Journal of Agriculture and Applied Biology

Field efficacy of different insecticides against jassid (Amrasca biguttula biguttula) in brinjal at Gauradaha, Jhapa, Nepal

Asmita Tamang — 2025-02-11

Jassid (Amrasca biguttula biguttula) is regarded as the most harmful sap-sucking pest affecting the brinjal crop. This research evaluated the efficacy of insecticides against Jassid in seasonal brinjal in open fields at Gauradaha, Jhapa, Nepal, from January to April 2023. We selected a registered hybrid variety and designed the experiment with seven treatments, each replicated three times. The treatments were: T1: Emamectin benzoate 5% WDG-0.625 g/plot, T2: Spinosad 45% SC-0.5 ml/plot, T3: Neem oil 5000 ppm-8 ml/plot, T4: Fipronil 0.3% GR-40 g/plot, T5: Beauveria bassiana-1.3 g/plot, T6: Imidacloprid 70% WG-0.14 g/plot, and T7: Untreated or Control (water spray)-2 l/plot. Treatments were applied 3 times using a foliar spray method. Data regarding the Jassid population before spraying insecticides and after the 2^nd, 4^th, and 6^th days of spraying were recorded. Data were collected, log10 transformed, and analyzed using ANOVA in GenStat (15^th edition), with mean separation by Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT). The results show that Imidacloprid was the most effective against Jassid, with mean mortality of 82.04%, 40.35%, and 42.13% followed by Fipronil with 33.12%, 12.56%, and 17.86%. The highest yield (14.32 Mt/ha) was recorded from Imidacloprid 70% WG followed by Beauveria bassiana (13.82 Mt/ha). Regarding the B: C ratio, Imidacloprid 70% WG was the superior treatment with the highest value (2.5) followed by Fipronil 0.3% GR (2.1). The highest length (20.48 cm) and diameter (4.5 cm) were observed in Imidacloprid and Fipronil, while the lowest was recorded in Emamectin benzoate (12.14 cm) and Control (3.6 cm), respectively. These findings demonstrate that Imidacloprid significantly reduces Jassid populations and enhances brinjal productivity and economic returns, making it a superior choice for pest management in brinjal cultivation in Jhapa, Nepal.

Comparatif monitoring arthropod: Auxiliary-pest complex in vineyard table grapes cultivars in Boumerdes vineyards, Northern Algeria

Roumaissa Benmokhtar — 2025-02-12

As an alternative to chemical treatments, traps are one of the most environmentally friendly ways to control pests in agricul-tural systems. The efficacy of traps can be maximized by taking adventage of the fact that arthropods, and especially pests, have preferences for certain colors and stimuli. From January to De-cember 2022, in the locality of Corso, situated in Boumerdes Province, Northern Algeria. The experimental site consisted of a three-year-old table grape plantation. A descriptive observa-tional method was employed to assess the performance of four different trap types: pitfall traps, food-based traps, and two col-or-based traps (yellow and blue). The experiment followed a completely randomized design with five replications to ensure reliable and accurate results. Yellow traps proved to be the most successful throughout the research., capturing a total of 1,925 arthropod individuals. In contrast, food-based traps were the least effective, with only 14 individuals captured. The traps re-vealed a richness of 106 species spanning 54 families, 11 orders, and 3 classes, highlighting the diverse arthropod community present in the vineyard ecosystem. The most frequently captured species was Jacobiasca lybica, which accounted for 81.6% of the total pests trapped. The timing of trap installation was also a crit-ical factor, with the morning period yielding the highest capture rates. These findings underscore the importance of using color-specific traps and strategic timing to enhance pest management in vineyards.

