Jul 2026· Archives of Current Research International· 0 citations
Abstract
Seaweed-derived biostimulants may complement conventional nutrient management in rice, but their performance requires evaluation under specific soil and agroclimatic conditions. A field experiment was conducted during the kharif season of 2022–2023 at the Agricultural Research Farm, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, to assess Sagarika seaweed extract in an Inceptisol. The experiment followed a randomised block design with 11 treatments and three replications. Treatments included an absolute control, the recommended dose of fertilisers (RDF), reduced soil-applied urea, an NPK biofertiliser consortium, Sagarika granules, Sagarika liquid sprays, nano urea, and selected combinations of these inputs. Plant growth was recorded at 30, 60, and 90 days after transplanting, and yield attributes, grain yield, straw yield, biological yield, and harvest index were measured. Treatment T7, comprising 100% RDF, Sagarika granules at 10 kg acre⁻¹, and two Sagarika liquid sprays at 5 mL L⁻¹, recorded the highest numerical grain yield (61.63 q ha⁻¹), straw yield (77.02 q ha⁻¹), and biological yield (138.66 q ha⁻¹). Several fertilised treatments were statistically comparable with T7 based on the reported critical difference. The highest harvest index was recorded under T10 (44.95%). The findings indicate that integrated Sagarika treatments were associated with favourable rice growth and yield under the conditions evaluated. Multi-season and multi-location studies incorporating economic, soil-health, nutrient-use-efficiency, and environmental measurements are required before wider recommendations are made.
Integrated nutrient management may reduce reliance on conventional fertilisers while sustaining wheat productivity. A field experiment was conducted during the 2022–2023 rabi season at Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, to evaluate combinations of recommended fertilisers, nano urea, NPK-consortia biofertiliser, and Sagarika granular and liquid formulations in an Inceptisol. Eleven treatments were arranged in a randomised block design with three replications. Plant height, tiller number, plant population, chlorophyll content, yield attributes, grain yield, straw yield, biological yield, and harvest index were assessed. Treatment effects differed significantly for the evaluated growth and yield parameters. Treatment T11, comprising 50% urea, 100% DAP and MOP, NPK-consortia biofertiliser, foliar nano urea, and Sagarika liquid, recorded the highest plant height (94.53 cm), tiller number (8.33 plant⁻¹ at 90 DAS), chlorophyll content (56.80 SPAD), ear length (12.87 cm), grains per ear (80.00), test weight (53.03 g), grain yield (45.67 q ha⁻¹), straw yield (63.67 q ha⁻¹), and biological yield (109.33 q ha⁻¹). The highest harvest index (47.58%) was recorded under T9. These findings indicate that integrating reduced soil-applied urea with mineral fertilisers, biofertiliser, foliar nano urea, and Sagarika may support wheat growth and productivity under the tested soil and climatic conditions. Multi-season and multi-location validation is required before wider recommendation.
R. Meena, R. Meena, A. Meena et al.· Journal of Scientific Resear...· 0 citations
A field experiment was carried out at the Forestry Nursery and Research Centre, College of Forestry, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, to evaluate how varying levels of NPK fertilizers, organic manures, and biofertilizers influence the growth and yield of wheat cultivated within a Chironji-based agroforestry system. The experiment employed wheat variety DBW 187 following a randomized block design with three replications, encompassing thirteen treatment combinations. These included inorganic NPK fertilizers, organic amendments such as farmyard manure, vermicompost, and poultry manure, along with the biofertilizer Azotobacter, each applied at 75%, 50%, and 25% substitution levels. Findings revealed that a combined application of 75% NPK supplemented with 25% vermicompost produced the most favourable outcomes across both pre- and post-harvest parameters. Notable improvements were observed in plant height, tiller count, and leaf length during the growing phase, while post-harvest assessments demonstrated superior panicle length, grain count per panicle, test weight, grain yield, straw yield, and harvest index. Economic evaluation further confirmed that this treatment combination yielded the highest benefit-to-cost ratio, establishing it as the most financially viable option. The study concludes that partially substituting synthetic fertilizers with organic inputs, particularly vermicompost combined with biofertilizers, holds considerable promise for enhancing both the productivity and economic sustainability of wheat cultivation in Chironji-based agroforestry systems.
