Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium Impotrance

Plants make most of their food by photosynthesis. But  they also need mineralsto be healthy. Plants cannot make minerals. They get them from the soil. Some of the minerals they need include the following:

Nitrates

Nitrates provide nitrogen. Nitrogen helps plants grow. All living cells contain nitrogen. Nitrogen is also part of chlorophyll, the pigmentthat traps sunlight. No nitrogen means no photosynthesis. You can tell if a plant does not have enough nitrogen. It will be small. Its older leaves will be yellow.

 Phosphorus

Phosphorus is important for photosynthesis, respiration, and growth. It encourages roots to grow well. You can tell if a plant does not have enough phosphorus. Its roots will be stunted. Its younger leaves will be purple.

Potassium

Potassium helps chemicals called enzymes to work. Enzymes are needed in photosynthesis and respiration. Potassium can also protect a plant from disease. You can tell if a plant does not have enough potassium. Its leaves will be yellow. They will have dead parts on them.

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Mango Diseases and Management

Mango

Diseases

Powdery Mildew (Oidium mangiferae)

Powdery mildew is one of the most serious diseases of mango affecting almost all the varieties. The  characteristic symptom of the disease is the white superficial powdery fungal growth on leaves, stalk of  panicles, flowers and young fruits. The affected flowers and fruits drop pre-maturely reducing the crop load considerably or might even prevent the fruit set. Rains or mists accompanied by cooler nights during flowering are congenial for the disease spread.

Control : Alternate spraying of Wettable sulphur 0.2 per cent (2 g Sulfex/litre), Tridemorph O.1 per cent  (1 ml Calixin/litre) and Bavistin @ 0.1 % at 15 days interval are recommended for effective control of  the disease. The first spray is to be given at panicle emergence stage.

Anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides) :

It is of widespread occurrence in the field and in storage. The disease causes  serious losses to young shoots, flowers and fruits under favorable climatic  conditions (high humidity, frequent rains and the temperature range of 24-32°C). The disease produces leaf spot, blossom blight, withered tip, twig blight and fruit rot symptoms. Tender shoots and foliage are easily affected which ultimately cause die back of young branches. Older twigs may also be infected through wounds, which in severe cases may be fatal. Black spots develop on panicles. Severe infection destroys the entire inflorescence resulting in failure  of fruit setting. Young infected fruits develop black spots, shrivel and drop off.  Fruits infected at mature stage carry the fungus into storage and cause considerable loss during storage, transit and marketing.

Control : The diseased twigs should be pruned and burnt along with fallen leaves. Spraying twice with  Carbendazirn (Bavistin 0.1%) at 15 days interval during flowering controls blossom infection. Spraying  of copper fungicides (0.3%) is recommended for the control of foliar infection. Postharvest disease of mango caused by anthracnose could be controlled by dip treatment of fruits in Carbendazim (0.1%) in hot water at 52 C for 15 minutes.

Die Back (Botryodiplodia (Lasiodiplodia) theobromae) :

Die back is one of the serious diseases of mango. The disease on the tree may be noticed at any time of the year but it is most conspicuous during October-November. The disease is characterized by  drying of twigs and branches followed by complete defoliation, which gives the tree an appearance of  scorching by fire. Initially it is evident by discoloration and darkening of the bark. The dark area  advances and extends outward along the veins of leaves. The affected leaf turns brown and its  margins roll upwards. At this stage, the twig or branch dies, shrivels and leaf falls. This may be  accompanied by exudation of yellowish brown gum.

Control : Pruning of the diseased twigs 2-3 inches below the affected portion and spraying Copper  Oxychloride (0.3%) on infected trees controls the disease. The cut ends of the pruned twigs are pasted  with Copper Oxychloride (0.3%).