Study of the impact of desertification on land use in the El Bayadh region, South-Western Algeria

Hachemi Zaidi — 2025-03-30

Algeria's steppe rangelands, covering an extensive 32 million hectares, serve as a vital biological zone, functioning as a transitional buffer between the sub-humid northern areas and the parched Sahara to the south. These rangelands are crucial for preserving biodiversity and aiding local inhabitants, although they are progressively susceptible to desertification, a significant environmental peril in Algeria. The wilaya of El Bayadh, a significant steppe area, is notably impacted by this occurrence. This research examines land use alterations in the wilaya of El Bayadh from 1990 to 2022, using remote sensing methodologies and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) alongside Landsat TM satellite images. The aim is to observe the advancement of desertification and delineate the spread of sand deposits in three northern communes: Bougtoub, El Kaf Lahmar, and Tousmouline. The findings demonstrate a significant increase in silting over the research period, indicating substantial changes in land cover. These results emphasize the increasing severity of desertification and stress the need for prompt action to protect this delicate environment. This study offers significant geographical data and analysis, establishing a basis for formulating effective policies and methods to address desertification. Through the implementation of specific strategies, stakeholders and policymakers may alleviate the detrimental impacts of desertification, foster sustainable land use practices, and secure the enduring stability of Algeria's steppe areas. The research highlights the need of using modern geospatial technology to tackle environmental issues and enhance resilience in at-risk ecosystems.

Estimation of vulnerability to pollution of groundwater of agricultural origin by application of the GOD and SI models in the Ghriss plain (North-West Algeria)

Messaouda Khelfi — 2025-03-30

Assessing groundwater sensitivity in areas contaminated by agri-cultural pollution is a complex task for groundwater resource managers. The Ghriss plain (north-western Algeria) is the basis of agricultural development based on diversified crops, irrigated from a local water table of Plio-Quaternary age, considered to be one of the country’s most important reservoirs. In recent years, the overuse of nitrogenous fertilizers and various phytosanitary products, combined with wastewater discharges, has led to the appearance of traces of chemical elements exceeding drinking wa-ter standards, and to a worrying risk of water quality deteriora-tion. This study aims to measure the different categories of vul-nerability to migration of chemical inputs through the unsaturated zone, to preserve groundwater contamination. The approach con-sists of applying two universal methods: the GOD model and the SI model (Susceptibility Index). The mapping of the two models shows that GOD represents a low concentration of measured ni-trate ions, while SI attributes a high pollution dispersion to the unsaturated zone. From this comparison, the GOD method indi-cates the presence of four classes of vulnerability: high 1%; medi-um 70%; low 28% and very low 1%. On the other hand, the SI comparison shows two classes of vulnerability to pollution: very high to high 72% to 23%; medium to very low 2% to 3%. From this comparative study, we deduce that SI gives us a true picture of the pollution phenomena likely to occur, taking into account the nature of the land use, hence its interest in a more accurate esti-mation of unsaturated zones' vulnerability to groundwater pollu-tion by nitrates.

Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) in natura mycorrhizal status evaluation and broad bean cropland soil biological fertility

Anissa Chahrazed Abdedjelil — 2025-05-07

The Broad bean (Vicia faba L.) is a legume with many virtues, commonly cultivated in the Mediterranean region, especially in Algeria, valued for its high nutritional properties and role in crop rotation systems. Moreover, as a natural green fertilizer, estab-lishing symbiotic relationship with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi found in the soil, faba bean brings significant agronomic benefits, promotes biodiversity and contributes to soil preservation by limiting erosion. This study was conducted in a faba bean cropland site in the northwestern region of Algeria (Sebkha-Wilaya of Oran) in 2022 to assess in natura plant roots mycorrhi-zal colonization, soil characteristics and its biological fertility through mycorrhizal soil infectivity (MSI) and the spore’s abun-dance estimation. Physical and chemical properties analysis showed that the soil had a fine loamy-clay texture, with an alka-line pH, and low phosphorus content. It was moderately poor in organic matter and total nitrogen with less than 12 C/N ratio. In natura Vicia faba L. root fragments mycorrhizal colonization rate was very high (100%) with a highly mycorrhizal intensity (80.45%) and an arbuscular structures abundance (99.28%). Spores extracted from rhizosphere soil sample density were 1657±15.09 spores/100 g. Furthermore, results showed that Vi-cia faba rhizosphere cropland soil was high mycorrhizal infectiv-ity was high with 2.36±1.02g MSI Units/100 g. All results strong-ly suggested that Sebkha Vicia faba cropland soil has a good bio-logical fertility with a significant spore density. These results support the characterization of the soil as a potential biofertiliz-er.

