Long-term application of inorganic fertilizers is essential for supplying nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to enhance crop yields; however, it poses significant risks to soil health and sustainability. Prolonged use leads to depletion of soil organic carbon (SOC), which is vital for maintaining soil structure, nutrient retention, and microbial activity. This depletion primarily affects surface soils, reducing carbon sequestration and impairing soil physical properties like water retention. Extended inorganic fertilization also alters soil pH and electrical conductivity (EC) profiles. Surface soil acidification, especially under nitrogen-only treatments, results from urea hydrolysis and nitrification, lowering pH values. In contrast, organic amendments such as farmyard manure and green manure help stabilize pH due to their buffering capacity. EC increases slightly with fertilizer intensity because of salt accumulation but remains below harmful levels. Elevated EC in subsurface layers is linked to salt leaching. In a rice-wheat system study, soil samples at 0-15 cm and 15-30 cm depths showed that pH and EC variations were statistically insignificant among treatments. However, SOC content significantly increased with combined organic and inorganic fertilizer use, while nitrogen-only and unfertilized plots exhibited SOC depletion. Higher SOC concentrations consistently appeared in surface layers due to organic inputs and microbial activity
Genotypic and phenotypic correlations and path coefficients were estimated for fruit yield per vine and eleven growths, flowering and fruit traits among twenty-two F4 lines of bitter gourd derived from the crosses IC85633 × IC50526 and IC599421 × IC50526. The lines were evaluated in a randomised complete block design with two replications during Kharif 2026 at the College of Horticulture, Bagalkot. Genotypic correlations were generally higher than the corresponding phenotypic correlations. Fruit yield per vine was positively and significantly correlated with average fruit weight (rG = 0.762, rP = 0.740), vine length, number of fruits per vine, fruit length, fruit diameter and flesh thickness at both levels. It was negatively correlated with node to first female flower (rG = –0.721), days to first harvest and days to first female flowering. Average fruit weight and number of fruits per vine were almost uncorrelated with each other (rG = 0.098), so the two main yield components can be improved together. Path analysis showed that average fruit weight (0.504 genotypic, 0.503 phenotypic) and number of fruits per vine (0.508, 0.425) had the largest positive direct effects on yield. The positive associations of fruit length, fruit diameter and flesh thickness with yield arose mostly through indirect effects via fruit weight and fruit number. The earliness traits were strongly inter-correlated, and their genotypic direct effects were unstable in sign. The residual effects were 0.266 at the genotypic and 0.336 at the phenotypic level. Selection for heavier fruits, more fruits per vine and early flowering at a low node is suggested for improving fruit yield in these lines.
The current study was carried out during the Rabi season of 2024-2025 at Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya (JNKVV), Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India to study the influence of liquid biofertilizer treatments for seed of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) variety JG 36 on growth attributes and physiological traits. The experiment was set up with nine treatments in randomized block design with three replications. Parameters studied were crop growth rate (CGR), relative growth rate (RGR), net assimilation rate (NAR), biomass duration (BMD), chlorophyll content index (CCI), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), radiation interception, membrane stability index (MSI) and relative water content (RWC). It was found that the responses to the treatments differed depending on the parameter measured and the crop growth stage. Jawahar KSB (T5 ) had the highest CGR (0.037) during 30-60 days after sowing (DAS). However, Jawahar Trichoderma (T9 ) showed the maximum CGR (0.027) during 60-90 DAS. The maximum RGR for the period of 30-60 DAS was found in treatment T5 (0.043), whereas the maximum RGR (0.028) for the period of 60-90 DAS was found in Jawahar EM culture (T3 ). In case of NAR, Jawahar PSB (T4 ) and Jawahar KSB (T5 ) recorded maximum values for the period of 30-60 DAS (0.0003605 and 0.0003595, respectively), while treatment T3 recorded maximum NAR (0.000196) during the period of 60-90 DAS. Treatment T8 recorded maximum BMD during both periods (30-60 DAS-132.60, 60-90 DAS-363.60). The maximum value of chlorophyll content index was recorded in treatment T8 at 45 DAS (51.97), 60 DAS (50.60) and 90 DAS (45.63). The maximum value of NDVI and radiation interception during the period of 90 DAS were recorded in treatment T4 (NDVI-0.82, Radiation interception-582.67). Treatment T4 recorded the maximum MSI during 60 DAS (48.14%) and 90 DAS (49.16%). In case of RWC, the highest value during 60 DAS was recorded by treatment T3 (91.80%), whereas treatment T8 recorded maximum RWC during 90 DAS (79.04%). As a whole, the results revealed the varying response of chickpea towards biofertilizer seed treatment during different growth stages and with respect to various physiological parameters. With respect to NDVI, radiation interception, and MSI, Jawahar PSB was effective while for BMD, CCI and RWC at a later growth stage, Jawahar Rhizobium worked best. This clearly depicts the necessity of studying more growth and physiological parameters for biofertilizer seed treatments in chickpea.
Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important oilseed crop, and phosphorus plays a vital role in root development, nutrient uptake, nodulation and yield formation. The present investigation was conducted during the Kharif season of 2025 at KVK Sant Kabirnagar to evaluate the response of groundnut to different levels of phosphorus and foliar application of Nano-DAP. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design with nine treatments and three replications. The treatments consisted of different combinations of 50, 75 and 100 per cent recommended dose of P2O5 with one or two foliar sprays of Nano-DAP, along with Nano-DAP alone, 100 per cent recommended P2O5 and an absolute control. Groundnut variety GG-40 was sown at a spacing of 30 × 10 cm. Significant differences were observed among the treatments for number of pods plant- ¹, test weight, shelling percentage, pod yield, kernel yield and haulm yield, while harvest index was non-significant. The treatment T6 , comprising 100 per cent recommended dose of P2O5 with two foliar sprays of Nano-DAP at 25–30 and 40–45 DAS, recorded the highest number of pods plant- ¹ (29.63), test weight (49.00 g), shelling percentage (74.00%), pod yield (2750 kg ha- ¹), kernel yield (2009 kg ha- ¹) and haulm yield (4770 kg ha- ¹). However, T6 was statistically at par with T5 , indicating that one foliar spray of Nano-DAP with 100 per cent recommended P2O5 also produced comparable yield performance. The absolute control recorded the lowest values for most of the yield attributes and yields. The study demonstrated that integration of recommended phosphorus fertilization with foliar Nano-DAP application improved productivity and yield-contributing traits of Kharif groundnut.
Grain yield stability is important in rice breeding, as genotypes may perform differently under varying environmental conditions. The present study evaluated 40 rice genotypes along with three checks across three environments (Kharif 2022, Rabi 2022-23, Kharif 2023) to identify high-yielding and stable entries using additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) and genotype plus genotype × environment (GGE) biplot analyses. AMMI-I identified RP6469-139 (G14) as a promising genotype, combining a high mean grain yield of 22.69 g plant- ¹ with relatively stable performance. The first two principal components of the GGE biplot explained 81.71% of total variation and it identified RP6469-56 (G21) recorded the highest mean grain yield (23.35 g plant- ¹), whereas RP6469-139 (G14) showed a favourable combination of yield and stability. Genotypes were subsequently ranked based on their Yield Stability Index (YSI) values, with lower ranks (rYSI) indicating a more favourable combination of yield and stability and based on this a total of six promising genotypes were nominated for the All India Coordinated Research Project on Rice (AICRPR) trials during Kharif 2025 targeting various biotic and abiotic stresses. Based on the AICRPR screening results, RP 6469-173 (G29) exhibited moderate resistance to leaf blast (Susceptibility index (SI)- 4.0) and resistance to rice tungro disease (SI- 3.0), highlighting its potential for multiple disease resistance. RP 6469- 143 (G28) exhibited tolerance to salinity and osmotic stress, with a low SES score of 3 under saline conditions, indicating its potential for improving tolerance to multiple abiotic stresses.