Phoma Blight (Phoma glomerata) :

The symptoms of the disease are observed only on old leaves. Initially, the lesions are angular, minute,  irregular, yellow to light brown, scattered over leaf lamina. As the lesions enlarge, their colour changes  from brown to cinnamon and they become almost irregular. In case of severe infection such spots  coalesce forming patches resulting in complete withering and defoliation of infected leaves.

Control : The disease is controlled by spraying Benomyl (0.2%) just after the appearance of the  disease followed by 0.3% Miltox (Copper Oxychloride + Zineb) at 20 day interval.

Bacterial Canker (Xanthomonas campestrispv. mangiferaeindicae) :

Canker is a serious disease in India. The disease causes fruit drop (10-70%), yield loss (10-85%) and  storage rot (5-100%). Many commercial cultivars of mango including Langra, Dashehari, Arnrapali,  Mallika and Totapuri are susceptible to this disease. The disease is found on leaves, petioles, twigs,  branches and fruits. The disease first appears as minute water soaked irregular lesions on any part of  leaf or leaf lamina. Several lesions coalesce to form irregular necrotic cankerous patches. In severe  infections the leaves turn yellow and drop off. Cankerous lesions also appear on petioles, twigs and  young fruits. The water soaked lesions also develop on fruits which later turn dark brown to black. They  often burst open, releasing highly contagious gummy ooze containing bacterial cells.

Control :Three sprays of Streptocycline (0.01%) or Agrimycin-100 (0.01%) after first visual symptom  at 10 day intervals and monthly sprays of Carbendazim (Bavistin 0.1%) or Copper Oxychloride (0.3%)  are effective in controlling the disease.

Red Rust (Cepbaleuros virescens) :

The disease attack causes reduction in photosynthetic activity and defoliation of leaves thereby  reducing the vitality of the host plant. The disease is evident by the rusty red spots mainly on leaves and  sometimes on petioles and bark of young twigs. . The spots are greenish grey in colour and velvety in  texture. Later, they turn reddish brown. The circular and slightly elevated spots sometimes coalesce to  form larger and irregular spots. The affected portion of stem cracks. In case of severe infection, the  bark becomes thick, twigs get enlarged but remain stunted and the foliage finally dries up.

Control : Two to three sprays of Copper Oxychloride (0.3%) is effective in controlling the disease.

Sooty Mould (Meliola mangiferae) :

The disease is common in the orchards where mealy bug, scale insects and hoppers are not controlled  efficiently. The disease in the field is recognized by the presence of a black sooty mould on the leaf  surface. In severe cases, the trees turn completely black due to the presence of mould over the entire  surface of twigs and leaves. The severity of infection depends on the honey dew secretion of the above  insects. Honey dews secretions from insects stick to the leaf surface and provide necessary medium  for fungal growth. Although the fungus causes no direct damage, the photosynthetic activity of the leaf  is adversely affected.

Control :Pruning of affected branches and their prompt destruction followed by spraying of Wettasulf  (0.2% )+ Metacid (0.1 %)+ gum acacia (0.3%) helps to control the disease.

Diplodia Stem-end Rot(Lasiodiplodia theobromae) :

The fungus enters through mechanically injured areas on the stem or  skin. The fungus grows from the pedicel into a circular black lesion  around the pedicel.

Control : Careful handling to minimize mechanical injuries. Postharvest dip of fruits in Carbendazirn (0.1%) in hot water at 52 ± 1°C for 15 minutes controls the disease in storage and transit.

