Asian Journal of Agricultural and Horticultural Research

Pot ornamental plant productivity is related to the environmental growth facilities but negatively affected by the pot root restriction syndrome. Most ferns showed a lower relative growth rate and long production cycles (24 months or more) for which growers use small pots to increase yield per unit area of greenhouse. The aim of this work was to analyze growth changes in response to different pot volume in plants of A. nidus avis spore-propagated under the hypothesis that it would play a role as an abiotic stress which decrease commercial productivity. Our results showed that the use of big pots increased fresh and dry weight and frond area (the main aesthetic trait). When growth parameters were performed, a higher the frond appearance rate (RLA), the frond area expansion (RLAE) and the frond thickness (SLA) were found in 1500 cm³ pot as well as the relative growth rate (RGR) and the net assimilation rate. The use of biggest pot for fern cropping stimulated biomass accumulation through a higher capacity to initiate and expand fronds, to increase photosynthetic rates and change photo assimilate partitioning which favor shoots. From the grower´s point of view, our results suggested that higher yields of A. nidus avis fern would be reached decreasing root restriction, that is, to use the biggest pot volume from the early transplant from plug trays.

Aims: Turmeric occupies a prominent position among the commercially grown spices in Sri Lanka. However, due to various constraints the performance of turmeric production is not to the expected level. The present study attempts to determine the economics of turmeric cultivation and the problems perceived by the growers related to production and marketing of turmeric.

Study Design:  Multistage sampling design.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in the major turmeric growing administrative districts in Sri Lanka namely Kurunegala, Kegalle, and Kandy during the year 2016-2017.

Methodology: Both primary data, mainly from a field survey, and secondary data were utilized in the study. Descriptive statistical methods, seasonal price index, coefficient of variation of price, financial and constraint analysis techniques were used in data analysis.

Results: The average Benefit Cost Ratio of 2.08 and higher net returns indicate that turmeric production was found to be a profitable venture in the study area. The results indicated the existence of higher price variations of turmeric in the study area between the harvest and the lean periods. Moreover, seasonality of turmeric production was identified as a main cause of variation in price of fresh turmeric. The results of the constraint analysis revealed that lack of knowledge on proper agricultural practices, non-availability of labor, price volatility and shortage of quality planting materials were the top four constraints perceived by the farmers.

Conclusion: The results of this investigation show that the turmeric production is profitable in the study area, and suggest to offer frequent training and awareness campaigns for all the turmeric growers to facilitate the use of improved cultivation practices.

An experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory of the Department of Agronomy, Bangladesh Agricultural University, and Mymensingh to study the effect of phosphorus and boron on the growth and yield of var. BARI Jharsheem-3 along with French bean during November 2017 to March 2018. The experiment was comprised of two factors involving number of levels viz. phosphorus had four levels  15, 20, 25 and 35 kg ha^-1 and four levels of boron viz. 0, 0.5, 1.0 and  1.5 kg  ha^-1. Triple super phosphate and Borax were used as source of phosphorus and boron, respectively. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The results exhibited that yield and its contributing characters were significantly influenced by the phosphorus and boron applications. The experimental findings revealed that highest  number of pods per  plant (4.95), pod length (13.06 cm), number of seeds per pod (4.34), and 1000-seed weight (427.99 g), seed yield (1.40 t ha^-1), stover yield (1.76 t ha^-1), biological yield (3.16 t ha^-1) and harvest index (46%) were recorded under phosphorus level at 25 kg ha^-1. The experimental findings also revealed that the highest number of pods per plant (4.91), pod length (14.45 cm), number of seeds  per pod (4.36), and 1000-seed weight (427.22 g), seed yield (1.39 t ha^-1), stover yield (1.68 t ha^-1), biological yield (3.07 t ha^-1) and harvest index (45.27 %) were recorded  under boron level at 1.5 kg ha^-1. In case of  interaction of phosphorus and boron, the highest number of pods  per plant (5.18),  pod length (14.35 cm), number of seeds pod^-1 (4.84), and 1000-seed weight (427.19 g), seed yield (1.86 t ha^-1), stover yield (2.05 t ha^-1), biological yield (3.91 t ha^-1) and harvest index (47.57 %) were recorded under P level at 25 kg  ha^-1  and B level at1.5 kg ha^-1. So it may be concluded that 25 kg P ha^-1 and 1.5 kg B ha^-1 could be applied to obtain higher yield of bean.

Aim: To study the application of percent of normal precipitation method for meteorological drought intensity assessment and its impact on agricultural production.

Place and Duration: The study was conducted in Yola South Local Government Area (LGA), of Adamawa Sate Nigeria during the year 2020.

Methodology: Drought intensity was assessed using Percent of Normal Precipitation method (PNP) using forty (40) years of rainfall data (1987-2017) obtained from Upper Benue Development Authority, Yola (UBRBDA). In addition, data on the negative impact of drought intensity on agricultural production were obtained from the well defined and structured questionnaires administered randomly to the fifty (50) selected farmers in the area where simple descriptive statistic was used in the analysis of the sourced data.

Results: It revealed that out of the forty years under study, the extremely wet condition was reoccurred in six years (15%), very wet season (5%), while moderately wet conditions had experienced in 14 years (35%) and normal condition was identified in 16 years (40%) respectively.  Under dry conditions it was found that only moderately dry condition had ever occurred in 2 years (5%) only. For the drought impact on agricultural production most farmers (55 %) perceived that drought does not happen every year in the area. However, it occurs with seasonal variability mostly in the months July-August which last for 1-2 weeks as agreed by (55%) of the farmers. Majority of the farmers (60 %) in the area revealed that the level of the drought impact on agricultural production was high affecting crop yield (18%), drying of dams, reservoirs and lakes and outbreak of crops’ pest and diseases (12 %). In contrast other effects include soil degradation, loss of profit and capital, loss of employment opportunities, dead of livestock and starvation and drop in the water table and drying of soils with (6%) each of the respondents respectively. Similarly,  the use of early matured crops (30%), Early planting (18%), Delay planting (16 %) and water harvesting ( 12 %) were adopted as mitigation strategies towards curtailing the negative impact of drought impact on their agricultural production in the area.

Conclusion: The application of PNP method towards the assessment of drought intensity revealed important information of drought intensity which can serve as a valuable knowledge towards effective drought monitoring and proper agronomic mitigation strategies on its negative impact on agriculture in the area for optimum and profitable production. The application of another drought index is imperatively recommended for comparision and validation towards finding reliable information on drought in the area.

Cauliflower is an important winter crop in Nepalese farming community and consumed all over the world. The yield and vitamin C content of cauliflower depends on many factors such as its genotype, cultural practices, environment in which it is growing on and storage after harvesting etc. But among them, the availability, dose and types of fertilizers used play an important role in yield and the amount of vitamin C content in cauliflower. The vitamin C is one of the major Phyto chemicals we obtained from cauliflower and it plays an important role in our physical health. The disease like scurvy is caused due to the lack of ascorbic acid known as vitamin C. It has been proved that consumption of fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C helps in prevention of cancer and heart disease because it act as a source of antioxidant. The number of studies conducted in the past revealed that the fertilizers having higher amount of nitrogen leads to the formation of less vitamin C on the cauliflower and vice versa.