Agro-climatic Zones Research Articles

Sustaining Soil Fertility and Yield by Inductive cum Targeted Yield Model-based Fertilizer Prescriptions for Finger millet (Eleusine coracana L.) in Alfisols of Tamil Nadu, Southern India

Background: Finger millet cultivation in Alfisols (Typic rhodustalf, Palaviduthi soil series) demands an optimal integrated plant nutrient supply to achieve desired yields. In order to develop the soil test crop response to fertilizer and farm yard manure (FYM) through integrated plant nutrition system (STCR-IPNS) in terms of nutrient uptake, yield and pre-sowing STVs, a field investigation on Finger millet [Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn.] was conducted at the farmer’s field of Thoppupatti village, Dindigul district, Southern Agro-climatic zone of Tamil Nadu, Southern India during December 2021-August 2022. Methods: By adopting the Inductive cum Targeted Yield Model before the test crop of Finger millet, a artificial soil fertility gradient was created by the application of graded levels of NPK fertilizers with fodder sorghum as a gradient crop. Result: The basic data viz., N, P and K nutrients for producing 1 tonne of finger millet grain were 48 kg, 23 kg and 44 kg; the soil contributed 14.86%, 19.18% and 18.95%; fertilizer contributed 44.16%, 32.79% and 59.75% for N, P and K and farmyard manure (FYM) contributed 28.47%, 11.77% and 33.78%, respectively. Fertilizer prescription equations for finger millet and ready reckoners for the operational range of soil test results for the intended yield target under NPK alone and IPNS (NPK + FYM) were produced using the basic data.

Growth and Yield of Rice (Oryza sativa L.) under Agro-climatic Zone of Prayagraj, India

During Kharif 2022, a field experiment was done on sandy loamy soil at Crop Research Farm, Naini Agriculture Institute, Department of Agronomy, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj. The experiment was designed in Randomised Block Design and replicated three times, using ten hybrids, R-205, R-210, R-212, R-218, R-242, R-248, R-256, R-300, R-305, and R-311. Results indicates that R-305 significantly enhanced the growth parameters Days to 50% Flowering (74.66 DAT), Days to maturity (106.93 DAT), Filled grains/panicle (175.82), Unfilled grains/panicle (48.39), and Grain yield/hill (28.82 g/ha) in the field trial. R-305 also had the highest gross return (INR 200625/ha), net return (INR 151579/ha), and B:C ratio (3.09). R-311 had the shortest amount of Days to 50% flowering (68.00 DAT), Days to maturity (92.71 DAT), and unfilled grains/panicle (27.25). It was determined that the hybrid R-305 produced the highest grain yield. It also achieved the highest gross return, net return, and B:C ratio.

Sustainable Water Harvesting for Improving Food Security and Livelihoods of Smallholders under Different Climatic Conditions of India

In India, the per capita availability of water is projected to be 1465 m3 and 1235 m3 by the years 2025 and 2050, respectively, and hence, India would be a water-stressed country as per the United Nations’ standard of less than 1700 m3 per capita water availability. India is predominantly an agricultural-dominant country. Rainfed agriculture in the country contributes 40% of food grain production and supports half of the human population and two-thirds of the livestock population. The country has 15 different agro-climatic zones, and each agro-climatic region has its own constraints of water availability and management along with the potential for their optimum utilization. Such situations warrant the formulation of regional-level strategies. Efforts were made to integrate and evaluate the feasibility of water harvesting and its utilization at twelve different sites representing six different agro-climatic conditions spanning pan India. It was found that water harvesting through tanks/ponds is a feasible approach and can increase the crop production as well as diversification. The results reveal that the range of crop diversification index increased from 0.49–0.85 to 0.65–0.98; the crop productivity index increased from 0.28–0.66 to 0.66–0.90; the cultivated land utilization index increased from 0.05–0.69 to 0.34–0.84; and the crop water productivity index increased from 0.20–0.51 to 0.56–0.96, among other production and diversification indices, due to additional water availability through rainwater harvesting intervention. Moreover, the gross return increased from INR 43,768–704,356 to INR 220,840–1,469,108 ha−1, representing a 108 to 400% increase in the returns due to the availability of water. The findings of this study suggest that the water harvesting in small ponds/tanks is economical and feasible, requires less technological intervention, and increases crop diversification in all the studied agro-climatic conditions, and hence, the same needs to be encouraged in the rainfed areas of the country.

