Aug 2026· Journal of Agriculture and Ecology Research International· Vol 27, pp. 311-320· 0 citations
Abstract
Background: Sewage sludge (SS) contains organic matter and plant-available nutrients that may contribute to soil fertility and reduce reliance on inorganic fertilisers. However, its agricultural use requires careful evaluation because of potential microbiological and chemical risks.
Aim: This study evaluated whether partial substitution of conventional fertiliser with SS could improve hybrid corn (Zea mays L.) production and replenish selected soil nutrients under field conditions in Sinaloa, Mexico.
Method: Six 6 × 8 m plots were established with SS/fertiliser proportions of 0/100, 5/95, 10/90, 15/85, 20/80, and 25/75. The experiment was conducted from October 2025 to March 2026. Soil pH, organic carbon, and available nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium were measured at the beginning and end of the experiment. Crop responses included estimated yield, plant height, number of grains per cob, and fresh cob weight.
Results: The 20/80 and 25/75 SS/fertiliser treatments produced higher agronomic values than the fertiliser-only control. Estimated yields reached 10.2 and 10.4 tonnes/ha, respectively, compared with 9.2 tonnes/ha in the control. The 25% SS treatment also reached 253 cm plant height, 528 grains per cob, and 270 g fresh cob weight. The higher-SS treatments also showed favourable changes in measured soil nutrient variables.
Conclusion: Moderate substitution of inorganic fertiliser with SS may support hybrid corn productivity and nutrient recycling under the conditions evaluated. Nevertheless, its agricultural use should remain cautious because sewage sludge may contain pathogenic microorganisms and potentially harmful contaminants.
A field experiment was carried out during the wet season of 2026 at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Federal University of Technology, Akure. The aim is to examine the response of maize growth and biomass yield to inorganic (NPK) and complimentary organic fertilizer treatments. Initial soil samples were collected randomly from the experimental site and analyzed for some nutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, pH) and microbial (bacteria, fungi) population. The experiment was carried out using four treatments, organic, inorganic, organic plus inorganic and control with each treatment replicated three times. Each plot has a dimension of 3 m x 4 m. Agronomic parameters measured were plant height (cm), stem circumference (cm) and biomass yield (g). The results shows that at 10WAS), plot treated with organic plus inorganic fertilizer had the highest stem height (284.67cm); stem circumference (11.32 cm); and leaf dry weight (69.50g). The control treatment which had no fertilizer application recorded the least value of all agronomic parameters measured. The use of the combination of organic and inorganic fertilizer is therefore recommended for smallholder farmers for increased crop yield and soil fertility improvement under intensive continuous cultivation.
M. B. Oyun, J. Fasinmirin, T. E. Mafimisebi et al.· International journal of res...· 0 citations
Wheat productivity is constrained by declining soil fertility and low nutrient-use efficiency resulting from the continuous dependence on chemical fertilizers. Integrated Nutrient Management, through the judicious integration of organic, inorganic, and biological nutrient sources, offers a sustainable approach to enhance crop growth, yield, soil health, and long-term productivity; however, its effectiveness in combination with nano-fertilizers requires further evaluation. Therefore, a field experiment was planned during the Rabi season of 2024-25 and 2025-26, at the research farm of Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University), Mullana. The experiment was laid out in a two-factorial randomized block design with three replications. Factor A comprised two wheat varieties (WH 1270 and DBW 222), while Factor B consisted of eight nutrient management treatments involving RDF, vermicompost (2 t/ha), foliar nano urea (1250 mL/ha), foliar nano DAP (1250 mL/ha), and Azotobacter applied alone or in combination. The pooled data revealed that the variety DBW 222 showed significantly higher plant height (94.34 cm), number of tillers/meter row length (65.77), DMA/meter row length (224.82 g), LAI (5.56), spike length (9.84 cm), grains/spikes (48.31), effective tillers/m2 (300.80), test weight (40.27 g), grain yield (5042 kg/ha) and straw yield (6651 kg/ha) over variety WH 1270. Among various nutrient combinations, maximum plant height (104.65 cm), number of tillers/meter row length (70.51), DMA/meter row length (251.73 g), LAI (6.18), spike length (10.88 cm), grains/spikes (51.37), effective tillers/m2 (322.57), test weight (42.21 g), grain yield (5642 kg/ha) and straw yield (7439 kg/ha) was recorded with treatment T3 (100% RDF with vermicompost @ 2t/ha) which was found at par with T5 and T4. These treatments were found superior over T2, T6, T8 and T7. The least were found in T1
Sanjeev Kumar, I.S. Singh· Research on Crops· 0 citations
The consumption of market garden products contributes to the food and nutritional security of the world's populations. Among these products, tomato occupies a prominent place. Meanwhile, the excessive use of synthetic fertilizers to produce tomatoes reduces the productive potential of soils. Due to this problem, the present study was conducted in West Cameroon, aiming to reduce the use of chemical inputs for sustainable tomato production through the use of organic input. Thus, five treatments (: T0 = control; T1 = 100% NET EDEN organic fertilizer; T2 = 100% poultry manure; T3 = 50% NET EDEN organic fertilizer + 50% poultry manure; T4 = 100% mineral fertilizer) were arranged in a completely randomized block design (RCBD) with three replications. The study was carried out from March 1 to June 26, 2024. The results revealed that the treatment with mineral fertilizer and the treatment with Net Eden organic fertilizer + chickens manure led to 26.28±5.50 t ha
-1
and 26.10±3.51 t ha
-1
respectively. These yields T4; T3 are significantly different (P<0.05) from the yields obtained with the other treatments. The economic analysis of fertilization using the value-cost ratio (VCR) showed that only the treatment based on mineral fertilizer T4 and the treatment with Net Eden+manure T3 should be popularized among farmers/producers. Thus, the use of organic fertilizers for tomato production has agronomic, ecological, and economic advantages. However, similar studies in other agroecological zones are needed.
