Impacts of biochar and processed poultry manure,applied to a calcareous soil,on the growth of bean and maize

Direct use of poultry manure on agricultural lands may cause environmental concerns, so there is a need to establish the suitability of the application of biochar derived from poultry manure for calcareous soil chemical properties and plant growth. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of processed poultry manure (0, 5, 10 and 20 g/kg) and its biochar (0, 2.5, 5, 10 and 20 g/kg) on soil chemical properties of a calcareous soil and growth of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) and maize (Zea mays) plants. In the incubation experiment, both processed poultry manure (PPM) and biochar decreased pH and the concentration of plant‐available Fe of soil but increased plant‐available P, Zn, Cu and Mn concentrations. PPM and biochar increased the concentrations of exchangeable cations (K, Ca and Mg) in soil. PPM and biochar applications increased the growth of maize and bean plants. PPM and biochar resulted in increased concentrations of N, P, K, Ca, Fe, Zn, Cu and Mn in bean plants. In maize plants, PPM and biochar applications increased the N, P, K, Zn, Cu and Mn but decreased the Ca and Mg concentrations. Results of this study reveal that poultry manure biochar can be used effectively for agricultural purposes.     

Effects of different organic materials on forage yield and nutrient uptake of silage maize (Zea mays L.)

The use of organic materials as a source of nutrients on agricultural lands ameliorates soil physical properties as well as being an environmentally friendly way of disposing of their wastes. This study was conducted to determine effects of three organic materials (poultry litter, cattle manure, leonardite) on yield and nutrient uptake of silage maize. Poultry litter and cattle manure were applied based on phosphorus (P) or nitrogen (N) requirements of the crop whereas leonardite was applied only one dose (500 kg ha^?1) and also combined with three inorganic fertilizer doses (100%, 75%, 50% of recommended inorganic fertilizer dose). According to the results, the highest green herbage yield and nutrient uptake values were observed in LEO-100 whereas N-based treatments significantly decreased yield and nutrient uptake of silage maize. The use of organic materials as a combination with inorganic fertilizer in silage maize cultivation is highly beneficial for sustainable forage production.     

Nitrate versus chloride nutrition effects in a soil‐plant system on the growth,nitrate accumulation,and nitrogen,potassium, sodium,calcium, and chloride content of carrot

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of various nitrate/ chloride (NO₃/Cl) ratios on growth, nitrate accumulation, and mineral absorption in carrot, Daucus carota L., plants in a controlled environment. The experiment included two Cl sources [potassium chloride (KC1) and calcium chloride (CaCl₂)] and five NO/Clratios at 100/0, 90/10, 80/20, 70/30, and 60/40 with total‐nitrogen (N) concentration of 400 mg NO₃ kg^‐1 soil in 100/0 treatment. Fresh and dry weights of shoots and storage roots, and length and diameter of storage roots increased significantly with mixed NO₃/C1 treatments with both Cl sources as compared to single NO₃ (100/0) treatment. Growth was enhanced up to the 80/20 NO₃/C1 treatments. With Cl present in the treatments, the concentration of total‐N unchanged and NO₃ decreased in plants, and Cl and potassium (K) increased with the Cl sources. In KC1 treatments, Na absorption decreased. Calcium (Ca) content of the plants significantly differed by the treatments. It was concluded that N fertilization provided with combined Cl forms and NO₃/Cl rates can enhance production of better quality carrot and at the same time decrease of the N fertilizer input.     

Genomic selection in forest tree breeding: the concept and an outlook to the future

Using large numbers of DNA markers to predict genetic merit [genomic selection (GS)] is a new frontier in plant and animal breeding programs. GS is now routinely used to select superior bulls in dairy cattle breeding. In forest trees, a few empirical proof of-concept studies suggest that GS could be successful. However, application of GS in forest tree breeding is still in its infancy. The major hurdle is lack of high throughput genotyping platforms for trees, and the high genotyping costs, though, the cost of genotyping will likely decrease in the future. There has been a growing interest in GS among tree breeders, forest geneticists, and tree improvement managers. A broad overview of pedigree reconstruction and GS is presented. Underlying reasons for failures of marker-assisted selection were summarized and compared with GS. Challenges of GS in forest tree breeding and the outlook for the future are discussed, and a GS plan for a cloned loblolly pine breeding population is presented. This review is intended for tree breeders, forest managers, scientist and students who are not necessarily familiar with genomic or quantitative genetics jargon.     

