Arbuscular mycorrhizae fungi (AMF) inoculums may decline in the rice field due to mostly cultivation of rice under anaerobic or flooded conditions. The mechanisms regulating such events are mainly unknown. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of AMF on the growth response of rice plant, leaf-level photosynthetic behavior, nutrient contents within rice plant tissue and changes in bulk soil physiochemical properties under both aerobic and anaerobic water managements. A pot experiment was conducted under growth chamber conditions. The experimental treatments were control, Funneliformis mosseae and Rhizophagus irregularis × rice variety BRRI Dhan 28 × Turkish Menzilat soil that grown under both aerobic and anaerobic water regimes. The result showed that the width of leaf blade at 12 days after sowing (DAS) was similar between aerobic and anaerobic water management due to mycorrhizae inoculation. Likewise, shoot dry weight at 13 and 35 DAS was similar in both water regimes. However, shoot dry weight at harvest was higher in anaerobic condition than aerobic condition due to F. mosseae mycorrhizae species inoculation. Root biomass gaps were reduced between two managements for mycorrhizae species inoculation. The assimilation rate was tended to be higher in anaerobic than aerobic conditions. In contrast, intercellular carbon dioxide (CO₂), stomatal conductance, and transpiration rate were higher in aerobic than anaerobic management. The result also showed that mycorrhizae inoculation increase nutrient concentration within rice plant tissue. Bulk soil physiochemical analysis demonstrated that the bioavailability of nutrients increased in soil solution due to mycorrhizae species inoculation. This study concluded that mycorrhizae can be utilized for rice cultivation under both aerobic and anaerobic water managements.

Mycorrhizae can enhance plant growth and phosphorus (P) use efficiency in horticultural plants. This research evaluated the effectiveness of mycorrhizae on increasing growth and yield of nine horticultural plants for two different rates of P fertilization under field conditions. The mycorrhizal inoculums increased the root colonization of mycorrhizal horticultural plants compared with the non-inoculated treatments. Mycorrhizal inoculation significantly increased onion, garlic, chickpea, broad bean, carrot, parsley and cress plants. Mycorrhizal effectiveness showed that without P addition the effect of mycorrhizae on plant yield is much higher than that with P fertilizer addition. Under low P fertilization inoculation effectiveness is much higher than P addition treatments. Mycorrhizal inoculums also increased tissue P and zinc (Zn) for horticultural plant. The improved growth, yield, Zn and P uptake in plants demonstrated the potential of mycorrhizal inoculation to reduce the effects P fertilization on horticultural plants grown under field conditions.

High concentrations of salt (NaCl) in soils reduce plant growth and have enormous influence on nitrogen dynamics in the soil solution. However, addition of rice straw is expected to mitigate the effect of salinity on nitrogen cycling, therefore positively influencing plant growth. This study describes how rice seedling emergence and early growth in a saline paddy soil can be improved by adding rice straw to the soil and incubating the soil/straw mixtures for two months. I conducted a short term laboratory incubation and a plant growth experiment to evaluate the benefit of rice straw addition to a saline paddy soil with respect to nitrogen availability and the associated growth response of saline tolerant (BRRI Dhan47) and saline sensitive (BRRI Dhan28) rice seedlings. A naturally saline paddy soil was collected from the coastal area of Bangladesh. The soil was then incubated with rice straw (0%, 25%, 50%, 100%, and 200% of the straw yield) for two months. After that, BRRI Dhan47 and BRRI Dhan28 rice varieties were sown in these incubated soils. Rice seedlings were harvested after 14 days of sowing. My results indicated that raw rice straw addition to saline paddy soil decreased the bio-availability of salt. Furthermore, BRRI Dhan28 responded better than the BRRI Dhan47 to increased addition of rice straw to soil. Bulk soil pH declined and nitrogen availability increased with increasing rice straw addition to saline paddy soil. This study concluded that rice straw can be a meaningful soil amendment to decrease harmful effect of salt and increase nitrogen availability in a saline paddy soil.