GEnZ explorer: a tool for visualizing agroclimate to inform research and regulatory risk assessment

Confined field trials (CFT) of genetically engineered (GE) crops are used to generate data to inform environmental risk assessments (ERA). ERAs are required by regulatory authorities before novel GE crops can be released for cultivation. The transportability of CFT data to inform risk assessment in countries other than those where the CFT was conducted has been discussed previously in an analysis showing that the primary difference between CFT locations potentially impacting trial outcomes is the physical environment, particularly the agroclimate. This means that data from trials carried out in similar agroclimates could be considered relevant and sufficient to satisfy regulatory requirements for CFT data, irrespective of the country where the CFTs are conducted. This paper describes the development of an open-source tool to assist in determining the transportability of CFT data. This tool provides agroclimate together with overall crop production information to assist regulators and applicants in making informed choices on whether data from previous CFTs can inform an environmental risk assessment in a new country, as well as help developers determine optimal locations for planning future CFTs. The GEnZ Explorer is a freely available, thoroughly documented, and open-source tool that allows users to identify the agroclimate zones that are relevant for the production of 21 major crops and crop categories or to determine the agroclimatic zone at a specific location. This tool will help provide additional scientific justification for CFT data transportability, along with spatial visualization, to help ensure regulatory transparency.

Explainable machine learning models to analyse maternal health

Maternal health is a significant public health concern for globe and many developing countries. A country like India (with large population), there are considerable disparities in maternal health service utilisation and maternal mortality within and across states. A more than a general healthcare operational policy would suffice, but a precision healthcare strategy would be needed. This article focused on explainable machine learning models that can precisely advise health care intervention policy and medical treatment to an administrative unit rather than a generic policy suggestion for improving maternal health. This study presents an exhaustive list of factors associated with Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) and a series of explainable AI models. One of models uses CART heuristics to categorise districts (administrative boundaries) into lower and higher MMR classes. Another explainable model, Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP), used SVM, ANN, boosting, and random forest machine learning models to investigate higher and lower MMR regions. Further, an Explainable Boosting Machine (EBM) also used, and the results are compared for policy suggestions. Some of the ignored features from general social science studies, such as topography and agro-climatic zone characteristics of a particular district, may be crucial in the analysis. Moreover, health infrastructure, insurance, and other factors also influence policymaking. This predictive and explainable work has significant implications for precision healthcare policy design to improve maternal health compared to a broader policy approach.

Territorial transformations in agriculture of Chernihiv region in the context of climate change: the case of corn and sunflower

Introduction. Different crops and regions of Ukraine are characterized by unequal dependencies on climate change. This situation creates a demand for scientific research to analyse «climate-agricultural production» dependence at the regional level. Chernihiv region, whose territory is located in two environmental zones, is an ideal testing ground for assessing territorial transformations in agricultural production under the influence of climate change. The purpose of article. The purpose of the study was to identify territorial transformations in agricultural production of Chernihiv region that were formed under the influence of climate change during 2001-2020, using corn and sunflower as an example. Additionally, the impact of climate factors on the yield of the selected crops in the region was assessed. Research methods. The study was based on data on gross harvest and yields of the selected crops, corn and sunflower, in Chernihiv region during 2001-2020. Climate trends were represented by average air temperature and precipitation during the growing season for the same period. Spatial transformations of the region’s agricultural production were determined using the territorial concentration index. A number of calculations were carried out to assess the contribution of climatic factors to the dynamics of yields of the selected crops. They included the determination of 1) trend yields; 2) total and agrotechnical variance; 3) the share of the climatic factor in the total variance. Main findings. In 2001-2020, Chernihiv region observed a significant increase in heat supply, the length of the growing season, and the sum of effective temperatures. The climate trends of this period created suitable conditions for expanding of a number of heat-tolerant crops, including corn and sunflower, into the region. The study used them as selected crops to assess territorial transformations in agricultural production of this northern region of Ukraine. The analysis of statistical data showed that the sown area and gross harvest of corn and sunflower increased tenfold in Chernihiv region, and the local agroclimatic zones of their cultivation moved 125-150 km north. The main producers of corn and sunflower are still the forest-steppe areas of the region. At the same time, its Polissya part currently produces 25 to 30% of the gross harvest of these crops. Due to climate change in the region, the yield of the selected crops has increased significantly, exceeding the national average values by 37-43%. The «migration» of heat-tolerant crops to the region has considerably changed the specialization of agricultural production in this Polissya region. Based on the calculations, it was found that the contribution of the climatic factor to corn yields was maximum in 2001-2010 - 74%. The contribution of climatic trends to sunflower yield of the region was significantly lower - 53-56 % in different periods. Taking into account the results obtained, the study points out the need to develop effective measures for adapting agricultural production in Chernihiv region to climate change. Scientific novelty and practical value. The article describes for the first time the characteristics of territorial transformations in agricultural production of Chernihiv region in the context of climate change and assesses the contribution of the climatic factor to the dynamics of productivity of the selected crops in the region. The practical value of the study is the possibility of using its algorithm to conduct similar studies in other regions of Ukraine. The results of the study are important in the context of substantiating regional measures to adapt agricultural production to climate change.

