Agro-climatic Conditions Research Articles

Genetic and environmental influences on fatty acid composition in different fenugreek genotypes

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) plays a crucial role in both the food and pharmaceutical industries due to its rich nutritional profile and medicinal properties, such as regulating blood sugar and reducing inflammation. This study offers a comprehensive analysis of the fatty acid composition in fenugreek seeds, revealing significant variability influenced by genetic and environmental factors. The analysis showed that linoleic acid ranged from 32.16 % to 45.96 %, linolenic acid from 17.3 % to 31.21 %, oleic acid from 11.40 % to 20.32 %, stearic acid from 3.78 % to 6.76 %, and palmitic acid from 8.74 % to 16.44 %. Both genotype and environmental conditions had a profound impact on these profiles, with notable variations arising from differences in water availability. The Israel and Kermanshah (Iran) genotypes recorded the highest linoleic acid levels under irrigated conditions, while the Kayseri (Turkey) genotype exhibited the highest linolenic and stearic acid values across both irrigated and non-irrigated environments. Additionally, the Ahvaz (Iran) and Ukraine genotypes excelled in oleic and palmitic acid concentrations. Principal component analysis (PCA) and Additive Main Effects and Multiplicative Interaction (AMMI) biplots further highlighted the complex genotype-environment interactions, providing essential insights for breeding fenugreek varieties optimized for diverse agro-climatic conditions.

Сравнительная оценка кормовой продуктивности чины посевной в различных эколого-географических условиях

Abstract. The article presents the results of studying the yield and quality of green mass of four varieties of domestic sowing varieties: Racheyka, Zhemchuzhina, Mramornaya and Elena. The purpose of the study is to assess the phenotypic variability of chinese varieties in terms of the duration of the growing season, yield and quality of green mass, to select genotypes that are resistant to limiting environmental factors and capable of forming consistently high feed productivity in different agroclimatic conditions. Methods. Laboratory and field research was carried out in 2022–2023 on the educational and experimental field of the Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education “Omsk State Agrarian University” (Omsk) and on the basis of the Federal State Budgetary Institution Russian Research and Design Technological Institute of Sorghum and Corn (Saratov). The conditions of the growing season are close to arid ones, HTC = 0.64…1.02. In the Omsk experimental plot, the soil is meadow-chernozem medium-thick (45 cm), low-humus (3.95 % humus), semi-loam (35 % physical clay), in Saratov – southern chernozem low-humus (3.80 % humus), medium-thick (42 cm), clayed loam (43 % physical clay). The predecessor is grain crops. When conducting research, we followed the same methodology – sowing in the first ten days of May, seeding rate – 700 thousand pieces grains per hectare, plot area – 5 m2, seed placement depth – 5 cm. Results. Growing conditions have a significant impact on the variability of the duration of the growing season – 65.8 % and the level of green mass yield – 54.2 %. The variation in the parameters of the biochemical composition is largely due to the genotype of the variety – 62.1 %. Evaluation of varieties according to adaptability indicators made it possible to distribute them into groups: 1 – extensive form with very low phenotypic stability (Mramornaya); 2 – form with high phenotypic stability (Zhemchuzhina); 3 – intensive form with reduced phenotypic stability (Elena); 4 – intensive phenotypically highly stable form (Racheyka). Scientific novelty. Varieties with high phenotypic stability of feed productivity, weakly responsive to fluctuations in climatic conditions and showing low rates of yield decline under unfavorable weather factors in various regions of the country were selected.

Ampelographic Diversity Assessment of Local Grape Genotype Grown in India

Grapevine is well adapted to the agro climatic conditions of India, which makes it one of the major element of the Indian horticulture. However, there has been limited focus on assessing grapevine germplasm, and genetic resources have previously remained underutilized despite their potential for adapting to environmental changes. This study aims to evaluate the diversity of local (developed in India) grapevine accessions growing in different regions in India. A total of 20 local varieties were evaluated using 14 fruit traits previously developed by DUS. An important variability was revealed among the local varieties studied based on fruit characteristics. The most discriminant traits were bunch weight, berry diameter, bunch length, berry weight, berry shape, seed number per berry. Hierarchical clustering analysis showed three main clusters, each regrouping accessions of different named varieties. Mean values of cluster for various yield parameters revealed that cluster I possessed maximum value for yield related attributes. Maximum bunch weight was observed in Manjari Medika (270.0g) followed by Pusa Seedless (243.1 g), Arka Shyam (213.5 g) while higher 50 berry weight (201.0 g) and berry diameter (20.30 mm) in Arka Majestic genotype. Arka Majestic and Manjari Medika showed better quality traits. Our results indicate a potential of morphological diversity within the local genotypes that should be further investigated in order to understand their performance and to evaluate them in selection programs.

