Evaluating the Performance of Indigenous Foxtail Millet Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauc. Cultivars under Rainfed Conditions in Nagaland

A field experiment entitled “Performances of some improved rice varieties under direct seeded rainfed upland condition of Nagaland” was conducted to study the growth and yield performance under rainfed condition of Nagaland, at the School of Agricultural Sciences, Medziphema, Nagaland University, during kharif season of 2022-23. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications. Treatments viz., Kopilee, Jyoti Prasad, Dikhow, Joya, Chilarai, Kolong, Disang, Bishnu prasad, Luit, Lachit, and Leikhumo were studied. All the tested varieties were found to be semi-dwarf and dwarf varieties developed by Assam Agricultural University except Lekhimo (Nagaland local). In terms of growth and yield attributes, there were significant variations among different rice varieties. Leikhumo recorded significantly higher plant height (115.27 cm) among the tested varieties with the lowest, recorded in Bishnu prasad (74.01 cm). Chilarai showed superior parameters in terms of number of green leaves plant-1 (8.17), plant population m-2 (158), number of panicles m-2 (130), number of filled grains panicle-1 (124.33), test weight (25.55 g) and harvest index (42.95%), with Disang being the lowest viz., number of green leaves (6.06), plant population (110), number of panicles m-2 (91), number of filled grains (70.33), test weight (19.36 g) and harvest index (28%). In terms of crop growth rate and relative growth rate, Leikhumo performed the best whereas Disang variety was found inferior amongst all the varieties. Panicle length was also found to be highest in Leikhumo (26.20 cm) and the lowest in Disang (19.46 cm). Maximum grain yield was recorded in Chilarai (34.37 q ha-1 ) followed by Joya (31.92 q ha-1 ) and Leikhumo (29.62 q ha-1 ).

Foliar feeding has been growing in popularity and has been used to supplement the soil-based fertilizer applications to enhance the growth and yield of crops. However, spraying a high concentration of foliar fertilizer can cause a leaf burn effect while a low concentration of fertilizer application can show symptoms of nutrient deficiencies on the leaf. This study was conducted to determine the effect of foliar fertilization on paddy leaf chlorosis and its impact on plant growth and yield performances between variable rate application (VRA) and uniform rates of supplying the fertilizer. The experiment was performed for two planting seasons and had four nitrogen (N) treatments (50% fixed rate, 100% fixed rate, 150% fixed-rate, and VRA) that arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications. Paddy leaf chlorosis counts, plant growth (plant heights, number of tillers, number of panicle and flower), and yield performances (grain yield, number of grains, 1000-grain weight, and number of spikelets) were collected and recorded. The results showed no sign of leaf burns, however, showed chlorosis condition on the paddy leaves for all the treatments. VRA had the lowest chlorosis counts and had the highest SPAD readings at every planting stage for both planting seasons. While for plant growth performance, VRA showed moderate plant heights however had a higher number of tillers, panicle, and flowers compared to uniform rate treatments. So, VRA significantly produced more yield compared to uniform rates in both planting seasons. Therefore, foliar fertilization of VRA performed better compared to the uniform rate treatments.

Background: The most common goal of intercropping is to produce a greater yield on a given piece of land by making use of resources that would otherwise not be utilized by a single crop. The continuous application of inorganic fertilizers even in balanced form may not sustain soil fertility and productivity. However judicious use of chemical fertilizers in combination with organic manure is required to improve the soil health as well as to achieve sustainable crop production. Thus balanced fertilization and cropping system offers a great scope for increasing the productivity. Methods: A field experiment was conducted during kharif season of 2019 and 2020 in the experimental farm, Department of Agronomy, Nagaland University, SAS, Medziphema campus to study the effect of cropping system and nutrient management practices on production potential of rice-based cropping system. The experiment was conducted in randomized block design with factorial concept with 3 replications. The treatment consisted of five cropping systems and three nutrient management practices. Result: The result revealed that among intercropping system, rice + soybean (3:1) cropping system recorded highest plant height (cm), number of leaves plant-1, number of panicles m-2, grain yield, straw yield and rice equivalent yield. Among different nutrient management practices, application of 75% RDF + FYM @ 5 t ha-1 + biofertilizer consortium @ 20 g kg-1 seed recorded significantly higher plant height (cm), number of leaves plant-1, number of panicles m-2, panicle length, grain yield and straw yield.