 

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WikiLeaks: US targets EU over GM crops

The US embassy in Paris advised Washington to start a military-style trade war against any Euroxpean Union country which opposed genetically modified (GM) crops, newly released WikiLeaks cables show. In response to moves by France to ban a Monsanto GM corn variety in late 2007, the ambassador, Craig Stapleton, a friend and business partner of former US president George Bush, asked Washington to penalise the EU and particularly countries which did not support the use of GM crops. "Country team Paris recommends that we calibrate a target retaliation list that causes some pain across the EU since this is a collective responsibility, but that also focuses in part on the worst culprits. "The list should be measured rather than vicious and must be sustainable over the long term, since we should not expect an early victory. Moving to retaliation will make clear that the current path has real costs to EU interests and could help strengthen European pro-biotech voices," said Stapleton, who with Bush co-owned the Dallas/Fort Worth-based Texas Rangers baseball team in the 1990s. In other newly released cables, US diplomats around the world are found to have pushed GM crops as a strategic government and commercial imperative. Because many Catholic bishops in developing countries have been vehemently opposed to the controversial crops, the US applied particular pressure to the pope's advisers. Cables from the US embassy in the Vatican show that the US believes the pope is broadly supportive of the crops after sustained lobbying of senior Holy See advisers, but regrets that he has not yet stated his support. The US state department special adviser on biotechnology as well as government biotech advisers based in Kenya lobbied Vatican insiders to persuade the pope to declare his backing. "… met with [US monsignor] Fr Michael Osborn of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, offering a chance to push the Vatican on biotech issues, and an opportunity for post to analyse the current state of play on biotech in the Vatican generally," says one cable in 2008. "Opportunities exist to press the issue with the Vatican, and in turn to influence a wide segment of the population in Europe and the developing world," says another. But in a setback, the US embassy found that its closest ally on GM, Cardinal Renato Martino, head of the powerful Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and the man who mostly represents the pope at the United Nations, had withdrawn his support for the US. "A Martino deputy told us recently that the cardinal had co-operated with embassy Vatican on biotech over the past two years in part to compensate for his vocal disapproval of the Iraq war and its aftermath – to keep relations with the USG [US government] smooth. According to our source, Martino no longer feels the need to take this approach," says the cable. In addition, the cables show US diplomats working directly for GM companies such as Monsanto. "In response to recent urgent requests by [Spanish rural affairs ministry] state secretary Josep Puxeu and Monsanto, post requests renewed US government support of Spain's science-based agricultural biotechnology position through high-level US government intervention." It also emerges that Spain and the US have worked closely together to persuade the EU not to strengthen biotechnology laws. In one cable, the embassy in Madrid writes: "If Spain falls, the rest of Europe will follow." The cables show that not only did the Spanish government ask the US to keep pressure on Brussels but that the US knew in advance how Spain would vote, even before the Spanish biotech commission had reported. • This article was amended on 21 January 2011. The original sited the Texas Rangers team in St Louis. This has been corrected.

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Invitation as a Guest Author

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The right to know what you are eating

