Lamy HAMED, PhD- Assistant Professor at Soil and Water Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, 12613, Giza, Egypt- Visiting Scientist at Central Soil Salinity Research Institute (ICAR-CSSRI-Karnal, India) Phone: +2 0122 409 1515 Address: 3 El-Gamaa Street, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Soil and Water Department, 12613, Giza, Egypt
Soil and water agro-management techniques play a critical role in grown crops to increase product... more Soil and water agro-management techniques play a critical role in grown crops to increase productivity. Mulching is one of the good agriculture practices methods to conserve soil moisture, control weeds and improve soil physical properties. Two field experiments were
Journal of Nanobiotechnology - Springer Nature, 2022
The worldwide agricultural enterprise is facing immense pressure to intensify to feed the world's... more The worldwide agricultural enterprise is facing immense pressure to intensify to feed the world's increasing population while the resources are dwindling. Fertilizers which are deemed as indispensable inputs for food, fodder, and fuel production now also represent the dark side of the intensive food production system. With most crop production systems focused on increasing the quantity of produce, indiscriminate use of fertilizers has created havoc for the environment and damaged the fiber of the biogeosphere. Deteriorated nutritional quality of food and contribution to impaired ecosystem services are the major limiting factors in the further growth of the fertilizer sector. Nanotechnology in agriculture has come up as a better and seemingly sustainable solution to meet production targets as well as maintaining the environmental quality by use of less quantity of raw materials and active ingredients, increased nutrient use-efficiency by plants, and decreased environmental losses of nutrients. However, the use of nanofertilizers has so far been limited largely to controlled environments of laboratories, greenhouses, and institutional research experiments; production and availability on large scale are still lagging yet catching up fast. Despite perceivable advantages, the use of nanofertilizers is many times debated for adoption at a large scale. The scenario is gradually changing, worldwide, towards the use of nanofertilizers, especially macronutrients like nitrogen (e.g. market release of nano-urea to replace conventional urea in South Asia), to arrest environmental degradation and uphold vital ecosystem services which are in critical condition. This review offers a discussion on the purpose with which the nanofertilizers took shape, the benefits which can be achieved, and the challenges which nanofertilizers face for further development and real-world use, substantiated with the significant pieces of scientific evidence available so far.
DOI: 10.21608/asejaiqjsae.2021.155560 Water Management Research Institute, National Water Researc... more DOI: 10.21608/asejaiqjsae.2021.155560 Water Management Research Institute, National Water Research Center, 13621/5, Qaliubiya, Egypt 2 Sugar Crops Research Institute, Agriculture Research Center, Giza, Egypt. 3 Soil and Water Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, 12613, Giza, Egypt 4 Agronomy Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University , 12613, Giza, Egypt Corresponding Author*:Email:Lamy.hamed@agr.cu.edu.eg Phone:+2 0122 409 15 15 / +2 0102 475 94 44
Many recent studies interest on biochar application as the soil amendment and water management sy... more Many recent studies interest on biochar application as the soil amendment and water management system due to its potential to soil nutrient retention, and increase water application efficiency "WAE" and sweet pepper productivity. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the effect of biochar and its combined effect on water application efficiency, water productivity, nitrogen concentration, and sweet pepper yield under sandy soil cultivation. Two field experiments were carried out during growing seasons 2017 and 2018 to study the effect of interaction of adding biochar and nitrogen fertilization stress (N) on water application efficiency, yield of sweet pepper (YSP), water productivity (WP) and vitamin C of sweet pepper. Three application rates of biochar (zero (control), 3.5, 7 and 10.5 ton ha) were used under three levels from nitrogen fertilization stress (100%, 80% and 60% N) under drip irrigation methods. The results revealed that increasing the application of biocha...
The effect of water regime and fertilizer-N application rate and modality of application were stu... more The effect of water regime and fertilizer-N application rate and modality of application were studied in order to identify the most proper and effective combination of the above-studied variables that provides a satisfactory spinach yield and minimizes the use of chemical nitrogen fertilizers, to save the surrounding environment and to achieve good water saving. Water requirement and Nitrogen fertilizer are two factors notably affects the growth and yield of Spinach crop. So, any delay in irrigation, thinning or insufficient water supply and nitrogen fertilizer would negatively affect the growth and yield. Also frequent or excessive amount of water and nitrogen fertilizer would lead to increase the losses of water and nitrogen fertilizer. So, it is important to identify the educate amount of irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer need to maximize growth, and quality of the spinach crop. Drip irrigation system together with proper water regime and good fertilizer application practices is...
