Agricultural Research最新文献

{"title":"Meta-topolin Stimulates In Vitro Plantlet Generation from Embryonic Shoot Meristem Explants in Coconut (Cocos nucifera)","authors":"M. S. Namitha,&nbsp;M. Neema,&nbsp;M. K. Rajesh,&nbsp;M. P. Fathimath Zaeema,&nbsp;Krishna Prakash,&nbsp;K. S. Muralikrishna,&nbsp;Anitha Karun","doi":"10.1007/s40003-025-00891-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40003-025-00891-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The optimization of culture medium composition and plant growth regulators (PGRs) is essential for efficient micropropagation of recalcitrant crops such as coconut. Meta-topolin (mT), a potent aromatic cytokinin, has demonstrated superior efficacy compared to other cytokinins in promoting in vitro regeneration across various plant species. In this study, we observed that when combined with picloram, mT significantly enhances callus induction, embryogenic calli formation, and somatic embryogenesis in coconut embryonic shoot meristem explants. Explants cultured on Y3 medium supplemented with mT (5 µM) and picloram (200 µM) achieved 48% somatic embryo production, with uniform rooting and shoot induction. Rooted plantlets could be successfully acclimatized, hardened, and planted in the field. The successful integration of mT and picloram displays a breakthrough in coconut somatic embryogenesis. It enables reliable plantlet regeneration and offers promise for the mass production of disease-free and true-to-type coconut plants, addressing key challenges in the tissue culture of this recalcitrant crop.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7553,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Research","volume":"15 2","pages":"808 - 824"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148299885","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Revealing the Physico-chemical and Mineralogical Dynamic in Two Zonal Soils in Cameroon: Implications for Soil Fertility Management","authors":"Georges Martial Ndzana,&nbsp;Li Huang,&nbsp;Jean Pierre Temga,&nbsp;Kashif Kubar,&nbsp;Thierry Mamert Abodo,&nbsp;Etienne Bekoa,&nbsp;Danielle Mamba,&nbsp;Emile Temgoua,&nbsp;Azinwi Primus,&nbsp;C. T. Kaamil Fonfatawouo,&nbsp;Joseph Kabala Mubolo,&nbsp;Bin Zhang","doi":"10.1007/s40003-025-00897-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40003-025-00897-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In Cameroon, the lithomorphic Vertisol and Ferralsol have received less attention while they are extensively utilized for agricultural practices. This study used the available physico-chemical analysis techniques, inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and conventional X-ray diffraction (XRD) to assess the soil physico-chemical properties and mineralogical characteristics in the lithomorphic Vertisol and Ferralsol soil profiles, providing insights into their suitability for agricultural practices. Mineralogical analysis revealed that lithomorphic Vertisol soil is predominantly composed of smectite, kaolinite, and illite, granting them a highest cation exchange capacity (CEC) of 14.4–16.3 meq/100 g and a neutral to slightly alkaline pH (6.1–7.0) compared to Ferralsol soil profile which was dominated by kaolinite and gibbsite, exhibiting a lowest CEC (10.0–15.2 meq/100 g) and more acidic pH levels (4.5–5.5). Organic carbon content decreased with soil depth in both soil types; however, lithomorphic Vertisol soil profile retained a higher percentage (0.91% in the A horizon) compared to Ferralsol soil profile (0.18% in the A horizon), suggesting superior organic matter accumulation in lithomorphic Vertisol, which is crucial for soil fertility. Analysis of SiO₂/Al₂O₃ ratios reveals an increasing trend in lithomorphic Vertisol with depth, contrasting with a decreasing trend in Ferralsol, indicative of distinct weathering and leaching processes impacting these soils' nutrient availability. The differences in mineralogy and physico-chemical properties between these two soil profiles can be attributed to varying parent material lithology, climatic conditions, and the hydrological characteristics of the regions where they are formed. The findings reveal that the unique characteristics of Vertisol support greater fertility potential, making it more suitable for intensive agricultural production than Ferralsol. This has significant implications for soil management strategies aimed at enhancing agricultural productivity in Cameroon.