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Showing 4 results for Sustainable Agriculture.
Evaluation of quantitative and qualitative characteristics of five greenhouse tomato cultivars in response to fertilizers containing seaweed extract and amino acids
J. Javanmardi, H. Sattar,
Volume 7, Issue 1 (5-2016)
Abstract

Extensive use of chemicals in crop production has attracted global public concerns in terms of their effects on human health. The issue has led to movement toward reducing chemicals and replacing with environmentally-friendly compounds during production processes of agricultural crops. An experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of fertilizers with biologic origin, including seaweed extract and amino acids and their combination, on five cultivars of greenhouse tomatoes (Sweet million, Golden cherry, M09, EDU and Guiza) in soil culture system under greenhouse conditions. The results showed that the use of fertilizers containing amino acid has generally more positive effects than seaweed extract on tomato plant yield. The impact of tomato cultivar on response to fertilizers showed that fruit length, diameter and weight of cherry tomatoes (Sweet million, Golden cherry, M09) were not affected as much as large tomatoes (EDU and Guiza) by fertilizers containing amino acids or seaweed extract. In most cases, fruit quality characteristics including percentage of titratable acidity, soluble solids content and vitamin C were greater when fertilizers containing amino acids were used.


Application of Ordered Logit model to determin factors affecting adoption of integrated pest management practices among greenhouse owners in Jiroft County
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Volume 8, Issue 3 (12-2017)
Abstract
Due to the importance of greenhouse products in Jiroft County, this research was carried out to study the factors affecting adoption of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) operations by greenhouse owners, using Ordered Logit model, in 2014. The studied population consisted of 1650 greenhouse owners and the sample size was determined as 160 farmers, based on Cochran formula. Sampling method was proportional stratified method and required data were collected using a questionnaire. Results showed that about 40% of greenhouse owners do not perform any of IPM operations in their greenhouse, which could eventually lead to environmental unsustainability and jeopardize the food security of the community. Based on the results, the variables including family labor, IPM knowledge level, environmental protection index, participating in extension classes, and type of ownership have had positive impact and greenhouse area and cucumber greenhouses have had negative impact on the adoption level of IPM operations. Therefore, it is suggested that training and extension classes in order to increase the level of IPM knowledge, long-term and low-interest payments for construction of greenhouses to increase greenhouse ownership, and providing inputs for sustainable agriculture in order to increase acceptance of IPM operations, with regard to the government support packages, should be executed.

Comparison of Some Growth and Morphological Traits and Nutrients Contents of Two Basil Accessions Influenced by Different Growth Media Under Hydroponic and Aquaponic Systems
S. Yonesi, Kh. Hemmati, P. Moradi, S. Khorasaninejad,
Volume 15, Issue 2 (4-2024)
Abstract
Abstract
The increase in the world’s population induces new challenges including environmental pollution and sufficient food supply for human. The use of sustainable agricultural solutions can reduce environmental degradation and restore natural ecosystems by overcoming these problems. Soilless cultivation systems have become very popular as one of the sustainable agricultural tools in the cultivation of high-use agricultural products. This research was conducted as a mixed analysis of variance in places based on a completely randomized design with three replications. The aim of this study was to compare the yield and yield components and the nutrients contents of the commonly used accessions of basil (green and purple) grown in ten growth media (perlite, cocopeat, sand, pumice in pure form and also in combination with each other with a volume ratio of 50:50) under aquaponic and hydroponic systems. The findings of showed that the studied basil accessions had greater growth in the aquaponic system than in the hydroponic system. In fact, the optimal harmony between the components of the aquaponic system, i.e. carp, bacteria and basil, led to sufficient and effective nutrition of plants and increased growth. Besides, vegetative traits, yield components and minerals of basil had the highest values ​​in the perlite + cocopeat growth medium, while the lowest growth was observed in the sand and pumice growth media. Therefore, the aquaponic system, with the selection of appropriate cultivation substrates, has high performance for basil and can be used as alternative soil cultivation system, especially in regions with water scarcity and arid lands.