Physio-biochemical mechanism of melatonin seed priming in stimulating growth and drought tolerance in bread wheat

Drought stress (DS) adversely affects a plant’s development and growth by negatively altering the plant’s physio-biochemical functions. Previous investigations have illustrated that seed priming with growth regulators is an accessible, affordable, and effective practice to elevate a plant’s tolerance to drought stress. Melatonin (MT) is derived from the precursor tryptophan and can improve germination, biomass, and photosynthesis under stress conditions. The current study examined the effect of melatonin seed priming on two wheat cultivars (Fakhar-e-Bhakkar and Akber-19) cultivated under severe drought conditions (35% FC). There were 6 levels of melatonin (i.e., M0 = control, M1 = 1 mg L− 1, M2 = 2 mg L− 1, M3 = 3 mg L− 1, M4 = 4 mg L− 1 and M5 = mg L− 1) which were used for seed priming. Our results confirmed that seed priming with M2 = 2 mgL− 1 concentration of MT alleviates the negative effects of DS by boosting the germination rate by 54.84% in Akber-19 and 33.33% in Fakhar-e-Bhakkar. Similarly, leaf-relative water contents were enhanced by 22.38% and 13.28% in Akber-19 and Fakhar-e-Bhakkar, respectively. Melatonin pre-treatment with 2 mgL− 1 significantly enhanced fresh and dry biomass of shoot and root, leaf area, photosynthetic pigments, osmoprotectants accumulation [total soluble proteins (TSP), total free amino acids (TFAA), proline, soluble sugars, glycine betaine (GB)] and lowered the amount of malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production by elevating antioxidants [Ascorbic acid, catalase (CAT), Phenolics, peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD)] activity under drought stress (DS). Meanwhile, under control conditions (NoDS), the melatonin treatment M1 = 1 mgL− 1 effectively enhanced all the growth-related physio-biochemical attributes in both wheat cultivars. In the future, more investigations are suggested on different crops under variable agroclimatic conditions to declare 2 mgL− 1 melatonin as an efficacious amendment to alleviate drought stress.

Effect of brewing conditions on flavonoid, phenolics, anthocyanins and antioxidant contents in hibiscus tea infusion

The hibiscus flowers are cherished for its high aesthetic value and in India it is one of the popular flower cultivated in almost every households due to its religious significance. Besides its hardy nature and wider adaptability in differ agro-climatic conditions. The hibiscus flower has been historically used in Ayurveda and Unani system to cure various ailments. Presently, the hibiscus flowers are being used in various value added products. Therefore, in the present investigation efforts to study variations in secondary metabolites from hibiscus petal tea infusions caused due to drying temperature ( 50ºC, 60ºC and 70ºC), quantity used (1.0 g, 1.5g and 2.0 g) and dipping duration (90 sec, 120 sec and 180 sec). The treatment combination of 60ºC drying temperature, 2 g quantity used and 120 seconds dipping duration obtained as optimized combination of selected independent variables which gave infused tea with high amount of bioactive compounds like total phenols content ( 75.65 mg GAE/g), total flavonoids content (64.73 mg/g catechin), total anthocyanins content (91.54 mg/l), antioxidant activity (88.38% and 0.37 µmol TE/g) along with superior aroma, taste and good colour retention up to 90 days of storage duration.

Genetic Variability and Flowering Intensity of Sugarcane Genotypes Affected by Agro-Climatic Conditions of Alexandria

Genetic Variability and Flowering Intensity of Sugarcane Genotypes Affected by Agro-Climatic Conditions of Alexandria

Analysis of the development of organic crop production in Latin America

The paper is devoted to the study of the process of development of organic production as a global trend in agriculture. The objects of the research are the countries of Latin America, as territories that are promising in terms of large-scale and rapidly developing organic agriculture for export and domestic consumption — Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Dominican Republic. The countries have large land funds and favorable agroclimatic conditions in most of their territories. In the work, based on the application of methods of time series alignment and the graphical method, trends in demand for the purchase and subsequent use of pesticides, the prevalence of malnutrition in Latin America and in the world, as well as prospects for the development of organic crop production by such an indicatosr as the total area of organic lands and number of producers are identified. The simple linear regression model constructed by the authors made it possible to establish the relationship between the volumes of greenhouse gas emissions and the average annual temperature, which made it possible to establish the need to reduce the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides to achieve sustainable development goals. Calculation of the linear and quadratic coefficients of structural shifts, as well as the index of differences, made it possible to identify structural changes in priority groups of crops for growing organic crops.

