Combined Application of Potassium and Zinc Improves Water Relations,Stay Green,Irrigation Water Use Efficiency,and Grain Quality of Maize under Drought Stress

Abstract

Maize (Zea mays L.) plays an important role in the global food security, but its production is threatened by climate change, especially drought stress. Potassium (K) and zinc (Zn) are considered useful to mitigate the negative consequences of drought stress in plants. Therefore, the objective of this two-year study was to identify the best combination of K and Zn application to improve the water relations, photosynthetic pigments, yield, irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) and grain quality of maize sown under mild and severe drought stress conditions. The consisted of three drought stress levels viz. 1) well-watered as control (WW), 2) mild drought (MD) with 25?mm of potential soil moisture deficit (PSMD), 3) severe drought (SD) with 50?mm of PSMD and six K-Zn treatments: i.e. 125, 100 and 150?kg ha^?1 K with 0 and 12?kg ha^?1 Zn. The results indicated that K-Zn application improved the water relations and chlorophyll contents, biological yield and grain quality, irrespective of water stress treatment. The combined application of K-Zn under mild drought stress produced statistically same biological yield and grain quality as under well-irrigated without K-Zn fertilization and also produced compratively higher IWUE, biological yield and grain quality under sverer drought stress. Hence, the application of K at 150?kg ha^?1 in combination with Zn at 12?kg ha^?1 might be useful to improve the maize production and grain quality under drought stress. As IWUE was low in WW conditions, therefore, irrigation scheduling must be re-evaluated for optimum water use efficiency.     

Food availability for blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) at Lal Suhanra Sanctuary,Pakistan

The Blackbuck has suffered rapid decline at the hand of Man during the last half-century, having been exterminated in many areas in which it was formerly plentiful. However, it is said to occur still fairly widely in small populations within its former range in India. In Cholistan Desert in Pakistan ot was indigenous but has disappeared during the last two decades. Where introduced in Texas it is flourishing. Ten Blackbuck were reintroduced from Texas to a small enclosure in the Lal Suhanra Sanctuary, Pakistan, in April 1970, and more stock is expected to be introduced into a near-by larger fenced enclosure of 518·4 ha. Food habits of Blackbuck were studied and the food was estimated in the latter area on 3–8 April 1971. Out of 22 commonly-occuring plant species in the habitat, 19 were eaten. Of these, four or five were favourite food plants of Blackbuck. The quantity of favourite food was estimated and an idea was formed of the order of magnitude of stocking that could be done in this enclosure.     

Effects of stocking density, periphyton substrate and supplemental feed on biological processes affecting water quality in earthen tilapia–prawn polyculture ponds

The technical and economic potentials of tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.), and giant river prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii (de Man), polyculture in periphyton-based systems are under investigation in an extensive research programme. This article is a combined analysis of data from four experiments exploring the effects of periphyton, fish, prawn and feed on water quality. Factor analysis and ancova models applied to the combined dataset allowed to identify the underlying ecological processes governing the system, and construct conceptual graphic models of the periphyton–environment relationships observed. With the first factor, variability in water quality was due to autotrophic (photosynthesis and nutrient uptake) and heterotrophic (respiration and decomposition) processes affecting water quality in opposite directions. With the second factor, variability was related to decomposition on the bottom and nutrient release into the water column, algae production and sedimentation. The analysis of the relationships between both factors and the growth rates of tilapia and prawn in the different systems allowed a better understanding of the functioning of tilapia–prawn ponds, and indicates that their joint culture is technically feasible and economically viable. Therefore, this technology is recommended for poverty alleviation and nutritional security in rural Bangladesh as well as in other countries of the region.     

Potential of mixed culture of freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) and self-recruiting small species mola (Amblypharyngodon mola) in rotational rice–fish/prawn culture systems in Bangladesh

The effects of different stocking densities of freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) on its growth and production in relation to the presence of small self‐recruiting species mola (Amblypharyngodon mola) were investigated in modified rice fields after rice harvest at Mymensingh, Bangladesh. Keeping the stocking density of mola fixed at 20 000 ha^?1 in each treatment, four densities of freshwater prawn (treatments) were maintained: 10 000, 15 000, 20 000 and 25 000 ha^?1 respectively. The rice plots were limed (CaCO₃) and fertilized with urea, triple super phosphate and cowdung regularly. The prawns were fed daily with commercial pellets. Water quality parameters such as temperature, dissolved oxygen, transparency, pH, total alkalinity, inorganic nitrogen (nitrate, nitrite and total ammonia), chlorophyll a and orthophosphate were determined fortnightly. Numerical analysis of plankton communities was performed monthly. All water quality parameters were found to be within the suitable range for freshwater prawn culture, except high temperature, in the peak summer months. There was a homogenous abundance of plankton communities in all treatments throughout the experimental period. Mola started to breed in the second month of the original stocking with partial harvesting after the second month and continued until the final harvest. The total production of mola ranged between 124 and 152 kg ha^?1 during the 4‐month culture period. The average prawn survival ranged from 49% to 57% without any significant difference among treatments. Freshwater prawn production ranged from 294 to 596 kg ha^?1 with significantly higher production in the treatment where 20 000 ha^?1 freshwater prawn were stocked. This treatment also resulted in a higher net profit margin (74%), indicating that stocking at a combination of 20 000 ha^?1 freshwater prawn and 20 000 ha^?1 mola could be the optimum proposition for prawn–mola culture in modified rain‐fed rice fields after rice cultivation.