Background and Objective: Basil is a fast-growing leafy vegetable with high nutritional value which is suitable crop for growing in aquaponics cultivation system. The aquaponics is made of three main components including plants, fishes and bacteria. In other words, an aquaponic cultivation system integrates from hydroponic and aquaculture (Ferrarezi, 2019). Current agriculture is associated with huge amount of chemical inputs, water and soil degradation. Hence, the use of eco-friendly methods can reduce the harmful effects of current agriculture. Nowadays, hydroponic (soilless culture) systems are increasingly used for growing high value medicinal herbs and vegetables (Zantana et al., 2022). Both hydroponic and aquaponic systems are appropriate and precious methods for growing basil in soilless cultivation, although, the aquaponics due to improving sustainable food production might be more preferred (Modarelli et al., 2023). Therefore, the objective of this study was to compare the yield and yield components and the mineral content of two commonly used accessions of basil (green and purple) grown in ten growth media under aquaponic and hydroponic systems.

Methods: This research was conducted as a mixed analysis of variance in places based on a completely randomized design with three replications in a research greenhouse in Zanjan city (36° 40' 0" N., 48° 28' 60 " E., 1640 m a.s.l), Iran. The experimental treatments consisted of two cultivation systems (aquaponic and hydroponic) as the locations, two basil accessions (green and purple), and 10 growth media including cocopeat, perlite, sand, pumice, cocopeat + perlite (50:50), cocopeat + pumice (50:50), cocopeat + sand (50:50), pumice + sand (50:50), pumice + perlite (50:50) and sand + perlite (50:50). After flowering, plant growth and morphological traits (shoot fresh and dry weights, leaf area, leaf number and plant height), and nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus contents were measured and analyzed.

Results: The results indicated that, the growth and morphological traits including shoot fresh and dry weights, leaf area, leaf number and plant height increased in the aquaponic system compared to the hydroponic cultivation system. Furthermore, mineral contents of basil leaf were improved in the aquaponically grown plants. In terms of growth medium, the combined cocopeat + perlite showed maximum positive influence on the growth traits and mineral contents of basil. In addition, the purple basil accession indicated best performances in the aquaponic system when compared with the hydroponic system.

Conclusions: Overall, it can be concluded that the aquaponic system is a reliable alternative method for soil cultures to obtain optimum yield and yield components of basil accessions in suitable substrates and also the maximum water and nutrient use efficiency in a sustainable way. Therefore, the aquaponic system as a suitable growth media might be recommended for basil cultivation particularly in the arid areas.

References:
1. Ferrarezi, R.S., Bailey, D.S., 2019. Basil performance evaluation in aquaponics. Horttechnology 29, 85–93.
2. Modarelli, G.C., Vanacore, L., Rouphael, Y., Langellotti, A.L., Masi, P., De Pascale, S., Cirillo, C., 2023. Hydroponic and aquaponic floating raft systems elicit differential growth and quality responses to consecutive cuts of basil crop. Plants 12, 1355. https:// doi.org/10.3390/Plants12061355.
3. Zantanta, N., Kambizi, L., Etsassala, N.G.E.R., Nchu, F., 2022. Comparing crop yield, secondary metabolite contents, and antifungal activity of extracts of Helichrysum odoratissimum cultivated in aquaponic, hydroponic, and field systems. Plants 11, 2696. https://doi.org/10.3390/ plants11202696.
 
The Temporal and Spatial Variations of Some Soil Properties in Wheat-Cultivated Farms of Khuzestan Province
A.r. Jafarnejhadi, F. Meskini-Vishkaee,
Volume 15, Issue 2 (4-2024)
Abstract
Abstract
By evaluating the temporal and spatial variations of soil properties, it is possible to identify the existing potential and limitations for the development of sustainable agriculture. This research was conducted with the aim of investigating the temporal and spatial variations of some soil properties in wheat-cultivated lands of Khuzestan province. Two sets of soil samples including 212 and 718 samples were collected from surface soil (0‒30 cm) in wheat farms of Khuzestan province (15 cities) on 2011 and 2021, respectively. The soil pH, calcium carbonate equivalent, salinity, organic carbon, and available phosphorus and potassium were measured in the samples. The results showed that the average calcium carbonate equivalent in the studied soils was 46.3% and the average pH of the soils was 7.4. The results showed that the wheat-cultivated lands with soil salinity restrictions increased from 42 to 59% in ten years past. Although, the highest average soil salinity (> 12 dS m-1) was revealed in the southern parts of Khuzestan province and in the cities of Shadgan (16.2 dS m-1) and Handijan (14.2 dS m-1), respectively, but the highest rate of temporal changes of soil salinity occurred in Gotvand (209% increase) and Behbahan (191% increase). Moreover, the average of the soil organic carbon content in the wheat fields of the province decreased by 0.1% after ten years (from 0.76 to 0.66 %), and the fields with restriction of the soil organic carbon (less than 1%) increased from 77% on 2011 to 90% on 2021. Temporal changes of soil available phosphorus and potassium in the wheat fields were not significant in 80 and 67% of the studied cities, respectively. The results showed that despite the different rates of temporal and spatial changes of various soil properties, in general, agricultural management of wheat-cultivated farms in the last decade has increased soil limitations with different intensities, which strongly affects production sustainability in agriculture of the province.