Composite Effect of Drip Irrigation and Different Color Mulching of Banana Crop in North Bihar Agro-climatic Condition

The Research work was carried out with three main treatments; 100, 80, and 60% of V volume of water through drip and five sub-treatment with different color mulch i.e black, blue, red, white color plastic mulch and without mulch (control) with three replications. Variety Grand Naine of Banana crop was selected. Experimental field layout designed by using split plot design (SPD). Combined effect of drip irrigation and mulching on water saving, vegetative growth, flowering time, bunch emergence time, harvesting time, different yield parameters and quality of banana fruits were found to be better in treatment application of T2 i’e 80% of V volume of water through drip irrigation along with black color of plastic mulch to the tune of 14.95% in water saving; 176.15 cm plant height; 60.23 cm plant girth; average number of functional leaves 17.6; flowering time 292 day after planting; bunch emergence time318 day after planting; harvesting time391 day after planting. The average bunch length 101.90 cm; average number of hands per bunch 11.3: average number of fingers per bunch107.97; average weight of bunch19.77 kg; yield 879.42 q/ha; average length of fingers 14.01 cm; average circumference of fingers 11.90 cm and average weight of fingers 115.04 g. The water use efficiency was evaluated to be maximum i.e. 26.30 q/ha-cm in treatment T3 (0.6V volume (29.54 cm) of water application through drip). The maximum soil temperature (23.69oC) and soil moisture (29.29%) were found in treatment T3 and T1, respectively along with color plastic mulch. The maximum benefit cost ratio was estimated to the tune of 3.76 in treatment T2 along with black color plastic mulch.

Optimizing Biochemical and Phytochemical Attributes in Peaches through Foliar Applications of Silicon and Zinc

Peach production faces significant pre-harvest challenges, including low moisture, nutrient deficiencies, flower drop, physical damage, and surface discoloration, which can limit yield and fruit quality. To mitigate these issues, the present study hypothesized that foliar applications of silicon and zinc could enhance peach growth, yield, and quality due to their known roles in improving stress tolerance, nutrient uptake, and antioxidant activity. Therefore, this research aimed to identify optimal concentrations of silicon and zinc for quality peach production. Ten-year-old peach trees of uniform size were sprayed with four levels of silicon (0%, 0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.3%) and zinc (0%, 0.25%, 0.50%, and 0.75%) for two consecutive growing seasons, at the berry and pit hardening stages, using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The averaged data from the two years showed that the pre-harvest foliar application of silicon significantly improved all yield and quality attributes of peaches. The foliar application of silicon at 0.3% notably enhanced fruit growth, yield, and biochemical attributes. Additionally, the highest fruit growth, yield, and quality of peach fruits were observed at the 0.75% zinc concentration. Maximum antioxidant activity, flavonoid content, proline content, and catalase activity were observed in fruits from plants treated with 0.3% silicon, which were statistically on par with 0.2% silicon. However, peroxidase activity was highest at 0.2% silicon. Regarding zinc levels, antioxidant activity, flavonoid content, proline content, and peroxidase activity were highest in fruits treated with 0.75% zinc, while catalase activity was superior when fruits were sprayed with 0.50% zinc. The interaction between silicon and zinc concentrations was found to be non-significant for most parameters, except for titratable acidity, TSS–acid ratio, ascorbic acid content, antioxidant activity, flavonoid content, and peroxidase activity. In conclusion, the foliar application of 0.3% silicon and 0.75% zinc independently enhanced all yield and quality characteristics of peaches. For the agro-climatic conditions of Peshawar, 0.2% silicon and 0.50% zinc are recommended for optimal peach production.