Background: Spider plant, a nutrient-rich native leafy vegetable that grows in marginal environments, can be vital in preventing malnutrition and supporting sustainable livelihoods. Despite this, knowledge about the crop is lacking, especially on its drought tolerance and genetic variation, which hinders the crop breeding efforts. Aim: To evaluate diverse spider plant genotypes for growth, yield and response to drought to identify tolerant and sensitive genotypes. Setting: Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (BUAN) in the drought screening greenhouse located in Gaborone, Botswana. Methods: A factorial split-plot design trial involving 25 African and Asian spider plant genotypes under well-watered and drought stress conditions was undertaken. Growth, yield and photosynthetic performance were measured, and drought tolerance indices, principal components analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis were used to identify tolerant and sensitive genotypes. Results: Significant variation in growth, yield and physiological responses was observed among the 25 genotypes, with drought tolerance being highest in ODS15061, ODS15103 and ODS15044, while susceptible genotypes were BUAN1, BC02B and ODS15019. Conclusion: The study reports the genetic diversity of spider plant genotypes and their potential for drought tolerance breeding. This will enhance spider plant resilience and sustainability in low rainfall production areas and thereby address food security challenges. Contribution: The selected genotypes based on drought tolerance can further be used in multi-location field studies before being released for production in low rainfall areas. Furthermore, similar approaches can be applied for drought tolerance selection of other leafy vegetables.

A field experiment was carried out during both July to November 2019 and 2020 on the farmers’ fields in the Guptapara village of South Andaman, India, to determine the growth and yield performance of a medium-duration rice cultivar and its suitability. The treatments included five medium-duration rice cultivars consist of Jaya, ADT 45, CARI dhan 3, CARI dhan–6, and CARI dhan-7 laid out in Randomised Complete Block Design with four replications. The results showed that medium-duration rice cultivars exhibited significant variations in growth and yield attributing characteristics, such as leaf area index, root length, root dry weight, the number of productive tillers m-2, panicle length, filled grains panicle-1, and test weight. The growth attributes of rice were significantly influenced by medium-duration rice cultivars, except plant height. Regardless of the duration of the rice cultivars, CARI dhan 7 exhibited significantly greater root length and dry weight, measuring 33.2 cm and 6.37 g hill-1, respectively. CARI dhan 7 had substantially higher productive tillers (357 m-2), filled grains panicle-1 (121.6), grain (4790 kg ha-1), and straw yield (7390 kg ha-1), which was statistically comparable to CARI dhan-6. CARI dhan 7 had the highest gross return of ` 71595 ha-1, a net return of ` 36946 ha-1, and a benefit-cost ratio of 2.07. The medium-duration rice cultivar CARI dhan 7 performed better and more suitable in low-lying areas of South Andaman.

The present investigation entitled “Assessment of growth and yield performance of twelve different rice varieties under north Konkan coastal zone of Maharashtra” was carried out during the kharif season of the year 2021 and 2022 on the field of ASPEE, Agricultural Research and Development Foundation, Tansa Farm, At Nare, Taluka Wada, District Palghar, Maharashtra, India. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (RBD). The twelve varieties namely Zini, Jaya, Dandi, Rahghudya, Govindbhog, Dangi, Gurjari, VNR-7, VNR-8, VNR-9, Karjat-3, and Karjat-5 were replicated thrice. The plant height (cm), number of tillers per plant, number of panicles per plant, number of panicles (m²), and length of panicle (cm) were noted to the maximum with cv. “VNR-7”. The highest number of seeds per panicle, test weight (gm), grain yield (q/ha), and straw yield (q/ha) were recorded with the cv. “VNR-7”. While the lowest number of days to 50% flowering was also recorded with cv. “VNR-7” during the year 2021 and 2022.

