Wastewater-irrigated forestry is an important strategy for sustainable water resource management, biomass production, and ecosystem restoration in arid and semi-arid regions. A field experiment was conducted from September 2023 to June 2025 in Balana, Nasr El-Nuba District, Aswan Governorate, Egypt, to investigate the effectiveness of humic acid (HA) and seaweed extract (SWE) as biostimulants on the growth performance, physiological responses, heavy metal accumulation, and wood properties of Azadirachta indica irrigated with treated wastewater. The study followed a completely randomized block design with five treatments: control, HA at 1 and 2 mL L−1, and SWE at 1 and 2 g L−1. Measurements were recorded at 9 and 21 months after planting. Biostimulant application significantly enhanced vegetative growth, chlorophyll content, and wood quality compared with untreated plants. Seaweed extract at 2 g L−1 produced the greatest improvements in stem length by 7.7 and 11.3%, stem diameter by 35.4 and 10.7%, and chlorophyll content by 13.6 and 14.75 compared to control at 9 and 21 months, respectively. Also, it increased wood density by 10%, and reduced moisture by 9%. Whereas humic acid at 2 mL L−1 resulted in higher cellulose, hemicellulose, and holocellulose contents by 4, 6.4 and 10.2%, while reducing lignin and ash by 12.1 and 9.5% compared to control. Heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cu, Fe, and Zn) accumulated in all plant organs, with accumulation patterns varying according to the element and biostimulant treatment. Most metals were preferentially retained in the roots, whereas Fe accumulated predominantly in the leaves, indicating different uptake and sequestration strategies. Despite continuous irrigation with treated wastewater, soil heavy metal concentrations declined over the experimental period, demonstrating the capacity of neem trees to remediate metals from contaminated soils. These findings demonstrate that integrating treated wastewater irrigation with biostimulant application can simultaneously improve tree productivity, wood quality, and environmental remediation. Seaweed extract at 2 g L−1 is recommended for maximizing tree growth and wood physical properties, while humic acid at 2 mL L−1 is preferable for improving wood chemical quality, highlighting the potential of this integrated approach for sustainable woody plantations in water-limited regions.
Seaweed-derived biostimulants may complement conventional nutrient management in rice, but their performance requires evaluation under specific soil and agroclimatic conditions. A field experiment was conducted during the kharif season of 2022–2023 at the Agricultural Research Farm, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, to assess Sagarika seaweed extract in an Inceptisol. The experiment followed a randomised block design with 11 treatments and three replications. Treatments included an absolute control, the recommended dose of fertilisers (RDF), reduced soil-applied urea, an NPK biofertiliser consortium, Sagarika granules, Sagarika liquid sprays, nano urea, and selected combinations of these inputs. Plant growth was recorded at 30, 60, and 90 days after transplanting, and yield attributes, grain yield, straw yield, biological yield, and harvest index were measured. Treatment T7, comprising 100% RDF, Sagarika granules at 10 kg acre⁻¹, and two Sagarika liquid sprays at 5 mL L⁻¹, recorded the highest numerical grain yield (61.63 q ha⁻¹), straw yield (77.02 q ha⁻¹), and biological yield (138.66 q ha⁻¹). Several fertilised treatments were statistically comparable with T7 based on the reported critical difference. The highest harvest index was recorded under T10 (44.95%). The findings indicate that integrated Sagarika treatments were associated with favourable rice growth and yield under the conditions evaluated. Multi-season and multi-location studies incorporating economic, soil-health, nutrient-use-efficiency, and environmental measurements are required before wider recommendations are made.
