Crops In Pakistan Research Articles

Microbial Marvels in Cotton Farming: Unveiling the Potential of Plant Beneficial Microbes for Enhanced Growth and Disease Resistance in Pakistan

Cotton is a crucial cash crop in Pakistan, playing a pivotal role in the country's economy, agricultural sector, and employment opportunities. Its cultivation spans over 3 million hectares, primarily concentrated in the Punjab and Sindh provinces. Cotton production in Pakistan contributes significantly to the country's foreign exchange earnings, accounting for a substantial portion of its exports However, cotton pest and disease management is always a challenge as their impact change over time. The widespread use of agrochemicals and synthetic pesticides in major field crops poses significant threats to human and animal health, as well as environmental degradation. Use of beneficial microbes for sustainable cotton production can be a natural ally in the field, as they promote the plant growth as well as protect them from disease, insects and pests. They act as a reservoir of beneficial metabolites, enzymes, and nutrients, and they play a crucial role in biological pest control and disease resistance induction. Additionally, PGP rhizobacteria possess bioremediation potential, enabling them to phytoextract and detoxify pollutants and pesticides. Beneficial microorganisms like PGPR hold immense potential to replace and supplement these toxic chemicals, offering promising applications in organic farming and contributing to sustainable agricultural practices. Despite their potential, only a limited number of bio-formulations have been developed using PGPR strains with plant growth promotion, metabolite production, enzyme synthesis, nutrient mobilization, and biocontrol activities. An increasing body of evidence underscores the potential of diverse microorganisms to enhance plant productivity and yield within cropping systems. Unlocking the full benefits of these advantageous microbes requires a profound understanding of their role in promoting growth, specifically in the realms of fertilization and disease control, along with the elucidation of underlying mechanisms. It is imperative to confront challenges associated with the application of plant growth-promoting (PGP) microbes. This review focuses on the application of PGP microbes in the context of cotton production. Given the scarcity of information on beneficial microbes for cotton production, a comprehensive examination of current research becomes crucial, especially given the increasing interest in cotton inoculants, particularly in developing nations. The heightened attention towards PGP applications underscores the importance of advancing sustainable agricultural practices.

Fusarium wilt disease of chili: pathogen, its mechanism of infection, eradication, and impacts

Cotton is a crucial cash crop in Pakistan, playing a pivotal role in the country's economy, agricultural sector, and employment opportunities. Its cultivation spans over 3 million hectares, primarily concentrated in the Punjab and Sindh provinces. Cotton production in Pakistan contributes significantly to the country's foreign exchange earnings, accounting for a substantial portion of its exports However, cotton pest and disease management is always a challenge as their impact change over time. The widespread use of agrochemicals and synthetic pesticides in major field crops poses significant threats to human and animal health, as well as environmental degradation. Use of beneficial microbes for sustainable cotton production can be a natural ally in the field, as they promote the plant growth as well as protect them from disease, insects and pests. They act as a reservoir of beneficial metabolites, enzymes, and nutrients, and they play a crucial role in biological pest control and disease resistance induction. Additionally, PGP rhizobacteria possess bioremediation potential, enabling them to phytoextract and detoxify pollutants and pesticides. Beneficial microorganisms like PGPR hold immense potential to replace and supplement these toxic chemicals, offering promising applications in organic farming and contributing to sustainable agricultural practices. Despite their potential, only a limited number of bio-formulations have been developed using PGPR strains with plant growth promotion, metabolite production, enzyme synthesis, nutrient mobilization, and biocontrol activities. An increasing body of evidence underscores the potential of diverse microorganisms to enhance plant productivity and yield within cropping systems. Unlocking the full benefits of these advantageous microbes requires a profound understanding of their role in promoting growth, specifically in the realms of fertilization and disease control, along with the elucidation of underlying mechanisms. It is imperative to confront challenges associated with the application of plant growth-promoting (PGP) microbes. This review focuses on the application of PGP microbes in the context of cotton production. Given the scarcity of information on beneficial microbes for cotton production, a comprehensive examination of current research becomes crucial, especially given the increasing interest in cotton inoculants, particularly in developing nations. The heightened attention towards PGP applications underscores the importance of advancing sustainable agricultural practices.