Abstract. Ndiwa ASS, Mau YS. 2019. Yield and yield component performances of local pigmented upland rice cultivars from East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia in three locations. Trop Drylands 3: 49-55. Several pigmented upland rice cultivars from East Nusa Tenggara Province have been selected based on their agronomic performance, blast resistance, and drought tolerance traits. This study aimed to further elucidate the selected upland rice cultivars for their yield performance and stability in a multi-location trial in three locations. The results showed the significant effect of rice genotype, location, and interactions between rice genotype and location (GxE) on most observed variables, both in each location and across the three locations. Five genotypes produced average grain yield of ≥ 4.0 t/ha over three locations, i.e., NGR-22, PMK-01, ADN-05, Inpago 7 and Aek Sibundong. These five genotypes were found to produce high and stable grain yield under the three growing environments.

Field experiments were conducted at Agricultural Research Station, Thirupathisaram, Tamil Nadu during <italic>kharif</italic> and <italic>rabi</italic> seasons of 2011-12 to evaluate the different establishment techniques on growth and yield of rice. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with four replications. The treatment structure comprises of wet seeding, drum seeding, random transplanting, line planting, SRI square planting and SRI machine planting. Among the different establishment techniques, SRI machine planting significantly influenced the growth and yield characters and yield and which was on par with SRI square planting. The maximum plant height, number of tillers hill<sup>−1</sup>, LAI, dry matter production, number of panicles m<sup>−2</sup>, number of grains panicle<sup>−1</sup>, panicle length, grain yield and straw yield were recorded under SRI machine planting during <italic>kharif</italic> and <italic>rabi</italic>. The lowest grain yield and straw yield were recorded under wet seeding during both <italic>kharif</italic> and <italic>rabi</italic>.

Background: Post-Flowering Stalk Rot (PFSR) is a devastating disease of maize caused by a complex of fungal pathogens, predominantly Macrophomina phaseolina in India, especially under prolonged dry conditions. Developing high-yielding and PFSR-resistant inbred lines offers a sustainable and cost-effective strategy for disease management. Aims: The study aims to identify maize inbred lines exhibiting resistance to Macrophomina phaseolina and superior grain yield performance under both artificially inoculated and uninoculated conditions. Methods: The study evaluated sixty-two maize inbred lines for resistance and yield performance under artificially inoculated and uninoculated environments using a randomized block design with three replications at the Maize Research Centre, Hyderabad, during the 2020 kharif season. The fungal isolates of Macrophomina phaseolina used for artificial inoculation were procured from the Plant Pathology Division, Agricultural Research Institute, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad. Disease severity was rated on a 1–9 scale through stem-splitting assessment. Results: The highest yield was recorded by PFSR-95, reflecting its superior genetic potential under normal conditions. In contrast, under inoculated conditions, the inbred lines exhibited a mean yield of 56.7 g per plant, ranging from 20 g (Z-63-45) to 95 g (PFSR-95), highlighting a considerable decline in yield due to disease pressure. The comparison of grain yield performance of maize inbred lines under both environments revealed that the inbred lines viz., MGC-9, MGC-93, MGC-15, MGC-82, PFSR-151, PFSR-46, PFSR-95 and GP-265 showed higher yield level over the check hybrid DHM-117 under uninoculated conditions. While under inoculated conditions, PFSR-95 and PFSR-90 showed superior yield over the check DHM-117, showing their resilience under biotic stress. Conclusion: The study concluded that PFSR-90 and PFSR-95 exhibited strong resistance coupled with superior grain yield over the check DHM-117, while PFSR-95 showed superior yield performance across both environments. These resistant inbred lines serve as valuable genetic resources for breeding high-yielding and PFSR-resistant maize hybrids, contributing to sustainable maize production under stress-prone environments.

