Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth (PDKV or PKV) is an agricultural university located at Akola, in Maharashtra, India, in the Vidarbha region. The university is entrusted with the responsibility of agricultural education, research and extension education along with breeder and foundation seed programmes.Its jurisdiction includes all eleven districts of Vidarbha namely Akola, Amravati, Bhandara, Buldhana, Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Gondia, Nagpur, Washim, Wardha and Yavatmal.The Central Campus is at Akola while another major campus is at Nagpur. A new campus has been established at Garchiroli.Dr.
Maintaining soil quality and crop productivity in semiarid India is challenging due to low rainfall and high temperatures. The sorghum-wheat cropping system is predominant on the Vertisols of this region. This study examined the long-term (34-year) effects of fertilization and manuring on soil quality and resilience at Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola, India. Soil samples were collected from six selected treatments: control, N, NPK, NPK + FYM5, (N + NFYM) PK and FYM10 at a 0-15 cm depth and analyzed for 27 physical, chemical, and biological properties. The recommended fertilizer dose (RDF) for sorghum, consisting of 100 kg N, 50 kg P2O5, and 40 kg K2O ha-1, was applied as urea (46% N), single super phosphate (16% P2O5), and muriate of potash (60% K2O), which corresponded to actual applied amounts (masses) of 217, 313, and 67 kg ha-1, respectively. Minimum data sets (MDS) were identified using a conceptual framework (CF) and principal component analysis (PCA) under productivity (P) and environmental protection (EP) goals. Soil quality indices (SQIs) were developed using both linear (L) and nonlinear (NL) scoring. To enable treatment comparisons, a relative soil quality index (RSQI) was introduced by normalizing SQI values against the highest-performing treatment. The soil resilience index (SRI) was derived from carbon mineralization with and without substrate addition. Microbial biomass carbon, available sulfur, pH, and respiratory quotient emerged as key indicators. The NPK + FYM5 treatment recorded the highest SQI (0.87-0.98), resistance (0.89), and resilience (0.90) index. Indicator critical limits were defined at 40% and 80% relative yield thresholds. NL PCA scoring showed the strongest correlation with equivalent wheat yield (R 2 = 0.89) and SRI (R 2 = 0.76), with the best model fit (adjusted R 2 = 0.87). The study introduces a combined conceptual and PCA-based approach to identify key indicators and recommend the best nutrient management practices for farmers to improve surface soil (0-15 cm) quality, resilience, and productivity in semiarid Vertisols, supporting climate-resilient agriculture.
Abstract Background Rice cultivation in eastern Vidarbha region of Maharashtra is seriously affected by insect pests such as yellow stem borer, gall midge, and leaf folder. Farmers in this region mainly depend on repeated application of single chemical insecticides, which has led to the development of insecticide resistance and associated environmental concerns. To address this problem, a field experiment entitled “Comparative evaluation of module-based strategies for controlling lepidopterous and dipterous pests in rice ( Oryza sativa L.) cultivation” was conducted during kharif 2020 and 2021 at the Agriculture Research Station, Bhandara, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola, Maharashtra (India). The study was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of different pest management modules in reducing pest incidence and improving the rice grain yield. Results The results revealed that all the treatment modules significantly reduced the incidence of major rice pests compared to untreated control. Among the tested modules, M4 comprising chlorantraniliprole 0.4% G, cartap hydrochloride 50% SP, and Dinotefuran 20% SG was found to be the most effective in controlling yellow stem borer, gall midge, and leaf folder. Besides the chemical module, module M1 consisting of Neemazal 1% EC applied at 25–30 days after transplanting (DAT), eucalyptus oil at 45–50 DAT, and cartap hydrochloride 50% SP at 60–65 DAT also showed promising performance against the target pests. Rice grain yield was significantly ( P < 0.05) higher in both M4 and M1. The study further indicated that botanical-based modules supported comparatively better conservation of natural enemies under field conditions. Conclusions Among the evaluated pest management modules, M4 demonstrated the most effective suppression of major rice pests and achieved the highest grain yield. However, M1, integrating botanical formulations such as neem and eucalyptus oil with need-based insecticidal applications, emerged as a safer and more eco-friendly alternative. The study highlights that combining botanicals with selective insecticides can substantially reduce chemical dependence while maintaining effective pest control and crop productivity. These findings provide actionable guidance for farmers and policymakers to promote environmentally responsible pest management practices in rice cultivation systems.
