Declining soil organic matter and imbalanced fertiliser use threaten sustainable agricultural production in Bangladesh, where limited arable land demands efficient integrated nutrient management. This study assessed the effects of biochar, vermicompost, cowdung, and poultry manure, each combined with an Integrated Plant Nutrient System (IPNS)-based inorganic fertiliser dose, on chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) yield, soil carbon, and nutrient dynamics, compared with the recommended chemical fertiliser treatment. A field experiment was conducted during the 2018 rabi season at Shibalaya Upazila, Manikganj, using a randomised complete block design with five treatments and three replications. Soil samples collected every 30 days over five months were analysed for pH, organic carbon, and available nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and sulphur. Poultry manure produced the highest fresh (9.79 t ha⁻¹) and dry (2.85 t ha⁻¹) chilli yields, followed by cowdung and vermicompost, whereas biochar yielded the lowest among the organic amendments (7.83 and 2.41 t ha⁻¹, respectively). Biochar, however, was the only treatment to increase soil organic carbon, recording a 7.14% gain after five months, while organic carbon declined under all other treatments, most sharply under the recommended fertiliser (−14.30%) and more modestly under vermicompost, cowdung, and poultry manure (−9.64% to −10.71%). Soil pH and available nutrients increased initially before gradually declining, with biochar maintaining the greatest improvement in available sulphur. These findings indicate that poultry manure is the most effective amendment for enhancing short-term chilli productivity, whereas biochar shows greater potential for long-term soil carbon sequestration and soil fertility improvement, a trend observed within a single cropping season that warrants confirmation over successive seasons. The results have practical implications for integrated nutrient and soil-carbon management policy in Bangladesh and comparable smallholder farming systems.

Iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) deficiency in soils and their low concentration in the major grain crops are serious health concerns of the underprivileged rural poor women and their children. Two major grain crops, viz., rice and wheat, are widely cultivated in the study area of the Old Himalayan Piedmont Plain of Bangladesh. The Plain is strongly to moderately acidic in nature, and understanding of the spatial distribution of Fe and Zn in soils and crops and their measurement is yet to be documented. Therefore, a total of 70 rhizospheric soil samples, 53 wheat grains, and 45 rice grain samples were collected from the study area under wheat-fallow-T. aman cropping patterns to investigate the spatial distribution of Fe and Zn. The spatial variation map of soil nutrients was produced using the Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) method in the ArcGIS environment. The results showed large variations of Fe and Zn in wheat and rice grains among sampling points. The concentrations of micronutrients in the crops were significantly impacted by soil pH, texture, organic carbon, nitrogen, Fe, and Zn. The Fe and Zn in grains of wheat were significantly positively correlated with soil Fe (r2 = 0.41) and Zn (r2 = 0.50), respectively. Soil Zn showed a significant positive correlation with Zn (r2 = 0.68) in rice grain, while the correlation of soil Fe was found to be insignificant with the level of grain Fe. The spatial variation of Fe and Zn and their correlations with soil nutrients will help guide Zn fertilization and organic matter strategies to enhance grain Fe and Zn content and thereby reduce human malnutrition.

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is an increasingly popular leafy vegetable in Bangladesh due to its high nutritional value and growing consumer preference for fresh salads. However, productivity remains low compared to major lettuce-producing countries like China and USA, largely because of inadequate cultivar selection and suboptimal nutrient management. The current study was carried out at Gazipur Agricultural University in Bangladesh during the winter to assess the growth performance, yield potential, and economic viability of three lettuce cultivars viz. Green Wave, Grand Rapids, and Iceberg under organic and conventional fertilization systems. Three cultivars and two fertilization techniques were combined in a randomized complete block design with three replicates. Evaluations of yield, profitability, and growth characteristics (plant height, quantity, size, and area of leaves) were observed and analyzed. Results revealed significant interaction effects between cultivar and fertilization method for most growth and yield parameters. The Iceberg cultivar produced the highest marketable yield under conventional fertilization (31.0 t ha-1), while organic fertilization enhanced plant height and leaf area in Green Wave. Economic analysis indicated that Iceberg grown under organic fertilization provided the highest benefit-cost ratio (1.84), owing to premium market prices and lower input costs. Overall, the study demonstrates that cultivar choice strongly influences lettuce performance under different fertilization systems, and that organic cultivation of Iceberg lettuce offers a profitable and sustainable option for Bangladeshi farmers.

