Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is one of the major oilseed crops worldwide and its genetic improvement for oil yield is very important in breeding of this crop. Effective analysis of obtained dataset from breeding programmes is important at all stages of plant improvement. The genotype by trait (GT) biplot was used for two-way safflower dataset as various genotypes with multiple traits. For this propose, 64 safflower genotypes with specific characteristics were tested. The GT biplot explained 79% of the total variation of the standardized data. The polygon view of GT showed sevenvertex genotypes as 34, 43, 45, 24, 61, 58 and 59. Genotype 34 had the highest values for all of the measured traits except plant height, total biomass and 1000-seed weight. The genotype 58 and the other genotypes of this sector had good amounts of 1000-seed weight, while the vertex genotype 24 and its related genotypes which fall in its sector were good for plant height. Generally, based on vector view, ideal genotype and ideal tester biplots, it was demonstrated that the selection of high seed yield will be performed via number of seeds per capitulum, harvest index, main capitulum diameter, lateral capitulum diameter and number of capitulum per plant. Also, for genetic improvement of oil yield, traits seed yield and harvest index must be considered. These traits should be considered simultaneously as effective selection criteria evolving high seed or oil yielding safflower genotypes because of their large contribution to these traits. The genotypes 34, 42, 43 and 60 could be considered for developing desirable progenies in selection strategy of safflower improvement programmes. Such a similar outcome could be applied in the future to delineate predictive, more rigorous selection strategies as well as to help define breeding concepts for improvement of new safflower cultivars and other crops in the other areas of the world.
A field experiment was conducted during summer season of 2013 in the Department of Agronomy, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab to study the effect of growth regulation on growth and yield attributes of summer moongbean. The field experiment comprising eight treatments viz., control and seven growth regulation treatments (detopping, MC (mepiquat chloride) @ 200, 250 and 300 ppm applied once at 35 days after sowing (DAS) and twice at 35 and 45 DAS was conducted in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications. The grain yield obtained with foliar application of MC @ 250 ppm at 35 and 45 DAS (10.05 q/ha) was significantly higher than control (6.70 q/ha). Various growth parameters and yield attributes (dry matter accumulation and number of pods per plant) were also significantly higher with MC @ 250 ppm (35 and 45 DAS) as compared to control. Detopping resulted in highest leaf area index (LAI), whereas all other growth regulation treatments were significantly better than control. Detopping resulted in significant reduction in plant height than control but was statistically at par with two applications of MC @ 250 and 300 ppm and single application of MC @ 300 ppm (35 DAS). Flower drop per plant was significantly reduced by two applications of MC @ 300 ppm. Quality parameters such as nitrogen and protein content in grains remained unaffected by growth regulation treatments. Nodule count and weight per plant were also unaffected by growth regulation treatments. Similarly, no effect on crop phenology was observed by any of the applied treatments.
Potted soil housed in greenhouse conditions was used as a medium to investigate the effects of the Tiantong water-retaining agent on soil moisture content, soil moisture evapotranspiration and plant agronomic traits as well as the overall dry matter accumulation of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) growths. Results demonstrated that application of a water-retaining agent equivalent to 0.35% of total soil mass increased the moisture of coarse-sand soil up to 10%, reduced the soil moisture evapotranspiration up to 30%, and significantly increased plant height, tiller number, total leaf number, and dry matter accumulation (40% increase) in switchgrass specimens. These findings suggest that transplanted switchgrass in abandoned sand excavation sites containing primarily coarsesand soil, typical of marginal lands available for agricultural use in the northern regions of China, may exhibit improved growth rates upon the addition of a water-retaining agent, such as Tiantong, to the soil. This finding has widespread implications for the bioenergy industry, suggesting that many marginal lands may be efficiently converted into renewable bioenergy resources.
Leaf spot of greengram caused by Cercospora canescens is an important disease in greengram. In vitro and field experiments were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of different fungicides against this disease. In laboratory, five systemic fungicides, five contact fungicides and one combi-product were assayed against C. canescens by poisoned food technique. Hexaconazole @ 0.05% and combi-product, carbendazim+mancozeb @ 0.025% recorded complete inhibition of mycelial growth of the pathogen. In field experiment, spraying of hexaconazole recorded minimum disease with maximum yield and was followed by difenconazole. Results indicated that hexaconazole was very effective in managing leaf spot of greengram
Genetic variability for yield and its component traits was studied in eight parents and their 28 F1s of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under normal and drought conditions. Both phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation were found to be moderate for effective tillers/plant and biomass/plant under drought only, while coleoptile length and grain yield/plant under normal and drought conditions. Hence, direct selection of these traits will prove effective. Effective tillers/plant had moderate PCV and GCV coupled with moderate heritability. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance for grains/ spike, biomass/plant and coleoptile length indicated the influence of additive gene action and consequently a likelihood of high genetic gain from phenotypic selection.