The experiment was conducted during kharif (June to September) of 2024 at Umdiker village, Ri-Bhoi district, Meghalaya, India at a farmer’s field under the broader initiative of the Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR) to evaluate the response of foxtail millet (Setaria italica) to different organic inputs with respect to growth, yield performance, and soil health indicators. The experimental layout followed a randomized block design consisting of five replications and five treatments: Vermicompost, Poultry manure, CAU Bioenhancer, their respective combinations, and an untreated control. The application of these inputs allowed for assessment of their main and interactive effects on critical crop and soil parameters across a single growing season. Findings demonstrated that plots receiving poultry manure in combination with the CAU Bioenhancer produced the most favorable results for plant growth, yield components, and essential soil nutrients, closely followed by the combined application of vermicompost with the Bioenhancer. Both integrated treatments outperformed sole applications of poultry manure or vermicompost, with the control ranking last. Significantly, the integration of Bioenhancer with poultry manure or vermicompost led to observable increases in both grain yield (by 29%) and straw yield (by 36%) compared to the untreated control plots. Among soil parameters, improvements in organic carbon and nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium were noted as statistically significant under the integrated treatments; however, soil pH remained unaffected by any input. The results underscored the productivity and soil fertility benefits of coupling organic manures with bioenhancers in finger millet-based cropping systems in northeast India.

The combined influence of agronomic, environmental and genetic variables results in better crop yield. Among these components, an appropriate irrigation system and varietal choice are crucial. With this background, a field experiment with a split-plot layout was planned during the summer period of 2020 at the Agriculture and Horticultural Research Station, Bhavikere, Karnataka, India, to examine the effects of four different irrigation levels (0.75, 1.00, 1.25 and 1.50 IW/CPE ratio) in the main plot and four different varieties (Local variety, Jyothi, MAS 946-1 and MAS-26) in the subplots on growth and yield performance under direct seeded rice condition. Results of the experiment revealed that among four different levels of irrigation, scheduling irrigation at 1.50 IW/CPE ratio recorded higher growth and yield parameters at harvest viz., plant height (82.76 cm), number of tillers per plant (13.29), leaf area index (2.66), total dry matter accumulation (73.36 g/plant), number of panicle per plant (10.35), panicle length (21.59 cm), number of filled grains per panicle (90.4), grain yield (5569 kg/ha) and straw yield (7514 kg/ha). While, among the varieties used for the study, MAS 946-1 recorded the higher growth and yield parameters at harvest (64.19 cm, 13.96, 2.45, 73.34 g/plant, 10.96, 21.25 cm, 84.3, 5743 kg/ha and 7288 kg/ha, respectively). Hence, scheduling irrigation at 1.50 IW/CPE ratio and use of MAS 946-1 variety demonstrated superior performance, making it most appropriate for maximising higher production under direct seeded rice condition. Bangladesh J. Bot. 53(3): 527-533, 2024 (September)

Aims: To evaluate the “Correlation and Regression Studies of Growth, Yield Attributes and Yield of foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.) Under Different Varieties and Landraces”.
 Place and Duration of Study: The experiment was carried out in the Rabi season of 2022-23 at Experimental farm in Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences, Coimbatore. Experimental field was silty clay loam in texture with medium in available N (273.0 kg/ha), high in available P2O5 (21.5 kg/ha) and high in available K2O (425.0 kg/ha) and lower level of organic carbon (0.29%).
 Study Design: Randomized Block Design (RBD).
 Methodology: The treatments consisted of 8 foxtail millet varieties and landraces viz., T1 - ATL-1 (Control), T2 - SiA-3222 (Garuda), T3 - SiA-3088 (Suryanandhi), T4 - SiA-3085, T5 - SiA-3156, T6 - SiA-3233 (Reynaudu), T7 - Mookanthathinai and T8 - Koranthinai.
 Results: Grain yield was highly significant positive correlation with N uptake (r = 0.996**), DMP at harvest stage (r = 0.984**), K uptake (r = 0.981**), P uptake (r = 0.966**) and straw yield (r = 0.954**). From the regression, N uptake (R2 = 0.993**), DMP (R2 = 0.968**) at harvest is the important positive component of grain yield in foxtail millet followed by K uptake (R2 = 0.962**), P uptake (R2 = 0.934**) and straw yield (R2 = 0.911**).
 Conclusion: From the result of correlation and regression, it was concluded that in terms of grain yield, the foxtail millet varieties and landraces are influenced by the DMP at harvest stage, N uptake, K uptake, P uptake and Straw yield.