Evaluation of different Varieties of Gladiolus (Gladiolus grandifloras L.) Cultivars under Agro-climatic Conditions of Prayagraj, India

An experiment was conducted during rabi season 2023 at Horticulture Research Farm, Department of Horticulture, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh). The experiment has 20 different varieties laid out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) in three replications. The results showed that the all the cultivars had significant differences for vegetative, floral, corm characters when evaluated under Agro climatic conditions of Prayagraj. Twenty cultivars namely Pusa Sindhuri, Pusa Suhagin, Red Ginger, Red Majesty, Sancerre, Shahanoda, Shobha, Smoky Lady, Snow Princess, Solan shrinagar, Souvik Biscuits, Suyrakiran, Swarnima, Sweta, Tambri, Urmi, VickyLin, WeddingCreamby, White Prosperity, Yellow Stone were evaluated for their performance. Based on their performance, it is concluded that all the cultivars can be grown under Prayagraj Agro climatic conditions, but cultivar yellow stone, white property, wedding creamby, Vickylin has found to be promising in respect of all parameters under Agro climatic conditions of Prayagraj.

Rice yield prediction through drone-derived vegetation indices: A case study in Tamil Nadu, India

Precision farming has been revolutionized by advancements in drone technology and remote sensing, enabling high accuracy in real-time crop monitoring and yield prediction. To explore the potential of drone-based remote sensing for predicting the rice yield by the assessment of vegetation indices were generated and analyzed to identify the most sensitive indices for predicting Laef Area Index (LAI), chlorophyll content, and biomass. The experiment was conducted in two seasons, Kuruvai (July - November 2023) and Navarai (December 2023 - March 2024). In Kuruvai 2023, a positive correlation was observed between vegetation indices, Wide Dynamic Range Vegetation Index (WDRVI), Modified Chlorophyll and Reflectance Index (MCARI) and Modified Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (MSAVI) with ground truth biophysical parameters, while Navarai season Perpendicular Vegetation Index (PVI), Modified Chlorophyll and Reflectance Index (MCARI) and Green Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (GNDVI) exhibited the highest positive correlation. The multiple linear regression analysis revealed that a combined model incorporating LAI, SPAD chlorophyll, and biomass registered the highest R2 values of 0.792 and 0.800 for the Kuruvai and Navarai seasons. The predicted yield was positively correlated with the real-time yield with R2 values of 0.819 and 0.803 for both seasons. This study underscores the potential of drone-based VIs for precise yield prediction, offering a scalable and non-destructive method to enhance agricultural productivity and support decision-making in precision farming. Future research should focus on refining these models for broader applications across crops and agro-climatic conditions.

Agroecological aspects of nutrients absorption by industrial crops in the conditions of Odesa Region

Modern agroindustrial activities that are focused on intensive methods of agricultural production require a deep understanding of the processes occurring in agroecosystems. Odesa Region is characterised by specific agroclimatic conditions and soil cover features making the study of this issue higly relevant. Intensive use of industrial crops requires knowledge about absorption and removal of biogenic elements such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. The importance of this research is determined by the need to reveal the dynamics of biogenic elements absorption by industrial crops in the conditions of Odesa Region, taking into account its agroclimatic and soil characteristics. The results of this research are intended to contribute to development of scientifically grounded recommendations for farmers and agricultural enterprises regarding effective management of agroecosystems. This will not only increase productivity of industrial crops but also ensure environmental sustainability of agricultural practices. Identifying the optimal conditions for absorption and removal of biogenic elements will contribute to improvement of soil fertility and preservation of its productivity in a long-term perspective. The conclusions and recommendations obtained during the research can be used to improve agronomic practices, reduce environmental impact, and increase efficiency of agricultural production. Considering current trends of agricultural development, it is necessary to pay special attention to optimization of agrotechnical measures allowing reduction of expenses for fertilizers and improvement of their efficiency. Introduction of new technologies is another important aspect to be considered. It will allow more precise determination of plants' nutrient needs and help to provide them with nutrients according to their growth phases. In addition, it is necessary to consider the interaction between different nutrient elements that can affect their availability and plants' ability to assimilate them.