R. Meena, R. Meena, A. Meena et al.· Archives of Current Research...· 0 citations
Irrigation water is increasingly recognized as a potential nutrient source in intensive vegetable systems, particularly in peri-urban areas influenced by organic and wastewater inputs. This study evaluated the effects of organic-rich irrigation water on yield and quality of mustard greens ( Brassica juncea L.) grown on Red River alluvial soil, and quantified its contribution to nitrogen supply. A greenhouse experiment using a randomized complete block design with three replications and four treatments compared Cau Bay canal water, treated domestic wastewater, and groundwater, with and without chemical fertilization, across three cropping seasons. Organic-rich irrigation significantly improved plant growth and yield compared with unfertilized groundwater, supplying approximately 19–22 kg N ha -1 per crop season (27.5–31.0% of the recommended nitrogen rate). Yield increased by 30–70%, although maximum productivity still depended on mineral fertilization. Nitrate accumulation rose consistently with nitrogen availability and was strongly associated with yield and root traits, indicating that nitrogen supply simultaneously enhances productivity and nitrate storage. Multivariate analysis showed that growth, yield, and nitrate accumulation aligned along a common gradient governed by nitrogen availability, revealing a system-level trade-off between productivity and product quality. These results demonstrated that irrigation water functions not only as a water source but also as an active nutrient carrier influencing crop performance and nutrient dynamics. Integrating irrigation water quality into fertilization strategies is therefore essential to improve resource use efficiency while mitigating risks of nitrate accumulation, food safety concerns, and environmental impacts.
Thu Thi Ngoc Duong, N. T. T. Nguyen, Dinh Thi Ngoc Nguyen et al.· Journal of Ecological Engine...· 0 citations
Cotton (
Gossypium hirsutum
L.) production is constrained by water scarcity, and sustainable strategies are needed to improve resilience and productivity. Seaweed extract–based biostimulants (SEBs) are natural materials with the potential to enhance stress tolerance and nutrient use efficiency. This study evaluated the effects of four foliar SEB application treatments on cotton under water restriction: an untreated control (T1), four foliar applications of SEB at early cotton growth stages (T2), foliar application every 15 days (T3), and monthly foliar application (T4) at two sites. SEB application improved macronutrient and micronutrient uptake (K, Ca, Fe, and Cu). It also reduced oxidative damage by decreasing hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde contents. Additionally, SEB enhanced water‐use efficiency, carboxylation efficiency, plant height, and productive parameters. Monthly application was the most effective, increasing seed fiber yield by 9.77% (371.14 kg ha
−
1
) and 6.0% (225.0 kg ha
−
1
) compared with the control in the first and second growing seasons, respectively. Monthly SEB application also improved fiber quality by increasing micronaire and reducing the short fiber index. Our findings indicate that SEB application is a sustainable strategy for enhancing cotton nutrition, physiology, productivity, and quality. A monthly application frequency offers a viable approach to maximizing the benefits of biostimulant use in cotton production and contributing to more sustainable agricultural practices.
A. E. S. de Souza, L. Moretti, J. W. Bossolani et al.· Agronomy Journal· 0 citations
Sandy soils are characterized by low organic matter content, weak nutrient retention, and limited water-holding capacity, which restrict crop productivity in arid and semi-arid regions. This study evaluated the individual and combined effects of biochar, Azolla pinnata, and eggshell powder on soil properties and the productivity of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) grown in sandy soil. Field experiments were conducted during two consecutive growing seasons (2021–2022) at the Ismailia Agricultural Research Station, Egypt, using a randomized complete block design with eight treatments and three replicates. Soil chemical properties, photosynthetic pigments, vegetative growth, biomass accumulation, and yield parameters were evaluated. The combined application of biochar, Azolla, and eggshell powder significantly improved soil fertility compared with the control treatment. Soil organic matter increased to 0.70%, while available nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium reached 51.10, 6.67, and 200 mg kg⁻¹, respectively. The integrated treatment also enhanced chlorophyll content, plant growth, biomass production, and seed yield across both seasons. Correlation analysis indicated strong positive relationships between soil organic matter, nutrient availability, and crop productivity. These results demonstrate that the integrated application of biochar, Azolla pinnata, and eggshell powder can effectively improve soil fertility and enhance the productivity of Phaseolus vulgaris in sandy soil systems.