World food production systems, mainly cropping systems, are set to deal with exceptional stress f... more World food production systems, mainly cropping systems, are set to deal with exceptional stress for matching agricultural food production demand with the growing population, particularly in the backdrop of climatic changes. The increase in production cannot be attained with the same approaches as were followed in the past. A large extent of less productive lands (including salt-affected soils) in India and the world represent opportunity for boosting sustainable food production via land recovery, enhanced productivity, resource conservation practices, and by enhancing biological functions of soil. The soluble salts present in the water and soil, including groundwater and surface water, pose excessive threat to the productivity of land. Odd practices, such as land clearing and poor irrigation management, have considerably increased the magnitude of the problem. High concentration of salts in the soil is harmful to plants as it restricts uptake of water and nutrients by the plants.
[U+FF1A]Soil thickness is basic limiting condition for purple soil, not only due to its effect on... more [U+FF1A]Soil thickness is basic limiting condition for purple soil, not only due to its effect on crop production, but also its effect on soil structure. Steady-state of soil thickness will be achieved over time, as result the soil aggregate which the key factor of soil erodibility can be enhanced as well. However, the effect of soil thickness on aggregates stability and the characteristics of soil erodibility in sloping land have not yet fully understood.A field survey was conducted in hilly area of Sichuan region located in southeast China to study the relationship between soil aggregate stability and soil erodibility on sloping farmland under different four thickness (100cm, 80cm, 60cm, 30cm) of purple soil. Based on two different sieving methods (Dry and Wet sieving), we analyzed soil aggregate stability and its effect on soil erodibility within depth of 0-30cm soil layers. The results indicated that: Water stable aggregate on sloping farmland was ranged between 37.9% to 58.6%, where it increased with increasing the soil thickness. Moreover, fractal dimension calculated from dry-sieving and wet-sieving was 2.06-2.49 and 2.70-2.85 respectively, where it decreased with decreasing the soil thickness. The overall soil erodibility was 0.05-1.00 and a negative significant correlation was found between soil aggregate stability and erodibility(P<0.01). Moreover, farmland with thick soil profile tended to be high in soil erodibility within the top soil layer (0-30cm). The results reveal that soil thickness can affect soil aggregate stability as well as erodibility. As soil thickness increased, the top soil became more stable and less erodible.
Many recent studies interest on biochar application as the soil amendment and water management sy... more Many recent studies interest on biochar application as the soil amendment and water management system due to its potential to soil nutrient retention, and increase water application efficiency "WAE" and sweet pepper productivity. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the effect of biochar and its combined effect on water application efficiency, water productivity, nitrogen concentration, and sweet pepper yield under sandy soil cultivation. Two field experiments were carried out during growing seasons 2017 and 2018 to study the effect of interaction of adding biochar and nitrogen fertilization stress (N) on water application efficiency, yield of sweet pepper (YSP), water productivity (WP) and vitamin C of sweet pepper. Three application rates of biochar (zero (control), 3.5, 7 and 10.5 ton ha .-1) were used under three levels from nitrogen fertilization stress (100%, 80% and 60% N) under drip irrigation methods. The results revealed that increasing the application of biochar materials with 100% N fertilization treatments had a positive impact on WAE, YSP, WP and vitamin C of sweet pepper. The most effective level in this regard when plant were treated and adding 10.5 ton ha-1 of biochar as well as when plant were irrigated with 100 % and adding 10.5 ton ha-1 of biochar in both seasons of 2017 and 2018 respectively. A similar direction was observed with vitamin C content of sweet pepper compared with control treatments and irrigation with 80 % of without adding biochar. In addition, water productivity parameter was significantly improved by application of adding biochar with N-fertilization. In conclusion the biochar application was recommended for a potential soil amendment as its significantly increased yield, water productivity and vitamin C.
T WO FIELD experiments were conducted at the experimental farm of the Central Laboratory for Agri... more T WO FIELD experiments were conducted at the experimental farm of the Central Laboratory for Agricultural Climate (CLAC), Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt, during 2017 and 2018 seasons, toevaluatethe effects of compost and organic extracts on growth and yield of sweet corn (Misthi F1 Hybrid)and microbial populations in rhizosphere. Extracts of compost, vermicompost and chicken manure with adding half dose of compost were compared to full dose of compost and mineral fertilizers. The populations of total bacteria, fungi and phosphate solublizing bacteria were estimated. Results showed that applying half dose of compost with adding vermin compost (50% C + VEx) extract gave the highest growth, yield and ear properties of sweet corn without any significant differences compared to mineral fertilizer treatment. Applying half dose of compost with adding extract of compost or chicken manure decreased growth, yield and ear properties of sweet corn compared to mineral fertilizer. 50% C + ChEx recorded the highest total bacterial counts. The treatments of half dose of compost with adding any organic extracts were superior to full dose of compost (100% C) in all studied traits. This study revealed the possibility of using half dose of compost with adding vermicompost extract for producing satisfactory yield quantity with high quality of sweet corn ears.