Identification of Potential Agronomic Practices for Wheat (Triticum Aestivuml.) Under Agro-Climatic Condition of District Nowshera, Pakistan

Identification of Potential Agronomic Practices for Wheat (Triticum Aestivuml.) Under Agro-Climatic Condition of District Nowshera, Pakistan

Influence of climate smart agriculture approach of barley and pea intercropping on yield, land equivalent ratio and profitability in the agro-climatic condition of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Influence of climate smart agriculture approach of barley and pea intercropping on yield, land equivalent ratio and profitability in the agro-climatic condition of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Molecular Characterization of Native Isolates of Metarhizium rileyi (Farlow) Samson (Ascomycetes: Hypocreales) from Major Cropping Ecosystems of Northeastern Karnataka, India

Aims: In India, commercial biopesticides have been recommended against different insect pests on different crops, but their application has shown only a reduced efficiency attributed to differences in susceptibility of target insect pests or non-adaptability to Indian agro-climatic conditions. Therefore, there is a need to isolate region-specific biopesticide strains to enhance the efficacy of such biopesticides for pest management. The current study aimed to explore the new isolates of the entomopathogenic fungus, Metarhizium rileyi (Farlow) Samson species across the major cropping ecosystems of kalyana Karnataka. M. rileyi is an important entomopathogenic fungus of more than 30 species of Lepidoptera larvae. The aim of this research was to characterize the isolate of M. rileyi from Northeastern Karnataka by using morphological and molecular approaches. Methodology: The fungus was isolated from the naturally infected cadavers collected from different cropping ecosystems and it was cultured on Sabouraud’s Maltose Yeast Extract Agar (SMAY) media for morphological characterization, SMY media used for molecular characterization. The vegetative hyphae of fungi were 2-3 µm in diameter and hyaline, septate. The conidia ellipsoidal, smooth, and pale green were observed under the optical microscope. The DNA was isolated using the CTAB method and an internal transcribed spacer (ITS1, ITS4) was used as the primers for the amplification. The amplified products of 650 bp were purified and sequenced at ClustaL W in both directions using the above primers. A consensus sequence was obtained by alignment of the forward and reverse sequences for this region and deposited in GenBank (UASRBC Mr-24, UASRBC Mr-3, UASRBC Mr-20, UASRBC Mr-29, UASRBC Mr-7, UASRBC Mr-18). Result: A BLAST search of the sequence in GenBank revealed a 50-100 percent identity with several strains of M. rileyi (Eg. JQ686668, MN907775 and KJ725726 etc.,). Conclusion: The phylogenetic relationship was derived from comparisons of the ITS gene sequences and a Dendrogram was constructed. The homology and variations based on amino acid sequences among the isolates showed 71 per cent (OK184897) and 51 per cent similarity with four isolates (OK184899, OK177835, OK178862 and OK184898).

Advancements in genetically modified insect pest-resistant crops in India.

The review offers insights into the current state of research on insect pest-resistant GM crops and the regulations governing the cultivation of GM crops in India. India has a rich crop diversity of more than 160 major and minor crops through its diverse agroclimatic conditions. Insect pests alone cause around USD 36 billion in crop loss annually in India. The last two decades witnessed considerable progress in managing insect pests by adopting innovative techniques including transgenics. In research, significant advancement has been brought in insect pest-resistant transgenics in India since its inception in 2002. However, any events have not been endorsed owing to biosafety impediments, except Bt cotton reaching the commercial release stage. A landmark decision to exempt certain types of gene-edited plants from genetically modified organism (GMO) regulations offers great promise for developing novel insect-resistant crops in India. The article reviews the current research on insect pest-resistant transgenics and its regulations in India.

Evaluating growth and flowering response of tulip varieties under Tirumala#39;s agro-climatic conditions

Evaluating growth and flowering response of tulip varieties under Tirumala#39;s agro-climatic conditions

Effect of Gibberalic acid (GA3) on growth, flowering, yield and quality of tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa L.) Varieties under Prayagraj Agro-climatic condition

Effect of Gibberalic acid (GA3) on growth, flowering, yield and quality of tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa L.) Varieties under Prayagraj Agro-climatic condition

Agroclimatic conditions influencing wheatgrass (Agropyron pectinatum, M. Biev.) production in Volgograd region of southern Russia

Agroclimatic conditions influencing wheatgrass (Agropyron pectinatum, M. Biev.) production in Volgograd region of southern Russia

Effect of different sowing dates on growth, herbage yield and quality of different hybrids of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) under Prayagraj agro-climate conditions

Effect of different sowing dates on growth, herbage yield and quality of different hybrids of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) under Prayagraj agro-climate conditions