Diversity and host specialization of Tarsonemini mites (Acari, Tarsonemidae)—Investigations in the agroclimatic zones of West Bengal, Eastern India

Diversity and host specialization of Tarsonemini mites (Acari, Tarsonemidae)—Investigations in the agroclimatic zones of West Bengal, Eastern India

Effect of tillage and land levelling practices on productivity of transplanted rice: A case study in canal command area of north western plateau agro-climatic zone

An on-farm study on the response of transplanted rice to land preparation methods was undertaken on a sandy clay loam soil in Pitamahal irrigation command of Sundargarh district (Odisha) for two consecutive dry seasons of 2019-20 and 2020-21. The treatments included normal ploughing with desi plough followed by levelling of 0.5 – 1 % slope (T1), deep ploughing (20 - 25 cm) with bullock drawn M.B. plough followed by levelling of 0 - 0.25 % slope (T2), and farmers' practice of ploughing with desi plough and levelling varying 1-3 % slope (T3) for puddling operation. Deep ploughing (T2) resulted in higher root length (23.88 cm) and root 3 volume (81.75 cm ), owing to the initial rapid growth of roots promoted by deep ploughing that cracked the hardpan. This also increased the movement of water both laterally and vertically (7.44 mm per day) compared to T1 and T3's 5.11 and 5.71 m per day, respectively. The treatment also resulted in a significantly greater grain yield -1 (45.90 q ha ) due to a much larger effective tiller m-2 (423.40) and number of grains per panicle (71.80), as well as a higher net return per rupee spent (7.54) and benefitcost ratio (2.01).

