Azarian Journal of Agriculture
Volume:5 Issue: 2, Apr 2018

A soil survey was carried out on the vertisols of Ngurore, Yola South Local Government Area (LGA) of Adamawa State, Nigeria to evaluate the significance of its morphological and physical properties to improve agricultural productivity. Three soil mapping units were identified in the study area designated as NVM (Ngurore Vertisols Mapping unit) 1, 2 and 3 respectively. The mapping units based on their characteristics were defined as Eutric Chromusterts, Eutric Plinthusterts and Typic Chromusterts (USDA). The Ngurore vertisols generally exhibits some characteristics unique from other vertisols elsewhere; the particle size distribution appeared to be more of sand than the usual clay and its irregular trends of distribution (average mean sand range: 44.20 – 48.20%). The soils have a moderate bulk density (1.33 – 1.35gcm-3) and good total porosity (53.60 – 55.50%) and poor soil structure. It is therefore recommended that tillage operations should be properly timed, when the soil moisture is moderate for easy land preparation using farm implements and machineries. Incorporation of organic manures will improve soil structure and other vital soil processes e.g. nutrient availability and its uptake, soil aeration, optimum moisture retention etc. Sprinkler method of irrigation discharging water at slower rates is recommended over flood irrigation during the dry season for a sustainable utilization all year round.

This study was carried out to investigate the pathogenicity of Alternaria alternata and the effect of its metabolites on L. japonica from 2015- 2016 in Birjand plain area in eastern Iran. A. alternata isolates were inoculated on L. japonica detached leaves in laboratory conditions, on plants by spore suspension in the greenhouse and on young branches by fungal mycelia. The effect of A. alternata metabolites was examined by injection of extracted metabolites from a 10-day culture of the fungus in a Czapek broth media into the leaves of the plant. Inoculated detached leaves, after 3 to 7 days of inoculation, exhibited different ranges of chlorosis and necrosis, with or without a yellow halo around some of this spot. Leaves of inoculated plants in the greenhouse showed chlorosis, necrosis and leaf spots with (Mo8) or without (H44) a yellow halo. Inoculated stems demonstrated rotting and death in the inoculation site and wilting of stems. Metabolites of some isolates particularly isolate with a yellow halo (Mo8) in inoculated detached leaves, caused necrotic leaf tissues five days after injection. The results showed that A. alternata could be a cause of leaf spot, chlorosis, and necrosis, and the metabolites of some isolates can cause the death of leaf cells of L. japonica. This is the first report of the A. alternata pathogenicity on this plant in the eastern part of Iran.

Five genotypes of mungbean under three salinity levels (0, 75 and 150 mM) were tested to investigate the germination traits of this crop under salt stress. BARI Mung-5 showed the lowest (GP) reduction (18.18% to control) while the highest reduction of GP (34.78%) was recorded in BARI Mung-2 at high level of salt stress (150 mM NaCl).At high salt stress the GR reduced more (34.77%) in BARI Mung-2 while the reduction was only 18.17% in BARI Mung-5. The coefficient of velocity of germination (CVG) of BARI Mung-2 diminished more but comparatively less inhibition was recorded in BARI Mung-5 under both salt stresses. The highest and the lowest mean germination time (MGT) were observed in BARI Mung-2 and BARI Mung-5, respectively. At 150 mM NaCl conditions, the lowest reduction in shoot length was recorded (40.81%) in BARI Mung-5 and dry weight, shoot length, root length, shoot fresh and dry weight, vigor index and salt tolerance index significantly reduced in all varieties under saline condition. Based on above all these parameters we can arranged all the varieties in such way in salt tolerance BARI Mung-5 > BARI Mung-6 > BARI Mung-4 > BARI Mung-3 > BARI Mung-2. From germination test, it can be declared that BARI Mung-5 and BARI Mung-2 are the most salt tolerant and most susceptible varieties at early growth stages, respectively among all the studied varieties.

To exploit the maximum benefits of an agronomical technique, it is imperative to ascertain with some degree of certainty how varieties of plant will respond to its application. Consequently, the influence of Rhizobium inoculation on the yield of two varieties of P.vulgaris (white and brown) in post-solarized soil were investigated by subjecting soil to these treatments: unsolarized uninoculated (control), unsolarized inoculated, solarized uninoculated and solarized inoculated with Rhizobium. Thereafter planting of viable seeds of P. vulgaris commenced 2 weeks after treatments and observed for a period of 4 months to determine the effect of treatments on germination, plant heights, root lengths, fresh weights, nodule and pod numbers as well as pod lengths in both varieties. Solarization temperature ranged between 29.0 and 53.0 0C. Treatments had no significant effects on plant germination in the two varieties. However, Fresh weights, nodule and pod numbers differ significantly with treatment: solarized inoculated unsolarized inoculated unsolarized uninoculated solarized uninoculated in both varieties (P 0.05). The longest pod lengths (11.5 and 11.0 cm) and plant heights (142.5 and 141.7cm) were recorded in solarized inoculated, while the shortest pod lengths (8.0 and 7.5 cm) and heights (124.0 and 123.3 cm) in solarized uninoculated soils for white and brown varieties respectively. Solarized uninoculated soils also recorded the shortest root lengths. While response of the two varieties of P. vulgaris to each of the treatments did not differ significantly (P 0.05), their yield were enhanced by Rhizobium inoculation in the post-solarized soil.

Bangladesh has a glorious historic record in growing superfine quality cotton. The performance of mungbean inter-cropped in upland cotton cultivars was evaluated in the field of Cotton Research, Training and Seed Multiplication Farm, Sadarpur, Dinajpur 2011-2012 to find out the ways of improvement of production and net economic return through intercropping of upland cotton with mungbean. The treatments were; T1– Cotton cv Rupali 1/Mungbean cv BARI Mung-6, T2 -Cotton cv DM 1/Mungbean cv BARI Mung-6, T3 -Cotton cv CB 12/Mungbean cv BARI Mung-6, T4– Cotton cv CB 10-Mungbean cv BARI Mung-6, T5 -Cotton cv Rupali 1 (Sole), T6 -DM 1 (Sole), T7 -CB 12 (Sole), T8 -CB 10 (Sole) and T9 -Sole mungbean. The seed cotton yields did not respond significantly among the treatments of cotton-mungbean intercropping systems and sole cotton as well. The highest grain yield of mungbean (702 kg ha-1) was obtained from the sole mungbean than the other treatments because of the highest mungbean plant density. Mungbean intercropping with cotton produced the highest seed cotton equivalent yield, gross margin and gross return for local varieties as well as hybrid lines. The lowest gross return, gross margin and Benefit cost ratio (BCR) were obtained from the treatment of sole mungbean. Mungbean based intercropping in cotton would be ideal for increasing productivity and profitable benefit returns per unit land area, which ultimately encourage farmers for sustainable cotton cultivation in Bangladesh.