The gross alpha (α) and beta (β) activities and trace heavy elemental concentrations have been determined in Single Super Phosphate (SSP) and Nitrogen Phosphorous Potassium (NPK) fertilizers samples used for agricultural purposes in Nigeria. Cultivated farm soil samples from two regions (north and south) in the country and samples of phosphate rocks were also analyzed for gross α and β radioact...

Gladiolus (Gladiolus grandiflorus L.), a popular and economically profitable bulbous cut flower, has high demand in both Pakistan domestic and international markets on account of its attractive spikes, florets of huge forms, dazzling colors, varying sizes, and long vase life. However, its quality production is badly affected by non-uniform sprouting, poor crop stand, and old cultivars. To overc...

The effect of inorganic fertilizer (NPK) on earthworm population was studied for two years (20022004) under different plantations at Sakawrtuichhun (SKT) and Pachhunga University College (PUC) agroforestry sites in Mizoram, north-eastern state of India. Five species of earthworms, viz. Drawida sp., Metaphire houletti (Perrier), Perionyx excavatus (Perrier), Perionyx macintoshi (Stephenson) and ...

Two field experiments were conducted at Sakha Research Station, Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate, Egypt during 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 seasons, to study the effect of mineral and bio-fertilizers as well as their combinations on morphology, anatomy, yield and quality of sugar beet. Bio-fertilizers were phosphorine, cerealine and yeast; however, mineral fertilizers were 50, 75 and 100% from recommended...

The influence of inorganic fertilizer media at different concentrations on the growth and biochemical composition of Haematococcus pluvialis microalgae was evaluated. Microalgae were placed in a bath culture with inorganic fertilizer (NPK) medium and WC medium during 28 days, Growth and biological aspects of microalgae between the media were compared. Mineral concentrations affected the physiol...

To evaluate the long-term effect of compost (CM) and inorganic fertilizer (NPK) application on microbial community structure and organic carbon (OC) accumulation at aggregate scale, soils from plots amended with CM, NPK and no fertilizer (control) for 20 years (1989-2009) were collected. Soil was separated into large macroaggregate (>2,000 μm), small macroaggregate (250-2,000 μm), microaggregat...

As a result of anthropogenic disturbances and natural stressors, seagrass beds are often patchy and heterogeneous. The effects of high loads of nutrients and organic matter in patch development and expansion in heterogeneous seagrass beds have, however, poorly been studied. We experimentally assessed the in situ effects of sediment quality on seagrass (Zostera noltii) patch dynamics by studying...

The study was carried out for two consecutive years (2005-06 to 2006-07) to evaluate the wheat response to five different levels (0, 4, 8, 12 and 16 kg ha) of manganese (Mn) alongwith 150-100-60 kg NPK ha application. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three repeats under irrigated conditions at Agriculture Research Farm Karor, District Layyah. NPK was a...

Understanding the role of soil organic matter (SOM) in soil quality and subsequent crop yield and input requirements is useful for agricultural sustainability. SOM is widely considered to affect a wide range of soil properties, however, great uncertainty still remains in identifying the relationships between SOM and crop yield due to the difficulty in separating the effect of SOM from other yie...

A trial was conducted in a 7-year old citrus orchard of the National Horticultural Research Institute, Nigeria, to investigate the effect of different levels of organo-mineral fertilizers as it affect the economic returns of sweet orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck var. Agege 1). The treatments consisted of: (1). 10 tha Poultry 1 manure (PM), (2). 15 t ha PM, (3) 20 t ha-1 PM, (4). 0.45 t ha NPK...