Agricultural Policies and Practices: Pathways for Transformation

Agriculture has been a cornerstone of human civilization for thousands of years, providing food and other essential resources to sustain our societies. However, as we enter the 21st century, we face unprecedented challenges that threaten the very foundations of our agricultural systems. Climate change, resource depletion, and population growth are just a few of the issues that demand urgent attention from policymakers and practitioners alike. Further, the growing population, climate change, the recent COVID-19 pandemic, the Ukraine-Russia war, and the depreciation of national currencies have disrupted the global food supply chain and increased food prices and food insecurity in many countries, including Nepal. The Nepalese agriculture sector alone contributed employment opportunities for more than 60 % of the population with a 23.9% share in total value added of the national economy (Ministry of Finance, 2022). Though the majority of farmers in Nepal are engaged in the agriculture sector, there is still a dominance of traditional and subsistence agriculture and the country's agricultural production is not enough to feed its population. The continued rise in import bills and volume of food products in recent years has been a major challenge for the country. Addressing these constraints warrants consortia of efforts from the government, nonprofits, and private sectors to promote sustainable and regenerative agricultural concepts and practices that align with local farm attributes and the agroecological environment. With the above mentioned issue, Policy Research Institute, the publisher of NPPR, collaborated with Association of Nepalese Agricultural Professionals of Americas (NAPA) for the utilization of expert knowledge for public policy making and policy discussion. PRI is open to collaborating with any professional and intellectual society for policy issues. Thereof, a two-day (January 6-7, 2023) virtual symposium on "Agricultural Policies and Practices in Nepal: Pathways for Transformation" was jointly organized by the PRI and NAPA with the aim to discuss and synthesize structural, policy intervention-related procedural, and local barriers and issues inherent to inadequate agricultural growth in Nepal and recommend transformative and pragmatic policies, programs, and practices feasible at local, regional, and national levels. The other symposium collaborators were the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD), Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC), Agriculture and Forestry University (AFU), Institute of Agriculture and Animal Sciences (IAAS, Tribhuvan University), Nepal Agricultural Cooperative Central Federation Ltd. (NACCFL), and Society of Agricultural Scientists-Nepal (SAS-Nepal). The 38 papers presented at the symposium brought together over 500 researchers, policymakers, and practitioners from around the world. The symposium highlighted the importance of innovative policies and practices that can help transform agriculture and ensure its sustainability for future generations. The symposium was organized and facilitated in four thematic areas. The Agriculture Policy theme highlighted an analysis of current agricultural policies, laws, and regulations that have hindered the production and marketing of farm products, land use policies, transformative agriculture for the viable and circular economy, promoting cooperative farming, farm diversity, and sustainability including internationally successful policy practices suitable for Nepal. The Agricultural Research, Education, and Extension theme included diverse subject matters. These were genetic improvement of crops and livestock for diverse agro-climatic zones; technology innovations and dissemination; science-based knowledge and extension practices; climate-smart and organic agriculture; agri-business and entrepreneurship; commercial agriculture; and integration of agricultural research, education, and extension. Similarly, the Technology and Infrastructure Development theme focused on varied avenues of innovative technology (such as UAV, GIS, and Remote Sensing), farm mechanization, and smart and efficient irrigation practices to optimize costs of production, labor, fertilizer shortages, and monitoring of plant and soil health Finally, the Governance theme underpinned coherence and discordance between the policy frameworks and governing structures/mechanisms of three levels of government and opportunities for realignment for agricultural transformation as well as a local governance framework for agricultural service delivery at a municipality level. Finally, the symposium highlighted the importance of partnerships and collaborations in driving transformational change. The papers discussed the potential of public-private partnerships, multi-stakeholder platforms, and other forms of collaboration to leverage resources, share knowledge, and scale up innovative solutions. This special issue received 20 papers for publication consideration, however, after the review process, it is able to manage 12 papers for publication. These papers provide a rich and diverse set of insights into the pathways for transforming agriculture. They offer both practical guidance and theoretical frameworks for policymakers and practitioners seeking to navigate the complex challenges facing agriculture today. We hope this special issue will inspire further research and action towards a more sustainable and equitable agricultural future. We thank all the authors who contributed to this special issue and the reviewers who provided their valuable feedback. We also extend our appreciation to the symposium organizers and collaborators. Finally, we encourage additional authors/presenters to submit their papers in the NPPR’s Regular Issue, which will be published in September 2023.

Detection of antibiotic residues in chicken meat from different agro-climatic zones of Chhattisgarh, India by HPLC-PDA and human exposure assessment and risk characterization

Detection of antibiotic residues in chicken meat from different agro-climatic zones of Chhattisgarh, India by HPLC-PDA and human exposure assessment and risk characterization

Effects of land use types on the depth distribution of selected soil properties in two contrasting agro-climatic zones

The depth distribution of soil properties are governed by several interacting factors including land use types (LUT) and agro-climate (AgC) factors. Yet, there is little information on the effects of LUT, AgC and their combination on soil properties along depth, which this study aimed to investigate. We collected a total of 36 composite soil samples using the manual percussion of a steel core tube layer by layer vertically up to 30 cm in sites representing both highland and lowlands, and analyzed for selected soil properties. A significant main effects of LUT on the depth distribution of bulk density (BD), Ca, Na, K and Cu, and AgC on soil texture, pH, EC, Ca, Na, K, P, Mn, Fe and Cu were noted. The two-way ANOVA analysis also revealed the significant effects of both LUT and AgC on the depth distribution of BD, Na, K, Cu and EC, reflecting their influences on the paths associated to bio-geo-recycling processes. Compared to crop and forestlands, the average SOC and Fe were lower while EC, CEC, Ca, Na, K, P, Mn and Zn were higher in homegarden located in highland than lowland, possibly the acid nature of the highland soil may make the extractable cations available. SOC was not significantly influenced by AgC, LUT and their interaction effect. Based on the Elemental Enrichment Ratio (EER), the SOC was concentrated in the upper surface soil in forest and cropland located both in highland (1.79, 1.33) and lowland (1.80, 1.57), respectively. The reverse propagation pattern SOC depth distribution in soils under homegarden with EER of 0.7 (highland) ad 0.8 (lowland) showed that implementing such system can accelerate carbon sinking and safely store it in subsoil. Also, diversified species composition associated with respective root architectures in the homegarden system, make it an efficient soil nutrient management, which should be widely promoted.

