Agricultural Science

The Effect of the Combination Polymers – Grape Marc in the Development of Tomato Growing in Soilless

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0800

This study examined the impact of two fertilizers (FI (CRFA) and F2 (Arizona University) and three substrates (S1(100% coconut fiber), S2 (50% coconut fiber, 50% grape marc, and 7g of polymers), and S3 (50% coconut fiber, 50% grape marc, and 13g of polymers)) on tomato growth in a soilless system. Results showed that Fertilizer F2 was the most effective overall. Substrate S3 excelled in node count and flower bud spacing, likely due to improved moisture retention and nutrient availability. Substrate S1 supported optimal stem length and node spacing. Substrate S2 yielded the highest tomato production. These findings suggest that optimizing fertilization and substrate composition can significantly improve tomato yield and quality in soilless systems. This has implications for sustainable agriculture by reducing reliance on soil-based cultivation and potentially increasing crop productivity. Further research in this area could lead to more efficient and environmentally friendly farming practices.

Effect of Different Nutrient Solutions and Multiple Bio-Stimulant Dosages on Yield and Growth of Capsicum Annuum in Soilless System

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0800

This study evaluates the impact of two nutrient solutions (F1 and F2) and varying dosages of the plant bio-stimulant Atomes F.D.Inc. Bio Sciences PHP®, (D1 = 50 mL, D2 = 100 mL, D3 = 150 mL, and D0 = control) on the growth and yield of Capsicum annuum in a hydroponic system. The results demonstrate that F2 significantly enhanced overall plant growth and yield compared to F1, with notable increases in fruit count (25±10 vs. 24±9), average fruit width (8.31±1.02 cm vs. 8.03±1.00 cm), average fruit length (11.79±1.19 cm vs. 11.55±0.89 cm), and total yield weight (2.85±0.89 kg vs. 2.68±0.91 kg). Plants treated with D3 exhibited the highest yield, with a total fruit weight of 3.90 kg, compared to 1.69 kg in the control group (D0). D3-treated plants also produced an average of 37 fruits, while D0 produced only 13. Conversely, D0-treated plants resulted in larger individual fruit sizes, with an average fruit width of 8.98 cm and a length of 13.20 cm, compared to 7.89 cm and 10.91 cm in D3-treated plants. These findings underscore the importance of precise nutrient management and bio-stimulant applications in optimizing hydroponic bell pepper production. Future research should focus on long-term economic feasibility and large-scale implementation strategies.

Maize and Pearl Millet Production in Hot Semi-Arid North Eastern Namibia Under Conventional Tillage and Conservation Agriculture Practices

Ladislaus Kudumo, F. Itanna, C. Thierfelder — Tue, 04 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0800

This article focuses on the results from experiments conducted to test and compare the effects of selected agricultural practices and principles on maize and pearl millet production of the major cropping systems in north-eastern regions of Namibia. Conventional Tillage (CT), Minimum Tillage (MT), Minimum Tillage with Mulch (MT-M), Minimum Tillage with Rotation (MT-R) and Minimum Tillage with Mulch and Rotation (MT-MR) were the primary treatments tested. Significant differences were observed on pearl millet grain in the first season (p=0.0496) and for maize grain in the second season (p=0.0206). For pearl millet, CT yielded the highest with 1783.0 kg ha^-1and MT (1520.8 kg ha^-1) had the lowest pearl millet grain yield at SE 240.35. For maize, CT-MR yielded the highest maize grain, 3852.3 kg ha^-1, Standard Error of Mean 240.35. Results suggest that CA has the potential to increase or maintain maize production while noting projected declines in crop production of at least 50% or more through the influence of climate change according to Namibia’s Country Climate Smart Agriculture Programme (2015 – 2030).