Ahmet Demirbas

Effect of Different Nitrogen Doses on Dry Matter Ratio, Chlorophyll and Macro/Micro Nutrient Content in Sweet Herb (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni)

ABSTRACT With this study, the effect of different nitrogen (N) doses applied to sweet herb (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 N kg ha−1) on the macro/micro nutrient element content, dry matter ratio and on the chlorophyll amount in the plant leaves is examined. The research was carried out in the research and trial field of Faculty of Agriculture Agronomy department, Akdeniz University, during the 2012–2013 growing season under field conditions for 2 years with four replications according to the randomized block trial design. Chlorophyll amounts were determined and the average was obtained with three readings from each leaf by a chlorophyll meter when the plants were in the beginning of flowering. Post-harvest macro and micro nutrient elements of the sweet herb were also investigated. According to the obtained data, while the highest chlorophyll and N amounts in the leaf for both the first and second years were determined as 46.97 SPAD (Minolta Corp, NJ, USA) and 1.34 N% 44.9 SPAD, 1.42 N%, respectively, under 200 kg ha−1 N application, the lowest chlorophyll and N amounts were determined in the control group. In addition, N application in different doses for both years increased the phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) contents and increased the microelement contents, especially in the second year. At the same time, a correlation between the chlorophyll content in the plant leaves and the N amount was determined and a linear increase was observed in the chlorophyll amount with the increased green part.

Yield and Nutrient Uptake Improvement of Chickpea (Cicer Arietinum L.) by Dressing Fertilization and Nitrogen Doses

Abstract The present investigation aimed to understand the effects of dressing fertilizers and different nitrogen (N) doses on yield and nutrient uptake of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) plant. The study has been carried out with three repetitions under the greenhouse conditions. Nitrogen doses were; 0 kg N ha-1, 30 kg N ha-1, 60 kg N ha-1, 90 kg N ha-1 and 120 kg N ha-1 (in CaNO3.4H2O form) and dressing fertilizers were applied as 40 kg N ha-1. The results indicated that the dressing fertilizer application significantly increased average shoot dry weight with 8.18 g poƒ-1. Also, N (2.88 % N), P (0.40 % P), K (3.90 % K) and Fe (114.2 mg kg-1) concentrations increased with dressing fertilizer application of chickpea plant as compared to without dressing fertilizer application. However, dressing fertilizer application did not affect Mg, Zn, Mn and Cu concentrations of chickpea plant. Generally, in this study dressing fertilizer application increased yield and some macro and microelements concentrations of chickpea plant.

Assessment of Micro and Macro Nutrients Contents in the Turkish Faba Bean Germplasm

Abstract Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) is one of the most important legume crop and cultivated nearly all parts of the world. Present study was aimed to investigate the variation in the micro and macronutrients concentration in the Turkish faba bean germplasm. A total of 200 landraces and 3 commercial cultivars were collected from the different geographical regions of Turkey. Study was conducted at the research and experimental area of Department of Crop and Animal Production, Vocational School of Sivas, University of Cumhuriyet, Sivas, Turkey in 2016. Result of this study reflected higher level of diversity for studies nutrients; (N) (5.21-8.15 %), phosphorus (P) (0.1-0.98 %), potassium (K) (0.94-5.6 %), magnesium (mg) (0.32-0.42), calcium (Ca) (0.50-1.50), copper (Cu) (8.13-34.23 mg kg-1), zinc (Zn) (28.42-64.33 mg kg-1), iron (Fe) (44.86-128.53 mg kg-1), and manganese (Mn) (16.56-35.76 mg kg-1). Average concentrations of micro and macronutrients were found higher in the landraces as compared to the commercial cultivars. Principal component analysis grouped the studied germplasm into two groups on the basis of their Zn concentrations. Results from this study expressed the presence of high range of diversity in the Turkish faba bean germplasm for micro and macronutrient elements. Findings of this study will serves as starting point for the development of improved faba bean varieties through conventional and modern breeding technologies and these variations will be helpful for the identification of linked markers through the genome wide association studies and identifying diverse parents for quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping.

Evaluation of Alfalfa Plants Growth Irrigated with Arsenic Contaminated Water

In Mexico, the society in general lacks the habit and ethics of properly disposing garbage or in taking care of the environment. This paper focuses on analyzing and disposing garbage in an automated way. The present study also seeks to create and promote care for the planet. The minicomputer (GreenScanProcess) is an automated system whose process is based on an algorithm that stands out for its functionality. GreenScanProcess has sensors that allow the analysis and scanning of garbage. It also measures the weight and humidity of the garbage. The minicomputer also examines the garbage to know its composition. Likewise, GreenScanProcess takes the garbage to the container according to the garbage. The benefits obtained when conducting the research were: environmental, economic, technological, and educational.

