Buddhi Marambe

Phenolic Acids as Potential Seed Germination-Inhibitors in Animal-Waste Composts

Abstract A laboratory experiment was conducted to investigate the presence of phenolic acids in some animal-waste composts as well as their biological activity on the germination of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor Moench) seeds. Nine samples of composts, three in each group of cattle-, chicken-, and hog-waste composts, were extracted with deionized water at the rates of 10, 40, and 80 g L-1. The seeds were imbibed in deionized water or respective compost extracts for 4 h. The content of water soluble phenolic acids in the compost extracts showed a negative correlation with the water uptake (r=- 0.88**), α-amylase activity (r=-0.82**), and subsequent germination % (r=- 0.81**) of sorghum seeds. The germination-inhibitory effects of the composts were observed in the acidic fraction of the compost extracts which contained the phenolic acids. The commercial phenolic acid preparations reduced the germination of sorghum seeds at a higher concentration (> 50 mg L-1) than the total phenolic acid content estimated in the...

Alpha-Amylase and Protease Activities and Water Relations in Germinating Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor Moench) Seeds as Affected by Animal-Waste Composts

Abstract Effect of animal-waste composts on α-amylase and protease activities of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor Moench) seeds was investigated under laboratory conditions using several cattle, chicken and hog-waste composts. The sorghum seeds were imbibed in 1, 4, and 8% (w/v) water extracts of the composts for 4 h. Alpha-amylase activity of the non-imbibed seeds increased by 46% during the 4-h imbibition in water. The increase of the amylase activity of the seeds imbibed in the majority of the germination-inhibitor composts, however, remained at a level between 50 and 66% of the increase observed in the water control. The amylase activity of the imbibed seeds showed a linear correlation with amount of water absorbed by the seeds (r = 0.82**) and also with the rate of subsequent seed germination (r = 0.85**). The protease activity was not affected by the addition of animal-waste composts. Starch degradation and the sugar and amino acid contents of the compost-imbibed seeds were in good agreement with the respec...

Biodiversity and Agrobiodiversity in Sri Lanka: Village Tank Systems

The main feature of the ancient irrigation systems of Sri Lanka were intricate networks of small to gigantic reservoirs (wewa or tanks) connected through a series of feeder canals that brought water for year-long rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivation in the dry zone. Irrigation systems with large number of interconnected reservoirs have evolved since the third century bc. These ancient irrigation systems still function as a crucial element in supplying water for agriculture in the dry zone of Sri Lanka, and they constitute one of the richest sources of wetland biodiversity in the country. An intriguing feature of the tank systems is their sheer density: About 30,000 tanks have been built in a land area of about 40,000 km2 of the dry zone (Mendis 2003). The density and the long-term existence (more than 1,000 years in many cases) make these tanks an important component in the environment and ecosystems of the region.

The Interspecific and Inter-parametric Differences of Forage Crops in Response to Seed Treatment with Aqueous Extracts of Animal-waste Composts

家畜排泄物コンポストの作物生育阻害効果の検定方法について検討した。7種の飼料作物(トウモロコシ、ソルガム、イタリアンライグラス、シコクビエ、アカクローバー、アルファルファ、ダイズ)とコマツナの種子発芽と初期生育に及ぼす14種の家畜排泄物コンポストの阻害効果を室内実験で比較した。阻害効果の指標として、処理後72時間の発芽率、草丈、根長、新鮮重、乾物重を測定した。コンポストの阻害効果は検定値物や指標間で異なり、単一の植物種の特定の測定指標でコンポストの阻害効果を判定することは困難であった。これらの結果は、コンポスト中の毒性成分とその作用が植物種間で異なりうることを示しており、阻害物質の同定とそれらの阻害作用機構を明らかにすることが必要である。

Agriculture and Rural Development Under Central Government and Provincial Council Setup in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka gained independence in 1948 after being colonized for 443 years. The country is currently governed by the 1978 Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, having a nationally elected Executive President. The economy of the country grew after independence at an annual average of 4.5%, and has gradually changed from an agriculture-based economy to an industrial-based economy over the decades. Small farm size and tenure issues, restricted growth of farm incomes, low productivity of small-scale farms, climatic changes such as irregular rainfall and recurrent drought, negligence in maintaining irrigation infrastructure, policy reforms, etc., are some of the responsible factors for such shifts in the economy. The country relies on import-sourced food supply at the cost of domestic agriculture ignoring the effective use of resources such as the vast area of sea and land for agriculture. The contribution of the agriculture sector to the gross domestic product (GDP) has declined over the years from 41% in 1950 to 7.9% in 2015. The reforms undertaken during 1980s including the 13th amendment to the constitution have resulted in critical shifts in the agriculture sector of Sri Lanka. The Provincial Councils Act No. 42 of 1987 made constitutional and legal provisions for the establishment of the Provincial Councils (PCs) within Sri Lanka’s unitary constitution resulting in a major transfer of responsibilities in the form of devolution from the central Government to provincial level, with agricultural extension being made a fully devolved subject. This chapter discusses the evolution of agriculture since pre-independence era and the impact of decentralized administration in Sri Lanka on the agricultural development.

Home gardens in the Paschim Medinipur District of West Bengal in India: a land use system with multiple benefits

‘Home garden’ (HG) is a complex sustainable land use system combining annual and perennial crops, trees, shrubs, livestock and fishery. The flow of goods and services provides not only food and nutrition security and employment, but also other co-benefits. Though HGs have attracted international attention since 1950s, it has not been widely researched especially in the context of rural India. This paper presents the results based on a field study carried out in 100 HGs in Paschim Medinipur District in the West Bengal, located in eastern part of India. A structured questionnaire was used to identify different aspects related to HG characteristics, their role in household consumption, problem areas and the different socio-economic characteristics of the HG owners. The results suggest that home gardeners with a higher level of education and who are using modern inputs are able to derive more benefits from the HGs.