Limited soil nitrogen (N) availability constrains crop growth and yield. Low N use efficiency (NUE) coupled with overuse of fertilizer-N result in environmental pollution and huge economic loss. Hence, effects of N management practices on rice grain yield and NUE were studied in two separate experiments in experimental farm and farmer's field. Each of the study was conducted in two consecutive rice seasons of Boro (dry season rice) and Transplanted Aman (T. Aman) (wet season rice) using several N treatments. Results revealed that compared with the recommended dose of N (RDN), urea super granule (USG) and biochar with RDN (BRDN) increased grain yield by 6-18% irrespective of experimental sites and cropping seasons. USG contributed to the highest NUE, while. USG and BRDN increased agronomic efficiency (1.3-2.3 folds), apparent N-recovery (1.3-1.9 folds) efficiency and physiological efficiency (0.9-1.3 folds), compared to RDN. USG appeared to be economically the most viable option, with a benefit-cost ratio (BCR) of 1.5-1.6 over locations and seasons. BRDN showed a lower BCR (1.1-1.2) due to additional expense on biochar. Biochar might contribute towards a carbon-negative economy, and its economic benefits require to be addressed. Supportive government policies are needed for adoption of USG and biochar in agriculture.

Background: Soil acidification is a key abiotic factor that hinders plant growth and diminishes agricultural output on a worldwide scale. The purpose of this experiment was to look at how carrot growth, yield and quality on acidic terrace soil were affected by organic amendments (OA) and mineral fertilization with or without potassium (K). Methods: A field experiment was carried out using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates. Organic amendments and K levels are: control (Co), recommended fertilizer (RF) excluding potassium (RF-K), RF, RF+25% excess K, RF- K+ Poultry manure (PM) (5 t ha-1), RF + PM (5 t ha-1), RF- K+ household compost (HC) (5 t ha-1), RF + HC (5 t ha-1). Statistix 10 version was used to analyze the variance (ANOVA) of growth and yield parameters of carrots. Result: Carrot yield and plant vegetative growth were negatively impacted by untreated acidic soil. OA with K enrich RF enhanced vegetative growth, biomass yield, carrot yield, nutrient contents, â Carotene, anthocyanin, ascorbic acid and total sugar content of carrot of acidic terrace soil carrot plants, indicating its alleviating effects on carrot production in acidic soil. The exclusive use of chemical fertilizer did not have a noticeable impact on the yield and quality of acidic stressed carrots. Among the amending substances, T8 [RF + HC 5 t ha-1] showed significant enhancement in the fertility indices of acidic-stressed terrace soil and resulted in increased growth, yield and profitability of carrots. Incorporating OA and K-enrich RF to terrace soil has preserved a ranking of T8 greater than T4 greater than T6 in terms of their potential to improve productivity. These results suggested that RF and K-enrich RF fertilization might mitigate the antagonistic impact of soil acidity on carrot yield by adjusting soil fertility and creating a favorable environment in acidic terrace soils.