Background and Objective: By determining the temporal and spatial variations of soil properties, it is possible to identify the existing potential and limitations for sustainable agricultural development (Tumsavas et al., 2019). In addition to indicating soil ecosystem services and functions, soil properties also reflect soil response to different farm managements (Lehmann et al., 2020). Therefore, this research was conducted with the aim of investigating the temporal and spatial changes of some soil properties in wheat-cultivated lands of Khuzestan province.

Methods: Two sets of soil samples including 212 and 718 samples were collected from surface soil (0‒30 cm) in wheat farms of Khuzestan province (15 cities) on 2011 and 2021, respectively. Soil properties including pH, calcium carbonate, electrical conductivity of saturated extract (salinity), organic carbon, available phosphorous, and available potassium were measured. The SPSS v.19 statistical software and independent t test at the probability level of 5% were used to determine significant temporal variation of soil properties. Moreover, mapping and spatial variations of soil properties were determined by GIS v.10.3 software.

Results: The results showed that the mean of calcium carbonate content in the wheat-cultivated soils of Khuzestan province was 46.3% and the mean value of soil pH changed from 7.43 to 7.48 in 2011 and 2021, respectively. In 2011, about 42% of the wheat-cultivated lands faced soil salinity restrictions, but after ten years, this limitation reached to 59% of the wheat-cultivated lands in Khuzestan province (i.e., 23% increase). The results revealed that the means of soil salinity in the central part of Khuzestan province, including Ahvaz, Bavi and Shushtar, Ramshir and Mahshar were less than 4 dS m-1, while Shadegan, Hendijan and Ramhormoz (southern part of the province) had a mean value of soil salinity more than 12 dS m-1. The evaluation of temporal variations in soil salinity over a ten-years period showed that there was no significant variation in the 11 studied cities. While a significant increase in the mean soil salinity of wheat-cultivated farms was observed in four studied cities involving Omidie (89%), Ramhormoz (171%), Behbahan (191%) and Gotvand (209%). The mean soil organic carbon content decreased from 0.76 to 0.66 % and only 23 and 10 % of the studied soil samples in 2011 and 2021, respectively, had soil organic carbon content more than one percent. Within a period of ten years, four cities of Khuzestan province (in the northern and southern parts) including Shush (15%), Shushtar (32%), Handijan (21%) and Mahshahr (29%) showed a significant decrease in soil organic carbon content. The results showed that the temporal changes of soil available phosphorus and potassium were not significant in 80 and 67% of the studied cities, respectively. A significant decrease in soil available phosphorus was observed in Shushtar city (31%) and a significant decrease in soil available potassium was also highlighted in Shush (25%), Mahshahr (18%) and Hoizeh (15%) cities.

Conclusions: The results showed that the mean value of soil salinity in the two cities of Gotvand (with soil salinity less than 4 dS m-1, and 0.5 to 1% soil organic carbon) and Behbahan (with soil salinity level in the range of 4‒8 dS m-1, and organic carbon content of 0.5 to 1%) is in a caution condition. However, the trend of soil quality degradation in the wheat-cultivated fields of these two cities is very severe (209 and 191% increase in soil salinity of Gotvand and Behbahan, respectively). The results showed that despite the different rates of temporal and spatial changes of different soil properties, in general, agricultural management of wheat-cultivated farms in the last decade has increased soil limitations with different intensities, which strongly affects production sustainability in agriculture of the province.

References:
1. Lehmann, J., Bossio, D.A., Knabner, I.K., Rillig, M.C., 2020. The concept and future prospects of soil health. Nat. Rev. Earth Environ. 1, 544–553. doi: 10.1038/s43017-020-0080-8.
2. Tumsavas, Z., Tekin, Y., Ulusoy, Y., Mouazen, A.M., 2019. Prediction and mapping of soil clay and sand contents using visible and near-infrared spectroscopy. Biosys. Eng. 177, 90–100. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2018.06.008.
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