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7553,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Research","volume":"15 2","pages":"1146 - 1156"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148299852","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Water Use in Rice Crop Cultivation in India: A Quantitative Assessment","authors":"Manish Debnath,&nbsp;Sumanta Chatterjee,&nbsp;A. K. Nayak,&nbsp;D. Chakraborty,&nbsp;H. Pathak","doi":"10.1007/s40003-025-00892-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40003-025-00892-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Water management is critical for sustainable paddy cultivation in India where rice plays a major role in food security. This study explores the water footprint (L kg⁻¹) and water productivity (kg m⁻³) of paddy cultivation across various regions in India, taking into account both green (rainfed) and blue (irrigated) water components. The water footprints and water productivity were calculated using spatial and temporal data on rainfall, soil, irrigation sources and crop coefficients data across diverse agro-ecological zones in India. Regional averages were derived from meteorological and hydrological datasets, including both green and blue water inputs. On an average, it takes 1500–2000 L of water to produce 1 kg of paddy in India, with significant regional variations influenced by soil, climate, irrigation practices, crop productivity. These figures are lower than those of Bangladesh (2179–3268 L kg⁻¹), Indonesia (1886–3030 L kg⁻¹) and Philippines (900–3333 L kg⁻¹), but higher than those of China (~ 1321 L kg⁻¹) and Vietnam (~ 952 L kg⁻¹). Regions like Northeastern states depend on rainfed paddy cultivation due to abundant rainfall, with green water footprints ranging from 1155 to 2660 L kg⁻¹. There is significant potential for developing water harvesting infrastructure in this region. In contrast, regions like Punjab and Haryana, which practice intensive irrigation and ground water extraction, show higher water footprints ranging from 2270 to 2672 L kg⁻¹, highlighting the need for improved water management strategies. The water footprint of paddy is higher compared to that of wheat and maize but can be similar to cotton, mustard and even groundnut with efficient irrigation management. The study emphasizes the importance of tailored approaches to enhance water productivity, reduce water footprints, and ensure sustainable rice production in the context of climate change to achieve the Sustainable Agricultural Goals.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7553,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Research","volume":"15 2","pages":"1113 - 1125"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148299889","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the Spatial and Temporal Dimension of Yellow Stem Borer in the Coastal Rice Ecosystem for Enhanced Management Using Geostatistical Analysis","authors":"Kiran Gandhi Bapatla,&nbsp;Uday Babu Ponnada,&nbsp;Chinna Babu Naik,&nbsp;Srujana Yeddula,&nbsp;Shyam CS,&nbsp;Gayatri Bandaru,&nbsp;Koteswararao Karnena,&nbsp;Bipin Bihari Panda","doi":"10.1007/s40003-025-00886-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40003-025-00886-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.), a staple food crop in tropical and subtropical regions, is highly susceptible to damage from the yellow stem borer (YSB), <i>Scirpophaga incertulas</i> (Walker), causing significant economic losses. This study investigates the spatial and temporal dynamics of YSB populations and associated damage in a microscale rice landscape in coastal Andhra Pradesh, Southeast India. A total of 5,408 YSB males were captured using pheromone traps, and significant variations in YSB populations and damage were observed across different years and months (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). Peaks in YSB activity occurred during the tillering stage in August and from flowering to the grain-filling stage in November. Surface air temperature, humidity and rainfall showed no significant correlations with YSB populations and damage, while remotely sensed data, including land surface temperature (LST) and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), had significant negative associations. Geostatistical analyses revealed a strong spatial aggregation of YSB populations and damage, particularly in August and November, with spherical variogram models providing the best-fit. The average spatial dependency of the YSB population and damage in rice was estimated to be 584.1 m and 673.33 m, respectively. Additionally, spatial autocorrelation (Moran’s I) confirmed significant clustering of YSB populations, while Getis-Ord Gi* analysis identified hotspots in southeastern locations of the study area, indicating areas of higher infestation. These findings suggest that incorporating spatial data into pest management strategies can enhance the precision of insecticide applications, reduce environmental impacts and improve the overall efficiency of YSB control. This study provides valuable insights for developing more effective integrated pest management (IPM) strategies for rice cultivation.