foundation, Faisalabad, Pakistan.

²Project Director NABSAB, Ministry of Agriculture, Islamabad, Pakistan.

Accepted 13 August, 2019

Abstract

Excess of salts in the root zone of plants adversely affects their growth. It may result in loss of stands, reduced rates of plant growth, reduced yields and in severe cases, total crop failure. Salinity limits water uptake by plants by reducing the osmotic potential and thus the total potential of the soil water, additionally certain salts may be specifically toxic to plants or may upset nutritional balance, if they are present in excessive amount or proportion. The problem of increasing salinity implicates the selection and development of salt tolerant plants, in addition to other preventive and management measures. The present study intends to illustrate the effect of root zone salinity on the survival, growth, ionic activity and nutritive value of Beri (Zizyphus mauritiana lam) and Jaman (Eugenia jambolana Lamk). Experiments were conducted in pots filled with gravel applied with treatment solutions containing nutrients and salts to produce salinity levels of ECi-5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 dSm^-1. The relative dry matter production separately for browseable material, shoot and root against salinity was calculated as mean of four replications determine after 30 days of transplantation. Three parts of the plant showed almost similar growth reduction; however, the reduction of root growth being slightly more severe for both the plants.

Key words: Soil salinity, root zone salinity, Indus basin, growth, nutritive value, Beri, Jaman.

International Journal of Horticulture and Floriculture ISSN 2167-0455 Vol. 7 (12), pp. 001-009, December, 2019. © International Scholars Journals 

Full Length Research Paper

Effect of polyethylene mulching on the spatial variability of soil physical properties and growth parameters of taro (COLOCASIA  ESCULANTUM)

Nsalambi V. Nkongolo¹*, Mitate Yamada² and Izumi Nakagawa

¹Department of Agriculture and Environmental Science, College of Agricultural and Natural Sciences, Lincoln University, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0029, U.S.A.

²Crop Production and Postharvest Technology Division, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Tsukuba Science City, Japan 305-8686.

³Vegetable Cultivation Technology System Laboratory, Department of Farmland Utilization, National Agriculture Research Center, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8666, Japan.

Accepted 07 November, 2019

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the spatial variability of soil physical properties and growth of taro (COLOCASIA ESCULANTUM) in an unfertilized 42 m ridge covered with black plastic mulch. The study was conducted at the National Agriculture Research Centre Tsukuba (Japan). The experimental field was made of 3 adjacent ridges of 42 m long and 0.90 m width each. Uniform taro corms were planted in the middle of each ridge at 0.30 m spacing. At the end of growing season, soil samples were taken for measurements of air content (ƒ_a), bulk density (ρ_b), gravimetric (θ_g) and volumetric water contents (θ_v), total pore space (TPS), pore tortuosity (τ), gas diffusion coefficient (D_SD_O) and water-filled pore space (WFPS). Taro plants were harvested, separated into leaves (LFW), petioles (PFW), corms (CFW), roots (RFW) and tubers (TFW). All autocorrelation functions (r(H)) for soil properties and taro growth dropped sharply after one lag. Except for θ_g, (r(H)) for θ_a, ρ_b, Ds/Do and WFPS dropped below zero at about 16 lags, which revealed that these soil properties could be sampled at 4.8 m for independent observations. For taro growth parameters, only PFW, TFW and RFW could be sampled together at 14 lags or 4.2 m for uncorrelated observations. Except for RFW, all taro growth parameters significantly correlated among themselves and with θ_g, ƒ_a, ρ_b, Ds/Do, WFPS and τ with correlation coefficients ranging from 0.16 to 0.99. Plastic mulch improved soil properties which in turn improved the relationship between these properties and taro growth parameters.

Key words: Soil physical properties, taro growth parameters, plastic mulch, volcanic ash soil.