BY: Gary Hirshberg and Eric Schlosser

An unprecedented agricultural experiment is being conducted at America's dinner tables. While none of the processed food we ate 20 years ago contained genetically engineered ingredients, now 75 percent of it does - even though the long-term human health and environmental impacts are unknown. The Food and Drug Administration doesn't require labeling of genetically engineered foods. But as the current drive to get labeling on the ballot in California confirms, consumers want to know whether our food contains these revolutionary new things.
In 1992, the FDA ruled that genetically engineered foods didn't need independent safety tests or labeling requirements before being introduced. But one of its own scientists disagreed, warning there were "profound differences" with genetically engineered foods. Genetically engineered seed manufacturers were allowed to sell their products without telling consumers. A 2006 survey found that 74 percent of Americans had no idea that genetically engineered foods were already being sold.
Biotech companies have fought labeling, claiming genetically engineered crops are "substantially the same" and produce larger yields - both unproven claims. But genetically engineered crops have led to the increased use of pesticides, often sold by the same companies that make genetically engineered seeds.
About 94 percent of U.S. grown soybeans are genetically engineered and contain a gene that protects them against glyphosate, now the nation's most widely used pesticide. But glyphosate is becoming ineffective as "superweeds" become resistant to it, forcing farmers to use even stronger herbicides. Widespread adoption of genetically engineered corn has also led to pesticide resistance.
Almost all the research on the safety of genetically engineered foods has been conducted by the companies that sell them. The potential harm to developing fetuses is of concern. A study of pregnant women found genetically engineered corn toxins in 93 percent of the women and 80 percent of their unborn children. All of their umbilical cords had glyphosate residues. Biotech companies say genetically engineered crops aren't different - but defend their patent rights by arguing they're unique and that anybody who grows them without permission should be prosecuted. These companies want it both ways.
Genetically engineered crops are different. They often contain genetic material from different species. Some survive large doses of pesticide, others produce their own pesticide, and many do both. That's why they must be labeled. A label allows people to choose. It lets the free market, not industry lobbyists, determine the fate of genetically engineered foods. If genetically engineered foods are so great, companies that sell them should be proud to label them.
Fifty countries, including the European Union, require genetically engineered food labeling.
A recent poll found 93 percent of Americans think genetically engineered foods should be labeled. This month, 384,000 people signed a Just Label It ( www.justlabelit.org) petition urging the FDA to mandate genetically engineered food labeling nationally. The FDA justifies its refusal to label on an agency rule that requires labeling only if a food tastes or smells different or has a different nutritional value. The FDA should change that policy - or make an exception for genetically engineered foods, as it did for irradiated foods.
The FDA doesn't let pharmaceutical companies test new drugs on people without their informed consent. Consumers should have the same right to know when it comes to what they eat. But even the narrow dictates of that FDA rule shouldn't block the labeling of genetically engineered foods. Everything about how they were introduced and spread nationwide, without our knowledge or consent, leaves a bad taste in the mouth.

Gary Hirshberg is the president and CE-Yo of Stonyfield Yogurt. Eric Schlosser is the author of "Fast Food Nation" and co-producer of the documentary "Food, Inc."

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/opinion/openforum/article/The-right-to-know-what-you-are-eating-2289668.php#ixzz2GkPQyvKO

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Soil Sampling

Soil testing is the single most important guide to the profitable use of fertilizer and lime. It is in the best interest of farmers, lawn care professionals, landscapers, gardeners, fertilizer suppliers, and consultants to promote the use of soil testing for several reasons like

• Grow Higher Crop Yields
• Produce Higher Quality Crops And Ornamentals
• Use Fertilizer Dollars More Efficiently

The purpose of soil testing is to identify the soil fertility that the plants or crop, in a given area will experience. The soil area and volume could be a large field, a small garden, or simply the root zone of a single tree or shrub. The most difficult step in soil testing is accurately representing the desired area of soil. A laboratory cannot improve the accuracy of a sample that does not represent the area.

In most soils, it takes more than one year to make significant changes to the soil test levels. As the soil improves with better fertility programs, subsequent crops or plant growth should show increasing rates of improvement. Soils are formed over thousands of years, and are not easily changed in a short time.

Sampling Tools

Tools that may be used to take a sod sample include a spade or shovel, soil sampling tube, or soil auger. Sample tubes or augers should either be stainless steel or chrome plated.

When sampling various soils at different times of the season it is important to use the proper equipment. A soil probe, either a hand tube or hydraulic probe, can be used under most conditions. A small wooden rod may be helpful in removing the soil core from the tube. The soil auger is especially useful when sampling frozen ground or heavily compacted soil that a soil tube can't penetrate. If a spade is used for sampling, dig a V-shaped hole to sample depth; then cut a thin slice of soil from one side of the hole. if using a pail to collect the soil, it should be plastic to avoid any contamination from trace metals. For instance, soil will pick up zinc from a galvanized pail. When sampling wet soils, vegetable oil or mineral oil may be used to lubricate the probe to minimize soil pushing ahead of the probe.

A Few Universal Basics

1. Soil samples can be taken with a professional soil probe, or simply using a shovel, spade, or garden trowel.

2. Each sample should be composed of from 10 to 15 cores.

3. As you take cores of soil, put them into the plastic bucket. Mix the soil thoroughly in the bucket (galvanized buckets will contaminate the sample with zinc), breaking up all cores. Then, fill the soil bag to the green line (about 1 cup of soil). Discard any extra soil.