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7553,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Research","volume":"15 2","pages":"916 - 926"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148299856","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unlocking Fertility Secrets: Precise Restorer Selection for High Yielding Three-Line Hybrids Through Rf3 and Rf4 Gene Synergy in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)","authors":"R. Nivedha,&nbsp;S. Manonmani,&nbsp;T. Kalaimagal,&nbsp;M. Raveendran,&nbsp;S. Kavitha","doi":"10.1007/s40003-025-00888-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40003-025-00888-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In the ever-growing population and resource constraints, the enhanced productivity is attained by harnessing hybrid vigour. The success of three-line hybrid breeding relies to a large extent on the precise identification of restorers to ensure fertile hybrids. This study is aimed to explore the genetic dynamics of fertility restoration in rice hybrids, with a specific focus on the interaction between the Wild Abortive Cytoplasmic Male Sterility (WA-CMS) and two crucial genes associated with Restoration of fertility (<i>Rf</i>) namely <i>Rf3</i> and <i>Rf4</i>. Molecular screening of 105 diverse genotypes using RMS-SF21-5 and RM228 markers revealed distinct allelic combinations influencing fertility restoration. Subsequently, a subset with varying genotypic constitution of <i>Rf</i> genes was crossed with TNAU CMS 2A and COMS 23A. The evaluation of test cross progenies unveiled that most of the restorers belonged to <i>Rf3Rf3/Rf4Rf4</i> genotype implying the significance of both genes in determining restorers. The genotypes RNR 15048, CBSN 513, IR64 DRT, CO 54, WGL 32100 and MTU1210 were identified as effective restorers. The low glycemic index of RNR 15048 and drought tolerance of IR64 DRT provide unique opportunity to develop hybrids with improved nutrition and climate resilience. Also, Marker-assisted selection, particularly the combined use of <i>Rf3</i> and <i>Rf4</i> markers, demonstrated a substantial increase in efficiency, emphasizing the need for a dual-gene screening approach. The findings offer valuable insights for a precise and time-efficient selection of restorers to develop high-yielding rice hybrids, highlighting the essential role of both genes in identifying optimal restorers.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7553,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Research","volume":"15 2","pages":"629 - 637"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148299971","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biocontrol Potential of Non-Saccharomyces Yeasts Against Post-Harvest Penicillium Species in Apples and Oranges","authors":"Zukisani Gomomo,&nbsp;Morris Fanadzo,&nbsp;Maxwell Mewa-Ngongang,&nbsp;Justin Hoff,&nbsp;Marieta van der Rijst,&nbsp;Lucky Mokwena,&nbsp;Jeremy J. Boonzaier,&nbsp;Rodney S. Hart,&nbsp;Heinrich W. du Plessis","doi":"10.1007/s40003-025-00890-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40003-025-00890-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Fruit producers and exporters around the world are grappling with challenges related to post-harvest fruit decay, particularly in fruits such as apples and oranges destined for export, leading to waste and financial losses. The filamentous fungi, specifically <i>Penicillium</i> species, are the primary post-harvest pathogens affecting apples and oranges. This study evaluated the use of five non<i>-Saccharomyces</i> yeast species (<i>Suhomyces pyralidae, Meyerozyma guilliermondii, Pichia kluyveri</i>, <i>Zygoascus helenicus</i> and <i>Aureobasidium melanogenum</i>) as biocontrol agents against <i>Penicillium expansum</i>, <i>P. digitatum</i> and <i>P. italicum</i>. The yeasts were screened for their inhibitory effects using radial inhibition and mouth-to-mouth assays on agar plates and post-harvest trials on apples and oranges. <i>Aureobasidium melanogenum</i> exhibited the most significant growth inhibition in the radial inhibition assay, achieving 60%, 100% and 70% inhibition against <i>P. expansum</i>, <i>P. digitatum</i> and <i>P. italicum,</i> respectively. In the volatile compound assay, <i>Pi. kluyveri</i> achieved complete (100%) inhibition of <i>P. expansum, P. digitatum</i> and <i>P. italicum.</i> Seven volatile compounds were identified, isobutanol, 2-phenylethanol, isoamyl acetate, isoamyl alcohol and 2-phenethyl acetate associated with the inhibition of <i>P. expansum</i>. In post-harvest trials, the yeast treatments displayed limited inhibition activity on apples (<i>ca.</i> 15%). However, on oranges, <i>M. guilliermondii</i> demonstrated substantial inhibition, achieving 72% and 77% inhibition against <i>P. digitatum</i> and <i>P. italicum,</i> respectively<i>.</i> These findings suggest that the selected yeast species have potential as biological control agents against <i>P. expansum, P. digitatum</i> and <i>P. italicum</i>, although further research is required to fully understand and optimise their application.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7553,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Research","volume":"15 2","pages":"927 - 939"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s40003-025-00890-3.