Socioeconomic and Environmental Impact Assessment of Different Power-Sourced Drip Irrigation Systems in Punjab, Pakistan

This research investigated the best economically viable power source with the least environmental impact and socially acceptable for the maize crop. Maize is one of the key economic crops in Pakistan. Solar-, electric-, and diesel-powered drip irrigation systems (DIS) were considered for comparative study. We selected 45 sites of maize crop to collect the data, with an area of 1–3 ha, from three divisions. For economic viability, the benefit:cost ratio, life cycle cost, and payback period were calculated, and CO2 emissions were calculated to assess the environmental impact. The SPSS model was used for one-way ANOVA followed by post hoc and chi-squared tests to check the significance level between all power sources. It was found that the B-C of electric power, solar, and diesel drip irrigation systems was 1.65, 1.52, and 1.44, respectively. Solar, diesel, and electricity power DIS have CO2 emissions of 0.02, 0.730, and 1.106 tons/ha, respectively. The research concludes that solar power and electric power are the best sources for the environment and economically, respectively. It is recommended that solar power DIS be subsidized, which will help to lower CO2 emissions and reduce the electricity shortfall in Pakistan.

Influence of Transgenic (Bt) Cotton on the Productivity of Various Cotton-Based Cropping Systems in Pakistan

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is an important fiber crop in Pakistan with significant economic importance. Transgenic, insect-resistant cotton (carrying a gene from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)) was inducted in the cotton-based cropping systems of Pakistan during 2002, and is now sown in >90% of cotton fields in the country. However, concerns are rising that Bt cotton would decrease the productivity of winter crops (sown after cotton), leading to decreased system productivity. This two-year field study determined the impacts of transgenic (Bt) and non-transgenic (non-Bt) cotton genotypes on the productivities of winter crops (i.e., wheat, Egyptian clover, and canola), and the overall productivities of the cropping systems including these crops. Four cotton genotypes (two Bt and two non-Bt) and three winter crops (i.e., wheat, Egyptian clover, and canola) were included in the study. Nutrient availability was assessed after the harvest of cotton and winter crops. Similarly, the yield-related traits of cotton and winter crops were recorded at their harvest. The productivities of the winter crops were converted to net economic returns, and the overall economic returns of the cropping systems with winter crops were computed. The results revealed that Bt and non-Bt cotton genotypes significantly (p < 0.05) altered nutrient availability (N, P, K, B, Zn, and Fe). However, the yield-related attributes of winter crops were not affected by cotton genotypes, whereas the overall profitability of the cropping systems varied among the cotton genotypes. Economic analyses indicated that the Bt cotton–wheat cropping system was the most profitable, with a benefit–cost ratio of 1.55 in the semi-arid region of Pakistan. It is concluded that Bt cotton could be successfully inducted into the existing cropping systems of Pakistan without any decrease to the overall productivity of the cropping system.

Organic fertilizer sources improve the yield and quality attributes of maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids by improving soil properties and nutrient uptake under drought stress

In abiotic stresses, drought is the main problem in agricultural production which inhibits the plants to show off their genetic potential. Maize is not only the cereal crop of the world but also 3rd important cereal crop in Pakistan. Maize is drought-sensitive and affected at each growth and development stage. So, the organic amendment is not only the solution to mitigate the drought stress due to long-lasting moisture availability but also improves the growth, yield, quality, and nutrient uptake with improving soil properties. Therefore, a two-year field experiment during 2018 and 2019 was laid out at Agronomy Research Area, Department of Agronomy, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan. Treatments included pre-screened maize hybrids: P-1429 (drought-sensitive) and Dk-6724 (drought-tolerant); pre-optimized levels of each organic fertilizer source (OFS); recommended chemical fertilizer source (CS), 10 t/ha biochar (BC), 10 t/ha farmyard manure (F.M) and 10 t/ha poultry manure (P.M); and irrigation regimes i.e normal irrigation (Ck) 100 % field capacity and severe drought (SD) 50 % field capacity. The Experiment was designed in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with a split-split plot arrangement and was replicated three times. Irrigation regimes were put in the main plot, organic fertilizer sources were put in the subplot and maize hybrids were put in the sub-sub plot. Different agronomic growth and yield attributes, quality attributes, crop physiology, soil physical properties, nutrient uptake, and activity of antioxidant enzymes were assessed. It resulted that in organic fertilizer sources application, 10 t/ha poultry manure and farmyard manure followed by biochar improved the growth and yield of maize hybrids significantly, under normal irrigation and severe drought. These also improve the quality of maize by improving the nutrient uptake and soil physical properties like increasing the soil porosity and decreasing the soil bulk density during consecutive years 2018 and 2019. It was also noticed that the application of organic fertilizers mitigated the adverse effect of drought by the antioxidant defense system with the production of SOD, POD and CAT.