Middle East Journal of Applied Sciences (2077-4613), 2016
Nitrogen element is the key to achieve high yield and quality of sugar beet. Increasing pricing a... more Nitrogen element is the key to achieve high yield and quality of sugar beet. Increasing pricing and pollution of mineral fertilizers, producers/farmers often consider alternative as composted manure. Two successive field experiments were conducted at private farm located in Badaway village, Mansoura, Dakahleia Governorate, Egypt during 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 seasons to evaluate the effect of three mineral N rates (50, 75 and 100 kg N per feddan) and three rates of plant compost (control (Zero), 1 and 2 tons per feddan) on sucrose percentage, root recoverable sugar yield, nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) (sucrose % per kg N) as well as the status of N, P and K in soil after harvest of Monte Bianko sugar beet variety. The obtained results indicated that application of 100 kg N per feddan decreased sucrose % by 2.86 and 9.39, whereas root yield increased by 20.30 and 20.26 % and sugar yield increased by 13.33 and 8.91 % in first and second seasons, respectively, compared to 50 kg N per feddan. Compost positively affect sucrose and root sugar yield. Root yield (39.73 and 42.10 tons fed-1) and recoverable sugar yield (6.77 and 7.07 tons fed-1) as average of the two growing seasons resulted from 75 kg N along with 2 tons compost per feddan and 100 kg N with 2 tons of compost fed-1 , respectively, without significant differences. Furthermore, increasing the application of N reducing the NUE, but increased the remained amount of N, P and K in soil after harvesting, while the reverse tendency were observed whereas increasing the application of compost from zero up to 2 tons per feddan enhancing the NUE as well as the remained values of N, P and K in soil.
Spinach and common bean plants as representatives of leafy and legume vegetables were subjected t... more Spinach and common bean plants as representatives of leafy and legume vegetables were subjected to some biostimulants to evaluate its effects, against organic and mineral fertilizers, on plant growth, nutrient uptake and nitrate accumulation under field conditions. Individual treatments of humic acid (HS) and seaweed extract (SW) as bio-stimulants were tested in comparison with organic compost and ammonium nitrate as mineral fertilizer. Fresh and dry weight of spinach and common bean plants were significantly positively affected by application of seaweed extract and humic acid, respectively. Incorporation of organic compost resulted in fresh and dry biomass yields of spinach leaves, common bean green vegetative part and pods nearly closed or slightly lower than those recorded with ammonium nitrate fertilizer. In most cases, seaweed extract was superior over other treatments. Both of humic acid and seaweed extract relatively increased fresh or dry weights of both crops by about 50% in average over the plants fertilized with ammonium nitrate or treated with organic compost. Application of seaweed extract and humic acid had reduced the nitrate content in spinach leaves as compared to plants treated with ammonium nitrate but nearly closed to those of organic compost. Either organic compost or biostimulants (SW and HS) produced edible leaves of spinach with lower nitrate content that makes it marketable according to permissible level organized by European Commission Regulation (3500 mg kg-1 FW). Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium uptake by leaves of spinach and pods of common bean were positively significantly increased with application of all tested treatments in comparison to the untreated control, but seaweed extracts and to somewhat extent the humic acid resulted in NPK values more or nearly closed to those recorded with either mineral fertilizer or organic compost additive. These results gave the chance to accept the biostimulants in addition to organic additive as alternative and sustainable tools complementing a high yield with premium quality.
Keywords: Biostimulants, Common bean, Mineral fertilizer, Organic compost, Spinach
Crop rotation / tillage impact on status of plant nutrients, crop production and soil properties ... more Crop rotation / tillage impact on status of plant nutrients, crop production and soil properties was studied under North Sinai conditions, Egypt. The study assessed crop rotation (rice/clover (Berseem) / wheat/ soybean/ wheat (summers 2016 to 2018) under no tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT) systems and implications of crop and soil performance. CT revealed more positive implications over NT in few cases. Contents of available nutrients in soil after harvest were greater after legumes. Contents of Fe, Mn and Zn in soil after crop harvest showed increases with CT than NT Rotation cropping maintained similar levels after legume crop especially compared to cereals crop. Crop productivity was in some cases higher CT than NT although NT increased plant chlorophyll, protein and proline.
Two field experiments were conducted under two different soil texture located in two sites. Traci... more Two field experiments were conducted under two different soil texture located in two sites. Tracing the nitrogen status in wheat plants – soil - environment system using 15N technique under different water regimes was the aim of this investigation. Three nitrogen rates (100, 80 and 60% of the recommended rate with 5% 15N atom excess labeled ammonium sulfate) through two mode of application (Mode A; nitrogen fertilizer rate splitting into three doses: 25, 25, 50% of added rates at seedling, tillering and jointing, respectively, and Mode B; splitting N rate into two doses: 35 % at seedling and 65% at tillering) conjugated with three water regimes (100, 75 and 50% of crop water requirement (CWR)) were applied under clay loam and loamy sand soils conditions. Wheat grain and straw yields were declined by 16.4 and 4.4% in clay loam soil, and by 34.6 and 20.7% in loamy sand soil as water regime reduced from 100 to 50% CWR, respectively. Application of 80% of the recommended N rate recorded the highest grain yield under Mode A, whereas 100% N rate recorded the highest straw yield under Mode B in both soil textures. The moderate rate of N fertilizer (80%, corresponding to 142.4 and 190.4 kg N ha-1 in clay loam and loamy sand soil, respectively) applied with mode A under 75% water regime (4017.7 and 4200.8 m3 applied irrigation water per hectare in clay loam and loamy sand soil, respectively) recorded the highest N uptake by plant, nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and consequently wheat yield.