A field experiment conducted at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi shows that HM 4 was a
The experiment was conducted at Research Farm of Punjab Agricultural University Regional Station, Bathinda during kharif seasons of 2008-09 and 2009-10. The results showed that application of fertilizer at the rate of 10 kg N+20 kg P2O5/ha and 20 kg N+40 kg P2O5/ha increased the mean seed yield to the tune of 10.7 and 19.6% over the control, respectively. The application of Rhizobium and PSB increased mean seed yield by 9.2 and 19.1% over control, respectively. However, the combination of both inoculants further failed to significantly increase the seed and straw yield of clusterbean further.
A greenhouse experiment was conducted in rabi 2009 to study the effect of neem cake (NC) at various N levels on yield and nutrient uptake by wheat. The dry matter yield of wheat increased significantly with the application of NC up to 0.125% and N upto 60 mg/kg. Wheat responded to N application up to 60 mg/kg added N in absence of NC. However, in presence of NC, the dry matter yield of wheat increased significantly up to 60, 60 and 20 mg N/kg when NC was applied at 0.125, 0.25 and 0.5%, respectively. The uptake of NPK by wheat increased significantly with increasing levels of N up to 60 mg/kg and neem cake upto 0.125%. Available N, P and organic C content of post-harvest soil samples increased with the increasing levels of N and NC. But the available K content of soil decreased with the application of N and increased with the application of NC.
An experiment was conducted during the semi-rabi season of 2010 to study the effect of planting geometry and phosphate management on quality and economics of semirabi pigeonpea with split plot design. The treatments consisted of four planting geometry levels viz., S1 (45 x 15 cm), S2 (45 x 30 cm), S3 (60 x 15 cm), S4 (60 x 30 cm) and four levels of phosphate management viz., P1 (100% recommended dose of phosphate through fertilizer), P2 (100% recommended dose of phosphate through fertilizer+PSB), P3 (75% recommended dose of phosphate through fertilizer+PSB) and P4 (50% recommended dose of phosphate through fertilizer+PSB). Results showed that protein content was not influenced due to spacing but protein yield was significantly influenced due to spacing and was recorded highest with medium spacing of 60 x 15 cm. In case of phosphate management protein content was not influenced significantly due to application of phosphate but protein yield was significantly influenced due to application of phosphate and was recorded highest with application of 100% RDP through fertilizer+PSB. From economic point of view, spacing 60 x 15 cm and application of 100% RDP through fertilizer+PSB gave maximum gross monetary return, net monetary return and B : C ratio.
The evaluation of post-harvest losses at different stages of marketing and their impact on farmers’ net price, marketing costs, margins and efficiency are presented in this study. Studies have shown that the traditional methods that are used to estimate the economic impact of post-harvest losses tend to overestimate the farmers’ net price and margins of intermediaries. In this study, the margin of retailers after taking into account the physical loss during retailing has been found to be negative, which otherwise, was a profit in the traditional estimation method. The producers’ net share and wholesalers’ margins also decreased. The results of this study indicated that marketing efficiency was inversely proportional to marketing losses. Farmer group marketing was found to be a more efficient system in operation and price terms. Marketing cost was identified as the major constraint in the wholesale marketing channel, while commission charges demonstrated in the farmer group channel, were found to help in reducing the price-spread, and hence increased the producers’ margin.
A field experiment was conducted to find out suitable plant density and scheduling of nitrogen to Bt cotton hybrid, RCH-2 under rainfed conditions of Northern Telangana Region of Andhra Pradesh during 2006-07 and 2007-08 at Agricultural Research Station, Adilabad in soils where available nitrogen was low. Results indicated that higher plant density of 27,777 plants/ha gave maximum seed cotton yield of 2278 kg/ha than lower plant densities of 18518 and 13888 plants/ha. Similarly, scheduling of nitrogen in five equal splits starting from 15 days after sowing (DAS) at 15 days interval gave higher seed cotton yield of 2386 kg/ha over recommended nitrogen application at 30, 60 and 90 DAS with 1825 kg/ha.