Terminal drought is a principal constraint on chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) productivity in rainfed tracts, where the crop matures on progressively receding residual soil moisture. A field investigation was conducted during the Rabi seasons of 2022-23 and 2023-24 at Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth (PDKV), Akola, Maharashtra, India, to evaluate the yield and physio-biochemical responses of seven chickpea genotypes (PDKV Kanak, PDKV Kanchan, PKV Kabuli-2, PKV Kabuli-4, JAKI-9218, Chandrapur Chanoli and Gulak-1) to moisture stress following inoculation with vesicular arbuscular mycorrhiza (VAM). The experiment followed a Factorial Randomized Block Design with two water regimes (irrigated and moisture stress) and seven varieties. Moisture stress significantly reduced seed yield (by 10.3–20.2%), straw yield (by 9.8–18.0%), total chlorophyll content at 90 days after sowing (DAS; by 13.8–20.2%) and relative water content at 90 DAS (by 15.3–25.7%), while significantly increasing proline accumulation (by 132.7-189.9% at pod filling) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity (by 31.9–86.7%), relative to irrigated conditions, in the pooled analysis of both seasons. JAKI-9218 consistently showed the smallest relative decline in yield, chlorophyll content and relative water content, together with the greatest proline accumulation and SOD induction under stress, identifying it as the most drought-tolerant genotype, followed by PDKV Kanak and PDKV Kanchan; Gulak-1 was the most drought-susceptible. These results indicate that VAM inoculation, combined with inherently tolerant genotypes such as JAKI-9218, can help sustain chickpea productivity under terminal drought through improved water relations, retained photosynthetic pigments, and enhanced osmotic and antioxidative adjustment, offering promising material for drought-tolerance breeding in chickpea.
The development of eco-friendly alternatives to chemical fungicides is crucial for sustainable plant disease management. In the present study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) were extracellularly biosynthesized using culture filtrates of two Trichoderma asperellum isolates (PDKV_SN_F3 and PDKV_SN_F5). Nanoparticle formation was confirmed by UV–Visible spectroscopy, with AgNPs exhibiting surface plasmon resonance peaks at 408–414 nm and ZnONPs showing characteristic absorption between 310 and 344 nm. FT-IR analysis revealed the involvement of fungal biomolecules, including proteins and phenolic compounds, in metal ion reduction and nanoparticle stabilization. HR-TEM analysis demonstrated predominantly spherical nanoparticles ranging from 1 to 70 nm, while DLS indicated larger hydrodynamic diameters due to biomolecular capping. The antifungal efficacy of the biosynthesized nanoparticles was evaluated against Rhizoctonia bataticola and Sclerotium rolfsii using the poison food technique. AgNPs derived from isolate PDKV_SN_F5 achieved complete inhibition (100
Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is a major fiber and cash crop widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions, playing a vital role in Indian agriculture and industry, particularly Bt cotton. Enhancing yield and fiber quality simultaneously is a complex breeding challenge due to trait interrelationships. This study evaluated eight Bt cotton hybrids and two checks for 16 agronomic, yield, and fiber quality traits to identify superior genotypes and understand trait associations. Significant genetic variability was observed across all traits. Seed cotton yield showed strong positive correlations with boll weight (r = 0.81), number of bolls per plant (r = 0.91), and lint yield (r = 0.98). Fiber traits generally correlated positively except for Micronaire, while negative correlations included plant height with uniformity index (r = −0.79) and uniformity index with lint yield (r = −0.68). Multivariate PCA clustered hybrids, highlighting UBT 4's superiority for yield-related traits and UBT 6's distinct cluster for high fiber quality traits such as staple length, fiber strength, elongation rate, and uniformity index. Hierarchical clustering validated these groupings, placing UBT 4 and UBT 2 alongside high-yield checks, while UBT 6 was genetically divergent, allowing targeted fiber trait improvement without yield penalties. Six hybrids showed excellent Micronaire values (3.7– 4.2), with UBT 6 excelling in fiber strength and uniformity index. All hybrids demonstrated elongation ratio >7.5%, indicating effective parent selection for fiber quality. This study demonstrates that strategic hybridization can effectively address traditional trade-offs between yield and fiber quality, offering valuable insights for cotton breeding programs.
