• Authors:
    • Vashist, K. K.
    • Mahey, R. K.
    • Barkodia, R.
    • Mahal, S. S.
    • Sidhu, A. S.
  • Source: Journal of Cotton Research and Development
  • Volume: 25
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: A field experiment was conducted at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana during kharif, 2004. The treatments comprised of four irrigation schedules (Irrigation application at 75, 95, 115 and 135 mm of cumulative pan evaporation) and four dates of irrigation termination (10, 20, 30 September and 10, October). The treatments were replicated four times in randomized block design. Ginning outturn was not affected due to schedule of irrigation upto the last irrigation. Highest oil content (19.34%) was observed under 135 mm CPE, which was significantly higher than 75 and 95 mm CPE but was at par with 115 mm CPE. None of the quality characters were significantly influenced by different irrigation schedules as well as date of termination of last irrigation. Maximum seed cotton yield was recorded at 95 mm (16.23 q/ha) followed by 75 mm (16.22 q/ha) CPE and these two irrigation regimes being at par with one another and they were significantly superior to 115 mm (13.98 q/ha) and 135 mm (12.66 q/ha) CPE. Termination of last irrigation on October, 10 produced highest seed cotton yield (15.64 q/ha) as compared to termination on September, 10 and 20 but at par with September, 30.
  • Authors:
    • Levy, Y.
    • Raveh, E.
  • Source: Israel Journal of Plant Sciences
  • Volume: 59
  • Issue: 2/4
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: During the last 50 years world irrigation has doubled while water withdrawal has tripled, leading to a global water crisis. As a result, growers around the world are forced to utilize effluent water for irrigation. In Israel the main source for such water is "SHAFDAN", i.e., tertiary-treated waste water, which is characterized by high chloride content that might increase in the future. These days about 33% of Israeli citrus orchards are irrigated with this water, yet its potential effect on citrus orchards is not clear. Citrus is one of the major fruit crops of the world and is relatively salt-sensitive. Recently it was reported that continuous application of KNO 3 might reduce chloride (Cl) uptake, and thus overcome the toxic effects of salinity. We examined the effect of KNO 3 fertilization and rootstock on grapefruit's response to salinized SHAFDAN reclaimed water over four years. Trees were grafted on five different rootstocks and fertigated with two KNO 3 regimes (118 vs. 148 mg 1 -1 NO 3), and exposed to five levels of salinized reclaimed water (from 221 to 765 mg 1 -1 Cl). During the experiment, soil electrical conductivity (EC) ranged from 2 dS m -1 (above the threshold for yield reduction) to 5 dS m -1. Leaf Cl (with the exception of trees grafted on Troyer) usually kept below toxicity level, i.e., >0.4%. Cumulative yield reduction due to salinity was 37.6, 21.3, 18.2, 17.2, and 12.6 kg per tree per dS m -1 of soil paste extract, for trees grafted on 812, SO, Volk, Gau, and Troy rootstocks, respectively, reflecting their sensitivity to the osmotic component of salt stress. Enhanced application of KNO 3 did not overcome the osmotic effect of salinity. These results indicate that while using reclaimed water, the osmotic component of salinity can be of higher significance than its toxic component, and more attention should be given in the future to the rootstock/scion combination's sensitivity to the osmotic component of salinity.
  • Authors:
    • Irshad, M
    • Ahmad, R
  • Source: Soil & Environment
  • Volume: 30
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Boron (B), one of the essential micronutrients, plays vital role in plant growth. Thirty one field experiments were conducted to evaluate the response of wheat, rice and cotton to B application throughout Pakistan during 2005-08. Boron was applied at 1 kg ha -1 as Borax decahydrate (11.3% B) at different times along with recommended doses of N, P and K. The results revealed that B application at sowing time to wheat increased significantly the number of tillers plant -1 (15%), number of grains spike -1 (11%), 1000-grain weight (7%) and grain yield (10%) over control. Among the treatments, B application at sowing time showed best results followed by B application at 1st irrigation and at booting stage. In rice (coarse), B application before transplanting substantially increased number of tillers hill -1 (21%), plant height (3%), panicle length (10%), and number of paddy grains panicle -1 (17%), 1000-grain weight (11%) and paddy yield (31%) over control. Response of fine rice to B application was similar for all yield parameters as in coarse rice. In cotton, B application considerably increased plant height (3%), number of mature bolls plant -1 (12%), seed weight boll -1 (8%) and seed cotton yield (9%) over control. Although, B application at all stages significantly increased yield parameters tested but B application at sowing time was best among all treatments.
  • Authors:
    • Moreno, M. F.
    • Diaz, M.
    • Roldan, J.
