Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is a C4 grass plant, originated from the tropics and generally from more heat and drought tolerant regions. In present study the experiments were conducted in a split plot design with three replications during post-rainy season 2020-21 at Centre on Rabi Sorghum (ICAR-Indian Institute of Millets Research) Solapur under three levels of water regimes (three environments) along with four checks viz., Phule Suchitra, CSV-26, Phule Anuradha & M35-1. Drought tolerant and susceptible genotypes were categorized on the basis of Stress Susceptible Index (SSI), Weighted Geometric Mean index (WGMI) and regression line. Growth Stage -I correlation coefficient between maturity, plant height and panicle length [0.46**] was positive and significant which indicates that as plant height and maturity increases, panicle length also increases. Growth Stage – II correlation coefficient between panicle length and peduncle length [0.62**] was positive and significant, which shows higher the peduncle length, higher will be the panicle length and it is directly related to higher stover yield. Under all environments it was observed that, higher the peduncle length, earlier will be the flowering. Under GS-1, GS-II and WW environment Correlation between days to 50% flowering, maturity of the plant were [0.44**], [0.56**] and [0.57**] respectively shows positive and significant relationship under all environments. This is the common trait found in all environments. In water stress conditions Phule suchitra (20.07) and DTE-14 (21.14) varieties gave high grain yield as compared to other early verities. In physiological experiment, stomatas were observed in stem leaf and flag leaf which showed that flag leaf played important role in photosynthesis and supply of more energy to the plant for growth and development. The results are first of its kind observed under this study.

Assessment of genetic diversity among sorghum landraces is essential for their efficient utilization in plant breeding. In the present study, 203 sorghum landrace accessions were phenotyped for two rabi growing seasons of 2016-17 and 2017-18 in a Randomized Block Design with three replications. Among the traits investigated, plant height was found more variable followed by dry fodder yield per plant, panicle weight per plant and grain yield per plant. The highest PCV and GCV was shown by dry fodder yield per plant (41.36 and 35.22 %), panicle weight per plant (38.49 and 32.84 %), grain yield per plant (36.30 and 27.95) and panicle length (33.06 and 29.81), respectively. The PCA revealed three important principal components correlated with grain yield per plant, panicle length and plant height that accounted for 70.30% of the total variation. The maximum inter-cluster distance was observed between cluster IV and V. Cluster VII had the highest mean value for grain and fodder yield.Â

In India, post-rainy season sorghum, a cereal crop is very crucial for food and fodder security in the drought prone areas. The aim of this study was to provide an improved or better index to identify drought-tolerant genotypes. Stress susceptible index (SSI) is currently the most commonly used index by plant breeders globally to select drought-tolerant genotypes. However, SSI has certain limitations which can be addressed by new index, i.e., weighted geometric mean index (WGMI). In the present study, 42 and 25 genotypes were evaluated under three environments during the post-rainy seasons of 2015–2016 and 2016–2017, respectively, using split plot design. Genotypes were categorized as tolerant, moderately tolerant and susceptible using model WGMI. Significant and negative correlations were observed between WGMI and SSI for grain and stover yield in most of the cases. The best index to identify drought-tolerant genotypes must be highly significantly correlated with traits under stress and non-stress environments. In this context, our proposed index demonstrated higher correlation with grain and stover yield in comparison with SSI and higher coefficient of determination to identify drought-tolerant genotypes. WGMI was found to be more appropriate and reliable indicator, as it gives information regarding higher yield along with drought tolerance. In addition, it was shown to provide information on wide adaptability of genotypes under several environments. The correlation studies suggested that the traits associated with drought tolerance were early flowering, longer peduncle length and higher panicle emergence (percent).

The present study was carried out to evaluate eight promising Spanish bunch groundnut genotypes during four consecutive year (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017) to study genotype × environmental interactions and to identify stable sources of fresh seed dormancy in Spanish background in groundnut. Pooled analysis of variance revealed highly significant differences among the genotypes and genotype × environmental interactions for fresh seed dormancy at weekly intervals indicating that differential behavior of genotypes for fresh seed dormancy over the environmental conditions. Based on the results of intensity and duration of dormancy and germination stability index, identified four stable advanced breeding lines viz., PBS 12192, PBS 12187, PBS 12191 and PBS 12190 having high fresh seed dormancy of three week and two stable advanced breeding lines viz., PBS 12189 and PBS 12171 having high fresh seed dormancy of two week. Therefore, these genotypes can be used as novel genetic stock of fresh seed dormancy in Spanish bunch and they can be integrated into breeding programs to develop high yielding Spanish bunch cultivars with 2-3 weeks of fresh seed dormancy to avoid yield losses due to in-situ germination at the time of crop maturity.

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is one of the most important climate resilient crops in the world. A total of 36 sorghum landraces were collected under national exploration programme from rainfed areas of Dhule, Nandurbar and adjoining areas of northern Maharashtra during 2015-16. These accessions were assessed for morphological diversity based on five quantitative and twelve qualitative,traits. High variability was observed for most of the characters. Thirty-six accessions were also categorized into six different basic as well as hybrid races of sorghum on the basis of five fundamental spikelet types. High 100 seed weight was recorded in IC 618609 (3.12g) followed by IC 618658 (2.92 g). Total ear head weight varied from 9.23 (IC 618606) to 556.5g (IC 618648) with mean weight of 88.08g. Significant correlation (0.763, P<0.01) was observed among ear head length and ear head weight followed by ear head width and 100 seed weight (0.482, P< 0.05). Diversity analysis using Euclidean distances and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) classified the accessions into three major clusters. In PCA, first two components explained more than 99% of variation in the population. Shannon Diversity Index (SDI) indicated high variability for glume colour (2.05), ear head shape (1.56), grain colour (1.54), glume covering (1.27), ear head compactness and colour of vitreous albumen (1.25). The unique accessions identified in this study will provide excellent opportunities to improve sorghum for ear head weight, ear head length and various grain characteristics. This will further boost up sorghum utilization in developing more climate resilient cultivars.