Embedded AI for Wheat Yellow Rust Infection Type Classification

Wheat is the most important and dominating crop in Pakistan in terms of production and acreage, which is grown on 37% of the cultivated area, accounting for 70% of the total production. However, wheat yield is highly affected by stripe rust, which is considered the most devastating fungal disease, causing 5.5 million tonnes of loss per year globally. In order to minimize this loss, the accurate and timely detection of rust disease is crucial instead of manual inspection. Towards this end, we propose a system to detect wheat rust disease and classify its infection types into four classes, including healthy, resistant, moderate (moderately resistant to moderately susceptible), and susceptible. The wheat rust dataset is collected indigenously from the National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad. A pre-trained U <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> Net model is used to remove the background and extract the leaf containing the rust disease. Subsequently, two deep learning classifiers, including the Xception model and ResNet-50 are applied to classify the stripe rust severity levels, where the ResNet-50 model outperformed with the highest accuracy of 96%. This research presents a comparison between two state-of-the-art deep learning classifiers in terms of accuracy, memory utilization, and prediction time, which will assist the research community in selecting the most appropriate model for plant disease detection. Moreover, to assess the external validity, the performance of these classifiers is compared with the existing technique using a publicly available dataset, which confirms the validity of the results. Additionally, an intelligent edge computing rust detection device has been developed, where the trained ResNet-50 model is deployed, which facilitates the farmers to monitor the rust attack. The proposed research is aimed to assist the agricultural community to employ preventive measures in a site-specific manner based on the accurate diagnosis of rust disease & its severity, which is intended to improve the quality of the wheat as well as production.

Efficiency Improvement in Sugar Mills; The Role of High-Pressure Boiler Technology in Cogeneration

Pakistan’s electricity shortage has had a significant impact on its economic growth, people’s livelihoods, and industrial operations. Currently, thermal methods like oil and gas satisfy around 67% of its electricity needs, with hydropower generating 30% and nuclear means generating only 3%. Bagasse, a solid waste produced during sugar production, accounts for only 0.9% of Pakistan’s energy production. However, by implementing co-generation retrofits, bagasse’s capacity can increase up to 3000 MW. Sugarcane is a significant crop in Pakistan, and sugarcane crushing mills have been utilizing boiler technology for many decades as a means of generating steam and producing electricity. The process of cogeneration, which uses bagasse to generate steam and produce electricity, has several advantages, including reducing reliance on fossil fuels, providing a reliable source of electricity, and a source of revenue for sugarcane mills. High-pressure boilers have several advantages, including higher energy efficiency, higher electricity generation, less wear and tear on equipment, lower installation and maintenance costs, and a smaller footprint. As most sugar mills are in rural areas so we can also use this as a benefit and &amp; provide electricity to remote areas. A case study related to JDW Sugar mill has been added at the end to compare the results of High- and Low-pressure boilers. From the results, it is clear that if we want to have highly efficient Cogeneration scheme in Sugar mills, we need to shift urgently towards High pressure boilers.

DETERMINATION OF ANTIBACTERIAL POTENCY OF DIFFERENT CHEMICALS TOWARDS BACTERIAL CANKER OF TOMATO CAUSED BY CLAVIBACTER MICHIGANENSIS SUBSP. MICHIGANENSIS.

Tomato is an imperative fruit/vegetable crop and a treasure trove of active natural metabolites. It is cultivated across the globe but both biotic and abiotic factors have been implicated in decreasing its production. Among all the constraints faced by tomato crop in Pakistan, bacterial canker of tomato caused by Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis (Cmm is one of the most ravaging biotic stss to tomato crop. Present study was designed to evaluate antibacterial potential of different chemicals (Cabrio Top, Oxyrich, Kocide, Electus super, and Forum top) against Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis under vitro and vivo conditions at three different concentrations. In vitro condition, efficacy of these chemicals was determined at (250ppm, 500ppm,750pp) concentrations out of which Electus super showed maximum inhibition zone at 750ppm concentration. In field condition, kocide and electus super were applied separately and in combination and in combination significant result was expressed with minimum disease incidence. The current investigations pave the way for fruitful disease management through certain chemicals because of their easy availability, fast action and cost effectiveness.

