Showing papers by "Dost Muhammad published in 2013"

Response of maize to different phosphorus levels under calcareous soil conditions.

Abstract: A field experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of different levels of phosphorus on the yield and P uptake by maize [Zeamayscv Jalal) on calcareous soil (19% lime on w/w basis) of Peshawar soil series [Piedmont alluvium, silty clay loam, Ustochrept] The P treatments included 0 (control), 45, 90, 135 and 180 kg as P2O5 ha -1 were arranged in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications The results showed that maize plant height, number of cobs plot -1 , grain and biomass yields increased with increasing levels of phosphorus The increase in grain yield of maize over control was 178, 264, 506 and 471 % and biomass by 2108, 3706, 3719, and 4213 % with application 45, 90, 135 and 180 kg P2O5 ha -1 , respectively The increase in yield and yield parameters above 135 kg ha -1 P application was non-significant, rather grain yield decreased when supplied with 180 kg P2O5 ha -1 Tissue P concentration significantly increased with increasing levels of P but with variable pattern at all the given stages of the crop growth During the initial growth viz vegetative stage, the differences between control and P applied plots as well as among different P levels were more wider than latter stages that could be associated to the dilution effect or translocation of P from leaves to grains Soil solution and AB-DTPA extractable P concentration determined at different stages of crop also tended to increase with increases in applied P levels The VCR values revealed that P applied at the rate of 135 kg P2O5 ha -1 was economical with VCR of 341:1 Based on higher crop growth and yield and P concentration in tissue and soil, it was concluded that application of 135 kg P2O5 ha -1 could be the appropriate dose of P for maize under the prevailing highly calcareous soil conditions

Mechanism(s) of humic acid induced beneficial effects in salt-affected soils

Abstract: There is enough evidence that humic acid (HA) helps to enhance crops yield by promoting certain physical, chemical and biological activities in soil-plant system. Indigenously produced coal derived, HA was added to saline-sodic silty clay soil to determine its effects on activities of alkaline phosphatase, urease, microbial activities, cation exchange capacity and moisture retention of soil. Results indicated that HA treatments significantly (p<0.05) increased alkaline phosphatase activities. Urease activities increased by 2.84, 5.71 and 20.73% with application of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mg HA kg-1 respectively, in normal soil and by 16.7 and 33.6% with addition of 1.5 and 3.0 mg kg-1 in salt affected soils as compared with control (HA0). Microbial activities, measured in terms of CO2 evolved, increased by 15.7, 36.7 and 78.8% at no NPK, 14.8, 37.1 and 66.8% at half NPK, and 15.4, 40.9 and 51.2 at full NPK with addition of 0.3, 0.6, and 1.0 mg HA kg-1soil, respectively as compared to control soil (HA0, NPK0). Cation exchange capacity (CEC) enhanced by 12.3 and 20.7% over the control with additions of 1.5 and 3.0 mg kg-1 HA to saline-sodic soil. Moisture retention of soil increased significantly (p < 0.05) with 1.0 mg HA kg-1 at 1.5 MPa. It is concluded that physico-chemical and biological properties of soil are promoted by HA, which explains for the reported increases in crop yield. Key words: Humic acid, alkaline phosphatase, urease, cation exchange capacity, microbial activities, water retention of soil.

Micronutrients Losses from Soil under Subsurface Drainage System

Abstract: The drainage system, although it reclaims waterlogged soils, poses a potential threat to leaching of valuable nutrients. To assess the micronutrient losses from such system established more than two decades ago in the plains of northwestern Pakistan, drainage waters were periodically analyzed for selected micronutrients. The inputs of micronutrients in irrigation waters were also determined. The micronutrient removal in drainage water was 1.39 to 9.79 times greater than micronutrient inputs in irrigation waters and fertilizers. Among micronutrients, the removal of copper (Cu) and manganese (Mn) in drainage water was greater than iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn). The concentrations of micronutrients generally changed with cropping (sampling time), increased with soil depth, and were invariably negative on the nutrient balance sheet, suggesting that these nutrients are continuously depleted from the system in drainage water. These nutrients therefore must be replenished in soil through an appropriate means for optim...

Response of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to Phosphorus Application in Different Soils Series Having Diverse Lime Content

Abstract: A field experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of various levels of phosphorus on wheat (Triticum aestivum L., cv. Pirsabaq-2004) in Peshawar and Guliana soil series having different lime contents. The site in Peshawar was silty clay loam with 19 % lime situated at New Developmental Agricultural Research Farm (NDF) of the University of Agriculture, Peshawar-Pakistan, while Guliana soil (a farmer’s field located at Gulabad, Charsadda district ) was also silty clay loam having 4 % lime. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) at both sites and was supplied with 0, 45, 90, 135 and 180 kg P2O5 ha -1 applied as triple super phosphate (TSP) along with basal doses of nitrogen (N) as urea and potassium (K) as sulphate of potash (SOP) at the rate of 120 and 60 kg ha -1 , respectively. The results showed that plant height, spike length and biomass significantly (p < 0.05) increased with increasing level of P up to 90 kg P2O5 ha -1 in Peshawar soil series, whereas in Guliana soil, though these parameters were significantly higher than control but the differences among treatments were non-significant. Similarly, the grain yield in Peshawar soil series increased by 29.6, 68.8 and 76.5 % over control with application of 45, 90, 135 kg P2O5 ha 1 while in Guliana, significant increase was observed only up to 90 kg P2O5 ha -1 with value of 54.8% over control. Comparing the two sites, it was noted that wheat yield was significantly higher in Guliana than Peshawar soil series. The results of P concentration ([P]) in tissue at boot stage showed that crops at Guliana accumulated lower P compared to anthesis stage and the over all [P] was higher in Guliana soil series compared to Peshawar soil. The water soluble and AB-DTPA extractable P was higher at boot stage of the crop in Guliana soil series but at anthesis and post-harvest stage, the reverse trend was observed. These results suggested that the requirement of P in high limed Peshawar soil series was comparatively more (90-135 P2O5 ha -1 ) than 45 to 90 kg P2O5 ha -1 in low limed Guliana soil series.