A study was carried out to identify genotypes possessing fresh seed dormancy in Spanish bunch geneticbackground. Analysis of variance revealed highly significant differences among the genotypes for fresh seeddormancy at all the stages. Among the three parameters of fresh seed dormancy, only intensity of fresh seeddormancy at weekly interval instead of only at 7 days after sowing was found very important parameter to identify ideal sources of fresh seed dormancy in Spanish types. Two years results revealed that seven genotypes viz., PBS-12190, PBS-12191, PBS-12192, PBS-12171, PBS-12187, PBS-12189 and TPG-41 were the best genotypeswhich recorded average more than 90 per cent intensity of fresh seed dormancy for 21 days and these also had 100 per cent fresh seed dormancy at 7 DAS except PBS-12191, PBS-12171 and PBS-12189. However three genotypes PBS-12200, PBS-12200B and PBS-12201 also had more than 90 per cent fresh seed dormancy for 14 days. Therefore, these genotypes were identified as new sources of fresh seed dormancy with high intensity and high degree of fresh seed dormancy for over 2-3 weeks. These genotypes could be used as donor parents in breeding programmes to develop high yielding Spanish bunch varieties with 3-4 week fresh seed dormancy in groundnut.

HI 1563 meets all the requirements of an ideal quality bread wheat variety for North Eastern Plains Zone. Along with DBW 14 and NW 2036, it will also enrich genetic diversity against stripe, stem and leaf rusts, and thus, will help in raising productivity and profitability of bread wheat crop in north eastern parts of the country, when recommended for release.

Biological process of aging in sorghum results into leaf senescence that in turn creates favourable conditions for Macrophomina phaseolina . The cortical lesion caused by Macrophomina phaseolina on sorghum plant developed rapidly as the aging advanced yet not as a rule. In 41.3% of genotypes plant age did not affect Macrophomina advancement i.e. increase in age of the plant neither deterred or favoured the growth of Macrophomina indicating constant conducive growth environment all through life of plants. Observations revealed that about 50 per cent of leaves senesce as plant reaches to flowering and maintaining green leaves that is associated with rate of senescence has close relationship with charcoal rot incidence in field. Slow rate of leaf senescence tend to contribute to lower charcoal rot incidence and also sorghum genotypes that show minimum more than 5 per cent green leaves at terminal age have a tendency to give lesser incidence of charcoal rot . Present investigation also reveals perfect relation among senescence, charcoal rot and lesion length. This association could be recorded in 34.5 per cent genotypes. Some genotypes having lower cortical lesion length showed lower charcoal rot and lower senescence whereas other genotypes showing the higher lesion length also showed higher charcoal rot and higher senescence.

Nine peanut genotypes were evaluated in two seasons under irrigated and simulated mid-season drought conditions to investigate the influence of water stress on some phenological, morpho-physiological, and yield traits. Analysis of variance revealed significant genotypic differences for all the traits studied. Water saturation deficit and epicuticular wax load increased in response to water stress and age of the crop, while specific leaf area decreased with water stress and age of the crop. In general, correlations of water saturation deficit (WSD), epicuticular wax load (EWL), and specific leaf area (SLA) with yield traits were fairly weak. WSD in the early stage under irrigated conditions was found to be positively associated with pod yield under water stress; EWL in the early stage was negatively associated with harvest index (HI) under stress. Although significant and negative correlations of SLA were found only when it was recorded in the early stage under stress and the later stage under irrigated conditions with HI and pod yield (PY), both under irrigated conditions, the trends of its associations showed that SLA had rather weak and negative correlations with PY and HI both under irrigated and stress conditions. Genotypes that accumulated flowers sooner after initiation showed less yield reduction. The negative association between HI under stress and its reduction deems HI under moisture stress an important criterion of selection for drought tolerance in peanut.

An experiment was conducted in rainy season (kharif) 2002 and 2003 to identify Spanish groundnut genotypes with high yielding potential coupled with improved water use efficiency. Considerable genotypic variation was observed among groundnut genotypes for specific leaf area, and soil and plant analysis development (SPAD) chlorophyll meter reading, the 2 traits suggested as surrogates for water use efficiency. Of the 17 Spanish type advance cultures evaluated 1 culture 'PBS 12160' gave significantly higher pod and kernel yields and oil content of 49.2%. It recorded mean pod yield advantage of 18.7% over the national check 'JL,24'. Besides high oil contents this genotype also possessed singificantly short plant stature and high number of secondary branches. Low values for specific leaf area, which is negatively associated with kernel yield and high soil plant analysis development chlorophyll meter reading observed for this culture are likely to render it efficient in water use making it suitable for situations where water availability is limited or for rainfed production system.

Six groundnut varieties were evaluated under rainfed situations for yield and quality characters for stability analysis. Mean square due to G × E (linear) interaction was significant for pod yield and hundred pod weight only. Non-linear component was significant for all the traits indicating the presence of variability among the varieties regulated by various environmental conditions prevailing in different years. S-2d was significant for all the characters studied invalidating the linear prediction of performance of varieties. The variety B 95 registered highest pod yield, hundred-pod weight and hundred-kernel weight across the environments. Based on its non-responsiveness to the fluctuating environmental conditions this variety was adjudged to be more adaptive for these characters.