  • Source: Acta Horticulturae
  • Issue: 889
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Irrigation water management in the Genil-Cabra irrigation district, located in the province of Cordoba, southern Spain, was studied using three irrigation performance indicators: relative irrigation supply (RIS); relative water supply (RWS) and relative rainfall supply (RRS). All indicators have been calculated as in a global way as grouping data according to crop type, irrigation method and soil texture. All information of agronomic and hydraulic variables was incorporated in a Geographic Information System (GIS) to ease its management. Results show that applied irrigations are deficit irrigations because RIS values are relatively low. However, RWS values are greater and evaporative demand may be satisfied along crop development cycle. RRS indicator varies less than the other two and, together with RWS, permits to know the evapotranspiration fraction covers by rain water. Irrigation water management in four crops (olive, cotton, sunflower and maize) is considered to be adequate. In the case of sugar beet and asparagus, the deficit is larger. Wheat and garlic are the two crops that show inefficient management due to an excess supply of water. RWS and RIS values are higher for sprinkler irrigation than for drip irrigation. Soil type has little influence on irrigation management. In general, more water is applied to crops planted in sandy loam soils than in silty clay loam soils. The mean values of performance indicators we have calculated are very useful to know farmer's behaviour and the general trend, although the used sample is not significant to characterize the global irrigation district.
  • Authors:
    • Puerto-Molina, H.
    • Sacristan-Beltri, E.
    • Melian-Navarro, A.
    • Ruiz-Canales, A.
    • Molina-Martinez, J. M.
  • Source: Acta Horticulturae
  • Issue: 889
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Along the Mediterranean countries, water scarcity is a structural problem. In the Southest of Spain water shortage is becoming more acute, specially in the agricultural sector. In these areas the cultivation of citrus fruits is very important but those are irrigation, intensive crops with important water requirements. In order to optimize available water offer and rationalize the demand management an increase of the efficiency of existing irrigation systems could be achieved by the improvement of irrigation scheduling techniques. During the last years, irrigation systems have undergone a modernisation process, the majority of which implied the change of surface irrigation to drip irrigation systems. These changes have been promoted both by national and regional administrations and farmers. However, the adoption of drip irrigation has not involved an adequate irrigation management and thus, these irrigation facilities have not reached high values of efficiency, as compared to the potential efficiency of drip irrigation systems. An adequate irrigation scheduling is necessary in order to increase the efficiency values mainly avoiding infiltration water losses and applying only the water required to meet crop water needs. Traditional irrigation scheduling is based on a soil water balance model as the proposed by FAO. This methodology has proven to be partially accurate for fruit trees. For this reason is important to assess some possible alternatives or complements to the FAO model. Finally, the application of several systems of irrigation scheduling for citrus trees based on water content gauges has been studied. Some results, advantages and disadvantages of these systems are analyzed.
  • Authors:
    • Lenssen, A. W.
    • Sainju, U. M.
  • Source: Soil Science Society of America Journal
  • Volume: 75
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Forages grown in rotation with or without cereals to sustain dryland soil water content and crop production may influence N dynamics. We evaluated the effect of alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.) and durum ( Triticum turgidum L.)-annual forage cropping sequences on above-(stems+leaves) and belowground (roots) biomass N, dryland soil total N (STN), particulate organic N (PON), microbial biomass N (MBN), potential N mineralization (PNM), NH 4-N, and NO 3-N contents at the 0- to 120-cm depth in northeastern Montana from 2002 to 2005. Cropping sequences were continuous alfalfa (CA), durum-barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.) hay (D-B), durum-foxtail millet ( Setaria italica L.) hay (D-M), durum-Austrian winter pea ( Pisum sativum L.)/barley mixture hay (D-P/B), and durum-fallow (D-F). From 2002 to 2005, total above- and belowground biomass N was 20 to 97 kg N ha -1 greater under CA than other treatments. In 2005, STN, PON, and PNM were 7 to 490 kg N ha -1 greater under CA than D-M, D-B, and D-P/B at 0 to 30 cm but varied by treatment at other depths. In contrast, MBN at 0 to 15 cm and NH 4-N content at 30 to 90 cm were 23 to 37 kg N ha -1 greater under D-B than D-M and D-F. The NO 3-N content at 0 to 120 cm was 65 to 107 kg N ha -1 greater under D-P/B than other treatments. Even though haying removed a greater amount of N, alfalfa increased surface soil N storage and mineralization and reduced the potential for N leaching compared with durum-annual forages, probably due to increased root growth or N 2 fixation. Durum-pea/barley hay, however, increased N mineralization and availability in subsoil layers, probably due to greater root N concentration or downward movement of water-soluble N.
  • Authors:
    • Javaid, A.
    • Mahmood-ul-Hassan
    • Alam, S. S.
    • Saleem, M.