This study investigated the diversity among five introduced fig (Ficus carica L.) germplasm in Bangladesh, focusing on their morphological and physicochemical characteristics. The primary goal was to assess morphological variations, including their genetic potential for future improvement, and to examine their biochemical properties. The findings demonstrated significant variations in plant growth attributes, leaf characteristics, fruit traits, sensory attributes, and biochemical properties among the genotypes under study. Notably, two genotypes, Khurtamoni (KH) and Brown Turkey (BT), emerged as exceptional performers based on their combined pomological and nutritional characteristics compared to Golden Riverside (GRS), Egyptian‐2 (E‐2), and Saudi Yellow Arabia (SYA). However, KH displayed outstanding growth characteristics, excellent fruit attributes, including a remarkable fruit yield of 65.67 fruits per plant, and exceptional nutriomedicinal properties with a total phenolic content (TPC) of 8.03 mg GAE/100 g FW, a total flavonoid content (TFC) of 31.084 mg QE/100 g FW, and an IC50 value of 85.39 μg/ml. Besides, BT excelled in terms of taste, texture, juiciness, and various nutritional parameters with an ascorbic acid content of 4.4 mg/100 g, a TFC of 28.348 mg QE/100 g FW, and an IC50 value of 83.685 μg/ml. The genotype ranking, taking into account both morphological and biochemical characteristics, reveals the following order: KH > BT > GRS > SYA > E‐2 as per the principle component analysis. Consequently, the study identifies KH and BT as promising candidates for fig cultivation and breeding in Bangladesh due to their exceptional attributes. Furthermore, the genotype ranking offers valuable guidance for selecting germplasm for breeding programs and promoting sustainable fig cultivation in Bangladesh.

Organic matter amendments play a pivotal role in improving the soil’s physiochemical properties and crop productivity. This study was conducted to examine the effects of various organic matters on soil physicochemical properties and the yield of rainfed rice in Bangladesh. The research was conducted following a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with seven treatments, viz. cow dung slurry (CDS), rice husk biochar (RHB), cow dung (CD), vermi-compost (VC) and trico-compost (TC) used @ 2 t C ha-1, and bacterial inoculant (BI) @ 4 ml plot-1. The findings indicated a reduction trend of bulk density as compared to the initial soil in all the organic matter-treated soils, where the highest reduction percent was found in the RHB (1.45%) treated plot, followed by CDS (0.74%), VC (0.74%), TC (0.74%), CD (0.73%) and BI (0.73%). Significantly higher total N was observed in inorganic matter-treated post harvested soil compared to initial soil. The highest total N was recorded in TC (0.12%) and CDS (0.12%) treated soils, followed by CD (0.11%), VC (0.11%), BI (0.11%) and RHB (0.10%). The significantly highest CEC (6.48 meq100g soil-1) was noted in RHB-added soil, while the lowest value (5.70 meq100g soil-1) was found in initial soil. The RHB exhibited the maximum quantity of P, S, and exchangeable K in post-harvest soils, with 12.75, 19.73 mg kg-1 soil, and 0.14 cmol kg-1, respectively. Plant height, tiller hill-1, panicle length, grain panicle-1, and 1000-grain weight were greatly influenced by the various treatments. In the context of grain yields, the treatments can be rated as follows: CD>CDS>VC>RHB>TC>BI>control. Thus, it was concluded that organic amendments improves soil fertility and the yield of rice, particularly in rainfed condition.

