To investigate the response of rainfed maize to sowing methods and NPK levels, an experiment was undertaken during kharif of 2011 and 2012 at Dryland (Kerawa) Agriculture Research Station, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Budgam. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with combination of 2 sowing methods (flat sowing, 75 cm apart rows, and ridge sowing, 75 cm apart ridges) and 3 fertility levels (60 : 40 : 20, 75 : 50 : 30, and 90 : 60 : 40 N : P₂O₅ : K₂O kg ha⁻¹) with three replications. Various growth characters, namely, plant height, leaf area index, dry matter accumulation, number of days to different phenological stages, and yield, and yield contributing characters namely, cob length, number of grains cob⁻¹, cob diameter (cm), and 100-seed weight (g), were significantly higher with S₂over S₁during both the years of experimentation. Fertilizer levels F₃(90 : 60 : 40) and F₂(75 : 50 : 30) at par with one another produced significant increase in growth and yield characters, namely, plant height, leaf area index, dry matter production at different growth stages, cob length, number of cobs plant⁻¹, number of grains cob⁻¹, and 100-seed weight over F₁(60 : 40 : 20). Significantly higher grain yield was recorded with fertilizer level F₃(90 : 60 : 40) being at par with F₂(75 : 50 : 30) and showed significant increase over F₁(60 : 40 : 20) with superiority of 5.4 and 5.7 per cent during 2011 and 2012, respectively. The findings of the study concluded that ridge method of sowing of maize with NPK levels of 75 : 50 : 30 kg ha⁻¹showed better performance of crop in terms of growth, yield, and yield attributes.

This pot-based study investigated the influence of cow-manure-derived slow pyrolyzed biochar on the growth performance and accumulation of Nickle (Ni), Zink (Zn), Copper (Cu) and Iron (Fe) in the aboveground plant biomass of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) grown under wastewater and groundwater irrigation. Biochar was applied in soil with or without manure (mixture of dung of cow and sheep/goat) at 3, 5 and 10% rates. Biochar application at 5% and when co-applied with manure at all application rates increased aboveground plant biomass under wastewater and groundwater irrigation. Application of biochar at 5 and 10% rates and when co-amended with manure at all application rates, increased the leaf area index under wastewater irrigation but caused no influence under groundwater irrigation. Biochar amendment at 5% rate reduced while at 10% rate and when co-applied with manure at 3 and 5% application rates increased root biomass under wastewater irrigation. Under groundwater irrigation, amendment of biochar at 10% and when co-applied with manure at 3 and 10% increased root biomass. Under wastewater irrigation, application of biochar tended to reduce the concentration of Ni when co-amended with manure while increased the concentration of Cu in aboveground plant tissues at 3 and 5% rates and when co-applied with manure at 10% rate. In conclusion, manure-derived biochar increased crop growth performance and influenced accumulation of heavy metals in aboveground plant tissues under wastewater and groundwater irrigation. Application of manure with biochar reduced concentration of Ni under wastewater irrigation and enhanced crop growth performance under groundwater irrigation.

Being the most expensive spice, saffron has great economic importance. This crop grows well in cold arid deserts. Salinity is one of the important limiting factors for the cultivation of this crop. However, the use of composted manured and co-composted biochar and fertilizers can play a role in attenuating the salinity stress on this crop. In this two-year field study, manures from three sources: sheep and goat (SG), cow and buffalo (FYM), and poultry (PM) farms, and their co-compost with slow-pyrolyzed wood-derived biochar (B) were used for saffron cultivation in slightly saline (electrical conductivity 1.95 dS m⁻¹) and non-saline soils. Yield and concentration of antioxidants of stigma and bacterial diversity in the rhizosphere of this crop, under salinity and non-salinity conditions, were evaluated. Results revealed that in non-saline soil of first-year crops, all fertilizers decreased the yield of stigma than control by 15–49 % (P ≤ 0.05) but increased the concentration of carotenoids and total polyphenolics (P ≤ 0.05). In saline soil, no difference in yield was observed between treatments for the first-year crop; however, for the second-year crop, as compared to control, PM and FYM significantly increased yield by 41 % and 44 % respectively, whereas FYM also increased the concentration of total polyphenolics (P ≤ 0.05). The FYM fertilizer was found suitable for the yield and quality of saffron stigma for second-year crops in both soils (non-saline and saline). The observed OTUs, Chao1, Fischer, and ACE indexes based on 16 s rRNA metagenomic analysis revealed 2–4 times greater bacterial diversity in the rhizosphere soil of PM-B and SG-B treatments than in the control. Furthermore, 347 bacterial species were found in PM-B- or SG-B-amended soils absent in control treatments.

Present study analysed the influence of slow-pyrolyzed wood-derived biochar on growth performance and heavy metal accumulation in the leaves of spinach grown under groundwater and wastewater irrigation. Biochar was applied in soil as 5% (~30 t·ha−1) and 10% (~60 t·ha−1) amendment. According to results, plant biomass was significantly higher under wastewater than groundwater irrigation. Biochar amendment increased significantly the aboveground plant biomass and root biomass and promoted water use efficiency (WUE). Under groundwater irrigation, biochar amendment at 10% application rate, increased the leaf area index (P < 0.05), while amendment of biochar at all application rates significantly reduced leaf area index under wastewater irrigation (P < 0.05). Application of biochar also reduced accumulation of rhizosphere soil around roots under wastewater irrigation, indicating less exudate production in the rhizosphere of plants. Biochar significantly reduced the concentration of copper (Cu) in under wastewater irrigation. Biochar increased the nutrient use efficiency (NUE) of plants for zinc (Zn) and Cu under wastewater irrigation.