Nitrogen management is crucial component for sustainable crop production, it is desirable to adapt N supply with crop N use to maximize efficiency. In Egypt, due to intensive cultivation of high yielding crop varieties, the nutrients supplying capacity of soil is declining. Producers tend to apply insurance application of N to make them feel more confident about N sufficiency. These practices may lead to over application of N fertilizer and result in groundwater pollution by nitrate (NO3) due to the elevated levels of NO3 in the soil profile (Asadi et al. 2002). Accordingly, searching for alternative N sources and maintaining long term soil fertility and sustainability are a priority for studying.
Cultivar performance varies as related to genotype × environmental interactions (Eberhart and Hallauer 1967). In general, corn hybrids are highly productive and respond to N application, however their ability to maintain yield under water or N stress are different (O’Neill et al. 2004). Nitrogen availability represents a major limiting corn grain yield under intensive cropping system. The identification of hybrids response to different combination of N rates and bio-fertilizers could reduce the amount of applied N and increase efficiency. Several research in the literature document significant cultivar × N interaction differences in growth such as LAI and plant weight and yield traits (Ahmed 1990; Tollenaar and Wu 1999; and Hokmalipour 2010). Determining specific hybrids response to N inputs would make a great contribution to plant breeding for sustainable agriculture (Presterl et al. 2002).
It is clear that current unsuitable handling of N fertilizers may be responsible for NO3-N contamination of both surface water and soil water (Wang et al. 1996). Yield goal as N based recommendation usually represent large geographic areas. According to (MOA 2004) they provide a N recommendation for corn that is a linear function of yield goal. Although these recommendations are generally suitable, they may lead to over application of N as hybrids and environment change. Corn grain yield has been significantly increased by varying N rate from 190 to 380 kg N ha-1 (El-Hendawy et al. 2008). A positive response for grain yield has been reported by (Halverson and Reule 2006) up to 285 kg N ha-1 while maximized at 180 kg N ha-1 in another study (Lamm et al. 2001). Determining N recommendation could be further improved by considering field-specific soil-crop-climate conditions along with different hybrids and Bio-fertilizers effects.
Organic fertilisers and natural pest control methods minimise the impact of viticulture on the environment. In recent years there has been a considerable movement by some growers towards an organic approach. This is as a result of consumer driven trends and pressure to minimise the environmental impact of viticulture.
Currently, the United States is the largest producer of corn in the world. In 2010, it produced 32% of the world’s corn crop. Corn is grown on approximately 400,000 U.S. farms, showing the importance of corn in the United States’ diets. Twenty percent of the corn produced is exported and corn grown for grain accounts for almost one quarter of the harvested crop acres in this country (National Corn Grower's Associatio...
What category do you think nitrogen should be in--fertilizer, nutrient, or pollutant? Should you take into account how much nitrogen can help a plant like with fruit size or yield? Or should you weigh heavily on how much nitrogen can hurt a plant and for such an extended period of time? There are many ways to dispute either of these choices for or against but none of them are a perfect fit.
So why is it important to look at nitrogen in soils? First of all, it is a key element in organic molecules, so it is key to plant growth (Singer and Munns). Nitrogen is useful to plants in the form of nitrate because plants can take in nitrate and form organic molecules (Singer and Munns, 193). However, in soils, nitrogen in the form of nitrate (NO3) is considered a "mobile nutrient" which means that it can move easily through the soil to supply the needs of a plant (Singer and Munns, 221). That means it is accessible to the roots of plants, however, it also means that nitrate can be transported through a soil by moving with the water. This means that in sandy, or well-drained soils, nitrogen could be easily leached from the soil because nitrate is an anion that "moves freely with percolating water" and "water moves rapidly through sandy soils" (Hubbard, et. al., 802) So, when farmers add nitrogen to their soils, the nitrogen often stays in the soil for a limited amount of time before it is carried away by the water in the soil.
Interestingly, these tests revealed strikingly high levels of phosphate and nitrate, two chemical compounds that exist naturally on the earth to aid the growth of organisms as nutrients. As the world’s agricultural needs transform, nitrates are often found in man-made fertilizers compared to its typical natural source . This increased use of fertilizers in farms
Since the birth of agriculture farmers across the world have been altering the genetic makeup of the crops they grow. Ancient farmers chose only the best looking plants and
For years farmers have been adding natural fertilizers to their crops. It is a big risk though. Over fertilizing is very dangerous. It puts high concentrations of salt into the soil. It can also affect the water resources nearby. Nitrogen, Phosphate, and Potassium are the basics of fertilizer. If a certain nutrient is short in supply the fertilizer might not work as well. Calcium, iron, manganese are also nutrients that might be needed. So don’t just trust the fertilizer bag that says it has all the nutrients, test it out. (Miller and Levine 717)
...at over planting can do to the land, the majority of the United States just moved on and continued to treat the land just as poorly as before. John Pursell views chemical fertilizer as a thing that turns soil into “chemical wasteland” and mentions that today’s soil is often not good enough to resist heavy rainfalls.
