• Authors:
    • Osman, E.
    • Abdullah, R.
    • El-Latif, K. M. A.
    • El-Kader, N. A.
  • Source: Advances in Applied Science Research
  • Volume: 2
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Two field experiments on potato ( Solanum tuberosum, L.) crop were carried out at El-Qanater Horticultural Research station, Kalubiya, Governorate, Egypt for two successive seasons 2009 and 2010. The study concerned the use of different rates of potassium fertilization (72, 96 and 120 kg K 2O/fed.) under different irrigation schedulings (40, 60 and 80% from available water) on potato crop in alluvial soil. Generally, in most cases, the treatment of the medium or/and highest soil moisture level (60 and 80% from available water) gave the highest significant values for plant height, dry matter and K content of potato plant at 90 days from planting and potato yield tuber ton/fed N, P and K contents in tuber in addition to, total soluble solids and protein content in tuber as well as consumptive use. While the lowest one were recorded when the lowest soil moisture level (40% from available water) was applied. Generally, all k rates gave the highest significant values for all parameters under study. The second level of potassium 96 kg K 2O/fed. achieved the highest significant values of dry matter, content of N and K at 90 days from planting as well as N content in tuber. Whereas, the high values of tuber yield, protein content, water use efficiency and consumptive use were obtained when 120 kg K 2O/fed. was applied. In most cases, the high levels of potassium under 80% from available water gave highest significant values for all parameters under study in both seasons.
  • Authors:
    • Trentin, G.
    • Maldaner, I. C.
    • Radons, S. Z.
    • Heldwein, A. B.
    • Grimm, E. L.
    • Bosco, L. C.
  • Source: Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agrícola e Ambiental
  • Volume: 15
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The objective of this study was to determine the effect of different levels of irrigation and chemical control on yield and occurrence of Late Blight in potato cv. Asterix, at Santa Maria - RS. Two experiments were conducted at the Crop Science Department, Federal University of Santa Maria. One experiment was carried out during spring-summer, 2005/2006 and the second, during fall 2006. The experimental design was a complete randomized, with four replications. The Blitecast model was used to indicate the timing of spraying, by accumulating severity values (VS). Sprinkler irrigation was used corresponding to 1.0, 0.75, 0.50 ETm and no irrigation. Results showed that in dry and high temperature periods, yield was affected by irrigation, mainly when crop water demand was supplied with 100% ETm. During wet periods, yield was affected by the efficient control of Late Blight. The Blitecast model with a severity value of 18 (Bli18) was the most efficient for controlling the disease. Irrigations applied at least every three days did not affect Late Blight incidence and development.
  • Authors:
    • Hassanpanah, D.
  • Source: African Journal of Biotechnology
  • Volume: 10
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: This experiment were conducted on the 3 cultivars of potato (Agria, Satina and Caesar) and 4 irrigation regimes (after 30 mm evaporation from class A evaporation pan, after 30 mm evaporation from class A evaporation pan with spraying by potassium humate, after 60 mm evaporation with spraying by potassium humate and after 60 mm evaporation from class A evaporation pan) in 3 locations of Ardabil in northwestern Iran and in 2 years (2007-2008), experimental design was split plot with 3 replications. Potassium humate sprayed (250 ml ha -1) in the 3 stages of emergence, before tuberization and during tuberization period. Combined analysis of variance showed that were significant differences between locations, years, irrigation regimes and cultivars and their interaction on tuber yield. The analysis of variance for the AMMI model of tuber yield showed that environments, cultivars * environments interaction and AMMI component1 were significant. Results show that Agria and Caesar cultivars had high tuber yield in all of sites and 4 irrigation regimes in 2 years, caesar cultivar had the less slop, S.E., MS-TXL, MS-REG and MS-DEV among other cultivars and was the most stable cultivar. The Agria cultivar has adapted in Alarog, Hassanbarog and Khoshkeroud sites under normal and normal with potassium humate conditions, Caesar and Satina cultivars in Alarog, Hassanbarog and Khoshkeroud sites under stress with potassium humate and stress conditions in order to ensure their yield stability and economic profitability.
  • Authors:
    • Zaidi, J. H.
    • Matiullah
    • Husaini, S. N.
    • Arif, M.