Nihit Hansel Nag, Joseph Raj Antony· RESEARCH REVIEW Internationa...· 0 citations
A field experiment was conducted during Kharif 2022 and 2023 at Dr. BRC Agricultural Research Station (ARS), Mandor, Rajasthan, to evaluate the effect of biofertilisers and growth-promoting microorganisms on growth, yield, and profitability of mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek, var. GM-4) under the mungbean–wheat cropping system. The experiment was laid out in a Randomised Block Design with ten treatments and three replications. Treatments consisted of different combinations of the recommended dose of fertilisers and seed inoculation, soil application, or combined seed and soil application of Rhizobium and phosphate-solubilising bacteria (PSB). The results indicated that growth parameters, yield attributes, grain yield, biological yield, and economic returns were significantly influenced by the treatments. The greatest numerical plant heights at 30 DAS (46.8 cm) and 45 DAS (55.9 cm) were recorded under T₁₀, while T₅ recorded comparable values of 45.8 and 55.3 cm, respectively. The highest numbers of pods per plant (39.6) and seeds per pod (13.5), dry matter production (3.50 t ha⁻¹), and test weight (48.1 g) were observed under T₅, whereas the highest numerical chlorophyll content (4.00 mg g⁻¹) was recorded under T₁₀. The highest grain yield (pooled: 1458 kg ha⁻¹) and net return (₹98,855 ha⁻¹) were recorded with 100% RDF (T₅), whereas 75% RDF combined with seed and soil application of Rhizobium + PSB (T₁₀) produced a pooled grain yield of 1400 kg ha⁻¹ and a B:C ratio of 4.41, remaining statistically at par with T₅. Thus, integrated use of biofertilisers with 75% RDF can reduce fertiliser requirement without significant yield loss and improve profitability.
A. Verma, M. Mehriya, Ashish Vishnawat· International Journal of Pla...· 0 citations
Wastewater-irrigated forestry is an important strategy for sustainable water resource management, biomass production, and ecosystem restoration in arid and semi-arid regions. A field experiment was conducted from September 2023 to June 2025 in Balana, Nasr El-Nuba District, Aswan Governorate, Egypt, to investigate the effectiveness of humic acid (HA) and seaweed extract (SWE) as biostimulants on the growth performance, physiological responses, heavy metal accumulation, and wood properties of Azadirachta indica irrigated with treated wastewater. The study followed a completely randomized block design with five treatments: control, HA at 1 and 2 mL L−1, and SWE at 1 and 2 g L−1. Measurements were recorded at 9 and 21 months after planting. Biostimulant application significantly enhanced vegetative growth, chlorophyll content, and wood quality compared with untreated plants. Seaweed extract at 2 g L−1 produced the greatest improvements in stem length by 7.7 and 11.3%, stem diameter by 35.4 and 10.7%, and chlorophyll content by 13.6 and 14.75 compared to control at 9 and 21 months, respectively. Also, it increased wood density by 10%, and reduced moisture by 9%. Whereas humic acid at 2 mL L−1 resulted in higher cellulose, hemicellulose, and holocellulose contents by 4, 6.4 and 10.2%, while reducing lignin and ash by 12.1 and 9.5% compared to control. Heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cu, Fe, and Zn) accumulated in all plant organs, with accumulation patterns varying according to the element and biostimulant treatment. Most metals were preferentially retained in the roots, whereas Fe accumulated predominantly in the leaves, indicating different uptake and sequestration strategies. Despite continuous irrigation with treated wastewater, soil heavy metal concentrations declined over the experimental period, demonstrating the capacity of neem trees to remediate metals from contaminated soils. These findings demonstrate that integrating treated wastewater irrigation with biostimulant application can simultaneously improve tree productivity, wood quality, and environmental remediation. Seaweed extract at 2 g L−1 is recommended for maximizing tree growth and wood physical properties, while humic acid at 2 mL L−1 is preferable for improving wood chemical quality, highlighting the potential of this integrated approach for sustainable woody plantations in water-limited regions.