  • Source: Pakistan Journal of Botany
  • Volume: 43
  • Issue: 6
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Significant effect of different irrigation schedules and integrated nutrition levels was determined on fraction of intercepted radiation (Fi) in cotton. The treatments were four irrigation schedules viz, six irrigations (I-1), three irrigations (I-2), irrigation at 25 mm deficit (I-3) and irrigation at 50 mm deficit (14), and seven integrated nutrition levels i.e. control (No), 75-37.5-37.5 kg NM ha(-1) (N-1), 75-37.5-37.5 kg NPK ha(-1) + FYM (farm yard manure) @ 20 t ha(-1) (N-2), 75-37.5-37.5 kg NPK. ha-(1) + wheat straw@ St ha(-1) (N3), 150-75-75 kg NPK ha(-1) (N-4), 150-75-75 kg NM + FYM @20 t ha(-1) (N-5), 150-75-75 kg NPK ha(-1) + wheat straw @ 5 t ha(-1) (N-6). Positive and linear relationships were established between Fi and total dry flatter (TDM); and Fi and seed cotton yield. Significantly higher Fi values were attained when the crop was planted at N-5 with any of three irrigation schedules viz. I-1, or I-3 or I-4. The highest values of Fi (0.914 in first year and 0.913 in second year of study) were recorded with I4N5 which were followed by I3N5 and I1N5. The interactions I4N5, I3N5 and I1N5 harvested 23.51, 23.38 and 20.27 % greater Fi to I2N0.
  • Authors:
    • Valizadeh, M.
    • Ghasemi-Golezani, K.
    • Abdolrahmani, B.
    • Feizi-Asl, V.
    • Tavakoli, A.
  • Source: Seed and Plant Production Journal
  • Volume: 27-2
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: A field experiment was conducted in 2006-2007 cropping season to evaluate the effect of seed priming on growth trend and grain yield of barley cv. Abidar using randomized complete block design with three replications at Dryland Agricultural Research Institute (DARI), Maragheh, Iran. Treatments included: hydropriming, osmopriming (in %10PEG-6000 and 5 mM CaCl 2), nutrient priming (in 10 mM Zn, 50 mM P, 100 mM P, 10 mM Zn+50 mM P, 10 mMZn+100 mM P) and control (without priming). Superior treatments were selected from primary laboratory test which was conducted with 21 treatments in a completely randomized design with four replications. These treatments were superior in regard to %viable seeds, percentage and rate of germination, electrical conductivity, root, shoot and seedling dry weight. Results of field experiment showed that seed priming improved growth indices such as dry matter accumulation (DMA), crop growth rate (CGR) and relative growth rate (RGR). The highest grain yield (2072.3 kg/ha) belonged to hydropriming. Nevertheless, seed priming improved grain yield of barley cv. Abidar by about 32% as compared to control. The benificary effect of seed priming on growth and grain yield of barley cv. Abidar were attributed to rapid seedling emergence and establishment, and consequently the optimum use of light, soil moisture and nutrients by the plants developed from the primed seeds.
  • Authors:
    • Ryan, J.
    • Yahyaoui, A.
    • Ahmed, S.
    • Pala, M.
  • Source: Arab Journal of Plant Protection
  • Volume: 29
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Yield declines commonly observed under cereal monoculture are invariably attributed to disease buildup as well as nutrient and moisture depletions. While many long-term trials in the West Asia and North Africa region, especially in northern Syria rainfed cereal production belt, have assessed various cropping alternatives in comparison with fallow and continuous cereal cropping, few trials have involved measurement of fungal diseases. This paper reports observations made on the incidence of common root rot ( Cochliobolus sativus) from long-term trials at the International Center for Agriculture Research in the Dry Areas involving wheat and barley. With both cereals, crop rotation with legumes was shown to reduce the incidence of root rot. The results clearly indicated the need for a more comprehensive phytopathological assessment of the implications of continuous cereal cropping, especially considering the effects of residue management and nitrogen fertilization.
  • Authors:
    • Amanullah
    • Khalid, N.
    • Khan, A.
    • Amanullah, J.
    • Khalil, S.
    • Shitab, K.
  • Source: Pakistan Journal of Botany
  • Volume: 43
  • Issue: 4
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The performance of six high yielding wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) and two barley ( Hordeum vulgare) cultivars was studied under moisture stress. The experiment was undertaken at the Agricultural Research Farm of Agricultural University Peshawar, during winter 2003-04 on six wheat cultivars: BARS-II, Saleem-2000, Haider-2000, Kohat-2002, Suleman-96 and Takbeer and two barley cultivars: Sorab-96 and Awaran-2002. Sorab-96 produced the highest (296 m -2) number of tillers while Haider-2000 and BARS-II each produced the lowest (185 m -2) number of tillers. Plant height ranged between 77 (Sorab-96) to 117 cm (Sulaman-96). Takbeer produced the highest (73) number of grains spike -1 in comparison with Awaran-2002 which produced only 45 grains spike -1. The 1000-seed weight was highest (43.13 g) in Awaran-2002 and lowest in Kohat-2002 (23.21 g/1000-seeds). Saleem-2000 produced the highest grain yield (3875 kg ha -1) as well as biological yield (8833 kg ha -1). Both barely cultivars performed better, though Awaran-2002 displayed slightly superior results than Sorab-96. The harvest-index was maximum (53.7%) for Kohat-2002 and lowest for Sorab-96 (20.9%). The average grain yield of six wheat cultivars was higher than the average grain yield of the two barley cultivars. In this investigation, wheat cultivars: Saleem-2000, Haider-2000 and Kohat-2002, produced higher (3875, 3525, 3225 kg ha -1) grain yields, respectively and are therefore, recommended for cultivation in dryland areas.