Effect of pulsed electric field on yield and absorption of Basil essential oil

Abdelkader Baghdad — 2025-05-07

The effect of applying pulsed electric field (PEF) treatments on Basil leaves for essential oil extraction was studied. After treatment with pulsed electric field (PEF) with an intensity of 2 kV.cm^-1, specific energy of 5kJ.kg^-1 and 60 min of distillation, the yield of Basil EO increased from 0.63% (Control) to 0.82%, an increase of 30.16%. However, when basil leaves were treated with very high specific energy PEF (50 kJ.kg^-1) a non-significant increase in EO yield compared to the control was observed. This experimental study reports the results regarding the effect of pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment on the absorbance of Basil EO. The study allowed us to recognize an increase in EO absorption by the application of PEF with moderate specific energies. This has significance in quality control, which is an essential factor for the use of essential oils in various applications.

Agroforestry in crops systems and its influence on the chemical fertility of soils in semi-arid regions: Case of the Dahra foothills (North-West, Algeria)

Hamadi Amina — 2025-05-07

To guarantee a stable offer and healthy food, the new techniques of maintaining and improving the natural production capacity of agri-cultural land must take appropriate measures for each environ-ment. However, the identification and the valorization of all local dynamics of production systems must ensure the conservation of agricultural land fertility and butter fertilizer management. This study aims to evaluate the physico-chemical quality of soils in the north-western foothills of Dahra. After a bioclimatic overview of the study area, out of the fourteen studied stations, four of the most practiced farming systems (agroforestry, non-irrigated tree crop cultivation, annual field cropping and fallow cultivation) were compared based on analyses of various indicators related to the physico-chemical properties of soils used in the literature concerning soil chemical fertility. Indeed, the studied soils ex-hibit a clay-loam and sandy-loam textures, a slightly acidic pH, and an organ-ic matter content that requires improvement for more active biological ac-tivity. To optimize soil fertility, the practice of green manures as contribu-tions of major elements (N, P, and K) would be desirable along with studied crop rotations. The results showed that lands in the north-western foothills of Dahra are naturally intended for agriculture and predisposed to promot-ing agro-ecological practices, particularly agroforestry. This will improve soil health through enhanced biodiversity and efficient resource use. Also, the biological fertility measures offer more opportunities for sustainable agriculture in semi-arid environments where agroforestry practic-es and green manures effectively contribute to increasing organic matter content, bio-fertility, income diversity, and the standard of living for farmers.

First record of Triplax melanocephala (Latreille, 1804) (Coleoptera: Erotylidae) in the cork oak at Collo forest (Algeria)

Sabrina Laouira — 2025-05-14

The Erotylidae family remains poorly documented in North Africa, with very limited published data available on its distribution and ecological preferences. This study provides the first confirmed record of Triplax melanocephala (Latreille, 1804) within Algerian cork oak (Quercus suber) forests, significantly expanding the known range of this species in the region. A total of 71 specimens were documented, collected primarily through soil-surface interception traps deployed across multiple sites. Among these, 25 individuals were captured between 2015 and 2016 in different sections of the surveyed oak groves. Field observations revealed that T. melanocephala exhibits a strong association with decaying cork oak wood, particularly in trees heavily colonized by mature tinder fungi (Fomes spp.). Further investigation through careful dissection of these fungal growths uncovered an additional 30 specimens, reinforcing the species' reliance on this microhabitat. The beetles were most frequently found in moist, shaded areas of decomposing wood, suggesting that microclimatic conditions may play a key role in their distribution. The study sites included Oued Agouf, where 2 specimens were collected in 2015 and 4 in 2016; Ain Fegoum, with 6 specimens in 2015 and 8 in 2016; and El Maktoua, where 4 specimens were recorded in 2015 and 6 in 2016. These findings indicate a consistent presence of T. melanocephala across multiple locations, though population densities varied between sites. This discovery not only fills a gap in the understanding of Erotylidae in North Africa but also highlights the ecological importance of old-growth cork oak forests and their associated fungal communities in supporting specialized beetle fauna.