ADOPTION AND ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF UAF FERTILIZER PREDICTION MODEL UNDER IMPROVING SOIL FERTILITY PROJECT, ICARDA

It is widely recognized that by balancing the present use of N (Nitrogen) and P (Phosphorous), the yields of important crops in Pakistan can be increased from twenty five to forty five percent. University of Agriculture, Faisalabad has developed Fertilizer Prediction Models that can be used to predict the exact quantity of N and P for the desired yield of major crops on the basis of soil test values of the specific field. These models were validated and disseminated under the project titled “Improving Soil Fertility and Soil Health in Pakistan Through Demonstration and Dissemination of Best Management Practices for Farmers” from 2014-18. The particular aspect of the model investigated through the present research was disseminated by Agricultural Service Providers (ASPs) in three villages viz; 81 JB Pansera, 109 JB Jarawala and 411 GB Tandailiawala of Faisalabad district. The basic objective of research was to quantify the economic benefits of fertilizer prediction model disseminated and implemented through ASPs in the selected villages. ASPs applied doses of fertilizers to selected farmers after soil tests in accordance with UAF fertilizer model in case of wheat crop. A primary data was collected through random sampling technique from 60 wheat growers including 10 adopters and 10 non adopters from each village. The data was analyzed by applying descriptive statics in SPSS software. The survey results revealed that overall income gain from balanced use of fertilizer and higher yield of wheat crop was Rs. 4194.6 per acre. Further, the balanced use of fertilizers also helped in improving the fertility status of sampled farms. There was definitely increase in awareness and adoption intention of model among the farmers of selected villages after the project campaign. It is concluded that a continuous effort from public or private sector is required to adopt the UAF model by the farming community and reap maximum benefits from it.

Phenological and yield components response of major exotic maize varieties to different levels of soil bulk densities

&lt;p&gt;Maize is the second staple food and a major cereal crop in Pakistan, but its actual yield is 25-30% less than the potential because of high soil bulk densities. Three exotic maize varieties (Baber, Pioneer-30P45, and Syngenta-6621) were evaluated under the three different soil bulk densities of 1.00 - 1.30, 1.30 - 1.60, and 1.60- 1.90 g.cm&lt;sup&gt;-3&lt;/sup&gt;. Nine treatments were replicated three times, making 27 pots experiments under complete randomized design were tested. Results showed that bulk density significantly (α &amp;lt; 0.05) affected all the parameters of the crops except the number of days to emergence. The fewest number of days to emergence (8.4), tasseling (60.9), silking (66.9), maturity (91.9), leaves per plant (6.3), as well as the lowest shoot thickness (0.49 cm) were obtained under the 1.00 - 1.30 g.cm&lt;sup&gt;-3&lt;/sup&gt; density. This density also produced the tallest plants (174.7 cm), highest stover (5938.7 kg ha&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt;), grain yields (1551 kg ha&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt;), and harvest index (21.9 %). Conversely, most days to emergence, tasseling, silking, and maturity occurred at the bulk density of 1.60 - 1.90 g.cm&lt;sup&gt;-3&lt;/sup&gt;, which also produced the shortest plants and the lowest grain stover and grain yields as well as the harvest index. It was concluded that increasing bulk density levels increase the number of days to tasseling, silking, maturity, and leaves per plant and shoot thickness. Syngenta 6621 was found late in maturity among the hybrids but produced superior stover and grain yields.&lt;/p&gt;

The Impact of Climate Change on Major Agricultural Crops: Evidence from Punjab, Pakistan

It is necessary for a country to make its agriculture sector efficient to enhance food security, quality of life and to promote rapid economic growth. The evidence from least developed countries (LDCs) indicates that agriculture sector accounts for a large share in their gross domestic product (GDP). Thus the development of the economy cannot be achieved without improving the agriculture sector. According to the Economic Survey of Pakistan (2011-12) its main natural resource is arable land and agriculture sector’s contribution to the GDP is 21 percent. The agricultural sector absorbs 45 percent of labour force and its share in exports is 18 percent. Given the role of agricultural sector in economic growth and its sensitivity to change in temperature and precipitation it is important to study the impact of climate change on major crops in Pakistan. There are two crops seasons in Pakistan namely, Rabi and Kharif. Rabi crops are grown normally in the months of November to April and Kharif crops are grown from May to October. These two seasons make Pakistan an agricultural economy and its performance depends on the climate during the whole year. Climate change generally affects agriculture through changes in temperature, precipitation.