Laboratory assay of the effectiveness of the entomopathogenic fungus Isaria farinosa (Holmsk.) Fries (Sordariomycetes: Hypocreales) against the vine mealybug Planococcus ficus (Signoret) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), even under the use of fungicides

The vine mealybug, Planococcus ficus (Signoret) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), is one of the main pests in vineyards. At present biological control of the pest is based on the release of hymenopterous parasitoids and coccinellid predators. The effectiveness of an entomopathogenic fungus, Isaria farinosa, as an alternative biological control agent on vine mealybug P. ficus was investigated by using different inoculum densities and different relative humidity levels. The fungus caused more than 80% mortality at 95% relative humidity and at 1 × 10⁸ conidia ml^?1 inoculum density. The mortality effects of the fungus decreased in lower humidity levels and lower spore densities. The inhibitory effects of common fungicides, used in vineyards, on I. farinosa were also investigated. Sulphur, copper oxychloride, fosetyl-Al and chlorothalonil did not decrease the effectiveness of I. farinosa as a pathogen of vine mealybug. With the application of tebuconazole, penconazole and mancozeb, the most inhibitory fungicides on the entomopathogen, the mortality rates of mealybugs, inoculated with I. farinosa, decreased from 86% to 42%, 34% and 45%, respectively, in the adult females; from 94% to 51%, 45% and 45%, respectively, in the first nymphal stages; and from 86% to 56%, 49% and 63%, respectively, in ovisacs.     

The effects of withdrawal of vitamin and trace mineral supplements from layer diets on egg yield and trace mineral composition

1. This study was conducted as three trials. 2. In the first trial, zinc, manganese, copper and iron concentrations were determined in dietary raw materials collected from various regions of Turkey. 3. In the second trial, 200 Hisex Brown laying hens, 30 weeks of age, were divided into two groups. The first group served as controls and were fed on a standard commercial layer diet. The second group were fed on a commercial layer diet that was not supplemented with trace minerals and vitamins. Egg production, egg weight, specific gravity, food consumption and food efficiency of the birds in each group were determined. In the unsupplemented group, egg production (0.75 vs 0.83) and food intake (114 vs 122 g) were lower than the those of the control group (P < 0.05). Food efficiency was 2.42 (kg food/kg gain) in the group consuming the unsupplemented diet and 2.36 in the controls. 4. In the third trial, as in Trial 2, Hisex Brown laying hens, 62 weeks of age were used. In the unsupplemented group, the mean egg weight was significantly lower than that of controls (68.0 vs 69.6 g) (P < 0.01). 5. At the end of the second and third trials, egg samples collected from experimental groups were hard boiled in water. The levels of zinc, manganese, copper and iron in the egg yolk were determined. The zinc level of the egg yolk from the control group of second trial was higher (23.5 mg/kg) than those of the unsupplemented group (13.6 mg/kg).     

Determination of body measurements on the Holstein cows using digital image analysis and estimation of live weight with regression analysis

In this study, the body measurements (BMs) of Holstein cows were determined using digital image analysis (IA) and these were used to estimate the live weight (LW) of each cow. For this purpose, an image capture arrangement was established in a dairy cattle farm. BMs including wither height (WH), hip height (HH), body length (BL), hip width (HW), plus the LWs of cows were first determined manually, by direct measurement. Then the digital photos of cows were taken from different directions synchronously and analyzed by IA software to calculate WH, HH, BL and HW of each cow. After comparing the BMs obtained by IA with the manual measurements, the accuracy was determined as 97.72% for WH, 98.00% for HH, 97.89% for BL and 95.25% for HW. The LW estimation using BMs was then performed by the aid of the regression equations, and the correlation coefficient between the estimated and real (manual) LW values obtained by weighing was calculated as 0.9787, which indicates the IA method is appropriate for LW estimation of Holstein cows.     

Effects of chloride and partial substitution of reduced forms of nitrogen for nitrate in nutrient solution on the nitrate,total nitrogen,and chloride contents of onion

An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of chloride (Cl) and reduced forms of nitrogen (N) on the nitrate (NO₃), total N, and Cl concentrations in onion (Allium cepa L.) plants using a non‐recirculating nutrient film growing system. The reference treatment was a nutrient solution containing 19 mM NO₃ and 1.25 mM ammonium (NH₄). The results from this treatment were compared with that obtained using mixed amino acid, urea, and glycine treatments with or without additional Cl (10 mM) in which 20% of the NO₃ in the reference treatment was substituted with one of these reduced forms of N. Fresh and dry weights of the onion plants were not affected by the treatments. The NO₃ content was considerably lower in the mixed amino acid treatment, being 4236 mg NO₃/kg FW as compared to either the reference, urea, or glycine treatments. The NO₃ contents of the plants in these treatments were 5393, 5339, and 5261 mg NO₃/kg FW, respectively. The presence of Cl in the nutrient solution also reduced the NO₃ content of the plants from 5816 to 4299 mg NO₃/kg FW. The reduced‐N treatments increased the total N contents of the plants. The Cl content of the plants was increased by the Cl supplied and by the reduced forms of N in the nutrient solution.