Keegoui Gertrude, Zingui Xavier, Kamseu Paul et al.· Journal of Plant Sciences· 0 citations
Maize is one of the most important agricultural crops globally and in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where cereals are cultivated on 204,368 ha, of which 57% (116,490 ha) is dedicated to maize production. The application of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), such as the genera Pseudomonas and Bacillus, represents a sustainable alternative to mineral fertilizers, particularly in phosphorus-deficient soils commonly found in Bosnia and Herzegovina. A field experiment with ten fertilization treatments, arranged in a randomized block design with three replications, was conducted to evaluate the effects of seed inoculation, organic fertilization, and mineral fertilization on silage maize production. Grain yield, ear characteristics, and nutrient concentrations in maize leaves and grain were determined using standard analytical methods. The highest grain yield (15.2 t ha⁻¹) was achieved with the combined application of organic fertilization (30 t ha⁻¹) and bacterial inoculation, with a statistically significant difference compared to the control treatment. The applied fertilization treatments improved nutrient uptake and increased the content of protein, nitrogen, phosphorus, and magnesium in the grain, while zinc concentration generally decreased, indicating an antagonistic relationship between phosphorus and zinc. The obtained results confirm the potential of combining rhizobacterial inoculation and organic fertilization to enhance maize productivity and improve plant nutrient status.
E. Sijahović, H. Čivić, D. Gadžo et al.· Works of the Faculty of Agri...· 0 citations
Abstract Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is cultivated worldwide due to its adaptability to diverse environmental conditions and high nutritional value. However, in most Brazilian soils, phosphorus (P) availability is limited because of strong adsorption to iron and aluminum oxides, making large fertilizer inputs necessary and increasing production costs. In this context, organic fertilization emerges as a potential alternative to improve P availability while enhancing soil quality. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of common bean under different sources and rates of phosphorus fertilization in acid soil. Six treatments were tested: control (no P fertilization), chemical fertilization with single superphosphate (SSP), and organic fertilization (Agregare Environmental Solutions) corresponding to 50%, 100%, 150%, and 200% of the recommended P rate. The evaluated traits included number of pods per plant, grains per pod, grains per plant, final plant population, shoot dry mass, 100-grain weight, and grain yield. Chemical fertilization with SSP provided the highest productivity and overall agronomic performance. Organic fertilization, regardless of rate, did not result in significant differences among treatments. These findings highlight the higher agronomic efficiency of soluble phosphate fertilizers in short-cycle crops grown in acid soils, while emphasizing the need for integrated management strategies combining organic inputs and soil correction practices for sustainable production systems.
D. A. Genari, T. R. B. Silva, C. Z. Alves· Brazilian Journal of Biology· 0 citations
In the face of growing demand for vegetable crops, particularly solanaceous species, the excessive use of synthetic fertilisers and the degradation of arable soils are major constraints on agricultural production in West African urban and peri-urban areas. Soilless cultivation is therefore gaining importance as an alternative production system that is less dependent on soil quality. This study compared the effects of four liquid fertilisers - two organic (a poultry manure extract and a manure-based fertiliser) and two mineral fertilisers (Nutrigofol 8-8-8 and NPK 12-22-22, with the latter serving as the control) - on the growth and yield of pepper grown under soilless conditions, with the broader aim of identifying nutrient solutions that could reduce growers’ dependence on chemical fertilisers. The trial followed a randomised complete block design with four replicates. Treatment had a significant effect on most growth and yield parameters (p < 0.001). The organic fertilisers, particularly the poultry manure extract, produced significantly higher values than the mineral fertilisers for floral bud number, fruit number, fruit mass, and estimated yield. Estimated yield reached 5.11 t ha⁻¹ with the poultry manure extract, followed by the manure-based fertiliser (3.69 t ha⁻¹), Nutrigofol 8-8-8 (2.81 t ha⁻¹), and NPK 12-22-22 (2.64 t ha⁻¹). Because no unfertilised control was included, these results describe the relative performance of the four fertilisers rather than their absolute agronomic efficiency. Within this comparative scope, the findings indicate that organic nutrient solutions derived from locally available livestock waste can support pepper productivity in soilless systems at least as well as, and for several parameters better than, the mineral fertilisers tested. Valorising such organic waste as low-cost biofertilisers could contribute to more affordable and resilient vegetable production for expanding West African cities, provided these trends are confirmed against an unfertilised control and under real production conditions.
Gnimassoun Kawojou Edwige-Gwladys, B. B. Emile, Brou A. Carelle Eudoxie· Journal of biology and natur...· 0 citations