Development of modified Cry1Ac for the control of resistant insect pest of cotton, Pectinophora gossypiella

Cotton has been one of the most important cash crops in Pakistan, but its production is adversely affected by biotic and abiotic stresses. Insect pests such as pink bollworm present a colossal vulnerability to such a financially important commodity. Bt toxins have been widely used to safeguard agricultural plants against notorious insect pests such as cotton bollworm and pink bollworm, and they have proven to be effective in reducing chewing insect pests. However, its efficacy has been challenged due to the development of resistance in insect pests against Bt toxins such as Cry1Ac and this poses a significant risk to the long-term adoption of these Bt crops. Resistance in insect pests against Bt toxin Cry1Ac is developed due to the mutations in the midgut receptors such as cadherin. In this study first 56 amino acids which also includes helix alpha-1 portion from N-terminus of the Cry1Ac were removed and the gene was commercially synthesized following codon optimization. Modified Cry1Ac was used to develop transgenic plants of Nicotiana tabacum and insect bioassays were conducted to check the efficacy of Cry1Ac through leaf bioassays. Cry1Ac, a modified Bt toxin, was produced pET-28a (+), and diet bioassays were performed using purified protein at various doses against Pectinophora gossypiella. Based on the insect mortality and LC50, the Cry1AcM3 form of the modified toxins was shown to be more potent than the other modified versions (Cry1AcM1, Cry1AcM2), with more than 80 % mortality against resistant pink bollworm at 1.25 g/mL and an LC50 of 0.48. The results suggest that modified toxin cry1Ac may be useful in controlling population of pink bollworm resistant against cry1Ac.

Temperature-based prediction and validation of pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella infestation on cotton crop

Pink bollworm Pectinophora gossypiella infestation on cotton now a days found to be a major alarm to cotton crop in Pakistan. The effect of past and future temperatures climatic factors on the infestation rate of pink bollworm needs to be extensively studied. Field visits were organized in different areas across 17 main districts of Punjab, Pakistan, for eight consecutive years from 2012 to 2019. Based on past data, the pink bollworm infestation rate for the year 2040 was estimated. Our results showed an extensive infestation of pink bollworm on cotton throughout the visited locations between 0.1 and 35.7 % range above the economic threshold level, that cause reasonable cotton productivity losses. Based on the results of historical data of infestation rate, the nine of the 17 districts (53 %), Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur, Faisalabad, Jahang, Mianwali, Multan, Muzaffargarh, Rahimyar Khan, and Lodhran, showed significantly (p < 0.05) higher pink bollworm infestation rate than the other cotton-growing areas. Moreover, the systematic increase level of pink bollworm infestation was predicted in 2040, especially in the five districts, Bhakar, Jahang, Khanewal, Faisalabad, and Vehari. Considering the importance of biological parameters, different temperature regimes (21 °C, 28 °C, and 35 °C) were tested for the validity of temperature-based prediction. Our results showed that growth capacity of P. gossypiella were increased at 28 °C. It revealed that, variation in weather due to current climatic condition with decreases of temperature increases P. gossypiella infestation on cotton crop. In this investigation, the effects of a severe outbreak of pink bollworm infections in Punjab's cotton-growing regions are discussed.

Evaluation of genetic variation among maize inbred lines for salinity stress at seedling stage through salt-stress-responsive traits

Abstract Saline conditions affect plant development and significantly reduce its yield. Maize (Zea mays) is the one of main cash crops in Pakistan, and unfavourable saline conditions are among the core reasons for its reduced productivity, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. The identification of potential genotypes is essential for genetic modifications. By considering this situation, the current experiment was conducted to evaluate the inbred maize lines under different salinity levels. We evaluated ten maize inbred maize lines at seedling stage under three salinity levels (0 mM, 75 mM, and 125 mM NaCl). The highly significant (p ≤ 0.001) differences in inbred lines, salinity levels, and in their interaction were revealed by analysis of variance results for most of the traits. The results indicated that inbred lines D-135 and NCIL-20-4 performed better under saline conditions. Our results showed that salinity severely affects seedling growth. Accordingly, a significant decline was observed in root length, shoot length, root weight, and shoot weight, and these traits offered the maximum values for heritability and genetic advance. From the correlation and path coefficient analysis, it has been concluded that root length, shoot length, fresh root weight, and root density are the traits that can be beneficial for the identification of better germplasms under saline conditions and that are helpful for improving tolerance against saline conditions.