Nitrification is a key process of thesoil nitrogen cycle, oxidizes ammonia to nitrite and then to nitrate in the soil, is a main source of N2O and NO to the atmosphere, and is responsible for reduced efficiency of ammonium-based fertilizers through leaching and denitrification of nitrate (Zerullaet al., 2001; Macadam et al., 2003).The results found in this study showed that addition of NI with urea fertilizer increased NH4 concentration and decreased its conversion to nitrate.These findings are supported by several studies that also proved that Nis suppress nitrification and thus improve nitrogen efficiency (Di and Cameron 2005, 2006; Di et al. 2007; Moir et al. 2007; Sahrawat 2004; Singh and Verma 2007). As it can be observed from the results (Table 1), all applied treatments (except Urea alone) decreased NO3 concentration at all levels. Therefore, addition of nitrification inhibitors (NIs) to fertilizers have proven to be advantageous for reducingnitrate leaching andnitrous oxide emissions,which, as a result, increase plant growth (Zaman et al., 2009).This study showed that results are site and experiment specific, and nitrification inhibitors had differing effects on different soil textures, depending largely on the concentration of inhibitors applied.
Throughout the history of the human race there have been a great number of crops that were discovered, planted, and over time domesticated. Wheat in the Middle East, rice in Asia, and rye in Eastern Europe are all some of today’s staple crops that feed millions every day. Crops like these make up over 50% of the world’s total food supply. However, the third most eaten crop in the world is maize, or corn, which provides 21% of human nutrition. Today maize feeds millions across the world, but its history is different from the others.
Genetic engineering enhances plant resistance to drought, salinity, disease, pests and herbicides. The aim is to try and enhance the growth, productivity, nutrient value, and chemical composition of the plants. Chemicals are constantly being developed or improved to enhance the competitiveness and adaptability of crops, and to kill the parasites and weeds which plague the agricultural sector. . This however is not always good as the plant and the pests then become resistant to these new chemicals defeating the purpose of it being used. The new chemicals which are produced to kill these strong pests and weeds may be more harmful to other plants and remove nutrients within the soil in turn reducing the yield of agricultural crops. The benefits of these characteristics are seen in Argentina according to Pelletier (2010) as they use glyphosphate resistant soybean which allowed the comeback of this crop, as the so...
There are countless sources of water pollutions that exist today due to our industrious and technologically advanced lifestyles. However, the most vexing is caused by the most basic necessity for survival, Agricultural Pollution. Agricultural Pollution is defined as, “ liquid and solid wastes from all types of farming activities, including run-off from pesticide and fertilizer use, and from feedlots; erosion and dust from ploughing; animal manure and carcasses; and crop residues and debris. In essence Agricultural Pollution is a nonpoint source water pollutant since it comes from various locations and cannot be pinpointed” (EPA-web). Although there are many practices already in place that will decrease the pollution, increase productivity, and save farmers money in the long run, the farmers are careful to change practices.
The global population in the year 2050 is expected to be nine billion and the agricultural demand is expected to double. With the current population already over seven billion people, there are hunger issues all around the world (“New” par. 1). How are we going to deal with food shortages in the future? With less land to work with, strains on the soils, and the lack of water, it is getting harder for the farmers of the world to support our growing population. These complications are making it harder for farmers to produce quality, affordable food. To help the crops grow better, farmers use fertilizers and chemical sprays to enhance growth and control the weeds. Farming in the United States is a relevant business because it supplies people with food, provides people with jobs maintaining the used equipment with the new equipment being much more expensive, and it provides research for more efficient ways on how to feed the world.
Chemical farming has become such a cultural norm that humans have turned a blind eye to what is really happening behind the scenes and have come to accept what the big manufacturing companies have told us. What these companies don’t want us to know is that when you produce food on a conventional farm you are producing food that is harmful to the environment. Conventional farms use fossil fuel derivative fertilizers to help add nutrients to the soil, but “these are the reason the earth is experiencing dangerous climate changes” (Sustainable Table). Also, the quality and consistency in the crops are lowered when they are planted on a chemical farm because many companies use artificial manure that leads to “artificial nutrition, artificial food, artificial animals and finally artificial
Soil is the most important non-renewable resource on any farm. Healthy soil is key to a good