Экологическое испытание сортов сахарного сорго в агроклиматических условиях России и Казахстана

Abstract. The purpose is to assess the adaptability of sugar sorghum genotypes in various agro-climatic zones of cultivation. Methods. The reaction rate of 8 samples of sugar sorghum selected by Russian Research and Design-Technological Institute of Sorghum and Corn was evaluated based on the results of the 2020–2022 test in two ecological points: Saratov (Russia, Saratov region) and Kokshetau (Kazakhstan, Akmola region), characterized by different climatic conditions. Methods of cultivation of plants, accounting for yields are generally accepted for sorghum. The repetition in the experiment is threefold, the placement of plots is randomized. Results. According to the results of statistical analysis, the share of the studied factors in the overall variability of traits was established: the greatest contribution to the “plant height” and “biomass yield” was made by the factor “ecological testing point” (33.6–58.0 %), in the “area of the largest leaf” – “genotype” (31.3 %). It was found that in the conditions of Northern Kazakhstan, characterized by lower heat and moisture availability during sorghum testing (the difference in the sum of active temperatures reached 466.2–769.9 °C, and precipitation – 17.0–106.1 mm in comparison with the conditions of the Lower Volga region of Russia), the area of the largest leaf increased by 10.6 cm2 on average for the group of genotypes studied at the same time, the height of plants and the yield of vegetative mass decreased by 22.2 cm and 11.26 t/ha, respectively. At the same time, varieties and hybrids have been identified that form a biomass yield of 20.54–21.44 t/ha on average during the test period – Chayka, Volzhskoe 51, Sakhara, Kalibr. Scientific novelty. For the first time, the possibility of growing varieties of sugar sorghum selected by Russian Research and Design-Technological Institute of Sorghum and Corn in the conditions of Northern Kazakhstan is presented. Thus, according to the complex of adaptability parameters in combination with high biomass productivity, on average, the Volzhskoe 51 variety was selected for the points of environmental testing.

Pemetaan Klasifikasi Iklim Schmidt-Ferguson dan Kesesuaian Agroklimat Tanaman Cabai Merah (Capsicum annuum) di Provinsi Bali

Mapping of Schmidt-Ferguson Climate Classification and Agroclimate Suitability of Red Chili Plant (Capsicum annuum) in Bali Province. Climate tends to be dynamic and changes continuously, as well as climate elements that continue to change in an area. Along with climate change and increasing rain gauge posts, the possibility of changes in climate types based on the Schmidt-Ferguson classification is inevitable. Thus, it is necessary to map the Schmidt-Ferguson climate classification in Bali Province based on data from 1991-2020 to provide an overview of the latest Schmidt-Ferguson climate classification in Bali Province. One of its uses is for the suitability criteria for agroclimatic zones for red chili (Capsicum annuum) plants. This study uses rainfall data from 1991-2020 from BMKG. This distribution data will be used to determine the Schmidt-Ferguson climate type. These results are related to the land suitability requirements for red chili (Capsicum annuum) land crops. GIS mapping will assist in zoning the Schmidt-Ferguson climate type classification area in Bali Province. The results of this study provide an overview of the latest Schmidt-Ferguson climate classification and agroclimatic suitability for red chili (Capsicum annuum) in Bali. There are significant changes when compared to the Schmidt-Ferguson climate classification for the previous period (1981-2010) with the same location and amount of data. Moreover, red chili (Capsicum annuum) plants are generally able to grow throughout the province of Bali, where the most suitable areas are in the northern coastal area.