One of the main abiotic stresses that affect plant development and lower agricultural productivity globally is salt in the soil. Organic amendments, such as compost and biochar can mitigate the opposing effects of soil salinity (SS) stress. The purpose of this experiment was to look at how tomato growth and yield on salty soil were affected by mineral fertilization and manure-biochar compost (MBC). Furthermore, the study looked at how biochar (organic amendments) work to help tomato plants that are stressed by salt and also a mechanism by which biochar addresses the salt stress on tomato plants. Tomato yield and vegetative growth were negatively impacted by untreated saline soil, indicating that tomatoes are salt-sensitive. MBC with mineral fertilization increased vegetative growth, biomass yield, fruit yield, chlorophyll, and nutrient contents, Na/K ratio of salt-stressed tomato plants signifies the ameliorating effects on tomato plant growth and yield, under salt stress. Furthermore, the application of MBC with mineral fertilizer decreased H2O2, but increased leaf relative water content (RWC), leaf proline, total soluble sugar, and ascorbic acid content and improved leaf membrane damage, in comparison with untreated plants, in response to salt stress. Among the composting substances, T-7 [poultry manure-biochar composting (PBC) (1:2) @ 3 t/ha + soil-based test fertilizer (SBTF)] dose exhibited better-improving effects on salt stress and had maintained an order of T-7 > T-9 > T-8 > T-6 in total biomass and fruit yield of tomato. These results suggested that MBC might mitigate the antagonistic effects of salt stress on plant growth and yield of tomatoes by improving osmotic adjustment, antioxidant capacity, nutrient accumulation, protecting photosynthetic pigments, and reducing ROS production and leaf damage in tomato plant leaves.

Nitrogen (N) losses from agriculture through leaching and volatilization have significant environmental and economic impacts. To find better options for reducing N losses, different N management approaches were compared to determine leaching losses of Nr (NH4+-N and NO3−-N) and ammonia (NH3) volatilization from wetland rice. The experiment comprised seven treatments, viz., zero N (control), recommended dose of N (RDN), 125

ABSTRACTAmidst climate change, dwindling resources and a growing population, the farming industry has faced significant pressure. Nevertheless, rapid advancements in modern agricultural technology offer substantial potential for increasing production efficiency in colder regions. The proposed Smart Greenhouse (SGH) provides a controlled environment for crops. The SGH consists of heat sources from an 8 m2

A field experiment was accomplished from November 2018 to April 2019 at the site for agricultural research of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur, Bangladesh to assess the effect of irrigation and nitrogen application on uptaking of primary nutrients by maize plant. A Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with two factors and three replications was used to execute the experiment. Four irrigation treatments (I1, I2, I3 and I4: irrigation concerning 20%, 40%, 60% and 80% of soil available water, respectively) as factor A and three nitrogen doses [N1, N2 and N3: Nitrogen application at 75%, 100% and 125% of prescribed dose (PD) as per fertilizer recommendation guide (FRG)] as factor B was implemented. The crop responded significantly in uptaking N, P, K to different levels of irrigation and nitrogen. The uptake of N at its highest level (141.66 Kg ha-1) was observed in treatment I3N3 but the maximum uptake of P (49.17 Kg ha-1) and K (159.39 Kg ha-1) were found under the treatment I4N2. The addition of irrigation and nitrogenous fertilizer also enhanced the N (0.08%), P (8.75 ppm) and K (0.18 meq/ 100g) content of post-harvest soils. The maximum total consumptive use of water of the crop was found to be 446 mm in I4 treatment regardless N levels. Irrigation at 80% of soil available water using 100% N on prescribed dose (I4N2), appeared to be the most acceptable combination for optimal nutrient absorption by maize in the specified region.

A novel methane-oxidizing bacterial strain SS37A-Re T was isolated from surface soil of a rice paddy field in Japan. Cells were Gram-stain-negative, motile rods with single polar flagellum and type II intracytoplasmic membrane arrangement. The strain grew on methane or methanol as the sole carbon and energy source. It grew at 15–37 °C (optimum 25–30 °C), pH 6.0–9.0 (optimum 7.0–8.0) and with 0–0.1 % (w/w) NaCl (no growth at 0.5 % or above). Cells formed cysts, but not exospores. The results of sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA gene indicated that SS37A-Re T represented a member of the family Methylocystaceae , with the highest similarity (98.9 %) to Methylocystis parva corrig. OBBP T . Phylogenetic analysis of pmoA and mxaF genes and core genes in the genome indicated that the strain was closely related to the members of the genus Methylocystis , while the analysis of the mmoX gene indicated the close relationships with the genus Methylosinus . The values of genome relatedness between SS37A-Re T and species of the genera Methylocystis and Methylosinus were 78.6–82.5% and 21.7–24.9 % estimated by the average nucleotide identity and digital DNA–DNA hybridisation, respectively, showing the highest values with Methylocystis echinoides LMG 27198 T . The DNA G+C content was 63.2 mol% (genome). The major quinone and fatty acids were Q-8 and, C 18 : 1 (C 18 : 1 ω8 t and C 18 : 1 ω8 c ) and C 18 : 2 , respectively. On the basis of the phenotypic and phylogenetic features, the strain represents a novel species of the genus Methylocystis , for which the name Methylocystis iwaonis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SS37A-Re T (=JCM 34278 T =NBRC 114996 T =KCTC 82710 T ).