Comparative study of immobilized enzyme on nano-composite (SCN) and free enzyme of invertase isolated from baker's yeast

Maroua Chouia — 2025-05-14

The objective of this study was to compare the properties and performance of invertase enzyme isolated from baker's yeast, both in free and immobilized form on a starch-copper nanocomposite (SCN). The SCN was synthesized using starch as a reducing agent for the biological production of copper nanoparticles (CuNPs). The Characterization of SCN was performed using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction to confirm nanoparticle formation and structural properties. The immobilization of invertase onto SCN was optimized by varying nanoparticle concentration, pH, incubation time, and temperature to maximize enzyme attachment and activity. Enzyme activity was measured for both free and immobilized forms to determine the immobilization efficiency. The study found that the high levels of enzyme immobilization were observed at pH = 9, temperature T = 30, and 3% SCN concentration. For both free and immobilized invertase, the ideal reaction temperatures were 35°C and 40°C, with corresponding pH values of 5 and 4.5. Reusability experiments revealed that the immobilized enzyme retained 49% of its activity after ten cycles, demonstrating improved stability and potential for repeated use. The results suggest that enzyme immobilization on SCN occurs through non-covalent interactions, providing a practical and sustainable approach for biocatalytic applications. This research highlights the potential of starch-based nanocomposites for enzyme stabilization, offering a cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution for industrial and biotechnological applications.

Cultivation of Genovese basil (Ocimum basilicum L. cv. Genovese) in aquaponic and hydroponic systems: A comparative study

Hibat Allah Annabi — 2025-05-18

Recently, many horticultural crops have been subjected to study under hydroponic and aquaponic conditions, with a view to enhance their productivity. Nevertheless, a comparative analysis of these two soilless cultivation systems has rarely been undertaken, despite the fact that they represent two distinct approaches. This study’s objective was to compare between the aquaponic cultivation system and the hydroponic one, with the aim of identifying the most suitable soilless system for cultivating Genovese basil (O. basilicum L. cv. Genovese). For the purpose of this study, a factorial randomized complete block with three repetitions was conducted. It was carried out at the National Agronomic Institute of Tunisia under glasshouse conditions. Accordingly, the variation of the soilless cultivation systems effects was determined by measuring and evaluating plant growth, biomass production and photosynthetic performance of basil. Main results showed that plant height (25.69 ± 2.87 cm/plant), length of internodes (2.47 ± 0.17 cm/plant) and leaves number (10.89 ± 1.02 leaves/plant), fresh and dry weight of shoots (9.17 ± 0.49 g and 1.03 ± 0.05 g, respectively) and roots (5.22 ± 0.14 g and 0.37 ± 0.03 g, respectively) were significantly higher in aquaponically grown plants in comparison to hydroponics. However, no significant differences were noted between aquaponics and hydroponics regarding the shoot and root dry matter contents. In addition, the content of chlorophyll a (44.59 ± 3.42 µg∙mg^-1 FW) and the efficiency of the photosystem II (Fv/Fm) (0.83 ± 0.01) were significantly higher in basil grown in aquaponics when compared to the hydroponic system. Overall, these findings indicate that aquaponics seems to be more suitable for growing basil plants than the hydroponic system.

Corrigendum, Vol 5 No 2 page 164-177, 2024

Editorial JAAB — 2025-05-07