Soil moisture stress has become a serious environmental limitation to crop productivity and quality. The root system is the first organ sensing the changes in soil moisture; therefore, root development under water deficit is an important indicator for plant's drought tolerance. Previous studies focused on quinoa varietal differences in morphological traits under water stress; however, variation in root development including both growth and diameter responses to drought remains largely unclear. We conducted a preliminary screening of a diverse set of 30 quinoa genotypes to evaluate genetic variation in growth and yield performance in response to drought stress. Variation in drought tolerance indices showed large variation across the quinoa collection. Based on these results, five genotypes representative of a range of drought tolerance levels including 2‐Want, Atlas, NL‐6, Pichamán and Sayaña were selected to evaluate root development under control and severe drought conditions. Inhibition of root development was found for all genotypes as compared to controls; however, significant variation in root growth response to drought stress was observed. Among genotypes, Atlas and 2‐Want expressed drought‐tolerant phenotypes. The analysis of the interrelations between genotypes root length, root diameter, root surface area, drought tolerance and geographical origins reveals interesting guidelines for further studies to explore the mechanisms behind quinoa roots adaptation to drought.

Background: Foxtail millet cultivation in India’s NEH region holds promise due to its adaptation to diverse environments and high-quality grain. Studying G × E interaction in this region will guide breeding programs to develop foxtail millet varieties adapted to local conditions. The objective of this study was to find out foxtail millet genotypes that produce high yield in diverse environments and to identify ideal mega-environments using additive main effects and multiplicative interaction stability model analysis. Methods: In this study, 30 genotypes were evaluated at the Research Farm of the SAS, Nagaland University, Medziphema, India. The experiment was conducted during July 2022 to May 2023 involving four different environments. Two environments were rainfed and two were irrigated with weekly intervals. The experiment was conducted in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications in all the environments. Result: Genotype-environment interactions significantly influenced grain yield across four environments, while replicates were non-significant. Pooled analysis revealed significant genotypic effects and seasonal impacts. AMMI analysis revealed significant effect on environmental and genotypic influences on grain yield and explained 23.47% and 27.94% variability respectively. The AMMI model effectively decomposed the intricate genotype-environment interaction into three principal components (PC1, PC2and PC3), explaining 54.5%, 28.7%and 16.8% of the interaction variance, respectively. AMMI model exposed genotypes viz G8, G9, G21and G22 as best performer and stable. AMMI stability value revealed G10 with highest stability (ASV = 0.34) followed by G15, G7, G29, G6and G13 in decreasing order indicating their consistent performance in grain yield across different environments.

The study evaluated 30 genotypes of foxtail millet at Millets Research Station Dholi, RPCAU, Pusa, during Kharif 2021. A randomized block design with three replications was used. Before selecting genotypes based on micronutrient content (Fe and Zn) for nutritional quality traits, it's crucial to understand their potential impact on yield. The study examined the relationships between quality traits and yield attributes in foxtail millet genotypes using a diverse range of genotypes. Correlation analysis under normal condition revealed positive relationships, particularly between panicle girth and number of productive tillers per plant, grain yield per plant and days to maturity, days to 50% flowering and iron content and days to 50% flowering and zinc content, with correlation coefficients ranging from 0.307 to 0.333. This indicates that these traits collectively enhance plant productivity under favorable conditions. However, under drought conditions, the relationships shift. Grain yield per plant showed significant positive correlation only with days to 50% lowering and number of productive tillers per plant with panicle girth, with correlation coefficients of 0.315 and 0.314, respectively. Further, significantly negative correlation of days to maturity with number of productive tillers per plant, panicle girth and zinc content was observed. Similarly, days to 50% flowering was found negatively correlated with panicle girth. This suggests that under water stress, fewer traits positively influence yield, with panicle girth becoming a crucial factor in maintaining grain yield. This analysis highlights how environmental conditions affect the relationships between plant traits. Under normal conditions, a broader set of traits, including micronutrient levels, contribute to productivity. In contrast, under drought stress, the focus shifts to key traits like panicle girth, essential for resilience and yield stability. These insights can improve and speed up breeding programs aiming to enhance drought tolerance in crops, by prioritizing traits that significantly impact yield under adverse conditions.