A field experiment was conducted during winter to summer seasons of 2006-07 and 2007-08 at Gurdaspur (Punjab) on silty clay loam soil to study the nitrogen content and its uptake in wheat-mentha intercropping system under different crop establishment methods. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with three replications having 10 treatments comprising two (T1), three (T2) and four (T3) rows of wheat with 20 cm row spacing and two rows of mentha on outer side of wheat rows covering a total width of 67.5, 135 and 135 cm in flat situation, respectively. Similar pattern was also followed in T6, T7 and T8 where two, three and four rows of wheat were grown with 20 cm row spacing and two rows of mentha on outer side of wheat rows on the bed top covering a total width of 67.5 (37.5 cm top+30 cm furrow), 135 (105 cm top+30 cm furrow) and 135 (105 cm top+30 cm furrow) cm, respectively. Sole wheat and mentha crops were sown under T4 and T5 in flat and T9 and T10 in bed situation, respectively. Wheat was sown in November and mentha suckers were intercropped in February under different treatments. Planting methods did not have any significant impact on N content of wheat and mentha whether sole or in intercropping system which indicated that component crops were not competitive. In intercropping system, wheat and mentha in 2 : 2 rows ratio on 67.5 cm bed (T6) recorded maximum nitrogen uptake of 203.3 and 216.5 kg/ha during 2006-07 and 2007-08, respectively, which was significantly higher over all the intercropping systems except T1 during first year. In the same planting method, intercropping of mentha with three or four rows of wheat did not differ significantly but these row arrangements were significantly lower than mentha intercropping with two rows of wheat.
The survey of various post-harvest practices/operations conducted in major pear growing districts of Kashmir region during 2008-09 revealed that post-harvest losses were in the range of 22-25% with highest average loss of 9.8% at the time of harvesting. An attempt was made to reduce these harvesting losses. The four types of low cost harvesters were developed and evaluated. It was found that clutch type harvester with cutting scissors and adjustable handle length (H-III) was most efficient and superior over other three harvesters because of its light weight, ease of separating stalk, smooth flow of harvested fruit into the net and negligible mechanical damage to the fruit. A minimum cumulative physiological loss in weight (8.05%) was recorded in the samples harvested by such harvester compared to the maximum of 15.15% in samples harvested with harvester having half round shaped fixed cutting blade (H-IV). Besides the fruits harvested by H-III were found firmer as they retained fruit firmness of 9.66 lbs/sq. inch after 20 days of ambient storage from an initial value of 11.50 lbs/sq. inch.
An experiment was conducted in two consecutive years (2009 and 2010) at Central Agricultural University, Imphal, Manipur to evaluate the effects of foliar application of borax @ 0.1% solution on cabbage [Bassica oleracea (L.) var. capitata]. The growth (plant height, leaf numbers, leaf length and fresh biomass production) was affected by the boron levels. The foliar spray was done twice at 25 and 50 days after transplanting (DAT). It showed significant increase in plant height, number of leaves, shoot fresh weight, dry weight, root fresh weight and dry weight and yield. The head size (diameter) was increased with application of borax.
Phule Revati (RSV 1006), a new rabi sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] variety developed from the cross CSV 216 x SPV 1502 through multi-environment testing was found superior in grain and fodder yield over the six checks viz., CSV 18, Phule Yashoda, Phule Vasudha, M 35-1, PKV Kranti and Parbhani Moti. On an average of 19 tests under irrigated condition, it gave 4585 kg/ha grain yield as against 3233 kg/ha of CSV 18, 3775 kg/ha of Phule Yashoda, 3947 kg/ha of Phule Vasudha,3392 kg/ha of M 35-1, 3825 kg/ ha of PKV Kranti and 3387 kg/ha of Parbhani Moti, thus amounting to 41.8, 21.4, 16.1, 35.2, 19.8 and 35.3% increase over CSV 18, Phule Yashoda, Phule Vasudha, M 35-1, PKV Kranti and Parbhani Moti, respectively. As regards fodder yield, it had recorded higher mean of 11527 kg/ha over CSV 18 (9927 kg/ha), Phule Yashoda (9944 kg/ha), Phule Vasudha (9921 kg/ha), M 35-1 (9555 kg/ha), PKV Kranti (9893 kg/ha) and Parbhani Moti (9638 kg/ha), thus amounting to 16.1, 15.9, 16.2, 20.6, 16.5 and 19.6% increase over CSV 18, Phule Yashoda, Phule Vasudha, M 35-1, PKV Kranti and Parbhani Moti, respectively. Phule Revati gave 20.9 and 16.3% more grain yield over CSV 18 and Phule Vasudha, respectively, in 65 adaptive trials under irrigated conditions. As regards fodder yield, Phule Revati recorded 18.3 and 15.3% high fodder yield over CSV 18 and Phule Vasudha, respectively. Besides being the high yielder RSV 1006 (SPV 1830) was classified as medium maturity group (118-120 days), mid-tall (220-240 cm), medium bold grain (32- 35 g/1000 seeds), pearly white round grain with high degree of tolerance to shootfly (DH 28.9%), stem borer (DH 4.68%) and charcoal rot (26.4 %). The roti and fodder qualities of Phule Revati are excellent to that of M 35-1. The variety RSV 1006 was, therefore, released under the name, Phule Revati for irrigated condition with medium to deep soils of western Maharashtra.
