Performance of pyrazosulfuron-ethyl in non-puddled transplanted rainy season rice and its residual effect on growth of the succeeding crop in rice-wheat cropping pattern

Abstract

A study was carried out in sandy clay loam textured soil of Mymensingh, Bangladesh to evaluate weed control efficiency of pre-emergence herbicide pyrazosulfuron-ethyl either alone or in sequential application with post-emergence herbicide in transplanted rainy season rice under non-puddled strip-tilled (NPST) field condition and also to examine the residual effect of those herbicides on germination and growth of the subsequently grown wheat crop. Five treatment combinations of pyrazosulfuron-ethyl were tested against one weedy check and one weed-free check. The study revealed that NPST rice field was mostly infested by grass and sedge weeds and herbicide treatments offered a wide range of control (above 50% to 95%) on all types of weeds. Application of pyrazosulfuron-ethyl followed by (fb) orthosulfamuron fb butachlor plus propanil provided the most effective and economic weed control over two years of the study. Moreover, micro-plot bioassay study claimed germination and growth of subsequently grown wheat were not adversely affected by herbicides that were applied in rice. Therefore, application of pyrazosulfuron-ethyl followed by post-emergence herbicide could be effective and economic to control weeds in NPST rice under rice-wheat system, but proper rate and time of application should strictly be followed.     

Replacement of de‐oiled rice bran by soaked and fermented sweet potato leaf meal: Effect on growth performance,body composition and expression of insulin‐like growth factor 1 in Labeo rohita (Hamilton), fingerlings

A 60‐day feeding trial was conducted to determine the growth performance and expression of insulin‐like growth factor 1 gene (IGF‐I gene) in Labeo rohita fingerlings fed with either raw, soaked or fermented sweet potato leaf meal (SPLM) by completely replacing de‐oiled rice bran (DORB), following a completely randomized design. Seven isonitrogenous (30%) and isocaloric (1.8 MJ/100 g) diets were prepared by replacing DORB with 50% and 100% raw, soaked and fermented sweet potato leaf meal, maintaining DORB‐containing diets as a control. Weight gain %, SGR (specific growth rate) and PER (protein efficiency ratio) were significantly (p < 0.05) higher when 100% DORB was replaced by fermented SPLM in comparison to other treatment groups. The fermented and soaked SPLM‐fed groups had registered with lower FCR value. The expression of growth regulating gene IGF‐I mRNA and RNA/DNA ratio was found to be significantly higher (p < 0.05) in soaked and fermented SPLM‐fed groups. In this study, the body protein and lipid composition did not vary significantly (p > 0.05). Hence, the study concludes that the fermented sweet potato leaf meal using Chaetomium globosum can replace 100% DORB in the diet of Labeo rohita without any detrimental effect on growth performance.     

Effects of Farm Yard Manure and Lime on Cadmium Uptake by Rice Grown in Two Contaminated Soils of Chittagong

A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the efficiency of farm yard manure （FYM） and lime （calcium carbonate） on reducing the uptake of Cd by rice in two Cd contaminated soils of Chittagong. The effects of farm yard manure, lime and farm yard manure mixed with lime （FYM ＋ Lime） on rice （Oryza sativa L.） growth, Cd uptake by rice and 0.1 N HC1 extractable Cd in soil were investigated. Results showed that addition of lime and farm yard manure mixed with lime significantly decreased 0.1 N HCl extractable Cd in the city sewage soil. Application of farm yard manure significantly decreased Cd concentration in rice in the city sewage soil. Lime and farm yard manure mixed with lime significantly reduced Cd concentration in rice m both the contaminated soils. Lime was more efficient than farm yard manure in reducing the uptake of Cd by rice.     

Feasibility of a single-species quota system for management of the Malaysian multispecies purse-seine fishery

Malaysian fisheries employ multiple measures to improve management; however, not all are well-suited to the multispecies fisheries. As part of a pilot project, an individual quota system was introduced for the purse-seine fishery off the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia (ECPM), but no assessment of this particular measure nor the feasibly of its implementation has been confirmed. Therefore, this study analysed spatial and temporal patterns of purse-seine fishing, by collecting catch composition data per landing and its fishing ground within three period fishery surveys between August 2017 and September 2018 at six different landing sites. Similarity and cluster analysis examined species composition and diversity to determine the feasibility of implementing a single-species quota system in this multispecies fishery. Some overlapped of indices results and minor difference in catch composition were found due to changes in spatial and temporal fishing activities. However, no specific spatial or temporal patterns were discernible as structuring the fishing grounds used by purse-seiners. The absence of patterns, using the available data, might be attributable to huge species aggregations and widely distributed and homogenously mixed fish stocks. Thus, it is likely impractical to manage species individually in such a multispecies fishery.     

Evaluation of chitosan and alginate immobilized Methylobacterium oryzae CBMB20 on tomato plant growth

Methylobacterium oryzae CBMB20, a promising plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) and a biocontrol agent, was immobilized in different formulations such as wet chitosan, dry chitosan, wet alginate and dry alginate and were tested for tomato plant growth promotion. Chitosan solution (1.5%) with pH 5.5–6.0 and 90 min contact time was found optimal for immobilization. The chitosan formulations showed better entrapment efficiency and good degradability resistance apart from slow release of cells under prolonged incubation. Survivability of bacteria (80%) was observed in wet chitosan formulation even after 90 days of storage at 4°C. The spermosphere survival of bacteria was high in both dry and wet chitosan formulations applied soils even after 21 days under greenhouse conditions. While the alginate formulation degraded fully, partial degradation of chitosan formulation was observed even after 30 days, indicating its ability to support the survival of M. oryzae CBMB20 in soil. Plants inoculated with wet chitosan formulation registered 1.3 fold increase in the shoot and root length and dry weight compared to other treatments. Hence, chitosan formulation supporting better plant growth compared to alginate will be a better carrier for taking bacteria to the plant rhizosphere and thereby promote plant growth.     