Effects of three biochar types on activity of β-glucosidase enzyme in two agricultural soils of different textures

ABSTRACT Biochar has attracted significant attention due to the long-lasting nature, and prominent influence on soil characteristics. This study was conducted to evaluate changes in the activity of β-glucosidase enzyme (BG) in loamy and sandy loam texture soils following two winter wheat growing seasons. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with three replicates and four treatments. The treatments were two soils, three biochars (rice husk, corn cob and bean harvest residue), five biochar rates (BR) and five levels of mineral fertilizers (FR) or dairy effluent (DE). The fertilizers were applied at the beginning of each season, while biochars were applied only at the beginning of experiment. Soil samples were collected following the second season and analyzed for the BG activity. Addition of biochars reduced the BG activity and the decline was higher in sandy loam compared to loamy soils. Negative effect of biochar to BG activity was greater at the highest BR (3.0%) than the lower BR. Fertilizer additions along with DE biochar had significant effect on BG activity that increased with higher FR. Given the importance of BG activity in soil organic matter decomposition, biochar application can be considered a sustainable way of increase in carbon sequestration.

Sour Orange (Citrus Aurantium L.) Growth is Strongly Mycorrhizal Dependent in Terms of Phosphorus (P) Nutrition Rather than Zinc (Zn)

ABSTRACT The partial sterilization of soil eliminates useful microorganisms, resulting in the reduced growth of mycorrhizae-dependent citrus plants, which are often unresponsive to the application of fertilizer. Research was conducted to test the hypothesis that indigenous mycorrhizae (IM) inoculation is as efficient as selected mycorrhizal inoculation under sterile and non-sterile soil conditions. Rhizophagus clarus and indigenous mycorrhiza spores, isolated from citrus orchards, were used as arbuscular mycorrhizae fungi under greenhouse conditions with sterile and non-sterile Çanakçi series (Typic xerofluvent) soils with low phosphorus (P) fertility. Different P (0 and 100 mg kg−1) and zinc (Zn) (0, 5 and 10 mg kg−1) concentrations were used at the start of the experiments. The shoot, root dry weight (RDW), root colonization, and P, Zn, iron (Fe), copper (Cu) and manganese (Mn) concentrations of the shoot were determined; mycorrhizae dependency (MD) was also calculated. The results indicate that R. clarus and indigenous mycorrhiza in sterile and non-sterile soil conditions considerably increased the growth of citrus plants. Owing to existing beneficial indigenous rhizosphere microorganisms, citrus plant growth without inoculation was better in non-sterile soils than in the sterile soils. In non-sterilized soil, the plant growth parameters of R. clarus-inoculated soils were higher than those of indigenous mycorrhiza-inoculated soils. Mycorrhizae infection increased certain citrus plant growth parameters, such as root infection, biomass and nutrient uptake (P, Zn, Fe, Mn and Cu). In sterile soil, the addition of up to 5 mg kg−1 soil Zn and the inoculation of R. clarus significantly increased plant growth; inoculation with indigenous mycorrhiza produced more dry weight upon the addition of up to 100 mg kg−1 phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5). Under sterile soil conditions, without considering fertilizer addition, MD was found to be higher than that of non-sterile soils. In general, the contribution of the indigenous soil spores is significant. However, indigenous soil mycorrhizae may need to be managed for better efficiency in increasing plant growth and nutrient uptake. The major finding was that the inoculation of citrus seedlings with mycorrhiza is necessary under both sterilized and non-sterilized soil conditions.

Reconstructing the Past by Regenerating Biodiversity: A Treatise on Weed Contribution to Soil Quality at a Post-cultivation Succession

Plant communities associated with the agricultural landscape are gradually getting impoverished and even eradicated and replaced by poor species in many places of the world. A large number of studies are now available about the interactions between root and the soil system. However, influence of plants on aggregate stability remains to be a complex issue. The aim of this work was to determine the changes in the soil quality indicators that have developed at the rhizospheres under the selected weeds in the abandoned land. The results confirmed significant changes on bio-diversity of weed communities in a succession of over a decade. There were only 14 weed species in the abandoned field in the spring of 1998. The survey in the spring of 2008 confirmed the presence of 34 species. A decadal abandonment of the prime soil of the Mediterranean environment proved to increase the amount of the water stable aggregates and the mycorrhizal activity along with the accumulation of the organic and available nitrogen.