  • Source: Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry
  • Volume: 290
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Due to the inadequate water sources, usually sewerage water and industrial effluents are being use for irrigation of the agricultural land around the industrial areas in Pakistan wherein crops and vegetables are cultivated. As untreated effluents contain heavy elements, toxic metals and organic pollutants that may find its way through food chain to general public and may cause health hazards. It is, therefore, mandatory to assess the toxic metals in such crops and vegetables. In this regard, samples of corn, millet, cabbage, spinach and potato were collected within the vicinity of industrial areas of the Faisalabad and Gujranwala regions. The food samples were analyzed using neutron activation analysis (NAA) technique. The highest concentration values of Arsenic (1.90.1 g/g) and Cobalt (0.850.01 g/g) were found in cabbage whereas Manganese (91.60.2 g/g), Antimony (0.150.03 g/g) and Selenium (1.10.1 g/g) were observed in spinach and Chromium (9.631.3 g/g) was found in millet crop. The observed concentrations of all the toxic and heavy metals in crops and vegetables are higher than those reported in the literature.
  • Authors:
    • Dalgliesh, N. P.
    • Nelson, R.
    • Khan,I. A.
    • Carberry, P. S.
    • Kabir, M. J.
    • Poulton, P. L.
  • Source: ACIAR Technical Reporst No.78, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Canberra, H. Rawson (ed), Canberra, ACT[Research Book Chapter]
  • Issue: 78
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Increased Rabi-season crop production in southern Bangladesh could help meet the country's growing food demand. This paper reports on an assessment of the economic viability of wheat and other Rabi-season crops based on farmer surveys of crop yields and economic performance. In addition, it considers the agroeconomic and socioeconomic factors that influence farmers' choice of Rabi-season crops. Current Rabi-season crops in southern Bangladesh include boro rice and vegetable production on lands with irrigation facilities. A range of other crops are grown, with and without irrigation, including chilli, potato, grasspea, chickpea, mungbean and soybean. Although farmers in some southern regions had grown wheat in the past, wheat is not a significant crop across the region. The recent increased interest in wheat in some villages corresponded to project activities of a development project, funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) and specifically to the availability of newly released varieties with higher yield potential and disease resistance. In those villages where project trials were conducted, irrespective of seasonal conditions, wheat-based rotations provided higher gross margins than the alternative crops of chilli and cowpea. Even in a relatively poor season, wheat offered a significantly higher gross margin and thus lower risk than the other crops. However, the crop establishment costs of wheat are high and wheat requires at least one irrigation when many farmers lack any irrigation facilities. Formal education, off-farm income and farming experience are the socioeconomic factors that displayed significant positive correlation to the surveyed farmers' decision to adopt wheat production. This study confirmed the economic viability of Rabi cropping in southern Bangladesh. While the crops currently grown in the Rabi season are profitable under most seasonal conditions, this study confirmed that wheat offers farmers a profitable and low-risk option.
  • Authors:
    • Sharief, A. E.
    • Badawi, M. A.
    • Attia, A. N.
    • Kandil, A. A.
    • Abido, W. A. E.
  • Source: Journal of Applied Sciences Research
  • Volume: 7
  • Issue: March
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Two field experiments were conducted at the Experimental Station, Faculty of Agriculture, Mansoura University, Egypt during 2007 and 2008 seasons. The objectives of this investigation is aimed to study the effect of water tension treatments, organic and inorganic fertilizer combinations and their interactions on quality, storability and chemical analysis of potato Spunta cultivar. Each irrigation treatments were conducted in a separate experiment. Every separate experiment laid-out in randomized complete block design with four replicates. Results indicated that highest averages of tuber length and diameter, nitrogen content in foliage and protein content in tubers were recorded with irrigation at irrigation at 26cb (5360.17 m 3 water/ha) i.e. 54.1% from field capacity in both seasons. Application of 60% mineral nitrogen fertilizer (238 Kg N/ha) plus 40% organic chicken manure (158 Kg N/ha) produced the highest averages of tuber length, tuber diameter, nitrogen content in foliage and protein content in tubers in both seasons. Adding 80% mineral nitrogen fertilizer (317 Kg N/ha) plus 20% organic chicken manure (79 Kg N/ha) recorded the highest averages of dry matter content after storage in Newalla & refrigerator. Results indicated that irrigation at 34cb (3449.62 m 3 water/ha) i.e. 45.8% from field capacity and adding 20% mineral nitrogen fertilizer (79 Kg N/ha) plus 80% organic chicken manure (317 Kg N/ha) produced the maximum values of dry matter content. It could be accomplished that irrigation at 26cb (5360.17 m 3 water/ha) i.e. 54.1% from field capacity as well as application of 60% mineral nitrogen fertilizer (238 Kg N/ha) plus 40% organic chicken manure (158 Kg N/ha) maximized averages of tuber length, diameter, nitrogen content in plant foliage and protein content in tubers.