This study investigated the optimum irrigation scheduling and the best application rate of compos... more This study investigated the optimum irrigation scheduling and the best application rate of compost under rotational distribution system in sandy soils conditions to mitigate water stress on apple trees for improving yield, water productivity and quality traits. The obtained results indicated that applying optimum irrigation scheduling (adding Water Irrigation Requirements (WIR)) for apple in three and four days as irrigation interval) and increasing the application rate of compost up to 25 ton per fed, increase water and fertilizers uptake rate with good growing conditions. Meanwhile, the fruit yield, quality trait, and water productivity of apple were increased. In apple cultivation and other crops which follow the bilateral irrigation rotation, the irrigation requirements should be splitted in three days per week along with increasing the application rate of compost up to 25 ton fed-1 with drip irrigation system to mitigate the negative effect of water stress on apple trees.
The effect of water regime and fertilizer-N application rate and modality of its application were... more The effect of water regime and fertilizer-N application rate and modality of its application were studies by the aim of identifying the most proper and effective combination of the above studied variables that provide a satisfactory spinach yield as well as to minimize the rational use of chemical nitrogen fertilizers, to save the surrounding environment and to achieve a good water saving. In this direction, the obtained results indicated that reasonable production of spinach crop could be achieved by using 75% of the recommended rate of nitrogen fertilizer combined with 80% of the required water. It means that 20% of the required water could be saved as well as 25% of the required quantity of N fertilizer. Similarly, the splitting of N fertilizer into equal doses prevents the excess of nitrate to be moved to the underground water lowering its concentration in the blades and plant leaves. Drip irrigation system accompanying with proper water scheduling regime and good fertilizer application practices is considered as a useful management practice that could be applied under to improve the sandy soil productivity.
Soil and water agro-management techniques play a critical role in grown crops to increase product... more Soil and water agro-management techniques play a critical role in grown crops to increase productivity. Mulching is one of the good agriculture practices methods to conserve soil moisture, control weeds and improve soil physical properties. Two field experiments were
Journal of Nanobiotechnology - Springer Nature, 2022
The worldwide agricultural enterprise is facing immense pressure to intensify to feed the world's... more The worldwide agricultural enterprise is facing immense pressure to intensify to feed the world's increasing population while the resources are dwindling. Fertilizers which are deemed as indispensable inputs for food, fodder, and fuel production now also represent the dark side of the intensive food production system. With most crop production systems focused on increasing the quantity of produce, indiscriminate use of fertilizers has created havoc for the environment and damaged the fiber of the biogeosphere. Deteriorated nutritional quality of food and contribution to impaired ecosystem services are the major limiting factors in the further growth of the fertilizer sector. Nanotechnology in agriculture has come up as a better and seemingly sustainable solution to meet production targets as well as maintaining the environmental quality by use of less quantity of raw materials and active ingredients, increased nutrient use-efficiency by plants, and decreased environmental losses of nutrients. However, the use of nanofertilizers has so far been limited largely to controlled environments of laboratories, greenhouses, and institutional research experiments; production and availability on large scale are still lagging yet catching up fast. Despite perceivable advantages, the use of nanofertilizers is many times debated for adoption at a large scale. The scenario is gradually changing, worldwide, towards the use of nanofertilizers, especially macronutrients like nitrogen (e.g. market release of nano-urea to replace conventional urea in South Asia), to arrest environmental degradation and uphold vital ecosystem services which are in critical condition. This review offers a discussion on the purpose with which the nanofertilizers took shape, the benefits which can be achieved, and the challenges which nanofertilizers face for further development and real-world use, substantiated with the significant pieces of scientific evidence available so far.