Soil Sampling Procedure:

1. Samples are taken separately and away from the road side and heaps of the fertilizers or farm yard manure.

2. Take first sample of the soil with the Augar or shovel/spade at the depth of 0 to 15 cm.

3. Take second sample at the depth of 15 to 30 cm.

4. Similarly further samples will be taken from the selected are in the field.

5. Put the simples of soil in the buckets depth wise.

6. Note soil depth with the help of marker on polythene plastic bags.

7. Dry the samples at optimum sun shine.

8. Now store the sample for further analysis.

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Environmental benefits of Turf grasses/ Well-maintained Lawns

Healthy well maintained lawns provide truly marvelous environmental benefits which contribute a lot to the world around it. Environmental benefits of Turf grasses/well-maintained lawns are as follows.

Cooler and quieter: when the heat is on, Turf grass helps keep you cool. Street or sidewalk temperatures may reach 100oF or higher, but turf remains at 75o. This could mean that the front lawns on a block of eight houses perform the same cooling work as 70 tons of air-conditioning-enough to cool off homes.

Turf also makes your life a bit quieter. It effectively absorbs and deflects sound. When combined with trees and other landscaping, a lawn can reduce harsh, unwanted noise to a distant murmur.

Help in breathing: A healthy lawn us an amazingly efficient production system. Turf plants remove carbon dioxide from the air and produce oxygen in return. Just 625 square feet of turfgrass supplies all the oxygen a person needs for one day. An average home lawn of 5,000 square feet produces enough oxygen for eight people each day. In comparison, it takes two 100-foot trees to provide the same amount of oxygen for eight people.

Soil saver: Turf grass controls erosion by knitting the soil together, trapping runoff water, and eliminating many of the problems caused by dust and mud. And it’s one of the more efficient water savers you will find in nature. A healthy lawn absorbs rainfall six time more effectively than does a wheat field.

Dust trap: if you have ever walked through a dry, barren area, such as a construction site, on a windy day, you have some idea of what life might be like without healthy lawns. Clouds of windblown dust make for difficult breathing, irritated eyes, and reduced visibility. Turfgrass is an effective air cleanser. It shows the air moving across its surface, so that dust particles settle out onto the blades and are eventually washed back to the ground. Every year Turfgrass traps millions of tons of dust that would otherwise blow unrestricted.

Pollution fighter: In one year’s time, the blades and roots in an acre of healthy turfgrass absorb hundreds of pounds of pollutants from the air and rainwater. Among them are sulpher dioxide, nitrogen oxide, hydrogen fluoride, nitrates, and other gases blamed for acid rain and greenhouse effect.

A common misconception is that the products put on lawns contribute to groundwater contamination and to algae blooms in nearby ponds and lakes. The truth is that few materials get past grass roots. The dense root system under a healthy lawn captures pollutants as water filters through the soil.

Safe surface: Perhaps the most important benefit is the recreational value lawns provide for young and old. Dense turf is a safer playground and playing field than nearly any other surface. It reduces the severity of many injuries and helps to cushion falls.

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The tomato decoded: holds more genes than humans

The tomato has always been a complex fruit. Or is it a vegetable? Either way. Tomato, tomahto, right?
The tomato, which is considered a fruit by botanists and a vegetable to the US government, has been demystified by a consortium of plant geneticists from 14 countries who spent nine years decoding the tomato genome with the hopes of breeding better, tastier fruits.
Specifically, the scientists sequenced the genomes of both Heinz 1706, a variety used to make ketchup, and the tomato’s closest wild relative, Solanum pimpinellifolium, which is grown in Peru, according to The New York Times.
The researchers reported that tomatoes possess some 35,000 genes arranged on 12 chromosomes. "For any characteristic of the tomato, whether it's taste, natural pest resistance or nutritional content, we've captured virtually all those genes," James Giovannoni, a scientist at the Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, told Phys.org