Effect of Different Zinc Fertilization Methods on Growth and Productivity of Summer Maize (Zea mays L.)

Background: In recent times the micro nutrients were reported to influence the crop growth and productivity. Among them zinc is a vital micronutrient for plants, humans and animals. However, zinc use efficiency mainly depends on methods of zinc fertilization. Although there are many ways to deliver zinc to crops such as soil application, foliar sprays, fertigation, seed priming and root dipping, etc. The right method and proportion to apply zinc fertilizer in southern Odisha is not yet standardized. Hence, the present investigation was undertaken to choose the most efficient method of zinc fertilization for this agro climatic zone. Methods: The present study was conducted in summer maize during 2022 at PG Experimental farm, M.S.Swaminathan school of agriculture. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with 10 treatments and 3 replications. The treatments consisted of T1, control (no application of zinc); T2, soil application with ZnSO4.7H2O at the rate 6.25kg/ha; T3, soil application with ZnSO4.7H2O at the rate 12.5kg/ha; T4, soil application with ZnSO4.7H2O at the rate 25kg/ha; T5, seed priming with 0.5% ZnSO4.7H2O; T6, seed priming with 1.0% ZnSO4.7H2O; T7, seed priming with 1.5% ZnSO4.7H2O; T8, foliar application of ZnSO4.7H2O at the rate 1.5% knee high stage, T9; foliar application of ZnSO4.7H2O at the rate 1.5% knee height stage and tasseling; T10, foliar application of ZnSO4.7H2O at the rate 1.5% knee height stage, tasseling and grain filling stage. Result: The results showed that application of zinc in soil at the rate of 25kg/ha through soil application could be recommended to the farmers for growing maize during summer season in southern Odisha to achieve higher growth and productivity Background: In recent times the micro nutrients were reported to influence the crop growth and productivity. Among them zinc is a vital micronutrient for plants, humans and animals. However, zinc use efficiency mainly depends on methods of zinc fertilization. Although there are many ways to deliver zinc to crops such as soil application, foliar sprays, fertigation, seed priming and root dipping, etc. The right method and proportion to apply zinc fertilizer in southern Odisha is not yet standardized. Hence, the present investigation was undertaken to choose the most efficient method of zinc fertilization for this agro climatic zone.

Phytochemical and genetic marker (SCoT and CBDP) based study of genetic diversity and population structure in natural populations of Cannabis sativa L.: A high-value sustainable biodiversity of North-Indian Himalaya

Cannabis sativa is a versatile, sustainable cash crop grown in vast agro-climatic zones of India. The present study used comprehensive datasets involving phytochemical and molecular genotyping to characterize forty-two wild cannabis accessions collected from fourteen geographical locations of the North Indian Himalayas. Two gene-targeted dominant molecular markers, i.e., start codon targeted (SCoT) polymorphism and CAAT-box derived polymorphism (CBDP), were used for molecular genotyping to evaluate genetic assortment and interrelatedness among and within wild inhabitants of C.sativa. Multiple t-tests indicated significant differences among the studied cannabis populations for the phytochemical traits. Five major cannabinoids were identified in Indian Cannabis sativa germplasm, and most of the populations were of drug/marijuana types. The considerable diversity in drug types was observed at the chemical and genetic levels. Twenty-six SCoT and twenty-one CBDP markers generated a sum of 134, and 80 alleles averaged with 3.08 and 6.65 alleles per primer, respectively. The average polymorphic information content (PIC) and resolving power per primer indicated both SCoT and CBDP as ideal markers system for genetic diversity study in Cannabis sativa. The population diversity analysis based on SCoT, CBDP, and cumulative marker dataset revealed a high genetic differentiation (Gst>0.15), and a low estimated gene flow (Nm<1.0) between the studied populations. The highest gene diversity (H) and Shannon diversity Index (I) were observed for the population of Matiyal location (Pop3) using SCoT and cumulative marker dataset. However, Population 7 (Pop7) of location Kanatal was found to be highly diverse using the CBDP marker dataset. The multivariate analyses, i.e., Neighbour-joining tree based phenetic analysis, Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCoA), and Structure, revealed that there was no individual geographical location based grouping among the cannabis populations using both markers data set individually and their cumulative datasets. However, the allocation of accessions in common groups corresponding to their geographical locations was maximum in the case of Analysis with a cumulative marker data set. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) also demonstrated a maximum percentage of molecular variation at the intra-population level (77–86%) rather than the inter-population level (14–23%). Altogether, our data suggest that both SCoT and CBDP markers are the ideal markers to study the genetic relationship among geographically different populations of C.sativa, and populations identified as highly diverse can be utilized as parents in Indian cannabis breeding programs.