DOI: 10.21608/asejaiqjsae.2021.155560 Water Management Research Institute, National Water Researc... more DOI: 10.21608/asejaiqjsae.2021.155560 Water Management Research Institute, National Water Research Center, 13621/5, Qaliubiya, Egypt 2 Sugar Crops Research Institute, Agriculture Research Center, Giza, Egypt. 3 Soil and Water Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, 12613, Giza, Egypt 4 Agronomy Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University , 12613, Giza, Egypt Corresponding Author*:Email:Lamy.hamed@agr.cu.edu.eg Phone:+2 0122 409 15 15 / +2 0102 475 94 44
Many recent studies interest on biochar application as the soil amendment and water management sy... more Many recent studies interest on biochar application as the soil amendment and water management system due to its potential to soil nutrient retention, and increase water application efficiency "WAE" and sweet pepper productivity. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the effect of biochar and its combined effect on water application efficiency, water productivity, nitrogen concentration, and sweet pepper yield under sandy soil cultivation. Two field experiments were carried out during growing seasons 2017 and 2018 to study the effect of interaction of adding biochar and nitrogen fertilization stress (N) on water application efficiency, yield of sweet pepper (YSP), water productivity (WP) and vitamin C of sweet pepper. Three application rates of biochar (zero (control), 3.5, 7 and 10.5 ton ha) were used under three levels from nitrogen fertilization stress (100%, 80% and 60% N) under drip irrigation methods. The results revealed that increasing the application of biocha...
The effect of water regime and fertilizer-N application rate and modality of application were stu... more The effect of water regime and fertilizer-N application rate and modality of application were studied in order to identify the most proper and effective combination of the above-studied variables that provides a satisfactory spinach yield and minimizes the use of chemical nitrogen fertilizers, to save the surrounding environment and to achieve good water saving. Water requirement and Nitrogen fertilizer are two factors notably affects the growth and yield of Spinach crop. So, any delay in irrigation, thinning or insufficient water supply and nitrogen fertilizer would negatively affect the growth and yield. Also frequent or excessive amount of water and nitrogen fertilizer would lead to increase the losses of water and nitrogen fertilizer. So, it is important to identify the educate amount of irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer need to maximize growth, and quality of the spinach crop. Drip irrigation system together with proper water regime and good fertilizer application practices is...
World food production systems, mainly cropping systems, are set to deal with exceptional stress f... more World food production systems, mainly cropping systems, are set to deal with exceptional stress for matching agricultural food production demand with the growing population, particularly in the backdrop of climatic changes. The increase in production cannot be attained with the same approaches as were followed in the past. A large extent of less productive lands (including salt-affected soils) in India and the world represent opportunity for boosting sustainable food production via land recovery, enhanced productivity, resource conservation practices, and by enhancing biological functions of soil. The soluble salts present in the water and soil, including groundwater and surface water, pose excessive threat to the productivity of land. Odd practices, such as land clearing and poor irrigation management, have considerably increased the magnitude of the problem. High concentration of salts in the soil is harmful to plants as it restricts uptake of water and nutrients by the plants.
[U+FF1A]Soil thickness is basic limiting condition for purple soil, not only due to its effect on... more [U+FF1A]Soil thickness is basic limiting condition for purple soil, not only due to its effect on crop production, but also its effect on soil structure. Steady-state of soil thickness will be achieved over time, as result the soil aggregate which the key factor of soil erodibility can be enhanced as well. However, the effect of soil thickness on aggregates stability and the characteristics of soil erodibility in sloping land have not yet fully understood.A field survey was conducted in hilly area of Sichuan region located in southeast China to study the relationship between soil aggregate stability and soil erodibility on sloping farmland under different four thickness (100cm, 80cm, 60cm, 30cm) of purple soil. Based on two different sieving methods (Dry and Wet sieving), we analyzed soil aggregate stability and its effect on soil erodibility within depth of 0-30cm soil layers. The results indicated that: Water stable aggregate on sloping farmland was ranged between 37.9% to 58.6%, where it increased with increasing the soil thickness. Moreover, fractal dimension calculated from dry-sieving and wet-sieving was 2.06-2.49 and 2.70-2.85 respectively, where it decreased with decreasing the soil thickness. The overall soil erodibility was 0.05-1.00 and a negative significant correlation was found between soil aggregate stability and erodibility(P<0.01). Moreover, farmland with thick soil profile tended to be high in soil erodibility within the top soil layer (0-30cm). The results reveal that soil thickness can affect soil aggregate stability as well as erodibility. As soil thickness increased, the top soil became more stable and less erodible.
Many recent studies interest on biochar application as the soil amendment and water management sy... more Many recent studies interest on biochar application as the soil amendment and water management system due to its potential to soil nutrient retention, and increase water application efficiency "WAE" and sweet pepper productivity. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the effect of biochar and its combined effect on water application efficiency, water productivity, nitrogen concentration, and sweet pepper yield under sandy soil cultivation. Two field experiments were carried out during growing seasons 2017 and 2018 to study the effect of interaction of adding biochar and nitrogen fertilization stress (N) on water application efficiency, yield of sweet pepper (YSP), water productivity (WP) and vitamin C of sweet pepper. Three application rates of biochar (zero (control), 3.5, 7 and 10.5 ton ha .-1) were used under three levels from nitrogen fertilization stress (100%, 80% and 60% N) under drip irrigation methods. The results revealed that increasing the application of biochar materials with 100% N fertilization treatments had a positive impact on WAE, YSP, WP and vitamin C of sweet pepper. The most effective level in this regard when plant were treated and adding 10.5 ton ha-1 of biochar as well as when plant were irrigated with 100 % and adding 10.5 ton ha-1 of biochar in both seasons of 2017 and 2018 respectively. A similar direction was observed with vitamin C content of sweet pepper compared with control treatments and irrigation with 80 % of without adding biochar. In addition, water productivity parameter was significantly improved by application of adding biochar with N-fertilization. In conclusion the biochar application was recommended for a potential soil amendment as its significantly increased yield, water productivity and vitamin C.