The Brazilian Journal of Science and Technology is a peer-reviewed open access journal published under the brand SpringerOpen. The Brazilian Journal of Science and Technology showcases research in the broad field of science and technology (including such disciplines as Agriculture, Biotechnology, Energy Policy, Environmental Studies, Materials Science, and Sustainable Development), with particular respect to Brazil and greater Latin America, but not limited to authorship or topical coverage within the region. The journal explores the dynamics of Research & Development (R&D) under a wide perspective, including not only an emphasis on dissemination of research findings, but also on policy-making and economic growth. Contributions are expected from senior researchers, project managers, research administrators and PhD students at advanced stages of their research, representing both public organizations and private industry. Similarly, the journal is intended for scholars and students, staff working at research organizations and government agencies, and also for enterprises undertaking applied R&D to drive innovations. The journal provides a unique platform for both contributors and readers since it focuses on the substantial potential of R&D in a rapidly growing region, with implications for other emerging regions around the world. The editorial contents and elements that comprise the journal include: • Theoretical articles • Empirical studies • Practice-oriented papers • Case studies • Review of books and resources The journal will occasionally produce special issues on state-of-the-art, interdisicplinary themes that are mainstream in Brazil and elsewhere. Consistent with this approach, some potential topics of special issues are: • Conservation of the Amazon rainforests • The impacts of Brazilian R&D policies on economic development • Measuring the effectiveness of investments in research • Space research • Renewable energy technologies As far as the criteria for evaluating and accepting submissions is concerned, a rigorous review process will be used. Submitted papers will, prior to the formal review, be screened so as to ensure their suitability and adequacy to the journal. In addition, an initial quality control will be performed, so as to ensure matters such as language, style of references and others, comply with the journal´s style.

Biochar is a pyrolyzed biomass produced under limited oxygen or oxygen absent conditions. Few investigations have been conducted to determine the combined effect of biochar with chemical fertilizer on growth, yield and nutrient distribution pattern in root, shoot and grain in wheat as well as changes in soil physiochemical properties. This research was designed to study the combined effect of chemical fertilizer and rice straw-derived biochar on soil physio-chemical properties, growth, yield and nutrient distribution pattern within wheat plant tissue and grain. Results showed that rice straw biochar caused a significant decrease in soil pH and increase in soil organic matter as well as nutrients like total nitrogen (TN), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg) and boron (B) due to incubation. Result also showed that root biomass and straw did not differ between Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) and ½ BARC + rice straw biochar treatment. Similarly, thousand grain weight and grain yield did not differ between the same treatments. The phosphorus concentration in wheat grain was highest in ½ BARC + rice straw biochar as compared to other treatments. The use of rice straw biochar in addition to the chemical fertilizers in wheat production systems is an economically feasible and practical nutrient management practice. Our findings urged that reduction of chemical fertilizer application is possible with supplementation of rice straw biochar.

Plants are not uniform in their nutritional requirements, most of them survive under adverse conditions of humidity, temperature and nutrients, because they are genetically adapted to their habitat and even some varieties of the same species present differences in absorption, translocation, accumulation and nutrient use. This study is aimed at examining the phosphorus (P) status and P distribution in the different parts of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plant, root and shoot growth response in a split-root soil culture in alkaline soil. The soil having pH 7.9 was collected from the alkaline region of Bangladesh. KH2PO4 was used as the source of phosphorus for the different level of P applications. Two recently BARI developed wheat varieties namely BARI GOM 25 and BARI GOM 26 were used as testing plants with three replications. Result showed the growth parameter increased with the increase of P application. Likewise, P uptake by wheat seedlings also increases with the elevated P application. However, no significant differences were observed between wheat varieties irrespective of growth and P uptake by wheat seedlings. Moreover, elevated P concentrations in the shoot of wheat plants probably provided more P for shoot unloading of P and for P assimilation in the controlled roots, resulting in increased P concentrations in the roots of wheat plants, that means, translocation of P in the roots. These findings indicate that the added soluble P increases the absorption of nutrients from the soil solution. However, application of elevated P is efficient both for increasing shoot development and root growth and plays significant role in the phosphorus dynamics within the wheat plants in split root system in alkaline soil.