Assessing water productivity and energy use for irrigating rice in Pakistan

AbstractOverirrigation of rice crops from groundwater negatively impacts water productivity, energy use and the environment in Pakistan. Therefore, four decades (1981–2020) of data on rice crop area and production were assessed for water productivity, and alternative options for irrigation application and energy use were explored. The results show a maximum average yield of 2.42 t ha‾¹ and water productivity of 0.16 kg m‾3 (6211 L kg‾¹) for the last decade (2011–2020), with an average decadal yield increase of 14%. The last year's rice crop during 2020 consumed 14.43 million acre‐feet (MAF) of groundwater, assuming a minimum irrigation application of 1500 mm per season. The maximum equivalent energy required for pumping is approximately 386 MW for electrical and 4966 MW for diesel‐driven tube wells. Diesel combustion for pumping caused 1.26 million t (467 kg ha‾¹) of CO2 emissions per season. The capital cost for converting all installed capacities of electrical (2311 MW, PKR 481 billion) and diesel (16 517 MW, PKR 1909 billion) tube wells to solar energy can be recovered in less than 4 years. Improved governance and optimized site‐specific solar system designs can avoid undergoing groundwater. Improving water productivity and using solar energy for irrigation indicates the prospects of improved sustainability of rice crops in Pakistan.

Flubendiamide Resistance and Its Mode of Inheritance in Tomato Pinworm Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae).

Tomato pinworm, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is the major pest of tomato crops in Pakistan. Insecticides are commonly used for the management of this insect-pest. To develop a better insecticide resistance management strategy and evaluate the risk of resistance evolution, a field collected population of the tomato pinworm was selected with flubendiamide in the laboratory. We investigated the genetics of flubendiamide resistance and concentration-mortality response to other insecticides by selecting a field strain of tomato pinworm with commercial flubendiamide formulation. Tuta absoluta was reciprocally crossed with resistant strain (Fluben-R) and was selected up to 13 generations, while F1 progeny was back-crossed with resistant parent (Fluben-R). The results of LC50 and Resistance Ratio (RR) demonstrated a higher resistance developed in field and laboratory-selected strains (G2 and G13, respectively). Field-collected and laboratory-selected (Fluben-R) strains demonstrated higher intensity of concentration-mortality response against chlorantraniliprole, thiamethoxam, permethrin, abamectin and tebufenozide compared to susceptible ones. Based on the overlapping of 95% FL, it demonstrated significant differences, revealing that it was not sex linked (autosomal) with no maternal effects. The backcross analysis of the F1´ resistant parent resulting in significant differences at all concentrations suggests that resistance is controlled by more than one factor; the null hypothesis was rejected and inheritance was under polygenic control. Resistance progression from 38 to 550 folds demonstrated that T. absoluta can develop a higher level of resistance to flubendiamide. Concentration-mortality response experiments demonstrated that the LC50 of some tested insecticides was higher for field-collected and laboratory-selected strains, suggesting that resistance mechanisms should be studied at a molecular level for better understanding. These results could be helpful to design resistance management strategies against the tomato pinworm.

Evaluation of Rhizospheric-Pseudomonas spp. for the management of Meloidogyne incognita in tomato

Root knot nematodes are commercially important plant parasites of many vegetable crops in Pakistan. This study investigate antagonistic effect of Pseudomonas spp. against M. incognita on tomato crop. Ten tomato cultivars were screened against RKN infection. Roma was found the most resistant against infection of M. incognita while money maker was found the most susceptible. Gall or egg mass number/indices are more resistant to RKN. Pseudomonas strains inoculated in the infected tomato plants reduced galling index and also improved the growth of the plant. So, it was obvious that bio-control agents also act as PGPR by stimulating plant growth and inducing resistance through the increase of total phenolic contents and salicylic acid. Tomato cv. Roma showed the greatest increase of total phenol contents and salicylic acid exhibiting tolerance against M. incognita infestation. Tomato cv. Roma showed significantly resistant response against root-knot nematode diseases. Pseudomonas showed significant antagonistic potential against M. incognita in tomato plant.

The relationship between staple food crops consumption and its impact on total factor productivity: does green economy matter?