T WO FIELD experiments were conducted at the experimental farm of the Central Laboratory for Agri... more T WO FIELD experiments were conducted at the experimental farm of the Central Laboratory for Agricultural Climate (CLAC), Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt, during 2017 and 2018 seasons, toevaluatethe effects of compost and organic extracts on growth and yield of sweet corn (Misthi F1 Hybrid)and microbial populations in rhizosphere. Extracts of compost, vermicompost and chicken manure with adding half dose of compost were compared to full dose of compost and mineral fertilizers. The populations of total bacteria, fungi and phosphate solublizing bacteria were estimated. Results showed that applying half dose of compost with adding vermin compost (50% C + VEx) extract gave the highest growth, yield and ear properties of sweet corn without any significant differences compared to mineral fertilizer treatment. Applying half dose of compost with adding extract of compost or chicken manure decreased growth, yield and ear properties of sweet corn compared to mineral fertilizer. 50% C + ChEx recorded the highest total bacterial counts. The treatments of half dose of compost with adding any organic extracts were superior to full dose of compost (100% C) in all studied traits. This study revealed the possibility of using half dose of compost with adding vermicompost extract for producing satisfactory yield quantity with high quality of sweet corn ears.
Middle East Journal of Applied Sciences (2077-4613), 2016
Nitrogen element is the key to achieve high yield and quality of sugar beet. Increasing pricing a... more Nitrogen element is the key to achieve high yield and quality of sugar beet. Increasing pricing and pollution of mineral fertilizers, producers/farmers often consider alternative as composted manure. Two successive field experiments were conducted at private farm located in Badaway village, Mansoura, Dakahleia Governorate, Egypt during 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 seasons to evaluate the effect of three mineral N rates (50, 75 and 100 kg N per feddan) and three rates of plant compost (control (Zero), 1 and 2 tons per feddan) on sucrose percentage, root recoverable sugar yield, nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) (sucrose % per kg N) as well as the status of N, P and K in soil after harvest of Monte Bianko sugar beet variety. The obtained results indicated that application of 100 kg N per feddan decreased sucrose % by 2.86 and 9.39, whereas root yield increased by 20.30 and 20.26 % and sugar yield increased by 13.33 and 8.91 % in first and second seasons, respectively, compared to 50 kg N per feddan. Compost positively affect sucrose and root sugar yield. Root yield (39.73 and 42.10 tons fed-1) and recoverable sugar yield (6.77 and 7.07 tons fed-1) as average of the two growing seasons resulted from 75 kg N along with 2 tons compost per feddan and 100 kg N with 2 tons of compost fed-1 , respectively, without significant differences. Furthermore, increasing the application of N reducing the NUE, but increased the remained amount of N, P and K in soil after harvesting, while the reverse tendency were observed whereas increasing the application of compost from zero up to 2 tons per feddan enhancing the NUE as well as the remained values of N, P and K in soil.
Spinach and common bean plants as representatives of leafy and legume vegetables were subjected t... more Spinach and common bean plants as representatives of leafy and legume vegetables were subjected to some biostimulants to evaluate its effects, against organic and mineral fertilizers, on plant growth, nutrient uptake and nitrate accumulation under field conditions. Individual treatments of humic acid (HS) and seaweed extract (SW) as bio-stimulants were tested in comparison with organic compost and ammonium nitrate as mineral fertilizer. Fresh and dry weight of spinach and common bean plants were significantly positively affected by application of seaweed extract and humic acid, respectively. Incorporation of organic compost resulted in fresh and dry biomass yields of spinach leaves, common bean green vegetative part and pods nearly closed or slightly lower than those recorded with ammonium nitrate fertilizer. In most cases, seaweed extract was superior over other treatments. Both of humic acid and seaweed extract relatively increased fresh or dry weights of both crops by about 50% in average over the plants fertilized with ammonium nitrate or treated with organic compost. Application of seaweed extract and humic acid had reduced the nitrate content in spinach leaves as compared to plants treated with ammonium nitrate but nearly closed to those of organic compost. Either organic compost or biostimulants (SW and HS) produced edible leaves of spinach with lower nitrate content that makes it marketable according to permissible level organized by European Commission Regulation (3500 mg kg-1 FW). Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium uptake by leaves of spinach and pods of common bean were positively significantly increased with application of all tested treatments in comparison to the untreated control, but seaweed extracts and to somewhat extent the humic acid resulted in NPK values more or nearly closed to those recorded with either mineral fertilizer or organic compost additive. These results gave the chance to accept the biostimulants in addition to organic additive as alternative and sustainable tools complementing a high yield with premium quality.