S. Salaheldin, Mohamed A. Selim, W. Soliman et al.· Scientific Reports· 0 citations
The increasing demand for livestock-derived products and the growing emphasis on sustainable agricultural production necessitate the development of efficient organic nutrient management strategies for fodder-based cropping systems.
A two-year field experiment was conducted at the ICAR–National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, located in the Trans-Gangetic Plains of India, to evaluate the integrated effects of farmyard manure (FYM), plant biostimulants (
Panchagavya
and seaweed extract), and bioinoculants on the growth, yield, chlorophyll content, and energy fractions of fodder maize (
Zea mays
L.) and berseem (
Trifolium alexandrinum
L.). The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with six treatments and six replications.
Among the treatments, T
3
(PGPR + 75% recommended dose of nitrogen (RDN) through FYM + three foliar sprays of
Panchagavya
) consistently produced the highest growth, fodder yield, chlorophyll concentration, and energy fractions in both crops during the two experimental years. In fodder maize, T
3
recorded the maximum green fodder yield (32.4–34.7 t ha
-
¹) and dry fodder yield (7.4–8.1 t ha
-
¹). Similarly, in berseem, T
3
produced the highest total green fodder yield (57.0–58.5 t ha
-
¹) and dry fodder yield (7.6–8.1 t ha
-
¹), over the absolute control. Total chlorophyll content reached 2.39–2.43 mg g
-
¹ in maize and 2.29–2.32 mg g
-
¹ in berseem under T
3
, accompanied by significant improvements in digestible energy, metabolizable energy, digestible feed energy, and net energy. The PGPR + 75% RDN through FYM + seaweed extract treatment (T
4
) also produced significant improvements over the absolute control and ranked among the best-performing treatments across most measured parameters, demonstrating the potential of seaweed extract as an effective biostimulant in integrated nutrient management.
Overall, the findings demonstrate that integrating PGPR with 75% RDN through FYM and
Panchagavya
was the most effective strategy for enhancing fodder productivity, nutritive quality, and energy value, while the PGPR + 75% RDN through FYM + seaweed extract treatment also provided substantial benefits and represents a promising alternative biostimulant-based approach for sustainable maize–berseem fodder production systems.
Vrushabh Vijay Fiskey, Kamsali Sukeswara Achari, Shreyas Bagrecha et al.· Frontiers in Agronomy· 0 citations
A field experiment was conducted during the rabi seasons of 2024–25 and 2025–26 at the Experimental Farm, School of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, RIMT University, Mandi Gobindgarh, Punjab, India, to evaluate the effects of inorganic fertilisers, organic manures, zinc sulphate (ZnSO₄), and Azotobacter on the growth, yield, and economics of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The experiment was laid out in a Randomised Block Design (RBD) comprising twelve treatments with three replications. The treatments consisted of different combinations of the recommended dose of fertilisers (RDF), farmyard manure (FYM), vermicompost, poultry manure, ZnSO₄, and Azotobacter. The results revealed that integrated nutrient management significantly (P ≤ 0.05) improved plant height, leaf area index, tiller density, dry matter accumulation, grain yield, straw yield, harvest index, and economic returns compared with the control. Among the treatments, 75% RDF + 1.25 t ha⁻¹ vermicompost + 20 kg ZnSO₄ ha⁻¹ + 5 kg Azotobacter ha⁻¹ (T₁₁) recorded the highest grain yield of 4856.40 kg ha⁻¹ and 4912.00 kg ha⁻¹ during 2024–25 and 2025–26, respectively. The same treatment also produced the highest net returns of ₹70,493 ha⁻¹ and ₹72,546 ha⁻¹ during the respective years. These findings indicate that the integrated application of 75% RDF, vermicompost, ZnSO₄, and Azotobacter can effectively enhance wheat productivity and profitability while reducing dependence on chemical fertilisers under the agro-climatic conditions of Punjab, India.
Prabhjot Kaur, Hemraj Meena· Journal of Applied Life Scie...· 0 citations