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148299893","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Utilizing WAASB and MGIDI Methodologies to Explore Valuable Barley Genetic Resources Adapted to Adverse Environmental Conditions","authors":"Behnam Bakhshi,&nbsp;Shakiba Shahmoradi,&nbsp;Seyed Ali Tabatabaie,&nbsp;Azita Nakhei,&nbsp;Ali Barati","doi":"10.1007/s40003-025-00889-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40003-025-00889-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Barley (<i>Hordeum vulgare</i> L.) is the leading cereal crop in Iran, often grown under abiotic stress conditions. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of barley landraces for high yield, desirable traits, stability, drought tolerance, and salinity tolerance. Fifty barley landraces were screened across 14 environments, including normal, drought stress, and salinity stress conditions. Quantitative traits and stress tolerance indices were measured. Joint ANOVA revealed that 68.25%, 18.26%, and 6.01% of the total variation were explained by the environment, genotype × environment interactions, and genotypic effects, respectively. The weighted average of the absolute scores (WAASB) was used for stability analysis, and detected G46 as the most stable genotype. To balance stability and mean yield, a superiority index (WAASBY) was used and defined G34 as a broadly adapted and high-yielding genotype. A multi-trait genotype–ideotype distance index (MGIDI) was employed for simultaneous selection, targeting high scores for grain yield, plant height, and kernel weight, and low scores for days to flowering and days to maturity. This approach identified G50(TN5008), G51(Nosrat), G38(TN4357), G27(TN3643), G54(Goharan), G33(TN4247), G30(TN3947), and G52(Yousef) as the genotypes with desirable traits. The MGIDI was also utilized to identify abiotic stress-tolerant genotypes, targeting high scores for mean productivity, geometric mean productivity, harmonic mean productivity, stress tolerance index, and yield stability index, and low scores for tolerance index and stress susceptibility index. Based on MGIDI, G28(TN3646), G53(Nimrouz), G32(TN4104), G52(Yousef), G51(Nosrat), G25(TN3477), G21(TN3454), and G11(TN18514) were found to be drought-tolerant genotypes. Similarly, G39(TN4461), G41(TN4847), G17(TN6135), G56(Khatam), G23(TN3470), G15(TN20019), and G54(Goharan) were identified as salinity-tolerant genotypes. Venn diagram with a selection intensity of 30% identified G25(TN3477), G54(Goharan), G38(TN4357), and G52(Yousef) as genotypes with multiple desirable features, such as high yield, drought tolerance, and salinity tolerance simultaneously. This study demonstrated the high potential of Iranian barley genetic resources in adapting to different environmental stress conditions and effectiveness of the indicators used in identifying these valuable resources for exploitation in various adverse environments.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7553,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Research","volume":"15 2","pages":"638 - 652"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148299855","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mycorrhizal Infection and Growth Response of Blueberry Cultivars to Soil Amendments","authors":"Xuedong Tang,&nbsp;Jiaxin Cai,&nbsp;Jianxin Li,&nbsp;Lin Wu,&nbsp;Ruixue Guo,&nbsp;Xiaojia Liu","doi":"10.1007/s40003-025-00893-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40003-025-00893-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Blueberries exhibit reduced efficiency in water and nutrient absorption due to the absence of root hairs, necessitating a more optimal soil cultivation environment, which significantly constrains their cultivation range. To investigate the effects of various soil conditioners on the growth and mycorrhizal colonization rates of blueberries, two varieties, ‘Bluecrop’ and ‘Northland’ were tested in pots. The results indicated that the highest mycorrhizal colonization rate was observed in the control treatment comprising garden soil with 1 kg of sulfur powder (S), yielding rates of 42.58% and 38.40% for the respective varieties. The treatment containing moss + peat of the ‘Bluecrop’ variety resulted in the most substantial plant growth, with plant height and aboveground dry weight measuring 132.3% and 120.5% of the control values, respectively. Conversely, the treatment combining river sand and garden soil exhibited the lowest mycorrhizal colonization rate of the ‘Bluecrop’ variety at only 24.80% and 19.27% of the control, respectively. The results from the open field test further demonstrated that the highest mycorrhizal colonization rate was achieved with the addition of moss to the ‘Northland’ variety, reaching 222.2% of the control. Additionally, higher mycorrhizal colonization rates were recorded in treatments incorporating sawdust, moss, and grass peat, which were 206.3% and 165.1% of the control, respectively. Overall, the experimental findings underscore the significant impact of different soil amendment substances on the growth and mycorrhizal colonization rates of blueberries.