D. M. Khalifa, A. Alrashidi, Ammar Al-Farga et al.· Scientific Reports· 0 citations
Integrated agri-aquaculture systems can improve water-use efficiency and nutrient recycling in semiarid and arid regions increasingly affected by climate change; however, the physiological responses of fruit crops to aquaculture-derived irrigation water remain poorly understood. This study evaluated the growth, photosynthetic status, and biochemical responses of blackberry (
Rubus ulmifolius
cv. Tupy) irrigated with organically enriched water from an integrated tilapia–blackberry system operated under geodesic-dome conditions in semidesert central Mexico.
Four irrigation treatments were compared: a conventional nutrient solution, unsupplemented tilapia-culture effluent, tilapia-culture effluent supplemented with mineral nutrients, and well water adjusted to the same pH as the fertilized treatments. Plant growth traits, leaf greenness, normalized difference vegetation index, antioxidant enzyme activities, total phenolic compounds, and flavonoids were monitored for 216 h after irrigation began.
Plants irrigated with supplemented tilapia-culture effluent maintained growth and canopy greenness comparable to those receiving the conventional nutrient solution. In contrast, unsupplemented tilapia-culture effluent and well water induced stronger antioxidant and secondary-metabolic responses, particularly in superoxide dismutase and catalase activities and in the temporal dynamics of phenolic compounds and flavonoids, whereas phenylalanine ammonia-lyase showed a weaker and later response. These patterns suggest that mineral-supplemented effluent primarily supported vegetative performance, whereas unsupplemented effluent was associated with a nutritional elicitation response potentially related to relative nutrient limitation and biologically active components in the effluent. During the 216-h evaluation period, unsupplemented effluent maintained plant performance comparable to that under the fertilized treatments, suggesting that aquaculture-derived water may reduce mineral-fertilizer inputs during specific crop stages. Because the experiment was short-term, no conclusions can be drawn regarding long-term productivity, fruit quality, or sustained plant responses. Overall, the findings support the potential of integrated agri-aquaculture systems as a water-smart approach for blackberry cultivation in water-limited semidesert environments.
Priscila Sarai Flores-Aguilar, I. Carbajal-Valenzuela, C. Olvera-Olvera et al.· Frontiers in Sustainable Foo...· 0 citations
Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is an important commercial crop and its productivity is highly influenced by efficient water and nutrient management, especially under changing climatic conditions. A field experiment was conducted during the summer and winter seasons of 2025–26 at the experimental fields of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, to evaluate the effect of smart irrigation techniques and soil amendments on the growth and yield performance of cotton. The experiment was laid out in a strip-plot design with 3 replications. The main-plot treatments consisted of different smart irrigation techniques, viz., drip irrigation, soil moisture sensor-based drip irrigation and evapotranspiration (ET)-based drip irrigation. The sub-plot treatments comprised combinations of liquid biofertilisers (nitrogen-fixing bacteria (NFB), phosphorus-solubilising bacteria (PSB) and phosphorus-mobilising bacteria (PMB), each at 5 L ha-1), zeba at 12.5 kg ha-1 and enriched farmyard manure (EFYM) at 7.5 t ha-1. The results revealed that soil moisture sensor-based drip irrigation combined with liquid biofertilisers, zeba and EFYM significantly improved growth parameters, dry matter production and seed cotton yield during both seasons. The integrated treatment also enhanced soil moisture availability, nutrient uptake efficiency and overall crop productivity. The highest plant height (124.26 and 127.88 cm), number of sympodial branches per plant (32.11 and 30.40), dry matter production (12574 and 11745 kg ha-1), number of bolls per plant (14.0 and 13.5) and seed cotton yield (3728 and 3571 kg ha-1) were recorded under soil moisture sensor-based drip irrigation combined with liquid biofertilisers, zeba and EFYM during the summer and winter seasons, respectively. Therefore, the combined can be recommended for enhancing cotton productivity and resource-use efficiency.
V. Kalaimathi, M. Raju, R. Krishnan et al.· Plant Science Today· 0 citations
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