Study of Four Cucumber Germplasm Genotypes, Grown in Qatar and the Indian Agro-climatic Zone, Based on Its Phenotypic Traits

This study included four genotypes of cucumber (IC257296, IC420405, GYNE-5, PUSA SANYOG) which were evaluated based on phenotypic traits when grown under two different soil zones of Doha (Qatar) and Meerut (India). Statistical analysis to estimate various genetic parameters like phenotypic and genotypic variance, phenotypic and genotypic coefficient of variation (PCV and GCV), broad sense heritability and genetic gain and principal component analysis (PCA) of genotypes was done in order to assess the magnitude of variability for various agro-metrical characters. In Indian soil zone, highest yield was observed in GYNE-5, while, in Qatar soil zone, highest yield was observed in PUSA SANYOG. The phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was higher than its corresponding genotypic counterpart (GCV) for all characters studied. High broad-sense heritability was associated with all the traits in both zones except fruit length. Days to edible maturity, fruit length and fruit width showed low genetic gain in qatar zone; hence, heterosis breeding would be recommended. Principal component analysis involved vine length and days to edible maturity as the most discriminating trait that accounted for greater variability in cucumber in qatar zone, and it should be considered in cucumber improvement programs. Correlation analysis represent that yield was positively correlated with fruit length and fruit width, while, fruit per plant showed positive significant correlation with vine length. Present findings suggest that PUSA SANYOG may be cultivated in other areas with similar climatic conditions. This study will help to improve the protected agriculture model of Qatar and revenue generation for the farmers.

Provenance Variation in Seed Biometry, Germination and Seedling Traits in Azadirachta indica A. Juss (Neem)

The present investigationon evaluation of provenance variations in seed morphometric, germination and seedling growth attributes of Neem was conducted at Division of Genetics and Tree Improvement at Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India with an aim to study the variation in different provenances of Azadirachta indicafor seed morphometry, germination and seedling traits,to identify superior provenances of Azadirachta indica to produce quality planting stocks, during monsoon of 2021 and 2022. Extensive surveys were conducted in 6 different agro-climatic zones in Tamil Nadu and selected 30 Candidate Plus Trees (CPT’s) based on growth superiority and higher fruit yield. The significant differences were recorded on seed length (cm), seed width (cm), seed perimeter (cm), seed area, and 100 seed kernel weight (g), germination percentage, mean daily germination, germination value, germination time, peak value, time spread of germination and germination index and seedling characters such as shoot length, root length, color diameter, leaf numbers, shoot fresh weight, root fresh weight, shoot dry weight, root dry weight, shoot and root vigorous index among the provenances and seed lots. Southern Zone and Rainfall Zone provenances recorded higher values on seed length and breadth, seed weight and seedling parameters and lower values of seed parameters were observed in the Western Zone and seedling parameters in North Eastern Zone. Seed length, seed area, seed perimeter and germination percentage had a significant strong positive correlation with the shoot vigour index. Southern Zone and Rainfall Zone provenances can be recommended for establishing large-scale plantation in the Tree Outside Forest (ToF).

