An experiment was conducted at Mouchack textile industrial area of Gazipur for two consecutive years (1999-2000) to study the effects of use of industrial waste water on the yield, nutrient content, and uptake of Boro rice. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The six treatments in this study were: T1: uncontaminated field + fresh water, T2: uncontaminated field + mixed water, T3: uncontaminated field + contaminated water for non-contaminated field, and T4: effluent contaminated field + fresh water, T5: effluent contaminated field + mixed water, T6: effluent contaminated field + contaminated water for contaminated field. Among the six treatments, uncontaminated field + fresh water (T1) showed the best positive effect on rice. The N, P. K, and S contents and uptake were higher in T1, but Zn, Mn, Fe, Cu, and Pb were higher in T6 treatment. The treatment T1, gave the highest grain yield (5.23 t/ha in 1999 and 5.40 t/ha in 2000), followed by mixed water (4.19 t/ha in 1999 and 4.24 t/ha in 2000) in both the growing seasons. Keywords: Industrial waste water; heavy metal; textile waste water; yield; nutrient content; uptake; rice. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjar.v36i2.9260 BJAR 2011; 36(2): 319-331

Zero tillage increases stratification of immobile nutrients such as P. However, it is unclear whether near-surface stratification of soil P eases or hampers P uptake by maize (Zea mays L.) which needs an optimum P supply at/before six–leaf–stage to achieve potential grain yield. The aim of the three-year study was to determine whether P stratification, under zero tillage, impaired yield of maize and which P placement methods could improve P uptake on an Aeric Albaquept soil subgroup. Phosphorus fertilizer was placed by: (a) broadcasting before final tillage and sowing of seeds; (b) surface banding beside the row; and (c) deep banding beside the row (both the band placements were done at three–four leaf stage) Phosphorus treatments were repeated for 3 years along with three tillage practices viz.: (a) zero tillage (ZT); (b) conventional tillage (12 cm; CT); and (c) deep tillage (25 cm; DT). In the third year, all the tillage practices gave similar yield of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) hybrid maize–5, but the highest grain yield was obtained by surface band P placement. After three years of tillage and P placements, the root mass density (RMD) at 0–6 cm depth increased significantly from 1.40 mg cm−3 in DT under deep band placement to 1.98 mg cm−3 in ZT under surface band placement, but not at the other depths. The combination of ZT practices, with broadcast or surface band placement methods, produced the highest available, and total P, content in soil at 0–6 cm depth after harvesting of maize. Accordingly, a significant increase in P uptake by maize was also found with surface banding of P alone and also in combination with ZT. Organic carbon, and total N, also increased significantly at depths of 0–6 cm after three years in ZT treatments with P placed in bands. By contrast, CT and DT practices, under all placement methods, resulted in an even distribution of P up to 24 cm depth. Phosphorus application, by surface banding at the three–four leaf stage, led to increased P uptake at early growth and silking stages, which resulted in highest yield regardless of tillage type through increased extractable P in the soil. Even though ZT increased P stratification near the soil surface, and it increased plant available water content (PAWC) and RMD in the 0–6 cm depth, as did surface banding, it did not improve maize grain yield. Further research is needed to understanding the contrasting maize grain yield responses to P stratification.

Conservation agriculture (CA) with appropriate nutrient management can help increase crop production, improve soil health and bring economic return. An experiment was conducted at farmer’s field of Rajbari district under Low Ganges River Floodplain (AEZ-12) during 2017-2018 to evaluate the effects of tillage and nutrient management on the system productivity and profitability in the jute - T. Aman rice- onion cropping system. Strip tillage (ST) for jute, non-puddling for T. Aman rice and one pass minimum tillage (MT) for onion was contrasted with conventional crop establishment practice (CT). Four different nutrient management practices were NM1: farmer’s practice (FP), NM2: soil test based (STB) fertilizer, NM3:25% extra of STB and NM4: organic amendments (20 % nutrients from cowdung). The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with three replications by assigning tillage practices in main plots and nutrient management in sub-plots. The yield attributes of jute, T. Aman rice and onion responded similarly to tillage practices. On the other hand, the system productivity and yield of component crops varied due to different nutrient management practices (p<0.05). The highest fibre yield of jute (3.64 t ha-1) was obtained in 25% extra of STB fertilizer dose; the highest T. Aman yield (6.02 t ha-1) and the highest onion bulb yield (16.0 t ha-1) in 20 % organic nutrient management, followed by25 % extra of STB fertilizer dose. The highest system productivity was also produced by 20 % organic amendments (33.6 t ha-1), followed by 25 % extra of STB fertilizer dose (32.3 t ha-1). The lowest yield of crops and system productivity was recorded in FP (28.6 t ha-1).The increased yield of T. Aman rice and onion in 20 % organic amendment by cowdung and ST resulted in the highest net return (NR) and benefit-cost ratio (BCR), while 25% extra of STB and FP under CT gave the lowest NR and BCR. Residual nutrient from successive use of cowdung combined with chemical fertilizers outperformed other management practices in terms of crop yield and economic return. Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 44(3): 387-399, September 2019

The experiment was conducted to study the effect of tillage, mulch and irrigation on soil moisture, yield and yield attributes of hybrid maize (var. BARI Hybrid Maize-6). Two tillage practices (minimum tillage and conventional tillage), two levels of mulches (no mulch and rice straw mulch @ 3 t ha-1) and three irrigation frequencies (one irrigation at 32 days after sowing (DAS), two irrigations at 32 and 55 DAS and three irrigations at 32, 55 and 85 DAS were used as treatment variables. Twelve treatment combinations were assigned in a split-split plot design with three replications. Minimum tillage and mulch conserved more moisture than conventional tillage with no mulch in both years. Minimum tillage and mulch (rice straw) as well as irrigation at 32, 55 and 85 DAS gave higher grain yield than conventional tillage with no mulch and any level of irrigation. Results revealed that application of straw mulch along with three irrigations and any kind of tillage practice might be a suitable combination for obtaining higher yield of maize in drought prone area. Bangladesh J. Agri. 2022, 47(1): 27-38

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