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New method to design better greenhouses

Doctorate student Bram Vanthoor of Wageningen UR Glastuinbouw has developed a method of calculation to design greenhouses better suited to local circumstances. The method has been tested for the Netherlands and Spain. During the tests two different greenhouse designs were built fully in line with the local situation. The method offers the possibility to optimise greenhouse building worldwide. Vanthoor will defend his thesis on Friday 17th of June.
Arch greenhouses, parral greenhouses, Venlo greenhouses and wide roof greenhouses, the variation worldwide is enormous. When designing a greenhouse one must also choose between a large number of different construction elements, such as e.g. roofing materials, heating and cooling systems. Which kind of greenhouse the grower chooses and how the greenhouse is being fitted is amongst other things, dependent upon the outside climate, economic factors, legal issues, social circumstances and the presence of sources, such as water, energy and CO2. The choice in favour of one possibility very often has a direct influence on the other elements and also depends on the plants to be cultivated in the greenhouse. This makes it very difficult to optimize the design process.

Optimization design
Bram Vanthoor developed a design method, which dependent on the local climate and economic conditions, designs a greenhouse which supplies the maximum financial result. The method always includes local circumstances and takes eight design elements into consideration, namely greenhouse construction, roofing material, outside awnings, chalk materials, energy screen, heating system, cooling system and CO2 quantity dosing system.

The design method is based on three models, namely one greenhouse climate model, one plant model and an economic model. These models calculate, dependent on the variables supplied, the financial result. After that an optimalisation-algorithm adjusts the design step by step. In this way the financial result is maximised finally and the best greenhouse found.

The design method has been tested in Spain and in the Netherlands. The model was designed quite differently for both locations, but with realistic proposals for the most successful greenhouse in both instances. The Spanish greenhouse had a larger ventilation area and was specially built to prevent high temperatures, whilst in the colder Netherlands a higher working capacity and an energy screen were fitted. It became clear at both locations, that the economic performance of the greenhouse improves by a high percentage of light passing through and that an outside screen, geothermic heating and mechanical cooling make the result worse.

Perspective of the method
The method has in first instance been developed for tomatoes. Adjustment for other
plants is possible. The design method of the greenhouse can assist in optimizing the cultivation of plants in greenhouse further. It is also possible to establish the best location to build new greenhouse with the new approach and the results of the economic changes on the cultivation can be predicted. Bram Vanthoor in the meantime lives and works as a business developer for a horticultural supplier in Mexico. The acquired knowledge is used there to adapt greenhouse to the local conditons.

Source: Fresh plaza
Published on: 6/20/2011

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Six Air Purifying House Plants

1. Bamboo Palm: According to NASA, it removes formaldahyde and is also said to act as a natural humidifier.

2. Snake Plant: Found by NASA to absorb nitrogen oxides and formaldahyde.

3. Areca Palm: One of the best air purifying plants for general air cleanliness.

4. Spider Plant: Great indoor plant for removing carbon monoxide and other toxins or impurities. Spider plants are one of three plants NASA deems best at removing formaldahyde from the air.

5. Peace Lily: Peace lilies could be called the “clean-all.” They’re often placed in bathrooms or laundry rooms because they’re known for removing mold spores. Also know to remove formaldahyde and trichloroethylene.

6. Gerbera Daisy: Not only do these gorgeous flowers remove benzene from the air, they’re known to improve sleep by absorbing carbon dioxide and giving off more oxygen over night.

If you can't even put a plant in your living room because you say it is too much trouble, then you need to die and wait for the other life to bring sense in your spirits!!!

Just do it. Random people like our whole team here are trying to put you back on your feet.. we arent doing that because we've got nothing else to do. We have families, too. We have ALL OF YOUR EXCUSES but yet, we're here, with you.

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