A large amount of nitrogen (N) fertilizer is required for paddy cultivation, but nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in paddy farming is low (20–40%). Much of the unutilized N potentially degrades the quality of soil, water, and air and disintegrates the functions of different ecosystems. It is a great challenge to increase NUE and sustain rice production to meet the food demand of the growing population. This review attempted to find out promising N management practices that might increase NUE while reducing the trade-off between rice production and environmental pollution. We collected and collated information on N management practices and associated barriers. A set of existing soil, crop, and fertilizer management strategies can be suggested for increasing NUE, which, however, might not be capable to halve N waste by 2030 as stated in the “Colombo Declaration” by the United Nations Environment Program. Therefore, more efficient N management tools are yet to be developed through research and extension. Awareness-raising campaign among farmers is a must against their misunderstanding that higher N fertilizer provides higher yields. The findings might help policymakers to formulate suitable policies regarding eco-friendly N management strategies for wetland paddy cultivation and ensure better utilization of costly N fertilizer.

With rapid industrialization in Gazipur areas of Bangladesh, untreated industrial effluents have been polluting rice soils which could exert potential ecological risk. Therefore, four different types of industries including chemical (SL), textile and paints (MIX), dyeing (CK), and sweater and dyeing (RD) were selected to monitor the intensity of heavy metal pollution in rice soils and ecological risk assessment. The di-acid digestion method was used for the determination of Pd, Cd, and Ni, and the DTPA extraction method was used for Fe, Zn, and Cu. ArcGIS was used to visualize the spatial patterns of heavy metal pollution, and different pollution indices were calculated to assess the ecological risk. The highest concentration (mg kg−1) of Cd (0.72), Pb (104.20), and Ni (5.02) was found in soils of the MIX industrial area. The highest concentration (mg kg−1) of Fe (147.65) and Zn (11.27) was found in the SL industry, while the highest Cu (7.67) was found in the CK industry. It was evident from the spatial distribution that the soils of paddy fields adjacent to the different industries are more contaminated than background soil. Although the potential ecological risk of heavy metal was low, different pollution indices indicated low to high pollution. Thus, the adjacent rice field soil of different industries is being contaminated by different heavy metals which may raise ecological risk.

Aims: Under the intensive agriculture system, it is crucial to maintain the soil fertility for the sustainability of crop production. Therefore, the study was conducted in the experimental field of the Department of Soil Science of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (BSMRAU), Gazipur to investigate the effect of different manures in combination with synthetic inorganic fertilizers on growth, yield and yield contributing characters of BARI Mistimorich 1 (Capsicum annuum L.), a variety of sweet pepper. Nutrient content of capsicum and soil fertility status were also assessed. Materials and Methods: The field trial was established following a randomized complete block design (RCBD) having four replicates. Treatments of the field trial included T1= 100% recommended dose of chemical fertilizers (RDCF), T2= 10t/ha cowdung (CD) + IPNS based chemical fertilizers (CF), T3=10t/ha poultry manure (PM) + IPNS based chemical fertilizers (CF) and T4= 10t/ha vermicompost (VC) + IPNS based chemical fertilizers (CF). Results: Experimental results reveal that application of organic manures in combination with chemical fertilizers produced significantly higher plant height, plant weight, number of branches per plant, number of flowers per plant, number of fruits per plant, fruit weight, fruit length, fruit diameter, total yield and nutrient content and uptake in sweet pepper. Organic manures (CD, PM and VC) in combination with chemical fertilizers ensured higher nutrient uptake when compared with the sole application of inorganic fertilizers. Among the treatments, vermicompost treated plots gave the higher yield of sweet pepper and improved the post-harvest soil nutrient status. Conclusion: Vermicompost was found to be suitable as substitute of other organic manures for the production of capsicum.