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7553,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Research","volume":"15 2","pages":"878 - 884"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148299976","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prioritization of Soil Loss at Sub-catchment Level Using SWAT Model in Kesinga Catchment, Mahanadi River, India","authors":"P. Chinna Vani,&nbsp;B. C. Sahoo,&nbsp;J. C. Paul,&nbsp;A. P. Sahu,&nbsp;A. K. B. Mohapatra","doi":"10.1007/s40003-025-00895-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40003-025-00895-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The study uses the soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) to identify the hot spots of erosion in the Kesinga watershed in India. The model was calibrated and validated using data from 2000–2016 to 2017–2020. The results show that 40.2% of watersheds are identified as hot soil erosion regions, with 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 21, 24 and 27 basins with high erosion levels from the ground. These results are crucial for planners and resource managers, providing information on immediate and long-term planning of water resources. The study focuses on the Kesinga watershed, which is mainly agricultural and has the use of mainly agricultural land. The SWAT model accurately reproduces the discharge and monthly sediment models, showing a satisfactory agreement between the observed and simulated discharge results. The model also shows high performance in sediment yield simulations, with <i>R</i>² values of 0.7 and 0.8 for calibration and validation periods. The study also created a soil losses map, revealing 40.2% of the significant soil loss watershed.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7553,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Research","volume":"15 2","pages":"1140 - 1145"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148299880","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Delineation of Soil Nutrient Management Zone for Site-Specific Sulphur and Micronutrient Management: A Case Study of Jhansi Bundelkhand Region of India","authors":"Rahul Mishra,&nbsp;Sanjib Kumar Behera,&nbsp;Arvind Kumar Shukla,&nbsp;Vimal Shukla","doi":"10.1007/s40003-025-00894-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40003-025-00894-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Understanding spatial distribution of soil nutrients and associated soil properties is essential for adoption of site-specific nutrient management strategies. Apart from nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium deficiency, the deficiency of sulphur (S) and micronutrients is widespread in soils and crops worldwide. We, therefore, conducted the present study to evaluate spatial distribution patterns and prepare distribution maps of soil properties, available sulphur (AS) and available micronutrients [zinc (AZn), iron (AFe), copper (ACu), manganese (AMn) and boron (AB)] and nutrient management zones (MZs) in agricultural soils of Jhansi district, Uttar Pradesh, India. For this purpose, 510 georeferenced surface soil samples were collected from agricultural field by following stratified random sampling method and analysed for soil pH, electrical conductivity (EC), soil organic carbon (SOC), AS, and available micronutrients. Soil pH, EC and SOC content varied from 6.15 to 9.12, 0.10 to 0.46 dS m⁻¹ and 0.10 to 1.18%, respectively. The concentration of AS, AZn, AFe, ACu, AMn and AB varied widely, with 34.5–62.6% of coefficient of variation. Geostatistical analysis revealed exponential best-fit model (having mean square error from − 0.005 to 0.116) with weak to strong spatial dependency for soil parameters. Distribution maps revealed varied distribution patterns of soil parameters with different levels of nutrient deficiencies. The generated distribution maps could be used for variable rate fertilizer application in the studied area. Principal component analysis reduced variables to two principal components with eigenvalues &gt; 1, explaining 48.9% of variance. The datasets were divided into two to nine clusters resulting in two soil nutrient management zones (MZs) with significantly different soil parameters. This underscores the effectiveness of MZ delineation as a tool for site-specific soil nutrient management in cultivated areas, promoting sustainable crop production.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7553,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Research","volume":"15 2","pages":"1126 - 1139"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148299881","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}