Keywords: Biostimulants, Common bean, Mineral fertilizer, Organic compost, Spinach
Crop rotation / tillage impact on status of plant nutrients, crop production and soil properties ... more Crop rotation / tillage impact on status of plant nutrients, crop production and soil properties was studied under North Sinai conditions, Egypt. The study assessed crop rotation (rice/clover (Berseem) / wheat/ soybean/ wheat (summers 2016 to 2018) under no tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT) systems and implications of crop and soil performance. CT revealed more positive implications over NT in few cases. Contents of available nutrients in soil after harvest were greater after legumes. Contents of Fe, Mn and Zn in soil after crop harvest showed increases with CT than NT Rotation cropping maintained similar levels after legume crop especially compared to cereals crop. Crop productivity was in some cases higher CT than NT although NT increased plant chlorophyll, protein and proline.
Two field experiments were conducted under two different soil texture located in two sites. Traci... more Two field experiments were conducted under two different soil texture located in two sites. Tracing the nitrogen status in wheat plants – soil - environment system using 15N technique under different water regimes was the aim of this investigation. Three nitrogen rates (100, 80 and 60% of the recommended rate with 5% 15N atom excess labeled ammonium sulfate) through two mode of application (Mode A; nitrogen fertilizer rate splitting into three doses: 25, 25, 50% of added rates at seedling, tillering and jointing, respectively, and Mode B; splitting N rate into two doses: 35 % at seedling and 65% at tillering) conjugated with three water regimes (100, 75 and 50% of crop water requirement (CWR)) were applied under clay loam and loamy sand soils conditions. Wheat grain and straw yields were declined by 16.4 and 4.4% in clay loam soil, and by 34.6 and 20.7% in loamy sand soil as water regime reduced from 100 to 50% CWR, respectively. Application of 80% of the recommended N rate recorded the highest grain yield under Mode A, whereas 100% N rate recorded the highest straw yield under Mode B in both soil textures. The moderate rate of N fertilizer (80%, corresponding to 142.4 and 190.4 kg N ha-1 in clay loam and loamy sand soil, respectively) applied with mode A under 75% water regime (4017.7 and 4200.8 m3 applied irrigation water per hectare in clay loam and loamy sand soil, respectively) recorded the highest N uptake by plant, nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and consequently wheat yield.
This study investigated the optimum irrigation scheduling and the best application rate of compos... more This study investigated the optimum irrigation scheduling and the best application rate of compost under rotational distribution system in sandy soils conditions to mitigate water stress on apple trees for improving yield, water productivity and quality traits. The obtained results indicated that applying optimum irrigation scheduling (adding Water Irrigation Requirements (WIR)) for apple in three and four days as irrigation interval) and increasing the application rate of compost up to 25 ton per fed, increase water and fertilizers uptake rate with good growing conditions. Meanwhile, the fruit yield, quality trait, and water productivity of apple were increased. In apple cultivation and other crops which follow the bilateral irrigation rotation, the irrigation requirements should be splitted in three days per week along with increasing the application rate of compost up to 25 ton fed-1 with drip irrigation system to mitigate the negative effect of water stress on apple trees.
The effect of water regime and fertilizer-N application rate and modality of its application were... more The effect of water regime and fertilizer-N application rate and modality of its application were studies by the aim of identifying the most proper and effective combination of the above studied variables that provide a satisfactory spinach yield as well as to minimize the rational use of chemical nitrogen fertilizers, to save the surrounding environment and to achieve a good water saving. In this direction, the obtained results indicated that reasonable production of spinach crop could be achieved by using 75% of the recommended rate of nitrogen fertilizer combined with 80% of the required water. It means that 20% of the required water could be saved as well as 25% of the required quantity of N fertilizer. Similarly, the splitting of N fertilizer into equal doses prevents the excess of nitrate to be moved to the underground water lowering its concentration in the blades and plant leaves. Drip irrigation system accompanying with proper water scheduling regime and good fertilizer application practices is considered as a useful management practice that could be applied under to improve the sandy soil productivity.