The fragile nature of the tropical soils and several reports on its degradation have raised the need for a sustainable management that will increase production while maintaining a healthy soil and environment. There is possibility of varied responses by crop varieties to soil management strategies. Hence, the growth of two cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] varieties (IT97K-499-35 and IT97K-390-2) as influenced by soil amendment was determined in a screenhouse trial at the Department of Agronomy, University of Ibadan. A factorial combination of arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculation (with and without) and Tithonia diversifolia application (with and without) in a complete randomized design was used with three replications. Growth, yield and nutrient uptake parameters were determined and analysed using ANOVA. At eight weeks after sowing, IT97K-499-35 with tithonia application and mycorrhizal inoculation was significantly (P≤0.05) higher compared to the treatment without soil amendments. The application of tithonia without mycorrhizal inoculation significantly increased the pod dry weight and Ca uptake of IT97K-499-35 compared to that of IT97K-390-2 with similar treatments. However, the soil amendments significantly increased (P≤0.05) percentage root colonization of the two cowpea varieties compared to their respective control. The combined application of T. diversifolia and mycorrhizal fungi inoculation had a positive impact on the performance of cowpea. However, varied responses of the two cultivars to soil amendments call for screening of more cultivars to identify those with effective synergy to soil amendments in tropical low fertile soils.
A field experiment was conducted during kharif season of 2010 at Instructional Farm of Agronomy, Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Udaipur to study the integrated nutrient management on quality protein maize (Zea mays L.) cv. HQPM-1. Sixteen treatment combinations comprising four levels of enriched FYM with fertilizers viz., conventional (FYM @ 10 t/ha+100% RDF), enriched FYM+50% RDF, enriched FYM+100% RDF and enriched FYM+150% RDF and four biofertilizer levels viz., control, Azotobacter, PSB and Azotobacter+PSB were laid out factorial concept in randomized block design with three replications. The application of FYM @ 10 t/ha enriched with 150% RDF recorded significantly increased grain yield (4449.52 kg/ha), stover yield (8026.52 kg/ha), Sharvest index (35.64% ) and protein content in grain (11.84%) over rest of the treatments. Similar trend was also observed in N and P content and uptake in grain and stover and available N and P in soil. Seed inoculation with Azotobacter+PSB culture maximized grain yield (4368.35 kg/ha), stover yield (873.6 kg/ha), harvest index (35.26%) and protein content in grain (12.16%) over another treatment. Similar trend was also observed in N and P content and uptake in grain and stover and available N and P in soil.
In the present study, correlation and path coefficient anlaysis with 13 quantitative characters was carried out in 100 genotypes of vegetable amaranth. Highly significant and positive correlation with green yield was observed with leaf weight, stem weight and plant height, whereas leaf/stem ratio showed negative association with green yield. Path coefficient analysis revealed that stem weight, leaf weight and root weight were the most important yield components. Selection programme based on these characters is suggested for further improvement.
Feasibility testing of Ananta groundnut planter was conducted in the farmer’s fields of Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh in comparison with local practices (tractor drawn seed drill and bullock drawn seed drill) for sowing of groundnut during the kharif seasons of 2010-11 and 2011-12. The field performance of Ananta groundnut planter was quite satisfactory. Seed to seed distance obtained in a row was 9.9 cm and seed rate found was 106 kg/ha. Field capacity was 0.45 ha/h with field efficiency of 72% at the speed of operation 2.6 km/h. Man-h/ha required for sowing were only 2.22. Both tractor operated local seed drill and bullock drawn local seed drill did not give recommended output values for sowing of groundnut crop.
Genetic divergence of 25 genotypes of maize were estimated using D2 and Principal Component Analysis. The genotypes under study fell into five clusters. The inter-cluster distances were higher than intra cluster distances suggesting wider genetic diversity among the genotypes of different groups. The intra-cluster value was maximum in cluster V and minimum in cluster I. The inter cluster D2 values showed the maximum distance between cluster II and III followed by the distance between II and I. The cluster means were higher for days to maturity, plant height and ear height in cluster II; grain yield per plant was higher in cluster IV. Genotypes were much in use having the above mentioned characters in clusters II and IV would offer a good scope for the improvement of this crop through hybridization and rational selection.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjpbg.v20i1.17027