Deciphering the biochemical and functional characterization of rice straw cultivars for industrial applications

As an agricultural state, Haryana (India) produces about six million metric tons (mt) of rice straw every year from rice cultivation. Currently, rice straw is either burned or ploughed into the field without being turned into a functional product. Burning of paddy straw release green house gases and particulate matter (2.5 and 10 μm), which leads to air pollution and considerable loss of soil property viz. nutrients, organic matter, productivity and biodiversity, and on and off-farm humans and animals’ health. The biochemically and functionally specified potential for optimal alternative use of the rice straw of 13 most widely produced rice varieties from Haryana’s eastern and western agro-climate zones was undertaken. Pusa-1401 variety had the highest cellulose (46.55%) and silica content (13.70%), while Pusa-1718 had hemicellulose (28.25%) and lignin (11.60%), respectively. Maximum nitrogen (0.81%), phosphorus (0.32%) and potassium (2.78%) were found in rice variety Pusa-1509, Pusa-1401 and Rice-6129. The findings seemed to be statistically significant (p < 0.05). The biochemical profiles of rice straw cultivars were classified into distinct structural groups (C–H alkalanes, O–H alcohol, CO, C–H alkanes) based on the FTIR spectrum in order to find the best alternative possibilities for bioethanol and compost production. According to the study, these rice straw varieties could be used to make lucrative industrial products.

Effect of PGR on Growth and Establishment of Grapes (Vitis vinifera L.) cv. Thompson Seedless under Prayagraj Agro Climatic Condition

Grapes (Vitis vinifera) is one of the important commercial subtropical crops, which is a good source of vitamins and minerals. It is grown throughout the world except the places with extreme temperature and high altitude .So, to find out Effect of PGR on growth and establishment of grapes cv. Thompson Seedless under Prayagraj agro climatic condition; a field experiment was conducted at Horticulture Research Farm, Department of Horticulture, Naini Agriculture Institute, Sam higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Science, Prayagraj, U.P-211007 during the year 2022. The experiment comprised of 10 different treatment of three different plant growth regulator comprising of GA3, IAA and IBA with different concentration of 50 ppm, 100 ppm and 150 ppm; 100 ppm, 300 ppm and 500 ppm; 1000 ppm, 2000 ppm and 3000 ppm respectively. The main objective of the experiment was to evaluate the root and vegetative growth of grapevines with their success and survival in the Prayagraj agro-climatic zone. From the present investigation, treatment T9 (IBA @3000 ppm) was found best with least days to emerge from the bud from the grapes cutting (6.4 days) with maximum amount of sprouting percentage (77.7%). It also showed the best root growth parameters with maximum root length 25.1cm @120DAP and maximum number of roots per cutting 49.3 @120DAP. It also showed best vegetative growth parameters with maximum shoot length 13.4cm @120DAP, maximum stem diameter 28.1mm @120DAP, highest number of leaves with 12.5 @120 DAP, maximum leaf area 73.9cm2, maximum plant height after transplanting 14.9cm and highest survival percentage 88.8% of grapes plant. The T9 showed the best results with all major parameters when cuttings were treated with different concentrations of plant growth regulators.

Mitigating Methane Emission from the Rice Ecosystem through Organic Amendments

Tamil Nadu in particular is a key rice-producing region in peninsular India. Hydrochemistry, viz., redox potential (Rh), soil temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO), of rice soils can determine the production of greenhouse gas methane (CH4). In recent decades, the cultivation of crops organically became a viable option for mitigating climate change. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the effects of different organic amendments on CH4 emission, Rh, DO, and soil and water temperature (T) in relation to the yield of paddy. The treatments composed of viz., control, blue-green algae (BGA), Azolla, farm yard manure (FYM), green leaf manure (GLM), blue-green algae + Azolla, FYM + GLM, BGA + Azolla + FYM + GLM, vermicompost and decomposed livestock manure. With the addition of BGA + Azolla, the highest reduction in CH4 emission was 37.9% over the control followed by BGA. However, the same treatment had a 50% and 43% increase in Rh and DO, respectively, over the control. Established Pearson correlation analyses showed that the CH4 emission had a positive correlation with soil (r = 0.880 **) and water T (r = 0.888 **) and negative correlations with Rh (r = −0.987 **) and DO (r = −0.963 **). The higher grain yield of 26.5% was associated with BGA + Azolla + FYM + GLM application. Our findings showed that there are significant differences in CH4 emissions between different organic amendments and that hydro-parameters may be a more important controlling factor for methane emissions than temperature. The conclusion has been drawn based on valid research findings that bio-fertilization using BGA and Azolla is an efficient and feasible approach to combat climate change, as it assists in reducing methane emissions while simultaneously boosting crop yield by fixing nitrogen into the soil in the studied agro-climatic zone.