The Mediterranean environment is characterized by low and erratic rainfall amount which varies be... more The Mediterranean environment is characterized by low and erratic rainfall amount which varies between (200– 600 mm.year-1), and characterized also by high temperature which increase the rate of evapotranspiration from the cultivated soil. Under these conditions which have a great influence on crop production, there is a great needing to increase the crop water use efficiency. In this context, two field experiments were carried out in northern Cairo– Egypt, during November and December 2012 and April 2013, with two different textured soils. The soil in the first location (30 • 16' N latitude, 30 • 56' E longitude) is clay soil, while in the second one (30 • 24' N latitude, 31 • 35' E longitude) is sandy soil. The interaction effect of soil types, soil water regimes, nitrogen fertilizer application rates and timing on nitrogen balance of soil were studied, in terms of nitrogen gained by plant portions, remained in soil and losses through different ways for the wheat crop (Triticum aestivum L. Giza 168). The aim of this research is to increase the water use efficiency of wheat crop, in addition to identify the most proper and effective combinations of above–studied variables that provide a satisfactory grain wheat yield and finally to minimize the use of chemical nitrogen fertilizers. Three water regimes (100%, 75% and 50% of crop water requirements) using drip irrigation system and the application methods of Nitrogen rates, 100%, 80% and 60% of recommended rates, which are 178 Kg of Nitrogen for the clay soil and 238 Kg of Nitrogen for sandy soil, were applied to the two experimental fields. Ineed, two modes of agricultural management, mode A and B, were applied. Each mode is different than the other in terms of seedling and tillering practices, where mode A performed with 25% at seedling, 25% at tillering and 50% at jointing while mode B performed with 35% at seedling and 65% at tillering. The greatest limitation to growth and Nitrogen use efficiency was the amount of water supply. Wheat grain was dictated by the extent to which the 75% of crop water requirement had applied as well as the best nitrogen use efficiency had been recorded with 80% of recommended rate of nitrogen using mode A in both clay and sandy soils. It was obvious that the most efficient use of Nitrogen fertilizer by grains was occurred under 75% of crop water requirements comparable to other water regimes. As a result, there was no big significant difference between the two modes A and B of Nitrogen application.
[U+FF1A]Soil thickness is basic limiting condition for purple soil, not only due to its effect on... more [U+FF1A]Soil thickness is basic limiting condition for purple soil, not only due to its effect on crop production, but also its effect on soil structure. Steady-state of soil thickness will be achieved over time, as result the soil aggregate which the key factor of soil erodibility can be enhanced as well. However, the effect of soil thickness on aggregates stability and the characteristics of soil erodibility in sloping land have not yet fully understood.A field survey was conducted in hilly area of Sichuan region located in southeast China to study the relationship between soil aggregate stability and soil erodibility on sloping farmland under different four thickness (100cm, 80cm, 60cm, 30cm) of purple soil. Based on two different sieving methods (Dry and Wet sieving), we analyzed soil aggregate stability and its effect on soil erodibility within depth of 0-30cm soil layers. The results indicated that: Water stable aggregate on sloping farmland was ranged between 37.9% to 58.6%, where it increased with increasing the soil thickness. Moreover, fractal dimension calculated from dry-sieving and wet-sieving was 2.06-2.49 and 2.70-2.85 respectively, where it decreased with decreasing the soil thickness. The overall soil erodibility was 0.05-1.00 and a negative significant correlation was found between soil aggregate stability and erodibility(P<0.01). Moreover, farmland with thick soil profile tended to be high in soil erodibility within the top soil layer (0-30cm). The results reveal that soil thickness can affect soil aggregate stability as well as erodibility. As soil thickness increased, the top soil became more stable and less erodible.
The effect of water regime and fertilizer-N application rate and modality of application were stu... more The effect of water regime and fertilizer-N application rate and modality of application were studied in order to identify the most proper and effective combination of the above-studied variables that provides a satisfactory spinach yield and minimizes the use of chemical nitrogen fertilizers, to save the surrounding environment and to achieve good water saving. Water requirement and Nitrogen fertilizer are two factors notably affects the growth and yield of Spinach crop. So, any delay in irrigation, thinning or insufficient water supply and nitrogen fertilizer would negatively affect the growth and yield. Also frequent or excessive amount of water and nitrogen fertilizer would lead to increase the losses of water and nitrogen fertilizer. So, it is important to identify the educate amount of irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer need to maximize growth, and quality of the spinach crop. Drip irrigation system together with proper water regime and good fertilizer application practices is considered to be a useful management practice that could be applied to improve the sandy soil productivity
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Keywords: Biostimulants, Common bean, Mineral fertilizer, Organic compost, Spinach
Keywords: Legumes, No-Tillage, Cereal crops, Soil nutrients, Crop rotation
Keywords: Cereal crops, Grain yield, Nitrogen uptake, Nitrogen use efficiency, Soil texture
Keywords: Biostimulants, Common bean, Mineral fertilizer, Organic compost, Spinach
Keywords: Legumes, No-Tillage, Cereal crops, Soil nutrients, Crop rotation
Keywords: Cereal crops, Grain yield, Nitrogen uptake, Nitrogen use efficiency, Soil texture