Background: In the coming decades, the agricultural system will increasingly rely on organic amendments to sustain crop production, maintain soil health and ensure long-term food security. While inorganic fertilizers remain widely used for vegetable production due to their rapid nutrient availability, their prolonged application has been shown to degrade soil quality, disrupt microbial communities and limit the nutritional quality of harvested produce. Consequently, there is a growing need to explore organic alternatives such as biochar and poultry manure that can enhance both crop productivity and functional quality. Objective: This study aimed to determine the influence of different application rates of biochar (5/T1, 10/T2, and 20/T3 t/ha), poultry manure (10/T1, 20/T2, 30/T3 t/ha), and NPK (2:3:4) as control on the metabolomic profile of tomato fruit. Methods: The metabolomic profile was determined using 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Results: Common metabolites across biochar rates included allantoin, asparagine and betaine, while rate-specific released metabolites such as inosine (T1), epicatechin (T2) and kynurenine (T3) were also identified. Similarly, poultry manure showed an array of metabolites at the highest application rate, with metabolites such as cellobiose, creatinine and maltose, while histamine (T1) and ADP (T3) were also detected as distinct metabolites.
Canola (Brassica napus L.) is one of the key oilseed crops worldwide, serving as a vital source of edible oil, livestock feed, and biofuel. In Afghanistan, canola production faces significant challenges due to declining soil fertility and over-reliance on expensive chemical fertilizers. Poultry manure, as a low cost and nutrient-rich organic fertilizer, offers a sustainable alternative for improving crop productivity. However, limited scientific information is available regarding the optimal poultry manure application rate for canola under Kabul’s agro-climatic conditions. Therefore, an experimental research was conducted at Kabul University Agricultural Research Farm during the 2025 cropping season using Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications and four treatments. The study aimed to evaluate Effects of Different Levels of Poultry manure on Growth, Yield, and Yield Components of Canola. The findings of the study revealed that the application of poultry manure significantly influenced on growth, yield and yield components of canola. Overall, the application of 8-ton poultry manure ha-1 had better performance than control. The maximum plant height (117.45 cm), number of branches plant-1 (5.65), number of leaves plant-1 (39.77), number of siliques plant-1 (184.61), silique length (6.01 cm), number of seeds silique-1 (18.39), thousand seed weight (3.40 g), seed yield (2.74 t ha⁻¹), biological yield (9.87 t ha⁻¹), and harvest index (27.76%) were all recorded in T4. The lowest values for all parameters were observed in the control treatment (T1). It is recommended that use 8 tons of poultry manure ha-1 in order to realize optimal seed yield and biological yield of the crop.
Murtaza Nabizada, A. Afghani· International Journal of Cur...· 0 citations
Agriculture plays a key role in global food production, whereas organic waste management remains an important environmental challenge. Organic residue-derived compost represents a sustainable strategy for nutrient recycling, soil fertility improvement, and reduced reliance on synthetic fertilizers in horticultural systems. This study systematically reviewed the scientific literature on the application of compost in cherry tomato (Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme) cultivation to evaluate its effects on agronomic performance and production systems. A database search from 2004 to July 2025 identified 86 studies that met the predefined eligibility criteria. The analysis showed an increasing trend in research over the last two decades, with publications peaking in 2021. Most studies were conducted in Latin America, particularly in Colombia, Mexico, and Brazil, highlighting the relevance of the cherry tomato crop. The application of compost was associated with improved plant growth, nutrient availability, and crop productivity. The production cycles ranged from 37 to 220 days, with shorter cycles commonly observed in tropical environments. Rice husk compost is among the most frequently used organic amendments. Overall, compost represents an effective strategy to enhance agronomic performance and promote sustainable cherry tomato production worldwide.
Andrés Reyes Rodríguez, Silvia A. Quijano, S. Arango-Varela et al.· Applied Sciences· 0 citations
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is one of the important vegetables crop grown worldwide due to its use in a number of dishes and high nutritive value. Most of the vegetables are consumed in fresh conditions but indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers of pesticides in crop production leads toxic effect in produce which may cause various kinds of health hazards. Hence there is need to produce food free of contaminants through the use of organic inputs. Viewing these facts, a field experiment was conducted during the 2021-22 to analyze the effect of organic manures on vegetative growth and flowering of tomato cv. Pusa Ruby. Farmyard manure (FYM), vermicompost and poultry manures were applied as sole and in combinations to analyze the effect of different organic manures. The treatments applied for the research purpose were seven in number that is T1 (Control), T2 (FYM 24.0 t/ha), T3 (Vermicompost 6.0 t/ha), T4 (Poultry manure 2.0 t/ha), T5 (FYM 12.0 t/ha + Vermicompost 3.0 t/ha), T6 (FYM 12.0 t/ha + Poultry manure 1.0 t/ha), T7 (Vermicompost 3.0 t/ha + Poultry manure 1.0 t/ha). The present investigation clearly indicate that combined soil application of Vermicompost 3.0 t/ha + Poultry manure 1.0 t/ha (T7) gave the better effect on vegetative parameters viz. plant height (85.03 cm), number of branches per plant (8.4), number of leaves per plant (41.77), number of flowers per cluster (12.3) as compared to all other treatments. However, FYM and Poultry manure also significantly increase vegetative growth of tomato.
Pulkit, P. Dev, Jitendra Kumar et al.· Progressive Agriculture· 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
Although nutrient management plays a crucial role in determining the productivity of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), comparative information on the effectiveness of organic and inorganic nutrient sources under local conditions is still scarce. A field experiment was conducted during the 2024, Rabi season at Khairahani, Chitwan, to evaluate the effects of different nutrient sources on growth, yield, and profitability of barley var. Mustangey Jau. Using a randomized complete block design with five treatments-controls, chemical fertilizer NPK, poultry manure, farmyard manure, and vermicompost-each replicated four times, significant differences were observed in plant height, leaf area index, effective tillers, and grain yield. NPK fertilizer produced the highest plant height (94.80 cm), leaf area index (0.18), effective tillers (6.52), and grain yield (1.69 t/ha), followed by poultry manure and vermicompost. Organic sources improved growth over the control but yielded less than NPK. Economic analysis showed NPK achieved the highest net return and benefit-cost ratio (2.19), followed by poultry manure (1.34). Therefore, the application of recommended NPK fertilizer is suggested for maximizing barley yield and profitability, while poultry manure can be considered as a suitable organic alternative for improving productivity compared with other organic sources.
A. Gaire, Anugya Dawadi, Sulochana Aryal· Journal of Plant Resources· 0 citations
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.
J. Reyes· Journal of Agriculture and E...· 0 citations