  • Authors:
    • Sharief, A. E.
    • Badawi, M. A.
    • Attia, A. N.
    • Kandil, A. A.
    • Abido, W. A. H.
  • Source: Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences
  • Volume: 5
  • Issue: 9
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Water irrigation and reducing mineral nitrogen fertilizer are critical factors to regional development. The objectives was to study the effect of water tension treatments, mineral of nitrogen and organic fertilizers combinations and their interactions on yield and its components of potato. Each irrigation treatments were conducted in a separate experiment. Every separate experiment laid-out in randomized complete block design with four replicates then combined analysis was done between irrigation treatments. Irrigation at 26cb i.e. 54.1% moisture from field capacity produced maximum values of all studied traits, except unmarketable tuber yield, tuber less than 30 mm and water use efficiency, which resulted from irrigation at 34cb i.e. 45.8% moisture from field capacity. Application of 60% inorganic nitrogen (238 kg/ha)+40% organic chicken manure (158 kg N/ha) resulted in highest values of number of tubers/plant, total tuber yield/ha, marketable tuber yield/ha, tuber grades 30-60 mm (%), tuber grades more than 60 mm (%) and WUE (kg/m 3). The interaction between both studied factors had a significant effect on all studied character, with exception un-marketable tuber yield, tuber grades less than 30 mm and more than 60 mm (%). Highest WUE were obtained as a result of irrigation at 34cb i.e. 45.8% moisture from field capacity and using 100% N inorganic and or 60% inorganic nitrogen (238 kg N/ha)+40% organic chicken manure (158 kg N/ha). It could be concluded that highest averages of WUE was recorded with irrigation at 34cb and application of 100% inorganic fertilization and /or irrigation at 34cb and application of 60% inorganic nitrogen+40% organic chicken manure.
  • Authors:
    • Kugbei, S.
  • Source: Journal of Crop Improvement
  • Volume: 25
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Production figures in 2008 showed that new private seed enterprises in Afghanistan produced and sold about 12,000 tons of certified wheat seed, which accounted for 95% of the total certified seed produced in the country. At a retail price of about US$1,200 per ton, the enterprises earned an average margin of 20%. When interviewed, the farmers ranked high yield as by far the most important characteristic they sought in improved varieties. Besides yield, the next important attributes were earliness, disease resistance, grain color, and bread making quality. Estimates of on-farm productivity showed that use of improved wheat varieties alone could contribute up to 33% incremental yield under irrigated conditions, whereas the use of quality seed could enhance yield further by 28%. These estimates were obtained under recommended fertilizer rates, in the absence of which yield levels would have declined substantially. Apart from wheat, other major crops the farmers grew varied by regions but in broad terms included rice, vegetables, maize, potato, cotton, barley, watermelon, and alfalfa.
  • Authors:
    • Zhang, F.
    • Ma, D.
    • Ma, L.
  • Source: Chinese Potato Journal
  • Volume: 25
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Drip irrigation and traditional irrigation were investigated for their effects on the percentage of large tubers and tuber yield in a field trial with a potato cv. Kexin No.18 ( Solanum tubersoum) in Keshan, Heilongjiang, China in 2010, with no irrigation as the control. The drip irrigation increased the percentage of large tubers, and increased tuber yield by 46.7%, and also significantly enhanced economic benefits, compared to traditional irrigation methods.
  • Authors:
    • Patel, L. C.
    • Lakshman, S. S.
    • Mondal, C. K.
    • Bhaskar, Mukherjee
  • Source: Environment and Ecology
  • Volume: 29
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Agriculture faces three way problems in the Sundarban blocks of South 24 parganas district of West Bengal. These are soil salinity, late release of land for rabi crop due to poor drainage system along with low percolation rate, and poor irrigation facility as the ground water is saline. In this perspective, it was imperative to find out a crop which can tolerate salinity to some extent and can grow without irrigation. Sweet potato being a crop which can grow without irrigation, the present investigation was made to find out the threshold salinity level for growing sweet potato in the saline rice fallow of Sundarbans. It was observed that this crop could be grown successfully at a salinity level upto EC 2.37 dS/m. With gradual increase in salinity level, the initial herb growth was well but root development became poor. Although a satisfactory yield and a profitable return was obtained upto a medium soil salinity level.