Effects of incubation times and moisture regimes on pH values and exchangeable cations in acid sulfate soils as influenced by application rates of basic slag

Severe acidifications in acid sulfate soils (ASSs) have occurred worldwide due to sulfuric acidity, which requires sustainable measures for their reclamation. Accordingly, an incubation study was conducted with the topsoil of two different ASSs (Cheringa and Badarkhali) to evaluate the effects of basic slag (BS; size <1 mm, pH 9.6, Ca 20.8%, Mg 9.8%, etc.), on reduction of acidity and changes in exchangeable cations. It is noted that BS is a byproduct of steel industry in Bangladesh and can be collected almost free of charge. These soils received BS at the rate of 0 (T₀), 11 (T₁), 22 (T₂) and 33 (T₃) t ha⁻¹ under various moisture regimes (saturated condition M₁,_, i.e., 100% moisture content, wetting–drying cycles of 100 and 50% moisture M_2, and moisture at field condition M₃, i.e., 50%). The impacts of these treatments on some selected parameters in these soils were studied within 180 days of incubation. The application of BS was found to increase the pH of soils from 3.6 to 5.1 for Cheringa, 3.9 to 5.2 for Badarkhali soils at the end of incubation. These increments were more striking with the highest doses of BS under saturated moisture conditions in both of the soils. The ECe of the soils was not much influenced by the application of BS regardless of time. The treatments exerted significant (P ≤ 0.05) effects on exchangeable cations in different periods of incubation. The striking changes were recorded for the rate of increments of Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺, which were about 2–3 times higher for Ca and more than 2 times higher for Mg²⁺ compared with the control after 180 days of incubation. These results suggest that the application of BS not only increased the Ca²⁺ to the higher amount than that of the increment of Mg²⁺ in the soils, but also improved one of the important criteria of Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ ratio in the soils.     

Performance of Bangladesh indigenous rice in a weed infested field and separation of allelopathy from resource competition

This study aimed to identify the potential allelopathic indigenous rice (Oryza sativa L. ssp. indica) varieties from Bangladesh using a performance study in a weed‐infested field and to assess the extent of allelopathic interference relative to resource competition in a glasshouse experiment. Six varieties – namely, “Boterswar,” “Goria,” “Biron” and “Kartiksail” as the most allelopathic, “Hashikolmi” as weakly allelopathic and “Holoi” as nonallelopathic – were raised following a nonweed control method. The infestation levels of weed species were calculated using Simpson's Diversity Index (SDI), which ranged from 0.2 to 0.56. However, a significant correlation coefficient (0.87, P < 0.001) was obtained from these field data compared with the root inhibition percentage from the laboratory bioassay, and the “Boterswar” variety was the most allelopathic. The interactions between the allelopathic variety “Boterswar,” weakly allelopathic variety “Hashikolmi” and Echinochloa oryzicola via a target (rice)‐adjacent (E. oryzicola) cogrowth culture were determined in a hydroponic arrangement. The relative competitive intensity (RCI) and the relative neighbor effect (RNE) values showed that the crop–weed interaction was facilitation for “Boterswar” and competition for “Hashikolmi” and E. oryzicola in rice/E. oryzicola cogrowth cultures. The allelopathic effects of “Boterswar” were much higher than the resource competition in rice/E. oryzicola cogrowth cultures. The converse was observed for “Hashikolmi.” Moreover, the mineral content of E. oryzicola was severely affected by “Boterswar”/E. oryzicola cogrowth cultures’ exudate solution. Therefore, the allelopathic potential of “Boterswar” variety might be useful for developing the weed‐suppressing capacity of rice, which will likely have a significant influence on paddy weed control.     

Effect of γ (Gamma)-radiation on the physico-mechanical properties of grafted jute fabric reinforced polypropylene (PP) composites

The bleached jute fabric (BJF) reinforced polypropylene (PP) composites with various contents of acrylic acid (AA)-treated BJF and un-AA-treated BJF were fabricated by compression moulding method at 190 °C. The AA-grafted BJF reinforced PP composites were then irradiated by γ-ray at various doses. The mechanical properties of neat PP (N-P), ungrafted-BJF and PP composites (UG-BJFPC), AA-grafted-BJF and PP composites (AA-BJFPC) and γ-ray cum AA-grafted-BJF and PP composites (γAA-BJFPC) show maximum tensile strength (TS) of 30, 46, 47 and 51 MPa, maximum flexural strength (FS) of 34, 49, 50 and 54 MPa and maximum Young’s modulus (E) of 280, 428, 436, and 680 MPa, respectively. The increase of TS, FS and E from UG-BJFPC are 2 %, 2 %, and 2 % for AA-BJFPC and 11 %, 10 % and 59 % for γAA-BJFPC. The TS, FS and E are found to increase with radiation dose up to 500Krad and then decrease. The water absorption (WA) for UG-BJFPC, AA-BJFPC and γAA-BJFPC is respectively about 14, 10 and 9 %, indicating a gradual development of hydrophobic character of the composites first by AA-treatment and then by γ-ray-treatment. AA treatment on jute fabric and gamma irradiation on composite result in significant change of morphology of the jute fabric composites surface and better mechanical bonding between fabric and polymer matrix, as a result improved mechanical properties are found.