The agriculture sector is a key driver of economic growth and provides employment opportunities across the globe generally. However, in today’s world, agricultural product demand is more influenced by taste, prices, and nutritional value due to climatic variation. The study has analyzed the current situation grain productivity by using the data of farm inputs and major grain crops of Pakistan from (1960–2020). The study consists of a two-stage analysis in the first stage, the total factor productivity (TFP) variable is obtained by using the parametric Tornqvisit-Theil index output-input-aggregation method separately for each crop; rice, maize, and wheat. After that, the unit root test is used to check the stationarity and trend of the variables in the long run. Subsequently, the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model is applied to check the existence of cointegration in the long run and short run among the variables. The results of the study disclosed that the consumption of rice has a positive relationship with its total factor productivity, but, wheat and maize have a negative long-run cointegration relationship with the respective productivities. The study results have shown that the consumption pattern of staple crops has substantially changed, due to climatic variation, and the current food consumption trend is revealing new dimensions and trends owing to variation in climate change and anthropogenic pressure which demands to adapt climate resilient farm practices.

INTERACTION OF PINK BOLLWORM (LEPIDOPTERA: GELECHIIDAE) POPULATION LEVELS IN PHEROMONE TRAPS AND WEATHER FACTORS

Pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella) is a destructive pest of agricultural crops especially cotton crop in Pakistan. It has ability to form rosette flowers, bolls and makes them unable to open. Thus it deteriorates cotton seed quality which has significant impact on yield reduction. Increasing trend of insecticides has resulted in insecticide resistance, environmental pollution and risks of human health. Integrated pest management has key role to reduce negative impacts. Besides of several other components, pheromone traps are best monitoring and mass capturing tool for bollworms in agricultural crops. The study was conducted to check relation of pink bollworm mass trapping in pheromone traps relating to environmental factors during three years study 2018 to 2020. Results indicated that pink bollworm has two peak activity periods during study years. Standard weeks (SW) 11 to 15 and 31-35 were highly active while SW 20 to 26 was inactive periods of pink bollworm. Adult moth population captures in pheromone traps was 3.14, 4.41 and 6.75/ trap during 2018, 2019 and 2020, respectively. Highest peaks were 11.12, 11.85, 15.94 /trap with maximum, minimum, average temperatures, relative humidity and rainfall of 29.43: 36.59: 35.28°C, 11.31: 21.36: 22.80°C, 20.37: 28.96: 29.04°C, 54.66: 61.23:58. 36% and 0.00, 0.00, 0.00 mm, during 2018, 2019 and 2020, respectively. Temperature 20- 30°C had significant impacts to speed activities of pink bollworm. Minimum (r= -0.165, -0.144, -0.582) and maximum (r= -0.078, -0.045, -0.192) temperatures had negative and non- significant correlation with population in pheromone traps while average temperature had positive and significant correlation (r= 0.112, 0.290, 0.486) during study years. Average temperature had maximum impact of 20.9 (0.01), 20.7 (0.03) and 9.3 (0.07) % on population variability during 2018, 2019 and 2020, respectively. Population trends of pink bollworm had shown increasing trends during the subsequent years. Pheromone traps proved best monitoring tool of pink bollworm to integrate into integrated pest management strategy.

Trends and Limits for Quinoa Production and Promotion in Pakistan

Quinoa is known as a super food due to its extraordinary nutritional qualities and has the potential to ensure future global food and nutritional security. As a model plant with halophytic behavior, quinoa has potential to meet the challenges of climate change and salinization due to its capabilities for survival in harsh climatic conditions. The quinoa crop has received worldwide attention due to its adoption and production expanded in countries out of the native Andean region. Quinoa was introduced to Pakistan in 2009 and it is still a new crop in Pakistan. The first quinoa variety was registered in 2019, then afterward, its cultivation started on a larger scale. Weed pressure, terminal heat stress, stem lodging, bold grain size, and an unstructured market are the major challenges in the production and promotion of the crop. The potential of superior features of quinoa has not been fully explored and utilized. Hence, there is a need to acquire more diverse quinoa germplasm and to establish a strong breeding program to develop new lines with higher productivity and improved crop features for the Pakistan market. Mechanized production, processing practices, and a structured market are needed for further scaling of quinoa production in Pakistan. To achieve these objectives, there is a dire need to create an enabling environment for quinoa production and promotion through the involvement of policymakers, research institutions, farmers associations, and the private sector.