Salinity is an important abiotic stress that limits the productivity of crops growing on the salt affected areas because excess salt concentration in the soil has detrimental effect on growth and development of plants. Beneficial microorganisms having the inimitable characteristics like tolerance to soil salinity, synthesis of plant growth hormones, facilitating nutrient uptake, bio-control ability and beneficial interaction with plants could be vital to address the problem. An experiment was carried out with the objectives of isolating and characterizing saline tolerant bacteria for utilizing as a tool for bioremediation. Soil samples were collected from three saline affected districts of Bangladesh viz. Khulna, Satkhira and Bhola. The highest bacterial population was found in Satkhira followed by Khulna and the lowest was found in Bhola. Eighteen (18) bacterial isolates viz. BU B1, BU B2, BU B3, BU B4, BU B5, BU B6, BU B7, BU B8, BU B9, BU S1, BU S2, BU S3, BU S4, BU S5, BU S6, BU S7, BU K1 and BU K2 were identified according to the colony color and shape. All the isolated bacteria showed positive response to produce IAA. Isolates BU S4, BU B7 and BU S1 showed highest IAA production ability. Among the 18 isolates, 12 were Gram positive and showed negative reaction on KOH test and the rest 6 isolates were Gram negative and showed positive reaction on KOH test. The isolates BU B1, BU B4, BU B6, BU S6, BU K1 and BU K2 were slow growing bacteria and the rest were fast grower. Biochemical tests indicate that 13 isolates were positive for catalase and P solubilization test. Whereas, 11 isolates could degrade the cellulose. For screening of bacterial isolates against NaCl tolerance, the isolates were cultured on NA medium having different salt concentrations. Experimental results reveal that all the isolates could tolerate 4.0% NaCl concentration except BU B6. Ten isolates showed the ability to tolerate NaCl up to 8.0%. The isolates BU B7 and BU S4 showed highest salinity tolerance along with better response to different biochemical characteristics. Therefore, these isolates may become promising for the bioremediation of soil salinity in the saline affected areas of Bangladesh.

Aims: The application of a huge number of chemical fertilizers for crop production alters the sustainability of the environment and creates pollution. This problem can be minimized by the application of Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria (PGPB). Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria (PGPB) are beneficial bacteria that promote plant growth and development through a variety of mechanisms. Therefore, a pot experiment was conducted at the department of Soil Science, BSMRAU to investigate the effect of different PGPB isolates on growth, nutrient content, and uptake by rice. Materials and Methods: The experiment was carried out following a completely randomized design (CRD) with four replicates. Twenty bacterial isolates were used as treatments with a control treatment. Thirty-five days old seedlings of rice were inoculated with different bacterial isolates for thirty minutes and planted in a plastic pot. Broth culture was applied at one-month intervals and crops were harvested 65 days after planting. Results: Experimental results disclose that application of PGPB isolates resulted in a significant increase in plant height, SPAD value, root length, root volume, straw fresh weight, straw dry weight, root fresh weight, root dry weight, nutrient content and uptake by the rice plant compare to control. The highest values of most of the parameters were recorded from the plant inoculated with the isolate BU Ls 28. Conclusion: The present study suggests that the use of PGPB isolate BU Ls 28 might be used as a suitable inoculant for rice production due to the ability of this isolate to promote plant growth.